Archive | Soldier Story | Warrior Transition Command

A Throw of a Lifetime

Filed under Guest Blogger, Soldier Story by jvargas on October 26, 2011 at 3:09 pm {no comments}

AW2 Veteran SPC Timothy Taylor threw the opening pitch during a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game in September.

By Retired SPC Timothy Taylor, AW2 Veteran
For most people around the world, September 11, 2001, is a date they will never forget. This was true for me, but I had to wait before I could make an impact. Almost a year later, after my seventeenth birthday, I joined the Army ready to get in the fight. I had no way of knowing the effect that would have on me ten years later

On September 10, 2011, I got to throw the opening pitch at the St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. Just like September 11, I will never forget this day, but for very different reasons.

I never imagined that one day I would be throwing a pitch in front of 40,000 screaming fans. It was by far the coolest thing I’ve done in my life. Many great things have happened to me since I was injured in Iraq on October 27, 2005, but none more exciting than this .

I know I was lucky to be picked to attend the game, let alone throw a pitch .There are too many people to thank, but I would like to acknowledge Pat Collins, my Advocate with the Army Wounded Warrior Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2), without her support this never would have been possible. To all my fellow wounded warriors continue to get help and push for what you deserve. To all the Soliders keep up the good fight, and come home safe.

AW2 Soldier Becomes Smith & Wesson Shooting Star

Filed under Advocate Story, Soldier Story by jvargas on June 9, 2011 at 3:55 pm {3 comments}

By Melvin Taylor, AW2 Advocate

While serving in Afghanistan as a Black Hawk pilot, CW3 Trevor Baucom was injured during a nighttime assault mission. The helicopter crash left him paralyzed from the waist down. Most of his rehabilitation was performed in Franklin, TN, at the Shepherd Center utilizing Beyond Therapy®, an activity-based therapy program.

While assigned to the Fort Campbell Warrior Transition Unit and receiving therapy, we processed his adaptive vehicle and housing grants. He attended the vehicle driving course, and he is getting around effortlessly now. His home was modified with an elevator to assist him from one level to the next.

Also during his therapy sessions, he met Jim Scoutten from Shooting USA, a shooting and gun sport television show. The two quickly became friends, and the idea of Baucom becoming a competitive shooter was spun. With the help of Smith & Wesson, Safariland™, and Atlanta Arms and Ammo, he began training with the goal of becoming a competitive shooter. His training started with courses at the National Rifle Association (NRA) National Action Pistol Championship. He trained between doctor’s appointments and his children’s soccer schedule.

On April 30, 2011, Baucom was officially introduced as part of the Smith & Wesson team. His first competitive shooting event was the MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup National Championship during Memorial Day weekend in Columbia, MO. Competitors came from all over the world to demonstrate their abilities in precision and mistake-free shooting. To prepare for the Bianchi Cup, he trained with one of the industry’s top competitors, Billy Abbate of Atlanta Arms and Ammo. Baucom, an avid hunter, practiced with a Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pro Series pistol for a month. Every practice session became an event to improve his x-count, achieving shots closer and closer to the bull’s-eye and incurring higher points. He was one of two competitors shooting from a wheelchair.

He is very competitive and pushes himself at all times to compete on a higher level. Another goal of his is to inspire other wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers to take up competitive shooting. Since his arrival into the sport, competitive shooting organizations began to look for ways to open its doors to other disabled shooters.

Google Trevor Baucom and you will see that he is truly a shooting star.

Retired SFC Matthew Netzel Awarded Purple Heart

Filed under Advocate Story, Soldier Story by jvargas on June 8, 2011 at 9:59 am {6 comments}

By Deana Perry, AW2 Advocate

Retired SFC Matthew Netzel holds his two-year-old daughter, Abigail, while speaking to the audience at his Purple Heart Ceremony.

When retired SFC Mattew Netzel first asked for my help with his Purple Heart, I told him, “Sure, no problem, we can do that.” Then the details came. We first tracked down his treating physician for medical documentation on his injuries sustained in Afghanistan in 2006—two thousand six! Quietly, I was thinking, oh boy, how do I do that? Can I do that? But I wasn’t about to let Netzel know that I was uncertain of my success. If I told him I would only try, then I might be tempted to only try. In my mind, he was holding me accountable to follow through. He was going to get his Purple Heart. And, that required more than just a nice try.

