16-year-old Jessica P. told Mrs. P. (no relation), her Language Arts teacher, that she had something special she wanted her to see. She wanted her to "share it with everyone that has a good heart," like the teen knows Mrs. P. does. Mrs. P decided to send it to us, so that we could "share it with heroes wherever they may be."

Mrs. P. says that Jessica's poem "is awesome and definitely from her heart and shows that she is a great teenager who can think of someone other than herself."

When you read it, I think you'll agree:





So do we, Jessica. So do we. Thank you for sayinjg it all so well, and for supporting our Heroes.

If you'd like, leave your comments, and I'll pass them along to Jessica and Mrs. P.

** This poem posted with permission - please do not repost without same **

Hub-and-spoke missions provide tactical airlift in Iraq
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNEWS) -- Whether it's operating from rough dirt strips or dropping off troops and equipment into hostile areas, C-130 Hercules keep convoys off the road in Iraq through airpower.
More

Pacific Ocean (Jan. 12, 2007) - A Sailor aboard the Military Sealift Command (MSC) ammunition ship USNS Shasta (T-AE 33) attaches a cargo pendant to a MH-60S Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Three (HSC-3) during a vertical replenishment with the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz is currently underway conducting routine training exercises off the coast of Southern California. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Haws

By Sgt. Armando Monroig
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

TAL AFAR, Iraq -- The quick actions of an Iraqi police officer manning a vehicle check point in Tal Afar saved the lives of others in the area when he shot and killed an attempted suicide bomber, Dec. 13.

“We want to let the bad guys know that we are here, we are against them, and we will kill them,” said police officer Bahjat, who shot the terrorist. Bahjat’s family name has been withheld to protect his identity.

Just before the shooting occurred, Bahjat was inspecting vehicles when he spotted a pedestrian wearing a coat with an unusual shape. As he drew nearer, he noticed the suspect was holding a wire in his hand.

The police officer tried to detain the would-be suicide bomber, who attempted to flee on foot. After ordering the individual to stop and firing a warning shot, Bahjat killed him.

An inspection of the body revealed explosives strapped to the chest.

Lt. Col. Malcolm Frost, the commander of 3rd Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, said Bahjat’s actions provide another example of the police’s commitment to maintaining law and order in Tal Afar.

“(Bahjat) did his job,” said Frost. “He combated the danger. He prevented it and in the end no innocent lives were harmed.”

Frost said Bahjat stopped a terrorist who was part of a larger attack intended to incite sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims in Tal Afar that day. The Iraqi police also disabled a vehicle loaded with several mortar rounds while it was headed for an open market.

“By killing the terrorist, a message was sent to the people that we, the police, are here to protect them,” Bahjat said.

Cordon and search
Photo by Staff Sgt. Bronco Suzuki
January 12, 2007 1st Lt. Joseph Meyer (left) and Pfc. Donald Carroll, take up defensive positions. Their knee pads prove useful for this type of position.

Related:
Cordon and search

News of Note
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day
King's Personal Documents on Display
King's daughter honors parents in Ga.

Operation Iraqi Freedom
Saddam's Half Brother, Revolutionary Court Chief Hanged
Anger at gallows beheading
Decapitation possible in judicial hanging
Botched hanging in Iraq arouses Arab suspicions
First U.S. troops in Baghdad for new plan
Bush Remains Staunch on Troop Escalation
Boys Across World Die Mimicking Saddam Hanging
Iraqi Foreign Minister Calls for Release of Iranian Detainees
U.S. says to "go after" Iran, Syria networks in Iraq
Iraq president makes landmark Syria trip
Iran says working with Iraq over U.S. arrests
Toymaker Hopes to Profit From Saddam 'Dope on a Rope' Doll (Geez...)

Operation Enduring Freedom
'Kite Runner' Boys Fear Afghan Backlash

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Britons plotted London suicide bombings: prosecutor
Rice, Olmert plan meeting with Abbas - Video
Bolton: Rice's Mideast Peace Efforts a Waste - Rice: U.S. to Engage Deeper in Process
Somali gunmen attack convoy of Ethiopian troops - Video

Worldwide Wackos
Report: Iran Announces Nuclear Installation
Gates: Time is not right for Iran talks
Iran leader courts Latin America allies
Frozen Cuban assets target of lawsuits

Politics / Government
Iraq Policy Isolates Bush
Congress Will Get to Five-Day Workweek ... Eventually
Cover-up is focus of CIA leak trial

Immigration / Border Control
Oklahoma car crash kills 7 Mexicans

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment
Report: Child Porn Found On Mo. Suspect's Computer
Surveillance Led to Discovery - Boys Mentally Shackled?
Officers' keen eyes lead to boys' rescue
Arson Eyed in North Carolina Church Fires

Science / Nature
Crippling Storm- Photos
Storm leaves 330,000 without power
Study Links Gene to Alzheimer's Disease
World's First 'Test-Tube' Baby Gives Birth
Trapped N.Y. Dolphins Face Cold, Hunger

Oddities
Family Criticizes 67-Year-Old Spanish Woman Who Gave Birth
Sneakerheads love to show off footwear

Other News of Note
Camper Found After More Than a Month in New Mexico Wilderness

Fox News
NFL Playoffs: Patriots Stun Chargers Late, Bears Top Seahawks in Overtime
Camper Lost in New Mexico Rescued Two Weeks After Search for Her Was Called Off
Report: Is Posh Spice Turning to Scientology?
Martin Scorsese Scores Upset at Critics' Choice Awards Amid Oscar Fever

Reuters: Top News
Fuel spill may be new clue on missing Indonesia jet
Asian leaders sign energy pact at landmark summit - Video
Engineered chickens make cancer drugs
Microsoft to launch Xbox 360 in China soon: sources
French suburbs: No-go zones now election targets
No business in snow business for low Swiss resorts
Experts see bird flu challenge to U.S. health system
"Borat, "The Queen," odd couple at Golden Globes
Top Bollywood stars get engaged
European shares at 6-year high, yen struggles - Video
Oil holds near $53, eyes OPEC - Video
Gold hits 10-day high on dollar
Stocks focus on earnings, inflation
Dow ends at record as energy up on higher crude
A new tack with ETFs
On the radar: Unit Corp.
GE to buy UK's Smiths aerospace unit for $4.8 billion
Arris bids $1.2 billion for Norway's Tandberg TV
United Utilities sells Vertex
AOL deal for Swedish online ad firm is opposed
GM has shown interest in Proton, Malaysia says
Court approves Eurotunnel debt reduction plan

AP World News
Hyundai workers begin partial strike
Man aims to become licensed hemp farmer
Hudson honored for 'Dreamgirls' role
Americans have personal bonds with cars
Online astronomers seek out new worlds
'Lost' producers discuss series' end
Birth set for couple who saved embryos
O.J.: Chapter is not a murder confession
Gould kicks Bears into NFC title game
Dance film stomps 'Museum' at box office
Obituaries in the news
Results of AP-AOL Autos poll
7 dead in W.Va. apartment building fire

Military.com
Check Out our Military Hardware Guide
Audio Excerpt of Norman Mailer's Latest
Play Trivia and Win an iPod
Maximize Your Military Lifestyle
Largest Veteran Job Board in the World

CENTCOM: News Releases
IRAQI ARMY RESCUES KINDNAPPING VICTIM

IRAQI SECURITY FORCES LEAD JOINT RAID, DETAIN 8

Iraqi Police seize weapons, kill four insurgents

Iraqi Army continues their hold on Haifa Street

IRAQI ARMY FORCES CONDUCT OPERATIONS TO CAPTURE AL QAEDA

IRAQI ARMY FORCES DETAIN 19 IN OPERATION TO CAPTURE ILLEGAL ARMED GROUP LEADER

HIGH VALUE TARGET DETAINED IN EASTERN BAGHDAD

USJFCOM
Not your typical reserve position: USJFCOM seeks reserve officers to join Standing Joint Force Headquarters
More about Standing Joint Force Headquarters Core Elements - podcast
Exercise to begin to prepare Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa for deployment
More about the mission rehearsal program
USJFCOM commander discusses importance of personnel recovery - podcast
Campbell takes command of Joint Forces Command Army component

Department of Defense
NEWS UPDATES
Stability & Security in Iraq Report (pdf)
For Top News Visit DefenseLink

DefendAmerica Week in Review
Sunday - Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday - Saturday

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

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

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

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Philippines
Baler Radar Site Catanduanes Radar Site Manila

South Korea
Cheju Upper/Radar Chonju Chunchon Inch'on Kunsan Masan Mokp'o
Osan Pusan Seoul Suwon Taegu Taejon Tonghae Radar Site Ulsan Yosu

* If you're deployed, and want to see your location's weather listed here, please email me! *

Today in History
0708 - Sisinnius begins his reign as Catholic Pope (dies 20 days later)
0946 - Caliph al-Mustaqfi blinded/ousted
1535 - Henry VIII declares himself head of English Church
1552 - France signs secret treaty with German Protestants
1562 - 3rd sitting of Council of Trente opens
1582 - Russia cedes Livonia & Estonia to Poland, loses access to the Baltic
1586 - Battle at Boxum: Spanish troops under Tassis beat state army
1777 - People of New Connecticut (Vermont) declare independence from England
1780 - Continental Congress establishes court of appeals
1797 - 1st top hat worn (John Etherington of London)
1831 - 1st US-built locomotive to pull a passenger train makes 1st run; Mr & Mrs Pierson of Charleston SC make 1st US railroad honeymoon trip
1833 - HMS Beagle anchors at Goeree Tierra del Fuego
1844 - U of Notre Dame receives its charter in Indiana
1851 - General Arista replaces Mexican President Herrera
1861 - Steam elevator patented by Elisha Otis
1863 - 1st US newspaper printed on wood-pulp paper, Boston Morning Journal
1865 - Fort Fisher, NC falls to Union troops
1870 - Donkey 1st used as symbol of Democratic Party, in Harper's Weekly
1892 - Basketball rules published in Triangle Magazine, Massachusetts
1895 - French fleet reaches Majunga, Madagascar
1907 - 3-element vacuum tube patented by Dr. Lee de Forest; Gold dental inlays 1st described by William Taggart, who invented them
1915 - Japan claims economic control of China
1919 - 2 million gallons of molasses "Tidal wave" Boston MA, drowning 21; Pianist & statesman Ignace Paderewski becomes 1st premier of Poland; Semana Tragica (Tragic Week) Bloodbath in Buenos Aires
1922 - Irish Free State forms; Michael Collins becomes 1st premier
1923 - Lithuania seizes & annexes the country of Memel
1925 - Hans Luther forms German government, with DNVP
1934 - 8.4 earthquake in India/Nepal, 10,700 die
1940 - German U-Boot torpedoes Dutch trade ship Arendskerk (Eagle's Church)
1942 - FDR asks commissioner to continue baseball during WWII; Cubs drop plans to install lights at Wrigley due to WWII
1943 - 1,000 workers complete the air conditioning system for the Pentagon; Japanese driven off Guadalcanal; 1st transport of Jews from Amsterdam to concentration camp Vught
1944 - European Advisory Commission decides to divide Germany; General Eisenhower arrives in England; Vught Concentration Camp puts 74 women in 1 cell, 10 die
1945 - Every Amsterdammer gets 3 kg sugar beets; Red Army frees Crakow-Plaszow concentration camp
1949 - Mao's Red army conquers Ten-tsin
1950 - 4,000 attend National Emergency Civil Rights Conference in Washington DC
1951 - "Cloud of Death" rolls down Mount Lamington, New Guinea kills 3-5,000; Supreme Court rule "clear & present danger" of incitement to riot is not protected speech & can be a cause for arrest
1953 - 16 car Federal Express train loses brakes & crashes in Washington, DC station; German Democratic Republic Minister of Foreign affairs Georg Dertingen arrested for "espionage"
1955 - USSR ends state of war with German Federal Republic
1964 - Teamsters negotiate 1st national labor contract
1969 - Soyuz 5 launched by Soviet Union
1970 - Republic Biafra disbands/joins Nigeria
1971 - Aswan Dam officially opens in Egypt
1973 - 4 Watergate burglars plead guilty in federal court; President Nixon suspends all US offensive action in North Vietnam
1974 - Expert panel reports 18½-m gap in Watergate tape, 5 separate erasures; "Happy Days" begins an 11 year run on ABC
1975 - Space Mountain opens (Disneyland); Portugal signs accord for Angola's independence
1976 - Sara Jane Moore sentenced to life for attempting to shoot President Ford; US-German Helios B solar probe launched into solar orbit
1977 - Coneheads debut on "Saturday Night Live"
1981 - "Hill Street Blues" premieres on NBC-TV
1983 - Dutch political party DS'70 disbands
1985 - Tancredo Neves becomes 1st elected President of Brazil in 21 years
1988 - Arab uprising in Israel begins
1991 - UN's deadline for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait passes - (they don't)
1992 - EC recognizes Slovenian and Croatian independence; Supreme Court rules 5-3 that Joseph Doherty isn't entitled to asylum
1993 - 7.5 earthquake strikes northern Japan, 2 die; Top mafia leader Salvatore "Totò" Riina arrested in Palermo
1997 - Space Shuttle Atlantis docks with Mir Space Station
1998 - NASA announces John Glenn, 76, may fly in space again

Birthdays
1432 - Afonso V "the African", King of Portugal (1438-1481)
1507 - Johann Oporinus (Herbster), Swiss book publisher (Koran)
1815 - Henry Morris Naglee Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1886
1817 - Lewis Golding Arnold, Union Brigadier General
1821 - Lafayette McLaws, Confederate Major General
1841 - Lord Frederick Stanley, presenter of hockey's Stanley Cup
1868 - Noach Zjordanija, Georgian veterinarian/premier (1918-21)
1870 - Johan Peter Koch, Danish officer/explorer (Greenland)
1893 - Dragisa Cvetkovic, Serbian premier of Yugoslavia (1939-41)
1902 - Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Faisal al-Saud. king (Saudi Arabia)
1908 - Edward Teller, fathered H-bomb (Manhattan Project)
1918 - Gamal Abdel Nasser, President of Egypt (1954-1970)
1929 - Reverand Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader (Nobel 1964)
1945 - Marie-Christine AHI von Leibnitz, German/British princess

Passings
0069 - Servius Sulpicius Galba 6th emperor of Rome (68-69), killed by Praetorian guard in the Forum Rome, at 70
1208 - Peter of Castelnau French nobleman, murdered
1705 - Walraad the Young, Earl of Nassau-Ottweiler/Governor of Nijmegen, dies
1896 - Matthew B Brady US photographer (Civil War), dies at about 72
1919 - Karl Liebknecht Marxist revolutionary, murdered at 47; Rosa Luxembourg, Marxist revolutionary, murdered
1922 - John Kirk Barry, Dr/explorer David Livingstone's companion, dies at 89
1934 - Patrick O'Malley, US policeman, killed by John Dillinger
1949 - Pompeo Aloisi, Italian baron/diplomat/senator, dies at 63
1965 - Pierre Ngendandumwe, premier of Burundi, murdered
1968 - Bill Masterson 1st NHLer fatally injured during game (Jan 13), dies; Leopold Infeld, Polish nuclear physicist (Motion & Relativity), dies at 69
1981 - Emanuel Celler (Representative-NY, 1923-73), dies at 92
1983 - Meyer Lansky, reputed mobster, dies in Miami Beach FL at 81
1987 - Ray Bolger, actor/dancer (Wizard of Oz), dies at 82
1988 - Sean MacBride, commander of Irish Republican Army, dies at 83
1993 - Huub H. Jacobse, Dutch MP (VVD), dies at 68
1996 - Moshushu II, King of Lesotho (1966-90), dies at 51
1998 - Gulzarilal Nanda, temporary PM of India (1964, 66)

Reported Missing in Action
1968
Skarman, Orval H., USMC (MN); did not return from R&R

1970
Tubbs, Glenn E., US Army SF (TX); swept away by current while crossing stream

1971
Harwood, James A., US Army SF (TX)

Kinsman, Gerald F., US Army SF (MA)