AT EASE! Veterans Magazine Fall 2022 : simplebooklet.com

PUBLISHERDevil Doc PublishingEDITORChristine WalkerINTERIM ASSISTANT EDITORLes StevensonSTAFF WRITERSEric McNailMike SaundersLes StevensonChristine WalkerFEATURE WRITERSChristina MortelRomy MortelCristie RemmelPaul SullivanSALES STAFFEric McNailJennifer McNailChristine WalkerLAYOUT & DESIGNChristine WalkerCONTRIBUTING WRITERS:John BailerBuddy BlouinChuck 'Jarine' BradleyJames BrownDaniel DancerDiane HightRet. Sgt. Maj. G. LealNiki MontgomeryJohnny MunozRobin TurnerBob WartmanJeff WillieFIND US ON:TheATEASEmagazine.comCopyright 2021-2022 © AT EASE! Veterans Magazine and Devil Doc Publishing All Rights Reserved.AT EASE! Veterans Magazine, a subsidiary of Devil Doc Publishing, reserves all rights connected to all copyright and proprietary property contained in our official publication, website(s), social media accounts, videography, email marketing, branding and printed materials. This includes, but is not limited to, authoritative and/or written content, photographs, graphics and infographics, ad design, artwork including official company logos in design, color, and format and video(s). Any use of the above aforementioned in whole or in part may not be used for any reason without the express written consent of Devil Doc Publishing. The subject matter and opinions of Contributing, Feature and Staff writers are their own and are covered under their First Amendment Rights.A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORA MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORChristine WalkerFall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 3Every issue, myself and our staff writers have a zoom meeting to discuss the content of the issue coming up. But after that meeting, as stories and articles start to develop, each issue tends to take on a life of it’s own. Our Fall 2022 issue was no different, but as the Publisher and Editor, I try to guide the issue to have some relevance to the season we’re in, and Fall is always our Veterans Day issue. But this time, I noticed that so many of our stories, at rst, seemed out of place. Shouldn’t we have kept these on the back burner until Spring of 2023, for Memorial Day? Veterans Day so often seems like a way for civilians to take a moment and honor those of us who have served. And I know I can speak for many Veterans, that we are incredibly grateful for that sentiment. However, as articles began to come in, I noticed a theme building; Veterans honoring, remembering, and serving those who have gone before us. It’s almost as if to say, ‘This Veterans Day, isn’t about honoring us, but more so about what we as the Veteran community are doing to stay vigilant to honor each other. Past, present, and future! There is a growing movement within the Veteran community as a whole across the country. Smaller, grass roots VSOs and small Veteran businesses are putting ego’s aside and partnering with one another to improve the quality of life for Veterans and the Veteran community in real and ‘boots on the ground’ tangible ways. The time for building multi-million-dollar Veteran service kingdoms for the purpose of ‘raising awareness’, with little to no resources ever going to Veterans, is over! The Veteran community is more than ‘aware’ of the issues that face our brothers and sisters, because many of us have been through the re and we know what needs to be done. We’ve got the skills, resourcefulness, connections, and most importantly, we’re motivated. So now it’s time to get off our asses and do what needs to be done to take care of our own. And AT EASE! Veterans Magazine is honored to be a part of this momentum. Make sure to check out our Winter 2022 issue where we will be sharing more about this movement and the organizations, businesses and people who are leading the way! HAPPY VETERANS DAY, from all of us at AT EASE! Veterans Magazine! Cover Photo: Walking the Mat - A sentinel assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard," walks the mat during a rainstorm at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, July 8, 2021. Photo By: Elizabeth Fraser, Army | VIRIN: 210708-A-IW468-751.JPG | U.S. Department of Defense.

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6 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine |Fall 2022Walking among the tombstones of the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. The nicely kept grounds are breathtaking. I look to the hillside and see the huge American ag that continues to wave at the mass. As I walk through row after row of gray headstones, I hear in the distance the rie re from a twenty-one gun salute. I stop and turn to face the ceremony. As I remove my cover and place it over my heart, I can hear the rst note of the bugler playing taps. As the bugler continues to play I can only think of the loss that the family and friends have suffered. The ag is now folded and is being presented to the family. Having attended way too many military funerals, family and friends ask…was it worth it? I continue to walk. Six feet under they lay together as brothers. Regardless of what is chiseled on the headstone. Not by rank, or title. Not by race, creed, color, but forever brothers. Never again will there be prejudice. I look at the many Forgotten Warriors who are now together. As the plots continue to be lled, I wonder how many more men and women will it take to be too many? Once strong bodies fought off the evil Tyrant. We will continue to wage war and we will not have learned anything. We say we have learned from war. They lay there lifeless. Never to breathe. Never again will their lungs ll with that much-needed air. No blood for the heart to pump to the brain, arms, or legs. They are destined to turn into dust. With their death go the hopes and dreams of a family. In some cases, a generation or two is lost forever. It’s amazing what inuences they had on our lives. In their time they can say they lived. They lived and gave all. The weak will bow down to the Warrior, the weak at the end of his life will say “I wish I would have done something with my life.” While the foot soldiers of the world meet on the battleeld with lesser men. For every hero that dies another shall rise. No one will know who he is, he may be standing next to you. You may pass him on the street. We will not know him but when he is needed he will be the person running passed you into danger. We will stand there in awe of his efforts. The real question will be did you join in to help or did you stand there telling yourself that’s not your job? Victory is and will always be in the hands of the young enlisted man. I see the hero as nonexistent to those who seek self-recognition. The warrior needs not prove himself. Those who assign the task of ghting a war, look at killing as a menial task that is beneath them. The self centered only look to move up in class. The Warrior does the task for those cowards who hide behind their rank or political status and seek to be god-like. I see myself as a small beaten dog. But every time I’m needed, I run to the sounds of the guns. Then I’m put away until I’m needed again. Meanwhile, the do-nothings will take all the credit. The Warrior doesn’t want the credit because he likes his little corner. For all the good that we see in our lives, it’s still up to us--I often ask myself why did we waste such good men and women. From the beginning of time, there has always been a Tyrant. Then, at some time, there has always been the Warrior. It’s never a good time to let go but it’s not good to hold on forever. While at the National Cemetery, I noticed a quarter placed on one of the headstones. Later I Walking Amongst the Tombstonesby Sgt.Maj. G. Leal

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Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 7also noticed a nickel placed on another stone. I was so touched by this that I took pictures. A coin left on a headstone lets the deceased soldier’s family know that somebody stopped by to pay their respect. Leaving a penny means you visited. A nickel means that you and the deceased soldier trained at boot camp together. If you served with the soldier, you leave a dime. A quarter is very signicant because it means that you were there when that soldier died. The tradition dates back to Roman times.The hero runs towards the disaster knowing full well he may die, but he is committed and races on.Editor’s Note – This story was used with permission by the author, Gregory Leal. Copyright 2022 © Amongst Warriors | Gregory Leal. Copy and/or reproduction in any form is unauthorized.Sgt. Maj. Gregory Leal was born and raised in Abilene, Texas and enlisted in the Marine Corps May of 1976. After completing Communications School at Twenty-Nine Palms, Pvt. Leal reported to Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. Just three years later, after a deployment to Okinawa Japan, now a Sergeant, Leal returned to MCRD San Diego First Battalion as a Drill Instructor from 1979 - 1981. In 1982, Staff Sgt. Leal reported for duty as an Instructor to Communications Electronic School, Twenty-Nine Palms. From 1983 to 1985, Staff Sgt. Leal Reported back to MCRD San Diego, as a drill instructor, senior drill instructor and series chief drill instructor for First Battalion, Alpha Company. Staff Sgt, Leal was meritoriously promoted to Gunnery Sergeant, and completed his tour as the standard operating procedure instructor and physical training instructor at Drill Instructor School in January 1987. Over the course of his exemplary Marine Corps Career, Sgt. Maj. Leal participated in Operations: Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Joint Task Force-6 Counter Drug Operations, Anvil 2, Desert Fox, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. His personal awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with Combat “V” Device, Meritorious Service Medal, with one gold star, the Navy Achievement Medals with two gold stars and the Combat Action Ribbon. He currently holds a 2nd-degree black belt in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.Sgt. Maj. Leal is married to the former Elena Hernandez of San Diego. They have two daughters: Monica and Sonia.

