An American Hero

As the media is showing 24/7 coverage of Michael Jackson's death, with a bit of Farah Fawcett and Billy Mays thrown in, a real American hero got 4 minutes on Good Morning America this morning and will also be on World News with Charles Gibson this evening.

I met SGT Dan Powers and his wife soon after his arrival here in the States and a few times thereafter and was amazed at his condition when he arrived and his recovery. As things happen when soldiers move on to facilites closer to their home bases, we lost touch. (What's funny is that I've had SGT Powers and his wife on my mind for the past few weeks) We lost touch until this morning and this wonderful piece that aired on Good Morning America: SGT Dan Powers Take 4 minutes and check out this man and his story. I am awe-struck, amazed and honored that I've had the privledge of meeting this hero.

SGT Powers and the men and women of our Armed Forces are America's true heroes. So many of our wounded fight to stay in the service and we don't hear much, if anything, of their fight. We hear next to nothing of those who are able to stay in and deploy--like SGT Powers.

God Bless SGT Powers! Keep safe, sir.

Secretary of State Thanks the Volunteers at WRAMC

I was invited to represent Soldiers' Angels at a reception honoring WRAMC volunteers. Dr. Robert Gates was our host and he gave a wonderful speech, in front of Walter Reed hospital staff, patients and volunteers, thanking us for the work we do.

http://www.defenselink.mil//news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54866

It is impressive, seeing how many organizations have stepped up to care for our warriors and their families. None of us do this for the gratitude or for any recognition: what we do, we do from our heart, because we too, have a sense of service to our country and those who sacrifice so much on our behalf.

Being one of the first in line for the photos (right place, right time I guess) I was able to meet Dr. Gates, thank him for his service and coin him. Though he met many amazing volunteers yesterday, I hope he gets a chance to take a look at the lovely Soldiers' Angels coin and the message: "May We Never Forget". I believe I caught him by surprise and I did not receive a coin back, but as I wrote earlier, we don't do this for the recognition, we do it because its the right thing to do, though. Afterwards, we were treated to tasty hot dogs, lemonade and ice cream sandwiches which really hit the spot on a very warm day.

M

Memorial Day 2009

This weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. Most have plans made for the "3 B's"--BBQ, beer and beach. Many do not know what Memorial Day really means........a day that commemorates United States men and women who died while serving our country in military service. We must never forget their sacrifices nor should we ever take the freedoms they died protecting for granted. Freedom is the greatest gift--we should always remember these heroes and their sacrifices.

I want to share a post from Blackfive about another hero, SGT John Hoxie.....An American Hero......Airborne All the Way!

Posted By Blackfive




Army Sgt. John Hoxie, who lost an arm and a leg during combat in Iraq, watches 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers run down Longstreet Road on Fort Bragg, N.C., during Division Run, the kickoff event for this year's All American Week celebration May 18 - 21. Hoxie has been recuperating from his wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but journeyed to Fort Bragg to take part in All American Week and see friends from his old unit, Company C, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd U.S.Army photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Pryor


A Warrior Returns

May 21, 2009
Army News Service
By SSG Mike Pryor

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Of all the people who gathered on a gray and rainy Monday morning to watch the 82nd Airborne Division kick off its annual All American Week celebration with a division-wide cohesion run, perhaps no one faced more obstacles to be there than Sgt. John Hoxie.

Hoxie, 24, lost his left arm and leg to an I.E.D. while serving with the 82nd in Iraq in 2007.

For almost two years, he has been recovering from his wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Silver Spring, Md. Despite his injuries, and the fact that he was only recently cleared to travel by his doctors, the Philippi, W.V. native was determined take part in this year's celebration.

The morning of the run, Hoxie watched the runners pass by from his motorized wheelchair. He showed little sign of the emotions that were running through him. It was only when Paratroopers from his unit let out a cheer when they saw him that Hoxie cracked a smile.

"I'm just glad to be here. It's been a goal for a while," Hoxie said, "other people (at Walter Reed) are like 'I can't wait to get out,' but I can't wait to get back."

Hoxie's battalion commander, Lt. Col. Patrick Hynes, said Hoxie was a role model for Soldiers everywhere.

