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July 3, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Charities/Contests
GumRunners LLC is proud to support our troops and their families by donating a portion of its proceeds to organizations that support them.
“We really believe everyone should understand and appreciate the sacrifices made by the individuals of the armed forces and their families. Over the years we’ve gotten a lot of emails and actual letters from servicemen and women and their families. Since we’re a gum maker, the letters are usually about gum – and to tell us how Jolt Energy Gum helped them or how much they enjoy it,” said Kevin Gass, co-founder of GumRunners, LLC. “With every letter, it humbles us to realize what they achieve and endure in support of our nation. As a small thank you, we are donating 7% of all sales from ‘Support our Troops’ Jolt Energy Gum packs to charities that assist wounded or fallen members of the military or their families, including the Wounded Warrior Project, The Intrepid Fund for Fallen Heroes and The Fisher House.
“It’s wonderful that GumRunners is donating part of their sales to those who have served their country so honorably,” said Jose Dee, event director of several benefits for the Wounded Warrior Project. “Now even people who can’t write a large check can contribute even by buying a pack of Jolt Gum.”
“The tagline for Jolt Gum is Chew More. Do More,” said Kevin Gass, co-founder of GumRunners, LLC. “And who does more for our country then the members of the armed forces?”
“Support our Troops” Jolt Energy Gum will be sold online at www.joltgum.com and in many of the supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores and specialty retailers across the country that carry Jolt gum, including CVS, ampm, Sheetz, CircleK and 7-Eleven. Two pieces Jolt Energy Gum contain enough caffeine, ginseng and guarana to give the energy boost of a coffee or energy drink. The gum is available in sweet spearmint and exhilarating IcyMint flavors and has a suggested retail price of $1.59.
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By Troy
Posted in Charities/Contests, Patriotism
GumRunners LLC, makers of Jolt Energy Gum, launches limited-edition “Support our Troops” Jolt Gum benefiting wounded members of the military and their families.
JERSEY CITY, NJ – GumRunners LLC is proud to support our troops and their families by donating a portion of its proceeds to organizations that support them.
“We really believe everyone should understand and appreciate the sacrifices made by the individuals of the armed forces and their families. Over the years we’ve gotten a lot of emails and actual letters from servicemen and women and their families. Since we’re a gum maker, the letters are usually about gum – and to tell us how Jolt Energy Gum helped them or how much they enjoy it,” said Kevin Gass, co-founder of GumRunners, LLC. “With every letter, it humbles us to realize what they achieve and endure in support of our nation. As a small thank you, we are donating 7% of all sales from ‘Support our Troops’ Jolt Energy Gum packs to charities that assist wounded or fallen members of the military or their families, including the Wounded Warrior Project, The Intrepid Fund for Fallen Heroes and The Fisher House.
“It’s wonderful that GumRunners is donating part of their sales to those who have served their country so honorably,” said Jose Dee, event director of several benefits for the Wounded Warrior Project. “Now even people who can’t write a large check can contribute even by buying a pack of Jolt Gum.”
“The tagline for Jolt Gum is Chew More. Do More,” said Kevin Gass, co-founder of GumRunners, LLC. “And who does more for our country then the members of the armed forces?”
“Support our Troops” Jolt Energy Gum will be sold online at www.joltgum.com and in many of the supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores and specialty retailers across the country that carry Jolt gum, including CVS, ampm, Sheetz, CircleK and 7-Eleven. Two pieces Jolt Energy Gum contain enough caffeine, ginseng and guarana to give the energy boost of a coffee or energy drink. The gum is available in sweet spearmint and exhilarating IcyMint flavors and has a suggested retail price of $1.59.
