My Yellow Ribbon

Until Tuesday - A Book Review

2012-02-25T20:05:00.002-06:00

Several weeks ago I attended my first book reading/book signing event ever. Luis Carlos Montalvan, author of Until Tuesday, visited Iowa City and spoke to a large reception room full of 175 people. I hadn't read the book, but was intrigued by his story as I had read about The New York Times Bestseller on Facebook and in my local paper, the Iowa City Press Citizen.

Former Army Captain Montalvan, a 17 year veteran who earned the Combat Action Badge, two Bronze Stars, and the Purple Heart, returned from his second tour in Iraq having suffered physical injuries, including traumatic brain injury, as well as crippling post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The book describes his agonizing journey following his return, and the relationship between Luis and his golden retriever assistance dog named Tuesday.

Tuesday accompanied him to the book signing event, as he does everywhere he goes in his life. Everywhere.

The first few chapters describe Tuesday's training from his birth through several years later when Luis realized what a benefit an assistance dog could be to him after reading an email from the Wounded Warrior Project in 2008. Luis had isolated himself from those he loved, self-medicated with alcohol, and suffered from the pain from his injuries, unable to sleep or ably function living in a large city.

Tuesday was specially trained to assist the disabled. As you read the book, you become entwined in the relationship between Luis and Tuesday. You experience the devotion and love flowing both ways between a man -- a hero - and his dog, the hero's hero. Tuesday and Luis also face head on the discrimination of the disabled, disparities and tribulations within the Veterans Administration, and intimately deal with the preconceived notions that many have about the societal and personal issues facing modern war veterans.

I encourage you to read this true story which will open your eyes to the hardships associated with returning veterans who have unselfishly served this country. You will feel both Luis' and Tuesday's emotions with the turn of each page.

Update on Sgt. Collin Raaz from Iowa City

2011-12-22T10:21:00.002-06:00

Holiday Greetings all from Sue Terveer-Mullins and My Yellow Ribbon...

I wanted to send an update to all of you on Sgt. Collin Raaz, our dear (second son) and childhood friend of our son's Nate & Evan, who lost both of his legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan on June 15., 2011. He remains in San Diego and is continuing with his rehab.; learning to walk and maneuver stairs with his long computerized prosthetic legs. He recently got his license to drive his car, now outfitted with hand controls-which is a big sign of "freedom" for him! He is my "Person of the Year" for sure...we are so proud of Collin.

The San Diego Sign On (a subsidiary of the San Diego Tribune) is currently doing a week long series of articles and photos of Collin...following his progress from the accident until now. I encourage you to read and share his story with others!! It is quiet sobering to hear of his trials, but yet very uplifting to see how this remarkable young man is persevering through adversity. Here is the link to the articles in San Diego Sing On. Just click on each chapter from the first article.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/17/the-long-walk-home/

Merry Christmas and a blessed 2012!

Sue Terveer-Mullins

Valentines for Vets Concert: Lorrie Morgan at Riverside Casino and Golf Resort

2011-11-29T19:02:00.004-06:00

Country Music Artist Lorrie Morgan will give a complementary Valentines for Vets concert at the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort on February 14^th Valentine’s Day at 7pm.

Morgan has fourteen top-ten hits and has produced twelve albums, seven of which have gone gold and platinum. Hit songs include "Two People in Love," "Don't Go Changing," "Dear Me," "Five Minutes," "What Part of No," "How Do You Keep the Music Playing," "I Didn't Know My Own Strength," and "Show Me How."

This is in addition to her Feb 12^th Concert for the paying public.

To reserve tickets after January 3^rd call 319-339-7155 or email V4Viowacity@va.gov.

The Iowa City VA HCS will also soon be soliciting sponsors for the event (see below). Note that on it there is a Memorial component where you can recognize any Veteran! $50.00 gets their name on the Honorary Veterans Wall. They can be any Veteran deceased or living. Checks will need to be made out to Iowa City Health Care System and in memo put V4V Concert. Questions about the contributions can be directed to Mike Foster 319-338-0581 ext 6271 or michael-foster2@va.gov

* * * * *

National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans
Free Concert Sponsor Package

_____________________________________________
PREMIERE PARTNER SPONSOR $2,500.00 +

·        8 tickets to the show
·        Name in Program Brochure
·        Name on Video Advertisement at Concert
·        Name included in radio/media ads
·        Meet and greet session with Lorrie Morgan

__________________________________________________________

CORPORATE SPONSOR $1000.00 +

·        6 tickets to the show
·        Name in Program Brochure
·        Name on Video Advertisement at Concert

__________________________________________________________

EVENT SPONSOR $500.00 +

·        4 tickets to the show
·        Name on Video Advertisement at Concert
·        Name in Program Brochure

___________________________________________________________

MEMORIAL SPONSOR $50.00

· Veterans name on the Wall of Honor!
· Name in Program Brochure

Sending a Touch of Home to the Armed Forces through Holiday Mail for Heroes from the American Red Cross

2011-11-16T17:00:00.021-06:00

(Guest post by Peter Macias, Director of Communications,

Service to the Armed Forces, American Red Cross)

Even in the age of email, Facebook and Twitter, there’s still nothing like receiving a card or letter sent from home; it’s a major morale boost for the men and the women in the U.S. Armed Forces. Cards have a special way of transporting warriors from their military duties home to loved ones. That’s why the American Red Cross is encouraging Americans to send thanks and holidays greetings as part of its Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign.

For a fifth year, the Red Cross, with the help of Pitney Bowes, is collecting, screening and distributing holiday cards for members of our U.S. military, veterans and their families, many of whom will be far away from home this holiday season. To participate, send your cards postmarked no later than December 9 to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Holiday Mail for Heroes is a natural extension of the Red Cross’ 130-year tradition of serving those in the military.Through its Service to the Armed Forces division, the Red Cross provides military and veteran health care facilities, emergency communications and social services to the more than 2 million military members, National Guard and Reservists and 23 million veterans and their families.

Through a network of chapters and stations at home and around the world, the Red Cross works on behalf of the American public to ensure that our military personnel get help whenever and wherever they need it—whether it is a crisis back home, an injury in the line of duty or the transition into civilian life after serving. The Red Cross also gives service members the comfort of knowing someone is there for their families, allowing our heroes to stay focused on their mission.

Deployments can place a tremendous strain on service members and their families, so the Red Cross connects loved ones with a robust information and referral network of social service options, including a number of educational programs that help military families deal with everyday stressors as they deal with their loved one’s deployment.

Returning service members and their families can take part in Reconnection Workshops, Presented by Walmart. These individual and small group discussions focus on several topics including communication and dealing with trauma. The workshops aim to help service members transition back into their life at home.

The Red Cross ensures that service members and their families stay in touch with each other, especially during a crisis through our Emergency Communication Network, which includes a 24/7 global emergency communication service at military installations worldwide. That toll-free line is (877) 272-7337. In addition to helping families and loved ones reach service members in times of crises, the Red Cross also staffs and operates on-base internet cafes and lounges in Afghanistan, Kuwait and Djibouti, where troops can relax and connect with home.

Red Cross staff and volunteers serve in military hospitals and clinics around the world and in VA medical facilities across the nation. Red Cross Service to Armed Forces volunteers work in libraries, bringing magazines, books and comfort items to patients. They also provide companionship and personal services; manage volunteer programs; and participate in outreach opportunities through community-based outpatient clinics, nursing homes and home visitations.

To learn more about the Services to the Armed Forces the Red Cross provides, click here.

About the author: Peter Macias is an Air Force veteran and the communications director for service to the Armed Forces at the American Red Cross national headquarters in Washington, DC. The American Red Cross is a non-profit organization.

Missing Vietnam War Soldiers Identified (11-7-2011)

2011-11-07T12:39:00.001-06:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Capt. Arnold E. Holm Jr. of Waterford, Conn.; Spc. Robin R. Yeakley of South Bend, Ind.; and Pfc. Wayne Bibbs of Chicago, will be buried as a group, in a single casket representing the entire crew, on Nov. 9, in Arlington National Cemetery. On June 11, 1972, Holm was the pilot of an OH-6A Cayuse helicopter flying a reconnaissance mission in Thua Thien-Hue Province, South Vietnam. Also on board were his observer, Yeakley, and his door gunner, Bibbs. The aircraft made a second pass over a ridge, where enemy bunkers had been sighted, exploded and crashed, exploding again upon impact. Crews of other U.S. aircraft, involved in the mission, reported receiving enemy ground fire as they overflew the crash site looking for survivors.

Between 1993 and 2008, joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), interviewed witnesses, investigated, surveyed and excavated possible crash sites several times. They recovered human remains, OH-6A helicopter wreckage and crew-related equipmentincluding two identification tags bearing Yeakley's name.

Scientists from the JPAC used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence to identify the crew.

Today more than 1,600 American remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. More than 900 servicemen have been accounted for from that conflict, and returned to their families for burial with military honors since 1973. The U.S. government continues to work closely with the governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to recover all Americans lost in the Vietnam War.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

My Yellow Ribbon's Anniversary

2011-11-06T09:42:00.001-06:00

This past year has brought many ups and downs. Today, November 6, is the one year anniversary of launching My Yellow Ribbon. In retrospect, the was a great way for me to face head-on the emotions of my son's second deployment and I would encourage any military family member or friend to do the same as a way of coping. It was a good way to bring the news from Afghanistan back home, good or bad, and to give Tyler a means of expressing his experiences, too.

During Tyler's first deployment to Iraq I didn't keep a journal or choose to deal with the roller coaster emotions It wasn't a healthy way to deal with it...I was far more anxious even though, for the most part, he was in a safer place and had a safer job. I would anxiously listen to the news, wait for emails or messages, and if I happened to hear someone say something about the military or someone would ask me a question, I could very easily fall apart.

As a remembrance of one year ago, I'm going to re-post the original article that began the blog, the one that started this interesting journey -- 33,000 hits later, I say thanks.

My Yellow Ribbon: A Story by a Soldier's Mother

War and Sacrifice in the Post-9/11 Era: Survey Results

2011-10-28T20:08:00.001-05:00

A recent study entitled "War and Sacrifice in the Post-9/11 Era" has focused on the attitudes of veterans and the general public toward military service.

The study found that about 84 percent of post-9/11 veterans feel the public does not understand problems faced by service members and their families; 71 percent of the public agree.

The findings of the study are available on the http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/10/05/war-and-sacrifice-in-the-post-911-era/

Update on Marine Sgt. Collin Raaz

2011-10-26T19:21:00.004-05:00

Marine Sgt. Collin Raaz from Iowa City was a few years behind my son in high school and brother of a classmate. He was deployed to Afghanistan during the same period that Tyler was there. He was severely injured earlier this year in June, during his deployment, and I'm posting an update from a mutual friend, with permission to repost. Kudos to Collin for his great attitude and progress! We look forward to hearing reading more!

Greetings friends-

It has been too long since I have updated you all on our friend Sgt. Collin Raaz. Sorry, but things for him moved pretty slowly there for awhile, until now. He continues to heal and is making great progress with his PT. And he is walking!!!

I am attaching a photo that his Mom, Julie, sent me today (below) - of him climbing a rock wall on his 1st pair of prosthetic legs. She showed me some video as well of him the 1st day he tried on his "stubbies," as the prosthetic legs are called. It brought me to tears; he was walking right away and barely had to use the hand rails to steady himself. I am so proud of him and all he has accomplished since June 15, 2011.

Collin is now in the Wounded Warrior Unit at the address below (still at the Naval Hospital complex in San Diego). He is in his own dorm-like room with an adjoining room for visitors to stay. His parents are still taking turns going out to stay with him. He is able to get himself around pretty well and is swimming and working hard in PT each day. He will be taking a test to learn to drive his car with adaptive hand gears & he soon hopes to "graduate" to legs with a knee so he can bend. He told us that he was so excited to walk outside...then realized that he dropped something and could not pick it up because he could not bend down. What we take for granted, huh? Collin seems to show no signs of (PTSD) Post Tramatic Stress Disorder-thank goodness- and he is keeping his thoughts positive-moving towards the future.

