I love Military Tribute videos! They really touch my heart and show that people really do care about our Military troops!

Here is a fun Military Tribute video from Gene Simmons’ of KISS fame, taken from his A&E show. Gene gets the audience involved and the songs are traditional and wonderful. Enjoy!

Author: unknown

I give my complete and unwavering support to my soldier. As my son serves the people of the United States, so I humbly offer up my prayers for his safety and the safety and health of those he serves beside.

I respect his choice to adhere to a strict moral code and system of values that has preserved our great country for over two centuries. I accept that my soldier’s first duty is to his country and I understand that this sacrifice he willingly makes is what keeps our nation great.

I will never expect anything but the best from my soldier for I know he is capable. I know that a soldier’s heart is true and strong, and that my soldier will endure.

I will never abandon my soldier, my son, my love. I will love him unconditionally. he will know I am there for him, even when he is alone.

I am disciplined, emotionally and mentally tough, learning to wait for phone calls and letters or emails home. I, like my soldier, am an expert.

I stand ready to do what ever I can do to let my son, my soldier, know that we are here for him beside him, we love him and I will pray for swift destruction of the enemies of our country. I am the person who stood guardian of this man who has become my soldier, now our guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

“I AM THE MOTHER OF AN AMERICAN SOLDIER.”

If you know someone who will benefit from reading this, pass it on

My son has not even left yet and already I am preoccupied with his deployment next month! I am now Army Mom because I cannot seem to be anything else effectively. Tears come easily when I think about my son flying an Army helicopter in a dangerous place. I can’t help it!

I chatted with several other, more experienced Army Moms, asking for advice on what to do! How to handle this deployment stuff. They all told me the same exact thing: STAY BUSY!

So I am! I am so busy now that I have no time to do anything extra. This is a good thing. My advice to you during your child’s deployment is STAY BUSY! What can you do? Here are some ideas to stay busy and take your mind off the most important thing in your life.

• Read more books. Start hanging out at the library or bookstore.
• Start an at-home business (I did and love it!)
• Start exercising. If you already exercise, change things up. Take a new exercise class you never tried before or do an at-home fitness program. When you exercise, “feel-good” endorphins are released by your brain (which makes a person feel good). I exercise everyday.
• Join a hiking group. This is a great way to get exercise and be with positive minded people.
• Be a volunteer. There are many volunteer opportunities everywhere. I volunteer at an animal shelter and it’s the best day of the week for me. Those adorable dogs don’t know it, but they help me much more than I help them!
• Bike to work.
• Go to the farmer’s market.
• Grow a garden.
• Go for a scenic drive and take in the beauty.
• Learn how to eat better – get a book on nutrition or take a nutrition class. When you are under stress, you need to be as healthy as possible. If you eat poorly while under stress, things will just get worse.
• Participate in a race/walk. Then you have something to plan for and look forward to.
• Connect with other Army Moms.
• Start a support group.
• Go shopping (don’t spend too much!)
• Contact a old friend.
• Find a new job.
• Change careers.
• Take a trip.
• Send care packages to your soldier (send enough to share with everyone)
• Keep a daily journal.
• Start a blog.
• Make a scrapbook of favorite pictures of your soldier.’

There are many other ways to stay busy! Leave a comment about how you stay busy during your child’s deployment )

Source: KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) – Hundreds of militants attacked American and Afghan troops in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, opening fire on an outpost from multiple locations with rockets, mortars and heavy-caliber machine guns, according to an initial U.S. military report on the battle.

At least eight American troops and two members of the Afghan National Security Force died — the largest number of Americans killed by hostile action in a single day in more than a year, according to CNN records.

At least 13 Afghan police officers were captured in the attack, according to Haji Abdul Halim, the deputy governor of Nuristan province, where the battle took place.

The fighting lasted about 12 hours, with the militants firing down on the joint U.S.-Afghan outpost from ridgelines above the base, a senior U.S. military official with direct knowledge of the first reports told CNN. The official said the report was preliminary and subject to change as more information came in.

Read the entire story at CNN >>

Pray for our troops and give a moment of silence for those who lost their lives todat.

SOURCE:
RELEASE NUMBER: 091003-01
DATE POSTED: OCTOBER 3, 2009
PRESS RELEASE: Army Ranger killed in action

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Oct. 3, 2009) — An Army Ranger died Oct.1 from wounds received during combat operations in Afghanistan while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment based at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

Sgt. Roberto Daniel Sanchez, 24, was killed in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan during a combat operation involving multiple enemy contacts that killed nine enemy combatants and destroyed a large weapons cache. During the operation Sanchez was mortally wounded by an enemy improvised explosive device.

“Sgt. Sanchez epitomized the spirit and ethos of the Ranger Regiment,” said Col. Michael E. Kurilla, commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment. “He is a hero to our Nation, our Army and his family.”

“Sgt. Sanchez was the quintessential Ranger, enthusiastic, smart, loyal to his mission, his country and his friends,” said Col. Brian Mennes, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Battalion commander. “He led with distinction and would want us to continue supporting the efforts for which he so humbly and selfishly dedicated his life.”

After graduating from Satellite Senior High School, Satellite Beach, Fla., Sanchez enlisted in the U.S. Army from his hometown of Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., July 2004. He began his Army Ranger career when he was assigned to Company B, 1st Bn., where he served as an automatic rifleman and team leader.

Sanchez was on his fifth deployment in support of the War on Terror with three previous deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan.

He is survived by his parents 1st Sgt. Will and Wendy Holland and brothers Jacob Goldberg and Logan Holland of Hendersonville, Tenn., and maternal grandparents James and Mary Wilson of Ocala, Fla.

So much is going on before your soldier’s deployment, including the stress of knowing that your son or daughter will be leaving soon. During predeployment, you try your best to prepare for what may be the most stressful time of your life.

This can be a frightening time for a Mom of a soldier about to be deployed. You don’t know what to expect except that your child is going to a dangerous place to fight for our freedom.

While our soldiers are preparing for their upcoming mission, we anticipate the worst and hope for the best. We get teary eyed at the mention of Army deployment while we learn how to cope as they prepare to leave for a danger zone 6,000 miles from home.

The reality set in for me as my son and his family went through their checklist of tasks to be completed before deployment, making it all that much more real. Everything from power of attorney and wills, to handling finances, Red Cross notifications, and how to stay in touch while deployed.

How do I cope? Sometimes I don’t do it well. The rest of the time, I talk frequently and openly with my daughter-in-law about deployment, reach out and connect with other Army Moms (we are all in this together), and stay busy. I talk to my soldier son about how we will stay in touch and make plans for the care packages I will send to him.

I started this Web site, Army Mom Strong as another way to communicate with other Moms of soldiers and share what I have learned so far. I hope you will share too.

Stay Strong. Army Mom Strong.

UPDATE: my son deployed to Afghanistan on Nov. 13, 2009.