Category: New Book Discussion

I will discussing the book, Close Enounters of the Heavenly Kind: Through Bumper Stickers. I will shae my feeling on why it got started, and my feelings as I wrote it.

Posted on

Drill Sergeants During Basic Training Can be Very Tough

+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 about it.

___________________________________

Military news…

Troops in Canada were going to fire artillery on July 21, 2018. But then they got high.

A Canadian soldier allegedly spiked cupcakes for a group of artillery students with weed, then handed them out before live-fire training. The training was cancelled, as the students “were allegedly unable to properly execute safe weapons and explosive handling drills,” according to court documents.

____________

A Coast Guardsman totally Hulked out when he helped flip over a burning car to save the people inside shortly after the car crashed in California last July, writes James Clark in this story about real-life superhero Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Gerrod Britton. Shortly after seeing a car lose control and crash on Highway 101, Britton quickly pulled over, worked with a bystander to flip the car off its roof and onto its side, then pull out the people inside “mere seconds before the car was fully engulfed in flames,” according to his award citation.

_______________

“While we have many enemies of this country today who want to see us fall, there’s no greater enemy in my opinion than ourselves,” said America’s newest Medal of Honor recipient, retired Army Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., in a press call with reporters last week. As reported by yours truly in this story, Puckett called for unity in the face of tribalism and selfish Congressmen who put self-interest over their oaths, the Army Ranger said. Those are bold statements from a living Ranger legend whose Medal of Honor recognizes his efforts during a desperate battle against overwhelming enemy forces during the Korean War.

_______________

26,000 troops and half a billion dollars later, the last National Guardsmen have finally left Washington D.C. The final curtain has ended on a mission that began five months ago in response to the Jan. 6 riots on the U.S. Capitol. Before the riot, only 340 unarmed National Guardsmen were deployed to D.C. to help local police with crowd and traffic control ahead of the inauguration of President Joe Biden. But that number grew to 26,000 by Jan. 20 after the riots and dwindled down to 1,600 by Monday, and zero by Wednesday.

_______________

“90% boredom, 10% terror” is how one Air Force navigator describes the essential mission of hurricane hunting. We spoke with Lt. Col. Mark Withee about what it’s like to fly deep into a raging force of nature to collect data and help scientists better predict where a storm will make landfall. A lot of storms are like a long carwash, Withee said, but some make the airplane drop 200 feet in the blink of an eye and make newbies onboard start grabbing for the cargo net just to hang out.

________________

“It’s not going to change anything,” a soldier and sexual assault survivor Haley Britzky, talked about the Army’s latest efforts to investigate problems in its sexual assault and harassment prevention program. The problems result in mismanaged cases of assault, failure to follow Army regulations, and, in some instances, reports of retaliation again victims. But the leaders in charge of the units that fail to adhere to SHARP guidelines seem to receive only slaps on the wrist in terms of consequences.

________________

A Marine sergeant in the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion will go to court-martial this summer on charges he dumped several stolen grenades and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition into a California ravine. The news of Sgt. Gunnar Naughton’s charges comes as at least five other recon Marines are being investigated for stealing explosives and ammunition from a base after one allegedly tried to sell ammo online.

__________________________________

I had a drill sergeant in basic that was tough as nails. He expected obedience and perfection out of his troops.

I seemed to be one of his main targets. I never did anything wrong, but he got in my face many times in front of the other men. I just yelled, “Yes Sergeant!!”

This went on for most of the basic training. With a couple of weeks to go, he did one final “punishment” for me. He called me outside and had me dig a big hole. He handed me some already smoked cigarettes and said, “Bury them!” I buried them and then he said, “Dig them up again!” I did and he dismissed me.

That was the last thing he did to me. The first of the next week he had me come to his room in the barracks, and said, “I have been pouring on the screaming and yelling on you from day one, and you withstood it all. You obeyed everything I threw at you. Even the excessive KP appointments. You never wavered.”

I felt good about that and then he said, “I am putting your name in for soldier of the month. I also am inviting you to be an honor guard in the upcoming parade.”

I couldn’t help but ask him why he was doing this now. He said, “You turned out to be the most obedient soldier I have ever had. You deserved some pats on the back.”

