April 18, 2006

Fran O'Brien's last stand

For the past years, the fine folks at Fran O'Brien's Stadium Steakhouse located in the Capitol Hilton have been hosting Friday night steak dinners for wounded warriors from Walter Reed Hospital. These vets who are adjusting to life after war have significant physical difficulties. Wheelchairs. Prosthetic Limbs. And at Fran O'Brien's, they have a private room where they won't have to deal with stares and whispers. It's a gift to them - no bills are presented at the end of the meal.

From the Washington Post:
They come to the subterranean restaurant, at the corner of 16th and L streets NW in the basement of the Capital Hilton, in volunteer's vans and trucks. They're carefully wheeled down the stairs or slowly negotiate the steps on crutches. It has become a tradition so beloved among veterans that Garry Trudeau featured the dinners in his Doonesbury comic strip.

Jim Mayer, a veteran who works at the Department of Veterans Affairs and who helped start the steak dinner tradition, is concerned that the hotel wants to eliminate the spectacle of hundreds of severely disabled soldiers coming in and out of its building or that the restaurant's repeated requests for a new elevator or escalator to accommodate them was too much.

But Hilton spokeswoman Lisa Cole said the hotel's position on the lease has nothing to do with the dinners. She said its decision was based strictly on business considerations.

O'Brien's owners knew their lease was coming up. But after months of negotiations, the hotel chain told them this week that it would not be renewed. The lease expires May 1.


The negotiations included repeated promises by the Hilton that there would be no problem with renewing the least. Now, just weeks before the expiration date, they've made a business decision. And the ones that will be most affected by this are the heroes who, one night a week, can enjoy a sense of normalcy that the best hospital in the world could not match.

Retired Army Staff Sgt. Michael Cain will never forget the porterhouse he had on his first night at O'Brien's, in 2003 after five months in the hospital. "It beat the hell out of hospital food," said Cain, who lost part of a leg in an explosion in Tikrit.

Although the Hilton has (in response to a flood of e-mails and phone calls) offered to continue the Friday night dinners, they don't get it. It's not the food. It's not the location. It's a former Vietnam vet with a big heart who was determined to make a difference for these guys. And the way the Hilton made and communicated their business decision leaves a lot to be desired, from a number of perspectives - public relations, business, and humanitarian.

Andi from Andi's World has been following the situation and will continue to update us. Do consider adding your voice to those who have an opinion on how the Hilton handled this situation. Be polite but be heard.

Dan Boyle(212) 838-1558

Brian Kellaher (202) 393-1000

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April 08, 2006

Emily Dieruf and her Corporal Nich - honoring his memory and sacrifice

On April 8, 2004, Emily Dieruf was told that her husband of three months, Corporal Nich Dieruf, had been killed while serving with 1st LAR near Husaybah, Iraq. Out of her grief was born a steely determination to continue the legacy of her husband's work in Iraq by supporting the families of troops here at home.

Marine wife and mother, Carrie Costantini, remarked in an e-mail last night; "I'm sitting here tonight thinking about what tomorrow means. Tomorrow means that it's the 2nd anniversary of Cpl. Nich Dieruf's death.

His wife is an inspiration to me ... she's founded the Cpl. Nich Dieruf Foundation. Cpl. Nich foundation supports military families in crisis with quality of life grants. That's right..grants..not loans. For reservist families, for abandoned spouses, for surrogate family members and many more, this foundation provides support. She is 24 years old and does so much for our military families. She is not old enough to rent a car yet she does all of these things for us."

Emily Dieruf recently visited Quantico to speak with military spouses at the Commander's Course Spouse's Workshop. Here's a report from the workshop:

"People need not forget about our fallen soldiers, their sacrifices and the families who are affected," Dieruf said. "When Nich was killed, I vowed that I would not let him become a mere number or statistic. I live everyday honoring his memory and sacrifice, just like all of those others who fell before and after him."

Staying true to her word, Dieruf, along with USA Cares, has helped more than 2,000 families by providing or locating over $1 million in financial support. Dieruf's speaking engagements help military wives by making a sensitive topic more real for them. Many do not like to speak about war and death, but Dieruf sets the stage for honest discussion among the women of her audiences.

"Other military wives react with great sympathy and horror. I represent a harsh reality for them," she said. "But, overall, everyone has been extremely supportive and understanding." Although Dieruf was only able to enjoy her marriage with Nich for a brief moment, she will continue to honor her husband and his legacy.

"My husband whole heartedly believed in what the United States is accomplishing in Iraq and Afghanistan and so do I," she said. "He would write me letters about how the women and children of Iraq would thank the troops for coming to liberate their desperate country."

That is what keeps Dieruf going, and she lacks no motivation.

"Every day that I get to tell another audience about my personal hero, Nich," she said, "I am rejuvenated for the following days to come."


During Corporal Dieruf's funeral, church rector Paul Prabell eulogized; "We can be sure that Nicholas has fought the good fight as a faithful Marine. We can be sure that this former cross country runner has run the race to the finish, that this young man of faith and dreams and spirituality has kept the faith."

Emily is continuing his race with the same faith and dreams that Nich brought to his fight. Consider donating to the Corporal Nich fund in his memory today. Cassandra at Villainous Company also has a tribute up today - do stop by and read it.

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April 03, 2006

Run for the Warriors

Carrie Costantini sent this along, thinking that it would be of interest to those who read this site.

The "USO Run For The Warriors" is dedicated to the men and women wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq and their families. It is intended as a celebration of their strength and resolve and a promise that their sacrifices will not be forgotten, nor their needs unmet. By uniting the entire community, military and civilian alike, this unique event will embrace Wounded Warriors and their families in the shared belief that there is hope beyond recovery.

All proceeds from the race will benefit Wounded Warriors and their families through the organizations listed below. We intend to address both immediate needs as well as future needs. The monies raised will be earmarked specifically for "Wounded Warrior needs" to assist with funding transportation for wounded service members unable to drive, to establish scholarships for spouses who may need to take an active role in the financial support of their family, to provide assistance with specially adapted housing, and to provide respite to families as they care for their wounded loved one, in the form of restaurant cards, gas cards, and child care certificates, to name a few.

