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It's blazing hot in Washington DC this time of year while the sun is still up, but the sun certainly does make our MOAB look good. The soldier works at WR and was going home and stopped to talk and say Thank You. Of course, we profusely thanked him in return. Having done this for almost three years myself, I've spoken with many of the troops and one thing that's always struck me is that they want to thank us - while our intention is to thank them. Honor Roll of Attendees Our regulars tonight were your author Tom the...

LoRo, Greg, Matthew, TomTheRedHunter Lurker Bill, PleaDeal, Chris, and VAFlagWaver LoRo, a Freeper, has been very busy working as an intern for the Heritage Foundation. She was able to join us on a fairly regular basis last summer. A few weeks ago she did a little recon and saw that we were still out here keeping Code Pink pushed down the street away from the gate. So she sent out an email to all her associates and friends at Heritage and asked if anyone wanted to join her at Walter Reed on the 11th. We were fortunate that she...

As Sen. Barack Obama beefs up his national security and foreign policy creds with a speech today on Iraq and Afghanistan -- his campaign Web site purged his former views critical of the surge in Iraq. The Daily News is reporting that Obama's campaign scrubbed his presidential Web site over the weekend to remove criticism of the U.S. troop 'surge' in Iraq. The Daily News reports that the "presumed Democratic nominee replaced his Iraq issue Web page, which had described the surge as a 'problem' that had barely reduced violence." Obama's old plan stated that the 'surge is not working.'...

WOW and DOUBLE WOW is the only way I can describe the Patriotic Americans that attended the Walter Reed and Olney FReeps. It’s Saturday afternoon as I started this combined AAR and my heart still pounds with pride over all those who came out, especially to Walter Reed on the evening of the Fourth. Since I’m honored this week to write the Walter Reed AAR and usually write the Olney AAR, I had to combine the two because of their similarities. Several weeks ago a question as to who will be at Walter Reed came up. About 4 or 5...

Today the President attended the groundbreaking ceremony at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. The nearly one billion dollar project will expand the Bethesda Naval Medical Center in Maryland, and lead to the closure of the current Walter Reed Army Medical Center just five miles away in Washington. In the afternoon he went for a bike ride at Bethesda. Pray for President Bush -- Day 2850

The Trooprally's drive in heavy rain on the way to WR In a few weeks PrezUSA222 (Chad) will no longer be able to stand with us at Walter Reed on Friday nights. He's got new responsibilities. Responsibilities that will require 12 weeks of basic training, several months on job training, and then a probable tour in Free Iraq. Chad answered the call. He's in the Army now. We presented him with a plaque of a photo montage of most of the troop support signs we've used over the years. The montage is an original creation by iMacMan. After I...

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2008 – The cast of the Lifetime cable network drama “Army Wives” graced the red carpet at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here yesterday to help kick off the July Fourth week and salute servicemembers’ often-forgotten spouses. Actress Sally Pressman talks with one of her youngest fans, Mark Crate, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington D.C., on July 1, 2008. Pressman, who plays Roxy LeBlanc on Lifetime cable network's hit program "Army Wives," was in Washington for a red-carpet screening of an upcoming episode, part of a celebration of the July Fourth holiday and...

MANDOZI, Afghanistan - Army Pvt. Justin Fillmore has some family military history. Yet he didn't really know what to expect in his first overseas combat mission. He is here in Afghanistan, he says, because he wanted to give a break to other soldiers, some of them on their second, third or fourth combat deployments. "I'm young enough, I can handle it," Fillmore, 23, of Latrobe says as he sits by a Humvee, smoking a cigarette. "I'm happy it happened, that I got to go while I still had the mind-set for it."

DURAGI, Afghanistan -- Early morning, and 14 U.S. soldiers stand in a semi-circle for a mission briefing. Four Humvees, engines running, rumble beside them. "We're going to Warshallah today," Army Capt. Sam Karr, 28, of Manhattan, Kan., tells his platoon. "I guess it has, like, 200 bad guys in it. That's nothing, dudes -- we've got 14, so we're good."

