ASY Live

Questions about Moving?

2008-12-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

Military families have to move all the time. Finding a new school, joining a new organization, even finding the best restaurants in town can be overwelmning. Wouldn't it be easy if there was a place you could go, type in a question and have it answered for you? MilitaryAvenue.com has created just that. It's a social community online where military families can go, connect with others, and get their questions answered. Read More!

Upcoming Grief Counseling Webinar for CareTakers of the Bereaved

2008-11-26T07:10:00.000-08:00

On December 4th from 12-1 pm TAPS is hosting a webinar with David A Jobes, Ph.D, ABPP - Professor of Psychology, Co-Director, Clinical Training at the Catholic University of America, a leading expert in suicide prevention. The webinar is the first in a series of professional continuing education training courses that TAPS is offering to educate both civilian and military health care providers about grief counseling.

The webinar is free for active duty military and employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs. For civilians seeking continuing education credit, there is a registration fee of $25.

Visit: www.taps.org/professionaleducation.

Read More.

Listen Here.

Treats for the Troops! The Holidays are Coming...

2008-11-20T09:32:00.000-08:00

This weekend, ASY homefront group Operation Pinecone, will begin its holiday collections drive and is planning three packing parties to prepare donations for shipment to our troops stationed in Iraq, and Afghanistan, and delivery to local military hospitals.

The first packing party will be on Saturday, November 22 from 9:00am to 1:00pm at the Dulles South Multipurpose Center in South Riding, VA.

Operation Pinecone is a grassroots, non-profit organization based in South Riding, Virginia, and consists of volunteers who assemble gift and care packages for service members primarily stationed in Iraq, and Afghanistan. The organization also brings comfort items and offers various methods of support to the wounded and ill, their families, and loved ones located at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and Bethesda National Naval Medical Center located in Bethesda, MD.

November is Wounded Care Month

2008-11-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

Secretary Gates designated November 2008 as "Warrior Care Month" to communicate the Department of Defense's commitment to quality care for our servicemembers and their families. Warrior Care Month is aimed at increasing awareness of programs and resources available to wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers, their families, and those who care about them. Be sure to listen to ASYlive, where each week, a different branch of service will talk about improvements in care and resources available for wounded servicemembers.

Spousebuzzers Go To Texas

2008-10-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend marked the 5th annual SpouseBuzz Live conference in San Antonio, TX. It was a great event! Military spouses from all around the TX area gathered to poke a little fun at civilian misconceptions of the military life and share their biggest challenges with the rest of the group. To read more about the event - click here!

Sod for Soldiers

2008-09-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

When one military wife was told her yard must be finished for her home owner's association, Project EverGreen was there to help. Gothic Grounds assisted in a time of need for a deployed soldier's family. They planted shrubs, put down sod and solved a big problem for a man serving his country and unable to help at home. For more information about GreenCare for Troops click here.

Project EverGreen is a homefront group associated with America Supports You.

NASCAR supports you

2008-09-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Sept. 18, NASCAR drivers and executives made a pit stop atWalter Reed Army Medical Center to visit patients, staff, and families of wounded warriors enroute to the Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway in Delaware.

After visiting some of the patients on the wards and in the Military Advanced Training Center, NASCAR paid tribute to the troops by hosting a dinner with entertainment by the band Candlebox and critically-acclaimed American singer/songwriter Toby Lightman.

It was a who's who in racing and enthusiasts scurried about the dinner tables in the Wagner Gym to get sightings of their favorite driver and autographs. Drivers Travis Kvapil, David Gilliland, Ryan Joseph Newman, Russell Scott Riggs, Joe Nemechek, Kyle Busch, and Greg Biffle who seem larger than life and true daredevils in their racing gear were surprisingly just regular soft-spoken boys next door. Famed football coach and NASCAR Championship team coach Joe Gibbs, three-time former NASCAR Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip and sports anchor Lindsay Czarniak were also on hand to sign autographs.

Having property in Daytona Beach, Fla. and passing the racetrack on a regular basis, I've been slightly interested in NASCAR. I know the sport has a following bigger than football -- hard to believe. But, after this event, my interest is piqued and I have more questions than answers. I'm looking forward to the energy, excitement and noise the next time I'm in Daytona.

Remembering September 11th

2008-09-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2008 marks the 7th year anniversary of that tragic day. Listen to this video from our new media department - talking to Lisa Dolan, wife of Captain Bob Dolan, who was stationed at the pentagon and lost his life when the plane hit that day.

