Our Blog has moved back to Spirit of America

Our Blog has moved back to Spirit of America.

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Jim Hake's personal blog is here.

Blog Posts for Jim Hake

Thanks to our good friends Mark Seavey at This Ain't Hell and Paul Mirengoff at Powerline for their blog posts on Jim Hake's recognition by the US Marine Corps at last Friday's Evening Parade event. We're glad you gentlemen could make it, and thanks for being part of the family. Jim Hake's blog (personal) is here http://jimhake.typepad.com/jimhake/

Spirit of America Founder Honored by U.S. Marine Corps

Spirit of America’s Founder and Chairman of the Board, Jim Hake, was honored by the U.S. Marine Corps on May 22nd at the Marine Barracks in Washington, DC. The host for the evening was Lieutenant General Joseph F. Dunford, Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations. General Dunford is also a long-time supporter and friend of Spirit of America.

Jim Hake met General Dunford in 2005 at Camp Pendleton, and the two discussed shipments of humanitarian aid to Iraq. A friendship was struck, and General Dunford has followed the growth and expansion of Spirit of America as it has funded over $13 million in projects over the past five years.

The Evening Parade has a long tradition and is held every Friday evening during the summer months at the oldest post of the Marine Corps, and home to the Marine Corps Commandant.

Spirit of America is the only nonprofit organization that fulfills requests from members of the U.S. military for goods that will help local people in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa. In October 2009 we will turn our focus almost exclusively to Afghanistan in response to the troop build-up in that country. Through the Americans for Afghanistan Campaign, United States citizens will come together in support of the efforts to rebuild the Afghan nation after decades of warfare.

Spirit of America continues to actively seek projects from all U.S. military personnel serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa. Please contact Project Director Michele Redmond at michele@spiritofamerica.net for more information on how to submit a project request.

Please contact Deputy Executive Director Caryn Marshall if you have questions about the Evening Parade or would like photos of the event.

Jim Hake's blog (personal) is here http://jimhake.typepad.com/jimhake/

Armed Forces Day Tomorrow

You've seen this image before if you follow Spirit of America at all. It's a photograph of Army Sergeant Major James "Mack" McDowell, along with an Afghan soldier and two farmers. Tomorrow is Armed Forces Day in the United States, and when I pause throughout the day to think of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, for me Mack McDowell will take the point.

The best part about the opportunity to serve as executive director of Spirit of America is the frequent opportunity I have to meet America's best. Simply put, there is no better fighting force than ours, and I am often inspired by their dedication, professionalism and sense of duty. Spirit of America communicates with the lowest enlisted ranks, all the way up through the highest officer ranks, and the common denominators we see in each of them are love of country, commitment to protecting it, and passion for those peripheral to the fight.

Mack gave a series of presentations for Spirit of America a few months ago, after having completed one our most successful projects to date - the wholesale eradication and conversion of a poppy field in Sangin, Afghanistan (the origin of 65% of the world's heroin supply) into a high-yield saffron industry. For his efforts, Mack was awarded CNN Hero status. As he gave his presentation those three common denominators really came through. Mack is obviously a great America hero and proud member of its Armed Forces. His primary job as a Soldier was to rid his particular area in Afghanistan of the Taliban, which he did quite well. But what really shines above all else with Mack, in my opinion, is his true passion for the Afghan people. Just watch these three 10-minute videos of Mack's presentation at DeAnza College if you aren't convinced: Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD-HkOg4rDg); Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bNEXxmlIH0); and Part 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n26i21Xmg44).

Mack talks about the photo above of a young boy that was brought to a shura with his father early in the process to discuss plowing under the poppy and growing saffron. Of course, seated beyond the photo, but near enough to see who came and show their interest, are unarmed Taliban members who drift in and out of the villages and gather intelligence. For bringing his son and trying to teach the next generation of Afghans the right way to live and prosper, the father pictured here would have his eyes gouged out a few days later by the Taliban. As Mack says in the videos above, it's for this little boy that we have to get it right in Afghanistan - a little boy who now has a blind father because that father had the guts to take a stand and commit to a better life for his family. There are no better people to take on the task of ensuring that little boy's future than American fighting forces - people exactly like Sergeant Major Mack McDowell.

