United States Military Spouse - greater love

Greater LOVE hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

 I'm a photographer not a writer so bare with me for a bit...

Any lose is devastating when it's the one you love. This past weekend while I was lost in my little world dealing with the Super slow Typhoon Mufia. The United States was dealing with a lose of it's own. A Chinock helicopter crashed in Afghanistan taking the precious lives of 30 U.S Special Operation troops - some of them being Navy Seal, Air Force, Army  and Afghan soldiers.

You can read more details below or google

• http://abcnews.go.com/International/nato-crash-31-americans-killed-including-25-navy/story?id=14245387
• http://www.stripes.com/30-american-special-operations-troops-7-afghans-killed-in-helicopter-crash-1.151345
• http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/08/navy-special-warfare-community-in-shock-and-disbelief-080611/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Because of this devastation I want to introduce to you to a couple of programs who are near and dear to my heart.

http://www.specialops.org/


The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families.


MAKE A DONATION

Our Mission
That Others May Live is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization established in 2002. Our foundation provides post-secondary education assistance to children whose USAF parents or guardians were lost in a personnel recovery mission, training, or other personnel recovery collateral mission.

Our Programs:

Beneficiary Assistance Program
Our goal is to provide the children of fallen USAF Rescue Heroes with assistance in one of three ways… in post-secondary educational assistance, business start up assistance and mentoring or first time home purchase assistance.

Warfighter Liaison Program
Provide contact to at home and deployed USAF rescue personnel with deployed unit care packages and morale booster and appreciation events.

Community Ambassador Program
Assist with rescue personnel appreciation events, deployed member outreach, community awareness and fundraising.

MAKE A DONATION

Okinawa Photographer - Daily Snaps- happy little accident

Pararescue Code

It is my duty as a Pararescueman to save life and to aid the injured. 

I will be prepared at all times to perform my assigned duties quickly and efficiently, 

placing these duties before personal desires and comforts. 

These things I do, that others may live.

- originally titled "The Code of the Air Rescueman"

penned then by Lt. Col Richard T. Kight

"We don't make mistakes here, we just have happy little accidents"

-Bob Ross

Daily  Snaps-

I'm currently working on a project for KB's Squadron's Warrior Banquet. We are going to utilize the Angel of Mercy, which is a symbol on their flash, for our outfits. Those that know me already know that I have a love/hate relationship with Photoshop. This a photograph of a wooden plaque that was given to KB from his last base. I had  the image open in PS and had a happy little accident. Now don't ask me how I did this because really I have no clue but I thought it looked interesting. It reminds me of weathered metal. So, I'm sharing my happy little accident with you today. 


Babe! I'm very proud of you and All CSAR members for everything you do so "That Other's May Live"

Here are some links for those interested in the history of Pararescue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Pararescue

http://www.specialtactics.com/ 

http://www.af.mil › Information › Factsheets

http://www.pararescue.com/
http://www.thatothersmaylive.org

Video by G3SM

Okinawa Photographer - giving back

Believe in miracles

We make a living by what we get,

we make a life by what we give

- Sir Winston Churchill

Giving Back - 

I'm a big believer in giving back to the community. I provide pro-bono photographic services to organizations such as Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and That Others May Live Foundation. This last month I was contact by a mother who wanted to know if I would take her 3 month old daughter's photograph. Her daughter was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and would be under going surgery.  I was more than happy to photograph Miss "B". The above pictures are of Miss "B"

Here is a note Brigitte wanted to share with you the reader. 

"First off I would like to thank you Denise for your gift of photography, your sweet heart, and your compassion to a family that is going through a stressful time.

  We found out that something just wasn't right with "B" a couple of hours after she was born, her dad was feeding her and it looked like she was "Trying to Breath" (Kinda like she just got done running). He called in the nurse and everything went crazy, she spent 12 hours in the NIC unit and we were told that she had a murmur. We were not happy but her father had one as a baby and it seemed like so did every ones mother, brother, sister and friend, so we were hopeful.

  During the time in the hospital it seemed like test after test were done. We were told that "B" has Tetralogy of Fallot. Which in simple terms means the the valve from her heart to her lungs did not line up correctly, and her blood oxygen levels were very low. Also a normal heart has four chambers, one of the walls in her heart that seperates two different chambers did not connect,so she only has three chambers.

   Because we live on Okinawa and the health care is limited, Twelve days after she was born "B" and I took a trip to Hawaii to meet with her Doctor. He explained to me that she would need heart surgery to correct the deffect before she was 5 months old.

 Her condition is really mild in comparson to some children I have read about. Although our little girl is going in for heart surgery we are staying in prayer and leaning heavily on God to get us through this. We know that he has "B" in his arms and going to guide the surgeon's hands.

Thank you again

Brigitte L."

Note, I removed the baby's name and family's last name to protect their privacy. Please take a moment to place this family in your prayers.

Many blessings to you and yours.

Okinawa Photographer - Giving Back- That Others May Live

That Other's May Live Foundation FUNdraiser

Kristi of Kristi James Photography and my self partnered on Saturday, the 21st of August 2010 to do the First Mini Photo FUNdraiser for That Other's May Live Foundation here on Okinawa. That Other's May Live Foundation is a non profit organization, which serves to fund the advanced educational need's of children of fallen heros. This foundation is very near and dear to my heart and I was very happy when Kristi agreed to volunteer her photographic talent and time for such a great cause. We had a fabulous time and the Okinawa weather was gorgeous! Thank you again to all who participated and donated. You made this a SUCCESS! Here is the sneak peek for the wonderful people I photographed! Thank you again for supporting us and this great cause!!

We make a living by what we get,

we make a life by what we give

~ Sir Winston Churchill

Kristi, my dear friend this one is for you =)
Thank you, for helping me make the idea of a fundraiser into a reality. I have been blessed by your friendship. I will miss you dearly when you PCS to the states =( 

Giving Back - That Others May Live

Visit That Others May Live & Kristi James Photography