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 The traveling party from Ft Bragg, NC consisted of the 96th CAB key leaders and members from the Samoan Christian Faith Congregation Fort Bragg, NC, CSM Tuileama Nua, SFC Taisi Steffany-Alo, Major Tauapai Laupola and Pastor Poasa Masaniai of Ft Huachuca, AZ.
A reception followed at Mr. Lamasi & Mrs. Mary Peterika's beautiful residence hosted by the Samoans residing in Tampa, FL. The guests were greeted to a variety of island music by Ulale Pusi, Jimmy Maugaleo'o and Lance Faimalie. The Samoan melodies was a reminder of the days when Ulale Pusi played at the Rainmaker hotel in American Samoa.
Pastor Poasa Masaniai blessed the lavish buffet done Samoan-style of roast pig, chop suey, corned beef and cabbage, fa'alifu talo and pagipopo as the highlight for dessert. A special Samoan siva was performed by Mrs Nina Tuitasi Glaude and Mr Lauvao Andre Glaude for the guests. As customary in the Samoan culture the honor of the taualaga was performed by Mrs Shannon Tuimalealiifano. The guests were touched as SSG Tuimalealiifano danced from his wheel chair to join his wife in the taualuga.
 SSG Tuimalealiifano and Shannon described this day with these sentiments. "First and foremost we thank our heavenly father for this day for without his grace we would not have met the people that are here with us today. We are extremely overwhelmed and happy for the support, especially by the love and compassion that we have seen. This experience has confirmed our belieif in the Samoan value of alofa and faaaloalo."
Special thanks to the Samoan community in Tampa, FL; especially, Mr Lamasi & Mrs Mary Peterika, Mr Jimmy & Mrs Koli Maugaleo'o, Mr Andre & Mrs Nina Glaude, Ulale Pusi, Lance Faimalie, Aaone Tuitasi and Kelemete Fatu.
Thanksgiving at Ft Bragg, North Carolina:
Recognize the Giver as well as the Gift
By Tauapai Laupola
The Samoan Christian Faith Congregation Fort Bragg, North Carolina hosted a Thanksgiving luncheon for Samoan single soldiers and their friends at the Casablanca Community center. The theme of this Thanksgiving celebration was, "Recognize the Giver as well as the Gift". According to CSM Tuileama Nua, this is our way of thanking the Almighty for his blessings on the Samoan community at Ft Bragg, service members that are enduring the holiday in combat fatigues around the world and their sacrifices, our families and most of all His gift of love.
 Pastor Solomona Olo opened the program with thanksgiving remarks emphasizing the Giver, Almighty, and his Gift of Love, as we reach out to everyone during this holiday. The hymn, "Faafetai i le Atua" was sung, followed by the invocation and blessing of the food. A moment of silence was observed for Toa o Samoa who paid the ultimate sacrifice in prosecuting the War on Terror as well as remembering all service members that are away from their families during this holiday.
After the tributes, everyone was treated to a lavish buffet, provided by the Ft Bragg Samoan community. This included your usual turkey, ham & brisket with all the trimmings, as well as several Samoan dishes to add a local flavor to this Thanksgiving Day feast. A slide show of redeploying service members from Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other church related events were shown during the buffet. After the buffet, the Ft Bragg youth entertained the crowd with dazzling Samoan siva. Not to be outdone by the youth, Ms Nita Tuiasosopo Leomiti, of Vatia, AS and SFC Siaki Liua Mata'utia of Poloa, performed a siva Samoa to celebrate their birthdays.
SFC Siaki Mata'utia spoke on behalf of the single soldiers from Ft Bragg, expressed their heartfelt thanks for the luncheon and making them feel loved, special and important on this Thanksgiving Day. The program ended with singing of "Lota Nu'u" and the benediction by Mr Fuimaono Ponafala of Vailoatai, AS, who is at Ft Bragg with his wife visiting with their daughter SPC Antionette Ponafala.
 It is the spirit of thanksgiving and love that brought the community together so no one would be left alone during this time of the year. In addition to the luncheon, members of the Samoan community traveled to Tampa, Florida the following day and visited with its very own SSG Sualauvi "Malua" Tuimalealiifano, who is undergoing rehabilitation at the Tampa, FL, VA hospital for a spinal injury he sustained when his team was fighting its way out of an ambush at firebase Cobra, Southern Afghanistan.
As a result of his injuries, SPC Tuimalealiifano is paralyzed from his neck down; however, he is making a miraculous progress with his rehab program. He is able to move his hands and is starting to wiggle his toes. According to "Malua" as he is known to his family, it's his faith in God together with the power of prayer that has given him the strength to live and the will to work towards a full recovery from his injuries. He said, "When my mother was here couple weeks ago, she massaged my whole body, and believe it or not; that was the first time I have a peaceful sleep since I was medivac out of Afghanistan this past August."
 SSG Tuimalealiifano is expected to be released from the hospital to his home at Ft Bragg NC sometimes in March 08. SSG Tuimalealiifano is married to Shannon Fatuesi Tuimalealiifano and they have 3 children, Sualauvi Moeva, Aolele Mialagi and Aumalaga Ativalu. Shannon and her children have been commuting to Tampa, FL since August.
