Combat Boots at Prom

Combat Boots at Prom

My daughter attended her junior prom this year and wore her combat boots in honor of her brother who is currently in Iraq. He is a Sgt. out of 29 Palms. Katie and her brother are very close and his being over in Iraq right now has not been easy for any of us. She wanted to wear her boots in honor of her brother. While all the other girls had fancy shoes and sandles she showed off her boots–“for my brother”. God keep them all safe until they are home.
Proud Marine Mom
Lori Schuler read more

Saddam’s Hiding Place

Saddam’s Hiding Place

Sent to me from a friend in the Pentagon. This is where Saddam Hussein was hiding.


Hi everybody, I thought you might be interested in seeing the attached photos of Saddam’s hiding place, taken by the unit who captured him. One of the men in the unit is the son of my dad’s co-worker, Rolando. The straw-type hat he is wearing in one photo was Saddam’s. read more

Hello from a Navy Man

Hello from a Navy Man

Sgt. Grunt,
I’m not a Marine, but love ’em all. I’m active duty Navy, an E-6 (Petty Officer 1st-class, electronics technician). I’ve served for 15 years on small boys (destroyers, cruisers) and have been involved in missile launches on Baghdad in the past as well as counter-drug ops in Colombia. I went to shore duty in 2001 to Pensacola Naval Hospital and was assigned as OIC for front gate security. I had the good fortune of getting some quality gun qualifications and gun-range fire with the Marines in charge of security at NAS Pensacola. In 2003, I was informed that I was now the leading petty officer for communications and the LAN for Fleet Hospital 3 (FH-3) – and we flew into Kuwait just two weeks before the war. We were based at Camp Luzon just 4 klicks from Camp Iwo Jima where the Marines were watching the northern horizon and waiting to go to war. My small comms team and I hooked up with the 48th MWCS and we all started to get to know one another and get our equipment ready for the push north. On day 4 of the war, our advance party headed north into that now notorious sandstorm. We ended up near Basrah, and setup a 116-bed tent hospital in less than 4 days (vice the planned 6) and our comm unit had buried miles of cable for computers and phones as well as the security perimeter. I just wanted to acknowledge GySgt Hansen and SSgt Brown for accepting me into the band of brothers – which I considered a great, high honor. Gunny and I still email back and forth, since we’re both close in age (mid-40s) and shared some of the desert hardships together. While at FH-3 Camp Viper, I had the privilege of “bumping” into the 8th Armored out of Ft. Knox, Ky and got acquainted with SSgt Kamper. I was able to get he and some of his men to my laptop and they were able to send email messages home – the first time their families had heard from them in 2 months. Most of the Navy guys I was with just had a hard time adjusting from the soft, cushy lifestyle found onboard a Navy ship but I loved being with the Marines. I guess it helped that I was a country boy from western Kansas and being in the “bush” helped. I’ve got loads of pictures, and here are a few to share. read more

Injured Marine

Injured Marine

I don’t know how many other Marines saw the picture that is attached. An injured Marine was laying down on his side and a bunch of other around him. It looks like he got wounded in the lower back. I pray he is safe and recovering well. What captured my attention the most was there was someone holding his hand. No doubt a buddy. Someone who knows him well possibly for years or maybe just a few months. It doesn’t matter. He buddy was there for him. Holding his hand, giving him comfort during his pain. Maybe saying, hang in there, your going to be ok. This is comfort that only a Buddy can give other than your mom. Your buddy know all about you. How you smell after two weeks with out a shower and what you girl friends name is. All about your mom, dad, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and anyone else that you love. What your hopes for the future are and what you want to happen in your future. He knows which MRE’s you like and don’t like. You usually eat together and you automatically swap components in your meal because you know he’ll eat something you will not. He knows your favorite restaurant for libo. and anywhere else you like to go. He knows if you like to read and what literate you like to read. He know if you sing and what your favorite songs are. He also knows if you can’t sing worth a hoot because he lets you know every time you cranks up a tune. He knows what your favorite songs on the radio are and if your drunk enough you both sing together, and sound good. He knows what the first thing your going to do when you get back state side. I don’t read a lot between the lines but I just couldn’t help having a lot of thoughts run through my mind when I saw the picture. read more