New Book Discussion Archives - Page 94 of 202

November 13, 2020November 13, 2020

The Time Spent Deployed, Can be Frightening. Here’s a Story That Isn’t

+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. I want to reach out to as many veterans as possible.

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What a week I have had.

My back went belly up on me last Saturday, and I have been suffering ever since. I am taking Tylenol to help.

Today I went to have a blood test done. I turned to go into the parking lot, and I was amazed to see at least a hundred cars lined up to get tested for the virus. There is panic here. In my county there have been many people coming down with the virus. The blood test came out great, and I got out of there as fast as I could.

There are other problems, but I am through whining for now.

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Did you take advantage of all the free things for Veteran’s Day?

I hope you did. You certainly deserve it. I told you in a previous post that my Veteran’s Day day was being at the Oregon Coast. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the little town I went to was having a Veteran’s Day event. They were right across the street where I was getting a haircut.

I so wanted to join them. I could see all the American Legion hats, and they were hugging and really enjoying themselves. My haircut took too long and the event was over. However, it felt good to see such a small town gathering to honor our veterans.

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I will share another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

I have chosen one about a Vietnam veteran that is from the same town that I got my heair cut at. It is the town of Waldport, Oregon.

He shared with me a story that was very positive and hard to find from soldiers of the ERA.

He said:

” I was sitting on the ground with a buddy, when I looked up into the trees. There were a bunch of monkeys up there playing around. I told him I would love to have one of those monkeys as a pet. ” His buddy said he would take care of that. He cut a hole in a coconut, drained all the milk out of it, and place a quarter inside it.

The Veteran then told me, “My buddy put the coconut out in the middle of an opening with a string attached to it. Sure enough the monkey’s saw the glittering of the quarter on the inside of the coconut and soon there were several nearing the coconut. One monkey reached inside to try to get the quarter out and my buddy yanked on the string catching the monkey with his arm stuck in to coconut. He pulled the monkey next to me and I got ahold of him..”

That started a long friendship with the monkey. The veteran even made a home for him to live in. It had a grass bed, food and drink there for him, and things were going great. The monkey really bonded with him to the point that he could let the monkey out and sit with him. He didn’t run away.

Well, some odd things started happening.

The other men were complaining that things had been stolen from their personal stash of food. Yes, it was the monkey. One soldier threatened to get rid of the monkey if he didn’t keep control of it. The monkey kept stealing food.

Then the other soldier had enough. He grabbed the money. He made a miniature parachute for him and threw him over a cliff.

The veteran was very upset that this had happened. He became depressed.

It was a couple days later, and as the whole group was gathered, this brave little monkey came strolling into the camp with the parachute still attached to him.

The veteran was ecstatic.

He had gotten his monkey back. I couldn’t get much more out of this brave veteran. This rest of his story was too sad for him to tell. I did find out that he was severely wounded, and received the Purple Heart. He ended up with a drinking problem, but overcame that with the help of his wife.

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Checking in..

How are your doing my friend? The times are difficult at best. The pandemic, and rioting. Not knowing who will be our next president, and much more.

The days like we have been having can drag you down . It can push you to the edge. I know, I was on the edge way back in 2001. I was ready to check out of this hotel called earth. I came to my senses and got help. I am still here to be able to write to you.

If you are overwhelmed, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7, and it is free. There are highly trained counselors there the help you. They will not hang up until they know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

Please call if you need it.

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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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November 11, 2020November 11, 2020

Military Personnel Must Stay at Their Posts no Matter What

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What a ride I have been on. I had surgery on my left eye on Monday, and it is healing quite well. Still hard to type, but I will not leave my post. I will share a story from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. I was injured, but stayed on my duty spot.

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One of the things that happened to day which is Veteran’s Day, is nothing. I had to head to the coast and they didn’t have any restaurants on the list I gave you a couple of posts ago.

I went to the very small town of Waldport, Oregon. It is right on the coast. It is actually a pretty cool town.

I was there to get a haircut at the salon where my wife always goes, because a close friend is running it. We drive 70 miles each way to get our hair done.

As I was getting my haircut, the barber told me to look across the street. In this small little town the people were gathering to honor our veterans. You could see all the American Legion hats being worn. She said they have been there for a couple of hours. They had speakers, and some music. I so wanted to go there and greet them, but it was over when my haircut was done.

