The American Wars http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:12:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 en September 11, 2001 Collection http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/07/23/september-11-2001-collection/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/07/23/september-11-2001-collection/#comments Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:12:05 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/?p=21 Today I started a difficult task.
I am taking a class called Intro to Archival Management and the final paper is one where I will basically process a currently unprocessed collection. My topic still hasn’t been approved, but I have gone ahead and started working on it even so.
I chose to work on my September 11, 2001 collection. I knew it was a fairly large cllection, but as I was going through the various newspapers (and yes, the Reflector is among them), I was surpised at just how large it really is.
As I went through them, I couldn’t help but actually read some of the print-outs from around that time. I also could not resist the commerative magazines I had purcahsed either. What this resulted in was an overflow of emotions and (I am not ashamed to say) tears. Part of it was due to remembering what happened that day and how I felt. Part of it was the realization of how quickly we, as a nation, forgot. I wanted to both laugh and cry everytime I read the words “We will never forget.” I have no doubt there are many who have not forgotten that day, but I also have evidence of many who apparently have.
Anyway, I felt like sharing this with all of you and wonder what you think about this.

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/07/23/september-11-2001-collection/feed/ National Guard http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/06/23/national-guard/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/06/23/national-guard/#comments Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:17:03 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/?p=20 This past Saturday, my family and I went to a local restraunt.  When we entered the restraunt I took a (figurative) step back.  Why? you ask.  Because I was met by a sea of green camoflauge.  I don’t think I had ever seen so many people wearing green camoflauge in my life.  Who were these people?  None other than members of the National Guard.  I was overwhelmed.  I followed my family in and joined them in finding a place to sit (there were a total of eight of us and I wasn’t sure we’d find a place for us all to sit together).  I sat for a few minutes or so and decided to go back to my car and grab my camera.  On my way out, I happened to glance down and noticed something yellow on the upper left-hand side of my t-shirt.  What I discovered (which made me laugh considering) was that I was wearing my “I support the troops” t-shirt.  I had planned to wear it just because, but it didn’t really dawn on me until then the significance of the whole thing.

After I grabbed my camera, I returned inside and stopped between two tables with the most guardsmen and told them thank you.  One of them responded by thanking me (which always makes me laugh simply because I have more reason to thank them) and then added “Thank you for wearing the shirt.”  WOW!!!!  That really made my day.  I explained to him that I just realized what shirt I had on while going back out to my car.

Later, as I left the restraunt, I made a point to stop by another table where a couple of guardsmen were sitted and thanked them too.

The whole experience was truly amazing!

To all who read this and either have or are serving in the United States military:  THANK YOU!!!!

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/06/23/national-guard/feed/ Memorial Day Part II http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/25/memorial-day-part-ii/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/25/memorial-day-part-ii/#comments Mon, 26 May 2008 02:44:48 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/?p=19 I’m gearing up for Memorial Day.  In my last post I mentioned a Memorial Day program held in the front of the County Courthouse.  Well, I have been checking the paper for more information about it for this year, but found nothing.  Then I remembered talking to someone about it last year and that I had learned this was organized (in some way) through the Greater Starkville Development.  So, I decided to check their website for any information and found that the event is on for tomorrow.

The details are as follows: Place: Starkville, MS in front of the Oktibbeha County Courthouse (Main Street)  Time: 11:30 am.

I will be there looking quite patriotic and carrying a camera.

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/25/memorial-day-part-ii/feed/ Memorial Day http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/23/memorial-day/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/23/memorial-day/#comments Sat, 24 May 2008 01:28:20 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/?p=18 Memorial Day is almost here.  Last year, I learned that Starkville had started having a Memorial Day program in front of the County Courthouse.  I went and wished I had my camera with me.  So far, I haven’t seen any mention about the program for this year, but I will be there if it occurs.  This is how I wish to spend Memorial Day.

Recently, I received an email from the Kitchen Table Gang (http://www.kitchentablegang.org/) which included a quote that I hope will not prove true this Memorial Day (or any day after).  It was written by an unknown soldier and the message from KTG informs that it was “Etched onto the wall of a sentry box in Gibraltar”.

“God and the soldier, all men adore In time of danger and not before. When the danger is passed and all things righted, God is forgotten, and the soldier slighted.” - unknown Soldier

To all those who have served and are serving, thank you.  To those who have lost loved ones in the line of duty I want to say thank you.

Let freedom ring!  “Lest we forget.”

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/23/memorial-day/feed/ Training http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/19/training/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/19/training/#comments Tue, 20 May 2008 03:03:21 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/?p=17 Recently, I was driving on the road that runs behind the local National Guard and started thinking about those in the Guard.  More particularly, what I was thinking about was when they would be out on this road next.  There have been a couple of times when I was driving down the afore mentioned road on a Sunday and those in the Guard were out there running and/or walking down the road (I assume it was a weekend training or something). 

