The National Military Family Association (NMFA) is now accepting applications for its popular Operation Purple Summer Camps.  This year NMFA's Operation Purple Camps will host more than 3,500 deserving children at camps at 34 locations in 26 states.

Operation Purple Camps provide children from military families with fun and memorable opportunities to learn new skills for managing deployment-related stress.  In response to the need for increased support for military children, NMFA developed this free summer camp program, sponsored this year by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Sierra Club, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

A camp dedicated exclusively for the children of wounded service members has been added this year. NMFA is hosting this pilot camp in Southern California with plans to add more dedicated camps in additional states next year. Children who could benefit from this specific camp but do not live near the California location are encouraged to apply to the Operation Purple Summer Camp nearest them as all camps provide military children the support and resources they need to successfully manage the challenges of growing up in a military family.

Interested children from military families are encouraged to apply for the camp located nearest their home since travel expenses are not reimbursed.  More than 40 weeks of Operation Purple camps are currently scheduled at 34 locations in 26 states (Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin).  Detailed information including camp dates, site-specific activites, exact locations and other information is now available at http://www.operationpurple.org/. Applications are available only online and will be accepted through May 1st.

Before I leave, I wanted to share this story with you about the power of prayer and our soldiers.  Enjoy and keep praying for our troops.

Here is some good information for military families.  Here is the proposed changes for military pay and benefits. 
Check it out and be informed.

Please pray for these families.  5 Korean soldiers were killed in a tragic accident.  This occurred during the joint training with U.S. Forces.  Thank you all for all your prayers.

For those of you who are affiliated with, or know a family affiliated with any Reserves or National Guard, read on.

The DOD has started a program called the Reserve Income Replacement Program.  Basically, the program offers additional income to cover the differential from their civilian paycheck and their paycheck while involuntarily on active duty.

Go here or here to check out this program, find out more, or to see if you or someone you know qualify.

Remember the Navy Chaplain I asked you to pray for?  Well, he needs our prayers more than ever now.  He is will be going on trial in a court-martial, next week.  See this article. 

Please continue to keep him in your prayers.  Keep all of our Chaplains in all branches of service in your prayers.  I will keep you all updated as I hear more.

What a wonderful offer to military families!  Jill Novak is offering a free e-book called, The Gift of Family Writing, to military families.  For the touching and amazing story on how this came about, visit The HomeFront.  It is a wonderful way to see how God orchestrates and works 'behind the scenes.' 

But, you just go to Jill's blog, leave a comment or a story about your family, and she will email you the download link.  How simple is that?

Jill is a gifted artist and author.  If you haven't visited her blog, go there today.  You will be blessed with the beautiful photographs and the gorgeous drawings she has done.  While you are there, be sure to thank her for supporting the military.

Thank you, Jill.

Please pray for this Navy Chaplain.  Pray for all our military Chaplains.

This is certainly a disappointing and disturbing precedent that is being set.  Basically, in a service of voluntary nature, a Chaplain should be free to speak and pray as his denomination/religious faith allows. 
Playing into this are recent policies put forth by the Navy and also the Air Force Chaplain's Offices regarding many of these issues.  So far, our Chief of Chaplains for the Army has not issued any changes to their policies and has no plans to in the near future.

But, it is clear that the freedoms of our Chaplains and our soldiers are under attack.  Please pray.  If anyone desires more a more indepth understanding of this, feel free to email me.

Thank you.

You know, I was wanting to write about this and now, especially in light of Mike and I reeling from hearing on Fox News what that Dixie Chick has recently said, I know I will!  Seems the lead singer is spouting off again and has recently announced she sees no need for patriotism. 

Well, in the post/base movie theaters , the National Anthem is played before the beginning of any show and everyone stands for the Anthem.  While the Anthem plays, scenes of military life and more specifically, our soldiers, sailors and airmen, and Marines carrying out their duties, are shown on the screen. It moves me greatly to see all around me the men and women and the families that sacrifice so much so that people can say just plain stupid stuff.  Even little children place their little hands over their hearts and stand still looking intently at the screen.  The soldiers stand at attention.  You see older kids, mostly the teen boys standing at attention, like they have seen their Mom or Dad do.  No matter their age, they know what it takes and what it costs.  They have paid those costs in many different ways.  I can't express to you what seeing that does to me.  I don't know that there are words to adequately share how moving this is.  I feel that swell of pride in me each and every time we got to the movies and are a part of that.

