You may be surprised to learn that the newest recruits in the war against Iraq are dogs! Yes, canine and furry, our four legged pals are doing some very brave work in the midst of perilous times.

Dogs are serving right along with our troops, in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as they are excellent in detecting explosives during the war front. They can sniff out roadside bombs up to a third of a mile away, and are becoming increasingly in demand as the fight against terrorism continues. They are also unwaveringly faithful to their handlers, and many have risked their lives in order to protect their fellow soldiers. When many soldiers are wounded, their thoughts turn to the dog who was wounded alongside them- gives new meaning to the term, “Man’s Best Friend”, doesn’t it?

As you can imagine, Iraq is no picnic for a dog, and a dog that has earned soldier status is no exception. The dry heat of the sun makes it hard for dogs to thrive, and they are also casualties of roadside bombings, gunfire, and other weapons of warfare.

In fact, you’d be amazed at how soldiers become bonded with the dogs that serve with them. When a dog becomes wounded in war, he or she is often whisked away and treated with expert care. They may even enter a rehabilitation process before they can return to the line of fire and serve again. Dentists may even be called to help save damaged teeth and perform root canals.

Just like any other soldier, dogs must undergo vigorous physical training before they are allowed to serve in combat. Training takes place at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. At first, they are trained to become accustomed to the loud noises commonly associated with war. Next, they learn how to detect the scent of explosives, and how to stop before reaching them.

As you may imagine, German Shepherds are one of the leading breeds used in combat, but another is the Maliniois. Maliniois are a variation of the Belgian Shepherd Dog. In addition to the shepherds, there are other breeds that are being trained. Poodles are also used to help find explosives and are particularly useful for detecting things in small areas, due to their small size.

Typically speaking, dogs fare very well in combat. Right now, only ten dogs have been killed in both Iraq and Afghanistan combined. However, the rate of injuries is much higher. However, the desert heat, not combat, causes the number one cause of injury. Additionally, it isn’t uncommon to see dogs wearing bulletproof vests or other protective gear while they are on the field. The dogs are trained to wear these items, however, due to the desert heat, it can place an additional burden on the dog, and so most dogs may go without them.

It is truly amazing how dogs are serving in the war with soldiers. However, this isn’t the first time they have been called to combat. Dogs served in the Vietnam War, World War II, and World War I.

Today, fewer people then ever before are choosing to enlist in the military. As a result, the military has loosened their grip on the requirement needed to become a member of the armed forces. If you’ve wondered if enlistment is right for you, here are some answers to commonly asked questions, regarding why you should join the U.S. Military.

First, the basic guidelines for enlistment state that you must be a United States citizen, or a resident alien. Next, all enlistees must be at least seventeen years old. Also, if you are seventeen and would like to enlist, you will need your parents consent. You must have a high school diploma; however there are certain circumstances where some people with a GED may enlist. Finally, you must pass a medical health examination. For those who would like to become officers, you will find that to enlist, you will need a college degree. Typically, all officers have obtained Master’s degrees.

Now that you known the very basics, let’s take a look at the various differences between the main military branches: The Air Force, The Army, The National Guard, The Coast Guard, The Marines, and The Navy.

To enlist in the Air Force, you must be between the ages of 17 and 27. Seventeen year olds will need signed consent from their parents. You must not have more than two dependents, and you will need to pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude test with a minimum AFQT Score of 36.

For enlisting in the Army, you will need to be between the ages of 17 and 42. Seventeen year olds will also need consent from their parents. You may not have more than two dependents. Entrance in the Army is dependent upon a minimum score of 31 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Test.

If you are interested in joining the National Guard, you must be between the ages of 17 and 42, have no more than two dependents, and pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test with a minimum score of 31.

To enter the Coast Guard, you must be between the ages of 17 and 42 years old. Additionally, seventeen year olds will need written consent from their parents before joining. Enlistees may have no more than two dependents, and must be able to pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test with a minimum score of 31.

If you would like to enter the Marines, you will need to be between the ages of 17 and 29. All seventeen year olds will need written permission from their parents. You’ll find that the Marines expect more mental and physical demands from its recruits then do the other branches of service. In fact, when women enlist, they will serve in all of the same areas as males, except for combat areas such as: infantry and tank and amphibian crewmembers. To enlist in the Marines, you will also need to pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test with a minimum score of 31.

