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Last additions - Salute to our Military |
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Ben's 2018 Veterans Day Salute 179 views...….is to Marine Corps veteran and Steelers fan Greg Yakubik (afterall, it IS the same weekend as the Marine Corps Birthday!):
“I joined the United States Marine Corps on November 7th, 1999 and was sent to Parris Island, South Carolina for basic training. After graduating from basic, I did infantry training in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. After my training, I was sent to Camp Pendleton, California for my permanent duty station where I spent 4 years. My unit was sent to Australia to do training with Australian forces, then on to Etajima Island Sasebo, Japan; Nagasaki and Okinawa, Japan. In 2003, my unit was sent into Iraq. We were the first unit to cross the border into Baghdad, which was on St Patrick’s Day. My unit took down Baghdad on April 11th.” -- Greg Yakubik.Nov 11, 2018
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Ben's 2018 Veterans Day Salute 180 viewscontinued...
"I loved being a Marine & fighting for my country! When I left the Corps, I started working in the Emergency Room at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. I guess protecting others is just a part of who I am, which is why I went on to college for Criminal Justice. I am now a Senior Safety Officer for UPMC’s Western Psychiatric Institute." -- Greg Yakubik.
Nov 11, 2018
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Ben's 2018 Veterans Day Salute 177 viewscontinued...
"I grew up in the Pittsburgh area (and will always live here) and have been a Steelers fan all my life! I was lucky to marry a girl that loves Steelers football just as much as I do, and we never miss a game. We are huge Ben fans in this house since he came into the league. I really enjoy watching him play every game day. I also love the work his foundation does for the police around the country. I have a lot of friends that are cops in the Pittsburgh area, so this really means a great deal to me. My wife and I have tried to do our part for Ben and his foundation over the years – we’ve volunteered at the kids’ camps he holds every summer, and also at his charity golf tournaments. We have even attended his charity events as guests. I’m proud to be a Marine, a Pittsburgh native, and a life-long Steelers fan!” — Greg Yakubik.
*Greg, we are honored to tell your story! Thank you for your service not only in the Corps & around the world, but at home in Pittsburgh as well!
Thank you to ALL of our veterans!! We are truly a blessed Nation to have you keeping us safe! God Bless America!Nov 11, 2018
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May 17, 2017 - Warrior Wednesday - Eric Ochoa645 viewsI served 8 years in the Marine Corps, and I’ve been a Steelers fan all my life. Born and raised in California, never been to Pittsburgh, but still a fan.
During my time in the Marines, I did two combat tours in Iraq and one to Afghanistan. I remember in 2009 waking up at 2 in the morning in Iraq to watch the Steelers beat the Cardinals in the Super Bowl.
In late 2013, I had the privilege to deploy to Jordan to train the Jordanian Army before they went to Afghanistan. During one of our driving courses, I pulled out my black terrible towel, I always kept with me, and asked some of the soldiers to take a picture with me holding the terrible towel.
I told them it represents the best football team in America. Hopefully one day my wife, kids and I can make it to Pittsburgh to witness the best players at home. #HereWeGo — Eric Ochoa. May 17, 2017
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#WarriorWednesday - Toy Soldier Edition572 viewsWe received an email from Senior Airman Casey Hulllette, USAF (one of the “toy soldier” recreators below) that he wanted us to share with you!
“First off, I want to thank you Ben for your support of the troops and all military veterans. Second, I want to introduce myself. I’m Casey Hullette, a Senior Airman in the United States Air Force.
I’m originally from the small town of Lincolnton, NC, and my beautiful wife, Caroline, and I have been blessed with 2 amazing little boys, Tripp 4 and Finnley 2. We are currently stationed at Dover AFB in Delaware.
Now just wanted to give you a little run-down of the other 3 guys, some of the best friends I’ve ever had, and together we made it through our deployment to Bagram AFB in Afghanistan, where this picture was taken. We are all Air Transportation Specialists (we do all of the cargo and passenger movements).
The toy soldiers from left to right: SSGT Alex Franklin (currently serving in Korea); Senior Airman Kyle Bowman (currently stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state); Me – with both weapons in the air; and Technical Sgt Russell Meredith (who just returned from another tour in Iraq).
From all four of us we thank you for sharing our picture with Steeler Nation.