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8 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022In the Vietnam I Corps1, the monsoons had nally slacked up a little by early May of 1967. No matter, pursuing the enemy was a year-round task, rain or shine. The DI’s told us in boot camp it didn’t rain on Marines. It not only rained on me, but it soaked me to the bone. There were times when I wondered if my feet would survive the constant onslaught of immersion in water. Some of my buddies’ feet did not.1 During the Vietnam War, South Vietnam was divided into four Corps Tactical Zones. The I Corps was the northernmost region that bordered North Vietnam and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).DAY 1 - Operation Shawnee for 2nd Battalion 9th Marine Regiment (2/9) began on May 8th in the Hai Lang National Forest northwest of Hue, South Vietnam. From Camp Evans in 48 CH-46’s helicopter lifts, 2/9 was airlifted to an LZ in the middle of the jungle, dropped off, and left to hump our way out for the next eight days.These mountains, aka hell’s jungle, were so steep and the undergrowth so thick that some days it limited our progress to little more than a half mile or so. That meant our battalion would reach the next overnight camp while the end of the column was still leaving the last one. With 800 Marines on the operation, the battalion could easily stretch out over a mile, depending on our spacing.DAY 2 - On the way up a mountain on the second day, we encountered some Viet Cong (VC). A reght ensued, and I laid on the side of the trail down the mountainside. For the rst time in my life, someone was trying to kill me. Twigs just feet above my head were breaking from the bullets as they whizzed by… I was scared. I couldn’t see the VC from my vantage point, but I could certainly feel their presence.Several VCs were killed during the reght, and they killed one of our Marines and wounded several others. It was a sobering experience, and one that happened so quickly. One minute I’m alive and well, the next my life could have been extinguished.DAY 3 - As we traveled back down the mountain the next morning, we passed an abandoned Marine’s helmet on the side of the trail. During the night, the VC rigged it as a booby trap. Fortunately, the trip wire was spotted so no one touched the helmet. Our demolition team exploded it after everyone had safely passed.Fox Company walked point that day. As they cut their way through the jungle they came upon a VC on an obscure trail cooking a small pot of rice. I don’t know how it was possible, but somehow we surprised him. The point re team aimed their M60 machine gun and quickly killed him with a short burst. I won’t go into detail, but you can imagine what an M60 will do to the human body at close range. It’s an unforgettable image.I was operating the radio for Major Sheridan, the battalion S3 ofcer, on this operation, and we were located somewhere in the middle of the column. We weren’t close enough to see the action, but soon we passed by where the body remained. The column started and stopped many times a day as the point company cut its way through the thick undergrowth. About the time we approached the scene where the VC was killed, the column stopped.RL Lupold, a fellow radioman, and I were sitting directly across from the VC on the trail just several feet away. As we rested, Lupold started discussing the VC’s Ho Chi Minh sandals and how he always wanted a pair. The longer we sat the more he thought about it, and then OPERATION SHAWNEE : BAD KARMA IN HELL'S JUNGLE (L-R) Radiomen GS McNeal, WS Parker and VL Stevenson after entering a forward artillery base at the close of Operation Shawnee. © 1967 VL StevensonBy VL Stevenson – Corporal, USMC Vietnam 1966 – 1968

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without hesitation, he walked over to the VC, pulled his sandals off, and stuffed them in his backpack.DAY 4 – Up and down the mountains from dusk to dawn. These mountains were difcult to manage because it rained off and on which made the ground very slick. You can imagine what it was like to pull yourself up a steep incline with slippery footing while fully loaded with military gear. What was worse, the path we followed had been trodden by several hundred Marines before us, so there were few vines or branches still in existence for handholds. About 40 feet above us, a jungle canopy blocked most of the sun. The ground below rarely saw daylight and therefore never dried out. We nally made it to our next waypoint and set up a perimeter for the night.Early in the night, the Marine in the next hootch over laid down on his holstered 45 caliber pistol and accidentally discharged it next to his thigh. I have no idea how that was possible since the 45 has a grip safety, but it did. Because it was dark and too dangerous to call in a medevac chopper, the Corpsman treated him, then he lay about eight feet from me all night moaning and groaning. The next morning the medevac chopper arrived, but because of the thick jungle, it hovered at about 50 feet and cable-hoisted the injured Marine out. DAY 5 – Lupold began thinking about the sandals he took from the VC corpse a few days prior. He was very superstitious and thought they would bring him bad karma. He offered the sandals to me, and since I wasn’t the one who stole them I said, “Sure, I’ll take them.” Besides, I wasn’t superstitious and didn’t believe in the karma thing.Those sandals are now on display in the Marine Corps League Longhorn Detachment’s library in Crowley, Texas, along with some other Vietnam War paraphernalia I collected.DAY 6 – We nally reached an area that wasn’t mountainous, but rather more like a valley. The downside, it was lled with leeches. Everywhere we turned, we saw them. Never have I seen so many leeches concentrated in one area. We nicknamed it Leech Valley.As we traveled down a trail, it was start-stop as usual. At one of our stops, Major Sheridan turned around to speak to me and a panicked look came over his face. It seems I had a leech hanging on my ear lobe like an earring. He immediately started stripping off his clothing searching for those small intruders. They’re undetectable when they attach and are notorious for seeking out your crotch and hanging out there until full. DAY 7 – During the operation, there wasn’t much enemy contact, but we found many enemy camps. The VC had cleared out before we arrived. Of course, everything was burned to the ground, meaning all weapons and rice caches were also destroyed. We were now in our nal push to reach our next and nal waypoint by the following day, a forward Marine artillery base somewhere northwest of Hue.DAY 8 – We reached the artillery base around noon on May 15, eight days after the operation began. We were tired, hungry, and exhausted, but alive from the grueling march through the Hai Lang mountains. We eagerly boarded the awaiting 6-bys (6x6 military transport trucks) and were trucked back to Camp Evans, our home sweet home for now.Looking back over the mountains we had crossed in the past 7 days. In the distance, Fox Company was burning an abandon VC camp. © 1967 VL StevensonThe Marine that shot himself in the leg being hoisted above the jungle canopy to an awaiting CH-46 Sea Knight Marine Helicopter. © 1967 VL StevensonRL Lupold holding the pair of Ho Chi Minh sandals he removed from a dead Viet Cong. Made from recycled automobile/truck tire, this type of sandal was extremely popular among the VC. © 1967 VL StevensonFall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 9

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AA VETERANSVETERANS DAYDAY MSAMSA:: “The Soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the Soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” ~ Douglas MacArthurEvery November 11th, many of us wake up to a busy day of parades, free meals, events and accolades of appreciation for our service. Even as Veterans, we awkwardly thank each other for taking the same oath .But this year, AT EASE! Veterans Magazine would like to celebrate and honor all the Veterans, who continue to serve daily, working to improve the quality of life for us; your Veteran Brothers and Sisters! • You are the ones who go beyond ‘Raising Awareness’ and instead are boots on the ground, standing in the gap, and doing what needs to be done. •You are the ones who, despite your own hardships, are consistently there with a listening ear when we need it.•You are the ones who have dedicated your livelihoods, businesses, and VSOs to help us thrive and not merely survive. •You are the ones who have set ego’s and the pride of building your own kingdoms aside, creating partnerships and relationships for the benet of all of us. •You are the ones who embrace our Gold Star families with genuine love and devotion.•You are the ones who, for the sake of one Veteran life, are willing to keep running back into the dark places, confronting your own demons within, and pulling us out of the pit. •You are the ones who ‘Remember their Names’ and honor their sacrice every single day. • You are the ones who will never leave us behind! THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE! WE SALUTE YOU! by Christine Walker

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“T A   “T A                        ,     ,                 . H    . H    ,    ,            ;     ;                                          . I   . I                 ;     ;                               .”  .”~ Warren G. HardingAddress at the Burial of an Unknown American Soldier at Address at the Burial of an Unknown American Soldier at Arlington Cemetery - November 11, 1921Arlington Cemetery - November 11, 192112 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine |Fall 2022

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14 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022And what is a Sentinel’s duty at the tomb? “Honor the memory of the unknowns and project a legacy of unwavering dedication to those who have fallen,” Sentinel Noah McKee replied humbly. Noah McKee grew up in Sydney, a small village in Delaware County, in Upstate New York. “It’s the kind of ‘small’ where when people ask you where you’re from, you just tell them the next biggest city they may have never heard of,” Noah joked. It was the kind of small town where opportunities were limited, and for a kid graduating from high school, if there wasn’t money for college, there were two options; get a job or join the military. Noah chose the latter. His grandfather served in Vietnam and unbeknownst to Noah at the time, honoring his service and those who never came home would become Noah’s life mission. THE JOURNEY BEGINS“Originally I joined as an 11b Infantryman. I was that high school kid who joined thinking he was going to be high-speed low drag right away. What happened was that all my friends in basic were offered Ranger contracts, but an Old Guard recruiter came up to me in basic and asked if I wanted to go. I had known about tomb guards who served in that unit because I painted them for my high school painting class. So I said yes and went not thinking I would get the opportunity to become one.” Noah recalled.Fresh out of Basic Training, Private Noah McKee was an eighteen-year-old kid, having just arrived at his rst duty station with the 3d Infantry Regiment. He was ‘in-processing’ and saw a Sentinel Guard yer stating that if one was interested in becoming a Sentinel to call the number provided. What he did not know was, typical of the Army, things were not exactly as straightforward or as simple as they seemed. Although a phone number was provided, it was not supposed to be used. Typically to be assigned a duty like this, one would request the assignment, that is, using the Chain of Command properly. Nevertheless, Pvt McKee called the number and spoke with the Tomb Guard NCOIC. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located within the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. This tomb contains the sarcophagus of 3 unidentied soldiers from each of the four major conicts the United States was involved in between 1917 to 1975. Namely, it contains unidentied remains from WWI, WWII, and the Korean War. However, the remains of the Vietnam sarcophagus were nally identied so it remains empty at this time and symbolizes all those who have died or remain missing from that engagement.Beginning in 1921 when the rst unknown was interred, there were no tomb guards. In 1925, the tomb was guarded by civilian watchmen. Then in 1926, the responsibility was given to the military guard of the Washington Provisional Brigade during the daylight hours. It wasn’t until 1937 that 24-hour shifts began. By 1948, the 3rd US Infantry Regiment also known as “The Old Guard” assumed the post and has retained that responsibility ever since.This grand, seven-paneled marble monument is guarded every moment, day and night, 365 days a year by these highly trained soldiers or Sentinels. Sentinel Noah McKee, Badge #640HHC 4th BN, 3d Infantry RegimentTomb of the Unknown Soldier

