The blog is    OVER HERE       now.

No, not the entire household. Well, not yet, but that is coming up in late Spring, we just don't know where, yet.

What I do know is that the blog is moving and where.

With the new year, will now go back to blogger, where the blog originally started several years ago.

I am tired of paying for domain, hosting, and especially Quick Blogcast and becoming frustrated everytime I want to make blog post. This site will remain up for quite a while as I slowly save my archives and try to get everything moved over here.

I need less frustration and more structure. At least for me, blogger offers that.

So, the new year will bring a new blog home, a new blog look, and hopefully a new increase in posting.

Still really nothing to say. Just continuing my support.

Copied from Homefront Six because she rocks the wording.

The milblogging world - this blog included - will be "going dark" for a bit in support of fellow milblogger, CJ Grisham. Maggie has the details but the crux of the matter is,

The catalyst has been the treatment of milblogger C.J. Grisham of A Soldier's Perspective. C.J. has earned accolades and respect, from the White House on down for his honest, and sometimes blunt, discussion of issues — particularly PTSD. In the last few months, C.J. has seen an issue with a local school taken to his command who failed to back him, and has even seen his effort to deal with PTSD, and lead his men in same by example, used against him as a part of this. Ultimately, C.J. has had to sell his blog to help raise funds for his defense in this matter.

The Army Times has a great article about the situation that you might want to check out. And feel free to help CJ out as he defends his name, his word, and his Army career. I find it reprehensible that his command not only failed to back him up on this but that they actually threw him under the school bus, so to speak.


And I realize that there has been a dearth of posting lately so my blog "going dark" for a bit really isn't anything remarkable. But blogs like Blackfive, This Ain't Hell, From My Position, and BostonMaggie will be silent as well in support which says a LOT (we all know that it is very tough for Chuck to keep his mouth shut).


Should you feel inclined to help CJ out, here is the info:

You can donate to CJ's Legal Fund by logging into PayPal, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk AT yahoo DOT com; or, you can send donations directly to:

Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893

Two years

Rest in Peace Cpt Christian Skoglund, CW2 Davidangelo Alvarez, Cpt Cartize Durham, SrA Kenneth Hauprich, SSgt Robert Rodgers and SSgt Mark Spence.

Really news channels - it's not a freakin' "incident." And while it is a "tradegy" it goes so far beyond that . It seems almost disrespectful to not call it what it really is. It's murder. It's brutal and unexcusable.

Some jackass on msnbc just laid out the case that the shooter having to listen to the soldier's under his care discuss and deal with thier time overseas could have very well led to his having PTSD.*gag*

Once again I am proud to be a part of and associated with some elite groups. Military spouses are already rallying to do whatever they can to support their sister (and possibly brothers). The Red Cross is already totally rocking blood donation and the American Legion is gearing up to pull their weight.

No doubt American citizens will step up and knock one out of the ballpark like they did so recently.

Update on American Legion's efforts.

From This Ain't Hell.

And, an update from the Oh so FABULOUS Tankerbabelc.

Battle participant: “most people back home dont even know, no one gives a shit”

So, what's this soldier, a member of a unit who lost eight of their comrades in arms, a unit whose injured members refused to be MEDEVACED out in remain in the fight with their buddies, a unit whose soldiers, as the battle raged around them, donated blood so it could be transfused into their buddies.

What he is talking about, what most people back home don't know, is that the soldiers lost everything save for the clothes on their backs in the battle when their outpost was dessimated in the attack.

A devoted group of bloggers has done an amazing job to provide the bare necessities.

But, really, in your heart of hearts, do you believe that is nearly enough for these remarkable young men.

No?

I didn't think so.

You can do a little or you can do a lot. Every little bit helps. Send them a thank you card (you'd be surprised at the number of soldiers who rarely receive mail and what a tremendous morale boost a simple letter can be). Send a box of Slim Jims or protein bars (these guys don't exactly receive three hot squares a day) or a warm pair of socks. Send them something to occupy their down time - a book, some magazines (careful of the content), a CD or personal DVD player or an iPod(or other mp3 player).

Not sure exactly what to do or how your contribution can best be served? Would you rather just make a monetary donation and let someone who has "been there done that" figure out the best course? NOT a problem. Click below and The American Legion can give you even more info and help you out.

                                  

In my 16 years of being affiliated with the Air Force (first as a civilian and then as a wife) I have been no stranger to the tragedy of the loss of service members and/or their family members. I have attended and assisted in numerous memorial services and funerals. Some because of my position in public affairs and later Services, but more because of my "duty" as the wife of a husband in command positions.

Each one was tragic and heart wrenching in its own right. Each had an impact on me. A military base is a tight-knit community of course a loss leaves a pit in your stomach.

For better or worse, the pain heals and the community gets back to normal. The loss becomes a distant memory for most.

That has been true for me, with the exception of the last memorial service attended and the aftermath of the accident.