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July 2, 2009 By Troy
Posted in MilBlogger Interviews
7:03:25 PM: New blog entry: 070209 You Served Live Blogging http://bit.ly/uNsrw
7:13:59 PM: CJ is talking this issue right now. http://bit.ly/AAjEp
7:22:04 PM: Talking with the owners of vision-trike-wear.com and the great things they are doing for our troops
7:24:37 PM: Todd from VSW was a Marine for four years
7:26:23 PM: Derek has a long family military history back to French-Indian War under George Washington
7:30:37 PM: VSW makes custom shirts, apparel, decals, playing cards, etc. for military units worldwide
7:32:07 PM: VSW has been in business for less than one year
7:35:42 PM: VSW has focused on the modern military soldier, the ones that have been serving over the last 20 years
7:39:49 PM: VSW specializes in custom shirts for military units worldwide
7:51:58 PM: VSW also makes custom playing cards and poker chips, http://www.custommilitaryplayingcards.com/
8:06:07 PM: VSW are now off, Next guest is Sonny Attea from http://www.jaminthevalley.com
8:10:27 PM: The Average attendance each night at Jam in the Valley is approx 15,000 people
8:20:26 PM: Sonny was the supply and motor pool sergeant for a combat field hospital
8:28:48 PM: Just finished up with Sonny from Jaminthevalley.com and we will be talking with Lyndy Kyzer next
8:29:01 PM: RT @LindyKyzer: They’re talking about the REAL meaning of the 4th of July @YouServed - listen to their July 4th Episode!
8:49:06 PM: Talking to Lyndy Kyzer about new ideas for the Army to engage new media
8:56:41 PM: Lindy says that OPSEC must always be adhered to
9:17:02 PM: Listen to Episode #45- July 4th Special on You Served anytime on BlogTalkRadio. http://tobtr.com/s/555171 #BlogTalkRadio
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July 1, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Military News
But who will oversee the victory parade?
Yesterday, Iraq regained complete control of its cities under a policy instituted in the final months last year of the Bush administration. The Iraqi government declared it “National Sovereignty Day” and held a parade to mark the holiday.
This is good news for us that should have resulted in large banner, headlines, and news stories about VICTORY being plastered all over the country. We should be having parades in every major city at most, but our nation’s capital at LEAST. Unfortunately, our leaders in D.C. are planning no such thing that I’m aware of.
Instead of tasking the VP with overseeing the honorable return of our troops from Iraq or hailing the ones responsible for making “National Sovereignty Day” a possibility, President Obama instead tapped Vice President Biden with the task of overseeing overseeing the US departure from Iraq and Washington’s effort to promote internal political reconciliation there. Yes, the same man who so foolishly thought it would be a brilliant idea to split Iraq into three autonomous nations or zones.
The President yesterday recognized this event and praised the troops responsible for the security situation in Iraq that made this possible.
“[T]he very fact that Iraqis are celebrating this day is a testament to the courage, the capability, and commitment of every single American who has served in Iraq. (Applause.) That’s worth applause. Through tour after tour of duty, our troops have overcome every obstacle to extend this precious opportunity to the Iraqi people. These women and men are not always in the headlines, but they’re in our hearts and prayers, and we will forever honor their selfless service and sacrifice, as well as the service and sacrifice of their families. There is more work to be done, but we’ve made important progress in supporting a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq. And everyone who has served there, both in uniform as well as our civilians, deserves our thanks.”
Of course, he didn’t mention that his campaign and rhetoric in the past two years was one of the “obstacles” our troops had to overcome, but the sentiment of this statement is welcome and needed. I extend a challenge to the President to take these words and put them into action. When our troops came home in 2001, Washington, D.C. held a HUGE parade celebrating the successes of our troops in Desert Storm. Our troops deserve another victory parade and the Command in Chief who made it all possible should be invited to attend as grand marshal!
The Desert Storm Victory Parade in Washington, D.C. on June 8, 1991, included the above battalion-size formation of 3AD troops representing various units from throughout the Division. At the lead is Maj. Gen. Jerry R. Rutherford (third from right), followed by his staff. Rutherford had taken command of the 3AD from Maj. Gen. Paul E. Funk in Kuwait following Desert Storm. The above Spearhead troops had flown from Germany for the event and are shown after crossing D.C.’s Memorial Bridge (with the Lincoln Memorial in distant background). About 9,000 U.S. troops took part in the parade, which included Constitution Ave. and ended at the Pentagon.
