Great American Artist Terry Redlin’s “Autumn Traditions“. http://www.redlinart.com

Artist Bio and Career Timeline

Few artists can rival the standards of excellence achieved by Master Artist Terry Redlin over the past 30 years. He is truly one of the country’s most widely collected painters of wildlife and Americana. For eight consecutive years, 1991 through 1998, Redlin has been named America’s Most Popular Artist in annual gallery surveys conducted by U.S.ART magazine. His induction into U.S.ART’s Hall of Fame in 1992 followed the magazine’s poll of 900 galleries nationwide which, that year, placed five of Redlin’s limited editions in the top 11 in popularity. Over the life of the poll, 30 prints have been included in that list. His use of earthy colors, blazing sunrises and sunsets and nostalgic themes are often cited as the reasons for his immense popularity.

Redlin’s interest in out-of-doors themes can be traced to his childhood in Watertown, South Dakota. At the age of 15, a brief ride on a motorcycle resulted in a life-changing accident that ended his dream of becoming a forest ranger. Through a state-sponsored scholarship program for students with disabilities, Redlin opted to pursue a career in the graphic arts. He earned a degree from the St. Paul School of Associated Arts and spent 25 years working in commercial art as a layout artist, graphic designer, illustrator and art director. In his leisure time, he researched wildlife subjects and settings.

In 1977, at the age of 40, Redlin burst onto the wildlife scene when his painting “Winter Snows” appeared on the cover of The Farmer magazine. By 1979, demand for his work had become so great that he left his art directing career to concentrate on painting wildlife.

Since then, Redlin’s meteoric rise has been unparalleled in the field of contemporary wildlife art. In 1981 and 1985, he won the Minnesota Duck Stamp competition, and in 1982, the Minnesota Trout Stamp contest. He also placed second that year in the Federal Duck Stamp Competition. He has been honored as Artist of the Year for Ducks Unlimited (National and Minnesota), and as Conservationist of the Year-Magnum Donor by the Minnesota Waterfowl Association for his gifts of entire print collections. The National Association of Limited Edition dealers has three times presented him with the “Lithograph of the Year” award for excellence in the medium.

In 1987, Redlin began exploring his interest in Americana subjects and nostalgic scenes of yesteryear, painting several images for his American Memories and Country Doctor Collections. Since then, his annual Christmas prints have attracted thousands of collectors from coast to coast.

In 1992, he completed his most ambitious work to date, painting each line in the first stanza of “America the Beautiful”. All eight, which depict American life from the settling of the west to the present day, were released as limited edition prints over a three-year period, ending in January, 1995. The series has been showcased in art and consumer magazines nationwide, and it has been acclaimed by thousands of collectors. “Terry Redlin Paints America the Beautiful”, a video presentation produced by Hadley House, earned a coveted Telly Award in the 1993 national competition.

Redlin’s immense popularity can also be measured in the success of his book, “Opening Windows to the Wild, The Art of Terry Redlin.” In its sixth printing, the book details his paintings, pencil sketches and biography. Always the perfectionist, he personally supervised the printing and production of this important project. A critical as well as a commercial success, the book was a Certificate of merit winner at the prestigious Printing Industries of America competition in 1988. His second book, “Terry Redlin, Master of Memories,” was released in 1997 and was recently voted Best Art Book by those galleries polled for the U.S.ART survey.

Terry Redlin derives the most satisfaction from his conservation work. Over the 17 year period from 1981 to 1997, his donations to Ducks Unlimited raised more than $28 million, setting an all-time record in art sales for wetland conservation projects. By his own estimate, he has donated several million dollars of art to other nonprofit conservation organizations.

