America Supports You E-Newsletter Feb 2008

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February 5, 2008

E-Newsletter Volume CXLVII

Gilbert, Ariz.

Community members line the street, cheering as Vietnam veterans from Legacy Vets Chapter J arrive at their surprise welcome home party. Photo courtesy of Operation Stocking Stuffer.

Washington, D.C.

Anne Miren Berry at a book signing for "Operation Homecoming," an anthology of essays, letters, journal entries and poems written by military family members. The National Endowment for the Arts project was edited by Andrew Carroll. Photo courtesy of Anne Miren Berry.

Scottsdale, Ariz.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Chadwyck McDaniel with his mother Terri Lane, celebrity comedian and television host Jay Leno and Command Sergeant Major Michael Williams at the Big Ticket Gala Super Bowl XLII Bash, on Wednesday, January 30th. Photo courtesy of Packages from Home.

IN THIS EDITION:
An Air Force Airman in Iraq receives a trip home to watch the Super Bowl, in person.
America Supports You homefront group Operation Stocking Stuffer throws Vietnam veterans a welcome home celebration.
ASY welcomes two new homefront groups.
NEW ON THE ASY TEAM:
America Supports You is proud to welcome two new homefront organizations to the team this week!
Enable America, located in Tampa, Fla., is a comprehensive program designed to support wounded warriors and their families at military hospitals, in the civilian community and ultimately in the workplace.
Pros vs. GI Joes, inSherman Oaks, Calif., boosts the morale of our servicemembers stationed overseas by giving them a chance to go head-to-head against their favorite pro athlete in a video game via Xbox Live.
ASY FROM COAST TO COAST AND ACROSS THE OCEAN:
Operation Stocking Stuffer threw a surprise welcome home party in January for the Legacy Vets Chapter J of Gilbert, Arizona, to honor and thank them for all their assistance. The Legacy Vets Chapter J have been helping the America Supports You homefront group support the troops in Iraq the past two years. "I have heard how they were treated when they came home from Vietnam, so I wanted to give them (the) party they never got," said Julie Ann Ivanov, founder of Operation Stocking Stuffer. Community members lined both sides of Ivanov's street, waving flags, posters and cheering on the veterans as they arrived to the party. "They (the Vietnam veterans) were genuinely touched that we would do this for them," said Ivanov. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has shown its America Supports You spirit with its new project "Operation Homecoming" -- a project that gives a voice to military family members whose loved ones are deployed. "Operation Homecoming" combines into an anthology stories, essays, letters, poems and journal entries written by military family members. The NEA sent authors to military installations around the world to discover local talent. Of the new collected works, Anne Miren Berry, who has been married to a Marine for ten years and contributed her short story "Down the Road," said "I haven't seen one like it, because it actually includes the words of the family members. You've got some parents (and) some spouses that give their accounts of being part of homecomings (and) leavings." Berry's short story is one of some 100 personal writings in the anthology edited by Andrew Carroll, editor of War Letters. Berry's story is also a recounting of her first experience having her husband away on combat deployment. "One thing that I did -- we all did it, all the spouses -- if you knew of an embedded reporter that was with your husband or wife's unit, you followed that reporter." After safely completing two deployments since 2003, her husband, Marine Colonel Joel H. Berry is now the commander of Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools on Camp Gilbert H. Johnson, adjacent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Read More.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Chadwyck McDaniel, his mother Terri Lane and NFL Hall of Fame member Steve Young at the Big Ticket Gala Super Bowl XLII Bash. Photo courtesy of Packages from Home. Air Force Airman 1st Class Chadwyck McDaniel was chosen from thousands of soldiers at Camp Speicher in Iraq to be America's first "Super Bowl Soldier." Chadwyck, along with his family, won a special lottery organized by America Supports You homefront group Packages from Home, to watch Super Bowl XLII live in Phoenix, Arizona. McDaniel was reunited with his mother Terri and his brother Tyler for a week-long celebration of Super Bowl festivities. The lottery initiative was the brainchild of Packages from Home Founder and President Kathleen Lewis. Packages From Home was assisted in the event by their key partner, Mr. Michael Kennedy, chairman of the Super Bowl Host Committee, ASY corporate-supporter TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Neil Cumsky, president of Cibola Vista/Princeton Resorts Group, LLC.
ASY homefront group The SemperComm Foundation is currently accepting entries for the The SemperComm Award, designed to recognize and honor servicemembers who are making personal contributions to boost the morale of their fellow military men and women. Servicemembers from all military branches may nominate individuals they deem worthy of this award. SemperComm will choose up to three awardees to be honored at a gala at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, in May. Winners will be determined based on three criteria: actions taken to boost the morale of fellow servicemembers, remoteness and size of the base where the nominee is stationed and desire to go above and beyond the call of duty. There is no limit to the number of nominations any service branch can submit. Four retired military officers will serve as judges to choose the awardees. All nominations are due by Friday, February 29, 2008. Winners will be notified by Monday, March 18, 2008. Questions regarding the SemperComm Award may be directed to Ms. Alix Anne Hornig at ahornig@sempercomm.org.
America Supports You corporate-supporter USAA has a history of supporting our servicemembers. And recently The USAA Foundation contributed $300,000 to the USO in support of theUSO in support of the USO Operation Phone Home® program and operations in the European region. The contribution will be used to purchase more than 16,000 phone cards to help deployed troops stay connected to their loved ones and extend programs and services to military personnel and their families stationed throughout Europe.

FEATURED ON THE ASY WEB SITE LAST WEEK:
Patriotic Hearts
"We help citizens and businesses to thank our current military, veterans and their spouses by posting their job opportunities… on our free military job posting and search Web site."
-- Mark Baird, President, Patriotic Hearts

North Carolina Heroes' Fund
"This support is primarily centered on hardships which (military) men and women, or their families may have endured due to their service overseas…. One of the greatest challenges is spreading the word of our organization…. Often those soldiers in need or their families are either reluctant to ask for help or don’t know where to turn for assistance."
-- Scott Stone, Chairman, North Carolina Heroes' Fund

ASY IN THE NEWS:
GX: The Guard Experience covered the Newman's Own Awards being open for nominations until May 2, 2008. EURweb.com reported on the collaboration between ASY homefront groups Armed Forces Foundation and BakeMeAWish.com to provide civilians a way to show servicemembers their love and appreciation this Valentine's Day. The program will deliver gourmet gift cakes to our nation's servicemembers, each containing a personalized message.
ASY HOMEFRONT ORGANIZATION OF THE WEEK:
CaringBridge was founded in 1997 by Sona Mehring when her close friend suffered a life-threatening pregnancy, which eventually resulted in the baby's death. To keep family and friends informed about the critical situation, Sona and her friends created a Web site. The Web site allowed the family to convey their sad news without the painful burden of numerous emotional phone calls. The Web site is now known as CaringBridge and helps more than 16 millions families a year, including injured servicemembers stay in touch. The homefront group has partnered with two other America Supports You organizations, The Wounded Warrior Project and Fisher House, to ensure that servicemembers are aware of this available resource. To learn more, go to: http://www.caringbridge.org/

FROM THE TROOPS:
"Fellow Alaskans, I appreciated your thoughts, prayers and kindness throughout this past holiday season. Your efforts to support all of us are noticed and greatly appreciated. The members of my Eielson AFB based 168th Security Forces Squadron look forward to returning home to our family and friends and seeing you all. Thanks!"
-- Major, USAF, Carl Alvarez, North Pole, Alaska

"Greetings from Iraq! Thanks to all of you for your constant uplifting support for us. I can't begin to tell you how much the care packages you send help us out and give us that big boost of morale that we all need when things start to get heavy out here. We appreciate all of you, and never forget that we do this willingly for all of you! We are forever in your service! Thanks once again!"
-- SPC Beverly Binas, Army, Woodbury, New Jersey
ASY REMINDER:
Keep checking www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil to read more about the 3rd Annual America Supports You National Summit. Articles, webcasts, photos and more will be available soon!

Our troops deserve to be applauded, and so do you!

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