Outta here for a bit :)

December 15, 2006 on 9:42 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments

Hello All

Sorry that I haven’t been keeping up with the site in the last few weeks.

As some of you already know DH finishedf the Pararescue Pipeline on Dec 5th 2006. The graduation was really great and Thanks Dougie for the wonderful Team Video. I wasn’t able to take any pictures due to the fact that the Twins were present too. Needless to say my hands were full. It was wonderful to see all the families that have supported theses men in pursuing their dream. Even though its sad to see everyone go their diffrent ways it won’t be for long before our roads will cross again. Those that are left behind here at the school house continue to keep your eye on your dream before you know it you to will be there.

Well the house is almost complete just getting a few things finished and we’ll be leaving later on today. Since I will not have a computer I won’t be able to make any post but if I get the chance I’ll definantly leave a quick note. Wish me luck driving cross country with 1 teenager, 2 babies , 3 dogs and a DH in a full moving truck to Georgia!!!!! He Hee couldn’t help myself.

God bless all of you Wishing those that are with us and those who won’t be home Prosperity, Peace and Love.

Will talk to you soon!!!! Denise

1st week of November

November 8, 2006 on 11:11 am | In Uncategorized, Contest | No Comments

Hello everyone,

I really haven’t had anything to write about but I wanted to say hi.

This weeks #’s for the site were really low :(

114 page views for the last 7 days and 307 page views for the last 30 days.

Hopefully, the numbers will go up with the help of webmaster TE from Specialtactics. TE is placing a link to the site on his main page and in the forum. Thank you again for your help TE.

Another way to help get the word out is by going to www.milblogging.com . This site provides free advertisement for milbloggers but the catch is you must have votes to get listed. We need just over 40 votes to get on the list. So if you like the site please register at milblogging.com. After registering, sign in, then go to resently added, scroll down the list to Special Operations Angels, click on that and add us to your favorites.

I have received emails from a few readers. I’m really glad that you are enjoying the site. For the site to be successful it’s important for the readers to leave comments/emails. Then the site can bring it’s readers the resources and information that are important to you. This site is “OURS” the spouses, families and significant others of AFSOC. Your opininon is important.

Okay now on a lighter note….

I explained earlier this week that we tend not to be able to celebrate events on the right days. Our anniversary is Nov 13 but DH will be out in the field. I wanted to do something for him that he wouldn’t do for himself. Since DH’s job here lately has been extremely physical I wanted to give him a day of relaxation.

After a few days of researching I decided to send him to Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe. I thought it would be great because DH loved being station in Kadena AB. The spa feels like a Japanese onsen. Now the problem was getting him to the location without telling him where he was going.

After brain storming, I decided to make it an assignment. You know like “James Bond”  :)  I woke up that morning before DH so that I could get into my CAPS uniform. I had already made up orders for him and placed them in an envelope. When DH woke up he found me standing next to the bed. He asks ” Do you have a funtion today?” I smiled “No Sir” “You have been assigned to a mission… Should you decide to accept”. At this point he is sitting up in bed laughing at me. He read his orders and agrees to followed them. Of course the whole time he is getting dressed he is trying to get information. So to throw him off I told him that he needed his swim trunks. Then I asked him how long it took him to swim 2,500 meters. At this point he looks at me and said “your kidding right” I responded with “It’s for a good cause” Now I have him thinking he is going swimming. Technically, he is since he has a hot bath appt. Before DH leaves on his hr drive to his undisclosed location DH said ” I’m only going because I love you and you owe me big” I smiled thinking If he only knew where he was going :) After DH returned from osen we went out to dinner. DH enjoyed his gift and was thankful. DH even told the guys about his weekend. ( That’s not like DH)

Share with us a story about your family. Send it to Denise ‘AT‘ specopsangels ‘DOT‘ com. The deadline for stories is November 14th midnight (PST) The winner will receive a gift certificate from our sponsor Southern Star Mortgage and will have story published here on Spec Ops Angels.

