Massive Anti-War Pro-Peace Rally Mobilized For September 24-26 In Washington, DC


From September 24-26 a massive rally/march will mobilize in Washington, DC. This rally is being organized by United for Peace and Justice, A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, Veterans for Peace, Goldstar Families for Peace, and many other anti-war, peace groups. In this ACTION ALERT from United for Peace and Justice is a letter from Cindy Sheehan. If you are like a large number of peaceful Americans, and believe we should stop more blood from being shed, please support and attend this important event! We can honor our brave troops by bringing them home to their families.

End the War on Iraq!
September 24-26 · Washington, DC




Saturday, September 24
Massive March & Rally, Peace and Justice Festival, Operation Ceasefire Concert


Sunday, September 25
Interfaith Service, Training for Grassroots Lobby Day, Training for Mass Nonviolent Civil Disobedience


Monday, September 26
Grassroots Congressional Lobby Day &
Mass Nonviolent Civil Disobedience at the White House

This is a good posting Bro.. I posted it in another thread but it was shut down, so glad to see it back up.

http://vaiw.meetup.com/



http://vaiw.meetup.com/create/

You can be the difference.

Take any topic – being a mom, practicing French, caring for pugs – if it's something you're interested in, there's a good chance there are others nearby who are interested, too. That's what Meetup is all about – finding the others and getting together – in-person, face-to-face.

Every Meetup Group starts with one person – an Organizer – who takes that first, big step toward making "finding the others" a reality. Maybe that person is you. When you organize a Meetup, you'll make it possible for Vets Against Iraq War from across your community to meet up, share, and make a difference.

Included with the monthly fee of $19 are the resources, tools, and know-how of Meetup. In most groups, members chip in to help with the monthly fee. (There's even a money-back guarantee if, after a month, you decide that leading Meetups is not for you.)

A War Over Meaning


Americans are struggling to come to terms with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and with deaths that may ultimately number in the thousands. It is important that this near-apocalyptic disaster not eclipse the still-unfolding disaster of the war in Iraq, upon which Katrina may have an unforeseen influence.

At the heart of the matter is what we owe the dead. President Bush, referring recently to Americans killed in Iraq, said that "we owe them something" and must "finish the task that they gave their lives for." Finding himself in the middle of a national debate over the meaning we give to our war dead, he clings to the traditional response--that our soldiers must not have died in vain, and that their deaths represent noble sacrifices on behalf of eternal principles. Now taking hold, however, is an alternative, critical meaning: that these deaths can be rendered significant only by acknowledging the futility of the war itself.

Americans are grappling with these contradictory meanings. But the war's terrible toll (nearly 2,000 US soldiers killed as of this writing, and Iraqi deaths estimated at more than 20,000), together with the increasing recognition that the war is unwinnable, are strengthening the alternative meaning.

Americans are survivors of the war on either of two levels: directly, as soldiers or family members of those killed, or remotely, as compatriots of the dead in a war that is also "ours."

Survivor meaning is very much an issue in the official Pentagon ban on photographing American corpses or their caskets, and in the refusal of the President and his cabinet members to attend military funerals. Blocking out the images of these deaths serves to glorify and ennoble the war.

The war has generated painful survivor emotions, including deep disillusionment. There is a widespread realization that the Bush Administration deceived the public in the rationale it gave for going to war, in its false documentation of nonexistent weapons of mass destruction and in its specious linking of Iraq to the Al Qaeda attacks of 9/11.

From the beginning of recorded responses to war, there have always been expressions of alternative survivor meaning. Even Homeric visions of warrior honor and immortality contain an undertone of deep sadness and loss, with many voices questioning the justification for the pain and suffering on both sides. The alternative mission achieved a psychological and creative apogee in connection with World War I, which gave rise to a vast literature depicting the grotesque slaughter of trench warfare.

Vietnam veterans interviewed in the early 1970s identified more with World War I veterans than with those of World War II. The latter, often their fathers, had fought a "good war"--one widely seen as necessary, which ended in clear victory--and they were profoundly troubled by their sons' opposition to a war that was still in progress.

