ACAFT 2008 Broadcast to 171 Countries Labor Day Weekend!           

Armed Forces Network will be airing the 90-minute broadcast from the August 23 Tribute on the Pentagon Channel Labor Day weekend. This broadcast will air into military posts, bases, camps and ships in all 171 countries where US military personnel and civilian employees of the military are stationed. A special thanks to Thad Woodard of North Carolina Bankers Association, Van Krebbs and Major Robert Carver, NC National Guard, for their assistance in this honor.     

82D All American FreeFall Team to Jump!

82D Airborne Division All American Freefall Team

"America's Guard of Honor"

The All-American Freefall Team is a sport parachute team formed over 25 years ago to represent the famed 82D Airborne "All-American" Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and has members from many units within the Division. The Team has performed over 6,000 freefall demonstrations!

The Team has proudly represented the 82D Airborne Division across the United States at military ceremonies and activities, air shows, fairs, competitions, civic functions and professional and collegiate sports events. The Team does much of its training at Raeford Parachute Center, located at Paul Keith Airport, about 20 miles from Fayetteville.

The 82D Airborne Division, the largest parachute force in the free world, is trained to deploy anywhere, at anytime, to fight upon arrival and win! Every soldier is Airborne-qualified, and is continuously trained under rugged and realistic conditions.

The All-American Freefall Team is the official presentative of the famed 82D Airborne Division, located at the "Home of the Airborne" at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and represents the 82D Airborne Division at military functions, exhibitions, special events and competitions, demonstrating individual, formation, and other precision freefall skydiving techniques.

Although the Team is organized to serve the soldiers of the U.S. ARMY and Fort Bragg, demand for performances by civilian audiences continues to increase, due to the Team's growing reputation for professionalism, accuracy and reliability. The Troopers of the All-American Freefall Team are proud to serve as ambassadors for the 82D Airborne Division and the U.S. ARMY!

Welcome Rick Beasley & ASU football players to Tribute!

Join us in welcoming "Faces of Freedom" editor Rebecca Pepin

Rebecca Pepin co-anchors the Fox Tri-Cities 10pm newscast on WEMT Fox 39 & CW4 in Bristol, VA/TN. She is also the editorial director for the book Faces of Freedom. It profiles fallen military men and women who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. ALL proceeds of the book go to Fisher House and Wounded Warrior Project. Rebecca, who is from Canada, became an American citizen on October 27, 2006. The book, Faces of Freedom, is her way of thanking the men and women who risk their lives everyday to make this country such an incredible place to live. Previously, Rebecca worked at WIS-TV in Columbia, SC. She has also published two other books including a children's book titled Bobby Dog and the Flying Frog. Her first book, Honoring South Carolina's WWII Heroes of Flight, is a collection of short stories about WWII aviators. All proceeds of that book go to the Celebrate Freedom Foundation. Rebecca will co-host the 2008 Tribute with Jan Caddell at Ashe Park on August 23. She will also have the family of the North Carolina Marine Sgt Mark Adams from Morrisville, NC, who is featured featured in her book, joining her at her book signing.

Pulled from her website, www.RebeccaPepin.com, the following is an open letter from Rebecca to all of us who take our freedoms and our American citizenship for granted:

On Oct. 27, 2006, I became an American.

At the swearing-in ceremony in Abingdon, VA, Judge Michael F. Urbanski challenged the group of 15 new citizens before him to make a difference in our communities. He urged us not to become complacent and to always remember that we have an “obligation that accompanies the honor of becoming an American.”

It reminded me of the men and women in the armed forces who selflessly serve day-in and day-out. I couldn’t help but feel emotional as I considered the thousands of military members who were in faraway lands on that day instead of sharing a special moment with their families.

My thoughts were particularly with those serving in the current conflict in the Middle East. Would I be an American worthy of their sacrifice? I reflected on Eleanor Roosevelt’s wartime prayer, shared with me by a Vietnam veteran friend of mine:

"Dear Lord,
Lest I continue
My complacent way,
Help me to remember that somewhere,
Somehow out there
A man died for me today.
As long as there be war,
I then must
Ask and answer
Am I worth dying for?”

The book, Faces of Freedom: Profiles of America’s Fallen Heroes in Iraq and Afghanistan, is the way in which I have chosen to say “thank you” to those who serve. And through this project, I have seen many Americans who have not forgotten their obligations as sons and daughters of this great land. Faces of Freedom was made possible by dozens of volunteer writers, editors and artists.

In these pages you will read about some of the nation’s fallen heroes. Some were great warriors. Some served their countries quietly and dutifully. All loved America.

On Dec. 14, 2005, President George W. Bush addressed the nation about the ongoing Global War on Terror. He talked about how the power of freedom will overcome tyranny. “We can be confident because we have on our side the greatest force for freedom in human history: the men and women of the United States Armed Forces,” he said.

The president pointed to Marine 2nd Lt. Ryan McGlothlin, from southwest Virginia, as an example:

“Ryan was a bright young man who had everything going for him and he always wanted to serve our nation. He was a valedictorian of his high school class. He graduated from William & Mary with near-perfect grade averages, and he was on a full scholarship at Stanford, where he was working toward a doctorate in chemistry.”

The president went on to explain that Ryan was killed while fighting along the Syrian border in Iraq in November of 2005.

Not every soldier, sailor, airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman will be recognized in a speech by the president. In fact, many will barely get a mention in their local newspapers. The primary purpose of this book is to raise money to benefit veterans, through Fisher House and Wounded Warrior Project, and to heighten awareness about the sacrifice and selflessness of our troops. These men and women are not just numbers. They were our friends and neighbors, and the loved ones of our fellow Americans. While only 52 fallen heroes are featured here, Faces of Freedom is a tribute to all who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we — and our future generations — may live in peace, security and freedom.

— Rebecca Pepin

Welcome to the 2008 Armed Forces Tribute! Here's a list of what you will find here, and how it can be used! Please call 336.846.1251 if you have any questions, or come by the ACAFT office at 303 A East 2nd Street in West Jefferson, next door to the Chamber of Commerce. Original forms are available for picking up and dropping off Monday-Saturday, 9-5 at the office or at the Jefferson Courthouse in Betsy Reeves' office in the Veteran's Office.

 First Ever Ashe County Pictorial Postmark created by Stephen Shoemaker 

Ashe County native artist and veteran Stephen Shoemaker has created an original piece of art that has been approved by the US Postal Service in Raleigh as the first-ever pictorial postmark for the 2008 Ashe County Armed Forces Tribute. First suggested by West Jefferson Post Master Drew Martin after the 2007 event, Stephen agreed to create this original work for submission.Once completed, Sandy Shatley of Carolina Printing and her graphics designer Brenda prepared the original into camera-ready format for publication into a rubber stamp. On Saturday, August 23, the West Jefferson Post Office will set up at the Tribute and cancel your mail for you with this postmark. Also available for sale will be collector's items in the form of a special #10 Purple Heart envelope that will have the ACAFT Pictorial Postmark as a silk cachet. This Pictorial Postmark will only be available at the event for cancellation on your mail, but the commemorative envelope will be available for 30 days. After 30 days the Pictorial Postmark will no longer be available. Bring your mail to have it postmarked at the Tribute, and plan to purchase one of the limited edition Purple Heart envelopes with the postmark affixed to it!