Looking forward to seeing who wins  :)

Take care ~ Denise

4 more days…….

November 7, 2006 on 12:31 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments
 
 Students’ Stories About Veterans 

The following are some excerpts from stories written by students volunteering at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital in Columbia, MO. You may want to write a story of your own.

WHY ARE VETERANS SPECIAL?
By Cheryl

In our family room next to the fireplace sits a globe with several black marker lines drawn around it. Your first assumption is that maybe a little kid got hold of it and decided to leave his mark, but on a second look you see that the lines are deliberate routes across the oceans, connecting countries and islands. These lines are in fact the work of my grandpa—a very big kid who took the globe and decided to mark it with his many trips about serving onboard a World War II Naval vessel. I remember listening to him recollect his trips across the Atlantic and Pacific to foreign counties from Great Britain and India to Australia and the Philippines. I also remember wondering what my dad would do when he discovered what my grandpa had done to his globe. Every time my grandparents come to visit, my grandpa has us get the globe and he proceeds to describe his war days to any new “victims” who have not heard the stories.

I don’t think at first I gave my grandpa the respect or admiration he deserved for being a World War II veteran. All I know about the war came from school—it was a horrible part of history that I had no personal connection to, something of a past generation. I politely listened to grandpa at first without any real interest. I was more curious about why he wrote on our globe. I now listen to him with more interest; this is not dull, factual history usually taught at school, but a personal story filled with emotions and eye-witness accounts that will never be in text books. With him, the past comes alive because it is not just about historic figures or major battles of the war, but tales of real people.

Veterans like my grandpa are the living bridge to a past. Their memories bring back to life events that are sometimes left in a dusty corner and forgotten. As a younger generation, we need to listen to these veterans because the stories they tell will be something totally unexpected and surprising. You just never know when one will be inspired to draw on your globe!

HONOR THE VETERANS
By Patrick

In this day of relative peace and prosperity, many young Americans may take for granted what veterans have done for our country and what they still do today. Veterans represent all of the good things about our nation and its people. One only needs to look at the words of our founding fathers to see what veterans fought for.

All veterans recognized their obligation to this country when they joined the military. They were willing to honor this commitment that they made in any way. When veterans went off to war, they set aside their personal needs for the good of the nation. Veterans are special because they were willing to sacrifice their lives for the common good of this society. Veterans journeyed to foreign soil and into hostile waters to protect those left behind on American soil. As far back as our fight for independence and as recently as Desert Storm, veterans have shown they are willing to go anywhere to preserve our rights. Veterans fought in unpopular and unappreciated conflicts like Vietnam.

Veterans are important, and we should not forget what they have done for this great land. We should take time out in our day, by saying a prayer or speech. So when Veterans Day comes around remember to honor all those, living or dead, who served. It could be something as simple as going to a Veterans Day parade or writing a short paper, like I did.

WE ARE GRATEFUL
Emily

Veterans have sacrificed themselves to give to our country. I think it is only right that we give to them the respect and benefits they have earned. I believe all Americans should honor veterans on their special day. There are more than 24 million veterans in the United States. Each one of these men and woman has sacrificed something for our country.

I have personally felt what it is like to be close to a veteran. My oldest brother is a Marine who served in Operation Desert Storm. I remember the letters he would write home. They were filled with the sadness of what was happening around him and the hope that the suffering would soon end. He told of how Christmas was going to be especially hard in the barracks. I took one of his letters to school and my class decided to help the soldiers. We made paper chains to decorate the barracks. We made cards to help cheer them. I can still hear my brother’s voice when he called us after the care package had arrived. The soldiers were elated.

They have given us so much. They have sacrificed themselves for our freedom and happiness. All we need to do is show them that they have our respect and care. It is so simple to write a letter and thank someone who has given us our freedom. We can go to a parade. We can visit a VA hospital and talk to a veteran. None of these small acts can compare to what they did for us, but these acts help show our veterans their sacrifices are acknowledged and we are grateful.