Last month, my husband, my son, and I walked down the sidewalk outside the city hall building toward the Purple Heart Memorial in Harker Heights, TX. It was drizzling and a bit humid as we approached the crowd. I saw Netzel standing near the memorial, surrounded by his Family and friends. It was there where he received his Purple Heart during a ceremony hosted by the Military Order of the Purple Heart Central Texas Chapter #1876. I watched and swelled with pride and satisfaction as retired MG Stewart Meyer pinned the Purple Heart to Netzel’s chest and said the Purple Heart was a small token of appreciation for the sacrifices he made for his country. When Netzel spoke, with his daughter in his arms, he thanked the crowd and said, “It makes you reflect on the ones that aren’t able to be here.”

So, I did leave a lot out of this story, but the how doesn’t seem as imporatant as the who and why. Netzel is an inspiration to me, and it was a priviledge to be a part of the efforts that ensured he received recognition for his sacrifices while defending our nation. Almost every time we talk, he thanks me for helping him, but I’m not the one who is owed thanks. It is an honor to serve as his AW2 Advocate. Thank you, Matt!

Editor’s Note: SFC Matthew Netzel was injured in November 2006 when his 11-man patrol was ambushed by as many as 60 Taliban fighters. Four rocket-propelled grenades detonated next to Netzel and two other Soldiers. The blast threw Netzel off a 10-foot embankment onto a rockbed.

Learning How to Speak Again

Filed under Soldier Story by jvargas on May 4, 2011 at 10:51 am {3 comments}

By Alan Morales, WTC Stratcom

AW2 Soldier SGT Ian Ralston at an awards ceremony at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

When you say good night to a loved one or say thank you to a stranger, you use an ability that most of us take for granted—speech. After my interview with AW2 Soldier SGT Ian Ralston, I asked myself, how exactly do I speak? Do I first think about speaking? Do I tense my muscles and ligaments to form words? The reality is that for the vast majority of us, we don’t think about how we speak, we just speak. For Ralston, this was an ability he thought he had lost forever.

Ralston has very few recollections from the event that changed his life in Taji, Iraq. It was July 2010 when his vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device (IED) hanging from the ceiling of a concrete overpass. Ralston describes, “It was like the movies. Everything turned to slow motion, my hearing was muffled, and all I could hear were the voices of other Soldiers crying out to me, asking if I was okay. Then, it all turned to black.”

A few weeks later in Landstuhl, Germany, a physician informed Ralston about his injury. Heavily sedated at the time, however, he doesn’t remember talking to a doctor and it wasn’t until he was at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, when he truly understood his injuries. His first clear memory since the attack in Iraq, he awoke, stared at his Family, and tried to speak. That’s when he knew and thought to himself, “I will never speak again.”

The IED attack paralyzed him from the neck down, preventing him from speaking or eating. He eventually had a tracheotomy tube placed in his throat to help him breathe; however, after a few days, started to choke. The doctors quickly removed the tube from his throat and realized he was trying to mouth words. This was the first day of his journey to learn how to speak once again.

Ralston spent weeks working with speech therapists to relearn how to speak and eat. Because certain parts of his throat did not completely regain the ability to move, he had to learn alternative ways to shape syllables and vowels. He walked a tightrope, balancing positive and negative emotions that often left him spiritually drained. He described, “I was scared. I spent a month in bed doing nothing. Now, I was trying to speak, working so hard and not getting very far. I felt exhausted. I often thought to myself, this is just a waste of my time.”

Nevertheless, inspiration came from another source. Ralston was accompanied by his Family members who took turns driving the 12 hours from their hometown in Iowa to Walter Reed every week to be with him. The dedication of his Family shed light on his opportunity to regain what he thought he had lost. As Ralston explained to me, it wasn’t just the chance to speak again, it was the chance to say, “I love you” to his girlfriend or even simply tell a joke. He became inspired and chose not to look at each day’s progress, but the overall journey. He quickly became determined to make his dream a reality if not for him, for his Family and loved ones.

