VA Memoirs
Women In The Military | Should Women Fight In Combat?
Recently as many have read, the Department of Defense and Washington have approved women to serve in combat roles within the military. Needless to say the decision provoked many discussions both in veterans clubs, VA hospitals, those retired in civilian life and among the active military. While it is difficult to discuss such a decision without sounding sexist,a few facts jump out and make me ask why the decision was made. Leading the decision is the fact that Washington feels all members of the military both male and female have the ...
read moreChange Is Difficult | But It’s a Good Thing!
I recall in the late fifties when I entered the United States Army everyone smoked. The old ‘C-Ration ‘ Box always had that small thin pack of cigarettes, and of course packs and cartons of cigarettes were plentiful at the base exchange or base beer garden. Enlisted, NCO and Officer Clubs also were locations where it was permitted for a person to smoke as well. Tobacco was alive and well within the military service. Over the years the military finally learned from studies by the Department of Health that smoking is a significant cause...
read moreVeteran Suicide’s | What Is The Solution?
Here is an alarming fact. A veteran of a branch of our military service takes their life every 80 minutes. And to make it even harder to imagine, the number of suicides among active duty personnel is on the rise. The fact that we as Americans must face is that more of our fighting men and women are dying from then from combat deaths or accidents. It is time that we faced the fact that our fighting force, while strong in numbers and able to hold their own in any combat situation is experiencing an internal problem which they need some...
read moreStars and Stripes
This issue concerning military personnel both active and retired is about a newspaper. Yes that’s correct. A newspaper. An item that many of us remember reading regardless if you were in England flying a mission, stuck in a foxhole in Germany or Korea , in the bush in Vietnam, serving in Bosnia and now being viewed by those who serve in the Middle East. It is called ”The Stars and Stripes.” A newspaper which got it’s start as a newspaper during the civil war for Union troops. This newspaper has never taken a back seat to any other...
read moreIt’s Time to Hire a Vet! | Job Opportunities for Vets
This is about the men and women many of who were in reserve units and also our active duty personnel, who have served honorably as well as many who have seen repeated tours of duty and now have returned to the homeland only to find that their jobs are now unavailable. This is just wrong. When we ask these brave warriors to serve we have to have a plan to support them when they return. I do not see that today as being as strong as it should be. To often I read of a military person who lost their home or suffered some other hardship as a...
read more‘Remember When’
When I was asked to write this column about the military this month I was somewhat lost in picking an appropriate subject. While all of us, men and women alike have shared the unique experience of serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, we all have certain portions of that part of our life we can remember vividly. Also while we all have experience some bad times during this period of military service, we also had good times, some more then others. I thought it would be interesting to remember some of the good times or experiences...
read morePolitics Vs THE VETERAN
The United States Marine Corp is still looking for ‘a few good men’ and the United States Government is now looking for 1.2 trillion dollars to help balance the budget. And to make those of us who served, a little more interesting, they are looking at the military health care system. Yes.. you heard me right. A short time ago one of our Florida Representatives Jeff Miller (R-FL) who served as Chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs outlined his concern in this area. They refer to it as ‘Sequestration” . As Rep Miller stated “As it...
read moreWE CAN DO BETTER
Recently I became aware of some alarming facts. While many of us turn out the lights tonight and make sure the doors are locked , I discovered that some 67,000 veterans are on the street tonight, homeless. That is correct , homeless! When you check the figures they are somewhat confusing. Some figures reflect 135,000 veterans as of 2011. That is not good news. However it is down from 400,000 in 2004, which is a positive refection. I think the most recent statistics, which show every night we have some 67, 495 vets homeless in the...
read moreWhy Is November 11th An Important Day?
November 11, is Veterans Day. Bet that have slipped past many who read this. It is the same every year however I do not recall a tremendous amount of fan fare or many lining up to honor those who have served both in peace and war time. However the date still stands and is on your calendar so to remind you that freedom is not always free. One of the items that stand out in my mind is the ‘Wall” which is present in Washington. D.C.. The ‘wall” as we call it, has a lot of names on it. To many in fact. I wish we could erase so many of those names...
read more“GOOD JOB..WELCOME HOME”
Click here to open the gallery.Recently I was at the Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida and witnessed a sight which truly made me proud. As members of the armed forces were observed entering the terminal there was a group of men, women and children who held banners and signs welcoming the service members back home and thanking them for the service which they are providing our country. Quite a sight. As I stood there and observed I had this impulse to join this group of well wishes and participate . Not because I am a retired...
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