Free Republic

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – The support Chrysler LLC offers the military is “an investment in freedom,” the company’s chief executive officer said today. Bob Nardelli, Chrysler chairman and CEO, talks with Marian Watt of Operation Quiet Comfort on May 16, 2008. Nardelli was at the Pentagon to talk with senior defense officials regarding his company's military-support initiatives. He visited representatives of some 38 troop-support groups who were participating in the 4th Annual America Supports You Salute to Our Military Men and Women. Defense Department photo by Samantha L. Quigley  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Bob Nardelli, Chrysler’s top official,...

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2008 – For the rest of this year, sitting in Shamu the killer whale’s “splash zone” or talking turkey with a big yellow bird are just two activities servicemembers and their families can enjoy for free at Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks. Through its “Here’s to the Heroes” program, which began in 2005, the brewing company is offering free tickets to its theme parks for servicemembers and up to three family members to thank them for all they do in service to the country. “It’s important to us for all the reasons you can probably predict,” said Fred...

DETROIT, May 5, 2008 – Patriotism was in full gear at the Chrysler headquarters today, as hundreds gathered inside the star-spangled atrium of the automaker’s main hub to honor America’s men and women in uniform. Robert Nardelli, chairman and chief executive officer of Chrysler, signs a 5-Star Military Support Agreement on May 5, 2008, in Auburn Hills, Mich., pledging the automaker's commitment to continue supporting employees who are called into active military service. Defense Department photo by John J. Kruzel  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. On the tiered floors of the glass-enclosed plaza here, employees hung over railings...

An email from an Australian father, “I am an Australian and my son is serving in the Australian army in Iraq. As far as we are concerned there is no place on God’s earth better than Australia and there are no people better than Australians, that was until the past week or so. “My son and I just ended a long phone conversation and here are some of his comments: ”Before I came over to Iraq I thought the Australian army were pretty hot stuff -- was I ever wrong! “The Yanks (I hope you don’t mind me using that...

An Appreciative Local must have thought we were hungry as he drove past us because he bought us (BELOW - that is Eager helping Lurker Bill on our left flank) a bag of McD's double cheeseburgers and a bag of 20 oz. sodas. This meant he had to stop at two places since McD's does not sell bottled soda. Most of us chowed down immediately. This Saturday we had also bought some Dunkin Donuts with the gift certificates (4 - $10 certificates) that another appreciative local gave us several months ago. It had been too cold to buy donuts previously...

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2008 – Ida Hagg knows all about care packages; in fact, after 10 years of sending them out, she's pretty much an expert. "The troops appreciate beef jerky, sunflower seeds, movies, DVDs,” she said. “In the outlying areas, they appreciate receiving baby wipes and socks and hygiene products -- and all this is topped off with tons of cookies." Hagg first realized the importance of care packages when her own son was deployed to the Balkans, she explained during an “ASY Live” BlogTalkRadio interview. The online radio program is an extension of the Defense Department’s America...

Raleigh, N.C. — Organizers hope 50,000 people will show up in downtown Raleigh Saturday for the biggest military parade in state history. The Salute to Our Troops event will dedicate an entire day to active-duty and reserve members of every branch of the military and their families. "It's an opportunity for the people of North Carolina to get in here and say, 'Hey, guys, we appreciate what you do to ensure the freedoms that we enjoy every day,'" Van Krebs, the event director, said. Krebs said the parade down Fayetteville Street does not have a political agenda. It is intended...

ELDER STREET AND GEORGIA AVENUE, WASHINGTON, DC - 18 April 2008 The DC Chapter stalwarts and FRiends refusing to cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment manned their post Friday night at the main gate outside Walter Reed Army Medical Center Week 157 Honor Roll: Fraxinus, Lurker Bill aka “Sweet William”, VAFlagwaver, Ron G. Kirby, USNRetired, Kburi, PleaDeal, BufordP, Tom the Redhunter; Cindy_True_Supporter, Trooprally (Mr. & Mrs.) and from the Mason Nation – Laura R. BufordP wants to know, “Are you talking to me?” PleaDeal on patrol, camera...

