Freedom Heroes

Freedom is and always has been on the defensive, she is never able to rest.  She needs defenders who will lead, take risks, and do whatever it takes to keep her upright.  This is my page where I recognize men, women, and children who have taken the lead, taken risks, and made real strides for freedom.  As Ronald Reagan stated at his first inaugural address on January 20, 1981:

“The economic ills we suffer have come upon us over several decades.  They will not go away in days, weeks, or months, but they will go away.  They will go away because we as Americans, have the capacity now, as we have had in the past, to do whatever needs to be done to preserve this last and greatest bastion of freedom.”

This page is devoted to those who are doing whatever needs to be done to preserve this last and greatest bastion of freedom.  These are Freedom Heroes.

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Freedom Heroes – These 30 Died Defending My Freedom 8/20/2011

30 American heroes died on August 6, 2011.  They died in action, defending my freedom and yours.  May God bless their families and friends who dearly love and miss them.  May God bless their personal legacies.  And may God bless America.

Here they are.  Thanks to each of these precious heroes who gave it all.

The 30 Brave Americans who were killed in Afghanistan helicopter attack by Taliban insurgent

 

DOD Identifies Service Members Killed In CH-47 Crash

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of 30 servicemembers who were supporting Operation Enduring freedom.  They died Aug. 6 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed.

The following sailors assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed:

  • Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, La.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais,  44, of Santa Barbara, Calif.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A.  Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Ark.,
  • Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer  (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers 36, of  Kokomo, Hawaii,
  • Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31, of  Stamford, Conn.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31, of  Minneapolis, Minn.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 35, of  West Hyannisport, Mass.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 37, of  Kansas City, Mo.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist)  Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, N.C.,
  • Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare  Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 28, of Taylorsville, Utah,
  • Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist)  John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Neb.,
  • Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary  Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia, Pa.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface  Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa,
  • Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn, 30,  of Stuart, Fla.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman, 32,  of Blanding, Utah,
  • Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas,
  • Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary  Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas H. Null, 30, of  Washington, W.Va.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32, of  Shreveport, La.,
  • Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 34, of  Detroit, Mich., and
  • Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28,  of Angwin, Calif.,

The following sailors assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare  unit were killed:

  • Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 27,  of Ukiah, Calif., and
  • Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar,  24, of Saint Paul, Minn.

The soldiers who were killed:

  • Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo. He was  assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation  Battalion), Aurora, Colo.;
  • Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Nichols, 31, of Hays, Kan. He was assigned to  the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion),  New Century, Kan.;
  • Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb. He was assigned to the 2nd  Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Grand  Island, Neb.;
  • Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, 24, of Tacoma, Wash. He was assigned to the 7th  Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New  Century, Kan.; and
  • Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th  Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New  Century, Kan.

The airmen who were killed:

  • Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Fla.;
  • Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, Calif.; and
  • Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, Pa.

All three airmen were assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope  Field, N.C.

~ List from Department of Defense 8/11/11 News Release

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Freedom Heroes – Brave Local Colorado School Board Sued by ACLU – for CHOICE 6/25/11 

Douglas County Colorado School Board

On March 15, 2010, Colorado’s Douglas County School Board voted bravely and unaminously 7-0 to pass a school choice voucher program.  They call it a resolution in support of its comprehensive Strategic Plan including a Blueprint for Choice and a Choice Pilot Scholarship Plan.
Basically, the school board voted to give itself competition and free up parents’ tax dollars to be used at a school of their own choosing.  This school board understands education and freedom.

This is a unique and courageous 7-member public school board.  Meet them and listen to their remarks about the program here.

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Freedom Heroes – Wisconsin Governor Walker, Lt Gov Kleefisch, and 18 GOP Senators - 3/12/11

My first “Freedom Heroes” are Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, and the 18 GOP State Senators who stood against an incredible tide of resistance, not only from local union members but also inappropriately from the White House.  Not only have they run up against historical resistance, they also received death threats as they neutralized the collective bargaining power the state unions have held over Wisconsin taxpayers for so many decades.  They are still receiving death threats for their actions.

Here are these stalwarts for freedom.  What they did wasn’t just for Wisconsin, it was a brave precedent for other states across this greatest nation.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker
Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch
 The 18 GOP Senators:
  • Senator Robert Cowles (R)
  • Senator Alberta Darling (R)
  • Senator Michael Ellis (R)
  • Senator Scott Fitzgerald (R)
  • Senator Pam Galloway (R)
  • Senator Glenn Grothman (R)
  • Senator Sheila Harsdorf (R)
  • Senator Randy Hopper (R)
  • Senator Dan Kapanke (R)
  • Senator Neil Kedzie (R)
  • Senator Frank Lasee (R)
  • Senator Mary Lazich (R)
  • Senator Joe Leibham (R)
  • Senator Terry Moulton (R)
  • Senator Luther Olsen (R)
  • Senator Leah Vukmir (R)
  • Senator Van Wanggaard (R)
  • Senator Rich Zipperer (R)

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