New York Soldiers' Angels

Shopping & Shipping - Angel Style

2011-11-26T13:50:00.001-05:00

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Whether you have an adopted soldier for the holiday season or have chosen other ways to support the troops, there’s still time to make a difference!

For tips on favorite care package items for the troops, check out the list here. You can’t go wrong with candy and—believe it or not—clean socks are just about the “best thing ever” as far as a remotely-posted infantryman is concerned. Small decorations and holiday-themed treats of all kinds are also welcome for their ability to make a hero smile. Remember to choose things that can survive rough handling and won’t be damaged by extreme heat or cold. Whatever you send, the most important thing is that it comes from your heart. As one deployed hero recently told an Angel, “your warm thoughts and support provide us with the motivation and inspiration to make it through the day.”

Be sure to check deadlines for shipping holiday packages overseas if you want to make sure your package arrives in time (dates range from November 25-December 9). The post office has some good packing tips here. Don’t give up if you miss the deadline, though. It might still make it in time—and even if it doesn’t, your adopted soldier will be thrilled to experience an extension of his or her Holiday Season.

If you haven’t adopted a hero, you can still support the troops this Holiday Season simply by doing what millions of other people do this time of year—shopping online!

When you do your online Holiday shopping or planning, use the search engines that give money to Soldiers' Angels for each search or purchase you make. You still get the same great online prices, but a percentage of the money you spend goes to Soldiers’ Angels to support the troops. Just sign up for iGive or GoodSearch / GoodShop and choose Soldiers' Angels as your charity, then sign in to their sites when you go online and use the Web just like you normally do ( Don't forget to choose your fine holiday wines through CellarAngels and select Soldiers' Angels as recipient of 10% of your purchase!).

Also, consider doing your Holiday shopping through other companies that support Soldiers’ Angels and the troops. Some of them offer discounts to Angels and servicemembers, while others donate a percentage of their sales to Soldiers’ Angels.

The ultimate in shopping and supporting the troops is the Angels Store. From clothing to collectibles, care packages and more, you’ll find the perfect gift for veterans, active duty and supporters alike, and the proceeds go right back into the many projects and activities of Soldiers’ Angels in support of the troops and their families.

Whichever method you choose, you can effortlessly support the troops just by shopping and checking off your Holiday list!

Sending Cards to the Wounded

2011-11-16T16:04:00.001-05:00

How to Send Cards to the Wounded
11/16/11

As the winter Holidays near, many Americans are looking for ways to help America’s wounded military heroes have a happy Holiday Season. Unfortunately, some bad information is making the rounds!

Cards sent to “A Recovering American Soldier” at Walter Reed will be REJECTED and will not reach a wounded hero. In fact, Walter Reed recently combined facilities with the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda and doesn’t even exist at the address often associated with messages telling you to send cards to "A Recovering American Soldier."

Don't give up, though! If you would like to reach out to a wounded hero this Holiday Season, there are two great options that will ensure your card makes it to a wounded warrior who needs to know someone cares.

Send your cards to Soldiers’ Angels. They will be included in Holiday gifts for wounded warriors and hand-delivered at major military medical centers and VA facilities across the country:

Soldiers' AngelsCards for Wounded1792 E Washington BlvdPasadena, CA 91104
-or-

Soldiers' AngelsCards for Wounded4408 N PanAm ExprwySan Antonio, TX 78218

Join the Soldiers' Angels Wounded TLC Team. This group of Angel volunteers regularly sends cards to heroes recovering from illnesses and wounds at military hospitals and veterans’ centers.

Please help spread the word about the right way to send a card to a hero—share this story to help us cut down on the waste of time and money from cards erroneously sent to Walter Reed--let's make sure that ALL our holiday wishes get to the heroes who need them!

Laptop Contest Winner from New York!

2011-11-14T09:37:00.001-05:00

Laptop Contest Winner
11/10/11

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The winner of the Soldiers’ Angels laptop essay competition, Denise Ruiz, is a medically-retired veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan now living in New York state who is working hard to build a second career. The laptop she receives will benefit a total of four people—Ruiz and her three* children.

Ruiz is enrolled in college as a fulltime student, but is without any kind of computer of her own. She has been relying on computer labs at school and the library near her home to complete classwork, but will now be able to save time by using her new laptop at home. Thanks to her winning essay, Ruiz’s children—16, 13 and 6 years old—now will have easy access to a computer for their own schoolwork.

Joining the Army three days before 9-11, Ruiz served in Iraq (2003-2004) and Afghanistan (2006), driving 18-wheelers full of fuel for military vehicles. She retired in 2008 after fighting a recurring injury and has been focusing on building a new career in criminal justice for herself and her children.

Last week after noticing the announcement on Facebook that Soldiers’ Angels was giving away a laptop to a veteran, Ruiz mentioned the contest to her English teacher who urged her to nominate herself. “I’m not gonna win,” Ruiz insisted, but her teacher continued to push. “Just try it,” he said. “It never hurts to try!” He encouraged her to view it as a class assignment.

When Ruiz first discovered she was the winner of a new laptop, she was incredulous. She saw the initial notification pop up on her cell phone during one of her classes, but didn’t believe it until she had time to reread the email several times after class concluded. “It never hurts to try something for the first time,” she now says, “because you never know…”

Though Ruiz didn’t receive Soldiers’ Angels support during her own deployments, she has long been aware of the organization and appreciates what Angels do. She maintains contact with an email group based out of Ft. Drum in order to stay informed about ways her friends still in the military can receive assistance and has seen Soldiers’ Angels mentioned many times as a resource. She has even signed up her deployed friends for Angel adoption in order to ensure their morale stays up. “When you’re deployed, a care package is everything,” she exclaims.

Ruiz herself no longer has to deal with deployment like her friends do, but she is now experiencing for herself the Soldiers’ Angels motto: “May No Soldier Go Unloved.”

Congratulations to SGT (ret) Ruiz!

E-Bay Auction - Project Valour-IT is LIVE!

2011-11-11T20:10:00.000-05:00

The eBay auction with items donated to Soldiers' Angels in support of Project Valour-IT is now LIVE! There are 23 items up for bid, with auctions ending anywhere between early Sunday morning and mid-day Monday. Auction items handcrafted jewelry, a handmade camo-print purse and consumer electronics. Go check it out!

Project Valour-IT

2011-11-09T16:58:00.001-05:00

11/01/11

To honor America’s veterans and support Project Valour-IT, Soldiers’ Angels is holding an eBay auction on Veterans Day Weekend and your donations are needed to make it happen!

From patriotic to practical and beyond, your gift will help a severely-wounded hero receive an adaptive laptop from Soldiers' Angels. We need to move quickly, but Angels have an amazing way of coming through under pressure!

To submit your item for auction or ask any questions, emailbeths@soldiersangels.org with subject line “Auction.” Be sure to include ALL of the following in your email:

Quality photos of the item you are donating for auction

Full description of the item, appropriate for posting on eBay

The minimum amount for which you want your item to sell

Items must be mailed to Soldiers’ Angels as soon as possible (in most cases, before the auction is complete—shipping details will be provided when you email).

Bowling Green Kiwanis Kids Club and Soldiers Angels team up to collect candy for our troops!

2011-11-05T22:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.kiwanis-ny.org/

It's been said that everyone can do something to support our troops. This was definitely the case as today I was fortunate enough to meet some pretty amazing ladies that were spending their Saturday collecting holiday candy to send to our troops. Bowling Green Kids Kiwanis and Soldiers Angels teamed up and stationed themselves in four different locations in Levittown to help collect holiday candy to send to our troops. Not only did these ambitious ladies have an amazing turn out but, all in all they collected more then 200 pds of candy! How great is that!? Did I mention these sweethearts were all in the age range of 9 and 10! Take a peek of all their work below and remember "supporting our troops" doesn't know your age and this is a perfect example on how being creative and sweet, one can do so. Thanks again ladies!

The set up of the Holiday Candy Drive for our Troops

by Bowling Green Kiwanis Kids Club and Soldiers Angels

Sweethearts collecting sweets for the troops!

The Candy Troop!

Thanks so much Bowling Green Kawanis Kids Club, you ladies are just great!

Soldiers Angels Social Media Coordinator

2011-11-05T14:31:00.000-04:00

10/11/11

Veteran Kelli Harmon knows what the support of Soldiers’ Angels means to troops and their families, so she jumped at the chance to join the team in September. Kelli is the Soldiers’ Angels Social Media Coordinator, a position in which she will focus on spreading the message of Soldiers’ Angels through mediums like Facebook, Twitter and other online avenues.

Soldiers’ Angels and Kelli have been partners for several years already. She initially encountered the organization in 2008 when Toby Nunn stopped in at the Fort Hood BOSS (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers) office while she was the BOSS President for Ft Hood. As a previous Fort Hood BOSS President himself, Toby was interested in supporting Kelli’s efforts in the position. Toby and Kelli worked together on a number of large-scale events that Soldiers’ Angels supported. “During my two years as BOSS President, Soldiers’ Angels was the most supportive organization and they truly showed that they do care about Soldiers,” Kelli recalls.

In April 2010, Kelli was deployed to Camp Marmal, in Regional Command-North, Afghanistan with the 4th Infantry Division, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade and soon became the Brigade’s BOSS Representative. The Camp had no morale facilities when she arrived, so she set to work gathering resources to change that, including Soldiers’ Angels. Her efforts brought about MWR opportunities that included a gym, USO facility, basketball and volleyball courts, a movie theatre and a number of special events. Kelli’s tremendous work during her deployment garnered her two Army Commendation Medals and a Bronze Star.

Giving back to those around her has always been a part of Kelli’s life. Before spending 6.5 years in the military, she chose a career as a firefighter before discovering that she felt as though she still was not contributing enough to her country. “I loved it and will go back at some point,” she says, “but I wasn’t giving back enough as a firefighter.”

With her background and experience, working with Soldiers’ Angels after her military service was a natural fit. “The dedication of Soldiers’ Angels to the average Soldier and Veteran led me to choose Soldiers’ Angels as my next place of employment,” Kelli says. “I’m really excited to be working with Soldiers’ Angels.”

Soldiers’ Angels is excited to have Kelli on the team! Thank you to Kelli for her service—past, present and certainly future!

Military Post Office Closings November 17th

2011-11-05T14:28:00.000-04:00

By'>http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=65829">By Cheryl PellerinAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2011 – Because U.S. forces are coming home from Iraq by the end of the year, the U.S. Postal Service will stop accepting mail addressed to military post offices in Iraq starting Nov. 17, Defense Department officials said today.

Military post offices in Iraq also will stop processing mail Nov. 17, and service members there should begin now to advise those who send them mail about the Nov. 17 deadline.

Mail still in the postal system through Nov. 17 will be processed and delivered to service members in Iraq, officials said.

In November, U.S. military postal service responsibilities in Iraq will transition to State Department embassy or consulate post offices for service members assigned to Office of Security Cooperation or the Chief of Mission in Iraq.

These sites will provide letter and parcel mail services to service members assigned to the Office of Security Cooperation or the Chief of Mission in Iraq.

The transition will be closely coordinated with the U.S. Postal Service Agency, which will delete ZIP codes for Iraq military post offices from the USPS database to prevent undeliverable mail from entering the postal system after Nov. 17, according to defense officials.

If APO mail arrives in Iraq after a service member departs, mail will be redirected to the new mailing address provided or, if no mailing address was provided, returned to sender.

Any mail mistakenly accepted by a USPS post office after Nov. 17 will be returned to sender once it reaches the International Gateway in New Jersey.

Service members in Iraq or returning from Iraq who do not receive a requested absentee ballot from their state can complete a back-up federal write-In absentee ballot at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s Web portal. The form wizard will provide a PDF document for printing, including the completed ballot and instructions for returning it to their local election official. Contact installation and unit level voting assistance officers for additional assistance.

Service members who are remaining in Iraq after Nov. 17 and who are there on behalf of or are assigned to the Office of Security Cooperation or the Chief of Mission in Iraq should coordinate with their chain of command and the servicing State Department mail location to receive a new mailing address.

According to defense officials, conditions and situations in the Iraq transition change often. Officials recommend that service members check the Military Postal Service Agency website and USPS Postal Bulletins frequently for updates.

Old Navy Levittown and Soldiers Angels show that compassion is always the hottest style...

2011-10-23T02:33:00.000-04:00

http://www.soldiersangels.org/

Hi Everyone!

There is so much good news to share about what a wonderful day today was at Old Navy Levittown. What's better then fashion for fashion's sake? Fashion with compassion! Soldiers Angels and Old Navy Levittown joined together to help bring awareness to their customers of supporting our troops. Not only did we have customers buy t-shirts for our troops but we also had customers come by to write letters of encouragement as well. Fashion and compassion go hand in hand and the best part of it all...it's a modern, classic look that never goes out of style. Take a peek below of the excitement that happened today with Old Navy Levittown and Soldiers Angels. It's hot off the runway!

http://www.oldnavy.com/

Stacey and the amazing Old Navy team!

http://soldiersangels.org/letter-writing-team.html

The set up and information table

Our little fashionistas hard at work creating their masterpieces

The priceless museum art pieces made by our youngest fashion forward fashionistas

Soldiers Angels and the Leadership members of the Levittown Kawanis Club

Smiley Soldiers Angels Volunteers

Old Navy fans coming out to say "hi" and write letters of encouragement to our troops

Look who's coming to Old Navy Levittown :)

Soldiers' Angels - May No Soldier Go Unloved

2011-10-20T10:25:00.000-04:00

Soldiers' Angels - May No Soldier Go Unloved

Adelphi University Students write letters of encouragement to our troops...

2011-10-09T22:54:00.002-04:00

In the days of cell phones, email, and text messages, letter writing can seem incredibly outdated. But it’s an art worth bringing back. Not because of some misplaced sense of nostalgia but simply because writing letters will always offer an experience that modern technology cannot touch. Twitter is effective for broadcasting what you’re eating for dinner and email is fantastic for quick exchanges on the most pertinent pieces of information. But when it comes to sharing one’s true thoughts, sincere sympathies, and deepest gratitude, words traveling along an invisible superhighway will never suffice. Why?

Because sending a letter is the next best thing to showing up personally at someone’s door. Ink from your pen touches the stationary, your fingers touch the paper, your hands seals the envelope. Something tangible from your world travels through machines and hands, and deposits itself into another’s mailbox. Your letter is then carried inside as an invited guest. The paper that was sitting at your desk, now sits on another’s hands. It is then that the recipient handles the paper that you handled and reads your thoughts word by word. Letters create a connection that modern, impersonal forms of communication will never approach. With that mentioned, one of the most simple yet profound and meaningful acts that one can do to uplift someone is write them a letter or card. Which is just what the students of Adelphi University did for our deployed troops this last week. Take a peek at all their hard work...Thanks again Adelphi Alumni for all your work :)

http://www.soldiersangels.org/

K-9 Letter writing & poster making at Adelphi University "A dog is the only thing on this planet that will love you more then he loves himself." - Josh Billings

2011-10-06T22:27:00.000-04:00

http://soldiersangels.org/k-9-support-team.html

Man's best friend. Loyalty. Unconditional love. These are just some of the things that come to mind when I think of the description of what a dog is. So many times we always seem to remember the human soldiers but not until recently have we really brought attention to the four legged soldiers that are such an integral part of helping securing the freedom and opportunities that we have here in the US. Even though they may be of different species, that doesn't signify that their life or the work they do has lesser value. Just think of all the "accidents" they have prevented just by using their nose and their keen sense of intuition. We have to give credit where credit is due as this is a unique team - man and dog working together to make things better.

With that mentioned, I was excited to speak about this human/animal bond to the students of Adelphi University and bring awareness to the special bond of a soldier and his dog. The students were amazing in writing many thank you cards to our K-9 unit and making the colorful posters. Take a peek of the work they did and be sure to see the finished results as it was doggone great! Above I included a link if you may be interested in knowing more on how you can support this wonderful K-9 team through the organization, Soldiers Angels.

cheers,nency

The set up for poster making and letter/card writing

Students at Adelphi University making posters and cards/letters for our K-9 Team

The end result... priceless Picasso worthy posters :)

Thanks Adelphi University students for making this such a success!

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey everyday."

-Josh Billings

Hurry, September 22nd Deadline Wounded Hero Promo

2011-09-21T08:21:00.000-04:00

From Austin, Texas-area CNC Lisa:

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to attend a special screening of the new movie Dolphin Tale. I had recently seen a trailer for the movie and thought I'd like to see it: a story about a wounded warrior, a boy and a dolphin...

Then, last Wednesday, Soldiers' Angels Executive Director Toby Nunn posted to his facebook about the Soldiers' Angels premiere in San Antonio. I checked the date: Sunday evening at 6pm - I could go! So, I signed up - seating was limited...

Since I had to drive from Austin, I tried to give myself a little extra time. I arrived at the theater about 20 minutes before the scheduled start time. I stood in line at the box office window, email confirmation in hand, only to be told to go inside to the red carpet. My name was on the list, so I got my ticket and my voucher for a complimentary drink and bag of popcorn. I went in, attempting to avoid the photographers (I think they got me at the table :-P). I discovered I would see the movie in 3D. Bonus! Once inside, I looked around to see where I might want to see. I knew that I would see Angels I knew, in addition to the wounded warriors and their families (including members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart). Was only able to say hello to Toby in passing - he was pretty busy with the business of the night. Ended up sitting with Angel & SA Events Coordinator Twyla. Now that I had a seat, it was time to go grab my concessions!

