RUN FOR THE FALLEN

ONE MILE FOR EVERY SERVICE MEMBER KILLED IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.

Beginning Flag Day, June 14, 2008, a dedicated team of runners will run across America from Fort Irwin, CA to Arlington National Cemetery, one mile for every Soldier, Sailor, Airmen, and Marine killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. For ten weeks, team members will mark each mile with an American flag and signcard in an apolitical reflection of remembrance of each service member.

http://www.runforthefallen.org/

The Fallen are shown by the date of their sacrifice and the route for that day is given as well as a Google map link...

This group is apolitical... they are simply honoring our Fallen Heroes.

These are the dates/locations of my son's friends and his mentor, Sgt. Salie.

David Salie, KIA 14 Feb 05

Day 25 July 9 Route 160/389, CO to Grenville, NM

Day 25 Honorees/Map Link

Matt Bohling, KIA 05 Sep 05

Day 31 July 15 Follett, TX to Woodward, OK

Day 31 Honorees/Map Link

Jason Benford, KIA 27 Sep 05

Day 32 July 26 Woodward, OK to Hopeton, OK

Day 32 Honorees/Map Link

Tommy Byrd, KIA 15 Oct 05

Jeff Corban, KIA 15 Oct 05

Rich Hardy, KIA 15 Oct 05

Vince Summers, KIA 15 Oct 05

Tim Watkins, KIA 15 Oct 05

Day 33 July 17 Hopeton, OK to Medford, OK

Day 33 Honorees/Map Link

My friend Tom Martin

Thomas Martin, KIA 14 Oct 07

Day 65 August 18 Old Church, VA to Yorktown, VA

Day 65 Honorees/Map Link

If anyone is going to be where these men and others will be honored, I hope they can get out and show their support, perhaps take pictures for those who cannot be there.

God Bless Our Heroes.

A Book for the Ages: FINAL SALUTE

They are the troops that nobody wants to see, carrying a message that no military family ever wants to hear. It begins with a knock on the door. "The curtains pull away. They come to the door. And they know. They always know," says Major Steve Beck.

If you need a book to read over this Independence Day weekend -- heck put down whatever else you're reading -- and pick up a copy of Jim Sheeler's FINAL SALUTE: A Story of Unfinished Lives. If you are at all familiar with this photo and Jim Sheeler's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Final Salute" in the Rocky Mountain News, you must read this book.

While I read this book, I thought of a lot of people... I thought often of Matt at Blackfive and remembered why Matt blogs... and I thought of him and Mat Schram's family and of Noah and Tommy Byrd's family as I read... remembering vividly when my son Noah was escorting his friend Tommy Byrd home to his final rest when he said, "I know this is a real honor, but it's so hard, Mom -- the hardest thing I have ever done." and I remember writing about our conversation along his journey with Tommy,

He tells me that when they all went off to war, they promised each other that they would bring each other home. "This isn't how we thought it would happen, Ma." I detect such emotion in that statement that it is hard for me not to weep. I can not fathom the pain of such memories... or the love and loyalty that inspired such promises.

In Final Salute, Sheeler tells the stories of the fallen, of their homes, of their families, of the memorials and the memories... it is also the story of Major [now Lt. Col.] Steve Beck -- a Casualty Assistance Case Officer (CACO) and his unwaivering efforts to help heal the wounds of those left behind. This is a moving and detailed book (major tissue alert)... I was so moved by the stories... and the writing... honest... honorable... sad... proud... and the photos included are just as awe-inspiring and moving as the one above.

I believe this book should be required reading for every high school student in the U.S. It will also be greatly appreciated by anyone who has served and their families... and those who support them and understand the nature of the sacrifice... and it should be read by anyone and everyone who questions the honor or intent of those who serve in our military. I don't know if those groups will be touched by the stories told by the Fallen and their wives, their parents, and the buddies they left behind, but perhaps they might gain some appreciation for the sacrifice and maybe approach some part of their lives differently and filter some of the pap they get in college and elsewhere through the filter of knowing that some gave all -- for them. Final Salute is a perfectly fitting read for the Independence Day weekend... reminding us all that the Freedom we all enjoy is not free.

