thedrifter
05-05-06, 08:26 AM
Army honors those who gave support to troops
By Robert Nolin
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted May 5 2006
OPA-LOCKA · She kept the home fires burning while her soldier husband served a year in Iraq and for that, the Army says, Pamela King deserves a medal or at least a commemorative pin.
And she got one Thursday, along with 10 others who, though they weren't serving in the military, nevertheless made life a little easier for those who were. They were given the pins under the Army's "Freedom Team Salute" program at a preview of the McDonald's Air & Sea Show at the Opa-locka Airport.
The daylong show runs Saturday and Sunday along Fort Lauderdale beach.
Sgt. Michael King, 44, a career soldier from Fort Lauderdale, nominated his wife Pamela for the award.
"We've got four children. That's enough right there," King said. "Think about it: taking care of the kids, managing the bills and living through three hurricanes."
And still working as community liaison at Sanders Park Elementary School in Pompano Beach.
Pamela King, 41, said it was tough juggling work, a household and four kids ages 3 to 7 for a year. "Everything fell on me. The things he would normally do came on my shoulders," she said.
Among those receiving special pins Thursday were Rosa Baez, the mother of Sgt. Denny Baez of Sunrise; Rosa and Marisin Fernandez, the mother and wife respectively of Sgt. Cesar Fernandez of Hollywood; Sonia Gill and Lucelia Silva, the mother and wife respectively of Sgt. Simon Gill of Boynton Beach; and the city of North Lauderdale, which employed Spc. Robert Jackson while he was overseas.
"We want to say thank you for your service to this country," said program spokeswoman Lt. Leela Dawson.
Also Thursday, 144 recruits swore to defend the U.S. Constitution and fight all enemies foreign and domestic as they formally joined the service. There were 50 newly minted Air Force personnel, 30 Navy sailors, 36 Marines, 25 Army soldiers and three Coast Guardsmen.
Thursday's action wasn't limited to oaths and honors. The skies above the Opa-locka Airport thundered and turned color as the Navy's Blue Angels aviators went through practice drills and a team of parachutists from the Army's Golden Knights lazily drifted earthward while trailing pink smoke.
Both groups will be headliners at the air show.
Robert Nolin can be reached at rnolin@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4525.
Ellie
By Robert Nolin
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted May 5 2006
OPA-LOCKA · She kept the home fires burning while her soldier husband served a year in Iraq and for that, the Army says, Pamela King deserves a medal or at least a commemorative pin.
And she got one Thursday, along with 10 others who, though they weren't serving in the military, nevertheless made life a little easier for those who were. They were given the pins under the Army's "Freedom Team Salute" program at a preview of the McDonald's Air & Sea Show at the Opa-locka Airport.
The daylong show runs Saturday and Sunday along Fort Lauderdale beach.
Sgt. Michael King, 44, a career soldier from Fort Lauderdale, nominated his wife Pamela for the award.
"We've got four children. That's enough right there," King said. "Think about it: taking care of the kids, managing the bills and living through three hurricanes."
And still working as community liaison at Sanders Park Elementary School in Pompano Beach.
Pamela King, 41, said it was tough juggling work, a household and four kids ages 3 to 7 for a year. "Everything fell on me. The things he would normally do came on my shoulders," she said.
Among those receiving special pins Thursday were Rosa Baez, the mother of Sgt. Denny Baez of Sunrise; Rosa and Marisin Fernandez, the mother and wife respectively of Sgt. Cesar Fernandez of Hollywood; Sonia Gill and Lucelia Silva, the mother and wife respectively of Sgt. Simon Gill of Boynton Beach; and the city of North Lauderdale, which employed Spc. Robert Jackson while he was overseas.
"We want to say thank you for your service to this country," said program spokeswoman Lt. Leela Dawson.
Also Thursday, 144 recruits swore to defend the U.S. Constitution and fight all enemies foreign and domestic as they formally joined the service. There were 50 newly minted Air Force personnel, 30 Navy sailors, 36 Marines, 25 Army soldiers and three Coast Guardsmen.
Thursday's action wasn't limited to oaths and honors. The skies above the Opa-locka Airport thundered and turned color as the Navy's Blue Angels aviators went through practice drills and a team of parachutists from the Army's Golden Knights lazily drifted earthward while trailing pink smoke.
Both groups will be headliners at the air show.
Robert Nolin can be reached at rnolin@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4525.
Ellie