Cup of Comfort for Military Families --- Last Call

I posted this call for submissions before, , but it deserevs another blog entry. The post on PayingWriterJobs says, "Please note that deadlines are sometimes extended by one to four weeks."

A Cup of Comfort for Military Families

It has been said that military life is "not for the faint of heart."
But neither is it without its benefits and blessings. One thing is
certain: it is an experience like no other—for both the soldiers and
their families. For this book, we want positive stories about how
military life affects the personal lives of service men and women
(enlisted and officers), how family affects soldiers' on the job, and
how military life affects family members (primarily spouses, children,
and parents but also siblings, grandparents, grandchildren,
aunts/uncles, fiancés, etc.). Any situation or subject that is
significant and/or unique to military personnel and their loved ones
is acceptable. Our goal is to compile a collection of inspiring or
uplifting stories that cover a wide range of topics and reveal a
variety of perspectives, experiences, and emotions specific to
military families. Stories may be written by the service man or woman
or a close family member; military service may be current, recent, or
past.

Military Families submission deadline: April 15, 2008 (last call)

Basic Guidelines

All Cup of Comfort stories must be original; true; appropriate for
mainstream Americans (adult, primarily women); inspiring, comforting,
and/or uplifting; and 1,000 to 2,000 words.

Creative nonfiction and narrative essays preferred (that is,
incorporating such fictive elements as scene, dialogue, character/plot
development, imagery, and literary word usage). Whether serious or
humorous, the story should be authentic and engaging.

Electronic submissions preferred. One submission per email. Copy and
paste (or type) into body of email. No formatting (no indents,
centering, doublespace, bold, underline, etc.). To: wordsinger@aol. com.

Mailed submissions are acceptable. Standard typed manuscript
(double-spaced, indents). Send as many submissions per envelope as
you'd like, but include one SASE per submission. To: Colleen Sell,
71563 London Rd., Cottage Grove, Oregon, 97424, USA.

Each submission must include: author's full name, mailing address,
email address, phone number, story title, story wordcount, and theme
of volume for which it is being submitted (i.e., Grieving Hearts).

In a related comfort story, I want to give a shout-out to Carolyn-Howard-Johnson's blog for graciously inviting me to be a guest blogger!

The Marine

THE MARINE Sergeant Aaron M. Gilbert, US Marine Corps Note: Sergeant Gilbert is well known on the Internet and among patriotic Web sites for his writings. We honor Sergeant Gilbert's family and their sacrifice. We support Corporal Gilbert and applaud his service and sacrifice. We also thank people like Richard Carlson, US Navy (Ret.), and his wife Merlene, for bringing Sergeant Gilbert's message to the public that supports American soldiers. We all came together, Both young and old To fight for our freedom, To stand and be bold. In the midst of all evil, We stand our ground, And we protect our country From all terror around. Peace and not war, Is what some people say. But I'll give my life, So you can live the American way. I give you the right To talk of your peace. To stand in your groups, and protest in our streets. But still I fight on, I don't bitch, I don't whine. I'm just one of the people Who is doing your time. I'm harder than nails, Stronger than any machine. I'm the immortal soldier, I'm a U.S. MARINE! So stand in my shoes, And leave from your home. Fight for the people who hate you, With the protests they've shown. Fight for the stranger, Fight for the young. So they all may have, The greatest freedom you've won. Fight for the sick, Fight for the poor Fight for the cripple, Who lives next door. But when your time comes, Do what I've done. For if you stand up for freedom, You'll stand when the fight's done. USS Saipan, Persian Gulf, 2003 Copyright (c) Aaron M. Gilbert, 2003 DISCLAIMER: All poems are the intellectual property of the poets involved and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Project Boresnake

I received this message from a talented writer in Southern California. I second her recommendation on boresnakes, as well as her call to support the soldiers.

I am sending this email to let you know about a very special project the NRA Members Councils of Southern California (I am the secretary of the Inland Empire MC) is promoting to support our troops overseas. Please go to www.projectboresnake.org. You will find information about a simple but potentially LIFE-SAVING tool that the NRA Members' Councils of California are supporting to purchase these boresnakes and have them shipped overseas to our troops. Firearms get filled up with sand, grit and dirt, causing them to misfire and/or jam up, placing a soldier's life in horrific danger. Our soldiers are doing their jobs and standing up for freedom. A small donation will be more than enough to help us in this mission.