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is scheduled to pay a solemn visit to wounded Iraq veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington on Saturday, Politico has learned. The visit will be Obama’s third. Obama’s staff is keeping his trip low key. It is not on his public schedule, and his campaign would not confirm it. A pool of reporters will go with him, but will not accompany him inside. (snip) McCain occasionally visits soldiers at Walter Reed on weekends when he is in Washington, most recently May 31. McCain’s visits are usually unannounced to the press, and sometimes he...

A few weeks ago we had a series of very powerful thunderstorms that sent trees tumbling all around the region. One was on the easement by the street just by where we put up the MOAB, and in typical Washington DC fashion the government hasn't gotten around to doing anything about it. If we'd have been out that night our MOAB would have gone the way of Dorothy's house. However, tonight was a nice evening so we got the MOAB up no problem, and soon the flags were flying behind it Honor Role of Attendees Your author Tom the Redhunter,...

Over the past two years, Estes, 43, has conducted a free golf clinic for the [catastrophically wounded] soldiers every Saturday morning in the spring. A section of the range is cordoned off for use by the men and women who make the 30-minute trip from Walter Reed. Every week, in a more formal group session, Estes focuses on a different aspect of the game: bunker shots, chipping, putting, the driver. But he and other staff members also offer individual instruction for anyone who asks. Somehow, Estes manages to find a way to get them to make contact with the golf...

Daily News & Analysis Monday, June 09, Does HIV cause AIDS Mayank Tewari The recently reported pessimism among researchers over the failure of an AIDS vaccine has reignited a spectacular science controversy. Is HIV the cause of AIDS?...(click link for remainder)

JUNE 13, FLAG DAY AND US ARMY BIRTHDAY WEEKENDThe Friday evening, before Flag Day and the United States Army’s 233rd Birthday, saw our enthusiasm high with a continuous stream of honks and waves from passing cars. No rain ( a change from the recurring Friday night showers this past spring), but a very warm and pleasant night with cooling breezes near dusk, and good camaraderie among the twenty-three FReepers and visitors.. We carried plenty of flags and signs announcing the 233rd Birthday of the United States Army. The moonbats were restless as June approaches its full moon and a code...

FRIDAY EVENING, WALTER REED FRONT GATE:A sultry evening, hot and humid, typical Washington summer weather, albeit earlier then usual. But we had plenty of ice-cold water and sodas to help combat the heat. It did cool off at dusk and no one wilted. As we were setting up, VictoryNY, with only a sign, began to capture the attention of drivers and passengers. Throughout the evening we had positive participation on all four corners. RonGKirby didn’t disappoint as he continued to bring a relevant sign for the day. Tonight, of course, his message was to thank the WW II soldiers for...

Obama bundler Jodie Evans, who co-founded the anti-American group Code Pink, said Osama bin Laden had 'valid arguments' for the 9/11 attacks, gushed over Venezualan dictator Hugo Chavez and bragged about Code Pink's efforts to undermine the war in Iraq in a wide-ranging interview with radio host Paul A. Ibbetson.Evans co-hosted Sen. Barack Obama's first Hollywood fundraiser in February 2007 and is listed on the Obama website as having bundled up to $100,000 for Obama's presidential campaign.Evans also personally donated the maximum legal amount, $2300, to the Obama campaign--as has her unemployed student son.Just weeks before she co-hosted the Hollywood...

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2008 – Walter Reed Army Medical Center rolled out a sophisticated new vehicle today that will make wounded soldiers’ ride to the Army hospital safer and smoother. Army Maj. Gen. Carla G. Hawley-Bowland, commander of North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center, left, and Army Col. Patricia Horoho, commander of the Walter Reed Health Care System, center, give Army Secretary Pete Geren a tour of a Patient Evacuation Vehicle. Unveiled June 5, 2008, during a ceremony at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the PEV is a semi-trailer-sized hospital on...

