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Heros

People I Admire.

Thank a Veteran!!

Before I became involved in Soldiers’ Angels, I mostly never noticed the Veterans among us. My Father was a Navy Vet and I knew some of my Brothers’ friends had served, but I never thought much of it.

So, how did I wind up an active member of Soldiers’ Angels? Oddly enough, I started by reading an article in “Popular Mechanics” about the DustOff  Pilots and the Medivac operations in Iraq. That took me link by link around the internet until I landed on the Soldiers’ Angels site. And, I adopted my first soldier.

Today is Veterans Day.  Thank a Veteran, hug a Veteran, take a Veteran to lunch!! I did all three today!! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!

235 Years Old and Still Going Strong!!!

USMC 235th Birthday Tribute

Happy Birthday to America’s Finest!!!

A Challenge….

Imagine for a moment that you only have one hand. Or more than a moment. Choose a hand, right or left, doesn’t matter. Then try and go about your every day activities without using that hand.

Tough, isn’t it? Hard to zip your pants, button your jacket, tie your boot. Try driving a stick shift truck. Open a door while holding a bag of groceries or a baby. Typing on a computer.

Now imagine that it’s forever.

Imagine that it’s not just one hand. It’s both.

It’s not imaginary for a lot of young men and women coming home from the war in A’stan. It’s real.  It’s forever. It sucks.

Make it suck less. Donate to Valour-IT and help supply a voice activated laptop to an injured service person. Help them re-connect to the world.

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What’s That????

US Marine Corps Enlisted Ranks, Enlisted Rank Insignia
Click here to find a complete list of all available
US Marine Corps Ranks, Insignias, Name Tapes, Badges and Patches
Service members in pay grades E-1 through E-3 are usually either in
some kind of training status or on their initial assignment.
The training includes the basic training phase where recruits are immersed in military culture
and values and are taught the core skills required by their service component.
Basic training is followed by a specialized or advanced training phase that provides recruits with a specific area of expertise or concentration.
In the Marines, this area is called a military occupational specialty (MOS)
Pay Grade: E2

Private First Class
(PFC)
Pay Grade: E3

Lance Corporal
(LCpl)
Pay Grade: E4

Corporal
(CPL)
Leadership responsibility significantly increases in the mid-level enlisted ranks. This responsibility is given formal recognition by use of the term noncommissioned officer (NCO).
A Marine corporal is considered a NCO rank.
Pay Grade: E5

Sergeant
(Sgt)
Pay Grade: E6

Staff Sergeant
(SSgt)
Pay Grade: E7

Gunnery Sergeant
(GySgt)
At the E-8 level, the Marine Corps have two positions at the same pay grade. Whether one is, for example, a master sergeant or a first sergeant in the Marines depends on the person’s job. The same is true for the positions at the E-9 level. Marine Corps master gunnery sergeants and sergeants major receive the same pay but have different responsibilities. All told, E-8s and E-9s have 15 to 30 years on the job, and are commanders’ senior advisers for enlisted matters.
A third E-9 element is the senior enlisted person of the Marine Corps.
The sergeant major of the Marine Corps is the spokespersons of the enlisted force at the highest levels of their services
Pay Grade: E8

Master Sgt,  First Sgt
(Msgt)   (1SG)
Pay Grade: E9

Sergeant Major
(SgtMaj)
Pay Grade: E9

Master Gunnery Sergeant
(MGySgt)
Pay Grade: E9

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
(SgtMajMC)

Next time I see a Marine in uniform, I can whip out my handy dandy chart and identify Genus and Species, not…….I don’t classify them, I just hug them…

Happy Birthday, Marine Corps!!!!!

Final Push!!!

Thursday is Veterans Day and the final day of the Valour-IT fund raiser for 2010.  Once again, YOU, the generous donors, have blown past our original goals – Here are the totals as of 11/08

TEAM ARMY $19,478

TEAM NAVY $7,877

TEAM AIR FORCE $4,565

TEAM MARINE $31,220

No Branch Specified $7,096  Total $70,236

Today’s change:

No Branch Specified $425

TEAM ARMY $595

TEAM NAVY $1,735

TEAM AIR FORCE $145

TEAM MARINE $3,615

We still have three days left – let’s set our goals higher – the need has never been greater. Why not make a donation to Valour-IT in a loved one’s honor for a Christmas gift? That’s what I do every year and everyone really likes it. Especially since the alternative might be FRUITCAKE!!!!!

Marines – America’s 911


From Mike the Marine