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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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!

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Are Our Troops Losing Their Pay Raises?

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Long article to start with, but it is a vital situation for our troops.

U.S. troops will continue to receive their base pay and their next 3% pay raise will still take effect in January if President Donald Trump vetoes the Fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, congressional aides told Task & Purpose.

However, the defense policy bill also authorizes reenlistment bonuses, hazardous duty pay, and other special pays, the aides said on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. This year’s National Defense Authorization Act would raise hazardous duty pay from $250 to $275 per month.

If Trump vetoes the bill, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is prepared to introduce separate legislation to ensure that troops get all special pays and bonuses, said a Senate Armed Services Committee aide.

Congress could vote next week on the annual defense policy bill, which includes a provision that would create a commission to change the names of all military installations, ships, streets, and other Defense Department assets that honor Confederate leaders.

Trump has said his administration will never allow 10 Army bases named for Confederate officers to be renamed, even though Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy has indicated he is open to doing just that.

More recently, Trump has vowed to veto the National Defense Authorization Act unless Congress also repeals a federal law that protects tech companies from being sued for the content that users post. The law is known as Section 230.

“Very sadly for our Nation, it looks like Senator @JimInhofe will not be putting the Section 230 termination clause into the Defense Bill,” Trump tweeted close to midnight on Thursday. ”So bad for our National Security and Election Integrity. Last chance to ever get it done. I will VETO!”

Trump’s tweets have caused some confusion about whether troops’ pay would be protected if the president carries through with his repeated threats to reject the defense policy bill.

When asked about Schumer’s tweets, a spokesperson for the senator told Task & Purpose that the National Defense Authorization Act includes a pay raise, so if Trump vetoes it he would be hurting service members and weakening national security. (Not true!)

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It looks like there will more troops getting reassignments. This time from Somalia.

President Donald Trump has ordered most of the roughly 700 U.S. troops in Somalia to leave the country by early next year, the Pentagon has announced.

“As a result of this decision, some forces may be reassigned outside of East Africa,” a Defense Department news release says. “However, the remaining forces will be repositioned from Somalia into neighboring countries in order to allow cross-border operations by both U.S. and partner forces to maintain pressure against violent extremist organizations operating in Somalia.”

The U.S. military will still be able to carry out counterterrorism strikes within Somalia, the news release says.

While the Defense Department is not saying exactly what prompted this move, Trump has ordered drawdowns in both Iraq and Afghanistan and he has repeatedly vowed to end the U.S. military’s commitments overseas.

Somalia has been a failed state for decades. The U.S. military has been helping local forces fight al-Shabaab, which declared allegiance to Somalia on 2012.

Earlier this month, a CIA officer who had served as a Navy SEAL was killed in Somalia, the New York Times reported.

Read the entire Defense Department news release below:

The President of the United States has ordered the Department of Defense and the United States Africa Command to reposition the majority of personnel and assets out of Somalia by early 2021.

The U.S. is not withdrawing or disengaging from Africa. We remain committed to our While a change in force posture, this action is not a change in U.S. policy. We will continue to degrade violent extremist organizations that could threaten our homeland while ensuring we maintain our strategic advantage in great power competition.

As a result of this decision, some forces may be reassigned outside of East Africa. However, the remaining forces will be repositioned from Somalia into neighboring countries in order to allow cross-border operations by both U.S. and partner forces to maintain pressure against violent extremist organizations operating in Somalia.

The U.S. will retain the capability to conduct targeted counterterrorism operations in Somalia, and collect early warnings and indicators regarding threats to the homeland.

African partners and enduring support through a whole-of-government approach.

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Has the Christmas rush caught up with you?

Have you become part of the rat race? Is it overwhelming you?

You are not alone my friend. There are over 10,230 follow veterans who have your back.

However, if it is just too much, GET Help!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7. It has highly qualified counselors there to help you. the will not hang up until the know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are 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.