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October 09, 2004



Once a Marine, always a Marine

He was on his first vacation in 20 years. But when the hurricane hit, he stepped into the same role as protector of innocents that he has held for his entire career as a United States Marine. Meet 1st Sgt Fletcher Armstrong III:

Hard rain stung his chest and pummeled his face, but 1st Sgt. Fletcher Armstrong III would not be stopped by nature's fury.

Food and water were needed by people at Secrets Excellence Punta Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic, and he was determined the need would be met.

So, the 38-year-old Marine forced his way through Hurricane Jeanne's 110 mph winds to get to the main common area about 500 yards from his hotel room. He wore only blue scuba shoes and a pair of red shorts with the word "lifeguard" on them.

The people he helped remember his red shorts and have stenciled his steely will into their memory. These former strangers, folk Armstrong now considers friends, are grateful to him because he fought the storm for them. For three days, Armstrong took on the role of provider, protector, watcher and warrior for 500 people - 100 Europeans and 400 Americans - stranded at a five-star hotel.

Folk say he is a hero. He shrugs off that lofty label. He is crying now, moved by thank-you e-mails and cards celebrating his leadership.

"If it wasn't for Fletcher, we would still be there," says D. Mitzi Dazo Strother, 67, of Holmdel, N.J. "And I say that from the bottom of my heart. He got everything going smoothly. I feel indebted to Fletcher. He is a credit to the Marines Corps. We are proud of him. He deserves any honor he gets."

Armstrong, who bought his home here May 19, just wanted a vacation. He longed to enjoy a romantic adventure with his fiancee, Melissa Hoffman, 34. He wanted to spoil her, and they both felt deserving of the time off. It had taken him four years to save the $4,500 needed for their trip.

"I'd never taken a vacation in my life," says Armstrong, a 20-year Marine veteran. "I was really excited about it."

I hope the hotel - whose employees refused to help the stranded guests - will invite 1st Sgt. Armstrong back for a real vacation very soon. It's the least they can do for him.

Tip of the hat to Mudville Gazette for the link.

Posted by Deb at 09:56 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack



October 08, 2004



Landstuhl redux

Diana Hartman is back from her second trip to Landstuhl. Read her account of the first trip here. Then, read this . . . and consider sending a couple of items on her list to make the lives of our wounded Marines and other troops a bit easier.

oct07 (posted oct08)

today's visit was a testament to the human spirit...eleven marines and several soldiers were the appreciative recipients of get well cards, magazines, books, writing material, clothing items, toiletries and scores of bagged and homemade goodies...we ran long on our time today for no other reason than because we just couldn't leave their sides and the guys were very talkative...one in particular, a young devildog about 20 yrs old from the great state of texas, had arrived at landstuhl just the day before...because of extensive hardware he is unable to eat solid foods of any kind, and has the use of one leg...he was smiling, energetic and so well-mannered his mother would beam with pride to know what kind of son she has...he was without a few things he especially needed because he hadn't mentioned them to the liaisons; he was however bubbly and you might even say jumpy as he told us about what he needed ('cos you know moms, we pry!), so we made arrangements for him...a few others had mentioned his jumpiness as reason to move on, that his nervous energy was contagious; we were able to quickly surmise that this was his nature and not any drug he may have been taking...i have such a child, an 18 yr old daughter, who sees the world moving much more slowly than it really does and this is the reason for the darting glances and seemingly unfocused behavior...i felt right at home with him so i stayed behind and left later when the other ladies came back to his room...he talked about his future in the marine corps, a future you would think wouldn't include the marine corps, but he spoke of closeness and camaraderie well beyond that of your average 20 year old...much like my daughter, i could clearly see that his every hyper characteristic had a well-honed and focused flip side fueled by the very energy that filled the room...he knows what he wants, and i know he will get much of it...

at the end of our visit, he quite literally hopped out of bed and across the room to "see you ladies to the door"...it was so precious, i could almost hear the squeak of a screen door and smell freshly squeezed lemonade sitting on a porch i could almost feel...

i couldn't get over the eyes i saw today...blue eyes, brown, green, hazel, dark, dazed, alert, hopeful, tired, relieved, longing, intense, wincing, long lashes and no lashes, one eye straining to make up for the loss of the other...all of them deep and thoughtful, many of them so cheerful and delighted it's difficult to describe...there were a lot of unspoken words...
the world they just came from is very different from the world they are in now...i don't know what the world was like for them a few days ago, but i know what it was like today...they were articulate and enchanting when telling the stories of what happened to them...many of them broken, hurting, and fresh from the first of many surgeries to come, they still made efforts to sit up, to lean their heads if they couldn't sit up, responsive to the least gesture, anxious to talk, dismissive of their own bravery and owning of their deep and abiding friendship and love for their fellow marines...all of them were bright-eyed when shown the list of those we were visiting, and a few became excited when they saw names they recognized...of these, they genuinely wanted to know if their fellow warriors were doing okay and pondering how they themselves could pay them a visit...

