Ormond Strong

Ormond Strong is a non-profit organization founded by Debbie Kruck with a goal of rising awareness and support for our 200 plus service members from our communities deployed to Afghanistan, in other parts of the world and in honor of our veterans, mostly the Vietnam veterans.

Debbie created not just a support group but a nucleus of people helping people.  Every day at 7:30 AM we do a vigil walk over the Granada Bridge in Ormond Beach, Florida, to bridge the gap between our communities and our service members far away.  Vietnam veterans, like myself, are among the main supporters of the group mostly because Debbie had the courage and gave us the honor of starting the vigil every day walk on March 29th, Vietnam Veterans Day.

The idea is to walk the Granada Bridge every day until every one from our unit in Afghanistan comes back home.  Today, July 25th ended the 17th week, 119 days of walking a distance of 2.0 daily miles, which include the bridge, the pier on the west side and the two parks on the east side.  The example she is setting is outstanding and will be very difficult to match by any one, men or women.  Most people joining the walk are doing it multiple times and that's a good sign of the values of the group.  It has become like a brotherhood that creates friendship, trust and brings out the patriotism hidden within many of us.

Ormond Strong is an open group.  Any one can become a member by supporting us in many different ways besides our daily walk.  You can go to our website "ormondstrong.com," and see what are the alternatives to become a member.

Thank you Debbie with all my heart for your hard working efforts in keeping us motivated and for keeping our love ones so inside of our hearts and minds.


Marcos A. Cabrera
SFC/E-7, USA Retired

American Citizen

This term is commonly used in United States to identified a U.S. Citizen.  Wrong.  Everyone from Alaska to Argentina is an American Citizen since America is not a "Nation" but a "Continent".  Venezuelans, Mexicans, Dominicans, Colombians, Canadians, Brazilians and many others are all "American Citizens" because they all are from the continent named "America".  The Germans, Italians and other citizens from Europe are not called "European Citizens".  They are named after the individual nation they are from.  In the United States we have a U.S. Passport and not an American Passport.  Then... Why "American Citizen" and not "U.S. Citizen"?

Attention all ladies

Out there is a person or organization of hackers using my name, pictures and family information to rip ladies of their money. They are working from Ghana, Toronto and I don't know what other places. I already have two ladies contacted me because of that person or hackers.

This specific one is using the following email: marcos.cabrera45@hotmail.com.

My best advise to you is:

1. Do not send money to anyone you don't know personally.
2. At the time someone ask you for money without meeting you personally, automatically you shall think that they don't want you but your money.
3. Ask for specific picture the way you want it. It may sound silly but it works. Most cameras you can set up the dates the pictures are taken. Ask for a specific picture with the date on it and tell the person how you want it. Maybe with a fork in his mouth. If the person is real and really wants you that person will perform for you.
4. Ask for physical address and send a letter to him. Wait for an answer, more than likely you are not going to get it.

This is happening to men also. I know because some lady tried it on me. She was working out of Ghana also. More than likely the same person is trying to get your ladies.

Be smart, don't give your money away to a name in the internet.

Yours,

Marcos A. Cabrera

My best job

I was a soldier, that was my best job.

I started when I was very young
rising from my cradle as a volunteer
before I knew that this was my career
I was a fighter in the Vietnam War.

The sadness of war by no means was fun
though somebody needed to be out there,
even when many people did not care
I was proud of doing what I was told.

Like no other for me it was a task,
a mission that my thinking could not crack.

From Vietnam I went on to see the world;
duties in Hawaii, Germany and Greece
with the proudest smile and my Army Green
twenty years went like nothing at all.

A retiree from many years ago
I still enjoy the work from those days;
traveling was good, benefits are great
giving me the freedom to be my own.

That was my best job, the roots in my soul.

In this Memorial Day (Nov 11, 2010) I want to dedicate this poem to my Daughter, SSG Mirta Cabrera, US Army, and to all those soldiers that with her served in the Iraq War.

War Against Petroleum

While we are waiting to have in operation alternate sources of energy, we have to fight the petroleum capitalists by slowing down the use of gasoline and petroleum by products. Personally, during the last couple of months I was able to cut back 40% of the gasoline use in my private own vehicle and 16% in the home energy use. My suggestions are as follows:

Automovil use:

1. Only make necessary trips.
2. Plan your trips out so you could do more than one thing when you go out.
3. Keep a moderate speed from 50 to 65 MPH (80 to 110 KPH)
4. Always accelerate slowly.
5. Exercise your body, walk when you can.
6. When you can, use public transportation
7. In my case my car gives me from 19 to 20 miles in the city and from 25 to 26 in the open road. When the times come to get a different car I will look for something with at least five miles per gallon better. The big and luxurious vehicles only makes us more poor and the rich richer.

Energy consumption at home:

1. Do not turn lights on during day time, use the natural light that we already have.
2. Only use needed lights during nights.
3 Minimize the use of all home appliances; irons, air conditioning, electric garage doors, hair blowers and many others.
4. Select food that can be cooked in short periods of time to cut back in the stove's usage.
5. Many vegetables can be eaten raw, use then often.
6. In those places where gets cold, instead of rising the home temperature try to get another set of blankets to sleep and some additional clothing while you in the home.
7. Slow down the use of hot water at home.

These are just few things that I do in my individual battle against the petroleum industry. Each one lives in a different environment and have different needs, though I am sure that each one can prepare a list and be able to economize and to help us win this ballte. If you don't do it for yourself because you don't have the need, then do it for your brother, do it for your friend, do it for your nation.

A place to go

Living in Alaska is a fun ride.

First you need some practice driving on ice
because if you do not, for seven months
you will be a couch potato at home
only looking through the window outside.

Once I went three hundred and fifty miles,
from Anchorage to the northeast I drove
with four grandchildren to see the North Pole
and to see their faces cracking with smiles.

Our adventure up there was very long,
it was fun the pictures with Santa Claus.

Coming back we wanted to see wild life
and went fairly near of Mount Mckinley,
fourteen miles inside among many hills
the snow was falling covering all sites.

There was nothing in sight for a long while
but slippery roads and frozen brooks
then, near us we saw this gigantic moose
with antlers that were reaching to the skies.

It was a trip to talk about with pride.

All Rights Reserved:
Marcos A. Cabrera
7th in the Robert Brewer Poetry Month Challenge

Overflow

There is a lot that the people don't know.

The world keeps up with its eternal glow
without regrets in its fantastic ways,
the wheel of life with its moves is the same
but with every turn seems like we fall below.

The hopes are now a major overflow
and in most cases they end up in hell
though our days are marching into a knell
most actions we posponed for tomorrow.

We are missing so much a healthy dawn
that we can't see the light of a good spawn.

The nations are turning against their own
a big maze seems to be the planet earth
as the wheel turns it keep leaving more dearth
and behind every bust the darkest shadows.

It is time to face the foe with a blow
to take out its guts and to feed our mind,
to see every coin from both of their sides
and then to see what reality shows.

With an open heart the good thoughts will flow.

All Rights Reserved:
Marcos A. Cabrera
6th in the Robert Brewer Poetry Month Challenge