On Thursday, the pentagon memorial will be dedicated, and the family members will get a chance to spend some time in the memorial. There were 184 people killed that day here at the pentagon and as part of American Airlines Flight 77. You can learn more about the memorial by clicking here.

2 Day Countdown to ASY Freedom Walk!

2008-09-05T15:39:00.001-07:00

Sunday 9-7-08 marks the 4th Annual National ASY Freedom Walk!

Join Us at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington Cemetery at 9AM.

The Few, the Proud, the Expecting

2008-08-22T13:44:00.001-07:00

Giving birth while your husband is deployed? Unthinkable for many...but military spouses face this reality everyday.

The North Star Group, an America Supports You Homefront Group, partnered recently with Operation Showers of Appreciation to host a "Military Showers of Appreciation" for 15 expectant military mothers at Camp Pendleton, CA.

The Military Showers of Appreciation are held quarterly. Twenty to twenty-five spouses are honored at showers each quarter. At the most recent baby shower, held in July, the North Star Group and Operation Showers of Appreciation honored the 100th family assisted. Families received lunch, gifts, massages, mini-makeovers and professional family portraits.

Oak Ridge Boys Join ASY Freedom Walk

2008-08-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

The Grammy Award winning Oak Ridge Boys will perform at the close of this year's national America Supports You Freeom Walk. The America Supports You Freedom Walk starts at 9 a.m. at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and will finish at the Pentagon South Parking lot.

You can sign up here to participate in this national walk. Deadline is September 5 at 6 p.m.

If you are not in the Washington D.C. area, you can also participate in a local walk.

Bronze Star Medalist Speaks Out

2008-08-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

On ASY Live we often interview individuals from the Department of Defense "Heroes" Program. A program that recognizes courageous individuals who have received a bronze star or above for their military experience. This week on ASY Live at 2PM we will be talking with Staff Sgt Frederick Rowell - who received a bronze star for putting his life on the line to save his comrade's life during a firefight in Baghdad. You can also read his story here.

Military Pride!

2008-08-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

U.S. servicemembers have been participating in Olympic games since they began in 1896. This year, 15 military athletes representing the U.S. Army, Army Reserve and Air Force will compete in Beijing. Military athletes will compete in competitions ranging from marksmanship, to wrestling, to track and field! Learn more!

Plan an ASY Freedom Walk!

2008-08-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

Individuals and organizations across the country and around the world are busy planning America Supports You Freedom Walks to mark the quickly approaching seventh anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and to remember veterans past and present.

Listen to our podcast about the Freedom Walk to find out more!

There are nearly 185 ASY Freedom Walks are already scheduled to take place on and around September 11.

Of those walks, eight are scheduled overseas, in Heidelberg, Germany; Santa Rita, Guam; Baghdad, Iraq; Vicenza, Italy; Iwakuni, Japan; Moron, Spain; and Seoul and Daegu, South Korea.

It's easy to organize one!

Colton Lockner, who is only 11, organized his first America Supports You Freedom Walk two years ago, and is organizing two this year. Joey Rizzolo, 13, is organizing Paramus, New Jersey's second America Supports You Freedom Walk. This walk comes on the heels of Rizzolo's recently published guide to organizing a Freedom Walk, "20 Steps to a Freedom Walk."

To learn how you can plan your own - you can download the planning guide!

Bronze Star Medalist Talks About Support

2008-07-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

SSgt. Stephen M. Gouak, USMC earned a Bronze Star Medal in Iraq serving as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team Leader. In July 2007, Gouak responded to intense firefight to assist a fellow team member, and led his team in the recovery of more than 110 IED's and various suicide belts still on the bodies of several insurgents. He recently talked about his experience during an ASY Live interview.

“We get call after call and you just have to go out there and do your job,” he said. “Another Army patrol had been out the night before and stumbled upon a bunch of insurgents wearing suicide vests. We loaded about 400 pounds of explosives," he said.

Talking about his experience over there in the field, Gouak mentioned how much he appreciated the support he received from back home. “There’s some people that will throw a yellow ribbon on a car and say that they support the troops, but there are some people out there that actually take the time and talk to us and send packages…we really appreciate it, it means a lot," explained SSgt. Gouak.

When asked what the greatest challenge was for him that was met by a support group - Gouak explained that some of his fellow IED techs were killed while he was over there. He explained what a challenging time this was for him, and how the gift of communication - talking to his parents and family was the best thing for him. He remembers the support groups who stood at the airport and gave out cell phones and calling cards so that he could keep in touch with home.

The rest of SSgt. Gouak's interview can be listened to at www.blogtalkradio.com/asylive.

