38 degrees in MAY ? South Deck this morning.

PERSONAL

I slept in today until 7am again after 9+hrs of sleep to a 3 with some lower back pain. I took my am pills, and put out my flag. I do have an important YELLOW RIBBON addition, some may have already received it I waited for permission to put it on my blog and it said 2-4 times to share it, so I am. I sent this around a couple of days ago and I have ALREADY received one call. I played some golf Sunday with my back brace on and I do think it helped.
I went to the Brent Barton, Cheryl Meyers function Saturday at Happy Valley Park and there was a good crowd. Brent And Cheryl were joined by Dave Hunt, Jackie Dingfelter, Diane Rosenbaum and others. They impressed on the crowd that the republicans believe that this house district belongs in the republican column. I also asked them why it seems the Dems in Salem appear to be Anti-Obama, because He wants clean energy and good jobs. And I know that there are over 2,000 good UNION jobs waiting, and ready to build that Clean Energy plant at Bradwood Landing, I also asked about the Unemployment issue with some of the Guard members and was told they should not have ANY problems getting unemployment. I did go over to Gloriaz and talked to Dean and Gloria about a joint fund raising event for Cheryl and Brent at Gloriaz, there on Sunnyside, a silent auction maybe? I asked what day/nite would be the best for them and Dean said his best option would be a Monday, I stopped by there last night and he was not fooling. I am still going to try to put together MY primary endorsement list for this months primary, with a short explanation of why candidates have my support. You will not see a Republican endorsed, mostly because I will be voting in the Democratic Primary and if you have been following my blog you should know my feelings for Republicans right now.

DANIEL IS ACTUALLY HOME SAFELY NOW, AND NEPHEWS CHRISTOPHER AND RHYON ARE BOTH IN AFGHANISTAN.

Cousin Larry Pahut is running for Justice of the Peace in Deer Lodge County,. That would be a picture of his grandfather there on the right, John L. Monahan, L for Larry? . His sister, Patty Ann Sullivan is his Campaign Manager and we became face book friends. I actually did send him a check, and saw that it had been cashed and would ask all to give what they can. (campaign H.Q. Are 400 Spruce, Anaconda, Montana 59711) I also heard from his sister Carol Marie and it appears that she and Tom are doing well, he must be getting close to retirement also.

God grant that I may live to fish until my dying day, And when it comes to my last cast, I then must humbly pray. When in the Lord's safe landing net I'm peacefully asleep,that in His mercy, I be judged............Good enough to keep.

My daily prayer, is to Mary Mother of God…..”O Most Blessed Mother, heart of love, heart of mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling, hear OUR prayer. As your children we implore your intercession with Jesus your Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions we place before you today, for the safe return of nephews Rhyon and Christopher from Afghanistan; all those families suffering from those mine disasters in West Virginia and Kentucky, cousin Larry Pahut in his endeavor to become the Deer Lodge County Justice of the Peace; and all in need. We are comforted in knowing your heart is ever open to those who ask for your prayer. We trust to your care and intercession, those whom we love and who are sick or lonely or hurting. Help ALL of us, to bear our burdens in this life until we may share eternal life and peace with God forever, Amen.”
Thank You, Mother Mary, for your help and assistance, especially for BRINGING DANIEL HOME SAFELY; for Brandee, whose pregnancy is going well; and now those, NOW covered with Health Care.

I know I still have been repeating things, maybe too much, on my blog; but some of this stuff I need to be reminded of and some of this stuff others need to be reminded of.

LDN and AMP REPORT

This is my attempt to keep track of my experiences with my LDN treatment for my Neurologist and his RN. So far with the 4.5mg, I think I'm noticeably better. I am experiencing better days and now that I'm doing the new dosage I am seeing a marked change. I have now been on that brand new FDA approved pill, Aminopyridine, even though I missed a few times, and I am very pleased. It is supposed to be good for “gait” issues, even those with primary progressive. I still have to check up on that new pill (AMPYRA). My B.P. is 116/77/56 at 10:30am today.

