Category: Signs of Hope

Posted on

Drugs and alcohol Pull Down Many Military While Serving Their Country

+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…

The German military has to deal with a very German problem: What to do with 65,000 cans of beer at its base in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan? In this amazing story about our NATO ally, about the enormous quantity of alcohol that Germany wants to withdraw from the country before the scheduled departure date for coalition troops on September 11. There would be much less around if only American troops could help um, get rid of the booze.

____________________

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has a baller home worth nearly $3 million

Did you know that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has a baller home worth nearly $3 million? The military takes us on a grand tour of the retired Army general’s 7-bedroom 7-bathroom, 5-car garage home, with heated floors in the master bath.

____________________

Yes, the Marines have to learn the correct way to open and close doors. That is, if you are a Marine sentry guarding the White House, where opening doors is one of many duties they must execute with robot-like precision. In this story, James Clark takes us behind the scenes of what it’s like to prepare for the most public parade ground on the planet, where even opening a door has to be done with style.

__________________________________

I remember when I was a recruit. That was 65 years ago. I was only 18 and super naive.

The military made me into a man. I learned discipline. I learned honor and country. I learned that there are brothers to protect as they protect me.

I learned some things the hard way.

I had never left my home state of oregon. When I was deployed to South Korea, I was pretty much in shock.

Total different culture. Totally different the way the people looked.

One thing I learned quickly is to question people before you move forward. I had one incident that had me grow up overnight.

I came into Camp Red Cloud in South Korea, and was lost, of course. They directed me to my quinsite hut, and I started to unpack.

About half way through two guys came in looking like players for the 49er’s.

I was guessing this was a hazing. I was very wrong. These two guys came up and shock my hand to welcome me to Camp Red Cloud. They were very friendly and polite.

The next night, they invited me to go with them to the Camp bar. I thought it was a good idea to say yes, so I could be a part of the group.

We got to the bar, and they bought me a couple of beers. Then oneof them went up to the bar and ordered three drinks. He brought them to our table and said, “Drink up!”

I had no idea what kind of drink it was. I was gray and ugly.

I had a sip, and my head exploded. The other guys laughed, and challenged me to keep drinking with them. Again, wanting to be accepted I took a couple more sips.

After the fourth gulp, I went into a blackout. I never remembered the rest of the evening.

I woke up the next morning lying next to the tire of a deuce and a half truck, doing the dry heaves.

Welcome to camp!!

This is another story from my upcoming book. Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

Keep checking back to see more stories and reports about the progress of the book.

By subscribing to this site, you do not have to keep coming back. All my posts will go directly to your inbox. Just click on Subscribe at the top of this page.

___________________________________

How is your world spinning? Out of Control? Did you have times when you battled the drinking and drugs that were so available?

You certainly are not alone. Alcohol and drugs were to plentiful in the military.

FEAR NOT!!

There are over 12,100 fellow veterans subscribed to this site, and they all have you back.

However, if you are in a dark world and struggling mightily 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 until they know you are OK.

Fight back against drugs and alcohol!

I-800-273-8255 Option # 1 For 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 about 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

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.