Combat tours take toll on families
By William Cole, Honolulu Advertiser
When the nation's top-ranking military commanders talk about the Army being stressed nearly to the breaking point by repeat combat deployments, a lot of that concern doesn't have to do with the battlefield. It has to do with home.
Gen. Richard Cody, the Army's vice chief of staff, reiterated the mantra again on April 1 before a Senate Armed Services subcommittee.
Cody said the Army today is out of balance.
Military Support
Mike Gilbert of The News Tribune has published a long list of resources available to military families looking for support. While it is geared towards the Ft. Lewis community it is still relevant to everyone.
Soldier no longer faces foreclosure
I'm grateful that Mike Barber followed up on this story.
A Fort Lewis soldier who returned from stresses of war last year to the face the subprime mortgage mess threatening to foreclose on his family's dream home is now in the clear.
Sgt. Marcus Barton said some encouraging readers of a P-I story on him last month provided moral and financial assistance to keep creditors at bay.
Instead of facing foreclosure and broken finances, Barton, his wife, Sarah, who is expecting their third child, and their two sons will be able to sell their North Tacoma house to break even and later this year move to new quarters on the Army post.
Far away, but close at heart
Families of 4/2 SBCT soldiers are featured in the following story.
BILL HUTCHENS; The News Tribune
[...] Eva Hart is taking care of her 10-year-old granddaughter, Arianna Hart, while Arianna’s dad (and Eva’s son), Staff Sgt. Ben Hart, a Stryker soldier, is serving in Iraq.
Ben Hart is with the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and isn’t as easy to get in touch with as Jim DeLapp. Eva and Arianna have gone as long as a month without hearing from him, but Eva said he is generally able to get through about once every two weeks.
“It’s very sporadic,” Eva said. “He pays a friend to use his cell phone. As long as he can, he talks to his daughter. When he’s able to call, he tries to call her to wake her up in the morning and tell her to have a good day.”
Home for Christmas
Army Staff Sgt. David Larson gave his mother the best present she could ever have this year, himself in one piece.
The twenty-five-old recently returned from a 15-month tour of duty in Iraq, including three months in Baqubah as part of the U.S. troop surge.
"Where haven't I been in Iraq?" Larson said, recalling his two tours with the Army's 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry regiment.
The comforts of home near Madigan
The following article profiles the Fisher House facility at Ft. Lewis. I know a number of Stryker families have taken advantage of the organization's housing at Ft. Lewis and elsewhere.
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Like a lot of Army spouses, Sora Oakes figured she’d be better off staying back home with her family while her husband, Sgt. 1st Class Don Oakes, was in Iraq.
So when he deployed in April, she and their son Connor moved out of their quarters at Fort Lewis and in with her folks in Tennessee.
That worked fine – until Oakes got hurt Nov. 9. He suffered a badly broken leg when a wall collapsed onto him during a mission in Diyala province.
‘Is it going to be me today?’
MICHAEL GILBERT BY CHRISTIAN HILL; The News Tribune The Olympian
Sgt. Brian Kerrigan and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Du were hit Aug. 23 a few miles out of Balad, Iraq, as they and the rest of their Stryker brigade were making it back to Baghdad.
They’d spent the previous two months in Baqouba, clearing al-Qaida in Iraq fighters from the city, which they had proclaimed the capital of their new Islamic republic.
They were just weeks from completing their 15-month tour, and had managed to avoid serious injury over hundreds of patrols from Mosul to Baghdad.
Kerrigan, 29, was near the end of his second combat tour. He went to Iraq the first time in 2003 as a new recruit with the 82nd Airborne Division. He had a good job at Federal Express in Seattle but left it to enlist after Sept. 11.
Wounds that don’t show
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The bomb, two large artillery shells buried at the side of the road, exploded just a few feet in front of the Stryker.
The blast in central Iraq didn’t so much as puncture the tires. But it hit the soldiers inside so hard that some couldn’t think straight for days.
“The first few days were miserable. I was wearing sunglasses inside my room. … My head was just pounding,” said Sgt. Brian Kerrigan, who was seated at the gunner’s station.
Luckily, none of the football-sized chunks of asphalt thrown by the bomb hit Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Du, who was standing in a hatch with his head and shoulders exposed. But the pressure wave rocked him hard enough to give him a severe concussion.
Schools for military children respect their unique lives
FORT LEWIS -- In "Mr. T's" kindergarten class at Evergreen Elementary, 5-year-old Annika and her classmates are scribbling lines in their journals. The assignment is a daily question, and today's seeks a few thoughts about their favorite "math stations" exercise.
Annika, however, is more focused than most upon filling her page.
When her teacher, Jeff Thompson, reaches Annika and asks her to translate what she has busily used her pencil to create, Annika tells him about her favorite math station.
Then she reads for him about a more significant part of her life:
"My daddy, I'm missing him so much because he's in Iraq," she says, running her finger over penciled lines as she interprets them for her teacher.
Following the Strykers
On the night of June 18 and the early morning of June 19, U.S. and Iraqi forces launched Operation Arrowhead Ripper in Iraq's Diyala province. Targeted at the city of Baqubah, which the now-deceased al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Masab al-Zarqawi proclaimed his own capital of the "Islamic State of Iraq" in October, the goal of the operation was to trap and destroy the insurgents who have run the city of some 250,000 residents for more than a year.
Representing part of Gen. David Petraeus' plan to pacify the "Baghdad belts" that have served as way stations for terrorism attacks inside the capital, Arrowhead Ripper is a key test of the surge of American troops to Iraq. The operation has also turned out to be an excellent palette for milblogging, both from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, which provided the central striking force of the offensive, and from freelance journalists.
Post keeps current memorials
Fort Lewis’ commanding general said Wednesday that the Army post will not hold monthly memorial services for its fallen soldiers, calling the current ceremonies “dignified, personalized and fitting tributes” that will continue with some changes.
The announcement by Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. would appear to conclude an emotional and controversial debate about how best to honor the sacrifice of local soldiers who die in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Each Stryker brigade and other individual units will continue to determine the frequency of the services, and they will plan and conduct them for their soldiers with support from post leaders.
Army captain blinded in Iraq bombing summits Mount Rainier
By MELANTHIA MITCHELL, ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
SEATTLE -- Scott Smiley lives life a little differently since being blinded by shrapnel that ripped through his eyes in a suicide bombing in Iraq, but it's a challenge he has embraced.
