O.M.E.H. LETTER WRITING CONTEST

The winner of this year's letter writing contest, Christina Schaeffer, was invited to the Idaho State Veteran's Cemetery to read her letter at the 3rd Annual Memorial Day Ceremony. Among those present were General LaFrenz, Commanding General Idaho National Guard, and Governor "Butch" Otter.

Christina, a fifth-grader at Trail Wind Elementary School in Boise, was selected from nearly 100 participants as this year's winner. Her entry was titled, What the American Flag means to me:

What I like about the American flag is the colors and what they represent. Red is for the blood that was shed by our brave soldiers, those who fought for our country, years ago and today. Red also represents valor and bravery. Blue stands for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. White stands for purity and innocence. The stars on the flag have a meaning too, they represent our 50 states. Finally, the 13 stripes represent the 13 Colonies.

The flag represents our soldiers who fight for freedom, who died for our freedoms, who risk their lives for our country. The American soldiers are brave and courageous. When I see flags flying, I think of our soldiers. I think of my friends who have moms or dads in the military. I appreciate the men and women who are American soldiers and flying the flag honors them.

What I also love about our flag is it represents my home. It shows I live in America. When my family flies our flag, it shows that we respect the people who live in America and the soldiers that work for our freedom and security. When our county was attacked by terrorists, people hung their flags from their houses, had stickers of the American flag on their cars, and even wore American flag pins to show we were strong. Looking up my street where I live and seeing all the houses with the American flag flying, made me feel proud. High in the air, our American flag waved freedom upon us.

The American flag is my favorite flag. It is a beautiful flag. It shows that America is strong, and that the American people are united.

Congatulations Christina! Thank you for your time, efforts, and sincerety.

O.M.E.H. PHOTO ALBUM

As a young Marine at the School of Infantry - 1991.


Our wedding day - July 17, 1993.


Operation United Shield in Mogadishu, Somalia - March 2, 1995.


Home from deployment; seeing my daughter for the first time - 1995.


Reuniting with my Corpsman, "Doc" Dunkerly, at an O.M.E.H. event - 2001.


Holding Old Glory on top of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park - 2002.


My friend, the late LtCol. Tom Wall, USMC, (Ret.) on Memorial Day - 2002.


The Schultz kids on the 1st anniversary of September 11th - 2002.


A Civil War reenactment, Huntington Beach, California - 2002.


Carrying Old Glory 26.2 miles in the San Diego Rock 'n Roll Marathon - 2003.


Brigadier General Robert L. Stewart, USA, NASA Astronaut (Ret.)
at the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast in Anaheim, California - 2003.


This Heroes Gauntlet, with members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marines, Coast Guard, Anaheim Police and Fire departments, welcomed
guests at an O.M.E.H. event - 2004.


Key-note speaker Walter Ehlers at an O.M.E.H. event - 2004. Mr. Ehlers,
whose brother was killed on D-Day, is the only living recipient of the
Congressional Medal of Honor from the invasion of Normandy.


Boy Scouts of America, Troop 159, reenact the flag raising over Iwo Jima,
at an O.M.E.H. event in Anaheim, California - 2004.


Visiting with Gold Star Mothers on Memorial Day - 2004.


September 27, 2004 - Carrying Old Glory to the top of Mt. Whitney,
the highest peak in the continental United States (14,496 ft).


Guest-of-Honor Bernard Fisher at an O.M.E.H. program in Boise, Idaho - 2005.
Mr. Fisher was the first member of the United States Air Force to receive
the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.


The Schultz family at a Memorial Day ceremony - 2005.


Josh Stone, whose father, Maj. Gregory Stone, was killed at the beginning of
the Iraq War, presented a memorial wreath during an O.M.E.H. Veteran's Day program
at Trail Wind Elementary School in Boise, Idaho - 2005.


Then Congressman C.L. "Butch" Otter on Memorial Day - 2005.
Today "Butch" Otter is the Govenor of the State of Idaho.

Guest Speaker Idaho Supreme Court Justice Daniel Eismann at an O.M.E.H.

Veteran's Day Program in Boise, Idaho - 2006. Justice Eismann, a two-time Purple

Heart recipient, served as helicopter door-gunner during the Vietnam War.

