Coming Home for a Warrior

“I feel like my heart’s been ripped out of my chest!” and “Damn it Sarge, no one understands me now” is what a young 26 year old Soldier told me a short time ago.  He went on to say, “I don’t feel like I belong here anymore…can’t wait to go back to Afghanistan, to where my life has real meaning.”  He got his wish.  He is now redeployed with the friends he loves more than life itself.

To understand this young Soldier and the hundreds of thousands feeling exactly like him, we first must ask ourselves “Why?”

Many of our Troops have completed their 5th Combat Tour, now waiting for their 6th. To date, they’ve experienced 17 times more combat than anyone in WWII and 10 times more than Vietnam.  This translates into 17 times more killing of the enemy, killing women and children, loss of sacred friends, combat rage, combat adrenaline, witness to and/or participation in atrocities (cruelty) and the impact of war itself.

Our young men and women serving this nation in the military today are all volunteers.  As Warriors, they stepped up when called, willing to die for what they believe in…what all Americans believe in.  And yet, being the elite of our society comes at a very high price.

When you walk off the battlefield your life has changed forever; you have changed forever.  Friendship to die for is now your standard, as is living by the Warrior’s Code of Honor.  The innocence of youth is gone. And except for fellow Warriors, you stand alone, bearing your pain in silence, taunted by the flashbacks of war and tormented in the dark hours by the phantoms of the dead; both the enemy and brethren.  Terrible perhaps, but then again, “It’s just war”.  Think about it.

Well over a million Troops now feel abandoned, betrayed and alone; outcasts in the society they fought to defend. To explain the “Whys” of this would take longer than this column allows. And yet, for you to openly consider what they’ve been through, what they’ve seen and done, may perhaps allow you a glimpse into their world.

Then if you dare, open your own heart and ask “What is the just cause, the worthy price of sacrificing someone you love?” and “What can be done to help our children, this nation’s children?”  For never in history have so few been asked to give so much for their country.

I am proud to say that New Mexico is a national leader in programs to help our Warriors and their Families.  The Warrior Mentor Program, piloted by the New Mexico Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Horses for Heroes, Cowboy Up Programs are two of many making a dramatic difference in this time of great need.

All any Warrior wants is to be loved, to be accepted for who they’ve now become.  And who they’ve now become was for “you”, this nation and all they loved, all they are now prepared to die for without hesitation.

No one returns from war un-wounded.   It has been said, “No one returns at all”.  And if we as a nation choose to send our children to war, then we as a nation must also be responsible to care for them when they return home, if they return home.

For who better to lead this nation into the future, than those Heroes who fought to defend it?  They defend the principles upon which this great nation was founded; the liberty and freedom that so many now take for granted.   We must allow our young Warriors what they have earned, what they deserve; to welcome them home, in our arms and in our hearts.

Respectfully submitted by:

Sgt. Brandi, United States Marine Corps

Posted in Combat Stress, Emotional Trauma, honoring heros, Honoring Veterans, Mentoring, Vets | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Warrior Resilience Training / Warrior Resilience & Thriving (WRT)

Here is some excellent material that may be very useful to families, veterans, and active Military. This program is by Major Thomas A. Jarrett, “an Army licensed clinical social worker, executive coach, rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) doctoral fellow, and former Special Forces noncommissioned officer”. Click on the links below to get a PDF file of either the paper or presentation.

Warrior Resilience Training” is a paper published in the July-September 2008 issue of The Army Medical Department Journal.

