"This is a brief note to say how very much the citizens in this neck-of-the-woods and the Fredericksburg Area Veterans' Council appreciates the contribution set by the Enduring Freedom Honor Team from the Faith Baptist Schools, which contributed so much to the success of the dedication ceremonies on Saturday.
From a military perspective, the your Team provided an impressive contribution in their music and their presence.
We thank you for putting the extra polish to the salute to Our Fallen Heroes.
Would like to pass along to your principal our full appreciation of the participation of the Team if that would be appropriate and useful from your point of view. Please advise.
Also, if you did not see the news coverage of the dedication ceremonies in The Free Lance-Star, let me know and I will provide you copies.
I really think your Team is impressive. More telling was how your leadership was able to shape the overall proceedings with on-the-spot tailoring of the musical support of the event, defining the entire program of ceremonies as a serious and polished event. Tellingly was also the numerous comments by NOK and families of the Fallen Heroes who commented on the music, role and efficiency of the Team. Without your participation, the rest of the events would have been anemic."
Col. David A Ellis, USAF (Retired)
Fredericksburg Area Veterans Council |
| "I again wanted to thank you and the Enduring Freedom Honor Team members for such a wonderfully memorable Veterans Day event. Our veterans are still talking about how much they enjoyed the program and how impressed they were with the professionalism and experience of having these young people here. I am privileged to be among so many unselfish men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our great country but I am also in the position to be able to meet such caring and thoughtful people who want to do their part by paying a tribute to our veterans.
It was truly a pleasure to meet all of you and have you with us. I do hope that you will honor us with a visit again and hope that your trip home was full of beautiful memories."
Ann Benois
Salem VA Medical Center |
| "Thank you so much! The music was so beautiful but is the genuine caring from you and your musicians that makes it such a joy to spend time with you!! Thank you for everything."
Ginny Raderstorf
CDR, NC, USN (Ret)
Head, Community Relations
National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, Maryland |
| "We are so grateful to you and The Honor Team for helping make out Veterans Day Observance so very special. We have already had many compliments on your appearance and performance. You should (as I am sure you are) be very, very proud of such a wonderful group of young people! Let's keep in touch. Thanks again!"
William Bagley
American Legion Post 16
Free Lance Documentary
Studio Productions
Co-Chair The Greatest Generations
Studio Producer Vetsboys Cable TV |
"On behalf of the veterans at Perry Point VA Medical Center, thank you very much for traveling to our facility to perform for us this afternoon. I have just heard from the veterans who attended how much they enjoyed the performance.
You brought such joy to our older veterans with your renditions of the big band sounds. All of the veterans were very impressed that such a big and great sound could come from a small group of high school students. Bravo to you all!!!
Thank you so much!"
Sandra M. Miller, CTRS
Recreation Therapist |
“I just wanted to tell you (Mr. Reed) again how much I appreciate your group’s playing for us (The AACS National Legislative Conference, September 13, 2006). They were splendid! I can’t begin to express how much I was impressed by not only their playing, but also their demeanor. Your teenagers looked and acted like Christian kids should… they have an innocence lacking in most of today’s youth-even in our own Christian schools.”
Jennifer Groover
AACS Legislative Assitant
Washington, D.C. |
"Following the Congressional briefing, the conference participants attended a White House briefing designed just for AACS and heard from several top level aides in the President's administration who addressed the issues of religious liberty, school choice, and the upcoming elections, and the War in Iraq.
The Annual Legislative Banquet was the highlight of the week. Mr. Tim Goeglein, Special Assistant to the President, was this year's recipient of the American Freedom Award. He spoke movingly about the most important issue facing America right now, the preservation of the American family. The Enduring Freedom Honor Team, a ministry of the Faith Baptist Schools in Fredericksburg, Virginia, provided dinner music as well as a moving arrangement of the national anthem."
Taken from "The Washington Flyer" A Publication of the American Associations of Christian Schools September 22, 2006 Washington, D.C. |
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"On behalf of the US Army Executive Flight Detachment, and myself, I wish to thank you for helping us celebrate our reunion of 50 years since the Army began flying the President of the United States.
The Enduring Freedom Honor Team demonstrated the quality of a professional music group. Their performance showed the results of many hours of practice and hard work to bring together a team of talented musicians.
Thank you again for providing a most enjoyable evening of music."
Robert G. Shain
LTC General (Ret)
Airforce One
The Detachment's Last Commander |
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"Thank you for the outstanding service that you and your team provided this past Saturday. The program was great, as was the professionalism of your team. Quite a few members commented on your remarks and expressed that they were moved by your statements. . .