POLITICAL

I planned on adding a new section on April 1st for my own comments on personal issues; WELCOME HOME DANIEL!, and maybe some Irish issues, Daniel IS Irish? Did you know some of the first victims of the K.K.K. In Oregon were Irish Catholics.

LOCAL

WELCOME HOME DANIEL!

LARRY PAHUT FOR DEER LODGE COUNTY JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.

Yes, I am a fan of and supporter of , Tom Margraf for Multnomah County Commission. His experience in getting things done for and with other Elected es and Communities would be an invaluable asset for the County. IT'S TIME FOR TOM !

One of the most consistent elected officials supporting the Columbia River Crossing has been Rex Burkholder, help him out if you can. Send him some help at METRO, in the form of Duke Sheppard. Earl Blumenhauer, has been there for us also and he did look and sound very good on the Big Ed Show. I will get a check off as soon as I can; Representative Kurt Schrader, Representative Peter Defazio, I think right now anyway, need to be sent back to congress also.

Don't forget to respond to the census as there are 37 governors elections this year and we can't let them Gerrymander congressional districts and end up like we did in the 90's. Ours is in the mail. One of those 37 is right here in Oregon and I'm sure, keeping a Democrat in the Governors Mansion is Paramount. One that actually believes in JOBS.

The Building Trades did, and I am, endorsing John Kitzhaber for Governor. Now that Health Care passed congress and with us having a Dr. in the Governors Mansion it should be an advantage for Oregon. His campaign H.Q. Is over at SE 30th and Division and could use some bodies and supplies. It's also time to get your lawn signs up. I did get a preview of his first commercial and I thought it was very well done. Is that Jim Moss in it? I talked to Jim this morning and he did say he had not seen the ad but it did sound like he was a Kitzhaber guy. That other candidate in his ad says he wants to get Oregon rolling again but he is against good Oregon Jobs, Union Jobs that pay a prevailing wage and already have health care. I was really sorry to see that he had the support of Howard Dean and the D.F.A.; well they just made my spam list.

I haven't changed my mind that ALL that health care “controversy” that was being generated was to take the publics mind off of the Employee Free Choice Act, American Rights at Work, “card check” legislation. I do believe passage of the E.F.C.A. might have made quite a difference in both the West Virginia, and Kentucky accidents. I also heard that that a$$&*$# company owner in West Virginia refused to allow UNION MINORS to try to help.

I still don't know yet, if the “soft landing” bill is done but that is one issue I will keep harping on until I am sure. I did see Rons Labor Liason at the Workers Memorial function but missed my opportunity to ask her. I did hear from Senator Murray from Washington, and it did sound like she was working on a piece of the soft landing bill, John was at the Legislative Conference and I asked him to ask Ron about the soft landing bill. I also received a communication and responded as follows to Senator Wyden on his work on the Health Care Bill.

Ron;
Thank you for your hard work. I am still waiting to find out if the exchanges help or hurt my current Union Health Care Plan. Also, I am still trying to find out if "The Soft Landing Bill" is complete at the federal level.
All my Best;
William "Wally" Mehrens

Did you know that there were more vets that died last year because they didn't have health care, than died in both the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars? I was really surprised that I didn't hear anyone point that out in the debates that I saw.YELLOW RIBBON SECTION

From: unionveterans@aflcio.org [mailto:unionveterans@aflcio.org]

1. Truman National Security Roundtable

Greg Woodhead and Legislative Representative, Byron Charlton of the Union Veterans Council participated in the Truman National Security Project’s quarterly roundtable of progressive veterans’ organizations on April 13, 2010. The featured guest speaker was Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN), the highest ranking enlisted soldier ever to serve in Congress. Waltz emphasized the need to always get the politics right. He said when we take care of veterans, “we are doing the right thing for our country as well as doing the right thing for veterans.”He promoted the establishment of a seamless transition from active duty to veteran status, including one set of electronic medical records that would follow a service member from date of enlistment, during active duty, and through veteran years to day of death.
Jon Powers of the Truman Project gave briefings on plans to establish Truman Project military roundtables at the state level, and the Operation Free nationwide bus tour – “secure America with clean energy.”

