Welcome to SantaAnnaNews.com

Last year about the same time I started SantaAnnaNews.com a group of soldiers from our area shipped out for Iraq. I was really inspired by there dedication and service and began the "The Risk is Real - Serving our Country" which has had a place at the top of the Front Page for almost every day. I was not sure how long it would be here but for sure wanted to keep it somewhere as long as Santa Anna had soldiers or sailors in harm's way. Most of them who still haven't come home yet.

I was surprised this last week when I got an e-mail from Deborah Bodine Stanton, the sister of one of those soldiers, Eddie Dawson, who I mentioned back when this all started. Eddie was a year older than I was and Deborah was three or four years younger I think. She had found out about SantaAnnaNews.com through the Homecoming activities and all of the interest that is being generated for next year's. A couple of e-mails later and some from Eddie's wife Chrissy, including some photographs, and even an e-mail from Eddie, I was hit again with how much of a sacrifice these men and women are making. For some of these guardsmen it is no longer a weekend a month and a week or so of summer camp but it is a year or more of their lives.. away from their homes, their jobs, and their families. How many of us would be willing to do that? Probably not very many considering the risk and the place.

I am particularly affected every time I hear KOXE's "Calls to Home" and hear the voices of some of those men. There is one that says hello to his wife and children, and then he goes on to say hello to his grandchildren and mom and dad. It is all I can do not to pull over and get out of the car for a while.

It was great to see those photos of Eddie and just to know that he is OK. I wanted to share some of them as I have time that he said I could and also just to say a special SantaAnnaNews.com thank you to Eddie, Chrissy, Deborah, and to all those serving our country and their families.

Eddie Dawson at work in Iraq

Please remember these Santa Anna folks that are serving our country in military combat, training, or support: Maricela (Marty) Siller, Clay Stewardson, Eddie Dawson, Ike Garza, James Watson, Austin Voss, Randy Casey, Mike Montgomery II, Mark Rutherford, Allen Tucker, James Culpepper, Shane Watson, Brandon Beloat, Glen Donham, and Jeffrey Watson.

Pray for our country, its' leaders, and our soldiers and sailors.

Many service men and women return home safely. Operation Tribute to Freedom Homecoming Photographs.

When you are away from home for the length of time that these guys are, I am sure that you make the best of anything that reminds you of home. Of course Texans are proud to be from Texas, and unlike the regular military most of the National Guard units are by state and when you get a bunch of Texans together you better just stand back and watch.

Chrissy and Eddie shared some of these reminders of home:

Texas Flag flies over camp

Texas Chicken?

Nothing like fast food to make you feel at home!

Front Row L-R: Amy Miller Reed, Katrina Tomlison Guerrero
Middle Row L-R: Laura Howze, Rueben Guerrero, Joey Cheaney, Danna Jones, Cynthia Patterson Squires, Amy Ellerbe Frausto
Back Row L-R: Shamey Brand, Tom Guthrie, James Rendon, Chanda Simmsons Rice, Catrina Deleon Murray, Manual Frausto