Free Republic

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2006 – A Fargo, N.D., business that provides loans to farmers and ranchers has received Defense Department recognition for its support of employees in the National Guard and reserve. AgCountry Farm Credit Service is one of 15 U.S. businesses chosen to receive the 2006 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award for outstanding support of employees in the Guard or reserve. Employees who are members of the Guard or reserve nominate employers for the award. “It’s quite an honor and a privilege to receive such a distinguished award. We were absolutely thrilled when we got the news,”...

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Aug. 7, 2006) -- Seven Marines were presented with a $5,000 award for their combat zone ingenuity in designing and creating a protective armor kit for military forklifts and front end loaders, commonly called TRAMs, at a ceremony here Aug. 6. Those awarded - welders and mechanics assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) - were selected for the recognition by the Marine Corps' Beneficial Suggestion Program after fabricating from scratch a steel cover, complete with protective glass windows, that fits over the cab of the TRAM. TRAM is the Marine Corp's acronym...

U.S. Army Sgt. Scott P. Hankins Soldier Earns Firefighter Honors Army News Service FORT LEWIS, Wash., June 28, 2006 — Sgt. Scott P. Hankins joined the Army to make a better life for himself and to realize his dream of being an Army firefighter. This month Hankins was named 2005 Army Firefighter of Year. “I was totally shocked,” said Hankins, 63rd Ordnance Company, 80th Ordnance Battalion. “It’s quite an honor to earn an award in any (profession) at this level.” Fort Lewis Fire Chief Dean Dixon wasn’t surprised. “Hankins doesn’t sit idle too much; he’s always keeping busy,” Dixon...

FORT BENNING, Ga. (Army News Service, May 9, 2006) – He calls himself “Capt. Arkan.” Arkan is his first name, and he prefers not to have his picture taken. More than a year ago, Arkan arrived at Fort Benning, Ga., to attend the Infantry Captain Career Course and Airborne School – the first Iraqi soldier to do so. Last week, Arkan also became the first Iraqi to attend Ranger School and earn the coveted Ranger tab. As the aide to a three-star Iraqi general, Arkan is aware that divulging too much of himself puts others at risk. But he's effusive...

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (April 4, 2006) -- Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andras T.S. Eder carried protest signs denouncing the Operation Desert Shield in 1991. Fifteen years later, he was promoted for his performance in combat. The 36-year-old Hungarian immigrant was promoted at the beginning of the month for his performance under fire while serving alongside his Marines from C Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5. It’s just one phase of a multi-faceted man who constantly reinvents himself, taking on the next great adventure in his life. “I try to be even-keeled,” Eder said. “It seems like...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2006) -- Critical medical operations to save the life of a wounded comrade are extremely stressful in the rear, where there is proper medical equipment. Conducting them in the back of a humvee while it speeds through a hail of shrapnel and small arms fire, however, is a true test of one’s proficiency and courage. Petty Officer 1st Class Nathan McDonell faced and overcame that challenge a year ago in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for it during a ceremony at Camp Margarita Feb. 17. “I accept this recognition...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 20, 2006) -- Major Paul T. Deutsch of Addison, Ill., the disbursing officer for Camp Lejeune, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during an awards ceremony Jan. 18 for his service while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 04 - 06. Deutsch deployed with Headquarters and Service Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, and served as the Service Company commander. He oversaw five platoons including disbursers, postal clerks, exchange salesmen, dental technicians and mortuary affairs specialists. Service Company covered the entire Al Anbar province during their seven-month stay, and achieved amazing things, according...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 17, 2006) -- Six-year Navy veteran, Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher D. Baird, was presented the Thomas A. Christensen Jr. Award Dec. 16, for “going above and beyond the call of duty,” according to the award citation. The Cordell, Okla., native, a corpsman with 2nd Dental Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, was selected from three contestants – one from each MLG. The Thomas A. Christensen Jr. Award is presented to a dental technician in recognition of significant contributions to the Navy and the Fleet Marine Force. Baird is one of 15 Sailors to...

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, SC (Oct. 28, 2005) -- When Marines do an outstanding job, they might hear an ‘Oohrah’ from fellow comrades, but when they go above and beyond the call of duty some receive a lot more than a motivating shout. For Gunnery Sgt. Joseph A. Dobbins, the assistant Marine Air Traffic Control mobile team leader and ATC crew chief for Marine Air Control Squadron Detachment A, the story is no different. On Oct. 12, Dobbins received the Kenneth A. Innis Aviation Command and Control Marine of the Year Award at an awards banquet in Reno, Nev....

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.-- (August10, 2005) -- Cpl Danny S. Santos, a rifleman with the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism) and a native of south-central Los Angeles, received a Silver Star Aug. 10 from Lt. Gen. James F. Amos, commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force, for his actions in Operation Iraqi Freedom April 2004. The Silver Star is the nation’s third-highest award, after the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, respectively. Amos noted the significance of the award in his presentation. “In all my years in the Marine Corps, I have pinned on a lot...

<p>SACRAMENTO - Richard Katz, one of Gov. Gray Davis' top advisers, has earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees the past two years from clients that have had business before the governor's office on issues that Katz handles, state records show.</p>