The USO of NC
The mission of the USO of North Carolina is to enhance the quality of life of U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their families within our geographic boundaries, and to create a cooperative relationship between U.S. military communities and the supporting civilian communities. The USO is actively involved in the support of Wounded Warriors and their families, providing care and assistance to the Wounded Warrior Barracks, the Wounded Warrior Spouses' Support Group, newly arrived patients at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune and families both near and far coming to the aid of their loved one.

WOUNDED WARRIOR BARRACKS
Supported by II MEF this centralized billeting allows single wounded Marines to come together as a team to recover and transition to the next phase of their lives, whether it be back to duty or to civilian life. The camaraderie and indomitable spirit found within its walls is truly amazing.

WOUNDED WARRIOR SPOUSES' SUPPORT GROUP
Meeting the third Wednesday of each month, the Wounded Warrior Spouses' Support Group offers an open forum where spouses, significant others, and friends affected by a wounded Marine can find knowledge and strength in shared experiences with those who have walked a mile in their shoes.

Project CARE
Administered by the Jacksonville/Onslow Chamber of Commerce, Project CARE's Mission is to provide benefits for spouses of those who are currently deployed. By rallying its members, Project CARE matches community services to needs of the families left behind
.

T-SHIRT DESIGN
Run for the Warriors' pre-race kick off will be a t-shirt contest, with the winning entry being selected as the official race shirt. As Wounded Warriors reintegrate back into the community we find their courage and tenacity invigorating. The theme therefore is a tribute to their strength and our commitment to stand behind them in the belief that there is "Hope Beyond Recovery". Children fourth grade through high school are invited to capture this essence and in doing so we hope that they will gain an understanding that disabilities and challenges are not roadblocks to life.

RACE DAY
We invite young and old, military and civilian, runners and walkers to help welcome home and embrace our Wounded Warriors. Three race venues are provided: a 10K run/walk, 5K run/walk and a 1 mile fun run. During the opening ceremony, Wounded Warriors will be welcomed home followed by a pre-race warm-up to kick off the Wounded Warrior Dash where they will be invited to crutch, wheel and otherwise ambulate to the victory line. The 10K, 5K and 1 mile fun run will commence shortly thereafter. A service expo at the race site will provide access to those agencies that offer support to the Wounded Warriors and their families and will raise awareness in how the community can become involved. Immediately following all races there will be an awards/closing ceremony. We will introduce and award the winner of the t-shirt contest as well as the top male and female overall and each male and female age category in the 10K and 5K races. Finally, a special tribute will be made to all wounded participants.


Download more information here.

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March 21, 2006

What NOT to send to your Marine

LtCol Dave Furness sent this cautionary note to friends and family of his 1/1 Marines:

I wanted to take the time today to sit down and ask for your assistance on an issue that I am very concerned about, alcohol and other off limits items being sent in the mail to your Marines and sailors. Today I had the unpleasant duty to forward a member of 1/1 to a General Officers level Non-Judicial Punishment. I took no joy in doing this, but the man was found with alcohol, alcohol that he had received from a family member. I am sure the family member believed they were doing him a favor. To reiterate, it is illegal for any Marine/Sailor/Civilian serving in Iraq to have alcohol. This one incident may very well have ruined his career.

I once again ask you to please not mail any items which, in the possession of your loved one in Iraq, are considered illegal and could get them into serious trouble. Specifically, do not mail alcohol, pornography, firearms, or ammunition.

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March 20, 2006

Have you been Sempertoon'ed?

That's a question that GySgt Wolf, Art Director of the Marine Corps Recruiting command, wants us to have fun with. He noted in a recent email, "Humor is the best medicine and Sempertoons is the Military CURE!!!" I agree - judicious use of humor in highly stressful situations is a terrific anxiety reducer and Sempertoons is a wonderful way to smile at the idiosyncrasies of the Corps. He's just started a 4-part series, leading up to Easter, and here's the first one:



A few years ago, Gunny Wolf was profiled in a Defend America News article:

The United States Marine Corps thrives on the ethos of honor, courage and commitment, and Staff Sgt. Charles F. Wolf epitomizes that ethos through art.

He's a stocky 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 160 pounds-from weight he gained during his years of bodybuilding. His face, chiseled like stone, doesn't look mean.

Wolf, a graphics instructor at the Defense Information School here, is a very easy-going person who believes in thinking outside the box to which most people limit themselves. Through his perseverance he has managed to apply his artistic creativity to other aspects of his life.

Growing up, he never believed his interest in art would develop the following it has, he said. Like most kids, he enjoyed doodling on scratch sheets of paper as something to pass the time. His first formal graphic design education was at a vocational school the year before he graduated high school.

"I just believe that everyone doodles or draws in their free time," said Wolf. "Some of us try, and then there are people who have a natural talent for it and excel from an early age."

He joined the Marine Corps in 1987 and started his career as an anti-tank assault man, or dragon gunner. For nine years his artistic creativity remained dormant, except for small requests to draw things like range flags, random sketches, or cartoons during his off-duty time.

"Initially I saw it as an opportunity to boost morale," said the Ashtabula, Ohio, native. "And I never lost that fire for seeing something come to life in front of me-that's the essence of art."

While stationed aboard the USS Blue Ridge in Yokosuka, Japan, he began drawing cartoons, which would soon be referred to as Sempertoons. This assignment fueled Wolf with a plethora of ideas for cartoons. "It was endless, and I saw how my cartoons made people laugh," he said.

Wolf's love for art began to equate to his love for the Corps, but he thought he had to keep the two worlds separate.

"I knew that art was going to take me somewhere, I just had to figure out how to connect the two worlds," he said. "It all came together in one moment, and it was like a big tidal wave hitting me."

As an enlisted instructor at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., the instructor group tasked him with drawing a sketch of the range. His sketch was sent to the graphics department to be drawn on a larger scale, and subsequently, he was sent to graphics to ensure they were duplicating his work correctly.

"I didn't even know that graphics existed," he said. "I walked through that building completely astounded, and that's where the desire to change my (military occupational specialty) evolved."

After the seed was planted, he was sent to his new duty station in Camp Pendleton, Calif., assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, which deployed with the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade. This provided another opportunity for him to gather material for his cartoons.

Even though Wolf had done several drawings during his Marine Corps career, he still did not realize the full capability of his talent.

"To be honest, the full impact of art did not hit me until I started doing Sempertoons," said Wolf. "In fact, the first few drawings weren't even that great."