6th Annual Rally for the Troops will be held on Sunday April 20, 2008 at 11:00 PM in downtown Cleveland’s Public Square. Free Parking at Tower City Parking lots. Last year an estimated 5000 motorcyclist attended the Rally. Bikes will stage at 8:30 AM from Cleveland Harley Davidson Sales Company (W145 and Lorain), Lake Erie Harley Davidson (Avon Ohio); South East Harley Davidson (Bedford Hts. Ohio) and Western Reserve Harley Davidson (Mentor Ohio). Bikes will depart for downtown Cleveland at 9:30 AM. Jim Mantel of WGAR will MC the Rally and Monica Robins of WKYC will sing the National Anthem....

YES, we have the moonbats on the run once again! Around 2:15pm, a moonbat whom we nicknamed “Howard” as in Stern, walked to his position to see nobody there! He walked across the street to talk to us. He approached me first as I was the closest. He asked me how I thought the war was going. I told him I thought it was going fairly well. He then wanted to see if he understood us. He asked if we were for peace but just in a different way. I told him that was right, that we believe in peace...

Several weeks ago we had the local Mongomery County Sentinel newspaper interviewed the two opposing groups. Because the Sentinel requires a PAID subscription to view and link to its articles, I have received permission from JimRob to not link to the article so long as I don't put large portions of the article in this AAR. If you are interested in reading the full article, and paying for the privilege, the article is titled "War in Iraq protested and celebrated in Olney" by Bailey Quinonez and is in the March 27 - April 2, 2008 edition. My rebuttal Letter to...

FORT MYER, Va., April 7, 2008 – Children normally are told to quit clowning around, but today it was actually encouraged, as clowns from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus entertained more than 100 youngsters at the child development center here. More than 100 children from the child development center on Fort Myer, Va., enjoy a performance by members of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, April 7, 2008. These four, from left, Ryan Cline, 2, Madeline Fontana, 5, Jaylen Wright, 4, and Liam Ryan, 4, got a chance to be part of the action. Photo by...

I just heard from Chris Hill, Gathering of Eagles National Director. Following the 10am News Conference on Capitol Hill today, GOE visited 437 Congressional offices in support of the troops and their mission. Chris said that "probably half of the offices were happy to see us," with "one quarter apathetic and one quarter passive-aggressive." Predictably, Southern Democrats and Republicans were more typically glad to see GOE representatives. Overall, more than 200 in the House of Representatives gave a positive response to the Eagles. Vets for Freedom will be doing follow-up lobbying Capitol Hill on Tuesday, and the VFW follows...

FORT HUACHUCA — While deployed in Kuwait, Spc. Herbert Brown remembers how much he and his comrades appreciated the little things from home. So when boxes of Girl Scout cookies were shipped to his unit, the men and women were completely moved by the gesture of good will. “It’s really hard to express how much this means to the soldiers,” Brown said, recalling what it was like to be on the receiving end of the cookies. “I was in Kuwait in ‘05-’06, and it meant a lot that people I didn’t even know were thinking about me.” For the past...

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2008 – It was all a big joke for servicemembers and their families at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Fisher House yesterday when comedian Kathy Griffin came to visit. Comedian Kathy Griffin, star of “My Life on the D List,” greets Susan Badia at Walter Reed Army Medical Center's Fisher House III on April 3, 2008. Badia, her daughter, Kylee Ray, and her husband, Army Sgt. Jace Badia, currently are living next door at Fisher House II. Sergeant Badia is recuperating from wounds he suffered in Iraq when he was hit by a homemade bomb. Griffin...

Washington, DC, April 1, 2008: ON April 7, 2008 at 10:00 am, members of Gathering of Eagles will hold a press conference at the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. This rally will showcase patriots from all over the country standing up in support of our military and their missions in Iraq and the War on Terror. The conference is timed to coincide with Gen. David Petraeus’ return to Capitol Hill. Chris Hill, National Director of Operations, said, “The purpose of our actions on April 7th is to encourage our elected officials to provide full funding for...

