Laptops, trucks ‘n stuff — where’s the limit?
Fellow vets — here is yet another act of kindness toward our veterans. I’ve got to ask: Do any of you get a little uncomfortable with all the giveaways to us? s. I do, but that’s not to say I haven’t also indulged. Free tix to see Chris Isaak – you bet. Tell me what you think.
To those who work at Work Vessel, thanks for what you’re doing – but you’re spoiling us. Read on:
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and co-founder of legendary rock super-group Traffic, Dave Mason. Mason recently partnered with Work Vessels for Veterans, a non-profit that provides veterans with the necessary tools, equipment and know-how to restart their civilian life and careers.
The organization was established through founder John Niekrash’s gift of a fishing vessel to a returning Iraq veteran. Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman has recognized Niekrash as one of his “Joe’s Heroes” – you can see the story on the Senator’s site: http://lieberman.senate.gov/explore/ctbest/joesheroes.cfm
Since then, WVFV has expanded their mission to give everything from laptops to vehicles equipped for commercial purposes to veterans in need of a helping hand. Whether it’s equipment, materials, advice or guidance, WVFV helps returning soldiers navigate the hardships of re-entering civilian life. More information is available at www.workvesselsforvets.org.
Mason (who has played with artists including Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton and penned hits like “Feelin’ Alright” and “We Just Disagree”) is donating royalties from the sales of his new solo album, “26 Letters and 12 Notes,” to the charity and playing concerts dedicated to the cause.
Mason’s passion for the organization and the heart-warming stories of the veterans who have been helped would make a great story surrounding Memorial Day. Please let me know if you’d like to move forward and coordinate an interview or have any questions.
Real soldiers wear pink
So then
Here’s the AP story: http://newsok.com/soldier-reveals-boxers-courage/article/3372223
Poor Boyd. He’ll never live this one down. Not when it was on P1 of the New York Times. But I bet he’s never caught with his pants down again.
Boyd runs to battle the Taliban in Afphanistan with full battle rattle, but no pants. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called it a "special kind of courage" Photo: AP
Welcome home, Stephen
Navy Cmdr. Perry Cockerell congratulates his son, Stephen, who graduated from Navy boot camp in 2005. He served the Navy honorably for four years in Japan. He's back home, as a civilian, with lots of great GI Bill benefits for college. Smart kid.
Memorial Day comes with mixed emotions for me. Of course we need a day set aside to reflect on our fallen warriors. I think it’s also a time to show gratitude for the warriors who made it home. And for those left behind to mow the yard, pay the bills, raise the family. They count too.
Warriors like my stepson, Stephen Cockerell, who just finished a four-year enlistment on the USS Juneau and USS Denver, both LCDs in Sasebo, Japan. So this Memorial Day weekend we’re throwing Stephen, a Petty Officer 3rd Class, a homecoming party with all the family around.
I’m sure the family will be impressed. The Navy delivered a fine, healthy man of 24 years. Someone who thinks through politics, who tries to understand all sides before drawing a conclusion. Stephen’s good manners come easily now and he came home with just one small tattoo.
Yes, Stephen made it home. But my brother, Kyle Seitsinger, did not make it home. He was three weeks into his first tour to Afghanistan when he and several other soldiers came upon a Soviet-era weapons cache. In one big explosion, Kyle and six of his comrades perished. In an almost prophetic move, Kyle happened to be videotaping their cache find in the cave, so their last conversations are captured forever – along with some relief that these guys never knew what hit them.
Kyle was 11 hours away from getting a double bachelor’s degree in journalism and Spanish. He had a nose for news and his passion to become a journalist made me remember all the reasons I love this business. Kyle would’ve made a darn good reporter too.
Kyle was killed on Jan. 29, 2004, not on Memorial Day, but a fallen warrior nonetheless. He was just shy of 30.
My father, Ted Owens (far right), huddles with his Marine buddies in Korea.
My father was exactly 30 - and I was 2 - when he was killed on Memorial Day. Ted Owens was a likeable guy, I’m told. Like James Dean, my father was cool. He had served as a Marine during the Korean War and, frankly, couldn’t wait to get out of the Marines. Ted was quite handsome and truly a character. My uncle, Leon Elliott, tells me the same stories whenever I ask. He was my dad’s best pal, after all.
Still, 30 is too young to die in a car wreck.
This Memorial Day, as we celebrate Stephen’s safe homecoming, I’ll have a couple other folks on my mind as well. I bet that’s true for a lot of us.
One of our own. What went wrong?
Sgt. John M. Russell, 44.
