----- Original Message -----
From: Osborn LtCol Roy
To:
Sent: 11/18/2004 8:33:41 PM
Subject: FW: Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

To All,
For those interested in a good cause.
VR
Ozzie
LtCol Roy A "Ozzie" Osborn
HMM-263(REIN)
"Thunder Chickens"

Subject: Fw: Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

All Hands:

This is from Sandy Hejlik. Sandy is the wife of a Marine deployed in Iraq.

As you all can see from the Board of Directors, the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund (IMSFF) is of the highest caliber.

Any and all support you can give to the IMSFF is appreciated by all the Marine families involved.

Thanks and Semper Fi, Sandy,

Seamus

Subject: Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

> Seamus, IMSFF was recently featured on 60 Minutes. Please send this text only version to your largest data base. It has already touched many families here. Thank you so much! Sandy
>
> www.semperfifund.org
>
> INJURED MARINE SEMPER FI FUND
> Serving Those Who Preserve Our Freedom
>
> Board of Directors
> General Alfred Gray, USMC, Retired
> LtGen Gregory Newbold, USMC, Retired
> MajGen J. Michael Myatt, USMC, Retired
> SgtMaj Lonnie Sanders, USMC Retired
> Karen Guenther
> Rene Bardorf
> Liz Quist
> Wendy Lethin
>
> IMSFF Executive Committee
> Karen Guenther, President ~ Rene Bardorf, Vice President ~ Liz Quist, Treasurer ~ Wendy Lethin, Secretary
>
> Today more than 174,000 active duty and 37,000 reserve Marines protect the United States of America. A significant percentage of them deploy overseas to bravely serve our nation in hotbeds of violence like Iraq and Afghanistan. This commitment is not without a cost. In fact, Department of Defense statistics indicate 1,854 Marines wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 19 March 2003 through 4 September 2004.
>
> These battle-injured warriors are returned to the United States after being stabilized at military hospitals in Germany. Upon arrival in the United States, initial critical care is typically provided at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Depending on the type and severity of the injuries, initial or continued hospitalization may occur at other military, civilian, or veteran hospitals located throughout the United States. Hospital stays can extend for months and follow-on rehabilitative care for years.
>
> Injury to a Marine causes an immediate crisis for their entire family. Loved ones will travel at a moments notice, and often a great distance, to be at the bedside of their wounded Marine. These hospital stays are almost never short. While they support their Marine, families stay in hotels, drive rental cars, pay for three meals a day and incur numerous additional living expenses. Not infrequently, one or more family members have to take leave without pay from their job. These circumstances create an unexpected financial hardship during what is already a very stressful time.
>
> The Marine Corps goes above and beyond to support Marines and their families but there are limits to the amount of funding available to accommodate the families of injured Marines. The Marine Corps can only provide financial assistance to two family members for a limited period of time. However, Marines typically need the support of more than two individuals over the course of their recovery. For example, a young married Marine with a wife and two small children may at first require the support of his spouse. Eventually the Marine's spouse must return home to care for the children and parents may step in to provide comfort to the injured Marine. As time passes, Mom and Dad may need to return to work and a sibling may arrive until the spouse can return again. Defense Department funding is not available to extended family members or for the reimbursement of expenses for rental cars, long-term childcare, or lost income.
>
> In recognition of this obvious shortfall, on May 18, 2004 a small group of concerned Marine Corps spouses founded the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund to provide financial assistance nationwide to individual Marines and Sailors, and families of those injured serving our Nation. This summer, the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps. a retired sergeant major, and two retired general officers joined them. By late September 2004 the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund had already assisted over 100 families with more than $165,000.
>
> The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund provides financial grants and other resources to injured Marines, Sailors, and their families. The Fund works closely with the Marine Corps, Navy, and hospitals nationwide to identify and assess the needs of specific families. The application process for a grant is simple yet thorough, and assistance is typically delivered in less than 72 hours. The mission is to provide immediate and real financial assistance during this extraordinarily stressful time. The Funds mission is accomplished when the financial stresses are alleviated so our brave Marines and Sailors can focus on the important job of physical and emotional healing.
>
> Fund Specifics: The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and all donations are tax deductible. The IMSFF has no paid positions and relies upon volunteers, donors, and gratuitous services. To contribute to the fund please send your donations to:
>
> Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
> 825 College Blvd Suite 102
> PMB 609
> Oceanside, CA 92057
>