This is my story and Hitlery's handlers are not going to get me to change it and B. Hussein O. can't "change" my mind by spouting his "typical" dribble. Where is Doctor Raoul's gas mask when we need it? The three moonbats that showed up today had all 16 patriots shaking in their boots and ducking for cover when a strange green cloud blew over to our side of the street. It was so bad that several patriots had to deploy to the other two corners. Luckily the brisk wind soon dispersed the strange odor and we we back to...

Tonight was our sixth show! We plan on having them every three months, and if it works out, move that up to every other month. ALSO NOTE, IF SOMEONE HAS CONNECTIONS AT BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO SHOWS THERE ON THE ALTERNATE MONTH. We had a good size crowd this night, including a FReeper. Our band never showed, but we went on without them. Not sure what happened to "Destroy All Zeros", a touring rock band. I guess they were tied up destroying some free roaming zeros. They missed one as their appearance at WRAMC turned up...

Almost unbelievable that it's really been three years for this event. I've participated since August of 2005, and that itself seems long enough, so I my thanks goes out to those intrepid FReepers who started this FReep back in March of that year. With this in mind, we had a special FReep planned for the Three Year Anniversary. When I got there just before 6:30, our usual starting time, FReepers were already on our corners holding their signs! I got out the MOAB and we set to work Soon we had it up and the FReep truly began! On the...

A heroes' return - troops home after Afghan tour   Well-wishers lined the streets of Maidstone yesterday to welcome Kent soldiers back from Afghanistan. Around 330 troops from 36 Engineer Regiment marched through the county town in a cold and wet homecoming parade. Major General Keith Cima presented the men with medals for their sixth-month tour of the dangerous Helmand Province. The general said that the troops had, “helped to make Afghanistan a better place for her people”. “You have undergone the fear, the fun and the challenge of operational service,” he added. “You can look anybody straight in...

As I am somewhat new to doing on-the-ground reporting, and I simply wanted to give these patriots in an out-of-the-way small town their due, their diligence and determination truly struck me today - below 30f, windy and on a busy street corner (Petroleum Street bridge and Front Street). Apparently this particular troop rally has been going on for quite some time (several months), and as I work nights it is quite conceivable that I could miss it (asking for a pass :-) ). Hearing and seeing about these kind of rallies going on in our major metropolitan areas is nothing...

The Vets for Freedom Heroes Tour will be in Columbia SC THIS Thursday, April 3rd at 11:30 am. There will be a rally at the Statehouse Capitol Steps located at 1200 Gervais Street. (Intersection of Gervais and Main St) Please come down and show your support for our troops and their just mission!!

This press release contains information on two events of the same day. The Gathering of Eagles event has a time change from the original schedule released: it is now from 12 Noon to 2 PM. The Gathering of Eagles and Eagles UP will be sponsoring the first event and attending the second event. The GATHERING OF EAGLES, a patriotic organization whose goal is to publicly support our men and women in uniform, whether active duty or veteran, announces our whole hearted participation with the New Haven GUARDIAN ANGELS and EAGLES UP in an upcoming rally at the Vietnam and Korean...

WESTMINSTER, MD RECRUITER APPRECIATION FReep - AAR BACKGROUND ON MILITARY RECRUITMENTtaken from WikipediaPrior to the outbreak of WWI, military recruitment in the US was conducted primarily by individual states. Upon entering the war, however, the need for a large and quickly mobilized military shifted the responsibility to the federal government. The increased emphasis on a national effort was reflected in WWI recruitment methods. Peter A. Padilla and Mary Riege Laner define six basic appeals to these recruitment campaigns: patriotism, job/career/education, adventure/challenge, social status, travel, and miscellaneous. Between 1915 and 1918, 42% of all army recruitment posters were themed primarily...

"TYPICAL" is now a word back into our vocabulary. Possibly the one who recently uttered this word can really unite these United States by saying all of us are "Typical" Americans. But I think NOT. We are going to give the "typical moonbat" top billing this week because the pics are so "good". "Typical" had become a divisive word for those on the receiving end unless one is a PATRIOT, defending our freedoms and standing up for those who defend it. We relish in being called a "TYPICAL AMERICAN", or even a "Typical FReeper". But to call a moonbat a...

