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Dear Friend of Freedom Alliance,
Thank you for making this Valentine’s Day Special for our wounded warriors and their families.
 Freedom Alliance’s Valentines for the Troops project shows how much the American people support our heroes in uniform. This means so much to them, especially the many wounded soldiers, and their loved ones, who are recovering from combat wounds.
With your help, we did just that.
Because of your overwhelming response of Valentines messages, we were able to not only deliver roses and Valentines to those recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but we sent roses to the wives of deployed sailors from San Diego, California, the mothers of Special Needs children in Bremerton, Washington, and wounded Marines at Naval Medical Center Balboa in San Diego.
 The Marines at Naval Medical Center Balboa, many of whom are recovering from both wounds sustained in combat and others who are suffering serious illness, were thrilled to receive the flowers and Valentines. They especially enjoyed the children who were there to help pass out the roses.
This Valentine’s Day project is part of Freedom Alliance's Support Our Troops program that honors and supports our military heroes, including those who have been wounded and those serving on the frontlines. Your support shows our troops how grateful we are for all that they do.
Thank You for making Valentine’s Day so special for our troops.
 Gratefully,
Thomas P. Kilgannon
President, Freedom Alliance
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On Winning
by
Oliver North
Founder and Honorary Chairman
Freedom Alliance
Helmand Province, Afghanistan – For reasons not altogether clear to me, only brief snippets of FOX News Channel’s broadcasts are carried on the satellite signals available on U.S. military installations here in Afghanistan. That means if I want to watch the news over here, it has to be one of the “major network” shows carried on American Forces Network – or the 24/7 broadcasts of CNN International and Al Jazeera.
That’s how thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen and Marines assigned to these bases learned that their Commander-in-Chief was holding “backyard conversations” in lieu of campaign rallies this election season. And that’s where they heard him talk about how “difficult” the war in Afghanistan has become; how “challenging” and “uncertain” it is; and how the outcome cannot be “a sure thing.”
Read More of this column HERE: Support Freedom Alliance
To Read the other columns in this series, GO HERE to our Common Sense page.
 Scholarship Spotlight: Walter Moss
“The person who had the biggest influence in my life was my father,” said Walter Moss, a new Freedom Alliance scholarship recipient. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for him.”
Walter just started his freshman year at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida where he is studying music production. Prior to college he attended the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas.
Walters’s father, Technical Sergeant Walter Moss Jr. was killed in Iraq in March of 2006. Just three months into his deployment, while trying to defuse a roadside IED, an unexpected second device exploded killing him instantly.
Read More:
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Upcoming Events
7th Annual Marine Corps Marathon and Freedom 5K
October 2, 2010
2nd Annual Early Mustang Club Charity Car Raffle
September 11, 2010
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Scholarship Spotlight:
Kristy Dowdy
 Kristy Dowdy, a Freedom Alliance Scholarship recipient, recently graduated from Louisiana Technical College where she studied to be a nurse.
“My father always told me to follow my heart and pursue everything with a purpose behind it,” said Kristy when she first applied for a Freedom Alliance scholarship in 2007. Read More.
Sailors Enjoy Ruth's Chris Dinner In Chicago
 Is there anything better than a steak dinner from Ruth’s Chris Steak House? On September 9, almost 60 sailors and their families enjoyed a mouth watering feast at the famous restaurant’s Chicago location.
Read More.
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Freedom Alliance. © 22570 Markey Court, Dulles, Virginia 20166. 2009 All rights reserved.
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The Dallas/Ft. Worth Freedom Concert was a Success
We would like to extend a special Thank You for helping us make the Dallas/Ft. Worth concert a success and for your continued support, excitement and commitment to the Freedom Alliance.
Click Here to see more pictures from the Dallas/Ft. Worth Freedom Concert.
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Dear Phil,
I hope you had a great time tonight at the Freedom Concert at the Allen Events Center. Thank you for coming out and helping us celebrate America and her heroes.
 This evening, you had the opportunity to meet some of our Gold Star Families and our scholarship recipients – those whose families have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. One of the scholarship recipients you met is Ashley Cooke, who is a junior at San Antonio College. Ashley is majoring in nursing so she can become a nurse at a military hospital or base, where she will be able to provide care for soldiers and their families.
