This movie is the real deal. The film makers take you on the journey with 15 men of the 173rd Airborne brigade. You will feel like you are on the deployment with these Soldiers, who are dedicated to getting the job done.

When I first heard about Restrepo, I wanted to see it but was hesitant. With my son in Afghanistan, seeing this movie could be upsetting to me. I decided to go anyway with a couple of other Military Mom friends.  I chatted with my son about it and he advised me to read the book “WAR” first, but I didn’t have time. In the book “WAR“, author Sebastian Junger gives an unforgettable portrait of these men under fire in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley.

I went to the movie expecting to be very upset. We came prepared with Kleenix, knowing that tears could very well be part of this evening.

Restrepo can only be described as an excellent and tastefully done documentary about the worst parts of war. I could not take my eyes or attention from the 90-minute film. The courage, strength, and camaraderie of these Soldiers was nothing short of amazing. The filmmakers captured the experience of these Soldiers in such a way, that you really understand what it might be like at a remote combat outpost.

Restrepo gave me a glimpse into what our Soldiers experience in Afghanistan. Did I cry? I did tear up as the movie was winding down.

Go see Restrepo. It’s amazing. Check to see if it’s playing at a theater near you.

• Movie theaters
• Official Restrepo website
• WAR – the book

I had my R & R moment recently with my Soldier son. I got the call on a Sunday at 0600 after he landed at the airport. He had been traveling for 4 days. From that moment, this burden of worry and concern that was with me for months, just disappeared. I was so happy that my son was out of the war zone (if only for awhile) and reunited with his family.

A few days and thousands of miles later, I stepped off a plane and was greeted at the airport by my son and 4 year old grandson. My grandson ran to me and I picked him up and hugged him like crazy! Then we went to my son and did a group hug. I thought I would never let go of him. There are some moments in life that you never forget and this was surely one of them.

During my 5-day visit, we had the best time ever; me, my son and his young family (wife, 2 kiddos). It was truly a special time for me.

When it was time for me to go, I hugged my son tight and told him I loved him. I did not want to let go. I cried in the airport. After pulling myself together, I broke down sobbing again on the plane sitting inbetween 2 strangers for over 4 hours. Luckily, the woman to my left asked what was wrong and tried to comfort me.

My son still had another week before he had to return to the war zone. The morning he left, I woke up early to call him due to the 3-hour time difference. At 0530, I called to say “see ya later”. I tried hard not to cry but I was so broken up, I couldn’t stop it. He understood.

My son’s R & R is over now and he is back in the war zone. We are now on our second countdown after deployment. I already sent 2 care packages. I pray daily.

“Lord, as he makes his way through his days and through his nights, please let his guardian angel protect his flight.”

Wake up, say a prayer for my son, check the online news to see what happened in Afghanistan while I was sleeping, read an inpirational Biblical verse, get ready for my day. That’s just the start of the day.

As the day wears on, I say a prayer every chance I get, I look for messages online from my son so I know he is OK, and I try my hardest to be a responsible professional career woman, family member, and friend; as well as lead an active life.

Before I lay down to sleep at night, I read the news, say a prayer, read a biblical verse, and pray myself to sleep. Sometimes I cry, I can’t help it.

The next day, I wake up and do it all again. As time goes on, being the Mom of a son deployed to a war zone has not gotten any easier.

I am a Proud Army Mom. I cry and pray for fallen soldiers and their families. I celebrate for soldiers that come home safe. I feel sad for soldiers that come home injured.

I stay Army Mom Strong, taking it day by day, supporting my son 100% while he serves in a war zone.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.

The week of June 14 is designated as “National Flag Week.” During National Flag Week, the president will issue a proclamation urging U.S. citizens to fly the American flag for the duration of that week. The flag should also be displayed on all Government buildings. Some organizations hold parades and events in celebration of America’s national flag and everything it represents.

Flag Day – a Brief History

• In 1818, after 5 more states joined the Union, Congress passed legislation fixing the number of stripes at 13 and requiring that the number of stars equal the number of states. The flag has 13 stripes that represent each of the 13 original colonies and fifty stars: one for each U.S. state.
• In 1885, Bernard Cigrand, a Wisconsin schoolteacher, unofficially called June 14th the American flag’s birthday.
• From the late 1880s on, Cigrand promoted the need for Flag Day.
• In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day.
• In 1937, Pennsylvania became the first and only state to recognize Flag Day.
• 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed an act of Congress designating June 14 National Flag Day.
• The U.S. flag has special names: Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and Star-Spangled Banner.

Proper Flag Disposal
According to the U.S. Flag Code, any American flag that is worn, damaged or tattered beyond repair should be destroyed privately in a dignified manner, preferably by burning. Many veteran and civic organizations will properly dispose of the flag, often on Flag Day, in a traditional flag-burning ceremony.

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause. it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Composed by Francis Scott Key, “In Defense of Fort McHenry” in September 1814. Congress proclaimed it the U.S. National Anthem in 1931

Accomodations range from tents and”B-huts” to the new brick-and-reinforced concrete barracks which are modern with blast protection (it is a combat zone). At KAF, there is lots of traffic and hot, dusty conditions.

