Greetings from the Gold Star Dads of America.

Lynn and I are going to get away this week to spend time with friends in Washington state over Thanksgiving. Before I signed off I wanted to tell you how much we appreciate the well wishes and prayers we have received over the last 7 months. Growing this wonderful organization from such a tragedy has often times been very hard emotionally as most of you know first hand. It has also been a rewarding experience and we look forward to what God has in store for us in the coming months and years.

To the men and women of the United States armed forces around the world who are taking risks for our freedom fighting on the front lines of the war on terror we send our heart felt prayers and thanks. We will continue to keep your families and loved ones in our prayers.

On behalf of all Americans we want thank the other Gold Star families for the sacrifices they have made on our behalf. Bring peace and freedom to the people of Iraq has not been easy and the job is not yet finished. We pray for those families who lost a loved one in this fight and hope that this week brings you more Joy then sorrow.

Lastly, I personally want to thank my fellow Gold Star Dads for continuing to step up and help support not only you own child’s family but those of his fellow compatriots. Our children have knowingly and voluntarily taken on a great responsibility, just like we taught them. We do them great honor by our continued support of the active soldiers and their families and those left behind.

So from my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving America

Michael & Lynn Klasno

KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq, Nov. 19, 2007 – When servicemembers here have to go “outside the wire,” they sometimes have an extra set of eyes watching over them.

Concealed and sometimes from a long distance away, the members of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron’s Close Precision Engagement Team, also known as the Tiger Team, observes, provides intelligence and, if necessary, neutralizes threats.

(Photo Insert) Air Force Staff Sgt. Curtis Huffman and Airman 1st Class Matt Sleeper, both members of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Close Precision Engagement Team, set up surveillance on top of a lookout point,

The Tiger Teams consist of Air Force security forces counter-snipers whose expert marksmanship and ability to practically stay invisible allow them to sneak up to an enemy undetected.

“A large part of our job here is reconnaissance for the Army and sometimes agents with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations detachment here,” said Staff Sgt. Curtis Huffman, CPET noncommissioned officer in charge.

“When they have a mission outside of the wire, we’ll set up near that location about an hour or more before they get out there. Concealed and out of sight, we are able to observe the area and give them real-time intel before they even arrive,” Huffman said. (continue reading…)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2007 – For those seeking a quick way to show appreciation to troops serving far from home this holiday season, look no further than “Giving Thanks,” a new initiative from the Defense Department’s America Supports You program.

America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

“This is a simple way to connect our citizens to our soldiers using modern technology,” Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, said of the text messaging program.

The program, which already has received nearly 4,000 messages, officially kicks off at 6 a.m. EST Nov. 17 and concludes at midnight PST Nov. 22. Between those times, people wishing to express gratitude to the troops for their service can text a brief message to 89279. Each text message sent will receive a response from an active-duty servicemember in return.

Major mobile wireless providers, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile, will provide access to the Giving Thanks text messaging program.

“We know that thousands of families will be sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner and thinking about loved ones who are far away from home serving their country,” Barber said. “We are counting on other American families to take a moment during their holiday celebration to think of those families and their family members who are serving and say, ‘Thanks.’

“The reassurance that others are thinking about them will mean a lot to our troops,” Barber added.

Those who send a message during the six days of the Giving Thanks program also will be directed to the America Supports You Web site. There, they’ll find a sampling of messages from the public and a running tally of how many messages have been received. They’ll also be able to read messages from the troops. (continue reading…)