Antiwar Vietnam veterans performed brilliant survivor theater when they hurled their medals on the Capitol steps, literally in the faces of those who had awarded them. Nothing could have conveyed more compellingly a rejection of the traditional glorification of warrior exploits and of the war itself. They were joined and energized by thousands of Americans who, from a greater distance, had already embraced an alternative survivor mission.

Similarly passionate feelings about the meaning of the Iraq War have been expressed by families of the dead, soldiers themselves and veterans. Such sentiments have given rise to organized opposition to the war, as embodied by groups such as Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War and now Cindy Sheehan's Gold Star Families for Peace.

President Bush, on August 25, tried to counter those feelings by insisting that the fallen take "their rightful place among the heroes of history" whose mission we must "complete."

But Sheehan's rejection of the President's explanations for her son's death released in a vast number of Americans a sense that what we really owe the dead is an end to the killing.

The nation is immersed, then, in a war over meaning. Feelings are visceral because they emanate from our relationship to the dead. With the war in Iraq, the alternative survivor mission is achieving such power that, translated into political and military policy, it could contribute greatly to ending the war. With Hurricane Katrina, there may be a parallel survivor meaning--a recognition that many died as a result of the kind of governmental callousness toward human life displayed in Iraq. In that way, Katrina could also prod Americans toward a decisive rejection of the war.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050926/lifton

This is from our friends from across the pond who are bushwhacked by lap dog Blair who are also fighting against the same lie war as we are.

http://www.mfaw.org.uk/




Military Families Speak Out is an organization of people who are opposed to war in Iraq and who have relatives or loved ones in the military. We were formed in November of 2002 and have contacts with military families throughout the United States, and in other countries around the world. Our membership currently includes over 2,400 military families, with new families joining daily.

As people with family members and loved ones in the military, we have both a special need and a unique role to play in speaking out against war in Iraq. It is our loved ones who are, or have been, or will be on the battlefront. It is our loved ones who are risking injury and death. It is our loved ones who are returning scarred from their experiences. It is our loved ones who will have to live with the injuries and deaths among innocent Iraqi civilians.

If you have family members or loved ones in the military and you are opposed to this war, JOIN us by sending an e-mail to mfso@mfso.org

Click here if you would like to DONATE to MFSO so we can keep growing and continue to put forward the voices of Military Families who are speaking out against the war in Iraq.


MFSO Member Mary Sapp Outside the National Governors Association Meetings in Des Moines, Iowa, Calling on the Governors to Demand that the National Guard Be Brought Home Now!


Letters

A Letter to Maine and Vermont Members of Congress and Staff Members
Over the past several days I have been struck by the similarities between the chaos in Iraq and New Orleans. One major difference is that the media have been more critical and questioning about the debacle in New Orleans/Mississippi/Alabama. read more »


War in Iraq creates a disconnect in paradise
My husband is active duty Army, currently stationed in Iraq. Regardless of his assurances, I am oh so scared he might not make it home. Our two young grandchildren would lose a beloved grandpa. read more »


Letter from Idaho
Here are the participants at the August 23, 2005 Peace Rally. The photo was taken on the steps of the Idaho Statehouse in Boise. Across the street in a park we had 1864 crosses erected for our fallen soldiers and a cairn was set up to remember all the Iraqi casualties.read more »


Letter from Teaneck
When we took that pledge in Crawford to organize MFSO events back home, I just had to do it. We started with about 6 people the first day, 15 the second day, and 25 tonight.read more »


Letter to the Editor
I am the mother of an active duty Marine who will shortly be deployed to Iraq. I'm packing my bags today to head down to Crawford, Texas to join Cindy Sheehan, a Gold Star mother who lost her son in Iraq, who is currently sitting outside our Presidents home, waiting to meet with him so he can explain to her what the "noble cause" is that her son died for."read more »


Worlds Apart
" When you’re a Governor, making difficult decisions is part of the job description. Just ask the chief executives of 33 states who attended the 97th annual meeting of the National Governor's Association in Des Moines, Iowa on July 15-16, where they had to choose between boots, bats, or bucks. The 233 pairs of combat boots -- one for each National Guard soldier killed in Iraq – were the focal point of a Memorial service co-sponsored by American Friends Service Committee and Military Families Speak Out to honor the citizen soldiers."read more »