www.semperfifund.org

George W. Bush on the Semper Fi Fund

Transcript

George W. Bush Delivers Remarks to Military Personnel and Families

7 December 2004

Thank you all. Thank you for the warm welcome. It was getting a little quiet back at the White House... so
I decided to drop in on the Devil Dogs. Thank you for coming out to say hello.
I've been looking forward to this for quite a while. It's a pleasure to be with so many squared-away, gung
ho United States Marines.
I'm here to thank you for serving our country in a time when we need you.
In the season when Americans stop to count their blessings, I want you to know one of America's greatest
blessings is the men and women who wear our nation's uniform.
And many of you are blessed by having a husband or a wife or a son and daughter who stand with you
during this time of sacrifice. Our nation is blessed because of our military families.
Your fellow citizens are proud of you and so is your commander in chief.
I appreciate Secretary of the Navy Gordon England for joining us today. I want to thank Major General
Tim Donovan for his leadership. I want to thank Brigadier General James Williams for being here as well.
I want to thank all the state and local officials. I want to thank the military families.
But most of all I want to thank the United States Marine Corps.
Last month Marines across the world broke out their dress blues to celebrate the 229th birthday of the
Corps. But the men and women of Camp Pendleton's 1st Marine Expeditionary Force marked the
occasion a little differently: by fighting the enemies in Iraq.
As one Pendleton Marine near the front lines put it, "This is what we as Marines do. It is where the
American people expect us to be."
The Marines of Camp Pendleton are serving our nation with valor and integrity. This is the home of the
1st Marine Division, one of America's oldest and most decorated units.
In Korea, the Marines of the 1st Division were surrounded at the Chosin Reservoir by 10 divisions of
Chinese troops.
When Colonel Chesty Puller heard the news, he said, "They've got us right where we want them. We can
shoot in every direction now."
He wasn't bluffing.
The 1st Marine Division made it out, destroying seven enemy divisions and upholding the great tradition
of the Corps.
That courage, determination and devotion to duty have made the United States Marines one of the most
feared and respected fighting forces in the world.
And in these dangerous times, when terrorists seek to harm our families and murder free citizens,
Americans are thankful that the Marines are on the front line, taking the fight to the enemy.
© 2004 FDCHeMedia, Inc.
Since I took office almost four years ago, I have visited our troops around the world. And one of my first
stops as the commander in chief was right here in Camp Pendleton.
BUSH: It was in the summer of 2001. I told you that day, because you were Marines, you would be asked
to perform our nation's most difficult and dangerous missions. Since that day, you have performed every
mission with honor and with courage and with commitment.
In the war on terror, you fought freedom's enemies from the caves and mountains of Afghanistan to the
deserts and cities of Iraq.
Marines of Camp Pendleton's 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit were the first conventional forces to fight in
Operation Enduring Freedom. They deployed hundreds of miles into a landlocked country, helped seize
the Kandahar airport, hunted down the Taliban and Al Qaida fighters, and helped to liberate more than 28
million people from one of the world's most brutal regimes.
If any of you were in that 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I want you to hear what's happening today.
Today the vice president of the United States and the secretary of defense are in Kabul for the
inauguration of Afghanistan's first Democratically elected president.
Afghanistan has been transformed from a haven for terrorists to a steadfast ally in the war on terror, and
the American people are safer because of your courage.
When America led a coalition to enforce the demands of the free world and to end the regime of Saddam
Hussein, the Marines of Camp Pendleton made us proud once again. When the appointed hour came,
the 1st Marine Division rolled across the border, pressing more than 500 miles over the Iraqi desert in
less than one month.
Backed by the 1st Force Service Support Group and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing you helped liberate the
Iraqi capital, pulled down the statues of the dictator and pushed north to secure the homeland of Tikrit.
You drove Saddam Hussein from his palace into a spider hole.
And now he sits in an Iraqi prison awaiting justice.
Because of your bravery, because of your skill, America and the world are a safer place.
In recent days the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force has once again shown America's purpose and resolve,
this time in Fallujah. Block by block, building by building, Marines and soldiers and Iraqi security forces
took that city back from the terrorists and the insurgents.
And when the smoke is cleared, we saw once again the true nature of the enemy. We found bloodstained
torture chambers where hostages had been executed. We found videos of beheadings and brutal
terrorist attacks. We found travel documents of foreign terrorists and equipment of forging Iraqi passports
to make the foreign fighters appear to be Iraqi insurgents. We found more than 600 improvised explosive
devices, including an ice cream truck that had been loaded with bombs for terrorist attacks.
In the battle for Fallujah, the terrorists hid weapons in a cemetery. They hid ammunition in private homes.
They hid bombs in mosques. But they could not hide from the United States Marines.
We have dealt the enemy a severe blow. The terrorist Zarqawi has lost his main sanctuary in Iraq.
The Baathists insurgents have lost one of their main bases of operation.
We seized tons of weapons and shut down terrorist bomb-making factories, killed more than 2,000 enemy
fighters, and captured thousands more.
The enemies of freedom in Iraq have been wounded, but they're not yet defeated. They'll keep on
fighting. And so will the Marine Corps.
Next month, the Iraqis will vote in free and democratic elections.
As election day approaches, we can expect further violence from the terrorists. You see, the terrorist
understand what is at stake. They know they have no future in a free Iraq, because free people will never
choose their own enslavement.
They know democracy will give Iraqis a stake in the future of their country. When Iraqis choose their
leaders in free elections, it will destroy the myth that the terrorists are fighting a foreign occupation and
