Soldiers' Angels Reach Out to Troops
October 2, 2006 - It's been five years since Patti Patton-Bader sent out the first care package to her son, a soldier serving in Iraq, and she's still passionate about reaching out to U.S. troops overseas.



It was 2001 when Patti learned her son Brandon, now safe back home, had enlisted in the Army.
A few care packages to Brandon grew into dozens more, and eventually into a online network of volunteers who not only send care packages to Iraq, they adopt soldiers for months at time staying in touch through letters and e-mails.

Over the years, Soldiers' Angels have sent out more than 40,000 care packages, 5,000 backpacks to wounded soldiers, and some 600 laptops.


Thank you cards and letters fill bins in Patti's home. And it all makes Patti very happy to know that our soldiers abroad know they aren't forgotten.




abc7.com: Soldiers' Angels Reach Out to Troops

Kelli sends this picture of her husband David, spending some time with their children before deployment.

Kelli - thanks for sending this - what a great picture!

David, thank you for everything you do for all of us. Please take care, and stay safe.

LEADERS MEET — Polish army Lt. Col. Andrzej Kujawa, commander of the Civilian Military Cooperation unit at Camp Echo, Iraq, shakes hands with Ali Muhammad Hussein, a local religious leader, following a site survey of the finished generator project at a medical clinic in Ghammas, Iraq, Sept. 27, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dawn M. Price

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
9 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Attacks
In locked-down Baghdad, city life moves online
Iraq leaders seek to flesh out peace plan - Video
Alaska Guard to deploy from Mississippi
Suicide bomber in Baghdad kills 2
Iraqi Army Assumes Control of Forces

Operation Enduring Freedom
Frist: Taliban Should Be Part of Afghan Government (WHAT?!?!?!)
Two U.S. soldiers killed in Afghan clash - Video
NATO to take over in Afghanistan on Thursday
After Afghan Battle, a Harder Fight for Peace

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Letter Shows Al Qaeda Leaders Were Not Happy With Their Man in Iraq
West, some Muslims share radicalism blame: writers
N.J. port gets new radiation detectors
CIA Chief Warned Rice on Al Qaeda

Other Military News
President to be on Hand for Christening of Carrier
US May Cut Military in S. Korea

Mid-East Ceasefire
American Hizbollah fighter buried in Lebanon
Rice seeks end to Palestinian violence
Two Killed, 14 Injured in Gaza

Worldwide Wackos
Official Suggests France Enrich Iran's Uranium
Iran must halt atomic work to avoid sanctions: U.S.
Woman accused of aiding anti-Iran group
US Wins a United Front on Iran
Rumsfeld: Chavez' Weaponry Is Concerning
North Korea Announces Test of Nuclear Weapons
Comments on nuclear test pledge
North Korea's nuclear capability

Politics / Government
GOP Picks Negron for Florida Ballot
Video: Speaker Hasert Faces Criticism Over Foley Flap
Hastert Defends Handling of Rep. Foley Scandal
House Republicans grapple with sex scandal - Video
Prosecutors: Threat notes mentioned Bush
Rice Offered to Resign Following Bush's 2004 Re-Election
Bush attacks Democrats on national security votes
Clown is running for mayor of Alameda (Heck, a clown in politics? Why is this news?)

In the Courts
Work to begin at Supreme Court day late
High Court to Hear Deportation, Death Penalty Cases
Judge again mulls dropping Karr charges
High Court Declines Appeal From Ex-Nazi Camp Guard

U.N. News
S. Korean Emerges in U.N. Secretary-General Race

Media in the Media
Miami Herald publisher Diaz resigns

Mother Nature
Alaskan storm cracks iceberg in Antarctica: study

Oddities
British Man Trampled to Death by Elephant While on Honeymoon in Kenya
Etiquette guide offers sleaze tips for posh girls
Grandmasters push toilet row aside to play chess

Other News of Note
Gunman Reportedly Bent on 'Revenge' Kills Girls, Self at Amish School
5th Amish Student Dies
Girl taken off life support early this morning - VIDEO - PHOTOS
FOX Facts: Recent School Shootings

Fox News
Two Americans Share Nobel Prize in Physics
'Black Box' Recorders Found in Crashed Brazil Plane
Ohio Trucker Admits to Killing Four Women, Helping to Kill Another
Stocks to Watch: Lawson, Northwest Airlines

