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My original songs are coupled with my efforts to help others. They reflect heart felt sincerity and honesty. I don't just write them , I live them by living up to them by putting into practice what I advocate.
In 2012 ,Wounded Warrior Project, (www.woundedwarriorproject.org) is continuing doing a great on going job serving Wounded Veterans Disabled Vdeterans and their families and Gold Star Families of those who made the Supreme Sacrifice .Legacy of Honor Hero Scholarships. I shared the following with many in the Military and Government and a form of it has became a reality.Salute them with sincerity. It’s your tour of duty now. It is your turn for sacrifice. Don’t let them stand alone. This is not political. When it comes to honoring our heroes we are not the red or blue states. We are the United States. It is our time to do more than wave flags. God Bless America! Did some one from your area make the Supreme Sacrifice in the Mid-East or Iraq war? Were there others who were disabled? May you be able to reach out with love and support to their children and dependents like other cities did during the 1991 Gulf war? They adopted the educational responsibility of children whose parents were killed or disabled. The scholarships could also extend to disabled veterans and their immediate family. I would like you to evaluate with a caring heart a unique way to honor those who were so young they never had the chance to marry and start a family. The education that was promised to them went unclaimed. The only education they learned is that war stops lives and dreams. There were many young men and women who joined the services for the education they would receive. Some of our young fallen and disabled heroes were right out of High School. More of our soldiers come from families of modest means who would have difficulty in affording a top notch education at a major college. In the case of those who were taken from this life at so young an age those they did not have the opportunity to start a family, a posthumous scholarship would be awarded to sisters or brothers? If they were an only child the grieving parents could select the person who would receive the scholarship which would bear the name of the hero. Educationial Transfer is like an organ donor who gives someone else the gift of lifeThe siblings of our deceased heros will not have to put their lives at risk for the purpose of bettering their lives by increasing their potential for a fuller life by improving their education. The American Dream can be elusive to those at the lower end of the financial spectrum. The war in the Mid-East has been a war where true sacrifice and loss for the majority was limited. The majority of loss was shouldered by minorities and families of modest means. Too many times men and women pulled their tours of duty and made it home safely, only to be called up again. Some of these never returned home alive. America was built on sacrifice and courage. It is our time to step up and do our part. The Marine Scholarship Foundation is an excellent example to emulate. Form a committee in your church to work with other faiths and service groups in your community to develop the noble agenda of creating an educational fund or foundation. If this is to be a truly American effort, it must involve us all in making a small sacrifice. If only everyone in a city would give a little. We would rise up in the spirit of loving our Country, out of the many one. E PLURIBUS UNUM. It could bring together the community with a common compassionate cause unifying and strengthening America. It is time to put the Red or Blue States behinds us and acknowledge who and what we are. We are the Red White and Blue United States. We are in need of national healing, putting political divisions aside. Our hero’s dependents and disabled veterans are in need of our healing help! Too many veterans end up on the streets. Salute them with sincerity. It’s your tour of duty now your turn for sacrifice. Don’t let them stand alone… God Bless America! On the web site http://icasualties.org/oif/ the [Bleich Galley Directory | Home Page]
"Putting Living Human Being Faces on cold lifeless statistics ".This plan can heal America while it heals and assist in the fulfillment the dreams of our deserving Veterans. To keep it free of partisan politics it would be sponsored by bipartisan Past Heroes who received a Purple Hearts, who after serving in the Military now serve or have served their Country in politics. May you write some of them and ask them to exercise their leadership. Prominent among them are Vice Pres. Dole; Sen. John Mc Caine; Sen Kerry; Sen. Inouye; Rep. Murtah; and the Gentleman from Georgia who lost his reelection bid. There are many others I may not be aware of their Purple Heart awards. The primary idea is a personal home page focusing on injured Veterans and the needs of Gold Star families who lost a loved one to war. Some of these individuals do not have the advantage of having a community prepared to help them. Through the use of a few photos that could be interchangeable and their personal mission statements about future dreams and the reason behind them. With the Aid of photograph and possible videos, the veteran