Founder: Hazel M. Imig
Picture taken "1969" when the WAR first touched her life and began her quest on behalf of the Soldiers.
HAT'S OFF TO THE SOLDIERS
A Church Controlled Organization
Emanuel Full Gospel Church Ministries
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?"
Interviews with Soldiers
| THIS MONTH {JULY} MY PRECIOUS DAD WILL BE GONE FOR A YEAR NOW! HIS UNTIMELY DEATH THREW ME IN A TAIL SPIN!! AND AS I LOOK BACK FROM THE MOMENT DAD WAS LAID TO REST, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT THE GUARDIAN ANGELS THAT TOOK MY HAND EMOTIONALLY AND GAVE ME COMFORT AND SUPPORT. I WISH TO THANK FIRST LT PAUL A IMIG, ROB AND ANDY AT MEDIA POST, JOEY WINTERS WHO HAS BEEN WITH US FOR OVER 2 YEARS AS A CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND AND VOLUNTEER, MARK FROM THE PHI DELTA THETA FRATERNITY AND ESPECIALLY MR GREG BELLE OF WHOM I REALLY BELIEVE I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE WITH OUT HIS LISTENING EAR AND GENUINE CARING OVER ME!!! YOU WERE AMAZING. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR ME I AM BLESSED AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!!! ---------------- I MISS YOU DAD!! I MISS YOU TERRIBLY AND I AM SORRY FOR WHAT THEY DID TO YOU!!! RECENTLY HATS OFF TO THE SOLDIERS LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN ON BEHALF OF INJURED SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND WE DELIVERED SEVERAL BOXES OF TOILETRIES, DIAPERS, AND GIFT CARDS TO A MAGNIFICENT TRAUMA CENTER IN WASHINGTON DC. BEFORE WE LEFT, WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO MEET AND BRIEFLY INTERACT WITH THREE WONDERFUL INJURED SOLDIERS. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR BRIEF MOMENTS OF CONVERSATION. THE FIRST SOLDIER I MET CAME SPEEDILY APPROACHING ME IN HIS WHEEL CHAIR WITH A HAPPY AND YOUTHFUL FACE AND WONDERFUL SMILE. IT WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT THAT HE WAS A VETERAN OF THIS CURRENT WAR!!! I IMMEDIATELY THANKED HIM FOR HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND HE SMILED AT ME AND SAID THANK YOU BACK TO ME!!! I HAD TO LOOK DOWN AT THIS SPECIAL YOUNG SOLDIER AND AS I DID I NOTICED THAT HE LOST BOTH OF HIS LEGS. THE RIGHT ONE WAS GONE UP TO HIS HIP AND THE LEFT ONE WAS BELOW HIS KNEE!!! MY HEART SUNK FOR HIM BECAUSE HIS FACE AND TEETH WERE BEAUTIFUL AND HE WAS SO YOUNG AND IT SEEMED SO UNFAIR, BUT HE SPOKE TO ME THROUGH HIS SMILE AND BOUNCING SPIRIT MORE THEN WORDS CAN SAY!!! HE WAS SO PROUD OF HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND RIGHTFULLY SO HE SERVED IT WELL!! HE IS TO ME A HERO!!! I WISH HIM WELL AND LOVE THROUGHOUT HIS WHOLE LIFE. I WILL NEVER FORGET HIM AND THE INSPIRATION HE WAS AND THE WAY HE WAS IN MY PRESENCE, SO FREE, SO WHOLE AGAIN, BECAUSE HE FELT LOVED!! AND HE WAS!! GOD BE WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY, ALWAYS!! THE SECOND SOLDIER I MET WAS TALLER THEN ME {I AM 5FT 8IN WITHOUT SHOES}. HE CAME WALKING TOWARDS ME AS TALL AS CAN BE WITH HIS TITANIUM LEGS!! HE LOST THEM BOTH IN THIS CURRENT WAR!! I SHOOK HIS HAND AND THANKED HIM ALSO FOR HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY!! HE SMILED AND SAID, THANK YOU AND IT’S ALRIGHT MA’AM!! HE MUST HAVE