Undaunted Sacrifice.
by Josh

Few can deny feeling a wave of respect, admiration, and thankfulness, overwhelm them as the national anthem echoes notes of freedom. Veterans have not only protected the United States; they are the foundation for its prosperity. Veterans Day provides us with an opportunity to appreciate the simple duties and paramount accomplishments of American veterans. Veterans, the architect of American nationalism, hold a more zealous connection to this nation than the majority of ordinary citizens. Veterans set aside their personal lives, goals, and ambitions in order to serve. This unselfish commitment to the United States is unparalleled by any other service. Without their bravery, the American dream would perish. Veterans Day is only one day in November, yet every day that we take advantage of our opportunities as Americans, we pay homage to those whose unselfish service protected us and our way of life.

The Courage to Serve
by Alex

What is a veteran? The answer is as complex and diverse as the individual experiences of those who served. What do these people all have in common? Why are they special? Their service to their country, in whatever capacity, helped shape our lives. The combined efforts of these people have secured our freedom and protected our rights and the rights of those who are oppressed. In a time when liberty and justice needed defending, when there is threat of invasion and occupation of those who would destroy democracy and human rights, there are some who step forward and rise to the challenge of protecting those things we value. They are veterans.

The Greatest Gift
By Simon

These people, who were willing to give of themselves to accomplish a goal for the good of many, are veterans. They are a population that is very deserving of praise and admiration for all that they did. Veterans are most special people that understand what the Stars and Stripes are all about. They know that for each star there are millions of people that needed their strength. This compelled them to serve. Even in the heat of battle with the possibility of imminent death lingering over their heads, veterans were fighting to protect liberty and justice for all. That is true honor, a concept foreign to many in today’s society. It is however, a concept that rings true still today and should be cherished as part of American culture and put on a pedestal right next to our national treasures. In this way veterans gave the greatest gift. 

November 2, 2006 on 7:57 am | In Articles, Uncategorized | No Comments

af.jpg

 Okay… let the Angels or once Angels make you give to a GREAT Cause!!!

Comic strip from OP-For. Thanks John :)

Go to http://soldiersangels.org/valour/donate.html to make your donation.

Air Force!!!!

$12,739.00 of our goal of $45000

Finally……

November 1, 2006 on 8:30 pm | In Articles, Uncategorized | No Comments

Finally I get a chance to sit down to the computer to say “Hi” :)

Wow…It’s already November…Where did the time go? (brain goes numb with the thought of having to deal with a PCS and Christmas at the same time).

I have a question…

Does your calender suffer from inconsistency to holidays, birthdays and anniversaries?

Mine does :) I don’t know why I bother to buy calenders that have the holidays printed on them because I don’t think we have ever gone a year without moving a holiday. For example this month alone we have moved our anniversary and Thanksgiving due to the fact that DH will be gone. Also, in previous years when #1 DS was younger he refused to celebrate his birthday until Dad returned from deployment and we have even postponed Christmas.

I’m sure that if we were sitting together we’d be laughing about this because as a military familiy you’d understand exactly what I was talking about. As a military family we don’t have the luxury of having our loved ones home for the holidays or other special events in our lives. So, we have learned to be flexable with our time together. It’s not about the date that makes the holiday or event but the time that is shared with our love ones.

So, if you ever happen to come over for some hot chocolate or something a little stronger you’ll see my calender with its own unique holidays. I will also be happy to share the memories with you too. :)  

Talk to you later~ Denise

Since November is Military Appreciation Month, I wanted to share the poems at the bottom of this post. The author is unknown in some of the poems. If the poem happens to belong to you please e-mail me and I will add your name to it.

The Military Spouse

When the good Lord was creating military spouses, He was into His sixth day of overtime.