KAF has a centrally located boardwalk where there are stores, places to eat, and team games like hockey taking place. The boardwalk is covered by a wooden awning for shade. Shops and eaterys on the boardwalk include Tim Horton’s Coffee, Green Bean Coffee, The Igloo, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Subway and a French Café and the new Kabob House*.

*Most of these amenities were supposed to be shut down this year.

There is also a decent gym where Soldiers can exercise. KAF gets a lot of rocket and mortar fire so there are many shelters just in case. As with most bases, KAF has a Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command building (MWR) – or tent – where Soldiers can use the computer and phone lab.

Kandahar is inhabited by multinational troops from a host of countries.

Kandahar Air Field handles the flow of personnel, equipment and supplies destined for operations in southern Afghanistan. It is the home of the aircraft that provide close air support to troops in contact with the enemy, and the helicopters that airlift injured personnel.

KAF is a unique and interesting place that is critical to the conduct of operations in southern Afghanistan.

The Chinook is used in air assault missions, inserting troops into fire bases and later bringing supplies like food, water, and ammunition. It is also used as medical evacuation, aircraft recovery, parachute drop, search and rescue, disaster relief, fire-fighting and heavy construction.

Chinooks are typically escorted by attack helicopters such as the AH-64 Apache for protection. The CH-47D is particularly useful in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan where high altitudes and temperatures limits the use of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

When resupplying ground troops in remote mountain areas of Afghanistan, the Chinooks deliver via sling load, dropping off food and water and ammunition. on pallets.

Over 1,179 Chinooks are operational worldwide.
The cockpit accommodates two pilots and an observer. An advanced digital cockpit has been developed by Boeing and Honeywell. The cockpit is equipped with multifunction liquid crystal displays and electronic flight instruments. The crew is equipped with ANVIS-7 night-vision goggles from Elbit and the cockpit is night-vision-goggle (NVG) compatible.

Three machine guns can be mounted on the helicopter: two in the crew door on the starboard side and one window-mounted on the port side.

The Chinook has a triple-hook system, which provides stability to large external loads or the capacity for multiple external loads. Large external loads such as 155mm howitzers can be transported at speeds up to 260km/h using the triple-hook load configuration.

The main cabin can hold from 33 fully equipped troops to 50 troops, according to the seating arrangements and equipment being carried. For medical evacuation, the cabin can accommodate 24 litters (stretchers). Ramp operations can be carried out on water using an optional power-down ramp and water dam configuration.

The following video was taken during the summer of 2006, where troops spent 18 days on a ridge line to the north of Musa Qah’leh (also spelled Musa Qala) in central Afghanistan. This was Operation Mountain Thrust, where troops performed as a blocking force while other larger elements pushed the enemy toward our position.

Chinooks resupplied us via sling load a half dozen times, dropping off food and water and ammunition. The pallets and extraneous supplies were later used for constructing needed items .

On May 5, 1868, Memorial Day was officially proclaimed by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. The first time this day was observed was May 30 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. New York was the first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873.

By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war)

It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis’ birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

Since the late 50’s on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing.

In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye’s Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps.”

On January 19, 1999 Senator Inouye introduced bill S 189 to the Senate which proposes to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th instead of “the last Monday in May”. On April 19, 1999 Representative Gibbons introduced the bill to the House (H.R. 1474). The bills were referred the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Government Reform.

Article source: Memorial Day History website: http://www.usmemorialday.org

Let us remember and honor those service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Amen.

Marlene owned a chocolate chip cookie company – so why why not send chocolate chip cookies to the troops as a way to boost morale and thanking the brave heros who serve and protect a grateful nation.
She wanted to send a million hugs to the troops! That is how this project started. She started baking cookies, not just any cookies, but HUGE cookies!

As of July 2009, they shipped over 90,000 cookies to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a non-profit organization, Grammy’s Cookie Convoy, Inc. focuses on making our troops feel right at home.

Without the support of volunteers and contributors they would not be able to send their appreciation to Our Troops. It takes over $10,000 to send a shipment of cookies overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan. Donations help pay for the shipping costs to get the large quantity of chocolate chip cookies to our troops.

The Troops Project is recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit project.

Great job Marlene Summers! HOOAH!

To learn more about The Troops project or how you can help, visit on the Web: http://troopsproject.com/

This video is a little dated but will give you a great idea about how Grammy’s Cookie Convoy got started!

They’re full of pride and love, though their words are often few.
Their thoughts may only be spoken through the actions that they do.
They go about their daily tasks but are constantly aware;
And at the sight of their worried mother, a silent hug they’ll share.

They, too, bear the cost of freedom and feel the pain as well
The many fears carried deep inside they truly long to quell.
They may not march or shoulder a gun or stand in uniform,
But the sight  of one who does causes their hearts to warm.

If you happen to fall behind them in a traffic line one day
You may read their signs that they so proudly display.
And when passing other heroes going down the interstate
A big “thumbs up” and whoop they give because they can relate.

They wave their flags high and march beside this Blue Star mother
I so dearly love them, too – my soldier’s sister and brother!

© Cynthia Gibbs