Happy Armed Forces Day - May 18, 2013

Video:  Armed Forces Day

Published on May 18, 2012 by VETS FOR ROMNEY  -  This video is to honor all of our heroes in uniform and their families. They sacrifice so much so that we may enjoy our freedoms.

"This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces ... to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won't be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be in line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty." -New York Times, May 14, 1952

A member of the US armed forces hugs his daughter

Happy Armed Forces Day!

How many Americans even know that it is Armed Forces Day????

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Remembering Armed Services Day

Yesterday… Saturday May 19th was Armed Services Day… How many people knew or remembered that?  How many Americans did something to honor those who have serve(d) and sacrifice(d) for us? 

by mjnellett – Western Journalism - h/t to Warbird 7 Jay Osborne

Yesterday was Armed Forces Day. A celebration of our military and those who have served in all branches. As I was watching cable news covering this day, something struck me as odd. Why have the last three wars (Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan all been ten year wars? On December 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, heavily damaged our Pacific Fleet and ran through the Central Pacific basically unchecked for the next year. Despite that ,America was able, in the short span of less than four years, to take back North Africa, The Mediterranean, Western Europe, and then take the war right to Japan, itself. In August of 1945 Japan, the last belligerent of World War 2 unconditionally surrendered. We had used EVERY weapon at our disposal to end that terrible conflict ASAP. The difference between then and now? FDR let the military professionals run the war after he explained the ultimate goal.

Viet Nam was a fiasco because Lyndon Johnson wanted to be a warrior president and meddled in what should have been a short war. He did have the military mindset nor the understanding of either strategic or tactical goals. He ran the war like some kind of a game with too many restrictions, " rules of war" that proved to be ridiculous, and relied on a corrupt government to supposedly, "watch our back". We finally did break the back of the Viet Cong but after it was much too late and the public was turned firmly against the war. The weapons that we had at our disposal should have made quick work of North Viet Nam had we only been allowed to use them . Johnson never understood that war is not a game nor a political pawn therefore he left office disgraced.

Iraq was a joke from day one. There never was a use of the full force of the United States military, nor a concrete idea of what we realistically were going to do there. Again, political meddling set up rules for our military that were ridiculous. Maybe if we had tagged all the Iraqis with "good guy" "bad guys" it would have been easier for our soldiers to figure out who was who? We let Iran supply the insurgents with weapons to kill our guys and yet never touched them

Afghanistan is the third decade old conflict that shouldn't have been. Again, if the country we target is a legitimate enemy then let's turn the full force and fury of our military heroes loose to get the job done as quickly and with as little lose to our people as possible. We don't need to win "hearts and minds" as we are there to kill those trying to kill us. How do you realistically separate the "civilians" from the insurgents when they all look and dress alike? Iran should be turned into a giant sandbox. No "democracy, no rebuilding, no quarter given. Oh yeah I have forgotten how well they have treated Americans. Daniel Pearl and the other innocents who were beheaded for the morons entertainment. We have already this year 21 incidents of Afghans dressed as soldiers turning their guns on our guys without warning. Some allies huh. We support a mentally challenged ,corrupt ,unappreciative little man who isn't even liked by his own people! When are we going to learn?

This is my point, if the United States is going to punish a country for screwing with us then turn on the military faucet and destroy the enemy totally and quickly. If you think that is too harsh, so is burying one of our heroes that politicians to play war. We are the most technically advanced military on the planet. Our military is the most well trained and best equipped force in the world, so why are we bogged down in these stupid, no win, no end game conflicts?

I am a hawk when it comes to military action, but I am also an advocate of using overwhelming force. War is NOT a game. The only rules that exist in war are kill or be killed and win. If the President simply wants to play warrior then let him get a board game like Battleship. If we are going to justifiably defend our national security, our territory, or to defend an ally, then let's unleash the hounds of hell and break the enemy quickly. If we are going to send our ground forces into a country where the existing government is weak kneed you can't tell the difference between the population and the bad guys then let's keep our guys out and turn the battle over to our special forces and the drones. No more needless casualties for people and countries that disdain or disrespect us. Our blood and treasure is worth far more than most of these "troubled" countries are worth so let's start using what we have to the utmost and make our intervention very short and very harsh.

Think about this. The Third Row

Click on: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=hxlcVAEj0sM&vq=large

Technorati Tags: remembering,Armed Services Day,military,troops,War,service,heros,heroes

Tech Industry Writer: What Veterans Day Means To Me

By: John Oram of BSN

Veterans Day reminds me of the two times I have been to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC.

