Justified Honor and Remembrance for not only Sgt. Yarosh but all who served and are serving in these two theaters, burned soldier portrait to show at Smithsonian!
This is and will be for a long time a great tribute to this soldier, and all the Fallen and Maimed of these two continuing occupations. And like "The Wall", until we can build a Memorial for the Fallen of both these conflicts, it should be a Reminder to this Nation of what We Allowed "In Our Names!"!!
Army Sgt. Richard Yarosh
SAN ANTONIO — Retired Army Sgt. Richard Yarosh has gotten used to the stares. His face is blanketed in knotty scar tissue. His nose tip is missing. His ears are gone, as is part of his right leg. His fingers are permanently bent and rigid.
All is the result of an explosion in Iraq that doused him in fuel and fire three years ago.
“I know people are curious,” he said. “They’ll stop in their tracks and look. I guess I can understand. I probably would have stared, too.”
Snip
The gallery received more than 3,300 entries. Many are less conventional portraits, including video and photos, but others, like that of Yarosh, draw strength from the traditional head-and-shoulders composition, said curator Brandon Fortune.
Mitchell’s use of the style — historically reserved for nobility, a high-ranking military officer or a president, not a disfigured soldier in an Army T-shirt — democratizes such paintings, Fortune said.
“The portrait is clearly meant to honor him. I think that contributes to the gravity of the presentation,” she said.
Snip
Yarosh was astonished when he saw the completed portrait.
“It was perfect. I couldn’t believe that he captured me,” he said. “It captures my pride. I’m proud of the way I look. I’m proud of the reason for the way I look.”..>>>Rest Found Here
Speaking of a Memorial, I've had a picture in my head all these past years of another "Wall", facing ours but built up on the top of steps for each year we stay in these theaters, to tower above ours but making a Corridor for the public to walk through.
Towering above ours because we 'Nam Vets and this Nation didn't Keep Our Promise: To Learn The Lessons Of 'Nam And To Never To Allow Another 'War/Occupation of Choice!
The Steps to be the Sacrifice this Nation finally makes for what it allowed, All Visitors would need to walk up each step to reach the Names Engraved in Honor from this Country for their Service and Sacrifice!!
(NECN: Lawrence, Mass.) 7-25-08 - Groups of people lined the roads of Lawrence, Massachusetts Friday morning in a solemn tribute to a serviceman from the city as he came home for the final time.
The body of Staff Sgt. Alex Jimenez was brought to Lawrence by a motorcade to St. Mary's of the Assumption Parish, where friends, strangers and neighbors looked on as an honor guard carried Jimenez's flag-draped coffin into the church.
Some onlookers waved American flags as the coffin was carried into the church, followed by a large group of family and friends. Large crowds are expected for Jimenez's public wake from 4pm to 8pm at St. Mary's of the Assumption. A funeral mass will be held at the church Saturday morning at 11am.
Jimenez will be buried on Long Island after a service there next weekend.
LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP) — A procession of veterans on motorcycles and state police in their cruisers blocked parts of two interstates Friday as it finally brought home the body of an Army staff sergeant who was missing for months after being seized by insurgents in Iraq.
A hearse bearing the remains of 25-year-old Alex Jimenez came to a halt in front of his father's house in Lawrence, the scene of a 14-month vigil as the family awaited word of his fate. A memorial shrine with floral arrangements and half-burned votive candles was on the sidewalk.
Before dawn every Sunday morning, at the foot of the Santa Monica Pier, volunteers set up crosses in memory of American service members killed in Iraq.
The Video was produced for the New York Times and can be also seen At Their Site
The Times don't include an 'embed' link, so for those who might want to add this to their sites you can get the above embed link at Blip TV, also at Google Video if you prefer or at Live Video as well.
For Vietnam Veterans, Families, Relatives, Friends of, and all those interested but not touched by having a Fallen Loved One Honored on 'The Wall' the Memorial and the National Archives offers a great new service:
WASHINGTON - The National Archives is joining with a Web site to make historical records of tens of thousands of deceased Vietnam War veterans available electronically for the first time.
