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Task Force Pathfinder recently built its very own mudhif to provide a location for meetings with local Iraqi leaders in a comfortable, traditional setting. First constructed in the marshes of what is now southern Iraq more than 5,000 years ago, the mudhif is a unique local meeting place assembled entirely of reeds, straw and other natural materials. Photo by Pfc. Aaron Brooks, 1st Armored Division. COB ADDER — First constructed more than 5,000 years ago in the marshes of what is now southern Iraq, the mudhif is a unique local meeting place assembled entirely of reeds, straw and other natural...

In a final call home, Army Sgt. Benjamin Sherman told his sister to tell everyone he loved them, “because I don’t know if I’ll get that chance again.” Sadly, his fears proved true. Sherman was laid to rest yesterday in his hometown of Plymouth in a funeral Mass attended by hundreds. Sherman, 21, was eulogized as a selfless soldier who did what came naturally to him when he jumped into a river in Afghanistan to try to rescue a comrade in distress. “He jumped into that river because he loved deeply, he was pure of heart, and he exhibited the...

Join Obama in honoring the dead Editorial Board Monday, November 09, 2009 President Barack Obama will be front and center at Fort Hood today to honor those killed and wounded in last Thursday's attack on unarmed soldiers preparing to deploy. That's where the commander in chief ought to be, and those who perpetrate division, anger and suspicion should have enough respect for the dead, the wounded and their families to let up for a bit. The din that followed the Fort Hood shooting was to be expected. Criticism of the nation's leader is nothing new, but in the information age,...

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.08.2009 advertisement Six decades after surviving a battle in which many soldiers froze to death, World War II veteran John Swett still dislikes the cold. This week, he and scores of surviving comrades are basking in Tucson's warmth during the national reunion of Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. More than 100 of these 80- and 90-somethings, who were part of the biggest, bloodiest land fight in U.S. history, are in town for a week of sightseeing and remembrance ceremonies. It's the first time their annual reunion has been held in the Old Pueblo, hosted...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2009 – In 2005, David Dominguez of San Diego noticed casualty reports in Iraq and Afghanistan were barely making news. After several years of war, the American public had settled back into its routine. Dominguez set up a nonprofit organization to remind people of the sacrifices being made on their behalf. He called it “Freedom is Not Free.” The name Dominguez chose gave expression to his sentiment that the brave men and women serving in the military, and their families, were shouldering the price for the freedoms that all Americans enjoy. Dominguez brought his long-time friend and...

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2009 – Bright blue skies above the National Mall today belied the solemnity of the ceremony commemorating the first two American combat casualties of the Vietnam War. U.S. Army Master Sgt. Chester Ovnand and Maj. Dale Buis were the first two U.S. servicemembers killed in the Vietnam War. Their sacrifice was honored in Washington, D.C., Jyly 8, 2009, in a ceremony commemorating the 50th Anniversary of their deaths. DoD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “On this date 50 years ago, two men lost their lives...

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2009 – When an “honor flight” from Long Island, N.Y., lands here tomorrow with 31 mostly World War II veterans aboard, it’s likely to be met in the same manner as others before it: with much applause and fanfare. Dr. Jack Griffeth, left, served as a medial guardian on the May 4, 2009, ‘honor flight’ for veterans from Atlanta. World War II veteran William Glavic, right, who also participated in that flight, survived the sinking of the USS Yorktown during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Photo courtesy of The Honor Flight Network  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution...

Leaders and representatives of the Jenin refugee camp on Saturday condemned the participation of Palestinian teenagers from the camp in a concert honoring Holocaust survivors in Holon last week. Palestinian children from the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank play for Holocaust survivors at a center in Holon, last Wednesday. SLIDESHOW: Israel & Region | World The 13 Palestinian musicians, aged 11 to 18, are members of the Palestinian orchestra Strings of Freedom that is based in the refugee camp.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2008 – President George W. Bush signed proclamations today establishing a World War II monument to those who fought in the Pacific theater and commemorating the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument will serve as a reminder of the sacrifices “The Greatest Generation” made to protect the country, Bush said before signing the proclamation. “But there’s a broader purpose, as well,” he said. “And that is to remind generations of Americans about the transformative effect of freedom. “One of the great stories during...