Collin is somewhat of a "celebrity" at the Wounded Warrior program. He was recommended by the medical staff (and he accepted) to have a local newspaper in San Diego (the San Diego Sign On) do an 8 part story on him...from injury to recovery. The photographers & writers have been with him at PT, doing interviews, etc. They will run the piece in late Dec. each Sunday for 8 weeks. It will also be on-line, so I will send a link out and notice when it comes out. Pretty cool, we think!!

We are hopeful the local papers (The Gazette, Iowa City Press-Citizen, and Des Moines Register) will pick up on this story, too.

If you would like to drop Collin a card, I know he would appreciate it. With Veteran's Day coming soon, I can't help but think of all those wounded men and women veteran's-let alone those that lost their lives in these wars the past 10 years.

Sgt. Collin Raaz
Wounded Warrior Unit
34800 Bob Wilson Drive
San Diego, CA 92134

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers to our boy!!

SUE MULLINS

Aircrew Missing in Action from WWII Identified

2011-10-23T20:00:00.001-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of 10 servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Robert R. Bishop of Joliet, Ill.

2nd Lt. Thomas Digman, Jr. of Pittsburgh

2nd Lt. Donald W. Hess of Sioux City, Iowa

2nd Lt. Arthur W. Luce, of Fort Bragg, Calif.

Staff Sgt. Joseph J. Karaso, of Philadelphia

Staff Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald of East Point, Ga.

Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle of Oakland, Calif.

Sgt. James T. Blong of Port Washington, Wis.

Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo of Cleveland

Sgt. John J. Harringer, Jr. of South Bend, Ind.

These servicemen will be buried as a group, in a single casket representing the entire crew, on Oct. 26, in Arlington National Cemetery. Hess and Karaso will be interred individually in Arlington National Cemetery.

On April 29, 1944, the 10 airmen were ordered to carry out a bombing mission over Berlin, Germany, in their B-24J Liberator aircraft, piloted by Bishop and Luce. German documents captured after the war noted that the aircraft crashed near the town of East Meitze, Germany, and there were no survivors. German forces buried the remains of Digman, Blong, and one unknown airman in a cemetery near Hannover, Germany, around the time of the crash. In 1946, the Army Graves Registration Service exhumed the remains of the three individuals for identification and reburied them in a U.S. Military Cemetery in Condroz, Belgium.

In 2003, a German national located the site of the crash and recovered human remains, which were turned over to U.S. officials. In 2005, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) team excavated the crash site and gathered additional human remains, military equipment, and metal identification tags for Bishop, Blong, Bonnassiolle, and Harringer. The team also recovered a class ring with the initials AWL -- presumably belonging to Luce. In 2007, a JPAC team completed the site excavation and found additional evidence that helped to confirm the identity of the crew.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used dental analysis and mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of some of the crewmembers' families -- in the identification of their remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 remain unaccounted-for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1420.

The Honor Flight - October 18, 2011 (by John Dane)

2011-10-22T18:42:00.002-05:00

A friend, Bob Dane from Iowa City, shared with me a narrative written by his uncle, John Dane, about his trip on the WW II Honor Flight to Washington DC last week. I'm touched he chose to share it with me and I am sharing the story with you. John Dane is George Dane's brother, and and George is Bob's father.

THE HONOR FLIGHT

October 18, 2011

I thought George Dane, survivor of the Battle of the Bulge and with over 30 years of military service (including time in the Army Reserve), deserved the honor of an Honor Flight. The Honor Flight has been operating the past several years for the purpose of flying military veterans to Washington, DC to view first hand the World War II Memorial, many for the first time. George and I were present in 2004 at the dedication of the Memorial, so we had not considered taking the Honor Flight. But the trip is much more than just a sightseeing trip. Veterans are really HONORED! Starting at the orientation meeting a week before, flags lined the route, Boy Scouts saluted, uniformed soldiers thanked us for our service, as well as many people and school children. They really got our attention!

George asked son Bill to be his guardian, and to push his wheelchair. I asked my son Jack to do the same. We were told to be at the Cedar Rapids Airport by 5 am on Tuesday, and everyone was. There were 93 veterans (fifteen 90 years or over), 50 guardians, and about 10 staff that boarded the USA 3000 Airbus 320 chartered plane which took off promptly at 7 am. Staff did an amazing job of keeping us on time throughout the day. It was only 1:41 minute flight to Washington Dulles Airport where fire trucks formed a water Arch over our plane, (a ceremony reserved for very special occasions), and the buses were waiting.

We arrived at the WW II Memorial at noon, and told to be back at 1:30. We had an hour and a half to thoroughly explore. First we gathered for a group picture at the entrance. Then we read every inscription, saw every brass plaque, paid homage to the 4045 gold stars (each representing 100 servicemen who died), took many pictures, and even found that Kilroy was here! Senator Grassley gave up his lunch hour to greet his many friends from Iowa. For the first time I had enough time to really get the full meaning of the Memorial.

Back on the bus an Arby's box lunch awaited us, a tour guide got on to lead us through Washington. We viewed the Smithsonian, drove past the Capitol where I witnessed George W. Bush being inaugurated, past the mall where the reflection pool is being renovated, the Treasury, Post Office, the many government buildings, even Ford's theater where Lincoln was shot. Of course the Washington Monument (closed to the public for earthquake damage) dominates the skyline. We drove past the newly dedicated Martin Luther King Memorial overlooking the Tidal Basin.

The tour ended close to the Korean Memorial where we had 45 minutes to view it, the Vietnam and Lincoln Memorials. Korean is captivating with its steely eyed soldiers and faces of real people that jump out at you from the granite wall. Vietnam is awesome with its 58,000 names of war dead from one end of the wall to the other. And the seated Lincoln with the pensive expression on his face is always fascinating.

Our bus then took us across the Potomac, to Arlington where we drove past the five year old Air Force Memorial with its three high spires signifying a missing man formation flight. Then on to the National Cemetery with its neat row upon row of military tombstones. We visited Audie Murphy's grave (the most decorated WW II soldier), the Shuttle Memorials, and then on to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, just in time for the 5 o'clock Changing of the Guard. It is a solemn ceremony with everyone standing and quiet, while the sergeant inspects the incoming Guard and he replaces the one doing the 21 steps, 21 seconds apart, always changing his rifle to the shoulder away from the Tomb. There are actually 4 crypts: WW I, WW II, Korea, and Vietnam. But Vietnam's is empty since that body was identified and returned to the family. Although the Cemetery closes at 5 pm, the Guards perform their duty 24 hours a day, rain or shine. Afterwards we gathered on the steps of the Colosseum while an Old Guard Commander told us of the rigors of becoming and remaining a Guard.

Back on the bus we drove to the Iwo Jima Marine Memorial, just outside the Cemetery. This huge statue of the 6 men raising the flag on MT Surabachi is very impressive. Here we gathered for another group picture while viewing the skyline of Washington across the Potomac with the sun slowly fading away. Another Arby's lunch awaited us on the bus, and we started our hour long ride back to Dulles to board our plane for our 1:50 minute flight back to Cedar Rapids. There was a mail call on the plane for everyone, and I was handed a big envelope containing letters from my family, and even school children I did not know, all telling me how much they appreciated my service! Everywhere we went in DC people would shake our hand and thank us for our service. But that was nothing compared to the reception we received in Cedar Rapids. There were HUNDREDS of people all thanking us and welcoming us home. Allie was there, Donna was there, Jim was there, as well as many friends I knew. I had tears in my eyes as I walked through all of the greeters who so graciously expressed their appreciation.

There are many people to thank. Myron and Esther Wilson from Cedar Rapids donated $50,000 to sponsor the flight. Mary Clapp for coordinating all of the events. The CR Corvette Club for giving us the plaque. Hy-Vee for giving us a camera and free developing. The Honor Flight Volunteers, and many many others. It could have never been done better. What a wonderful day we had! John Dane

Coping with the Stress and Anxiety of Deployment, Service, and Return as a Parent of an Armed Service Member (Guest Author Ryan Rivera)

2011-10-20T18:40:00.001-05:00

From the moment you find out that your child is going to be deployed, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. They’re putting themselves in harm’s way for their country, and while what they are doing is highly honorable, as a parent there is always this wish that your child didn’t have to put themselves at risk, and that you would be able to continue keeping them safe and near.

Everything related to your child’s deployment can cause anxiety as a parent. Anxiety occurs not only before deployment, but while they’re fighting and even after they return. Anxiety is caused not only by worry, but also by change, and there is no denying that when your son or daughter deploys, everyone in your family is going through a lot of changes.

How to Address Your Anxiety

In life, anxiety often has no specific cause, so treating anxiety becomes slightly easier. By focusing on better outlets and changing one’s thought process, it’s possible to reduce and even eliminate anxiety symptoms. Unfortunately for parents of those in the armed forces, things are not quite that simple, because there is a justifiable reason to be concerned. You’re a parent, and your child is in danger, so while there are certainly ways to reduce anxiety, a little bit of nervousness will always be present. It’s part of being human.

Long Before Deployment

When you know the deployment date, it’s already important to start preparing. Change your schedule and develop new routines based on what your life will be like while they’re gone. Anxiety is exacerbated by change, so developing these routines early and getting used to them is important.

You should also find a support group early, and surround yourself with other parents that are going through the same emotions you are. When your child deploys you never want to feel alone, and having that support group already in place to share your fears and discuss coping strategies is very useful.

At Deployment

When your child is ready to leave, don’t focus on making a big deal of the event. Focus on spending time together. Anxiety can become worse if you host a large and raucous party or gathering, because once the party is over and your child departs, the drop off in energy can make your emotions feel more pronounced. You should, however, spend time with each other, talking about how much you care for one another and making sure nothing feels left unsaid. Also, once your child leaves, don’t be alone. Stay close to your partner and/or have people you care about around you.

While Deployed

While your child is deployed can often be the hardest, because there are going to be many times when he or she can’t contact you. Handling this type of anxiety may be the most difficult, and if you can afford to receive counseling, you should take advantage of it.

People cope in different ways, but the key is to pay attention to your own emotions and do what works for you. Contacting your son or daughter every day may not be the best strategy for everyone. It may be helpful to keep yourself busy with other tasks. Also, when you do decide to contact or send care packages to your child, make sure you’re having fun with it, doing things that are interesting/fun for you. That will boost your own spirits, and make contacting your child a fun –rather than an anxiety inducing event.

Dealing with Anxiety

There are a lot of successful relaxation exercise, anxiety reduction herbs and therapies, and other successful ways to relieve some of the anxiety you feel as well. The key is to find a way that works best for you, and be willing to accept that anxiety is going to be natural. The worst thing you can do is try to “tough it out.” Your child needs you to be as relaxed as possible throughout the process, including long before they’ve been deployed, and you owe it to them and to yourself to seek out strategies that will help you feel calmer and happier.

About the Author: Ryan Rivera has suffered from anxiety himself, and has compiled information to help others recover from their own anxiety at www.calmclinic.com.

The statements, opinions and conclusions outlined in this post are those of Ryan Rivera.

Keeping War News in the Public's Eye

2011-10-16T10:30:00.006-05:00

Not much riles me. But those who have been faithful followers of My Yellow Ribbon for the last eleven and a half months know that I have tried to keep our distant wars, military involvement, and resulting casualties in the forefront of readers' eyes.

This morning I was frankly shocked to read at the bottom of page 8A in my local paper, the Iowa City Press-Citizen, an article that the United States has dropped plans to continue to keep troops in Iraq beyond December 31, 2011.