Warrior Resilience & Thriving (WRT)” is a PowerPoint presentation in use by the Fort Sill Social Work Service & Outreach Program. (Updated May 20, 2010, and July 11, 2010)

is a Power Point Presentation
Posted in Combat Stress, Combat trauma, combat veteran, Dept of Veteran Affairs, Emotional Trauma, more effective solutions, Overcoming Combat Trauma, PTSD, Suicide Prevention, treating combat trauma, US Army, Veterans issues, Vets | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A NEW TOOL IN OVERCOMING THE EFFECTS OF COMBAT TRAUMA…

More Effective Solutions to Overcoming Combat Trauma:  A Primer on How to Use The Warriors Guide to Insanity… A White Paper

We just published this White Paper for four reasons:

1. As a Supplement to The Warriors Guide to Insanity which is being used in selected VA Health Care Centers around the country;

The Warrior’s Guide, which teaches us the causes and effects of combat trauma, then offers solutions to dealing with the experiences of war in ways that make us stronger and more productive citizens.  Its been widely accepted and endorsed by various stakeholders in the challenge to overcome the effects of Combat Trauma, PTSD, Combat Veteran suicide and homicide in the active military, Guard and Reserves:

2. As a Primer to Use The Warriors Guide as a Teaching and Counseling Tool;

This White Paper has been developed to assist those who are just now getting up to speed on this critical issue today.  It provides:

  • An explanation of the Causes of Combat Trauma and provides solutions;
  • A clear analysis of the symptoms of war related trauma;
  • A clear understanding of the obstacles preventing a successful treatment program;
  • Proposed solutions to reaching our Troops and reshaping their lives;
  • A warning for inaction; the unintended consequencesand alternatives;
  • Background information on the cause and effect of Combat Trauma and suggested solutions;
  • A Best Practice Approach for Counselors to consider in using The Warriors Guide in their counseling activities;

3. As a Guide to Influence the Need for Change in how we train and support our Combat Warriors;

If we are to address the needs of this new generation of Warriors, we must not only understand the causes and effects of Combat Trauma, and the special needs of our Young Troops, but we must also change our approach in dealing with the realities of training and deploying our Troops and fighting war.  We offer suggestions to change how we handle our Combat Warriors and their emotional needs over time so that we can better shape their destiny and the effectiveness of our country’s fighting forces.

4. As a Foundation for the Solutions to Follow:

We’re working on the following Solution Papers which will be released in the near future:

  • A Combat Warriors Decompression Program
  • Saving the Military Family

TO REVIEW A “READ ONLY” COPY CLICK HERE.

If you’d like a printable copyContact Sgt Brandi ( sgtabrandiusmc@gmail.com)

Posted in a new solution, Adapt and Overcome, Advisor, Combat Stress, Combat trauma, combat veteran, Emotional Trauma, Health Care Center, I/A Veterans, Innovate Adapt and Overcome, Mentoring, more effective solutions, Overcoming Combat Trauma, Preventing Combat Suicide, PTSD, Retired Combat Veteran, treating combat trauma, Veteran, Veterans issues, Vets, Warriors Guide to Insanity, White Paper | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A NEW TOOL IN OVERCOMING THE EFFECTS OF COMBAT TRAUMA…

GUIDELINES FOR HOW BEST TO USE THE BOOK TO HELP COMBAT VETERANS…

I’m pleased to report momentum is building toward using The Warriors Guide to Insanity throughout the VA Health Care System as a counseling  tool for helping Combat Veterans effectively deal with their PTSD challenges.  It’s proving to be a great Mentoring tool also.

One Vet Center has been using the book for almost a year now and is reporting it’s one of the most effective tools available to help Combat Veterans.   Not only because it was written by an actual Combat Veteran, but  because it’s written in everyday Combat Warrior language they don’t need a dictionary to understand.

I’ve talked to approximately 70 Vets Centers who have purchased the book so far about how best to use the book in their practice as some are seeing the book for the first time.  I  share that the best model I’ve seen for using the book was developed by Guy McCommon ( MSW,LICSW ) at the Las Cruces Vet Center in New Mexico.  He’s been kind enough to share his approach which I’ve inserted below.  I hope you find it helpful…

From:

Guy M. McCommon, MSW, LICSW
Team Leader, Las Cruces Vet Center
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001

Phone: 575-523-9826   Email: guy.mccommon@va.gov

Using “The Warriors Guide to Insanity” as a tool for therapy is not rocket science.  I have been using this book as a therapy tool for approximately 1 year and have found it to be one of the most effective tools available to help combat Veterans.

