Morning radio hosts Chadd and Kristi Thomas of WWRM, 94.9 FM are joining forces on Friday with the 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion to benefit Toys for Tots. The DJs will host a 14-hour marathon broadcast at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Oldsmar with Marines who have just returned from a seven-month tour in Iraq. ...more

December 11, 2008

The Tribune gave the front page of the Views section on Dec. 6 to the anonymous "Matthew Alexander," who did not use his real name for security reasons. I wondered why. It struck me that Dec. 7 would be the 67th year since the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. ...more

December 10, 2008

More than 300 people gave a warm welcome Tuesday evening to 70 Marine reservists returning home after a seven-month tour of duty in Iraq. As they stepped off the buses that pulled into the Marine Reserve Training Center on Gandy Boulevard, the troops of the 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion were met with waving American flags, shouts and embraces from their loved ones. "Coming home to your family is the greatest thing in the world," said Sgt. Richard Wester of Orlando. The Marines conducted counter-insurgency operations in Iraq and provided base security in Anbar province. The battalion had no casualties during the tour. ...more

November 26, 2008

I was blessed as a young man when I decided to join the Marine Corps. ...more

October 18, 2008

It's called Warrior Mind Training. Dating back more than 1,000 years to the techniques of the samurai, the meditation routine is catching on in military circles as a way not only to treat both post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries, but to also improve focus and better prepare soldiers and Marines for the rigors of combat. ...more

October 8, 2008

A 38-year-old soldier from Bradenton who had served three previous tours of duty in the Middle East died Sunday in Afghanistan after his unit was ambushed by enemy forces, the Department of Defense said Monday. ...more

September 30, 2008

Many things have gone wrong for Navy Senior Chief Tommy Gura while disarming nearly 200 improvised explosive devices in Iraq. He's been shot at and targeted for mortar attacks. His robots have blown up and he's lost communication to call for backup. ...more

August 30, 2008

The enemy hides among civilians on the urban battlefield, walking the same dusty streets and in the same crowded markets where Cpl. Derrick Terrell found himself during a yearlong deployment in Iraq. ...more

August 29, 2008

Almost half of Ivonne Thompson's three-year marriage has been spent at hospitals helping care for her husband, who was seriously wounded in Iraq last year. ...more

August 5, 2008

Anthony Thompson, known as "Doc," received a promotion to petty officer second class while surrounded by members of other services, Navy officers and family. During much of the ceremony, A.J. sat in his lap. ...more

August 4, 2008