This, on a day where on page 1 an article appears about public bookshelves spread across Germany, on page 2 that tarragon is tasty, page 3 that it was a perfect weekend to search for pumpkins, page 4 amongst the obituaries that traffic is too fast on one of our local streets, page 5 that Afghan militants attack a U.S. base, page 6 some more world news about the Bangkok flood and the death of a son of a terrorist, page 7 editorials, and finally on the bottom of page 8, the article in question.

U.S. drops plans to keep troops in Iraq next year. Seriously, page 8A?!

We are in a deep recession, have been for years, and much of the U.S. budget goes to defense spending. By the end of 2011 we're leaving a country in which we've been fighting for almost nine years -- in a place where 4,400 American military lives have been lost since March 2003.

How is that not front page news?

I understand that local papers are just that, local. But for many people, the local paper is the only place they get their news and, then again, not much beyond page 1. There isn't even a link to the article on their website's home page! How can we expect people to pay attention when they have to dig so deep to find it?

And we wonder why so few pay attention.

Mark Schultz - Letters from War Concert Tour

2011-10-13T21:05:00.002-05:00

From Life 101.9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa....

When the leaves are changing colors, and the wind gets a little colder, enjoy a night of stories and songs with Mark Schultz. His “Letters from War” Tour is stopping in Cedar Falls and tickets are available now!

Who: Mark Schultz with guests 33 Miles and Finding Favour

When: Saturday, October 15th at 7pm (Doors open at 6)

Where: Riverview Conference Center, Cedar Falls (Get Directions)

Tickets: Tickets start at $20 for General Admission. Buy tickets online here, by phone at 800-965-9324, (additional charges may apply) or at area Family Christian Stores and Wiley’s Christian Books.

U.S. Soldier MIA from Korean War Identified

2011-10-05T22:47:00.001-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Cpl. Edward M. Pedregon of El Paso, Texas, will be buried on Oct. 6 in Arlington National Cemetery. A memorial service was held in San Elizario, Texas, on Oct. 1.

In late November 1950 Pedregon and the Heavy Mortar Company, of the 31^st Regimental Combat Team known as Task Force Faith were overrun by Chinese forces near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. After several days of heavy attacks, Task Force Faith was forced to withdraw, but was stopped by enemy blockades that overpowered them on Dec. 2, 1950. Pedregon was reported missing in action on Nov. 30, 1950.

In 1953, following the exchange of all prisoners of war by both sides of the conflict, no further information was gained to indicate that Pedregon had been held as a prisoner of war, and he was declared dead.

In 2004, a joint U.S./Korean People's Army team excavated several sites in the Chosin Reservoir area and recovered the remains of at least nine individuals and military equipment. The location of the remains corresponds to the positions temporarily held by elements of Task Force Faith in late November 1950.

Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used dental records, and mitochondrial DNA which matched that of Pedregon's mother and brotherin the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Missing Vietnam War Soldiers Identified

2011-10-03T12:59:00.001-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Master Sgt. Charles V. Newton of Canadian, Texas; Sgt. 1^st Class Douglas E. Dahill of Lima, Ohio; and Sgt. 1^st Class Charles F. Prevedel of St. Louis, Mo., all U.S. Army, will be buried as a group on Oct. 5 at Arlington National Cemetery. Newton was also individually identified and will be interred individually at Arlington on the same day as the group interment. On April 17, 1969, the men and three Vietnamese soldiers were on a long-range reconnaissance patrol operating in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, near the border of Laos. That afternoon the patrol was ambushed by enemy forces and radioed for air support but thunderstorms in the area prevented rescue attempts. Search and rescue teams reached the site the next day but over the next week found no signs of the men.

Between 1990 and 1993,joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), interviewed witnesses, investigated leads and excavated the site associated with the ambush. The teams recovered human remains, personal effects and military equipment. In 2003, some of the recovered remains were identified as those of Prevedel. In 2006 and 2007, joint U.S./S.R.V. teams returned to the site and recovered additional remains and military equipment.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Adjusting to Life After Deployment

2011-09-27T19:14:00.002-05:00

I've added a new section in the right panel of the blog called Military and Veteran Resources with links that have been provided to me by various groups. Kudos to the folks who put this project together. Adjusting to Life After Deployment

Life after deployment in our family continues to be a smooth transition. Tyler's enlistment contract expires at the end of this month and he's not renewing. He'll continue with fire science training, become a volunteer firefighter soon to gain some experience, and hopefully join the ranks as an employed firefighter after graduation.

Airmen Missing In Action From WWII Identified

2011-09-22T08:39:00.001-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of nine servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Air Forces 1st Lt. William J. Sarsfield of Philadelphia; 2nd Lt. Charles E. Trimingham of Salinas, Calif.; Tech. Sgt. Robert L. Christopherson of Blue Earth, Minn.; and Tech. Sgt. Leonard A. Gionet of Shirley, Mass., will be buried as a group in a single casket on Sept. 21 in Arlington National Cemetery, along with remains representing previously identified crew members 2nd Lt. Herman H. Knott, 2nd Lt. Francis G. Peattie, Staff Sgt. Henry Garcia, Staff Sgt. Robert E. Griebel, and Staff Sgt. Pace P. Payne, who were individually buried in 1985. These nine airmen were ordered to carry out a bombing mission over Rabaul, Papau New Guinea (P.N.G.), in their B-17E Flying Fortress nicknamed Naughty but Nice, taking off from an airfield near Dobodura, P.N.G., on June 26, 1943. The aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and ultimately shot down by Japanese fighter aircraft. A tenth man, the navigator and only survivor of the crash -- 2nd Lt. Jose L. Holguin -- was held as a prisoner of war until his release in September 1945.

In 1949, U.S. military personnel in the area were led by local citizens to a B-17 crash site on New Britain Island. Remains were recovered but couldn't be identified given the technology of the time. The remains were buried as unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

In 1982 and 1983, Holguin returned to the area and located the crash site. A fragment of the aircraft nose art was recovered and is displayed in the War Museum in Kokopo, P.N.G. In 1985, the remains were exhumed and identified as Knott, Payne, Garcia, Peattie, and Griebel. In 2001, a team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) excavated the site and found additional human remains and crew-related equipment.

Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of some of the crewmembers' families -- in the identification of their remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Writing My Way Back Home - A Free Writing Workshop for Veterans

2011-09-20T12:53:00.001-05:00

The day after Emma Rainey finished organizing and teaching a writing workshop for veterans in 2010, she received a letter from her father—a U.S. naval officer during the Korean War—describing a war trauma he suffered and never mentioned to anyone in the family. “The irony did not escape me,” said Rainey. “I barely understood my passion to help veterans—mostly I was driven by news reports of returning veterans committing suicide and knew writing could help. To discover my father had suffered an ungodly trauma—and never mentioned it till now—sent me reeling.”

The University of Iowa Veterans Center is sponsoring its second free weekend workshop for U.S. military personnel: Writing My Way Back Home, Oct. 14-16 in the UI Communications Center, 116 S. Madison St. (between Washington & Burlington), Iowa City. No writing experience is needed to attend this workshop.

“The workshop’s primary aim is not to generate work of literary quality—although this may happen and certainly did in our first workshop,” said Rainey, a 2009 graduate of the UI Nonfiction Writing Program who will co-facilitate the workshop once again with John Mikelson, Coordinator at the UI Veterans Center. “The workshop begins the powerful process for veterans to write their stories and reflect on events they experienced in war in a way that may lead to greater insight, creativity, and healing.”

Writers from UI’s Nonfiction Writing Program, Writers Workshop, poets, a playwright, and songwriter have volunteered to teach as well as former veterans.

“Our first workshop was full of surprises,” said Rainey. “First, half the veterans were women—I didn’t expect that. Also, I was overwhelmed by the determination of disabled vets to journey to Iowa City—a blind vet flew in from Minneapolis and a paraplegic took the Greyhound Bus from Chicago—to write their stories. But what struck me most of all was the camaraderie—it didn’t matter which branch of service, age, rank, or war had been fought. They veterans were just glad to be together.”

Last year Rainey and Mikelson noted the many veterans who emailed wishing they could participate, but traveling to Iowa proved impossible. Rainey has since incorporated and is finishing the application process for non-profit status to conduct writing workshops throughout the U.S. The name—Writing My Way Back Home—came from correspondence with John Lavelle, a Viet Nam vet from Bettendorf, Iowa. “John used the expression: “writing my way home” in our email communications,” Rainey said. “This phrase was an ideal metaphor for what the vet faces when returning stateside, as well as how they must reconnect—and come home—to themselves. So when it was time incorporate and fill in the name of our organization, John Lavelle gladly gave his permission to use it.”

This summer Ms. Rainey completed a course titled “Recon Mission” at the Therapeutic Writing Institute located in Colorado. She also conducted two writing workshops this past year for Operation: Military Kids, run by Iowa State University for military children with parents about to deploy. “I think the National Guard has it particularly hard since they are not full time. And though I wasn’t born when my father served in the Korean War, I remember how difficult it was for our family when he was out to sea, sometimes for a year at a time. I’m impressed how organizations are recognizing that family members need supportive attention, too.”

Class size for Writing My Way Back Home is limited to the first 40 veterans who register. Mikelson encourages interested individuals to sign up immediately, and though the workshop is free, registration is required by visiting: http://www.midwestvetswritingworkshop.com/. This writing workshop is open to all current and former military personnel—whether they were in combat or not.

Lunch will be provided for the veterans during the Saturday and Sunday workshops. Last year Bread Garden and Hy-Vee generously donated lunches. “Eating together—the vets and writers and volunteer therapists—helped deepen the bond in the writing community during the weekend.”

Rainey also mentioned Karl Marlantes new book, What It Is Like to Go to War. “Marlantes bravely looks into the heart of the warrior and demands our society recognize the healing work needed for our returning warriors.” Marlantes writes, “This book is my song. Each and every one of us veterans must have a song to sing about our war before we can walk back into the community without everyone….quaking behind the walls. Perhaps it is drawing pictures or reciting poetry about the war. Perhaps it is getting together with a small group and telling stories. Perhaps it is dreaming about it and writing the dreams down and then telling people your dreams. But it isn’t enough just to do the art in solitude and sing the song alone. You must sing it to other people. Those who are afraid or uneasy must hear it. They must see the art. They must lose their fear. When the child asks, ‘What is it like to go to war?’ to remain silent keeps you from coming home.”

This year John Mikelson is setting aside a time slot for veterans to read their work during this year’s Veterans Reception on November 9^th at the Old Capitol Centre. “The one component missing from our last workshop,” Rainey recalls, “was a venue for the veterans to read their writing to civilians. It’s a transformative experience, both for the vet and the audience, to hear and understand the warrior’s experience. It’s part of the healing process for the vet and the civilians.”

For more information or special accommodations to participate in the workshop, call Mikelson at 319-384-2020 or john-mikelson@uiowa.edu or Rainey at 641-919-2654 or emma.rainey4@gmail.com or link to Writing My Way Back Home: http://www.wix.com/emmarainey4/writingmywaybackhome#!

Rainey believes it is essential we reach out to the veterans we have sent to war to help integrate them back home. “After reading my father’s war narrative, I began to write an essay about it and realized how his unspoken trauma became an intimate member of our family—an unnamed sibling—and would have been rendered invisible if not for its explosive echo powerful enough to erupt, to this day, the lives of my sisters and mother. More than ever I am committed to helping U.S. military personnel find their way back home through writing.”

STORY SOURCE: Writing My Way Back Home, P.O. Box 3470

Iowa City, IA 52244

MEDIA CONTACTS: John Mikelson, UI Veterans Center, 319-384-2020, john-mikelson@uiowa.edu; or Emma Rainey, 641-919-2654, emma.rainey4@gmail.com

MYR in Top 100 Military Family Blogs

2011-09-17T21:16:00.000-05:00

My Yellow Ribbon was named one of the top 100 Military Family Blogs by http://www.veteransbenefitsgibill.com/top-military-family-blogs/. Click on the link to read more about it.

