BAGHDAD

GENERAL INFORMATION

In 2004, SSG Alejandro, a soldier with the Army's First Cavalry Division stationed in Baghdad, requested donations of traditional archery equipment for his unit. The MLA answered the call, and was proud to assist him with his efforts in the creation of the Camp Cuervo Archery Club. SSG Alejandro's unit is now back home in the States, but the Camp Cuervo Archery Club will live on for future units to enjoy. MLA Vice President, John Vasos, remains in contact with the Chaplains of Camp Cuervo. They are responsible for supervising the club and making sure the donated equipment remains available for the use of incoming troops.

John is also in contact with troops from other units on a daily basis, and it has been his personal effort to promote traditional archery at other military locations in Iraq (See the new photos of the Diamondback Archers from Mosul in our gallery below). He has also spent a lot of his time getting other Michigan sportsmen's organizations involved with supporting these other units. Traditional equipment donations continue to be

collected by John and other organizations, and shipped to units in need in Iraq. The MLA is proud to continue to assist with the shipping costs involved with those efforts.

If any of you have bows, arrows, or other traditional tackle you would like to donate, to help the men and women pass their off-duty time, please help. Contact John Vasos at: jdvasos@yahoo.com or Ken Scollick at: Kens48@comcast.net for information on where, and how to ship packages.

Pontiac Airport is a small airport on the outskirts of Detroit. Here three MLA members; KenScollick, Lyle Barnhart and John Vasos, waited for a special visitor to arrive in Michigan. Sgg. Rene Alejandro wanted to come and personally thank the MLA membership for our support of him and his men. This soldier was no stranger to me by the time the banquet arrived, I felt like I had known the sergeant all my life. We have talked via emails many days and nights together since the fall of 2004, when we all worked to make Camp Cuervo Archery Club Baghdad, Iraq a reality. That archery club is an idea that will continue in our memories for many years to come. For all you that missed Rene and Sgg. Brian Johansen at our winter banquet, missed the closeness we all felt with our soldiers as they stood up and opened their hearts to us. Itwas quite an evening for me despite the snow and more snow to follow.

MLA Treasurer Ken S

collick gladly opened his home to Rene; the house was opened all weekend to visitors. While we where sitting around the kitchen one evening, talking about longbows and arrows, Rene came up to me and pinned a combat medal he earned while in Iraq, on me. I remember the look of awe on everyone’s faces as he attached it to the lapel of my leather jacket. I will wear this medal with pride as long as I live, as it meant so much coming from my friend Rene. We, the MLA, are now in ownership of the Camp Cuervo flag that flew over the Stallion Palace of the First Cavalry in Baghdad. Rene presented us (along with a couple of cigars from Iraq for Ken and I) with the very flag under which the First Cavalry practiced with many of the longbows we all sent over to them. That flag will now fly over future Great Lakes Longbow Invitational in honor of not just the Camp Cuervo Archery Club, Baghdad, Iraq but to all of you vets who have served in foreign wars. The membership of the Michigan Longbow Association can be very proud of the support it has given these brave young soldiers that served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The war, or Iraqi Freedom II is not over as I sit here and write this. I also know I am sounding like a broken record to some of you, but these soldiers, some as young as our own sons and daughters, continue to come and go from that desert war zone. Since 2004 I have been proud to be a part of bringing the longbow mystique to these men, with the donations you have all entrusted us with. I cannot think of anything I would rather do, than what I have experienced through the MLA in supporting our troops, truly a high point of my entire life. It has been both very hard work and also fun at times. This last weekend I carried six more boxes of bows and targets into the Romeo Post Office to mail to an APO address. By now they all know me when I walk in the front door and gladly help me with getting my packages over to our troops. One nice lady behind the counter offered to give me a crossbow to send, that she had sitting in her closet. I declined politely as I told her I really would not know how to pack one in a box.

When you think of it there are thousands of soldiers over there and we are only able to help a small few with what we send them. I would like to let everyone know that this is not about getting pats on the back, or publicity for doing anything great, this is about a fraternity of longbow shooters, humbly being honored with the opportunity to do something for our country. That is for me the tasty frosting on the cake. John F. Kennedy said these words “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. I have never forgotten those words from the day I first heard them, as they have always remained deeply in my mind since I was a youngster. We have been called together as an archery community, to help a few soldiers (fellow archers) and many of you have gone above and beyond the call in your generosity. This is why great Americans such as; Pat and Teresa Inman, Sgg. Rene Alejandro and Sgg. Brian Johansen, have taken time from their lives to travel across the United States to Michigan, to personally thank you all and meet some of us. It has meant so much to them what you have accomplished; you should feel good in that knowledge alone. I have spent most of my free time since 2004 concentrated on working directly with our troops, representing you the membership, and it has been my greatest pleasure to see this all come together.

