30Jun66: Battle of Srok Dong. C and B Troops involved. SGT Donald R. Long, C Troop earns Medal of Honor.
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop C, First
Squadron, Fourth Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his
life above and beyond the call of duty. Troops B and C, while conducting
a Reconnaissance mission along a road were suddenly attacked by a Viet
Cong regiment, supported by mortars, recoilless rifles and machine guns,
from concealed positions astride the road. Sgt. Long abandoned the
relative safety of his armored personnel carrier and braved a withering
hail of enemy fire to carry wounded men to evacuation helicopters.
As the platoon fought its way forward to resupply advanced elements, Sgt.
Long repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire at point blank range to provide
the needed supplies. While assaulting the Viet Cong position, Sgt.
Long inspired his comrades by fearlessly standing unprotected to repel
the enemy with rifle fire and grenades as they attempted to mount his carrier.
When the enemy threatened to overrun a disabled carrier nearby, Sgt. Long
again disregarded his own safety to help the severely wounded crew to safety.
As he was handing arms to the less seriously wounded and reorganizing them
to press the attack, an enemy grenade was hurled onto the carrier deck.
Immediately recognizing the imminent danger, he instinctively shouted a
warning to the crew and pushed to safety 1 man who had not heard his warning
over the roar of battle. Realizing that these actions would not fully
protect the exposed crewmen from the deadly explosion, he threw himself
over the grenade to absorb the blast and thereby saved the lives of 8 of
his comrades at the expense of his life. Throughout the battle, Sgt.
Long's extraordinary heroism, courage and supreme devotion to his men were
in the finest tradition of the military service, and reflect great credit
upon himself and the U.S. Army.
I received this from Gary Chenett. Please read and consider if you qualify. BB
Search for donor with unique ancestry is urgent
Anthony Lee, a 15-year-old resident of the small enclave of Hessel, Mich., urgently needs a bone marrow transplant. So far, there's been just one major obstacle: A suitable donor needs to have ancestry similar to the lad's – a mix of American Indian, Korean, German and Swede.
Doctors diagnosed aplastic anemia in Lee about two and a half years ago. According to the Mayo Clinic, aplastic anemia is a condition where one's body stops producing enough new blood cells to replenish dying cells. A variety of blood cells course through one's bloodstream – red blood cells carry oxygen, white blood cells fight infection and platelets help the blood clot. This means someone who has aplastic anemia becomes easily fatigued and is at higher risk for infections and uncontrolled bleeding.
It is a rare and serious condition that can develop at any age. Treatment for aplastic anemia may include medications, blood transfusions or bone marrow transplants. Doctors tried a variety of treatments and medications on Lee; one treatment worked successfully for a year. In early 2008, Lee's blood cells and platelets were regenerating quite well and held steady through the summer.
But his cellular regeneration began to decline later in the year and became worse by winter. More recently, a stem cell procedure was tried but it failed to take hold. Doctors have determined there is only one last hope for him – find a suitable bone marrow donor and perform a transplant as soon as possible.
Bone marrow transplants, according to the Mayo Clinic, are most successful if the matched donor is a relative, but Lee has no compatible matches in his family. The next best course is to find a match among healthy, unrelated people with similar ancestry between the ages of 18 and 60.
Lee's unique ancestry is a challenge. The National Marrow Donor Program says there is a dire need for Asians and American Indians to register as potential donors to fill a shortage of readily available prospects.
Eric Trosko of the NMDP says those eligible to join the marrow registry need to be in general good health and willing to donate to any patient in need.
"You simply complete a registration form and swab the inside of your cheek. That's it, no blood draw and the entire registration process only takes about 10 minutes. If you match a patient, donations can now be made through a simple blood draw procedure instead of the old surgical procedure through the hip. There is no cost for members of any American Indian tribe to join the marrow registry or donate."
If you would like to join the marrow registry or learn about how easy it is to host your own marrow donor registration drive, contact Trosko in East Lansing, Mich., at (800) 471-3020, ext. 101. Trosko will provide kits for anyone who wants to join the registry.
Lee loved participating in sports at Cedarville High School and was active in skiing, basketball, football and track. Then he began having difficulty regaining normal breathing after exerting himself, the condition eventually led doctors to the aplastic anemia diagnosis.
