Bringing Hero Home

20/20 had a great segment this past Friday called, "Bringing Hero Home," a very touching story about a soldier killed in the line of duty and how they were able to bring a dog he cared for over in Iraq, back home. His father can be seen here wearing the blue t-shirt with one of the 9/11 Patch Project designs on it.

Seeing this story Friday night along with the 9/11 Patch Project design on the fathers t-shirt, reminded me how our U.S. Soldiers began participating in the 9/11 Patch Project back in 2002.

Many of our deployed troops have been wearing one of the 9/11 Patches since March of 2002 when a Navy Pilot and Navy SEAL introduced them while deployed in Afghanistan. The soldiers wanted to wear them alongside U.S. Fire and Police personnel as a sign of unity. LTJG Everett Alcorn can be seen wearing one of the 9/11 Patches in this photo, flying a mission somewhere over the waters of Afghanistan. Alcorn was assigned to the Helicopter Combat Support Group- HC6. He bought 200 patches and handed them out to his fellow pilots stationed on his Air Craft Carrier.

Shortly after Alcorn brought the 9/11 Patches to his fellow soldiers, a Navy SEAL from Team 1 Hotel Company, added the 9/11 Patch to his military issues. A San Gabriel Firefighter, who participated in the project back in 2002, was good friends with the SEAL and sent him the patches.

Over the years, the 9/11 Patches have become very popular gifts for soldiers deployed overseas. Like the dog in the story, soldiers are always looking for things to increase their morale. To order the patch that can be seen in the photo at the top, click HERE to get a huge discount. To order a t-shirt with the patch design on it, click HERE.

9/11 Patch Project Looking for Sales People

The 9/11 Patch Project is currently looking for 49 representatives to represent the 9/11 Patch Project in 49 States (Texas already claimed). These are  commission or performance based positions as Independent Contractors. You would receive 15% of every sale you make in your State.

This is a great way to bring in extra income and suitable for someone who has dealt with public safety organizations either as a Firefighter, Police Officer or EMT; or has represented public safety companies that have sold to these agencies.

The first 10 years of the 9/11 Patch Project (established December of 2001) Brett Hill, the founder, has marketed and sold to many organizations across the U.S., alone. Today, having multiple representatives or one in every State, is the best way to go in order to continue the plan of garnering the support and participation of every public safety organization in the U.S. Since sales also include more than 25 other countries, the 9/11 Patch Project will also consider Independent Contractors for different countries out there.

Sales will include: the 9/11 Patches, Decals, Pins and the Hero Bear program.

Remember, the primary focus of the project is to get one of the 9/11 Tribute Patches on all uniforms (or other clothing), the 9/11 Decals on apparatus & vehicles and to continue raising funds for the NYC Bravest Scholarship Fund, the Terry Farrell Fund and the Feal Good Foundation.

So if you have the connections, the right attitude and want to represent the 9/11 Patch Project for your State, please email found Brett Hill to set up a phone interview.

9/11 Patch Project Gifts

The 9/11 Patch Project hopes that you decide to give the 9/11 Tribute Patches & Decals as gifts this holiday season. Recently, a gal ordered one of our 9/11 Patch & Decal Gift Packs for a fire station that responded on her motorcycle accident. She even asked that we include a note from her and we did. These special $25 gift packs have 10 items in them and actually come in a gift bag ready to send. You can get them HERE.

The 9/11 Patch Project relies on the sales of the patches and decals along with donations, to keep the project funded and to raise donations for the NYC Bravest Scholarship Fund, the Terry Farrell Fund and the Feal Good Foundation. We have been helping folks remember the heroes of 9/11 for nearly 10 years now and hope that you give us the opportunity to keep the project going another 10 years.

Thanks in advance for thinking of us when choosing memorable gifts for the holidays!

There's no pleasing Ms. Brody

WHERE IS MY ORDER??????????? This was the exact title of an email sent to me yesterday along with the exact amount of question marks. Upon opening it, the body of the email went on to say she had ordered 3 patches on September 26th, the money was out of her account, she sent three emails and she was tired of getting my stupid newsletters. She ended with "and I still have not got them - WHY NOT???????????" 

