For months after 9-11, we were all Americans

This is my first post on this site. Raymond was kind enough to invite me to post here.

I am a Senior Chaplain with the International Fellowship of Chaplains. We work with police officers, firefighters, emergency responders and survivors of traumatic events. Some of us work in prisons, some with bikers, you name it, we're pretty much there in times of need.

Raymond interviewed me yesterday and he asked what a Chaplain does. I told him that while we are often confused with pastors, ministers, other members of the clergy, our mission is to take care of all God's children, where they are and when they need help. There are some Chaplains associated with churches because they also happen to be members of the clergy as well. For us, our mission is in our communities and for me, it's been nationally and internationally because of the blogs and website. I post over at http://www.woundedtimes.blogspot.com/ and have a website at http://www.namguardianangel.com/ I am editor and publisher of both along with making videos to provide support and education on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

While I've been doing this work since 1982, focusing on veterans, it has lead to working with police officers, firefighters, their families and survivors of trauma as well as the current military. I became a Chaplain last year.

I am married to a Vietnam veteran and that's how I got into all of this. I've not only researched it, I live with it. We're members of a lot of organizations but I am most grateful to the IFOC. I just started a Charter of the IFOC. I am certified, trained, licensed and ordained by the IFOC, certified in crisis intervention and management, debriefing plus disaster and extreme event preparedness (DEEP)

Now that you know a bit about me, you'll know where the rest of this post is coming from. It is a cross post from my blog. It is very difficult to think of things to post on other sites to share but this one I believe is important to share considering the anniversary of September 11th is coming up soon.

I hope to be posting here again soon.




For months after 9-11, we were all Americans
by Chaplain Kathie

Everyone in this country remembers where they were the day our sense of security was lost. We watched it happen on TV sets from coast to coast. Some had to watch it happen right in front of their eyes in New York and Washington DC. We were horrified knowing that in one horrific moment lives could be so violently changed. People just going to work in a normal day, were suddenly gone.

We think about the people on the planes,in the Towers and working in the Pentagon. They all got ready for one more normal day, drinking coffee, eating breakfast, dressing and driving off, away from their families thinking what they would do after they returned from work that night. Some never returned. Others returned with the same body, but not the same inside.

Police officers and firefighters rushed into the burning buildings while everyone else was running away. While citizens were able to return home to cope with what they just survived, the police and firefighters were still trying to save lives. They stayed after the Towers fell to try to find people trapped and to find their own friends.

For months after 9-11, we were all Americans. We bought flags. Some for the first time in their lives. We bought them for our homes and for our cars. We bought them in honor of the lives lost in unity. People were a lot nicer to each other back then. The sense that their own lives could end in an instant as well, made them appreciate family and friends more. Some were transformed for the better that day, but sooner or later, all that was good and patriotic faded away and people started to scream at each other again. Flags came down. Concerts for the families stopped. While we remembered those horrible events, we forgot about the families left behind.

The heartbreak of families remained long after the funerals but they got on with their lives as best as they could. Firefighters and police officers returned to work in New York City dealing with the average traumatic events of normal fires and accidents, crimes and domestic disputes. They had a job to do no matter how much they were hurting, but we never really noticed them. After all, we never really do think of any of them unless we need them.

What is really telling is that while we may from time to time remember the firefighters and police officers of New York City, we never seem to remember that police and firefighters rushed in from other states to help. We don't think about the construction workers coming in from New Jersey and other states. After all is said and done, what they did, the images of all of them working together, side by side, never really took hold of our hearts. We forgot that police and firefighters risk their lives for all of us but long after we need them, the events they respond to can take hold of their minds just as much as the men and women in the military.

Now this article shows that the children left behind still come together with their own common bond. They find friendship and support being understood by their own as only others can understand. Somehow where they live, what incomes their families have, how they vote, what divides them, is all ignored as it was that day in America. What matters most is that they are there to support each other as humans, as Americans, and as survivors of a great loss.

Camp 9/11
Where teenagers who lost a parent in the terrorist attacks now counsel the youngest victims

By Bella English
Globe Staff

PERU, Mass. - Julia Coombs clears the lunch tables of stray cups and napkins, then rushes over to join her friends in a line dance. The dining room is a blur of sweaty bodies and a cacophony of voices dancing and singing to “The Music Man.’’ Julia is 15, a confident, chatty counselor-in-training at America’s Camp.

Six years ago, she was a shy 9-year-old who had never been away from home. And she didn’t want to talk about her father, Jeff, who was killed on 9/11 when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Today she’s fine with the topic, and even helps younger kids talk, if they need to, about the parent they lost that same day. “There’s like nobody else who knows what you’ve been through, but here, everybody’s on the same page,’’ says Coombs, who’s from Abington.

That page, or day, is Sept. 11, 2001, and the kids at this camp in the Berkshires lost a parent in the terrorist attacks. America’s Camp opened in 2002 and hosted 78 kids shellshocked from their loss. This year it plateaued at 260, the same as last year. That’s because many of the original campers are in their 20s now. Taking their place are the youngest campers, 7 and 8 years old, who were infants - or even in utero - when their parent died.

The idea, back in those chaotic early days, was to give the “9/11 kids’’ a place where they could hide out and hang out, an escape from the grief and curiosity that shadowed them. There are also a handful of children of police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty.

read more here

Camp 911

Maybe it will make you remember what this country was like after 9-11 but God willing, it will also make you remember the number 911 when we call for help in emergencies and remember the men and women risking their lives for our sake every day of the year.

If you live in the Orlando area, there is an event at 1st Baptist Church on September 8th at 6:00 p.m.. It is to honor the first responders. OperationSafety91 is honoring the men and women willing to lay down their lives for the rest of us with a 6,000 flag tribute, much like after 9-11 when the entire nation was covered with flags. For more information go here.

http://www.operationsafety91.com/home.php

If you are one of our everyday heroes, please stop by to see me so that I can shake your hand and thank you. If you or anyone else you know is having a hard time coping with PTSD, please feel free to talk to me.


Memories of 9-11 linger on and so do a lot of other memories that sometimes you need help with. These children know that what binds them together is stronger than anything else. Adults need to learn this lesson as well and find strength from others who do understand.