There's no such thing as an "average" Friday evening at the main entrance of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Sometimes it's the weather; freezing cold, hot and humid, or thunderstorms. Other times we get to meet FReepers from all around the country who are in town for the week, or some who even come in specifically to join us. Troops from every type of unit, and who have served in every theater come by and speak with us. Family members, some Gold Star parents, join us occasionally. This night was no different in that it was different. The first order...

Officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center say personal information on about 1,000 patients may have been revealed in a breach of sensitive data. The officials said Monday they learned of the apparent security problem on May 21 from an outside company, which they did not identify. The medical center said it is working to notify all of the people named in the data file that may have been compromised. It's unclear what kind of information may been revealed, and Walter Reed did not immediately respond to questions. Walter Reed is offering credit monitoring assistance to affected patients and has...

FRIDAY EVENING, WALTER REED FRONT GATE:Friday, May 23rd. The beginning of Memorial Day weekend. For the first time in several weeks, we have a pleasant late spring evening with no rain in sight MEMORIAL DAY COLORS AT WALTER REED Memorial Day – a day of remembering and honoring the sacrifice of Americans killed in war. A day on which all Americans should reflect on the price paid by the war dead for our freedoms. A day and weekend, during which we have the opportunity to pass these sacrifices and their reasons to our children who must continue this vital remembrance....

9 May 2008, Elder Street and Georgia Avenue, Washington, DC Well FREEPERs a funny thing happened on the way to filing this report. Your correspondent either tried to sky dive, snow oard or do a war dance on his back stoop Saturday night May 10. The result was a visit to Silver Spring’s Holy Cross Hospital, locally known as the Holy Hilton. The foot doctor for DC United was on the premises as I had managed to crack the bone where the Achilles tendon attaches. Long story short I’m currently on injured reserve. Enough about me. Early in the evening...

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2008 – When country music star Wynonna Judd stepped on stage in the Wagner Sports Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here yesterday, it was all about the love. Army Spc. Chauncy Clayton, a patient administrator at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, is called to the stage by Wynonna Judd so she could playfully correct his pronunciation of her name. He had improperly put the emphasis on “nona.” “It’s WHY-nona,” the star playfully chastised in her country accent. Defense Department photo by Fred W. Baker III  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “Over a year...

<p>"Support the troops, bring them home now." "Money for wounded - not for war." Like "Free Tibet" bumper stickers, these are the "feel good" signs and phrases the apPeacers exclaim. What President Bush aptly described as the "false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history." 161 weeks running we've averted attention away from their bogus message.</p>

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2008 – Neither rainy May skies nor unseasonably cool temperatures stopped cyclists from beginning the 480-mile “Road 2 Recovery” ride from Walter Reed Army Medical Center here to Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., today. Army 1st Lt. Ferris Butler takes a lap around the traffic circle just inside Walter Reed Army Medical Center's 16th Street gate before heading for Charlotte, N.C., on May 20, 2008. Butler, who lost half of his right foot and his left leg below the knee in a bomb blast, was one of several wounded warriors who embarked on the 480-mile...

Lurker Bill, VAFlagWaver, kburi Lurker Bill, Fraxinus, RonGKirby VictoryNY VictoryNY, Cindy-True-Supporter, Fraxinus VictoryNY, Cindy-True-Supporter, Fraxinus VictoryNY, BufordP Bus Yeah, that's right. DC Chapter repudiated, repudiates, and will continue to repudiate Code Pink. We repudiated them when repudiation wasn't cool. We didn't wait for Code Pink to demonstrate the ravings of a lunatic before the Detroit Chapter of the NAACP. We didn't wait for them to embarass themselves before the National Press Club. We never belonged to the Church of Hate AmeriKKKA. They didn't marry us, convert us to black liberation Jimmy Valentine's Brother, typical freeper person hateology, or baptize...

This week, Families United was invited from across the country to join the Iraq Ambassador at Arlington National Cemetery for a special salute to the soldiers they lost in the liberation of Iraq. They were honored with a dinner and a memorial plaque. While they were in DC, these very special people decided to join us out on the corners of the main entrance of Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) to support the soldiers who willingly sacrifice themselves for their country. You may not know about Families United, but it is an organization comprised of the families of members...