Military Families Speak Out
Hundreds Join Sheehan in Rally Against Iraq War Sep 12, 05
Shielded from the sun by a large tarpaulin, Cindy Sheehan walked to the microphone dressed in blue denim shorts and no shoes, then blasted the policies of President Bush. "Every time Bush talks he should be removed from office," Sheehan screamed into the microphone. "None of the chicken hawks have served our country the way our children have," she continued, referring to Bush and members of his administration who support the Iraq war but did not fight in previous conflicts. read more »


Officials: Guard Deployment Hurt Response Sep 9, 05
BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. -- The deployment of thousands of National Guard troops from Mississippi and Louisiana in Iraq when Hurricane Katrina struck hindered those states' initial storm response, military and civilian officials said Friday.read more »



End of war would be a fitting commemoration of Sept. 11 Sep 9, 05
On Sunday, people commemorating the fourth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks should also say a prayer of thanks to Cindy Sheehan. She is the grieving mother whose son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, 24, was killed in Iraq on April 4, 2004. Cindy Sheehan, 48, of Vacaville, Calif., camped outside President Bush’s Crawford, Texas, ranch during most of August while Bush was on vacation. She demanded to speak with him over the “illegal and immoral war” that took the life of her son.read more »


Anti-war bus tour stops here Sep 8, 05
The national bus tour sparked by Cindy Sheehan's monthlong protest against the Iraq war outside President Bush's Texas ranch rolled into Cincinnati on Wednesday on its way to Washington.read more »


Bus tour members speak out against war in Iraq Sep 8, 05
With "Hey wingnut!" and "Truth not Spin" emblazoned on its caravan, the tour arrived in Gainesville on Wednesday. Cindy Sheehan made national news last month when she publicly asked President Bush why her son died in Iraq. Her passion helped fuel the Bring Them Home Now Tour, a group of activists, family members of soldiers and veterans speaking out to oppose the war across the country. read more »


Overextended Guard leads to problems at home Sep 8, 05
Two weeks ago, Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced that more than 2,500 members of the Minnesota National Guard were being deployed in Iraq. This is the largest overseas deployment of the state's Guard members since World War II. These soldiers will train for six months and serve in Iraq for at least one year. However, at a July 16 meeting of the National Governors Association in Des Moines, Iowa, Pawlenty stated: "Most governors would say we're putting more strain on our Guard and reserves than many people are fully comfortable with." read more »


'We are going to end the war' Sep 7, 05
Military families and veterans stopped in Bloomington Tuesday with a message for the president: Bring the troops home from Iraq. "The best way we can support our troops is to bring them home now," said Mia Lorraine, whose son is an Army captain and spent a year in Iraq.read more »

http://www.war-times.org/issues/19art5.html

Iraq Vets Form Antiwar Group


A major new development in the opposition to the Iraq war took place on July 28 with the founding of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW).

Its website (www.ivaw.net) describes IVAW as "a group of Iraq war veterans who are committed to saving lives and ending the violence in Iraq by an immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces. We also believe that the governments that sponsored these wars are indebted to the men and women that were forced to fight them and must give their Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen the benefits that are owed to them upon their return home."

The founding membership totals just 12, but that is double the number that launched Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) in 1967. Within two years VVAW grew to more than 30,000 active members.

"Until now there's been no outlet for antiwar feeling [among soldiers]," IVAW co-founder Michael Hoffman says. "I expect a lot of people to come out of the woodwork."

Hoffman was a Lance Corporal in a Marine Corps artillery battery during the March 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent occupation of Tikrit. "The experience confirmed my worse fears. Not only was the war based on lies," he says " U.S. troops are the problem in post-Saddam Iraq, not the solution."

Hoffman recently received a promotion to corporal and is still a member of the Individual Ready Reserve. He could be called back to serve at any time.
SOLDIER MORALE PLUMMETS

One of the groups Hoffman contacted upon his return from Iraq was Military Families Speak Out. MFSO began with two families in November of 2002; it now numbers more than 1,500 families.

