USO Canteen FReeper Style....Night Stalkers Don't Quit.. ..October 9,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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The USO Canteen FReeper Style
Delivering a Touch of Home

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A Touch of Home

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This is how I think of the USO Canteen 
Freeper Style. It is like a cottage down a road,
a place where a weary veteran can spend the night. 

Since it opened, it is magical how so many
Freepers who post here, feel it too. 
It has been so dear how the Freepers
kept making it a cottage - a home-type of 
place that had a huge living room
for them to visit in and a dance floor, 
a library, etc. 

Many Veterans have written to me, 
saying that the Canteen is like home
to them for the first time since they 
served. 

This is your Canteen -
a respite from our busy 
and sometimes troubling world. 
Make yourself at home.

Snow Bunny

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If you know a Veteran, someone in your family, 
friend of the family, neighbor, who served their  
country, take a brief moment of your day to thank 
them. 

Thank them for the sacrifice they made
for the better good of their country.

We at Free Republic, and the USO Canteen FReeper 
Style, are thankful for every service member 
in our military, who has served our great nation.

So, to the men and women who answered the call,
in both times of war and peace, thank you.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. 

John McCrae 

Night Stalkers

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
"Night Stalkers Don't Quit"
Regiment motto

Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
 whom shall I send, and who will go for us?
 Then said I, here am I; send me.
 Isaiah 6:8

The 160th SOAR (Airborne) provides helicopter
support to Special Operations Forces worldwide.
The members are experts at night missions.

Operation Enduring Freedom
"They and all who are participating in
Operation Enduring Freedom are heroes.
They put their lives on the line on behalf
of freedom and on behalf of America,
and they do it each and every day. I’m
so very proud of them and their
comrades in arms."
General Richard B. Myers

Night Stalkers:The Army's 160th Special
Operations Aviation Regiment ,whose motto
is "Death waits in the dark" gets its nickname
from its focus on operations requiring nighttime,
low-level flying. The Night Stalkers fly aircraft such
as a version of the Army's Blackhawk helicopter,
customized with infrared imaging gear and high-tech
weaponry.

The Army owes its modern night fighting
aviation capabilities to the
160th Special Operations Aviation
Regiment (Airborne) who pioneered
night flight techniques, shared in
the development of equipment,
and proved that…….
"Night Stalkers Don't Quit"
a motto the Regiment lives by.

The unit originally was formed from
attachments from the 101st Aviation
Battalion, 158th Aviation Battalion,
229th Aviation Battalion and the
159th Aviation Battalion, immediately
entered into a period of intensive night
flying and quickly became the Army's
premier night fighting aviation force
and the Army's only Special Operations
Aviation force.

Task Force 160 was officially recognized
as a Unit on 16 October 1981 when it
was designated as the 160th Aviation
Battalion. Since that time, the 160th
has become known as the
"Night Stalkers," because of their
capability to strike undetected
during darkness, and their
distinguished performance around the world.

It is often difficult to describe the many varied
reasons why certain individuals elect to join in
military service to their country. Life in the United
States Army can be arduous and demanding.

It is a lifestyle in which much, often beyond
comprehension, is asked. Rewards, for the most part,
can be no more than a feeling of have done a good days
job, all the while finding yourself sleeping alone in a cold,
dark, dreary foreign land with no more to eat than a 5 year
old dried out MRE (Meal, Ready to Eat), and the fleeting
memory of your wife and kids. Why a handful of select
individuals would desire this life time pursuit is inexplicable.

However, the following photograph may shed some light.

Ceremony marks return of wings

A pair of well-traveled wings found its
final destination Tuesday after serving
a role in America's war on terrorism. The
wings represented the spirit of American
Airlines flight attendant Sara Low, who lost
her life on Sept. 11 when Flight 11 crashed
into the World Trade Center.

The flight attendant wings were given to
Sara's father, Mike Low, by Karyn Ramsey,
Sara's friend and co-worker, as a remembrance
of his daughter. The same wingspan medallion
took flight on more than 20 combat missions with
a 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment
flight crew in Afghanistan. A Tuesday ceremony,
attended by about 500 people, embodied a father's
fight to keep his daughter's memory alive in the hearts
of family, friends and American aviators.

The event to return the symbolic memento was the
first time a large number of media and television
cameras were allowed onto the heavily guarded
special ops compound at Fort Campbell.

"As Americans we are so thankful
for what you have done for us,"
Mike Low told the flight crew. "
After 9/11 my family and I struggled
to focus on positive things. You are heroes
in the purest definition of the word. You
have given us a great gift of brightness in
very dark times."

The 160th SOAR (Airborne) provides helicopter
support to Special Operations Forces worldwide. <>br> The members are experts at night missions. Flight
engineer Staff Sgt. Mark Baker, 27, volunteered to
wear the gold-colored wings above his heart during
every mission when he heard about the father's request.