At one point, when a Marine questions why they are having a large ceremony for the families telling the stories of each soldier and Marine who had died and formally presenting the medals they had earned, asking, "Why do you have to keep reminding them" [of their loved one's death]? To which Major Beck replied, "This isn't about reminding them," he said. "This is about reminding you."

and then there was this passage -- just one of the many that made me cry...

Unlike his superior officer, [Marine Sergeant Damon Cecil] had seen the war from both sides. Before he went to Iraq, however, Damon Cecil had never spoken to the dead.

"When you're carrying them home without going over there, you have this respect, but it's a respect you don't understand," he said. "When you go over there and come back, you say, 'Man, now not only do I understand, but I want to talk to them.' I feel like I know them. I feel like I'm going to walk with him all the way to the grave."

Only a few weeks before the [Remembering the Brave] ceremony, he returned to Colorado for another funeral. When the private jet arrived, Sergeant Cecil was one of the first Marines in the belly of the plane to remove the casket.

"When I got up there, I talked to him. I said, 'Hi, brother,' and I smoothed the cardboard [that protects the casket] before taking it off," he said. "I talk to them all the time. I say, 'I'm here for you, brother. I'm here to take you home."

It's a one way conversation that continues as he posts guard near the casket.

"I come into the room, and I post right next to him. I say, 'Hey, brother, I'm going to be taking care of you for a while. I'll be here for a while and then another Marine will take over.' "

Note: I would hold off reading this book if you have someone deployed or someone about to deploy... it was hard enough for me to read this book almost 3 years after the funerals for all Noah's friends. It's a very emotional book and could be too intense for those with loved ones in harm's way... but get it and read it when they are home and safe.

PS Not heard much about this book? Well, the major media outlets "aren't interested" in this book or the story it tells. So I'm telling it... and I hope you'll help spread the word.

Finally, a great big "THANK YOU" to LTC Beck (and the other CACOs and those who assist them) for remembering and honoring the Fallen so well... and to Jim Sheeler for telling the story -- and telling it so well.

(Don't take my word for how moving and important this book and its stories are... tap the Amazon link for FINAL SALUTE and read some of the many reviews posted there...)

June 14, 2008: FLAG DAY 2008

at our home in AZ

at our home in NY

at our home in NY

this image says it all...

this image inspired us... and gave us hope...

But no image of the flag -- encompassing its meaning and our heartfelt appreciation for the sacrifices made -- will ever mean more to us than these

from the funeral of Noah's friend Tommy Byrd (KIA, Ramadi, Iraq, October 2005)

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

Velvet Hammer

I have written before that the Hammer Brigade (3BDE) of 3rd Infantry Division releases a "Velvet Hammer" notification when they lose one of their own. I knew (via Noah) a few days ago that Echo Company had another fallen Hero, but had to wait for the official notification before posting. Although he was not a personal friend of Noah's, he was familiar with the Sgt.

Noah said it made no difference that they were not personal friends, he was nonetheless his brother. Sgt. Dhanoolal's death brought back significant memories and that specific type of anxiety that Noah hasn't experienced in a while. We have talked about the unit's targeted redeployment date and as for Noah (and me), it can not get here fast enough (we have been there done that before... the waiting). Rest in Peace, Sgt.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Dayne D. Dhanoolal, 26, of Brooklyn, died March 31 in Baghdad, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.

Rest in Peace, Sgt.

While Noah was deployed to Iraq, there was a hoax of a soldier's capture (turned out to be photos of a toy) and I still remember the gut crunching feeling we experienced when we first heard the news. I had that same reaction when we learned of Matt Maupin's capture and I have always been pained by the purgatory of uncertainty that Sgt. Maupin's parents have endured these four years.

Today we know... and we salute Sgt. Matt Maupin as a Hero. Our prayers go out to the Maupin family and Matt's friends and brothers-in-arms. Rest easy, soldier.

We ask for your prayers for this American Hero and his family.

COME to his assistance, All you Saints of God! Meet him, you Angels of the Lord. Receive his soul, and present it to the Most High. May Christ who called you, receive you; and may the Angels lead you into the bosom of Abraham. Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithfully departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

Into your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brother. In this life you embraced him with your tender love; deliver him now from every evil and bid him enter eternal rest.

The old order has passed away: welcome him then into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping nor pain, but the fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

THERE IS A PLACE

There is a place.