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Fall 2022| AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 15Within hours he was ordered to report to his First Sergeant’s ofce. Noah laughed as he told the story of how he had to ask a companion where the 1st Sgt’s ofce was, he was so green he had no idea!When he arrived at the Top’s ofce, he was read the riot act. “I was told, ‘So you think your special? You think you can just jump the chain of command?’ The only reason I’m going to let you go is that I don’t want you in my Company. So don’t come back.’” Noah recalled. CULTIVATING VIGILANCESo, with those words of “encouragement,” Pvt McKee left for training. It takes between nine and twelve months to go through the Sentinel training which includes memorizing verbatim seventeen pages of numerous creeds and poems all related to his task as a Sentinel Guard, in addition to the exceptionally specic drill and ceremony procedures related to guarding the Tomb and interacting with the public while on duty.The Tomb Guards have, “Some of the most-strict uniform standards in the military, down to the millimeters.” Noah said. The uniform preparation, including shoe polishing, “could take upwards of three to four hours per day, possibly more especially if the soldier was new to the Tomb.”But why are the standards, possibly the strictest in the entire United States Military, so exacting? Noah’s reply was simple, yet profound, “So that the unknowns that watch over us can see that we are giving as close to 100% as we can because they did give 100%. … to give our very best is the goal.” Creed all Tomb Guards learn in training. Inscribed on a plaque by the entrance to the quarters. Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.GUARD DUTYA typical duty shift for a Tomb Guard was twenty-four to twenty-six hours. However, their paces, or walks, in front of the Tomb are completed in thirty-minute intervals in the summer and one-hour intervals in the winter. In between their paces, Sentinels will often interact with the guests. “ The best times interacting with the public was when we would go outside in between our walks and give informational briefs to the public, explaining what we did, how we do it, etc. Sometimes for really cool groups, we would give them a private tour of the guard quarters, show them our uniforms, small things like that that the public doesn’t really get to see,” Noah recalls.Not every guest of the Tomb of the Unknown understands the solemn gravity and respect that is required. People will talk on their phones, play music, or be loud, irreverent, or rude. The Guards work with Arlington National Cemetery employee counterparts who notify the guest to act respectably while in the cemetery. However, on occasion, a Sentinel Guard must take assertive action when the public becomes unruly or found to be in restricted areas. Noah recounts, “The worst [incident] I had, was one late afternoon, someone had walked up the stairs from the Lower portion. Keep in mind, there are very visible gates preventing access. [But] because of my location during my walk, and the angle they approached; I only saw them out of the corner of my eye at the very last minute when they were maybe 5-6 feet away from the tomb. Following our protocols, I stepped off the mat, engaged with the trespasser, and warned them to leave the area.” Fortunately, these incidents with the public are isolated and few and far between for the guards. A LASTING IMPACTThe Honor Flight is an organization that ies select veterans out to various veteran monuments, free of charge. It is a wonderful gift that is given to those who have given so much for all of us. According to the Arlington National Cemetery website, “The Honor Flight Network brings veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit their respective war memorials. In addition, honor ights often visit Arlington National Cemetery to witness the changing of the guard and to pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”

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16 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022“The Honor Flights have a special area at the Tomb, and it means a lot to them to have civilians go over to them and thank them and it truly touches their hearts when they can see that even the civilians come to honor those Unknowns who gave the ultimate sacrice.”So what impacted Noah on a deeply personal level? “The signicance of what I did really hit me when I saw all the Honor Flights that come out, slowly start to dwindle. I noticed these WWII Veterans, who didn’t know who we were, start crying and thanking us for our service. For them, for the guys who show up, the WWII and Vietnam veterans who show up, it represents a buddy who passed away. So, it really hit me that I was part of a bigger picture more than just walking in front of a stone and marble monument, guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” Noah answered. However, how does it help our nation to have such a monument? Are we the only country to honor our unknown in such a way? These questions were posed to Noah and he replied with condence. “Great Britain and Canada also have a Tomb of the Unknown and I did [a] cross-train with a Canadian Sentinel at one point. However, it is great to have something like [The Tomb of the Unknown] so there can be education to the public and especially the young people who may not be familiar with the military, because it can highlight the sacrices our military makes for their freedoms. Especially since you have to walk all the way up passed all of those headstones to get to the Tomb. It really is hallowed ground. Then when you get up there, you see us, the Sentinels, giving our absolute best to honor the legacy of all those who have passed.”There are many myths surrounding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, especially regarding the Sentinels and their behavior standards both while serving as a Tomb Guard and even afterward. These myths include a prohibition on swearing, drunkenness, and even tattoos all of which, according to McKee are patently untrue. “There are no special rules outside of good and professional conduct while serving as a Sentinel. The only caveat is that the Tomb Identication Badge is the only Army Service Badge that can be revoked at any time during or after your service by the Department of the Army or the Badge Issuing Authority. Because you will always be reecting the society and culture of the Tomb Guards so it would likely be revoked if you committed any major crime. [But] The standards you develop while at the Tomb, do follow you for the rest of your life.”CHANGING OF THE GUARDNoah McKee, badge #640, has completed his ‘walk’ as a Sentinel Guard, but his service has created a ripple effect within his own family. His two younger brothers have since taken up the baton of military service, one in the Marine Corps, and his youngest brother? Well, “Tyler McKee also became a tomb Sentinel (Badge #670). So, he and I ended up joining an even smaller list of brothers who became Tomb guards.” Noah said with pride. After leaving active duty, Noah transitioned into the Reserves, received his Associate’s degree, and is currently working as the State Branch Manager for a security company in North Carolina, where he lives with his ancé.____The 3d Infantry Regiment, “The Old Guard” is the Army’s ceremonial unit and has many assignments including Caisson Processions, Continental Color Guard events, Fife & Drum, and much more such as Presidential escort duties and, namely they would serve as the security force to Washington D.C during times of National Emergency or civil unrest. Not Sentinels though, not the Tomb Guards. They have one purpose and one alone. Always guard the Tomb of the Unknown, in all weather conditions day and night. THAT IS THEIR SACRED DUTY, THAT IS THEIR HONOR.For more information on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers please see:https://oldguard.mdw.army.mil/www.tombguard.org

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18 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022SOUNDING TAPS : A DUTY OF REMEMBRANCEFrom the Preface, Boombox BuglerWords of advice from a wise friend. Granted he offered them in the context of vanity, and in the interests of full disclosure, pride could have been a motivator the day I decided to buy a bugle. But in my defense, I decided to buy one after Frank Wainwright’s funeral.I knew Frank probably better than the next of kin who reluctantly sat in the front of the church, rst pew. In case you’re wondering, I use the word reluctantly on purpose. Frank, in his last years, was a cantankerous old man, intolerably grumpy. Part of the problem was, I suspect, just his nature; part of it, though, was attributable to the shrapnel buried in his legs since June 7, 1944, when his landing craft was turned to metal shards and wooden splinters a few yards from Utah Beach, Normandy, France.Yes, Frank was a veteran. And thanks to Congress, he was entitled to a free ag presented by a member of his military service, and the sounding of Taps at his funeral. Therein lies the problem.Have you tried to hire a bugler lately? New or used, they’re a vanishing breed. Congress must have recognized that shortage, because it generously modied the law to authorize recorded versions of a bugle as a suitable substitute. So, Frank’s service closed with a very dignied folding of the American Flag preceded by an undignied, electronic bugle rendition of something that sounded like Taps. Crotchety or not, the old man deserved better.Unfortunately, Taps-by-boombox has all but taken the place of the lone soldier and his bugle at military funerals. A shame, actually, because it’s an amazing work, Taps. At just 24 notes, it will tug at your heartstrings, even if you have no personal ties to the martial sound or special bond with those who do. It’s the sweetest of all calls and after 30 years, the single-most powerful trigger that with just a few notes, can take me back to a time when duty, honor, and country were my stock in trade. More important, it’s a tradition all men and women who’ve worn the uniform have had in common since the Civil War. It’s a promise to each that when the shadows of their lives lengthen and the veteran’s work is done, his or her last rites will include the sounding of Taps.With the noble goal of banishing the dreaded boombox from the military funeral, I bought a bugle. “If ya gotta toot your own horn, you’d better hire a new bugler.”Written by Robin Turner

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It came complete with the standard warning that Taps would be the hardest 24 notes I would ever sound. Nevertheless, I began practicing in earnest, my rst brassy squeaks and squawks born in the basement with only the family dog present. And she was so deaf she couldn’t have passed muster in Helen Keller’s remedial canine school for the hard-of-hearing. Only after I reached an inconsistently recognizable presentation did I venture outdoors to practice.Then, for months, I traveled the backcountry roads and highways of the Pacic Northwest in search of places where the bugle could tell its story. The concert halls were small municipal cemeteries and overgrown, abandoned graveyards. Dressed in my jeans, I’d march through forgotten churchyards and burial grounds, collecting cockleburs on my socks. Sometimes when the path was clear of rattlesnakes and red ant hills, the concerts went well. Other times not so much, like the rst time the snow was ankle-deep, or when the sun chapped my lips, or a bee crawled up my pant leg. Sometimes I just had a bad day.Over the months, though, the sounding improved. It would never be good enough for the audience that never complains. But then, they wouldn’t. Every one of them would have known the sequence of the sound and cadence. Every one of them would have known it came from my heart.I gradually transitioned from the solitude of the solitary bugler in a hidden cemetery to rendering the honors for veterans at their last roll call. The National Guard’s regional Honor Guard unofcially adopted me as their bugler, and with their encouragement, I even put the uniform back on. Overcoming my reluctance to dressing the part was a small price to pay to show the families of the fallen that our country still cares enough to recognize the traditions they held dear. I still have a hard time passing a country cemetery when I see one on a day trip or vacation. And I still get a bit misty-eyed when I put the bugle to my lips and each note nds its proper place. But when that happens, my heart is more at peace than at any time since the last time I wore the uniform and listened to Taps echoing across a military installation more than 30 years ago.Today, when I hear that soulful sound, I’m reminded that the service men and women for whom it cries were real once—I might even argue they still are. And I met those whose stories are contained in these pages, courtesy of an old bugle call.Robin Lee Turner, originally from Wisconsin, is a Veteran of the United States Army and Air Force, serving from 1971 to 1984 in various assignments overseas and stateside coast to coast. He’s an honor graduate of numerous military schools and courses, and holds several decorations for meritorious service. He also holds a bachelors and masters degree in Business from the University of Wisconsin and Central Michigan University respectively, and a Masters in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. After separating from the service, Robin served for 30 years as Manager of the Regional Airport in Lewiston, Idaho. After retiring in, Robin dedicated his life to supporting Veterans causes, running 5 marathons and raising thousands of dollars for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). For the last 6 years, he’s served as a volunteer bugler with a Veteran service organization and Armed Forces honor guards & sounding Taps at hundreds of military funerals and ceremonies. He lives in Lewiston, Idaho with his wife of 35 years, Laura Turner. Fall 2022| AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 19