Scholarships for Spouses & Children

2008-06-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks USA is an organization that gives scholarships to military spouses and children. Last week on ASY Live we interviewed Carolyn Ferek, Secretary of the Board for Thanks USA, who gave us a lot of good information and success stories for those who wanted to go back to school and had a tie with the military. Click here to read the story.

Free PTSD Stress Counseling

2008-06-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

If you know someone who may be suffering from PTSD, there is an organization that offers free counseling to service members and their loved ones. Give an Hour.org is an organization that is designed to help people identify the support they need and get assistance. So many people are affected by PTSD and TBI in current conflicts, and it is important to get help. Please listen in on our ASY live interview with Dr. Barbara Romberg and read a summary about the services offered and when to get counseling here.

Helmet Comfort for Soldiers

2008-06-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

Last Week, on ASY Live, we talked with Mark Meaders, a retired Air Force officer that works for Operation Helmet.

The company distributes helmet upgrade kits to increase the comfort of traditional helmets. "Comfort is a very critical component," Meaders explained. "I recieved a note from a Marine Battallion Commander about a convoy he was on for about 14 hours... the individual can wear the helmet for a long period of time and not be distracted by discomfort, making it easier to pay attention and focus on the mission at hand," he explained.

Meaders explained that the upgrade kits also maintain effectiveness for impact injury, where the padded suspension dissipates the effect of "the g-force injury that causes your brain to act like a clapper and a bell." Speaking to the effects of TBI, an increasingly dangerous injury in this particular conflict, he said that "injury can be immediate, you can see someone who has that type of injury be disoriented, have slurring of speech, have classic concussive symptoms...unfortunately, the other side often occurs as well where the soldier has recieved the injury but there is no evidence for weeks."

Cell Phones For Soldiers

2008-06-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

I was in a Cingular/ATT&T Store the other day and saw a giant box with a "Cell Phones For Soldiers" sign on it. The box was almost overflowing with phones. Their goal is to help soldiers serving overseas call home. They hope to provide as many soldiers as possible with prepaid calling cards through generous donations and the recycling of used cell phones. What a great idea! AND it was started by just two teenage girls. Please look for the nearest donation box near you.

http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

Calling all Contractors

2008-05-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

Homes for Our Troops is a wonderful non-profit organization that helps build and adapt new homes for our wounded servicemembers. Today, on ASY Live, I interviewed Kirt Rebello, who is the VP/Cheif Projects Officer for the organization.

If anyone happens to know someone who works in the construction/housing industy that may be able to offer land donations, labor or materials, Homes for Our Troops is a great organization to contact.

They have helped countless injured servicemembers adapt their homes, and most of them are severly wounded. It's really amazing...Kirt was talking about how they are able to widen doors, adapt showers, even install voice and motion activated software. Kirt talked about one family who lived in a single room with their parents. The individual was severly wounded, and his wife and he had 2 kids. The organization was able to build an entirely new house for them.

Here is a great video to watch about the organization.

How to Be a Military Spouse Entrepreneur

2008-05-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

You've moved 2 times in the last 5 years, your spouse is deployed for another 6 months and you are charged with maintaining the family household. Now all you want to do is start your own business. Impossible right? Roxanne Reed doesen't think so.

Last week, on ASY Live, Roxanne told us about her experience starting up TWO companies as a military spouse. That's not enough though...Roxanne has now decided to devote her life to helping other military spouses do the same thing. Her company, Marketing2MilitaryGroup has designed a "business road map" geared specifically for the life of a military spouse.

Patience, Perseverance, and Patriotism are words that come to mind when you hear her interview. I guess it's not impossible...but it sure is admirable. Read more here.

10 Fun Ways to Show Your Support

2008-05-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

1. Send a Message of Support to a Servicemember Via the ASY website.

2. Make a baseball cap with the ASY logo.

3. Find out which Local Homefront Group is nearest you.

4. Embed an ASY Video Message on your website.

5. Download the ASY Calendar into your Outlook.

6. Connect to ASY via MySpace.

7. Start Planning Your ASY Freedom Walk.

8. Connect to ASY via YouTube.

9. Use the ASY Facebook Application.

10. Print out an ASY banner for your office.

ASY Above and Beyond : TroopFest '08

2008-05-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Hi! Julie DeMaria here, co founder of America Supports You homefront group Operation: Care and Comfort...We have a fantastic event coming up this weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area, to honor our service members, veterans and their families...TroopFest 2008 is our third annual benefit concert and festival, held on board the historic USS Hornet aircraft carrier and museum in Alameda! Here's the link to read all about it, including pictures from 2006- www.troopfest.org. With entertainment from local classic rocks bands and headliners The Greg Kihn Band and Tony Lindsay (lead singer of Santana) and support from bay area sports teams (The SF Giants, Oakland Raiders, Oakland Athletics, San Jose Earthquakes and San Jose SaberCats all joined America Supports You this week!), this event will be our best ever! We will be rocking and rolling in the bay area to support our troops this Armed Forces Day and wish you could all be here to join us! Funds raised will be used to ship care packages to Iraq and Afghanistan.

