BlackFive

[Please read the entire post as more options are developing to help Sergeant Bozik]

Sergeant Joseph Bozik, an Airborne Soldier with the 118th MP Company (Airborne) from Ft. Bragg, was recently wounded. He has lost both legs and an arm from a landmine, is not not conscious and has many medical complications. On Monday, Sergeant Bozik will be flown into Walter Reed from Landstuhl (Germany).

Unfortunately, the family doesn't have enough money to maintain themselves in a hotel (let alone buy food) for an extended period. The Army paid for airfare for 2 family members and Soldiers' Angels paid for airfare for 2 two more. The Angels can cover hotel expenses for only three days. Fisher House is full so they have to stay at a hotel.

We need your help. You can donate directly to a fund set up to assist the family with caring for Joe. You can send donations to the address or call the phone number below.

SGT Bozik Fund
c/o Centura Bank
ATTN Aiko Raynor
14615 US HWY 17 PO BOX 74
HAMPSTEAD NC 28443

910 772 8930

Update 10-31-04: Kelly the Patriette is connected to this story and has an article link about Sergeant Bozik. Be sure to read the link.

“He felt like he was doing the right thing,” she said. “If that meant risking his life to save millions more, he was going to do it.”

Thanks to bloggers Kelly, Fred and Michelle for linking to this call for help. Also, thanks to Sergeant Stryker (Timmer), Rick Brady, Frank J., and SlagleRock.

Update 2 10-31-04: I've had a lot of requests to donate via Paypal. Until I can find out more (whether the bank will take a credit card donation), I am a little hesitant to put up a Donation Button. If on Monday, Centura Bank will take a credit card/debit card donation, I might put up a Paypal link.

In order to provide transparency, I am thinking of copying Soldiers' Angels on the transactions so there would be a third party involved (donor-me-SA then the bank). Ideas?

Update 3 10-31-04: Patti of Soldiers' Angels set up a link to a paypal donation page - and, since SA is a non-profit, it's tax deductible!

I just sent a donation via the PayPal link. It took about 45 seconds. Please, continue to spread the word about this chance to help a wounded soldier.

Update 4 10-31-04: Wow, just wow! I want to thank the following people that were the FIRST INTO THE BREACH! The first to use the Soldiers' Angels Paypal link. Thank you so much from me and the Angels.

Paul
Gregory
Julia
Kelli
Gay and Dave
Donna
Mary

You all have made a difference!

Update 11-01-04: Here's an update from Sgt. Bozik's future Brother-In-Law, Brian Peters who includes an address to send cards and letters:

First, thank you all for your concern and getting the word out about Joey. He is a great guy – a soldier and a gentleman. My sister, Jayme, first “met” Joey when a mutual friend suggested that she write Joey while he was serving in Afghanistan. The two of them exchanged many letters, emails, and calls before they ever met. When I first met Joey, I knew they would be great together, and that I would be honored to have him as a brother-in-law should they get married. However, it was not long before duty called again, and Joey was deployed to Iraq.

I last saw Joey a few weeks ago, in September when he was home for a brief period of leave in September. Joe served as an MP and one of his many duties was patrolling the roads to find the home-made explosive devices that insurgents placed in or alongside the roads, and finding the responsible parties, who were frequently waiting nearby to detonate it. He had pictures of some of the devices, buried in or alongside the road. Had he not pointed them out in the picture I never would have seen them. They have a difficult and dangerous job there, and I have nothing but respect for him and the men and women who are still serving there.

I spoke with Jayme this evening. She is in DC with Joe’s family, where they are all currently “living” in a hotel waiting to see Joe. He should be returning to the US on Monday. Soldier’s Angels has been there, helping Jayme and the Bozik family, thanks to the support of your readers. She was unaware of the account at Centura Bank, but understandably there has been a lot going on, so she may not have gotten word yet. She did pass on the following information that I would like to share with your readers.

Bryan Peters

I'll try to get more information soon.

Update 11-02-04: Pictures and updates information are here.

Seamus sends this great story about The Veterans Museum in Texas, along with corporate and civilian support, are sending a BBQ to the Marines in Iraq for the Marine Corps Birthday on the 10th. Very, very cool!

October 27, 2004
As a show of support for the tremendous job our troops are doing in Iraq, The Veterans Museum in Texas and the locally famous Grill Instructors Barbeque Team will prepare a barbeque feast of beef brisquet, chicken, and sausage for the 1200 Houston-based Marines of the H&S Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment currently serving in Alasad, Iraq.

The barbeque will be prepared and cooked at the Marine Corps Reserve Center on Old Spanish Trail, Houston, Texas on November 7th, and taken the next day to Hobby Airport, where it will be loaded on a plane supplied by Federal Express for transport to Iraq in time for the MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY on November 10th, 2004.

The generous sponsors for this project are:

(1) Hibernia Bank-Mr. Bob New, 3500 lbs. of brisquet (Bob worked to get the help of Marvin Zindler - Houston's local celebrity from ABC affiliate Channel 13, FedEx, Halliburton and others to contribute)
(2) Buddys Natural Chickens, Gonzales, Texas-Mr. Tom Dowdy, 250 chickens
(3) V&V Smoked Sausage, Cistern, Texas-Mr. Robert Vinklarek, 150 lbs. of sausage
(4) Blue Bell Ice Cream, Brenham, Texas-90 Gallons of Ice Cream
(5) Halliburton Corporation-50/150qrt. Coolers for packing
(6) Federal Express-Transportation from Hobby Airport to Kuwait City
(7) United States Marine Corps Airlift Command for transportation of meat from Kuwait City to Alasad, Iraq.

