Gratitude Post: The Troop Support Community

"I worry America's continued unhealthy worship of soldiers where support for troops no matter what becomes support for the war." -Jonathon Kim, The Young Turks, Re-think Review & Discussion

In his quasi-review (which is less about the film Restrepo than it is to espouse his own opinion of the war), Jonathon Kim expresses his concern about what he perceives as a lemming-like mindset of those who support the troops. I know, maybe it's Army flag and the American flag hanging outside my house; the 3ID Bulldog sticker on my car; or perhaps it's the yellow ribbon on my lapel. To people like him, I'm just another nutter hell bent on supporting chaos, mayhem and destruction wherever the military sets foot. Even my dog, with his ACU collar is fodder. No doubt Louie is a vicious, squirrel seeking dog. I've run across enough people like Mr. Kim. Often they've made up their minds about me and my tribe. They make assumptions about my politics, how I live, how much fuel I consume, and probably think I don't recycle.

But they're wrong.

No one I know of, including myself, worships soldiers. We tend to worship God, Budda, Allah, or whatever other deities we were raised with. Many are atheists, and some are polytheists. We know service members and veterans don't walk on water. Sometimes they are a pain in the ass. They are only as human as we are, and that's why we support them.

Besides, the option is to marginalize them, as was done by society after the Vietnam war. In 1980, I was a young student at a university located next to a V.A. hospital. Often, I'd walk across the street at lunch time to the local grocery store. Usually, on Fridays, there was a veteran in gurney being pushed by an attendant. He was African American, sported a large "fro," and was rambling and shouting as we waited at the light. I noticed that he seemed awfully short. As I later found out, half of him had been blown away in Vietnam and he was on a lot of drugs. My response was like that of others who waited at the light: to look away. I think most of America did back then. Funds to VA hospitals were cut. PTSD treatment didn't exist, in fact it wasn't even in the DSM. The word Vietnam veteran became synonymous with downtrodden, victim, uneducated, limited, and crazy.

Those are very painful years to think of now. Today, a debt of gratitude is owed to the resolve of the Vietnam veterans who said, "Never again will veterans be castigated." Things have evolved. Now, there is an unprecedented level of awareness about service members and veterans not seen since WWII. This alone is something to be very proud of. To go back to the days of not talking about veterans, service or soldiers is unthinkable.

Just recently, we received word from a soldier to whom a group of us send packages. He thanked us, told us the mail truck pulled up and only two boxes came off. They were both for him. "I told my men, when I get mail, everyone gets mail." The arrival of mail was a huge morale boost. If affirming their humanity by sending over a box is unhealthy, then my tribe is the unhealthiest bunch of hooligans ever imagined. The only vaccination against us is arrogance and a stone cold heart.

Perhaps Mr. Kim isn't familiar with the troop support groups who work together on a wide variety of projects. From knitters, box packers, to those who teach yoga at VA hospitals, the sole reason for support is to let those who serve know they matter. Each box sent, every time a yoga teacher a PTSD sufferer find their breath, or when someone writes about the difficulties of veterans finding jobs, or about overwhelmed caretakers needing help, it's driven out of only one thing: unconditional love. Because the truth is without a love that is deeply spiritual, we would lose sight and get stuck in the morass of politics. And while debating why we are there, should we stay there, whether or not things are working is an essential part of a free society, it's very important we not get lost in the debate and ignore the less than 1% who serve. Believe me, most choose the debate rather than wade into the murky waters while trying to help their fellow man.

Those who serve are there at the behest of our culture, history and politics. They have volunteered, and our history of leaving them on the fringes after Vietnam is one that we need not to repeat.In daily discussions with veterans who are struggling with everything from the GI Bill, to trying to get treatment for the medical conditions and PTSD, we know their struggle is exhausting. We also know that so much of the public would just as soon forget about them. The strands of support after combat are fragile. We have much work to do on their behalf, and it will take the same determination they had when they took the oath to serve our country.

