Video from One of Our Own

Here's one from one of our own...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5358181685377992869

Tribute to Soldiers and Families

For OUR Heroes & those that love them and support them always...


This is breathtaking. Turn on your speakers, grab your tissues and be still...Click here: Thank You !!!

Happy Father's Day to Everyone!! Come home soon, come home safe!!!!

Michele & Heather

Quiet Hero

Quiet HeroMy Hero is the quiet type,
no marching bands, no media hype,
but through my eyes it's plain to see,
a hero, God has sent to me.

With gentle strength and quiet pride,
all self concern is set aside,
to reach out to our fellow man,
and be there with a helping hand.
Heroes are a rarity,
a blessing to humanity.

With all they give and all they do,
I'll bet the thing you never knew,
My quiet hero has always been you.
--Author Unknown

Father's Day Story of a Deployed Dad

ABOARD USNS COMFORT (NNS) -- Mess Specialist 3rd Class David Cargo shifts in his seat with his eyes determinedly focused on the flat-screen television in front of him. His facial expressions shift through a kaleidoscope of emotions, from anticipation to impatience. Then a picture appears, and instantly, his eyes light up as they capture the first images he'll ever see of his twin baby boys - Xavier Giovanni and Elijah Corree.Born at the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) in Bethesda, Md., just a couple of days earlier, their births come almost a full two months into Cargo's deployment aboard Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). Through the hospital ship's video teleconferencing (VTC) system, usually used for training and medical consultation, Cargo gets to see his sons and talk to his fiancée for the first time since delivery."I saw pictures already, but this is much better," says Cargo of the live video teleconference. "When you look at them this way, you can see them move and see their features... I want to see which one looks more like me."Although Cargo admits he was surprised when he originally found out he and his fiancée were having twins, he wasn't surprised about his deployment aboard Comfort. Setting sail Jan. 6 to the Arabian Gulf region in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Cargo had been on stand-by for this mission for several months.When Comfort's call to duty finally came, the time between the issue of orders and the ship's exodus from Baltimore, Md., was only a matter of days. For Cargo, preparations for parenthood shifted into preparations for possible war.Cargo's story is not an uncommon one. As Navy men and women carry on the mission throughout the fleet, families back home carry on their "missions," too. Life - in its many facets of beginnings, endings and all possible events in between -- continues, despite the distance or duration of deployment.From aboard Comfort, thousands of miles from home, Cargo and others are finding ways to bridge the gap between "The Gulf" and the family."I think it's a real asset to have the kind of technology available where we can do things from the sea, such as video teleconferencing," says Comfort Chief Information Officer Lt. David Felton. "Back when I first joined the Navy, guys that became dads during a float had to wait until the end of the deployment to see their babies. I remember when it used to be that when we pulled into home port, they let the new moms on the ship first. Now, in many aspects, they don't have to wait to see their kids, and I think that's great."Felton adds that giving deployed dads a way to connect with their newborns is also beneficial to the Navy. "I think that giving them a chance to actually see their new babies and know that mom is alright, helps them stay focused on the mission out here."Staying focused on the mission - of being a father and a Sailor - is something Machinist's Mate 2nd Class (SW) Eric Baker, a Comfort crew member who works in the ship's oxygen plant, has learned during his six-year career in the Navy. Having become a new father while he was at a Navy training school two years ago, Baker joined his wife in the delivery room via a cell phone as she had his son, Brye. Recently, as his wife, Missi, gave birth to their second child Jan. 31, Baker stayed connected through an Internet instant messenger service, typing for nearly five hours as his wife labored and delivered 8-lb, 7-oz Angeleah Mae Sue."My wife's little joke is to say that we're going to keep having kids until I can be there for one," says Baker, with a slightly nervous laugh. "But that sounds like it would get too expensive."All joking aside, Baker insists his Navy career is not at the cost of his children. He says he finds way to connect with his kids and keep his father role, regardless of whether he's home or not."Missi and I e-mail everyday and talk on the phone a lot, too. We still make parenting decisions together - everything from bedtime schedules to how to get my son to pick up his toys...I send them pictures via e-mail and they make home videos for me...I leave messages on their cell phone sometimes, so my little man can listen to them whenever he starts hollering for me," says Baker. "In some ways, though, it hasn't really hit me yet that I have a daughter. I think the whole thing with me being away is actually harder on my 2-year-old."Ultimately, whether fathers in the Navy are there to witness the birth and beginning months of their childrens' lives is not what determines if they will be good parents, says Cargo and Baker. Even serving full careers in the Navy, when the mission is sure to take them away from home - time and time again - does not impede their parental roles; it just alters them a little."Some days, I wonder whether I'm doing the right thing, or if I'm doing enough. But, there will come a day when I can sit down with my kids and really talk to them. And I think they'll have respect for my decisions and understand why I wasn't always "there" all the time," confesses Baker. "Ultimately, we all do the best we can."

