A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day...... Apr 28 & 29 -08....Military Tribute

Billie, The Mayor

[The Mayor]

[The Mayor]

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Dutchess; dollycali;The Mayor; GodBlessUSA; JustAmy, and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

gator girl........................husband severa.......................... brother Maigrey.........................cousin mystery-ak...........son, husband Inspectorette.......................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew Diver Dave........niece, nephew ConspiracyGuy........2 nephews Pippin............niece's husband sneakers..........................son weldgophardline...............2 son weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw jamaly.................brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater.......cousin WaterDragon............grandson WaterDragon...........son-in-law kimmie7......................brother LadyX (RIP)..............grandson fawn796......................nephew ValerieUSA..................2 sons Lakeside......................2 sons LakeLady....................nephew Spruce......................daughter Leofl.................................son chena...............................son Hope and Glory..................son TheMayor...............friends'son Doug from Upland.......soninlaw homeschoolmama........nephew ariamne...................2 cousins mhking.........................cousin Consort.................2 daughters Consort...................son-in-law gonzo...................friend's son visualops.................Son, cousin auboy..........................cousin painter........................nephew jrushing.............................son LoneRedRanger...brother-in-law Ladysmith.nephew, friend's son tina07......soninlaw & his friend MontanaCowgirlCop......brother nelibeli........................nephew Misty4jc.....................husband Colorado Slim..............nephew Tapatio....................2 nephews ProudAFDad......................son Alouette.............................son Katydidnt...........................son Zechariah_8_13....brother-in-law Zechariah_8_13.............cousin PreviouslyA-Lurker........brother sheeza.......................husband kemathen7..................husband Q6-God..................twin brother Q6-God....................active duty Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne..........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells....................active duty LongCut...................active duty cjk...........................active duty Trish........................active duty ODC-GIRL................active duty AF_Blue...................active duty thumperusn..............active duty Veloxherc.................active duty Don Simmons...........active duty wingnutx...................active duty CGblue.....................active duty bigghurtt...................active duty frankiep....................active duty veeceeque................active duty JRios1968................active duty NoLongerFreeState...active duty CMS........................active duty JemiansTerror...........active duty Hoosiersailor...........active duty txradioguy..................active duty tongue-tied. .............active duty vigilante2.....son,& adopted soldier NavySEAL F-16................son Jaxter.....................son-in-law 2ndDivisionVet..........brotherinlaw 2ndDivVet.....former stepdaughter GrandEagle ............... friend-Tim DebWisconsin....................nephew JarhedAirmanPatriot.........brother athelass.......two sons and two nephews DCBryan1................Active Duty oneolcop.....................son ItsForTheChildren........2 nephews SoldierDad....son, nephew, neice, cousin OhioWfan................................son marsh2............nephew lilycicero.......husband DCBryan1........Active Duty

ladtx..................................2 sons ak_daddoo........................nephew Dubya............................nephew LBGA (RIP)..........................son katykelly..............................son Armymarinemom................3 sons american_ranger.....................son cookcounty.............................son Himyar....................................son SpookBrat........................nephew SpookBrat........................cousin boxerblues........................2 sons the piper..............................son Tiffee4Bob......................boyfriend TexKat.......................son, step-son StarCMC.............................brother Darheel...............................niece Donaeus...........................nephew BeAllYouCanBe........................son Repubmommy........................brother AgThorn................................2 sons kneezles.................................son RoseinRoseBear.....cousin's hubby Atomic Conspiracy......half-brother Atomic Conspiracy...........nephew Atomic Conspiracy..............niece Sunflowergal....................grandson spotbust1............................husband campfollower............................fiance LUV W........................................son SilentServiceCPOWife........husband DirtyHarryY2K......................daughter DirtyHarryY2K................son-in-law Skimask.....................................son Palladin...............................grandson MississippyMuddy...................sister MississippyMuddy........2 nephews Kramster...............................stepson Socratic.............................nephew freema.......................nephew, son Azbushgal..............................son kimmykay.................................son NavySEAL F-16........................son Ike..........................................son repubmom...............................son wolfcreek..........................daughter JesseJane ...........................cousin Roses0508..............................son pmmd81..................................son SoldiersPrayingMom.................son WakeUpandVote..................brother Skyraider.................................son CyberAnt...........................nephew mrs tiggywinkle...................cousin Jen's Mom........................daughter Meg33.............................grandson 911angelady........................2 sons Nadine...............................nephew U S Army EOD.................daughter thehumanlynx...........brother-in-law JFC..................................nephew Earthdweller......................nephew Scubachick.......................husband ChairmanDec19thSociety ..brotherinlaw Anthem............................2 cousins meanie monster .........family friend PragmaticWarrior..........2 nephews Sageb1...........................3 cousins JulieRNR21.........friend's grandson SuzyQue...mom,2 sons,3 brothers weeder1...........................nephew IndyPendance..daughter,soninlaw fatima.....................granddaughter Lori from Long Island....soninlaw monkeyface..........two grandsons redhead...................grandnephew varina davis................ ...Grandson Rivendell.......................daughter W.W.Smith...........................son Gonzo........................Son-in-law USMCWife6869...........Husband AgThorn & Lily4Jesus......son jackv...............................Son Anne of DC.......niece's husband GulfWar1Vet...........two cousins TINA KIRBY...................Son dwhole2th ......................Son TADSLOS......................Son Katydidnt...................son Trooprally .................. son Edgewood Pilot...son, 2 nephews Diver Dave............cousin 007girl...................nephew arbee4bush .............daughter PERKY2004..........husband NotJustAnotherPrettyFace---nephew o_zarkman44..son,stepson,nephew USAFSecurityForces.....ActiveDuty Bushman2...........Son GodBlessUSA......son DeLaine....daughter in law Kalee....brother,son-in-law Enough_Deceit........son xJones..............son

[La Enchiladita]

Thank you, Rus, THE Mayor. Here’s the story, I just found it. Happy homecoming for local CA National Guard troops.

