Powerful People Are Endorsing Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life

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President Biden is pushing out Military to a stressful level.

He was quoted as saying, “I refuse to have May 1st as my deadline to bring troops home from Afghanistan.” Very blunt, and very non caring remark.

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Antifa attacked Trump supporters in Salem, Oregon.

The outcome was outrageous. The police arrested some of the victims and none of the Antifa goons. What’s wrong with this picture???

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Here is some Military news for you:

Bed bugs have infested an attack submarine. Here’s what the Navy is doing about it.

Sailors aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut are in a pitched battle against an army of bloodsucking bastards known as bed bugs.

Geoff Ziezulewicz of Navy Times first revealed that the boat’s crew has been tormented by the voracious vermin for a year. The six-legged terrorists have been reportedly running amok since the Connecticut took part in an Arctic naval exercise in March 2020, causing crew members to avoid their racks in an attempt to avoid getting bitten.

The Seawolf-class submarine has reportedly been moored at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton in Washington since December. So far, the Navy’s efforts to exterminate the interloping insects with extreme prejudice have failed. Crew members have told Navy Times that they feel their command has not responded quickly enough to the boat’s new insect overlords.

Sailors reportedly tried to sleep in chairs and on the floor of the crew’s mess because they were getting eaten alive in their racks, one petty officer told Navy Times. Having sleep-deprived sailors aboard the submarine when it was deployed created dangerous working conditions, another crew member said.

While the Navy received its first reports of the bed bug infestation back in December, it wasn’t until around Feb. 19 that inspectors actually found hard evidence that the critters had invaded the USS Connecticut, said Cmdr. Cindy Fields, a spokeswoman for Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The Navy responded by inspecting sleeping areas, removing mattresses, laundering all linens and clothes, and cleaning all floors and surfaces aboard the boat, she said.

“Two Navy entomologists arrived March 4, to direct hands-on efforts,” Fields said.  “After two applications of pesticide and an initial application of diatomaceous dust, the entomologists directed sealing efforts to deny likely harborage to insects invulnerable to pesticide application, and oversaw additional application of diatomaceous dust and efforts to draw insects out of hiding and into contact with deadly countermeasures.” 

The entomologists have recommended having the Connecticut’s crew members return to their sleeping areas, but one sailor told Navy Times that the crew is being used as live bait to see if any bed bugs have survived the cleansing.

Fields said the entomologists have certified that the Navy has done all that humans can to eradicate the bug menace, including two applications of Navy-approved pesticide.

“All appropriate countermeasures have been taken with plans firmly in place to address further breakouts underway if they occur,” Fields said.

Normally, Task & Purpose would recommend using nuclear weapons against the bed bugs, but as the Navy only has three Seawolf class submarines because they are so expensive — the USS Connecticut cost $6 billion alone – other methods must be sought.

Because some scientists don’t always have the ‘ground truth’ perspective of professional bug slayers, Task & Purpose reached out to a grunt in the Bug Wars.

 “Usually, the preferred method for bed bug elimination is heat,” said Jesse Jardim, owner of Superior Bed Bug Solutions in Alexandria, Virginia.

“So, you elevate the temperature to about 135 degrees and maintain that for about three hours – 125 and above will kill them in seconds but you’ve got to make sure it permeates everywhere.”

However, Jardim added that he did not know how sensitive the instruments on submarines are to heat.

Bed bugs are tough to kill, said Jardim, who has a client in Baltimore who found the insects in an office building that had been vacant during the past year.

“So the bed bugs have survived there for a year with no one there,” Jardim said. “That just goes to show how tough they are.”

Officially known as Cimex lectularius, Cimex hemipterus and Leptocimex boueti, bed bugs may not look like much but they are actually evolving constantly. 

A scientific study on bed bugs found that their “genome sequence shows genes that encode enzymes and other proteins that the bedbug can use to fight insecticides, whether by degrading them or by preventing them from penetrating its body.”