Mr. Kim is also incorrect in suggesting that support for our troops inevitably leads to blanket support for the war. This is an awful stereotype. There are plenty of disagreements about intent, strategy and outcome. Persons who write for the same blog or work on projects together can have differing opinions. Discussions are held on boards large and small. Not only our feelings, but also our knowledge of the war and the history of Afghanistan is more in-depth and complex than most realize.

Truth is, our tribe consists of individuals from all quarters. The right and the left, the box packers, knitters, yoga doers, people working on behalf of the homeless, filmmakers, writers, artists, quilters, bakers, t-shirt makers, fundraisers and more. What draws them together is more than lapel pins or flags. It's a commitment to supporting these men and women over the course of their lifetime, to help them find avenues that lead to happy, productive lives. Those who make assumptions about troop supporters should heed a quote from Plato: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

Book Review: "Brute, The Life of Victor Krulak, U.S. Marine" by Robert Coram

In a breathtaking career spanning the 1930's through the 60's, LtGen Victor Krulak left his mark not only on the Corps, but also on the victory of WWII. He was also the father of 3 sons who all served, the most recently known, General Chuck Krulak who was the 31st Commandant of The Marine Corps. The Krulak name in the history of the Marines is well known, and for good reason. However, his rise, and his family's hold is one that perhaps no one of a certain lineage-dependent mindset could have predicted in the first quarter of the twentieth century.

Born in 1913, Krulak didn't fit the external mold of those who traditionally ascended the ranks of the military to make a full-blown career of it --at least on the surface. He was not descended from a familial line who had served in the military. Plus, was short, and had a roughness hewn from growing up in Cheyenne, Wyoming when it still very much was the wild west. Krulak was also Jewish.

Writer Robert Coram unravels the strands of mystery surrounding Krulak's roots. While Coram makes far more of Krulak's Jewish roots than the man did himself, the writer does so to reveal Krulak's drive. Perhaps rather than say Krulak reinvented himself, it would not be unreasonable to say that Krulak discovered himself in the genteel halls of Annapolis. The person who emerged was Episcopalian, a new-traditionalist, with just a hint of the dust from the plains of Cheyenne. To Krulak, where he was going was far more important than from where he had come.

The Higgins Boat photo from Tarawa 1943

The drop-bow Higgins-boat, used in amphibious landings throughout the Pacific and at Normandy, was the result of Krulak's observations of similar craft designed and used by the Japanese during the second Sino-Japanese war. It was in Shanghai, where Krulak hit his stride, showing signs of becoming the innovator, inventor, leader, and logician. His contributions not included the Higgins, but strategy for the invasion of Okinawa, and acting as an advocate for use of helicopters in combat. Most notably, Krulak saved the Marines from being disbanded after WWII by the Army-centric administrations following.

Coram writes with a deft pen. His passages on Belleau Wood, Shanghai, and the many battles in the Pacific are compelling reading --not only for those already familiar, but most especially for those who know nothing about either the Marines or history. While Krulak himself expressed discomfort for "womb to tomb" stories, he and his family had confidence in Coram's ability and participated in the telling of this biography. Rather than dwelling only on his accomplishments and lionizing Krulak, Coram shows us his complexities. While this makes for passages that slow the pace of the book and reveals details others would omit for the sake of a gentler exit, Coram stays the course to give the whole of Krulak's life. This is a helpful reminder that heroes are human, and the next one might well be from as humble beginnings, and live a life with traits and deeds both admirable and not.

Because you love them: How To Giftwrap A Cat

Yup, I sure could write about PTSD, the upcoming screening of Restrepo on Nat Geo Channel on the 29th, or the DVD Launch party in Hollywood this week, or even a soldier's wedding next weekend.
But instead, I'm going to share with you detailed instructions on How To Gift Wrap A Cat For Christmas. This is the late FlippyCat, whose owner is a master of dominoes. Rest in peace FlippyCat. You were grand.

