USO Canteen FReeper Style....OhioWfan & Son Eric .... November 8,2002

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.

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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 

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The USO Canteen Honors FReepers
who have served, or are now serving their country.

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This Week's Canteen Honoree

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You may have a loved one who has served in the past.
We at the FReeper USO Canteen would like to honor each and every one.

Today for FReeper Friday
we are looking at a Mother
and son together.
Many of you may already know
OhioWfan and her love for America .
Now we will meet her son Eric that is
carrying on the fine tradition of being a
Patriot in his service to our country.

Because Eric has already been featured
at FR’s Finest and because we here at
the Canteen salute those that have
served in the past or are serving now
we would like to pay tribute to Eric
and his mother together as our
salute to both of them.

Eric was born in 1984, the third of
four children, he graduated from
High School in the class of 2002 .He
He graduated from his highschool
with a 4.0, and was Valedictorian

He has been an avid Civil War collector
since he was 8 or 9, but the only things
he ever really wanted were the guns and
the swords. He ran an entire Cross Country
race on a stress fracture in his foot because
he refused to quit ‘pressing on toward the goal.’

He is quiet, yet bold ,so bold in his faith
that he told his classmates Sunday in his
Valedictory speech that the only way they
could have a truly successful future was
through faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ. His
greatest desire in life is to serve that Savior
and live a Christ-like life, and to serve others.

He is handsome, mature, stable, interested in
history and politics, fiercely competitive,
wanting to be the best he can be at everything
he pursues, a talented athlete and musician,
and well liked by his peers.

Eric entered Basic Training for the U.S. Army
shortly after graduating from high school at the
Army Basic training in Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

Victory Field in Ft. Knox, Kentucky

Eric's finished his training and he received
the Distinguished Honor Graduate award. He
was first in both classes which graduated.

As her son is serving, OhioWfan is
serving our country as his mom, with
all the concerns , prayers and hope too
that a mother has for her child.

She is a FReeper,a prayer warrior
for our President and our country, a
wonderful artist and shares with us
her talent as an artist.

This is a sketch she has done of President Bush

Eric is a fine young man and his honor
and integrity is a reflection on his parents.
We are grateful to have met OhioWfan and
Grateful too that we can share in her life as
Eric’s deservedly proud mom. It is an honor
to have met both of them and we thank them
both for being what America is all about.

OhioWfan had the opportunity to
see and hear President Bush, through
the graciousness of fellow freeper,
WVNan, who invited her to West Virginia .
WVNan was also able to get a ticket for Eric
to go with them as well.

We went to the Civic Center 4 hours
early to get good seats, but were able
to get a spot on the floor right by the rail.
The President was inspiring and energetic
in his speech, and clothed in humility.....in
Eric's words 'he seemed almost embarrassed'
by the adulation he received.

After he had spoken, he came down the stairs
in front of us and began to greet the people
along the rail.

When he got to me, I said "I pray for you
and Laura every day." He looked at me,
and with obvious sincerity said, "Thank
you. That's the kindest thing you can do
for me." Then he reached out, hugged me
and kissed my cheek. He then shook Eric's
hand, who was overwhelmed with the
privilege of shaking hands with his
Commander in Chief.

Eric ~ OhioWfan ~ WVNan

Thank you OhioWfan for being the
lovely lady you are and for sharing
a part of your life with us that is very
special……..your son Eric.And thank you
Eric for your service to our country and
being the fine young man you are.

My Soldier's Mom

My child, you glow in uniform
In pride I live, my heart so warm
I have such precious thoughts cascade
Some old, some new, not one will fade
How hard that day we said good-bye
The joy, the pain, etched in my eye
You left to serve our Country well
My perfect one, my tears did swell
No better soldier could there be
For in my love, that’s all I see
Oh how I pray for you each day
Be safe, be well, God guide your way
I keep your Home in wait with me
Your Mom will guard it faithfully
How great the day when you’ll return
We’ll talk and talk, night-lights to burn
My Soldier’s Mom, is who I am
While you do proud, for Uncle Sam

Written By Roger J. Robicheau
former US ARMY Veteran
Specialist Fifth Class

[Soaring Feather]

"A Mother's Prayer for her Soldier"



SAM this is a beautiful prayer, tears steaming down my face.

Please God keep all our troops safe.

[ProudEagle]

God Bless OhioWFan. And a salute to your son.

[RadioAstronomer]

Hi! can't stay long, off to work. To everyone here, have a wonderful day.

[HiJinx]

Thank you for sharing with us your love of Eric, your love for our President and his wife, and your abinding love in our Lord.

Knowing Eric (through you and FR, of course!) shows us that we do have an abundance of good young people in this country.

May God continue to bless you and your family richly!

