USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Guest Military Chaplain Service and Sunday Liberty ~ August 3 2003

Guest Military Chaplin and FRiends of the Canteen

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

	Welcome to The USO Canteen FReeper Style

Today's Spiritual Journey takes us to:

Marine Corps Air Station
Miramar, California

Click the pic to visit MCAS

 

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing are dedicated to supporting West Coast Marine aviation missions, Marine Aircraft Group 46, and other Naval aviation support units as designated by the Commandant of the Marine Corps in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations.

This is done through the combined efforts of more than 11,000 servicemembers doing jobs that range from cooks and mechanics to air traffic controllers and photographers.  Regardless of job description, each Marine is an essential piece in the what makes up Miramar and keeps the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing combat-ready. 

Miramar's location is strategically and logistically advantageous because of the proximity to deploying Navy ships, supported ground combat troops and aviation training areas over the ocean and in the desert.  Together with Camp Pendleton and the local Navy installations, San Diego boasts the largest concentration of Naval forces in the world.

Home of The Third Marine Aircraft Wing

click the pic to visit the 3d MAW

More than 150 years ago, MCAS Miramar was part of an enormous ranchero owned by Don Santiago Anguello, the former Mexican Army commandante of San Diego’s presidio.  In 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico and eventually annexed the territories of California and New Mexico.

Miramar’s military roots started in 1917, when the Army purchased the Miramar area and established Camp Kearny.  Construction costs totaled $1.25 million, but few permanent structures were built.  Most of Camp Kearny’s soldiers lived in tents, as more than 65,000 men trooped through the camp on their way to World War I battlegrounds.  After the war, the camp was used as a demobilization center, and in 1920, it ceased to function as a military base and languished for 12 years.

The Navy’s occupation of the area began in earnest in 1932, when the largest aircraft in the world came to Camp Kearny.  A mooring mast was built at the camp for the dirigibles USS Akron and USS Macon. Both aircraft crashed as sea, and within only a few years, Camp Kearny was quiet once again.

The Navy retained control of the area for several years but did not actively employ its services.  When World War II began in Europe, the U.S. military began a precautionary buildup.  Runways were constructed at the camp in 1940 and were put to heavy use when America entered the war in 1941.

During the 1940s, both the Navy and the Marine Corps occupied Miramar.  After World War II, all military facilities were combined and the base was redesignated Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.  This lasted just 13 months, however, when the Marines moved to El Toro in 1947.  Miramar was then redesignated a Naval Auxiliary Air Station.  Only half of Miramar’s facilities were put to use, and the station literally began to deteriorate.  Many buildings were sold as scrap during this period.

Throughout its already illustrious history, Miramar had prepared and supported carrier groups and squadrons during World War II and the Korean War, but it was during the Vietnam War that Miramar met its greatest challenge — to train fighter air crews in air combat maneuvering and fleet air defense.  This mission was accomplished through the creation of Top Gun, a graduated-level training school for fighter air crews.  The school garnered fame throughout the military for its success.  The movie “Top Gun” starring Tom Cruise, with portions of the movie filmed aboard the air station, brought worldwide fame to “Fightertown, USA.”

In 1993, a Base Realignment and Closure committee decision recommended that Naval Air Station Miramar be redesignated as a Marine Corps Air Station.  The realignment involved relocating all Navy’s F-14 Tomcat and E-2 Hawkeye squadrons.  Top Gun and the last F-14 squadron left the air station in 1996 to make way for Marines from MCAS El Toro and Marine Corps Air Facility Tustin.

The first Marine squadrons, support units and their F/A-18 Hornets began making the move from MCAS El Toro in August 1994. On Oct. 1, 1997, Miramar once again became a Marine Corps Air Station as the Marines landed back home after a 50-year absence.  The final chapter in the transition process was etched July 2, 1999, with the closing ceremony for MCAS El Toro and MCAF Tustin.  This historic event marked an end to a 52-year presence in Orange County and signified the final step in a move that spanned nearly five years.

