When my country needed me I answered the call and served as a Green Beret in Afghanistan. While in the Special Forces I have seen firsthand what happens in countries without democracy. Like many of you this is not what I want for my children and our future. In April 2009 I was asked by my community, neighbors, friends and family once again to serve my country. I am ready to take on this new challenge. Now I need your help. If you are worried for your country and you are willing to help me make a change, then now is the time to help. I now need your support. Whatever you donate will make a difference. Help me help us, our children and our future. You can either mail a check to our mailing address or a make a secure donation by clicking the donate button below. Thank You

Trevor Drown for US Senate
PO Box 68
Russellville Arkansas 72801

Updated October 29th, 2009

Once again, we are at a crossroads in our country's history. Our children's future and our family-value system is in jeopardy like never before. The time to act is now. I am running for the US Senate as an Independent for the state of Arkansas. Help me help us in 2010.

 There is turmoil in our country like never before. For various reasons, it seems to be difficult these days, but not because I failed to do something in my life. When I see that the plight of my neighbors is similar to my own, I have to take a hard look at the lack of leadership in our elected politicians.

With the support of my family and friends, I have accepted this challenge, I have decided to work towards the goal of becoming an elected leader. I have formed an Exploratory Committee to run for US Senate, as an independent, representing the state of Arkansas.

I was asked to speak at one of the community events in Russellville and I thank them for listening. I wish them the best in whatever goals they are trying to achieve. I start my own journey to Washington D.C. one step at a time.

If you have additional input, leave me an email address in the Keep In Touch box and let me know what you think. Stay informed, stay in touch and stay with me, with your help we can take back our future. I dare you to join me and make a difference.

Thanks,

Trevor 

Hunting Al-Qaeda and Taliban With Indigenous Forces in the Poppy Fields of Helmund Province, Afghanistan

 Media Inquiries: media.trevor.drown@gmail.com

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please help this go viral..  ( just in )

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	Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure. Abraham Lincoln's famous statement is the reason that Great Americans was founded one year ago on Veterans Day. But we also need to listen and learn from those who have risked their lives to defend our nation. They are messengers of truths about courage, freedom, and sacrifice that are essential to our survival. The voices in these videos have something to teach all of us. Matt Daniels Creator & Executive Producer   Medal of Honor - Portraits of Valor: The Medal of Honor was created to give expression to Lincoln's words about heroism.  Not surprisingly, those who have received the Medal of Honor talk about freedom as something precious. Their stories remind us that the lessons of freedom need to be relearned by every generation.          Wisdom from a Wounded Warrior: Army Staff Sergeant Jessica Clements has more wisdom than most people many times her age.  She earned it by recovering from combat injuries in Iraq that gave her a 2% survival rate. She says that her suffering taught her to love our country and to value the sacrifices of all those who came before her.     American Warriors Come Home: Men and women who are parents, spouses, sons and daughters leave their families behind when they volunteer to defend our freedoms. Listen to their voices as they return home to their families and you'll understand why they deserve to be honored as Great Americans.
	Join our Community on Facebook Great Americans visitors can view videos featuring everyday American heroes submitted by military personnel, military support organizations, veteran's groups, law enforcement, fire and rescue and NASA. Visitors are invited to join in the Great Americans movement and upload videos, comment and discuss content, or visit an online memorial to American heroes in uniform who have been wounded or lost their lives in the line of duty. Great Americans - 301 Maple Avenue W - Suite 320 - Vienna, VA  22180

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Project Valour-IT

www.deltabravosierra.us

It was the first time I felt whole since I’d woken up wounded in Landstuhl.
–Major Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss, on using a voice-controlled laptop

You can make a donation to Valour-IT through Paypal here.

www.deltabravosierra.us

Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, helps provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries.  Technology supplied includes:

January 18th, 2006

Dear Mrs. Smith,

It was brought to my attention that your organization, Soldier's Angels, did something very special for the Marines of our Injured Support Battalion. I want to take this time and thank you so much for your contribution to make special memories for those who sacrifice so much.

Your contribution of laptops is quite above and beyond. I am grateful that you have taken time to honor our injured heroes.

[Partial funding for this project was provided by the Texas Resources for Iraq-Afghanistan Deployment (TRIAD) fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation. For more than 40 years, the San Antonio Area Foundation, a publicly supported philanthropic institution, has been administering donors’ funds and granting gifts from those funds to worthy charitable causes that significantly enhance the quality of life in the communities they serve.] 

