Showing posts with label Guest Blogger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guest Blogger. Show all posts

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Pitchfork Brigade; Pitch in to help a Veteran who’s rights have been trampled

I'm reposting a post that was written on another Blog. This is a story which I'm very passionate about, as the Soldier who's rights are being trampled on at all levels is a very close friend of mine. Unfortunately due to these events, his blog, which has been one of the top Military Blogs for quite some time, has been shut down. Please read the below article and do whatever you can to help. H/T Troy at Bouhammer http://www.bouhammer.com/





**11/13/09 UPDATE, if you want to hear a lot more of the story and from Emily directly listen to her interview with Dale Jackson from this morning,
http://thedalejacksonshow.podomatic.com/player/web/2009-11-13T06_20_36-08_00**
My good friend CJ has not asked me to post this or do anything specific. I asked his permission to blog about his case and he said that was ok. He has no idea how this post looks. If you don’t know, CJ is a fellow Sr. NCO, co-host on You Served Radio, milblogger and very close friend of mine. The guy is more patriotic and dedicated to not only this country, but also the Army than I think most people will ever know. His wife Emily is a sweetheart and would not hurt a fly unless you try to hurt her family.

If you don’t know the story of what has happened to CJ’s family as he tried to stand up and exercise the rights that he has fought so hard for, then you need to educate yourself first. I encourage you to listen to Emily on Greta Perry’s radio show here, http://www.webwiseforradio.com/site_files/244/File/KMG_110709.mp3. Also watch this broadcast from a local TV station in the Huntsville area, http://www.soldiersperspective.us/2009/11/06/waay-31-covers-williams-middle-school-incompetence/. Read a very good breakdown of everything here and watch the video of the meeting here, http://www.soldiersperspective.us/2009/11/03/picking-up-the-pieces/. Then go here and read this, http://www.soldiersperspective.us/2009/11/07/cjs-speech-to-the-board/.

After watching and reading all of that I am sure you will agree with me that there has been a terrible injustice done to CJ, Emily and their kids. Even though I could say what I wanted in my blog as a National Guardsmen as long as I was not on duty, I can really say whatever I want now that I am retired. So here goes; the Garrison CSM is a complete tool. He is what is despicable in the Army today. He is the example of what gives Sergeant Majors a bad name and reputation. Leaders that have forgotten what it is like to take care of soldiers. When the Principal and PTA president called the military base to complain about CJ and make up slanderous allegations that CJ threatened them and made them scared (keep in mind that I am pretty sure both of these people are ex-army) the military should have responded with “This is a private matter between a parent in your school and you, this is not a military matter”. That should have been it. There was nothing else for the Army to do. As long as CJ did not show up in uniform or use his military status in some way during his conversations or interactions with the school principal or PTA, then it is NOT AN ARMY PROBLEM!!! PLAIN and SIMPLE. But becuase the leadership of the base caved in and acted with cowardice becuase some “civilians” complained, the Principal and PTA President know they have CJ by the marbles. All they have to do is call up the military, make fake allegations and they see the outcome…CJ being called on the carpet, having his career put in jepordy and facing a lot of stress in his family.

How is it that a Army Major can make treasonous remarks and still hold his job and then go and murder 13 people, but CJ tries to exercise his rights of free speech and then gets his life turned upside down? What the hell is this about? How can this happen? There are lots of unfair things in life, and I usually mark those as “that is life”. Not everyone can get a trophy, not everyone can get all the breaks. But what is happening to CJ, Emily and their kids is criminal. An Army that CJ has fought for, supported and evangalized for, has turned their back on him. It was stuff like this that the American people never see. Not everyone in the Army is a “hero” or worthy of praise. Some are complete tools that don’t deserve to wear the uniform, like the Post Command Sergeant Major, Ricky Cooper. If you can’t support your soldiers that report to you, then it is time to leave and quit taking up space. The Garrison Commander, COL Pastorelli started out supporting CJ, but he has caved under the pressure of CSM Cooper and the civilians.

Don’t get me wrong this is not all on the Army, as they had nothing to do with the start of this and have no control over civilians making unfounded allegations. There are others who can be asked, written to, called and pestered to look into this situation and possibly have the authority to step in.

Who are they you ask? Well let me tell you. Rather than have people searching all over the web, here is some contact info for anyone that wants to step up and ask the hard questions that others are failing to. In all my years in the Army, I can tell you that if there is one thing that Army leaders are afraid of, it is a congressional inquiry. I have seen the impossible happen when a elected representative starts asking questions of the military.

