Archive for November, 2009
November 30, 2009 By Troy
Posted in Life in the Military, Veteran Benefits
I have written about the great benefits of a USAA membership on this site before. When it comes to insurance, etc. nobody can touch what they offer. When you see the Progressive, Geico, etc. insurance commercials, pay attention. You will never see them compare themselves to USAA, becuase they cannot compete with USAA.
Well USAA has now opened up their eligibility to more potential members. If you qualify, I strongly urge you to check them out.
USAA membership is now open to anyone who has honorably served in the U.S. military.
Starting with our first eligibility expansion in 1923, the USAA family has grown by embracing an ever-larger portion of America’s active duty, retired and separated military members. Each time, we have been careful to ensure that USAA has the financial strength, the staff and the technology to maintain our high standards for exemplary member service, competitive pricing and value. Opening our doors today to all veterans who have honorably served, regardless of dates or length of service, fulfills our mission and leaves no one behind.
If you know veterans who honorably served but haven’t become USAA members, please share this news with them by checking out www.usaa.com so that they may know the value of USAA and, by joining, their spouses and children can enjoy the benefits of membership as well.
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By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Life in the Military, Military News
Here’s a fun Monday reprieve that also gives a little insight into the numbers of today’s military.
Compliments of You Served. View FULL SIZE HERE.
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November 26, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Life in the Military, Military News
While the country is focused on people like Hasan and the fake SEAL controversy, I want to take a moment to remind people that our military is full of heroes – like those SEALS, who do what they do without fanfare unless an alleged mistake is made.
(Photo by Hayne Palmour IV – North County Times Staff photographer)
The North County Times, near Camp Pendleton, published a GREAT story about one of our Marines being awarded the Silver Star. The Silver Star is the nation’s third highest award for gallantry and valour. The only way to earn one is through heroism in combat. Combat! It was established in 1918 as the Citation Star and in 1932 it was redesignated as a medal with a retroactive provision that allowed servicemen as far back as the Spanish-American War (1898) to receive it for gallant actions.
On paper, the mission for Camp Pendleton’s newest recipient of the Silver Star seemed straightforward enough: Travel overnight to an isolated mountainside cave where a suspected Taliban leader was hiding, kill or detain him, and destroy a reportedly large weapons cache.
In practice, the July 2008 mission in western Afghanistan was a deadly, grueling, four-hour firefight as a large number of Taliban fighters rained automatic weapons fire onto a group of U.S. Marine and Army Special Forces troops.
When it was over, an estimated 40 anti-government fighters were dead, including the primary target. But so was one American. And an additional nine U.S. Marines and soldiers were wounded, five seriously.
In the intervening 240 minutes from the start of the firefight, then-Capt. Daniel Strelkauskas suffered shrapnel wounds to his hands and ran through the “kill zone” to drag a critically injured staff sergeant to safety.
Strelkauskas continued to rally his troops. He also directed a 2,000-pound bomb strike that allowed the Americans to maneuver to safety.
For those actions, the 32-year-old Marine major was awarded the Silver Star on Wednesday, the third-highest award a Marine can receive for bravery in battle.
Read more about this story and what Maj. Strelkauskas had to say at the North County Times.
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November 25, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family
Taken from the Wabash Valley Journal
All-Star Cast of Comedians ‘Stand Up for the Troops’ with Free Military Downloads
EXCERPT
DALLAS, Nov. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Singer-songwriter John Ondrasik’s annual gift to military Families is playing it for laughs this year as “CD For the Troops III” offers a free compilation of comedy routines to Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines and their families.
“I’m proud to present the third edition of the CD for the Troops project ‘Stand Up For Troops,’” said Ondrasik. “This year we’ve gone for laughs with bits from world class comics; Chris Rock, Ray Ramano, Jeff Foxworthy, Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler, Dennis Miller and more!”
As part of an ongoing partnership between the Grammy-nominated artist, who goes by the stage name Five for Fighting, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Aware Records and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, all active duty military members and veterans with valid military identification can log on to AAFES.com and download the comedy routines as well as an Ondrasik song from the award winning documentary “Brothers at War.” CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
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By Claire
Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family
Tomorrow is the day that we sit around a table of blessings. Our family, the food, the room we sit in and the freedom to pray what we pray are just a few to mention. We all have so much to be grateful for.
This time of year is a little sad for us as a family. We have two sons who are not going to be at the table tomorrow. One is in Iraq and the other is in the field finishing up his BCT training. Spending a holiday without them is a small sacrifice compared to what they are giving, but it is a sacrifice nonetheless. It helps us to remember that having a son in Iraq may be hard, but we have not had to walk the path of a Gold Star family. Their sacrifice is unmeasurable and it’s vital that we remember them for this, and every, holiday.
