Ties that Bind

I was recently contacted by a wife of a wounded warrior Soldiers’ Angels supported in the past and it got me to thinking—which always puts fear into my teams hearts. J

The Wounded Programs provide support to the wounded/injured/ill warrior and his/her family. Yes, it is hard meeting with and talking to the warrior, but most grab hold of the statement below and push on. This statement is frequently seen on the doors to the warriors hospital rooms.

ATTENTION: To all who enter here; if you are coming into this room with sorrow or to feel sorry for my wounds, go elsewhere. The wounds I received, I got in a job I love, doing it for people I love, supporting the freedom of a country I deeply love. I am incredibly tough and will make a full recovery. What is full? That is the absolute utmost physically my body has the ability to recover. Then I will push that about 20% further through sheer mental tenacity. This room you are about to enter is a room of fun, optimism, and intense rapid regrowth. If you are not prepared for that, go elsewhere.”

This is what our warriors keep in their hearts, minds and souls. So, we provide the support, encouragement and share with them in reaching the various goals they’ve set for themselves. Once medically retired, these warriors move on with their lives and we very rarely hear from them again…..as it should be.

It is the support provided to the families of our warriors—the wives, moms, husbands, dads—that prove to be long-lasting. The families put on a brave front with their warrior, not showing the heart-ache, confusion and sense of being overwhelmed that overcomes them while the warrior is fighting his/her own battle of recovery. They must remain strong in front of the warrior.

Many of the wives, moms, husbands and dads keep in touch us. I think the emotions they shared with the support person/people--the fears, the hopes, the tears, the confusion, the joy of the warrior attaining a goal—and knowing that they COULD share those emotions—creates a bond. Knowing they could voice the fears, knowing they could cry, knowing they could be angry, knowing they could be what they needed to be and letting go of the “strong face” they keep up for their loved one means so much.

Many, many times our shoulders have been used to catch the tears of a family member. They’ve cried on our shoulders, and we’ve cried with them, and we are now considered a friend. Our visits and phone calls are looked forward to by them.

Frequently, we make a special visit or phone call to the care-taker, knowing that they need the chance to talk and vent. This type of support is on-going and will continue long after the warrior is released. These are the ties that bind.

God Bless our warriors and their families.

LDR

Chester New Jersey Lion's Club Oktoberfest

Lynda and I were honored to represent Soldiers' Angels at the Chester Lion's Club Oktoberfest on Sunday. The weather was beautiful here in New Jersey on Sunday. The sun was shining all day. Record breaking crowds attended this event, lining up for the wonderful German food and music....Did I mention the German beer?

The Chester Lion's were so welcoming to us. We can not say "thank you" enough for all they did. Mike R--you rock. Thank you.

We were given a table front and center. We had displayed a VALOUR-IT Laptop and bag, a Transitional Backpack, Blankets of Hope, a photo album of some past events and some brochures. We were giving away the Soldiers' Angels wristbands for a thank you card. Write a thank you card to a service member--get a free wristband. One of the most memorable was from a former Officer of the Russian Army.


We met so many people and were able to talk to them about Soldiers' Angels and what we do to support our warriors--both deployed and here at home. I am hoping that we recruited a good number to our ranks of Angels. We listened as well--to the mom whose son just returned from Iraq and had tears in her eyes talking to us. We listened to a wife whose husband just went over in August for his third deployment--she was strong, because her 12 year old son was with her, but we knew she needed to talk. We listened.

It was a wonderful day of "angeling". Lynda and I are already planning for next year!

Follow this link for a another write-up on the event. http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20091002/ENT/90930038/1005/NEWS01/Chester-s-Oktoberfest-celebration-raises-funds-for-charity

LDR

September is the most gorgeous time of year at the Jersey Shore and Soldiers’ Angels shared that with a group of 14 wounded/injured/ill heroes from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center.

The trip was from Friday to Sunday with unrestricted time for these heroes to enjoy their families without worrying about appointments and schedules. The only “scheduled time” was dinner each evening. There is no end to the appreciation from these heroes for a trip such as this. Most, if not all, of the other trips sponsored have the time scheduled to the minute. This trip gives them the unstructured time to relax, regroup and do normal, family things.

The bus arrived around noon on Friday. After check-in, some explored the beach and boardwalk; some explored the town; some simply took to their room to relax. The hotel, The White Sands Resort & Spa, makes these warriors most welcome. The Spa accommodates them with the various treatments offered and appointments, working with them at the warriors convenience.