NOTICED A LOOK OF CONCERN ON MY FACE, AND I NOTICED THAT HIS GRIP WAS STRONG AND CARING, HE REALLY IMPRESSED ME BECAUSE HE WAS THERE FOR ME, HE WAS THERE FOR ALL OF US. HE WAS THERE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS WAR, AND HE WOULD BE THERE FOR US EVEN NOW!!! THIS GENTLE SOLDIER WAS AN OLDER GENTLEMAN WITH A GREAT SMILE AND A WONDERFUL HEART FOR OTHERS AND HIS COUNTRY!! MY HATS OFF TO YOU SIR AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERY PATRIOTIC AMERICAN AS WELL!!! THE THIRD SOLDIER, CHRIS WAS BEING WHEELED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL BY HIS MOTHER. CHRIS’S LEFT LEG WAS IN PINS AND THE REST OF HIS BODY HAD SCARS EVERYWHERE. HE WAS ALSO WEARING A BACK BRACE AND PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT HE LOST A BONE OUT OF HIS SPINAL COLUMN. AS SEVERELY INJURED AS HE WAS I FELT THAT HE WAS ONE OF THE FORTUNATE ONES. HE AGREED WITH ME!!! IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SPEAK TO CHRIS. HE HAD SUCH A LOVE FOR HIS FELLOW COMRADES AND HE WAS ACCEPTING HIS INJURIES WITH GRACE AND DIGNITY. HE IS A TRUE SOLDIER WHO HAS SO MUCH LOVE FOR HIS COUNTRY AND PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!! GOD BLESS YOU CHRIS IT WAS A HONOR TO HAVE MET YOU!!! MAY GOD SPEED YOUR RECOVERY AND OUR HATS OFF TO YOU SIR ALWAYS. I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION TWO VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE THAT WE MET AS WE WERE WHEELING OUR CARE BOXES INTO THE HOSPITAL. THEIR NAMES WERE SUE AND CAROL. THEY STOPPED US AND ASKED US WHAT ORGANIZATION WE WERE WITH AND WE TOLD THEM "HATS OFF TO THE SOLDIERS". THEY WERE SO ELATED AND HAPPY THAT WE WERE BRINGING CARE BAGS. CAROL SAID THAT HER GOD SON LOST ONE OF HIS LEGS WHILE SERVING IN IRAQ, BUT HE WAS DOING OK!! SHE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE AT THE HOSPITAL THAT DAY TO GIVE BLOOD. SHE HAD TEARS IN HER EYES AND I TOLD HER THAT SHE WAS FULFILLING HER PART OF THE PUZZLE IN AMERICA. FOR EVERY SOLDIERS COMFORT AND WELL BEING SHOULD BE EVERY AMERICAN’S BUSINESS BECAUSE WE ALL SHARE THE FREEDOM THAT OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM PROVIDE!!! GOD WILL BLESS THESE WOMEN FOR BEING THERE FOR OUR WARRIORS!! AS WE WERE LEAVING, CAROL ALSO MENTIONED THAT MANY OF THE SOLDIERS HAVEN'T THE PRIVILEGE OF FAMILY LIVING NEAR BY AND THE CARE BAGS ARE A REAL BLESSING AND GREAT RELIEF TO THE SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE WERE SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT!!!! OUR VISIT WAS SUCH A BLESSING IN SO MANY WAYS. TO REACH OUT TO THESE PRECIOUS SOULS IS SUCH A PRIVILEGE AND COMPLETES THE CIRCLE OF BROTHERLY LOVE AND CARING. WE ARE ALL FAMILY, FOR WE ALL HAVE THE SAME FATHER, WE ALL COME FROM THE SAME GOD!!! ----" HATS OFF" WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO STOPPED AT OUR TABLE IN MONACA PA, GOD BLESS YOU FOR YOUR GIVING THAT HELPS US, HELP THEM. | |
JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO MY PRECIOUS DAD, PETTY OFFICER RONALD J OCHS, SR, WAS LAID TO REST AND AS I WAS THINKING HOW SAD I FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE AN EMPTY CHRISTMAS, BECAUSE I AM USED TO PICKING AND BUYING DAD A GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS DAY. I THOUGHT OF A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH MY DAD YEARS AGO. MY DAD WAS IN THE NAVY AS WELL AS MY( BIOLOGICAL FATHER ) AND WHEN MY DAD RETURNED HOME FROM HIS TOUR OF DUTY , HE STEPPED OFF THE BUS AND REALIZED HE HAD NO PLACE TO GO. HE WALKED AWAY AND FOUND HIMSELF AT A SMALL HOME TOWN STORE. THE GENTLEMAN WHO OWNED THE STORE NOTICED MY DAD PUTTING ON A COAT THAT HE SEEMED TO LIKE, AND HE SPOKE UP AND SAID TO MY DAD, DO YOU LIKE THAT COAT RONNIE? AND DAD SAID YES, THEN THE MAN WHO OWNED THE STORE SAID, THEN ITS YOURS , NO COST TO YOU !! MY DAD ALTHOUGH FLABBERGASTED, WAS VERY GRATEFUL AND WAS QUITE SURPRISED , IN OVER 60 YEARS HE NEVER FORGOT THAT MAN’S WONDERFUL GESTURE. HE SPOKE OFTEN OF THAT MAN’S RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS. DAD REALLY HARDLY KNEW THIS GENTLEMAN BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY BECAME FRIENDS. I REALLY LIKED THE MAN WHO GAVE DAD THE COAT EVEN THOUGH I NEVER MET HIM. I TOO LIKED HIM, FOR IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS MAN DID NOT CARE ABOUT THE COST OF THE COAT. HE FELT LED TO BLESS MY DAD AND THAT HE DID !!!!! MY CHRISTMAS PRAYER IS THAT GOD WILL APPOINT AN ANGEL OVER YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES, WHO EVER MAY READ THIS MESSAGE , TO BLESS YOU WITH KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY TO LAST A LIFETIME !!!!! P.S. I WISH TO THANK YOU DAD FOR ALL THE COMFORTS YOU GAVE TO ME, MY BROTHERS, MOM, AND OUR WHOLE FAMILY, WE TRULY WILL ALWAYS MISS YOU !!!! YOUR DAUGHTER HAZEL AND SON-IN-LAW PAUL
 THIS ORGANIZATION WISHES TO UP DATE OUR WEB SITE VIEWERS CONCERNING THE FOLLOWING; DURING THE SUMMER OF 2011 OUR ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO TREAT THE MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART TO SEVERAL BASEBALL GAMES, AS WELL AS TO DELIVER OVER 100 HATS OFF TO THE SOLDIERS TEE SHIRTS, ALONG WITH SEVERAL USA HERO BAGS FILLED WITH VARIOUS TOILETRIES. WE ALSO SENT TARGET GIFT CARDS AS WELL AS SEVERAL BAGS OF DIAPERS OF VARIOUS SIZES AND OVER 75 CARE ART KITS FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE WOUNDED SOLDIERS TO A TRAUMA CENTER IN WASHINGTON D.C.. IN ADDITION WE WERE ABLE TO SEND TOILETRIES, BOXED SOUP, PLANTERS PEANUTS, COOKIES, CRACKERS, POTATO CHIPS, BAGS OF CANDY, BOXES OF RAISINS, PHONE CARDS, ECT. ECT. ECT, TO A WORLD RENOUND BURN INSTITUTE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY. ALSO WE SENT A BOX FILLED WITH CARE ITEMS SUCH AS SHORTS, TEE SHIRTS, BOXER SHORTS AND TOILETRIES TO A VERY SPECIAL SOLDIER THAT WAS INJURED ON SEPTEMBER 11 IN AFGHANISTAN. WE ARE CURRENTLY FILLING USA HERO CHRISTMAS STOCKING BAGS FOR THIS HOSPITAL AND A TRAUMA CENTER IN WASHINGTON D.C. TO BE GIVEN TO THE INJURED SOLDIERS FOR CHRISTMAS. PLEASE NOTE WE ARE A YOUNG ORGANIZATION BUT WE COMPLETELY ACKNOWLEDGE AND TRY TO EASE THE TREMENDOUS NEEDS OF THE SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING THEIR RECOVERY PERIOD AND DO OUR VERY BEST AND EVERY THING WE CAN TO HELP AS MUCH AS WE CAN. THERE ARE MORE AND MORE INJURED SOLDIERS EVERY DAY WITH GROWING NEEDS FOR THEM SELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HELP YOU AS A WHOLE HAVE GIVEN. FOR WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE HALF AS MUCH AS WE HAVE DONE WITHOUT YOU. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE HELPED IN OUR QUEST FOR THESE INJURED SOLDIERS, THEY SALUTE YOU! PLEASE CONTINUE TO GIVE ALL THAT YOU CAN. THANK YOU AND MAY YOU HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL OF HOLIDAYS !!!!!……………JUST A FOOT NOTE. I JUST WISH TO MENTION THAT WE MET A MOST WONDERFUL WW2 VETERAN THAT WE TREATED TO A BALL GAME. HE SAID HE WAS ON THE ISLAND OF SAIPAN DURING THE WAR. HE WAS A SWEET OLDER GENTLEMAN AND SO HUMBLE. HE WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR THE BALL GAME AND THE HOT DOG AND POP WE BOUGHT HIM, HE KEPT THANKING US. HE BROKE MY HEART BECAUSE IT IS ALL OF US THAT SHOULD BE THANKING HIM, ALL OF THE THINGS HE SAW DURING THAT INVASION AND ALL THAT HE EXPERIENCED AND HELD IN HIS MEMORY ALL OF THESE YEARS. HE WAS AND IS MY HERO !!!!! GOD TRULY BLESS YOU SIR, AND ALL OF YOUR FELLOW COMRADES, WE LOVE AND SALUTE YOU. ON JULY 2, 2010 OUR ORGANIZATION MADE A TRIP TO A TRAUMA HOSPITAL IN WASHINGTON D.C. PRIOR, WE RECEIVED A E-MAIL REQUESTING CERTAIN ITEMS THAT THE SOLDIERS AND FAMILIES ARE IN NEED OF, FROM THEIR WE LAUNCH CAMPAIGNS, PETITIONING THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO PITCH IN AND DONATE THESE ITEMS. WHEN WE HAVE A SLOW CAMPAIGN WE PERSONALLY TRY TO MAKE UP FOR ITEMS ALL WE CAN. FOR INSTANCE, WE FILLED OVER 40 USA HERO BAGS THAT WENT TO THE SOLDIERS THEMSELVES. THEY WERE FILLED WITH EVERYDAY TOILETRIES THAT EACH OF THE SOLDIERS NEED. WE ALSO TOOK OVER 70 BAGS OF DIAPERS OF DIFFERENT SIZES ALONG WITH STROLLERS AND GIFT CARDS FROM TARGET SO THE SOLDIERS WIVES CAN BUY SPECIAL FORMULA FOR THEIR BABIES.---------WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL, AND AS WE WERE TRANSPORTING ALL OF OUR DONATIONS UPSTAIRS, WE INTERVIEWED A INJURED SOLDIER THAT WAS IN A WHEEL CHAIR. HE WAS IN THE HALLWAY WITH HIS FAMILY, A WIFE AND THREE KIDS. I REACHED FOR A USA HERO BAG AND HANDED TO HIM, I TOLD HIM I WISHED TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE AND SACRIFICE TO OUR COUNTRY. HE LOOKED UP AT ME AND REACHED OUT FOR MY HAND AND SAID THANK YOU MAM!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS BAG. WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS SOLDIER I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE LOOK ON HIS FACE. HE WAS SO DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE, I JUST CAN'T EXPLAIN THE LOOK HE GAVE AND THE PROFOUND GRATEFULNESS I FELT IN HIS GRIP. THIS YOUNG SOLDIER OR HIS FAMILY DID NOT SEE FIREWORKS ON THE FORTH OF JULY!!!!! HE WAS {SUFFERING AND FEELING) WHAT WE CELEBRATE, THE TASTE OF FREEDOM !!!!!! MEETING THESE SOLDIERS IS WHAT INSPIRES US TO CONTINUE ON… AND WE WILL NO MATER WHAT AND WE ALSO WISH TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO CARE ENOUGH TO CARRY THIS TORCH FOR THE BRAVE INJURED SOLDIERS AND FAMILIES AS WE DO!!!!!!!! DURING ONE OF OUR VISITS TO A TRAUMA HOSPITAL, WE INTERVIEWED A YOUNG BURN VICTIM BY THE NAME OF ALEX. HE WAS HURT DURING THIS CURRENT WAR, WHEN HIS OUTFIT GOT HIT BY I.E.D. EXPLOSIVE. HE HAD FLAIRS IN THE FRONT OF HIS UNIFORM, THE FLAIRS IGNITED AND THE FIRE FROM THIS