Rolling Victory Fast Update: 30 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
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Fasting today is Leta!

Thanks Leta!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Coalition Country - Hungary

...from "International Contributions to the War on Terror," on the Centcom website on January 10, 2005 : "Participation in war against terror: According to parliamentary decision in February 2003 a medical contingent of 50 specialists are to begin their duties as a part of ISAF. Hungary has provided a base to US forces for the purpose of training Iraq opposition forces. Hungarian Liaison Team has been established at CENTCOM in October 2002." 01/07/05 CENTCOM [source]

The Republic of Hungary, slightly smaller than the state of Indiana, has a population of just under 10 million. (That figure is according to the CIA World Fact Book. However, if you go to the official site of Hungary, they also state that there is an additional 5 million self-described Hungarians scattered around the world) A landlocked country within Europe, it has great strategic significance:

"astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions". [source]

Hungary has a checkered history, having been under both communism and the Nazis:

1944 The Nazis occupied Hungary, as they did not consider it a reliable ally. During the Second World War, the Hungarians suffered grave losses on the Soviet front. At the end of the war, Fascists took over the governing of the country. 1945 The Soviet Army liberated, then occupied Hungary. At the hastly held elections, the Communists gained only 17 percent of the votes. 1947 The last, relatively free election was followed by the years of Communist control: show trials, executions, forced settlement of hundreds of thousands, imprisonment, harassment, forced industrial development, a drop in living standards, and Stalinist dictatorship. 1956 A revolution against Stalinism. The uprising was defeated by Soviet troops. János Kádár, who acquired power with their assistance, promised democratic socialism; in the meantime, retaliation and executions started. 1965 The new system became consolidated, and cautious economic reforms were launched. Living standards were rising and the iron curtain became penetrable. 1988 The Hungarian transition period began. 1990 The Communist party voluntarily gave up its autocracy. A multi-party parliamentary democracy came into being in the country. The Soviet army left Hungary. [source]

I included that excerpt because within those dates - dryly noted - is all of Hungary's history. Hungary knows all about tyranny and liberation. That is an official site of Hungary and well worth a read! There is also a very detailed story about 1956 in Hungary (an absolutely pivotal time), over at the BBC here.

Economically, Hungary has emerged as one of the European powerhouses:

"Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of the EU-25 average. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and acceded to the EU in May 2004. The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. ... Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 3.7% in 2006. Unemployment has persisted above 6%. Hungary's labor force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy challenges include cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by 2008, from about 6.5% in 2006, and tackling a persistent trade deficit. The current government has announced and begun to implement an austerity program designed to address these issues, leading to eventual adoption of the euro."[source - CIA World Fact Book] And yes, Germany is Hungary's leading trading partner, both in exports and imports.

Given the often oppressive history, it stands to reason that Hungary does, indeed, have a military. Prior to 2004, there was conscription, but since then it is volunteer military, open to both men and women. The military expenditures account for 1.75% of the country's GDP..

Hungarian troops have been (or still are) in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Iraq.



[picture courtesy of this site]

In Iraq, among other duties, they are involved in training Iraqi police forces. An April 2006 article on the MNF site, details how Hungary, along with "Jordan, Canada, Sweden, Slovenia, Austria, Finland, Czech Republic, Singapore, Poland, Slovakia, Australia, Hungary, Belgium, United Kingdom and United States..." is running the 4 week programme that even back then had graduated more than 11,500 Iraqi police. This article specifically talks about the Sons Of Al-Anbar and well worth the read. You can find that here.

In Afghanistan, Hungarian troops rebuilt schools and a medical centre. In November 2006, a Reuters story notes:

ISLAMABAD, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Hungary has committed 200 troops to a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan for the next two years,...Hungarian troops had already come under enemy fire since deploying in the northern province of Baghlan last month, having earlier been stationed in the Afghan capital of Kabul with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)... The Hungarians have taken on a two-year mission as a provincial reconstruction team (PRT), supporting civil programmes to train Afghan police and help education projects in Baghlan. [source]

And their vital contribution is recognised by the US. In a 2004 trip through eastern Europe, Colin Powel praised the Hungarians:

"About 300 Hungarian troops serving in Iraq alongside U.S. and other coalition forces "are standing fast" in post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell pointed out during a Budapest TV interview.

Powell, currently on a trip through Eastern Europe and the Middle East, said Hungarian troops "are doing a terrific job" in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hungary recently decided to increase its military presence in Afghanistan to reach a total of about 150 troops...."[source]

I read quite a few articles that said that Hungary intended to pull it's troops out of Iraq by March 2005. I cannot confirm that this did, in fact, happen, but Hungary does remain committed to the efforts of Iraq to establish a democracy. In an 'Operational Update' in February 2006, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch noted that "... in November of this year, Hungary donated 77 T-72 tanks. (Plays video.) Those are the T-72 tanks donated by the nation of Hungary."[source]

In 2006 President Bush went to Hungary, to mark the time 50 years earlier (1956) when Hungarians struggled for democracy.

Mr Bush spoke from a scenic
vantage point overlooking Budapest
[source]

US President George W Bush has cited Hungary's thirst for freedom as an inspiration to Iraq. On a visit to Budapest to mark 50 years since an uprising against Soviet rule, Mr Bush said Hungary represented "the triumph of liberty over tyranny". Iraqis, he said, would take inspiration and "draw hope" from Hungary's success.....[source]

President George W. Bush walks to the podium to deliver remarks from Gellert Hill in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, June 22, 2006. "Laura and I are honored to visit your great nation," said President Bush. "Hungary sits at the heart of Europe. Hungary represents the triumph of liberty over tyranny, and America is proud to call Hungary a friend." White House photo by Paul Morse.

Part of the President's remarks on that day:

"In 1956, the Hungarian people suffered under a communist dictatorship and domination by a foreign power. That fall, the Hungarian people had decided they had had enough and demanded change...Fifty years later, the sacrifice of the Hungarian people inspires all who love liberty. Some of those who faced those tanks are here today. ... America honors your courage. We've learned from your example, and we resolve that when people stand up for their freedom, America will stand with them....

Hungary has continued to move forward. You regained your independence, held free elections, and established a free economy. Hungary is now a valued member of NATO and the European Union. You know that the democratic journey is not easy, but you continue to make the tough decisions that are necessary to succeed. America admires your perseverance, we welcome your progress, and America values our alliance with the free people of Hungary....

Hungarian troops are also defending freedom's cause in the war on terror. In Afghanistan, your soldiers have rebuilt schools and a medical center. They've helped train Afghan police to enforce the rule of law, and to protect the Afghan people. In Iraq, Hungarian troops played a vital role in Operation Iraqi Freedom by providing security and delivering food and medical supplies to coalition forces. Today, Hungarian soldiers are helping to train Iraqi security forces. This is important work. By supporting these two young democracies, you are strengthening two new allies in the war on terror, and you're bringing hope to millions of people in a vital region of the world. "

This a great speech, and I urge you to go read the rest of it over on The White House site here.

I am going to bookmark that speech, and return to it when the anti-war, anti-troops, anti-FREEDOM ignorants seem overwhelming. Totally inspiring!

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 29 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
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Fasting today is Julia!

I think I might be a little late.. but I'd like to dedicate today's fast to my two adoptees.. Cha Yang and Leoncio Palacios . They are always in my thoughts and prayers and today they are the reason I am fasting.

Great dedication Julia!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Good news Friday (B*N*S*N)

Mortar rounds and other improvised explosive device-making materials were turned over to Coalition Forces by the "Neighborhood Watch" in Taji, Iraq June 25. U.S. Army photo.

CAMP TAJI — For a second time this week, Iraqi citizens here turned in a large cache consisting of improvised explosive device-making material and mortar rounds. The Taji neighborhood watch contacted Coalition Forces June 25, after the driver of a truck fled the scene when the volunteers stopped a suspicious vehicle moving through the rural village of Abd Allah al Jasim. The vehicle contained 24 mortar rounds, two rockets, spare machine gun barrels, small arms ammunition and other IED-making material....

More weapons taken off the streets. This story comes under the header of "Neighbourhood Watch turns over cache." Hmmmmmmm, ya think the Iraqis are stepping up to run their own country? You think the Iraqis are happy to have us there, helping them rid their homeland of the scourge of Al-Qaeda?

Regular readers of Tanker Bros already know the answer to those questions is a resounding YES! But did you see this story, and the many other daily examples of the tenacity, the bravery of the Iraqi people, in your local or national news media?

"This grassroots movement of reconciliation by the volunteers is taking off all around us. The tribes that had once actively or passively supported al-Qaeda in Iraq now want them out," said Lt. Col. Peter Andrysiak, the deputy commander of the 1st "Ironhorse" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

My emphasis (of course), but we know you don't have to look very far to find Good News Friday stories every day of the week. You can find the rest of this B*N*S*N story here.

Brat

Good news Friday (B*N*S*N) - part 2!

Army Efforts Contribute to Removal of Bald Eagle from Endangered Species List

Photo by U.S. Army Environmental Center file photo

The Bald Eagle is found on or near 58 Army installations in the continental United States.


I didn't know this, had never thought about the Army being involved in such stewardship. It seems that yes, indeed, our military has played an integral part in the delisting of the Bald Eagle from the list of threatened and endangered species.

Army environmental stewardship efforts played an important role in bringing the bald eagle back from the brink of extinction, according to Michael Dette, chief of natural resources at the U.S. Army Environmental Command.... Army installations apply a number of different natural resource-management practices to protect the bald eagle and its habitat, according to Mr. Dette. Typically, garrison staffs work to maintain and improve forested habitat for both breeding and non-breeding eagles, minimize human disturbance in nesting and wintering areas, maintain and improve the availability and quality of food supplies, and minimize direct hazards to bald eagles....

All great news any day of the week of course! Find the rest of this B*N*S*N here.

Photo by Dave Menke, courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 28 June 2007

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Fasting today is PCMom!

Today as I participate in the RVF, there is a special couple I would like to honor; Colleen and SSG Terry T. Saffron, Jr. SSG Saffron was severely injured in combat during his deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on May 5, 2004. Colleen has, since the date of her husband’s injury, managed to care for him and her 3 children while also returning to school to graduate with honors. Recently, along with 2 other active duty spouses Kimberly Marrero and Tania Mercurio, Colleen has begun a non profit organization to help wounded soldiers and their caregivers. Because I am fairly new to the fantastic work they are accomplishing, I have decided to copy and share quips from their website: The mission of Life Transformed is to provide education and resources to our war wounded and their caregivers through private and corporate entities. To increase awareness of the long term needs of these families and support them as they re-enter the civilian sector. They provide training and education to war wounded and care givers, allowing an easier transition, both physically and mentally into the workforce. Caregivers and wounded warriors will be trained and credited for positions as soon as they are able to re-enter the workforce. We hope to build Life Transformed into a foundation that encourages private and public sectors to actively participate in the transformation of a wounded warrior and his family to a civilian professional. “Through kind donations from corporate companies, we are PROUD to announce that TEN War Wounded or Fallen Soldier families will benefit from a wonderful pilot program. Corporation’s are offering an opportunity for the family members to own their own Travel Website business at absolutely “no cost” to the family ever! $100% of commissions made go to directly to the family recipient, no hosting or domain fees. The family will receive full technical support access at all times to help them succeed.” Read more here… Congratulations Ten Families! Hugs out to the Saffron family, who when faced with adversity, took a giant leap. They went beyond what was ever asked of themselves and reached out to others in need. Let’s get the word out. There are many Wounded Warriors who need our help. I particularly love this quote on their website: “Walking the road with our heroes, when they cannot walk alone.” An added note from Colleen: Our 501c3 status should be cleared very soon and by the end of the year we can hand statements out so people get tax deductions for any giving they do. So pray with us for the endeavor to get funded well so we can keep helping people. We started in March and so far 10 families have received web based businesses and 1 family has received a computer with all the special software they need since their injury created a severe visual impairment. And of course… Hugs to my fantastic L’il Trooper and the 4-9 Cav!

Great dedication PCMom. I'll be checking out those links later today!! (it's midnight and I need to get to bed, the kids will be bouncing on the bed to wake me up earlier than I want to :o)

I, too, love the quote you have in bold print, “Walking the road with our heroes, when they cannot walk alone.”

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Et Tu, Brute?

It's no secret that, generally speaking, Republicans are more supportive of the military, and of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Very rarely do you read or hear of a Republican "flip flopping" and deciding he or she no longer supports the efforts of US and Coalition Forces to fight and defeat our enemies abroad.

Notice I said "rarely".

It happens. And sometimes, the staunchest of allies will commit rhetorical fratricide on our efforts.

Kind of like what happened yesterday: Key GOP senator says Iraq strategy not working

Here's my question: how the heck could he know if it was working or not? If I remember correctly (and remember, I'm just a lowly tanker with a measly 31 GT score), one of the reasons that General Petreaus is going to brief Congress in September is to report on the success or failure of "The Surge".

We're in June. September is more than 60 days away. (Should we chip in and buy Senator Lugar a calendar?)

Let's be honest here: "The Surge" wasn't complete until less than two weeks ago. That means, the last brigade of the augmenting forces to secure the country wasn't even operational until fewer than fourteen days ago. How is it that Senator Lugar knows more about the success or failure of the Baghdad Strategy than the Generals and Soldiers on the ground fighting?

If I may quote the Senator: "In my judgment, the costs and risks of continuing down the current path outweigh the potential benefits that might be achieved," Lugar, R-Ind., said in a Senate floor speech. "Persisting indefinitely with the surge strategy will delay policy adjustments that have a better chance of protecting our vital interests over the long term."

Really?

Let me deconstruct the good Senator's statement, so that we can really get to the core of what he's trying to say:

Sen. Lugar's Statement: "In my judgment, the costs and risks of continuing down the current path outweigh the potential benefits that might be achieved"

MG's Response: Sir, with all due respect, "the costs and risks"? What are the costs and risks of failure? What current path are you referring to? Would that be the path we are following now? You know, the whole part about working closely with Iraqi Security Forces to combat violence and lawlessness, while handing them the reigns of the mission? Isn't that the whole point? Hunt down bad guys, protect the citizenry, and stand up a capable Iraqi Security Force that can plan and conduct missions on their own? How is "continuing down" this path not the way to win this war? Sir, if that is your "judgment", then I have to stand up and question that "judgment" (and I use that term loosely).

Sen. Lugar's Statement: "Persisting indefinitely with the surge strategy will delay policy adjustments that have a better chance of protecting our vital interests over the long term."

MG's Response: No one has asked anyone to do anything indefinitely. All that we asked is that Congress have patience and let the American Soldier do his job. All that we asked was to give us time to let the Iraqi Army begin shouldering the responsibility for planning and conducting the types of operations that we have for the past four years. Let them develop a strong security force capable of enforcing the rule of law, so we can come home, the mission completed. And what "policy judgments" are you referring to, exactly, Senator? "Cut and Run"? The famous Anti-War "Throw up your arms and run away screaming like a little girl" plan? (With no insult to little girls intended on my part.)

See... guys with sand on their boots see the real progress. They see bad guys getting captured and prosecuted for their crimes against innocent civilians. Think I'm making it up? Read just a small example: Night air assault mission nets insurgents.

Every day, Sir, people are putting their lives on the line to set things right. They go out and snatch and grab bad guys in order to protect the Iraqi people and the National Security of the United States of America. All that we ask is for people like you to have just a little bit of faith that we can get the job done. And a little bit of patience.

Please, Sir: give us more than two weeks. Give us until September.

