Veterans, thank you.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

my little brother Ross, serving with his buddies in Iraq

Today we remember those who have served, and those who died doing so. Please remember to thank the veterans in your life today, this is a day where we can tell them how much they mean, what we appreciate about them and in that, showing them that we do not take for granted their service to our nation.

Iraqi Kids Playing with US Soldiers

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. ~Cynthia Ozick

WWII soldiers

When our perils are past, shall our gratitude sleep? ~George Canning

Iraq Memorial

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die. ~G.K. Chesterton

Iwojima

My family who has served in the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard:
Thank you Ross.
Thank you Dad.
Thank you Grandpa Durand.
Thank you Grandpa Jackson.
Thank you Uncle Jack.
Thank you Grandpa Marble.
Thank you Grandpa Cox.

ARROWHEAD RIPPER: Our Toops Mission in Baqubah

An update on the mission that Ross is a part of. I am not sure if he is directly involved in the reports from this exact search, but I do know that he is on this mission.I just found an article that I am going to share with ya. ..after you read the excerpt i have here click the link for more...it is worth it!! this article is good.

Operation Arrowhead Ripper

michael yon reports from Baqubah:

The heat is intense for the enemy and for us...

our guys are seriously outsmarting them. Big fights are ahead and we will take serious losses probably, but al Qaeda, unless they find a
way to escape, are about to be slaughtered. Nobody is dropping leaflets asking them to
surrender. Our guys want to kill them, and that’s the plan.
A positive indicator on the 19th and the 20th is that most local people apparently are happy that al Qaeda is being trapped and killed. Civilians are pointing out IEDs and enemy fighters, so that’s not working so well for al Qaeda. Clearly, I cannot do a census, but that says something about the locals.
Much going on here in Baqubah. Unfortunately I have no assistant with me, and so no time for photos or video.
More soon.

Here is the link. READ THE WHOLE THING:
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/operation-arrowhead-ripper-day-one.htm

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This one is from globalsecurity.org:





ARROWHEAD RIPPER: Troops Find Execution House, Illegal Prison in Baqubah



American Forces Press Service

BAQUBAH, Iraq, June 25, 2007 – Iraqi security forces and Task Force Lightning soldiers discovered an execution house and an illegal prison in the Baqubah neighborhood of Khatoon yesterday during the sixth day of Operation Arrowhead Ripper.
The two buildings were in the same area as a torture chamber and illegal courthouse linked to al Qaeda, which were found on the fourth and fifth day of the operation, officials said. Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, discovered the execution house using information from local citizens, who said it had been used by al Qaeda. Soldiers searching the house found five bodies buried in the yard behind the building and bloody clothes in several rooms inside it. Located nearby, a house had been converted into an illegal prison, with several numbered rooms and bars covering the building's windows. Several blindfolds were found inside.

(From a Multinational Corps Iraq news release.)

for more information and updates on the mission head to:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2007/06/mil-070625-afps01.htm



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