Please take a moment tomorrow to think about the sacrfices made by our friends and family in the United States military. It doesn't matter what you think of the wars and conflicts of the past or present - these individuals have earned our respect. Let them know how deeply and sincerely you appreciate them, even if it's just with a positive thought. Thank you.

Dennis Norris

Visit to Deleram FOB

Here I am in Farah Province, Afghanistan, chatting with LtCol David Odom. Colonel Odom is the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion/8th Marines at Deleram FOB. The 3/8 has been in the thick of it for months. Spirit of America has provided them with materials to help train Afghan Security Forces, as well as medical supplies for a regional medical clinic being constructed in the village right outside their door. We will continue to work with the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) for Farah Province and its commanding officer, Navy CDR Benjamin Nicholson, in the coming months and years. Thanks to the 3/8 for being the pioneers for us in this region of Afghanistan. There is a lot of work to do, but we're good to go.

Impressions of Afghanistan

I would venture to guess that the first thing a typical American realizes when flying over southern Afghanistan is that he/she is a long, long way from home. There are no signs of civilization below, other than occasional mud-brick evidence of a village or a few haphazardly organized green pastures that follow rivers and streams. Gone is the geometry and concrete permanance of life as we generally know it.

So after hours of featureless landscape, imagine my surprise when all of a sudden we landed at Kandahar Airfield, a small rectangular military outpost truly in the middle of nowhere that years ago was known as the "Taliban's Last Stand." And although I did not see it firsthand, one of my hosts, USMC Colonel Michael LeSavage, told me that behind the wall holding the welcome sign (pictured here) is an enormous hole in the ground, courtesy of a United States military airstrike during Round One of the Taliban's last days.

The impression I had of Afghanistan was less about the country and its people, and more about my hosts, the United States Marine Corps. I kept hearing myself saying that popular phrase, "No better friend. No worse enemy." On the "no worse enemy" side of that equation, what I saw were a few remote FOBs consisting of maybe 1,000 Marines, all covering an area the size of Vermont. Spread this thin, the FOBs could still function because they are populated by the best fighting force on the planet. As a veteran myself I am not green to the military or the Marines for that matter, but in this surreal landscape I really got a sense of the organization and the power of our boots on the ground, and the unquestionable stupidity of anyone who would opt to mess with them. I also understand completely that the Taliban is a formidable enemy for any fighting force, but in the months to come as more and more American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines enter Afghanistan and venture into all corners of the country, one can't help but stand in awe of the comprehensive and well-deserved beating that the Taliban are about to receive.

In terms of having "no better friend," I believe that side of the equation is the primary reason that the United States military and Spirit of America remain so closely aligned. Our country trains professional soldiers; we do not strip them of their compassion. I have never witnessed so much concern for the Afghan people than what I saw firsthand in providing supplies to units like the Marines 3/8. Their commitment and dedication to relieving the suffering and injustice that has been heaped upon the Afghan people is only paralleled by their commitment and dedication to removing their threat. The American people understand the need to rebuild, resupply and reinvigorate, and through Spirit of America they consistently come to the rescue of people who have lived and died at the hands of tyranny and injustice. When the military is the vehicle through which we as Americans reach out our hands, it just works. It works better than any other method because the military sees it with their own eyes and feels it with their own hands. Who better to tell us back home what is truly needed, and what is truly at stake?

Those are my impressions of Afghanistan. I'm glad for the opportunity to have gone and I'm eternally grateful to my hosts. More importantly, this was the first of many visits and the start of many projects. We have a lot of work to do folks, so let's get busy supporting our troops and the Afghan people. They both need our support, and I for one am here to give it. Will you join me?

Dennis Norris

Afghanistan Visit

This past week I was able to make a quick journey to Kandahar, Afghanistan and surrounding areas, thanks to the hospitality of the United States Marine Corps. Special thanks to Lieutenant General Joseph Dunford for setting the trip up, and to Brigadier General Ronald Baczkowski (pictured here on the left) for being such a gracious host. I'd also like to thank Colonel Michael LeSavage (pictured center) and Captain William Milana (pictured right) of USMARCENT in Tampa, FL for allowing me to join them and for providing me with so much valuable information.