Wilburn Russell, father of Sgt. John Russell, left, and John Michael Russell II, son of Sgt. John Russell, right, speak to members of the media. Photo taken by CHRIS JENNINGS / HERALD DEMOCRAT
Born in Oklahoma City; parents and 20-year-old son reside in Sherman, Texas.
Entered Army National Guard in 1988.
Went active duty with the U.S. Army in 1994.
Stationed in Bamberg, Germany with spouse.
Predictable medals and commendations.
Six weeks until the end of his THIRD tour in Iraq.
Commanding officer ordered mental health consult at
May 11- Five Army soldiers are shot and killed inside the clinic.
Sgt. Russell is charged with their murders.
Why?
The Herald-Democrat in the Texoma area printed a lengthy article quoting Sgt. Russell’s father and son here.
When the worst happens
Soldiers call it “fragging” when one of them harms his pr her own troops. Just about everyone who publicly commented on an extreme example in Iraq yesterday used a different word: tragic.
A soldier being treated for combat stress shot and killed five of his fellow soldiers at the stress clinic where they had sought help. The soldier has been taken into custody, according to The Associated Press.
So what’s more heartbreaking than war itself? Deliberate friendly-fire killings, along with suicides, are the worst to grapple with. How do you reconcile sending someone to war, where they end up so damaged that they kill each other or themselves? Several suicides are prevented each day among troops in war zones. Each day.
Here’s an excerpt from an AP story:
An estimated five soldiers in Iraq try to commit suicide each day. Between September last year and last month, more US troops, 72, died from accidents, illness or suicide than from combat, 67.
Do we yet understand the high emotional toll this war is costing our warriors? Troops must go through mandatory debriefings meant to screen for mental health issues, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, rage and so on. Thing is, if a soldier really wants to hide the symptoms, he or she usually can. The help is out there, but only for those who want it and ask for it – getting to that point in this gung-ho, tough-it-out military is tough indeed.
I’ve written about PTSD and the emotional fallout of war, so there’s no need to repeat myself - but I encourage you to go to my earlier posts on this topic.
I believe the Army has it the roughest in the war zones, with the Marines a close second. As a Navy commander once told me, “For the Army, it’s supposed to suck.” They get the toughest jobs, sleep in the shabbiest of quarters and must respond and react to a very rigid command.
With the war in Afghanistan ramping up, I fear that we’ll see more of our finest go berserk like this, killing comrades they’re meant to protect. I just hope the public gets how serious of a problem this is and does more than just call them heroes, if and when they make it home.
Op: Military Kids – two cool freebies in OKC
If you’re in the military, then you know how generous Americans are in recognizing the duties of the military and their families — and in how often communities, businesses and celebrities give away their time and wares for us. Here’s something from Operation: Military Kids that just came out today:
Operation: Military Kids program gears up for two special events
Oklahoma families of military personnel need to mark their calendars for two exciting upcoming events.
Sponsored by Operation: Military Kids – a grant-funded program through the various military branches in collaboration with 4-H- military families will have the opportunity to participate in OMK Day at Frontier City on May 30 and Science Museum OMK Camp-In on June 12.
Ryan Moehle, Oklahoma 4-H OMK coordinator, said he is excited to be able to offer these events for Oklahoma’s military families.
“The mission of 4-H OMK is to reach and support children and families in Oklahoma that are geographically dispersed,” Moehle said. “The event at Frontier City will be a great opportunity for these families.”
The first 400 guests will receive free admission to the amusement park, as well as a ticket for a free lunch. All other military families will receive tickets at the discounted price of $13.50 per person. All park attractions will be available. Raven-Symone´, known for her roles on “The Cosby Show” and “That’s So Raven,” will perform a free concert that evening.
In addition to the park attractions, Moehle said they will provide a resource fair for the families so they will be able to see what resources are available in the area.
“We’re also planning do to a forensic science activity which should be a lot of fun for the kids,” said Jeff Sallee, 4-H science and technology specialist.
Frontier City opens at 10:30 a.m. and tickets may be purchased only upon arrival at the park. No advance tickets will be available. Look for the OMK booth to purchase tickets. There will be 4-H Ambassadors on site to welcome families for the day of fun. Parking is free, but participants will need to inform the parking attendant they are with OMK and be prepared to show military identification.
The Science Museum OMK Camp-In in Oklahoma City on June 12 promises to be a night of fun and adventure for everyone involved. The Science Museum was formerly known at the Omniplex.
“The camp-in promises to be a night full of fun and fiery explosions,” Moehle said. “Museum staff will be on hand to give demonstrations of different chemical and physical reactions called SCIENCE LIVE!”