Redlin’s most compelling project is the construction of the museum to house his original art in Watertown, South Dakota, where he now resides. The Redlin Art Center features 160 original oil paintings by Terry Redlin as well as many prints, sketches and childhood drawings. Since opening in the summer of 1997, the Redlin Art Center has welcomed more than 3 million visitors from all over the world. The Redlin Art Center is Terry Redlin’s gift back to the State of South Dakota in appreciation of the scholarship he was awarded after high school. He never forgot the gift – to him, it was a “grubstake”, and he never would have been able to go on to continue his education without it.  The Redlin Art Center is open year-round and admission is free.

He was honored in 1998 by the City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota by having an elementary school named in his honor. Terry Redlin Elementary School opened in the Fall of 1998.

In 2004, Redlin unveiled his most emotional collection entitled, “An American Portrait”. Considered by Redlin to be the most technically demanding project of his career, the series of 7 paintings tell the life story of a young American boy. The story was built around Redlin’s personal experiences and is his tribute to America.  

In 2007, Terry Redlin retired from painting and print signing due to his personal struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. 

For more information on Terry Redin’s art and to visit the Terry Redlin Art Center visit their website http://www.redlinart.com.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter Addresses Syria, Afghanistan, Modern NATO Mission

By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON October 8, 2015 —

During a busy meeting today at NATO headquarters in Brussels, defense ministers discussed Afghanistan, Russian activities in Syria, and how NATO is adapting to meet future threats, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said during a scheduled press conference.

Carter is in Belgium to attend the NATO Defense Ministerial as part of a five-day trip to Europe featuring meetings with counterparts in Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Carter said, “We had, as we always do, direct, substantive conversations about how we can better address the common challenges we face and to reaffirm the enduring principles and great strength we share as members of the alliance and as individual partners.”

On the sidelines of the meetings held in Brussels today, Carter met with French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian, according to a Defense Department news release.

Carter and Le Drian reaffirmed the importance of the enduring defense partnership between the United States and France, and the two leaders discussed a range of security issues, including Russian activities in Syria, and the need to maintain the pace of counter-ISIL coalition operations, the release said.

Carter thanked Le Drian for his leadership role in countering terrorism worldwide, the release said.

Ripple Effects

Earlier this week, Carter visited Defense Minister Pedro Morenes in Spain and Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti in Italy.

In both nations, he said, “I witnessed U.S. troops working and training with their counterparts to meet the challenges facing NATO’s southern flank, including the ripple effects of [the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant] and state instability in North Africa and the Middle East.”

Two weeks ago he met with Norwegian Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide to discuss challenges in the north and east, and tomorrow he’ll visit British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon in the United Kingdom.

There, he noted, the government recently announced it will meet the pledge all NATO allies made last year to invest no less than 2 percent of gross domestic product in defense.

Actions in Afghanistan

On Afghanistan, Carter said the United States is taking three actions.

The first is President Barack Obama’s March decision to maintain 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan through the end of this year, and the second is to formulate options for 2016 and beyond, and adjust the planned U.S. presence in Afghanistan based on current circumstances.

“I was pleased, very pleased, to hear ministers of defense from our NATO allies reaffirm their commitment — discussing not whether but how to continue the mission in Afghanistan. And of course, that is also the view of the United States,” Carter said.

The third action involves the fiscal year 2017 defense budget, in which the secretary said he would include “critical financial support to the Afghan national defense and security forces” to help it sustain its current force levels of 352,000 troops in 2017 and beyond.

“I think it’s widely understood that we need to do an assessment. It’s widely understood that the United States is doing an assessment and, as other countries have, a number of countries today indicated a willingness to change their own plans and posture,” the secretary added.

Russia in Syria

On Russia’s actions in Syria, Carter said that, rather than engaging in a Syrian political transition, Russia has chosen to continue its longstanding relationship with the Assad regime by committing more military hardware capabilities and personnel to the fight there.

Instead of targeting ISIL, al-Nusra and other terrorist organizations, Carter said that the Russians began striking other kinds of targets within days of deploying their forces.

“I have said repeatedly over the last week that we, the United States, believe this is a fundamental strategic mistake and that it will inflame and prolong the Syrian civil war,” the secretary said.

