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| New on MilitaryVetShop.com |
New for July 2010
(Updated
7-6-10)
July already? This year just seems to be
FLYING by!! Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday with friends and family.
Here in the "Tip Of The Mitt", we enjoyed a warm and sunny day that was picture
perfect for the local Independence Day Parade. But, enough about our time
off, rather here's what we've been doing with our time
"on"...
New History
9th Infantry Division | "Old Reliables"
 The 9th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army is
nicknamed the "Old Reliables." It was created during World War I as the 9th
Division, but it was never deployed overseas. The division proved to be an
important asset during World War II, Vietnam, and the Cold War.
Click
here for full history of the 9th ID »
New Aircraft
The OH-58 has been added to the 11th ACR
section on both our
Zazzle and
Cafe'
Press stores.
New Embroidery
We've spent most of the past month adding
embroidered items for each of the patches, branches and badges we feature on
MilitaryVetShop.com. It took a lot
longer than planned to work out all of the issues, but I think everyone will
like the end results. Please take a moment to view the embroidered
Hats, T-shirts, Jackets, Polos and more »
From The Roving Historian
 Trippin'
through Gettysburg
The Fourth of July holiday weekend is right
around the corner. I’m such a military history geek, that thinking about
the Fourth always reminds me of the anniversary of the Civil War
battle of
Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863). This is the perfect time to tell you about my
visit to the Battlefield while I was on my research trip in May. As I’ve
mentioned before in this blog, my friend John works as a park ranger at
Gettysburg National Military
Park and rents a house on the battlefield from the NPS. Of course I wanted
to visit my friend that I hadn’t seen in three years, but I was also
looking forward to another visit to one of my favorite Civil War battlefields
and getting a personal tour from the most knowledgeable person I know about the
battle and the war.
I had visited Gettysburg on several occasions
over the years since my first visit back in 1988. However, this was the first
time I had toured the Battlefield and the town with a guide. Even for those of
you who are familiar with the battle (as I thought I was), I highly recommend
touring the battlefield with a licensed guide or attending one of the
presentations given by the NPS staff. John was able to show me, on the ground,
parts of the battle that have gotten little attention from both historians and
popular culture. I won’t go into the history of the battle, but leave you
with the guidance that there is much more to the battle than what is portrayed
in the movie Gettysburg. The more you learn about it the more you want to know.
 I
invoke the Hollywood version of the battle (one of my favorites mind you),
because during our tour John pointed out several items that the movie got
wrong. He also gave me the background on a few of the monuments that over the
decades since the battle have been placed for politics and tourism as well as
honoring the sacrifices of our soldiers. Actually, the history of the
battlefield as “hallowed ground” versus “tourist
attraction” is as fascinating for me as the battle itself. For example,
the term “high-water mark of the Confederacy” applied to Gettysburg,
and specifically Pickett’s Charge, was coined by a tourism promoter years
after the battle. If we are speaking in terms of Confederate military strength,
one could argue that there are other points during the war when things looked
much worse for the Union. In terms of geography, organized Confederate forces
fought in the same campaign about 35 miles north of Gettysburg near Camp Hill,
Pennsylvania, in what is known as the
Skirmish of
Sporting Hill.
Since I had visited the area before, it is
interesting to see what is changing and what stays the same. The park is
conducting projects to restore the terrain to what it looked like during the
battle. Read about it in the
park
newspaper. There have been some trees removed around the Devil’s Den
since my last visit. There are now some new peach trees in the Peach Orchard.
The NPS has acquired a new “witness” house on the Emmitsburg Road,
and the new Visitor Center opened in 2008 (which is fantastic!). Some things
never change: the debate is raging in town about a
proposed
casino and hotel on US 15. That was voted down the last time I was there
back in 2006. The casino promoters are back for another attempt at a permit.
 Therefore,
this trip to Gettysburg brought up several of those internal debates I have
with myself. The primary being: At what level should we teach, or expect the
public to know, history? Moreover, is a little drama such a bad thing if we can
engage the public to tune in to the lessons of history? How far should we go to
protect our historic sites? Does a place like Gettysburg deserve protection
from what is built nearby? The analysis of these questions, whether I discuss
and debate them with others or just in my head, is what excites me about public
history.
I’ll close by saying, "Thanks again,
John!" for the fantastic tour and a great steak dinner. Excerpted
with permission from www.RovingHistorian.com |
Just Ask!
Yes, our "to do" list is a mile long - BUT - special
requests go to the front of that line! If you don't see it in either our
Cafe Press store, or our
Zazzle store, ask about
it. Simply email us your request
and we'll see if we can make it happen! Remember, this store was created
because we couldn't find what we were looking for - it's our number one
mission!
As always, a big THANK YOU! to our
subscribers and customers - we really appreciate you! Please feel free to
share
this email with a friend!
Jim, Sheila, and Meaghan
Broumley
MilitaryVetShop.com
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New for June 2010
(Updated
6-4-10)
New History
Jim came back from the National Archives this month
with a renewed zeal for military history and he has written a
Summary History of the
5th Infantry Division - Red Devils. Please take a moment to read about this
unit, who's history stretches back to WWI and carries through to present
day.
 New Aircraft
Per special request, we've created an OH-58 for all
you scout pilots and door-gunners! The 58 is currently available in the
2nd Armored Cav
section and will be posted to the
11th ACR next
week. Please let us know if you'd
like the OH-58 - or any of our available aircraft or vehicles - added to your
unit.
We've already begun work on the delta model and will
let everyone know when its ready.
:-)
New For Joint Base Balad - Iraq
We received a couple of requests from Air Force vets
serving in Iraq that helped to break us out of our "Army-centered" rut a bit.
Thanks so much to everyone who takes the time to request certain patches,
aircraft or vehicles - you're helping us to become a much better Military Vet
Shop!
New Air Force Designs:
332d AEW "The Legend
Continues" is the motto of the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, who derive their
lineage from the 332d Fighter Group, the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. Currently,
the 332d AEW and
332d EMDG have many
airmen at Joint Base Balad in Iraq - also known as "Mortaritaville"
Army in Balad:
13th Sustainment Command
(Expeditionary) "The difference between a click and a bang is logistics."
is the motto of the 13th ESC, also stationed in "Mortaritaville". We've
added designs for the 13th ESC with the
Armored HumVee, the
5-Ton Truck and
other Veteran
Designs.
New Airborne
New for 82nd Airborne:
For the All American veterans of the 82nd Airborne's
505th Parachute
Infantry Regiment (PIR), we now have shirts, mugs, stickers and more
available on our Cafe Press and
Zazzle
stores.
Your History
Many of you are members of veterans' organizations
who have volunteered - or in some cases been volunteered to seek out and
maintain your unit history. While the internet is becoming a good source for
first-person accounts and private collection photos, there is nothing quite
like going to The Source - the main repository of Army photos,
documents, and personal papers of our great leaders. In the following article
Jim tries to take some of the mystery out of the process of using our nation's
resources to learn about and share our history.