Campers will have the opportunity to see “Fly Me to the Moon” in the Dome Theater. This movie is about three spirited pre-teens who take an incredible space mission on the first manned mission to the moon. This animated 3-D show features stunning footage from Apollo 11.
Following the movie in the Dome Theater, participants will experience the planetarium show before exploring the rest of the museum.
The camp-in does require pre-registration of $10 per child and $12 per adult. However, the maximum cost is $40 per family regardless of the number of individuals in the family. All youth must have a legal guardian present and stay the night with them at the camp-in. Registration is due by May 22.
The camp-in begins at 6:30 p.m. and participants are encouraged to eat dinner before arriving. Also, campers are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks for the evening. Breakfast will be provided before camp ends at 8 a.m.
“Individuals who are spending the night should plan to bring a sleeping bag,” said Justin McConaghy, Cleveland County Extension Educator.
“We’ve been getting very positive feedback from military audiences about OMK and we’re really excited to be able to offer these special events for our military families,” Moehle said.
For more information about either of these events, contact Moehle at 405-744-8885, or to learn more about other 4-H activities, visit the 4-H Web site at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu. You also may contact McConaghy at 405-321-4774.
OMK also will be hosting two more events later in the summer, including OMK Day at the Tulsa Zoo on Aug. 8, and OMK Day at OSU on Aug. 12, details of those events will soon be available online.
More information about Oklahoma 4-H Operation: Military Kids available at www.operationmilitarykids.org.
Should it stay or go?
OK, so I’ve got to ask: What do you think of hte latest Navy working uniform (pictured below)?
Personally, I don’t like it. The women’s version looks too much like the Marines (no offense to the jarheads, who have the best dress uniform with that killer red stripe down the pantleg).
The Navy has goofed before in changing its uniform. In the ’70s they introduced a uniform that had no more character or tradition than the average bus drivers’ uniform. Fortunately, they nixed the bus driver look and brought back the crackerjack (sailor’s tie and bell bottoms) that we all know and love.
BDUs have taken on many shapes and colors in the last 10 years and I like those improvements. Digitizing the green cammies iwas way cool. And the desert cammies — well, they blend.
The nice thing about having various camouglage versions is the branches can distinguish themselves from one another, if they so choose. But now the Navy has it’s haze grey and blue digitized version that’s just starting to surface. The jury is still out on this one — but that’s for a different day.
So here’s the newest Navy uniform – thumbs up or down?
Latest Navy working uniform - should it stay or go?
It takes a village – our village
Sometimes it’s hard to reconcile the military I know with the military that I keep hearing about.
I’m talking about the treatment of troops, in particular Iraq and Afghanistan veterans returning home all messed up after experiencing some pretty unspeakable things, in combat and out.
If you’re lucky, and with the right commanding officer, you can come home with a rack of medals and promising career. But too many of our “grunts” do not make it that far. They’re doing the dirty work; they’re exposed to the ugliness, most of them are young and unedycated. They left home with an intact mind, an important mission and a supportive community behund then. They return troubled, angry and dysfunctional. Now what?
What is the military that put them in combat supposed to do for them once they’re no longer deployable?
There’s no question that the military has resources for troubled troops, many of them unemployable, suffering from PTSD, relationship problems,, the whole gamut of it of baggage that any war vet understamds.
Our military has learned a lot about taking care of the war’s wounded in the last several years. An entire army of psychologists, counselors, and resources are available for the asking. But still, too many of our troops fall through the cracks. And remember these danaged “heroes” come home to you and me and our neighborhoods and they’ll need our help as well.
I’m not even so sure the military is the right source to solve these problems. Certainly they shouldn’t ignore them and absolutely they should provide funding to help heal them, But in the long run, after the disabililty battle has been fought and (hopefully) a treatnent plan is in place, it comes down to us Americans at home to help our troops assimilate back into society and get the help they need. In short, it takes a village
For some powerful insight into what our damaged troops are enduring, go to the following two stories by Kelly Kennedy at the Army Times. Kelly and I are are both Ochberg fellows with the Dart Society and the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma.
Read Kelley’s stories here (I challenge you to read them without dropping your jaw once):
http://www.militaryconnection.com/articles/health/ptsd-victim-booted-misconduct.html
http://www.militaryconnection.com/articles/health/ptsd-victim-booted-misconduct.html
Also, these stories were written in the last couple months. In other words, the problems persist, even still.
So once we put the welcome banners away, let’s remember, our job to help these veterans become functional members of society again has only just begun.
