USO Canteen FReeper Style - "Thank You Troops and Veterans" - Oct. 2, 2002

Snow Bunny and friends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style

[Jen]

Part of our mission at the USO Canteen FReeper Style every day is to show our gratitude and respect for members of our military and veterans who have honorably served our country.

An experience by Tomkow6 sparked the idea for the Canteen members and lurkers to have an official "Thank Our Troops and Veterans" program. Several months ago on his way to work, Tomkow6 met a young Marine in uniform in a convenience store. Tomkow6 extended his hand to the Marine and thanked him for wearing the Marine uniform and for serving our country. The Marine seemed shocked that someone would thank him and want to shake his hand.

"This was a small thing that I did," Tom said, "and I hope I made that young Marine feel a little prouder about that uniform he had on, and what he was doing in it. I know I felt proud, just seeing him in uniform, serving his and OUR country, and knowing that he and others like him are out there, in the "all volunteer" US Forces, protecting our nation; to let them know that THEY are NOT forgotten; that there are citizens of the US that are very proud of them and what they are doing; that they are prayed for daily; that they WILL NOT have to suffer the shame that was heaped on my brothers and sisters returning from Vietnam; that they are our HEROES!"

So today the Canteen is kicking off an official program and a challenge to all Canteeners and lurkers to personally thank a service member or veteran when you see him or her. To make that a little easier and to help publicize the Canteen, we've created a business card that can be handed out after you greet the person and thank him for serving.

Snow Bunny wrote Free Republic's founder and owner Jim Robinson about our plan and desire to use the FR web address on it and got his approval on June 18.

When you see a member of the US Forces, go out of your way to shake his or her hand and say "Thanks for being there and putting on that uniform, and serving our country" or something similar, then hand out a Canteen business card and invite them to visit. That's all there is to it.

It's a simple thing that can have huge benefits in the lives of our troops and veterans who can never be thanked often enough for the sacrifices they make to defend our country.

---

U.S. Coast Guard Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Michael Walker of Havre de Grace, M.D., U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Andrew Amor of Grain Valley, M.D., U.S. Navy Senior Chief Intelligence Specialist Christopher Roades of Eureka, Calif., U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Damian Wright of Idalia, Col., and First Sergeant Curtis O'Neal of Tuskegee, Ala., all have deployed to serve in Operation Enduring Freedom and are participants in the Pentagon Sept. 11 Observance Ceremony.

---

The cards could also be placed under the windshield wiper of a car that has a bumper sticker or tag that indicates the driver is a military member or veteran. Or handed out in VA hospitals, VFWs, commissaries, BX/PX, wherever troops or veterans would gather.

Another great group of people to thank for their service and tell about the Canteen are military recruiters as Bluesagewoman has done so recently. Since they come into contact with the men and women who will become our country's newest military members, they are an ideal group to honor and help promote the Canteen.

Below are some business cards which can be copied and pasted into a Word document template for Avery business cards #8371. You can buy the perforated business card sheets and print your own cards, or have them printed at a copy center. You may have to change the font size if the text over-laps on the perforations on the pre-formed business card stock from Avery.

You may also want to take the liberty of "customizing" a little bit by adding your FR screenname, so the person you give the card to will know who to look for when they visit the Canteen.

If you would like to receive a ready-to-print template, send your email address by freepmail to AntiJen and she will email it to you.

Tomkow6 also created a small poster to put up in some of the local stores in his town that have community bulletin boards.

Thank you Tomkow6 for your wonderful idea!

[SevenofNine]

LOLOL!

I tell you Texas

Actually term rack it mean giving props to take or action
War mean highlight on your take or what you like

I saying RACKKKKK THE IDF for lay smackdown on Arafat

War IDF

Mean highlight them

Smack chat mean diss


Late news off Hareetz wire report that 17 year old Palensterin boy was turn in BY HIS MOMMY because she found out that her Jr was going do suicide bombing

GOOD MOM EH

[Snow Bunny]

[Jen]

Northern Command Shifts Thinking on Defense

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON - Establishing U.S. Northern Command Oct. 1 shifts the way the U.S. military thinks about defending the United States, DoD's point man on homeland security matters said.

Peter Verga, the special assistant to the secretary of defense for homeland security, spoke during a speech at the Heritage Foundation Sept. 26 about the mission of the new command and some of the effects NORTHCOM's rollout will have.

He said starting the command is important because it places the defense of the United States under one combatant command. This ensures unity of effort with supporting commands and other combatant commanders. "When we dial 911 on the telephone, we do not expect to have to deal with nine different law enforcement agencies," Verga said. "We expect to deal with one person who will energize the necessary agencies and response."

Verga differentiated between homeland security and homeland defense. He said homeland security is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce the United States' vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize damage and assist in recovery from terrorist attacks that do occur.