The State of Alabama Board of Education
President- Governor Bob Riley
State Capitol
Room N-104
600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130
Phone: (334) 242-7100
Fax: (334) 242-0937
Contact Form- http://www.governor.state.al.us/contact/contact_form.aspx

Secretary and Executive Officer- Joseph B. Morton
State Dept. of Education
5114 Gordon Persons Bldg.
Montgomery, AL 36130
Phone: (334) 242-9700
Fax: (334) 242-9708
jmorton@alsde.edu

District 8 Representative and President Pro Tem- Dr Mary Jane Caylor
PO Box 18903
Huntsville, AL 35804
Phone: (256) 489-0541
Fax: (256) 489-0552
caylor@hiwaay.net
State of Alabama PTA
President- Pam Berry
PamBerryD4@aol.com
Phone: 334-546-6667

Alabama Parent Teacher Association
470 South Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36104-4330
Phone: (334) 834-2501 or toll free (800) 328-1897
Fax: (334) 834-2504
Executive Director Cell: (334) 549-0140
Email: al_office@pta.org
Website: www.alabamapta.org

Alabama State Senators
Jeff Sessions
Contact Form- http://sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ConstituentServices.ContactMe

Richard Shelby
Contact Form- http://shelby.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorShelby.EmailSenatorShelby

Congressional Representative
Parker Griffith
Contact Form- http://griffith.house.gov/?sectionid=7§iontree=4,7

Redstone Arsenal Leadership
COL Robert Pastorelli
Email: IMCOM-GC-Redstone@conus.army.mil

Last but not least, I encourage you to check out http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=157465044584&topic=10593 and read the letter from Jennifer Dombrowski-Scott who is the VP of membership for the PTA at Williams Elementary School. As you read it and then read the responses by CJ, Emily and several other parents I think you can get a good appreciation of the obviously confused and mentally challenged people that sit on the PTA of that school. This lady talks about everything from quoting scripture to how American soldiers rape and abuse enemy prisoners. Somehow that is all related to wearing uniforms in schools and a parent trying to get the chance to speak on the issue. I think once you read the letter it is obvious what caliber of people CJ has been dealing with on this PTA.
Thank you for taking the time to read all of this and I thank you ahead of time for any correspondence you have with those listed above or for spreading the word to anyone you can.

Friday, November 13, 2009

13 Counts Of Premeditated Murder Filed Against Hasan

On Thursday, it was announced that the Army has formally filed 13 counts of premeditated murder against Major Nidal Hasan. The charges were read to Hasan in his hospital room at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. His civilian attorney, John Galligan apparently wasn't present and was upset that he wasn't there when the charges were read to Hasan. At this time, an Army CID spokesman said that they were still determining whether he would be charged with an additional count of murder in the death of the unborn child who died as a result. Additional charges are still possible. In my opinion, he should also be charged with, at the minimum Aggravated Assault for the injuries of each person who survived the attack on November 5th. I would hope however that the Army will charge him with attempted Murder for each of the victims, because that was his goal, to murder as many of his fellow Soldiers as he possibly could. (http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/11/ap_army_hasan_murder_charges_111209/)

The distinction of premeditation in the charges is a very important one. That means that Hasan willfully and methodically planned what he was going to do, how he was going to do it and carried those plans out. The definition of premeditation, completely fits these horrific crimes. Premeditation is defined as:
1. The act of speculating, arranging, or plotting in advance.
2. Law The contemplation of a crime well enough in advance to show deliberate intent to commit the crime; forethought. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/premeditation) All the information that has been released to the public definitely shows that Hasan’s rampage completely fits this definition. If found guilty of the charges, Hasan could face the death penalty. He deserves no less than the death penalty.

President Obama has apparently ordered a complete review of any intelligence that agencies have gathered in relation to Hasan. As we know, there have been reports that the FBI and other intelligence agencies have been watching Hasan for quite some time, due to some postings made by him or someone using his name, at various radical muslim websites. There have been conflicting reports about this. Some stating that the FBI and Homeland Security were indeed watching Hasan, while others have claimed that Intelligence Agencies have denied this. Hopefully any review and investigation will uncover the truth. If it shows that these agencies were indeed watching Hasas, then they have a whole lot of questions to answer, in light of his actions of November 5th. There is also information that has been released, showing that he worshiped at the same Mosque that 2 of the 9/11 terrorists worshipped at and questions on whether he had any dealing with them. Information as well as surfaced that he may have been attempting to get in contact with a radical Muslim cleric, who encouraged Muslims to kill US Troops. Had they alerted Army officials, perhaps the tragedy at Fort Hood would not have occurred.