And then listen to what General Petreaus has to say when he testifies in front of Congress.

Two Weeks? It takes mail longer to get to me out here in Iraq.

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 27 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
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We have two people fasting today!

First, is Aunt Meli!

My dedication goes out to all those brave men risking their lives for our freedom. I also dedicate this to my nephews, MG and CavTanker. I love 'em! It's been a grand year (has it been a year already?) Are we a steadfast bunch or what? WooHaa! (Is that how it's spelled?) Love to all out there!

Thanks for the great dedication Aunt Meli! I can hardly believe it's been a year!

Our other faster is ConcreteBob!

RCT-6 and a good friend who just arrived in the "sandbox" for his first deployment, SSgt Richard M USMC

Great dedication Bob. Also, it is ConcreteBob's birthday today, so wish him a Happy Birthday in comments!!

Sorry this is up so late today. No excuses except it's summer, we sleep in, and I'm getting old and forgetful! :o)

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Jenn

Staff Sgt. Darrell R. Griffin Jr.
36 years old from Alhambra, California
2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division
March 21, 2007


"He was a really patriotic young man", said Darrell Griffin Sr. "He said that the people there really needed us and he felt it was the right place to be. He wished we didn’t have to have wars, but since that’s the way mankind is, he felt he was contributing an important part to his country".

SSgt. Griffin lost his life in Balad, Iraq when his unit came under fire as it was returning to base after conducting security operations in the Iraqi capital.

The eldest son of six children, SSgt. Griffin worked as an EMT before joining the California Army National Guard in 1999. He enlisted in the Army two years later, and in July 2001, was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, in Ft. Lewis, Washington. He served with that unit in Iraq from October 2004 to September 2005.

On his second tour of duty, SSgt. Griffin had been awarded the Bronze Star for valor in 2005 when he was credited with saving the lives of three U.S. and two Iraqi Army soldiers injured during battle in Tal Afar. He had also received the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Parachute Badge, and the Meritorious Unit Citation.

"Griff was the type of man you want to have by your side in a fight," Maj. Brent Clemmer, his former company commander, wrote from Iraq. "He was the type of squad leader every young soldier wants to have".

"Darrell was my husband, my Soldier, my gift from God who was also the love of my life and always will be." Said his wife, Diana. "He was also 'a Soldier's Soldier of Strength and Honor' whose commitment to duty, honor and loyalty will be forever remembered by all who know and love him. The news of his death saddens us deeply and we ask for your prayers in our time of grief. Please also continue to keep our Soldiers in your prayers

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Daily Contemplation: What if?

Your early morning food for thought. Via DevilDog and Gathering of Eagles comes the following:

(Sent with Author’s permission) The speech George W. Bush SHOULD give: Normally, I start these things out by saying “My Fellow Americans.” Not doing it this time. If the polls are any indication, I don’t know who more than half of you are anymore. I do know something terrible has happened, and that you’re really not fellow Americans any longer. I’ll cut right to the chase here: I quit. Now before anyone gets all in a lather about me quitting to avoid impeachment, or to avoid prosecution or something, let me assure you: there’s been no breaking of laws or impeachable offenses in this office. The reason I’m quitting is simple. I’m fed up with you people. I’m fed up because you have no understanding of what’s really going on in the world or of what’s going on in this once-great nation of ours. And the majority of you are too damned lazy to do your homework and figure it out. Let’s start local. You’ve been sold a bill of goods by politicians and the news media. Polls show that the majority of you think the economy is in the tank. And that’s despite record numbers of homeowners including record numbers of MINORITY homeowners. And while we’re mentioning minorities, I’ll point out that minority business ownership is at an all-time high. Our unemployment rate is as low as it ever was during the Clinton Administration. I’ve mentioned all those things before, but it doesn’t seem to have sunk in....

"What if...?" indeed. Go read the rest here,
and be sure to check out the comments - maybe join the debate. Seems to me that the time is long past due when all of US should get in the game and debate, demand our voices be heard.

Thanks DevilDog!

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 26 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
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Fasting today is Bets!

I'm dedicating today to the Marines of 1st Recon Battalion, currently deployed to Iraq. I want to give special thanks to the great guys in H & S, S-4 for all their hard work. This is an awesome group of Marines and I'm proud to do my small part to let them know they have the support of folks back home.

Thanks for the dedication Bets. It's so important that our soldiers know they have support back home!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Where is the outrage?

Remember this?

Or this?


Or this?




One week ago today, I woke to these pictures, just as the rest of us did. As always when I witness any kind of cruelty to children, my broken heart shattered into even more tiny pieces.

One week! One week - and CBS reported on this horrific scene that our troops almost missed. Almost missed, but didn't; I can only guess that was by the grace of God that they did NOT walk by unknowing what horrors lurked behind the wall.

On a daytime patrol in central Baghdad just over than a week ago, a U.S. military advisory team and Iraqi soldiers happened to look over a wall and found something horrific...."They saw multiple bodies laying on the floor of the facility," Staff Sgt. Mitchell Gibson of the 82nd Airborne Division told CBS News ... "They thought they were all dead, so they threw a basketball (to) try and get some attention, and actually one of the kids lifted up their head, tilted it over and just looked and then went back down. And they said, 'oh, they're alive' and so they went into the building." [source]

One week ago, msm like CBS gave this story front page status. One week on? Nothing. Zip. Zero. NADA. You might be forgiven if you think it was all a bad dream, now that the media has gone on to the next big 'scoop'. They might have moved on, but I will not - and I will not allow self-righteous, self-serving politicians of the world to move on.

Yes, these are ugly pictures showing, for all to see, the basest of human nature, and we ALL want to turn away. The msm has, but I will not.

In the course of my life, I have worked with many abused and neglected children. Because of what I do, complete strangers still email me regularly with a never-ending litany of horror stories of neglected children. Children treated as so much garbage by the 'adults' supposed to nurture them and care for them. Every time I hear (or see with my own eyes in some cases) the neglect and mistreatment of kids, it just makes me stronger in my mission to work on behalf of the children. It outrages me all over again - even when I am so heart-sick of the never-ending stories, that I swear I can no longer be outraged. And then - and then. THIS shows up with my morning coffee, and I want to do unspeakable things to the adults who would do such things.

People like this:

Or this:



Or THIS:



The caption on THIS picture?

A woman working at an orphanage smiles for pictures in front of the naked boys as if there was nothing wrong.

"Nothing wrong"????????? There is just sooooooooo much wrong with this story on so many levels, is hard to know where to begin. But begin we must, and never stop looking at pictures like this. Yes, it stinks to see these over morning coffee. Hell, it hurts any time of the day to see these pictures. But look we must. And we must act. To quote an old song "Tears are not enough". Treating this story, and the many so far untold stories like this, as one day wonders, as various media outlets have done, and then moving on, is most certainly not enough. As I looked at these the first time, I immediately had to wonder how many OTHER - thus far unknown - children will bear witness to the horrors of the state-sanctioned evil that our troops are fighting against. Our troops. I dont need to imagine the reactions of our soldiers as they deal with this day in, day out. I don't need to imagine. I know. For me, pictures like this are EXACTLY why our troops are in Iraq. And I want to go to some politicians' offices and get in their faces and DEMAND they support the mission with every cell in their bodies.

In the past, ChrisG has posted pictures here of a little girl in Iraq. This little girl, wrote ChrisG (and I am paraphrasing now Chris - forgive me) reminded Chris WHY he does what he does, why he went to Iraq, why he serves in the military.

As a member of Soldiers' Angels, and with the contacts I now have, I often see requests for shoes for children in Iraq who have no shoes. Our soldiers in Afghanistan write and ask for school supplies, teddy bears, footballs (okay, okay "soccer balls. lol). All well and good, and I am happy to report that every single request for those things IS met, by generous and loving folks - strangers to these children. Compassionate strangers a world away from the deprivation of kids they may never meet, open their hearts and their wallets so that others' children may know the simple joys of chasing a ball, swinging carelessly on a swing in a newly rebuilt playground. You know - every day simple joys that we who do not live in places like Iraq take for granted every single day.

So I have a mission for every single compassionate person. THIS mission has nothing to do with opening your wallet. It has EVERYTHING to do with opening your heart. It has EVERYTHING to do with taking the outrage that any of us feel when we witness recurring scenes like these (remember Romania? We've come a long way baby. NOT!) and demanding, DEMANDING that your politicians give our soliders every single dime they need to complete their mission. We 'cut and run' as so many of the politicians insist is the only plausable, acceptable end to this war, and I dread to think how many more of children - JUST LIKE THESE - will go unfound.

In the immediate days following the breaking of this story, a few media outlets had this - you can go here, or here, or here,(YouTube).

I don't care where you get the pictures from, or the facts from, but this mission must not fail. I have noticed how quiet all the politicians have been on this horror story. Why is that, do you think? That was a rhetorical question! I know, oh how I know, it would be s0 easy to 'turn the page' and just get back to business as usual. You know the line: WE have no business being in Iraq. We went there for oil. No weapons of mass destruction. Blah blah blah. Well, I for one have always supported our troops and their mission - whole-heartedly. For me, it is and has always been about the children. Children are MY business, and damn it - I am going to do all in my power to make sure that not another politican can turn their heads away from this story. Not another politician is going to be allowed to play bs games with the lives of our troops, or the children. The children, the thousands of children just like these, don't have the luxury of turning away. They live - and they die - in the time it is taking you to read this and drink your morning coffee. It is ONLY because our troops are there that maybe, just maybe if the politicians get their heads out of their arses, that children just like these, and you know - kids used a suicide bomb decoys (and if that doesn't outrage you, you are NOT fit to be part of the HUMAN race) - will be allowed to grow up, go to school, swing in the playground, and scream in delight. Our troops, and these children, deserve our support. Every soldier - and every CHILD, no matter where, IS one of our own.




Capt. Benjamin Morales carries one of the special needs boys from a Baghdad orphanage after finding the children suffering in horrific conditions, in this photo given to CBS News.

"We'll leave here and he'll remember us 'til the day he dies." Lt. Jason Smith [source]

Every one of these children and yes, every Iraqi child touched on a daily basis by our troops, (you know, the stories you will never see in msm) WILL remember the kind soldiers who rescued them, saved them. These children will remember that not everyone in the world treats them as so much garbage.

Please: I don't care what your politics are. I don't care of you are brainwashed by the anti-war rhetoric. That is your choice. I am telling you, in the matter of children, none of us has a choice. Really, we don't. It is said that every society is judged by how it treats the weakest among them. How willl YOU be judged? Where is the outrage? Who will join me on this mission to ensure that NEVER AGAIN will any politician be allowed to play their political games. NEVER again will they be allowed - by the stroke of a pen in their cushy, air-conditioned offices, enjoying their fat paycheques (which YOU pay), to send the message to ANY child that they don't matter. I swear that I will not sit quietly by and give the politicians the luxury of turning their head away from scenes such as these, and decide that their own games of one-upmanship matter more than any child. Enough!

This is MY mission.

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 25 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Julia!

Thanks Julia, see ya in comments!

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 24 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Yankeemom!

Dedicating today to all our military and their families. It's not easy for them right now and I just want them to know that there are so many who care and are praying ~

Thanks Yankeemom! I am definitely praying for all of the military families.

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

"That Was Some Scary Shit"

Yesterday, I experienced something I didn't think I ever would, but knew was a possibility. I told you recently about some force protection upgrades we were working on for our Iraqi Army (IA) brothers in an outpost in this area. Yesterday, we stopped by that outpost in a small town to perform several tasks. My boss met with the city leaders, I checked in with the IA and others on our team were going to meet with various other folks in this town. The barriers were in place and the IA guards were well positioned and understood their jobs. The IA commander of this outpost felt he understood the dangers in this town and this area but I'm certain that he only had a partial understanding of what was going on. His outpost had been attacked on the very first night his unit arrived. It was a very ineffectual attack with no casualties on either side, but it seemed that the attack was more a message than an attempt to engage in a serious battle. The message being, "we know you're here and we don't like it." Hence the new barriers and such........

Here at Tanker Bros, we all know that there are many of our troops with stories to tell - you know, the truth that msm doesn't bother to tell you about! Lucky for us, some of them continue to post their stories, share their experiences. As I recently told one msm reporter who contacted me because he read a story here he hadn't heard about before: "The truth IS out there, if you bother to LOOK!"

What you read above comes direct from Jack Army. What follows is an eyewitness, up close and personal account of an encounter with an IED. It seems, according to Jack Army, as if some msm picked up the story, but as JA says:

"It didn't take long for the news to pick it up. All the "facts" in these reports aren't exactly right, but the gist of the reports are about right. More about it here and here. Most of the initial reporting on this event was wrapped into another Associated Press story."

That may be, but I am betting you won't find the following included in ANY msm story. To include this in any story might not play well with the picture that msm typically paints of our troops. Jack Army ends with:

This attack hasn't made me any less of a supporter of this war. It hasn't changed my mind or made me afraid to continue to fight. If anything, it has strengthened my resolve. I hope the Iraqis in that small town feel the same. Their future depends on it. (my emphasis) Oh, by the way, one of my gunners said that, the post title. He is right, it was scary, when I think about what could have happened.

It is a must-read for all. You can read the rest here. As I read the whole thing, I thank God for such men as Jack Army. Those who do their jobs, day in day out, committed to the mission, with very little acknowledgement from the msm. Jack Army is yet another of those blogs to add to your 'favorites' if you are wanting the truth. I just did.

THANK YOU JACK ARMY!

(with thanks to our own MG!) Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 23 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Denise!

This fast is dedicated to the Units that my family and I have adopted. Each one of them are on missions as I fast today. They have gone on many missions, to say the least they are exhausted. Please everyone hold them all in a special place in your hearts and pray for their speedy, safe return. Along with these brave men and women please remember their families and friends who miss them and love them so much. The Soldier is My Friend By: Norma W. Beaird, I have a friend who may not know or ever call my name, A friend who may not visit, but I thank them just the same. My friend is called the soldier who's on duty day and night, For me to pledge allegiance, they have fought and paid the price. Where would we be today without the brave hearts who have served, So we can wave "Old Glory"; so our voices can be heard. And what would life be like today without the many soldiers, Who walked into the jaws of death with guns upon their shoulders. Life would not be as great today, with freedom in our halls, And we'd live in oppression and great fear would grip us all. So when you see a soldier you should thank your God above, For here's someone who represents the greatest gift of love. And when you pledge allegiance, you should see a uniform, Of those who walked through battlefields and weathered many storms. We cannot take for granted what is takes to pay the price, And be a U. S. Soldier who has made a sacrifice. And whether they are fighting on the ground or in the air, Or sailing on the ocean, we can rest assured they're there. Oh what a peace it is for me to hear the sound of jets, Of flying Air Force pilots who have bravely passed the tests. And what a happy feeling when a ship pulls into port, With smiling Navy Sailors who were holding down the fort. Then what a sense of pride I have to see in my hometown, A soldier in the Army who is serving on the ground. And then there are the soldiers who are training on a team, They're proud and they're courageous, the United States Marines. If you have fought a battle or have lived through several wars, And freed a camp of prisoners, saved a life or fed the poor. Or if you've volunteered to go to places I've not been, I salute you, U. S. Soldier, National Guard and Veteran friend. For you have made the difference in America today, And when I see the stars and stripes, I see a soldiers face. A fearless face of courage lined with dignity and truth, A face with battle scars or an enlisted face of youth. And whether you are young or old, still serving or retired, I live my life in debt to you who's walked through many fires. I sleep in peace at night because you will defend our borders, To go where you are needed, you will follow any orders. So thank you, may God bless you and this country you defend, This land is what it is because the soldier is my friend.