the ten marines working the liaison's office were taken aback at the oodles of bags and the stack of dvd players...each were tagged with a large or small glossy marine corps stickers...i'm told the surprise felt by the dvd players was similar to the arrival of several x-box game systems donated by one of many jewish-american associations...well done moms! i took the liberty of printing out marinemomonline stickers to place inside every book and magazine, and on every box...there are then many reminders for our wounded that their marine family is very much aware of them all and cares for them very much...
i don't think i mentioned before just how visible the marine corps is in this army hospital...outside every marine's room is a table-top version of the marine corps flag that's stuck in behind the name plate for that marine(s)...once in the room, one will also see the marine's rank, name, unit, and any medical alerts for that marine on a large sign hung on the light behind his/her bed...their electronics are also marked, as i said by the usmc stickers, so there's no way anyone could possibly say "i didn't know he/she was a marine"...

personally, it's just so cool to see all that...

once again i have no pictures to share because i slept the whole way up and back from landstuhl...it was a rainy day here and those of us visiting are still fresh from the plethora of beer, wine, and food of the volkfest here in stuttgart (the stuttgart oktoberfest)...as well, it's very hard not to grab a little shut-eye when it's the general's own drivers taking us down the autobahn at an avg of 140kph (90mph)...well, okay, that kind of speed might keep others very much awake, but i felt safe...

i'm very sorry for the lack of photos as i've wanted nothing more than to share pictures...if you're able to view the publication though, there were reporters and photographers from "stars and stripes" visiting at the same time we were making our rounds and i believe my fellow wives were among those photographed on other wings while i stayed behind with our young texan...

with the help of the liaison's office, i have compiled a list of the things needed...before i post that list, i need to add a note about the donations that have been pledged...as wives, we do not have the resources to receive and parlay large scale donations from organizations...it is important that the donations i receive are from individuals and small groups only (classrooms, scout troops, etc) as this is the only way to make sure everything is accounted for and can be adequately transported and delivered with the resources we have...we need to do everything we can to avoid the possibility of donations walking off by themselves, getting lost in the shuffle, and overburdening the limited space currently available to both the marforeur (marine forces europe) command and the liaison's office...while the word "command" suggests a big place, in fact it's one 3-story building already jam-packed with marine personnel and equipment...as well, the liaison's office is but one room of the hospital with a few storage spaces available to them...the main issue has become not shunning donations but rather controlling the flow of those donations...if unchecked, it would be very easy for this great flow of kindness to avalanche into chaos...we don't want that; we want everyone who wants to contribute to be able to do so and be assured that their donations are accounted for and properly delivered to their intended recipients...for this reason, larger groups and organizations that aren't already in touch with the liaison's office and that wish to make substantial contributions can email me with their points of contact and i will deliver that list to the liaison's office...
my email address is msdusmcd@yahoo.com

because of the colder weather here in germany, sweatshirts and jackets have been added to the list as well as dufflebags and backpacks in which to keep their things...while some of the wounded are flown to other hospitals around the states and don't necessarily have enough stuff to warrant a bag, most of the wounded spend a good deal of time as outpatients in landstuhl before going anywhere else and it is these individuals who will acquire things over time without a way to carry their belongings to and fro...

with that said, on with the list:


  • sweatshirts, long-sleeved t-shirts, and jackets in all sizes
  • trial sizes of all toiletries to include:
    • -deodorant (men and women's)
    • -soap (bar and liquid)
    • -shampoo (w/ and w/o conditioner)
    • -toothbrushes
    • -floss and floss handles w/replacements (the floss picks are great for those without hand injuries but are too tiny for those with)
    • -toothpaste (there was a lot at the last visit; there isn't anymore)
    • -brush w/comb sets
  • tube socks (hanes sells a 6 pack that's perfect for their needs)
  • dufflebags and backpacks (they prefer there be nothing promotional ie: ads on the bags)
  • music cd's (the cd library is still very small with a very limited number of choices)
  • dvd's (these guys are watching as many as 5 movies a day which the docs promote because it helps keep many of them from withdrawing into their own world; action, comedy, and concert dvds are among the favorites although i personally saw a lot of cartoons playing -- "invader zim" is always on the waiting list and i believe there are 3 "invader zim" dvds on the market now)
  • dvd players (the 5-disc players and portable players are very well received; one allows many movies to be loaded at once and the portable is easily accessible)
  • portable cd players (if a rush of cd's does come in, for now there won't be many players to go around)
  • magazines...car, motorcycle, men's fashion (yes seriously, men's fashion), sports, gaming (xbox, playstation, etc), and outdoor magazines are among the favorites...one of donations i received was a bunch of "motor trend" and they were snatched up within one of the 5 wards we visited
  • get well cards (from individuals, classrooms, scout troops, etc)...the get well cards, letters, and homemade cards we handed out were very well received...we cannot get enough of them!

