A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....07-21-03....Military Monday

Aquamarine; Billie | Billie

[Aquamarine]

A Few of FR's Finest
....Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I could no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I had been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that didn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why we've created a place for just that. This is a friendly room in JimRob's house where FReeper FRiends can gather every day and just say hello if that's all they want to do.

There's more of course. We sometimes feature different FReepers, with a little background information on who they are and what makes them who they are, along with a few photos you might not have seen on other threads; sometimes others write an essay for us to post as the feature for the day; sometimes our presentation is a human interest story found elsewhere that you might not have read; sometimes special holiday threads; but whatever the topic of the day, it is always with FR's Finest in mind and that is YOU!

If you would like to be featured, or would like to see someone else featured, please send me a private FR mail.

Every Monday we will post the photos of FR's Military Personnel that I have collected and put into groups; these will be available to view through a link the remainder of the week - every day just a click away. :)   If you would like to add a photo of yourself or a loved one in the military, past or present, please let me know; I will hold it until I have enough for a new group.

Thank you, and please have fun with us...every day! ~ Billie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank You For Serving Our Country!

TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete
MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet
MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga
BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette
MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid
BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP
MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian
BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog.
MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son.
BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon.
BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband
poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son;
BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset);
WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.




                     

THE WEEKEND THREAD 07-19,20-03 Week in Review

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Aquamarine]

Hi Dave. I love that graphic...how cute!

[Aquamarine]

God Bless Our Military



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Mama_Bear; Dansangel; Dutchess; Aquamarine and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation's leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~

We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders of our great country in their hour of decision. The burden that has been placed on their shoulders is overwhelming. We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You guide them gently to the right decisions.

Please give us the strength, Lord, to get through each difficult and devastating day that faces each of us and our country. Protect and guide our Military that are now being called to duty, strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OhioWfan........................son mystery-ak..........son, husband Gogrammy................grandson Inspectorette...................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Pippin....niece,nephew,loved one Doug from Upland......son-in-law weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon..son-in-law,grandson BeforeISleep...................son The Mayor........................niece LadyX.........................grandson fawn796.....................nephew ValerieUSA................2 sons Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells..................activve duty LongCut..................active duty Trish.......................active duty

Maigrey................cousin ladtx....................2 sons Mama_Bear...........nephew gator girl............husband severa................husband MozartLover......son, nephew LBGA........................son SpookBrat...........nephew Himyar.....................son boxerblues............2 sons the piper...................son sheeza...............husband kemathen7...........husband Tiffee4Bob.......boyfriend Diver Dave................niece deadhead................cousin JimRobinson.....2 nephews Armymarinemom.....3 sons Consort..2 daughters,son-in-law Darheel..................niece dixie sass.............nephew BeAllYouCanBe.........son AgThorn...............2 sons homeschoolmama.......nephew kneezles.................son

[Billie]

Good morning, Sistah! I wanted to thank you again for doing such a beautiful job hostessing Military Monday this week (as well as last week), and know that we'll be seeing more and more from you in the weeks to come.

Good morning to my other lovely Sistahs!

You ALL have mail. :)

[ladtx]

My son, Jeff, is an NCO in a Civil Affairs Bn in northern Iraq. I recently got this email from him. It gives another view of what is really going on over there.

hey Dad...it's me again...

well, things are really busy up here in the north...we have a newly(well, 5-6 wks ago)elected mayor of Mosul...we are working closely with him and his administration to help rebuild this city and the surrounding province...

the health system is coming along pretty well, we still have a lot to do but the basic infrastructure of the health care system is closing in on pre-war standards...the school system is doing very well also as well as the public safety areas....

I don't have much info on some of the other areas, but I can say that they too are up to pre-war standards, which is not bad work for only being 10 weeks after the war....these people here are slowly seeing the fruits of OUR labor in helping them out....within the coming months it should be very noticeable what we have done here...

the way I understand it, we(all the units along with the 101st working in this area) are further ahead then anyone else in Iraq....not to toot our own horn, but we're doing really well here....it has come with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears though....the dangers here are not as bad as in Baghdad or other areas, but nonetheless it is very dangerous here...we have attacks against us almost every other day, as opposed to everyday like in the Baghdad area....

it's too bad all the media can focus on back home is all the negativity of us being here....we have come a long way in a very short amount of time...it almost seems as though the people back home are more impatient then the Iraqi people, who by the way are living in this shit everyday....why can't the damn media focus on the great things we are doing over here as opposed to why they still think we don't need to be here....

these people can now live a life without the threat of being raped or killed....trust me, they are very happy that we have given them hope again....Dad, I hope this helps a little....I will try to explain in more detail later on.....sorry this was so short, please let me know if I need to go into more detail....

