Attention! A True American

Attention! A TRUE AMERICAN!

"I'm Tired"

BY: Joe Repya, Lieutenant Colonel , U.S. Army
101st Airborne Division

Two weeks ago, as I was starting my sixth month of duty in Iraq , I was forced to return to the USA for surgery for an injury I sustained prior to my deployment. With luck, I'll return to Iraq to finish my tour.

I left Baghdad , and a war that has every indication that we are winning, to return to a demoralized country much like the one I returned to in 1971 after my tour in Vietnam Maybe it's because I'll turn 60 years old in just four months, but I'm tired:

I'm tired of spineless politicians, both Democrat and Republican, who lack the courage, fortitude and character to see these difficult tasks through.

I'm tired of the hypocrisy of politicians who want to rewrite history when the going gets tough.

I'm tired of the disingenuous clamor from those that claim they 'Support the Troops' by wanting them to 'Cut and Run' before victory is achieved.

I'm tired of a mainstream media that can only focus on car bombs and casualty reports because they are too afraid to leave the safety of their hotels to report on the courage and success our brave men and women are having on the battlefield.

I'm tired that so many Americans think you can rebuild a dictatorship into a democracy overnight.

I'm tired that so many ignore the bravery of the Iraqi people to go to the voting booth and freely elect a Constitution and soon a permanent Parliament.

I'm tired of the so called 'Elite Left' that prolongs this war by giving aid and comfort to our enemy, just as they did during the Vietnam War.

I'm tired of antiwar protesters showing up at the funerals of our fallen soldiers, a family whose loved ones gave their life in a just and noble cause, only to be cruelly tormented on the funeral day by cowardly protesters is beyond shameful.

I'm tired that my generation, the Baby Boom -- Vietnam generation, who have such a weak backbone that they can't stomach seeing the difficult tasks through to victory.

I'm tired that some are more concerned about the treatment of captives than they are the slaughter and beheading of our citizens and allies.

I'm tired that when we find mass graves it is seldom reported by the press, but mistreat a prisoner and it is front-page news.

Mostly, I'm tired that the people of this great nation didn't learn from history that there is no substitute for victory.

Sincerely,
Joe Repya, Lieutenant Colonel , U. S. Army
101st A irborne Division



Verified @
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/repya.asp


I checked this out on snoops.com before I posted it on this blog and it's a true letter that the Lt. Col wrote. There is more information about him on the site if you would like to read about it just click on the link. Joyce

Weekly Newsletter 2/24/08

Good snowy/icy afternoon!! Even though this is HHAFFA's "slow" time of year--you can still find plenty of opportunities to volunteer!

--HHAFFA Quarterly meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 6 at 7 pm in the HHAFFA office (620 H St, Bedford). All members of HHAFFA should plan to attend, because we will be discussing the future of HHAFFA. All interested parties need to attend, so that all ideas may be discussed and decisions made by a majority of our members!

--RESCHEDULED: The next MOMS (Mothers of Military Servicemembers) meeting will be held this TUESDAY, February 26th at 4 pm at Wendy's in Bedford. We will be discussing, among other things, different meeting times and/or places, so that more people may be able to participate. Please come to the meeting to share your ideas, and if unable to attend the meeting--please email me with your ideas!

--It's Girl Scout Cookie Time! Be on the look out for Girl Scouts selling cookies at WalMart, KMart, Family Video, Buehlers and Jay C Plus, etc. (Girl Scouts will be at Family Video on Saturday March 1st from 4 pm to 6 pm--get a movie and a box of Thin Mints!) Many Girl Scout troops will be seeking donations for our troops at that time! All cookies donated will be shipped by HHAFFA to troops serving in war zones!

--The 2008 Relay for Life (raising funds for cancer research) of Lawrence County is in the planning stages. HHAFFA will be participating, but we need YOU! Please plan on either participating by walking or by sponsoring a walker! The event is scheduled for June 20 at the Parkview Track! I will pick up our Team Packet on March 4th--I'll have more details by then!

--Planning to send a care package to a US military service member serving abroad? Send it after March 3 to take advantage of a new flat-rate box from the US Postal Service that is 50 percent larger and delivered for $10.95 to an APO/FPO address. More info may be found on the HHAFFA blog!

--Saturday, March 8th, a flea market is scheduled to be held at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds from 8 am to 2 pm. HHAFFA will have a table set up as another way to spread knowledge of our organization throughout the community. We will have magnets, t-shirts, sweatshirts and signs for sale, and we will be there to gather names and answer questions. If anyone would like to volunteer to man (or woman) the table for a couple of hours--please let me know!