Finally, if you would like to enlist in the Navy, you will need to be between the ages of 17 and 34. Women may enlist in all Navy areas except for the Navy Seals. Additionally, women may not serve on submarines. To enlist in the Navy, you must pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test with a score of 35.

Cindy Sheehan will be running against Republican Nancy Pelosi, in a bid for the US House. She made her threat that if Pelosi didn’t move to impeach President George Bush by July 23, Cindy would challenge her. True to her words, Cindy Sheehan made the announcement last Thursday that she will run.

Nancy Pelosi states that she is adamant about bringing the troops home, but believes that it must be done in a timely and safe manner. Apparently, that isn’t good enough for Sheehan.

Sheehan made world headlines, as she has undoubtedly been the war’s loudest voice of protest. Her son, Casey was killed while serving in Iraq. He was just 24 years old. It is understandable that Sheehan is sad and distraught over the loss of her son, however it amazes me that she never focuses on the fact that he willingly volunteered for the armed forces.

It is one thing, to protest the war, when there has been a draft, as with Vietnam, however there is no draft. Casey wasn’t killed because President George Bush sent him into combat against his will. Casey was a grown adult, who made a conscientious decision to defend the rights of his fellow Americans. He served his country and died receiving the highest honor any military member could receive.

Yes, it is painful and the sorrow is great. However, we cannot ignore the fact that Casey, like countless thousands in our Armed forces, knew that war is part of the Military package. Is it really fair to blame the President for his death?

Personally, I think not.

I also don’t think that Cindy Sheehan is going to get very far with her run against Nancy Pelosi. First, Nancy Pelosi has been in politics for a very long time, and she has been in Congress since 1987. The odds are immensely stacked against Sheehan. It has been reported that she has absolutely no financial backing (despite experience), and is refusing to accept money donated from companies.

I think this woman has lost her mind.

I’d like to know if she really believes that her son Casey would be proud of what she is doing. First, he joined the military willingly. He swore on an oath, to serve this country with his life. He did that. He knew what he was doing. He obviously didn’t ask his mother’s permission to join. Would he appreciate her vehement attack upon the nation and the president as well?

Military personnel are sworn to uphold the decisions of the president, whether they personally agree with them or not. The president is the head commander in chief. All military personnel know this. Casey joined the military and vowed to follow President Bush’s orders. He did follow the president’s orders, honorably and self-sacrificially. Would he find his mother’s behavior honorable? Would he find the actions of his mother honorable?

My gut says that he wouldn’t. If he felt the way she did, he would have run from the military as soon as he had a chance. Maybe Cindy Sheehan should stop running her mouth, and follow the example her son left as his legacy.

Since the beginning of the war, Iraqis have been fleeing their homeland. Their plight has been one of survival, of life and death. They have crossed borders, only to find unwelcoming arms. To date, there are over 2 million Iraqi refugees seeking shelter and asylum in other countries. Many of the hardships that the refugees are facing is heartbreaking. In a time when we expected to see an end to the war, civil unrest has made life difficult for all who seek peace, especially the Iraqi refugees.

Some of them want to come to America. In fact, our government has made provisions for 2,000 Iraqis to be admitted into the United States by September 30, 2007. What is amazing is that there have been many hindrances and a large number of the Iraqi refugees who seek asylum in America have yet to reach the border. So far, there have been roughly 200 refugees that have made it to America. With the goal being 2,000 by the end of September, it doesn’t take much calculation to figure that there should be quite a large number of Iraqi refugees coming to America over the next month.

Life for Iraqi refugees has been hard, if not brutal. Many children have stopped receiving education, as there has been no room to accommodate them in foreign schools. The majority of the refugees have moved to Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. Part of the delay of the Iraqis coming to America is due to strict Homeland Security Laws. U.S. officials are working on allowing more Iraqis access to America at a quicker speed. Yet, many wonder if it will be quick enough. During the months of April and May, reports show that there was only one Iraqi refugee per month who gained entrance in the United States. Compare that to 63 Iraqis in June. However, the number was down to 57 for the month of July. It is important that the Iraqi refugees, who seek life in America, can gain the security clearance needed to reach our shores. The problem lies with other countries that restrict our nation’s access to government clearance.