Financial Crisis Has Military Implications, Vice Chairman Says

By Air Force Master Sgt. Adam M. Stump
Special to American Forces Press Service

Oct. 16, 2008 - The current global financial crisis is a far-reaching problem that has implications for the U.S. military and other organizations, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today. Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright spoke to more than 150 business leaders, professors and students from the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School about several different business-related topics.

The general said the recent Russia-Georgia conflict in South Ossetia played havoc with the Russian economy, which could have led to problems militarily.

"In this market turmoil, Russia and China could have chosen a different path that would have been incredibly difficult for us to survive," Cartwright said. He said they didn't do so because of the interdependence of the world's economy and "a conscious choice by their governments."

Cartwright said that interdependence is reflected in an "as they go, we go and as we go, they go" mentality, which is something that is easier to deal with than the Russian-U.S. strategy during the 1950s to 1980s.

"Much as nuclear weapons in the Cold War tended to be able to tell each other when we were uncomfortable, it's far more comfortable in my mind to use the economy to tell each other when we're uncomfortable," he said.

The market economy, the vice chairman added, is one of the most effective tools against al-Qaida, because it leaves a paper trail of how money is used. And although the U.S. economy is slumping, Cartwright said, it hasn't had an effect on military recruiting, because the "lines are out the door."

"When times get tough, the lines start to form," he said. When that happens, he explained, it typically means a deeper talent pool of potential recruits.

"We can raise our standards and keep them high," Cartwright said. "That benefits the nation."

The military's 18- to 21-year-olds are the bulk of the force, doing high-risk jobs all over the world, the general said. This group of young people is different from the generals who lead them, he said.

"They don't think like us," the general said. "They don't have national boundaries in their mind. They live in [an information technology] world. They came up in an IT world. They are global in their mindset. As soon as you get them out and amongst cultures, they assimilate it very quickly."

He said whether manning a nuclear aircraft carrier or helping develop business as part of a provincial reconstruction team in Iraq or Afghanistan, the nation's servicemembers are doing a phenomenal job.

"We can't get them to come home," Cartwright said. "They are so satisfied and self-fulfilled with that kind of work."

Cartwright said the model of the servicemember returning home will be a 24-year-old with three combat tours in two different countries and with global experiences. He said the bulk will be the teachers, mayors, firefighters, police officers and business people of tomorrow.

"That's our heritage," the vice chairman said. "That's what's going to keep us at the cutting edge. They will keep us competitive, even if we try to do otherwise. Our challenge is keeping up and making sure we don't screw it up for them."

Another business challenge the U.S. faces is funding research and development, Cartwright said. While the government still needs warfighting laboratories, there needs to be a solution to partnering with the civilian sector for funding.

"We believe as a government we'll take 10 or 15 of the smartest people in the world, we'll tell them what our problem is, stuff them in a room, stick pizza under the door until they come up with the answer and come out, then we'll keep it a deep, dark secret for 10 or 15 years until we're ready to leak it to the private sector," he said. "That paradigm is long gone."

(Air Force Master Sgt. Adam M. Stump serves in the Joint Staff Public Affairs Office.)

America Supports You: USO Gala Honors Exemplary Service

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 2, 2008 - Comedian Robin Williams and President Bush may have competed for laughs during the 2008 USO World Gala here last night, but it was five servicemembers who got the audience's greatest applause. "I had the honor of having my picture taken with the [United Service Organizations] award recipients and their families," Bush said. "I congratulate them on setting such a fine example."

Bush also extended highest respect to the wounded warriors who attended from Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

USO recognized the servicemembers for their service above and beyond the call of duty. Though the award was an honor, the recipients held to the sentiment that it was all in a day's work.

"I'm humbled by it," said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua E. Simson, a hospital corpsman. "It feels a little weird to have all this attention just because I was just trying to do my job."

The job that earned Simson the title "USO Sailor of the Year," involved administering medical aid to 17 U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers when their patrol was ambushed.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Phillip N. Waldron, the "USO Coast Guardsman of the Year," said he, too, was overwhelmed by the honor.

"It was completely unexpected, and I feel humbled, more than anything else, that out of 40,000 Coast Guardsmen to be the one in here tonight," he said.

Waldron's commanding officer nominated him for the award for "demonstrating unmatched initiative and operational prowess overseas, qualifying as a boarding officer and leading coalition forces on 40 high-risk boardings in close proximity to Iranian waters." He's also a small boat coxswain, which is not a part of his primary job as a machinery technician.

"My father was also a coxswain, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps throughout my career," Waldron said.

That's a career that is undecided at the moment. He has nine years in the Coast Guard and is debating making it a 20- or 30-year career.

Also recognized were:

-- Army Spc. Monica L. Brown, USO Soldier of the Year, who is the second woman since World War II to earn the Silver Star. A combat medic, she was temporarily attached to the 4/73rd Cavalry in Afghanistan when her convoy was ambushed. She treated five injured soldiers and used her body to shield them against enemy fire for 45 minutes until they could be medically evacuated.

-- Marine Sgt. Richard E. Reyes, USO Marine of the Year, who was serving as team leader with Company C, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 6 in Iraq in July 2007 when his platoon's base was ambushed. After several attempts, he and his men destroyed the enemy's position. Three days later, an engagement with an insurgent located on a rooftop ended in his team capturing three enemy fighters. In all, Reyes led 70 combat missions and was instrumental in the capture of 35 insurgents.

-- Air Force Staff Sgt. Shawn A. Ryan, USO Airman of the Year, who volunteered for a one-year deployment to Iraq during which he served with the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. He trained 700 Iraqi police officers, covered 4,200 miles of Baghdad streets during his patrols and participated in 167 combat missions. He came under attack multiple times, was wounded once and prevented a suicide car-bomber from completing his mission, thereby protecting the lives of 45 U.S. and Iraqi troops and more than 1,000 Iraqi civilians.

These five are representative of every servicemember, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

"I believe, and I think they would agree with me, that in their service ... these awardees typify the quality and character of every one of their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen," he said. "All of them are heroes in their own right."

He went on to thank the USO and its volunteers for offering troops not only a taste of home, but a sense of appreciation.

