Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Wednesday Hero 12-20-06

Sgt. Roy A. Wood
Sgt. Roy A. Wood
47 years old from Alva, Florida
ODA 2092, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
January 26, 2005



Sgt. Roy A. Wood, a Special Forces medical sergeant, was fatally injured when the vehicle he was riding in was involved in a traffic accident near Kabul, Afghanistan, during a return convoy from Qalat to Bagram Air Base.

His 24-year military career with the Army Reserve and Army National Guard was distinguished and unique. After receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in 1979, he was first assigned to the Army Reserve’s 421st Quartermaster Company (Light Airdrop Supply).

While assigned to the 421st, he received training as a quartermaster officer, a parachute rigger, and participated in both basic airborne and jumpmaster courses.

In January 1982, he left the 421st to begin an association with U.S. Army Special Forces that would last until, and beyond, his death.

His first SF assignment was to the Army Reserve's 11th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Meade, Md., where he served in the 3rd Battalion’s Company A as the detachment executive officer for Operational Detachment-A 1175.

In May 1983, he became Detachment Commander for ODA 1175 after returning from the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course.

In October 1984, he left ODA 1175 to become the Company Logistics Officer.

He served in a variety of positions at the 11th SFG over the next 11 years, including operations officer and support company commander.

After four years at USSOCOM, he served a year with the Army Reserve’s 73rd Field Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., before switching from the Reserve to the Army National Guard and renewing his association with Special Forces.

He was assigned to 3rd Bn., 20th SFG in December 2001, where he served for a year as the Battalion Surgeon, supervising medical coverage of three Special Forces companies and one support company.

In December 2002, he resigned his commission to become a Special Forces medical sergeant on Operational Detachment-A 2092, Co. C, 3rd Bn., 20th SFG.

He, with ODA 2092, was mobilized in July 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

At the time of his death, he was pending appointment as a Special Forces warrant officer, a position in which he would have served his team as an assistant detachment commander.

During his service, he received the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Reserve Achievement Medal with Silver Hourglass device, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Basic Parachutist badge, the Parachute Rigger badge, the Ranger tab and the Special Forces tab.

Sgt. Roy Wood leaves behind a wife and two children.


These brave men and women have given their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

Blogs Partcipating In Wednesday Hero

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Monday, December 18, 2006

Holy CR@P

Hubby hit a deer in my car :( My car is crunched. I saw it and gasped Joe looked at me to see what was wrong. By the time he looked back at the road it was too late. I've driven many country roads, I never expected that I would hit a deer in the city of L.A. (actually the Hollywood Hills, but not more than about 3-4 miles from Universal Studios) About another 6" or so & it probably would have been through the windshield. It's kind of scary to think what could've happened. I think Someone was by my side....

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Wednesday, December 13, 2006

All I want for Christmas

Anyone who knows me knows I support our troops 110% Each year I get asked what I want for Christmas. I never have an answer. I always say something smart like world peace (through superior fire power of course) :)- Well here's my list. I received an email with these 2 requests. So if anyone wants to know what to get me for Christmas, here it is. Please help out something very dear to me-Our Troops.... Thank you VERY much.

PART 1

As seen on Tanker Brothers
Help Our Soldiers- The Michigan National Guard 1-182FA needs community donations to get our soldiers home from Ft. Dix, New Jersey for Christmas. These brave men are back in the country for the holiday season before they head back to Iraq in January. They are looking for donations. These Donations will be used to pay for bus transportation from and to Ft. Dix. Donations can be sent to:

Peoples Trust Credit Union
24333 Lahser Road
Southfield, MI 48033

Mark your donations: "A-BTRY 1-182FA SECFOR FRG"

FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFO PLEASE CONTACT: 182FRG@COMCAST.NET

Brat's email to the Govenor of Michigan:
I was shocked to be told that OUR troops cannot even afford to make it to their families for Christmas. These heroes have already served their country in Iraq, and will return in January to Iraq. Yet they cannot find affordable transportation home. Doesn’t that strike you as inappropriate treatment of America’s finest?

I am asking YOU as Governor of Michigan WHY these heroes are not being taken home to their families at State expense. They serve America, and yet they are reduced to begging for donations? Does this sound appropriate to you? I may be Canadian, but it surely doesn’t sound right to ME.

I did some research of my own, and it seems to me that the State of Michigan could easily hire a few Greyhound busses to get these brave heroes home. I understand Greyhound would love the business.

I really hope you will be able to tell me that you, personally, have taken care of this matter in a timely fashion. Christmas IS just around the corner. These fine heroes have made it to American soil from the depths of the war zone of Iraq. They are now so close to their families, but can’t afford the final leg of their journey.

