Marine Corps Band comes to Oregon

If you can make one of these concerts, you're in for a treat. The Marine Band San Diego will be in Oregon from May 22-28, playing in various locations around the state, sharing the Corps' musical heritage and history. All concerts are free and open to the public.

Concert schedule:

• Monday, May 23 - 1:00 p.m. World Forestry Center, Portland, OR
  
• Tuesday, May 24 - 6:00 p.m. Newberg High School, Newberg, OR
  
• Wednesday, May 25 - 7:00 p.m. West Albany High School, Albany, OR
  
• Friday, May 27 - 5:30 p.m. Evergreen Aviation Museum, McMinnville, OR

  Each base has their own band - here's a picture of the 29 Palms band that played when Shane's company came home in March. They arrived just after dusk to entertain the waiting families. And, they stuck around until the guys came home just before midnight.

  

  The band members are first rate musicians - the qualifications are stringent. However, unlike civilian bands, all band members are capable of picking up a rifle and fighting alongside any other Marine. Even the bases in Iraq have bands (the 1st MARDIV band deployed along other Camp Pendleton units), although the musicians are also pulling guard duty and fighting along side other Marines. The asst. drum major for the band assigned to the President was a heavy machine gun operator when he was deployed to Iraq.

  The band music is wonderful - I've downloaded it before and transferred it to my cell phone and now when Shane calls, he has his own special ring tone - The Marine Corps Hymn. When my Marine mom friends call, it plays Semper Fidelis, and when anyone else calls, it plays The Washington Post.

  Posted by Deb at 04:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 16, 2005

  
  
  
  

  Derrick Jackson's lost his mind . . . and his heart

  Derrick Jackson, columnist for the Boston Globe, has finally suggested in print that he's lost his heart and his mind. His headline, not mine. That's the logical conclusion from this hateful diatribe against U.S. troops who he denigrates as "pawns of President Bush". The Marine Dad who sent this to me noted:

  "What follows is Mr. Jackson's op-ed. If you find it sickening, offensive, demeaning, and insulting to our troops, rest assured you are not alone."

  Here's a snippet:

  If all that soldiers can now accomplish is curse at baffled Iraqi families and berate people in the streets for exercising what we consider the right of free speech to tear up a newspaper, then there is no mission. In a sign of their morass, the soldiers described themselves in lowly terms far removed from the pre-invasion build-up, when Vice President Dick Cheney said "we will be greeted as liberators." The supervising soldier in Mosul told NPR as his armored vehicle cruised the streets, "If you look on the walls here, you can see all this graffiti. We've really taken to the streets here kind of like a gang unit would in, say, LA. It's a giant gang war, and we've got the biggest gang, so every time we see graffiti, we mark it out, we tag it with 'US Forces,' and we say, 'Hey look, this is our block.' " Funny, when Bush told us we were liberating the Iraqi people, he said nothing about employing the Crips and Bloods.

  Morass my ass. Jackson is basing his blatantly biased editorial on a equally partisan NPR news story. His writing is chock full of false arguments and fallacies. This slash piece doesn't begin to approach what good editorials accomplish - enrich discussion through a critical examination of current issues. Instead, Jackson's overtly political agenda is patently obvious and an embarrasment to the Boston Globe.

  Marine Dad concluded:

  "And here we thought our young men and women risking life and limb over there were heroes. Silly us. If anyone feels inclined to differ with Mr. Jackson's labeling of our loved ones as nothing more than lowly gang members, his email address is: jackson@globe.com"

  Posted by Deb at 01:00 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 15, 2005

  
  

  
  

  Honoring Mom

  LtCmdr Lee, Chaplain for 8th Comm, wrote this message for the Marines under his pastoral care.

  I have often heard it said, "A woman's work is never done." This statement is especially true for women who have children. Most mothers get little rest because they invest countless hours in supervising the well-being of their children. Observing this deepest of passions, "a mother's love". I have discovered that such love focuses on at least three primary concerns. A mother doesn't seem to rest until she knows her children are satisfied, situated, and safe. These primary concerns begin to appear in a mother's care for a newborn. Mom makes sure that the baby is satisfied with plenty to eat and regular diaper changes. This is not to imply that Dad cannot contribute to these needs, but Mom will make sure these essential needs are met so that the baby isn't crying all the time. With the infant satisfied, Mom works to get the little one situated. This may involve cradling the child close to her body or laying it in a comfortable place, wrapped in a warm blanket. As the newborn's sleeping patterns change and it grows older, Mom seeks to satisfy the child by providing toys, friends to play with, and eventually a good school to attend for educational purposes. Mom's concern for a child becoming situated may explain why the first day of school or leaving for college is such a big deal to her. I am positive it has something to do with why mothers push to make sure everything goes well at weddings and then cry through much of the ceremony. They simply love their children and long to see them situated well in all categories of life. Having their children satisfied and situated is not yet enough to convince mothers to rest a bit. They are going to labor at guaranteeing a child's safety before they lean back at all. I once visited a habitat for the largest bears in North America, the Kodiak Brown Bears. As we walked through the bears' territory, the guide told us, "The last thing you want to do is get within 100 yards of a female bear with a cub." Any hint of threat to that cub would spark an intense reaction from the "mama bear" that would have devastating results. Little compares to the fury of a mother's protection; this is among the most intense instincts. I have seen this kind of behavior in a few Moms as they protected their young and in most cases they were not going to relax a bit until they sensed their child was safe. This concern for safety is what prompts many Moms to practice a tireless prayer effort, building a perimeter of spiritual protection around their child so that the devil can do no harm. This concern is also the reason why Moms encourage us to have a right relationship with God. Mom is just trying to protect us from any harm. Realizing these factors are so important to a mother, honor your mother today by calling her and letting her know that you are being satisfied with access to the best chow the Marine Corps can offer and clean clothes on a regular basis. Tell her that the Marine Corps has situated you with lots of equipment, plenty of new friends and a learning environment that exceeds some of the best classrooms in the world. Then tell her you are as safe as possible in this environment, surrounded by the best war fighters in the world, coupled with the never-ending watch care of God. She will rest a bit better tonight and her motherly duties will be less taxing having received these assurances from you. After you hang up the phone, remember to thank God for the blessing of a Mom who did her best to keep you satisfied, situated and safe. If you can't talk to your Mom today because she has already finished her living on this earth, then honor her memory by telling someone about the great ways she showed her love for you: fixing your favorite meal, sending a card, hearing about your hurts. Per chance you haven't had a Mom that bothered herself with these primary concerns, learn to observe them in others and make sure your children receive such love. Duplicating such love in others is the ultimate honor to a mother (Exodus 20:12). Happy Mother's Day! We love you, MOM!

