Greensboro, North Carolina
April 24, 2010

The 113th Sustainment Brigade, N.C. Army Nation Guard is sponsoring.

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A song dedicated to soldiers and veterans is turning the third grade at Colonial Heights' Tussing Elementary School into an Internet sensation.
The response from around the world has surprised music teacher Michael Souders, who co-wrote the song "Thank You Soldiers" with his wife, Angela, and posted the video on multiple video-hosting Web sites, including You Tube.
The third-graders gave a school performance after Veterans Day, and Souders wanted to write a song for the students to sing that was not just about the soldiers, but to them.
"I wanted to write one that would be very sweet from [the students'] hearts, from them singing directly to the veterans and soldiers," he said.
The three-minute video has the lyrics to the song displayed over photographs of soldiers past and present. The song opens by celebrating the ability to sleep peacefully at night while soldiers protect America's shores "in the air and oceans, too / Defending freedom at all cost."

While Souders never served in the military, he has a deep appreciation for those who do. "Not having served, I feel indebted more," he said.
Souders said the students received certificates from the Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America and Catholic War Veterans of the U.S.A. for the performance. The class also is receiving notes and e-mails from all over the world, from active-duty soldiers to veterans to their families.
Since being uploaded to You Tube and other Web sites early last month, the video has been viewed more than 15,000 times. The song has been played on various radio stations throughout the Richmond area.
"The real, real desire for that video [was] the more soldiers that get a thank-you, the better," Souders said. "It's almost become a class project, to see how many soldiers we can thank."
One thing is certain, Souders said: "They are going to remember; it's not something they'll soon forget."

Last year, Vets for Freedom brought hundreds of veterans to Capitol Hill to support General Petraeus and the Iraq Surge. The result, our commanders and troops on the battlefield got the resources they needed, and we're winning the war in Iraq.

This is another call to action. Vets for Freedom is asking every Afghanistan veteran, and other veterans, who believe in defeating America's enemies to converge on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Thursday, November 5. It's time for the warfighters to tell their representatives--face to face--to give the Commanders what they need.

Click here to go to their website and sign up!

While our troops are engaged in a war against murderers and sub-humans that do not recognize nor abide by any conventions or decency, under the harshest environments imaginable - they are made keenly aware that only they seem to take the battle seriously.

Ever since the current theater of battle was opened, our troops have been under assault from enemies they cannot fight, adversaries they are not allowed to recognize. Within the last decade the defenders of our freedom and our constitution have endured the ridicule, disrespect and outright hostility of an insurgency that attacks them from the rear, from within the ranks of the people they sacrifice to protect.

Even their commander in chief demonstrates no consideration or desire for victory.

Perspective.
Right now, federal prosecutors and NC state officials are debating the release of over 20 murderers and rapists from state prisons. Convicts with life sentences are to be released, only one will be required to endure parole. Yet, the finest among us serve - voluntarily - in conditions and circumstances far, far worse than our prisons. They do so not as punishment, not as a sentence but - to them - an honor and duty.
While rapists and murderers are freed, our troops continue to endure worse conditions and worse treatment.

This is not acceptable. This is travesty. This is unjust. This is shameful.

Several groups of North Carolinians are making plans to try - in a small way - to grant some respect, admiration and gratitude to the men and women of our military. This saturday, October 24, in Fayetteville, NC - they will spend four hours to hold a troop-support rally and 'rolling tea party' to honor those that serve at Fort Bragg.

Will you come, please? Will you join us in saying simply - thank you.

Will you miss that ballgame to serve a nobler purpose? There will be another game, probably the next day.
Will you give up a few holes of golf? The grounds keepers will still be preening the green next weekend.
Will you pass up the state fair? It's the same rides, bad food and displays that were there last year and will be there next year.
Will you postpone washing the car, painting the bathroom, watching that movie, lighting the grill or whatever routine entertainment it is that can wait.

Take a day off from enjoying your American blessings to say thanks to those that protect those blessings.

Goto one of these websites for details and directions
Gathering of Eagles NC
Rolling Tea Party

I hope to see you there.
Bubba

See GOE Wounded Warrior Project for updates on the following story.