Cat Video: Watch out for the cat gun

This Thanksgiving: A Song of New Directions For Veterans

On this Thanksgiving, we're grateful to have friends like Jihad Gene who is offering a place at his table. But many don't have any place to go, and we have the highest percentage of homeless military veterans here in Los Angeles.

However, there's one very fine organization working to give homeless military veterans the services and skills they need. New Directions was founded by a veteran for veterans. On this Thanksgiving, I'm happy to share the inspiring sounds of the New Directions Choir. These men and women veterans were formerly on the street, homeless, often with drug or alcohol addiction problems and unassessed mental health issues. See what they are doing now. Rejoice and Give Thanks!

Writing As Therapy ...But In The Right Place

It's a long way back from Iraq. Charles Whittington, age 24, experienced 3 roadside explosions and the loss of his finger. After his discharge he was lost in a haze of pain, emotional trauma and confusion before finding a place to catch his breath at a community college near Baltimore in Catonsville. But, life as a student has not come without problems. Whittington wrote a graphic article about war, and what he called an addiction to killing. It is a vivid essay. With the encouragement of his professor, he queried the campus newspaper to publish it. They did. Now he is banished from campus until he comes back with a psych evaluation. While it could have been influenced on a presumptive view of veterans as trouble, the college also had in mind the fruitless efforts of the professors at Virginia Tech.

However, there's no comparison between the asocial Cho-Seung Hui, who had a lifetime history of mental illness. Charles Whittington appears not to have had any of Hui's mental illnesses. Rather, Whittington's mental health issue seems to be the result of his experience in combat. While his writing grows darker as he leans into the topic matter, it's clear he was actively working out issues on the page.

From my experience, much of what people write is either consciously or sub-consciously written for therapeutic reasons. Writing can be very useful in helping a person reflect and organize their thoughts. This is what Whittington was doing on the page. Though I'm not advocating doing this in a Composition 101 class at a community college. Rather, there are places to go for this.

Therapeutic writing like the Maine Humanities Council's Literature & Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Health Care® program trains people to facilitate therapeutic writing courses at clinics and VA Hospitals.

"to explore ways in which the humanities—including literature, theater and writing—can support the personal and professional development of health care professionals who work with war veterans and others who have experienced trauma. Discover literature’s ability to provide new insights into trauma's effects on your patients—and to sustain you as you care for them. Learn about a range of innovative programs, best practices, and how to implement a humanities-based program in your own facility."

Veterans' Voices has been around since 1952. They run therapeutic writing programs that acknowledge veterans' experiences and builds their self esteem through creative expression and possible publication. Their reseach has shown:

"Clinical studies have demonstrated positive impact of creative expression on the mood of patients, families and the health professionals who care for them. The studies show that exposure to the arts can lead to stress relief, improved communication and positive effects on physical measures such as blood pressure and heart rate. The arts can provide a creative diversion from the reality of illness, while identifying a patient’s previously unexpressed emotional and spiritual needs. This can result in stress reduction and faster healing — and in some cases, a more peaceful death." -Stuart Sidell, MS,CAS,CTRS VAMC-Bay Pines, FL

Several of the programs may be found in clinics and VA hospitals nationwide. Just google "Therapeutic writing for Veterans" and you'll come up with an array of programs.

Truthfully, the college campus isn't the place to work these things out. Teachers who receive papers like this need to dig deep and figure out if they're prepared to help in this situation. Most will not be prepared, if they are not trained. The goal of a therapeutic writing program is to work through memories which hinder their life, and organize them to gain clarity, so they can move forward and live in the present. But, the college administration might be encouraged to take a wider view of the issue. If they start a therapeutic writing program with the local VA or the student mental health department run by by trained individuals, the colleges might cultivate the stellar students they desire.

What's Your Mission Statement? A Meditation on Meaning, Inches & Football

To say the last two years have been the steepest learning curve of my life is an understatement. Were it not for many of the fine people who have provided not only a glimpse, but also instructive advice, my entry into the military life would be much different.
But, once in awhile, one needs to stop and catch one's breath.
One of the most important things about going to Kripalu was to refocus on what it is I want to bring to the table. Look, I know I'm a bit of an anomaly. I was a civilian for 23 years and my world wasn't the military. My life has been shaped by childhood, the good and bad of Los Angeles, politics, medicine, art, marriage, kids, pets, running a practice, business, and writing.

