[The Mayor]

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Dutchess; dollycali;The Mayor; GodBlessUSA; JustAmy, and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

gator girl........................husband severa............husband, brother Maigrey.........................cousin mystery-ak...........son, husband Inspectorette.......................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew Diver Dave........niece, nephew ConspiracyGuy........2 nephews Pippin............niece's husband sneakers..........................son weldgophardline.................son weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw jamaly.................brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater.......cousin WaterDragon............grandson WaterDragon...........son-in-law kimmie7......................brother LadyX (RIP)..............grandson fawn796......................nephew ValerieUSA..................2 sons Lakeside......................2 sons LakeLady....................nephew Spruce......................daughter Bykrbayb..........................son Leofl.................................son chena...............................son Hope and Glory..................son TheMayor...............friends'son Doug from Upland.......soninlaw homeschoolmama........nephew ariamne...................2 cousins mhking.........................cousin Consort.................2 daughters Consort...................son-in-law gonzo...................friend's son visualops......................cousin auboy..........................cousin painter........................nephew jrushing.............................son LoneRedRanger...brother-in-law Ladysmith.nephew, friend's son tina07......soninlaw & his friend MontanaCowgirlCop......brother nelibeli........................nephew Misty4jc.....................husband Colorado Slim..............nephew Tapatio....................2 nephews ProudAFDad......................son Alouette.............................son Katydidnt...........................son Zechariah_8_13....brother-in-law Zechariah_8_13.............cousin PreviouslyA-Lurker........brother sheeza.......................husband kemathen7..................husband Q6-God..................twin brother Q6-God....................active duty Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne..........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells....................active duty LongCut...................active duty cjk...........................active duty Trish........................active duty ODC-GIRL................active duty AF_Blue...................active duty thumperusn..............active duty Veloxherc.................active duty Don Simmons...........active duty wingnutx...................active duty CGblue.....................active duty bigghurtt...................active duty frankiep....................active duty veeceeque................active duty JRios1968................active duty NoLongerFreeState...active duty CMS........................active duty AlaskaErik...............active duty JemiansTerror...........active duty txradioguy..................active duty tongue-tied. .............active duty vigilante2.....son,& adopted soldier NavySEAL F-16................son Jaxter.....................son-in-law 2ndDivisionVet..........brotherinlaw 2ndDivVet.....former stepdaughter GrandEagle ............... friend-Tim DebWisconsin....................nephew

OhioWfan................................son ladtx..................................2 sons Its_me_K.E.T.........................son Hostel............................cousin MozartLover...........son, nephew ak_daddoo........................nephew Dubya............................nephew LBGA (RIP)..........................son katykelly..............................son Armymarinemom................3 sons american_ranger.....................son cookcounty.............................son Himyar....................................son SpookBrat........................nephew SpookBrat........................cousin boxerblues........................2 sons the piper..............................son Tiffee4Bob......................boyfriend TexKat.......................son, step-son StarCMC.............................brother Darheel...............................niece Donaeus...........................nephew BeAllYouCanBe........................son Repubmommy........................brother AgThorn................................2 sons kneezles.................................son RoseinRoseBear.....cousin's hubby Atomic Conspiracy......half-brother Atomic Conspiracy...........nephew Atomic Conspiracy..............niece Sunflowergal....................grandson mrstank..............................husband MrsMike31........................husband spotbust1............................husband campfollower............................fiance LUV W........................................son SilentServiceCPOWife........husband DirtyHarryY2K......................daughter DirtyHarryY2K................son-in-law Skimask.....................................son Palladin...............................grandson MississippyMuddy...................sister MississippyMuddy........2 nephews Kramster...............................stepson Socratic.............................nephew freema.......................nephew, son Azbushgal..............................son kimmykay.................................son NavySEAL F-16........................son Ike..........................................son repubmom...............................son wolfcreek..........................daughter JesseJane ...........................cousin Roses0508..............................son pmmd81..................................son SoldiersPrayingMom.................son WakeUpandVote..................brother Skyraider.................................son CyberAnt...........................nephew mrs tiggywinkle...................cousin Jen's Mom........................daughter Meg33.............................grandson 911angelady........................2 sons Nadine...............................nephew U S Army EOD.................daughter thehumanlynx...........brother-in-law JFC..................................nephew Earthdweller......................nephew Scubachick.......................husband ChairmanDec19thSociety ..brotherinlaw Anthem............................2 cousins meanie monster .........family friend PragmaticWarrior..........2 nephews Sageb1...........................3 cousins JulieRNR21.........friend's grandson SuzyQue...mom,2 sons,3 brothers weeder1...........................nephew IndyPendance..daughter,soninlaw fatima.....................granddaughter Lori from Long Island....soninlaw monkeyface...................grandson redhead...................grandnephew varina davis................ ...Grandson Rivendell.......................daughter W.W.Smith...........................son Gonzo........................Son-in-law USMCWife6869...........Husband AgThorn & Lily4Jesus......son jackv...............................Son Anne of DC.......niece's husband

[Soaring Feather]

Good evening, Mayor. Thanks for Military Monday.

[LUV W]

Good evening, Rus!

Thanks for my favorite day of the week...Military Monday!

Thanks for all that you do around here!

[The Mayor]

I just got this in an email and it was confirmed by snopes. This cannot be tolerated, May I suggest we send them a message, I will.


http://www.discount-mats.com/privacy-security.html
APO'd

Claim: A U.S. Army soldier received a rude response from an on-line retailer after inquiring about shipments to APO addresses.

