155th BCT To Be Honored Thursday At Shelby!!!!!

According to The Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum, which chronicles conflicts from the early 1800s to the present wars in the Middle East, will soon be home to a monument honoring thousands of soldiers who braved the battlefields of Iraq.A monument dedicated to the Mississippi National Guard's 155th Brigade Combat Team will be unveiled Thursday at the museum at Camp Shelby just south of Hattiesburg.Camp Shelby opened in 1917, and tens of thousands of soldiers, including the 155th, which spent most of 2005 in Iraq have trained on its 136,000 acres.The brigade was made up of 3,500 Mississippians and marked the largest deployment of Magnolia State soldiers since World War II -an era in which 100,000 soldiers trained at Camp Shelby.The brigade -with members from Pennsylvania, California, Washington, Texas, Puerto Rico, Virginia, Missouri, New Jersey, South Carolina, Vermont, Utah, and Arkansas - was attached to the II Marine Expeditionary Force.The monument will join the museum's roughly 17,000 artifacts that include an exhibit honoring Mississippi's 26 Medal of Honor recipients and the 44 Medal of Honor recipients who served or trained at Camp Shelby. The monument will be placed so it faces markers dedicated to World War II, said museum director Chad Daniels."One side will be World War II and on the other side will be the global war on terrorism," Daniels said. "The placement is important. The 155th has a lineage with the 31st Infantry Division from World War II, also known as the Dixie Division, which is directly across the street from where the 155th monument is going to be."The 155th deployed from Camp Shelby in January 2005. Fourteen Mississippians died in Iraq. Purple Heart medals were given to 123 soldiers for combat injuries or deaths. Other medals that went to members of the brigade include 328 Bronze Stars, 2,000 Combat Badges and one Silver Star, said Maj. Gen. Harold Cross, Mississippi's adjutant general.The monument "commemorates the service of the Mississippi National Guard personnel and the other service personnel that served with them in Iraq," Daniels said. "It's something that when these fellas come back they can show their children and their relatives, 'Here is something I was a part of."'The museum opened four years ago on a base with a fascinating history. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, the first Japanese-American to serve in Congress, trained at Camp Shelby with the Japanese-American 442nd Regiment. It became one of the most decorated units in the war.Camp Shelby was also a prisoner of war camp that housed thousands of Germans during World War II.Today, the camp is training soldiers for duty in Iraq and other crisis areas. Nearly 20,000 soldiers have trained there since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.Retired Gen. Emmett H. "Mickey" Walker, a decorated World War II veteran and former head of the National Guard Bureau under President Reagan for whom the museum is dedicated, has said the facility at Camp Shelby rivals any military museum in the world.The monument dedication will coincide with the annual Mississippi National Guard Retiree Day, which gives former soldiers a chance to reunite and see the changes being made at the base, said Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Tim Powell.

ARLINGTON

I never thought that this is where I'd settle down.
I thought I'd die an old man back in my hometown.
They gave me this plot of land,
Me and some other men, for a job well done.
There's a big White House sits on a hill just up the road.
The man inside, he cried the day they brought me home.
They folded up a flag and told my Mom and Dad: "We're proud of your son."
And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property.
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done.
I can rest in peace; I'm one of the chosen ones: I made it to Arlington.
I remember Daddy brought me here when I was eight.
We searched all day to find out where my grand-dad lay.
And when we finally found that cross, He said: "Son, this is what it cost to keep us free."
Now here I am, a thousand stones away from him.
He recognized me on the first day I came in.
And it gave me a chill when he clicked his heels, And saluted me.
And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property.
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done.
I can rest in peace; I'm one of the chosen ones: I made it to Arlington.
And everytime I hear twenty-one guns, I know they brought another hero home to us.
And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property.
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
We're thankful for those thankful for the things we've done.
We can rest in peace; 'Cause we are the chosen ones: We made it to Arlington.
Yeah, dust to dust, Don't cry for us: We made it to Arlington.

(as sung by Trace Adkins)

LEST WE FORGET!

Day is done,
gone the sun,
From the hills,
from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well,
safely rest,
God is nigh.
Go to sleep,
peaceful sleep.
May the soldier
or sailor,
God keep.
On the land
or the deep,
Safe in sleep.
Love, good night,
Must thou go,
When the day,
And the night
Need thee so?
All is well.
Speedeth all
To their rest.
Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day,
And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well;
Day has gone,
Night is on.
Thanks and praise,
For our days,
'Neath the sun,
'Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go,
This we know,
God is nigh.

