The Redhunter

The MOAB looks particularly good, I think, in the evening sunlight. It is directly across from the main entrance to Walter Reed, and most people who exit the base hospital turn left, so they come right past it. I can tell you from over a year and a half of speaking with troopers and their families that it lifts the spirits of everyone there.

On the opposite corner are gathered your author, Tom the Redhunter, Mr Trooprally, Jimmy Valentine’s brother, and BufordP

Shortly thereafter we set up our famous Burma Shave signs so that motorists would know who was who. Before we had them we noticed that many people would honk for us, and then as they passed by Code Pink would also honk for them. Realizing that that wouldn't do, we realized that we needed some way to differentiate the two groups. Some enterprising FReeper came up with the idea of the Burma Shave signs. They also have the added benefit of annoying the pinkos, who from time to time have tried to sneak up and knock them off the cars. Ever since the last such incident we've kept a sharp eye out and no vandalism has occured. For the record we always put them on our own cars.

Speaking of pinkos, I'll splurge and show two photos of them this time. Usually I figure they don't rate more than one, since our FReeps there have long ceased to be about them. To be sure, part of our presence is to keep them away from the entrance, but we're really about a pro-troops message.

At 7:30 they had a whopping 4 people down there, and their number never rose to 10 the entire evening

Later Mrs Trooprally noticed that they had one of their stupid American flags with the peace symbol in place of the stars. She gave me the camera and I went down there to get a shot of them

If you've evern done any counterprotesting of leftist groups or even seen photos of their protests, sooner or later you notice that they almost never have any American flags with them. The few that they do they disgrace by flying upside down, or jazzing it up in some way like in the photo above. But they just can't fly it straight, as it was meant to. On the other hand, at conservative rallies you'll see lots of American flags, and all of them are flown properly.

But of course we are there because it's a hospital, and as such troops are coming in from the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. They fly them into Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, and from there to Walter Reed. Here's one of the buses coming in from Andrews to Walter Reed.

We also had the return of Lauren, whom we hadn't seen in some time. If you're reading this, ,Lauren,, it was good to see you again!

George & Ethel have become regulars and it was good to see them again last night

During the course of the evening a soldier and his girlfriend (or wife?) stopped by in their car. He had lost his eye in combat, and in place had a glass eye. But the one he had in that night had a little purple heart in place of the iris. Mrs Trooprally tried to take a photo of it but I don't know if you can really see it here.

Lastly, here's what it's all about; greeting the troopers as they come back from their Friday evening dinner

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If you can't get to D.C. to join us but would like to do something for the wounded, you can find a wealth of ideas by FReepmailing
Albion Wilde,
Cindy-True-Supporter,
VAFlagwaver,
or PleaDeal.

Come join us every Friday night between the hours of 6:30pm to approx 9:30pm.

Directions to our Walter Reed freep location from the Takoma metro station

* A special Thank You to Mrs Trooprally for taking the photos for this AAR. You can find all of the photos she took for this FReep on her Photobucket site

* Thank you to BufordP for maintaining the BIG LIST of all Walter Reed FReeps.

* Thank you always to Kristinn and tgslTakoma for all the work they do. Kristinn is president of the DC chapter and our chief organizer, and tgslTakoma hauls the MOAB, flags, most of the signs, and our "picnic table" back and forth every week.

* Tom the Redhunter blogs at The Redhunter

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