Ashley’s father, Navy Lieutenant Commander Barry Cooke, was killed in Kuwait when Ashley was four years old. Ashley told us this about her father:
“The sacrifice my father made has been a strong inspiration to me. My father’s military service…has shaped me into the person I am today, as well as helped to shape my future goals. I desire to follow a career that will not only give something back to our military, but to also follow the Lord’s will…and make my father proud of me in all that I do, because I know that he is watching down on me from heaven."
Through our Scholarship Fund, Freedom Alliance honors Americans in our Armed Forces who have been killed or permanently disabled in a combat mission or a training accident by providing college scholarships to their children. You met Ashley Cooke this evening. But she is only one of 200 students to whom we are currently providing scholarships. There will be even more as the years go on.
 I’d like to ask you this favor: If you had a good time at tonight’s Freedom Concert, and you agree with what Sean Hannity and I are trying to do – to help these sons and daughters of American heroes get a college education – then please send us $10 right now. Your gift will not only help us send a special student to college, but it will help honor the service and sacrifice of an American hero.
Thanks again for coming out tonight and please, make a special gift HERE to Freedom Alliance. Your tribute gift not only honors America’s heroes, but reminds their children that their parents’ sacrifice will never be forgotten by a grateful nation.
Semper Fidelis and God Bless,
LtCol Oliver L. North, USMC (Ret.)
Founder and Honorary Chairman
Freedom Alliance
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Another in a series of Freedom Alliance Scholarship Spotlights:
Kate Crooks
Katharine “Kate” Crooks, who recently graduated from West Chester East High School near Philadelphia, begins her Freshman year at Ohio State University in September where she will study Psychology. Kate and her family joined Freedom Alliance at the Freedom Concert in Orlando, Florida on August 14 at the University of Central Florida Arena. They looked on with pride as Kate stood with Lt. Colonel Oliver North on stage and spoke of her dad and his service to our country.
 Kate qualified for a Freedom Alliance scholarship because her father, Kerry Crooks, is a military veteran who is permanently disabled with service-connected injuries. Kerry Crooks served nearly ten years on active duty in both the U.S. Navy and Air Force.
As a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force, Crooks received the Airman’s Medal for heroism following the crash of an RC-135S aircraft at Shemya Air Force Base in Alaska on March 15, 1981. The plane went down in a blizzard at night with Lt. Crooks on board. Though he was badly injured, his actions immediately following the crash were directly responsible for the attempt to save the lives of two other men. His citation for heroism reads in part:
“On that date, Lieutenant Crooks returned to the flaming wreckage, with complete disregard for his own safety, to assist any survivors. Persevering in this extraordinary humanitarian effort, he was able to remove two injured victims before the burning aircraft exploded. The exemplary courage and heroism displayed by Lieutenant Crooks reflect great credit on himself and the United States Air Force.”
 Today, Kate’s father is battling a rare form of cancer and was unable to be with his daughter at the Freedom Concert, but is very proud of what she has achieved so far, and he knows there are many more accomplishments that lie ahead for Kate.
When asked to reflect on Kate’s appearance at the Freedom Concert to honor her father and accept her scholarship, Kerry Crooks said “it meant everything.” He explained how his injuries have been tough on his family over the years. “I know the sacrifices that Kate and the rest of my family have made,” he began, “and to see that they have taken inspiration, rather than shrink into despair or defeatism, from my life’s lessons means the world to me.”
Being at the Freedom Concert and receiving a Freedom Alliance scholarship “has cemented the love of country Kate possesses that goes beyond what she reads in a textbook; these actions demonstrate how many of those in her country truly care,” Crooks said. He explained that achieving a college education will “help her to develop the skills for a better life for her and for others.”
A National Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP) Medal winner, Kate achieved an excellent academic record and earned a spot in the National Honor Society and national honor societies for world languages and art. She also participated in band, drama, chorus, speech, and fencing among many other activities.
James Scanlon, the superintendent of the West Chester Area School District, said of Kate that she is “not only an outstanding student, she is also an outstanding citizen.” Dr. Scanlon noted that she “participates in numerous worthy causes and is passionate in her efforts to reach out to the community.”
Kate’s father said that among those worthy causes were ministering to handicapped veterans. As a teenager, “she would make coffee and donuts and take them to the local veterans hospital. She would visit for hours at a time just so they would have somebody to talk to,” he said.
