"Victory Starts Here!"

Hi, this is Brig.  Just got back from Fort Jackson where when you go onto post, you're greeted with a smile and a "Welcome to Fort Jackson!  Victory starts here!!"

While we were there, the ranges were hot 24/7.  I caught Steve on more than one occasion looking wistfully in the direction of the mortar and machine gun fire.  You know what they say, "You can take the man out of the Army, but ...".  You have to hand it to the men and women who were out there training night and day because it was H-O-T!  If you've ever been in the south in the summertime you know how oppressive the humidity can be.  And instead of the rain bringing relief, it only brought more steam!

Me and the boys (our dogs, Kyle and Charlie) hiked Black Squirrel Trail and saw red-headed wood peckers, Kyle's arch nemesis the squirrel, deer tracks and tons of butterflies.  Is it butterfly season?  Is there such a thing?  They were everywhere.  The best part was listening to the wind blowing through the pines and the sound of the cicadas - very relaxing.  (Yes, even with the explosions in the distance.) =)

We ran into some folks at the campground who Steve had met when he was here prior - Ralph and Billie who we call "The Honeybee People".  We traded one of Steve's books for some local honey they recently harvested from their hives.  And oh yah, it's good!

Before jumping off of here, I did want to mention a gentleman Steve met during his last stop at Fort Stewart - "Philly" Phil Parks.  He is a homeless Vietnam veteran who is an incredible artist.  Philly Phil also has some pretty good worldly advice.  Like - 'don't buy a woman a house just because she gives you a little leg' and 'definitely don't let her keep it when you break up!'.  Good advice I would say for those young, naive troops out there.  The AAFES Exchange has made it possible for Phil to sell his artwork - kudos to them!  And if you're at Ft. Stewart, stop by and check out his work - you won't be sorry!

Please continue to think of our troops and keep them all in your prayers.

There are 10 Green Berets in this photo.  Can you find them? 

Only at a military campsite will you see this. =)

Kyle, looking for squirrel.

Okay, next stop - Fort Gordon!!

Top Of The Rock!!

Good morning, everyone.  This is Brig, Steve’s wife.  In case you haven’t heard, Steve and I will be traveling across the United States to sell and promote his two books, “The Night Eagles Soared” and “Burnt Yellow and Red”.  The majority of our stops will be at military bases; however, there are a couple of events that are not, and all of them will be posted on his website https://sites.google.com/site/thenighteaglessoared/.  I hope if you're in the area, you will come out and see us.  We are starting out in the Southeast and making our way west.  West coast or bust!  What better way to see these great, beautiful United States than to drive and camp along the way!  Our two dogs, Kyle and Charlie, love car rides!  This will be a good one for them.

Until October, Steve is flying solo and he started off the Nationwide Tour yesterday at Fort Stewart – home to the 3^rd Infantry Division and 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th Brigade Combat teams, just to name a few, along with many tenant units.  Some of our country’s finest!!  On Steve’s last visit to Fort Stewart he told me about the Warrior Transition Unit that is there.  Some of the wounded soldiers came up to his table and he had the privilege of speaking with them.  When a soldier is wounded on the battlefield, he is whisked out of theater and medivaced to the rear, usually Germany and then onto stateside.  Fort Stewart is one of the locations they come to.  Although necessary, they are now ‘alone’ and separated from their tight knit unit, buddies, and commanders.  As Steve said, “They just wanted some old, fat Sergeant to listen to them and tell them it would be okay”.  Don’t get me wrong, Steve is empathetic, but by no means a ‘coddler’.  On many an occasion he has gone into Sergeant mode and not allowed me to slide down that slippery slope of self-pity, but instead made me pull myself up by my socks and ‘buck up’.  I am grateful and I’m sure he did the same for these young troops.  Me, as a Blue Star mother, the soldiers would have reminded me of my own son and I would have just wanted to hold and baby them.  But that would do them no good.  As Steve has pointed out, they are SOLDIERS.  It is good to listen to them, but they are strong and capable and just need to be reminded of that.

I spoke with Steve on the phone last night and he said that the Special Forces Recruiter had brought his kids to his table.  Apparently, the “recruits” were full of energy, busily touched and inspected everything on the table, and then just as quick, they were gone.  He said they were going to make some fine SF soldiers!  =)

I haven’t gotten to see the campground at Fort Stewart yet, but Steve said that it is quite nice and beautiful.  I can just picture Steve and what he was doing after work last night – a white cotton t-shirt, shorts, a couple of beers in the lawn chair, and relaxing by the lake.  Ahhh, life is good.

