Staff SGT Donald Wayne West, Jr., enlisted in the United States Army National Guard on September 11, 2001. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Company A of the 150th Combat Engineers served active duty Aug 29, 2004, until Dec 30, 2005. SSGT West returned to college in January, 2006. He married Lauren Ritchie June 9, 2006, at Seaside, Fla., and they have three children. SSGT West completed military service at Camp Minden, LA on Aug 23, 2009.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Mnus 104 Days - Need a Letter?

The only thing bigger than Samara O'Shea's smile is her heart.

In the business world, the twenty-something Manhattanite is associate editor for Country Living Gardener magazine. In real life, the tall blonde-for-the-moment author of Letterlover.net is a ghostwriter for anybody who can't quite find the write words to get a message across.

"I've always found letters to be an effective way to give someone else true insight into your hidden thoughts," she said at lunch Wednesday. "Letters can bring harmony where there is bitterness or even closure where there is emotional chaos."

At 20 cents a word, Samara's sentiments are cheaper than flowers, less fattening than candy and last longer than a kiss!

<