As 2006 rolls around we will also be covering more territory in other directions working with our youth
and preserving our hunting freedoms that we now have. For me, I will be working with Ken, Pat, Rene and several vets on a new archery range in Iraq that is scheduled to be completed in April and will be handled by the MWR. If you would like to be a part of this new range and have suggestions to offer, you are welcome and feel free to email me and discuss them with us. When this archery range is completed it will remain a monument and a gift to other soldiers to use long after Lt. Col Yong Chun and his soldiers (archers) return home to Alaska. Thousands of other soldiers who will take their place will continue to enjoy the bows and arrows that we have made available to them, and out of that more traditional seeds will spring up. You, of the MLA membership are true American Patriots and have unselfishly laid out our traditional path for others to experience and follow our footsteps for generations to come.

Lt. Pat Inman, Teresa Inman

& John Vasos
".....Wednesday evening after the GLLI ended, Lt. “Doc” Pat Inman and his beautiful wife Teresa from Nebraska came to stay at my house. Well
the truth is I stuck them in my 25-foot camper next to the house. We had a wonderful time with them while they visited us. Saturday morning Pat and I
packed all the bows we collected for the troops, the preceding week. We used hard candy as packing, and shipped them off from the Romeo Post Office. Every night we stayed up late, on the back deck of my house, and just talked. During the day, if we where not shooting our bows, we where out visiting people and having a great time together. The friendships we have made with the Camp Cuervo Archers, like Rene and Pat, will not be a short one, or forgotten by some of us in the MLA.

I just heard from the CCAC Chaplain, Tim Maracle, and it turned out he almost went to Mississippi
and Louisiana with the 82nd when I was working with the Katrina relief. It would have been cool to
run into him on the road somewhere down there. Tim is going back over to Iraq very soon for a second
go of it; and will be back in touch with me when he gets there.

On Saturday evening, Tom Morang and some friends cooked a venison barbeque for Pat and Teresa at Royal Oak Archers. Ken Scollick called Sgg. Rene Alejandro and Captain Jeff Vandenbroek on the phone as we passed it around for everyone to say hi. Pat talked a lot about Camp Cuervo, and Iraq in general, and gave us a better insight into his time there and the union between themselves and the MLA membership. The bow that was passed around and signed at the GLLI by the membership was also presented to Pat Saturday evening. The next Sunday morning Pat and Teresa followed me down to Cabela’s to meet some of the MBH guys working there for the weekend. When the time came, it was very hard for me to say good-bye to the Inmans..."

The following is an excerpt form an article Ken Scollick wrote for the Fall 2005 "Sticktalk":

"At the invitation of MLA Vice President John Vasos, Lt. [soon to be Capt.] Inman and his wife Teresa spent nearly a week at John’s home. This was capped off with a meet and greet at Royal Oak Archers on Saturday evening. The phrase most heard that evening was “Thank You”. We were all thanking him for his service to our country, and he and Teresa thanking us for providing him and his company with a little piece of home in a place that had no resemblance of home.

I have seen John’s power point presentation a few times before but having Pat describe the pictures shed a whole new perspective. He also shed a little light on why all of the kids on last months cover were laughing so hard. Take a look and pay particular attention to the kid the soldier is holding, specifically his pants.

Thanks to Tom Morang for the Venison, and all that brought deserts and refreshments.

Interesting note that before experiencing Longbow Archery in Iraq he was not an archer, you wouldn’t know that to watch him shoot.

So once again I will take this opportunity to thank not only Pat, but also all of the members of the 1st Cavalry, that are the Camp Cuervo Archery Club."

Here is a list of traditional archery items generously donated at the 2005 GLLI for our troops. Thank you.

