Ukrainian troop positions spark counteroffensive speculation.

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Military News…

Three Air Force bases selected to receive new fighter jets

Air Force bases in three states are slated to add advanced and upgraded fighter planes to their fleet, the service said.

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Wagner Group leader calls for end to Russia’s ‘special military operation’
“Putin’s Chef” says Russia accomplished its mission.

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US military prepares for possible evacuation of embassy in Sudan
Sudan has exploded into civil war that risks becoming a regional conflict.

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Ukrainian troop positions spark counteroffensive speculation

American-made Patriot missiles arrived in Ukraine last week and military spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said Sunday on Ukrainian television that some have already gone into battlefield service.

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Those who like war are enjoying our world right now. Sudan has exploded into a full war. Ukraine is on going.

Frankly my feeling is that there shouldn’t be any wars. They cause death and misery.

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Why is it that movie stars love to play a soldiers role in a movie? I read an account by an actor that said, “I feel more patriotic.” Well, my response is that there a many soldiers in the military who go to the front line and are dodging real bullets Some never make it home. Now that is patriotic.

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I have an interview coming up in the book that will knock your socks off. He is a Vietnam veteran and opened fully to his time in vietnam. This one interview should be enough for you to buy the book.

He was wounded three times, and still went back to more times to Vietnam. You only had to go one time, and he went three.

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Checking in on you. How are you doing? Is everything going OK, or are you fighting back memories?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 15,219 Veterans on this site who have your back.

If you are battling mentally, but you are losing, GET HELP!!

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

+Now there is an easier way to get help. Just dial 988, and you will have help ready for you.

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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.

War Isn’t the Biggest Battle a Soldier Has, It is PTSD

+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.

________________________________________________________________

Military news…

Why the US can’t afford to abandon Ukraine

No army, not even one as tenacious and courageous as Ukraine’s, can overcome such a numerical overmatch. And if Ukraine loses, what then?

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Watch these soldiers regret absolutely everything during gas chamber training

The Army: putting the ‘suck’ in embrace the suck since 1775.

(Remember it well)

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The real-life Maverick who took on 7 Soviet jets in a classified Korean War dogfight

The existence of the improbable dogfight remained under wraps for decades, yet the details of what happened are the stuff of legends.

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Moving Again. And Again. My Experience as a Military Spouse.

Recruiters and their families are embedded in every single sleepy little civilian town, and that is where we found ourselves next, miles from any base reminiscent of our military community. It felt so refreshing.

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Army Drops Requirement for High School Diploma Amid Recruiting Crisis

The Army is tossing its mandate for potential recruits to have a high school diploma or GED certificate to enlist in the service, in one of the most dramatic moves yet in the escalating recruiting crisis hitting the entire Defense Department.

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Battle Over A-10: Lawmakers Seek to Break Perennial Deadlock on Retiring Aging Warplanes

The carveout would still need to be endorsed by the Senate and included in a compromise defense bill for President Joe Biden to sign.

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The Army’s top enlisted leader went to Reddit for soldiers’ ideas on fixing the service’s biggest problems

The Sergeant Major of the Army turned to Reddit to ask soldiers for their help fixing issues with Army culture. One suggestion: “Cut back on the bullshit.”

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I thought I might share another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. This is the actual foreword done by Colonel Mikel Burroughs retired.

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Foreword

By Colonel Mikel J. Burroughs, Retired

I’m very honored that the Author of this book, Douglas Bolton, even approached me to write a Foreword about his amazing work with veterans; the countless interviews hehad with some of our finest veterans, and his unique writing ability. 

In order for me to me foreward on this mission there must be a good understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or (PTSD).  I’m not the expert, so I want to share with you some of the signs and symptoms of PTSD as presented by Catherine Roberts in her article the “The Signs and Symptoms of PSTD” published on ActiveBeat, March 18, 2014.  ActiveBeat provides Trending Health News and other articles about health.

