Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Memorial Day 2007 on the Horizon

PLEASE NOTE: All Links Open in New Window.


The USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA) would like to comment on Memorial Day, coming up about a month from now. Memorial Day has a rich history in the United States, and this year we celebrate it on Monday, May 28. According to http://usmemorialday.org, "Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service…" We would like to remind Americans of its sanctity and meaning.

Stories abound about the day's origins with the most common being it began in Waterloo, New York. General Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, officially proclaimed the first Memorial Day be May 30, 1868, with his General Order Number 11. By the end of World War I, every state in the Union honored our nation's fallen.

May 30 remained the day Americans in most states honored their military dead till 1971 when Congress passed the National Holiday Act, changing Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. However, some southern states also have their own days to honor Confederate war dead and did not adopt Memorial Day till after World War I. Nowadays calls to change it back to the set day like the Fourth of July come from patriotic groups and individuals such as the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Hawaii's Senator Inouye.

A bipartisan committee, the White House Commission on Remembrance, provides a Web site which urges putting the meaning back into Memorial Day. Many criticize the change from May 30 to the last day in May so that Americans can have their 3-day weekend. The National Moment of Remembrance Home Page urges Americans, in honor of their military dead, to have a minute of silence or play Taps, if possible, at 3PM, local time. The site has free downloads including several versions of Taps.

USAKIA uses funds it collects for some meaningful programs, including a Free KIA Flag Program where families of those who die in hostile action receive a free flag and other items via Priority Mail. We keep our operating expenses low with an all-volunteer organization. We also hold events and plan other projects. The nonprofit accepts tax-deductible donations. See our Web site for further information. We wish you a good Memorial Day, and please remember their priceless sacrifice for your freedom. They were members of our nation's military but also our family members and friends who paid the ultimate price for God and country.

Resources:

National Moment of Remembrance Home Page - White House Commission on Remembrance - (Cut and Paste http://remember.gov)

USMemorialDay.org - (Cut and Paste http://usmemorialday.org)

USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA) - (Cut and Paste http://usakia.org)

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) - (Cut and Paste http://suvcw.org)

Memorial Day Petition at USMemorialDay.org

General Order Number 11 - Commander-in-Chief GAR John A. Logan, May 5, 1868, at USMemorialDay.org

Monday, April 23, 2007

Newsvine Article: Newsvine - Soldier: Honor Troops Like Va. Tech Dead

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Headline:
Newsvine - Soldier: Honor Troops Like Va. Tech Dead

Summary:
U.S. soldier in Afghanistan says we should honor our nation's fallen like we honor those at Virginia Tech. Over 300 have died in Afghanistan, almost 200 of them killed by "hostile action," according to the article.


Visit the article by clicking this link:

http://usakia.newsvine.com/_news/2007/04/23/678740-newsvine-soldier-honor-troops-like-va-tech-dead


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Saturday, April 21, 2007

U.S. bomb techs honor their dead; 2006 worst year since '45

See Entire Story on The Daily Commet's Web Site at:
 
U.S. bomb techs honor their dead; 2006 worst year since '45

By MELISSA NELSON
Associated Press Writer

The abandoned truck-mounted rocket launcher didn't belong on a road approaching sprawling Camp Liberty in Iraq.

Sgt. Timothy Weiner, Airman Elizabeth Loncki and Airman Daniel Miller Jr. - a three-member bomb disposal unit known as "Team Lima" - responded.

The trio first sent a robot to inspect the truck. Then Weiner, the team leader and a career bomb technician, donned protective gear and took what technicians call "the lonely walk," the first approach to a suspected explosive. He returned.

The three then walked toward the truck without protective gear - and it exploded.

In an instant last Jan. 7, Team Lima was gone.

Weiner, a 35-year-old father who wrote of his concern for Iraqi children.

Loncki, 23 and engaged, but always a daddy's girl.

Miller, 24, a handsome daredevil who got in trouble for playing with fireworks as child.

Back in Delaware, Florida, Illinois, New York and Utah, families had been in touch with Team Lima over Christmas and had been weeks from welcoming their loved ones home from a six-month deployment. They planned funerals instead.

The families gathered again Saturday, this time in the Florida Panhandle. Team Lima's names, along with 11 others, were to be added during an annual memorial honoring military bomb technicians killed in action since 1942. The Navy's Kauffman Explosives Ordnance Disposal Training Complex on Eglin Air Force Base trains bomb technicians from all branches of the military...
 
See Entire Story on The Daily Commet's Web Site at:

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Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Events Planned for Moss Landing to Honor U.S. Killed in Action and Died of Wounds


See Release at I-Newswire:
http://i-newswire.com/pr98430.html

Press Release in PDF Format:
http://members.aol.com/usakiadowff/USAKIA41107PressRelease.pdf

Events Planned for Moss Landing to Honor U.S. Killed in Action and Died of Wounds

A nonprofit organization benefiting kin of killed in action (KIA) and died of wounds (DOW) announces events and programs for 2007.

San Jose, CA (I-Newswire) April 11, 2007 -- The USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA) plans two events this year. Its Free KIA Flag Program had an eventful month in March while the organization’s officers help wounded vets as well. As previously announced, 2007 is USAKIA’s final-determination year for the IRS to grant permanent status as tax deductible and tax exempt.

The nonprofit plans some sort of event at Moss Landing for Memorial Day again this year, the second year in a row. Organizers have not finalized plans, but it plans another small event honoring KIA and DOW with a booth with products and food sales from a barbecue at the J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store site.

