Posts Tagged ‘art’
American Hero
Monday, September 26th, 2011
Humbled in a Room Full of Heroes
There are stars, then there are stars. The stars in this room aren’t from stage or screen or sports or politics. The stars are Silver and Bronze, and are owned by true American Heroes. These wounded warriors have fought and bled and sacrificed and even laughed during combat with their Special Forces teams. And these stars are all here to support Walt Fricke and the Veterans Airlift Command.
The VAC (www.veteransairlift.org) works through a network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots to provide free air transportation to wounded veterans and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes. It was the dream of one man, Walt Fricke, a former Army helicopter pilot. Walt was injured in Vietnam and spent months in a hospital, 700 miles from home. He told NBC that he “wasn’t doing well, quite frankly, until my family gathered the resources to come and see me.” Walt knew the healing power of family, and thus created the VAC.
I didn’t fully understand the VAC’s impact until I was in that room in 2010, celebrating Hero Flight, the VAC’s annual get together and fund raising event. These Special Forces Operators are like elite athletes. They function and live in combat as a team, utilizing tactics and technology that is truly state of the art. And they operate at the highest level of awareness. But in combat, these brave men and women can and will get gravely wounded. The resulting loss is not only physical, but mental. These elite operators are no longer part of the active team. Not only do they lose arms and legs, they also lose their sense of self.
John Wayne Walding spoke at length about his time in combat, his injury and his return home. Depressed, confused, and not sure about how his family would view him after losing his lower leg, the future was anything but bright for this Silver Star recipient. Sure he was a hero, but how would his family view him and how about the rest of society? And what about the indignity of having to remove your prosthetic in an airport security line with hundreds of people looking on? Is this how our heroes should be treated?
John Walding would tell you that his first VAC mission helped him recover emotionally. Suddenly the CEO of a major company was taking an interest in him. His family was treated with the dignity and respect that a hero deserves. For a moment, life became a fraction easier.
Wounded warriors like John Wayne Walding and many of the other Hero Flight veterans are active, involved and even being re-deployed. Overcoming their amputations and injuries, they are striving to return to their teams and create new relationships with those in the field. John Walding was the first amputee to graduate from the Special Forces Sniper Course.
There are true American Heroes around us, having served and currently serving in our armed forces. The Veterans Airlift Command supports those wounded warriors and their families in times of need. Please join me in supporting the VAC.
About the Author
Blair Ingle is a business professional and writer, endeavoring to be a man of action, influence and integrity.
Accomplished business strategist with a portfolio of achievements innovating solutions to build brand presence, enhance performance, and stimulate growth. Expert in providing the vision and energy to build teams focused on delivering sustainable bottom-line results. Measure company success by contributions to the community as well as stakeholder ROI. Dynamic leader who instills a high-performance culture and delivers exceptional business results.
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Valley Forge Nylon United States Marine Corp. Flag, measures 3-Foot x 5-Foot $2.99 This is a brand new – unopened 3 ft x 5 ft polyester US Marine Flag. This flag is light-weight perfect for any weather, good for indoors or outdoors. There are two metal grommets to hang the flag easily…. |
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Valley Forge 30-Inch by 50-Inch U.S. Nylon Flag With Sewn Stripes and Embroidered Stars With 5-Foot Wood Pole Banner Kit With Bracket $21.33 Easily mounted on either a vertical surface like a wall or a horizontal surface like a roof, this 2-1/2-by-4-foot U.S. flag will wave in tricolor triumph through many holidays. It’s made of heavy nylon, with double-stitched red and white stripes and embroidered white stars on the familiar blue background. It dries quickly after rain, resists fading in sunlight, remains durable in wind, and yet is … |
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Valley Forge In-Ground United States Flag Kit, containing 20-Foot Aluminum Flag Pole, 3-Foot x 5-Foot Nylon United States Flag With Sewn Stripes & Embroidered Stars, and Hardware $86.99 Set firmly into the ground, this 3-by-5-foot U.S. flag will wave in tricolor triumph through many holidays. It’s made of heavy nylon with double-stitched red and white stripes and embroidered white stars on the familiar blue background. It dries quickly after rain, resists fading in sunlight, and remains durable in wind–yet is light enough to flap in the slightest breeze. The flag attaches with s… |
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The Mayflower Voyagers (This Is America, Charlie Brown) [VHS] $9.95 … |
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William Bradford: The First Thanksgiving: Animated Hero Classics $7.39 … |
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Disney’s American Legends: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Johnny Appleseed, The Brave Engineer [VHS] $12.77 American history and pioneer mythology blur in this collection of animated Disney shorts hosted by James Earl Jones. From Disney’s Golden Age come the marvelous Johnny Appleseed (1948), a fanciful, folksy, story-song tale of the real-life planter who seeded the Midwest, and The Brave Engineer (1950), a screwball version of “The Ballad of Casey Jones.” Paul Bunyan (1958) is pure tall tale turn… |
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Green Lantern Party Dessert Plates $1.99 Includes (8) shaped dessert plates…. |
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Michigan Wolverines Baby Gift Set $12.95 With the combination of a bib, bottle and pacifier, this set covers all the essential needs of every little fan. The bib is made of 100 percent cotton, features an embroidered team logo, a velcro closure for easy use and is machine washable. The 9 ounce bottle is decorated with the team logo and colors, features a silicone nipple and has the measuring scale on the back. The pacifier features th… |
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Marvel Heroes Bandages 20 COUNT $0.01 Marvel Heroes Bandages 20 COUNT BOX 3/4″ X 3″… |
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Fruit Shapes Fruit Flavored Snacks, Spiderman, 10-Count Packets (Pack of 10) $41.99 Betty Crocker 10Pack Fruit Snacks-Spiderma – 10 Pack… |