I wanted to add a quick update. Concrete Bob, a true and patriotic American, tried hard to have a victory in Iraq day. Unfortunately, he only met with friction from EVERYONE! Trying to drum up support was impossible, even among conservatives. A lot of people should really be ashamed of themselves for crapping on this man’s efforts to recognize our troops. The excuses and naysayings were just astounding.
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June 30, 2009 By Troy
Posted in Veteran Benefits
Drexel University has committed $2 million to offer free education to an unlimited number of military veterans across all of the University’s full- and part time undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional programs, both on campus and online, as part of its participation in the new GI Bill’s Yellow Ribbon Program.
In the program, a partnership between the federal government and Drexel, the University will match the government’s contribution to the cost of an education allowing eligible veterans to attend Drexel with no out of pocket expenses. The federal government will pay up to the highest in-state school tuition, any remaining cost will be covered between the government and the University offering eligible service persons a free education.
Unlike other institutions participating in the new program, Drexel is among a small group of universities with no cap on the number of veterans who may enroll. The University’s contribution allows veterans who meet government and University admissions requirements to receive a completely free education at all of the University’s schools and colleges including the Drexel University College of Medicine, Earle Mack School of Law, Drexel at Burlington County College and the Sacramento Center for Graduate Studies.
The educational assistance in the new GI Bill, including the Yellow Ribbon Program, differs from the Montgomery GI Bill’s benefits by expanding the government’s financial commitment to educational assistance. The new program allows the government to pay each student’s costs directly to the University rather than requiring veterans to request a reimbursement, as in the original GI Bill. Other new educational benefits include monthly housing and textbook stipends.
“Drexel University will continue its long tradition of providing educational opportunities to military personnel, be it on one of our three campuses or in one of our 60-plus fully online degree programs” University Provost Mark Greenberg said.
“We are proud to be able to give back to those who have sacrificed so much to serve their country,” Greenberg added.
In addition to its 73 full-time undergraduate programs, 78 master’s programs and 32 doctoral programs, Drexel offers comprehensive online undergraduate and graduate programs through Drexel Online (www.drexel.com).
Drexel Online, winner of the 21st Century Best Practice Award for Distance Learning from the United States Distance Learning Association, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Drexel University, specializing in innovative, Internet-based distance education programs for working professionals and corporations in the United States and abroad Online degree programs include engineering, teacher education, nursing, library science and business administration.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill, passed by Congress last year, is the most extensive educational assistance program authorized since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944. The Yellow Ribbon program was authorized by Congress under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 and will take effect August 1, 2009.
The Department of Veterans Affairs expects 460,000 veterans to participate during the first year of the program. VA officials anticipate a 20 to 25 percent increase in the total number of applications for veteran’s educational programs.
According to the VA, eligible veterans include those who served an aggregate period of active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, of at least 36 months or were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and served 30 continuous days after Sept. 10, 2001.
For information on the new GI Bill and specific benefit questions contact the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-888-GIBILL-1
For more information about Drexel’s on campus programs contact Drexel University at 800-2-DREXEL or enroll@drexel.edu or visit our website at www.drexel.edu
For more information about Drexel’s online degree programs contact Drexel Online at 877-215-0009 or info@drexel.com.
For more information about using your military benefits to fund a Drexel education contact Jeffrey Linskens, associate director, Student Resource Center, at 215-895-6413 or jeffery.r.linskens@drexel.edu
More information can be found at http://www.drexel.edu/financialaid/yellowribbon
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By Claire
Posted in Military News, Spouse and Family
I found the following article on the Army.mil site and wanted to pass it along here. After all the only useful resource is the one we KNOW about.
Expanded Homeowners Assistance Program could help with BRAC hardships
Excerpt
Jun 29, 2009
By Rob McIlvaine, FMWRC Public Affairs
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Army News Service, June 29, 2009) — While the Base Realignment and Closure decisions of 2005 are causing upheaval for some families, help is available through the Department of Defense National Relocation Program, the Homeowners Assistance Program, and soon, the Expanded HAP, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Besides standard Permanent Change of Station or PCS entitlements, the Department of Defense National Relocation Program provides relocation services, including a guaranteed home buyout process, to eligible DoD civilian employees so they can sell their homes at the prior-duty station and locate housing at the new duty station.
