STORM2K

Here's a wonderful photograph of a true American hero....former POW Jessica Lynch recieving her medals just before being discharged from Walter Reed Army Medical Center..
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... 4rcar.html

May God bless Jessi, her family, and all the wonderful men and women in the beautiful Mountaineer State!

PW

There was a "slide show" on Yahoo! that showed how her hometown is preparing for her arrival, her newly-refurbished house, and the outpouring of support from everyone in Wirt County...she will have a fine homecoming, indeed!

I will more than likely miss the telecast of her few words when she arrives in Elizabeth/Palestine, WV; would someone please post them for me?

Unless there's an unforeseen family emergency, I should be here when Jessica arrives home around 2 p.m. EDT...and will be happy to post her comments here Bill.

I know she has been through a terrible ordeal, but in spite of that she looks fantastic!!

She looks great...and I hope she has a wonderful homecoming!

**Late word from CNN is that Jessica will arrive for the news conference in Elizabeth, West Virginia at 1:30 PM EDT (1730z)....the news conference is reportedly being carried live on CNN.

Big day for Jessica!!! Hope she has wonderful homecoming and I am sure she will.

She does look great! I'm sure that her homecoming will be great therapy for her!

Im sure she is feeling rather overwhelmed with all the media coverage and fuss being made over her return home. Im sure she is just sooo glad to be going home.... the best therapy in the world (I think anyway) to be surrounded by family and friends.

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Hey Bill..I finally found the text of Jessica's speech. Sorry it took me so long

God bless you,
Perry

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Text of Remarks by Ex-POW Jessica Lynch

39 minutes ago
By The Associated Press

Hi. Thank you for being here. It's great to be home.

I would like to say thank you to everyone who hoped and prayed for my safe return. For a long time I had no idea so many people knew I'd been missing. But I read thousands of letters, many of them from children, who offered messages of hope and faith. I would like to thank the people in this community, especially those who gave donations to the Lynch fund and who volunteered their time and skills to work on my family's house.

Please allow me to thank the doctors, nurses and staff members of Walter Reed Army Medical Center for the excellent care they gave me. I would like to thank the staff of Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany for their care and support.

I would like to thank the Fisher Foundation, Gov. Bob Wise and United States Senator Jay Rockefeller for the roles they played in helping my family to be with me in Germany and Washington. I'm also grateful to several Iraqi citizens who helped save my life while I was in their hospital. And then a unit of our Special Forces soldiers that saved my life.

I want to thank Sgt. Ruben Contreras. Ruben, you never let me give up. When I wanted to quit p-t (physical therapy), you kept me going. And you're my inspiration and I love you.

I'm proud to be a soldier in the Army. I'm proud to have served with the 507th. I'm happy that some of the soldiers I served with made it home alive and it hurts that some of my company didn't. Most of all, I miss Lori Piestewa. She was my best friend. She fought beside me and it was an honor to have served with her. Lori will always remain in my heart.
I read thousands of stories that said when I was captured, I said, "I'm an American soldier too." Those stories were right. Those were my words. I am an American soldier too.

Thank you for this welcome and it's great to be home.

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**It's great to know you are home too Jessi...totally awesome!!!

JetMaxx wrote: (In Jessica's speech) And then a unit of our Special Forces soldiers that saved my life.

A big salute to those guys. Brave and true heroes.

Lindaloo wrote:I know she has been through a terrible ordeal, but in spite of that she looks fantastic!!

I could not have said it better myself..she is so shy on tv..I have alot of respect for that young lady..as well as all of the heroic troops of this country!! She is a very strong individual.

On this special day, I'm so proud to be an American and so proud to be born and raised in West Virginia.

Welcome home and thank you Jessica.

Karan

Thanks, Perry...I appreciate that post.

Now, if the media can refrain from a "feeding frenzy" and leave her alone to heal...THAT would be welcome news in itself. She appeared gracious, but somewhat uncomfortable...very unassuming, GENUINE, and this tiny lady is the stuff of which Americans are made. Go, do the job, and come home.

No sugar-coating necessary here...she is a hero, and a positive role model for American youth (despite the leftist propaganda, which I hope diminishes to zero soon!).

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My nephew, who is a Marine Pilot, is a graduate of West Virginia University. He was one of the first into Afganistan after 9/11. Although many think of West Virginians as dump hillbillies, we are all proud of our State and pound to be Americans.

Most of us can conjugate verbs with the best of them. lol

Thanks, JetMaxx - By the way, my nephew just married another Marine Pilot who happens to be from your fine state of Georgia. What a great full dress Marine Corp. wedding that was in April!!!!! I love Georgia.

Karan

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Just a thought, but now that Jessi's home...I'd like to see the Shrine Hospitals "break policy" and look her over; they are the best orthopoedic reconstructionists in the world, and maybe they can pick up something the Army "missed".