In this holiday of Giving Thanks can you maybe do something extra to help the families at Ft. Hood who are facing this holiday season with the memory of their soldier. They do not sit and stare at an empty chair with hope that next year will be different. The thread of hope to see that soldier again is broken when he/she falls. We need to reach out to the families and surviving soldiers in every way possible to give them a new thread of hope to cling to.
So, here’s my proposal for a new “side dish” on your menu. This year at your Thanksgiving table, no matter where you meet to feast, put an empty pot on the table. Ask your guests to think for a moment about where they would be today if it were not for the sacrifices of our Service Members and their families. Then invite them to share what they can and will. Leave the pot out all day long so people can give if and when they are ready. You can also leave a card near the pot and ask your guests to leave a note of encouragement. That card can be sent to the address below.
Afterward, send that donation to Soldier’s Angels. They have a donate button on their site that you can use to give the offering. Below is a blurb from their website about what they are doing:
Soldiers’ Angels is assessing the needs and–with our founder currently residing in Texas–standing by to offer physical and emotional support to our heroes and their families at Fort Hood.
RIGHT NOW: Collecting encouraging notes and NEW stuffed animals for the families and children of the injured or killed. Please send cards/letters and stuffed animals (and anything NEW that may brighten the life of a child) to:
Soldiers’ Angels
4408 PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218
Plans are still developing, but the goal is to give these families and injured heroes something big to smile about when Christmas rolls around. It starts with the $2,000 gift certificate for Christmas for an experience on Christmas Day that will make them forget about it all for at least a little while. To contribute to the effort, click the donation button in the upper left and add type “For Ft. Hood” in the comment box that pops up (donations marked this way will be used only for Ft. Hood survivors).
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
Got stress? I know I do! Although we are going to have a much slower holiday this year than in years past, I think that there is something that causes some of us to just tense up and stress when the holiday approach. Is it the expectations you put on yourself? Are there family members who mix worse than oil and water? Is it just the physical work you do that you’re anticipating? Regardless of the reason I thought we could all use some good quick tips on how to keep the holidays a little less stressful.
Tip #1
Keep the focus on the family and friends around you. A lot of us wives and mothers are way too hard on ourselves and we have much higher expectations than our loved ones do for the holidays. Enjoy the time with your family by planning ahead with meals and desserts (you can freeze some of those things and cut the prep time in half on the big days!)
Tip #2
Don’t throw your quiet or down time completely out the window. Yes, there is more demand on you this time of year, but you must schedule that time you normally take for a mental breather still. Even if it’s a little shorter than usual, take it!
Tip #3
Laugh as much as you can! Find some good holiday movies that let you laugh and cry. Enjoy your time and remember that ”a merry heart does good like a medicine!” Laughter really does relieve a lot of stresses.
Tip #4
If you are grieving the loss of a loved one this holiday season surround yourself with those who know what you are going through. Make sure you stay around plenty of loving and supportive people during this time. The holidays really can intensify the emotions of grief.
Tip #5
Eat what you like, but don’t overeat! Overeating can often cause us a lot of discomfort physically and it can cause us to stress about weight and health. Eat what you want for the holidays but slow down and enjoy your food. Savor the moments and the flavors. Research shows that people who slow down when they eat are less likely to overeat because it can take several minutes for the brain to register that the stomach is full.
Tip #6
If you know that a particularly difficult person is coming in for the holidays just prepare yourself mentally for it. Don’t trick yourself into thinking the person may have changed, and don’t set yourself up for a self-fulfilling prophecy by foreseeing disaster! Just remind yourself that you are not responsible for that person, and that you can not change or control him/her. Keep your distance, and when you are near them smile and keep the conversation light! PRAY!
Tip #7
Prioritize your tasks well ahead of time. Nothing leaves us feeling more stressed than a to have a houseful of guests on their way and you are flying by the seat of your pants! Figure out now all that needs to be done. Delegate and do a little each day so that you are not pushed on every deadline.
Tip #8
Keep it all in perspective. So you burned the rolls! So what? In the grand scheme of life it is a very minor incident. Thank the good Lord that you are not Martha Stewart, laugh about it, and tell your dinner guests a good joke about how they will know dinner is ready when they hear the smoke alarm. Don’t take things more seriously than they need to be taken.
