Marine Corps News Room

COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, Iraq, -- Third Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion recently accepted control of the western Euphrates River valley surrounding Rawah and Anah, and relieved 1st LAR in support of Regimental Combat Team 2.

http://www.op29online.com/articles/2007/10/26/news/news02.txt

Wednesday October 31, 2007
Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser
2nd Marine Division

This year marks the Wolfpack's fourth deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and their second trip to the Rawah area in the western Al Anbar Province.

Company A, known as Apache, has assumed responsibility for patrols and the security of the city, and continues to share a joint living area and working relationship with the city's police force.

"We are continuing the idea of; by, with, and through the Iraqis," said Lt. Col. James R. Parrington, the Wolfpack's commanding officer. "We work very closely with the Iraqi forces because it puts a visible face on the security effort in town. We are here not only to coach and mentor in patrolling techniques, but to also show the public their own forces are doing the work."

The Minneapolis native went on to say the policemen in the area have come a long way in their training and they understand their duties to 'protect and serve' the community.

"By and large, what we have is a good corps of policemen here. Policemen as you would think of them in the U.S.," he said.

Many of Apache's Marines are surprised by how well the Iraqi police force does its job, in contrast to horror stories they have heard in the past.

"It's truly a safe environment, considering where we are," said Cpl. Michael J. Conto, a fire team leader with the company. "The IPs are doing great and the relationship we have is going well for everyone. Some of these guys have only been here for six or seven months and they're already helping out the junior guys in the company."

One of the new techniques the Wolfpack brought with them from Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command 29 Palms, Calif., was the rolling snap vehicle checkpoint.

"Its kind of like a quickie VCP with a hug afterward," laughs Cpl. Matthew R. Boeck, a patrol leader, after checking a vehicle. "While on patrol, we will randomly snatch up vehicles, thoroughly search them, document the passengers, check IDs, and afterward, we apologize for the inconvenience and explain it's for their safety. Most of the civilians really don't mind it, and we've even made some friends."

Almost as if on cue, an Iraqi teenager runs up to the patrol and shakes everyone's hand, using nearly perfect English to ask the Marines how they are doing, and thanking them for their work.

"See," explained Boeck, a Milwaukee native, "This happens all the time. We meet with store owners, parents, kids, and know people on a first-name basis. We can walk down the road and a local will run up, yell my name, and shake my hand. This never would have happened in OIF I, and that's progress. There are people back home who live on my block, even in my building, that I don't know by name."

The Wolfpack and Apache, which has set an initial goal of 600 patrols a month, plan to continue the close relationship with local citizens in hopes of completely eliminating the threat of insurgency and firmly establishing a safe environment for provincial Iraqi control.

Posted by sr at 8:50 PM | Permalink

BALTIMORE —
A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals out of a belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

http://www6.comcast.net/news/articles/national/2007/10/31/Funeral.Protests/?cvqh=itn_antigaychurch

By ALEX DOMINGUEZ, AP
October 31, 2007

Albert Snyder of York, Pa., sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.

The federal jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.

Snyder's attorney, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to determine an amount "that says don't do this in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again."

The defense said it planned to appeal, and one of the church's leaders, Shirley Phelps-Roper, said the members would continue to picket military funerals.

"Absolutely; don't you understand this was an act in futility?" Phelps-Roper said.

Church members routinely picket funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

Snyder claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

The church members testified they are following their religious beliefs by spreading the message that soldiers are dying because the nation is too tolerant of homosexuality.

Their attorneys maintained in closing arguments Tuesday that the burial was a public event and that even abhorrent points of view are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and Congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries. But the Maryland lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.

The church and three of its leaders _ Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Phelps-Roper and Rebekah Phelps-Davis, 46 _ were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress.

The group is confident the award will be overturned on appeal, Phelps said

"Oh, it will take about five minutes to get that thing reversed," he said.

Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse. Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag and carried a sign that read "God hates fag enablers." Members of the group sang "God Hates America" to the tune of "God Bless America."

Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict, while members of the church greeted the news with tightlipped smiles.

It was unclear whether the plaintiffs would be able to collect the damages awarded.

Before the jury began deliberating the size of punitive damages, U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted that the size of the compensatory award "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court.

Defense lawyer Jonathan Katz said the church has about 75 members and is funded by tithing.

The defense attorney said that the assets of the church and the three defendants are less than a million dollars and that the compensatory award is about three times the defendants' net worth, mainly in homes, cars and retirement accounts.

One of Snyder's attorneys, Sean Summers, said he would tirelessly seek payment of the award.

"We will chase them forever if it takes that long," Summers said.

(This version CORRECTS the spelling of one of the church leader's names to Rebekah, instead of Rebecca.)

Posted by sr at 8:45 PM | Permalink

BALTIMORE — The father of a fallen Marine was awarded nearly $11 million Wednesday in damages by a jury that found leaders of a fundamentalist church had invaded the family's privacy and inflicted emotional distress when they picketed the Marine's funeral.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,307058,00.html

Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Associated Press

The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned later in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress to the Marine's father, Albert Snyder of York, Pa.

Snyder sued the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified monetary damages after members staged a demonstration at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.

Church members picket military funerals out of a belief that U.S. deaths in the war in Iraq are punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and Congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries, but the Maryland lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.

Snyder's suit named the church, its founder the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46. The jury began deliberating Tuesday after two days of testimony.

Snyder claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

The church members testified they are following their religious beliefs by spreading the message that the deaths of soldiers are due to the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Their attorneys argued in closing statements Tuesday that the burial was a public event and that even abhorrent points of view are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

The judge said the church's financial statements, sealed earlier, could be released to the plaintiffs.

Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse, which is located on a busy thoroughfare a few blocks west of Baltimore's Inner Harbor, while passing motorists honked and shouted insults.

Church founder Fred Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag while carrying a sign that read "God hates fag enablers." Members of the group sang "God Hates America,"' to the tune of "God Bless America."

Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict while members of the church greeted the news with tightlipped smiles.

Posted by sr at 5:22 PM | Permalink

Dressed in full camouflage fatigues on a crisp Sunday afternoon, Tim Keithley witnessed Americana. On duty since 1 a.m., the aspiring Marine lieutenant watched 20,000-plus marathoners dash past the finish line after conquering the 32nd annual Marine Corps Marathon, the fourth largest marathon in the United States and seventh largest in the world.

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=89610&paper=60&cat=152

Eric J. Gilmore
October 30, 2007

“To see that cross-section of America, and the world, was really reinforcing of one’s faith,” Keithley said. “It meant a lot personally to see the motivation of the individuals here.”

There was Team Travis. And Team in Training. And the Hokie Memorial Runners. All 20,677 runners fighting for a cause — either someone else or themselves.

After buckling back on Route 110, a winding road in the heart of Rosslyn, the runners funneled onto Marshall Drive, sandwiched between the awe-inspiring Arlington Cemetery and the Iwo Jima Memorial, to complete the final portion of the 26.2-mile road course.

And for nearly five hours, the sea of humanity mounted the final half-mile incline with fist pumps and high-fives. Every runner, jogger and walker had a story.

There was Peggy Starbuck, who for her 60th birthday promised herself that she could overcome her biggest challenge. Out of shape and from Carlise, Pa., Starbuck sauntered the race in 7 hours 29 minutes — just 19 seconds before the race officials stopped timing.

“I was really nervous about turning 60,” Starbuck said. “I figured my life was downhill from then on. But today is one of the happiest days of my life so far. Life gets better as you get older.”

‘The people’s marathon’ was the mantra, inspiring another woman, Shannon Royce, from Falls Church, to conquer her own physical demons. Just 16 months removed from overcoming cancer — follicular lymphoma — she ran as part of the National Chapter of Team in Training, a charity designed to fund cancer research and help families cope with inevitable expenses.

While juggling two children, Royce, 47, discovered the pea-sized lump in her neck, and asked her doctor to remove it, even though he felt it was benign. Her oncologist found cancer in the lump, but nowhere else in her body, which meant she had detected the cancer at its earliest stage.

