2020 Laptops for Heroes

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Lettermen of the USA purchased 25 touch screen HP laptops for gold star children. Gold star children are children who lost a family member in the US armed forces.

LOTUSA donated 5 laptops to children in Birmingham, AL, and 20 to children in Huntsille AL on November 22nd.

This program was funded by a grant from the State of Alabama as part of the State of Alabama Coronavirus Relief Fund.

Family Members of the Gold Star Children

Army Spc. Kyle A. Little, 20, was killed by a roadside bomb May 8 north of Baghdad during his second tour in Iraq. Little dropped out of high school, feeling it wasn’t the place for him, and joined the Army at age 17, a few months before he would have graduated, his mother, Shelly Smith, told the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester. Little seemed to mature in the service, which he intended to make his career, his father said. He was working as a bodyguard during his second tour, Michael Little said. “He was there because he wanted to be there, and he did what he liked to do,” he said. Kyle Little was the oldest of five brothers and sisters. His wife, Tiffany, was three months pregnant with their daughter, Kylee, when Kyle was killed. Kylee, now 13 years old, is our Gold Star Kids honoree.

Staff Sgt. Kenneth Jermaine Thomas, member of the 1-1 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, was killed in a car accident on May 12, 2007, while serving at Kadena Air Base in Kadena, Japan. He was 25 years old, and left behind his wife, Crystal. His son Kenneth Jermaine (KJ), who is now age 18 and a student at Sparkman High, is our honored Gold Star Kid.

SPC Ryan Winkelmann, father of Gold Star Kid Kinsey Tuttle, passed away suddenly in early January 2013 due to a medical condition. Ryan Winkelmann was a decorated infantryman and a first sergeant in the U.S. Army. Winkelmann served with the Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. for 1.5 years. Winkelmann’s military honors include the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Good Conduct Medal, Expert Rifleman’s Ribbon, Service Medal, National Defense Ribbon and two Overseas Ribbons for tours in Iraq. He lived honorably and served as an inspiration to all who knew him.

Staff Sgt. Dennis Springer died on July 12, 2008, at the age of 26. He is survived by his wife April, and sons Caleb and Avery. Avery is now 16 years old and our honored Gold Star Kid.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian Woeber, 41: After serving in the Marine Corps Reserve, Brian joined the U.S. Army in 2003 to attend flight school. He graduated Warrant Officer Candidacy School at Fort Rucker, Alabama in 2005 to become an Army aviator. Brian served his country for 14 years until his life was tragically cut short in a helicopter training exercise accident off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. He was serving with the 2nd Battalion and the 25th Aviation Regiment. He is survived by his wife, Lori, and three sons. Two of them, Owen age 12, and Nathan, age 15, will are our honored Gold Star Kids laptop recipients.

Lance Corporal Cody A. Roberts joined the U.S. Marines in 2006. He was on his first deployment to Afghanistan when he was killed on August 31, 2010. He died as a result of combat operations in Helmand province of southwest Afghanistan while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He was 22 years old. Lance Corporal Roberts was a rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7, I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terroirsm Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Cody’s son Colten, age 10, is our Gold Medal Kids Honoree.

SSgt Scott C. Bowen, Retired Army Capt. Gary Michael "Mike" Rose, Medal of Honor recipient and father-in-law of the late Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Scott Christian Bowen, once said during a Gold Star Service Flag dedication, "These individuals gave up everything they had. They gave all their yesterdays and all their tomorrows so you and I can sit here and talk in relative peace and calm. That is a debt we cannot repay them. One of the things we can do is make sure their family members know that their loss is not forgotten and is remembered throughout the year. These losses are not just felt by the families, but also by friends and members of the units they served in," he continued. "Here we are in 2018 and if we forget about their sacrifices, nothing else we ever do will matter. Kaitlyn & Christian Bowen are our honored Gold Star Kids.

Army Spc. Shawn A. Muhr died on January 29, 2011 when his military truck was struck by a roadside bomb in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was serving during Operation Enduring Freedom, and was 26 years of age. Spc. Muhr was assigned to the 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 82nd Sustainment Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C. Muhr joined the Army six years ago after working for about a year at a Council Bluffs meatpacking plant. He was a truck driver in a military transportation unit and was on a mission with a convoy of Army trucks when he was killed, family members said. Muhr was married to Wendy Olchawa and has a stepchild, Devin, age 10, our Gold Star Kids Honoree.

Sgt. Sylvester Cline, an Iraq combat veteran, died at age 32 during training at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas from a heatstroke after 9 hours of a training exercises on a sweltering day in June 2016. Cline was a father of 5 and was known as “Mr. Mom” for his devotion to his children.
Cline enlisted in the Arkansas National Guard in 2002 and participated in a combat deployment to Iraq with the 39th Infantry Brigade in 2008. He was awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, among other awards and decorations, according to the Guard. Sgt. Cline’s daughter Za’Niya, age 15, is our honored Gold Star Kid.

