Author Archives: Troy

Veterans Day Deals

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

The number of businesses just keeps on climbing. Now there are over 200 companies that are doing a little something for our Veterans on their day, tomorrow. The folks over at Brads Deals have compiled a list of the 200+ stores. You can get to the list easily on their blog at http://www.bradsdeals.com/blog/2010/09/22/160-stores-with-military-discounts/ which they are continually updating.

In reviewing the list, I think there is something there for everyone. From Advance Auto Parts to Zaxby’s and everything in between.

Bravo to these businesses for offering these deals and to Brads Deals for putting this list together.

 

Stores & Services Offering Military Discounts
www.bradsdeals.com/military

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Posted in Patriotism, Veteran Benefits

AER Increases Grants to Injured Soldiers

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

Army Emergency Relief (AER) has increased the amount of its grants to wounded warriors evacuated from theater.  In the past, Soldiers medically evacuated from Iraq or Afghanistan were eligible for a $200 grant from AER to help them with incidentals at the new treatment location. However, in August, that amount was increased to $500.  The AER grant program began in August 2003 for Soldiers downrange evacuated for medical treatment.  To apply for the benefit and other benefits that AER provides, either through no-interest loans or grants, go to: http://www.army.mil/article/68121/ for a list of requirements.  For more information about Army Emergency Relief, visit their website at http://www.aerhq.org/index.asp, or call them toll free at: (866) 878-6378.

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Posted in Military Life, Veteran Benefits

Military Post Offices in Iraq to Close Nov. 17

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

Because U.S. forces are coming home from Iraq by the end of the year, the U.S. Postal Service will stop accepting mail addressed to military post offices in Iraq starting 17 November.  Military post offices in Iraq also will stop processing mail Nov. 17, and Servicemembers there should begin now to advise those who send them mail about the Nov. 17 deadline.  Mail still in the postal system through 17 November will be processed and delivered to Servicemembers in Iraq.  The transition will be closely coordinated with the U.S. Postal Service Agency, which will delete ZIP codes for Iraq military post offices from the USPS database to prevent undeliverable mail from entering the postal system after Nov. 17.  If APO mail arrives in Iraq after a Servicemember departs, mail will be redirected to the new mailing address provided or, if no mailing address was provided, returned to sender.  To learn more about the post office closings, please go to: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=65829

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Posted in Military Life, Military News

Matt Goss+Caesars Palace+Bouhammer.com=Honoring and Recognizing Veterans

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

This has taken a lot of time to put in place, but I am so happy to be able to finally announce this initiative in honoring all Veterans.

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 05, 2011) – British singing sensation Matt Goss, in conjunction with Bouhammer’s Afghan and Military Blog (http://www.bouhammer.com), is celebrating Veterans and honoring those who serve with complimentary tickets to his show Friday, Nov. 11 and Saturday, Nov. 12 in the Gossy Room at Caesars Palace.

“It’s important to raise awareness of the heroic acts these Veterans perform on a daily basis,” said Goss. “I’m honored to give this group a much deserved, enjoyable night out.”

Invited Veterans will receive complimentary entrance to the show for themselves and a guest, dinner and a meet and greet opportunity with Goss prior to the show.

Veterans Day (originally Remembrance Day) is a day remembered by countries all over the world, originally in recognition of the end of World War I. For additional information on Bouhammer’s Afghan and Military Blog, please visit Bouhammer.com.

All performances are held inside the Gossy Room at Caesars Palace and begin at 9:30 p.m. General admission tickets are priced at $40 (inclusive of entertainment tax). Tickets can be purchased in person at the Colosseum Box Office at Caesars Palace or by phone 1-800-745-3000 or on www.ticketmaster.com keyword: Matt Goss. A service charge applies to Ticketmaster purchases.

Presented by Robin Antin, creator of The Pussycat Dolls, Goss’s show offers a dynamic blend of musical talent; backed by a nine-piece band and sexy female dancers known as “The Dirty Virgins,” Goss entertains guests with a production featuring a mix of his career hits, songs from his new album and popular covers.

Goss has sold more than 17 million albums worldwide and is recognized for his appreciation of classic hits made famous by the Rat Pack. In his show at Caesars Palace, Goss performs “I’ve Got the World on a String” and “Luck be a Lady,” recorded by the legendary Frank Sinatra, who headlined numerous dates at Caesars Palace from 1968 to 1983.