It was set up Hollywood-style: outside the auditorium was a big movie poster. While returning with my concessions, I saw two people being interviewed on camera, but I didn't know who they were at the time. I assumed they had some connection with the actual movie, and weren't just random people in attendance. Before the movie started, Toby spoke and let us know the director and the actor playing the role of the wounded warrior would do a Q&A session after the movie was over.

I cannot say enough good things about the movie. It is a wonderful family film. The main story, of course, is about the dolphin, Winter. From the trailer, you learn that Winter is rescued after being injured and she eventually loses her tail. How can a dolphin survive if it can't swim? What happened to Winter is true. Winter plays herself in the movie (so you already know she doesn't die...). The rest of the story in the movie - the story involving the human characters - isn't based on actual people or events. In the movie, a young boy, Sawyer helps rescue the dolphin when she is washed up on a beach, tangled in the line from a crab trap: he cuts her free of the line using the multi-tool given to him by his soldier cousin, Kyle. He is there long enough to know where the animal is taken. Later, he shows up at the marine rescue hospital to find out what happened and is eventually invited to help - he's made a connection with Winter...

You might be curious as to how a story about a dolphin has anything to do with Soldiers' Angels. Well, there is the character of Kyle, high school swim champ with Olympic dreams, but he's decided to serve his country and get help with paying for college. He leaves for a deployment, leaving Sawyer with the message "Family is forever". Well, as you can see in the trailer above, Kyle gets wounded and comes back home to heal...

I thought they did a wonderful job in handling Kyle's story line. It shows the sacrifice and horror of war without being graphic: Sawyer and his mother go to visit Kyle at the VA hospital. Real wounded warriors are extras in the movie. Sawyer, having been around a dolphin with an amputated tail takes note of the wounded warriors with prosthetics. They are being active, doing things they probably did before they got hurt.

I won't spoil any more of the story. All I can say is this: go see it. Take you kids. Take your sweetie. Go with friends. But see this movie. It is heartwarming and inspirational. As Toby said, if you see this movie and it doesn't touch you in some way.... It will make you laugh. It may make you cry. I dare you to see this movie and leave the theater unmoved by what you saw.

I wasn't going to miss the Q&A after the movie with director Charles Martin Smith and actor Austin Stowell who portrays Kyle. Mr. Smith wrote the screenplay as well. The character of Kyle is meant to represent the wounded veterans who have come to see Winter and have been inspired by her. When it was Austin's turn to answer questions, one of the things he was asked was how he researched for this role. He said he has friends that are in the service and spoke with them. He also visited a VA facility in Los Angeles. One of the most touching moments of the evening came when a wounded warrior asked him about wearing the leg brace. Austin said it was very uncomfortable: it sometimes pinched his leg, giving him blue blisters and bruises, it would also rub and irritate his leg; he looked forward to being able to take it off at the end of the day, and this gives him a greater appreciation for the real wounded warriors who don't get to take that brace off when filming is done for the day. Toby presented both Mr. Smith and Austin with Crystal Wing Awards.

There is more than just the movie premiere for Soldiers' Angels. Toby announced the My Wounded Hero promotion. If you are - or know of - a wounded veteran who would like a chance to meet Winter, tell Soldiers' Angels why in 250 to 500 words. But, you'll have to do it quickly! The deadline for submissions is midnight on September 22nd!

Angels Past & Present...

2011-09-15T13:43:00.002-04:00

Each year the Smithfield Community Association in Peterboro, NY brings history to life as they recreate an American Civil War camp in their historic hamlet located in Madison County, N.Y. During the Civil War folks in towns would organize 'Soldier Relief' fairs. They collected blankets, socks, money and food and wrote letters to the front lines, much like today's Soldiers' Angels volunteers!

In America's early wars, care of wounded soldiers was provided by family members and limited numbers of military medical personnel. Local communities, religious groups, and women's groups sometimes organized relief efforts to get supplies and medical care to their loved ones.

This June Soldiers' Angels volunteer and Smithfield Community Association planning committee member Jody Luce had the 5th grade students of Smithfield Schools focus on the war relief efforts of the past and asked them to write to our troops now serving our country overseas. We will send stacks of wonderful cards and letters from these students to a military chaplain and deployed medic support unit.

"We asked our fifth graders to write to the soldiers of today. Hopefully these letters from the young voices of Madison County will help lift the spirits of those who are missing home right now, if only for a moment."

Sources: Encyclopedia of the New American Nation: Humanitarian Intervention and Relief
Smithfield Community Association, Peterboro N.Y.
VISIT THE WEBSITE at www.sca-peterboro.org

FLYERS! FLYERS! FLYERS.....

2011-09-15T13:41:00.000-04:00

DO YOU HAVE AN UPCOMING EVENT OR MEETING? DO YOU WANT TO ASK YOUR COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BUTNEED IDEAS TO GET STARTED...?

HERE IS A LIST OF FLYERS WE HAVE FOR YOU TO GET THEBALL ROLLING:

FOR YOUR SCHOOL, SCOUT TROOP, GYM, VFW, LEGION HALL, BEAUTYSHOP, COFFEE SHOP, PTSA, LIBRARY, SORORITY/FRATERNITY, FIRE DEPARTMENT, SENIORCENTER, STORE, BUSINESS, CLUB, FAMILY! (YOU GET THE IDEA)

PENNIES FOR HEROES....Bringto any store, bank, school, scout troop, office, restaurant...

SOLDIERS’ ANGELS WAREHOUSEWISH LIST...... All support iswelcome!

MEDICS/CHAPLAINSSUGAR AND CREAMERS....Items of comfort for thosewho look after our heroes

BROWNIE/G.S. TROOP SUPPORT.......... Bringthis to your next troop meeting or to schools

OUR LADY SOLDIERSWISH LIST............ All support is welcome!

COMIC BOOK DONATION......... Allsupport is welcome!

ADOPT A SOLDIER........ All support is welcome! Adopt a Soldier As aGroup! Local Business, schools or civic groups welcome!

VALOUR IT INFO.......... Donations& support needed

1^ST RESPONSEPACKS....All support is welcome!

SEWING PROJECTS........Bring to your Scout Troops,Libraries, Knit Shops, Schools....even ONE pillowcase or no-sew blanketis ONE more U.S. Soldier getting comfort from home.

KNIT/CROCHET TEAM........Bring to your Scout Troops, Libraries,Knit Shops, Schools....our sewing/knit team has a project everyone can do, from lap blankets to helmet liners!

WRAPPED IN HOLIDAYSPIRIT.....Time is winding down on our campaign for theHolidays...Allsupport is welcome!

IF YOU ARE ALREADY VOLUNTEERING AT THE VAMC IN YOUR AREA PLEASE EMAIL VETERANS@SOLDIERSANGELS.ORG

LET MARTHA KNOW YOU ARE VOLUNTEERING AS A SOLDIERS ANGELS AND IF YOU NEED SOME SUPPORT LET US KNOW YOU ARETHERE...

101 THINGS YOU CAN DOTO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS:

EMAIL YOUR IDEAS AND FLYER REQUESTSTO: cncny21@gmail.com

Thunder of Niagara Air Show

2011-09-13T19:19:00.004-04:00

The Thunder of Niagara Air Show at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station featured special tributes this weekend to mark the 9/11 anniversary.

A procession including fire, police, EMS and military members of all branches honored those who lost their lives in the attacks 10 years ago. There was a salute to the first responders. They also honored troops who serve in defense of our country and especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Soldiers' Angels who live in and around Niagara county were lucky enough to attend; Lisa Perillo attended this year with her family and reflected on the experience: " It was just awesome. Really inspirational. I felt really lucky to be able to enjoy that with my family...The Thunderbirds honored and paid tribute to the innocent civilians we lost on 9/11, everyone in the Armed Forces who had given their life in the war against terrorism, and singled out a soldier from Niagara Falls who'd fallen in the line of duty....it really made me proud to be an American and I know I wasn't the only one there who felt that way."
The Thunderbirds changed the signage for this anniversary event to reflect the NY city skyline.

Tracy Steen is a Soldiers' Angel and has worked in Niagara county for 7 years, her reflections on this fateful day:"As a first responder, I found the show to be incredibly moving and was in aw through the entire thing.As the commentator remarked that there won't be a dry eye in the house, I remember thinking he's got to be kidding. But then as the procession started and the recordings began to play, I soon found myself moved to tears, for those who were lost, those who lost, and all those who have continued to fight. That horrific day 10 years ago took a toll on thousands and thousands of lives. While many people do not need a memorial or ceremony to remember that day, I believe Thunder over Niagara was the perfect way to honor the heroes that shined that day, and those that continue to shine everyday. No one will keep us down, we will only continue to soar."

"This airshow is more important than any other we've done," said Capt. Ben Canetti, Director of the 2011 Thunder of Niagara Air Show and Niagara Military Affairs Council member. "It's main purpose will be to remember those who were lost and to give notoriety to others who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty."

The name of Specialist Alan Dikcis will be placed on Thunderbird One and fly in his honor. He was killed by a roadside bomb last year in Afghanistan.

"Today as we perform in Niagara Falls, we remember . . . the tragic loss of nearly 3,000 Americans, the bravery of America's first responders, the courage of those on Flt 93 who won the first battle against terrorism, and the selfless service of those who have fought terrorism abroad in the days since to keep Americans safe at home. We are so proud to represent those that at this moment are fighting to keep America from having to experience the horror of that September day ever again."TB1
U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds showline 9-11-11

"On the evening of September 11, 2001 and the days following, the skies of our nation were silent except for the sounds of military aircraft of the United States. In Western New York, we could hear the engines of the KC-135 tankers and C-130 Hercules from the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Base as they launched on their missions to assist in protecting our nation from further attack."

"The terrorists never won...they may have thought they won; they inflicted terrible damage on peoples' lives...but they were never going to defeat America. They just didn't understand us. They didn't know that we are a Nation of compassionate, kind people who are very courageous..." George W Bush.

sources: Thunder of Niagara,
US Air Force Thunderbirds
Honor the Fallen
The George W. Bush 911 Interview

Submitted by: Marie Wheeler-Nicholson

2011-09-08T19:15:00.002-04:00

Please donate to help our veterans who need supplies because they lost so much during the Texas fires!

Multiple fires have been raging across Texas, burning over 1,000 homes and 100,000 acres in the last few days alone. With the state's huge military population, that means many active duty personnel and veterans and their families have been displaced right along with everyone else, and many have lost everything they have. Even some of those whose homes have survived probably will not be able to return for several weeks.

Donations of funds for Soldiers' Angels to purchase items for these heroes and their families are desperately needed, as well as gift cards, and materials such as clothing and hygiene items or other things that a displaced person would need. Gift cards are needed as well.

Please donate below, or send items to the addresses indicated. Thank you for helping us help them!:

Gift cards (Walmart & Target):

Soldiers' Angels
Texas Fires
1792 E Washington Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91104

Other Items:

Soldiers' Angels
Texas Fires
4408 N PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218

Thank you for helping us help America's heroes! On Wednesday, September 7, Toby, Jarrod and Patti stocked up at Walmart and delivered needed items to evacuees. "The place like a war zone," Patti said. More will be needed.

Above, a view of the fires from Austin.

Remembering Yesterday and Supporting Today

2011-09-06T18:33:00.000-04:00

Online clothier National Yankee Clothing has created a special t-shirt commemorating 9-11, and is donating all proceeds (minus expenses) from sales to Soldiers’ Angels.

The t-shirt focuses on the attack in New York, featuring a stylized version of the “Twin Towers,” with an American flag and the words “Never Forget.” Owner-creater Brandon Stachel was inspired in his design by the service of heroic military men and women who have sacrificed so much in recent years. “I want to donate to a cause that supports our soldiers and give back for what they have given since 9-11,” Brandon said.

The shirt is available in both men’s and women’s sizes, for $20 each. At least $5 from each shirt will go to Soldiers’ Angels, but the more t-shirts are sold, the higher the amount donated (up to an estimated $12 per shirt).

Thank you Brandon, for helping us remember and for doing it in such a giving way!

Sewing some comfort in September...

2011-09-05T00:06:00.001-04:00

http://www.nationalsewingmonth.org/index.html

It's that time of the year, time for back to school, and time to say goodbye to summer and welcome the new Fall season. I'm lucky as this month as I get to write about my all time favorite hobby and favorite pastime which is: sewing. With that mentioned, I am excited about September being the National Sewing month and wanted to inform you of a easy project that has much impact and significance on those that are deployed and serving abroad. Let me introduce to you Soldier's Angels Sewing team and their project: Patriot Pillowcases. Patriot Pillowcases was envisioned by a 16 year old Soldiers Angels volunteer who saw the need of bringing some "cheer" to wounded soldiers that were recovering while admitted at combat support hospitals in Afghanistan. Essentially the project is making fun and cheerful pillowcases. From pizza to Batman your creativity is the limit and these pillowcases do the trick of bringing cheer to wounded soldiers. So, join in on the fun and dust off that sewing machine and sew up some comfort for the troops!

Stay tuned, in the days to come I'll be informing you of the many creative sewing projects that are available with this Team. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to email Ms. Dee Jerge VP of the Sewing Team at: blanketsofhope@soldiersangels.org

http://www.soldiersangels.org/sewing-team.html

Soldiers’ Angels Sewing Team - Patriot Pillowcases

Mission: To bring cheer to our wounded heroes at Combat Support Hospitals in Afghanistan

FABRIC: Cottons/Flannels 1 yard (approx.) of 45” fabric(s)

NEW fabric only – Please WASH the fabric

COLORS: Bright and/or patriotic colors

SIZES: 21” x 32” finished size

SHIPPING: From ALL LOCATIONS:

Soldiers' Angels

BLANKETS OF BELIEF

4408 N. PanAm Expressway

San Antonio, TX 78218

TIMELINE: PATRIOT PILLOWCASES is an ongoing project.

THANK YOU on behalf of Soldiers’ Angels and the troops we serve!

Dee Jerge

Vice President - Sewing Team

blanketsofhope@soldiersangels.org

Visit www.SoldiersAngels.org for more information and pictures.

Do you crochet or knit?

Please contact crochet@soldiersangels.org for more information about making craft items.

Make a Difference in a Soldier's Life

2011-09-02T05:45:00.004-04:00

Did you know that we currently have over 2,000 deployed troops who would really benefit from a small care package or letter or card from home?

Soldiers Angels invites you to challenge your office, business, school or gym to adopt a soldier as a group! You can email groups@soldiersangels.orgfor more information.

There are cards to write, blankets to sew, cookies to bake...small gestures of kindness that have an enormous impact on the morale of our heroes. We have fliers available for you to bring to your kids school, your gym or library! Email mwheeler@soldiersangels.orgfor cool fliers for adopting a soldier, our ladies of liberty support, and pennies for hero’s campaign, item donations for warehouse and chaplain support teams...

If you have the time or resources, you can have a small item donation drive anywhere in your community for much needed supplies to stock the Soldiers’ Angels warehouse shelves for care packs sent all through the year to soldiers, the wounded and our veterans here at home in need of assistance.

Did you know that the Patriot Guard Riders have a chapter in every state? It is free to join and a good way for you to get connected to your local veterans, VAMC, Blue Star and Gold Star families...

Please visits the Soldiers’ Angels website http://www.soldiersangels.org/and adopt a soldier or check out the many other teams that will welcome your support.

Submitted by Marie Wheeler-Nicholson

9/11 Memorial Ride

2011-09-01T06:32:00.000-04:00

source nbc news:
It was a historic ride for this year's 9/11 Memorial Ride, a motorcade of nearly 2,700 first responders and supporters who arrived in New York City Sunday on the last stop of their trip commemorating the lives lost on Sept. 11.

The number of motorcyclists participating this year far exceeded past years, according to organizers. Each year, the procession visits the site of the Flight 93 crash in Shanksville, Pa., the Pentagon and ground zero.

This year, each motorcyclist rode with the name of one person who died in the 9/11 attacks as a memorial to the victim.

Lisa Franklin, a participant who rode up from Virginia, who said this was the biggest ride she'd seen, called it a "moving experience."

The ride in New York City started at about 9 a.m. in Midtown at 53rd Street and 7th Avenue, and proceeded downtown to Barclay Street.

"This whole ride has been a big thank you" to the first responders of Sept.11, said a ride organizer who spoke at the post-ride ceremony downtown.

America's 911 Foundation offers scholarships to children of first responders.

A Hero's Thanks

2011-08-30T05:40:00.002-04:00

Patti, I don't know if you remember me as I'm sure you look after thousands of Soldiers. My name is Kimberly and I was MEDEVACD out of country and sent to BAMC in Texas during February 2009. I received tons of letters from Soldier's Angels, however due to unfortunate circumstances was unable to answer any of them. This truly breaks my heart as when I was deployed I made it a priority to answer all the letters I received, even with just a signed card. I was wondering if there was a way you could post a letter from me to thank everyone, and apologize for not writing. - Kim

Soldiers' Angels - May No Soldier Go Unloved

Mama Mia's Beef Jerky

2011-08-29T05:39:00.000-04:00

Entrepreneur Mia Styles is helping Soldiers’ Angels stuff care packages with her one-of-a-kind, delicious beef jerky. Starting today, Styles is offering Mama Mia jerky for $4.50 per bag (reg. $6.99) when customers donate that purchase to Soldiers’ Angels. Her goal is to send 5,000 bags to deployed troops through the Soldiers’ Angels warehouse in nearby Pasadena, CA.

