Off Topic...Danzel stepping up for the troops

[Hoda]

[This message has been edited by Hoda]

A friend in the Army, passed this on to me!

Subject: Brooks Army Medical Center

Don't know whether you heard about this but Denzel Washington and his family visited the troups at Brook Army Medical Center, in San Antonio,Texas (BAMC) the other day. This is where soldiers that have been evacuated from Germany come to be hospitalized in the States, especially burn victims. They have buildings there called Fisher Houses. The Fisher House is a hotel where soldier's families can stay, for little or no charge, while their soldier is staying in the hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base but as you can imagine, they are almost completely filled most of the time.

While Denzel Washington was visiting BAMC, they gave him a tour of one of the Fisher Houses. He asked how much one of them would cost to build. He took his check book out and wrote a check for the full amount right there on the spot. The soldiers overseas were amazed to hear this story and want to get the word out to the American public, because it warmed their hearts to hear it.

The question I have is why does Alec Baldwin, Modonna, Sean Penn and other Hollywood types make front page news with their anti-everything America crap and this doesn't even make page 3 in the Metro section of any newspaper except the base newspaper in San Antonio

A true American and friend to all in uniform!

[Mazu]

... in response to Off Topic...Danzel stepping up for the t..., posted by Hoda on Jun 8, 2005

Most of the stuff you hear about Hollywood types is because their PR person (aka publicist) gets it in the paper. That is why they pay them. There is a reason you see the same people in magazines all the time. Also negative press sells more than positive. Just look at the news everynight. 90% negative.

Denzel  did it because he is a hell of a nice guy and  doesn't care if it is in the paper or not. I have heard many times he is one of the most real people in Hollywood and maybe has one of the only real marriages.

Matt
Mazu

[Traveller]

... in response to Off Topic...Danzel stepping up for the t..., posted by Hoda on Jun 8, 2005

[This message has been edited by Traveller]

Good for him. That is cool.
As for the Hollywood Half Wits. Susan, Timothy, Sean, Madonna, Michael Moore, and the others of their ilk, ya know it doesn't matter anymore whether you agree or not we should have gone into Iraq. Everyone has their opinion. But the kids are over there now and their the ones getting ripped up. The halfwits are the same clowns who say "We're against the war, but we support the troops." Well uh, haven't heard too much about how you're supporting them other than bad mouthing the war every chance they get. Ok already, we get it, you're agaisnt the war.  That crap makes the headlines each and everytime. They need that spotlight. They do it in front of every press event they can. (at least they used to, I quit watching) But here you got a guy, a leading man in Hollywood, who simply did an amazingly kind thing and there isn't much mention of it. I remember Denzel saying he wasn't a big fan of the war, but by God he showed he's behind the troopers.
Granted when I was there in the first Gulf War, it was cake walk compared to what the kids are going through now, but I tell you living without electricity or running water for 6 months ain't no picnic. I remember in August 1990 the first day we got to Saudi it got up to 135 degrees. It's June now and it ain't going to get any cooler over there anytiime soon. I rememeber sleeping in the mortar pit and sharing my sleeping bag with the mice. That was just the inconviences, add all that with a kid getting blown off his hummer by an rpg, while laying down a base of fire so that a squad that was pinned down could move before the Iraqis could get them into a crossfire,  into another hummer that was already engulfed in flame. 3rd degree burns all over his body and the 20 year old corporal who also lost his nose and ears and disfigured his face and what does the kid say, "I'm just happy to be alive and my squad got out." That's the kind of character Denzel is supporting. He's not the only one. The WCW went there and put on wrestling events and I thought that was really cool. A lot of people can watch their TV and see this stuff and not think too much of it, but the place the wrestling stars did their show was under mortar attack a week prior to the event. I used to be a mortarman and that would make me at least a little uncomfortable, but to these civilian entertainers, they sucked it up and supported the troops by going on with the show. In the first GW we fired a total of 32 WP rounds and and 32 HE rounds on one mission and killed close to 500 Iraqi dug-in troops. I am not bragging, just showing the power an 81 mm Mortar has.   Chely Wright went up to one of the forward positions and did a show for the troopies up there. Leeann Tweeden has been to Iraq a couple of times. Right up front with the bad guys. And no matter what anyone thinks, it was pretty cool when Bush flew in there for Thanksgiving? wasn't it. Could you imagine going through the chow line in some po-dunk base in Iraq and you look up and there's the "Boss." LOL!
Anyhow, I'm glad to see that not everyone in Hollywood is how the media appears to make them to be. That there are some folks back home, regardless if the agree with what is happening over there or not, supporting that 18 year old Marine in a Gawd-awful hot gritty sandy world, in a hole watching an intersection, weighted down by 45 lbs of gear and drinking warm water with an orange kool aid pack to get rid of the plastic taste that comes from sitting in a 5 gallon water jug all night. Wondering if today is the day some roadside bomb or car bomb hits his convoy on the way back to base. Those are them there heroes you hear about every now and again. That's the guy Denzel and the guys like him are supporting.
Yeah, off topic indeed.
Later Gators,
K

[Heat]

... in response to Re: Off Topic...Danzel stepping up for t..., posted by Traveller on Jun 8, 2005

And I respect the hell out of you for that.

AS an Army officer I know who we called when we needed 911.

You Sir will always be a devil dog.

Standing Salute.....