Officials in the Army, also have a lot of questions to answer. This monster spent several years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. His performance there was far from stellar. Doctors and staff there report him at times as being belligerent, defensive and argumentative, especially when it came to discussing his Muslim faith. He was reprimanded on at least one occasion for the way that he interacted with patients and placed under closer supervision. He was considered a mediocre student and a lazy worker at Walter Reed as well as the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Despite those documented problems, he was transferred to Fort Hood, where his superiors felt that because of the size of Fort Hood, if he continued to perform poorly, other doctors could handle the workload and his superiors could document any continued behavior problems. (http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/11/ap_army_hasan_murder_charges_111209/)

That angers me on so many levels. First and foremost, while Fort Hood is the largest military installation, and thus has many more doctors in place than on smaller installations, it also means that there are also a larger number of patients for these doctors to see. Having personally dealt with the medical system at Fort Hood, I know firsthand that the doctors there are stretched to the limit as it is, with their own patients, without having to cover the workload of another doctor who doesn’t do their job. Besides the fact that these patients deserve the very best care that can be provided, instead of care from a doctor who has already been classified as someone who is lazy and mediocre. That’s not fair to the other doctors and certainly not fair to the patients that he would be seeing. In my opinion, the officials at Walter Reed and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences dropped the ball big time and in typical fashion, passed the buck and sent him to Fort Hood, so that they didn’t have to deal with Hasan themselves. The officials who made that decision should be reprimanded for that decision, as they too are partly culpable for what has transpired. Had they chose to remove him from practice and from the Army, perhaps this tragedy could have been averted.

Now I’ll address the medias’ handling of this, from the start. It infuriates me, that immediately upon learning who the shooter was at Fort Hood, the media began to question whether he was suffering from PTSD. Upon learning that he never deployed, they immediately began suggesting that he was suffering from secondary PTSD. That’s probably the biggest load of crap that I’ve heard so far! How then, do they explain the countless doctors, nurses, paramedics, police officers, counselors, soldiers and others, who deal with human suffering every day in their jobs, that never commit these types of crimes. Heck, if that were the case, then I should be a prime candidate for secondary PTSD due to the nature of work that I’ve done my entire adult life. I’ve never even considered doing something like this, let alone carried it out, nor have the others who do this same kind of work, day in and day out. When I first heard that mentioned in the media, my immediate thought and something that I still believe, was that the media was rushing to provide Hasan’s attorney’s with something that they could use as a defense in this case. It’s almost as if the media is instead attempting to blame everyone BUT the evil, depraved individual who committed these atrocities. Enough is enough. Eyewitness accounts and evidence show that Hasan committed these crimes and he should PAY for his actions. Were it you or I, you can bet we’d be held accountable for our actions, as we should be.

This is a story that I will continue to follow very closely. This whole thing hit close to home. I lived and worked at Fort Hood for 3 years. I still consider Fort Hood home and the people there, I consider my family. I feel violated, helpless and I feel that the government, from the Intelligence agencies to the Army itself, let the entire Fort Hood community and the Army community as a whole down. They dropped the ball, big time and they too should answer for their part in this horrific tragedy, that perhaps they had the power to prevent.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Honoring The Men And Women Who Make Our Freedoms Possible: Veterans Day 2009




Today, November 11, 2009 is Veterans Day. For myself and many other Americans, Veterans Day this year is a rather poignant, coming on the wake of the horrific tragedy that occurred at Fort Hood last week. For myself though, that tragedy makes this day even more important. It makes me realize how quickly our lives can change and thus how important it is for me to ensure that every single Soldier and Veteran that I come into contact with, knows just how grateful I am for the sacrifices they have made for myself, my family, my community and my country. Were it not for these brave men and women, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the things in life that I do. I wouldn’t be able to choose my profession, I wouldn’t be able to write and speak what I feel, I wouldn’t be able to live where I choose and how I choose, and I wouldn’t be able to have the religious freedoms that I have. These brave men and women, many who’ve given their very lives, have made it possible for me and my fellow Americans to lives the lives that we choose. We owe them so much, and we owe it to them to show our appreciation for them, not only today, but each and every day.

Other people might not feel as strongly about Veterans Day as I do. It’s unfortunate and extremely sad, but our Soldiers and Veterans have made that possible for them. For many, it’s just another day that they have off work, a federal holiday. Many don’t often even stop to think why it is that they have that holiday or any holiday for that matter. They don’t think about the blood, sweat and tears of the thousands of Soldiers and Veterans that have paid the price for them to have that freedom. Most people probably couldn’t even tell you the history of Veterans Day. But, that’s okay, because I will.

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"
The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.
The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these words:

Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" which stated: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible."

On that same day, President Eisenhower sent a letter to the Honorable Harvey V. Higley, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs (VA), designating him as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee.

