Navy veteran Michael Kuhn of Ocala, Florida, is brain injured and receives care at the VA medical facility in Tampa, Florida. He will participate in the Tampa Gasparilla Marathon on Sunday March 1, 2009 as an ambassador for the AFF and the WWP. Marc Reed (Veteran USMC) from SRI St. Petersburg will push Michael, in his wheelchair, all the way to the finish line to help raise awareness for America’s veterans.
There will be a bunch of troop supporters at the finish line cheering these guys on with their accomplishment. Please get the word out to your organizations, families, and friends if they can be there or are nearby. I know it’s short notice. If you’d like more information about linking up, contact Tampa Area Marine Parents Assoc., Inc. President and Executive Director Cyd Deathe at www.usmcfamilysupport.org. Cyd is also the mother of a wounded warrior herself.
On September 5, 2009 the 1st Marine Division Association and Chapter 785 of the Vietnam Veterans of America will be holding the first annual "American Honor Run" to raise money for the Construction of a Fisher House, Support of the Intrepid Foundation and to provide scholarships for the son’s and daughter’s of those who have given everything for our freedom. For more information contact theunit@cox.net or visit www.thehonorrun.org
This month’s featured hero is the fine young Marine in the photo [above]. The run will be dedicated to the memory of one new hero every month to insure we remember all they have given for all of us.
Donald C. May Jr. always wanted to be a Marine.
His mother, Brenda R. May, of Chesterfield County, was a Marine. His father, Donald C. May Sr., was awarded a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts and the Navy Cross for his service as a Marine in Vietnam.
Staff Sergeant May, United States Marine Corps, Unit: 1st Marine Divisionwas 31 years of age when he died defending our freedom. The tank he was commanding plunged off a bridge as it was crossing the Euphrates River. It was later found upside down and under water. According to his mother, another proud Marine, her son and his crew disappeared during a sandstorm that swept over Iraq as U.S. forces advanced toward Baghdad. SSGT May's Memorial Web page can be found at
Staff Sgt May left behind a wife and three beautiful children.
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO INSURE THAT THIS FINE YOUNG AMERICAN IS NEVER FORGOTTEN FOR WHAT HE GAVE IN DEFENSE OF OUR FREEDOM. IT IS ALSO YOUR CHANCE TO LET HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN KNOW HOW HIGH WE ALL HOLD HIS GALLANT SERVICE AND WHAT A HERO HE AND SO MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN.
Please make a donation NOW to help us honor the memory of Staff Sgt May Jr. and to show his family how much you care. His legacy of service will continue forever helping those members of our armed forces who so desperately need our support. Join us on 5 September 2009, in Oceanside, California, for the California Honor Run, dedicated to the memory of Staff Sgt. Donald May Jr.: a fine example of "The Few, the Proud, The Marines."
Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.
Many thanks for your support and Semper Fi. (here)
This is such an important project, which only goes some small way to showing our heroes - and their precious families - that we support them. Don's wife, Deb, is raising their three children:
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — In a Marine bar near Camp Lejeune, a blond woman handed a beer to the man drinking black coffee. She liked his Irish accent, which he admitted was phony, and his smile, which was genuine. It was the same big grin that blazed out of so many childhood photographs in which the crew-cut youth dressed like the Marine he since had become.
The love affair of Deborah and Donald May began in September 1999 as a happy collision of two hearts. It ended March 25, 2003, during the first days of the Iraq war, when the tank commanded by Staff Sgt. May, 31, plunged into the Euphrates River and sank to the bottom. He and his three tankmates drowned, trapped inside.
In less than four years together, the Mays had married, moved to the Marine base at Twentynine Palms, Calif., had two sons and were raising Deborah's daughter from her first marriage. Their talk, their letters, were filled with life and love....(USA Today here)
Don has three beautiful children--- Mariah, Jack, and Will. Mariah has so many memories of Don...he would walk her to the bus stop every chance he got, he would tease her endlessly, and tuck her into bed using his special "Daddy" technique. She talks about him with a big smile on her face, "Remember when Daddy......" Jack is a Mini-May. So very much like Don in his easy going nature. And he has that same "I can smile and get away with anything" attitude. And Will....never seen by Don here on Earth....has Don's eyes. He is the only one of the children that has Don's beautiful blue-green eyes. The children will forever be a reminder of Don and his easy-going spirit and love. We love you too much Don.... (source)
In the photos are Staff Sgt. May's three children: Mariah, Jack, and Will (who was born two months after his father's death.) (photos courtesy Fallen Heroes Memorial here)
Please check out the links to the American Honor Run and do whatever you can to support Staff Sgt May's family. Thank you.
