Posted on 02/02/2004 4:32:35 AM PST by The Mayor
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.
But Congratulations are due to the New England Patriots..
We are all Patriots here so we all Win!!
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! ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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
SCOUTS OUT!
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
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
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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.
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
6 more weeks of winter, suprise, suprise!
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.
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.
Coffee's on
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