WASHINGTON - July 25 - Families of U.S. troops who are serving, have served, or were killed in Iraq converge in Washington D.C. to participate in the last two weeks of ""Operation House Call"," a summer-long campaign to highlight the ongoing human toll of the war in Iraq. Since June 22, members of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) have been staging an ongoing vigil outside the Cannon House Office Building at Independence and New Jersey Avenues in Washington, D.C. Military families from across the United States have brought their message directly to the nation’s capital to confront Congress, highlight the growing toll of the Iraq war and tell Senators and Members of Congress to bring our troops home now and take care of them when they get here.

The vigil features boots representing U.S. troops and shoes representing Iraqi children, women and men who have been killed in the Iraq war since June 15, when Congress voted to “stay the course” in Iraq, and when the 2,500^th troop death occurred.  New pairs of boots and new shoes are added each day to reflect current deaths in Iraq.

“My wife Linda and I have three sons and two grandchildren who are all Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom; since February, 2003 one or all of them have been deployed – together they have spent 81 months in Iraq,” said MFSO member Phil Waste from Tennessee. “Currently one son is deployed to Iraq with the 1^st Armored Division; another son with the 1^st Cavalry Division will be returning to Iraq this fall. The stress we feel is unbearable, having loved ones in harm’s way in a war that should never have happened. I want those serving in Congress to walk past us and our vigil, and have to grapple with the true cost of this war that they voted to continue,” he added.

In addition to the on-going vigil in front of the Cannon House Office Building, "Operation House Call" features visits by military families to Senators and Members of Congress, and special press events with military and Gold Star families and returned Iraq War Veterans. "Operation House Call" will be continuing each day that Congress is in session until August 4, when Congress recesses for the summer. At that time, MFSO members will follow their elected officials back to their home states and districts. “We are not going away. We will be engaging these elected officials wherever they may go, until they show real leadership, and decide to truly support our troops by bringing them home now and taking care of them when they get here,” said Cathy Smith of Missouri, whose oldest son was paralyzed from the chest down by an AK-47 round while serving in Iraq, and whose middle son is currently serving in Iraq with the Army.

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW:

The following members of Military Families Speak Out will join "Operation House Call" during its last two weeks in Washington, D.C. and are available for interview. To get the full list of those available for interview who are participating or have participated in "Operation House Call," see below.

Gilda Carbonaro of Bethesda, MD whose son Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro served with the U.S. Marine Corps' Second Reconnaissance Battalion and, on his second deployment to Iraq, was struck by an IED on May 1, 2006. He was burned over 60% of his body, and died as a result of these wounds on May 10, 2006 in Landstuhl, Germany.

Tim Kahlor of Temecula, CA, whose son is a Sergeant with the US Army 1st Armored Division, currently serving in Anbar Providence, Iraq on his second tour of duty.  He lost his combat buddy to small arms fire on June 26, 2006.

Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson of Boston, MA, whose son served with the Marines in Iraq in spring, 2003. Lessin and Richardson are co-founders of Military Families Speak Out, which began with two military families in November, 2002, and currently has a membership of over 3,000 military families.

Cathy Smith of Liberty, MO,whose eldest son served with the Army’s 1^st Cavalry Division in Iraq and was struck by an AK-47 round. He is paralyzed from the chest down. He is now a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Cathy Smith’s middle son is currently serving with the Army in Iraq.

Cheryl Felder Stuart of Lewisville, AR whose son Captain Arthur “Bo” Felder, age 36, served in Iraq with the Army National Guard and was killed in action in Taji on April 24, 2004.

Phil and Linda Waste of Ten Mile, TN (permanent residence in Yakima, WA), whose three sons and two grandchildren are all Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since February, 2003 one or all have been deployed. One son is currently in Iraq with the 1^st Armored Division; another son with the 4^th Brigade, 1^st Cavalry will be returning to Iraq this fall. Their third son served two deployments to Iraq with the 3^rd Infantry Division, has now completed his military service. Between their sons and grandchildren, they have served eight deployments and a total of 81 months in Iraq – with 16 more months coming up.

