The American Legion and Military Channel Launch 'American Heroes' Vignettes Honoring Those Who Served in Iraq, Afghanistan

/PRNewswire/ -- The American Legion and Military Channel have teamed up to honor troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, including three soldiers who never made it back home. A series of ten, one-minute vignettes, "American Heroes" premieres Memorial Day on the Military Channel, which co-sponsored the production with The American Legion - the country's largest veterans service organization with about 2.5 million members worldwide.

Produced by Creative Street Entertainment, "American Heroes" includes the dramatic and poignant stories of those who fell in battle, suffered severe injuries, helped repair war-torn communities, or made it home to help other wounded warriors. Each American hero is honored with a Norman Rockwell Moments portrait at the close of the vignette. The profiles will air on the Military Channel for an entire year, starting with the network's live coverage of the National Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 31 from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT.

"The 'American Heroes' stories are a collection that encompasses several different aspects of what it means to be a hero in wartime. First and foremost, we think of those who gave their lives - those whose memories we will honor forever," said Clarence Hill, national commander for The American Legion.

"Then there are those who return home with severe injuries, yet go on to succeed in the civilian world. We have American heroes who take care of wounded troops at VA hospitals, who have helped Iraqi children in their devastated cities, or who have taught their own families how to be heroes," Hill said. These vignettes really highlight the sacrifices of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and how veterans of those wars continue to serve our country."

"Partnering with The American Legion to create these 'American Heroes' vignettes is emblematic of Military Channel's commitment to sharing compelling stories of heroism from within the U.S. Armed Services," said Henry Schleiff, general manager and president of Military Channel, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater. "And what better day to launch these poignant stories than Memorial Day, a hallowed day for our country to recognize the accomplishments and sacrifices of the men and women serving in uniform, who have preserved our freedom and liberties while bringing security to the world."

The 11 individuals featured in the "American Heroes" vignettes are: Patrick Brady and his daughter, Meghan; David Brown, Tammy Duckworth, Dawn Halfaker, Nick Madaras, Jose Pequeno, Robert Posivio, Joseph Proctor, John Schatzel and Klay South.

Madaras, Posivio and Proctor died in Iraq; Proctor received the Silver Star. Duckworth, an assistant secretary in the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, was a pilot who lost both legs when her helicopter was shot down. Halfaker, vice president of the Wounded Warrior Project, lost an arm when an RPG exploded near her Humvee.

South, who founded the Veterans of Valor service organization, was shot while clearing out houses in Fallujah. Pequeno, whose story was told in the May 2009 issue of The American Legion Magazine, suffered severe traumatic brain injury from an IED explosion.

Patrick Brady, a retired Army major general, is a Medal of Honor recipient for bravery in Vietnam; his daughter, Meghan, has served in Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq. Schatzel helped to rebuild the Iraqi scouting program in Baghdad, and Brown - twice-injured in battle - now spends his days helping veterans recover from war and readjust to the world of peace.

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Oxendine: Memorial Day Message

As we pause today to honor our heroes, I was moved by the wisdom of President Reagan:
President Ronald Reagan remarks at the Memorial Day Ceremony at Arlington National
Cemetery in Virginia - May 26, 1986:

"Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes
will ever have to die for us again. It's a day of thanks for the valor of others,
a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children...It's a day
to be with the family and remember.

I know that many veterans of Vietnam will gather today, some of them perhaps by
the wall. And they're still helping each other on. They were quite a group, the
boys of Vietnam -- boys who fought a terrible and vicious war without enough support
from home, boys who were dodging bullets while we debated the efficacy of the battle.

It was often our poor who fought in that war; it was the unpampered boys of the
working class who picked up the rifles and went on the march. They learned not to
rely on us; they learned to rely on each other. And they were special in another
way: They chose to be faithful. They chose to reject the fashionable skepticism
of their time. They chose to believe and answer the call of duty. They had the
wild, wild courage of youth. They seized certainty from the heart of an ambivalent
age; they stood for something.

And we owe them something, those boys. We owe them first a promise: That just as
they did not forget their missing comrades, neither, ever, will we. And there are
other promises. We must always remember that peace is a fragile thing that needs
constant vigilance. We owe them a promise to look at the world with a steady gaze
and, perhaps, a resigned toughness, knowing that we have adversaries in the world
and challenges and the only way to meet them and maintain the peace is by staying
strong.

That, of course, is the lesson of this century, a lesson learned in the Sudetenland,
in Poland, in Hungary, in Czechoslovakia, in Cambodia. If we really care about peace,
we must stay strong. If we really care about peace, we must, through our strength,
demonstrate our unwillingness to accept an ending of the peace. We must be strong
enough to create peace where it does not exist and strong enough to protect it where
it does. That's the lesson of this century and, I think, of this day. And that's
all I wanted to say. The rest of my contribution is to leave this great place to
its peace, a peace it has earned.

Thank all of you, and God bless you, and have a day full of memories."

Today more than ever, we must embrace our heroes from World War II, Korea, Vietnam,
the Persian Gulf, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Today we remember we owe these
heroes and their families everything. Georgia must never fail to honor and serve
her veterans. Ivy and I offer our prayers to those heroes who have served America
and Georgia.


John Oxendine
Governor 2010

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Join Atlanta Braves Players and the Atlanta Braves Foundation in Providing Tickets for Members of the Armed Forces on Military Appreciation Night

Join Atlanta Braves Players and the Atlanta Braves Foundation in Providing Tickets for Members of the Armed Forces on Military Appreciation Night, Saturday, May 23rd


The Atlanta Braves are inviting fans to join the team in sending our nation's heroes to a game at Turner Field free of charge. Local businesses and individuals can provide members of the military with free entry on Military Appreciation Night, Saturday, May 23rd, by making a donation of tickets to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.

