Falling for the Angels

Falling for the Angels

People are falling from the sky for Soldiers' Angels!

On June 25, 2011 with the help of SkyDiveMilwaukee.com, skydivers in East Troy, WI will be jumping out of planes to raise money for Soldiers' Angels. First-timers, novices and experts are all invited to the 2nd Annual MSG Glenn Helwer Invitational Free Fall.


Funds raised through honorary donations, sponsorships and "challenge" donations to inspire jumpers (such as specific amount per jumper) will go toward Angel activities at the Milwaukee VA. The jumpers themselves will also be soliciting donations in honor of their jumps, and other jumpers from around the state will have the opportunity to learn more about Soldiers' Angels from a booth placed at the high-traffic jump site. Click here to donate!


Wisconsin Soldiers' Angels have been very active at their local VA, including a monthly ice cream social/bingo event that is a great morale booster for the residents. The Angels need YOUR help to inspire the people who will jump from the skies with wings of parachutes to benefit Soldiers Angels!

Now's the time to take that leap you've always dreamed of! The more people who sign up, the more inexpensive the jump--first 15 participants will receive a free Ranger Up t-shirt. For more information, contact Mark Groth at mgroth8@wi.rr.com or click here.


Many thanks to Ranger Up for the free t-shirts and for their donation of $300 toward sponsoring two VA jumpers!

Memorial Celebration Sale and Gift

Soldiers' Angels Store Celebrate Memorial Weekend with Angels and Heroes! In honor of our Nation's Brave Militay, we will send a complimentary SA coin or SA dogtag for each order over 100.00 or more placed on our angelsstore; From Today until Tuesday Midnight ! Plus take 20 percent off your order use coupon code fb2night Our Armed Forces are taking extra precautions overseas to be safe, why not send them some love from home to show them we are with them? Or take the opportunity to order your May Shirt of the Month! Coin and Dogtag will be shipped out according to stock status. Don't forget your Angel Discount! Coupon Code: fb2night

Major Mathew Schram's Memorial Day wingtip to Blackfive

BLACKFIVE: Major Mathew Schram's Memorial Day

On Memorial Day, May 26th, 2003 at approximately 7:00AM, Major Mathew E. Schram was leading a resupply convoy in Western Iraq near the Syrian border. Major Schram was the Support Operations Officer for the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (out of Ft. Carson, Colorado). He had responsibility for organizing the logistical arm of the regiment - ensuring that the Cavalrymen never ran out of food, fuel or ammo. more

U.S. Army Builds on "Army Strong" Campaign with New Advertising

Patti,

I know you play a critical role in spreading the Army Strong story, so that's why I want to give you a preview of a new, fully-integrated advertising campaign the Army will launch on Memorial Day. The campaign uses the symbol of the Army uniform – a "Symbol of Strength" – to inspire young adults to see for themselves how putting on the Army uniform will strengthen their own lives.

An extension of the popular "Army Strong" campaign, the "Symbol of Strength" campaign highlights the life-changing decisions that the majority of young adults are focused on as they begin to plan for their futures. It takes a tremendous amount of strength to be a Soldier in the U.S. Army – and the experience itself strengthens a Soldier every day they serve. The uniform is the outward symbol of the variety of experiences and opportunities each Soldier gains by putting on the Army uniform day after day.

Three television spots will each feature a different aspect of serving as a Soldier – getting a strong education, having access to a variety of options and opportunities that will set them apart, and gaining important leadership skills to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.

The integrated campaign encourages young adults to go online to discover more about the strength gained by wearing the uniform. Additional elements of the campaign include:



Interactive features on goarmy.com, such as personal interactions with real Soldiers through the "Soldier Q&A" page or exploring the "Soldier Stories" page for an authentic look at the lives of Soldiers from nearly every rank, background and career path.
Leveraging the Army's hundreds of thousands of existing fans, friends and followers across Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and Army Strong Stories.
A collaboration with the new X-Men: First Class movie through cinema activations, including a 30-second co-branded Army/X-Men video featured in theaters nationwide from May 20 – June 23 and offering exclusive X-Men footage on facebook.com/goarmy before the movie's release.