Currently, there are 1.5 million Iraqi refugees in Syria alone. That number is followed by a whopping 750,000 in Jordan. Egypt has housed 150, 000 and Iran 50, 000. Turkey currently has 20,000 refugees. We should expect to see a large number of refugees coming to America in the next month.

Additionally, what has taken a surprising turn is the fact that some Iraqi refugees are moving to Sweden. Some experts believe that Europe will see a total of 40,000 refugees by the close of 2007. The European Union is currently taking a closer look at their asylum laws, as they expect the amount of Iraqis seeking asylum to nearly triple. However, this isn’t the first time that Iraqis have sought asylum in Sweden. The first group was during Saddam’s years, between 1997-2003. In fact, there are many Iraqis currently living in Sweden, enough that they have their own communities such as Sodertalje and Malmö.

War is a very trying time, but for many soldiers, when they return from the call of duty, they often find that they are left with many unsettling emotions. In fact, the rate of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is skyrocketing in our U.S. soldiers as they return from the battlefield. Often, readjusting to the normalcy of American life is difficult, and many soldiers find it is hard to blend in with their families again.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a condition where an individual, who has suffered a traumatic experience, continues to suffer from anxiety and fear as a result of the trauma they endured. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD for short is often associated with victims of rape, accidents, serious abuse, or even a surgery. However, combat veterans see it in a large scale. In fact, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder officially made it into the medical textbooks after countless Vietnam Veterans were diagnosed with the disorder.

One of the most disconcerting facts regarding PTSD is that it doesn’t necessarily have to occur immediately after the traumatic experience. Sometimes it may take up between six months to several years before symptoms appear. Some of the most common symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder include:

Feelings of despair; this is attributed to depression and is a direct response to the traumatic event Flashbacks from the traumatic event, these may be brought about by triggers, or events that make one remember the trauma.

Memories regarding the event may be overwhelming and feel as if the person is reliving the event Exaggerated emotional responses to triggers, this is in regards to the feeling that the event is happening Lack of emotions, likewise there may be emotional numbing or a shutting down of feelings of love, joy, and peace.

Feeling detached, this is also very common and the person dealing with PTSD may feel as if they are detached from the rest of the world, including their family members.

Hopelessness is a common feeling along with despair Nightmares, people dealing with traumatic events may find that they dream about the events repeatedly. This can cause for great anxiety and fear, and interrupts normal sleeping patterns.

Uncontrolled Anger may occur as people dealing with these events are on edge and dealing with overwhelming emotions
Loss of Interest in activities that one used to participate in. This is referred to as avoidance, and in an attempt to forget the traumatic experience, people may avoid anything that reminds them of the experience.

Irritability is a common symptom where people just don’t have a feeling of peace anymore. They may snap at others easily and have feelings of anger, aggression, or compulsive behaviors. There is also a symptom of people being on guard. They may feel the need to protect themselves so greatly that they startle easily and are always on “guard” mode.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, you need to let someone know so that you may seek help. Counseling is available and the only way you can deal with the trauma of your life is to take the steps necessary to heal.

In an unprecedented military move, U.S. forces killed the top al Qaeda leader, Haitham al-Badri, officials declared on Sunday, August 05, 2007. Haitham al-Badri is said to have been the mastermind behind the devastating bombing of a Shi’ite shrine back in 2006, which resulted in a tremendous siege in sectarian uprising and violence. The violence in Iraq has been long enduring, however it is no secret that the U.S. strategy, is to break up terror cells and stop al Qaeda in its tracks. The war against terror is directly aimed at al Qaeda and those who help support the cause of al Qaeda.

On February 22, 2006, the beautiful golden dome on the al-Askari mosque was destroyed. The attack took place as several bombers, entered the mosque, bound and tied the guards, and then set explosives. It is believed that the bombers disguised themselves as members of the Iraqi Special forces. The mosque was severely damaged in addition to the golden dome being destroyed.

The Al-Askari shrine, located in Samarra is one of the holiest mosques for Shi’ites. The attack triggered numerous uprisings and killings for the sake of revenge, as Shi’ite youth took to the streets in defense of the attack. In fact, the uprising is said to be the cause of the deadliest surge of violence within Iraq since the time of the invasion.