Accordingly, PTSD is a mental condition resulting from a series of emotional and/or physical reactions that service members have witnesses or experienced.  PTSD is not only found in veterans or service members, but it affects many individuals not associated with the military all over the world.  This can include car accidents, physical or sexual assault, long term abuse, torture, a horrific national disaster, death of a love one, and yes the sustained operations of being in a war zone.

To better understand PTSD I’ll list some of the most common signs and symptoms that are the foundation of the author’s logical presentation for the reader most commonly associated with veterans.

Physical Pain.  PTSD often begins with a series of physical ailments, such as migraine headaches, fatigue, chest pains, difficulty with breathing, dizziness, and stomach issues to name a few.

Nightmares & Flashbacks.  It is very common for individuals suffering from PTSD to suffer flashbacks from war events and to have nightmares as they re-experience the affects of war.  These are repetitive in nature, which lead to sleep deprivation.

Depression or Anxiety.  These symptoms described above can lead to irrational and persistent fear or avoidance of certain objects or public situations, thus leaving the individual paranoid and in a state of depression.

Withdrawal.  Many of our returning veterans or those that have been assaulted that once had social interests, were outgoing, and involved in many activities suddenly lose all interest in their favorite hobbies and their friends, to include family members once they return from combat or after facing a very situation while serving on active duty.  This can also lead to drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or seeking to perform dangerous events or activities.

Avoidance.  There is an avoidance of physical or mental activities that remind them of the past traumatic events, like being around those of the opposite sex or same sex if a violent sexual assault has occurred causing their PTSD, driving on very busy roads that remind them of convoy operations, attending fire works displays, or being crowed downtown areas that remind them of traumatic encounters during urban warfare.

Repression.  Destroying memorabilia of their war time or military experience to intentionally block out the memories or immersing themselves into a project or work to distract the bad memories are signs of repression.

Emotional Numbing.  There is an attempt to numb their feelings.  This will lead to total avoidance and withdrawal from society.  Total isolation from all social circles and activities.

Hyper-arousal.  Many veterans or assault victims suffering with PTSD from Mental Sexual Trauma (MST) can suffer from jitters that won’t allow them to relax due to the fear of potential threats.  Always on edge and jumpy or easily frightened.

Irritability.  With a constant state of fear caused by PTSD this can lead to indecisiveness, lack of concentration, sleepless nights, agitated constantly making it very difficult to maintain personal relationships with friends or family members.

Guilt and Shame.  Many veterans and service members find it very hard to get past all of the negative experiences and find it hard to move forward with normal and healthy life.  They end up blaming themselves and thus resulting in the increased veteran and service member suicides that we have experienced after 15 years of prolonged deployments and combat operations during Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).  This doesn’t preclude that served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and many other operations that service members have been involved in throughout out military history.

There are no definite tests for PTSD.  Most physicians will have to take potential patients through mental and physical health exams.  PTSD Symptoms are usually present for more than 30 days.

This book provides a valuable window on information and looks into the life of real veterans through their experiences from the civilian world into the community of military culture, life, unique training experiences, and the ultimate test through combat (the good, the bad, and the ugly).

The challenges experienced by the veterans in Doug’s Interviews,are both difficult and interesting.  Doug covers their thoughts, feelings, and emotional baggage with enthusiasm, tenacity, and dedication to develop a better understanding of what America’s warriors (both male and female) are experiencing and working through in their day-to-day lives.  In this new age of global conflicts and possible future wars Doug provides state-of-the art knowledge on the frontiers and affects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  This book is a great look inside the individual aspects of those suffering or dealing with aftermath of war or service in today’s military service.  It is a great step in that direction.

Colonel Mikel Burroughs

Retired

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Checking in on you. How are you doing? Is everything going OK, or are you fighting back memories?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 15,219 Veterans on this site who have your back.

______________________________________________________________

If you are battling mentally, but you are losing, GET HELP!!

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

1-800-273-8255…texting 838255.

_______________________________________________________________________________

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.

Putin is Showing Terrible Ways to Try to Win a War. He has lost 9,000 soldiers in Just the First Week.

+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.

