Free Republic

SEBRING, Ohio, Sept. 12, 2007 – The more than 1,000 people who walked in the second annual Freedom Walk here yesterday did so to remember, reflect and commemorate those who were killed in the terrorist attacks six years ago. Irma McVicker (left), her daughter, Molly, and husband, Mark, remember their son and brother, Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel McVicker, during a musical tribute at the end of Sebring, Ohio's second annual Freedom Walk on Sept. 11, 2007. Daniel was killed Oct. 6, 2005, while serving in Iraq. Photo by Samantha L. Quigley  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. For one...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2007 – As thousands of people filled the Pentagon parking lot at the end of the third America Supports You Freedom Walk today, they were greeted by groups individually working toward the collective goal of supporting troops and their families. Karina Rollins (right), talks with Lisa Dixon of Soldiers' Angels after participating in the third America Supports You Freedom Walk on Sept. 9, 2007, in Washington. The troop-support group, one of 21 participating in the event following the walk, offers a variety of support to servicemembers including letters and care packages. Photo by Samantha L. Quigley  (Click...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2007 – In stark contrast to Sept. 11, 2001, when thousands fled the burning Pentagon building, today thousands walked toward it during the third annual America Supports You Freedom Walk honoring those killed in the 9/11 attacks and the nation’s veterans, past and present. Army Sgt. Larry Miller walks across Memorial Bridge with his wife Holly and two children, Jacob, 5, and Kyla, 4. “It’s personal for me,” Miller said of the Freedom Walk. “I wanted to be here because this is a good event and a good cause.” Defense Dept. photo by Donna Miles  (Click photo...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2007 – In the shadow of the Washington Monument and under the watchful eyes of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial, some 8,000 participants gathered at the National Mall here to walk in the third annual America Supports You Freedom Walk. Participants in the America Supports You National Freedom Walk arrive at the Pentagon, Sept. 9, 2007. The third annual walk started at the Lincoln Memorial. Defense Department photo by John Harrington Photography   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families,...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2007 – As it has for the past two years to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Pentagon will open its doors Sept. 8 and 9 for brief public tours. The tours, part of Sept. 11 commemorative events that include the Sept. 9 America Supports You Freedom Walk, will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 8 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 9, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joshua Hodgin, director of the Pentagon’s tour program, said. America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2007 – A Maryland-based group is out to show severely wounded servicemembers they’ve still got game through the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project. Jason Beakes holds a prosthetic leg for Army Sgt. Brandon Huff at the end of the day’s runs at Dickerson Whitewater Course, in Dickerson, Md., March 12, 2005. Beakes, a champion whitewater kayaker, volunteers with Team River Runner, teaching kayaking to disabled veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Photo by Neil Hermansdorfer  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “The idea for the program is to … get these guys active as soon...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2007 – For injured servicemembers, the transition between hospital and hometown can be a rough one. Kathy Pearce is working to make that transition a little smoother in Arizona’s Sun Valley with monthly “Hometown Heroes Dinners.” The dinners give still-recovering servicemembers a chance to get together with others in the area who have shared similar experiences. “What I was finding is that once they get back home … there is such a loss of that camaraderie once they’re not with their unit or they’re not in a rehab center,” said Kathy Pearce, a Military Severely Injured...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2007 – Troops from Tennessee are finding a local group is there to offer them a helping hand when they need it. The group, “Tennessee’s Helping Hearts,” works in many ways to honor and support servicemembers serving at home and overseas, Teresa Miller, the group’s president, said. “We strive to be there for our military so they are never alone,” she said. The group’s focus is supporting injured servicemembers, whether help needed is in a practical or material form or just for a day of stress-relieving fun. Group members put in a new driveway for a...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2007 – Janet Southby has been a driving force behind the Walter Reed Society since the group’s beginning in 1996. The Walter Reed Society works to enhance patient support and improve morale by funding special unmet needs of soldiers and their families during treatment and recovery. Southby served as first vice president of the group until being elected president in 2001 and has held that position ever since. “I have been privileged to serve with a dedicated group of volunteers on the Board of Directors and in other volunteer positions for the past six years,” said...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2007 – Veterans health care facilities have a friend in a newly formed nonprofit organization. The Gerald T. Parks Memorial Foundation’s mission is to support veterans, past and present, by providing funds to help repair and develop military and Veterans Affairs health care facilities, one of the foundation’s chairmen said. “We have just begun our initial project,” Terri Pendleton said. “We received our (nonprofit) status on June 28. Since then, we have contacted the Dorn VA Hospital in Columbia, S.C., as well as the outpatient clinic in Rock Hill.” Both of the facilities have provided the...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2007 – Planning for the 2007 America Supports You Freedom Walk is well under way in the nation’s capital as well as in 41 states across the country. The inaugural America Supports You Freedom Walk, created by Pentagon employees to commemorate the attack on the building and honor the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, was held Sept. 11, 2005. America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. As of today, 1,231 people have registered for the national Freedom Walk, part...

