Category: don’t face life alone

Posted on

Spending Time with Other Veterans is Vital to Remain Mentality Healthy.

+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.

________________________________________________________________

Military news...

Marine Corps drops charges against lance corporal who spent 113 days in the brig
Lance Cpl. Catherine Arnett’s legal problems began when she refused to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

_____________________

The Marine Corps is doubling down on loitering munitions ahead of the next big war
Here comes the swarm.

_____________________

Fighter Jets Chase Small Plane in Washington Area Before it Crashes in Virginia

The U.S. scrambled F-16 fighter jets in a supersonic chase of a light aircraft with an unresponsive pilot that violated airspace around Washington D.C. and later crashed into the mountains of Virginia, officials said.

_____________________

Washington Approves Another $300 Million in Military Aid to Ukraine

The package includes additional ammunition for drones and long-range artillery. It also includes additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems as well as munitions for other air defense systems, including Stingers, Avengers, and Aim-7 systems. 

_____________________________________________________________

It is important to stay connected with fellow veterans. I have been trying to do that for years.

I have a friend that I meet with every Tuesday and Thursday for coffee. We catch up with the world, and our feelings. Always feel refreshed when I leave.

I have a Zoom meeting every Tuesday morning. There is a veteran on there, and we even went to high school together. Fun stories and serious talk.

Seek out other veterans and share your good stories and your hurts.

_______________________________________________________________

Some people think we should be cutting back on funding for the military. Are they deaf and blind? We are near a war with several countries, and the writing on the wall says, stand ready!

Can’t be ready if we are cutting back on equipment and troops.

______________________________________________________________

I am still waiting to have a couple more interviews of veterans for my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military, in and Out of the Trenches of Life. When I get those done, then it is off to my publisher, Bookbaby.

Keep coming back to see the updates on the book. 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

The Flu Bug Has Caused Me to Miss Several Military Postings

+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.

________________________________________________________________

Military news…

The Russian military continues its drone blitz on Kyiv
Just like London in 1940 and 1941.

_____________________

The Air Force’s top enlisted leader wants to ‘take away the stigma’ of beard waivers
“We are working to take away the stigma attached to airmen who have a medical need or a religious accommodation for facial hair.”

_____________________

Pentagon to raise military housing allowances in US by 12% on average

The new rates take effect Jan. 1 and reflect the largest year-over-year jump to housing allowances in many years. Housing allowance payments totaling an estimated $26.8 billion will be paid.

_____________________

Long-range missiles for Okinawa should come with local buy-in, experts say The Japanese Ministry of Defense by 2026 plans to base Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles at three Japan Self-Defense Force bases in the Ryukyu Island chain.

_____________________

War in Ukraine has decimated a once feared Russian brigade The bloody fate of Russia’s 200th Motor Rifle Brigade in Ukraine is emblematic of Vladimir Putin’s derailed invasion plans.

______________________________________________________________

It has been six days since I last posted here. I am in the final stages of battling the flu. It knocked me down last Friday. I am still very weak. However, I just didn’t think I wanted to miss you for another post.

______________________________________________________________

One thing I Iearned while in the military is that you can’t give up. There were times when I was not well, Other times I had injuries. The military motto is, “Do not leave your post, no matter what.”

I am sharing a chapter from my upcoming book to address that thought:

_______________________________________________________________

Do I Need to Be Tough in the Military?

I spent twelve hour days on hill 468 in Korea. (That’s the number I remember. Each hill was numbered.) You were up there alone to run the whole operation. I worked in a 2 ½ ton truck with a radio shack placed on top of it.  You were closed into a little area where you could reach both walls from where you sat. The shacks were only about eight to ten feet long.

If you had trouble with claustrophobia, this was not the job for you.

One night everything came to a stop. The generator had stopped. I went out to check and it was out of gas. I had to climb up on the generator to put more gas in. I was doing just fine until I slipped. I started to fall off the generator. I grabbed the first thing I could. Unfortunately it was the extremely hot manifold. It burnt the whole palm of my hand.

There was not one person to take my place, as the soldier who was my replacement was on leave. I had to operate the radio system with my hand wrapped in a cloth, and I was in severe pain.

I could have radioed down to the base, but you were supposed to be a soldier first and a cry baby later. I finished the night. Luckily I only had about three hours to go when I had my accident. I was off duty for over a week while my hand recovered.

Have you had a sudden incident change your path? Did you feel like crying out for help, but didn’t think you should because of how tough we as soldiers are supposed to be?

I am sure many of you have while you were in the service, or are still there.

What do we do about this?

I am convinced now that there is no shame in seeking help. There is no time when you should ever feel that your integrity will be hurting if you seek help for something.

It could a minor injury or it could be harassment. It could that you need to see a counselor for some issues you are going through.

The tough guy/gal theory has no place in the military. It is good to be tough when you are in a trench fighting for your country, but when you need some special help, get it.   

