This Pandemic is causing Havoc with Our Veterans

Since I last posted we have had 36 new subscribers. Welcome to all of you. We are now averaging over 15 new subscribers a day. I am proud to be your blogger, that wants the very best for each of you as veterans, or family members of veterans.

It has been a nightmare for those who are locked up and not able to get out to do things because of the virus. My State of Oregon is getting hit hard. The county I live in is a red hot spot for the virus. Second highest in the state.

As a veteran, who has underlining problems with my health, I have no choice. My wife and I go on walks. We get in our car and drive to no where just to get out. We do our grocery shopping online and go to the store, and they bring out what we ordered.

I fear that this Pandemic is causing havoc with those veterans who have their own battles of PTSD, TBI, Depression, Anxiety, etc. They are fighting their own, war only to have the enemy coming to their door.

Here are some suggestions to get your mind off of what is happening in the world.

  1. Do not turn the TV on and read. There are millions of great books at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and many smaller book stores online, like Powell’s Books in Portland Oregon.
  2. Write! This is a wonderful way to get “away.” I wrote my first book,Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World, just from some journals I had written, and it won a National Award from the Reader’s Favorite Awards. WRITE!
  3. Some have taken up art. You can draw or paint. I am not good at either, but you may have just what you need to relieve yourself of stress.
  4. Hand select movies on your TV that are uplifting and makes you laugh. We have a free movie section on our TV. I have watched a ton of them the last three months.
  5. Use Zoom, Skype, or any other connection, to talk to your buddies, or family. I have been doing this and it gives me hope and helps me smile.

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Seriously, how are YOU doing? Are you having a bad time adjusting to all this mess around us? Do you have times of depression, and anxiety? I know how you feel, because I have been there.

If it is getting far too overwhelming, get Help!

You are not a sissy for getting help. I know that some people thing that since we are veterans, that we should be able to handle anything. Total lie!

If you are hurting look for help. Here is a 24/7 toll free free number to get immediate help .

1-800-273-8255 (option # 1)

Just do it!!

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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The American Legion is Reaching Out to Help

The American Legion, which I am a member of, does a lot of things that do not make the news. Here are some things I found about some Legion posts across our country.

  1. 5,300 diapers distributed by Post 760 in Oceanside California.
  2. 10,000 pairs of latex gloves and 1,000 masks. They also sent gallons of hand sanitizers and many surgical gowns at Post 1.
  3. Post 405 in Philadelphia set up a Zoom meeting for many veterans to connect and share their worries, and just having someone to talk to who cares.
  4. 100 pounds of food collected by children of Legionnaires to give to those in need.
  5. $5,000 dollars donated to the food bank in Pennsylvania, by post 104.
  6. 1,600 Buddy Checks made by Post 83 in Merced, California. This is a way to check on your veterans friends to make sure they are OK. Here is a link to see how it works. www.legion.org/publications.

I will be sharing more as I compile them from reading and searching the internet.

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Active Older Veterans Fall More, Get Hurt Less.

Physically active veterans are more likely to fall, but less likely to get hurt, compared to inactive older people.

The take away from this is when you are more active you have less chances of getting hurt.

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Joke of the day:

With High-Definition TV everything looks wider and bigger. Kind of like my 62nd class reunion. (My actual reunion time for me. Yes I am old, but I am good!)

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I am excited to report that we have had 35 new subscriptions since I last posted. Welcome to all of you. We now have 8,324 subscribers. All veterans who are seeking hope, and wanting to stay up on what is happening for Veterans. This is the place for that.

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How are you doing brother/sister? Everything going OK? I have heard from some that are not doing well. PTSD, has raised its ugly head, and trying to control some of you.

DO NOT let that happen.

Get help! You are not a sissy if you get help. I know, people think you need to be tough if you are a veteran. That is not true! I needed help and I got it. I WOULD NOT be here today if I didn’t get help! I was a breath away from checking out of this hotel called earth, and I was saved.

I am sure you have many other demons chasing you like, depression, anxiety, fear, self-doubt, etc.

Stop the madness and call for help. Here is the connection line to get that much needed help.

1-800-273-8255. call now if you need it!

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken,

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

Should We Use the Military in the Riots?

It’s Monday, and most people don’t like Monday. I look at it from a different angle.

  1. I am retired.
  2. I have time to do whatever I want and when I want.
  3. I able to write to you in this site to share hope.

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I am so excited by all of the new subscribers we are getting.

We have been averaging over 25 new subscribers a day now. A month ago, we may have had that many in a week.

Why is this happening?

It is because so many veterans are trying to find hope. They are trying to keep up on the latest military news. They need to hear about anything military, and this site does that.

If you like what you are reading just go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will got directly to your inbox. Please tell others about this site as well.

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I saw that president Trump wants to send in regular Army troops to end all the rioting. The Secretary of Defense feels that is wrong. I tend to agree with him. Why should our brothers and sisters be put in harm’s way. It should be up to the mayors and governors to straighten this mess out.

Notice that where all the rioting is occurring are run by Democrats? Enough said.

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What should we do?

I would love for you to make some comments on this in the comment area at the bottom of this post. I will be excited to read them and respond.

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I am going to share another interview with you for my new book, Signs of Hope for the military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

This one may be a repeat as I have been sharing many interviews. I think that this interview is extremely important:

I was driving home and felt hungry. I saw a Carl’s Jr, (Hardy’s) and stopped. I got my order and was heading to my table. I walked by a Vietnam veteran. I knew he was a Vietnam veterans by the hat he was wearing.

He look in pain

As I watched him eat, he seemed to be in pain. He shifted many times trying to get comfortable. He finished his meal and was walking (struggling) to the garbage can. He had walk by me to get there, so I asked him if he wanted to sit down and talk.

He looked like he didn’t want to do that, but I told him I was a veterans like him. He decided to sit down.

He had much mental pain

He sat down and we chit chatted for a while. Then I started asked him some questions. I wondered what he did in Vietnam. He said he was on a ship off the coast of Vietnam. He want on to say That his ship was a helicopter ship. They were taking supplies to the troops; picking up wounded, and sending supplies to the villages that were starving.

We talk for a while long and then I asked him what was the worst moment for him in Vietnam.

He said that his best friend was a pilot of one of the helicopters. His friend was ready to take off with his co-pilot. They said it was a go, and the helicopter began to rise and head out. Immediately there was engine trouble the copter started wavering. Then it crashed into the ocean and sunk very fast. They never even tried to recover the bodies, because the water was too deep.

That was very devastating to him.

We talked a little more, and I asked him one more question:

Was there another time you felt upset and sad?

He said it was when his planed landed and the soldiers had to walk through the terminal. There were people on each side of the terminal cussing at them. They called them killers. They spit on them. He felt disgraced.

We finished talking and did a shoulder hug. He actually smiled as he walked out the door. I could see him hobbling along as he went to the near by hotel.

This tore me up badly. This man was a hero and people treated him like dirt. We owe the Vietnam veterans so much.

(I will be sharing much more about this veteran in my book. He shared with me why he was so hobbled and in pain.)

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How are YOU doing. Are you struggling like this Marine was? Do you feel rejected? Do you have war wounds? Are you battling PTSD, TBI, depression, Etc?

You are not alone. There are now 8,231 fellow veterans here with big shoulders. Many of them are Vietnam veterans like this Marine.

Never think that you shouldn’t seek help. I know, we as veterans always feel we don’t need help because we are tough guys. Forget that thought!

If you are hurting GET HELP!

Here is a place to get help 24/7. Just call 1-800-273-8255 (option # 1)

Don’t spend another day in your living hell.

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Remember:

Your are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!