  Thanks. We love you too.

  Happy Mother's Day to deployed 8th Communication Battalion Moms:
  SSgt Sabrina B.
  Sgt Christina C.
  Sgt Sara M.

  Posted by Deb at 07:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

  
  
  
  

  
  

  E-mail from the Syrian border

  Proud Marine Mom Tammie has heard from her son who was in the battle at the border. Some of the identifying information has been removed, but here's a very relieved mom's response:

  Matt called today. After practically screaming with joy and holding back from bursting into tears of relief and joy, him laughing at this point of course ... his Dad and I (one on each phone) calmed down and shut up and let him talk. He said "Mama I knew you were going to be worried when I didn't call back, then the reporters came and I told (somebody) Mama's really going to be worried now and then Oliver North and the news crew showed up and I told (somebody) Mama's going to lose it now." :) He asked if we saw the coverage on Fox News and said he is in some of it. Truth be told ... all we cared about was hearing his voice and knowing he is safe now. Matt is fine ... a bit banged up ... more on that later. He sounds like Matt, good spirits, in one piece, exhausted. As he related various parts of the following his voice broke at times so he is carrying the weight of all he's seen and experienced. We discussed taking care of himself now that the adrenaline is wearing off. He had only 5 minutes to talk. Had waited in line 90 minutes to call and said he'd try and call again maybe tomorrow. Loves us, said to let everybody know he's okay so I've called some of you ... the rest of you pass the word. I told him I know how he hates the whole hero thing (for those of you who don't know ... Matt always had a thing about people being called heroes ... he always said they were just doing their jobs or in a situation doing what they had to do. Thank you to everyone from the bottom of our hearts for the prayers and support. Do not stop because we've still got months to go. We have no delusions that the terrorists have tucked their tails and disappeared permanently. But for now, today and maybe this weekend, Carl and I are going to breathe .... as Matt said "Momma you and Dad go out to dinner and have a drink". Ahhhhhhhh

  Like it or not, they're heroes. Every one of them. Thanks for sharing, Tammie.
  

  Posted by Deb at 10:43 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 13, 2005

  
  

  
  

  33 KIAs, 400 Purple Hearts

  If you're not reading Juggernuts, you're missing out on a unique view of the world in general and occasionally the military in specific. Sometimes, Cris posts something that takes my breath away . . . and this picture, taken by his father (retired USMC Colonel) is one of those. Visit his site to read the accompanying e-mail from his dad (snippet below):

  

  I was an invited guest for the memorial dedication honoring the KIA's of 3dBn, 1st Marines. The CO, LtCol W. Buhl, a very impressive officer. This shot shows the formation of the 33 KIA's, with helmet, rifle, boots & name tags. There was a final roll call, where the name of each of the 33 was called out by the Sergeant Major, and answered with a single toll of a bell. A piper in formal kilts played "Taps" and then a firing squad gave a 21 round salute. In addition to 33 KIA, the Bn awarded some 400 Purple Hearts.

  Visit Juggernuts for the rest of the story.

  Posted by Deb at 09:17 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

  
  
  
  

  
  

  I hope we make you proud

  The Marine Corps Family Foundation was established last year as a means for Americans to support Marines deployed at war. After Operation Santa USMC was completed in December and over 6,000 Marines received Christmas-in-a-box we were overwhelmed with the many responses from the many Marines who were so happy that they were rememebered and supported by our efforts. At that time I was humbled by their gracious thanks. Today was no different. Read on for the whole story.
  
  In March a very energetic Girl Scout called me to ask if I knew how she could deliver Girl Scout cookies to our troops. The girls in her troop had sold cookies and as they did they encouraged their customers to make donations of cookies to our troops, resulting in over 12 cases of cookies donated.
  
  It was easy to help these young American Girl Scouts to complete their mission. Deb and I had names of Marines who had just been deployed to Iraq, and we were more than happy to send those yummy boxes to the most deserving, our Marines.
  
  But, that is just the beginning of this story. Here we are safe and sound living our lives in a country of freedom and wealth, sending cookies to Marines halfway around the world in a country that is just learning trust and freedom. It is a place of known danger everyday. We are all thankful for our military, its strength, its the courage and unselfish dedication. And, in some way small way Girl Scout cookies seem like a way to say thank you and we support you.
  
  Several Marines sent to us their thanks. The following is a letter I recieved from a Marine that enjoyed this small token of appreciation. I do not know him. I will probably never have the opportunity to meet him. But, once again his words were just too much for this mother of a Marine.