INCIDENT LEFT THIS PRECIOUS SOLDIER WITH THIRD DEGREE BURNS IN THE FRONT OF HIS BODY AND PART OF HIS FACE. THROUGH THE COURSE OF MY INTERVIEW, THIS VERY NICE SOLDIER MENTIONED TO ME HOW VERY WORRIED HE WAS ABOUT FINDING SOMEONE WHO COULD LOVE HIM. HE WAS SO AFRAID OF NOT FINDING TRUE LOVE, BUT I TOLD HIM WHEN HE MEETS THE RIGHT PERSON SHE WOULD LOVE HIM EVEN MORE FOR WHAT HE HAS GONE THROUGH. SO OFTEN I HEAR THE MOST VALUED THOUGHTS FROM THIS BRAVE AND VERY SPECIAL YOUNG AND INJURED WORRIERS, AND YOU KNOW A THOUGHT OCCURRED TO ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE GREATEST GIFT ANYONE COULD GIVE TO ANOTHER IS A PURE AND EARNEST THOUGHT!!!! FOR IT LETS US INSIDE THE REAL HEART OF ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. PLEASE LET ME SAY THAT THIS ORGANIZATION WENT A STEP FURTHER AND PUT OUR THOUGHTS OF GRATEFULNESS IN ACTION!!! WE OUTWARDLY EXPRESSED THESE THOUGHTS BY OFFERING SMALL TOKENS OF EVERYDAY NEEDS, IN HOPES THAT IT SHOWS HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE AND CARE FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR US AND OUR COUNTRY. THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF OUR WARS HERE IN AMERICA EVERY AMERICAN HAD ONE THING IN COMMON. THE DESIRE TO WIN!!! AND EVERYONE WHO HAD A LOVED ONE SERVING IN THESE WARS WISHED TO SEE THEIR LOVED ONE AGAIN AS THEY RETURNED SAFELY HOME, AND IN EVERY WAR THAT DREAM WAS REALIZED FOR SOME BUT SHATTERED FOR OTHERS. AS IN EVERY WAR OUR BOYS THAT WERE FORTUNATE TO RETURN HOME TO THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!!! THE WORLD HAS CHANGED. WE HAVE, IN MY BELIEF, BECOME SO CONCERNED ABOUT OUR OUTER APPEARANCE, A STRONG GOAL TO BE FIT, BUT IN OUR QUEST TO BECOME A BETTER PERSON OUTSIDE DO WE OVERLOOK THE PERSON WE HAVE BECOME INSIDE? THE HEART THAT LEADS THE SOUL OF A MAN OR WOMEN, IS IT AS HEALTHY? IS IT MORAL? IS IT REDEEMED? FOR THEN AND ONLY THEN ARE ANY OF US TRULY WHOLE. OR AS WE SAY, FIT. THEN OUR THOUGHTS ALSO WILL BECOME PRIORITIZED, AS WE PUT JESUS FIRST, OUR FELLOW MAN SECOND, AND OURSELVES LAST.??? GOD BLESS THESE SOLDIERS, MAY WE ALWAYS KEEP THEM IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PUT OUR THOUGHTS INTO WORKS !!! This Organization feels a great Pride and Tremendous Honor just to have been in these soldier’s presence!!!! It was all I could do to fight back the tears!! Please understand America that these young men and some women are not just a word such as Soldier- Marine, Sailor etc they are real humane beings! All they hope to receive is respect - not pity or sympathy for they are Proud of serving our country and they go through so much when they are hurt as well as their Families ! All I can say is THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE! GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!! If you wish to make a donation, please refer to the "Items Needed and Mailing Information" page. Thank You, Rev. Hazel M. Imig |
| Links: Walter Reed Military Channel Military Ministry Institute of Surgical Research Blanchfield Hospital US Army Medical Department |
Certificates of Acknowledgement & Appreciation: Click the image above to view testimonials |
© Copyright 2003-2024 Hats Off To The Soldiers.org. All Rights Reserved.