> Later....take care... > Love ya'll

Since I received this email we have learned they will lose their computer access, thus email, for a while. Also, since learning of the 2 deaths in the 101st just west of Mosul over the weekend, we are even more concerned than normal, Jeff's unit is in support of 101st operations.

[Billie]

'Morning, FRiends.

Prayers for the families of the latest victims of the Iraq ambushes this weekend, and for the brave men and women who are still in harm's way.

[Billie]

it's too bad all the media can focus on back home is all the negativity of us being here....we have come a long way in a very short amount of time...it almost seems as though the people back home are more impatient then the Iraqi people, who by the way are living in this shit everyday....why can't the damn media focus on the great things we are doing over here as opposed to why they still think we don't need to be here....

Thank you, ladtx, and thank you, Jeff. And AMEN! This part needs to be repeated again and again and again - all the media EVER wants to report is the negative side - the low morale of the troops still in Iraq, no WMD have been found, Bush misled the American people, yada yada yada.

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' lad. Thanks for sharing the update from Jeff. Prayers still going up for all our military. May God Bless them and protect them.

[ladtx]

...the low morale of the troops still in Iraq, no WMD have been found, Bush misled the American people, yada yada yada.

True. Some of the low morale is caused by the media and their portrayal of what is happening. When parents, friends, relatives of the troops over there convey to them what is going over the airwaves here it can do nothing but hurt morale. It helps immeasurably to let them know we are behind them 100% and that the media does not represent us.

[ladtx]

Morning Dave. Thanks for the prayers. They can all sure use them.

[LadyShallott]

Good morning everyone! How was your weekend? We were busy all weekend. The weather was beautiful! It's raining today so the baby and I are going to hang out and have some mom and Hannah movie time. :) I hope all of you have a wonderful day. Will check back in later. God Bless-

Chris

[Aquamarine]

The democrats and the media (same thing) are making a huge mistake playing politics with the war in Iraq, trying to hurt George W while undermining our military in the process. I've heard more than one person in the past week say "The dems are goin down for this!"

They should!

BTW...thanks for sharing with us.

[Aquamarine]

Good mornin Billie. I answered your mail. :)

[Aquamarine]

We had a nice week end with no rain here (finally) but it has started to get hot now.
Hope you and Hannah enjoy your movie. :)

[Dubya]

Joining you in prayer for them Billie.

[Dubya]

Good info, thanks for posting it.

[dutchess]

Morning Aqua. You did another great job today. Love having you as a sistah! Busy day...will try to stop back later.

[iceskater]

Welcome back Weinie!
We're so glad you're feeling better.

Bubba and Lucy

[dutchess]

Only have a minute here but want you to know how special the email was that you shared with us. The media is making me sick with their coverage. God bless Jeff and all our military men and women.

[Dubya]

1st Marine Division (REIN) Commanding General's Message to All Hands

For decades, Saddam Hussein has tortured, imprisoned, raped, and murdered the Iraqi people; invaded neighboring countries without provocation; and threatened the world with weapons of mass destruction. The time has come to end his reign of terror. On your young shoulders rest the hopes of mankind.

When I give you the word, together we will cross the Line of Departure, close with those forces that choose to fight, and destroy them. Our fight is not with the Iraqi people, nor is it with members of the Iraqi army who choose to surrender. While we will move swiftly and aggressively against those who resist, we will treat all others with decency, demonstrating chivalry and soldierly compassion for people who have endured a lifetime under Saddam's oppression.

Chemical attack, treachery, and use of the innocent as human shields can be expected, as can other unethical tactics. Take it all in stride. Be the hunter, not the hunted: never allow your unit to be caught with its guard down. Use good judgment and act in the best interests of our Nation.

You are part of the world's most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each other as we enter the uncertain terrain north of the Line of Departure. Keep faith in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead. Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit.

For the mission's sake, our country's sake, and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in past battles—who fought for life and never lost their nerve—carry out your mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" than a U.S. Marine.

Major General J. N. Mattis, U.S. Marines

[iceskater]

Let's say an extra prayer on Military Monday for our Marines that were sent to reinforce security at the American Embassy in Liberia.

Thanks for the reminder Calpernia, I'm very concerned about our Marines venturing into a new territory not knowing what to expect. Praying for them is the best thing we can do.

I am concerned about this whole Liberia thing, too. Mr. iceskater's father was stationed in Monrovia back in the early 70's. He said it was a h*llhole. Even back then. That posting was it for his father and was what made him take early retirement.