Lee wants to resume his involvement in academics and sports, perhaps pursue a career as a doctor. But first, a suitable donor must be found.
We continue this week with the 1st Inf Div Lessons Learned Report for the Period 1 Nov 66 - 31 Jan 67. BB ********************************************************************
House Hearing on Family Care Givers ********************************************************************
New Law Protects Renters ********************************************************************
Proposed 2010 Military Pay Charts
(http://www.military.com/military/benefits/0,15465,2010-Proposed-Military-Pay,00.html?ESRC=mr.nl) View Proposed 2010 Pay Charts
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Move-In Housing Allowance Survey ********************************************************************
Travel System to Modify Process ********************************************************************
Liberty University Offers Tuition Discounts to Military ********************************************************************
University Hosts Seminar on New GI Bill ********************************************************************
3 Hot Careers in a Down Economy 1. Network and Computer Systems Management: Salaries for Bachelor's to Master's degree $38,000 to $145,000
(http://www.military.com/getting-your-degree/3-hot-careers-in-down-economy?ESRC=vr.nl) View the full article on Military.com.
There are several online and on-campus degree programs available to help you fulfill the educational requirements necessary to land one of these jobs. Military.com connects you to an degree program that suits your educational and professional goals. (http://edu.military.com/gibill?ESRC=vr.nl) Search for Military Friendly Schools now.
********************************************************************
2009 Fourth of July Concert ********************************************************************
House Passes Job Security Bill ********************************************************************
New GI Bill Calculator ********************************************************************
Annual Clothing Allowance ********************************************************************
Flu Pandemic Declared
Thanks to John Conley for this forward. BB
This was written by a Canadian woman, but oh how it also applies to the U.S. , U.K. and Australia
Written by a housewife in New Brunswick , to her local newspaper. This
is one ticked off lady.
'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not
started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11,
2001 and have continually threatened to do so since?
Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered that day,
in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from the nation's capitol and in
a field in Pennsylvania ?
Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible,
burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?
And I'm supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to be
tortured by a justice system of the nation they come from and are fighting
against in a brutal insurgency
I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents
for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.
I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start
caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief of which is a crime punishable
by beheading in Afghanistan .
I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking
off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed
throat.
I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Afghanistan come
out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by
hiding in mosques.
I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search
of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide
bombs.
I'll care when the Canadian media stops pretending that their freedom
of speech on stories is more important than the lives of the soldiers on
the ground or their families waiting at home to hear about them when
something happens.
In the meantime, when I hear a story about a CANADIAN soldier roughing
up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know this:
I don't care.
When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not
to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:
I don't care.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat,
and 'fed special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining
that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in
your heart of hearts:
I don't care.
And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran'
and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you guessed it,
I don't care!!
'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Soldiers don't have that problem.'
One last thought for the day:
Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The Canadian Soldier.
3. The British Soldier.
4. The US Soldier, and
5. The Australian Soldier
One died for your soul, the other 4 for your freedom.
********************************************************************
I'm completely confused.BB Gary Chenett sends us this bit of information. I thought we were losing our weapons, ammo and 1st born sons. You don't know what or who to believe anymore.
People on terrorist watch list allowed to buy guns
Report says more than 900 background checks conducted on watch list subjects
About 90 percent of those sales were allowed to proceed
Senator says he is introducing measure to curtail sales to "terrorists"
Watch list has been criticized as containing outdated information
updated 3:17 p.m. EDT, Mon June 22, 2009
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When people on the government's terrorist watch list have tried to buy guns or explosives in recent years, the government has let them the vast majority of the time.
Current law doesn't stop firearm or explosives sales to people whose names are on the terrorist watch list.
That's the finding of a new report by the Government Accountability Office, sent to lawmakers last month and released publicly Monday.
From February 2004 to February 2009, 963 background checks using the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System "resulted in valid matches with terrorist watch list records; of these matches, approximately 90 percent were allowed to proceed because the checks revealed no prohibiting information," the GAO report says. About 10 percent were denied.
"Under current law, there is no basis to automatically prohibit a person from possessing firearms or explosives because they appear on the terrorist watch list," wrote the GAO's director of homeland security and justice issues, Eileen R. Larence.
"Rather, there must be a disqualifying factor (i.e., prohibiting information) pursuant to federal or state law, such as a felony conviction or illegal immigration status."
