Tag: interviews

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A New Book for Veterans Who Are Suffering

This post will be all about my upcoming book : “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and out of the Trenches of Life.”

I started writing this book in 2016. It has taken me a long time to finish it. The main reason is that I want to help my fellow veterans. I have rewritten several chapters, and added an interview section.

Interviews

The interview section is what is taking so long. However, it will also be the best part of the book. There is nothing better than to have a veteran share what it was like for him in the trenches.

I am member of a new social network called RallyPoint that is just for military people and their families. It has been a true blessing for me. I have been sharing about my book and the excitement is high for the book. Many are asking when it will be done.

Endorsements

The book is getting many great endorsements. What follows is a couple of them:

Most of us are fortunate not to have experienced the stress of combat.  Words cannot adequately define the grinding daily pressure of knowing that every time you step outside the gate the enemy will try to kill you and your buddies.  You are constantly alert, on point; but how can you protect your team from the instantaneous blast of the IED?  You are part of a highly-trained team poised to execute, but what has prepared you for the mental toll of being on edge every moment.  The skills that helped you survive….have taken a toll and are now working against you when you return home.  What do you do now; where do you turn?  Whether you are dealing with PTSD, TBI, depression, homelessness, or recovering from wounds; Doug Bolton has answers…..this book has answers!

Jim Jaeger

Brigadier General, USAF, ret

San Antonio, TX

Member of the Board, Victory for Veterans

Although ‘Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life’ wasn’t written for men only, it brings honesty and openness to veterans, and military personnel about feeling ok to express fears and emotional challenges in a difficult world.  US Army Retired Veteran, Mr. Douglas Bolton brings his personal stories to life in a way we all can relate to and gives a big “you’re ok” for revealing our shortcomings and encourages us to open up and talk.  A must read for those seeking healing and forgiveness from ourselves and those wanting a fresh look on life. 

Steve Durgin, Founder & CEO with Victory For Veterans Foundation. 

Huntington, Beach California

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never give up.

If you are struggling with PTSD, TBI, anxiety, depression, get help and do it now. There is a 24/7 connection for you to call at:

(877-247-4645)

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February Was Black History Month

I am back with more interviews from people who have served. I will be sharing from time to time interviews with veterans who have been in the trenches.

First, I want to share to statistics about African-American veterans who have served our country in the military.

There are 2.1 million black veterans nationwide.

There are 30.2 percent of active-duty enlisted women who are African-American

17.1 percent of active duty men are African American.

20,000+Black Marine recruits who received training at Montford Point camp in North Carolina during WWII.

21 who have received the Medal of Honor during the vietnam war.

7,243 who died in the Vietnam war.

3075 who died in the Korean war.

901,896 who served during WWII

24 percent all the military sent to fight in the Persian Gulf war.

350,000 who service in WWi.

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More from the book, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.”

I have many other interviews done, and many more to get to yet. One interview came quite by accident.

I decided to stop by a fast food hamburger restaurant. I walked in, got my meal and was walking to my seat when I noticed a Vietnam Veteran eating at a table. I could tell he was in Vietnam by the hat he had on.

I sat down, and continued looking at him. He looked in pain. He had a sad look on his face. He got up to throw away his left overs in the garbage. He struggled to get up. He walked with a heavy limp.

I decided to ask him to sit with me and talk. He looked like he didn’t want to have anything to do with the. Then I told him I was a veteran as well. He then decided to sit.

We had idle chat for a few minutes and then I started asking him about his military life.

I asked him where he served, and he said he was a Marine on a ship off the coast of Vietnam. It was a helicopter offshore base, and their mission was to take supplies into the troops, bring wounded troops out, and even sent supplies to the villages that were starving.

I then asked him what was the worst moment he had in the military, and he said one day his best friend was taking off in a helicopter with a co-pilot, and the engine died and the helicopter dropped into the ocean. It sunk fast and his friend was dead. He said they never even attempted to retrieve the bodies because the water was too deep. He was fighting tears at that time.

He went on to say his second worst moments is when he got of the plane coming home, and the people spit on him and called him a murderer as he walked through the terminal.

That was the end of the interview because he just couldn’t talk anymore. We shook hands and I thanked him for his service. I watched him out the window as he hobbled to the hotel by the restaurant.

This is just one of many stories that will be in the book.

You can keep up on what is going on with the book, by clicking on the subscribe icon at the top of the page. When you do that , you will get all posts sent directly to you inbox.

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Interviews with Veterans From Wars

It has been a few days since I last posted. Very busy trying to finish my book, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.” I just need to finish three interviews, and then I will be sending it off to my publisher. I am interviewing soldiers who have been in wars from WWII through the Afghanistan wars.

I thought I would share with you a short example of what the interviews will be like. What follows are just a snippet of what some of the interviews are about. You will have to read the book to get the rest of the story.

Interview one

One interview I am just finishing up is with a sniper during his Afghanistan tour. No punches pulled here. I asked him if he had killed anyone, and he said yes. Then I asked how he felt about it, and he said he didn’t think about it because he was protecting his buddies. He goes on and talks about the PTSD he is going through. He shares how he would do things differently if he could start over.

Interview two

Another interview was by accident. I decided to stop and get a burger at a fast food restaurant. I got my food and was heading to my table when I spotted a vietnam veteran who was a Marine. I know that because he was wearing a hat that stated that. I sat down and watched him. He was in pain. You could see him shifting to try to stop the pain in his legs. He got up to leave and I could see how bad he was hurting. He walked very slowly and each step wass hard labor for him. I asked him to sit and talk with me, and he looked like that wasn’t what he wanted to do. I told him I was a veteran and that helped, he sat with me. We exchanged the normal greetings, and then I started asking him questions. I asked him what he did, and he said he was on a ship off the coast of Vietnam. Their job was to send helicopters inland to pull wounded soldiers out, and to bring food and supplies to the civilians. The I asked what his worst moment was. Can’t tell you now, but it was horrific.

I have many more interviews with soldiers who have had some very bad experiences. Some had funny things happen, and some lost some friends who right next to them. Some interviews are from WWII, The Korean war, Vietnam war, and the Iraq and Afghanistan war. It covers all the wars in our lifetime.

Keep coming back!

So stay close and learn more in the coming days and weeks. I will be sharing more excerpts from the book, and keep you posted as to when the book is coming out.

You can follow daily by subscribing. Just click on the icon at the top that says subscribe, and then every time there is a post it will be sent right to your inbox.

For my fellow veterans:

Are you battling your demons for your service time? Do you still have nightmares about your time? You certainly are not alone. I feel your pain my friend. Stay strong and never let the dark side overcome you. If you need help, here is a hotline that will help you right away. It is:
(877-247-4645)

  • Remember:
  • You are never alone.
  • You are never forsaken.
  • You are never unloved.
  • And above all…never, ever, give up!!