September is Suicide Prevention Month. If You Are Struggling, Get Help!

+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.

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Military news…

Iran Protests May Distract Regime From Making Trouble for US, Allies in the Mideast.

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White House says Kremlin Has Been Warned on Nuclear Weapons.

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Protesters Scuffle with Russian Police As Military Draft Inflames Tensions.

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US Army Artillery Arrives in Latvia, as Allies Seek to Deter Russia.

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Strong Congressional Supports Branding Russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism.

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I have been spending a week at the Oregon coast. It has been beautiful. No rain, and little wind. It has been very relaxing. Looking outside right now I can see a fantastic sunset.

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One thing that has me feeling very sad is the amount of our brothers and sisters who are battling PTSD, depression, etc. This is Suicide prevention month, and I highly urge you to get help if you are struggling. Numbers to call are below if you need help.

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An update on my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of life. I just have two interviews of veterans to do and I am ready to publish. Keep coming back to see the progress. 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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+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.

Medal of Honor Recipient was Wounded, but helped other wounded Soldiers, and Called in an Air Strike.

+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.

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Military news…

Navy blocks Iranian effort to capture unmanned drone in Persian Gulf
The U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet says Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized and later let go of a U.S. sea drone in the Persian Gulf.

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One year later, Austin acknowledges lasting questions over Afghanistan war’s end 

One year after the last American troops left Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin acknowledged the questions some veterans still face about the chaotic evacuation and a failed war. 

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Mikhail Gorbachev, last leader of the Soviet Union, dies at 91

Mikhail Gorbachev, who set out to revitalize the Soviet Union but ended up unleashing forces that led to the collapse of communism, the breakup of the state and the end of the Cold War, died Tuesday. The last Soviet leader was 91.

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Police: Heroic Safeway employee and Army veteran confronted gunman in store

A Safeway employee who previously served in the U.S. Army for two decades attacked a gunman in the produce section of the Bend, Oregon, supermarket, possibly preventing more casualties from a shooting that left the employee and one other person dead.

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Taiwan fires warning shots at Chinese drone after vowing to defend its airspace

Taiwanese soldiers fired warning shots at a Chinese drone this week as Taiwan’s president announced the military would take “necessary and powerful countermeasures” to protect the island’s airspace.


Japan’s record-high defense budget request of $40.4 billion still lags its G-7 peers

Japan’s Defense Ministry unveiled a record-high spending request for the next fiscal year that is likely to increase further before it’s approved.

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Navy’s return to frigates begins with construction start of $1.3 billion Constellation
The Navy wants to add a total of 20 frigates, which are planned for use in blue water and along the coasts, and which have more armor and firepower than the much-maligned littoral combat ships.

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Here is a other Medal of Honor recipient. I will share one on every post until you have them all:

Kyle J. White

Born: March 27, 1987, Renton Washington Service Branch: U.S. Army

Medal of Honor action date and Place: Nov. 9, 2007, Nuristan province, Afghanistan

Citation:

Returning to their outpost, Spc. White and his comrades were ambushed by enemy forces. Despite having grenade embedded in his face, he moved into and exposed area to provide medical help to a wounded soldier, then moved to provide comfort and aid to a Marine as he succumbed to his wounds. He gave to the previous soldier. who had been wounded again., and provided directions for an airstrike via radio, allow the aircraft to rescue him and his fellow soldiers.

Presentation: May 13, 2014, the White House, by resident Barack Obama.

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There are so many other Medal of Honor recipients so keep coming back to see more. 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.

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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.

______________________________________________________________

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.

_______________________________________________________________
+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.

Life in the Private Sector May be Difficult After Your Time in the Military

+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.

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Military news…

US soldiers just showed Russia how a competent army performs a bridge crossing

This is exactly what we would be doing in a combat environment.”

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Inside the US military’s modern ‘island hopping’ campaign to take on China

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.

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The Navy is firing a lot of officers and saying almost nothing about it

Since May 31, six commanding officers and one command master chief have lost their jobs.

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Why Ukraine’s wins against Russian aircraft should worry the US Air Force

“Penetrating contested airspace is only part of the challenge — and it may not even be the most important one.”

