SFC Darrin M Domko, Currently Stationed Ft Carson

His website www.darrindomko.com

Sergeant First Class Darrin M. Domko, Brigade Fire Support Sergeant for 1st Brigade 1st Armored Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom, May 03- July 04.  SFC Domko came into the Army in Feb of 1990 and served in the first Gulf War from Oct 90- Apr 91.  His duties have included Platoon Forward Observer, Company Fire Support Sergeant, Battalion Fire Support Sergeant, Division Targeting NCO and Brigade Fire Support Sergeant.  SFC Domko is currently stationed at Ft Carson CO in the 91st Training Division preparing troops for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.  He is accompanied by his wife Keri and his 14 year old son William.  SFC Domkos oldest son is currently stationed at Ft Gordon Georgia where he is receiving his MOS (job) training from the Army.  SFC Domkos son Matthew enlisted for six years and is married to his wife Michelle.  PFC Domko is 18.  SFC Domkos awards include the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal x7, the Army Achievement Medal x7 and many other medals for serving his country.  In all he has 18 medals he wears proudly on his uniform.

Sergeant First Class Domko was part of the Information Operations for 1st Brigade during his deployment where he spent countless hours on the streets of Baghdad passing out newspapers and fliers to the Iraqis to keep them informed on the current issues the US was trying to help with.  He also spent many hours talking with Iraqis about their questions and concerns. 

He was adopted by Books for soldiers a soldier support group where he had over 115 supporters.  He received so much from his supporters that after he shared all the packages with his fellow soldiers he then shared it with the less fortunate Iraqis too.  He befriended a special family that he personally took care of during his deployment.  You can see the family and the good that was done with them at his website www.darrindomko.com .  Upon returning from Iraq SFC Domko along with his wife Keri traveled the United States to personally thank as many of his supporters as possible to include meeting President Bush at a campaign rally in Mankato MN.  This was done over a two year span.  In the first year he traveled to 16 states in 23 days.  This past year he traveled to 8 additional states.  In all he has met close to 100 of his supporters.  His goal is to meet and thank everyone. 

Emery McClendon

Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day/ ARMAD

www.armad.net

Emery McClendon is the founder of ARMAD / Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day.  ARMAD is a series of events that allow the public to send messages of thanks and appreciation to those that serve, and our veterans over Amateur Radio, in a LIVE format. ARMAD organizes Amateur Radio Operators worldwide at public locations to show support to those that serve. 

McClendon, a former Air Force sergeant, served four years on active duty, and two years with the Indiana Air Guard.  ARMAD was started in 2004 to show support to our communities and troops during the Memorial Day holiday.  ARMAD has been very successful, and grown to worldwide status. For more information on ARMAD visit www.armad.net. Please spread the word about ARMAD so that our troops can hear our voices as we "Ham It Up For The Troops."

Linda Spurlin-Dominik, Co-Founder/Treasurer

Guardian Angels for Soldiers Pet                           www.guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org
info@guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org

Guardian Angels For Soldier's Pet (GASP) was organized in January 2005 in the state of Arkansas by Carole Olmedo and Linda Spurlin-Dominik. Carole who volunteers for locating pet foster homes for the local Humane Society saw a message posted on the Soldier's Angels site where a soldier was being deployed in a few days and had been able to find a home for his beloved pet, known as Scooby Do. Carole contacted Linda about it and contacted the contact person who had posted the message. A home was found here in Arkansas and Carole went to work to find a way to bring Scooby Do from Ohio to Arkansas. At the last minute the soldier decided to let Scooby Do be adopted by a family in Ohio. Carole and Linda decided if there was one soldier out there needing a temporary foster home for their pet, then there must be more. A couple of weeks later in our local paper appeared an article about soldiers in Georgia having to abandon their pets when deployed because they couldn't find a home for them, thus Guardian Angels For Soldier's Pet was established.

Guardian Angels For Soldier's Pet an All-Volunteer nonprofit public charity was incorporated on January 28, 2005 in the natural state of Arkansas and received their IRS "501 (c) (3) Tax Exempt Status" on July 12, 2005. Our mission is to locate, interview, and monitor temporary caring and loving foster homes for our soon to be deployed and/or deployed military service members who have been unable to locate a foster home for their beloved pet(s).  Currently we have 6 approved foster homes located in the state of Arkansas. To date the hardest part has been finding those that need our program. We believe our deploying service members would ask for our help if they knew such help was available. The need is there, but getting the information into the right hands on military installations has been difficult.

Our military being deployed have a job to do. They have their orders and from what I have read in letters back from our deployed heroes, they know what that job is. The only thing keeping a lot of them going is the support of the American people. I feel they deserve it. They also deserve our respect, to be honored, and never forgotten for the sacrifices that they and their families go through each day.  They also deserve to be able to conduct their jobs while in harm's way
without worrying about their beloved pets.