"That's what tonight is all about -- people who just don't support the troops, but fight for the troops," Mullen said. "Thanks not just for serving us hot coffee and the warm beds. Thanks for serving alongside us."

For the USO, there's still more to be done, said Sloan D. Gibson, the organization's new president and chief executive officer.

"I've watched a soldier take the time to record a video for his children back home," he said. "Reading a book for a bedside story was his small effort to help dull the pain his loved ones felt during their long separation.

"This is the sacrifice that demands that we do more," he added.

And more, he vowed, USO would do.

"If doing more only represents half of our full potential, it's still not enough," Gibson said. "My pledge to you is that we will work to seize the full potential that stands before us. The sacrifice and the service of our troops and their families around the world deserve nothing less."

Gibson replaces former USO president and chief executive officer Edward A. Powell, who served the organization in that capacity for nearly seven years.

The USO also chose Virginia U.S. Sen. John Warner as its Spirit of the USO Award recipient for his "unwavering leadership and support for America's servicemen and women." Warner's wife accepted the award on his behalf. The senator was participating in a late-night vote on the proposed financial bailout package.

Oregon Guard Uses Mining Techniques to Clean Up Shooting Range

By Kim Lippert
Special to American Forces Press Service

Oct. 1, 2008 - In a landmark project, the Oregon National Guard is relying on gold-mining technology to restore the land at a century-old shooting range on Camp Withycombe here. The process will remove lead bullets from the land and at the same time save the state millions of dollars.

"The majority of savings comes from the cleaning process that takes place on the land itself and by avoiding the cost of having to transport all of the waste to landfills," said Jim Arnold, environmental restoration manager for the Oregon Military Department.

Camp Withycombe is one of the oldest Defense Department rifle ranges in the western United States. Until the late 1990s, it had been used as a training site for hundreds of troops and police officers from around the area. Nearly 300 tons of bullets containing lead ended up in the land, creating a potential environmental concern that needed to be addressed.

"We want to be good stewards of the land," Arnold said. "The soil remediation process allows us to clean up the area and restore it to its natural [state]."

The project, five years in the making, took a lot of planning. The Oregon Military Department contracted with AMEC Earth and Environmental and coordinated with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to do the soil remediation.

Contaminated soil is taken through a machine that screens out the bullets. The soil then washes through another machine, and the bullets are dropped into a bag. The result is a pile of bagged bullets and a pile of clean soil.

In addition to bullets, workers uncovered a few other surprises.

"When we started, we only had information that small arms were used here," said Arnold. "But we have found ordnances from World War II, mortar rounds, grenades, and basically everything within the small arms category."

All ordnance was safely disposed of on site.

Throughout the process, nearly 14,000 tons of soil has been cleaned and about 300 tons of bullets were recovered. The bullets will be recycled, and the soil will be reused.

"One of the great approaches of this project is the reuse of materials," said Scott Kranz, the AMEC environmental project manager. "So often you end up excavating material and shipping off to a landfill. It's nice to be reusing material."

Once the project is completed this month, the Oregon Military Department will restore the land to its natural state. More careful planning will allow the Oregon Military Department to ensure trees are replanted and wildlife native to the land is restored.

"We're [making] it a better place than it was when we started," Arnold said.

(Kim Lippert works for the Oregon National Guard.)

Hunter Adopted by Hopkins

Editor's Note: The author is former Marine.

July 29, 2008, (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. James H. Lilley, the Police-Writer.com Author of the Year (2008), has had his book, The Eyes of the Hunter, adopted by Johns Hopkins University.

James H. Lilley is a former Marine and Police Sergeant with the Howard County Police Department (Maryland). He worked in the Uniformed Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Division, Forensic Services (CSI) and Drug Enforcement Division. His Street Drug Unit was featured in the book "Undercover" by Hans Halberstadt and published by Simon and Schuster. Some of his awards include The Medal of Valor, Four Bronze Stars, Four Unit Citations and the Governor's Citation. He is also an 8th Degree Black Belt in Shorin Ryu Karate. James Lilley is the author of seven books: A Question of Honor; The Eyes of the Hunter; The Far Side of the Bridge; Just Retribution; A Miracle for Tony Clements; Death Knocks Twice, and, A Tony Clements Christmas Miracle.

According to Sheldon Greenberg, Ph.D. (Associate Dean, School of Education, Johns Hopkins University), “The Eyes of the Hunter will be used as a text for the Communications course in the Master of Science in Intelligence Analysis degree program at Johns Hopkins University.” Dr. Sheldon continued that Lilley’s book will help the students “focus on creativity and critical thinking, research, understanding the audience, and formulating meaningful written documents.”

The course The Eyes of the Hunter will be used in is “Communications: Fact, Opinion, Significance, and Consequence.” According to the course description, “Within the intelligence community, findings are of little value unless they are communicated well. Dissemination of findings is essential to the success of any analysis or research. Students learn to deliver written, oral, and visual presentations for maximum effect by considering factors such as intended outcome, timing, structure, and method. Working individually and in small groups, students address issues such as lack of time to plan and prepare, unfamiliarity with the customer (end user of analytical documents), disruption and change, and coping with the unexpected. Students receive ongoing feedback on their communication style and effectiveness.

The ability to justify and present an analytical conclusion in clear, succinct prose is essential to supplying policy makers with information they need to formulate decisions. Students consider traditional and innovative methods of intelligence writing and briefing, focusing on the difference between fact and opinion. Students prepare written reports and presentations on a variety of topics and, in doing so, construct narratives, establish project credibility, convey recommendations, and reinforce key messages.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1029 police officers (representing 431 police departments) and their 2189 criminal justice books in 33 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Partnership to Help Army Reserve, D.C. Police Share Same Talent Pool

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

July 14, 2008 - The adage, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," got a new twist today as the Army Reserve and the Metropolitan Police of the District of Columbia signed a partnership deal so they can recruit, hire and train people for both organizations. MPDC became the first law enforcement agency to partner with the Army Reserve in a unique arrangement that Army Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, chief of the Army Reserve, called a win-win for the military as well as the police. Instead of competing for the same talent pool, they can now join forces to fill their ranks and train their members.

