Happy New Year's to Hometown Heroes from our Troops

It's that time again.  Time for our Troops to send a message to their hometown fire and police departments ...

We at HeroToHero.US wish you all a safe and happy new year.  And of course this means it's time for the hometown Heroes to start getting those shirts in. 

Adoption requests close at midnight.  We are at +/- 7,000 troop requests for the shirts off your backs.  We have never had to say no to a unit, let alone a troop ... Let's let that record stand.

So, here are the messages we have so far.  If you see a message to a department with which you have contact, please make sure they see it.

FROM THE WIFE OF A RETURNED TROOP ...

Aloha, my name is Nicole and I am writing to extend my warmest thanks to your organization for everything that you do for our troops.  A while back, I had found your website and thought it was by far one of the most wonderful ideas I had come across.  I had put my husband's name, who was deployed to Iraq, on your site and let it go at that.  Now, my husband is safely home from Iraq, thank God for that, and I was doing some laundry and came across a shirt out of his duffle bag I had never seen.  I unfolded the shirt to find that it was a HerotoHero shirt.  I immediately knew what it was, but asked him about it to see what he was told about it.  He told me that his entire unit received shirts and that no one had any idea where they had come from.  He told me how this was such an awe insipiring moment for his soldiers because it really showed that people out there care for the troops and appreciate their sacrifices.  I just want to thank you again for the support you show and please know it is appreciated. 

Much Respect and Thanks,

Nicole

FROM THE TROOPS ...

Please add this message to your journal:
From an Army Reserve unit currently serving in the desert, from LOCK HAVEN, PA: A big "Water Dawg" thanks to all the Hometown Heroes who keep us safe at home!  (Attached is a picture - feel free to post if you want.)  **Consider it posted! 

SFC Brack ... "One Team, One Fight"
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I just want to say thanks for looking out for my family and friends back there, while we are out here.

v/r
Steingruber
CW2, QM
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Anchorage, Alaska -- It's a lot hotter out here than back home right now.  Not near as pretty, and I miss the lights this time of year.  Please look out for my family, I count on you guys to do that while I'm not there.  For the record, we support you too.

Michael, US ARMY, SGT

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San Antonio, Texas -- Hey!  Where's MY shirt?!  Deployed once, will go again.  Hope you're there for my guys next time! 

SSgt Morris, USAF

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Walnut Creek, California -- My husband was wounded seriously on his deployment.  We had some issues and weren't together right away after.  When I finally saw him he was wearing a shirt from South San Francisco Fire.  He said they had gotten a whole bunch of shirts from Hero To Hero, and this was as close to home as he could get.  He wears it for his PT.  Hope Walnut Creek will join, so other hometown soldiers get a shirt.  You have no idea how special this is to him.  It's a reminder of "there", and love from home all at once.  Thank you for making him smile.  Thanks to Hero To hero, too.  Great program!

Proud Army wife, Sarah

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Bradenton, Florida -- Everyone needs to get back to the Bible.  Pray for the Army virtues, the soldiers, and government workers, and fire and police.  Praise Jesus

SPC JRB, ARMY

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Baltimore, Maryland --  Be safe.  God bless!

SPC YB

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Fargo, North Dakota -- Feels like home out here, lotta cold, ya know.  Good to see my hometown giving their shirts.  Hope to get one!  Happy new year to you all.  Take care of my "Moms"!

SPC Brian J., US Army

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Lismon, Alabama -- Be safe.  Happy New Year!  I'm on R&r right now.  I'm part of a unit adopted for Hero To Hero this time around.  Hope to get a hometown shirt!

SPC Donald Ruffin, Jr

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Chicago, Illinois -- My dad was a firefighter.  You guys have always been heroes to me.  You have no idea how cool it is seeing all the shirts out here.  Pictures don't do it justice.  Please keep this going.  Just seeing all the different logos and getting to talk about our hometowns has been pretty neat.  Better yet, when we all get back there.  Gonna be tough going back after this holiday R&R.

Lt Johnson, US Army

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GREAT STATE of NEBRASKA! -- C'mon Cornhuskers!  We all know we have the best shirts, send some to us!  We just need a few.  Be safe and we will too.

SPC M Johnson, Army

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Gillette, Wyoming -- Great job!  Keep up the good work!

Major Joe Sullivan, US Army

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Fairfax, Virginia -- Have a great New Year's!  Keep supporting the troops.  I've been once, and am going again.  It's good to know that Fairfax is supporting me out there!

