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Tom Bevan at Real Clear Politics spotlights an awesome event taking place this week in Branson, Missouri called “Operation Homecoming USA”
Here’s the event description:
Thirty years have passed since the end of the Vietnam War. During those three decades, the brave men and women who served in that conflict have never been given the recognition they [...]

(Vasila Hossaini; Advocates for Afghanistan)
Just a beautiful, uplifting story.
More about Vasila here.

A reader e-mails:
A group of 9 National Geographic staffers are walking 200 miles in 10 days with only water and one teabag each– no food. They are camping out during the day, walking at night to aviod the heat. Their object is to raise
$10000 each for the Afghan Girls Fund, a charity established in 2002 [...]

Kit Jarrell of milblog Euphoric Reality has the exclusive and related commentary here on Lt. Ilario Pantano’s resignation of his commission. An excerpt of Lt. Pantano’s remarks at an event this week thanking supporters:
I have taken up arms for my country and my corps in two wars and it has been my privilege to serve [...]

Legacy.com has set up a moving tribute page to honor service members who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. The company set up the site free of charge and launched it in March. The Guest Book sections are must read. Well over 19,000 Guest Book entries from readers have been posted since the site [...]

Blackfive: Opening the gates of heaven
Mudville Gazette: Sacred words
“I want to fight for something”
Photo of the day: Maj. Mark Bieger
Set a remembrance table

Must-read of the day is at the WSJ Online: “An American Soldier.” It’s an essay from Michael C. Carson of St. Paul, Minnesota, a fallen American soldier, written five years ago when he was a high school senior. Laura Ingraham read it on her show this morning. You won’t get through it with dry eyes. [...]

For once, a good ending–although the child will bear the physical and emotional scars of abuse for years to come.
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Background:

Fla. police hope photo will help them find victim of child abuse
Sifting Clues to an Unsmiling Girl
Police hope photo of possible witness leads to child porn victim

This didn’t make the front page of the New York Times, but thought you’d like to read it:
U.S. troops donate 800 pairs of shoes to kids in rural Iraq
“I went through villages when I first got here and noticed that some of the kids didn’t have shoes,” said Sgt. William Bailey, 29, of Logan Utah.
“Some [...]

My new column is up, inspired by National Police Week as well as a number of news items involving cops this week. The intro:
When was the last time you thanked a cop? And wouldn’t it be nice if, for just a brief moment, the mainstream media would hold a ceasefire in its incessant cop-bashing crusades?
There [...]

Have you heard of Helen Harcombe? If not, get out the Kleenex before clicking here. An excerpt:
A mother who died from breast cancer is helping to bring up her daughter - with a manual of advice she had written in the final stages of her illness.
Helen Harcombe, from Porth in the Rhondda, left instructions for [...]

If you’re in Connecticut and looking to adopt a dog, read this.
Update: Chain Gang notes you don’t need to be a Connecticut resident to help rescue the greyhounds.

Democrat Zell Miller–a true maverick–fell ill yesterday during a speech and was taken to a hospital outside Atlanta. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Check out Scott Johnson’s lovely tribute to Zell here, “My favorite Democrat.” Mine, too.
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Previous:
End-of-the-year listmania (best Zell zingers of 2004, scroll down)

Just found out about this. From Laura Ingraham’s website:
You know I hate Drama Kings or Queens, but I am asking for your prayers today and for the forseeable future. On Friday afternoon, I learned that I have joined the ever-growing group of American women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. As so many breast [...]

Sri Lankans want to know where $425 million tsunami aid pledged by Canada went. Judi McLeod of Canada Free Press investigates.
(Hat tip: Reader William B.)

Tony Perry of the Los Angeles Times has a heart-warming article about local citizens in Bangor, Maine, who welcome soldiers returning to the U.S.:
BANGOR, Maine — Tired and bleary-eyed, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, based at Twentynine Palms, Calif., were finally back on U.S. soil after seven months on the front lines in [...]

Sweet little story.

John Woodruff’s brilliant victory in the 800 meters at the 1936 Olympic Games helped crush Hitler’s ideals of white supremacy. Now 89 years old and in poor health, Woodruff’s once-powerful legs have been amputated below the knees. He needs an expensive, specialized van to get around.Back in the ’30s, Olympic champions didn’t get multi-million-dollar endorsement [...]

Pat Tillman, who was killed one year ago this week, reportedly turned down the opportunity to be honorably discharged from the military four months prior to his death. (Hat tip: Lorie Byrd.)
A road race was held in Tillman’s honor in Tempe, Ariz., over the weekend.

Jeffrey Ake, father of four, was kidnapped by terrorists in Iraq Monday and appeared on a video yesterday surrounded by masked gunmen.
Ake was abducted from a water treatment plant near Baghdad. He’s president of a company that bottles water and cooking oil. His hometown of LaPorte, Ind., is planning a Friday prayer vigil.
Meanwhile, four other [...]

Received a beautiful G.I. bracelet today–it’s a purple band that sports the phrase “FOR THOSE WHO SERVE” in honor of the troops. The G.I. bracelets are just $5 each. The entire purchase price goes to the following 501(c)(3) charities:
Fisher House Foundation
Builds “comfort homes” on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes [...]

Reader Richard Davis just heard on the radio (Michael Smerconish, WPHT Philadelphia) an interview with Widener University President Dr. James Harris.
According to Davis, Harris said Widener will begin giving four-year full scholarships to children whose military parent was killed in either Iraq or Afganistan.
The program, called “Widener Cares,” will give away four scholarships each year.
Apparently [...]

Remember this little story of a Girl Scout and her dad getting hassled by N.Y. cops for selling cookies?
The N.Y. Post has a nice follow-up:
March 14, 2005 — A “cookie angel” has bought 1,000 boxes of a Long Island Girl Scout’s goodies in hopes of sweetening her recent unpleasant encounter with the NYPD.
“Gracemarie Louis seems [...]

The 2005 Templeton Prize winner was announced this week; the $1.5 million award went to Charles Townes, the Nobel laureate whose inventions include the maser and laser and who has spent decades as a leading advocate for the convergence of science and religion.
USA Today has a nice profile of Townes today.
The prize was established in [...]

There’s a Marine who needs you. From the Bakersfield Californian:
LOMA LINDA, Calif. (AP) - A Marine who received a liver transplant because of a near-fatal infection that developed after his return from Iraq may now need a bone marrow transplant.
Lance Cpl. Christopher LeBleu, 22, has a “high probability” of needing the transplant because he has [...]

…to indefatigable blogger-extraordinaire Ed Morrissey and his wife, who will be undergoing a pancreas transplant tonight or tomorrow morning.

Bring a box of Kleenex. You will need it.

Remember this moving photo of an injured Marine?
The Omaha World Herald has a riveting follow-up story today.
More at The Right Report and Blackfive.
We are truly blessed to have such men of courage serving this nation.

A man who found $850,000 on the road returned it to its rightful owner.