-Julie DeMaria, Operation Care and Comfort

The event is this Saturday - May 17th!! To find out more we will also be interviewing Julie and Greg Kihn from the Greg Kihn Band this week on ASY Live (Thursday at 2PM).

Operation: Care and Comfort is hosting the event. Also in attendance will be bay area Homefront Groups Blue Star Mothers, Adopt a Chaplain, and Operation Mom.

One Video Makes a Difference

2008-05-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, May is National Military Appreciation Month.

Nearly a year ago, Lizzie Palmer, a 15 year old from Ohio, honored the troops with this video.

Since that time, it has been distributed widely, on venues like YouTube to encourage Americans to think about our troops during the month of May and always. This is an example of how anyone can use the Internet to raise awareness about the sacrifices of our troops and their families.

Here's a quote from Lizzie: "I'm a sophomore in high school in Ohio, and I play the flute/piccolo. I plan on joining the U.S. Army after I graduate. I only hope I can make America as proud as our troops today have, and I hope I can honor them in the way they deserve with my videos. I love talking to American military personnel, but it's not very often that I get the chance. Hope you all have a great day and God bless!"

Free Amusement Park Admission

2008-05-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks are again offering complimentary admission this year to active-duty military representing all five services, active members of a reserve or National Guard unit, and/or up to three direct dependents. The offer is valid for one complimentary, single-day admission per person, per year, to one of the following Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks: SeaWorld Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or Williamsburg, Sesame Place, Adventure Island and Water Country USA.

For information on how to apply for the complimentary tickets, visit the Here's to the Heroes Web site. http://www.herosalute.com/

Thanks for your support.

Joey Rizzolo "Freedom Walks" His Way to an Exceptional Public Service Award

2008-05-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

This is Jen DuBois with OSD Community Relations and Public Liaison, sharing a story of troop support from yesterday at the Pentagon.Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Robert T. Hastings, left, presents the certificate for the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service to Joey Rizzolo, a 7th grader from Paramus, N.J., at the Pentagon, May 6, 2008. Rizzolo was awarded the medal for his support of Americas's servicemembers and his ASY Freedom Walk contributions. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Molly A. Burgess

On Monday, Joey Rizzolo was named one of America‘s top ten youth volunteers for 2008, receiving the Prudential Spirit of Community Award. On Tuesday, he visited the Pentagon to receive the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. Who knows what this 13-year-old from Paramus, N.J. will do tomorrow!

As Senior Airmen Casey Stanley gave the call to orders causing the room to rise to its feet and stand at attention, Joey stood on the platform, looking only a little shy for all the eyes that were on him. By the time Senior Airmen Stanley finished listing his accomplishments, the shyness had faded behind a slight smile, suggesting the young man’s own modest sense of accomplishment. As he stood before Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Robert T. Hastings while his medal was pinned on, his average adolescent height seemed quite full-grown.

Among many other accomplishments, Joey was being recognized for his various efforts in support of servicemembers. He has volunteered hundreds of hours of his time working with Operation Goody Bag to send a “taste of home” to deployed military members. He also, at his own initiative, took the idea of the America Supports You FreedomWalk and turned it into what will likely become a local tradition in his hometown of Paramus. What strikes one about the story of his ASY Freedom Walk planning, referenced in the book he recently published “20 Steps to a Freedom Walk,” is that he not only got the project rolling but also carried the project through to completion through much of his own personal hard work and leadership.

At the end of it all, he stood quietly before the room and graciously thanked his parents, teachers, and friends for all their support, but he was the one to be thanked, for his example of passion backed by hard work to support a cause he believes in—America’s men and women in uniform.

Military Spouses - You are Appreciated!

2008-05-06T08:16:00.001-07:00

It's Military Appreciation Month...and today on the White House Lawn Military Spouses throughout the nation were recognized for their service.

"Our nation owes a great deal to what I call “the power behind the power” – the families of all those who are serving. While our men and women in uniform may be called to pay the highest price, their families, and particularly their spouses, make a considerable sacrifice as well. Each spouse entrusts to the nation his or her most treasured possession, often for a long period of time." - Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates.