From The Roving Historian
The Army Heritage and Education
Center
 In
my last post, I told you about my research trip during the first week of May. I
started with the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. In this post, I
would like to tell you about the
Army Heritage and
Education Center (AHEC) in Carlisle, PA. This was actually my first stop
during my research trip for photos and primary documents on the 509th Parachute
Infantry Battalion.
The AHEC is several things in addition to a
repository for primary source documents pertaining to military history.
Originally, (and still its primary function) the AHEC was created to support
the Army's War College at Carlisle Barracks. In 2002, they moved to their
current campus, off base, so you don't have to have your vehicle and ID checked
to park there. If you visit, plan an extra afternoon to visit the museum and
the Army Heritage
Trail. The trail is a walking path of about a mile that has interactive
exhibits that are recreations from army history. For example, you can go into
Redoubt #10 from the battle of Yorktown, get into a WWI trench, or walk through
a WWII era tarpaper billet.
 The
fact that the AHEC is a library as well as an archive makes it a "first stop"
for researching military history. Before you visit in person, look at several
of the AHEC's online
resources, like their list of finding aids and the online catalog. Finding
aids have been created for many unit histories and military history subjects.
These documents are available online. With these finding aids and the online
catalog, you will know what secondary works are available as well as primary
source documents. Looking for secondary sources through interlibrary loan with
your local public library will save you days of research time at the AHEC.
Knowing the primary source material available will help you determine if you
need to visit in person, and if so, estimate how many days you will need in the
library.
When you enter the main building of the AHEC,
you will have to sign in with security before going in the research library.
Lockers are provided to store your coat and any carry cases. You can only bring
laptops, cameras, writing paper, and pencils into the research room. A research
assistant is available to help you fill out your "pull request" from the
library. Don't try to go it alone, use their expertise. The staff is extremely
knowledgeable, very friendly, and eager to help you with your project.
While all libraries and archives have similar
procedures, they also differ from place to place. Unlike NARA, at the AHEC you
cannot bring in a flatbed scanner. I use a small digital camera to take
pictures of documents (reproduction costs would kill you) that are too lengthy
to take notes on. I used the same camera at AHEC to reproduce photographs. A
photo station is set up in the research room for this purpose. You mount your
camera on a photo stand and adjust two studio lights beside the table on
tripods. I at first had my doubts, but this system worked beautifully. For
textual items, I just set my camera to a "copy" preset and use it handheld. I
reproduced 13 photographs and over 200 pages of documents in one long day at
the AHEC.
 I
am a huge fan of digitizing primary documents so we don't have to travel to an
archive to look up this information. However, I know we will never be able to
put every document and picture held in repositories online. There is just too
much. Also, there is just no beating the thrill of holding the document in your
hand, or to read the contents in its entirety for yourself, unedited and not
interpreted for you by someone else. Again, I urge anyone who is interested in
any subject to visit the appropriate archive and look up the information. I do
not consider myself to be a scholar, an academic, or an intellectual. No one
asked me what my qualifications were before allowing me access to any materials
at either the AHEC or NARA. It is our history. Go get it.
Excerpted
with permission from www.RovingHistorian.com |
Just Ask!
Yes, our "to do" list is a mile long - BUT - special
requests go to the front of that line! If you don't see it in either our
Cafe Press store, or our
Zazzle store, ask about
it. Simply email us your request
and we'll see if we can make it happen! Rember, this store was created because
we couldn't find what we were looking for - it's our number one
mission!
As always, a big THANK YOU! to our
subscribers and customers - we really appreciate you! Please feel free to
share
this email with a friend!
Jim, Sheila, and Meaghan
Broumley
MilitaryVetShop.com
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New for May 2010
(Updated
5-5-10)
New Format
This is our second month using the new format for
our newsletter - we hope you like it! Please feel free to share your copy with
a friend.
:-)
Subscribe
Here
From The Roving Historian
“Memorial Day Once Again”
May is upon us once again. The last day of the
month will bring us Memorial Day Weekend. For most Americans that means
the official start to summer. Here on the Lake Michigan shore it also
means the informal beginning to the tourist and resort season. (Our
town’s population more than doubles during the summer with the return of
all the snowbirds.) That being said, how could I not take the opportunity
to talk about the real meaning of Memorial Day?
The tradition of a day of remembrance for fallen
soldiers began as early as the end of the Civil War. Various communities
around the nation held their own day to honor their dead. The first
attempt at a nationwide observance was the proclamation of “Decoration
Day” by General John Logan, the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of
the Republic, the national organization of Union Army veterans. General
Logan proclaimed that May 30th of 1868, and each year thereafter, be
set aside to decorate the graves of fallen Union soldiers. Most
communities in the South did not participate, mainly due to a lack of Union
graves, not to mention a lingering resentment toward the North.
The name “Memorial Day” did not come
into use until after 1882. The sentiment of the holiday became accepted
nationally after World War I when the country came together to honor all of our
war dead. Now the day is officially Memorial Day by a Federal law passed
in 1967. It is celebrated on the last Monday in May as per the National
Holiday Act of 1971, passed to ensure that we get a three-day weekend for
Federal holidays. Although Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi,
South Carolina, Louisiana, and Tennessee still have alternate days set aside to
honor their Confederate war dead.
Many Americans seem to forget the meaning of the
day. Some believe that this was fostered by the creation of the
guaranteed three-day weekend in 1971. Some, like the Veterans of Foreign
Wars, believe that returning the date for Memorial Day to May 30th
would help to re-educate Americans and encourage a more traditional day of
remembrance and honoring of our fallen warriors. Over ten years ago,
separate bills to do just that were introduced into the House and Senate.
Unfortunately, neither bill made it out of committee (the place that most bills
go to die). However, in 2000 a resolution was passed into public law to
encourage a National Moment of
Remembrance, “which invites everyone to pause where they are at 3:00
p.m. on Memorial Day in a uplifting act of national unity.”
I do not glorify the sacrifices that were made in
wars past and present. In fact, I view them as a tragedy.
Nevertheless, wars do happen and someone has to go and fight them. As a
historian and a veteran who was raised in a family of veterans, I am saddened
to see the growing numbers of naïve and idealistic, not to mention the
legions of the ignorant and apathetic. Memorial Day is a learning
opportunity and an excellent day to take a reality check. I don’t
want to be a buzz kill or party pooper and take away from the tradition of the
barbeque, or the tailgate, or the camping trip you have planned for this
Memorial Day weekend. By all means, enjoy. However, I do encourage
you to take a moment to remember the sacrifices of others and pass on that
reverence to your children…so that they can pass it on to theirs.
Click here to visit
The Roving
Historian
Thank You
As always, we'd like to thank you for subscribing to
Military Vet Shop News and for your business. We hope your spring is starting
out green and pleasant and look forward to talking to you again next month!
Thank you,
Jim, Sheila & Meaghan Broumley
MilitaryVetShop.com
New Products
We've added several units this month in our quest to
represent all units that fought in Vietnam.