"After months of treatment, I couldn't walk around the block with my husband without experiencing heart palpitations and shortness of breath," Royce said.

But after months of training, Royce finished the course in a shade under six hours to champion a greater cause — helping to raise money towards cancer research.

“It’s hard to believe that these are the couch potatoes and people with real physical difficulties,” said Marine Corps Marathon Race Director Rick Nealis, who has commanded the post since 1993.

At the front, the top men’s runner was Tamrat Ayalew, 33, who was born in Ethiopia and is seeking political asylum in the United States. His 2 hours 22 minutes 20 seconds time beat out two-time winner and crowd favorite, Ruben Garcia, a 36-year-old from Mexico. Garcia finished exactly two minutes behind Ayalew.

Georgetown University graduate Kristen Henehan, a 28-year-old first-time runner from nearby Silver Spring, Md., won the women’s division. Henehan passed second-place finisher Lisa Thomas, 31, with a half-mile to go to finish in 2 hours 51 minutes 14 seconds. Claudia Colita, 28, a Romanian runner training in Portland, Ore., added more international flavor by finishing third.

The marathon route started on Jefferson Davis Highway and wound through Rosslyn. It took some runners nearly five minutes to cross the starting line, and estimates had 500 people moving through the streets per minute. The path looped through Rosslyn, Georgetown, Rock Creek Park, West Potomac Park, the National Mall, Hains Point, and Crystal City. The route was altered this year because of road construction.

With nearly forty percent of the participants as rookie runners, race officials were pleasantly surprised that only nine runners were transported to local hospitals, including a Marine who collapsed near the finish line.

The tradition began in 1976 with a mere 2,000 runners. Now the race has morphed into an international attraction, boosting the metro area’s economy an estimated $31.7 million, according to a George Washington University study. The race solicited runners from nearly 50 different countries, including Zimbabwe and Venezuela.

Including 20,625th-place finisher Daniela Zahner. The 50-year-old woman, who speaks only broken English, flew from Switzerland to compete. Unable to use her left leg because of a car accident in 1979, Zahner walks with the assistance of two purple canes, which she uses to support her body like ski poles.

She hobbled through her first marathon nine years later — the New York Marathon in 1988 — and thrived on the sense of accomplishment. Now Zahner, whose hands were severely blistered, travels the world to marathons and ultra marathons to rekindle that feeling she first had back in 1988. Since her accident, she now travels internationally to compete in distance competitions, for herself, but also for Peruvian children born with cleft palates. She has a Web site, translated in eight languages, and solicits donations for corrective operations and treatment.

“She’s here and has traveled all of that distance and is absolutely speechless,” said Nealis, after meeting Zahner for the first time at the finish line. “She is just blown away with what she saw in our nation’s capitol and with our U.S. Marines.”

Nealis cited four water tents that went unmanned this year because of increased troop deployments. Nearly 240 Marines that participated on a volunteer basis will be shipped overseas within the week.

“These moms who’ve lost their sons, you think of all the incredible heartache it’s caused them and they’re still here to share their faith with us,” Keithley said. “It was inspirational.” Keithley alluded to a family that embraced him upon learning of their son’s impending deployment.

“Watching the tears well up in their eyes as they told me their son was going back for the third tour was really something that was amazing.”

The Marines embraced the clouds of men and women as they crossed the finish line. Some soldiers smooched runners on the cheek, when wanted, and dispersed red-white-and-blue capes, along with a medal signifying their accomplishment. The subtle gestures allowed for the community to build rapport with its elite fighting force.

“This was a great chance for the public to interact with men and women in our service,” said Nealis, a former Marine officer and longtime runner.

Posted by sr at 9:01 PM | Permalink

(CNN) -- The Iraqi leadership at a military camp east of Baghdad gave the U.S. military a $1,000 check last week to aid victims of California's wildfires, the U.S. military said.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/29/iraq.donation/index.html

Mon October 29, 2007
From Barbara Starr
CNN Washington Bureau

"In the months I've been here, I have never been so moved," Army Col. Darel Maxfield, the senior U.S. military official at Camp Besmaya, said in an e-mail.

The money was collected from Iraqi officers and enlisted soldiers at Besmaya.

Many of the Marines at that camp are from Camp Pendleton, a U.S. Marine Corps base about 38 miles north of downtown San Diego, California, he said.

Many of the worst fires have been in San Diego County, including the Witch and Harris fires.

Maxfield said the Iraqi leadership at the camp called a meeting Thursday evening to gather Iraqi soldiers and U.S.-led coalition members. The Iraqi commander there gave a short speech, thanking all his "American brothers" for their role in Iraq.

He then presented a sealed envelope with the check, Maxfield said.

"I'm honored to participate by sending you a simple fund of $1,000 to the American people in San Diego city to lowering their suffering from the wildfire," the Iraqi colonel told them. "That's for the feeling of being brothers and friends and for the great connections together."

Maxfield said the Iraqi leaders were "clearly moved" and were "trying as best they could to convey their genuine concern" for the people in San Diego.

The U.S. military said it isn't the first time the Iraqi commander collected money for Americans coping with natural disasters. When Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, the Iraqi reportedly took up $680 from his men to aid victims.

Posted by sr at 9:45 PM | Permalink

HIT, Iraq (Oct. 29, 2007) -- When Commandant Gen. James T. Conway published All Marine Message 002/07, ‘Every Marine into the fight,’ on Jan. 23, 2007, he gave an oboe player with the Marine band at Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Center an opportunity he thought would never materialize.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/4D0DCE9BDC42BFD785257383004731FC?opendocument

Oct. 29, 2007; Submitted on: 10/29/2007 07:57:38 AM ; Story ID#: 2007102975738
By Gunnery Sgt. Brenda L. Varnadore, II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD)

Sgt. Regan Young joined the Marine Corps during 2004 with an open contract in the hopes of seeing the world and experiencing life outside of Arlington, Va., where he was born and raised. However, he ended up with a military occupational specialty, one of only a very few, that is rarely deployed because oboe players are so rare in the Marine Corps it doens't get the opportunity to deploy with the rest of the band.

“I didn’t join the Marine Corps to go in the band,” said the 21 year old. “I had done that my whole life and wanted something new under my belt.”

Young began playing the oboe at Yorktown High School and found he was excellent at it. He said his love for the instrument is one he will always have, but wanted it as a passion, not a job.

“My recruiter knew I played the oboe,” he said. “During the first phase of boot camp, we were practicing for initial drill and I got called out and there was a recruiter, my senior drill instructor and all my chain of command. They started asking me questions about what I played and how long I have been playing. Once I auditioned, they told me I was going to be in the band. I didn’t really have a choice. It wasn’t as if I didn’t want to do it, I just wanted to do something else.”

Then Young’s chance arrived when the commandant said no Marine would be held back from answering their nation’s call. After reading the message, Young immediately put in an administrative action form requesting to go forward.

“After I put in my AA form, I would literally bug my company commander two to three times a day,” said Young. “He was all about Marines deploying and really helped push to get me here. I later learned it may not have been the AA form that got me here, but after six months of bugging the right people and just constant persistence, the powers that be said, ‘Fine if this is what you want, we are going to give it to you.”

Now, Young is the assistant camp commandant and police sergeant with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, serving in Hit, Iraq. He said the Marines he works with understand how hard he fought, so they bring him out on missions with them.

“It is everything I imagined,” said Young. “I love interacting with the people, seeing a different culture. Being deployed with an infantry battalion is letting me get a taste of the Marine Corps I never would have had the opportunity to see, and I don’t plan on wasting it.”

Young plans on returning to the band when he returns to the States. He wants to perfect his saxophone skills he has learned since joining.

“I burned some bridges, but I think that was only people who took it personally and felt like I didn’t want to be with them in the band. But, what it was is I just wanted to do something different, said Young. “If I could be in any band, it would be the Marine Corps Band, I just don’t think people join the Marine Corps to play music, that wasn’t my intent. I love the Marine Corps and have had a great career so far. I think it is only going to get better. But, I am never happy staying with one thing, that is why this job is so great for me.”