and their families would be come a human realty that could touch the hearts of other Americans to reach out and help them. It is effective concept of an updated home page that would create a place where you can find and direct your aid to help a specific deserving Veteran of your choice. These individual need your all around all American support. It is not enough to have a Congressman in the House read off the name of a soldier who was injured or who made the supreme Sacrifice from their district. This bipartisan action plan could involve the public to take respect to a real level of tangible support that goes beyond surface patriotic display or political posturing that serves a political party more than injured soldiers and families who need your help. . A parade in town and the waving of Flags for a returning injured Veteran or perhaps the flag draped coffin of a local young man who made the Supreme sacrifice does more for those who stand along the roadside than the injured Veteran or the family of the deceased. It should provide the impetus for positive action programs to come to the fore. I read about Lt. Eddie Rebrook how they cut away his bullet proof vest when he was being airflifted from the battlefront with a very serious arm injury that threathened the loss of his arm. He had to borrow $700 to pay the Army for that vest before he could be discharged. He stated , “When I was in the Army I learned how to hurt people. Now I want to become a re-constructive surgeon, to help others.” I am sure it was a result of both the care he received and witnessing the plight of fellow injured soldiers in the Veteran hospital and how the surgeons gave them hope and a new lease on their lives. I was moved by that statement to send him $1000 to help Eddie realize that dream. I dedicated that gift to the Ft. Ord VA Clinic of Monterey, California, in appreciation of the wonderful care they extended to me. This was written back in 2006, I am not sure what path Eddie chose. I do not think he became a surgeon. I will write him and see what he is up to. I am sure he will do well. There is more to troop support than sticking a decal on your car, waving a flag or flag pin on your lapel. There are many communities who have done wonders for our returning soldiers. Building Homes for injured. veterans and other positive compassionate action that reached out directly to the Veterans and their young families. Their positive examples would also be amplified on this home page so others could follow their example individual realize their dreams. It would be coupled with an approach to have the alumni from Universities that specialize in varying areas of expertise establish hero scholarships that would be matched up with the injured Veterans dreams and potential. If you have surgeons friends, see if they can help Eddie acquire a Medical scholarship. Life is more of a challenge for these young people. The home page with photos will give them a presence that will be longer than a news story for a day. It could jump start their lives and potential! Do what you can to have this become a reality. It is time for young and old Americans to come together and stand side by side, with hearts filled with love for America, Out of the many One. To download this MP3 right click the song's title and select 'save target as'.
"America".
This First song is a timely song for America and all Americans.
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 I wrote the first version of Johnny in memory of my dad, Captain Harry Bleich MIA in World War Two.The the Jet black horse rider less that day section is dedicated to John F. Kenndy. My Dad, Captain Harry Bleich and JFK were my influences and sources of courage and inspiration through out my life. Be a hero of one in your decisions. Follow through with courage! The Navy goes sailing on section was dedicated to the Crew of the USS Cole and my dad who was missing in action in the North Atlantic in World War Two . Memories of my dad's last letter home.
My Johnny Come marching home parody that I wrote for my Dad who was Missing In Action in World War Two, became a homage to JFK when I added a new verse. The drums they tolled a mournful dirge as the Caisson rolled their way, followed by a jet black horse rider less that day.It grew to become a homage to the shipmates of the USS Cole and the Navy goes sailing on. To download these MP3s right click the song's title and select 'save target as'.
This is dedicated to all Fathers especially those whose fathers died here or in some distant part of the world seperated in the passing while away from their family. There were many young men who had very young children that made the Supreme Sacrifice in the Service of America who inspired my Honary Scholarship Idea that eventually became a reality with a different name. I was Six Years of age when my own father was missing in Action in the North Atlantic over 60 years ago and I still feel the deep blue pain 60 plus years later. If your father is still alive give him a call, tell him you love him .It will be far better than a rose placed on his coffin later... To download these MP3s right click the song's title and select 'save target as'.
To download this MP3 right click the song's title and select 'save target as'.
