Category: basic training

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Russian Advance in Bakhmut, Ukraine Could Come With Heavy Losses.

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UK: Russian advance in Bakhmut could come with heavy losses

Russian forces have made progress in their campaign to capture the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, the focus of the war’s longest ground battle, but their assault will be difficult to sustain without more significant personnel losses, British military officials said Saturday.

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Pentagon puts priority on replacing munitions in 2024 budget
The Pentagon’s $170 billion procurement request for the new fiscal year focuses on replacing munitions supplied to Ukraine as well as well as weapons like long-range missiles, which would be necessary in a conflict with China, according to an internal budget document.

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Russian advance stalls in Ukraine’s Bakhmut, think tank says

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said there were no confirmed advances by Russian forces in Bakhmut.

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US sanctions Chinese firms linked to Iranian drones used by Kremlin against Ukraine

The Treasury Department says the five Chinese firms used shell companies to hide sales of components used in production of the Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicles that the US believes Iran has exported to Russia.

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The Wagner Group is losing so many fighters in Bakhmut that it’s launching a recruitment drive

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When I was through with basic training I was sent to Ft Devens, Mass for training. I rode a train from Portland, Oregon, all across the upper United States. It was a wonderful ride, full of scenery.

When we got close to Ft. Devens, we knew that we had to get of at Worchester, Mass. Well, when the cabin attendant came through he announced the next stop as Woooster. We figured that wasn’t our stop, but it was. The Massachusetts language was somewhat different than what we were used to.

We then were told that we should have gotten off at the last stop. We got off at the next stop and my buddies relatives had to come and pick us up there.

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I had the privilege to meet a Vietnam veteran while shopping for groceries. I seem to have the knack to find them. This guy is a true hero. His name is Milt Hoch. He had three tours in Vietnam. He didn’t have to. He chose to.

He was in intense fighting, even face to face fighting. He was once stabbed through both legs at once with a bayonet. He was still able to kill the enemy and survive.

I have an interview with him in my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. It is riveting.

Keep coming back to hear about other heroes. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on subscribe. When you do all future posts will go directly to your inbox.

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Checking in on you. How are you doing? Is everything going OK, or are you fighting back memories?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 15,219 Veterans on this site who have your back.

If you are battling mentally, but you are losing, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number that you can call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you, and they will not hang up until they know you are OK.
1-800-273-8255…texting 838255.

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Remember:


You are never alone.


You are never forsaken.


You are never unloved.


And above all…never, ever, give up.

+Now there is an easier way to get help. Just dial 988, and you will have help ready for you.

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

Posted on

The Military Doesn’t Have to be Serious All of the Time.

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Military news…

Injured Marine recalls deadly Kabul suicide blast as House Republicans scrutinize Afghanistan withdrawal
Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews said his unit had warned commanders that they saw two suspects in the chaotic crowd outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 26, 2021, that fit a description flagged by U.S. intelligence, but the Marines were denied permission to shoot.

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Troops up for 5.2% pay hike under White House’s $886B defense budget request
The White House’s $6.8 trillion funding request for fiscal 2024, which begins Oct. 1, includes $842 billion specifically for the Defense Department, representing a $26 billion increase to the amount appropriated by Congress last year.

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North Korea fires short-range missile ahead of US joint military drills with South

North Korea fired its fifth ballistic missile of the year after U.S. intelligence officials assessed that the communist regime had “no intention of abandoning” its weapons program.

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The Russian military is so low on ammo that troops are reduced to fighting with e-tools
“One of the reservists described being ‘neither physically nor psychologically’ prepared for the action.”
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Ukrainian Pilots in Arizona Working With US Military Pilots

According to defense officials, while Ukrainians aren’t flying planes, U.S. military pilots are assessing their skills and familiarizing them with new aircraft equipment like the F-16. This comes as President Zelenskyy repeatedly asked the U.S. for F-16s, but the Biden administration has resisted.

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Not all moments in the military have to be serious. During my basic training I had an incident that I love to tell others about.

We were just finished with our firing range training, and our sergeant that was suppose to march us back to our barracks had to leave. He asked a Warrant officer to march us back.

Before he came over to us we decided to follow the rules of orders when he took over. That meant he had to say things exactly like a sergeant would say to get us moving.

He came before us and said, “Ok guys let’s get into formation.” No one moved. He tried two more times, and then he went to another sergeant to asked what he should say. The sergeant told him, and we go into formation when he said the right thing.

The he tried to get us to start marching he said, “Start marching,” No movement. He tried to do this several times,and had to ask that same sergeant what he should say. He then told us, “Forward march.”

We started marching. Eventually we came to a spot that we had to turn, or we would walk into the bay. He said, “Let’s turn here to avoid the water. We kept marching. We got to the edge of the water and he yelled, “Stop!” We kept going and the first part of the platoon was in the water. he was panicked, and called for help for another sergeant. The sergeant yelled “Halt.”

We stopped, but by that time we were all in the water, laughing our heads off.

We finally got back to the barracks and the company commander had us get into formation. He chewed us out for what we had done, and then you could see he was smiling as he walked back to his office.

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I had the privilege to meet a Vietnam veteran while shopping for groceries. I seem to have the knack to find them. This guy is a true hero. His name is Milt Hoch. He had three tours in Vietnam. He didn’t have to. He chose to.