“I am very self-driven and don’t try to let obstacles get in my path and trip me up,” shared Ralston. “I stay positive. I stay motivated for my Family. Back then, I knew that if I pushed myself, then I could improve my life and improve theirs.” It took him approximately four weeks to relearn how to enunciate words and be able to digest more than a few ice chips. On the phone, I remarked at his ability to speak. I realized that for each word, he had to learn how to recalibrate his brain so his throat muscles could correctly mouth and vocalize words. I realized that speaking is no longer intuitive for him.

Before ending the telephone interview, I asked Ralston about the future. He shared with me that he intends to attend college and earn a bachelor’s degree in history to pursue a teaching career. When asked why teaching, he responded, “As a former trainer in the Army, it’s a good feeling when you realize what you are saying is getting through to your students. You get to see their eyes light up.” I ventured to say that the feeling must be similar to what he felt when he first spoke to his Family and girlfriend. It was a spark that inspired them and inspired Ralston to continue driving forward.

The Story Behind the Photo, CPL Kendra Coleman

Filed under Soldier Story by jvargas on April 29, 2011 at 12:12 pm {6 comments}

By Tania Meireles, WTC Stratcom

AW2 Soldier CPL Kendra Coleman is featured on several AW2 outreach materials.

“I want to give back to the Soldiers who fight for my freedom and sacrifice their life for me,” said AW2 Soldier CPL Kendra Coleman about her future.

At 20-years-old, she knew she wanted to fight in the war on terrorism and joined the Army on July 25, 2007. She served with the 173D Special Troops Battalion, part of the 173D Airborne Brigade Combat Team as a military police (MP) officer and paratrooper. She deployed to Afghanistan on November 19, 2009, and her job was to train Afghan police and keep the local village of Charkh safe.

On May 11, 2010, she was clearing a village, she recalled, “I was hugging a wall to clear a corner, and after I cleared the corner I looked down. That’s when I saw a randomly placed pile of tires. I could feel the evil in the air.”

An improvised explosive device (IED) immediately exploded and she was knocked to the ground. “I knew I was hit,” she said. “I reached down to my left leg pocket to grab my tourniquet. My pocket wasn’t there, just the remaining pieces of what was my left leg.”

She is currently assigned to a Warrior Transition Unit and receives care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) and Brooke Army Medical Center. “WRAMC has given me my life back,” she said. “The medical care I have received here at WRAMC has been phenomenal.” Now using a prosthetic leg, she said, “I almost feel like me again.”

One of the highlights of her recovery was participating in a snowboarding program. “I never thought I would snowboard again, but I did it,” she said. “I got back up on my board—it was an amazing feeling of achievement.”

With the assistance of AW2 Community Support Network member Sentinels of Freedom, she plans to attend college. “They provided me a four-year scholarship to the school of my choice, all expenses paid including living expenses,” she said.

Coleman wants to attend Georgia Institute of Technology to earn a master’s in prosthetics and work with other wounded warriors at an Army Military Treatment Facility. She hopes to motivate other wounded warriors to never give up, stating, “Don’t let the enemy determine your future—improvise and overcome.”

We Rode Hard, Met the Challenge

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Guest Blogger, Soldier Story by jvargas on April 28, 2011 at 10:20 am {one comment}

By LTC Marc Hoffmeister, AW2 Soldier

(left to right) AW2 Soldier COL Dave Haines, former President George W. Bush, AW2 Soldier LTC Patty Collins, and AW2 Soldier LTC Marc Hoffmeister brought their A-game during a mountain biking trek this week in Texas (Photo courtesy of Paul Morse).

When John Wordin, director of Ride 2 Recovery, invited me to mountain bike in Texas, I was more than excited at the opportunity. When he informed me that we would be riding with former President George W. Bush, I was speechless. Biking has been one of the greatest means of recovery I’ve had. It brought me freedom from the hospitals, built back my fitness level, and got me back in the fight. And now it brought the opportunity to ride with the president! As an avid mountain biker, I assumed 100 km of trail with the president wouldn’t be all that tough—after all, he’s not all that young. Fast forward to today as we wrapped up the final miles of the Warrior 100, and I can honestly say the man brought his A-game and he knows how to handle a bike.

Fourteen wounded warriors joined the president at the Lajitas Resort in Big Bend Ranch State Park, Lajitas, TX, for three days of mountain biking, April 25-27, 2011, as part of the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s Social Enterprise Initiative. The event brought together warriors representing the Ride 2 Recovery, World Team Sports, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and the Wounded Warrior Project to highlight the continuing commitments they have made to support our wounded.