So true. The vast majority of our Homefront Groups at America Supports You and bloggers here at the Department of Defense New Media Department personally understand that the sacrifice does not end with the service member. They spend so much time rallying support for the ones they love and it is not often that we get a chance to stop and thank them for their committment to this country.

Millions of family members are forced to make choices and sacrifices everyday as part of the military community.

Some might suffer silently through multiple relocations, others understand as their loved ones cannot be there for special family events, still others stand by strongly through the recovery of a wounded soldier.

It is a sacrifice that cannot be forgotten, and we can't thank you enough for what you do!

Elmo Knows Best

2008-05-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I had the opportunity to watch a live interview with the Pentagon Channel's Navy Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Liz Murray, Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, and some furry characters from Sesame Street.

The two characters were Rosita, and the infamous Elmo.

Murray was interviewing them about Sesame Street's second installment of their military outreach program called Talk, Listen, and Connect which helps children cope with a variety of issues when parents are deployed to combat zones.

During the interview, Rosita explains that she had some problems when her father returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. She said that her father was now in a wheelchair and that he couldn't do some of the things he used to before he left... which left her feeling sad.

Enter Elmo the Extraordinary.

One day Elmo noticed that Rosita was sad, so he gave her some great advice. "What Elmo said was, Elmo talks to his mommy and daddy, so Elmo told Rosita that she should talk to her daddy about how she was feeling."

I know, I know. Yes, Elmo talks in the third person. Cute huh.

...So Rosita decided to talk to him and it helped.

The video provides kids a way to learn strategies to adapt to the changes they may face when their parents are deployed.

The video is free and you can order it at sesameworkshop.org/tlc

You can also listen to an ASYLive Blogtalkradio interview with Dr. Betancourt on Thursday the 8th at 2:00 eastern time about this military outreach program.

Witnessing History's Heroes

2008-04-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

I was excited to be a witness to the start of the Soldier Ride from Washington, D.C., Baltimore to Annapolis, Md., from April 23 to 27.

It was an honor to hear the speeches by some of the presenters to include the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen; Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice; and the Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon

England

. The speeches were rounded out by the send off of the wounded warriors to embark on their Soldiers Ride. It was touching to see President George H.W. Bush warmly shake all of the soldiers’ hands prior to their send off. You can tell that the president deeply thanked them for their sacrifice.

The Soldier Ride is sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project. The Project’s Web site states that it is a “rehabilitative cycling program for wounded warriors. For many of these combat-wounded veterans, Soldier Ride provides the first steps in the return to an active lifestyle.” As a service member, I am deeply thankful for the wounded warriors' sacrifices.

Not your Typical Beauty Pageant

2008-04-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

This week's ASY Live interview will be with Sgt. Jill Stevens, a National Guard Combat Medic and Miss America Contestant. Now that’s not something you often hear in one sentence!

We are pleased that she has agreed to spend a little time with us to talk about what her experience as a National Guard Member means to her. A very talented woman, she has a list of many usual accomplishments…and here’s the kicker, she’s only 24!

To name a few:

---Stevens is a 6 year US Military as a Combat Medic in the Utah National Guard

---Won Miss Utah 2007, which took her to the national competition in the Miss America Pageant, January 2008, ending as a finalist and winning “America’s Choice” for Miss America.

---She was the first female finisher of the inaugural Afghanistan Marathon, making a total of 13 marathons she has completed together with earning the highest Fitness award during Army Basic Training.

---Graduated Suma Cum Laude from the Nursing program at Southern Utah University on a four-year leadership scholarship.

---Placed 3rd in the Cinco De Mayo Sailboat Regatta in Mexico

---Jill was chosen one of four women for the “Women of Strength” featured in Muscle and Fitness Hers Magazine September/October 2007 issue.

Tune in Thursday at 2PM to listen to the interview live on ASY Live.

Sticker Duty

2008-04-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was "Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day" at the Pentagon...here is a first hand account from our America Supports You intern Mandy Fassett:

I was ten years old when woke up thrilled to go to work with my dad. I spent the day in my Dad’s shadow- meeting his co-workers, roaming around the building and listening in on lunch time table talk.

Ten years later a lot has changed. Instead of holding my dad’s hand I found myself dressed in khakis and a white America Supports You polo- I was officially put on “sticker duty.” That’s right, if you or your child received an ASY sticker or tattoo from a tall blonde, you met “the intern.” After walking up to bright eyed children excited to wear their stickers and convincing the older kids (who weren’t really into the stickers) that tattoos were still cool, I had an extremely rewarding experience.

