Tag: Middle East

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Basic Training in the Military Can be Very Tough and Yet Very Rewarding.

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Military news…

Russian strike on Ukraine’s Odesa badly damages landmark Orthodox cathedral; 1 dead, many wounded

Four children were among those wounded in the blasts, which severely damaged 25 landmarks across the city, including the historic Transfiguration Cathedral.

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WWII veteran and legendary singer Tony Bennett dies at 96
Before Tony Bennett had an impressive singing career, he served his country in WWII.

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North Korea fires 2 short-range ballistic missiles after US submarine arrives in South Korea

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern sea, according to South Korea’s military, adding to a recent streak in weapons testing that is apparently in protest of the U.S. sending major naval assets to South Korea in a show of force.

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Moscow, Crimea hit by Ukrainian drones while Russian forces bombard Ukraine’s south

Russian authorities accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on Moscow early Monday that saw one of the aircraft fall near the Defense Ministry’s main headquarters, while the Russian military unleashed new strikes on port infrastructure in southern Ukraine.

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US Sending More Warships, Marines to Gulf to Counter Iran’s Efforts to Seize Commercial Ships

The U.S. is sending additional warships and thousands of Marines to the Middle East to increase security after attempts to seize commercial ships there.

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Many of us have stories about our drill sergeants in basic training. I am no different.

I enlisted in 1959, and was sent to Ft Ord California, which is now closed. I enlisted with two buddies and we were in Basic together.

My first adventure with my drill Sgt, Sgt MacDonald was in the first week. He came barking into our barracks yelling us to attention. He was looking possessed! He stop in front of every soldier and screamed. He tore beds apart. He called guys names.

After he left we all felt dumbfounded.

That was just the beginning. He marched us and marched us for hours. He sent many guys to KP, and clean-up duty.

My personal dealing with him was brutal at first. He ordered me out of the barracks one night, and told me to dig a hole. When I was done, he threw a cigarette in it and told me to cover it up. When I was finished he told me to dig it up again.

I never got angry our upset. I knew he was just training me to be tough.

He sent me to KP more times than I can remember.

Towards the end of basic. He let up a little. Then he even named me soldier of the month. Later he nominated me for the honor guard.

I finally asked him why he was treating me so good. He said, “You never once looked upset or angry. I like that in a good soldier.”

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I am in the process of interviewing a submariner. Not just any submariner, but a nuclear submariner. Incredible interview. This should be enough to buy my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of life.

I also talked to a Vietnam veteran who is deciding if he will allow me to interview him. He has an amazing story. (He had a bayonet go through both legs in an one on one fight.

Keep coming back to find what new interviews I may be having.

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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.

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Russia Isn’t Losing or Winning the War With Ukraine, and it is Costing Them Many Lives.

+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…

DIA report confirms Russia’s use of Iranian drones in Ukraine
Iranian-made drones are turning up in Ukraine as well as the Middle East.

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US troops kill ‘ISIS official’ involved in planning prison breaks
Prison breaks remain a main priority for ISIS.

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US Air Force fighter jets conduct back-to-back intercepts of Russian aircraft near Alaska
Not now, Ivan!

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Not very much current military news today. I guess that is a good thing.

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Saw an article that was an interview with a Army General on his views of the Ukraine war. He was very clear that the Russians were undertrained, and not capable of being a good fighting force.

Using prisoners is a disaster. They have no training and are sent to the front lines to be slaughtered.

The assistance from the United States has made a huge difference. Ukrainians are be trained with the latest weapons.

Russia is using WWII type weapons, and it shows.

The generals prediction is that the war will end in negotiations.

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I am now down to just three interviews left and then it is off to the publisher, BookBaby. Thos interviews are:

  1. Charles Strange- a Gold Star father
  2. Milton Hoch- a Vietnam veteran.
  3. A submariner who was on a nuclear sub.

These three interviews will be exciting. The Vietnam interview will be riveting, and most interesting.