Project Valour-IT began when Captain Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss was wounded by an IED while serving as commander of a tank company in Iraq in June 2005.

During his deployment he kept a blog (an online personal diary, opinion forum, or news analysis site-called a milblog or military weblog when written by a servicemember or about military subjects). Captivating writing, insightful stories of his experiences, and his self-deprecating humor won him many loyal readers. After he was wounded, his wife continued his blog, keeping his readers informed of his condition.

As he began to recover, CPT Ziegenfuss wanted to return to writing his blog, but serious hand injuries hampered his typing. When a loyal and generous reader gave him a copy of the Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred software, other readers began to realize how important such software could be to CPT Ziegenfuss' fellow wounded soldiers and started cast about for a way to get it to them.

A fellow blogger (blog author) who writes under the pseudonym FbL contacted Captain Ziegenfuss and the two realized they shared a vision of providing laptops with voice-controlled software to wounded soldiers whose injuries prevented them from operating a standard computer. FbL contacted Soldiers Angels, who offered to help develop the project, and Project Valour-IT was born.

In sharing their thoughts, CPT Ziegenfuss (now a Major) and FbL found that memories of their respective fathers were a motivating factor in their work with the project. Both continue their association with this project in memory of the great men in their lives whose fine examples taught them lasting lessons of courage and generosity.

In the years since its founding in 2005, the project has acted to meet emerging needs and its mission of supporting the the severely wounded has expanded.  In addition to voice-controlled laptops, Valour-IT now helps provide active and whole-body video games such as Wii Sports, which is used to great effect in physical therapy,  and personal GPS systems that help compensate for short-term memory loss and organizational/spacial challenges common in those with brain injuries.

 

Major Ziegenfuss

 

To Whom It May Concern,

Hello, my name is LCpl. Andrew. I am a Marine that was wounded in Iraq and got medevaced to Brooke Army Medical Center in Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. I recently received a laptop. I was informed that it was you, the Soldier's Angels that donated it. I can't tell you how thankful I am to have support from organizations such as yourself. It really lets me know that there are people out there that still care about the troops and what they are sacrificing for this country. I appreciate what you have done for me and having this laptop is actually good therapy for my hand. Once again thank you and I am proud to serve this country knowing there are people like you that I am protecting.

Sincerely,

Andrew

 

Currently there is such a large need for the laptops Project Valour-IT provides that many wounded heroes requesting laptops are put on a waiting list. But for $800 you can sponsor someone on the waiting list and pay for his or her voice-activated laptop, which will make these heroes' wait much shorter.

If you are unable to sponsor a wounded soldier and fund the full cost of a laptop but would still like to help, we welcome you to donate what you can here. Or, consider coordinating a group of people such as co-workers or a community organization to raise the funds to sponsor one or two soldiers. 

Thank you for your generosity and support for those to whom we all owe so much...

If you have any questions regarding our Valour-IT or Adopt a Wounded Soldier program, please email us. Thank you.

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(All Photos by Chuck Holton)

Why Winning Matters

I don't claim to be an expert on the war in Afghanistan. But for the last month or so, I've had the privilege of living with a bunch of people to whom I would give that classification - men and women who are in the war zone, putting their lives on the line every day.

And from my conversations with these experts, I've come to the conclusion that there are three main reasons why winning in Afghanistan is vital to our nation and to all those who claim the Christian faith. (Let me be clear that I don't count those two groups as one and the same, but neither are they mutually exclusive.)

Two of the reasons we need to win are practical, and one is philosophical.

1. The Taliban

The opium trade would flourish, giving the Taliban millions in cash with which to extend their military reign of terror, and America's enemies like Al Qaeda would have won a vital strategic location from which to plot and execute attacks on our interests around the globe.

2. Opium

We need to be in Afghanistan for the same reason we need to be in Colombia - and have been for more than two decades. Heroin is an insidious weapon that poisons free societies. We need to be investing heavily in countering this threat around the world - not just in Afghanistan, but especially there.

3. Freedom

For some people in America, saying "we're over there fighting for freedom" has become a worn-out phrase since 9/11. But from a Christian standpoint, consider this: There isn't a single established Christian church in Afghanistan today. About 99 percent of all Afghans are Muslim.

And they should have every right to BE Muslim if that is what they choose, but that's the point - there is no choice in Afghanistan today. If an Afghan wants to be Buddhist, or gnostic, or Christian, or anything other than Muslim, he either hides his beliefs or potentially forfeits his life.