Though Styles has been in business only since January, she already has an extensive history of charitable activities. She has conducted fundraisers for cystic fibrosis and breast cancer, and even turned down a potential major investor who wanted her to spend less time and money on her fundraisers.

Created with her father’s personal recipe that marinates the meat for three days before smoking it, Mia’s jerky is a big hit with everyone who tries it, including her Marine Corps friends in Afghanistan who inspired her to start this donation drive for Soldiers’ Angels. Since jerky is small and lightweight while offering concentrated nutrition, it's the perfect care package stuffer and easy for troops to carry when on patrols.

Click to donate jerky for the troops (only this link will send jerky to the troops).

To get some yummy Mama Mia’s jerky for yourself or a friend, visit MamaMiasBeefJerky.com (do NOT use this link to donate for the troops).

National Guard Mobilized for Hurricane Irene

2011-08-28T09:28:00.001-04:00

source: NY State Military Affairs

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has mobilized almost 2000 New York National Guard Troops and more Soldiers will come on duty on Sunday, August 28 as New York prepares for Hurricane Irene.

On Friday the governor announced that 900 New York Army and Air National Guard Soldiers and Airmen would be mobilized and deployed to Long Island, New York City and the Hudson Valley.

On Saturday afternoon the governor announced the mobilization and deployment of 1000 more Guardsmen and women, mostly to New York City.

On Sunday another 300 Guard members, assigned to the 204th Engineer Battalion-with units in Binghamton, Buffalo, Horseheads, and Kingston-will deploy to the Hudson Valley.

"It is important to take every precaution as we prepare for the impact of Hurricane Irene," Governor Cuomo said. "I have deployed additional members of the New York National Guard to make sure the evacuation process runs smoothly and to help with the emergency response efforts.

The additional members of the National Guard will be deployed to downstate New York, including Long Island, New York City, and the Hudson Valley. The members of the National Guard will assist with traffic control on bridges and tunnels, sandbagging operations at the World Trade Center site, evacuation shelter operations in New York City, the construction of barriers for railway yards and train tunnels, and other hurricane emergency efforts.

The members of the National Guard called up on Saturday came from the 1st Battalion 258th Field Artillery and 1st Battalion 69th Infantry, which are headquartered in New York City and have elements on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley, along with the 101st Signal Battalion, which is headquartered in Yonkers and has companies in Orangeburg and Peekskill. Elements of the New York Naval Militia, which is comprised of Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard Reservists, will also be called up to assist. The 88th Brigade of the New York Guard, the state's volunteer defense force, will also assist in this effort.

If necessary a total of 12,466 Airmen and Soldiers with more than 680 vehicles; 16 Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters; and 4 Ch-47 Chinook helicopters; along with 10 C-130 cargo aircraft and 6 HH-60 Pavehawk rescue helicopters assigned to the Air National Guard are ready to respond.

"We want to thank the members of the Guard for their service and their sacrifice as they head out this morning for New York City and Long Island," Gov. Cuomo said.

National Guard Soldiers and Airmen began moving to Long Island, New York City, and the Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill in the Hudson Valley from locations across the state Saturday morning. Convoys and buses left from the Albany area, Auburn, Utica, Syracuse and Queensbury and Airmen from western New York flew into the Hudson Valley

submitted by: Marie Wheeler-Nicholson

Ranger Up

2011-08-28T09:26:00.000-04:00

Nick Palmisciano, founder and CEO of Ranger Up, a longtime and strong supporter of Soldiers' Angels, is stepping up to even greater involvement as a member of the Soldiers' Angels Board of Trustees. Welcome and congratulations to Nick!

Veteran & Entrepreneur Palmisciano Appointed to Soldiers’ Angels
New Trustee Brings Marketing Skills to Military Support Nonprofit

PASADENA, CA August 22, 2011 Soldiers’ Angels announces the appointment of veteran and entrepreneur Nick Palmisciano to its volunteer Board of Trustees. Palmisciano will apply his proven skills in branding and marketing to improve fundraising and help the organization better tell the story of the powerful impact its hundreds of thousands of volunteers have on military personnel, veterans and their families.

A graduate of West Point, Palmisciano is a former U.S. Army officer, Fortune 100 employee and successful entrepreneur. He is the Founder-CEO of online-based Ranger Up Military and MMA Apparel, associated military content site The Rhino Den, and social media/guerilla marketing management company Wombat Vengeance, LLC. He also founded nonprofit Train the Troops MMA, which brings world-class Mixed Martial Arts athletes to deploying military personnel for extra hand-to-hand combat training.

Soldiers’ Angels appreciates Palmisciano’s years of active support and welcomes his increased involvement as a new Trustee. “We are excited and thrilled to have Nick on board, and look forward to the new dimension he brings to Soldiers’ Angels,” says Founder and CEO Patti Patton-Bader. “His strong record of entrepreneurial and online development will help us continue to meet the needs of military personnel, wounded heroes, veterans and their families.”

Palmisciano was impressed with Soldiers’ Angels from the moment he heard about the organization while visiting wounded warriors at Walter Reed. In the three years since, his admiration and association have grown and he is excited to be directly helping an organization he believes is unique in the military support field. “This is an organization asking individuals to help these troops personally: by writing a letter, visiting a hospital, making a quilt, or donating to very specific causes,” he says. “This is an organization telling Americans that one person can make a difference and asking them very clearly to be that person.”

After serving in the U.S. Army from 1998-2003 and leaving as a Ranger-qualified infantry captain, Palmisciano completed his MBA and spent five years in development/acquisitions, sales and branding for John Deere before entering the entrepreneurial world fulltime. He holds an MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Holiday Package Pre-Sale - Hurry Sale Ends 8/31/11

2011-08-25T09:28:00.001-04:00

Only 6 days left
Holiday Care Package 2011 Presale!
For the first time EVER we are offering a pre-pre sale on our Holiday 2011 Care Package!
Get it now for 25% off!
That's only $18.75 to ensure that our soldiers know they are loved this Holiday Season.

This year's care package will include:
1 Blanket of Belief
1 SA Logo Thermal Mug
2 Pairs of Socks
5 Packages of Hot Cocoa
6 Assorted Snacks
Optional: Holiday Card with Message
Phone Card
or Snack Pack
www.soldiersangels.org
Angel Store
Offer ends August 31 2011.
Coupon Code: Holiday2011

Food Drive

2011-08-22T06:14:00.001-04:00

In August Soldiers Angels volunteers held a food drive to help our local VAMC in Northport replenish their food bank for families receiving assistance through the VA.
The USVMC-LI has also has an ongoing food drive for our veteran outreach team and can drop off a donation box at locations in Suffolk County.

USVMC-LI chapter:
www.usvmcli.org
PO Box 675
Bellport, NY 11713
info@usvmcli.org

Submitted by Marie Wheeler-Nicholson

Run to Honor Fallen Service Members

2011-08-22T06:08:00.001-04:00

Our own Soldiers Angels volunteer, Ms. New York, Nency Escamilla will also be participating in the run to honor our fallen.

Saturday, August 20 · 7:00am - 12:00pm

FT HAMILITON PARK 400 101st BROOKLYN NY 11209

On August 20th, 2011 runners will join the Fort Hamilton Survivor Outreach
Services Program to run in memory of those who have paid the ultimate
sacrifice. All participants will have the ability to write the name of a
Fallen Service Member of their choice on their runners bib.

Registration begins at 7am and will be held on the park grounds.
Pre-registration and day of registration tables will be marked accordingly.
The run begins promptly at 9am.

Participants will be escorted from the park grounds across the street to
Shore Road Promenade where the run will begin. Once instructed to begin,
participants will run on along this flat surface for 2 miles, turn around at
the end (Owl's Head Pier), and run in the opposite direction to the starting
point for the final 2 miles. Water stations will be posted every mile along
as will medics to ensure everyone's safety. Once the run is completed,
participants will carefully return to Fort Hamilton Park for participant
shirts, bagels, and refreshments.

Point of Contact:

Matthew Gierber
Fort Hamilton Family & MWR
(718)630-4772

Submitted by Marie Wheeler-Nicholson

Memorial in Afghanistan

2011-08-21T18:42:00.002-04:00

#.TlCHLP8LKxB.facebook#.TlCHLP8LKxB.facebook

Regional Mail Boxes

2011-08-17T06:04:00.002-04:00

In case you haven't heard about the new Regional A & B Priority Mail boxes from the postal service. It may not be worth using for everyone, but it cuts my postage in half. Since the mail goes by zones it would depend on where in the country you live so the flat rate boxes may be your best option, BUT I want to make everyone aware of the new boxes.

Regional A boxes have a 15 lb. max weight and Regional B boxes have a 20 lb. max. weight. The catch with using the regional boxes and getting the price that goes with them is that you have to print the postage yourself online. I've done it and it is so simple a 2 year old could do it.

You just go onto usps.com and establish an account which doesn't cost a thing. Then you click the print label button and follow the directions. When it lists the options and prices it will list the regional boxes last. Be sure you us the correct box. It will save the addresses for you if you like. What you are printing is the shipping label with the postage on it. Then you tape it on your box and the postal service will either pick it up or you can drop it off at your local post office. Of course, you have to use a credit card.

The regional boxes can be ordered on the usps.com website (Free). Some examples of the postage prices. Remember the closer you live to New York (09 zip codes) or California (zip codes that start with 9) the cheaper the price will be.

Concord MA to 09370: Reg. A (15 lbs) $4.97 Reg. B (20 lbs) $ 5.81

Alexandria VA to 09370: Reg. A (15 lbs) $5.08 Reg. B (20 lbs) $6.88

Atlanta GA to 09370: Reg. A (15 lbs) $7.15 Reg. B (20 lbs) $10.51 so for Atlanta the A box might save money, but the flat rate box would probably be better than the B box.

Items Needed for Warehouse

2011-08-16T05:55:00.000-04:00

The Soldiers' Angels Warehouse in San Antonio is in need of the following items:

toothbrushes
deodorant
baby wipes
non-perishable food items (especially tuna and jerky)
individual drink packets
nuts
raisins
microwaveable meals

If you can get these, wonderful, and thank you SO much! Please can ship them to:

Soldiers' Angels
4408 N PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218

Have You Been Flocked?

2011-08-15T05:48:00.000-04:00

Operation Adopt-a-Soldier in Saratoga is currently engaged in a fundraiser for their organization – have you been flocked? People can ‘flock’ their friends with a group of plastic pink flamingoes by contacting flockfortroops@yahoo.com. Kathy Mosher and her husband, Donald, a disabled Vietnam veteran of the Air Force, purchased the fake birds recently. For $25.00 a person can have the birds placed on a friend’s or neighbor’s front lawn as a gag. All proceeds benefit Operation Adopt-a-Soldier, which sends care packages to troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world.

Blue Star Museums

2011-08-13T23:46:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Blue Star Museums!

The Blue Star Museums initiative is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 1,500 museums across America. First launched in the summer of 2010, Blue Star Museums once again are offering free admission to active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 30, 2011, through Labor Day, September 5, 2011.

See their website http://www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/index2011.php?st=NY#list for Blue Star Museums participating this summer in each state.
Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families.

Never Forget! Save the Date

2011-08-13T13:51:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, August 20th 2011, the Americas 911 Foundation will host their 11th ride for the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.

3000 Riders are expected to finish hundreds of miles on a Memorial Run in NYC via the Holland Tunnel - join us on the West Side Hwy, between Canal and 42nd Street, in support and memory of those we lost. Show America that NYC still remembers and will never forget.

PGR members will be down near the Holland Tunnel, if we could have different groups scattered along the West Side Hwy, it would truly be an awseome sight.

More information will be posted as the date nears, share this Event with everyone!!!

NEVER FORGET!

The Shelves are Bare…

2011-08-13T00:02:00.000-04:00

Right now, the shelves are bare at Landstuhl in Germany. Our wounded are arriving with the clothes on their backs and that’s it! They are in dire need of t-shirts, zippered hoodies and sweatpants; for a full list of what’s needed go to www.soldiersangelsgermany.org.

Just think what we can accomplish if we save $1.87 a day for 30 days – we will have enough money to purchase ONE “First Response Backpack” from the Soldiers Angel Store – that’s giving up one cup of coffee a day for 30 days! Factor in the Angel Store discount of 10% and, in some instances more when Patti gives us a ‘special discount’ – what better time to purchase a “First Response Backpack”.

Can we do it? Can WE give up one cup of coffee a day for a month and send one backpack to a hero/shero in need. And don’t forget to check Wal-mart, Target, Kohl’s and other department stores for on-line bargains (t-shirts, socks, toiletry items) that the store can ship direct to Landstuhl!

Creative Ways to Adopt - Over 1900 Waiting

2011-08-12T05:48:00.000-04:00

If you are already an Angel, please login to http://www.approvedangels.comto sign up for a team or begin another adoption.

"I haven't been adopted yet but I'd like to thank you in advance, my Angel, where ever you are…One of my battle buddies gave me this website and told me to sign up because I have little family back home [and] receive very little letters and gifts. After surfing the website, I'm amazed at all the interesting and beautiful things you all do for soldiers. Thank you." – Christine

There are over 1900 deployed men and women waiting for adoption - can you help by sending a card or letter once a week and a package every month for the duration of their deployment?

I cannot reinforce to you how much your support means
to every one of us. Please know that you are
truly making a difference. - LT "J"

Regardless of the challenge, there is no doubt that when patriotic Americans pull together, we can make miracles happen. Would you like to adopt a deployed hero but don't think you can take on the financial responsibility in these challenging times? The need for adopting Angels is huge, and there are options no matter your situation. In some cases, all you need is a single care package item, or even just your packing skills!

Team Up with a Friend -- Whether it's your office mate, best friend, the family next door or a retiree from church, tell someone about Soldiers' Angels and adopting a hero. Together you can split the costs of sending just one care package a month and take turns writing that one letter a week.

Bring a Group Onboard -- Talk to your company about supporting an individual or a unit. Participants can donate a single item for a care package or a couple dollars of postage each month. All you have to do is pack it up! This is a great option for community organizations like sports teams/clubs, churches, youth groups (scouts), schools and Chambers of Commerce. By working through a group, everyone helps as they can and another soldier knows he or she is not forgotten. When you've assembled a group that would like to support an individual hero or a whole unit, email groups@soldiersangels.org for tips and assistance.

Be a Substitute Angel -- Do you know someone who says they're just too busy to adopt a soldier? Offer to do it for them! You can take on the responsibility of writing a weekly letter to your adopted hero while your co-adopter takes just five minutes per month to order pre-made care packages for your hero from the Angels Store.

Short-term Adoption -- Sometimes service members sign up for support just a couple of months before they are scheduled to return. By the time they get to the top of the waiting list, they only need an Angel for about two months before mailstop begins. To adopt one of these heroes for three months or less when available, email special@soldiersangels.org to be placed on the short-timers alert list.

One-time Care Package -- This is a great option if you can't take on the responsibility of long-term support right now. You can have the fun and satisfaction of assembling a great care package whenever you have the opportunity, and all the cooperative suggestions above can apply. To get a hero's address for a one-time care package, email sacorporate@soldiersangels.org.

With each person doing what they can, we will all ensure that "No Soldier Go Unloved."

"Fit for Life" Magazine Sales for SA and the Troops are a Fraud!

2011-08-11T07:07:00.000-04:00

Soldiers' Angels - May No Soldier Go Unloved

Soldiers' Angels is not involved with anyone selling magazines door-to-door, nor have we been in contact with a door-to-door magazine seller who has said they are donating a percentage of their sales to Soldiers' Angels. Individual companies may plan to donate to Soldiers' Angels, but unless they have made formal arrangements with us to do so, we cannot endorse their fundraising activities.

For more information click on the link above.

Veterans Calendar of Events - August 2011

2011-08-10T18:49:00.000-04:00

Outreach Information Table will be set up at the “Cruise-In the Lube” event taking place at the Quaker Steak & Lube, 6727 Transit Road, Depew, NY on Thursday, August 11th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – if you served in the military, you may be eligible for VA health care benefits. Stop by the VA information table for more information. For more information: http://www.buffalo.va.gov.

August 14th is Veterans Day at the Erie County Fair. Admission is free for Veterans. Look for the VA outreach table for benefits information and cheer on the VA Western NY Healthcare System Marching Unit in the parade, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Join us at the Fairgrounds, 4600 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg, NY – for more information check our website at http://www.buffalo.va.gov.

Canandaigua Lake Trout Unlimited meeting to be held in the Building #5 Auditorium at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center on August 15th from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Canandaigua VA Farmers Market – every Tuesday from 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. in alternate parking lots (JFK or Andrew Jackson) August 16th will be the Andrew Jackson parking lot. If you have any questions contact Debbie Brahm, Local Wellness Chair at 393-7552.

Finger Lakes Impact Football Practice is scheduled for Tuesday, August 16th from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center – Courtyard #1.

Women Veterans - Social Hour at Albany Stratton VA Medical Center will be held in Wilson Lounge (4th Floor) on Wednesday, August 17th from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Join us in creating friendships, sharing skills, stories and events. Your voice is important, guest speakers may be schedule and don’t forget the book swap! For more information contact Jane Weber, Women Veterans Program Manager at 518-626-5519

Join us for Cruise Night – August 17th at 5:00 p.m. at the Dunn Tire Raceway Park, 57 Gunville Road, Lancaster, NY – If you served in the military, you may be eligible for VA health care benefits. Talk to VA staff at the outreach table – Shredd & Ragan, WEDG-FM (the Edge) Cruise Night, Dunn Tire Raceway Park in Lancaster. For more information visit the website at www.buffalo.va.gov.

