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MEDICAL CLINIC — A U.S. Army soldier assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, hands out toys to the children and cups of cold water to Iraqi mothers during a MedCap (medical civil action program) at Fenjan Village near Baghdad, Iraq, July 26, 2005. Every few weeks the medical staff provides health care and assistance to Iraqi civilians in different locations. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Reynaldo Ramon

Department of Defense
Democracy a 'Serious Blow' to Terrorists — Story Remarks
Operations Along Euphrates Prompt Attacks — Story Transcript
Commission Works to Smooth Transition
Coalition Forces Must Be on Offensive — Story

COMMENTARY
There Can Be No Moderate Solutions To Extremism
By Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld
Last month Britain was twice attacked by an enemy that takes advantage of the openness of free societies to kill and terrorise from within. Shortly after the July 7 massacre, one American, summarising the sentiments of his countrymen, wrote to the British embassy in Washington. More

ON THE GROUND
Camp Fallujah Fuel Farm Gets Facelift — Story
Unit Trains for Routine, Ready for Unexpected — Story
Iraqi Engineer Brothers Rebuild Homeland — Story
Road Linking Afghan Cities Nears Completion — Story Photos

IN IRAQ
Soldiers, Airmen Care for Iraqi Patients
Staging Facility Takes Over Where Hospital Leaves Off
Camp Victory Opens New USO Tent

IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Army Hones Skills at Artillery Range
Hawaii Guard Builds Kandahar Infrastructure
23 Troops in Afghanistan Become U.S. Citizens

FACE OF DEFENSE
Marine Makes a Difference in Iraqi Community — Story

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Pocket Flags Support Troops — Story
Soldiers Meet 'Dukes' Cast

TOP NEWS
IN IRAQ
Marine Statement Blasts Images
14 Marines, Interpreter Killed
Citizens Help Troops Nab Suspects
Reconstruction Continues in Iraq
Petraeus Touts Progress
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps
Iraq Daily Update
Multinational Force Iraq
Iraq Progress Fact Sheet (pdf)
Weekly Progress Report (pdf)

IN AFGHANISTAN
Weapons Found Following Firefight
Roadside Bomb Wounds 3
Troops Kill Six Insurgents
Afghanistan Daily Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Uzbek Decision No Surprise
Rumsfeld Lauds U.S. Air Force
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Panel Mulls Performance Pay
Marines to Train Iraqis
National Guard, Reserve Update

HONORING THE FALLEN
"Our men and women who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and in this war on terror have died in a noble cause, in a selfless cause. Their families can know that American citizens pray for them. And the families can know that we will honor their loved one's sacrifice by completing the mission, by laying the foundations for peace for generations to come."
President George W. Bush
Remarks, Aug. 3, 2005

CASUALTIES
Officials Identify Army Casualty — Story

Weather
Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Gitmo

Today in History
1693 - Dom Perignon invents champagne
1735 - A jury acquits John Zenger (NY Weekly Journal) of seditious libel (charged by the royal governor of NY - a victory for Freedom of the press.
1753 - George Washington becomes a master mason.
1777 - Retired British cavalry officer Philip Astley establishes the first circus.
1790 - The U.S. Coast Guard is founded as the Revenue Cutter Service.
1830 - Plans for the city of Chicago are laid out.
1892 - Sunday school teacher Lizzie Borden is arrested in Fall River, MA, for the murder of her parents.
1914 - Germany declares war on Belgium; Britain declares war on Germany.
1916 - The U.S. agrees to buy the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million.
1925 - After 13 years of occupation, U.S. marines leave Nicaragua.
1927 - The Peace Bridge between the U.S. and Canada opens.
1944 - Anne Frank is arrested by Nazis at age 15.
1956 - For the first time, a motorcycle is ridden at over 200 mph (Wilhelm Herz-210 mph).
1960 - A rocket-propelled USAF research aircraft sets a speed record at 2,150 mph.
1971 - For the first time, the U.S. launches a satellite into lunar orbit from a manned spacecraft.
1974 - The Crawford-Butler Act permits Puerto Ricans to elect their own governor.
1977 - President Carter establishes the Department of Energy.
1981 - Oliver North is assigned to White House duty.
1988 - Congress votes to award reparations of $20,000 to each Japanese-American interned during WWII.
1990 - The European community proposes a boycott of Iraq.