Embroidery Available
Embroidered Polos, Jackets, Shirts, and Hats are
now available!! If you don't see your unit patch or branch insignia, let us
know - we're working as fast as we can to get them all posted, but requests
always move to the front of the list.
Shop
Embroidered Items
Contact
Us |
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New for April 2010
(Updated
4-5-10)
New Format
This month, we've transferred to a new format for
our monthly newsletter - we hope you like it! Unfortunately, we were unable to
transfer our old mailing list from our old provider - so please feel free to
share your copy with a friend - we'd love to have all of our subscribers
back!
:-)
Subscribe
Here
Customer Photos
We love to hear from our customers and we love it
even MORE when they include photos! Bill Cope of the 192nd AHC was kind enough
to share photos on the wall of our new Facebook page. Thanks Bill!!
Visit us
on Facebook
From The Roving Historian
“The Borinqueneers”
I must admit my ignorance. Before yesterday, I did
not know who the “Borinqueneers” were, or the history of the
65th Infantry Regiment. Now that I am enlightened to the
contributions of this military unit, I had to share the information with
you.First, hear the how and the why that led me to read a little bit about this
historic unit.
I have a particular interest in the Korean War, as
my father was a veteran of that conflict, besides my being a military
historian. Korea came up on my
radar last week due to
an
article in the NY Times that tells us that North Korea is threatening
reprisals if South Korea and the United States do not stop civilian tours to
view the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
As we approach the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the
Korean War (June 25, 1950) it is appropriate that we take the time to remember
the sacrifices of the veterans who have served in that “forgotten
war.” And remember that not only do we still have troops stationed in
South Korea, but that the Korean War never ended, but only ceased hostilities
with the signing of an armistice on July 27, 1953.
 With
that motivation, I searched the NY Times for other recent articles about Korea
and came across the
obituary
for Modesto Cartagena, who as a staff sergeant serving with the
65th Infantry during the Korean War was awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross and is the most decorated Puerto Rican soldier in history. Mr. Cartagena passed away at his home in
Puerto Rico on March 2, 2010 at the age of 87. His obituary in the Times explained that
the 65th Infantry was an all-volunteer unit from Puerto Rico. Since I had never heard of this unit of
Puerto Ricans, I had to satisfy my curiosity.
A simple Google search provided me with the
story. Here is a
link to
the Borinqueneers’ website that contains photographs and archival
video. In addition, here is a
link to
an excellent Wikipedia article summarizing the history of the unit. It would seem that the 65th
Infantry Regiment experienced similar prejudices as other ethnic units in the
history of the United States Army.
Moreover, like the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
(Japanese-American), the 92nd Infantry Division (African-American),
and others, this unit distinguished itself beyond all expectations.
The unit’s nickname,
“Borinqueneers,” is a combination of the words
Borinquen, which is what the Puerto
Rican natives called their island before the arrival of the Spanish, and
Buccaneers. The soldiers coined this name during an
exhausting month long boat trip from Puerto Rico to Pusan, Korea in September
1950.
The unit met its greatest challenges in Korea. Many new officers transferred into the
unit by the army where white continentals who could not speak
Spanish, the native language of the common soldier in the unit. After two years of distinguished service
in combat, an action occurred in which one of the regiment’s line
companies was pushed off a hill by Chinese forces. A new Regimental Commander, a
continental, accused the unit of cowardice. The commander ordered the unit to stop
calling themselves Borinqueneers, took away their special ration of beans and
rice, ordered the men to shave off their distinctive mustaches, and even had
one soldier wear a sign that said, “I am a coward.” Due to the humiliation, combat
exhaustion, and cultural barriers, it is understandable that the unit rebelled
and refused to continue fighting.
Ninety-one of the unit members were found guilty at court martial and
sentenced to prison. Later, the
sentences were remitted through intervention by the Puerto Rican
government. Though the men who were
court martialed were pardoned, there currently is a campaign for a formal
exoneration.
This “mass court martial” does not take
away from the fact that members of the unit were awarded 10 Distinguished
Service Crosses, 256 Silver Stars, and 606 Bronze Stars during their time in
Korea. The 65th Infantry
Regiment earned streamers for nine campaigns during the Korean War. Approximately 61,000 Puerto Ricans
served during the Korean War, most of them were volunteers.
The island of Puerto Rico became a U.S. Territory in
1898 at the end of the Spanish-American War. The United States immediately appointed
a military governor of the island and the army established a presence
there. The Army Appropriation Bill
passed by Congress in 1889 authorized the creation of the first unit of
“native troops.” The
“Porto Rico Provisional Regiment of Infantry” first formed in 1901
would evolve into the 65th Infantry Regiment in the Regular U.S.
Army. The unit fought in WWI, WWII,
and Korea. The unit was transferred
to the Puerto Rico National Guard in 1956, the only active army unit to ever be
transferred to the Guard. As
National Guard units, members of the 65th Infantry have deployed in
support of the Global War on Terror to Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo, and the
horn of Africa.
Click here to visit
The Roving Historian
Thank You
As always, we'd like to thank you for subscribing to
Military Vet Shop News and for your business. We hope your spring is starting
out green and pleasant and look forward to talking to you again next
month!
Thank you,
Jim, Sheila & Meaghan Broumley
MilitaryVetShop.com
|
NEW to Military Vet Shop – Added in
March! |
 |
Desert Storm Vet - 84th Eng Co
By
veteran request, for those who served with the 84th Engineer Company and wore
the 2nd ACR patch during Operation Desert Storm. Available on our
Cafe Press store
and our
Zazzle
store. |
 |
192nd AHC 1st Platoon
For Vietnam
Veterans who flew with the 1st Flight Platoon of the 192nd Assault Helicopter
Company. Available on our
Cafe Press store and
our Zazzle
store. |
 |
192nd AHC 2nd Platoon
For Vietnam
Veterans who flew with the 2nd Flight Platoon of the 192nd Assault Helicopter
Company. Available on our
Cafe Press store and
our Zazzle
store. |
 |
192nd AHC 3rd Platoon
For Vietnam
Veterans who flew or crewed with the 3rd Platoon of the 192nd Assault
Helicopter Company, the Tiger Sharks. Available on our
Cafe Press store and
our Zazzle
store. |
 |
151st Inf Rgmt - 38th ID
By special
request to honor one of the fallen Avengers of Bataan. A 38th Infantry Division
patch with 151st Infantry Regiment. Available on our
Cafe Press store and
our Zazzle
store. |
 |
20th Engineer Brigade (Combat)
Part
of XVIII Airborne Corps, the 20th Eng Bde has a lineage that dates back to the
Civil War. They are veterans of Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
We offer six different designs on a wide variety of products in our
Cafe Press store as
well as our
Zazzle
store. |
 |
5-Ton Truck
Now available for
2nd Armored
Division and 11th Armored
Cavalry veterans. We'll add this vehicle to the appropriate units as soon
as possible, but please let us
know if you'd like it added to your unit as requests go to the front of the
line! |
|
ALL NEW!
