Remembrance Day 2015

Some things I remember:

On May 29th, 2002, my husband and I had the honor of attending the graduation of our neighbor Damon Field from the United States Air Force Academy. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld gave the commencement speech. Not only did he bring every member of the audience to tears with his honest words of encouragement and praise for the cadets who would be thrust into the face of war, but he handed out each and every diploma and shook the hand of each and every graduate....1,000 graduates! We watched Damon grow from a 6 year old little boy into an incredible man, husband and father. Today, Damon continues to serve in the Air Force.

Fortunately as far as I have learned from my search, none from that class of 2002 have fallen in battle. But today is the day we remember and honor those who have given all. The Air Force Academy has dedicated a wall of remembrance to all graduates who have died in service to America. Volunteers helped to make this wall a reality.

A few years ago, I remember walking through an airport and seeing a big, strong, military fit kind of man wearing a tee-shirt that read simply "John 13:15". I went home and looked up the verse.

"Greater love has no man than he who would lay down his life for a friend." 

Today is the day we honor and remember those 
who have such profound love.

Miracle Miles

For some reason, today's  post "Miracle Miles" was never published during the active days of RoadWarriors2010...it remained only a draft. But as we approach the 5th Anniversary of launching RoadWarriors--Memorial Day 2010-- it seems like perfect timing for publication...to read again about people who felt compelled to be a part of the plan. 

Miracle Miles: from draft to post

"I believe every decision to become a road warrior or to sponsor a road warrior this summer was a miracle. It was fairly easy to come up with the idea for Road Warriors 2010, but giving life to an idea or creating something from nothing requires the supernatural. Here are some of the stories that happened behind the scenes, some of the daily miracles that moved our project out of the realm of an intangible idea into the reality of hearts and hands reaching out to make a difference to our injured servicemen, women and their children.

Our everyday Miracles went like this...

The minute I saw Uncle Credit Union President Jim Ott riding his bike on Foothill Road,  I knew I was going to invite him to be a Road Warrior or sponsor. Huffing and puffing along side him on my mountain bike, I gave him the rundown of what we were trying to do. He told me to bring some info by his office at the Credit Union. I did.

Next thing I knew, he was writing a story 
about us for the Valley Times. 

That story led to the largest single donation I received!

The funny (miraculous) thing about it is that I had explained the idea of Road Warriors 2010 to this "BIG" donor a month earlier I was afraid to ask him outright to be my sponsor. Prompted by reading Jim's story, here's the unexpected email I received from the man I wanted to be my sponsor but never had the courage to ask, John Silveria, Director of Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association.

"As I fight the tears as I write this, I want to sponsor you! Please let me know what I can do to help. "

When I read the email, I cried too. This was a miracle to me. John has two sons serving the United States in the military today. Not only did he write a check from Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association to sponsor my 1,000 miles at 75 cents/mile, but he launched our 9/11 campaign at the Pleasanton Farmers Market to bring in a matching $750.00...a campaign which encouraged one Pleasanton mom and daughter to bring their 9/11 donation in a baggie filled with quarters. They had spent the morning digging up ten dollars in "spare" quarters to give to wounded warriors.

Bringing donations on 9/11 to the Farmers Market 

I think that little baggie was a miracle because it was a picture of someone's heart being touched enough to change an idea into an act of love, a hand reaching out to help another.

For me, another supernatural helping hand appeared when I reached out to a long lost high school friend Robert Sherwin who had graduated from West Point. I hadn't talked to him in almost 40 years. Almost immediately, I got a positive response from him. "I’ve got my check already written out and am getting a matching one from my HR team tomorrow.  I’ll meet my goal of having both mailed before Thursday, and you and the Road Warriors will be $500 closer to your goal." I had been afraid to contact him after so many years, but man, look what happened -- I am so grateful!

 Our sponsors and donors are the ones who gave our miles and sweat equity meaning beyond our own satisfaction, an impact bigger than ourselves. 

Our sponsors helped turn our miles into tangible miracles."

Lately and 9:37

The Pentagon Memorial

I played golf last week with a man whose son served in Afghanistan, was wounded and now is out and home, having a difficult time adjusting to civilian life.

Although life goes on for me in a pretty "normal" fashion, his story reminded me that so many people's lives have been altered forever since the war that began on 9/11/01.

It also reminded me, on the night of the Behghazi attack in 2012 -- the anniversary of 9/11-- I had just seen a documentary video produced by Gary Sinese about the Pentagon Memorial. I had never even heard of this memorial until then. It was so moving and so important to document what happened that horrible day…In addition to his video, the Pentagon Memorial has a website where all Americans can become acquainted with the memorial, each person who was lost and learn how to help…it is a very thoughtfully designed remembrance, beautiful and respectful.

Pentagon Memorial

The Pentagon Memorial captures that moment in time at 9:37 a.m. when 184 lives became intertwined for eternity.  Each victim’s age and location at the time of the attack have been permanently inscribed into the Memorial by the unique placement and direction of each of the 184 Memorial Units.

http://pentagonmemorial.org/explore/biographies

Thank you to every person who has logged onto this blog. Thank you to every vet, every family member who has lost a loved one since 9/11/01 and mourns them forever…thank you for your eternal sacrifice. It is daunting and heroic to live each day with such loss. Again, I cannot imagine. But, thank you a million times…you are not forgotten.