In 1958, the White House advised VA's General Counsel that the 1954 designation of the VA Administrator as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee applied to all subsequent VA Administrators. Since March 1989 when VA was elevated to a cabinet level department, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has served as the committee's chairman.

The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968, and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates.

The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.

Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. (http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp)


I urge everyone who reads this, to share the history of Veterans Day with everyone they come into contact with. I further urge everyone to take some time out of their day today, to thank a Veteran or a currently serving Soldier. Go up to them, shake their hand and say “Thank you for my freedom, thank you for your service.”

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Wrapping My Mind Around The Murders At Fort Hood

Fort Hood, Texas, the largest military installation in the world, a place that will always hold fond memories for me. It’s a place that I called home for almost 4 years and a place that’s in mourning. Part of my family is at Fort Hood, not a family related through blood, but my family none the less, because the friends that I made there, are and always will be family to me. Fort Hood will always be my home. Thanks Flag Gazer for posting the pictures you did of Fort Hood. They bring back so many fond memories.

Right now, I feel so helpless, I feel like I let my family at Fort Hood down, because I wasn’t there with them when this tragedy occurred. I wasn’t there to offer my comfort and support to them, though I was able to do so, via phone calls, emails and text messages. Yet I still feel guilty, because I wasn’t there. I feel that I could have assisted with the wounded, due to my training as a Paramedic. But I wasn’t there. So, I’ll do what I can from here in Kansas. I’m already working on getting people together here to do what we can to help. I still feel though that somehow that’s not enough.

Why did this horrible tragedy happen there at Fort Hood on Thursday November 5, 2009? That’s a question we may never have all the answers to. But I do know that if anyone will find out the answer to that question, it will be Army CID at Fort Hood and the FBI professionals who are currently working this case. I know that the Army and the US Government have the best of the best there, trying to piece this all together. The very best that the Army has to offer is right there at Fort Hood working as CID agents. I know this, because in my job as Victim Advocate at Fort Hood, I was privileged to be able to work very closely with CID on many of my cases. They do their job and they do it well. They do not rush through a crime scene haphazardly and do their jobs half assed. Instead, they take their time, putting all the pieces together and building their case, so that it’s a solid one that will stand up in court. They will work themselves to the point of sheer exhaustion when they’re working a case. I’ve seen them do it many times. I expect no less of them in this case. They’re true professionals in every sense of the word. They hate when a fellow Soldier does something that soils the name of their beloved Army and they do everything in their power to ensure that criminals in the Army find out that crime does not pay on Fort Hood.

There were so many Heroic actions that day. Most have not even came to light yet and some might never be known to us. Police Officer Kimberly Munley for instance. The police officer who risked her life to put an end to Hasan’s rampage. In putting an end to his murderous rampage, she herself was shot. She is a true Hero, and like most Hero’s she’ll be the first to say that she was only doing what she was trained to do. It’s been reported that as the events unfolded, Soldiers were seeing ripping off parts of their clothing to use as bandages for the wounded. Footage has shown many of them assisting emergency workers in carrying wounded to waiting ambulances and vehicles. We’ve heard of the young female Soldier who ripped off parts of her top to form tourniquet for a fellow wounded Soldier, despite the fact that she was wounded herself. Or the young Soldier who was in his pickup in the parking lot nearby when he the commotion. He responded, saying people who were wounded and shouted for them to jump in his pickup. He then sped 5 of the wounded to the hospital there on post. He says he’s not a Hero, he was doing his jobIt’s likely we’ll hear more and more stories like this as the days go by. There is no doubt in my mind that there were many equally heroic actions that happened that day. Each of our Soldiers are Heroes in my eyes. None ever thought that they’d have to perform such actions at home, a place where they are supposed to be safe and free from harm. But somehow, the unthinkable happened at Fort Hood on Thursday. Something that will likely live in the minds of Americans for many years to come.