We're excited about this new campaign and will provide additional information on the Army Advocates site on Memorial Day. In the meantime, we invite you to share this exciting news with friends, family and colleagues by directing them to goarmy.com. We also encourage you to share the video and other resources about the campaign with other community members through organization meetings such as the Kiwanis Club or Rotary Club.

Thank you again for your continued support and all that you do for your Army.

ARMY STRONG!


LTG Benjamin C. Freakley
United States Army Accessions Command
Commanding General

Wingtip to Blackfive Memorial Day

Posted By Blackfive • [May 23, 2011]
What is Memorial Day really about? While we are busy gearing up for the weekend, I thought I should post this annual reminder about the holiday. It may surprise some of you.
If you are relatively new to Blackfive, you should read this story about a Memorial Day eight years ago - Mathew Schram's Memorial Day. And, unfortunately, we've posted many memorials to our Fallen Americans.
The words to "Taps" are:

Day Is Done,
Gone the Sun,
From the Earth,
From the Hill,
From the Sky,
All Is Well,
Safely Rest,
God Is Nigh

When Taps is played at dusk, it has a completely different meaning than when Taps is played during the day. No soldier really wants to hear it played during daylight. For when the bugle plays Taps in the daylight...that means a soldier has fallen...There is a belief among some that Taps is the clarion call to open the gates of heaven for the fallen warrior and letting them know to "Safely Rest"...
Of course, Memorial Day is about remembering the sacrifices that our military men and women have made over the last 235 years. We are still a young nation, but one that has made many sacrifices to remain free. We should also take time to remember the families who have lost loved ones.  More..http://www.blackfive.net/main/2011/05/the-gates-of-heaven.html

Chaplain Ed Calls on Angels Again

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Chaplain Ed’s first request for assistance through the Soldiers’ Angels Chaplain Support Team (CST) was a smashing success! Now he has stepped forward with a smaller-but-still-vital need. The chaplain wrote to the CST:

"As I am working through the reintegration programming, I am working on developing a program much like a 2-Day Vacation Bible School. On the Academic side these are the books I am looking to obtain. Do you think Soldiers’ Angels could do one last operation for Task Force Gambler?"

CST Leader Dina has the details…

I of course told him we would be honored to help! I know we can work together on this one, so the kiddos will be blessed, just like you all blessed the families from his group with our previous book project. Here are the books he is looking for:

• No Excuses by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer - 50 copies
• How Full is your Bucket?: For Kids by Tom Rath & Mary Reckmeyer- 50 copies
• Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul - by Jack Canfield - 50 copies
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey - 35 copies

Just as before, gently used is absolutely fine and just as appreciated as before.

Please scour used bookstores, online pricing (I found some of them on Amazon.com for 57 cents + shipping), friends and neighbors. Chaplain Ed, and all of the families and I will be forever grateful for your generosity and help.

Please email me at cst@soldiersangels.org if you are able to purchase/send any of these requested books.

R.E.D.Friday from Toby Nunn

WEAR R.E.D. FRIDAYRemeber everyone deployed. It will mean much to them!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10150194279048612&notif_t=video_tag

Thank you to Harry and Davids

Moose for the Troops

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Gourmet treats retailer Harry & David is once again teaming up with Soldiers’ Angels to supply delicious Moose Munch® Bars to deployed troops. The 3rd Annual “Support Our Troops with Moose Munch®” allows families, friends and supporters of the U.S. military to purchase the popular Harry & David Moose Munch® treats and ship them to war zones for sweet enjoyment by our men and women in service.
From now through July 4, Harry & David stores nationwide are offering customers the opportunity to purchase Moose Munch® Bars and gift them to soldiers with a personalized greeting. Each bar and note is packaged with a plastic spoon and boxed for pickup via Soldiers’ Angels to be included in care packages for deployed troops.
Last year over 38,000 Moose Munch® bars were shipped to soldiers in Afghanistan and other regions through the “Support Our Troops with Moose Munch®” Bars event. Soldiers’ particularly enjoy the Bars because they find this portable treat to be a delicious energy source that’s easy to carry on patrols.
Moose Munch® Bars retail for $2.50 each or $4.00 for two, a discount that encourages customers to purchase a bar for themselves while donating the other for the troops.
As part of the event, Harry & David is also donating a Moose Munch® Bar for each new “Like” on Facebook, up to 1,000 additional Bars.
For Harry & David store locations nationwide and for more information, visit harryanddavid.com, friend them on Facebook, or follow them Twitter.

