June 6th was the 75th Anniversary of the Invasion of Normandy

It has been a very long time since I last posted. I can make up a bunch of excuses, but the bottom line is that I got burnt out and needed a break.

I am fresh and ready to write every day again.

Today’s post will be mostly about the invasion of Normandy 75 years ago. I have interesting stats pertained to the day:

156,000 troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and many other allies partook during this invasion.

5 beaches along the 50 mile stretch of Normandy coast were targeted for landing, with the allied code names of Utah, Omaha, Gold, and Sword.

6,000 landing ships and crafts. .

50,000 vehicles were used.

11,000 Planes were used.

12,004 total killed , wounded, or missing. (United States 8,230, United Kingdom, 2,700, and Canada 1,074)

326,000 who reached the beaches by June 11th.

496, 777 WWII veterans who are still alive as of 2018.

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This was a horrible day for lost soldiers, but in the end it was much needed and led to the victory for the allies later.

If you were one of the soldiers who fought on that day, God bless you and you are a bonafide hero. You truly are the “Great Generation.”

If for some reason you are struggling with PTSD, TBI, depression, war wounds, etc, Please get help. Here is a phone number you can call to get immediate help:

(877-247-4645)

In closing, I hope you like these type of posts. If you want to receive future posts without having to come back to this site, just go to the top of this page and subscribe. then you will receive every post in you inbox as they come.

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)

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!!