Category Archives: America’s Soldiers

We’re hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services. I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell “Shifty” Powers. Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy  Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st  Airborne Infantry. If you’ve seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the  History Channel , you know […]

Put the giving back in Thanksgiving by helping a soldier this holiday season.For soldiers that are deployed oversees during the holiday season it is a rough road to haul. They are far away from home while millions of Americans are enjoying great food, fun and festivities with family and friends while thousands of people are […]

I suppose it was somewhat heartening to see that our national parks and forests will be giving free admissions to U.S. veterans today in honor of Armistice Day. But there’s a small, bitter part of me which always finds such gestures to ring rather hollow and to be far from enough. The debt we owe […]

A poem said to have been written by a soldier stationed in Okinawa, Japan. It describes a visit by Santa to a simple home occupied by a solider.  TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,HE LIVED ALL ALONE,IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OFPLASTER AND STONE. I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEYWITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,AND TO SEE […]

I just heard from my brother in Afghanistan, where he’s an Army National Guard sergeant in artillery. You’d think he would want gifts like CDs or video games — no. He asked for three things: Big Red (the drink, not the gum), pencils, and individually-wrapped candy. Why? Well, the Big Red is something those of […]

This letter has been shared with me and I wanted to share it with everyone. This is the reality of what our Soldiers are living with in Iraq. They need us more than ever and we as a nation need to be there for them. I will warn you that some of this letter is […]

Houston National Cemetery10410 Veterans Memorial DriveHouston, TX 77038Phone: (281) 447-8686FAX: (281) 447-0580 Office Hours:Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Visitation Hours:Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Burial Space: This cemetery has space available to accommodate casketed and cremated remains. Acreage: 419.2 Number of IntermentsThru […]

If a family member or a friend was a veteran, the deceased veteran may qualify for funeral burial honors.Military Funeral Honors have always been provided by Department of Defense, at no cost, whenever possible. However, the law now mandates the rendering of Military Funeral Honors for an eligible veteran if requested by the family. As […]

The state of Texas provides several veteran benefits. This section offers a brief description of each of the following benefits. Veteran Housing Benefits Veteran Financial Assistance Benefits Veteran Education Benefits Veteran Employment Benefits Other State Sponsored Veteran Benefits Texas Veteran Housing ProgramsTexas Veterans Land Board ProgramsThe Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB), a division of the Texas General Land Office, […]

Below is a list of links for FREE STUFF for troops and their families. http://www.operationhomelink.org/ – Free computers for spouses or parents of deployed soldier in ranks E1 – E5. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/2/prweb106818.htm – free mail/gifts sent to children of deployed soldiers. http://www.operationshoebox.com/ – free shoebox care package. http://www.treatthetroops.org/ – free cookies. http://bluestarmoms.org/ – lowest airfare available. […]