Shirley J Means More Flavor for Troops

Soldiers’ Angels announces a new partnership with Shirley J, a “just-add-water” cooking company with 30 years of commercial history and chef loyalty working to “rain sweets and salts” on our troops. Through their “Treat Our Troops” campaign, Shirley J is encouraging customers to purchase select gourmet foods to be shipped to Soldiers’ Angels for inclusion in care packages for the deployed.

All four “Treat Our Troops” products are shipped in powder form and then reconstituted with water to create a delicious sauce or topping for a variety of savory and sweet foods. They’re a great fit for soldiers in very remote areas who make use of care package contents to come up with new and interesting food combinations to supplement their MREs.

“We’re very happy to add Shirley J to the family of companies who make it possible for us to send thousands of delicious care packages to America’s deployed servicemen and women every month,” says Soldiers’ Angels Executive Director Toby Nunn. “Troops in remote locations often rely on military MREs for meals, so the change of pace these soups and sauces will provide can be a real morale boost.”

Shirley J products are available online at ShirleyJ.com (Shirley J Sendables) or at their store in Orem, Utah. In addition to the special choices recommended for the “Treats Our Troops” campaign, Shirley J offers a number of their other products—such as just-add-water cookie, muffin and cake mixes—that are suggested for customers who can ship directly to soldiers with access to cooking facilities.

Soldiers’ Angels welcomes Shirley J to the team of Angels helping to ensure “No Soldier Go Unloved.”

OPEN HOUSE!!!

Everyone's invited!

Soldiers’ Angels Support Center in San Antonio, location of the Soldiers’ Angels warehouse and home to a number of support activities for the many service members stationed or recuperating in the San Antonio area, is holding a special Open House for the community.


You can join civilians, military heroes and community leaders on Thursday, June 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to celebrate Soldiers' Angels and see how your donations help our heroes!


The centerpiece of the event will be a ceremonial re-opening with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Other activities include tours of the newly-expanded facility and a blood drive. A $5 donation covers the BBQ lunch and one raffle ticket for prizes such as dinner for two, a wine tasting for 10, and a spa package, with additional tickets sold separately. Click here for more information, or email csiwarga@soldiersangels.org (please RSVP by May 19, though walk-ins are welcome).


Special thanks to the following companies for their support in putting this exciting event!

Event Support:


Allegra Printing for signage
South Texas Blood & Tissue Center for coordinating the blood drive
Clara Moreno for the food donation
David Dunne for the BBQ Grill / Smoker
Prize Donations:

Dry Comal Creek – Wine Tasting and Tour for 10
San Antonio Foodie Tours – Hill Country and Winery Tour for 4
Mediterranean Day Spa – Spa Package

Standing for the Fallen Wounded

Once again, former Marine Mark Dolfini is conducting his special brand of fundraising on behalf of his wounded brothers and sisters. On May 22, beginning at 8 a.m., Dolfini will spend the day standing at attention between American and Marine Corps flags in Rio Rancho, NM. Wearing his dress blue uniform, he will be encouraging passersby to donate funds and comfort items to Soldiers' Angels for wounded veterans, an event he calls "Standing for the Fallen."

Patriots in the Rio Rancho area are invited to bring monetary donations or specific clothing and hygiene items listed here (click for event details). Supporters across the country can participate in Dolfini's "Stand for the Fallen" by donating financially through the Marine Corps League (Marine Corps League, P.O. Box 53, Lafayette, IN 47902).

With the support of his local Marine Corps League, Dolfini has conducted several of these events over the last year, always raising thousands of dollars in donations and items for the wounded at Landstuhl Medical Center.
Soldiers' Angels salutes Mark Dolfini for his continued service and his creative dedication!