He and the MH-47E Chinook helicopter flight crew
returned from their mission about mid-March.

"If my daughter died that way,
I would want someone to step up
and do the same thing," said Baker
who's been with the "Night Stalkers"
for six years.

The look of gratitude was sincere in Low's eyes
as he transferred a necklace with Sara's photo
and an Army coin to Baker. The ceremony also>br> solemnly reflected on the nine 160th soldiers
who lost their lives fighting terrorists since
Sept. 11.

"This is a great healing process for everyone,"
said 160th commander Col. Richard L. Polczynski.
"We had this ceremony because we want to show
that U.S. soldiers are doing something good. I've
got 1,600 people that are Night Stalkers and every
one is proud to have done this
~ to have payback for the nation."

Thursday, 7 March 2002, soldiers hurry to load
ammunition onto a waiting CH-47D Chinook
helicopter at Bagram Air Base.

The tarmac at Bagram Air Base, 65 km (40 miles) north
of Kabul, Friday, 8 March 2002, near CH-47D Chinook
helicopters belonging to A Company, 7th Battalion, 101st
Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, that are
ready to take off for Gardez to participate in the campaign to
flush out Taliban and al-Qaeda holdouts in the mountains
of eastern Afghanistan

At least 9 people, 7 of which were
U.S. troops, were killed 4 March 2002
when an American Army special forces
MH-47E helicopter was shot down in
Afghanistan as Afghan and Western
forces pressed their biggest attack of the
war against regrouping al-Qaeda and
Taliban fighters. The map shows a
perspective view of the area of eastern
Afghanistan where the offensive was concentrated.

The nine people were killed in ferocious
exchanges with al-Qaeda and Taliban
fighters in the mountains of eastern
Afghanistan

10th Mountain Division load into a Chinook helicopter
as they prepare to return to Bagram Air Base on Sunday,
10 March 2002, from fighting near the villages of Sherkhankheyl,
Marzak and Bobelkiel, Afghanistan. The towns were an al-Qaeda
and Taliban stronghold which came under intense bombing and
firefights as the coalition forces battled to root them out. As there
we not enough seats available, soldiers climbed aboard and sat
down anywhere they could.

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battalion
prepare to get on a Chinook helicopter Sunday, 17 March 2002,
in the Shahikot valley region of eastern Afghanistan. The helicopter
is one of the many operated by B Company - "Hercules", 159th
Aviation Regiment, from Hunter Army Airfield, near Savannah, Georgia.

A lone U.S. Army MH-47E Chinook, assigned to the
160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment
(SOAR) – "Nightstalkers", Fort Campbell,
Kentucky, patiently
awaits the next assignment in the back
country of Afghanistan
while ground crews check the security
of the camp perimeter.

A CH-47 Chinook prepares to land for the extraction
of Canadian ground security forces from 1st Platoon, A
Company3rd Battalion Princess Patrichas Canadian Light
Infantry, as well as U.S. personnel on 11 April 11 2002.

[Jen]

Please thank your son for serving our country!

---

Special Dedication
To our Military Members and Veterans
for Protecting and Defending our Country

"Hero" by Mariah Carey

MIDI version

MP3 version

And then a hero comes along with the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside and you know you can survive
When you feel like hope is gone, look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth - that a hero lies in you!

[SAMWolf]

Amazing as it seems, America is over 911. Yes, it took a little more than one year, but it was confirmed Monday night when The President of The United States was to make an announcement on the evidence against Saddam Hussein. This is a country desperately close to going to war against Iraq, and the networks were more interested in making sure their Fall programs were not interrupted.

The networks with cable news affiliates like NBC, or Fox can be excused, but what about ABC and CBS ? This was not news? This was not big news, given the fact no one knows who is behind the “Beltway Sniper”, this was a huge story. Not to the networks.

Some theorize the networks did not want to give George Bush anymore time on the “war story”, they want the Prez to talk economy. You see economy is something liberals feel is where the President is weak. The master plan is to derail a Bush 2nd term. The media is trying to do it’s part.

The lock out, strike on the West Coast also smells. Anything to weaken the economy is a stain on Bush’s record, the unions want to do their part.

Amazing how many elements are putting politics above country.

Please remember the Hollywood elite next time you shop for music CDs or a movie to watch. I will never have a Barbara Streisand CD in my home, no reruns of Lou Grant, and no Alec Baldwin anything. It’s my way of “doing my part” in this battle.

That’s how I see it!