i want to personally thank everyone who contributed to this trip as well as those whose donations are incoming...i have thoroughly enjoyed visiting with our wounded and will be making many more visits in the future...our next trip is scheduled for friday, october 22nd...

thanks again to everyone who helped me brighten the day of our honorable marine warriors...

-diana hartman


Posted by Deb at 09:48 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack



October 06, 2004



Homecoming through a Marine Corps Dad's eyes

Marine Corps Dads experience the same emotions as we moms do. They may hide it better but the nail-biting anxiety during deployment and exhilaration at homecoming are the same for both genders. Jarhead Dad just sent along this account of his son's arrival - reading his words of pride made me cry.

See this smile on my face? It will have to be surgically removed! ;-)

Kris is good to go. He looks a bit worse for wear but he and the Corps feel he's fit for duty!

I got screwed by the FRO and we got there after the boys had landed. Kris sent me an e-mail saying they would be coming in 2Oct but the FRO said that was wrong and they would be there 3Oct. Imagine our surprise when we get a phone call from him while we are at E's soccer match! My Lovely Bride was sure annoyed and the poor guys at check-in paid a heavy price for the mistake! he-he-he! Anyhoo, we hooked up after driving all night and went to the Fox homecoming and passed a good time. About the last thing Kris wanted to do but he understood that his Mom wanted to watch the Marines come in so he suffered through it admirably! :-o

We pretty much partied for two days and then laid around for another. I learned for certain that I am way too damned old to try and drink with 20 something Jarheads! OUCH! I still haven't recovered! What a great bunch of young men those guys are. Janice and I both broke down a bit when they hoisted one to their lost comrades and the ones wounded in action. That was a touching moment that I will always carry with me. What I found really nice is the way these guys carry themselves and look you dead in the eye. I kept thinking about all those stories the MSM wrote about our boys being constantly "scared" etc., and just shook my head. Those boys may know fear but they sure aren't afraid of anything that walks this planet!

The guys were all pretty much like Kris, rode hard and put up wet but the spirit in them was astounding! Yeah, they were still wired and fired up with the normal language that goes with it all but they were so clean of mind, body, and soul that we "got it". I'm afraid my daughter came in for quite a bit of attention that her brother had to squash a time or two and she was loving it! Add four more gray hairs there! ;-)

I found it interesting how the interaction works with these guys. There is definitely a pecking order and rank doesn't mean diddly when it comes to who's at what end of the order. They treat each other with something akin to reverence but at the same time will knock the snot out of one another simply for fun! Rough and tumble United States Marines! God how I looked with envy on their youth and at the same time could stand and cheer at their heroism! As long as we have Marines like these America will always remain safe and secure!

The thing that made me probably the most proud of them was the way they treated their Mothers! Mothers carry more weight than the Commandant of the Corps and make no mistake about it! I saw a young Captain and young Major jump at commands from Moms. I bet those guys could stare down an AK with less indifference! It was funny to watch all the Marines with all of the Moms! I can now say without a doubt that the United States Marine Corps Moms are the backbone and lifeblood of the Corps! And it was really funny to watch! ;-)

The stories were intense and nothing was held back. Some extremely poignant, some extremely sad, some extremely hysterical, and all extreme. These guys are intense and the world they just left is just as intense. Not one Marine didn't believe in their mission, CiC, or their core belief that they made a difference. They know their sacrifices were not in vain and believe the mission will be completed. Their interaction with the regular Iraqis surprised me a good bit and they are all for them. When they spoke of the "hajis" that intense light burned in their eyes and then softened again when they spoke of the "regs". They absolutely adored the Iraqi kids and think Allawi can walk on water. Along with George W. Bush I might add!

Since this Homecoming was radically different than the last one I'd have to say that this should qualify as our first. The guys came out dripping sand although they cleaned up the best they could. They looked strong and tailored albeit a bit "scrawny". The Corps knows how to allow a family some private time and everything was well organized. I'm sure the city of Jacksonville, NC is pleased to see those Marine Dollars back in town too! ;-)

I'm having six disposable cameras developed and I'll pass some pics along if I can get some memory in my computer. The pics will be done this afternoon but I really have to get ready for DC and WAGS so it may be next week.
God Bless these fine young Marines and God Bless the Marine Corps for bringing them home safely! Semper Fi

Pictures will be added when JHD shares - welcome home, Kris!