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20 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022VETERAN ENTREPRENUER - PATRICK ALCORNBitcoin is the world’s rst cryptocurrency, and it works because of the world’s rst public block-chain network. It lets you send and receive value to and from anyone in the world using nothing more than a computer and an Internet connection. Unlike every other tool for sending money over the Internet, it works without the need for the trust of a middleman. The lack of any corporation in-between means that bitcoin is the world’s rst public digital payments infrastructure available to all and not owned by any single entity. We have the public infrastructure for information, websites, and email. It’s called the Internet but the only public payments infrastructure we have is cash, as in paper money, and it only works in face-to-face transactions. Before Bitcoin, if you wanted to pay someone remotely, over the phone, or the Internet, then you could not use public infrastructure, you would rely on a private bank to open their books and add a ledger entry that debits you and credits the person you are paying. If you both don’t use the same bank, then there will be multiple banks and multiple ledger entries in between. With Bitcoin, the ledger is the public block-chain and anyone can add an entry to that ledger transferring their bitcoins to someone else. Anyone regardless of their nationality, race, religion, gender, sex, or creditworthiness can, for absolutely no cost, create a bitcoin address to receive payments digitally. Bitcoin is the world’s rst digitally accessible public money. Bitcoin is not the best money on every margin, it is not accepted everywhere. It’s not often used to quote prices and it’s not always a stable store of value. But it is working, and the mere fact that it works without trusted intermediaries is amazing. It is a computer science breakthrough and it will be as signicant for freedom, prosperity, and human ourishing as the birth of the internet. Bitcoin is just the beginning. If we can replace private payments infrastructure, then we can replace other private chock points to human interaction as well. No, why should we want to build more public infrastructure why should we embrace block-chain over corporate intermediaries, why should we tolerate their inefciencies and work to make them better? Why should we want the pioneers of this technology here in the United States instead of eeing overseas? A simple reason is that the corporate intermediaries providing the critical but privately-owned infrastructure are becoming fewer, larger, and more powerful, and their failures increasingly grave. Roughly, half of all Americans, approximately 143 million people had their social security numbers exposed to hackers because of a breach at Equifax. The swift network has relayed hundreds of missions of dollars in fraudulent transactions because of hacked member banks in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Ecuador, and Russia. The FBI suspects now that the largest of these hacks were perpetrated by North Korea. Corrupted low-level employees at an Indian bank were able to fraudulent certify swift messages stealing 1.8 Billion dollars. It is the largest electronic bank robbery in history. In fact, it is the largest bank robbery in history. In October 2016, an estimated 1.2 million Internet devices were hacked and turned into a botnet that made for several hours prominent websites unavailable all across Europe and North America, including CNN and Fox news, the NY Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Increasingly, physical machines are being connected to the Internet to augment their capabilities. They are wired through servers that are owned and maintained by private and trusted intermediaries, the so-called, Internet of Things (IOT).Pacemakers from St. Jude’s have been hacked, and baby monitors from TRENDnet have been hacked. Jeeps from Jeep have been hacked to the point where they can be remotely commandeered and driven off the road. Now, those vulnerabilities are inescapable in systems that have a single point of failure. It doesn’t matter whether the point of failure is a corporation or it’s a government. There shouldn’t be a single point of failure. Similar cock points existed before the Internet. If you wanted to deliver a message, you’d have to go through one of three television broadcasters or a hand full of newspapers. The Internet removed single points of failure in communications infrastructure and ushered in a wave of competition among new media corporations building on top of its public rails. Block-chains can similarly disintermediate payments and IOT infrastructure. The technology is not yet ready to answer all of those questions today, but it is our best hope. It is with the Internet in the 1990s, we need a light touch, pro-innovation policy to ensure these innovations ourish in America for the benet and security of all Americans. CRYPTOCRYPTOCRYPTOCRYPTOby John Bailerby John BailerDIVING INTO THE DIVING INTO THE WORLD OFWORLD OFDIVING INTO THE DIVING INTO THE WORLD OFWORLD OFJohn Bailer is an American business executive who currently serves as the Founder and CEO of United Services Exchange- crypto exchange for the US Military. At Towson University, John earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1995. After graduation he was commissioned in the US Army, Field Artillery. John served as an Army Ofcer for his 20-year Military career. Halfway through his career, John received a Master’s degree in Strategy and changed specialties, becoming a Models and Simulations Ofcer. It was at this time; John fell in love with all things related to the Internet and crypto. As a veteran, John’s mission is to help the US Military and veterans with a fair shot at accumulating generational wealth. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: unitedservicesexchange.com

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Reach Your Full Potential, Find Your PurposeReach Your Full Potential, Find Your Purpose | PART IIPART IITo grow and reach our full potential, we must be deliberate. Life is not a dress rehearsal. There are no do-overs for days, weeks, or years that we waste. We get only one shot at life, and whatever we fail to do will be left undone. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to nish life with a bunch of regrets. I’d like to live in such a way that I create a list of hundreds of failed attempts rather than a list of regrets for things I’d failed to attempt. I am determined to make a difference in the time I have left on earth. I want to “Inspire until I Expire”. How can you make sure you don’t end up with a long list of regrets? Be deliberate. Too many people think that good intentions are enough to make a difference, they’re not. Good intentions are overrated. The smallest action always surpasses the greatest intention. Are you familiar with this saying, “Five frogs are sitting on a log? Four decide to jump into the water, how many are left?” What do you think the answer is? If you said one, you missed the point. There are still ve frogs sitting on the log. Deciding isn’t doing. You need to act to accomplish anything. What about the someday trap? Someday I’m going to do this, Someday, Someday, Someday, the last time I looked at a calendar, I didn’t see Someday on the calendar. Another non-deliberate trap: one of these days, I’m going to go back to school, one of these days, I’m going to take a vacation, one of these days, I’m going to start my own business, one of these days. Are you seeing the patterns in the life of those around us? To get things done, we must be deliberate. The second hallmark of reaching our full potential is consistency. Whatever we continually do in life compounds. If the things we do are negative, life gets worse for us. If we continually avoid work, it compounds. If we continually speak badly of others, it compounds. If we spend more than we earn, it compounds. If we practice instant gratication, it compounds. However, if what we do continually is positive, life gets better. If we practice intentionality, it compounds, and life continues to get better. And the longer we are consistent, the more the interest or benets compound. The results are exciting. The older I get the better I become because of consistency. Reaching our full potential, we must be willful. And it’s something you have to be determined to do daily. Most people don’t lead their lives; they accept their lives. The most difcult person to lead is oneself. Reminder, we cannot give what we do not. The best gift to give to our family, our community, our organization, is the best version of ourselves. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. If you start something, nish it.” That’s what I’m challenging you to do.How much do you want to make a difference with your life? How much do want to make a difference in the life of others. What type of legacy do you want to leave? Are you willing to sacrice for it? Do you see value in yourself? You must see value in yourself to add value to yourself. Denis Waitley, a motivational speaker stated, “We must assign personal development as the belief that you are worth the effort, time, and energy needed to develop yourself. Self-awareness is starting point.” Take an assessment to uncover blind spots, ask those in your inner circle to help you discover your blind spots. Be deliberate, be consistent, and be willful. As you become aware of the steps you must take to grow toward your passion, doing what you want to do, you will begin to produce behaviors you desire, and you start attracting like-minded people. The Law of Magnetism in ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’ says, “Who you are is who you attract.” If you’re growing, you attract others who are growing. This puts you in a position to begin building a community of like-minded people who will mentor and coach you to reach your full potential. Air Force Veteran & CEO of Jeff Willie Leadership. An Executive Program Member of Maxwell Leadership, I am certied to consult, facilitate, speak, train and coach individuals and groups in the areas of leadership development, professional skills, career growth, and personal growth. Inspirational, motivational, dedicated, visionary, living with a passion and purpose, never stop dreaming, continuous education, lifelong learning, lead by example, model expected behaviors, and a great steward of God’s Gifts. These words are not the latest denition of leadership; these words describe my life and fuel my leadership and educational philosophy.by Jeff Willie

