Michael Yon has a dispatch up now that you really have to read (and not just 'cause Patti plugged this blog - but THANKS, Patti!) -- he's got an interview with the founder of Soldiers' Angels - Patti Bader.

Want to know what makes THE Soldiers' Angel tick?

Want to know....

What inspired Patti to start SA?

What Patti hopes will be her most lasting contribution?

Patti answers those and a whole heap of other questions. A great interview by one of my favorite writers, with one of my heroes....

Check it out.

Lots to see at BlackFive - make sure to check these out:

Help Soldier's Angels Help The Wounded
Angels International is out of phone cards and needs them for the wounded outpatient soldiers at Kleber Kaserne and the inpatients at Landstuhl Army Medical Center...

The Warrior Fund
With the recent news regarding the incident in Haditha and Hamdania Iraq, a group of former and retired Marines have decided to take action to ensure that our military men are treated like American citizens and considered innocent until proven guilty. As a result, we have formed The Warrior Fund as a mission of United American Patriots...

Murtha's Comments Exposed
Wow. Check this out. - left-wing, well-financed, media groups are trying to force papers to change quotes from Rep. Jack Murtha...

Someone You Should Know: Evan L. Schwerner
Our friends at Military.com, who did so much for I MBC ("First MilBlogs Conference"), have a story today about one of the Marine Corps' newest corporals... "Pappy." Strange nickname for a corporal, wouldn't you say?...

MOSUL PATROL — Iraqi army soldiers drive their Humvee through a puddle during a patrol being conducted with U.S. Army soldiers from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team in Mosul, Iraq, June 28, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeremy T. Lock

Renegade Rail was the first "Angel Artist" over at Soldiers' Angels. In addition to being great performers, they're also great supporters of our Heroes.

From an email to Soldiers' Angels founder, Patti Patton-Bader:
Hey Patti,
Hope all is well. We recieved an e-mail from a lady in Texas that works in the burn unit where they recieve troops from Iraq and Afghanistan after they are transported from Germany. She told us of a 19 year old soldier that had burns over 90% of his body, they played our music for him. He passed away last saturday, and in honor of him, we gave a speach for a crowd of about 5,000 people yesterday at the Missouri State Fair grandstands during one of our shows. We sat a chair on the stage to represent him and all of our fallen soldiers while we played the song "Heroes". All the veterans stood up and there was not many dry eyes including mine. His name was Devon Gibbons, and I recieved a call from his father over the weekend that was very touching, the family is in our thoughts and prayers.

They have a new two-song disc they've got out - and are going to be donating some of the proceeds to support Soldiers' Angels...

...And, they're featured this month in a poll on www.newcountrystar.com. Competing against three other bands, they're currently in 2nd place.

You can listen, and cast your vote, here
(Scroll down until you see "Best Duo or Band" - the voting link will be there)

From Patti:
I cannot say enough about what this band has done for soldiers, Christmas 2004 they gave a free concert to FT Leonard Wood for us, and you should have seen the smiles on these battle weary troops. Listen to the music and if you deem it proper Please vote
Love p

More Tonal Troop Support here, here, here, and here.

Pfc. Justin Donnelly, a 10th Mountain Division medic, says farewell to baby Noor and her great grandmother at Baghdad Airport. Donnelly first examined the Iraqi infant prior to her diagnosis of spina bifida. She is being flown to the United States for treatment. Photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin Moses Sr.

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Guide to Iraq's Afghan Connection
Car Bomb Near Iraqi Shiite Shrine Kills 10, Wounds 40
Zarqawi Refused Wife's Request to Leave Iraq
Suicide bomber hits Iran pilgrims in Iraq, 12 dead - Video
Former Blackwater employee charged

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Israel air raid kills 2 civilians in Gaza: witnesses - Video
Israel Pushes Into Northern Gaza
Israelis create buffer zone in north Gaza

Troops on Trial
Iraqi PM Seeks Rape Probe
Ex-GI accused in Iraq rape had rocky past

NSA / CIA
Pressure mounts over Europe-CIA collaboration

Worldwide Wackos
Missile Drills to Continue
North Korea claims right to weapon tests
North Korea warns U.N. against sanctions
EU set for rescheduled talks with Iran

Politics / Government
Budget crisis in N.J. dims gamblers' hopes

In the Courts
Justices won't overturn stay of execution

Oddities
Police arrest cement soccer ball pranksters
Fake agency offers ads on hookers' thighs
Village tries outhouse humor to pay bills

Other News of Note
2 Somalis killed for watching World Cup

Fox News
Three Charged With Plotting to Sell Coca-Cola Recipes
Coroner: Enron's Lay Died of Coronary Artery Disease
Oil Hits Record Price of $75.19
No Limbaugh Viagra Charges
Stocks to Watch: Apple
Video: Discovery Crew Examines Shuttle for Damage
Amber Frey Engaged
Marathon Mexico Recount
France Wins Semifinal
FULL WORLD CUP COVERAGE
Federer Tops Ancic
FULL WIMBLEDON COVERAGE

Reuters: Top News
Mexico conservative looks headed for election win - Video
Taiwan to test-fire missile: report
Officials agree on New Orleans redevelopment plan
Cuban officials charge US planning regime change
Space shuttle Discovery nears space station
Canada, Mexico, US agree to protect butterflies
AOL may offer free high-speed Internet
Microsoft allows open document format for software
Florida coral battered by hurricanes and disease
Bikers rev up where old Tibet and new China collide
Effects of stress on heart disease still unclear
Flu often unrecognized in children
"Pirates" reviews mixed ahead of key debut
Swank says husband's addiction hurt marriage
Oil will hit well over $100 and stay high: Rogers
Microsoft allows open document format for software
GM execs to air arguments against alliance: report
Spain's Banesto H1 profit up 16.7 pct
HMV's profits fall, says trading still tough
Vivendi exits Veolia in 860 mln euro deal -traders
Schwarz Pharma shares rise on talk of Merck bid
New consoles boost video games retailer Game Group
Nikkei drops, consumer finance firms lose ground
Stock futures indicate higher market open
Stocks drop on N. Korea test and rate fears
Fashionable retrenchment
Commods at "critical juncture" after Fed

AP World News
Doctors race to save conjoined twin girls
'Desperate Housewives' seek Emmy repeat
Bonds' trainer jailed for not testifying
Study: Breast milk helps smallest preemies
American Idol tour starts without McPhee
Macedonia prime minister concedes defeat
`Superman' tops box-office over weekend
U.S. approaches 300 million people
N.Y. Times leads broadband Emmy nominees
Lawyers: DNA clears man of 1984 rape

Military.com
Shuttle Fit, Ready to Dock With ISS
Army Charges Officer Who Refused Iraq Duty
Pakistan In Line for Massive Arms Deal

CENTCOM: News Releases
CFC-A DISCUSSES AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

KANDAHAR CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES NEW EQUIPMENT

COALITION FORCES INTERDICT EXTREMISTS

MND-B, IRAQI GOVERNMENT CLEAN UP BAGHDAD

COALITION FORCES DETAIN FOUR INSURGENTS, KILL ONE

IRAQI AND COALITION FORCES FINISH SEARCHING RAMADI HOSPITAL

IRAQI ARMY, MND-B SOLDIERS SUBDUE TERRORIST ATTACK

IRAQI ARMY SOLDIERS FOIL KIDNAPPING ATTEMPT

COALITION FORCES DETAIN THREE SUSPECTED TERRORISTS

IRAQI SECURITY FORCE AIR ASSAULT RAID NETS 12 TERRORISTS

COALITION FORCES DETAIN SENIOR AL-QAEDA IN IRAQ TERRORIST

IRAQI ARMY SOLDIERS RESCUE KIDNAPPED WORKERS, CAPTURE TERRORISTS

SERVICE MEMBERS SERVING IN IRAQ ACHIEVE AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP ON INDEPENDENCE DAY

IRAQI FORCES RAID NETS 14 INSURGENTS CAPTURED, 1 INSURGENT FACILITATOR KILLED

Department of Defense
Logistics Employee Helps Iraqi Kids - Story

ON THE GROUND
Iraqi Unit Trained to Deal with Crisis Situations - Story
Iraqis, Soldiers Provide Help to Bomb Victims - Story
Operation Seeks to Help Clean Up Baghdad - Story
Servicemembers Gain U.S. Citizenship in Iraq - Story

IN IRAQ
Forward Operating Base Repeats History
Reporter Spends 101 Days with 101st Airborne
Soldiers Help Save Life of Wounded Student
Husseiniya Firefighters Move into New

IN AFGHANISTAN
Engineers Move Mountains to Improve Roads
KC-135 Aircrew Vital Part of Mission Success

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq (PDF)
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (PDF)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

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
1483 - King Richard III of England is crowned.
1535 - Sir Thomas Moore is executed in England for treason.
1699 - Captain William Kidd is arrested in Boston.
1777 - British General Burgoyne captures Fort Ticonderoga from the Americans.
1785 - Congress resolves that U.S. currency will be named the "dollar," and adopts a decimal coinage system.
1798 - U.S. law makes aliens "liable to be apprehended, restrained...and removed as alien enemies..."
1885 - Louis Pasteur performs the first human inoculation (for rabies).
1908 - Robert Peary's expedition sails from New York City, bound for the North Pole.
1923 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is formed.
1928 - The first all-talking motion picture is shown in New York; America's heaviest hailstone falls in Coffeyville, KS (1.67 lbs.).
1944 - Fire breaks out at the Ringling Bros. Circus in Hartford, CT - 170 are killed.
1945 - Nicaragua becomes the first nation to formally accept the UN Charter; President Truman signs the executive order establishing the Medal of Freedom.
1958 - Alaska becomes the 49th U.S. state.
1976 - Soyuz-21 carries two cosmonauts to the Salyut-5 space station.
1978 - Israeli jet fighters bomb West Beirut.
1987 - Sikh extremists carry out the first of three massacres in India.
1989 - U.S. Marshals and the FCC seize Brooklyn pirate radio station WHOT.

Birthdays
1747 - John Paul Jones, Naval hero (said, "I have not yet begun to fight")
1796 - Czar Nicholas I of Russia
1903 - Axel Theorell Sweden, biochemist, studied enzymes, Nobel Prize winner
1923 - Nancy Davis Reagan, First Lady
1945 - Burt Ward, actor (Robin-Batman)

Passings
1189 - King Henry II of England
1415 - Jan Hus, burned for heresy by the Church at Constance, Germany
1535 - Sir Thomas Moore, executed for treason in England
1990 - Paul Wynne, KGO-TV SF reporter, of AIDS

Missing in Action
1966
Hestle, Roosevelt L., Jr., USAF (FL); F105F shot down, wife believes she saw him in film footage from a Hanoi press conference

Morgan, Charles E., USAF (CA); F105F shot down, remains returned July, 1989 - ID'd April, 1990

Tomes, Jack H., USAF (AZ); F105D shot down, released by DRV February, 1973 - died December, 1984

Young, James Faulds, USAF (MI); RF101C shot down, released by DRV February, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1996

1967
Hughey, Kenneth R., USAF (CA);F4C shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel as of 1996 - alive as of 1998

Pollack, Melvin, USAF (NY); F4C shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Lt. Colonel as of 1996 - alive and well as of 1998

1968
Mahoney, Thomas P. III, USMC (CA); KIA, body not recovered

1971
Carr, Donald G., US Army SF (IN); passenger in OV10A believed shot down while on recon mission

Thomas, Daniel W., USAF (IA); OV10A believed shot down while on recon mission