This is from the AP and published in the Army Times .
And this was published in the Pittsburgh Tribune .
Monday, February 20, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Some photos from a wonderful week
Click here to see some shots on Flicker
Click here to see some video on Youtube
Compliments of Whitefish Mountain Resort
You can still donate by clicking here! Go ahead and do it.
Click here to see some video on Youtube
Compliments of Whitefish Mountain Resort
You can still donate by clicking here! Go ahead and do it.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Just another day up on the mountain, or maybe not...
Please make sure you watch this unitl the end.,
Friday, January 20, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Want to plunge with a warrior?
We've got the best penquin plunge team in the Flathead. Join us by contacting Betty Sue at bsfkearney@gmail.com or 813 810-4262. You'll need at least a cold $100 to benefit the Special Olympics and a bathing suit.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Speaker Profile - Kimberly Dozier
In a flash, Kimberly Dozier’s life changed. As an award-winning CBS News reporter, Dozier had devoted her career to being in the right place at the right time to capture the story. Suddenly, in the wrong place at the worst time, she became the story, as a deadly explosion tore through her team and word spread worldwide.
That Memorial Day in 2006, a routine mission ended with Dozier in a pool of blood on a Baghdad street, a victim of a car bomb that killed cameraman Paul Douglas and soundman James Brolan as well as Captain James Alex Funkhouser and his translator.
Critically injured, Dozier woke to find herself fighting first for survival, then for recovery, and finally to return to her career. Breathing the Fire tracks one woman’s relentless determination to get the story, to get it right, and to get well again after everything went wrong.
In vivid and unapologetic detail, she recounts the moments from bomb to rescue to the waves of pain that spread from that Baghdad blast to homes and families around the world, now linked by an event horribly commonplace for U.S. troops and Iraqis alike.
Autographed copies of Breathing the Fire will be available for sale at the Iron Horse event on February 2nd. All proceedes go to charities that benefit wounded warriors.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Iron Horse Dinner Reception
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
2012 Warrior Bios
Brian - I grew up in Dacusville, SC and ran cross-country in high school. I served with U.S. Army as a soldier and went on 4 deployments – 2 to Iraq, 2 to Afghanistan. On 20 June 2010 I stepped on an IED. As a result I have a left below knee amputation, right partial foot amputation and I shattered my right ankle. Nowadays I enjoy hunting, fishing and competition shooting. I will be attending the ski week in Whitefish Montana with my wife Brandy, who was my nurse in Germany when I got medically evacuated. Currently I am on active duty with the Army. I am looking forward to this trip because I enjoy being in the outdoors.
Brian - I grew up in Stamford, CT. I went to J.M. Wright Technical School and some of the activities I participated in were playing basketball and running cross-country. I really didn’t have many of the opportunities that many of the kids have these days, so during my junior year in high school I made the decision to join the Army after high school.
I joined the Army in August 1986 and was stationed with the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Baumholder Germany as an Infantryman. While in Germany, I thought there had to be more to the Army than riding around in a Armored Personnel Carrier, so in 1989, I volunteered for Airborne training and the Ranger Regiment. While with the Bravo Company 3rd Battalion, I had the distinct honor to participate in a combat jump into Rio Hato, Panama in 1989, in support of Operation Just Cause. After serving with the Ranger Regiment, I was stationed in Key West, FL with the U.S. Army Combat Dive School as a dive instructor. I then volunteered for Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, NC and was stationed with the 1st Special Forces Group in Fort Lewis, WA. In 2001, I was selected to be a part of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) at Fort Bragg, NC and am still serving there.
In March 2004, during our second deployment to Iraq, I was part of a Task Force conducting operations in Fallujah, Iraq. While departing the city of Fallujah, my vehicle in our convoy was struck with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The IED initiated an ambush that the insurgents had set up for our convoy. The explosion sent shrapnel hitting me in the face and ignited the fuel cans that were attached to the outside of our vehicle, causing our vehicle to catch fire. While my other comrades were fighting their way through the ambush and getting off the “X” I was on my own until our medics could get to me. That night there were many people who kept me alive, from the men next to me, to the medics on the ground, to the pilots and crew who flew me to the Combat Surgical Hospital in Baghdad. Three days later, I was in Walter Reed Army Medical Center. As of today, I’ve had 28 surgeries: twenty-three facial reconstructive surgeries, one eye surgery and four dental surgeries.