Two days before the 27-year-old Army captain was to be honored as Army Times' soldier of the year, he reached the summit of Mount Rainier in the latest of what has been a whirlwind of adventures since losing his eyesight in the 2005 bombing in Mosul.
Smiley reached the top of the 14,411-foot peak south of Seattle early Tuesday along with several other climbers, including a half dozen guides from Rainier Mountaineering Inc.[...]
Memorials will continue at fort for now
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis’ new commanding general won’t change the way the post holds memorial ceremonies for its soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, at least for the time being.
The post announced Wednesday that Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., “has decided that Fort Lewis will continue with its current manner of honoring its fallen warriors … until he has had a chance to fully assess the issue.”
The announcement at least temporarily reverses a controversial plan to combine memorials for all the post’s fallen soldiers into one monthly ceremony.
With more soldiers deployed now than at any time since the beginning of the war in Iraq, Fort Lewis has lost its largest numbers of soldiers in the past two months.
4th Annual Ride & Rally For The Troops
On Sunday July 15, 2007, Destination Harley-Davidson in Tacoma, WA will host its 4th Annual Rally For The Troops, which is a charity motorcycle ride. Proceeds from the event will go to the Fisher House organization. In the past over 3,000 riders have participated, and this year they are hoping to exceed that number. I went down as a spectator in 2005 and it was an impressive event. Even if you don't ride it's a fun event. We'll post another reminder as the date approaches.
New Scam Targets Military Spouses
WASHINGTON, May 31, 2007 – The American Red Cross is warning military spouses about a new identity-theft scam that targets family members of deployed troops.
The Red Cross was alerted of the scam earlier this month, said Devorah Goldburg of the Red Cross.
The scam involves a person with an American accent calling a military spouse, identifying herself as a representative of the Red Cross, and telling the spouse that her husband was hurt in Iraq and was medically evacuated to Germany. The caller then says that doctors can't start treatment until paperwork is completed, and that to start the paperwork they need the spouse to verify her husband's social security number and date of birth.
Fort Lewis to consolidate memorials for dead
Michael Gilbert, The News Tribune
Fort Lewis, which this month has suffered its worst losses of the war, will no longer conduct individual memorial ceremonies for soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Instead, the post will hold one ceremony for all soldiers killed each month, the Fort Lewis acting commanding general, Brig. Gen. William Troy, wrote in a memo to commanders and staff last week.
“As much as we would like to think otherwise, I am afraid that with the number of soldiers we now have in harm’s way, our losses will preclude us from continuing to do individual memorial ceremonies,” Troy wrote in the memo, according to a copy obtained by United for Peace Pierce County and posted on the group’s Web site. A post spokesman confirmed the policy change Tuesday. It will start in June.
A Fort Lewis stalwart praised as ‘a great mentor and adviser’
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
These are tough times for Army spouses at Fort Lewis, even before this week’s tragic news that nine more local soldiers had died.
Most of the 10,000 Fort Lewis soldiers now deployed to Iraq left a wife or a husband back home. And most who are there have had their combat tours extended from 12 to 15 months.
So it might come as a little bit of a lift to learn that one of their own was chosen to represent all Army spouses Friday in a White House ceremony to mark Military Spouse Appreciation Day.
Book: The Long Road Home
A number of people have emailed us to suggest we link to recent interviews with Martha Raddatz, the Chief White House correspondent for ABC News. She recently released a book titled, "The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family", and has been featured on programs such as Charlie Rose (interview begins at the 31:30 minute mark) and Good Morning America. I haven't read the book or watched the full interview, but those who have appreciate that she focuses so much time on the soldiers' families back home. J.M. Simpson at Blog-Ah! has a more detailed book review if you'd like to read that as well.
For These Kids, War Hits Close To Home
Half of the 300 students at the Chloe Clark elementary school come from Army families. This means, young as they are, these kids have a stake in the war, CBS News correspondent Jerry Bowen reports.
"My mom might be going to Iraq in April," says Giovanni. "My dad went the second of this month," adds Emily Hughes.
Counselor Coley Fannin's job is to help them learn how to cope. He holds weekly group sessions.
"It's nice knowing that some other people's dads are over there, so you're not like the only one," says Emily.
Photojournalist to share his images of Iraq war
An award-winning photojournalist who has been embedded with three military units during Operation Iraqi Freedom will present his images of war and the life of a modern soldier on Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m. in the Catherine Evans McGowan Room of the Mary Kintz Bevevino Library. The event is open free to the public.
Co-sponsored by the Communications and History Departments at College Misericordia, the one-hour slide-show presentation will feature the images of Peter Haley of The Tacoma News Tribune of Tacoma, Wash. He was embedded in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Those scenes will be presented and explained by the photojournalist, who has garnered national and state recognition for his work. After his presentation, Haley will field questions from the audience.
Hearts of Hope
Former 1/25 SBCT soldier Walt Gaya writes about his recent visit to the studio of Tacoma artist Bonnie Burns. Ms. Burns creates handmade glass hearts that she sends to soldiers serving overseas. Her son is also a member of the 172nd SBCT that just returned from Iraq.
War Widows
The News Tribune published a series of articles and multimedia features in today's paper profiling Army widows from the Puget Sound region (links below). The husbands of Debbie Bridges and Shawna Burbank, both featured, were members of the 3/2 SBCT when it first deployed in 2003. Debbie has been featured here a number of times, and Shawna maintains a wonderful album of photos featuring her husband in our gallery.
The stories:
- Initial moments of shock reverberate as a new war widow finds strength in unexpected quarters
- Widowhood means starting over – at home, at work and even in new relationships
- The change from Army wife to Army widow leads to lobbying and activism for families left behind
Multimedia:
- Video: Widows of the Iraq war
- Audio slideshow: Widows of the Iraq war
How to help:
If you aren't already a registered user with The News Tribune this would be a good time to become one. Their coverage of the Ft. Lewis based Stryker Brigades is consistently top-notch.
Wounded Soldier Project
Mike Gilbert has posted about the Wounded Soldier Project on his FOB Tacoma blog.
War widows' courage inspires wide admiration
One of the widows mentioned, Debbie Bridges, has contributed to this site in the past. Her husband, SSG Steven H. Bridges, was a member of the 3/2 SBCT that deployed in 2003.
Five Iraq war widows still travel to Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma every week to meet with a counselor and talk about their husbands, their lives and the tribulations of moving on.