When he returned from deployment, he met with MOS monitors and requested a lateral move to the 4611 MOS, or graphic illustrator.

His request was eventually approved and he reported for duty at the Quantico graphics center for three years, to include six months of on-the-job-training. He then served as the chief of graphics on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and two-and-a-half years later he was selected to be an instructor at DINFOS.

He now has the opportunity to pass on to younger Marines his talent and knowledge as a graphics illustrator.


He's been promoted since then, and in a recent e-mail, Gunny Wolf commented on the motivation behind his work:

"I live in Virginia with my lovely wife Amelia (My 1st Sergeant) and we are expecting our first child in July. ( I refuse to name the Baby "Sempertoon"...hahha.

Sempertoons is a family friendly way to relax and laugh at situations that sometimes leave everyone in the dark when it come to the Marines. I am most proud that Sempertoons is a window, vehicle and place for all of us to laugh together. Laughing is the universal language that keeps us bonded during tough and hard times. I can promise to everyone reading this that, Sempertoons will always be there for them when they need it.

My vision is to let everyone know this and let them find their own way through the humor. Regardless of the path, when you look around you are still bonded to your fellow brothers and sisters. "Now That's Semper Fi"

I would ask everyone to have fun with the following statement.... "Have you been Sempertoon'ed?"


And, here's an earlier one that you'll enjoy too:



There's more at his Sempertoons website. And his books and new challenge coin would make a marvelous gift for Marines or their parents. With Mother's Day and Father's Day coming up, it's well worth a visit.

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March 07, 2006

Supporting our Injured Troops

USMC Major Steve Danyluk spent a few months in Iraq back in 2004, working to make Iraq a better place for the people who live there. During his stay, he took some wonderful photographs that were debuted at an exhibition hosted by The Wounded Bookshop last June. Now, he's put his photographs on a website and is offering them for sale with all proceeds generated to the Semper Fi Fund, a 501c3 that benefits wounded Marines and their families. If you're looking for a special gift for a special someone, consider purchasing one of his photographs. It will be unique and you'll know that your purchase will be helping a Marine who has put his or her life on the line for your freedom. Here's the link: Steve Danyluk's Photos More pictures can be found here. These would make lovely gifts for parents of Marines . . . and Mother's Day and Father's Day are coming up. Hint.

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January 30, 2006

Worthy efforts


Connie Riecke is working hard on the next MCFF project - sending Girl Scout Cookies to our deployed Marines. Here's Connie's message to those of you who are interested in supporting our troops in this tangible (and delicious!) way:
Support your local Girl Scout Troop by purchasing boxes of those yummy cookies. Then donate them to send to our Marines deployed. I know from experience that it’s hard to turn down those yummy cookies and the cute smiling faces of Girls Scouts when they knock on your door or meet you at your local supermarket. Every Girl Scout tries to meet a goal to sell enough to earn a merit badge. This fundraiser is enormous to the success of the Girl Scout program, and very much like the Boy Scout program that many of our US Marines completed. In fact many of our Marines have earned the highest rank of the Boy Scout program, they are Eagle Scouts. But, better yet, last year the Marine Corps Family Foundation was contacted by a local Girl Scout troop who had several cases of cookies purchased and donated to send to our troops. The foundation was able to label the boxes and put them in the mail to our Marines in Iraq. You can do the same. Just go to www.marinecorpsfamilyfoundation.org and make a donation via paypal and designate to “cookies.” We will purchase the cookies and put them in the mail. You can even email us if you have someone special to send the cookies to, just provide a name and address and we will make sure they get there. Or you can send a check to the Marine Corps Family Foundation, 4000 Lancaster Drive NE, Suite 57, Salem, OR 97309 and we will purchase and send the cookies.
Another wonderful outreach is Operation Warmer, coordinated by Marine parents Sharron and Ralph Cook

This is Sharron L. Cook and my husband is Ralph E. Cook. As some of you may know by now, we have a son in the 1st LAR, Weapons CO. On the 7th of January 06, we got a phone call from him saying that where they are located, they have a lot of frost on their sleeping bags. And to keep the hand, body and foot warmers coming. That they really DO HELP. That Sunday we got an e-mail form a dad who has a son with 1st LAR, Delta Co. He asked his dad to get in touch with us to find out where we got the warmers at and he would like more because his hands get so cold when riding on his LAV. I had sent some hand, body and foot warmers to his son. I contacted the company by e-mail and asked them if they could help and told of what these two Marines said. AND THEY DID! By the end of the week, I had five (5) cases sitting outside of my gate. I thought I had a lot here. They sent 1,200 hand warmers and that may sound like a lot. But with the request that I have received so far THEY DIDN’T LAST VERY LONG. And it sounds like ALMOST ALL of our Marines need them VERY BAD.

So we have another Project to work on and we need to get this done as fast as we can. It is called “Project Warmer”. If we can come up with the money to buy the cases and the postage for the Flat Rate Boxes (FRB), I can get these warmers at $ .40 each pair. There is 240 pair in a case that equals to $96.00 a case, (NO MATTER HOW MANY CASES) each case lasting about 2 to 3 nights per Company and these warmers will last about 10 hr. a pair. I have been able to get almost half of a case in one FRB, just can’t seem to get the last 6 pairs in the box yet. This company said that they will pay for the shipping to my house so we can repack the warmers and send over in the FRB’s at $8.10 a box now. (Have to say here that there is a lot of cardboard in each case and a case weight is 29 lb.) I have been able to get around 12 lb. in a FRB. I will mail the boxes only to 1st LAR’s Sgt. Maj. Ward and Weapons Company’s Gy Sgt. Leikwold and they will pass them out. Any money left over will be sent to the 1st LAR homecoming funds at Camp Pendleton in CA for our Marines.

So please, we can get our Marine warmer by giving them the Hand Warmers to keep warmer and not be "so COLD" any more. I know it is on short notice, but I have done every thing that I can to help those out that I can. I just can’t afford to send to the whole 1st LAR by myself.

E-mail: sharronlcook@earthlink.net

Her deadline is tomorrow - let's get those handwarmers in the mail. Thanks for supporting our troops.

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January 15, 2006

The Scent of Home

Photo by LCpl Peter R. Miller
LCpl Ryan S. Donovan, deployed with 1/2 Marines, reads a letter from his wife earlier this month.