+This story and many others are in my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of Life.

Keep checking back for more excerpts and how the book is coming along. Better yet, subscribe to this site by going up to the subscribe button and join more than 12,035 fellow veterans.

When you do that all future posts will go directly to your inbox.

____________________________________
How did your basic training go? Good memories, or not so good?

FEAR NOT!!

There are thousands of fellow veterans on this site who have your back.

But! If the going is just to rough for you right now, GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7.

There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will not hang up and until the know you are OK.

Never face the dark side alone!

I 800-273-8255 Option # 1

__________________________________

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 about it.

Posted on

It is Not Good When People Take Advantage of You While 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 about it.

___________________________________

Military news…

Just rename the Confederate bases already

It’s well within the Pentagon’s power to re-name bases, ships, buildings and other assets dedicated to the former Confederate States of America, but nobody seems in a hurry to get it done. In fact, Congress has put an independent naming commission in charge of the process, which is usually Capitol Hill-ese for “let’s take our sweet-ass time.”

_____


“The farther I get from those days, the heavier my guilt,” writes Marine veteran Russell Hellyer in this story, which originally appeared in The War Horse, about his deployment to Afghanistan. Russell describes how his view of the Afghan people changed over the years. As a bitter grunt in a war nobody seemed to understand, he had little empathy for them. But now, years later, he writes sharply that “we were never committed to anything but sticking around, and the results for the people of Afghanistan show it.”
_____________
Two sailors die after Navy plane crashes in Alabama

“The aircrew did not survive the crash,” wrote U.S. Naval Air Forces. “We are not aware of any civilian casualties.”

______________

Marine commandant to leaders: Quit the ‘soft relief’ of fired officers
In a letter sent earlier this month to a wide swath of the Marine officer corps, commandant Gen. David Berger reminded everyone from general to lieutenant that they needed to hold Marines accountable with a paper trail.
____________
Exoskeletons and the future of military body armor

What if soldiers in the future could carry 300 lbs of body armor and heavy weapons with ease? With the development of new exoskeleton suits, the burden of heavy body armor may become an issue of the past.

____________

Serious injuries’ reported in explosion at Connecticut VA hospital
An explosion at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Connecticut has left several people with “serious injuries,” the Associated Press reports.
____________
Enlisted sailors on Navy warships are at higher risk of COVID-19 than officers, study finds

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are more likely to spread among enlisted crew members on Navy ships, a new study released this week found, due to the sailors’ tight living and workspaces.

_____________

French military kills senior Al Qaeda leader in Mali
French forces have killed Bah ag Moussa, a military leader of al Qaeda’s North Africa wing, during an operation in northeastern Mali, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said on Friday.
___________________________________

I just got home from an appointment with my hearing aid doctor. I asked her if she would write a letter to the VA for my hearing loss. She said I needed to go through the proper channels before she would do that. I have already done that, but I will try again.

I have been battling the VA for years on my hearing loss that happen while I was in Korea.

I will NOT give up and neither should of any of you who have physical problems that you got while in the military.
___________________________________

Several posts back I talked about being greeted by two guys on my first day at Camp Red Cloud, South Korea. Those guys became my best buddies. One reason was that hey were very muscular and big. I needed my body guards. 🙂

A week later they invited me to go with them to the Camp bar. I glady went because I liked them so much. When we got there we had a couple of beers, and then one of them went to the bartender and ordered another kind a drink. He brought three of them to the table.

They were tall glasses and were full of gray and other colors. The one who bought the drinks said we should go for it and have a sip. I took that sip and my head almost exploded. I choughed. The guys laughed.

The the one who bought the drinks said let’s have a drinking contest. I was an 18 year old kid who was very naive. I went for it. I took another big gulp and I was spinning after only two drinks.

We continued and had the third gulp. That is the last thing I remember. I was in a black out mode, and I didn’t even know what that was.

I woke up the next morning by the wheel by a 2 1/2 ton truck. I was dry heaving.

I found out later that what we was drinking was Zombies!

I got very upset with the guys for taking advantage of me, and they were sorry.
_________________________________

+This story and many more are in my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the MIlitary: In an Out of the Trenches of Life.

