FReeper Canteen ~ It's Finally Friday ~ 19 December 08

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ It's Finally Friday!! ~

SANTA'S LITTLE HELPER

Santa Claus holds one of the children of Kivalina, Alaska, while members of the Alaska National Guard deliver toys, Dec. 6, 2008, as part of annual Operation Santa Claus. The guardsmen provide toys, books and school supplies for young people in communities across the state this time each year. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Paizley Ramsey

Canteen Mission Statement

Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

2008 USO HOLIDAY TOUR VISITS TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN

Grammy award-winning musician Kid Rock, American Idol contestant and country musician Kellie Pickler, and musician Zack Brown entertain troops stationed at Kandahar, Afghanistan, Dec. 17, during the 2008 USO Holiday Tour. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Click for more tour pictures

BUG EYES

A U.S. Marine Corps CH-46E helicopter prepares to land aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans under way in the Pacific Ocean, Dec. 6, 2008. The USS New Orleans is on a certification exercise as part of Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Barker

Aaron Neville ~ Louisiana Christmas Day

Ann Margret & Al Hirt ~ Baby, It's Cold Outside

Alabama ~ Christmas In Dixie

Julie Andrews ~ God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Jambalaya Cajun Band ~ Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

FACE OF DEFENSE: REFUGEE SURVIVES WAR, BECOMES U.S. SOLDIER

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq, Dec. 17, 2008 – A former war refugee traveled across countries and continents in search of a better life -- a remarkable journey that ended in the United States when he became a U.S. citizen and a soldier.

Army Spc. Samuel Ladu, 20, a translator with the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, grew up in Sudan during the country's second civil war, and vividly remembers his life during that time.

"It was miserable because of the war," Ladu said. "We were living to survive. From day to day, if we woke up in the morning, we thanked God."

Ladu called a small farming community on the fringes of Juba, Sudan, his home for about 20 years. Ladu and his family were surrounded by two fighting factions.

"In the city, there were bombings every day," Ladu said.

Ladu's father died when he was 6. Soon after, his older brother, Charles, developed glaucoma. Two unsuccessful surgeries by underqualified doctors left Charles blind for life, Ladu said.

This left Ladu and his mother to care for Charles in a war-torn area with scarce food and money. His opportunity to leave Sudan came shortly after receiving a blessing from his mother to move away and search for a better life.

Ladu led Charles and his cousin to neighboring Ethiopia in search of treatments and an education. He continued his high school education there while living on rations of beans and corn provided by shelters and refugee camps. Surviving in Ethiopia became more difficult as time passed.

"While I was in Ethiopia, I considered going back to Sudan," he explained. "I couldn't go through with it, though. In Ethiopia, I didn't talk to anyone, and I didn't have any food to eat, so life became so difficult."

The rest of the story

CHARGE!!

Following the casing of the brigade, battalion and division colors, soldiers assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division Horse Detachment perform a cavalry charge accompanied by a helicopter flyover performed by the 1st Cavalry Division Air Cavalry Brigade on Fort Hood's Cooper Field, Texas, Dec. 12, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Phillip Turner

Perry Como ~ I'll Be Home For Christmas

5 For The Gospel ~ Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

Jim Reeves ~ Jingle Bells

Andre Previn (conducting) ~ What Child Is This?

S Cecilia Orchestra & Choir

SAILORS HURRY

081215-N-9095H-069 NORFOLK, Va. (Dec. 15, 2008) Sailors assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Squadron (MESRON 4), hurry to meet their family members waiting in the Naval Station Norfolk Air Mobility Command terminal after returning from a seven-month deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael R. Hinchcliffe/Released)

WELCOME HOME, DADDY!

081215-N-9095H-046 NORFOLK, Va. (Dec. 15, 2008) Gunner's Mate 2nd Class William Kapun, assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MESRON 4), is greeted by his family at the Naval Station Norfolk Air Mobility Command terminal during the squadron's return from a seven-month deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael R. Hinchcliffe/Released)

Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and rest well, ms b...*HUGS*
Thanks for all you do for our troops.

[mylife]

Glad to see you are at journeys end.

get an awesome breakfast, you deserve it

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, TS....is Friday your last day before Christmas vacation? Anybody paying attention?

[fatima]

We get it at 8 AM tomorrow Ribbons.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and rest well, Kirkwood....be very careful in the morning fog.

[yorkie]

WOW! Those moose are more impressive than the javelina that sneak into my backyard!

[mylife]

Try the camel snausage.. and tabouli

[Kathy in Alaska]

How are you this fine evening, yorkie?

I got pictures of the momma between 10 and 15’. When I went back out the youngster was there and I didn’t want to get very far from the protection of the garage door. Momma was definitely on alert.

Javelina aren’t very nice, are they? I had a small fence between me and the beasties.

[mylife]

Javalina are lol garbage wrecking bastids LoL!

They sure get into things!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, AZ, and thanks for the red, white, and blue tribute. *HUGS*

[Allegra]

Glad to see you are at journeys end.

Almost...still have to get to Baghdad later today and should finally be back in my own little room on my compound tomorrow. But the long part is over. :)

get an awesome breakfast, you deserve it

Going down to breakfast right now...just after 8 a.m. Finally got showered and dressed. It'll be good. I'm at the Crowne Plaza. They do a combination of western and eastern eats. (No camel sausage...LOL)

And I can read the Kuwait Times while I'm eating. I love their crime section! It's just like what you'd see in a small-town paper.

See y'all later!

[fatima]

7 dwarfs a singing.

Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead - The Fifth Estate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbGxo-zaDpg

[mylife]

The Crown Plaza? that sounds good.

I hate sitting on the plane for 15 hours, but I usually like the destinations.

I like taking the slow boat and stopping at places like the crown.

You get settled, and have a Merry Christmas OK?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mayor, for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

[mylife]

I read the hindustan times regularly

[yorkie]

When I see something as precious as this, out my kitchen window, I just cain't get upset:

[Clemenza]

Peccaries are cute when they are young. Wild hog is better eating though (provided it is dressed and cured correctly).

Only Texans think that peccaries are wild hogs. There is a difference folks...

[mylife]

The very first woodcarving I ever designed on my own was a javelina in a prickly pear cactus patch chowing on a cactus pad. I call it “javalina cantina”

Them suckers will eat anything. They used to run the creekbed in my backyard

Lil buggers

[Kathy in Alaska]

MORNING BOARDING - A CH-47 Chinook helicopter crew prepares the aircraft for an early morning departure from Buckley Air Force Base, in Aurora, Colo., Dec. 10, 2008. The helicopter crew, assigned to the Colorado Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment, is flying to Fort Carson, Colo., to give paratroopers assigned to 10th Special Forces Group, Airborne, a platform from which to perform airborne operations. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli

ALGEHAD VIEW - U.S. Army Sgt. Josh Roberts looks through a hole in a wall at the Algehad police station in the Algehad district of Basra, Iraq, Dec. 13, 2008. Roberts and fellow soldiers are assigned to Headquarters Platoon, 21st Military Police, Airborne. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gustavo Olgiati

[mylife]

and peccary’s aint pigs