"After all his injuries and rehabilitation he's been through, he still wants nothing more than to be a part of the unit. That says it all about him and about the kind of unit he belongs to," Hynes said.

Although All American Week was the first time Hoxie has been back to Fort Bragg since being injured, he never came off the rolls at his unit, Company C, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. And Hoxie never stopped thinking of himself as a part of the team.

"I try to think of myself as just a regular Soldier with a mission to do," Hoxie said.
Hoxie was doing his mission on Aug. 20, 2007, on a combat foot patrol in Iraq, when he stepped on a pressure-activated I.E.D.

"It felt like time was moving really slow . . . I started to call out 'I.E.D.!' but it blew up," Hoxie said.

Hoxie's friend Staff Sgt. Evan Mace was the first person to reach him after the explosion.

"His leg was disintegrated, and his hand was missing," Mace said.

Hoxie was evacuated to a hospital in Baghdad where he was stabilized, and then transported back to the United States for treatment. At Walter Reed, he underwent a grueling series of surgeries, and had to make the agonizing decision to have his left hand amputated in order to be fitted with a prosthetic. Then the real hard work began - re-learning how to do everyday tasks with two artificial limbs.

"It was like going back to being an 18-month-old again," Hoxie said.

Previously simple tasks like tying shoe laces or using a knife and fork took on new dimensions of difficulty.

"It's times like that where it can be a little annoying," Hoxie said with typical understatement.

Through it all, Hoxie never got discouraged, and never stopped thinking of himself as a member of the Airborne Infantry. He kept in regular contact with his unit, and focused on the goal of recovering from his injuries and returning as soon as possible to regular duty.

"You've got two choices. You can either lay down and quit, or you can stand up and fight through your problems and overcome them," he said.

In April, Hoxie was able to walk upright with the use of canes, and he expects to be able to walk without any support in a few weeks.

Throughout his struggle, Hoxie's never-say-die attitude has been an inspiration for his fellow Paratroopers.

"He's just a great Soldier," Mace said.

The emotional highlight of Hoxie's return to Fort Bragg came on May 19, when he was awarded the Bronze Star by his brigade commander in front of his unit.

As sweet as that moment was, Hoxie has his eyes set on another milestone - he wants to be able to run with his unit during next year's All American Week division run.

"That's my goal for next year," he said.

Behind the Scenes...

Behind the scenes, we have many Angels, quietly working hard for our warriors. We have Angels who give as much of their time as is possible and all their efforts are greatly appreciated.

One Angel in particular stands out: Joe is one of our senior members of the D.C. Wounded Team. He came to Soldiers' Angels over 2 years ago and has made a huge impact. Joe comes from a family dedicated to service and he is one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. You see, Joe's kindness has no limits. He spends countless hours keeping track of our wounded and ill warriors, week in and week out, but his dedication does not end there. Joe will often take out our warriors to enjoy meals outside of WRAMC. He is a native of the area and once you tell him what cuisine you prefer, he makes sure to find and take you to the nicest one. Joe has brought together many a lonely warrior, who had few or no friends and as a result of these nights on the town, new friendships have been forged. He also owns a beach home not too far from WRAMC, and has, on various occasions, taken our warriors and their families for a weekend or even a week away. He has taken warriors to his home, for some good ole home cooking, courtesy of mom and dad. When Joe found out there were special car inverters that our warriors could use to charge their prostheses while in a car, he took it upon himself to keep them in stock and presents one to the amputees he meets. Although we urge Joe to submit for reimbursement for his expenses, he rarely, if ever does. I cannot imagine how much he has spent out of pocket to make our warriors lives a little bit easier, yet he does it willingly and out of the kindness of his heart.

Our team has counted on Joe for so much and he has never disappointed. It doesn't matter what we ask him to do, even if it's the warranted run to Costco to pick up drinks and desserts for our events, he does it with a smile (and his big red truck). Joe never asks for recognition or anything in return.

So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Joe. For all the you have done and all you continue to do in service to our warriors and their families, we are eternally grateful. Having you on our team makes us proud, but more importantly, makes a difference in ways you may never even realize...

M

Face of America - some memorable moments

As LDR put it, this experience is unforgettable. It was a pleasure to work so hard for something so worthwhile. I cannot fathom the amount of planning and adjusting that goes into an event such as this, but somehow, it ran smoothly and allowed the riders to concentrate on the ride, while all other details were taken care of.

