By Catherine McCarthy

Even Xavier Alvarez’s lawyers admit he has trouble telling the truth.  And he told some whoppers when running for local office in California.

Like 29 years of service in the Marine Corps.

That he won the Medal of Honor for rescuing the American Ambassador during the Iranian hostage crisis, and that he had been shot in the back as he returned to the embassy to save the American flag.

In another version, he was a Vietnam veteran helicopter pilot who had been shot down but then, with the help of his buddies, was able to get the chopper back into the sky.

In the Liar Olympics, Alvarez was a gold medal contender.  But he raised eyebrows with his tall tales, and reports to the FBI resulted in the first indictment and conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 704(b),(c)(1), widely known as the Stolen Valor Act.

Almost one year after the Supreme Court ruled that the picketing of military funerals was protected speech, the court will today once again hear oral arguments debating whether the First Amendment protects those who lie about military honors and service. Once again, our servicemen and women, past and present , will have to face the fact that the Constitution that they uphold, that they shed blood and lose loved ones to defend, may again protect speech that dishonors and disvalues the very traditions they hold sacred.

The Court’s ruling won’t come down until mid- to late-June. It is likely that this too will be ruled as protected speech, as it was with respect to Westboro Baptist Church’s protests of military funerals.  Many members of our Facebook page at that time commented that while the protests infuriated them to no end, they understood the ruling and thought it was the right decision.  Our military families know the high cost of freedom.

Justice Brandeis wrote in 1927, “If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.” My family was fond of saying, “Truth will out”. Our amazing partner Military Times is using the power of another part of the First Amendment, the freedom of press, to raise awareness of verified liars.  Check out their Hall of Shame. Make yourself feel better by checking out their Hall of Valor blog and search engine.

With the much-deserved attention and support increasing for our military families, wounded warriors and veterans, it would not be surprising to see more Xavier Alvarezes. People have good hearts, and want to help those who have given up so much for us, and that provides an opportunity for scammers to use our patriotism for their personal gain. There are highly rated organizations, like Operation Homefront, that work with our military families to make sure your invaluable time and resources make it to those who legitimately need your support.

Today is also the 280^th Birthday of George Washington,  in a letter to letter to Charles M. Thruston, Aug. 10, 1794. “Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light.”

By Catherine McCarthy

A week ago, I had a surprise visit from a close friend. She and I had been through thick and thin when our husbands were stationed at Naval Station Norfolk, and we remain close to this day, even though our paths have taken us out of the service and on to different places.  We’re talking 2+ hour phone calls and frequent IM chats.  My three kids can recite her phone number just as easily as their own.

After touching base recently, our conversation landed on the recent Navy ERB.  ERB is the Enlistment Retention Board, which is tasked with making the difficult choice of who gets to continue in service to their country, and who gets the DoD version of a pink slip.

Drawdown, force shaping,  whatever the term (I actually read an article that referred to members as “inventory”), the 2012 cuts have been wreaking emotional havoc on many military families, either directly through notice they are being discharged, indirectly by knowing someone who has, or fear of what’s to come.  Just among our small circle of acquaintances, three have already been told their service is no longer required or desired.  Fear, anxiety and anger seem to be the order of the day among those touched by these cuts. For good reason:

• Predictions that young combat veteran unemployment could reach 50%
• Military spouse unemployment rates hovering at 26%
• A “frustratingly sluggish” economic recovery
• The “Been There, Done That” Factor. Remember the 1990s?

Statistics aside, there is a sadness unique to our military and their families when the time comes to move on.  Military service is a calling, felt with a depth of faith understood only by those who dedicate their life in service (whatever form that may take).  Faith in country, mission, and each other.  One more time, they are being asked to leave their home and their family, except this time the home and family is the military itself.

We may not be able to change who will be asked to leave,  but we can certainly do something to support the families facing the transitions. This is a call to action for our community to stand by these families and help however we can.  Lend an ear, make a connection, pass on word of a job opportunity.  Listen and learn from those who are and have gone through the transition.

One day, we all eventually hang up the uniform.

