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History Military News New York Patriots VCA Veteran

It has always been the Soldier

It is the soldier, not the Reporter who has given us Freedom of Press.
It is the soldier, not the Poet who has given us Freedom of Speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus Organizer who has given us the Freedom to Demonstrate.
It is the soldier,who salutes the flag; who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
that allows the protester to burn the flag.

Father Dennis O’Brien, United States  Marine Corp. Chaplain

 

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VA announces the backing of 19 Million home loans

Military News

For more than 60 years, the VA and the G.I. Bill has provided Veterans and Active Duty personnel the ability to get a home loan without the need of a down-payment while providing the backing of the U.S. Government.  On November 1, 2010, the VA announced that it is now backing 19 millions home loans.  The GI market has also had the lowest foreclosure and lowest delinquency rates over the past 9 and 6 quarters respectively, as compared to the rest of the housing industry including prime loans.   For more information , please see the VA Press Release here.

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FT. Meade Installation Command Sgt. Maj. Mike W. Watkins talks about maintaining military traditions

Military News Veteran

Installation Command Sgt. Maj. Mike W. Watkins talks about the need to maintain military traditions, and the reasons for them in the September edition of Ft. Meade’s community paper “Sound Off”. Whether active duty, veteran or civilian it is important to uphold these traditions as a sign of respect for your branch, your unit, and your country. Sgt. Maj. Watkins says “Each of us who wears the uniform as well as our civilian counterparts on the installation have an opportunity to display his/her own pride in our country during Reveille and Retreat. That is what I would expect to see as the command sergeant major of the post.”

This is true regardless of were you may be. What do you think? For the full story, please see the Ft. Meade Sound Off on-line.

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Wartorn – A history of PTSD – An HBO film

History Military News Military Photos Veteran
Movie Premier

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, left, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr., center, and Richard Plepler, HBO co-president, listen during the introduction to the HBO documentary “Wartorn 1861-2010” at the Pentagon, Oct. 28, 2010. The film, produced by James Gandolfini, explores the history of post-traumatic stress disorder and its effect on troops, veterans and their families throughout American history. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley. defense.gov

 

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Downtown Culture Pass – 3 Days unlimited access to Museums in Lower Manhattan

History New York Press Release

Here is something from one of our local museums which is rich with American History.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/28/10

Contact:
Anthony Wellman
Communications Director
Fraunces Tavern Museum
54 Pearl Street
New York, NY 10004
212-425-1776, ext. 19
communications@frauncestavernmuseum.org

NEW “DOWNTOWN CULTURE PASS” LURES VISITORS WITH THREE DAYS OF UNLIMITED
ACCESS TO MUSEUMS IN LOWER MANHATTAN

New York, NY – In an effort to highlight the multiple cultural attractions
located within convenient walking distance of each other, several of
Manhattan’s downtown museums have banded together to create the Downtown
Culture Pass — a ticket, good for three days, that provides admission, shop
discounts or other benefits at eight downtown museums plus a tour company,
all located south of Chambers Street.

Elizabeth H. Berger, president of the Downtown Alliance, said the Downtown
Culture Pass makes it easy to explore Lower Manhattan’s impressive array of
cultural institutions.

“Lower Manhattan is rich in history, culture and the arts. We’re delighted
that our world-class museums and other attractions can showcase all that our
district has to offer,” Berger said.

For the single price of $25 for adults (18+), $15 for youths (13-17) and $5
for children (6-12), the Downtown Culture Pass will grant each ticket holder
unlimited admission and/or other discounted benefits for three full days to
any and all participating museums, plus discounted tours conducted by Wall
Street Walks. The pass may be purchased online at
www.downtownculturepass.org <http://www.downtownculturepass.org> , or in
person at the Museum of American Finance or the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
A rack card with information on the cultural attractions, offers, and how
and where to buy tickets, will be available at the participating museums.
The Downtown Culture Pass program will run from November 4, 2010 through
February 28, 2011 and may subsequently be extended or expanded.

Participating organizations and their discounted benefits are:

Fraunces Tavern Museum (admission)
54 Pearl Street, 212-425-1778
www.frauncestavernmuseum.org <http://www.frauncestavernmuseum.org>

Museum of American Finance (admission and 10% shop discount)
48 Wall Street, 212-908-4110
www.moaf.org <http://www.moaf.org>

Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust (admission
and 10% shop discount)
36 Battery Place, 646-437-4202
www.mjhnyc.org <http://www.mjhnyc.org>

National Museum of the American Indian* (10% shop discount, free Collector’s
Circle membership for first 100 pass holders and a free copy of American
Indian magazine)
Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House
One Bowling Green, 212-514-3700
www.nmai.si.edu <http://www.nmai.si.edu/>

The New York City Police Museum (admission and 10% shop discount)
100 Old Slip, 212-480-3100
www.nycpm.org <http://www.nycpm.org>

9/11 Memorial Preview Site* (10% shop discount)
20 Vesey Street, 212.267.2047
www.national911memorial.org <http://www.national911memorial.org>

The Skyscraper Museum (admission and 10% shop discount)
39 Battery Place, 212-968-1961
www.skyscraper.org <http://www.skyscraper.org>

Tribute WTC Visitor Center (admission)
120 Liberty Street, 866-737-1184
www.tributewtc.org <http://www.tributewtc.org>

Wall Street Walks (50% off regular ticket price)
212-666-0175
www.WallStreetWalks.com <http://www.WallStreetWalks.com>

*Admission to these cultural attractions is always free.

###

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LOST HEROES QUILT

Military News
Lost Heroes Quilt
Lost Heroes Quilt

The Lost Heroes Art Quilt hangs at the Indiana State Capitol building in Indianapolis, Oct. 25, 2010. The contemporary art quilt, which includes one fallen hero’s picture from each of the 50 United States, honors those who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Cosby.

This is a simple but moving tribute. RIP

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Keeping the family “together” even while deployed

Military News

Being far away from home, and especially if deployed in a combat zone, is hard not only on the service person, but also on the family and especially the little ones at home.  An organization has created a military program that allows deployed parents to read to their kids via a DVD.  According to its’ website:

“The United Through Reading® Military Program helps ease the stress of separation for military families by having deployed parents read children’s books aloud via DVD for their child to watch at home.

The program is pretty straight forward.  The service member reads a book while he/she is been recorded, and the DVD is sent to the child at home, who reads along or listens.  The parent at home records that session as well and sends their DVD to their loved one far away.

Seems like a great way to keep some sense of normalcy, while making a kid smile and boosting morale.  If you are interested in participating, please go to the United Through Reading website for more details.

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Al-Qaida Spokesman Commends US Attacks

Military News

Visit the VCA blog site daily for VCA updates, calendar of events, photos, reminders and other news of interest.

Adam Gadahn, a U.S. born representative for al- Quaida, posted a 48-minute long video on militant websites concerning attacks in the U.S. Speaking in Arabic, he stated that Muslims living in United States and Europe should carry out attacks where they are, referring to it as a “duty and an obligation.”

Before Gadahn moved to Pakistan in 1998, he resided on a farm in California. While he was still living in California, he converted to Islam. When he moved to Pakistan it was said that he attended an al- Qaida training camp.

The FBI has been hunting Gadahn since 2004.

For more details, please visit Military.com.

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Michigan Man Plead Guilty to Spying for China

Military News

Visit the VCA blog site daily for VCA updates, calendar of events, photos, reminders and other news of interest.

In U.S. District Court on Friday (October 24th), Glenn D. Shriver admitted to accepting $70,000 from Chinese spies while attempting to obtain jobs with the CIA and U.S. Foreign Service. The 28 year-old, from Grand Rapids, Mich., confessed to looking for these jobs in order to get classified information to sell to Beijing.

Court documents stated that while Shriver was living in Shanghai  in 2004 after earlier study trips to China, he was approached by Chinese officers. After Shriver answered an English Speaking ad, Chinese officers recruited him and got him to look for U.S. Government jobs that would allow him access to classified and secret documents.

Shriver plead guilty to a single count of  “conspiring to provide national defense information to Chinese intelligence officers.”

For more information, go to Military.com.

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