and.......

SOLDIERS' ANGELS STANDING BY FOR FT. HOOD-- We are collecting cards and NEW stuffed animals for the families and children of the fallen/wounded heroes.

Please send cards and stuffed animals/blankets/anything NEW that may brighten the life of a child to:

Soldiers' Angels Warehouse
4408 PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218


WE WILL FOCUS on the HOLIDAY OUTREACH as a major push.

ATLANTA, Nov. 4, 2009 – The approaching holiday season is a time of hope and family for millions of Americans, but hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops stationed around the world will likely celebrate far from home again this year.

In an effort to boost morale with messages of support and gratitude, VAULT is partnering with the USO and country music act Montgomery Gentry on

“The Uniform of Heroes: The Taste of Support” campaign.

Entering its second year, the program provides a unique opportunity for people to send hand-written postcards to “any service member” stationed worldwide.

Beginning today, people are encouraged to write messages of support on pre-addressed postcards, which are available through VAULT displays at convenience retail outlets and on VAULT standees in grocery stores where VAULT is sold.

They also are available at VAULT-sponsored events and on MyCokeRewards.com , while supplies last. Consumers can provide postage and easily drop the postcards in the mail for delivery to a USO collection center for screening before being distributed to U.S. troops.

“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for all Americans to recognize the special contributions and sacrifices made by U.S. troops, especially during this time of the year,” said Neil Golson, VAULT Brand Manager, Coca-Cola North America. “These messages will go a long way in bringing comfort and lifting the spirits of our troops, especially those who are a world away from home.”

In addition to boosting morale through the postcard program, VAULT is asking consumers to contribute to the USO by donating their own MyCokeRewards points, which translate to cash for the organization. MyCokeRewards points, found under caps and on packaging of more than 60 products from Coca-Cola North America , can be redeemed at MyCokeRewards.com to donate funds that help support the continuing efforts of the USO to provide a home away from home to U.S. troops wherever they serve.

Sandy Douglas, President, Coca-Cola North America, recently presented $100,000 from last year’s campaign to Sloan Gibson, USO President and CEO, during a special performance by Montgomery Gentry at The Tabernacle Concert Hall in Atlanta. The concert served as the kickoff of “The Uniform of Heroes: The Taste of Support” campaign.

“We’re proud to continue the effort to support our U.S. troops, and it’s exciting to partner with VAULT on this important campaign once again,” said Troy Gentry. “VAULT and the USO have created a great way to spread goodwill and offer our thanks to the brave men and women serving our country. We hope thousands of people will get involved again this year.”

“Corporate partnerships, like the one we have enjoyed with Coca-Cola for 68 years, are the lifeblood of the USO, and programs like VAULT’s ‘The Uniform of Heroes: The Taste of Support’ make an enormous difference to the troops who defend our nation,” said Gibson. “We’re very pleased to work with VAULT and Montgomery Gentry again in generating awareness and delivering much-appreciated thoughts and well-wishes for U.S. troops worldwide.”

Background
The VAULT postcard program replicates the popular service previously operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, which allowed the American public to send mail addressed to “any service member” for more than 17 years before being discontinued in 2003 due to security concerns. “Since email has become the primary form of communication for soldiers, handwritten, personal notes are especially valued and can provide an incredible morale boost,” said Gibson. “By teaming with VAULT and leveraging the reach of the Coca-Cola system, we’re giving people across the country a chance to send a note of support or gratitude to our troops delivered through the network of USO centers.”

This Week's Post Was Written By Greta Col. Henry J. Cook
 
 