A special thank you to Mr. Marvin Zindler for coordinating and sponsoring the donations from Hibernia Bank and Halliburton.

This project was coordinated by The Veterans Museum in Texas, Mr. Malcolm Browne, Chairman, Mr. Michael Hamby, chief cook of The Grill Instuctors cooking team and Mr. David Dunn, Corporal Scrounge.

Sitting with my In-Laws watching Dennis Miller.

Here's what I remember him saying about Arafat seeking medical attention in France: "Yeah, the French know how to deal with terrorists...they HEAL them."

Yep, LMAO. There's nothing like Dennis Miller sarcasm...

Electoral Votes: Bush 294

National Votes: Bush 54%, Kerry 44%, Nader 2%

Senate: Republican Majority 51 (48 Dems, 1 Ind)

Congress: Republican Majority

What do you think? Put your predictions in the comments and we'll take a look at them next week.

BTW, I don't think that Obama is going to win the Illinois Senate seat by 40% - which is what pollsters and pundits predict. He'll win, but it'll be 15-20%.

It's getting hotter in the Kerry kitchen. He won't release his military files. He refuses to sign a release. Why?

Tov Brog has a letter from a former Navy Lawyer that discusses the possibility of a Kerry Dishonorable Discharge. The first time I had heard about this possibility was from one of my friends who was a Navy Phantom pilot in Vietnam. In reference to the revisions of the medals that John Kerry requested, he thought that was because, when you get a dishonorable discharge, you forfeit your medals. President Carter got them back for him and then Kerry requested a more heroic version after he became a Senator.

Here is a well researched piece (from Ellen B.) that explores this speculation in detail in the New York Sun:

I changed the picture to a thumbnail to improve page load speed. Click on the thumbnail for the full picture. Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Tanker Schreiber sends this article that you OIF and OEF veterans may be interested in:

Men’s magazine to sponsor military photo contest
By Chuck Vinch

To mark the second anniversary of the Iraq war, GQ magazine will publish a photo essay in March made up entirely of pictures taken by U.S. service members.
“We want to show America what the war looks like to the men and women who have fought it, the people who live it,” said Greg Pond, a GQ photo editor.

The magazine is looking for “any and every picture” troops may have relating to the war. “We want pictures of you, your buddies, battles, what you do to entertain yourself when you’re bored, even pictures your families have sent you from home,” Pond said.

GQ prefers troops to not edit their photos. “What may not seem interesting to you could be important for the essay,” Pond said. “This project will reflect the war the way it really is, and we are not averse to blood, dirt or anything else, as long as it really happened.”

The deadline for submissions is Dec. 1. Electronic images should be e-mailed. Prints and discs should be mailed to: Bradley Young/Greg Pond, GQ Magazine Photo Department, 4 Times Square 9th Floor, New York, NY 10006. Prints and/or discs will be returned in a timely fashion.

On either email or regular mail, indicate “Iraq Photo Contest” and include your name, rank, age, e-mail, phone number and when you were in Iraq. “We can’t publish your pictures if we can’t reach you,” Pond said.

GQ will contact those whose pictures are chosen and will pay $200 to $1,000 for each one published, depending on the size they are used in the magazine.

“We will also credit you in the magazine, unless you prefer to be anonymous,” Pond said.

For Phil in Georgetown tonight dressed as Elwood Blues...

Via Cathy B., here are the best rules (out of Eighty-Six) for Drinking. Comments are in italics.

2. Always toast before doing a shot.
With military people, it's usually "Absent Companions" or "Airborne!". With College buddies it's something that I can't repeat here.

3. Whoever buys the shot gets the first chance to offer a toast.
Never EVER break this rule.

4. Change your toast at least once a month.
Nahhh.

5. Buying someone a drink is five times better than a handshake.
Maybe ten times...

6. Buying a strange woman a drink is still cool. Buying all her drinks is dumb.
This one is for you, Uncle Ben...

9. Get the bartender's attention with eye contact and a smile.
Tip well and you don't have to worry about that so much...

11. Unacceptable things to say after doing a shot: Great, now I’m going to get drunk. I hate shots. It’s coming back up.
You'd get your chops busted with my crowd...

12. Never, ever tell a bartender he made your drink too strong.
See my response to number 11...

13. If he makes it too weak, order a double next time. He'll get the message.

14. If you offer to buy a woman a drink and she refuses, she does not like you.

15. If you offer to buy a woman a drink and she accepts, she still might not like you.
Probably doesn't...but that's no excuse not to be a Gentleman about it. Move on.

16. If she buys you a drink, she likes you.
Maybe...that doesn't mean that you can start licking her neck, Phil.

First, Alexander of Hamilton's Pamphlets has a Marine Corp story about snipers getting to shout "Tango Down!" in Hit, Iraq.

And there are two ways to help our snipers (Marines, Army, and Navy) have the best equipment and maintain high morale:

1. www.adoptasniper.org was created by local, state, and federal law enforcement snipers to help their brothers on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Take the time to read a few of the letters from snipers.

2. Kim du Toit has a program where his readers are contributing to buy special scopes and other equipment and Kim shares the results in the form of letters and pictures from his two Army sniper friends Walter and Adam.

Who do you trust more? Frenchmen or American military men and women?

7 out of 10 Frenchmen support John Kerry with 70% over George Bush with 11% (Louis Harris Poll).

7 out of 10 Soldiers support George Bush with 73% over John Kerry with 17% (Military Times Poll).