Its primary benefit, known as Guaranteed Home Sale, offers an alternative to the PCS reimbursement process. It also offers other valuable services such as the Home Marketing Incentive Payment, a financial-incentive-bonus payment that may be authorized for employees who successfully market their homes.
Since its inception in 1987, the relocation program has helped thousands of employees sell their homes through the Guaranteed Home Sale Program, rent their homes through the Property Management Program, and purchase or rent in a new town through Destination Services. The complete DoD National Relocation Program Handbook, revised December 2008, explains in detail the services available and the process required to obtain these services.
The traditional HAP program provides benefits for transferring Soldiers and civilian employees only when an economic impact study determines that the depreciation of home values is specifically linked to the closure of a nearby military installation, according to David Gage, chief of the National Relocation Program Office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, “In that case,” Gage said, “HAP guarantees all or a portion of the difference between the price a property sells for and the estimated value of the property prior to the base closure announcement.”
Expanded HAP will help even more.
On May 14, Vice President Joe Biden announced DoD’s plan to add $555 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to expand the HAP to help offset the effects of the country’s struggling housing market.
“The recently passed economic stimulus program that expanded the HAP eligibility guidelines to provide some financial benefits for BRAC-affected servicemembers and civilian employees who sell their homes at prices less than their purchase price or less than the mortgage balance owed, without requiring any economic impact study,” Gage said.
This temporary expansion, which includes the payment of closing costs to transferring servicemembers and civilian employees affected by BRAC 2005, was possible through the efforts of the Army Family Action Plan committee members who played a positive role in reviving the PCS issue.
**SNIP**
“When the implementing guidance (from DoD) is issued, employees who are eligible for HAP benefits who have already sold their homes can still file for HAP benefits after the fact,” Gage said.
Employees who are or will be moving due to BRAC can use the DNRP for the home sale at current market value, and file for HAP benefits to provide any additional benefit (e.g., loss-on-sale or negative equity payments) for which they may be entitled.
The DNRP Web site, http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/dnrp.htm, includes info and a link to the HAP Web page.
The guidelines for eligibility for expanded HAP benefits are already established, and can be found at the HAP Web site: http://hap.usace.army.mil/
READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
This is the third installation to the list of questions I wrote about in an earlier post. My friend had specifically asked me about injury or illness. We have all heard about the barracks creeping crud. It’s the infamous upper respiratory infection that seems to go around when you squeeze a ton of guys into cramped living quarters and work them to the point of exhaustion mixed with high stress. Mind you, we understand why it’s done, but wives, mothers, and girlfriends are going to worry. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.
I want to caveat this with a new question that arose the other day. I got a call and was told “He asked me to send him his multivitamins and his vitamin C. Should I send it?” To which I emphatically replied “Absolutely, positively, NO way!”
She felt she shouldn’t either, but wasn’t sure after her soldier’s request. She received the form letter that most BCT Companies will send out warning you to not send pornography, drugs, or OTC meds including vitamins. It’s hard to refrain from sending them something that would be obviously beneficial during a time of training and stress, but sending them could at the very least get him smoked. I advised her, as I do anyone who asks what to send their soldier during BCT, to send only letters and send them regularly. Send them on plain white paper with plain white envelopes and no “frilly” stuff scribbled on the outside. I am only going by the tales of soldiers getting to do a push-up for every bunny and smiley face on an envelope. Life is hard in BCT we need not make it worse.
So, with those added ideas out of the way, let’s tackle the question at hand. What if my soldier gets sick or injured during BCT or AIT?
Continue reading this post…
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By Marcus
Posted in Military News
Those opposed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have tried to discredit the military for the last seven years by making claims that recruitment standards are being relaxed in an effort to keep enough recruits going through basic training to keep the ranks full. BGen Angela Salinas, Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region, set the record straight in an interview with Military.com.