I make no bones about it. Even if my husband stays in for the rest of his life, my years as a civilian will probably always outnumber those as a military wife. That's just the way it will probably be, and I don't compare myself someone who has spent 23 years from the time they were age 18, or 38 years from the time they were age 24. What would be the point?

Every so often --I write a little mission statement about work/life/marriage/kids/and whatever other areas I find myself going through the motions, but neither feeling or thinking. It's a chance to re-inject these areas with a dose of mindfulness. So here's mine:

I support service members at every stage --in the thick of combat, and on the soft soil of home, over the course of their life.

Easier said, then done, right?
Because what this is dependent on is practicing unconditional love, acceptance, and non judgment. This doesn't mean I don't have an opinion or that I walk on water, but it means I try to think before I respond.

We're all so different, shaped by influences that are unique to us. Practicing unconditional love isn't easy. But if a situation arises and I respond as such, I'll feel so much more at peace if I do. And I'm not one to spend my life being angry, or feeling like everything I say is going to change the world.

Defining my goals has reminded me to stay on the track to find things that will help veterans and service members lead useful and productive lives. Yoga, writing, dancing, reading, sports --are avenues that lead to creative expression as well as bringing a person into the present. From there, maybe they'll not only find happiness, but feel their time on the soft soil of home is well spent. Oh yeah, I also hope they find fun and laughter, but most of all love.

Now, for the rather abrupt drop into football. A soldier downrange posted it on his facebook.It means something to him. It might mean something to you as well. I call it, Zen, Football and Life.

The Gratitude Post: RESTREPO Short-Listed

I'm grateful for every person who took a little film about war into their heart. In this clip, Tim talks about the brotherhood of men in combat. Though the story of war is timeless, the circumstances under which it is shown is contemporary and real. We're one step closer to having RESTREPO gain a nomination for an Oscar. Which film will be most compelling to the Academy members who vote is unknown. But I hope it'll be for the small war documentary, filmed under the most dangerous of conditions, that told the story of brotherhood, love, tragedy, and revealed the humanity of a platoon.

Restrepo compels one to question the stereotypes and assumptions about those who serve. Thousands have done so, and have come to understand that no matter what one thinks about politics or war, support and respect for those who serve is essential.

Any film that can change the way people think about two things in which this nation is polarized: war and soldiers, is one that matters. I'm grateful to have been able to help deliver this film into the arms of the military support community, who continue to amaze me with their selflessness and generosity everyday.

#

They Thought It Was For Sissies: I've been busy working on the materials presented to us at Kripalu. One thing for sure, the triad of care for PTSD is now psychotherapy, psychiatry, and movement therapy. Movement therapy meaning some kind of body experience that makes us focus in the present. It could be a number of things: basketball, wheelchair racing, tai chi, river rafting, or yoga. In Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), patients with PTSD are receiving instruction in Yoga Nidra, yoga and tai chi. Here's a bit about yoga, which has been studied by groups like the Samueli Foundation and Harvard Med using a variety of data --from brain MRI's to out processing questionnaires, and more. You'll see the clients doing "legs up the wall." Try it! Incredibly relaxing.

• What they said prior: "I thought it was for sissies, I'm a Marine so we don't think about yoga as part of our training."
• What they said after: they love it. They sleep at night.They feel better. They love life.
  

Keep questioning assumptions.
You never know where the clearing of them
might take you, and what gifts you might discover.

How To Save The World From Evil Doers

On Facebook:
Kanani
Look, build grocery stores in areas where Al Qaeda lingers. Stock them with high fructose corn syrup products, fatty processed foods and they'll all be dead in 20 years.

