God Bless Our Troops!

Here are two very very touching photos honored at this years
International Picture of the Year...
First Place ......
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines
climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his
casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.

During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver
International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as so
powerful: "See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the
plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through
their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home,"
he said. "They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their
lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they
should."

Second Place....
From :Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey
refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the
last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below
the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and
played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if
she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. "I think it
would be kind of nice if you kept doing it," she said. "I think that's
what he would have wanted."

LCPL Chad Codwell, from Baltimore, Maryland, with Charlie Company 1st Battalion 5th Marines, carries an experimental urban combat skateboard which is being used for maneuvering inside buildings in order to detect tripwires and sniper fire.