  Dear Friends, Your unwavering support gives us all renewed strength. Words cannot express the joy I have to serve you and to bring freedom to others. With wonderful people like yourselves, it is an honor and a privilege being a Marine. I must say your cookies are a fantastical banquet in which we partake daily :) I hope we make you proud. Thanks again for your support, may God bless you in all that you do. Semper Fi. Your Friend, Cpl. Nighswonger/USMC

  So, the next time you wonder what you could do to help, or if it would really make a difference. Know that anything and everything is appreciated. A simple letter or card, cookies, or a magazine, you decide. Our Marines deserve your love, support and gratitude, and showing it through a donation to a supportive foundation like The Marine Corps Family Foundation or simply sending your own box of goodies will be a blessing.

  You too will be humbled by the gratitude of these great Marines, who make us proud everyday.
  
  Donations can be made to the Marine Corps Family Foundation, 4500 Ruby Ct NE, Salem, OR 97305 or email Deb@marinecorpsmoms.com or cjr@marinecorpsmoms.com .
  

  Posted by Connie at 01:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 12, 2005

  
  

  
  

  Civilians start wars. The military ends them.

  Here's an editorial by Lou Sessinger,a columnist with The Intelligencer in Philadelphia. It's worth reading:

  It's all about this great freedom we enjoy here, the freedom of speech. It's a freedom worth defending, and over the years a lot of people have defended it in a lot of different ways, some on the battlefield and others on the protest lines, in the courts and in jail cells. I'm talking about the reaction of a few people to some photos that were published in this paper last week. The spread featured some shots of a Marine helicopter and its crew at a student career day event at Gayman Elementary School in Plumstead. I was attracted to the photos, which bore the headline "Send in the Marines." I thought how excited and interested I would have been as a kid to see a huge CH-53 land outside my school. It's something that doesn't happen every school day. And I thought about how educational it would have been to go aboard the aircraft and talk to the crew about how it worked and what it was used for. On another level I was, of course, interested because I'd done a hitch as a Marine helicopter crew chief a long time ago. So if you want to say I'm biased, go ahead. It's one of your freedoms as an American. But a few readers had different opinions about the helicopter incident. In essence, they believed that representatives of the military shouldn't be allowed to attend career days at public schools. One reader said she was "appalled" and "ashamed that our educational system is promoting war and teaching small children that killing and being killed is acceptable and glamorous."

  Sessinger skilfully poked holes in each ignorant statement and concluded with:

  What these readers are implying is that the military should be denigrated because its members are sometimes required to wage war. Well, that's its purpose. And, yes, war is bad, and nobody despises the veil of war more than the warrior. But to my knowledge, the American military has never started a war. Civilians start wars. It's the military's duty to end them, even when it doesn't necessarily agree with the purpose. Some people cling to a naive belief that, if we dismantled the military, all of a sudden conflicts would just disappear and our enemies would cease to be. You might think we're living out the lyrics of some wistful John Lennon song, and that if we'd only give peace a chance, we could all hold hands, love each other to death and skip blindly along our merry, flower-strewn way. Well, to a certain extent, we can do all those things to a greater degree than many people in the world can. And a major reason we can is due to the preparedness of our armed forces. I think every kid should learn that lesson.

  And perhaps a few adults need that lesson too. In my experience, kids get it. They understand and appreciate our armed forces. Somewhere along the way to adulthood, some lose that knowledge. Thank God for columnists like Lou Sessinger who remind them.

  Posted by Deb at 09:02 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 11, 2005

  
  

  
  

  Iron in the blood of the Betio Bastards

  My son called me this morning - it's always nice to hear from him, even at 5:30 a.m. He was watching news reports from the Syrian border and remarked, "It's great to see that Husaybah is finally getting the attention it deserves." He speaks from experience, having recently returned from seven months at Camp Gannon. While 1/7 Bravo company had great success in keeping insurgency controlled while it was there, it was clearly time to clean house, USMC style. Marines excel at cleaning house and this battle is no exception.

  General Conway answered questions at yesterday's press briefing - here is an excerpt:

  Let me give you some geographical context, if I can. Of course, Husaybah butts up against the Syrian border. Just southeast of there is the town of al Qaim. We've had a battalion out there for a long time now. Recently, I think it's fair to say that the commanders have evaluated that the center of resistance in the Al Anbar has moved further west since the fall of Fallujah, and now is in what we would call the Ramadi-Hit corridor, extending westward, as opposed to Ramadi-Fallujah. About 72 hours ago, U.S. forces, the 2nd Regimental Combat Team, effected a river crossing at a place called Ukedi (ph), and they established a blocking position at a little townlet called Rommana, and put forces across the river to flush what had been reported as groupings of insurgents there. They were decisively engaged; a fairly significant battle followed. Use of close air support and combined arms have been employed. And at this point, the fight continues. There are reports that these people are in uniforms, in some cases are wearing protective vests, and there's some suspicion that their training exceeds that of what we have seen with other engagements further east. So, at this point, the fight continues. Question: At this -- right now it's a U.S. operation. From what we understand, there aren't Iraqis there. Does that pose a problem as far as a U.S. face being on this battle along the border, that Iraqis have been very concerned about -- (off mike)? GEN. CONWAY: No, your assessment is correct based on my knowledge, Bret, and my observation of the task organization. I think as you know, we do have Iraqi forces based at Habbaniya that are working both the Fallujah and the Ramadi area. At this point, those operational forces have simply not extended their reach far enough west to join the U.S. forces there. There are Iraqis operating in border forts along the borders. But in that interim area, they're simply not there yet. And I want to offer that the fight's not finished. We saw where the Iraqis provided tremendous value to us in Fallujah. And if the fight continues, if it does involve fighting in built-up areas, that's not to say you won't see Iraqi forces involved. Question: Can I follow up on that? Can you say whether or not you've seen any evidence of some of these foreign fighters, as you've described them, crossing back over the border? And are the Syrians in any way involved in this or in any way cooperating? GEN. CONWAY: I don't think I used the term foreign fighters. I don't think we know that yet. Certainly it's in proximity to the border. There is a major crossing site there, Husaybah, and again, there's smugglers' routes both north and south of that location. So it's not unrealistic to expect that there could be foreign fighters engaged. At this point, we simply don't know if the there is movement across the border associated with this, because the preponderance of our forces are engaged in this fight. Question: Has there been any contact with the Syrians or any sort of effort to get them to help out, any -- GEN. CONWAY: From an operational perspective, I can only say that there is low-level contact that goes on, on a continuing basis. The captains and the field grade officers of that battalion have a fairly routine dialogue with the Syrians. I cannot speak to whether or not it transcends that. Question: Assuming that this operation is successful, what do you expect the effect will be? You said that the center of the insurgency has effectively moved west. If you are able to succeed in this mission's objectives, what do you think the result will be? Will you have broken the back of the insurgency? Will -- GEN. CONWAY: No, I think it's way too early to say that. I think, as we have experienced in every fight up to this point, where we find the insurgents, we will attack them, to capture or kill if they resist. If you look at what happened -- what has happened in the region up to this point, we have had a fairly significant Special Operations operation south of al Qaim, where we captured or killed 54. We have had two engagements in Husaybah, one the attack on Camp Gannon where they attempted to breach the perimeter with a large explosive device, the fire truck. We've had a Zarqawi sighting, and now we have this fairly significant gathering of insurgents. So where we find them, we will fight them, to take them --

