Diners have sweet surprise for soldier, girlfriend

When Chris Yanez wanted to take his girlfriend out for a special dinner to celebrate their one-year anniversary, he chose the venerable restaurant Canlis, perched high above Lake Union. ... Before going to dinner Wednesday night, Yanez, a reservist who spent a year in Iraq as a machine-gunner, put on his green dress Army uniform, the one he was proud to wear. With his girlfriend, Liz Coleman, on his arm, he walked into Canlis, where owner Mark Canlis found the couple a special table with a panoramic view of the lake and the city.

A few minutes later, a man at a nearby table — who wanted to remain anonymous — walked up to the restaurant owner. "I was noticing the young soldier and saw them looking at the menu," he told Canlis. "I know he was looking at prices and I know this is a special thing, so I would like to take care of part of their bill." ...

Here is another story regarding Seattle's treatment of soldiers:

Police Need Your Help In Capturing Beating Suspects

August 25, 2005

By KOMO Staff

SEATTLE - Two soldiers who just returned from a year in Iraq were badly beaten in an attack outside Pioneer Square. But believe it or not, someone caught the beating on videotape. Now, police are asking for your help identifying the suspects.

The brutality of it all was captured on tape outside of Larry's Nightclub on First and Yesler on July 31.

Police say the victims were with two women who'd been groped by the suspects. One of the women threw a hot dog at the suspects and walked away.

They didn't get very far. The three suspects ran after them and began attacking the two men -- two soldiers who'd come home from the war.

The graphic videotape shows both victims getting beaten over and over again, and then after one of the victims loses consciousness, a suspect starts stomping on his head.

Now police want your help in catching these guys.

"We consider them very dangerous," said Seattle Police Officer Sean Whitcomb.

After not getting any leads, Seattle police have just released this tape to the media even though it happened over three weeks ago.

But clubs and businesses we spoke with wonder why police waited for almost a month before making the tape public.

KOMO 4 News spoke with Larry Culp, the co-owner of Larry's, who was in Vancouver, B.C. Thursday. He told us there are several things that really disturb him. He said if police believe it happened at his club, why didn't they contact him until Thursday? And why didn't they ask for tapes from the two cameras he has outside the building?

Culp says he talked with police when he installed the camera, and they knew they were there. And the department should have known the tape is recycled every six days.

But Whitcomb says they tapes they do have are paying off, adding since the release of the video Wednesday night, police have received several relevant tips. While he declined to elaborate, he did say police believe arrests will come "sooner rather than later."

If you know who these suspects are, or have any information in the case, you're asked to call Seattle Police.

Both victims suffered broken jaws, while one suffered a broken arm and both had other broken bones and several bruises.

Here's some closer photos of the three suspects, along with one who is just a witness but police want to find and talk to:

http://www.komotv.com/stories/38738.htm

I agree. This story is heartwarming!

Not even comparable, but I saw three sailors in town yesterday that were all crisp looking in their uniforms. They weren't in dress uniforms or anything, but they had their Dixie Cups on and it almost brought tears to my eyes. I spoked to them as they passed me (Walmart parking lot) and told them that it was so good to see them out in those uniforms because it brought back many good memories of when my dad wore that uniform!

I don't care what anyone says....a man in uniform is sexy as hell!

I bet the couple in the restaurant were a striking pair!

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