We had some very special guests at our dinner Friday evening at the Lido Cafe. The weekend prior, I’d met some retired Marines at the Seafood Festival in town and invited them to join us. What a wonderful way to say “thank you” to them. The Marines who made the trip from NNMC had a great time talking with them, as did all our warriors. Rich Lowe, Soldiers’ Angels Board of Trustee, also coined these Marines.

Saturday was a day for kite flying, kayaking, spa treatments, and indulging in all the boardwalk goodies. A group had never had ice cream and waffles; another had never had zeppole’s. If the boardwalk was open Sunday morning, they’d have gone back for more waffles and ice cream.

Saturday’s dinner was a Clambake held at Point Pleasant Boro Fire Co #1. What a wonderful event this was. After 2 Crystal Wing Awards were presented, to Steven McGovern of Mack Boring & Parts Company and to Anthony Frascella, dinner was served. Catered by Melanie’s Clambakes, they enjoyed steamers, fresh Jersey corn, lobster or chicken. Many hadn’t had lobster before and totally enjoyed it. Before, during and after dinner, the children had a chance to sit in the fire trucks, dress in the gear and shoot off a fire hose. They had such fun!

The weather cooperated Friday and Saturday, but the rains came late Saturday evening and through Sunday morning. It didn’t stop many of these adventurous souls though. We found them coming back from a last walk on the boardwalk—soaking wet, from a “taco search” about 8 blocks from the hotel.

All said this was exactly the type of weekend they needed. They could be themselves and enjoy the time spent with family and friends. This was a special trip for 2 soldiers who will be returning down range in the next few months—so this trip meant even more than we knew to them when we invited them.

Many, many thanks to Soldiers’ Angels for this trip. They are already looking forward to next year!

Thank you to the following: The White Sands Resort & Spa, Spanos, Melanie’s Clambakes, Point Pleasant Boro Fire Company #1, Briggs Transportation, Eyre Bus Service. Of course, thank you to all the angels, in DC and Jersey, who worked hard to get this together and get them gathered onto the bus! LOL

LDR

What A Weekend!

A trip to the Jersey Shore! Soldiers' Angels and 14 wounded warriors and their families enjoyed a wonderful weekend at "The Shore". They arrived at noon on Friday and spent a wonderful weekend enjoying fun, sun and family. The weather cooperated up until late Saturday night, but that did not dampen our warriors. They walked the boardwalk, went down to the ocean and even found a "Taco stand" about 8 blocks inland!!! :)

More to come! I am waiting for pictures!

LDR

My Blog-father's Posts

My Blog-father, Laughing Wolf, recently posted this piece and this piece at Blackfive. If you didn't get a chance to catch them there, please take a few minutes to read about our wounded warriors and their will and determination and also about a very special "ceremony" that takes place as they are brought into Landstuhl.

God Bless all our military!

LDR

Southern Mississippi Angels

I was recently honored to visit some Angels belonging to the "Wounded Team" in Southern Mississippi. Lead by Jeanne Graser, better known as "Granny", these Angels have shown remarkable support of all our military even through the most dire of times.




Many of these Angels lost most, if not all of their possessions in Hurricane Katrina, some lost their homes as well, but they continued to support our troops--both wounded and deployed. An email to Granny, telling her of a soldier in need and these Angels would donate what they could to help. I don't remember a single time where this group did not help in some way.

American Legion Post 77, Waveland, MS donated their hall for a Meet and Greet Dinner. Commander Russell Voorhees and Post Commander Ray Cuevas made that happen for us. Thank you so much for your assistance. Another thank you to Post 77 for their help in setting up and cleaning up.

50+ guests, including wounded, active duty, retired military, Soldiers' Angels and civilians attended the dinner. Representatives from the Silver Slipper Casino and the Hollywood Casino also stopped in. Many of the retired military who attended were supported by Soldiers' Angels while deployed or recovering from combat injuries in WRAMC or BAMC. One of these retirees was helped by Soldiers' Angels in getting home after Katrina hit. A wonderful group of Women Roller Derby Skaters also joined us. They will be skating with Soldiers' Angels on their shoulders and will be promoting Soldiers' Angels in their travels. What a wonderful group! I just wish I was in Mississippi to see them skate!!

After acknowledging the local Angels and the American Legion, we made a presentation describing the many different Soldiers' Angels teams and how we support the deployed, wounded and veterans.

WLOX-TV was there and did a wonderful piece about the event. Thank you to WLOX and to Al Showers--Al, you are a true "Angel".