The names of each person killed are engraved on 147 wing-like monuments

Road Warriors Honored With War Zone Flag

Sgt. Jeffrey C. Nelson with the US flag flown over the war zone
 to honor Road Warriors 2010

Last week, I finally got to meet a very special soldier and the guy who is responsible for Road Warriors greatest honor:  the gift of a US Flag flown over Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan on Memorial Day 2012....The soldier who put in the time and effort for the project is Sgt. Jeffrey C. Nelson, currently serving in the US Army and recently home from deployment in Afghanistan. He stopped by to take a look at flag as framed with his uncle John Nelson--our Road Warrior who put in 1,000 miles in support of our military and his nephews serving in the Army and Marines. I was very humbled by the fact that Jeff and many others in our military would take the time and effort to honor us with the flag and certificate, when in fact, it is they who deserve all the praise.

The certificate states that the flag was "flown over the Battalion Headquarters at Bagram Airfield on May 28th 2012 during Operation Enduring Freedom XII by Task Force Longhorns". 

The American flag with authenticating certificate were presented to us just before Thanksgiving.  

Gina and John from Gregory Frame in Pleasanton did a beautiful job creating a shadow box for the flag and certificate. They also made a $100.00 donation to the Gary Sinise Foundation to help with home building for veterans with multiple amputations.

Thanks to Task Force Longhorns for the gift of a lifetime.

God Bless You And God Bless America

A Day Of Thanksgiving

I just finished a letter to Gary Sinise and sent off our donation from the Truffles To Remember Our Troops event.  I sent in $278.60, most of it given in dollar bills from hearts that want to honor and remember the sacrifice of the bravest individuals in America.

What a blessing it was to meet the mothers with their children, husbands and wives, veterans, and grandpas who cared deeply about our multiple amputee veterans and wanted to help them out with a new home. Immediately.... When people heard about the mission of Gary Sinise they answered, "I want to give."

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth, who gave their hearts, their money, promises of prayers, hugs, and beautiful memories to me on my 60th birthday... I am so proud to know you!

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone

November 19th Fundraiser To Build Homes for Vets

Remembering Our Troops

The Gary Sinise Foundation along with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is raising money to build customized smart homes for America’s most severely injured veterans. The first home has already been built in Staten Island New York for Army Specialist Brendan Marrocco (below) who lost all four limbs in an IED attack while serving in Iraq in 2008. Another home is being built for US Marine Corporal Todd Nicely (above with Gary Sinise) who lost both arms and legs after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan. The goal of Tunnel to Towers is to continue building homes for all 38 of America's triple amputee veterans.

How To Help Build A Smart Home For Vets

Make a donation at

 www.garysinisefoundation.org

Learn more about Brendan’s home at www.buildinghomesforheroes.org

Donate at "Truffles to Remember Our Troops"

November 19th 

10 am - 2 pm 

Corner of Angela & Main Streets

(in front of Studio 7)

 Downtown Pleasanton

Army Specialist Brendan Morrocco
lost all four limbs while serving in Iraq.
Learn more about the building of his
smart home at
www.buldinghomesforheroes.org

War

Photo by Tim Hetherington.
Sergeant Tanner Stichter, Second Platoon, Battle Company, of the Second Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley.

Dave and I watched the Afghanistan war documentary Restrepo for the first time last night. Still thinking about it this am. Very heavy. Very emotional. Logged onto the movie website, learned more about the soldiers, Restrepo film makers Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington, and then ran into some very sad news. Tim Hetherington, photographer and war photo journalist was killed in April of 2011 while covering the war in Libya.

Tim Hetherington (December 5,1970-April 20, 2011)

I am deeply saddened by the loss of one of the men who gave the world, Restrepo.This morning I was reminded to continue to pray for the guys putting themselves on the line in ways that are unimaginable, even after you see "the real story' on film. The burden they carry while in war, does not dissipate after they leave the battle field. In reference to PTSD,  Restrepo soldiers said... "I can't sleep. The nightmares are constant."  "They are still trying to figure out what to do with people like us because we were out there so long."

This morning, I opened my Bible to II Corinthians (Chapter 1: 8-11). I couldn't believe that even today, the words I was reading seemed strangely so fitting to the story of bravery, fear, and hope documented in Restrepo. They reminded me what to do whenever I think about this horrible war and our nation's beloved warriors--our friends, brothers, nephews, fathers, sons and daughters.

We do not want you to be uninformed brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. In deed, in our hearts, we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then, many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

More on the movie, the soldiers and Tim here http://restrepothemovie.com/

One of the Restrepo soldiers Brendan O'byrne has started a website and a community to help others battling PTSD (he suffered too but says he is OK now) so they "don't have to keep fighting alone". If you know of someone who needs help, here's the link. (He also tells you how to send a care package to guys still deployed. I love it!)

http://www.brendanobyrne.org/Today_s_Warrior_Group.html