Buffalo Caribbean Island Caribana – Sunday, August 21st from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Lasalle Park, 1 Porter Ave., Buffalo, NY! VA Western NY Healthcare System Minority Veterans Program will be on hand at the VA information table – stop by and talk to VA Staff. For more information visit our website at www.buffalo.va.gov – Join us for a Buffalo Caribbean Island Caribana.

Soldiers' Angels - Search Our Site

2011-08-10T17:16:00.000-04:00

Soldiers' Angels - Search Our Site

He saved six soldiers’ lives — with a child’s toy

2011-08-10T05:41:00.000-04:00

He saved six soldiers’ lives — with a child’s toy

Six Months of Christmas

2011-08-09T21:40:00.000-04:00

Just Twelve Days of Christmas? Here at Soldiers’ Angels we're stretching it out to six whole months to make sure our troops know how much they are loved and appreciated when the Winter Holidays finally arrive!

Every year, Soldiers’ Angels aims to send a Wrapped in Holiday Spirit care package to each deployed hero. Budgets are tight this year, but we can do it all together... a little bit at a time…

For each of the next six months, Soldiers’ Angels will focus on collecting one component of the Wrapped in Holiday Spirit care package. Whether you send a pair of socks in a small padded envelope, or a big box of handmade blankets, every bit will add up to fantastic packages full of love for our deployed troops during the Holiday Season!

This is a great project of the month for a youth group, classroom or church, etc. At your place of business, it can be as simple as putting out a box so that everyone can bring one pair of socks or a couple packets of hot chocolate each. If you and all your friends or coworkers send one item, that easily could mean another dozen gifts for the troops—it all adds up!

If you’re really ambitious, how about putting on an event to raise one month’s item, or maybe throwing a blanket-making party (link to news stories)? For help in planning an event in your area, please email events @ soldiersangels.org.

June – Socks
July – Instant hot chocolate and apple cider in single-serve packets
August – Blankets of Belief
September – Gift cards from Walmart to purchase needed items
October – Christmas cards/letters
November – Postage

Please ship your gift for the troops to:

Soldiers' Angels
Six Months of Christmas
4408 N PanAm Exprwy
San Antonio, TX 78218

Six Months of Christmas is a great project of the month for a youth group, classroom, community organizations or church, etc, with members bringing one item per month or per meeting. Ambitious volunteers are also invited to coordinate an event/drive to raise a particular month’s item (for help and support in planning a local Six Months of Christmas event, please email events @ soldiersangels.org).

Watkins Glen Weekend and Soldiers Angels

2011-08-09T21:25:00.000-04:00

By The Hero Organization
At this weekend’s Watkins Glen NASCAR Race (Sunday, 1p.m. ET), keep your eyes peeled for the Green Smoke Chevy, driven by T.J. Bell. Right behind each door will be the Soldiers’ Angels logo, and a decal on the bumper will read “Text Soldier to 20222,” encouraging viewers to donate. There’s a lot more to the story, including a very special American hero who has been made an honorary pit crew member with full NASCAR qualifications, so check it out http://http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hero-Organization/139303509420217!

Senator Calls for Day of the Deployed

2011-08-07T14:45:00.000-04:00

In 2006, Soldiers’ Angels asked then-Governor John Hoeven to sign the first ever Day of the Deployed proclamation in honor of deployed warriors from North Dakota. The proclamation grew over the years, with over 40 governors across the nation signing their own state proclamations honoring the service members in the states they governed.

While this declaration of troop support has been honored state by state, it is time to make Day of the Deployed a national day of honor. Once again Soldiers’ Angels requested the help of John Hoeven, and once again he has responded with strong support…

HOEVEN CALLS FOR NATIONAL “DAY OF THE DEPLOYED
TO RECOGNIZE SOLDIERS’ SACRIFICES

AUGUST 2, 2011 WASHINGTON – Building on his resolution as North Dakota’s governor, Senator John Hoeven introduced S. Res. 253, a resolution in the U.S. Senate to designate Oct. 26, 2011, as “Day of the Deployed” in recognition of the sacrifices of U.S. servicemen and women currently deployed around the world.

“Our men and women in uniform work tirelessly to serve our country and protect our freedoms, and we cannot do enough to thank them and their families for the sacrifices they willingly make. A national ‘Day of the Deployed’ would be a meaningful recognition of our soldiers’ dedication and the American people’s appreciation,” Hoeven said.

In North Dakota, Hoeven launched Oct. 26 as “Day of the Deployed” in 2006, in support of Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit organization that aids deployed American military personnel and their families. In 2010, 40 states had joined the effort, proclaiming a “Day of the Deployed.”

Hoeven is engaging other senators to support the resolution so it can pass the Senate.

Recruiter Saves Life on Dallas Freeway

2011-08-01T19:40:00.000-04:00

Face of Defense: Recruiter Saves Life on Dallas Freeway

DENTON, Texas, July 22, 2011 – When Army Staff Sgt. Marcus A. Stone saw cars suddenly braking and swerving ahead of him on Interstate 35 East in Dallas, he knew something bad had just happened on the freeway he was driving on. In the minutes that followed, Stone pulled a victim from a burning vehicle.

Those actions that December day prompted Stone’s commanding officer to nominate him for the Noncommissioned Officers Association of the United States of America Military Vanguard Award, presented annually to recognize acts of heroism.

...

Officer Susan Sharp, who was the investigating officer that day for the Farmers Branch Police Department, said Stone gave responders his recruiter business card and left the scene. Only after she compiled the statements from witnesses and drivers involved in the accident, who referred to Stone as “that Army guy,” did she realize how crucial a role Stone played, she said.

“Had Sergeant Stone not extricated [the victim], he would have burned to death within a minute or two,” Sharp said. “Stone didn't just save a life. He was the difference between a group of bystanders seeing a man rescued by one of America's heroic soldiers, versus seeing the man die a horrific death, burning right before their eyes.”

Stone, an Iraq combat veteran, said his Army training played a crucial role in his actions in saving the man that day. The Iraq experience, he explained, helped in that he was much calmer because he had already had enough pressure-packed situations in Iraq.

“It just comes down to being at the right place at the right time,” he said. “I’m just glad that somebody was able to continue their life, and I’m thankful that I was able to help someone in that capacity.”

Bus crash victims and hero soldier tell of rescue from fire, explosions:

Syracuse, NY -- William and Sandy Blair worried as they sat in row 8 of the Farr’s Coach Lines Ltd. tour bus on the side of the New York State Thruway early Friday in Junius Ponds.

....

At about 1:20 a.m., the bus pulled back onto the highway. It had just crossed the rough surface of the road’s shoulder when a Matrix Expedited Services truck carrying 14,000 pounds of ball bearing crashed into it.

...

At about the same time, Army Sgt. Jacob Perkins, 28, was driving his truck westbound. Perkins was stationed at Fort Drum in the First Squadron 89th Calvary Regiment and had served in Iraq. He was beginning a couple of weeks leave with a long drive to his home in Mountain Grove, Mo.

“It was just a big fireball of a crash. There were two vehicles burning on the side of the road and people were outside, but there weren’t any first responders there,” he said.

Perkins pulled his truck over.

“All of a sudden this guy came running. He ran right onto the bus that was fully engulfed in flames,” Michelle said.

Perkins said he didn’t hesitate. “They kept saying there were still people on the bus, so I didn’t really think about it. I ran in there.”

He helped a couple of people off the bus. “I pushed back farther into the bus to start checking the seats to make sure there was nobody in there. It was on fire. It wasn’t burning me or nothing. There was fire and smoke. When it got overwhelming, I just got off the bus,” Perkins said.

...

Michelle approached three state troopers on the side of the road. “My dad’s gone. We don’t know if he’s going to live. We need to get to where he’s going. How can we get there,” she asked.

The troopers said they didn’t know.

“Jacob (Perkins) was standing about 10 feet away. He said ‘I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. Get in my truck’.”

Perkins drove the Blairs to the hospital in Rochester. He gave them his cell phone to call family in Canada.

“I went into the hospital covered in blood, one sock, limping and a sports bra. They had no idea what was going on,” Michelle said.

The Blairs told the hospital what had happened, and said they were looking for William. The hospital told them he wasn’t there. He’d been re-routed to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse.

“We were in tears. We didn’t know what to do,” Michelle said.

Perkins told them “Get in my truck. We’re going to the other hospital. I’ll get you there.”

The sergeant drove 90 minutes back to Syracuse.

“Jacob stayed with us. He refused to leave until we had family here,” Michelle said.

Perkins stayed with the women until Sandy and William’s son arrived from Canada. Then he left.

The Blairs offered him cash in thanks. Perkins refused. Gas money? Nope. Cup of coffee. No thanks.

"He wanted nothing. He said, 'That's what people do for other people'," Michelle said.

...

Sale.com

2011-06-15T16:50:00.001-04:00

Thanks to a partnership with Sale.com, Soldiers’ Angels has an amazing new way you can support the troops simply by saving money.

Modeled on the highly-successful social sales site Groupon, Sale.com has created a special page for Soldiers’ Angels with steep discounts on products and services, and 25% of net revenue donated to Soldiers’ Angels. Sale.com was founded by the same person who created GI Bracelet, which raised $140,000 for various military charities (including $70,000 for Soldiers’ Angels).

To get access to amazing deals while helping Soldiers’ Angels support America’s heroes, click the graphic above and sign up for the daily deal email—when you use this link to sign up, an additional 5% of revenue from your purchases will automatically go to Soldiers’ Angels. Be sure that you continue go to soldiersangels.sale.com when making future purchases.

Please spread the word about this exciting opportunity by email, blog, forum, Facebook, etc. It’s a great way to support the troops and save a bunch of money at the same time!

Cellar Angels

2011-06-15T16:48:00.000-04:00

Do you like fine wine, or do you know someone who does? This might be just the thing: get fabulous wines at a great price, and support Soldiers' Angels in the process:

What happens when two “angel” organizations team up? Discounts on fine American wines, support for the troops… and Angels everywhere!

Soldiers’ Angels is proud to announce its new partnership with Cellar Angels, an online wine buying club that offers great wines at discounted prices while donating 10 percent of net proceeds to a carefully-selected list of charities (now including Soldiers’ Angels).

Each week, Cellar Angels features an exclusive wine offer via email with detailed tasting notes and food pairings. The weekly offer also features exclusive videos and behind-the-scenes info, and interviews the owner or wine maker so buyers can get to know the vintner. Customers then select their favorite charity from a short list as they complete each online purchase.

Most wines offered by Cellar Angels are from small, family run, boutique vineyards in the Napa and Sonoma areas of California, so quantities are limited. Discounts on the featured wine can be as high as 55% and only members can order (membership is free and is open to people who are over 21 years of age and live in states that allow for wine to be shipped).

To join Cellar Angels and start supporting the troops through the wine you choose, visit www.cellarangels.com.

Soldiers Angels on Fox News Channel

2011-05-31T17:29:00.001-04:00

Back on May 13th, Soldiers' Angels Executive Director Toby Nunn and Co-founder Jeff Bader made an appearance on Fox News Channel. Can't figure out how to embed the video, but you can go here to watch it.

Take Action on Memorial Day

2011-05-24T16:59:00.001-04:00

Soldiers’ Angels calls on all Americans to actively observe Memorial Day this May 30 by participating in an official Moment of Remembrance or undertaking other acts in honor of the over 1.3 million service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Established by Congress, National Moment of Remembrance asks Americans to pause in an act of remembrance for one minute on Memorial Day at 3 p.m. local time. The Moment can be as informal as ringing a bell, a moment of silence, a prayer or singing at a concert, etc.

Additional acts of Memorial Day remembrance can include the following:

Visit a local VA hospital to learn the stories of patients’ fellow soldiers who never came home

Use blogs, Facebook or other online resources tell the stories of family members who died in service to the country

Read the names of fallen heroes on websites such as Honor the Fallen.

Throw a care package party or write letters of encouragement for a hard-hit unit or the Mortuary Affairs units that care for America’s fallen heroes (for info, email events@soldiersangels.org)

Visit a local military cemetery or memorial to stand in quiet solidarity with those who have lost their brothers and sisters in arms on the battlefield

With conscious awareness of those who have made our safety possible, enjoy a weekend vacation or celebration in “the land of the free because of the brave”

Attend a local parade

Fly the American flag (at half-staff until noon and then full height until dusk, if possible)

Use Angels Mail to tell your story of a fallen hero (send it to angels@soldiersangels.org and we will post it for you)

Please make a commitment to promote the National Moment of Remembrance and other Memorial Day activities to local leaders and businesses. This is a time to come together in honor of those who have given their lives so that we may continue to live free. In this shared remembrance and shared activities, we connect in gratitude as one America.

Orphan & Soldiers Angels

2011-05-24T16:58:00.001-04:00

Orphan, a lifestyle brand for those who ride, is partnering with Soldiers’ Angels to raise money to send care packages to deployed men and women in honor of the upcoming Memorial Day.

To raise this money, Orphan has designed a special memorial t-shirt honoring those who have paid the ultimate price. Throughout the month of May, 50% of proceeds from sale of the shirt will go to Soldiers’ Angels for postage and supplies to send much-needed items to our heroes overseas. "Orphan is excited to raise funds for this important organization, and to give back to the troops," says Robyn Byrd, Social Media Manager for Orphan. "Many of our customers are military or retired military (as are many riders), so we are thrilled to be able to honor them in this way!"

The special memorial t-shirt for sale is themed for the rider and features Orphan's motorcycle frame shop "The Wrench" over original artwork of an eagle in red, white and blue. The eagle bears a ribbon reading, “NEVER FORGET those who have fallen in the name of Freedom.” The shirt is available in men’s and women’s styles.

As a Thank You to those who purchase the Memorial t-shirt, Orphan will give customers $10 off their order if they add any additional items to the T-shirt purchase. In addition, all shirts at this link result in donations to Soldiers' Angels.

Tapout Magazine

2011-05-24T16:57:00.001-04:00

From Mixed Martial Arts fighter Chad Robineaux-- For each person who signs up for a Tapout Magazine subscription and uses the promo code below, $9 goes to Soldiers’ Angels.

Chad is sponsored by SA supporter Ranger Up. He’s flying the SA flag high wherever he goes and he is 100% responsible for this fundraiser. Please encourage people to share this with anyone they know who might be interested in MMA.

*************

Wanted to share with you great news about support from Tapout Magazine and Editor-In-Chief, Chris Staab.
TapouT is doing a Special Tribute to the Military with several fighters from the military featured to include myself in an upcoming issue. I spoke with him about Soldiers Angels and not only is he going to support and promote it, but is creating a promo code for $9 donations!

Outstanding to see everyone so willing to work hand and hand for such a great effort!

The Promotion code is "ROBO" Link: http://mmaworldwide.com/subscribe-options.html?ref=ROBO

The military issue will hit stands around June 1st. That will be the first issue people who subscribe now will receive (well, the first PRINT issue... they will have access to the digital right away).

Thanks all,
Robo

Chaplain Ed's Request

2011-05-24T16:56:00.001-04:00

Chaplain Ed’s first request for assistance through the Soldiers’ Angels Chaplain Support Team (CST) was a smashing success! Now he has stepped forward with a smaller-but-still-vital need. The chaplain wrote to the CST:

"As I am working through the reintegration programming, I am working on developing a program much like a 2-Day Vacation Bible School. On the Academic side these are the books I am looking to obtain. Do you think Soldiers’ Angels could do one last operation for Task Force Gambler?"

CST Leader Dina has the details…

I of course told him we would be honored to help! I know we can work together on this one, so the kiddos will be blessed, just like you all blessed the families from his group with our previous book project. Here are the books he is looking for:

No Excuses by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer - 50 copies

How Full is your Bucket?: For Kids by Tom Rath & Mary Reckmeyer- 50 copies

Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul - by Jack Canfield - 50 copies

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey - 35 copies

Just as before, gently used is absolutely fine and just as appreciated as before.

Please scour used bookstores, online pricing (I found some of them on Amazon.com for 57 cents + shipping), friends and neighbors. Chaplain Ed, and all of the families and I will be forever grateful for your generosity and help.

Please email me at mailto:cst@soldiersangels.org?subject=Chaplain%20Ed if you are able to purchase/send any of these requested books.

Moose Munch Bars

2011-05-24T16:53:00.000-04:00

Gourmet treats retailer Harry & David is once again teaming up with Soldiers’ Angels to supply delicious Moose Munch® Bars to deployed troops. The 3rd Annual “Support Our Troops with Moose Munch®” allows families, friends and supporters of the U.S. military to purchase the popular Harry & David Moose Munch® treats and ship them to war zones for sweet enjoyment by our men and women in service.

From now through July 4, Harry & David stores nationwide are offering customers the opportunity to purchase Moose Munch® Bars and gift them to soldiers with a personalized greeting. Each bar and note is packaged with a plastic spoon and boxed for pickup via Soldiers’ Angels to be included in care packages for deployed troops.

Last year over 38,000 Moose Munch® bars were shipped to soldiers in Afghanistan and other regions through the “Support Our Troops with Moose Munch®” Bars event. Soldiers’ particularly enjoy the Bars because they find this portable treat to be a delicious energy source that’s easy to carry on patrols.