About Matt Goss
Matt Goss reached international fame as the lead singer of ’80s British pop group Bros, enjoying more than a decade of success with more than 17 million records sold worldwide. Bros was the first band since Elvis to knock themselves off of the #1 spot in Australia and held a #1 spot in 19 countries simultaneously. In addition to his successful music career, Goss released an autobiography in 2005 achieving Best Seller status in the coveted London Sunday Times. Goss has gone on to focus on songwriting including writing the theme song for the #1 FOX program “So You Think You Can Dance” and writing the hit song “Change Me” for Keri Hilson and Akon which is featured on Hilson’s current chart-topping album In A Perfect World. Goss currently lives in Los Angeles where he is recording his next studio album. In September 2010, Goss released his first children’s book, “Bear Crimbo,” which is the first of a three-book deal. For more information about Matt Goss, visit http://www.mattgoss.biz.

About Caesars Palace
Reigning at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, Caesars Palace features 3,300 hotel guest rooms and suites, including the 180-room Nobu Hotel set to open in 2012; and 25 diverse restaurants and cafes, including the 24-hour café Central by James Beard award-winning Chef Michel Richard. The 85-acre resort offers nearly 129,000 square-feet of casino space including a 14,000 square-foot poker room; a five-acre Garden of the Gods pool complex showcasing eight pools and two gardens; the 50,000 square-foot award-winning Qua Baths & Spa and Color Salon by renowned celebrity colorist Michael Boychuck; five elegant wedding chapels and outdoor gardens; 300,000 square-feet of premium meeting and convention space; and the acclaimed 683,000-square-foot Forum Shops offering more than 180 boutiques and dining establishments. Caesars guests enjoy Cascata, one of the world’s most exclusive golf courses; and the 4,300-seat Colosseum spotlighting world class entertainers such as Celine Dion, Jerry Seinfeld, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Shania Twain (beginning December 2012). For more information, please visit http://www.caesarspalace.com or http://caesars.thedigitalcenter.com to access media materials and request high-resolution images. Find Caesars Palace on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Caesars Palace, along with all Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts, including Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s, Bally’s, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Imperial Palace and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon, proudly prohibit adding mandatory resort fees to hotel guest room rates. For information on No Resort Fees visit www.caesars.com/noresortfees or find details on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/noresortfees.

About Bouhammer’s Afghan and Military Blog
The Bouhammer [boo-ham-er] blog was originally created by a 22-year retired First Sergeant of the U.S. Army. This blog started out as a way to write about military related issues. It turned into a way for Bouhammer to document his 16 month tour as an Embedded Training Team leader in Afghanistan for family and friends. It is now one of the leading and award-winning blogs written exclusively on operations in Afghanistan and other military related topics. Troy Steward from Bouhammer.com also writes for the Official Army Blog at Army Strong Stories (http://armystrongstories.com/) , the You Served Blog (http://www.youserved.com) and co-hosts the weekly You Served Radio show and podcast (http://www.youservedradio.com). The Bouhammer blog can be found on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/bouhammer and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bouhammer.

###

MEDIA CONTACT:
Melanie Shafer
Public Relations Specialist
Caesars Entertainment – Las Vegas Region
Mshafer1@caesars.com
(702) 794-3137

Troy Steward
Owner
Bouhammer Enterprises, LLC
admin@bouhammer.com

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Posted in Patriotism, Veteran Benefits

When did being a Contractor become a bad thing?

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Troy| 3 Comments

I remember back when military Contractors were revered and respected. Back when they would step up and go into the worst places on this planet, risking their lives so young American warfighters wouldn’t have to.

Yes they got paid more than Soldiers or Marines, but they also did not usually have as much protection, supporting forces or even as powerful weapons as the warfighter. Yet they were right there, on the left and right. Contractors also performed then and still do today many jobs that soldiers can be freed up from in order to perform their jobs and focus on the functions they came in the service to perform.

Contractors were and still are more of subject matter experts in their area of work. Many that I know are also veterans themselves, even though I know there are many that aren’t. However for those that are, they bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge that they can bestow on young and eager warriors.

So I am trying to figure out when did being a “contractor” become a bad thing? When did calling someone “one of those contractors” become the same as calling them a four-letter word? Was it when Blackwater had four of its employees (all were vets I believe) tortured and hung from a bridge in Fallujah? Or was it when some other Blackwater contractors were accused of killing 17 “innocent” Iraqis in Baghdad (by the way, they were all cleared of those charges). Continue reading →

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Posted in Military Life, Patriotism, Why We Serve

House Passes Bill That Matches Vets With Dogs

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

Rep. Michael Grimm’s (R,C-NY) Veterans Dog Therapy Training Act passed the House on Tuesday 11 October which offers a “win-win” for vets suffering from PTSD and others who are disabled.  Under the legislation, veterans will be able to address their post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through therapeutic dog training and handling. The trained service dogs will then be given to physically disabled veterans to help them meet their daily challenges. Specifically, the legislation establishes a pilot program in VA medical centers for educating veterans with mental health conditions in the art and science of training and handling therapy dogs. It also calls for an assessment of the benefits to the veterans, as well as encouraging the use of shelter dogs.  To read more about this bill, please go to: http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/10/house_passes_grimms_bill_that.html

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Posted in Military Life, Veteran Benefits

Veterans Unemployment Legislation passes House

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Troy| 1 Comment

By a vote of 418-6, the House of Representatives recently passed legislation that is designed to end veteran unemployment.

The Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011 (the VOW Act), would create the most qualified, skilled workforce since World War II by providing veterans of past eras with training benefits, ensure all transitioning service members have access to a 21st Century Transition Assistance Program (TAP), move toward a uniform credentialing and licensing standard for service members transitioning to civilian employment, and strengthen the protections under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act for National Guard and Reserve personnel.

“The objective of the VOW Act is to use a comprehensive approach to help a broad cross-section of veterans obtain or retain meaningful employment, but to do so in a fiscally responsible manner that doesn’t create permanent, new programs,” said House Veterans’ Committee Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla.

Recently released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that while the national unemployment rate held steady, there was an alarming rise in the veteran unemployment rate – from 7.7% to 8.1% nationwide.

The legislation now heads to the Senate for action.

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Posted in Military Life, Veteran Benefits

PinupsForVets and Warrior Gateway team up for our troops

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

Our good friend Gina Elise has teamed up he organization, www.pinupsforvets.com with www.warriorgateway.org to raise a lot of money for our returning and wounded veterans.

Last year Gina was given a brand-new 2011 VW Beetle by Oprah Winfrey and rather than keep it and use it herself, she is auctioning it off to raise money for our troops. She has the car listed on ebay where you can see many pictures of it, read all the specs about the car and even make a bid on it. You can check it out at http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd=ViewItem&_rdc=1&item=170712491084#ht_793wt_1167

Also be sure and watch the video below where Gina explains what she is doing and why she is doing it. We here at You Served are very proud to call Gina a dear friend.

 

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Posted in Charities/Contests, Veteran Benefits, Video, Wall of Honor, Why We Serve

Tonight on Episode #164 of You Served Radio

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

Tonight we have returning guest, Scott Mactavish from the documentary Ride For Lance. Scott was last on the show on March 1st, 2011.

The documentary is about Chief Petty Officer Lance Vaccaro, sort of. Lance was a United States Navy SEAL, who gave his life for his country in 2008. On June 17th, 2010, four riders and a support team, all friends of Lance, launched the The Lance Vaccaro Memorial Ride and rode from Virginia Beach to Alaska and back in his honor. They covered 12,000 miles in 31 days, and met folks from large cities and small towns across North America, including active duty troops, veterans, and the families of deployed and fallen troops who shared their stories of pride and heartbreak.

A film crew accompanied them along the way and captured over 100 hours of footage, and nearly 30,000 high definition photographs.

Be sure to join us tonight for what will be a heart-warming and honorable story on You Served Radio. You can listen live starting at 8PM ET at www.youservedradio.com. In case you miss tonight’s show or would just like to go back and listen to it again, you can hit up that same website anytime after tonight’s show to listen to the archive o this one or any of our past 163 episodes.

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Posted in Military Life, Wall of Honor, You Served Radio

Tonight on Episode #163 of You Served Radio

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

First up tonight is Mr. Jay Platt. Jay is the executive director of the “No Matter What!” Foundation. In 1998, he was retired from the Marine Corps, as a Gunnery Sergeant, after a rare disease attacked his eyes, brain, spine, and kidneys.

Refusing to quit, he rebuilt himself and became an adventure athlete; raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities, doing things that will make your head spin.

He was one of fewer than 300 people ever to southbound thru-hike the more than 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail. He is one of only three people in the world to swim from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco, with both his hands and feet bound.

And, on November 11, 2011, he’ll attempt to become the only person in history to swim across the Mississippi river while handcuffed, shackled, and blindfolded!

In the second hour we will have friends and past guests of the show, Lorrell Manning and Michael Cuomo back on to give us the latest developments on their film Happy New Year (www.hnyfilm.com). The film recently picked up several more awards and is gaining popularity across the country.

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Posted in You Served Radio