make clear that what the terrorists are really fighting is the will of the Iraqi people.
The success of democracy in Iraq will also inspire others across the Middle East to defend their own
freedom and to expose the terrorists for what they are: violent extremists on the fringe of society with no
agenda for the future except tyranny and death.
So the terrorists will do all they can to delay and disrupt free elections in Iraq. And they will fail.
As Iraqi President al-Yawer said in the Oval Office yesterday, the Iraqi people are anxious to go and cast
their votes and practice, for the first time in 45 years, their right and duty of voting. Free elections will
proceed as planned.
The United States has a vital interest in the success of a free Iraq. A free Iraq will be a major victory in the
war on terror.
Free nations do not export terror.
Free nations listen to the hopes and aspirations of their people. Free nations are peaceful nations. And a
free Iraq will make America more secure and the world a peaceful place.
America and our coalition have a strategy in place to aid the rise of a stable democracy in Iraq. To help
the Iraqi government provide security during the election period we will increase U.S. troop strength by
about 12,000 personnel, for a total of 150,000 troops.
As the election approaches, coalition forces will continue hunting the terrorists and the insurgents. We'll
help the people of Fallujah and other cities to rebuild and to move forward.
We'll continue training Iraqi security forces, so the Iraqi people can eventually take responsibility for their
own security. Some Iraqi units have performed better than others, as you know. Some Iraqis have been
intimidated enough by the insurgents to leave the service to their country. But a great many are standing
firm.
In Fallujah, Iraqis fought alongside our soldiers and Marines with valor and determination. One American
soldier who saw them up close in combat said they really excelled: kicking in the doors, clearing the
houses, running out into fire to pick up wounded Marines.
The Iraqi security forces made up about 20 percent of the forces in Fallujah. They're killing the terrorists,
blocking the escape routes, and saving American lives.
These brave Iraqis are fighting for their freedom, and we are proud to stand by their side.
Our coalition is determined to help them succeed.
We're working to develop a core of well-trained senior and mid-level Iraqi officers. After all, Iraqi soldiers
want to be led by Iraqis.
NATO trainers are already in Iraq, and the alliance will soon develop a new training center for the Iraqi
security forces at a military academy outside of Baghdad. We'll help the Iraqi government build a force
that no longer needs coalition support, so they can defend their own nation and then American soldiers
and marines can come home with the honor they have earned.
Our success in Iraq will make America safer for us and for future generations. As one Marine sergeant put
it, "I never want my children to experience what we saw in New York, at the Pentagon and in
Pennsylvania." He said, "If we can eliminate the threat on foreign soil, I would rather do it there than have
it come home to us." That's why we're on the offensive today in Fallujah and Mosul, Ramadi and North
Babil.
We're getting after the terrorists. We're disrupting their plans.
We're holding the state sponsors of terror equally responsible for terrorist acts. We're working to prevent
outlaw regimes from gaining weapons of mass murder and providing them to terrorists. We will stay at
these efforts with patience and resolve, and we will prevail.
The time of war is a time of sacrifice, especially for our military families. Being left behind when a loved
one goes to war is one of the hardest jobs in the military. It is especially hard during the holidays. Families
here at Camp Pendleton endure long separation. Carrying these burdens, you serve our country.
America is grateful for your service.
Our nation also honors the men and women who've been injured in the line of duty. I met some of these
Americans. This Saturday I'll be going to Bethesda to meet more. Many face a hard road ahead. They've
inspired their comrades with their strength of will.
General Sattler recently visited with some of the wounded in the Fallujah campaign. One Marine was
pretty beat up, but when he saw the general he lifted his hand and said, "Sir, I've still got my trigger finger.
I can get back out there." That is the spirit of the Corps.
And America will show the same sense of duty. We will provide the best possible medical care for every
American service member wounded in action.
And some of you have lost comrades and family members in the war on terror. Words can only go so far
in capturing the grief and sense of loss for the families of those who have died. But you can know this:
They gave their lives for a cause that is just. And as in other generations, their sacrifice will have spared
millions from the lives of tyranny and sorrow.
America prays for the families of the fallen, and we stand with the families of the fallen, and their sacrifice
will always be remembered.
In the last four years I've seen and the world has seen the courage and the skill and the decency of the
United States military. You are a great force for good in this world. The American people know it and they
are behind you. Your service and sacrifice has touched the hearts of our people and inspired millions to
show their gratitude.
Last month I met a 15-year-old from California named Shawna Fleming, who collected a million thank you
letters for our military personnel.
In Washington, D.C. Vietnam vet Steve Cobb and his wife Tanya have been coming out regularly to
Andrews Air Force base to meet wounded service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Those
two good folks welcome the troops home and they offer whatever help they can provide.
Steve earned four Purple Hearts and the Silver Star in Vietnam, but this is what he says. He said, "When I
came home, there was nobody but demonstrators to meet our troops. I never wanted to see another
generation of troops come home without being welcomed and appreciated."
In Massachusetts a contractor named John Gonsalves heard about a soldier who'd lost both legs in a
RPG attack in Iraq, so he started Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit dedicated to building and adapting
homes for disabled veterans with special needs.
John says the war on terror is something the American people should all be a part of, not just the people
on the front lines in Afghanistan and in Iraq. He says we have a responsibility to do more for our veterans
who are out there fighting every day and putting their lives on the line.

