Category: harm’s way

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Be Sure to be Thankful For All of Those Who Serving Overseas Right Now

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It has been a few days since I last posted. The Christmas rush overcame me.

It has been quite a ride. Coming into last week, I was in a hum bug mood. I couldn’t get the Christmas spirit going. I was having my pity party that no one wanted to come to.

Christmas Eve came and it was just my wife and I alone. Except that we did a Zoom gathering. ALL of my family was on one screen. Three of my children and their spouses. Nine grandchildren, and a partridge in a pear tree.

We all opened our presents while the others watched. We did gift baskets this year so that we didn’t have to buy so many presents. It was wonderful. Each basket had goodies galore. Wine, bakery goods, nuts, and many other wonderful stuff. The bakery goods were hand made by the way. I have gained six pounds just since Christmas Eve!!

Then we went on and had a very small gathering of my wife’s sister, brother-in-law, their daughter and her husband. We exchanged gifts, and I made out like a bandit. I got a logo mask from my alma mater at Oregon State University. Yah! A great puzzle of different dogs. (I love dogs!) I also got a subscription for Netflix. Already watched seven movies.

Then yesterday afternoon we connected again on Zoom with some close friends we have known for over forty years. One couple was from Cannon Beach, Oregon, and the other was a lady friend from Jacksonville, FL. Each of them also had their children on Zoom with them. It was so much fun. Remembering things from the past and catching up.

Why am I sharing my boring times this holiday? It is because I needed it to happen to get me out of my funk. I was so deep in despair that I couldn’t see the forest through the trees.

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While I was at my pity party, I started thinking about the troops that couldn’t be home for Christmas. Then I really told myself to knock off the whining, and be thankful that they are willing to do that.

I have a few years where I couldn’t be home, and I know the loneliness, and the overwhelming urge to want to be home with family.

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Thank all of you who served away from home during the holidays. It is extra hard, and I admire you for you service during these times.

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President Trump signed to bill that will get the money neded for the troops. I can certainly see why he didn’t want to sign it. It is the biggest pork bill ever. Many bills thrown into one to appease the idiots in Congress.

He was a very brave man to hold out so long, but his better judgment helped him follow through.

He has been a great president, and unless some miracle pops up he will be gone in a few weeks.

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How are you doing during this rush time. Are the walls closing in on you?

You are not alone!! There are over 10,600 fellow veterans here who have your back. They care for you. Many have been in the same boat as you.

If it is gotten too crazy 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.

Do not take on this not so friendly world alone.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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Remember;

You are not alone.

You are not forsaken.

You are not unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Things Happen While Deployed That are Hard to accept

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I told you in my last post that I was going to spend all this post talking about my new upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

This will be a complete recap of my last post I did on the book, which was about a month ago. Since that time the subscribing has increased by 300 followers.

The Outline:

The first section will be about my basic training. Lots of wild stories some funny. Some not so funny.

The second section will about being deployed to Korea. Much sadness, but some good times.

The third section will be about my time at FT. Bragg just before I left the military. One very scary story there and more funny stuff.

The fourth section will be full of interviews. I will have WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq interviews. Many of these will be very sad, but honest. I was even able to get a couple of funny ones in.

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It will be about 200 pages long. I start each chapter sharing my experiences, and then relate them to the reader. I have been working on this book for three years. Lots of research and making phone calls. Many of the interviews are from all over the United States. I am guessing I have about ten or more different states represented.

This will be a little short tonight as I am very tired today, and I need to get some rest. Still on lock down, and I don’t want to mess it up now that we see the light at the end of the tunnel.

So before I go, let me know how you are doing my friend? Do you see hope?. Do you see the light at the end of the tunnel?

If not, do not worry, there are over 10,400 fellow veterans here, and they all have your back.

BUT, If you are overwhelmed right now with what is going on 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.

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 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.

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The Great Generation Gave Their All so we Could Have Freedoms

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One thing we need tor remember is the sacrifice that our brothers and sisters had during WWII.

Here are two stories that are tragic, and we should be so thankful for their sacrifices.

  1. The Tester Brothers, New Victory, Tennessee.

What the Tester family enjoyed more than anything else was making music. On the front porch of their two story clapboard home- what became to be known as “the Old Home Place.” – Millard and Eliza Tester, along with their seven boys an two girls, would assemble a variety of fiddlers, banjos, and other instruments and play the music they learned growing up in the hills and valleys of Northeast Tennessee.

In December of 1943, a note arrived at the Old Home Place, informing the family that a telegram awaited them at the post office in near by Telford. It was Carroll Tester, the youngest of the siblings, and the only one still living at home, that had to go and get the telegram.

She brought the telegram to her mother who had just lost her husband to cancer the year before.

Three times Carroll made the trip to get telegrams, bringing back the sad news that another one of her older brothers had been killed in the war.

The last telegram arrived in January of 1945, and that was the day that music died. Carroll remembered the instruments in the closet that were the banjos, fiddles, and guitars were. They were never strummed again or played again. The memories were too painful of a time and a group of great brothers gone by.

2. The Preddy Brothers, Greensboro, NC.

“Are you sure the skinny kid can fly?” asked Col. John. C. Meyer when he saw the new pilot who had just arrived to join his 32nd Fighter Group in England. The skinny little kid was George E. Preddy, from Greensboro, N.C., and he certainly could fly. George went on to become one of the top P-15 fighter aces of WWII.

George’s younger brother, Bill, also became a decorated P-51 pilot, and both were killed by ground fire. George by friendly fire during the Battle of the Bulge, and Bill while strafing and enemy airfield in Czechoslovakia. in April 1945.

The greatest generation gave their all. They fought. They died, but because of them we are a free nation. NEVER FORGET!!

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I am very proud to say I am a veteran. I am sure you are too. We should never be ashamed of our service, no matter when we did it. You didn’t have to earn medals to be a hero. You were a hero the moment you took the oath.

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What’s up? How are you doing? The holiday rush is in full swing right now. It is hard to keep up with the rat race. All of this hustle and bustle can cause anyone to feel drug down like a magnate.

If you are feeling this way. Not to worry my friend. There are over 10,350 fellow veterans here who have you back.

If it is too much for you right now, GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will never hang up on you until they know you are OK.

Do not take on this unfriendly 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!

________________________________________

+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.