Mail from home is a major motivator for depoyed Marines. Motomail is efficient, messages are delivered the next day, but there is something special about being handed a sealed envelope. My son mentioned one time that each time mail was passed out, he was up on his tippytoes until he heard his name. Letters are read and reread, pictures are tucked inside a helmet and worn out on patrol as a reminder of loved ones safe at home. And when the envelope is ripped open, sometimes there is an intangible, yet very real, reminder of home.

Captain B wrote this last week. Read it, then write a letter to someone you love who is far from home.
But what I will tell you about is the smell inside an envelope from home. Where you can actually smell some of the things that where there when the letter was written. You can close your eyes and recognize the smell of the familiar little one who wrote you the letter. You can pick up on familiar surroundings like the pledge cleaner that was used on the table where the letter was written on or remember where the flowers are in your home that are neatly placed and accompany your letter. The smell of the room where the letter was written in cuts through the familiar burning tire trash smell you're currently surrounded in. It's a nice treat to get mail regardless who it is from. You get the letter here in a country that doesn't even have a mail system. It might have been a week old which is better than past wars where it could have been months before you received a piece of mail, it's a special piece of home.

I can tell you about the sacrifices your service members have made in this war alike the ones in the past. The birthdays you miss, the graduations that are complete minus dad, the dad that has to be both a mom and dad. The feeling a young Marine father has who stands guard on a post during a national holiday while his kids open presents back home. Having to deal with monsters in closets and taking off training wheels at home while their warrior is away helping a country take their training wheels off as well. The simple words from a youngster saying "I just want my daddy home" can carry a ton of weight just as much as a warrior says, we will prevail and we are here to help. Both know the meaning of sacrifice, both smell the envelopes from their loved ones.

Your service members and families know sacrifice because they not only feel it, they live it. Not just from Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, but as long as this country has had to make war, we have made sacrifice. Sacrifice as a country at home and a far. Its not easy, its not always fun but when we make a sacrifice it is for the good and a good cause. We help others who have no hope, we dedicate our loved ones to complete the mission. We don't take it lightly and we play to win. We know the sacrifice and we are proud of what we do. The next time you write your service member a letter, know what is going into it and what they will get out of it. While in the country of America, I have seen a lot of great things transpire, people stand up and a country become proud and strong.
Marine Corps Moms are getting Valentine's Day packages of candy, cookies, and cards ready to send. If you'd like to be part of this effort, let us know.

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December 31, 2005

"Operation Santa" Christmas at Korean Village

Here's another report about Christmas for 1st LAR, passed along by Col. John Folsom with the Wounded Warrior Project:
Christmas Day passed uneventfully for most of us at Forward Operating Base Camp Korean Village. It was a day like most days; had it not been for the Santa hats and everyone greeting each other with "Merry Christmas!" it would have been like any other day here.

Operation "Santa's Helper" was a great success with hundreds of you sending thousands of Christmas presents to us. Of course, Chief David Peterson was the "go to" guy as he sorted through the packages, clipped addresses, entered the addresses into a spreadsheet and organized the distribution of all the presents to the several units that call Korean Village home.

No "White Christmas," but a brown one as another dust storm came through with a cold front to drop visibility to a half mile before the front passed. As the afternoon sun set, the winds subsided and the skies cleared to reveal a a dark canopy of stars and planets.

Camp Korean Village sits next to the major highway from Jordan and is heavily traveled with trucks, busses and autos. The highway is, no doubt, an ancient trade route that has existed since, well, pre- history. So, as I sat one evening watching the traffic, I wondered if the Magi passed this way on their journey from Persia to Bethlehem bearing their gifts. Perhaps so, but no one can know. But, as I watched Venus over the western horizon, I imagined that the Magi passed Ar Rutbah as they followed the star that led them to the manger and the baby Jesus so many years ago.

From all of us here at Camp Korean Village, thank you for making our Christmas one to remember.
You've seen this snow globe before - Carrie Costantini sent along pictures earlier. However, there's another story worth sharing.
Col. Folsom shared this anecdote involving KV chaplain, Lieutenant Wayne Tomasek, USN:
As I reported, the Chaplain was having difficulty in getting the fan motor to work. He could be seen tinkering with the motor to no avail. Despite his best efforts, he could not get it to work, and an electrician was called in to fix the problem. It wasn't easy to fix. The fan motor was finally turned into the battalion's maintenance shop for repair. The problem? It was reported to me that the Chaplain was seen writing in his notebook while muttering, "Note to self: do not plug 110 volt appliances into 220 volt outlets".

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December 28, 2005

The Liberty Limited

Jarhead Dad passed along this wonderful story from the Philadelphia Daily News by Ronnie Polaneczky about a very special tribute to our wounded troops.
It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops. "We have to let them know we care," Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly, on Dec. 3. The cool part is, they created their own train line to do it.
Mr. Levin owns his own rail car, so that was a start . . . and he convinced 15 other rail car owners into lending their cars for the day. Amtrak donated transport of the cars to D.C. where the wounded troops were taken in grand style to the game, then returned them to their owners. Someone else donated seats on the 50-yard line - 100 of them - plus lunch. Each of the troops were allowed to bring a guest. However, Polaneczky noted:
The Marines, though, declined the offer. "They voted not to take guests with them, so they could take more Marines," says Levin, choking up at the memory.
No media. No publicity. Just a wonderful outpouring of support in a tangible way.
The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodbye, then sang them the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station. "One of the guys was blind, but he said, 'I can't see you, but man, you must be f---ing beautiful!' " says Bennett. "I got a lump so big in my throat, I couldn't even answer him." It's been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day's love. "My Christmas came early," says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Christmas season. "I can't describe the feeling in the air."
Thank God for people like the Levins who make things happen. The 88 troops who made this trip will have a wonderful memory to hold on to when life gets hard. And a killer story to tell their grandchildren.

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December 25, 2005

1107th AVCRAD Update

For those of you who met a last minute request to send packages to a group of deployed Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, you made a difference. Emails started coming in this morning.

