Wednesday Hero - Ann Dunwoody

Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody
55 years old from Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Call it breaking the brass ceiling. Ann E. Dunwoody, after 33 years in the Army, ascended Friday to a peak never before reached by a woman in the U.S. military: four-star general.

At an emotional promotion ceremony, Dunwoody looked back on her years in uniform, said it was a credit to the Army—and a great surprise to her—that she would make history in a male-dominated military.

“Thirty-three years after I took the oath as a second lieutenant, I have to tell you this is not exactly how I envisioned my life unfolding,” she told a standing-room-only auditorium. “Even as a young kid, all I ever wanted to do was teach physical education and raise a family.

“It was clear to me that my Army experience was just going to be a two-year detour en route to my fitness profession,” she added. “So when asked, `Ann, did you ever think you were going to be a general officer, to say nothing about a four-star?’ I say, `Not in my wildest dreams.’

“There is no one more surprised than I—except, of course, my husband. You know what they say, `Behind every successful woman there is an astonished man.’”

You can read the rest of Gen. Dunwoody’s story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

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One Million Holiday Cards

The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. are teaming up to send holiday cards to service men and women in the United States and around the world. From Tuesday, November 11 until Wednesday, December 10, the public is invited to send holiday cards with their message of thanks and cheer to a special post office box. The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes will then screen cards for hazardous materials, sort and package the cards, and deliver them to military bases and hospitals, veteran’s hospitals, and other locations during the holidays.

Holiday Mail For Heroes continues the Red Cross tradition of service to the armed forces, which includes handling emergency communications that link service members with their families back home, providing access to financial assistance from the military aid societies, counseling, referral to community resources and assistance to veterans. Pitney Bowes is providing all screening, packaging and shipping at no charge, as well as providing thousands of volunteer hours from employees around the country.

“This opportunity is such a great way for the public to personally support the military and say a special thank you for their service this holiday season,” said Gail McGovern, Red Cross President and CEO. “I’m especially proud that the Red Cross is able to be a part of this effort, and I hope everyone will take the time to join us and send an extra card for the military.”

In 2007 Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. approached the Red Cross to distribute thousands of holiday cards coming to the facility for wounded troops. The Red Cross reached out to Pitney Bowes to turn the project into a larger opportunity that could reach members of the military at other facilities. In all, nearly 600,000 cards were screened for hazardous materials, sorted, and delivered in 2007.

“Pitney Bowes is proud to be working with the American Red Cross again to help Americans extend their well wishes and gratitude to the heroes who serve and protect our country,” said Jon Love, President of Pitney Bowes Government Solutions. “Last year’s program was a huge success and we look forward to working with the public to reach even more wounded service members and their families this holiday season to show appreciation and support.”

Holiday cards should be addressed and sent to:

Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Please be sure to affix adequate postage. Cards must be received no later than December 10. Cards received after this date will be returned to senders. To help speed the sorting process and delivery of cards and notes before the holidays, mailers are encouraged to refrain from sending “care packages,” monetary gifts, using glitter or including any other inserts. For a full list of recommended guidelines and best practices, please visit Redcross.org/holidaymail. Cards are also available to print out from the website, along with messages from Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet Members Dr. Phil McGraw and Nancy O’Dell, co-anchor of Access Hollywood. You can also leave a message on the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces Facebook Wall (http://tinyurl.com/5tmfsg)

CSR Wire

Found letter sparks family to donate blood

On Dec. 21, 1944, close to the end of the Second World War, an 88-millimetre shell exploded 20 feet away from Daniel J. MacDonald, severing two arteries in his left leg.  MacDonald lost his leg and his left arm but the blood transfusion he received on the battlefield saved his life.

Last November, his son, Daniel Jr., found a letter written by his father, thanking the Canadian Red Cross for the blood.

On Wednesday, Daniel Jr. and his son, Nigel, currently a member of the Prince Edward Island Regiment training at CFB Gagetown, each donated blood at Canadian Blood Services in Charlottetown.  It was Nigel’s first time donating blood, inspired by his grandfather’s letter.

“Anything I can do to help I’m obviously willing to do,” Nigel, 22, said before giving blood. “If it’s going to help save a life on the battlefield . . . I know my friends have (served in Afghanistan).  “As soon as dad found the letter he called me and had blood services set this up. I thought it was a great idea.”

Daniel MacDonald Jr. said he was in the process of helping move his mother, Pauline, when they found the letter. It was written in May 1946 to the Canadian Red Cross. Col. Al Rogers, who established CFCY Radio, drove up to Bothwell to pick MacDonald up and drive him back to Charlottetown so MacDonald could read the letter on the air.

MacDonald Jr. said he heard the story before but never gave it much thought.  “My father would never talk about the war. He’d say ‘you can find better things to do with your time’.”

Pauline MacDonald suggested her son do something with the letter besides store it in a shoebox where it could get lost.  With Remembrance Day next week, the timing of the donation, and the story behind it isn’t lost on either Daniel Jr. or Nigel.

During November, Canadian Blood Services, the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Legion are asking Islanders to donate blood as a way of honouring the contribution of Canadian Forces personnel in Canada and around the world.

“We never know what’s around the next corner, none of us, (or) when we’re going to need blood to save our lives,” MacDonald Jr. said. “It’s a good message to get out there, to encourage all Islanders, all Canadians, all other troops to get involved in blood donating.”

MacDonald’s letter is now on display in the Prince Edward Island Regiment museum at  Queen Charlotte Armouries.  Daniel Jr. felt since his father was an honorary colonel of PEIR from 1977 to his death in 1980 that it was the most appropriate place for it.

Read full story and the family history - An Inspirational Act

Spike TV helps 140,000 Dads stay connected to kids

Spike TV has spent the past year helping encourage dads to take an active role in their kids lives through the True Dads Take Action initiative. Now, the network that celebrates men of action is reaching out to the dads in our armed forces to help them stay connected with their families while deployed abroad through True Dads in Uniform.

True Dads In Uniform is a partnership between Spike TV, the USO and United Through Reading that seeks to connect military fathers with their families by providing our servicemen with the means to videotape themselves reading stories and send these personal video messages on DVD to their families at home.

Our goal is to help connect over 140,000 servicemen and their families across all branches of the armed forces through direct network contribution, sponsor contributions and the help of viewers like you. Visit the links below to find out more about how you can help. They are the fathers of our armed forces.

They are True Dads in Uniform.