Marine Lance Cpl. Irvin M. Ceniceros  — May 2013 Shipment Honoree

Died October 14, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

Irvin M. Ceniceros

Irvin M. Ceniceros

Lance Corporal Irvin Martin Ceniceros, born in Tampa, Florida, on August 29, 1989, a dedicated and courageous United States Marine, deeply loved by his family and many friends, died on October 14, 2010, while serving his country in Afghanistan, Helmand Province.

Lance Cpl. Ceniceros was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1 Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, California. He had traveled to lands across the globe, including Hawaii, Dubai and several African countries. He was a highly skilled machine gunner.

He was a young Marine, only 21 and had only been in Afghanistan for two short weeks before an IED exploded next to the Humvee he was driving, leading a convoy. He was a great kid…smart and kind…the youngest of my first cousins said Cousin Bob Ducca. His sister, Vanessa, said he died in service to a cause he believed in. He told his father: “Don’t worry for me, papa, I’m fighting for the ones who can’t fight, the ones who can’t defend themselves.” A fellow Marine, Cpl. Andrew Gutierrez, said “Ceni” was a straight-up Marine who did what he was told and knew right from wrong.

Irvin graduated from Clarksville High School in 2007 where he was known for his humor and his ability to find the good in others and in life. His interests included cars, motorcycles, and fitness; as a young child he played tennis and football. He was fascinated with cars wanting to detail them, make them look good. After graduating from Clarksville High School, Ceniceros signed up with the Marines in August of 2007. The Marines are very strong people to him; he admired their strength of character. That’s why he wanted to be in the Marines says his sister, Vanessa.

Irvin was the beloved son of Ignacio Ceniceros and Maria A. Armendaniz of Knoxville, Arkansas; the devoted brother of Karla Vanessa Ceniceros, also of Knoxville, and brothers Ivan and Abraham Ceniceros of New Mexico. He is also survived by his girlfriend, Stacy Rios, and an extended family as well as loyal friends around the world.

Lance Cpl. Ceniceros never hesitated when duty called. He served our nation with honor and dedication. We will never forget his courage and valor, and may we always honor the life he gave for our country, words of U.S. Senator Mark Pryor, D-Ark.

Sen. John Boozman on Irvin M. Ceniceros

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of America’s bravest, Lance Corporal Irvin Ceniceros of Clarksville, Arkansas, who was taken from us while supporting combat missions in Afghanistan.

After graduating high school in 2007, Lance Corporal Ceniceros enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. Family members say it was the strength and character of the Marines that drew him to serve with the Corps, and his friends and comrades say he was a great machine gunner.

Lance Corporal Ceniceros served with the Marines all across the globe, and less than 2 weeks after arriving in Afghanistan, at the age of 21, he made the ultimate sacrifice for our great Nation.

My prayers and the prayers of the people of Arkansas are with the Ceniceros family. I humbly offer my thanks to Lance Corporal Irvin Ceniceros, a true American hero, for his selfless service to the security and well-being of all Americans.

3 Marines killed in Helmand province combat

Three Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based Marines died Thursday during combat operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, the Defense Department announced.

Lance Cpl. Alex E. Catherwood, 19, a rifleman from Byron, Ill., and Lance Cpl. Irvin M. Ceniceros, 21, a machine-gunner from Clarksville, Ark., were killed by small-arms fire, the 1st Marine Division said in a news release.

Lance Cpl. Joseph C. Lopez, 26, a rifleman from Rosamond, Calif., died after an improvised explosive device detonated during dismounted combat operations, the release said.

The Marines were on their first combat deployments and were part of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. The battalion has suffered seven deaths in the past two days.

Catherwood enlisted in June 2009. His military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal and Korean Defense Service Medal.

Ceniceros enlisted in September 2007 and deployed in 2009 to the western Pacific with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

His military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Lopez enlisted in March 2009. His military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Korean Defense Service Medal.

The post Irvin M Ceniceros appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Yes. The Landstuhl Hospital Care Project is still shipping comfort and relief items to Pastoral Services Department at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany. We recently received this letter from the Chaplin Clothes Closet (CCC.)

Clinical Pastoral Division

Chaplains Clothes Closet

 

Mrs. Karen Grimord

Landstuhl Hospital Care Project

29 Greenleaf Terrace

Stafford, VA 22556

 

Thank you for your generous dedication to the Chaplains Clothes Closet (CCC.) Your donation will be used for direct support of our wounded warriors.

The CCC started in October 2001 at the onset of operation enduring freedom and continues to date for my closing covered items for wounded warriors who come to logical reason medical center for treatment. Frequently, a right here with minimal clothing items. The CCC provides the essential clothing and toiletries items for these men and women.

The chaplains closet serves more than 350 warriors each month. The chaplain closet is a non-unfunded humanitarian into the within the Department of Defense, we reliably generous donations of fellow Americans and others. One hundred percent of all donations directly support our wounded and ill service members.

Our goal is to respond immediately to donors as contract contributions are received. Please include your email address with your next donation. This will help us follow up with you and confirm receipt of your generous donation.

Please continue to pray for our wounded warriors and their families, and I can’t thank you for your generous donation.

Sincerely, J. Luke Pittman

Chaplin Col., US Army

Chief, Clinical Pastoral Division

 

Handwritten note, Karen, blessings to you and the Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

The post Still shipping to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center? appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry Regiment dedication

Source: The Bayonet

 

For a little background, I work at the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) at Fort Benning, Georgia. MCoE is the home of the U.S. Army Infantry School and the U.S. Army Armor School (the Cavalry).

Recently the final six buildings were completed for the 194th Armor Brigade which for the last 5 years as been part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) bringing the Armor School to Fort Benning. As recently reported in The Bayonet, LTC Andrew Koloski (Squadron Commander) reported “Great care was taken in choosing the names that would forever be emblazoned on these buildings.”

SPC Hoby Bradfield is our LHCP August 2005 Honoree. I am so happy to report that one of those six buildings was dedicated to Hoby. Hoby’s family members attended the dedication ceremony. The following is an excerpt from The Bayonet on the Bradfield Barracks dedication.

Bradfield Barracks bear the name of Spc. Hoby Bradfield Jr. The Scout served with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Iraq in 2005. During a dismounted patrol, his squad received heavy fire and a fellow Soldier was wounded. Bradfield crossed enemy fire to drag Sgt. Jeremy Wolfsteller to safety, saving his life.

“My brother is looking down right now with his spurs on and is gleaming with pride, I have no doubt about it”, said Jared Bradfield, a retired Marine, referencing the honor of the dedication ceremony.

“Hoby was a special kind of Soldier,” his brother said. “He came from a warrior class. When he deployed, he knew what he was doing. He knew that he may not come home, but his job while he was out there was to do the absolute best he could for each one of the men who were around him. I think it’s incredibly important to preserve that history. And I think that what we’re doing here.”

Hoby was 22 when he gave the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedoms. Hoohah!

For more info on the unit’s headquarters and barracks facilities dedication: The Bayonet

The post Building Dedicated to LHCP Honoree Hoby Bradfield appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

LHCP has 9 units leaving Afghanistan by the end of August.  This is awesome news that they’re going home, but it also means that their support teams are leaving.  And they leave earlier, so our guys are left eating MRE’s.  They are not the tastiest things in the world, and they really don’t provide enough calories to sustain our military. 

So we are jumping in.  We prefer the food items to be healthy, and would like a lot of protein.  They can be microwaveable.  Below is a list of items and amounts.  Now, we are asking for these items in these amounts for EVERY month through August.

• 300 chicken or tuna snacks/meals
• 500 protein/snack bars
• 25 beef jerky bags
• 200 canned soup/fruits  (please don’t send the plastic containers, they break during shipment)
• Any other items you can think of, let us know!

While some of the requested items come in multi-packs, the number is different depending on what you buy.  So, we are requesting in terms of individual items.  Please don’t remove them from their packs when you ship them.

We need a lot of food to take care of our units.  So please be generous!  This is a great time to talk to your church and civic groups to do a food drive.  We can also accept monetary donations.