He added, “We have not and will not agree to cooperate with Russia so long as they continue to pursue this misguided strategy.”

Russian forces also have violated Turkish airspace, shot cruise missiles without warning from a ship in the Caspian Sea, flown within a few miles of U.S. unmanned aerial vehicles, and initiated a joint ground offensive with the Syrian regime, Carter said.

“This will have consequences for Russia itself, which is rightfully fearful of attack upon Russia. And I also expect that in coming days the Russians will begin to suffer casualties in Syria,” he added.

Open Door

Going forward in Syria, Carter said, the United States will prosecute the counter-ISIL air campaign in Syria at the same pace and in the same battle space as it has since the campaign began.

“We will continue to support the moderate Syrian opposition. We will seek an agreement with the Russians on professional safety procedures for coalition pilots. And we will leave the door open for Russia to rejoin the track toward a political transition in Damascus,” he said.

If Russia wants to end its international isolation, it must stop its aggression in eastern Ukraine, end its occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea, and live up to its commitments under the Minsk agreements, Carter said.

There’s a reason why the NATO alliance is stronger than ever while Russia acts alone, he added.

“Our member nations share common values reflected in the way we conduct ourselves. … We treat each other as equals and take each other’s interests into account. … That is the core of the NATO alliance and the community of nations it brings together, and that is what we shall all continue to do,” Carter said.

Oregon National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, left, Anthony Sadler, center, and U.S. Airman Spencer Stone wave during a parade held to honor the three Americans who stopped a gunman on a Paris-bound passenger train, Friday, Sept. 11, 2015, in Sacramento, Calif. The three talked about the significance of 9/11 on Friday at the festive parade and in an interview to air on national television. (AP Photo/Carl Costas)

Carter honors 3 who stopped gunman on Paris-bound train

By David Vergun Army News Service

WASHINGTON September 17, 2015 — On Aug. 21, three childhood friends were on a train bound for Paris when they heard a gunshot. Amidst screams and commotion, they quickly focused on a man wielding an AK-47 rifle, said Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today during a Pentagon ceremony honoring the three men.

The secretary thanked Oregon Army National Guard Spc. Alek Skarlatos, Air Force Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler for their valor.

Carter described the chaotic scene on the train, where passengers were hiding, unsure of what to do, or running away. While that was happening, Skarlatos said, “Let’s go,” and the three sprinted toward the gunman, who had his weapon pointed at them.

Stone tackled the assailant and all three men worked to disarm him, the defense secretary continued. Besides the AK-47, the attacker was also armed with an automatic pistol, 270 rounds of ammunition, a box cutter and a bottle of gasoline.

“As we know, Spencer was stabbed in the effort,” Carter said

After they knocked out the gunman, they tended to other injured on board the train before paramedics and police arrived, he added.

The defense secretary referred to the entire ordeal as “an amazing story, right out of a movie.”

Returning to the theme of “Let’s go,” he said that “if this sounds familiar, that’s because it is,” noting the similarity to the phrase used by a passenger on United Flight 93; “Let’s roll.”

Carter added that some of those passengers also “stood up and fought back against the terrorists who had aimed the plane toward Washington. While those heroes were lost, we will always remember and appreciate their courage and sacrifice.”

Everyone in DoD — uniformed personnel and civilians — has “chosen to dedicate themselves to standing between order and disorder, between the way of life we cherish and those who threaten it,” the defense secretary continued. They’ve all been willing and ready to say, “Let’s go.”

Medals For Heroism

Carter then presented the Soldier’s Medal, Airman’s Medal and Secretary of Defense Medal for Valor, to Skarlatos, Stone and Sadler respectively. The medals are the highest commendations for non-combat bravery that the Defense Department can bestow.

Additionally, Stone was awarded a Purple Heart Medal because he suffered multiple lacerations to the face, neck and thumb during the struggle. Carter noted that DoD has determined that since the event was deemed an act of terrorism, the Purple Heart could be awarded.

