Free Republic

Calling on Hilton to be the kinda corp it claims to be. Few Americans would argue that American soldiers should not receive the thanks of our nation for their service, and fewer still would argue that, if returning to our country less than whole and in need of help, soldiers should not receive the support of America's corporate giants. Hilton Hotel Corporation, then, has something to answer for. Every Friday is Veterans' Day at Fran O'Brien's Stadium Steakhouse in Washington, D.C., where owners, Hal Koster and Marty O'Brien, bring soldiers — primarily amputees — recovering from their wounds at Walter...

The steaks are great, of course. But it isn't the T-bones, the porterhouses or the rib-eyes that will be sorely, even painfully, missed when Fran O'Brien's Stadium Steakhouse loses its lease and closes its doors this month. The downtown D.C. restaurant, which has hosted a decade's worth of power lunches, political dinners and salacious hookups, is more poignantly known for its Friday night steak dinners for severely wounded soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. "It looks like they're kicking us out," sighed Marty O'Brien, son of the late Redskins offensive lineman Fran O'Brien, before closing the restaurant yesterday...

<p>A two-year tradition for wounded war vets is about to go by the wayside. A downtown DC steak house that’s catered to injured troops every Friday night is about to close.</p> <p>Fran O’Brien’s landlord [Hilton] is forcing out the steakhouse of the same name.</p>

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2006 – Award-winning satirist Garry Trudeau of "Doonesbury" fame visited the Pentagon today to meet with troops wounded in the war on terror and present them autographed copies of his book featuring the healing process of a comic character he said they inspired. Army Spc. Joey Kashnaw, a 4th Infantry Division soldier who lost his leg after being wounded in Taji, Iraq, in September 2003, meets with Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau at the Pentagon. Photo by Donna Miles  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. "The Long Road Home: One Step at a Time," tells the story...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2006 – Wounded servicemembers have an extra helping hand thanks to Operation First Response, a group specializing in providing them supplies and funds during their recuperation. Peggy Baker of Culpepper, Va., founder and president of the all-volunteer nonprofit, answered questions from interested troops Jan. 19 at the Washington Capitals' "Salute to the Military Night" at the MCI Center here. While thousands of servicemembers and their families enjoyed free tickets to the hockey game against the St. Louis Blues, Baker took the opportunity to offer assistance. "We're kind of an extension. Where somebody will fall through the loops,...

The following article appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News on December 22, 2005 Here's a Yule Story That Ought to be a Movie By Ronnie Polaneczky AND NOW, in time for the holidays, I bring you the best Christmas story you never heard. It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops. "We have to let them know we care," Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring soldiers from Walter Reed Army MedicalCenter and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in...

Online Auction of the 50,000th copy of Military Salute to benefit Operation First Response The Minnesota Platoon, a group of five disabled Vietnam-era Veterans that distributes “Military Salute” at no charge to active-duty Military units, Veterans groups, family support groups, public safety organizations, church groups, school districts, and students working on patriotic projects, is now conducting an online auction of the 50,000th copy of the video to benefit Operation First Response. Operation First Response ... http://www.operationfirstresponse.org ... sends backpacks to Combat Support Hospitals in Iraq, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, and visits Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the...

Bush visits Idaho track star who lost legsTWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) -- President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush personally awarded a Purple Heart to a former Idaho high school track star who lost both his legs in an explosion in Iraq.Marine Cpl. Travis Greene, who graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1999 and was given a track scholarship to Boise State University, received the medal last week at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., where he is being treated.Greene's parents, Terry and Sue Greene, have been visiting their son daily since mid-December. Terry...

BETHESDA, Md. - Since the Iraq war began in 2003, it has become an annual pre- Christmas rite for President Bush to personally comfort wounded soldiers. He continued that tradition Wednesday, going bed-to-bed in an intensive care unit and handing out Purple Hearts to the valiant. Bush was visiting with Marines wounded in Iraq and the medical staff treating them at the National Naval Medical Center here. Before going behind closed doors to spend about two hours with servicemen and women, Bush spoke briefly to medical care givers and troops able to leave their rooms.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2005 – President Bush traveled today to the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md., near here to thank an "incredible team of healers" whom he said bring comfort, aid and solace to those who have been hurt on the battlefield, as well as their families. The president recognized the military medical caregivers' "decency and compassion and skill" that assures military members that, if hurt, they will receive the best medical care possible, he said. "And so we're here to thank the nurses and the docs and the healers and the volunteers who put the smile on...