That hasn't changed since the support group was formed in 2004. None of the women has re-married or left the area. But life hasn't been static, either. There are children to raise and opportunities to pursue.
Leaders Praise Fortitude of Stryker Brigade Families
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Dec. 15, 2006 – Army leaders praised military families here during ceremonies this week for standing solidly behind the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team during its 16-month deployment to Iraq.
Army Secretary Francis Harvey told families of brigade members during the “Arctic Wolves’” redeployment ceremony here Dec. 12 that the Army recognizes their sacrifices and will continue its efforts to support them.
How families trained for 172nd Stryker BCT homecoming
Did any of you participate in this program? If so, was it helpful?
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska (Army News Service, Dec. 11, 2006) - Family members and friends of the recently returned 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team spent a few weeks in a new type of reintegration training before their Soldiers returned home.
"Back in July and August we completed a round of reintegration classes prior to the brigade's extension. The feedback we received from those classes let us know that something more was needed," said Lt. Col. Greg Parrish, deputy commander, 172nd SBCT.
Friends indeed
By TATABOLINE BRANT, Anchorage Daily News
Angelina Estrada and Shena Johnson are really glad they met each other two years ago at church. But Thursday they didn't have much time to talk about it.
It's Thanksgiving, after all, and their hands, as usual, are full. The two 28-year-olds have three kids each -- all under the age of 8. Both of their husbands are gone to Iraq.
Estrada's husband, a staff sergeant in the Army's 172nd Stryker Brigade, has been gone for 16 months. He's due back Saturday. Johnson's, a sergeant first class in Fort Richardson's new airborne brigade, left last month. He won't be back for a year.
Plenty to be thankful for, despite Iraq
The following editorial was written by the wife a soldier with the 172nd SBCT.
By JULIANA DAPICE, Anchorage Daily News
During this time between Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving, I am feeling both pensive and thankful. My beloved husband, Rob, currently serving with the 172nd Stryker Brigade, is among our nation's newest veterans. He deployed to Iraq from Alaska in August of 2005.
It is with mixed emotions that I look forward to this Thanksgiving. Because of the infamous extension of the 172nd Stryker Brigade, 15 months have passed since the day they left in August. Another Thanksgiving will soon be here and our husbands are still away. The yellow ribbons I tied around the trees this summer in anticipation of their homecoming have barely weathered the harsh change of Alaska seasons. In fact they are so ragged I must just tie new ones before they return.
A soldier writes a teacher
Here's a nice story submitted by one of our regular visitors. His son, an officer with the 172nd, wrote the letter.
UPDATE: Lindsey's teacher upped her grade and the teacher is going to write an email to Gabe from the whole class.
A co-worker's 8-year-old daughter Lindsey had a civics test. One question was "What do soldiers do on an Army base? She wrote for her answer: "they sleep." She scored 85 on the exam but the teacher deducted five points for her Army answer and went into a song and dance that was more like Ft Dix than the world today."My father's friend Gabe is in Iraq and he says they get back to the base and sleep because they are very tired," she told the teacher. The teacher didn't buy this argument. I told Gabe the story, and here is his response to the teacher:
Washington troops share their voices
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Flying wounded soldiers out of Iraq, flight nurse Ed Hrivnak and his fellow crew members used to stick big strips of white tape on the legs of their flight suits.
They were so busy treating their patients they didnt have time to sit with a notebook. So theyd write quick thoughts on the pieces of tape.
Those notes were the beginnings of Hrivnaks journal writing that found its way into a collection of work by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan called Operation Homecoming.
The 37-year-old Air Force Reserve captain from Spanaway contributed a half-dozen short vignettes that describe what it was like to fly the wounded out of Iraq in the first six months of the war.
Several other writers with regional connections have work in the new book, including:
Jack Lewis, an Army Reserve staff sergeant from Seattle, who was in Iraq with the Fort Lewis Strykers of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. His haunting story, Road Work, takes place on a Stryker convoy near the Syrian border in far northwestern Iraq.
Brian Turner, a Stryker infantryman with the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, who contributed his poetry. Hes now out of the Army and teaching literature at Fresno City College in California, and last year published a collection of poems titled Here, Bullet.
Sandi Austin, a civil affairs reservist from California who also went to Iraq with the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. She contributed a song she first performed at the brigades New Years Eve celebration at a dusty, windswept camp near Samarra.[...]
Making a soldier's day
By Gale Fiege, The Daily Herald
LYNNWOOD - World War II veteran Muriel Jean Whalley is cutting up old Christmas cards to make new ones. She wants to send a little humor and holiday kindness to some young people from Fort Lewis.
As she cuts and pastes, Whalley, 82, recounts her service in the Women's Army Corps. An American-born citizen who grew up in England, she remembers the day she heeded Uncle Sam's call. Whoever the heck he was, the man needed her.
Comcast Video Email Offer
We wanted to let people know about the following offer if you are planning on attending the Puyallup Fair.
Comcast, which supports our armed forces both here and overseas, is welcoming members of the military and their loved ones to record a free video mail from the Comcast booth at The Puyallup Fair this year. Video mail can be sent to anyone with an email address and a reasonably modern computer. Theres no big file that the recipient has to worry about; the recipient simply receives an email with a link that allows them to view up to a three-minute video.
The offer is for both members of the military stationed here who would like to communicate with relatives back home, as well as loved ones who would like to communicate with a member of the military who is serving outside the region.
The Comcast booth is located through Door C North inside the SHOWPLEX. The fair is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 24. For more information about the fair, see www.thefair.com.
Support march earns its stripes
Link to Full Article
By Christian Hill, The Olympian
LACEY - The march to support the local families of deployed U.S. service members has come a long way considering the two men who started the event three years ago didn't know the first thing about the military.
"We did not know ranks at all," recalled Andrew Oczkewicz, this year's chairman of the organizing committee. "We had no idea what a brigade was. Zero idea. But we've got it down now."
Soldiers roll out to help battle blaze
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
About 550 Fort Lewis soldiers set out by bus Monday to join crews fighting the nations largest active wildfire.
The Tripod Complex fire near Winthrop has burned more than 83,400 acres in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, officials said Monday.
Thats about the size of Fort Lewis, where the soldiers of Task Force Blaze spent Sunday learning firefighting basics before leaving Monday for Winthrop in north-central Washington.