Great dedication Denise!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Coalition Country - Georgia

[source]

e five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century

The following comment in support of the coalition made by Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze on March 20, 2003, was published on the White House website on March 26, 2003 : "Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. As long as such a regime exists, the world cannot live in peace." Additional statement made by Georgian Government Representative Shalva Pichkhadze on March 20, 2003 : "Georgia, which is now a member of the international coalition for Iraq's disarmament, is ready to not only provide political support for the U.S., but also to provide its military infrastructure to U.S. troops." 03/26/03 WHITE HOUSE [source]

Georgia, slightly smaller than South Carolina, sits in Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia. The large flag above dates back to the 14th century. Georgia is now a Republic, (comprising of 9 political regions), with a checkered history both as part of Soviet Russia, and in 1991 gaining independance from the Soviet Union. With a legal system based on civil law, Georgia adopted its own constitution 24 August 1995.

Over the centuries, Georgia has been the object of rivalry between Persia, Turkey and Russia. It was eventually annexed by Russia in the 19th century. Following an interlude of independence after the 1917 Bolshevik revolution in Russia, it was invaded by the Soviet Red Army in 1921 and incorporated into the Soviet Union a year later. [source - a GREAT BBC profile!] Situated at the strategically important crossroads where Europe meets Asia, Georgia has a unique and ancient cultural heritage, famous traditions of hospitality and cuisine and an alphabet which is entirely its own.

Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable but underdeveloped hydropower capacity. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since 2000, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. [source]

With a population of just under 5 million, (July 2007 estimate), Georgia is comprised of four major ethnic groups: Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census) Predominantly Orthodox Christian (83.9%), Georgia also has a slightly less than 10% self-described muslim population.

Despite independance from soviet regimes, present day Russia remains one of Georgia's main trading partners. Exports: Russia 18.1%, Turkey 14.3%, Azerbaijan 9.8%, Turkmenistan 8.9%, Bulgaria 5%, Armenia 4.7%, Ukraine 4.4%, Canada 4.2% - who knew?!(2005). And imports break down so: Russia 15.4%, Turkey 11.4%, Azerbaijan 9.4%, Ukraine 8.8%, Germany 8.3%, US 6% (2005)

Georgia does have a military (of course!) and they are active in the GWOT. The military has 4 branches ( Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2006), and is by conscription (18 months service)and voluntary service.[source] There is a very interesting, in-depth look at the Georgia military over at the Global Security site. Well worth a read, and I could quote them at length here, but this excerpt is a synopsis. Go read the rest here.

...the Georgian military by 1994 comprised a few units whose ranks were thinned by wartime casualties and whose troops had few resources. Like other sectors of the Georgian state, the military and security forces require wide-ranging reform, restructuring, and modernization. Today Georgian Armed forces account approximately 20000 solders and consist of 4 brigades and numerous military units. Conscription is carried out twice a year for the period of 18 months (12 months for conscripts with high education).

Georgia currently has 850 soldiers in Iraq serving with US troops[source]

That number, in itself, is interesting, because in the early days, some commentators predicted that Georgia was basically committing to the coalition forces out of necessity - aligning themselves with the US-led coalition out of self-interest, and with only a minor role to play.

"James Dobbins, a former U.S. envoy on postconflict missions in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Bosnia, told RFE/RL that Georgia and Romania are unlikely to have a major impact. They may on the margins provide some military capability, but I would think [with] Georgia, [it's] hard to think that they would provide very much. Romania may be a little bit more. But these countries don't have serious military capabilities, let alone serious capabilities of projecting that military power at any distance." 12/20/04 R.MCMAHON [source]

Be that as it may, one person's opinion(!), over at a BBC site there is this, from as recently as March 2007:

Georgia is a small former Soviet republic with a strongly pro-western government with ambitions to join Nato. The move will make it one of the leading contributors to the US-led forces in the country....(my emphasis!) In a statement, President Mikhail Saakashvili said that Georgia wanted to do everything possible to help the Iraqi people and US-led forces to bring peace and freedom to the country. [source]

Obviously with the neighbours it has, Georgia IS acting partly out of self-interest, and I don't see that as a negative. Given the strife-ridden internal history of the Georgian people, is it any wonder they "get" the urgency of contributing to the coalition?

The "Rose Revolution" applauds the US. A young Georgian woman dressed in traditional costume to sing in a choir applauds US President Bush as he speaks in front of a large crowd of Georgians in Tbilisi, Georgia May 10, 2005. Bush, the first U.S. leader to visit the ex-Soviet Republic while in office, spoke in the capital's Freedom Square. Photo credit: Jim Bourg, Reuters [source]

Georgia Increases the Number of Troops in Iraq Published: 13 March 2007 Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili announced on March 9 that its country was going to send an additional 2000 troops to Iraq and Afghanistan (EDM, AP, RIA Novosti, March 9-13). Georgia currently has 850 troops deployed in Iraq and a little over 100 in Afghanistan (globalsecurity.org)..... The intention however, must be approved by the Georgian Parliament – which is expected to pass the request by a wide margin (EDM, March 13). President Saakashvili said the decision had been reached as a consequence of Georgia’s intention to strengthen its strategic partnership with the United States and NATO; besides, what better time to truly lend a helping hand to one’s partner if not the time he needs it the most – which in the case of Washington’s efforts in the Middle East would be now. [CSIS here]

This addition does make Georgia..." the largest per capita contributor of forces in the coalition." There is a very interesting first-person account of a native Georgian sitting in on one of the the military-to-military training sessions by the US of the Georgian troops. Again, well worth the read!

I sit in on one of the training classes, where a group of about 20 officers and enlisted personnel from the Georgian military sit in a darkened room, while US Army Warrant Officer Robert Tadlock shows them a series of slides with weapons used by the insurgents in Iraq.... The Georgians, who listen intently, say they are sobered by Tadlock's lesson. "It's more difficult than we thought," says Sgt. Maj. Nodar Khmaladze, a young, intense soldier with a buzzcut. Later this year he and his battalion will likely be deployed to al-Kut, Iraq, near the Iranian border. "The area where we're going is difficult and critical, not just doing simple things like we used to."... Maj. Perry Carter, another American trainer, .... has worked with the Georgian military since 2002. The US training program here started with the Georgia Train and Equip Program. That program evolved into the Security and Stability Operations Program (SSOP), and the current iteration is SSOP-2. Although this will end in a few weeks, given the recent decision to up Georgia's troop commitment in Iraq, the training looks likely to continue. By all accounts, the training has been the catalyst for turning the Georgian army from a ragtag militia with mismatched uniforms and little discipline into a serious fighting force. [source]

Georgian soldiers are receiving instruction from the US Army [source]

The US Army has sent instructors... At a military camp outside the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, they are training Georgian troops for checkpoint duty in Iraq. Lt-Col Craig Jones says he is impressed by what he has seen. Georgian troops storm a building during the training exercise[source] "Obviously the soldiers that we are working with initially trained and learned under Russian tactics and learned a Russian style of fighting," he says. "Initially there was some question with that. But they want to learn the American way...

President George W. Bush and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili talk to the press in the Oval Office Wednesday, July 5, 2006. "He believes in the universality of freedom. He believes that democracy is the best way to yield the peace. The Georgian government and the people of Georgia have acted on those beliefs," said President Bush. "I want to thank you for your contribution in Iraq, to help the Iraqi people realize the great benefits of democracy." White House photo by Kimberlee Hewitt

President Bush:

"...he is a man who shares the same values I share. He believes in the universality of freedom. He believes that democracy is the best way to yield the peace. The Georgian government and the people of Georgia have acted on those beliefs. I want to thank you for your contribution in Iraq, to help the Iraqi people realize the great benefits of democracy. It's hard work, but it's necessary work."

President Saakashvili of Georgia:

"...one thing I can tell, Mr. President, your freedom agenda does, indeed, work. I mean, you can see it in Georgia. We are seeing it in Iraq. And please stay there, please fight there until the end. We will stay with you there, whatever it takes, because your success in Iraq is success for countries like Georgia. It's a success for every individual that loves freedom, every individual that wants security, to live in more secure world for himself, herself or their children. And whatever it takes to help you, we are not a big country -- ... But one thing is important, that you know we really cherish the same things..."

You can read the speeches quoted here, in their entirety, over on The White House site.

As usual, I COULD write at least a book on yet another of our coalition partners who is walking the walk. Follow the links in this post, to find out more! I am always inspired by countries whose own histories compel them to join us in this war we will not lose. Inspired - and grateful!

Thank YOU President Saakashvili.

Brat

Email Project for the Marines

GRIM over at Blackfive is asking for our help. He originally asked for people to help on June 14 and the response has not been what he wanted. We can do this people!!

From Grim's original post:

We spoke with Col Simcock of Regimental Combat Team 6 on the same day as the bombing in Samarra. While the conversation was overtaken by events, it was one of the best we've had. The transcript is here...... GRIM: Is there anything that you and your Marines need that we could send you? COL. SIMCOCK: (Chuckles.) I'll tell you what, the one thing that all Marines want to know about -- and that includes me and everyone within Regimental Combat Team 6 -- we want to know that the American public are behind us. We believe that the actions that we're taking over here are very, very important to America. We're fighting a group of people that, if they could, would take away the freedoms that America enjoys. If anyone -- you know, just sit down, jot us -- throw us an e- mail, write us a letter, let us know that the American public are behind us. Because we watch the news just like everyone else. It's broadcast over here in our chow halls and the weight rooms, and we watch that stuff, and we're a little bit concerned sometimes that America really doesn't know what's going on over here, and we get sometimes concerns that the American public isn't behind us and doesn't see the importance of what's going on. So that's something I think that all Marines, soldiers and sailors would like to hear from back home, that in fact, yes, they think what we're doing over here is important and they are in fact behind us.

Grim has an email address (I'll have that below) for us to write this group of Marines and show them we support them. The goal is 6,000 emails.

On June 20th Grim Updates:

We jumped from 1,000 to 1,500 quickly, but apparently that was pretty much it. After that email slowed a lot, and last night only twenty more came in. At just over 1,700, Sgt. Deboard is declaring victory and starting to print them out for the men.

This was not acceptable! People responded and Grim had another update on

June 21st Update: emails up to 3,500

That puts us over halfway toward the goal. If we can keep it up, we should hit the six thousand mark. Don't stop now -- it's only a little over halfway there. We can push it over the top. Remember, the email address is: RCT-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil

Let's get our email programs open and start typing!!

The email again is: RCT-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 22 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Jenny!

I dedicate today's fast to those who carry out the heartbreaking duty of notifying families of our fallen. It is the mark of a great nation that such a somber office exists with dignity, honor, and respect. Surely it takes great courage, every time, to knock on that door...may the burdens of these men be lightened, and the number of upcoming visits be few.

Excellent Dedication Jenny. That must be one of the hardest jobs anyone has to do.

See you in comments!

~Tracy

*note: I have no idea why the logo is "fuzzy" all of a sudden. I will do my best to fix it.*
Update: fixed it for this one and for the sidebar, the old ones are going to have to stay that way unless I manually change them all. If I figure out another way, I'll fix them.

Good News Friday (B*N*S*N)

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces seized multiple
weapons caches near Tuwaitha Sunday.

Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Regiment, who are currently attached to 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment conducted Operation Destroyer Strike based on information gathered from local citizens. The operation was a part of Operation Marne Torch, being conducted by Multi-National Division-Center in efforts to eliminate insurgent sanctuaries southeast of Baghdad. “In that area there are a lot of people frustrated with sectarian violence and al-Qaeda,” said U.S. Army Capt. Troy Thomas, a staff officer with 3-1 Cav. Regt. “They are just fed up with it.”[emphasis mine]

This was all found at a farm said to be used as a training camp by Al Qaeda, after the owner had been murdered.. And how big a bust was this? It was big for many reasons. It was based on intelligence by a local informant, and included:

...54 mortar rounds, two artillery rounds, 29 cell phones, 29 nine-volt battery connectors and more than 20 circuit boards, all commonly used in the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices. The cache also contained four rockets, five AK-47 assault rifles, a .50-caliber machine gun and Iraqi Security Forces’ body armor.

Will you see this good news in your newspaper in middle America? Not hardly, but you can find this B*N*S*N here.

And, if that's not enough good news for you to start your day with? Check out another story on the same news round up:

Iraqi police from the surrounding areas of Lutifiyah, Iraq, held a recruiting drive in Lutifiyah, June 17.

Yes folks, the Iraqis are stepping up and volunteering their services to make their country a better place.

“It was a strong turnout,” Daldom said. More than 100 recruits showed up to the event. Soldiers from the 23rd Military Police Company, out of Fort Bragg, N.C., currently attached to the 2nd BCT, provided basic assistance for the recruitment. “The event was strictly an Iraqi initiative,” said Capt. Michael Parsons, the 2nd BCT provost marshal and native of Painesville, Ohio. “We just assisted with general requirements.”

Again, a good news story on many levels:

Dalbom also explained a greater significance of the recruitment. There are not as many Sunni police as there is Shiite, but this event primarily consisted of Sunni volunteers who will help balance it out, he noted.

As Captain Michael Parsons noted:

“It shows there is a positive future for the Iraqi people.”

Yes, that is my emphasis again. Some days I really wonder if the msm is EVER going to clue in, and SEE the great things happening in Iraq - and then having SEEN, actually tell the American public of the daily progress being made because of the efforts of THEIR troops. Some days - but in the meantime, you can read the rest of THIS B*N*S*N here.

Soldiers' Angels Europe needs help!

Most regular Tanker Bros readers know all about Soldiers' Angels. What may not be so well known is that Soldiers' Angels is also very active in Europe. One of the original Tanker Sisters runs Soldiers' Angels Europe. "Nelly" is a power force in Europe on behalf of SA, as she works tirelessly to support coalition (non-US) troops. Nelly works many hours to co-ordinate efforts to support the non-US troops from all parts of Europe, as they work alongside our US allies in Iraq and Afghanistan, and yes, other parts of the world.

Now Soldiers' Angels Europe needs our help. Co-ordinating care packages to the coalition troops costs money - mailing costs, buying the goods that go into the care packages, take BIG money. Just as SA in the US is all volunteer as we support our American troops, so too is SA Europe strictly volunteer as they support all our non-US troops and allies. Nelly (like all the other Soldiers' Angels who work with our troops, in Landstuhl for example) takes no pay for her long hours; it is a labour of love for her. But she can't do it without your help. And, just as it is really easy to donate to SA in the US for our American troops, it is very simple to donate to SA Europe in support of the non-US troops:

We now have four different ways to make a donation to Soldiers' Angels Europe: Option 1: By following this link you can donate a Care Package for a British Soldier from the Soldiers' Angels Europe "Soldiers List". All soldiers on our list have submitted themselves for support with their individual names, or names of their commanders, so you can be sure your package will be delivered exactly where it is needed. The donor's contact information will be included so the Soldier has the option to contact the donor. Option 2: You can make a general donation by using the paypal button on the website. All donations will be used to send Care Packages to other Coalition Forces (Aussies, Germans, Canadian for example). They will also be used for any other Appeals that we may launch which are not specifically covered (supporting a wounded Coalition Soldier for example). Donations directly to the SAE site are a good option for non-Americans who don't need a tax receipt/deduction, since they are not paying American taxes. Option 3: You can make a donation of goods. All donated items will be included into Care Packages and sent to our deployed Coalition Soldiers. You can find specific lists of requested items in the "British Troop Support" Category. Goods can be sent to: Soldiers' Angels Europe Attn: Miss Weiland Postfach 10 02 06 48051 Münster Option 4: You can make a Donation to Soldiers' Angels on the main (US) site, and address it to Soldiers' Angels Europe if it needs to be tax deductable. You can find the PayPal donation button for SA by going to their link at www.soldiersangels.org and by clearly marking your payment for Soldiers' Angels Europe. Your donation will then go directly to support SA Europe, in its work for the non-US troops. This option works best for American donors who would like a tax receipt for American tax deduction purposes.

