Category: hard to face

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Gold Star Families From the Military Deserve Our Love and Comfort

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Gold Star Mom…

Pamela Hall Cropper of Nampa, Idaho, shared that her Rally Around the Flag moment is that of the military funeral service for her son, Curtis, who was killed in Iraq.

“I’m the product of a loving American family. Mom and Dad always taught us to be good citizens and show respect for the flag. One could say I was patriotic – proud of my country and the freedom it represents to the world. However, after my youngest son was killed in Iraq, these feelings intensified.

“On my birthday in 2007, he called from Kirkuk, Iraq. His call is now a treasured memory. The very next day two men in Navy dress blue uniforms came to my home with the news that EOD 2 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Second Class) Curtis Ralph Hall had been killed in action. A few days later the casket arrived in Twin Falls, Idaho, and my son’s body was escorted by police, a motorcycle service group, and others to a mortuary near our home in Burley. Many came to watch the procession along this 38-mile route. Farmers left their tractors, stood and saluted from their fields as Curtis’ flag-draped coffin passed by. School buses stopped and the children descended to wave goodbye.

“It was Curtis’ sailor friends who, at the cemetery following taps, took the flag from his coffin, folded it into a perfect blue star-covered triangle and presented it to Curtis’ commanding officer. Salutes were exchanged in the most solemn manner as the flag was passed to him. CDR Beck turned, approached, and knelt before me. As he handed me the flag, he emotionally spoke these words, ‘This flag is presented by a grateful nation. It is an expression of appreciation for the honorable and faithful service rendered by your loved one. Please accept my sincere condolences.’

“That flag is now on prominent and permanent display in my home. Since then, whenever I see our flag being publicly displayed, tears come easily and softly to the surface. I cannot help but think of my Curtis and of his sacrifice. In my heart I say, God bless America. May he and others like him never be forgotten.”

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I am sharing this wonderful story to let you know that I am interviewing a Gold Star mom for my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. We just connected today. I will keep you posted as to how it went.

To keep on on the progress of the book, you can subscribe to this site by clicking on the subscribe button at the top of this page. When you do that, all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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How are you doing? Has to wind been getting too strong for you? Do you feel the force of the wind is pulling you down?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 12,100 fellow veterans subscribe to this site, who have your back.

BUT!

If the wind is just too strong for you, GET HELP!

There 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 storm alone!

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1….. for 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!

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There Does Not Seem to be Enough Military Support From Our Nation’s Leadership

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I am going to be on a rant at the first of this post. I heard the speeches for Memorial Day, from both our president and Vice president. They were both very poor. Especially the vice president’s words.

She never said anything about the brave warriors who lost their lives for our country. She said, “Have a great weekend.”

This forgetting of our fellow veterans is not acceptable. The current leadership of this country are turning their backs on the military.

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Military news…

Navy SEAL officer-turned-congressman Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) may have played himself last week, when he created a whistleblower website for complainants to report evidence of “woke ideology” in the U.S. military. But instead, Crenshaw was inundated with parody complaints and movie plots, like the famous ending monologue from Blade Runner.

If you’re going to accuse a sitting President of election fraud, maybe don’t do it on live TV while wearing your Army uniform. That’s what 1st. Lt. Alex Stovall, a 26-year-old reserve officer, found out now that his branch is looking into a TV interview he conducted with the right-wing news organization One America News Network, who is running to represent Arizona in Congress, appears to have violated several other Army rules along the way.

What do the words ‘behoove,’ ‘chow,’ ‘expedite,’ ‘daggon,’ and ‘irregardless’ have in common? They are all used way too frequently by career enlisted troops and officers, to the agony of many a junior enlisted service member.

Thousands of Afghans who helped Americans for the past 20 years face torture and death as soon as U.S. troops leave Afghanistan. What’s worse is that no one at the Pentagon or State Department seems to care enough about them to begin a massive evacuation while there’s still time. Even Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged on Wednesday that “a significant amount of Afghans” that supported the U.S. could be in danger very soon as the U.S. prepares to withdraw by Sept. 11.

What do the words ‘behoove,’ ‘chow,’ ‘expedite,’ ‘daggon,’ and ‘irregardless’ have in common? They are all used way too frequently by career enlisted troops and officers, to the agony of many a junior enlisted service member, writes James Clark in this very funny story. A few weeks ago, James asked you readers for their nominations for words that are overused ad nauseam in the military, and I’ll be daggon’d if you didn’t deliver.

Don’t miss James’ complete list of the cursed words here. I’m sure you get a promotion straight to four-star general if you can string them all together into one incoherent sentence.Thousands of Afghans who helped Americans for the past 20 years face torture and death as soon as U.S. troops leave Afghanistan, writes Jeff Schogol in this troubling article. What’s worse is that no one at the Pentagon or State Department seems to care enough about them to begin a massive evacuation while there’s still time. Even Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged on Wednesday that “a significant amount of Afghans” that supported the U.S. could be in danger very soon as the U.S. prepares to withdraw by Sept. 11.

Make sure you read Jeff’s excellent piece to understand why U.S. officials are dropping the ball on this, and what they could do to get people out faster.If you were too busy counting the minutes to the weekend last Friday to pay attention to the proposed defense budget, we don’t blame you. The $715 billion request has some good and some bad news. Good news: troops and civilian employees would get a 2.7% raise in their basic pay in fiscal year 2022. Bad news: the Air Force would retire 42 A-10s to pay for newer aircraft, should the proposal be accepted by Congress.
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How is you life going? Is it like a rollercoaster ride?

FEAR NOT!!

There are over 12,055 fellow veterans subscribed on this site who have your back.

