A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....02-02-04....Military Monday

Billie, The Mayor

[The Mayor]

A Few of FR's Finest
....Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I could no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I had been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that didn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why we've created a place for just that. This is a friendly room in JimRob's house where FReeper FRiends can gather every day and just say hello if that's all they want to do.

There's more of course. We sometimes feature different FReepers, with a little background information on who they are and what makes them who they are, along with a few photos you might not have seen on other threads; sometimes others write an essay for us to post as the feature for the day; sometimes our presentation is a human interest story found elsewhere that you might not have read; sometimes special holiday threads; but whatever the topic of the day, it is always with FR's Finest in mind and that is YOU!

If you would like to be featured, or would like to see someone else featured, please send me a private FR mail.

Every Monday we will post the photos of FR's Military Personnel that I have collected and put into groups; these will be available to view through a link the remainder of the week - every day just a click away. :)   If you would like to add a photo of yourself or a loved one in the military, past or present, please let me know; I will hold it until I have enough for a new group.

Thank you, and please have fun with us...every day! ~ Billie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank You For Serving Our Country!

TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete
MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet
MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga
BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette
MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid
BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP
MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian
BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

TOP:  Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog.
MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son.
BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

TOP:  dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon.
BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

TOP:  ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband
poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son;
BOTTOM:  AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset);
WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

TOP: Mo1's dad; BuffyT's Uncle (right, w/ her dad & grandmother); Armymarinemom's 3 sons.
MIDDLE: ru4Liberty's dad; SheLion's husband, MaineRebel; wirestripper.
BOTTOM: fivetoes; bigghurtt; hurricane; ladtx' dad; Pippin's brother.




                     

THE WEEKEND THREAD 1-31,2-01-04... Week in Review ^

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45Man
at
danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[The Mayor]

[The Mayor]

If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do

When it seems you can't forgive, remember how much you've been forgiven.

[Temple Owl]

A very good morning to you Mr. Mayor and all Patriot fans. That was a great football game.

[The Mayor]

From Foxnews.com

Feb. 2: Off-duty U.S. troops watching Super Bowl XXXVIII,
which was broadcast live in Baghdad, Iraq.

Bagpiper Command Sergeant Najor Patrick Douglas,
of the 1st Armored Division's Task Force Baghdad,
cheers during a live broadcast of Super Bowl XXXVII

TIKRIT, Iraq  — It was the middle of the night for exhausted members of the 4th Infantry Division (search)
 as they watched the Super Bowl in the relative comfort of one of Saddam Hussein's palaces
in the dictator's hometown. Full story here.

[The Mayor]

Yes it was a great game. I didn't want it to look like I was gloating so I have been kinda reserved.

But Congratulations are due to the New England Patriots..

We are all Patriots here so we all Win!!

[Temple Owl]

I posted this on Just Amy's tread too. You might get a smile out of it too.

Three men die, and they are in heaven before St. Peter. St. Peter questioned each man: St. Peter (to the first man): What is your IQ? First man: 210. St. Peter: Wow! That's really high, maybe we should discuss the Theory of Relativity sometime. St. Peter (to the second man): What is your IQ? Second man: 170. St. Peter: Well, that is also good, maybe we could discuss the fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics sometime. St. Peter (to the third man): What is your IQ? Third man: 70. St. Peter: Well... How about those Boston Patriots! ------------------------------------------------------------------------

[The Mayor]

This story from my town and Isledegrande.com

Mrs. Skrabacz's and Mr. Stark's Fifth Graders Have Special Visitor

PFC Federspiel with cousin, Geoff

Mr. Stark and PFC Federspiel

These two teachers taught 3 of my kids

Jodi Robinson Story and Photos

Army Private 1st Class Mike Federspiel made a surprise visit to his cousin Geoff Federspiel's class on Wednesday, January 28, 2004. The fifth grade students of Mrs. Susan Skrabacz and Mr. Michael Stark at Kaegebein had plenty of questions for Mike, home on a two-week leave from Iraq. Mike joined the Army 18 months ago and has spent the last 10 months in Iraq. He is based near Saddam Hussein's home town of Tirkit and was part of a security force involved in his capture. He did not witness the capture first hand, but did see the hiding spot that he said was as small as a casket and lined with concrete. From questions asked by the students, they learned that it gets up to 140 degrees in summertime and the soldiers are wearing full gear, carrying an additional 60 to 70 pounds in equipment. Sand is everywhere with vegetation only near water sources.

