United We Roll at Stardust Radio

Welcome Stardust Listeners and thank you for joining us on this last Tuesday of June 2009. This date may go down in history as our troops in Iraq continue and/or complete the “Draw Down” – moving out of the cities and giving security and control in those areas over to the Iraqi Army and police forces.

For those of you who were with us here on United We Roll on May 26th, the Tuesday after the Memorial Day observance, you may remember the words of SSG Jason Kendrick when he said “Their Success Will Bring Us Home”. Let us all pray that the Iraqi government and people are able to stand as one, keeping their new found freedom together against those who would try to tear it apart. And let us pray for the safety of our men & women and the Coalition Forces as they now stand down from a leadership role to one of support.

We would also like to take time to honor a great Hero with a final salute. Amid the news of celebrity passings over the past days, it may have escaped your notice – as it did with so many – that the most decorated Marine aviator in history also passed away. Colonel Kenneth L Reusser made his last takeoff on June 20, 2009, at age 89. Col Reusser was a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, a man with 363 combat missions, and 59 medals – including two Navy Crosses, four Purple Hearts, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 19 Air Medals. This one time Black Sheep leader was shot down in all three wars for a total of five times – after the first four, he kept going. It is unfortunate that not one government official was available to send this Hero off with a final salute. But it is very heartening to see the responses in the military community and across the internet with posts in blogs and social media that recognize the incredible service rendered by this American. In the slang of the movie buffs, the story of Col Kenneth L Reusser “is the stuff from which movies are made”. Our hearts are with the Reusser family as we say Thank You & God Speed to an American Hero.

Please, folks, make the opportunity today and everyday to thank a military member and a first responder – law enforcement, firefighter or paramedic – all those who put their lives on the line and their family time on hold to protect us and our families.

Speaking of thanking our troops, if you were able to join us last Saturday here on Stardust Radio, you heard three stars from the TV Star Trek show – Uhura, Checkov and Sulu – all say thanks to a deployed unit in Iraq along with many other folks who were attending the 25th Annual Trek Fest in Riverside, Iowa. We will be playing a taped copy soon for those of you who missed it.

Now, on to today’s show. The volunteers from United We Roll and Stardust Radio are very proud to bring you fresh new interviews with deployed US military members who will share information about their missions, their military experiences and their beliefs as to why they do what they do and what it means to them. Although we will have four visits for you this afternoon, we will actually be talking with a total of eight deployed members, so get comfy and once again be prepared to learn, to be inspired and to enjoy their company.

Our first visit will be with two Air Force members from the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing and one Army member from the 484th Movement Control Battalion all of whom are stationed at Manas Air Base. Joining us from the Air Force are SSG Larry Fortner and MSG Timothy Miller and from the Army is SPC Mike Breshears, who, though they may be from different services, are all involved in the same mission which is to handle the movement of all persons, US, foreign, military and civilian who go into and out of Afghanistan on deployment or assignment. As you can imagine, this is no small task.

Our next two guests are currently deployed with the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron. Capt Adam J Kornitzer is not only a pilot of the KC-135 Stratotanker who flies with a crew existing of a co-pilot and boom operator, he is also a pilot instructor. Joining Capt Kornitzer in this visit with us is A1C Steven Felger, who is a Boom Operator on the KC-135. Now, Ladies & Gentlemen, I have to tell you that Capt Kornitzer and A1C Felger are providing us with the best description of what goes on during an in-flight refueling and what it takes on the part of these crew members to bring fuel to a variety of planes on a variety of missions. You will feel like you have been in the air with them.

Our third visit today brings us two Air Force officers from Joint Base Balad whose missions also take them out into the surrounding areas. Capt Matthew Albers of the 732nd ECES Construction Team 6 is on his third deployment to Iraq among others and has been busy building up Army outposts outside of the cities to allow for the Draw Down, in addition to other construction assignments. Capt Rachel Ramos, who is deployed with the 732nd ELRS (Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron)/Det1/TF586, travels around the area with a team to various installations where they identify excess materials that can be sent on to other locations where they will be used. As you will hear, this is for more than one reason. Both of these Captains have had several deployments and some unforgettable experiences that they will share with us today.

Our final guest for this afternoon is EMT SrA Alex Murray, who is currently deployed to a base in Afghanistan with the 451st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight. With his thorough training, experience and dedication to those whom he is helping and the experienced team with which he flies, it is understandable that reports show that wounded troops survive injuries today which may not have been survivable in the not too distant past. This is a wonderful visit and we appreciate the time that SrA Murray was able to spend with us.

We want to thank TSgt Phyllis Hanson, Maj Bill Pierce, MSgt Canfield, Capt Johnston, and Lt Noelle Caldwell for your assistance and behind the scenes work in helping us to setup these wonderful visits.

As always, we are extremely honored to bring you these visits with our deployed military members. And, we are honored to have you, our listeners, join us each week.

Don’t forget in addition to listening to our live show on stardustradio.com, you can go to our archive site and download tapes of our shows on MP3 format at www.stardustradio.info and you can check our blog through the United We Roll page at www.stardustradio.com .

Thank you to all of our Heroes of Freedom wherever you may be stationed and thanks to all of our military families, Veterans, first responders & your families.

Keep your flags flying. Happy Fourth of July!

May God Bless You All & May God Bless America!