Outfits for Working Military Dogs

Happy Veterans Day -
Starline Nunley started with the idea of helping her son, Major Parker Frawley, who is a Longbow, Apache helicopter fighter pilot stationed in Iraq. She asked him if he would like a Cooling Vest to help him cope with the typically very hot temperatures encountered there.

His reply was “Mom, I am and we (soldiers) are all right. The military provides for us very well, but dogs have different needs. It is so hot that they are having trouble doing their job and that puts us all in danger.”

To see videos of adorable military dogs "read more"

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Portraits of the Fallen

This week, if you only have time to visit one link from my blog and watch one video, this is the one. Get the kleenex.

Kaziah Hancock is a Utah artist who paints portraits of fallen American heroes at no cost.  She was driving home in early 2003 and heard the story on the radio of a fallen soldier from Utah.  It was at that point she decided she would do a portrait of every fallen soldier. 

Linda's 2 cents:
One of the purposes of this blog is to find stories that give folks hope. Another is to find areas on which we agree regardless of our politics. I believe Liberals and Conservatives alike feel that loosing a child is a parent's worst nightmare. This artist brings comfort to families who are hurting and she has my deepest admiration and support. I hope she also has yours and that you will take the time to comment on this article in the comment section below.

If you or someone you know has lost a loved one in the war, I encourage you to contact this program.

Video of artist and one family she has helped:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it7NQBN-lO0

Another video - Mom is there as Artists paints her son's portrait:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZMqzEKSTNI&feature=fvw

Article about the Artist:
http://www.defense.gov/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2392

Another program providing a similar service
http://www.fallenheroesproject.org/ 

Special Thanks to Butch D"Amico who sent me this story

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United Through Reading

United Through Reading helps parents separated from their children share the simple joys of reading aloud together.

Picture a young Soldier in Afghanistan walking into a tent, dropping his gear, and picking up a copy of Green Eggs and Ham to read to his daughter at home. Imagine, back home in base housing, his wife and daughter sit down to watch Daddy read a bedtime story from the other side of the world. At that moment, Daddy is home.

The Military Program, has more than 250 recording locations worldwide including nearly every deployed US Navy ship, in 75 USOs, and from forward operating locations around the world, including 46 camps in Afghanistan.

More than one million American children are separated from one or both parents due to military deployment and nearly double that for children separated from their loved ones due to incarceration, drug treatment, or social services. Still others are separated from their grandparents, and therefore, from generational love and learning. United Through Reading has served 1 million beneficiaries over the past 21 years.

If you know of someone who can benefit from this program, please pass along the resources listed below.

Original Article;
http://www.serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=407

I found this story at a government website - United We Serve
http://www.serve.gov/stories_all.asp

United Through Reading website:
http://www.unitedthroughreading.org/

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