This past Sunday, as I drove down that road, there they were. However, things were different this time.  I didn’t see anyone running or walking down this road (that was seen on the road I turned onto - Industrial Park Road).  Instead, what I saw was at the far end of the road.  A large group of Guardsmen (possibly cadets from the looks of it) were in formation (at least that’s what I assume it was called) with a couple of COs standing right in front of them giving commands.  On the opposite side of the street (that being the side I was on), there were several other COs.

One of these days, I hope I can get up the courage to open my window and yell out a “THANK YOU!!!!”

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2008/05/19/training/feed/ Actions Taken http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/12/22/actions-taken/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/12/22/actions-taken/#comments Sat, 22 Dec 2007 07:40:19 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/12/22/actions-taken/ Tonight I watched an incredible movie called “The Christmas Card”.  However, it was the bonus features that really moved me to take action.  I have been considering for some time creating a Facebook group for this site and have finally found the words to describe the purpose for the group.  The group’s purpose is also the purpose for this site.

The purpose/mission statement:

In memory of those who have served and have gone on before.
In honor of those who have served and are still with us.
In honor of those who are serving still.
With thanks to all in the military.

I guess I should have also added the goals, but I’m still working on those.  One thing I’m hoping to accomplish is to bring those in the military together with those who are not.  I am also hoping to provide a better understanding of the military, the wars America has participated in, and the reason war is sometimes necessary.  Lofty goals, I know.

The other action I took (well, I’ve taken the first step anyway), was to obtain the address of a soldier to correspond with (I know,.  I shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition.).  I’m hoping that this will work out.  I have the link to the Any Soldier website on the main page for The American Wars website.  I’ve also included it on facebook.  However, I haven’t added it to this blog yet (hopefully it’ll be there before most or any of you read this post), but have decided I should do so as not everyone visiting this blog has visited either of the other locations mentioned above.

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/12/22/actions-taken/feed/ Thank You Veterans http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/11/10/thank-you-veterans/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/11/10/thank-you-veterans/#comments Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:28:56 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/11/10/thank-you-veterans/

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/11/10/thank-you-veterans/feed/ September 11, 2007 http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/09/11/september-11-2007/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/09/11/september-11-2007/#comments Tue, 11 Sep 2007 05:41:44 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/09/11/september-11-2007/ It is early morning on Tuesday, September, 11, 2007.  I’m typing this shortly after having transferred my AUA files over to this site.  Yesterday, I started gathering my September 11, 2001 materials together in preparation for the writing of my annual 911 poem.  Off and on this year, I have been awaiting this day knowing the historical significance.  You see, it was exactly six years ago today that terrorists made an attack against the United States of America.  It is exact even to the day of the week.  Even with all that has been accomplished over these past six years, I still can’t help but be a bit apprehensive as to what I’ll see on the news tomorrow morning.

 Speaking of the news from Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I wonder how many of us can still recall vividly our 911 story.  I can recall it as if it had just happened yesterday.  It is probably for this reason that I am a bit apprehensive about tomorrow.

I’d like to take this opportunity to once again thank all those who have and are serving in the United States Armed Forces.  Thank you for fighting to keep this country free.

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/09/11/september-11-2007/feed/ Statement of Service http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/04/13/statement-of-service/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/04/13/statement-of-service/#comments Fri, 13 Apr 2007 22:48:32 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/04/13/statement-of-service/ Recently, I wanted to know why those in the military joined the service and I thought I’d ask for the reason why they served or are serving. If you’ve served or are currently serving or are considering serving in the United States military please consider the following:

Why I have served in the United States military.

Why I am serving in the United States military.

Why I am considering serving in the United States military.

Thank you.

]]> http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/04/13/statement-of-service/feed/ ReDeployed http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/03/07/redeployed/ http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/03/07/redeployed/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2007 05:16:27 +0000 Victoria Roberts http://www.theamericanwars.org/blog/2007/03/07/redeployed/ Not being military myself, I hope I used that word correctly.

Ayway, I found out on Sunday morning that a friend of mine is being redeployed to Iraq in June. He is a Marine National Guard and is working on a degree in architecture. When he told several of us this news, I felt like crying. We knew each other before he went the first time, but not real well. Since then, I’ve gotten to know him better and it scares me that he’s going again. I hope he’ll be ok and will return safely (isn’t that a common refrain these days?).

Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud he’s serving and I know he needs to be over there, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get scared. I guess I’ll have to keep thinking about what Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

To all of you already deployed or being deployed, thank you so much for serving our country and for answering freedom’s call.

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