There were many memorable moments, but these stick out in my mind:

*Watching Walter Reed's CSM coin a Marine who was at Iwo Jima and offer heartfelt thanks for his service. The respect and reverence were palpable.

*Seeing familiar faces, both as volunteers and as riders; what a great bonding experience.

*Appreciating all the groups that came out to assist at the rest and meal stops. Whether it was a church group, the Boy Scouts or others, our riders were greeted warmly and enthusiastically at every stop, with banners hung to welcome each rider as they finished one more leg of the ride.

*Laughing with our warriors at various rest stops, as they explained, often in great comedic detail, what it would take to ease the discomfort of riding such a great distance. I learned of products I never knew existed.

*Admiring how fellow riders offered assistance to those who struggled, regardless of branch, rank or injury.

*Witnessing wounded warriors, riding alongside their military brothers as well as civilians, all sharing one road, all striving to complete the grueling ride in relentless heat. It was truly incredible seeing the sense of accomplishment and renewed faith in themselves.

*Standing at the finish line in Gettysburg, as the riders arrived all at once, being led by those on hand cranked cycles, amid the cheers of the crowd that gathered, under a beautiful American flag blowing in the wind.

This was truly an amazing experience and one I encourage participation in, whether it is as a volunteer or rider. Next year, give an hour, a day, or a weekend to assist during the ride and make memories of your own...

M

FACE OF AMERICA BICYCLE RIDE--Reflections

Well, the long anticipated weekend has come and gone. What a wonderful weekend it was! The work was worth it! The heat--if the riders didn't complain, we didn't either!!

320 individuals participated--whether cycling or volunteering. A tentative count has it at about 280 cyclists covering 110 miles over 2 days from Bethesda MD to Gettysburg PA. I am sorry to say that I was not able to take pictures, but will be posting links to sites that will post them.

So many different people rode. "Angels" to an ambassador; Injured to non-injured; Sailors to Soldiers to Marines to Coast Guard to Air Force; Generals to Privates; Civilians to Milbloggers :-); people of all ages.

Here's some things from YouTube--and yes, I tear each time I look at these. These were forwarded onto me from friends--thanks!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqIFjwMmR20 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Sb2F3_gh8 Oh, and here's a video that was aired on the DC Fox News Friday night http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/042409_injured_soldiers_bike_ride

I am glad that we have been given this opportunity to work this event. So much good comes from an event such as this. The bonding between riders and volunteers can not be explained. For those of us that return every year--it's seeing old friends and catching up. To those riders that were recently injured, it shows they can still do things they did before they were injured. At the end of the very first ride I worked on, a young man who had lost his leg in Iraq and had just finished 110 miles, looked at me with the biggest smile on his face and said "L, this is the first time since I lost my leg that I felt normal".....You betcha we work to make that happen for all our warriors!

I am proud and honored to be working with the fine group of people who put on this event. Thank you!

LDR

FACE OF AMERICA BICYCLE RIDE

It’s getting to be that time again. Less than a month to go to the Face of America Bicycle Ride. Soldiers’ Angels has partnered with World T.E.A.M. (The Exceptional Athlele Matters) Sports http://www.worldteamsports.org in this wonderful event, which has able bodied riding alongside disabled bodied riders. This is a “ride” not a race. All ride together-finish together.

The ride takes place April 25 – 26 from Bethesda MD to Gettysburg PA. Covering 110 miles over 2 days, the route goes through scenic Maryland and ends in historic Gettysburg PA.

Plans are progessing wonderfully. Participants are registering on a daily basis and the ride is growing! I can not begin to tell you how exciting this event is--for both the participants and volunteers!!

Jeff Messner, President of World T.E.A.M. Sports talking to the warriors at WRAMC.

Doug Levy, Face of America Ride Leader addressing warriors at WRAMC.

Soldiers' Angels has quite a few members participating in a number of areas. Some are riding, others are volunteering, MANY are making banners of support and encouragement that will be hung at the Kick-off Dinner, the rest stops and the End of Ride Celebration.

If you would like to have an experience you won't soon forget, register to participate--whether as a rider or volunteer.