Moose Munch® Bars retail for $2.50 each or $4.00 for two, a discount that encourages customers to purchase a bar for themselves while donating the other for the troops.

As part of the event, Harry & David is also donating a Moose Munch® Bar for each new “Like” on Facebook, up to 1,000 additional Bars.

For Harry & David store locations nationwide and for more information, visit harryanddavid.com, friend them on Facebook, or follow them Twitter.

Education is Key in Fight Against PTSD

2011-05-24T16:51:00.000-04:00

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2011 – Stemming the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, requires awareness, education and recognizing its symptoms, a senior military psychiatrist said.

Navy Capt. Paul S. Hammer, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, spoke during a May 16 media roundtable event held here as part of Mental Health Month.

“[It’s important] to make sure people are aware, educated, and that they look for it in themselves, their friends and fellow service members. They must act on it so something is done,” Hammer said.

Taking action doesn’t necessarily call for a major intervention, he said. “Sometimes reaching out and talking to someone can put that person on the right path to get the help he needs,” he suggested.

Recognizing signs of the stress disorder early can be the key to successfully diagnose and treat affected individuals, he said.

“PTSD can be a really complicated entity,” he said. “People think it’s one thing, but it can manifest itself in a lot of different ways and contexts.”

PTSD is not gender-specific, and tell-tale signs vary from one person to the next, but Hammer said some factors might add up to the stress diagnosis. He said it’s important to recognize such symptoms as combat stress, substance abuse, talks of suicide and depression. Getting help begins with awareness and education at all levels of the military, he said.

Hammer said post-traumatic stress was once a condition discovered only after troops returned home following deployments. Now, however, the services include post-traumatic stress awareness instruction for new recruits in basic training, and warfighters are monitored for symptoms during their military careers.

“We’ve got to take care of ourselves and take care of each other,” Hammer said. “The idea of awareness is to take appropriate action and have the courage to reach out and take help.”

“The Army [incorporates awareness] in resilience training and comprehensive soldier fitness, and by training master resilience trainers,” he added. “So there’s a huge effort among the services to really develop a level of resilience.”

Combating the stigma attached to mental health counseling also is taught to service members as part of the military’s awareness campaign, Hammer said. For many people, the longtime stigma is an overwhelming barrier to diagnosis and treatment.

Denial of post-traumatic stress also can develop, which he described as a “tougher nut to crack.” Denial is a person’s perception that people are doing fine, Hammer added. “They don’t want to see themselves or be seen as weak, damaged or ill,” he said.

“I think huge headway has been made on stigma,” he said. “You see senior officers and senior enlisted members who are much more willing to speak out and talk about it. I can’t imagine a time, when I first came in, that I would hear a sergeant major talk about PTSD, and now it’s routine.”

“No doubt the stigma is still out there, but we’ve still made an enormous amount of progress,” Hammer said. “But there’s more to do. We’re not resting on our laurels. We’re still working on it.”

2011-04-26T22:04:00.001-04:00

Soldiers’ Angels announces production of a beautiful new Public Service Announcement (PSA), a gift from Georgia businessman Jerry Hall.

Professionally produced by Terry Tucker of Freestyle Productions in Tallahassee, FL, the 30-second spot features the story of Brian Hall (not related to Jerry), a medic who served in the Iraq war and suffered Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The PSA highlights Angel projects for the wounded, as well as the personal attention and individual care that Angel volunteers provide to each wounded hero they encounter. “They treat you like a person,” Hall says.

Jerry Hall, owner of Assured Comfort Heating & Air in Winston, GA has been a longtime supporter of Angel Diane Moore’s annual Christmas project, which sends up to 20,000 Christmas stockings to deployed troops. This spring, Hall decided to donate a portion of his company’s annual TV advertising budget by having a new Soldiers’ Angels PSA produced.

Background music for the PSA is Darkest Hour, a song written and performed by Georgia musician Brian Collins as a tribute to fallen American military heroes. He provided it at no cost, and has produced a music video of the song on YouTube that directs viewers to Soldiers’ Angels. Collins has also coordinated with Moore to have Soldiers’ Angels volunteers at his concerts collect signed cards for deployed troops.

Distribution is in the early stages, but thanks to the efforts of Tucker, Comcast is already including it in their PSA feeds and it is airing in Florida.

Easter in Afghanistan

2011-04-24T09:06:00.000-04:00

Mission to Afghanistan: Easter Vigil celebrates life in the midst of war
Holy Saturday in Bagram not much different than it is here
12:17 AM, Apr. 24, 2011

Written by
Philip Grey

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — A large crowd gathered around a bonfire out in front of Bagram's Enduring Faith Chapel on Saturday night.

Many in the group were in uniform and carrying weapons, but so unobtrusively that the sight barely registered here in a place where weapons are a fact of everyday life.
For the Catholic service known as Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, the American priest and his Polish assistants dedicated a candle and lit it from the bonfire, after which the large crowd lit individual smaller candles and began to file solemnly into the church.

Inside, only a single light was on behind the pulpit. The only other light came from the crowd of 300 or so that filled the small space with the light of their candles.

Read the whole thing.

Save Money - Support Angels

2011-04-23T18:27:00.001-04:00

Thanks to TexasGivesBack.com, patriotic, savvy shoppers in the San Antonio area and across the country can get huge deals for local and national products/services while supporting Soldiers' Angels at the same time.

Texas Gives Back sells Groupon-style deals and donates 7% of sales to the San Antonio charity of the customer's choice. Since San Antonio is the home of the Soldiers' Angels Support Center and warehouse, it's the perfect opportunity to Support Soldiers' Angels while saving money!

Though focused on San Antonio, Texas Gives Back often includes regional and national chains in their Daily Deals. For more information, see TexasGivesBack.com and be sure to select Soldiers' Angels as your designated charity to support with TGB's donation!

2011-04-08T16:14:00.001-04:00

Due to a donation from a lovely bridal boutique, Soldiers’ Angels has on hand sixteen gorgeous wedding dresses that will be awarded to sixteen lucky military brides! Dresses will be awarded by contest, with the brides who write the best essay about their own love story receiving their choice of dress.

Dress sizes range from 6 to 14, with a size 24 and a size 42 as well. Some are brand new, others have been rented, but all are clean and in superb condition. Most are very detailed, with additions of lace, cutouts or sequins, and styles vary greatly.

Originally offered to a high school drama department who refused them for lack of room, the dresses came to Soldiers' Angels thanks to Patreece, whose husband heard about them through his civilian job on a military base and alerted her. She took home all 16 dresses, cataloged and photographed them, and shipped them to San Antonio for dry cleaning and distribution.

For contest eligibility, procedures and more information, click here. Contest ends April 21, 2011.

Returning Heroes

2011-04-04T17:20:00.000-04:00

UPDATED: Save a Military Family

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE: Thanks to dozens of generous, hardworking Angels and the assistance of Operation Paperback, all the needed books have been procured. Big thanks to all who made it possible!

This unit is facing an unusually-challenging reintegration period at the end of their current deployment, but their chaplain has a plan... and he needs some help (click pic to enlarge).

Did you know that you can have a direct role in supporting the marriages and family life of returning heroes under great strain? You can, with a simple book…

“Chaplain H” explains via email to the Chaplain Support Team (CST),

“I am starting to work on some family reintegration programming and need some help acquiring a significant amount of books in order to facilitate a quality program that would provide the greatest opportunity for families to reconnect in a healthy manner. I know this is a large request below, but I am not expecting all of it. I am though merely setting my long range goal in this department.
Our unit is in a tough spot on this issue, with the stressors of redeployment and instant reassignment. The story will go something like this. The unit gets home mid-summer at Fort _________ and is expected to PCS to Fort _________ by September 1, 2011. Moreover, the School District will start classes around 15 August, which will increase the rush to get to the new duty assignment.

The list of stressors on our families are redeployment, family reintegration, immediate moving and getting settled. The level of stress that our families will have to endure has the potential to scar and even bring about the destruction of families if the situation is not readily addressed. My solution is as follows:

An extremely large marriage retreat (which is paid for with grant money already procured), family social events, reading materials and books, and some follow up.

Chaplain Harris went on to list eight different books, with copies of 25 to 150 needed for each title. Under the guidance of the CST, over 150 books have been procured so far—including the entire set of 25 for two particular titles—but more help is needed.

CST Leader Dina explains, “If you can buy just one book on this list, it will make a gigantic difference. If you can contact your communities, churches, therapy offices, send email to bookstores requesting even a single book, we can do this to help him. It matters, Angels—every single copy matters. Scour your used bookstores, Goodwill, Salvation Army…blog the need, Facebook the need. ANYTHING will help.”

Anger: Handling a Powerful Emotion in a Healthy Way by Dr. Gary Chapman - 49 Copies still needed

Insiders' Guide to El Paso (Insiders' Guide Series) by Megan Eaves - 113 Copies still needed

Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last by John Gottman - 18 Copies still needed

The Military Marriage Manual: Tactics for Successful Relationships by Janelle Hill - 23 Copies still needed

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert by John Gottman - 122 Copies still needed

The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman - 45 Copies still needed

Please help spread the word—just one single book can have a profound effect on a family and all who know them as they face an unusually challenging post-deployment adjustment period. Wingtip-to-wingtip, Angels can make it happen!

For more info (including shipping instructions and updates on how many copies are needed), email Dina at mailto:cst@soldiersangels.org?subject=Books%20for%20Chaplain%20H. Project ends in May 2011.

2011-04-03T17:14:00.000-04:00

From a Soldiers' Angel in Japan...

I just wanted to let you know I received all the boxes for Operation Tenshi. I got the phone call to come pick them up NOW, so off I went.

Our post office is also ran by local Japanese postal workers. When they took me in the back to get the boxes, seven of them escorted me and waited for my response when I saw them. I just smiled, then they asked me, "What are you doing with so many boxes?" I told them that Soldiers' Angels sent these to me to help the victims of the earthquake and tsunami on mainland. They just could not believe it and one of the ladies started to cry. She went to the back and workers told me she just couldn't believe the kindness of Soldiers' Angels and all the Americans that support us. She came back out and hugged me and told me to tell you that she thanks you from the bottom of her heart and will forever be grateful. It was a moment I will never forget. Thank you and the warehouse who worked long and hard. I miss you all and I am singing your praises over here!

Can you hear me....

I just wanted you to know.

Marisa

And here are some of the supplies in action!

"Here are two pics I took as we began to create pallets to load up a flight headed out to Yokota Japan. We received 20 boxes of supplies from Soldiers' Angels. I was able to ship some out directly from the base post office to the MPO in mainland. The other half went to another location where our military are camped."

And from another area that Operation Tenshi is helping...

"I just wanted to send you a few pictures of the Stork's Nest Pantry. This is the island's version of a Fisher House but for the high risk pregnant military mothers and their familes. There are about 5 or so cottages that support these families and we also have moved more that came in into our temporary housing lodging. As you can see, the pantry is small and bare. We are working to get them the supplies, but buying here in bulk is difficult due to stock availability and transportation [because of the earthquake and tsunami]."

Thank You From Our Troops

2011-04-02T17:12:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, Soldiers' Angels receives various notes, cards and letters from the troops, saying "Thank You" for the things Soldiers' Angels has been able to do for them. Some of those offers of thanks are shared on the Soldiers' Angels website. That page has recently been updated. Here are a few samples:

I work in the operations center and the coffee pot, 15 travel mugs and 30 bags of coffee are a wonderful complement to our 24-hour operation. You should have seen the attention the coffee pot got!...Thanks again for the wonderful, selfless support from the Soldiers' Angels organization! - MAJ Mahoney in Afghanistan, March 2011

...I am actually a Navy member who is deployed for the 4th time out here in the "Sand Box" and find comfort in knowing that people still care--not just for the mission but for us as people--and my thank go out to you. - HM2 Cook, March 2011

Thanks so much for the package and cards from across the U.S. Your support of the troops means so much. - CPT Lindsay, Mortuary Affairs Office, Khandahar, March 2011

Take the time to read them all.

108 Hours

2011-04-01T04:43:00.000-04:00

Matt Burden, Soldiers' Angels Board of Trustees member, is putting out the word for help in sending a Gold Star Father to see where his son was lost:

Last Christmas, I received this email from a Gold Star Dad. He lost his son a few years ago in one of the war zones. He reached out to us for help getting to stand on the very ground where his son was killed in action. As a Dad, I can understand it. As a vet, I want to help this great American father find some peace - what little of it he will find, he deserves...
...I can not die in peace one day if I do not go. I will be 58 in January and... I think I can't wait any longer. But more importantly I have a gut feeling it is time.
<...>
The only gift in life I dream of for myself, strictly only for me, is to kneel and touch the ground where [he] died. To smell the air. To see what he saw his final days, final moments. I can see it at a distance of several hundred feet through out of date Google Earth Photos but that simply is not good enough for me. Even if it were to cost me my very life, I have to go there. I need your help to figure out how to make this happen. I would appreciate anything you could do to help me formulate an entry plan in country to make this happen.

My best to you in this Holiday Season as [we] celebrate Christmas, continuing to Remember [him] With Honor. Happy New Year. Thank you for your friendship, for saving my life by giving me an outlet to share my feelings and come to grips with my grief.
This mission will take a lot of financial and physical resources. You can email suggestions to blackfive - AT - Gmail - DOT - com. But be advised that we have worked this through the various government agencies at some very high levels. Soldiers' Angels has agreed to support this mission.

If you think you know who this Gold Star Father is, please do not speculate in the comments. Just as with our troops, there are very serious OPSEC considerations with this mission:

Due to security concerns, I cannot tell you who this is about. Many of you will guess. I've turned off the comments because I don't want any information out there (true or false) to compromise this mission. I cannot tell you when this will happen. We are planning on completing the mission in the late summer or early fall, but I am not going to pin down the dates, months or seasons.

Matt says they'll need $30,000 to make this mission happen. Donations can be made to Soldiers' Angels to support it. Matt's post has those details, and may have additional updates, so please read his entire post.

Iwon Angel Team Wins!

2011-03-31T06:13:00.001-04:00

Soldiers' Angels has a team you might not have heard of:

Thanks to a group of dedicated Angels and friends led by Lesa Wheaton, Soldiers’ Angels has received a $2000 check from Iwon.com! Lesa’s team won 2nd place in the Iwon challenge for February 2011.

Iwon.com is a free online community supporting nonprofits. The site issues a new challenge each month for participants to earn points as a team by playing games and other activities. Teams with the top six points totals win money for their favorite charities.

Lesa started the Soldiers’ Angels team two years ago and this is the first time they have won, relying on help from other teams on Iwon who all banded together to help Soldiers’ Angels win!

The Iwon Soldiers’ Angels team is looking for new members to continue its winning streak! It’s free and there’s a new challenge every month—more chances to win donations for Soldiers’ Angels!

Congratulations to Lesa and her team for great Angeling!!

YOU are Needed!

2011-03-26T00:47:00.000-04:00

from soldiersangels.org

I cannot reinforce to you how much your support means
to every one of us. Please know that you are
truly making a difference. - LT "J"

Regardless of the challenge, there is no doubt that when patriotic Americans pull together, we can make miracles happen. Would you like to adopt a deployed hero but don't think you can take on the financial responsibility in these challenging times? The need for adopting Angels is huge, and there are options no matter your situation. In some cases, all you need is a single care package item, or even just your packing skills!

Team Up with a Friend -- Whether it's your office mate, best friend, the family next door or a retiree from church, tell someone about Soldiers' Angels and adopting a hero. Together you can split the costs of sending just one care package a month and take turns writing that one letter a week.

Bring a Group Onboard -- Talk to your company about supporting an individual or a unit. Participants can donate a single item for a care package or a couple dollars of postage each month. All you have to do is pack it up! This is a great option for community organizations like sports teams/clubs, churches, youth groups (scouts), schools and Chambers of Commerce. By working through a group, everyone helps as they can and another soldier knows he or she is not forgotten. When you've assembled a group that would like to support an individual hero or a whole unit, email groups@soldiersangels.org for tips and assistance.

Be a Substitute Angel -- Do you know someone who says they're just too busy to adopt a soldier? Offer to do it for them! You can take on the responsibility of writing a weekly letter to your adopted hero while your co-adopter takes just five minutes per month to order pre-made care packages for your hero from the Angels Store.

Short-term Adoption -- Sometimes service members sign up for support just a couple of months before they are scheduled to return. By the time they get to the top of the waiting list, they only need an Angel for about two months before mailstop begins. To adopt one of these heroes for three months or less when available, email special@soldiersangels.org to be placed on the short-timers alert list.

One-time Care Package -- This is a great option if you can't take on the responsibility of long-term support right now. You can have the fun and satisfaction of assembling a great care package whenever you have the opportunity, and all the cooperative suggestions above can apply. To get a hero's address for a one-time care package, email sacorporate@soldiersangels.org.

With each person doing what they can, we will all ensure that "No Soldier Go Unloved." Let's pull together and get these 1300 waiting heroes adopted!

You have no idea what effect you have on a soldier
who receives something in the mail from a complete stranger
who is willing to give. - SPC James

New York Army National Guard Women are at Home in the Sky

2011-03-23T17:33:00.000-04:00

RONKONKOMA--Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michelle Roxby (right), a pilot-in-command, and 2nd Lt. Amy Bonilla, (left) a pilot, conduct pre-flight checks before flying a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter around Manhattan Island March 12, 2011. The Soldiers belong to Company B, 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation (Assault Helicopter Battalion). They are two of the 1,500 women who serve in the New York Army National Guard force of 10,500. March is Women’s History Month and recognizes the accomplishments of American Women.