Stryker wife gets second chance to fulfill a dream
Tracey Murray, Fort Wainwright PAO
When Capt. James Mitchell missed his daughters first birthday on Oct. 29, 2005, it was expected because the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team left a few months earlier for Iraq.
But missing their daughters second birthday has come as a complete surprise to the family, especially his wife Kellie.
Families of forts Wainwright and Richardson are going through similar situations.
A soldier's family waits
Link to Full Article
Joe Wolfcale
Charlotte Blumenberg stared blankly at the oblong table in the family's San Anselmo home graced with mementos of her 22-year-old son, John, a U.S. Army specialist in Iraq.
There were precisely painted Army figurines, a stack of photographs from the war-torn region, a closeup of the cherub face of John's newborn daughter Lillian, and a handwritten letter professing his love of flyfishing.
Army tenure far from over, blind soldier advances career after Iraq
Link to Full Article
By KATE WILTROUT, The Virginian-Pilot
FORT MONROE - Something told Tiffany Smiley not to sign the papers that would end her husband's Army career.
A week earlier, Scott Smiley had been a lieutenant in charge of a Stryker Brigade Combat Team platoon in Mosul, Iraq. He'd graduated from West Point, made it through Ranger school and hoped to serve in special operations.
Yet in April 2005, he was barely conscious - the victim of a suicide car bombing that sent shrapnel into his brain, leaving him temporarily paralyzed and permanently blind.
It's up to the community to welcome single soldiers home
Link to Full Article
By Michelle Cuthrell
As I was cleaning out my garage this week--one of the many endless tasks I'm trying to complete before my husband comes home from Iraq next month--I stumbled across a box from 1st. Lt. Devin Hammond.
Besides being a great friend of ours, Devin is also a single soldier. That means, among other things, that he has no one to ship his boxes home to, no one to maintain his car.
So throughout this deployment, I've tried to pick up the slack and make things easier on him. He mails his extra Army gear home to my house, his car sits in the front of my driveway. I start the vehicle and maintain it as best I can so that storage and car maintenance are two less things this soldier has to worry about when he returns home from a yearlong deployment. [...]
2006 Ride And Rally For The Troops
The 3rd annual Ride & Rally For the Troops, sponsored by Destination Harley-Davidson in Tacoma, will be held this Sunday, July 9, 2006. The Ride begins at 10:15 AM, with the Rally following. Visit the website for more information or to register. Over the past two years the event has raised over $35,000 for the troops and their families.
Related Entries: 2004 Ride & Rally, 2005 Ride & Rally
Dell Technology Donation to Connect Soldiers and Families
Although separated by thousands of miles, Dell(NASDAQ:DELL) technology will keep deployed soldiers of a U.S. Armycombat unit and their families at Fort Lewis, Wash., connected, anytime of the day or night.
Dell recently donated 20 OptiPlex(TM) GX620 computers equippedwith flat panel monitors, headsets, Web cameras and two Dell 3100cnlaser printers for family members to use at the family support centerfor the Army's 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Stryker BrigadeCombat Team (3-2 SBCT). Soldiers of the unit, which is being deployedoverseas in late June and early July, can communicate with their lovedones via two donated Dell Latitude(TM) D620 notebook computersequipped with Web cameras as well as regular-issue systems.
Take action to welcome soldiers
Link to Full Article
By Michelle Cuthrell
One of the most physically noticeable changes about Fort Wainwright when the Stryker Brigade deployed last August were the signs.
Entering the front gate and traveling down Gaffney Road, drivers couldn't help but notice the hundreds of painted, printed, sewn and signed banners that hung from the gates of the sports field to the train tracks, and almost everywhere in between. They displayed words of support, messages of encouragement and most of all, symbols of love.
'Cool' project to help U.S. troops fight heat
Link to Full Article
By Shantell M. Kirkendoll
Area hospitals announced a new war mission Thursday: They are sending ice packs to troops in Iraq, where temperatures are consistently over 110 degrees and often near 130 degrees.
The effort began at the request of Sgt. Larry J. VanderMolen, 22, an Owosso soldier who said drivers in his Stryker unit would pass out from the heat. He called his mother, Julie Innes, a Lansing health care worker, to see what she could do.
Local hospital answers call to help soldiers fight heat in Iraq
Link to Full Article
David Nichol, T-H Staff Writer
It started with an article on an online bulletin board called "Stryker Battalion News."
Brad and Rush Beavers read it, because their son drives a Stryker vehicle -- described as heavier than a Bradley, but lighter than a tank. Presently, their son B.J. is driving that vehicle in Mosul, Iraq.
The article asked for something that may surprise some folks. It asked for ice. Stryker drivers occasionally pass out from the sheer heat. The actual answer was not ice as it turned out, but chemical cold packs.
Soldiers can be honored any day of the year
Link to Full Article
By MICHELLE CUTHRELL
After reading my column last week, a friend came to me and asked what she could do to make Memorial Day more meaningful.
"I know I can volunteer at that Moving Wall," she said, "but what else can I do to honor those who have served and sacrificed?"
The Heart List Grows, The Support Continues
By Susy Raybon
In December 2005, Stryker News published the story of First Lt. Brett Phillips (1st BN, 17th INF) at FOB Marez and SSG William Verble (278th Regimental Combat Team, formerly of FOB Cobra, Tennessee National Guard) handing out small dolls of color in the Mosul and Baghdad regions of Iraq. Both soldiers are medics and gave out the dolls while on medical screening missions.
On a recent medical mission, 1st Lt. Phillips, of Fairbanks, said there was a comment from a grandmother who had brought her granddaughters to one of the medical screenings for treatment: Oh, the dolls have the same skin as Iraqis. That is so nice. In Bretts words, It was pretty cool that she picked up on it. You always wonder but never know. A bond was forged.
Operation Purple caters to kids with family members at war
Link to Full Article
By MEGAN BAEZA, Anchorage Daily News
A week filled with late-night campfires, torched marshmallows and ghost stories is the stuff of dreams for most children, but for the dependents of a deployed member of the military, it can be much more.
Operation Purple is a program of the National Military Family Association and offers a free, weeklong summer camp with a goal of giving military children who face their own battles with worry, fear and change the tools to face deployment challenges using positive outlets and camaraderie.