He was in intense fighting, even face to face fighting. He was once stabbed through both legs at once with a bayonet. He was still able to kill the enemy and survive.

I have an interview with him in my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. It is riveting.

Keep coming back to hear about other heroes. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on subscribe. When you do all future posts will go directly to your inbox.

_______________________________________________________________

Checking in on you. How are you doing? Is everything going OK, or are you fighting back memories?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 15,219 Veterans on this site who have your back.

If you are battling mentally, but you are losing, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number that you can call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you, and they will not hang up until they know you are OK.
1-800-273-8255…texting 838255.

______________________________________________________________

Remember:


You are never alone.


You are never forsaken.


You are never unloved.


And above all…never, ever, give up.

+Now there is an easier way to get help. Just dial 988, and you will have help ready for you.

______________________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.

__

Posted on

Drill Sergeants in the Military Can be Very Tough When Needed

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Military news…

The Pentagon wants to get rid of 24 ships and more than 150 aircraft

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The Air Force wants to spend big bucks replacing its decades-old surveillance plane

“It just really takes miracle workers … to keep these airplanes in the air.”

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‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is finally coming to theaters — and Russia may be the villain


Maverick is still, presumably, in the danger zone

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Russian Forces Halt Kyiv Advance as Kremlin Says Donbass Was Only Goal All Along

A month into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia appears to be reducing its war plans from annexing the entire country to holding the region called the Donbass. A top Russian military officer said this has always been the intended mission.

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Marines Barred From Traveling to Ukraine as Americans Try to Join Fight

The Marine Corps has barred its personnel from traveling to Ukraine and the neighboring countries of Belarus and Moldova amid reports of U.S. military veterans going to assist Ukrainians.

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National Medal of Honor Museum Breaks Ground in Texas

The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation broke ground on its future campus in Arlington, Texas, in a ceremony attended by 15 veterans who received the Medal of Honor for actions in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

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Russian Troops’ Tendency to Talk on Unsecured Lines is Proving Costly

The Russian military possesses modern equipment capable of secure transmission, but troops in Ukraine have picked up simpler-to-use but less-secure lines because of sketchy discipline and an apparent lack of planning for long-term combat operations.

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Here is another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

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You Never Know Who Your Friends May Be In the Military

I had my basic training at Fort Ord California, which is now closed. I enlisted with two buddies, and we all were in the same company. It was kind of fun, because we all did things together. I could write another book on just the happenings at basic training. Many of the stories are humorous, others not so humorous. 

A few of the soldiers were people that were drafted, which were still going on in the early sixties. Those people didn’t like being there and even marked their calendars until the day they got out. They only had two years, and their first year was nearly over by the time they got to MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) training.

The soldiers seemed to separate each other into enlisted, and draftees. Not in the form of gangs liked you see on the streets, but there were a definite divided feeling in the two groups.

I remember one incident that made me admire my drill sergeant a great deal. One of the draftees was complaining about being in the military, and my drill sergeant told him to straighten up and quit being a baby. The draftee challenged the drill sergeant to a fight. The drill sergeant was a short and thin guy, and the draftee was a linebacker sized guy. We all thought it would be over quick, with the draftee winning easily.

The sergeant told the draftee they would fight in the platoon leader’s bedroom. (I wasn’t sure why that was the choice, because those rooms are pretty small.)

Then we heard a lot of crashing and groans coming out of that room. The door opened, and we were sure it would be the draftee coming out, but it was that tiny drill sergeant. He was bloodied up, but the draftee was unconscious and lying face down on the floor.

We realized that our drill sergeant was the toughest man on the planet and we were to do what he said or pay the price. Surprisingly, all of us loved and respected him after that. Even the draftee was very respectful to the sergeant.

What do we need to do to gain respect? It probably isn’t a good idea to fight someone to gain respect like my drill sergeant did. What things would gain respect of others?

How about putting others first? Maybe it is being a friend to someone who really needs support. It could be going that extra mile for someone. It says in the Bible, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6: 31 NIV) Keep that in mind each day you are interactive with others.

There is a, “I am tough,” type mentality in the military. However, we aren’t always out in the trenches. We aren’t always threatened by the enemy. You have times when you can think about things and maybe reach out to someone around you who you know is hurting. Many of your buddies never want to tell you that they are depressed. That is a “sissy,” approach in their mind.

However, you can tell they are hurting, because you may have felt hurt yourself. When two people are on the same wave link, they can help each other through the storms of life.

Try this approach and see if your friendships develop into best friends forever (BFF) type situation.

IWILL

God knows what loneliness and depression is. He sent His only Son down to this earth to face the whole world on His own. He knew His Son would feel alone. He knew that his Son would be rejected. Yet, God did all of this for you and me so that we can know that we have eternal life if we believe in Him. He will help you with your own depression and loneliness if you let Him. 

Think about this

Isn’t it sad how we allow bad things to rise up in our heads, and cause us to feel depressed?

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There may be more excerpts in the future, so keep coming back to check this site out. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on Subscribe. When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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Checking in on you. How are you doing? Did you lose some friends while in the military?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 14,200 veterans on this site who have your back.

Here is what I am asking you to do…please share this site with as many other veterans as you can. It has helped so many.

______________________________________________________________

If you are battling mentally, but you are losing, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number that you can call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you, and they will not hang up until they know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255…texting 838255.

_______________________________________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

______________________________________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know.