 "America Supports You" National Summit at the Pentagon
The America Supports You 2008 National Summit was held in Washington D.C. at the Pentagon on January 25th 2008 and WEAR THE MESSAGE received an invitation.
Our program "Sponsor-A-Shirt for a Soldier" and other homefront groups that help support our Military men and women were honored at the summit. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (pictured left) stated:
"While we are all united in our admiration of those who have volunteered to serve our nation during these challenging times, it takes a special kind of person to devote part of their life to actively making the lives of our troops better, both during their deployments and when they get back," Gates said. "So from the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of all our men and women in uniform and their families, thank you for everything you have done and will continue to do in the future."
ALLISON BARBER
 The summit also included remarks from Allison Barber; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Liaison and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Internal Communications. She is responsible for the Department's communication to the men and women of the military, worldwide, for community relations programs that link citizens to members of the Armed Forces at home and abroad and for the internal operations of the department. She has led an evolution to target specific information to the diverse worldwide military audience and the domestic general public.
Allison talks with our president Tim Stine about our "Sponsor-A-Shirt for a Soldier" program and the effects that it has had on our Military Chaplains as well as the Soldiers within their units. She stated that she was thrilled to have "Sponsor-A-Shirt for a Soldier" on the ASY team and that it is truly inspiring to have our program supporting the men and women of our military.
 STEWART EMERY
After break-out sessions we were treated to a motivational speech by renowned author Stewart Emery of "Success Built To Last - Creating a life that matters".
Unlike some hardbacks on a bookstore's self-help shelf which feign directions down a one-size-fits-all path to pure bliss, "Success Built to Last," co-written by Emery -- and the basis of his speech -- starts with a simple question: What is important to you?
Emery, who along with his publisher donated 250 books to audience members, concluded that home front groups at today's summit reached the same answer to this fundamental question.
"You all have the same bottom line, which is: changing lives," "he said, "and you're doing that."
Brad Avery from the Christian Band "Third Day"
  
To close out the Summit, Brad Avery from the Christian band "Third Day" and his friend Scott Thomas sing their tribute to the Troops titled "I Want To Thank You". (Pictured above are Wear The Message's president Tim Stine and Brad Avery discussing "Sponsor-A-Shirt for a Soldier")
The song was inspired by a soldier who Scott Thomas (co-writer) met at the airport. The soldier was departing for Fallujah after a two week visit with his family in the U.S. After a moving conversation, Scott felt led to reach out in some way. Wanting to do something positive with all the negative news coverage of the war, he and his good friend, Brad Avery, put their thoughts and feelings to music.
"Thank You" is a stirring anthem written from the perspective of someone back home, writing a letter of gratitude to a soldier fighting somewhere across the globe. Avery and Thomas hope to encourage soldiers and their families by letting them know the gratitude felt for their sacrifice for our country and our freedom. "We also hope to incite others to express their thanks verbally and through random acts of kindness to soldiers and their families," shares Avery.
Please click on the link below to hear the song.
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