Considering that the Pentagon is the largest office building in the world, I was anxious to see how the day would unfold. As tents were being set up, craft stations assembled and numerous volunteers were being escorted to the court yard...I watched (well observed, really, as I was running around with different tasks) as everything seemed to be falling place. Excitement was building up as children and their parents enjoyed the sunshine outside before the festivities began.

There were five different craft zones set up for the children to enjoy. Personally, I was a little jealous of the children I walked past with sand art designs, painted t-shirts and wind catchers. I wish I had the chance to partake in those types of activities when I went to work with my dad. Build-a-books and t-shirt painting seemed to be a big hit, and the line to get a balloon from the clowns seemed never ending. The day went as planned, at least from my perspective, and I guess there isn’t much that can go wrong when it comes to passing out blue draw-string bags (sorry to those who didn’t get one; we ran out), stickers and tattoos.

Parents tried going back into the building and their children put all their weight leaning in the direction of the court yard, begging to stay. One little girl came up to me as we were cleaning up, “Excuse me. Is there anything I can do to help you?” My reply was “No thank you sweetie. But did you have fun today?” Her blue eyes grew wider as a smile stretched across her face and she rambled on about the different things made. As her dad took her hand to walk away she turned and said, “I can’t wait till next year!”

I may not be here next year as an intern with America Supports You, but I’m sure there will be someone just as excited to be put on sticker duty and ensure that the children of the Pentagon see the amazing things that take place within its walls.

Mandy Fassett
OSD Public Affairs
America Supports You intern

Thanks Mandy! You can also hear the ASY Live interview from Linda Davis with Connect and Join, the organization that coordinated the event by clicking here.

What's the best way to boost moral?

2008-04-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

Providing continued and consistent support to our service members is one of the greatest things we can do as citizens. On Friday, ASY BlogTalkRadio will be interviewing Ida Hägg, Chairman of the Board for Adopt a Platoon.

The organization was started by a group of volunteer mothers to provide continued support to our service members serving abroad. How nice it must feel as a service member to think about members of the community "adopting" you and reminding you of their support for your sacrifices. Another important part of what Adopt a Platoon does, is work to promote patriotism in our schools and communities. The group has a variety of special projects they engage in for holidays and everyday that are really quite unique...from "Operation Crayon" and "Operation Underware"!

Listen in Friday at 2PM as Ida tells us about some of these campaigns, and discusses the most important things we can do as concerned citizens to keep our troops fighting strong. A quick look at the group's website reveals a really good description of suggested items for care packages that might be interesting to anyone looking to help.

Military Experience Wanted

2008-04-21T14:48:00.001-07:00

“A lot of service members don’t know what’s out there. They are used to doing a certain job in the military, and when they get in the civilian world they do not always know how to apply and transfer the skills they have learned making them noticeable to employers." - That quote came from Justin Callahan, a service member that was wounded in combat and suffered a left leg amputation below the knee. Callahan works for Hire Heroes USA, an organization that helps soldiers with service related disabilities find the jobs they want in the civilian world.

It was interesting to talk with Justin and the program's director Bayne Tippins recently on an ASY Live BlogTalkRadio Interview. Both individuals are incredibly passionate about how important this tool is for our service members. Justin told us that one of the most difficult challenges he faced coming back was re-establishing confidence and learning how marketable the skills one acquires in the military are. It's disheartening to think that any service member would not realize exactly how important and desirable the skills they learn in the military are to employers.

Here is a great video that really gets to the heart of what this organization does.

You can also Read the American Forces Press Service Story.

A Network of Angels

2008-04-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

There are thousands of support groups out there designated specifically to help our troops, each one has a very unique specialty to contribute. Our job at America Supports You is to use this network of organizations to cater to a service members' specific need.

At America Supports You, we hear stories everyday about how Americans are banning together to make a difference in each individual service members' life. I just thought I would share one that I heard recently from Soldiers' Angels, specifically from the organizations' founder Patti Patton-Bader:

**There was a young soldier recently who had just been hit by a hand grenade and was returned to his family suffering the ramifications of PTSD, a more frequently reported complication with many of our soldiers. The soldier lost his job, and he and his wife were having some financial setbacks as he was readjusting and recovering from his stint in Iraq. He was a brave patriot, deserving of a purple heart, which would provide him with traumatic injury insurance to get through this difficult time.