Brian
The only draw back, well maybe two drawbacks is, the length of time that would take and the fact that it would "Americanize" things a little too much for their tastes, which they could be resistant to. But otherwise, I think it's an EXCELLENT plan!

Kanani
Well, certainly we can add a little high fructose corn syrup to foods like kebab "marinade" and saffron rice-a-roni?

Brian
Ease them into it. YES!! Brilliant!

Kanani
Just wait until they taste Slurpees.

Brian
MMMMMMMM SLUUURRPEEES!!!


Kanani
And ice cream. We can give them a new meaning to Rocky Road.

Brian
And then we'll hit hard with the good stuff, TWINKIES!!

Brian
And Coke and Pepsi products!

Brian
In the mega huge size!


Kanani
They have Coke! I think they use real sugar though. Must replace it with the same crap we have --high fructose corn syrup.

Brian
Yes, of course, we'll ship our "Americanized" version over now, they won't realize it until it's too late! I can see a plan!

Kanani
I think we need to ship this plan to Petraeus.

Brian
Yes! Dave will LOVE IT!!

Kanani
So glad you're on a first name basis with Dave. You must be a Rock Star!

Brian
I can call him whatever I want now! I am a General myself now, General Civilian!

SSG Salvatore Giunta, Medal of Honor Recipient: Photos

More Photos of SSG Salvatore Giunta receiving the Medal Of Honor today.

"Although this is positive, I would give this back in a second to have my friends back with me right now." -SSG Salvatore Giunta after receiving the honor.

SSG Sal Giunta: A Brush Stroke on The Big Picture

The Sal Giunta Story from Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington on Vimeo.

When I first head about the possibility of SSG Sal Giunta being awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Rock Avalanche in the Korengal Valley, I was with filmmaker Tim Hetherington and MSG La Monta Caldwell. We were excited over the prospect, and wondered if it would be true. The gravity of the circumstances under which he earned it was never lost on us. After all, the events at Rock Avalanche unfold before the viewers of the film Restrepo. Plus, Tim was there. Months have passed, and on Tuesday, November 16, SSG Sal Giunta will be the first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam war. President Obama will present it to him at The White House. His mates from the 2/503 will be there with him. So will the reporters (Tim and Sebastian) who were with the platoon.

What strikes everyone is his reluctance to see himself as extraordinary. As Giunta says,

"It sounds really awesome in theory, but it’s not…what’s it worth, Brennan, Mendoza? It’s worth a lot, I don’t want to downplay it, it is the Medal of Honor, the highest award in the country, but … I didn’t do shit, I did what I did because in the scheme of this whole painting the picture of the ambush, that was my brush stroke. It wasn’t the most important brush stroke, I just completed the picture."

It's with a lot of mixed feelings that he accepts this award. A person doesn't become a hero alone, but as the result of circumstance and with the foundation made with the help of others. He is accepting this in honor of the men who were there with him, including SGT Josh Brennan and Medic SPC Hugo Mendoza who died that day. This is reason enough to accept the nation's highest honor.
Join me in wishing the 2/503 Battle Company peace and good will.

PTSD: A different way of seeing the present

A different view of fireworks

"What? Studies to show what we've already known for a long time?" -Clinician's response to a study showing a correlation between yoga and decreased anxiety levels.

The importance of studies of yoga on survivors of traumatic stress are important because they gather data using the scientific method. There are intake forms, study groups, and ways of measuring the effect to gather evidence to see how and whether or not it works. The net result? Well, a study can have an effect on whether or not yoga is going to be used by the medical community.

For instance, because of a study or probably several, PTSD was able to gain a place in the DSM-IV (309.81). This opens the path for treatment of, and as importantly, for funding. Funding covers everything from being able to fold in trauma-sensitive yoga classes into the plan of treatment, helping clinicians get paid, and the ability to gain funding to start programs at veterans centers and hospitals. Maybe one day, trauma-sensitive yoga sessions get added to a super bill, like acupuncture and chiropractics have been. That's just a brief glimpse at why these studies are so important. Besides, studies take the woo-woo-woo out of yoga, which is vitally important to gain a foothold in the military community. By and large, the military community does not take to a lot of woo-woo-woo when it comes to PTSD.