I hope you’ll continue to read the posts of our travels and look at the photos of the locations and people we meet along the way.  God bless our troops and our great country!

Brig

eBooks Now Available!

Did you know that both of my books are now available through my little online store as eBooks?  That is right!  We have what are Called Digital Down Load Cards.  Great idea and new product from my publisher. It allows readers with eBooks like Kindle or Nook to order directly from the author.  It doesn't get any better than that!

Interview with Jennifer Paquette of the Green Beret Foundation

1. What is your organizations full name, your full name and your position within the organization? The Green Beret Foundation, Jennifer Paquette, Director of Operations and I also sit on the Board of Advisors.

2. How and why did you get involved? My husband, Roland Paquette III, was an 18d (Special Forces Medic) with 1/3 SFG and was severely injured December 28, 2005 when his vehicle was hit by an IED. He lost both of his legs above the knees. I started working for USSOCOM Care Coalition helping start a pilot program supporting injured, ill and wounded Special Operations warriors and their families. I was a project manager and mentor for this program. I am still a mentor in the program but I am focusing on school; am supporting my husband while he goes to Physician’s Assistant school and focusing on getting the Green Beret Foundation up and running.

3. What is your mission and how do you hope to achieve it? The Green Beret Foundation provides unconventional resources to facilitate the special needs of our wounded, and provide unique support to the Special Forces community in order to strengthen readiness and uphold Green Beret traditions and values.

a. What is your Short term goal- We are currently focusing on creating a solid resource network and legitimate business infrastructure in order to facilitate our long-term goal of alleviating any gaps in care or controllable stressors for wounded Green Berets and their families. We want to instill confidence in our donors in order for them to be confident that their donations are truly making a difference in the Green Beret Community. We are focusing on marketing, holding fundraisers, partnering with corporations and private donors in order to raise the necessary resources.

b. What is your Long term goal- to setup a solid support system that will be able to support wounded Green Berets for many years to come. We support Green Berets wounded in combat operations, training, and peace time operations. Because the Green Berets are called upon to operate with supreme precision in extreme situations their training can result in injured soldiers. And although our nation will eventually end war-time activities, the Green Berets will continue to be tasked with potentially dangerous and life threatening peacetime activities. We want our foundation to be able to continue supporting Green Berets injured during their service to our country for a long time to come.

4. What are some of the activities being supported by your organization? Health and Welfare, Advanced rehabilitation and operational health & performance programs. Equipment related to rehabilitation and operational health & performance treatments and procedures not covered by the DOD, the Veterans Affairs, or TRICARE such as:

• In-Vitro fertilization for those whose reproductive capacity has been affected by their wounds, injury or illness.
• Career & educational opportunities and Life reintegration assistance.
• Travel Transportation and lodging for medical treatments not covered by TRICARE.
• Transportation and lodging for Veterans seeking medical assistance through VAR or occasions when travel for medical purposes for our wounded on active duty is not covered by the government.
• Memorial Costs incurred by family members for Gold Star events and certain memorials.
• Family assistance and resources to aid and assist the spouses and children of the Special Forces community who have been affected by the loss of their loved one.
• Financial assistance for certain hardships when approved by our Board of Directors

5. What can we all do to help your organization accomplish its goals? As we continue to have fundraisers around the nation, we will need help from volunteers to run these events. We can always use assistance with ideas and opportunities for fundraisers or events and resources surrounding raising awareness about our efforts to support our warriors. We are also looking for opportunities to educate the public however we can by enlisting the help of various publications, all of our social networks, social meetings, & TV and radio public service announcements.
Address:
Green Beret Foundation
PO Box 8250
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
Greenberetfoundation.org
My number: 505-264-3284 Email: jen@greenberetfoundation.org
Aaron’s number: 714-975-3154 Email: aaron@greenberetfoundation.org
6. Is there anything else you would like to add? I would also like to make sure that you know that I am not the founder. The founder and president is SSgt (R) Aaron Anderson formally of 7th SFG who was traumatically wounded in 2006. He has pulled together an outstanding Board of Directors and Board of Advisors made up of all former Special Forces Soldiers (and one wife of a SF soldier- me). It has taken this complete team to get it started.
We also work very closely with the USSOCOM Care Coalition to help us identify soldiers with needs. They act as a clearing house for the wounded. Care Coalition tracks all casualties from the combat theater to state side. We cannot operate efficiently and effectively without this organization. This is very important.