Have you made your plans and reservations for 9/12 in DC?

If not, get a move on. Time is short. This is your opportunity to be a player in an historic event.

Get the Details Here

Lance Cpl. Roger G.M. Hager, a 2008 graduate of Western Alamance High School, died during Operation Enduring Freedom.

A public visitation and viewing will be held at Lowe Funeral Home in Burlington on S. Church Street starting at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, July 14.

The procession with Hager's body will leave the airport, head down Highway 62, also called Alamance Road, to South Church St. to Lowe Funeral Home. The address to the funeral home is 2205 S. Church St, Burlington.

The funeral will be held on Wednesday, July 15 at 2:00pm at the chapel in Lowe Funeral Home. The burial will follow at Gibsonville Cemetery on Springwood St.

Marine officials say Hager was a passenger in a Humvee that was destroyed by a roadside bomb. The incident happened in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

Elkin, NC -- Capt. Mark A. Garner, 30, commander of Company B, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, died of injuries sustained July 6, when an improvised explosive device detonated near a military convoy, striking his vehicle during combat operations in the Arghandab District of Afghanistan.

The visitation for Captain Garner will be held on Friday, July 17 at 6:00 pm at First Baptist Church of Elkin.

The funeral will be on Saturday, July 18 at 2:00 pm. A military processional will follow leaving from the church to East Main Street to Hollywood Cemetary.

The body will arrive on Wednesday, July 15 from Wilkes Regional Airport and proceed to Elkin.

A native of Elkin, N.C., Garner initially entered the Army in 2002, after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering.

Garner is survived by his wife Nickayla, father Donnie Ray and mother Elizabeth.

The church and family ask everyone to please remember to hang your yellow ribbons in memory of Capt. Mark Garner.

The story is at this link: SGT Mike Minard

Army SGT Michael Minard, 26, of Grand Junction, Colo., was on his third tour in Iraq when tragedy struck.

"1 October we were out on a recon just a couple clicks north of Sadr City in Baghdad and on the way we got hit by a [roadside bomb]," he said. "It tore through our Stryker and stripped my legs apart."

Sgt. Minard lost both of his legs in the explosion.

Michael, his wife Lynda, and their two children have a home that needs to be adapted to fit his needs.

From Gathering of Eagles National:

Turning on your Brothers and Sisters
Since the inception of GoE there have been several groups that we have openly confronted at every rally or counter rally. IVAW and VFP are two of them. These groups claim to be comprised of Veterans. But again and again members of IVAW, top members, are discovered to be frauds, never having served in the military. Some of them served, but contrary to their own claims, never deployed. Of those that did deploy, there is a signifcant amount of them that are "other than honorable" discharges and AWOL. VFP has claim to the infamous "hanoi john kerry". These groups of "veterans", along with Vets for Common Sense, have once again proven what they stand for, and it's NOT protection of our men and women in service.
While thousands still remain deployed in either Iraq or Afghanistan as well as other less than friendly duty posts, these groups feel that releasing pictures of supposed "torture" of detainees would somehow "safe guard national security". They are asking Veterans to sign their letter to the President. I've included the press release so as not to give them the site hits. Please call your local VFW, AL, and any other Veterans associations you may be involved with and ask them to warn their members of this treasonous request.

Goto Gathering of Eagles if you want to read the press release.

Link: http://www.gatheringofeaglesnc.org

The North Carolina Gathering of Eagles will be sponsoring their third annual Operation: Recruiter Appreciation on May 22 in Raleigh, and in Smithfield.

The ORA is about demonstrating respect, admiration and gratitude to the Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors that man the recruiting offices. They accomplish this objective by serving lunch to the recruiters.

GOE volunteers setup tables and canopies and fill them with home-cooked grub - covered dish style. The recruiters come and have lunch and enjoy the attention of admiring Americans that have taken time off from work and life to be with them.

The troops have come to look forward to these events. Those that were stationed at these same offices remember well the previous ORA and some bring their families.

