Army Air Force Archives

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Military news…

A staff sergeant with the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division was sentenced to 70 years in prison for murdering his wife after poisoning her with a deadly toxin found in puffer fish.

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As a water contamination emergency affects thousands of families in Hawaii, the Army has given a master class in how to respond to the crisis, while the Navy has fallen flat on its face.

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From a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan to a botched response to the Jan. 6, 2021 coup attempt, the Pentagon’s report card for 2021 is dismal.

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Afghan evacuees remain at base in Kosovo for additional screening

Several hundred Afghan evacuees, some of whom were flagged for security concerns, still reside at a NATO base in Kosovo where they are being processed by U.S. personnel, multiple government officials said this week.

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Biden to speak with Ukraine president amid fears that Russia may once again invade Ukraine

Following his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Joe Biden plans to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday amid growing alarm over Russia’s military buildup near its border with Ukraine.

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Iran launches rocket into space amid Vienna nuclear talks

Iran launched a rocket with a satellite carrier bearing three devices into space, authorities announced Thursday, without saying whether any of the objects had entered Earth’s orbit.

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Jan. 6 committee prepares to go public as findings mount

In the coming months, members of the panel will start to reveal their findings against the backdrop of former President Donald Trump and his allies’ persistent efforts to whitewash the riots and reject suggestions that he helped instigate them.

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I am sharing another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military; In and Out of the Trenches of Life. This excerpt was very hard from em to write because of the lack of love for humanity.

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Can’t we All Just Get Along?

During my time in Korea, we had reason to travel through Seoul, Korea for courier duties. What I saw as we traveled tore at my core of values, and caused me to spiral out of control at times in my battle with depression.

We had to drive very slowly through the city because parents were often throwing their children in front of the trucks so they could get compensation from the Military for the damages. I couldn’t grasp the desperation of a mother to let her child be killed just for money, but then I saw other signs that showed me why that may have been the only choice.

Another time we drove through Seoul, I saw this little old lady lying on the street begging for people to give her some food. No one was giving her anything. We came back through the same area a couple of hours later, and the woman was dead. Again, no one was paying any attention to her.

How could humanity allow this? Why didn’t the people help her, and why did the people need to sacrifice their own children to get food?

The world today isn’t much different. In the Middle East I am sure there have been many times when you, as a soldier, saw horrific things happening to the innocent. You may have seen people killing for no apparent reason. People desperately seeking help from you, and there was not much you could do.

You may think God has disappeared during these times. Why would He allow such hardship and sorrow to go on?

God hasn’t disappeared. As a matter of fact it hurts Him badly to see all the turmoil and death in this world. So, why allow it?

The reason is that God gave us choices. He lets us choose our paths. He allows good people to live, but He also allows bad people to live.

The proof is when we see people like, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Pharaoh, and other dictator-type leaders to thrive.

He gives them choices. He doesn’t like what many of them do in their lives, but he doesn’t like many things we do in our own lives as well.

He even gave Jesus Christ choices. Jesus could have stopped all the pain and torture He was going through. He had the power to do that. His choice was to follow through with what He was sent down to the earth to do, and He went to the cross for you and me to complete His journey.

We have a hard time accepting some of the trials and storms that God allows us, and many other people, to face in this world, but the bottom line is that everything has a purpose. Everything is leading to a big climax, and that climax will free all of us who believe. I know, I read the last chapter ahead of time. It has a very happy ending.

IWILL

We can see how horrific it is in some places in the world. It doesn’t seem fair to allow such harm and destruction to go on. We can do something in our own back yards though. We don’t have to let these kinds of things happen around us in our neighborhoods, and cities.

As soldiers and veterans we know the meaning of freedom, so we should make sure all people are free of fear, intimidation, and harm. We need to speak up and tell the bully-type people that they are not acceptable in our area. If all of us unite we can make a point that will be understood very clearly.

Think on this

Isn’t it encouraging that when we stick together we can conquer anything?