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DD-214 & BEYONDLAYING THE GROUNDWORK...Under the US Internet for All Initiative, and the recently congressional passed Infrastructure Bill, the goal of the legislation is to ensure all Americans can access affordable, reliable, and high-speed internet. This project is massive and will take ve to ten years to complete and is planned to improve access to education for children, expand telehealth services, telework, public services, and create competitive paying jobs for the American workforce. Furthermore, this legislation includes guidance to mobilize Individual workers and small businesses to support the expansive nationwide program. In this article, I highlight the federal funding and potential workforce opportunities. Funding: Where does the money come from and how is it allocated?Congress recently passed the Bi-partisan Infrastructure Law, Nov 15, 2021, (Public Law 117-program that meets its statewide specic needs. Each state will create a ve-year deployment plan that details how it will close the digital divide, focusing on unserved, underserved, and underrepresented communities. Digital Equity Act - $ 2. 75B – In order to gain adoption in communities, funding is in place to support literacy programs, increase coverage and access to diverse populations, and affordability to these programs.Tribal Connectivity Technical Amendments - $2.0B – This funding will help further Tribal Connectivity programs and support broadband adoption and infrastructure projects. Middle Mile Enabling Broadband Infrastructure - $1.0B – Funding designated to provide middle mile capacity, reducing cost to underserved and unserved areas while enhancing resiliency of the network.Two other agencies, the FCC and USDA, will administer a portion too. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible to manage the Affordable Connectivity Program. This program reduces the cost of internet, making it more affordable for consumers who qualify. Internet Written by: Christina MortelLaying the Groundwork for the Future: Internet for All 22 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022A team of workers has taken over my neighborhood for a week doing battle with the hard ground under the sweltering Texas sun, dodging street traffic, and setting up cones and flags. From my window, I see the street is lined with trucks and trailers, ditch witches, and shovels. The workers huddle under the one large umbrella to get instructions and a break from the constant sun. The previously funded project is miles long and will take many more months to complete. They are preparing for what is to come: fiber optic cable for broadband. They are delivering a more connected future. Still, one in five Americans lack access to broadband. 58), which allocated $65B in funding for high-speed internet. This funding is broken down into programs to meet the expansive and diverse needs of the US. The rst four programs, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), represents $48B of the new funding. BEAD – Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program – $42.5B – The largest of all the federally funded programs, through the BEAD grant program, states will decide and implement a broadband WHO LACKS BROADBAND ACCESS?WHO LACKS BROADBAND ACCESS?42 | million Americans43% | of low-income families14.6% | of rural residents16.9% | of middle school-aged childrenSource: Connected Nation

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service providers (ISP) are currently notifying customers to check their eligibility for a rate reduction. This information is found on the ISP website, or on your digital or paper internet bill. Consumers can visit Get Internet to claim their benet and learn more. Again, this is an immediate step to make Internet affordable for all.The US Dept of Agriculture (USDA) will administer $2B via the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), and the ReConnect Program. Lastly, $600M is available to states and local governments the of use private equity bonds which will to support the deployment of broadband. NTIAThere is much rigor, accountability and transparency built into these funding programs. States are working hard conducting outreach efforts, to build a community of stakeholders. These include citizens, state agencies, economic development organizations, education, county and local governments, non-prots and community-based organizations and community anchor institutions. In Texas, for example, a Broadband Development Ofce (BDO) was created to support Texas Broadband needs. The BDO is part of the State Comptroller Ofce and is responsible for the oversight and execution of the BEAD program. Over the course of the last six months, the team has zig-zagged through Texas on its listening tour, visiting communities and speaking directly with citizens on their experiences and challenges with broadband. In the future, an updated map of broadband availability will be published. In the meantime, check out Texas Broadband Plan 2022.Ramp Up Your Skills with Workforce ProgramsThe work to expand broadband to unserved, underserved, and underrepresented communities will require a trained and skilled workforce. Since the broadband initiative will take a decade to implement and complete, consider adding a new skill now that can support Broadband jobs for near future work or career opportunity.Workforce and Training OpportunitiesApprenticeship: Homepage | Apprenticeship.gov - Check this site for current apprentice opportunities with existing employers. As statewide plans become projects, more robust apprenticeship programs will come Christina Mortel is a US Army Veteran and Business Consultant with Texas Veterans Commission Veteran Entrepreneur Program. She also hosts Texas Veterans Mean Business Podcast. Christina is a business owner and Managing Member of Get Write to Business LLC.Do you have a start up story? Connect with Christina www.linkedin.com/in/christina-mortel/Continued on page 50MAP OF TEXAS’ 254 COUNTIES DEFINED BY METROPOLITAN, MICROPOLITAN AND RURAL COUNTIES.

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In two different surveys conducted by Bankrate in July 2021 and January 2022, found that 56% of respondents does not have enough savings to pay an unexpected bill of $1,000, 51% had less than 3 months of savings to cover in emergency funds, and 1 in 4 Americans indicated having no emergency savings at all. Being in a situation where the norm is falling into one of these survey results or living paycheck to paycheck does not necessarily mean that there is no path towards developing a resilient nancial situation. Adjusting nancial behaviors and priorities will lead to towards a better nancial well-being. An emergency fund is essential, it is the rst step to be able to meet unforeseen nancial expenses and serves as the foundation towards building a resilient “nancial house.”Ever envision what a “nancial house” would look like? For example, at what point in life are nancial priorities set to achieve a level of nancial readiness? How much wealth (the amount of retirement funds, investments, savings, etc.) is needed to achieve nancial well-being ? What is the plan to nancially support and raise a family? How does one nancially prepare for life’s challenges such as loss of employment, severe sickness, divorce, loss of a loved one, etc.? Life tends to present challenges and one event may be catastrophic enough to send a nancial situation into a critical tailspin that disrupt the ability to provide and maintain nancial security for the family. Regardless of the state of one’s nancial affairs, it’s critical to understand that people work hard to earn a living so that they can provide for their family. Therefore, they must execute a plan to be nancially resilient to deal with the nancial challenges that come.Building a “nancial house” is analogous to building to a “dream home.” A dream home is set on a solid foundation. Its structure and roof are designed to withstand climatic disasters. The interior of the house is aesthetically designed for functionality with purpose. Similarly, a nancial house must be set on a solid foundation, structured to withstand nancial disasters, and designed to achieve nancial goals. As with any structure, there are building blocks to eventually achieve the desired nal product.THE FIRST STEP: BUILD YOUR FINANCIAL FOUNDATION: THE EMERGENCY FUNDA stable nancial foundation is one that can address any immediate nancial emergencies that may occur. For example, replacing a at tire or having to pay an insurance deductible because of an accident. By virtue of its emergency nature, funds must be immediately available to address the situation. The foundation of the nancial house is the EMERGENCY FUND. The amount of funds in an emergency fund account is exible but it should be at least 3 to 6 months of living expenses. Emergency funds should be in a liquid account such as savings accounts, checking accounts, or money market savings accounts (MMSA). MMSAs provide a little higher interest rates compared to savings or checking accounts. These accounts earn minimal interest and are not likely to keep pace with ination. However, liquidity, the ability to convert assets to cash quickly, is paramount instead of earning higher interest. THE SECOND STEP: BUILD YOUR FINANCIAL HOUSE: THE RESERVE FUNDOnce the desired amount of 3-6 months of living expenses in the emergency fund is accumulated, begin to build the RESERVE FUND. The reserve fund is the primary back up if the extent of the nancial emergency exceeds what the emergency fund can cover. Also, the reserve fund can be used for other specic nancial objectives such as educational funds, down payment for a car or for a future vacation. The amount in the reserve fund is a range and it should be 6-12 months of living expenses. A more conservative option is 6-12 months of take-home income. The funds are in an investment account that will outpace the current ination rate but limit or minimize exposure to risk and volatility. A good target rate of return on investments is between 4%-6%. While the funds are in an investment account, they continue to grow due to the growth of investments. The main objective is for the funds to be accessible within 3-5 business days to cover what the emergency fund is not able to cover. A qualied investment advisor should be consulted to recommend the appropriate investments for the reserve fund.A PERSPECTIVEHaving established the appropriate emergency and reserve funds is a signicant accomplishment. How quickly the nancial house is built is relative to how much of take-home pay is committed to the nancial objectives. At this point, having both emergency and reserve funds would suggest that there are enough funds to afford 3-18 months of living expenses in the event of a catastrophic nancial emergency. For example, if losing a job at this point, there are 3-18 months of funds available to either nd a new job or a steady stream of income. A catastrophic nancial emergency can be dealt with a certain level of condence.THE THIRD STEP: PUTTING THE “ROOF” ON YOUR FINANCIAL HOUSE: MAKE YOUR MONEY WORKOne can now invest in high-risk investments to achieve high returns. High risk investments suggest volatility in the value of the investment at any given time. Therefore, a qualied investment advisor should be consulted to recommend the appropriate investments commensurate with a particular risk tolerance. The amount to invest at this level is dependent upon personal choice and if appropriate, direct funds to other types of investment categories; real estate, individual stocks, mutual funds, cryptocurrency, etc. Simply put, achieving this level provides the freedom to make the money work for more growth.THE REALITY: WHERE DOES OUR MONEY GO?The reality is that it may take time to build the ideal nancial house. Where does the money come from to build the nancial house? People have certain responsibilities and “wants” that direct hard-earned income away from building a stable nancial situation. The ability to control where the money goes is the main challenge. The tool that helps control where money goes is the BUDGET. There are myriads of budget models out there that suggest how to manage money and focus on goals. The 70/20/10 budget model is simple and exible and is applicable for any nancial situation.BUILDING YOUR “FINANCIAL HOUSE”by Romy Mortel, AFCby Romy Mortel, AFC®, MSRomy Mortel Romy Mortel is an Army veteran and an Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) through the Association of Financial Planning and Education®(AFCPE®). Romy has over 25 years of experience in nancial services, providing nancial education and counselling. He has a Masters degree in Personal Financial Planning, a graduate Certicate in Financial Therapy and Financial Planning. You can reach out to Romy in LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romy-mortel/24 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022"The 70/20/10 budget model is highly effective because of its flexibility to adapt to certain objectives such as paying down debts, maximizing retirement and savings or controlling lifestyle expenses. Check it out in the next issue."