The goal of this trip was to meet the key players in Afghanistan and to do a bit of a needs assessment in terms of Spirit of America projects. It was a resounding success. Not only were my hosts able to provide valuable information on how things work and who can help us complete our mission, but I was actually allowed to visit the Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in southern Afghanistan to witness everything first hand. The highlight of the "in theater" portion of my trip was the visit to the 3/8 in Farah Province. Spirit of America donors have been funding the activities of LtCol Dave Odom and Major Brian Mulvilhill for several months now, and I was able to meet them both face-to-face and get a briefing on their activities. You will not meet two finer, more professional Marines.

More on the details of my visit in a few days. I wanted to let everyone know that I have returned, that the journey was successful, and that I look forward to the growing relationship that we're developing with the United States Marine Corps and other military personnel in Afghanistan.

Dennis Norris

Jim Hake's blog (personal) is here http://jimhake.typepad.com/jimhake/

U.S. Army Sergeant Charity Lewis Interview

U.S. Army Sergeant Charity Lewis has completed two separate deployments to Iraq - one with the Pennsylvania National Guard and the other with the Indiana National Guard. During her first deployment she took full advantage of Spirit of America resources and requested everything from toys and beanie babies, to blankets and soccer balls. She kept a considerable stock of these items where she worked, and became quite popular with U.S. Marines who would stop by and ask her to fill up their Humvees before they went out on patrol. Sgt. Lewis was also able to take Spirit of America-supplied materials with her when she went out on patrol herself. She was directly responsible for distributing tens of thousands of dollars worth of items that yielded friendly and positive relationships between the Iraqi people and American Soldiers and Marines, and she no doubt saved the lives of several by showing that Americans really care about the future of Iraq.

So imagine how excited I was to learn that Sgt. Lewis was back from Iraq, and living in her hometown of Beford, Indiana, just a few hours from my own home in Zionsville, Indiana. With the help of volunteer Matt Massie (himself a two-deployment veteran of Iraq as a U.S. Marine), we traveled to Beford and interviewed Sgt. Lewis about her experiences in Iraq, and with Spirit of America. Click on the title of this blog post to see that interview on YouTube.

Thanks to Sgt. Lewis for exemplifying Spirit of America, and thanks also to volunteer Matt Massie for helping out with this interview. - Dennis Norris

Major Terri Selph Continues to Help Landmine Victims

Army Major Terri Selph continues to help both childrens and adults who are victims of the thousands of landmines that litter the Afghan landscape. She has been asking for and receiving Spirit of America donations for wheelchairs, which are quite rare in Afghanistan. Her wheelchair projects have made it possible for several individuals to once again discover the happiness of mobility. If you would like to help Major Selph, please visit her project page for more information. Thanks!

Dennis Norris

Appearance on BlogTalk Radio

Last week I was invited to speak on the "Your Military Life" segment of BlogTalk Radio. Thanks to hosts Nancy Brown and Phyllis Zimbler Miller for the invitation. If you would like to hear the program, click here and then scroll down to the Spirit of America segment. Thanks!

Dennis Norris

74-Year Old Doctor Off to War in Afghanistan

Yet another great post from our friends at A Soldier's Mind, a truly outstanding blog. Enjoy!

Dennis Norris

Great Post About CSM Jeffrey Mellinger

Check out this post from our friends at "A Soldier's Mind" about Command Sergeant Major Jeffrey Mellinger. It's a great story.

Dennis Norris

Women and Children's Engagement Project

This is HM1 Charlotte Ward of the US Navy, a very special person from Des Moines, Iowa. Charlotte serves with a Naval Special Warfare Unit as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman. Sometimes it amazes me when we hear about the long hours our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines put in, but when we get emails from Charlotte it really hits home for me. Not only does she provide medical support for an entire platoon of SEALS, but she also serves as a deputy for the Women and Children's Engagement Project through Marine Civil Affairs. She spends endless hours doing foot patrols, and going house-to-house in and around Fallujah, Iraq. In her "spare time" she orchestrates events in village centers, schools, or the homes of tribal leaders. When she contacts us she is usually operating on only a few hours of sleep over several days.