We know, we know... you can't
wear your t-shirt EVERYWHERE you go! So now we have an alternative for you:
Embroidered Polos, Jackets, Shirts, and Hats are now available!! If you don't
see your unit patch or branch insignia, let us know - we're working as fast as
we can to get them all posted, but requests always move to the front of the
list. |
|
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New for March 2010
(Updated
3-9-10)
Thanks to everyone for "tuning in" to our What's New
newsletter this month - there is a loooooong list of new items posted to the
Military Vet Shop (to include a few sneak peeks at what we're working on for
next month) and an article from Jim, the Roving Historian on
Stolen Valor.
We've been having some issues with our newsletter
generator lately and are trying to get a decent replacement in the coming weeks
- please let us know if you or a friend are having trouble receiving or reading
the monthly news. Email us at: cp@ridinthewave.com.
Featured This Month:
Stolen Valor and Getting It Wrong
What's New in our Store?
Stolen Valor and
Getting It Wrong
From Jim Broumley -
RovingHistorian.com
I want to bring your attention to an article I
read in the NY Times recently that frankly got my goat both as a historian and
as a veteran. It concerns a recently released book titled "The Last Train from Hiroshima" by Charles Pelligrino.
Apparently, sections of the book that reveal never-before-told events and
details of the mission to drop the first atomic bomb are based on interviews
with a veteran who was never there.
Take the time to read the article. This veteran, Mr. Joseph
Fuoco, claimed to have flown as part of the crew of one of two observation
planes that accompanied the Enola Gay. Fuoco claimed that he was put on the
flight at the last minute when another crewmember, Mr. James Corliss, got sick.
As it turns out, documents and witness accounts tell that Corliss was on the
flight in question. There is no proof available that places Fuoco in the 509th
Composite Group, much less on the flight in Mr. Corliss' place. Both veterans
have since passed away. The author says that he now realizes he was "probably
duped."
The book is out there on the shelf at your local
bookstore. It is number sixteen on the list of bestselling military history on
Amazon. If it is not recalled, it becomes part of the historical record.
Historians almost always base their works on the secondary sources created
previously. It is quite possible that twenty years from now, a writer might
find this book and cite something from it, and perpetuate the fabrications it
contains. The fact that the book does not cite any sources and the author
admits that it contains fabrications, makes suspect the remainder of its
contents. I will not purchase or read this book.
At first our righteous indignation might be
directed at the veteran who fabricated his story, and rightfully so. However, I
have personal experience in taking oral histories and I know that memories fade
and sometimes get filled in with what is learned after the event. We each have
our own truth as to what we experienced and what happened and when and who was
there. Moreover, some want to have "been there" so bad that they will make up
their own truth, whether consciously or subconsciously. You know they are out
there. If you do not, or don't think there are that many, read the book "Stolen Valor" by B. G. Burkett and Glenna Whitely.
As a historian, my ire is directed at the author,
Charles Pelligrino, and his publisher. This entire episode could have been
avoided with some simple fact checking and review of primary sources. When the
author was interviewing Mr. Fuoco, how hard would it have been to look at his
discharge or other documents like award certificates? Did the author not make a
trip to the National Archives or other repositories to view the official
records like flight plans and passenger lists? We do not know because there is
no list of sources in Mr. Pelligrino's book. Moreover, the most distasteful
part is that Pelligrino has been published previously (albeit this is his first
history book) and had a movie made based on one of his earlier books. Not only
should an author of his experience know better, but he also has the financial
wherewithal to easily conduct primary source research and fact checking.
I don't want to tell you how to think or who to
blame. Make up your own mind. I'm just going to give you my opinion, my
philosophy if you will. I believe that the job of the nonfiction writer,
whether an academic or a popular historian, is to honor those who came before
us by telling their story so it is not lost to history. The recollections and
eyewitness accounts of individuals are an integral part of telling that story.
However, the absolute primary function of the interviewer is to check the
validity of a claim before publishing it as fact.
As far as we veterans are concerned, I know this
in my heart to be true. I think that however you got there; circumstances
make the hero. You might have joined or you might have been drafted. You
might have volunteered for Special Forces, or prayed for the Finance Corps.
Nevertheless, fate, kismet, or karma put you in the line of fire or it didn't.
You either witnessed history, or wish you had, and it wasn't totally up to you,
no matter how hard you tried either way. That being said, anyone who steps
forward and signs up, no matter what their role, should be thanked for their
service and their courage should never be in question. Not by anyone else, and
certainly not by themselves.
|
NEW to Military Vet Shop – Added in
February! |
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11th Infantry Brigade
Born during
WWI and active again from 1967 to 1971. The 11th Infantry Brigade fought with
the Americal Division in Vietnam.
Shop for 11th Inf Bde gifts
on Cafe Press »
Shop
for 11th Infantry Brigade gifts on Zazzle » |
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7th Infantry Division - Panama
Veteran
For the Light Fighter vets who participated in Operation Just
Cause, the invasion of Panama in December 1989.
Shop for 7th ID Panama
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for 7th Inf Div Panama gifts on Zazzle » |
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XXIV Corps
US Army XXIV Corps for
veterans from the Battle for Okinawa to the jungles of South Vietnam.
Shop for XXIV Corps gifts
on Cafe Press »
Shop
for XXIV Corp gifts on Zazzle » |
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Armor Branch
The Armor Branch traces
its history to the formation of the Cavalry in 1776. The Tank Service was
formed in 1918 and Armor became a branch in 1950.
Shop for Armor Branch gifts
on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Armor Branch gifts on Zazzle (featuring a sneak peek at our new Embroidery
line!) » |
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CMAC
C.M.A.C. The Capital Military
Assistance Command (CMAC) was formed in 1968 after the Tet Offensive to command
and coordinate security forces around Saigon in South Vietnam.
Shop for CMAC gifts on Cafe
Press »
Shop
for CMAC gifts on Zazzle » |
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I FIELD FORCE
A corps-level command
created in 1966 whose area of responsibility included the Central Highlands of
Vietnam.
Shop for I Field Force
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for I Field Force gifts on Zazzle » |
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II FIELD FORCE
A corps-level command
created in 1966, based in Long Binh, was the largest corps command in
Vietnam.
Shop for II Field Force
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for II Field Force gifts on Zazzle » |
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1st Cavalry Vietnam - CH-47
For the
First Team veteran who flew, crewed, or rode in, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter
during Vietnam.
Shop for 1st Cav
Vietnam gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for 1st Cavalry CH47 gifts on Zazzle » |
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Army Veteran - 101st ABN Chinook
A
Chinook helicopter flies in front of a 101st Airborne Division patch. For all
of you who flew, crewed, or rode in a CH-47.
Shop for 101st Airborne
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for 101st Abn CH47 gifts on Zazzle » |
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192nd Assault Helicopter Company
For
Vietnam Veterans of the 192nd AHC, 10th Combat Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation
Brigade. Slicks and gunships for Polecats and Tiger Sharks.