Revised version, July 23 of Johnny cash dedicated to our soldiers who served the military, To those who gave their lives and to those who will bear the scars of war until their final days. Some will live in increasing physical pain as those with agent Orange and the Gulf War syndrome. There is a grave risk of conceiving deformed children. Tumors will keep appearing. Their teeth enamel will start to disintegrate as will their general health. I am dedicating the song to an attractive young couple James and Kelly Simpson of West Virginia. James has what appears to be Gulf War syndrome. A former student at Defense Language Institute. He left West Virginia with his wife Kelly to seek work in the Monterey area in a 1968 pick up truck that once belonged to his grandfather. James said there was not much construction work in the mining town where they lived. While camping in the desert in Arizona in proximity to an Indian reservation. They were robbed of money, belongings and power tools. Through the help of Veteran groups along the way they made it to Monterey. I met them in my gallery and they told me they were advised to go to Oregon as the cost of living was low and their was work to be had. They asked for a business card to write down the name of one of my master touch works "morning on the seine" that they really admired. They said they would order one when they got back on thier feet financially. They were a nice young couple who had more then their share of problems. I took it off the wall and said "no need to write the name down". Morning on the Seine is yours. They touched my heart.  James and Kelly Simpson of West Virginia, A loving couple with a Bleich work of art to brighten up their lives I treated them to lunch and invited them to my home the following evening for dinner. I had a friend, Surfer John, who had his own construction Company over to meet them. He advised them to not to go to Oregon. John said, he may have an opening for James a finish carpenter in the near future. They had some interim work lined up, first at the campground where they were staying caring for the Viet Nam veteran section during the motorcycle races at Laguna Seca. Than James was to go out fishing until the end of Salmon Season and Kelly was lining up waitress work. They spent a couple of days with me in an open loft that is part of my studio. It was a major improvement from Camping in a tent, especially during the foggy weather that lingered awhile. I offered to let them stay longer until they could afford a place. They evidently found accommodation that they could afford or were extended to them. What impressed me was how the working people came to their aid. A mechanic helped repair their brakes for far less than the actual cost should be. He also made contact with some other construction friends in their behalf. It seemed as if most of the people who helped were also Christians who lived their religion by reaching out to others in need. I fall into that category also. I recently signed a letter of condolence to a lady who lost a love one, .Love George ( in the wonderful open way of loving and caring for those who enter my sphere even if just passing through) It is a bit of the Golden rule in action. I contacted a few TV stations and the Monterey Herald to see about the possibility of a human interest story about James and Kelly. Unfortunately too many people sometime look at Veterans who have falling off the world as the dregs of humanity. They are looked upon with suspicion as Bums, drug addicts, alcoholics, crazies. They do not take into consideration Post traumatic stress or how the medication for pain can lead to other addictions. Some times I wish the individuals who wave flags as a show of support for our troops would do a little more than that. They should take an interest in what happens to our Veterans, when They come home from combat zones. That they insure our heroes have the proper treatment for an array of health and mental problems that war can create. I get a bit angry at some young under thirty years of age who bravely say we are going to go and kick their ass over there. They don't go anywhere! They have their posh jobs and an easy life in the comfort zone. They drive a Hum bee with a license plate boldly declaring US is number One. They probably play make believe games that they are driving in Iraq when they are the terror on California Freeways. There are many in the reserve and National Guards who are true unselfish Americans who put themselves at risk in serving their Country Valiantly. I am troubled when those who did their part by fulfilling their military obligations and were relieved to have made it home safely are called back into the service after they were honorably discharged and have their families once more praying that they will make it back home again safely. Unfortunately some will die, Other will be injured and other like James will be afflicted with mysterious ailments that defy reasonable medical explanations. The Doctors are at a loss. What will really haunt their families are that the original reasons for the war was found to be untrue. There were no weapons of mass destruction or al-Qaeda ties. Don’t let our Veterans stand alone, speak out about the proposal to reclassify new injuries to remove them from qualification for disability. If you area true American and supported the Iraq war, you better dam well support our Veterans too! Don’t let them stand alone!
We are the United States |