Soldiers' Angels stated mandate is "May no soldier go unloved"; SA Europe's mandate is "May no coalition soldier go unloved". As Nelly says:

The name is "Soldiers Angels Europe" - the slogan "May no Coalition Soldier go unloved". Our logo is the SA logo surrounded by the Europe stars. We do work with SA but we are under German Law, and our focus is non-US troops. The Status is a non-profit Association under German Civil Law, which means that we are non-profit but not a registered Organisation, and because we are under German Law we are not tax deductable for Americans. It's the same with Soldiers' Angels. Because I live in Germany, Soldiers' Angels is not tax-deductable for me. Soldiers Angels Europe is responsible for its own fundraising. Soldiers Angels Europe holds its own Bank Account in Münster, Northrhine Westphalia Germany. We are not under American Law. Since I live in Germany we run under German Law and have the Status of an Association.

Tanker Bros readers ARE the greatest in the world - we know this! So I am asking you all to do what you can to help our coalition Tanker Sister Nelly to make sure that OUR coalition (non-US) troops feel the love and support. Yes, you all know that to me, EVERY soldier is one of our own, and has more than earned our support. You can go over to SA Europe and see just what great things Nelly is accomplishing on a daily basis, for the non-US allies.

www.soldiersangelseurope.org
sandraweiland@gmail.com

Let's get 'er done! Thank you.

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 21 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Julia!!

I'm fasting in support of all the veterans and their families today. We all know without them,we wouldnt be enjoying the freedom to even fast today

Excellent dedication and so very true.

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Selfish Service...

In my various tours spent deployed to different regions of the world, I have had the privilege of working alongside officers and NCOs from all over the world. I've made many close friends, and learned more than I ever could have without the experience.

Over coffee and cigarettes (or under different circumstances, over beers and cigarettes), the discussion invariably leads to the subjects of Leadership and Service

While the lessons of Leadership remain constants throughout the world, the view of Service varies wildly depending on who you speak to and where they hail from.

One take on the subject, passed to me by a British Infantry officer, troubled me for a very long time, and only upon looking deep within myself did I realize the harsh truth contained within. I want to share it with you:

In our country, in our society as Americans, we have a romanticized perception of military service as "Selfless Service", that is, sacrificing your time (and perhaps your life) in pursuit of the greater good for your country and its citizens. Everywhere you look, you'll see stress put on the Army value of "Selfless Service". Our culture, this American culture, is a warrior society (no matter what the anti-war nuts tell you), with a distinct class of professional citizen Soldiers. Our children are not born, then raised and trained as Soldiers. They make a conscious decision at adulthood (or in some cases, much later) to become Soldiers.

In that, I submit to you the following: being a Soldier is the most selfish thing an honorable man can ever aspire to be.

I know what you're thinking: "Master Gunner, you've lost your mind!" And maybe I have, because all my experience, everything I've been taught by our society, screams the contrary. But consider the following:

1. As Soldiers, we train, we deploy, and we fight. And all the time we spend away from our families, the things we demand (not ask) that they accept and deal with are not trivial. We place intense burdens on those we love, and we expect them to deal with them unequivocally, and with a smile on their faces and a big yellow ribbon tied around the old oak tree. We do this, while we pursue our chosen paths in life. Is this self-centered? Is this reasonable?

2. In the military, as a Soldier, you are hindered only by the limits of your ambition, or the lack of such. Soldiers, good ones, strive for excellence and self improvement. I didn't become a Master Gunner for any other reason than the pursuit of being the best Tanker I could be. I wanted nothing more than to be "the guy" that people would turn to when they needed to know anything about tanks. I wanted to be confident that that knowledge and experience would give me the edge over the bad guy in the tank with me in his sights, that I would kill him before he would kill me. I wanted to do it for the sense of invincibility, of power over my own destiny; should I ever meet the enemy in mobile armored combat.

3. The Army has given me the opportunity to make friends and comrades that I would have otherwise never, ever have met. And the friendships are forged under the stress of training, duty, and deployment. I have been through more with my Army acquaintances, than I have with my lifelong friends from my previous life before the Army. And those bonds of camaraderie are oft overlooked, even underestimated, by civilians who have never borne arms in the defense of others. If I take a bullet in Iraq, it won't make a difference to Cindy Sheehan, a Left-wing politician, or any of the Anti-war crowd; I'll just be another dead Soldier. But it might make a great deal of difference for the guy or girl I took it for. Now that's powerful.

4. When we leave our family behind, they lose. Yet the Army feeds me. It clothes me. It gives me shelter. It dictates my purpose, my focus. It sharpens my mind, it strengthens my body. It gives me the opportunity to rise above, or fall flat on my face. When I am hurt, it heals me. If I die, or if I am called away, it cares for my family.

That being said, let me say this: I am deeply touched and humbled by each and every one of your kind words, thoughts, and deeds. When I get a letter, a box, even an email asking how my brother and I are doing, I am profoundly moved. To have friends, even people who I have never met, who care about what I am doing, how I am doing it, makes me incredibly proud.

But it also makes me feel incredibly guilty.

I do what I "do" because I love it, and could not imagine doing anything else. So in that sense, my "service" is, arguably, self-serving.

I'm not a hero. I have never professed to be one. The real heroes of this war are the wives, the children, the parents who "Soldier on" in our absence, the people we love who make sure we have a better place to come home to than when we left. The people who combat the stupidity we see more and more of at home, who fight the ideological battle against people who won't let us do what needs to be done out here. The people back home who send boxes, write letters, and above all else, pray, are the people who are the real heroes of this war. Without people like you, and my wife, and my parents, this job would be a lot more difficult.

A buddy of mine just returned from R&R, and told me that at DFW airport, the people at the terminal gave him a standing ovation when he stepped off the skywalk. The one thing, he said, that stuck most in his mind was an older gentleman who snapped a perfect salute with a tear in his eye; obviously, an old Soldier who "knows".

Well, I salute all of you.

God Bless, and I stand by for your comments.

The End of the Rolling Victory Fast~July 9th!

2006:

2007:

Since 9 July 2006 the participants of the RVF at Tanker Brothers have volunteered to spend 24 hour periods fasting. They have fasted on four continents. The “rules” of the fast were that the participants could only drink water, tea and coffee – OK, an occasional beer was allowed. The idea of the fast was Master Gunner’s and Cav Tanker’s in response to Cindy Sheehan and the Pinko’s fast called “Until the Troops come home from Iraq” that began on 4 July 2006. Their fast was called off months ago. Cindy Sheehan quit early September 2006.

The first RVF dedication at Tanker Brothers was on 2 September 2006. Since that time a myriad of individuals, organizations, units and causes have been highlighted by various fasters. Master Gunner and Cav Tanker had t shirts designed for those who wanted to visibly show their support. Proceeds from the sale have been donated to Soldiers Angels.

Since the Rolling Victory Fast began we have:

Celebrated:

• Blue star parents/families
• Gold star parents/families
• Active, deployed and retired military personnel
• Ordinary citizen supporters
• The National Guard and Reserves
• Soldiers Angels – www.soldiersangels.org
• Any Soldier – www.anysoldier.com
• Wounded Warriors
• Women in the military
• The Patriot Guard Riders
• Rolling Thunder
• Milbloggers
• Family members in the military
• Deployed parents and the children at home
• Coalition forces
• President Bush
• All military personnel
• Military Spouses
• Combat medics and Navy Corpsmen
• Vietnam Veterans
• Each branch of the military’s birthday
• All deployed troops
• Veteran’s Day
• Civil Servants who participate in Nation Building in dangerous locales
• Troops deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo
• Recruiters
• Wednesday’s Hero
• D C Chapter of the Free Republic
• Roy Velez who lost one son (Freddy) KIA in Iraq and Andrew in Afghanistan (not combat related).

• The Iraqi people who are working side-by-side with our troops
• Commanding Officers
• Royal Canadian Air Force
• Our Four Legged Troops and their Handlers
• America, and the people who have fought, and are fighting still, to keep it the shining City on a Hill
• Fabulous Warriors of the 4-9 Cav
• USMILNET – www.USMILNET.com
• Military Chaplains
• Victory Caucus
• Chaplains Assistants
• The Founding Fathers of our nation
• General David Petraeus
• Wounded Warrior Project - http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
• The Outlaws of Company A, 37th Engineer Battalion out of Ft. Bragg – Afghanistan
• The Gathering of Eagles – 17 March 2007
• Those serving in deployed support roles in Iraq and Afghanistan
• OUR (not just yours PCMom) L’il Trooper
• Staff Sgt. Don Hoxsey – Oregon National Guard
• The Old Guard – Washington, DC
• Indian Chris – Wednesday’s Heroes Founder
• Marine Wives and Girlfriends
• The release of the 15 British Soldiers captured at sea near Iraq
• M. R. – U S Sailor deployed to Afghanistan
• Month of the Military Child (April)
• 656 Transportation Company's C Platoon and their Platoon Sergeant
• 10^th Mtn 1/32 Inf – extended deployment to Korengal Valley and KOP, Afghanistan
• The "Wolfhounds" of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
• National Day of Prayer
• Military Appreciation Month (May)
• 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, NY
• They Have Names - http://www.theyhavenames.com/index.php
• SSG. Michael B. and his Unit
• Our Beloved Tankers
• 3rd ID Rock of the Marne
• Operation Comfort – www.operationcomfort.org
• Brooks Army Medical Center
• Soldiers at Brass Field Mora
• Regimental Combat Team 6
• Citizen Reign for their great song and video

Mourned:

• SSG Matt Maupin’s captured 9 April 2004 and still missing
• SPC Casey Sheehan – KIA 4 April 2004
• Ellicia Stanley wife of SPC Reid Stanley
• Victims of the Bali Terrorists Bombings
• Master Gunner SSgt Donald C. May, Jr. – KIA 25 March 200
• Sgt Mike Stokely - KIA 16 August 2005 near Yusufiyah, Iraq
• SGT Frank B. Hernandez, 21, of Phoenix, Ariz – KIA 17 Feb 2005
• Daryl Davis who died in an accident In Iraq 11/29/2004
• Major Troy Gilbert – F 16 pilot KIA, Balad, Iraq
• The 234 Soldiers who fell 41 years ago in Ia Drang, South Vietnam
• SPC. David P. Mahlenbrock - KIA Kirkuk, Iraq on Dec. 3, 2004
• Spc. Robert Volker - KIA 20 December 2006, Iraq
• All those who gave the ultimate sacrifice
• SSG Michael B. Quinn - KIA 27 May 2003, Iraq
• 1SG Aaron D. Jagger – KIA 9 August 2006, Iraq
• 1stSgt Toby Meister, KIA on December 28, 2005 near Asadabad in Afghanistan
• Army Staff Sgt. Christian Longsworth, 26, of Newark, N.J – KIA 19 May 2006, Oruzjan Province Afghanistan
• 1st Sgt. Christopher C. Rafferty, 37, of Brownsville, Pa. – KIA, Sharana, Afghanistan
• Sgt Patrick Tainsh – KIA Iraq, Feb 2004
• Marine Lcpl Jeffrey Burgess – KIA 25 March 2004, Fallujah, Iraq
• The six Candian Troops who perished
• Petty Officer Danny Dietz – Navy Seal – KIA 28 June 2005, Afghanistan
• SSG Christopher S. Kiernan – KIA – 6 May 2007 near Baghdad
• PFC NOAH CHANDLER COLLIER JR of Wiley, GA was KIA on Oct 26, 1966 in the An Lo River Valley of South Vietnam

SGT EARNEST DEE RITCHIE of Tiger, GA was KIA on July 17, 1967 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam

• PFC BOYD JAMES YOUNGBLOOD of Dillard, GA was KIA on June 21, 1968 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam
• SGT CLAUDE VERNOR GILES of Clayton, GA was KIA on February 16, 1970 in Binh Duong, South Vietnam

Remembered:

• Deployed troops away from home on holidays and other special family days
• Troops whose families refused or failed to support them

Encouraged:

• Troop support
• Josh Sparling – a Wounded Warrior/amputee at WRAMC
• PV2 Tal Kratochvil
• Those whose deployments were extended
• Troops who returned home and struggled with re-integrating

To our amazing military personnel we say – ROLL ON! We are standing beside you all the way.

The above was written by one of Tanker Brothers regular readers and sometime contributor~Leta. She didn't want me to mention that, but she searched through 10 months of dedications in order to write that, so I felt she should be recognized for the effort! (forgive me Leta! lol)

I'd like to add this: I hope we didn't miss anyone in the list. Look at that list~all of the soldiers, soldiers groups, civilians that work with the troops, and military families we have fasted for. That is an impressive group of people. Even as the fast ends, let’s not forget to think about these people and their sacrifice every day.

July 9th is the Anniversary of the RVF and a great day bring it to an end.

Anyone who would like to fast on that day is welcome to. Please email me at tankerbrothersrecon@gmail.com and let me know you plan to fast so I can get your name up for that day.

Also, anyone that would like a dedication put up for that day, please email that to me also. I will put up ALL dedications.

One more thing~~We have three days open between now and July 9th. June 27, July 6, and July 7. If you can do any of these days please let me know!
I'd like to thank all of you that have fasted, without you we would not have done this for a year!

Hoooo ahhhhh!!

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 20 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Bets!

It was a group from the 82nd Airborne that rescued the 24 emaciated, abused orphan boys in Baghdad last week. They are stationed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. As of Sunday, June 17, all of the division's combat infantry brigades are at war. Currently they have an all-time record of nearly 17,000 paratroopers deployed. The highest deployment level for the 82nd Airborne since WWII. The 82nd has lost 52 soldiers in the two war zones this year. In April, the 82nd lost more men in one attack -- nine, when a double truck bombing collapsed a building housing soldiers in a small town north of Baghdad -- than any since Vietnam. Some of the 82nd's soldiers are on their third or even fourth deployment since Sept. 11, 2001. These are facts and statistics. Anyone who has had the privilege to be acquainted with any of our Troops knows there is much more to these men and women. Just look at the faces and listen to the voices of the soldiers who rescued those boys. THAT'S the 82nd Airborne!

Thank you for sharing the facts and statistics about the 82nd Airborne. Sounds like a great group of soldiers! I am so glad they rescued those orphans!!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Wednesday Hero

Lance Cpl. Hatak Yuka Keyu M. Yearby
21 years old from Overbrook, Oklahoma
3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
May 14, 2006


Hatak Yuka Keyu Martin Yearby was remembered in funeral services as a small town boy who balanced his Choctaw tribal heritage and his military life.

He did traditional American Indian dances with grace, compassion, discipline and free spirit — "the way he lived his life," the Rev. Timm Emmons said Monday.

"He had a desire to be in the military since he was a young boy. And he believed in what he was doing. He was a warrior, and he was a hero and he finished the course."

