Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 12/29/2003

Dear Sgt Shaft,
I am interested in your concern for our wounded patient’s families at Walter reed and Bethesda Hospitals. Will you keep me posted on this? I can encourage friends to be supportive if we have some info on what to do. I am enclosing a list of contents for a package to be sent to Iraq and a $25 check, which you can apply to postage or to the hospital fund. Thank you for your interest and concern.

Kathryn M
Richmond VA

PS Would phone cards be helpful either for families or patients? Can they use these in Iraq?

Dear Kathryn, Thank you for your kind gesture of support and concern for our military heroes. I have personally given your package of goodies to General Nyland, Assistant Commandant of he United States Marine Corps. He has assured me that he will get your generous gift to our troops. I have endorsed your $25 check to a very worthwhile charity, the Navy and Marine Corps relief. They do good things for our sailors, marines and their families. Also phone cards seems like a great idea to me.

SHAFT Kudos
The Sarge is looking forward to joining the President’s Own" United States Marine Band who will perform two concerts in January, at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 11, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland (U.Md.) in College Park, and a special Sousa Sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary) Celebration concert Sunday, Jan. 18, at the Center for the Arts Concert Hall at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Va.

The performance on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2004 at 2 p.m. will include Stravinsky's Petrushka - The sounds of games and festivals, and the John Philip Sousa March, "Sesquicentennial Exposition" Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004 at 2 p.m. John Philip Sousa Sesquicentennial Celebration with special guests John Philip Sousa IV and Sousa scholar Paul Bierley Rare all-Sousa concert program to include: Overture to The American Maid; March, "El Capitan";  "Marine Band concerts are free and tickets are not required. For parking or METRO information, or driving directions to the Smith Center at U.Md., call 301-405-2787 or visit www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu ; to the Center for the Arts at GMU, call 703-993-8888 or visit www.gmu.edu/cfa. For 24-hour concert information, please call 202-433-4011 or visit www.marineband.usmc.mil. The Marine Band is America's oldest professional musical organization. Founded in 1798, the band has performed for every U.S. President since John Adams. Given the title "The President's Own" by Thomas Jefferson, the Marine Band's primary mission is to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Congratulations to friend Former Sen. Max Cleland, for his almost certain appointment to the board of directors of the federal Export-Import Bank. At a recent confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee, Cleland was lauded by panel members, who professed support for his nomination. I know buddy Max will add a breath of fresh air to this important entity of Government. An attaboy to The National Military Family Association (NMFA) who announced the launch of its Military Spouse Scholarship program. This exciting opportunity will allow military spouses worldwide the opportunity to receive assistance in furthering their education.

Recurrent reassignments and relocation of military personnel create unique challenges for military spouses to complete undergraduate and post-graduate education, thus hindering their ability to maintain professional development, rewarding employment, and long-term career progression. More than 51 percent of all military personnel are married, because the dependence on our highly skilled, well-trained military forces has increased due intensified world conflicts in recent years, NMFA believes it is vital to develop a program addressing the complicated challenges of military spouse education. A reduced number of challenges for our military families directly impacts recruitment and retention of qualified military personnel.

It is for this reason that NMFA has developed the Spouse Scholarship Fund. Spouse Scholarships will be awarded annually for up to four academic years to uniformed service members spouses. Opportunities include obtaining professional certification through an accredited post-secondary or graduate school. The scholarship funds may be used to assist with tuition, fees, books, and school room and board.

NMFA would like to thank General Dynamics, Charlie Palmer Steak, Sierra Military Health, First Command Financial Planning, and the Dallas Stars Foundation for their financial generosity for providing the funding for this program.

Any military spouses interested in applying must complete a nominating packet through the NMFA website at www.nmfa.org. The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2004. Award letters will be mailed no later than May 5, 2004.

The National Military Family Association is a non-profit, predominately volunteer organization with membership from the seven uniformed services, active duty, retired, reserve component and their families and survivors. NMFA is the only national organization whose sole focus is the military family and whose mission is to serve those families through education, information and advocacy.

A shaft salute also to Hal Koster and Marty O’Brien, co owners of Fran O'Brien's Stadium Steakhouse located in the Capital Hilton at 16th and K streets. These wonderful gentlemen continue their Friday night hosting of our recently wounded heroes and their families hospitalized at Bethesda and Walter Reed Medical Centers. However, a Shaft to the Capital Hilton for not making the Fran O’Brien facility more accessible and hospitable to these wounded warriors and other disabled individuals who frequent this fine establishment.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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