Welcome Home E4 Mike Slotten,Air Force
Welcome Home LCPL Rob Slotten, 06, April Buckeye, Arizona

Yes, you read the names right.  They are brothers.  Below is the note from
the Father of these two Warriors:

Celebrate One - Celebrate All

There seems to be a need in this Country to do more than thank our
troops.there's a need to celebrate.  This became obvious as the party for my
#2 son grew and grew until the party took on a life of it's own.

I have two sons.

#1 son is in the Air Force (rides a Buel and a new member of the Patriot
Guard Riders).  Summer before last, #2 son went to visit #1 in Germany.  #2
son called from Germany and said, "I'm joining the Marines."

When #2 son got back home he said, "I don't want to look back in 10 years
and say, 'I wish I would have.'"

When #1 son was in Iraq, my wife and I didn't worry too much.  #1 son was in
"fuels" and he didn't tell us until after he returned that refueling the
base generators made him a big target.

#2 son in Iraq was different.  He's in the Marine using a SAW (Squad
Automatic Weapon).  I always said that he was "sleeping in the sand, going
rabbit hunting at night".

#2 son hadn't been in Iraq more than a couple of weeks when he called and
said, "Remember the Helium balloons?"  (When the boys are home, we go into
the hills and shoot Helium balloons.  I tie them on 5-foot strings and put
them 200 yards away.)  I said, "yes".  #2 said, "I know what it's like to be
a Helium balloon."  I asked, "Are you alright?"  He said, "Yes, and I know
what it's like to shoot an Iraqi Helium balloon."  And I asked, "Are you
alright?"  He said, "Yes.  One of them just had a slow leak and took extra
work."  Again I asked, "Are you alright?"  And he said, "Yes."

Then a few months ago #2 called and said, "One of the Helium balloons got 5
feet away."  I asked, "Are you alright?"  He said "yes", but it wasn't the
same voice as before.  He called later and said he got a Navy and Marine
ribbon for the action and he was a little better.  I wasn't.  I spent my
life fighting for my boys and now I couldn't.

I have a friend, Daryl, who owns Memphis Best BBQ in Buckeye.  He is a
Marine with 23 years active service.  I eat a lot of ribs when I need to
listen.  One of the things I learned is that it helps returning Marines to
be around seasoned Marines when they first get back.  So I arranged a party
at the "E's Grill Estrella", the restaurant/bar that I've been remodeling,
so my Marine friends can have a beer with my Marine son.  It sounded simple.

But one of my Marine friends rides with the Patriot Guard Riders and they
needed a reason to celebrate.  My neighbor, a Marine, rides with the Iron
Pigs and a celebration sounded good to them too.  Rusty Nunez, the
entertainer at E's Grill said he wanted to come.  All the staff at E's Grill
that had the day of the celebration off wanted to come; and work for free if
E's Grill needed their help.  More and more people wanted to come.

It seems like right now our County needs to celebrate one, celebrate all.

What I know is that my son has memories that will impact his future.  If
this celebration is bigger than those memories, the celebration will shape
his future.  For that I am thankful for all who come.

To show my thanks, I ask NBC News to bring a camera truck (or two).  I have
access, through a friend I call son #1.5, to Hannity's America.  We will be
asking him to come.  I have the editor of the Estrella Monthly bringing the
Estrella Camera Club to shoot stills and video.  I bought
celebrateonecelebrateall.com as a place to post the pictures and link the
videos.  And we will put out a press release to 60,000 news outlets about
how great the celebration was.

I wish I could do more.

Sincerely,
A simple dad

PS.  I was asked for some of the medals my boys earned.  #2 son put the
following list together.

#1 son
-AFAM(Air Force achievement medal)
-marksman
-overseas long tour
-OIF medal
-basic training X2
-pilot slot
-physical fitness ribbon
-promotion to E4 below the zone (meritorious)
-bunch of other little crap (his words)

#2 son
-meritorious promotion  (PFT - Physical Fitness Training)
-marksmanship
-NAM (navy achievement medal)
-CAR (combat action ribbon)
-early promotion to E3
-OIF medal (Operation Iraq freedom)
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I have to tell ya, I read this then saw the signature "a simple dad".  Yeah
right, simple by no means! Simply amazing maybe!
What an amzing family!  PGR is proud to stand for both of these young
Heroes!

STAGING: 6, April 1300 (1pm) KSU @ 1345 (1:45p)
Walmart I-10 and Estrella Parkway
1100 Estrella Parkway
Goodyear, Arizona
Walmart at I-10 and Estrella Parkway. The address of the Walmart is 1100
Estrella Parkway. Goodyear, Az.

Mike Stuntz will be Ride Captain on this mission, he is the friend who rides
with the Patriot Guard.  mikefatboystuntz@hotmail.com

Sure sounds like an incredible day and I am sure gonna wanna be there!  #1
son...WELCOME HOME!  #2 son.. WELCOME HOME !