Share your thoughts, transition tips, and check out the resources below

Resources:

US Chamber of Commerce Hire Our Heroes:  In March of 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched its Hiring Our Heroes program, a nationwide effort to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. In addition to a goal of 100 nationwide job fairs, their programs include: a Wounded Warrior Transition Assistance Program, a Student Veterans Internship and Employment Program, and a Women Veterans and Military Spouses Employment Program

US Department of Labor Gold Card: provides unemployed post-9/11 era veterans with the intensive and follow-up services they need to succeed in today’s job market in addition to their VETS program

National Resource Directory’s Veterans Job Bank

Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Employment Coordination Service

Broader resources also available at Military One Source.

Sports is human life in microcosm.  ~Howard Cosell

Did you hear?  There’s a big game this weekend. How big? It is estimated that 100+ million people will tune in to watch.  Considering about 98% of that will be from inside the US, that works out to about 1/3 of the country.  Close to as many that voted in the last presidential election.

Americans love of sports rivals our love of country. Some could say, more so. It’s probably true that folks are currently more concerned at this moment about Super Bowl point spreads and smorgasbords than who is watching a hillside, a fence line, and our skies in places where flat screens and HiDef take a far backseat to basic needs like food, shelter and freedom. But there are times in sports when our ideals of perseverance, courage, opportunity, teamwork and excellence coalesce into one beautiful moment, where we connect as TEAM USA:

Whitney Houston National Anthem 1991 Super Bowl:

Ten days after the start of Operation Desert Storm, Super Bowl XXV kicked off in Tampa with what is now considered to be the gold standard for performing the National Anthem. Dare you not to get goosebumps:

Jesse Owens 1936 Olympic Games, Berlin:

Courage in the Face of the Furher

Despised by the Nazi regime not only for being American, but African American, Owens would not be cowed by hatred and went on to represent the Red White and Blue by winning four Gold Medals in Track and Field at the Olympic Games in Berlin.

David and Goliath 1980

Miracle on Ice:

Decades of Cold War tensions boiled over in the 1980 Winter Olympics match up between the United States and the Soviet Union on a patch of ice at Lake Placid NY. A team of amateur college players up against a state sponsored machine that had dominated Olympic gold since 1964. An underdog victory so iconic that many don’t realize that it wasn’t the gold medal event (which the US went on to win).

“For America”,  Jack Buck September 17, 2001,

At the time Buck, himself a veritable institution among American Sportscasting, was sick with lung cancer struggled to maintain his composure to deliver this poignant poem first night back for Major League Baseball, less than a week after the terrorists attacks of 9-11

Since this nation was founded under God,
more than 200 years ago,
We have been the bastion of freedom,
the light that keeps the free world aglow.
We do not covet the possessions of others;
We are blessed with the bounty we share.
We have rushed to help other nations;
anything…anytime…anywhere.
War is just not our nature,
We won’t start but we will end the fight.
If we are involved,
We shall be resolved,
To protect what we know is right.
We have been challenged by a cowardly foe,
Who strikes and then hides from our view.
With one voice we say,
“We have no choice today,
There is only one thing to do.”
Everyone is saying the same thing and praying,
That we end these senseless moments we are living.
As our fathers did before,
We shall win this unwanted war,
And our children will enjoy the future we’ll be giving.

Here’s to all American heroes, past and present, on and off the battlefield, and to those moments that have us all chanting, “USA! USA!”  Feel free to add your favorite moments or join the convo on our Facebook page:

We owe these families a debt we can never repay.

They lose jobs and friends can abandon them.

They become experts at navigating a Byzantine maze that would make Indiana Jones doff his hat.

They try to understand a reality for which they have no frame of reference, to be prepared to respond in a blink of an eye to the needs of their warriors.

They endure a level of fatigue, anxiety and fear that would break the strongest of us.

But they are also pure and brilliant examples of the power of hope and faith and bottomless love. For their spouses and each other.

They are Wounded Warrior Wives. And it’s way past time to let them know they are not alone.

That is why we are thrilled to learn of First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to highlight the challenges facing the caretakers of America’s war wounded. We at Operation Homefront understand the strength it takes, day in and day out, to be a warrior for the warrior.  We see it every day on our Wounded Warrior Wives Facebook page, in our support groups and at our retreats, and in the calls that reach out to us for help. Even if it’s just to hear an understanding voice.

