Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) announced today that 23 Representatives, 13 Democrats and 10 Republicans, will participate in her bipartisan initiative to invite a veteran of the Iraq War to President Obama’s State of the Union Address tomorrow evening. Veterans will sit in the House gallery for the annual address. This initiative is in collaboration with the National Guard and Reserve Caucus and Reps. Jeff Miller (FL-01), Tim Walz (MN-01) and Spencer Bachus (AL-06).
“I believe we as a nation need to recognize the men and women who bravely fought to protect our way of life. We need to remember that many of our veterans return to civilian life with post traumatic stress or physical injuries, and many have difficulty finding a job and permanent housing once they return from active duty. Inviting our vets to the State of the Union is one way to shine a light on their sacrifice and their needs, but we must stay committed to seeing that they have the resources and support available to aid them in assimilating back into our communities,” said Congresswoman Fudge.
Congresswoman Fudge invited Marine Sergeant Joseph Collins, an Iraq War veteran and resident of Cleveland, who is currently unemployed.
23 total participating members:
Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, Democrat from Ohio
Congressman Spencer Bachus, Republican from Alabama
Congressman Jeff Miller, Republican from Florida
Congressman Tim Walz, Democrat from Minnesota
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, Democrat from Texas
Congressman John Carney, Democrat from Delaware
Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Democrat from Wisconsin
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Democrat from New York
Congressman David McKinley, Republican from West Virginia
Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, Republican from Maryland
Congressman Bill Huizenga, Republican from Michigan
Congresswoman Sandy Adams, Republican from Florida
Congresswoman Donna Edwards, Democrat from Maryland
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, Republican from Missouri
Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Democrat from Nevada
Congresswoman Diane Black, Republican from Tennessee
Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, Republican from Pennsylvania
Congressman Tim Bishop, Democrat from New York
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democrat from Florida
Congressman Ben R. Lujan, Democrat from New Mexico
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, Democrat from California
Watch the trailer for Act of Valor. It will give you chills! And if you’re in the D.C. area, RSVP to attend one of the premieres (contact info is at the bottom of this post).
An unprecedented blend of real-life heroism and original film making, Act of Valor stars a group of active-duty Navy SEALs in a powerful story of contemporary global anti-terrorism. Inspired by true events, the film combines stunning combat sequences, up-to-the minute battlefield technology and heart-pumping emotion for the ultimate action adventure.
Act of Valor takes audiences deep into the secretive world of the most elite, highly trained group of warriors in the modern world. When the rescue of a kidnapped CIA operative leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the U.S., a team of SEALs is dispatched on a worldwide manhunt. As the valiant men of Bandito Platoon race to stop a coordinated attack that could kill and wound thousands of American civilians, they must balance their commitment to country, team and their families back home.
Upcoming movie premiere dates and locations (D.C. area):
January 12 at 7:30pm, Regal Gallery Place, 707 7thSt. NW, Washington DC
January 17 at 7:30pm, Regal Majestic 20, 900 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Springs MD
January 19 at 7:30pm, Landmark E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW, Washington DC
January 25 at 7:30pm, AMC Mazza Galerie, 5300 Wisconsin NW, Washington DC
January 25 at 7:30pm, Regal Short Pump, 11650 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA
February 2 at 7:30pm, Charles Theatre, 1711 N. Charles St., Baltimore MD
February 6 at 7:30pm, AFI, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Springs MD
February 6 at 7:30pm, AMC Columbia, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia MD
February 16 at 7:30pm, Cinemark Egyptian, 7000 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover MD
February 16 at 7:30pm, AMC Mazza Galerie, 5300 Wisconsin NW, Washington DC
February 21 at 7:30pm, AMC White Marsh, 8141 Honeygo Blvd., Baltimore MD
February 21 at 7:30pm, Regal Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington DC
Following the spectacular reception of the inaugural “American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards” – taped before a live audience on October 1, 2011 – American Humane Association and Hallmark Channel are pleased to announce that nominations are officially open for the second annual installment of the program.
Dog lovers are encouraged to visit www.herodogawards.org to nominate their heroic canines in any one of eight categories:
Law Enforcement/Arson;
Service;
Therapy;
Military;
Guides;
Search and Rescue;
Hearing;
and Emerging Hero Dogs, a category reserved for ordinary pets who do extraordinary things
After all the nominations are in, each category will be narrowed down to one finalist through online voting. The eight category winners and their human companions will be flown to Los Angeles for the main event, the 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards, on October 6th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the winning American Hero Dog will be announced.
The Hero Dog Awards celebrate the powerful relationship between dogs and people and help to raise much-needed resources to support the vital work of American Humane Association – the nation’s voice for the protection of children and animals. In 2011, American Humane Association’s charity partners, which include The Pine Street Foundation, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Dogs for the Deaf, National Fire Dog Monument, U.S. War Dog Association, National Search Dog Alliance, Canine Companions for Independence, and Paws & Effect were granted a total of $50,000 as a result of the Hero Dog Awards. Cesar(R) Canine Cuisine made a $200,000 donation to American Humane Association, which the organization will put toward supporting the role of therapy dogs in helping Americans in need.