Each time I found the seven names of lost comrades I had served with in various units. The name that gave me the most pause was Larry Britten. Larry was my Eagle Scout leader when I was in Boy Scouts. Larry’s younger sister was one of my few friends during high school. Larry was at West Point Military Academy when I was an enlisted man at West Point. Larry was the one who persuaded me that a career in the military would not make me a happy camper.

Veterans Day reminds me of the many trips to the north-east corner of the State Capitol grounds, beside the State Capitol in Sacramento, and the memorial to California Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Each city, town and village in California has the names of those that gave their lives during the Vietnam Era fighting. The driving “force” to get the memorial built was B.T. Collins, a well-known figure in California government (and a former Special Forces Captain, who lost a leg and an arm in Vietnam). B.T. was also the driving force for the B.T. Collins “Captain Hook” Scholarship at Santa Clara University.

Being a Veteran means you have pledged to:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).”

Being a Veteran means you sacrificed your time, energy and were willing to sacrifice your life so fellow citizens can remain free of those burdens. Today’s military is made up of 100% volunteers, they are the less than one percent who are following the orders of our civilian government to do their duty as ordered.

It is up to those of us who are no longer or have not been in the military to directly voice our views to the civilian government officials as to how our military volunteers should be used to defend our nation.

We should all take one minute to silently remember all those that are in the military and especially those who are in a combat zone. Take a moment to reflect on the wounded military veterans who will live the rest of their lives with the physical and emotional scars from their service for us. And another one minute to remember those that have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives to protect the nation we are citizens of.

History of Veterans Day

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day to remind Americans of the tragedies of war. The fighting in World War I had ended a year earlier, at 11 A.M., November 11, 1918 (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month).

Two years later on Armistice Day, an unknown American World War I soldier was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., in the Tomb of the Unknowns. Thousands of people came to watch the elaborate ceremonies that took place. Similar ceremonies had taken place the previous year in England and France: an unknown English soldier was buried in Westminster Abbey in London, and an unknown French soldier was buried at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

In 1926, Congress passed a resolution calling for the observance of Armistice Day in schools, churches, and other suitable places. Twelve years later the day was designated as a national holiday. In 1939, a year after Armistice Day became a national holiday, World War II broke out in Europe. The start of this war ended the idealistic hopes that World War I was “the war to end all wars.” Over four hundred thousand American troops died in World War II.

After the Korean War (1950–1953), during which over 36,000 Americans died, Congress considered making Armistice Day a day to commemorate veterans of all wars, not only those who served in World War I. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming the holiday a remembrance of all wars and changing its name to Veterans Day.

A law passed in 1968 moved the Veterans Day celebration to the fourth Monday in October. However, the original date, November 11, was historically significant to many Americans, and ten years later the observation of Veterans Day returned to its original date. (Now it is often observed on the Monday or Friday closest to the 11th, like today.)

In 1958, two more unidentified American soldiers were laid to rest next to the unknown soldier of World War I. One of the soldiers was killed in World War II, and the other in the Korean War. In 1984, a fourth unknown serviceman was added to the tomb. He had died in the Vietnam War. However, in 1998, the identity of the Vietnam War soldier was discovered through DNA testing, and his remains were returned to his family. The crypt reserved for the unknown soldier from the Vietnam War is now empty.

Veterans Day celebrations include parades and speeches held in towns and cities throughout the United States. The focal point for national ceremonies, however, continues to be the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery and the amphitheater surrounding it. Every year, special services begin at 11 A.M. with two minutes of silence. After the playing of “Taps,” the president places a wreath at the tomb. A color guard procession and several speeches, one of them usually by the president, follow it. Approximately 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually.

Today marks the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, a day now known in the U.S, as Veterans' Day. I never served in the military, for which I am sure they are thankful. Like many others, I certainly have not approved of all the military adventures in which our nation has participated, but I honor those who have served. On this day I say, "Thank you!"

“However horrible the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country is the noblest development of mankind.”   …General Douglas MacArthur, 1880 – 1964

Canine Military Hero

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Memorial Day Message From Lt. Col Oliver Nortth

Dear Proud American,

Thank you to all those who have worn this country's uniform and have served in our Armed Forces. We especially pay tribute to those whose lives were lost in defense of this country.

Memorial Day, is a special time for all of us to remember that America enjoys freedom today because of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Guardsmen and Marines who have sacrificed their lives for the defense of our nation.

In Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, I’ve seen these heroes make that final sacrifice for our country. It’s never easy. What makes it more difficult is to know that this American’s dying prayer is for a loved one back home.

Their last appeal is to us – their fellow countrymen – to care for the families they’ve left behind.