Here at Camp Pendleton, a nurse named Karen Guenther saw the financial strain on the families of the
injured sailors and Marines. Many spend weeks, even months away from home standing by their loved
ones recovering at a military hospital. They struggle with the costs of food and lodging and travel and lost
income.
So she and other Marine spouses started the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund to raise money for those
struggling military families. Since its founding here six months ago, it has grown into a national
organization that has helped over 300 military families across the United States with more than $400,000
in grants.
As the wife of a wounded Marine recently put it, "There was no red tape, they just helped. Had it not been
for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund I would not have been able to pay my bills for the past three
months or stay at my husband's bedside."

These examples represent the true strength of the country: the heart and souls of your fellow citizens.
And they make America proud.
Across our country Americans are coming together to surround our deployed forces and wounded
warriors with love and support.
We should be doing more.
So I want to speak to our fellow citizens who might be listening today. I urge every American to find some
way to thank our military and to help out the military family down the street.
The Department of Defense has set up a Web site, americasupportsyou.mil. If you are interested in
finding out how you can help, go to americasupportsyou.mil. You can go there to learn about efforts in
your own community to say you support our troops.
In this season of giving, let us stand with the men and women who stand up for America, our military.
Every man and woman who serves at Camp Pendleton and all who wear the Marine Corps uniform are
part of a great history. As the general mentioned, 63 years ago today, our nation was attacked at Pearl
Harbor. And soon the United States Marines were storming beaches and engaging the enemy in distant
lands, in places like Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. Our fathers and our grandfathers struggled and sacrificed
to defend freedom.
And today in places like Fallujah and North Babil, this generation of Marines is fighting to extend freedom.
Today's war on terror will not end with a surrender ceremony on the deck of a battleship. But it will end
with victory.
Just as we defeated the threats of fascism and imperial communism in the 20th century, we will defeat
the threat of global terrorism. And we will help the people of liberated countries to rebuild and to secure a
future of freedom and peace.
© 2004 FDCHeMedia, Inc.
I have confidence in our country and I have faith in our cause.
There's still important work ahead, yet the outcome is assured.
History moves toward freedom, because the desire for freedom is written in every human heart.
And the cause of freedom is in the best of hands. It's in the hands of people like the United States Marine
Corps.
The United States Marines will fight, in the words of the Rifleman's Creed, until victory is America's and
there is no enemy.
May God bless you and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

George W. Bush