Tag: deployed

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When You Are Deployed, Getting There Can Be Very Hard

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Military news…

A known white supremacist serving in the Air Force is still in the ranks more than two months after his extremist views were first widely revealed. Airman 1st Class Shawn Michael McCaffrey, 28, has a track record of espousing white supremacist, anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic beliefs on social media.

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For the first time in decades, service members who have suffered due to negligent medical care now have the chance to file a claim against the Department of Defense The Pentagon’s brand-new rules for doing so represent a turning point for service members and their families.

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The military is going ahead and doing sexual changes for trans dressers. The many changes that the military is making does not go well with me.

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I have some recommended military books to share with you. I have read them all, and they are all excellent:

  1. D-DAY: The Climactic Battle of World War II. A New York Times Bestseller. by Stephen E. Ambrose. Complete coverage from the first moment to the end.
  2. We Were Soldiers Once…And Young. By Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (ret.) and Joseph L. Galloway. The story of the battle at Ia Drang. It change the war in Vietnam
  3. Band of Brothers by lt. Lynn “Buck” Compton Great personal stories of the Band of Brothers. (Had two of them live right in my hometown.) Met Buck. Great guy and signed his book for me.

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One of my interesting times in the military, was getting ready to shipped out to korea.

I signed up on the buddy plan. There were three of us. Two of us had one last party before we were to go to San Francisco, California to board a ship heading to Korea.

It was just two of us buddies doing the party. I was definitely not a drinker, but on this night I was going to party.

It turned out to be a big mistake. I drank far too much. I went into some kind of blackout after a couple of hours. I woke up once in the shower. My buddy was alternating hot water with cold water to try to bring me back. That was the worst thing he could do. It made me pretty sick.

The next time I woke up was on the bed. I was stark naked, and they were two girls there giggling. I was so embarrassed.

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We finally got to San Francisco, and spent the night at a USO hotel.

There was dancing, etc, going on in the ballroom, but I had enough partying, and headed up to my room.

I was waiting for the elevator when a guy came up to me and put his hand in my crotch. He said, “You are very gifted. Would you like to come to my room?”

The fear was overwhelming. My first experience with a gay guy.

I quickly got on the elevator to safety.

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The actual trip on the ship is another whole story. Thousands sick, but I wasn’t…

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These are some actual excerpts from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of life.

Be sure to come back to see more excerpts.

BETTER YET... Go to the top of this page and click on the subscribe button. When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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How is your world today? Things not going to plan? Too much helter skelter?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 12,300 fellow veterans here who have your back.

If they aren’t enough right now, 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 they know you are OK.

Never face this not so friendly world alone.

1-800-273-8255 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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People Are Concerned About the Interpreters in Afghanistan After Our Troops Leave September 8th

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Military news…

At least 1,900 firearms belonging to the U.S. military were lost or stolen in the last decade — the vast majority having come from the Army. That’s from this story by Haley Britzky, who expands on the Associated Press’ reporting of the issue. The missing arsenal includes rifles, machine guns, rocket launchers, grenade launchers, mortars and several mysterious weapons listed as “others.”

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‘I Want the White House’s Hair on Fire:’ Senator Calls for Action to Save Afghan Interpreters

A Maine senator is calling for the U.S. to house tens of thousands of Afghan interpreters and their family members in territories held by NATO countries while their visa applications are being completed.

“I want the White House’s hair on fire” over the pressing need to ensure Afghans’ safety, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said in a telephone briefing with reporters. “The time is short, and getting shorter all the time.”

King said he has not discussed his idea to temporarily house Afghans in NATO territories with President Joe Biden, but added that he is “trying to think as creatively as possible about how to solve the problem.”

U.S. troops have a mandate to depart Afghanistan no later than Sept. 11, 2021.

King later clarified in the roundtable that he was not suggesting Afghans stay in NATO nations themselves, but territories they held, similar to how the United States holds Guam. This, he said, would give the Afghans a safe place to stay while not compromising the NATO nations’ security.

“Afghanistan is a NATO operation, and there were NATO allies involved along with us in Afghanistan, pretty much from the beginning,” King said. “I think we need to call upon our NATO allies to help with this process, and perhaps to provide a waystation for some of these people.”

He also said the military may need to detail some Washington D.C.-based personnel to the State Department to help plow through a backlog of roughly 18,000 Afghans awaiting processing for their Special Immigrant Visas.

But the State Department’s handling of the Special Immigrant Visa program is troubled and slow, taking more than 900 days on average to process applications for Afghan allies and their dependents. At this pace, by the time the vetting process for many is finished, King said, the Americans will be long gone — and their lives are in danger.

A rapid military evacuation of Afghans would be complicated, King said. Because Afghanistan is landlocked and there is no sealift option, the evacuation would almost certainly have to be done by air.

Further complicating matters: The U.S. Embassy in Kabul on Sunday suspended all visa operations, due to an intense outbreak of COVID-19 throughout the country.

“It’s not only a moral issue, it’s a national security issue,” King said. “This can’t just be business as usual at the State Department. … History judges you for how you go into a war, but also how you leave it.”

King noted that after the Vietnam War, the United State temporarily housed Vietnamese refugees in Guam while similar immigration issues were resolved. Today, some advocates for Afghans are vociferously pushing the government to take the same step now.

King said he’s not specifically recommending Guam as the waystation for Afghans, but that NATO nations may fill that role today, and allow the time for proper processing.