That brings us to the cowardly, crazed lunatic who committed these murders. We may never know his true intentions or motives behind his horrific actions. He may never speak or tell authorities his motive behind this senseless atrocity. Often people like him don't. Some people claim this was a terrorist act. I’ll reserve judgment on that at the moment, as all of the facts are not in and many of the things being said in the media have not been verified by Law Enforcement officials at the moment. A few facts about him have surfaced and I’m sure many more will as the investigation continues. What we do know is that Nidal Malik Hasasn was a Major in the US Army and was at Fort Hood serving as a Psychiatrist, someone who was there to help Soldiers who were dealing with issues from the wars and other problems. We know that he was facing an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan and he was not happy about this. He reportedly didn’t agree with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We know that he was of Palestinian descent, both of his parents having immigrated to the United States. We know that prior to coming to Fort Hood, Hasan served at Walter Reed Army Medical center and that he apparently had some discipline problems while he was there. We’re hearing conflicting stories about this man. Some are already trying to say he was suffering from secondary PTSD. To that supposition I say, Bull Shit. I’ve worked in Law Enforcement, EMS, as a counselor and as a Victim Advocate over the course of my adult life. I’ve heard and seen many horrific things, yet I’ve not snapped. Nor have countless other professionals in these fields. Claiming secondary PTSD is just providing this cowardly, evil, crazy man with an alibi and that pisses me off. That’s an excuse that I won’t buy, ever! Let’s call it was it is: a coward who didn’t want to deploy and so he figured that” suicide by cop” would be the best way out. His actions leading up to this event point to that. It’s common for those who commit suicide, to act fairly calm and rational in the days and moments leading up to taking their lives. He followed the typical pattern that is often seen. They begin to say their good byes to family and friends, which Hasan reportedly did. They begin giving away their belongings, as Hasas reportedly did. I don’t think he felt he would survive what he planned on doing. I’m sure he felt that he would be shot and killed at the hands of one of Fort Hood’s fine police officers. He was shot alright, but he remains alive to answer to his crimes. It’s my hope that he’s given the death penalty, he deserves no less.

Did the Army drop the ball when it came to Hasan? Probably so, but we probably will never know all the details about their decision to send him to Fort Hood and allow him to continue serving in the Army, to give him a second chance. I’m sure, knowing the shortage of Mental Health Professionals in the military at this time, that this had a lot to do with their decision to give him a second change. I also know that this happens a lot with problem Soldiers. I’ve seen it in my job, where a problem Soldier will be transferred to another unit, for a second chance. I can think of a case where this happened and like Hasan the Soldier continued to commit horrible acts, before he was eventually discharged. Perhaps the Army needs to take another look at that, in light of what has happened.

I don’t like what I’m seeing in the media and in my fellow Americans at the moment. I’ve heard many people state that all people of Middle Eastern descent are Muslims and that they should be removed from the military. That angers me, because I know several Soldiers who are of Middle Eastern descent, where at least one of their parents are from a Middle Eastern country. I’ve seen them honorably serve in the Army and know personally that they are not Muslim and abhor what has happened. I’ve heard comments made that all people of Middle Eastern descent should be rounded up and imprisoned. That frightens me for this country. Mass hysteria is at a peak. Are we going to begin acting like the radical Muslims act, hating those who are not like us? I certainly hope not. Are we going to begin ostracizing people based on their heritage? I hope not, because Hasan does not define every person of Middle Eastern descent, nor does he define every Muslim. We have to be careful about how we react to this, so that more senseless tragedies don’t occur. We’ve had enough senseless tragedy and I pray we won’t have more.

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Tragedy At Fort Hood Leaves 12 Dead, 31 Wounded



Right now I'm numb. Until recently, Fort Hood had been my home for the past 4 years. I have friends and former co-workers there, who are my family and it angers and saddens me that this has happened. I worked there as a Victim Advocate for 3 years and am very familiar with where this senseless tragedy took place. Right now, details are very sketchy about what took place, the motive behind shootings and even how many gunmen were involved. Instead of speculating and perhaps stating something false, I won't go into details until I am able to get better information. There has been more than enough speculation and twisting of facts online and in the media. I won't add to that. What I do know, is that one shooter has been identified as 39 year old Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who is a psychiatrist and a soldier and had recently moved to Fort Hood, after serving several years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He was shot and wounded and is currently in stable condition and under heavy guard by Army CID agents.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Using Art As An Esacpe From Harsh Realities Of War

There’s no doubt about it, war is hell. Our Troops have been fighting long and hard for 8 years in two different war zones. Most of them have deployed multiple times. During those deployments, they’ve lost friends and fellow Soldiers, but they had to continue with their mission, even when they felt like they couldn’t go on any longer. They go for hours, often days in high stress situations, with little relief. They’re far away from their families, friends and loved ones for a year or longer, with only one short break of 2 weeks during that time. Many are very young, perhaps this is their first time away from home and they’re thrown into a situation unlike anything they’d ever imagined. They’re constantly in a heightened state of alert, as they never know what the next moment is going to bring. It’s no wonder that so many are returning home suffering from PTSD and other stressors of their experience. Some Soldiers have discovered ways to help relieve the stressors of the war zone and, if only for an instant or two, escape the harsh realities of what they’re dealing with. Having worked in a therapeutic setting where people were often dealing with so much stress, that they found it difficult to verbally express what was going on with them, I've used creative processes to help these clients. It's amazing to see how easy it is for those who are struggling to express their thoughts and feelings by utilizing some type of creative process, be that drawing, painting, poetry, writing stories, journaling or creating music.