HM1 Ward is receiving funds from Spirit of America for three objectives: 1) to start a literacy project in Fallujah; 2) to start a sewing center; and 3) to make improvements in schools and clinics. Her efforts focus on women and children, as they are the foundation for bringing stability to the area. Many of the women are widowed and have no means for accessible medical care, no skills to earn an income, and little chance for education or literacy. Charlotte is trying her best to bring all of this and more to the women and children of this region. We are very proud to support her work and her boundless energy.

If you would like to help Charlotte out with her project, click here to learn more. Thanks!

Dennis Norris

A Great Quote

Spirit of America's Michele Redmond shared a great quote with me today from the New York Times. It was spoken by Ben Stein (Bueller? Bueller?), and it goes like this:

"We are more than our investments. We are more than the year-to-year or day-to-day changes in our net worth. We are what we do for charity. We are how we treat our family and friends. We are how we treat our dogs and cats. We are what we do for our community and our nation. If you had $100 million a year ago and now you have a lot less, you are still the same person. You are not a balance sheet, at least not one denominated in money."

Well said, Ben. Food for thought...

Dennis

Christmas in Iraq

In an earlier blog post I mentioned U.S. Army Chaplain Steve Dunn and SPC Jonathon Kissam and their efforts to support an orphanage in Iraq. They even got some great ink in the Daytona Beach News-Journal and the Volusia Beacon.

Today we received these fantastic photos of our soldiers preparing to deliver toys and candy to the Iraqi kids. Donations came not only from Spirit of America, but also from 19 other organizations! A quote from SPC Kissam:

"Chaplain Dunn and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the support we have received. The past six months have been a glorious time for us because we get to see our Soldiers' faces light up when a gift is given. We cannot thank you enough for all the support and for giving your love behind every box sent to us. We got everything from school supplies for the Iraqi kids to hand warmers for our Aircrews, and everything in between. It is a great day when we can say that America still support our Soldiers."

Great job everyone!

Dennis

PRTs an Integral Part of Spirit of America Projects

At Spirit of America we recently received a thank you note from one of our funded Soldiers. It reminded us of the important ongoing job of reinstituting civil affairs and providing the framework for security and government infrastructure in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Although we have covered this type of work before in a November 2008 Email Update, it bears repeating now because there is a flurry of activity with these speciality units, especially in Iraq in the wake of their successful elections.

Civil Affairs Units and Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) are tasked with rebuilding war-torn areas and winning the hearts and minds of the locals. No easy task, but U.S. Soldiers and Marines are having an enormous impact in both countries. A great example is a recent project that Spirit of America funded with US Army Sergeants Mike Aguero and Julie Vosilus, both stationed in Iraq.

Sergeant Aguero was assigned to the PRT in Mosul, Iraq. He reported to us that most of the schools in his area were badly damaged, and that there was a complete lack of school supplies. Sergeant Aguero's mother is an elementary school counselor here in the States, and she managed to add to Spirit of America's school supply donation by implementing a school-wide drive of her own. SGT Aguero wrote to us and said:

"I personally went to one school district and watched as our Iraqi Army counterparts distributed the supplies. Lots of smiling faces! What you have done for these children goes beyond just school supplies: you have given at least 2000 children a shining example of American kindness, and a renewed faith in their government to support them."

Sergeant Julie Vosilus is attached to a Civil Affairs unit out of Belton, Missouri, but also assisted with a PRT in Kirkuk, Iraq. More specifically, Sergeant Vosilus worked with the Public Health and Education Team and on a weekly basis met with local officials to hear first hand the dire need for school supplies (especially in the rural areas). She dealt with approximately 900 primary and secondary schools in her area alone! Not only were Spirit of American donors able to help her obtain school supplies, recreational equipment, and even several wheelchairs, but she began a Vocational Training Program in the area that has already requested sewing machines to help train women on how to help themselves by building their marketable skills.

As to the attached photo, SGT Vosilus writes:

"We had the opportunity to play soccer against the Dibis policemen. Members of the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army continue to be the top targets for insurgents, so we were able to share some of your supplies with the Dibis police. Thank you for what your organization does and for the support you provide. You fill a void which helps make our job easier and, in the end, helps saves Soldiers' lives."