This is the time of year when when FReeping is easy. Temperatures are in the mid 70s during the day, dropping to maybe 65-70 at night, and humidity is low. The sky is partially cloudy, so you're not hit with a blazing sun, but neither is there a threat of precipitation. There was just enough of a breeze to keep you pleasantly cool, but not so much to tear our MOAB. In other words, it was a beautiful evening. Honor Roll of AttendeesYour author Tom the Redhunter, Fraxinus, VAFlagWaver, Taco Mama, DaNang 68, Chief, Mr & Mrs Trooprally, VictoryNY, Cindy-True-Supporter,...

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2008 – A group of wounded warriors got a presidential send off at the White House today as they launched a three-day bicycle ride to show the world and themselves what they’re still capable of accomplishing. President Bush joined Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon R. England, and the secretaries of State and Veterans Affairs on the South Lawn, heralding the wounded warriors for their service, sacrifice and inspiration. The riders set out on the “White House to Light House Challenge” that will take them from the White...

ELDER STREET AND GEORGIA AVENUE, WASHINGTON, DC - 18 April 2008 The DC Chapter stalwarts and FRiends refusing to cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment manned their post Friday night at the main gate outside Walter Reed Army Medical Center Week 157 Honor Roll: Fraxinus, Lurker Bill aka “Sweet William”, VAFlagwaver, Ron G. Kirby, USNRetired, Kburi, PleaDeal, BufordP, Tom the Redhunter; Cindy_True_Supporter, Trooprally (Mr. & Mrs.) and from the Mason Nation – Laura R. BufordP wants to know, “Are you talking to me?” PleaDeal on patrol, camera...

Honor roll for April 4, 2008: VictoryNY; Plea Deal; Fraxinus; Tom the Redhunter; Cindy_True_Supporter; Eaglesnest1; Rongkirby; American_Awesomeness; Jimmy Valentine's brother; Satin_Patriot; kristinn; Lurker Bill, a friend of Satin_Patriot,two lovely lurkers, two friends of VictoryNY and Chief from GOE. It was back to normal outside the main gate to Walter Reed Army Medical Center after the previous week's 3 year anniversary observation. Though we were down a few people, the demonstration of support for our troops was undiminished:Satin_Patriot at the main gate.No MOAB needed when VictoryNY is there to cheer our troops!VictoryNY and friends.ChiefLurker Bill in mid-wave at passing car.Tom the...

McCain was a POW when U.S. began to use laser-guided bombs TRIBUNE-REVIEW By Salena Zito Sen. Rockefeller got down and dirty today with colleague John McCain in an interview with the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia when he said: "McCain was a fighter pilot, who dropped laser-guided missiles from 35,000 feet. He was long gone when they hit. What happened when they [the missiles] get to the ground? He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues." Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki had this to say about the Rockefeller smack down: "Senator...

NEW YORK - The Washington Post won six Pulitzer Prizes on Monday, including the public service medal for exposing shoddy treatment of America's war wounded at Walter Reed hospital, and the breaking-news award for coverage of the Virginia Tech massacre. The New York Times received two Pulitzers: one for investigative reporting, for stories on toxic ingredients in medicine and other products imported from China, and one for explanatory reporting, for examining the ethical issues surrounding DNA testing. The Post's other awards were for: • National reporting, for its exploration of Vice President Dick Cheney's backstage influence; • International reporting, for...

BREAKING NEWS: Washington Post wins 2008 Pulitzer Prize for public service for its coverage of the mistreatment of veterans at Walter Reed hospital. Full story to follow shortly.

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2008 – It was all a big joke for servicemembers and their families at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Fisher House yesterday when comedian Kathy Griffin came to visit. Comedian Kathy Griffin, star of “My Life on the D List,” greets Susan Badia at Walter Reed Army Medical Center's Fisher House III on April 3, 2008. Badia, her daughter, Kylee Ray, and her husband, Army Sgt. Jace Badia, currently are living next door at Fisher House II. Sergeant Badia is recuperating from wounds he suffered in Iraq when he was hit by a homemade bomb. Griffin...