That is what we do here at Freedom Alliance – we care for the families they have left behind. Our Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund honors the bravery and dedication of our servicemen and women, who have sacrificed life or limb in defense of our country, by providing educational scholarships for their children.

One of our scholarship recipients is Andrea Padgett, who just graduated earlier this month from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Andrea’s father, Chief Warrant Officer Elmer Padgett, flew helicopters for the United States Army.

Sadly, Andrea’s father was killed in a helicopter crash just before her first birthday. Even though she barely knew him, his life is an inspiration to her today: “I have grown up aspiring to achieve the level of courage, bravery and dedication that my father achieved while serving in the United States Army. He has not only shaped my entire life and choices through his service, he has also touched many other people’s lives. Because of his choice to follow his dream of becoming a pilot, I have gained the courage and inspiration to follow my own dream of being a veterinarian, even though people have told me of the challenges involved.”

We cannot bring Andrea’s father back to her, but we are deeply honored that the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund has helped make her father’s dream of a college education for her, come true.

Providing scholarships to the children of our heroes is our way of honoring their service and sacrifice. Will you help us in this cause with a special Memorial Day contribution to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund? Please GO HERE to make your most generous, tax-deductible gift to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, a “Living Memorial to America’s Military Heroes.”

Through the generosity of many patriotic Americans, the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund has awarded $2.5 million in scholarships to hundreds of young Americans all around this great country. However, the need for our Scholarship Fund is ever-increasing. More than 4,900 American servicemen and women have been killed during Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, leaving behind thousands of young children who deserve our help.

With your special Memorial Day gift to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, these children will not only attain a college education, but they’ll know that their parents are heroes – not because of the way they died, but because of the way they lived. Please GO HERE to make your gift now.

I also invite you to join me in honoring our brave defenders of freedom this Memorial Day by supporting the Freedom Alliance Support Our Troops program. This year-round outreach honors members of our Armed Forces – those who have been wounded in combat and are recuperating at military hospitals throughout the United States – as well as those currently serving on the frontlines.

The Freedom Alliance Support Our Troops program regularly receives requests to help wounded troops who are recuperating in Wounded Warrior Transition Units and military hospitals all around the country.

Thanks to the generosity of many patriotic and generous Freedom Alliance supporters, we recently were able to help two combat-wounded veterans, Master Sergeant Dexter and Specialist Doug, by flying them from Fort Bragg in North Carolina out to Guide Dogs of the Desert in Palm Desert, California to meet and train with their new, seeing-eye dogs. MSG Dexter lost his sight during a demolition training accident while gearing up for deployment and SPC Doug lost his sight when he was hit by an IED during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After returning home with their dogs, Freedom Alliance received this thank you from SPC Doug: “Just wanted to thank you for all your help in getting us, Dexter & me, out to Palm Desert to receive our guide dogs. It was a great and moving experience. Here is a photo of our class at the war dog memorial. My dog’s name is Zihn. Thank you again!!”

Please GO HERE to make your most generous Memorial Day gift to the Freedom Alliance Support Our Troops program. Your support NOW will enable us to continue providing grants to our combat-wounded heroes, and also provide support to our troops on the frontlines.

Freedom Alliance continues to send care packages, which include thousands of cards and letters of appreciation, to those risking their lives on battlefields all over the world. Recently, at a Freedom Festival in Jackson, Tennessee, hundreds of patriotic Americans collected more than 3,000 pounds of goodies and much-requested items for Gifts from Home care packages that Freedom Alliance shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan, just in time for Memorial Day.

So, I come to you, with an urgent appeal to open your heart with your most generous contribution to the Freedom Alliance Support Our Troops program.

Having made 11 trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, I can tell you how much these Gifts from Home mean to these courageous men and women, who are so far away from home and their families.

This year, Freedom Alliance has hosted Troop Appreciation Dinners and other special events for service members in 10 different states. Many more Support Our Troops events are planned throughout the rest of this year to thank our troops for their service and sacrifice for our country and to give them an enjoyable time out with their friends and families.

Please GO HERE to make your most generous, tax-deductible and special Memorial Day gift to the Freedom Alliance Support Our Troops program.

Will you please join with me and Freedom Alliance to pay tribute to our front-line warriors and their families? May we count on you, as together we honor and thank them for the sacrifices they have made for our country and please keep them in your prayers.

Semper Fidelis,

LtCol Oliver L. North, USMC (Ret.)
Founder and Honorary Chairman
Freedom Alliance

P.S. Join me in celebrating Memorial Day by flying Old Glory and saying “Thank You” to our troops and their families.

Posted:  Ask Marion – Knowledge Creates Power