In Valor There Is Hope!

Thank you to all the brave men and women of our armed services; who have given EVERYTHING so that liberty could prevail and the hope of freedom could prosper around the globe as well as here at home! God bless your spirits and be with your families! God be with us all and always always God bless America!

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!!!!!!

Martin Luther King Jr.

Congrats Grads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a good reason they call these ceremonies "commencement exercises."

Graduation is not the end; it's the beginning.

~Orrin Hatch

1 Corinthians Chapter 13 "And The Greatest Of These Is LOVE"....... Happy 21st Anniversary Nate!!! I love you!!!!

1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

ALMOST 21 YEARS!

Nathan and Tracye

May 25, 1985

Love:
Bears All Things
Believes All Things
Hopes All Things
Endures All Things

LOVE NEVER FAILS









Nathan and Tracye 2006

For All You Mother's Out There!!!!

To all the women who have held a tiny hand in theirs as they looked into that tiny face for the first time... What a miracle!
To all the women who have held a tiny hand as their child took those first wobbly steps
To all the women who have held a tiny hand of a child as they went to their first dentist or doctors appointment
To all the women who have held the hand of a child on the first day of school
To all the women who have held the hand of a child on their last day of High School
To all the women who have held the hand of a child a college commencement
To all the women who have held that hand on their child's wedding day and wondered where did the time go...
To all those women who have given birth and given their life to these miracles we call children!
They may grow up but they will never out grow the love we feel for them in our hearts!
Happy mother's day from this mom to you!
God bless you and keep you may his face shine upon you and give you peace!

Love from,

Tracye and all the guys!

Thank You To All Those Who Serve And Protect.... And To All Of Those Who Died In The Line.... We Will Always Remember And Honor You!!!!!

Law agencies remember their own

By Jimmie E. Gates
jgates@clarionledger.com



Lila Whatley and her 8-year-old daughter, Lauren, placed a red rose Monday on the memorial for fallen Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics officers.
Whatley's husband, MBN agent Marc Lee Whatley, was killed in a car crash on Aug. 20, 1998.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety held its annual Peace Officers Memorial for members of the two law enforcement agencies who died in the line of duty.
On Monday, 26 Highway Patrol officers and four MBN officers, dating from 1940, were memorialized during the program outside DPS' headquarters in Jackson.
The tribute included the playing of the national anthem, a 21-gun salute and the laying of a wreath by Gov. Haley Barbour and his wife, Marsha.
Each year, Whatley said she brings her children to the memorial service. It's a long trip for Whatley, who now lives in Connecticut.
"It means a lot. ... It's to keep him (her husband) alive in your heart," Whatley said of the program.
Whatley wiped away tears at one point, but she smiled when she described her late husband.
"He was funny and always had a smile," Whatley said.
"He was the type person everyone wanted to be around."
Harrison County Deputy Sheriff Brandon Ladner said governors and administrations may change, but he is happy respect is still shown for fallen officers.
Ladner's father, state Trooper David Bruce Ladner, was shot April 10, 1987, after stopping a vehicle on a routine traffic violation.
Bruce Ladner died two days later in a Long Beach hospital.
Tracy Hansen, the man who killed him, was put to death by lethal injection in 2002.
"It's a great comfort," Brandon Ladner said of the program. "It's great that people don't forget."

Mississippi Loses A Legend And Our Armed Forces Loses A Friend! So Long; Farewell ..... Sonny!