Here's one:
I wanted to thank you from the heart. I'm now in Iraq and received one of the packages you put together. I am now in Iraq. Knowing that people like you care and support us here is a great comfort. I Pray you and your family have a Merry Christmas and a safe new year. Again thank you.
And another:
I am a national guardsman from Missouri. I am currently deployed in Kuwait. This is my first deployment in twenty-six years of National Guard Service. This is also the first time I have been away from home for more than three weeks since my children were born. While I thank you very much for your gift, because it did make the day that much better. I salute you maam. You and people like you are the ones who make it worth the sacrifice of being away from home and doing what we do. I also salute your son. Because of young soldiers like him, like I said, this is my first deployment. They are the true hero's It gave me great pride to receive your gift, and I thank you very much. Happy Holidays to you and your family
And, here are two of the guys that made it happen. Eric Whitesell is one of my students who assured me that the packages, priority mailed in late December, would get to the soldiers in time.
Eric said:
It's a picture of me (the delivery boy) and my cousin (Naval Intelligence) on the cargo ramp at Baghdad International airport. We brought in care packages (and anything else our boys and girls asked for) the U.S. military. Since Deborah's son is a United States Marine, I thought she might be interested in the picture. (By the way, the guy with the M-16 is a Marine and the airplane was what I flew). . . My friends are working the priority mail into Iraq. It'll get there by X-Mas.
Thanks, Eric, and thanks to everyone else who helped with this effort.

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December 24, 2005

Operation Santa boosts holiday cheer in Iraq

From the 1st LAR, here are pictures of the inflatable snowglobe sent by the KVNs, wives, and other troop supporters.
The snow globe and other holiday decor was shipped via Operation Santa elves at Camp Pendleton to Iraq, where it was set up in the chow hall.
GySgt Todd Byrd, Delta Co., 1st LAR with the snow globe.
Pictures of spouses enjoying the Christmas party back home.

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December 22, 2005

Operation Santa Highlights from 1st LAR Elves

Carrie Costantini, Operation Santa coordinator for 1st LAR sent in this report of how her part of this effort went together - sounds like a wonderful success!!
Dear supporter of Operation Santa/1st LAR,

With the stockings stuffed, the boxes packed and shipped, it is time to thank you for making Christmas a reality for the Marines of 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.

First, let me tell you about my week in California. On Monday, Nov. 14th, Pat Malloy, Louise Nohl, Tina Byrd, Meagan Bergeron, Norma Bango, the famous Sophia Bango, and I met at Costco in Dana Point, California. We had a mission: to purchase items that would go into the Marines' stockings.

We bought the following:

600+ Apple cider packets

600+ Trail mix packets

2400 AA batteries

600+ White tube socks

1200 packs of Gum

600+ Chocolate chip cookies

600+ Crackers in packets

20 Large boxes of Ritz crackers (to put in the Christmas party boxes for platoons)

600+ candy bars

Believe it or not, it only took us an hour to purchase all of the items. We even had money left over on the gift cards and Costco graciously cashed them out for us. We still had big concerns about the cost of postage.

We convoyed back to the battalion area and unloaded the goodies with the kind help of Gunny Sgt. Hooker. We opened the boxes that had been sent to Louise for Operation Santa and were so amazed at the beautiful stockings, the great DVDs, CDs and books, the candies and candy canes, the hot chocolate packets, the tabletop trees, tree skirts, and decorations. It was really humbling for all of us to see just how much the 1st LAR Marines are loved.

After all of that excitement, we sent Pat Malloy (don't tell his wife but he really is very handy) off to Walmart to purchase extra dartboards and Christmas DVD's while Meagan and Tina went to get the Christmas CDs that Meagan had put together for the Marines' Christmas parties. Louise and I stayed behind at the battalion area to get the breakdown of Marines per platoon, etc.

We rendezvoused at Baja Fresh for chow (hey...this shopping thing is hard work!!). After a great lunch with lots of laughing and sharing of stories (believe it or not, Pat held his own against 4 very chatty Marine wives), we said bye to Pat until the next day and marched to Walmart to purchase summer sausages and extra Christmas trees, lights, skirts and decorations. 40 beef sticks later, we were on our way to find boxes. The Shipping Outlet in San Clemente helped us out with that and with one last trip through the 99 cent store, where we purchased 20 vehicle flags that said "Official vehicle of Santa's helpers" for LAVs, we were done for the day.

The next morning was packing day. We had a great turnout for that with Marie and Pat Malloy, Greg and Maryellen Dament, Michelle Kosid, Tina Byrd, Meredith Peterson, Laura Leikwold, Connie Phillips, Meagan Bergeron, Norma Bango, Tim Riis and Karen Dolosa. We had stocking boxes and party boxes to pack.

Speaking of those party boxes, this is what we put in them:

Summer Sausages

Crackers

Dart boards

6 in 1 board games

Christmas CD

Tabletop tree with all the trimmings

DVDs

CDs

Disposable cameras so that we can see the Christmas fun

We packed the stockings with what we had purchased at Costco the day before and added the hot chocolate packets, candies, candy canes and one Christmas card from an adult and one from a child per stocking. Just reading the cards made us laugh and sometimes, it made our eyes tear up. It was all so wonderful. After each stocking had been assembled, we tucked it into a Ziploc bag so that nothing would spill out and then put it into a box.

It took until 4:00 pm on Tuesday to get it all packed up. We agreed that our shipping day would be Thursday and all went home to rest. Packing is harder than shopping but just as much fun when you’re doing it with the right people and for such a great cause.
Shipping day was equally busy and fun. With the help of Cpl McKnight, LCpl Mastry,

PFC Bennett and LCpl Washington from 1st LAR, CWO Jason Scroggs(the Family Readiness Officer), Michelle Kosid, Tina Byrd, Laura Leikwold and I managed to get 60 boxes into three cars and convoyed off to a post office in Oceanside. We invaded the post office and occupied it for an hour and a half. 60 customs forms later, the two post office employees were finally done and our packages were on their way to Iraq priority mail.

As of December 3rd, all of the boxes have arrived in Iraq. The 8 foot snowglobe lawn ornament (surprise!!) arrived a week or so later and sits in front of the chowhall at Korean Village.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting this project. Without your help, we could not have sent 1500 lbs. of Christmas cheer to the Marines of 1st LAR. Thanks to you, they will know that they are not forgotten and thanks to you, even though they won't be home for Christmas, they're going to get a little piece of home. Thank you for supporting the troops!!

Merry Christmas to all of you!!

