Annual POW/MIA Recognition Day hosted by the Dept. of NH Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

Event start: Sat, 09/21/2019 - 10:00am

Event end: Sat, 09/21/2019 - 11:00am

Location: New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery

The annual ceremony, hosted by Dept of NH Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), will be held in the Memorial Walkway (weather permitting). For more information, please contact the Cemetery office during normal business hours (M-F, 8AM-4PM) at 603-796-2026.

POW/MIA Recognition Day

POW/MIA Recognition Day honors the commitments and the sacrifices made by our nation's prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action. By custom, it is on the third Friday in September. National POW/MIA Recognition Day is one of the six days specified by law on which the black POW/MIA flag shall be flown over federal facilities and cemeteries, post offices and military installations.

Northeast POW/MIA Freedom Ride

Faith and Trust ..... 

We must never Forget

Save The Date!

Northeast POW/MIA Network Freedom Ride ~ June 13, 2019

26th Anniversary of the Freedom Ride 
31st Anniversary of the Vigil 

Hesky Park "The Rock" Meredith, NH 

”Ride to the Rock”

POW/MIA Vigil..Freedom Ride..'Together Always 

Freedom Ride line up at Lowe's Gilford by 5:45 pm, bikes leaving
 for Meredith at 6:00 pm to arrive for 7 pm.

For speaker list and additional information click on the link below

https://www.northeastpowmianetwork.org/FreedomRide.html

Memorial Day Prayer

We stand for them.......The young and the brave......Now that day is done.

We stand for them with honor, with pride, with broken hearts and empty arms......

Memorial Day.

Our heroes have gone on before us - too young to go - but too brave to stay. Our hearts were set on our lives together, an eternity of days, a future of tomorrows...... yet, day is done.

We draw together in prayer.

May we give thanks to the Almighty that we have such a land of blessing and hope to live in. A land provided and sustained by the brave of our nation. Those who have stepped forth to right wrongs and secure liberties. Those, our heroes, who have gone before us.

May we remember and pray for their families ~ seeking their comfort, their healing, their strength. May we beseech God that they may live in peace, the peace brought forth to our nation by the sacrifice of their hero.

And may we pray for one another. May we never forget what our heroes have given. May we hold our standards high and bringing their honor forth.

Those, too young to go - but too brave to stay......

Now day is done.....

WE STAND FOR THEM!

Peace and Prayers,

May your Memorial Day be One of Blessing, Safety, and Honor,

Rev. Lin McGee

National Chaplain

Star Mothers of America, Inc.

NH Blue Star Mother's Day (First Sunday after Mother's Day) May 19, 2019.

In honor of our New Hampshire Blue Star Mothers, this day is dedicated to you.... Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Many people still ask what are the Blue Star Mothers of New Hampshire? We are mothers whose children are currently serving or discharged from the military. We support each other and educate people on how to support families affected by military service.

I say Thank You to these moms, who raised their babies into adults, and are now saying goodbye, as their child begins their journey as a Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman or Coast Guardsman.

Blue Star Mothers sit and wait for phone calls. These moms worry, pray, watch the news and send care packages. These moms hope and pray daily their children come home safely.

I want to wish our Blue Star moms a Happy Blue Star Mother's Day. You may not know it, but your service and sacrifice do not go unnoticed. Thank you for being unselfish and for supporting the decisions you child has made. It could not have been easy for you to watch a daughter or son join the military. This grateful nation appreciates you.

I hope more people come to understand the impact the desire to serve has on a family. Perhaps the service member is a single person or there is a spouse and children, in either case, the whole family serves. Parents, in-laws, brothers, sisters, cousins, all members of the family feel the vacancy of the service member when they are gone.

With the return of with the return of our service members, family support is still very much-needed by our veterans, as is the support for the military family.

For our Blue Star Mothers, you are my hero. It is also my hope that you never forget that you are so important. It is because of your love, support and encouragement that our nation sleeps well.

To you all New Hampshire thanks you with this special day: The Governor shall annually issue a proclamation calling for a proper observance of the first Sunday after Mother’s Day, which shall be known as New Hampshire Blue Star Mother’s Day recognizing and honoring all mothers who now have, or have had, children honorably serving in the United States Armed Forces. The Governor shall urge the citizens of this state to see this day with appropriate events.