Hope to see you soon!
Please continue to keep all our troops and their families in your thoughts and prayers!
God Bless Our Troops!
Nancy Peabody

The Silent Soldier

The Silent Soldier

I wear no uniform, no blues or greens.
But I am in the military, in the ranks rarely seen.
I have no rank upon my shoulder.
Salutes I do not give.
But in the military world is where I live.
I am not in the chain of command, orders I do not get.
But my son is the one who does, this I cannot forget.
I am not the one who fires a weapon, who puts his life on the line.
But my job is just as tough, I am the one left behind.
My son is a patriot, brave pride filled man.
And the call to serve his country not all can understand.
Behind the lines, I see things needed to keep this country free.
My son make the sacrifices, but so does the rest of his family and me.
I love the man I call my son.
Soldiering is his life.
But I stand among the silent ranks known as…………..


THE MILITARY MOM

Last week I was in Atlanta, Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed one of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.



Moving through the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camos. As they began heading to their gate, everyone (well almost everyone) was abruntly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.


When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and cheered for, it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red-blooded American who stills loves this country and supports our troops and their families.


Of course I immediately stopped and begun clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work, and home without fear or reprisal.


Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old ran up to one of the male soldiers. He knelt down and said "Hi."


The little girl asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her.


The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of the soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.


The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.


When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second. Then one of the other service-men pull out a military-looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it.


About 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, "I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you." He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying "your daddy told me to tell you he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon."


The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.


As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness, turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.


We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

Red Fridays

If the Red shirt thing is new to you, read below...

Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home. No, he responded. Heading out I asked? No. I'm escorting a soldier home. Going to pick him up? No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq, I'm taking him home to his family. The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.

Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign. "Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.

So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do. Red Fridays. Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday .

The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that .... every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is "We need your support and your prayers."

Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something red every Friday.

Flat-Rate Box Prices

Washington, D.C.---Planning to send a care package to a U.S. military service member serving abroad? Send it after March 3 to take advantage of the new flat-rate box from the U.S. Postal Service that is 50 percent larger and delivered for $10.95 to an APO/FPO address---$2 less than for domestic destinations.

"This is the first time the Postal Service has offered a special price for our armed forces serving overseas," said Postmaster John Potter. "We're proud that families and friends will be able to use this larger-sized box to send much appreciated packages from home to our dedicated troops overseas."

The new Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box (12" x 12" x 5 1/2" or 800 cubic inches) will be available in Post Offices nationwide beginning March 3, but consumers can begin ordering them Feb. 20 at www.usps.com/supplies or by calling 800-610-8734. Some of the new boxes are co-branded with the logo of America Supports You, which is a Department of Defense program that connects citizens offering support to the military and their families.

"It's terrific that the Postal Service continues to think of ways to help Americans support our troops and their families. Postage is always a concern when shipping care packages, and this new flat-rate box means our home front groups and supportive citizens can do more with their resources," said Allison Barber, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. "We're especially pleased that some of the boxes will bear the America Supports You logo reminding our service members that they have our nation's support."

The $2 discount is applied when the Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Boxes are shipped to an APO/FPO destination. The two exiting flat-rate boxes (11 7/8" x 3 3/8" x 13 5/8" and 11" x 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"), which currently retails for $8.95 for U.S. addresses, are not available for the military discount. All flat-rate boxes can be used for international shipping.

The new flat-rate boxes will be available in Post Offices starting March 3. The America Supports You branded box will be available online, at select Post Offices near military bases, or by calling 800-610-8734.

Weekly Newsletter 2/17/08

Greetings!

--REMINDER: The next MOMS (Mothers of Military Servicemembers) meeting will be held on Thursday, February 21 at 4 pm at Wendy's in Bedford. We will be discussing, among other things, different meeting times and/or places where more people may be able to participate. Please come to the meeting to share your ideas, and if unable to attend the meeting--please email me with your ideas! Thanks!

--It's Girl Scout Cookie Time! Be on the look out for Girl Scouts selling cookies at WalMart, Kmart, etc. Many Girl Scout troops will be seeking donations for our troops at that time! All cookies donated will be shipped by HHAFFA to troops serving in war zones!

--The 2008 Relay for Life (raising funds for cancer research) of Lawrence County is in the planning stages. HHAFFA is planning to participate, but we need your help! Please plan on either participating by walking or sponsoring a walker! I will pick up our Team Packet on March 4th--I would like to have a "team" by then!! The event is scheduled for June 20 at the Parkview Track. It begins at 6 pm and goes throughout the night! You may leave at any time, but there are quite a few activities scheduled throughout the evening! It is a great time to come together as a community for a great cause and a great opportunity for the community to learn about our organization! I will have more details after I pick up the Team Packet, but please let me know if you are interested in participating! Thanks!

--Planning to send a care package to a US military service member serving abroad? Send it after March 3 to take advantage of a new flat-rate box from the US Postal Service that is 50 percent larger and delivered for $10.95 to an APO?FPO address--$2 less than for domestic destinations! More info may be found on the HHAFFA blog! Don't forget to visit our blog at www.hhaffa.blogspot.com (contact Joyce Daugherty NIKKISGAMMA@aol.com to add items) and our MySpace site at hoosiershelp@hotmail.com (contact Kim Johnson kimberly1055@sbcglobal.net to add items).