Of the 963 background checks, 865 were allowed to proceed, and 98 were denied, the report said.
The GAO provided the report in response to a request from Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey. The GAO said Lautenberg had requested an update to a 2005 report.
In a statement Monday, Lautenberg said, "this new report is proof positive that known and suspected terrorists are exploiting a major loophole in our law, threatening our families and our communities. This 'terror gap' has been open too long, and our national security demands that we shut it down."
The statement said Lautenberg is introducing legislation that would give the U.S. attorney general "authority to stop the sale of guns or explosives to terrorists."
However, an official with the National Rifle Association, the leading lobbyist group that espouses gun ownership rights, said problems with the terror watch list made a broad prohibition likely to violate the rights of law-abiding citizens.
"The integrity of the terror watch list is poor, as it mistakenly contains the names of many men and women, including some high-profile Americans, who have not violated the law," said a statement by Chris W. Cox, the NRA chief lobbyist. "In fact, a March 2009 report by the inspector general of the Department of Justice concluded that many people whose names were mistakenly placed on the list remain there even after their cases have been vetted and closed."
The GAO notes that being on a terrorist watch list does not mean that someone is involved in any terrorist activity.
Last month, the Justice Department reported that the FBI had kept thousands of names on its watch list based on outdated information and should have removed them.
Danny Horn sent in this batch of Trooper photos. I have no idea where he got them from.
This is for those mothers of boys, sisters of boys, and boys that have grown older...And anyone else who needs a laugh.
Why boys need parents...
********************************************************************
Rob Ferguson is doing his best to deal with the economy.
"The Economy is so Bad:"
CEOs are playing miniature golf
and the biggest sign the economy is bad
Motel Six won't leave the light on for ya.
An expectant couple go to the hospital to deliver their baby, where upon the Doctor informs them of
a new device, being tested, that will transfer some of the pain of child birth to the Father, the
couple said they would like to try it.
The doctor then said he'd set the machine at 10% pain transfer, as even this was to much for most
Dads to be, but as the labor progressed the husband said he was feeling fine, it was helping his
wife, kick it up a notch, so the doctor raised the pain transfer to 20%, the husband said he was
still doing fine, the doctor checked him and so no increase in blood pressure etc so he raised the
pain threshold to 50% and the husband continued to feel quite well. As this was obviously helping
the new Mom, the doctor raised the treshold to 100%, the baby was born and the couple was ecstatic..
When they got home they found the mail man dead on the porch..............
Rob says there is a some hope for this couple.
A woman arrived at a party and while scanning the guests spotted an
Attractive man standing alone. She approached him, smiled and said, ’Hello. My name is Carmen.' ********************************************************************
Tom Heckman turns in what may be the photo of the week!
Uh, what was that name again Rob?
A photo like this just doesn't come along every day!
One of the reasons Mummy wont let him be king
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Tony Moscicki sent this one in. Sounds just like the Washington crowd talking.
The American Medical Association has weighed in on the new economic stimulus package.
The Allergists voted to scratch it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.
The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve.
The Obstetricians felt they were all laboring under a misconception. Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted. Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!" while the Pediatricians said, 'Oh, Grow up!'
The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it.
Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing.
The Internists thought it was a bitter pill to swallow, and the Plastic Surgeons said, "This puts a whole new face on the matter."
The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.
The Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas, and the Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no.
In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the assholes in Washington.
********************************************************************
Alan Bonoit sends this one in with a photo of a boating mishap down in Missouri.
BOAT LAUNCHING FOR DUMMIES:
Lesson One: Wait until AFTER the boat is successfully launched to start drinking the beer!
Lesson Two: Always remember TGIF -- Trailer Goes In First!
********************************************************************
Time for Alan Bonoits contrabution for the week.
If you receive an email from the Department of Health telling you not to eat tinned pork because of swine flu - ignore it. It's just spam.
Medical news from Dr. Edward Hayes.
Potential for Non-Invasive Brain Tumor Treatment
The proof-of-concept study demonstrated that it should be technically possible to treat brain tumors without the side effects associated with the traditional approaches of surgery, systemic chemotherapy or radiation.