Upon receiving YOUR assurances that you, personally, will see these heroes home, before they redeploy in January, I will be happy to post that on our milblog too.

May you have a blessed Christmas, knowing that you have done the right thing by America’s heroes.
Thank you.

(Brat)

PART 2

...need help.
I have heard that there are young families at Ft Hood who are in desperate need
for 'stuff' by Christmas. As of today, at least 3 young families need 'luxury'
items like toys for very young children, 'sleepers' for 6 month old, baby car
seat, silly putty, gift cards etc... etc etc.It is a long list I have for these
families on base. Too long to post here.

Please send an email to: Tankerbrosbrat @ gmail.com (remove spaces before & after @) if you can help. Thanks
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Wednesday Hero 12-13-06

Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Travis L. Youngblood
Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Travis L. Youngblood
26 years old from Surrency, Georgia
Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward)
July 21, 2005


Elmer "Mo" Youngblood wasn't sure why his sailor son wanted to leave relatively safe duty aboard a ship to be a combat medic in Iraq.

"For some reason or another, he wanted to be a corpsman," Youngblood said of his son, Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Levy Youngblood.

He was a medic with a Marine unit in the Iraqi town of Hit when he was hit by an IED.

"I was tickled to death with him being in the Navy," Elmer Youngblood, a former Navy man, said from his home in Surrency, in southeast Georgia. "I wasn’t too happy when he basically volunteered to go over there, but it was his choice."

Travis Youngblood grew up mostly in Virginia. He attended Appling County High School after his father moved there in the 1990s. Surrency is listed as his hometown on his Navy enlistment papers and he and his father enjoyed fishing and hunting together there.

His wife, Laura, also served in the Navy. She left the service and lives in Long Beach, N.Y.

The couple has a four-year-old, now five, son, Hunter Youngblood, and Laura Youngblood was pregnant with the couple's second child at the time of his death.


These brave men and women have given their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

Blogs Partcipating In Wednesday Hero

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Tuesday, December 12, 2006

L.'s surgery

My 15 year old daughter had knee surgery today. I tried to take pictures but she wouldn't let me.
That is until she was drugged up :)
Then look at her smiling
The Dr's Intials so they didn't do the wrong knee I guess. She's very sleepy now & a little queasy. But she's doing well.
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Rolling Victory Fast


YAY! I am honored today to join in with the Tanker Brother's Rolling Victory Fast. What? Don't know what it is? Go here to read all about it. Then send Tracy an email, email addie is on the above Tanker Brothers post, to join us in supporting my favorite Tanker Brothers :)

I'm fasting today as an angel. I'm fasting for my newest soldier, PFC Steven. I haven't heard from him yet, but from the rank I'm assuming he's a young one. So for ALL of the young guys spending their first Christmas far from home this fast is for you. Stay safe and come home soon. Merry Christmas :)
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Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Wednesday Hero 12-6-06 SFC. Paul Ray Smith

SFC. Paul Ray Smith
SFC. Paul Ray Smith
33 years old from Tampa, Florida
Bravo Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

April 4, 2003

When you think of the word Hero, SFC. Paul Smith is the person you think about.

On April 4, 2003, Smith was setting up a temporary enemy prisoner of war holding area during the seizure of Saddam International Airport when his unit came under attack.

Smith kept his soldiers focused during the fight while engaging the Iraqi force of around 100 men with his M16, a hand grenade and an AT4 anti-armor weapon.

Smith tossed a grenade over a wall then he climbed atop the armored vehicle. Disregarding personal danger, he sprayed the attacking troops with .50-caliber machine gun fire. According to the Army, he told a soldier who accompanied him to "feed me ammunition whenever you hear the gun get quiet." He fired more than 300 rounds at the enemy before being mortally wounded himself.

For his action on that day, SFC. Smith was posthumously awarded the Medal Of Honor by President Bush,

becoming only the 3,459 serviceman to be awarded the honor since the Civil War.

His "conspicuous gallantry, above and beyond the call of duty," according to his citation, protected the soldiers in his platoon as well as other troops at an aid station nearby.