Soldiers' Angels recognized Jeanne Graeser, aka Granny, for her unwavering work on behalf of our soldiers. Granny was one of the Angels who lost her home and possessions in Katrina and she never stopped her support of our soldiers. If anything, her support got stronger. She has said that helping support our military is what helped her through this devastating time. She is famous for sending the warriors letters containing her "Granny Adventures".

These past few days have been a few of the best spent. The people of Southern Mississippi are so very friendly. The generosity shown is amazing. What great Americans! What great Angels!

LDR

So very proud...

Volunteering in itself is more than rewarding. Seeing miracles every day and getting to witness startling recoveries are bonuses. Today, I spotted one of our longtime warriors across the lobby, and I noticed his head was higher than normal. You see, for the past 2 years, this humble warrior has been confined to a wheelchair while he recovers and gets used to 2 prosthetic limbs. Today, I saw him standing upright and my heart swelled like the proudest of parents. It took all I had to hold back cheerful tears I was afraid would overcome me, and I didn't want to risk embarrassing him. I know I smiled from ear to ear, but it was no comparison to the smile that warmed his face as he walked over to me. While we see progress all the time, watching a warrior make the move from wheelchair to crutches gets me every time. This warrior's journey has not been without struggle and complications, but true to a soldier's spirit, he has persevered, made great strides and rarely complained.

It's getting to witness milestones such as this that humble me, every single day and make everything we do on behalf of our warriors so very worth the effort...every time...

MD

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. Afterwards, we were treated to tasty hot dogs, lemonade and ice cream sandwiches which really hit the spot on a very warm day.

MD

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...

MD

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...

MD

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.

UFC at WR

A few months ago, we had the pleasure of meeting LTC Kelly C. at one of our functions at Walter Reed. After chatting for a bit, LTC C. let us know he had connections in MMA (mixed martial arts) and might be able to bring some UFC fighters to a future function. Of course, we jumped at the opportunity as our wounded warriors are great fans.

Fast forward to this past weekend and everything was set in motion. LTC C. lined up two very popular fighters: Matt Hughes (9x Welterweight Champ) and Tim Kennedy (Army MMA Champ) to come visit our warriors at a lunch we hosted. Our warriors were so excited to meet the fighters, they were lining up over an hour prior to the fighters' arrival. Once there, Matt and Tim proceeded to sign many autographs, have their picture taken, and even wrestle with some of the children present.

We also hosted Tom and Nick, from RangerUp http://www.rangerup.com/ who were gracious enough to bring plenty of awesome t-shirts to give away. Thank you also to Coach Mark and to Justin, for being our guests.

A couple of our favorite milbloggers were also in attendance: Laughing Wolf and Uncle Jimbo from http://www.blackfive.net/

In attendance were some local and not so local Angels as well, who assisted with set up, crowd control and greeting our guests - warriors, their families and special guests alike.

But the day was not over with lunch. You see, LTC C. had secured tickets for our warriors to attend the Ultimate Warrior Challenge "Man-o-War" event held that evening. RangerUp generously paid for the tranportation for our warriors. As tickets were limited, we quickly began a waiting list for our eager warriors, but the bottom line is all who wanted to come, were able to gain admittance. I, along with Joe, one of our very dedicated and longtime volunteers, had the pleasure of not only escorting our warriors, but also attending our first MMA event. Another shout out to our RangerUp fellas: Tom and Nick had ring/cageside seats, but would come to our seating area, switch seats with our warriors, therefore allowing our warriors to sit ringside for a match. You guys rock!

So a big thank you, to you, LTC C., Matt and Tim, Tom and Nick for being our guests, for making this one of our greatest events and for giving our wounded/ill warriors an event that will not soon be forgotten...

MD

ONE OF OUR OWN

Working as I do with our wounded warriors, I’ve been honored and privileged to meet many different heroes…..

The Wounded Warrior
The families of our wounded
The Battle Buddies of our wounded
Some of our deployed warriors and those Stateside
The Support Staff of the various WTU/WTB’s and hospitals
Our “Angels on the Ground” at the various facilities
Our Founder and the other Angels who support our warriors

Last night I had dinner with a different kind of hero and his family. A few years ago, this young man had been visiting our wounded at a large military medical facility on behalf of Soldiers’ Angels and was so inspired by our wounded warriors, he applied for and received an age waiver and joined the Army. This young man had a wonderful career in a large city, was establishing himself in the community but gave that up because he wanted to serve our country like the warriors he met as he visited.

He is soon to be deployed. I’ve told him to let me know when he arrives down range and we’d provide Soldiers’ Angels support. I am so very glad I know this man. I’m even more glad that my son has had the same honor in calling him friend.

There are many different types of heroes. He’s one of our own…..an angel!

LDR