The interactive site - at Footnote - The Wall - is a Web re-creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall. The site offers access to thousands of pages of casualty records and agency photos. People can search by name, hometown, birthdate, or dozens of other categories.
The site allows people to post photos they may have of a deceased veteran and to make comments. The service is currently free for Vietnam War information; the company is deciding whether to charge fees for some of the 50,000 National Archives photos now digitized.
Note: Interactive Vietnam Veterans Memorial It's Free, leave a tribute, a story or photograph about any of the 58,256 veterans killed or missing in the Vietnam War.
This morning, 3-27-08, the local affiliate of NPR, WFAE had a report on a few of the local family members with sons or daughters serving in the Military and In-Theater either Iraq or Afganistan, and how their neighbors are disconnected from what they are experiancing, after talking to the family members they did an interesting follow, talking to people of the WWII era showing the total Disconnect of this Country, and it's Citizens, Now as to these Occupations to Than.
Thinking, as I listened, they could have expanded the report to the Occupation myself and thousands of my brothers and sisters served in. Than we didn't have Cable, with so many stations, mostly of uninteresting shows, and with a number of so called News Channels that Rarely show what is happening in Either Theater and flip through reports of those killed or maimed Without a Concious thought as to them or their families. The greater majority of the country were disconnected, carried over from the Korean Conflict, But The Conflict Was In The Living Rooms Almost Nightly on any one of the three stations or all three.
Though because of the Extreme Danger to the Real Journalists, doing war correspondence, they can rarely get out of their safe zones in either Iraq or Afganistan to actually report first hand, as was not the case in 'Nam, but the almost total lack of reporting on the Soldiers this Country sent into these Occupations leaves the Country Totally Disconnected and Unwilling To Sacrifice as these soldiers and Families Carry The Full Burden of the Extreme Failed Policies of Country and Society!
Seniors at Fort Campbell High School near Nashville, Tenn., are preparing to graduate. But as the Iraq war enters its fifth year, some of those students have had a parent deployed overseas for a lot of their time in high school.
Soldiers at Fort Campbell are on their third deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan — missing the milestones of watching their kids grow up.
And what's this costing us, much more than those not Sacrificing a thing Think, or rather as we put it all on a Credit Card, our Next Generations Will Be Paying! You can get a taste of the cost with an updated report, aired last night on The News Hour:
In a follow-up report to a series on the cost of war, Paul Solman examines the new estimates for short- and long-term expenditures related to the ongoing conflict in Iraq -- including military recruitment, equipment and medical treatment for those injured. You can view The Report with this Link. If you prefer to just listen the audio link is at the site.
And rummy, a clip from back when in the report:
PAUL SOLMAN, The cost of the Iraq war, it's a far cry from the original estimates.
DONALD RUMSFELD, Former U.S. Secretary of Defense: The Office of Management and Budget estimated it would be something under $50 billion.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, Anchor, "This Week": Outside estimates say up to $300 billion.
DONALD RUMSFELD: Baloney.
These returning present day Combat Veterans will face a Country not only Disconnected but in Denial and in Collective Apathy, they will continue what those before them, from Korea to 'Nam to the First Gulf War and all Military Actions in between, Fighting For What This Country Owes Them!!
And their Children, because of the nature of the Hatreds we have Created, will be facing not only the costs of the Failed Policies but the Blowback, Retaliations, from the Deaths and Destruction we have wrought!!
We have lost over 900 dead Americans since the surge. Now if you want to dismiss that as "success" that would be your interpretation. Chuck Hagel
97 percent of U.S. deaths in Iraq have occurred after George W. Bush declared an end to "major combat." Mission accomplished!
Any one in or near Charlotte North Carolina are welcome to come and observe and reflect on the True Costs of War!
A number of volunteers were very busy yesterday, 9-28-07, setting up the Memorial to the Fallen of both Iraq and Afganistan, with thoughts also of those who are not counted but their deaths are a direct result of having served in both theaters and experiancing the Hell on Earth man creates.
