Category: Change

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Recreationists Helping Veterans with Wheelchair Games

Thanks to all of you who have been joining me here. We help bring change to lives. The response has been wonderful.  

We Made it to 5,000! Never dreamed we would do that. Thank you so much for the support. It also excites us that you are supporting veterans. That is our theme here right now. 

Help us make it to 6,000 by subscribing today if you haven’t already. This shows you care for veterans. Just click on the icon right after the title of this post and click on FEEDBLITZ , and the posts will come straight to your inbox.                            ____________________________________________________________

Doug Bolton, the founder of the blog, Signs of Hope, which is at www.dailysignsofhope.com, has written a new book, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.” It reaches out the many military and veterans who may be battling anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, rejections, and the many other usual suspects. There are 22 military connected suicides every day. That is almost one every hour. Doug wants to help stop those statistics.  

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This is a new social network just for veterans. I joined it and made instant friendships with veterans who want to talk about what I want to talk about. Please check it out. You will be glad you did. 

https://www.rallypoint.com/join/spc-douglas-bolton

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The National Veterans Wheelchair Games are coming to Seattle.

The year was 1987. Seriously injured in a car accident while on active duty with the U.S. Army, then 18-year-old Veteran Jimmy Green was paralyzed from the waist down and thought his life was over.

Nine years later, he would find new life when he was introduced to the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Seattle, Wash., by a Paralyzed Veterans of America National Service Officer. He says the experience redefined him and gave his life purpose.

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Here are some articles that are helping veterans

 

Recreational therapists play an important role in providing service to Veteran patients in a variety of ways.

“Helping Veterans take part in the things they enjoy is crucial for, not just their physical health, but their mental health,” said Lin Hales, Lead Recreation Therapist, Bay Pines VAHCS

“When someone is unable to physically take part in meaningful leisure pursuits, it can lead them to questioning their purpose and abilities in other aspects of life. Our program focusses on helping Veterans realize what they can do, instead of what they can’t,” she continued.

One of the ways in which recreation therapy helps Veterans realize their potential is through patient education.

“We provide Veterans with resources to a variety of materials and equipment, showing them that adaptations can be made to the activities they enjoy,” Hales said.

Fencing is great therapy and rehabilitation for Hayes. She credits her recent success to practicing the sport two to four times per week.

Recreational therapists play an important role in providing service to Veteran patients in a variety of ways.

“Helping Veterans take part in the things they enjoy is crucial for, not just their physical health, but their mental health,” said Lin Hales, Lead Recreation Therapist, Bay Pines VAHCS

“When someone is unable to physically take part in meaningful leisure pursuits, it can lead them to questioning their purpose and abilities in other aspects of life. Our program focusses on helping Veterans realize what they can do, instead of what they can’t,” she continued.

One of the ways in which recreation therapy helps Veterans realize their potential is through patient education.

“We provide Veterans with resources to a variety of materials and equipment, showing them that adaptations can be made to the activities they enjoy,” Hales said.

Fencing is great therapy and rehabilitation for Hayes. She credits her recent success to practicing the sport two to four times per week.

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VA’s top 5 tips for a successful job interview

When it comes to interviews, planning is essential to success. Not only does it demonstrate professionalism, it also puts you in a position to be prepared and at your best. So when you have your next interview scheduled, follow these tips and be ready to impress:

1. Be Prepared. Before walking into the interview, review your resume and the job requirements to align yourself on your strengths, weaknesses, skills and experiences. Be ready to speak to what you can bring to the position, as well as what you hope to learn on the job.

2. Know the Organization. Use sites like Glassdoor to do some research on the organization, visit the company’s social pages and talk to others about their personal experiences before going in for an interview.

3. Look Your Best. Making a good first impression is crucial when interviewing for a job. Using what you know about the organization, get a feel for the office environment and dress appropriately. When in doubt, being overdressed is better than underdressed.

4. Be Enthusiastic. Speak clearly when making introductions and answering questions, and listen closely to the interviewer. Nerves can sometimes get in the way, but the best way to show you are interested in a role is to be engaged and excited.