  Bill Roggio and Chester are doing a fantastic job of blogging the battle. Here's an excerpt from Chester's methodical accounting of on-ground operations - visit his site to view the referenced map:

  Numbers on the map correspond to the listed event. There are in chronological order as best as can be determined. 1. Sunday, early morning: The bridge crossing(s) that began the operation were supposedly slower in progress than planned. Did this give a tip-off to the enemy? Mortar fire hit the bridging sites from Ubaydi and on the south side of the Euphrates at another site. 2. Sunday morning: Insurgents were spotted driving to rural houses in the north of the area of operations in Ribat, retrieving weapons stockpiles, then driving back to the cities. 3. One squad of Lima Co, 3/25, spent the better part of Sunday clearing a particular house in Ubaydi. The enemy had hidden in the basement and fired armor-piercing bullets through the floor at the Marines. Most of the day was spent destroying them, by this one squad, reinforced with heavy machine guns, a tank, and F-18 airstrikes.

  
  The list goes on and on, but this point is fascinating to me:

  10. Tuesday night? Marines engaged a vehicle that did not stop at a checkpoint SE of Ubaydi. Two civilians were killed, but the survivors asked the Marines to please attack the city, stating that the terrorists were forcing the men to fight.

  The Marines are doing what they do best - fight. It's hard on the families back home who are alternating between refreshing the CNN website and channel surfing to catch the latest news about their Marine's location. But the Marines who command the troops also care about the families. 3/2 Commanding Officer LtCol Mundy recently sent this message to the families of his Marines:

  President Theodore Roosevelt once wisely noted, "Thank God for the iron in the blood of our fathers." I can say with full confidence, were it not for the iron in the blood of your husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers, our effectiveness here would be significantly diminished. Vigilance and attention to detail continue to win the day and foil the many traps the enemy attempts to place in our path. Mines and IEDs are discovered and destroyed before they cause harm to our men. Furthermore, as the result of some successful raids and the pressure put upon the enemy because of our presence, terrorists continue to be captured or killed. I am glad to say that our enemy now realizes why we're called "The Betio Bastards!" Since the attack on Camp Gannon a few weeks ago, things remain as they once were: still dangerous, but the strong advantage remains with the Marines. India Company continues to be challenged at Camp Gannon, but strikes back with precision and effectiveness. Lima Company continues to expertly conduct their security missions around Al Asad. Kilo Company was detached from 3/2 for a short period to battle alongside another battalion in Haditha, and executed their attack fantastically. Weapons and H&S Companies had to cover the vast areas around Al Qaim, and did so with professionalism, keeping the enemy in this area at bay. I'm proud to say that all the Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers attached to Task Force 3/2 are working as a cohesive unit, overcoming any obstacles in their path, and are making significant progress in our area of operations. That being said, it's not hard to be cautiously optimistic! The dangerous work of stopping the enemy must continue until the mission is complete, and at times we're conducting very important operations. That means it may be necessary from time to time to minimize our regular contact with you at home and I trust you can understand why. Unfortunately, our current mission means that mothers might not get a well-deserved Mother's Day call from your grateful sons. Please know that they are thinking of you and thankful for you. I'll also take this opportunity to thank you mothers for raising such fine men. May God bless each of you and fill your Mother's Day with joy. I know you must be proud of your sons.

  Before we hung up this morning, I asked my son if he thought the U.S. troops would ever be able to clean out the insurgents and foreign fighters. His assessment was that while it was unlikely, we would eventually achieve success in training the Iraqis to complete the mission. That's what it's always been about, but it's good to hear it again.

  Posted by Deb at 11:29 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 10, 2005

  
  

  
  

  Kevin Francois is back in school after suspension reduced

  As reported by The Moderate Voice, Kevin Francois is back in school after his ten-day suspension was cut to three days. He's back in school now, according to today's Ledger-Enquirer:

  Kevin, 17, a junior at Spencer, was suspended Wednesday for 10 days for cursing and being defiant after he was told to give up his cell phone during his lunch period while talking to his mother, Sgt. 1st Class Monique Bates, who serves in Iraq with Fort Benning's 203rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.

  According to the Muscogee County School District's policy, students are allowed to have cell phones in school but cannot use them during school hours.

  Kevin's suspension was reduced Friday after his story caught national attention. He served only two full days.

  At Monday's meeting, Spencer principal Olivia Rutledge and assistant principal Alfred Parham discussed behavior expectations and methods of supporting Kevin, according to a media release from the school district. It also stated that Kevin will not be penalized for his suspension, and Hartwell will meet with his counselors and teachers today.