Mr. Crooks said his daughter wants to study neuroscience/psychology at Ohio State so she can continue to help veterans and others upon her graduation. “She wants to learn and understand what it takes to heal the human mind and effectively meld it with technology,” Crooks said of his daughter. “With that understanding, she will be able to better help those who have served and sacrificed for our country to have a better today and even better tomorrows.”
By providing a scholarship to his daughter, Freedom Alliance is pleased to honor the heroism of Kerry Crooks and all like him who have been injured in service to our country.
Through our Scholarship Fund, Freedom Alliance has supported hundreds of students like Kate. We are now accepting applications for the 2010-2011 academic year. To learn more or to apply for a scholarship, visit www.fascholarship.com.
There will be two more Freedom Concerts this weekend: Friday night at The Orleans in Las Vegas and Saturday night at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego. Be sure to follow us at Facebook and Twitter for all the concert updates.
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Here is another in a series of Freedom Alliance Scholarship Spotlights:
Maria James
Maria James, of Murray, Kentucky, is a junior at Purdue University, where she is majoring in Political Science.
 Her father, Army Lieutenant Colonel Leon James, was killed in action as a result of injuries suffered from an IED blast in Iraq. Maria’s mom, Sylvia, sent us this note after Maria received her Freedom Alliance Scholarship:
“Thank you so much for Maria’s scholarship. We are so grateful. Maria is one of the hardest working young people I know. Even after the death of her father her sophomore year, she brought herself back up and dove into her work and never looked back. She is very active in the ROTC program at Purdue and hopes to be a commissioned officer in the United States Army after four years. As a mother of three daughters, I can see everyday that a college education is so important these days. Their father would not have wanted it any other way. As a widowed mother of three girls, I struggle daily hoping I am making the right decision for their future. With awards like this, it surely helps relieve me of so much. We are truly grateful.”
Maria has been an active member of her school and community. She was Captain of the Basketball team in high school, a member of numerous clubs and organizations and is a Red Cross Swim Aid. Today, Maria is a member of Army ROTC, Campus Crusade for Christ and the Conservative Coalition for American Values.
“I get to tell and show the rest of the world how awesome my dad’s profession is and spread the love of our country to others who have not seen the light. From the way my Dad put his boots on in the morning to his running stature and field artillery experience, he inspired me to exceed and become the best officer I can be,” Maria said.
Freedom Alliance honors Americans in our Armed Forces, who have sacrificed life or limb, by providing educational scholarships to their children.
Through our Scholarship Fund, Freedom Alliance has supported hundreds of students like Maria. We are now accepting applications for the 2010-2011 academic year. To learn more or to apply for a scholarship, visit www.fascholarship.com.
There will be two more Freedom Concerts this weekend: Friday night at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Saturday night at the Allen Event Center in Dallas, Texas. Be sure to follow us at Facebook and Twitter for all the concert updates.
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Freedom Alliance. © 22570 Markey Court, Dulles, Virginia 20166. 2009 All rights reserved.
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26 May, 2010
Dear Patriotic American,
Memorial Day is a time for us to remember that America's freedom is secured by Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen and Marines who risk their lives in the service of our country.
Throughout our history, many of these heroes have made the ultimate sacrifice. This is a time to honor their memory.
Let me tell you about one of these American heroes and how we at Freedom Alliance have tried to honor his service.
 His name was Robert Daniel, a Technical Sergeant in the United States Air Force. In 1977, Robert enlisted in the Air Force, and during his 17 years of distinguished service, participated in Operation Urgent Fury, which rescued American citizens from the island of Grenada in 1983. In 1989 he participated in Operation Just Cause in Panama and flew combat missions in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq.
In 1994, Technical Sergeant Daniel was flying a mission to provide support to U.S. ground forces in Somalia when his plane crashed in the Indian Ocean. He was 35 years old, and left behind his wife and two little girls, Savanna and Tamra.
When it came time for his girls to go to college, Freedom Alliance provided them with scholarships to help them receive the college education that their parents always wanted for them. We are proud that we were able to help Savanna and Tamra Daniel with Freedom Alliance scholarships, and we are grateful that you and many other patriotic Americans made it possible with your support of Freedom Alliance.