The full list of Military Families Speak Out members who are participating or have participated in "Operation House Call" and are available for interview include:

Arkansas
Cheryl Felder Stuart of Lewisville, AR whose son Captain Arthur “Bo” Felder, age 36, served in Iraq with the Army National Guard and was killed in action in Taji on April 24, 2004.

California
Tim Kahlor of Temecula, CA, whose son is a Sergeant with the US Army 1st Armored Division, currently serving in Anbar Providence, Iraq on his second tour of duty.  He lost his combat buddy to small arms fire on June 26, 2006.

Dinah Mason, of Santa Barbara CA, whose daughter and son-in-law serve in the Army; her daughter is currently deployed to Iraq. Ms. Mason is a Veteran herself, and a  member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Mason’s family has history of serving in the military dating back to the Revolutionary War; her ancestor was Major John Buttrick, who led the militia troops at Battle of Concord at the Old North Bridge, and gave the famous order, "Fire fellow soldiers, for God's sake, Fire!" that initiated the "shot heard 'round the world." 

Anne Roesler of Saratoga, CA whose son, a Staff Sergeant in the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Ft. Bragg, is currently facing a possible fourth deployment to Iraq.

District of Columbia
Elizabeth Frederick of Washington, DC whose fiancé is a former Marine Sergeant. He served one tour of duty in Iraq with the Army National Guard, under a stop-loss order. His National Guard unit had not deployed overseas since the Korean War.

Georgia
Kim Hines of Evans, GA whose husband is in the Army and currently serving his first deployment to Iraq.

Maryland
Gary Ashbeck of Baltimore, MD whose brother, a Captain in the Army National Guard, was injured in Iraq and is currently under medical care stateside.

MaryBeth Bullock of Germantown, MD who has two sons in the Marines, one of whom served in Iraq from October 2005 - February 2006. Ms. Bullock is a Veteran who served with the U.S. Marine Corps.

Gilda Carbonaro of Bethesda, MD whose son Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro served with the U.S. Marine Corps' Second Reconnaissance Battalion and, on his second deployment to Iraq, was struck by an IED on May 1, 2006. He was burned over 60% of his body, and died as a result of these wounds on May 10, 2006 in Landstuhl, Germany.

Pennie Miller and Jim Holmes of Gaithersburg, MD whose son is in the Army and is serving in Iraq on his 1st deployment. He also served a 1 year deployment to Afghanistan.

Sarah Schneider-Firestone of Columbia, MD, whose brother serves  in the Army and recently returned from a year-long deployment to Kuwait.

Hollace Snyder of Annapolis, MD, whose son is in the Army and has not yet deployed to Iraq.

Pat and Al McLaine of Columbia, MD, whose son Joe and his wife are both Captains in the U.S. Army and have served in Kosovo and in Iraq. Their daughter-in-law was injured by an IED during her service in Iraq. At the outset of the war in Iraq, the McLaines had a total of six family members serving in the military and in theatre, including three nephews and one niece in addition to their son and daughter-in-law.

Tia Steele of Baltimore, MD, whose step-son, Lance Corporal David Michael Branning, age 21, was killed in action in Fallujah on November 12, 2004

Massachusetts
Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson of Boston, MA, whose son served with the Marines in Iraq in spring, 2003. Lessin and Richardson are co-founders of Military Families Speak Out, which began with two families in November, 2002, and currently has a membership of over 3,000 military families.

Missouri
Cathy Smith of Liberty, MO, whose eldest son served with the Army’s 1^st Cavalry Division in Iraq and was struck by an AK-47 round. He is paralyzed from the chest down. He is now a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Cathy Smith’s middle son is currently serving with the Army in Iraq.

Montana
Deborah Hayden of Helena, MT, whose son is in the Army and is currently serving a first deployment to Iraq.