A Touch of Home for Father's Day

AT&T Helps Connect Military Families for Father's Day, Supports Military Dads with Free Phone Calls and Entertainment; Donates First 10,000 of 30,000 Prepaid Phone Cards to U.S. Military; Provides $250,000 Sponsorship for USO Entertainment Tours


SAN ANTONIO --(Business Wire)-- June 14, 2006 -- AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) announced today that it will continue to build on more than 85 years of support for U.S. military families by donating more than 30,000 prepaid phone cards in 2006, valued at $270,000, to military members stationed overseas. The new program will begin with the first 10,000 prepaid cards being distributed through a USO entertainment tour slated for Father's Day week.

According to the United Services Organization (USO), the No. 1 requested item for military personnel is prepaid calling cards. The prepaid cards donated by AT&T will provide military members with 20 minutes of free talk time from Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, back to the U.S. The donation follows the company's recent $250,000 sponsorship supporting the USO's celebrity entertainment program this year. "Whether it's by phone, e-mail or video, families want to stay connected, especially during special holidays," said Cathy Martine, senior vice president-AT&T National Mass Markets. "That's why we feel it's important to do what we can to support military families this Father's Day." In the past 20 years, AT&T has contributed tens of millions of dollars to help support the USO and its meaningful programs, including: entertaining the troops through sponsorship of USO tours; helping to provide a "Touch of Home" through support of Operation USO Care Package and Operation Phone Home; and helping to enhance morale and community relationships through grassroots funding of USO regional operations in Europe, Southwest Asia and the Pacific, and more. Since 1941, USO programs and services have played an essential role in serving U.S. troops, providing much-needed recreational opportunities to troops. More than 120 USO centers around the world provide a variety of programs and services to boost the morale of military personnel and their families. USO celebrity entertainment tours bring volunteer celebrities to entertain, lift morale, and express the gratitude and support of the American people. For more than 85 years, AT&T companies have remained dedicated to supporting active military personnel, their families and veterans through charitable contributions, event and program sponsorships, hiring of military veterans and maintaining policies that support reservists when called to duty. Since 2000, AT&T has donated more than $6 million worth of free prepaid calling cards to military members and more than $2 million to projects supporting service members. The company has also built more than 60 calling centers for military members stationed in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. About AT&T Inc. AT&T Inc. is one of the world's largest telecommunications holding companies and is the largest in the United States. Operating globally under the AT&T brand, AT&T companies are recognized as the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to business and as leading U.S. providers of high speed DSL Internet, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. AT&T Inc. holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which is the No. 1 U.S. wireless services provider with 55.8 million wireless customers. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and AT&T products and services is available at www.att.com. About the USO For more than 65 years, the USO (United Service Organizations) has been providing morale, welfare and recreational services to U.S. military personnel and their families. The USO is a nonprofit, charitable organization, relying on the generosity of the American people to support its programs and services. The USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners AT&T, BAE Systems North America, Clear Channel Communications, Military Channel, The Coca-Cola Company, S & K Sales Co. and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. Other corporate donors, including the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-0600), have joined thousands of individual donors to support the USO. For more information on the USO, please visit www.uso.org.