Shop for 192nd AHC gifts on
Cafe Press »
Shop
for 192nd AHC gifts on Zazzle (featuring a sneak peek at our new Embroidery
line!) » |
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New for February 2010
(Updated
2-2-10)
Featured This Month:
There's more to it than you'd think.
What's New in our Store?
Busy, Busy, Busy
As you can see from the extensive "what's new?" list
below, we've been busy, busy, busy ove the past 30 days, but doing what? We
thought it was high time we share our process with you - to give you a better
understanding of what we do — and why it sometimes seems to take
forever to get your requests posted!
There's more to it than you'd think.
Does making t-shirt graphics have anything to do
with history? You bet it does. We thought it might be appropriate to share with
our friends and fellow veterans what the process is for making our designs and
in what order.
Let us say again that it is our goal to provide
every veteran with the shirt or coffee mug that they want to honor their
service to our country. That's a pretty big goal considering the time
limitations that we have. Military
Vet Shop is our favorite pursuit. Unfortunately, it is not our only one.
Sheila and Jim have a "day job" running Wave of the Future, our website
development business. Moreover, Jim recently completed his MA in applied
history and is researching a book length project: a history of the 509th
Parachute Infantry Battalion. You'll be able to read more about it on his blog,
The Roving Historian, in the near
future.
So how do we choose what to create, given the
limited time available? Remember the old Burger King™ commercial with the
song "...special orders don't upset us..." You're singing it right now, aren't
you? Well, that's us. We love special requests. A request was behind the new
badges section and the branches section. A request was made for the 30th
Medical Command patch. A request was made for the CH-46, CH-47, and the M551
Sheridan. We figure that if you want it, there must be others out there that
want it. Hopefully, you know some folks who want it and will tell them about
it. For that reason, requests automatically go to the top of the "to-do"
list.
Now here is where the history comes in. After the
request list, we are then prioritizing a list of every major unit patch that
was in Vietnam. For each patch that we choose to create a set of graphics for,
while Sheila (the graphics artist) is making the patch object, Jim is
researching the history of the patch. We have to determine if the patch was in
Vietnam, or Iraq, or Afghanistan. Then we need to determine what vehicles the
veterans who wore that patch used. It is in this task that veteran's websites
and the pictures posted on the web are invaluable. If enough information is
available, we'll even produce
a summary
history of the unit patch on our website.
Making patches is a relatively quick task, but
making an original, photo-realistic, graphic image of a vehicle or aircraft is
a time intensive project. Sheila puts hours of work into these projects. That's
why it takes a few weeks for requests of vehicle graphics to be fulfilled.
Moreover, the operative word here is original. We completely respect the work
of others and are careful not to violate the copyrights of any artist. We will
not cut corners by copying from others. That is also why you won't find the
image you buy from us on any other site. (If you do, please let us know for
obvious reasons!)
As you can see, you the veteran, our customers,
are a crucial player in obtaining our goal of getting every veteran the design
they want. We welcome your input!
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NEW to Military Vet Shop – Added in
January! |
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Aviation Branch
The Army has been
flying since before WWI. Due to the importance of aviation in Army doctrine and
operations, Aviation became a separate branch on April 12, 1983.
Shop for Aviation Branch
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Aviation Branch gifts on Zazzle » |
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Cavalry
Cavalry insignia was adopted
in 1851. Personnel in cavalry regiments, cavalry squadrons or separate cavalry
troops are authorized to wear cavalry insignia.
Shop for Cavalry Branch
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Cavalry Branch gifts on Zazzle » |
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Infantry Branch
Infantry is the
oldest branch in the Army. Ten companies of riflemen were authorized by the
Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, the birthday of the Infantry.
Shop for Infantry Branch
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Infantry Branch gifts on Zazzle » |
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Military Police Corps
The MP is law
enforcement in garrison, handles POWs, and secures supply routes. Provost
Marshal and Military Police Branch was established in 1941.
Shop for MP Branch gifts on
Cafe Press »
Shop
for MP Branch gifts on Zazzle » |
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Aviator Wings
Shop our selection of
Aviator, Senior, and Master Wings – several styles available for veteran
and active Army Aviators.
Shop for Aviator Wings
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Aviator Wings gifts on Zazzle » |
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Aircrew Wings
Army Aviation
Crewmember, Senior and Master wings for crewchiefs present and past.
Shop for Crewmember Wings
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Crewmember Wings gifts on Zazzle » |
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Flight Surgeon Wings
For those
flying doctors that specialized in keeping us pilots flying. Show off your
special skill. Flight Surgeon, Senion Flt Surgeon, and Master Flight
Surgeon.
Shop for Flight Surgeon
Wings gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Flight Surgeon Wings gifts on Zazzle » |
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New Designs for the Parachutist
Badge
The coveted jump wings of the American Airborne soldier. Display
the pride of a United States Paratrooper. Available in several different styles
for master, senior, active duty, and veteran!
Shop for Parachutist Badge
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Parachutist Badge gifts on Zazzle » |
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New Designs for the Air Assault
Badge
Air Assault Wings are awarded after the soldier learns how to
rappel into combat out of helicopters.
Shop for Air Assault gifts
on Cafe Press »
Shop
for Air Assault gifts on Zazzle » |
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New Designs for the Combat Infantryman
Badge
The CIB is awarded to infantrymen who have taken the ultimate test
of their skills. It is awarded to infantrymen who have engaged in combat.
Shop for CIB gifts on Cafe
Press »
Shop
for CIB gifts on Zazzle » |
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New Designs for the Combat Action
Badge
Authorized since 2001, the CAB is awarded to any soldier after
personally engaging or being engaged by the enemy.
Shop for CAB gifts on Cafe
Press »
Shop
for CAB gifts on Zazzle » |
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4th Trans Cmd
Featuring several
designs for veterans of the 4th Transportation Command – Vietnam or any
era.
Shop for 4th Transp. Cmd
gifts on Cafe Press »
Shop
for 4th Trans Cmd gifts of Zazzle » |
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38th Infantry Division
The 38th
Infantry Division, headquartered with the Indiana National Guard, is also known
as the Cyclone Division. Serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Desert Storm and Vietnam
- to name a few.
Shop for 38th ID gifts on
Cafe Press »
Shop
for 38th Inf Div gifts on Zazzle » |
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New History! The 7th Infantry
Division.
Juste released on January 28th, a summary history of the 7th
Infantry Division.
Read full
history here » |
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  Hot News! We have begun adding
Embroidered - yes, EMBROIDERED - hats, jackets, long and short sleeve polos and
tee shirts for every unit, branch, and badge that we have available. Look for
ALL designs to be loaded within the next week to 10 days on our
Zazzle
store. Jim already has one of the 11th ACR hats and he's very pleased with
the quality!
As always, if you have a special request - let
us know! Email your request to: jim@militaryvetshop.com.
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As always, a big THANK YOU! to our subscribers and
customers - we really appreciate you! Please feel free to share this with a
friend!