Thoughts and Sad memories are also embedded in the Memorial of the Tens of Thousands of Innocent Iraqi people with Code Pink setting up the 'Peace Ribbon' some of which carry the names of only a few.
The Arlington South Memorial of 4,000 Crosses is be set up in Charlotte on the first International Day of Non-Violence!
The crosses are being displayed at Independence Park (7th and Hawthorne) in Charlotte on the final weekend in September (28-30). We ask that any in or near Charlotte please stop by and visit the Memorial, especially if you can make it for the dedication ceremony at noon on Saturday Sept. 29.
The human cost of the war is enormous and increasing. This memorial is intended to be a place to mourn, reflect, contemplate, grieve, and meditate. 4,000 hand made crosses / Star of David/ Islam Crescents that honor and acknowledge those who have lost their lives and loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq. We mourn the loss of all life – Military and Civilian, of Every Nationality!
Please join us, if you can, today, Saturday 9-29-07, or tomorrow, Sunday 9-30-07.
“It’s your own private jet,” says Ms. Clark with a smile. “You can go wherever you like.”
In recent weeks, immense riches have been rained upon the top bankers and traders. After a year of record profits, investment houses like Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers and Morgan Stanley are awarding bonuses as high as $60 million. And a select group of hedge fund managers and private equity executives may be taking home even more.
$250,000 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Clients trying to spend $20 million on Manhattan properties Buying $5 million apartments for their children
“We love hedge funds, they are our favorite people” Ms. Kleier said. “They don’t feel like the money is real and they don’t mind spending it — they don’t mind going up by $500,000 or $1 million increments.”
Private planes, or shares of them, are also on the rise
A typical price for a charter flight is $30,000.
The morning Goldman Sachs announced record fourth-quarter and 2006 earnings, Lloyd C. Blankfein, chairman and chief executive, implored his employees — many whom would directly benefit from the bountiful earnings — to avoid excess. “As stewards of the firm’s reputation, I ask each of you to remember that our actions — inside and outside of the office — reflect on Goldman Sachs. Even a perception of arrogance hurts all of us,” he said in a voice mail sent to the entire firm.
Then, at 7:30 a.m., a black Mercedes pulled up, depositing Mr. Blankfein in front of Ms. Clark. The night before, he had been awarded a $53.4 million bonus. She offered him a voucher. “How are you?” he said, smiling quickly but refusing the voucher. “I guess he didn’t want it,” she lamented.
ARBIL, Dec. 24 (IPS) - Khanzad, 26, originally Kurdish, returned to Arbil with her family in mid-2004 after 16 years of living in Baghdad. Like many coming from the violence-stricken city, she has a harrowing story to tell.
BAGHDAD, Dec 22 (IPS) - Despite promises from Iraqi and U.S. leaders that 2006 would bring improvement, Iraqis have suffered through the worst year in living memory, facing violence, fragmentation and a disintegrated economy.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Umm Salam draws her curtains across her windows, then settles into an armchair in a living room festooned with colored lights and a portrait of Jesus on the cross. Her Christmas tree glitters in the corner.
BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - British forces killed seven gunmen and flattened the headquarters of the serious crimes unit in southern Basra on Monday after learning prisoners there were about to be executed, the British military said.
And While Wall Street Embrace They're Extreme New Wealth:
SANTA CRUZ — Move over Santa Claus, this year's holiday do-gooders are the homebuilders who have been working double duty to move about a dozen homeless veterans into permanent housing in time for Christmas.
As the city braces for a new crop of military veterans who could struggle with emotional or substance abuse problems upon returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday a partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to place homeless veterans into permanent housing and to swiftly serve those at risk of becoming homeless.
According to statistics provided by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the VA estimates that there are about 200,000 homeless veterans; 45 percent are mentally ill and half suffer from substance abuse; and, Like Brown and Laney, the vast majority are single with little or no family support networks.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
The Failed Policies will Haught Us and the World for Decades! "A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." - Edward R. Murrow
Army Sgt. Richard Yarosh
