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.

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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.

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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!

[Kathy in Alaska]

ROTFLMAO!! Good one Mr_M, very good. Note: mail this to myself at work for sharing. Good to see you. But it is very late for you. Are you just home from work? Today's ideas for cards to pass out is excellent. I can't wait to get some printed out and start passing then out. Thank you for the daily airplane history. The troops really like them too.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night, sleep well, and HURRAH for Coast Guard Day! *HUG*

[Snow Bunny]

NEW THREAD

[radu]

heehee! That was fun. I did the Music one but....ooow!....it hurt just a little bit. (giggle!)

[Kathy in Alaska]

That birthday thingy is cute. You should post it in the morning. I'll bet our young troops would really enjoy it. Good night, sleep well, and God bless you for your service to this wonderful country. And thanks for all you bring to the Canteen.

[radu]

Good night, Tonk. Thank you and God Bless.

I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow at the Coast Guard Auxilliary.

[radu]

Good night, Mr_Magoo. Get a good night's sleep. See ya next time you have a minute to stop in. :-)

[Snow Bunny]

giggle....I love the HUG Tonkin thank you soooo much.
((((((((( hug ))))))))

[Light Speed]

Hi 7 of 9

Spend quality time on intel concerning Israel..would like to share something with you.

Last year there was a summit in Beruit Lebanon.
The Saudi's were trying to forward a peace plan for the Palestinians...it was a big meet..and there was lots of backroom backstabbing and treachery[Whats new here?]
Bashar Assad..ruler of Syria hosted the event...and made his first public appearence in Lebanon.
Syria technically rules Lebanon..permitting them a gov which they manipulate.
Syria had over 30,000 troops in Lebanon as Hezbullah had been firing rockets into Northern Israel.
I.A.F. flew some strike packages and destroyed several Syrian phased array radar sites in Lebanon....things were getting hot.

Syria has 13 deep underground missile complex's.
The North Koreans send technitions to assemble Scud C and D versions...these are VX /bio.chem warhead capable.
Janes defense estimates that Syria has over 400 Scuds.
Technically...Syria's arsenal makes Saddam look like a Banana Republic.
Iran has been flying technitions..missile components and God knows what else into Syria.
The intel views this reality as your possible scenario for a nuclear event in the middle east..as Israel will have to pre-empt Syrias missile command with tunneling nukes which the U.S. and Israel have created post Desert Storm and are deployed allready.
During the Beruit Summit fall 2001..a report of an incident leaked out...one of Syrias underground missile complexes went offline.
Syria claimed an accident...
Rumors on strategic intel sites gleaned from tid bit info hint that Israel and the U.S. had a covert op while Assad of Syria was away in Lebanon.
The missile site destroyed deep underground was their bio chem weapons fab and storage near Homs Syria.
Days later..North Korea came to the negotiating table with U.S. diplomats.
At present..Hezbullah has created a 3 layered buffer zone in south Lebanon designed to hold up any Israeli advances.
High tech missiles to destroy tanks and fire at aircraft exist.
Israel has the region mapped via Her Satillites and RPV'S which fly re-con.
This reality of Hezbullah/Iran..Al Qeda in the region too..plus Syria who deny the WMD in their possession is a tinderbox if it gets out of control.
Israel has less than 7 minutes to respond to the Scuds fired from Syria...here..Israel cannot get it wrong.
IDF Command forsee's a future missile war..and forsee's a nuclear pre-empt.
It may still be years off..but the temptation to use the missiles by the Muslims will eventually be chosen.

[Snow Bunny]

giggle

[Snow Bunny]

Sweet dreams Mr.M
((((((( hug )))))))

[Snow Bunny]

Goodnight Tonkin , sweet dreams, Have a wonderful day tomorrow at the Coast Guard.Thanks again for the train ride today. heh heh

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you Light Speed, you always find such great pictures.

[Light Speed]

Thanks Babs....my pleasure...anyhoo....Girls love attention...so its win win for Speedy!

MEEP...MEEP!

[Kathy in Alaska]

My face is falling on my keyboard. I need more than 4 hours sleep.

God Bless all our troops, their families, our veterans and our Canadian and Israeli allies. We pray for your safe and soon return. Thank you for doing the jobs you do to keep this UNITED STATES OF AMERICA safe. We love all of you.

Thank you Lurker, Toby, Tom Cat, Kyle, Joe, Jake, the Z-Tar, Sneakers, Scully and the Pirates, Brook, Leatherneck Rangler Jody, Cory, Jimmy, Winky, Chez, Martin, John, and David C for being part of our family. Thank you to all who enter the Canteen. Salute!

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you

The love of God enfold you

The power of God protect you

The presence of God watch over you

Wherever you are, God is,

And all is well.

Amen.

And thanks to Scully and the Pirates, TSgt Munnell, Peter and Greg for your support.

[Snow Bunny]

LOL....I was just going to post the same thing to you. hahahaa....

Sweet dreams Kathy and see you tomorrow.
I am going to sleep too.

[radu]

Ok Kathy. Curfew!!

Gonna say 'Good night' to y'all now. Everybody sleep well!

Good night or good day troops, wherever you may be. May God watch over you and protect you from harm.

[Snow Bunny]

Meep Meep hhaahha that is so cute.
See you tomorrow wonderful friend.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you both for helping me honor my curfew! Sleep will my FRiends, and God bless you both. See you in the morning. I'm gone!

[radu]

LOL!! I told you this thing is a snail! In the short post I just did, you beat me to your 'good night'. Can't wait to get on the 'puter!!!!