2. UVC Legislative Activities and State Organizations

VC staff participated in legislative conferences in Washington, DC for the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, the Building and Construction Trades, and the Transport Workers Union. The UVC 2010 Legislative/Program Agenda can be viewed on the UVC web site www.unionveterans.org UVC staff also attended the AFL-CIO State Federation, Area and Central Labor Council Conference and participated in a lively workshop on Maximizing Existing Labor Movement Structures: Constituency Groups and Community Services. Many contacts were made and UVC sign-up cards were distributed and collected at these events. It is also possible to sign-up for this newsletter on-line by going to the UVC web site.UVC Staff coordinator, Gordon Pavy traveled to Ohio on April 13, to participate in the organizational meeting of the Ohio State Union Veterans Council, under the direction of State Federation President Joseph Rugola. On April 14, the Ohio AFL-CIO, coordinated by Political Director Jeanette Mauk, sponsored a well-attended Veterans’ Information Day in Columbus. Guest speakers included:
· Joseph Rugola, Ohio AFL-CIO President
· Richard Cordray, Attorney General of Ohio
· Jim Wasser, Spokesperson for the Union Veterans Council, IBEW Retiree
· Matt Lampke, Deputy Attorney General Executive Agencies Section

Additionally, representatives from the Ohio Dept. of Veterans Services, Ohio Dept. of Insurance, United Way, Helmets to Hardhats, Ohio AFL-CIO Workforce Rapid Response program & Ohio’s Best Rx participated.

3. Department of Veterans Affairs reaching out to vets via blogs and social media - By Amanda Erickson

Friday, April 9, 2010

A little before 8 every morning, Brandon Friedman steps into his cubicle, turns on his computer and tries to single-handedly revolutionize the way the Department of Veterans Affairs talks to vets.
Friedman, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, arrived at VA eight months ago with a mandate: to reach veterans using new media -- and little else. It's no easy mission at a department known for its communication failures and cumbersome bureaucracy.
Friedman has helped overhaul the department's Web site, created a dozen Facebook pages and launched a Twitter account. The goal, he said, is to improve communication between veterans and the department.
Friedman, who served in the 101st Airborne, knows how hard life can be for veterans. "When I got out of the Army, I was done," he said. "I didn't want to deal with anything anymore."
He spent his first months at home drinking and traveling. But after a bout of appendicitis left him bedridden, he began blogging about his experiences. That led to a book deal ("The War I Always Wanted" was published in 2007) and eventually a position with VetVoice, an online forum for progressive veterans.
"I got addicted to blogging," he said. "I began getting a real handle on the power of communicating online."

In 2009, VA Assistant Secretary Tammy Duckworth tapped Friedman to revamp the department's social media presence. His work appears to be gaining some traction. The department's Facebook page has gained about 20,000 fans in five months.
That's not surprising to Steven Livingston, a communications professor at George Washington University who has worked extensively with U.S. troops in the Middle East. "Even the veterans are kids these days," he said. "They're tied into new media. The VA can tap into that familiarity."

Veterans are active online, said a member of Swords to Plowshares, a veteran support organization that helps former service members in the San Francisco area find housing, benefits and employment.
Amy Fairweather, the group's policy director, said she often receives requests for help from families that come across her organization's Facebook page or Web site.
"The Internet is their connection to home," she said. "That follows through when they return."
About 60 percent of the service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are younger than 30, according to the Defense Department.

But Friedman is working against a legacy of decades of distrust. Veterans regularly complain about having to file several appeals and wait years for their disability and medical benefits. Additionally, a 2007 department review found the hospital system severely overtaxed. "The VA is seen as this giant, evil bureaucracy in the sky," said Richard Allen Smith, who edits the VetVoice blog and is Friedman's friend.
Friedman knows this. "Veterans want to be engaged," he said. "They want a two-way conversation with us, to tell us what we can improve on."

He has begun to foster this discussion on the VA Facebook page, where he regularly responds to comments. And the department will start a blog by the end of the year.
None of it is enough for Larry Scott, editor of the Web site VA Watchdog. "What we have is new media and the same old message," he said. "It's all about telling the customer how great we are, not solving the problems."
Instead, he wants to see the department acknowledge mistakes and outline possible fixes.
"Very rarely do you see a VA official stand up and say, 'We have a major problem, and here's what we're doing to solve it,' " he said. "I think they could serve the veteran community a lot better that way."