The creative process has always been something that has a creative effect on people. That’s why it’s been used for years as a therapeutic tool for those recovering from illness. But even people who aren’t battling an illness or injury can benefit from the therapeutic values of the creative process. Those working with wounded warriors have utilized art as a way for the wounded warriors to express themselves, their fears, their anger and in the process help them to heal.

Soldiers in a deployed environment have been utilizing different forms of art as a way to escape the realities of war, if only for a few minutes. Doing so allows them to unwind, express themselves and escape the horrors that often go along with being in a war zone. That creative process takes many forms. Some may express themselves in music, others perhaps in drawing or painting, while others utilize their creative abilities to write on milblogs or to journal, or even perhaps in a wood shop, creating useful pieces of art. Whatever outlet they choose, there’s no doubt that the creative process provides them with an avenue to express their thoughts and feelings in a healthy way, while creating something beautiful in the process.

"It helps me cope with missing home," said Spc. Wilbur Deshields, an entry control point guard, with A Company, Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. "You can only go to the gym so many times. Drawing is my mental escape. It gives me a chance to be creative. There's no limit to what I can do with my imagination."

For Spc Deshields his art is a therapeutic outlet for him. It allows me to better deal with stress, frustration, grief and the many emotions our Troops have to deal with while they’re deployed. Deployments change a person, they see things that they would never see at home, experience things that they’ll never experience at home and do things that they’ll never have to do at home. That changes a person, often times profoundly. The creative process allows them to express the changes that are occurring within them in a way that is healthy for them. Deshields says he does his best work when he is stressed or angry. His work has helped not only himself deal with the traumas of war, but his fellow Soldiers as well.

"Sometimes, people ask me to draw a picture or an image for a tattoo. (ther times, I draw something to cheer people up, to make them laugh," he said.


Whatever method a person uses to express their creative self, in a deployed environment, it helps them to rewind, refocus and refresh themselves, which helps to prevent these stressors from affecting their mission readiness. It’s great that these Troops are allowed the time to express themselves in such a healthy and productive manner. It sure beats having them set and brood about what they’ve experienced until it becomes so unsettling to them that they explode due to the stressors they encounter there. Sometimes all it takes to get those stressors out is a catalyst, such as creating something.

This type of process, Art Therapy or whatever you wish to call it, is often used with our Wounded Warriors as part of the recovery process from their injuries. Besides physical injuries, many are also suffering from psychological injuries or PTSD. Often they don't think that people will understand them or what they've experienced, so they find it difficult to share their thoughts and feelings, instead keeping it bottled up inside. When they do that, they're a ticking time bomb, and by engaging them in the creative process, some of that stress can be alleviated, sometimes that's the catalyst they need to begin their journey on the road to recovery.

Allowing our deployed Soldiers the opportunity to work through some of the issues they're dealing with while deployed is a great idea and one that can only be beneficial to the Soldier, their fellow Soldiers and to the entire military. It might mean the difference between them returning home from deployment in a healthy state of mind or not. If you're involved with one of the many Troop Support organizations and are wondering about something you could send to a deployed Soldier, you might want to think about sending things that will allow them to utilize their creativeness and thus decrease the stressors they're dealing with. That's just a suggestion, but one I think that will be appreciated by the Soldiers you may be supporting.


Introducing Terri!

As my regular readers know, I don't blog as frequently as I used to.

My long-time blogging friend, Terri, is temporarily 'without blog' and I have invited her to blog here until her blog (A Soldier's Mind) is up again.

I think you will enjoy Terri's writing a lot - I certainly do.

I expect her first post in the next few days - hope you will all welcome her here!

Monday, September 24, 2007

ARMAD ~ Emery Goes to DC





On September 16, 2007 Emery McClendon, an Amateur Radio Operator from Fort Wayne, Indiana, traveled to Washington D.C at the invitation of "Families United For A Strong America" for a three night trip.

Families United is a grassroots coalition of Gold Star and Blue Star families, Veterans, and Americans who share a deep appreciation for our men and women in uniform and support them in their efforts to make America safer by allowing them to complete their mission.

Emery got involved with this group late in 2005 after they contacted him regarding Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day. Emery is the Founder of ARMAD, which was started in 2004 as a way to allow our communities to come out to public places to show verbal appreciation to our Troops, Veterans, Military Retired, and our First Responders.

The trip departed on Sunday morning with arrival at Reagan National Airport, and The Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City. On Monday morning there was a welcome breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel with distinguished guests. After the breakfast there was a private tour of the Pentagon, and I was able to also promote ARMAD and pass out information to the Pentagon staff for posting. After the tour we went to Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath ceremony with General Peter Pace, Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff.