These brave men and women have given their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

Blogs Partcipating In Wednesday Hero

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Saturday, December 02, 2006

The Online Chaplain's blog

From here~The Online Chaplain. He has some interesting thoughts on his blog. Check him out please :) Thanks
In this era, I have a suspicion people pick and choose values, like faithfulness, much like they shop at WalMart. Pick up what you need, when you need it, and when you are done with it – throw it away. I see this “way of life” every time I turn on the TV and it stands in stark contrast to the life of the soldier. I know full well many people stereotype soldiers. In most people’s eyes soldiers are “young republicans” with guns. They are right wing banditos of the Bush administration wreaking havoc across the planet. Truth is aggression and political ideology is not our common denominator. We are a collage of political views and values. And I will say again, “Nobody hates aggression more than a soldier.” NOBODY.

For You
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.
One died for your soul;
the other for your freedom.
Just a reminder for us to all live a life worthy of the sacrifice.
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Friday, December 01, 2006

My thanks to our military

My Dad loaded bombs onto B-17's during WW2 in England. He's the reason I get goosebumps and tear up during the National Anthem. The reason I am sooo patriotic. He taught me many thing before he died when I was 11. The most important lesson was love for my country. Thanks Dad....

My brother USAF EOD retired after 28 years (notice the ponytail & big mustache and note the retired part :)) and his son active duty National Guard, soon to be active duty Regular Army. Also gonna explode bombs.

I am so proud of our military, past, present & future. Thanks so much to you all.
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Thursday, November 30, 2006

Right-Wing & Right Minded: The Story Behind Wednesday Hero

Right-Wing & Right Minded: The Story Behind Wednesday Hero
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Thanksgiving

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. My thoughts were with our troops and their familes. They must miss their loved ones ever so much more during the holidays.

I am going to post on my Thanksgiving, but I am waiting on my hubby to download pictures. HINT HINT!

Got some news. My nephew has decided to go from National Guard to active duty regular Army. Oh and yay, (sarcasm) he has decided to follow in his Dad's footsteps and request EOD as his MOS. That's a little scary.

Well more on Thanksgiving later. One last question...Have you thanked a Veteran or an active duty military person lately for your freedom? If you haven't please take the time to do so. Go visit the recruiters office, say hi thank them for their service. Or go to a VA hospital. I promise it'll put a smile on your face for the rest of the week :)
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Saturday, November 18, 2006

Rolling Victory Fast Time


Today is my turn for the Rolling Victory Fast. Read about it here. Thanks to my heroes. I'll never get tired of those words :)
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Friday, November 10, 2006

Happy Veteran's Day

Today I went to the local park. They have a vets memorial there. It's beautiful, there is an eternal flame with marble memorials for each of the wars. This is where the Veterans Day ceremony was. To start things off there was a military plane flyover. Wow. I commented to the lady sitting by me that it always gave me chills to watch the flyovers. She told me that she was just thinking that those were WW2 planes and we had won the war with those planes. She went on to say how our planes are so high tech today and it's sad that we're losing this war. WHAT???? OK what's a Tanker Brothers/contactright fan to do but politely correct her. So I told her that we are NOT losing this war. I went on to say that I talk to our troops. I read their blogs. I told her that the media would like us to believe that we are losing the war but we are not. I told her that I don't even bother to watch the news anymore. I get my news straight from the source. I told her about MG not taking one assignment so he could go back to Iraq. And how CT was there too for the second time. How many soldiers there are that had been there and were willing to go back. The injured soldiers I've heard say they just want to go back to their units still in Iraq. If we are losing this war why would they want to go back? Who wants to fight a losing battle? I told her about the pictures of the Iraqi children posing with our soldiers smiling great big smiles. She commented on how children aren't like adults, that you see what is really in their thoughts when you look at them. She apologized for being so negative. I told her that I understood, it was all the news media chose to show us. And so if that's all we hear we will believe that. She thanked me for telling her all this.

After the ceremony I thanked some of the vets that were there. One AF guy told me that he retired after Desert Storm. I told him my brother just retired a few years ago from the AF. I told him that my brother had been in Oman during Desert Storm. He told me he had lost his entire squad while he was there. :( I told him how sorry I was to hear that. After talking to him I went on to sign a card for a guy who was recently wounded from this town. Then there was a Viet Nam Vet who had a picture album he was sharing I listened to his story. He recommended a movie "Hearts and Minds". I thanked a lady who was a WW2 vet. I told her I was grateful for her service to our country. I told her how I was so proud of our great countries military, past and present.

Happy Veterans Day to all the vets out there. Thank you so very much for your service.
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Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Thanks to All for supporting the troops

I've already told my hubby that this is what I want for Christmas. I really want to support those who support the troops. Even if they are not our fellow Americans. Thank-you Beccy Cole. And thank you "diggers" for standing right there with our troops. I don't know how to put this on my blog but you can see "Poster Girl" here

I found this at http://www.barking-moonbat.com/
First, a little history. Beccy Cole is an Australian country music singer. Last Christmas she went to Iraq to entertain Aussie troops, “diggers” as they’re called - kinda like our “grunts”. When she returned to Australia, some fans contacted her to let her know they were taking her poster off their walls and wouldn’t buy any more of her albums - because of her support for “an unjust war”, as they called it.