  "They were calm about it and very professional about it," Hartwell said. "I was really happy with them."

  In a press release, Muscogee County School District Superintendent John Phillips said Kevin would be asked to sign a "behavior contract" to return to school.

  "We didn't have to sign the contract as long as we worked out a deal with him and how he behaves in school and don't mess up in grades," said Hartwell. She said she knew only through the Ledger-Enquirer that a meeting was set for Monday. Kevin and Hartwell, instead, arrived at the school as the second bell rang at 7:30 a.m. for class to begin. Earlier, Hartwell said she and Kevin turned down a morning interview with Fox News in Atlanta to get him back in school.

  During the meeting, the school's switchboard remained busy with callers upset about Kevin's suspension. But it wasn't as bad as Friday, said secretary Lillian Humber, who remained calm and pleasant as she answered each call.

  "It looked like Christmas lights," said Humber, referring to hundreds of calls and e-mails from Friday.

  Here's what continues to bother me about this story. Kevin has maintained that he told the teacher who first approached him, Felicita Pescia, "This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom." The story continues:

  Kevin said Pescia tried to take the phone, causing it to hang up. Pescia hasn't been reached for comment. He then went with Pescia to the school's office, where a secretary took the phone out of his hand, Kevin said. The phone rang again. Kevin said his mother left a message since he could not answer it. He said he told the officials it was his mother. The Ledger-Enquirer verified the 12:37 p.m. message during an interview Thursday with Kevin. In the message, played for a reporter, his mother scolded him for hanging up and told him to answer the phone when she calls.

  The principal, Alfred Parham, (who evidently has some family issues himself-see comment from Jackie Kane Parham) has disputed Kevin's story. The superintendent has all but called him a liar. And one of his teachers, in a comment left on the original MCM entry, is evidently questioning whether the call really was from his mother, despite the verification from the Ledger-Enquirer. Does this sound like a supportive atmosphere? Not to me.

  Here's what Kevin's science teacher has to say:

  Hi, I am one of Kevin's teachers. I sympathize with Kevin, if that was his mother that called. Unfortunately, nearly every student has a cell phone in class and half of our students here at Spencer have parents in the military. Many of those parents are in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have a hard enough time preparing them for life as an adult without my students answering cell phones in class, lunch or on campus, regardless of who it might be. I would think a reasonable adult could understand this. I support my administration and their decisions. If his mother wants to talk to Kevin during school hours she can call the office so we know it's a legitimate call. Kevin can be called into the office very quickly and efficiently.

  To the best of my knowledge (which is better than the general public's in this situation), Kevin was disciplined because of his uncontrolled behavior afterwards, not because of his phone call. Kevin was suspended 3 days instead of 10. And, he was back in class today where I agree he is supposed to be. We all have situations from time to time that require special attention. Kevin, along with the rest of us, needs to make sure to keep a calm attitude and be constructive. That's what we're hoping to teach our students.

  Sincerely, Kevin's Science Teacher

  I agree that everyone involved needs to maintain a calm and constructive focus. However, I think this teacher is missing the point. There is a huge difference between a student chatting with a friend during class and a student standing outside the school on his lunch break talking with a deployed parent. If the faculty and administration in this school district cannot or will not differentiate between these two scenarios, there are some serious problems.

  This teacher's suggestion that parents be required to call the school office is problematic. Deployed troops might stand in line for hours for a 10-20 minute phone call. Requiring that phone calls go through a central switchboard and be approved (the process for approval has not been explained) and the student be called to the office is unwieldy at best. I have often been placed on hold when calling my son's high school. Who would determine the legitimacy of the call? The person that answers the phone? Someone else? And then, the student must be located and called to the phone. In Kevin's case, he was at lunch and could presumably be anywhere in the building. How would he be "quickly and efficiently" located?

  I understand the teacher's complaint that educators at this high school have "a hard enough time preparing them for life as an adult" without allowing children of deployed troops the opportunity to talk to their parents via cell phone. However, this isn't all about the teachers. If teachers are unwilling to make a small accomodation to support the parent-child bond, it's a problem. In another year, Kevin will graduate and will never have to interact with this teacher again. His bond with his mother will last his entire life. Which relationship is more important? And which should take priority?

  I'm a teacher too. As I said before, my cell phone is my lifeline to my son while he is deployed and when he calls I take his calls, no matter what else I'm doing. I would not hesitate to extend that same consideration to any of my students in similar circumstances. That is not only basic courtesy, it is common sense; something demanded of students but not always extended to them by the teachers who are busy "preparing them for life".

  Posted by Deb at 04:32 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 06, 2005

  
  

  
  

  Principal makes an unprincipled decision.

  When my son deployed to Iraq, first in early 2003, and then again in August 2004 - my cell phone was never out of my sight - or hearing. I slept with it on my pillow. My students knew that if my son called, we took a class break until he was done talking. He often stood in line for hours for a ten minute phone call and I took no chances on missing that precious chance to connect with my son.

  How much more important must it be for a son whose mother is deployed?