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Iran is once again playing chicken with the US Navy

Three fast inshore attack craft from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy were recently caught on video harassing the US Navy. 

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No, aircraft carriers will not be useless in a war with China

A lot would have to align before China’s military could successfully hit a carrier at sea with a ballistic missile under wartime conditions.

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2 soldiers who just wanted to go home early wound up pulling a man from a burning truck

Two classmates found themselves putting out a vehicle fire and saving the driver together on an Oklahoma highway.

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I am trying a different size of font. Let me know if you like this size better. _______________________________________________________________

I am going to share another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

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Are You Trying to Finish the Race With a Broken Leg?

You have spent several years of your life serving your country. You have had many months of stress, and pain. You may be still in the trenches, or you may be already out in the private sector.

As the time gets near to facing the outside world, separate from the military, are you ready? Do you have a plan? If you are already in the private sector, have you attempted to fit in, or are you hiding from others?

What I have said here doesn’t fit most of you, but there are some who are having difficult times thinking about the future. You worry about the new approach to living. You were used to the strictness, and regimented type atmosphere, and fear that this approach will not be too acceptable in your new environment. Then you are facing a world where you make all the decisions. Some of us do not do well with no one in authority over us.

In the private sector, we have to find a new normal. The first goal at this time is to release the past. The second goal is to plan for the present. The third goal is to look to the future.

Treat each new day, in the private sector, as if there was just a new fallen snow and it has provided a white blanket for you to walk on to form a path that only you take and others follow.  

After we join the private sector, we expect our lives to suddenly be happy, trouble free, and victorious. We forget that victories come only after we fight battles and win. 

There shouldn’t be this barrier between you and what you are trying to accomplish. It is tough enough to survive in this world without other factors digging into your thinking process.

Having stress about facing the new world is like having a broken leg and trying to finish a race. It can be done, but the pain, and agony is almost unbearable.

Help yourself by taking time before you leave the military to study the ways of cooperation’s. Learn how to adjust to the new status quo. Don’t go into a new situation cold turkey.

Read up on life after the military. There are books that can guide you to walk the right path to help ease you into the new world.

Go to night school and get some college credits. There are also online courses you can take no matter where you are in the world. My son was able to get two Masters Degrees while in the military, and this helped him get a very nice job when he retired.

My first few months after I got out of the military were pretty stressful because I had a family. I had to provide, and there weren’t too many jobs to be had. I had to work at jobs I didn’t really like. Some were down right degrading, like the story I told you about working on the “chain gang,” railroad crew.

But I slowly adjusted and eventually found a job in teaching that was very good for not only providing for my family, but was rewarding as well.

Take on this world with vigor, and courage. It is almost as daunting in the private sector as it is in the deserts of Afghanistan. You are a brave soldier for facing that challenge, and I am sure you will be just as brave in the private sector. You will achieve your goals and be a very productive citizen, who has a big feather in their cap. The feather of valor, and commitment, because of your time you served your country.

IWILL

Don’t think that people will look down on you for being a soldier. It may happen from time to time. I went through that when I was a teacher, and invited my son Colonial K.C. Bolton to come and speak to my class. He was honored to come, and the principal even had him speak to the school.

However, there were a couple of the teachers who were anti-war, and wasn’t happy that a soldier was coming to speak. They let me know about it, and I stood my ground. I said I was very proud of my son, and since I was a veteran as well, I felt they were also attacking me.  That quieted them down a little, and they even recanted their thinking after hearing my son share the need for bravery in each of the children’s lives. It was a wonderful talk and the children loved him.

I once said in a talk during a book signing,” Let people feel the weight of who you are, and let them deal with it.”

Think on this

Isn’t it funny how people want to be protected and yet frown on those who do the protecting?

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I would like to put in a plea to you today. I would love it if you would subscribe to my site. I work very hard to provide with the best information on what is happening in the military world. I also share excerpts from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. This book is written for you, the veteran. It shares my own military stories, and thoughts on how to survive with PTSD, TBI, and many other things. If you will help me, I would again love if you go to the top of this page and click on subscribe. When you do all future posts will come directly to your in box, and I will be a happy man.

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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.

______________________________________________________________

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.