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Former Mississippi Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery was remembered Friday as a statesman who pushed through legislation improving benefits for servicemen and women in America's volunteer force and who served both his state and nation faithfully.
Montgomery, 85, died Friday at a hospital in his hometown of Meridian after a lengthy illness. Funeral arrangements were incomplete.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to name a national defense authorization bill in his honor.
"Sonny was a giant among congressmen in Mississippi history. The good he did for veterans is a national accomplishment, but he accomplished so much in so many areas that all Mississippians are grateful for his service and leadership," Gov. Haley Barbour said in a statement.
A conservative Democrat, Montgomery was a U.S. representative for an east-central Mississippi district in Congress from 1967 to 1997, and for 13 years chaired the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
"He was a friend of every man and woman who served in the military," said Maj. Gen. Harold Cross, adjacent general for Mississippi. "If we needed him, he was there. He was called `Mr. Veteran' and 'Mr. National Guard' for good reason."
Montgomery was a 35-year military veteran, having served in the Army in Europe during World War II. He returned to active duty during the Korean War as part of the National Guard.
"Sonny will be remembered as a Mississippi statesman with a 30-year dedication to our armed forces and veterans," said Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., who was elected to Montgomery's congressional seat in 1996, the year Montgomery decided not to seek re-election.
"His legacy of public service stretches across generations and across party lines and is a testimony to his vision of strong America that honors our commitments to military service," Pickering said. "The hearts of veterans across our state and country will be beating at half-mast when they hear the news of Sonny's passing."
Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., called Montgomery a friend and "an inspiration not just to other public servants, but to everyone he came across. He was a confidant of presidents who had a down-home relationship with Mississippians that all of us who served with him tried to emulate."
Lott said Montgomery "could have run for a higher office, and he had ample opportunities to advance his career. But he chose to exclusively serve the men and women who elected him for three decades as their representative, with a zeal and determination that was as strong his last day in Congress as it was his first."
U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said Montgomery's "personality and down-to-earth manner enabled him to make friends across the political spectrum."
"His advocacy for our veterans and for a strong national defense will forever be remembered. The success of the Montgomery GI education bill is a tribute to his vision and leadership, and he was the driving force behind the modernization and integration of the National Guard and Reserves that made them key elements in our national defense structure," Wicker said.
Kyle Steward, who was on Montgomery's staff for 14 years as press secretary and legislative director, said his former boss gave politics a good name.
"He was a wonderful Christian gentleman who had a remarkable ability to get along with people and make things happen," Steward said. "He was the guy everyone looked to for leadership throughout his life."
"I had an opportunity to see how hard he worked for Mississippi and for the country, and the fruits of his labor will be with us for generations to come."
Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., described Montgomery as a role model.
"He gave me good advice and by example showed me how a good Congressman stayed in touch with his constituents and listened to them," Cochran said. "He was a credit to our state and to the Congress."
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., agreed. "Congressman Montgomery dedicated his life to serving the people of Mississippi and our nation, Thompson said. "I've always respected him and appreciated his leadership. During the four years that we served together Congress, he was a well-respected statesman of the highest order."
Besides the Montgomery GI. Bill, the congressman's name is also on the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Jackson, the Naval Reserve Training Center at Naval Air Station Meridian, the Sonny Montgomery Airport at Forest and the Mississippi Air National Guard's C-17 Globemaster II transport plane is dubbed "The Spirit of G.V. 'Sonny' Montgomery."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Tell Them Thank You!

I got this email the other day and decided to share it with you!


Here are two very very touching photos honored at this years International Picture of the Year.
First Place
















First PlaceTodd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.
During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful: "See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home," he said. "The! y will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should."
Second Place














Second PlaceTodd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. "I think it would be kind of n! ice if you kept doing it," she said. "I think that's what he would have wanted."


A Simple Thank You
Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.
No, he responded.
Heading out I asked?
No. I'm escorting a soldier home.
Going to pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq. I'm taking him home to his f! amily.
The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.
Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive ! his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."
Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.
So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live t! he way we do.
Stuart Margel, Washington, D.C.

"No arsenal, no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. - - - Ronald Reagan