5. Be Honest and Be Yourself. This one is key. Make sure the job is the right fit for you by simply being yourself and being honest about your intentions and goals.

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I hope every one of you doing well. You  are special. If you are a veteran, or a family member of a veteran THANK YOU!

If you  are feeling down, and the dark side seems to be pulling you down, never, ever, give up! Get help. There is a helpline for you 42/7:

1-800-273-8255

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!!

 

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A firing for Harassing Student with USMC Shirt

Thanks to all of you who have been joining me here. We help bring change to lives. The response has been wonderful.  We just past 4,000 new subscribers. That was a huge increase in 2017. We only had 1,000 two years ago. The year 2017 helped us to make it to 4,000. Now in 2018 we are racing to 5,000. 

We have reached our goal of 4,000!  We will now be giving a prize to the person who is our 4,500th person to subscribe. We just passed 4, 600.

WE HAVE A WINNER!! An email has been sent to our winner! New prizes for the 5,000th subscriber.

Help us make it to 5,000 by subscribing today if you haven’t already. This shows you care for veterans. Just click on the icon right after the title of this post and click on FEEDBLITZ , and the posts will come straight to your inbox.                            ____________________________________________________________

Doug Bolton, the founder of the blog, Signs of Hope, which is at www.dailysignsofhope.com, has written a new book, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.” It reaches out the many military and veterans who may be battling anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, rejections, and the many other usual suspects. There are 22 military connected suicides every day. That is almost one every hour. Doug wants to help stop those statistics.  

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This is a new social network just for veterans. I joined it and made instant friendships with veterans who want to talk about what I want to talk about. Please check it out. You will be glad you did. 

https://www.rallypoint.com/join/spc-douglas-bolton

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Here is the news I saw today:

+Harassing people is common everywhere, but you would not expect it from a teacher.  

(Strong language)

The Teacher Who Bullied A Student For Wearing A USMC Sweatshirt Has Been Fired

The high school history teacher from El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, Calif. who famously called military service members the “lowest of our low” earlier this year and harrassing students who support the military, has finally been fired.

The El Rancho school board voted Tuesday to fire Gregory Salcido, 49, following numerous complaints about his behavior in the classroom on Jan. 19, when he was secretly filmed  harrassing a 17-year-old student for wearing a U.S. Marine Corps sweatshirt.

“They don’t have electricity,” said Salcido. “We have all our freakin’ night vision goggles and all that kind of stuff, and we can’t freakin’ control these dudes wearing robes and [inaudible]. Because we’ve got a bunch of dumbshits over there. Think about the people you know over there. Your stupid Uncle Louie or whatever, they’re dumbshit.”

Incredibly, this wasn’t the first time Salcido was cited for courting controversy (or being what I would call a total asshole). He allegedly threatened a student in 2010 and “smacked” a student in 2012, both of which got him placed on administrative leave.

During the January incident, Salcido railed against military members as not being “talented people,” while ordering the 17-year-old he was harassing to never again wear the Marines sweatshirt, which he was sporting to show pride in his family’s service.

“Don’t you ever bring the freakin’ military into this classroom,” Professor Douche Nozzle continued. “I don’t understand why we let the freakin’ military guys recruit you at school. We don’t let pimps come into school. ”

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Overseas Commissaries Caught Charging Military Families Triple For Groceries

U.S. military commissaries in Japan and South Korea have been charging military families triple the going rate on a number of produce items in their stores, according to a recent inspector general’s report.

The problem stemmed from a $55.1 million contract to provide fresh fruit and veggies for the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) in the Pacific, which saved the Defense Department $38 million, but simultaneously screwed over families by charging them a 101% markup on green cabbage and an 82% markup on mushrooms, among other examples.

To add insult to injury, the overpriced produce wasn’t even all that good, when compared with what buyers could have gotten at local markets, according to customer surveys.