If you want to order online, there are a lot of places you can use:  Amazon.com (some items if you order up to $25 have free shipping!), minimus.biz, Dollar Days, etc.  Let us know if you find any good deals!

Please ship food items to:

For monetary donations:

The post Soldier Hubbard’s Cupboard Drive appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Download (PDF, 1.01MB)

The post 1st Quarter 2013 Newsletter appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Army Spc. Micheal E. Phillips — April 2013 Shipment Honoree

Died February 24, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

Fort Campbell soldier killed in Iraq

The Associated Press

Army Spc. Micheal E. Phillips

ARDMORE, Okla. — His knack for drawing and love of history could’ve landed Pfc. Micheal Phillips in college, but he had told his parents he wanted to be GI Joe when he grew up.

Phillips fulfilled his dream, but he lost his life.

The 19-year-old died Feb. 24 near Baghdad after the vehicle he was in was hit by an explosive device, his family said.

Phillips, a member of the 101st Airborne based in Fort Campbell, Ky., died in the attack, but the other men in the Humvee escaped with minor injuries, said his mother, Anglia Phillips, who was informed of his death Feb. 24.

“He was a hero,” Anglia Phillips said. “What I’ve heard from his squad is that he was an excellent soldier who was always trying to improve himself and was always willing to go the extra mile. He’s more of a man than most will be.”

The military confirmed his death Feb. 26.

Micheal Phillips had written to his family and former teachers at Ardmore High School while serving in Iraq. When he was home on leave, Phillips visited his 18-year-old brother and other students at school.

“He had an infectious smile,” said Jake Falvey, assistant principal at Ardmore High School. “He was an outgoing kid, and you could see the maturity in him; he had grown up quite a bit.”

Micheal Phillips was an astute student who loved history and ran track and cross country. He excelled at drawing and had been offered admission to the San Francisco Art Institute, his mother said.

But serving his country meant more than going to college, she said.

“He came home one day and said he wanted to join the Army, and we got in the car and went down to the recruiting station,” Anglia Phillips said. “He said terrorism was like a virus. It had to be stopped. It had to be contained.”

She said her son was re-enlisting to join for two more years.

“He didn’t want to leave his squad, his guys,” she said.

Plans for a memorial service are pending.

Source: MiltaryTimes

Young Ardmore soldier killed in Iraq

ARDMORE — A young soldier from Ardmore who was killed Sunday in Iraq was remembered Tuesday for his endearing smile and the courage to stand up for the country.

Army Spc. Micheal Phillips, 19, was killed when his Humvee struck a roadside bomb in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based at Fort Campbell, Ky.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Griffin Funeral Home in Ardmore.

The Department of Defense on Tuesday night officially announced Phillips’ death.

Micheal E. Phillips

Phillips joined the Army after graduating from Ardmore High School in 2006. He was a popular student at school, where he also ran cross-country and played football.

Phillips would often visit his old classmates and teachers while he was on leave from the Army, so the news of his death came as a blow at the high school.

Counselors were being made available to students so they could deal with their grief.

For Jake Falvey, assistant principal at the high school, word of Phillips’ death came as a shock.

Falvey, who was Phillips’ sophomore English teacher, said he and Phillips had kept closely in touch ever since the young man graduated and went on to the Army.

“He was one of those kids you never doubted would succeed,” Falvey said.

“He had a great smile, and he was proud of the fact that he joined the U.S. Army. That’s what he wanted to do,” Falvey said.

About six months ago, the assistant principal said, he received a letter from Phillips, expressing his pride in the Army and the country.

“I’m doing this for my family, for you, for everyone, for America, to protect it from the bad guys,” said Falvey, quoting Phillips’ letter.

Phillips was planning to re-enlist in the Army, according to Falvey.

“The Army had made a man of him. You could see that,” Falvey said, recalling the last time Phillips had visited the school on leave.

Falvey called Phillips’ death a “real American tragedy.”

“He leaves behind a wonderful family; good hard-working folks,” he said.

Falvey said Phillips has a younger brother at the high school — David, a senior, who is an all-state runner.

Phillips also has another brother, Anthony, 9, and a sister Barbara, 14, Falvey said.

Falvey called Phillips’ parents, Angelia and Steve Phillips, a hard-working couple “whose whole world changed” when they received news of their son’s death.

Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office

Army Spc. Micheal E. Phillips

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1423, a bill I sponsored, to designate the post office in Ardmore, Oklahoma, as the Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office.

Micheal was driven by a personal sense of duty and honor. He joined the Army because he recognized injustice and terror in our world and sought to make a difference. Specialist Micheal Phillips lived out that sense of duty through military service and made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our Nation remained secure and free.

Mr. Speaker, Micheal turned down an opportunity to attend the San Francisco Art Institute to volunteer for the United States Army. When asked why he wanted to join the Army, Micheal simply stated, “I want a career and we are at war.” Specialist Phillips saw terrorists as thugs, often referring to them as the “ultimate bullies in the world.” A fervent student of history, Micheal knew that his service would be against a tough and formidable enemy, still he enthusiastically embraced what he believed was the right decision and enlisted in the United States Army.

Mr. Speaker, Micheal Phillips was only 17 years of age when he joined the military via the delayed entry program. He left for boot camp on June 24, 2006. Upon finishing advanced infantry training, Micheal was assigned to Bravo Company 1 of the 502nd Strike Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, one of the most storied divisions in the United States Army. On October 13, 2007, Micheal and his brothers in arms were deployed to Iraq for combat operations.

Micheal’s enthusiasm for his work inspired members of his platoon. In addition to his enthusiasm, Specialist Phillips also endeavored to foster real camaraderie amongst his fellow soldiers. Even in the middle of a war, it was said that Micheal made bad times good and good times better. Micheal’s team leader, Sergeant Matthew Whalen praised his abilities in terrain association, map reading, and his tremendous bravery in combat. Sergeant Whalen reflected on Specialist Phillips’ leadership skills, noting, “I know that soldiers that did serve with him have taken away with them, as I have, the undoubted and unmistaken values that he always possessed and always portrayed.”

Mr. Speaker, Specialist Micheal E. Phillips was killed in action on February 24, 2008, in Shula, Iraq, just outside of Baghdad. An explosively formed penetrator, a so-called EFP, hit the driver’s side of the door on the vehicle that he was driving. Despite the severity of his injuries, he continued to smile and reassure those taking care of him. Even in the most grim and serious times, Micheal still fought and lifted up those around him.

For his service, Specialist Micheal Phillips was awarded a Bronze Star. He was also designated as a Distinguished Member of the 502nd Infantry Regiment. The Distinguished Member award is for those who display honorable service, loyalty on active duty in peace or war. These are qualities Micheal Phillips lived with each and every day of his service career.

Mr. Speaker, Micheal always gave more than his share back to his community. When he did have time away from his duty, he would often visit his high school to speak with students and encourage them to pursue their goals.

Never without a smile, had Micheal fought for his country, have his community and his family with valor and with honored. He wanted others in the world to have the freedoms and opportunities that we enjoy here in the United States, and he risked his life to achieve that end.

Like many who have made the ultimate sacrifice, Specialist Micheal Phillips leaves behind loved ones, friends, and comrades in arms who treasure his memory and honor his service. Micheal is survived by his parents, Steven and Angelia Phillips; his brothers, David and Anthony; and his sister, Barbara–all of Ardmore, Oklahoma. He also leaves behind a Nation and a community that will never forget his courage, his sacrifice, and his devotion to duty.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this legislation.