Posted by sr at 9:41 PM | Permalink

DENVER – During a television commercial break, those at Coors Field for Game 3 saw two men come to the mound to throw out the first pitch.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=79839

written by: Colleen Locke , Producer
reported by: Kyle Clark , Reporter
10/27/2007

Marine Staff Sergeant Kade Hinkhouse walked to the mound with a limp. The other man, Army Staff Sergeant Matt Keil, was in a motorized wheelchair.

"We were just floored that they were giving us a chance to do something like this," Keil said.

"I just hope that I do a good job, up to their standards," Hinkhouse said.

Earlier in the day, the two men were honored at the Commerce City VFW post.

Keil, who was injured during a sniper attack in Iraq, is out of the hospital and living in Parker. Hinkhouse has left the service and is living in Colorado Springs, where he is beginning college.

Posted by sr at 10:52 PM | Permalink

Ever since U.S. Marines first started deploying to Fallujah back in early 2004, military families in and around California's Camp Pendleton have fretted over their loved ones serving in Iraq's deadly City of Mosques. Over the last four years, hundreds of wives and parents have received unthinkably bad news from some 8,000 miles away. But this week, as a moment of peace and quiet marks life in Fallujah, the roles have reversed. A battalion of Camp Pendleton Marines in Fallujah now bears the burden of worrying about family back home, loved ones fleeing the wildfires that ravage San Diego County and parts of the huge Marine base there.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1676994,00.html

Friday, Oct. 26, 2007
By DARRIN MORTENSON/FALLUJAH

"I'm sure you've all heard that Southern California is on fire," said Capt. Shane Duffle in a briefing Thursday night at Camp Baharia, the American base just outside of Fallujah. He and other officers and non-coms from Pendleton's 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment were instructed to keep their men informed and identify troops whose families have been evacuated as the fire burned across the base.

Back in Pendleton, the Key Volunteer Network made up of the Marines' wives and the few Marines who stayed behind has reversed its alert system. Usually geared to keep wives informed of good news and bad from abroad, it was repurposed this week to help the wives rescue each other from the fire and to keep the Marines and sailors in Fallujah informed as best as they can.

"I called and [my wife] said the fire is surrounding Pendleton," said Lance Cpl. Ricardo Lozoya, 20, whose wife fled the military housing near the town of Fallbrook when the fire closed in from the surrounding hills. A neighbor rushed to the house and told Lozoya's wife they needed to go. They fled to another area on base until it, too, was threatened. "She said she could see the flames," Lozoya said. His leaders allowed him and other troops affected by the fire to use satellite phones from outposts in Fallujah or return to base to use the Internet to reach home.

"Everybody talks about what it takes to be out here in Fallujah, Marines facing adversity," said Master Sgt. Dennis Webb, whose pregnant wife and two small children fled the Las Pulgas section of the base on Wednesday. "But it's nothing when you compare it to what they're going through right now. I mean, that shows true courage. That's why I married her," he said. At least 10 of the wives of Webb's Weapons Company Marines were evacuated. "They're taking care of each other," he said.

Navy surgeon Luis "Doc" Bautista said his wife, who is five months pregnant, escaped their new home in Fallbrook with their two little girls, one four and the other just a little more than a year old. They first fled to nearby Temecula and then, when Temecula was threatened, drove about 50 miles north to Anaheim until the air became too thick with smoke for the girls. They wound up driving all the way to Fresno to escape not only the fires in San Diego but those in Los Angeles, too. Often not able to reach her, he tracked the fires' progress on the website of the local paper, the North County Times, and occasionally called his own house to see if the answering machine still worked. "At least then I knew it wasn't charred," he said. 'But really anything else is replaceable. My family is all that matters."

Out at a dangerous outpost in an industrial area of Fallujah known as Sinaa, Lance Cpl. Jon Juarez said he and others in his platoon saw the irony of the situation. "You leave home and it's safer here [in Fallujah] than it is at home." His wife was evacuated from the fires in Vista in northern San Diego County, while his parents fled their home in Santa Clarita near Los Angeles. His best friend lost his home to the flames east of L.A.. "You learn when you're this far away how helpless you are," he said. "No matter what can happen to us out here, anything can still happen back home." He said that he and his comrades whose families have been evacuated just had to have faith that the other Marines at Pendleton will take care of their loved ones. "You can't assume the worst," he said, otherwise, "you couldn't do your job."

Posted by sr at 9:38 PM | Permalink

BALTIMORE — The father of a Marine killed in Iraq took the stand Wednesday in his invasion of privacy suit against a fundamentalist church that pickets soldiers’ funerals, saying protesters carrying signs at his son’s burial made him sick to his stomach.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_westboro_071024/

By Alex Dominguez - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Oct 26, 2007 12:57:45 EDT

Albert Snyder said he had hoped for a private funeral for his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder.

“They turned this funeral into a media circus and they wanted to hurt my family,” Snyder testified. “They wanted their message heard and they didn’t care who they stepped over. My son should have been buried with dignity, not with a bunch of clowns outside.”

Snyder is suing the Westboro Baptist church, whose members have picketed the funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, claiming the deaths are punishment for the country’s tolerance of homosexuality. The York, Pa., resident is seeking unspecified monetary damages in the case for invasion of privacy and intent to inflect emotional distress as a result of the Topeka, Kan., church’s protest at his son’s funeral in Westminster in March 2006.

The church’s protests have inspired several state laws and a federal law about funeral protests, but the Maryland suit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.

Asked Wednesday about a sign that read “Thank God for dead soldiers,” Snyder said he thinks about it daily.

“I see that sign when I lay in bed,” Snyder said.

Asked about statements issued by the group that his son was raised to support the “Roman Catholic monstrosity” and then sent to fight for the “United States of Sodomy,” Snyder said “they have no right to do this to people they didn’t know.”

During cross-examination, defense attorney Jonathan Katz focused on obituaries and death notices and questioned Snyder on whether they said the funeral services were private. Snyder replied that the notices said friends and family were welcome, but admitted that he did not know all of the 500 or so people who attended.

The case tests the limits of the First Amendment right to free speech.

U.S. District Richard Bennett instructed jurors at the start of testimony Tuesday that the First Amendment protection of free speech has limits, including vulgar, offensive and shocking statements. Bennett said the jurors must decide “whether the defendant’s actions would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, whether they were extreme and outrageous, and whether these actions were so offensive and shocking as to not be entitled to First Amendment protection.”

Church members said they are motivated by the fear of God and their need to warn America about its moral decay, rather than a desire to hurt anyone.

Katz told jurors Tuesday the protests took place 1,000 feet away from St. John Catholic Church, where the funeral was held, down a hill and out of sight and hearing from participants.

Snyder said American military personnel are in Iraq fighting for freedom of speech “they’re not fighting for hate speech.” One photo showing a child holding a sign at the funeral protest was particularly disturbing, the father said.

“I pray for their children. Their children need help. To be brought up with that kind of hatred,” Snyder said.

“My God is loving God,” Snyder said, adding later “I don’t look for hatred in the Bible.”

The church’s founder and pastor, Fred Phelps, took the stand after Snyder and prompted a strong admonition from Bennett when the pastor said he had not considered whether children would see a sign carried by protesters with the words “Semper Fi Fags” and two stick figures that appear to be engaged in sodomy.

“No, it’s an irrelevancy,” Phelps said.

Bennett then interjected sharply.

“Just answer the question, sir. Don’t determine what’s relevant or not relevant. You just answer the question,” Bennett said.

Phelps said he chose to use the term “fag” in the group’s signs because it comes from scripture but could also have used Sodomite or dog. When asked by Katz why the group made a “Semper Fi Fags” sign, Phelps said it was in response to the need for a warning to the country “that your wicked ways are going to be your doom shortly.”

Under cross-examination by the plaintiffs, Phelps agreed he did not believe his presence was wanted at the funeral and could just as easily have protested somewhere else.

