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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.
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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.
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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!
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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 » |
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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 » |
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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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