Source: Thomas.gov

The post Micheal E. Phillips appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Spc. Tyanna S. Avery-Felder — March 2013 Shipment Honoree

Died October 21, 2004 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

First Connecticut woman killed in Iraq is laid to rest

Tyanna S. Avery-Felder family

When Spc. Tyanna S. Avery-Felder joined the Army, she created a new family for herself in the military. “She was a daughter to me,” said Sgt. Thomas Smith Jr., who was stationed with Avery-Felder at Fort Lewis, Wash. She even called me dad.” Avery-Felder, 22, of Bridgeport, Conn., died April 7 of injuries sustained on April 4 when her vehicle was hit with an explosive. In high school, Avery-Felder played basketball and sang in the choir. She later took classes at Southern Connecticut State University toward a career in early childhood education, but left school after completing her freshman year. She joined the Army soon afterward, in 2000. Friends remembered Avery-Felder as a strong, caring woman. “She told me, ‘Never, even let them see you cry or they’ll walk all over you,’” said Odessa Blackwell, a high school friend. “She was so tough.” Survivors also include her parents and her husband.

Spc. Tyanna S. Avery-Felder’s grave

We were going to eat the whole time she was here,” said Ilene “Patricia” Avery, her mother, describing the expected celebration. “Everyone was going to bring their favorite dish and we were all going to eat.”

Avery said her daughter had especially missed her aunt’s special dish, macaroni and cheese. “There’s no place like home,” she said, holding back tears.

Avery-Felder, a cook in the Army’s Stryker Brigade, died last week from injuries sustained when a military truck hit a homemade bomb device in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

She was the first member of the armed services from Bridgeport to die in Iraq and the first woman from Connecticut to perish in the conflict.

Family members and friends called her a tough, determined and enthusiastic person, who also was kind-hearted and funny. She came from a large family.

The 22-year-old East End native will be remembered Thursday with a funeral at Mount Aery Baptist Church. She will be buried at Bridgeport’s Lakeview Cemetery.

“She’s coming home,” Ilene Avery said at a family press conference organized by the military last week, explaining her daughter would be buried in the city where she was born and raised.

The fallen soldier’s husband, Army Spc. Adrian Felder, also attended the press conference. He said his wife had a great sense of humor and was fun to be around.

“I’m so sad it happened,” the South Carolina native said. “She’s in a better place.”

The two had met in the military while stationed together at Fort Lewis in Washington State. A mutual friend told Felder about an “attractive” cook on the base.

He asked her out on a date and she accepted, and they went to see a movie together. “From there our relationship grew,” Felder said.

They were married in December 2002 in Washington, and she was sent to Iraq last November. Despite being separated by thousands of miles, they stayed in frequent contact by writing and phoning as often as possible.

Avery-Felder also frequently sent e-mails to her family in Bridgeport and would call them from Iraq as well. “We were always going to be proud of her,” Avery said of her daughter. “We’re all proud of her.”

Courtesy of Find A Grave

Military Times

The post Tyanna Avery-Felder appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Airman 1st Class Jesse Samek — February 2013 Shipment Honoree

Died October 21, 2004 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

Arkansas airman dies in Afghanistan helicopter crash

Remembering Jesse

ROGERS, Ark. — An airman from Rogers who worked on a rescue helicopter died in Afghanistan when his aircraft went down, the Air Force said Friday.

Airman 1st Class Jesse Monroe Samek, 21, died Thursday, a day after his helicopter crashed during a medical evacuation, Capt. Maureen Schumann said.

A statement issued by Samek’s family in Rogers said he’d moved to northwest Arkansas in 1997 from O’Fallon, Mo., near St. Louis. He graduated from Rogers High School in 2001 and attended the University of Arkansas for a year before deciding to join the Air Force.

“He was a great outdoorsman,” the family statement said. “He loved camping, hiking, hunting, fishing and snow- and waterskiing. He played recreational hockey as a goalie.”

Military officials said technical problems brought down the HH-60 helicopter, which was carrying a wounded Afghan election worker. The crash occurred in the Herat province, 105 miles east of Shindand.

Two other airmen were injured in the crash, one critically, military officials said.

Samek’s family said the airman worked for months in a training program, and became a member of an elite group that qualified for the rescue duty as a flight engineer on a HH-60 Para Rescue helicopter.

“He loved that his job was to do rescues and saving people in this war-torn world,” the family statement said.

A presidential election worker had been accidentally shot by a guard earlier in the day, and Samek’s helicopter was transporting the man for medical treatment.

Samek was assigned to the 66th Rescue Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., just outside Las Vegas. He joined the Air Force in February 2003.

He is survived by parents Gavin and Julie Samek of Rogers, Ark.; brother Benjamin Samek of Rogers, Ark.; and grandparents David and Jenny Burkemper of St. Louis, Mo.

Airman killed in Afghanistan chopper crash buried

Jesse M. Samek

BELLA VISTA, Ark. — The cracking boom of seven rifles fired in unison pierced the air at Airman 1st Class Jesse Samek’s burial on Wednesday.

Onlookers who winced instinctively stood their ground as the second and third rounds echoed over the hills surrounding the Bella Vista Memorial Cemetery.

A few moments later, the high-pitched strains of “Taps” lingered in the air, only to be blown away by the whirring blades of an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter that flew over Samek’s casket.

Samek, 21, a member of the 66th Rescue Squadron, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev ., was killed Oct. 20 when the helicopter carrying him on a rescue mission crashed in Afghanistan. Samek and his family moved to Arkansas in 1997 from O’Fallon, Mo.

A friend, David Dezarov, returned to Arkansas aboard the aircraft that carried Samek’s body.

“The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was spend the last four days with him and not saying a word,” Dezarov said.

Dezarov, a scout with the 1st Armored Division based in Germany, recalled a gesture by the pilot of the plane carrying Samek’s body on a flight from Atlanta to Tulsa. He circled Rogers for 10 minutes as a tribute to the young man who had graduated from high school there in 2001, Dezarov said.

“He was a great outdoorsman,” the family statement said. “He loved camping, hiking, hunting, fishing and snow- and waterskiing. He played recreational hockey as a goalie.”

Blake Johnston, another friend, also recalled times with Samek. He recounted a trip with his buddy to Cancun, Mexico, canoe trips down the Elk River a few miles north in McDonald County, Mo. — and the bond that allowed the two friends to communicate without saying a word.

“His life was full of happiness and laughter,” Johnston said. “I never would have believed I’d be standing up here doing this.”

Instead, he said, he had imagined a future of good times with Samek.

“There would have been beer bellies — big ones,” Johnston said. “I’d like to think we’ll be together again someday, with our beer bellies.”

Corrine Hagedorn, a cousin of the fallen airman, read to the mourners a message from Samek’s mother, Julie.

“(There were) moments in the last few days that I felt I had to force myself to keep on breathing,” she wrote.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Jesse M. Samek

She thanked those who offered their words of sympathy, but acknowledged there was no word or deed that could soften the blow.

“Our hearts will never be whole again,” she wrote.

He is survived by parents Gavin and Julie Samek of Rogers, Ark.; brother Benjamin Samek of Rogers, Ark.; and grandparents David and Jenny Burkemper of St. Louis, Mo.

She wrote that her son was a hero for who he was, not what he did.

The post Jesse Samek appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Farewell 2012… on to 2013!

Our 2012 4th quarter Landstuhl Hospital Care Project newsletter includes “Thank You Notes from Recipients” “Nashville Songwriters Raise Funds” “Welcome our New Sr. Vice President” and much more. Expand and view here or download and print PDF for armchair reading – hope you enjoy.

Download (PDF, 1MB)

The post 4th Quarter 2012 Newletter appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

US Troops in Harm’s Way

As we entered the new year with hope and optimism for peace & joy, lets not forget our fellow Americans in harm’s way. We can let them know we care in a big way by a small effort. Please visit our How to Help page.

Below is our first Troop Thanks for 2013. All LHCP’s Troop Thanks letters can be viewed here.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

New Year

Karen!

Hi!

And Happy New Year again!

It is for us! Three (3!!!) more boxes of pillows arrived today!

The Soldiers love the themes on them! The non-theme are popular too. Besides sleeping on them, their are being used to make riding in vehicles more comfortable. The roads are anything but smooth and you can imagine that the suspension in these vehicles are a bit on the rough side.

I’ll thank you again – especially on behalf of those on the roads with hemorrhoids. We called the chaplain for him and his assistant to pick them up to push out to the 3 outposts around our Operating base!