The agreement, signed at the Metropolitan Police Academy here, enables Army Reserve recruiters to refer recruits signing on as military police or active-duty military police joining the Army Reserve for civilian jobs with the MPDC. Similarly, the police department can refer its members for Army Reserve jobs.

The arrangement will enable the two organizations to help each other fill critical shortages while also taking advantage of the training and experience base both provide their members, Stultz said.

Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, noted today that the Army Reserve and MPDC are looking for recruits with many of the same attributes. Both want honest, drug-free members who know how to lead as well as follow and love their country and communities, he said.

Army 1st Sgt. Ryan Ervin of the 200th Military Police Command at Fort Meade, Md., also an MPDC officer, said the Metropolitan Police Department and Army Reserve both stand to benefit from sharing the professional, career-minded and goal-oriented recruits each attracts. Army experience gives police recruits an ability to think on their feet, work within a command structure and show flexibility when it's needed, he said.

Meanwhile, Stultz said, civilian police experience brings strong negotiating, interrogation and crime scene investigation skills to the Army Reserve.

The MPDC partnership is the Army Reserve's fifth so far, but about 50 others are in the works and nearly 150 additional employers have expressed interest in forming one.

What makes the concept so popular, even in the face of reserve deployments, is that it helps employers realize the upside of hiring Army Reservists, Stultz said. "Don't look at the Reserve as a drain on your force. Look at it as a value added," he said he tells employers.

As the long list of employers considering new partnerships grows, it's evident that employers already recognize the attributes Army Reservists bring to their work force, said Army Col. Dianna Cleven, an Office of the Army Reserve director. The advantage of partnerships, she said, is that it provides a formal structure so employers can find and tap into the Army Reserve's talent base while also providing an avenue for Army Reservists to link up with potential employers.

"It's a mechanism to link reservists looking for jobs in specific skills," Cleven said. "We're providing that mechanism through these partnerships that helps them connect the dots."

The MPDC, which needs to recruit about 350 police officers a year, sees the Army Reserve as a prime recruiting ground, Assistant Chief Joshua Ederheimer said during today's partnership signing ceremony at the Metropolitan Police Academy. He noted that the two organizations share a cultural ethos of service and sacrifice, with their members understanding and accepting personal risk to protect their fellow citizens.

Meanwhile, because the Army Reserve provides 93 percent of the Army's total military police force, its members who report for duty with the MPDC arrive with extensive military police training already under their belts.

Some arrive after active-duty assignments in military police units. Others are new recruits who attend basic training, then advanced individual training in military police skills before reporting to their Army Reserve units and starting their civilian careers.

"By that time, he is not just a high school graduate. Now he is a soldier," Stultz said. "He's got discipline. He's got leadership. He's got a work ethic and he's had training. Then (MPDC) can take him and develop him further."

MPDC Chief Cathy Lanier called the new partnership "a very significant and important step for us" that will help her department recruit and retain the high-skilled work force it it needs. "It will help make our force stronger and our city safer," she said.

Lanier can look within her own force for a glimpse into what the new partnership will offer. One of her officers, Greg Naguerka, arrived at the Metropolitan Police Academy in 2005 with seven years of military police experience that he said gave him a big leg up over his fellow police cadets.

Now an Army Reserve staff sergeant with the 200th Military Police Command at Fort Meade, Md., Nagurerka said his Army experience made him mentally prepared and physically fit for his police training and provided a strong foundation for his police career.
Army Sgt. Scott Dignan served with the MPDC for six years before joining the Army Reserve 12 years ago, and said the military has trained and tested him in ways that have boosted his civilian career.

"It has opened my eyes to a whole different way of leading and has been a true asset to me," said Dignan, now a lieutenant with the Metropolitan Police Department. "Between the leadership training and the deployments, it has taught me a lot about myself and given me experience that's been invaluable."

Stultz called today's signing ceremony a big day not just for the Army Reserve, but for the Army as a whole, which counts on its citizen-soldiers to sustain the all-volunteer force. To do that, he said, the Army Reserve needs to work cooperatively with civilian employers.

"A number of employers out there are saying that this is a great idea," and a way to attract everything from truck drivers to medical technologists to engineers to law enforcement officers to their work forces. "You name it, we've got it," Stultz said. "Partnerships help provide the conduit."

America Supports You: Restored 1931 Buick Showcases 'Faces of Valor'

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

July 10, 2008 - Patriotism runs high at Chick and Ruth's Delly, a mainstay along the Maryland capital's Main Street. Ted Levitt, the deli's owner, starts each morning leading patrons as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance. A huge flag hovers high over the lunch counter, and yellow-and-orange walls are covered with photos of troops in uniform. Now Levitt has a new addition: a fully restored 1931 Buick, airbrushed with the faces of 43 heroes who have served the country in the armed forces or as police officers, firefighters and other first responders.

Levitt hopes to use his labor of love, which he's named "Faces of Valor USA," to raise money for scholarships and financial assistance for or in honor of those wounded or killed while performing their duty.

The red, white and blue car took two and a half years to restore and made its debut appearance during Annapolis' Fourth of July Parade. Now Levitt is lining up events where he can showcase the car to raise funds to help those who have sacrificed for their country and the families some of them left behind.

Levitt said he got the idea to personalize his project after the parents of Marine Capt. Ben Sammis stopped into his deli to tell him that their son had been killed conducting helicopter rescues in Iraq. Sammis graduated from The Citadel in South Carolina, but met Levitt when he frequented Chick and Ruth's Delly while attending a U.S. Naval Academy program.

Devastated to hear of his death, Levitt asked Beth and Steve Sammis for permission to use their son's face on his car.

Levitt took the project farther, ultimately choosing 43 people to depict on his car and bring faces to the concepts of sacrifice and service. In addition to 15 firefighters killed in New York during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Faces of Valor project highlights troops who have served in operations from the Vietnam War to the war in Iraq.

Levitt knows all but the New York firefighters personally, from his cousin, Army Chief Warrant Officer Stewart Goldberg, who was killed when his helicopter was shot down in Vietnam in July 1969, to Master Sgt. Karl Allen, a local businessman who retired from the reserve components after three deployments.