An Angel appeared and said, “You’re having a lot of trouble on this one. What’s wrong with the standard model?”

The Lord replied, “Have you ever seen the regulations? It has to be completely independent, must be sponsored to get on base, have the qualities of both mother and father during deployments; Be a perfect hostess to four or 40, handle emergencies without military orders, cope with the flu and move around the world, have a kiss that cures anything from a child’s torn valentine to a soldier’s weary day, have the patience of a saint when waiting for the unit to return stateside, and have six pairs of soft hands.”

The Angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pair of hands? No way!”

And the Lord answered, “Don’t worry. We’ll make other military spouses to help. Besides, it’s not the hands that are causing the problem - it’s the heart. It must swell with pride, sustain the ache of separation, beat soundly when it’s too tired to do so, be large enough to say ‘I understand’ when it doesn’t, and say ‘I love you,’ regardless.”

“Lord,” said the Angel, touching his sleeve gently, “go to bed. You can finish that tomorrow.”

“I can’t,” said the Lord. “I’m too close to creating something unique. Already I have one who can heal itself when sick, feed unexpected guests who are stuck in the area due to bad weather, and wave goodbye to its spouse from a pier or runway and understand it’s important to the country that the spouse leave.”

The Angel circled the model of the military spouse very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.

“But tough,” the Lord said excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this being can do or endure!”

“Can it think?” the Angel asked.

“Can it think? It can convert 1400 to 2 p.m.!” the Lord said.

Finally, the Angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.”

“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”

“What’s it for?” asked the Angel.

“It’s for joy, sadness, pain, loneliness and pride,” the Lord said.

“You’re a genius,” said the Angel.

The Lord looked somber and said, “I didn’t put it there.”

~Author Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recipe For A Military Spouse 

1 1/2 cups Patience
1 lb. Adaptability
3/4 cup Tolerance
1 tsp. Courage
A Dash of Adventure

Combine above ingredients: Add 2 tablespoons elbow grease. Let sit alone for one year. Marinate frequently with salty tears. Pour off excess fat. Sprinkle lightly with money. “Knead” dough until payday. Season with international spices. Bake 20 years or until done…..

~Author unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IF YOU’RE NOT IN LOVE WITH A SOLDIER 

 If you’re not in love with a soldier, you can’t know adventure. You don’t
 know smelly gray PT uniforms that require a daily washing.  You can’t
 understand green and brown camouflaged bags flooding your bedroom floor. If you’re not in love with a soldier, you can’t understand the meaning of the 
phrase “going  to the field” and the weeks you spend away from each other.

 If you’re not in love with a soldier, you can never imagine the hole in your
 heart when that phone call comes? “Honey, I am leaving tomorrow to go
 overseas.  I don’t know how long I will be gone or exactly where I am going,
 but I want you to know that I love you - always!”

 If you’re not in love with a soldier, you don’t know what it’s like to say
 that final good-bye. You don’t know what it really means to be glued to the
 television. You don’t understand fear and you can’t possibly understand the
 sleepless nights of endless crying wondering if you will ever see the love
 of your life alive again.

 If you’re not in love with a soldier, you can’t know the immense joy, the
 uncontrollable smile, or the butterflies in your stomach when you see your
 soldier march into the family waiting area upon redeployment.  You can’t
 understand the self-control it takes to stand on the other side of the room
as some higher-up gives a seemingly endless welcome home speech while all
 the soldiers stand in formation. You don’t know what it’s like to have
that second first kiss or what it’s like to experience puppy love all over.

 If you’re not in love with a soldier, you can’t truly understand how to make
 every moment count because you never know when that phone call may come again.

 If you’re not in love with a soldier, you can never really understand how

 very delicate life really is!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am a small and precious child,my dads been sent to fight..
The only place I’ll see his face,is in my dreams at night.
He will be gone too many days for my young mind to keep track.
I may be sad,but I am proud. My daddys got your back..I am a caring mother. My son has gone to war..
My mind is filled with worries that I have never known before.
Everyday I try to keep my thoughts from turning black.
I may be scared,but I am proud..My son has got your back..