Hearts to Heroes 2006
Thanks to a current 1/25 SBCT solider, CW3 Matt Jones, we learned of the Hearts to Heroes 2006 motorcycle ride to support the troops held in Phoenix, AZ on March 25. He rode in the event and also alerted us to a special guest speaker, PVT Daniel Stackhouse of the 17nd SBCT. PVT Stackhouse was injured by an IED blast near his Stryker and is now recovering in the States. You can visit the ride homepage to learn more about the event and view a video profiling PVT Stackhouse.
Holding down the home fort
Link to Full Article
By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER, Staff Writer
Any other year, Dave and Jan Reed would be spending the winter touring the Lower 48 in their RV, working for the National Parks Service as lighthouse tour guides or campground hosts. But this year, the Reeds are spending time in Fairbanks, tackling snow, cold and holding down the fort for their son and daughter-in-law while they are deployed to Iraq.
"It's the least we could do for these guys," Dave Reed said last week at their temporary home in the hills off Skyline Drive.
General lauds community for its support of military
Link to Full Article
By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER, Staff Writer
Alaska has thousands of soldiers and airmen deployed overseas, several sites integral to the National Missile Defense project and thousands of miles of training airspace. With that in mind, U.S. Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright noted Friday the significance of Alaska to the military as a whole.
"It important for us to understand the essence of what this state really brings to the table for the U.S. military," he said.
Mission: Time baby's arrival with dad's
For months now, I have been anticipating not just the return of my husband, but also the arrival of our first child.
I knew our timing had to be just right for baby and husband to coincide, but I also realized that I didn't have a real choice in the matter. Matt would come home for his two weeks of rest and relaxation when the Army said so, and baby would enter the world when he thought it was time.
But that doesn't mean that I haven't been studying up on ways to make the two events coincide. ...
Girl Scout Cookies
Angie O'Farrell is looking for one more group of soldiers to send 100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to. She sent us the following email, which includes contact information if you are interested. Do they still make the peanut butter cookies?
Military spouses need each other's support
Link to Full Article
By Michelle Cuthrell
Though he only deployed with the 4-14 Cavalry Unit with the Stryker brigade in August, Kim Fonville has already been separated from her spouse for more than a year. And she still has six months to go.
Her husband joined the military in January 2005, completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and then was almost immediately stationed at Fort Wainwright in May. But by the time he arrived in Fairbanks and would have normally moved up his wife and two daughters, two sergeants advised him to leave his family in the comforts and familiarity of home. After all, he would be deploying in two months, and he wouldn't want them to be all alone while he was gone.
Six months is a long time to miss spouse
Link to Full Article
By Michelle Cuthrell
This week marks the halfway point in the Stryker brigade's de ployment to Iraq. The strong soldiers we never thought we could let go of in the first place have now been gone for six months.
Though it's a relatively short period of time in the grand scheme of things, six months can feel like a really long time when you're missing your spouse and managing everything for two (or in my case, two and one in the oven) in the freezing cold winters of Fairbanks.
Special deliveries
Link to Full Article
"Pen pals teach third-graders about friendships and giving."
BY LAUREN WILLIAMSON, Record Staff Writer
LONG VIEW -- Jaleel Ussery shuffles through his desk in Christine Brocks third-grade class at Longview Elementary.
He tosses aside crayons, loose sheets of paper and his textbook. After a few minutes of shuffling, his scowl transforms into a grin.
Here are the cards my soldier wrote to me, Ussery said. He even sent me some pictures.
Kind-hearted support oozes from every nook and cranny
Link to Full Article
By Michelle Cuthrell
Jim Kuhnert and his buddy smiled at me as they opened the gate to the pickup truck sitting outside my office Monday morning. Anticipating a few boxes, or maybe just a bag or two, I casually unlocked the side door to my tiny Corolla. I figured I could squeeze a couple items into my back seat with no problem. But as they pulled down the gate, I realized I had a lot more unlocking to do.
There, crammed into the bed of the truck, were thirteen bulky Priority Mail boxes stuffed with my favorite cuddly fleece knot-style blankets.
Realizing a spouse's sacrifice takes away resentment against Army
Link to Full Article
by MICHELLE CUTTHRELL
It had been a long day.
A really long day.
I had no food in the house, my lower back killed, my baby brother and I were fighting and I was craving pineapple I didn't have. The minus 30 degree Fairbanks weather didn't help my pregnancy woes any, either. All I wanted at the end of my day was to come home and just nuzzle under a blanket with my husband, who would let me know that everything would be all right.
Army leader up for second star
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
As deputy director for operations on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Carter Ham sees most of what the U.S. military is doing around the world each day. Its one of those ringside-at-history jobs.
But its nothing like the time he spent leading Fort Lewis-based soldiers across northern Iraq an assignment he once called the defining period of my life.
Its going from command in the field, where youre out and about with soldiers all the time, actively engaged in operations, to a staff job, Ham said last week. An important staff job, but nonetheless a staff job....
Wife of fallen soldier recalls the day everything changed
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Norma Melo will have a special memorial Mass celebrated today for her late husband Julian, as she has each month since losing him in Iraq a year ago.
But otherwise, Fort Lewis will not formally observe the anniversary of a day that shook the post like no other in these past four years of war.
It was a year ago today that a suicide bomber detonated himself inside a busy lunchtime chow hall at Forward Operating Base Marez, in Mosul, Iraq. Twenty-two people died, including six Fort Lewis soldiers, and more than 70 were wounded.
Even before the identities of those killed and wounded were made public, those at Fort Lewis braced for the worst. About half of the 4,000 Stryker troops then in northern Iraq lived at FOB Marez....
Heart List
(The following is a letter we recently received from Susan Preston Raybon)
Dear Editor:
There are hundreds of small, personal humanitarian efforts that go on daily, for the most part invisible to the public. These projects are usually tiny and involve one or two special people. The holiday season is a perfect time to tell this story and showcase two really special soldiers, one starting and the other continuing a heartfelt legacy.
Almost everyone has a Heart List even if they have never put a name to it. For the most part, it is an unconscious thing. Usually, it includes our family, our friends and our acquaintances that we admire and emulate. They are the ones whose traits and philosophies either mirror ours or shine above our own mirrors.
McChord Airman earns Air Force leadership award
A Joint Tactical Air Controller with the 5th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Lewis was recently selected for the 2005 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award.
Senior Airman Grailin Blamer earned this recognition for his quick and cool-headed thinking while providing air cover for Soldiers in Iraq. He will receive the award in Washington, D.C., early next year....