In other words: Their survival is genetically coded into them, and they seem capable of adapting to pesticides the way human beings adapt to the weather, by shrugging it off and carrying on with their day-to-day. It also helps the species’ survival that they reproduce at a rate that would make most rabbits blush.

Bed bugs can be found anywhere people sleep or spend time, including homes, movie theaters, and, yes, even submarines, said Brittany Campbell, staff entomologist at the National Pest Management Association.

It can be hard to verify some infestations because bites alone are not considered proof of a bed bug presence, Campbell said.

“Bed bugs are notoriously difficult pests to control and eliminate, usually requiring multiple treatments and a variety of tactics,” Campbell said. “They are cryptic creatures that typically stay well hidden behind walls or inside bed frames, and can be found inside almost any item that provides a dark shelter.

“Aside from being small and well hidden, they have also developed resistance to many products that are used for control, hence why it is important to use a variety of control tactics for elimination,” she said.

Submarines also provide nearly limitless spaces where bed bugs can avoid detection, said Phillipe Maxwell, a former submariner who used to work for Jardim as a bed bug inspector.

“There are probably billions of tiny nooks and crannies that a pest could get into – like, billions,” said Maxwell, who left the Navy as a petty officer second class.

By design, submarines include piping and spaces that humans can’t reach, all of which are ideal hiding spaces for insect invaders, said Maxwell, who thankfully did not have to deal with bed bugs when he served aboard a submarine.

“I think if it’s not caught early, then it’s probably going to be years before that submarine would be declared clear, just because of all the places vermin could go within the submarine,” Maxwell said.

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I told you that I wasn’t going to share any more excerpts for now.

Instead I would like you to read some very powerful endorsements from very powerful people.

  1. Although ‘Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life’ wasn’t written for men only, it brings honesty and openness to veterans, military personnel and men in general about feeling ok to express fears and emotional challenges in a difficult world.  US Army Retired Veteran, Mr. Douglas Bolton brings his personal stories to life in a way we all can relate to and gives a big “you’re ok” for revealing our shortcomings and encourages us to open up and talk.  A must read for those seeking healing and forgiveness from ourselves and those wanting a fresh look on life. 

Steve Durgin, Founder & CEO with Victory For Veterans Foundation. 

2. Signs of Hope for the Military: in and Out of the Trenches of Life, is a must read book for any military, which are hurting from PTD, TBI, anxiety, depression, etc. It has extensive valuable and doable suggestions for successful cope mechanisms. I have also enjoyed Doug Bolton sharing his own stories about his time in the military. He shows that he has been there and done that. This makes him very qualified to offer his advice, guidance and support.  

I applaud Doug for his insight and wiliness to share. I know you will too.

Colonel Dona Marie Iversen

New York City, NY

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How are you doing my friend? Things not going your way? Is the darkness is closing in?

Fear not!

There are over 11,700 fellow veterans on this site who have your back.

Please know that things are just too tough now that you should GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7.

There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will not hang up until they know you are OK.

Never face the darkness alone!

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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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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Transcending From the Military to Civilian Life Can be very Difficult.

+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 about it.

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It is the 1st of February and I promised a new format. This may change a few times until I get what I am really looking for. Let me know what you think, and I will use your thoughts to change for the better.

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I got a reply to one of my posts. It was a retired Army man, who was struggling. He has serious PTSD. The guy has overwhelming responsibilities, plus dealing with many other health issues.

Got to be very honored that he send me this message. I can now connect with him and be his “buddy.” We will share our feelings, and try to not cause problems. Just be a friend to talk to and support.

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This can happen to so many veterans. The transition is too much sometimes. What do I do now?…. is what many ask.

This question has faced many of you. You get out and you feel isolated, lost and bewildered.

I have talked to so many veterans that are fighting some sort of problems. Many are just clinging too long to their military routine. They can only operate with some kind of structure. This sometimes alienates them from the rest of their family.

The answer to this is not easy. First of all get help. The VA has programs to help you transend to civilian life. They have medications to help with your PTSD, or other ailments you may have.

