Fitz in the Morning: Troop Salute

I hope everyone will take a moment to think about all of those men and women serving this nation over this holiday season: they are on base eating Christmas dinner in a chow hall, they are overseas in a foreign land calling and emailing home to connect with family and friends, and they are at sea on ships, living and working in the middle of the ocean so that we can all have a happy holiday season. Shannon Connors wrote me to salute her husband, who she is thrilled to have home this year. Today we are saluting Staff Sergeant Martin Connors of the United States Army. Martin has been in the Army for almost 10 years. He works as a combat engineer and he loves what he does. The family has moved around a few times for Martin's service, and he's been away for close to a year until now. The separation has been hard on the couple and especially hard on the kids, but Shannon is thrilled to tell me that Martin will be flying in this weekend to spend the entire holiday season with his loved ones, "I don't need any gifts, because he is coming home for the holidays." Today we salute Staff Sergeant Martin Connors of the United States Army who WILL be spending the holidays with family and friends at home. AND our thoughts and our respect go out to ALL of our troops defending our freedoms wherever they are during this Christmas and New Year's season.

Centuries ago sailors in our Navy rigged sails, manned ropes, and tarred planks to keep our ships at sea. So much has changed. Now, sailors work on some of the highest-tech equipment in the world to keep our fleet in the action. Today we salute Petty Officer Jerad Sheen of the United States Navy. This Bothell Native is a Machinist Mate Nuclear aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Petty Officer Sheen is responsible for operating and maintaining the nuclear propulsion plant on the ship. This is definitely not rigging sails any more. Sheen and everyone on the Eisenhower completed a 7-month deployment at sea earlier this year. Sheen says he enjoys the rigorous challenge the nuclear plant program sets forth.

We love and honor all of our troops here and we're proud to salute them on this show. Even if they're fresh out of boot camp, or leaving next week, we salute those who have made the commitment to this nation. And there is no time in service necessary to be honored here - I am just as thrilled to honor a new recruit as I am to honor a WWII vet who did 30 years. Today we are saluting Simon Peter Hemingway of the United States Army. Simon just graduated from boot camp, and his mother Lorraine McCready is incredibly proud of him. With the last name of Hemingway, those Drill Sergeants probably had some fun with Simon, but it all adds to the strength and character that everyone builds in Basic. Simon has a lot of adventure ahead of him, and his service will help to ensure our American Way of Life. For that, we are so very proud to be saluting Simon Peter Hemingway of the United States Army.

Service to the nation usually comes with a little bit of sacrifice, and today's troop has given up his holidays at home to serve. Today we salute Clayton Mutzinger of the United States Marine Corps. Clayton is just 18 years old and his military journey is just beginning. Stephanie Butcher asked us to salute her cousin Clayton because the entire family is so very proud of him. Clayton JUST left for boot camp in October – that’s important because Clayton and all of the other young recruits earning their stripes will be in boot camp while you are enjoying your Thanksgiving dinner with your family. Marine Corps boot camp lasts 12 full weeks so if he had started on October 1, he chose to sacrifice his family Thanksgiving in order to start his service and of left at the end of the month, he would be missing Christmas too. We should all thank these brave individuals like Clayton Mutziger, who chose to serve over the comforts of home, so that we can all enjoy those comforts.

Many times during the Troop Salute we've mentioned the incredible variety of jobs available in the service – even creative roles like artist and illustrator. Today we salute Sergeant Stanley Lieber of the United States Army. Stanley was born in New York in 1922. He had a natural talent for writing and artistry and was doing it professionally by his teens. In 1942 with war kicking up all over the world, Stanley enlisted in the Army as…what else…an Artist. He joined the Signal Corps where he repaired telegraph lines and poles but was later transferred to the training division where he wrote and illustrated training manuals, training films, slogans, signs, and even the occasional cartoon. After the War, Stanley Lieber continued to work as a writer and illustrator. Late in the 1950's Lieber was fed up with his career and nearly quit but his wife recommended he make one last attempt and submit a superhero idea to a new comic book publisher. That first creation that he sent in was the Fantastic Four. Yes, Stanley Lieber wrote comic books under the pen name of Stan Lee. He went on to create The Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, the X-Men, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, and Marvel's most successful character Spider-Man, along with many others. Stan Lee eventually reshaped Hollywood and entertainment in general, and revolutionized the entire comic book industry. Two years ago this week on November 12th, Sergeant Stanley Lieber died at the age of 95. He will forever be known and loved as Stan Lee.