Formerly, a recruit who fails a drug test merited a 30-day postponement to allow the recruit to pass a new drug test. No longer. Fail a drug test now and the Corps isn’t interested.
The Marine Corps has zero tolerance for Marines who use illegal drugs. Now we’re expending that zero tolerance to our potential recruits. We don’t need those that have drug problems serving in the Marine Corps and possibly spread their addictions to those around them.
The Corps is also taking a harder line on tattoos. Too much ink, especially on a recruit’s forearms, could keep a potential Marine out of boot camp.
In short, if you’re serious about wearing the eagle, globe and anchor don’t even think about hitting that joint at the after-prom party and save the tattoos for well after your first combat deployment.
There was a time in the Marine Corps when it didn’t matter how many tattoos were decorating your body, but that time has passed. Marines have an image in the American mind that we must uphold. Would you be receptive to your son or daughter speaking to a Marine about possibly joining while he has ink up and down his arm? Not having tattoos on the forearms presents a much more professional appearance.
The most popular job in the Corps remains combat infantry – military occupational specialty 0311 – and that job has a lengthy wait, Salinas said.
“In the past, anywhere from 30 to 90 days was the average wait once you enlisted, if you are physically able,” Salinas said. “Now, if a high school graduate walks in the door right now, many [recruiters] don’t have a place for him until November or December.”
Another lie from the antimilitary camp is that young men are being forced into ground combat jobs. That is simply not true! I can’t tell you how many Marines I’ve talked to that WANTED to join the infantry, but couldn’t because all of their slots were full when the young man enlisted.
Recruiting Command is doing such a great job that a young man or woman that enlists today may have to wait until the end of the year to actually attend recruit training. If you’ve seen the size of a graduating company aboard MCRDs Parris Island and San Diego, you know that this much of a backlog is amazing. Even more amazing is Recruiting Command was able to complete mission for the month of June during the first week of the month!
I would love to see IVAW come out and attempt to refute how well Marine Corps Recruiting Command does their job in getting the best, brightest, and most highly qualified young men and woman to begin the journey to earn their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. Their arguments are based on misinformation, twisting of facts, and all around illogical thought.
Great job, Marine recruiters. Keep it up!
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June 29, 2009 By Marcus
Posted in Military News
Tobacco use is pretty common within the military. Many service members have used from a young age while others start after joining. I was a half a pack a day smoker until two weeks ago and I’m proud to say that I’m doing a pretty good job at quitting. The decision to quit was my own, and my family and coworkers encouraged me for a long time before I made the decision to kick the habit. In the end, I had to quit for me and not anyone else. That may not be the case for many service members in the future. Emphasis below is my own.
DOD should gradually phase in a ban on tobacco use in the military, starting at military academies and officer training programs and among new recruits, the report says. DOD should also stop selling tobacco products in Army and Air Force commissaries — Navy and Marine Corps commissaries already do not sell them — and should stop selling them at a discount in military exchanges and other stores. In addition, Congress should allow VA to establish tobacco-free medical centers.
The report was requested by DOD and VA, who asked the Institute of Medicine to identify policies and practices that could lower rates of smoking and help soldiers and veterans quit.
The DoD and the VA asked for polices and practices to lower rates, not complete eliminate tobacco use from the military. In typical nanny-state fashion, the Institute said let’s just force them to quit and completely ignore the actual request from DoD! Those men and women in the military that are able to make life and death decisions on the battlefield are unable to make decisions regarding their own health. Let’s just force them to do what we want!
It gets worse. As if the military doesn’t have enough bureaucracy, we’ll add several more layers. Emphasis once again mine.
The Defense Department should set a date by which the military will be tobacco-free and require each of the four services to develop and enforce a timeline for achieving this goal, the report says. Recognizing that immediately banning tobacco use in deployed personnel is not realistic, the committee urged an incremental strategy, starting with closing the pipeline of new tobacco users entering the military. Smoking should be banned at military academies, and the current ban on tobacco use during basic training should be extended to include subseqent technical training. That ban could eventually be extended to all new enlistees, who would be informed during recruitment that they would be expected to remain tobacco-free during their entire military careers.
