Kentucky Air Guard to support, participate in Thunder Over Louisville

By Air National Guard Master Sgt. Phil Speck

123rd Airlift Wing

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (4/20/12) – The Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Airlift Wing is scheduled to support the 2012 Thunder Over Louisville Air Show April 21, providing logistic and maintenance support for military aircraft scheduled to appear at this year's show.

The April 21 event promises to be one of the biggest yet, said Air Force Capt. Josh Ketterer, a C-130 Hercules pilot with the 123rd AW, and the Kentucky Air National Guard's Thunder coordinator.

This year's schedule features more than 25 current military planes and helicopters from the across the U.S. armed forces and Canadian military, as well as variety of historic aircraft. Highlights of the show this year include the F-22 Raptor, a B-2 Stealth Bomber and F/A-18 Hornets.

"The public will see a representation of every single service, and every single type of military aircraft during the air show," Ketterer said. "It will be impressive."

A special segment of the six-hour program will highlight Marine Corps aircraft in recognition of the Corps' 100th year of flying operations. The United States Marine Corps began its aviation program on May 22, 1912.

Marine Corps Sgt. Dakota Meyer, a Medal of Honor recipient and Kentucky native, will be featured during the Marine aviation segment by sitting in the back seat of an AV-8B Harrier during its aerial demonstration over the Ohio River.

As always, the Kentucky Air Guard will provide logistical, security and maintenance support for military aircraft throughout the day.

"It's an honor for us to support this event, which is now in its 22nd year and has become one of the most successful air shows in the nation," Ketterer said. "For the past 21 years, the 123rd Airlift Wing has consistently provided a high level of service to the community and a high level of hospitality to our visiting air crews and maintainers during Thunder. This year will be no different.

"We know our efforts allow hundreds of thousands of people to see the nation's military aircraft up close, whether they're watching them in person along the riverfront or tuning in to the live telecast."

The Kentucky Air Guard's 123rd Special Tactics Squadron will kick off the air show Saturday when four pararescuemen are scheduled to parachute out of a Kentucky C-130 aircraft and land in the Ohio River, where they will be recovered by other members of the special tactics team.

J.R. Martinez and Dakota Meyer, Featured Speakers at National Conference Available for Media Interviews

The former U.S. Army Officer and Dancing with the Stars Champ Joins American Hero and Medal of Honor Recipient for Foundations Recovery Network conference to focus on the treatment of service men, women, and their families

Nashville, Tennessee. April 5, 2011 – Popular servicemen  J.R. Martinez and Dakota Meyer are the guest speakers at the upcoming Freedom & Recovery conference in San Diego, CA held April 23-26, 2012.   The conference brings together leading experts specializing in the treatment of service men, women, and their families. 

Medal of Honor recipient, Dakota Meyer will be featured on Tuesday, April 24 and retired U.S. Army soldier and “Dancing with the Stars” champion, J.R. Martinez will be featured on Wednesday, April 25. Both speakers will present their inspiring and motivational stories in the Crown room at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego.  Each presentation will conclude with an interactive Q&A time.  Both Meyer and Martinez hope to bring attention to the various treatment methods available to returning military men and women while also raising the level of awareness of how our military is affected by the circumstances of war and service.

J.R. Martinez and Dakota Meyer are now available for media interviews in-studio or by phone. Media is also invited to attend and cover on site.

A limited number of tickets are available to media. For more information about the conference and to purchase tickets please visit: foundationsrecoverynetwork.com

About J.R. Martinez:

While many may know him as an actor or from his recent participation on Dancing With the Stars or being named the 2012 Grand Marshal for the Tournament of Roses festivities, J.R. Martinez is also a retired U.S. Army Solider who was deployed to Iraq in 2003. While serving, he sustained burns over 40% of his body after his Humvee crossed a land mine. During his recovery, he spent time visiting and encouraging other patients. Martinez now travels the country sharing his life-changing story and message of resilience and optimism. He has devoted himself to showing others the true value in making the most of every situation. His experience was certainly life changing, but he states it is a change for the better. We are very excited to present the opportunity to spend an evening with J.R. Martinez as he discusses his motivational and inspiring journey.

About Dakota Meyer:

This U.S. Marine veteran was recently awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration, by President Obama. He is the third living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War, and the first living United States Marine in 38 years to be so honored. Meyer served in both Iraq and Afghanistan but his most notable efforts occurred in September 2009. During the attack near Ganjgal, with disregard for his own life, Meyer help to evacuate both trapped and wounded soldiers. He insists that he is not a hero and any Marine would do the same thing. Back home, this highly decorated service member has issued a "Challenge to America" to raise an additional $1 Million for the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. As a speaker, he addresses inspiration, motivation, courage, leadership, believing in yourself, and doing what is right.