  Read this and be outraged:

  Kevin Francois gave up his lunch break to talk to his mother, but it ended up costing him the rest of the school year. Francois, a junior at Spencer High School in Columbus, was suspended for disorderly conduct Wednesday after he was told to give up his cell phone at lunch while talking to his mother who is deployed in Iraq, he said. His mother, Sgt. 1st Class Monique Bates, left in January for a one-year tour and serves with the 203rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. "This is our first time separated like this," said Francois, 17, on Thursday. Bates came to Fort Benning with her son from Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga. She enrolled him at Spencer in August. Since her deployment overseas, Francois, whose father was killed when he was 5 years old, lives with a guardian who has five children in Columbus. The incident happened when Francois received a call from his mother at 12:30 p.m., which he said was his lunch break. Francois said he went outside the school building to get a better reception when his mother called. A teacher who saw Francois on his phone told him to get off the phone. But he didn't. According to the Muscogee County School District Board of Education's policy, students are allowed to have cell phones in school, but cannot use them during school hours. "They are really allowed to have those cell phones so that after band or after chorus or after the debate and practices are over they have to coordinate with the parents," said Alfred Parham, assistant principal at Spencer. "They're not supposed to use them for conversating back and forth during school because if they were allowed to do that, they could be text messaging each other for test questions." Francois said he told the teacher, "This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom." Francois said the teacher tried to take the phone, causing it to hang up. The student said he then went with the teacher to the school's office where he surrendered his phone. His mother called again at 12:37 p.m. and left a message scolding her son about hanging up and telling him to answer the phone when she calls. Control issue Parham said the teen's suspension was based on his reaction when he was asked to give up the cell phone and told about the school's cell phone policy. "Kevin got defiant and disorderly with Mr. Turner and another assistant principal," Parham said Thursday. "He got defiant with me. He refused to leave Mr. Turner's office. When a kid becomes out of control like that they can either be arrested or suspended for 10 days. Now being that his mother is in Iraq, we're not trying to cause her any undue hardship; he was suspended for 10 days." Wendall Turner is another assistant principal at Spencer. Parham said the student used profanity when he was taken into the office. He said he tried to work out something with the student. But Francois said he was too frustrated he couldn't answer the phone when his mother called him the second time. "I even asked Kevin, 'You know we can try to work something out to where if your mother wants to call you she can call you at the school,'" Parham said. "So we've tried to work with Kevin and we're going to continue to try to work with Kevin and his mother and his relatives. In the course of good order and discipline, we have to abide by our policy." Francois admitted he was partially at fault for his behavior but said he should have been allowed to talk to his mother. "I was mad at the time, but I feel now maybe I should've went about it differently," he said. "Maybe I should've just waited outside to pick up the phone. But I don't I feel I should've changed any of my actions. I feel I was right by not hanging up the phone." For Francois, he said he gets to hear from his mother once a month, and phone calls vary depending on when she can use the phone in Iraq. Francois said his mother calls as late as 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. and tries to catch him during hours he's awake. He said the phone call Wednesday was the first time she called him while he was at school. Francois, who said he's been struggling with his grades in school, wants to go back to school and finish the rest of his year. He fears he may have pay for summer school because of his punishment. "My grades had been low, but I was bringing them up. My grades were coming back up. On one of my report cards I had like a 'F' in one of my classes, but I brought it back up to a low 'C.' This just brought me all the way down."

  Marine moms across the country are livid. Tammie Greene and Nicole Markel sent this link minutes after it hit the wires. I'm wondering how the school administrators at Spencer High School would feel if they were serving in a war zone and during a rare opportunity to talk with their child, an authority figure took the phone away and hung up that connection. And I plan to share my opinion with the principal and two assistant principals.

  Here's the contact information for the school and the administrative staff if you'd like to do the same:

  Spencer High School 4340 Victory Drive Columbus, GA 31903

  Phone: 706-685-7652
  Fax: 706-685-7708

  Principal:
  Olivia Rutledge: orutledge@mcsdga.net
  
  Assistant Principals:
  Alfred Parham: aparham@mcsdga.net
  Wendell Turner: wturner@mcsdga.net

  Please share your opinion with them - be courteous but get your point across. Supporting our troops means supporting the families of our troops as well. And consider sharing your e-mail by either copying us at info@marinecorpsmoms.com or pasting it into the comments section of this thread.

  Here's one worth reading:
  

  Dear Ms. Rutledge,
  
  As a father of a Navy Corpsman serving in Iraq, I am appalled at the lack of compassion for your student, Kevin Francois.
  
  I understand your school policy on Cell Phone usage but this seems to be a travesty. His mother is serving her and your country in a very dangerous place and a chance to call home and speak to a loved one is pure heaven. To have this Mother disconnected from her child can only be VERY painful for both parties. Yes, Kevin may have acted outside of his usual training but the stress of the situation should have been taken into account. Give him detention if you must but allow him to complete his school year.
  
  I understand his attitude, when my son calls me, everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING comes second. To hear his voice is the sweetest sound in the world and nothing will be allowed to interrupt that.
  
  Leo Flood

  Other bloggers voice their opinion:

  Michelle Malkin

  The Moderate Voice

  Citizen Smash

  Outside The Beltway

  Daily Pundit

  Iowa Voice

  Jack Army

  Don Singleton

  The Jump Blog

  Posted by Deb at 01:53 PM | Comments (13) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 05, 2005

  
  

  
  

  A nation under God

  

  The National Day of Prayer was observed at Al Asad today as the Marines, soldiers, and sailors paused to exercise their right to freedom of both religion and speech. Here's a report form Cpl. Rocco DeFilippis (who also took the above picture).

