The New England Patriots honor our Veterans

The New England Patriots are the Class Act in the NFL....They demonstrate it each and every day, especially when it comes to showing appreciation for our Veterans.

Pretty cool gesture by the Patriots, setting up this empty seat to honor the sacrifices of those in our military ... twitter.com/AlbertBreer/st…
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 11, 2012

Remember & honor the US Navy SEALS who died in the line of duty...You can sleep easy because they gave their all for you & me

BRAVO ZULU to the US NAVY SEALS and our deepest condolences to the families of these splendid warriors. They were together with their " brothers " and valued K-9 companion. Now they are forever in our prayers.


Don't forget to honor the Navy SEALS who died in the line of duty
Michael Daly - NY DAILY NEWS


If you went to Ground Zero or Times Square or anywhere else to cheer and chant "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" after Navy SEAL Team Six brought justice to Osama Bin Laden, go back there Sunday.

Go back and offer a moment of silence for the 22 men from SEAL Team Six and all the others aboard the helicopter that was shot down in Afghanistan yesterday.

SEAL Team Six is divided into four squadrons and the one aboard the helicopter was not the one that actually got Bin Laden, but it had long been part of the effort to track him down.

And, like the rest of the SEALs, they had continued to put themselves in harm's way after the crowds that chanted "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" dispersed and went back to acting as if there were no war. The SEALs kept beings SEALs as we walked around as if nobody were risking all for our sake, as if we had no obligation to stand together as a nation behind them.

A dear friend of mine who trained with the SEAL Team Six after 9/11 ran into a member of the ill-fated squadron last month. The SEAL said he was deploying the next day, right after an all-important event.

"I'm going to be with my kids," the SEAL told my friend. "We're going to breakfast at McDonald's."

After breakfast with his kids, the SEAL headed off to Afghanistan, where his squadron was about to suffer such a terrible loss. My friend can only hope this particular SEAL was not aboard the helicopter, though that would mean it was someone else.

"You get a little selfish hoping it's not somebody that you know," my friend said.

The thought that so many SEALs had been lost was even harder to take now that Bin Laden was dead and our strategy in Afghanistan seems to be finding a way to extricate ourselves.

"A stopgap thing until we get out of there," my friend said. "It's not worth one of them, nevermind 22 of them, for a place you're going to walk away from."

Not that the SEALs complain or are one step slower in doing whatever is asked of them, no matter how dangerous.

With the loss of 22 SEALs along with eight other Americans and seven Afghan commandos came a reminder; in combat there is sometimes no protection even for the most highly trained and highly skilled warriors.

The bad guys knew when the Chinook helicopter swooped down into an Afghan valley that it would have to rise once those aboard were done. All the Taliban needed to do was wait on a mountainside.

The Chinook rose with a SEAL contingent that likely could have held off thousands of the enemy on the ground. The SEALs could do nothing in the air against an insurgent with a rocket.

"A moment of vulnerability," my friend said.

Among the SEALs were a dog handler and a dog that would remind outsiders of Cujo, but held a special place in the hearts of the squadron.

SEALs have a soft spot for their dogs, perhaps partly because a canine's keen senses can alert them to danger and give them a critical edge. A dog also allows resolutely reticent warriors to express a little affection; you can pet a pooch, if not another SEAL.

Many of the SEALs have a dog stateside. To take one on a mission may be like bringing along something of home. And home likely has taken on even deeper meaning as the long years of this war convinced ever more SEALs that they could not wait for it to end before starting a family. The tragedy is almost certainly compounded by children suddenly left without fathers.

With the loss of so many of our best warriors, we should honor them with a pledge to follow what is best in ourselves and therefore best for our country.

And, don't forget the ones that have remained out there long after those chants of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!"

mdaly@nydailynews.com

SECDEF ROBERT M. GATES exits with thanks for all who have served....

Our Thanks To You SIR.....Fair Winds and following seas.

Importance: High

UNCLASSIFIED//

O 291641Z JUN 11
SECDEF FAREWELL MESSAGE
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

TO ALDODACT

PASS TO ALL SUBORDINATE COMMANDS

TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES:

TOMORROW, 30 JUNE 2011, I WILL RETIRE AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. IT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST HONOR OF MY LIFE TO SERVE AND TO LEAD YOU FOR THE PAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS.

ALL OF THAT TIME WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN TWO WARS AND COUNTLESS OTHER OPERATIONS. IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR FAMILIES, FROM LONG AND REPEATED DEPLOYMENTS FOR THOSE IN ALL FOUR SERVICES — AND THE ASSOCIATED LONG SEPARATIONS FROM LOVED ONES — TO THE ANGUISH OF THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE LOST FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN COMBAT OR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SUFFERED VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE WOUNDS OF WAR YOURSELVES. BUT YOUR DEDICATION, COURAGE AND SKILL HAVE KEPT AMERICA SAFE EVEN WHILE BRINGING THE WAR IN IRAQ TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION AND, I BELIEVE, AT LAST TURNING THE TIDE IN AFGHANISTAN. YOUR COUNTRYMEN OWE YOU THEIR FREEDOM AND THEIR SECURITY. THEY SLEEP SAFELY AT NIGHT AND PURSUE THEIR DREAMS DURING THE DAY BECAUSE YOU STAND THE WATCH AND PROTECT THEM.

FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, I HAVE SIGNED THE ORDERS DEPLOYING YOU, ALL TOO OFTEN INTO HARM’S WAY. THIS HAS WEIGHED ON ME EVERY DAY. I HAVE KNOWN ABOUT AND FELT YOUR HARDSHIP, YOUR DIFFICULTIES, YOUR SACRIFICE MORE THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE. I HAVE FELT PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH OF YOU, AND SO I HAVE TRIED TO DO ALL I COULD TO PROVIDE WHATEVER WAS NEEDED SO YOU COULD COMPLETE YOUR MISSIONS SUCCESSFULLY AND COME HOME SAFELY — AND, IF HURT, GET THE FASTEST AND BEST CARE IN THE WORLD.

YOU ARE THE BEST THAT AMERICA HAS TO OFFER. MY ADMIRATION AND AFFECTION FOR YOU IS WITHOUT LIMIT, AND I WILL THINK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES AND PRAY FOR YOU EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

GOD BLESS YOU.

//ROBERT M. GATES//