I am a retired female First Sergeant who served more than 22 years in the Army Reserve with a Quartermaster background. Although I am not a combat Veteran, I was prepared to deploy during Vietnam, Granada, Lebanon, Panama, Kuwait, and Somalia. I was always ready to serve my country whenever and wherever my unit or I was needed.

While in the Army along with my regular duties I was writing SOP's and Training Manuals which covered supply, maintenance, safety, and mobilization. These were done for companies, battalions, and divisions. Of course my name never appeared on what I wrote--I was just an NCO, not an officer.

I was also speaking, instructing, and facilitating sessions while with the military. As an instructor and facilitator in the supply field, my "students" were from various branches and all ranks.

As a civilian I had written newsletters for three companies, as well as articles for newspapers, journals, and magazines. But my life changed in 1987 when I was asked to get entertainer Martha "Colonel Maggie" Raye honored by our government. My efforts as co-chair of the Medals for Maggie committee were successful when she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 2 November 1993.

Since then I have written the first book about her life to ever be published. Memories of Maggie subtitled Martha Raye: A Legend Spanning Three Wars has received wonderful reviews primarily from the military and Veteran publications. The best comment I received was from General Westmoreland when he wrote that my book not only recorded Maggie's life but American History as well.

The book centers on the woman I came to know as Maggie and her personal mission with the troops rather than her chaotic personal life. It is filled with stories and photos from Veterans around the world of their own special memories of this great American. For many Vets this book has become a Buddy Search tool and they contact me to find out where their long lost friends can be found. For students--they are learning what their parent, grandparents, or other relatives may have experienced during the wars since Vets seldom talk about those things to any one but another Vet.

I now travel across our country speaking to groups, sharing my own military experiences, as well as expertise in researching, writing, finding a publisher, getting noticed, etc. While on board trains and buses (thats right--I don't like to fly) I wrote another book.

Potpourri Of War subtitled Labors of Love Remembered covers many military and civilian people involved with various aspects of war. These women and men served our country and are still involved with issues such as POW/MIA. It also includes my own mission to inform others about them, as well as others who served, what it took to get the first book published, and Maggie--thus the title--it is a mixture.

In April 97 I finally wrote my own home page and placed it on the Internet. In contacting other military and Veteran related sites to link-up with I was pleased that so many agreed to do so, including Military Network.

I was even more pleased when the Webmaster of Military Network asked me to write a column for this site. In so doing my articles will cover many topics including Patriotism, Holidays, wars, Veterans (both women and men) issues, etc. I will also be updating my own web site frequently and I hope you visit it at: www.nooniefortin.com.

In between writing this column, working on my home page, speaking to groups, and traveling to promote my books I am working on three other books.

If you are interested in a personalized autographed copy of Memories of Maggie drop me an email note and I'll tell you where to send your check or money order. If you would like to pre-order a signed copy of Potpourri Of War I will give you my publishers address. We anticipate receiving the book from the printers in May but it will not be available to the general public until September.

I hope you will visit this site a lot and read my columns as well as those by Gunny and Webmaster. Please let me know what you think about my columns and/or my books. I can be reached at: NFortin@aol.com

Later