I think this is something that should be done in every movie theater across  America.  I think we should be reminded that freedom isn't free.  We don't think about it as much as we should.  I think we need to hear our National Anthem played more often.  I think people need to see what our men and women in uniform do besides all the bad news reported on the news every day.  We need to be reminded how great our country is and why our country is great. 

God bless America and those who stand in the face of our enemies daily so she can be great!  Hooah for patriotism!

This past week, I was able to take a trip to the DMZ with some of the soldiers and spouses from Mike's unit.  It was completely incredible.  I don't think you can ever be fully prepared to experience the sights and to feel the emotions you will knowing you are standing where history has taken and is still taking place.

If you go here, you can see my pictures.  I will try to explain some of them on here.

The first picture is of the South end of "The Bridge of No Return."  This bridge was where POWs were repatriated after the end of the Korean War.  The last POWs to cross the bridge were the crew of the U. S.S. Pueblo, on December 23, 1968.  This bridge, at one time, was the primary entrance to the JSA (Joint Security Area), by the N. Koreans at a time when both sides had free access to the JSA. 

Number 2 is actually a monument to the Panmunjom Axe Murder incident that ocurred on August 18, 1976.  Basically, a small contingent of soldiers (US and S. Korean), went out to trim a huge popular tree that was obstructing the view of the bridge.  The North Koreans attacked the unarmed men and killed 2 of our soldiers with their own axes.  Later, the tree was trimmed and eventually taken down, with this monument of the size of the actual tree stump to show the size of the tree.  Finishing the tree-trimming was to show the resolve of United Nations Command to maintain freedom.

Picture #3 is of the N. Korean flag flying over Propaganda Village, the empty village that N. Korea uses to blare propaganda over the loudspeakers at night.  The flag and pole were placed to dwarf the S. Korean flag in neighboring S. Korean Taesong-dong village.  The N. Korean flag weighs 600 pounds.

# 4 and #5 are from a watchpost looking towards the "popular tree area" and the South end of the Bridge of No Return.  The blue building is UNC (United Nations Command) 3, called "The Loneliest Place in the World" by the guard that works there.  The watchpost is the one place in the JSA that is actually surrounded on 3 sides by the communist areas.  Creepy.  You could actually see out in the trees, brown buildings like fire towers and you could make out people watching you watch them.

Pictures 6 and 7 are of S. Korean (ROK Army) soldiers.  They stand in a kata stance, which is a defensive martial arts stance.  They are highly trained in marital arts and I sure wouldn't want one mad at me!  The soldier beside the blue building is facing the North.  They stand with half of their body visible by the enemy so they are less of a target.

Pictures 8 and 9 were taken while I was standing inside one of the conference buildings that the Military Demarcation Line (the actual border), runs through the middle of.  The MDL  is the small concrete "ledge" the soldiers are standing by.  They use these buildings to hold daily and other meetings.  I am actually standing in N. Korea and pointing my camera back towards S. Korea!        No kidding.  What a rush.  Don't worry, we were safe and well protected.  # 9 is back in good ole S. Korea, looking back.  Whew!

Picture 10 is of a N. Korean tower right on the other side of the MDL.  Look closely and you can make out the N. Korean soldier standing there watching us. 

The final picture is taken of "Conference Row." These blue buildings are the ones they meet in and one of the ones we were able to go inside of.  The big concrete building in back is the N. Korean Panmun-gak.  It is a governmental building.  You can see the demarcation between the two countries and the MDL well in this picture.

It was a memorable day and I was so glad I had the opportunity to go.  I still think about all the men that gave their lives in that easily forgotten war.  This made me more thankful for them and all that fought.  And, I am so very thankful for the soldiers that stand face to face with the enemy on a daily basis for our safety and for the safety of Freedom.

I highly recommend getting this book, called Panmunjom: Facts About the Korean DMZ, by Wayne A. Kirkbride.  It tells so much about this historic area. 

Oh, and don't worry, we were cleared by our wonderful (and very serious), guide on sharing our pictures and information. 

Enjoy!

Today we remember those who have given their lives to secure our free nation, to continue our freedom, and to give Freedom to others who have not yet tasted the sweet taste Freedom brings.

For love of country they accepted death... 

~James A. Garfield

Who kept the faith and fought the fight;
The glory theirs, the duty ours.

~Wallace Bruce

The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree. 

Check this out about a Marine and homeschool graduate.

Go to the HomeFront and let us know about any homeschool graduates serving in the War on Terror and we will pray for them!