Complete story here..

[ladtx]

In memory of my fellow Vietnam helicopter pilots who were killed in that war the following pilots were lost on FEB 2. God bless them all.

1967 CPT Joe R. Fulghum Jr. (USAR) -- 283 MED DET, Age 27, Married, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
1967 1LT Alan H. Zimmerman (USAR) -- 283 MED DET, Age 23, Married, Midland Park, New Jersey
1968 LTC Donald D. Burnham (USAR) -- B/1/9 CAV 1 CAV, Age 38, Single, Webb, Alabama
1968 WO1 John H. Cannon (USAR) -- 235 AVN, Age 25, Married, Jay, Florida
1968 WO1 Horace G. Giddens Jr. (USAR) -- C/1/9 CAV 1 CAV, Age 22, Single, Andalusia, Alabama
1968 WO1 Roger L. Schneider (USAR) -- B/1/9 CAV 1 CAV, Age 20, Single, Louisville, Nebraska
1968 CPT Carl L. West (USAR) -- 235 AVN, Age 29, Married, Nashville, Tennessee

In honor of CPT Fulghum and 1LT Zimmerman, and all Dustoff pilots. 1LT Zimmerman was only in-country 6 days before his death.

This memorial for CPT Fulghum is taken from "The Wall" website. It was posted last year: (I've left the typos as they are so as not to try to interpret this man's obvious feelings about this hero.)

Would like to contact Joe's wife. He told me about her and confided his thought in feeling to me in January 1967 when I was flying with him and spending a couple days with him at Lai Khe. Met him on a Sunday and he saved my life on Monday. He displayed uncommon valor consistent with MOH recipients. He told that to save as many lives as he could, he knew he would not survive his tour. At age 27, he had developed white and gray hair. He loved his wife very much and did not want to leave her. He believed he needed to give his life that OTHERS MIGHT LIVE. He told me this believing that he was going to die and made what amounts to a dying declaration. He did not want to die. He made a rational decision that he had a moral responsibility to value the lives as others as much as his own. He told of the dagner of flying night hoist missions, where when hovering his helicopter could rather eaisly hit by both fully automatic AK-47's as well as .30 and .51 or .50 caliber machine guns. He said he could not decline night hoist missions; although he clearly believed that continuing to do so would cost him his life. CPT. JOE FULGHRAM life an example came from his parents, he was an only son, his wife, and his belief in God. I saw him flying to pick up children, women and elderly Vietnamese civilians to rescue them from being injured or killed in firefights. I also saw him providing evacuation to injured Viet Cong from the battlefield. who lost LIFE consci not his was not a deat He was with the 283rd Ambulance Co. He saved my life in January 1967 and was KIA Feburary 1967 when he volunterred to attemp a night hoist rescue near Bien Hoa Viet-Nam. HE CLEARLY MADE A CHOICE NOT TO BE KILLED BUT TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE. "Greater love has no man than this, that he lie down his life for his friends."
Charles Wayne Briggs, Church of Christ Mission,APO SF 96243 July 1966 - October 1969. 915/691-1672 or 915, 829-1961.
Friday, April 11, 2003

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE

SCOUTS OUT!

[The Mayor]

Commander Mike Cutini presents plaque to SPC Shanley; (right) friends and family at Shanley reception.
(above) Barbi Lare Photos

When SPC Michael Shanley entered the Charles N. DeGlopper Post 9249 on Monday, January 26, 2004 where he and his wife, Melissa, planned to meet his family and then go out to dinner, he was pleasantly surprised to see upwords of 80 friends and relatives there to give him a very warm welcome home. Commander Mike Cutini presented Mike with a members' cap and shirt and a Certificate of Appreciation "For service to his Country and preserving our freedom in Iraq from the 2nd Day of April 2003 thru the 2nd Day of January 2004." Mike, who served as a tank driver, had a hand in surrounding the area where Saddam Hussein was captured in December 2003. Mike's parents, Diana and Steve DeMarco, planned the welcome home reception

complete story here at Isledegrande.com

[FreeTheHostages]

[The Mayor]

Mornin Free!