Posted by sr at 9:34 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Oct. 25, 2007) -- Marines here joined disaster-relief efforts for California wildfires Monday night by supplying food, water and hundreds of cots to residents on the base and in surrounding communities.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/4EF937A9838FE24A8525737D00718CF6?opendocument

Oct. 25, 2007; Submitted on: 10/23/2007 04:40:16 PM ; Story ID#: 20071023164016
By Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Belovarac, MCB Camp Pendleton

Wildfires have destroyed much of Southern California, forcing mass evacuations and burning hundreds of homes.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for seven counties including San Diego County Monday.

Camp Pendleton has allowed 20,000-23,000 civilian vehicles to travel through to the greater San Diego area, said Col. J.B. Seaton III, commanding officer of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

“We feared what we would have to face,” said Abby Deloach, a Fallbrook resident who sought refuge with her husband. “We guessed there would be something here. Even if we had to sleep in our car we would feel safer (on base) anyway.”

Within two hours of notification, Marines stocked the field house with food, water and beds.
Camp Pendleton’s Paige Field House was utilized to house the refugees looking for shelter.

The field house will shelter and supply people in need for as long as the resources are needed, said Kerri Latimore, manager of Paige Field House.

The Paige Field House was on standby, waiting for the call telling them their facility would soon become an evacuation center.

“We need to take a bigger part in the community,” said Sgt. Fernando J. Urena, 27, from Los Angeles. “It makes me glad that Marines rose to the occasion.”

Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton has also offered its resources for refueling civilian and government aircraft. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar remains on standby to assist with firefighting efforts.

The Marine Corps is not only looking after displaced civilians, but also service members who need assistance.

“The Navy Marine Corps Relief Society is offering financial assistance for any military service member who has been evacuated and might need money for food or gas,” said Roxanne Clouse, the Deputy Director of the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society here. The NMCRS can be reached at (760) 725-5337.

For further aid, the American Red Cross can be contacted at (760) 725-6877.
Camp Pendleton’s fire hotline can be contact at (866) 430-2764.

Posted by sr at 11:22 PM | Permalink

COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, Iraq, (Oct. 24, 2007) -- Traditionally throughout history, wolves are feared and respected, and are the subject of numerous myths from the Norse god Fenrir (the wolf destined to bring the end of the world), to werewolves, to the children’s stories Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/6D2072CFB95950358525737E00495B54?opendocument

Oct. 24, 2007; Submitted on: 10/24/2007 09:21:15 AM ; Story ID#: 2007102492115
By Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser, 2nd Marine Division

In Iraq’s western Anbar Province, the legend of the wolf lives on as 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion returns to the western Euphrates River valley surrounding Rawah and Anah in support of Regimental Combat Team 2.

The sight of a company of 3rd LAR’s light armored vehicles speeding across the desert sands, kicking up a massive dust trail as they sweep from cliff to valley to hill, easily conjures an explanation for their nickname, the Wolfpack.

This year marks the Wolfpack’s fourth deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and their second trip to the Rawah area in western al Anbar Province. The battalion wasted no time upon arriving and jumped right into Operation Mawtini III.

“This operation is really a series of smaller operations that cover our entire area of operation,” explained Lt. Col. James R. Parrington, the battalion’s commanding officer. “The purpose is to disrupt enemy activity and improvised explosive device cells, disrupt and dissuade suicide bombers, and find weapons.”

The battalion ‘alpha dog’ went on to say the regimental-wide operation is geared toward preventing the insurgents who were driven from the cities by the regiment from entering them again.

“The cities, though not perfect, are getting a secure environment which allows the government to grow. We’re trying to maintain that security and that progress,” the Minneapolis native said.

Company C, or Comanche, played a large role in the Wolfpack’s desert operations, and recently swept through one of the desert’s dried up wadi (oases) systems, now just a series of large barren riverbeds, caves and cliffs.

“Basically, Comanche was tasked with going out to the open desert to hunt insurgents because most of them have been driven out of the towns and cities due to the successful joint operations with the Iraqi Security Forces,” said Sgt. Jesse R. Walden, a squad leader with the company.

Walden, a Muskogee, Okla., native went on to say the company was expected to interdict insurgents trying to cross the desert, and discover and destroy caches and other illegal materials.

“We’ve been looking for caches and insurgents who may be using the old wadi as a way to avoid coalition or Iraqi forces,” said Lance Cpl. Mark Efimoff, a squad automatic weapon gunner with the company. “I think the mission was a success, we came out looking for stuff, and we found it.”

The company found nearly a half dozen AK-47s, 15 fully loaded AK-47 magazines, two cases of 10-guage shotgun flares, and two ammunition cans of 7.62 mm rounds.

Comanche accompanied a local Provincial Security Force on the sweep through the barren wadi. The Marines said they were a little surprised by the Iraqi Police who make up the special force.

“I guess the PSF are like a sheriffs department in the U.S.,” explained Walden. “Compared to two years ago, you can tell the joint security operations like this are working much better, regardless of the reports you hear abut random and sporadic attacks.”

“I heard a lot of good things about the PSF before we went out with them. They don’t have the Marine Corps military discipline, but their hearts are in the right place and they’re trying to accomplish the same mission we are,” said Efimoff, a Woodburn, Oreg., native.

While sweeping through the old wadi, the PSF found a tent with (14) 25-pound bags of homemade explosive, a rocket, and a large supply of detonation cord.

“The PSF is a pretty good organization,” said Parrington, a veteran of Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom. “The (Iraqi Security Forces) in this area are doing great. The police are policing, the soldiers are doing what soldiers do. The Iraqi Army, Police, and PSF can all lay claim to the success here because they were all here long before us. I would characterize their contribution as significant and their performance as exceptional.”

The Wolfpack commander said he looks forward to the day when U.S. forces are no longer needed in Iraq, and he is making sure his battalion does everything they can to contribute to provincial Iraqi control.

“I’d like to work us out of a job,” laughed the 21-year Marine Corps veteran. “I’d like to see the Iraqi Army in control of the battlespace, the police in complete control of the towns, and rule of law firmly established, so criminals can be tried and convicted. That’s my goal, to work us out of a job.”

Posted by sr at 11:27 PM | Permalink

COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, Iraq, (Oct. 23, 2007) -- Third Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion recently accepted control of the western Euphrates River valley surrounding Rawah and Anah, and relieved 1st LAR in support of Regimental Combat Team 2.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/3901E32D3CE139338525737D00267360?opendocument

Oct. 23, 2007; Submitted on: 10/23/2007 02:59:59 AM ; Story ID#: 2007102325959
By Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser, 2nd Marine Division

This year marks the Wolfpack’s fourth deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and their second trip to the Rawah area in the western Al Anbar Province.

Company A, known as Apache, has assumed responsibility for patrols and the security of the city, and continues to share a joint living area and working relationship with the city’s police force.

“We are continuing the idea of; by, with, and through the Iraqis,” said Lt. Col. James R. Parrington, the Wolfpack’s commanding officer. “We work very closely with the Iraqi forces because it puts a visible face on the security effort in town. We are here not only to coach and mentor in patrolling techniques, but to also show the public their own forces are doing the work.”

The Minneapolis native went on to say the policemen in the area have come a long way in their training and they understand their duties to ‘protect and serve’ the community.

“By and large, what we have is a good corps of policemen here. Policemen as you would think of them in the U.S.,” he said.

Many of Apache’s Marines are surprised by how well the Iraqi police force does its job, in contrast to horror stories they have heard in the past.

“It’s truly a safe environment, considering where we are,” said Cpl. Michael J. Conto, a fire team leader with the company. “The IPs are doing great and the relationship we have is going well for everyone. Some of these guys have only been here for six or seven months and they’re already helping out the junior guys in the company.”

One of the new techniques the Wolfpack brought with them from Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command 29 Palms, Calif., was the rolling snap vehicle checkpoint.

“Its kind of like a quickie VCP with a hug afterward,” laughs Cpl. Matthew R. Boeck, a patrol leader, after checking a vehicle. “While on patrol, we will randomly snatch up vehicles, thoroughly search them, document the passengers, check IDs, and afterward, we apologize for the inconvenience and explain it’s for their safety. Most of the civilians really don’t mind it, and we’ve even made some friends.”

Almost as if on cue, an Iraqi teenager runs up to the patrol and shakes everyone’s hand, using nearly perfect English to ask the Marines how they are doing, and thanking them for their work.

