FReeper Foxhole - Military Related News in Review - May 5, 2003

various

[snippy_about_it]

Dear Lord,

There's a young man far from home,
called to serve his nation in time of war;
sent to defend our freedom
on some distant foreign shore.

We pray You keep him safe,
we pray You keep him strong,
we pray You send him safely home ...
for he's been away so long.

There's a young woman far from home,
serving her nation with pride.
Her step is strong, her step is sure,
there is courage in every stride.
We pray You keep her safe,
we pray You keep her strong,
we pray You send her safely home ...
for she's been away too long.

Bless those who await their safe return.
Bless those who mourn the lost.
Bless those who serve this country well,
no matter what the cost.

Author Unknown

.

FReepers from the The Foxhole
join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time.

.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

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President Bush Announces (Major) Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended

President George W. Bush on Thursday announced to the Nation that major combat operations in Iraq have ended, and our coalition is now engaged in securing and reconstructing that country. President Bush spoke from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. Full Story

Watch it all over again by selecting the video link.
Or see the still photographs again

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USS Abraham Lincoln comes home

Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, Calif. (May 2, 2003) -- Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) man the rails as the ship pulls into NAS North Island, during their port visit to off-load the ship’s Air Wing.

Lincoln and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14) are returning from a 10-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein.
U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Lewis Hunsaker.

Cool Pic of the week - Clic on it

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Benning soldier finds 'shining gem' in Iraq
(Soldier's act brings sight to girl blinded in attack in Iraq)

BAGHDAD, IRAQ – James Mattwig hoped there would be a happy ending to the story of the injured Iraqi girl he'd tried to help, and Saturday he found the answer.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Army staff sergeant met Aya, a 3-year-old Iraqi girl with a patch over her left eye. Mattwig was told that an artillery round had landed outside her family's home, shattering windows and sending a shard of glass into her eye.

A local doctor had told her she was permanently blinded. That wasn't good enough for Mattwig, 31, a D-Troop scout with the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. He assembled a medical team the next day, Easter Sunday, and returned to her house.

Aya was taken to a U.S. Army hospital, and that was the last Mattwig heard of Aya.

Until Saturday.

Once again, Mattwig assembled a convoy to Aya's home in downtown Baghdad.

They arrived outside Aya's home almost as celebrities; neighbors gathered around the two Humvees as soon as they stopped.

Mattwig popped his head over the metal gate outside Aya's house. A member of one of the five families living there saw him, grinned and disappeared inside the small flat.

Moments later, Aya Nahi and her smiling mother, Akhlas, emerged from behind the gate. Aya's eye remained nearly closed, but Akhlas delivered some good news.

"They fixed her in American hospital," Akhlas Nahi said. "She's not blind anymore."

She told Mattwig that he had to visit again because she was making him a gift. "Something to remember," she said. link to story

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DoD Sets Up Office to Help Lure Job Applicants
05-01-2003
Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department, which employs more than 700,000 civilians in more than 900 occupations, has set up a new office to help lure job applicants to the federal workforce.

The Defense Application Assistance Office was established this year to help those seeking government positions, such as help with the tedious application process, said John Moseley, deputy director for program support at DoD's Civilian Personnel Management Service.

"What we're trying to overcome is that the application process is long, complex and people don't want to deal with it," said Moseley, a 30-year federal employee. "In the past it's been a very arduous task."

Moseley said the assistance office also works to connect DoD recruiters and applicants. "The way our application process is now, someone fills out a stack of papers, ships them off to some unknown location, and they may or may not ever hear what happened," he explained.

"We're going to change that. We're going to streamline the application process. We're going to stay in touch with the applicant," he added. "We're going to provide personalized service to people who have questions about this mystery." Full story

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May 9th is Military Spouse Appreciation Day

This year Military Spouse Appreciation Day will be celebrated on 9 May.

President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Military Spouse Appreciation Day on 17 April 1984.

The official celebration has been designated as the Friday before Mother's Day.

Appreciation Memo release from Army

Appreciation Memo release from Marines

Appreciation Memo release from Navy (bottom of page)

[cherry_bomb88]

[Soaring Feather]

Beautiful song! Here's a pretty for all the ladies!

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

awesome post!

[Johnny Gage]

Sorry, I don't have an answer to that.

I just basically cut/pasted this information off of the Global Security website for this aircraft.

[Jen]

Snippy - you have fan mail on #63!

Thanks for dropping in to the Foxhole, GOP_Thug_Mom. Love your screenname! hahahaha

[Jen]

That cute mousie makes me miss petite Souris. I hope she will crawl in to our foxhole. That's one little mouse I wouldn't mind sharing our Foxhole with. ;-)

Are those Azaleas in that graphic? So pretty whatever they are.

[Jen]

"They fixed her in American hospital," Akhlas Nahi said. "She's not blind anymore."

Wow, what a great story. Thanks so much for this thread Snippy. I would have missed so many great stories if it hadn't been for all your work. Thank you for all you do for our Foxhole!!!!!

[Soaring Feather]

Pink Cherry flowers I think. Flowering tree of some sort, kind of shaped like an apple blossom.

[Light Speed]

Thanks snippy...news and recap a great way to start the week : )

[Jen]

1948 1st air squadron of jets aboard a carrier

VF-51 Screaming Eagles

Fighter Squadron 51 is the oldest fighter squadron of continous service in the Pacific Fleet. VF-51's roots date back to 1927 when the Screaming Eagles insignia made its debut on a Curtiss F6C-4 of the VF-3S Striking Eagles. Redesignated VF-1 on the 1st of February 1943, the squadron became VF-5 on the 15th of July 1943, changed to VF-5A on the 15th November 1946 and finally became VF-51 on the 16th of August 1948, retaining that designation until the squadron's disestablishment in March 1995.

In 1947, the Screaming Eagles were the first Navy fleet squadron to enter the jet age, flying the North American FJ-1 Fury. During evaluations, VF-51 became the first squadron to operate jets from a carrier. When the Korean War broke out, the Screaming Eagles led the way by being the first squadron to take jets into combat and by scoring the first air-to-air kills of the war.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for expanding on Valin's "Today in History"

[Kudsman]

Good afternoon. That was a great story and another example of good news you'll never hear from the "mainstream" media.

[SAMWolf]

It's amazing how hard you have to dig to find some stories.

[Light Speed]

Looking back...

USS Pennsylvannia (BB-38) leads vanguard into Lingayen Gulf 1945

Crew of USS Casablanca (CVE 55) returning from Liberty on Rara Island 1945

F6F Hellcat, USS Yorktown (CV-10) 1943

[SAMWolf]

OHMan! A line of BB's from bow on is so impressive.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks Johnny. Cool!

[snippy_about_it]

Good afternoon.

[snippy_about_it]

hahahaha. I heard that. :)

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you weldgop. It's a group effort just like your wonderful steady freeps!

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you. Good to see you stop in and post at the Foxhole.