I hope these are helpful tips for you. They are things that have gotten me through many seasons of hosting holiday festivities at my home. I love to entertain and love to be with my family, but I know it’s stressful!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
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November 24, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
I posted this last year on another blog, but I wanted to dust it off and post it here. Depression and suicides are always on the increase this time of year. Please take good care of yourself, and if you know a friend who is struggling with depression, make it a point to check in with them more during this time of year. Sometimes just knowing someone cares is a huge help!
Depression during the holidays is nothing new. Thanksgiving and Christmas can be a very happy time for some, and a very lonely, painful and sorrowful time for others. Between the stress of trying to live up to unrealistic expectations, financial stress, being separated from people you love and the decrease in sunshine and time to be outdoors, the season is ripe to cause an onset of situational depression.
Military families are not immune to this problem. Depression is an equal opportunity condition. Below are the signs of depression as well as some ideas on how to avoid having a blue Christmas.
Signs:
Feeling more tired that usual
A general sense of apathy, cynicism or anger toward the holidays
Isolation from festivities and normal holiday traditions
Crying more than usual
Eating more or eating less (change in habits or weight)
Consuming more alcohol than normal
More serious signs:
Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or helplessness
Thinking of suicide or how much better things would be if you were to die
Inability to get out of bed, practice normal hygiene, or dress yourself.
If you experience some of the signs, and ANY of the serious signs of depression, please call your physician and schedule an appointment today. Some depression can start out due to a situation, but it can escalate into a more serious condition that needs proper medical attention.
What can you do?
Yes, Virginia there is hope! This time of year can be a serious pitt fall when you have a loved one who is deployed. There is a normal stress and sometimes even depression that comes when you are holding down the home front every day and on a day to day basis, but couple that with the message that holidays are supposed to be perfect and over brimming with joy and family and it is an awful lot for a person to handle.
First and foremost you must evaluate what is truly important to you during the holiday season. If it’s being with friends and family then make every effort to be around people. Even if you can not be around your spouse who is deployed or your parents who are across the continent from you, there are still opportunities during the holiday season to be with people. If you are new to an area and do not know many people, now would be a great time to seek out a local Church body. Another outlet for being around others during the holiday season is volunteer work at a local nursing home or other organization.
The holidays do not need to be a Norman Rockwell painting to have meaning. If you are a perfectionist and have stressed yourself to the point of burnout because things are not going the way you have planned, it’s time to put things back into perspective. Materialism and commercialism has forced a holiday rush, disappointment and disillusionment that can bring on the Christmas blues. Do what you enjoy doing, but take a deep breath and remember that you are human as are the people you love. So you didn’t score the gift you really wanted to give your husband this year because it sold out. It’s only a material object. Your health, well being and sanity are tantamount to anything that a department store could carry.
Take care of yourself! Avoid drinking alcohol if you struggle with depression during the holidays. Alcohol is a nervous system depressant and will exacerbate symptoms of depression. Eat healthy and enjoy the goodies of the season in moderation. Overeating and binge eating can lead to feelings of guilt and even anxiety over weight gain. Under eating will leave you tired, physically and mentally.
The holidays are a season, and so is deployment. Neither lasts forever, but in the thick of things it feels like both can be never ending! Make yourself a garland of red and green interlocking paper rings. Make one ring for each day your soldier has left until he comes home. Every day tear one ring off and watch as your chain gets smaller and smaller, reminding you every day that this season of separation is coming closer to being over. Hold onto your hope, and don’t allow the depression grinch to steal your joy during the holiday season.
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By Troy
Posted in Life in the Military, Military News, Patriotism, Video, You Served Radio
This is a great video from Bill Whittle of PJTV. Bill went down with our frequent You Served Radio guests, the band Bridge of Sighs (www.bosband.com).Bill accompanied BOS during their 3rd and most recent trip to Gitmo to play for the troops. Bill is putting together a video diary series of the trip with audio recordings, pictures and video in order to capture all parts of the experience.
Be sure and look for our buddy Tom Neely sporting his You Served Radio and Blog T-shirt in this clip. Just a few weeks ago we talked to Tom live while they were on the trip and he mentioned wearing that shirt and that some servicemember recognized it and said he was a listener to the show.
Again, please take a few moments to check out this first of several parts of Bill Whittle’s Gitmo Video Diary by clicking below.
http://www.pjtv.com/v/2747
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
‘Tis the season for overspending, under-budgeting and over buying, and Black Friday is the kick-off season for it all! I personally have never been shopping on Black Friday. I like to stay indoors on that day and I would only step foot in a store if it were a life and death emergency!
Granted military families have a more steady income and less worry of layoffs (although we know we are not 100% exempt!) than the civilian workforce, but we have all still faced an increase in expenses. So, how do you face Black Friday and the shopping season to come with confidence on a limited budget and an itch to shop?