The book helps develop personal insight into how Veterans have been negatively affected by their war experience and how they can deal with it in positive ways to make changes in their lives. It develops a way to enhance self-esteem.  Most of the Veterans I have had the opportunity to work with, in using this tool, have shared with me they find that they can understand what Sgt. Brandi is saying to them in the book and thus they benefit immensely.
The way it is written, they do not need a dictionary beside them when reading it to look up words.

When I share the book with a Veteran, I tell them, “This book is not written in clinical terms and that at times it does get a little rough”.  The first approach, depending on the individual and where I determine they are in dealing with their PTSD issues, is to read the book chapter by chapter. Then we discuss how they feel they have been impacted by each chapter’s topic.

We then explore the correlation between the chapter’s topic and how they feel about the same issue they face, or how they have been affected and how they are dealing with it at this time.  The main point, is for the Veteran to develop an understanding that they have been effected and have the resources and the personal power to deal with the negative impact that war has had on them and in their lives.

It is important the Veteran admits the ways they have been dealing with issues has not been helping them. Some individuals need to go over this repeatedly and others are able to comprehend it rapidly.

One of the most important things that it is necessary for the Veteran to understand is that they are the catalyst for change and growth in their lives and they have to do the work to make that change occur.

The Veteran needs to accept that they are capable of change and no one else is going to do it for them.  They must be willing to make the efforts to help themselves get healthier, and use the tools and skills they have been introduced to.  They must also accept that repetition is one of the most important aspects of success in this process, especially in internalizing the coping skills and tools.

The second approach is to have the Veteran read the entire book and then come back and discuss the insights gained; what they have learned about how PTSD has affected their lives and if they really want to make changes.  I then have the Veteran outline what coping skills and tools they have learned from the book to make changes in their lives and how they are going to use them.

It is important that they look at how they deal with things now and that these ways of doing things have not been working for them.  This approach is used for a Veteran who is more intellectually capable and who has the ability to process things more on their own.  It is also necessary to have this individual realize the importance of repetition and self-esteem enhancement for success.

The most important aspect of using this tool, or any other tool, is to first gain and build the Trust Bond with the Veteran. Then help them realize they are capable of making change. And that change, although scary, will improve the quality of their lives and the lives of their families.


Posted in Book, Combat Stress, Combat trauma, combat veteran, Dept of Veteran Affairs, Health Care Center, I/A Veterans, Innovate Adapt and Overcome, Mentoring, Overcoming Combat Trauma, Preventing Combat Suicide, Vet Center, Veteran, Veterans issues, Warriors Guide to Insanity, Website | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on GUIDELINES FOR HOW BEST TO USE THE BOOK TO HELP COMBAT VETERANS…

MENTORING COMBAT WARRIORS REACHES 4,500 AND GROWING…

Most Recent Mentoring Sessions

I conducted another group of Mentoring Sessions to approximately 700 Combat Veterans at Fort Carson the 6th and 7th of this month.  This takes the total troop mentoring sessions to over 4,500 participants.  The feedback from the troops and their officers in the Fort Carson sessions was it was very well received.  Here’s what was published on Military.com .

These sessions  with my young Brothers and Sisters are truly meaningful,  in that I have the opportunity to pass on my own life lessons regarding overcoming Combat Trauma, resisting suicide, handling the need for Combat Adrenalin and overcoming the loss of my Fellow Warriors.  I’ve learned over the past 40 years how to present these real life experiences to our Young Warriors in ways that are meaningful and effective.

Even more meaningful is the feedback I get from the Troops themselves about what they’re facing today.  They want to hear from another Combat Warrior who’s been on the Battle Field. And just how us old knuckle draggers have successfully Improvised, Overcome and Adapted to survive post combat life in civilian society.  I come away every time invigorated to find other ways to help them effectively deal with the challenges they face today.

BOOK APPROVED BY US DEPT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IS ACTIVELY BEING PURCHASED

I’m pleased to share my book, The Warriors Guide to Insanity, recently approved by the US Department of Veterans Affairs for purchase by all the Vet  Centers around the country, is actively being purchased for distribution to the Troops.  This is a great tool for Warriors to benefit from .   We’re also in negotiations with a National Guard Unit who want to purchase a book for every one of their Troopers.