I really can’t imagine each service having the time, manpower, and funds to develop a timeline on banning the use of tobacco. Additionally, what makes anyone believe it is realistic to ban use in the states if it isn’t realistic to ban use in deployed areas? What effect would a ban on those who smoke from enlisting have on recruiting commands?
Even more worrisome is enforcement of this new ban. Do they plan to now test for cotinine during unit urinalysis? What would result from a positive test? I can’t see asking a Marine why he was subject to NJP and having him respond, “I smoked a cigarette.” It is complete absurd.
The issue that weighs the heaviest on my mind is free will. If I want to smoke or use dip as an adult, why can’t I? Tobacco is not an illegal substance as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Yet, we are going to put cigarettes in the same class as these illegal drugs, ban them from the military, and punish service members for breaking the ban?
In the defense of the DoD and the VA, encouraging service members to quit is the right thing to do. It is bad for your health, costs a ton of money for both the smoker and the military health system, and is an incredibly nasty habit. I support the military’s current methods of cessation and do not support any type of ban or limiting the ability to purchase tobacco on base. In the end, service members are more than able to make their own decisions concerning their health. The military is welcome to encourage them to make better decisions, but not require it.
1 Comment »
By Troy
Posted in Life in the Military, Military History, Military News
The Story below hit the wire today. This is a long time coming, in fact it is about 37 years too late. I could never understand how CSMs could be commandants of NCO academies on military posts world-wide but we had an officer in charge of the Sergeant Major Academy. I don’t know if oxy-moron or conflict of interest are the right descriptions, but either way it was just wrong. I am glad to see it has been corrected.
www.military.com/news/article/nco-to-head-bliss-sgt-maj-academy.html
FORT BLISS, Texas — The next commandant of the Sergeants Major Academy here will be an enlisted Soldier, breaking a 37-year tradition.
Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond Chandler is scheduled to take charge of the academy today. The school provides the Army’s highest level of education for noncommissioned officers.
It had been commanded by an officer since it was created in 1972, but Chandler’s appointment changes that.
"Having a command sergeant major in charge of the academy is just indicative of how much trust and faith we put in our noncommissioned officers," said Col. Donald Gentry, who commanded the academy for the past two years. "It also is indicative of how far noncommissioned officers have progressed in their education."
Gentry, described officers as "architects" who make the plans, and noncommissioned officers as "engineers" who get things done.
The change in command structure will be accompanied by a retooling of the school’s curriculum to provide enlisted leaders with a strategic understanding of battlefields, something that had been reserved for officers.
"As the complexity of this persistent conflict we’re in continues to grow, we as senior noncommissioned officers have to understand the bigger picture," Chandler said.
Urban battlefields faced by Soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the world demand that leaders of squads and other small units be able to make quick decisions. The consequences of a bad decision can easily be recorded on a cell
phone and broadcast to the world, creating a propaganda opportunity for the nation’s enemies, Gentry said.
"It’s the complexity and speed of things," he said. "There’s no time to report, have a decision made somewhere else and then have that decision travel back down."
In the past, academy students, each with a decade or two of Army service, would gather to share their experiences. They were looking for problem-solving ideas not found in field manuals. In the future, the studies will be more academic with courses similar to those offered to Army officers, Gentry said.
Within three or four years, Gentry said, the academy should be providing master’s degrees.
"Not only will our graduates be able to speak the same language as their officers, they will be able to translate strategic and operational goals down to the Soldier," Gentry said.
In 1981, as the all-volunteer Army was establishing itself, the average educational level for a noncommissioned officers was eighth grade, Chandler said. Now, 94 percent of those who graduate from the Sergeants Major Academy have some type of college degree and more than 50 percent of those are bachelor’s or master’s degrees, he said.
"It indicates a willingness and understanding of how to learn," Gentry said. "Those are the traits that have made them the backbone of the Army."
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