To read more about the post 9/11 military benefits visit this website:
http://www.veteransbenefitsgibill.com/

Soldier Homecoming Video Contest

2011-09-14T19:05:00.002-05:00

For all of you Iowa National Guard Soldiers and others who have arrived home recently, I've been asked to announce a contest of your video footage.

To enter a video of your soldier’s homecoming and become a part of the national music video for Jamie O’Neal’s smash hit single “Soldier Comin’ Home!” visit the official website www.soldiercominghomecontest.com .

The contest ends on September 30^th so hurry! It’s easy! A free "My Country: Smash Hits 2 CD" to the first 10 readers who enter the contest.

Ten (10) videos will be selected for inclusion in Jamie O’Neal’s NATIONALLY released music video. You can see all the videos. You can vote for your favorite. Ten winners will be selected, will have their video footage included in the music video and will receive prizes. ONE Grand Prize winner will be flown to Nashville to meet Jamie and see Music City USA! ALL entries will receive a free download of Jamie O’Neal’s single, “Soldier Comin’ Home” and its corresponding ringtone. The official site will provide all necessary contest rules, uploading instructions, media and legal releases and timelines in an easy to understand and secure format.

Join My Country: Smash Hits 2 on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Country-Smash-Hits-2/124403730984609

AND Twitter

@MyCtrySmasHits2

Assured Funding for Veterans' Health Care is Long Overdue (Guest Contributor, Douglas Karr, US Navy Veteran)

2011-09-10T08:49:00.003-05:00

Among the obstacles to prompt and adequate health care for veterans is adequate, reliable funding. How can the Veterans Administration provide good health care if they cannot obtain the money necessary to pay physicians and other staff and provide medication, equipment and facilities needed by returning veterans? The situation is deplorable and becoming worse.

The May 10 ruling by Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals against the Veterans Administration ("Returning Veterans Encounter VA Mental Health Meltdown",) is only one example of the urgency of this problem. The ruling stated that treatment of soldiers with mental health issues is so poor as to violate their Constitutional rights. This is not to say that VA is unwilling to provide the needed care. Without adequate funding, VA is unable to provide the needed care.

It has long been recognized that the unpredictability of the yearly appropriations process is a major cause of VA's health care woes. For this reason, bills have been introduced in Congress to provide assured funding that would alleviate this situation. Unfortunately, none of the bills has become law.

The most recent attempt to get an assured funding bill passed was in 2008. According to Open Congress, the bill introduced by Sen. Tim Johnson D SD called for permanent access to funds as needed, according to the number of veterans in the system.

With the haggling over budget and deficit concerns, it is unlikely that any action will be taken now to get this bill passed. But the question remains: In the richest country in the world, how is it moral that soldiers who have risked everything and suffered the consequences in the service of their country should be abandoned once they return home?

Those wanting to write to their Congressperson concerning this issue should reference H.R. 2514 and S. 2639. If VA is to provide adequate care, access to mandatory funding is essential.

VA is responsible for care of veterans with health issues, including rare aggressive diseases like mesothelioma, or asbestos cancer, which is caused by exposure to asbestos. No country that asks young men and women to risk everything in its service should then decline to provide the care and support needed once that service has been provided.

This post was authored by Douglas Karr, US Navy Veteran, who writes for The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog at Mesothelioma.com. Read more about the author here.

The statements, opinions and conclusions outlined in this post are those of Douglas Karr.

Giving Voice to Veterans

2011-09-06T15:51:00.002-05:00

Attention Veterans - Please Consider Attending this Event.
Reposting Scott Smith's Guest Editorial from the Iowa City Press-Citizen (9/3/2011).

When I left the Marine Corps, I went to the winds. I filed my disability claim with the Veterans Administration and I didn't talk to my platoon mates for some five years.

It's sick having known Marines you served with in two deployments in Iraq, and then forcing yourself to ignore the devils you suffered with and destroyed cities among.

Just as you went to the winds, so did they: Nebraska, California, Maine, Rhode Island and Texas -- there's always one from Texas.

And maybe there's an email sent, a mass one from one of the guys in WPNS Company you could never remember the first name to but just the last.

And maybe you read it, and maybe you feel that jolt of nostalgia come surging back to reenlist, to time travel back to the invasion, back to crossing the line, back to patrolling along the rivers and in the fields and watching Goldberg bloop out those 40-mike-mikes far and long into the adobe houses.

To do it all again brings the kind of joy you once felt, the giddiness of being shot or having escaped supersonic lead piercing and destroying bone and flesh.

This, you do not appreciate because you are alive.

At the time, however, you cannot recognize it, cannot fathom the later meaning, cannot cognitively register because the mind of a 20-year-old infantry man is exactly that: infantile.

But we grow up. We age and carry on with no wayward sun setting because they never set the same in the West as they do in the East where it always was rising.

Some of us attended college, keeping our military histories a secret, harboring the pretty awful truths upstairs in the attic till too many cobwebs hung and clustered and trapped whatever larva needed to hatch but couldn't, pull from their cocoons and spread their wings for us to see and for the next batch to witness in spoken word rather than first-hand experience.

The truth is, we want you to understand what we went through. I want to tell you so many things that happened in the war, so many things I thought were beautiful and transmittable.

They're people just like us and when the hatred passes you allot yourself time to contemplate what good happened over there because that's all you've got my friend.

And there were good times, too, man. But I want to tell you about the bad as well. Tell you about the pretty awful and the learned racism and the words borrowed and spoken causing both insult and injury. So here's how I'm going to do it:

At 7 p.m. Sept. 12, The Mill Restaurant will be hosting Veterans Voices, the first of a reading series lead by me.

Peter Kaboli -- a physician at the Iowa City VA Health Care System-- got in contact with me showing great interest in supporting such an event. Sixty doctors from national VAs will be in town attending a rural veterans' conference and are eager to hear veterans of a UNESCO City of Literature speak.

The reading will last 90 minutes, with veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars reading aloud their prose, poetry, letters and rhymes.

This is neither a VA-sponsored event nor a UI-sponsored event. It is a veteran-owned and -sponsored event meant to bring together the sort of disbandedness I've seen among my generation of soldiers and citizens.

There's no excuse why so many of us have stopped assimilating with what we've gone through in theater and back home on the new front.

Civilians place yellow stickers on cars and nod their heads in agreement of supporting the troops --what's not to support? But when was the last time you volunteered your time at a local VA, the last time you contributed to the DAV or walked the stumpy rows of a veteran's cemetery in deep concentration of all the dead buried on our soil but lost on foreign?

We want the American public, migrant Iraqis ... humanity in general, to hear what we feel with our wars. This is why it's so important to hear what we've felt war does to a soldier, even years after discharge.

If you are a veteran of the recent wars, or a veteran of war itself, and want to read aloud your experiences, contact me at jonathan-s-smith@uiowa.edu.

I hope to see all of you at The Mill, 1900 hours Sept. 12.

Iowa Writers' Workshop student Scott Smith served in the Marines from 2000 to 2004.

Air Force Pilot Missing From Vietnam War Identified (Air Force Major Thomas E. Reitmann)

2011-09-03T13:50:00.004-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force Major Thomas E. Reitmann of Red Wing, Minn., will be buried on Sept. 8 in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1965, Reitmann was assigned to the 334^th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed out of Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., to Takhli Air Base, Thailand.

On Dec 1, 1965, he was flying a strike mission as the number three aircraft in a flight of four F-105D Thunderchiefs as part of Operation Rolling Thunder. His target was a railroad bridge located about 45 nautical miles northeast of Hanoi. As the aircrew approached the target area, they encountered extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). While attempting to acquire his target and release his ordnance, Reitmann received a direct AAA hit and crashed in Lang Son Province, North Vietnam. Other pilots in the flight observed no parachute, and no signals or emergency beepers were heard. Due to the intense enemy fire in the area a search-and-rescue team was not able to survey the site and a two-day electronic search found no sign of the aircraft or Reitmann.

In 1988, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated remains to the United States believed to be those of Reitmann. The remains were later identified as those of another American pilot who went missing in the area on the same day as Reitmann.

Between 1991 and 2009, joint U.S.-S.R.V. teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), analyzed numerous leads, interviewed villagers, and attempted to locate the aircraft. Although no evidence of the crash site was found, in 2009 and 2011 a local farmer turned over remains and a metal button he claimed to have found in his corn field.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of his brother -- in the identification of Reitmann’s remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 571-422-9059.

Writing My Way Back Home: A Free Writer's Workshop for Veterans

2011-09-01T17:31:00.001-05:00

We each have a story to tell. And this weekend writing workshop on October 15-17 will help you learn how to tell it well. By using writing exercises to explore deployment and wartime experiences—the fear, the boredom, anxieties, thrills, brutality, tears and beauty—we learn how to write a story and make it compelling. Workshop participants will explore the many approaches one can take to writing about the self and will produce personal stories by the end of the weekend, in addition to include personal stories, poems, songs and plays. Opportunities to work one-on-one with professional writers during the weekend, as well as a two-week online follow up, will help continue the writing and revision process. No writing experience is needed to attend this workshop.

A public reading to read your writing for those veterans interested has been scheduled for November 9th.

Who: Open to all current and former military personnel

Where: Communications Center
116 S. Madison Street
(Between Washington & Burlington)
Iowa City, IA 52242

When: October 15 - 17, 2011

Weekend Schedule:
Friday 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 - 4:30
Sunday 9:00 - 12:00

to Register http://www.midwestvetswritingworkshop.com/

Nick Morris Medical Update (8/27/2011)

2011-08-28T13:22:00.002-05:00

A fellow soldier of Tyler's who was injured several months ago sent me an update about his progress and he gave me permission to share with Yellow Ribbon readers. Lots of hard work ahead for Nick and his family and our thoughts and prayers go out to them.

Also, congratulations to Nick and Caroline on their recent marriage!

"Here's what's been going on lately with me.

Just moved to the "new Walter reed" here in Bethesda, MD, has great living facilities, chow halls are a little better, rooms are great, much bigger post with larger and more advanced buildings for PT.

My medical status is my orthopedics doctor gave me a 25% chance to be able to walk again, and that is with "bearable or tolerable" amounts of pain, they are unable to place a steel plate in my right heel to substitute for the massive amounts if lost bone due to the high risk of infection, so I've elected to remove my right leg, below the knee, to live a more functional life with less pain. I'm scheduled for a phyc appointment this coming Monday and a possible pre-op leg removal appointment Tuesday, this process is not a short one. All in all in I have between 2-4 appointments a day from Physical therapy to Occupational therapy to several doctor follow ups, wound care, etc.

I'm now married to Caroline, who is my NMA, non medical assistant, she cleans my pin sites, makes sure I make it to all my appointments, schedules all my appointments through our nurse case manager, she is my knight in shining armor. Anyway within the next couple weeks I should be weight bearing on my left foot and have my right foot amputated below the knee.

I'll let you know how everything goes and send some pics of my newly created amputated right leg.

Nick"

It's Been Quite a Ride

2011-08-26T16:38:00.001-05:00

It's been several months since I've written anything personal about our son or our family since the Iowa National Guard returned home in July. We are as thankful as ever that his second deployment is over and behind us.

As many of you know, Tyler has been grappling with re-enlistment. His military career started in 2004 and was a good path for him. Not everyone is cut out for college at age 18. Of course we, as his parents, were not entirely thrilled at the thought of having a child in the military with the potential for going off to fight in a war. We asked the usual questions a parent might ask of a recruiter -- what are the chances of deployment...how long is the commitment...what are the benefits? It's something that you hope your kid loves because it's not like a job where you can just find another one if you don't like it or your boss. It's a commitment -- a life commitment. A soldier knows. A parent or spouse learns to know.