Check Back often to see other stories and update on the progress of the book. Better yet, sign up to subscribe by clicking on the subscribe button at the top of this page. When you do you will get all future post directly in you inbox.
__________________________________

Have you ever been taken advantage of while in the military? Does it still haunt you today?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 12,025 fellow veterans subscribed to this site. They all have your back.

However, if what you are going through is overwhelming, GET HELP!

There is a toll free number you can call 24/7.

There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will not hang up until they know you are ok.

Never take on the not so friendly world alone.

I-800-273-8255 Option # 1
__________________________________
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 about it.

Posted on

There Were Some in the Military Who Weren’t Thinking Too Clearly

+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 about it.

__________________________________

+ I am excited to announce that we just past 12,000 subscribers. Not many sites can’t say that. I am proud to be here with you.

___________________________________

Military news….

“He was my pilot, as much as any of my American students had been,” writes Navy helicopter pilot Jack McCain in a heartfelt story about his deployment training Afghan pilots in 2018. McCain learned to speak Dari for the deployment, and in so doing he learned to connect with his students as human beings in a way which many Americans still cannot, even after two decades of shared conflict.

Don’t challenge someone to a push-up contest if you can’t do push-ups is a lesson retired Army Lt. Col. Allen West taught by example last week, Paul Szoldra reports. The head of the Texas Republican Party, West challenged a reporter who showed up late to a press conference to a push-up contest. When the reporter declined, the 60-year-old West went ahead solo. The thing is, none of his push-ups would pass muster in the Army, according to service members far and wide who commented on footage of the one-man contest that appeared on social media.

Even badass combat pilots have stuffed animals, Here is the story of the plushy lucky charms that many pilots take with them over airshows and combat zones far and wide. Many of those charms start out as a gift given by the pilot’s son or daughter, but over time they take on extra significance as a guardian angel, or even as a third co-pilot. They are not as expensive as an extra fuel tank or enhanced night vision goggles, but for many pilots the keepsakes are just as vital. Plus, they’re cute as heck.

IA congressman wants to “fire the generals” after an investigation revealed that safety and maintenance lapses led to a fatal training accident last summer. Eight Marines and one sailor died in the accident when the amphibious assault vehicle they were riding in sunk off the coast of California. The Marines were not trained in escaping a submerged vehicle; the crew had no time to do proper maintenance beforehand; and no safety boats were nearby to help. But the generals in charge have not been punished.
___________________________________
I noticed that there was no shortness of people being stupid in the military.

While in Korea, I saw some GI’s doing things that could not only hurt them, but embarrass them.

The first one was actually funny. I was walking back to my quinsite hut. I passed a Camp bar on my way.

I saw a very drunk man stagger out of the bar. He unzipped his pants and proceeded to take a leak.

In an instant he realized that that was a wrong idea, when his urine froze before it hit the ground. He zipped up his pants and rushed back in. Korea wasn’t called, “The land of the frozen chosen” for nothing.

Another time I was walking by the same bar. Four guys came out and were as drunk as skunks.

Three of them were egging the fourth guy to touch a mental flagpole with his tongue. He refused at first, but the guys kept yelling at him to do it.

He finally touched the icy pole with his tongue. Big mistake! When he tried to pull away he couldn’t. His tongue was frozen to the pole.

He started screaming in pain. There was nothing the other guys could do but stand there shocked.

They called the medics. When the medics got there they sorta laughed at first until they saw the the guy was in real trouble.

The medics did something with water and they guy was able to get his tongue loose. He was still screaming in pain.

They hauled him off to the base hospital. I heard later that the doctors told the guy his tongue would be really swollen for several days. He had to sip his meals.
___________________________________
Both of these stories will be in my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

Keep checking in to see the progress. Better yet, subscribe right now by going up to the subscribe button at the top of this page. When you do this all future posts will go directly to your inbox.
_______________________________

Have you had any embarrassing moments? Many have.

Fear not!

There are now over 12,000 fellow veterans here who have your back.

However, if your embarrassments were too much, GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number you can call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will not hang up until they know you are OK.

Never let any embarrassing moments get you down.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1
_________________________________
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 about it.