Status: True.

Example: [Collected via e-mail, 2007]

Below is an email exchange between a friend of mine's husband and a company that sells different types of mats. He is stationed in Iraq and was inquiring as to whether or not the company ships overseas. He wanted to get the troops better gear to sleep on. This is the companies response. I am floored. I am floored as a military wife and as an American. Please repost this so that this company will hear us loud and clear that we do not stand for this. Whatever your view is on this war - these troops are just following orders. Most are passionate about what they are doing. You can disagree with the war without disrespecting our troops.

---

From: SGT Jason Hess
Sent: Tue Jan 16 3:25

Do you ship to APO addresses? I'm in the 1st Cavalry Division stationed in Iraq and we are trying to order some mats but we are looking for who ships to APO first.

---

From: contact@discount-mats.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 9:44 PM
Subject: Re: Feedback: from discount-mats.Com

SGT Hess,
We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq.

Bargain Suppliers
Discount-Mats.Com

Origins: APO (Army Post Office or Air [Force] Post Office) and FPO (Fleet Post Office) addresses are part of a military mail system used for exchanging mail with U.S. Personnel stationed outside the United States, generally at the same domestic rates

charged for sending mail within the U.S. Military personnel, their families, and others who have had occasion to order merchandise for shipment to troops stationed overseas have generally learned to first check with the vendors to ensure that they will indeed send product to APO/FPO addresses. Because shipments sent to APO/FPO addresses require extra processing (e.G., they must be sent via USPS, mailed from a post office, and accompanied by customs forms) and involve additional mailing restrictions, not all businesses are willing to accept orders intended for APO/FPO destinations.

The e-mail exchange reproduced above took place in January 2007 between a U.S. Army soldier serving with the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq and online retailer Bargain Suppliers Discount Floor Mats (http://discount-mats.com/index.html) of West Allis, Wisconsin, with the former inquiring about whether the latter would ship floor mats to APO addresses. Not only did the retailer reportedly respond in the negative, but they couched their turn-down as the rude statement that "We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq."

Discount Mats did not respond to multiple inquiries, but Sgt. Hess wrote back to us and confirmed that the correspondence was real:
This is all fact and true what happened. I'm with the 1st BCT 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq just trying to find someone to send supplies that we needed.
(He also said that he appreciates the support of the many people who have asked us for his e-mail address in order to provide him with the mats he was seeking, but he asked that we not give it out as has already found a supplier and is being bombarded with e-mail.)

Last updated: 20 January 2007

[JustAmy]

Planting peace: California farmers help U.S. soldiers make a statement in Iraq
Issue Date: January 17, 2007

By Jim Morris



Soldiers received help from California farmers in an unusual effort to encourage peace in Iraq. Master Sgt. Patricia Marsano was among those who made the tree planting a reality. In a country most often associated with violence and despair, U.S. soldiers and California growers have teamed up to plant the roots of peace.

Just before Christmas, U.S. soldiers at Camp Anaconda in northern Iraq planted 200 olive trees around their 15-square-mile base as a gesture they hope will symbolize a peaceful future for the region.

"The olive tree is a symbol of peace around the world, especially in the Middle East," said Joe Sabol, retired agriculture professor from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo who helped coordinate the tree donation. "When the soldiers told us they wanted to improve the looks and environment of their base and leave a very special gift for the Iraqi people, it seemed like something we could do easily."

Sabol represents California Rare Fruit Growers, which worked for four months to help facilitate the request.


Iraqi citizens also participated in the ceremony.He was among a network of Californians involved. Burchell Nursery in Oakdale provided the trees at half-price, with company President Tom Burchell packing the trees himself, complete with stakes, cardboard sleeves and planting instructions. FedEx agreed to cast aside the $2,000 shipping bill. The trees' 8,000-mile journey went from Ontario to Memphis, then to Paris and Dubai, before finally making it to Balad, Iraq.

Sabol said the project request and much of the details came from Master Sgt. Patricia Marsano of the 164th Corps Support Group, whose enthusiasm and thorough communication skills yielded positive results.

The planting ceremony was spearheaded by the Army Reserve unit and was attended by two U.S. Army colonels and three Iraqi citizens who work on the base.

"It's a small contract for friends," said Maithan Saeed, Iraqi citizen and translator on the base.

Olives are revered in Iraq, not only as part of the Muslim faith, but for practical reasons. Oil of the fruit is used for cooking, medicine, cosmetics and lamp oil, while the timber is also utilized. Those who gathered for the tree planting said they hope it bears abundant fruit, both real and symbolic.

"It represents the very essence of why we serve, and ultimately represents the hope for this nation and for the peaceful existence of all the people of Iraq," said Col. Megan P. Tatu, commander of the 164th.

Sabol said he hoped similar tree donations would occur in the future.

"If other bases on Iraqi soil or maybe even around the world could look at their own military base and say, ?What could we do to make this place a little more attractive and peaceful?', I think this might be the beginning of something a lot bigger than we first imagined," he said.

(Jim Morris is a reporter for Ag Alert. He may be contacted at jmorris@cfbf.com.)

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.

The article with pictures can be found here.

[MEG33]

~In Honor Of Those Who Have Sacrificed All~

[ConorMacNessa]

Great thread and Pledge, Mayor!

[TINA KIRBY]

please add my son christopher kirby