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This page is dedicated to all of America's heroes.
With special thanks to the Unsung Heroes of our great nation.
In memoriam, UA Flight 93 and the 3,031 Victims of September 11, 2001
America Supports You
"America Supports You," a nationwide program launched by the Department of Defense, will recognize citizens' support for our military men and women and communicate that support to members of our Armed Forces at home and abroad. |
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VFW Unmet Needs Program
On a one-time basis, the Unmet Needs program will facilitate the resolution of critical and immediate Unmet Needs of currently-or recently-serving American service personnel and their families, and when possible, other veterans, through direct assistance, referral, and exploration of local outreach opportunities within the VFW and its related projects and communities. |
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Special Operations Warrior Foundation
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) provides college scholarship grants, based on need, along with financial aid and educational counseling to the children of Special Operations personnel who were killed in an operational mission or training accident. |
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Homes For Our Troops
Homes for Our Troops is a non-profit, non-partisan 501 (c)(3) organization founded in 2004. This organization is strongly committed to helping those who have selflessly given to their country and have returned home with serious disabilities and injuries. We assist severely injured Servicemen and Women and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building materials and professional labor and coordinating the process of building a new home or adapting an existing home for handicapped accessibility. All services provided by Homes for Our Troops are at no cost to the veterans we serve. |
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Operation Gratitude
Hundreds of thousands of American troops are deployed in hostile and remote regions of the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa, Guantanamo Bay and on ships throughout international waters. The physical conditions they must endure are difficult and they may be separated from loved ones for long periods of time. Operation Gratitude seeks to lift troops' morale, and bring a smile to their faces by sending care packages to service members overseas. Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, toiletries, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support. |
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The Freedom Calls Foundation
Connecting USA Soldiers Home
The Freedom Calls Foundation serves more than 20,000 soldiers located at Camp Cooke and in Fallujah, Iraq with state of the art communications services free of charge 24 hours per day including video conferencing, telephone calls, internet access and email, so that the soldiers can keep in touch with their families at home. The foundation has enabled unprecedented soldier participation from the war zone in such milestone family events as weddings, births, graduations, and first communions here at home by video conference. The Army has requested that the foundation install it facilities at 8 additional Army camps in Iraq and 2 in Afghanistan in the coming months to serve an additional 75,000 soldiers.
The foundation is the founding sponsor of SOS04 (Support Our Soldiers) weekend scheduled for December 10-12th on which we expect the American people throughout the country to demonstrate their support for our active service members. For further details visit the foundation's website at www.freedomcalls.org.
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Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
On May 18, 2004, a small group of concerned Marine Corps spouses founded the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund to provide financial grants and other assistance to the Marines, sailors, and families of those injured serving our nation. In the summer of 2004, General Alfred Gray, the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, two retired general officers, and a retired sergeant major joined them. In their first five months, the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund provided financial assistance to over 200 families with more than $300,000. |
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The Veteran
Author Unknown
I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.
I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin.
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.
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Marine Monument, San Clemente, CA
Honoring Our United States Marines |
I observed on one of the drums belonging to the marines now raising, there was painted a Rattle-Snake, with this modest motto under it, "Don't tread on me." ... it occurred to me that the Rattle-Snake is found in no other quarter of the world besides America ...
I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids. She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenseless animal; and even when those weapons are shown and extended for her defense, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal. Conscious of this, she never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.
Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America?
Benjamin Franklin
"We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."
"Freedom at War with Fear"
The President of the United States
George W. Bush
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Don't confuse action with movement."
Ernest Hemingway
"Whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone, I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears; to your confidence rather than your doubts. My dream is that you will travel the road ahead with liberty’s lamp guiding your steps and opportunity’s arm steadying your way."
President Ronald Reagan
Cell Phones for Soldiers
Cell Phones for Soldiers was created by two teenagers from Norwell Massachusetts, 13 year old Brittany Bergquist and her 12 year old brother Robbie Bergquist. After hearing a news report about a local soldier who had run up a huge phone bill calling home from Iraq, they decided to see if they could help. They donated their snack money and went to the bank to open an account. According to NBC Nightly news, as of August 1st, 2004, Brittany and Robbie's organization has raised over $150,000 toward the purchase of pre-paid phone cards and cell phones for the troops. Their efforts have been acknowledged by the White House, members of the military, and Jim Kelly, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. Kelly has also signed on as their celebrity spokesperson. Their next goal, raising $12 million to fund the purchase of satellite phones (1 for every 20 soldiers) for the troops. Click to help.
GuideStar - a project of Philanthropic Research, Inc.
GuideStar's site provides a huge, searchable database of local charities with which to locate and identify worthy causes in your area.
USA Freedom Corps
The generous spirit of the American people has fostered a great and long-standing tradition of service. Across the country groups large and small are mobilizing concerned citizens to improve lives and strengthen the civic fabric that holds our communities together. The USA Freedom Corps, through its participating agencies and programs-- the newly created Citizen Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Peace Corps-- will work with local officials and community groups to offer expanded service opportunities for Americans at home and abroad.
Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps, a vital component of USA Freedom Corps, was created to help coordinate volunteer activities that will make our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any emergency situation. It provides opportunities for people to participate in a range of measures to make their families, their homes, and their communities safer from the threats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds.
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps, the domestic Peace Corps engages more than 50,000 Americans in intensive, results-driven service each year. We're teaching children to read, making neighborhoods safer, building affordable homes, and responding to natural disasters through more than 1000 projects. Most AmeriCorps members are selected by and serve with projects like Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, and Boys and Girls Clubs, and many more local and national organizations.
Senior Corps
The Senior Corps is the national service program that puts the experience and talents of seniors across the country to work getting things done in their communities. Through the Senior Corps, nearly half a million Americans age 55 and older share their time and talents to help solve local problems. If you're 55 or older and want to get involved, see what Senior Corps has to offer.
"It is said that adversity introduces us to ourselves."
President George W. Bush's Remarks at National Day of Prayer and Remembrance
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