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I said I would share an excerpt from the book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. This excerpt is from my time deployed to Korea. I was a radio/teletype (053) operator, and spent each of my days up on hill 468. On top of that hill was a small military outpost. It was being used to monitor the airwaves for breaches of security.

I was highly trained for that site since I was chosen to be a part of the Army Security Agency. It was something like the CIA of the military.

One day I was monitoring he airwaves when every started stopping. The machines all began to turn off.

I rushed outside to see that the main generator was out of gas. The previous solider was suppose to make sure it was full before he left.

I got two cans of gas and climbed up on the generator. I had just finished filling the tank when I started to fall. I grabbed for something to help me not get too hurt. Unfortunately it was the manifold for the generator. It was extremely hot and it burnt my left hand seriously.

I was in severe pain.

I could have called down to headquarters and have them send up the next shift, but that would wake them up with only a few hours of sleep.

I decided I need to remain at my post and tough it out. I found some Vaseline and wrapped my left hand with a medical cloth.

I was one handed and had to work the the equipment the best I could.

Luckily I only had a few hours left on my shift.

This was a time where I learned about not leaving your post no matter what. Many of heroes have done that on the front lines to save many of their buddies. I certainly was not a hero in this case, but I did my appointed task and I am very proud of that.

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Time to check in on you my friend. How are you doing? Is the life we have to live right now starting to get to you? Does the news cause you to scream like it does me? You certainly are not alone.

We just past 10,000 veterans following this site. (10,040.) Everyone of us has your back.

However, if it is just too overwhelming 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 not hang up until the know you are OK. It is free BTW.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never fosaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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November 6, 2020November 9, 2020

On A Plane ready to fly to the Bay of Pigs in Cuba

+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. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

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Veteran’s Day is just a few days away. Check back to some of my previous posts where I share tons of great restaurant deals, plus events for veterans coming up. YOU DESERVE IT!

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I am going to talk about my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

It is almost finished.

I just need to organize the interviews into something that is readable. I also have to format the whole book, which I know nothing about, but I am contact with an editor who may know someone to do it for me.

When all that is finished it will be off to publisher. I have been talking to a publisher that is very interested. I am negotiating with them, and I believe they are the one I will go with.

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What a blessing this book has done for me.

My first book, which won a national award from the Reader’s Choice Awards, was fun and it help many people. This book however is much needed. It hopefully it will reach out enough to save some brothers and sisters lives.

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I have receive some powerful endorsements.

I shared those with you in previous posts. I have endorsements from Generals, Colonels, CEO’s. and many more. They feel this book may be the break through to savings veteran’s lives.

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I am now going to share with you another excerpt for the book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and out of the Trenches of Life.

This is from FT Bragg, my last base I was at before I transcend to private life. I only had about a month left and was feeling pretty good about where I was headed.

Then my world changed directions. We heard a call over the intercom for all personnel to report for formation outside of the headquarters.

We felt it was just another drill, but we moved fast because they timed us during drills. Found out it wasn’t a drill. The commander came out to talk to us. We never saw much of him.

He said, ” This is not a drill men. We have been informed by the President of the United States to be ready to be shipped to Cuba ASAP! The Bay of Pigs is to be our destination. You have one hour to pack all your gear and report back here. Dismissed!

I ran to get packed and made it back under the hour allocated. I thought maybe it had calmed down now, but instead they were loading us into buses to take us to the airport.

We got to the airport and started loading on the plane. My heart was pounding, and I could see on the other people’s faces that they were scared too.

We were all loaded on the plane and strapped in. The plane started its engines. We all started realizing that this was very real.

The plane started moving, and went to the spot where they would turn onto the take off runway. It revved it engines and I thought we were taking off.

Then the engines died down a little and we just sat there for it seemed like forever.

Then the pilot came on and said. “We are returning to the terminal. The Bay of Pigs has been aborted. ”

You could see the look of relief on all the men’s faces. some were even crying in relief.

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Bed check. How are you doing? Is this crazy world starting to get to you? With all the insane things happening, is it starting to wear you down?

You are not alone. There are over 10,000 fellow veterans on this site. They all have your back.

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

Here is a toll free number for you 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.

Your 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. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.