The Al-Askari mosque was first built in 944 and is one of the most sacred structures in Islam. In addition to the February, bombing, just seven weeks ago, on June 13, 2007, the al Qaeda mastermind was said to have staged another attack on the same Shi’ite mosque, al-Askari where its minarets were destroyed.

In fact, UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) is planning on helping to rebuild the Al-Askari shrine. They are known for preserving some of the most culturally valuable structures throughout the world. However, they are waiting for Iraq to come to a place of peace, before they can begin reconstruction. UNESCO states that the Iraqi officials are ready and willing to begin the reconstruction process and they are waiting for security conditions to come to a place when the process may begin. In fact, the director of the UNESCO Iraq office, Mohamed Djelid and Hak Al-Hakeem who is the advisor to Iraq’s Prime Minister for Reconstruction and Environment Affairs, signed the official Memorandum of Understanding.

Removing terrorist cell groups and al Quaeda are imperative to restoring peace and security measures throughout Iraq. The U.S. is very proud and hopeful of this victory, as they believe that they have finally captured and killed the mastermind of this terrorist cell group. U.S. forces state that they spotted Haitham al-Badri and his cohorts as they were preparing an ambush just east of Samarra. This is an amazing step in the fight against terrorism, and it is believed it will be a major step forward in the advancement towards bringing peace to Iraq. The fight against al Qaeda has been a long one, but this is definitely a step ahead.

During times of war, we don’t expect our soldiers to commit crimes. It happens, we know it does, we saw it in Vietnam, yet we hope and pray that our men will go overseas, obey orders, fight for the just cause, and return home. That’s it, clear and simple. We don’t want anything to go wrong, and we always expect our soldiers to perform their duties honorably, to the best of their abilities, and as a credit to themselves and their country. That doesn’t always happen.

Unfortunately, our soldiers are not always honorable men. Though our government does its best to screen out those who may have murderous or psychotic tendencies, there is no doubt that many people who are not deemed “fit” to serve in war serve anyway. It may be due to underlying psychological issues that went unnoticed, possibly soldiers were healthy individuals and the pressures and horrors of war caused them to go over the edge, or maybe some people are just bent on hurting other people without lack or feelings of empathy, maybe some soldiers do not know how to separate war from murder and are bound with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and just lose it, whatever the reason, it happens. To the shame of our nation, our country, and fellow servicemen, it not only happens, but it happened again.

On August 4, 2007 a 23 year old Army Private named, Jesse Spielman was sentenced to 110 years for the rape and murder of an Iraqi girl and her relatives for a crime that occurred in 2006. Along with Jesse Spielman, Sgt. Paul E. Cortez, 24 years old, Specialist James P. Barker, and Steven. D. Green were also charged in the attack. Both Specialist Barker and Sergeant Cortez pleaded guilty and received 100 years and are currently serving time in Fort Leavenworth. Steven D. Green is currently awaiting trial.

Now here is where the case gets interesting. Apparently, Jesse Spielman has been declaring his innocence from the beginning. Specialist Barker, and Sergeant Cortez both plead guilty, but also attested to the fact that Private Jesse Spielman was an unwilling observer who never participated in anything. He did not plead guilty, because he believed that the facts would prove his innocence and he would be cleared of all wrong doing- not so. In fact, Jesse Spielman received 110 years, where the two who admitted their wrongdoing received 100 years with the possibility of parole in 10. As you can tell, many people are scratching their heads trying to determine what is going on.

If this sounds like the Tom Cruise hit, “A Few Good Men” to you, you’re not alone. This story has Hollywood production written all over it, and the fact of the matter remains that Jesse Spielman was found guilty and convicted for what apparently seems to be Army orders. He was ordered to go with his superior to meet a terrible fate. The crimes committed were atrocious, but if Jesse Spielman did not participate, does he deserve 110 years in a federal penitentiary?

On July 29, 2007, Iraq defeated Saudi Arabia and won the Asia Cup. This is a tremendous victory that stunned and amazed the world. Not only have the Iraqis shown that they are diligent players at the game of football, they have overcomes hardship and challenge to reign victorious as champions. The outburst of enthusiasm throughout the streets of Baghdad has been phenomenal. There is no doubt that the Iraqis have proven their commitment to triumph over the hardships of war that they have been faced with.

