"During one game I pitched, he hit a ball over 500 feet," said Harvey, who now serves as the chaplain's assistant with the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing here.Originally from Imlay City, Mich., Harvey started playing baseball at age 7 and he excelled in the sport. Throughout high school, he played varsity baseball. Just before graduation, word spread quickly to local scouts about the 6-foot-5-inch southpaw. During games, Harvey noticed scouts in the stands with radar guns. "Every time I threw a fast ball, the radar guns would come up," he said. "As the games went on and through the end of the season, it wasn't unusual to see more than 30 guys with radar guns in the stands. I knew then something neat was going to happen." Shortly thereafter he received more than 200 letters from colleges from all over the country asking him to play. Harvey was drafted by the Seattle Mariners right out of high school, but he chose to go to Michigan State University to play with the Spartans. "One of the stipulations for signing a professional contract was a clause stating that injury would void the contract," he said. "That meant my education would not be paid for. My parents did not think it was a good idea, given that I already had a scholarship waiting in Michigan." Harvey played for Michigan State from 1990 to 1995. "I got my education paid for and I got an opportunity to travel and play baseball against different schools like Arizona, Texas and Florida," he said. "It was awesome." His senior year in college proved to be a successful one. He received invitations to try out for the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles. A small independent Canadian team called the Brandon Grey Owls ultimately made him an offer he couldn't refuse. "I was offered a stipend of $700 a month and a place to live. At age 22, that was a big deal," he said. He played a few games for the Owls, but it wasn't long before a scout from the Colorado Rockies took notice of the left-handed pitcher. They made him an offer, and he was on his way to play for the Rockies. Shortly after signing his pro contract, Harvey popped his shoulder out of its socket. Recovery was expected to take 18 months. "The Rockies weren't willing to wait," he said. His professional baseball endeavor was put on hold, and as a result of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, his motivations changed. "I had an epiphany after 9/11," Harvey said. "I felt moved by the events and the reactions of the people in my generation. I had to get involved.â€Â In 2003, he enlisted in the Michigan Air National Guard. Three years later, he relocated to Tucson with his family and joined the 162nd Fighter Wing. He considered a chaplaincy with the Army Guard until he was scouted by the chaplain’s office here. "When you play baseball, everyone on the team wears the same uniform and you help each other out," Harvey said. "That is everything that the Air Force is about. It was such an easy transition. I have loved every minute of my time in the Air Force. "If I had to do it all again,â€Â he added, “I would have given up the Michigan State experience and enlisted at age 18. That is how much I love what I do now." Aug. 24, 2010: By Air Force Master Sgt. Desiree Twombly-Arizona National Guard

The mission for Seal -- an infantry squad leader assigned to the Texas National Guard’s agribusiness development team -- was known only to him and his command, and was kept secret for a special reason. His mission was to track down and surprise his son, Army Pfc. Nolan Seal, a 4th Infantry Division infantryman, who had just arrived in Afghanistan.Marc, a decorated combat veteran on his fifth deployment since 9/11 and his third deployment to a combat zone, has served on active duty and in the National Guard for 16 years. His son decided to carry on the family tradition last year when he joined the Army. He is assigned to 1st Battalion, 66th Armor, out of Fort Carson, Colo. The elder Seal found out his son would be deploying to Afghanistan early this year. He decided not to take the standard two weeks of leave that is afforded to every soldier deployed to a combat zone in hopes that he could spend some time with his son when he arrived. As soon as his son landed in Afghanistan, the planning began. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jeff Mayo, the agribusiness development team’s command sergeant major, contacted Nolan’s battalion and worked with Army Command Sgt. Maj. Martin Kelley and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Kinloch to make the mission possible. The trip started with Marc “bummingâ€Â a ride on a Black Hawk helicopter bound for Bagram Airfield. He then talked his way onto a flight to Kandahar Airfield, landing there before sunrise. Kelley made sure Nolan would still be in Kandahar and available for his father’s visit. Marc was escorted to a tent where he woke up his son and received a big hug in return. The two spent the next 36 hours talking about home, training and what lay ahead for the young soldier as he started his first combat tour. They were able to share a dinner together and enjoy some shopping at the post exchange. Marc, whose tour ends in mid-October, said he was sad to leave his son and return to Ghazni, but was grateful for the opportunity. “Nolan will be forever changed by his tour in Afghanistan, some good and some bad,â€Â he said. “But no matter what, he will never be that little boy I used to know.â€Â Marc Seal said he’s proud of his son and also recognizes what having both husband and son in a combat zone means for his wife, Suzanne. When asked how she felt having her husband and son in Afghanistan, she said, “It’s a strange mix of pride and horror.â€Â Aug. 23, 2010: By Army Sgt. 1st Class Ross Dobelbower- American Forces Press Service