Funny thing is I had deleted her first email after responding but then received this near duplicate even after I had asked for additional information and why her address in Ireland did not have a house number or street. This is almost the exact email she had originally sent me--there were no responses to the questions I had asked in two previous emails. Is this how most people inquire about their order? I would stick my neck out and say...no way! Having no record of any prior emails sent from my Gmail account, I told her that and expressed my concern about her address seeming incomplete.

Getting no where with her, things escalated where my response to Marion included phrases like, "Stop being rude and act like an adult" and "Calm down...I am trying to work with you." She analyzed the phrases and responded back to me, "I must say its no wonder nobody is buying from your site, you have no customer service skills and you seem to be running a one man shop answering your e-mails through your Blackberry!! Have a read back over your reply again - my god you are the rudest, most arrogant, patronising man I have ever come across. How dare you tell me to 'act like an adult' - is that what you are doing by speaking to a customer like that? You are a joke!!!"

Emails are a very imperfect means of communication and I have to admit, this is not the first time someone has misinterpreted my email. Three is no misinterpreting Marion's email--it was pretty clear. Phone calls are always the best methods for communicating between a buyer and a seller--but a phone call to Ireland was not in the budget for this $10.38 purchase for 3 decals (not patches).


So, after checking the paypal database for her order, I found it was actually made under someone other than herself. But it was filled and sent to Ireland within 24 hours. Why it didn't get there, no one really knows. Had I actually heard from her sooner, I would have bent over backwards to please her because that's how I feel about all customers. Occasionally an order does not find its mark and I will re send. In this case, I got frustrated and refunded her friends account because she never answered my requests. Before this email came today, I even sent another order to the same address (she insisted it was where she received mail the past 3 years) just to see if there was any way to make this lady happy.

So the last part of her latest email read, "I work in a company and had an order for 78 of your decals from my staff, but because of the way you treated me I won't be placing that order now - so its your loss for being so arrogant. I will be highlighting your web page to all my contacts and telling them not to order from you. Now you 'calm down' and try and be nice to people in the future."

Lessons learned: The customer is not always right. I do have to take responsibility for the statements I made out of frustration but I am human and like customers, my buttons can be pushed as well. I am a one man show but take pride in making the happiness of my customers the most important part of what I do. The reputation of the 9/11 Patch Project the past 10 years is impeccable--there should be hundreds of you out there willing to come forward to speak to that.

In the end, I have lost a customer but I am convinced that there is nothing more I can do. Emails are not the best means of communication and this case history is a testament to that. If Ms Brody wants to make her ambition bad mouthing the 9/11 Patch Project, there is nothing I can do. After serving over 15,000 customers these past 10 years, losing one is something I can get over. There is nothing that I said that called for the demeaning response I got from her. I have run this project the past 10 years to help folks remember the heroes of 9/11 and raise funds. This is what I do and the support I get from 99.9% of folks out there is what fuels me.

Brett Hill- Founder
9/11 Patch Project

Honoring American Heroes This Veterans Day

This 3.5" X 4.5" car decal was created by the 9/11 Patch Project nearly two years ago. As the founder of the project, I have also been a firefighter in Southern California for over 20 years and created the decal to combine support for our nations soldiers, firefighters and police officers.

I have seen many cars out there with a police support decal, a military support ribbon and the iconic fire helmet decals. Giving folks the opportunity to show support for all three American Heroes feels like the right thing to do. So the larger than average decal was created and done with one of the most fade resistant 3M decal products to insure it won't fade or peel up in the corners. In fact, after having the decal on a car window for a few years, you should be able to actually peel up a corner and remove it without razor blades or other scrapping tools.

So it is the perfect support decal for many reasons. The cost is only $3.50 (most decals this size retail for $5 or $6) and the net proceeds will benefit the 9/11 Patch Project Fund which donates to the NY Bravest Scholarship Fund, the Terry Farrell Fund and the Feal Good Foundation.

So consider a decal or two for your cars this Veterans Day and show your support for our Nations Veterans and Heroes. You can get the decals here: Home-of-the-Brave decal

What is the 9/11 Patch Project?