By Tedd Webb

[SAMWolf]

U.S. munitions specialists download JDAM bombs from a B-52H in Kandahar, Afghanistan in this file photo from last year. The U.S. said on October 9 that it is hoping to use Qatar as an air base from which to hit Iraq. REUTERS/Handout

In this U.S. Navy photo, U.S. Marines assigned to Charlie Battery of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit make final adjustments on an M-198 Howitzer field cannon before a firing exercise at an undisclosed location in Kuwait Thursday Oct. 3, 2002. The U.S. Marines from Charlie Battery are conducting exercises while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On Tuesday Oct. 8, a U.S. marine was killed in Kuwait in what Kuwaiti officials called a terrorist attack. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg)

Gunnery Sgts. Osama B. Shofani, left, and Rob Andrews walk among a herd of white camels at the Udairi Training Range in western Kuwait during a site visit Sept. 27, 2002. Kuwait authorities were on Wednesday Oct. 9, 2002 searching for accomplices to what it called a 'terrorist act'. A gunfight that killed a U.S. marine, wounded another and left two attackers dead in Kuwait Tuesday. The Udairi range is one of the training areas used by U.S. military forces stationed in Kuwait and is frequently occupied by nomadic camel herders and Bedouins. (AP Photo/U.S. Marine Corps,Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon)

[HiJinx]

One of AZ Flyboy's HS girlfriends and her husband are now Black Hawk Crew Chiefs at Ft. Campbell in a unit that works alongside the 160th.

Without getting into details, they are proof positive for me that our troops are honed and ready, and that those who have already been over there are doing their jobs with the utmost skill and absolute professionalism. They are worthy of every accolade we can shower upon them...

NSDQ!!

OBTW, Anna and her husband are only 20 years old.

[SAMWolf]

Air Force Staff Sgt. Evelyn Bruce, from the 39th Medical Operations Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, serenades Senior Airman Benny Baladez, a firefighter with the 438th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Flight, during a Tops in Blue performance at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Tops In Blue is an all-active-duty Air Force special unit of talented amateur performers that perform for military personnel and their families throughout the world. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

Air Force Staff Sgt. John Russell, audio director for the Tops In Blue, performs last minute microphone checks before starting the concert performance at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on Sept. 26. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Max Hernandez, a structural repair technician from the 433rd Airlift Wing, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and Master Sgt. Bryan Langerud, noncommissioned officer in charge of pharmacy services for the 92nd Medical Support Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., put on a rendition of the Blues Brothers for the men and women of the 438th Air Expeditionary Group at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

Tops In Blue members, (from left) Airmen 1st Class Jamie Montgomery and Brian Rubiano, and 1st Lt. Eric Gillespie, entertain troops from the 438th Air Expeditionary Group at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

Airman 1st Class Keith Loudermill, a personnel specialist from the 377th Mission Support Squadron, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., croons to a member from the 438th Air Expeditionary Group during a performance at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

Airman 1st Class Angie Long, a combat intelligence analyst from the 509th Operations Support Squadron, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., sings Billy Joel's "New York State Of Mind" to members of the 438th Air Expeditionary Group at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

Senior Airman Marcie Mascaro, a linguist from the 22nd Intelligence Squadron, Fort Meade, Md., sings the Air Force song during a Tops in Blue performance for the men and women of the 438th Air Expeditionary Group at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

Airman 1st Class Amber Yuhas, a flight security controller from the 12th Missile Squadron, Malstrom Air Force Base, Mont., jams on the keyboards during a performance by the Tops In Blue at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

The cast of Tops In Blue entertains with a song-and-dance number during their performance at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. William Greer

[SAMWolf]

[blackie]

Congratulations Mr Wolf, Superb Graphics And Information...As always !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Molon Labe !!

[LBGA]

Hi AntiJen, thanks for remembering my son. I always tell him about how supportive the people on FR are. :-)

I love your pic of the little patriot! This thread is bookmarked so I can show my son the next time he comes home.

[BringingUpPatriots]

"Without getting into details, they are proof positive for me that our troops are honed and ready, and that those who have already been over there are doing their jobs with the utmost skill and absolute professionalism. They are worthy of every accolade we can shower upon them... "

This makes my day! Thank you, HiJinx! I love hearing about the young men and women in the military. It makes up for the bad press we hear about young people these days.
BUPPY

[SAMWolf]

Army captain Owens a hero to the nation
By Penny Owens Taylor

I would like to introduce my hero, Bartt Owens.

Bartt is not only my hero but a hero to our entire nation. Bartt was a captain in the U.S. Army and a pilot on a mission in the Philippines. Bartt’s (Chinook) helicopter crashed, killing himself and all 10 on board. They were shuffling Green Berets to an island to aid in the fight against terrorism for our country.

Bartt was the epitome of honor, decency, honesty and loyalty.

Bartt was not only an example of what every son should be, but he was also a wonderful husband to his wife Leah, and a most loving, dedicated father. He put his family above everything in his life. He was away from his family on many occasions due to military training, etc. But when he was home with them, he did everything for them, from taking short mini-vacations, trips to museums, bookstores, toy stores, the aquarium and Kings Island, to changing diapers and reading bedtime stories.