Military Child Care

NACCRRA is working with DOD to help those who serve in the military find and afford child care that suits their unique needs. Through several innovative civilian/military efforts among DOD, NACCRRA & Child Care Resource & Referral agencies, we are building the quality and capacity of child care throughout the country.

Military Child Care in your Neighborhood: For National Guard and Reserve service members living in geographically dispersed areas where on-base military child care is not available. Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) personnel, Recruiting Specialists, ROTC instructors, Military Entrance Processing personnel and service members on independent duty assignments, Federal technicians are eligible for assistance.

Operation Military Child Care: For Children of activated National Guard and Reserves, activated or deployed in the Global War on Terror. A subsidy for licensed child care that is based on total family income and child care expenses. All income levels and ranks are eligible.

Operation: Child Care: For families of service members participating in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Child Care providers have volunteered a minimum of 4 hours of free service for service members home on R&R.

To apply for any of these great services, families & service members can call 1-800-424-2246 ext 341 or check them out online at http://www.ChildCareAware.org

Great Links You Can Use

Department of State (Children's Issues)Children and Deployment: Keeping in TouchIt is vital for your children to stay in touch with loved ones during a deployment. Time away from a deployed dad or a deployed mom feels endless to a child. Easing the wait and making the most of an absence means making little ones (and big ones, too) a part of the cycle. Open the door to your child's creativity and sensitivity, and they might come up with something great

The Deployment Roller Coaster: Emotions of ChildrenThere are 7 emotional stages adults usually experience during a deployment but, its harder to determine how children feel and what they are afraid of when a parent is deployed. We can help children prepare for the deployment, but in the end, we must often live in the moment with themParents, Kids, and Deployments: Ways to CommunicateIt takes effort and creativity, but it is possible to maintain a connection between children and deployed parents. Communication between parent and child is critical. For kids, the knowledge that they are loved and important by the deployed pa! rent can transcend oceans.

What Does My Daddy Do? Military Parents in the Work PlaceFrom a kid's point of view, a parent's military job may be a little fuzzy. Explaining to your kids what you do, especially during deployments, shortens the distance between you. Parents with potentially dangerous assignments have the extra burden of easing fears.

Supporting Children During Stressful TimesA Collection of Informative Website Links put together by Marine Corps Community Services to help parents and caregivers support children during difficult times.

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Crisis Management Tool KitThis tool kit includes guidance and resources on how to deal with fear, anxiety, and stress for both children and adults, and it offers sound advice for helping children cope with crisis and grief.

Caring for Kids After Trauma and Death: A Guide for Parents and ProfessionalsInformation and resources on how to help children deal with trauma. The link is for a .pdf file.

VA Kids - Helps kids learn about being a VetThe Department of Veterans Affairs designed this site to help kids understand what it means to be a Vet.

The American Legion: A Cash Grant in a PinchThe American Legion’s Temporary Financial Assistance (TFA) program is available to help meet the basic needs of the minor children of men and women currently serving on active duty. In order to maintain a stable home environment for the child or children, non-repayable grants may be awarded to help families in financial need meet the cost of shelter, utilities, food, and medical expenses.

Military Childcare in your NeighborhoodMilitary Child Care in Your Neighborhood is a Department of Defense program designed to meet the child care needs of Service Members living in areas where on-base military child care is not available. In the past, these families bore the full cost of their child care. Now with Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood, many of them will be eligible to pay reduced fees for the care of their children.

Military Teens on the Move (MTOM) and MTOM for Kids"Life's an adventure," according to MTOM, and this site is full of tips to help military youth get the most from it. Helping kids and teens cope with relocation, the site offers practical information about installations, communities, and schools, along with ways to weather the pre- and post-move adjustment period.