I am a strong and loving wife,with a husband soon to go.
There are times I’m terrified in a way most never know.
I bite my lip,and force a smile as I watch my husband pack..
My heart may break,but I am proud..My husbands got your back..

I am a soldier..Serving Proudly,standing tall.
I fight for freedom,yours and mine by answering this call.
I do my job while knowing,the thanks it sometimes lacks.
Say a prayer that I’ll come home. It’s me whose got your back.
by Autumn Parker

by~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens. But I am in the military in the ranks that are rarely seen. I have no rank upon my shoulders. 

Salutes I do no give, but the military world is the place where I live. 

I am not in the chain of command orders I do not get, but my husband does this I can not forget. I am not the one who fires the weapon, 

who puts my life on the line, but my job is just as tough I am the one that is left behind. 

My husband is a patriot a brave and pride filled man. And the call to serve his country not all understands. 

Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free.  My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me. I love the man I married. Soldiering is his life,

but I stand among the silent ranks known as the military wife.

~Author Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Over the years, I’ve talked a lot about military spouses … how special they are and the price they pay for freedom, too. The funny thing about it is most military spouses don’t consider themselves different from other spouses.

 

They do what they have to do, bound together not by blood or merely friendship, but with a shared spirit whose origin is in the very essence of what love truly is. Is there truly a difference? I think there is. You have to decide for yourself.

Other spouses get married and look forward to building equity in a home and putting down family roots. Military spouses get married and know they’ll live in base housing or rent, and their roots must be short so they can be transplanted frequently.

Other spouses decorate a home with flair and personality that will last a lifetime. Military spouses decorate a home with flair tempered with the knowledge that no two base houses have the same size windows or same size rooms. Curtains have to be flexible and multiple sets are a plus. Furniture must fit like puzzle pieces.

Other spouses have living rooms that are immaculate and seldom used. Military spouses have immaculate living room-dining room combos. The coffee table got a scratch or two moving from Germany, but it still looks pretty good.

Other spouses say goodbye to their spouse for a business trip and know they won’t see them for a week. They are lonely, but can survive. Military spouses say goodbye to their deploying spouse and know they won’t see them for months, or for a remote, a year. They are lonely, but will survive.

Other spouses, when a washer hose blows off, call Maytag and then write a check out for getting the hose reconnected. Military spouses will cut the water off and fix it themselves.

Other spouses get used to saying hello to friends they see all the time. Military spouses get used to saying goodbye to friends made the last two years.

Other spouses worry about whether their child will be class president next year. Military spouses worry about whether their child will be accepted in yet another new school next year.

Other spouses can count on spouse participation in special events … birthdays, anniversaries, concerts, football games, graduation, and even the birth of a child. Military spouses only count on each other; because they realize that the Flag has to come first if freedom is to survive. It has to be that way.

Other spouses put up yellow ribbons when the troops are imperilled across the globe and take them down when the troops come home. Military spouses wear yellow ribbons around their hearts and they never go away.

Other spouses worry about being late for mom’s Thanksgiving dinner. Military spouses worry about getting back from Japan in time for dad’s funeral.

And the television program showing an elderly lady putting a card down in front of a long, black wall that has names on it touches other spouses. The card simply says ‘Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. You would have been 60 today.’ A military spouse is the one with the card. And the wall is the Vietnam Memorial.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are. But I will say there is a difference.

And I will say that our country asks more of military spouses than is asked of other spouses. And I will say, without hesitation, that military spouses pay just as high a price for freedom as do their active duty husbands or wives.

Perhaps the price they pay is even higher. Dying in service to our country isn’t near as hard as loving someone who has died in service to our country, and having to live without them.