We must stand behind these heroes as they stand behind theirs. If you’d like to join with us to support our Wounded Warrior Wives program, here are some places to start:

• A donation to the program
• Become a Volunteer
• Get ideas to supporting local families from Joining Forces

Find out more about Operation Homefront’s Wounded Warrior Wives program at www.woundedwarriorwives.org.

They are the 100 Semi-Finalists for the 2012 Military Child of the Year Award.

Here they are, grouped by branch of service:

AIR FORCE

Tasha D. – Age 15 – Callaway, FL

Gregory C. – Age 17 – Albuquerque, NM

Jacob P. – Age 11 – Childress, TX

Ilaria R. – Age 10 – Valrico, FL

Brookelyn S. – Age 17 – Marblehead, MA

Brandon S.  – Age 16 – Andrews AFB, MD

Chelsea R. – Age 17 – Panama City, FL

Joanna S. – Age 17 – Europe

Caitlin R. – Age 17 – Luling, TX

Alexandra D. – Age 17 – Durham, NC

Bryce R. – Age 12 – Valrico, FL

Bailey C. – Age 8 – Surprise, AZ

Kyle W. – Age 15 – Ashland, IL

Brianna S. – Age 13 – Kadena Air Base, Japan

Jada K. – Age 12 – Tolleson, AZ

Mika D. – Age 12 – Lumberton, NC

Katherine O. – Age 16 – Las Vegas, NV

Jeffrey M. – Age 13 – Scott AFB, IL

Ryan P. – Age 18 – Yuba City, CA

Madyson N. – Age 15 – Lackland AFB, TX

ARMY

Hunter M. – Age 12 – Fort Huachuca, AZ

Amelia  M. – Age 17 – Carlisle, PA

Brock W. – Age 12 – Vine Grove, KY

McKenna T. – Age 14 – Fort Meade, MD

Jacob F. – Age 12 – Europe

Marly K. – Age 12 – Hope Mills, NC

Andrew M. – Age 11 – Lakewood, WA

Gabriella G. – Age 10 – Copperas Cove, TX

Samuel B. – Age 14 – Fortson, GA

Brandon G. – Age 17 – Hope Mills, NC

Sydney S. – Age 12 – Wake Forest, NC

Jessica H. – Age 17 – Fort Riley, KS

Courtney L. – Age 16 – Fayetteville, NC

Robert D. – Age 11 – Europe

Robert W. – Age 13 – Gastonia, NC

Alexis S. – Age 13 – Fort Drum, NY

Zachary H. – Age 17 – Aberdeen, NC

Kirsten L. – Age 14 – Elizabethtown, KY

Erika J. – Age 17 – Raeford,, NC

Marquis H. – Age 17 – Sanford, NC

COAST GUARD

Alena D.  – Age 17 – Fairfax, VA

Felicity M. – Age 8 – South Portland, ME

Meaghan, M. – Age 15 – Grosse Pointe Park, MI

Collin E. – Age 17 – Morehead City, NC

Margaret C. – Age 17 – Chesapeake, VA

Maggi F. – Age 10 – Prescott, AZ

Matthew M. – Age 9 – Lake St Louis, MO

Lyric S. – Age 13 – Bayamon, PR

Maverick J. – Age 15 – Port Angeles, WA

Meaghan B. – Age 8 – Astoria, OR

Ayden M. – Age 10 – Cocoa, FL

Alyssa S. – Age 12 – Davie, FL

Chandel B. – Age 13 – Chesapeake, VA

Tamalega T. – Age 8 – Amherst, NY

Matthew Y. – Age 16 – Fairhope, AL

Jack F. – Age 8 – Prescott, AZ

Felicity L. – Age 11 – Kittery, ME

Sara H. – Age 11 – Virginia Beach, VA

Zahkeira B. – Age 13 – Jacksonville, NC

Duncan M. – Age 15 – Groton, CT

MARINE CORPS

Renalyn Q. – Age 16 – Kailua, HI

Michael-Logan J. – Age 13 – Kailua, HI

Jacob M. – Age 14 – Garden City, NY

Erika B. – Age 16 – Jacksonville, NC

Benjamin L. – Age 18 – Tampa, FL

Bailey – Age 16 – Beaufort, SC

Desirae S. – Age 18 – Jacksonville, NC

Tanner G. – Age 11 – Concord, NC

Kathleen D. – Age 16 – Camp Lejeune, NC

Tyler V. – Age 17 – Chester, VA

Eric D. – Age 15 – San Diego, CA

Bailey L. – Age 15 – Tampa, FL

Archie B. – Age 17  – Pearl City, HI

Joseph K. – Age 18 –29 Palms, CA

Whitney H. – Age 18 – Prince Frederick, MD

Mikayla L. – Age 12 – San Diego, CA

Thomas C. – Age 10 – Beaufort, SC

Anastasia B. – Age 10 – Oceanside, CA