About Foundations Recovery Network:

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Foundations Recovery Network is one of the premier organizations for treating those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. The FRN family of treatment facilities includes Michael’s House in Palm Springs, Calif.; The Canyon in Malibu, Calif.; La Paloma in Memphis, Tenn. and a full-service outpatient treatment center in Atlanta, Ga. All FRN facilities employ an “integrated treatment” approach, focusing on a dual-diagnosis model for lasting recovery.

Contact:

Caroline Galloway (440) 591-3807 or at cngalloway@aol.com

J.R. Martinez and Dakota Meyer to be Featured Speakers at National Conference

The former U.S. Army Officer and Dancing with the Stars Champ Joins American Hero and Medal of Honor Recipient for Foundations Recovery Network conference to focus on the treatment of service men, women, and their families

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  - Foundations Recovery Network announced popular servicemen  J.R. Martinez and Dakota Meyer as special guest speakers at the Freedom & Recovery conference in San Diego, CA held April 23-26, 2012.   The conference brings together leading experts specializing in the treatment of service men, women, and their families.  The event focuses on the unique challenges that these individuals face as well as treatment strategies that prepare them for a return to work and civilian life.

Medal of Honor recipient, Dakota Meyer will be featured on Tuesday, April 24 and retired U.S. Army soldier and “Dancing with the Stars” champion, J.R. Martinez will be featured on Wednesday, April 25. Both speakers will present their inspiring and motivational stories in the Crown room at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego.  Each presentation will conclude with an interactive Q&A time.  Both Meyer and Martinez hope to bring attention to the various treatment methods available to returning military men and women while also raising the level of awareness of how our military is affected by the circumstances of war and service.

"With domestic challenges at home and active military returning from abroad, our service men and women have unique and profound needs for integrated treatment," says Rob Waggener, CEO of Foundations Recovery Network.  “We are honored to offer such high quality speakers who are able to address innovations in treatment for our veterans and first responders.”

A limited number of tickets are available to the public and also for conference attendees. For more information about the conference and to purchase tickets please visit: www.foundationsrecoverynetwork.com

Media placement at conference will be available.

About J.R. Martinez: While many may know him as an actor or from his recent participation on Dancing With the Stars or being named the 2012 Grand Marshal for the Tournament of Roses festivities, J.R. Martinez is also a retired U.S. Army Solider who was deployed to Iraq in 2003. While serving, he sustained burns over 40% of his body after his Humvee crossed a land mine. During his recovery, he spent time visiting and encouraging other patients. Martinez now travels the country sharing his life-changing story and message of resilience and optimism. He has devoted himself to showing others the true value in making the most of every situation. His experience was certainly life changing, but he states it is a change for the better. We are very excited to present the opportunity to spend an evening with J.R. Martinez as he discusses his motivational and inspiring journey.

About Dakota Meyer: This U.S. Marine veteran was recently awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration, by President Obama. He is the third living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War, and the first living United States Marine in 38 years to be so honored. Meyer served in both Iraq and Afghanistan but his most notable efforts occurred in September 2009. During the attack near Ganjgal, with disregard for his own life, Meyer help to evacuate both trapped and wounded soldiers. He insists that he is not a hero and any Marine would do the same thing. Back home, this highly decorated service member has issued a "Challenge to America" to raise an additional $1 Million for the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. As a speaker, he addresses inspiration, motivation, courage, leadership, believing in yourself, and doing what is right.

About Foundations Recovery Network: Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Foundations Recovery Network is one of the premier organizations for treating those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. The FRN family of treatment facilities includes Michael’s House in Palm Springs, Calif.; The Canyon in Malibu, Calif.; La Paloma in Memphis, Tenn. and a full-service outpatient treatment center in Atlanta, Ga. All FRN facilities employ an “integrated treatment” approach, focusing on a dual-diagnosis model for lasting recovery.

National Leaders Participate in Vets Day Events

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2011 – Today’s Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Veterans Day event highlighted ceremonies around the country honoring those who served in the armed forces.

President Barack Obama started the day hosting veterans at a White House breakfast in the East Room. Later in the day, he placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and spoke at the Arlington Memorial Amphitheatre.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, represented the Defense Department and U.S. military at the ceremony.

The president will move on to San Diego, where he will sit with sailors aboard the USS Carl Vinson for the Carrier Classic, the kick-off of the NCAA basketball season. The game will feature the University of North Carolina taking on Michigan State.