Thanks to both Sergeants Aguero and Vosilus for their dedication to the Iraqi people. Thanks also to Spirit of America donors who make these sorts of project possible.

Dennis

SPC Gerardo Llamas Says It All

I started to post a blog about all the great things that US Army SPC Gerardo Llamas is doing in Afghanistan - collecting blankets for kids, passing out school supplies, making the most of a bad situation, etc. But then I got an email and some photos from him today and I realized that there was no way I could say it better than he does. He was describing for us his recent trip to an Afghan orphanage, and the supplies he passed out while he was there. SPC Llamas, you epitomize the mission of Spirit of America, and you are a true American hero and patriot. Take it away. . .


"It was a great experience. I can't believe how happy these kids were, the smiles on their faces said a lot and I of course was touched by this. When we got there we were received by the people that run the orphanage. They told us the kids were all outside on their patio waiting for us and that they were really excited. They helped us unload the boxes from the vehicles and took them inside the orphanage. As I was walking in I realized how much these people needed, as you can see in the pictures even the walls are falling apart. When I got in I saw all the kids lined up; girls on one side, boys on the other. We started giving all the blankets away. I must say that at the beginning I was scared that maybe I didn't have enough blankets for every kid. As the kids came to get their blanket they just smiled, some were shy and just walked away with their blanket, some tried to say thank you, some thanked me in their language, some just smiled, and one little girl, pretty as a doll, smiled and then gave me a hug. That was the highlight of my day, and she seemed so thankful. At the end I was really happy to see that every single kid got a blanket. I even had enough to give to the teachers that live with them and care for them. When we finished handing out the blankets we started giving away some jackets and coats. Unfortunately I only had about 60, and they were boys coats, so we handed these out to the boys, and some stuffed animals to the girls. After everything was all done we said goodbye to the kids. Some came and gave us hugs, some asked to us to come back. I will definitely try to go back soon to give out the school supplies and, if possible, to take them some bags of candy and other treats. I must say that all this was possible just because of your help and donations, I could not have accomplish half of this without you all. I am really thankful to every single one of you. I will keep in touch and inform you of future deliveries and projects. May God bless you all and your families!! P.S. Sorry if my writing is not perfect or is confusing, I'm not the greatest writer but I try. Sincerely, SPC Llamas Gerardo, US Army."

Thanks for supporting our troops!

Dennis

Oldest WWI Veteran Celebrates Birthday

Great story about the oldest WWI veteran who turned 108 today. Check out the video here.

Agriculture at Work in Afghanistan

I'm on my way to San Diego today, but did a quick check of my emails to find this article from one of my favorite blogs, A Soldier's Mind. A few months ago I made contact with an Indiana National Guard unit that was wrapping up its training at Purdue University. Their job is to deploy to Afghanistan and help establish a viable agricultural presence in the villages. Of course, 85% of Afghanistan is comprised of farming villages, but the Taliban make it nearly impossible for these lifelong farmers to make a living. Spirit of America is looking forward to helping our soldiers as they get our Afghan farmer friends back on their feet.

SPC Gerardo Llamas Receiving Blankets

Last week our generous Spirit of America donors responded to a request from SPC Gerardo Llamas, who needed blankets for the children in Afghanistan near his base of operations. The supplies are flowing in. Catch his letter here, courtesy of our friend Ms. Phyllis Zimbler Miller at her blog: MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL.

Phyllis also directed me to the website of an interesting guy, Andrew Lubin. You can learn more about him at http://www.andrewlubin.com/, but he's a writer and news commentator with some interesting insights and comments. On his blog, The Military Observer, you'll find an interesting post that is an open letter to President Obama regarding the war in Afghanistan.

Today is Saturday at Spirit of America, and I received a special email from Marine Major Meredith Brown, Women's Affairs Advisor serving in Iraq. I met Major Brown indirectly through this article that appeared in the LA times on January 2, 2009. Mr. Tony Perry, the article's author, put me in touch with Major Brown and today I heard back from her. She delcared her interest in moving forward with a Spirit of America effort to fund more cows for Iraqi widows. I'm very excited about this project and I'm positive that our donor constituency will come through in a big way. Stay tuned for more information on this project.

Dennis