The soldier reached out to Frontline, who had him placed in the hospital. Meanwhile, his wife reached out to Give to the Troops, who contacted America Supports You program, who then connected the family with Soldiers' Angels who has a team of individuals stationed in California that can help. Not only did Soldiers' Angels start the paperwork rolling for the soldier to get his purple heart, but they got them the financial support they needed in the meantime.

"I got an email on a Sunday night," said Allison Barber, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Liaison and Internal Communications, who heads up the America Supports You program. "On Monday, we connected the families to one of our America Supports You groups, and by Tuesday they had money to pay the bills, and had already been visited by one of the Soldier's Angels so they could know they had support. Now they are working to get them help with the mortgage as well."

For Patti, this is an everyday experience, speaking of the wife of the soldier she says "now, an angel will work with her everyday for the next month and he will get thousands of cards and letters of support from the American people. It's that network...if we all network together...there are so many support networks out there...if we all work together just think of what a difference we can make." ***

We are so proud to support organizations like Soldiers' Angels that reach out and touch the lives of individual soldiers like this. We hope that if you, as a service member, have a specific need we can help with you will use the America Supports You network to connect with the hundreds of support groups like Soldiers' Angels that are eager to help.

Help from the Hill

2008-04-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

Tax breaks for our Homefront Groups...this is something to watch -- this week on Capitol Hill Congressman Baron Hill introduced a bill - the Homefront Heroes Tax Relief Package that offers a $500 tax credit to help out our non-profit groups that send out care packages. It may seem like a small gesture, but the price of keeping the moral of our soldiers up dosent come cheap.

If you want to help boost moral and send a soldier a care package there are hundreds of organizations to connect to. It is important to connect with these organizations to send care packages if you do not have a specific soldier in mind that you would like to send it to. In regard to care packages, there was a story awhile back about the "Any Soldier" campaign email. If you didn't see it, here's the article. Soldier's Angels & the Red Cross will actually accept and screen this mail if the "any servicemember" method is the best for you.

Soldiers Play Santa

2008-04-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

It's very unique...not the traditional care package item you would think about sending one of our men and women in uniform! Beanies for Baghdad is sending these cudly toys to Soldiers to give to the Iraqi children...Lt. Col. James Barker...the president of the organization says: “We explain to the Iraqis that the gifts are from individual Americans for individual Iraqis and we, as soldiers, are just being the deliverymen.”

Read more: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48872

Movie Mania

2008-04-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

Every Solider appreciates having little fun. A new homefront group, Operation: Take a Soldier to the Movies, in New Berlin, Wisconsin has a fun morale booster for our deployed military members. They provide servicemembers with a "Saturday night at the movies."

Singing Sailors

2008-04-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

Protection by day and entertainment by night? These Navy guys know how to work hard and play hard. Here, the song "Move Along" by All American Rejects meets the U.S. Navy. Get ready to have a little fun!

"You cannot take my brothers. I will go in their stead"

2008-04-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

It's the selfless sacrifices of our soldiers daily that make us proud to be Americans. Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor is one of such Medal of Honor recipients that makes us proud and truly humbled by his heroic actions. His story:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49508

Helping Those Left Behind...

2008-04-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

It's difficult to imagine how it might feel to lose a servicemember that is close to you. If you do know anyone that has suffered a loss... Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is one of the resources available for family members.

Website: www.taps.org
Youtube channel...http://www.youtube.com/user/SupportTAPS

Care for Kids

2008-04-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

When daddy or mommy is deployed it is often more difficult to have the extra cash on hand to fund things like after school activites and tutoring, and this is probably one of the most important ways to cope with the difficulty of having a loved one away. Our ASY Live interview today was with Gail Kruzel of Our Military Kids, an organization that provides funding for fun activities. The organization provides funding for kids from kindergarden all the way to high school. Here's their website: http://www.blogger.com/www.ourmilitarykids.org and an article about them http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/Content.aspx?ID=44971847

Also, this is a great Pentagon Channel Recon discussing the difficulty of deployment on our children and ways to cope.

Under the Sea

2008-04-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

A new America Supports You homefront group is helping our wounded soldiers learn how to perfect their skills for the deep sea....

Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba (SUDS) at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) is designed to help returning soldiers from Iraq & Afghanistan by teaching them how to scuba!

http://www.sudsdiving.org/

The group just took a trip to Gitmo in Feburary...were 6 wounded warriors were certified as SDI open water divers. On their website...you can see pictures of the trip and watch a very interesting video presentation by bloomberg news.

A Last Wish...

