Field Reports

Have you heard of Honor Flight, a national nonprofit organization that provides tours for American veterans, escorting them to Washington D.C. to visit memorials erected in their honor? It is a remarkable effort that serves a noble cause.

For this reason, Jarhead Wine Company and our affiliated Firestone Walker Brewing Company recently committed to funding Honor Flight trips for 10 local resident veterans of World War II.

As Jarhead Wine Company proprietor Adam Firestone wrote in a recent local editorial, “These veterans, commonly referred to as ‘the greatest generation,’ answered the most phenomenal call-up in our nation’s history. The enormity of their courage and sacrifice is unequalled in the modern era. For many, it began on a peaceful Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, and for those who survived, it ended on Aug. 15, 1945. So many locals left home for the blood-soaked shores of Northern Africa and Normandy and the meat grinder in the Pacific. Still more joined the war effort in manufacturing, supply, and transportation. It was a nation engaged in a single common purpose: the life struggle of freedom against tyranny…This generation is in its twilight years, and time is precious as our World War II veterans are passing at a rate of more than 600 per day. Most of the veterans on our local Honor Flight waiting list are in their 90s. Simply put, we must act now.”

On that note, people and communities across the nation are similarly pitching in to make honor flights possible for our veterans. We encourage you to visit the Honor Flight web site and to help spread the word.

You may recall our earlier blog post spotlighting the Central Coast Women Marines. We are now happy to post the following update sent to us by chapter president Soledad Kennedy:

“The Women Marines CA-11 made a basket for a fund-raising event using Jarhead Chard and Jarhead Red for the Marine Corps Ball, which was in support of Marine Corps League 1340’s 237th Birthday. We celebrated the birthday at the Radisson in Santa Maria on Friday November 9, 2012….As the 2012 campaign for the Toys for Tots is underway the Central Coast Women Marines CA-11 have been fundraising monies in support of the Toys for Tots program. We raffled off a basket using Jarhead Red and was able to provide funds for more needy children…Thank you for putting out a great product. Semper Fi.”

Thank you, Soledad, for your service to our country and our community!

We are always thrilled to hear from Jarhead Red fans, many of whom have interesting stories to share themselves.

On that note, we recently received the following note from Lisa Habermehl, whose husband Chuck has published an acclaimed book of military poetry. Chuck is a close quarters battle expert, and the author of Combat Proven Tactic: Small Unit Urban Warfare and other tactical-training materials

Wrote Lisa, “Just wanted to say we love your wine. We proudly display it on our bar rack and have given it to many friends as gifts. I only just discovered the wine club by going on your site – that’ll make a good Christmas gift! Thought you’d like to toast a glass of your JHR to a poem that appeared in my husband’s book, Depictions: Poems about Warriors and War, which recently won a gold medal from Military Writer’s Society of America last month at their annual conference. He is a jarhead too! Use it as you wish.”

Chuck’s book of poetry can be purchased on Amazon. Thank you Lisa and Chuck for sharing your kind note!

The Jarhead Nation sure knows how to throw a birthday party!

The latest example comes from Brian Akers over on our Jarhead Nation Facebook page, who shared the accompanying photo from November 10, the birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Says Brian, “What you are seeing is two pork shoulders that were slathered in my home made rub and spent 6 hours naked in an apple wood smoke bath. The pork was then hand pulled and tossed with more rub and apple cider vinegar covered in foil roasting pan for another couple hours. Served to a half few friends with a homemade mustard and vinegar based bbq sauce on the side, homemade slaw (honey mustard style) and red potato salad with bacon and blue cheese (red, white and blue). Washed down with a 2008 Jarhead Reserve and a 2010 Jarhead Red.”

Epic!

According to Brian, it’s a family tradition of his to celebrate the Marine Corps birthday with barbecue and Jarhead Red, although the meat varies from year to year. And he’s so dedicated that he takes November 10 off as a holiday, even when it falls on a weekday!

You may recall that Jarhead Red was conceived by Adam Firestone in 1999 as a celebratory bottling for the annual Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation’s Birthday Ball in Los Angeles. Over the years, the wine gained a following by word of mouth and was enjoyed at Birthday Balls around the country. To meet growing demand, Jarhead Red was ultimately released for distribution and is now available nationwide.

Cheers to Brian and all of you who join us in raising a toast to the U.S. Marines!

We were thrilled to receive the accompanying photo from Sgt. Thomas M. Dunne, USMC 1967-1971, who became a Jarhead wine club member after learning about our wines in a story in Leatherneck Magazine.

“I enlisted not only to support your worthy cause but as a devoted wine afficianado,” says Sgt. Dunne, who  served a tour in H&MS-12, MAG-12 at Chu Lai, S. Vietnam/Iwakuni, Japan from July 1969 – June 1970, and who now lives in West Virginia.

He adds, “I have fashioned our basement to resemble a colonial tavern which displays my Southern Civil War ancestors as well as my Marine Corps experience. I am attaching a tavern sign that, I hope, says it all. As a Marine you will appreciate its significance.”

Well played, Sgt. Dunne! Looks like the perfect place to uncork a bottle of Jarhead Red.

And for those who may not know the significance, Dun Tavern is a play on Tun Tavern, where the Marine Corps was established in Philadelphia in 1775.

We always love hearing from the Jarhead Nation!

On that note, we recently received a creative missive from Cpl Steven Burge of Texas, who shared his and his wife’s ideas for Jarhead Red slogans. Both slogans are awesome, so we are inspired to share Steven’s note with you:

My wife and I enjoy your wine and appreciate the cause that you have with your wine sales.  We were enjoying a bottle of it tonight and had the creative juices flowing for a couple of slogans for you.  First slogan:  Jarhead Red… Brings out the “Hoorah!” in every wine connoisseur.  Second slogan (from my wife):  Jarhead Red…the ONLY whine a Marine knows.

Semper Fi
Cpl Steven Burge
6th Motor Transport BN Co. B-
Lubbock TX

Thank you, Steven, for your great slogans and kind support!

We were excited to receive a note this week from Soledad Kennedy of the Central Coast Chapter of the Women Marines Association, who shared that a gift basket featuring Jarhead Red was big hit at a recent fundraising event.

Soledad (pictured here in uniform) also said that Jarhead Red will be included in a gift basket at the Santa Maria Marine Birthday Ball at the Radisson Hotel in Santa Maria on November 9. We are honored to have our wine included in their events!

Soledad, who is president of the chapter, is currently in the IRR standby to retire Marine and has stepped up to continue the organization’s quest “to keep the Women Marines tradition strong.”

She says, “Due to women from World War II, Korea and Vietnam passing away, our membership is small. We have been recruiting in hopes to find more of us on the Central Coast.”

On that note, please spread the word if you know anyone who fits the bill! For more information, including a history of the organization, you can visit their chapter web site at www.centralcoastwomenmarines.com