"Robo" is Really an Angel

Soldiers' Angels - Soldiers' Angels

"Robo" is Really an Angel
Joining other Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters who are sponsored by Ranger Up and spotlight Soldiers’ Angels in that role, former Force Recon Marine Chad "Robo" Robichaux is using his platform as a highly successful fighting star to support his fellow veterans.

“Robo's” impact is already being felt. “Thanks to Robichaux, Soldiers’ Angels received a lot of coverage at the Bellator Fight Championship 41 live on MTV2,” Executive Director Toby Nunn says. “Fight announcers spoke about how passionate he was about Soldiers’ Angels, and the next time MTV2 had an MMA event they talked about him and Soldiers’ Angels again, even though he wasn’t fighting. He’s very proactive in reaching out to spread the word.”

T-shirts for the Troops

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Orphan, a lifestyle brand for those who ride, is partnering with Soldiers’ Angels to raise money to send care packages to deployed men and women in honor of the upcoming Memorial Day.

To raise this money, Orphan has designed a special memorial t-shirt honoring those who have paid the ultimate price. Throughout the month of May, 50% of proceeds from sale of the shirt will go to Soldiers’ Angels for postage and supplies to send much-needed items to our heroes overseas. "Orphan is excited to raise funds for this important organization, and to give back to the troops," says Robyn Byrd, Social Media Manager for Orphan. "Many of our customers are military or retired military (as are many riders), so we are thrilled to be able to honor them in this way!"

The special memorial t-shirt for sale is themed for the rider and features Orphan's motorcycle frame shop "The Wrench" over original artwork of an eagle in red, white and blue. The eagle bears a ribbon reading, “NEVER FORGET those who have fallen in the name of Freedom.” The shirt is available in men’s and women’s styles.

As a Thank You to those who purchase the Memorial t-shirt, Orphan will give customers $10 off their order if they add any additional items to the T-shirt purchase. In addition, all shirts at this link result in donations to Soldiers' Angels.

Take Action on Memorial Day

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Soldiers’ Angels calls on all Americans to actively observe Memorial Day this May 30 by participating in an official Moment of Remembrance or undertaking other acts in honor of the over 1.3 million service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Established by Congress, National Moment of Remembrance asks Americans to pause in an act of remembrance for one minute on Memorial Day at 3 p.m. local time. The Moment can be as informal as ringing a bell, a moment of silence, a prayer or singing at a concert, etc.

Additional acts of Memorial Day remembrance can include the following:

• Visit a local VA hospital to learn the stories of patients’ fellow soldiers who never came home
• Use blogs, Facebook or other online resources tell the stories of family members who died in service to the country
• Read the names of fallen heroes on websites such as Honor the Fallen.
  
• Throw a care package party or write letters of encouragement for a hard-hit unit or the Mortuary Affairs units that care for America’s fallen heroes (for info, email events@soldiersangels.org)
• Visit a local military cemetery or memorial to stand in quiet solidarity with those who have lost their brothers and sisters in arms on the battlefield
  
• With conscious awareness of those who have made our safety possible, enjoy a weekend vacation or celebration in “the land of the free because of the brave”
  
• Attend a local parade
• Fly the American flag (at half-staff until noon and then full height until dusk, if possible)
• Use Angels Mail to tell your story of a fallen hero (send it to angels@soldiersangels.org and we will post it for you)
  

Please make a commitment to promote the National Moment of Remembrance and other Memorial Day activities to local leaders and businesses. This is a time to come together in honor of those who have given their lives so that we may continue to live free. In this shared remembrance and shared activities, we connect in gratitude as one America.

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1452545

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1452545

A group of about 25 people gathered at the Eagles Club in Rochester on April 20 to make blankets through the Soldiers' Angles-Blankets of Hope program.