In New York, military leaders joined hundreds of thousands of spectators in one of the country’s oldest and largest Veterans Day parades. The parade commemorated the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the 100th anniversary of naval aviation.

Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer, the nation's most recent Medal of Honor recipient, and Nicholas Oresko, the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient, joined the parade. Oresko, an Army veteran, received his award for actions during the Battle of the Bulge. He and Meyer were joined by four Vietnam veteran Medal of Honor recipients: Army Capt. Paul W. Bucha, Army Lt. Col. Bruce P. Crandall, Army Lt. Col. Alfred Rascon and Army 1st Lt. Brian Thacker.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno were among honorees at the New York parade.

Later today in New York, Vice President Joe Biden will speak at the unveiling of a statue entitled De Oppresso Liber – Free the Oppressed – the motto of Army Special Forces.

Commonly called the Horse Soldiers statue, it commemorates the bravery of Special Forces soldiers who first went into Afghanistan in 2001. The statue shows a Special Forces soldier riding an Afghan mountain pony. It will be displayed at the World Trade Center site.

Most cities and towns in the United States are remembering veterans on this 93rd anniversary of the armistice ending World War I. The guns stopped firing in Europe on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. The United States suffered 116,708 service members killed and another 205,690 wounded. Overall, the Great War was responsible for the deaths of more than 16.5 million people.

President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Armistice Day in 1919.

                           

Although World War I was supposed to be the war to end all wars, it didn’t. In 1954, Congress enacted legislation changing the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.

MOH Recipient Issues Scholarship Challenge

By Terri Moon Cronk

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2011 – Medal of Honor recipient Marine Corps Sgt. Dakota Meyer plans to raise $1 million in scholarship money for the children of wounded Marines and Navy corpsmen, and challenges the American public to match it.

Meyer announced his “Sergeant Dakota Meyer Scholarship,” a $2 million scholarship matching initiative, at the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation 2011 Ceremony and Reception, here, Sept. 13, two days before President Barack Obama presented him with the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony.

“My entire Marine Corps career was about challenges and meeting that challenge,” Meyer said in an interview with MarinesTV. “So what I decided to do was challenge myself to raise $1 million for the scholarship fund initiative, and I’m challenging America to match -- dollar for dollar -- what I can bring into the fund.”

Meyer recently partnered with the foundation to form his initiative and raise the $1 million plus matching funds by the foundation’s 50th anniversary on May 28, 2012.

“I chose to partner with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation on this initiative because of our common mission of supporting Marines and Navy corpsmen families,” Meyer said. “Education paves the path for our future, and the money we raise will lead to a brighter future for the sons and daughters of many Marines.”

Meyer’s challenge to the public to raise a matching $1 million is to honor Marines and Navy corpsmen by educating their children, foundation officials said.

Outlining his call to the public for matching scholarship donations, Meyer set up the “Dakota Meyer Challenge” website.

The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is the nation's oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to U.S. military families, and has provided 26,500 scholarships valued at more than $65 million for the post-high school education of children of wounded Marines and Navy corpsmen, according to its website.

Meyer, the nation’s most recent recipient of the Medal of Honor, is credited with saving 37 lives in a six-hour firefight following an enemy ambush on U.S. and Afghan troops in the Ganjgal Valley of Kunar province, Afghanistan, Sept. 8, 2009, when he was a corporal. The nation’s highest military honor, the Medal of Honor is awarded for risk of life in combat beyond the call of duty.

Meyer is the third living service member to receive the Medal of Honor for actions during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Medal of Honor Recipient to be Inducted into Hall of Heroes

Sgt. Dakota L. Meyer will be inducted into the Hall of Heroes on Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. EDT in the Pentagon Auditorium (Room BH650).  Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, Secretary of the Navy Ray E. Mabus, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Michael P. Barrett will participate in the ceremony.

Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will need to enter the River Entrance and will require a Pentagon escort.  Plan to arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the event, have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification.

Following the Hall of Heroes ceremony, Meyer will be honored with an evening parade at Marine Barracks Washington at 6 p.m.

To cover either event, media representatives should RSVP with Capt. Kevin Schultz at 703-614-4309.

President Barack Obama will present the Medal of Honor to Meyer in a White House ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 2:30 p.m. in recognition of his valor during Operation Enduring Freedom.  Interested media should contact White House Office of Media Affairs at 202-456-6238.

Visit:  http://www.marines.mil/medalofhonor for more information on Meyer and his courageous actions.