Previously, all three were awarded the Legion of Honor, France’s highest recognition.

Skarlatos is with the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He recently re-enlisted, calling the Guard “fantastic.”

Stone is a medic, assigned to the 65th Air Base Group at Lajes Air Base in Portugal. Next month, Stone is transferring to Travis Air Force Base in California.

Sadler started school this year at Sacramento State University “where I’m sure he’ll have the best ‘what I did on my summer vacation’ story on campus this fall,” Carter quipped.

After the ceremony, Sadler told the media that he “couldn’t think of two better people to be with in this situation.”

It was the first time any of the men had been in the Pentagon or to Washington, D.C., and all said they were overwhelmed with the warm welcome they received from everyone, including the president.

Find Theaters & Showtimes: http://warroomthemovie.com/

Pilot for a Day:

169th Fighter Wing

McENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C.

Six-year-old Declan Alexander was recently honored as a Swamp Fox Pilot for a Day by the 169th Fighter Wing here, receiving a hero’s welcome from the moment he arrived on base.

Declan and his father Brian Alexander were guests of the South Carolina Air National Guard Aug. 15, as part of the Pilot for a Day program, which allows children with disadvantages or debilitating illnesses to experience the life of a fighter pilot.

“Pilot for a Day allows us to reach out to the community, make community bonds and make a difference in someone’s life,” said 1st Lt. Cody May, a fighter pilot assigned to the 157th Fighter Squadron and Declan’s host for the day.

The tour, led by May, began with Declan receiving a custom pilot’s flight suit from the aircrew flight equipment shop. He was later escorted to the end of the runway to watch F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft land and was greeted with thumbs-up and well wishes from the airmen he met on base.

Lifetime Memories

“It is hard to express how cool it is to have everyone take time out of their day to set all this up and show us around and create lasting memories,” Brian Alexander said. “It really is an amazing experience. There really are not words to express how much of a big deal this is for him and for us.”

Declan displayed a big smile while sitting in the cockpit of an F-16 bearing his name on the side. He also enjoyed spraying the water cannon from McEntire’s largest fire truck while touring the fire department, Brian Alexander said.

“Getting to ride in a fire truck and getting to sit in a fighter jet are two things you don’t ever get to do,” he said. “Those were definitely a ton of fun and put a smile on his face.”

The Pilot for a Day program helps a child and the child’s family to gain a memory of a lifetime, and is just as important to the Swamp Fox family who welcomed the young hero.

May said the most important part of the Pilot for a Day program is it has the ability to take a family’s mind off of an illness by allowing them to experience something that very few people will ever get to experience.

“I really enjoyed being able to make a difference in someone’s life,” he added.

The 169th Fighter Wing has supported the Pilot for a Day program for nearly two decades.

In the above picture, Declan Alexander receives a custom nameplate during his time as Pilot for a Day at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover, S.C., Aug. 15, 2015. South Carolina Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Ashleigh Pavelek.

Face of Defense: Soldier Vows to Never Quit

By Robert A. Whetstone Brooke Army Medical Center

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, Aug. 5, 2015 – When Army Pfc. Gustavo Moreno recited the oath of enlistment, he knew he was charged to defend his country against all enemies. What he didn’t know is that shortly after completing basic combat training, he’d be fighting a different enemy altogether.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Moreno, a self-confessed basketball junkie and Spurs fanatic, found himself in a very grown-up situation during his senior year of high school: He was going to be a father.

Moreno said he knew he had to do something as soon as possible. He had to step up and be there for his then-girlfriend and now-wife, Valerie Hernandez, and their daughter, Avalee

While Hernandez remained home, Moreno went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for basic training.“I went in October 2013 and didn’t come back till December,” Moreno said. After a brief trip home following basic training, Moreno returned to Fort Sill in January 2014 for advanced individual training.