Capt. Waid "Chip" Ramsey, 41, of Red Bay, Alabama, died August 4, 2011 in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. Ramsey was assigned as the Commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Ramsey assumed command of the HHC on 1 October 2005. Prior to that assignment, he was the Commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 1st Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Ramsey’s Military Decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the US Army Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, and the Faithful Service Medal for Alabama. Cap’t Ramsey’s son, Bradley age 16, and his daughter, Megan age 14, are our honored Gold Star Kids laptop recipients.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Edward Goodloe entered the U.S. Army-HHC in November 1994. Goodloe attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He worked as MOS: 915A – Unit Maintenance Technician. Goodloe also was stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. He was commissioned as warrant officer at Fort Rucker in July 2005. Goodloe served in the Community-Based Warrior in Transition Unit – Alabama. He attached to G4 (Transportation) and U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command in Huntsville. On Feb. 5, 2011, Goodloe was in active duty in Huntsville when he died of cancer at 42 years old. Brianna age 17, and Edward age 14, are two of his children and two of our honored Gold Star Kids.

Sgt. Jason Stegall, an Alabama soldier honored for his heroics in battle, passed away on December 14, 2009, at age 31 from complications of H1N1virus. During his five-year military career, he was stationed at Ft. Richardson, Alaska with the 501st "GERONIMO" as a paratrooper which he loved dearly. He was deployed with this unit for 15 months during Operation Iraqi Freedom where he earned a Bronze Star with "V" device for Valor and a Purple Heart. Other awards and decorations he was awarded are Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals and the prestigious Combat Infantry Badge. He also has a second Purple Heart pending approval for his actions while in Iraq. His now 11-year- old son Landon is our Gold Star Kid honoree.

An army medic, Charles D. Parrish trained many of the medics who assisted in his surgery after his own fatal attack, his mother said. "They said he gave a good fight," said Tina Rigsby. SPC Parrish, 23, of Jasper, Ala., died June 4 while attacked during a reconnaissance mission to clear land mines in Jalula. He was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood. Col. Rob Risberg said Parrish "was a very popular soldier," adding that about 200 of his comrades lined up outside the hospital prepared to give blood while he was undergoing surgery. His son Caden is our honored Gold Star Kid.

Staff Sergeant Yance Tell Gray, age 26, Raeford, NC, formerly of Ismay, MT, was killed in action on September 10, 2007, while serving with the United States Army, stationed in Iraq He was a member of Charlie Troop (1/73 Cav) 1st Battalion, 325 Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. Tell proudly entered the US Army in June 2000. He had completed three active tours of duty, in both Iraq and Afghanistan, his fourth to be completed in November of 2007. Tell was introduced to his future wife Jessica Duncan while at home on leave. After a courtship extending two combat tours, Tell and Jessica were married on August 6, 2004. Tell and Jessica had their first baby Ava Madison Gray on April 3rd 2007. Tell was unable to be there but sat on speakerphone from Iraq the entire time cheering Jessica on. Ava is now 13 years old and one of our honored Gold Star Kids.

Andrew Joseph Stone, 28, of Leeds, AL went to be with the Lord Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at Piedmont Regional Medical Center in Columbus, GA following a tragic car accident. Andrew was born March 30, 1990 and was the son of Dwayne Stone and Scarlett (Light) Stone of Villa Rica, GA. He was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Signal Battalion, served three tours of duty, and received 11 awards and decorations.

Andrew was a free spirit. He loved hanging with friends and family and cherished those relationships. He adored his pets and treated them like his children. He was passionate about cars, guns, music, and gadgets. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Andrew is survived by his parents, his sister Adrienne (Stone) Rudd, his wife Bailee (Grego) Stone, step-daughter Elyza Grego, his unborn child, paternal grandmother Lucille Stone, maternal grandmother Jolynn Light, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather Harry Stone and maternal grandfather C. David Light, Sr.

SSG Thomas Michael McFall, 36, was killed by a roadside bomb May 28, 2007 while on foot patrol in Baghdad. An abiding sense of duty led Army Staff Sgt. Thomas McFall to ignore a back injury and accompany the troops he’d been training to Iraq. He had been stationed at Ft. Lewis, Wash., since 1998. In January, 2007, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment as a staff sergeant, where he trained a group of soldiers to go to Iraq. McFall served as a father figure to many of the younger men he served with. McFall's family was presented with his medals: the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service; Purple Heart for combat wounds; Army Commendation Medal for act of heroism; Expeditionary Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and Iraq Campaign Medal. Matthew McFall, 16 years of age, is our Gold Star Honoree.

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