A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....02-20-06....Military Monday

Billie, The Mayor

[LadyX]

We surely can stand Good News like this report:

All 12 Crewmembers 'Accounted For' After Crash Off Djibouti Coast
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2006 – All 12 crewmembers aboard two Marine CH-53E heavy-lift helicopters that crashed yesterday off the coast of Djibouti have been accounted for, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa officials reported in a statement issued today. Citing ongoing family notifications, officials did not release any information regarding the crewmembers' status or condition.

Two crewmembers were rescued shortly after the crash and were taken to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, where one underwent knee surgery. The second crewmember suffered muscular and skeletal bruising, no fractures, and may have inhaled contaminated sea water, officials said. Both were listed in stable condition, and were to be transported to the Army's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany today.

Officials said search and rescue operations have been "curtailed," but that recovery efforts continue for pertinent information, equipment and wreckage to aid the investigation board that will determine the cause of the crash.

The helicopters were part of the HMH 464 squadron based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, an active duty unit in Jacksonville, N.C. The helicopters were flying a two-hour training mission in the Godoria Range area in northern Djibouti. The weather at the time of the crash was reported to be partly cloudy, about 80 degrees, with light to variable winds and unlimited visibility, officials said.

[MEG33]

To Our Veterans, Our Servicemen and Women and Their Families *We Thank You*

[MEG33]

Loved your cookout report. Praise God for the good news
on the helicopter crew.

[LadyX]

"I am just finishing up this page in my site Maggie. It is time to educate our politicans on stem cell research.

http://www.rusthompson.com/TheTruthStemCellResearch.html

!!! OUTSTANDING !!!

Truly, Rus, this is the very best presentation of the facts I have ever read!

Your ability to summarize all the 'conjecture' and 'posturing' out there is remarkable.
Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
There are so many discoveries "just around the corner!"

"Lord, please make it so....Amen."

[Diver Dave]

Greetings to the Finest on Military Monday.

We had BBQ steak cook-outs aboard our ship a couple of times. Set up charcoal grills made out of 55 gal steel drums cut in half up on the DASH helo deck. It was quite a task for our commissarymen feeding 900 men, but they got the job done. For some reason the steaks always tasted better than the ones grilled on the mess deck.

Following is part of a message from Iraq...

Today I also received some Valentines Day cards and letters from children in a school in California. Children are funny. The letters were about what I'd expect from a 7th grader, full of questions, and well wishes. But the best one was from a girl named Rocky who asked, "Have you gotten shot yet? If you have I am sorry," and, "Is it fun to be in a war or is it dangerous?" followed immediately by, "Oh yeah, just to let you know I am a girl not a boy." The way that these thoughts are intermingled was interesting. I responded to her questions as best I could, saying that No, I haven't been shot (I left out "yet"), and that no, its not fun and IS dangerous. Her well-wishes were also phrased in a peculiar manner, "Well good luck in staying alive." I suppose I should take all the good luck I can get!

[MEG33]

I just wish they could read this stem cell report!

[The Mayor]

Yes we can! Thank God.

[The Mayor]

I have been working and researching that page all day.

I just now sent out the link to a couple candidates and a few legislators.

[MEG33]

Never can get too many wishes or prayers for staying safe..no matter how phrased!

[The Mayor]

Thank you Maggie!

I Pray for the cures that are out there and these people are playing politics with our lives.
Yours, my sister's and many, many more!

[The Mayor]

That's what we used Dave.. Bunches of them.

[MEG33]

Good job!

[MEG33]

Our barbecue grill that we used at our lake cabin for all the children's growing up time was made out a steel drum..We could serve a crowd!

[MEG33]

>

On Patrol Over The Persian Gulf

May God Keep Safe All Who Serve Our Country

[LadyX]

"We had BBQ steak cook-outs aboard our ship a couple of times. Set up charcoal grills made out of 55 gal steel drums cut in half up on the DASH helo deck. It was quite a task for our commissarymen feeding 900 men, but they got the job done. For some reason the steaks always tasted better than the ones grilled on the mess deck."

The article was particulary impressive because it was a group of civilians who took their time and money to do this for them.

You might remember that when we went into Afghanistan and the 27th MEU was aboard ship off the coast, our FR Marine Officer - Trish - described many of their events, including "steel beach picnics" and her daily runs of 5-6 miles around the carrier. Grueling!

She posted a photograph of the American Flag that had been left intact at Ground Zero on 9/11, signed by policemen and firemen, lent to them, flying from their carrier, and returned!

She went ashore to the base at the Airport as aMarine Suply Officer - afterward went to Biloxi, Mississippi as the Base Executive Officer - and then to Langley, Virginia.

[If you ever lurk, Trish, we still think of and pray for you.]

[NicknamedBob]

Very well researched and informative, Russ.

It's odd how our own instincts in these matters prove to be heralds of the truth.

And that truth is, that every human being conceived on this planet deserves the same dignity in life and death that any of us do.

The cry goes out that "They are only going to be discarded! We should harvest the benefit of them." Well, we don't do that with condemned criminals, do we?

If the unwanted or excess embryos are to be discarded, then let them be discarded with dignity, as human beings. We have procedures to deal with the dignified destruction of United States flags, after they have seen their glory, and grown tattered in our service. Let us accord our progeny the same respect, and for the same reason.

Perhaps the gesture is only symbolic, but symbolic gestures are often the most important.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Will You help keep the Candle Lit for our service men and women?
Can you spare a few moments today to either
e-mail them or learn about sending packages to them?
Many of them are away from home for the 1st time.
PLEASE Click on the graphic and help cheer them up.
You will stay right where you are on this thread while you write them.

[LadyX]

"If the unwanted or excess embryos are to be discarded, then let them be discarded with dignity, as human beings. We have procedures to deal with the dignified destruction of United States flags, after they have seen their glory, and grown tattered in our service. Let us accord our progeny the same respect, and for the same reason."

Thank you for your eloquent response, Bob, with which I wholeheartedly concur.

When I worked as a Department Secretary at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, NC for 15 years, the Head Hospital Chaplain and I began work there the same day. He became a good friend of mine, as did his Secretary and the other fine Chaplain.

Every now and then I participated with them in loving, respectful services when there was a need to dispose of such unwanted/unclaimed embryos for the hospital.

It was my privilege to do so, remembering a long ago such loss (at 9 weeks) of my own at age 23, that was handled very badly and unhappily by a hospital in Rochester, NY.
I won't recount here the horrors of it, nor the actions of my then husband, who had even been a hospital corpsman in the Navy...a year later I ended the marriage, with good cause.

God has healed all the sorrows, forgiveness reached, and I know the child will be waiting for me to be held and loved.

In the meantime - -

[MEG33]

Thank you, Tonk!

[Diver Dave]

The article was particulary impressive because it was a group of civilians who took their time and money to do this for them.

I caught that as well, LadyX. Your article and pictures prompted me to dig out my old cruise books and scan a picture from our '67 WESTPAC cruise...