New Stats shows a Huge Increase in Suicides in the Military.

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Military news…

Philippines ‘deeply concerned’ about Chinese activity in South China Sea

China’s reported harassment of the Philippine coast guard near contested territory in the South China Sea is “irresponsible,” the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines said Friday.

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NATO clears obstacle for Ukraine to join alliance if it prevails in war with Russia

NATO is poised to put Ukraine on a fast track for membership, but any shot at entry into the U.S-led security pact hinges on the outcome of its war with Russia, Ukrainian and alliance officials said Monday.

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California Guard troops have helped Ukraine beat Russia on battlefield, Army official says

National Guard members from California have become vital partners to Ukraine and have helped troops there fight Russian forces on the battlefield for the past 17 months, a top Army official said Thursday.

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New Military Suicide Stats Show Highest Increase in Deaths Among SoldiersThe number of suicides across the active-duty military increased from 75 in the first quarter of 2022 to 94 in the first quarter of 2023, according to the Defense Suicide Prevention Office.

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US, South Korea answer North’s ICBM launch with airpower drill involving B-52 bomber

The U.S. and South Korean air forces conducted a bomber escort drill a day after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that achieved a new flight record.

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There has been an increase of people that are destroying our flag. I can’t guess why they think they need to do that. Why do they choose the flag to protest?

They obviously aren’t veterans. As a matter of fact I think most veterans would like to show them what it is like to be in a war zone.

Hopefully our country will get away from being insane.

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I have decided that I will keep the names of who are close friends on RallyPoint, and ask them to help in the sale of my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of life. Keep coming back to see the progress on that book. 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.

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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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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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On A Plane ready to fly to the Bay of Pigs in Cuba

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Veteran’s Day is just a few days away. Check back to some of my previous posts where I share tons of great restaurant deals, plus events for veterans coming up. YOU DESERVE IT!

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I am going to talk about my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

It is almost finished.

I just need to organize the interviews into something that is readable. I also have to format the whole book, which I know nothing about, but I am contact with an editor who may know someone to do it for me.

When all that is finished it will be off to publisher. I have been talking to a publisher that is very interested. I am negotiating with them, and I believe they are the one I will go with.

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What a blessing this book has done for me.

My first book, which won a national award from the Reader’s Choice Awards, was fun and it help many people. This book however is much needed. It hopefully it will reach out enough to save some brothers and sisters lives.

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I have receive some powerful endorsements.

I shared those with you in previous posts. I have endorsements from Generals, Colonels, CEO’s. and many more. They feel this book may be the break through to savings veteran’s lives.

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I am now going to share with you another excerpt for the book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and out of the Trenches of Life.

This is from FT Bragg, my last base I was at before I transcend to private life. I only had about a month left and was feeling pretty good about where I was headed.

Then my world changed directions. We heard a call over the intercom for all personnel to report for formation outside of the headquarters.

We felt it was just another drill, but we moved fast because they timed us during drills. Found out it wasn’t a drill. The commander came out to talk to us. We never saw much of him.

He said, ” This is not a drill men. We have been informed by the President of the United States to be ready to be shipped to Cuba ASAP! The Bay of Pigs is to be our destination. You have one hour to pack all your gear and report back here. Dismissed!

I ran to get packed and made it back under the hour allocated. I thought maybe it had calmed down now, but instead they were loading us into buses to take us to the airport.

We got to the airport and started loading on the plane. My heart was pounding, and I could see on the other people’s faces that they were scared too.

We were all loaded on the plane and strapped in. The plane started its engines. We all started realizing that this was very real.

The plane started moving, and went to the spot where they would turn onto the take off runway. It revved it engines and I thought we were taking off.

Then the engines died down a little and we just sat there for it seemed like forever.

Then the pilot came on and said. “We are returning to the terminal. The Bay of Pigs has been aborted. ”

You could see the look of relief on all the men’s faces. some were even crying in relief.

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Bed check. How are you doing? Is this crazy world starting to get to you? With all the insane things happening, is it starting to wear you down?

You are not alone. There are over 10,000 fellow veterans on this site. They all have your back.

If it is just too much for you right now, GET HELP!

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

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

Your 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 for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.