21 March 2008, Elder Street and Georgia Avenue, Washington, DC Well FREEPERs it happened, Bruce Wolf, chair of O.P.E.I.U. Local 2's "Social Justice Committee" managed to round up a group of Spring Equinox celebrants and out numbered the DC Chapter and FRiends. But enough of the bad news. From Oklahoma City, Oklahoma by way of Dallas, Texas we were joined by Scan 59 seen here with VictoryNY And his wife, BABY FREEP their lovely lurker daughter Kari Their son is a machinist mate serving on the Carrier USNS George Washington which is soon to deploy. Scan indicated that their son...

Before Thanksgiving, many JINSA Reports readers took the time to nominate Hal Koster, formerly of Fran O'Brien's, for the "Above and Beyond Award" sponsored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. (See JINSA Reports #720 and 721) This month, Hal was chosen as the representative of the District of Columbia. The citation from the Society reads, in part: Hal Koster of Washington, DC for going above and beyond with his unwavering commitment to wounded American soldiers and their loved ones. Koster, a Vietnam veteran, has hosted Friday night dinners for wounded soldiers and their families for the past five years....

This Friday, March 28 2008, marks the Three Year Anniversary of our Walter Reed FReep. The main entrance to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, which is where we hold the Freep, is located at 6900 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington DC 20307 If you live anywhere near the Washington DC area please consider coming out to support the troops! There is plenty of parking in the area so you can drive there no problem. There's also a metro stop a few blocks away, but since it's a zig-zag walk from it to the hospital, if you're going to take the metro...

Saturday, March 22, 2008 Posted By:Catherine MoyPermalinkAh, I love the Smell of Bikes in Berkeley in the Morning!! EaglesUp.Us brought 400 of their Motorcycle buddies and another 200 pedestrians to downtown Berkeley Saturday morning to support the Marines, which have been under fire from the radical group Code Pink and the Berkeley City Council. Move America Forward’s Chairman Melanie Morgan rode into town on the back of a Hog. She and the VERY LOUD bikers cruised through the streets of Berkeley, giving them a wake-up call. As the roaring bikes cruised by, car alarms and house alarms squealed in the...

Rolling Into Town on the Back of Fred's Hog Written by Melanie Morgan    Saturday, 22 March 2008 I admit it. I lied. A big, fat whopper. And I am NOT the least bit sorry abut it. I said in the media and in e-mail last Wednesday that our pro-troop side decided to stand down against the moonbats on the street during the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq, and at Shattuck Square in Berkeley, Calif. where our Marine Recruiters are doing excellent work in spite of the near constant harassment. I told a fib.  I didn't want to tip our hand...

A Hundred Thousand Motorcycle Riders (Well quite a few hundred) infiltrated Berkeley along with hundreds of others who drove cages and used other forms of transportation (Tunnels with Trains) in Support of our Troops and the Marine Officer Selection Recritiment Office in the California town that is trying to withdraw from the human race and The United States Of America.Well, that's my take on the actions of Berkeley whose very existance depends on our country being well armed and manned by Military Personell.I arrived about 11AM, although my camera thought it was 10The speakers were scheduled to speak in an...

5 Year Anniversary of Success On Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 the Vets For Freedom Heroes came through Tucson, Arizona as part of their tour across America. As a member of Vets For Freedom I attended a lunch meeting held at a local American Legion Hall. The stalwart warriors explained in speeches that things were going well in Iraq but most mainstream news media refuse to report good war news. The speakers, which included retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Steve Russell and former US Army Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, exhibited an amazing range of knowledge on a variety of subjects...

BERKELEY -- Berkeley is hosting a decidedly different kind of protest today. A couple hundred flag-waving leather-clad pro-troop bikers have roared into town to show their support for the often besieged Marines recruiting center in the city. "I'm here because I support my Marines," said Steve Bosshard, a retired San Francisco police officer who came from Santa Rosa. "I don't like what Berkeley's done. They don't realize the effect it has on the troops." The center was criticized by the Berkeley city council and is often the target of protests. Today's demonstrators, most of whom are military veterans, said they...