He left for 10 weeks of basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in mid-year 2004. Tom and I attended his basic training graduation and were thrilled to learn he received the Soldier Leader of the Cycle Award, an award given to the leader of a company (about 240 soldiers as I recall). Only five soldiers out of his graduating class of 1200 received this honor. A few short months later he headed off to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, where he trained for 4 1/2 months as a combat medic. At the same time, his younger brother had also decided that the National Guard was the route to go and he headed to Fort Benning, Georgia, for basic training. They left within several days of each other, a difficult week indeed. Tim was medically discharged several weeks later because of his asthma (sigh of relief from this mother!).

When Tyler arrived home from his advanced training in San Antonio, rumors were flying that his unit had been activated for deployment to Iraq. Those rumors proved to be true within several weeks and we prepared as best as we knew how. His unit's send off was in August 2005 and they returned home October 2006. On his return, Tyler accepted a position as a recruiter for the National Guard for several years until he resigned last summer (2010) in order to deploy to Afghanistan. Many of you followed his and our experiences over the past year on My Yellow Ribbon.

I was a little surprised when he was talking about re-enlisting, but the military gets serious second looks with their retention bonuses, $15,000 in this case. But the decision had to be his entirely, I know that. I know that he needs to be happy in whatever he chooses to do even if it means more deployments. He thought seriously of entering the aviation program to learn to fly helicopters, which would be right up his alley -- risky, death defying, adrenaline producing...I could probably come up with some others.

But he told us this past weekend that his decision is made. He has decided not to re-enlist. He's enrolled in a fire science program and is ready to step into the next phase of his life. At 27, the military has given him great experiences -- he has seen the world! Ireland, Kuwait, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, and Afghanistan (and I may have missed one or two). He has learned countless leadership skills, has witnessed outstanding leadership and, quite frankly, poor leadership. He has learned the value of physical fitness, working as a team, emergency medical skills, self-defense, and has learned to think quickly in rapidly changing situations.

It'll be nice for him to get into a real life rhythm, to receive an education (paid for courtesy of the GI Bill), and hopefully find a position in his field -- who knows maybe even as a smoke jumper, parachuting out of airplanes (shhhhh, don't give him any ideas!).

I'm still going to write occasionally for My Yellow Ribbon. My articles will most likely be military related or patriotic in nature. I'll continue to post casualties of war as they're released by the Department of Defense. If you have ideas you'd like me to write about or if you want to serve as a guest writer, please let me know. It's been my pleasure to share our experiences with you. It's been quite a ride!

DOD Identifies Service Members Killed in CH-47 Crash

2011-08-11T13:08:00.002-05:00

The names below will also be added to the MYR: Casualties page.

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of 30 servicemembers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 6 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed.

The following sailors assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed:

Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, La.,
Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, Calif.,
Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Ark.,
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii,
Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31, of Stamford, Conn.,
Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31, of Minneapolis, Minn.,
Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 35, of West Hyannisport, Mass.,
Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 37, of Kansas City, Mo.,
Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas,
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas H. Null, 30, of Washington, W.
Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32, of Shreveport, La.,
Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 34, of Detroit, Mich.,
Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28, of Angwin, Calif.
Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, N.C.,
Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 28, of Taylorsville, Utah,
Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Neb.,
Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia, Pa.,
Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa,
Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn, 30, of Stuart, Fla., and
Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah.

The following sailors assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed:

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, Calif., and
Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar, 24, ofSaint Paul, Minn.

The soldiers killed were:

Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Aurora, Colo.;
Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Nichols, 31, of Hays, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.;
Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Grand Island, Neb.;
Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, 24, of Tacoma, Wash. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.; and
Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.

The airmen killed were:

Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Fla.;
Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, Calif.; and
Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, Pa.

All three airmen were assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, N.C.

For more information about the sailors, media may contact Lt. Arlo Abrahamson at 757-763-2007 or 757-620-3109.
For more information on Carter, media may contact the Colorado National Guard public affairs office at 720-250-1053.
For more information on Nichols, Bennett and Duncan, media may contact the 11th Aviation Command public affairs office at 502-626-5746 or 502-851-3466.
For more information on Hamburger, media may contact the Nebraska National Guard public affairs office at 402-309-7302 or 402-309-7303.
For more information about the airmen, media may contact the Air Force Special Operations Command public affairs office at 850-884-5515.

Soldier Missing in Action from WWII Identified: Army Pfc. William F. Stehlin

2011-08-08T20:50:00.001-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being buried with full military honors.

Army Pfc. William F. Stehlin of Dayton, Ky., will be buried on Aug. 11 in Arlington National Cemetery. On Nov. 20, 1944, Stehlin, as part of the 333^rd Infantry Regiment, 84^th Infantry Division, went missing near Süggerath while his unit conducted a largely successful offensive to capture towns in Western Germany. In 1951, after an extensive search, his remains were determined unrecoverable by U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel.

In 2009, a German citizen digging in a wooded area near Süggerath, discovered a grave with the remains of two individuals, military-related equipment and identification tags.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command laboratory also used dental comparisons in the identification of the remains. The other individual, Pfc. Edward L. O'Toole, was identified and buried on July 15 in San Bruno, Calif.

Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Interviewing for The Telling Project - Iowa City

2011-08-03T15:00:00.006-05:00

The Telling Project works with communities and organizations to produce “Telling,” an innovative theatrical production in which military veterans, personnel and their family members, after extensive interviews and subsequent performance training and rehearsal, stage the ‘telling’ of their stories. The project is a response to difficulties common among veterans in readjusting to civilian life.

Underlying The Telling Project is the conviction that, while the choice to speak is an individual one, the sustaining of an open society is a public responsibility. Having served their country and their communities, military veterans have earned the right to share their experiences publicly, should they so choose. It is both the privilege and obligation of their country and their communities to listen.

The Telling Project creates opportunities for veterans to speak, and their fellow citizens to listen. http://www.thetellingproject.org/.

Please contact John Mikelson to schedule an interview 319-384-2020 or 319-321-1387. Interviews will be Thursday, August 18, at 3:00 p.m. through August 22, at 9:30 pm at 115 Communications Center, Madison Street, Iowa City, Iowa.

Remains of Vietnam Serviceman Identified: Army Chief Warrant Officer George A. Howes

2011-08-02T13:02:00.001-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Chief Warrant Officer George A. Howes, of Knox, Ind., will be buried Aug. 5 in Arlington National Cemetery. On Jan. 10, 1970, Howes and three aircrew members were returning to their base at Chu Lai, South Vietnam aboard a UH-1C Huey helicopter. Due to bad weather, their helicopter went down over Quang Nam Province, Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.). A search was initiated for the crew, but no sign of the helicopter or crew was spotted.

In 1989, the S.R.V. gave to U.S. specialists 25 boxes that reportedly contained the remains of U.S. servicemen related to this incident. Later that year, additional remains and a military identification tag from one of the other missing servicemen were obtained from a Vietnamese refugee.

Between 1993 and 1999, joint U.S./S.R.V. teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted three investigations in Ho Chi Minh City and two investigations in Quang Nam-Da Nang Province (formerly Quang Nam Province). A Vietnamese citizen in Ho Chi Minh City turned over a military identification tag bearing Howes' name and told the team he knew where the remains of as many as nine American servicemen were buried. He agreed to lead the team to the burial site. In 1994, the team excavated the site and recovered a metal box and several bags containing human remains. In 2006, the remains of three of the four men were identified and buried. No remains could be attributed to Howes given the technology of the time. In 2008, given advances in DNA technology, the remains were reanalyzed.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA – which matched that of Howes' sister and brother—in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, call (703) 699-1169 or visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo .

Note from Iraq from My Niece

2011-08-01T17:54:00.001-05:00

I asked my niece to send me a message about what she does as a Soldier in the Middle East. She is a young, single mom deployed for the first time. This message was posted with permission.

Hey Nan! I should start off by telling you I am a bit sleep deprived right now, so if any of this sounds a little vague or not well written it's because I am tired.

I'm happy Tyler is back. I hope he is enjoying himself and I'm sure you're enjoying having him back.

My company drives CAIMANS, which are part of the MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) family. They are up armored vehicles that can weigh anywhere between 40,000 to 52,000 lbs depending on the type of armor and equipment on the vehicle. We are called CET's (Convoys Escort Teams) we provide security for convoys transporting loads throughout Iraq. We're "night owls" when were working, typically sleeping during the day and driving between FOBS at night. Some nights are short, smooth drives with no delays; other nights are long with vehicle breakdowns, accidents, IEDs, small arms fire, etc.

Every mission I've been on is so different from the other. They are never alike and you never know what to expect. I am extremely tired this mission. It's hot, our tents/CHU's are hot, and I'm only getting about 3-5 hours of sleep at a time because of the heat. My sleep schedule has been so irregular this mission it has made it hard to get adequate rest.

I am one of a few females that are apart of our CET's. I don't have much to say about being with a bunch of guys on the road for sometimes days on end except I'm ready to hang out with my roommate and get a pedicure when I get back to base! It's neither fun nor bad being with the guys. They look after me pretty well, but it just ends up being a testosterone overload after a while.

I haven't talked to Dominic (her son) in nine days now! I am getting to the internet for the first time today. I know he is being well taken care of, but it breaks my heart not being with him. I wonder what he thinks about mommy and where I am. I do my best to explain it to him in a way he will understand. He understands that I am at " work driving big trucks," but he doesn't understand time yet, so when he ask me when I'll be home and I say a few more months, he doesn't get it. So, I think for the last nine months he's probably been thinking "maybe I'll see her tomorrow."

Well my time is almost up and I need to drop Mom a line. I'm sure she's a little worried since I haven't talked to her in over a week.

Love you tons, talk to you soon!

Twelve Missing World War II Soldiers Identified

2011-07-29T07:50:00.002-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced Monday that the remains 12 U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

They are:

Army Air Forces 1^st Lt. Jack E. Volz, 21, of Indianapolis;
2^nd Lt. Regis E. Dietz, 28, of Pittsburgh, Pa.;
2^nd Lt. Edward J. Lake, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y.;
2^nd Lt. Martin P. Murray, 21, of Lowell, Mass.;
2^nd Lt. William J. Shryock, 23, of Gary, Ind.;
Tech. Sgt. Robert S. Wren, 25, of Seattle, Wash.;
Tech. Sgt. Hollis R. Smith, 22, of Cove, Ark.;
Staff Sgt. Berthold A. Chastain, 27, Dalton, Ga.;
Staff Sgt. Clyde L. Green, 24, Erie, Pa.;
Staff Sgt. Frederick E. Harris, 23, Medford, Mass.;
Staff Sgt. Claude A. Ray, 24, Coffeyville, Kan.; and
Staff Sgt. Claude G. Tyler, 24, Landover, Md.

The remains representing the entire crew will be buried as a group, in a single casket, Aug. 4 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Eight of the airmen were identified and buried as individuals during previous ceremonies. Shryock, Green and Harris were also individually identified and will be interred individually at Arlington on the same day as the group interment.

These 12 airmen were ordered to carry out a reconnaissance mission in their B-24D Liberator, taking off from an airfield near Port Moresby, New Guinea, on Oct. 27, 1943. Allied plans were being formulated to mount an attack on the Japanese redoubt at Rabaul, New Britain. American strategists considered it critical to take Rabaul in order to support the eventual invasion of the Philippines. The crew’s assigned area of reconnaissance was the nearby shipping lanes in the Bismarck Sea. But during their mission, they were radioed to land at a friendly air strip nearby due to poor weather conditions. The last radio transmission from the crew did not indicate their location, and in the following weeks, multiple searches over land and sea areas did not locate the aircraft.

Following World War II, the Army Graves Registration Service conducted investigations and searches for 43 missing airmen, including these airmen, in the area but concluded in June 1949 that they were unrecoverable.