[WS244]

... in response to KB  will always be USMC Proud., posted by Heat on Jun 8, 2005

Those marines made our life miserable. At Marble mountain airstrip south of Danang their helicopter unit was on the east side of the strip or beach side, and us army blackcat helicopter and otter 18th avn. co. units were on the west or landside.  The VC would shoot their inaccurate 122 rockets over us to hit the damn marines, and they would invariably land short on us. for those of you who never been shot at, the sharpnel hits first then the boom.
ws244

[Traveller]

... in response to Re: KB  will always be USMC Proud., posted by WS244 on Jun 8, 2005

That's hilarious!
I never even heard the artillery that nailed me in the chin. A guy in my squad noticed I was bleeding all over myself from my face and had to tell me. I didn't even know I got "hit". Had a sliver of metal in my chin that took 6 stitches to sew up. The artillery barrage was about 100 yards off to out right flank. That little piece of metal flew that far to find my handsome chin. Yeah I know, not a great injury, or even noteworthy injury, but 5 inches higher and it woulda got me in the eye. Naw, that wouldn't have been cool. As it stands the bastards made me permanently ugly. Scar on my chin, indeed. LOL!

[WS244]

... in response to Re: Re: KB  will always be USMC Proud., posted by Traveller on Jun 8, 2005

Well the bright side is with your PH you should be about number 3 in line at a VA hospital priority list.  As i can not afford health insurance at 500 or so dollars per month in the states, and in view of my VA priority at 6 or 7 if i recall correctly, i feel fortuneate to have coverage in Colombia for about 95 USD per month.
cheers
ws

[Hoda]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: KB  will always be USMC Prou..., posted by WS244 on Jun 8, 2005


$500 balls for health insurance here, that you can get for $95 in Colombia?!! My apologies for sounding naive...but what the hell did you risk your life for?!! It doesn't make sense, that you & others have to pay such ridiculous amount for health insurance?!!!

I'm not trying to sound the protectionist alarms...but this doesn't make any sense whatsoever! We should be taking care of our own FIRST!!! Especially those, that have served!

My apologies for the off-topic rant....

[WS244]

... in response to Hold Up! You're a U.S. Vet and you have ..., posted by Hoda on Jun 8, 2005

They have a pecking order at the VA hospitals to determine who comes first in treatment.  Number 3 in line i recall are the (PH) purple heart people, and then most other people as myself are in line around 6 or seven.  The old story recruiters said to new recruits that medical was free for life was never correct, but just a sales pitch.  When you go to a VA hospitsal for treatment, they have forms you fill out stating what your income is.  If you have no income you do not pay. If you are above a certain income (it is not much) you do pay somewhat.  My comment of 500 dollars is basically what a reasonable health insurance policy would cost me, as i am self employed. In the ordinary course of business i could write off 50% of the 500 per month with the IRS, but still it is not worth it, which is why i carry my health insurance with Sanitas in Colombia for about 95 dollars a month. My copay there is usually 10 dollars a visit. Since i was only in the army 4 years, someone else on the board who retired from one of the services might comment on their costs, etc. at the VA.
i hope this makes some sense.
cheers
ws

[WS244]

... in response to Re: Hold Up! You're a U.S. Vet and you h..., posted by WS244 on Jun 9, 2005

ray & gkdrummer,
Thanks for the info.  After flying up a Brigade commander from Ft. Irwin to Oakland to coordinate his units transportation on the General Pope, a troopship, in the summer of 67, At his suggestion i spent the night on the darn thing, and though tied up along side the dock i still managed to get seasick.  I vividly remember when walking up to the Pope that day a group of men standing there in black uniforms with gold stripes all over them. I thought they were all generals, and only later learned they were senior chief petty officers!!! So much for this 20 year old army aviator!!!!
ws

[Ray]

... in response to Re: Re: Hold Up! You're a U.S. Vet and y..., posted by WS244 on Jun 9, 2005

The Pope was one of those WW-II troop transports that was re-activated for Vietnam. They used to pack in over 5,000 troops on those things. I imagine there was a lot of puke flying when they hit rough seas :-)

I was also in the Bay Area in the summer of ’67, stationed at Treasure Island. Had some great times there.

Ray

[Ray]

... in response to Re: Hold Up! You're a U.S. Vet and you h..., posted by WS244 on Jun 9, 2005

ws,

That recruiter was supposed to tell you that your medical was free for life only if you put in the 20 and retire (LOL). Even then, nothing is really guaranteed with the government. Remember Hillary’s stupid-ass health care plan? All military dependents and retirees would have lost their free health care and come under the same communist plan as the winos down on skid row and the illegal aliens.

As a military retiree I don’t use the VA healthcare system but I come under TriCare which is almost free. I signed up for the optional TriCare Prime plan, which is pretty darn good and gets you priority treatment. For active duty and dependents it’s free. For retirees, I pay $460/year to cover myself, my wife, and any minor children. We use the excellent local military treatment system as our primary provider. We just show our ID card and everything is free, including prescriptions. If we choose to use a civilian doctor, we pay $12 co-pay per visit. When my wife had to go in to the hospital for surgery, the total bill was $26 ($13/day).

Ray (USN/Ret)

[gkdrummer]

... in response to Free Medical, posted by Ray on Jun 9, 2005

Service-related disabilities are designated by percentages (ex: I have a 10% SRD), and the higher your percentage, the higher up the pecking order you go for "available" care.  It seems there is always some sort of plan in the works to reduce medical care for veterans, and also for active-duty dependents.  veterans with a SRD also receive a monthly check - again, higher % = higher $
I have coverage for my 12 y/o son and myself through BCBS of Florida for $250/month. (I'm 44) The deductibles aren't too bad

[Traveller]

... in response to KB  will always be USMC Proud., posted by Heat on Jun 8, 2005

Ah Hell, it's that Patriotic Chip they implant in our brains in Boot Camp. Ain't us Marines the most fanatical bastards you ever met? LOL!
Ready......To!

[thundernco]

... in response to Re: Off Topic...Danzel stepping up for t..., posted by Traveller on Jun 8, 2005

F'in eh, true that!  Well put K. -TNC