It will also take some work on your part. Do not hide and let the dark side overcome you. Stand strong and fight back.

You are more than worth it. Your family is worth it. They will support you and help you through your storms.

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I am trying to get my second COVID shot. I am scheduled to have it this Thursday. I am hearing that they run out on some days. I am hoping since I and scheduled to have my shot early in the day that I will be oK.

The National Guard is helping with the shots. They are so courteous and kind. They have a great “Bedside manners.”

I still can see the young PFC who pulled me out of a big line to get my first shot. He was a guardian angel. I think it was because I had my Army hat on. It was brothers helping brothers.

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I am hearing more and more, how our new president could care less for the military.

The latest report says that he made the National Guard sleep in a parking lot with only one bathroom.

There is no respect happening since we changed leadership.

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How are your days going? Do they overwhelm you at times. You are not alone. There are over 11,220 fellow veterans here who have your back. Many of them are struggling with the same things you are.

If it is somehow becoming too much for you right now. GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number that is available 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will not hang up until they know you are OK. It is all free.

Never take on this world alone.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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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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+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 about it.

Military Spouses Are Critical When deployment Comes. They Keep the Home Fronts Going

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Why didn’t they have these boots when I was deployed to Korea? Geeze!

The Marine Corps is about to field a new boot that provides the type of protection against cold weather that the Marines fighting at the Chosin Reservoir 70 years ago could have only dreamed of.

Starting in early 2021, Marine Corps officials expect to begin fielding the Intense Cold Weather Boot, which is designed to allow Marines to fight and ski at temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Marine Corps Systems Command.

The Marine Corps will have 3,600 boots available to issue this winter, said Marine spokesman Emanuel Pacheco. For right now, the boots are only being issued to Marines training or operating in a cold-weather environment.

One noticeable change from other cold weather footwear is that the new boots are made out of black leather.

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In my up coming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life, I have a whole chapter on how important the spouses are in the military. I even talk about male spouse being the ones left behind during deployment.

Military Spouses have the home front handled while you deploy

When our troops deploy overseas, military spouses don’t just sit around waiting to see what’s new on Netflix. Months before deployments start, military spouses form a Family Readiness Group, commonly known as an FRG. Though FRGs operate differently based on the branch of service and individual unit needs, this is a typical list of their responsibilities:

It’s important to note that FRGs are almost entirely comprised of volunteers and wouldn’t exist without them. When I was deployed to Iraq in 2009, I was involved in a small vehicle accident with no injuries. In less than 24 hours, rumors had spread back home that we were attacked and had casualties. Our FRG immediately dispelled the rumors with real-time information from our command and allowed our family members to sleep better.

They bridge the gap between civilian and military through service and entrepreneurship

It’s not just during deployments that military spouses step up; They’re always serving. Many get involved in causes advocating for military reform that aim to improve the lives of service members. Others launch businesses focused on giving back to their communities, like the following:

They are the quiet professionals on the home front

With all of the extracurriculars military spouses engage in, many do so by maintaining a quiet, professional ethos. They continue to serve because of the intrinsic good for the community, not just for a pat on the back.

While they may be too humble to brag about their accomplishments, you shouldn’t be. Task & Purpose and Armed Forces Insurance want to highlight the unsung heroes and supporters of the military community on social media with the #OurMissionIsYou campaign.

If you know of a military spouse who goes above and beyond for their community, let them know that their efforts have not gone unnoticed by celebrating and showcasing them.

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General Flynn has come up the idea of having President Trump suspend the Constitution and declare Marshal Law.

That would be a disaster in my opinion. That would certainly fuse a civil war. There has to be other measures to help clear up the mess we have in our government right now.

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The muck and mire of this world is just getting deeper. How are you handling it? Do you still have your head above water? Trying to survive?

You are not alone. 10, 200 fellow veterans are on this site and have your back.

However, if it just too much for you right now, GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7. They have highly qualified counselors they to help you. It is all free.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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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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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 for the site, please let them know about it.