Please feel free to contact me in the future if you every require my assistance. . . God bless!"
Derek Sharp
Reunion Coordinator
Army Executive Flight Detachment
Fredericksburg, Virginia |
| "It was wonderful having you here and your group's performance was enjoyed and appreciated by all. I didn't get a chance to personally thank you for contacting us and offering your group's participation. I do appreciate your commitment and your kids' commitment to honoring our soldiers.
Good luck with all."
David Hanselman
US Army Transportation Museum
Director |
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"Thank you so much for being a part of our June 6 [2006] Ceremony at the Memorial. We were so pleased that the students could be a part of our special day. Our 500 people attended the program with nearly 30 D-Day veterans. The readings of Roosevelt's Prayer & Eisenhower's Order of the Day were outstanding. I've had numerous people ask me about your group and I have told them all about your website.
The veterans adored the group and it was truly a treat for them to hear them play. Our D-Day veterans will not be with us for many more years, and we want every day to be special for them. Thank you for making June 6 a day they will not forget . . .
Thank you again for making our event such a success. You were outstanding! God bless."
April Cheek
National D-Day Memorial Foundation
Director |
"I want to thank you and all of the young members of your ensemble for the incredible musical presentation for our patients and their families, our Operation Iraqi Freedom and World War II Heroes, and the staff of the National Naval Medical Center. We are grateful for the time and energy you devoted to this performance and for the dedication and commitment of these young leaders of the future.
………the performance of these wonderful young musicians filled them with joy, patriotism, and nostalgia. Our senior patients, particularly, have commented on how much pleasure they received hearing their ‘old favorites’ along with the proud military songs and marches. The tears in their eyes and the soft smiles on their faces were testament to their appreciation.
In these troubled times, it is gratifying to hear the inspirational music of these hopeful and compassionate young people, for it is they who hold the hope of the world and so beautifully express that in the common language of music. The young Heroes for whom they sang, many who are not much older than your musicians, have made great sacrifices to preserve our freedoms and feel it a privilege to do so. Likewise, it is a privilege for us to share your musical gifts in gratitude for their sacrifice.
We welcome you back whenever it is possible."
D.C. Arthur
Rear Admiral, Medical Corps
United States Navy
Commander |
"It is always a pleasure to welcome the Enduring Freedom Honor Team to the National Naval Medical Center! Their performances touch our patients, families and staff on many levels. Their musical selections provide a glimpse back in our nation’s great history and celebrate the achievement of those heroes who served in another time."
Ginny Raderstorf
Community Relations
National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, Maryland |
"On behalf of the hospitalized veterans and Voluntary Service at McGuire VA Medical Center, I’d like to thank you for your recent performance at the hospital. It was most generous of you to share your time and talent with the patients.
It was fantastic that your students in the Enduring Freedom Honor Team chose to spend their day off with our veterans. The performances in the nursing home and the mall were superb, and the veterans truly admired the WWII role that you musicians were reenacting. We thank you, the students, and the staff of Faith Baptist School for making this meaningful entertainment possible.
With repeated thanks, I look forward to working with you again in the future."
Janet S. Langhorne, MS
Department of Veterans Affairs
Hunter Holmes McGuire Medical Center
Coordinator, Voluntary Service |
"On behalf of GEICO’s Diversity Committee I wanted to also thank you for sharing your team’s wonderful talent and helping us in the celebration of our Veterans. I know that many in the office thoroughly enjoyed your performance.
Thank you once again for your very moving performance."
Michelle LaPlante
Diversity Committee Chair
Management Intern
GEICO |
"It was a pleasure to hear you perform. I received many compliments about your performance. COL. Calvin Williams our Deputy commander for Administration was speaking on behalf of the Commander…"
Staci R. Harrison
SFC, USA
Events NCO
Walter Reed Army Medical Center |
"Thank you so much for the wonderful program you presented at Wilburn Gardens. I can’t tell you how much it meant to our Veteran’s and other residents. They also enjoyed visiting with you after the program. I hope you will continue this group. I think it is a gift to the community as well as to your students."
Diane Mitchell
Patient Service
Event Coordinator
Wilburn Gardens |
"What a great 29th annual meeting! Thank you for the very special part you had in helping it to be a success and blessing. We appreciate you so very, very much. What a great group! We were all blessed.
We were blessed and encouraged by your special part – thank you, may the Lord bless you and encourage you too. We have only heard wonderful comments…"
Dr. Jack Knapp
Executive Director
Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists |