Monthly Archives: September 2010

Gates Gives Brutal Assessment of TRICARE

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Troy| 1 Comment

Defense Secretary Robert Gates launched into an assessment of the military’s health care system, TRICARE, calling it a constant source of complaints from troops and badly in need of financial reform in the face of rapidly increasing cost estimates to the federal government. Health care cost the department $19 billion in 2000, but is estimated to reach $50 billion in fiscal 2011 and $65 billion by 2015, according to Gates. TRICARE has not increased premiums since its creation in 1996. Gates suggested possibly charging higher premiums and co-pay fees to those retired personnel using the system who have access to private health care plans through their employers. To read this article in its entirety, please click here: http://www.military.com/news/article/gates-gives-brutal-assessment-of-tricare.html?ESRC=eb.nl

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Posted in Military News, Veteran Benefits

Sears Salute To Heroes Sale Returns

Posted on September 20, 2010 by CJ| 5 Comments

I’ve been working with Sears for a while now in promoting their efforts to recognize troops and everyday American heroes among the first responder community. They do a lot of hard work and I’m actually a little frustrated that there are people out there that are pessimistic about these efforts on behalf of Sears. Last time I talked about the Christmas gift card fundraiser they did for the troops, people were talking about how Sears is profiting off the troops. That simply isn’t true as I’ve witnessed firsthand what happens here. If people want to shop at Sears because they appreciate what the company does for our troops, then they deserve the profits. I’ll admit, that is one of the only reasons I shop there since I don’t visit malls much. But, I digress…

The Salute to Heroes Sale is this Saturday, 9/25. Sears is celebrating America’s service people (Police, Military, Veterans, Firefighters, Teachers, and Hospital Staff) with an extra 10% off of apparel, shoes, lawn and garden, tools, home fashions, electronics, automotive and more this Saturday, September 25, 11 AM to 2 PM. In a few select cities, the sale will run all day: Denver, CO; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN and New Orleans, LA. LUCKY!!

There are lots of great deals – men’s dress shirts for $19.99 (reg. $42), quilts for $29.99 (reg. $59.99), etc. (check out the flyer; link below).

“Local heroes” need to print out the Storewide Savings Pass found in the flyer available here: http://www.sears.com/salute, and they also need ID to prove their “local hero” status, so this isn’t a sale for just anybody.

The sale is nationwide with the exception of these cities, where it will be held on Saturday, November 13: Boston. MA; Seattle, WA; Miami, FL; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Dallas, TX and Cincinnati, OH. The offer will be the same: extra 10% off apparel, shoes, lawn and garden, tools, home fashions, electronics, automotive and more.

More information is available at http://www.sears.com/salute and enter your zip code to download your 10% off coupon.

To help promote this sale, Sears has offered readers of You Served an opportunity to win a $200 shopping spree. This isn’t a nationwide-we’re-one-of-a-million-blogs-offering-this-and-your-chances-are-slim-to-none-to-win kind of thing. Let me say again – this is being offered to You Served readers and You Served readers only. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1) Leave a comment telling us who your local hero is and why. It should be someone that fits one of the categories of this weekend’s sale (Police, Military, Veterans, Firefighters, Teachers, and Hospital Staff). This person does NOT need to be living.
2) Provide a photo that we can use to share this hero’s story with the world so they get the credit they deserve for what they’ve done. Send photos to cj@youserved.com.
3) If chosen, you must provide me with a good phone number and address so that I can contact you and write a story about how the shopping spree helped you. It would be helpful if you also provided pictures or video, but I won’t demand it. ;) I promise that your contact information will not be shared.

It’s that’s simple. I want to tell Sears how they have made a difference in your life the way your hero has made a difference. The Winner will be announced on Tuesday, 28 Sep 2010. Here’s an example of what I’m looking for:

My hero is my grandfather, James A. Stuthers, Sr. He only served in the Army Air Corps for about two years, but he accomplished so much. He served as a togglier and ball gunner in the B-24 and B-17 bombers over Germany in 1945. At just 20 years old, he was thrust into a World War with on-the-go training and a will to survive.

My grandfather’s plane suffered two holes during the run over the target. The prop wash from the close formation flyers made it a rough ride. Life in a B-17 is one of the most frightening experiences a man can ever face. It’s not like being a Soldier on the ground. If something is shooting at you on the ground, you just shoot back. When flak is exploding in the air above you, below you, beside you, in front of you, and behind you, you have no choice but to clinch your fists and pray that today isn’t your day.

This constant feeling of intense anxiety wears a man out and works on the very core of his being. In other words, you’re afraid. You fear for your life. You wonder if you’ll ever meet that special woman God has set aside for you. You ask yourself if your family knows how much they really mean to you. Through it all you tell yourself that if you live through this one event, you’ll never step foot back on that plane. The fear grips you and causes you to tremble. Your thoughts stammer; sweat seems to evaporate the moment it leaves your pores. It’s a fear you NEVER forget, even after 47 years when the sights and sounds of a B-17 landing at a nearby field during a demonstration invoke that shaking and nervousness. My grandfather was a proud man. He never spoke of this fear, even when confronted with it head on. There’s no need to look in a dictionary or study an encyclopedia to get the true meaning of courage or courageous people. I’m going to tell you what it is.

No matter how scared Tech Sergeant James A. Stuthers was, he forced himself back on that plane for mission after mission. He bullied himself through all the flak the Germans could throw at him. He didn’t run to Canada and he didn’t hide out in the sick bays seeking encouragement and excuses while the rest of the Bums sacrificed themselves at the alter of freedom. He climbed onto the plane, manned his gun, and bombed the town of Bremen into submission. The town was filled with smoke and fire. German fighters swarmed the airspace firing their guns at the planes as they unleashed their aerial hell. One B-17 didn’t make it back from that mission. Somehow, the Bums successfully navigated the 88mm flak, rockets, bullets and prop wash that presented a wall of steel 20,000 feet in the air. And the next day, he would have to do it again.

Butler's Bums

Now, naturally, yours doesn’t have to be that long. I just happened to have already written that, so it was easier for me. So, do you want a $200 Sears shopping spree? Get started, homies!!

Note: In order to be compliant with big brother’s absurdly stupid FTC regulations and overt control over anything they can get their hands on, I must inform you that the Sears shopping spree gift card was provided to me to promote their sale this weekend. Additionally, you do NOT have be one of the “heroes” to win. The drawing will be random in the sense that I will place all qualifying names into a hat and just draw one out. That’s it. NO more fine print.

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Posted in Charities/Contests

Preliminary Injunction Sought Against the Department of Defense By Military Families

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Troy| Leave a comment

Military parents of children with autism filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction against the Department of Defense (DoD), alleging that the DoD and its health benefits division, TRICARE, has wrongfully refused to provide health benefits coverage for applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA) . The Motion alleges that children with autism will sustain irreparable injury for each day that goes by without receiving ABA therapy to which they are entitled under the military health benefits statute. The Motion was filed in the case is Berge v. United States of America, et al, No. 10-cv-00373-RBW (DC), and it was assigned to Judge Reggie B. Walton of the federal district court. To read this article in its entirety, please go to: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/106100

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Posted in Life in the Military

Army Ends GED Program for Aspiring Soldiers

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Troy| 1 Comment

The Army is ending a program that helped nearly 3,000 high school dropouts earn high school equivalency certificates and become Soldiers. The GED pilot program known as the Army’s prep school started at Fort Jackson, SC in summer 2008, when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan left the service scrambling to find Soldiers. But since then, with the economy in a downward spiral and jobs hard to come by, more people with diplomas have been enlisting. For more information, click here: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/08/ap-army-ged-program-ends-082610/

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Posted in Life in the Military

Soldier of the Week – Staff Sgt. Austin McCall

Posted on September 17, 2010 by CJ| Leave a comment


When Staff Sgt. Austin McCall of the 75th Army Ranger Regiment first answered the call to serve five years ago, he pledged to always place the mission first and to never accept defeat. Inspired by the dedication, prestige and resourcefulness of the 75th, McCall declined a college football scholarship in favor of enlisting in the Army.

“I knew that the Rangers would challenge me physically and mentally more than any job or sport ever could,” he said, adding that he gets the same adrenaline rush from serving in uniform.

Like most Rangers, McCall is a man of action rather than words favoring getting out into the field rather than sitting around a conference table. During his most recent deployment to Afghanistan earlier this year, however, it was his quick thinking and actions working together that saved his own life and the lives of some of his men. On Jan. 5, McCall and his squad received intelligence that a suicide bomber and a group of insurgents were holed up in a house in eastern Afghanistan. As he entered the location to confront the insurgents, two grenades detonated at close range.

The explosions came just seconds apart, yet McCall used those brief moments to warn his fellow Rangers. His focus on his men and his quick reaction spared both McCall and his men further casualties.

“By turning my head and yelling ‘grenade’ to my Rangers, the shrapnel was able to go right through my face,” he said. “It may have saved my life.”

Despite serious injuries to his face and mouth from the shrapnel, and incoming gunfire, McCall continued to fire back at the insurgents.

McCall put his own medical needs on hold, and focused on completing his unit’s mission.

“That’s just what we do. We go to where the fight is. We are there to engage and take care of the bad guys,” he said.

Later that day, McCall was flown to the hospital at Bagram Airfield and eventually transported to Germany, before returning to the United States to receive additional medical treatment. Less than a month later McCall returned to Afghanistan to continue the mission with the Rangers.

“Any of the Rangers would have done the same thing I did,” he said. “Within hours after the incident when I was injured, my squad was right back out there doing it all over again. When I returned to Afghanistan, they had their arms open, welcoming me back. They didn’t miss a beat.”

For his actions that day, McCall was recognized with the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, as well as the Purple Heart. He received the commendations in a ceremony in June.

McCall will deploy to Afghanistan again later this year, marking his seventh deployment. Despite the harrowing circumstances of his most recent deployment, McCall looks forward to leading his fellow Rangers in combat again.

“I would have done it all over again and I look forward to doing it all over again,” said McCall. “That’s the way we are. We are all Rangers – the best gun fighters in the world.”

He is currently stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and he lives in the Tacoma, Wash. area with his wife, Gwen.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Horse Sense And Soldiers

Posted on September 16, 2010 by CJ| 1 Comment

We You Served folks love highlighting the many great shows coming out lately that highlight the great and patriotic things our troops are doing. Current reality shows that showcase our military and veterans have left me fully satisfied. But, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more great show like Special Ops Missions, Surviving the Cut, and Top Shot.

Well, there’s always room for a show that is destined to help troops with an important issue facing them today – PTSD. The Military Channel premiered a new show on Sunday called “Horse Sense and Soldiers”. My assumption is that it will re-air, but I’m not sure when. Perhaps if all my readers email the channel, they will air it again.

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Posted in Life in the Military, Video

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Are Marines Wussies?

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Troy| Leave a comment

Are Marines Wussies?

I didn’t come up with that title to mess with Marcus, but to get your attention. I am sure it will get the attention of a few people.

Let me state up front that I do not think in any way that Marines serving today or in the past have ever been wussies. However I am starting to think that the Marine Corps leadership wants them to be or wants to perpetuate that image to the rest of the country.

Anyone who reads my blog over at www.bouhammer.com knows that I am partnered with Vision Strike Wear (VSW) on the Bouhammer Gear Store. We have also has Todd and Derek from VSW on You Served Radio before.

Vision Strike Wear is a small business that is trying to create a product that fits a specific niche and give serving warriors exactly what they want, customized design clothing for units and troops. They are different than 7.62 Design which typically makes very richly colored military based T-shirts that go down only as far as a Division level unit. Ranger Up doesn’t necessarily make unit based T-shirts, but focuses on general military themes and political messages that are fairly conservative in nature.

VSW works with individuals, units, etc. to create a customized design that the requesting customer wants and approves.  They also do some designs that are general in nature like Airborne, Ranger or just plain Marine based. They created these designs for anyone that is just looking for a simple design that has already been created. However the bulk of their business is from usually forward deployed forces who want a T-shirt, sweatshirt, or even card decks and poker chips that have that unit’s logo, crest, saying or iconic image on it.

VSW artists work with troops to come up with the design that could be in any stage of maturity (from a thought to something already drawn up in high detail) and get that on image on the product of choice for as cheap as possible.

VSW also does a lot of work pro-bono and gives a lot to military supporting charities. For example, all of the bouhammer.com designed products sold have all proceeds donated to four outstanding military supporting charities.  That is in addition to other arrangements they have with groups like Soldiers Angels.

So with all of that said, it makes me sick to know that the US Marine Corps is trying to essentially ruin and put this former Marine owned business out of business. The eagle, globe and anchor design has been around for a lot longer than a trademark office. To try and say it is a copyrighted icon is absurd. If anything it helps spread the word about the Corps.

I have personally seen some of the correspondence mentioned in the article below and it says exactly what the article says it does. The Marine Corps Trademark Licensing Program office is a joke and do they really think they are fooling anyone by trying to imply that the Marine Corps is a bunch of goody-goody Sandra Dees? It is the friggen Corps for God sake. You know, Hamburger Hill, Hue City, Fallujah, R. Lee Emery, Carlos Hathcock to name a few places and names that are associated with the Corps.

Gilbert’s application for a license was still denied, in part because non-Marine items sold on the site — intended for other branches of the armed services, firefighters or police –were too “extreme,” says Jessica O’Haver, the licensing program’s director. She says the Marine brand is too historic and important to be diluted by “sexually charged or destructive” items or a marketplace that “is not in line with our brand.” “Integrity, honor, courage, putting one’s country before one’s self, that’s who we are,” O’Haver says. “Sometimes companies don’t fit in.”

I read that and was shocked that anyone associated with the Marines could say those words with a straight face. So the Marine Corps is a brand huh? Is the “brand” what makes the corps or is it the Marines themselves? You know the same Marines who request and design many of the items on the VSW site.

It is my personal opinion that someone in the Marine head office needs to put away the “How to be politically correct” book and get over themselves. Their words and actions are really starting to embarrass the entire Corps and what it has stood for if you ask me.

Read the whole story at…

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/sexy_figurines_tough_t-shirts.html

 

 

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Posted in Life in the Military

Military Recruitment Grapples with Obesity Epidemic

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Troy| Leave a comment

As they enlist Soldiers to man operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, military recruiters are finding themselves on the front lines in a different sort of battle – one against the obesity epidemic.  The escalating number of overweight teens being turned away from recruitment centers has some military officials fearing for the future of the services.  The military discharges more than 1,200 first-time enlistees annually before their contract expirations because of weight problems.  Obesity imposes a hefty $60 million price tag for the military to recruit and train replacements. To read this article in full, please go to: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/military-recruitment-grapples-obesity-epidemic/story?id=11431486.

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Posted in Military News

Alternative Therapies

Posted on September 15, 2010 by LL| Leave a comment

PTSD has been studied quite a bit these past few years and there is no one treatment that works to “cure” people of it. But there are therapies and different ways to cope. Medications, group therapy, individual therapy. And there have been attempts to look outside the traditional treatment sphere. I posted about how one doctor is studying nerve surgery to interrupt the autonomic responses a little. I’ve seen stories about companion service dogs used to help and help soothe those dealing with PTSD. As long as it is not detrimental, I think all of these can be used to help someone deal with symptoms.

The History MILITARY Channel will have a story about one of the alternative treatments. The show will air on Sunday, September 19th at 10pm and it is called Horse Sense and Soldiers. The man known as the Horse Whisperer, Monty Roberts, will help 3 PTSD stricken troops connect with wild horses, and in the process, help them connect with themselves. According to the press release:

Through an innovative yet experimental approach to coping with PTSD, Roberts shares his lifetime of experience and insight in non-violent training as he gently coaches each veteran to read the silent language of horses and reach the point of breakthrough, or “Join Up,” the moment at which a wild horse will trust and accept human contact. It is an emotional and striking metaphor for how these soldiers can work through and cope with their debilitating depression and anger.

I own pets and have loved animals all my life, so I know how that sort of unconditional trust and love can be a calming influence, even on a stressful day. I’m sure it can help for those willing to be open to that type of therapy. Anything to help relieve and settle the soul is a good thing in my book.

Anyway, you might want to check it out on Sunday. Below is the trailer for the show.

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Posted in Guest Blogger, Video

Guest Post: Day at the Beach [Part 3]

Posted on September 15, 2010 by You Served Editorial Staff| Leave a comment

C-17 cargo jet by Ack Ook

We recently opened YouServed.com for contributions from all Military members and Veterans. SGT Hovertank, a nine-year Army Reserve Veteran and now a VA Mortgage Center.com Loan Officer, is our first taker.

Each week we post a new part of his article, “Day at the Beach,” recounting the Sergeant’s first-hand stories and observations from GTMO. Read part 1 & part 2 of the series.

This week: The path to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

January 5th 2002 and the C-17 cargo jet that carried me into my greatest adventure taxis to a stop on a dark airstrip in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

It’s been a harrowing experience for a reservist from rural Missouri. As much as I love the military, I will never understand the scale of inefficiency necessary to turn the 2-hour flight from Southern Texas to Cuba into a 23-hour ordeal. Elian Gonzalez probably made the trip faster in a waterlogged bathtub with a Shrek Umbrella for a sail.

I don’t remember all of the stops that night. I mostly remember being huddled in my tiny jump seat, which incidentally would only accommodate one butt cheek at a time. My M-16 and M-249 beside me, I was hoping the “real soldiers” on the plane didn’t laugh at us when they realized that we were not only reservists but Intel guys to boot. I couldn’t help but wonder how my dad felt in a similar seat over 3 decades ago when he rode a C-130 in to the jungles of Vietnam. He had to be wondering how many of the seats would be empty on the return trip home; wondering more specifically if his seat would be empty.

No such concerns for me. Honestly my biggest fear was a slow awful death from skin cancer. It was impossible to find the high-octane sunscreen at Wal-Mart in January.

Continue reading →

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Posted in Guest Blogger, Life in the Military

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