  Chaplains, religious program specialists and chaplains' assistants from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) and the 326th Area Support Group organized the breakfast and allotted times throughout the day for service members to partake in specific prayers for family, government, military and the people of Iraq, among others. Prior to the meal, those in attendance enjoyed musical selections from the 2nd MAW Band and a praise team. Army Sgt. Daniel Estinfort's saxophone soothed the crowd with hymns as they ate. After the meal, Lt. Cmdr. Terry Eddinger, Marine Aircraft Group 26 chaplain, lead the gathering in prayer for our nations leaders. Following the prayer and a brief introduction, the wing commanding general gave an inspiring speech. The guest of honor at the prayer breakfast, Brig. Gen. Robert E. Milstead Jr., commanding general of the 2nd MAW (Fwd), quoted from "America the Beautiful" and spoke of the importance of prayer and God's grace. "We are not only blessed as individuals, but as a nation," Milstead said. "Our country is truly blessed with freedom and prosperity unparalleled across the nations." "We join together this morning, people of different faiths, but serving one God," Milstead punctuated. "As servicemen and women we are called to not only stand for our nation but our faith." Milstead said the theme of this year's National Day of Prayer, 'God Shed His Grace on Thee,' highlights the importance of God's grace in our daily lives. During a difficult time for the people of Iraq and America, Milstead said the importance of prayer and faith should not be overlooked. "From the earliest days of our founding, we have been a nation under God," he said. "Today we ask God to shed His grace on us and the people of Iraq, and just as He promised, we will receive it." Milstead's words echoed those of President Abraham Lincoln, who said, "it is the duty of nations as well as men, to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God." After Milstead's speech, and prayers for military personnel and family, Capt. Christian Pappas concluded the ceremony by playing Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

  Amen.

  Posted by Deb at 09:22 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 04, 2005

  
  

  
  

  Safety Letter to Marine Parents

  LtCol S.D. Aiken, 2/6 Marines Commanding Officer recently sent this reminder to the parents of his Marines.

  Dear Parents, As your son's Battalion Commander, I sent a letter dated August 1, 2004 in which I provided you with some information and requested your assistance. I would like to provide you an update. As Spring arrives, the Battalion will receive all of our deployed Marines and Sailors back from Afghanistan and Iraq. Thus far, every Marine and Sailor has performed exceptionally well in these series of antiterrorism missions; their efforts have been vital in the prosecution of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Upon completion of these current deployments, the Battalion will deploy next Autumn to Iraq for seven months. Therefore, the Summer will be busy with predeployment preparations and training, culminating in a three-week exercise in California. We have scheduled a leave period for August, so folks can start making vacation plans. You can rest assured that our predeployment preparations and training will be realistic and thorough. Additionally, your son is in the process of receiving the best equipment that money can buy. The Battalion will be well prepared when we deploy. During my last letter, I asked your assistance during periods of liberty and annual leave. Specifically, I asked that: After periods of liberty please urge your son, if he is traveling by car, to depart early enough so he can safely make his required 6:00 PM formation or check-in time. Encourage him to drive at posted speed limits and, most importantly, to wear seat belts. To date, our safety record has been good; our Marines and Sailors have been conducting themselves in a professional, mature manner. With Springtime around the corner, the Battalion will be shifting the focus of its safety efforts to include the safe conduct of outdoor activities. I would like to thank you for your past assistance and ask for your continued parental efforts in keeping our Marines and Sailors safe.

  
  

  Posted by Deb at 11:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 03, 2005

  
  

  
  

  3/3 India Company accomplishing their mission

  

  Captain James Sweeney, 3/3 India company reports from the Kunar Province of Afghanistan:

  The deployment will soon be over for the Marines and Sailors of India Company 3/3. Even though there are only a few short months before we are back home, we still have a mission to accomplish here in OEF. The Marines are as focused as ever and continue their extraordinary efforts to accomplish that mission. The change in the security situation here in the Kunar province has been tremendous. Many of the projects planned by the Army's Provincial Reconstruction Team have been able to commence and be completed unimpeded by the activity of the Anti-Government Forces. It seems that there is a new school, clinic, district house, bridge or well opening up every week. Your Marines hard work, spending days on end living and working among the communities has really paid off. The relationships and trust that has been forged between the Marines and the Afghan communities is tremendous. After all, it is that trust that has proven to be our most effective weapon against the people who want to see the reconstruction effort fail. Our cooperation and training with the Afghanistan National Army (ANA) and National Police (ANP) has come leaps and bounds from where we were in November. Your Marines are playing a huge role in shaping these two forces that will be tasked with defending Afghanistan's future. Everything we do now involves participation from the ANA and ANP in a joint effort to stop the terrorism against the communities. Because of this cooperation and constant presence in the areas most frequented by the Anti-Government Forces, many of the terrorists have given up the fight, no longer wishing to go up against the coalition and Afghan forces. We are working hand in hand with the Government of the Kunar Province to continue these efforts and take a new step towards stability as we approach the summer months. The base here in Asad Abad has now started up a weekly flea market where the local vendors can come and sell goods. The Marines can find many high quality crafts made by the local workers at low, low prices. We try to allow the Marines the opportunity to purchase small souvenirs of their deployment when we can. Of course, our mission comes first and there is not exactly an ATM on every corner. But, hopefully, the Marines will be able to bring back some small trinkets as reminders of their heroic efforts here in Afghanistan

  
  

  Posted by Deb at 06:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

  
  
  
  

  
  

  SCAM ALERT

  Captain J.C. Smythe sent this alert for all Marine family members - Col James C Jumper asked that this word get out ASAP:

  Family Readiness Officers: Please ensure the widest possible dissemination of this information to unit Commander's, I&I/Site Support Staff, Family Readiness Officers, Key Volunteers, Marines/Sailors, family members and local law enforcement officials. Two men posing as a Marine and a Sailor tried to gain personal checking account information from the spouse of an activated Marine Reservist. The attempted scam occurred as follows: The spouse was called by a man claiming that he was a Marine Master Sergeant. He informed her that her husband was missing in action and that someone would visit her home to provide further information. Two men, one dressed in Marine dress blues and the other in a Navy uniform, visited the spouse at her home. Neither of the men would properly identify themselves. They informed her that her husband was missing in action and that they would need her checking account number in case he was determined to have been killed in action. The alleged perpetrators had somehow obtained personal information on the Marine to include his name, rank, address, telephone number and social security number. This is a great example of why it is so important for everyone to adhere to the Privacy Act of 1974. Do not provide personal information of service members to anyone without their consent. Also, personal information should never be placed in publicly accessible media and documents, i.e., newsletters, emails, websites. Please stress to all family members that during a legitimate casualty visit, family members would never be asked to provide personal financial information. If service members or family members have any questions concerning the process or legitimacy of a casualty visit, they can contact the Marine Forces Reserve Casualty Officer. If anyone thinks that they are the victim of an attempted scam, please contact the unit Family Readiness Officer or Reserve Training Center site support staff and local law enforcement officials.