C.J. Grisham, who blogs on A Soldier's Perspective, agreed. "The problem with any government-type blog is it's always gonna be viewed as an official word on things," he said.
But Friedman points to signs of progress. Last fall, the department failed to mail tuition reimbursements to thousands of veterans attending college on the GI Bill. In response, VA organized a conference with bloggers to find solutions.
"It was really successful," he said, adding that he would like to continue holding such forums.
It's one of many ways Friedman has tried to live up to the Obama administration's promise of a transparent, cooperative and open government. "I take it to heart," he said. "Even if we have some bad news, we're gonna try to address it. . . . You're not going to get any propaganda from us."
Amanda Erickson is a reporter for WhoRunsGov.com, a Washington Post Co. Web site.

4. Subject: Agent Orange


This is link for Agent Orange, the Teamsters in Chicago got a retired member to file claims on behalf of its members and they received 3.9 million in benefits to date.
This could save millions of dollars in benefits paid out of local's health plains. A retired Tradesman on a fixed income could receive a check from the VA if they file a claim, who wouldn't want extra money every month. These benefits would carry over to a widow as well.
Conditions currently recognized by Veterans Affairs as related to Agent Orange Exposure
· Chloracne
· Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
· Multiple myeloma
· Respiratory cancers
o Lung
o Trachea
o Bronchus
· Prostate Cancer
· Soft tissue sarcoma
· Hodgkin's disease
· Porphyria cutanea tarda
· Peripheral neuropathy (acute or subacute)
· Type 2 diabetes
· Spina bifida in Children of Veterans (not including spina bifida occulta)
· Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

I think this would be a great service the internationals could provide to its members and retired members that were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.


Bill Mulcrone
Midwest Regional Director
Helmets to Hardhats
Phone: 630-926-1850
Email address: Bill.Mulcrone@HelmetstoHardhats.org

