Armed Forces

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2010 - The Defense Department has launched a free, online tutoring service for servicemembers and their families.

The site - http://www.tutor.com/military -- offers round-the-clock professional tutors who can assist with homework, studying, test preparation, resume writing and more.

Marine Corps and Army families have had access to the program for more than a year. Seeing the value, Defense Department officials decided to expand the service to encompass all servicemembers and their families, officials said.

"Providing 24/7 academic and career support for military families during a time when so many parents have a deployed spouse has been an important and well-received benefit for Marine Corps and Army families," said Tommy T. Thomas, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy.

"We are pleased to expand this program to all U.S. military families and provide peace of mind that their children are never alone when it comes to learning - there is always a certified, professional tutor available to help," he said.

Active-duty servicemembers, National Guard and reserve personnel on active duty in a deployed status, Defense Department civilians in a deployed status and their dependents are eligible to participate, officials said. Along with test preparation, the site is open to students of any age - from kindergartners to high school seniors - for one-on-one help in math, science, social studies and English.

Many of these students, officials said, are making the most of the live, one-on-one help. "Thanks for having this service when our family is separated at this time due to deployments and training," a 6th grader of a Marine commented. "My father is unable to help one-on-one."

"I really appreciate this," another program participant, a 9th grader, said. "It really helps me understand my schoolwork. It's going to really help me ace my exams coming up! I am definitely going to use this very often."

Tutor.com's network includes more than 1,800 professional tutors and career specialists who have delivered more than 5 million one-on-one tutoring sessions since 2001, officials said. Each tutor is certified through the site, and all sessions are recorded for quality control.

Written by Elaine Wilson, American Forces Press Service

 

Today is Veterans Day.

November 11, 2009, is Veterans Day, honoring all Americans who have served their country in the armed forces. November 11th was originally called Armistice Day because it was on this day in 1918 that the First World War came to an end. The armistice was signed at 11:00am, which was the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of that year.

The Tri-County Red Cross thanks all veterans today for their service, and recognizes the sacrifices they have made for our country.

 During his Veterans Day address at Arlington National Cemetery on November 11, 1961, President John F. Kennedy said:

We celebrate this Veterans Day for a very few minutes, a few seconds of silence and then this country's life goes on. But I think it most appropriate that we recall on this occasion -- and on every other moment when we are faced with great responsibilities -- the contribution and the sacrifice which so many men and their families have made in order to permit this country to now occupy its present position of responsibility and freedom, and in order to permit us to gather here together.... In an age that threatens the survival of freedom, we join together to honor those who made our freedom possible.

To learn more about what services the Tri-County Red Cross offers veterans and active duty member of the armed forces, please visit our Armed Forces page.

Elizabeth, NJ: Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and the Tri-County Red Cross Chapter honors all of America's former prisoners of war and service members missing in action. While numbers alone do not tell the whole story, they can help us begin to appreciate the sacrifices we are recognizing today. Since World War I, more than 142,000 American service members have been captured and imprisoned, more than 130,000 of them during World War II. More than 17,000 died while interned as POWs. As the majority of these former POWs were held during World War II and the Korean War, they are now well into their 70s, 80s and 90s.

Observances of National POW/MIA Recognition Day are held across the country on military installations, ships at sea, state capitols, schools and veterans' facilities. We will be joining the ceremony at the Union County Courthouse steps at 11:15am on 9/18/09.

To learn more about the Red Cross services available to active military personnel, veterans and their families, please visit our Armed Forces page.

 

 

Late yesterday President Barack Obama declared March as Red Cross Month.  In following the 91 year tradition, President Obama is furthering his call for more community volunteerism and activism. 

There are opportunities for everyone to support their community through the Red Cross.  Of course, the quickest is to make a donation to the Tri-County Red Cross, but there are many other opportunities.

• Host a blood drive at your high school, church, business or community organization.  Call Denise Neto at (908) 756-6414 to learn how;
• Take free disaster classes to be trained as a volunteer in the event of a major emergency.  Call Mike Prasad at (908) 756-6414 for more information;
• Schedule a free Be Red Cross Ready seminar for your PTA, scout parents, church or neighborhood to be sure everyone is prepared to respond in an emergency. Call Mike Prasad at (908) 756-6414 for more information;
• Take a first aid and CPR class to you can help others who are injured or ill;
  
• Volunteer to help families who lose their homes to fire, work in the office, organize fundraising events, serve as a leader on our board of directors, counsel blood donors at drives, recruit more volunteers at street fairs, teach first aid or CPR, drive seniors to doctors appointments, help a soldier come home for the birth of his daughter.

You can volunteer one hour a year, or eight hours a day.  There's something for everyone's schedule and abilities at the Red Cross.  Be there for your community, for your neighborhood, and for your family by getting involved today.

The full proclamation is below the fold.

On Saturday, February 21, at 1:00 p.m., the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans'
Memorial Foundation will show the film, A Touch of Home: The Vietnam War's
Red Cross Girls.  This program will be held at the Vietnam Era Educational
Center in Holmdel, NJ. 

The American Red Cross introduced the idea of Donut Dollies, originally
known as Red Cross Recreation workers.  The GIs in Korea gave the Red Cross
Recreation workers the nickname "Donut Dolly" because the women had donut
machines and were able to make up to 20,000 donuts a day when the troop
ships came in.  The Donut Dollies were meant to be a supplemental recreation
program that started during World War II at the request of the Secretary of
War, but continued through the Korean and Vietnam Wars. 

In 1962, the American Red Cross sent its first paid field staff to Vietnam
to assist the growing number of servicemen at various bases and hospitals.
At the height of the Red Cross involvement in 1968, 480 field directors,
hospital personnel, and recreation assistants served throughout Southeast
Asia.  By the end of the Vietnam War, more than 600 women had provided
services to U.S. military personnel and assisted Vietnamese refugees.  The
Donut Dollies in Vietnam didn't even serve donuts; they provided a "Touch of
Home in a War Zone."