Longbows:
    1 LH Gordon of unknown light poundage
    1 RH Firefly 63#@28"
    1 RH Bear 1958 64" 33# no string
    1 LH Abbott 66" 59#@28"
    1 RH Abbott 66" 58#@28"
    1 LH Great Northern 62" 60#@28"
    1 RH Great Northern 62" 65#@28"

Recurves:
    1 Ben Pearson 50#@28"
    1 Classic Jeffrie Archery 60" 55#
    1 Bear TD and Selway leather bow quiver, unknown poundage.
    1Bear Kodiak 50#@28"

7 boxes of new wood arrows
3 boxes of 1/2 doz wood arrows
A large amount of assorted used arrows.
Several Gary Olsen hunting DVD's
A large assortment of "New Beginnings" music CD's
Candy
Boxes of used gloves and a lot of arm guards

In April, 2005, Vice President John Vasos gave a presentation about the MLA's Camp Cuervo efforts to the Lioness Club ladies at the Bellville Lions Club. The ladies presented John with a $250 check for the MLA, to help cover the shipping expenses of supporting our troops. Thanks to John and the ladies of the Lioness Club!

In March, 2005, the MLA donated $500 (which included the proceeds from the Camp Cuervo Archery Club t-shirt sales) to the Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association Scholarship Program. Here's an overview:
The Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association was established for the purpose of providing financial assistance in the form of scholarship grants toward the pursuit of an advanced education. These grants are reserved for children of those soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division who died, or were totally and permanently disabled as a result of wounds received or disease contracted while serving with the 1st Cavalry Division in any armed conflict, children of members of the Association who die while serving with the 1st Cavalry Division in peacetime and active duty soldiers currently assigned or attached to the 1st Cavalry Division and their spouses and children.

Please visit the following site to view a memorial for the 1st Cavalry soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during Operation Iraqi Freedom:

Read an article about the MLA's Camp Cuervo efforts in the Macomb Daily News by clicking below:

The Michigan Longbow Association's Awards Banquet was a huge success! Members showed their support for the Camp Cuervo Archery Club and the soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division.

On January 13th, 2005, L/CPL Matthew Holloway of Rockport, Texas was killed in action when a homemade bomb destroyed his Humvee in Iraq. L/CPL Holloway was a member of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines. He was a close friend of MLA councilman John Vasos' family, and the best friend of John's nephew Josh. Our condolences go out to John's and Matt's families, and to all the families who's loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. Please continue to keep our soldiers in your thoughts and prayers, and please continue to do every thing you can to support our troops.

Online extra: Letters to the editor
Web Posted: 08/17/2005 09:23 AM CDT

San Antonio Express-News

Don't dishonor military sons, daughters

The first question I have for Cindy Sheehan is: Why was her son in the Army?

Second, I'm so tired of the negative news being printed. My son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Holloway, was killed Jan. 13. There are no words for the pain that my husband and I feel. A piece of our heart is broken and will never be the same. Our son had his whole life planned, and now he is gone. However, Matthew was doing what he wanted to do. He loved the Marines and America. We have lost a lot of Marines and soldiers, but these young men and women love America, and they were doing their duty to protect the United States.

I am a Gold Star Mother of America, and I don't blame President Bush for the loss of my son. No one likes war, and these young men and women are fighting to keep this evil away from our front door. All I have to say to this angry mom is the pain hurts, but her son joined the Army on his own; the president did not make him join. Our president hurts every time one of these young men and women lose their lives. It may not be the same as the moms and dads, but the hurt is there.

This is not an illegal war, and I have no idea where Sheehan came up with such an idea. War happens, and I'm glad we have a president who loves America and is not afraid to protect our country.

To this angry mom and all you Gold Star Moms for peace: All you are doing is causing more hurt for those of us who respect our sons and daughters who have given their lives for your freedom. The Gold Star Mothers of America respect what our children have done for our country. Do not ever forget! Freedom is not free. Don't dishonor our children's lives.

I would give my life for this war to have never happened, but as the saying goes, "Evil will prevail if the good stand back and do nothing." I will miss my precious Matthew more than words can express, and I know all moms and dads feel the same, but we cannot dishonor them.

Shirley Holloway,

The proud warriors of Baker Company wanted to do something to pay tribute To our fallen comrades. So since we are part of the only Marine Infantry Battalion left in Iraq the one way that we could think of doing that is By taking a picture of Baker Company saying the way we feel. It would be awesome if you could find a way to share this with our fellow countrymen...."WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN" and are proud to serve our country."

To view a beautiful tribute to our troops please follow the link below:
"UNTIL THEN..."