“See,” explained Boeck, a Milwaukee native, “This happens all the time. We meet with store owners, parents, kids, and know people on a first-name basis. We can walk down the road and a local will run up, yell my name, and shake my hand. This never would have happened in OIF I, and that’s progress. There are people back home who live on my block, even in my building, that I don’t know by name.”

The Wolfpack and Apache, which has set an initial goal of 600 patrols a month, plan to continue the close relationship with local citizens in hopes of completely eliminating the threat of insurgency and firmly establishing a safe environment for provincial Iraqi control.

Posted by sr at 11:18 PM | Permalink

OCEANSIDE – The Marine Corps is taking on the role of fashion police.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20071019-1118-marinedresscode.html

By Chelsea J. Carter
ASSOCIATED PRESS
11:18 a.m. October 19, 2007

Earlier this year, the Marine Corps commandant updated the regulations on what Marines can and cannot wear, on duty and off, in the United States. Among the fashion don'ts: No shiny metal or gems on your teeth, no designs carved in your hair, no flashy jewelry and no bare midriffs or excessive cleavage.

But it is Gen. James T. Conway's ban on the wearing of camouflage uniforms, or “cammies,” off base that is getting the most attention, changing not only the appearance of the Marines but also the look of their communities.

Under the new regulation, Marines in camouflage cannot get out of their vehicles to run an errand or grab a meal on their way to or from the base. No pumping gas, running into the post office or picking up a cup of joe, either.

Although Marines were always largely prohibited from wearing uniforms off base, they were allowed to make brief stops during their commutes. Now they can stop only for a medical emergency, a traffic accident or a breakdown.

Around Oceanside, a community about 35 miles north of San Diego where Marines from neighboring Camp Pendleton are a common sight, the most noticeable effect is at fast food drive-thrus. Long lines are forming because Marines in uniform are not allowed to get out of their cars and go inside.

John Alexander, who works at GI Joe's, a military surplus store, said customers don't drop in during the middle of the day anymore, though business picks up in the late afternoon.

“There's no such thing as a quick trip anymore,” he said.

Navy Senior Chief David Matthews, 39, said the scene is the same in Jacksonville, N.C., outside Camp Lejeune. Matthews said some Marines and Navy personnel have come up with creative ways to run errands during duty hours.

“They get a buddy who has civilian clothes on to go with them. They drive and wait while their buddy gets out of the car and runs the errand,” he said.

Marines caught in uniform off base can get a warning; for repeat offenses, they can be restricted to their barracks and their pay can be docked.

While the military has always had strict guidelines for what service members can wear, even out of uniform, Conway said the updated regulations are about maintaining Marine “uniformity and pride in appearance.”

“It wasn't that Marines were blatantly breaking the rules. It was more of a tradition, and we just needed to get it back in the box, put it in writing and say here's the policy, here's the rules,” said Staff Sgt. Jesse Lora, a spokesman at Camp Pendleton.

Earlier this year, the Marines banned extra-large tattoos below the elbow or the knee, saying such body art is harmful to the Corps' spit-and-polish image.

Some businesses are getting creative to cope with the no-cammies-off-base rule, which was issued in July.

In Oceanside, the Colimas Mexican Restaurant, popular for its takeout lunch, now runs a sort of carhop service for Marines, who call in their orders and then wait in their cars for delivery out front.

Andrea Cerda, who works at Dorothy's Military Shop, a tailor shop, said it is not uncommon to see Marines changing clothes in their car, wriggling out of their pants and boots and into civilian wear.

“You see them bending around their steering wheel or moving back and forth in the driver's seat and you know what they are doing,” she said.

Posted by sr at 11:14 PM | Permalink

SAN DIEGO -- Four Camp Pendleton Marines arrived from a deployment in Iraq ahead of their unit Thursday.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/14372702/detail.html

Troy Hirsch, NBC 7/39 Reporter
POSTED: 3:31 pm PDT October 18, 2007

NBC 7/39 was the only news crew on hand when they touched down at Lindbergh Field and saw the happy reunion between Sgt. Joshua Robin, his wife Lisa and their 7-month-old daughter, Zoe.

"Very excited," Lisa Robin said. "Very excited to have some help and have my husband home."

The Marines arrived ahead of their unit for special circumstances.

In Robin's case, he's back just in time to say goodbye to his brother, Chris, an Army Tank Gunner stationed in Texas.

"My little brother is getting deployed in a few weeks," Robin said. "So they sent me back early so I could go meet up with him before he leaves."

Sgt. Carlos Martinez was also able to come home early due to a death in the family. He was met by his fianceé', Sgt. Tina Dominguez. The two had not seen each other since the day he proposed in Kuwait last month.

"It was coming up on my re-enlistment and we were at two different camps in Iraq," Martinez explained.

"On our re-enlistment ceremony, you get a special request sometimes. I asked my commanding officer if he would fly me to her camp so I could propose and at the same, re-enlist in the Marine Corps for four more years. He granted me that wish."

A small gathering of family and friends met the four Marines who flew back from Australia ahead of their unit, the 13th MEU. The rest of the unit is expected to return to San Diego on Nov. 17.

Posted by sr at 11:10 PM | Permalink

Door County was a nice change of scenery for Craig Nelson.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=676144

By MEG JONES
mjones@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 17, 2007

The Navy Seabee was finishing up a 10-month tour of Iraq last year when his wife, Nicki, asked if he wanted to go on a vacation after returning home from the desert.

With five teenagers at home and not much extra money to go around, Craig Nelson e-mailed his wife back and said they couldn't afford a vacation.

"I said, 'What if we can do it for free?' and he said, 'Let's do it,' " said Nicki Nelson.

Less than a week after Craig Nelson returned to his home near Peoria, Ill., last October from the war, he and his wife drove up to Egg Harbor and spent several days by themselves visiting Peninsula State Park and eating at local restaurants. Trading the sand, dust and heat of Iraq for the changing colors of bucolic Door County was the tonic Craig Nelson needed to change from his military life as a construction mechanic at Balad Airbase, north of Baghdad, to his civilian life as a husband and father.

"It was quiet, it was peaceful and it was just wonderful," said Nicki Nelson. "It was nice to get away from the hubbub so he could breathe for a while."

The Nelsons didn't pay for their lodging or meals, and were able to buy souvenirs to bring back to their family, courtesy of a little-known program started by a couple who wanted to give returning veterans something they sorely need - a vacation.

The idea of donating vacation time at vacant cottages, cabins and condos in Door County hit Don Rubin and his wife, Barbara Winer, as they stood outside their Fish Creek home and looked at the dozen other homes on their block. Many were empty much of the year.

"We thought, 'Why can't some of these be donated for military troops coming back from Iraq or Afghanistan as a way of thanking them for what they did?' " said Rubin, a tax attorney who lives in Highland Park, Ill.

And that's how Operation Welcome Homes started in 2005.

So far, with not much publicity, Rubin has signed up a couple dozen cottage owners, as well as resorts, inns and motels in Door County, and given about 50 military families - the majority from Wisconsin - a chance to get away and reconnect with each other. Operation Welcome Homes has also arranged for a few veterans to have time-share stays at Disney World and Daytona Beach.

Since many service members are cash-strapped when they return from the war, particularly National Guard and Reserves members whose civilian paychecks take a hit when they're mobilized, Operation Welcome Homes also provides certificates for meals and souvenirs.

"We thought if we gave someone a vacation opportunity but if they didn't have money to spend, they would be prisoners in their house," said Rubin. "So we tackled that problem and we've gotten a lot of help from local retailers."

Many business owners in Door County have donated meals, cruises and gift certificates, said Liz Moriarty, who coordinates the program in Door County.

Though the program has a Web site - operationwelcomehomes.org - many military families have found out about the program through word of mouth.

Gregg Kulma learned of the program through the Door County Visitors Bureau and decided to donate the use of three 50-year-old log cottages he owns in Ephraim. A military family stayed five days at one of the cottages this summer and was able to walk to nearby parks, the harbor and downtown Ephraim.

"I'm lucky that I haven't had to serve and my son hasn't had to serve. I guess it's our way of paying back the servicemen who are serving in difficult times," said Kulma, who lives in Downers Grove, Ill. "It's a beautiful area in Door County. I hope they feel good about what they've been doing as a result of staying at our place."

Moriarty gets several vacation dates from military families and then works from a list of lodging donors to find families a place to stay when they can get away. It's more difficult to find openings during the busy summer and fall seasons, but Moriarty has managed to find a place to stay for returning veterans at their available times.

The military members who want to use the program are usually those who couldn't otherwise afford a vacation to Door County, she said.

Moriarty met Rubin and Winer when she owned a coffee shop in Fish Creek. She agreed to help coordinate the program since she lives in Door County and Rubin and Winer live in Illinois. There was a deeper connection for Moriarty, too. Her father, a Vietnam veteran, died from Agent Orange-related tumors.

"I have lots of childhood memories of an angry, poorly received veteran coming home, so this program resonated with me," said Moriarty. "This is really about the soldiers and about soldiers who couldn't otherwise afford a vacation. We realize this is a tangible way to thank them."

Rubin has donated the use of his four-bedroom, two-bath Fish Creek house five times to military families and said the house is often left cleaner than when the service members arrived. Some veterans bring their spouse, while others come with their whole families. Operation Welcome Homes matches them up with the right-size unit - everything from bed and breakfasts and condos to cottages and hotels.

Phil Berndt, membership director of the Door County Visitors Bureau, has helped spread the word among property owners.

"Everybody's heart has been in the right place. They have a compassionate and enthusiastic group of volunteers. There have been zero problems," Berndt said. "The owners I've been able to contact are absolutely thrilled they have been able to participate."

For the Nelsons, who had never heard of Door County before their Operation Welcome Homes vacation, the respite was just what they both needed. They enjoyed eating apple pie, poking through shops, visiting lighthouses and Peninsula State Park, and they loved the solitude. Now that they've experienced Door County, they plan to go back someday.

Posted by sr at 9:27 AM | Permalink

Door County was a nice change of scenery for Craig Nelson.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=676144

By MEG JONES
mjones@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 17, 2007

The Navy Seabee was finishing up a 10-month tour of Iraq last year when his wife, Nicki, asked if he wanted to go on a vacation after returning home from the desert.

With five teenagers at home and not much extra money to go around, Craig Nelson e-mailed his wife back and said they couldn't afford a vacation.

"I said, 'What if we can do it for free?' and he said, 'Let's do it,' " said Nicki Nelson.

Less than a week after Craig Nelson returned to his home near Peoria, Ill., last October from the war, he and his wife drove up to Egg Harbor and spent several days by themselves visiting Peninsula State Park and eating at local restaurants. Trading the sand, dust and heat of Iraq for the changing colors of bucolic Door County was the tonic Craig Nelson needed to change from his military life as a construction mechanic at Balad Airbase, north of Baghdad, to his civilian life as a husband and father.

"It was quiet, it was peaceful and it was just wonderful," said Nicki Nelson. "It was nice to get away from the hubbub so he could breathe for a while."

The Nelsons didn't pay for their lodging or meals, and were able to buy souvenirs to bring back to their family, courtesy of a little-known program started by a couple who wanted to give returning veterans something they sorely need - a vacation.

The idea of donating vacation time at vacant cottages, cabins and condos in Door County hit Don Rubin and his wife, Barbara Winer, as they stood outside their Fish Creek home and looked at the dozen other homes on their block. Many were empty much of the year.

"We thought, 'Why can't some of these be donated for military troops coming back from Iraq or Afghanistan as a way of thanking them for what they did?' " said Rubin, a tax attorney who lives in Highland Park, Ill.

And that's how Operation Welcome Homes started in 2005.

So far, with not much publicity, Rubin has signed up a couple dozen cottage owners, as well as resorts, inns and motels in Door County, and given about 50 military families - the majority from Wisconsin - a chance to get away and reconnect with each other. Operation Welcome Homes has also arranged for a few veterans to have time-share stays at Disney World and Daytona Beach.

Since many service members are cash-strapped when they return from the war, particularly National Guard and Reserves members whose civilian paychecks take a hit when they're mobilized, Operation Welcome Homes also provides certificates for meals and souvenirs.

"We thought if we gave someone a vacation opportunity but if they didn't have money to spend, they would be prisoners in their house," said Rubin. "So we tackled that problem and we've gotten a lot of help from local retailers."

Many business owners in Door County have donated meals, cruises and gift certificates, said Liz Moriarty, who coordinates the program in Door County.

Though the program has a Web site - operationwelcomehomes.org - many military families have found out about the program through word of mouth.

Gregg Kulma learned of the program through the Door County Visitors Bureau and decided to donate the use of three 50-year-old log cottages he owns in Ephraim. A military family stayed five days at one of the cottages this summer and was able to walk to nearby parks, the harbor and downtown Ephraim.

"I'm lucky that I haven't had to serve and my son hasn't had to serve. I guess it's our way of paying back the servicemen who are serving in difficult times," said Kulma, who lives in Downers Grove, Ill. "It's a beautiful area in Door County. I hope they feel good about what they've been doing as a result of staying at our place."

Moriarty gets several vacation dates from military families and then works from a list of lodging donors to find families a place to stay when they can get away. It's more difficult to find openings during the busy summer and fall seasons, but Moriarty has managed to find a place to stay for returning veterans at their available times.

The military members who want to use the program are usually those who couldn't otherwise afford a vacation to Door County, she said.

Moriarty met Rubin and Winer when she owned a coffee shop in Fish Creek. She agreed to help coordinate the program since she lives in Door County and Rubin and Winer live in Illinois. There was a deeper connection for Moriarty, too. Her father, a Vietnam veteran, died from Agent Orange-related tumors.

"I have lots of childhood memories of an angry, poorly received veteran coming home, so this program resonated with me," said Moriarty. "This is really about the soldiers and about soldiers who couldn't otherwise afford a vacation. We realize this is a tangible way to thank them."

Rubin has donated the use of his four-bedroom, two-bath Fish Creek house five times to military families and said the house is often left cleaner than when the service members arrived. Some veterans bring their spouse, while others come with their whole families. Operation Welcome Homes matches them up with the right-size unit - everything from bed and breakfasts and condos to cottages and hotels.

Phil Berndt, membership director of the Door County Visitors Bureau, has helped spread the word among property owners.

"Everybody's heart has been in the right place. They have a compassionate and enthusiastic group of volunteers. There have been zero problems," Berndt said. "The owners I've been able to contact are absolutely thrilled they have been able to participate."

For the Nelsons, who had never heard of Door County before their Operation Welcome Homes vacation, the respite was just what they both needed. They enjoyed eating apple pie, poking through shops, visiting lighthouses and Peninsula State Park, and they loved the solitude. Now that they've experienced Door County, they plan to go back someday.

Posted by sr at 9:27 AM | Permalink

Wednesday, Neil Schalk, Cosmo 's Wisconsin Bachelor 2007, will head to New York to face a day filled with media, capped by the magazine 's Bachelor of the Year party.

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/column/index.php?ntid=251429&ntpid=1

TUE., OCT 16, 2007 - 5:45 PM
Melanie Conklin

That 's when the magazine will announce which of the 50 bachelors has won its national title in online voting.

But Schalk, a 21-year-old from Muscoda, isn 't just another attractive guy.

The former Marine fought and was seriously injured in Iraq in 2005, when he was hit by the blast from a bomb that injured his left hand, leaving it nonfunctional, and took two fingers and a portion of his right hand. Schalk earned a Purple Heart.

"I 've had 13 surgeries and I only have two functional fingers, " he says. "But I don 't want people to feel sorry for me. "

Schalk says his sister, Natalee Schalk, reads Cosmo and nominated him for the contest. Since he was selected, he 's been getting all kinds of messages of support -- from old friends and strangers.

Schalk 's mother, Tracey Schalk, spread the word to other Marine families via a Marine parents Web site.

"Best part of this experience so far is how people have stepped up to support Neil, which in turn has supported MarineParents.com, " Tracey Schalk says.

"That site has helped our entire family through the Marine Corps experience from Day One when Neil left for boot camp. The site offers a wealth of information and friendship. "

And Schalk hasn 't let his injury slow him down. He 's running the Marine Corps marathon on Oct. 28 in Washington, D.C., to raise money for Purple Heart Family Support. (For more information, visit MarineParents.com).

He started college this fall at UW-Richland Center in biology and plans to study next year with his sister in New Zealand, where he hopes to compete in an Ironman. He also has signed up for Ironman Wisconsin next fall.

But this week, Schalk simply has to survive Cosmo 's media day, which might involve appearances on such national news shows as Today. ' '

"I 'm not easily stressed out. I 'm pretty laid back, " he says. "But this is stressing me out. "

Posted by sr at 12:01 AM | Permalink

They ran for different reasons.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071014/NEWS01/710140359/1007

Sunday, October 14, 2007
Dirk VanderHart
News-Leader

For some it was the extension of a hobby, a show of support for a loved one or an attempt to win a cash prize.

But the 2,100 people who participated in St. John's 28th annual Sunshine Run on Saturday all ran for a cause.

Actually, causes.

Proceeds from the run's three events — 10K and 5K races and a one-mile walk — will go to St. John's Burn Center, the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, the Ronald McDonald House and other organizations.

And organizers said it will be the race's most profitable year to date, with more than $40,000 raised for the organizations.

For Renee Fesperman, the event represents triumph over illness.

She ran her first Sunshine Run 10 months after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004.

She'd been a runner for years, but suddenly it was more than a hobby for Fesperman.

"I really felt that that was the one thing I kind of had to do prove to myself that I'm not sick," said the Rogersville woman, 37. "It was more emotional because it wasn't just for the exercise.

"It was survival."

As she continued to run despite her disease, the sport took on a more therapeutic quality.

Today, Fesperman has beaten the cancer.

Though she generally runs the event's 10K race, she participated in the 5K this year. Proceeds from that event went to Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks.

Stan Barlow has a similar story.

After being diagnosed with prostate cancer and lymphoma in 2002, Barlow's doctors encouraged him to get more exercise.

"I started walking, then I started running," said Barlow, 63.

In 2003, Barlow participated in the 10K race despite having just undergone three consecutive days of chemotherapy.

"I was debating on whether to do it," he said. "Then, I just stopped in and signed up."

Barlow's cancer is in remission, though he will probably have to undergo radiation therapy in the future.

"I just enjoy running," he said. "I get out around young people that are feeling good, and it makes me feel good."

As they have since 2004, a group of Willard students participated in the 5K race to honor a former classmate.

The 64 members of the running club from Willard Intermediate School ran in honor of Josh Thompson.

The sixth-grader died in 2004 of burns.

"That following fall, we found out the Sunshine Run benefits the St. John's Burn Unit," said Debra Ellis, a math teacher who organized her school's participation. "After Josh died, we just wanted to do something in his honor."

Ellis, who spent some time in the burn unit herself after an accident when she was 13, makes sure to run with the students each year.

"It's just been a really meaningful experience for me," she said.

Caption with Photo:
Marine Lance Cpl. Joe Lopez finishes the 10K race. The 21-year-old used the race to prepare for a Marine-sponsored marathon Oct. 28 in Washington, D.C., and to rebuild his strength after near paralysis from a smallpox vaccination.

More About This Story:

Wheelchair racer

Marine Joseph Lopez, who competed in Saturday's race in an arm-powered wheelchair, finished the 10K with a time of 36:43.

Posted by sr at 2:18 PM | Permalink

ABOARD USS JUNEAU (Oct. 13, 2007) -- Calm weather was disrupted by the roar of aircraft and their gusting winds as the “Dragons” approached the tiny ship.

http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/lookupstoryref/2007101512118

Oct. 13, 2007; Submitted on: 10/15/2007 01:21:18 AM ; Story ID#: 2007101512118
By 1st Lt. Jorge Escatell, 31st MEU

The “Dragons” of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, landed safely aboard the USS Juneau (LPD 10) in Okinawa,
Japan, Oct. 12.

Eleven aircraft, comprised of UH-1N Hueys, AH-1W Super Cobras and CH-46E Sea Knights are scheduled to support Amphibious Landing Exercise ‘08; an exercise designed to improve interoperability while conducting bilateral training between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. forces from Oct. 15-31.

These aircraft will serve a crucial role in supporting 6,500 troops from both AFP and U.S forces and the difficult missions taking place during PHIBLEX ‘08.

Captain John Bodwell, a CH-46E pilot with HMM-265 (Rein.), explained that some of the missions include casualty evacuation, fast roping and assault support missions for the ground fighters.

Additional missions will include transporting various dignitaries and media organizations to witness civil military operations also taking place during the exercise.

“It’s on a day-to-day basis, so your mission can change and even though we are also trying to get some of our required training complete; we are certainly ready to support our fellow Marines on the ground,” said the Dallas native.

While most pilots have conducted numerous flight operations and participated in past PHIBLEX exercises, some are experiencing the exercise and its arduous missions for the first time.

Most pilots spend their first two years training to ensure they are ready for the demanding missions placed upon them by the Marine Corps. One such pilot, 1st Lt. Sean R. Hulsey, a native of Littlerock, Calif., feels ready to gain the experience.

“I have been in the Fleet Marine Corps for three months so I am really excited about being able to apply all that I have learned during my training,” said Hulsey, a CH-46E pilot with the squadron.

Hulsey added, “It feels great to be able to interact with Marines and sailors and support them in their missions, but I also have the opportunity to meet and train with a different military (Armed Forces Philippine) and show them how we operate.”

Whether the mission is routine, combat exercise in nature or transporting dignitaries and journalists to witness different aspects of PHIBLEX ‘08, one thing is for certain, the “Dragons” will be ready to support their AFP brethren and fellow U.S. service members.

Posted by sr at 11:01 PM | Permalink

ABOARD USS JUNEAU (Oct 13, 2007) -- The crew of the USS Juneau (LPD 10) conducted a welcome aboard brief for Marines and sailors of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force and Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, Oct. 13, here.

http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/lookupstoryref/2007101533429

Oct 13, 2007; Submitted on: 10/15/2007 03:34:29 AM ; Story ID#: 2007101533429
By 1st Lt. Jorge Escatell, 31st MEU

The brief focused on teaching the service members how to respond to a number of emergencies on ship and refreshed their naval customs and courtesies. The crew also answered the troop’s questions about life at sea to prepare them for their three-day voyage to the Philippines to participate in PHIBLEX ‘08, a bilateral training exercise between Armed Forces Philippines and U.S. forces.

The crew explained the ship’s layout and gave lessons on everything from proper boarding and exciting procedures to techniques used to survive catastrophes.

The lesson on surviving a fire on ship sparked the most interest with the service members, according to Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Culler, the MEU’s operations clerk.

The Columbus, Ohio native said he had no idea he could use the EEBD (Emergency Escape Breathing Device) under his rack to save his life from smoke insulation.

The EEBD can provide up to 10 minutes of breathable air in a smoke filled environment. Plenty time enough to escape a burning room filling with thick smoke, according to Seaman Anthony L. Skinner, a damage controlman fireman with the USS Juneau.

The Chicago native also warned the troops against using the devices to act like makeshift fire fighters.

“The biggest misconception is that you can use the EEBD to access a space were there is a fire instead of egressing to safety,” he said.

Many of the troops said they now have a better understanding of how ship life works and how to survive incidents thanks to the brief.

“The crew did a fine job in really emphasizing the Navy and Marine Corps Team, working together to keep the ship in good standards and helped me understand my role during this trip,” said Gunnery Sgt. Samuel A. Rivera, the MEU’s Combat Camera Chief.

Posted by sr at 10:53 PM | Permalink

SAN DIEGO — Marine Sgt. Jordan Pierson, who lost his left leg to a roadside bomb in Ramadi, Iraq, had a request for the therapists at the Naval Medical Center here. He wanted a prosthetic leg that would let him play golf like he did before his injury.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-injury13oct13,0,4966919.story?coll=la-home-center

By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 13, 2007

"I'm huge into golf," he said Friday. "So they made me an ankle that will allow me to follow through."

Pierson, 23, is one of the first group of amputees to receive treatment at the hospital's newly finished facility for the most severely injured military personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan, including amputees. Thirty amputees are receiving care there, with more expected to arrive soon.

The 30,000-square-foot facility cost $4.4 million to build, and about that much to outfit and staff.

The formal grand opening, to be attended by admirals and Marine generals, is set for Monday. But reporters were allowed to tour the facility Friday and meet some of the therapists and outpatients.

Among the patients was Marine Lance Cpl. Brandon Mendez of Santa Ana, who lost his left arm below the elbow to a suicide car bomb in Saqlawiya in Iraq's Anbar province. Now he's learning skills to help him regain his independence -- everyday skills like cooking.

Mendez, 20, is also waiting to get a special attachment for his artificial arm so it can be fitted with a boxing glove. "I can't wait to get back into the ring," he said.

The goal of the Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care (C-5) facility is to allow wounded service members from the West Coast to be closer to their families during what otherwise could be months of separation while they underwent treatment and rehabilitation at military hospitals in Texas, Maryland or Washington, D.C.

The Naval Medical Center upgrade and the $50-million rehabilitation center that opened this year at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio are part of the military's effort to assist a larger number of grievously wounded patients than were anticipated when President Bush sent troops into Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003.

In some cases, patients are able to be brought directly to San Diego from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, the U.S. military's hospital where the Iraq wounded are taken, rather than spending months at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio or Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the military's two other amputee centers.

Rear Adm. Christine S. Hunter, commander of the Naval Medical Center San Diego, said the new facility is meant to be "at the forefront of wounded warrior care."

Included at the facility are a 3,500-square-foot obstacle course, a 30-foot-high climbing wall and a technologically advanced training apartment.

The apartment, including kitchen, bedroom, living room and bathroom, allows patients, including amputees, to learn to navigate a living space with reduced mobility. On Friday, Mendez was baking cookies using his artificial arm, adorned with a Marine Corps decal.

The new facility includes therapy rooms for sessions with people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The ethos of the C-5 center is twofold: include patients' families in the recovery process and treat patients as athletes who have suffered injuries but are still capable of achievement.

"Without the people here, I don't know where my husband would be in terms of his recovery," said Sarah Martinez.

Army Spc. Saul Martinez, 22, whose legs were severed by a roadside bomb in Diyala province north of Baghdad, likes to climb the 30-foot wall, while doctors watch and marvel at his recovery.

His wife appreciates the chance to talk to spouses of other patients.

"That helps sometimes better than talking to counselors, who are good but they haven't been through an explosion so they really don't know," she said.

Army Maj. Brian Belnap, a doctor who transferred to the Naval Medical Center from Walter Reed, said one strategy with amputees is to get them physically active as soon as possible. The center has organized ski trips, a surfing clinic and river rafting expeditions.

"Some guys get here and they think their life is over," said Belnap. "We try to dispel that notion. We tell them, 'If you were a skier before your injury, you're going to ski again.' "

The hospital, the busiest in the U.S. military system, has also added staff, including its first full-time prosthetist, an expert in making artificial legs and arms and in guiding patients on their use. A computerized "gait-training" center will help patients fitted with prosthetics gauge their walk.

Amputations are one of the signature wounds of Iraq and Afghanistan. With improvements in personal protective gear and battlefield trauma medicine, many soldiers, Marines and sailors who might otherwise have died are surviving but with limbs lost.

One study shows that 2.5% of battlefield injuries result in amputations.

Most of the outpatients at the new facility are living in military housing. For unmarried service members, a barracks adjacent to the hospital is available; the hospital plans to increase the number of such rooms.

The new center is opening at a key time. In the next three months, 11,000 Marines from Camp Pendleton are set to return to Iraq.

Posted by sr at 9:27 PM | Permalink

Surrounded by about 2,000 others on foot at today's Sunshine Run, Lance Cpl. Joe Lopez will get by with arm-power — and a set of wheels.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071013/NEWS01/710130389
Please click on above link for photos.

Saturday, October 13, 2007
Cory de Vera
News-Leader

The 21-year-old Marine is using the race to prepare for a Marine-sponsored marathon Oct. 28 in Washington, D.C., and to rebuild his strength after near paralysis.

It was only a little more than a year ago that a smallpox vaccination left him helpless, unable even to breathe without a ventilator.

Doctors told his mother he likely wouldn't survive, but with physical therapy — now every other day at St. John's Hospital — his strength is coming back. With a cane, he's able to walk about the length of a football field, but for a trip to the mall he'll use a wheelchair. Daily medications keep his legs from trembling.

For races, his arms do the work, using a custom-built hand cycle provided by a nonprofit organization that offers support to members of the military and their families.

"My arms have returned — as far as I can tell — back to normal," Lopez said. "Most of my injury was below my arms, so I work on trying to build up abdominal and leg muscles."

Wednesday night was the first time Lopez completed the full 26.2-mile length of a marathon on his hand cycle.

"I really enjoy the hand cycle; it gives me the type of exercise I haven't been able to get for the last year," he said. "It feels good to have that kind of mobility."

His mother, Barbara Lopez, a secretary at Central High, will be a first-time participant in the Sunshine Run, too. Though she says she'll be walking while he dashes forward.

"I've never done anything like this, but when he started getting excited about the Marine Corps Marathon, I decided with all he's got going on, surely I can do this," Barbara Lopez said.

She said the farthest she's gone in her training is about four miles; the 10K she'll attempt today is a little more than six miles.

But she, too, is glad she started training and picking up a healthy habit.

"First, it was really hard to make myself get off the couch and start walking," she said. "It is so much easier to just come home, make dinner, watch TV. You've got to force yourself. Once you get in the habit, it feels so much better. Then, you want to get up and do it."

The Sunshine Run began 28 years ago as a way of getting workers at St. John's physically active, but eventually opened up to the wider community, said hospital spokeswoman Cora Scott. Today's event will draw participants for three different races: a 5K, a 10K and a one-mile race. Entry fees for the race benefit five different charities.

The deadline to register has passed, but spectators are welcome to enjoy entertainment, refreshments and shopping at the Wellness Village on the concourse of Hammons Field, East Trafficway and John Q. Hammons Parkway.

Scott said organizers are unsure if any people using wheelchairs have ever participated in the race; those she asked could not remember any.

"We certainly don't turn any participants away, but I don't think we've had much interest (from people who use wheelchairs). Maybe in the future we'll do a whole wheelchair division."

Barbara Lopez is just pleased to see her son's enthusiasm. When he had his rare reaction to the vaccine, doctors told her if he survived he would have brain damage. But he survived and has no brain damage. His reaction and his treatment are so rare doctors aren't sure how much progress he'll be able to make.

"I'm proud of him," Barbara Lopez said. "He could have given up a long time ago, but he chose not to."

MORE ABOUT THIS STORY

Sunshine Run schedule of events

All races begin in front of Hammons Stadium at East Trafficway and John Q. Hammons Parkway and end at home plate in the stadium.

7:30 a.m.: 5K Race begins

7:45 a.m.: Official Starting Ceremony for 10K Race -- main stage in front of stadium

7:40-7:45 a.m. (approximately): First 5K finishers cross the finish line

8:15 a.m.: 1-mile race begins

8:20 a.m.: National Anthem to signal start of 10K Race on main stage in front of stadium

8:30 a.m.: 10K Race begins

8:40 - 8:50 a.m. (approximately): First 10K finishers cross the finish line

10:30 a.m.: Awards ceremonies inside the stadium
For the cause
Registrations from the Sunshine Run help support five local charities: St. John's Burn Center, the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, Springfield Catholic Schools, The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools and The Ronald McDonald House.

Spectators may make contributions at the event.

Lopez's cause

When Joe Lopez races in the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28, he hopes to raise money for Purple Heart Family Support. To find out more about his efforts go to
http://www.teammarineparents.com/team-josef-lopez.asp

Posted by sr at 2:08 PM | Permalink