It is a place specifically to honor those of the Third Infantry Division killed in Iraq. A tree for each soldier lost… a living monument to those who gave all. A place that families and friends and comrades come to remember… to reflect… to pay respects. It is a place that provides comfort… and for some, peace.

It is Warriors' Walk at Fort Stewart, Georgia. There are now 373 trees. Four were added October 19. Two of those new trees were for soldiers in Noah's battalion/regiment. There are hopes that these will be the last to be added to the Walk; with at least eight more months in this deployment, it is a wish prayed with fervency and many promises attached.

Many family members and friends regularly leave mementos for fallen 3ID soldiers: pictures with family members, sports teams' memorabilia, plaques, toy motorcycles and even the occasional bottle of a soldier's favorite beer. Last December, as family members of the Third Infantry Division were preparing for their loved ones’ deployments -- some for the third time -- they paid homage by decorating the Warriors' Walk trees of family and friends. But the wife of the (now) Command Sgt. Major and others noticed that many trees had no decorations and she vowed to do something about it.

In connection with Wreaths Across America that I have written about before, funds are being raised to be sure that every tree at Warriors' Walk has a wreath this holiday season. If you would like to sponsor a wreath, here is the information:

To sponsor a wreath, click HERE or Go to the Wreaths Across America Web site, www.wreathsacrossamerica.org, and click on the "Become A Sponsor" link on the top left side of the page.

The cost is $15 each and sponsors can choose to buy more than one. For an extra dollar, you can order a Wreaths Across America Lapel Pin; for $18 (+$10 flat rate shipping) you can order yourself or someone else (like your favorite veteran) a Personal Remembrance Wreath which is identical to the Sponsored Wreaths. It is a 501c(3) charity so sponsorships are tax deductible.

To ensure the sponsored wreaths are used for the Warriors Walk initiative, you must type-in "Warriors' Walk/Ft. Stewart" on line two of the address information section on the sponsor form.

Sponsors leery of paying online can also mail a check made out to Wreaths for Warriors Walk to: Wreaths for Warriors' Walk, c/o Anthony Justi (project co-chairman), P.O. Box 3533, Fort Stewart, GA 31315. Checks will be consolidated and forwarded to WAA.

Arlington National Cemetery at Christmas

The wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled to take place on Warriors' Walk on December 15 at noon. I hope all who are or can be in the area will attend.

Wreath-laying ceremonies will also take place at Arlington National Cemetery and the other National Cemeteries around the country on that date. More information is available at the WAA website.

You can also volunteer to help place the wreaths at Warriors' Walk by contacting Anthony at wreaths4warriorswalk@yahoo.com. You may also volunteer at your local wreath-laying ceremony via the WAA website.

There is also a private fund raiser by the 3ID families to purchase bells for every one of the trees on Warriors' Walk so that the air is filled with the gentle sound to remind all who pass of those who have fallen. This is how it was explained to me:

The bells were the idea we came up with at the [Support3ID.com] reunion back in June. As we visited Warriors' Walk we realized how quiet it was with a few little dings here and there put off by chimes down the row of trees. We also noticed how over 250 trees out of those planted then did not have a single thing on or around it (they purge the decorations every few weeks or so and place them in their own section in the [3ID] Museum). This is when we decided as a token of our love, appreciation, utmost respect and gratitude, we wanted to buy bells or chimes to place in all of the trees so that they could remain there instead of being purged as all of the other decorations are.

These are some wonderful and caring people.....

x-posted at Milblogs

1st LT THOMAS MICHAEL MARTIN USA (KIA), USMA '05, 10 OCT 80 - 14 OCT 07

I received the following this evening. To protect the family's privacy (and to keep nut cases away), I have eliminated the locations and times.

Visitation. Visitation will be in San Antonio on Sunday, 21 October.

Funeral. The funeral will take place in San Antonio on Monday, 22 October.

Burial. Tom will be buried at West Point. The ceremony will be small and private with just immediate family in attendance.

Memorial Service. There will be a memorial service held in Cabot, Arkansas (Tom's hometown) on Saturday, 27 October.

Memorials. Two memorial funds to honor Tom's life have been established. The first is a college scholarship fund at Tom's high school that will be given annually to a young man or woman that exemplifies many of the same traits as Tom: leadership, and community and church involvement. Contributions may be forwarded to the 1LT Tom Martin Memorial Scholarship, Cabot Scholarship Foundation, Inc., 200 West Main Street, Cabot, Arkansas 72023.

The second fund supports the Returning Heroes Home foundation. The foundation runs an assistance center at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio that provides support for wounded Soldiers and their families. For more information see HERE. Contributions made in Tom's name will go towards the completion of their new building and provide a lasting impact for many members of the military family. Donations may be sent to Returning Heroes Home, 1162 E. Sonterra Blvd #210, San Antonio, Texas 78258.

Websites. For those interested, Tom's personal website is HERE... he kept an online journal for a few years before arriving in Alaska - it is so clear that he lived a full and wonderful life.

Updated: Tom's Memorial Service in Iraq will be at FOB Falcon on 18 October at 1930 hours. His friend, 1LT Chris Gerbas, is there serving as an Apache pilot. He asked me to tell Tom's family and Erika that he is flying to Tom's memorial service and will be carrying two American flags with him in the cockpit in memory of Tom. The flags will be sent to Erika and to Tom's parents from the service. God bless our friends and Soldiers still serving in Iraq. Please keep them in your prayers that God will keep them safe.

I again offer my sincerest condolences to the family, fiancee and friends of this American Hero.

As I posted at Milblogs, sometimes all the politics, strategy, finger pointing and arguing fall away and we remember the human side of war.

Rest in Peace TommyM1080.

UPDATE 17 Oct (from the Patriot Guard Riders thread): Lt. Martin's parents live in TEXAS. (TENTATIVE) They are having a FUNERAL or MEMORIAL in San Antonio on Monday, Oct. 22 or Tuesday, Oct 23. Internment will occur at the US Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Addendum: From Tom's September Update:

We're over 800 kilometers now for the total distance we've walked in this wonderful country and we've still got a few months left. I told the boys when we cross the 1K mark we’d have a near-beer keg party.

************************

I was overcome tonight. I learned a friend of mine was killed in Iraq yesterday. I had never gotten to meet Tom Martin, but through blogging he and I struck up an email friendship. We have traded emails throughout his long deployment.

See, Tommy had a blog: Green to Grey to Gold. He was enlisted and did a tour in the Sandbox (that's the green), got accepted to The Point (that's the grey). TommyM1080 thrived and did well and graduated an officer (that's the Gold). After graduation he learned to race drive tanks. Then he went to Ranger school. Got his unit. He was DAMNED proud of his men. One of my posts a few months back was from one of his emails to me.

Although he didn't blog this deployment, he sent many emails to a very large group of friends detailing the work and success they worked hard for in Iraq and he was looking forward to redeploying soon. He kept track of every mile he and his men walked in Iraq. I'll have to look that up and see how far that was. It was A LOT of miles.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1st Lt. Thomas M. Martin, 27, of Ward, Ark., died Oct 14 in Al Busayifi, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire during combat operations.

He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Tom's father is retired Army... his mother is still active Army. and a blogger (The Desert Chief). She did a tour in Iraq while Tom was finishing West Point... he led a sniper squad. Was just getting ready to redeploy. Just got engaged to a wonderful Army Medevac pilot.

While he was not actively blogging this tour (at the behest of command), his West Point Journal and the journals through training and Ranger School are chronicled with great humour on his blog... for instance, in order to keep spam out of his guestbook, you have to type "Beat Navy" as the security code. He and I shared a love of Calvin & Hobbs... It's just another one of those times about "the good dying young".

He leaves his parents Ed and Candy, three sisters and his fiancee Erika... and his best friends Jason, Ed & Les among so many.

Please leave your thoughts for Tommy's family on Tommy's guestbook.

DAMN. DAMN. DAMN.

COME to his assistance, All you Saints of God! Meet him, you Angels of the Lord. Receive his soul, and present it to the Most High. May Christ who called you, receive you; and may the Angels lead you into the bosom of Abraham. Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithfully departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

Into your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brother. In this life you embraced him with your tender love; deliver him now from every evil and bid him enter eternal rest.

The old order has passed away: welcome him then into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping nor pain, but the fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

Amen.