Soldiers who fight wars are not the only heroes around
Cindy McGrew and her Operation Second Chance organization are profiled in the following article. Cindy has also helped a number of Stryker Brigade families, including Michael Oreskovic.
Link to Full Article
by Paul Gordon
War is hell! No one knows that better than those caught in its midst.
This column is not about politics of war. It is about the brave men and women who have returned to this country, physically and mentally shattered, fighting a second battle to pick up the pieces of their lives. [...]
Off Schedule Babies Test Stryker Brigade Families
Link to Full Article with Photo
Tracey Murray
Fort Wainwright PAO
Military families are tested every day, especially during the times of deployment.
Media Appearances
Two individuals close to the Stryker Brigade community will be appearing on television and radio today and tomorrow.
- Michael Reagan - The local artist will be profiled on Veterans Day (Friday) by KIRO 7 News during the 6 PM PST newscast. Michael has made it his mission to provide free portraits of fallen servicemen and women for their families.
- Michael Yon - Will appear on both radio and television during his brief visit back to the States. A return to Iraq is on the horizon.
Webcams Help Deployed Soldiers Stay Close to Home
Link to Full Article with photos
Tracey Murray
Fort Wainwright PAO
FORT WAINWRIGHT While families and Soldiers alike still enjoy receiving packages and letters through the mail, technology is helping deployed Soldiers feel much closer to home.
She delivers treats, toiletries to wounded soldiers
Link to Full Article
DAVID WICKERT; The News Tribune
Monika Hammon was watching CNN one day when she was struck by a report about wounded soldiers coming home from overseas.
So Hammon decided to do something to show her appreciation for their sacrifice. Over the last several months, shes donated 50 backpacks full of goodies to soldiers recuperating at Madigan Army Medical Center. And shes planning to give a lot more.
Artist captures the spirit of fallen soldiers
Link to Full Article
By Melanthia Mitchell, Associated Press
EDMONDS, Wash. -- The images capture tender moments shattered by the brutality of war. Each one is a comfort to those left behind.
In Tennessee, a grandmother says good morning to the portrait of her smiling grandson.
In Virginia, a mother reflects over a sketch of her young son holding the daughter he never met, and never will.
Military mothers group forms
Link to Full Article
Matt Misterek, The News Tribune
A group of military mothers founded in Flint, Mich., during World War II has launched a state chapter and will meet in Tacoma next month.
The Blue Star Mothers of America is made up of mothers or stepmothers who have had, or do have, children in the military. Fathers, stepfathers and other family members can join as associate members. [...]
A soldier, a mother, a cemetery
The following is a very nice column regarding Laurie Whitham, who has been a frequent visitor to this site. Her son, SPC Chase Whitham, died in Mosul in May, 2004.
Link to Full Article
By Bob Welch, The Register-Guard
SPRINGFIELD - It goes away for the rest of us, the war in Iraq. But not for the woman at Springfield Memorial Gardens on Tuesday afternoon.
Our grief is the Monopoly equivalent of landing on "Jail" without having drawn the ominous ``Go directly to ...'' card. We're just visiting. Another roll of the dice, and we're off and playing again.
9/11 & Hero To Hero Kickoff
This Sunday the volunteers from Hero to Hero will team up with the Tacoma Fire Department to honor the victims of 9/11 and kick off their '06 campaign. The event is open to the public - all of the details are provided in the email below.
Hero to Hero has sent shirts to a number of Stryker Brigade units the past two years, and hopefully units from the 172nd will sign up as well.
UPDATE: There are revised driving directions to the event if you are planning on attending. Send an email to todd (at) strykernews (dot) com and I will forward them to you.
Suspect Sought
Lakewood Police and Crime Stoppers are asking for assistance in locating a suspect in connection with the murder of two individuals early Monday morning near Ft. Lewis. Both individuals, one a soldier, had connections to Ft. Lewis and the Stryker Brigades. Our hearts go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy.
UPDATE: As soon as we posted this a new press release indicates that a suspect has been taken into custody.
Hawaiians protest Stryker plan
Link to Full Article
By Peter Boylan, Honolulu Advertiser
WAHIAWA More than 200 Native Hawaiian activists and others rallied yesterday against the military's plans to station a Stryker brigade in Hawai'i.
Resources for Military Families
The DoD has created an online resource for military families impacted by hurricane Katrina. Need assistance? Looking for relatives? Make this site your first stop.
No funding closes support program
There's information at the bottom of the article if you're interested in helping.
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
A program that has helped hundreds of local women cope with the special stresses of life as a military spouse has ceased operations due to lack of money.
The programs director said shes optimistic it will resume. But she said shes being turned away by many potential donors who say theyve grown weary of supporting military-related causes.
Salute the baby brigade
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
They havent come up with a catchy nickname for it, like Operation Desert Stork, but theres a baby boom on the way at Madigan Army Medical Center.
The hospital is preparing for a 20 percent increase in the number of births 25 to 30 more babies over the monthly average of 148.
They expect the increase to begin next month and to last at least through November, said Lt. Col. Wendy Ma, an Army doctor and chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Madigan.
Officials havent examined the pending population explosion to pinpoint exactly where all the babies are coming from. But they assume at least some are the result of many happy reunions when several Fort Lewis units returned home last fall from Iraq. [...]
The Ride Home 2005
The 2nd Annual Ride & Rally for the Troops drew approximately 3,000 riders this morning, all in an effort to raise money for the troops and to show appreciation for their efforts. I was able to attend the "Rally" portion of the event, and snapped a few photos of the riders' return. Another personal highlight was being able to meet Mike "Oreo" Oreskovic in person...finally. Mike, one of the co-founders of this site, made the long trip up from Eugene, OR this morning to participate.
Provided below are links to additional information regarding the event.
Ride & Rally For The Troops 2005
REMINDER: This event is taking place on Sunday...
Destination Harley in Tacoma will be sponsoring the Second Annual Ride & Rally For The Troops: The Ride Home on Sunday, July 10th. Last year's event drew thousands of riders and spectators, and this year they are hoping for an even bigger turnout. All proceeds from the ride will go to benefit the Family Readiness Groups at Ft. Lewis.
Provided below is an email from Tom at Destination Harley with all the details. Read about last year's ride in this previous entry.