In August 2003, a team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received information on a crash site from a citizen in Papua New Guinea while they were investigating another case. He also turned over an identification card from one of the crew members and reported that there were possible human remains at the site of the crash. Twice in 2004 other JPAC teams attempted to visit the site but were unable to do so due to poor weather and hazardous conditions at the helicopter landing site. Another team was able to successfully excavate the site from January to March 2007 where they found several identification tags from the B-24D crew as well as human remains.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA—which matched that of some of the crewmembers’ families—in the identification of their remains

Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died. At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

Finally Home

2011-07-20T19:50:00.003-05:00

What a joyous day -- Welcome Home Bravo Company!

Late on Saturday night, July 16th, I received official word that the Welcome Home Ceremony for 1/133rd Bravo Company was scheduled for Monday, July 18th at noon, at the Coralville Marriott. I promptly sent out an email to all family members since I knew so many wanted to attend. All had been waiting patiently for official word as the tentative dates changed several times and the location and time weren't even announced until the official word was handed down.

Tyler sent me a text message about 8am on Monday morning to tell me the buses had just started rolling out of Fort McCoy on their 4 hour trip home. The countdown started. He said about 10 state troopers met them at the state line and escorted them in to Coralville along with as many as 60 Patriot Guard Riders who joined them at Anamosa. While I would have loved to have been outside to see them roll down 9th Street, I, along with about a thousand others, were anxiously awaiting their arrival, not wanting to give up our seats for which we had arrived an hour early.

Searching for Tyler

The Soldiers were escorted in by the American Legion Color Guard to a patriotic tune by Toby Keith, and filed in three lines of about 30-40 soldiers each. Tyler had sent me a text pointing out where he would be and I spotted him once and then lost him again as others came in after him.

The ceremonial welcome was given by LT Justin Wygle, the Star Spangled Banner was performed by Tina Doran, and the invocation given by Rev. Waldron.

Various dignitaries were in attendance, each of whom gave brief welcomes home and thanks including David Leshtz, representative for Congressman Loebsack, Coralville Mayor Jim Fausett, Iowa City Mayor Matt Hayek, and finally Major General Robert Sentman (Ret.) who, in his booming voice, granted Bravo Company's dismissal to their families.

Also in attendance was at least one soldier recovering from injury who had received Purple Hearts earlier in the morning. I wasn't present for the presentation and don't have photos unfortunately and there may very well have been more (if anyone has more information about the Purple Heart presentation, please forward information and photos to me and I'll post).

We spent the afternoon at Tyler's Grandma and Grandpa Davin's home in Iowa City, catching up on family news and hearing some stories of Afghanistan. The day concluded with a lively get together at Pint's in downtown Iowa City, his favorite watering hole. A selection of photos from the day's events are below (courtesy of Julie Davin Quinlan).

Many thanks to all who have followed My Yellow Ribbon this year. It's been an honor to bring you our deployment experience, to keep the casualties in the forefront of everyone's mind, and to share our fears and joys with each of you.

Next up, we, along with my niece's family (my sister's daughter), await the safe return of Spc. Brianne Roe, likely in October. Brie is based in Kuwait and drives convoys into Iraq. Stay safe, Brie!

Davins Reunited

Tyler's grandparents, dad, aunts, and uncles
on the Davin side

Mom and Son - at long last

A Patriot Guard Rider

Drew McElmeel, Tom Davin, Cody Fisher


Tyler's proud dad and grandpa


Welcome Home, Son!

Tyler and Cody Fisher - Great friends!


Tyler and Aunt Julie Quinlan

Tyler and his very happy and
relieved grandmother, Mary Davin

Tyler and his grandparents

Greeting his new sister-in-law, Molly Davin,
with his brother, Tim, in the background.
Tyler missed being best man in their
wedding in August, 2010

Aunt Wendy Ford (Brie's mom) and
Uncle Steve Ford - Glad Tyler is home!

Three Missing WWII Soldiers Identified

2011-07-19T13:00:00.001-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Pfc. Lawrence N. Harris, of Elkins, W.V., Cpl. Judge C. Hellums, of Paris, Miss., and Pvt. Donald D. Owens, of Cleveland, will be buried as a group, in a single casket, on July 20 in Arlington National Cemetery. In late September 1944, their unit, the 773^rd Tank Battalion, was fighting its way east to France's eastern border, clearing German forces out of the Parroy Forest near Lunéville. On Oct. 9, 1944, in the final battle for control of the region, Hellums, Harris, Owens and two other soldiers were attacked by enemy fire in their 2M-10 Tank Destroyer. Two men survived with serious injuries but Harris, Hellums and Owens were reported to have been killed. Evidence at the time indicated the remains of the men had been destroyed in the attack and were neither recovered nor buried near the location.

In November 1946, a French soldier working in the Parroy Forest found debris associated with an M-10 vehicle and human remains, which were turned over to the American Graves Registration Command. The remains were buried as unknowns in what is now known as the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium. A year later the AGRC returned to the Parroy Forest to conduct interviews and search for additional remains. Investigators noted at that time that all remains of U.S. soldiers had reportedly been removed in the last two years and that the crew was likely buried elsewhere as unknowns.

In 2003, a French citizen exploring the Parroy Forest discovered human remains and an identification bracelet engraved with Hellums' name, from a site he had probed occasionally since 1998. The information was eventually sent to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). In April 2006, the man turned over the items to a JPAC team working in Europe. A few months later a second JPAC team returned to the site and recovered more human remains, personal effects and an identification tag for Owens.

Historians at DPMO and JPAC continued their research on the burials at the Ardennes Cemetery, and drew a correlation to those unknowns removed from the 1944 battle site. In early 2008 JPAC disinterred these remains and began their forensic review.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons for the men and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA, which matched that of each soldier's relatives in the identification of their remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover, identify and bury approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 72,000 remain unaccounted-for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, call 571-422-9059 or visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo .

Welcome Home Bravo Company!

2011-07-17T20:25:00.001-05:00

The community homecoming ceremony for the 1/133rd Bravo Co. from Iowa City (approximately 110 Soldiers) begins approximately 12:00 noon on Monday, July 18, at the Marriott Conference Center, 300 E 9th St., Coralville. The buses will enter Iowa via U.S. Highway 151 South, then exit onto Iowa Highway #1 (south of Anamosa) south towards Iowa City, then exit onto I-80 West to Exit 242, turning left onto 1st Avenue in Coralville, then left at E 9th St. to the Coralville Marriott. The ceremony is open to the public.

Many thanks to Captain Tyson Trunkhill for organizing this event and to the Family Readiness Group (FRG) leaders, especially Mollie Graves, for providing support for the families during this deployment.

Home Sweet Home...For Good

2011-07-13T17:47:00.002-05:00

Yellow ribbons are a symbol of remembrance of the men and women who serve in places far from home. Over the years, they have been kept especially by wives, mothers and sisters in times of war in memory of their soldier men (and women) abroad.

This yellow ribbon (left), which was tied around our young oak tree last August, is tired. It was once as yellow as the ribbon that has graced this blog since last November, but it has since been battered by 50 mph winds, subzero temps, hard rains, ice and snow storms, and has faded with the heat of the sun over the last 11 months. This yellow ribbon is ready to be retired.

Our son, Tyler, is due home from Afghanistan in less than a week having already landed at Ft McCoy (I think now that they're in the US I can say that, sorry if I'm wrong Op Sec!). Iowa is ready for their more than 2,800 men and women to return home. But wait, on second thought, I'll keep that yellow ribbon tied around that young oak tree until my niece, Spc. Brianne Roe, is safely back from Kuwait and Iraq later this fall.

And each time I look at my yellow ribbon, I'll be reminded of the Iowa Guardsmen who didn't get to come home. And I'll also remember the 130 Iowa National Guard soldiers who are still recovering from combat injuries in various places around the world. If you are an injured soldier or the family member of an injured soldier, I'd be pleased to post updates if you'll email them to me at nancy.davin@yahoo.com.

The Blue Star Service banner is another symbol that lets others know that someone in the home is proudly serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. The Blue Star Service Banner tradition reminds us all that war touches every neighborhood. I've had a Blue Star Service banner on the rear window of my car for the past 11 months. I'll keep the banner on my car until Brianne returns.

I've struggled a bit with what to do with My Yellow Ribbon after everyone returns. There won't be nearly as much material to post, though I intend to keep posting the casualties and will have them remain the highlight in order to keep the daily losses in the forefront of the readers' minds.

And, of course, it depends upon Tyler's re-enlistment decision, one that must be made within the next three months as his contract expires.

The blog has brought this military mother a great deal of satisfaction. It has been an educational and therapeutic, yet humbling experience. I was honored to receive feedback from readers from around the country, even from around the world, including relatives of fallen soldiers, thanking me for keeping the deployment experience out in front of the people, reassuring them that what they're going through is normal.

It also was awarded the Best U.S. Military Parent Blog of the Year at the 5th Annual MILblog Conference in April, and it afforded me the great experience of serving as a panelist discussing military blogs on NPR's On Point with Tom Ashbrook of Memorial Day. What a ride!

As Tyler left Afghanistan, I found myself slipping back in to my old ways the last couple of days. That is, foregoing reading the Google alerts that I had come so accustomed to receiving -- news from various FOBs (forward operating bases) and parts of Afghanistan that I knew the 1/133rd were stationed, about the Red Bulls, and of course the casualties.

I'll be sure to post pictures from the welcome home ceremony and announce the details once I am able. In the meantime, join me in giving a very warm welcome home to many tired men and women. Attend a welcome home ceremony if you can, even if you don't know a soldier. And when you see one, thank them or buy them a Coke. I will. I know it's appreciated.

Update on Recovering 1st Lt. Nicholas R. Morris

2011-07-10T12:42:00.002-05:00

1st Lt Nicholas R. Morris

Several days after I learned that Tyler's friend, Lt. Nick Morris, had been injured, I was anxious to learn how he was doing so sent him a Facebook friend request hoping that perhaps his girlfriend was watching his account and accepting requests from well wishers such as myself. Within several days, I had a response and sent my heartfelt wishes for a complete and quick recovery from his injuries.

Nick and three other soldiers were injured on June 7 when their vehicle was struck by an IED while conducting combat operations in Laghman Province, Afghanistan. Nick is recovering from his injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. Also injured were Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Wilczak, 40, Luther, Iowa; Sgt. Martin C. Ennor, 25, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Pvt. 1st Class Tyler M. Sirovy, 26, Deep River, Iowa.

I watch my blog statistics carefully to learn how people arrive on My Yellow Ribbon, what other sites mention it or link to it, and a great deal of them arrive when Googling the name of an injured soldier that has been mentioned in the blog. The locations range all over the world. So because many seem interested in Nick's progress, I asked him if he would be willing to send me an update. I received this from him yesterday:

The Nick and three others were riding in
pictured after the IED

"Right now my time is engulfed in physical therapy and occupational therapy right now, as of now I can't walk but they are taking staples and stitches out and getting use to using the wheel chair, my family switches off every day/night with me pulling 3 different shifts.

Wish I could come to the coming home ceremony, also my dad pinned on my purple heart today, we did take pics and posted them on facebook. That's about it, I'll keep you updated and feel free to ask questions. Thanks."

I'm betting everyone wishes he could come to the Welcome Home Ceremony as well!

Nick received a Purple Heart,
pinned on him by his father

I asked Nick if it would be OK to post some photos of him, as well as one of when he received his Purple Heart and he said OK. Many thanks to Nick and his family for sharing his progress during his recovery.

Blessings to you in your recovery, Nick. You have a big mob of people out here rooting for you!

If you are an injured soldier or a family member of a recovering soldier, I'd be pleased to post updates as they are sent. You may email them to me at nancy.davin@yahoo.com. Feel free to include photos.

Air Force Pilot, Maj. Richard G. Elzinga, from Vietnam Identified

2011-07-07T22:23:00.001-05:00

Welcome home Air Force Pilot Major Richard G. Elzinga.