It’s amazing what happens when people start working together toward a common goal. Friday night, 14 March, Free Republic, Gathering of Eagles (GOE), Eagles Up, Nam Knights, Band of Mothers, Protest Warrior, Patriot Guard Riders, A Soldier’s Wish List, Move America Forward, and concerned individuals got together at the intersection of Georgia and Elder in DC NW to show unified support of the men and women who wear military uniforms in service to our country. This intersection is the location of the main entrance of Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC). It is this intersection that greets the men and...

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2008 – Wounded warriors in need in San Antonio now have a place to call home as they transition from military to civilian life. The new facility is Operation Homefront’s first of four planned transitional housing facilities across the United States. Jody Brothers from the PGA Tour and representatives from local Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores were on hand to cut the ribbons on the apartments the Wal-Mart Foundation sponsored. “Thanks to these and other sponsors, wounded warriors and their families can live at Operation Homefront Village rent-free so they can rebuild their financial foundation as...

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. -- A banner honoring America's military has become the center of a controversy in Clay County, where officials have said an Orange Park woman's patriotic display is breaking the law. Ella George told WJXT that members of her family have fought for the country, and now she is fighting for her right to honor them by putting up a supportive banner at Annabelle's Interiors. The six-foot by two-foot banner in front of the Clay County business says, "Salute Every Generation's Heroes." However, the county said the banner violates its sign ordinance and has ordered it be removed....

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of protesters fanned out across the nation’s capital Wednesday to call for an end to military operations in Iraq, but city police reported none of the major civic disruptions organizers had predicted. The events, scheduled to coincide with the five-year anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, came a few days after pro-war groups marched on the National Mall in support of a continued U.S. presence in Iraq. Leslie Cagan, co-chair of United for Peace and Justice, said the goal of dispersed demonstrations was to bring awareness to the “shock and awe, shockingly and awful occupation...

Wednesday’s "The Situation Room" featured three anti-war grassroots websites during a short segment, without including any from the opposing viewpoint. Host Wolf Blitzer introduced the segment by talking about the anti-war protests marking the 5-year anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war. "Hundreds of anti-war protesters gathered in Washington for this, the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. At least 31 people were arrested today, according to the organizers. Protests are also happening across the country, and many of them are being organized online." Blitzer brought in CNN Internet reported Abbi Tatton, who described the websites and the...

WASHINGTON — Her anti-war stance helped her knock off the incumbent in Maryland's 4th Congressional District, and on Wednesday it made Donna Edwards one of the keynote speakers in a day of protests on the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. ~snip~ Student activists chained themselves to desks in the middle of the street, a giant missile with an effigy of President Bush decorated a corner and protesters costumed as polar bears stalked the streets with a booming soundtrack as the rain dampened turnout, but not the enthusiasm of the protesters. ~snip~ Elsewhere, a multi-group coalition of students led...

From San Francisco to Berkeley to Washington, D.C., peace activists plan demonstrations across the nation today to mark the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. More than 600 events are scheduled. Anti-war activists say their goal is to use the occasion to renew interest in the conflict when many Americans are focused on the troubled economy and the presidential election. "We want to make sure that this war is put back into the American consciousness as an issue," said Bill Hackwell, spokesman for the Act Now to Stop War and End Racism coalition, or A.N.S.W.E.R. "This has...

Wednesday night, people will be gathering with candles, signs, flowers, and photos. Many will be there to protest the war and remember those killed in the line of duty. Beginning at 7 p.m., the candlelight vigil will honor the sacrifice of American military personnel killed in Iraq. Personal accounts written by veterans and members of military families affected by the war will be read on the steps leading up to the State Capitol. Members of MoveOn.org and CREDO Action are holding the candlelight vigil. And in San Marcos, another peaceful protest. A "Circle of Peace" is scheduled for 5 p.m....