Semper Fi, Marine.
(And yes, this site is dedicated to the memory of Staff Sgt. May)
This image has more than likely been sent to every Australian, everywhere. The first time I saw it I could do little but stare, tears streaming down my face as they have a million times over the last 2 weeks.
The untold story of this Bush Fire Tragedy is the plight of our Native Fauna. There would be thousands out there suffering terrible burns.
Koalas do not drink much water, they get their moisture from the leaves, but this little fella's supply would be gone so he would be very grateful.
This aside, Koalas are also savage creatures. Despite their cute appearance, they have sharp claws and bad tempers. Our 'Angels in Yellow' as our CFA and CFS have come to be known, must have seemed like Angels to this poor Koala also for him to have trusted them this way.
This picture became a symbol of the suffering felt by so many during the recent fires that have become known as 'Black Saturday'.
The Memorial Service for the National Day of Mourning for those lost and affected by the Black Saturday fires has just finished, live feeds to our TVs have ended. Amazingly, I feel a sense of new beginnings now. The Service was extremely tasteful, VERY Australian and did give a sense of our great pride in our nation and those who make it what it is.
Since the fires began that terrible saturday, Feb 7th there has been a massive outpouring of grief from throughout the world. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who emailed to make sure I was ok and to pass on their messages of support for my fellow Australians so gravely affected by this terrible event. To all of you who sent emails, left messages and ECards I can not thank you enough for your kind thoughts. For those of you I haven't had a chance to get back to I am roughly 8 hrs from the fires and safe. The fires that continue to burn are burning in the opposite direction.
I did have family in the affected areas but all have escaped with their lives though some lost their homes, neighbours and friends.
To attempt to share the massive scope of these fires with you and the shattering toll they have taken on our country I have included newspaper articles, photos and clips. Please be aware that while these can be distressing they can barely give you an idea of the suffering in these areas. And yet, our nation strives forward because we are Aussies. Because we are committed to battling through this horrible tragedy together. Because nowhere in Australia would there be a person unaffected either directly or indirectly. And because right now, as we suffer together, we know that we will also move forward together.
How the battle with Victoria's bushfires was fought and lost
INSIDE STORY: Cameron Stewart and Corrie Perkin | February 14, 2009
BRUCE Esplin woke at 6am last Saturday with a gnawing feeling in his gut. Victoria's Emergency Services Commissioner knew the odds were not good for the 3582 firefighters and emergency workers who had been placed like toy soldiers across the breadth of his state.
"We were about to face weather beyond our experience, and I just had this feeling of dread," Esplin says.
Across town, Ewan Waller, the Government's chief fire officer, was also on edge. By 7.30am he was already sitting in the Integrated Emergency Co-ordination Centre in central Melbourne, otherwise known as the "war room", where he would spend the next 15 hours alongside chief Country Fire Authority officer Russell Rees. These two men would jointly manage the defence of Victoria against the worst weather forecast in memory.
Barely 60km to the north, thousands of families scattered across the hillside regions of Kinglake, St Andrews and Marysville were waking up to a lazy Saturday. Many of these were tree changers: city commuters who had embraced the lush forested hills for both lifestyle and financial reasons.
They were mostly young families with young kids, and with the temperature tipped to hit 44C with strong, hot wind gusts, it was cooler to stay in their hillside homes than travel.
In Marysville, 20-year-old Lucie O'Meara spent the morning making pancakes for her husband, Luke, and their seven-month-old daughter, Charlotte. She then sat down at her computer and wrote on her Facebook site: "I am so enjoying the viewfrom my desk, Marysville is beautiful."
Just before 9.30am, Stuart Coombs arrived at the Victorian weather bureau's headquarters in Melbourne's Docklands to start his shift.
One of his jobs was to compile thunderstorm warnings. But when he scanned the charts he saw something that disturbed him even more than the "very dreadful" forecast of the previous night. "The thunderstorm conditions (meant) we knew there would be fire activity (from lightening strikes)," Coombs said.
Even so, for the next few hours, the war room was buoyed by what they saw. Although they were concerned by a fire that had jumped containment lines in the Bunyip State Forest, east of Melbourne, fire activity around the state was modest.
The day, which Premier John Brumby had warned on Friday might be the state's worst, had started well.