The last time I checked, our Declaration of Independence still reads,

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...

I see nothing in this assertion that excludes men who don't happen to be Americans. I'm not saying this war is some kind of religious crusade to spread Christendom to the uttermost parts of the earth - but I'm saying America was founded on the belief that every man deserves the right to control his own destiny. And that's not a right enjoyed by most Afghans today.

Why does this matter to our national security? America has always stood as a beacon of hope for the opressed around the world. It is this fact that has made our nation great - we stand for liberty. Many countries enjoy bountiful natural resources. Many cultures embody a strong work ethic. These traits don't set the United States apart - liberty does.

Once that light begins to fade - so too will America.

American soldiers serving in Afghanistan are depressed and deeply disillusioned, according to the chaplains of two US battalions that have spent nine months on the front line in the war against the Taleban.

Many feel that they are risking their lives — and that colleagues have died — for a futile mission and an Afghan population that does nothing to help them, the chaplains told The Times in their makeshift chapel on this fortress-like base in a dusty, brown valley southwest of Kabul.

“The many soldiers who come to see us have a sense of futility and anger about being here. They are really in a state of depression and despair and just want to get back to their families,” said Captain Jeff Masengale, of the 10th Mountain Division’s 2-87 Infantry Battalion.

“They feel they are risking their lives for progress that’s hard to discern,” said Captain Sam Rico, of the Division’s 4-25 Field Artillery Battalion. “They are tired, strained, confused and just want to get through.” The chaplains said that they were speaking out because the men could not.

The base is not, it has to be said, obviously downcast, and many troops do not share the chaplains’ assessment. The soldiers are, by nature and training, upbeat, driven by a strong sense of duty, and they do their jobs as best they can. Re-enlistment rates are surprisingly good for the 2-87, though poor for the 4-25. Several men approached by The Times, however, readily admitted that their morale had slumped.

“We’re lost — that’s how I feel. I’m not exactly sure why we’re here,” said Specialist Raquime Mercer, 20, whose closest friend was shot dead by a renegade Afghan policeman last Friday. “I need a clear-cut purpose if I’m going to get hurt out here or if I’m going to die.”

Sergeant Christopher Hughes, 37, from Detroit, has lost six colleagues and survived two roadside bombs. Asked if the mission was worthwhile, he replied: “If I knew exactly what the mission was, probably so, but I don’t.”

The only soldiers who thought it was going well “work in an office, not on the ground”. In his opinion “the whole country is going to s***”. Read the rest of the article here.

Mudville Gazette is doing a wonderful work of keeping up to date reporting about our much appreciated troops in Afghanistan

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04AFAJ(lr)-20

A new group dedicated to addressing the cultural wars is now on Vox.  Deals with the debates of liberals and conservatives. Covering gay opponents and advocate disputes.  Covering cultural disputes in morality issues (e.g. sexuality, abortion), education, war, literature, religion, media, child rearing, politics, and society. Please post and comment. Link:  http://culturalwars.groups.vox.com/

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In My View...

I AM AN AMERICAN! With that said....

     I was sent information on a candidate I hadn't heard was running for the Govenor's slot in Texas.. at first glance her positions sounded patriotic.  Her guns were smoking on what Texans could do to stop Obama's socialism from harming our great state.. so I went and took a peek/see at her site.  When I found this I knew right away, without hesitation or question, she is NOT the person ( Much like RINO KBH isn't the person ) to take the reigns and ride the prize Texas horse.

Quote from her site:

No, its not a shame that a group is not singled out and "pampered".  American Indians, Hispanics, Vietnamese, Blacks, Polish, Irish, English, Italians, Chinese, Japanese.. and the list could grow quite long here as we are one of the most diverse nations on the planet that I do not believe has missed a beat on including any existing type of person who  lives on the globe called The World.  It's exactly this type of cow pie mentality that has created division in our nation.  Every one wants to be listed as "Preferred Group" they want what many have worked hard for handed to them at the tax payers expense.  What ever happened to the phrase "I Am An American" a title sought by many internationally.   It's doesn't matter what my race or gender is, period. 

"I Am An American"

I think it is a great thing to be proud of your ancestry but IT really doesn't make you who you are. Where you live and how you live your life is what shapes who you are and reflects what you are.

Enough already with the race cards..

  Just say NO to the Medina's of this world..  as you proudly proclaim I AM AN AMERICAN

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