Sunday, November 30, 2008

To Honor All Soldiers

After visiting the site, I decided to order a Memorial Bracelet to honor the soldiers who had given their lives in defense of freedom and democracy.  I did not know any soldiers personally, and so I went to the website, Washington Post Faces of the Fallen, and chose a soldier's name at random.  I thought by wearing the bracelet everyday, it would honor "this soldier" and all soldiers that have fought and died for our country.  Also, by wearing the bracelet, I would remember to pray for the soldier's and their families.  Thank you for making the memorial bracelet for me.

Best wishes,

Kennette

Saturday, November 29, 2008

To Tell My Buddies That I Will Never Forget Them

I got two Memorial Bracelets to tell my buddies Harris and Elais that I will never forgot them. We all got to the 701st after they had left for Iraq. We were on Rear D together. We had fun exploring Germany together. They were my comrades and my family. They both took care of me like they were my older brothers (I was 18, in Germany, and almost always in trouble). I remember the day I found out Harris died. I was on gate guard at Camp Spiecher. A convoy rolled in and said someone from 12 Chem died. I was sick to my stomach. I knew it was one of my friends. I remember sitting at his momorial; I remembered all those nights Harris knock on my door, wanting to bum a smoke, or asking if I had a phone card. I would give anything for him to knock on my door again. When I left Iraq the first time, it left like we were forgetting someone. It was a happy day and a sad day. I did not hear about Elais right away. I left for Ft. Bragg and lost contact with my buddies. I was in Iraq the second time when I heard about Elais. I was catching up on old times with some friends still in Germany. When Johnson told me, my heart stopped. I remembered when I had alittle to much to drink one night. Elais carried me for a mile home, only to find out that I had locked myself out. I remember waking up on his bed. I looked over and saw that he was sleeping on his floor. He had given me all the pillows and blankets. He looked so uncomfortable. I miss my two older brothers so much. I wish I had them to still watch me and protect me. I will never forgot you guys. I love you guys.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

To Remember My Brother Lost at Sea

I ordered a Memorial Bracelet to remember my brother TMC(SS) LARRY THOMPSON who was lost at sea on 4-6-87. My brother and I were serving on board the USS ULYSSES S. GRANT SSBN 631.
 
MIKE

Monday, November 24, 2008

For Soldier lost during OIF

I ordered the Memorial Bracelet because one of my Soldier's when I was an XO for a company during OIF I was killed from a mortar attack at Abu
Ghraib.  

Regards,
-Nadine

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

For my Nephew Killed in Afghanistan

The reason I bought the bracelet is for my nephew who was killed in Afghanistan by an IED in June.  He followed me into the Marine Corps and I will never forget what his sacrifice has meant to me, our family and for the nation.

Friday, November 14, 2008

In Remembrance of Our Former Navy Dogs

My name is MA2 Chris Urias…I am a Navy dog handler…both my kennel supervisor and myself wear our Memorial Bracelets in remembrance of our former dogs.  I was deployed to Kuwait with my Military Working Dog in JAN 2007.  During that deployment I was scheduled to leave in JULY 2007 along with my partner back to our home station.  Shortly after my replacement arrived on station, his partner passed away and I was forced to leave my partner with my replacement.  I soon transferred duty stations after returning home never seeing my partner again.  I have since learned that he has returned home safely and will not be going on any other deployments in the near future.

My kennel supervisor wears his Memorial Bracelet also in remembrance but under different circumstances.  His Military Working Dog was from a different program all together.  They had teamed up in 2004 and went through 6 months of training before reaching their ultimate duty station.  Shortly thereafter, his team deployed to Iraq for 7 months. Upon return from his deployment him and his partner were assigned to numerous high level security details in and around the U.S. for high level dignitaries such as Heads of State…former Presidents…and other guests of the U.S.  Around FEB 2007 his partner was diagnosed with cancer and again he was tasked for another deployment to Iraq.  Unfortunately his partner was too sick to go along for the deployment so he was partnered with another MWD and continued on his deployment.  Shortly after deploying his 1st partner was put to sleep due to his illness. My kennel supervisor wasn’t notified until after his return to the states about his former partner.

I felt that this was a good way to remember both of our former partners.

Thank you.