Yearby was killed by a roadside bomb, along with fellow Lance Cpl. Jose S. MarinDominguez Jr., in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, two months after he arrived in that country.

Friends and family, fellow American Indians, teachers and classmates filed past his open casket for an hour after the funeral while a U.S. Marine Corps honor guard stood at attention.

About 1,000 people attended a funeral service meant to celebrate the life of the 21-year-old newlywed from Overbrook in southern Oklahoma’s Love County.

Those who spoke in the packed Marietta High School auditorium talked of how he loved to hunt, but never came back with anything. He played tricks, won dancing awards at powwows and appeared on a recruiting magazine for Upward Bound because of a headdress he made from a T-shirt.

Nine of his friends stood on stage to remember Yearby. Jake Barber spoke for them, pausing several times to regain his composure.

"Many great words describe Hatak. The only real word you need to say is 'brother'. He will always be known to us as the ace of spades, the most important card in the deck. He touched us so dearly that words cannot explain,".

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 19 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Leta!

My wish as I fast today is that the loonies in Washington, DC will allow our military to DO THEIR JOBS. Now that the final "extra" troops are in position to assist with the surge they MUST have TIME for pete's sake. And, the leaders need to be allowed to wage whatever type of war is necessary to get the job done. Shame on Congress for dangling money in front of them "if". As much as we read and hear about all of the "experts" (many who never wore a uniform) tell us we need to bring the troops home now or that they should have everything done by a particular date - it makes me wonder why our troops don't just line up at the airports in theater and demand to come home. Of course they won't because they see with their own eyes all of the progress being made EACH day. Additionally they know that they MUST be successful there in order to keep our nation secure. So today I ask that everyone here keep all of our troops and their leaders in our thoughts. They are doing one hell of a job in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I look forward to the day when those of us who take the time to find out all of the facts - positive and negative - can look those who don't support our troops and their missions in the eye and say, "We told you so...." I am so proud to be an American. I'm even more proud of our military.

Great Dedication Leta! I was always taught to finish what I started, not sure why our political leaders don't understand that simple concept.

See ya in comments.

~Tracy

Thoughts of a Proud American

This is the title of a book that Leta was made aware of. The author shared some excerpts of her book with Leta, who then shared them with me, and I wanted to share them with you!

The author, Ercille I. Christmas, has realized her dream of publishing a book.

Amazon.com and AuthorHouse

Here is a wonderful excerpt from her book:

Criminals may get a lot of sympathy and understanding, but one group that does not get away with causing even a hangnail, is the Military. I was and I am still puzzled at the disdain for, and as someone described it the “loathing” directed at this group of citizens. This venom comes especially from those in the stratosphere of the society. Is it because they rarely if ever send their children off to fight for the country they inhabit? We are so lucky that this Military is very honorable and has never attempted a coup. In some countries “election” by “coup d’etat” is a “normal” way of holding elections. In some countries the military is not shy about marching on an elected official and “ending” his term, because they feel like it. We have a Military in this country that, like the country itself, is not perfect. But, if any group of citizens can lay claim to near perfection, this group can. The members of this group ship out, or fly out to some of the most dangerous spots on this earth to protect the interests of the US for “room and board” and a stipend. Some do this job for the additional promise of an education. Some do this job because it is a family tradition. The vast majority do this job simply for love of country. They do what we would not do because we cannot be pulled away from the latest reality show, or we have an “appointment” to do our little part in tearing down the country. One day if enough of these young men and women get tired of carrying us on their shoulders, we will be overrun, because we will not have sufficient “volunteers” in the “volunteer army.” Stop a minute and pop in that “reality” DVD in the “television” of your mind. When I think of the many fine young men and women who are serving in the Military and are willing to give up their lives so that we can enjoy ours, they are probably the greatest and most tangible symbols of hope that I see. They make the older generation of Veterans proud. I have come to realize that the true heroes, who served their country, do not run around reminding their country, every five seconds, about their service. They served. They were proud to do so. There is no need for a billboard announcing this service. They do not trade on their service. They are too humble to even bring up the subject. These fine young people, and also all parents who are nurturing children who grow up to love God, family and country, and who uphold the traditions of the country, I feel are the glue that holds this country together. They are the proverbial salt of the earth, and they are still in the majority. Should that balance tilt? Paint your own picture

Excellent!!

Ms. Christmas has brought up a point that I have never really thought about before, but is so very true~our military is honorable and allows the people to elect their leaders. If our military does not agree with the President elected and his politics, they still continue to serve under him and respect him as their Commander-in-Chief. They do not use their power and "end" an official's term through a military coup. We don't really appreciate that enough. My husband went on a short term (2 weeks) missionary trip to Ivory Coast, Africa in 2000. The trip was almost cancelled because of military rumblings. The trip did go on as planned but with curfews and other precautions. Not long after that, the country did have a military coup and all of our missionaries were pulled out of the country. That is something we do not have to fear in this country. It is something would should appreciate beyond measure.

The last paragraph in the excerpt is something that we at Tanker Brothers have expressed over and over again~the men and women in our Military are amazing!

Thank you, Ms. Christmas for sharing part of your book with us!

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 18 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Mary*Ann!

My dedication today.... ...THANK YOU

I LOVE this song Mary*Ann! I first saw the video/heard the song when Terri at A Soldier's Mind posted about the group that sings it, Citizen Reign. I try to walk at least four days a week and every walk starts with this song!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 17 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Yankeemom!

Well, I just got done reading Grim's post about the RCT-6. Looks like they are kicking some serious butt over there and making us proud! From Grim's interview with Col. Simlock: GRIM: Is there anything that you and your Marines need that we could send you? COL. SIMCOCK: (Chuckles.) I'll tell you what, the one thing that all Marines want to know about -- and that includes me and everyone within Regimental Combat Team 6 -- we want to know that the American public are behind us. We believe that the actions that we're taking over here are very, very important to America. We're fighting a group of people that, if they could, would take away the freedoms that America enjoys. <...> [W]e've been over here for about six months. We took over authority of Area of Operations Raleigh back in January 24. And the experiences we've had over here have been amazingly positive. The Iraqis have really gotten on board as far as supporting the operations that we're doing over here. So let's show them we love 'em, k? Here's the addy ~ RCT-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil Thanks!

I saw this post and sent an email already!! Let's show these Marines some support!!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Away On Father's Day

Photo by Pfc. Nathaniel Smith
June 15, 2007

Cpl. Kyle Patterson, a vehicle commander with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, from Kirksville, Mo., shows off a picture of his son, 17-month-old Lane, at Forward Operating Base Falcon, Iraq, June 12. Cpl. Patterson will be spending his first Father’s Day away from his family.


Here at Tanker Bros, we know that days like today serve to remind us that many of the troops are fathers who are missng this day at home with their families, because they are on a mission, serving their countries. I know that any father would rather be at home, as we all celebrate their special place within their families and within our hearts.

To every father who has placed their honour, and duty, to their countries ahead of their own needs to be with their families today - THANK YOU! Thank you to Tanker Dad for raising such fine young men. Thank you - of course - to Mrs Master Gunner and to TankerMom, who also serve.

Thank YOU Master Gunner, especially. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Child Soldiers

It is a fact. In more than 25 countries in the world children as young as 7 are being actively recruited or forced into Militias and Revolutionary Armies. As young as 7. Children barely old or tall enough to hold a weapon are being coerced, or in some cases forced, to not only hold a weapon, but to aim it at men, women and other children and pull the trigger.

Children as young as 7 are being torn from the arms of screaming, begging parents and watch as the parents are then killed. They are herded onto trucks, terrified and alone, and taken to training facilities. They are stripped of every shred of humanity, fear and the loyalty they once held for their families and loved ones. They are, in some cases, given access to alcohol, drugs and various forms of entertainment. In places that do not condone the use of such substances, they are simply brainwashed. Force fed a new love, a new loyalty to death and mayhem.

Sometimes this can take as little as a week. Children exposed to war and conflict from birth are now on the other side of a weapon. They hold the power of life and death in their hands. What they once feared and cowered from is now their source of strength. Those who lack the ability to reason, to consider the consequences of their actions, are given the resources to take life at random.

Girls, who were once used as little more than domestic and sex slaves in Militia and Revolutionary Army camps, are now also being recruited to fight. One can barely imagine the shock of recoil as children fire automatic weapons and RPG's. Girls are routinely raped and beaten, de humanised and degraded as they suffer the demands and physical needs of the boys and men of the camps. Often they are left to raise the babies born of this abuse with no support.

Rarely do they understand their mission, what they fight for, what they kill and die for. They show little fear and understanding, they simply fight.

Finally, the world is taking a stand. Humanitarian Agencies are forcing the governments of free and democratic countries to act. Organisations such as Africa Recovery are attempting to free the Child Soldiers and restore their childhood, their opportunity for a free and fullfilling life. They are attempting to reintegrate, re educate and re establish links to family and community for these Children.


More than 500,000 children worldwide have been recruited, either voluntarily or forcefully, for Militias and Revolutionay Armies. The scope of this issue is immense. Half a million children need saving, need de programming, need love, security and opportunity. If you are asking yourself what you can do, that this issue is to big, or to far away for you to make a difference, think again.

In our every day lives we use products that fund these Militias and revoultionary Armies. Diamonds, rubber, oil, ivory are amongst the leading products that contribute to the needs and ongoing means of support for these groups. Start to question what you are buying, where it is coming from and whether these products are contributing to conflict, war and ultimately the death of both innocents and innocence.

Support those who can make a difference. Our Militaries, our Governments and Humanitarian Organisations can make a difference here. Take the time to research how you can personally make a difference. Support those who support the missions to free these children and stabilise their countries.

Ultimately, as we stabilise these countries, these Militias and Revolutionary Armies will be disbanded. They will be hunted as the illegal Armies they are, the children removed from their grip and the adults punished. We must believe in our Forces abilities to stabilise these regions, in the Support Organisations abilities to rehabilitate and in our Governments abilities to ensure ongoing support.

These children need us.....

A_C

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 16 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Denise!

I would like to dedicate this fast to the soldiers at Brass Field Mora. My family and I hold each of you so close in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. Your bravery, dedication and sacrifices will forever be remembered and appreciated.

Thank you for the great dedication!!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

My Trip to DC Memorial Day Week

Well, last time I posted, I mentioned that I would be going to Washington, DC, with my husband and the Patriot Guard Riders.... finally, now, I'm here to tell the story of this amazing trip. Writing this was delayed, because a couple weeks ago, my hubby ended up getting hospitalized from a heat stroke for a week (he's fine now, thank God!)...but I wasn't able to blog or do much of anything for the past couple of weeks. However, finally, i was able to get *some* of my thoughts down on paper about this incredible PGR mission. I am sort of cheating tho - I am basing this post on excerpts of the letter I wrote to all my adopted soldiers/veterans about this trip. (why re-invent the wheel and re-write something I already wrote? hehe) Anyway, this is just a tiny fraction of my thoughts & feeligns & experiences on this trip. The letter below references pictures that I inserted into the letter... for this post, I've put clickable links to the pictures I referenced. You can see ALL the pictures in my photobucket album, HERE. :) Without further ado, here is my feeble attempt at a recap of this incredible journey.

....You might remember I told you a while back that hubby and I were going to Washington, DC, with the Patriot Guard Riders to be present at the funeral of an American soldier (Capt. Herbert C. Crosby) who went missing in VietNam on 10 January 1970. His remains were found and positively identified thru DNA in November of 2006, and he was finally buried at Arlington on 25 May 2007…. 37 years after he was lost. They determined that he was killed when his chopper crashed (though they are not sure if it went down due to the terrible weather conditions or due to enemy fire)… this was a relief to his surviving family, finally knowing that he was never taken as a Prisoner of War, and likely didn’t suffer much. Anyway, we left on the morning of May 22.

The journey would be broken up into two days: Day 1 would be driving to Florence, SC, and stopping for the night, and Day 2 would be driving the rest of the way to DC. J There were two cars and 15 motorcycles… a total of 22 people made this amazing journey to honor Capt. Crosby. The group determined that we would stop every 100 miles or so to fuel up, etc (about every 2 hours, roughly). According to mapquest, it is about a 4 hour trip from our starting point to Florence, SC, where we would stop for the night. It took us about six hours with all the frequent stops, but that’s ok… we all got there safe & sound in one piece. J We stayed in SC for the night, hung out at the hotel pool for a while before going out to dinner at a yummy all-you-can-eat buffet near the hotel.

The next morning we got up bright and early (ugh!) to hit the road again. This time, we’d go straight thru to DC (according to mapquest, it was about another 6 hours from there to DC, but this time I wasn’t paying attention to how long it was taking to get there, haha!).

We arrived in Rosslyn, Virginia (where our hotel was, very near DC) sometime on 5/23, safe & sound again (whew! Driving with motorcycles is an ADVENTURE, for sure… don’t ask how many near-heart attacks we in the cars had, watching OTHER cars drive way too carelessly around our bikers!!! ACK!!! :-o ). I have to admit getting a kick out of some of the looks on the other (proper, business-suited) hotel guests’ faces when they saw a bunch of jeans-and-leather-clad folks come in to register, hehehe… really, y’all…we’re harmless, honest! J hehehehe J (I found out the day I got brave enough to join the PGR that just because some of them might LOOK really scary or intimidating…doesn’t mean they don’t have hearts of gold hidden under all that leather somewhere J .)

Anyway, we got to the hotel, and once we were all settled, we commenced with some sight-seeing. The very first stop was, of course, the VietNam Memorial Wall.

If you’ve never been there… it’s an awe-inspiring, amazing sight, and very, very deeply touching, too. I went to the Wall in 1995, very briefly. I remember being amazed by it’s sheer size and what it represents…if I remember right, over 58,000 names of fallen or POW/MIA soldiers are inscribed there. But in 1995, I didn’t actually know any soldiers at all. I didn’t actually know any VietNam veterans at all. So this time, 12 years later, I saw the Wall with new eyes… see, this time, it was much more personal. Many of my PGR friends are, themselves, VietNam Veterans. They knew those heroes, whose names are on that Wall. Being at the Wall with them… that made it hit home very, very deeply. I looked around at my friends (and thought of my VietNam veteran friends who couldn’t be there), and thought to myself, “This could have been him on that Wall… or him… or him….” Seeing the enormity of the loss of life, contrasted by being there with my friends who were there and made it home… and wondering how they were feeling, knowing that the Wall is never any easy trip for any of them… it pretty well left me speechless, in tears.

We made our way to Panel 14 West, and looked on the 22^nd line down from the top, and found the name of our found Hero, Capt. Herbert C. Crosby, who was the whole reason for this trip. Special patches had been made for our vests, in honor of Capt. Crosby. One of the guys held up the patch, with one of our PGR “Mission Accomplished!” pins, by Capt. Crosby’s name. This picture speaks more than a thousand words, I think. If you look closely, Capt. Crosby’s name is one or two lines above where the patch is held. A few more Wall pics HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.

When we were finished looking at the Wall, we saw some of the other sights in the immediate area – a statue honoring Vietnam Soldiers, the Nurses’ Memorial, which I loved, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument (from a distance).

It was well after dark when we made our way back towards our hotel and had dinner. It was an emotional start to an incredible journey to be filled with many more emotional moments to come.