The face of Army Capt. D.J. Skelton, a Chick and Ruth's Delly patron, appears with his left eye closed; he lost it during a rocket-propelled-grenade attack while serving with 25th Infantry Division in Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2004.

But Levitt said he intentionally chose to use not only faces of those wounded or killed in the line of duty.

"This is a tribute, not a memorial," he said of the Faces of Valor project. "A lot of people think you have to have been killed to be honored, but that's not the point here. What matters is that these people put their lives on the line every day to protect us. It's because of them that we get to live the lives we live."

Levitt said he wants people who see the car to focus on each face and recognize the sacrifices so many people make so Americans can live in safety and enjoy freedoms some only dream about.

"These are the men and women who allow us to live in freedom, to do any kind of job we want and allow our constitution to live on," he said. "It's because of them that we get to do what we do."

At age 51, Levitt said, he remembers the protests and abuse that awaited many Vietnam veterans when they returned from that war, and said he wants to ensure that never happens to today's returning troops.

"They need to be treated as heroes," he said. "And for those who need help, they need to know that they will be taken care of. We owe them that."

Flag Day: Four Personal Perspectives

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

June 13, 2008 - Tomorrow the United States observes National Flag Day, an annual tribute to the American flag, the ideals it stands for and the sacrifices made to preserve them. President Woodrow Wilson recognized during his first Flag Day address in 1915 that the freedoms the U.S. flag stands for weren't and never would be free.

"The lines of red are lines of blood, nobly and unselfishly shed by men who loved the liberty of their fellowship more than they loved their own lives and fortunes," he said. "God forbid that we should have to use the blood of America to freshen the color of the flag."

But American blood has spilled time and time again to preserve American liberties, most recently in the war against violent extremism. In this year's Flag Day Proclamation, President Bush calls on the nation to remember the troops who carry Old Glory before them "as they defend the liberties for which it stands."

"On Flag Day and during National Flag Week, we remember those in uniform whose courage and sacrifice inspire us here at home," Bush said. "We also remember the rich history of one of our oldest national symbols and reflect on our duty to carry our heritage of freedom into the future."

Four current or retired servicemembers recently shared their personal perspectives about how the flag has inspired them through their proudest as well as darkest days as a symbol of patriotism, strength and resilience.

9/11 Terror Attacks

Few Americans will forget the image of three firefighters raising an American flag over the World Trade Center ruins in New York just hours after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But for Army Capt. Joe Minning and his fellow New York National Guard soldiers, many of them New York City firefighters and police officers, the Ground Zero flag took on a very personal significance as they desperately sifted through the rubble looking for survivors.

"Seeing the flag raised above all of the rubble and ruins of the World Trade Center instilled a new sense of pride in me for our country," he said. "No matter what happens to the United States -- on foreign ground, on U.S. soil -- we, the American people, will always continue to move forward, rebuild and face any challenges that lie ahead"

Three years later, Minning and the "Fighting 69th" Brigade Combat Team would take that inspiration with them to Iraq, where they lost 19 soldiers securing Route Irish and its surrounding Baghdad neighborhoods during their year-long deployment.

Among those killed was Army Staff Sgt. Christian Engledrum, a New York firefighter who, like Minning, worked amid the dust and smoke immediately following the World Trade Center attack. Engledrum, the first New York City employee to die serving in Iraq, became a symbol of the unit that went from Ground Zero to Iraq's Sunni Triangle, and after his death, to the mountains of Afghanistan.

The flag and what it represents continue to motivate unit members during their current deployment to Afghanistan as embedded trainers for the Afghan National Army, he said.

Minning said he recognizes when he sees Old Glory flying at his tiny forward operating base there that he and his fellow soldiers are following in the footsteps of the earliest U.S. patriots and defending the same values they fought for.

"The flag is a symbol of everything the United States stands for -- from our founding fathers up until now, all that we have accomplished, and the hurtles our country has overcome," he said.

As a soldier, Minning said, he and his fellow soldiers recognize that it's up to them to continue carrying the torch forward.

"It is the American soldier who keeps the country moving forward and will never let it be taken down by any adversity. It is what we fight for and, if we fall in battle, what our coffins are draped with," he said. "And it's what we are committed to protecting and defending, no matter what the price."

The Iraq War

When thousands of people gathered in late April at the Cincinnati Red's Great American Ballpark, all eyes were on a platform at the pitchers' mound covered by the flag-draped casket of Army Sgt. Matt Maupin.

The mourners gathered to remember the 20-year-old Army reservist who went missing more than four years earlier when his convoy came under attack in April 2004. Insurgents released a videotape shortly after the incident showing him in captivity, and his whereabouts remained unknown until the Army found and positively identified his remains in March.

Command Sgt. Maj. Leon Caffie, the top enlisted Army Reserve soldier, was among countless people who had hoped and prayed for Maupin's safe return. As he joined the crowd in Ohio to honor and bid farewell to Maupin, Caffie looked out at thousands of hand-held flags waving in the stands, all surrounding Maupin's casket.

"It underscores the meaning and symbolism of the flag when you see it draped over the coffin of this young man who had the world going for him," Caffey said.

Maupin is among thousands of U.S. troops whose lives have been cut short at the hands of terrorists. Back in October 1983, 241 Marines were killed when a terrorist truck bomb struck their barracks in Beirut. In June 1996, 13 airmen died during the terror attack on Khobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. In October 2000, 17 crewmembers from USS Cole were killed when a terrorist bomb ripped through their ship at Aden, Yemen.

Then came the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and the war on terror they ushered in.

Through it all, the flag has served as an unwavering source of inspiration that's unified America, Caffie said.

"It has endured a lot -- being dragged through streets and burned and disrespected and spit on and stepped on," he said.

"And yet it has survived and served as a nucleus that brings this country together across gender, ethnic and religious backgrounds," he said. "It is the American flag that has united us and will continue to inspire patriotism in this country."

Beirut Embassy Bombing

Back in April 1983, rescue workers picking through the rubble of what had been the U.S. Embassy in Beirut following a terrorist attack uncovered the body of 21-year-old Marine Cpl. Robert V. McMaugh. Beside his body lay the tattered remains of the U.S. flag that had once stood proudly beside his guard post in the embassy's main lobby.