From a banner displayed at the end of the "Thank You America Tour," to the sleeves of thousands of firefighters across the nation. The 9-11 Patch Project was established December of 2001, to remember the heroes of 9/11 and raise funds for the families of the heroes lost on 9/11.

The idea was to unite firefighters around the world and honor the memory of our fallen brothers by adding the 9/11 Tribute Patches to all uniforms. Fliers were sent out to all fire departments across the nation in February of 2002 and in the following months, hundreds of departments across the nation began ordering the patches and putting them on their uniforms, job-shirts, jackets or turnouts. By the 1st year anniversary of 9/11 (09-11-02) $15,000 was raised selling $3 patches, and donated to the FDNY's Uniformed Fire Officers Association.

Then pictures were sent in of firefighters from other countries that purchased the patches and put them on their uniforms. Pictures were also sent in of U.S. Military personnel deployed overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, also wearing the 9/11 Patches. The project had crossed our borders and circumvented the globe--everyone wanted to participate.

With U.S. Soldiers and even Police Officers participating, the project introduced a 2nd 9/11 Tribute Patch at the 5 year anniversary of 9/11, called the "Three Heroes Patch." Even though the project was initiated by a firefighter who was responding to the loss of 343 of his fellow firefighters, the project grew to include and remember all Public Safety and U.S. Military personnel.

With the goal of the project to get the 9/11 Tribute Patches on all uniforms, the 9-11 Patch Project teamed up with the 9-11 Rose Float and FireCareers.com to take the project on a cross country fundraising, fellowship and recruitment tour. The 9-11 Rose Float, featured in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on 01/01/11, passed the NEVER FORGET torch to the 10 Yr 9/11 Manhattan to Manhattan Tour on 01/27/11 at Manhattan Beach Fire Department. The tour embarked on what would be a 16000 mile journey across the U.S. over 9 months, through 35 States, making 175 hosted stops. The funds raised on the tour were donated on 9/19/11.

Getting the 9/11 Tribute Patches on every public safety and U.S. Military uniform or other official/un offical clothing remains one of the goals of the project. All net proceeds will continue to be donated. Over the past 10 years, 2 mailers about the project have been sent to every FD in the nation. Some were ignored, others disregarded as junk mail and many, acted upon. Please introduce this project to your organization and join over 8000 organizations around the world in making these 9/11 Tribute Patches a permanent part of your uniform. Order the patches HERE

Keeping the 9/11 Patch Project Open

The 9/11 Patch Project was established December of 2001 to help keep the memory of our fallen 9/11 Heroes alive. The objectives of the project are to raise funds though the sale of the special 9/11 Patches, Decals and Pins as well as recruit Fire, EMS, Police and U.S. Military to place the patches on their uniforms or other clothing and/or apply the decals to their vehicles or apparatus.

To date, over 8000 organizations in 25 countries are represented by either wearing one of the patches or displaying one of the decals.

All the net proceeds from the sale of patches and decals have been donated to as many as 10 different non profit organizations. The latest three non profit's to benefit from the project are the NYC Bravest Scholarship Fund, Terry Farrell Fund and the Feal Good Foundation. Each of them recently received $6300 each.

Since the 10 year mark has passed us by, sales from the project have slowed to a crawl. Unless sales and interest in the project picks up, the project will be forced to close down on its' 10 year anniversary, December 15th, 2011. I am asking for everyone's help to keep this project going another 10 years. If you want to see the project remain open and the work of the 9/11 Patch Project continue, please contribute in any of the following ways:

1. 9/11 WALL: For only $9.11, you or your organization can be added to the 9/11 WALL of supporters and show your support publicly.

2. Make a larger donation from our DONATIONS page and also be added to the 9/11 WALL.

3. Order Patches & Decals from our ORDER page

4. Share the link to our homepage to as many of your friends and family as possible: http://9-11patchproject.org

I want to thank all of you who have continued to support the project all these years and hope that you can continue to support the project by making a donation, ordering from our store or passing on the link to our website. Thanks in advance for what you are willing to do to help keep the project open past December 15th, 2011