Gavin S. – Age 8 – Jacksonville, NC
Savannah C. – Age 8 – Camp Pendleton, CA

NAVY

Desiree’ W. – Age 13 – San Diego, CA

Ashley F. – Age 16 – Jacksonville, FL

Haley F. – Age 8 – Lexington Park, MD

GiVahna P. – Age 14 – Springfield, VA

Daniel N. – Age 12 – Fleming Island, FL

Addalyn B. – Age 13 – Newbury Park, CA

Malcolm T. – Age 10 – Odenton, MD

Avery D. – Age 12 – Jacksonville, FL

Elisha D. – Age 15 – Pacific Area

James  Nathan R. – Age 9 – Jamul, CA

Debra P. – Age 11 – Seattle, WA

Sheridamae G. – Age 12 – San Diego, CA

Hallie G. – Age 11 – Chula Vista, CA

Mariah W. – Age 14 – Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan

Isabella T. – Age 13 – Jacksonville, NC

Kasey P. – Age 13 – Ramona, CA

Maiya D. – Age 16 – Portsmouth, VA

Keegan M. – Age 13 – Panama City Beach, FL

Amanda N. – Age 12 – Aiea, HI

MacKenize F. – Age 11 – Browns Mills, NJ

Your 2011 Filing Doesn't Have to Be "Taxing"

Are you dreading hauling that box of receipts and paperwork out from under your bed to file your taxes? Too bad. It’s time.

But, the good news is, military members can have their taxes done for free. All ranks can use free the H&R Block filing service for free online at www.militaryonesource.com.  Junior rank personnel can visit the tax help office on their specific military installation where volunteers will walk you through the filing process.

At Marine Corps Base Hawaii, tax consultants there said as families prepare to visit the office they must bring all paperwork, w-2s, proof for items they want to claim and their Social Security cards – for the military member and all qualified dependents.

“That’s been an ongoing battle,” said Staff Sgt. Kelly Anderson. “They must bring proof of their Social Security number.”

Anderson also said many on-base tax offices are small and limited on space. Call ahead before your visit to see if children and strollers can be accommodated.

If you are filing taxes on your own, Anderson gives this advice:

• If you itemize deductions and the amount is not higher than the standard deduction for your filing status, you are better served to take the standard deduction
• Married couples will benefit more to file married and jointly than to file married, separately
• Military members can deduct the cost of rank and uniforms that are not worn for general, everyday use but they must itemize their return to do so
• If doing a multi-state filing, file all states you have a holding with to receive your taxes back in a timely manner and be sure they are correct.

To speak to a tax Military OneSource tax consultant, call 1-800-342-9647. They are available seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST. Send questions via email to TaxQuestions@militaryonesource.mil

Anderson said families should keep in mind that the tax laws change every year and their return may not be as small, or as large, as it was the previous year.

What is a gold star?

The gold star is worn by someone who has lost an immediate family member killed in action defending our country.

Let me make it personal so it will resonate like it should.

Margy Bons, president of Operation Homefront of Arizona, lost her son, Michael Marzano, a Marine, in 2005. After she read the article Gold Star Families Feel Disconnected, published in USA Today this week, she reached out to Jane Horton, who is featured in the article. Her response will hit you at your core.

After 6 years, I can still feel so weak. As a Gold Star mom, it pains me to witness a new member. Tell Jane that what she talks about is what we walk through once receiving “the knock” on the door. My knock came on Mother’s Day.

I was told my son, Michael, was not viewable at the funeral home. His battle buddies said he had a cut on his head and damage to his right leg. They were trying to protect me. It was 2 years later that I found out that we did not get all of him back as he was blown up. I kicked, screamed and threatened that they would have to put his casket on top of me unless I viewed something. I got to see his left hand. He was my boy who had given up going to the 2000 Olympics as a Heavy Weight boxer to be a Marine. He had boxing hands, so I knew it was him. 

I had friends for 15 years that left me shortly after my “knock.” They couldn’t handle the “new and different” Margy. That is one of the most painful outcomes of this. If I am left during the most horrendous time in my life, how can I trust friends again? 

Michael’s items trickled in. I got letters from his comrades expressing their grief of his loss. He was missed. He was a clown who kept everyone laughing. Some still stay in touch and will call me on Mother’s Day. They just want me to know they are not forgetting. Those calls are priceless. He is not forgotten. 

No one wants to be us. I don’t want to be us. I work through it. I don’t wear my pin much because sometimes I don’t want to be that mom and I don’t want to explain. It can be very painful. I wear it for special occasions and when I feel strong. Tell Jane it is a long walk but if she can do it with the mission of supporting her loved one’s legacy, it makes it bearable. 

I worked for 2 years with our local legislatures, both House of Representatives and Senate and passed a Gold Star family vehicle license plate bill. I even designed it.

There is a VA Outpatient Clinic named after my son in Hermitage PA. That was a feat but worth the efforts. We must never forget. 

I also worked on a bill to prevent people from profiting by using the names of the fallen on merchandise without permission from the families. While this passed and the Governor signed it, it was immediately overturned in court by the ACLU as a violation of the Freedom of Speech rights. Our constitution was upheld although it was a painful reality. This made me realize that our fallen did not die in vain. 

Please express my sympathies to Jane and, when ready, there are books that help those of us that must continue on even after receiving “the knock.” Also, let her know she can call if she wants.

You’ve seen my children through five years of deployments. We have always received a phone call, though brief, from the front lines on Christmas Day. For that, I can never thank you enough.

You’ve brought my husband home unharmed after each deployment. For that, I am forever grateful.

You even heard my wish for a puppy that was easily housebroken. Our darling golden retriever, Sailor, has been dutifully by our side since you delivered him eight years ago.

And this year, this deployment, I have been a very good girl.

I have mowed the lawn every week, just like my husband asked me to.

I’ve gotten the kids to school – on time, and even brought brownies for the bake sale.

I attended every FRG meeting and resisted the urge to throw something when we were told the deployment was extended!

I even let my mother-in-law use all our Skype time last month so she could talk to her darling son – instead of me.

So this Christmas, I’d like the attention squarely focused on me. Please.

I can’t get the tree to stay upright in the stand. The lights are dangling precariously over the edge of the porch and the house looks more like we tossed the leftovers from the garage sale onto the roof than we attempted to decorate for Christmas. You have elves who can handle this, right?

After days that begin when my youngest begins wailing at 4 a.m. and end when my oldest finishes homework around 10 p.m., I need a little TLC. A foot rub, manicure, massage? I don’t expect any special treatment from your staff … a gift card will do.

If you’re in the mood to be extravagant, skip the help with decorating and just fly me to my family’s home in Massachusetts where the tree is up, the cookies are baked and we can all take a breather. Seriously, this is probably your best option. Have you tasted my gingerbread lately? Deployment stress does not help me in the kitchen.

And when my husband does finally return home, I would appreciate the gift of restraint and tact. I’m going to need it when his commander tells us too soon after that return that the unit is preparing to deploy, again. The words I would spew will promptly land me on the top of the naughty list.

And last, I would love a barrel of overflowing support from the average citizen. Is it just me, or do they take our sacrifices and our freedom for granted far too often?

I know I have so much to be thankful for but, Santa, it’s been a rough year. Us girls on the homefront, deserve to be at the top of that nice list. And besides, when the guys do come marching home, think of all the work we’ll save you that year – when our families are whole again, and our hubbies are by our side, there’s not a better present in the world.

Love,
Me

I’m your favorite, right?

My son’s due date haunted me.

This was my first baby. A little boy. He was our joy. Then, we learned his due date.
The doctor excitedly told me it was Dec. 7.

I winced.

“That’s a heck of a birthday,” I said. The doctor was unfazed.

“December 7^th, Pearl Harbor Day,” I said.

“Oh yes, yes that,” he said. Without emotion. Without hesitation. Almost without recognition.

Roosevelt declared it to be a day which would live in infamy.

Just before 8 a.m., Dec. 7, 1941, 181 Japanese bombers and fighters launched an aerial attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, home to the U.S. Pacific fleet. A second wave of firepower came nearly 30 minutes later.

When the smoke cleared, 2, 403 people were dead, 21 U.S. ships were sunk or damaged, 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed and another 159 were damaged.

As the doctor calculated my son’s possible birthday, then 61 years after the attacks, my heart dropped. How could we celebrate such a joyous occasion on such a horrific day?

Nine years later, our youngest daughter was born. When the doctor scheduled my induction, he announced that I should report to the hospital on Sept. 11.

Again, my heart sank. Again, there was no emotion, no hesitation in his voice. It was just another day.

But it wasn’t.

Another early morning attack. More Americans, 2,819 in all, dead.

It was a day, we all promised, we would never forget.

This week, America marks the 70^th anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor. This unforgettable moment in time, seems somehow, forgotten.

The Pearl Harbor Survivors’ Association is now so few in numbers that the group will officially disband on Dec. 31. It is rare to find an elementary school or American town that pauses to mark the day when the U.S. officially entered the war in the Pacific.

The number of survivors who are able to visit community centers and retell their incredible stories of attack and survival has dwindled to a handful.

As they disappear, so it seems, does America’s willingness to fulfill our promise to never let their memory fade.

Please take a moment to pause this week to remember America’s veterans, of Pearl Harbor and fights throughout the years. Be thankful for their sacrifices. Be grateful for their service.

In the end, neither of our children’s birthdays landed on Dec. 7 or Sept. 11, despite the doctors’ predictions. But I don’t need a family milestone to remind me to pause and thank those who lost their lives those days.

I will never forget. Will you?

Over the last two years, I have interviewed hundreds of military kids. 

They have been as young as 8 and as old as 18.

Some have moved once. Some have moved 16 times.

A few had parents killed in combat. Others had parents severely injured on the battlefield –in ways that are both visible to passersby and in ways that are not so obvious. Most were lucky enough to have their parents returned unharmed, though the hardships of the separation linger.

Some are jovial go-getters who are a staple at on-base events and who served on every teen board around. Others remain quiet and unassuming, but are no less spectacular in their contributions.

Each of them taught me something new. Each of them was a joy to interview.

What all of them gave me was a hope that one day my young sons and daughters, military children themselves, will grow to develop the same maturity and integrity that these youngsters have. These are the types of heroes that our children, that all of us should strive to emulate.

While much of the nation trudges on with daily life, and news of the war is rarely featured on the front page, these kids are building America’s future. While their parents fight on the front line, these are the Americans who are keeping the homefront fires burning.

They have been asked to do more than just behave and help their moms around the house. In many cases, they become parents to their younger siblings. They care for injured parents. They run the household.

At school, they are the class leaders. In the community, they commit to thousands of hours of community service. They leave every place they live better than they found it.

These military kids have stepped in where many adults could not, and would not. They have faced the hardships while the grownups turned away in fear.

These kids are the reason, in many ways, that America is still a great nation.

They work tirelessly without pay, sometimes without thanks and usually, without their military parent nearby to cheer them on.

America, it’s time to say thank you.

Today, Operation Homefront begins its search for nominees for the 2012 Military Child of the Year Award.

Do you know a military child who has made a positive impact on their family and community? Nominate these young heroes for the Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Award.