The Asian Cup was founded in 1956 and the Asian Football Confederation runs it. Not only have the Iraqis been declared the champions of Asia, but also with their win, they are now eligible for the FIFA Confederations Cup. The tournament is held every four years, but was moved up a year early. Due to the fact that with the Summer Olympics and European Football Championships also taking place in 2008, they changed the schedule for the Asian Cup. However, after this year’s win by the Iraqis, the tournament will be held every four years from 2007.

The game was filled with anticipation, and the Iraqis were clearly the underdog. All eyes turned however, when Younis Mahmoud (who was also declared most valuable player) delivered the winning play. With 71st minute header and a kick from Hawar Mulla, the Saudi Arabian goalie, Al Mosailem didn’t know what hit him. Unable to block the winning goal, the three time champions handed victory to the Iraqis. Overcome with emotion, the Iraqis upon hearing the final ring and realizing they were the champions, dashed across the soccer field and collapsed in a large pile. The crowd was ecstatic and shouts of victory broke forth throughout all of Iraq. Against police orders, the Iraqis shot celebratory gunfire into the streets and celebrated well into the early morning; joy had broke out in the streets of Baghdad once again.

To say that the Iraqi win was surprising is an understatement. Most people revere the victory as a sheer miracle. The Iraqi team overcame tremendous obstacles to claim this victory, and no doubt they will be honored and became legends with this feat. In fact, the Prime Minister of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki, announced that each member of the winning team would receive 10,000.

Their Brazilian coach, Jorvan Vieira worked with the team in very difficult circumstances. First, he needed to take the team outside of Iraq for training. There is no doubt that the team had to overcome low morale at times to focus on their sport. During training and right before the match, several players lost relatives due to the war. In addition, violence haunted the team with bombings taking the lives of fans as they celebrated the Iraqis early win. Coach, Vieira mentioned one casualty, team phsyio, Anwar who succumbed to a bombing while collecting tickets for a pre-tournament training camp. The war continually follows Iraq, but for this day, Iraq’s spirit truly overshadowed the political turmoil and declared them victorious.

This is a great show that Sesame Street made especially for children whose parents are deployed in Iraq. It introduces Elmo’s father as serving in Iraq and preparing for his deployment. That’s not such a bad concept since Sesame Street had never shown Elmo’s father before. The show is hosted by Cuba Gooding Junior and follows several military families and interviews both the parents and the children. It discusses how preparing for deployment and deployment has affected the family unit as a whole and how children can deal with separation.

Wal Mart gave the show away and you can view and download the program online here

Now the program has been nominated for an Emmy award and it will be interesting to see if they win.

One of the most striking features or aspects of the show is the realization that many children were not prepared for their parent’s departure. One military mom tells with tears in her eyes, how her son kept asking every day for a year when his daddy was coming home.

The show is a good reminder that no matter how you feel about the war, or which side you are on, there are more than 600,000 American children under the age of five, who are living with a parent or parents deployed in war and for many of these children, their lives will be changed forever.

Sesame Street took the issue at hand and created this program to help answer the needs, concerns, and fears that children of deployed military personnel are facing. They also have several handouts that you can download from the site to help families cope with the stress of deployment.

If you are caring for a child whose parent or parents are deployed there are certain things that you should consider that will help you offer support for the child. One of the most important things is that you should keep communication open and honest. Children may have many questions regarding war and the number one fear that they may be experiencing is whether or not their parent will die. If children ask these questions, no matter how hard or painful it may be to discuss, the best course is to discuss them openly and honestly. In addition, some children may choose to live in the present situation. That means that they would like to focus on the activities at hand and may cope better with the deployment by not focusing on it.

Let your child choose how they best deal with things, but don’t confuse your child living in the presence with denial or avoidance. It isn’t a bad thing if your child doesn’t want to talk about the war or their parent who is deployed all of the time. Let your child lead the way and answer questions as they arise.

The program will air across the nation at different times on PBS however you can always visit the website and download the program for immediate viewing.

When it comes to determining facts and figures regarding the death toll in the Iraq war, there are a lot of questions. It seems that facts are calculated regarding US soldiers that have met their fate, however when it comes to determining how many Iraqis have died, no one is counting- or counting accurately.

