Military Monday - Task Force Born 9/11 Still Guards NY

I came across this article today on Military.com. The New York National Guard has a task force that has guarded New York City since 9/11. It was actually formed on September 11th, 2001. Joint Task Force Empire Shield is an active-duty force of 280 and some of the people have been on the force since day one.

One of those soldiers is Staff Sgt. Michael Wilson, who joined the Army because of the tragic events on 9/11. He was 19 years old at the time. He has spent most of his career with Empire Shield which includes a deployment to Iraq. He is shown here outside of Penn Station.

Empire Shield's mission is to provide homeland security and to support civilian authorities, as needed. They patrol randomly to keep the enemy off guard. They perform missions, such as patrolling John F. Kennedy International Airport, La Guardia Airport, Penn Station and other mass transit hubs. They join New York State Naval Militia and Coast Guard reserve colleagues on boats bought with homeland security money released after 9/11. They also conduct foot patrols in and around airports and nuclear power facilities.

It is nice to know this special unit is watching out for us. Please read the full story of Empire Shield.

Military Monday - Great Idea for 9/11

I wish I could take credit for this idea but I am happy to pass it on. I actually received this in an email and thought it would be a great Military Monday post.

We have about two weeks and counting to get the word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America.

If you send this in an email, blog or twitter to least 11 people and each of those people do the same ... you get the idea.

 THE PROGRAM:

On Friday, September 11th, 2009, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this eighth anniversary of one of our country's worst tragedies. We do this to honor  those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds

 Action Plan:

 So, here's what we need you to do .

 (1) Send this in an email, blog or Twitter about this program to everyone you know. Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.

 (2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.

Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America!

 

Military Monday - LCpl Honda at Sea.

Here is a pic of LCpl Honda working on the flight deck in Combat Cargo. He is the one one the right. The Marines are moving a net that is used to transport cargo, food and other supplies from the the cargo ships and between the Navy ships. Combat Cargo also aids in assisting visitors or military personnel arriving and departing from the ship. It does not matter how high up in rank the visitor may be. Combat Cargo personnel is in charge on the flight deck.

LCpl Honda will be home on leave this weekend and then will deploy in Sept. It is going to be a long 7 months. He will however get to visit quite a few ports in many countries. Anyway, here he is:

 

God Bless our Troops. Happy Military Monday!

Military Monday - USS New York

The USS New York was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center. It is the fifth in a new class of warship, designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

It was christened by Dotty England, the wife of Associate Press Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at Northrop Grumman shipyard in Avondale, Louisiana.

Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, Louisiana to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, “Those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence,” recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. “It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.” said Capt. Wensing.

Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the “hair on my neck stood up.” “It had a big meaning to it for all of us,'” he said. “They knocked us down. They cannot keep us down. We're going to be back.”

The ship's motto?
'Never Forget'

 To read more about the USS New York go here.

Military Monday - At Sea

I am a little late with this. There is a new series, "At Sea" on the Military Channel featuring the US Navy and the US Marines. It actually started last night, Aug. 9th. It is a three episode special focusing on Naval ships.  The second episode airs tonight Aug. 10th at 10pm eastern time and concluding with the third episode on Tues. Aug. 11th. Hopefully it will repeat at another time. There is an excellent article about the series here.

The series focus is to let the American people know how the Navy and Marines work together and what these joined forces do when they are at sea. Our armed forces are made up of real people who have chosen to serve the American people and the series conveys this message to the viewer.

LCpl Honda is currently on the USS Bonhomme Richard preparing for an upcoming  MEU. This is why I am especially interested in this program. He currently works on the fight deck in Combat Cargo. He and other Marines and Sailors are responsible for loading and unloading cargo and making sure that people get on and off the Helicopters safely.

Go to the Military Channel website and you can explore an aircraft carrier interactively, find out more about the program, "At Sea" and learn about ships of the future.

Military Monday - Pride in Our Country

I did not write these, I actually received these in an email from Grandma M. These are some good examples of having pride in our country.

JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaule decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaule said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible. Rusk responded "does that include those who are buried here?

DeGaule did not respond.

You could have heard a pin drop

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When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.

He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.

You could have heard a pin drop.

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There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?'

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?'

You could have heard a pin drop.

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A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, 'Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'

You could have heard a pin drop.

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AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on.

"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."

The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."

"Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France !"

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."

You could have heard a pin drop.

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If you are proud to be an American, pass this on!

I am proud to be of this land, AMERICA