The next morning, seven of us went to visit soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. (I can’t tell you how many years I’ve prayed for an opportunity to do just that very thing!!!! I used to send cards & stuff to Walter Reed all the time, before they changed the rules and stopped accepting “Any SeviceMember” mail in December. L) In preparation for the trip, we’d been gathering cards/letters, t-shirts, baseball hats, and other goodies to give to the soldiers there during our visit. Our first stop was the Malogne House, one of the outpatient residences there. I was extra-excited to visit the Malogne House, because one of my friends in the MS National Guard was there!!! J I didn’t adopt Norris when he was in Iraq… I got to know him through is wife after he was injured in 2005 and back in the States. Janis (his wife) and Norris have both become treasured friends of both myself and my hubby. (In fact, when Norris’ unit had their official Welcome Home ceremony in June of 2006, Janis & Norris bought me an airline ticket so I could fly out there to be there for it! Another amazing journey in and of itself…!). This was the second time I’d met Norris, and the first time hubby had met him (though both of us email Janis pretty regularly). J It was great… I gave him some cards we brought, and a Patriot Guard Rider challenge coin. Here’s a pic of me with hubby & Norris.

The others visited with several other soldiers in the area, handing out t-shirts and just visiting. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we had a time limit of an hour, and then we went to visit some patients in the in-patient part of the hospital. We went to the main entrance, where our official guide met us. He would take us to visit patients who had agreed to see visitors that day. We went to Ward 57 – the amputee ward. (while we were there, I got to meet two more of “my” soldiers – not soldiers I adopted while they were oversees, but soldiers I know, or at least, know OF, through reading their blogs. I didn’t adopt them in Iraq, but I sort of “adopted them by blog,” haha… reading their websites daily, leaving comments for them to try and spread some cheer & encouragement, etc. I was so happy to be able to meet them! J But that’s just another cool side note… and another one of many answered prayers of mine!). Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, we went to visit some of the patients who were in their rooms and feeling up to company. I’d been a little nervous about how I’d feel when I was there… I’m terribly shy in person, terribly shy, and have an awfully hard time thinking of stuff to say. So, I made sure to never be the first one in the room, haha – I’d let someone else go in first, and explain who we were and why we were there…and then each of us would take a turn talking to the soldier briefly. I never did think of any brilliant conversation topics… I hate being this shy, I really do…but I swear my mind goes BLANK when I have to actually TALK to people, haha…it’s truly pathetic. But, I did make sure to shake each soldiers’ hand, look them in the eye, and tell them that we are praying for them, and that we appreciate them, and that we are darn proud of them. One guy had only been there about 2 weeks… it was all very new for him still. But his attitude was extraordinary… in fact, come to think of it… EVERY guy we spoke with during our visit had incredible, great attitudes and were very determined to do all they could to overcome this obstacle that had been thrown in their path. It was humbling. Made my own “problems” seem miniscule…non-existent…by comparison. No problems here, compared with what they have to face… and their strength and positive attitude is surely a lesson for me. Oh, don’t get me wrong – they were hurting (physically, emotionally, etc), BUT they weren’t giving up – they were fighting hard to get through it. Probably one of the most inspiring (yes, heartbreaking, too) moments for me was when we went down to the physical therapy room. We spoke with several guys there, handing out cards & stuff and just talking (or, in my case, just listening mostly, hehe). Over to my left, I saw a very young man learning to walk again on his two, brand-new prosthetic legs. He lost both his legs very near the hips, and was being fitted for and learning to walk on his new legs. Back & forth he walked, holding onto parallel bars, stopping now and then to let the doctor or therapist make an adjustment to his legs, etc. I never spoke to him, of course (he was a little busy and I’m sure didn’t want to be pestered at that moment!), but watching him really touched me. You know that saying, “I cried because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet?” yeah…that popped into my mind real fast. I have problems with my feet that make walking and standing for long periods of time excruciatingly painful (just got my first round of cortisone injections yesterday…hoping to God that fixes everything!)… but watching him, whatever pain I was in at that time seemed to fade away rapidly. And throughout the remainder of our time in DC, I thought of him and that saying whenever I got to thinking the pain was too bad to bear. I don’t know his name, but whoever he is, that kid is one of my HEROES for sure.

Then, all too soon, our visit at WRAMC was over, and we had to high-tail it back to the hotel, to gather up and head to the funeral home for Capt. Crosby’s visitation/memorial service. Oh, I forgot to mention… on the way to WRAMC, I finally, finally, for the first time got brave enough to be a passenger on a motorcycle! Always been too chicken to try it, but with some gentle prodding by friends (well, maybe not so gentle, but it worked, haha), I got brave and tried it. And ya know what? Within five minutes, literally, I was HOOKED. Seriously. Must learn to ride now… must have motorcycle…. (I’ve ridden a couple times since then, and yep, I’m addicted!!!!) yes, I AM the world’s biggest CHICKEN…but maybe not quite as big a chicken as I originally thought, haha. J don’t believe me? Here’s a pic! (and yes, this was only a few minutes into my very first ride EVER, so I was still in the “hang-on-for-dear-life-and-don’t-let-go-even-at-redlights!” mode when this was taken…hahaha! Oh well… :) Gotta start somehow, right?! RIGHT!

Anyway, we made it back to the hotel (without getting lost this time…we got SO lost on the way TO WR… and that was using GPS!) and went to the funeral home. We lined the driveway of the funeral home, everyone holding flags, until all the family and friends were inside. Once they were all in, we were graciously invited to come in and see the memorial service for Capt. Crosby. It was a wonderful, loving, beautiful service. It was just SUCH an honor to be there… I just kept getting chills, thinking about his long journey home… finally, he was back and could rest in peace, in honor, at Arlington. What a relief to his family, to finally know his fate.

The service at Arlington was to be the next day. We were to meet at the Marines’ Memorial (a/k/a the Iwo Jima Memorial) at 7 a.m., then head over to the chapel at Ft. Meyers (if I remember the name right) to stand in a flag line again. The service at Ft. Meyer was to last only 20 minutes – they are very precisely timed (especially during Memorial Day week, when they are so busy!). This time, we were met by Patriot Guard Riders from other States: Illinois, New York, and others I can’t recall. This was “Rolling Thunder” weekend in DC, an annual biker event, and folks from all across the nation ‘just happened’ to be in DC the same time we were. Another cool coincidence, I got to meet another blog-friend, "DNR," one of the PGR guys from Illinois! J I’d told him about our trip to DC, and discovered he and a few other PGRs from over thataway were gonna be in DC for Rolling Thunder… they, as well as other PGRs from all over, and MANY folks from Rolling Thunder who got wind of this ‘thru the grapevine,’ made it a point to be at Arlington for Capt. Crosby’s funeral. I have no idea what the final count was…. But there was a HUGE turnout of bikers from EVERYWHERE who came to honor Capt. Crosby… it was an awesome sight to see. Here's a pic of me & hubby with DNR. :)

After the brief service at the chapel, we were in the procession to the burial site at Arlington, about a mile ride or so (I was in a car this time, drat! But at least I was able to take pictures… if I was on a bike I still wouldn’t have been brave enough to let go to take a picture yet, haha… still chicken, but getting better J). It was a beautiful ride. Arlington is absolutely breathtaking! It is maintained with grace and dignity befitting those who rest there. By the time we got to the burial site, there were so many people there that I couldn’t get a clear view of what was happening, and couldn’t hear the preacher. But it’s ok…. We were there, and that is the important thing…we weren’t there for “us” – we were there for the family. That’s what was important. There was a fly-over by three helicopters – the same kind that Capt. Crosby flew in ‘Nam. A bagpiper played Amazing Grace…a bugler played Taps, there was a rifle salute (not in that order, I don’t think…but you get the idea), and I cried again. Sorrow, mixed with some relief that he was finally here, and his family could finally have some true closure.

Once the funeral was over, we all went back to the hotel to finish getting our stuff out of our rooms, and we headed for home (hoping to miss the memorial day weekend traffic…. Didn’t work, it took us at least 2 hours to go 30 miles, ack!). We broke the trip home up into two days, just as we had coming up to DC. All of us eventually arrived safe and sound at our respective homes…exhausted, and deeply, profoundly affected by all that we saw and did. In fact… part of the reason it took me so long to get this letter written (aside from the whole (“hubby in the hospital” thing) was simply the fact that I thought, “How on earth am I ever going to write about all this?!” There is just so much… and even so, even in this 8-page letter, I’ve only barely scratched the surface of all we experienced and all we did and the lives that were touched. There’s so much I’ve left out…not because I want to, but because my lunch break is over, and I’ve got to get this in the mail! This should hopefully give you an idea of what our trip was like… it was a life-changing event, that’s for sure. It was beautiful in every way. (except for the whole traffic jam thing at the end, hehe!)

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 15 June 2007

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Fasting today is Leta!

As I fast today it will be in honor of the men of the 10th Mtn Division, 1/32 Inf. who served at Jalalabad Air Field, Camp Blessing and the KOP (Combat Outpost in the Korengal Valley) Afghanistan and who FINALLY arrived back on US soil this week after an extended deployment. To those men I'd like to say, "I'm so glad you are home. I know how difficult and costly this deployment was to all of you. My prayers will continue to be with you as you work to reintegrate with your families and a "normal" way of life." I had the honor and privilege of supporting many of these men. Along with that came the all too frequent email and phone black outs. Although they are home now my support will continue for them as long as they need it. Welcome home men. Welcome home.

WELCOME HOME 10th Mountain Division, 1/32 Inf.!!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Good News Friday (B*N*S*N)

We know that single day of the week our troops are accomplishing great things on the road to making life better for strangers across the world. You rarely see that in mainstream media, who seem determined to never, EVER show what is really going on.

BUT today I bring you a story that IS featured in the mainstream media. A story about a brave soldier who (and I am using HIS words now) was " just doing my job. This is what a soldier does.” Doesn't that sound familiar? lol

Because I think this is such a great story, AND because it made the mainstream media in Cincinnatti (which HAS to be good news!) here is the story in full, as my pick of the B*N*S*N)
Enjoy!

Local soldier thwarts bomber Spc. Brandon Rork, a 24-year-old 2002 graduate of Norwood High School, stopped a suicide attack. Soldiers of a 10th Mountain Division battalion, deep in the heart of Iraq’s bloodiest region, are alive and well today because one young soldier from Norwood was on lookout Sunday afternoon. Spc. Brandon Rork, a 24-year-old 2002 graduate of Norwood High School, was on guard atop Patrol Base Warrior Keep on Sunday, manning a 240 Bravo machine gun and keeping a lookout for danger. What he found could have reduced Patrol Base Warrior Keep to rubble and left dozens, possibly hundreds, of his fellow soldiers in the 2-14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, dead on the ground. “We have some trucks drive by every day, but this was different,’’ Rork said in a phone interview from Iraq. “I knew right away there was something wrong.” What he saw, perched in his guard post with Spc. Charles Osgood, a soldier from Virginia, was a heavily-laden dump truck, its load covered with tarpaulins, make a sharp turn toward the perimeter of the base, toward the gate of the base at Sadr Al-Yusifiyah, about 25 miles southwest of Baghdad. PROVIDED Rork and Osgood opened fire. “At first I was concentrating fire on the engine block, but once I saw it was inside the gate, I started shooting into the cab,’’ said Rork, who joined the Army about three years ago. “We must have fired about 100 rounds into the cab.” The truck stopped; and Rork reported to the unit’s command post via radio. Osgood, Rork said, approached the dump truck and yelled out to him that the driver was behind the truck. Both soldiers fired; and the driver went down, wounded in the leg. When they pulled the driver off the ground, they found that he had a 15-pound bomb strapped to his chest. Osgood, Rork said, got the vest off the man and, soon, a medical evacuation helicopter came to take the Iraqi out of the base for treatment. But what the soldiers found in the truck was more frightening still. It was loaded with 8,000 pounds – four tons – of explosive ordnance. “It would have leveled this base,’’ Rork said. “There would have been nothing left.” Rork, whose wife Lula lives in Cincinnati, is on his second deployment and has spent considerable time at forward operating bases, but said this was the first time one of his bases faced a direct attack. “But when they decided to do it, they did it big,’’ Rork said. “It would have been devastating.” Since Sunday, Rork said, an order the 2-14 had put in earlier for some 12-foot concrete barriers has been expedited and should be in place shortly. “But the real protection here comes from the soldiers themselves,’’ Rork said. “We all have to look out for each other.” Since the incident Sunday, Rork said, his fellow soldiers of the 2-14th have been coming up to him “just overwhelmed with thanks. It makes me feel good.” “After it happened, the only thing that kept running through my mind was that I was just happy no one got hurt,’’ Rork said. “People will call me a hero, I guess, but I was just doing my job. This is what a soldier does.” The four tons of explosives were taken out to a safe place and detonated. Rork’s platoon sergeant found the keys to the bullet-riddled truck and gave one to Rork and one to Osgood. “That’s some kind of souvenir,’’ Rork said. [source]

Didn't I tell you this qualifies as B*N*S*N? HOOAH!!!
Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 14 June 2007

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Fasting today is Julia and PCMom.

From PCMom:

I Love Birthdays! I love cake, and happy faces, and cake, and balloons, and cake, and fireworks, and cake… So in honor of the Army celebrating 232 years, I am having CAKE! (and to those silly fools who always say that I cannot have my cake and eat it too…) I am having CAKE! Alrighty, I am not really eating cake today… As I am fasting. So, today, I will ship out some yummy Little Debbie’s snack cakes to my L’il Trooper and the wonderful 4-9 Cav Troopers. (a messge to My L'il Trooper) "I know Son, I shouldn’t go to such lengths… Just be happy that you are too far away to hear me sing Happy Birthday!"

Happy 232nd Birthday Army!! I don't feel very old today at all! ;o)

See you in comments!

~Tracy

"All in the family"!

Here at Tanker Bros, we know all about families who have more than one member stepping up to serve their countries. Today, we have a father and daughter team. Lt. Col. David Wood, and his daughter, Spc Joanna Wood, are both active members of today's military. Recently dad got to participate in the promotion ceremony for his daughter:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ANACONDA... “Being present to pin Specialist rank on my daughter was one of the highlights of my tour,” said Lt. Col. Wood. “I'm proud of Jenna on this occasion, but I'm even more proud of who she is and that the patriotism that led her to enlist and serve her country is such an essential part of her character.”

Lt. Col. Wood is a United States Army Reserve officer assigned as the Executive Officer of the 5th Detachment, 3100th Strategic Intelligence Detachment, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Spc. Wood is an awards clerk assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 163rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 504th Military Intelligence Brigade.

Now, correct me if I am wrong, but this father /daughter team looks like a winner to me! Read the rest of their story here. ARMY STRONG!!!

Lt. Col. David Wood, currently attached to Multi-National Forces-Iraq, recently participated in the promotion ceremony of his daughter, Spc. Jenna Wood.

Brat

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Malinda


69-year-old Bert Brady has never stepped foot in Iraq or Afghanistan, yet many soldiers who have know who he is and appreciate what he's done for them. You see, for the past year Mr. Brady has made a trip to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport nearly every morning to welcome home returning American troops. Bert Brady, along with fellow veterans, is a member of the Welcome Home a Hero program. They make sure that every soldier who steps off a plane in Dallas gets a special homecoming.

Brady shows up each day with the goal of making soldiers feel appreciated and proud of their service. He's often joined by veterans of the Vietnam and Korean wars who did not get a warm reception when they returned from battle.

"We are not going to forget them like a lot of Vietnam soldiers have been forgotten," Brady said. "We are not going to forget the soldiers of today."

To read more about Bert Brady, you can go to ABCnews.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 13 June 2007

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Fasting today is Donna!