March 19, 2008 the America/Military-haters will be out in force all across the country.Free Republic (And other Patriots) will be there to Support out Military in San Francisco and Berkeley.This is what the opposition to our Great Country have planned: No business as usual on the 5th anniversary of the war Berkeley, CA March 19, 2008 07:30AM to 04:00PMHosted by World Can't Wait Drive Out the Bush Regime! Event Description: Join World Can't Wait- Drive Out the Bush Regime! to shut down the Berkeley Marine Recruiting Station! Event Type: March 19th Actions Location:64 Shattuck Square(That is the Marine Recruiting Office)...

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2008 – Help for servicemembers coping with the effects of wartime service is just a phone call or a mouse click away, thanks to a nationwide network of mental health professionals. “Give an Hour” is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has created a national network of mental health professionals providing free counseling services to returning veterans and their loved ones, according to Barbara Romberg, the group’s founder and president. “The participating mental health professionals will offer a wide range of services including individual, marital and family therapy, substance abuse counseling, and treatment for post traumatic stress...

Smithfield — Maj. Dennis McCool is no stranger to war. A retired Army officer, McCool, 60, began his 20-year Army career at the height of an unpopular war. His deployment to Vietnam, where more than 58,000 American soldiers died, lasted for several years. “I have lived for 38 years with a burden that every Vietnam veteran carries,” says McCool, a native of Sanford, Fla. “That burden is that we did not win. It was not our fault... Since returning home in December, the trio has embarked on another mission: to rally support for the troops. They set out on March...

Chanting such slogans as "surrender is not an option" and waving American flags, a few hundred people from across the country rallied and paraded in downtown Washington yesterday to support the war.

The D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com invites all Freepers and lurkers in good standing to join us on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, for an all day demonstration in support of our troops and their mission at the 14th and L St., NW, recruiting center in Washington, D.C.This recruiting center is on the list of targets by anti-American protesters marking the fifth anniversary of the liberation of Iraq--a liberation they oppose to this day.We will stand in front of the recruiting center to protect it from attack by the anti-American protesters.Please wear an item of red, white and blue clothing.Being that we...

Patriotic Americans are being urged to wear red, white and blue clothing this Wednesday, March 19, 2008, to show support for our troops and their mission on the fifth anniversary of the liberation of Iraq from the terrorist regime of Saddam Hussein.Anything from scarves and ties to a full blown Uncle Sam suit will do. When someone compliments you on your patriotic attire, take the opportunity to explain to them why you're wearing the red, white and blue on Wednesday.The anti-American left will be out in the streets across the country that day protesting and rioting. Most of us will...

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2008 – A shade more than 40 years ago, the city of San Mateo, Calif., took an unprecedented step : it “adopted” Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. City officials say it was a courageous decision for the council to make, given that in March 1968, the war in Vietnam was still raging and many American citizens held a chilly attitude toward the country’s troops. According to a San Mateo news release, a simple letter from a young soldier serving in Vietnam set the wheels in motion. “On December 18, 1967, while...

While All the Young Eagles were Marching in DC, the Old VETS were Covering Olney for Ya!! The ever faithful USMC and Army American Legionnaires and Veterans of Foreign Wars, Halsey, Glenn, and Frank were there early, along with Navy vet iMacMan. We were soon joined joined by Legionnaires Dave and Francis -- their first time on the Saturday corner. We hope it's not their last! Shortly afterwards, Eager joined us as well. The hapless Moonbats were outnumbered for quite some time before a new feller and a couple of unidentified co-conspirators joined them, but they left soon after...

Eagles Muster - Eagles Up!/GOE Rally and March Written by MAF Blogger Danny    Sunday, 16 March 2008 Just hours ago, I, along with Melanie Morgan, Cat Moy, Mary Pearson and the rest of the Move America Forward team, attended the Eagles Up!/GOE “Eagles Muster” rally. Move America Forward was honored to assist Eagles Up and (Ed: Dr. Zoo made this hot link ------>) Free Republic in organizing today’s events. Walking through the lawn up to the Washington Monument, at the bottom of which everyone was assembled, I felt way more comfortable surrounded by Veterans and military families than...