Warning Signs

“I was doing [physical training]. I was really fit,” Moreno said. “I ran a 13:52 2-mile, did 80 push-ups in 2 minutes, and something like 78 sit-ups in 2 minutes. And all of a sudden, I started losing my breath. I’d get dizzy.”

While he was lying on the top bunk bed and talking to Hernandez on the phone, Moreno said he recalls feeling nauseated and dizzy, and then blacking out. “I fell off the bed, went downstairs and was taken to the hospital,” he said. “At first they thought it was bronchitis because I had a cough and it was hard to swallow.” It turns out Moreno had a 14-centimeter mass compressing his trachea.

Moreno was diagnosed with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma, or ALL, a rare subtype of adult non-Hodgkin cancer, commonly treated with intensive chemotherapy.

When Moreno was diagnosed, he said, “I was laughing, like I was in shock. I knew what cancer was, but I didn’t know what [this] was, especially when it comes to blood cells and all of that.”

ALL is a type of blood cancer. It is the most aggressive leukemia in adults. ALL starts from white blood cells in the bone marrow and develops from cells called lymphocytes. It invades the blood and can spread throughout the body to other organs. Without treatment, it can be fatal in a few short months.

According to the National Marrow Donor Program website, someone is diagnosed with a type of blood cancer every three minutes. It can happen to anyone at any time.

‘Keep on Fighting, Every Day’

Moreno had the task of calling his wife to break the news to her. He said her father had passed away three years prior, and the thought of losing him, with their new daughter being so young, was difficult.

“I’m not going to leave them,” Moreno said. “I’m going to keep on fighting, every day.”

After the diagnosis, Moreno returned home to San Antonio and Brooke Army Medical Center to begin his chemotherapy. After one year of intensive treatment, he had a complete response and appeared to be free of cancer. Things were going well as he continued on low intensity therapy, but Moreno experienced a setback — the mass returned and spread to his blood.

He was referred to the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston for therapy and entered into a clinical trial with an investigational drug. When he did not respond, he returned to San Antonio Military Medical Center for treatment.

A bone marrow transplant, also called a stem cell transplant, is a procedure that infuses healthy cells, called stem cells, into your body to replace damaged or diseased bone marrow. Moreno is now reaching this point in his battle.

Today, doctors are controlling Moreno’s cancer with radiation and chemotherapy. “I’m hoping to get into remission enough to where I can still get the transplant,” Moreno said.

Bone Marrow Donors Needed

Donor awareness is extremely important to Moreno and Hernandez — especially since minorities, particularly Hispanics, make up less than 10 percent of donors on the national registry.

“Even if I don’t find a match, it’s just something that needs to be out there, and more people need to hear about it,” Moreno said. “More minorities and Hispanics need to join the registry.”

“There are a lot of people who think that it hurts, so they don’t donate,” Hernandez said. “When they hear, ‘bone marrow transplant,’ they think ‘I’m going to be stuck with needles,'” Moreno said. “It’s just like donating blood. Honestly, you’re just giving of yourself to someone else, that way they can fight off the infection with your good cells. They might hurt a little bit, but they don’t see everything we go through.”

Doctors gave Moreno a few months to live, but he still has hope. “There is always hope,” Moreno said emphatically. “Even if the doctors say one thing, God has the last word.”

How to Become a Donor

Hope can come in the form of myriad organizations working tirelessly to help people like Moreno. One organization, the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program — also known as Salute to Life, provides assistance to those individuals seeking to join the national registry of volunteer marrow and stem cell donors.

Service members, military retirees and Defense Department civilian personnel who are between the ages of 18 and 60 and of good health can join by completing a simple cheek swab. A list of installation-based recruitment drives, walk-in sites, and information about requesting individual registration kits is available at https://www.salutetolife.org.

“Approximately 70 percent of patients are unable to find a match within their own families and must turn to the network of volunteer donors for help,” said Kathryn Branstad, donor quality and retention manager for the C.W. Bill Young DoD Marrow Donor Program.