"There was a sense of 'well, we've got to lunchtime and so far so good'," Esplin says. "But we knew the most dangerous part of the day would be late afternoon." Read more here
I awoke on the following morning to the news of the fires. On saturday we had all known there were fires raging in Victorias beautiful bushland but thinking back, I honestly don't think we could have realised the enormity of what we were about to face. When the initial death tolls were announced on those first few days we could never have imagined just how high they would reach and even now, 2 weeks on they continue to climb.
Bushfires are a common part of our Summers here in Australia. Unfortunately there are people who feel the need to light a fire for their own gratification far outweighs the safety and welfare of the innocent people living in commonly affected areas. These people would ordinarily rely on good bushfire plans to protect their homes, often able to fight the fires themselves. But these fires showed none of the mercy witnessed in previous years fires. In the midst of the worst heatwave this country has ever seen, on the day of the worst conditions for bushfires seen throughout this heatwave, a handful of people made the conscious decision to risk lives and wreack havoc by starting a fire. What is perhaps most sickening is that for the week leading up to Black Saturday we had been warned continuously, across all aspects of the media about the risks. These people who chose to light these fires knew the risks....
Here you can find some of the lives lost in these terrible fires...Photo Gallery
As the week wore on Australians began to wonder how they could help. Massive fundraising appeals began to pop up everywhere, clothes and household items were collected and transported into the affected areas to give immediate aid to the victims. Buckets appeared on ever counter in every store, pub and service station across the country. Telethons were held, charity sports matches and the good old Aussie Sausage Sizzle to raise much needed funds for the innocent people affected so terribly. In the grip of a shocking economic crisis Aussies dug deep and then deeper still to help those in need. Less than a week after the fires began more than $100 million had been raised for the people of the affected areas. Fundraising efforts will continue throughout the year.
Now more than ever, we are not hearing the words 'What can I do to help', but 'What MORE can I do to help'. I would be suprised to hear that there was an Aussie that had not contributed in some way.
Australians have been heartened by the response to the devestation throughout the world. As always, those who fight alongside us, also stand beside us in times of need. Both America and Canada have sent firefighters to help us fight these fires and for that we are truly thankful. People from all over the world have donated to the Red Cross Appeal to help the victims rebuild shattered lives and to assist the families financially who face the daunting task of burying their loved ones. It is times such as these that we are reminded of how lucky we are that the spirit under which we fight together, extends to mourning and rebuilding together as well.
Australia mourns bushfire victims
TENS of thousands gathered in Melbourne, including hundreds of bushfire survivors, to remember those who died in Victoria's devastating bushfires.
The Rod Laver Arena was filled with people, including political leaders, religious leaders, Princess Anne and other dignitaries.
Many of those at the service were wearing the distinctive yellow overalls of the firefighters. At least 209 people are known to have died in the February 7 fire storms, most of those from a sweep of towns and villages northeast of Melbourne.
Services are being held across Australia to remember the bushfire victims, although the one at the Rod Laver Arena is expected to be the largest.
In a sombre procession, members of the official party including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Victorian Premier John Brumby, Governor-General Quentin Bryce and Princess Anne laid flowers at a wreath to remember the dead.
Singer Deborah Cheetham led singing of the national anthem.
Aboriginal leader Auntie Joy Murphy officially welcomed those to the land of the Wurundjeri people. "The terrible loss of so many human lives, animals and homes is extremely difficult to comprehend and accept, to believe what has happened,'' Ms Murphy said.
"The spirit of the land will reclaim itself and the bush animals and the pets will return, this is nature's way,'' she said.
Premier John Brumby told those at the service that Australia was a nation deep in mourning.
"We are picking up the pieces after the worst natural disaster in Australia's history. Devastating fires that have taken family, friends, neighbours and workmates,'' Mr Brumby said.
"Destructive fires that have torn at the very heart of communities,'' he said.
Governor-General Quentin Bryce told the service bushfire communities would rebuild.
"We will open our hands and reach out and deep to give of ourselves whatever we are able. We each have our separate tasks, we know what they are and together we know the responsibilities we share,'' Ms Bryce said.
"In time, what was will be restored - no matter how colossal the effort.''
But she said today was a day of reflection.
"The unthinkable we must think; the unimaginable we must see; the unspeakable we must speak; the unbearable we must weep.''
Princess Anne represented Queen Elizabeth and the royal family at the memorial.
The princess read out a message written by Queen Elizabeth soon after the fires occurred and passed on her condolences.