1. Narrow down your shopping list! Do you really need to buy something for your great uncles cousins girlfriend? If you have people outside of your immediate family that you would like to give a gift to, consider giving something homemade that is not too expensive to make (either food or a craft). Involve the kids in making it!
2. If you have not figured out a realistic budget for your Christmas spending (don’t forget to figure in the cost for any cooking and meals you may be serving that are more than usual) then you need to do that now. Don’t shop without a budget and think about each person on your list and how much you can really afford to spend on each person — not how much you want to spend !
3. Remember the meaning behind the occasion! Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the getting and giving that we forget to slow down and enjoy being with our friends and loved ones.
4. Consider only buying gifts for the children and forgoing gifts for adults.
5. If you really don’t need or want anything, ask your loved ones to give money to a cause that is important to you. Soldiers Angels, Operation Gratitude, and anyone who is supporting our military families at Ft. Hood are some good places to give that money.
There are lots of great ideas out there… what are yours? What do you do each year to keep it all in check and in perspective? If you do shop on Black Friday, stay safe! It’s a jungle out there!
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November 20, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Life in the Military, Spouse and Family
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
I have always loved this definition of faith and find it compelling. There are many things around me that provide me of the substance of what I have hoped for, but the evidence of the unseen is all around us too. Spritually speaking I know the verse is pointing back to Christ. He was the substance of what the World needed and longed for, and we have faith today even though we do not see with our own eyes. It’s a definition that shows the irony of faith – substance and hope along with evidence and the unseen. Those are not things we normally put together.
What does this have to do with the military? I found the following article on DVIDS. I had faith that the military community would comfort one another, aid one another and would care for its own — I have seen this first hand and have witnessed the substance of things hoped for. Even though I am not there and did not see what was happening, I knew it was. The evidence of the unseen is easy because you hear about the strong tie of family that holds us and binds us together in the military. Service members and family alike. Families are taking care of young single soldiers while they convalesce, and they comfort one another while they grieve. That’s just a couple of examples:
Amid Tragedy, 20th Engineering Battalion Families, Soldiers Provide Utmost Care for Own
13th Public Affairs Detachment
Photo by Spc. Christopher Gaylord
Posted: 11.12.2009
EXCERPT
Nov. 5 began and might have ended like any other day for Kanesha Howard, an Army spouse and mother of two. Instead, she found herself living a nightmare by midday, franticly wondering if she still had a husband.
Later, she learned Staff Sgt. Alvin Howard, a heavy-wheeled vehicle mechanic with the 20th Engineer Battalion, had been wounded in the massacre at Fort Hood while preparing with other troops for their upcoming deployment.
Since Thursday, Howard has mustered the strength to smile again.
Amid unimaginable frustration and destruction, Howard’s husband’s unit assured her that the Fort Hood community is one that never stops caring for its own, even in the most stressful of circumstances.
Several Soldiers and fellow Army spouses showed up at Howard’s home in Killeen Sunday afternoon under the strain of arms full of food and hot meals, ensuring Howard had everything she needed in the aftermath of tragedy. Similar efforts are being made for other members of the battalion affected by the catastrophe.
“We just want to make sure that the families and the Soldiers have food and everything they need, so they won’t have to worry about going and getting anything or trying to cook, and they can take care of their families,” said Sharon Floyd, the battalion’s Family Readiness Group support assistant.
Hours after the shooting, Floyd organized a care group and donations from other military units, churches and members of the community.
Lt. Col. Jason Kelly, deputy commander for the 36th Engineer Brigade, had every family readiness support assistant in the brigade in his office looking for ways to contribute.
“There is no more I could ask of anyone,” Kelly said. “People are looking for ways to help.”
Working tirelessly Sunday morning, the FRG spouses and several Soldiers diligently packed canned goods, snacks, bread, fruit and warm, homemade dishes into vans and trucks for Soldiers and their families living both on and off post.
Even families waiting by their Soldiers’ bedsides received surprise visits from the group. Their help expanded beyond preparing and delivering meals to helping care for children and ensuring families would have access to available resources.
“They have been more than helpful,” Pfc. Joseph Foster, a utility equipment repairer with the 20th Eng. Bn., said. “It’s like a giant family. We just get stronger.”
Foster was shot in the left hip and was released from the hospital Friday afternoon. Meals and child care assistance provided by the FRG and FRSAs has been invaluable to him, his wife and their two young children.
Single Soldiers are receiving baskets of food and movies during their convalescence.
“We are ensuring they are not forgotten,” Kelly said.
KEEP READING
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