On Tuesday morning our group was invited to breakfast at The White House with President and Mrs. Bush on the South Lawn. Also present was Vice President Chaney, Condolesa Rice, and others from the Administration.

During the White House visit I was able to speak with The President, and shake his hand. I also took a photograph with Mrs. Bush. I spoke with the White House Staff about ARMAD and was allowed to leave information about ARMAD. Several staffers express interest and praise for the project.

Following the White House visit I went to the Capital and spent almost two hours with my Congressman. He escorted me to the private section of the Galley and I was allowed to sit in the section reserved for the Speaker of the House family to observe the activities on the floor. After the trip to Capital Hill there was a huge press conference at Upper Senate Park, and a dinner at the Marine Corp Museum located at Quantico.

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My friend, Emery, is an amazing guy! You may remember him from this post.
I'm so glad he had such an exciting adventure. To see more of his pictures, visit here.
He does great work for the troops!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Not Even a Contest by Russ Vaughn




Not Even a Contest

I’m a soldier; haven’t been in uniform in forty years but the six years of active duty I did serve and the ensuing thirty-plus years I’ve spent working with the U.S. military, instilled in me certain qualities and beliefs that have grown and persisted within me all these decades and provide me with the basis for my stance on the war on terror. I may now be only an armchair warrior, but I’m still a soldier. As such, I understand the value of a rapid counterattack when your enemy has struck and badly hurt you. I say this as a brief, prefatory explanation of why I believe the Bush Administration has done the right thing in carrying the war on terror into the heart of terrorism itself. Yes, I know there are legions of liberals, so blinded by their certainty that the Supreme Court cheated Al Gore out of the presidency that they actually profess to believe that there were no ties between Al Qaeda and Iraq. To them I would say consider this: Syria had ties to Al Qaeda; Jordan had ties to Al Qaeda; Egypt had ties to Al Qaeda; Yemen had ties to Al Qaeda; Somalia had ties to Al Qaeda; Saudi Arabia had ties to Al Qaeda; the various Gulf monarchies had ties to Al Qaeda; Iran had ties to Al Qaeda; Pakistan had ties to Al Qaeda; Indonesia, the Philippines, North Korea and several of the former Soviet satellites under Muslim rule had ties to Al Qaeda.

But not Iraq.

That’s right, according to Democrat politicians and the liberal Left in America and Europe, only one country in the Middle East, Iraq, a country under the iron-fisted control of an absolute dictator who had reason to hate the American government far more bitterly than any of the leaders of the above nations, and yep, sitting smack dab in the middle of all these other terrorist harboring countries, only America-hating Iraq, was lily white clean according to liberal Democrats when it came to affiliation with Al Qaeda.

Excuse me folks, but Old Sarge’s bullshit detector is going off like a Geiger counter at ground zero in Chernobyl.

Now, of all the countries listed above, one of you Democrats, real quick, tell me which of them is absolutely known to have used weapons of mass destruction against a foreign enemy and dissident elements within its own borders. Hmmm, only one? Really? Only Iraq? Imagine that…chemical weapons used in conjunction with modern weapons delivery systems against Iranian forces and rebellious Kurds? Trust me folks, Old Sarge’s specialty in the Army was chemical, biological and radiological warfare and he knows quite well that the use of lethal, disabling and disfiguring gases in bombs, rockets and artillery warheads constitutes the use of weapons of mass destruction under the rules of land warfare. Never mind that Saddam Hussein blew the world a huge raspberry as he was gassing his enemies without and within. Nah…this guy didn’t have any weapons of mass destruction. Ask any Bush-hating Democrat.

So, contrary to all these liberals, whose only chance of seeing the light is when some proctologist’s probing proctoscope finally manages to locate their deeply-embedded eyes, this old grunt sees the value in hitting our enemies smack-dab in the middle of the threat; and that central target, folks, in this war on terror, just happened to be Iraq. And yes, Iraq has become a killing field, but far more so for radical Jihadists than for America and her allies. Potential bombers of Western cities flock like flies to the flypaper of a martyr’s death, not in New York or London, but on the killing field we have created for them. Remember one thing very well, Senators Reid, Durbin and Schumer: every single jihadist who dies in Iraq will never have the opportunity to die in one of our cities taking hundreds if not thousands of your potential voters with him.

And for all you armchair, liberal strategists who continue to throw up that canard that our military efforts should be entirely focused on capturing or killing the Al Qaeda leadership, Osama bin Laden and Zayman Al Zawahiri, in Afghanistan and Pakistan; may I inquire as to where you obtained your advanced degrees in military science? Madam Chair, would perhaps that have been at Berkeley’s famed War College? We know Congressman Murtha obtained his multiple military degrees from a rural Pennsylvania diploma mill, established and funded entirely by earmarks in federal legislation, but that’s a topic for another essay.