McMaugh's fellow Marine security guards draped their fallen comrade in a fresh American flag and carried him away on a stretcher. A squad of Marines snapped to attention and saluted.

"It was a poignant moment," recalled retired Chief Warrant Officer Charles W. "Bill" Henderson, a spokesman attached to 22nd Marine Amphibious Unit in Lebanon at the time of the bombing. "Everyone had been digging and digging, then suddenly, everything stopped. Not a word was said. Seeing the body of a fellow Marine covered with the American flag, ... it was an electrifying moment."

While stationed in Beirut, Henderson said, he came to appreciate the flag, not just as a piece of material, but as a symbol of courage. "Each Marine (in Lebanon) wore an American flag on his shirt," he said. "It did more than show that we were Americans. It showed that we were representing this country and what it stands for: freedom for all people."

Twenty-five years later, Henderson said terrorist attacks that followed that initial salvo and the thousands of Americans who have died as a result have only deepened the flag's symbolism.

"What's behind it are the blood and tears of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who have sacrificed. The symbolism behind the flag is this long tradition of sacrifice to preserve liberty," he said.

"Yes, it is just a piece of cloth," he said. "But what it represents are the lives of thousands of Americans who have given everything for this nation -- who ask nothing in return but felt an obligation of duty to their country."

Henderson said he doesn't take disrespect for the flag lightly. "When you insult our flag, you insult the lives and the sacrifices of all the men and women who have served this country," he said.

On the other hand, honoring the flag is showing respect and appreciation for all they have done. "You are honoring everything that we, as a nation, have accomplished, what America has done, and what America represents to the world," he said.

Iranian Hostage Crisis

Now-retired Col. David M. Roeder remembers living without the freedoms he had worked to protect when he and more than 50 other Americans were taken hostage for 444 days in Iran in November 1979.

Roeder, assistant Air Force attache to the U.S. Embassy in Tehran at the time, watched helplessly as U.S. flag burnings became almost daily media events. His captors taunted the hostages by carrying garbage from one area of the embassy compound to another, wrapped in the American flag.

Through it all, Roeder said, he never lost faith in his country or the flag that symbolizes its ideals. "When you talk about a flag, whether it's standing in a place of honor at a ceremony or draped over a casket or waving from someone's house, you're talking about a symbol," he said.

"But the importance of that symbolism is monumental. It represents what we are, wherever we are in the world," he said.

"And no matter what anyone else says about it or does to it, the flag never loses dignity. It only gains dignity, because when someone attacks the American flag, it's because they recognize all that it represents and the greatness of this country."

Twenty-seven years after his release, Roeder, now 68, holds on to that symbolism with fervor. He flies a flag at his home in Pinehurst, N.C., and a summer home in Wisconsin every day. His pickup truck has not one, but several, flag stickers on it.

Like many Americans, he was moved by the show of Old Glory nationwide in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks, and said he wishes it had never ended. "Wouldn't it be great if you could keep that going?" he said. "It tells everyone who sees it who we are and what we stand for," he said.

War and Criminal Justice

June 9, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added Lynn “Buck” Compton, an author who has served both in War and in our domestic criminal justice system.

Lieutenant Lynn “Buck” Compton is familiar to many people because his service in World War Two was portrayed by actor Neal McDonough in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. But, what many don’t know is that Lynn Compton, after World War Two, was also a Los Angeles Police Department Detective, an Assistant District Attorney; appellate judge and author.

In 1939, Lynn “Buck” Compton attended UCLA where he majored in physical education. At UCLA, he lettered two years in football and three years in baseball and was captain of the baseball team. Notably, Compton played guard on the Rose Bowl team in 1943. During his college days he was also a member of the ROTC program.

Lynn “Buck” Compton graduated from the school’s ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He commanded the “second platoon of Easy Company in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division. He parachuted into Normandy during the early hours of D-Day, was part of the assault group that destroyed the German artillery during the battle at Brecourt Manor, fought on the line at Carentan, helped liberate Holland during Operation Market Garden, and fought in the freezing cold of the Battle of Bastogne.

As a combat veteran, Lt. Compton received the Silver Star, for valor in the face of the enemy, the Purple Heart, for being wounded while in the U.S. military, the World War Two Victory Medal, for active duty during World War Two, the Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army, for bravery, leadership and loyalty in the defense of the Netherlands, the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Campaign Citation, the American Defense Medal, and the European, African Mid-Eastern Campaign Medal. Compton, along with his unit, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy when holding the main line of resistance during the Battle of the Bulge.”

After war, Lynn “Buck” Compton, joined the Los Angeles Police Department and began to attend Loyola Law School. During his days with the Los Angeles Police Department, he attainted the rank of detective and was assigned to the Central Burglary Division. In 1951, Lynn Compton left the Los Angeles Police Department and joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor.

During his career with the District Attorney’s Office, Lynn Compton would rise to the position of Chief Deputy and serve as the second in command of the District Attorney’s Office. He prosecuted all manner of felony cases as well as high profile cases such the prosecution of Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1970, Lynn “Buck” Compton was “appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the California Courts of Appeal as an Associate Justice. During his term on the bench, Judge Compton authored more than 2,000 written opinions in all areas of law.” Lynn “Buck” Compton is the author of Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and After the Band of Brothers.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1021 police officers (representing 429 police departments) and their 2175 criminal justice books in 33 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books. Finally, because of his service, Lynn “Buck” Compton was added to Military-Writers.com as well as LAPDAuthors.com.

Federal and Local Cops

Editor's Note: Two of the authors are former servicemembers.

May 23, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Continuing its leadership in the area of criminal justice books, Police-Writers.com added one federal law enforcement official and two local police officers to the list of law enforcement personnel that have authored books.

From 1972 to 1997, Raymond Batvinis was a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During his federal law enforcement career he also served in the Federal Bureau of Investigation Intelligence Division Training Unit. Raymond Batvinis is the author of The Origins of FBI Counterintelligence.

According to the book description of The Origins of FBI Counterintelligence, “As the world prepared for war in the 1930s, the United States discovered that it faced the real threat of foreign spies stealing military and industrial secrets—and that it had no established means to combat them. With an insider’s knowledge and a storyteller’s skill, Batvinis provides a page-turning history narrative that greatly revises our views of the FBI—and also resonates powerfully with our own post-9/11 world.”