Reuters: Top News
Game over for Thai Rak Thai as Thaksin quits
Hungarian right warns of "uprising", PM stands firm
Fuelcell-powered cellphones years away: Nokia
Sony to launch blu-ray recorder in Japan in Dec
New breed of Indonesian writer finds that sex sells
Study finds one in three youngsters unfit
Underweight infants at risk as teens: study
ABC triumvirate powers network to Sunday win
Old U.S. sitcoms get Russian makeovers
Sony touches 10-month low after Goldman downgrades
Gold falls on weaker oil, ignores N.Korea news - Video
U.S. manufacturing data weighs on copper
Stock futures dip, crude fall eyed
Nikkei flat as techs hit by Goldman downgrades - Video
Reuters Wealth Management Summit
Asia wealth boom delights
Market slump top risk
Pepsi Bottling Q3 profit rises
Disney to take $30 million loss on Mobile ESPN-CFO
Nintendo ups forecast on strong DS hand-held sales
Xstrata seeks $5.4 bln in rights issue
Fuelcell-powered cellphones years away: Nokia
Toy industry showing revitalization signs: research firm

AP World News
Stock futures tilt lower
Clooney: Date many to outwit paparazzi
A's-Twins leads off baseball postseason
HP tried to identify reporter's source
McNabb does it all in Eagles' 31-9 win
Experts test drugs that fight neuroAIDS
Harrah's gets $15 billion buyout offer
NFL suspends Titans' Haynesworth 5 games
Judge orders Bobby Brown arrested
Man gets 36 years in Cohn shooting
Obituaries in the news
Pa. college named nation's fittest

Military.com
Fight Over Chaplains may be Renewed
EFV Faulted for Poor Reliability

CENTCOM: News Releases
COMBINED OPERATION YIELDS CACHE, DETAINEES

IRAQ’S ARMY ASSUMES CONTROL OF FORCES NEAR FALLUJAH

MAJ. GEN. THURMAN NOMINATED FOR PROMOTION

ISF, MND-B LEADERS DISCUSS SHAAB, UR PHASE OF OPERATION TOGETHER FORWARD

MND-B SOLDIERS SEIZE LARGE WEAPONS CACHE

MND-B TRANSFERS CONTROL OF FOB DUKE TO ISF

IA CONDUCTS RAID TO CAPTURE CRIMINAL TIED TO KIDNAPPING AND MURDER OF IRAQI CIVILIANS

ISF RAID CAPTURES TERRORIST TIED TO ATTACKS ON ISF/CF

IRAQI SECURITY FORCES ATTACKED FROM KHODER MOSQUE

IRAQI ARMY CONDUCTS RAID TO CAPTURE TERRORIST TIED TO KIDNAPPING, MURDER OF IRAQI CIVILIANS

GHAZNI RETENTION DAM ON SCHEDULE

QARA BAGH DISTRICT CENTER UNDER CONSTRUCTION

COALITION FORCES CUNDUCT RAID ON COMPOUND

IA SOLDIERS DETAIN 2 TERRORISTS, SEIZE WEAPONS, MND-B SOLDIERS FIND, DISARM 3 IEDS

USJFCOM
USJFCOM sends support teams to CENTCOM - podcast
Newsmaker Profile: Col. Eugene V. "Gene" Bonventre - podcast
Command working to meet the warfighter's needs with focused efforts - podcast
Command seeking information from industry on access management

Department of Defense
NEWS UPDATES
Iraqi Army Assumes Control Of Forces Near Fallujah - Story
For Top News Visit DefenseLink

ON THE GROUND
Iraqi Air Force Moving Towards Control of Ops - Story
Iraqi Forces Train to Combat IED, Explosives Threat - Story
‘Retired’ Engineer Oversees 30 Al Anbar Projects - Story
Voices of Freedom Make Way onto Airwaves - Story

IN IRAQ
Army Engineers Help to Rebuild Infrastructure
Corpsmen Test Combat Skills, Prepare for Iraq
Combat Cooks Provide Hot Meals in Field
U.S. Marines Aid in Police Station Makeover
U.S., Iraqi Soldiers Team Up to Find Terrorists
Ceremony Notes Re-opening of Al Bawasil School

IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Laborers Continue Work on Local Dam
Harriers Complete Combat Runs in Afghanistan
Coalition Routs Taliban, Extremists in Ghazni
10th Mountain Division Soldiers Thwart Extremists

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
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

CASUALTIES
Officials Identify Casualties - 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

Gitmo

National Hurricane Center

Today in History
2333BC - Tangun establishes the kingdom of Chosun (Korea).
1430 - Jews are expelled from Eger, Bohemia.
1789 - Washington proclaims the first national Thanksgiving Day on Nov 26.
1862 - Battle of Corinth, Mississippi.
1863 - Lincoln designates the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.
1913 - The Federal Income Tax is signed into law (at 1%).
1920 - The NFL (then the American Pro Football Association) plays its first games.
1922 - The first facsimile photo is send over city telephone lines, in Washington, DC.
1928 - The French submarine Ondine sinks on its return trip to Toulon, drowning 42.
1929 - The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes changes its name to Yugoslavia.
1942 - The first A-4/V-2 rocket is launched to an altitude of 53 miles (85 km).
1945 - The World Federation of Trade Unions is formed, with the CIO as a member.
1954 - "Father Knows Best" premieres on TV.
1955 - "Captain Kangaroo" and the "Mickey Mouse Club" premiere on TV; the Soviet battleship Novorossiisk strikes a WWII mine in the Baltic Sea.
1961 - "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Mr. Ed" premiere TV.
1967 - William Knight sets an X-15 speed record of 7,297 KPH/4,534 MPH/Mach 6.72.
1968 - Military coup overthrows Pres Fernando Bela£nde Terry in Peru
1970 - Baseball umpires call their first strike.
1974 - The Watergate trial begins.
1981 - An Irish Nationalist at Maze Prison near Belfast ends a 7-mo hunger strike.
1985 - The 21st Shuttle Mission (51J, Atlantis 1, an all-military flight) is launched.
1986 - A Soviet Yankee-class sub sinks off NC, killing 3.
1988 - The 26th Space Shuttle Mission, Discovery-7, returns to Earth after 4 days; Lebanese kidnappers release Mithileshwar Singh, after holding him for 30 months.
1989 - The attempted Panamanian Defense Force coup against Manuel Noriega fails.
1990 - East and West Germany officially merge to become Germany.

Birthdays
1605 - Li Tzu-ch'eng, Chinese revolutionary, dethroned last Ming emperor
1804 - Townsend Harris, first Western consul to reside in Japan
1854 - William Crawford Gorgas, U.S. Surgeon-General, helped find cure for Yellow Fever
1888 - Carl von Ossietzky, German journalist, pacifist, Nobel Prize winner (1935)
1904 - Charles Pedersen, biochemist, Nobel Prize winner (1987)
1935 - Charles M. Duke, Jr., Brigadier General USAF/astronaut (Apollo 16)
1941 - Chubby Checker, singer (The Twist)
1946 - Bob Dotson, newscaster (Primetime Sunday)
1947 - Lindsey Buckingham, rocker (Fleetwood Mac-Rumours, Tusk)
1951 - Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph.D. / astronaut (STS 41-G, 28, 31, 45)
1963 - Patrick Flatley, right winger (NY Islanders, Oly-4 gold-1988)

Passings
1656 - Myles Standish, Plymouth Colony leader
1979 - Claudia Jennings, Playboy playmate (Nov, 1969)/actress, at age 29
1988 - Franz Josef Strauss, German FR Minister of Defense (1956-62); Generoso Pope, Jr,. National Enquirer owner
1990 - Stefano Casiraghi, husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco, at age 30

Reported Missing in Action
1966
Echevarria, Raymond L., US Army SF (NY); unit ambushed while on classified mission in Laos

Jones, James E., US Army SF (GA); unit ambushed while on classified mission in Laos

Williams, Eddie L., US Army SF (FL); unit ambushed while on classified mission in Laos

1967
Barnett, Robert W., USAF (CA); F105D shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

King, Ronald Runyan, USAF (CA); F105D shot down, KIA, body not recovered

1968
Smith, Roger L., US Army (OH); UH1H shot down (crew chief), KIA, remains returned, ID'd July, 1999

1969
Cunningham, Kenneth, US Army (IL); OV1C (observer, w/Graffe) disappeared while on surveillance mission; wreckage found

Graffe, Paul L., US Army (VA); OV1C (pilot, w/Cunningham) disappeared while on surveillance mission; wreckage found

1988
Copp, James Hamstead; held by LAO for 41 days (w/Long), released after admin. fees paid

Long, Donna; held by LAO for 41 days (w/Copp). released after admin. fees paid