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Kids,
Don't be alarmed, the world isn't coming to an end. I am simply taking a bath. It will take about 30 minutes and will involve soap and water. Yes, I know how to swim. Even if I didn't, forcing myself to drown in a half-inch of lukewarm water is more work than I've got energy for. (Which reminds me, I'm all for science projects, but the next time you want to see if Play-Doh floats, use cold water.) Don't panic if I'm not out right on time. I've heard that people don't dissolve in water and I'd like to test the theory. While I'm in the tub, I'd like you to remember a few things, the large slab of wood between us is called a door. Do not bang to hear my voice. I promise that even though you can't see me, I am on the other side. I'm not digging an escape tunnel and running for the border, no matter what I said a while ago, I didn't mean it. Honest. There will be plenty of time later to tell me about your day. Later means at a time when I am no longer naked, wet, and contemplating bubble gum in the blow dryer. I know you have important things to tell me. Please let one of them be that you have invented a new way to blow bubbles, not a new way to add gum to your hair. Believe it or not, shouting, "TELEPHONE!" through the closed bathroom door will not make the phone stop ringing. Answer it and take a message. Since Amazing Mind-Reading Mom has the day off, you'll need to write that message down. Use paper and a pencil. Do not use your brother and the laundry marker. We can't send him to school with telephone-number tattoos. Water makes me wet, not deaf. I can still tell the difference between the sound of "nothing" and the sound of a child playing the piano with a basketball. I can also hear you tattling at the top of your lungs. I'm choosing not to answer you. Don't call your dad at work and tell him I am unconscious in the bathroom. He didn't appreciate it last time. He won't appreciate it this time. Trust me. No matter how much I would like it, water does not make me forgetful. I remember who you are and why you are grounded. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to play. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to use the bathroom. If someone is in our other bathroom, you will just have to think dry thoughts and wait. Unless you have four feet and a tail, do not think of going outside to "water" the lawn. I know the dog does it. The neighbors don't feel the need to call me when the dog does it. Unless the house catches on fire, stay inside and keep the doors locked. Do not go outside and throw rocks at the bathroom window to get my attention. I know it works in the movies. This is reality, the place where people don't like to sit in a tub while rocks and broken glass rain in on them. Do not set the house on fire.
Call me if there is an emergency.
Emergencies are:
1. Dad has fallen off the roof.
2. Your brother and/or sister is bleeding.
3. There's a red fire truck in front of our house.
Emergencies are not:
1. Dad has fallen asleep.
2. Someone on TV is bleeding.
3. There's a red pickup truck in front of our house.
One other thing:
Being forced to use the last roll of toilet paper for a towel does not make me happy. It makes me sticky with little white polka dots. In the future, when anything in the bathroom overflows, use a mop to clean up the water instead of every towel in the house. For my sanity's sake, let's pretend it was the tub, O.K.? No, I don't want to hear the real story. Ever. Especially not while I'm standing in the pool of water you missed. (P.S. All Play-Doh experiments are canceled.) Be good. Entertain yourselves. Yes, you can do both at the same time. Try coloring, playing a game, or paying that stack of bills on the coffee table. I'll be out soon. Maybe.
Love, Mom

Save Mammogram Coverage Contact Your Senator Today

The U.S. Senate is about to eliminate guaranteed insurance coverage for mammograms and other vital cancer screenings.
As an active American Cancer Society Relay For Life volunteer, we're asking you to help stop them. Imagine you or a loved one getting your mammogram or other cancer screening and then being told the insurance company refuses to cover it.
How Can You Help?
Email your Senators Now
Click here to send a quick email to your U.S. Senators Now. Tell them to Save Mammograms and OPPOSE S.1955.
If passed, insurance companies would no longer have to cover mammograms and other life-saving cancer screenings. Pap smears, colonoscopies, prostate cancer screenings, clinical trials, and off-label drug use are all at risk of no longer being covered by insurance companies! Email your U.S. Senators right now. Tell them to oppose S.1955.
What cancer screenings are at risk in your community? Select this link to see a chart of the cancer screenings that you and others may lose access to if this bill passes.
Your work raising money in your community through Relay has played an invaluable role in our shared goal of eliminating this terrible disease. Taking action by emailing your senators will help ensure that people in your community have access to the life-saving cancer screenings they need to prevent cancer or detect it at an early stage.
Your senators need to hear from you – their constituent – that this bill is unacceptable. Tell them to oppose S.1955.
Senators are influenced by what they hear from their constituents. If they don't hear from you, they will assume that you just don't care. We know this is not the case. That is why we ask you to select this link to email them right now. We know Relayers, and we know you care. It's time for Congress to know that, too.
Email your Senators right now and tell them to oppose S.1955. Otherwise, more lives will be lost to cancer.
Visit our Save Mammograms campaign page to learn more about this campaign and what else you can do to help keep mammograms covered by insurance.
Thank you for your involvement in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life and for all you do to help save lives.

In Memory And Honor Of My DaddyLone! My Grandfather John Pat Malone Sr.

I HAD A GRANDFATHER
by Francine A. McLean

I had a Grandfather I’ve never known,
I never held his hand,
I never heard his voice,
I never saw him smile.
I’ve never looked into his eyes, ‘nor he into mine,
We’ve never taken a walk together,
Never played a game,
Never shared a secret.
I’ve never been able to ask his opinion,
Never heard him tell the stories of his youth,
Never seen his eyes light up with enthusiasm,
Never been able to ask his advice.
But as surely as I am alive, so then is he,
I see him in my face, in the eyes that are so much like his,
I feel his gentle touch in every kind gesture I have ever made,
His courage and his spirit in every challenge I have ever faced.
Long ago before I was ever even a thought,
He made a choice to protect and to serve, And that choice took him too young and too soon,
But that choice also saved so many.
Yes, I had a Grandfather I have never known
But because I have never known him,
Because he gave his life,
I’d like to think that somewhere, someone else
Someone he ‘nor I will ever know…
Has their Grandfather’s hand to hold.