The video games are a big hit too. Card playing doesn’t seem to be particularly popular.

You guys are the greatest.

We can’t thank you enough for all your kindness and gifts to our soldiers

The post New Year appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Army Staff Sgt. Lillian Clamens — January 2013 Shipment Honoree

Died October 10, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

Soldier from Florida unit killed in insurgent attack in Iraq

Army Staff Sgt. Lillian Clamens

OMAHA, Neb. — A soldier from a unit in Florida was killed in Iraq, just says before she was due to come home, her family and the military said Oct. 12.

Army Staff Sgt. Lillian Clamens was one of two people who died Oct. 10, according to the Department of Defense.

Insurgents fired rockets on Camp Victory in Baghdad from a nearby abandoned school, killing Clamens and Army Spc. Samuel F. Pearson, 28, Westerville, Ohio.

Clamens was assigned to the 1st Postal Platoon, 834th Adjutant General Company, Miami.

Lillian Clamens

Family members in Omaha, Neb., say Lillian Clamens was due to return to Homestead, Fla., next week.

“She was the type of person that was honest,” her niece Sierra Cobbin, of Omaha, told KETV. “She never had a bad bone in her body. She did everything for her family. She was confident, strong and just a very down-to-earth person.”

Clamens, who served in the Army Reserve for 17 years, was a full-time postal worker, and served as an administrative clerk for the unit. She was married with three children.

“She died doing what she wanted to do,” said her sister Dana Cobbin, of Omaha. “I don’t have a sister no more. I miss my baby. I’m going to miss her. I just wanted to see her one last time. She was supposed to come home.”

Military Times

Army Staff Sgt. Lillian Clamens

MIAMI, Fla. –A local Army Reserve Soldier from Miami was killed in action while serving in Iraq. Staff Sergeant Lillian Clamens, 35, was with assigned 1st Postal Platoon, 834th Adjutant General Company in Miami, Fla.

CLAMENS, LILLIAN L., 35, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Reserve, Military Personnel Clerk for United States Southern Command, wife and mother of three, died in a mortar attack on Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, on Wednesday, October 10, 2007. She was assigned to the 1st Postal Platoon, 834th Adjutant General Company in Miami.

Lillian was born May 9, 1972, in the city of Omaha, Nebraska, to Dorothy Cobbin and Solom Bogard. She graduated from Central High School in 1990. Lillian served in the U.S. Army (Adjutant General Corps) as an Administrative Specialist from 1990 until 2007. She was stationed in Korea; Ft. Leonard Wood, MO; Vilseck, Germany; Ft. Sill, OK; and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She attained the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG). On August 14, 1997, she was united in marriage to Raymond J. Clamens in Omaha, NE.

Lilly

Lillian was affectionately known as “Lilly” and with her endearing personality, radiant smile and caring demeanor warmed the hearts of everyone that came in contact with her. At home she was a devoted wife, fantastic mother, and the center of the family. She loved taking care of soldiers and their families and touched so many people no matter where she was in the world.

Lillian is survived by her husband Raymond, her daughters Lana 8, Victoria 7,and her son Ayinde 14; her sister Dana; her mother Dorothy; and her mother-in-law Gemma. She is further survived by aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Funeral services for Lillian L. Clamens will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 19, at St. Brendan’s Church, 8725 SW 32nd St. Miami, FL 33165. The Burial will be in Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery, 11411 NW 25th St. Doral, FL 33172.

Relatives and friends are welcome for visitation at the Van Orsdel Funeral Home, 9300 SW 40th St. (Bird Rd.) Miami, FL 33165 on Thursday October 18, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. We would like to thank all of the staff of the FIU Army ROTC, USSOUTHCOM, and the 834th AG Postal Company for their help and support. VAN ORSDEL – BIRD RD CHAPEL 9300 SW 40 St. (305)553-0064 Family Owned Since 1924 to visit this Guest Book Online, go to www.MiamiHerald.com/obituaries..

The post Lillian Clamens appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Here is the latest Troop Thanks letter we have received. This will be added to our Troop Thanks 2012 page.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Dear Karen and Members of the Landstuhl Hospital Care Project,

Thank you very much for the shipment of clogs and blankets. You do amazing things for our troops and we so appreciate all that you send. The clogs are excellent. Having them allows our patients to get comfortable. Before, some did not have anything but their boots to wear. Now they can get truly comfortable. The blankets are always wonderful to have. It can be chilly here in the CASF, and certainly the C17 airplane ride to the USA requires some extra warmth.

Thank you for helping us here at the CASF USO to take care of our Wounded Warriors. We could not do what we do without your help.

Thank you, for all you do.

Happy New Year.

 

Sincerely,

Loriann Tierney

CASF USO Ramstein Air Base, Germany

The post December 28th Troop Thanks appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Veteran’s Day Benefit

Songwriters Spotlight Veteran’s Day Benefit

The Veteran’s Day Benefit presented by Songwriter’s Spotlight will feature artists such as Even Stevens, Leslie Satcher, Larry Stewart, Tim Rushlow, and Raven Cliff.

Artist Featured Include:

• Even Stevens: BMI Songwriter of the Century. Hits include, “When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman” (Dr. Hook), “I Love A Rainy Night” and “Drivin My Life Away” (Eddie Rabbitt), and “Love Will Turn You Around” (Kenny Rogers).
• Leslie Satcher: Hits include, “Troubador” (George Strait), Grammy Winner “When God Fearin’ Women Get The Blues” and “For These Times” (Martina McBride), and “Politically Uncorrect” (Gretchen Wilson).
• Larry Stewart: ACM Winner, CMA & Grammy Nominee. Lead singer for Restless Heart. Hits include, “I’ll Still Be Loving You,” “That Rock Won’t Roll,” and “Fast Movin’ Train.”
• Tim Rushlow: ACM Winner/Grammy Nominee. Former Lead singer for Little Texas. Hits include, “Kick A Little,” “What Might Have Been,” and “My Love.”
• Raven Cliff: Nashville’s newest breaking country act.

The Veteran’s Day Benefit is in support of Landstuhl Hospital Care Project – America’s largest oversea’s U.S. military hospital and combat support hospitals in the Middle East. The Landstuhl Hospital Care Project is a non-profit organization that provides comfort and relief items for military members who become sick, injured, or wounded from service in the Middle East. Donated items are distributed to patients at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, the largest American militay hospital outside of the U.S. Items are also distributed to field hospitals in the Middle East and to VA facilities throughout the United States.

“The Nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotton.” – Calvin Coolidge

The post Veteran’s Day Benefit appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

By: Julie A. Evans
In Issue: November/December 2012

Karen Grimord with Sargeant Daniel Roman, a patient at Landstuhl hospital in Germany.
Photo courtesy Philip Jones.

To understand why Karen Grimord is so passionate about helping wounded soldiers overseas, just shake her family tree. Karen is a proud military brat who was born in a military hospital and grew up within the tight-knit, supportive community of military families. Both Karen’s father and husband retired from the U.S. Air Force after 22 years. At one point, five family members were serving in the Middle East at the same time, including her son and son-in-law. Karen herself worked as a military contractor for years, first for Lockheed Martin and later, for Raytheon.

Frequent moves and fast-forming friendships are hallmarks of the military lifestyle. So is a deeply rooted sense of mission and loyalty to country and the men and women who serve. That mission may be what drives Karen, 51, to commit extraordinary acts of charity through her nonprofit organization, Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Since 2004, the organization has shipped more than 200,000 pounds of donated clothing and supplies, often at Karen’s own expense, to wounded and ailing soldiers in the Middle East. The bulk of donated items are mailed to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, the largest American military hospital outside of the U.S. Karen also sends supplies to medics, nurses, and chaplains at more than 150 military units throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, and other Middle East countries with U.S. military operations. “If we can help just one military member with a gift, then I hope they feel the respect, gratitude, and the love we have for them. That’s what keeps pushing me on—knowing that it makes their future a little bit easier,” Karen says.