MANDAN, N.D., Nov. 10, 2008 – "They are dead; but they live in each patriot's breast, and their names are engraven on honor's bright crest," Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote. Purple irises greet visitors at the entrance to the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. U.S. Army photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. At the Veterans Cemetery here, 2,799 names are "engraven," remembered in their death for the life they lived and the war they fought. Nearly 1,000 more share the sacred space, honored for their service in the National Guard or reserves or as a veteran's family member. Stoic white-granite...

DALLAS, Oct. 23, 2008 – Despite having an air show the next day to prepare for, Air Force Master Sgt. Robin Brooks decided to play the odds of becoming the “next contestant on ‘The Price is Right,’” and it paid off. "Having my named called was music to my ears," said Brooks, first sergeant for the Thunderbirds, the Air Force’s air demonstration squadron, based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Brooks was part of an audience made up of soldiers, airmen, sailors, Marines, military retirees, disabled veterans and family members for a special taping of the CBS daytime game...

SEBRING, Ohio, Sept. 12, 2008 – Significance is meaningless without sacrifice. Scott Warner pauses while addressing participants in Sebring, Ohio's third annual America Supports You Freedom Walk on Sept. 11, 2008. Warner's son, Marine Pvt. Heath D. Warner, was killed Nov. 22, 2006, while serving in Iraq’s Anbar province. Defense Dept. photo by Samantha L. Quigley  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. That was the message more than 100 people heard yesterday after completing Sebring’s third annual America Supports You Freedom Walk. “It’s so painful, but we need to remember,” said Scott Warner, who fought to maintain his composure....

KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 11, 2008 – More than 300 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and civilians gathered today at Camp Eggers here to remember the thousands of victims who lost their lives during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against America. Servicemembers of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan salute the colors at a remembrance ceremony at Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 11, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Tim Newborn, Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Navy Chaplain (Cmdr.) Patrick McCormick, Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan’s command chaplain, gave the invocation commencing the remembrance ceremony....

Honoring Heroes at the Holidays to be in New York, Sunday, December 16th * Honoring Heroes at the Holidays * - Holiday Cards for the Troops! - Gathering of Eagles is proud to announce the Move America Forward caravan will arrive in New York City on Sunday, December 16th, at 1 pm, culminating their 16 state cross country caravan collecting Holiday Cards for our young men and women serving overseas this Holiday season. If you did not have an opportunity to greet the caravan in your state, take advantage of this opportunity to send cards to the troops! Let's pull...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FENTY, Afghanistan, Nov. 15, 2007 – “On the 8th of November, the angels were crying as they carried his brothers away. … There were few men left standing that day,” sings the country duo Big & Rich in their ballad commemorating the fall of 48 American soldiers from 173rd Airborne Brigade in 1965 in Operation Hump in Vietnam. Army Pfc. Zachary Wierman (in black T-shirt), a signal support system specialist, passes on a bayonet decorated with the national colors to Army Pfc. Brian Fitzsimons, an automated logistical specialist, during a 24-hour race Nov. 8, 2007. Both...

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates paid an emotional tribute last night to one of the Marine Corps’ fallen heroes of the war in Iraq. Marine Capt. Douglas Zembiec, the commanding officer of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, gives orders to his men over a radio prior to leaving their secured compound for a short patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, April 8, 2004. The company entered Fallujah on April 6 to begin the effort of destroying enemy held up in the city. Zembiec was killed in action May 10, 2007. He...

Tulare County supervisors approved a permit Tuesday to build a pair of mammoth dairies next to a state historic park devoted to black settlers, but a deal was in the works to keep the farms far from the monument to a freed slave. The plan to put more than 12,000 cows within two miles of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park pitted Sam Etchegaray against environmentalists and park supporters who said the dairies would be an offensive neighbor, bringing stink, flies and pollution to the black utopia founded in 1908 by the former Army chaplain. Supervisors said they believe an environmental...

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2007 – The Armed Services YMCA paid tribute to military medics and corpsmen here last night during its first Angels of the Battlefield awards dinner. Recipients of the Armed Services YMCA Angels of the Battlefield award pose for a photo with Marine Gen. James T. Conway (far right), commandant of the Marine Corps, and Eugene E. Habiger (far left), chairman of the Armed Services YMCA. The Armed Services YMCA honored military medics and corpsmen in Washington on March 7 during its Angels of the Battlefield awards dinner. Photo by Steven Donald Smith  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution...

