Posted on 08/25/2005 1:48:00 PM PDT by BenLurkin
LANCASTER - Antelope Valley residents who support the troops and are interested in the work that is being done in Iraq and Afghanistan can meet with the military during the Antelope Valley Fair and Alfalfa Festival. Among those joining in will be spouses and families of soldiers who served in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.
Veterans of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom will appear at the fair with Valley Press Editor Dennis Anderson.
"It's an interview format, with the public invited," Anderson said. "We will be talking to veterans about their service, and the experiences they encountered on deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan."
The purpose of "Real Time Heroes" is to afford the public an opportunity to see and hear from military in current service, and also from their family members.
"One night we will be hosting Blue Star Moms," Anderson said. "The Blue Star Moms have sons and daughters in current service, and they have an important family story to tell."
A receptacle for donating items like microwave popcorn, cans of bug repellent and personal hygiene items will be at the meeting area in the foyer of the Lilac Pavilion.
The Valley Press has gathered photographs of Antelope Valley soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines taken during their overseas tours, and some will be on display.
So far, events are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on four dates: Sunday, Aug. 28; Tuesday, Aug. 30; Wednesday, Aug. 31; and Friday, Sept. 2.
"Somewhere out in the Antelope Valley, there are a few dozen GIs it was my privilege to serve with as an embedded reporter in Kuwait and Iraq. I would love to see or hear from any of those GI Joes and Janes," Anderson said. "They are simply the best."
The goal is to have nonpolitical conversations that help to inform the public about the real-life experience of what it is to be deployed overseas during time of war.
"There is no agenda here except to help share the experiences of our troops with the public. Each evening's scheduled talk is intended to represent a different aspect of serving overseas."
Dates and speakers:
Sunday, Aug. 28 - Cmdr. Tom Sutton, U.S. Navy Reserve, spokesman for "Dog Tags for Families," served in Kuwait and Iraq;
Tuesday, Aug. 30 - Lt. Col. Bull Krueger, commanding officer of Detachment Bravo, Marine Aircraft Group-46, served in Iraq;
Wednesday, Aug. 31 - Staff Sgt. Gourrick and other members of Marine Squadron HMM 769, the "Road Hogs," based at Edwards Air Force Base;
Thursday, Sept. 1 - Family Support, California National Guard, with service in Iraq;
Friday, Sept. 2 - Blue Star Moms, mothers of sons and daughters currently in military service.
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