Jim, Sheila, and Meaghan
Broumley
MilitaryVetShop.com
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New for January 2010
(Updated
1-2-10)
It Was A Christmas Miracle!
 We were finally able to carve out
enough time over the holidays to complete the much-requested M-551 Sheridan
graphic! The first designs have been posted on the
2nd
Armored Cavalry section, because they were the first to request it, and the
11th ACR
section, because the boss said so! We'll get them posted on all of the
appropriate units as quickly as possible, but feel free to
contact
us and we'll put your unit at the front of the line.
Also new this month is the long-awaited CH-47
Chinook Helicopter. Currently featured in the
1st
Aviation Brigade section – it will soon be added to all the units that
fielded the aircraft.
We really appreciate your feedback and suggestions
and even though our "day jobs" sometimes get in the way, rest assured - we WILL
get those vehicles and aircraft done! Please don't hesitate to
contact
us with your ideas.
|
Hot News: For our newsletter subscribers
only! We have just completed the Aviator and Aircrew Member wings
(senior and master too) and will be adding them to our
badges
section in the next week to 10 days. If you would like to see the wings
added to your unit patch, or choice of aircraft, please
let
us know! |
NEW Stuff!
As always, a big THANK YOU! to our subscibers and
customers - we really appreciate you! We wish you all a Happy and Prosperous
New Year.
Jim, Sheila, and Meaghan
Broumley
MilitaryVetShop.com
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New for December 2009
(Updated
12-1-09)
From the
Roving
Historian:
Marine Corps Restricts Use of Emblems and
Terms
The availability of t-shirts and coffee mugs with
any reference to the United States Marine Corps (USMC) might be seriously
curtailed. Recently the USMC, from their newly created Trademark Licensing
Office, has claimed trademark rights on all emblems and terms that might
reference the Corps. This includes the word "Marine" and any reference to
Marine Veterans. The claim also encompasses terms like "USMC," and even "Semper
Fi."
Each of the military services has always protected
the use of the service seals representing the Department of the Army, the
Department of the Navy, etc. This is allowed in Federal Statutes and it is
understandable to prevent an organization from inferring that they officially
represent one of the branches of the military. However, there has never been
any claim to copyright or trademark of terms against those designs that
represent the military with respect. Civilian companies have always created
products that celebrate the service of veterans without the requirement of
licensing. With the advent of print-on-demand (POD) technology and Internet
sales, these designs and products have multiplied to unimaginable numbers. It
would easily be assumed that terminology that refers to the military branches,
or emblems created by these government organizations would be in the public
domain and free to use by anyone. Apparently, that is not true anymore.
In December of 2007, the Department of Defense (DOD)
initiated a directive for each service to "establish a branding and trademark
licensing office to manage and coordinate a DoD-wide brand development and
trademark licensing program." You can read that Directive here:
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/553509p.pdf.
The other services have exercised restraint in the application of this
directive. For example, the Department of the Army enforces trademark on the
Department of the Army seal and any copyright enforcement on shoulder sleeve
insignia is delegated to the unit commander. The Air Force, so far, has chosen
to only enforce their trademark on their seal, and the "high wings" emblem that
you see on recruiting commercials.
The Marine Corps, however, has really taken the ball
and run with it. They established their trademark office in July of 2009.
Currently they are contacting print-on-demand companies and requesting that ANY
design that refers to the USMC in ANY WAY, be removed from the site until a
usage license is obtained from the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps was contacted
directly and a representative stated that no licenses had been issued yet.
Nevertheless, they were serious about enforcing what they saw as their
trademark rights. When a license is issued, it will cost $1,000 to apply and a
minimum of $5,000 per year in royalties. This figure puts most of us little
guys out of business. For example, Military Vet Shop only earns a couple of
hundred dollars per year on USMC veteran items, despite our loyal customers who
wear our designs with pride.
Military Vet Shop uses two POD providers,
Cafepress and
Zazzle. We post on two
different sites so that we can offer our customers a larger number of products
and styles from which to choose. Currently, Zazzle is systematically searching
their product database for any USMC designs and deleting them, with only an
email notification to the designer that the removal was at the request of the
Marine Corps. With no communication coming from Zazzle, the information in this
article was gathered from other websites and the Zazzle seller forums. Within a
few days we will no longer be able to offer any USMC veteran items on Zazzle.
So far, no action has been taken by Cafepress. We
assume, and hope, that they are negotiating a collective license agreement for
all designers who post their work on the Cafepress website. This is the option
that we wish Zazzle had chosen, rather than becoming intimidated by the
issue.
The USMC is perfectly within their rights to enforce
a trademark that is specifically laid out in a federal law that allows them to
do so. Even if the license fees go into the USMC Morale and Welfare Fund, we
are still very disappointed in the direction the Marine Corps has decided to
take. We think the morale of the veterans we honor is important too. It saddens
us to see the "corporatization" of any of our military services.
If you would like to read more about this issue,
here are some links for you:
NEW Stuff!
 |
All New! 1st Signal Brigade Their motto
is "First To Communicate!" Their history of service began in Vietnam in 1966
and continues today in South Korea. Your choice of t-shirts, sweatshirts,
coffee mugs, stickers, hats, and other gift items for veterans or active
soldiers of any 1st Sig Bde unit, including the 41st and 31st Signal Battalion,
the 304th Integrated Theater Signal Battalion (ITSB), and the 6th Signal
Center.
View new
1st Signal Brigade products on Cafe Press »
View
1st Sig Bde products on our new Zazzle store » |
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New Unit! 62nd Med Bde The 62nd MED
BDE, formerly Medical Group, has been active since 1942. They support I Corps
out of Fort Lewis, and have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Choose from six
new designs on t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and more!
View new 62nd Med Brigade
products on Cafe Press »
View
62nd Med Bde products on our new Zazzle store » |
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34th Infantry Division - The Red Bulls
The Red Bulls have a noteworthy history that dates from WWII. This National
Guard Division has had units deployed numerous times in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Eight new designs to choose from!
View new 311th ESC products
on Cafe Press »
View
311th ESC products on our new Zazzle store » |
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New for November 2009
(Updated
11-2-09)
From the
Roving
Historian:
The fall of the Wall. Has it really been twenty
years?
Along with Veteran's Day, November brings another
day of remembrance with a great deal of significance to Cold War Veterans.
November 9th marks the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
While many remember the Berlin Wall from popular media, few non-veterans
realize that the "iron curtain" was also represented by the inner German border
that separated East from West Germany and West Germany from Czechoslovakia. Few
who did not serve in Europe understood the threat that was posed by Warsaw Pact
forces and the number of troops we maintained in West Germany for decades.
 I remember that day in 1989. I watched on television with
amazement at the people crawling all over the wall. I had returned to the
United States exactly one year prior to that date after spending a three-year
tour in Fulda, Germany patrolling the East German border with the 11th ACR.