If the ride is too bumpy and scary, 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 let your ride through life get out of control.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1 + (New)= texting 835255
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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.

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There Can be Some Very Embarrassing Times While in the Military

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Military news…

“You’re ridiculous,” one elected official told a former Cabinet secretary on live television yesterday. Lawmakers of both parties used the hearing, where they grilled former Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller and other witnesses over the Capitol Hill insurrection of Jan. 6, to grandstand for their constituents. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) called Miller ridiculous for going back on his previous position that former President Donald Trump instigated the riot.

“I stopped feeling like I mattered. Like what I was doing was insignificant,” is one of many reasons why troops choose to get out of the military. Haley Britzky writes that other big factors were the lack of family care plans and sheer exhaustion from the never-ending push for readiness and deployments. Haley’s story comes as the military struggles to meet its end-strength goals.

5 tips for how to successfully transition out of the military

1. Build a strong set of resumes. 

Translating your knowledge, skills, and abilities into multiple resume formats for the public and private sectors is the first step towards success when applying for post-military jobs.  

Chronological resume. This format is most likely what comes to mind first when you think of resumes. It lists your work experience in order, from most recent to oldest. Chronological resumes are standard in most careers fields and are the best option if you’ve been working in your desired area of interest for a while because it highlights your applicable experiences. 

Functional resume. This type of resume highlights your skills and abilities, rather than relying on work experience to make you a good candidate for a job. If you’re breaking into a new career field or are lacking experience for your desired job, you’ll want to create a functional resume to feature your potential to be the best candidate. If your education matches your career interest, make sure to highlight it here.

Federal resume. The federal job website USAjobs.gov relies heavily, though not exclusively, on automated filtering systems for portions of the hiring process and has specific requirements for your resume. A lot of your success in getting through the first round of screening is matching keywords in the job description to your resume. Set yourself up for success by using the websites FedsHireVets and FASClass – they’re key to helping you navigate the complex federal hiring system.

2. Take advantage of your benefits.

There are a multitude of benefits available to veterans through the VA – home loans, G.I. Bill for education, financial compensation for disability, and medical care, to name a few. Some former service members are hesitant to take advantage of what the VA has to offer, either from feeling like they didn’t do enough to earn disability compensation or fear of the process of applying for benefits being frustrating and time-consuming. VA benefits are not a handout, and applying for them doesn’t take anything away from anyone else who you think “had it worse.” There are a multitude of accredited Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) who can help you navigate the claims process.   

3. Transition your healthcare plan.

Moving from military health coverage to a private plan within 90 days of your separation is important to avoid gaps in medical care. Tricare offers 90 days of continued coverage after separation to give you time to find a new healthcare plan. But even if you’re retaining Tricare benefits as a retiree, you’ll still have to apply to continue your benefits. Most insurance plans have waiting periods before your coverage starts, so make sure to sign up with an insurance provider with ample time to spare before you lose coverage. If you are moving into the workforce post service, many employers offer insurance options in their benefits packages, so explore your options before committing.

4. Get life insurance coverage. 

Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) won’t provide you ongoing coverage after you leave the military, so it’s important to start shopping for life insurance coverage that suits your needs and the needs of your family. A lot of insurance providers offer a buffet of options to fit your stage of life and budget. There are some key things to consider, like if you want term coverage versus whole life coverage, and how much you’ll be paying in premiums. Who you buy your insurance from is just as important as the policy itself, so make sure to shop around and find what you need. There are a lot of veteran-friendly insurance providers who cater specifically to the needs of service members.

5. Take advantage of available resources. 

If you don’t know where to start or need a little help on your journey from service member to civilian, there are a lot of places to find help. Whether you need help making a resume, career counseling, financial planning, or mental health care, there are plenty of places to turn. Organizations like the USO, Hire Heroes, and Transition Assistance Program are just a few that offer support and assistance to transitioning service members. Becoming a fully integrated civilian doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that requires time, patience, and a lot of adjustment. Not only is it OK to ask for help, but it is wise to do so. Entering the civilian workforce after military service can feel a bit bewildering, not unlike your first days of basic training. Seemingly simple things like searching for a job, choosing what to wear, or interviewing for a position can feel foreign and overwhelming at first. Getting help from a transition expert can help greatly reduce the stress and anxiety associated with leaving the military.

Transitioning out of the military is a monumental life change, whether you feel prepared for it or not. There are a lot of unknowns to navigate and an entirely new way of life to get used to. Planning ahead, using available resources, and finding the right partners are the best path forward.

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When I enlisted in the Army, I was only 18 years old. I was a very naive. I hadn’t even been away from my hometown.

Before you could officially be a service member you had to pass a physical. Two buddies and I went to Portland, Oregon to take the physical.

We came into a big room that looked like a gymnasium. There were about thirty enlistees there. They had us all stand in a line facing the far wall. Then two doctors came out of a side door and started going down the line to each man.

We weren’t military yet so we could watch what they were doing. I was horrified.

We all had to pull down our pants and take off our undies!

One of the doctors was in the front and the other was behind you.

The front doctor put his hand on your testicles and told you to couch. The other doctor put his finger up your rear and felt around.

That was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, up to that point.

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This is one of the many stories that are in my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of life.

Keep coming back to see other excerpts, and updates on how the book is coming along.

Better yet, Subscribe right now to this site by going to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do that all future post will go directly to your inbox.

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How is your day going? Did you have some embarrassing times while in the military, and do you have nightmares about them?

Fear Not!

There are over 11,800 fellow veterans on this site who have your back.

However, if it is just to much for you, 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 live through nightmares anymore!

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

__________________________________

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 about it.