Music and Me: If you're reading this

Kory and Cooper (picture courtesy of BlackFive)

Eddie

Patrick


Joseph

Nichola





Just a few of MY heroes, "standing up for the innocent and the weak...."

Always Remembered and Honoured.

*And other Memorial Day posts at Assoluta Tranquillita*

Brothers At War movie in New York

The award-winning documentary "Brothers at War" gives audiences a rare view into life on the frontlines of war.

The movie opens in New York City this weekend, at a series of screenings co-sponsored by Sony at the AMC Loews Village 7. Sony is also inviting New York City police officers, firefighters, and service men and women to attend the weekend screenings.

"Brothers at War," released by Samuel Goldwyn Films, follows Rademacher as he journeys to Iraq to embed with American combat units in an effort to better understand the mission of his two brothers, Capt. Isaac Rademacher, a decorated West Point graduate serving his third tour, and Sgt. Joe Rademacher, a Ranger, combat vet, and army sniper in the 82nd Airborne.

The movie, which has received standing ovations and praise from military families across the country, also offers a close-up glimpse of war's personal impact on the American family, from a brother's point of view.

Given unprecedented access to U.S. and Iraqi combat units, Rademacher takes the audience on reconnaissance patrols on the Syrian border, into sniper "hide sites" in the Sunni Triangle, and through raging machine gun battles with the Iraqi Army.

"Brothers at War" has already opened in more than 41 cities this year, with a number of special screenings on military bases. The movie is produced by Norman S. Powell ("24") and Jake Rademacher, and executive produced by Gary Sinise and David Scantling. It will open at additional locations in coming weeks, including Los Angeles, White Plains, N.Y. and Springfield, Ill., near the Rademacher family home in Decatur, Ill.

For more information on show times and theater locations of "Brothers at War" visit http://www.brothersatwar.com/.

You can see a trailer for Brothers At War at brothersatwarmovie.com.[brat note: A must see!]

FOX & FRIENDS Easter Sunday special on BROTHERS at WAR

H/T FSM

Please VOTE TODAY! UPDATE!!!

UPDATE: The contest closed at noon PST and Roselle WON the vacation for her returning soldier and his family.

Thanks to all who voted.

I received two emails today about a project that will only take a couple of minutes of your time. I found the info posted at Miss Ladybug (here) so am just copying hers since she set it out so clearly:

Monday, April 13, 2009

Help a Soldiers' Angel give the gift of time to her returning soldier

Forwarded to me via email:

A Soldiers' Angel has planned a special gift for her Soldiers homecoming. She needs help in voting for him. See below:

My name is Roselle Portin and I am a friend of Lorraine Blacklock.

I have a favor to ask of you. Your consideration of this would be greatly appreciated.

I am a member of Soldiers Angels. My family and I have been blessed to receive Kxxxx Xxxxxxxxx as our adopted soldier. Through the program we write to him, send care packages and keep him in our thoughts and prayers every day. He has a family in NY that he will be returning home to soon.

I wanted to do something very special for Xxxxx upon his return. In order to do this I entered a contest to win a family dude ranch vacation in Idaho. The kids went door to door, we asked our church family for help, we asked everyone at school, everyone we came into contact with throughout the day and all our friends and family for help. We were winning.

Now we are not. My family will cover air fare for the Family but we cannot afford the ranch if we don't win it.

I was wondering if you had a network of people that would be willing to help me out in this. It is VERY easy to vote. No personal info is required and it only takes a minute.

Here's how it works.
1. go to www.redhorsemountainranch.com
2. click on 'win a family dude ranch vacation' under Guest Story Contest
3. click on Roselle Portin and VOTE.
The contest ends April 15th.

I know it's a big favor. I just wanted a really special way to send a very big 'thank you' to Xxxx and his family (he is not aware of this). If you could help I would be so thankful.

Please let me know what you decide.

Thanks for your time and all you do,
Roselle Portin

I've voted. Currently, Roselle is 313 votes behind the story with the most votes (currently in the lead with 827 votes). [bratnote: I voted and we seem to be gaining..] Please help. It will, indeed, only take a minute...

Updated:



The code was supposed to embed the poll, but it's doing the results, instead:
Time is really critical here, but I know we can get 'er done - for this hero.

GO! NOW! And vote...And then pass this on to everybody you know..Thank you..

Brat

Remembering Marine Staff Sgt. Donald C. May, Jr.

Don was a wonderful father and husband. Anyone who met Don remembered him because of his smile and his ability to make everyone laugh. He was the guy with the big smile. Don, you will be in our hearts forever........

On the back of Don's memorial cards I had printed:

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you
in the hollow of His hand.

Semper Fidelis


Wife Deborah May (here)

Marine Staff Sgt. Donald C. May, Jr. 31, of Richmond, Virginia.
Killed during convoy operations when his tank plunged off a cliff into the Euphrates River. He was assigned to the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. Died on March 25, 2003.

Always remembered and honoured, today and every day.

Semper Fi.

For our Canadians

(thanks to Dena of Take a Soldier Fishing for the picture)


You will know it weighs heavy on my heart as our heroes are returned home to Canada. Since I heard of the latest news, this song has come back to me. Written and performed by a BC boy, (thank YOU, Shawn!) this one IS my heart. I want to share it - again - with all of you. My thoughts and prayers - and THANKS - go out to all our troops and their precious families.