5. Thousands of vets missing out on better benefits

By KEVIN MAURER, Associated Press Writer Kevin Maurer

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Only a fraction of wounded veterans who could get better benefits have applied in the two years since Congress, acting on concerns the military was cutting costs by downplaying injuries, ordered the Pentagon to review disputed claims.
As of mid-March, only 921 vets have applied out of the 77,000 the Pentagon estimates are eligible, according to numbers provided to The Associated Press by the Physical Disability Board of Review. The panel was created in 2008 but started taking cases in January 2009.
More than 230 cases have been decided, about 60 percent in favor of improving the veteran's benefits, while an additional 119 case were dismissed as ineligible.
Advocates and even the board members themselves want the review panel to do a better job of getting the word out.
"Quite frankly, I would like to see more opportunities for us to reach out to these people," said Michael LoGrande, president of the three-member board that has a staff of 10. "But we are doing the best we can with the limited people and resources we have."
LoGrande said the board is trying to reach eligible vets mainly through veterans groups.
At issue are disability ratings based on an injury's severity and long-term impact. Veterans rated below 30 percent disabled with less than 20 years of service receive a one-time severance payment instead of a monthly retirement check. Also, their health care switches from the military to the strained VA system, and their families lose military health insurance.
A rating above 30 percent means monthly income and military health care for the family.
A disabled service member's severance pay and monthly retirement is based on active-duty pay, years of service and if the service member's injuries are combat-related.
Congress created the board after investigations found inconsistencies in how the military assigns ratings for the level of disability that soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have before they are discharged. Veterans advocates protested that the military was manipulating disability ratings to save money.
Orin Higgins, 30, injured his back while he was stationed in Korea. The Army discharged him on medical grounds in May 2006 with no benefits, even though the injury hampers everyday chores.
"Tying my shoes is difficult," said Higgins, from Mountain Grove, Mo. "I can't get a job because all I know is construction and roofing and you can't do that with a bad back."
Higgins appealed his Army rating to the Physical Disability Board of Review in May 2009 and was approved for a higher rating by the board in February.
"I think they've righted a wrong," he said.
The panel is managed by the Air Force and charged with reviewing appeals from former members of the armed forces who received disability ratings of less than 30 percent from Sept. 11, 2001 to Dec. 31, 2009. Before Congress created the streamlined process, veterans could appeal but were subjected to a lengthy review by a military panel that rarely changed the ratings.
"I think flat out that we've done exactly what the Hill wanted and what (the Office of the Secretary of Defense) wanted," LoGrande said, "and it has resulted in a bump in the number of people that flip to a disability retirement."
Under the new system, the board makes a recommendation in an average of about eight months. The recommendation is sent to the service secretaries, who more than 90 percent of the time have accepted the board's review, according to numbers provided by the board.
"I think each of these cases is given substantial rigor. We take exhaustive measures to make sure we're doing the right thing," LoGrande said. "That is why when I see the Army, which has the preponderance of applicants, adopting almost 100 percent of our recommendations."
Veterans advocates say more outreach is needed.
"Less than 1,000 have applied, to me they really need to do a better effort to get the word out," said Mike Hayden, deputy director of government relations for the Military Officers Association of America. "The success rate tells me there was a definite problem and the Physical Disability Board of Review is out there to correct it."
Hayden said military and veterans' service groups were provided with information about the board for their newsletters when the board first started taking cases. He has also seen some information released through a Defense Department news release.
"In order to reach out to make sure everyone is contacted, we think it needs to be a personal letter," Hayden said.
The Military Officers Association of America and other veterans groups drafted a joint letter urging the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs to send letters to all veterans eligible for a review.
Retired Army Lt. Col. Mike Parker, an advocate for wounded soldiers, said it would be easy for the board to get the addresses of eligible veterans because most get Department of Veterans Affairs benefits
"I personally think they are not trying to find people because the more they find, the retirements will add up," Parker said.
LoGrande said he has spoken in person to veterans groups about the board. Since there is no sunset on the board, he said the review board has time to reach out to all eligible veterans.
"This is a unique situation that we are a (Department of Defense) board that really services not active members, but former members," LoGrande said. "The best venue is to pursue it through veterans groups."

6. Subject: [vets-39] Social Security – added benefits for Active Duty time served
DD FORM 214 -- SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT Please share this with anyone who's had active duty service betweenJanuary 1957 to December 31, 2001 and planning for retirement. In a nutshell it boils down to this: You qualify for a higher social security payment because of Militaryservice, for active duty any time from 1957 through 2001 (the programwas done away with 1 January 2002). Up to $1200 per year of earnings credit credited at time of application - which can make a substantial difference in social security monthly payments upon your retirement.You must bring your DD-214 to the Social Security Office and you must ask for this benefit to receive it!Soc Sec website: http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm This is something to put in your files for when you apply for SocialSecurity down the road... It is NOT just for retirees, BUT anyone who has served on active dutybetween January 1957 to December 31, 2001.FYI - this benefit is not automatic, you must ask for it! Mary Ancker (COL, Retired)

7. VA Uses Recovery Act Money to Repair Historic Monuments

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will use up to $4.4 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act program to repair and preserve historic monuments and memorials at VA-operated national cemeteries, soldiers’ lots and other facilities throughout the United States.
“The Recovery Act will help us preserve these historic memorials for future generations,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “In many cases, these irreplaceable historic structures will receive long overdue repairs while keeping skilled American artisans employed on projects important to our heritage.”

Funds for the monument and memorial repairs are coming from more than $1.4 billion in the Recovery Act allocated to VA.
Forty-nine monuments at 36 sites in 23 states will be repaired or conserved under this program. These represent some of the oldest and most significant memorials at VA cemeteries, and require treatments that include cleaning, roof and step repairs, stone consolidation, joint re-pointing, and painting or waxing of metals.
Cost estimates for individual projects range from less than $10,000 to $510,000. The monuments and memorials included in this treatment initiative were installed between 1842 and 1952, and most are associated with the Civil War.