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2007 – An online nonprofit group is helping servicemembers preparing to transition to the civilian work world connect with solid job opportunities. “Our mission is accomplished through online networking, and the key to our success is our volunteers,” said Vikki Skrypez, volunteer coordinator for the group, “Hire a Hero.” Dan Caulfield, a former Marine, started the group’s Web site, www.HireaHero.org, in January. It currently has 5,000 former servicemembers signed up for help with job hunting. Participants are asked to complete a profile about their situation -- for example, what skills they have, how close they are...

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2007 – No single troop-support group can meet every request servicemembers make, but through partnerships with three other groups, Silver Star Families of America is coming closer. Under the guidance of Silver Star Families of America President Steve Newton, the group has teamed up with “Give An Hour,” “Soldiers’ Angels,” and the “Thank You Foundation.” These partnerships broaden the scope of resources the group’s able to offer servicemembers. “All three of these (partnerships) were launched within the last two weeks,” said Janie Orman, vice president of Silver Star Families of America. “They’re working great already.” Silver...

SAN DIEGO, June 26, 2007 – Educators attending the Military Impacted Schools Association’s summer meeting here today got a warm thank you from the Defense Department and a lesson on how students can express support for servicemembers. MISA is a national organization representing public school districts that serve high concentrations of military children. “I do want to thank you, as an educator … for what you do,” said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison and a former teacher. “Many of you know that the morale of our troops is based on support that...

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2007 – A North Carolina group has taken a creative approach to supporting the military by promoting patriotism through the arts. “We promote love of country, respect for the American flag and projects that support the patriotic art education of children,” said Eileen Schwartz, Flags Across the Nation’s founder. Some of the projects include three annual art contests: the Flags of Freedom Patriotic Art Contest, the I Love America Day Photo Contest and the Patriot Day Photo Contest. The art submissions from the contests are used to create quilts that are displayed around the country. In...

WASHINGTON, June 20, 2007 – Two Massachusetts teens are working to turn Americans’ unwanted cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid talk time for the nation’s troops. Brittany Bergquist, 16, and her brother, Robbie, 15, founders of Cell Phones for Soldiers, deliver prepaid phone cards to Coast Guardsmen aboard the USCGC Campbell. The Massachusetts teens collect and recycle unwanted cell phones, using the profits to purchase the phone cards. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “Cell Phones for Soldiers is the original (cell phone) recycling program created to benefit the troops and provide free...

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2007 – One lucky patriot serving overseas will find another type of patriot awaiting his or her return home, thanks to an America Supports You organization and a Jeep dealers association. Operation Gratitude packed its 250,000th care package the morning of June 16. The contents included the normal food, comfort and entertainment items, as well as a homemade quilt donated by school children. But the package won’t be shipped until one more special gift is added to it next month. The treasure at the bottom of the box will be symbolic keys to a Jeep Patriot...

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2007 – In Chelsea, Ala., offering servicemembers and their families encouragement is just plain monkey business. Beth VanSickle, founder of Sock Monkey Ministries, Inc., is joined by some of her creations before they ship out to provide hope and encouragement to deployed servicemembers. Sock Monkey Ministries volunteers create each monkey by hand, making it as unique as the message of support it carries. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Since February 2005, Sock Monkey Ministries, Inc. has been letting servicemembers know they’re not forgotten with handmade sock monkeys. Each monkey wears a yellow ribbon...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan, June 15, 2007 – A large line could be seen extending from the chow hall here as the aroma of steak floated across the base June 13. Soldiers are treated to food from Outback Steakhouse on June 13 at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan. Photo by Sgt. Matthew Clifton, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Soldiers here were treated to a little taste of home when “Feeding Freedom 5” brought the “Down Under” taste of Outback Steakhouse to the base dining facility. “Feeding Freedom” is the program that brings food from Outback Steakhouse...

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md., May 18, 2007 – Bookselling giant Barnes and Noble opened a new chapter in its history today by announcing a donation of 300,000 items to America Supports You home-front groups. Left to right: Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert Smolen, commander of Air Force District Washington; Tony Rosenbaum, vice president of Y3K Graphix; Frankie Mayo of the Operation AC troop-support organization; and Marie Toulantis, chief executive officer of BarnesandNoble.com; and Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communication and public liaison, gather at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., May 18, to announce a...