A FREE AUDIO VERSION OF THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE ON THIS WEBSITE

In case you want to check it out or share it with someone else here’s a link to the Free Audio VersionPlease send a link to anyone else you think could benefit from this valuable information.

INDIVIDUAL MENTORING BY A COMBAT WARRIOR IS NEXT…

My team and I are about to launch an upgrade to our mentoring activities even further by offering Personalized Mentoring by a Retired Combat Veteran on a one-on-one basis.  We’re in early discussions with a retired combat veterans group who have an interest in sharing with individual Warriors their combat experiences and transition challenges in an attempt to play a positive role in overcoming Combat Trauma and Suicide Prevention efforts.  It looks real good.  Troops will be able to call a number and talk to a real live person…a Fellow Warrior.  They will be there to talk with, and watch your six if you decide to go into a center for some follow up on how you’re feeling and what the hell is goin on in your brain housing group.  I will keep you posted.

STAY ALERT THERE’S MORE TO COME…

Sgt. Brandi, locked and loaded…standing by.

 

Posted in Combat Stress, Combat trauma, combat veteran, Emotional Trauma, I/A Veterans, Innovate Adapt and Overcome, Mentoring, Overcoming Combat Trauma, Preventing Combat Suicide, PTSD, Retired Combat Veteran, Suicide Prevention, US Army, Veteran, Veterans issues, Viet Nam Veteran | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on MENTORING COMBAT WARRIORS REACHES 4,500 AND GROWING…

You’ll never hear this from the major media… FRIDAY MORNINGS AT THE PENTAGON

A friend of mine just sent this to me.  It’s by Joe Galloway - Co-author of "We Were Soldiers Once... And Young"

FRIDAY MORNING AT THE PENTAGON
By JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY
McClatchy Newspapers

Over the last 12 months, 1,042 soldiers, Marines, sailors and Air Force
personnel have given their lives in the terrible duty that is war.
Thousands more have come home on stretchers, horribly wounded and facing
months or years in military hospitals..

This week, I'm turning my space over to a good friend and former
roommate, Army Lt. Col. Robert Bateman, who recently completed a
yearlong tour of duty in Iraq and  is now back at the Pentagon.

Here's Lt. Col. Bateman's account of a little-known ceremony that fills
the halls of the Army corridor of the Pentagon with cheers, applause and
many tears every Friday morning.  It first appeared on May 17 on the
Weblog of media critic and pundit Eric Alterman at the Media Matters
for America Website.

"It is 110 yards from the "E" ring to the "A" ring of the Pentagon. This
section of the Pentagon is newly renovated; the floors shine, the
hallway is broad, and the lighting is bright.  At this instant the
entire length of the corridor is packed with officers, a few sergeants
and some civilians, all crammed tightly three and four deep against the
walls.  There are thousands here.

This hallway, more than any other, is the 'Army' hallway.  The G3
offices line one side, G2 the other, G8 is around the corner.  All Army.
Moderate  conversations flow in a low buzz.  Friends who may not have
seen each other for a few weeks, or a few years, spot each other, cross
the way and renew.

Everyone shifts to ensure an open path remains down the center.  The air
conditioning system was not designed for this press of bodies in this
area. The temperature is rising already.  Nobody cares.

10:36 hours: The clapping starts at the E-Ring.  That is the outer most
of the five rings of the Pentagon and it is closest to the entrance to
the building.  This clapping is low, sustained, hearty.  It is applause
with a deep emotion behind it as it moves forward in a wave down the
length of the hallway.

A steady rolling wave of sound it is, moving at the pace of the soldier
in the wheelchair who marks the forward edge with his presence.  He is
the first.  He is missing the greater part of one leg, and some of his
wounds are still suppurating.  By his age I expect that he is a private,
or perhaps a private first class.

Captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels meet his gaze and nod
as they applaud, soldier to soldier.

Three years ago when I described one of these events, those lining the
hallways were somewhat different.  The applause a little wilder, perhaps
in private guilt for not having shared in the burden. Yet.

