USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Letter to the Military Lurkers ~ November 12th,2002

68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub and FRiends of the Canteen

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Dear Military Lurkers

As you have now noticed there have been changes to the Canteen.
1st of all let me assure you that the Canteen is here to stay.
Due to circumstances beyond my control I have assumed the duty of running the Canteen.
I could not even begin to explain what happened on this or on any other thread.
HOWEVER feel free to e-mail me at seaside611@hotmail.com with any questions.

It is my intention to keep the original purpose of the Canteen on track.
That purpose is to show our support for the military, their families and veterans.
Please be assured that we stand firmly behind you.
May God Bless and Protect you, my Brothers and Sisters.

[LaDivaLoca]

Those are beautiful roses, Tonk!

[BeachBelle]

I missed doing this yesterday- THANK YOU VETERANS!!!

[LaDivaLoca]

I'm so glad you decided to stay, Radix. My heart has been heavy too BUT, in spite of what happened, we need to keep the Canteen going. Like what tomkow6 said, the Canteen is for our Military, Vets, Allies and Volunteers. I hope and pray that we can put aside our differences for awhile and use this opportunity to show our support to those who deserve it. It's been a long time coming for most and let's not make the same mistake by neglecting those who are currently serving to protect us, our freedoms, our rights and our livelihoods. They need our support just as much as we need their protection. So, it's really time to stick together especially in the coming months ahead. God bless you.

[LaDivaLoca]

No matter who is right or wrong, the purpose of this daily thread is to support all facets of our military, whether they be active, reserve, retired, or passed away. So there really was no choice, but to stay and help provide that support. I know there are some who will not come back, and others I hope will return.

DITTO

[LaDivaLoca]

Take care out there, Kathy! Slipping and sliding on the road is no fun especially when there are other cars. I should know! LOL! Luckily for me, I survived it.

I dread the day when it finally snows here in our neck of the woods. Well, OK, snow is fine - the nice fluffy kind but not the slushy, wet, icy one.

[LaDivaLoca]

God bless you Chap Grant for being here for our troops and the rest of the Canteeners.

[LaDivaLoca]

Hi, Jen! I missed your post last night. Went to bed right after my last post. Hope all is well.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good job, Belle. Our flag is beautiful to see any day.

[LaDivaLoca]

Those cards signed by the students is such an awesome gesture and I'm sure will certainly bring smiles to our military! I guess all is not lost after seeing those young faces in the anti-war, anti-military rallies. What a relief! Thank you for sharing this - and to think we don't hear this kind of support for our military in the regular news.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hi, LaDiva. I'm sure glad you survived. I hope that was at least a partial joke. Accidents are not fun. Fingers crossed, no accidents. I drive like a little old lady who thinks everybody is out to get her on bad days, but there is always some idiot who thinks they can still stop or change lanes like normal. Tom was right, this would be best.

[Jen]

Hi BB! Saying thank you to veterans can - and should - be done EVERY day!! Good to see you around. You OK?

[Jen]

Hi Diva, yep I'm doing OK. Stayed up late last night and didn't get to sleep as long as I wanted today because hubby called me to pick him up at work (he carpools). He's having some problems with his vision and needed to rest his eyes. If it's not better tomorrow, he'll see the doc - again! Last week doc said all was OK, just some blocked oil ducts on his eyelid. Sounded wierd to me. But I sure hope that's all it is.

[Kathy in Alaska]

A lot of our young military guys and gals are most certainly college age. Have you heard or seen this on the news?

DoD Honors Employer Support for Reserve-Component Members
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2002 – Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz honored four companies who sacrificed the bottom line to allow reserve-component service members to serve their country.

Wolfowitz also honored Wyoming for allowing its employees to meet the Minutemen's call following the attacks in New York and Washington.

The five groups received Secretary of Defense Freedom Awards during a ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Nov. 8.