"Although a little daunted, when faced with the scale of loss, and the physical and mental impact that these bushfires have made and are still making for Victoria, individuals and towns have responded with resilience, ingenuity, courage and selflessness to situations that were changing at terrifying speed,'' Princes Anne said.
She said she would be visiting fire affected areas on Sunday, and speaking to some of those touched by the tragedy.
"People from around Australia and across the world watched in horror, but with admiration at their response,'' Princess Anne said.
"I would particularly thank all those involved in whatever capacity, in the emergency services and in the voluntary organisations,'' she said.
Victoria's Governor David de Kretser said there were no words to encompass the distress of those who had lost loved ones.
"These have also been difficult days for all Victorians. Days of fear, of pain and now of haunting sadness,'' he said.
"It is not only family and friends who have suffered loss. Entire communities have been devastated by these fires.''
Melbourne Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Black Saturday saw the worst of nature but the best of humanity, and vowed that every year on February 7 Australian flags would fly at half mast.
"In recent days we have witnessed unspeakable suffering. We have lost mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. We have lost brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, the tiniest of children, family and friends and neighbours,'' Mr Rudd said.
"All these are precious lives. No words can provide solace for grief so personal. But simply know this. You who suffer are not alone.
"This great Australian family here assembled and across the nation today is with you.''
He said Australia's reaction to the bushfires was different to what may have been expected in other places.
"In some countries tragedy exposes the faultlines in a nation. The strong abandoning the weak. One region indifferent to the sufferings of another. One culture uncaring as to the needs of another.
"But ours is a different nation. Our nation has been as one. Australia, a nation of compassion,'' Mr Rudd said.
Melbourne Federal opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull said all efforts must be done to rebuild shattered towns.
"The measure of our support for you, indeed the measure of love for you, must be whatever it takes,'' Mr Turnbull said.
"Whatever it takes to put you back on your feet. Whatever it takes to heal broken bodies and soothe broken hearts.
"We mourn those we have lost. We are united in our sorrow for those who loved them,'' Mr Turnbull said.
For those who are able, donations can still be made at the following site Red Cross Appeal. There are also condolence books throughout the internet for those lost.
Flags will fly at half mast on February 7
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd said Black Saturday saw the worst of nature but the best of humanity, and vowed that every year on February 7 Australian flags would fly at half mast.
"In recent days we have witnessed unspeakable suffering. We have lost mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. We have lost brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, the tiniest of children, family and friends and neighbours," Mr Rudd said.
"All these are precious lives. No words can provide solace for grief so personal. But simply know this. You who suffer are not alone.
"This great Australian family here assembled and across the nation today is with you."
He said Australia's reaction to the bushfires was different to what may have been expected in other places.
"In some countries tragedy exposes the faultlines in a nation. The strong abandoning the weak. One region indifferent to the sufferings of another. One culture uncaring as to the needs of another.
"But ours is a different nation. Our nation has been as one. Australia, a nation of compassion," Mr Rudd said.
Seems that this new American administration is really into this whole "change" thing. I am sure most of you are aware that when our fallen heroes are brought home, they come through Dover. President George W Bush barred the media from documenting their arrival, to allow the families private moments with their precious loved ones.
Now President Obama is reviewing this policy. Other blogs have voiced their opposition to this far more eloquently than I. MY opposition is that this msm has proved that they have NO respect for the fallen or their families. Even as they bleat that showing the fallen heroes returning would show the "true cost of war," they completely ignore the many, MANY other stories that show the 'real' war. Rarely do we see stories in the msm showing the realities, the progress of what our military is accomplishing. Having said that, I do not trust the msm to be respectful of our newly grieving Gold Star Families.
I could go on and on, but - as always - our military families say it far better. One such Gold Star father is Robert Stokely. Father of Sgt. Mike Stokely, Mr Stokely stands on guard for the respect and honour for our fallen. He sent an email and I am going to post it in its entirety. Once you have read it, you will know what to do. Please, do this for Mike, Patrick, Kory, Don, John, Josh and for Sean. Our fallen, and their families, have more than earned this small gesture of respect:
Please read and help Keep the Media out of Dover when our Fallen arrive home
Senator John Kerry / Democrat of Massachusetts and Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, and if you take the statements of then Senator Biden (who stated the soldiers are snuck in under cover of darkness), want Dover to be open to media coverage of arriving and departing flag draped caskets of our fallen and their unashamed purpose is to "show the real cost of war...". During his speech on the economic crisis on Monday, Feb. 9, 2009, President Obama, in answering the question of Ed Henry of CNN, stated he was ordering a review of the policy. The links below cover the interview with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wherein he alarmingly states he is open to the policy being changes, stating it might show "more honor" for the fallen.