Sound familiar? Yes, it’s the direct opposite of what happened to Natalie Maines. You could say Beccy is the “anti-Dixie-Chick”. Personally, I think Beccy is a downright pretty young lady with a beautiful voice. Take a look at her official web site and see if you agree.
This is something you should read about. Read the rest of it here
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Sunday, October 08, 2006

Merry Christmas to the ACLU

I received this email. :) This was around last year, but I think it deserves another go round, so that we more conservative types can make our point too. Christmas: This is coming early (really early) so that you can get ready to include an important address to your Christmas card list. Read on........What a GREAT idea!
Fun with the ACLU...... Wanna have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU a CHRISTMAS CARD this year. As they are working so very hard to get rid of the CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice, CHRISTIAN, card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world. Make sure it says "Merry Christmas" on it. Here's the Address, just don't be rude or crude. (It's Not the Christian Way, you know!)

ACLU
125 Broad Street 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations because they wouldn't know if any were regular mail containing contributions. So spend 39 cents and tell the ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is no such thing as a "Holiday Tree". . . . It's a Christmas Tree even in the fields!!And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to communicate with the ACLU! They really DESERVE us!!
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Saturday, October 07, 2006

The harvest moon


I was at my 2 younger daughters high school Home Coming game on Friday. The harvest moon was out shining brightly. It was so beautiful I had to take a picture. Too bad the wind was still and our equally beautiful flag wasn't flying straight out.
I'm not sure what that little spot is to the right of the flag. Alien space craft, Drew??? Naw probably just dust on the lens.
They creamed the other team by the way 38 to 21.
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Monday, October 02, 2006

My first birthday gift

I got my first birthday gift for this birthday. It's not for 8 days but my brothers in law didn't know if we'd see them before next week so he gave it to me yesterday. It's pretty spiffy kewl. It's a cermanic pan to make~~~~MONKEY bread. And some monkey bread mix. And a red spatula, it had to be red, Jim made them take the one that was on there off and put on a red one. My kitchen is red and white, with accents of cobalt blue. So for those of you who don't know, monkey bread is a sweet dough cut into globs of dough. Then you put this cinnamon sugar mixture on the globs and put them into the special monkey bread pan:





















and then you bake it and it turns gooey sugary caramelly cinnamony yummy bread. I can't wait to try it....
I love it guys thanks so much....
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Saturday, September 23, 2006

Hang with Toby

This is for Linda. http://www.fordvehicles.com/hangwithtoby/ A contest to hang with Toby. I don't care about the new Ford truck, but I sure would like to go see one of his videos made. If I win Linda, you can go with me. I'm sure I'll be hit by lightning before I win, but a girl can dream.

What's with Toby's new movie??? It's not showing anywhere near me....grrrrr I don't want to wait until it comes out on video. I wanna see it NOW.

I still haven't heard from Toby yet regarding going on his next trip to Iraq :(
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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Rolling Victory Fast time again



YAY! It's my time to fast in honor of our soldiers. I completely believe in our presidents choices to be where we are today. I also believe in our Armed Forces. I know that they will get the job done right. I do question the media's choices of selective reporting though. There really are some great stories coming out of Iraq. You just usually have to look for them. They are not on the front pages or on CNN. Usually they are on a soldiers blog.

So any way today my fast is dedicated to: Specialist Casey Sheehan. If you haven't already read his story I suggest you do so. It's really an awesome story. It shows how dedicated SPC Sheehan was to what he was doing.There is an awesome story about him here. Thank-you Black Five for sharing SPC Sheehan's story with us.

I truly believe I am so blessed to have been born in this country. When I think about what a great life I have I also think about those who are away from their family and friends keeping my life safe and as I know it. And because I'm me, I can't help but make one small smarty pants comment :) Thanks MG and Cav Tanker and all the others for staying those dozen or so steps between me and that burka over there.

Remember if you see a member of our armed forces please remember to tell them thank-you.
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In support of our troops :)-

Have you seen this guy? His story is here. Apparently he's not going to shave until Bin Laden is caught. Soooo I'm going to copy his idea. I have decided in support of the Tanker Brothers upcoming deployment, I will not shave my legs until they are home safe. bwaaahahahahahahaha. Ok just joking....
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