Spc. Kenneth W. Haines
25 years old from Fulton, New York
2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
December 3, 2006
Spc. Kenneth Haines joined the United States Army in September 2000 as a fire support specialist and had been assigned to his unit for just over three years. He deployed to Iraq in October of 2006.
During his time in service, he received several military awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and National Defense Service Medal.
Spc. Haines was killed by an IED that was detonated near his vehicle while on patrol in Abu Hishma, Iraq.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero. We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Next time the federal government bails out the big business morons, they really need to attach some strings and some consequences. It is absolutely ridiculous what the ABC15 reporters found. At first glance, the 2008 Asset Management Conference held this week at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort in Phoenix looked like a normal conference. However, the people who went to it were less than ordinary. American International Group made efforts to disguise the conference, and there were no AIG logos or signs anywhere on the property (they were a $343,000 sponsor of the event which was not allowed under the bailout rules). The ABC15 Investigators went undercover at the resort and observed AIG executives having poolside meetings while drinking coffee and working out at the spa while other attendees were in conference rooms for seminars. The executives were also seen at after parties drinking it up and having AIG pick up the tab (ie the taxpayers). I wonder what else we picked up the tab for: taxi trips, travel insurance, room service? The hotel staff were told they weren’t even allowed to say AIG.
This, of course, comes on the heels of them getting another $40 million (or is it billion?) of taxpayer money to bail them out. Yeah, I think we need to take the blank check away. How about you? Obviously, AIG doesn’t get it.
Now, you can tell that I don’t like Gov. Palin on this blog. However, she is a human being, and she does have family and friends. I am just floored about how horrible McCain’s aides are being towards her. When I came across this video from Campbell Brown, I found myself applauding. She states exactly what I have been thinking — if Palin was that stupid or that bad, why on gods green earth did they pick her for being VP. Somebody screwed up then, and it wasn’t Sarah Palin. I cannot believe some of the crazy stories that have been put out there. To be honest, I don’t think Sarah Palin was the demise of John McCain (though she didn’t help). I think his age and his voting record (voting with Bush 90% of the time) was the problem. Watch this video and let me know what you think.
Cpt. Gussie M. Jones
41 years old from Raleigh, Arkansas
31st Combat Support Hospital
March 07, 2004
Cpt. Gussie Jones was born in Arkansas and was one of eight children. She began her Army career by enlisting in 1988 as a personnel clerk and climbed to the rank of a sergeant.
In 1986, Jones earned a bachelor?s degree in business administration from Arkansas Central University. She was selected to attend the Army Enlisted Commissioning Program and earned her second bachelor?s degree from Syracuse University in 1998. It was in nursing.
Her career as a registered nurse and a commissioned officer began in September 1998 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. In 2002, after completing a course in critical-care nursing, she was assigned to Beaumont Army Medical Center, where she became a mentor.
“She was a very dedicated person and was always smiling, said a co-worker and friend, Capt. Susan Gilbert. If anyone asked her to do something, she would do it. And she was very kind and gentle and patient with the patients.”
Cpt. Jones died of a heart attack while on duty in Baghdad, Iraq. During her 15 years of military services, Jones received a Joint Service Commendation medal, four Army Commendation medals and three Army Achievement medals.
“She was so much a part of their team, and so her death must really affect their morale,” Gilbert said. “I’m very worried about the other soldiers because they’ve lost their battle buddy.”
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Spc. Kenneth W. Haines