Carrie Costantini
Carrie's husband commanded 1st LAR during their last deployment to Iraq and she continues to support them now. Thanks Carrie, you made a difference!

Posted by Deb at 01:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 14, 2005

Update on Operation Santa Last Minute Request

When I have more time, I'll do a complete update but you all made it happen!! In just one weekend, you donated enough to purchase, wrap, and send over 400 pounds of gifts and treats for the 1107th AVCRAD. I still don't know what that is, but I know the men assigned to it are giving up their holiday at home so that they can protect us . . . and that is enough. Thank you all so much. The need has been met and your generosity is appreciated.

Posted by Deb at 10:09 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

December 07, 2005

Marine Parents United Conference 2006

Save the last weekend in July!

I attended the 2004 and 2005 MPU conferences and highly recommend them to Marine parents. It's a wonderful place to give and receive support . . . and to know that the Marine Corps family is strong and solid.

Posted by Deb at 09:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 21, 2005

Operation Santa USMC 2005 update

One month into Operation Santa USMC 2005, things are looking good! We are working on the following battalions - if you'd like to help, let us know:

BattalionCoordinatorStatus
1st LARCarrie CostantiniDone!
1/2 MarinesConnie Riecke & Katie MaioStill working!
2/2 MarinesJayme AlexanderDone!
2/7 MarinesTerri DillonDone!
3/7 MarinesConnie RieckeDone!
2/6 MarinesDeb ConradDone!
3/6 MarinesJennifer AlfordDone!
3/1 MarinesMary VetorStill working!
1st Recon BattalionConnie RieckeStill working!

If you can help, e-mail us at operationsanta@marinecorpsmoms.com.

Tax deductible donations can be mailed to:

Marine Corps Family Foundation
4000 Lancaster Drive- Suite 57
Salem, OR 97309

If you'd rather send a donation via Paypal, send it to: donations@marinecorpsfamilyfoundation.org

Make sure you let us know if you want to earmark your contribution for a specific battalion. 100% of all donations will be used for Operation Santa USMC - nothing is withheld.

Deb Conrad - Operation Santa Coordinator - 541-974-6948 deb@marinecorpsmoms.com

Connie Riecke - Operation Santa Coordinator - 503-838-4111 riecke@marinecorpsmoms.com


Right now, we have 9 battalions with coordinators. If you'd like to help with one of these battalions, or would like to make sure another battalion is included, contact Deb or Connie and we'll put you in touch with the coordinator.

We've heard that some of the packages are already in Iraq and waiting to be distributed to our Marines. I will take another load of boxes to the post office on Monday - helped by LCpl Shane Conrad who was on the receiving end last year. Our sons are home for the holidays this year - but there are thousands of Marines who are deployed. Operation Santa will cover at least 10,000 of them.

Posted by Deb at 05:22 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

November 08, 2005

Send a birthday greeting to Landstuhl

Diana Hartman, Marine wife and new blogger (finally!), offers you an opportunity to help wounded Marines at Landstuhl celebrate on November 10, the 230th birthday of the Corps:

The 230th Marine Corps Birthday will be celebrated by Marines around the world including our wounded Marines at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Marines and spouses of Marine Forces Europe will be providing cake and ceremony for our wounded Marines before the end of this week. If you'd like to send birthday or general greetings, please feel free to leave your greeting in the comments section of this post. Your greeting will be printed out, copied, and presented to the wounded Marines. The greetings will include a cover sheet with the Eagle, Globe & Anchor. Please do not include graphics in your message. Thank you!

Visit Diana's blog to leave your comment or send via e-mail at vladdi@pjsnet.de - the Marines at Landstuhl won't be able to celebrate this birthday with their unit. They need to know that they aren't forgotten.

Posted by Deb at 08:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 02, 2005

Operation Santa USMC 2005


In late summer 2005, thousands of United States Marines left for seven month deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. For many of these Marines, this will be the first Thanksgiving and Christmas they will be away from home and family. For others, it will be the second or third in a row. And it is an unfortunate fact that some of these young men and women will not receive mail and packages from friends and family members. Although they have made a choice to serve their country, it's going to be a lonely holiday. And not just for the Marines but for family members back home as well.

With the help of amazing volunteers all over the country, for the second year the Marine Corps Moms hope to make a difference for our Marines.

Last year, we started out with an idea that we'd send Christmas stockings to the 42 Marines in my son's platoon. The project grew from there, and six exhausting weeks later, over 6,000 Christmas stockings had been mailed from individuals and groups all over the United States. Classrooms, businesses, scout troops, churches, and clubs adopted platoons or companies of deployed Marines. We sent stockings, they filled and mailed them. And it made a difference. The Marines in the picture above were deployed along the Syrian border. It was a dusty primitive place to spend seven months, but they did it for us. And troop supporters all over the country made Christmas merrier for them . . . and 5,800 other Marines. You can help us make that same difference this year.

Here's our plan:

Operation Santa USMC 2005 will provide as many battalions as possible with Christmas-in-a-Box. Each platoon in the battalions will receive a box containing the following:



Battalions are made up of 4 or more companies, and each company has a number of platoons. Each platoon has 30 or more Marines. We need church groups, organizations, clubs, employer groups, etc. to sponsor platoons and fill their boxes. We also need volunteers to sew the Christmas stockings and donations to help with postage and filling boxes. All boxes need to be mailed by Thanksgiving, so please sign up now.

If you can help make the Christmas season merrier for our Marines in Iraq, please contact one of us:

Deb Conrad - Operation Santa Coordinator - 541-974-6948 deb@marinecorpsmoms.com

Connie Riecke - Operation Santa Coordinator - 503-838-4111 riecke@marinecorpsmoms.com

And if you can help sew stockings (this is a great time to clean out your stash of Christmas fabrics), contact:

Terry Kallmbah, Stocking Coordinator - terry@marinecorpsmoms.com

Right now, we have 2 battalions with coordinators. If you'd like to help with one of these battalions, contact the coordinator. If you'd like to make sure another battalion is included, contact Deb or Connie.

Connie Riecke - 3/7 Marines - Riecke@marinecorpsmoms.com

Carrie Costantini - 1st LAR - Carrie@marinecorpsmoms.com

This project is sponsored by The Marine Corps Family Foundation, a 501(c3 organization. All donations made through the Foundation are tax deductible. We will have the Foundation website up very soon. Until then, please contact Connie Riecke at 503-838-4111 if you'd like to make a donation to the project.