Respectfully,
MA2 Chris
NAS Fallon Security Det.
K-9 Section

Thursday, November 13, 2008

For My Buddy Who Died in 2004

I am currently stationed in Iraq. I ordered my Memorial Bracelet for my buddy who died in 2004.  I think it was, we grew up together and it hit hard after my first IED hit.  I started thinking about him and it hit me that I am going to get a bracelet for him.  The guys in the eplatoon all got one for some random guy and I had to have meaning in mine.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

To Remind Me of the Men and Women Who Need Support

I just recieved my Memorial Bracelet yesterday morning, and I really like it a lot. I especially like it being personalized. The reason I wanted one of these bracelets is just to show my support. I wore a POW bracelet from the Viet Nam era for years. I had a couple of appointments yesterday and was asked by a few people people what the bracelet was all about, and I was happy to tell them. 

I found your website by luck, as I was just looking for a bracelet that would remind me of the men and women who need support. I was always proud to wear my Viet Nam bracelet, and I will be proud to wear this bracelet as well. I had ordered a couple of different other bracelets from other web sites, but I do like the personalization on this bracelet, and will be wearing it.

Brenda

My Vietnam Crew

We served on ACAV E-34, 3rd Plt., E Troop, 2nd Sqdn, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.
 
Jim, Norm, & Dave were killed by a command detonated mine on January 31st, 1969.
 
I was the "lucky" one, dusted off two days earlier.
 
Remember them.
 
I wear their Memorial Bracelets to honor them.

Monday, November 10, 2008

To Help Recover My Cousin CPL Robert L. Ziegler


The Memorial Bracelet is great
I have been working on the recovery of my cousin, CPL Robert L. Ziegler for many years.  He and his crew members are a shining example of how political struggle can frustrate the recovery of our service members.  I am told by our government that a request for permission to search for his aircraft and eleven crewmembers has been submitted several times since 2006.  I am getting old and would like to see this resolved before I pass on.  At the very least, they deserve to be recovered and returned to their homeland and buried on American soil.  Thank you for your support.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

To Let My Husband Know I Will Be Back Soon

This is my story for ordering the Memorial Bracelet.  I have been deployed to Iraq since April 4,2008.  I am an Army Reserve Nurse working in the emergency room of a local Combat Support Hospital.  I am also a flight nurse who cares and transports our critically wounded soldiers to a larger hospital for care.  I am sending this bracelet to my husband in Florida to let him know I love him and will be back soon.  
It will also remind people that we are still here and still fighting a war, some people seem to have forgotten.  
Thanks for your support.
Captain Leslie
345th CSH - COB Speicher

Friday, November 07, 2008

In Remembrance of Lean Atteridge

I ordered a Memorial Bracelet in remembrance of Lean Atteridge. He and I went to high school together. I joined the Navy in July 1964, served two Vietnam tours 1965 and 1966 and was discharged in 1967. Leon was drafted into the Army in 1967 and died in combat near Hue in Mar 1968.
Folks now are epitomizing Iraq and Afghanistan vets yet seem to continue to forget Vietnam vets who died in an unpopular war. I decided to remind them all that there have been plenty of veterans of prior wars who also need to be remembered in their thoughts and prayers of thanks for the freedom we continue to enjoy.

For LtCol. Robert David Morrissey

For the last four years I've been re-wearing my Memorial Bracelet for LtCol. Robert David Morrissey.  The Morrissey's are family friends from the 70's.  My brother and I grew hanging around with David Morrissey, than Major Morrissey's son, in Las Vegas,NV.  When I was in high school the Major was shot down over North Viet Nan, and we all wore a bracelet for the family.  Well about four years ago while I was the net I found your site a ordered a bracelet to replace the one I had; the first one wore out, anyway the one I ordered wasn't highlighted in black like the one I had in high school; but I still wore it with pride.  People are always asking about it so when I went back to your site your and saw that they were now available highlighted in black.  

Now when someone asks about it not only will I tell the Colonel story, but now everyone can see his name and that he'll always be remembered.  It's just my way to say I miss Col. Morrissey, he was always a great man, but after reading his story I'm afraid he might have passed away in some Russian work camp years ago.  Well, that's my reason.  To some it may not seem like much, but he made me feel like I was part of his/their family. 