Posted by Deb at 04:04 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack



October 05, 2004



October 4 Update from 1/7 Marines

Families and Friends of the First Team:

As we start our second full month of this deployment, I want to take a few minutes to update you on the battalion's current status, and some future plans. We continue operations throughout our area of operations or "AO" in the Al Qaim-Husaybah region. Every day and every night the Marines, sailors and soldiers of the task force patrol the towns, roads, and deserts of the area on foot and mounted in armored "Hummers" 7-ton trucks, tanks, and "Amtracks" often searching buildings and vehicles, looking for weapons, explosives, and the terrorist criminals who seek to harm us and the innocent people of Iraq. Your Marines have already grown very skilled at these challenging tasks, and every day, every mission we continue to get better and better at finding the enemy, and his equipment. At the same time, other members of the First Team--our Military Policemen, Civil Affairs Marines, Tactical Psychological Operations soldiers, and civilian interpretors work with the Iraqi Security Forces, and the local civil leadership to improve living conditions and make this a safer and more stable community. All the while, others of the battalion are cooking the food, maintaining the weapons, vehicles, radios, and computers and providing the all the support required for over 2000 men to live in this desert environment. On top of this--our Navy brothers--the dedicated professional of the Medical Corps and our Chaplain are absolutely tireless in caring for their fellow warriors physically and spiritually. So as you can see, every man here has his job, his part to contribute to the success of this most vital mission we are accomplishing.

I'm sure that the news you see coming out of Iraq is terrible. Always remember that bad new "sells" so this is what you'll see the most of. In the near future, the news will probably get "worse." We expect and are ready for an increase in enemy activity when the Islamic season of Ramadan starts in two weeks and as the elections both in the U.S. and here in Iraq proceed. Throughout this period, we expect the battalion to remain here in our present AO and continue the mission we are doing right now. We are fully prepared for anything that may come our way, and your loved ones will continue to do the outstanding job that they are doing now. You should all be proud of the bravery and selfless service of these men.

This part of Iraq remains a very hazardous place, and the freedom and security we fight for does not come free of cost. We honor the sacrifices all those who have paid into that cost. We pray for our fallen brothers and their families--LCpl Steven Cates of B Co, and Sgt Benjamin Smith of C Co 1st Tanks battalion who were killed in action serving their country. We also mourn the loss of PFC Kenneth Sickels of Weapons Company. Those who have been wounded in action have also paid dearly into the cost of freedom and we all pray for their speedy recovery.

Finally, let me once again thank you all for your prayers and support. Our thoughts are always with you and we all look forward to the day we are reunited and safely home again.

God bless and Semper Fi
LtCol Woodbridge

Posted by Deb at 10:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack



October 04, 2004



Troop survey favors Bush over Kerry

This is interesting.

President George Bush garnered nearly three-quarters of military votes in a newspaper survey, according to the Military Times newspapers.

Bush leads Democratic Sen. John Kerry 73 percent to 18 percent in the survey of 4,165 active-duty, National Guard and reserve subscribers to Army Times, Navy Times, Marine Corps Times and Air Force Times, which are owned by the Gannett Co.

It's certainly not a random sample - the 4,000+ voluntary respondents were overrepresented by career military - but they may be more likely to vote than younger troops.

Posted by Deb at 05:01 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack





Jesse's home

Last Friday, another hero returned home from the battlefield. LCpl Jesse Markel is a very special Marine to me - he shipped to boot camp the same day as my own son and I've followed his progress with special interest. His parents have kept me updated on his activities and he's been on my prayer list for several years. So, when I received an invitation from Marine Corps Mom Nicole to his welcome home party, it was cause to rejoice. And not even the impending eruption of Mt. St. Helens could keep the reception committee from greeting him at the Portland Airport.

A group of friends and family waited anxiously for his flight - delayed slightly by a puff of smoke from Mt. St. Helens - to arrive. A flight attendant who walked by, stopped to read the signs and whispered, "Welcome home, Marine".
Jesse's grandparents had mile-wide smiles. When I hugged his grandma, she and I both shed a few tears of thanksgiving. One more Marine safely home.
First glimpse of Jesse walking through the crowds. Lots of hugging and backslapping.
Grandma got the first hug.
Welcoming another friend home - Jesse played sports with these guys throughout high school and they caravaned to the airport, cars festooned with signs and banners, to welcome him home.
There's no better friend than a parent. Dave and Nicole Markel have been a great support system to Jesse and many other Marines.
Jesse, front and center, surrounded by good friends.
Later that evening, the Markels hosted a welcome home party for Jesse at Wyatt's Brewpub in Albany. Laura, from Corvallis, was a penpal while he was deployed and met him for the first time at the party.