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I may have other excerpts coming up, so check back. 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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Checking in on you…How are you doing/ Have you lost faith in our world?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 13,610 fellow veterans here who have your back.

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.

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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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Military news…

Lt. Cmdr. Charles Cranston, a security officer with U.S. Fleet Forces Command’s Anti-Terrorism Force Protection unit in Norfolk, was arrested last week on sex trafficking charges in Virginia.

(sick!)

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The Air Force promoted a major who posted the personal information of an alleged sexual assault survivor to social media and her official newsletter, then denied posting that information before an ethics committee, and was recently censured by the Idaho House of Representatives.

(Also sick!)

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A cadet at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point got his forehead signed by the legendary actor Bill Murray, and took a video to prove it.

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The Marine Corps Commandant’s radical new talent management plan would allow civilians with critical skills to join the Corps without going through its infamous boot camp

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“To me, it does not make sense to be retiring the MQ-9 … There are lots of other platforms that I would retire before this.” That’s from aerospace expert Todd Harrison, who voiced his disapproval of the Air Force deciding to retire the MQ-9 Reaper drone by 2035.

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It’s a common trope that military service ends marriages, but have you ever heard of it saving a marriage? That’s what happened to Army Sgt. 1st Class Richard Sloan and his wife Denise when his team leader actually embodied the “People First” initiative the Army is trying hard to put into action.

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I am sharing another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches o life.

Honors Marching Soldiers

During my basic training there was an opportunity to be an honor guard for our battalion. I didn’t seek the position, but my drill sergeant told me I was going to try out. When your drill sergeant speaks, you listen.

I went to the first “work-out,’ and quickly knew I had a rough road of stern practicing ahead of me. They not only had you doing constant, repetitive, drills, but your boots had to shine so much you could see your face in them.

I made the squad, and then we really concentrated on things we would do while we were marching. We did cadence songs. There was twirling of the rifles in mid-air. Then we also did a halted maneuver of putting our rifles to the ground and tapping them twice and the flipping them up to our shoulders in one movement.

We were in a local parade in Monterey, California. This was the town near Ft. Ord where I did my basic training. We marched and sang our cadence. We twirled our rifles and tapped them on the ground. The crowd loved it, and we felt very proud to be representing the Army.

Have you had moments that you were proud of while you were in the military? I would love to hear about them. Just send your stories to the email address at the back of this book, and I will have compiled them into a book for all to read.

It is important to feel proud. It is important to feel like you are doing something others really like you doing. It is important that you soak in these moments and keep them in your memory banks for later in life so you can look back to your military service with pride, and dignity.

We all have had our not so happy moments in the military, but there are also many times of joy, fun and excitement. Cling to those times, and let the others float away like a cloud.

IWILL

Some people want to forget about their time in the service. Many of them are Vietnam veterans. I was so ashamed of our country when I started hearing stories of the grief and verbal attack our soldiers had to endure when they came back from Vietnam. I come from a military family. I had three uncles in WWII. My brother and I served, and now my son is a retired Colonel from the Army. He served two tours in Iraq, and has received many accommodation medals, including two Bronze Stars.

I also have two brother-in-laws who served in Vietnam. Their stories may never be told, because of their reluctance to want to share much about their time there. I completely understand, but I am still very proud of their service to their country, and the fact that they put themselves in harm’s way for you and me.

Take time to let a veteran, or current military person know how much you appreciate their time in the service. I try to do that every time I see one. They may not say much, but “thank you,” but I know personally that it means a great deal to them.

Think about this

Isn’t it sad how some people say things, for no reason at all, that hurts others?

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What you see at the end of this chapter is what will be at the end of every chapter in the book. The IWILL section is for further thoughts, and it stands for, Important words in Life’s Learning.

The Think about this, will also be at the end of every chapter. It makes us think and ponder.

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

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Bed check… How are you doing? Does the days seem dark and dreary? Do you dread sleeping at night?

FEAR NOT!!

There are over 13, 430 fellow veterans here who have you back.

However, if the dark and dreary days are just too much, GET HELP!

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

I-800-272-8255…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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