When I left the Blackhorse in 1988 there were no indications that only one year
later the wall would come down and the two Germanys would reunify only one year
after that. For me, and the army, the "Fall of the Wall" changed our mindset
forever and ushered in a new post Cold War era.
While what would become NATO forces had faced off
with Soviet armies since the close of World War II, the border fence and the
Berlin Wall was not constructed until 1961. Before its construction,
approximately 3.5 million East Germans had fled to the West. Approximately 5000
people tried to escape the East during its existence. Estimates of those killed
vary widely between 98 and 200. I know from my own experience that between 30
to 50 people each year would escape across the border in our sector during the
years I was serving with the 11th ACR.
In November of 1989, after weeks of unrest in East
Germany, the government announced that it would ease travel restrictions to the
West. When asked at a news conference on the morning of November 9th when that
law would take effect, a government official said that he assumed immediately.
Spontaneously, thousands of East and West German citizens crossed the border
and climbed the wall. A mass celebration erupted that quickly ushered in the
reunification of the two Germanys and the dissolving of the Soviet Union and
the Warsaw Pact.
Now those Cold War days are all but forgotten.
However, those times changed a lot of us. Everyone who served from WWII through
the 1990s had a part in winning the Cold War and defeating the Soviet Block. To
honor that service, I asked Sheila to create a graphic commemorating the date.
There is a generic version as well as a patch version that is currently made
with 11th and 2nd ACR patches. If you'd like your unit patch placed on that
design, just let us know.
Fall of the Wall
»
2nd
ACR Fall of the Wall »
11th ACR Fall of the
Wall »
Border photos courtesy of
Jim Broumley (click for
close-up)
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| Border Photo
1 |
Border Photo
2 |
OP
Alpha |
Also of note: I know it's short notice, but
if you happen to be in the neighborhood, you might want to join the 2nd ACR
Dragoon Base members in Moedlarueth, Germany (Little Berlin) to celebrate the
anniversary.
More
info »
NEW Stuff!
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Army Veteran - 1st ID Artillery For Big
Red One vets who fired the big guns. Design features a M109 Howitzer in front
of a 1st Infantry Division patch.
View new 1st Infantry
Division products on Cafe Press »
View
1st ID products on our new Zazzle store » |
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New Unit! USARPAC Six new designs! The
U. S. Army, Pacific is a theater level command. USARPAC commands active Army
and Army Reserve forces in Alaska, Hawaii, and other locations in the US
Pacific Command (USPACOM).
View new USARPAC
products on Cafe Press »
View
USARPAC products on our new Zazzle store » |
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311th ESC - USAR By special request,
the patch of the 311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC), including
designs for the 382nd CSSB, United States Army Reserve.
View new 311th ESC
products on Cafe Press »
View
311th ESC products on our new Zazzle store » |
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MAAG Vietnam The Military Assistance
Advisory Group, Vietnam, were in country since 1950. They served our country as
advisors to the South Vietnamese.
View new MAAG Vietnam
products on Cafe Press »
View
MAAG Vietnam products on our new Zazzle store » |
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Korean War Veterans We've added several
new designs for our Korean War Vets:
9th Infantry Regiment
»
1st
Cavalry Division »
7th Infantry Division
»
2nd
Infantry Division » |
 |
Coming Soon! (sneak peek) Yes, we've
heard your pleas - you proud Grandpas, Moms, and Girlfriends of
soldiers...Soon, we will have everyone – and every patch – covered!
If you'd like a sneak peek, visit our
311th ESC - USAR
section » |
 |
New Instructions We've posted new,
detailed, instructions on how to create custom business cards with your choice
of design – take a peek and see what you think!
Custom Business Cards » |
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New for October 2009
(Updated
10-25-09)
The Roving Historian on Veteran's Day
Plan for Veterans Day, November 11th.
Veterans Day is right around the corner. According
to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are approximately 23.8 million
living veterans in the United States. Women make up 7.5 percent of that number.
Spouses and dependent children of living veterans and survivors of deceased
veterans make up another 37 million Americans. Together those groups make up
about 20 percent of the U.S. population. While those are big numbers, it is
still an exclusive club. November 11th of each year is the day we set aside to
honor the service and sacrifice of our living veterans.
Veterans Day has its roots in what was called
“Armistice Day.” While World War I ended with the signing of the
Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, most people assume it was the day of the
cessation of hostilities. Germany and the Allied nations agreed that fighting
would end on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of
1918. The following year, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first
observance of “Armistice Day” on November 11, 1919. After 27 states
had made the day a legal state holiday, Congress echoed President Wilson’s
proclamation in 1926 and passed a law creating a federal holiday in 1938.
Originally, Armistice Day was created to honor the
veterans of WWI and to set aside a day “to be dedicated to the cause of
world peace.” However, by 1954 the country had survived World War II,
which had required the greatest mobilization of armed forces in our history,
and the end of hostilities in Korea. Congress passed Public Law 380, which
President Eisenhower enthusiastically signed, making November 11th of each year
a federal holiday that would be called “Veterans Day.”
For a few years, we tried moving Veterans Day to the
closest Monday to the eleventh in order to create a three-day weekend. It
didn’t work out too well. It was made obvious to Congress that this day
has great historical, patriotic, and emotional significance to many of our
people. A law was passed changing the official observance of Veterans Day back
to the way it originally was. Since 1978 we have honored our veterans on
November 11th regardless of what day of week it falls on.
So on November 11th, don’t forget to thank a
veteran for their service.
Visit:
http://www.rovinghistorian.com
Miss the September Issue?
We apologize for the lapse, but we were right in the
middle of moving from Seattle, WA to
Harbor Springs, MI and just completely missed our deadline!
:-P
We are now happily in-place here in the "tip of the mitt" and
looking forward to getting a LOT of work done this winter!
Our contact
information has been updated:
http://www.ridinthewave.com/thinkytees/contact.html
Vietnam Patches
We are working feverishly to get all of the Vietnam
patches represented on both stores, but requests move to the top of the list,
so don't hesitate to contact us if you don't see your patch here and we'll get
it posted ASAP! http://www.ridinthewave.com/thinkytees/contact.html
New Products
 Since Labor Day we’ve added designs for Military Assistance
Command, Vietnam (MACV), US Army, Vietnam (USARV), and US Army, Pacific
(USARPAC). http://www.militaryvetshop.com
The Purchase Process
Since we've added new products from another
print-on-demand provider, we've had some invaluable feedback from customers on
the purchase process. It's not as intuitive as we would like and thanks to your
feedback we are in the process of completely revamping our new store - but for
right now, we hope that the instructions we've put up on our site will help
alleviate some of the confusion.
We will send out a notice when we've completed the
remodel process and hope to hear from you on the streamlined process - your
input is always welcome!
http://www.ridinthewave.com/thinkytees/reunionspecials.html
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New for August 2009
(Updated
8-15-09)
1. 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
New this month - for those of you who insist on jumping out of
perfectly good aircraft, we've got a section for you! Specifically, the brave
soldiers of the 504th PIR.
Featuring all the usual gear: t-shirts,
sweatshirts, mugs and hats. We were able to see one of those 509th PIR Golf
Shirts this week and were quite impressed with the quality and color! (Thanks
Mike - glad to finally meet you in-person!)
;-)
http://www.cafepress.com/militaryvetshop/6835945
2. Long, hard road...
Well, we had to
take a couple of detours along the way, but we finally made it! Jim completed
his Masters in Applied History this week - which also means his project at the
Ballard Locks is complete.
I guess "complete" is not quite the word for
it, because it has, as planned, taken on a life of its own with wonderful new
leadership and enthusiastic new volunteers. These folks will insure that the
Library and Photo Archive that Jim started will continue long into the future.
I've had a good view from my place on the sidelines and I've learned a
great deal about our own history -- our family history. As my daughter,
Meaghan, and I sorted through our own photo archives (OK, not so much
"archives" as cardboard boxes, computer discs, and various rubbermaid
containers!), the one thought that kept going through my mind is: "these are
degrading before my eyes!".
It seems after several cross-country moves
and who-knows-how-many wet Seattle winters, that our precious memories are
disappearing! And we KNOW BETTER!! So, I have made use of our photo management
software (we use one by the Ulead company) to begin digitizing, keywording, and
arranging our memories. My time is not unlimited, so each and every photo in
the box won't make the cut, but I will certainly have photos that show Meaghan
as she grows up, the various goofball cats and dogs we've enjoyed, and Jim and
I going places and doing "stuff".
I'm actually enjoying the process of
going through and picking out the "must keep" photos - it's both a pleasant
trip through the past and a reminder to keep taking photos, no matter how old
or pudgy I look! Because in another twenty years, I'm going to look back and
say "Dang! I looked GOOD!"
:-)
Resources for Free and
Low-Cost Photo Management Software:
 Picasa by Google (Free)
Ulead Software
(Low Cost)
A
Looooong List of Other Options (Read Reviews B4 Deciding!)
For the complete wrap-up on Jim's project at the
Ballard Locks:
RovingHistorian.com
What ELSE is New??
We'd like to announce that our little family
business is growing! We've fallen so far behind in promised new designs, that
we finally had to bring in some help. Our daughter, Meaghan will be joining
MilitaryVetShop.com effective immediately. Hopefully with her assistance, we'll
finally be able to post the promised vehicles, aircraft and patches.
 Thank you everyone for
being a part of this - we love hearing from you!
:-)
Sheila
Military Vet Shop
Jim, Sheila & Meaghan Broumley
Visit us online at: http://www.militaryvetshop.com
Now Available – Custom Postage!
Custom Postage on Zazzle
»
And don't forget – on our Zazzle store,
EVERYTHING is customizable! It's simple as can be – click
HERE for details!
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 New for July 2009
(Updated 7-15-09)
 Get that man a beer!
And for heaven's sake, put it in something decent! Whether you prefer the
traditional german beer garden style, or a smooth frosted glass mug, you can
enjoy your beer AND show your pride at the same time!
Our Zazzle store offers several choices in mug
styles with your choice of Military Vet Shop graphics. Makes a great gift
too!
View mugs on
our Zazzle Store »
No "sissy" aprons here! These durable
canvas aprons are heavy duty and made to withstand the toughest grillmaster!
Available in three styles and three colors with your choice of graphic on
front. Don't forget - you can personalize anything you'd like in our new Zazzle
store! (Click here for detailed
instructions)
Click here to view bbq aprons »
Thank you for visiting Military Vet Shop! We hope
you like what you see - below, is the online version of this month's
newsletter:
Military Vet Shop News
New This
July
July 15, 2009
Veterans Helping Veterans
I think it's amazing when Americans take time out of
their busy lives to help their fellow man - whether it's something as simple as
dropping off a case of canned vegetables at the local food pantry or shoveling
the walk for an elderly neighbor, it makes everyone feel connected - a part of
something bigger than themselves.
These small acts are a wonderful way
to stay connected to our local community, but we also need to maintain a
connection to our larger community - our country - to stay aware of the things
that are going on in our name and for our benefit, the things that will
resonate for generations to come.
Specifically, I'm referring to the
issues that face our latest crop of Veterans. In order to make it easy to
understand the issues, the folks at Swords to Plowshares have put
together a booklet entitled
Combat to Community, which provides an overview of services
available to veterans as well as some sobering statistics about what these men
and women have faced.
We are all Military Veterans, or families-of
Military Veterans, so it's up to us to know as much as we can and speak out
when we think that our fellow Veterans need us to stand with them. I hope you
will take some time to page through - I'm so glad I did!
Oh! And
please - pass it on!! :-)
Swords to Plowshares Site »
The Vietnam Center and Archive
Vietnam Vets - Tell your story!
I know what you're thinking "Bah! Who wants to hear MY story??" Well,
to answer your question... a bunch of Historians in Texas do - for starters!
The Vietnam Center at Texas Tech University has created a virtual
archive in order to "promote a greater understanding of the American Vietnam
experience"... this means ALL of it!
No matter what part you played -
you played a part! Please step forward with your documents, photographs,
slides, negatives, oral histories, artifacts, moving images, sound recordings,
and maps. (whew! that's a mouthful!!) Or simply take five minutes to
Take the Survey
Online. You lived through an important time in American History, please
take the time to share it.
Visit
the Vietnam Center & Archive »
Well, I'm going to keep it short and sweet this
month because for the next few days it's actually going to be SUNNY here in
Seattle and I need to get out from behind this computer!!
Jim and I
appreciate your continued interest in the newsletter and hope that you will
pass it on to a friend or two.
Click here for more information on
What's New in our
stores »
Have a great July!
:-)
Sheila
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View back-issues of What's New: [
June 09 ]
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Some Tips & Tricks about the New Military Vet
Shop on Zazzle:
As we're sure you've noticed, in order to get these
cool new products, we had to go to another print on demand (POD) company -
Zazzle. In order to
accommodate the military vets who have contacted us asking for larger sizes,
2-sided dark apparel, bulk orders, etc., we decided to expand a bit – even
though it means that our customers will lose the luxury of shopping in only one
spot. We hope you'll agree that it is SO worth it!
Military Vet
Shop on Zazzle
- When you enter the new site, you'll see a page
containing all of the available unit patches - very similar to the other store
on Cafe Press - click on
one of the patches to go to that section.
- Scroll through the available designs within the
section and select either a light or dark product by clicking on the
image.
- From here, you can:
- Select a different model (see it on a person
that resembles you in size/stature)
- Select a different shirt style
- Select a different color
- Select your size and view size chart
- Customize it – at no additional charge,
you can add your own images or text – perfect for that upcoming reunion!
(Click here for detailed instructions)
- Buy in Bulk
- 11 - 25 shirts 10% off
- 26 - 50 shirts 15% off
- 51 - 100 shirts 20% off
- 101 - 250 shirts 30% off
- 251+ shirts 35% off
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