John Vasos purchased 2 Rinehart Targets (a raccoon and a bear) on behalf of the MLA, which were sent to Camp Cuervo by Rinehart. John said Sandra, the Rinehart customer service employee he was dealing with, was extremely helpful, and that he received exceptional customer service. Thank you Rinehart, thank you John for your continued efforts, and thank you Bill Wooster for assisting with this endeavor.

The following quote is from an email by SSG Alejandro,
which was received on December 8th, 2004:

“I just want to thank you and your group for all you are doing for us here on Camp Cuervo. It really makes an impact on our lives. It really lets us get away from it all, especially during the holidays.”

The following email was received by the MLA on December 13th, 2004:

John (Vasos),

We received five new bows today in the mail from your members! Thank you all very much!!! There were several customs that are just fabulous! The left handed, snake skin backed longbow is being used by our sole lefty Chance Wheelbarger (and he is pretty good with it too!) The 60# Thunderstick righty longbow will be used by Rene Alejandro who shoots a longbow back home. He says he has always wanted to shoot a Thunderstick. The Fred Bear recurve was picked by Dr Vandenbroek and the no-name recurve (apparently the name has been worn off with time) was picked up by a new shooter, SPC Lochabay. The very beautiful, very custom recurve with the rabbit fur string-silencers (did I mention it was beautiful?) shoots like a dream and I let SGT Zahnley use it even though I had to chew my hand off at the wrist to let it go. SSG Burch picked up SSG Alejandro's old white take-down and I am still using the short Ben Pearson (practice, practice, practice!)

Thanks again for all you do, for your support, for your patriotism, and thanks for the excellent equipment! We will certainly put it to good use keeping our minds off the bad guys outside the gates.

Enclosed are some pictures:

Funny story: SSG Jensen is a compound shooter and is quite good at it, in fact he shot a 299 with 40-some X's just before these pictures tonight. Anyway, when we pulled out the new bows, he wanted to give it a try, and with some instruction by SSG Alejandro, decided he really likes it! We told him to get rid of his training wheels and get down to REAL bow shooting. We'll see how it turns out.

Patrick Inman
1LT, PA-C, MPAS, APA
Fort Carson, CO

GO BIG RED!

The following email was received by the MLA on February 5th, 2005:

Hi guys I found my inventory sheet while I was cleaning out my room and wanted to send it so that you know what is here.

Quivers-7, Gloves-21, Tabs-9, Bow Squares-3, Feathers-9DZ, Nock Pliers-4, Duco Cement-3 Tubes, Arm Guards-9, String Keepers-2, Bow Stringer-3, Nock Tapers-1=1 23/64, 1=1 5/16, String Wax-3, Hand Saw-1, Spare Strings-3, Ferr L Tite-3 Tubes, Field Points woods-3Dz, Fletching jigs-4, Books-1, Magazines-70, Movies-2, Nocks-300 assorted, Arrows-24DZ, Bows- 16

I hope that this helps.

Rene

The following email was received by the MLA on March 2nd, 2005:

To whom it may concern:

Can you please ensure that this gets to the people who are working hard for our troops over in Iraq? I just wanted to take a moment and let you know that you are doing a wonderful job helping our troops during their deployment.

My brother is stationed at Cuervo and all he talks about is the tournaments that he participates in and how he loves it because that is the only thing he has to take his mind off of the things that are going on around him all the time. He even said it was a relief to be able to go and shoot. I believe in the last tournament there he placed third. Not too bad.... I will never admit that I said he did good. Haha! My brother is part of the 3rd ID and I just wanted to make sure that I sent a very heartfelt Thank you for helping him and many others while they are gone. Each and everyone of you are important to the troops and their families. Thanks for helping keep their moral up.

Windy King

The following photo and caption is from:
www.defendamerica.mil

Troopers from the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment unveil marble memorial dedicated to the memory of Pfc. Ray D. Cuervo, a cavalry scout with 4th Platoon, Apache Troop, 1st Squadron 2nd Armored Cavalry’s Regiment, who was killed in action Dec. 28, 2003. The dedication was part of a renaming ceremony for former Camp Muleskinner, now Camp Cuervo, located in Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Erik LeDrew.

GALLERIES

Camp Cropper, Iraq

In July, 2007, John Vasos was invited to be the guest LTC Yong Chun in Alaska for a week, in appreciation of all of John's efforts in support of our troops.

Two 'Longbows'

Camp Taji Archery Club, Iraq

In October, 2006, John Vasos and Ken Scollick were invited to be the guests of Sgg. Rene Alejandro and friends at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.