March 21, 2011
By Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Drumsta, New York Army National Guard

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. -- The women who keep the New York Army National Guard flying found inspiration in the skies and on the ground.

Spc. Amy Klemm, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michelle Roxby and 2nd Lt. Amy Bonilla are among the 1,500 women in the New York Army National Guard, and they routinely take to the skies, logging flying time in Black Hawk helicopters. They're Soldiers in Company B, 142nd Aviation Assault Helicopter Battalion based in Ronkonkoma, N.Y.

"I like to fly and see different things," said Klemm, a Black Hawk crew chief. "The people in aviation are great people."

Klemm's inspirations were both remote and close to home; aviator Amelia Earhart and her Vietnam veteran father. While attending junior high, she did a research paper on Earhart, Klemm said.

"She was able to fly an aircraft, and she was the first woman to fly across the country," Klemm said of Earhart.

Klemm's father, who served in the infantry and received the Purple Heart, told her great things about the military and encouraged her to enlist, Klemm said. She joined the New York Army National Guard because she wanted to be close to her family and community, she added.

Three years later Klemm went to war herself, logging about 500 hours as a CH-47 Chinook helicopter door gunner with the 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard in Afghanistan in 2006. While there, she volunteered to go to Iraq with her own unit. She returned from Afghanistan, and after a month off, deployed with her unit to Iraq.

Woman's History Month validates the role of women in the military and other professions, Klemm said.

Roxby, a Black Hawk pilot-in-command, said she heard the call for Army aviation in 2003, while deployed to Iraq with the New York Army National Guard's 442 Military Police Company. She and other Soldiers lived near a helicopter landing zone in Iraq, she recalled.

"When we were living next to the (landing zone), it re-ignited my interest in aviation," said Roxby.

Her family also inspired her, Roxby said. She enjoys the variety that aviation offers, she added.

"Every day is different," she said. "As a pilot-in-command, I like mentoring people and bringing out the best in them."

She also enjoys flying, finding herself in what she called "special moments" while behind the controls of the helicopter.

"Sometimes it just hits you and you think, 'wow this is amazing. I'm really lucky I'm able to do this,'" Roxby said.

One of the pilots Roxby mentors is Bonilla. She initially joined an Army Reserve military police unit in 2007, Bonilla said.

"I knew I wanted to be an officer, but I wanted to get some enlisted experience first," she explained.

Inspired by her parents and professors, Bonilla earned her commission through the St. John's University ROTC program and her aircraft operations degree from Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology. Then came the opportunity to become a Black Hawk pilot, which she said was good timing.

"I felt excited," Bonilla said. "My hard work finally paid off. My dreams were coming true."

Bonilla describes herself as a "new stick" in the unit, said that she focuses on flying while in the air, and only remembers the thrill of it when she's on the ground.

"It's like another day at the office," she said of flying a Black Hawk helicopter. "I'm just another Soldier doing my job."

Current List of Items needed at Landstuhl

2011-03-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

MOST-NEEDED ITEMS FOR MARCH/APRIL 2011, listed in order of need - Thank you for your help with these items!

- Sweatpants and Zippered Hoodie Sweatjackets (M, L, XL - grey, black, dark blue) Sweat clothing is urgently needed at this time.

- Men's Boxerbriefs (M, L, XL) 2nd choice boxers. Please do not send "tightie whities".
Sizes M and L especially needed at this time.

- Lounge/sleep pants/pj bottoms (M, L, XL - any color or pattern)

- Undershirts and plain T-shirts (M, L, XL - crew neck, any color)
Sizes M and L especially needed at this time.

- Nail Clippers (large)

- Socks (white ankle or crew length preferred.)

- FlipFlops to wear while showering (men's large sizes)

- Black knit caps

- Shaving cream, aerosol cans, travel size preferred

- Travel pillows (if possible, individually wrapped in plastic bags)

- Good disposable razors, individually wrapped or 2-packs (we would rather have 1 Fusion or similar than 100 of the cheaper kind that tear guys' faces up)

Sale items/volume discounts can often be found online. Many companies deliver directly to APOs, which avoids paying "double shipping". Sending donations Priority is not necessary. Ask your Post Office about Parcel Post rates.

Please send items to:

MTD
Attn: Soldiers' Angels
CMR 402
APO AE 09180

Important:
- Please notify us when items are shipped.
- Include a note with your name, Email address, and brief description of items sent in your packages. Without this information, we will be unable to confirm their receipt.
- Please allow 6 - 8 weeks for receipt confirmation.
- Priority shipping is not necessary. Consider using Parcel Post to save shipping expenses. Ask your Post Office for details.

WELCOME HOME FOR RETURNING SOLDIER

2011-03-19T16:57:00.000-04:00

Good Afternoon All Patriots and Friends...

The Patriot Guard has been requested to WELCOME HOME another of our own! Pvt. Nicholas Makowicz will be returning to NY after a long deployment in Iraq. After his visit here he will be returning to Iraq with his unit. His grandmother & grandfather, as well as his dad, brother & sister, and fiance will be joining us in WELCOMING him home! Nicholas was a graduate of Connequot HS in 2008 and joined the Army that summer. His unit is based out of Fort Reilly, Kansas.

The flight is due to land at 5pm. We will be meeting at the Tower Diner beforehand.

Details are as follows:

DATE: Monday, 03/21/11
DETAIL: Flagline to WELCOME HOME US Army Soldier, Pvt. Makowicz
Staging: Tower Diner MacArthur Airport, Long Island NY
KSU: 4:30pm
LRC: Lucy C.

Our friends at LIMA are working diligently to help us with parking and possible curb-side parking for MCs. PLEASE WAIT FOR INSTRUCTIONS from LRC before trying to park curb-side!!!!

St. Patrick's Day in Iraq

2011-03-18T17:57:00.001-04:00

BASRA, IRAQ- Members of the New York Army National Guard’s 501st Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) get together with members of the Texas Army National Guard’s 36th Division to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Contingency Operating Base Basra. The New York Soldiers celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in Iraq while their colleagues in the 1st Battalion 69th Infantry marched in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City.

The 501st is serving as the headquarters for Task Force Troy-South, with a mission of clearing improvised explosive devices from critical routes and infrastructure.

Air Force Staff Sergeant Blogging from Japan

2011-03-17T04:49:00.000-04:00

Someone found the blog of an Air Force Staff Sergeant recently PCS'd to Japan. He posts about the aftermath of the quake at his air base:
Sendai Earthquake
Earthquake Update
and, he'll be part of rescue/recovery operations in a nearby coastal Japanese community:
Heading to Ofunato
Video news story here:
Military hero lives through Japan quake, now helping with rescue operations

New York's Historic 69th Infantry to Lead St. Patrick's Day Parade

2011-03-16T18:46:00.000-04:00

Media Advisory
by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

NEW YORK (03/15/2011)-- Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment will commemorate leading the world's largest St. Patrick's Day parade for the past 160 years with fellow Soldiers from the Irish Defense Forces.

Joining the Soldiers and veterans of the 69th Infantry will be more than 40 volunteers from Ireland's 58th Reserve Infantry Battalion for the city parade march up Fifth Avenue.

"It was truly an honour to be part of a 249 year old tradition," said Irish Lt. John McCandless on his blog discussing last year's participation in the 2010 parade. His comments can be found at http://www.rdfra.ie/news/58RIB2NYC.shtml.

This year also marks the city's 250th annual St. Patrick's Day parade.

More than 800 Soldiers of the New York Army National Guard's 69th Infantry Regiment and support elements, including the 42nd Infantry Division Band, will lead the city parade.

An estimated 40 soldiers from the 58th Reserve Infantry in County Sligo in Ireland are expected to join their U.S. counterparts in the day-long celebration of Irish American culture.

The two military organizations share a common bond in Col. Michael Corcoran, a native of Ballymote, Ireland and commander of the Irish regiment for the Battle of Bull Run in the American Civil War.

The 69th Infantry, based at the Lexington Avenue Armory here in New York City, has served as the St. Patrick's Day parade Honor Guard since 1851. Anti-immigrant emotions in that era often led to violence and the Irish troops participated to ensure the safety of the celebration. The National Guard troops of Irish heraldry have led the city parade in every year since.

The 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry
The 69th Regiment's history and lineage begins when predecessor units were organized in December 1849 in New York City from companies of the 1st Irish Regiment.

Over a year later, the 2nd Regiment was organized in October 1851. A month later, the 2nd Irish Regiment was mustered into the New York State Militia as the 69th Infantry Regiment.

The regiment received its nickname as the "Fighting 69th" from Confederate General Robert E. Lee during the Battle of Malvern Hill in 1862 in Virginia.

In World War I the 69th was redesignated the 165th Infantry and fought as part of the 42nd Infantry Division, the Rainbow Division, the second U.S. division to arrive in France. The famous author of the poem "Trees," Sgt. Joyce Kilmer, was a scout in the 69th Infantry and died while serving in France.

In World War II the 69th was part of the New York National Guard's 27th Infantry Division and invaded the Islands of Makin and Saipan and fought on Okinawa.

In 2004 the battalion was mobilized for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As part of the 256th Brigade Combat Team the battalion secured "Route Irish", the road from Baghdad International Airport to downtown Baghdad. At one time this was termed the most dangerous road in Iraq and the 1-69th turned that around.

Hundreds of battalion members were assigned to the 2008 deployment of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to Afghanistan for Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, the training and mentoring mission for the developing Afghan security forces.

The battalion expects to transfer hundreds more of its Soldiers to the brigade again in 2011 for a second Afghan deployment in 2012.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assemblyman Dean Murray To Sponsor The ‘Specialist Thomas Wilwerth Military Dignity Act’ | NewsLI.com

2011-03-13T09:11:00.000-04:00

Assemblyman Dean Murray To Sponsor The ‘Specialist Thomas Wilwerth Military Dignity Act’ | NewsLI.com

Last Chance to Shop - 40% Off - St. Pat's Day

2011-03-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

From the Soldiers Angels website:

Only a few days left till St. Patrick's Day!

Send your soldier a St. Patrick's Day Pack before it's too late!

This weekend only get our care package for 40% off! That's right 40% off!

Coupon Code: StPats

3 Days - 30% from Vision Strike Wear

2011-03-11T18:05:00.000-05:00

From the Soldiers Angels website:

This weekend only, Vision Strike Wear is offering Angels and troop supporters a way to purchase its new designs and previously-created customized military clothing and memorabilia from Vision Strike Wear while still supporting the work of Soldiers’ Angels! When customers order online and enter “Soldiers’ Angels” in the comment box at checkout, 30% of the gross sales of the purchase will be donated to Soldiers’ Angels.

Vision Strike Wear (a veteran-run business) has long been working with Soldiers’ Angels to support the morale of small units who would like to design a t-shirt celebrating a successful combat deployment. The company sells only custom-ordered clothing and other custom items designed in-house for large and small organizations.

In addition to customizable clothing and commemorative items, Vision Strike Wear offers custom military-themed gifts, jewelry, patches/insignia and challenge coins. They also offer items for first responders such as fire, police and rescue/EMT.

Check it out only from March 3-5, 2011, and don't forget to enter "Soldiers' Angels" at checkout! Big thanks to Vision Strike Wear!

New York Army Guard Military Police Unit Heading for Iraq

2011-03-11T05:29:00.000-05:00

Buffalo's 105th Military Police Company Deployed to Iraq in 2003 and Returns to Help Close Out U.S. Presence

by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION , NY (03/09/2011)-- More than 700 family members, friends and officials turned out to say goodbye to 110 members of the New York Army National Guard's 105th Military Police Company here on Wednesday, March 9.

The Buffalo unit was the first New York Army National Guard unit deployed to Iraq in 2003 and as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and is now going back as part of Operation New Dawn, the U.S. draw down there. Ten Soldiers are returning with the unit for this second mission.

Staff Sgt. Douglas Mattingly, an employee with the Veterans Administration in Buffalo, was one of those Soldiers who deployed with the 105th in 2003.

It was a very difficult mission for but the unit accomplished a lot, Mattingly said about his first deployment. This new team of 105th MP Soldiers is going to perform very well too, he predicted.

The 105th led the way in during the first round of New York Army National Guard call-ups, and is leading the way again as the New York National Guard prepares to deploy almost 4,000 Soldiers over the next year-and-a-half, said Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York.

The 105th's mission is to continue America's transition of security responsibilities to Iraqi police and military forces as the United State draws down its forces there. Unlike its first mission in 2003 of providing convoy security under combat conditions, the 105th will be focused on training and mentoring police in northern Iraq as their abilities grow, said Capt. John VanLaningham, the company commander.

"I am the last person in the chain of command from New York that validates and certifies the training that Soldiers are ready to move on to the next phase," said General Murphy. "I do it with confidence for the 105th," he said.

"We have been preparing for this mission for the last 18 months," said VanLaningham, a former active duty sailor, and a New York State trooper from Syracuse.

He's proud to command a company that saw service in Bosnia in 1999-2000, at the World Trade Center in New York City following the terrorist attacks of 2001, in Iraq in 2003-4 in Operation Iraqi Freedom , VanLaningham said.

"This is one of the first to deploy," he said. "And, it will be among the last. There is no rest for the best."

"For a lot of them it is a first-time deployment, but they're soldiers. Everybody has a first time somewhere,"VanLaningham said. "And this is their chance to use their training,that they signed on to do. They signed on to make that difference."

"Our families are our life but unfortunately they are the ones who struggle the most with our absence," Vanlaningham added. His mother, sisters and niece traveled from Colorado to attend the ceremony.

"My wife (Lisa) broke down a couple times but she is staying strong for the kids," said Staff Sgt. John Anstey, a squad leader from Holley. "That's probably the hardest part, leaving the kids; leaving the kids behind."

Melissa Albanese wife of Spc. Michael Albanese said "I'm not prepared for it," said Melissa Albanese, the wife of Spec. Michael Albanese. "It's going to be tough without him," the Williamsville resident said.

Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, is home to the Air Force Reserve's 914th Wing and the New York Air National Guard's 107th Air Wing. It's also where the 105th returned home in 2004 after its first deployment.

Story by Lt. Col. Paul Fanning, Joint Forces Headquarters- New York and Staff Sgt. Peter Dean, 107th Airlift Wing

Devil Dogs Brew for the Angels

2011-03-11T05:21:00.000-05:00

From the Soldiers Angels website

Each month Devil Dog Brew donates to a military-related event or military support non-profit. This month they’re focusing on Soldiers’ Angels. During the month of March, 5% of ALL sales of high-quality Devil Dog Brew coffee and merchandise will be donated to Soldiers’ Angels.

Marine Corps veteran Hank, his brother and some close friends created Devil Dog Brew with the goal of honoring the military through their business. As a 21-year veteran, Hank loves a good cup of coffee and knows how much it can mean to a deployed service member. So, under Hank’s vision, Devil Dog Brew has sent care packages directly to Iraq in conjunction with the company’s coffee brokers, supported an independent combat photographer embed, and generously supplied coffee for both stateside military events and deployed heroes, among other support activities.

To spread the word about Devil Dog Brew and their generous gift to Soldiers’ Angels, click here to forward the info to all your friends. Even after March is over, Devil Dog Brew will continue to offer 5% off for Soldiers' Angels who order online and use the coupon code SOLDIERSANGELS at checkout.

Soldiers’ Angels gratefully salutes Devil Dog Brew for their patriotism in supporting the troops, and Hank for is service both past and present!

Need to Shop???

2011-03-11T05:16:00.000-05:00

Before you make your purchases (whether it be for something personal, or for filling those care packages to your adopted Hero), you might check out this list of vendors that support the troops and Soldiers' Angels through your purchases (either because you follow the link, or you tell them you are part of Soldiers' Angels) by donating a portion of the sales to Soldiers' Angels, or offering discounts to Soldiers' Angels shoppers. There's all kinds of things to choose from: cooling gear (the weather's changing over there!), coffees (multiple vendors), flowers, jewelry, books, clothes, food, the list goes on! So, if you're shopping anyway, maybe help Soldiers' Angels out while you're at it!

Author Supports Military Families

2011-03-10T04:54:00.001-05:00

From the Soldiers' Angels website:

Elementary school principal and author Megan Egerton-Graham is donating 5% of her individual book sales to Soldiers’ Angels!

Egerton-Graham is fast becoming widely-known among military families in both Canada and the United States as a great resource for tips, insight and information that helps children and parents cope. Her "While You Were Away" series of books and journals are designed to support families experiencing periods of prolonged absence or deployment, moving, re-integration or just life as a military family

All of the proceeds from Egerton-Graham's books are donated to military support organizations such as Family Readiness Groups. She approached Soldiers’ Angels after she was tapped as a keynote speaker at this summer's Blue Star Mothers (BSM) conference and the president of BSM suggested she reach out to support Soldiers’ Angels and assist military families that way as well.

Besides school principal, Egerton-Graham has been a teacher and guidance counsellor for 15 years, teaching every grade from Kindergarten to 12. In addition, she brings to the table her experience teaching on military base schools and life as a Canadian military wife and mother of two.

For more information, see the While You Were Away webpage or purchase her books on Amazon.

Special Request from Chaplain's Support Team

2011-03-09T05:34:00.000-05:00

I received a really heartfelt email from Chaplain Ed H that really speaks for itself...