Take Time To Remember What Is REALLY Important

Last Day Of My Life
By Phil Vassar

I just left Bobby's house:
The service was today.
Got me thinkin' about how fragile life is,
As I drove away.
You know Amy was his only love,
In a moment she was gone, long gone:
It could have been me or you.
Oh, baby, there's no time to lose.
So I'm gonna bring home a dozen roses,
And pour us a glass of wine.
And I'm gonna put on a little music,
And turn down the lights.
And I'm gonna wrap my arms around you,
And rock you all through the night,
And I'm gonna love you,
Like it's the last day of my life.
I drive off when the sun comes up:
I get back when it's gone down.
There's so much I wanna do with you,
But I can't be around.
Whoa, time has been just like a thief,
It's stolen too much from us,
So one it's gone we can't make it up.
So tonight, let's get back in touch.
I'm gonna bring home a dozen roses,
And pour us a glass of wine.
And I'm gonna put on a little music,
And turn down the lights.
And I'm gonna wrap my arms around you,
And rock you all through the night,
And I'm gonna love you,
Like it's the last day of my...
Life is a rainbow, it's a spring snow,
It's the mornin' dew.
And I don't wanna waste another minute,
Without you.

FREAKY EMAIL I GOT TODAY!!!!!

VERY INTERESTING -
1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq.
2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!
3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.
4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq.
5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!
6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq!
7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.
8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.
9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel.
10. Amos cried out in Iraq!
11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.
12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq!
13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the fiery furnace!)
14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall"in Iraq.
15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.
16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.
17. The wise men were from Iraq.
18. Peter preached in Iraq.
19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon,which was a city in Iraq!
And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most oftenmentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq!However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names usedIn the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots. Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq. And also... This is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages...
The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible)
Koran (9:11) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken afearsome Eagle The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.
(Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?! God Bless you all Amen !


Jonathan beside the Euphrates River

Hail Dear Ole State.... Thanks For The Memories Dr. Sills!

In Memoriam....Dr. Kent Sills

Dr. Kent Sills died at his home in Starkville on May 3, 2006. He was 72 years old.
Dr. Sills began his teaching career as Band Director at Lumberton (MS) High School in 1956 before accepting a similar position at Clarksdale High School in 1961. He joined the staff at Mississippi State University in 1967 as Assistant Director of Bands and in 1983 was appointed only the sixth director in the band's 100 year storied history. He served as Director of Bands and Professor of Music Education at Mississippi State University until his retirement in 1999.
While at Mississippi State he founded the MSU Stage Band (1967), established the MSU Jazz Band Festival, the MSU Junior High Band Festival, and directed the "Famous Maroon Band" at MSU football and basketball games.
Dr. Sills also served as the Manager and Director of the Mississippi Lions All-State High School Band from 1983 until 1997. Under his leadership, the Lions Band won seven international championships and never finished lower than second place in any competition, performing in Asia, Australia and across North America.
A graduate of Kosciusko (MS) High School, Dr. Sills held a Bachelor of Music Education degree (1956) and master of Education degree (1959) from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also held a master of Music degree (1967) and Doctor of Arts (1977) from the University of Mississippi. In 1996 he was awarded as "Outstanding Contributor to Bands to the State of Mississippi" by Phi Beta Mu, and in 2000 was selected for the Mississippi Bandmasters Hall of Fame.
From 1954 through 1960 Dr. Sills traveled throughout the country performing with his popular swing band "Kent Sills and His Southerners." He also was a veteran of the U.S. Army and performed with the U.S. Army Reserve Band. Throughout his career he served as adjudicator and conductor at numerous band festivals and clinics.
He is survived by his wife, Nora Sills of Starkville, a son, Dr. Allen Kent Sills, Jr. of Collierville, Tennessee and grandchildren, Hannah and Tyler.
Call hours will be Saturday, May 6 from 5:00-8:00 pm and Sunday, May 7 from 1:00-2:30 pm at First Baptist Church in Starkville. Service to be held Sunday at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be made to the MSU Foundation Band Hall Fund, P.O. Box 6092, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

On Behalf Of Police Week