I think the very thing that made me most proud of Bartt was seeing him as a father with his daughters Megan and Lauren, and being the great husband he was to Leah.

Bartt graduated from Franklin High School as an honor student and president of his class. After high school, he went to college at West Point, the United States Military Academy, one of the finest colleges in our nation.

Upon graduation, he went to Fort Rucker, Ala., to train to become a helicopter pilot. After graduation from flight school, he became a pilot for the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. Bartt later assessed to the 160th Division, as a night stalker also at Fort Campbell. The night stalkers are the most elite division of the Army’s Aviation Branch.

Average was never enough for Bartt. He always tried to excel at what task he endeavored.

Bartt was also an excellent role model for my grandson, Clayton Owens. He motivated Clayton to succeed as an honor student in high school as he had been. He helped direct Clayton to college, where Clayton is now a sophomore at Ohio State University.

I recently received a call from a friend of Bartt’s from Germany, who is also a captain in the Army. He stated that he just had to call me and let me know how Bartt had touched his life, and I would never know just how many lives Bartt had touched.

Bartt was a motivator and born leader.

In closing, I would like to quote the scripture John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

My hero is my son Bartt Owens. I am so extremely proud to have had Bartt Owens for a son and hero.

As a mother of a son in the night stalkers, I have to close by saying, “Night Stalkers Don’t Quit.”

God bless and be with our men in the U.S. military. This country is blessed to have them fighting for our safety and freedom.

[MeekOneGOP]

The Lamestream Media not covering the President's Speech?
That's because they were too busy working on the......

Media Bias Outrage of the Week - George
Stephanopoulos Shows His True Colors

Truly Outrageous Media Bias......
Revolves around Bonior and McDermott in Baghdad.

[radu]

Happy Hump Day! Hope everyone's having a good one.

A warm and welcoming "Howdy!" to our service men and women past and present, and to our allies. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! It can never be said enough. It seems like such a small thing compared to all your efforts but it comes straight from my heart.

Cooooool thread, Snow Bunny! Night Stalkers...now why do I enjoy reading about these "creatures of the night"? heh heh heh!

[Kathy in Alaska]

It is SO nice to see you again. 3 cheers for your energy.

[radu]

When I saw the title of this thread, "Night Stalkers Don't Quit," I thought it was about the #666 contest every evening.

LOL! from a frequent Lotto 666 winner :-))

[Kathy in Alaska]

Night Stalkers

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)

"Night Stalkers Don't Quit"

Thank you!

[LBGA]

Hi Kathy! It's so good to be back, and it's good to see you again. :-)

[LBGA]

Here is something from the Night Stalkers web site:

The Differential Theory of Special Operations Forces

(Snake Model)

Upon encountering a snake in the Area of Operation (AO):

* Paratrooper: Kills the snake.

* Armor: Runs over snake, giggles, and looks for more snakes.

* Infantry: "Look, a putty cat. Come 'ere kitty . . . Ouch! Hey, that's not a kitty cat."

* Infantry (alt): "Ugh! Me see snake. Me like snake. Ouch! Me no like snake."

* Army Aviation: Has GPS grid to snake. Couldn't find snake. Back to base for crew rest and the club and some sort of drink called "The Snake"

* Ranger: Plays with the snake, then eats it.

* Ranger (alt): Assaults the snake's home and secures it for use by friendly snakes.

* SEAL: Expends all ammunition, several grenades and calls for naval gunfire in a failed attempt to kill the snake. The snake bites the SEAL then retreats to safety.

* Corps Artillery: Kills snake, but in the process kills several hundred civilians with a massive TOT with three FA BDEs in support. Mission is considered a success and all participants are awarded Silver Stars. (Cooks, Mechanics, Legal Clerks etc.)

* Marine Recon: Follows the snake and gets lost

* Combat Controller: Guides the snake elsewhere.

* Pararescue: Wounds the snake in first encounter, then feverishly works to save the snake's life.

* Special Forces: Makes contact with the snake, builds rapport, wins its heart and mind, then trains it to kill other snakes.

This pretty much sums up what the special ops do and why it was so disheartening to read that the Army wants them to look like regular army in Afghanistan. That was a real hit on their morale because it seriously affects their mission, which is to get in and forge alliances. I hope the powers that be reconsider this order. ...besides, I enjoyed seeing the pics of all those guys without shirts. ;-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Chaplain, for joining us. Thank you for your service to this great nation, and for your service with the Night Stalkers.

[radu]

HOLY COW!!!! Anyone know how to fly that thing?? (8-O

I'm such a wuss. heeheeheehee

[Kathy in Alaska]

Afternoon souris. Many thanks for the pics of the hopticopters used by the Night Stalkers.