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force Maj. Richard G. Elzinga of Shedd, Ore., will be buried on July 8 in Arlington National Cemetery. On March 26, 1970, Elzinga and his co-pilot went missing when their O-1G Birddog aircraft failed to return to base from a familiarization flight over Laos. Fifteen minutes after the last radio contact, a communication and visual search showed no sign of the men or their aircraft. Search and rescue missions continued for two days with no results.

Between 1994 and 2009, joint U.S.-Lao People's Democratic Republic teams led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, analyzed leads, interviewed villagers and surveyed possible crash site locations. During several joint field surveys, teams recovered human remains, aircraft wreckage, and crew-related equipment.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of his aunt and cousin -- in the identification of Elzinga's remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

4th of July Carries Special Meaning

2011-07-05T19:48:00.011-05:00

On July 4th, Tyler's Dad, Tom, and I were interviewed at our home by Jill Kasparie of KCRG-TV9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Jill's story was to tell about how our family feels and celebrates the 4th of July since our son is serving overseas with the Iowa National Guard. Both of the interviews are available in their entirety on KCRG's website just below the photo of Tyler in the Related Content box.

Until I can get the proper code from KCRG to embed the videos on this post, you may view this interview here.

KCRG also interviewed Patty Sourivong, mother of Kampha Sourivong, who was killed in Iraq in 2006 after having served in the Army for three years. Until I can get the proper code from KCRG, you may view Patty's interview here.

Wounded Soldier Homecoming

2011-07-05T08:45:00.002-05:00

Reprinted with permission from Katie Pfeiler 7/3/11.

Hi!

Many have asked about Brian and when he's coming home. We finally have a date and time, hooray!!! Brian flies into Dubuque Airport Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 1:35pm. Everyone is welcome to join us at the airport as we welcome him home. He is only home a month and has to go back August 14, 2011. He is very eager to see everyone, especially the rest of his unit.

Please don't feel like you have to come, I know each of you are eagerly awaiting the arrival of your soldier as well and this is a busy time for many. I just thought I'd give you an update on Brian.

Happy early 4th and can't wait to see you at the Welcome Home Ceremony!

Take care,

Katie Pfeiler

For more information about Brian Pfeiler, see this article:
http://www.crew61.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=42&Itemid=102

Proud to be an American

2011-07-04T08:11:00.001-05:00

I'm Proud to be an American
American Soldier Tribute
Get ready to welcome home
the men and women of the
Iowa National Guard!

Happy 4th of July

Iowan Dies in Iraq

2011-07-02T08:02:00.000-05:00

Capt. Matthew G. Nielson, 27, of Jefferson, Iowa, died June 29 in Badrah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.

Also killed were Capt. David E. Van Camp, 29 of Wheeling, West Virginia and Spc. Robert G. Tenney, Jr., 29, of Warner Robins, Georgia.

Short and Sweet

2011-06-25T08:51:00.002-05:00

This entry is short and sweet.

The new replacements have arrived at the FOB (forward operating base) and have taken over the duties of Tyler's unit. He was supposed to leave the FOB earlier this week, but their flight got cancelled, which seems odd to me. I'm not sure why, maybe it was the weather or that the means of transportation was needed elsewhere in the theater, but I know now that they have to remain there for another designated number of days that can't be disclosed, and I know those days will seem to go painstakingly slow for them.

When Tyler told me about the delay, he said it was 131 degrees at 9:45 AM and that the air conditioner in his room had broken. The room from which he was emailing me was air conditioned and 95 degrees. He wasn't looking forward to the coming days until they leave. It's going to seem like winter here when he gets home.

He passes the time by eating more (he wants to get his weight up), working out, and running. Yeah, running when it's 130 degrees? I have a hard time at 80. I guess one adapts to their environment better than I can imagine.

We've been talking some about his future plans recently. We're anxious to see how they unfold. And we're so excited for his return!

Almost home...

* * * * *

Kudos go out to the Iowa Troop Pantry for receipt of a 2011 Governor's Volunteer Award. They have worked diligently through the last year securing donations, packing care packages, and making sure each and every deployed service member receives a care package. Maria Tyson and her parents, Leann and Mike Tyson, deserve all the recognition they can get. Congratulations ITP!

Airmen Missing in Action From WWII Identified - One of Iowa's Own

2011-06-22T17:39:00.002-05:00

I like to give these press releases special attention. Welcome home, Army Staff Sgt. Marvin Steinford.

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Staff Sgt. Marvin J. Steinford, of Keystone, Iowa, will be buried on June 21 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. On March 24, 1945, Steinford, along with nine other crew members, bailed out of their B-17G Flying Fortress bomber over Gic, Hungary. It had been hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire while on a bombing mission over Germany. Steinford and another crew member were struck by small arms fire while parachuting into a firefight between Soviet and German forces. The remains of the other crew member were found after the war where they had been buried by Hungarian villagers. The remaining eight members of the aircrew were captured by the Germans, held as POWs, and released at the end of the war.

According to accounts gathered by U.S. Army Graves Registration Service personnel in the late 1940s, Steinford's body was seen beside a German tank near Gic, but no further details about his exact whereabouts were recorded. Growing tensions in Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe closed off further U.S. access to Hungary.

In January 2003, in an effort to develop archival leads in Hungary from the Vietnam War, Korean and Cold Wars and World War II, a U.S. commissioner with the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIAs met with Hungarian officials in Budapest. Additional follow-up in Hungary by a DPMO researcher began to uncover specific information related to Steinford's loss. A second DPMO staff member, assisted by Hungarian academics and researchers, discovered archives and interviewed villagers who related first-hand information about the B-17G crash. Shortly thereafter the U.S. Embassy in Budapest notified DPMO that a local cemetery director had information directly related to Steinford.

He related that during a 2004 excavation and transfer of Soviet soldiers' remains at a war memorial and grave site in the city of Zirc, Hungarian workers discovered remains with a set of identification tags that bore Steinford's name. The dog tags were removed and all remains were transferred to another site on the outskirts of Zirc. What was believed to be Steinford's remains were marked with the Hungarian word "Cedulas," [translation: the one with the tags] and reburied. The dog tags were returned to U.S. officials in March 2005.

From 2005 through late 2007, DPMO facilitated negotiations between U.S., Hungarian and Russian officials. Finally, in December 2007, the U.S. chairman of the commission secured agreement with the Russian first deputy minister of defense to allow a July 2009 exhumation from the war memorial site by specialists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons in the identification of Steinford's remains.

*********************

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of five Army Air Forces servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Capt. Leonard E. Orcutt, Alameda, Calif., was buried on May 5 in Oakland, Calif; Tech. Sgt. Louis H. Miller, Philadelphia, was buried on June 17 in Arlington National Cemetery; Staff Sgt. George L. Winkler, Huntington, W.Va., was buried May 5 in Arlington National Cemetery; 2nd Lt. Harry L. Bedard, Minneapolis, will be buried on June 25 in Dayton, Minn.; and 2nd Lt. Robert S. Emerson, Norway, Maine, will be buried July 9 in his hometown.

On April 3, 1945, Orcutt and his crew took off in their B-25J Mitchell bomber from Palawan Field, Philippines. The pilot of another aircraft in the flight reported seeing Orcutt's plane stall out and crash about one mile northeast of the village of Consolacion in a swampy area. There were no survivors.

In early 1947, personnel from the Army's Graves Registration Service recovered additional remains from the crash site and buried them as unknowns in Leyte, Philippines. Later that year, they were exhumed and transferred to Manila for possible identification. In 1949, a military review board declared these unknown group remains to be those of the aircrew and re-buried them at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo.

Two years later, the Graves Registration Service returned to the crash site and recovered additional remains. The case was reanalyzed and a recommendation was made that the group remains at Jefferson Barracks be disinterred for individual identification. All remains from the crash site were examined with no resulting identification. They were reburied at the same location. A sister of one of the airmen contacted the Army in 2001 upon learning of the recovery of additional remains in the 1950s. The Army then disinterred the group remains at Jefferson Barracks in 2008 which were taken to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) in Hawaii for identification.

Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of relatives of the aircrew -- in the identification of these airmen.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans. Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo. Photos are available of Steinford and can be obtained by calling 703-699-1169.

"Wheels up!"

2011-06-20T13:04:00.001-05:00

I remember that phrase all too well!

In mid-October, not having seen our son since the send-off ceremony on August 3, he was going to leave Ft. Irwin in California at any given moment. As his parents, we were on edge knowing that he would be leaving the safety of the United States for a far riskier environment along with more than 2,800 other National Guard soldiers for unknown parts in Afghanistan.

One of the most difficult things to deal with as a parent, or probably any loved one of a deployed service member, is not knowing -- the fear of the unknown. I knew the departure was imminent, but I knew on that Monday morning in October when I saw Tyler's Facebook status, "Wheels up!" that this was the moment.

We didn't know where in Afghanistan he was headed, when we would have our next contact, if we would have regular contact, or any contact at all. I didn't know the relative risk of his destination, but only knew our son was sending himself into harm's way. When I read his Facebook status of “Wheels up!” that morning, I knew it would be The Day, and reality began to set in. In response to his posted status, I wrote in the best humor I could muster up, “Not before you call your mother!”

Several hours later, I received a phone call, and the very moment I heard his voice I burst in to tears. He said he didn’t have long to talk, that they’d had no notice that it was time to leave, and they were on a bus on the way to the airport. I’m certain he knew his mother would be in tears and needed to keep it short, so I said through my sobbing, “Oh darn it, I knew it, and I’m sorry for crying. But please know that we all love you so much, you are in our constant prayers, and have so much support from home. Please be safe, continue to contact us as much as is safe and technologically possible, and we will talk soon. I love, love, love you so much and will miss you.” Recalling these words again brings tears to my eyes as I write them.

But now I know we are almost home on this journey. While I can't share troop movements, I can tell you that, rest assured he will be in a safer place very soon. I've asked him to write a post for me when he has time about wrapping up at his FOB (forward operating base) and will post as soon as I receive it. I know they'll be at another location in Afghanistan for approximately two weeks and will then head to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, with a tentative date (the Army can't stress enough that this date is TENTATIVE!) set for July 16, and the venue for the ceremony is still being finalized for a battalion-wide welcome home ceremony.

So stay tuned as the emotions pick up once again. And while it's wonderful to be so excited about our loved one's return, it is of exceptional importance to never forget the sacrifices of three Iowans who died of combat injuries during this deployment. In addition, the Iowa National Guard suffered 47 combat injuries (as of June 17) and the lives of these soldiers and their families are forever changed. Last, support all of these soldiers since they may have other invisible injuries that they incurred. Embrace them and honor them, Iowa! I can't wait to have you join me in saying, "Welcome Home!"

Prayers for 1st Lt. Nicholas R. Morris and Family

2011-06-18T11:25:00.007-05:00

Our son, Sgt. Tyler Davin, told me last week that a friend and fellow soldier sustained severe injuries when he was involved in an incident involving an improvised explosive device (IED) on June 7.

According to news reports in The Daily Progress, 1st Lt. Nick Morris is recovering in stable condition at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. Nick and three other soldiers were conducting combat operations in Laghman Province, Afghanistan, when their vehicle struck an IED. In addition to Morris, injured were Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Wilczak, 40, Luther, Iowa; Sgt. Martin C. Ennor, 25, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Pvt. 1st Class Tyler M. Sirovy, 26, Deep River, Iowa. Unfortunately I don't have any information on the others.

Nick's mother, Leanne Morris, stated that almost every bone in her son's right leg is broken, his left ankle and heel are broken, as well as his back in two places, and he sustained severe jaw fractures. Nick was due back in Iowa next month as the Iowa National Guard returns from a year long deployment.

Nick, who had joined the Iowa National Guard but moved here from South Carolina, stayed at our house the night before they deployed. We also had the pleasure of meeting his fiancee, Caroline Pollard, whom he plans to marry next May.

As Nick recovers from his serious injuries, his brother, 1st Lt. Daniel Morris with the Virginia National Guard, heads off to Iraq in July.