Past National Commander, Military Order of the Purple Heart, after serving over fifteen years with MOPH, gaining invaluable experience while in the positions of National Aide-de-Camp, Chapter Commander, Region Commander, National Junior Vice Commander and National Senior Vice Commander. He was a career Special Forces (Green Beret) officer for thirty-three of the total forty-two years that he was on combined active and reserve duty. His combat tours began in 1967-68 when he operated behind enemy lines in for extended periods of time conducting operations with native guerrilla troops as the Executive Officer of the 4th Mobile Guerrilla. He saw additional combat in 1969-70 when he led a U.S. Special Forces Mobile Strike Force Battalion (MIKE FORCE), consisting of Green Beret officers and sergeants leading Cambodian mercenaries, again working behind enemy lines as well as reacting to attacks on friendly bases, often requiring that his unit be parachuted into hostile drop zones. Later, he participated in Desert Shield (Saudi Arabia), Desert Storm (Kuwait) and Iraq, and Operation Provide Comfort (Support to Kurdish refugees in Northern Iraq. For his valor and military skills, Colonel Cook was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for Valor and two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device and one Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with One Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold and Silver Stars, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Combat Diver Badge, Special Forces Tab, and numerous other U.S. and foreign decorations. Henry Cook is now twice retired, as a soldier and as a lawyer and resides in Diamondhead, Mississippi. He is a member of the Pro Bono Consortium representing veterans who appeal denial of claims and is a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims. He’s been a member of the Mississippi Bar Association since 1978 and also serves as a Municipal Judge Pro Tem in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Other significant contributions to veterans by Henry Cook include: a major role in the creation of the Mississippi Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Ocean Springs and helping raise over $500,000 to help MOPH members in Louisiana and Mississippi who lost everything during Hurricane Katrina. In addition to MOPH, he also belongs to Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Special Forces Association (SFA), Special Operations Association (SOA), Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW). You can read more about Col. Henry in this PDF file on pages 31 & 32.




These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero. We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

A 'surf' of the web for posts related to the Valour IT fundraiser

Nice Deb had the same idea, check out her post Project Valour IT News and Links

The Daley Gator weighed in for the Marine Team with
Your Valour IT Marine of the Day

and Miss Ladybug blogs Nolan Ryan is Helping Support Valour IT


For Team Navy,from the USNI blog Valour IT: Giving in Action

and View From the 8th Floor is blogging posts every day (and also has the Navy blogroll on her sidebar)



Soldiers Angels New York posted Why I Like the Air Force


and sometimes,LOL, it just gets silly........Uncle Jimbo at Blackfive posted
Navy Brings out SEALS to Support Valour IT

and Mudville Gazette had the Valour IT Trick or Treat



There's lots more out there, this is just a sampling......

the Navy blogs are also listed at the bottom of the page at the link to join the Navy Team here


the Air Force blogroll is listed at the page to join the AF team here

the Marine's blogroll is listed on the Marine Team sign-up page here

and the Army Team's blogroll is listed at the Only page you really need to sign up your blog at,
HERE

While I'm partial to the Army:) go check out All the blogs listed that are participating in this 'Virtual Fundraiser'.....it's a great way to get introduced to some bloggers you might not otherwise have come across....and you Might be able to leave a snarky comment or two on a competing Team's post,LOL.

My 'surf' of the web for news by, and about,
Soldiers Angels


From The Daily Journal in NJ Don't forget the soldiers this holiday


From The Paladin at Furman University in Greenville,SC
Students to send Thanksgiving Overseas


Great post from a new-to-me blogger at Savoring the Sweet Life


From the NewsTribune in Illinois Penny collection makes 'cents' in effort to help soldiers


That's the surf!

For those of you who might not know how Project Valour IT got started?


Project Valour-IT began when Captain Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss was wounded by an IED while serving as commander of a tank company in Iraq in June 2005
.
During his deployment he kept a blog From My Position...On the Way
Captivating writing, insightful stories of his experiences, and his self-deprecating humor won him many loyal readers. After he was wounded, his wife continued his blog, keeping his readers informed of his condition.

As he began to recover, CPT Ziegenfuss wanted to return to writing his blog, but serious hand injuries hampered his typing. When a loyal and generous reader gave him a copy of the Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred software, other readers began to realize how important such software could be to CPT Ziegenfuss' fellow wounded soldiers and started cast about for a way to get it to them.

A fellow blogger (blog author) who writes under the pseudonym FbL contacted Captain Ziegenfuss and the two realized they shared a vision of providing laptops with voice-controlled software to wounded soldiers whose injuries prevented them from operating a standard computer. FbL contacted Soldiers Angels, who offered to help develop the project, and Project Valour-IT was born.

In sharing their thoughts, CPT Ziegenfuss (now a Major) and FbL found that memories of their respective fathers were a motivating factor in their work with the project. Both continue their association with this project in memory of the great men in their lives whose fine examples taught them lasting lessons of courage and generosity.

In the years since its founding in 2005, the project has acted to meet emerging needs and its mission of supporting the the severely wounded has expanded. In addition to voice-controlled laptops, Valour-IT now helps provide active and whole-body video games such as Wii Sports, which is used to great effect in physical therapy, and personal GPS systems that help compensate for short-term memory loss and organizational/spacial challenges common in those with brain injuries.
------------------------------
Check out the video "Ballad of Captain Z"

you can check the link at YouTube HERE

or you can check out the details on the Official Valour IT blog