Cpl. Victor M. Langarica of Company B, 86th Signal Battalion, was remembered Tuesday during services held on Fort Huachuca at the Main Post Chapel. He was killed in northeast Baghdad when the helicopter he was aboard was shot down. (Ed Honda-Herald/Review) Herald/Review FORT HUACHUCA — Army Cpl. Victor M. Langarica was remembered as an old school soldier, one who was dedicated to serving his nation even knowing he may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. On Tuesday, the Main Post Chapel was full, with more than 400 people who came to honor Langarica for what Lincoln once...

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska, Dec. 13, 2006 -- The Arctic Wolves bid an emotional farewell to 36 of their own yesterday as they gathered here to dedicate the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Memorial Wall. Soldiers bow their heads during the benediction during a Memorial Wall dedication honoring fallen members of the 172nd Stryker Brigade at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Dec. 12. Photo by William D. Moss  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Leaders from the unit joined about 25 family members of the fallen in the atrium of the high-tech Battle Command Training Center here to remember 26 Stryker Brigade...

WASHINGTON, July 28, 2006 – A mother-daughter trio has compiled a book of children’s letters to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.   Barbara Baldwin and her two daughters, Amber D’Amico and Heather Duff, decided a year ago to highlight children’s appreciation for men and women in uniform.   The book, “Dear Soldier,� was released Memorial Day weekend. Baldwin said she and her daughters were inspired to create the book after reading children's letters for care packages sent to troops as part of a church project.   "Because the children's letters were so compelling, we would read them aloud as the...

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2006 – Thirty-three days after pedaling out of Los Angeles, a group of cyclists arrived at the Pentagon today as part of the Airline Ride Across America to honor the 33 airline crewmembers who died during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. A group of cyclists arrives at the Pentagon May 9 as part of the Airline Ride Across America to honor the 33 airline crewmembers who died during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The riders left Los Angeles on April 2. Along the way they raised about $100,000 for 9/11 memorials in...

A memorial illustration for Trooper Steven R. Smith of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

In memory of our fallen brothers and sisters, there will be no posting over the Memorial Day Weekend. Postings will resume on Tuesday, May 31st. "“They stand in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives and through it, they live in a way that humbles the understandings of most men.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Well-meant biker gathering's time has passed By Robert F. Dorr Soon, it will be Memorial Day. On May 30, ceremonies will honor Americans who died in battle. The most important commemoration will take place at Arlington National Cemetery, just across the river from Washington. There will be speeches, hymns and moments of silent reflection. There is a right way to observe Memorial Day. This isn't it. I'm not against bikers. This column has regularly supported military members who choose to ride rather than drive. ("Military puts up too many obstacles for members who ride motorcycles," Army Times, April 29, 2002)....

Southern heritage buffs vow to use the Virginia gubernatorial election as a platform for designating April as Confederate History and Heritage Month. The four candidates have differing views on the Confederacy, an issue that has been debated for years in the commonwealth. "We're not just a few people making a lot of noise," said Brag Bowling, a spokesman for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the oldest hereditary organization for male descendents of Confederate soldiers. "This is not a racial thing; it is good for Virginia. We're going to keep pushing this until we get it." Each candidate recently shared his...

On November 3, 1980, a double-rainbow crested over Main Street in Tampico, Illinois, where Ronald Reagan was born. The next day, Reagan was elected to become our fortieth president. "When we saw the double rainbows, we knew he had it won," explains Amy McElhiney, who, with her husband Lloyd, manages the Reagan Birthplace Museum. Peering into the tiny Tampico apartment where Reagan entered this life, it is hard to imagine more commonplace beginnings. As we now contemplate his exit from this life, it is hard to find a man who has left a more important legacy. As Reagan entered the...

Memorial DayRemembering Our Fallen Heroes A Brief History of Memorial Day Decoration DayThe morning of May 5, 1865. The war weary townspeople of Waterloo, New York, continued the recent Sunday ritual of placing flowers, wreaths, and crosses on the graves of their fallen soldiers in their local cemetery. Much the same was happening throughout the country, in both the Northern and Southern states, as Americans slowly healed the wounds that ravaged our young nation during the Great Civil War. That same day, Henry C. Welles, a druggist in the village of Waterloo, suggested at a social gathering that a more...

Click on the words "See Video Honoring The Military" at the top of the Bush Country website at http://www.bushcountry.org to see the best pro military video you have ever seen. I could not stop my wife from crying when she saw it.