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It was early morning on December 12, 1950. The rear column of exhausted, battle-tired, half-frozen and starving Marines were stumbling and sliding down the ice-covered road somewhere near Hamburg, North Korea. The weather had dropped to thirty degrees below zero, and with the wind blowing, it felt even colder. With the stinging ice and snow peppering our faces, we could barely see beyond our noses. But we looked skyward with a prayer in our hearts and on our lips, “Please God, let the sun shine through one more day.” All of sudden, we saw a icker of light shining through the misty clouds.Without warning, just beyond the ickering light, large ashes of light began to dominate the sky and light it like a Christmas tree. Moments later, we heard the loud, familiar sounds of naval battery shells whizzing over our heads. Explosions behind us erupted in the midst of enemy forces in our rear. It was music to our ears, as it indicated we were at the outskirts of the Hamburg perimeter and survival. Our “breakout to the coast” was now a certainty. What seemed impossible just yesterday had miraculously become a reality. Each of us knew it was by the grace of God.As the rst hint of dawn appeared, we reected on the past weeks of intense combat under extreme cold, overwhelming numbers of the enemy, little food or water, and rugged terrain. We remembered when all the misery, pain, and numbing agony had begun: Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1950. We had fought our way north to Hagaru-ri, North Korea, which was just south of the Chosin reservoir. We dined on a holiday feast of roasted turkey, pumpkin pie, and all the trimmings, including hot coffee. We were grateful beyond belief, yet we did not know what lay ahead. This would be the last hot meal to touch our lips for a long time - the very last meal for many of our comrades and friends.That evening we advanced northward to the western side of the Chosin Reservoir. Winter had come early in 1950 and icy blasts were howling down from Siberia, bringing sub-zero temperatures that chilled us to the bone. The freezing temperatures and murderous gunre from the Communist enemies took a fearful toll on us Marines, but in two days of ghting, we reach our objective, Yamani. As we dug in on November 26, we are promised the war was almost over and a nal effort would have us home by Christmas. But someone forgot to tell the Chinese.Just before dawn on November 27, Communist Chinese forces attacked us with overwhelming force and no warning. The dark of night was split by the piercing sound of Chinese bugles and the sharp crackle of rie re. Being caught completely by surprise, the ensuing slaughter was terrible. The Chinese swarmed down and over our unit in unyielding wave after wave. Ries and machine guns blazed while unlimited hand grenades exploded in our midst. We regrouped, repelled their attack, and held our position. Around 4 a.m., the Chinese abandoned their offensive leaving behind a “mat of human carnage.” We Marines lost more than 200 hundred dead. The Chinese - too many to count.At daylight, after the long night of ghting, we dug in along a hill beside the reservoir - a daunting challenge with the snow and frozen ground. As the north wind screamed off the reservoir and lashed us, we huddled in small groups to stay warm. We stomped our feet and chapped mitten hands, anything to aid circulation. Men made jokes like “ice bowl” and “frozen Chosin”- no one laughed.By this point, there were not enough tents to hold our casualties and wounded. Men who were seriously wounded went inside the tents, and the rest lay on straw mats outside covered with tarpaulins. We could not cut their clothes to bandage wounds, for they would freeze to death. The doctors and Navy corpsmen could do little, as they had to wear heavy gloves to keep their hands from freezing. Plasma would freeze before it could be administered. The wounded were wrapped and left alone to heal.Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, found us waiting for the Air Force to drop 60mm mortar shells, code-named “Tootsie Rolls.” The planes ew over and dropped the ammunition supplies on target. The Marines opened the containers to nd actual chocolate tootsie rolls and not 60mm mortars. Unfortunately, no one had told the Air Force about the code word. The Marines were mad until they found that the tootsie rolls thawed when placed in a pocket near their skin or their mouth and could be eaten. The Air Force subsequently ew a second supply mission and dropped the 60mm mortar shells. This is another example of God’s grace, for the candy sustained us.The toll in this epic battle was more than 3000 killed, 6000 wounded, and thousands with frostbite. Seventeen Medals of Honor were earned along with several Navy Crosses and many Distinguished Service Medals…the most medals ever awarded for a single battle in U.S. history.“THE FOZEN 'CHOSIN'”The Story of Cpl. James Brown - USMC – Korea26 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022

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The handover of the 70-year-old relic happened in the very spot where General Patton met with General McAuliffe during the Battle of the Bulge, having just overnighted at beautiful Chateau Rolley. Davis’ sons and grandson witnessing this special moment reassured us that generations to come will keep retelling this miraculous story.Davis’ bravery as a squad leader and scout with the famed Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division earned him three Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart throughout the European Campaign of World War II. We are thankful to have been part of this special journey of reuniting a paratrooper with his dufe bag and walking the battleelds with him to nd where his foxhole used to be. The heroes that are honored, the stories that are passed down, and the history that is being preserved, little by little, on Forever Young Veterans’ Trips of Honor are what keep us going.“baTTErEd baSTardS OF baSTOgNE”The Story of Jesse 'Di' Davis- USA – WWIIDavis served with 3rd platoon, Easy Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. He came in as a replacement from Operation Market Garden, the attempted liberation of Holland in September 1944. He found himself trucked to the Ardennes in Belgium, where Hitler’s surprise attack in December 1944 sparked the Battle of the Bulge. Information on the encircled town of Bastogne, its infamous bombing on Christmas Eve, and the location of the various units of the 101st Airborne Division are thankfully well-maintained. Locating the tree line where Davis’ platoon had dug their foxholes in the infamous freezing temperatures of that winter was relatively easy. The landmark they had their eyes on as they held their position was Chateau Rolley, just outside Bastogne.News of our Trip of Honor for the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in 2014 spread quickly among the history enthusiast of Bastogne. An original Screaming Eagle returning is extremely rare and so information was quickly exchanged and spread around. It is how Forever Young Veterans was able to honor Davis in a very special way by reuniting him with the dufe bag he lost in World War II! This incredible story is nothing short of a real miracle.A local history enthusiast had found the remains of a dufe bag among the menagerie of World War II relics on the second oor of Chateau Rolley. He restored it as much as he could and in the process, a very visible service number was revealed on the olive drab canvas, the number assigned to Davis during his service. While Davis knew we would be returning him to the tree line where his platoon’s foxholes had been located, we kept him in the dark about his resurfaced dufe bag. Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 27The 'Infamous' Dufe Bag, held by Jesse Davis

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Luke McLaurine, 97, had always wanted to be an aeronautical engineer, so when he had a chance to y during WWII, he didn’t hesitate to go. Being a pilot would be a dream come true; however, Luke was colorblind and had to settle for another position. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on December 7, 1942. He truly felt he would be in aviation for the rest of his life, and even though he had to take a detour, his future looked bright in the ying industry.Luke was an only child of a couple who owned a bakery in Memphis, TN, which was “the” bakery in the Mid-South. Everyone used the McLaurine Bakery on Highland Street for freshly baked bread, cookies, pastries, and wedding cakes. Luke was a typical youngster involved in the family business, the Boy Scouts, and church activities. Luke’s parents and community had no idea what was coming and how they’d be shaken to the core. They would learn rsthand that “War is Hell,” and that it didn’t escape anyone who dared to touch it. War would nd its way into their peaceful home…all the way from Europe to the quiet streets of Memphis. It would be arriving at their doorstep. Standing at 5’4,” Luke was the perfect size to be a ball-turret gunner. Smaller men would end up in this position, one of the most dangerous on a B-24. However, that didn’t turn out to be Luke’s destiny, as he ended up in bombardier/navigator school, a position already selected for him. His nal assignment was with the 464th Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force in Italy. Luke experienced almost everything as he ew missions over Europe. “Some were ‘milk runs,’ Luke said, ”while others are still difcult to talk about.” The crew often ew through debris and saw other aircraft being blown apart in mid-air, colliding with other aircraft, or crashing below. During those moments, he realized how vulnerable he really was. He couldn’t help interrogation camp, he traveled to three different POW camps, including one in Poland. When he rst arrived at the interrogation camp there were 8,970 prisoners there. Suddenly, he heard a voice say, “Luke McLaurine, is that you?” It was Tom Young, one of his Boy Scout friends from the neighborhood in Memphis. It was denitely a wonderful moment for both of them. Much to Luke’s surprise, the Germans knew everything about him…where he lived, his parents…everything. They even asked about a certain ‘high society” person in Memphis. Laughingly, Luke told them, “I don’t run in those circles.” The prisoners were allowed to write a few letters home, but none of Luke’s ever made it through. He was worried about his parents, especially since his mom’s brother was killed in WWI. Luke’s mom and dad had received a telegram on Thanksgiving Day, telling them that their only child was missing in action. Three and half months later, one of Tom Young’s postcards had made it through. The mailman read it and came running into the bakery exclaiming, “Mr. and Mrs. Mac, Luke is alive, he’s alive!When Luke was nally liberated by his fellow Americans, he was numb. He had lost 1/3 of his body weight and was sent to Camp Lucky Strike to gain weight and return home. Luke wanted to work in aviation after the war, but he decided to join his parents in the bakery business. After making 10,000 wedding cakes, he quit counting. Luke also made the guitar-shaped birthday cake for Elvis Presley each year, and yes, he actually met the King of Rock n' Roll. Or maybe the King of Rock n' Roll actually met WWII POW Luke McLaurine.but think about the families back home getting the news that their fathers, sons, grandsons, and brothers would never be coming back.On Luke’s 20th mission, his B-24 had mechanical issues and the crew had to bail out over the Austrian Alps, near Hitler’s Eagles’ Nest in southern Germany. “I actually ew three missions that I didn’t get credit for because we didn’t drop the bombs on target. If we didn’t drop them, we couldn’t count them,” Luke added. After parachuting out of the Liberator, he fell, hit a tree, and was knocked unconscious. When he awoke, he had a couple of 12-year-old boys standing over him with guns, the Germans would pay those who turned in American servicemen. Immediately, Luke’s concern was for his fellow crew members, wondering if they had survived, It wasn’t long until the Germans had collected Luke and all of his comrades, a relief in one sense, but not in another. He was a POW for six months and was always on the move. Not including the “a POW SUrVIVOr”The Story of Luke McLaurine- USAAC – WWII28 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022

