The sound woke me! My cell phone was ringing! This was not such an unusual thing to hear, but it was ringing in the mountains where I have, at best, experienced sketchy cell service for text messaging, but never have I been able to make a call, or receive a call! After clearing the cobwebs from my brain I decided I would try to answer the call: “Sir this is Corporal Jose A. Patino, United States Marine Corps.” I asked Corporal Patino where he was calling me from and he said, “I am calling from Afghanistan Sir! I read your article and I was wondering how I could get a Banner?” Afghanistan I thought! Then for fear of losing the Corporal's call I told him to email me his request so I would have his email address and I would take care of getting him a Banner. Soon I received that email: “Good Evening Sir, My name is Cpl. Patino Jose A. I am a Fillmore High School graduate of class 2010. I am currently in Helmand Province Afghanistan serving with 3D Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. I joined the United States Marine Corps as soon as I graduated high school. I was reading the Fillmore Gazette on line and read your article regarding homes displaying our United States Flag. I realized that you might be able to assist me through the process of getting my name on a banner. Sir I thank you for supporting us and know that we are doing our best out here to keep our country safe. Please feel free to email me back at any time. This is my government email but you can also reach me at (deleted) Thank you for your time Sir.” R/S Cpl Patino Jose A.”

After telling my wife about Corporal Patino's phone call and email I decided immediately to help get Corporal Patino a Military Banner to display in his hometown of Fillmore! Knowing the cost of a Banner for Corporal Patino would be nearly $200 I contacted Virginia de la Piedra who coordinates to Banner orders and placement to see if there was enough money for a “Full Grant” purchase of Corporal Patino's Banner. Virginia told me that the cost, $190, was the cost for an order of three or more Banners and that she has only one other order! Virginia said she would contact the vendor to see if two Banners could be ordered for that cost. Virginia emailed me an application for completion to get the process started, but now there is the sad fact that some money will have to be solicited from the Community in order to obtain a full grant for Corporal Patino's Banner!

On July 31st I received my last communications from Corporal Patino: “I'll be leaving to another FOB on the 2nd, so as soon as im over there and settled I will start pushing all the the required info to you. Sorry for emailing you so early. Afghanistan is one day ahead as you may already know. Thank you for your time again. SEMPER FI!” Although I am assuming at the best that Corporal Patino has not yet been reconnected with technology at his new Forward Operating Base (FOB) since he has not answered my emails, however, I am still committed to getting him that Banner!

If you, or any organization you are affiliated with would be interested in helping with this Banner purchase please send your check to: Up for Education, P.O. Box 220, Fillmore, CA 93016 and put in the notation Corporal Jose A. Patino Banner. School Board Member/Up for Education, Virginia A. de la Piedra, is the contact person for the Military Banners: 805-524-1732, FAX 524-4154, or email at militarybanners@yahoo.com if you would like more information regarding the Military Banner Program.

Corporal Jose A. Patino is a United States Marine serving away from his home in Fillmore and I know Fillmore can show him how much we support him and our troops currently serving. Corporal Patino is truly an American Hero and we all thank Corporal Patino for his service and sacrifice and for the sacrifices both he and his family will make in the future. I hope that Fillmore and Piru will respond positively to this request by one of our own so that Corporal Patino will see his Banner proudly on display the next time he accesses the Fillmore Gazette online in Afghanistan! Reading online, news from home, is one way that our troops keep in touch with what is going on at home! I am happy that each of our men and women serving abroad have been able to see that we support them by the articles they read!