I take the stand that Dover is to special a place for our fallen to be made a spectacle of for many reasons, but I will offer these as the most important:
1. Just as the families should be the first to get the "call" that their loved one has died, so should the first non-military required handling and view of the fallen be their's to have rather than having it splashed about in the media for a political statement of "showing the real cost of war."
2. Our military personnel do not decide when, where or how long war is waged; such decisions are for political leaders to make and constitutional duty of any military personnel is to carry out the lawful orders of the Commander in Chief / President. Thus, the only purpose of the media and the above stated politicians desire to "show the real cost of war" is for a political purpose. Just for settling the debate, the real cost of war is already known for it is a little hard to hide the impact of a fallen has on his / her family, community and entire country and they are not snuck back in under cover of darkness to hide their loss, but if any use of cover of darkness is had, it is to shield them from being used as a political photo op.
I urge your action to contact your U.S. Senator and U.S. Congressman to have them exercise their contacts and leverage to keep Dover a private place for the fallen and the families who are about to receive them home for burial. And it is important to contact President Obama, Defense Secretary Gates, and others on the list below. I know it is a long list, but think about the time you spend in writing a letter, sending a fax, sending an email, or making a call versus the lifetime of love the fallen and their families have given for America.
The White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
TWO Royal Marines were stopped from having a homecoming pint at their local after returning from the frontline in Afghanistan – when staff refused to recognise their military ID cards.
Dan Buchanan, 21, and Kelvin Billings, 22, were turned away at the Isambard Kingdom Brunel pub in Portsmouth when doormen said they didn’t look old enough.
They showed the cards – which included their pictures and dates of birth – but managers at the JD Wetherspoon pub insisted they were not an acceptable form of identification.
Lance Corporal Billings said: “It would have been our first pint since getting back.
“We’ve used our Marines ID all over the world and it’s never been turned down before. We’d been back a matter of hours after serving our country for five months. I’m going back for another two months next week.
“I’d seen a fair bit of action and just wanted a pint of Kronenbourg with my best mate. I couldn’t believe it when they wouldn’t let us in.
A day before I was putting my life on the line for Britain and yet that didn’t count for anything
Dan Buchanan
“I could understand if there were 20 of us trying to get in, but it was just the two of us.
“It’s not like we even look under 18. Both of us have got moustaches and if anything look older than we are.
“Portsmouth only exists because of the armed forces – they’ve been based here for hundreds of years. We keep the pubs in this city going.”
Marine Buchanan added: “A day before I was putting my life on the line for Britain and yet that didn’t count for anything. We were disgusted and angry, to be honest.”...
TWO Royal Marines were stopped from having a homecoming pint at their local after returning from the frontline in Afghanistan – when staff refused to recognise their military ID cards. Dan Buchanan, 21, and Kelvin Billings, 22, were turned away at the Isambard Kingdom Brunel pub in Portsmouth when doormen said they didn’t look old enough.
They showed the cards – which included their pictures and dates of birth – but managers at the JD Wetherspoon pub insisted they were not an acceptable form of identification.
Lance Corporal Billings said: “It would have been our first pint since getting back.
“We’ve used our Marines ID all over the world and it’s never been turned down before. We’d been back a matter of hours after serving our country for five months. I’m going back for another two months next week.
“I’d seen a fair bit of action and just wanted a pint of Kronenbourg with my best mate. I couldn’t believe it when they wouldn’t let us in.
So they are quite happy to serve feral chavs, bar customers for daring to complain, dish up South American zebu bushmeat as steak and allow the social underclass to use their Mc'Beer chain as a creche for the young ones during the day; but serve soldiers? Seems the answer is no.
Still no doubt Mr Martins chain will make a big issue of apologising before barring these fine young men afterwards as per company policy....
Go read a letter The Lone Voice wrote, here. I would say that is more than 2p worth, but he goes further:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to make military IDs a nationally recognised form of ID -
make military IDs a nationally recognised form of ID. That way all establishments would have to accept them along with passports or driving licences. At the same time they can make it a crime to discriminate against military personel regardless of whether they are in uniform or not.
This was brought about by the poor treatment of two soldiers who popped into a Wetherspoon chav palace for a well deserved pint, after putting their lives on the line fighting for Queen & country...(here)
Yes, I signed the petition. This is so far beyond unacceptable treatment of our British troops.
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