DoD uses the term homeland defense to refer to protecting U.S. territory, population and critical defense infrastructure against external threats and aggression.

This is important because under the rubric of homeland security DoD acts in support of a lead federal agency. In homeland defense, DoD takes the lead and is supported by other agencies.

He said NORTHCOM's chief will act just as any other combatant commander – with orders from the president transmitted through the defense secretary. He will assume command in three instances. The first is the most obvious: In extraordinary circumstances – such as another Sept. 11 attack – NORTHCOM will act. This includes conducting operations like Combat Air Patrols and Maritime Defense Operations, and in cases where normal measures are insufficient to carry out federal functions.

The command will also act at the request of civil authorities under emergency circumstances, "such as responding to a terrorist attack, floods, hurricanes and such."

Finally, the command will act under temporary circumstances. An example of this is the support the department gave to the Olympic effort in Salt Lake City.

Verga said the time is right for a combatant command for North America because the threat has changed. Sixty years of defending America by deterring aggressors overseas has ended. "Sept. 11 taught us that our people and territory are vulnerable to attack," he said.

The command gives undivided focus to the mission. For the first time, responsibility for defending the United States will be assigned to a single dedicated unified command, Verga said.

The command will be able to plan, coordinate, exercise command and control of, and supervise the execution of federal military responses to external threats and aggression. This applies as well to emergency and extraordinary domestic circumstances where the secretary of defense has approved military support.

Verga cautioned that the Oct. 1 date does not mean a fully developed capability. The new command will have an initial operating capability on that date. Plans call for the command to be fully operational by Oct. 1, 2003.

He anticipates the command will go through growing pains as it focuses on the new mission. The change should affect other commands throughout the United States. U.S. Joint Forces Command, for example, will be able to better focus on its mission of being the joint-force provider and examining ways to transform the military.

The Director for Military Support – currently an ad hoc office on the Army staff – will migrate first to the Joint Staff or the Office of the Secretary of Defense and then possibly to NORTHCOM as the command hits its stride.

[SevenofNine]

COOL rack the Canadian forces eh

So when does hockey season begin eh

COOL RACK THEM EH

[Snow Bunny]

Tonkin thank you for serving our country in the Coast Guard Aux.

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you Seven.....Love it.. Rack! heh heh

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"An experience by Tomkow6
sparked the idea for the Canteen members and lurkers
to have an official "Thank Our Troops and Veterans" program."

CLICK ON THE GRAPHIC FOR DETAILS!

[Snow Bunny]

Hi Jarhead ! It sure is good to see you. Thank you so much and thank you for serving our country.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

You will stay right where you are on the thread.

Please take a moment and Thank a Service Man or Woman.
Just Click on the graphic to send an e-mail.

[Snow Bunny]

Hi herewego,good to see you my friend.
Have a fabulous Wednesday.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Welcome to the USO Canteen Brother.

[Snow Bunny]

WOW ! You did this so fast Tonkin, the link to the Canteen business card. wow. Thank you soooo much.
((((( hug ))))))

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Just Click on the graphic to visit this site.

[SevenofNine]

Well no problem on saying RACK ITTT

Also speaking of Rack it


There is report off Reuters that US and UK fighter jet lay smackdown on Radar station in Southern Iraq who has secret weapons and been known used on villagers downbelow near mountain area


US gave Iraqi radar statioin little smackdown

[Jen]

RACKKKKK the Iraqi smackdown! Hi Seven. Good to see you.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"You did this so fast Tonkin, the link to the Canteen business card."

This new idea is so important.
I wanted to make sure everyone on my ping list would go to the start of the thread.
*HUG*

[lizma]

Tomkow6 extended his hand to the Marine and thanked him for wearing the Marine uniform and for serving our country. The Marine seemed shocked that someone would thank him and want to shake his hand.

Just after 9-11 I thanked a Military man for protecting us at an airport. He was shocked too. Pretty sad.

Started a "Support Our Troops" movement with the USO at my kids school. I can't believe the enthusiasism! (Even the democrats think it's great. Gives me hope their leadership is wwwwwwway out of touch and they might notice.)

Show you me what you want to pass out, and I'll consider it. I have access to all the D.C. military bases but my major goal this season is to have my fellow Marylanders never hear the name Kathleen Kennedy Townsend again.

[Dakmar]

Army Rocks!

Sorry, I couldn't resist posting that.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thank You Brother and Sister for your past service to our country.
And Thank You for your continuing service to our military and vets.

[Jen]

That's wonderful about the "Support Our Troops" movement you started at your kids school! I'm so glad to hear that people are enthusiastic about it.

At the bottom of the introduction are some business cards you can use to hand out. You can copy and paste them into a template and print your own cards, or freepmail me your email address and I'll email you a template that you can print yourself or take to a copy center. Thanks!!!