And Ben, again, we want to make sure you understand the appreciation we have for your support of the troops. Congratulations on your success in the NFL.” — Casey.
Casey, Alex, Kyle & Russell: thank you so much for the email, and especially for your service. God bless all of you and keep you safe!Sep 28, 2016
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December 14, 2013 - Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery750 viewsA little snowman gives a proper salute at the grave of an unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
"There were 23 trucks that were in the WAA convoy. One special trailer had a 6-foot wreath going to the Statue of Liberty. All volunteers. Wonderful people here in Maine." -- Janice Albright
This is all part of the wonderful organization, "Wreaths Across America"!
You can follow them on Twitter here:
@WreathsAcross
You can "like" their Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/WAAHQ
You can check also check out their website here:
http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/
Photo credit: Arlington National Cemetery
Dec 14, 2013
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December 14, 2013 - Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery780 viewsGod bless all the volunteers who arrived at first light on a frosty December morning at Arlington National Cemetery to lay wreaths on the graves of our fallen heroes and all those who fought for our country before being laid to rest here.
Every Memorial Day & Veterans Day we post about the "Wreaths Across America" organization who make this honor possible!
These wreaths are placed on the graves of our fighting men and women every year in many cities across the Unites States!
You can follow them on Twitter here:
@WreathsAcross
You can "like" their Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/WAAHQ
You can check also check out their website here:
http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/
Photo credit: US Army at the Arlington National CemeteryDec 14, 2013
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November, 2013: A Thanksgiving Welcome Home - Steelers Style775 viewsWe’ve been keeping up with Steven since he shared his photo and message for Ben in September of 2013, when he was deployed (you can see it here in this album). This past weekend he sent in a new photo – of the Welcome Home he was greeted with upon his return to the U.S. last week:
“I got back from a deployment and surprised my family for Thanksgiving. Not only that, but my brother Mike, his wife Briseida, and their son Maximiliano (who knew I was coming home), welcomed my return with their Steelers jerseys and gear on, ready to support me and our Steelers! They also surprised me with a new Big Ben jersey and a Terrible Towel! GO BIG BEN! GO STEELERS!” – Steven
Steven only has a few days to enjoy with his family before reporting to his duty station, but said it was “amazing to be back”.
Steven, we wish you all the best! Stay safe and God bless!
Dec 04, 2013
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Veterans Day, 2013807 views"This was taken in Kuwait in December 2011. Most of the season I watched the games at 2am (streaming on a computer) waving my towel around a bunch of Kuwaiti air traffic controllers. They just didn't get it! lol. Thanks again Ben for supporting us! Proud to serve my STEELER NATION!" -- SSGT Holly Stene, United States Air Force, hometown: Johnstown, PA.Nov 11, 2013
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Veterans Day, 2013810 viewsJake Robinson stops to pose with his Terrible Towel outside of Baghdad. Jake is with the West Virginia National Guard.
Nov 11, 2013
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Veterans Day, 2013758 views"I was a Platoon Leader, stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan from 2012-2013. My Platoon mostly did walking patrols throughout the city, and I made sure my Terrible Towel was tucked in my cargo pocket on every one. By the end of my tour, both my Soldiers and my Afghan counterparts were accustomed to when I pulled a security halt to get a photo of my Terrible Towel in different parts of the city. My Towel has accumulated quite a bit of the Afghanistan desert sand, but it now proudly hangs in my living room and will go with me the next time I get to go home to Pittsburgh and see the Steelers play!" -- 1LT Megan Conroy, 2nd Platoon "Wolfpack" / 563rd MP CO (Fort Drum, NY).Nov 11, 2013
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Veterans Day, 2013838 viewsMembers of Steeler Nation UK salute our American Troops from WWII in a special way:
Andrew Duncan poses with the Terrible Towel during a break from a WWII reenactment he participated in this past October. His group is called "Normandy 44", and they honor the memories of the men who fought and died fighting for their country.
"I've been reenacting WW2 troops in the 29th Infantry and the 2nd Rangers for twelve years now. We've been to Normandy almost every year for D-Day to pay our respects to all who laid their life down. We also do schools talks about the unit and the history of what these heroic men went through during the war." -- Andrew
Normandy 44 on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Normandy44/476435215738629Nov 11, 2013
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