Air Force Staff Sgt. Charles Newberry, a personnel specialist assigned to the 311th Air Base Group's military personnel flight here, volunteered in 2007 to register as a bone marrow donor. His decision recently saved the life of a servicemember's 2-year-old child."While I don't know his name, as soon as I heard who it was, and that he has a rare condition called aplastic anemia, I thought, 'Yeah, I'll gladly do what I can to help out the little guy,'" Newberry said. Aplastic anemia causes bone marrow to produce an insufficient amount of red and white blood cells or blood platelets. A bone marrow transplant can be the only effective treatment in severe cases. When he became aware of what his donation could mean, Newberry said, he was eager to volunteer. "I was surprised when I found out I was a match, but helping someone else's child was clearly something I wanted to do," he said. "My wife and mom were a little skeptical about the operation, but I think my enthusiasm won them over, and they were both supportive of me being a donor." Newberry's organization and supervisor also were behind his decision. "I thought his volunteering was very admirable, and a great thing to be willing to do," said Air Force Capt. Troy Lane, commander of the personnel flight. "I was impressed with his excitement to do it." Newberry said the procedure wasn't very painful or lengthy. "The surgeons removed the marrow from my lower back after the first day of tests and screening at the hospital," he said. "I was up and walking around the next day and only had to wear some small bandages for about a week." In addition to his family, Newberry said, the military community also was supportive. "In addition to being given time off from my duty location, [Defense Department officials] sponsored my flight and expenses," he said. "I went through a process of questions and phone interviews before leaving for the trip, but once everything was approved there was no cost involved for me or my family." Newberry is one of about 500 servicemembers who are matched to a patient and donate bone marrow each year. About 600,000 servicemembers have registered as marrow donors as part of the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program. Volunteers like Newberry are critical for many patients awaiting a match. According to the National Marrow Donor Program, about 70 percent of those needing a transplant do not have a matching donor in their family. Usually used to fight leukemia and lymphoma, a bone marrow donation often is a victim's last chance at beating a potentially fatal disease. More than 10,000 patients each year are diagnosed with these life-threatening diseases. A patient's doctor can contact the program's database of 8 million potential donors in the United States and another 5 million potential donors in international registries. The C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Center is located in Rockville, Md., and is charged with supporting Defense Department bone marrow volunteers. It is one of 79 donor centers that work with the National Marrow Donor Program. Established by Congress in 1990, the Defense Department program is open to any military member or civilian and their family members, including Coast Guard and reserve-component members, in good health between the ages of 18 and 60. Aug. 20, 2010: By Joe N. Wiggins- American Forces Press Service

Air Force Staff Sgt. Charles Newberry, a personnel specialist assigned to the 311th Air Base Group's military personnel flight here, volunteered in 2007 to register as a bone marrow donor. His decision recently saved the life of a servicemember's 2-year-old child."While I don't know his name, as soon as I heard who it was, and that he has a rare condition called aplastic anemia, I thought, 'Yeah, I'll gladly do what I can to help out the little guy,'" Newberry said. Aplastic anemia causes bone marrow to produce an insufficient amount of red and white blood cells or blood platelets. A bone marrow transplant can be the only effective treatment in severe cases. When he became aware of what his donation could mean, Newberry said, he was eager to volunteer. "I was surprised when I found out I was a match, but helping someone else's child was clearly something I wanted to do," he said. "My wife and mom were a little skeptical about the operation, but I think my enthusiasm won them over, and they were both supportive of me being a donor." Newberry's organization and supervisor also were behind his decision. "I thought his volunteering was very admirable, and a great thing to be willing to do," said Air Force Capt. Troy Lane, commander of the personnel flight. "I was impressed with his excitement to do it." Newberry said the procedure wasn't very painful or lengthy. "The surgeons removed the marrow from my lower back after the first day of tests and screening at the hospital," he said. "I was up and walking around the next day and only had to wear some small bandages for about a week." In addition to his family, Newberry said, the military community also was supportive. "In addition to being given time off from my duty location, [Defense Department officials] sponsored my flight and expenses," he said. "I went through a process of questions and phone interviews before leaving for the trip, but once everything was approved there was no cost involved for me or my family." Newberry is one of about 500 servicemembers who are matched to a patient and donate bone marrow each year. About 600,000 servicemembers have registered as marrow donors as part of the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program. Volunteers like Newberry are critical for many patients awaiting a match. According to the National Marrow Donor Program, about 70 percent of those needing a transplant do not have a matching donor in their family. Usually used to fight leukemia and lymphoma, a bone marrow donation often is a victim's last chance at beating a potentially fatal disease. More than 10,000 patients each year are diagnosed with these life-threatening diseases. A patient's doctor can contact the program's database of 8 million potential donors in the United States and another 5 million potential donors in international registries. The C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Center is located in Rockville, Md., and is charged with supporting Defense Department bone marrow volunteers. It is one of 79 donor centers that work with the National Marrow Donor Program. Established by Congress in 1990, the Defense Department program is open to any military member or civilian and their family members, including Coast Guard and reserve-component members, in good health between the ages of 18 and 60. Aug. 20, 2010: By Joe N. Wiggins- American Forces Press Service