I’ve been married to my lovely wife Shawn for over 17 years and she has been there for all of my surgeries. She has been there to help me with my pain from my surgeries, to spending the night with me in that uncomfortable chair the hospital provides in your hospital room, to blending all of my food for me because my teeth were all blown out.
We live in North Carolina and have two children, our son Brian is 14 years old and in the 9th grade and our daughter Bailee who is 10 years old and in the 5th grade. After being in the Army for over 25 years and being wounded, I’ve spent the most of my time with my family, from attending sporting events, to school musicals, to weekends at the beach. I made it a point to spend as much of my time and energy with my family.
For over the last seven years, I have been able to stay with my unit and continue with my medical care and recover from my surgeries. I’ve been able to deploy back to Iraq for two more deployments and operate back on a team. I will say that there were some challenging times while back on an operational team in a combat environment. The things you take for granted such as speaking and eating were challenging for me. When most of your lips are blown off, speaking and eating become somewhat difficult.
I’m currently working as an assistant operations soldier and most of my time is behind a desk. I’ve submitted my paperwork for a medical review board and if everything goes as planned be medically discharged from the Army around August or September 2012.
What will I do when I retire? I do not know right now. I have a resume written and hope to get it out for future employment next year. We plan to stay in North Carolina while our children are still in school. We feel that the neighborhood and community we live in is right for our children. I also hope to get my master’s degree in the future.
Mark – With a big smile on his face he will shred the slopes of Whitefish Mountain Resort on his snowboard and will be accompanied by his brother Paul. Unfortunately his wife, Colleen, and their two sons - 10-year-old Shane and 5-year-old Brady won’t be able to make the trip. The fifth member of the family is Herco, a Holland born and bred German shepherd. Mark and the Herco were wounded in the same explosion that brought Mark his second Purple Heart but ended his career as a Green Beret. Mark is a highly trained Special Forces warrior. He has had multiple tours in combat. He is highly decorated - five Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts.
Tom - I’ve been married 24 years to my wife Sandee. I have served in the Military, both Navy and Army, for over 15 years and I have been deployed 8 times, 3 of which have been in combat. In Sept 2009, I was in an IED blast rollover. My driver was killed instantly and I sustained catastrophic injuries. My gunner is paralyzed to this day. My observer is fine today and is enjoying life. My wife and I enjoy shooting guns and doing all kinds of outdoor activities. Neither of us knows how to ski but we are anxious to learn. My physical limitations have changed our lives forever. I do have 3 more operations to go through which one is an amputation of my right leg. We have 3 grown children and 7 grandchildren who we don't ever see enough. I’m currently waiting for my MED board process to go through.
Mike - I am an Army Brat born at Fort Dix, NJ and grew up in North Eastern, Pennsylvania. I grew up with a love for the outdoors, running cross country, riding ATVs, hiking, camping and hunting. I joined the US Navy in 1994 and deployed as a communications specialist in Bosnia in 1995. I transferred from the US Navy to the US Army in 1997 and served with the an MP Company as an MP. I was commissioned in 2002 through Penn State Army ROTC. I deployed to Osaka, Japan as a foreign advisor in 2003. Then I deployed to Afghanistan in 2005 (10th MTN Division), injured and returned to the states in 2006. I transferred to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2006 and injured during training exercise in 2010. I continue to serve with 1-110th IN Bn in Mount Pleasant, PA (Pennsylvania Army National Guard). I am currently working for the Department of Veterans Affairs and recently awarded the opportunity to manage a brand new Fisher House being built at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
I am married to Kelly and have 2 beautiful children, Emily (4) and Noah (19 mos). As one could imagine, having 2 children makes it difficult to spend time together, so we are looking forward to this trip as an opportunity to spend time together. It is also an opportunity for me to spend time with other service members that have many of the same invisibleinjuries that I am suffering from. My plans for the future are pretty simple. I'd like to build myself a quit retreat somewhere to go when I need to "escape". Somewhere I can sit in silence or listen to classical music and read a book. A place where I can turn off my cell phone, enjoy the sights and sounds of the great outdoors and reflect on all of the great things God has blessed me with.
Vernon – I was born in Eureka, California in 1962 and then moved to Oregon at three months of age. I have lived in Vancouver, Washington, Libby, Montana and since 1972, in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. I played football fourth grade through high school. Also when I was younger, I spent time fishing, hunting, camping with the boyscounts and many other outdoor activities. I enlisted in the army in 1980 as a 21B Combat Engineer with an Engineer Battalion. I deployed to Iraq during 2004-2005 with 737th trans, hauling fuel and escorting convoy. I deployed again to Iraq in 2006-2007 with the 321st Engineers, clearing routes in Ramadi and providing security for Iraqi Fuel convoys. From my deployments, I sustained injuries to my neck, lower back, right shoulder, as well as PTSD and a traumatic brain injury.