"The organization (IVAW) will fill a void," says Hoffman. "It's really hard for guys over there to express themselves. Any of their stories that we can relay is a big thing, because the picture we're getting is filtered. The guys with the lowest morale are the guys with the least access to computers—in Najaf, Samarra, Fallujah. The guys in Baghdad who have it the best have the access to the computers all the time."

This March the Army published a study that found morale was "low or very low" among a majority of U.S. soldiers. Almost three-quarters felt that battalion-level leadership showed a "lack of concern" for their safety.

Kelly Dougherty, one of the two women among the IVAW founders, was a member of the Colorado National Guard when she did her stint in Nazariah. "We formed it [IVAW] just to give returning Iraqi veterans who are disillusioned and angry with the government and with this war in Iraq, a way to come together and organize a voice because we think it's powerful to have returning veterans especially who have seen what it is like over there, to speak against it."

IVAW is trying to inform service people about their rights. "Although the military severely restricts individual rights, we want to make sure that people active in the service are familiar with what they can and cannot do as regards speech and action," says Hoffman.

The group is also building a contingent to march in the Aug. 29 demonstration against the war at the Republican National Convention in New York City. Hoffman says: "No matter who wins the election, IVAW will continue to fight for peace in Iraq and for the rights of U.S. service people."

Bob Wing is managing editor of War Times and a national co-chair of United for Peace and Justice.

I've heard that the Protest should be transformed into an Impeach Bush Emphasis in light of the disaster in New Orleans, or posponed for a month or two.

This to avoid possible "bad press" while the Nation tries to recover from Katrina. I agree with this strategy.

Very good point TheRestofUs, for sure!!

Hang Tough~

Army Reveals Truth around Soldier's Death 15 Months Later

9/14/2005 2:34:00 PM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: National Desk

Contact: Ryan Fletcher, 202-641-0277, Morrigan Phillips, 202-258-1822

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by the Bring Them Home Now Tour:

-- Mom to Rejoin Cross Country Tour of Military Families, Gold Star Families, Iraq War and Other Veterans

-- Gold Star and Military Families, Iraq War and Other Vets Bring Message to 51 Cities in 28 States, Will Converge at Anti- War Rally in D.C. on Sept. 24

On Sept. 19, Gold Star Mother Karen Meredith will re-join the Bring Them Home Now Tour that is crossing the country along three routes from Crawford, Texas to Washington, D.C. Last weekend on Sept. 9, Meredith, of Mountain View, Calif., was informed by the U.S. Army that it had known for more than a year that her son 1st Lt. Kenneth Ballard was not killed in action as had been reported. The Army disclosed on Saturday that Ballard, 26, actually died of wounds from the accidental discharge of a M240 machine gun on his tank after his platoon had returned from battling insurgents in Najaf. An Army spokesman, Col. Joseph Curtin, said in an interview that separate investigations concluded only days after Ballard's death that it was an accident.

After a meeting with Army representatives, Meredith was heartened by the Army's approach "When I first heard the news I was stunned and appalled that the army took 15 months to tell me the truth about my son's death. After meeting with Army officials I am pleased to say that I feel that I have the ear of the Army. All members of the military that met with me were professional, sympathetic and empathetic," she said. "This, however, is just the beginning. This dialog needs to continue on many levels, starting with the President. There are thousands of families searching for the truth in this war based on lies. I hope the Bush administration and Congress can extend the good will the Army has showed me, by being accountable to the thousands of other families like mine whose lives have been ripped apart by this unjustifiable war."

Karen Meredith recently returned from Crawford, Texas where she joined Cindy Sheehan and other Gold Star and military families in a vigil next to the President's ranch. On the last day of the vigil in Crawford, Karen set out with other members of Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace on the Bring Them Home Now Tour.

This week, Meredith will rejoin the Bring Them Home Now tour on September 19th in Baltimore. "We are taking the hard questions about this war in Iraq to President Bush and to Congressional decision-makers around the country. We are spreading our truth about the Iraq war by sharing our first hand experience of its devastating effects. We are also searching for truth and demanding accountability for the loss of our loved ones," she said.

Within the next week the tour will travel to Philadelphia and Baltimore on the Central route; Raleigh-Durham, Fayetteville and Richmond on the Southern route; and Boston, New Haven and New York City on the Northern route.

Karen Meredith and other participants of the Bring Them Home Now Tour are available for interview.

