bettie page blog

It has been a goal of mine to make a visit to Brooke Army Medical Center ever since I started the project in 2007. Brooke Army Medical Center is the Defense Department's only burn center. It is able to save people like never before because burn victims get there quickly -– as fast as 36 hours from injury in Iraq to the U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, and then to Texas. Doctors there have treated more than 450 patients with severe burn injuries from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I finally made my visit to San Antonio, TX in early April to visit the Wounded Warriors there and to deliver your donated calendars, posters and tee shirts.

To see all the pix from my Brooke Army Medical Center visit, check out Pages 50-51 of "In the Field" link on my website www.pinupsforvets.com

The visit was one that I will never forget.

Here I am with one of the donated tee-shirts before going in to visit the patients at BAMC in TX. The patients LOVED the donated tee shirts. I told them all that they would get lots of kisses when they wear their "Kiss a Vet" shirt!!!!

I also attended a dinner at the Warrior and Family Support Center right next to BAMC. I was as able to meet with many of the recovering Wounded Warriors and handed out your donated calendars. These brave heroes are amazing people and were so thankful to all of you who donated calendars for this visit! I told them that I had flown to BAMC all the way from California to visit them! I think they were pretty impressed!

The Warrior and Family Support Center is a place where families can be involved with the rehabilitation of the Wounded Warriors.

I received emails of "thanks" after the visit. One of the brave heroes wrote to me:

"Thanks. I really like your pics and it keeps a smile on my face when I wake up in the morning and look at your calendar on my wall."

I know that it means so much to these Wounded Warriors to know that people all over the country and the world are thinking of them. The calendars, posters and tee shirts that you have donated always bring a smile to their face!

Once again, thank you to all of you who so generously donated calendars, posters and tee shirts for this visit.

While I was at BAMC, I learned about one of the patients that was treated there, a very special Marine, Merlin German. Merlin was burned on 97% of his body and endured over 150 surgeries. He was called the "Miracle Man" at BAMC. He passed away last April. Click on the link to read about this amazing young man:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/05/03/2008-05-03_marine_sgt_merlin_germans_loved_ones_rec.html

I wanted to let you know that I am planning another hospital visit to Northern California--two VA Hospitals that I haven't visited yet. So, if you are interested in donating a calendar, poster or tee shirt for this visit, please check out www.pinupsforvets.com and click on ORDER NOW, option #2

Much love and thank you to all of you for your continued support,
xoxo
Gina
www.pinupsforvets.com

PS I am now on Facebook.com. You can find my profile by entering my email address: pinupsforvets@aol.com in the search box. Would love to "friend" all of you!!!! :)