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Military news…
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Pentagon to raise military housing allowances in US by 12% on average
The new rates take effect Jan. 1 and reflect the largest year-over-year jump to housing allowances in many years. Housing allowance payments totaling an estimated $26.8 billion will be paid.
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| Long-range missiles for Okinawa should come with local buy-in, experts say The Japanese Ministry of Defense by 2026 plans to base Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles at three Japan Self-Defense Force bases in the Ryukyu Island chain. |
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| War in Ukraine has decimated a once feared Russian brigade The bloody fate of Russia’s 200th Motor Rifle Brigade in Ukraine is emblematic of Vladimir Putin’s derailed invasion plans. |
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It has been six days since I last posted here. I am in the final stages of battling the flu. It knocked me down last Friday. I am still very weak. However, I just didn’t think I wanted to miss you for another post.
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One thing I Iearned while in the military is that you can’t give up. There were times when I was not well, Other times I had injuries. The military motto is, “Do not leave your post, no matter what.”
I am sharing a chapter from my upcoming book to address that thought:
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Do I Need to Be Tough in the Military?
I spent twelve hour days on hill 468 in Korea. (That’s the number I remember. Each hill was numbered.) You were up there alone to run the whole operation. I worked in a 2 ½ ton truck with a radio shack placed on top of it. You were closed into a little area where you could reach both walls from where you sat. The shacks were only about eight to ten feet long.
If you had trouble with claustrophobia, this was not the job for you.
One night everything came to a stop. The generator had stopped. I went out to check and it was out of gas. I had to climb up on the generator to put more gas in. I was doing just fine until I slipped. I started to fall off the generator. I grabbed the first thing I could. Unfortunately it was the extremely hot manifold. It burnt the whole palm of my hand.
There was not one person to take my place, as the soldier who was my replacement was on leave. I had to operate the radio system with my hand wrapped in a cloth, and I was in severe pain.
I could have radioed down to the base, but you were supposed to be a soldier first and a cry baby later. I finished the night. Luckily I only had about three hours to go when I had my accident. I was off duty for over a week while my hand recovered.
Have you had a sudden incident change your path? Did you feel like crying out for help, but didn’t think you should because of how tough we as soldiers are supposed to be?
I am sure many of you have while you were in the service, or are still there.
What do we do about this?
I am convinced now that there is no shame in seeking help. There is no time when you should ever feel that your integrity will be hurting if you seek help for something.
It could a minor injury or it could be harassment. It could that you need to see a counselor for some issues you are going through.
The tough guy/gal theory has no place in the military. It is good to be tough when you are in a trench fighting for your country, but when you need some special help, get it.
Don’t let the rigors of daily military life drag you down like a huge magnate. Seek help for whatever you think you need help with.
IWILL
So many soldiers go on with their lives in pain, because they have too much pride or fear they will be looked down on for seeking help. Never allow this to happen. Get help and this will make your time in the military, or in the private sector, go much smoother.
Think About This
Isn’t it sad how those who pick on us, for what they perceive as a weakness, have many of their own weaknesses?
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Keep coming back to see other excerpts, or updates on my upcoming book, Signs of hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of Life. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on subscribe. when you do all future posts will go directly to your inbox.
+ Just found another veteran to interview. He is a submariner. Not just any submariner, a nuclear submariner. Should be a fantastic interview.
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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.