The recruiting offices on Calvary Dr, Raleigh include Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Army National Guard. Altogether, approximately 30 or so recruiters are employed there.



Most of these recruiters have already done tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, as the ribbons and medals on thier chests testify.

This sign attached to the canopy last year sets the tone. "This Aint Berkeley", refers to the fact that our fellow "americans" in Berkeley California have spent the last few years protesting the recruiters in their town. Every week they blockade the entrances to the recruiting offices, waving anti-war signs, chanting anti-military slogans and singing anti-America ditties. They have resorted to vandalism on more than a few occasions.

To make stark contrast, the sign is accompanied by a 20 foot American flag.
North Carolinians love their troops and know how to show it.





The Gathering of Eagles is not a selfish organization. They dont keep the recruiters to themselves. They encourage and seek your support and participation.


So, you want to get in on the fun? Contact the NC-GOE coordinator at coordinator.east@gatheringofeaglesnc.org, volunteer to bring your favorite dish. That special, secret-recipe, casserole that you're famous for would be right at home on the ORA3 tables.
Even if you can't bring food and hang around, use your lunch hour to just make an appearance and take the opportunity to thank these recruiters for their service.
NC-GOE will also be collecting gift cards for distribution among the recruiters.

See you There!.

Have a look at the previous ORA events: ORA-2007, ORA-2008

Link: http://avoiceformoms.blogspot.com

I am reprinting this with permission from the person who wrote it. Continue to pray for our brave men and women in harms way.

All of us want to raise our glass the highest this week to the Navy
SEALs who popped those three Somali pirates. And I'm sure you want to hear the real story of what happened. Especially because there is a revoltingly opportunistic and cowardly side to it. Guess which side Zero is on?

Why, for example, did it take SEAL Team Six over 36 hours to get to the scene?

Because Zero refused to authorize the SEAL deployment for those 36
hours, during which the OSC - the on scene commander, Cmdr. Frank Castellano of the USS Bainbridge - repeatedly requested them.

Once the SEALs arrived - parachuting from a C-17 into the ocean near the ship - Zero then imposed Rules of Engagement (ROE) specifying the SEALs could not do anything unless the life of the hostage, Captain Richard Phillips, was in "imminent" danger.

Thus, when Capt. Phillips attempted to escape by jumping off the
lifeboat into the ocean, the SEAL snipers had all four pirates (one later surrendered) sighted in and could have taken them out then and there - but they could not fire due to Zero's ROE restrictions.

When the SEALs approached the lifeboat in a RIB (rigid-hull inflatable boat) carrying supplies for Capt. Phillips and the pirates, the pirates fired upon them. Not only was no fire returned due to the ROE, but as the pirates were shooting at the RIB, SEAL snipers on the Bainbridge had them all dialed in. No triggers were pulled due to the ROE.

Two specific rescue plans were developed by Cmdr. Castellano and the
SEAL teams. Zero personally refused to authorize them.

After the second refusal and days of dithering, Cmdr. Castellano decided he had the Operational Area and OSC authority to "solely determine risk to hostage" and did not require any further approval of the president.

Four hours later, the White House is informed that three pirates are
dead and Capt. Phillips has been rescued unharmed. A WH press release is immediately issued, giving credit to the president for his "daring and decisive" behavior that resulted in such success.

Zero has absolutely no military knowledge or experience whatsoever. He demanded decisional control over the entire hostage drama to the last detail. All actions required his personal approval. He dithered like a coward while the world laughed at our warships flummoxed by four illiterate teenagers with AKs in a lifeboat.

Only when the Navy Commander decided to ignore his Pantywaist-in Chief
and take action and responsibility himself, were the incredible skills of the SEALs put into play.

That Zero could cynically and opportunistically claim that his "bold" "calm" "tough" leadership was responsible should remind everyone that not a single action , not a single word of this man can be trusted. He is bereft of honesty and moral character. That's why he's Zero.

Let us raise a glass full of pride and gratitude to Navy Commander Frank Castellano, the Navy SEALs for their incredible competence, and our military. Let's hold a Tea Party in their honor.