Make no mistake, this was no pleasure cruise. The 100 kilometers of trail was rocky and technical, demanding intermediate to expert level bike handling and a high level of fitness to maintain the demanding pace set by the president and his special guest, Lance Armstrong. Between the two of them and the dry desert heat along the Mexican border, all of us had our work cut out for us to keep up the pace. But we met the challenge head on, just as we’ve maintained our strength of purpose in recovering from our wounds—there was no way we were going to be dropped by the president, so we rode hard and met his challenge.

Former President George W. Bush and professional road racing cyclist Lance Armstrong set a demanding pace for the group of riders (Photo courtesy of Paul Morse).

The Warrior 100 was a once in a lifetime experience which reminded me how strong our warriors are in their recovery and how incredible the support we have is, literally from the top down. The support for the event was phenomenal as well. Everything was thought of and perfectly coordinated; lodging, food, transportation, bike maintenance. It was obvious how professionally the president’s staff had planned and executed this event. It was a privilege I will not forget and an experience I hope others will share as well. The president stated the goal is to repeat this event in the future, but first you have to get back on the bike.

Check out interviews, pictures, and video from the trail at www.w100k.com.

I’m Just Competitive as Hell

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Soldier Story by jvargas on April 20, 2011 at 5:47 pm {one comment}

By Alan Morales, WTC Stratcom

AW2 Veteran Joe Beimfohr channeled his competitiveness to earn an overall second place in the handcycling division at the 2011 Boston Marathon.

Competition. It’s a fundamental aspect of athleticism that for some pushes them to achieve higher levels of excellence. For retired AW2 Veteran and handcyclist Joe Beimfohr, it was his electric, adrenaline-fueled, competitiveness that pushed him towards the finish line at Monday’s 2011 Boston Marathon in Boston, MA. Beimfohr’s performance landed him second place overall in the handcycling division and a personal best record, completing the 26.2 miles in 1 hour and 34 minutes. When asked what pushed him across the finish line, Beimfohr responded, “I’m just competitive as hell.”

On the phone, Beimfohr made his journey to competitive handcycling sound easy, casually explaining to me about the events that led to his achievement on Monday. I soon learned that Beimfohr spent years training, learning how to handcycle, building his endurance, and strengthening his body and mind to compete. Beimfohr’s first exposure to handcycling occurred in 2005 while recovering at the Malone House at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC. After looking out of his window one afternoon, Beimfohr noticed several individuals on handcycles. Curiosity sparked Beimfohr’s interest. Achilles International, an organization Beimfohr currently races with, periodically visits the Malone House to share with Warriors in Transition various adaptive sports, including handcycling. During one of these visits, Beimfohr got bit by the bug. Handcycling soon became a way for Beimfohr to tap the competitive drive that was bottled-up during the initial stages of his recovery.

Competition doesn’t just manifest itself on the road, for Beimfohr it also manifested itself during recovery. As a single man with most of his Family in Tennessee, Beimfohr spent the majority of his time at Walter Reed alone. This set of circumstances drove Beimfohr to push himself to work through his recovery as a double amputee more quickly. As Beimfohr explained, “A lot of times at Walter Reed, I’d see loved ones do everything for their Soldiers, often when they were capable of doing a certain task themselves. I’d think to myself—why don’t you let them push their own wheelchair?” Recovery became a chance for Beimfohr to compete against himself. He viewed his therapy and medical treatments as ways to beat himself. Each of these personal competitions offered a high pay-off for Beimfohr—one step closer towards being a more independent individual.

Inspiration was another ingredient for Beimfohr’s success. When I asked him what advice he had for other Warriors in Transition who may be just beginning their road to recovery, he responded, “The best advice was given to me years ago. Take the time to figure out what you always wanted to do. This is a second chance to start over. If you have drive, there are people out there who will support you and make that dream come true. You just have to figure it out.” This advice led him to pursue numerous goals, including his intent to organize a handcycling team for the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, DC in October.