King did not spell out exactly how he envisioned detailed Defense Department personnel might help out with Afghan visas. It could be, he said, that as personnel are transitioned out of remote areas in Afghanistan, they could do a stint in Kabul to help with visa processing.

He cited the need to get the chief of mission at the U.S.’s embassy in Kabul to sign off on visas, helping to alleviate one major backlog.

The U.S. also has a practical motivation for acting here, King said: if it does not help Afghans now, will potential allies in future conflicts risk their own lives to assist America?

“The signal it sends is, do not help the Americans, because when the crunch comes, they’re going to abandon you,” King said. “You cannot operate in a foreign theater without the cooperation and assistance of residents there, who believe in the cause that you’re supporting. But they’re going to have to think twice, if there’s a major bloodbath after we leave Afghanistan and we didn’t do everything possible to solve this problem.”

King stressed that he isn’t calling for lowering screening standards “or simply opening the gates,” as that could possibly allow a terrorist planning an attack to sneak into the country. But, he said, “we’ve got to speed it up.”

He said he has heard from service members who have depended on Afghans as interpreters and guides, and are now “gravely concerned” for their safety.

King said he was alarmed when Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that planning to help Afghans is “working through the system right now.” But in a conversation after the hearing, King said, Milley agreed that this is an urgent problem that requires an “all hands on deck” solution.

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The second story brought back memories for me about South Korea.

There were interpreters need to talk to certain fascists of the enemies force. Chinese, North Korean, etc.

I wondered about this very same thing that the article is talking about. What happens to the special interpreters we used. Never found out, but I hope the military took good care of them.

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I have many more memories from my time in the military. That is why I have written the book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

It has many stories from when I was deployed to South Korea. Some sad. Some scary. Some funny.

Keep checking into this site to see more information about how the book is doing.

Better yet… if you subscribe to this site by clicking on the subscribe button at the top of this page, you will get all future posts I right sent directly to you inbox.

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Another bed check. (I remember those well.) How are you doing? Do you dread going to sleep, because the nightmares are getting worse?

Fear Not!

There are over 12,170 fellow veterans here who have your back. However, if the dreaming is driving you insane right now, GET HELP!

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

Come out of the darkness to the light!

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1 and 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.

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Military Spouses Are Very Vital to Helping Their Loved Ones

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Military News…

Russia.” That’s what one former teammate of Peter Debbins said in court documents about the former Green Beret. Debbins, 46, was sentenced last week to more than 15 years in federal prison after admitting he passed secrets to Moscow for years. It sounds made-up, but unfortunately for Debbins’ former teammates, who now feel like they have to spend their whole lives looking over their shoulders, it’s all too real.

‘Stop the social experiment’ is one of several biased views that women face in Army special operations, according to an internal survey sent to Haley Britzky. Forty percent of women in Army special operations say they’ve faced gender bias in the workplace, Haley writes, and many said that, unlike men, they are assumed to be worthless as soon as they walk in the door. On top of that, they also have to deal with issues like ill-fitting body armor, inadequate childcare and the false impression that they get an easier time through the selection process than men.

Constant mobilizations may be pushing the National Guard to the brink
More mobilizations. More time away from jobs and families. More strain on the Guard.
The Air Force wants to ‘enhance’ and ‘augment’ its ‘draft beer capabilities’

The Air Force is calling for additional self-serve beer taps at its on-base bar and grille at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.


 Ranger training battalion commander relieved for making ‘derogatory’ comments about subordinatesA Ranger Training Battalion commander was relieved last month after making “derogatory comments” about soldiers training to become Army Ranger.
The Air Force has deployed its drone-killing microwave weapon to Africa

The Air Force is currently testing a prototype of its new drone-killing microwave weapon “in a real-world setting” in Africa, Breaking Defense reports, a major step forward for the service’s directed energy efforts.
Military spouses are the backbone of the military
The United States military is the finest fighting force in the world, ready to deploy anywhere within 48-hour notice. A combat-ready unit cannot operate without logistics, communications, and of course, family support. While they don’t wear uniforms, military spouses are fundamental in keeping our forces domestic and abroad focused, supported, and ready to go.
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The last aritice is special to me. I feel that spouses are vital to the military. In my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life, I have a whole chapter on the subject.

I talk about my own daughter-in-law being a spouse to my son KC. He spent close to thirty years in the service and she was by his side the whole way.
As many of you already know, when your spouse is deployed, you are it. You have to make all the decision, pay all the bills.
My son was deployed to Iraq two time and he was gone for two years total. My daughter-in-law was wonderful spouse during all of this. She never wavered.
I want to also mention that not all spouses are women as far as staying home. Many men are spouses to women soldiers.
It is tougher for them to survive, because they do not have the massive support groups like the women have.
When they need help it is hard to know where to go.
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One of my favorite moments of all time was when I able to be at FT Lewis when the plane carrying my son landed from Iraq.

We were in a hanger waiting them to march into view. You could hear them coming because they were doing cadence.

Then the head of the group started coming into the hanger. I could see my son amongst them.

He didn’t know I was there. That made it even more special. He was very excited to see me and his wife.

These stories and much more are in the book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of life.

+ Keep coming back to read updates on how the book is doing. Better yet, subscribe right now by clicking on the subscribe button at the top of this page. When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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Were you deployed and was away from family? Did you cherish the reunion when you came home? No? Did your spouse leave you? Did people not even come to meet you?

Fear not!

There are over 12,000 fellow subscribed to the site, and they have your back.

However, if you life is spinning out of control, 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. This is all free!

Never be alone if you are hurting.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

___________________________________

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 about it.