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National Guard soldiers return from year-long deployment in Iraq.

More than 60 soldiers of the 160th Long Range Surveillance Detachment celebrated their return from a 12-month combat tour in Iraq at a homecoming ceremony at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos on Sunday.

During their deployment, the soldiers conducted security missions and supported humanitarian drops — care packages with school supplies and soccer balls.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/soldiers-2028230

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Thank you, one and all of the 160th, for all you do. WELCOME HOME!!!

[The Mayor]

Thank you, one and all of the 160th, for all you do. WELCOME HOME!!!

AMEN!! Thank you.

[luvie]

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

[click on picture]

Run to the Sounds of the Guns
~~~by Texas Songwriter~~~
aka Jeff Russell

[The Mayor]

Thank you LUV W!

[luvie]

....Soldiers of the
160th Long Range Surveillance Det.
CA NATIONAL GUARD

[luvie]

My honor to do anything to honor our brave troops!

[The Mayor]

[luvie]

Love that post! Go Armed Forces!

[Mama_Bear]

I needed something to smile about today and this did the trick. Thanks for the ping, dita.

Welcome home to the
106th Long Range Surveillance Detachment!
This grateful American
thanks you for a job well done!

[DollyCali]

Crowd gathers for soldier's(Matt Maupin) funeral

Army Staff Sgt. Keith M. Maupin

CINCINNATI — Older men in Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion caps stood side-by-side with soldiers young enough to be their grandchildren Sunday at the Cincinnati Reds' Great American Ball Park for the funeral of Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin.

The 3,502 people who came through the turnstiles, and the small group of family and friends who buried him with full military honors in a private ceremony later, witnessed the final chapter of a story that touched people around the country for four years.

Maupin, a 20-year-old Army Reservist, was assigned to guard a convoy near the Baghdad airport in April 2004 when a brutal attack by Iraqi insurgents left two of his fellow soldiers dead and him a captive.

He had been missing longer than any soldier in Iraq, and next to nothing was known of his fate until his body was found last month by U.S. soldiers northwest of Baghdad, about 12 miles from where the convoy was ambushed

Many of the men and women in attendance Sunday have sons and daughters in Iraq and Afghanistan and knew full well it could have been them sitting in front of that casket Sunday afternoon



USA Today

[MEG33]

Capt. Jonathon Knoedler, a squadron chaplain from Portland, Ore., leads
Soldiers in prayer April 26, 2008, before a logistics mission to downtown Baghdad.

~~~
Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families in their service to this nation.~~~

May God Keep Safe All Who Serve Our Country

Picture originally posted by SandRat

[La Enchiladita]

It's hard to believe, Dolly, it took 4 years to find him, but they did and now he is home. Prayers for the Maupin family.

We still have four missing in Iraq: Navy pilot Scott Speicher from Desert Storm; soldiers Alex Jimenez and Byron Fouty and Army translator Ahmed K. Altaie.

[ConorMacNessa]

Good Military Monday to Finest FRiends!

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The Soldier’s Code

1) I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

2) I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender my men while they still have the means to resist.

3) If I am captured, I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

4) If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me, and will back them up in every way.

5) When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am bound to give only name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies, or harmful to their cause.

6) I will never forget that I am an American fighting man, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, August, 1955.

[The Mayor]

April 28, 2008

The Greatest Gift

ODB RADIO: Listen Now |  Download
READ: Job 2

They sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him. —Job 2:13

We rightly disparage Job's three friends for their insensitive response to his suffering. Yet when they came, they sat in silence beside Job for 7 days before speaking. As it turned out, those were the most eloquent moments they spent with him.

Instinctively, I shrink back from people who are in pain. Who can know whether they want to talk about their predicament or not? Do they want to be consoled, or cheered up? What good can my presence possibly do?

Tony Campolo tells of going to a funeral. By mistake he ended up in the wrong parlor. It held the body of an elderly man, and his widow was the only mourner present. She seemed so lonely that Campolo decided to stay for the funeral. He even drove with her to the cemetery.

At the conclusion of the graveside service, Campolo finally confessed that he had not known her husband. "I thought as much," said the widow. "But it doesn't really matter. You'll never, ever, know what this means to me."

Most often those who suffer remember the quiet, unassuming person. Someone who was there when needed, who listened, who didn't keep glancing at a watch, who hugged, touched, and cried. In short, someone who was available and came on the sufferer's terms, not their own.

In our shattered times, anguish relents
Not at mere idle words spoken in vain,
But rather from the silent eloquence
Bestowed by those rare souls who share our pain. —Evans

Often, the best comfort is just being there.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 13–15; Proverbs 10:12-21

[GodBlessUSA]

Thank you the Mayor!

[The Mayor]

Good Morning, Thank you.

[MEG33]

Just being there is more important than we realize.

[MEG33]

~America~
Land Of The Free Because Of The Brave
Thank You To All Who Serve Our Country