Oh, and did I mention that bok choy — a type of produce originally from China — was being sold in the commissary for 372% more than usual? 372 PERCENT.

I’m not sure if that bok choy was gold-plated or something, but making your customers pay $4.20 for something they could have found out in town for 63 cents seems like a bit of a dick move.

The IG investigation found that DeCA didn’t effectively oversee the contractor at various stages in the supply chain. And although the contract required that “high volume core items” — like apples, bananas, carrots and two dozen other goods — be priced 30% lower than local Japanese markets, they were only found to be about 14% cheaper.

The director of the Defense Commissary Agency agreed with all the report’s recommendations, which is great, but the report didn’t offer any timeline on when families will stop being hit with a big green weenie that’s normally reserved for only those wearing a uniform.

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I enjoy sharing these little tidbits of news. I will be continuing to do this as long as you like it. Let me know.   

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If you are a veteran, or currently in the military. We have you six here. We are veterans, and know your pain. Never let the dark side pull you under. Seek help if you need it. There is always help at:

1-800-273-8255

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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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National Defense Budget Signed Into Law

Thanks to all of you who have been joining me here. We help bring change to lives. The response has been wonderful.  We just past 4,000 new subscribers. That was a huge increase in 2017. We only had 1,000 two years ago. The year 2017 helped us to make it to 4,000.

We have reached our goal.  We will now be giving a prize to the person who is our 4,500th person to subscribe. We just passed 4,480.

+ If you haven’t noticed we are getting close to our next plateau. We only need 20 more subscriptions until we give away another prize. It is going fast so don’t miss out. It should happen in the next couple of days. 

Help us make it to 4,500 by subscribing today if you haven’t already. This shows you care for veterans. Just click on the icon right after the title of this post and click on FEEDBLITZ , and the posts will come straight to your inbox.                            ____________________________________________________________

Doug Bolton, the founder of the blog, Signs of Hope, which is at www.dailysignsofhope.com, has written a new book, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.” It reaches out the many military and veterans who may be battling anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, rejections, and the many other usual suspects. There are 22 military connected suicides every day. That is almost one every hour. Doug wants to help stop those statistics.  

______________________________________________________________

This is a new social network just for veterans. I joined it and made instant friendships with veterans who want to talk about what I want to talk about. Please check it out. You will be glad you did. 

https://www.rallypoint.com/join/spc-douglas-bolton

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They just passed a new National Defense Budget. See what it includes:

National Defense Budget Signed into Law

President Donald Trump signed the new National Defense Budget for the military. It is a $626 billion budget for defense programs and another 65.7 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Syria, and the war on terrorism.

Highlights:

  • $241.2 billion for operations and maintenance.
  • $46.2 billion for military personnel.
  • $33.9 billion for defense healthcare programs.
  • $15 billion for ballistic missile defense.
  • 10.7 billion for military construction and family housing.

Other good news:

Included in the new National Defense Budget:

  • 2.4 percent increase in base pay and a provision that restricts the President’s ability to reduce it.
  • Expanded protections for victims of sexual assault.
  • Many other new provisions

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It hasn’t been widely known, but there were “trans dressers, way back in the Revolutionary War.

There were many occasions when women dressed like men, and snuck into the military to help fight the war. Some examples:

  • Deborah Sampson. In May of 1782 Sampson took the name of Robert Shurtliff, and impersonated a man while serving with the 4th Massachusetts regiment. She was wounded on July 3, 1782. It was not until Oct. 25, 1783 that Sampson’s true identity was discovered when she contracted a brain fever. She was then discharged from the military.
  • Sally St. Clair masqueraded as a man so she could follow her lover into war. She was killed on October 9th 1779. It was only then that it was discovered she was a woman.

There are many more stories similar to these. Women fought alongside the men and no one knew.

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If you are a veteran and are struggling. You are not alone. Veterans like myself care for you. We want the best for you. Never give up. Never think you are not worth anything.

Life is tough enough in this world. Do not pile more burdens on yourself.

If you need help right now call:

1-800-273-8255

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!