O.M.E.H. BIKE TOUR, FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA

In the last 20 years, over 15,000 members of the United States military service have given their lives defending our country. More than 3,400 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Guardsmen have been killed in the war on terror, leaving behind approximately 2,000 children.

In the fall of 2007 Chip Schultz will embark on a month-long journey across America on a bicycle. His goal is to raise money and awareness for the bravery, dedication, and heroism exhibited by more than 1.2 Million Americans who have laid their lives upon the altar of freedom, thus becoming and forever remaining our Extraordinary Heroes.

Sixty percent (60%) of the money raised will be donated to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, which honors these Extraordinary Heroes, who have sacrificed life and limb, by providing educational scholarships to their children. The remaining forty percent (40%) will be used to accomplish the mission of O.M.E.H. and to establish O.M.E.H. as a non-profit organization with 501(c)3 status.

On Monday, September 3, 2007, Chip will depart New York City on his bicycle. Pedaling From Sea to Shining Sea, and averaging 80 miles per day, he will celebrate his victory upon arriving in Huntington Beach, California on Saturday, October 20, 2007. Chip will be making time to speak with children at schools and youth facilities along the way, about the real American Heroes who have sacrificed their own lives for the betterment of a greater cause – Freedom.

To support the O.M.E.H. Bike Tour, or if you would like to volunteer to help Chip on his journey From Sea to Shining Sea, please contact us. The success of this mission depends on you. Remember, “All gave some, but some gave all.”

CHIP SCHULTZ, O.M.E.H. DIRECTOR

O.M.E.H. is directed by its founder Chip Schultz. After graduating from High School in Anaheim, California, Chip served in the United States Marine Corps from 1991 to 1995.

His Marine duties began in Security Forces at a Naval Submarine Base in Washington State. He traveled to Dundee, Scotland to train with the British Royal Marine Commandos and then became a Light Armored Reconnaissance Scout stationed in Twentynine Palms, California. Chip trained with the DEA in Prescott, Arizona and served in Mogadishu, Somalia where he was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon.

He has volunteered in many roles from an Event Planner, Political Campaign Committee Member, and PTA/PTO President, to a High Adventure Coordinator, Scout Master, Public Speaker, and Coach. However, his most important roles are as a husband and a father.

Chip began pursuing his passion for patriotism in 1999 when he coordinated his first Memorial Day program. As of today, he has spoken to a variety of audiences from elementary and junior high school students, to active duty Marines recently returned from the war in Iraq, to large-scale community programs. His presentations have included School Officials, City Mayors, Police and Fire Chiefs, Active Duty and Retired Military Personnel, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients, members of the Idaho State Supreme Court, and family members of Ordinary Men and Women who have become Extraordinary Heroes.

As an avid outdoorsman, Chip enjoys running, hiking, and cycling. He has competed in several marathons, organized various mountaineering excursions, and is currently coordinating his first coast-to-coast bike ride.

Chip resides in Boise, Idaho with his wife Tracy and their four children Taylor, Aubrey, Hannah, and Jack.

OUR GOALS

The goals of O.M.E.H. are:

* To educate America’s youth through classroom presentations about Ordinary Men and Women who have become our Extraordinary Heroes.

* To strengthen our communities by recognizing and celebrating our American heritage through patriotic events such as Presidents Day, Memorial Day, D-Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Remembrance Day, and Veterans Day.

* To memorialize our uniformed Heroes by creating an on-line, interactive database of every United States Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman, Police Officer, and Fire Fighter killed in the line of duty.

THE MISSION OF O.M.E.H.

The mission of Ordinary Men-Extraordinary Heroes (O.M.E.H.) is to educate Americans about the 1.2 million Ordinary Men and Women in uniform, who gallantly laid their lives upon the altar of freedom, thus becoming and forever remaining our Extraordinary Heroes.

We attribute everything we have, as Americans, to the courage of our founding fathers and the ultimate sacrifices made by the brave Military Servicemen of the United States Armed Forces.

We also recognize the ultimate sacrifices made by our Community Servicemen serving as Police Officers and Fire Fighters, who are serving on our city streets and sacrificing their lives as well.