Keep coming back to check the latest on these and other news on the book. better yet…go to the top of this page and click on subscribe. When you do ll future posts will go directly to your mailbox.

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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.
+Now there is an easier way to get help. Just dial 988, and you will have people ready to help you.

_____________________________________________________________

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.

Posted on

There Are Actually Happy Stories Coming From Vietnam Veterans

+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…

Army’s top civilian defends Russian deterrence program, predicts more US troops could deploy to Europe
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told House lawmakers that the European Deterrence Initiative might not have stopped Russian President Vladimir Putin from ordering a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, but it positioned the U.S. military to respond quickly to it.

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US soldiers model river crossing in contrast to Russians’ Donbas disaster

Days after dozens of Russian armored vehicles were obliterated during an attempted river crossing in eastern Ukraine, US and allied soldiers launched a training version of a similar maneuver.

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Air Force successfully fires hypersonic weapon after multiple failures last year

The service said the weapon traveled five times faster than the speed of sound.

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US Navy ship makes $39 million meth bust in Middle East waters

A Navy destroyer patrolling in the Gulf of Oman this week seized $39 million in methamphetamine from a fishing ship in waters used to smuggle people, weapons and narcotics, U.S. 5th Fleet said Tuesday.

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A Lesser-Known Group At Risk of Suicide—Children of Servicemembers

Military kids can suffer from emotional stressors, that left unaddressed, can increase their risk of taking their own lives.

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US Left Behind $7 Billion of Military Equipment in Afghanistan After 2021 Withdrawal, Pentagon Report Says

About $7 billion of military equipment the U.S. government provided to the Afghan government over the course of 16 years was left behind in Afghanistan after the military withdrew from the country in August.

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Western Artillery Surging Into Ukraine Will Reshape War With Russia

Ukraine is receiving artillery and training from Western allies that will likely set off a deadly battle of long-range weapons as fighting intensifies in the Donbas.

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Here is another interview with combat veterans. This is a rare one with a Vietnam veteran. It was extremely hard to get Vietnam veterans to talk.

I know you are not willing to say too much about your experiences in Nam, what can you Share?

I will share a happy time while I was there. Me and a buddy were sitting in an opening in the jungle. I looked up and saw hundreds of monkeys playing in the trees. I told my buddy if I could just have one of those guys for a pet, I would be very happy.

He said he knew what to do to make that happen. He got a coconut and cut a whole in it. He put a shiny quarter in there and sat it the middle of the opening. He said, “Now Watch.”

Sure enough the monkeys started gathering around the coconut. They were curious about the shiny thing in the coconut. One finally put his hand in there to try to pull the quarter out. His hand got stuck and we went and picked up the monkey.

I loved the little guy. I even made a home for him. It had an area to sleep. Food readily available, and limbs to climb on.

The monkey loved his new home. I didn’t keep good track of what he was doing in the cage, and he dug a hole big enough for him to get out.

He went into the other soldiers tents and stole goodies from them. One of the soldiers caught him doing it and complained to me. I tried to find how the monkey could get out, but apparently the hole was so small I couldn’t find it.

This went on for a few days. The monkey would be in his cage with new goodies he had stolen for the guys.

One soldier had enough. He made a miniature parachute; caught the money and attached to him. He then took the monkey to a near cliff and threw him over it.

I couldn’t find my monkey and got very upset. The soldier finally told me what he had done. I was very mad at him.

Then a couple days later I looked at a path that went through the jungle and here comes my monkey with the chut still attached to him. He came right up to me. We had many months of joy with my monkey.

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It made me feel so good to interview someone from the Vietnam war that had some happy moments. Come back often to read some more interviews. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on Subscribe. When you do all future posts will come directly to you inbox.

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My next interview will be with another Vietnam veteran that was not such a happy story. Don’t miss it.

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Checking in on you. How are you doing? Is everything going OK, or are you struggling?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 14,745 veterans on this site who have your back.

Here is what I am asking you to do…please share this site with as many other veterans as you can. It has helped so many.

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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.