  I took out the contact names and phone numbers - if you're a military family you probably already know who to call. If you are part of the 4th MARDIV and need them, let me know. And whoever would show up in military uniform to pull this scam on the wife of a deployed Marine is a complete dirtbag.
  

  Posted by Deb at 06:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

  
  
  
  

  
  

  Stuck in the '60's?

  Sometimes, I wonder who reads this website and how the reports from Marines, who are actively engaged in rebuilding Iraq and supporting Iraqi citizens who are building a democracy, are perceived. Yesterday, I found out. When my Google news alerts popped up a news story on Husaybah, I was taken aback to find one of our first MCM posts quoted by Scott Ritter, former UN Weapons Inspector and also a disgruntled former Marine, in an editorial titled Dereliction of Duty Regarding Iraq published in Al-Jazeerah. He describes his reaction to the "tragic events unfolding in Mesopotamia" in one word. "Vietnam". Here's a snippet:

  Recently, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers, insisted, at a press conference, that the US and coalition forces were winning the war in Iraq, and noted that he was confident of a military victory. "I'm going to say this: I think we are winning, okay. I think we're definitely winning. I think we've been winning for some time," Myers said. Myers' statements, mirroring his earlier pronouncements, as well as those of his fellow joint chiefs, represent a posturing for the public that is not matched by the reality on the ground in Iraq. For every general who speaks of 'winning the war', there are hundreds of soldiers and marines, veterans of the harsh reality of ground truth in Iraq, who believe otherwise.

  Somebody forgot to tell the troops. On tonight's NBC news broadcast, military analyst Jack Jones who is a Vietnam combat veteran and one of only 124 living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor described a fact-finding trip he made to Iraq. Here are his words:

  "When I was in Vietnam, if you asked anybody what he wanted more than anything else in the world, the answer was to go home. (In Iraq)we asked hundreds and hundreds of soldiers, low ranking soldiers in both Afghanistan and Iraq the same question and the response to a man and woman was, 'to kill bad guys'. And that was startling to me. Morale is just over the top. . . . They perceive that they're making progress. Success will do that to morale."

  What Ritter describes as "chest thumping bravado" is simply business as usual for our troops. It's not Vietnam. Not even close. My son spent 7 months in the same border town where the 3/7 Marines, that Ritter describes, won that victory a year ago. He had no way of knowing what was going on in other regions of Iraq, besides news reports, until he returned to the Al Asad base prior to coming home. He described it as night and day from just last August. Iraqis were enjoying a new freedom. He said, "It's the first time I felt like we were really making a difference. A positive difference." And he's not alone. The "hundreds and hundreds of troops that Jones spoke with seem to agree. I don't know where Ritter is getting his information. But he needs to take another look.

  Posted by Deb at 12:14 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 02, 2005

  
  

  
  

  Landstuhl Visit

  Diana Hartman visited Landstuhl last week - here's her report:

  The weather here in Germany was perfect for the spouse's drive to Landstuhl. My daughter Therese was also able to go, this being her second trip with us. We took two large trays of cupcakes, cards and letters from the U.S., infamous Rittersport chocolate, and supplies the liaison's had asked for last week. Because of the nice weather, the outpatients had the chance to tour the grounds and to do some shopping at the PX at Ramstein. There were twelve wounded marines on the inpatient wards at Landstuhl yesterday. Of those, nine were in surgery. Our visits with the other three were delightful. We always leave goodies and letters in the rooms on the tray tables for those who were in surgery during our visits. We also visited with other servicemembers who were were attached to marine units and were serving alongside marines when they were wounded. One of the marines was still drowsy from surgery but was excited about having visitors. Most wounded marines don't know that Marine Forces Europe is just up the road from them so they don't expect to see family members coming with goodies in tow and are happy to see their "own kind". My daughter had every one of them going with a series of really dorky jokes that were well received. One that got the most laughs was "Two snowmen are hanging out and one says to the other 'You smell carrots?'" The need: Thanks to the thousands of calling cards that have been donated, our wounded are able to call home just about whenever they want when they are able to do so. They are well supplied and really all they need at this point are greetings from home. They dug right into the letters sent this last week. They especially enjoy artwork, cards, and letters from children. Second only to greetings from family and friends, greetings from children are the biggest hit. The liaison's office has specifically requested two items: women's white cotton underwear in all sizes, and cigarettes. I have received a few monetary donations specifically for the purpose of purchasing cigarettes and would do so again if anyone is interested. Cigarettes are not allowed to be sent through the USPS. All cigarettes here cost $32.55 a carton. All smokers are rationed to 4 cartons a month and ration cards are not allowed to be shared. If someone in the U.S. sends any variety of Marlboro in-the-box and marks the customs form with "personal goods" or something of that nature, I cannot be held responsible for the consequences to the sender. Anything sent to me for the wounded will be taken to them as needed. Our visits are scheduled about every two weeks.

  Contact Diana at msdusmcd@yahoo.com.

  Posted by Deb at 10:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

  
  
  

  May 01, 2005

  
  

  
  

  Media Culpability

  If you read nothing else this week, spend some time digesting this excellent editorial. Here's the bottom line:

  What it all boils down to is this: are American networks protecting, aiding, and abetting the terrorists in return for easy access to terrorist tapes?

  Read it.

  Posted by Deb at 11:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack