All I Want For Christmas Is You

Freebies on Veterans Day

Below is a listing of businesses who are offering freebies to Veterans and those who serve on Veterans Day. I'm sharing this information from a patriot who was very kind enough to pass it along. Thank you, David. 

VETERANS DAY DISCOUNTS 2012
**FREE MEALS ON VETERANS DAY

OLIVE GARDEN
Veterans Eat Free. Olive Garden Restaurants offer a free meal (with proof of service) from a list of several entrees on a special menu. This special is scheduled for Monday, November 12, 2012. Additionally, some Olive Garden restaurants will also give out a $10 gift card to veterans for a future visit.

APPLEBEE’S
Military Veterans and Active-Duty Service Members will be able to eat FREE at any Applebee’s across the U.S. on Veterans Day, Sunday, November 11, 2012. There will be six entrées available from the menu. Guests will be asked to show one ore more of the following as proof of Service: a U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card, a U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement, Veterans Organization Card, a photograph in uniform, or wearing a uniform in person. For more information about Veterans Day at Applebee’s, visit the Applebee’s website http://www.applebees.com/vetDay/default.aspx

GOLDEN CORRAL
Golden Corral's 9th annual Military Appreciation Monday dinner will be held on Monday, November 12, 2012, from 4 to 9 pm in all Golden Corral restaurants nationwide. The FREE dinner meal is a special "thank you tribute" to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to join us for Golden Corral's Military Appreciation Monday dinner. To date, Golden Corral restaurants have provided over 2.2 million free meals and contributed over $3.3 million to the Disabled American Veterans organization.

CHILI’S
FREE meal, Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov 11, 2012. Chili’s is offering all Military Veterans past and present their choice of one of 6 meals. This offer is available during business hours at participating Chili’s in the U.S. only. Dine-in from limited menu only; beverages and gratuity not included. All Desserts priced $5.oo for Veterans and active duty military. Simply show proof of military service. See flier for more information.
 

T.G.I. FRIDAYS
In recognition of Service, ALL Veterans and Active Duty personnel are invited to EAT FREE this Veterans Day, Monday, November 12, 2012. To get the free meal, service men and women will have to show proof of service. Proof of service includes: U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card, a U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement, Veterans Organization Card, a photograph in uniform, or wearing a uniform in person.
Valid only at: 3555 S. 2700 W., West Valley City.
130 W. 10600 S., Sandy.
4029 S. Riverdale Rd., Riverdale
**Don’t forget T.G.I. Friday’s offer a 10% Discount for all Service men and women with proof of service all day everyday.

HOOTERS
FREE Meal, Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov 11, 2012. Hooter’s is serving up 10 free boneless wings to military veterans all day on Veterans Day. Offer good for all veterans and active duty military personnel. Offer valid at participating Hooters, Dine-in only; open to all active duty and military veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service. Drink purchase required. For more information, visit, www.HootersVeteransDay.com.

TEXAS ROADHOUSE
FREE meal, Veterans Day, Monday, Nov 12, 2012. Offer varies by location; our local Texas Roadhouse is offering a free meal from opening until 4pm. Other locations may vary in offer, hours, or availability. Call ahead to your local restaurant for more information. Visit the web site for locations and participation. http://www.texasroadhouse.com/

SUBWAY
Free Six Inch Sub. Many Subway locations offer a free six inch sub to military veterans on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2010. However, Subway restaurants are franchises, so this offer may only be available in select locations. Please contact your local Subway for more information regarding Veteran’s day specials.

KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUT
Free doughnut. Available only at participating Krispy Kreme stores. Offer available to all active-duty, retirees & veterans on Veterans Day, Sunday November 11, 2012. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is participating.

DENNY'S RESTAURANT
All-you-can-eat Pancakes. Participating Denny’s restaurants will be offering an all-you-can-eat pancakes meal on Monday, Nov 12, 2012. Remember to call ahead and verify that your local Denny’s is participating.
 

**OTHER DISCOUNTS ON VETERANS DAY

SKYRIDGE INN Bed & Breakfast
Free night stay. The Sky Ridge Inn B&B in Torrey, Utah is offering a free night stay to a veteran and a single guest. This offer is limited by availability of rooms. Reserving ahead of time is recommended. For reservations call (435) 425-3222.

CABELA’S OUTDOOR STORE
Veteran's Day weekend, Cabela's outdoor store is offering their employee discount to all veterans, active duty military and reserves, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel on Nov. 11 and 12. Dubbed a "Hometown Heroes" event, eligible shoppers will need to check in at a table at the store to receive a coupon for the discount. The discount varies from 5% to 50%, depending on item. Some items may be excluded.

HOME DEPOT and LOWES MILITARY DISCOUNT
The 10% military discount is available to: Active-duty military members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, honorably discharged veterans and immediate family members of all those groups are eligible. Customers requesting a discount must be able to show a valid military ID card or other proof of military service (a DD Form 214 or VFW membership may qualify).

SPORTSCLIPS
FREE haircut to active-duty military & veterans. Offer only available at select locations on Veterans Day, Monday, November 12, 2012. Additionally, offers 20% discount on all services and products to Military and Veterans everyday. Sports Clips is currently participating in the Help-A-Hero program which provides free call time to deployed or hospitalized military personnel. Please call to verify local participation.

SLEEP NUMBER STORES
This year Sleep number is offering a couple of discounts. Among these are $600.00 off on all I8 or M7 beds, 30% off all bedding items, and 0% interest on 24 months financing. This is only available to military and veterans. This special is going on now through Nov. 18. Contact your local store for more details.

SONIC CAR WASH
FREE car wash to Veterans on Veterans Day, Monday, November 11, 2012.

VETERANS DAY DISCOUNTS

**The following companies offer discounts, but you may find that NOT all locations participate:
Restaurants Arby's A&W Burger King Carl's Jr. Chevy's Fresh Mex Chick-Fil-A Chipotle Denny's Dunkin' Donuts IHOP KFC Long John Silver's McDonald's Panda Express Pizza Hut Quizno's Red Robin Sonic Taco Bell Wendy's Travel AmTrak Best Western Choice Hotels Continental Airlines Cruise lines (most) Hyatt Hotels Marriott HotelsWyndham Hotels and Resorts Car Care AutoZone Checker Auto Parts General Motors Jiffy Lube Kragen Auto Parts Meineke NAPA Auto Parts Super Sonic Car Wash Cell Phone Service Discounts Alltel Cingular Sprint/NexTel T-Mobile Verizon Clothing and Shoes  Aeropostale The Children's Place Dress Barn Fanzz (10%) The Finish Line Foot Action (15%) Foot Locker (20%) Hot Topic Jos. A. Bank Jockey Kohl's Lerner New York & Company Pac Sun Reebok Timberland Outlets (active duty only) Wilson's Leather

Has Hollywood lost focus?

There was a time not so long ago, less than a century in fact, when Hollywood and all of the talent that arose from it knew the importance of supporting our troops. People like Bob Hope and Marilyn Monroe who were in high demand still made sure to take the time out of their busy schedules and entertain the troops. The USO was founded in 1941 as a way to provide morale to service members through entertainment. At the time and throughout the following years there were dozens upon dozens of entertainers who followed suit. If you research some old interviews with those entertainers you will hear one common thought amongst them all. They all truly believed in the importance of supporting our troops. They all truly understood the sacrifices being made by those serving. Well, it would seem times sure have changed. 

Now, before I go on I think it's only fair to state that there are many performers who are still actively involved in the USO and all it stands for. To those, I offer my heartfelt thanks and gratitude for their selfless and generous offering of both time and compassion. However, Hollywood has taken a different turn in the past couple of decades. Some of that talent that receives millions of our dollars each year are instead using their spotlight for politics. For those of you who have been watching "Honor Them" for a while, you know I make it a habit to never discuss politics. My political beliefs are kept silent because (in my opinion) honoring "them" has nothing to do with politics. It comes from your heart. It is a sense of patriotism that runs deep and is fueled by the pride of being a part of one of the greatest nations in the world. 

One of the most amazing and wonderful things about our country is our freedom of speech, our freedom to think our own way and form our own opinions. We are not under a ruthless dictator that some of the other countries we assist have suffered through. With that being said though, I can't help but wonder why politics have taken such a nasty turn. I know what you're all thinking, that there has been mudslinging and dirty play in politics for decades if not longer. I don't disagree with that, but when did Hollywood become the voice for politicians and their agendas? More so, when did those stars who received millions upon millions every year decide that they were the know all-end all to tell us and our military what is right and what is wrong? 

Let's face it, the last several years have been quite tumultuous for our country. The political arena has changed greatly and with it more and more of our nation's "talent" have decided to use their spotlight to further political agenda while either bad mouthing our armed forces or completely ignoring them all together. It seems that every time I turn around I'm hearing about one of them disparaging our troops or veterans and I can't help but wonder why? Sure I understand that being an American means that they have the freedom to do and say as they please. What if we (as a country) allow that to go too far though? We will always (I pray) have our freedoms to do and say what we choose, but the second we start forgetting who is defending those rights we are losing sight of the bigger picture. 

Our country was founded on some very strong beliefs. Beliefs that ran deeper than just the paper the words were penned to. One of the most integral parts of our freedoms is having a strong force to defend us. On September 11, 2001 we found out just how easily our country can be blindsided. Not everyone loves our country, we have enemies, enemies who wish to do us harm, enemies who take so many – too many – of our brave troops away. At the end of the day all of the money, material objects and luxuries will mean nothing if our country is left helpless. Our Armed Forces guard us every second of every day. Not a moment passes where they do not have our backs. They are on guard, always watching, always protecting, always defending. Without them, where would we truly be? I challenge those big Hollywood hitters who haven't stood behind our troops recently to make a few changes in their life and remember just who is guarding their 6.

With all that being said, I would like to share with you a story of someone who gave so much of herself and received little in return. 

Some who knew her say that Martha Raye endured less comfort and more danger than any other Vietnam entertainer. The most unforgivable oversight of all was that none of her shows were taped. I was unaware of her credentials until someone sent me a very touching email. If you search more information on Martha, you will find many memoirs that tell of her selfless acts on behalf of our brave troops. In fact President Lyndon Johnson awarded her a green beret and the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Special Forces as a thank you for her extraordinary efforts.  Martha was also a nurse and used the skills she had to tend to wounded during the Vietnam War. It is said that several times at the Army Field Hospital in Pleiku, she would cover a surgical shift, giving a nurse a well-deserved break. 

 

Of note, Martha Ray is the only woman buried in the Special Forces cemetery at Ft. Bragg. Martha died on October 19, 1994, but as a civilian, as an American and as a woman I offer her my utmost gratitude and respect for all that she did for those in harm’s way.

Operation Honor Them

On June 30, 2010 I began my mission to Honor Them. When I reached my first anniversary (Please see that blog post from June 2011 HERE) in Honoring Them I felt like I had accomplished a great deal and was proud to be in the company of so many fine patriots. Little did I know that last year was merely a drop in the bucket for all I'd accomplish in the following year. Over the course of the past twelve months both my facebook and twitter pages as well as my mission has grown by leaps and bounds. As I write this, I am just below 25,000 Likes on facebook, and quickly approaching 7,000 followers on twitter. On a daily basis I receive countless messages and emails from military families, service members and veterans who support my cause and are glad to take part. This makes me very proud and honored to be a part of a community that holds such immense patriotism and love for those who give so much of themselves on our behalf.

This year in celebration of my 2 year anniversary I wanted to hold a month long event to reach out to my fellow patriots. There are many ways that one can Honor Them, but all too often we get caught up in the daily distractions of life. With little financial obligation or time spent we can all do our part. Even the smallest gestures can have a lasting impact and show our troops and veterans just how much they mean to us. 

Below is a calendar of this month's planned events. Please feel free to share it and it's information with many. While I'm offering up these ideas, these are things we can do year round. Whether you pick one, two, a dozen or all of them, even participating is a step in the right direction. Also, during this month I will be making posts relating specific topics all day on each separate day of the week. Look for the schedule below the calendar.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Military Families	Navy	Air Force	Coast Guard	Marine Corps	Army	Wounded

Please join me for the entire month of June to take part in Operation Honor Them. If you're on twitter look for #OpHonorThem and #OperationHonorThem. And join me on facebook too!

Thank you to: Forged Clothing, Soldiers Angels, DS&S Tactical, Boot Campaign, That Others May Live Foundation, Kill Cliff, Lt. Michael Murphy Scholarship Foundation, Navy SEAL Academy

Salutes to Forged Clothing

In 2007 two former United States Navy SEALs founded ForgedClothing. Their company founded and fueled by the values of Brotherhood, Respect and Freedom as well as their belief in making products in the USA. Since Forged’s inception, they have operated with the utmost professionalism and integrity. They take great pride in being involved with their customers and giving them a top of the line product which has meaning behind it. While that in itself is unique to a company in this day and age, there is another reason behind my post. 

Some may not know this, but Forged Clothing donates a percentage of every sale to several military affiliated non-profit organizations to help wounded veterans and their families. They also have created some specific tribute shirts to honor their fallen brothers, and 100% of the profits from those shirts are donated to the Navy Special Warfare Foundation. This is all in addition to being involved with fundraisers for the families of friends who have made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. 

While these reasons alone would be enough for Honor Them to stand behind a company such as Forged, there are so many more. Besides their efforts to give back on various levels, they also have supported my message and mission with Honor Them since the beginning. In doing so, Honor Them and Forged will be partnering up on a special project which also gives back while allowing you to show your patriotism and support of our troops and veterans. 

Also, be on the lookout for some exciting changes. In the next month Forged Clothing will be launching their new website which will include new tribute shirts and new merchandise which will benefit the customer as well as various charities.

On behalf on everyone who join me in Honoring Them, I say Bravo Zulu to Forged Clothing for never forgetting that All Gave Some, Some Gave All. 

Powerful Peace -

A Navy SEAL’s Lessons on Peace from a Lifetime at War

I first came across J. Robert DuBois by way of twitter in the early months of 2011. Being a huge supporter of our military both past and present I was drawn to not just his service, but rather his words.  Rob's thoughts and opinions on topics ranging from war to politics have many times left me feeling a sense of empowerment. One might ask why I would choose such a word, but the phrase 'Knowledge is Power' is lost on way too many. Being a former Navy SEAL is far from his only credit. Rob has a way of explaining things which gives others a different perspective, showing people the proverbial flip side of the coin. When I was given the honor of reading an advanced copy of Powerful Peace - A Navy SEAL’s Lessons on Peace from a Lifetime at War I couldn't wait to get started on it. If I was asked a year ago if I thought the book was a good premise I would have said that I was sure the book would be great. So, needless to say when I began reading Powerful Peace I didn't expect to be surprised by it's content.

Click HERE to purchase from Amazon

Rob wastes no time as the book begins and he takes us right to that horrific day, ten years ago on September 11, 2001. One of the first things that reached out from the pages and grabbed my heart in both sadness and pain was that this was not just a book written by an warrior, someone who spent years defending our nation and it's people by serving on one of the most elite special forces units around today, but rather it was written by a man. A man who has a family and sees the world the way it is, not through rose colored glasses. He sees its beauty and its flaws. 

Throughout the book Rob takes us on a journey of the years following the September 11th attacks. His ability to provide us with insight from the perspectives of a Navy SEAL, a husband, a father and even those who are considered our enemies is something that left me with moments of pause and self reflection. 

My notes on this book are lengthy and somewhat personal so I decided to try and keep my review of it brief. I would be genuinely surprised if there was a person out there who could say after reading this book, that they were not affected on a deep and personal level by it's content. Powerful Peace for me is no longer a coin phrase thought up by a former U.S. Navy SEAL. Nor is it merely the title of a book. It is something much more influential than that. A form of diplomacy, which when practiced could possibly shape the future of our nation and world so it sees less war, less death and more PEACE. It is, what I hope will some day be, a way of life.

I hope that everyone reading this takes the time to explore all that Powerful Peace could come to mean for them, their family and our future.  Applied "smart power" is a game changer for the future of humanity. 

Here's what other people had to say about Powerful Peace:

"If we do not teach our children the principals of peace 

someone will teach them the fundamentals of hate" 

Kimberly Wolfert, Demand Mgmt. & Sales Planning at Chiquita Brands Intl.

 
Mr. DuBois presents a compelling case, based on experiences he vividly shares with the reader, for a new type of Applied Smart Power. He takes you through the hearts, homes, and minds of allies - across the geopolitical and physical battlefield - and convinces you to join him in striving for his new doctrine of balanced peacemaking.

Ali-Reza Anghaie

It's been one year ~

One year ago today a man who brought pain to not just our nation, but the world as a whole left this earth. On a personal level I am a supporter of peace over violence and war on any day. It's an idea talked about greatly in Powerful Peace. However, Usama Bin Laden was someone who quite frankly just couldn't be reasoned with by any civilized means. He was a terrorist in every sense of the word. A diabolical entity who used his religion as a shield for his actions. All the while getting others to do his evil bidding. Today, I ask you all to not just be thankful that having him gone removes at least some of our worry in the global war on terror. I also ask you to say thank you to our United States Navy SEALs and ALL of our Armed Forces who helped rid the world of at least one of our threats. The removal of Bin Laden from this earth was a joint effort which stretched far between all branches of our military, as well as the invaluable assistance of our allies. Most importantly though, I ask you all to please take a moment to keep those who were affected by Bin Laden's reign of terror in your thoughts. Those who were lost and those who were left behind should never be forgotten.

God Bless those who have been touched by the unspeakable tragedies of the global war on terror. May our future hold only peace, compassion and a greater sense of humanity.

Personal Plea – Heartbreaking Consequences

Below is a message which I’ve steadfastly spread and adhered to for nearly 2 years since I began to Honor Them. Please read it in its entirety and the heartbreaking story which follows it.

The United States of America holds one of the most powerful military forces in the world. It is because of this that so many countries turn to us in their time of need. Sadly whether at war or in peace time, we do lose many brave sons and daughters who serve our great country. In a time of war, as we are now, those numbers increase. This is an inevitable yet heartbreaking part of war. When this happens, as a country we grieve. However, while we may be saddened by the loss of yet another one of our courageous men and women, that can’t possibly compare to the grief felt by their friends and family of the fallen. It is important that we put the feelings of their loved ones first, above all else.

The amount of posts on both Facebook and Twitter which pay tribute to our fallen heroes has been growing. In these posts many times the fallen hero’s name is given and sometimes even include their unit and branch as well. Normally I would say this is a wonderful thing, as part of my mission to Honor Them is to make sure that we all Honor Those Fallen so they are Never Forgotten for the tremendous sacrifice they’ve made on our behalf.

With that being said, an recurring problem for quite some time has been posts which are releasing sensitive information prior to the Department of Defense making an official release. It is important to know that the DOD releases this information only after the family has been notified. Losing a loved one is hard enough on these family members. The least we can all do is offer them the courtesy of making sure they receive notice in the most respectful and dignified manner possible.

Please remember and respect OPSEC (Operations Security) and the extremely sensitive nature of the information you have at your fingertips before you post anything, or relay information of any kind in any way, shape or form. Prematurely posting details regarding a casualty that a family member might see prior to being notified by the proper authorities is nothing I wish on any of the families of our fallen heroes.

Our brave and selfless troops fight to protect our freedoms and liberties. Let’s all work together to protect their families from any further hurt.

For the most part I think a majority of people understand the importance of the above message. However, I still find quite a few people who wish to debate the issue with me. Their reasons vary from “our local news reported it” or “my family readiness group posted it” or “I know someone in the unit and everyone is talking about it” or the one that makes me cringe the most “I saw it on Facebook and/or Twitter”.

Here is my problem with the above excuses – quite honestly that’s what they are is excuses, because they are not justifiable reasons to share sensitive information – the sources these people are obtaining this highly sensitive information from are not the Department of Defense. The DOD is the only entity which is permitted to put out a first notice/release of the death of one of our brave fallen heroes. No one else has that right, nor should they assume that they do.

This brings me to the reason for this blog entry. On April 3, 2012 we lost Fort Carson soldier, Staff Sgt. Christopher Brown due to wounds caused by an improvised explosive device. This in itself is tragic enough, however tragedy struck a second time for the family of Staff Sgt. Brown. Before I explain what happened, I’d like to give a little of background as to why I find the soon to be mentioned incident even more troubling and completely avoidable.

On April 4^th I received a public request on Twitter asking me to honor and pay remembrance to Staff Sgt. Brown. My first reaction was to check the DOD site to see if I had perhaps missed a release. I was of course concerned when I saw that an official release had not yet been made regarding Staff Sgt. Brown. I sent this person (an Army wife) a private message requesting that she please delete her tweet with the soldiers name and explained my reasons why. I was surprised when I was met with some resistance on the subject. The reasons she gave me was that Staff Sgt. Brown was in her husband’s unit, their family readiness group had posted it and the family had been notified. I still chose to not publicly tweet the information and explained to her that in my way of Honoring Them, I will not post information on a death until I am 100% positive – meaning the DOD has made official release – that the family has been notified.

The debate ensued and I was surprised to received messages from other ‘wives of soldiers in the unit’ who requested that I pay public tribute to Staff Sgt. Christopher Brown. I have and will continue to Honor all of those brave we lose, however I will never do it until the DOD has made a release. It is because of this that I had to respectfully decline yet again and also explain my reasons why. I did find it odd that I received so many requests in such a short period of time (mere hours) for this one soldier and even went back through my messages this morning to make sure my memory wasn’t failing me before I wrote this post. My memory did not fail and I had more than one wife of a soldier requesting I publicly post this brave hero’s death information before the proper authorities had made such a release. An important side note to this is that the official release of Staff Sgt. Christopher Brown’s death was made by the DOD on April 5^th. The day after these requests took place.

This morning I was saw the unfortunate result of what can happen when sensitive information gets into the wrong hands and causes tragic results.  Please click on this link: Wife of Fort Carson Soldier Learns of His Death on Facebook and read how crucial it is that everyone understand and respect OPSEC, and the information that somehow may have fallen into their hands. A similar incident happened in February when the wife of a fallen soldier received a phone call from her friend after reading about the death of the woman’s husband on Facebook.

Folks, my simple message to you is this: OPSEC exists for a reason. Our military forces have grown, thrived and remained strong on the principles of protecting Operations Security. We cannot hinder those who protect and defend us. It is our duty as Americans to use good sensibility with information. There should never be a rush to be the first to post sensitive information. I personally would rather be the last to post information regarding a death and know that the family was taken care of. Whether you serve, know someone who does, are in a military family or just read something on a social networking site, you still don’t have the authority to share the information publicly. No one does. Not until that fateful knock at the door happens, the family of our fallen have been taken care of and The Department of Defense has made an official release. The internet is a powerful tool, it has and can be used as a weapon, please use its strength wisely.

Very respectfully

 ~ Amanda

War Affects Many

Good afternoon folks, In light of the recent news that a US Soldier has killed over a dozen Afghan civilians I would like to share my personal thoughts on this subject.

First and foremost, I would like to emphasize that ALL life is precious. With Please that being said, I do not condone or make excuses for anyone taking the lives of innocent civilians, regardless of their nationality. Be that as it may, I am not in a position to make judgment calls on this particular incident. In fact, none of us are. I ask everyone to please let the appropriate authorities investigate this incident and let them decide the course of action and/or punishment. We were not there and do not have the capability to look into all that took place.

Sadly, there have been many innocents lost in the global war in terror. I emphasize again, that ALL life is a precious commodity and one that should be cherished, not used as a pawn in war. Unfortunately, this does happen. War is an ugly beast which can change an ordinary man and make him see and feel things that we couldn't begin to possibly understand. Instead of passing judgment on any person, instead I ask that you all join me in saying a prayer and having a moment of silence for all those innocent lives that were taken. We may not be able to turn back the hands of time and change what happened, but hopefully we can learn from this tragedy and it will never happen again.

With respect for all those affected by war,

Amanda

Never Forget Tangi River Valley

Today marks the 6 month anniversary of the worst loss of life for Special Operation Forces. On August 6, 2011 our nation was rocked by tragedy when a CH-47 Chinook carrying 38 Warriors was shot down by a rocket propelled grenade in the Wardack Province of Afghanistan killing all 38 people on board.  Of those who died, 17 were U.S. Navy SEALs, 5 were U.S. Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Command Support personnel, 5 were crew members from the U.S. Army's 7th Battallion, 158th Aviation Regiment and 2nd Batallion, 135th Aviation Regiment, 2 were special operations U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen (PJ's) and 1 Combat Controller from the Air Force Special Operation Command (AFSOC); also on board was a highly trained U.S. military dog.

Sadly, the event was reminiscent of a blow we felt a little over six years ago on June 28, 2005, when we lost 11 U.S. Navy SEALs and 8 of our U.S. Army's Night Stalkers in Operation Red Wings.  Until August 6th that had been the single worst loss of life in the Special Operations Command in Afghanistan. The similarities and immense number of casualties served as a chilling reminder of the grief felt six years ago.

Those killed were not just warriors. They were sons, brothers, husbands, fathers and friends to so many.  

Please take a moment to Honor Them and their sacrifice.

May they Never be Forgotten. 

(please click on the individual links)

 

Army Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett 24, of Tacoma, Wash.; assigned to 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion)

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson 28, of Angwin, Calif.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill 31, of Stamford, Conn.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

  

Air Force Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown 33, of Tallahassee, Fla.; assigned to 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, N.C.

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher G. Campbell 36, of Jacksonville, N.C.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

 

Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 David R. Carter 47, of Centennial, Colo.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion)

 

 

 

Navy Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day 28, of Taylorsville, Utah; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team 

Navy Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara 26, of South Sioux City, Neb.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

Army Spc. Spencer C. Duncan 21, of Olathe, Kan.; assigned to 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion)

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas 31, of Minneapolis; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

Army Staff Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger 30, of Lincoln, Neb.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion) 

 

 

Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell 26, of Long Beach, Calif.; assigned to 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, N.C.

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston 35, of West Hyannisport, Mass.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

Navy Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall 32, of Shreveport, La.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis Langlais 44, of Santa Barbara, Calif.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason 37, of Kansas City, Mo.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills 35, of Fort Worth, Texas; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bryan J. Nichols 31, of Hays, Kan.; assigned to 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion)

 

 

 

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas H. Null 30, of Washington, W.Va.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman 27, of Willits, Calif.; assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit.

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff 34, of Green Forest, Ark.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves 32, of Shreveport, La.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson 34, of Detroit; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar 24, of St. Paul, Minn.; assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit.

 

 

 

 Navy Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange 25, of Philadelphia; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson 35, of Rockford, Iowa; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn 30, of Stuart, Fla.; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

   

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman 32, of Blanding, Utah; assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

 

 

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe 28, of York, Pa.; assigned to 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, N.C.

"Bart"