Birthdays
1755 - Nicolas-Jacque Conte, inventor of the modern pencil
1823 - Oliver Perry Morton (Gov-IN)
1859 - Knut Hamsun Norway, writer / Nazi (Hunger - Nobel 1920)
1901 - Louis Armstrong, Jazz great ("Hello Dolly," "Wonderful World" - oldest musician in Billboard history to score a Number One song
1900 - Arturo Umberto Illia, president of Argentina (1963-66)
1943 - Michael J. McCulley, Cmdr. USN / astronaut (STS-34)
1955 - Andrew M. Allen, Cpt. USMC/ astronaut (sk: STS-46)
1955 - Charles D. "Sam" Gemar, US Army / astronaut (STS 38, 48)

Passings
1265 - Simon de Montfort, English baron, in battle
1526 - Juan Sebastian Cano, Spanish explorer
1981 - Melvyn Douglas actor, dies at 80
1984 - Mary Miles Minter, silent screen star

Reported Missing in Action
1966
Burns, John R., USAF (TN); A1E crashed, KIA, remains ID'd Feb, 1993

1967
Bisz, Ralph C., USN (FL); A4E shot down, believed KIA, body not recovered

1971
Waldhaus, Richard, Civilian (CA); Released by PRG February, 1973

02 August 2005

To: Family, Friends and Friends of Friends

Re: SOLES FOR SOULS

First and foremost, I want to say thank you to all who have contributed to my Vision and Goal. Sometime ago, I sent out an email asking for help to receive donations of shoes for the children of Iraq. To my surprise, I received an over whelming response. It was such a huge response that I felt I had to give the program a name, henceforth, SOLES FOR SOULS. Thanks to the modern technology of email, my Vision and request for help has reached across the United States. I’ve received responses and packages from California, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana.

Local city organizations such as YUM (Corporate Headquarters for KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers), CURVES, city School Boards, and WAL-MART have agreed to become drop off locations or are considering becoming one. Others have started local drives at their place of employment.

One day while on patrol, I asked myself, what, if anything is being done for the children, whom in reality some will become the leaders of this country. We all ask the questions, point the blame, but rarely do we come up with the answers. Maybe it’s because we’re afraid we’ll make a difference or we’re waiting for someone else to do the work. Is it work?!?! Let me be the first to tell you…I’m in Iraq, running missions daily, sometimes twice a day, and it’s always a Monday because you never know when you’re going to have a day off…YES, IT’S WORK!!!

But let me also tell you, the amount of work compared to the joy, laughter, smiles, and love one receives from a child from the simple gratitude of someone caring, DOESN’T compare. Some say one person can make a difference and some say one can not. I’d like to meet those who say one can not. I’d have no problem telling them that they are there own fools. It all starts with one and the rest is done and let me tell you…it truly is a lot of fun.

My Vision:
Through the combined efforts of family, friends, and several organizations and the support of Delta Company 1-184th INF., each village and home with in our sector will be visited and a minimum of one pair of shoes will be given to each child.

My Goal:
To network with as many people as possible to receive the amount of donations required to achieve this task.

During the month of August, the temperature reaches a maximum of 140 degrees. Children, especially between the ages of 1-5 years old are observed walking and/or running, barefoot, on dirt and/or asphalt roads. Help me show the children of Iraq that someone does care. Whether or not you’re for the war or you like or dislike the president, as you’ve heard many many times, SUPPORT THE TROOPS. By donating a pair of shoes /sandals, you ARE Supporting The Troops by supporting SGT. Zepeda’s Vision and helping me achieve my Goal.

Help me help the children with a COMFORTABLE step in the right direction. Just like they say every vote counts, so does each pair of SOLES (for SOULS).

Something to ponder:

If every person was to place a single pair of shoes in a basket, there would never be a human being to ever have to walk the earth barefoot.

A single pair of shoes/sandals…less then the price of a Starbucks coffee, less then the price of an alcoholic drink at a bar.

I ask for your support and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

SGT ZEPEDA
OIF 2005
BAGHDAD, IRAQ

Soldiers' Angels has joined the ranks of the organizations helping the Sgt. reach his goal. With winter approaching, he will need tennis shoes as well as sandals. He says that all sizes are needed, but the age group in greatest need at the moment is young teenagers.

I'll be sending a box off this week, Sgt.

If you would like to help with "Soles for Souls," please email me


UPDATE: Sgt. Zepeda has given permission to post his contact information. Here it is:

SGT Gilbert Zepeda
Co. D 1-184th INF
FOB Falcon
APO AE 09364
Soles4Souls@gmail.com

Blogging may be sparse this morning; I'm being interviewed for a radio show.

The topic is media coverage and what the MSM is missing.

I wonder if they know what they're getting into asking me to be interviewed.....

I'll let you know how it goes later!

UPDATE: Done! The interview was with Eva Barboni of War News Radio, and will likely air next week (it's a weekly show). They'll let me know when it's up, and I'll pass that along. I'm convinced I sounded like an idiot, but we'll have to see. Got a chance to talk about Soldiers' Angels, and mention some other great blogs like BlackFive, JackArmy, Mudville Gazette, etc.

Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and comrades of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. One of those lost was a local hero, whom I'll post about later today.

News of Note
Fallen Heroes
Weary in Ohio
Marine Killed in Ramadi
Photo Essay: Ohio Mourns Marines

London Bombings
Britain on Alert
NYPD Details London Bombings
British Police Charge First Bombing Suspect
Zawahri says UK policy to bring more destruction-TV
Police out in force 4 weeks after London attacks
U.S. issues travel warning for Britain

Operation Iraqi Freedom
Iraq said to eye parliamentary system
Iraq airline inaugurates Iraq-Turkey route
New Iraqi operation aims to protect voters

Operation Enduring Freedom
NATO can take over Afghan security in 2006

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Is Vatican a Terror Target?
Jordan uncovers al Qaeda plot to attack U.S. troops

You've Really Got to Be Kidding Me
Sweet Ending for Lemonade Stand Dispute

Other News of Note


Fox News
Parliament to Be atCenter of Iraqi Government
S. Korean Scientists Successfully Clone Dog
Two Yemenis Claim Rendition
U.S. to N. Korea: We've Done Our Part
Toronto Black Boxes Found
Video: Air Scare
Idaho Kidnap SuspectLinked to Calif. Murder
Another Walk?
Video: Astronauts Step Out of Shuttle

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
Israel to expand West Bank settlement
Four Iraqi soldiers killed by insurgents
Marine killed by small arms fire in Ramadi
Israel Housing Ministry issues tenders
Two killed, five injured in Istanbul blast
U.N. agency urges Iran against activity
Israel-Palestinian future being shaped
Iran president-elect receives religious OK

Reuters: Top News
Israeli rightists suspend march on Gaza settlements
Police out in force 4 weeks after London attacks
Astronauts unload cargo as NASA ponders spacewalk
Family searches for Texan hiker missing in Nepal
Gaza Palestinians celebrate coming Israeli pullout
N.Korea still holds out on nuclear crisis text
Cloned dog raises ethical questions of its science

Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Qaeda says Islamic sharia must be only law in Iraq
US envoy calls for equal rights for women in Iraq constitution
Steven Vincent, U.S. art critic who went to war