“Our donors are amazing individuals, willing to temporarily disrupt their daily lives and give of themselves in a most profound manner in order to offer hope to someone they’ve never even met,” she said.

Hope also comes from a solid support system. “I’m glad I was born and raised here [in San Antonio],” said Moreno. “I have all my family here. My wife’s family is here, and that helps out a lot.

“The nurses and staff up there in 5T [the San Antonio Military Medical Center Bone Marrow Unit and Outpatient Clinic], they’re great,” he added. “They don’t just look at you like a cancer patient — they look at you like a friend.”

True to the Soldier’s Creed, Moreno’s message to those who are in the same situation as he is to “never quit.” And he has a message for those who don’t know anything about his fight: “This is really important, I just want you to hear me, and please pay attention. You can save somebody’s life.”

Related Sites: National Marrow Donor Program C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program Brooke Army Medical Center Fort Sam Houston

BOSTON —The commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Eagle and the U.S. Postal Service will be unveiling a special edition stamp commemorating the Coast Guard’s 225th birthday.

The ceremony will take place Friday appx. 10:30 a.m. August 7 at the Oliver Hazard Perry Pier at Fort Adams State Park, Newport, R.I.

The Eagle will be open to the public for tours at approximately 12 p.m. following the commemorative stamp unveiling ceremony.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place in the visitor center across from the pier.  

In Newport, the Eagle will be open for free public tours:

  * Friday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

  * Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  * Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Interested media should contact public affairs Boston at (617) 223-8515 or (617) 717-9609 by 2 p.m. August 6. to attend stamp unveiling or   riding in to Newport onboard the ship.

Follow the Coast Guard Cutter Barque Eagle on her journey: https://www.facebook.com/CoastGuardCutterEagle

View the Coast Guard stamp here: http://uspsstamps.com/stamps/united-states-coast-guard

Military Family Overcomes Deployment, Education Challenges

By Shannon Collins DoD News, Defense Media Activity

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md., July 31, 2015 – Military families face the challenges of deployments and frequent moves and the impact they have on their children’s morale and education.

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. David Mason, a security forces first sergeant here, his wife, Jennifer, and their four daughters spoke with DoD News about the impact his deployments have had on their family.

Missed Birthdays

David Mason’s last deployment was to Iraq five years ago. He said he was fortunate that during his seven deployments he didn’t miss any births, although he did miss birthdays.

“He was here for my graduation and when I turned 16 and 18,” said Brooke, 18, who was happy her father didn’t miss her special days, but joked that her curfew becomes stricter when he’s home.

The Mason’s youngest daughter, Laura, 11, said her father ordered Daddy Dolls and daddy blankets that had their baby pictures with him on them. Daddy Dolls are personalized soft dolls printed with the image of a loved one.

“I still have the doll, and I still sleep with mine,” she said, her face lighting up.

Melanie, 15, said she missed seeing her dad around the house.

“I missed waking him up in the morning, tackling him and hugging him, telling him good morning,” she said.

Venessa, 13, said she remembers when her father came back from one deployment, they all surprised him.

“He dropped his bags, and everybody started running toward him. I ran up to him and hugged him,” she said. “I was upset he was gone so long because I love my dad so much. I missed him.”

Jennifer Mason said his last few deployments to Iraq were the hardest for her.

“He would usually go out on night missions, and I would be up all night, just waiting for his phone call to let me know that he got back from his mission safely,” she said. “He likes to deploy because he likes to be out there doing the mission, but I’m like, ‘Can you go somewhere that I don’t have to stress?'”

Moves Challenge Children’s Education

Military families experience permanent change of station moves every four or so years for enlisted members and slightly less for officers. Their children face challenges as they adjust to different school requirements from state to state.