The bioengineers designed and built an ultrasound catheter that can fit into large blood vessels of the brain and perform two essential functions: provide real-time moving 3-D images and generate localized temperature increases. The researchers envision using this system in conjunction with chemotherapy drugs encased in heat-sensitive microbubbles called liposomes.
"Physicians would inject drug-carrying liposomes into a patient's bloodstream, and then insert a catheter via a blood vessel to the site of the brain tumor," said Carl Herickhoff, fourth-year graduate student at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering and first author of a paper appearing in the journal Ultrasonic Imaging. "The catheter would use ultrasound to first image the tumor, and then direct a higher-power beam to generate heat at the site, melting the liposome shells and releasing the chemotherapy directly to the tumor.
********************************************************************
Plant Microbe Shares Features with Drug-Resistant Pathogen
The research team - which included scientists from Ireland, Austria, and the United Kingdom as well as the U.S. - was investigating the versatility and adaptability of a group of bacteria known as Stenotrophomonas. These bacteria have great metabolic versatility, allowing them to thrive in very diverse environments.
The scientists were particularly interested in comparing two strains of S. maltophilia whose genomes were recently decoded to see why these strains - one isolated as an opportunistic pathogen from a clinical setting (strain K279a), and the other from the roots of poplar trees (strain R551-3) - were so well-suited to their very different environments. Such comparisons are made possible by the high throughput and cost-effective DNA sequencing capacity developed by DOE's Joint Genome Institute, as well as the Sanger Institute, to help elucidate the role of microorganisms in health, energy, and environmental processes.
********************************************************************
UCF Researcher's Nanoparticles Could Someday Lead to End of Chemotherapy
Perez and his team used a drug called Taxol for their cell culture studies, recently published in the journal Small, because it is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic drugs. Taxol normally causes many negative side effects because it travels throughout the body and damages healthy tissue as well as cancer cells.
The Taxol-carrying nanoparticles engineered in Perez's laboratory are modified so they carry the drug only to the cancer cells, allowing targeted cancer treatment without harming healthy cells. This is achieved by attaching a vitamin (folic acid) derivative that cancer cells like to consume in high amounts.
********************************************************************
Drugs Against Winter Vomiting Disease One Step Closer
"We are aiming to develop a drug that can be given to vulnerable persons and to children in day-care when it has become clear that another epidemic is starting to break out. More research will, however, be required. Our results are important steps along the way, but it will probably be several years before a drug is commercially available", says Gustaf Rydell who successfully defended his PhD thesis on June 8, 2009.
The thesis describes how the virus for winter vomiting disease can attach to cells by binding to special sugar chains. One of these chains is characterised in that it has a monosaccharide known as sialic acid at its end. The thesis also shows that the virus binds to such sugar chains even when they are not part of the cell surface. This means that it may be possible for the sugar chains to prevent the virus infecting the cells by blocking its binding structures.
********************************************************************
Just Say No to Free Drug Samples
If your doctor ever offered you a free sample of medicine, you probably took it happily, grateful you didn't have to fill a prescription and pay for it. But Jerome Kassirer, a professor at the Tufts University School of Medicine, says those samples are nothing more than a marketing tool for the pharmaceutical industry and actually end up costing consumers money.
"Samples are one of the marketing approaches that the pharmaceutical companies use to entice doctors to use their newest and most expensive drugs," he says.
Kassirer, a former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, says trade organizations representing the pharmaceutical industry claim free samples improve patient care and help millions of financially struggling patients, while at the same time demonstrating new treatments to physicians. Not so, says Kassirer, author of On the Take: How Medicine's Complicity with Big Business Can Endanger Your Health.
********************************************************************
Targeting Tumor Behavior May Lead To New Liver Cancer Drugs
The researchers wanted to find agents that might reverse the gene changes associated with invasive liver cancer and perhaps stop liver tumors from spreading in the body. Such therapy could greatly improve patient survival, the researchers say.
The findings are published online in the journal Cancer.
"This is an exciting new way to find potentially useful anti-cancer agents," says principal investigator Dr. Tushar Patel, director of hepatology and a researcher with Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center-James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.
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FDA Advises Consumers Not To Use Certain Zicam Cold Remedies
Intranasal Zinc Product Linked to Loss of Sense of Smell
The products are:
The FDA has received more than 130 reports of loss of sense of smell associated with the use of these three Zicam products. In these reports, many people who experienced a loss of smell said the condition occurred with the first dose; others reported a loss of the sense of smell after multiple uses of the products.