Nearly two years later, rarely more than a day or two go by that it doesn't cross my mind.

I don't mean to sound like the other losses don't matter or register with me, they do. I think it is just that the last one felt so personal.

Husband was deployed at the time, so even though the Maintenance Group lost three members technically I could have been uninvolved without any guilt. Those who know me, know that is not my nature, though.

As hard as a loss for the group was, it was much more personal. Two friends lost their husbands. I knew the wives better than the husbands, but still...

Maybe it was the fact that both wives had endured deployed to dangerous areas and their husbands had returned safely. Maybe it was the fact that is was an incentive flight, a reenlistment , a happy day. Maybe it was because children - one not yet born - lost fathers. Maybe it was because the row in front of me was entirely comprised of Italian MedEvac pilots and paramedics who tended to the casualties. 

As I said, military communities are tight. Overseas that seem even truer. It's not as if Liz, Meka and I were the best of friends hanging out constantly. But I did consider them friends.

I met Meka during our first weeks at Aviano. We were on the Bienvenuti tour together as she carted then 6-week-old Christian around all day in the Baby Bjorn. He was such a good baby with the smoothest skin and fuzzy little head. I so wanted to smooch his little cheeks several times that day. Not wanting to be overbearing, I resisted the urge and just admired him all snuggled up.

A couple of weeks later at Spouse It Up I got the chance to nuzzle his little head and the next day with Meka as my guest at the AOCSC luncheon, I got to get my hands on him and cuddle him. Taylor was at the point of asserting toddler independence so I treasured the snuggly baby time with him. Fortunately, Meka indulged me whenever I would see her. Later, her older son and the bigs were in swim lessons together and the friendship grew.

I was just as taken with Meka as I was Christian. She is tall (who isn't to me), incredibly poised and so self-assured. She reminded me a lot of The Friend in Maryland, Miss Auntie. It was clear she took no crap and I admired that. Brand new to Italy and with very little command of the language I was incredibly intimidated. Not her. She is clearly comfortable in her own skin. Though younger than I, I want to be her when I grow up.

Liz and I met when we were both on the bazaar committee. Her husband was the commander of a small Army aviation group stationed on the Air Force Base. I admired the fact that she just jumped right in and got involved on base even though it wasn't their branch of service. In addition to the bazaar committee, she was also the president of the Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC).

You just couldn't help but like Liz immediately. She was poised, gracefully and her kind heart was evident. She was genuinely nice. Not the "is she really that nice" nice. Geniunely, honestly nice.

I didn't know her as long as I had known Meka. But the second call I received about the crash identified that her husband, Christian, was the pilot. My heart immediatly went out to her. There were very little details in the first few hours following the crash other than he initially had survived the crash, but was in critical condition in Padova. Another friend's husband, fluent in Italian, happened to be near the hospital and met her at the hospital.

The PWOC organized an impromptu prayer group very soon after the crash. I was the Catholic interloper. There were conflicting reports on whether or not Meka's (an active PWOC member) husband, Cartize, was on board, but prayers were said nonetheless. It was during that meeting that I received a phone call informing me of the death of two maintainers and the critical condition of another.

There are hundreds of members of the 31st MXS, the squadron the casualties were assigned to.  I knew they were covered and was told by their spouse rep they needed no other support. Since the small Army unit had lost their commander, his second in command who was the co-pilot and had another member in critical condition, I decided to ask the other squadrons in the group to help them out. The 31st MOS and especially the 31st AMXS came through with flying colors and I was never prouder to be maintainer's wife.

I think most military wives often wonder how they would react upon hearing that horrific news. I know I have. Obviously, you can't know that and no two wives react the same.

The first time I saw Liz after the accident I was dropping off some of their close family friends I had picked up at the airport and helped them in with their stuff. After greeting them, Liz was wearing lounge pants and what I can only imagine was one of Christian's sweatshirts - the way I think I would react if I could even drag myself out of bed. She fixed her eyes on mine and with a unique combination of vulnerability, courage and grace gave me one of the most sincere "thank yous" I have ever received. It was certainly unnecessary. It was an honor and pleasure.

And, that is why it still matters.

Copied from Homefront Six

Survivors in Afghanistan Need Immediate Help - 56 Soldiers Lost EVERYTHING


This is legit. This unit is the unit of a friend of mine's husband (that was an awkward sentence). You can read the news story HERE. The entire FOB was destroyed.


Tammy's husband has a first-hand account HERE.


And yes, the Army will cover the basics but the personal items are mostly up to the individual soldiers to take care of - just as it is when they head into theatre. Add to that the fact that these guys just lost eight of their own in one moment and you can imagine how difficult this is for them. To have the support of those of us back here will be a huge morale boost for them.


So please consider sending in a few items. TankerBabe is heading up the coordination and you can email her for a mailing address. The list of what is needed is on the blog post. My kids are currently drawing pictures and writing notes to the guys as well.


Every little bit helps. Thanks.