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“I’ve survived damn near everything!” – Boasted the ever-present pin on his jacket just across from the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest order of merit. If you were Sherwin Callander, born in 1920, that “damn near everything” included the Great Depression, Elvis and his Jailhouse Rock, man walking on the Moon, Watergate, the collapse of the Soviet Union, Y2K and Covid-19. While being an eyewitness to most of the 20th century is awe-inspiring in and of itself, what brought Sherwin into our lives at Forever Young was his presence and participation in two pivotal events of World War II: Pearl Harbor and D-Day.Born in Vancouver, Canada, Sherwin grew up in Oakland, California. He worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps building fire trails and fighting fires to earn money and help put food on his struggling family’s the table in the 1930s. A military recruiter’s promise of a girl in every port drew Sherwin to the U.S. Navy. No surprises here! From San Diego, through the Panama Canal, via the Brooklyn Navy Yard, he set sail for Wake Island and Midway, eventually arriving at Pearl Harbor a day after the attack of December 7, 1941. Sherwin took part in the rescue efforts and found the details of those days the most difcult part of his service to share.After a short detour to Australia, he was sent to the ETO [European Theater of Operations], where he rst saw combat in Morocco, North Africa, then during the invasion of Salerno in Italy, culminating in the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944, where Sherwin drove the LCVP, helping to bring troops ashore at Utah Beach. Sherwin proudly served our country and fought for the freedoms we enjoy today for 6 long years. He gave up the early years of his 20s for our better future.When we [Forever Young] met Sherwin 7 years ago, he was preparing for his rst Trip of Honor, to England to revisit the areas where the build-up to the Normandy Invasion took place. His doctor advised against the trip and wanted to put him in hospice care instead. Sherwin had other plans, though: “Get out of here, Dr. Death. I’m going to England.” And to England he went, thriving on the experience. And then on to Washington D.C., Pearl Harbor, as well as to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. We had the privilege of celebrating Sherwin’s service on several of Forever Young’s Trips of Honor through the years we’ve known him. We like to think that he is the epitome of the stubborn sailor.Sherwin always had a twinkle in his eye and when he said “holy moly” you were always a bit afraid to nd out what the man, who had after all survived damn near everything, found so surprising. His nickname was “The Chick Magnet,” supported by an ofcial looking business card he liked to pass out. While he did have an eye for the ladies in a way only a 100+ year-old sailor can, his magnetic personality drew everyone in. He loved children and young adults and found reassurance in their interest in his service, our country’s history and the sacrice of the many heroes who did not make it home.Sherwin was undoubtedly one of those heroes, admired and loved by so many in the 102 years he lived through with gusto. Our hearts sink as we think of our own loss, but we are encouraged to know that one day we will meet him again. In the meantime, when our burdens get too heavy, may we think of Sherwin – the sailor, the Chick Magnet, the man – who survived damn near everything and just say “holy moly” as we pick ourselves up and keep on going. “INCOMINg!”The Story of Sherwin Callander- USN HM – WWIIFall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 29

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30 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022“Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed... Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.” Henry David Thoreau Tucked away behind a grove of trees on a little country road just outside of Hendersonville, North Carolina, is a small 10-acre farm dedicated to connecting Veterans with a purpose and relationships as they transition from active duty or engage in the camaraderie with other Veterans as they begin the process of healing mentally, emotionally, and physically. The Veterans Healing Farm (VHF) was rst started in 2013 by Air Force Veteran John Mashie and his wife Nicole. They had the vision to help Veterans transition by introducing the healing attributes of planting and harvesting. They knew nothing about farming, but by watching a lot of YouTube videos, John turned his family land into something incredible for the Veteran community. In 2014, the Mashie’s acquired their 501c3 and Veterans Healing Farm began to take on a life of its own. “We exist to serve veterans by offering workshops on innovative farming techniques and fostering a thriving micro-community of veterans and civilians who build deep friendships and cultivate emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Additionally, we support our nation’s veterans by growing and donating high-quality fruits, vegetables, and ower bouquets to veterans and their caregivers free of charge,” as stated on their website.MEET THE DIRECTORAlan Yeck, a USMC Veteran, joined the team in 2021 as the Director of Veterans Healing Farm. He has worked in Special Intelligence Communications with the Marine Corps. as well as an Information Management Ofcer with the U.S. Department of State. Alan has lived and worked around the world, is a published author, and has had an illustrious 23-year career in higher education, but it is evident that digging in the dirt and working with Veterans is his passion.Alan is responsible for a lot of moving parts at Veterans Healing Farm. From Agri therapy, partnerships, classes, workshops, and of course the ‘Farm’ itself. But the relationships he cultivates with the Veteran community are what’s most important to him. Whether it be with Veterans, volunteers, and even “Miss Betty,” a little Terrier and the ‘unofcial’ mascot of VHF, belonging to a Veteran volunteer, “Dale has 11 tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. And so, he’s one of our biggest volunteers and a huge, huge help,” Alan said. VETERANS HEALING FARMby Christine Walker & VL Stevenson

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Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 31AGRI THERAPYAgri therapy is the primary focus of the farm. It’s not about how much produce they grow but about the process the Veteran goes through to cultivate growth and how that provides a therapeutic benet to the body, mind, and soul. Those benets are apparent from eating vitamin-rich homegrown organic fruits and vegetables, to the vitamin D absorption they get from being out in the sun, to the physical exercise of farm work, to nature itself which immerses the body and mind in its beauty. Additionally, “Veterans enjoy the companionship of other Veterans and the comradery that exists between them. That remains our primary focus. As we go forward, we’re trying different things and everything always centers on the mental health of the veteran,” Alan stated.‘THE FARM’As far as the farming itself, there are nine acres on one side of the stream and an acre on the other side. The nine-acre side includes our greenhouse, which right now is packed with tomatoes. “There’s no telling how many thousands of tomatoes we’re going to harvest this year. There’s nothing better than home-grown tomatoes. These are not the beefsteak variety, but they’re in that category where they can make a nice big tomato sandwich. You know the kind, a couple of slices of white bread, Mayo, with salt and pepper…scrumptious!” Alan said. Also, they’re going to have quite a few eggplants coming. They’ve already harvested broccoli and cabbage… at least the rst round of broccoli, cabbage, and kale. That produce was distributed to the Veterans’ homeless shelter in Ashville and also to the Safelight Women’s shelter in Hendersonville.Alan goes on to say, “what we know is with the prices of everything going up people are making decisions. Do I make my car payment? Do I buy food? Do I put gas in the car so I can get to work, or do I live on the road? So, we continue to recognize that food insecurity in the Veteran community is real.” Over on the smaller side of the farm, on the other side of the stream, they have the Memorial Flag Garden. That garden is dedicated to Corporal Matthew Bowler, who was a native of Hendersonville and was killed in 2007 by an IED in Iraq. “So, we have our ag garden dedicated to him this year. We’ve grown mostly sweet potatoes and yellow squash in that area, and they will be harvested in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The sweet potatoes alone will yield around 3000 pounds,” Alan said.PARTNERSHIPSThe relationships and partnerships that VHF has developed are an essential part of the farm. And they have developed a strong relationship with the Charles George VA Hospital. Last year, the VA sent out emails announcing that VHF would be set up in front of the building to give away about 5000 pounds of produce, 500 flower bouquets, and 70 bottles of honey to Veterans. And not to neglect mentioning, VHF also has its own beehives, in which they produce raw organic honey. In addition, this past May, VHF hosted a Veterans Resource Fair with more than 28 different service organizations that set up tents on the farm with over 300 attendees. There was a food truck, a live band, and a bagpiper! All services provided were free for the Veterans, ranging from y shing for disabled veterans by a service called Hook, Line, and Heroes, to Equine Therapy by Horse Sense of the Carolinas, and even the PGA has a six-week program for Veterans to teach them how to golf and at the end of the program, they give him a set of golf clubs!Coming up in September, VHF will be hosting two suicide prevention training programs; one is SafeTALK and the other is Asist. “The bottom line if you sense someone is down you don’t wait. You look them in the eye and say, ‘Are you thinking of hurting yourself?’ It’s a tough question, but not as tough as going to a funeral,” stressed Alan Yeck. These programs will not only be open to all Veterans, but also the public.CLASSES & WORKSHOPSVHF also has many classes and workshops for beekeeping, organic farming, canning, fermentation, medicinal and herbal practices, and everything to do with the agricultural side, all at no charge. Recently, they held a self-defense class for women and hosted a writing group of Veterans, giving them a venue to share their stories. Brothers and Sisters Like These is a writing group that started in 2014 at the Charles George VA Medical Center and its purpose was to give those Vietnam Veterans who couldn’t talk about their experiences a chance to write them down. After writing them down, they started doing public readings and it was so well received by the Veterans and public that they opened it up to Iraq and Afghan Veterans. Last Memorial Day weekend VHF hosted more than a dozen Veterans reading their stories on their stage.