Handcycling is an adaptive sport that enables individuals and athletes to ride a bicycle only using their upper-bodies. According to the U.S. Handcycling Federation, it is one of the newest competitions at the Paralympic Games and was included in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece in 2004. Handcycling is also one of the many ways athletes participate in the Warrior Games cycling competition. First held in 2010, the Warrior Games will be held in May and is a competition of wounded, ill, and injured Service Members and Veterans from all military services. Competitions such as the Boston Marathon are one of the many ways Warriors in Transition can prepare to become a Warrior Games athlete.

A Door Kicker to a Housecat—One Wounded Soldier’s Continued Service

Filed under COAD/COAR, Soldier Story by jvargas on January 26, 2011 at 11:23 am {no comments}

By Emily Oehler, WTC Stratcom

SGT Tony Wood, a Military Police Officer, encourages other wounded Soldiers to continue to serve post injury

There are many sides to SGT Tony Wood. Combat Veteran. Hawaii Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Volunteer of the Year . Military police officer. Eighth Theater Sustainment Command Volunteer of the Year. Foster parent. Reservist. But first and foremost, he’s a Soldier.

“I swore an oath to protect and defend my country,” Wood stated at the first AW2 Continue on Active Duty/Continue on Active Reserve (COAD/COAR) Forum. “It is no secret what our job is. When I swore this oath it did not mention anywhere that it would be safe and that I could pick and choose what I agreed with.”

And safe it was not. A blast in theater placed him in a coma for 45 days and damaged all of his major internal organs except for his heart. “They couldn’t close my abdomen the normal way, so they used titanium mesh.” But Wood quickly added, “I may be out of the battle but I’m not out of the fight. There are still Soldiers in harm’s way, and as long as I am able, I want to continue to contribute. These are my friends, my peers. Why should I be exempt? I took an oath when I agreed to do this job, and as long as stuff is going on, this is where I belong. I can’t be a door kicker any more but I can still do something. That’s the biggest pill to swallow, going from a door kicker to a housecat.”

While he admits the transition is not easy, he wants other wounded Soldiers to know that, “Just because your old life was shattered doesn’t mean you can’t start a new one. You are trained to never quit. If you want and are able to do something—then go for it. You’re not just getting kicked to the curb. If there’s a way that you’re physically able, the Army can find you a job. In the past if you got injured, you were gone. There were no second chances. But today you can stay.”

This week, Wood is working with 29 other delegates to help the Army update regulations that impact severely wounded Soldiers who continue to serve post injury. He hopes that his participation in the AW2 COAD/COAR Forum will make wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers’ transition back to the force easier.

“There is, as with all new programs, bugs and hiccups that need to be addressed to improve it for all,” Wood explained. “We have been given an unprecedented opportunity not offered to our predecessors. It is our obligation to make it the best it can possibly be. There are problems, but it’s a fairly new program and programs have a tendency to outrun their regulations. This forum is a way to get these issues unfiltered to the people who can change things. I feel like I’m bypassing everything and going straight to the horse’s mouth.”

International Elite Runners Trade an Army Ten-Miler and the Marine Corps Marathon Race for a Servicemember’s Smile

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Soldier Story by jvargas on November 4, 2010 at 4:47 pm {3 comments}

By LTC (Ret.) Sue Bozgoz, Guest Blogger

Note: The expressed comments and views of guest bloggers do not reflect the views of WTC or the United States Army

The "irun4god" running team intends to donate their awards from the Marine Corps Marathon and Army Ten-Miler to the wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

It’s not easy to understand why a group of world class runners who live half way around the world would compete in a 10 and 26.2 mile race with no prize purse waiting for them at the finish line. What I’ve learned over the years is that money is good, but you can’t take it with you to the grave.

As a former All-Army marathon runner and founder of the “irun4god” running team, I am well aware of the hard work these men and women accomplished last weekend, running the Army Ten-Miler and the Marine Corps Marathon. It’s work that has a high pay-off, even more so for someone who thought they could never run again.

I used to run every day until on September 21, 2006, I was riding in my van in Atlanta, GA and was hit by a semi-trailer truck. I vividly recall sitting in my van and looking in my rear view mirror yelling the words, “Oh good Lord, not today. I haven’t said goodbye to my son, Austin!”

Hours later and still in shock after my accident, I realized that the semi-trailer truck totaled my vehicle while pushing it into oncoming traffic. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to run again.