Hope to see you soon!
Please continue to keep all our troops and their families in your thoughts and prayers!
God Bless Our Troops!
Nancy Peabody

Weekly Newsletter 2/10/08

Happy Valentines Week!!!

--The next MOMS (Mothers of Military Servicemembers) meeting will be held on Thursday, February 21 at 4 pm at Wendys in Bedford. We are a group of mothers who are dedicated to the support of all mothers of military personnel. We enjoy each other's company. We laugh, we cry, and we share information! It just seems a little easier to be involved with a group of people who share your feelings--who have been through what you're going through, who know exactly your own thoughts and fears! Bring pictures and news! Questions??--please call me at 275-0366.

--It's Girl Scout Cookie Time! Be on the look out for Girl Scouts selling cookies at WalMart, KMart. etc. Many Girl Scout troops will be seeking donations for our troops at that time! All cookies donated will be shipped by HHAFFA to troops serving in war zones.

--The 2008 Relay for Life (raising funds for cancer research) of Lawrence County is in the planning stages. If anyone would like to join the HHAFFA team, just call me at 275-0366. Thanks!

--There was a wonderful article in today's Times-Mail (Sunday, Feb 10) about a local soldier (RP Peabody--cute kid!) who "takes time to thank veteran letter writer". It is another article which tells the community how much troops appreciate the letters, cards, boxes, thoughts and prayers from the folks back home. Keep up the great work!

--You may have seen the marquee in front of the car wash on 15th and Lincoln in Bedford. It is a "Welcome Home" to SPC Cody Umphress from his 15 months in Iraq. He is in the Bedford area visiting his folks, Wayne and Mary Umphress, for a few weeks until he has to head back to Germany.

Don't forget to visit our blog at www.hhaffa.blogspot.com (contact Joyce Daugherty NIKKISGAMMA@aol.com to add items) and our MySpace site--hoosiershelp@hotmail.com (contact Kim Johnson kimberly1055@sbcglobal.net to add items)

Hope to see you soon!
Please continue to keep all our troops and their families in your thoughts and prayers!
God Bless Our Troops!
Nancy Peabody

Weekly Newsletter 2/03/08

Greetings! Another beautiful day!

--A special Valentine's Day Dinner is being planned for the spouses and fiancées of those whose loved ones are serving away from home this Valentines Day. Dunn Hospital has generously agreed to sponsor a Valentines Day Dinner on Valentines Day in Dunn Hospital's Hanon Room at 6:30 pm. The chef at Dunn Hospital has all kinds of special dishes planned, so it will be quite a fancy meal! All we need now is YOU--spouses and fiancées!! Please let Betsy know as soon as possible if you will be able to attend--279-8880 (h), 278-1311 (cell), or h00sierhillsaffa@hotmail.com Babysitting will be available--just let us know it is needed when making your reservation! A good time is guaranteed for all! RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY FEB 7th!!!!

--It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!! Be on the look out for Girl Scouts selling cookies at WalMart, KMart, etc. Many Girl Scout troops are seeking donations for our troops at that time! All cookies donated will be shipped by HHAFFA to troops serving in war zones.

--Amanda Sullivan (wife of Nat'l Guardsman, Greg Sullivan) had a house fire this week. She and the children are fine, and Greg is at Ft Stewart training for his mission in Iraq. They are in need of several items, including clothing (14 year old girl--size 7 juniors; 11 year old girl--size 12; 10 year old girl--size 10; 8 year old boy--size 7). And I am sure that money and WalMart gift cards are also needed. Please let Jennifer Posson know if you have any items you would like to donate: jposson@insightbb.com

--The 2008 Relay for Life (raising funds for cancer research) of Lawrence County is in the planning stages. If anyone would like to join the HHAFFA team, just let me know!

--Here are a few websites which some of you may find interesting and/or helpful:
www.americasupportsyou.mil (It is a platform for individuals, nonprofit groups, and businesses to support US military personnel and their families.)
www.militaryonesource.com (Answers questions and/or directs you to other websites which are helpful)
www.letssaythanks.com (you can pick out a Thank You card and Xerox will print it, and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq)

--GREAT NEWS!!!! Garrett Neumann is in Bedford for an after deployment visit! Welcome Home Garrett!!!

Don't forget to visit our Blog at www.hhaffa.blogspot.com (contact Joyce Daugherty NIKKISGAMMA@aol.com to add items) and our MySpace site-- hoosiershelp@hotmail.com (Contact Kim Johnson kimberly1055@sbcglobal.net to add items)

Hope to see you soon!
Please continue to keep all our troops and their families in your thoughts and prayers!
God Bless Our Troops!
Nancy Peabody