CSM Tuileama Nua, CWO1 Tauosose Tupua, SFC Taisi Steffany Alo and MAJ Tauapai Laupola drove to Tampa, FL, and relayed well wishes, thanksgiving and love from the Ft Bragg Samoan community to SSG Tuimalealiifano. The intent of the trip was to thank him for his sacrifice, reaffirm that he is always loved and remembered by his aiga at Ft Bragg and continue to keep the faith until he returns home. SSG Tuimalealiifano cried and thanked the group for acknowledging him. "Who am I that warrant this special treatment? I am very grateful and humble by this experience. On behalf of my family, I would like to thank all of you especially the Samoan community at Ft. Bragg for your love." His parents Sualauvi Tuimalealiifano and Sosefina Seui Tuimalealiifano of Hawaii expressed their heartfelt thanks over the phone for the long trip and especially the love for their son. Ulale Pusi of Lauli'i, AS and other Samoans at Tampa, FL were also notified and they have pledged to visit with SSG Tuimalealiifano during his recovery in Tampa.
 Special thanks go out to the Samoan Christian Faith Congregation Fort Bragg, North Carolina for making this Thanksgiving Day event possible.
The Iraqi war claims another young Samoan life
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 1298-07
November 08, 2007
DoD Identifies Army Casualty. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Lui Tumanuvao, 29, of Fagaalu, American Samoa, died Nov. 7 in Arab Jabour, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he was struck by an improvised explosive device during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Stewart, Ga.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2007
Washington, D.C. -- Lealofisa E. Payne promoted to Chief Warrant Officer Four in the U.S. Army
Congressman Faleomavaega is proud to announce that Mrs. Lealofisa E. Payne was recently promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Four (CW4) in the United States Army.
After serving seven years in Germany, CW4 Payne received assignment for the 205th Military Intelligence Battalion, at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii where she is currently assigned.
"CW4 Lealofisa Payne is currently deployed in Iraq with her sister Battalion 15th Military Intelligence Battalion (AE) out of Ft. Hood, Texas," Faleomavaega said. "She is the Battalion SIGINT technician and Liaison officer for the Guardrail Common Sensor System providing communication support to Multi National Corps–Iraq, and supported Division commands. The MNC-I, part of Multi-National Force–Iraq is the tactical unit responsible for command and control of operations throughout Iraq."
CW4 Lealofisa Payne is the daughter of the late Faiumu Ma'alona Elisara and Malo Mageo Elisara. She was born and raised in the villages of Pago Pago and Futiga, American Samoa. She attended Pago Pago elementary school and Samoana high school. She is married to Joseph A. Payne of Alexandria, Virginia and they have two daughters – Pualani and Penina.
"It is with great pleasure that I congratulate you on your promotion to Chief Warrant Officer Four in the United States Army. As we say in Samoa, Malo tau. Malo fai o le faiva," Faleomavaega wrote in a congratulatory letter to Chief Warrant Officer Lealofisa Payne.
 In recognition of her promotion to Chief Warrant Officer Four as well as her most notable achievements and service to the United States and Samoan community, Faleomavaega also presented Lealofisa a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition.
"I am very proud of Lealofisa and her achievements. She has now joined an exclusive group of Samoan women ever to achieve the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Four. It is a distinction of which Samoans are to be very proud. She is an inspiration to our people, especially to those in the Armed Services and to our Samoan youth who may wish to make a career in the military."
"CW4 Lealofisa Payne's educational achievements include a Master's degree of Arts in Public Administration thru the University of Maryland University College in Maryland, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii, and an Associates of Science in Administration of Justice from American Samoa Community College. Her military education includes Noncommissioned Officer Education System schools- Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Warrant Officer Basic School, Warrant Officer Advance course, Intelligence Collection Manager's course, Sensitive Compartmented Information Security Managers Course, and Information Assurance course."
"Lealofisa began her military career in the U.S. Army as an Electronic Warfare Signal Intelligence Analyst while enlisted with assignments to the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade, Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade at Ft. Meade, Maryland, and the 703rd Military Intelligence Brigade at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii."
"Lealofisa was selected to the Warrant Officer Candidate School in January 1997 and upon completion was assigned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Polk, Louisiana as the SIGINT technician within the Regimental’s Military Intelligence Company. She deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina with the 2d ACR as the Collection Management & Dissemination SIGINT Requirements officer supporting the Division G2’s SIGINT requirements within its Area of Responsibilities. She was also stationed in Darmstadt, Germany with the 66th MI Group and with the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (AE) at Wiesbaden Army Airfield."
"CW4 Payne’s military awards include Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation medals; Army Achievement medals; Joint Service Achievement medals; NATO medal; Army Defense Service medals; Overseas medals; Global War on Terrorism medal; National Defense Service medals; Armed Forces Expeditionary Service medal, and many more."
"In a time when our country is facing serious challenges and this is perhaps one of the most critical periods in the history of our military, I am very pleased this daughter of Samoa continues to show leadership, and strength in her character which have been recognized by her superiors. Her commitment to our country has required considerable sacrifice from her and members of her family, and for that she is to be commended. I wish her much success in her continued military career and in all her future endeavors."
"In a communication I received from Lealofisa, she relayed to me her greatest appreciation to the Samoan people for the prayers and support for her and her fellow Samoan sisters and brothers who are serving our country in the military and making the sacrifice," Faleomavaega concluded.
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SSG Sualauvi Malua Tuimalealiifano III re-enlists for the last time in the presence of his unit, D/96th Civil Affairs Battalion (CAB), his comrades from the spinal ward, his Samoan families from Ft Bragg, NC and Tampa, Florida and his wife Mrs Shannon Fatuesi Tuimaleali’ifano. Major Tauapai Laupola administered the re-enlistment oath for SSG Tuimalealiifano at the VA hospital on Saturday, 8 Dec 07. According to SSG Tuimalealiifano, "I am humbled by the experience to be re-enlisted for the last time while sitting in my wheel chair knowing that my life has changed forever." He thanked everybody for their support and prayers during this ordeal. SSG Tuimalealiifano is paralyzed from his chest down due to a spinal injury he received during his combat tour in Afghanistan, August 2007.