For further information on the Bring Them Home Now Tour including a schedule of cities and dates, go to: http://www.bringthemhomenowtour.org

http://www.usnewswire.com/

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=53327

Critic of Vietnam War slams secrecy on Iraq

Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the explosive Pentagon Papers, spent two days in the Des Moines area.

By ABBY SIMONS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

September 14, 2005

More than 30 years after he became an internationally known whistle-blower during the Vietnam War, anti-war activist Daniel Ellsberg said Wednesday that history is repeating itself as soldiers continue to die in Iraq.

"It isn't just the lies and the secrets; we've always had those. It's what they're lying about and concealing with the secrecy," Ellsberg said during a two-day stop in the Des Moines area.

"Nixon was concealing, with my help, plans which were carried out to wage aggressive war in Vietnam. In the case of the current war, the secrecy protected President Bush's plans, which were carried out as a disastrous war in Iraq."

Ellsberg, now 74, was a military analyst in the Nixon administration. He leaked copies of a 7,000-page classified document later widely known as the Pentagon Papers to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and later to several newspapers.

The study showed the government's knowledge that the war was not to be won — despite pledges that "victory is just around the corner." It also showed little regret or responsibility for the number of military and civilian casualties that were caused by the war.

Now traveling the nation for speaking engagements to advocate ending the war in Iraq, Ellsberg praised the U.S. anti-war effort and said the only solution when it comes to Iraq is to remove U.S. troops from a war he calls unwinnable.

Ellsberg is headed to Washington today to show support for those members of Congress who are pushing measures to end the war.

"I'm trying to give people a realistic forecast, from my point of view, of what lies ahead in Iraq and elsewhere, and the extreme importance of changing the plans of this administration," he said. "I believe this president foresees the indefinite occupation of Iraq, and by indefinite I don't mean two or three years, I mean 40 or 50 years."

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll.../509140353/1012

Troops send a message to America
Messages From The Troops
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1 - 25 of 865 messages Next >
Thank each and every one of you for your heart-filled letters, and taking time to write to us. I have been reading several messages, and it warms my heart to hear your "voices." Continue to pray for the military, government, police officers, firemen and women, and all the other wonderful volunteers. Thank you again for allowing me to serve you.
SGT Richard D. Heatherly Jr. US Army, Mishawaka, Ind.




Serving my country and my fellow soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen here in Iraq has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, even though at times it has been hard. Please continue to support our troops. There are so many heroes over here that are sacrificing so much of themselves for freedom. Please do not ever forget these people and their sacrifices. Thank you very much for your support and God Bless America!
Dixie D. Bray, CPT, MS, USA, Shawnee, Okla.




To everyone back home in North Carolina, I would like to thank you all for you support.
Cpl. Vontae Edwards, USA, Snow Hill, N.C.




To all of the supporters out there: Thank you for everything. Without your support I couldn't do my job as well as I can. It really makes a difference knowing that there are people out there who are behind us.
SrA Sara Shaver, USAF, Jaffrey, N.H.




Thank you to all who have supported us throughout the war. We can't explain how much your support means to us.
Doc Hall, USN, Preston, Md.




Thanks for the support, it truly means a lot!
A1C Phillip Tori, USAF, Brighton, Mich.




Thank you for all of your support. It means a lot to me to see all of the people who are taking their time to thank us for what we are doing.
Brad Purkhiser/AO2/U.S. Navy, Woodruff, S.C.




It's hard being away from family, friends and loved ones but your support, care packages and letters of appreciation make things a lot easier for my unit and me. Thank you and GOD bless.
Sgt Natalie Butler, Bronx, N.Y.




I just want to say thank you to everyone back home in the states, especially all those supporters in south Florida who have been so great in sending letters and care packages.
SPC Greg Hogancamp, Davie, Fla.




Thank you all for your support. It is because of people like you encouraging us that we can carry on our mission. When I see the smiling faces of children back home it reminds me that freedom is worth fighting for.
Frank Tsai/SSG/Army, Gardena, Calif.




