Category: troops

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The load of this World is Hard to Overcome. Time to Fight Back

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This old soldier is getting very tired. Very tired of all the crap that is going on around me. I struggle with shaky hands, bad back, and getting tired very easily.

So now that I whined at you, let me cover what I am doing about my problems:

  1. I am a member of RallyPoint.com. It is a social network just for veterans. There are over 1.8 million veterans there to talk to. I get about 40 emails every day from veterans I have become friends with there. They give me virtual hugs, and give me hope through their advice. The site is http://www.rallypoint.com.
  2. I reach out to help others who are hurting. I help them smile, and they help me smile. A win. win!
  3. I get involved with military non profits to help my brothers and sisters. My favorite military nonprofit is www.victoryforveterans.org. Please check it out and see all the good they do.
  4. My son is a retired Colonel in the Army. We spend a lot of time talking about our times in the service. There is some laughing and some sadness.

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I am going to share another excerpt with you today. It is gut wrenching one to say the least:

Sgt. Michael Thorin was a SGT who was in charge of a “shot gun,” company that was accompanying a caravan that was heading to a new area.

The day was going fine when all of a sudden the rig right in front of him caught on fire. There were huge flames quickly. There were four soldiers in it.

SGT. Thorin ran to the rig but it was too late. The flames had ingulfed it. Four min died in a matter of minutes.

I asked him, “How did you handle that? He said, “I haven’t yet. I have PTSD because of it.”

SGT Thorin is a Christian man, and he feels that it is the only thing that is keeping him alive, since he had a pistol pointing at his own head twice.

There is so much more to his story.

Be sure to get the book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life, to read his story and many more. Most of the stories had their dark moments, but most also come out good. The book will come out in early January.

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So wat’s happening in your world?

Are you struggling PTSD, TBI, depression, or war wounds?

You are not alone.

There are over 10,150 fellow veterans here to talk to and find hope.

If it is just too overwhelming right now, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7 and it is free,

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, ever, give up!

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The Battle for Okinawa was Fierce and very Dangerous

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There seems to be no let up in the turmoil we are facing right now.

The pandemic is having its way. The rioting is back, and people are on edge.

The pandemic is spreading very fast. In my home state of Oregon, we have over 1,000 virus cases each day. I am on complete lock down because of health issues, and that goes way back to last March. Nine long months of staring at the walls.

It alarms me that the people are rebelling against their governments, because they do not want to wear masks or go into shut down. They care only for themselves and no one else.

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President Trump is having more troops come home from deployment.

That is very good news for the families. What a great timing for the holidays.

President Trump is in a up hill battle for the presidency. The democrats are all over him to concede. Being President Trump, that is not an option. He is battling until the outcome is really known.

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I thought I would give you another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

This is an excerpt about a WWII veteran that lives right in my hometown of Salem, Oregon. This young man (Age 100) has a story to remember. I will share part of it and you will have to read the rest in the book.(This is call a hook. )

I was doing some grocery shopping when I noticed a guy wearing a WWII hat. I said “Thank you for your service.” He acknowledged my greeting, and we went our separate ways. I continued shopping and I saw him again. I asked him were he was while in the service. He said Okinawa. That was one of the hottest fighting spots during the war. We did some more chit chat, and then we parted ways again.

As I left him I woke up and thought, “Why didn’t you ask him for an interview?? I was kicking myself all the way to the checkout. I came around a barrier at the check stand, and there he was!!! I felt then that this interview was meant to be.

I asked him if I could interview for my book. He said, “Of course,” and he gave me his card. His card said Bob’s Hamburgers. I knew exactly what that place was, because I ate at that restaurant every day when I walked home from school.

I asked him where he got that card. He said, “It is mine!” I looked at the card again, and it said Bob Corey. I was speechless! This guy sold me a hamburger every day, and I even remember talking to him a few times. That was over 60 years ago.

We set up an interview and we went on our ways. I met with him at his home, and sat down on the couch with him. He couldn’t hear very good, so I had to speak louder.

I asked him where in Okinawa he was stationed. He said at the ship yards. He went on to say that they unload all the ships when they came in. He was a Captain and was in charge of a group of men who help unload the ships.

I stated that there were lots of bombing going on in that area. He said, “Oh ya, we had to scurry many times, because some of the planes were Kamikaze pilots.”

I asked him. “What was you worst moment?” He said, “I fell off one of the ships between the ship I was on and a barge that was very close. They both were swaying back and forth. I had to swim fast so that I wasn’t crushed.”

I then asked him what was the worst thing about being there. He said, “The never ending bombing. “

He went to share much more, but you be able to read it in the book.

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How you are doing my brother/sister?

We are tumultuous times. It is hard, at best, to cope. ‘

Fear not.

There are over 10,100 veterans here who have your back.

However, if it just too overwhelming for you right now, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number for you to call 24/7 and it is free. 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, 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 the site, please let them know about it.

Posted on

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

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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!

______________________________________

+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.