Mark Bannon is a retired lieutenant from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (Florida). After three years of military service as a military police officer, Mark Bannon joined the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in 1981. During his law enforcement career, he worked in a number of key assignments within the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office such as patrol officer, sex crimes investigator, homicide detective, patrol supervisor, and homicide supervisor. He also was the Commander of such diverse units such as, Road Patrol, Community Involvement Team, Community Policing, and Fugitive Apprehension. As a retired law enforcement officer, Mark Bannon maintains a lifetime membership in the Florida and Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Associations in order to continue his important relationships with law enforcement officers and the South Florida law enforcement community.

Mark Bannon holds a BA in Social Psychology, an MPA, is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute and a law degree from the Miami School of Law. After retiring from policing, he worked as a criminal prosecutor in South Florida. Today, Mark E. Bannon conducts a private law practice. Mark E. Bannon is the author of A Quick Reference Guide To Contemporary CRIMINAL PROCEDURE For Law Enforcement Officers: One Hundred Notable United States Supreme Court Decisions, and Their Effect on Modern Policing in America.

According to the book description, “The goal of this book is to provide a “quick reference guide” for law enforcement officers in their quest to furnish professional police services to their communities. Designed to be a handy source for the study of criminal procedures, this guide has assembled numerous court cases that will assist officers in dealing with the issues they may often encounter.

Roberto Santos is currently detective sergeant of the persons crime section and team leader of the crisis negotiation unit at the Port St. Lucie Police Department (Florida. He has held positions in patrol, SWAT, criminal investigations, and narcotics. Prior to his law enforcement career, Sergeant Santos was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. In addition, he has instructed at the police academy and is an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University. He has extensive experience in police problem solving and problem analysis and has conducted numerous trainings sessions and seminars around the country. Sergeant Roberto Santos has a master’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from Florida Atlantic University and a bachelor’s degree in business from Barry University. Robert Santos is the co-author of The Problem of Burglary at Single-Family House Construction Sites.

According to the book description of The Problem of Burglary at Single-Family House Construction Sites, “This guide begins by describing the problem of burglary at single-family house construction sites and reviewing the factors that increase its risks. It then identifies a series of questions that can help analyze your local burglary problem. Finally, it reviews responses to the problem of burglary at single-family house construction sites as identified through research and police practice.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1013 police officers (representing 425 police departments) and their 2154 criminal justice books in 33 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Florida Cop Books

Editor's Note: One of the authors is a former US Marine.

May 21, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. Continuing its leadership in criminal justice books the website added 3 police officers from Florida; now listing well over 1000 state and local law enforcement officials who have authored books.

Thomas Brodie is retired from Metro Dade Police Department (Florida) at the rank of captain. Thomas Brodie law enforcement career included more than twenty-four years as a founder of the Miami Bomb squad and supervisor of its crime scene unit. Over the course of his career, Captain Thomas Brodie investigated approximately 350 bombings and assisted in the disposal of over 4000 bombs and tons of explosives. He is a charter member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators and among other awards and honors, he was knighted by the Queen Elizabeth II for his role in protecting the British Empire in the Caribbean. Thomas Brodie is the author of Bombs and Bombings: A Handbook to Protection, Security, Detection, Disposal and Investigation for Industry, Police and Fire Departments.

According to the book description of Bombs and Bombings: A Handbook to Protection, Security, Detection, Disposal and Investigation for Industry, Police and Fire Departments, “This expanded new edition provides law enforcement personnel, firefighters, and security professionals with the most up-to-date information and procedures on the investigation, detection, and disposal of dangerous bombs and explosives and the evidence obtained from them.”

Henry Holden is the author of numerous adult and children books as well as more than 600 magazine articles on Aviation History. In 1994, he rece3ived the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Author’s Award. Henry Holden was a deputy sheriff for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (Florida) from 1979 to 1981. He is the author of 31 books such as: To Be a U.S. Air Force Pilot; FBI 100 Years: An Unofficial History; Rescue Helicopters and Aircraft; Hovering: The History of the Whirly-Girls: International Women Helicopter Pilots; To Be a Crime Scene Investigator; American Women of Flight: Pilots and Pioneers; and Crime-Fighting Aircraft.

According to the book description of FBI 100 Years: An Unofficial History, “On the eve of the FBI's centenary, this book offers the first comprehensive illustrated account of the Bureaus 100-year history. Granted unprecedented access to the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., and academy at Quantico, Virginia, author Henry Holden presents a rare inside view of the agency’s workings, as well as a compelling, closely observed picture of its ever-changing role, powers, notable cases, and controversies through the years.

After three years in the US Marines, the Leigh McEachern became a rookie cop with the St. Petersburg Police Department. Promoted to detective, he took part in many notable cases, including the conviction of the vice-mayor, a prominent defense attorney, on a federal felony. He went on to serve as deputy chief of the Winter Park Police Department, and then as chief deputy of the Orange County Sheriff's Department (Florida). Leigh McEachern is the author of The Appearance of Justice.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1011 police officers (representing 423 police departments) and their 2152 criminal justice books in 33 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

1000 Police Officers

Editor's Note: The author is a former servicemember.

May 4, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website welcomed its 1000th police officer: Chief Arnold A. Gibbs.

Chief Arnold Gibbs was born in the Bahamas and raised in Miami. Chief Arnold Gibbs has a BA from Barry University as well as a Master’s in Management from St. Thomas University. Chief Arnold Gibbs is a decorated US Army veteran, having served three years including a one-year tour in Vietnam. At the age of 22, he joined the Miami Police Department. During his law enforcement career with the Miami Police Department he earned the Miami Police Department Medal of Honor and rose to the rank of assistant chief. In 1994, he retired from the Miami Police Department and became the Chief of Police for the Cape Coral Police Department (Florida). He retired from the Cape Coral Police Department after ten years of service. Chief Arnold Gibbs is the author of The Ties That Blind and Where Are the Champions: A Simple Approach to Effective Criminal Justice and Social Reform.