Jim
Trooper Nevada Highway Patrol 

"IN GOD WE TRUST"

In Memory of our Son Sgt. John E. Allen

We will wear our Memorial Bracelets in memory of our son, Sgt. John E. Allen, a Medic for the US Army.  He was KIA, in Ghazaliah, Iraq, on 17 March 2007, by IED.

 
Our son was a wonderful soul and so talented. 
 
He cared about people in a way that my husband and I, sometimes, couldn't understand.  He brought kids to us that needed assistance with their parents/guardians or who just needed a place to call home for a while.  We helped out in the lives of so many of the kids that John brought to us.  For one of them, Brandy, we became official foster parents just to keep her safe and in our home. 
 
John was a born 'medic' whether it was for the physical body or the soul.  He just knew what people needed.
 
He brought animals to our home, too.  The last, was a wonderful Rottweiler, Max.  Just a puppy, but John shared his twin bed with this 'puppy' until he was over 130lbs!  We had to find him a new home, though, because we didn't have the time to give to this family member of ours....Rotts need lots of time, that is for sure....after John joined the Army.  We found him a wonderful new family and they still tell us that Max thinks he a 'lap dog' at 150lbs!
 
Our son learned to play the violin at 9yrs old with his twin sister.  I taught them both how to read notes and play, along with their music teacher who I helped with the class.  But the violin wasn't his passion....it was the piano.  He taught himself.  He and his friend, Victor, would come home from high school and play on the two portable keyboards that we had at the time.  The didn't play rock or country but made up the most beautiful 'classical' compositions together.  I wish I had a recording of the one song that they completed but I only have half of it that they recorded.  It wasn't the melody but just the background part of the composition.  I used to just put my book down and listen to them play, over and over again.  It was so beautiful that I could listen to it forever!
 
John was a very talented artist.  He drew wonderful portraits of people.  His last portrait was of his beautiful wife, Aspen.  He was drawing it for her while he was in Iraq but somehow it never made it home!  I have heard from other people that he worked with, in Iraq, that it was very good but it somehow disappeared after he died.  I know who has it but haven't been able to make the Army make her send it to his wife, to which it belongs.  People who steal come from all walks of life, even in the Army!
 
John did sculpture work, too.  As you can see, from the picture, he made this beautiful hummingbird.  He made it from only a piece of wire, masking tape, and paint.  He made it for his grandmother on her 67th birthday.....she still treasures it.
 
John was a gymnast.  Wow, could he do things with his body that most could only dream of doing!  He did backflips and other things.  He could run at a wall, hit it, and do a backflip off the wall.  He once tried it without the wall, or a spotter, and I got a call from the school telling me to take him to the doctor....he broke his collarbone.
 
After high school, which he barely made the grade to graduate but he did, he went into the Navy.  That was July 1999.  He became a fuelman/firefighter off of the USS Carl Vinson.  He was in the Persian Gulf when 9/11 happened and most munitions came from his ship.  He is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, too, which isn't reflected in his service records, for some reason.
 
When he left the Navy, John wanted to become a police officer.  Everything he had done.....filled out apps, tests, background checks, etc....became lost somewhere in the mists of time.  After 2 years, he said he was tired of all of the 'outside world and their expectations' and said he was going into the Army.  He wanted to join the Airborne Division but he 'settled' for training as a medic.  A really good choice for him!  He was in the Medical Magnet in high school until his friends took over.....if you know what I mean.
 
John was a pain in the butt as a teenager but grew into a wonderful man right before my eyes as I watched him marry his wife on July 7, 2006.  He became responsible and a loving husband and paid his bills, which he was kind of remiss before, and just was a joy to be around before he left for deployment in Iraq.
 
I watched my son grow from a loving little boy, to a irresponsible teenager, to a caring young man, to a Navy personnell, to a frustrated young adult and finally to a man he was proud of being! 
 
When he died, I know he was proud of who he was and, as a mother, I was so proud of what he was, MY SON!
 
I will love and miss him forever!
 
Kellie

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

For My Son Sgt Christopher Sanders

I wear my son's bracelet to honor and remember him. He was my oldest child and I will miss him always. I am honored to have been the mother to such a brave man. He served 2 tours in Iraq and loved his country and his Commander in Chief, President Bush.

I ordered more Memorial Bracelets today because I had the honor of meeting Sen McCain 2 nights ago and he requested one of my son's bracelets. He plans to keep with it with all the other bracelets he has recieved.