Thoughts drift overseas at Freedom Fest
Link to Full Article
BY HEATHER WOODWARD, THE OLYMPIAN
FORT LEWIS -- The sun was out, the air smelled of funnel cakes and the sound of children's delighted shrieks echoed across the U.S. Army post.
But as carloads of families arrived at Fort Lewis on Monday for Freedom Fest -- a daylong festival to celebrate the Fourth of July -- many couldn't help but think about those who were absent.
"My husband is deployed this year in Iraq," said Jennifer Finch, a 32-year-old Lakewood resident who came with her 4-year-old daughter and who was deployed in Iraq herself last year.
Bronze star honors for Manteca man serving in Iraq
After a year in war-torn Iraq as an international police liaison officer, Manteca resident Gerald Krein came home with a civilian version of a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart.
Cold comfort for saving the lives of more than three-dozen American soldiers and Iraqi police officers from a crazed suicide bomber in Mosul in an incident that happened just last month.
And colder comfort still for the memory of seven American soldiers from Ft. Lewis, Wash., who have protected him while he was there and whom he had befriended. Six of them perished in one of the deadliest suicide bombings that rocked Iraq during the months leading to the elections in January when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a military mess hall in Mosul where American and Iraqi solders were getting ready to eat. The seventh soldier from the same military outfit lost his life in January.[...]
Courage under fire
Link to Full Article
By Lara Brenckle
CENTRE HALL -- In the alternate reality that is Iraq, Army Spc. Christopher Swales knew everything was OK if he could hear bullets zinging and guns firing as he patrolled the northern city of Mosul.
"It's when you don't hear it that you worry," Swales said.
The bullet that pierced his leg during an insurgent attack that thundered around him one March day was silent.
It didn't even hurt, Swales said. He looked down in time to see his left leg split open. "Oh, that's not good," he thought.
Instant messages from the war
Link to Full Article
Peter Thompson
CARSON CITY - It was 106 degrees in Mosul on Friday with forecasts predicting highs in the 120s for next week. The shops were open, the people were out and all in all it was a pretty typical day, though, says Sgt. Donny Jenkins of Carson City, "There really aren't any typical days around here."
High-tech weapons systems like unmanned aerial vehicles, GPS-guided bombs and the hybrid Stryker combat infantry vehicle have done wonders to win battles and steel troop morale during the war in Iraq, but for many of the 150,000 soldiers in the country, there's nothing quite like an Internet chat with a family member to get them through another day.
Calling from the northern Iraqi city after a long day on patrol, Jenkins, 28, tells of how the comparatively simple technology of a web camera and e-mail account allows him to better focus on the military mission at hand.
Legion pays tribute to veterans' sacrifices
By Ivonne D'Amato
Link to Full Article
CENTRE HALL -- A simple retreat into an air-conditioned room on a muggy day serves as a reminder of the little things to be grateful for as American soldiers battle scorching heat in Iraq, state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff said Saturday.
Benninghoff, R-College Township, spoke to a group of about 50 people who gathered to honor military members and veterans past and present at the Armed Forces Tribute at American Legion Post 779.
During the ceremony, post commander Carol A. Clark-Baney acknowledged post members who served in World War II and the Korean War and conducted a remembrance service for prisoners of war. Additionally, representatives from the Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy recounted their war experiences.
"Our Stryker armored vehicle was hit by IEDs (improvised explosive devices) on a regular basis," Army Spc. Christopher Swales, 29, said of his recent experience in Iraq. "I had been hit several times and got scrapes and scratches. Each time I got hit and wasn't injured, I got more confident. I began thinking I was invincible."
Swales, of Centre Hall, was a member of the 25th Infantry Division's Stryker Brigade. In March, he was shot in the leg after his unit found a vehicle trafficking weapons during routine vehicle inspections.
Operation Connect: Video eMail for our Troops
Thanks to Jose Casillas for making us aware of the following event taking place this weekend in San Jose, CA. On Saturday, June 11th between 10am and 3pm at The Tech Museum of Innovation in Downtown San Jose, families of deployed service men and women will have the opportunity to create a free video message. The message can then be emailed immediately to their deployed loved one. You can find additional information online, and it is recommended that you register beforehand if you are interested.
SGT Mike Buyas Homecoming
Lynda Pheasant sent us the following report on the homecoming of SGT Mike Buyas, and the community's fundraising efforts on his familiy's behalf. Also included are links to two articles in the Wenatchee World newspaper. This is an inspiring story to lead us into the Memorial Day Weekend.
Fort Lewis allows civilians a glimpse of military life
AARON CORVIN; The News Tribune
Standing under the green-and-white-striped tent, Preston Chanpuang, a wiry 14-year-old, lobbed questions and absorbed the Special Forces recruiters answers.
The Air Force is an easier life, the recruiter told him, but youve got to go with what you want.
What Chanpuang wants is to serve in the military. His family lives at Fort Lewis. His dad is a Stryker brigade member. When he was younger he donned his dads Kevlar helmet and yelled: Duck and cover!
Im learning everything about what I want to do, said Chanpuang, who was among an estimated 17,000 people who swarmed Fort Lewis on Saturday to honor the United States military during the 17th annual Armed Forces Day.
Bush honors wounded chaplain
President Bush honored an injured Twin Cities military chaplain during an address at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on Friday in Washington, D.C.
"This morning we pray for the many Catholics who serve America in the cause of freedom," Bush said at the second annual event. "One of them is an army chaplain named Tim Vakoc. He's a beloved priest who was seriously wounded in Iraq last May. We pray for his recovery; we're inspired by his sacrifice.
New Stryker Magnets
One of our visitors, David Karau, has decided to start another magnet project featuring a few different designs. Provided below is all the information you need about the designs, cost, ordering instructions etc. Thanks David for taking on this project.
SGT Mike Buyas Update
Back in March we posted an article about SGT Mike Buyas, who was seriously injured in Mosul before Christmas. While he's still recovering at Walter Reed, his local community is holding a fundraiser to assist his family. Lynda, a former "Stryker Mom", sent us the following press release the group put together, which includes donation information if you would like to help.
Articles of Interest
The following are a variety of interesting articles regarding Iraq and the military in general.
- Iraq Report - Links to news and analysis from Winds of Change.
- Good news from Iraq, part 27 - From Arthur Chrenkoff.
- Military Spouses Scammed By Phony Casualty Assistance Officers - Blackfive explains this scam, which illustrates the need to protect your soldier's identity. DO NOT disclose any personal info without their consent.