Now almost everyone lining the hallway is, like the man in the
wheelchair, also a combat veteran.  This steadies the applause, but I
think deepens the sentiment.  We have all been there now.  The soldier's
chair is pushed by, I believe, a full colonel.  Behind him, and
stretc hing the length from Rings E to A, come more of his peers, each
private, corporal, or sergeant assisted as need be by a field grade
officer.

11:00 hours: Twenty-four minutes of steady applause.  My hands hurt, and
I laugh to myself at how stupid that sounds in my own head.  My hands
hurt. Please! Shut up and clap.  For twenty-four minutes, soldier after
soldier has come down this hallway - 20, 25, 30.  Fifty-three legs come
with them, and perhaps only 52 hands or arms, but down this hall came 30
solid hearts.

They pass down this corridor of officers and applause, and then meet for
a private lunch, at which they are the guests of honor, hosted by the
generals.  Some are wheeled along.  Some insist upon getting out of
their chairs, to march as best they can with their chin held up, down
this hallway, through this most unique audience.  Some are catching
handshakes and smiling like a politician at a Fourth of July parade.
More than a couple of them seem amazed and are smiling shyly.

There are families with them as well: the 18-year-old war-bride pushing
her 19-year-old husband's wheelchair and not quite understanding why her
husband is so affected by this, the boy she grew up with, now a man, who
had never shed a tear is crying; the older immigrant Latino parents who
have, perhaps more than their wounded mid-20s son, an appreciation for
the emotion given on their son's behalf.  No man in that hallway,
walking or clapping, is ashamed by the silent tears on more than a few
cheeks.  An Airborne Ranger wipes his eyes only to better see.  A couple
of the officers in this crowd have themselves been a part of this parade
in the past.

These are our men, broken in body they may be, but they are our
brothers, and we welcome them home.  This parade has gone on, every
single Friday, all year long, for more than four years.

Did you know that?   The media hasn't yet told the story.  And probably
never will.

Posted in combat veteran, honoring heros | Tagged , , | Comments Off on You’ll never hear this from the major media… FRIDAY MORNINGS AT THE PENTAGON

FORT LEWIS COLLEGE IS PREPARED TO MENTOR VETERANS…

Unlike many colleges around the country Fort Lewis College (FLC) in Durango, Colorado has a unique organization called Professional Associates made up of retired professionals who offer mentoring support to students needing help in their academic pursuits.  Even more unique they have veteran members who went to college on the GI Bill themselves specifically organized to help current era veterans succeed in their academic and career preparation activities.

Check it out I think you’ll be impressed.

Here’s some key links:

Fort Lewis College a “Veteran Friendly College”

Fort Lewis College

More Information about Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado…


campus_tour student_life mtn_biking railfest


Posted in Colleges, FLC Professional Associates, Veteran, Veteran Friendly Colleges, Veteran Friendly Schools, Vets | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on FORT LEWIS COLLEGE IS PREPARED TO MENTOR VETERANS…

LIVING WITH COMBAT TRAUMA: An Essay to Remember…

Parallel Universe
An essay on Overcoming Trauma

By Alison Lighthall,  RN, MS
Combat Stress Specialist

May 15, 2009

Emotional trauma is a special kind of broken heartedness.  It is a permanent condition that, on some rare and lucky occasions, may ease with time or go blessedly into dormancy, but never actually ends.  It takes up permanent residency in you, sometimes making itself known in cruel ways and other times taking a quiet nap from which it can be quickly and easily aroused.

Initially after the specific traumatic moment, your world is ruled by huge emotional energy,  and your day is a series of wild emotional struggles, unseen by all but your most intimate circle.  Over time-much time, if you’re doing it all on your own-you come into an entirely new way of living.  Instead of returning to normal, as you have always been able to do in the past from life’s usual trials, you find yourself very much stuck in a universe that most others cannot see and do not understand, but one which inflicts a deep, throbbing ache.  You slowly realize that the hole in your heart will not heal, that this sadness is your new normal.  Whenever you confront such a thought, you quickly push it out of your mind because it is an intolerable thought-to live the rest of your life haunted by anguish.