________________________________________________________________

Military news…

Russia Presses Invasion to Outskirts of Ukrainian Capital

Russian forces reached Kyiv’s outskirts Friday after airstrikes hit cities and military bases, sending in troops and tanks from three sides in a momentous invasion.

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Taiwan Reports Nine Chinese Aircraft in Defense Zone

Taiwan’s defense ministry on Thursday reported nine Chinese aircraft had entered its air defense identification zone within hours of Russia launching an invasion into Ukraine.

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173rd Airborne Brigade Battalion Heads to Latvia as Ukraine Comes Under Russian Attack

Paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade are deploying to Latvia as part of the NATO response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

(My church has a missionary there.)

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​​Above Ukraine, a Cold War Spy Plane Is Finally Tracking a Russian Invasion

Three decades after its first mission, an American spy plane has monitored Russian forces as they invade eastern Europe.

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NATO Activates 5,000-Strong Task Force For First Time

NATO on Friday activated a spearhead force in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, marking the first time in the alliance’s history the unit has been deployed in Europe.

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‘Tired, Exhausted’: Ukrainians Fleeing Invasion Have Nowhere to Go

A train station in Pzemysl, Poland, has been turned into a welcome center and temporary home for Ukrainians, mostly women and children, fleeing the Russian invasion. Polish officials said 100,000 people have crossed their border with Ukraine over the last three days.

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My take…

The Russian forces seem to be struggling. Many soldiers giving up. There is no gas for their convoys. They have staled on the road leading to the capital city. The tanks are also stuck in the mud.

Over 9,000 Russian soldiers have been killed. The people in Russia are protesting. They didn’t want this war.

Rumor has it that the generals of Russia are getting restless, and are finding ways to get rid of Putin.

The Ukrainian people are fighting back. Civilians have taken up arms and helping in the fighting. People from other countries are coming to help fight as well.

This could be a huge mistake that Putin has made.

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

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F.E.A.R:

(1) Forget Everything and Run or

(2) Face Everything and Rise.

The choice is yours.

Fear is one of the inevitable things a soldier has to face. I faced it a few times. The worst time was when I was on a plane ready to head to the Bay of Pigs. I was ready to serve my country, but not knowing what was going to happen caused the fear.

In the dictionary fear is described as:

  1. A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, or pain.
  2. Concern or anxiety.
  3. To be worried or afraid.
  4. Reverential awe, especially towards God.

All of us on that plane tried to hide our fear. We were supposed to be men and women. We were not supposed to think about what might happen to us. In reality we all thought about not returning home. We thought about loved ones. We thought about the unknown we were facing.

It is hard to face fear. John Wayne once said, “Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway.” This is a man who played the parts of heroes all his life. Many of his films were military films.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.” 

Fear isn’t something that is a cowardly act. It is an honest reaction to what is happening around us.

I have faced my own fears. I was within hours of my death when I was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and had a quadruple by-pass surgery on my heart.

If you see a car coming at you head on while driving on a highway, you don’t act in a cowardly way, you react. You take action to save your own life.

If you feel you were fearful much too often while you served, don’t let that give you a feeling of failure on your part. It is an honest feeling that often brings out the best in people.

When you first decided to join the military, you knew there might be times of fear, and yet you still took the big step forward to serve. You should be very proud of your courage to do that, and realize that fear is just a part of living, not only in the military, but in everyday life.

IWILL

Start today to erase any guilt you may have had in your mind about any fear you may have faced in your service time in the military. Fear is a part of life, and it isn’t a shameful thing to try to hide. Just let it go, and be proud that you stepped up to serve your country. Many others didn’t do that. 

Think about this

Isn’t it great how brave we really are once we face fear?

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Come back often to see more excerpts. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on Subscribe. When you do all future posts will go directly to you inbox.

(Just do it.)

________________________________________________________________

Checking in on you…How are you doing? Are you struggling with memories?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 14,070 fellow veterans here who have your back. (We increased by 56 since Monday. Pretty exciting. )

If you are battling mentally, because of your love for others, but it isn’t working, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number that you can call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you, and they will no hang up until they know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255…texting 838255

_______________________________________________________________

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.