MOAA chapters are often out in their community, helping fellow veterans or others in need. With the spirit of the holiday season, we’re mentioning just a few here:
Found on RyanSeacrest.com (don’t judge us!)- Wonder how long it took to program all those lights!
In contribution to the Semper Fi Fund, the Whitis family is supporting the American troops who give their lives for the protection of freedom. Their way of showing support for US troops is through a Christmas light spectacular on top of their house!
Shortly after proposing to girlfriend Hannah Hudgins last month at the Battleship Missouri Memorial (she said yes!), Hawaii-based Navy sailor Johnny Lunsford sealed the deal with a kiss.
Now that kiss has landed the couple a Hawaiian “staycation.”
From Sept. 19 to Oct. 30, couples entered the Mighty Mo’s Victory Kiss Contest by reenacting the iconic 1945 photograph of a Navy sailor kissing a young nurse in Times Square after the WWII surrender was announced. Hundreds of the reenactment pictures were posted on the memorial’s Facebook page, where finalists were chosen based on the most “likes” they received.
Lunsford and Hudgins’ picture, which received a total of 725 likes, earned the grand prize: airfare for two aboard Hawaiian Airlines to or from the continental United States and a two-night stay at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa.
Runner-up couples will receive credit with the Battleship Missouri Memorial’s Victory Store. All finalists will receive two movie vouchers to see Universal Pictures’ Battleship, premiering in May 2012.
Throughout the contest, couples had an outstanding example to guide their reenactments. A life-scale bronze sculpture of the original kiss remains temporarily on loan to the Missouri. Titled “Unconditional Surrender,” the sculpture was created by Seward Johnson, artist and son of the founder of Johnson & Johnson. It is touring the country as part of the “Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive!” initiative, a nationwide, grassroots effort to establish an annual day to honor the achievements of America’s WWII generation so that their courage, self-sacrifice and service will continue to inspire future generations of Americans.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command is getting ready to track Santa’s yuletide journey! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, went live today featuring a Countdown Calendar, a Kid’s Countdown Village complete with holiday games and activities that change daily, and video messages from students and troops from around the world. With the addition of Brazilian Portuguese, the website is now available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese.
This year, using free apps in the Apple iTunes Store and in the Android Market, parents and children can countdown the days until Santa’s take off on their smart phones! Tracking opportunities are also offered on Facebook, Google+, YouTube, and Twitter. Santa followers just need to type “@noradsanta” into each search engine to get started.
Also on the website, fans can go to the Operation Good Will page and watch the live stream of the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, presented by the National Park Foundation and National Park Service, on Dec. 1 beginning at 4:30 p.m. EST by clicking on the http://www.thenationaltree.org link.
Starting at 12:00 a.m. MST on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa as he makes all the preparations for his flight. Then, at 4:00 a.m. MST (6:00 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can talk to a live phone operator to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will also stream videos as Santa makes his way over various locations worldwide.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a campaign to increase awareness about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and services provided by the VA for Veterans and Servicemembers recovering from TBI and co-occurring complex injuries.
The campaign debuted with a 25-minute documentary highlighting individual stories of recovery for some of the most severely injured and wounded Veterans through the VA Polytrauma System of Care at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Va. The documentary and other videos can be viewed at www.polytrauma.va.gov.
“The stories of true courage and determination are an inspiration to all who watch this documentary,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “The stories go beyond their injuries resulting from combat or vehicle accidents by highlighting their heroic roads to recovery, aided by VA’s system of care. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to watch the video.”
VA has released a series of products to promote awareness of TBI and services available to Veterans, including public service announcements featuring Golden Globe, Emmy, and Screen Actors Guild SAG Award winner and Academy Award nominee Gary Sinise.
The pieces highlight the fact that effects of TBI can range from mild to severe, lasting for a brief or prolonged period of time. Treatment is available and VA provides specialized services to support Veterans and Servicemembers through evaluating and diagnosing TBI, related problems, and enabling their recovery. More information about TBI and VA’s Polytrauma/TBI System of Care is available at www.polytrauma.va.gov.
The Hallmark Channel’s “Emeril’s Table” features a group of service men and women, representing the Navy, Marines and the Coast Guard as they’re served some of Chef Emeril’s favorite southern fare airing November 11th at 11am ET/10am C for Veterans Day.
Chef Emeril starts off with his Oven Fried Catfish served with his sweet succotash, “kicked up” Collard Greens and Garlicky Cornbread. Emeril cut the calories but not the flavor with this classic southern meal!
In this photo from Hallmark Channel’s “Emeril’s Table,” Chef Emeril Lagasse welcomes a group of sea service men and women, representing the Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard to his table for some lightened-up southern fare. Seen left to right: Chef Emeril Lagasse, T.J. Milani (Navy), Amber Simpkins-Hightower (Marines), Charles Leo Demichele (Navy), Genoveva Acevedo (Marines), Matthew Anson (Coast Guard). (Photo credit: Anders Krusberg/Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia)
Find recipes for Emeril’s lightened southern favorites after the jump: OVEN FRIED CATFISH WITH SUCCOTASH, QUICK COLLARD GREENS, GARLICKY CORNBREAD. Continue Reading »