With the move complete, all of Miramar’s fixed-wing F/A-18 and KC-130 Hercules squadrons, as well as its CH-46E Sea Knight and CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters, are in place.  Additionally, the support commands Marine Wing Support Group 37 and Marine Air Control Group 38 have been established.  These achievements, combined with the near completion of approximately $400 million in construction, means that MCAS Miramar has taken its long-awaited, rightful place as the home of the Marine Corps’ West Coast air power.

The air station covers more than 23,000 acres

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Click the pic to visit the Station Chapel

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Build Wisely, Don’t Ever Give-up!

A carpenter was ready to retire and told his employer. The housing contractor was sorry to see him go and asked if he would build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter reluctantly agreed, and in time it was evident his heart wasn’t in his work. He resorted to sloppy workmanship, using short cuts, and even inferior materials. When he completed the house, his boss handed him the keys. “This is your new house,” he said, “It’s my humble gift to you for all your hard work over the years!” Surprised and shamefully so, the carpenter thought, if he had only known, he would have done such a better job. Now he’s stuck with a shoddy house of his own making.

So it is with some of us. We build our lives haphazardly, willing to put less than our best. Then in shock we look at our poorly constructed situation finding ourselves living in a house we have built with our own two hands. If only we had realized it, we could have done such a better job.

We’re all carpenters in a way. Each day of our lives we hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Don’t be distracted! We must continue to build wisely; our life is the only house we will ever personally build. Even if we live it for only one day, each day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. Our life today is the result of our attitude and past decisions. Our life tomorrow will be the result of our attitude and the choices we make today. Don’t give-up on yourself; continue to build your life wisely!

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[Kathy in Alaska]

Kiddo, are you paying attention! ms feather likes bagpipes too!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome back, altho I see you've made it to Monday. I'll be over shortly.

[Brad’s Gramma]

I think I'll say good night on THIS thread, not the new one.


Good night. :-)

God Bless everyone!!!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and God bless you good. Thanks for helping to entertain our troops, as well as everybody else.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Fantastic music selection today, Kiddo. My favorite of course, is the bagpipes and Amazing Grace. THANK YOU, AGAIN! *HUGS*

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sunday Liberty ... Bump!
Kick Back And Enjoy Your Freedom!

Thanks for bumping by, blackie.

[Kathy in Alaska]

fatima, I'm sorry I missed you. I hope all is going well with your busy schedule. God bless you good for your prayers for all our military. Prayers continue for Karen as she helps keep our America safe and free. Thanks, Karen, for your service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

Time for bed. God Bless all our troops, their families, our veterans and our Israeli, British, Australian, and Polish allies. We pray for your safe and soon return. Thank you for doing the jobs you do to keep this UNITED STATES OF AMERICA safe. We love you all.

 

 

Thank you to all who enter the Canteen. Salute!

 

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

 

 

Wherever you are, God is, and all is well! Amen.

 

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks !

[knighthawk]

It's very hot here, it will be a record-breaking summer this year.

[Coop]

Prayers going out for Dan and all our brave troops!

[M0sby]

My goodness....the other is nice to look at too though.

[Kathy in Alaska]

How about they share the spotlight, both our brave young men of whom we are so proud?

[M0sby]

Sounds good to me!
I just like looking at them all!!!
Of course I am biased, like you said before...

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

((((((((Sherry))))))))

Those were AWESOME photo's!!!!!! HONESTLY! That handsome gentleman must be your hero.. MSgt. Edwards!!. (Has he had training in taking Photo's?)

The pictures were great Sherry!! You must have had an EXCELLENT teacher!!! (LindaSog perhaps?) :o)

Sherry, tell MSgt. Edwards that as Veterans we want him to know that we are proud of him and all the troops. The American soldier has a long history of honor, duty and tradition. When we watch military documentaries it never ceases to amaze us how brave our men and women have always been. We witnessed it first hand when we served, my husband in country, and myself working on our troops and on POW's. Then we come to today and we are filled with pride in what we see. So much pride that we feel we will surely burst with it. We are SO BLESSED as a country.