So, what does all of this means to the spouse who is trying to understand their loved one who has come back from war and is showing all the symptoms? Well, maybe we can understand it in some basic ways that relate to our experience and are meaningful to us --so that we can live in the present while trying to help our loved ones organize the past.

The description that resonated best with me comes from a study done by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. and Alexander McFarlane as traumatic memories, which induce emotional and physical manifestations of stress. Rather than being filed under a bad memory, they are replayed over and over again, and these intrusive thoughts become the reality a person builds their life around.

The intrusiveness of thoughts that are negative can be overwhelming. For instance, I've met three veterans who cannot watch a fireworks display because the sound alone takes them back to a time when they were in combat. The simple rattling of a fork against a plate can set off a startle response that takes them back into combat. These triggers, or another word would be eggshells, can be wide ranging, from the obvious to subtle. What was found in two separate studies, by two separate teams, using two different methodologies, is:

"people who suffer from PTSD developed biased perceptions, so that they respond preferentially to trauma-related triggers at the expense of being able to attend to other perceptions. As a consequence, they have smaller repertoires of neutral or pleasurable internal and environmental sensations that could be restitutive and gratifying. This decreased attention to non-trauma-related stimuli adds further to the centrality of the trauma."

In other words, if someone is living in a world influenced by traumatic memory, their ability to process what's happening at present becomes compromised. This includes the ability to experience what most other people would perceive to be pleasurable. For instance, let's use this really basic example: rather than staying for the entire Fourth of July barbecue with fireworks, the survivor of traumatic stress leaves before the fireworks start. Nothing wrong with this, but to most people the highlight of the evening will be that explosive glitter of red, white and blue up in the sky.

That's something we can grasp: people diagnosed with PTSD see and experience things differently. A response like leaving the party is the individual's way of organizing the past, keeping it in check. From here, we can learn how yoga (as well as other forms of movement) can greatly diminish anxiety, and help individuals become aware of the body, its responses, and ultimately, to have a greater feeling of well being. Maybe, one day, they'll stay for the fireworks at the Fourth of July.

More, later.
Thank you to my sponsors, Pam, Patricia, Mark, Ferdie, Eddie, Six, Michele, Kirby, Jill, Myra, and Gayle.

Friday: The Gratitude Post. VISION

USMA (West Point) Recruitment Team at the Fullerton CA Veterans Day Celebration
I love my Friday Gratitude posts.
Coming up with your second or third act in life isn't easy. I mean, there's this foggy notion of what you want to do, and then there's all this stuff that falls down around our feet, begging to be picked up. Thankfully, my time away last week helped me sweep away all the extraneous gunk, and helped me focus.

This week, I'm grateful to my sponsors (Mark, Patricia, Myra, Ronnie, Ferdie, Eddie, Kirby, Pam, Michelle, Six (Eric), Angry Parsnip (Gayle) and Jill) who sent me to the trauma sensitive yoga teacher training to observe techniques in helping survivors of traumatic stress. What it's done for me is crystallized precisely what it is I want to work on as a mid-life Army wife.

SFC Jaramillo attends every year with his family

I'm interested in the long haul. I want to invest time in now in wellness programs that will help veterans lead healthy productive lives over their next two or three decades. This kind of work takes a lot of time, will not immediately be accepted by everyone, but hey --I'll be around. So hang on. You'll be hearing about what I learned about trauma, and also what the scientific research has shown for the most effective way to both treat and manage it.

The rest of my gratitude is going to be said with photos. Yesterday, I basked in the glow of the brother and sisterhood of veterans. If you want, you may access these photos through my Facebook page. But here are some. No word needed. Just loads of gratitude to these men and women who are making a very large difference in our chaotic world. I stand to applaud them.