PVT Jose Hernandez

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Marion, North Carolina -- Keep up the good work and be safe.  Keep giving us the support we need, it matters to us.  Hopefully when I come home, I will join you on the job!  PS ... Please send me a shirt signed by all of you in the police and fire services.

PFC Epperson

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Olympia, Washington -- My wife is "out there" and I wish everyday that she was back here with us.  This is hard for us, can't imagine what she goes thru (she doesn't share a lot), but I know that morale is a huge thing.  Please do all you can to make her and the others with her smile.  (And Baby if you're reading this, we love you.  I am with you.)

Mike - husband of the best soldier in the Army!

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Panorama City, California -- Thank you foryour support.  I will deploy next year and look forward to seeing MT hometown shirt in the box!

PVT Ayala, Army

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Portland, Maine -- You have no idea how much I wish I was home right now.  But like you, we have a job to do.  Do yours well, and guard my family.  We will do our job, and guard America for you all.  Send us some shirts!

Serving in the Guard, at home in my heart, Sgt JM--

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Burleson, Texas -- It'd be cool to open the boxes and see a Burleson Heroes have stepped up for us!  Save me a spot on the roster, I hope to join you one day ... Getting lots of training!

PFC Vandeven

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Tacoma, Washington -- Keep up the good work!  Thank you for your sacrifices.  Your shirts really do make a difference!

Retired Army E-7 Peralta

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San Antonio, Texas -- Good job!  Just got back and got to visit home.  Please keep up the support!

Army E-4 Gordon

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St Louis, Missouri -- Our fire and police are the best!  My hometown is the best.  Don't need no other shirt 'cept one from MY hometown!  Just kidding, well kinda!  But I do want a shirt from you all!  And feel free to send a few to the Marines, heehee.

Navy Corpsman, M Reed

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Tacoma, Lakewood & Yelm, Washington --  Thanks for your outstanding support and what you do for our Troops, public service and overall support.  Heroes!

SSGT Clark, Army

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Norton, Kansas --  Thank you for your support.  Knowing my hometown is behind me is so important.  Happy New Year to all of you.

SGT Ball, Army

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New York City -- The the FDNY, Appreciate all you do.  you are just as important as all the troops.  I am from Harlem, and proud of the FDNY!

PFC Stella, ARMY

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Barstow, California -- You are the real Heroes!  You do so much for the community and the support for the soldiers in and out of the area is phenomenal.  We hope to do you proud!  By the way, would love to get a Barstow shirt!

Sgt Kelly, US Army

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Charleston, South Carolina -- You are in our prayers.  God bless.  Please keep supporting the troops!

SGT Wragg, Army

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Detroit, Michigan -- Got a shirt from the DFD.  You all rock!  I wore it so much the first time around that it's sorta rude now.  Can you send me a new one?

SRA Jones, Air Force

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Helena, Montana -- How do I get a shirt from MY hoemtown?  I am deploying soon.  Anyone from Helena gonna give it up?  If I get one, I'll bring you one back when I get home, from the desert, I mean.

PV1 Bill J, Army

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Michigan City, Indiana -- My dad is in the war and I miss him.  He would like a shirt, and when he gets home it could be my nightshirt.  I like blue.

Signed Annie

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Uhrichsville, Ohio -- Keep it safe back home and we'll take care of it overseas.  HOOAH!

PV1 Maurer, Army

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San Bernardino, California -- A shout out to my heroes!  If I didn't go military, I would have been a cop.  Looking to be one one day after.  Man, make sure they do this.  Get me one too!

PVT G Cruz, Army and proud of it

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Canyon, Texas --  Where I come from, they heavily support the Troops.  We are proud of that.  Us Troops appreciate it a lot.  I salute Canyon, Texas!

PV1 Woodall, ARMY

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Grandview, Washington -- Helping you protect everyone's family and friend in the valley!

PVT Lei, Army

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Tucson, Arizona -- I got one of the Tucson Fire shirts a couple years ago, I still wear it.  I can tell you exactly what I was doing the moment I got it.  The box opened and someone knew I was from there so they took it for me.  I went through and got one from Amarillo.  Reading the words and messages made me laugh and (of course, not me) cry.  It made me think of home wearing it that night, it was as close as I could get.  Next time I had the chance to wear the shirt I pulled it on and it was suddenly a Tucson shirt.  My buddy swapped them out.  He doesn't really have a hometownso it didn't mean as much.  Kinda sad for him, but great for me.  He wears Amarillo.  Thanks Tucson.  Send more for the rest of us out there now!

SFC Moore, US Army

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San Jose, California -- Nice to see hometown heroes supporting national heroes.  Keep it up!

SPC Squires, Army

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Lacey, WA -- Keep up the good work!  We expect to see lots of Lacey shirts in the boxes!

SGT Gott, Army

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Newberg, Oregon -- A salute to Newberg from a hometown Troop.  It's nice to know you support us!

SPC Powell, Army

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Saluda, California -- I made it!!!  HOO-AH!  Support us

PFC Gresham, Army

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Albany, Oregon -- My husband is deployed.  Thanks for supporting our Troops, they need it.  Sure hopes he gets an Albany shirt.

Wife of SGT Tobey, US Army

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Wellington, Missouri -- I will be deploying soon,  It would be great to see that Wellington has shown their support for us. 

E-4 Cramer, Army

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Salisbury, New York -- Thank you for your support!

SGT McDonald, Army

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Salt Lake City, Utah -- SLC is the best hometown you can have.  It's a close place.  I miss everything about it.  Sure glad to hear that you are part of the program.  Wanna know that we are represented in the desert.  Will be home soon.  Send shirts.

SSGT Jackson, USAF

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Shirley, Massachusetts -- Glad to hear Massachusetts is stepping up for us!

PV2 Thibault, Army

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Austin, Texas -- Been there, got the shirt!  Austin, I'm still weird.  It worked!  Thanks for the shirt.  Send more for the rest back there.

SGT M Young

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Lafayette, Indiana -- Thank you for your prayers and support.  Thank you for protecting the homefront!  God bless.

LT Henderson, Army

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**There are more, I will post them and add new ones as they arrive. 

Feel free to send us your message!

lj

GODZILLA!!!!

 

We lovingly refer to this crew as the Godzilla Gang ... so named for the TFFT rigs they work from.  You will see them in the pictures, they are the very large military green fire trucks.  They are extremely large, and make lots of noise, and do things I have no knowledge of ... Except I hear you can put out a fire with them.  ( ;

 

This is the crew that has supported our efforts for the past two cycles of H2H.  They are attached to the historic 555 "Triple Nickel", and we hold them all near and dear to our hearts.  So as you look at the photos, realize that yes, these are firefighters ... but these are "dual Heroes", as they are also active duty members of the US Army!

 

And so it was that they invited me to come play with them for the day.  It was about 40 degrees and really windy, but that didn't keep them from going into fires and using lots of water ... ummm, cold water, that is.

 

Our buddy, Ray, gave up his turnouts so that I could safely go in to the burn tower.  I have said it before, but I will say it again ... Fire fighters do not make enough money!!!

 

I would show you what it looked like inside as the flames rolled over the ceiling, or how our lil Stunt Bear looked when she finally caught fire.  (Not that we have been trying to catch her on fire ... but it finally did happen!  And before we get messages from the kids ... She is fine, but could use a lil help with her hairdo.  Sigh.)  I would show you all of the pictures ofthat, except that if I had taken the camera inside, it would have likely melted! 

 

It was incredibly hot, but it was way cool to be able to take the nozzle and put down a couple rollovers.  Woohoo!  I was feeling like I could do anything.  But then, they added some heat and actually went all the way inside the building to do their mission, dragging charged hoses.  They came out steaming, checking to see if they had burnt anything, and soaking in the water.  And life was put back in perspective ... I was a piker.  These are the Heroes.  they will charge into a burning building and do the magic they do.  I, on the other hand, had to be escorted as I held hands with another of our favorites, Rich.  He spoon-fed me directions and made sure I was completely safe as I put out my lil flames.  But hey, it was fun!

 

Thank you to the Godzilla Gang.  Glad to meet the new members of the team, and you all will be seeing more of them in the future as they help us out with HeroToHero.US

 

Now, you wanna see some real Heroes in action?  Check out the pix!

 

SALUTE!!!

 

lj

 

PS ... The storm hit us all hard up here in the great Pacific Northwet.  Members of our Core Team had some damage done to their property, others sailed through it unscathed.  My power was out til yesterday afternoon.  Listening to the winds that hit us was reminiscent of hurricanes I've been in.  It was scary at times, and cold the whole time.  There are still over 100,000 people in the dark, and others who have died in this.

 

Our first responders and line repairmen are working round the clock.  Trust me, there are a lot of us who saw the utility trucks arriving as the cavalry coming to the rescue! 

 

Be safe everyone and have a safe and happy holiday season!

Tags: firefighter, army, troops, heroes

Tags: fire, storm, north bend, training, academy