Somehow, inexplicably, the world around you continues.  Time on the clock keeps passing, despite you being frozen back in that moment of excruciating pain when your world exploded.  If you’re lucky, you learn more about what happened to you…you organize the events a little better… your frontal lobe reopens communication with your limbic system…and you become conscious once again.

You slowly release your grip on the reality that was and you stop arguing with the Universe about what is.  Eventually, you accept the chronic pain as a stubborn companion.  And you resynchronize with the world’s clock.

Smiling isn’t always forced anymore.  You learn to ignore the ache and sorrow enough to actually forget about it sometimes.  Then one day, a sound jumps out of you that, both familiar and forgotten, startles you:  a mirthful laugh.  You slowly, carefully pick up speed.  A new home.  A new pet.  A new job.  Some new friends.  You decide to start living a little bit again.

For a while, even this small amount of happiness is intoxicating and all consuming.  Color has meaning to you again.  A sense of purpose, for so long absent, is now palpable.  You realize you’re not dead after all.

The new life eventually becomes just life, a set of patterns that are comforting and familiar and no longer new.  And it is at that point, when you think the mileage you’ve logged traveling from then to now has been enough to keep you away from that place forever, that the sorrow reawakens and the pain returns.

At first you don’t buy into it as being true.  But that slumbering, noxious companion is now up and around and in need of attention after such a long nap, so it parks itself in the middle of your no-longer-new life, waiting for you to acknowledge it.

You look at it in astonishment for several weeks.  But slowly the truth dawns on you:  it’s not going anywhere.  You’re going to have to make room for this thing, you’re going to have to name it.  And after years of ignoring it, you may even have to talk to it.

And then one day, you get it.  You are both happy and sad.  You are both here and there.  These two universes exist within you at the same time.  At the moment you are happy, there dwells deep within a profound sadness.  And when you are lost in the pain of your traumatic sorrow, your other life-the good and happy life-still exists, waiting for you to re-engage in it.

Finally, you reach a breaking point and you share your secret about your unwelcomed companion that lives invisibly in your space.

Your own knowing and understanding are part of the process, maybe even part of the solution.  But the only true antidote for surviving this duality is the authentic, enduring loving kindness of another human being, wishing nothing more than to climb inside your world with you to keep you company while you figure out what to do with your broken heart.  Then, the pain and sorrow and loss and anguish and guilt and suffering become bearable and the clock begins to move forward again.

Posted in Combat trauma, Emotional Trauma, I/A Veterans, Innovate Adapt and Overcome, Military Sexual Trauma, Overcoming Combat Trauma, Preventing Combat Suicide, PTSD, Suicide Prevention, Veterans issues, Vets, Viet Nam Vet | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on LIVING WITH COMBAT TRAUMA: An Essay to Remember…

MUSIC VIDEO REVEALS IMPACT of COMBAT TRAUMA on LOVED ONES…

 

There are many victims of the failure to effectively recognize and deal with Combat Trauma and sadly some are the very loved ones we would give our lives to protect.

That’s why it’s so important to recognize the symptoms and get the recovery process started for you and your family as soon as possible.  The failure to effectively do this can start a domino effect, a cascade of follow-on problems whose impact can unknowingly be passed on to others in your family and their families over time.  I can’t think of a more powerful tool to demonstrate the importance of this issue than the music of today.

Here’s a music video called “I Wish” which is a moving lament by a young man expressing the human feelings he’s observed in others wishing things could have been different in their lives.

Ironically, it was produced and directed by the grandson of a WW II veteran who took his unresolved PTSD driven anger and grief out on his family, mainly his father.  Fortunately his father, a fellow Marine and my personal mentor, adviser and coach made the commitment to never put his family through the continuing chain of trauma failing to effectively deal with Combat Trauma can cause.  Instead his father has focused his efforts to help my mission of helping others to get help and also breaking the chain.