Posted by Deb at 09:54 PM

September 19, 2005

Tips for sending letters and packages to your deployed Marine

The 22nd MEU has a great list of tips for sending letters and packages to deployed troops. The list is below, with a few comments in italics from this Marine Mom:


While e-mail is a wonderful innovation in keeping connected to deployed family member, there is nothing better than holding a tangible reminder of home in your hand. Here are some basic tips for writing your deployed Marine or Sailor:

Letter Mail

  • Say what they want to hear. I love you! I miss you! Also, give them something to look forward to when they come home. I always included a glimpse of the future . . . "I can't wait until you come home and we can go camping . . . I'll bake you all the chocolate chip cookies you can eat . . . We've been invited to a tailgater at the OSU homecoming game while you're home on post-deployment leave. . . " and on and on.


    Packages



    Posted by Deb at 12:20 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

    September 14, 2005

    Looking for a few good men . . . and their parents

    If you know anyone that fits one or more of these descriptors (and yes, there are thousands that fit the first and last ones), please e-mail me at deb at marine corpsmoms.com.


    Posted by Deb at 04:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

    September 10, 2005

    Helping Marine Families relocated due to Hurricane Katrina

    The need for all victims of Hurricane Katrina is immense and there are many worthy charities that will put your donation to good use. I've made my initial contribution through the Red Cross and will send another one soon. Here's another opportunity that targets the Marine Reserve units based in the path of Hurricane Katrina. These include (probably not a complete listing):

    Marine Forces Reserve HQ - NOLA
    4th Marine Division HQ - NOLA
    4th Marine Aircraft Wing - NOLA
    4th Marine Logistics Group HQ - NOLA
    3/23 Marines HQ - Belle Chasse, LA
    MAG 42, Detachment C - Belle Chasse, LA
    3rd Force Recon Co. 4th SCAMP - Mobile, AL
    3rd PLT (REIN), 4th AAV BN, Co. A - Gulfport, MS

    In addition, the entire 8th Marine District has relocated to Dallas/Fort Worth.

    Marine families assigned to the NOLA base have been relocated (not permanently, but no ending date has been announced)to bases in Kansas City and Fort Worth. The families are arriving with little more than they could carry with them and their children are starting school without the school supplies and new clothes that were most likely left behind in New Orleans.

    If you wish to make a donation that will benefit those families, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society has established special accounts to track charitable contributions and disbursements to ensure that funds donated for this purpose are used to provide financial support to the families impacted by the hurricane.

    The Society helped families with funds for evacuation prior to the storm and now will help to meet ongoing needs. Individuals, organizations and corporations wishing to make a donation to help these families can send a check payable to NMCRS (or Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society) to:

    875 North Randolph Street, Suite 225,
    Arlington VA 22203.

    In the lower left corner of the check, please annotate Hurricane Katrina Relief. All donations will be acknowledged by the society. The NMCRS is also accepting online donations at this link. I just tested it by making a donation and it works just fine.

    I'm working on contacts for sending contributions for families temporarily (long term) to Fort Worth and Kansas City. I'll update this post as I receive information.

    UPDATE - 9/13/05
    Donations to assist Marine families relocated to Dallas/Fort Worth are sought.

    Make checks payable to: Metroplex Marine Charitable Trust Fund

    Mailing Address
    Metroplex Marine Charitable Trust Fund
    900 Jackson St. Suite 150
    Dallas, TX 75202

    On the memo line please state "for New Orleans Marine Families".

    Posted by Deb at 01:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

    June 18, 2005

    Make a difference in the life of a wounded hero

    Col. John Folsom with the Wounded Warrior Project sent this wish list from Senior Master Sergeant Elizabeth Christiansen who is assigned to the the currently deployed 332 Air Expeditionary Wing, Expeditionary Medical Group.


    Dear Colonel Folsom,

    Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. As you probably are aware, we are an extremely busy, advanced, state of the art, trauma hospital and see upwards to over a thousand patients a month. Some patients are returned to duty directly from the hospital while others are sent over to the CASF for air transportation to higher levels of health care at places such as Landstuhl, Germany.

    The reason I am writing is to request your help in finding certain items that we are in need of here. Due to our high patient load, we are in constant need of hygiene and clothing items. Because of the urgency of our patient's condition, they usually arrive here without these necessities. When our rotation arrived here at the beginning of May the supplies seemed adequate, however they have rapidly dwindled, are almost gone, and we are not sure where to find replenishment. Any assistance you can provide us will be greatly appreciated.

    Thank you for your kindness and all the work you do for the American forces.


    Respectfully submitted,
    ELIZABETH M. CHRISTIANSEN, SMSgt, USAF

    Health and comfort items for the patients:
    Air freshener (spray)
    Baby wipes
    T Chap Stick
    Deodorant
    Female items
    Kleenex
    Lotion
    Magazines, CDs
    Mirrors
    Q-tips
    Shaving cream & Razors Shampoo & conditioner
    Stationary & Pens
    Sunscreen
    Soap & body wash
    Toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, floss
    Sweat pants & matching shirts/T-shirts (Male & Female)
    Socks (Male & Female)
    Sports bra's (small, medium, & large)
    Woman's underwear
    Boxers
    Towels
    Washcloths
    Pillowcases
    Twin bed sheets

    When Marines are medevaced after suffering a combat or other injury, often they arrive with only the clothes they are wearing. If you can supply any of these items, please e-mail me at deb@marinecorpsmoms.com for a mailing address. Please send only these items and make certain that you list all items sent on the customs forms. Please do not send aerosol cans of shaving cream or air freshener. Spray bottles of Febreze (well wrapped in ziploc bags to contain possible leakage) and gel cans of shaving cream should be fine. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated by our wounded troops.

    And, check out the Wounded Warrior Project for an update on the Backpack project:


    Posted by Deb at 01:40 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

    Helmets to Hardhats

    Here's an excellent transitional support site for Marines returning to civilian life. A new federally-funded program called Helmets to Hardhats will help those with military experience find work in civilian construction trades that are experiencing labor shortages.

    Retired USMC Major General Matthew Caulfield and his son Dan Caulfield who served as a Marine Corps officer during the Persian Gulf War are the program's principal organizers. They believe that military people are uniquely qualified to reinforce the construction industry.