The deputy said United Parcel Service of Kentucky; General Dynamics Land Systems of Michigan; Public Service of New Hampshire; Autoliv, Inc of Utah; and the State of Wyoming helped reserve-component service members serve their country "because it is the right thing to do."

He said these organizations are examples of employers who support reserve-component members in their call to serve. "Hundreds of employers have extended continued medical care, made up salary differences, established support mechanisms for families, and taken extraordinary steps to show support," Wolfowitz said.

He said these organizations' support for the reserve components shows the best of America. These organizations, and many others like them around the United States, appreciate the sacrifices reserve-component service members make to serve their country, Wolfowitz said. The companies, by their support of those service members, help share some of the burden of national defense.

"(The) support back home proclaims that America is a land where dreams are large, where hearts hunger to build a better world, where ordinary people achieve extraordinary things," Wolfowitz said. "You are all freedom's builders."

Reserve-component service members have been in the thick of the action since Sept. 11, 2001. The day after the attacks, more than 6,000 Guardsmen and reservists answered the country's call, providing medical and technical assistance, securing the coasts, borders and airports, patrolling the streets, and flying combat air patrols to protect America's skies.

"Today, close to 58,000 service members from the reserve components are serving, and they're part of more than 98,000 men and women called from their civilian lives to active service since last September," Wolfowitz said.

In the global war on terrorism, reserve-component service members have been doing any number of jobs, including flying combat in Afghanistan, conducting vital and dangerous civil affairs missions, keeping the peace in Bosnia; providing logistics support in Kosovo, facing danger over Iraq in operations Northern and Southern Watch, protecting Patriot missile batteries in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and securing ports in the Middle East.

"In all these operations, we have seen truly remarkable achievements by our citizen soldiers -- men and women who willingly give up the comforts of home to answer their country's call," the deputy said. "And their service simply wouldn't be possible without the support they receive from their employers."

[cavtrooper21]

Thanks for all your work, and although often overlooked by some it is ALLWAYS appreciated by those of us who share a common past.
When I arrived at work yesterday, I found a thank you note from our plant manager, thanking me for my service to our country. This is a first for me, and I alomst cried. We as veterans are often overlooked and cast in shadow. I don't expect to be hailed a hero, but it can mean so very much to a vet when someone unexpectedly says "Thank you, for your service and your caring..."
So if you are lurking or surfing through, stop and remember us, and remember us, not just on Veteran's day, but every day. We're not hard to find, we're your dad, the guy down the street, the Little league coach, or your school nurse or teacher. We're the guys who stand a little straiter when our nation's flag goes by, and then turn to wipe a damp eye.
And I know this is the last place that my plant manager will ever surf, but ... Thank you Rob, you made my day..

[maestro]

Phil:.....Your# 115)......................BTTT

Jim:......"Love That Flag!"

Jim and John:.....Thank you,....... 'Robinson' family for 'FR'.

[tomkow6]

[tomkow6]

Wanna buy a burka?

[Dutchgirl]

Beautiful pictures of the chapel. My cousin works with the architectural firm that did the reinforcements on the side of the Pentagon that were just being completed before the plane hit. (They also did the Korean War Memorial)

I wasn't a FReeper at the time, so I don't know how much everyone is aware of the number of God inspired co-incidences that reduced the losses on 9/11.

In the first place, the only side that was hit, was the only side that had been reinforced...if the terrorists had been able to hit a different side, the whole building would probably have collapsed.

Because the renovations were not complete, there were very few people moved back into that portion of the building.

The building itself had large steel reinforcements, Kevlar and shatter-proof glass that popped out of the windows on impact, reducing injury. The steel reinforceements kept the building from pancaking before many were rescued.

How appropriate to build a chapel there. Thank God.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oops! Speeding maybe? Duchess, are you paying attention?

[tomkow6]

I'll probably get in trouble for this.............

...Speeding maybe?

..........woman driver, maybe?......