Tuskegee VA needs your help

I received an urgent message from fellow Bama Angel Bonnie regarding the Tuskegee VA’s needs:

I spoke with a Volunteer officer (Lisa) yesterday regarding her immediate needs. This facility has had a sudden influx of new patients both at the their hospital and nursing home. There has been an increase of homeless vets showing up now as well.

Please send what you can ASAP of the following:

• Full sizes can be used in the nursing home, hotel sizes can be used in hospitals and by the homeless vets. Anything will help as they are having to take $$$ from other programs to purchase basic necessities.

• Body wash
• Toothpaste, Toothbrushes
• Deodorant
• Shampoo
• Body lotion
• Vaseline

Please send what you can, or send gift cards from Walmart to purchase these supplies.

CHECKS/CASH DONATIONS:

Please specify in a letter which account or program you wish your donation to support. Also include a name and complete address for acknowledgment of donation.

Please mail to:
Attn: William H. Petty
Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System
2400 Hospital Road
Tuskegee, AL 36083

PLEASE be sure to note that you are a Soldiers’ Angel. We are developing a relationship with all of these VAs and we WANT them to know that we are here for them and they can count on us!

Thanks Angels!

Pell City native honored

Courtesy of the Daily Home Online, a local Marine is being honored for his actions in Iraq.

Billy “Trey” Cosper III received a combat meritorious promotion from lance corporal to corporal, based on his performance in direct combat with the enemy in Iraq.

“This was a big honor, as all regular promotions are, meritorious promotions even more so,” said Lt. Col. Sean Riordan, who recommended Cosper for promotion. Riordan said combat meritorious promotions are unique.

“This means he was eligible based on his performance in direct combat with the enemy and he was chosen for promotion ahead of his peers,” Riordan said. “Not many Marines will ever achieve this.”

Read the whole article here.

Congratulations, Corporal Cosper!

Rainbow City soldier honored

Posted today over at The Gadsden Times:

Rainbow City honors soldier

Twenty-year-old Eric Turner of Rainbow City might have expected a welcome home party when he returned from Iraq.

But the U.S. Army member never imagined he would have a day named in his honor.

On Aug. 11, Mayor Terry John Calhoun proclaimed the day Eric Paul Turner Day in honor of the young soldier’s accomplishments and personal sacrifices for his country and his community.

Turner joined the military at age 18 and is now ranked as an E4 specialist. He is an “all wheels” mechanic for the Army.

Turner was deployed to Iraq in May 2007.

He served there 15 months before returning to the United States on July 24.

He returned home for a 28-day leave on Aug. 9 and, only two days later, he found out just how much his fellow Rainbow City residents appreciate his service.

“My stepdad talked to the mayor about me, and they wanted to congratulate me and recognize me for the job I was doing and for serving in Iraq,” Turner said.

Turner said he knew he would be meeting with city officials on Aug. 11 but had no idea what was in store for him once he arrived at City Hall.

“It was all a surprise,” he said. “I was pretty excited and I thought that it was one of the coolest things ever.

“It definitely made me feel appreciated.”

Congratulations, Eric!

Alabama/Missouri loses a hero

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Specialist Fitzmorris’ loved ones:

A sniper’s bullet is behind one of the latest U.S. casualties in Iraq; a soldier with strong Alabama connections.

The Army says 26 year old Specialist Steven Fitzmorris was in a Baghdad neighborhood when a sniper shot him. Spec. Fitzmorris died about 3 hours later.

Fitzmorris grew up in Arab, Alabama, and was a student at Arab High School. He was remembered as a fun-loving, free-spirited person who always told his mother not to worry about him.

Funeral services were held for Spec. Fitzmorris Tuesday in Columbia, Missouri, where he lived with his wife and 2 children.