Donors of 25 tickets or more will receive four tickets to attend the game, along with recognition for their donation on the Golden Moon Casino Level LED boards.

Atlanta Braves Brian McCann, Mike Gonzalez, Kenshin Kawakami, and Rafael Soriano, and the Atlanta Braves Foundation will be among those providing tickets to recognize the service and sacrifices made by members of our nation's Armed Forces. Businesses or individuals who would like to take part in Military Appreciation Night by making ticket donations can go to www.braves.com/military or call 404-614-1444.

Special pre-game ceremonies on Military Appreciation Night will include a tribute to the brave men and women who have served our country, a performance by the Fort Stewart Army Band and a military fly over at the conclusion of the National Anthem.

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Budweiser Military Tribute Extended by Anheuser-Busch InBev

/PRNewswire/ -- A tribute program that has provided free admission to Worlds of Discovery for more than 3.2 million members of U.S. and coalition armed forces and their families has been extended through 2009. Budweiser's "Here's to the Heroes" was launched in February 2005 to acknowledge the service of military men and women and the sacrifices made by their families.

"It is gratifying to all of us at Anheuser-Busch InBev that so many members of our armed forces have taken advantage of this program and honored us with a visit," said Jim Atchison, President of Busch Entertainment Corporation (BEC). "This is a difficult time for our men and women in uniform -- and their families --- and we are honored to give them something back."

Here's to the Heroes provides a single day's free admission to any one SeaWorld or Busch Gardens park, Sesame Place, Adventure Island or Water Country USA for the service member and as many as three of his or her direct dependents. The program is sponsored by Budweiser, the flagship beer of Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Any active duty, active reserve, ready reserve service member or National Guardsman is entitled to free admission under the program. He or she need only register, either online at www.herosalute.com or in the entrance plaza of a participating park, and show a Department of Defense photo ID. Also included in the offer are members of foreign military forces serving in the coalitions in Iraq or Afghanistan or attached to American units in the U.S. for training.

"This is one small way we can acknowledge and thank the soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen whose service helps to preserve the freedom and safety of every American," Atchison said. "It's important to all of us at Anheuser-Busch InBev that we show our gratitude to the men and women of our armed forces and their families for the sacrifices they make on our behalf."

Here's to the Heroes is the fourth tribute to military personnel offered by the company since Yellow Ribbon Summer welcomed service members home from the Gulf War in 1991.

Three Worlds of Discovery -- SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld San Diego -- operate year round. The company's remaining parks are seasonal, with varying opening dates this spring. Each park's operating schedule is available online.

Inactive, standby and retired reserve members, military retirees, U.S. Merchant Marine and civilian Department of Defense workers are ineligible for the program. The program does not include Discovery Cove or SeaWorld's new waterpark, Aquatica.

Orlando-based Busch Entertainment operates nine Worlds of Discovery across the U.S.: SeaWorld Florida in Orlando, SeaWorld California in San Diego, SeaWorld Texas in San Antonio; Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Fla., Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Va.; Discovery Cove in Orlando; Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pa. near Philadelphia; and waterparks Adventure Island in Tampa and Water Country USA in Williamsburg. Aquatica, SeaWorld's waterpark, opened in spring 2008.

The Worlds of Discovery play host to more than 25 million guests each year and employ 26,000 people nationwide. On the Web at WorldsofDiscovery.com.

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Coalition to Salute America's Heroes(TM) Hosts Record Turnout of Wounded Veterans, Families for 2008 'Road to Recovery Conference & Tribute'

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, a not-for-profit dedicated to helping severely wounded veterans of the War on Terror, brought more than 150 severely wounded veterans, their families and their caregivers to the 5th Annual Road to Recovery Conference & Tribute, Sunday Dec. 7 through Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL.

The all-expense-paid event featured medical and career counseling, an adaptive sports clinic, motivational speakers, musical entertainment, and an opportunity to share inspirational success stories and form a lasting network of support.

"Tens of thousands of American troops have returned home from Iraq and Afghanistan severely wounded, struggling to heal from physical and mental wounds, pay for medical and other bills, and re-enter civilian life," said Dan Vargas, director of the CSAH Family Support Network.

Donny Daughenbaugh, CSAH National Spokesman and Grassroots Events Director, described every Road to Recovery attendee as a "true American hero."

"It's great to see my fellow wounded veterans and their families come together, share experiences and learn that there is a community of support that they can rely on to help them on their road to recovery," he said.

Highlights of the Road to Recovery Conference included:

Adaptive Sports Clinic - The clinic, which included adaptive skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, and mountain biking, was adapted for use by amputees, the blind, and those with traumatic brain injury, not only served as a form of physical, but also psychological therapy.

Career Fair - Helping attendees transition from a military to a civilian lifestyle, the conference featured a job fair, resume writing and interviewing skills classes, and an employment panel, which led to successful job placements for veterans.

Entertainment - Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band, the Vandel-Snook Band, and artist Dan Dunn wowed the crowd, while up-and-coming country music star, wounded veteran and conference attendee Stephen Cochran surprised his fellow veterans and their families with a performance at the closing ceremony. Veterans were also given tickets to Walt Disney World, where they were able to share much needed quality time with their families.

Counseling Sessions - CSAH and a team of counselors from the Department of Veterans Affairs provided counseling sessions for the veterans, their spouses, caregivers and children to enable interactive conversation and facilitate the creation of a lasting support network to aid in the recovery process.

"There's nothing the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes won't do for a disabled vet," said Ssgt. Matthew Keil, a disabled Army veteran who attended the conference with his wife Tracy. "This is the only place where we have been able to meet others who understand what we're going through and find the right kind of support that we need. I'm with 150 families here that understand me and get it."

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