The Iraq war began in March 2203, and at the onset there were a number of Iraqi casualties. In fact, we heard of one of the earliest “conquests” in reports of Iraqi death tolls. Some of the major victories in the Iraqi war have been defined by the deaths of key enemy figures. However, other than these notable deaths, it is hard to pinpoint exactly how many Iraqis have died.

For American soldiers, their deaths are reported and their names are only released after the military gives the official release. If you look on the Internet, you are sure to find conflicting information regarding the number of casualties. This is true for both American troops as well as Iraqi civilians. When it comes to finding the exact number and listing of names regarding American soldiers that have given their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom, your best source is the Department of Defense. They maintain an up to date list that includes all of the soldier’s names. You can access the list here:

Operation Iraqi Freedom Casualty List

According to the Operation Iraqi Freedom Casualty list there are 3, 628 soldiers that have lost their lives during the war.

These numbers are much lower than compared to the number of estimated casualties in Iraqi. Though it is difficult to pinpoint an exact number, the majority of resources show that the estimated figure of Iraqi civilian deaths since the war began in March 2003 is over 600,000. If you were to judge the war purely by looking at the number of casualties, you would surely come to the conclusion that the U.S. is winning for even though we have suffered great loss; the numbers are significantly less for the coalition troops then for Iraqis.

In addition to the amount of casualties, the number of estimated American wounded since the onset of the war is estimated to be near 30,000. The number of wounded American soldiers is growing and the challenges ahead are great. Many wonder how this wounded generation will face their lives ahead, filled with physical obstacles, brain injuries, and a staggering number of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. For those who have survived the Iraq conflict, there are still many who continue to deal with the casualties of war on a daily basis.

There are many organizations on the web that are trying to keep track of specific numbers regarding Iraqi casualties but it is virtually impossible to ever know for sure. There are many refugees that are fleeing Iraq and seeking shelter in neighboring countries, such as Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon. Currently, the United Nations refugee agency and the United Nation’s Children’s Fund are seeking $129 million dollars to help tens of thousand Iraqi refugee children enter school.

There are a lot of organizations that have answered the call of meeting our troops needs. The story regarding My Soldier is a little bit different though. You see, My Soldier was founded by Juan Salas, a naturalized United States American citizen who is originally from Venezuela. His love and commitment to America was proved when he committed nearly two years of his life serving in Iraq. While serving, Second Lieutenant Juan Salas was aware of how much encouragement he derived from receiving letters. He makes the point that his letters are a tangible form of encouragement that he can take with him throughout his life.

When his term in the Army was through, he decided that he would begin My Soldier, as a way to foster encouragement and support for his fellow soldiers. When Lieutenant Juan Salas returned to his college, Manhattanville, he shared his vision with the college president, Richard Berman. Together, they created Manhattanville College My Soldier.

Within one month of operation, the Manhattanville My Soldier had enlisted members in all fifty states. The program consists of civilians “adopting” a soldier. By adopting a soldier that is deployed, you pledge that you will send letters and emails in a timely periodic manner. The program will send you the details regarding a soldier that you may contact by allowing you access to download a My Soldier Starter Kit. The kit will give you guidelines regarding the contents of the letters. There is no guarantee that the soldier will engage in letter writing back; your commitment is that you will periodically write letters regardless.

A nice feature about the Manhattanville My Soldier program is that they work with communities to help encourage the younger generation to get involved. In fact, one of their programs is My Soldier in the Classroom. This program has allowed many children to write letters to our service men and women while strengthening letter-writing skills. You can access the resources and here: mysoldier.com

In addition to the free lesson plan, they feature a variety of programs that help ensure that the needs of our troops are being sufficiently met. The Hats off to Veterans is a new program that recognizes veterans as well as deployed soldiers. Additionally, the Hats off to Veterans program has a free starter kit as well.

To foster community service in the youth, Manhattanville College My Soldier offers an award for youth who have shown outstanding performance in community service through the My Soldier program. There is an application form that may be downloaded from the official website if you would like to apply for the award.

Another program that My Soldier features honors women who are deployed. The My Solider Her Story program focuses specifically on women in the military. To sign up, you will need to register then send an email with the subject line: Her Story. Within several days you will receive contact information so that you may begin writing letters. With any of the My Soldier programs, you may send a care package if you like. However, it is not a requirement. My Soldier is a wonderful way to ensure that our servicemen and women know that they are not forgotten about, but that they are appreciated, honored, and respected.