The most costly preservation project is the National Soldiers’ Monument at Dayton National Cemetery in Ohio. The Soldiers’ Monument dominates the landscape from atop a mound at the center of the cemetery. The cornerstone was laid in 1873 and it was completed in 1877. This dramatic structure is composed of a 30-foot marble column on a granite base and topped with a soldier at parade rest.
At the corners of the base are four figures representing the infantry, cavalry, artillery and navy. President Rutherford B. Hayes delivered the dedication address on Sept. 12, 1877, to a crowd of about 22,000. This monument was severely vandalized in 1990, and the current initiative will address problems associated with the repair.
The oldest monument among the 49 sites is Dade’s Pyramids at St. Augustine National Cemetery in Florida. The pyramids cover vaults that contain the remains of 1,468 soldiers who died during the Second Seminole War from 1835 to 1842. The three Dade’s Pyramids are each six feet tall and were constructed in 1842 of coquina stone. They were dedicated at a ceremony that marked the end of the Florida Indian Wars.

The funds will also be used to repair and conserve three monumental limestone entrance archways built around 1870 at national cemeteries in Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn., and Marietta, Ga. VA will also use ARRA funds to conserve the soldiers’ obelisk monuments at cemeteries affiliated with the National Homes for Disabled Veteran Soldiers. Also scheduled for repairs are 11 monuments funded by states where large numbers of their troops were buried, five Confederate monuments, and a memorial to President Zachary Taylor located near his tomb in Louisville, Ky.

The Recovery Act, signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 17, 2009, is an unprecedented effort to jump start the American economy, create and save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. In addition to repairs to monuments and memorials, America’s national cemeteries will receive an estimated:
·$25.9 million for national shrine projects to raise, realign, and clean headstones or grave markers and repair sunken graves at various locations across the country;
·$5.9 million for energy-related projects such as conserving energy and water through the use of wind turbines, solar power and other measures;
$9.5 million to repair roads, buildings, and other cemetery infrastructure at locations nationwide; and
·Nearly $6 million for equipment purchases for cemetery operations.
VA operates 131 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico and 33 soldiers' lots and monument sites. More than three million Americans, including Veterans of every war and conflict — from the Revolutionary War to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan — are buried in VA’s national cemeteries on more than 19,000 acres of land.

8. Month of the Military Child

There are 1.7 million American children and youth under 18 with a parent serving in the military and about 900,000 with one or both parents deployed multiple times, April is designated as the Month of the Military Child, underscoring the important role military children play in the armed forces community. The Month of the Military Child is an opportunity to recognize military children and youth for their heroism, character, courage, sacrifices and continued resilience.
Please share with your networks and groups this important video message from First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden about the important role children play in the military community.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/04/07/month-military-child


9. Virtual Wall - Locate a Hero

First click on a state. When it opens, scroll down to the city and the names will appear. Then click on their names. It should show you a picture of the person, or at least their bio and medals. This really is an amazing web site. Someone spent a lot of time and effort to create it.I hope that everyone who receives this appreciates what those who served in Vietnam sacrificed for our country.The link below is a virtual wall of all those lost during the Vietnam war with the names, bio's and other information on our lost heroes. Those who remember that timeframe, or perhaps lost friends or family can look them up on this site. Pass the link on to others if you like. http://www.virtualwall.org/iStates.htm