According to the book description of The Ties That Blind, it “is quite appropriate to the time in consideration of the present growth of interest in religious and spiritual matters. Additionally, much of the story’s prophetic content is extremely relevant to the events of September 11, 2001, although the book was completed prior to that date. The author skillfully depicts the realities of racial prejudice; much of the violence being recounted from his experience, while driving home the point that love always conquers hate. It is a true inspiration to people of faith, criminal justice practitioners, and those who fight for racial equality and brotherly love.”

According to a reader of The Ties That Blind, “Arnold's portrayal of the pains of prejudice inflicted on the innocent broke my heart, but with each turn of the page he showed how love, honor and loyalty to one's beliefs can overcome even the most deeply imbedded hatred. A truly inspiring story you won't want to put down!”

Another reader said, “This was one of the most interesting and saddening depictions of race and prejudice in America. Nowhere has the truth been portrayed in a more realistic and sobering fashion. Arnold Gibbs captures the essence of the era, and reveals the truth about the hurt and pain of injustice. I would highly recommend this to student of justice, and American History.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 1000 police officers (representing 419 police departments) and their 2112 police books in 32 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Turner, Robar and Kennedy

Editor's Note: Two of the authors are former servicemembers.

May 1, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three law enforcement officials from the State of Florida.

Allan Turner began his law enforcement career after he graduated high school and joined the Air Force becoming an Air Policeman. After four years in the military he joined the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) where he spent the bulk of his career as a criminal investigator. After resigning from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office he became a private investigator. Allan Turner is the author of four books: The Christian & the State; The Christian & Idolatry; The Christian & Calvinism; and, The Christian & War.

According to the book description of The Christian & War, “Since the Vietnam era, there has arisen, in America and the whole of Western society, a way of thinking that argues against all war. Consequently, a book discussing the question of a Christian's participation in war and other related issues in light of this emerging consensus seems not just appropriate but necessary.”

Neil Robar retired at the rank of lieutenant from the Hollywood Police Department (Florida), where he either commanded or worked in every division and unit. For five years he was the coordinator of the Institute of Police Technology and Management’s Traffic Crash Investigation and Reconstruction section. Neil Robar is now a private consultant in traffic crash investigation and reconstruction and he continues to teach at all levels in the area as an adjunct for the Institute of Police Technology and Management. Neil Robar is the author of Inspection of Motorcycles after Impact; Motorcycle Helmet Inspection after Impact and the co-author of Advanced Traffic Accident Investigation and Advanced Traffic Crash Analysis.

According to the book description of Advanced Traffic Crash Analysis, it is “filled with the latest technology, techniques and information in the field of traffic crash investigation. The IPTM’s Advanced Traffic Crash Analysis is an expanded and updated version of its predecessor, our popular Advanced Traffic Crash Investigation manual.”

Walter Kennedy served in the US Army from 1965 to 1968. Shortly after his discharge he joined the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (Florida). During his 17 year law enforcement career he has worked patrol, traffic and training. In 1983, he was awarded a Medal of Merit for Bravery. Between 1986 and 1992, he was a full-time instructor at the Institute of Police Technology and Management (Florida). Walter Kennedy is the author Conservation of Linear Momentum Using Vector Sum Analysis and Impact Velocity from Conservation of Linear Momentum for the Traffic Accident Investigator and reconstructionist.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 996 police officers (representing 417 police departments) and their 2107 police books in 32 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

From Iwo Jima to Computer Crime

April 21, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officers who have written a variety of works, from a personal account of the Battle of Iwo Jima to a text on investigating computer crime.

Alfred Stone left his home in Marlin (Texas) as a teenager to join the U.S. Marines during World War II. As a member of the Fifth Marine Division, he participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima and after served with the occupying forces in Japan. He was called back to duty during the Korean conflict. Alfred Stone’s 38 year law enforcement career included service as a highway patrol officer and other service with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Alfred Stone is the author of The Investigating of Crimes: An introduction and A Marine Remembers Iwo Jima: Dog Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, Fifth Marine Division; and, a co-author of Strategies for Community Policing.

According to a reader of A Marine Remembers Iwo Jima: Dog Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, Fifth Marine Division, “This is an outstanding transcript of one Marines personal account of the many men who fought on IWO JIMA. The author more importantly wishes the reader to draw their on conclusions from these personal accounts. The history of these events is depicted in the most accurate rendition, more importantly the writer wants the reader to understand these events as they unfold from that standpoint.”

Michael Knetzger is a fourteen-year law enforcement veteran and currently a Lieutenant with the Green Bay Police Department (Wisconsin). Michael Knetzger began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer and detective for the Town of Brookfield Police Department. He is a certified State of Wisconsin Technical College Instructor and teaches criminal justice courses at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Colorado Technical University Online and ITT Technical Institute. Michael Knetzger has successfully completed the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists forensic examiner program, Basic Data Recovery & Analysis course, and several other courses and seminars on investigating internet crimes. He is also a certified tactical instructor and teaches defensive and arrest tactics, firearms, and professional communications skills courses to new law enforcement recruits. Michael Knetzger has a BA in Justice and Public Policy and a Masters in Public Administration. He is the co-author of True Crime in Titletown, USA: Cold Cases and Investigating High-Tech Crime.

Jeremy Muraski is an eight-year law enforcement veteran and currently an Advanced Patrol Officer, Webmaster and Field Training Officer with the Green Bay Police Department. He has worked as a Network Administrator for Kimberly Clark Corporation and at various jobs as a Computer Support Engineer and Help Desk Specialist supporting online investors for Fidelity Investments. Jeremy Muraski is certified to teach for The Wisconsin Technical College System and teaches criminal justice courses at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, including Investigating High Tech Crimes, and Juvenile Law.

Jeremy Muraski has completed AccessData's Forensic Toolkit Course, the National White Collar Crime Center's Basic Data Recovery & Analysis (BDRA) course, and several other courses and seminars on investigating Internet crimes. In addition to having developed college level course work in computer crime, he holds a number of computer certifications such as Microsoft Access Database Design and Administration and Website Design and Computer Network Administration. Jeremy Muraski is a co-author of Investigating High-Tech Crime.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 981 police officers (representing 411 police departments) and their 2079 police books in 35 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.