I stopped running in 2006 until I heard WO1 Johnathan Holsey, an Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) Soldier, speak at the 2008 Army Ten-Miler in Washington, DC. I recall Holsey explaining to the audience how he lost his leg in a road side bomb explosion in Ramadi, Iraq. For him, he wasn’t going to let an injury hold him back. He returned to his training regime with the help of a crank bike and started training for the New York City Marathon.

Continuing to tell the audience his story, Holsey shared with us that obstacles continued to follow him into the race. While crossing mile 13, his crank bike tire blew out as he attempted to make a right turn. He shared with us that he was immediately approached by an assistant who had pleaded to him, “Let’s take you back to the start.” In response to the assistant, Holsey told him, “No thanks. I‘m going to finish this race–it may not be a world class time, but I am going to finish what I started.” Finish, he did.

AW2 Veteran Johnathan Holsey (left) coached LTC (Ret.) Sue Bozgoz (right) on how to overcome her injury and continue pursuing her passion for marathon running.

His story was exactly what I needed to hear in order to inspire me to run again. It inspired me so much, that in 2008, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon with Holsey and other world-class runners by my side. Holsey’s story helped me build the determination and courage to overcome my own obstacles. He is an inspiration to both wounded warriors and civilians.

This year, the “irun4god” running team launched an outreach program that included visiting the Warrior Transition Brigade located at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. After visiting the brave war Veterans and Soldiers at Water Reed, we immediately understood the meaning of the words, “Freedom is not free.” As a team, we agreed that we would run the Army Ten-Miler and Marine Corps Marathon not for ourselves, but as a team to honor wounded servicemembers. Turns out the “irun4god” running team won several trophies at the two races and although it was an honor to win, it was a greater honor to donate these awards to the servicemembers at Walter Reed.

In light of November being Warrior Care Month, our only hope is to inspire servicemembers to walk, run, or bike with us next time we hit the pavement.

Everyone needs a helping hand, but it takes self-assertion to take the first step in the right direction.

American Kids Inspire an AW2 Veteran

Filed under Soldier Story by jvargas on November 2, 2010 at 5:27 pm {2 comments}

By Robert Jackson, AW2 Veteran

For Robert Jackson, adjudicating the 2010 FOE God, Flag, and Country Oratory Program offered him a chance to serve his community and be inspired by American youth.

A few years ago, I started speaking at corporate functions, sporting events, colleges, K-12 grade schools, and other similar events.

Recently, I had the honor of speaking at the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) International Conference held in Louisville, KY, where I had the honor, as an AW2 Soldier, to judge their God, Flag, and Country Oratory Program.

This program is a competition that started with FOE and the American Legion in 1967. Luckily, the FOE organization kept the program going after all these years. The God, Flag, and Country Oratory Program gives 10- to 15-year-old children a deeper understanding of the significance of the “God, flag, and country” ideal. At the same time, it makes them aware of the American Heritage of this ideal while demonstrating to them why it is so meaningful today.

The contest also provides a way for the children to build up their confidence and public speaking skills. Each contestant has three minutes to compete and say why the “God, flag, and country” ideal is important. I saw many contestants compete and I must say–I was blown away.

I watched numerous 10- to 15-year-old children compete against each other within certain age groups. With tears in my eyes and chills down my spine, I sat with a warm heart while I attempted to judge the hardest competition I had ever seen.

I was also asked to speak to the members present and share a motivating message. During my speech, I told them that I was the one that was motivated.

After hearing an 11-year-old child explain that our nation does have hope for the future or listening to a 14-year-old child discuss the fact that some of our brothers and sisters will not make it home, but that their sacrifice will be remembered–I was moved and the tears and chills once again returned.

Not only do I feel that this program will inspire wounded servicemembers and their Families, but it will also make them aware of a community program that will allow their kids to share their pride for their parents’ and their Families’ sacrifice.

“People helping people” is FOE’s motto and they support this motto by helping many different charities. In Iowa for example, one of these initiatives is the construction of a $25 million diabetes research center at the University of Iowa.

I suggest you spread the word about the God, Flag, and Country Oratory Program to servicemembers and their Families. It is another avenue for AW2 Veterans to serve their communities out of uniform and give them that selfless service feeling again.

To find out more about FOE and their charities, take a look at the FOE website.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense of the linked Web sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.

Page 1 of 1112 3 4 5 6 7 »10...Last »