Remember those who serve "The Greater Good"

[zahncrelnik]

I would like to start a thread in appreciation of our
soldiers the world over, including policemen, firemen,
and all who are on the "front lines" trying to make
our world a better place.

Here are the rules:
1. Please only the first name and last initial
or just initials, to preserve their privacy.
Also, to keep it short and to the point.

2. If you have the persons permission,
please include their picture.

I will begin:

Jon F
Brian F
Tom H

May the Goddess watch over you. :meditate:

[eta_carinae]

Ok, I haven't heard from him in a while, but

Josh B.

Hope you're safe at home in Germany :)

[JadedLegend3]

David W.
Josh P.
John W.
Troy S.
Matt W.
David M.

[trinamick]

Kyle W.
Josiah H.
Mark V.
Troy W.
Tyler H.
Ryan T.
Mark O.
Lucas R.
Candi A.

[Col.Batguano]

My Nephew - Paul G. just came home from Iraq 2 months ago.

[malachilenomade]

John W. (actually, he's a prison guard, but that's close enough!)

[AgentSun]

Brad P. He's a guy I interviewed for a story.

The family of J.S. because he was killed in action. i won't mention his first name...

[Owlman]

Brad M.
Fred M. (RIP Brother)

[harveywhispers]

Joe S. (nicknamed "sparky" by my dad...which is funny in a Farscape way)

[BrowderChick]

Chris L.
Todd K.
Patti L.
Bill L. (RIP)
Eric B.
Michele D.

[zahncrelnik]

:bump:

[I-am-so-Johns-girl]

Michael O

I-am-so-not-John's son joined the Army this week and will start Basic Training on April 20th.

[scrape_medic]

All the guys and girls at work (LAS) and medics the world over...

[Judith]

Well, I don't know anyone personally who's a soldier, fireman, policeman, etc.

But I just want to add my thanks and good thoughts to everyone who puts their own lives on the line trying to make the world a safer place.

I really do appreciate it.

[zahncrelnik]

The staff of 2 West at Centegra Memorial Medical Center in
Woodstock, Illinois, USA. They took real good care of Grandma
the last couple weeks of March (2005).

The staff of Valley Hi Nursing Home in Woodstock, Illinois, USA.
They are a wonderful, caring bunch of people, and this
does not begin to express my gratitude for how wonderful
they are to L.:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:

And all of those, all over the world, who take care
of those who cannot take care of themselves.
Thank you, thank you.

[BrowderChick]

All the guys and girls at work (LAS) and medics the world over...
As well as YOU :hug:

[who45]

:yes: what she said :hug:

[JadedLegend3]

Michael O

I-am-so-not-John's son joined the Army this week and will start Basic Training on April 20th.

:hugz: to you and IASNJ.

[divinedaydreams]

Louis C. and all our fellow Coasties.

Pic is of him and our son Aaron the night he got back from Iraq. Glad your home.

[zahncrelnik]

Good Thougths and Prayers for all who are going into Louisiana and Mississippi to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina :meditate:
:hug: :hug: :hugz: :hug: :hug:

To all those who live in the hard hit areas and work in the service of others:
policemen - firemen - all emergency personnel - all hospital workers
Our Good Thoughts and Prayers are with you :hugz:


Thank You All for your Service to others.

[Pk_Ranger]

Mike G. checking in (The one about to go out)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/PkRanger/JROTC/Abouttojump.jpg

[scaperbuddy]

My son Jeremiah G.

who has already shipped out to NO and should be there Monday.
He may run into Mike G.

Also I don't know all of their names but all of the soldiers in our local 222 and 429th as well as everyone else in uniform!

[BrowderChick]

My nephew Scott. :hug: Please stay safe.

[Nhoj]

Richard F. (RIP)
Gary F.
Mike W.
Michelle R.
Dean P.

[Snoogans]

I feel forgotten :( So I'll post me, Scott C. :)

[Snoogans]

Good luck to Mike and Jeremiah G., stay safe and God bless you guy's.

[Clarsax]

:hug: Good luck! :hug:

[BrowderChick]

Snoogans. :hug:

[zahncrelnik]

Additional Good Thoughts and Prayers to all those in all areas who are helping the refugees from Hurricane Katrina.

:hugz: :meditate: :hugz:

[I-am-so-Johns-girl]

I feel forgotten :( So I'll post me, Scott C. :)
Awwww...we haven't forgotten you Scott! :hug2:

[Snoogans]

:woohoo: Thanks BC & John's Girl.... I feel better now :D

[SweetpeaAeryn]

My cousin Michele L. who just started her tour in Iraq
Chip T.
Zach K.
Josh S.
Matt D.
Kyle H.