"Loss of sense of smell is a serious risk for people who use these products for relief from cold symptoms," said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). "We are concerned that consumers may unknowingly use a product that could cause serious harm, and therefore we are advising them not to use these products for any reason."
********************************************************************
Believe it or not
An 81-year-old man has drawn a five-year sentence for illegally selling the powerful prescription pain reliever OxyContin. Rayfield Dupree was sentenced Friday. Dupree, who turns 82 next month, originally was charged with five felony counts of drugs misconduct. He pleaded guilty to one consolidated count in a plea deal with prosecutors.
He will be eligible for parole after serving 20 months, but until then can take medical parole for health reasons if necessary.
Public defender Amy Allen said Dupree suffers from an irregular heartbeat.
Superior Court Judge Paul Lyle ordered Dupree to report to jail by June 22. Dupree has been free on bond since shortly after his November arrest.
Honor Flights for Vets ********************************************************************
Massachusetts Cemetery to Expand ********************************************************************
75 Million for Homeless Vets Announced ********************************************************************
VA Loan Still Good Option in a Bad Economy ********************************************************************
House Reviews VA CARES Process ********************************************************************
Grant for New Hampshire Home ********************************************************************
Flu Pandemic Declared ********************************************************************
Education Opportunity for Wounded Warriors ********************************************************************
House Hearing on Family Care Givers
********************************************************************
Thanks to Danny Horn for the following inspiration. BB
THE BUZZARD:
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet,
and is entirely open at the top,
the bird, in spite of its ability to fly,
will be an absolute prisoner.
The reason is that a buzzard
always begins a flight from the ground
with a run of 10 to 12 feet.
Without space to run, as is its habit,
it will not even attempt to fly,
but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
THE BAT:
The ordinary bat that flies around at night,
a remarkable nimble creature in the air,
cannot take off from a level place.
If it is placed on the floor or flat ground,
all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully,
until it reaches some slight elevation
from which it can throw itself into the air.
Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
THE BUMBLEBEE:
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler,
will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out.
It never sees the means of escape at the top,
but persists in trying to find some way out
through the sides near the bottom..
It will seek a way where none exists,
until it completely destroys itself.
PEOPLE:
In many ways, we are like
the buzzard,
the bat,
and the bumblebee.
We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations,
never realizing that all we have to do is look up!
That's the answer,
the escape route and the solution
to any problem!
Just look up.
Sorrow looks back,
Worry looks around,
But faith looks up!
Live simply,
love generously,
care deeply,
speak kindly,
and trust in our Creator who loves us.
Thats all the news for this week. Check back next Saturday. Thanks, Ole' Bill


LONG, DONALD RUSSELL
Donald R. Long's actions took place during the summer campaigns of 1966.
This was some of the heaviest fighting Quarterhorse was to see in Vietnam.
In addition, one of the gymnasiums on Fort Riley, Kansas, was dedicated to
Sergeant Long.
SOMEONE IN NEED OF LIFE SAVING HELP!!
Jun 19, 2009
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/48612422.htmlQUARTERHORSE HISTORY
The Wounded Warrior Education Initiative allows wounded Soldiers, on active duty or medically retired, to pursue their master's degrees at no cost from the University of Kansas. Wounded warriors are enrolled in courses full time, and those on active duty are assigned to Fort Leavenworth, Kan. After graduation, participants serve the Army in either active-duty or civilian status. Candidates must have a bachelor's degree and have been wounded in combat to be eligible for the program. They also must be a part of the Army's Wounded Warrior program. For more information on the Wounded Warrior Education Initiative, contact Scott Cox, Career Coordinator with the Army Wounded Warrior Program, at 703-325-6925. To learn more, (http://www.military.com/news/article/army-helps-wounded-pursue-education.html) read the full article on Military.com.
The House Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee held a hearing to assess how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) meets the needs of family caregivers of veterans and to identify any gaps in supportive services for family caregivers. Additionally, there are concerns about the lack of coordination of caregiver benefits when the servicemember transitions to veteran status. Prepared testimony and a link to the webcast of the hearing are available at the (http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hearing.aspx?newsid=412) House Committee on Veterans' Affairs website.
The Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009 recently signed into law by President Obama gives military members additional protection if the homes they rent are foreclosed. The legislation ensures that renters are not forced out of their homes if foreclosure occurs and a new landlord takes over. The legislation gives renters the right to stay in their homes throughout the duration of their lease unless the new owner is moving into the home, or if the renter is renting under a month-to-month lease. Still, the new law gives renters at least 90 days before they can be evicted no matter where they live in the U.S. For more information, servicemembers should contact their local legal office. To learn more, (http://www.military.com/news/article/dod-protects-renters-from-foreclosures.html) read the full article on Military.com.
President Barack Obama's proposed fiscal 2010 budget calls for a 2.9 percent pay increase for servicemembers. The house has proposed an additional 0.5 percent.
(http://www.military.com/military/benefits/0,15465,2009-Proposed-Military-Pay,00.html?ESRC=mr.nl) View Current Pay Charts
Stars and Stripes reports that due to less-than-expected participation, Europe-based troops who live off base now have until June 30 to fill out the online Overseas Housing Allowance Utility and (http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/oha/survey/utilitymiha.html) Move-In Housing Allowance Survey. This is the second deadline extension for the survey. The online survey, which takes about 40 - 50 minutes to complete, asks participants to estimate monthly and annual utility rates and whether they incurred any move-in costs, such as any service-activation fees.
Minor changes are scheduled to take place within the Defense Department's travel reservation system later this summer to support the Transportation Security Administration's new pre-flight screening program. Under the current format, when travelers arrange flight, hotel and rental car reservations online at the (http://www.defensetravel.osd.mil/dts/site/index.jsp) Defense Travel System website, the only personal information the site processes through to the vendors is the traveler's first name, last name and middle initial. Now, after the system and website modifications take effect, the traveler's date of birth and gender will be included to comply with the TSA's Secure Flight Program. The changed will be entered only once by the traveler and then saved to their profile on the (http://www.defensetravel.osd.mil/dts/site/index.jsp) DTS website.
In today's economy, you need a degree to complement your military training. At Liberty University Online, it's easy for servicemembers, veterans, and military spouses to get an in-demand education. Benefits including tuition discounts, fee waivers, free book vouchers and evaluation of military training for college credit make it possible for you to become a college graduate on your own schedule.
The University of St. Thomas in Houston will host a seminar for veterans who wish to learn more about the new Post-9/11 GI Bill Education benefit, and how it applies to private colleges. The event will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at the University of St. Thomas' Jones Hall, located at 3910 Yoakum Blvd. Houston, TX 77006. For more information contact the University of St. Thomas Director of Veteran Services at 713-942-3409. To register for the seminar go to (http://www.stthom.edu/veteranevents) www.stthom.edu/veteranevents. Learn more about the (http://www.military.com/money-for-school/gi-bill/yellow-ribbon-program-explained) yellow ribbon program at Military.com.
In today's economy and highly competitive job market, the more you know the more you're worth. The economy will rebound, be ready when it does by getting a degree in one of the following career fields:
2. Health Care Administration: Salaries for associate through Master's degrees, $45,000 to $128,000
3. Law Enforcement: Salaries for High School Diploma through Master's degree, $27,000 to $104,000
Motown Legends "The Miracles" team up with the Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve to launch the Independence Day Concert celebration July 2 at McConnell-Talbert Stadium on South Davis Drive in Warner Robins. The free concert starts at 7 p.m. and features a night of music, fireworks and family entertainment. Festivities begin with the National Anthem and a scheduled F-15 flyover. (http://web50.military.com/cgi-bin/outlog.cgi?url=http%3A//www.military.com/independence-day/2009-independence-day-concert.html?ESRC=vr.nl&code=mr_062209_bofa) Get more information.
House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) recently announced that the House of Representatives passed H.R. 466 -- The Wounded Veteran Job Security Act. H.R. 466 seeks to expand the protections of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act to include veterans with service-connected disabilities who seek an excused leave of absence from work to obtain medical attention. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The text of H.R. 466 is available on (http://capwiz.com/military/issues/bills/?bill=13295841) Military.com's legislative center.