Tammara Rosenleaf of Helena, MT, whose husband is in the Army and is currently serving a first deployment in Iraq.

New Jersey
Janice Monson of Jersey City, NJ whose daughter and son-in-law both served in the Middle East with the Air Force.

Sue Niederer of Pennington, NJ, whose son, 1st Lieutenant Seth Dvorin, age 24, was killed in action near Iskandariyah, Iraq on February 3, 2004.

New York
Ellen Martin of New York, NY whose brother is in the Army and serving a first deployment to Iraq.

North Carolina
Summer Lipford of Statesville NC whose son, Steven Sirko, age 20, served as an Army medic with the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment and died in Muqdadiyah, Iraq on April 17, 2005. 

Ohio
Mona Parsons of Mt. Vernon, OH whose son is a Sergeant in the Army and is currently serving his first deployment to Iraq.

Teresa Dawson of Gahanna, OH whose daughter serves in the Army Reserves and is currently stationed in the U.S.; her son is in the Ohio National Guard and returned from a first deployment to Iraq.

Pennsylvania
Stephen Cleghorn of Reynoldsville, PA whose stepson is a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army. He received a Bronze Star for exemplary service during his 15-month deployment to Kuwait and Iraq.

Billie Jones of Shippensburg, PA whose son served two back-to-back deployments in Iraq during 2004-2005.

Diane Santoriello of Verona, PA, whose son, 1st Lt. Neil Santoriello, age 24, served in the Army’s 1 Division 34th Armored A Company and was killed in action near Fallujah, Iraq on August 13, 2004.

Celeste Zappala, Al Zappala and Joan Koslof of Philadelphia, PA,. Celeste and Al’s son, Joan's step-son, Sgt. Sherwood Baker, age 30, was killed in action in Iraq on April 26, 2004. He was the first Pennsylvania National Guard soldier to die in combat since World War II. He was killed in an explosion while assigned to protect those in the Iraq Survey Group who were searching for Weapons of Mass Destruction long after it was known that there were no WMD’s in Iraq.

Rhode Island
Steve Kelly of Sunderstown, RI whose son is in the Army and currently serving in Iraq on a second deployment.

Tennessee
Phil and Linda Waste of Ten Mile, TN (permanent residence in Yakima, WA), whose three sons and two grandchildren are all Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since February, 2003 one or all have been deployed. One son is currently in Iraq with the 1^st Armor Division; another son with the 4^th Brigade, 1^st Cavalry will be returning to Iraq this fall. Their third son served two deployments to Iraq with the 3^rd Infantry Division, has now completed his military service. Between their sons and grandchildren, they have served eight deployments and a total of 81 months in Iraq – with 16 more months coming up.

Virginia
Wendra Chambers of Alexandria, VA, whose fiancé is in the Army and recently returned from his second deployment in Iraq.

Nan Thomasson of Sterling, Va., whose son served with the Marines in Afghanistan in the spring of 2004. He is currently in the Individual Ready Reserves and eligible for deployment to Iraq.

Fran Middleberg, of Alexandria, VA, whose son is an Army Reservist and currently serving an extended tour of duty overseas, on a second deployment.

Washington
Jessie Archibald of Anderson Island, WA, whose son serves in the Army and is currently deployed to Iraq.

Stacy Bannerman of Kent, WA whose husband serves in the Washington Army National Guard, SFC Mortar Platoon, and served a year’s tour of duty in Iraq. Stacy wrote a book about her experience of being the wife of a deployed soldier who was sent off to fight a war she believed was unjust and unjustifiable, called “When the War Came Home:  An Inside Account of Citizen Soldiers and The Families Left Behind”

Wisconsin
Georgia Stillwell of Keshena, WI, whose son served as an MP in the Army and returned from Iraq with severe PTSD.

For further information on "Operation House Call" see www.operationhousecall.org; for more information on Military Families Speak Out see www.mfso.org

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