There is Never a Time When You Don’t Have a Choice

+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…

Survivor of four Nazi concentration camps is killed in Ukraine, foundation says

Boris Romantschenko eluded death at Hitler’s hand, surviving forced labor and detention in four concentration camps as Europe became a killing field in the 1940s. Last week, his life was snuffed out by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s onslaught in Ukraine.

_____________________

EU slams ‘war crimes’ in Ukraine, mulls fresh sanctions

European Union countries on Monday accused Russia’s military of committing war crimes in Ukraine, but appeared unlikely to target the country’s energy sector with sanctions soon despite a clamor across Europe for those responsible for attacks on civilians to be held to account.

_____________________

They own the long clock’ — How the Russian military is starting to adapt in Ukraine

“They own the long clock,” a senior Ukrainian officer recently admitted. “We are calculating time not in weeks or days – but in lives.”

—————————–

‘We strike at night, when the Russians sleep’ — How Ukraine is stalking Russian armor with drones

For a fleet of Ukrainian drones, it’s a target-rich environment. 


How pairing ‘female engagement teams’ with battle-tested grunts changed the US military forever

“Women will play a critical role in the next conflict, not in spite of the new roles they fill, but because of them.”

_____________________

US Navy pilot-turned-gunmaker is supplying hundreds of rifles to Ukraine

[T]he X-factor here not isn’t necessarily what equipment you’re holding. …. It comes down to the will to fight.”

______________________________________________________________

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

_______________________________________________________________

There is Not a Time That You Don’t Have a Choice

In the military you are faced with many orders. Go here. Do this. You expect that in the military, and since you decided to enlist, you should live the life that is given to you while you are there. 

However, out in civilian life it is a different story. People will also be barking at you do this and that.

I have heard people say, “I had to do it because I didn’t have a choice.” They felt trapped and thought they had no way out.

There is always a choice!! We never have to accept our fate because we feel there is no choice.

We need to acknowledge that we have the same rights as others around us.

Have you had a boss threaten you if you didn’t do what he said? It is OK to give out directions, but never OK to threaten.  The people in the private sector need to realize that they are all working together just like a unit in the military. They need to respect each employee, and have their back when they need it.

Jobs are important for the soldier, but they shouldn’t be degraded at any time just so they can keep the job.

When I came out I was treated pretty badly by a boss who didn’t like any
“youngsters,” trying to infiltrate his group of workers he loved working with. He did whatever he could to make my day miserable.

When there was a job that was somewhat dangerous, he would make me do it. When it was time for a break, he will tell me to sit somewhere else than with the men. I allowed it to happen by my own choice, because I didn’t have any way to find another job quickly enough to provide for my family that was with me at the college I was going to.

So I fell for the trap, “I didn’t have a choice.”

In this day and age that type of leadership is not allowed anymore. Back in the 50’s there weren’t too many discrimination laws. There weren’t too many places to go for help. 

Today, you have choices. You have your rights. You can respectfully disagree and not fear of losing you job.

Going out into the civilian life can be daunting, but you don’t have to let it overcome you. Stay strong, and have courage, just like you had to do when you served you country.

IWILL

You may be asking what on earth this chapter is all about. It is about learning to be able to withstand the forces that try to overcome you and cause you to want to give up. It is about giving you thoughts and ideas on how to cope in a sometimes unfriendly world. You have equal rights as much as anyone else on this planet. Do not let anyone tell you that you have no choices.

Think about this Isn’t it sad how some people get into a power struggle, just to proof they are tough?

______________________________________________________________

Not sure how many more I will share so keep coming back to check this site out. 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.

________________________________________________________________

Checking in on you. How are you doing? Did you battle sometimes in your work place?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 14,150 veterans on this site who have your back.

Here is what I am asking you to do…please share this site with as many other veterans as you can. It has helped so many.

______________________________________________________________

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.

_____________________

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.

_____________________

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.)

_____________________

​​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.

_____________________

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.

_____________________

‘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.

_____________________

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.

_____________________________________________________________

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

______________________________________________________________

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?

_______________________________________________________________

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.

There is a tear in My beer Since You Left me My Dear

+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…

Biden says he is ‘rejecting’ the military report outlining the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal

When asked if if the report’s conclusions and accounts were false, Biden said he was “rejecting them.”

_____________________

Airman gets general to step in so he can finally take parental leave

“Imagine being in a position to give your commander paperwork.”

_____________________

Paul Douglas went to Marine boot camp at 50. Then he earned a Bronze Star and 2 Purple Hearts in WWII.

When he was wounded, he took off his rank insignia so he wouldn’t receive special attention.

_____________________________________________________________

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

_____________________________________________________________

There’s a Tear in My Beer Since You Left Me My Dear

The title for this chapter is actually some lyrics from a Country Western song. Country Western songs always tell a story, and unfortunately one person dropping the other person like a rock, is an all too common story in the military.

One of the hardest things for a soldier to go through is receiving what they call a, “Dear John Letter.” This is a letter where their significant other is telling them they no longer love them and have moved on to someone else.

I certainly went through that while I was in Korea. I personally got a letter from a girl that I was very much in love with that said her parents felt I wasn’t good enough for her. So this was a double whammy. I lost my true love at the time, and I was told I wasn’t good enough.

This was devastating to me. I loved this girl so much I had the picture of her she sent me. I had a local painter paint an eight by ten size painting of her that I kept by my cot to look at every day. After I got the letter and stop having pity parties for myself, I put the picture in my trunk I kept at the foot of my cot. I put it in the bottom part so I wouldn’t be able to see it unless I tried to find it.

This “tragedy” led me to having some hard times with drinking. I thought that drinking would get my mind off of what was happening to me. The opposite happened. The more I drank the sadder I got. Drinking brought out my inner feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, failure, and rejection.

After a month or so of that, I turned to prayer, and God helped me get back on the right track. I bought a Bible, and read it every day. It was my connection to finding the courage to go on and be a productive person again.

I am sure some of you faced that while you have been in the military. There is not a way to get around the pain of facing it, but please realize that there is always someone who loves you very much no matter what happens on this not so friendly planet. God will be there for you. He will wipe away the tears, and give you comfort.

He did it for me, and I went on to getting married and having three wonderful children. I now also have seven grandchildren.

I look back on what I had to go through in Korea often. Believe it or not, I thank God for the storms I had to face while there. I was beaten up mentally several times, but I came out a much stronger person because of it.

IWILL

During your time in the military, there may be times of disappointment and hurt. Much of that can be avoided if you turn all your worries and hurt over to God. Many times life is too much of a burden to carry. If you let God guide you through the trenches of life, you will be able to withstand all the garbage that seems to come up.

Think about This

Isn’t it interesting that you can’t have a positive life and a negative mind?

______________________________________________________________

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

FEAR NOT!

There are over 13,870 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.

______________________________________________________________

+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.