Don’t let the rigors of daily military life drag you down like a huge magnate. Seek help for whatever you think you need help with. 

IWILL

So many soldiers go on with their lives in pain, because they have too much pride or fear they will be looked down on for seeking help. Never allow this to happen. Get help and this will make your time in the military, or in the private sector, go much smoother.

Think About This

Isn’t it sad how those who pick on us, for what they perceive as a weakness, have many of their own weaknesses?

______________________________________________________________

Keep coming back to see other excerpts, or updates on my upcoming book, Signs of hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of Life. 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.

+ Just found another veteran to interview. He is a submariner. Not just any submariner, a nuclear submariner. Should be a fantastic interview.

_______________________________________________________________

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

There Are many Battles Soldiers Face, but the worst one is Depression

+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.

________________________________________________________________
Military news….

New legislation opens the door for Marine veterans to file lawsuits over contaminated water at Camp Lejeune
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows veterans, families and other individuals who worked or lived on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune to sue for harm and exposure to contaminated water.

_____________________

New missiles, drones part of biggest-ever US military aid package to Ukraine
The new $2.98 billion package will allow the U.S. to supply Ukraine with air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, counter-unmanned aerial systems and radars.

_____________________

Battle for Kyiv: Ukrainian valor, Russian blunders combined to save the capital

Even as Ukraine’s political leaders downplayed the likelihood of a full invasion, the country’s military took critical steps to withstand Russia’s initial assault.

_____________________

US aircraft, artillery pound militants in Syria after rocket attack

U.S. forces struck back with airstrikes and artillery, killing at least four Iranian-backed militants in response to rocket attacks in Syria that injured three Americans.

_____________________

Army’s training center in Alaska first in line for new cold-weather vehiclesSoldiers at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, will be the first to receive the Army’s new Arctic-capable vehicle late next year.

______________________

Construction Set to Begin on First US Coast Guard Museum

A special keel-laying ceremony was held on Friday at the museum’s riverfront site in New London, Connecticut, about 40 miles south of Providence, Rhode Island.

_______________________

Active Military Member Mows Veterans’ Lawns for Free

Master Sergeant Chad Emrick put a call out on social media offering free lawn care service to veterans so they could take pride in their yard and celebrate the summer holidays. He said sometimes veterans have even reached out to him for help with handyman jobs or to just talk and connect.

____________________________________________________________

I an sharing another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of life. This chapter is about what many of us faced while in the military. It is called depression.

_____________________________________________________________

Move out of Your Home Called Depression

So many people (19 Million in the United States) are silently struggling with depression or related demons. The depression rate in the military is very high as well. People do not do anything about it. It leaves them eventually because the person dies.

How can we get off this train of despair? Why do we let depression overtake us? Shouldn’t we be happy with our family friends, and love ones around us? Is there a way to climb out of the dreadful trench and have a productive life?

Now that I have made you also feel depressed, let me share some thoughts with you, and see if you can see any light at the end of the tunnel.

1.  People seem to think that they will be embarrassed if they let someone know they are depressed. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Don’t you think your close family and friends would jump in to help you faster than a cat on a hot tin roof if they knew you were hurting? Of course they would! Stop closing the door on others and wallowing in your own pity. Let people, and other soldiers, become your support system to get you out of your despair.

2.   Why do we let depression overtake us? Because we become very vulnerable to the dark side, and loneliness of life when we have something go wrong. We can’t just keep going as if nothing ever happened. We either deal with it, or we crash, like I did.

3.   Depression has many names by the way. It hides under the names of self-doubt, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, and self-pity. They all are different names, but they are all symptoms of the Big Kahuna depression. All of those nasty critters push us into the lake of the muck and mire, and we can’t seem to stay afloat. Don’t let this villain ambush you! Keep your eyes on the bright side of life, and not on the dark side.

4.  With today’s modern technology, you can connect with your family no matter where you are in the world. I have used Skype, Face Time (I-Phones,) and speaker phones to get as many people as I can, talking to each other and feeling accepted.

5.   I just did that recently when we had a birthday party for my granddaughter.  My son, who is the Uncle of my granddaughter, couldn’t make it. We did a video connect through I-Box of all things. My son was able to wish my granddaughter happy birthday, and talk with all of us. This was a new one for me.  (You are never too old to learn new tricks.)

     Unlike the dark ages when we couldn’t connect with technology at all, you can see and talk to anyone you want and get the feeling you are right at home with them.

              The bottom line:

      Tell the bad guys to get out of Dodge. Let the good guys come in and help you ride off into the sunset of peace together.

IWILL

Often depression is caused by people or happenings around us. We need to stand strong through these unexpected walls we face. More often than not each time we are faced with something like this it is because we are already fighting a battle within us. We need to be aware of depression that is coming on, and withstand the feelings through positive thinking.

Think about this

Isn’t it interesting how we feel someone is trying to hurt our feelings when they really aren’t?

_______________________________________________________________

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.