Believe me you have the chance to break this chain now before it has the chance to grow.  Here’s why you need to do something about it…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNba8hyCiLM&feature=related

If you’d like to make direct contact with the Performer…

If you’d like to make direct contact with the Producer/Director…

The message is clear.  Don’t wait.  Get help now!

 

There are lots of resources with combat trauma experience out there mobilized to help you, quietly, confidentially and right now.

For the sake of your future and the future of your loved ones, don’t wait.  Get help now!!

If you’re not sure what to do next, contact me and I’ll have someone get in touch with you about the safest place to go to get the help you need.

Posted in Combat trauma, Music Video, Overcoming Combat Trauma, PTSD, Veteran, Viet Nam Vet, Viet Nam Veteran | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on MUSIC VIDEO REVEALS IMPACT of COMBAT TRAUMA on LOVED ONES…

A NEW APPROACH TO FIGHTING WARS…

A friend of mine sent this to me today.  I had to share…

New Direction for War: Send Service Vets over 60!

I am over 60 and the Armed Forces thinks I’m too old to track down terrorists. You can’t be older than 42 to join the military. They’ve got the whole thing ass-backwards. Instead of sending 18-year old’s off to fight, they ought to take us old guys…  You shouldn’t be able to join a military unit until you’re at least 35.

For starters…

Researchers say 18-year-old’s think about sex every 10 seconds.  Old guys only think about sex a couple of times a day, leaving us more than 28,000 additional seconds per day to concentrate on the enemy.

Young guys haven’t lived long enough to be cranky, and a cranky soldier is a dangerous soldier. ‘My back hurts!  I can’t sleep, I’m tired and hungry’ We are impatient and maybe letting us kill some asshole that desperately deserves it will make us feel better and shut us up for a while.

An 18-year-old doesn’t even like to get  up before 10 a.m. Old guys always get up early to pee so what the hell. Besides, like I said, ‘I’m tired and can’t sleep and since I’m already up, I may as well be up killing some fanatical s-of-a-b….

If  captured we couldn’t spill the beans because we’d forget where we put them. In fact, name, rank, and serial number would be a real brainteaser.

Boot camp would be easier for old guys.  We’re used to getting screamed and yelled at and we’re used to soft food. We’ve also developed an appreciation for guns. We’ve been using them for years as an excuse to get out of the house, away from the screaming and yelling.

They could lighten up on the obstacle course however. I’ve been in combat and didn’t see a single 20-foot wall with rope hanging over the side, nor did I ever do any push-ups after completing basic training.

Actually, the running part is kind of a waste of energy, too. I’ve never seen anyone outrun a bullet.

An 18-year-old has the whole world ahead of him… He’s still learning to shave, to start up a conversation with a pretty girl.  He still hasn’t figured out that a baseball cap has a brim to shade his eyes, not the back of his head.

These are all great reasons to keep our kids at home to learn a little more about life before sending them off into harm’s way.

Let us old guys track down those dirty rotten coward terrorists. The last thing an enemy would want to see is a couple of million pissed off old farts with attitudes and automatic weapons who know that their best years are already behind them.

***How about recruiting Women over 50 …with PMS !!!

You think Men have attitudes !!! Ohhhhhhhhhhhh my God!!!

If nothing else, put them on border patrol….they will have it secured the first night!

Share this with your senior friends. It’s purposely in big type so they can read it.

Posted in New Approach for Fighting War, Veteran, Vets | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on A NEW APPROACH TO FIGHTING WARS…

Support the Post Deployment Health Assessment Act of 2009!

Urge your Senator to support S.711, the “Post Deployment Health Assessment Act of 2009” Background The mental health needs of the 1.64 million troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to make headlines.  Over 18 percent of troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, nearly 300,000 troops, have symptoms of post traumatic stress or major depression.  Another 19 percent have experienced a possible traumatic brain injury.  Further, only 53 percent of service members with PTSD or depression sought help over the past year.  The suicide rate among our military is at its highest point in 26 years and our male veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide than civilians.  Additionally, the stigma that has long been present in the military creates a situation where mental health needs are not adequately tended to by professionals.    Senator Max Baucus recently introduced S. 711 to implement a mental health screening program throughout the military.  This legislation is based on the premiere program in the country for caring for Montana National Guard members suffering from PTSD, which was extraordinarily successful.  S. 711 will require mental health screenings before deployment, upon return home, and every six months for two years.  This basic and effective program will help safeguard the mental health of our entire military.   Action Requested Please contact your Senator and ask him or her to support this critical legislation.  If your Senator is already a cosponsor of S. 711, you can send him or her a thank you note.