10. Book recommendation:

The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education – Craig Mullaney
A West Point graduate, Rhodes Scholar, and Army Ranger recounts his unparalleled education in the art of war and reckons with the hard wisdom that only battle itself can bestow. One haunting afternoon on Losano Ridge in Afghanistan, Captain Craig Mullaney and his platoon were caught in a deadly firefight with Al Qaeda fighters when a message came over the radio: one of his soldiers had been killed in action.Mullaney’s education had been relentlessly preparing him for this moment. The four years he spent at West Point and the harrowing test of Ranger School readied him for a career in the Army. His subsequent experience as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford couldn’t have been further from the Army and his working class roots, and yet the unorthodox education he received there would be surprisingly relevant as a combat leader. Years later, after that unforgettable experience in Afghanistan, he would return to the United States to teach history to future Navy and Marine Corps officers at the Naval Academy. He had been in their position once, and he had put his education to the test. How would he use his own life-changing experience prepare them? The Unforgiving Minute is the extraordinary story of one soldier’s singular education. From a hilarious plebe’s-eye view of the author’s West Point experience to the demanding leadership crucible of Ranger School’s swamps and mountains, to a two-year whirlwind of scintillating debate, pub crawls, and romance at Oxford, Mullaney’s winding path to the battlegrounds of Afghanistan was unique and remarkable. Despite all his preparation, the hardest questions remained. When the call came to lead his platoon into battle and earn his soldiers’ salutes, would he be ready? Was his education sufficient for the unforgiving minutes he’d face? A fascinating account of an Army captain’s unusual path through some of the most legendary seats of learning straight into a brutal fight with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, The Unforgiving Minute is, above all, an unforgettable portrait of a young soldier grappling with the weight of his hard-earned knowledge while coming to grips with becoming a man.


Go to the website VVMFCenter.org – they are collecting dollars for an education center at “The Wall”, Washington D.C.'s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, help if you can.

WELCOME HOME DANIEL, I SURE HOPE YOU AND OR TRINA CHECK OUT LARRY ROBERTA'S WEBSITE.

HURRY HOME AND BE SAFE RHYON, AND CHRISTOPHER.

Larry Roberta, a reclusive Aumsville veteran whose story of health problems from hexavalent chromium exposure in The Oregonian alerted his fellow soldiers, most of whom live between Forest Grove, McMinnville and Gresham. Roberta's testimony before the Oregon Legislature last year helped create a fund for soldiers who develop cancer as a result of this exposure, and if you noticed I now have a follower with the same name. Roberta, 44, has also launched the Web site www.qarmat-ali-vets.com, which includes a logo of an orange ribbon with a skull and crossbones., is the one that all with friends and family in Iraq, should visit.

Check www.LetsSayThanks.com often to read feedback from the troops about the Let's Say Thanks program!

If you have been flying the American Flag please keep flying it until ALL our Troops return home.

At the 11th Hour, on the 11th Day, of the 11th Month a cease fire was signed to end the war to end all wars in 1918. How's that worked out so far? Did anyone else notice that the health care bill passed at 11:11 am?

SPORTS

It's MLB Time, Hey Chicago, what do ya say, go Cubs go, Cubs gonna win today!

And yes Mark, I will check the Mariners schedule and try to pick a game for us to meet up.

Go Orioles, and Peter have your people keep an eye on that Mehrens kid that should be playing on Jackie Robinson Field down in Pasadena, after spring tryouts.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS & CHARITIES

The M.S. WALK was a resounding success, they are still adding everything up and I think we were more successful than last year. You are still eligible for a prize for your donation all the way to the end of May. If I have time later I will do a special edition on an update on our efforts.

Denise Hutzenbieler will be looking for help in June as she is walking in the Epilepsy walk. I will post more on that walk as I get it.

The American Rights at Work still needs help. We must not take our eye off that MAIN issue. E.F.C.A. Especially in light of that mine disaster in West Virginia.

The U.A. Local 290 “Don Salee” Member Assistance Program.

OTHER STUFF AND COMMUNICATIONS“GET 'ER DONE” - SOFT LANDING ! And give them back their money, and their overdue raise!

****Thank You Mary Ellen****
May love and laughter light your days
And warm your heart and homes
May good and faithful friends be yours wherever you may roam
May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures
May all lifes passing seasons bring the best to you and yours

WELCOME HOME DANIEL!

Being the BIG OIL is COMPANIES actually had the President considering OPENING UP the gulf to more offshore oil drilling and that mess attacking Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Texas really shows us the need for CLEAN LNG energy.

Did you know that we had a President of the United States that claimed “Tree's” caused more pollution than automobiles, can you guess which one?

Whether you attend a church service, a Mosque, GLBT gathering, or Synagogue service, please say a prayer that God; yours, mine or ours; keeps our service men and women in the Palm of their hand.

And Mike, I have no idea how long my blog is today. I'll see you next time on my blog.