In fact, Savannah received a scholarship from Freedom Alliance during each of her four years of college. And here is more good news…earlier this month, Savanna graduated from Park University in Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design.
 Savanna told us: “My father was in the United States Air Force and he was killed in the line of duty when I was five. Honestly, I would rather have my Dad in my life again than having my college paid for, but I am greatly privileged to have a scholarship to fulfill my dreams.”
This year, 201 students – each the son or daughter of an American hero – received a scholarship from Freedom Alliance. Our Scholarship Fund is a Living Memorial to America’s military heroes, who have sacrificed life or limb in defense of our country.
Please CLICK HERE to make your most generous, tax-deductible, Memorial Day gift now!
In addition to the help we provide through our Scholarship Fund, Freedom Alliance helps and honors America’s servicemembers all year round through our “Support Our Troops” program.
Freedom Alliance provides assistance to wounded troops recuperating at military hospitals and those serving on the frontlines of battle. Our goal is to make their rehabilitation or deployment just a little easier.
Throughout the year, we ship care packages – “Gifts From Home” – to troops deployed overseas. These parcels are filled with items that are not available to them in the desert, but make their time away from home a little more bearable. They are filled with items such as candy and snacks, books and magazines, music and movies, and special notes and greetings from caring Americans.
 Last year, we shipped more than 14,000 pounds of “Gifts from Home” care packages, to our troops on the frontlines and have sent thousands more already this year. You can help us continue these efforts by CLICKING HERE to make your special Memorial Day gift now to Freedom Alliance.
These Gifts from Home care packages mean so much to our troops in the field. Cynthia, the mother of Army Staff Sergeant William, who was recently deployed to Afghanistan, sent Freedom Alliance this note of appreciation:
“I am writing to thank you from the bottom of my heart. My son is in Afghanistan and again received Freedom Alliance gift boxes and was so thrilled and thankful for everything you sent. There were enough boxes to share the items inside with his troops. Everyone was very grateful and excited about receiving these items from home. Thank you Freedom Alliance for all you do for our troops!”
 It is our honor to help. Please know that your support makes it possible for Freedom Alliance to support our troops in this way and in the many other projects and programs that honor those who serve our nation in uniform.
Having made many trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, I can tell you how much these “Gifts from Home” mean to our courageous men and women who are far away from home and their families.
 As President Ronald Reagan said on May 26, 1986 at Arlington Cemetery: “Memorial Day is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes …and for us to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others.”
Will you join Freedom Alliance and me to pay tribute to our fallen heroes, our frontline warriors and their families? May we count on you, as together we honor and thank them for the sacrifices they have made for our country?
Semper Fidelis,
LtCol Oliver L. North, USMC (Ret.)
Founder and Honorary Chairman
Freedom Alliance
P.S. Please join me in commemorating Memorial Day by flying Old Glory and saying “Thank You” to a veteran who you know or a service man or woman who is serving our nation today. Please pray for our troops deployed overseas and for their families. |
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Upcoming Benefit Events
The Traverse Bike Race
May 08, 2010
Hard Rock Cafe's Mid-Atlantic Bases Loaded Pin Event
May 15, 2010
7th Annual Outlanders Bike Party
June 05, 2010
Texas Water Safari
June 12, 2010
Miami Valley Freedom Alliance Charity Golf Classic
July 30, 2010
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Wounded Troops Honored at Outdoor Sporting Retreat
 Sixteen wounded Marines and Soldiers were treated to an Outdoor Sporting Retreat last week in Wakefield, Virginia.See how the wounded Marines and Soldiers from Camp Lejeune and Walter Reed Army Medical Center were able to spend some time outside of the hospital while shooting skeet, fishing and archery in Wakefield, Virginia. Read More.
Freedom Alliance Scholarship Recipient Sends His Thanks
 Freedom Alliance recently received this "thank you" email from one of our Scholarship recipients, Christopher Johnson and we wanted to share it with you. Chris’ father, Army Captain Dale Johnson, was 100 percent permanently disabled as a result of his military service and later died. Read More.
The Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund has scholarships available now for the sons and daughters of America's military heroes, who have been killed or 100 percent permanently disabled in service to our country. For additional information and a scholarship application, please go to www.fascholarship.com.
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