Category: Signs of Hope

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It Is a Disheartening Time in Afghanistan. Many People Killed and Many still Stranded

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Military news…

It is still very disheartening in Afghanistan. Americans stranded. Afghan people being killed by the thousands. No signs of many getting out safe.

Afghans were clinging to the sides of U.S. military aircraft to escape the Taliban’s sweep of Kabul. Worst of all, some of them lost their lives falling from the aircraft as they left the runway. It’s only the latest in a terrible situation happening at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

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“Like many, I struggle to make sense of it all,” wrote Air Force Special Operations Command chief Lt. Gen. James Slife in a heartfelt Facebook post he penned about the fall of Afghanistan this weekend. Like many other veterans and service members, Slife spent a lot of time in Afghanistan, so it’s difficult to watch it all unravel before his eyes.

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M4 rifles, M24 sniper rifles, M2 .50 caliber machine guns and MRAPS make up only some of the vast quantity of U.S. military equipment captured by the Taliban in recent weeks.

“Now is the time where you bend the rules to save people’s lives.” That’s from Marine veteran Ryan Schalles, who’s prepared to bend a few rules of his own to get Omar, the man who served as an interpreter for his Marine Corps platoon during his 2012 tour in Afghanistan, safely out of the country.

You too can help Afghan interpreters and refugee. There are nonprofit groups trying to help Afghan refugees navigate the special immigrant visa process and find housing for new arrivals; and there are lawmakers with resources to get them moving sooner.
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American citizens and Afghans who worked with Americans are on their own if they want to get past the Taliban’s many checkpoints outside of Kabul’s airport. That’s because the U.S. military, the most powerful armed force in the world, isn’t prepared to send any of the 4,500 troops at the airport into the city to do it.

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It has been a tough week for me. I am so saddened by what is happening in Afghanistan. I feel helpless, and I am sure the people stuck there do to.

I see visions of Vietnam in my head constantly, only this is much worse. Our president struck out on his leadership. Not much of support from him.

We need a leader who won’t take what is happening there lightly, and go there NOW to help more.

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A reminder that I have slowed down my sharing of excerpts from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

A whole section of the book will be interviews with veterans who have been in the trenches. Some share about losing friends. Many had near death experiences. One WWII veteran had not one, but three near death experiences. Amazing story.

The book will come out soon.

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How is your life going? Do you remember lost friends from the military?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 12,820 fellow veterans here who have your back.

If it’s just too 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.

Do not live the death of your friends alone.

1-800-273-8255…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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Basic Training Has Some Fun Times, and Some Not so Fun Times.

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Military news…

Troops Get Biggest Raise in Ten years

Active duty troops received a 3.1 percent raise thanks to the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act. It was the largest raise in a decade.

For the military the new Act includes the funding to build:

  • Almost 100 new F-35’s
  • 24 new F/A-18’s
  • 155 new helicopters
  • 165 Abrams tanks
  • Nearly 50 Paladin howitzers
  • 10 new Navy war ships- including two amphibious ships, three submarines, three destroyers, and three aircraft carriers.

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As Congress squabbles over funding, National Guardsmen around the country are bracing for the loss of training time and the paychecks that come with it. The uncertainty comes as Guardsmen are still recovering from an extremely busy 2020 that saw them responding to the COVID-19 pandemic; hurricanes, wildfires, and eventually the U.S. Capitol riots in January.

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The first group of Afghan interpreters and their families arriving in the United States will be housed at Fort Lee, Virginia. It’s not clear when the 2,500 Afghans will arrive, but their numbers include about 700 Afghans still applying for Special Immigrant Visas that would allow them to stay in the U.S.

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The Air Force’s top general delivered a laser-guided kick that emphasizes the branch’s commitment to diversity in its ranks. Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. talks about how, when he’s in the cockpit of an F-16, nobody knows the color of his skin. He’s just “an American airman, kicking your butt.”

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Another excerpt for you from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

This is my rifle; this is my gun

When we were in inspection mode in basic, one of the things we had to do was strip down our rifles as fast as we could, clean them, and put them back together again. We were timed. That was in case you were on the battle field, and had to do repairs in a hurry. Our rifles meant a lot to us.

One time our drill sergeant had us in formation, and came in front of each soldier. He would ask us questions to try to trap us into saying the wrong things that pertained to military regulations.

He stepped in front of one of my buddies, and asked him what he had on his shoulder. My buddy said, “This is my gun sir!” That was the worst things he could have said. The sergeant grabbed the rifle and said , “This is your rifle!” The he grabbed my buddy in the groin, and said, “This is your gun!.”

My buddy bent over in pain, but the sergeant wasn’t through yet. He made my buddy step in front of the whole company and yell, “This is my rifle and this is my gun,” as he grabbed his groin. He had to say further, “One of for fighting and one is for fun!” The sergeant made him do this for several days. He also made my buddy sleep with his rifle, to make sure he know the difference.

We need to take our time and think about we are going to say. Often times what we say is something we regret.

When we say something that hurts someone else, all the apologies, or acts to to overcome what you have said will help, but the wounds are still there.

Think about this story when you are getting upset with someone. Is what you are about to say constructive, or are you just going to say something to hurt them?

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This is a shortened story from the book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

Come back and see other excerpts. Better yet… Go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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Be check… How are you doing? Did you have some not so fun things happen to you during your basic?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 12,500 fellow veterans here on this site who have your back.

If it is just too overwhelming for you GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number you can call 24/7.

There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will not hang up until the know you are OK.

Never let past dreams over come you!

1-800-273-8255, 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!

+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.

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Drugs and alcohol Pull Down Many Military While Serving Their Country

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Military news…

The German military has to deal with a very German problem: What to do with 65,000 cans of beer at its base in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan? In this amazing story about our NATO ally, about the enormous quantity of alcohol that Germany wants to withdraw from the country before the scheduled departure date for coalition troops on September 11. There would be much less around if only American troops could help um, get rid of the booze.

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has a baller home worth nearly $3 million

Did you know that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has a baller home worth nearly $3 million? The military takes us on a grand tour of the retired Army general’s 7-bedroom 7-bathroom, 5-car garage home, with heated floors in the master bath.

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Yes, the Marines have to learn the correct way to open and close doors. That is, if you are a Marine sentry guarding the White House, where opening doors is one of many duties they must execute with robot-like precision. In this story, James Clark takes us behind the scenes of what it’s like to prepare for the most public parade ground on the planet, where even opening a door has to be done with style.

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I remember when I was a recruit. That was 65 years ago. I was only 18 and super naive.

The military made me into a man. I learned discipline. I learned honor and country. I learned that there are brothers to protect as they protect me.

I learned some things the hard way.

I had never left my home state of oregon. When I was deployed to South Korea, I was pretty much in shock.

Total different culture. Totally different the way the people looked.

One thing I learned quickly is to question people before you move forward. I had one incident that had me grow up overnight.

I came into Camp Red Cloud in South Korea, and was lost, of course. They directed me to my quinsite hut, and I started to unpack.

About half way through two guys came in looking like players for the 49er’s.

I was guessing this was a hazing. I was very wrong. These two guys came up and shock my hand to welcome me to Camp Red Cloud. They were very friendly and polite.

The next night, they invited me to go with them to the Camp bar. I thought it was a good idea to say yes, so I could be a part of the group.

We got to the bar, and they bought me a couple of beers. Then oneof them went up to the bar and ordered three drinks. He brought them to our table and said, “Drink up!”

I had no idea what kind of drink it was. I was gray and ugly.

I had a sip, and my head exploded. The other guys laughed, and challenged me to keep drinking with them. Again, wanting to be accepted I took a couple more sips.

After the fourth gulp, I went into a blackout. I never remembered the rest of the evening.

I woke up the next morning lying next to the tire of a deuce and a half truck, doing the dry heaves.

Welcome to camp!!

This is another story from my upcoming book. Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

Keep checking back to see more stories and reports about the progress of the book.

By subscribing to this site, you do not have to keep coming back. All my posts will go directly to your inbox. Just click on Subscribe at the top of this page.

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How is your world spinning? Out of Control? Did you have times when you battled the drinking and drugs that were so available?

You certainly are not alone. Alcohol and drugs were to plentiful in the military.

FEAR NOT!!

There are over 12,100 fellow veterans subscribed to this site, and they all have you back.

However, if you are in a dark world and struggling mightily 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.

Fight back against drugs and alcohol!

I-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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+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.