Thank you all for your support as we defend our great Nation during the Global War on Terrorism! Nothing compares to the caring messages from home. Every bit matters to our soldiers deployed to danger zones like Iraq and Afgahnistan, but the best feeling in the world is returning home as I did from Iraq this past spring and seeing the support from our friends and families. Thank you!
CPT Mark Zimmerman, Forksville, Pa.




It's humbling to go from our great nation to a place like Iraq. It's also hard on the soul to be away from family and friends for so long; and yet reading these messages from supporters in our great nation still brings a tear to my eye and let's me know why I do this day in and day out. Thank you for being behind us, sending packages, and letting us know we will not be forgotten. It's people like you that make it possible for us to keep on fighting.
Nathan R. Bolander, USAF, Glendale, Ariz.




I'm currently deployed to Balad, Iraq, and I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us here. The packages and letters are a reminder that we have people back in the States cheering us on! Your support brings smiles to the faces of those deployed. Thank you for all that you do!
USAF, Greenville, S.C.




I really appreciate all those out there who support us and what we're doing. We all signed up and volunteered to do our job and I know that what we're doing is right regardless of the political excuse for going in. I spent time in Qatar and am now in South Korea for a year and regardless of the price I want the entire world to be able to experience the freedoms that we all enjoy as Americans. It really does help though knowing that good people like you are behind us and supporting us. It just makes it that much easier. Thank You for all your support and may we always "Let Freedom Ring."
SSgt Charles Foster USAF, Roosevelt




I just got back from Afghanistan. Thank you for all the letters. It really makes a difference! Without most conveniences, a simple letter goes a long way. I can't express enough gratitude towards everyone who supports us, especially when coming home. I truly feel like a hero when thanked, even though I do what I do because I'm an American and that's just what Americans do for their country - " sacrifice." Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Thank you for the letters!
Patrick Corder/SPC/Army Infantry, Lomita, Calif.




I would like to thank everyone for the support. It means a lot to us. Not a single thank you goes unnoticed. It's sometimes overwhelming the support we get, it makes us feel good inside and it keeps us going. God Bless the USA!
Brandon Collier/SPC/ARMY, San Saba




Support means the world to the people in uniform. The men and women all over the world from Korea to Iraq couldn't carry out their mission without strong community support. Thank you for supporting Americans in uniform.
Robert Martin-Magee, A1C, USAF, Springfield, Va.




I just wanted to say thank you for all the support. I just came back from R & R leave and everybody made me feel so welcomed. I was thankful to be an AMERICAN. Thank you all so much.
Joshua Matthews CPL. U.S. ARMY, Farmington, Mo.




Thank you all so much for your continued support and prayers. Let it be known that even the smallest thank you does not go unnoticed. Knowing that we have people supporting us on the home front is always reassuring and it also boosts the moral of the troops. Being so far away from family is very tough and trying at times. Thank you again for everything that you have done and continue to do for everyone in the armed services.
Kelley Sliauter, SPC, USA, Atlanta, Ga.




I just wanted to take a moment to let everyone know that we greatly appreciate all the support. The packages, and letters we have received have been incredible. We all have volunteered to serve and do it with great pride and patriotism! Thank you and May God Bless America!
John Rayburn/SGT/Army, DFW




I'd like to thank all of those who support us while we are deployed. It's comforting to know that even though I'm far from home people still care.
SSgt Kristopher Provencher USAF, Manchester, N.H.




I am currently stationed over 7,000 miles away from my loved ones, but the support from loyal and loving AMERICANS makes it easier. It helps the troops so much to know that there is someone who does not know them, yet still stands behind them and shows unwavering support for them.
Vaden/SSgt/USAF, West Point, Miss.




It is absolutely fantastic to see all the support from my hometown, friends, family and everywhere in the USA. Thank you so much for thinking of us while we are away from home. It means a lot to see the support from our fellow Americans.
TSgt Andrew Dapkins, Kunkletown, Pa.




I just want to thank everyone for the support you have shown us. It really does mean a lot.
SSgt Suzanne Krasnow, Maple Lake, Minn.




I would like to send out my greatest thanks and gratitude to everyone across America for your continued support. You all lift us up so much, and just knowing that you support us makes the burden that we carry a little easier. Thank again.
Spc. Steven G. McGrath, U.S. Army, Nashville, Tenn.