Almost unbelievable that it's really been three years for this event. I've participated since August of 2005, and that itself seems long enough, so I my thanks goes out to those intrepid FReepers who started this FReep back in March of that year. With this in mind, we had a special FReep planned for the Three Year Anniversary. When I got there just before 6:30, our usual starting time, FReepers were already on our corners holding their signs! I got out the MOAB and we set to work Soon we had it up and the FReep truly began! On the...

Illinois' disabled veterans are at "rock bottom" - "dead last" - in benefits and claims processing of applications for disability. But Illinois' veterans take a back seat because their junior senator is running for president. And that senator, Barack Obama, has missed an astonishing number of hearings and meetings of the Senate Veterans Committee.

21 March 2008, Elder Street and Georgia Avenue, Washington, DC Well FREEPERs it happened, Bruce Wolf, chair of O.P.E.I.U. Local 2's "Social Justice Committee" managed to round up a group of Spring Equinox celebrants and out numbered the DC Chapter and FRiends. But enough of the bad news. From Oklahoma City, Oklahoma by way of Dallas, Texas we were joined by Scan 59 seen here with VictoryNY And his wife, BABY FREEP their lovely lurker daughter Kari Their son is a machinist mate serving on the Carrier USNS George Washington which is soon to deploy. Scan indicated that their son...

Before Thanksgiving, many JINSA Reports readers took the time to nominate Hal Koster, formerly of Fran O'Brien's, for the "Above and Beyond Award" sponsored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. (See JINSA Reports #720 and 721) This month, Hal was chosen as the representative of the District of Columbia. The citation from the Society reads, in part: Hal Koster of Washington, DC for going above and beyond with his unwavering commitment to wounded American soldiers and their loved ones. Koster, a Vietnam veteran, has hosted Friday night dinners for wounded soldiers and their families for the past five years....

Washington, DC, Feb. 29, 2008—This after-action report is for a FReep at Walter Reed that took place in the pre-Easter season of Lent, a time when Christian believers are encouraged to make a personal sacrifice. It will also tell a few stories about what some believers are doing for and with the troops. A new sign at the Walter Reed FReep with a timeless message from the heart of why believers in our Constitution defend our republic — that a nation "under God" is one in which freedom is regarded as a natural birthright, not a favor granted by the...

This Friday, March 28 2008, marks the Three Year Anniversary of our Walter Reed FReep. The main entrance to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, which is where we hold the Freep, is located at 6900 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington DC 20307 If you live anywhere near the Washington DC area please consider coming out to support the troops! There is plenty of parking in the area so you can drive there no problem. There's also a metro stop a few blocks away, but since it's a zig-zag walk from it to the hospital, if you're going to take the metro...

bncoc training graduation at Walter Reed We need to get as many people as possible to this graduation next Friday (March 28) to honor these first wounded troops who have gone through the course. (Hat tip Denis Keohane for the pic and summation.) This is incredible! Through email, and the blog, here. Background: I'm doing this in OPORD format, since most of us know that format the best. SITUATION: I was contacted today through work by SFC Barry Nelson, US Army, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He is the Senior Group Leader of the Basic Non-Commission Officers Course...

Through email, and the blog, here. Background: I’m doing this in OPORD format, since most of us know that format the best. SITUATION: I was contacted today through work by the Senior Group Leader of the Basic Non-Commission Officers Course (BNCOC) on the grounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Any of you who have been to PLDC, BNCOC, ANCOC or Sergeant Majors Academy no doubt remember these courses. They’re not exactly R&R. Now imagine doing it as a wounded troop. Here was his first missive to me: I am currently an active duty Army NCO conducting first of it’s...

GETTYSBURG, Pa.—Seamus Garrahy (center right), former Marine, cooks steaks for Marines who visit his home in Gettysburg, Pa. Garrahy continually opens his home to Marines who visit Gettysburg. (Photo courtesy of www.gunghosauce.com). (RELEASED) LIBERTY MOUNTAIN, Pa. (March 21, 2008) -- Marines with Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, II Marine Expeditionary Force, gave back to the military community here Feb. 29 - March 2. Marines assisted wounded warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital and had a helping hand from another patriotic citizen working behind the scenes. “They assisted the wounded warriors. I assisted them with steaks and beverages,� said...

It’s amazing what happens when people start working together toward a common goal. Friday night, 14 March, Free Republic, Gathering of Eagles (GOE), Eagles Up, Nam Knights, Band of Mothers, Protest Warrior, Patriot Guard Riders, A Soldier’s Wish List, Move America Forward, and concerned individuals got together at the intersection of Georgia and Elder in DC NW to show unified support of the men and women who wear military uniforms in service to our country. This intersection is the location of the main entrance of Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC). It is this intersection that greets the men and...

A few months ago, a day before one of the occasional marches the Capital sees demanding an end to the Iraq War, I began the descent into the Metro stop near my office, looked up, and saw a number of representatives of Code Pink standing at the railing overlooking the escalator. Or rather, I heard them first. They were screaming at the parade of commuters, at the top of their lungs and in a tone somewhere between simple frustration and righteous anger, "End the war!!!" Well, I thought, that ought to take care of things. Good work, hippies! I kid...

Remember Me By Salena Zito Time punishes war. The war in Iraq is no exception; as each moment passes, public resolve, politics and passion erode its mission. Collectively, many Americans tend to remember the mistakes and politics that led us there, rather than the faces of the men and women who serve and defend us. Seven months ago, Lizzie Palmer, a young lady from Columbus, Ohio, barely over the threshold of childhood, felt compelled to do her part to remind people of those faces. The result is a stunning video that was showcased on Chris Wallace's Fox News Sunday last...

Patriotic Americans are being urged to wear red, white and blue clothing this Wednesday, March 19, 2008, to show support for our troops and their mission on the fifth anniversary of the liberation of Iraq from the terrorist regime of Saddam Hussein.Anything from scarves and ties to a full blown Uncle Sam suit will do. When someone compliments you on your patriotic attire, take the opportunity to explain to them why you're wearing the red, white and blue on Wednesday.The anti-American left will be out in the streets across the country that day protesting and rioting. Most of us will...

The D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com invites all Freepers and lurkers in good standing to join us in standing up with our FRiends for our country and our rights over the next week in Washington, D.C. FRiends:Move America ForwardGathering of EaglesEagles Up!Resolve to WinSecond Amendment Sisters Schedule:Friday, March 14, 2008:8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Truth Challenge against IVAW Winter Soldier II National Labor College 10000 New Hampshire Avenue New Hampshire Ave and Powder Mill Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20903 Map Link: http://tinyurl.com/3attuz9:30 a.m.Move America Forward press conference. National Press Club 529 14th St., NW Washington, D.C. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.D.C. Chapter...

The speakers had just finished lamenting recent acts of vandalism at military recruiting centers and had opened the floor to questions at the National Press Club when peace activist Tighe Barry jumped up, took off his shirt and revealed the pink military tunic he was wearing underneath. "This is what I think of the Marine Corps!" he yelled. "The Marine Corps needs to be the peace corps!" Incensed, Kevin L. Martin rushed to the microphone. "Let me tell you something, dammit!" he hollered. "I'm a Navy veteran of seven years, and . . . you are a joke, sir! Please...

You guys won’t believe the scene at the National Press Club today. We at Move America Forward were releasing our investigative report on the nationwide plague of attacks against military recruiting centers. (The Sedition Report) Congressman John Carter (co-sponsor of the Semper Fi Act) was there speaking. So too was Debbie Lee, mother of the 1st Navy Seal killed in Iraq. Then, midway through the news conference, members of Code Pink, International ANSWER and Global Exchange start heckling, screaming, yelling. They said our claims of improper actions by anti-war radicals were all lies, that the anti-military activists have been nothing...