[zahncrelnik]

All those police officers, firemen, the National Guard,
everyone who is traveling to the New Orleans area to
help out. Good Thoughts and Prayers to you all :meditate:
:hug: :hugz: :hug: :hugz: :hug:

[BrowderChick]

My friends Chris and Todd are down there now helping out.

:hug:

[I-am-so-Johns-girl]

:woohoo: Thanks BC & John's Girl.... I feel better now :D
Glad to hear it Snoogans! Here's another :hug2:

[Snoogans]

Glad to hear it Snoogans! Here's another :hug2:


Woohoo! :) Feeling the love now. I just noticed where you live. I was stationed at Ft. Dix and I guy I went to high school with is stationed there now. Is Dad's Pub still open (hope I got the name right)? They had the best wings in the area.

[I-am-so-Johns-girl]

It's spelled Dadz...and yes, it is still there but they added a big wooden deck on the side this summer.
I'm originally from New Orleans :( but moved to NJ 5 yrs ago to marry a Joisey Boy! ;) Luckily all my family and close friends evacuated before Katrina but all of them are now displaced for a long time . Very, very sad. :cry2:

[Snoogans]

I'm originally from New Orleans :( but moved to NJ 5 yrs ago to marry a Joisey Boy! ;) Luckily all my family and close friends evacuated before Katrina but all of them are now displaced for a long time . Very, very sad. :cry2:


My Best Friend and I are planning a road trip for when I come home. Originaly he wanted to go to New Orleans, but instead we are hitting the Keys. Thank God all of them were able to get out. I'm sorry to hear they are displaced. A lot of soldiers over here from the affected areas are flying home on Emergency Leave.

[Snoogans]

I normaly do not like to share things like this, but in this case I feel I should. Last night two very strange things happened to me. Please pardon typos.

1) I had to pick a guy up that was flying in here, he arrives, help him load his bags into the truck, and he informs me that he left his helmet on the helicopter. We walk over to the gate and ask the guard there how does he go about getting his helmet back? I'm talking to the soldier and he asks the usual questions: What do you do over here? Were you prior military? Where are you from? To the last question I said, "Oklahoma originaly, but Pennsylvania is home now." He's from Pa to and ask me what part? When I said Reading/Shillington he started laughing. Turns out he is from Fleetwood. Very small world which grew even smaller when he said he is stationed at "the big AFB" right next to Ft. Dix (where I was in the Army). First person over here I have met that is familiar with my neck of the woods.

2) After taking the guy that flew in over to his quarters for the night, I decided I was in the mood for a Chocolate Frappe. In Tent city they put in a little coffee shop so we stopped. The line was pretty long and when my turn came to order, I decided I was going to pay for the soldiers who were standing behind me (a female Lt. Col. & and a male E-5). I asked the Col. what she wanted and she told the guy and started laughing. She said, "I thought you were offering to buy my coffee?" I said, "Yes maam I am and your companions coffee too." She stops laughing and looks at me and says, "Why would you do that?" To which I replied, "You never heard of a random act of kindness?" It caught both of them off guard, they both thanked me, and the E-5 said he would pass it on. So while we are waiting for our orders, we are chit chatting and it turns out they are from New Orleans and are flying home. The Col.'s husband was able to evacuate, but they lost everything else. The E-5 said his family was able to get out also and he has a Uncle that lives in Hershey, Pa. To my surprise the Col. pulls out a digital camera and the 3 of us take a picture together. I hate having my picture taken. She showed me the picture we had just taken and I said, "See, now you can tell everyone you had your picture taken in Iraq with a hippie."


It amazes me how shocked we are when a complete stranger does something nice for us. I was shocked that they were shocked, after all we are all American and we're in this together.

[I-am-so-Johns-girl]

Nice stories Snoogans...my first smile of the day! ;) Thanks for sharing them with us. :hug2:

[zahncrelnik]

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 over-bearing. We get no liberal
media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions.

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,
co-workers, 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 some thing red every Friday.


(everyone in the world -feel free to join in as a show of
support for all soldiers and all those who serve 'the greater good')

[scorponaleash]

Adam M. (marine)
Susan P. (nurse)
Gail H. (police officer)
Stan H. (firefighter)
Susanne S. (doctor, New Orleans volunteer)

[Owlman]

Beth, B. (Army) heading to Kosovo Tommorrow

[Boron]

To my friend's son, I don't even know his name, Army infantry in Iraq.