America is a nation of fighters, a nation of people who demand their freedom, and who are willing to fight for it. Many Americans fully understand and appreciate the contribution that ALL of our troops and all of our services make to our personal freedoms. Not EVERY American can appreciate what the military has done for them, but that’s OK, because freedom means every American has the right to think and feel whatever they want. You may get a day off of work for Veterans Day, but the day is not just a chance to skip work, or to sleep in. The day is an opportunity to reflect on the contributions and the sacrifices that have been made by generations of Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Guardsman; in order for you to enjoy the freedom of this nation. This nation was conceived and drafted by great men who envisioned a land of freedom. But this land and that freedom was WON by our Service people in uniform. We live in the Land of the Free Because of the Brave, and on this Veterans Day, each and every one of us should take some time to reflect on that. Thank a veteran for their service. Ask an elderly family member or friend about their service stories, or their memories of others who served. We are a nation of fighters, built on the bravery and actions of the warriors who came before us.

On November 10th, 1775, the Continental Congress signed an order to create a corps of Marines for the purpose of ship-to-ship fighting, shipboard security, and to assist in landing forces for war. That same day Samuel Nichols and Robert Mullan held the first Marine recruitment drive at the Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, where they raised two battalions of Marines. Since that day The United States Marines have fought in nearly every conflict in the United States History. During World War I, the Marines served a central role in the US entry into the war, including the famous battle of Belleau Wood in France. As the Marines arrived, they found the French forces overwhelmed and retreating. The Marines charged into battle headlong after their commander Captain Williams told the French "Retreat? Hell, we just got here." This battle is largely responsible for the birth of the mystique of the US Marine as an unstoppable fighting force. Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daly, a Marine Corps legend, urged his men on by shouting "Come on you S.O.B.’s, do you want to live forever?" When the outmatched Marines drove the German Army from the region, it was the Germans who nicknamed these fierce soldiers "Devil Dogs", a name that Marines still wear proudly today. Having become one of the finest Amphibious assault forces in the world, the US Marines were a cornerstone of the American efforts in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. United States Marines have distinguished themselves in times of war, and in times of peace throughout the entire history of these United States, and all across the globe. And that is why tomorrow, November 10th, on their 245th birthday, we salute Every Marine, Past, Present, and Future.

There is no denying that families are proud of their troops. Moms and Dads, sisters, grandparents, and all the aunts and uncles. But imagine how the younger brother feels when he looks up to his older brother in uniform. Today we salute Sergeant First Class Kenny Thomas of the United States Army. Kenny’s little brother Kyle Slitherwood from Port Angeles wrote in for this salute because he is that incredibly proud of younger brother to Kenny. Sergeant First Class Thomas has been serving in the Army for over 15 years. Kenny has done six tours in Iraq and the Middle East. He's an outstanding soldier, son, and brother says Kyle. In fact, Kyle says he's the best possible brother a guy could have, and he'll always look up to him. Now stationed at Fort Lewis, Thomas is pretty close to home, and I'm sure Kyle loves having him nearby.

What does it take to feed an entire fleet of sailors? A massive coordinated effort by many highly trained Food Service Specialist. Today we salute Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Jacob Saldana of the United States Navy, who happens to be one of those specialists. Saldana, who is from Mill Creek works aboard the USS Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge is the oldest operational ship in the Navy, and it’s the command ship of the 7th fleet. The Blue Ridge actively works to foster relationships with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region of the world. And Sailors like Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Jacob Saldana keep the crew and the officers of the ship fueled up and working.

Today we salute Joah Cash, who happens to be a friend of Claire's. Joah is a top high school linebacker who had multiple scholarship offers from colleges, but he earned and accepted a full ride to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Joah says he chose the Naval Academy because, even though he was on a sports scholarship all the other schools just talked about football – the Naval Academy talked to him about life after football, and the difference he could make in the world beyond the gridiron. Joah has his sights firmly set on playing in the NFL, but his path takes him through service in the Navy. He will go through the same academic and physical rigors of all the other cadets, and once he graduates, he will be required to serve five years as an officer in the US Navy, which is just right with Joah - he not only embraces it as a way to serve his country, but it also fits in nicely with his other love: Oceanography. Today we salute future Cadet Joah Cash of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. This is a kid with a very bright future!