As veterans we step aside for the next generation of military. (Though many of us wish we could do otherwise, we realize our "physical" limitations). But since Vietnam, we do so with an "obligation" that what happened to "our" generation will NEVER happen again to ANY military serving our country.

It has now become a RESPONISBILITY OF ALL VETERANS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE to make sure that all who serve after us, can rest assured that they will return to a grateful nation. (DESPITE what a liberal media or DEMOCRATS would prefer). ***Make sure you pass this tradition on Dan!!*** :o)

But I would be remiss if I didn't add that the accomplishments of this military and this President have been superb!! I Sherry an article from the State Dept. about how since 9-11 happened, the World has had the least amount of terrorism since 1969.

Thanks to this President and to OUR MILITARY.

We have toppled the Taliban, liberated TWO ENTIRE countries, Afghanistan and Iraq,..and God willing are on our way to FINALLY STABILIZING the middle east.

It IS and has been a FULL PLATE. But if you don't treat a septic tank.. it doesn't get better.. it just gets worst. Pretty soon, it won't work or overflows. That's kinda the way terrorism works. TERRORISM is A CESSPOOL, the SEPTIC tank of the world. You guys are out there cleaning up the CRAP of the world that threatens to OVERFLOW. In fact, it already did. On 9-11 it came into our own backyard.

I will never forget those people jumping.. I will never forget why you are over there doing what you are doing. Don't think for "ONE NEW YORK MINUTE" that this isn't somehow all tied together. Money talks..and the money was all being shared. (Otherwise, how can anyone explain the State Dept. Report. Sherry, please share the State Dept. report w/hubby, K?) It took a lot of courage to do what President Bush and PM Blair did, perhaps it has cost them the Presidency and being Prime Minister. Which goes to show they weren't doing it for power, but for the good of their country. We thank God every day for such courageous men as them.. AND FOR ALL OF YOU!!! OUR TROOPS!!!

I know that Dan has wee ones, and that they are around the same age as quite a few of my grandchildren. If it weren't for men like Dan, my grandchildren or even Dan's children could be harmed by animals like the ones who carried out 9-11. On a very personal note, I take very serious what you guys are doing over there. IMAGINING is enough for me.. I don't need REALITY to make a believer out of me. So THANK YOU GUYS AND GALS. KEEP up the good work. AND GODS SPEED in getting the work done and getting your tours over.

I want to leave MSgt Edwards and any troop he is sharing these posts with, a favorite poem and quote of old (Even a MARINE **SEMPER FI** can like a poem):

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

~~ John Stuart Mill ~~

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"I Got Your Back" (author unknown)

I am a small and precious child, my parent has been sent to fight...

The only place I'll see their face, is in my dreams at night...

They'll be gone too many days for my young mind to keep track... I may be sad, but I am proud...

My parent's got your back.

We are caring Moms and Dads. Our child has gone to war...

Our mind is filled with worries that we've never known before... Every day we try to keep our thoughts from turning black...

We may be scared, but we are proud...

Our child has got your back.

I am a strong and loving spouse, with a spouse who had to go... There are times I'm terrified in a way most never know...

I bite my lip, and force a smile as I watch my loved one pack...

My heart may break, but I am proud...

My loved one's got your back...

I am a Military Person... Serving Proudly, standing tall...

I fight for freedom, yours and mine by answering this call... I do my job while knowing the thanks it sometimes lacks...

Say a prayer that I'll come home...

It's me who's got your back.

MSgt. DANIEL EDWARDS, AND ALL WHO SERVE.. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU!!! FROM VETS_HUSBAND_AND_WIFE!!

[JustPiper]

Check out how worried I was:

Link

[JustPiper]

Hiya Kathy!!! Just trying to keep breathing and how are you? Is it still a heatwave by you?