The Blankets of Hope team creates unique, handmade blankets to send hope, support and gratitude to America's wounded and veterans. Used on hospital beds, wheelchairs and transport litters on medevac flights, Blankets of Hope bring the message that each service member is loved and not forgotten. They are included in our First Response Backpacks and Vet Packs sent to Combat Support Hospitals in the war zones, major medical facilities in Germany and around the world, and selected military hospitals and veterans centers here at home.

Wounded soldiers are quickly evacuated from the battlefield, leaving behind their clothing, personal equipment and brothers in arms. During this time of pain and upheaval, the Blanket of Hope provides warmth and comfort for the wounded soldier. Most importantly, it shows the soldier that someone cares about him and is thinking and praying for him.

SAVE: Support a Veteran's Employment

SAVE: Support a Veteran's Employment
Soldiers' Angels recently announced its first Angel-operated warehouse, staffed and run entirely by veterans and Angel volunteers. The busy facility opened in December 2009 and shipped 50,000 Holiday care packages in just two weeks!

In addition to the reduction in overhead the warehouse brings, payroll for the staff itself fits the mission of Soldiers' Angels by supporting veterans as they return home. Staffing it with recent veterans helps provide a soft-landing for their transition to civilian life...It surrounds them with like-minded people as they develop skills in the corporate world.

The Need
The Soldiers’ Angels warehouse is both an extension of the mission to assist America’s veterans, and a challenge—a challenge you can help Soldiers’ Angels meet!

In difficult economic times such as these, hiring employees is an act of faith and determination. It is this type of tenacity and dedication that defines Soldiers' Angels and its Angel volunteers. Currently Soldiers’ Angels has staffed the warehouse with four recent veterans and hopes to hire more to meet the tremendous demands on the facility. With your help, that growth is possible!

SAVE helps make sure Soldiers' Angels is able to continue to employ veterans and increase the number of positions available for additional veterans.

How You Can Help
You can employ a hero! You can help pay the cost of helping a returning hero transition back to the civilian workforce and develop comfort with—and the confidence of success in--the civilian world.

Employ a hero by donating towards the payroll of veterans at the SA Warehouse:

1 Hour $15
1 Day $120
1 Month $2,400
or 1 Year $30,000


If you would like to include a note to the veterans employed at the SA Warehouse, enter your text in the comment box when you donate online, or include a note with your donation to:

Soldiers' Angels
S.A.V.E.
1792 E. Washington Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91104



We would like to say a big "Thank you" to the guys at the San Antonio warehouse; they were so helpful. We recently went there and they helped us to put together packages to send to our son 1LT B. and his troops in Iraq. - Pauline Tony

Thank you for Heroes

Celebration--- our troops still need A LOT of TLC

Dear Soldiers' Angel,     We did it.  Our Navy Seals, part of our best-in-the-world U.S. Special Operations Forces, finally brought Osama bin Laden to the justice he deserved.     You probably realize, though, that this is just a first step of a new chapter, as terrorists seize on a new martyr.  Every American intel source tells us to be on high alert for expected revenge attacks.     My first reaction on hearing the news was to think of the families of the 9/11 victims and the feelings of relief they must be feeling.     And my second reaction was to think of our troops - - how they're still in danger and need our love and support now more than ever.     Now, as our troops are put on high alert all over the world, we should show our gratitude for their sacrifices more than ever.  Especially after such a tremendous victory.     Soldier's Angels is putting a push on to get out a record number of Angel Care Packages this week, to say "thank you for all you've done." Click here to send a Soldiers' Angels Care Package  to one of our troops.     These Care Packages are packed full with "comfort items" like coffee, snacks, toiletries and even clean socks.     Your help to send out one or more of these Angel Care Packages would go a long way to showing your support to the individual troops at this time of victory - - and this time of renewed danger.     Thanks again for all you've done as a Soldiers' Angel to show your love and support for our troops.                         Gratefully,                         Patti Patton Bader                         Founder and President P.S.  We had a victory, but one that experts everywhere tell us will lead to increased attacks from terrorists seeking revenge.     Now would be a great time to show your support for our troops.  Would you send an Angel Care Package today?     Each Care Package costs about $16.  Thanks so much! Click here to send a Soldiers' Angels Care Package to one of our troops.