On the other hand, organizers have finalized the date for the much larger Labor Day Weekend event this year, its third year in a row. The Labor Day Weekend event has attracted hundreds of attendees the Saturday before Labor Day. Last year’s event had a military-vehicle show and swap meet along with a ceremony. Motorcycle groups again participated, including Rolling Thunder, and the California National Guard provided a color guard. Speakers included USAKIA’s president and Rolling Thunder’s California chapter president, as well as Congressman Farr’s office, and a Gold Star Mother. It will again be the Saturday before Labor Day, September 1, 2007.

The nonprofit’s Free KIA Flag Program had about two dozen families of the fallen request packages in March alone. The program sends flags and other items via Priority Mail for free to families in honor of a loved one who was classified as KIA or DOW by the Department of Defense (DOD). Casualties from hostile action in any U.S. operation qualify for a large, red KIA flag. USAKIA sent at least 15 free packages in March alone.

Packages to KIA and DOW families, sent via Priority Mail, currently include a large, 3’ x 5’, red KIA flag, just like ones the nonprofit sells in a store on eBay. Currently, parcels also include one 4” x 6”, red KIA sticker, and packaging gets personal treatment with the name of the loved one attached. The nonprofit has heard families think it a "beautiful flag," and they thank USAKIA and provide testimonials for the program.

USAKIA’s officers and directors also have contacts to benefit our wounded vets. Contacts includes its secretary-treasurer who recently received recognition for his donations to organizations for wounded veterans, and the organization’s CEO also helped at an event at a local VA hospital in February. In addition, USAKIA Director Randy Hoge’s father was wounded in Korea and later became commander of a Disabled American Veterans post in Oregon. Randy also served in the Vietnam era, and his son currently serves, three generations of service and another example of a relationship to those with service-related wounds.

USAKIA plans future projects. One future project in the works provides tutoring for children of KIA in California, and the nonprofit has put time into getting something done about it, providing contacts to KIA and DOW families. A second project would involve free tickets for K-12 relatives of KIA to Paramount’s Great America for the Fourth of July, and the group applied for a program through the PGA to receive two tickets through a program for 501(c)(3) organizations.

Other programs the nonprofit envisions include scholarships and other educational assistance, family anniversary home memorials, and general benefits for KIA and DOW families. Along with the aforementioned tutoring program, they also discuss a program where an active-duty U.S. Marine will supervise school children’s letters to KIA and DOW Families. Please send tax-deductible donations to USAKIA, P.O. Box 720123, San Jose, California, 95172.

About the USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation:
The USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA), based in San Jose, California, is an IRS-approved, tax-deductible and tax-exempt nonprofit. KIA families incorporated the 501(c)(3) organization in the fall of 2003 to benefit families of those killed in action and died of wounds while in the U.S. armed forces. Current services include memorial events, membership, and a free-flag program for KIA and DOW families.

The public-benefit corporation has had a group approach it for a California Medal of Honor Project (CAMOHP) and another one for a free tutoring program for K-12. New proposals for programs include: 1) an active-duty U.S. Marine helping kids write thank-you letters to families of KIA, and 2) providing free tickets to children of combat dead to San Francisco and Monterey Bay Area attractions such as Paramount's Great America.

USAKIA also has products honoring U.S. KIA. America Remembers KIA allows USAKIA the use of its trademarked KIA flag and symbol. See the organization's Web site at http://usakia.org/ for further information or to make a tax-deductible donation.

USAKIA opened two blogs in early 2006, Your Shield on Blogger at http://usakia.blogspot.com/ and USAKIA's Blog on Yahoo at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/usakiadowff. The not-for-profit corporation also began an eBay blog in late 2006, Fallen Heroes' Remembrance, at http://blogs.ebay.com/usakia.

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Contact Information:

Dennis Malloy
USA KIA/DOW FAMILY FOUNDATION
P.O. Box 720123
San Jose, CA 95172
http://www.usakia.org/
(408) 954-8280
CR@usakia.org

See Release at I-Newswire:
http://i-newswire.com/pr98430.html

Press Release in PDF Format:
http://members.aol.com/usakiadowff/USAKIA41107PressRelease.pdf

Monday, April 09, 2007

Korean War veteran taking on new mission

message:
USAKIA sent you this story from Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV:

Korean War veteran taking on new mission


The sender says:
Korean War combat veteran helps honor KIAs. He also helps seek for kin of comrades whose remains they've found from the '50-'53 war era.

To read the rest of the story, go to http://www.bdtonline.com/local/local_story_098210311.html
(Opens New Window)

email: usakiadowff@aol.com

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Yahoo! News Story - Shiite cleric urges fight against U.S. - Yahoo! News

USAKIA (usakiadowff@aol.com) has sent you a news article.
(Email address has not been verified.)
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Personal message:

10 U.S. forces killed Easter/early spring weekend in Iraq.

Shiite cleric urges fight against U.S. - Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070409/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

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Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/

Monday, April 02, 2007

Casualties - April 2007 - USATODAY.com

AP reports casualties as of April 2, 2007 in USA TODAY:

As of Monday, April 2, 2007, at least 3,246 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians. At least 2,621 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers...

See USA TODAY article for further information.

Click the following to access the sent link:

April 2007 - USATODAY.com

*This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/casualties/2007-04-02-april-07-toll_N.htm?csp=34&POE=click-refer