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Marines

Investments In The Future

Jul 1st, 2011
by OH Hell.
1 comment

It’s not charity – It’s an investment in the future.

When a Service member is wounded in combat, in today’s conflict, the survival rate is many times higher than in previous wars, due mainly to much better and more timely medical care. However, the wounded can be left with the prospect of a long road of surgeries and rehabilitation.The cost to our military system in dollars is huge, and the cost to the individuals and their families is also gigantic.

I submit that, rather than a “cost” , a donation to Valour-IT is an investment. An investment in the future of our country and it’s people. Most of the injured are young, in the 19 – 25 year old bracket and otherwise healthy. With the technology available today, many of the injuries that would have relegated a person to a life as a dependent, shut-in,  the wounded are looking at a far different future.

Valour-IT is a program that provides appropriate technology to individual troops and also to hospitals and rehabilitation clinics. It is one of the many programs that Soldiers’ Angels supports and it provides voice-controlled/adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries.  Technology supplied includes:

  • Voice-controlled Laptops – Operated by speaking into a microphone or using other adaptive technologies, they allow the wounded to maintain connections with the rest of the world during recovery.
  • Wii Video Game Systems – Whole-body game systems increase motivation and speed recovery when used under the guidance of physical therapists in therapy sessions (donated only to medical facilities).
  • Personal GPS – Handheld GPS devices build self-confidence and independence by compensating for short-term memory loss and organizational challenges related to severe TBI and severe PTSD.

    • Join with us in raising funds for this amazing program as we kick off the 2011 Miliblog Valour-IT fund raiser!!  The contest runs from July 1 to July 14th and we are divided into teams by Military Branch. All funds raised go into the same pot to help our Wounded Warriors, but the team that raises the most, gets bragging rights for the year!! GO MARINES!!!!

    Help a Marine Out….

    Feb 17th, 2011
    by OH Hell.
    No comments yet

    “This weekend, a Marine with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines returned home to Camp Lejeune from Afghanistan. Two days later, on Valentine’s Day, his house burned down. He was able to get himself, his wife, and his 20-month-old daughter out of the home safely. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the house burned to the ground, and the family lost everything.”

    This taken from a post at Cassy Fiano

    At least his family is safe!!! But – they are in need of everything. If you can help, hop on over to Cassy’s place to read the full article and see what you can do to help. Thanks!!!

    Coming Home – A Documentary

    Jan 26th, 2011
    by OH Hell.
    No comments yet
    You are invited to the Premier of Coming Home a Documentary about Sgt Jesse Cottle United States Marine.
    It will screen Sun. Jan. 30th at Timberline Church 2908 Timberline Rd. Ft. Collins 80525.
    The doors open at 1:30 and the film is at 2:00.  No cost.  It’s about 40 min long.
    On July 19th, 2009 Jesse was seriously wounded in action in Now Zad, Afghanistan while on patrol with his EOD team and a squad from 2/3 G Company.  Unfortunately, the Taliban found out EOD were using metal detectors to locate and disarm their IED’s (improvised explosive devices).  That said, the Taliban figured out how to make IED’s with no metal in them.  During the aforementioned patrol, Jesse was struck by a no-metal-IED and sustained bi-lateral amputations due to the  severity of the blast.  Jesse’s EOD team quickly rendered aid and med-evac’ed him to a Blackhawk helicopter where he was flown to the hospital in Bastion, Afghanistan.  From there he went to Bagram, Afghanistan, then to Germany and on to Bethesda, Maryland.  His medical team there was excellent and Jesse successfully made it through six surgeries over his travels.  Jesse was then flown to the Naval Medical Center San Diego where he went through rehabilitation and prosthetic training.
    Documentary
    Studio:
    Static Age Productions
    Aaron Pendergast at aaron.pendergast@gmail.com Director

    Detailed Info

    Website:

    http://vimeo.com/staticage
    Starring:
    Jesse Cottle
    Directed By:
    Aaron Pendergast
    Plot Outline:
    Coming Home is a documentary film about an explosive ordnance disposal technician, the incident in Afghanistan that cost him both of his legs, and his recovery.

    Thank a Veteran!!

    Nov 11th, 2010
    by OH Hell.
    No comments yet

    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!!!

    Nov 10th, 2010
    by OH Hell.
    No comments yet

    USMC 235th Birthday Tribute

    Happy Birthday to America’s Finest!!!

    What’s That????

    Nov 9th, 2010
    by OH Hell.
    No comments yet
    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!!!!!

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