"I am starting to work on some family reintegration programming and need some help acquiring a significant amount of books in order to facilitate a quality program that would provide the greatest opportunity for families to reconnect in a healthy manner. I know this is a large request below but I am not expecting all of it. I am though merely setting my long range goal in this department. Our Unit is in a tough spot on this issue as the stressors of redeployment and instant reassignment. The story will go something like this. The unit gets home mid-summer at Fort xxxx and is expected to PCS to Fort xxxx by September 1, 2011. Moreover, the xxxxx School District will start classes around 15 August which will increase the rush to get to the new duty assignment. The list of stressors on our families are redeployment, family reintegration, immediate moving and getting settled. The level of stress that our families will have to endure has the potential to scar and even bring about the destruction of families if the situation is not readily addressed. My solution is as follows. A extremely large marriage retreat which is paid for with grant money already procured, family social events, reading materials and books, and some follow up.

Below is the names of the books and the number of copies that I estimate will be needed to help make the program successful

Anger: Handling a Powerful Emotion in a Healthy Way by Dr. Gary Chapman 55 Copies

Standing By: The Making of an American Military Family in a Time of War 25 Copies

Insiders' Guide to El Paso (Insiders' Guide Series) 125 Copies

Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last John Gottman 55 Copies

The Military Marriage Manual: Tactics for Successful Relationships 25 Copies

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert 150 Copies

When Anger Hurts Your Relationship: 10 Simple Solutions for Couples Who Fight 25 Copies

The Five Love Languages 150 Copies

Thank you,
Ed "

Reqests have been made to El Paso Chamber of Commerce, El Paso City Government, all of the authors listed above, and Overstock.com in the hopes we can get their help in donating to this HUGELY worthy cause. Here's where us Angels come in.

If you can buy just 1 book on this list, it will make a gigantic difference. If you can contact your communities, churches, therapy offices, send email to other bookstores requesting even a single book we can do this to help him. It matters Angels - every single copy matters. Scour your used book stores, Goodwill, Salvation Army, blog the need, facebook the need ANYTHING will help.

If you can help, please email me at cst@soldiersangels.org and I will get you what we need and where to send it.

Guards Families Farewell Troops of the 105th Military Police Company

2011-03-08T17:22:00.001-05:00

BUFFALO, NY (03/08/2011)(readMedia)-- Family members and loved ones of the New York Army National Guard's 105th Military Police Company, based in Buffalo, N.Y. will farewell the unit's Citizen Soldiers as they depart for overseas deployment training.

WHAT: Family Sendoff of the New York Army National Guard's 105th MP Company.

WHO: Approximately 115 Soldiers from Buffalo, Rochester, Auburn and Utica, along with family members.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 9 at 10 a.m.

WHERE: Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, Hangar 850, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Media Opportunity:

Images of final farewells as Soldiers prepare to depart for their overseas deployment training. Soldiers, family members and Army National Guard leaders will be available for media interviews.

BACKGROUND

The 105th Military Police Company will deploy to northern Iraq later this spring for its mission as a Police Transition Team. The unit expects to conduct a broad range of missions from convoy and dignitary security to area and route security as well as training Iraqi police forces.

This will be the second deployment to Iraq for the 105th MP Company. The unit mobilized in February 2003 and was part of the initial liberation of Iraq near Iskandaria, Iraq, deploying from April 2003 until April 2004.

The 105th Military Police Company prepared for this upcoming deployment with training at Fort Drum, N.Y., starting in May 2010 with basic individual weapons training. The unit received the Army's newest M-4 rifle this past year.

Soldiers trained with the M-4 rifle, the M-9 pistol, the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon and 12-gauge shotgun during a lengthy weeklong drill period.

Troops also began drivers training with the M-1151A1 armored humvees and the LMTV medium trucks.

Premobilization Training was held in August, focusing on training soldiers in the Army Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills. This training also included team leader development. The unit returned to Fort Drum in November 2010 with a focus on individual and crew-served weapons training and qualification. In January the unit sent 103 of its deploying Soldiers to complete the Combat Medical Simulation Center Combat Lifesaver Course.

The unit will continue its training at Ft. Bliss, Texas with training in its mission specific tasks before deploying to northern Iraq.

Special National Guard Team Changes Command in Brooklyn

2011-03-08T17:18:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK (03/08/2011)-- Command of the New York National Guard's 24th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (CST) will change from Army National Guard Lt. Col. Kaarlo Hietala to Major Jody Lupo during a ceremony at Fort Hamilton. The members of the CST are trained to rapidly identify radiological, biological, and chemical agents that might be used in a terrorist attack.

WHO: New York Air National Guard Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Anthony German, Major Jody Lupo, incoming CST commander, and Lt. Col. Kaarlo Hietala, outgoing CST commander.

WHAT: Change-of-Command Ceremony.

WHEN: 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 9, 2011.

WHERE: 24th CST Vehicle Bay Building, Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, N.Y.

WHY: The Change of Command Ceremony dates back to the days in which a military unit's flag marked its position in the line of battle. The colors were always near the commander, so troops knew where to rally on the battlefield. Today the transfer of the colors marks a change in the unit and givens the soldiers their first opportunity to see and hear their new leader.

Visual and Coverage Opportunities: The Change of Command Ceremony involves the outgoing commander handing the unit colors to Major General Murphy, the commander of the 17,000-member New York National Guard, who will hand the colors to the incoming unit commander. The 24 members of the CST will be in formation behind their leaders during this transition.

Murphy, Lupo, and Hietala will all make brief remarks. They will be available for interviews.

The ceremony will start at 11 a.m. and last approximately 30 minutes.

Soldiers Angels Deployed Medical Team in 3 Minutes

2011-03-07T07:40:00.000-05:00

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs6QbRdqztA

Angels Take San Antonio

2011-03-06T10:10:00.000-05:00

Soldiers' Angels leaders are attending the Annual Meeting in San Antonio to plan, network and learn from each other how best to support the troops, veterans and their families. We will be live-blogging events with news updates here and on the Soldiers' Angels (Official) Facebook page.

Stay tuned!

First Activity of the Day

Patti's reading and arts program for military kids -- This morning at the Soldiers' Angels Support Center, SA founder Patti Patton-Bader led the first of what she hopes will become a nationwide program supporting military kids. They picked out a stuffed animal, read Stone Soup, Goodnight Moon, and Cat in the Hat, and then finished up by doing some coloring and then selecting a book of their own to take home. Patti would like to create programs like this across the country, especially where there are not active FRGs or where National Guard families don't have the built-in support system that active duty families do.

Angel Blogging is Easy

Blog Coordinator Lisa Luhrman gave a great presentation about how to be a blogger for Soldiers' Angels and how powerful blogging can be when you are trying to support the troops. Lisa showed the Angel volunteers in attendance how to even a newbie can create a great blog. She's looking for bloggers to assist or lead blogs for each team and state (especially AK, FL, IA, KS and MS as well as Soldiers' Angels Warehouse, Operation Top Knot and Project Valour-IT), so email her at blogs@soldiersangels.org if you are interested. A blog that describes what a team or group of local Angels is doing can encourage others to join the effort, donating their time, energy and funds to support the troops!

Angels Honor American Women Vets

2011-03-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

Soldiers' Angels Board of Trustees members Matt Burden (right) and Ricky John (left) present American Women Veterans founder Genevieve Chase with the 2011 McKay Award.

American Women Veterans received the 2011 Soldiers’ Angels MacKay Award at a ceremony in San Antonio on Friday. Named for a former Board Member of Soldiers Angels who was a great supporter of smaller nonprofits and cross-organizational cooperation, the $5000 award is given to a new or startup nonprofit working to support military personnel, veterans or military families.

A relatively new organization, AWV fills a gap in veterans organizations, focusing on the unique needs, experiences and camaraderie of America’s female veterans of all generations. “We envision a society in which the legacy of America’s servicewomen, veterans and their families is celebrated and carried on to future generations of powerful and inspiring women,” their mission statement explains. “We strive to empower [them] with a continued sense of pride and service which enables them to reach their full potential and to contribute as they always have, in making America stronger.”

Chase is thrilled to receive both the moral and financial support of Soldiers’ Angels. “We are extremely honored to be recognized by Soldiers’ Angels in this way,” she says. “The money is amazing, but the acknowledgement means just as much. I’ve always heard so much about the great work Soldiers’ Angels does, and it’s an honor to feel a part of that work now and to be supported in this way.”

Soldiers’ Angels Board of Trustees member Matt Burden, who supported AWV’s nomination, points out that AWV’s work complements the passion of Soldiers’ Angels for recognizing and supporting veterans. “American Women Veterans has grown to become an effective advocate for new or improved policies that enhance the lives of women veterans and all of our veterans' families,” he says. “AWV is about embracing the honor of service and inspiring future generations to serve our great nation in the same tradition as generations have before them.”

It all began when Executive Director Genevieve Chase, a wounded veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), hit what she calls “rock bottom” one night. As she struggled with the physical and emotional effect s of combat stress and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the middle of the night, she thought there was nobody she could call. The next morning she realized she probably wasn’t the only person who felt that way and began to explore organizations of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, eventually joining the work of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

During her time with IAVA in Washington, DC, Chase received a thorough education in effective advocacy and political action on behalf of veterans. She appreciated the camaraderie and support, but soon recognized that “nobody was talking about women’s issues, and there was such a big need for that,” she recalls. With the blessing of IAVA leadership, she struck out on her own in late 2008, eventually founding AWV.

Response to the early work of AWV through a page on Facebook was massive, and last month Chase shifted to a part-time job to allow her to focus on taking AWV to the next level. “The need is overwhelming,” she says.

While the entire AWV leadership team will vote on the disbursal of the $5000 prize, Chase personally hopes it can become seed money for a scholarship program for female veterans with children who need childcare support while attending college, something the GI Bill does not cover.

Soldiers Angel Competing for Ms. United States 2011 Title

2011-03-03T17:04:00.000-05:00

Nency Escamilla began volunteering with Soldiers Angels after having been inspired by her sister and brother-in-law for the years of service they have given to our country. Knowing that much awareness is needed to support soldiers and their family members, she has used her creativity to support them by being involved in the Letter Writing, Adopt-A-Soldier, and the Sewing teams.

Nency Escamilla is excited and honored to be representing the state of New York at nationals this coming July in Las Vegas where she will be vying for the title of Ms. United States 2011. Her national charity platform is "Uplifting Heros" which can read more about at www.msnewyorkus.com/platform.html

Soldiers Angels New York State Coordinator, Marie Wheeler-Nicholson had this to say about Nency. "Nency is a wonderful person and is going to use her media contacts to bring more awareness to the Soldiers' Angels mission."

Urgent - Backpacks for Wounded

2011-02-26T17:57:00.000-05:00

The First Response Backpacks for the wounded is one of the most practical and powerful projects of Soldiers’ Angels, one of the first indications wounded soldiers receive that Americans back home are thinking of them. The backpacks enable medical staff in-country to quickly grab an all-in-one pack that meets the basic hygiene needs of patients so that the staff can focus on medical concerns.

Unfortunately, we have only a three-week supply of toiletries for these wonderful backpacks, and then we are out.

If you can help by donating any of the following items, we can keep shipping our backpacks out the door to the wounded in Afghanistan who need them!

Notes:

All items should be for men
Travel-sized containers only, unless noted
We ask that hotel-supplied toiletries not be sent

We have an urgent need for the following items:

Travel-sized:
Shampoo
Body wash
Body lotion
Mouthwash
Body powder

Bar soap (travel-sized or regular bars OK)
Shaving cream (aerosol cans or tubes of gel, trave or regular-sized OK)
Deodorant
Disposable razors
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Dental floss
Chapstick/lip balm

Please send your donations to our San Antonio warehouse, where the backpacks are assembled:

Soldiers' Angels
First Response Backpacks
4408 N PanAm Exprwy
San Antonio, TX 78218

Thanks for your assistance!

Roger Godskesen
Soldiers' Angels Medical Support Director - Deployed

Old Malone Rifle Range to be Inspected by National Guard Bureau

2011-02-26T17:54:00.001-05:00

by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

MALONE, NY (02/25/2011)(readMedia)-- The National Guard Bureau will be checking an old National Guard rifle range in Malone for potential environmental concerns this summer.

The range is one of 23 former New York Army National Guard training sites that the National Guard Bureau will be inspecting for potential hazards.

Current property owners are in the process of being asked to allow contractors on their property to conduct this check.

The Department of Defense Military Munitions Response Program mandated the inspections. The program is being conducted worldwide to address human health, safety, and environmental concerns at former non-operational defense sites. This includes over 400 sites in 48 states and two territories formerly used by the National Guard.

Inspectors will try to identify environmental liabilities that may be present due to historical use of the property formerly owned, leased or used by the New York Army National Guard for training.

In addition to visually surveying the site and checking it with hand-held metal detectors and GPS units, inspectors will be collecting surface soil samples to a depth less than two to three inches. The inspectors will collect the samples with disposable plastic spoons, which are about the size of an ice cream scoop.

The Malone Small Arms Range was used from about 1895 to 1985. The range was approximately 43 acres; the range layout and boundary are unknown, as are the types of ammunition used there. The former range is located on state land, redeveloped for a correctional facility, northwest of Malone.

Anyone who has documents, records or photographs of the range are encouraged to contact Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo at corine.lombardo@us.army.mil or (518) 786-4579.

The Munitions Response process consists of seven stages; a preliminary assessment to identify locations, research historical records, land usage and past incident(s) in the area, which was completed in 2008; site inspections which will begin in summer 2011, to collect additional information, data and samples necessary to determine if following actions are warranted at a site.

Parsons Infrastructure & Technology Group, Inc., an engineering and construction firm, will provide technical project planning and conduct historical research for this endeavor.

Inspection and cleanup of these Department of Defense sites is eligible for Defense State Memorandum of Agreement funding under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program.

The 23 sites located around the state were used as local training areas for National Guard units. The training sites vary in size from 3.7 to 939 acres and were used between 1873 and 1994, primarily for small arms range firing.

Currently, the New York National Guard has three training sites located in Guilderland, Youngstown and at Camp Smith, near Peekskill. Soldiers also train regularly at Ft. Drum, near Watertown.

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New York National Guard Seeks to Collect Stories of Long Island Soldiers

2011-02-24T06:07:00.000-05:00

Remember My Service Project Will Be a History of Service in Iraq and Afghanistan
by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation conduct maintenance in Iraq. A memorial service for a 1st Battalion 69th Infantry Soldier killed in battle in Iraq.
full size A 1st Battalion 69th Infantry Soldier mans and checkpoint in Iraq.
full size

RONKONKOMA, NY (02/18/2011)(readMedia)-- The New York Army National Guard is out to tell the story of its 6,000 past and present Soldiers-- including more than 300 from Long Island-- who served in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2003 and 2009.

Current and serving Army National Guard Soldiers will be asked to contribute their stories and photographs to a digital history of the New York Army National Guard's role in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn in Iraq.

Dubbed "Remember My Service," the project is financed by the National Guard Bureau and is designed to help gather detailed historic information for inclusion in Army National Guard official records.

"We are extremely proud of the service and sacrifices that have been made and continue to be made by members of the New York National Guard and their families," said Maj. Gen. Patrick A. Murphy, The Adjutant General of New York and commander of the New York Army National Guard. "This effort to collect and organize unit and personal information about the service of these men and women is not just appropriate, but the next logical step in showing proper gratitude and respect for all that they have done," he said.

Area units which served in either Iraq or Afghanistan include Company B and Company D of the 1st Battalion 69th Infantry, Company B and Company E of the 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation, and the 133rd Quartermaster Company.

E-mails will be sent to current members and former National Guard Soldiers who were called to active duty beginning in the winter of 2003.

Veteran Guard members will be urged to join in the effort by offering photos and personal stories on line and in person during project meetings at selected armories around New York.

"Through 'Remember My Service' every Guard Soldier who mobilized and deployed with a unit will receive a special electronic history of his or her unit's service at the conclusion of the production period which actually began in December," said Lt. Col. Paul Fanning, the RMS Command Project Officer. Fanning is also the Guard's state public affairs officer.

"We began by researching the records that are here inside the state headquarters, identifying the units that were mobilized and building rosters of unit members who deployed," he said.

"We are also collecting and welcoming submissions from unit members in the field and combining them with the photos, stories and articles we have in our public affairs archives," Fanning added.

National Guard Bureau has engaged the services of a Utah-based company called Story Rock which specializes in collecting and organizing archival information and data for public and private organizations.

The company has already completed similar projects for other states' National Guard units and some active duty Army units as well.The final product will be in the form of a compact disc and will come with a special commemorative cover. All should be ready in May 2011 for distribution in ceremonies at armories around the state of New York.

They will also be added to the Guard's archives at the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center in Saratoga Springs and forwarded to National Guard Bureau for inclusion in the guard's national archives.

While all deployed units will be included, the project is being built around specific units including:

• The 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry ("Task Force 2-108th") in Iraq in 2004;

• The 1st Battalion 69th Infantry ("Fighting 69th and Task Force Wolfhound") in Iraq in 2005;

• The Headquarters 42nd Infantry Division ("Task Force Liberty") in Iraq in 2005;

• The 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VII) in Afghanistan in 2008;

• All New York Army National Guard Military Police companies that deployed;

• All New York National Guard Aviation units that deployed;

• And all New York National Guard support units including maintenance, medical, finance, personnel services, liaison and others.