2008-03-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

All that 5 year old Gavin Cox wanted was to be a soldier. He is suffering from leukemia and got his last wish. You can read about it here:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49394

Next time you think your efforts are going unappreciated...think of Gavin. What a inspiring little boy!

A Military Rockstar

2008-03-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

You may have heard the name Frank Cavanagh when you think of the songs "Hey Man Nice Shot" and "Take a Picture" from the band Filter..but now he's giving it up to be a member of the Army Reserve and will be deploying in less than a week!!

We interviewed him on ASY Live yesterday and what a great guy. He seems to have such a great love for his country and his family. "She tells all her little friends my daddy’s in the army" - he says proudly of his 5 year old daughter Emily.

Cavanagh has always wanted to join the military, he told us...ever since he used to go on tour and see military recruiters. “Political or not if you live in America it’s a country that allows you to express yourself politically and the whole reason behind that is the people in the military have made sacrifices so that our country can be what it is.” - he says.

We agree Sergeant! Best of Luck to You!

Listen Live to the Interview
Read More

Spreading Easter Cheer!

2008-03-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

It's Easter! And ASY groups are in full force! Operation Pinecone delivered 1,000 Easter baskets with sweets, snacks and candy-filled plastic eggs sent to servicemembers for the upcoming holiday. On the Sunday before the holiday, Operation Pinecone served a special dinner at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for wounded servicemembers and their families.

http://www.operationpinecone.org/

Tax Tips for Servicemembers from the IRS

2008-03-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

We had a call with Clay Sanford who works as a media relations specialist at the IRS. Clay provided us with some great information, particularly for servicemembers regarding the economic stimulus plan. While combat pay generally is nontaxable, servicemembers are permitted to count this pay on their 2007 or 2008 income tax returns if it helps their eligibility to receive an economic stimulus reimbursement. Read the article about our talk with Clay here:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49332

A New Media Video for ASY

2008-03-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here's the America Supports You New Media Video. Check it out.

Clipping Coupons

2008-03-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

What a great story this is about these ladies that meet at the American Legion and clip coupons to send to our troops.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/10/AR2008031003107.html

Finances Finances Finances!!!

2008-03-25T08:34:00.001-07:00

Financial concerns should be the last thing on a servicemember's mind as they are working to complete their mission. Listen in as Navy Cmdr. Dave Julian, associate director of the Department of Defense's Office of Family Policy, Children and Youth provides some helpful financial tips to ease the burden for servicemembers.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/PentagonRadioNetwork/ASYLive/blog/2008/03/06/Financial-Readiness-Get-Informed-and-Stay-Prepared

Free Music for Troops!

2008-03-25T08:19:00.001-07:00

This is a fun tip for servicemembers! Tom Hughes, founded "Music for Troops" after his daughter, an aspiring musician, wanted a way to let her music be heard by the servicemembers.

If you are in the military you can log-on to www.musicfortroops.com and listen to a variety of new and established artists for free!!

New Media Meets the Department of Defense

2008-03-13T05:50:00.001-07:00

In Feburary of 2007, The Department of Defense began a new media program. The objective of the program was to transform communications to meet the demands of fighting the Global War on Terror in a new media age. We realize that a lot of our young servicemembers in particular are using new media first and foremost to get news and information. According to a Deloitte & Touche Survey in December of 2007, 38% of consumers are watching TV shows online, 36% use their cell phones as entertainment devices, 45% are creating online content like Web sites, music, videos and blogs for others, 69% are watching or listening to consumer-generated content.

When the New Media Department found out about BlogTalkRadio, ASY Live seemed like a natural fit. There are so many great things that organizations, citizens and their families are doing to support the servicemembers, and ASY Live is a perfect way to talk about troop support in a new media format.

You can learn more about the New Media Program by listening to our first ASY Live show with the Director of New Media, Roxie Merritt. www.blogtalkradio.com/asylive.

To find out more about the vision of ASY Live and New Media for the America Supports You program, listen to "Intro to ASY Live" with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Internal Communications and Public Liaison Allison Barber. www.blogtalkradio.com/asylive.

The past few shows have had some great information. Everything from non-profit support groups and their efforts on behalf of our servicemembers to finanical readiness tips geared toward the military. You can check out the programs at www.blogtalkradio.com/asylive.

Topics of interest:

- Laptops Bring Life to the Wounded
- "Angels" helping our servicemembers
- Words from the "Opera" of the Blogosphere
- Coping with the loss
- Free music for servicemembers
- Strong in Faith, Strong in Service
- Support from a High School Senior and a Dallas Cowboy
- Financial Tips for Moving and Deployment