Despite what the media is telling us, there is more than enough evidence to support that we are winning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and putting a serious amount of hurt on the enemy. And no matter how you feel about the war, the bottom line is our soldiers, fellow Americans putting their lives on the line, are over there battling the enemy and the elements for freedom. If you are looking for a good cause to support, please contact me at carolinajune@hotmail.com. Just know that you will make a soldier's day less stressful by helping him keep his weapon, the firearm that protects him and defends freedom, clean and ready to go at a moment's notice.

Thank you for your support and God bless America, the greatest nation on this earth.

Sincerely,

Caroline Cronin
Secretary, NRA Inland Empire Members Councils of California

When Eagles Learn To Fly

A big thank you to Terri Lukach of the Armed Forces Information Service for doing a brilliant story on the Poet Warrior Project in 2005.

The original Poet Warrior site has now been reincarnated as a blog!

From PWP Poet RED DOG:


"Kenneth R. "DOC" Walker and I have teamed up and we are going to try and put
together a CD.



If you will turn your speakers on (sounds better on a stereo system) and click the URL below. Once there, click the play button on the blue player and read the words below it as it plays.



Doc and I hope you enjoy the song.



The War Within



Thank You.

Semper Fidelis

Doc Walker & Red Dog




After hearing the song, all we can say is: These guys need to be on Bill O'Reilly!

Why Poet Warriors?

"It is the soldier, not the poet who has given us freedom of speech."--Father Denis Edward O'Brien

We of the poet Warrior Project honor the lives, thoughts and souls of our soldiers in the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. We recognize that, while many of the intelligentsia believe the words "soldier" and "poet" are antonyms, poets and warriors have been synonymous since Sun Tzu. From the British World War I poets to the American Revolution to the ancient Greeks, soldiers have chronicled the military life. Our men and women in the armed forces are bearing witness to a life lived to the fullest. These poems are part of our history. We invite soldier poets TO submit their works.

When Eagles Learn to Fly


by PFC Jamie A. Goldstein

2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment, US Army



This is the poem that launched it all...PFC Jamie A. Goldstein sent us this poem in May 2005 while he was in training. PFC Goldstein has now been deployed to Iraq. We pray for PFC Goldstein, applaud and honor his service to the United States of America, and applaud his mother, Wendy Goldstein, for bringing this poem to the attention of the American people. We honor and salute the Goldstein family for their sacrifice and for raising a remarkable young soldier whose eloquence, maturity and vision move us.



High atop a mountain,

The newest look around.

In their hearts they yearn to jump,

But to the nest, they’re bound.

They see what’s going on abroad,

And it consumes their thoughts.

There’s shoes to fill and prey to kill,

And targets to be caught.

They may be mean, they may be angry,

Strong may be their drive.

But all of that means nothing,

‘Til these eagles learn to fly.



They sacrifice their blood and sweat,

Earn feathers one-by-one,

And bleed and sweat they will, until

The day of training’s done.

And at that time, they then reflect,

On things they all have learned,

And often re-read passages,

From pages that they’ve turned.

With contempt for their confinement,

They sing verses as they cry,

But that will all soon change

When these eagles learn to fly.




Their blood is hot. Their eyes are cold.

Their hearts know not of fear.

They dream of wreaths of olive leaves,

But still clutch tight their spears.

Collectively they ponder,

The enemies they will try.

They’ve skills to hone and wings to grow,

But that, they know, takes time.

When the sand has fell completely,

And their wings spread true and wide,

They’ll soar across the skyline

And the world shall hear them cry:



“Those who dare burn olive branches,

Those who force their way,

Those who seize what isn’t theirs,

And dare refuse to pay,

Those who live by wicked values,

And dare to walk with pride,

Clear your throat and swallow,

For we have learned to fly!”



“Those who dare crusade,

Against the name of what is just,

Those who dare raise arms,

By exploiting others’ trust,

And expect a repercussion,

No more violent than a sigh,

Today you shall be proven wrong,

For we have learned to fly!”



“Those who dare condemn us,

For enjoying our free will,

Those who feel our choices,

Make us wrong enough to kill,

Those who dare assault us,

Anywhere at any time –

You’ve met your final adversary;

For we have learned to fly!”



14 January 2005

Copyright © Jamie A. Goldstein, 2005

DISCLAIMER: All poems are the intellectual property of the poets involved and cannot be reproduced without permission.