[RadioAstronomer]

Hi! What a wonderful day. I am so proud of you and your son :-)

[HiJinx]

Naturally, abinding=abiding!

I do believe my spell-checker is taking a 4-day weekend!

Sigh.....

[Mr_Magoo]

Air Power

LOCKHEED SR-71A

The SR-71, unofficially known as the "Blackbird," is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft. The first flight of an SR-71 took place on December 22, 1964, and the first SR-71 to enter service was delivered to the 4200th (later, 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California, in January 1966. The U.S. Air Force retired its fleet of SR-71s on January 26, 1990, because of a decreasing defense budget and high costs of operation. The USAF returned the SR-71 to the active Air Force inventory in 1995 and began flying operational missions in January 1997. The planes were permanently retired a few years later.

Throughout its nearly 24-year career, the SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft. From 80,000 feet it could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth's surface per hour. On July 28, 1976, an SR-71 set two world records for its class: an absolute speed record of 2,193.167 miles per hour and an absolute altitude record of 85,068.997 feet.

On March 21, 1968, in the aircraft on display, Major (later General) Jerome F. O'Malley and Major Edward D. Payne made the first operational SR-71 sortie. During its career, this aircraft accumulated 2,981 flying hours and flew 942 total sorties (more than any other SR-71), including 257 operational missions, from Beale AFB, Calif.; Palmdale, Calif.; Kadena Air Base, Okinawa and RAF (Base) Mildenhall, England. The aircraft was flown to the Museum in March 1990.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 55 ft. 7 in.
Length: 107 ft. 5 in.
Height: 18 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 170,000 lbs. loaded
Armament: None
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney J58’s of 32,500 lbs. thrust each with afterburner
Crew: Two

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: Plus 2,000 mph.
Range: Plus 2,900 miles
Service Ceiling: Plus 85,000 ft.

Photos/Information courtesy of the US Air Force Museum

[JudyB1938]

Hello Everybody. Just wanted to stop in a minute and tell you how much I love all of you. Why? Because you love our military boys and girls so much. Those kids think they aren't doing much, but we know better, huh? !!! God bless 'em all!

[Soaring Feather]

Good Morning!

Thanks for the ping.

[Jen]

OhioWFan, your son Eric is a Hero in our eyes, and you are an awesome mother for raising such a fine young man. God bless you both! Jen

Special Dedication
To our Military Members and Veterans
for Protecting and Defending our Country
and Especially For OhioWFan's Son Eric!

"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!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

tra la la...

LOL Linda!

[Jen]

Hi StarMan, I suppose you are already at work by now but I wanted to say "HI" and hope you have a good day. See ya tonight. It's Friday... maybe the DJs will play some good dancing music... ;-)

{{{HUG}}}

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good Morning Troops, families, veterans, and Canadian and Israeli allies (and everybody else). Thank you for taking such good care of the USA.

Today in Anchorage, Alaska:

Sunrise 8:48am
Sunset 4:37pm

Hi 37F
Lo 16F

A good deal of sun

Actual yesterday in Anchorage:

Hi 46F
Lo 31F

State Hi 57F Annette
State Lo -1F Nuiqsut

[Jen]

On March 21, 1968, in the aircraft on display, Major (later General) Jerome F. O'Malley and Major Edward D. Payne made the first operational SR-71 sortie.

I was on General O'Malley's staff at Pacific Air Forces headquarters in Hawaii in the early 80s. Not long after he left that assignment he was killed in an aircraft crash in Wilkes-Barre, Pa, if I recall correctly. It was such a tragic loss to the Air Force. He was rumored to become the next AF Chief of Staff, and possibly even Chairman of the JCS. He was a great officer and a fine man. RIP, General. ~~~~~SALUTE~~~~~

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

WOW.

Who knew? (Not me!)

Your drawing is wonderful, and the handsome, brave and honorable son you have raised is even MORE wonderful!! You are something else!!!

God bless you and your family, OhioWfan - I will be praying for Eric every day...please thank him for me, for bravely defending Americans.

Wow.

[Jen]

It's getting COLD here in Georgia too, Kathy. This morning I had to put on a sweater! BRRRRRRRR! ;-)

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Good morning, Belle!! Good to see you.

Just got the pics back from Manhattan ; ):

[SevenofNine]

Good morning Canteen members

Well for the people who didn't troll on Wash Times Bill Gertz reporting that Saddam might have secret stash of Antrhax in his one of presidential palace

Wait a minute when Saddam become Quincy here

Also another report off AFP wire Bibi Nethahuyu ran smack chat all over Israel govt under Ariel Sharon

he claim that all mess and trouble partly is on Arafat fault and majority of Atiel Fault

He promise that if he win Israel party election

Arafat would get business trip paid for by IDF and not come back

ALRIGHT SURVIVOR STYLE