Please keep Nick and his family in your thoughts and prayers as he recovers from his serious injuries and as his brother prepares for his deployment, along with all of the other soldiers mentioned above.

For an update on Nick's progress, click here.

Airman Missing from Vietnam War Identified

2011-06-17T13:13:00.001-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force 1st Lt. David A. Thorpe of Seneca Falls, N.Y., will be buried June 23 at Arlington National Cemetery. On Oct. 3, 1966, Thorpe's C-130E, with four other men aboard, failed to arrive at Nha Trang Air Base following their departure from Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam. Rescue personnel found their remains at the crash site in South Vietnam eight days later approximately 40 miles west of Nha Trang. The cause of the crash is not known.

Between 1984 and 1996, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) received human remains tentatively linked to Thorpe and the other crew members from various sources including refugees from the Vietnam War and Vietnamese citizens. Lacking advanced scientific tools and complete records during this time period, JPAC was unable to make an individual identification of Thorpe's remains, so he was buried as part of a group at Arlington. Other remains associated with the entire group were held at JPAC's laboratory for future testing.

As DNA testing procedures improved in the late 1990s, JPAC's forensic anthropologists applied the latest technologies from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory to include mitochondrial testing, a sample of which matched the DNA from Thorpe's sister. His dental records also helped confirm the identification.

With the accounting of this airman, 1,687 service members still remain missing from the Vietnam War.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Soldier Missing from Korean War Identified

2011-06-13T21:42:00.004-05:00

Recently remains have been identified from previous wars, and rather then letting them go completely unnoticed, I'd like to give them their due respect and wish their families closure. This press release was issued by the Department of Defense Monday June 13 at 2:00 p.m. announcing that a soldier missing from the Korean War has been identified. Welcome home and RIP Cpl. Scott.

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Cpl. A.V. Scott, 27, of Detroit, Mich., will be buried June 22 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. On Feb. 12, 1951, Scott's unit, the 503^rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2^nd Infantry Division, was supplying friendly forces approximately 70 miles east of Seoul, South Korea, when Chinese Communist units attacked the area and forced a withdrawal. Scott was captured by enemy forces and marched north to a prisoner-of-war camp in Suan County, North Korea. Surviving POWs within the camp reported Scott died in April 1951.

Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200 to 400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents turned over with one of the boxes indicated the remains were exhumed near Suan County, which correlates with Scott's last known location.

Among forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command used dental comparisons, and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA, which matched that of Scott's cousins, in the identification.

More than 2,000 servicemen died as prisoners of war during the Korean War. With this identification, 7,993 service members remain missing from the conflict.

The Closer We Get the Anxiety Level Rises

2011-06-10T11:58:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I received another call at work on my cell phone, and the name on the caller ID once again sent shivers down my spine. I glanced at the name, and out loud said, "Ugh, oh no!"...the phone tree had been activated. A thousand things shoot through your mind at warp speed as you reach for the ringing phone knowing the leader of the 1-133rd Family Readiness Group (FRG) is on the other end. I closed my eyes. "Hello?" I said, asking instead of stating. I feared she wasn't calling about the upcoming Welcome Home Ceremony.

She stated in a regimented way that there had been injuries to four Soldiers, three from Bravo Company, and one from Waterloo's Headquarters and Headquarters Company. They were involved in an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion while in an MRAP (mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle). Our son was not amongst the injured soldiers, thank God. The injured have been transferred to medical facilities and their families notified. She asked that we respect the families' privacy. For that reason, I chose not to post the news immediately.

I spoke to Tyler on Facebook yesterday and told him that I had received a call and did he know anything about it (knowing the rules and clearly not giving anything away). He said yes, they had been informed, and that one of the injured, 1st Lt. Nick Morris, 26, from Columbia, S.C., was the soldier who stayed at our home the night before the send-off ceremony on August 3. My heart goes out to Nick and the other soldiers and their loved ones.

According to an article posted on KCRG, a local news station, they were injured during a combat mission in Laghman Province. In addition to Morris, injured were Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Wilczak, 40, Luther, Iowa; Sgt. Martin C. Ennor, 25, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Pvt. 1st Class Tyler M. Sirovy, 26, Deep River, Iowa. Ennor was evacuated to Landstuhl (Germany) Regional Medical Center for additional medical treatment. Conditions and injury reports were unavailable at press time.

The last 30+ days of deployment may be the most nerve wracking for loved ones, parents in our cases. You want your kid to have a fulfilling deployment, yet you obviously don't want them to be injured or killed in action. You look forward to that welcome home and you want them to be "all right," whatever that is after a year at war

So let's ramp up those prayers for these coming weeks and hope that each and every one of them finishes strong and comes home to their loved ones awaiting with open arms.

Almost home...

Missing Vietnam War Airman Identified

2011-06-07T19:23:00.005-05:00

With lack of good news out of Afghanistan lately, I'm opting to post a press release from today that hopefully brought a Minnesota family some closure. While part of my mission has been to bring attention to the casualties of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, we must not forget those from previous wars either. RIP Captain Spinler, and welcome home.

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors

Air Force Capt. Darrell J. Spinler of Browns Valley, Minn., will be buried on June 18 near his hometown. On June 21, 1967, Spinler was aboard an A-1E Skyraider aircraft attacking enemy targets along the Xekong River in Laos when villagers reported hearing an explosion before his aircraft crashed. The pilot of another A-1E remained in the area for more than two hours but saw no sign of Spinler.

In 1993, a joint U.S.-Laos People's Democratic Republic team, led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), interviewed villagers who witnessed the crash. They claimed Spinler's body was on the river bank after the crash but likely washed away during the ensuing rainy season. The team surveyed the location and found wreckage consistent with Spinler's aircraft.

In 1995, the U.S. government evaluated Spinler's case and determined his remains unrecoverable based on witness statements and available evidence. Teams working in the area revisited the location in 1999 and 2003 and confirmed Spinler's remains had likely been carried away by the Xekong River. However, in 2010, JPAC conducted a full excavation of the location and recovered aircraft wreckage, human remains, crew-related equipment and personal effects.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command used dental x-rays in the identification of Spinler's remains.

With the accounting of this airman, 1,689 service members still remain missing from the conflict.

Richard Reeves' Latest Column as Food for Thought

2011-06-02T14:02:00.004-05:00

I usually don't discuss politics in a public forum, especially on my blog which is normally devoted to our son's deployment to Afghanistan.

However, a friend of mine brought this interesting column written by Richard Reeves to my attention this morning and I decided to post it for My Yellow Ribbon readers to contemplate. The article, posted May 31, 2011, is entitled The New American Segregation: The Military, and is about the volunteer army of today versus the draft.

What are your thoughts regarding this article? I'm simply curious what others think on this topic.

Enjoy the article and post away. I'd love to read your comments.

Light at the End of the Tunnel -- One More Month!

2011-05-31T20:56:00.002-05:00

This e-mail is re-posted with permission.

1 June 2011

Hi everyone,

Today is the first of June in Afghanistan, which means that I can officially say "I come home next month." It feels incredibly good to be 45 days from being home in shorts and a t-shirt, but at the same time we still have 45 days that we have to keep our heads in the game. At this point, all everyone is thinking about is going home, and day-to-day responsibilities become monotonous activities.

We moved from Torkham to another fob to assist with other missions, however that got amended when it was decided we were needed at yet again another fob. This fob is one of the nicer fobs in the country as far as facilities are concerned, but its isn't exactly the way we wanted to end our deployment. Our element is here for one reason and one reason only, to control an entry control point to the fob. We work daily with Afghan Army, and work with biometric technology to create a database of all personnel that come and go. We have fingerprinted literally thousands of people this year, and many of those people have popped up later with fingerprints linked to IED's and other insurgency activity. Although our part in this game isn't what we wanted...at all--it has still had an impact on what could be considered productivity.

From here on out, it will be hard not to concentrate on how many days we have left, and rumors will spread like wildfire. I personally find the rumors humorous, and get a kick out of them. Occasionally I come up with the most ridiculous sounding rumor I can, and see if I can get it to take. It's funny, but then by the time it gets back to me it has mutated into something completely outlandish.

Our replacements will show up in surges, and we'll try to hand off responsibility as fast as possible. After our missions are completely signed over, we'll start to regroup around the country, and move out of Afghanistan. We'll go through some out processing (and by some I mean mountains), and wait for our Welcome Home day. The day we hand off our weapons and sensitive items will be a great day. No more M-4 slung on the chest, no more M-9 pistol on the leg, and no more long sleeve uniforms in 120 degree heat!

Love,
Tyler

Paying Tribute and Participation

2011-05-30T17:08:00.004-05:00

Today on Memorial Day, Tyler's dad, Tom, and I attended the 2011 Veterans Trail Ceremony at the Coralville Lake in Johnson County, Iowa. Like most Americans, neither of us had participated in a Memorial Day event for a number of years so decided to choose one off the list of numerous events in our county. I have fond memories as a youngster of watching Memorial Day parades in Iowa City, Iowa, as veterans and other dignitaries marched east on Church Street to the local cemetery for a ceremony honoring the veterans and fallen soldiers, concluding with a 21-gun salute and taps.

Every year on Memorial Day, local veterans are honored in a formal ceremony at Coralville Lake's East Overlook where a handicapped accessible Veterans Trail is located. During the ceremony, each honoree's achievements during their military service is acknowledged and they are presented with a framed certificate. In addition to the certificate, a portion of the Veterans Trail is dedicated in their name.

I was awestruck to hear about these men and their bravery and accomplishments in both World War II and the Vietnam War. Honored in 2011 were:

Robert W. Benson, of Iowa City, U.S. Army, World War II
Richard D. Elliott, of Lone Tree, U.S. Army, World War II
Chester L. Laws, of Iowa City, U.S. Navy, World War II and the Korean War
Thomas W. Meade, of North Liberty, U.S. Army, Vietnam War
David A. Megan, of North Liberty, U.S. Army, Vietnam War
Bruce A. Scheff, of Swisher, U.S. Army, Vietnam War
Jimmie L. Thompson, of Ely, U.S. Navy, Vietnam War

The Veterans Trail is a 1/4 mile, barrier free trail constructed to accommodate wheelchair users and people with walking disabilities, as well as able-bodied users. The asphalt and boardwalk trail meanders through mature oak, hickory, and maple trees. Features along the trail include a bird observation area, various rest areas and an 80 foot bridge.

During the Fall of 1988, construction was completed on the Veterans Trail. On Memorial Day of 1989, the trail was dedicated in honor of all veterans who have served in the military. During this ceremony the bird observation area was dedicated. In 1990, the bridge was dedicated. From 1991-1996, the six rest areas on the trail were dedicated.

In 1997, a granite rock was added to the trail. It holds the names of the 1997-2001 honorees. A second granite rock was added in 2002 and it holds the names of the 2002-2004 honorees. In 2005, a limestone bench rest area was added in honor of Major General Sentman, who emceed the ceremony today. Also in 2005, a granite monument encompassing a bench was also added with the names of the 2005 honorees and is large enough to add honorees for the next several years. Click here to see a trail map.

Honorees are nominated by the public and selected by a committee of Johnson County Veterans and Coralville Lake staff. For nominees to be selected they must meet the following criteria:

Must be a resident of Johnson County, lived a large portion of their life in Johnson County, or be a member of a Johnson County Veterans Organization;
Must have been a member of the armed services and have been honorably discharged;
Honorees should be living;
Award of Purple Heart or higher.

Many thanks to the organizers of this event, those who participated, and especially to the honored veterans for their brave service to the United States.

Panel Discussion on NPR's On Point with Tom Ashbrook

2011-05-30T08:45:00.002-05:00

You can listen to this morning's program which airs at 9:00 AM central time at the website below or download other podcast after it airs. Thanks for listening. And thanks for remember our veterans this Memorial Day and every day.

http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/05/30/military-blogging