National Anthem Project Concludes With Grand Finale Events

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2007 – In the shadow of the Washington Monument, with its 50 American flags snapping in the breeze, the “President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band helped kick off the grand finale of the National Anthem Project here yesterday.

The National Association for Music Education’s multiyear project to get America singing its anthem again began when a poll showed two-thirds of Americans didn’t know the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“It wasn’t just the words, it was not knowing anything about who Francis Scott Key was,” said Earl Hurrey, the association’s assistant executive director. “We had kids that didn’t know what the name of the national anthem was. They thought it was just the ‘National Anthem.’”

The staggering results of the poll prompted the National Association of Music Education to launch the National Anthem Project on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on March 10, 2005. The project was intended to re-teach Americans the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner” and to emphasize the importance of music in school, Hurrey said.

“We created the National Anthem Project to make people aware that music education in schools is far more important than just ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,’” Hurrey, a former Marine master gunnery sergeant and member of the “President’s Own” said. “The songs of our heritage are an important part of our culture, and when you cut music from schools, you’re also cutting those lessons about our music and our heritage.”

The students from Patterson Elementary School in Gilbert, Ariz., who were part of the nearly 5,000 music students from 42 states who gathered on the National Mall for the program, don’t have that problem. Their music teacher, Diane Walker, makes sure her students know the words to the multiple verses.

“I was excited for the kids to learn all of (the verses). We talked about the words and what the words mean,” she said. “I think when they sing those words today, being in this setting, it’ll mean more than it ever has before.”

Her students agreed. With red and blue bands on her braces, Kelsi Helfrich, 11, said she appreciates her teacher’s zeal for “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“I only knew the first verse of the national anthem, and I didn’t really know the rest,” she said. “There’s a lot of history behind it, and it probably took a long time to write it.”

Helfrich admitted that until recently she thought there was just one verse to the song. “Apparently there’s four,” she said with a colorful grin.

Yesterday’s events began the grand finale capping the two-year project. When the Marine band’s musical salute to American culture ended, the Oak Ridge Boys took center stage and, along with Mrs. America representatives, led the crowd in singing the national anthem.

The celebration concludes tomorrow at the U.S. Naval Academy’s Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium with a musical festival. A drum corps competition will end the day’s festivities.

Pentagon Channel Launches In-Flight Service on Military Charter Flights

By Jim Garamone and Petty Officer 2nd Class Carolla Bennett, USN
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2006 – The Pentagon Channel has launched "Pentagon Channel In Flight," a military news and information service that will be aired on military charter flights worldwide.

"Pentagon Channel In Flight is another way in which we can introduce service members to the Pentagon Channel and provide them with the timely military news and information that they need to do their jobs." said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications.

Pentagon Channel In Flight will air on participating military charter flights, including Air Transport International, ATA, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Miami Air, North American Air, Omni Air International, Ryan Air, and United Airlines.

The Pentagon Channel, the Department of Defense's cable television channel, broadcasts military news and information for and about the 2.6 million members of the U.S. armed forces -- active duty, National Guard, and reserve. Broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Pentagon Channel helps ensure that U.S. forces remain the best informed in the world.

Pentagon Channel programming also is available online, streamed live 24/7 and on-demand at www.pentagonchannel.mil, and is available via audio and video podcasting.

Today, more than a million servicemembers on more than 312 military bases, camps and installations in the U.S. can watch the Pentagon Channel. It also is available to the 800,000 service members and their families serving in 177 countries overseas via American Forces Radio and Television Service.

The Pentagon Channel reaches more than 12 million households through commercial distribution on satellite and cable systems nationwide. DISH Network, Verizon FiOS and divisions of Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Charter, Mediacom, RCN, Armstrong, Midcontinent, Knology, GCI, and a number of smaller cable companies and local access channels in communities around the country carry the Pentagon Channel.

(From a Pentagon Channel news release.)

Bush: Victory in Iraq Will be Blow to Terrorist Ideology

By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2006 – A successful democracy in Iraq will be a major tactical and ideological blow to the totalitarian vision of Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants, President Bush said in California today.

"One, it will be a tactical blow. We'll deny them that which they want," Bush said in a speech in Irvine. "But secondly, it will be a major blow because, in the long term, the best way to defeat an ideology of hatred is with an ideology of hope."

Bush said the United States learned a lot of important lessons on Sept. 11, 2001.

The first is that the U.S. faces an enemy with no regard for innocent life, and the only way to deal with this is to stay on the offensive, "which is precisely what the United States is doing and will continue to do for the safety of the American people," he said.

Another important lesson is that terrorists cannot be allowed to find safe haven in any country, which they would do in Iraq if the United States were to pull out of the country. "We denied safe haven in Afghanistan, and we're denying them safe haven in Iraq," Bush said.

Terrorists' most powerful weapon is their "willingness and capacity to kill innocent people," Bush said.

"They understand the United States of America is a compassionate nation," Bush said. "I'm sure they view it as a weakness of our country; I happen to view it as a strength that we value every life, that every person is precious. But they know, and it doesn't take much to realize that when you put carnage on our TV screens, it causes us to weep."

He said it's a "legitimate question" for the American people to wonder if the cause is worth fighting for in Iraq, but that Americans must remain steadfast in their resolve.

"It's very important for the American people to understand that they're trying to run us out of Iraq for a purpose, and the purpose is to be able to have safe haven from which to launch further attacks," Bush said. "And I understand it, and we've got a strategy in place to achieve victory."

The president also spoke about a visit a day earlier to U.S. Marines in Twentynine Palms, Calif. "These young men and women are incredibly dedicated. They are motivated. They understand that we must defeat the enemy over there so we do not have to face them here at home," he said.

"Most of them raised their hand to volunteer after September the 11th. Many of them have said, 'I want to continue to serve our country.' We're lucky to have people like them willing to serve," he continued. "And the United States government, whether you agree with my policy or not, must stand by our troops. When they're in harm's way, they deserve the best pay, the best equipment, and the best possible support."