God Bless you all!

Armed Forces Day Prayer

SPECIAL PRAYERS -- Armed Forces Day Each year, we in America set aside the third Saturday in May to honor our Nation's Armed Forces. . . . . . .

ARMY -- I am an American Soldier. I am a Warrior and a member of a team. 'First to fight for the right, And to build the Nation's might, And the Army goes rolling along......'

MARINES -- Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. 'From the Halls of Montezuma, To the shores of Tripoli, We fight our country's battles, In the air, on land, and sea.......'

NAVY -- I am a United States Sailor. I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and I will obey the orders of those appointed over me. 'Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh, Farewell to college joys , We sail at break of day, 'ay 'ay 'ay .......'

AIR FORCE -- I am an American Airman. I am a Warrior. I have answered my nation's call. 'Off we go into the wild blue yonder, Climbing high into the sun; Here they come zooming to meet our thunder, At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun........'

COAST GUARD -- I am proud to be a United States Coast Guardsman. I revere that long line of expert seamen who by their devotion to duty and sacrifice of self have made it possible for me to be a member of a service honored and respected, in peace and in war, throughout the world. 'We're always ready for the call, We place our trust in Thee. Through surf and storm and howling gale, High shall our purpose be........'

As the mothers, fathers, family, and friends of this proud and outstanding fighting force, what better way to honor our heroes than through prayer to the Almighty? May we stand together this Saturday, May 18, 2013, as the enduring force of strength behind our military men and women ~ lifting our voices in prayer ~ giving faithful word to the Almighty for their protection, thanksgiving for their well being, petition for their wisdom, and appreciation for their service. God Bless the Men and Women of Our Armed Forces!!!

Prayers,

Rev. Lin McGee
National Chaplain Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. 

Military Mothers ~ A Mother's Day Tribute

This Sunday, moms across the country will be treated to breakfast in bed, homemade cards, bouquets of flowers and fancy dinners in restaurants. But for military mothers who are serving and those mothers who have sons and daughters fighting wars overseas, Mother’s Day won’t be all roses.

The term "Military Mothers" describes two distinct groups of women. On the one hand, it describes mothers whose sons and daughters are members of the military. On the other, it describes mothers who are themselves members of the military.

Though many military mothers have grown used to their children’s absences on Mother’s Day and other special occasions, it doesn’t make those times any easier especially for moms whose sons and daughters are in the line of fire in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Mothers whose children are in the military and deployed to military bases around the world or serving in a war zone far from home, live with daily fear and worry for the lives of those to whom they gave birth, and nurtured into the fine young men and women they are. They worry that those children may return home with missing limbs or with PTSD, and may not be the same person who deployed, or that they may return in a flag-draped casket.

And mothers, who must leave their children behind to go to a war zone far from home, live with daily fear for their own lives because they worry about the possibility that their children may have to grow up without a mother. And they worry about the impact their absence will have on little psyches, and whether that impact will be lasting.

We assure you, both groups are heroes.

And we'd like to wish them, and all the other mothers out there, a Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Birthday Blue Star Mothers

Happy 77th anniversary to our BSMA sisters!! Remember our mission of helping our Troops and Veterans, coming along side the families of our Fallen and to support each other! #bluestarmothersofamerica

Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, there was a conversation between two men, retired Army Captain George Maines and General John Pershing. The concerns were the morale of the mothers of military personnel and the direct effect it might have on the Troops. On January 21st, 1942 the idea of a new patriotic organization was organized. The information was published on the front page of the Flint News Advertiser on Jan. 22nd. It asked military mothers to fill out a coupon and return it to receive a blue star to place in their windows. The response was so large that a meeting was called.

This meeting was on February 1, 1942. This was eight weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Just eight weeks after the death of Flint son, Jack Pitcher who was aboard the battle ship USS West Virginia. It was then that 358 mothers gathered at the Durant Hotel. Captain Maines shared the vision and after a few minutes of silent contemplation, Mrs. Adda Harris stood and challenged the mothers who sat there in silence. She asked that they give Captain Maines a vote of confidence. There was an overwhelming vote of support to start this new organization known as Blue Star Mothers of America. The rest is history!

Happy 77th. anniversary to our BSMA sisters!! Remember our mission of helping our Troops and Veterans, coming along side the families of our Fallen and to support each other!