Posted by Deb at 04:15 PM | Comments (63) | TrackBack



October 03, 2004



A message from a currently deployed Marine

Nicholas Warr, Chapter President 1/5 Vietnam Veterans Unit sends this message:

To All Vietnam and other Veterans: Please read the attached plea from a Marine fighting in Iraq. If after reading it you feel as I do, that no matter what your politics are we should be doing everything possible to support our troops, pass this on to your family and friends. Semper Fidelis!


Hello Everyone,

I am taking time to ask you all for your help. First off, I'd like to say that this is not a political message. I'm not concerned about domestic politics right now. We have much bigger things to deal with, and we need your help.

It seems that despite the tremendous and heroic efforts of the men and women serving here in Iraq to bring much needed peace and stability to this region, we are losing the war of perception with the media and American people. Our enemy has learned that the key to defeating the mighty American military is by swaying public opinion at home and abroad.

We are a people that cherish the democratic system of government and therefore hold the will of the people in the highest regard. We love to criticize ourselves almost to an endless degree, because we care what others think. Our enemies see this as a weakness and are trying to exploit it.

When we ask ourselves questions like, "Why do they hate us?" or "What did we do wrong?" we are playing into our enemies' hands.

Our natural tendency to question ourselves is being used against us to undermine our effort to do good in the world. How far would we have gotten if after the surprise attacks on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, we would have asked, "Why do the Japanese hate us so much?" or "How can we change ourselves so that they won't do that again?"

Here in Iraq the enemy is trying very hard to portray our efforts as failing and fruitless. They purposely kill innocents and desecrate their bodies in hopes that the people back home will lose the will to fight for liberty. They are betting on our perceived weakness as a thoughtful, considerate people. Unfortunately our media only serves to further their cause.

In an industry that feeds on ratings and bad news, a failure in Iraq would be a goldmine. When our so-called "trusted" American media takes a quote from an Iraqi doctor as the gospel truth over that of the men and women that are daily fighting to protect the right to freedom of press, you know something is wrong.

That doctor claimed that out of 600 Iraqis that were casualties of the fighting, the vast majority of them were women, children and the elderly. This is totally absurd. In the history of man, no one has spent more time and effort, often to the detriment of our own mission, to be more discriminate in our targeting of the enemy than the American military.

The Marines and Soldiers serving in Iraq have gone through extensive training in order to limit the amount of innocent casualties and collateral damage. Yet, despite all of this, our media consistently sides with those who openly lie and directly challenge the honor of our brave heroes fighting for liberty and peace.

What we have to remember is that peace is not defined as an absence of war. It is the presence of liberty, stability and prosperity. In the face of the horrendous tyranny of the former Iraqi regime, the only way true peace was able to come to this region was through force. That is what the American Revolution was all about. Have we forgotten? Freedom is not free and "peace" without principle is not peace.

The peace that so-called "peace advocates" support can only be brought to Iraq through the use of military force . And we are doing it, if only the world will let us! If the American people believe we are failing, even if we are not, then we will ultimately fail. That is why I am asking for your support. Become a voice of truth in your community. Wherever you are fight the lies of the enemy. Don't buy into the pessimism and apathy that says, "It's hopeless," "They hate us too much," "That part of the world is just too messed up," "It's our fault anyway," "We're to blame," and so forth.

Whether you're in middle school, working at a 9-5 job, retired, or a stay-at-home Mom you can make a huge difference! There is nothing more powerful than the truth. So, when you watch the news and see doomsday predictions and spiteful opinions on our efforts over here, you can refute them by knowing that we are doing a tremendous amount of good.

Spread the word. No one is poised to make such an amazing contribution to the everyday lives of Iraqis and the rest of the Arab world than the American Armed Forces. By making this a place where liberty can finally grow, we are making the whole world safer.

Your efforts at home are directly tied to our success. You are the soldiers at home fighting the war of perception. So I'm asking you as a fellow fighting man: do your duty. Stop the attempts of the enemy wherever you are. You are a mighty force for good, because truth is on your side. Together we will win this fight and ensure a better world for the future.

God Bless and Semper Fidelis, 1st. Lt. Robert L. Nofsinger USMC Ramadi, Iraq


Posted by Deb at 04:36 PM | Comments (12)