This project is coming nearly seven years after the first NYARNG units were called for Operation Iraqi Freedom during the winter of 2003. Not all records are complete and it is a goal of the project to try and reconnect with former members and engage with active members in order to gather as much information and material as possible.

The Guard intends to continue the effort for all units that are presently deployed and may deploy again in the future.

Humvee Donation to Soldier's Angels

2011-02-17T16:56:00.000-05:00

Quite a donation to Soldiers' Angels that was announced today:

Soldiers’ Angels proudly announces receipt of the unique and historic Iraq Confidential Humvee from Jesse James, host of Monster Garage and owner of West Coast Choppers, Austin Speed Shop and Cisco Burgers. James recently donated the restored, combat-damaged Humvee, which was rebuilt in Iraq as part of James’ special visit with the 181st Transportation Battalion in 2006. The Humvee’s rebuild, conducted by James and the soldiers as a morale-builder, was documented on a video titled Iraq Confidential and later broadcast on the Military Channel.

When West Coast Choppers closed its California facility, James mentioned to a friend and Soldiers’ Angels staff member that he was looking for a way to use the Iraq Confidential Humvee to help the troops. Presented with the idea of donating it to Soldiers’ Angels, he welcomed the opportunity.

“Going to Iraq to do that build with the troops, being able to shake their hands and to tell them ‘thank you,’ was one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences in my life,” James says. “With all of their different programs providing support to the troops, veterans and their families, donating the Humvee to Soldiers' Angels brings it full circle, allowing it to continue to benefit those guys and gals and let them know how much I appreciate their service. "

In addition to the Humvee, James donated a semi-truck full of new copies of Garage magazine and sets of West Coast Choppers window stickers, which will be included in care packages for deployed troops. Donors to Soldiers’ Angels can also receive one copy of the magazine and sticker set as a gift with each online $10 donation when they enter “JJ” in the comments line.

Interested parties and potential buyers of the Humvee may contact the Executive Director of Soldiers’ Angels at tobynunn@soldiersangels.org.

NY National Guard Soldiers Return Home from Afghanistan

2011-02-16T05:43:00.000-05:00

by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

HORSEHEADS, NY (02/15/2011)(readMedia)-- Soldiers of the New York Army National Guard's 827th Engineer Company will reunite with family members during a redeployment ceremony at the Sikorsky Airkcraft Military Completions Center after completing demobilization at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. The unit served in Afghanistan since April 2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

WHO: 160 Soldiers and family members of the 827th Engineer Company and Brig. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York and Commander of the New York National Guard.

WHAT: Redeployment Ceremony for 180 New York Army National Guard Soldiers served 10 months in Afghanistan. The unit will hold a formal reunion with family members before their release home.

WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011. The aircraft is expected to arrive shortly before 11 a.m.

WHERE: Sikorsky Aircraft Military Completions Center, 17 Aviation Drive, Horseheads, N.Y.

Coverage Opportunities:

Imagery of the Soldiers in formation, reuniting with families. There will be opportunities to interview Soldiers, their families and New York Army National Guard leaders.

News media expecting to cover the family reunion should notify Capt. Tom Rome of the 204th Engineer Battalion at (518) 866-4207 prior to their arrival at teh Sikorsky Aircraft Military Completions Center.

Additional Information:

827th Engineer Company:

The 827th Engineer Company is a horizontal construction company, which means they specialize in building and repairing roads headquartered in Horseheads, N.Y., and is part of the 204th Engineer Battalion based in Binghamton, N.Y.

During their deployment to Afghanistan, the 827th conducted road construction and repair with D7-Dozers, Scrapers, Graders, and general earthmoving equipment. They are regularly called to assist the State with snow removal and flood support such as their recent State Mission with flooding of Delaware and Sullivan counties June 18, 2007.

The 827th Engineers served with Task Force Red Dragon and the 1092nd Engineer Battalion. The task force, based at Forward Operating Base Sharana in eastern Afghanistan, provided engineer support at 25 different locations throughout the country. The unit was part of Regional Command East, covering 13 provinces in Eastern Afghanistan.

The unit took part in a number of combined arms operations with maneuver units from the 101st Airborne Division pushing into known Taliban strongholds. These missions included rapid road repair, construction of new bases and check points, and damaged vehicle recovery operations.

The Soldiers worked on projects at 45 different sites, conducting approximately 120 combat movements in eastern Afghanistan.

Nearly half of the unit received recognition for combat service, including 70 recipients of the Combat Action Badge, two Purple Hearts and seven awardees of the Bronze Star Medal.

The Company received additional Soldiers for their deployment from the 204th Engineer Battalion located in Binghamton and the 152nd Engineer Company located in Buffalo.

The 827th also has a detachment in Walton, NY.

Capt. Jeffrey Miles is the company commander and 1st Sgt.Armando Lopez is the first sergeant.

2011-02-12T23:23:00.000-05:00

NY Army Guard Commander Promoted to Major General
42nd Infantry Division Commander Receives Second Star
by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

TROY, NY (02/12/2011)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Steven N. Wickstrom, commander of the 42nd Infantry Division receives his promotion to major general in front of the Soldiers and staff of the division headquarters here today.

Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the New York State Adjutant General, will preside over the promotion ceremony at 11 a.m.

Wickstrom, an Upton, Mass. native, has led the division headquarters since May of 2009. The division headquarters includes more than 500 Soldiers and support staff that make up the 42nd Special Troops Battalion.

The 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division

The division headquarters of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division provides the staff and leadership to command and control combat and combat support brigades during operations for domestic emergencies or combat operations overseas.

The division currently provides leadership and staff support to the National Guard's Domestic All-Harzards Response Team. The DART element in Troy rapidly coordinates for the availability and movement of National Guard forces for major disasters or crises across the entire eastern United States.

Wickstrom and the division headquarters also deployed in December 2009 to Hokkaido, Japan for bilateral training of command post operations with elements of the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces Northern Army.

The headquarters company and 42nd Infantry Division Special Troops Battalion are aligned for training support with more than 14,000 Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade and 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Infantry Brigade, the Vermont National Guard's 86th Infantry Brigade, the New Hampshire National Guard's 197th Fires Brigade and the Massachusetts Army National Guard's 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.

The 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters, based in Troy, N.Y., is one of only eight Army National Guard combat division headquarters in the nation.

Major General Steven N. Wickstrom

Maj. Gen. Steven N. Wickstrom received his commission as an infantry second lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1981.

He has served primarily in infantry units in both the Active Army and the Army National Guard. Wickstrom has commanded at all levels to include an Anti-Tank Company, a Light Infantry Battalion and an Infantry Brigade. Before serving as the Deputy Commanding General of the 42nd Infantry Division, Wickstrom was deployed to Iraq as Team Leader of the Joint Center for Operational Analysis, United States Joint Forces Command at Camp Victory.

Prior to that, Wickstrom served as the Strategic Plans and Joint Exercise and Training Officer with the Joint Forces Headquarters, Massachusetts Army National Guard. He commanded the 26th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Division (Light), the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry, 29th Infantry Division (Light), and Company D, 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry, 26th "Yankee" Infantry Brigade (Light).

Wickstrom is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, and the Command and General Staff College. He is an Army War College graduate and has a Masters of Science from Texas A&M University. General Wickstrom is also a graduate of the United States Army Airborne and Ranger schools.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Services Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Ranger Tab, Expert Infantryman Badge and Parachutist Badge.

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2011-02-12T23:22:00.000-05:00

Successful Tour of Duty
by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

HORSEHEADS, NY (02/11/2011)(readMedia)-- Soldiers of the New York Army National Guard's 827th Engineer Company have redeployed back to the United States today following the successful completion of their duties in Afghanistan.

The unit flew back to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin and will conduct demobilization prior to returning home to New York next week.

In February, 180 Soldiers of the company, whose members come from the Southern Tier and Western New York, mobilized for Operation Enduring Freedom. The Soldiers left for Afghanistan in early April.

Their redeployment completes nearly ten months of service in Afghanistan, providing engineer support to coalition forces and nearly one year away from home for the Citizen Soldiers of the New York Army National Guard.

The unit is a "horizontal" engineer company, specializing in building airstrips and roads. Its mission in Afghanistan primarily upgraded the roads in that country.

The Soldiers, whose home armories are in Walton, Horseheads, and Buffalo, are expected to return home next week after completing their demobilization training and tasks at Fort McCoy.

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Love the Troops with Free E-Cards!

2011-02-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

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Thanks to PhotoCardsDirect.com, patriotic Americans can send a free Valentine's Day e-card to anyone and make money for Soldiers' Angels care packages at the same time! Keep reading for more info...

America appreciates and remembers our troops on Valentine's Day, and now Americans across the country can send a free e-card making sure those troops hear that message loud and clear. PhotoCardsDirect.com and Soldiers’ Angels are expanding their partnership in support of America’s Armed Forces with free Valentine’s Day photo e-cards for the troops that also generate donations for care packages.

Anyone can thank and support the troops with a free Valentine’s Day e-card from PhotoCardsDirect.com. For every 10 cards created, Soldiers’ Angels will receive $1 towards care packages for deployed military personnel.

Soldiers’ Angels Founder Patti Patton-Bader explains, “There’s nothing like being able to put a face to the name of a supportive American back home. With these photo e-cards, we can ensure our motto ‘May No Soldier Go Unloved’ becomes a reality this Valentine’s Day.”

Combat veteran and Soldiers’ Angels Executive Director Toby Nunn adds, “If half your heart is in Iraq or Afghanistan this Valentine’s Day, you can bridge that gap and make it whole for a moment with an e-card. With just a couple of mouse clicks, every patriotic American can let the troops know how much they are loved and appreciated, that they are not forgotten.”

The free Valentine’s Day e-cards can be sent to any email address. Americans who do not have the email address of a service member can send their cards to Valentines2011@soldiersangels.org and Soldiers’ Angels will pass the Valentine to a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine who needs a boost.

Care Packages Appreciated in Kandahar

2011-02-09T16:55:00.000-05:00

Help us continue to support our troops. We appreciate the donations of time, talent and treasure that allows us to let them know we honor their service.

Capital Region Resident to be New York Army Guard's Senior Enlisted Soldier

2011-02-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

Sgt. Major Frank Wicks Will Advise Adjutant General on all Matters Concerning Soldiersby New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Wicks, in a courtesy photo from Iraq in 2004.

LATHAM, NY (02/03/2011)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Major Frank Wicks, a West Sand Lake resident, has been picked as the next New York National Guard State Command Sergeant Major by Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York.

Wicks, a combat veteran, will replace Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Van Pelt, who retires in May 2011 after more than ten years in the position.

As the state command sergeant major, Wicks will be the top enlisted Soldier in the 10,500- member New York Army National Guard and will serve as the adjutant general's personal advisor for all enlisted-related issues, particularly those affecting training and quality of life. He travels throughout the state observing training and talking to Soldiers and their families.

Murphy will preside over a transfer of responsibility ceremony between the two senior noncommissioned officers at the Joint Force Headquarters in early May.

"I am honored that Major General Murphy selected me to serve as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the New York National Guard," Wicks said.

"The opportunity to represent the enlisted members at the state level is truly a privilege, Wicks said. "Our current Senior Enlisted Advisor, Command Sergeant Major Bob Van Pelt and his wife Debbie have set the highest standard in taking care of our Soldiers and families. While it will be challenging, I intend to do my best to continue on their record of outstanding support."

"Command Sergeant Major Wicks is uniquely qualified to continue the high level of leadership, initiative and dedication to our enlisted Soldiers that outgoing Command Sergeant Major Robert Van Pelt embodied during his tenure as the Senior Enlisted Advisor," Murphy said in his announcement of Wick's selection.

Previously, Wicks served as command sergeant major for the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry and the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and most recently, as command sergeant major of the 53rd Troop Command in Valhalla, N.Y.

"Wicks has 29 years of experience serving in a variety of challenging assignments in a broad spectrum of units," Murphy said.

In his career, Wicks has served in every noncommissioned officer leadership position. He has also served as an instructor at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.

"Early in my career I learned that a critical leadership trait was getting out to see our Soldiers. I intend to continue my focus on supporting our members by traveling to the various New York National Guard units, regardless of their location," Wicks said.

Wicks mobilized and deployed as the 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry and Task Force Hunter Command Sergeant Major in October 2003 to the Sunni Triangle in Iraq, serving as the senior noncommissioned officer in the conduct of combat and stability operations of the Task Force during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"My wife, Beth, and I are looking forward to the opportunity to become more involved in supporting servicemembers and their families during the state's upcoming deployments," Wicks said. "We understand firsthand the impact of extended deployments and set the highest priority on supporting the members of our force and their families."

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with bronze oak leaf cluster), Army Commendation Medal (with 2 bronze oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with bronze oak leaf cluster), Good Conduct Medal (2nd Award), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 4 bronze oak leaf clusters), National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal ("M" device 4th award, bronze hourglass), the NCO Professional Development Ribbon (with numeral 4), Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

In the civilian sector, Wicks is employed by the New York State Police as a Manager of Information Services in Albany, N.Y. He is married to the former Beth Johnson from Clifton Park, N.Y. They have two children and reside in West Sand Lake.

He will take military leave from his civilian job in order to serve full-time as the New York State Sergeant Major.

Updated 02/04/2011 at 04:03 PM EST

2011-02-04T16:27:00.000-05:00

Soldiers' Angels recently received this note from a Staff Sergeant on a PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team) in Afghanistan.

Dear Soldiers' Angels,

Thank you all very much for the package, especially the movies and MOOSE MUNCH (which was gone in less than a minute).

There are some times we get sad over here and think that people in the States don't really care about us, so when we get something like this it really boosts our morale. So this package, it really means a lot. On behalf of PRT Panjshir, we'd like to say thank you and God bless.

Attached is a picture of us for the greatest organization ever--Soldiers' Angels. You guys are the BEST! Thank you.

--SSgt R., US Air Force

PRTs are military teams that work with local government officials, U.S. government civilians and local military/police personnel to assist people in rebuilding or improving their neighborhoods. They spend a great deal of time away from the main bases and out in the countryside among the locals. This PRT, which is very isolated, received a large package from Soldiers' Angels while waiting to be adopted by individual Angel volunteers.

As of this writing, there are 1106 Heroes waiting to be adopted. You can help.

Rabbi called on to serve, deploys to Afghanistan - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York

2011-02-02T11:11:00.000-05:00

Rabbi called on to serve, deploys to Afghanistan - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York

105th Airlift Wing Continues Missions Despite Snowstorm

2011-02-02T10:50:00.000-05:00

STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURGH, NY (02/01/2011)(readMedia)-- Airmen of the New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing worked to clear runways and de-ice a giant C-5A Galaxy cargo plane on Tuesday, Feb. 1 as a snowstorm blasted the Hudson Valley. Members of the Wing's maintenance teams work to clear snow from runways and prepare a C-5A for flight.

Mission Complete

2011-01-30T09:03:00.000-05:00

Mission Complete!

UPDATE 1/28/2011 -- It is with sincere concern for the health and continued well being of Troy Yokum, that Soldiers’ Angels must withdraw its current sponsorship and support of Hike for our Heroes.

While on his journey Troy has suffered from kidney stones as well as injuries to his feet which have demonstrated potential medical danger and that without a full medical clearance from a Medical Professional its in his best interests to not continue his mission at this time.

Soldiers’ Angels will continue the previous and ongoing mission of supporting our nation's returning heroes and veterans that Troy Yokum’s efforts contributed to in support of veterans and their families.

We at Soldiers’ Angels applaud his efforts to date, as it is truly a remarkable feat, and pledge that we will assist him as he transitions into the next phase or chapter of his life with his wife.

Any donations received by SA in support of this project will be applied directly to veterans support activities.

Homeless Female Veterans in NY State Find Help at Zion House

2011-01-25T18:43:00.000-05:00

Please share this with any and all
http://www.zion-house-avon.org

A new home has been founded in Avon New York to help homeless female veterans - check out the website. If you're in the area maybe you can help Zion House help our homeless veterans.

Zion House is one of the first houses for female veterans in the country and the first in New York State. Zion House Mission Statement:

To provide female veterans with safe and supportive housing where they have the opportunity to locate and procure permanent housing, financial security, as well as educational and vocational opportunities. We serve female veterans of all faiths and traditions including those who profess none.

Rensselaer New York Army National Guard Soldier Promoted

2011-01-25T06:18:00.000-05:00

LATHAM, NY (12/10/2010)(readMedia)-- Major General Patrick A. Murphy, The Adjutant General for the State of New York, announces the promotion of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their capability for additional responsibility and leadership.

Anthony Domanico from Rensselaer, NY (postal code 12144) and serving with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 42d Special Troops Battalion is promoted to the rank of Specialist.

Army National Guard promotions are based on overall performance, attitude, leadership ability, and development potential.

These promotions additionally recognize the best qualified Soldiers and attract and retain the highest caliber Citizen Soldiers for a career in the New York Army National Guard.

For more information about the New York Army National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.state.us or www1800goguard.com.
by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

Its the small things that make a difference

2011-01-20T05:59:00.000-05:00

An Army Lieutenant Colonel wrote to Soldiers' Angels last week, asking for help boosting the morale of his Soldiers in Afghanistan. He also shared why it matters so much...

What you, your staff and donors do is remarkable. It makes a huge difference. I know that you will say that it is small, but it is these small things that make the huge difference and that the Soldiers remember.>Read the whole thing.

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