Dear Tanker family, First, as always, my thoughts turn to MG & CT. The men who started this, and gave us all an opportunity to participate in something bigger than ourselves. I will always treasure the time I spent in the RVF. It has changed me for the better. MG & CT, we do this for you, and I pray you, and all our troops, understand how much you are loved!! I would also like to dedicate this day to our troops recovering at Brooks Army Medical Center. Last year I assisted OperationComfort.org when some wounded amputee troops from Brooks came here to Pismo Beach to learn to surf!! They also golfed, ocean kayaked, and went out in ocean outriggers. Those guys (and Stephanie!) would try anything! There are some pictures on the OperationComfort.org website. This is a really good organization, started by a woman named Janis, who saw a need and just wanted to help. The troops were amazing, and we all here were so privileged to show them some California love! We are hoping more troops can return this September. So here's a shout-out to the troops at BAMC! Get well, keep healing, and I hope to see you in Pismo Beach!!! God bless our troops! Love, Donna

Great Dedication Donna! The website is amazing to look around.

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 12 June 2007

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Fasting today is Yankeemom!!

This RVF is dedicated to the 3rd ID Rock of the Marne! My daughter is stationed at Ft Stewart and most of her friends outside of the Vet Corps are deployed now. A couple of them are from this area. The 3rd ID plays hard, trains hard and fights hard. Here is a link to an email a soldier on extended tour wrote his mother: Letter from Iraq The 3rd ID have been hit hard lately ~ here's something they're doing at FT Stewart: Living memorials to fallen troops Today I am praying for the soldiers ~ to come home safe and sound. And for the families of the ones who gave their all.

Great dedication Yankeemom!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Sgt Tommy Prince

Sgt Tommy Prince October 1915 - November 25 1977

Sgt. Tommy Prince was from the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation in Scanterbury, Manitoba, formerly, the St. Peter's Reserve. He was decorated by King George VI at Buckingham Palace, with both the Military Medal and on behalf of President Roosevelt, the Silver Star with ribbon. Prince was one of 59 Canadians who were awarded the Silver Star during the Second World War. Only three Canadians of this group also possessed the Military Medal." A collection of Canadian war stories would be incomplete without a story about a First Nations veteran. His tragic story has been told many times but not many times enough. ... The song chronicles the outward essentials of Tommy Prince's life. I felt the story so compelling and poetic and ironic, that any further artifice on my part, would only dull the telling.[ read more here]

Until yesterday, I did not know who Sgt Tommy Prince was. I found a two paragraph thing in my local paper, and went looking. Turns out Tommy Prince is a Canadian hero of the Korean War. Not just that; he is the most decorated aboriginal soldier, and yesterday in Winnipeg, Manitoba a memorial was erected in his honour.

Three of the 11 medals Tommy Prince earned during his military career - the Korea Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea - were for service during the U.N. operations in Korea. In August 1950, one week after the government announced its decision to form the Special Force, 34-year-old Tom Prince volunteered. He joined the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), the first Canadian Army unit to arrive in the region. Prince was in action quickly. In February 1951, the Patricias joined the 27th Commonwealth Brigade on the battlefield. Soon after arriving in the war zone, the sergeant, who was second in command of a rifle platoon, led an evening "snatch patrol" of eight men into an enemy camp. The raid was a success; the group returned before dawn with two captured machine-guns. More raids followed. However, according to the authors of a biography of Prince, he was eventually assigned fewer patrols, because his commanding officer thought Prince took too many chances that might risk the lives of the soldiers under his command. Prince en route to Korea - for the second time. (J.J. Schau / DND /NAC / PA-128264) Prince was with 2 PPCLI when, together with the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment, it was awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation for distinguished service in the Kapyong valley April 24 and 25, 1951, during one of the toughest actions of the war. The Patricias were to hold a defensive position at Hill 677 so that a South Korean division could withdraw during an attack by Chinese and North Korean forces. Although at one point the battalion was surrounded and resupply of ammunition and emergency rations could only be accomplished by air, the Patricias held their ground. The enemy withdrew. Ten PPCLI men were killed and 23 were wounded during the two-day battle. The award was a first for a Canadian unit. Prince's time at the front was intense but brief. His knees were subject to painful swelling and premature arthritis. It was a struggle for him to endure the constant, steep climbing demanded by the Korean landscape. After a medical examination in May 1951, he was hospitalized and then assigned administrative duties. In August he returned to Canada. Prince remained on active service as an administrative sergeant at Camp Borden in Ontario. Here his knees responded to the added rest and thus, in March 1952, he volunteered for a second tour of duty in the Far East. He sailed for Korea that October with the 3rd Battalion PPCLI. In November 1952, the training of the 3rd PPCLI in Korea was interrupted by fighting on "the Hook", a key position west of the Sami-chon River that overlooked much of the rear areas of the U.N. forces. When a Chinese battalion gained a foothold on the forward positions of another U.N. unit on November 18, the 3rd PPCLI was ordered to help defend the sector. By dawn of the 19th, the U.N. unit, with assistance from the Patricias, had recaptured the post. Five Patricias were killed on the Hook and nine were wounded, one of whom was Sergeant Prince. Tommy Prince's Grave Prince recovered from the injury, but began to have continual difficulties with his arthritic knees. Between January and April he spent several weeks in hospital. In July 1953, the Korea Armistice was signed, and, the following November, Prince returned to Canada. He remained in the army, stationed at a personnel depot in Winnipeg, until September 1954. Tommy Prince died at Winnipeg's Deer Lodge Hospital in November 1977, at the age of 62. At his funeral, a delegation of the Princess Patricias served as pallbearers and draped a Canadian flag over his coffin for the memorial service. It was an impressive tribute: As the trumpeter finished, five young men from the Brokenhead Indian Reserve began to chant the melancholy "Death of a Warrior" song, as drummers beat a sad lament. ... The crowd of over 500 included people from all walks of life: active soldiers, veterans, Manitoba's Lieutenant Governor Jobin, consuls representing France, Italy and the United States, farmers, fishermen, trappers, businessmen and many others.[source]

We all know about the marginalisation, historically, of different groups within the military, but yesterday's ceremony must have gone some way to redressing that.

WINNIPEG(Sun Media) - The merit of Sgt. Tommy Prince's valour has finally been set in stone. A granite monument was erected yesterday at a North End park named for Prince, Canada's most decorated aboriginal soldier. "This will be the final resting place," masonry contractor Ray From said before attaching the black 600-pound monument to a circular plaza at Sgt. Tommy Prince Memorial Veterans Park.to be developed." More than 100 people, including veterans, military officials and Lt.-Gov. John Harvard, are expected to attend the ceremony at the Battery Street park when the monument is officially unveiled on Sunday at 2 p.m. For retired military police officer Donald Mackey, it's a satisfying salute to the Winnipeg native who won accolades for his service in the Canadian Forces during the Second World War and Korean War. SANK INTO OBLIVION Mackey, 74, spearheaded fundraising for the monument several years ago after watching a television account of Prince's final years, during which the decorated war hero sank into oblivion in Winnipeg and died at age 62 in 1977. "All that was in my mind is that here was Tommy Prince, an alcoholic who died on skid row at a Salvation Army hostel," he said. "And I got so mad that I decided I was going to do something to honour him. I didn't know what, but I started raising money." Eventually, Mackey raised about $9,000 for the monument and plaque, which come after Winnipeg murals, the park and a street named for the "good soldier" he recalled meeting in 1953. Prince was so good, in fact, he earned 11 medals for his service -- an achievement marked with 11 trees encircling the park's plaza. "He was awarded the Military Medal in the Second World War by the Canadian government and was awarded the Silver Star by the American government," Mackey said, noting that Prince's heroism didn't end in wartime. "Sometime in the '70s, he pulled somebody out of the river here and saved the person's life. And then he just walked away. He didn't wait for anybody to come. They didn't know who did it, at first. They found out later that it was him." [source]

A hero by his actions, long after his war service, Sgt Tommy Price is getting the honour he deserves. The park where the memorial is erected is being renamed after him, and scholarships are in place to honour his name. You can read more about this amazing Canadian here.
To read about the scholarship, go here. And in a really fitting tribute, a Winnipeg unit is formed and named after Sgt Tommy Prince. To read more on that, go here. And to read more about the song on Sgt Tommy Prince, go here.

Let us always honour our heroes, and let us NEVER forget!

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 11 June 2007

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Fasting today is Aunt Meli!!

Thanks Aunt Meli and keep us updated in comments if you can!

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 10 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
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Fasting today is Yankeemom!

Dedicating this RVF to all Military Familes of past and present service members. They too serve.

I agree with you 100%! The family of the military absolutely serves.

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Military Fathers, Mothers and Sons

I received the following, and to me, this story is about the absolute best America has, (and it fits with the RVF dedication today, too!) All I need to add is: THANK YOU ALL for your service!

MILITARY FATHERS, MOTHERS & SONS BY Deborah Tainsh 6/9/07 Recently at Fort Benning, Georgia, I stood with a friend and proud mom whose family history and mine are intertwined for the rest of our lives. This was the second time she and I had stood with pride and honor for a son. The first was on a sunny, but chilly day in February, 2004, at Fort Polk, Louisiana when my husband and I met Barbara Maggard, wife to U.S. Army 1st Sgt R. Maggard of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment/2nd Squadron/Eagle Troop. The unit our son Sgt Patrick Tainsh deployed with on April 1, 2003 to Iraq, but returned without as he came home to us alone beneath the flag of his nation after his death in Baghdad, February 11, 2004. We had come together at the Fort Polk chapel for a meaningful memorial service held for Patrick and PFC Ramirez who had also died in the same ambush. In late April, 2004 the heroic, unsung 2nd ACR minus eight returned to Fort Polk, a post where many from Fort Benning have trained. In September we received a call from 1st Sgt Maggard. On a road trip with his family from Fort Polk toward Georgia, they wanted to visit us. Within days, the Maggards with their then seventeen year old son and twelve year old daughter sat with us inside our home. During the visit the 1st Sgt’s stories about Patrick brought laughter and pride. But before that visit ended, we all shared tears after my question of what happened the night of February 11, 2004. We heard the story, retold in my book: Heart of Hawk. www.heartofahawk.com, while also learning from the 1st Sgt that both he and CO Captain Corn, who had already contacted us, were both holding Patrick when he died. Our son, the cavalry scout and COs gunner who had cleared the area to save them and others after an ambush. Actions during which Patrick, at the onset, had been mortally wounded by an IED explosion, and that subsequently led to his receiving, posthumously, both the Bronze and Silver Stars. But nothing made my husband, a USMC Sgt Major (retired), more proud than learning from the 1st Sgt that Patrick had always said he wanted to make his dad proud, and just as his dad , wanted to become a Sgt Major. Was this hard for all of us to talk about? Yes. Was it a catharsis for each of us? Yes. Was it a gift? Most certainly. 1st Sgt Maggard and his family gave us a gift that evening that has bonded us for our lifetime to come. After their leaving that evening, we have maintained constant e-mail communication with the Maggards and also the Corns. Captain Corn, now Major, received orders for Ft. Irwin. 1st Sgt Maggard, now Sgt Major, received orders for Texas, then Alaska, and is currently back in Iraq, where he expects to see his only son any day now. This is the part that really gives me chills and makes me want to sing the praises of the American military family. This is the part that is so amazing about the Maggard family. Young B. Maggard, 20, who knows his dad’s experiences in Baghdad with the 2nd ACR, who knows how Patrick and others in the unit died in 2003-2004, and knows of the losses his dad’s current unit is taking, this amazing American son, the son of Sgt Major R. Maggard, chose to join the United States Army. This is what led me and my husband to stand at Fort Benning with Barbara Maggard, a proud army wife and mom who has also served in the armed forces. This time we honored her son whose paternal grandmother, also there, served in the Army Nurse Corps in the 1950’s. Both of young Maggard’s grandfathers also served in the military as did uncles. The sun couldn’t outshine the legacy of family pride that glowed in the face and stature of PFC Maggard, now another gallant member of the U.S. infantry and the new greatest generation. I asked Barbara that if with all she knew of military life, strain, and sacrifice, if she or her husband either one had tried to talk their son out of joining the armed forces. Of course, I already knew the answer. “No,” she said. “This is something he’s always said from a child he wanted to do. He’s at a place to make his own decisions. His dad and I will support him as he asks.” I ask PFC Maggard if he had any reservations at all, and of course I knew that answer. “No ma’am. I’m proud to serve my country. I can think of nothing better. There’s an enemy we have to help the Iraqi people defeat. Our nation’s at risk. I just want to get to Iraq while my dad is still there.” For now, Barbara remains in Alaska with her daughter. We are all blessed to have those like her husband and son, volunteers of the less than one percent of our nation’s population, to stand the lines to protect us from an enemy that swears to destroy our civilization. In a message from her two days ago I learned that Barbara’s son is now at Fort Bragg preparing to leave for Iraq within ten days. His dad, a leader our son looked up to and who we are thankful to for allowing us to become part of his family, has been extended in Iraq and awaits his son’s arrival. I asked Barbara what she thought about the extension. She says that after over twenty years as a military wife, not counting the years she served, she’s learned its part of the job. “It’s who we are. There’s pride in serving our country. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I agreed, saying that when I was an active duty wife I would tell young wives during our husbands’ deployments, “hey, you know who and what you married, pull the boot straps up, be the woman they need.” When I ask her about plans for retirement, Barbara said she and her husband, a college graduate who after the military wants to teach, would like to live near Fort Benning. With that, I couldn’t think of anything else that would make me happier, because we’re more than family, we’re a military family bonded for the rest of our lives through love, dedication, courage, sacrifice, and pride in a lifestyle few will ever understand.

Brat

A_C's Public Enemy No# 1

I was at a mates place the other night. Now, under any other circumstances I adore this friend of mine. She was my Mentor when I was studying, we supported each other through the loss of parents and have always been there for each other. Except on one issue....The war in Iraq.

The night I was there just happened to be the night after I found out my guy was deploying this year, so I have to admit it was possibly not the best time to talk about the war anyway. My mate had just got a Michael Franti DVD and wanted me to watch it. Not realising he was part of the Anti War Leftists Movement I agreed. I think I was up in arms about 2 minutes into the DVD and I can assure you, it didn't get any better.

The DVD is a documentary based on a trip Michael Franti did to Baghdad and Gaza. He claims it was to see the human face of the victims of the wars been fought in these areas. I think it far more accurate to say he went to produce propaganda for the Left.

The first thing Michael Franti mentions is that he funded the trip he took himself. Actually, that came up a few times. What a Saint!! And the money he made from the documentary?? Where did that go??

He interviews several Iraqi's, very obviously all chosen to suit Franti's purpose. The Iraqi's spoke of how the Americans bombed their houses and they were left to rebuild at their own expense, how the Americans took their governments money and will not give it back to them to allow for the rebuilding of Iraq. One woman repeatedly mentions "How do they expect us to rebuild when they with hold our governments funds"??

They tour a childrens hospital where they show the child victims of bombings....and ofd course, somehow manage to make THAT the Americans fault as well. When all else failed there was always that underlying arguement, the very foundation of the Leftist Movement......If we weren't there in the first place, none of this would be happening.

The Iraqi's talk of a timeline, divided into 'Liberation' and 'Occupation'. Apparently the Americans should have just left the country as soon as Saddam was removed from power. Interesting theory that. So what they are saying is, the Coalition should remove a Dictator from a country that has 3 forces constantly fighting for power, then just walk away?? Is that the answer?? And then have to return when the next brutal Dictator takes over??

