I know Memorial Day has passed. And, I am sure all of you at least gave a moment of silence for those men and women who sacrificed their lives in support of this country.
But, we still have men and women in harms way. Whatever your feelings for the politicians who sent our forces overseas to fight, I hope you continue to think of, pray for and support the troops.
One gal, Louise Downs, makes sure we here at the newspaper office never forget our soldiers. She visits our offices and sends us e-mails. She and her cohorts try to take care of the soldiers and their family’s needs. As such she gets e-mails from the front with requests.
Here’s the latest. After reading, if you can help, e-mail her at desertangel@intouchmi.com
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Dear friends and family, many of you have asked if we need anything or if you could mail us anything. We are fine, most of our needs are met and we have access to a mini-PX that carries the essentials.
Over the last few weeks, the Combat Support Hospital has taken care of pregnant patients as well as infants and children. It is no secret that this is a COMBAT hospital, and thus, we do not have an abundance of supplies needed in some cases, especially the supplies needed for the aforementioned patients. Medications and basic supplies are available, but some of the extra materials which we take for granted at home, here are scarce.
A few of the providers here have seen the need and have had their loved ones send some supplies. However, in response to our need, we came up with the idea of registering at Babies-R-Us. If you would like to help us, please donate from the available list. The list is not all-inclusive, so feel free to send any supplies you feel are appropriate. Our basic needs are as follow:
n Diapers and baby wipes; infant and toddler clothes; AVENT? bottles and nipples of assorted sizes ( we want only one kind of bottle so that all our supplies can be interchangeable)
n Burp cloths and receiving blankets
n Infant formula and baby food
n Toys; breast pumps (manual), breast milk storage bags; diaper bags; baby, infant, or expectant mother supplies
The registry is under my name: Jose Vazquez and Combat Support Hospital Iraq, registry # 99326615. My e-mail is Jose.vazquezvicente@us.army.mil.
We chose Babies-R-Us because they ship to an APO address, but alternatively you may choose to mail it yourself. Our address is:
CPT Jose O. Vazquez or Department of Ob/Gyn
Task Force North
APO AE 09348
All donations will be used here at the Combat Support Hospital and any surplus will be donated to the local hospitals.
Thank you,
Jose O. Vazquez-Vicente, D.O., CPT, MC ,OB/GYN
10th Combat Support Hospital
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In 1915, Canadian military medic John McCrae penned the poem, In Flander’s Field:
In Flander’s Fields
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
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In 1918, an American woman, Moina Michael wrote:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies . . .
Comments for Don Rush can be e-mailed to: dontrushmedon@charter.net