[The Mayor]

Thank You Sir !

[LadyX]

Good Morning After, Your Honor !!
'Twas a fine contest, the Super Bowl, and a Mighty Phine Time was had by all viewers from the 10,000 yard line...:))

Military Monday, and here is good news for many of our wonderful patriots:

The Pentagon is gearing up for a massive rotation of about a quarter million troops in and out of Iraq, a giant logistics chore complicated by concerns about opportunistic attacks targeting Americans as they arrive or depart.

Between late January and May, 123,000 weary U.S. troops will be pulled out of Iraq and replaced with about 110,000 fresh Army soldiers and Marines.

In this photo, U.S. Army paratrooper PFC Grant Lawrence of the 101st Airborne guards the division's headquarters in the northern Iraq city of Mosul on January 1, 2004.

(Akram Saleh/Reuters)
Reuters - Jan 01 1:07 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We ask you, Lord, to watch over all our sons and daughters wherever they are serving around the world. Infuse in them courage and abilities to perform their necessary tasks; peace of mind and comfort; let the locals see our purpose is for their good, and not to conquor them; and bring them safely home to us.

Amen.

[FreeTheHostages]

And good morning to you. And Happy Groundhog day.

[The Mayor]

February 2, 2004

Freely Forgive

Read: Colossians 3:12-17

If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. —Colossians 3:13

Bible In One Year: Exodus 29-30; Matthew 21:23-46

---

Studies by a number of psychologists show that it is not great riches that make people happy, but friends and forgiveness. Commenting on these findings in a USA Today article, Marilyn Elias says, "The happiest people surround themselves with family and friends, don't care about keeping up with the Joneses next door, lose themselves in daily activities, and most important, forgive easily."

University of Michigan psychologist Christopher Peterson says that the ability to forgive others is the trait most strongly linked to happiness. He calls it "the queen of all virtues, and probably the hardest to come by."

An unforgiving spirit is often the last emotional fortress we yield to the power of God. Even as Christians, we may cling to anger and bitterness, feeling that those who have wronged us should suffer for their offenses. But when we realize how much God has forgiven us, we are compelled to extend mercy to others. The Bible urges us to "put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; . . . even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do" (Colossians 3:12-13).

Forgiveness is God's command to us and is part of a life of love, peace, thankfulness, and praise (vv.14-16). Freely we have been forgiven; let us freely forgive. —David McCasland

Lord, help me be kind and forgiving—
Your loving forgiveness You've shown
To me for the sins I've committed;
Lord, grant me a love like Your own. —Anon.

When it seems you can't forgive, remember how much you've been forgiven.

[The Mayor]

Yup he saw his shadow

6 more weeks of winter, suprise, suprise!

[LadyX]

"When it seems you can't forgive, remember how much you've been forgiven."

How true that is, human nature being what it is.
It is ever so easy to be 'offended' - to be judgmental and even 'righteous' toward others - and 'blind' to our own shortcomings.

Especially in family relationships is this true, trying to bridge generational and maturity gaps.
Friends come and go, but family members are all bricks in the foundation of your life. Helping one another to grow and find common ground is vital.

The person you alienate by giving only disapproval might one day be the one who becomes your caregiver is something to keep in mind, whether parent or child or spouse thereof.

[The Mayor]

Native Western New Yorkers of the Marine Corps 2nd Tank Battalion
pose with a Bills flag in Northern Baghdad

914th Air Division at Niagara Falls Air Force Base.

[The Mayor]

That is great news, our guys need a break from the action..

God Bless them All!

[GailA]

Good Morning FInest, it's raining here in Memphis, supposed to do so most of the day.

Coffee's on