Her labor of love can be back-breaking at times. Working out of her home in Stafford, Virginia, she fills boxes with an assortment of requested items. A typical shipment might include sweatpants, Crocs, socks, towels, pillows, or blankets. Four or five days a week, she drives to the post office in her white Chevy Suburban, which she reluctantly purchased a few years back when the charity grew too large for her beloved Jeep to handle.

Sometimes, Karen is lucky enough to find volunteers to help. But often, it’s just Karen and her packing tape filling up boxes and taping them shut for their distant journey. Halfway through 2012, Karen had already shipped 946 boxes, a number on pace to beat last year’s tally of 1,713 boxes. In fact, supply and demand have grown rapidly since the charity’s first year when it sent its first 33 boxes of supplies. Karen expects demand will increase as other nonprofits close their doors or shift their focus to helping returning soldiers.

The organization grew out of a simple request from Karen’s daughter who was living in Germany, where her husband was stationed. Would she collect DVD and videotape movies and send them to wounded soldiers at nearby Landstuhl hospital?

Karen appealed to her circle of family and friends, collecting 485 movies. Grateful for her enthusiasm, the chaplain at Landstuhl asked Karen to collect sweatpants. Again, she turned to family and friends who donated 108 pairs. To her dismay, she learned the number was a “drop in the bucket” to meet the hospital’s needs. At the time, as many as 1,000 soldiers were arriving at the hospital every month, and their first stop was the Chaplain’s Closet, a place where soldiers received donated clothing and supplies to replace their tattered and bloody clothing.

Karen reached out to veterans groups such as the American Legion and soon, donations came pouring in. But the more supplies she mailed to Landstuhl, the greater the requests for donations. In just a year, word-of-mouth spread among military medics and medical staff in the Middle East about the woman in Stafford, Virginia, who almost never said “no” to a request for supplies.

“There was never a plan for me to start a nonprofit,” Karen says. “What started as one or two boxes turned into thousands.”

Karen knew she needed help with the legal and financial realities of running a charitable organization. Today, a small but loyal group of volunteers—many with strong military ties—handle accounting, communications, and other vital support services.

In addition to running her nonprofit, Karen also spends a month at Landstuhl hospital every year as a volunteer, handing out clothing and supplies from the Chaplain’s Closet.

It was at the hospital that she met Marine Lance Corporal Justin Reynolds. In 2006, the young Marine was recovering from shrapnel wounds and other injuries suffered when his Humvee hit an Improvised Explosive Device in Iraq.

From the start, the wounded soldier from Ohio clicked with Karen and gave her the nickname “Mom Two.” One day, Karen got a call from Ann Reynolds, Justin’s mother. The soldier had returned home to recuperate but suffered a stroke resulting in partial paralysis. Karen hopped in her car and drove to the hospital in North Carolina where Justin was fighting for his life. There, the two “moms” met face-to-face for the first time.

Nearly two years later, a second setback robbed Justin of his speech and motor coordination. Again Karen dropped everything to visit the Marine and his family, now in nearby Richmond, Virginia. “Karen has been such a great friend,” says Ann Reynolds. “If I need something, I call Karen. She knows how to get it.”

Karen’s devotion to Justin and his family is a clear example of why she works so tirelessly for wounded military members. Karen, her friends and family members say, is the kind of person who simply refuses to back down. Karen believes Justin one day will regain his speech and motor skills. Until that day, she will support him, just as she supports her charity—until every military member comes home.

To view a video of Karen Grimord, go to SaturdayEveningPost.com/Karen-Grimord.

The post The Saturday Evening Post – American Angle appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Lance Corporal Franklin “Frankie” Watson—December 2012 Shipment Honoree

Serving Operation Enduring Freedom

VONORE, Tenn. (WVLT)–A local Marine from Vonore was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Franklin “Frankie” Watson was with assigned to Company D, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division, and Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Knoxville, Tennessee. LCPL Watson was sweeping for IED’s when his unit was attacked. Watson was 21 years old.

LCPL Watson

“Frankie” was a 2008 graduate and star athlete of Sequoyah High School and resident of Vonore, Tennessee. He was also a 2009 graduate of the Cleveland State Police Academy and attended college there to study Criminal Justice. He was employed at the Madisonville Police Department and he began his law enforcement career as a part time deputy with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. Frankie Watson enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 2010. As both a U.S. Marine and a law enforcement officer, Frankie Watson was committed to bringing the rules and the unruly into alignment. Peacekeeping and finding a solution — both as a Marine and a police officer — were at the core of Watson’s being.

His family said Watson was one of those rare people everybody seemed to love.

His cousins, Allie and Miriam Watson told me, “God knew what He was doing when He made him. That’s for sure. He made a soldier. He made a brave young man with a heart of gold.”

“He always smiled. He was always full of spunk. He was competitive and he seemed like he always wanted to be the best at everything,” said Watson’s uncle, Norman.

That competitive drive is why a family friend was lead to say.

I asked ‘Frankie why’d you choose the Marines?’ and he said ‘I wanted to go through the hardest one I could get in,’ Russell said.

Strong and athletic, Watson was also a Madisonville police officer and Monroe County sheriff’s deputy. His cousins told me his physical prowess made him an impressive Marine. His heart made him an impressive man.

Miriam said, “He’s one of the bravest men I’ve ever met in my entire life.”

Another cousin Randy Nash added, “He definitely had good character. You don’t find a lot of people like that anymore.”

Barely in Afghanistan for three months, Watson, a combat engineer in charge of disarming IED’s was shot in the chest during an attack on his unit.

Allie tried to hold back tears as she said, “Everybody thought he was going to come home. And he’s never going to come home anymore. And he called and he said he wanted to come home so bad, and God heard him. God took him home.”

When I asked them what they loved and remember most about Frankie each of his family and friends told me it was his smile and his ability to light up the room.

“Everybody that knows him says he’s got the best smile in the world,” said Russell.

“As soon as you got around him, it doesn’t matter how bad you were hurting, or bad you were upset or how bad your day was, he’d do something to make you laugh that’s for sure,” added Allie and Miriam.

His aunt Laurie called Frankie a hero.

“He was a man of honor. Always smiled, he was always happy,” she said.

And as they remember the hero they lost, family and friends wish they could have seen him one last time.

“I love him to death and I wish I could tell him that again.”

“I love him and I miss him and I wish I had got to tell him goodbye.”

But like so many families of those who serve, they’ll never have the chance.

The Watsons asked us to post this note. Miriam wrote it after she heard the news about her cousin.

“It takes a real man to do what you’ve done. You’ve not only inspired your friends and family, but the world. You showed them that you’re brave enough, to risk your own life, to give us freedom. You were our hero before you left, and you still will be. You mean everything in this world to us, and you’ll be missed so much. That great personality of yours, that beautiful smile; everything. You were pretty much my brother! You’re truly a great young man, who had a brave heart. You stand out, over so many people in this world, Frankie. You had a wonderful heart, and put it to great use! Some people come into our lives and leave footprints in our hearts and we are never ever the same again. You left footprints in my heart, that will always be there. You’re in a much better place that this, and with a man who is going to make everything better for you. I know you wouldn’t want to see me with tears streaming down my face, so I may cry, but I’m going to keep smiling because that’s what you would want, and I’m going to do exactly what you would hope for, no matter how sad I am, or how much I cry. Although this is my “goodbye” letter, goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you, until we meet again! So, when God is ready for me to see you again, I’ll be ready. I love you more than anything in this world, Frankie, and you will be missed!”

Local 8 Now (source)

The post Franklin Watson appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

I am often asked why we are still shipping boxes since our troops are no longer in Iraq. It is easy we still have units in Afghanistan, Qatar, Kuwait, and more. Then I am asked well you must not ship as many boxes. As of this morning we have matched the number of boxes shipped all of last year and we still have just over a month left to the year. Many of our units explain that LHCP is the ONLY non profit supporting them. LRMC told CBS News that we are their largest supporter. Many non profits have closed up their doors or moved to different efforts. YOU have made it possible to continue to support our wounded warriors and those that provide care to them.

THANK YOU!!

The post LandstuhlHospitalCareProject 2011 – 2012 appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Kevin Kryst –December 2010 Shipment Honoree

19 December 2006:

West Bend, Wisconsin – The children of Elizabeth and Glenn Kryst gathered unexpectedly at the family home here, the week before Christmas, to grieve with their parents the death of their eldest brother in Iraq.

Captain Kevin M. Kryst, 27, a Marine helicopter pilot with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., had returned to Iraq for a second time at the beginning of the month, his mother said.

He was killed Monday at the Marine Corps’ Camp Korean Village, in the desert of Anbar province west of Baghdad, she said.

A Sunni-led insurgency has made Anbar, on the border of Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, one of the deadliest battlefronts in the Iraq war. The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit has its headquarters at the camp in Anbar, and its mission is to secure major highways in the province.

“We were only told he sustained abdominal injuries from shrapnel in a mortar attack while he was on the base,” his mother said. “He was not in a helicopter.”

“He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Elizabeth Kryst said that she and her husband and their five other children were proud of Kevin’s service to his country.

“He was committed to the effort in Iraq, and so were we,” she said. Two symbols of their commitment flutter in the breeze outside her home: a Marine Corps flag hangs over the front porch while an American flag is displayed nearby.

“He loved his country. His job in Iraq was to fly his helicopter and protect his Marines on the ground.”

“The Marines have lost a highly-skilled pilot,” she said.

“We’re numb,” his mother added.

Kevin Kryst’s younger brother, Dan, 23, a member of the Marine Reserves, has also served a tour of duty in Iraq, having been deployed there in 2004.

Kevin Kryst spent a few days at home in August while on leave prior to a six-month deployment, she said.

The home visit was long enough for him to become engaged to his West Bend sweetheart. Elizabeth Kryst identified his fiancée as Sara but declined to provide her last name, saying she wanted to protect the young woman’s privacy.

 Family memorial

A memorial to Kevin Kryst was created Tuesday on a tree in the family’s lawn. Red, blue and yellow ribbons wrap the trunk. A balloon with the phrase Proud to be American was tied to the tree and floated in a light breeze. A bouquet of flowers leaned against the base of the tree.

‘An excellent student’

Kevin Kryst graduated from West Bend West High School in 1997. He played French horn in a school ensemble and was a member of the Spartans’ swim team, said Principal Pat Gardon.

“He was an excellent student” and graduated with a grade point average in excess of 3.9, Gardon said. “Kevin was a sincere, dedicated young man.”

Students at the school learned of Kryst’s death in an announcement near the end of the day Tuesday.

He is the second West Bend West graduate to die in Iraq.

Marine Lance Cpl. Travis Wichlacz was killed in February 2005 while on patrol in Babil province. Wichlacz graduated in 2002. He had joined the Marine Reserves in April of that year.

Kevin Kryst enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after his graduation.

His younger brother Brad doesn’t remember Kevin talking about a military career while in high school.

But the Marine Corps attracted his attention while he was at Madison, and Kevin Kryst attended Marine Officer Candidates School during summers at college, his brother said. Kevin Kryst was commissioned an officer when he graduated from UW-Madison in 2001.

“He wanted to fly, and he thought his experience would be an adventure,” said Brad Kryst, 25, a Tempe, Ariz. resident.

“He flew Cobra helicopters in Iraq.”

At Camp Pendleton, Kryst was assigned to Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39 of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

Brad Kryst said he had discussed with Kevin the danger of serving in Iraq, and even the possible loss of his brother’s life.

“It’s always on your mind,” he said.

Kevin Kryst is the 65th service member from Wisconsin to die in Iraq.

In addition to his parents and his brothers Brad and Dan, a student at UW-Stevens Point, Kevin Kryst is survived by a sister, Jenny, 21, a student at UW-Oshkosh, and two other brothers, Justin, 21, a UW-Stevens Point student; and Tim, 18, a student at UW-La Crosse.

Kryst, Captain Kevin Michael

Captain Kevin Michael Kryst, age 27, of West Bend, Wisconsin, died Monday, December 18, 2006, in the Al Anbar province in Iraq, while serving his country as a United States Marine.

He was born September 17, 1979, in Maywood, Illinois, to Glenn and Elizabeth (nee Dziak) Kryst.

Kevin was a pilot of a Cobra helicopter in the Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

He is survived by his parents, Glenn and Elizabeth of West Bend; his fiancee, Sara of West Bend; and five siblings, Bradley of Mesa, Arizona, Daniel of Stevens Point and Jennifer, Justin and Timothy, all of West Bend. He is further survived by his maternal grandparents, Sy and Betty Dziak of Illinois; his paternal grandparents, Clifford and Rita Kryst of Michigan; and other relatives and friends.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held Friday, December 29, 2006, at 6 p.m. at ST. FRANCES CABRINI CATHOLIC CHURCH in West Bend, with the Rev. Jeffrey Haines presiding. Inurnment will take place in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Visitation will be Friday, at the church only from 3 p.m. until 5:45 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Fisher House, which provides housing for the families of wounded military personnel are appreciated.

A 27-year-old Marine helicopter pilot from West Bend was killed in Iraq, only weeks after beginning his second deployment there, his mother said Tuesday.

Captain Kevin M. Kryst died Monday from injuries sustained in fighting in al-Anbar province, the Department of Defense said in a statement.

“He died from injuries due to being hit by a fragment of a mortar,” said his mother, Elizabeth Kryst.

“We’re proud of him,” she said. “But we’re at a loss without him.”

Kryst was the oldest of six children. He had four younger brothers and a younger sister.

He graduated from West Bend West High School in 1997 and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001. He enlisted upon graduation.

Kryst’s great-grandfather had been a Marine.

“It was something he always wanted to do,” Elizabeth Kryst said.

Kryst was first deployed in Iraq during 2004.

“He was always very active, very busy. He had a need for speed, and that’s what he got flying helicopters,” Elizabeth Kryst said.

Her son was part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, she said.

Patrick Gardon, West Bend West principal, issued a statement Tuesday saying that Kryst had been on the school’s swimming team and part of its wind ensemble.

“He was very proud to serve his country and was a quality individual of high character, dedication and commitment, as well as an excellent student,” Gardon said.

As of Tuesday, 64 military personnel from Wisconsin have died in the war in Iraq.

NOTE: Captain Kryst was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery on 5 July 2007.

Kevin M. Kryst liked everything fast – and the sky seemed the limit. “He was always very active, very busy. He had a need for speed, and that’s why he got flying helicopters,” said his mother, Elizabeth. Kryst, 27, of West Bend, Wis., died Dec. 18 during a mortar attack in Anbar province. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton and was on his second tour. Kryst graduated from high school in 1997. He played French horn in a school ensemble and was a member of the swim team, said Principal Pat Gardon. “He was an excellent student” and graduated with a grade point average in excess of 3.9, Gardon said. “Kevin was a sincere, dedicated young man.” Kryst was commissioned an officer when he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001. Kryst’s great-grandfather had been a Marine. “He wanted to fly, and he thought his experience would be an adventure,” said his brother, Brad. “He flew Cobra helicopters in Iraq.” When Kryst was last home in August, he got engaged to his school sweetheart, Sara. He also is survived by his father, Glenn. “We’re proud of him,” his mother said. “But

Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Death of Camp Pendleton Marine: Capt. Kevin M. Kryst

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today released the following statement regarding the death of Capt. Kevin M. Kryst of West Bend, WI:

 “Capt. Kryst’s bravery is a shining example of the determination and courage that makes our nation’s armed forces strong. Kevin’s loved ones have lost a devoted family member and our country has lost a courageous Marine. Maria and I extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends and fellow Marines who mourn his loss.”

Kryst, 27, died Dec. 18 as a result of wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Light-Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.

In honor of Capt. Kryst, Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff.

The post Kevin Kryst appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

PFC LeRoy DeRonde III—November 2012 Shipment Honoree

From his sister

LeRoy DeRonde

Leroy was a great brother and my family and I miss him everyday. He had such a big heart and could always make us laugh.

Army Pfc. LeRoy DeRonde III was coming into his own, distancing himself from a hard-luck childhood and stepping up to take care of his family.

Leroy grew up in Jersey City, NJ. Leroy was the middle child of three, leaving behind his younger brother Harold, 18, and older sister Jennifer, 33.

When Leroy’s mother passed away from cancer in 2002, his cousin Owen and fiancé became his legal guardian. Leroy was 16 at the time. “At 20, it clicked for him. He would have to put the family on his shoulders to survive,” said Owen, adding that was when he began to seriously consider the military.

Leroy briefly attended Dickinson and Lincoln High Schools. After getting his GED and taking a few college credit courses, PFC DeRonde left home for basic training in January 2011.

In three months’ time he was one of five basic training graduates to be promoted to E-2 (private) and was awarded the 1st Battalion 48th Infantry Regiment Order of the Dragon Soldiers. DeRonde was then sent to be stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas. He was assigned to the 125th Brigade Support Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.

In 2012 Army Pfc. LeRoy DeRonde III was sent to Afghanistan. In support of Operation Enduring Freedom Leroy and another fellow Soldier were attacked and killed by enemy forces in the Chak-E Warkdak District, on 27 May 2012.

“Army Pfc. LeRoy DeRonde III paid the ultimate price defending the United States of America and the principles which our country was founded,” said Healy the Governor of New Jersey. “Losing such a young life is a terrible tragedy and during this difficult time, I extend my deepest condolences to his family and friends. As we mourn with them, I hope they find comfort in knowing Army Pfc. DeRonde died a hero fighting for his country.”

Governor Healy signed an Executive Order that all flags be flown half-staff in honor of PFC DeRonde.

PFC LeRoy DeRonde III will be buried at the cemetery’s 9/11 Veterans Memorial section with full military honors.

Articles courtesy of: Jersey City Independent, CBS local, and bobcat.ws

U.S. Army soldier from Jersey City killed in Afghanistan

PFC LeRoy DeRonde II

The 22-year-old Jersey City man saw the military as a way to do that, his family said, in a plan that began to form eight years ago when his mother, Elizabeth, died of cancer. Her absence shook the family’s foundation and then profoundly galvanized her eldest son.

“He realized he was going to put the family on his shoulders. The military was his calling to do that financially,” DeRonde’s cousin, Jason Owen, said last night outside the soldier’s family’s apartment on West Side Avenue. “From the time he decided that it was full steam ahead.”

But DeRonde was one of two soldiers killed on May 27 when their unit was attacked in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense said today. DeRonde, assigned to the 125th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss Texas, died in the Wardak District in central Afghanistan.

DeRonde is at least the 44th service member with ties to New Jersey to be killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. An additional 102 service members from New Jersey have died in Iraq since 2003.

“His life didn’t take hold until he was 22,” said Owen, who noted DeRonde sent monthly checks home. “He was really taking the reins, he was ascending. The real tragedy here is from an upbringing that wasn’t so good he was working … to help his family and to better himself.”

DeRonde was born and raised in the city’s Bergen neighborhood. As a child, he kept mostly to himself.

His father, Leroy DeRonde Jr., said he loved playing PlayStation 3 with his brother, Harold, who is now 17.

“The two wSoldier 2.JPGere inseparable,” DeRonde’s father said. He added that since his son’s deployment a year ago, they would talk using the online video chat service Skype.

photo of Leroy DeRonde III on his Facebook page.

“If he wasn’t on, my hands would shake,” he said. “It’s a terrible thing.”

Through the years, and in DeRonde’s short life, the tight-knit family has known both the fear of loss and tragedy.

At 5, Harold was diagnosed with leukemia and given three weeks to live. The family went to Disney World on a Make-A-Wish vacation. It was the only real vacation they ever took together, Leroy DeRonde Jr. said. By luck, Harold survived.

But when their mother died, DeRonde made a plan that required groundwork. He got his GED and then 15 college credits, both of which were required before he could join the Army, which he did in January 2011.

DeRonde, his family said, was kind of person who, when he figured out where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do, nothing could stop him.

After basic training, DeRonde’s family saw him off at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. — as one of a handful of graduates to have been immediately promoted to a Private E2.

“He’d been so quiet, but he knew everyone, they knew his name,” his half-sister, Jennifer Owen, said. “In six months, he really came out of his shell.”

The post LeRoy DeRonde III appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Staff Sgt. Ahmed Altaie—October 2012 Shipment Honoree

U.S. service member unaccounted for in Iraq

“I am Lt Col Joel Elsbury. In my 18 years with the USAF, I have been stationed in the United States, Germany, Iraq, and Turkey. I have traveled both officially and as a tourist to over 20 countries around the world. I have been blessed to meet and work shoulder-to-shoulder with patriots who, while they were not born in the United States, have honorably served and sacrificed in the Defense of a Nation they love. Staff Sgt. Ahmed Al-Taie is one such patriot. Born in Iraq, SSG Al-Taie immigrated to the US in the late 1970s when Ahmed was just 12 years-old. Later, he was naturalized, and joined the US Army as a 35P, Army Linguist. I cannot imagine the moral courage it must have taken for SSG Taie to answer his adopted country’s call to Arms in the land of his birth.

Without hesitation, SSG Taie not only deployed in defense of HIS Country, he willingly paid the ultimate price and gave his life for our freedom! I am so grateful the Landstuhl Hospital Care Project is honoring the memory of this patriotic American, whose courage led him to escape tyranny and embrace freedom, but whose greater courage led him to return to Iraq, fight, and die to end that tyranny.

I’m humbled to be SSG Taie’s brother in the profession of Arms, and honored to remember his patriotism and courage!”

Family seeks answers about lone U.S. servicemember unaccounted for in Iraq

Ahmed

In almost nine years of war, more than 1.5 million U.S. troops served in Iraq, with 4,408 losing their lives. The last 40,000 crossed into Kuwait by Dec. 18.

Except for U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ahmed Altaie.

Altaie is the lone U.S. service member unaccounted for from operations in Iraq.

The Iraqi-born reservist from Michigan was abducted more than five years ago in Baghdad after breaking the rules and sneaking outside the wire to meet his Iraqi wife.

In the days after he went missing, 3,000 coalition soldiers conducted more than 50 raids to find their comrade. At least one soldier was killed; others were wounded.

As the trail turned cold, Altaie’s family and friends grew frustrated by what they say is the U.S. government’s lack of effort to find him.

“They won’t talk about it,” Altaie’s ex-wife and self-described best friend, Linda Racey, said from Michigan recently. “They feel he’s not worth looking for. They’re not doing anything.”

Ahmed’s brother, Hathal Taie Altaie, said the family hasn’t been able to get answers from the government since the abduction.

“We need to know the truth,” he said. “Some say he’s in Iran. Some say he’s dead. At least they could find out if he’s alive or not.”

Now, after almost no movement in the case in about a year, the family has latched onto a glimmer of hope.

Ahmed on drill to the far left

On Dec. 26, Altaie’s family was watching Al Arabiya News Channel when a man they say might have information about the missing solder appeared before the cameras.

Qais al-Khazali is the leader of Asaib Ahel al-Haq, an Iranian-backed militia responsible for abductions and the deaths of U.S. troops. In 2010, the group claimed to be holding Altaie and offered to exchange him for detained members of its group. On TV, Khazali pledged to put down his weapons so his group could join the Iraqi government. He said their “duty” to fight the Americans was over.

If Khazali was sincere about joining the Iraqi government, might he be willing to return Altaie, the family wondered?

“They claim they have Ahmed,” said Hathal Altaie. “They are probably liars, but we don’t know. This guy must know something. The U.S. government needs to pressure the Iraqis.”

No clear answers

U.S. and Iraqi officials remain quiet.

Raifet Ahmad, a spokesman for the Iraqi Embassy in Washington, said he had asked Baghdad officials what was being done to find Altaie and whether the government had questioned Khazali. He didn’t receive an answer.

Asked the same questions, the White House declined to comment, as did the U.S. Embassy in Iraq and the FBI. The Army, the office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon officials and the CIA directed inquiries to the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, which is responsible for investigating missing servicemembers from “past” conflicts.

The Missing Personnel Office took over the case from U.S. Central Command on Dec. 1, 2011, but spokeswoman Maj. Carie Parker said her office has yet to receive all of Altaie’s case files. She “couldn’t say” when the office would be up to speed on the case.

“In fact, we are still combing archives on old cases from as far back as World War II,” Parker wrote in an email to Stars and Stripes.

“Staff Sgt. Altaie’s status is ‘missing-captured’ and his status will not change until there is information that indicates otherwise,” she said. “The U.S. government is actively pursuing any and all leads thoroughly.”

Parker said efforts would be coordinated through the embassy in Iraq and directed Stars and Stripes to an embassy public affairs officer who never responded to calls or emails.

The perceived lack of cooperation between agencies doesn’t sit well with Altaie’s family. Hathal Altaie met with representatives of all of the major agencies about a month ago and learned nothing, he said.

“No one gave us any clear answers,” he said. “All we hear is, ‘We’re working on it. We’ll let you know.’ To be honest, they’re not doing enough.”

The family even pleaded its case to the office of Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.

“My office continues to monitor this case and to ensure that Staff Sgt. Altaie’s family is kept informed of any developments,” Levin said in a statement released by Kathleen Long, a spokesman in his office.

Racey, who has spearheaded efforts to keep the case active, said she believes Levin’s office has “blown off” the family, as have the other agencies.

Racey and Altaie have known each other for more than 20 years and remained close after amicably divorcing in 2001, she said. Once the point person for the family, Racey said the agencies won’t talk to her anymore because she kept pushing for answers.

“I’ve been on the case for five years and three months,” she said. “I’ll never give up on this.”

Last moments

Staff Sgt. Ahmed Altae in fatigues

Altaie and his parents left Iraq when he was 12, his mother, Nawal, said. An aviation enthusiast, Altaie found work in Michigan as a mechanic on airplanes, but was laid off in 2001. The couple divorced that year.

The Ann Arbor Muslim was operating on auto-pilot, a man without a plan, until a visit to Iraq in 2003 with his family. Nawal said that her son fell in love again with the country of his birth, especially Baghdad. During his trip, which lasted for several months, he met the woman who would become his wife, Israa Sultan, according to Racey.

The family left Iraq once again as the security situation worsened, Nawal said.

Family members said Altaie was committed to going back to Iraq, and the fluent Arabic speaker could have taken lucrative contractor jobs there as a translator. Instead, he joined the Army Reserve in December 2004, according to Hathal. Family members said he wanted to support the mission in Iraq — as a proud American citizen and soldier. In 2005 he returned, as part of a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Baghdad, and acted as a translator in the embassy for VIPs.

Altaie and Sultan were married in 2006, his wife told the Detroit News in June, her only interview since the abduction. The marriage would have been against military regulations, since troops are not allowed to marry citizens of a country that the U.S. military is involved with in a conflict. However, Army spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell would later say that Altaie had not broken the rules because of the timing of his marriage.

On Oct. 22, 2006, Altaie called Racey to make sure she was taking her insulin for her diabetes, she said. It was Ramadan, and Altaie told her he had given his new wife’s family $100 to buy a leg of lamb for the feast. He told them he would return the next day at 4 p.m., Racey recalled.

Racey could hear ordnance exploding in the background. What he said next now haunts her.

“He said, ‘It’s getting real dangerous here,’” she said. “‘If I die, Linda, I want to be buried next to you,’” he told her. “That’s the last thing he said.”

The next day, Altaie stole off from Baghdad’s Green Zone in civilian clothes on a new scooter for an unauthorized visit to Sultan, Racey said, according to her early conversations with the FBI and other agencies.

There are discrepancies regarding the circumstances, but Army officials acknowledged that Altaie was married to Sultan. Altaie wasn’t a bad person, Racey said, but he was known to sometimes break the rules. When he worked at the airport, for example, he would leave work early, asking someone to punch out for him later. He had snuck out of the fortified zone to visit Sultan on several occasions without consequence. This time would be different.

When the 41-year-old linguist, then a specialist, arrived in the Karradah neighborhood of Baghdad, his phone rang. It was the man who had sold him the scooter. The caller heard cars approaching and then listened to Altaie’s cries as he was confronted by several armed masked men before he reached the front door of Sultan’s family home.

Racey said that the FBI interrogated the scooter salesman later, and he told them he heard Altaie’s wife screaming the name of a neighborhood thug. Altaie broke free from the kidnappers and took shelter in Sultan’s family home, hiding in a closet. But the kidnappers came in and took him, cuffing and stuffing him into a Mercedes before driving off.

“This last mistake cost him his life, possibly,” Racey said.

Failed deals

Racey believes the kidnapping was an inside job. “The [kidnappers] knew he would be there at 4 o’clock,” she said.

Sultan now lives in Michigan, where she was taken “for her own protection” as a “spouse of a U.S. Army soldier,” according to Mark Edwards, a spokesman for U.S. Army Human Resources Command.

Hathal Altaie said the family hadn’t spoken to her in more than a year.

Initially, the U.S. government offered a $50,000 reward for information that led to Altaie’s recovery. Caldwell said that in the days after the abduction, U.S. forces conducted dozens if raids, including some in the Shiite militant stronghold of Sadr City. They detained men who confessed to the kidnapping, but said they sold Altaie to another group.

The Ahl Albait Group issued a statement claiming responsibility for the kidnapping. Altaie’s family was confident that he would be returned unharmed, because they believed a U.S. soldier would have value in negotiations.

Four months after Altaie was abducted, a video with no sound surfaced on a militant website showing the soldier standing, reading from a piece of paper. His mother said she barely recognized her handsome son.

“He looked very different from when I saw him [last],” Nawal said, adding that he appeared to have been beaten and looked as if his teeth had been broken.

“I never saw him again,” Nawal said.

In 2009, according to media accounts, an insurgent group tried to coordinate an exchange for Altaie’s body, but the body they handed over belonged to another missing American service member.

Then in 2010, a Reuters reporter said he had spoken with the leader of the kidnappers, a man claiming to be from Asaib Ahel al-Haq. He claimed that Altaie had been killed in 2006 by another group and that they had received the body.

Around the same time, relatives saw a statement from Asaib Ahel al-Haq on a website saying they wanted to exchange Altaie for detainees.

That never happened.

Cold case

The family is tired of the roller-coaster ride.

They say the U.S. government has kept them in the dark, and they have lost faith in their efforts.

Racey now believes she knows why the case has gone cold.

Three months ago, she got an anonymous call from someone who claimed to be on the Army search team. The man told her the Army considered him absent without leave for venturing outside the Green Zone and wouldn’t spend any more money or risk any more lives trying to find him.

Altaie’s family said they are speaking out now because they want to put those rumors to bed. True, he broke the rules, Racey said, but he had left before and always returned. It shouldn’t mean that the U.S. stops looking, she said. People who think he went over to the other side are dead wrong, Racey said. Altaie loved his job in the military and wanted to make a career out of it. Racey is in constant touch with Altaie’s parents, and said Nawal believes her son is alive and prays for his safe return.

Racey doesn’t share her optimism.

“I don’t think he’s still alive,” she said. “I’m a realist.” Still, she said she has dreams in which Nawal calls her to report a miracle, that Altaie has been found alive.

Today, Altaie would be 46. He has been promoted twice while in captivity. Friends and family remember him for his passions: music, flying airplanes and dressing well. Nawal said she will never forget her son’s smile.

“I’m always thinking of him, wishing he would come back,” Nawal said. “We want to know if he’s dead or alive. Please.”

burkem@pstripes.osd.mil

The post Ahmed Altaie appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.

Download (PDF, 1.01MB)

The post 3rd Qtr 2012 LHCP Newsletter appeared first on Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.