    Major General Caulfield remarked; "We need people to maintain our infrastructure, our roads and bridges and dams. The way we're going, in 10 years we won't have enough iron workers. What better source of people to bring into the construction industry than those who have already been trained in the military?"

    The discipline and leadership skills attained during military service transfer well to the civilian world. Please pass this message along to Marines and other troops who are reentering civilian life. See a video about the program here.

    Posted by Deb at 12:58 AM | Comments (0)

    June 06, 2005

    Special requests

    We've posted lists of care package items before, but there's no better source for suggestions than our Marines. Here's a wish list from Capt John A. Kasparian for 3/25 Marines in the wild wild west of Iraq.

    We have a few things that we would really like to get.

    A few special requests for care packages that we value at Camp Hadithah and our other Camps between combat operations... Some of it is pure fun stuff.

    Handy Wipes, Lunch Food, Computer Data Sticks, DVD's, CD's, and
    headsets. The Marines come out of the field and like to listen to music or play DVD's. Many of the Marines have portable DVD players and IPods. In my day it used to be a book and an old newspaper!!

    A group gift that we value higher then most items: If a group of people want to send something special, Projectors (One Eyes we call them) are GOLD! When we conduct combat operations out of our camps, we sometimes come back and everyone crowds into someone's room/tent and we project movies on the wall. It's a great moral booster.

    Also, we donate a lot of our items to Iraqi families. Some things that are outside the normal military Civil Affairs are:

    a. School supplies (markers, crayons, notebooks, calculators, etc.)
    b. Children's wristwatches
    c. Toys (stuffed animals, soccer balls, frisbees, etc.)

    Capt Kasparian and his Marines are halfway through their deployment. If you'd like to send a care package to this group, e-mail me for an address.

    Posted by Deb at 09:47 PM | Comments (0)

    June 01, 2005

    Support our Severely Injured Troops

    Major Steve Danyluk who is back from Iraq and now serving as a liaison with the Military Severely Injured Joint Support Operations Center in Arlington, VA, sends this update:

    On June 3rd I will have an opening consisting of appx. 35 photographs that I took in Iraq at a Gallery in Fredericksburg, VA called "The Wounded Bookshop," (event poster attached). The portraits will be on display for the month of June and will be sold on "bidding" basis. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the "Fisher House" and the "Semper Fi Fund," two non-profits that are currently providing support to the wounded service-members from OIF/OEF and their families.

    Locally, the Fisher House is providing accommodations to the families of wounded service members at their three houses on Walter Reed Army Medical Center, two homes on the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center and single home on Andrews AFB.

    This is a private venture and is not being conducted in affiliation with any government/non-government agency. If you are able to stop by your support will be greatly appreciated, (even if you do not purchase anything).

    S/F,

    Maj Steve Danyluk
    USMC LNO

    Military Severely Injured Joint
    Support Operations Center (MSIJSOC)
    2107 Wilson Blvd
    Arlington VA 22201
    (703) 908-6276

    Major Danyluk is a tireless supporter of services to Marines and other troops who are recovering from injuries incurred while defending our right to live freely. Please join him if you are able . . . and bring your checkbook.

    Posted by Deb at 01:18 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

    May 30, 2005

    Honoring their sacrifice

    Families all over the country are celebrating Memorial Day with cookouts, picnics, and by relaxing at home, secure in the knowledge that they need not fear IEDs, suicide bombers, or other terrorist attacks in their peaceful neighborhoods. Marine families with deployed sons, daughters, husbands, and wives have a new way of looking at this year old day of remembrance.

    Last week, Diana Rowe-Pauls sent a picture of her brother, Captain Alan Rowe who was killed by an IED in the Al Anbar province of Iraq last year, reminding us that her brother was more than just another number. He was born on October 3, 1968 and as a young boy spent long days playing with Diana in the Idaho countryside. He played dress up in his dad's Air Force uniform and grew up to wear his own uniform - that of a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps.

    Diana said in a Twin Falls Times-News story today that:

    "Our losses in Iraq are human beings who are fathers and brothers and children and friends who are loved by many. They're not just statistics."

    And Captain Rowe's widow Dawn who is raising his two children as a single parent reminds us that:

    They joined of their own free will. They would never want their deaths to be thought of in vain. They would want their lives to be remembered as dying willingly for their country. They were proud to serve their country.

    Marine Mom Tammie Green, whose son is currently deployed in the same place where Captain Rowe was killed last September, observed:

    In a few days I'll be 45 years old ... and for 44 of those years Memorial Day was the chance for a long weekend and a cookout with a short glimpse at a flag and a bare acknowledgement of the meaning for that holiday. This year I don't think we will even have a cookout because somehow celebrating a well-cooked burger just doesn't seem appropriate.

    For 200+ years young men (and women) have died in service to our country. Some served with pride and honor, some went kicking and screaming, some volunteered, some were drafted. Regardless of their motivation for service, in the end their service has always been at the mercy and judgement of the leadership of our country ... some good and some bad. These service people did not make policy, they simply did their jobs. William Westmoreland (general from Vietnam) once said "The military don't start wars. Politicians start wars."

    So regardless of your views on this war, this weekend I ask that you take just 5 minutes and honor in some small way the sacrifice of those who have lost their lives in service. Bow your head and remember those from the past and remember those still in harms way.

    Here are thousands of reasons for that moment of remembrance:

    War casualties:


    Iraq (March 19, 2003-present) 1,647

    Afghanistan (Oct. 7, 2001-present) 187

    Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) 382

    Vietnam War (1964-1975) 58,200

    Korean War (1950-1953) 36,574

    WW II (1941-1945) 405,399

    WW I (1917-1918) 116,516

    Spanish-American War (1898) 2,446

    Civil War (1861-1865) estimated 364,511 Union; 133,821 Confederate

    Mexican War (1846-1848) 13,283

    War of 1812 (1812-1815) 2,260

    Revolutionary War (1775-1783) 4,435

    Posted by Deb at 02:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

    May 17, 2005

    Marine Corps Band comes to Oregon

    If you can make one of these concerts, you're in for a treat. The Marine Band San Diego will be in Oregon from May 22-28, playing in various locations around the state, sharing the Corps' musical heritage and history. All concerts are free and open to the public.

    Concert schedule: