My Newz 'n Ideas

It is my intent to express my opinion and to discuss current events. Feel free to make suggestions to fields you would like to see covered, and I will consider them. Please leave your name with comments. Thank you. Arabic: عربي.

Saturday, June 04, 2005

America Supports You News 6/04/2005

ASY from Coast to Coast and Across the Ocean Indianapolis 500 Honors Veterans and Service Members: At the 89th running of the Indianapolis 500, veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom were paraded into the "Greatest Spectacle in Sports" in red, white and blue pickup trucks and greeted by 300,000 cheering fans. To honor these veterans, along with service members on active duty, the crowd held up 6,000 America Supports You signs. Service members from the Indiana National Guard joined the veterans on the race track. Read More.

Intrepid Hosts Fleet Week Salute to Service Members: Country stars Chely Wright and Montgomery Gentry showed Marines and sailors how much they are appreciated with a special America Supports You salute concert at the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum in New York City. The May 28 salute was part of Fleet Week 2005. Read more.

Defense Leaders Praise Freedom's Warriors: America Supports You was the theme for this year's Joint Service Open House May 21-22. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers both spoke at the ceremony, which began Armed Forces Day celebrations. Myers said the Defense Department's military equipment on display often draws crowds to events like this. "But our greatest asset, of course, always remains our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and DoD civilians," he said. Also, at the America Supports You information booth, visitors sent messages of support to the troops on the official program website. Read more.

ASY In the News Armed Forces Day coverage, including the ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base and the Indy 500 race, generated features in the Washington Post and the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Indy 500/Armed Forces Day stories also ran in the Indianapolis Star and the Star Press, as well as on Australia's Big News Network.com. Local Washington, D.C. stations, including WRC (NBC), highlighted military demonstrations at Andrews Air Force base and multiple Indianapolis stations featured the Indy 500/ America Supports You partnership.

Kids Take Action
California teenager Shauna Fleming reached her goal of collecting 1.4 million thank you letters for America's armed forces this week. A high school community service project and a challenge from her father led 16-year-old Shauna Fleming to begin her quest. Shauna's father, Mike Fleming, had urged her to use her high school project to "do something special for the troops." In May 2004, Shauna launched a campaign called "A Million Thanks" to collect and distribute letters of thanks to our service men and women. By October, less than seven months after she began, Shauna received her millionth letter. Having reached her target, she set a new goal of collecting 1.4 million thank you letters -- one for every member of the U.S. military. Read more.

Thank You's from Troops
"Hey America. Thanks for all the support. I have been in for eight years now and I love it. I have been everywhere in the world, including Iraq, and have never witnessed this much love and support. Bless You All."

Philip Smyers, SrA USAF, Newark, OH

"Just want to say thanks for standing behind us while we are overseas making sure we stay free. It makes it all worthwhile knowing that back home everyone supports us. Thanks again."

ACAN Gleeson, David (USN), St. Louis, MO

To read more messages, Click here.

This is the weekly e-mail I receive. Today's you will find at Defense Link.mil. Then look for June 4, 2005. I wanted to share it with you. Have a good time reading it. We have many of wonderful people here in America and across the oceans. Be proud of your country. Do not let the Left take you for a loop. God bless you, and have a great weekend.