President and Mrs. Bush visited wounded military personnel recovering in the National Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, also thanking caregivers there. He signed the "GO Zone" Gulf Opportunity Zone Act, providing nearly $8 billion in tax breaks for Gulf Coast businesses, as part of the government's plan to help the region rebuild from destructive hurricanes. The Vice President cast a tie-breaking vote as president of the US Senate, enabling passage of a $39.7 billion deficit-reduction bill, the first of its kind in more than ten years. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is in Pakistan. Saddam Hussein Trial Discussed: Christopher Reid, Regime Crimes...

BETHESDA, Md. - This is not how congressional wives are supposed to act. They are not supposed to curse at Pentagon officials, write angry letters to President Bush or say that members of Congress take bribes. But Beverly Young, the wife of Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores, doesn't play by those rules. Spend a day with her visiting wounded Marines at the National Naval Medical Center and you'll hear a few expletives. When she sees a photograph of a former hospital official, Beverly says: "See this b----? If she were here, I'd deck her." But mostly what you...

Today President Bush traveled to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he outlined his strategy for the administration's pandemic influenza preparations and response at the William Natcher Center. The strategy is designed to meet three critical goals:" to detect and contain outbreaks before they spread across the world, to protect the American people by stockpiling vaccines and antiviral drugs and accelerating the development of new vaccine technologies, and to ensure that Federal, State, and local communities are prepared for potential domestic outbreaks. " He also met with Donald Powell, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp in...

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) -- Among the casualties treated aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort in the early weeks of the 2003 invasion of Iraq was a civilian shot multiple times while caught in crossfire. The patient was seriously wounded, but stabilized after emergency surgery. But 24 hours later, the Iraqi was dead after bleeding uncontrollably from his wounds, his blood poisoned by an unknown infection that didn't respond to antibiotics. Within a week, about a quarter of the injured troops on the ship in the Persian Gulf had the same bacteria. Soon, another Iraqi in the intensive care unit died....

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2005 – A well-known artist visiting the nation's capital for the dedication of the "Extra Mile" monument celebrating volunteers went an extra mile himself last week. Thomas Kinkade -- known as the "Painter of Light" for his depictions of light-filled buildings -- and his wife, Nanette, visited with nine servicemembers recovering from injuries at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md. The United Service Organizations helped arrange the visit and accompanied the Kinkades. "It was the highlight of our trip. We visited with nine (servicemembers), and the stories we heard were amazing," the artist said. While...

The legendary Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, considered by many as the centerpiece of Army hospitals, will close as a result of a decision Thursday morning by a federal panel. City leaders and health care officials reacted with little surprise, but much frustration, over losing the nearly 100-year-old hospital. D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, speaking on WTOP's "Ask the Mayor" program, said, "You can't be happy about this if you live in the District of Columbia or work at Walter Reed. But we knew we had an uphill struggle here. They were set to do it their way."...

Just reported on Fox News. Will merge its mission into Bethesda Naval Hospital which is nearby. Good decision: A bad, poorly located campus that needs updating really badly....has needed it for decades.

"These warriors have been coming over and have been as brave in their recovery as the have been in battle. It's been an absolute honor for us to serve them on Friday nights. It's also a pleasure to see them when they get better and walk out of here... You know that the country is with you in your recovery, and we wish you well." Hal Koster, co-owner of Fran O'Brien's Steakhouse ...Marty O'Brien and Hal Koster - took a suggestion from a regular patron (Vietnam veteran Jim Mayer) to invite some wounded troops over for dinner. Nearly two years...

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, July 27, 2005) – The Houston Astros received a special visit at the ball park July 23, shortly after making a special visit of their own. Several wound-recovering Soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center watched the visiting Astros take on the Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium after receiving an invitation by the team’s highest ranking official. The Soldiers were invited guests of team owner Drayton McLane, who took several of his players to visit with recovering troops at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital the two afternoons prior to the game. McLane arranged for his...

Laura's breast cancer surgery 'couldn't have gone getter,' in the words of her surgeon Dr. Katherine Alley.Initial sentinel node testing showed done suring surgery showed no signs of cancer involvement in the lymph nodes, and we all hope this is good news confirmed by more in-depth tisse testing done in the next 48 hours.'The outpouring of love and concern, coast to coast in prayer, emails, and telephone calls has left me feeling more blessed than I can possibly convey,' said Laura.'I really dont know what I did to deserve such kindness , but I will gladly wrap myself in it,'...