Currently, my hobbies include the outdoors, racecars, motorcycles, music, traveling and spending time with my wife. My wife, Candace, and I have been married for 27 years. We were married and moved to Wasilla, Alasksa before moving back to the Spokane/Coeur d’ Alene area. We have a son who is 26 and a daughter that is 22, as well as two grandchildren Ava and Ella. My wife helps me remember when and where I need to be, and also helps keep me grounded when I get overwhelmed. Candace is now trying to keep me in line instead of two kids!
I’m looking forward to this trip for the challenge and the confidence to keep pushing myself mentally and physically. My goals are to learn to play the guitar, stay active and in good health, race cars, ride bikes and have fun. But mostly, to be a good person!
Billy - My dad was in the Navy so I grew up moving around the east coast. I was born in and graduated high school in Lexington Park, MD. I played soccer, wrestled, and participated in track through the school system. Other sports I participated in through my military career include snowboarding, surfing, free fall, SCUBA diving, and distance running. I'm a soldier in the US Army currently assigned to the an airbororne unit. I was injured in Shah Wali Kot District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan on the 20th of September 2011. I stepped on an anti-personnel Improvised Explosive Device which took my right leg through the knee, fractured my index and middle finger on my right hand, and fractured my fibula and tibia of the left leg. I'm working on healing up so I can pick back up on as many old activities as I can. I look forward to participating in marathons and triathlons when I reach the physical ability to do so. My wife Jennifer and my two boys, Wesley and Tyler have been taking care of me since my injury. This will be my first trip back to the slopes since my injury, so I'm looking forward to trying out my new snowboarding leg.
Dustin - I currently live in Lincoln Nebraska. I served eight and a half years in the Nebraska Army National Guard. During my time of service I attended many recruiting events and was proud to be involved with the Honor Guard. Although my MOS (job) for the Army was 74D Chemical Specialist I didn't get to train on it very much. My orders while I was overseas were to join the Security Forces. I was a 50 caliber gunner during my deployment to Iraq from 2006-2007.
My Humvee ran over an Improvised Explosive Device or I.E.D. As a result of being tossed around. I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. I also have two herniated disc in my lower back from the I.E.D.
I love to watch football and UFC. My favorite football teams are the Dallas Cowboys and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I also enjoy hanging out with my brother and my niece. One of my favorite toys is my Jeep Wrangler. I have done a lot of work to it. I can’t wait till summer comes so I can take the top off it.
I am currently working at the Lincoln Nebraska VA in the work study program. I help in the Vocational Rehab Department. I am attending Doane College and studying for my Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. My overall goal is to work for the VA, or a nonprofit organization working for veterans.
2012 Schedule of Events
Date | Time | Event | Note |
Wednesday, February 1st | 11:51 AM SLC Brian McGuire, Tom Rollason, Dustin Ribblet * 1:38 PM MSP Mark Vomund, KD * 3:39 PM SEA 3:52 PM SLC | Airport arrival and greeting by Montana Patriot Guard | Transport to Grouse Mountain Lodge Grouse Shuttle & POV *Groomer Tour for Warriors arriving on these flights. Later flights will proceed directly to Kandahar for dinner after checking in at Grouse |
4:00 PM | Depart Grouse for WMR | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
4:30 PM | Groomer tour at WMR | Rendezvous at Ed & Mulley’s | |
6:00 PM | Dinner at Café Kandahar Speaker Brigadier General John E. Wash The Adjutant General, Montana National Guard | Members of the public are encouraged to make reservations with Dalise Blanton at 406 862-6247 or dalise@lcblanton.com | |
8:00 PM | Depart Café Kandahar for Grouse | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
Thursday, February 2nd | 7:30 AM | Breakfast at Grouse Mountain Lodge | |
8:30 AM | Depart Grouse for WMR | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
9:00 AM | Skiing at WMR | Mt. Jackson Room | |
12:30 PM | Lunch at Mt. Jackson Room | ||