Rest in Peace, faithful warriors.

*For earlier posts on our heroes - arriving home today - go to Assoluta Tranquillita here*

Dover: Tell me, Mr Gates

Sometimes, the ignorance coming out of Washington DC is so stunning, I am rendered almost speechless. From Thunder Run comes the following:

Tell Me Mr. Gates....How Can You Lift the Ban After This?

Please Mr. Gates, tell me how you can continue forward with your plan to lift the ban after visiting Dover and having, as your press release notes: ".... very moving experience ..."?

Gates Pays Respects to Fallen Servicemembers at Dover
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2009 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates traveled to Dover Air Force Base, Del., last night to pay his respects to four servicemembers killed recently in Afghanistan, a senior Pentagon official said here today.

Gates “wanted to personally honor the sacrifice” of the three soldiers and one airman who died last weekend in a roadside bomb attack near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters.

Jalalabad is located between the Afghan capital of Kabul and the Pakistani city of Peshawar.

The secretary’s visit to Dover last night “was a very moving experience for him,” Morrell said....

There is more, of course. Go here and read the rest, and be SURE to read the comments. David, and two Gold Star Families, goes beyond my "ignorance" comment.

The insanity continues.

Victory in Iraq Day

Get to it!

Freedom for Gilad

Gilad Shalit is STILL not free. Recently Mrs Clinton, emissary of Barack Obama, pledged $900m in "aid" to Gaza.

I am on the record as believing that if that money was tied irrevocably to the release of this Israeli soldier, he WOULD be released. It is beyond insane, in my opinion, to pour any more money into Gaza as long as we have proof that Hamas uses donations to further their weaponry stashes, enabling them to continue to attack Israel DAILY. Yes, there is proof of this, even though you may not read that in our msm. It is beyond comprehension that we pour any more money in there as long as Gilad is denied freedom.

Yesterday someone sent me a petition that we can all sign and send to Mrs Clinton. This petition very simply demands that the $900m ONLY be gtiven to Gaza upon release of Gilad.

If the Obama administration really does believe in human rights(oh, know you all know my views on that,) then let them refuse to give one more cent to Gaza until Gilad is home.

The petition is online right here. There is also a very short film featuring Gilad's father. Go NOW, watch the movie, and sign this petition. Please. It will take you less than one minute to sign the petition here.


Let's make our voices heard. Thank you.

H/T Katie

Bratdog asks: Can you help? *woof*

My *almost* infamous Bratdog is my baby. Yes, she is, and as her mum I always worry about the 'what ifs'. The 'what if' I had to find someone else to look after her if I had to be away for any length of time. Lucky for me, that is not an issue because where I go, usually Bratdog goes.

However, for our military deployed far from home, finding someone to care for their furbabies while they are away serving overseas is a BIG issue. If you look at my sidebar over there >>> you will see the logo for Guardian Angels for Soldiers Pets. Just as Soldiers' Angels supports the homefront heroes - the families of our military - so the men and women away don't have to worry (too much), so too does GASP care for their furbabies if their in no other option.

Today, I find the latest from GASP:

March 9, 2009 - Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet (GASP) announced today they have finalized a contract to purchase 11 acres for the establishment of the first “Military & Veterans Pet” (MVP) Sanctuary. The property is located in eastern Garland County, Arkansas approximately 9 miles east of downtown Hot Springs and 60 miles west of downtown Little Rock off Hwy 70.

The first MVP Sanctuary will allow GASP to provide a caring, loving, and safe temporary home-like environment where an approved individual foster home is not available to care for the pet/pets to meet the deploying pet owner's time line, further ensure the pet is waiting for their owner's safe return from the deployment, and expand our programs and services to our Arkansas veterans' who need a temporary home for their pet in emergency hardship type situations.

Pet guests will be from Arkansas and surrounding states such as LA, MO, MS, OK, TN, and TX.

As part of the accepted purchase contract, the organization needs to raise $140,000 by March 31st to remove the contingency for obtaining the funds and setting the closing date.

During 2007 and 2008, we received donations earmarked for the project, but without a specific location/property identified; many people would not commit money without seeing where their donations were going. “We are now asking the military community and general public to help us make the sanctuary a reality via monetary donations”, said Linda Spurlin-Dominik, Founder/National CEO of the organization.

To make a donation, visit www.mvpsanctuary.org to make an online donation or mail check/money order payable to:

Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet – MVP Sanctuary
167 Candleberry Cir
Hot Springs, AR 71913-2109

Donations to the "MVP Sanctuary" are deductible as allowed under Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code (Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pet Federal Tax ID: 20-2229425).

Each donor will receive an official “Thank You” and pre-numbered receipt for their tax records.

To learn more about the MVP Sanctuary project visit www.mvpsanctuary.org and for more information about Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet visit www.guardianangelsfors...erspet.org

Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet is an ALL volunteer 501c3 nonprofit public charity organization supporting deploying military service members, veterans, and their beloved pets through programs and services aimed at reuniting the beloved pets with their owners following a deployment in harm’s way or an emergency hardship...

Go check out GASP, and see what YOU can do to help our troops and their furbabies.

Thank you.

*This message has been Bratdog approved. Woooooof!*

cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita