Plaques and Patches Product News and Information

This great story of real sacrifice comes from Yahoo News. ” Five Albuquerque Station Eight firefighters who won a $10,000 share of the Mega Millions jackpot last week have decided to donate an unspecified part of their winnings to fellow fireman Vince Cordova, who is suffering from a life-threatening tumor. “We decided to get tickets ten minutes before the sales closed,” said Capt. Jed Hyland told local news affiliate KOB. “I ran in shouting that we hit 5 of the 6 numbers.” After convincing their fellow firemen that it wasn’t an April Fools’ joke, Hyland and his four fellow winners (Steve Keffer, Paul McClure, Clinton Anderson and Si Do) decided to donate part of their winnings to the local firefighters Survival Fund. “Everybody at the station agreed that this would be a good opportunity,” Hyland said.” Click here to read the rest of this amazing story!

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This post comes from Military.com. “The commander of Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), announced the winners of the 2011 Training Excellence Awards (TEA) for superior accomplishment supporting NETC’s training vision March 28. The annual award recognizes commands that demonstrate the highest standards of training excellence, ensuring highly-trained Sailors are available to meet the needs of the fleet and ensuring the success of the Navy.” To read the rest of this article click here.  

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This post comes from Insurance News. “The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded UnitedHealth Group a five-year health care services contract for Tricare’s 21-state West region valued at about $20.5 billion, reversing on the contract it first awarded to the TriWest Healthcare Alliance. Tricare is the health care coverage program for active-duty and retired military service members and their families. UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services unit was awarded the administrative services contract to provide managed care support to the program, with the contract expected to generate about $1.4 billion in revenue for UnitedHealth over the five-year period. The first year of operations is expected to start April 1, 2013.” To read the rest of this article click here.

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This post comes from the Department of Defense. “Veteran unemployment numbers are encouraging, but the need for jobs will increase as the services trim their ranks, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told reporters here today. The unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is down from last year’s high of 12.5 percent to 7.6 percent, below the national rate of 8.3 percent. Defense budget cuts and a strategic drawdown in Afghanistan, coupled with the recent withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq, will mean more veterans leaving service and seeking civilian employment in the coming years, Panetta said.” T o read the rest of this post click here.

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This post comes from Military.com. “Jim Giles hopes to ride on a float for Purple Heart recipients in a Veterans Day parade. “I thought one day I might get to ride on that float,” said Giles, 87, a former McKeesport resident who lives in Panama City, Fla., and hopes to get a Purple Heart for wounds he suffered aboard the USS Vincennes during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. Giles is among a growing number of World War II veterans seeking medals they say they earned but never received. The uptick comes as members of the “Greatest Generation” approach or enter their 90s. Sometimes, no one can corroborate their stories because official records are lost or eyewitnesses have died. Many veterans become “heroes lost to history,” said Douglas Sterner, a military historian in Alexandria, Va.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

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This interesting post comes from Yahoo News. ” The U.S. Air Force’s robotic X-37B space plane has celebrated a silent anniversary, surpassing an entire year in Earth orbit on a mystery mission for American military. Meanwhile, a third X-37B space plane mission is being readied, and could even launch later this year, SPACE.com has learned. The X-37B space plane currently orbiting Earth is the second spacecraft of its kind built for the Air Force by Boeing’s Phantom Works. Known as the Orbital Test Vehicle 2, or OTV-2, its classified mission is under the wing of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

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This post comes from the Department of Defense. “The military needs to examine the barriers that can prevent the best people from serving, the director of the Joint Staff said here today. Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney spoke to 1,700 participants in the Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium here in place of Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was scheduled to speak but was called to meetings at the Pentagon and White House. The admiral, who is President Barack Obama’s nominee to be the next commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said the military today is far better than when he joined.” Click here to read the rest of this article.  

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We are very proud to share this great story by DVIDDHUBSNET. “Cpl. Charles P. Barrett, Jr. was engaged in refueling duties for a night combat operation when his fuel truck caught fire. At great personal risk, Barrett successfully drove the burning fuel truck off the airfield, through a construction barrier and clear of all munitions before seeking his own safety. “His loyal devotion to duty in the face of great personal risk was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service,” according to the Navy and Marine Corps Medal citation signed by Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy.” To read the entire story click here!

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This post comes from Boston.com. ” The president who opposed the Iraq war from its outset is thanking those who fought its battles by inviting in a small cross section of the million-plus who served there over the past nine years. The faces of war are reflected in the 200 veterans and their guests attending Wednesday’s dinner. They come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, and span generations, gender and all five branches of the military.” Click here to read the rest of this article.

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This post comes from Market Watch. “By the end of this week, twelve families in Guatemala will have a home. Built with the help of about 100 Amway volunteers, these houses are the direct result of one man`s philanthropic efforts. Tim Foley`s generosity, reaffirmed by his group`s presence in Central America for the 7th time from February 22-29, was recently granted the 2011 Amway Hero Award for Generosity. In the same opportunity, three other giving Amway Independent Business Owners were awarded for their Patriotism, Leadership and Determination.” To read the rest of this article click here.

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