3:30 PM | Depart WMR for Grouse | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
5:30 PM | Depart Grouse for Iron Horse | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
6:00 PM | Iron Horse dinner reception | Members of the public are encouraged to make reservations with Heather Halbakken at 406-863-3115 or hhalbakken@ironhorsemt.com | |
7:30 PM | Speaker Kimberly Dozier | Autographed copies of her book Breathing the Fire will be available for purchase after the event | |
8:30 PM | Depart Iron Horse for Grouse | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
Friday, February 3rd | 7:30 AM | Breakfast at Grouse Mountain Lodge | |
8:30 AM | Depart Grouse for WMR | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
9:00 AM | Skiing at WMR and press day | Mt. Jackson Room | |
12:15 PM | Depart Day Lodge for Creech home | WMR Shuttle & POV for non skiing participants. | |
12:30 PM | Lunch at the Creech Home next to Chair 3 | Private function and closed to the public. (Burger Barn for Long Gray Line) | |
1:30 PM | Depart Creech home for Day Lodge | WMR Shuttle & POV for non skiing participants. | |
4:25 PM | Depart Day Lodge for Bierstube | WMR Shuttle & POV | |
4:30 PM | Dinner Party at the Bierstube | (406) 862-1993 Bierstube Public is encourage to attend and party with the Wounded Warriors. No reservation is required. | |
7:30 PM | Depart Bierstube for Grouse | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
Saturday, February 4th | 9:00 AM | Breakfast at Grouse Mountain Lodge | |
10:00 AM | Depart Grouse for City Beach | POV for Plunge participants | |
10:30 AM | Depart Grouse for City Beach/VFW/Marcus Shuttle | Grouse Shuttle for non plunge participants | |
12:00 PM | Lunch at the Whitefish VFW and Winter Carnival Events | (406) 862-4949 | |
12:00 PM | Penguin Plunge and Winter Carnival Events | City Beach on Whitefish Lake | |
1:00 PM | Depart City beach for Grouse and then VFW | POV for wet Plunge participants | |
1:00 PM | Depart City Beach for VFW | Marcus shuttle for non plunge participants or POV as needed | |
2:15 PM | Depart VFW for Parade Float | POV | |
2:30 PM | Winter Carnival Parade | Staging area. Float sponsored by Montana Patriot Guard | |
3:00 PM | Winter Carnival Parade | Kick off | |
3:15 PM | Winter Carnival Parade Review Stand | ||
4:00 PM | Bulldog Saloon | Rendezvous point & mandatory bathroom break | |
6:30 PM | Open dinner for Warriors | Complimentary tickets for several downtown establishments will be provided | |
8:00 PM (Approximate) | Depart for Grouse from Downtown (optional) (Shuttle on a circut downtown) | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
Sunday, February 5th | 7:00 AM | Breakfast at Grouse | Split day: Option 1 is Snowmobile/ski at WMR Option 2 is horse drawn sleigh ride at Bar W Guest Ranch |
7:30 AM | Depart Grouse for WMR | Grouse Shuttle & POV for snowmobiling participants | |
8:30 AM | Snowmobiling & Skiing at WMR | Mt. Jackson Room for gear and clothing then lifts to Summit for snowmobiling participants | |
9:00 AM | Snowmobile Tours | Summit of Big Mountain | |
10:30 AM | Depart Grouse for Bar W guest ranch | POV and/or shuttle to Bar W for Horse drawn sleigh ridge and lunch | |
11:00 AM | Bar W Guest Ranch | http://www.thebarw.com/ | |
1:30 PM | Depart Bar W for Grouse or downtown (afternoon open) | Grouse Shuttle & POV. Downtown for shopping. | |
12:30 PM | Lunch at Summit House | For snowmobiling participants | |
2:30 PM | Depart WMR for Grouse | Grouse Shuttle & POV for snowmobiling participants | |
4:00 PM | Depart Grouse for Williams Home | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
4:30 PM | Super Bowl Party and Dinner at Williams Home | Private event closed to the public | |
8:30 PM | Depart Williams Home for Grouse | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
Monday, February 6th | 7:30 AM | Breakfast at Grouse | |
8:30 AM | Depart Grouse for WMR (optional) | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
9:00 AM | Skiing at WMR (optional) | Mt. Jackson Room | |
12:30 PM | Lunch at Mt. Jackson Room (optional) | ||
3:30 PM | Depart WMR for Grouse (optional) | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
5:30 PM | Depart Grouse for McGarry’s | Grouse Shuttle & POV | |
6:00 PM | Dinner at McGarry’s | Members of the public are encouraged to make reservations at 406 862-6223 | |
Tuesday, February 7th | 7:30 AM | Breakfast at Grouse | TBD |
Time TBD | Airport Departure | Grouse Shuttle & POV |
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