The new GI Bill offers several new benefits above and beyond anything previously offered. However, there are limitations as to how and where these benefits can be applied. Each servicemember and veteran must choose which version of the GI Bill will best suit their needs. One of the biggest considerations is how much each veteran will get toward tuition, fees, and living expenses. Military.com has created a GI Bill Calculator to help servicemembers and veterans find out how much their New Post-9/11 Payment rate will be and how it compares to the Montgomery GI Bill. Visit (http://www.military.com/gi-Bill-calculator/?esrc=vr.nl) Military.com/gi-bill-calculator to get started figuring out your GI Bill payment rate today.
A clothing allowance is paid to a veteran who has a service-connected disability or a disability that requires he or she wear or use a prosthetic, orthopedic device, or medication prescribed by a physician for a service-connected skin condition that wears out or tears clothing. At the end of July, computer-generated letters or applications are issued to veterans whose records are set to require annual re-determination of a clothing allowance. To be eligible for the clothing allowance, the veteran must meet the eligibility requirements by Aug. 1, 2009. The application for the Annual Clothing Allowance, (http://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-8678-fill.pdf) VA Form 10-8678. For more information on the annual clothing allowance, contact your local Veteran Service Officer, VA Regional Office or visit the (http://www.prosthetics.va.gov/ClothingAllowance.asp) Department of Veterans' Affairs website.
The World Health Organization recently declared a global H1N1 flu pandemic. A Phase Six pandemic declaration is based on the sustained worldwide spread of H1N1, not the severity of illness caused by the virus. For more information on the flu pandemic, visit (http://www.pandemicflu.gov/) oandemicflu.gov, the Military Health Systems (http://www.health.mil/Pages/Page.aspx?ID=37) H1N1 Flu Outbreak Information page, and the (http://www.eucom.mil/english/flu/H1N1_flu.asp) U.S. European Command's H1N1 Flu Outbreak Information Web page.

















Truckloads of Americans have been caught sneaking into Mexico
Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting
Organized crime is laying off politicos
The most highly paid job in America is Jury Duty
'That's a beautiful name' he replied. 'Is it a family name?'
'No' she replied. 'Actually I gave it to myself. It represents the things
That I enjoy the most - cars and men. Therefore, I chose ’Carmen’.
'What's your name?'
He answered, 'B.J. Titsengolf.'



Duke University engineers have taken a first step toward a minimally invasive treatment of brain tumors by combining chemotherapy with heat administered from the end of a catheter.
An international team of scientists has discovered extensive similarities between a strain of bacteria commonly associated with plants and one increasingly linked to opportunistic infections in hospital patients. The findings suggest caution in the use of the plant-associated strain for a range of biotech applications. The genetic analysis was conducted in part at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, and will be published in the July 2009 issue of Nature Reviews Microbiology, now available online.
Nanoparticles specially engineered by University of Central Florida Assistant Professor J. Manuel Perez and his colleagues could someday target and destroy tumors, sparing patients from toxic, whole-body chemotherapies.
Winter vomiting disease is an infectious inflammation of the gastro-intestinal tract, which occurs principally during the winter months. There is presently no vaccine, and no drugs to combat the infection. The disease causes diarrhoea and vomiting, and its consequences may be very serious for people who are already seriously ill or weak.
"Who pays for all these free samples that are given out to people who could afford them? The answer is we do," says Jerome Kassirer. "They are unequivocally a marketing tool."
Ohio State University cancer researchers have used computational and genomic methods to identify possible anti-cancer agents that may block a particular kind of tumor behavior. The agents target multiple genes associated with that behavior at one time.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today advised consumers to stop using three products marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia). Anosmia may be long-lasting or permanent.
-Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel
-Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs
-Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (a discontinued product)
Octogenarian gets 5 years for selling OxyContin
Many WWII veterans were able to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. recently on the 65th Anniversary of D-Day thanks to the work of Honor Flight. The mission of the Honor Flight network is to transport America's veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices. Top priority is given to the senior veterans -- World War II survivors -- along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill. The trips are made at no cost to the veterans. For more information, visit the (http://www.honorflight.org/) Honor Flight website.
To expand burial capacity at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded a Boston firm a design contract to develop another section of the cemetery. The 25-acre development will be completed in late 2010 or early 2011. It will include approximately 8,500 pre-placed crypts for casket burials, 1,000 in-ground cremation burial sites and 3,800 columbaria niches, also for cremation remains. Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the Internet at (http://www.cem.va.gov/) www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices at 1-800-827-1000. For more information on the cemetery, visit the (http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/massachusetts.asp) VA website.
