Hero Stories for army family support

Mary Wildes put on a HeroBracelet before her son, 18-year-old Pfc. Matthew Wildes, deployed to Iraq last May, but for some reason Mary could not take the bracelet off. Wildes said she was going to take the bracelet off when Matthew returned from Iraq, but Wildes never got that chance. Wildes saw her son when he took his leave in August, only 23 days before a roadside bomb killed Matthew in Iraq. HeroBracelets offers Gold Star families a way to remember, and Wildes recently received her bracel...

SSG Thomas D. Rabjohn, Us Army Arizona National Guard, OEF On 3 October 2009 SSG Rabjohn made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and friends, while interrogating an IED in Afghanistan. I was with him and saved my life as well as that of our two of our security personnel and countless other lives that day. He will forever be remembered as a  father, friend, mentor, soldier and HERO. Rest in peace my friend. We will see you on the other side when our tour is done. SSG John W. Pinnix,

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is the voice of the 21st century veteran. Founded in June 2004, IAVA is the nation's first and largest non-partisan, nonprofit supporting veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families. IAVA has thousands of active member veterans and more than 120,000 grassroots supporters nationwide. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are in their sixth and seventh years respectively. More than 1.8 million American troops have served in Iraq or ...

Send us stories about YOUR Hero. We'd like to publish them on the HeroBracelets.org Web site. Once a month, we'll select a HeroStory and send the winner a sterling silver custom HeroBracelet. Submit your stories to info@herobracelets.o

Operation Gratitude Twin 500,000th Packages Delivered 2 Paratroopers in Afghanistan Receive Keys to Harley Bikes Based on reporting by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Susan Wilt Combined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Two deployed 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers got a nice surprise when they opened up boxes from Operation Gratitude and each found a set of keys to a new motorcycle in his care package. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. William Fullerton, a squad leader with Comp...

Pfc. Scott G. Barnett 24 Headquarters Company, 412th Aviation Support Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade Concord, California Died of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations in Tallil, Iraq, on January 28, 2010 Pfc. Gifford E. Hurt 19 Battery C, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment, 214th Fires Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Yonkers, New York Died of injuries sustained from a non-combat related vehicle accident in Mosul, Iraq, on January 20, 2010 Pfc. Michael R. Jarr...

Cpl. Donte J. Whitworth, 21 Combat Logistics Regiment 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group Noblesville, Ind. Died as a result of a non-hostile vehicle accident in Anbar province, Iraq. February. 28, 2009 Spc. Brian M. Connelly 26 40th Engineer Battalion, Task Force 1-6, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division Union Beach, New Jersey Died of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by an explosive device in Adhamiya, Iraq, on February 26, 2009 1st Lt. William E. Emmert 36 269th Military Pol...

Ninety-one members of the military from Wisconsin have died as a result of service in Iraq or associated with duties in Iraq. They are: Army Sgt. Earl D. Werner, 38, of Mondovi, died Aug. 28, 2009. Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Naseman, 36, of Racine, died May 22, 2009. Army Spc. Steven J. Christofferson, 20, of Cudahy, died April 21, 2008. Marine Lance Cpl. Dean Opicka, 29, of Waukesha, died April 14, 2008. Marine Cpl. Richard Nelson, 23, of Kenosha, died April 14, 2008. Air Force Staff Sgt. Chr...

Hunt brings wounded Colorado soldiers to Kansas By MONICA SPRINGER The Garden City Telegram GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) -- Soldiers who have been injured spend weeks and months in physical therapy trying to overcome their injuries. And for some, a weekend of hunting and bantering with fellow servicemen helps in the healing process, soldiers said. The second annual Heartland Heroes Hunt brought 13 soldiers and their families stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., to Garden City for a weekend of hunting...

Sargent John Pencih, Army, infantry My son, my hero, Sargent John Penich,KIA oct.16,2008. Kathlene Pencih-Garr