God bless our military spouses for all they freely give. And God bless America.

by retired: Lt. Gen. Edward J. Heinz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prayer Wheel

“Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.”

 

One Week today YEAH!!!

October 31, 2006 on 7:02 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

Hello,

First thing… I want to thank all of you that have been viewing the Spec Ops Blog. We had 449 views this week and the most page views was 106 on Thurs.10/26. Wow! I can’t believe the #’s for the first week. Thank you ahead of time for your continued support.

To help get the word out about the Spec Ops Blog go to http://www.milblogging.com . Once you register, go to resently added on left side of page. Click on Special Operation Angels. Then you’ll see Listing Information. Click on add to favorites. This will give the site a vote of approval. If the site gets more than 6 votes it will have a chance of being placed on the top 100 list. Thank you :)

I wasn’t able to blog earlier today because DH’s schedule changed to nights this week. Because of this I won’t be blogging until later on in the evening. This way we can spend some family time together before he leaves for a 3 wk training TDY.

My goals in the next few months are to learn more about web designing and AFSOC. I have started to make web pages for the site. They have not been published because they still have bugs in them and eventually when we PCS in Dec. I want to consult a web designer. So for the meantime I will continue to blog. Hey just like the saying goes “First you have to crawl before you walk” So stick around to watch the site grow!

Well… I’d love to continue to Blog but Gilmore Girl’s is on now :)

Have a great night and I’ll talk to you tomorrow~ Denise

 

UPDATE Valor-It

October 31, 2006 on 3:08 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

Valour-IT Update

By John

 

**Update**

Uh oh. We were dipping in and out of second place last night, but when I woke up this morning we were bringing up the rear. We can do better Airmen! Remember our creed:

Slide1.JPG

Hello,

The previous was from the OP-for site.

I know that some of you are currently busy getting your children or yourselves ready to celebrate Halloween. I just want you to take a moment and open up your heart to donate to a very powerful project. Sometimes people don’t have that much extra cash but if you can cut out maybe two lunches of eating out or don’t get a starbucks coffee for a few days or maybe don’t get that 12 pack of beer for this weekend. You can then take that money and donate it to Valor-IT.

Take a moment to imagine what it would be like not to be able to use your hands. We tend to take things for granted when we do have the ability. These young men and women not only served our country to protect our rights and freedoms but gave up their use of their hands in the process. I’m sure there are other injuries that use these computers too.

Please give up a few dollars for those who have given so much.

Thank You ~Denise

Donate now! Be a part of a great thing!

Here is the link to Soldier’s Angels Valor-IT donation Link

http://soldiersangels.org/valour/donate.html

The Current amount raised is $5,744.79 goal $45,000

Great job on this site!

October 25, 2006 on 10:51 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

Hi Denise,

I would like to be the first to congratulate you on the fine job you did of getting this site up and running.  I know about your goals to make this site a place where military spouses can go to obtain much needed information to assist them with their move to a different base and I applaud you.  Bravo!

Keep up the good work. I look forward to watching it grow!

Nancy,

AF Mom

Hello World!!!!

October 25, 2006 on 3:33 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

First I want to apologize ahead of time for my grammer. Let’s just put it this way English was not my strong suit, but I didn’t want that to keep me from starting this blog.

During the past few years of DH’s training to become a PJ, I couldn’t find anything that was geared towards the spouses, families or significant others. That’s what made me decide to put this together. My family found this funny because I’m one of those people that is completely computer illiterate. I’m lucky if I don’t get lost in cyber space looking for my email. I’m really excited in providing a place for us to share our thoughts and questions about the wonderful and exciting professions that our love ones have decided to pursue.

Take Care~ Denise

There are plenty of sites that give information about Pararescue. My favorite being Specialtactics.com. This site has a wealth of information on Pararescue, Combat Control and Combat Weather Teams. Definantly a must read for someone who wants to learn about the silent professionals.

 

 

 

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