Posted in Combat Stress, Combat trauma, Dept of Veteran Affairs, Overcoming Combat Trauma, Preventing Combat Suicide, PTSD, Suicide Prevention, Veterans issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Support the Post Deployment Health Assessment Act of 2009!

JOBS: VETERANS GREEN CORPS

I just got this heads-up from the Southwest Conservation Corps who is looking for Crew Chiefs to supervise installations of  “Green” conservation projects in the Four Corners area of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado over the summer and possibly longer.

I’m not sure yet how to handle these situations on our web-blog site but until we do I thought I’d at least share a link in case someone is interested.

Please take a look at these 2 websites…  sccorps.org and veterangreenjobs.org.

Posted in Jobs, Veteran | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on JOBS: VETERANS GREEN CORPS

DISCREPANCIES IN COMPENSATION FOR THOSE SERVING OUR COUNTRY

A friend of mine sent this to me.  I just had to share…

Love him or loathe him, he nailed this one right on the head……….

By Rush Limbaugh:

I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you just don’t criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I can’t let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you’re going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of

$250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million.
If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action,
the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.

Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get
$833 a month until you remarry. And there’s a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a
screeching halt.

Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it’s not enough? Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.?
Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the dangers. (Actually, soldiers are put in harms way by politicians and commanding officers.)

We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11 families are getting. In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.

You see where this is going, don’t you? Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It’s just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low-rent housing.  Make sense?

However, our own US Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don’t know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn’t have to pay into the system. If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed them in harm’s way receives a pension of $15,000 per month.
I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.

“When do we finally do something about this?” If this doesn’t seem fair to you, it is time to forward this to as many people as you can.

Posted in Veterans issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on DISCREPANCIES IN COMPENSATION FOR THOSE SERVING OUR COUNTRY

VET FRIENDLY COLLEGES: CHECK OUT FORT LEWIS COLLEGE, DURANGO, CO.

If you’re looking for a great school to go to you’ve got to check out Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.  Located in the impressive snow capped mountains of Southern Colorado near the Four Corners area of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado this school should be on your “must check out” list.

What’s really impressive is that this school is serious about meeting the needs of veterans. I’ve been there and witnessed first hand what they are doing, consulted with their administration and support staff and came away impressed with how serious they are about understanding veterans needs and putting together a task force to determine if and how they can make the appropriate accommodations to their programs.  Here’s some “must see” information:

NOTE: If you are an enrolled member of a Federally recognized Native American Tribe you can attend Fort Lewis College tuition free in addition to your GI Bill benefits.
Posted in Colleges, Veteran Friendly Colleges, Veteran Friendly Schools | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on VET FRIENDLY COLLEGES: CHECK OUT FORT LEWIS COLLEGE, DURANGO, CO.

How to screen for Veteran Friendly Colleges

I’ve been consulting with colleges lately on how to update their programs to be more veteran friendly.

Ultimately where to go to school comes down to the schools proximity to your home and family, your career objectives and individual needs. Also, what is “Veteran Friendly” to you may not the same for one of your buddies.

As you consider your college plans you might find it helpful to review the information below I’ve developed with some of my veterans issues advisers who went to school on the GI Bill themselves and are constantly staying on top of what programs work best for our returning troops.

To help you evaluate your educational choices we’ve put together a check list of some of the important criteria important to veterans today based upon current research. Click on the link below and print out a check list to use to evaluate each college or trade school you are considering.

“Veteran Friendly” College Evaluation Check List

Posted in Screening colleges, Veteran Friendly Schools | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on How to screen for Veteran Friendly Colleges