The Fullerton College Veterans Club


& Two Old Friends Meet

Veterans Day: To Witness The Bonds Of Brotherhood

Each November they come, marching on streets from Fullerton to New York City. Some are grizzled and grey, their rows not as straight, and many march arm in arm. To see a veterans day parade is to bear witness to a time line of war and peace: Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, The Pacific, and Europe. And if you were to imagine, preceding them would be soldiers from Belleau Wood, San Juan Hill, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Valley Forge. If we look around us, we might even imagine all the loved ones they left behind, standing alongside watching the procession go by.

The passing years are gently worn by some of the WWII vets. While there are those still able to make the march, others sit at the staging area. They wear caps emblazoned where and with whom they served. Many have medals pinned to their jackets. Their vision is not as keen, sharp sounds are softer now. Yet, here they are, craning their necks, listening for the familiar sound of boots on the ground. They are waiting for their brothers who are marching for them.

Veterans gather every November 11 not just for the fanfare, hoopla, or flag waving. They come together to feel the bonds of service. For this was a time in their life when brotherhood was never a question and trust meant the difference between life and death. Unlike the camaraderie displayed among actors on a screen, or by athletes on a team, what separates them is the oath they took to protect and serve our country. Often this meant saving the life of their brothers, even if it could cost them their own. What distinguishes them is each has walked the warrior path, embodying a code of ethics and honor, and a willingness to sacrifice everything. In combat, they put aside their own needs. They would die for each other, they would die for you, they have died for us.

We know this day stirs old memories of those they have lost. Battle buddies who sat with them in a trench, a hooch, on the deck of a carrier, on a stretch of beach but didn’t make it through. The sounds and smells of war come back, not only today, but late at night when everyone in the house is asleep. For it’s not just the physical harm they risked, what they put on the line was their soul, sacrificing their own sense of peace. What many have worked so hard to get back is the same certainty they had during the war –a cause or person who makes them feel that life matters as much now as it did back then. Hand to hand; face to face; eye to eye; brother to brother; soul to soul.

Some have weathered the toll of war better than others. The men and women who have trudged through fields, jungles and urban decay have to regain their balance in fog of war. Today, when the word veteran is greatly shortchanged by stereotypes, when they themselves are politicized, finding their inner peace hasn’t been easy. For some, the search has been elusive, and others struggle. But many, who have reclaimed it, work tirelessly to help those who are still on the march, trying to catch their breath. They are, and always will be –warriors.

This is why we gather on Veterans Day: to see and honor the brotherhood between those who have served and continue to do so. All we have to say to them when we walk by are five simple words: “Thank you for your service.”

War On Terror News Breaks Story on California Coast Missile

You can't make this stuff up. Today, on Facebook. The august WOTN breaks it down with the cat and myself.

War on Terror News Except for the link at the end, I'd have a hard time believing it was a plane, but the author of that link knows photography and mathematics. BTW: he was the first to show the probability of it being a plane, and in a convincing manner.

Mystery of Missile Off California Coast Solved - War On Terror News

Kanani Fong I would really appreciate it, when presenting me with a row of buttons, telling me which ones are okay and not-okay to press. I am very sorry I did this.

War on Terror News I didn't know you were the Navy Ensign in question Kanani

Kanani Fong I'm not. (Right now) I'm (trying to be) a housewife. I get bored. I was covering for the Ensign.
War on Terror News Well, the only buttons you're authorized to push are the "like," "recommend," "blogit," and other buttons on War On Terror News. No more pushing of the "launch" or "lunch" buttons on subs!

Kanani Fong I was looking for the one for room service, and a pedicure.

War on Terror News

Pedicure is found in Networked Blogs marked "follow" under War On Terror News. Complaints for this service should be directed to "This Ain't Hell." Room Service is found under @WOTN on Twitter, again using the "follow" button. Complaints for this service should be directed to @DeltaBravoSierra.

Kanani Fong Haha!

War on Terror News I'm here to help! Can't help the years of being with the Govt induced characteristics

NOTICE: BRING YOUR MOTHER TO WORK DAY 2011 HAS BEEN CANCELED.