- Military Spouse Career Center Launches - Resource center from Military.com.
- "I Punched Saddam in the Mouth" - Bad title, but very interesting article about the Special Forces interpreter, and Iraqi expatriate, who pulled Saddam from his hiding spot.
Military Spouse Day
The Friday before Mother's Day is traditionally recognized as Military Spouse Day. We'd like to take a moment to recognize the tremendous sacrifices of wives and husbands who support those in uniform. Please join us in saying "Thank You"!
State expected to survive round of base closures
Link to Full Article
BY ELLYN FERGUSON, GANNETT NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON -- A delegation from the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber wrapped up its yearly visit to the Pentagon optimistic that Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base will fare well when the Pentagon releases recommendations for the latest round of military base closings and realignments. [...]
Legislative Alert - Help Needed
Soldiers' Angels and the Wounded Warrior Project sent out the following alert regarding pending legislation. If you're willing and able, please make a phone call, or send a letter/fax/email to the appropriate committee member.
We will keep this entry at the top of the page today, so scroll down for newer entries.
Welcome Stop for Warriors
A nice story profiling a dedicated group of volunteers in Bangor, Maine.
Link to Full Article
By Tony Perry, Times Staff Writer
BANGOR, Maine Tired and bleary-eyed, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, based at Twentynine Palms, Calif., were finally back on U.S. soil after seven months on the front lines in Iraq.
But they were still many miles and hours from their families and the homecoming they longed for. Their officers told them they would be on the ground for 60 to 90 minutes while their chartered plane was refueled.
Soldier blogs bring the front line to the folks at home
Link to Full Article
By Brad Knickerbocker, The Christian Science Monitor
The sergeant stationed just west of Baghdad was once again recounting the dangers of being on the front line - sometimes with dark humor. He referred to how the "muj" (mujahideen or insurgents) were the gang that couldn't shoot straight, but still represented a considerable threat.
"They're horrible shots," he wrote in an e-mail to his family, "but every once in awhile they get lucky. We lost another Marine the other day."
Thank You Letter
The following letter was written by the aunt of SGT Adam J. Plumondore, a soldier with the Stryker Brigade who was killed on February 16th, 2005. She originally shared this on our bulletin board, but agreed to let us post it here as well. I know that many of the emotions she expresses so well are shared by other military families.
Thank you Aunt Lisa!
Businessman Helps Families of Fallen Troops
The following AFPS article highlights the efforts of an organization we recently added to our Links Page - GI-Bracelet.org. All proceeds from sales of its "For Those Who Serve" bracelets go to charitable organizations that support military members and their families.
Link to Article
By Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 6, 2005 Freedom isnt free, asserted San Diego-area businessman James Lee. Thats why, Lee said, hes promoting the sales of G.I.-styled bracelets to assist families of servicemembers whove been killed or wounded while serving in the war against terrorism.
The silicon-rubber bracelets bearing the inscription For Those Who Serve go for $1 to $5 on Lees Web site. The bracelets are the color of the militarys Purple Heart Medal.
In Iraq, even charity is complex
Link to Full Article
BY DIONNE SEARCEY, NEWSDAY
Malcolm Mead was dashing through Kennedy Airport a few weeks ago when he glanced at a television showing yet another grim scene from the war in Iraq.
City Rally Kicks Off Initiative to Support Troops
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
ENID, Okla., April 1, 2005 This north-central Oklahoma city has shown for more than 60 years that it supports the men and women of the U.S. military. And it wasnt shy about loudly expressing that support at a rally March 31 in which Enid joined the Defense Departments America Supports You program.
Tonight is about one simple message: To all our men and women serving in our armed services America Supports You, Enid Mayor Ernie Currier said in welcoming the crowd of nearly 1,300. [...]
If we had the 'full story,' could we grasp it?
We don't normally post opinion on this page, but I hope you will appreciate as I did, this article on the problem of reporting the facts about this war.
Link to Full Article
By Jeffrey Shaffer, Christian Science Monitor
PORTLAND, ORE. Imagine a newspaper that is devoted exclusively to coverage of the situation in Iraq, and contains so much information about every aspect of the current conflict that no one would ever be able to accuse the management of editorial bias or selective presentation of the facts.
Since the moment coalition troops attacked Saddam Hussein's forces, one of the most persistent complaints of media critics is that mainstream news organizations in this country are not giving Americans the "full story" on what's happening as Iraq undergoes a historic regime change. Editors from coast to coast receive angry letters every day from readers who believe that negative reports from Iraq are being favored over positive ones, and vice versa. [...]
The War Comes Home: Feeling two years of sacrifice
I apologize for missing this Stryker story on Saturday. I recommend following the link to the full story.
Link to Full Article
By M.L. LYKE AND MIKE BARBER, The Seattle P-I
A 'family' forged by costs of battle
On March 19, 2003, Georgia and Rod Schilz still had two sons named Joe, and Paris DeLuz was a recovering teenager realizing Mom wasn't so messed up after all.
Their fates changed two years ago today, when the United States pointed at Baghdad and fired.
Now the Schilzes' large, blended family has only one son named Joe. The other, Joe Blickenstaff, an Army specialist, was killed in Iraq in December 2003, one of the first casualties from Fort Lewis' Stryker brigades.
Artists make portraits of U.S. war dead
Link to Full Article
By CARL HARTMAN, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - Row after row of photos in a newspaper, each the likeness of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, were the inspiration for an artistic tribute to those who lost their lives in the conflicts.
"Faces of the Fallen," 1,327 individual portraits of the dead produced by 200 artists, opens to the public Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery.
The images, each 6-by-8 inches, are mounted on plain steel rods that reach to near eye level. Each rod includes a label with the soldier's name, hometown and date of death.
Five rows are arranged chronologically by the soldiers' times of death and stretch along a half-circle inside the small museum at the entrance to the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. The number of images does not represent all those killed - that figure now is more than 1,600. [...]
Division over war bared
Link to Full Article
By JENNIFER LATSON, THE OLYMPIAN
OLYMPIA -- Two years and 1,519 U.S. casualties after the start of war in Iraq, family members of a soldier who died early in the conflict said there is no reason to keep fighting.
The widow and older sister of Spc. Joe Blickenstaff told more than 200 people Saturday that the continued occupation of Iraq would only bring more harm to soldiers, both U.S. and Iraqi.