As per usual, a Leftist arguement that makes no sense!!

I must point out, Michael Franti is American. He is a Supporter of the Iraq Veterans Against the War who thinks it appropriate to visit Walter Reid. While in Baghdad, drumming up support and propaganda for his documentary, he actually had the gall to play one night for a group of American Soldiers. Those rivetting lyrics of his 'You can bomb the world to pieces but you can't bomb the world to peace', must have really struck a chord with them right?? If I read their body language at all right, they weren't a happy bunch.

He talks about the American Soldiers all wanting to be home. My immediate reaction to that was 'No shit'. You can want to stay and finish the job, but at night, when you're laying in bed of course you'd rather be home. The point is, Franti chose to twist such comments and make them into 'The Soldiers don't want to be here'.

As for his music, I refer you to the sentence 'Cruel and unusual punishment'. Ugghhh, do yourselves a favour and don't grab the cd or DVD just to see what I'm talking about. It's like watching every episode of Desperate Housewives in one sitting.

He claims to be a supporter of the Troops. Well, what Lefty doesn't really. They all support the Troops but not the war. That's like supporting breathing but not oxygen. Makes no sense.

I strongly believe that anyone with any common sense will shake their heads in disgust at this documentary. It's called 'I know I am not alone' and unfortunately, this is true.

It may also be true that 'You can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb the world to peace', but I have a news flash for you Sparky. You can sing your little heart out, but you aint gonna sing your way to peace either.

A_C

Coalition Country - Fiji

United Nations News Service, ... on October 20, 2004 : "Fiji has agreed to provide a protective security detail for senior United Nations officials in Iraq, as well as a guard unit for UN facilities in Baghdad, a spokesperson for the world body said today. "...the number of Fijians in the force and the timing of deployment, ... about 130 would be heading to Iraq as soon as logistical preparations and training are completed, perhaps by next month." 10/20/04 UN [source]

Fiji is a republic based on the British system, having become independant in 1970 after almost a century of British colonialism. Slightly smaller than New Jersey, Fiji is located in Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. A volcanic mountianous island, it's main resources are timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower [source].

With a population that is 54% Fijiian( predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), followed by Indian 34%<>, Fiji's population statistics reflect the political history of the island. Oh, and the description of the country's flag is very interesting, too, in how it reflects the country's checkered history:

"light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove"

Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. [source]

Even after free elections in 1999, a coup in 2000 (one of a long line of coups) led to yet more political upheaval in the island's history. Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, elected in both 2001 and 2006, was ousted in a military led coup in December 2006. In January 2007, the military commander who led the 2006 coup was 'appointed' interim prime minister. Go here
for more in-depth details and analysis/effects of the coups in Fiji - worth reading!)

Cmdr Bainimarama

This military man is interesting., as he justified his actions of deposing Qarase in the latest coup, saying:

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's policies... "would have benefited the indigenous majority at the expense of the ethnic Indian community". [source](Go read some more.lol)

Interestingly enough, still divisions and different opinions are clearly marked:

I like his views because the country is falling down Suva schoolboy This coup will send us another 20 years back Harun Shah hospital employee [source]

With a population of about 920,000 (July 2007 - and I LOVE the way the CIA projects population figures - but I digress!), Fiji is predomiantly Christian (53%) and the country has two official languages: English and Fijiian.....A fact that made me smile - and I quote:

"Political pressure groups and leaders - NA " (ya think????)

So what about the economics of Fiji? How do they survive? Tourism is a major industry, but obviously political instabilty with coups seriously damages Fiji's repuation as a destination of choice. Sugar exports still play a major part in the economy, but is seen as inefficient. Another major source of income for the islanders is remittances from Fijiians working abroad - "Overseas remittances from Fijiians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased significantly." [source]

Fiji's military expenditures account for 2.2% of the GDP. Military service is voluntary and men and women serve.

Cap badge of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces

Fiji - 168 Fijian troops protecting UN buildings and staff in and around the Green Zone as of August 2006. In early April 2007, it was reported that an additional 15 troops would be sent on the 25th of that month, with the remainder (number unspecified) to arrive during May.[53] In response to an 'urgent request' by the UN, Fiji sent an additional 34 soldiers on August 30, 2006 to complement its existing 134.[54] As many as 300 had been in Baghdad during the January 2006 elections. ABC News reported on the October 20, 2004, that the contingent (trained, equipped and transported to Iraq by Australia) would be deployed the following month. A Fijian soldier died of a suspected heart attack on March 16, 2006. According to a BBC Monitoring report, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces had abandoned plans to deploy a battalion to Iraq under the Coalition, for financial reasons. [source]

"The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), with a total manpower of 3,500 men, is one of the smallest in the world. The 2,950 men in the active army are organized into six infantry and one engineer battalions, with 350 reserves forming a further three. There was formerly one "Zulu" company of counter-revolutionary specialists, which was deactivated in late 2000 due to a mutiny by some of its members."[source]

Radio Australia had an interesting interview last year, with the news of Fijiian deaths in Iraq.

FIJI: More deaths in Iraq renew debate on security guard recruitment Fiji is today reeling from the news that yet another three of its nationals have been killed in Iraq, in what appears to be a road-side terrorist attack. This afternoon, Fiji's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was able to confirm the deaths, although the circumstances and the exact location of the attack remains a mystery. The deaths bring the estimated death toll of Fiji citizens working in Iraq as security guards to 13, with the majority of those deaths occurring since April this year. The violence has reignited the debate over the presence of some 1,000 Fijians working in Iraq and Kuwait as security guards, on top of an estimated 2,000 Fijian soldiers in the British army. One Fiji-based NGO claims many Fijians recruited to work in Iraq aren't aware of the risks and the government should step in to discourage the recruitment. [source] [preamble to broadcast)

From what I could find, it seems that Fiji nationals working for private contractors outnumber Fijiians actually working within the military.

FIJI: More Fijians Go to Iraq There are now 224 Fijian troops serving in Iraq, and an estimated 1,000 more are serving with private security firms holding contracts for the United States government in both Iraq and Kuwait. ABC Radio Australia April 6th, 2005 Fiji's cabinet has approved the deployment of two guard units to Iraq under the United Nations Assistance Mission mandate. The 90 soldiers will provide security for UN facilities at Basra and Erbil on a six month posting. The duties are similar to those being performed by the Fijian soldiers currently serving in the capital, Baghdad. Eighty per cent of the guard unit comes from regular forces, and the other 20 per cent are territorial soldiers. There are now 224 Fijian troops serving in Iraq, and an estimated 1,000 more are serving with private security firms holding contracts for the United States government in both Iraq and Kuwait. [source]

However you describe it, Fiji does stand with the US and the other coalition countries in pusuit of common goals of peace and security. In a press release dated April 2007, and following the Virginia Tech debacle, Prime Minister Bainimarama, in a wide-ranging speech said (in part):

...It is ... during times of personal and national trials that your real friends come to fore. Fiji continues to consider itself a friend of the United States, no matter the rhetoric and actions that have strained our relations in the past few months. The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) has also developed lasting bond and comradereship with American Defence Forces having collaborated and worked closely with them in Solomon Islands, Iraq and Sinai. We are also together with the US and other peace loving nations on the war on terror....Fiji recognizes the long standing and important links it has with the USA in areas of trade, economic, defence and other strategic issues. It is in the spirit of these links that we need to continue to work together closely and further deepen our relationship...." [source]

Every one of these coalition country profiles are, by definition, mere thumbnail sketches...the links provided both here, and on every other profile, lead to fascinating reading, and a deeper appreciation of our coalition partners' commitment to staying on course in this winnable war we are all in.

[source]

HOOAH!

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 9 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Julia! Julia has internet access right now so she has a dedication!

I'd like to dedicate today to all the RVFers. Everyone is so wonderful in keeping this up and still going strong. You are all so wonderful and so gung ho supporting the troops. Hats off and you are all in my prayers :)

Great dedication Julia! The RVF could not have gone on so long without the commitment of all you out there that have fasted. And since you are doing SIX DAYS a month Julia, you are a huge part of that. :o)

Update us in comments if you can!

~Tracy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSSIE CHIC!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSSIE CHIC!!

I just got a notice in my Myspace account reminding me of some upcoming birthdays. A_C was one of them. She has not mentioned her birthday coming up to me!!

Wish A_C a happy birthday!!

~Tracy

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 8 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
Pick Up Your RVF Tee Shirts (Limited Edition, Only 50 printed, Only $10 each): HERE (All proceeds go to help support Soldiers Angels)

Fasting today is Denise!

Keep us updated in comments if you can!

~Tracy

Good News Friday (B*N*S*N)

So many good news stories - so little time! But today comes under the title of "You've come a long way!". Two women are featured in a story out of Kirkuk. The great news? They just graduated in a class of 980 from the Kirkuk Police Academy.

"Nisreen Hama Amin and Mirvat Amin, no relation, have joined their male counterparts in donning the blue uniform of the Iraqi police force to answer what they see as the patriotic call to duty."

“The Iraqi police need female officers to be fully effective,” said Staff Sgt. Amaury Garcia, an advisor with the Police Transition Team from Forward Operating Base Warrior. “Due to their beliefs, the men are reluctant to fully search women detainees,” explained Garcia, who works closely with the academy’s leadership. “That’s where female police officers step in. After recent bombings by women suicide bombers, the Iraqi police realize the importance of having female officers on the force.

Stepping in, and stepping up to do their "patriotic duty"... (my emphasis). You can read the rest of this GREAT story here. Do not look for it in the msm, of course, since that would mean they would have to be reporting on the facts that Iraqis ARE committed to reclaiming their own country; Iraqis ARE stepping up on a daily basis to make sure that their democracy has a rule of law which applies to all - men AND women. And that really IS B*N*S*N!

Nisreen Hama Amin receives instruction on firing a Glock 9mm pistol during weapons training at the KirkukPoliceAcademy. Nisreen is one of the first women to graduate from the academy. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Amanda Morrissey.

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 7 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
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Fasting today is PCMom!

Happy Thursday! Today I am fasting for the 4-9 Cav. Actually, I always fast for this group... yet, I seldom say it on my dedication. Along with this fantastic group of Troopers, I am fasting for the 1st Cav Moms that I have been meeting via the internet. One Mom in particular is working hard to make this deployment a tad bit more comfortable for our boys! http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20070607/NEWS/706070327 Deb, we are happy to have you join us on the home front!

Great Dedication PCMom! Every little comfort from home helps I am sure!!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Gabe Makes Headlines!

Regular readers of Tanker Bros know about Chuck and Gabe, one of the more famous K9 teams serving in Iraq. And the word is spreading. Seems Gabe is being noticed. I can't give you the source for this, but here are Chuck and Gabe.

K9 Team Brings Special Skills to the Fight Story by Spc. Amanda Morrissey Posted on 05.31.2007 at 03:33PM By Spc. Amanda Morrissey 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment SHUKRAN, Iraq – For just about every cordon and search operation in Iraq, there is a special two-Soldier team that provides an extra sense to the efforts to find anti-Iraqi forces and hidden weapons. One of those teams at Forward Operating Base Q-West is Staff Sgt. Chuck Shuck and his dog, Sgt. 1st Class Gabe, both with 178th Military Police Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade. On this particular morning, Shuck and Gabe are helping Battery A, 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment Soldiers search the nearby village of Shukran for any weapons that may be hidden in the area. “The dog has a nose like no human has, that’s just a given,” Shuck said. “A dog is able to smell stuff that humans can’t smell because they can pick up on residue and stuff like that. Even if Soldiers miss something, 95 percent of the time the dog is going to pick up on it.” In the eight and a half months Shuck and Gabe have been in Iraq, they have worked primarily with 5-82nd FA Soldiers. They have conducted approximately 140 searches both on and off the base and have been on more than 90 combat missions off the FOB. To date, one of their biggest finds was 36 122mm rounds back in Oct. 2006. Gabe and Shuck have also seen their fair share of action in theater. “Last month, we were on a raid with Alpha Battery, 5-82nd FA, and a guy started shooting through the door. Gabe and I were right there in the thick of things with them, and it was pretty amazing,” Shuck said. “Gabe actually got put in for a Combat Action Badge.” Such skills take a lot of training, both for the dog and its handler. They go through a five-month training course at Lackland Air Force Base, where the dogs receive obedience and detection training. Soldiers learn how to work with the dogs and how to care for the health of their canine partners. At the end of the course, the dog and the handler certify as a team and graduate together. “These dogs are trained to clear open areas, buildings, routes and vehicles, and they’re able to work off leash,” Shuck said. “We also train with the dogs in school to react to gunfire, so that pretty much doesn’t faze them.” Gabe is unique because he is a specialized search dog, meaning he will respond to the commands of his handler without the guidance of a leash. He is one of approximately 300 dogs with such training in all branches of the military. Graduation from the schoolhouse doesn’t mark the end of training for these teams. Each month, they conduct 16 hours of mandatory detection training to keep the dogs proficient in their skills, as well as daily exercises, said Shuck. However, Gabe is more than just an extra-sensitive nose to the Soldiers he works with. “I can see from working with the units here just having the presence of the dog there is a morale booster for Soldiers,” Shuck said. “Gabe is like the mascot of the battalion, and everybody knows him.” Gabe is also a moral booster for his partner. While in Iraq, Shuck and Gabe are roommates and constant companions, going just about everywhere together. “The dogs really do become you’re best friend, your partner,” Shuck said. “Gabe is loyal, and he’s trustworthy. You always have a companion in the dog. If I’m having a bad day, he turns it into a good day. There’s nothing that beats having a dog as a partner.”

Some of the units Chuck and Gabe work with have been very hard hit lately, and suffered losses of those Chuck and Gabe call friends, so please keep them all in your prayers. Thank you for your service Chuck, and the bratdog says to remind Gabe how proud she is to call him her friend.

Brat

Rolling Victory Fast Update: 6 June 2007

Link To Original Post: Here
Sign Up For A Day: Here or send an email to TankerBrothersReconATgmail.com
Updated Duty Roster: Here
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Fasting today is Leta!

Today's dedication will be short and sweet. While I will be fasting in support of those who are currently serving and in honor of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice I want to shine the spotlight today on all Tankers but especially our own MG and CT. TANKS for everything men!

Great dedication Leta!

See ya in comments!

~Tracy

Wednesday Hero(es)

This Weeks Soldiers Were Suggested By Mary Ann

Col. David Sutherland(Left)
45 Years Old From Toledo, Ohio
Commander, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division


Since being deployed to the Diyala province of Iraq in November 2006, Col. David Sutherland, along with brigade Chaplain Maj. Charlie Fenton, pictured on the right, has made it a point to visit every wounded soldier and say goodbye to each and everyone of his men who've lost their life. Four of his soldiers died on one day in April 2007 and the bad news arrived at his office in waves -- a knock on the door, a note handed in by an aide, heads bowed, knowing glances exchanged. Aides say Sutherland walks to the mortuary affairs tent at his base and embraces the dead bodies of his men. "I hug all my fallen soldiers", said Sutherland. "They are my own".

Diyala province is one of the worst places in Iraq. Public beheadings of Iraqi police, tribal wars, sectarian wars and al-Qaida. "I didn't come here thinking it'd be easy. No one told me, 'You're gonna get 9 hours of sleep a night and you're not gonna lose soldiers'. But I believe this is the place for me."

"As a soldier, I want to be here on the ground," he said. "As an American, I want it to end."

For more information about Col. Sutherland, visit this page.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.