So, a simple question: did George Washington seek to capture King George? Did Abraham Lincoln focus all his military strategies on the capture or elimination of Jefferson Davis? In WWI, if we were hell-bent on capturing the Kaiser, why did we spend so many months in the hellish, intransigence of those trenches? Why on earth did MacArthur spend all that time and those American boys’ lives to move systematically up the Pacific archipelago in WWII if all we had to do was focus on capturing Emperor Hirohito? Would modern-day Democrat strategists label Eisenhower a fool and a loser for moving indirectly through Africa, Italy and the soft underbelly of Europe, Southern France, when all he had to do was attack Berlin directly and put Hitler in chains?

The truth is, all you Democrat military geniuses, is that none of those enemy leaders was captured until the fighting was over and the respective war was won; truth is, most of them never suffered any ill effects other than the ignominy of losing. Hell, if we did capture Osama, you liberal turkeys would be clamoring for the Bush administration to give him a fair and speedy trial, afforded all the rights of a U.S. citizen, and the ACLU would be appealing his conviction long beyond his natural death.

So what does this show America about its Democrat leadership? Well, it shows this old combat infantryman that you liberal wienies don’t know jack about fighting wars. It’s a far cry from forging voters’ registration certificates, stuffing ballot boxes and buying minority votes to standing solid under fire and defeating a lethal enemy on the battlefield. But since so very few of you have ever even worn the uniform, much less served in combat, you wouldn’t have any way of knowing that would you, ladies? I’ll make a wager right now: the average, enlisted, American military volunteer has more courage, integrity and patriotism than the U.S. congressman who supposedly represents him.

Hell, forget the bet; that’s not even a contest.

Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The Involunteers by Russ Vaughn


The Involunteers

One thing to me rings loud and clear
Through mainstream media sources:
Libs don’t understand, Volunteer,
When it comes to our fighting forces.
Their memories hark to former days,
Dubious deferments due to classes,
Craven cowering in cynical ways,
Just to cover their cowardly asses.

Pony-tailed pundits of treason foregoing,
Now scoff and condemn with derision,
Volunteer warriors, warned and knowing,
Who’ve made a fateful decision,
Foregoing the comforts liberals love,
That very succor to preserve,
A concept Libs are ignorant of:
To reap benefits, one should serve.

Ever fearful, Libs cower in classrooms,
Proclaiming the due of the masses;
On graves of the brave, toxic mushrooms,
Still cravenly covering their asses.
Preaching, protesting, showing their ire,
Cat-box covering all their worst fears,
Cowardly curs afraid of war’s fire,
They’re our nation’s Involunteers.

I know a truth from mankind’s past,
A truth that sure prevails;
Those who fight are those will last,
Throughout all man’s travails.
But those making phony excuses,
As false and fearful disguise,
Will feel history’s worst abuses,
Enslaved by their cowardly lies.

Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66
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Russ kindly shared his great poem for me to share with you.
Thank you, Russ.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Thank You Letter to Soldiers... Past and Present

A reader sent me this letter and asked that I share it with you. I'm sure Marnie speaks for many of us!

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My name is Marnie M. I am the proud wife of a USMC 100% Total & Permanent disabled combat Viet nam Veteran. He served two tours in Nam with the 1/9, also known as ,"The Walking Dead."

I would like to thank the Military men and women that have served and that are serving for my freedom and all you have done and are still doing for our country. I am forever grateful and you will never be forgotten by me. I consider you all my HEROES !!!

I always make it a point to thank a Veteran and tell them how grateful I am for my freedom . Thanks to you all I am able to type this letter.

I consider it an honor to tell people I am married to a USMC Vietnam Veteran. We have a 20 year age difference and he has been my rock for 12 years.

I would like to thank each and everyone of you that have served and are still serving in the Military for my freedom and all you've done and are still doing for our country.

I know you all have sacrificed so much for me and our country . Words will never be able to tell you all how grateful I am.

I know I have taken a lot for granted but I started thinking just how lucky I am to have my freedom thanks to you all.

Please know that you will never be forgotten by me.

I told my husband if he should die before me I am going to dedicate my life to our Military men and women.

I want to be able to give each and everyone of you a hug and bring happiness to your lives.

Since I am not able to hug each and everyone of you , please accept a cyber hug from me and know you are my HEROES !!!

In all sincerity , I can honestly say , "I love you."

God Bless each and everyone of you.

Forever Grateful,
Marnie M.