The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) met today for the first time under the Obama Administration. U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki chaired the meeting, at which U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan was elected rotating Chair for the upcoming year and U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis was elected Vice Chair. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Melody Barnes, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, attended the meeting. To learn more, (http://www.military.com/news/article/75-million-for-homeless-vets-announced.html?col=1198880166289) read the full article on Military.com.
More servicemembers and veterans are using their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan guaranty benefit, as VA's loan program remains a strong option in today's housing market. No-down payment loans are increasingly difficult to obtain with conventional financing. Under recently enacted legislation, VA now uses a locality-based approach in determining ceilings on its no-down payment home loans. VA no-down payment loans are available for as much as $729,000. Larger VA loans may be obtained with relatively small down payments. (http://web50.military.com/cgi-bin/outlog.cgi?url=http%3A//www.military.com/finance/pcs-moving-guide/home-buying/va-loan-still-option-in-bad-economy.html?ESRC=vr.nl&code=vr_062209_pcs) See full article.
The House Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee recently held a hearing to review the future of health infrastructure at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Subcommittee marked the five-year anniversary of the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) decision by examining the effectiveness of the capital planning tool for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). CARES was designed to assess VA's buildings and land ownership in light of expected demand for VA inpatient and outpatient health care services through fiscal year 2022. Representatives from VA discussed the ongoing strategic facilities planning process. Prepared testimony and a link to the webcast of the hearing are available at the (http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hearing.aspx?newsid=399) House Committee on Veterans' Affairs website.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded a grant of up to $3.7 million for upgrades there, including energy enhancements and asbestos abatement at the State Veterans Home in Tilton, New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Veterans Home agreed to enter into a contract for the improvements within 90 days of an agreement with VA. VA operates a major medical center in Manchester and five outpatient clinics. The state-run Veterans home in Tilton supplements these federal services. For more information about the New Hampshire Veterans Home and other New Hampshire services for Veterans, visit the (http://www.nh.gov/nhveterans/bene.html) New Hampshire State Veterans' Council website.
The World Health Organization recently declared a global H1N1 flu pandemic. A Phase Six pandemic declaration is based on the sustained worldwide spread of H1N1, not the severity of illness caused by the virus. For more information on the flu pandemic, visit (http://www.pandemicflu.gov/) oandemicflu.gov, the Military Health Systems (http://www.health.mil/Pages/Page.aspx?ID=37) H1N1 Flu Outbreak Information page, and the (http://www.eucom.mil/english/flu/H1N1_flu.asp) U.S. European Command's H1N1 Flu Outbreak Information Web page.
The Wounded Warrior Education Initiative allows wounded Soldiers, on active duty or medically retired, to pursue their master's degrees at no cost from the University of Kansas. Wounded warriors are enrolled in courses full time, and those on active duty are assigned to Fort Leavenworth, Kan. After graduation, participants serve the Army in either active-duty or civilian status. Candidates must have a bachelor's degree and have been wounded in combat to be eligible for the program. They also must be a part of the Army's Wounded Warrior program. For more information on the Wounded Warrior Education Initiative, contact Scott Cox, Career Coordinator with the Army Wounded Warrior Program, at 703-325-6925. To learn more, (http://www.military.com/news/article/army-helps-wounded-pursue-education.html) read the full article on Military.com.
The House Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee held a hearing to assess how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) meets the needs of family caregivers of veterans and to identify any gaps in supportive services for family caregivers. Additionally, there are concerns about the lack of coordination of caregiver benefits when the servicemember transitions to veteran status. Prepared testimony and a link to the webcast of the hearing are available at the (http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hearing.aspx?newsid=412) House Committee on Veterans' Affairs website.
Deliver Us From Fear
O Lord, we beseech thee to deliver us
from the fear of the unknown future;
from fear of failure; from fear of poverty;
from fear of bereavement;
from fear of loneliness;
from fear of sickness and pain; from fear of age;
from fear of death.
Help us, O Father, by thy grace to love and
fear thee only, fill our hearts with cheerful
courage and loving trust in thee; through our
Lord and Master Jesus Christ.
Amen
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