While at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, the Mason children attended school at Fort Bragg for 10 years. When they moved to Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado, they attended a public school off base. Jennifer said the high school was new and employed a different grading system with Us, Ps and Ss instead of the usual A to F system.

“I don’t think it was Common Core,” she said. “It was nothing we had seen. When the girls got their report cards, we couldn’t tell if they were progressing or if it was a bad grade. We moved the girls to a charter school and a normal grading system. It was really nice there, and people from our church went there but they taught the science courses backward. They taught physics, then chemistry, biology and earth science instead of the other way around like I was taught.”

Jennifer added, “When we got to Maryland, it was really difficult. My oldest had to take biology with the freshmen, and she was like, ‘They’re going to think I’m stupid because I’m a junior.’ She was ahead of them on chemistry and physics, though.”

Brooke said the other challenge was the testing. She had taken the exit exams in Colorado and had an issue with those scores transferring when she moved to Maryland.

“Here, they have testing that you have to take and that almost interfered with my graduation,” Brooke said. “I didn’t want to not graduate because the military decided at the last minute to move us. That’s not fair to me or anybody else that has to deal with that because they’ve had problems with that at the school.”

All of the girls said it’s hard to move away from the friends they make.

“You get really close to them and you get to know them and then you have to move again — it’s hard,” Laura said. “The first few days of a new school, you have to walk the hallways by yourself because people who aren’t military are with their friends because they don’t move as much.”

Melanie said she met her friend Rebecca in North Carolina in the third grade and hadn’t seen her in five years.

“When she came from Texas, and she showed up at my door, we both cried, and we were so overwhelmed that we got to see each other after five years,” she said. “We just clicked. We had so much fun together.”

The girls said through it all, they have each other, though they can get on each other’s nerves.

“I have a close relationship with my mom, my dad and all my siblings. We’re all really close and we get along great but sometimes it sucks because if they do anything, I get blamed for it because I’m supposed to be setting the example for them. We all get along,” Brooke said, smiling at her sisters.

Proud of Father’s Military Service

Venessa said though the moves can be a challenge, she’s still proud of her dad being in the military.

“Whenever he comes to my school in uniform, they’re like, ‘Is that your dad?’ I’m like, ‘Yes!'” she said, smiling broadly. “He’s a good dad. He’s my twin. We joke around a lot.”

Brooke plans on going to community college so she can “have a good job,” she said.

Venessa said she hopes to either be a lawyer or work for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

“Education is important because it’s good to learn and be smart so you can be successful and have a good job,” she said. “I have good goals. I take school seriously. I want my parents to be proud of me and at the same time, I want to be proud of myself too.”

Jennifer said she hopes all of her daughters will go to college.

David said he continues to work on his time management, to make time for just him and his wife, as well as having daddy-daughter dates so that he can spend one-on-one time with each daughter.

Shootings in Tennessee Leave Four Marines Dead

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2015 – Four Marines were killed and another service member was wounded in two separate shootings in Chattanooga, Tennessee, today, military officials confirmed.

The shootings took place at a Network Operations Support Center, operated by the Navy, and at an armed forces recruiting center, officials said.

Names of the deceased will be released after their families are notified, officials said, adding that the Defense Department is working with local and federal authorities.

The Network Operations Support Center is used by Navy and Marine Corps personnel, and is often referred to as a “reserve center,” Navy officials said. It provides training and readiness support for reserve-component personnel to enable them to support the needs of the Navy and Marine Corps.

‘Devastating and Senseless’

“The tragedy in Chattanooga is both devastating and senseless,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire Department of the Navy family, I offer my deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wounded in service to our nation during this incident.”

As the investigation unfolds, he added, the priority will be to take care of the families of those affected.

“I’d like to express my gratitude to the first responders on the scene whose prompt reaction was critical to stopping this individual from inflicting further violence,” Mabus said. “Though we can never fully prevent attacks like this, we will continue to investigate, review and guard against future vulnerabilities and do everything in our power to safeguard the security of our service members and their families.”