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32 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022This Fall, Warrior Canine Connection, based out of Maryland, will be coming to VHF to do another class, training Veterans to train dogs to be service animals for other Veterans. “It’s such an interesting concept because that process, similar to Agri therapy, the process of training that dog helps the Veteran mentally and emotionally so much,” stated Alan Yeck.MEDICINAL HERB GARDENAnother fascinating facet of Veteran Healing Farm is their medicinal herb garden. Oversight of the garden is run by Dr. Lulu Shimek, the Botanical Medicine Director. Not only does she oversee which type of herbs are planted, based on season, she also teaches workshops on how to use plant medicine and how to make your own plant medicine teas and tinctures. “. So, I have a medicinal herb squad, where I have a group of volunteers underneath me who work with me in the medicinal garden. I order the plants, we plant, we harvest the plants, we help them grow, and [then] we turn them into medicine for the farm and the veterans,” Dr. Shimek said. The mission of the farm is to give Veterans the tools to build their own herbal garden at home, Plants like lemon balm, lavender, and Rosemary are really easy plants to grow on your own and even if you don’t have a massive space, you can just do a porch garden. Dr. Lulu Shimek is a Naturopathic Physician. She goes on to explain, “We’re trained similarly to a [traditional] MD and the training is exact in the rst two years. The next two years were really diving deeper into herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, Chiropractic adjustments, nutrition, and diet. [It’s] the whole entire holistic model. We do learn pharmaceuticals, so some naturopathic doctors have prescriptive rights. For me personally, I use them [for] knowledge. I need to know what prescription my patient is on, what side effects its having on them, and the contraindications [with herbal medicines and pharmaceuticals].”Dr. Shimek also specializes in Mental Health and uses the naturopathic approach to treat anxiety, depression, and PTSD. “I come from the mindset perspective. Meditation, de-stressing, relaxation, calming the system; because it’s all connected,” she said. In addition, Dr. Shimek has opened up a Veteran clinic at Veterans Healing Farm, one day a week. It offers Veterans one-on-one hour consultations, and they can be conducted in her ofce or via Telemed. Dr. Shimek treats anxiety, PTS, sleep disorders, as well as a whole variety of chronic and military-related physical issues. If an herbal remedy or holistic solution can be found and patients can stop taking pharmaceutical meds, then it’s a win. “There is an epidemic of chronic disease in the United States and pharmaceuticals do leave an imprint on the DNA. In naturopathic medicine, we call it the therapeutic order. So sometimes we need to work at a higher-end intervention. We have to meet the body at a place where it’s comfortable to allow that healing to take place [with] herbal supplements or herbal nutraceuticals’ [which] allow that innate healing to start to occur,” Dr. Shimek said. Under Dr. Shimek’s leadership, in addition to the Herbal Medicine workshops, VHF has also started doing fermentation classes that educate Veterans on fermentation gut health or the lack thereof, and the connection between mental health, blood sugar levels, and certain cancers. While Dr. Shimek does not discount the role that traditional medicine plays in certain circumstances, there are a lot of naturopathic alternatives that work in concert with the body’s natural immune system that brings long-lasting health and healing. THE FUTUREComing up in September, VHF will be providing more classes and workshops such as Summer Bouquet, Women’s Camping, Yoga Fundraising, Write Your Story, Dr. Lulu plant medicines, Warrior Canine, and several nights of live bands. All these workshops and activities are free to the Veterans.Veterans Healing Farm has taken on a life of its own, and there will no doubt be many wonderful additions coming to VHF in the months and years to come. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VETERANS HEALING FARM, SCAN THE QR CODE >>>>OR VISIT: VETERANSHEALINGFARM.ORG

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34 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022As a tribute to remember the victims and the promise to Never Forget 9/11, the USS New York was constructed using the same steel that was hit by terrorists all those years ago. If you ask any American that was of a viable age where they were on September 11, 2001, you’ll get a range of answers, but you’ll also be hard-pressed to nd someone who doesn’t remember.It was a day that no one wanted to happen, but it remains unforgettable and burned into the hearts and minds of Americans forever. The victims were many, and the heroes were, as well. We came together in a manner unlike any other time in the history of our nation. The USS New York honors that legacy.Is the USS New York Built From Twin Towers?Yes, the USS New York has a bow featuring 7.5 tons of steel that was forged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center. In the aftermath of one of the darkest days in U.S. history, the steel was collected and used on the USS New York as a way to pay tribute and honor the victims of that fateful day. Once a target of terrorism, the materials now help keep America and the rest of the world safe from terrorists around the globe.After nding the steel in a Staten Island landll, the Navy soon realized that it could be used to construct the bow of a ship. It was sent down to Amite, LA, where it was cast and smelted into a bow for a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock. This ship would be named after New York and is the fth ship to be named after the state.THE WORLD TRADE CENTER SHIP AND OTHER MEMORIAL SHIPSSubmarines are the ships that the U.S. Navy will usually name after states, and when it came to picking a way to honor the victims of 9/11, the Navy wasted no time deciding to name ships after the areas that were affected. This is how the USS New York, USS Arlington, and USS Somerset came to be.But the Navy realized that these ships would bring How the USS New York Is a Living 9/11 MemorialHow the USS New York Is a Living 9/11 Memorialby Buddy BlouinA Writer for VeteranLife.comUSS NEW YORK - LPD-21

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in tours and crowds looking to explore and pay tribute to those who served and those who were lost in the attacks. For this reason, they decided to name surface ships after these places, as touring submarines is quite difcult.THE USS NEW YORK IS MORE THAN A SHIPKnown as “A City on the Sea,” the USS New York continues the legacy of those who were lost in the World Trade Center. We’ve discovered that the ship is named after one of the states and cities attacked, as well as the fact that it was constructed using steel from the Twin Towers, but there are more ways this ship continues to live as a oating memorial. Here are some of the additional ways the USS New York remembers the fallen:One of the most trafcked passageways on the ship features a steel plate that was recovered directly from the rubble of the World Trade Center.There is a reghters’ helmet to remind Sailors and visitors alike of the bravery those heroes showed by rushing into the rubble on that fateful day.Each day, a victim is honored by the ship’s Chaplin during the daily prayer ritual.The USS New York is a legacy for all of the lives lost at the World Trade Center on 9/11, a constant reminder of those lost and the heroes who worked selessly to rescue others during challenging times. The chaos of that day will not be forgotten, and this ship is a tting tribute to an unspeakable tragedy.A CITY ON THE SEAThank You to VeteranLife.com for allowing AT EASE! Veterans Magazine the honor of sharing this story. We will NEVER FORGET! SCAN TO VISIT VETERAN LIFE.COMWe Will Never ForgetWe Will Never Forget

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The Story of TAPSWhen you hear those twenty-four solemn notes played by a lone bugler, it evokes emotions deep from within. Those notes make up what we know today as Taps, the melody played at US Military funerals, memorials, and a lights-out signal. It all began in 1862 during the Civil War when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison’s Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moan of a soldier who lay mortally wounded on the eld. Not knowing if it was a Union or a Confederate soldier, the captain decided to risk his life and bring the injured man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunre, the captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the captain reached his lines, he discovered a Confederate soldier and he was already dead. With a lighted lantern, the captain suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his son! The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, he had enlisted in the Confederate Army. And the story continues…in his pocket the captain discovers a piece of paper with musical notes scribbled on it…and Taps was born.Although this story of “Taps” has made its rounds on social media, it is not historically recorded nor accurate. This story was probably created for dramatic effect on the reader but the real story below is not nearly emotional. In July of 1862, General Buttereld decided to change the “Lights out Call” tune because he was dissatised with the tune and considered it too formal for an end-of-day call. He set out to rework the call to a more melodious tune. When his bugler played it for his men, other units became interested and it was quickly adopted. At this time, it was still the call for lights out. This became what is known as “Taps.”“I think no general order was issued from army headquarters authorizing the substitution of this for the regulation call, but as each brigade commander exercised his own discretion in such minor matters, the call was gradually taken up through the Army of the Potomac” explained Oliver Wilcox Norton, General Buttereld’s bugler who rst played Taps.Shortly after the new arrangement, “Taps” was played at the graveside of a fallen soldier instead of the ring of three cannons. The cannons were sometimes confused with sounds of an attack for those around and playing the bugle would eliminate any confusion.“There is something singularly beautiful and appropriate in the music of this wonderful call. Its strains are melancholy, yet full of rest and peace. Its echoes linger in the heart long after its tones have ceased to vibrate in the air.” ~ quoted by Oliver Willcox Norton.by C. 'Jarine' Bradley & VL StevensonPictured Above: -Jari Villanueva served at Arlington National Cemetery for 23 years as an Air Force Bugler. A nationally known bugle historian, he is a coordinator for 100 Nights of Taps Gettysburg 2018 and a board member of Taps For Veterans. His website is www.TapsBugler.com.

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‘Growing up in a small town never oered Laura Greene much adventure or excitement. “I was hungover & needed a new life outside of that small town,” she said. So, when the opportunity to enlist in the Marine Corps was presented, she took it. Almost 23, she found herself in boot camp in April 1992. Laura thrived in boot camp, especially when she earned the squad leader posion and was able to help others who were struggling. She began to nd purpose.once a marine!The Story of Ret. GySgt Laura GreeneThe Story of Ret. GySgt Laura Greeneonce a marine!The Story of Ret. GySgt Laura GreeneThe Story of Ret. GySgt Laura GreeneWritten by: Les Stevenson & Christine WalkerWritten by: Les Stevenson & Christine WalkerAer graduang, Laura headed for training as a Communicaon Center Operator (MOS 2542) at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twenty-Nine Palms, CA. And thereaer, was sent to her rst duty staon in Communicaons in Okinawa, Japan. While in Okinawa, a senior enlisted Marine had pulled her out of Communicaons for the temporary assignment of MCI clerk duty. Looking back, she’s almost certain it was because she was female. This Marine worked in the same oce as Laura and passed her a sexually explicit note. “I reported it and my company commander swept it under the carpet,” she recalls. This Marine was later awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement medal prior to leaving Okinawa. For Laura, this just added insult to injury but also added fuel to her desire to succeed.Aer two years, Laura’s next duty staon was Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC), Henderson Hall, Arlington, VA. She worked in the Communicaons Center at the Navy Annex Federal Building handling top secret messages and distribung them to the appropriate Marine Corps oces. Laura was also reunited with some friends from MOS school and Okinawa. Nothing beer than seeing familiar faces in unfamiliar places. Aer three years at HQMC, Laura was headed back to Okinawa as Sergeant. Then, she received devastang news of her father’s illness and unfortunately, he passed during Christmas 1997. Undecided about her next move, Her MOS monitor helped her with that decision, and she went back to Twenty-Nine Palms. Her MOS merged with Small Computer Systems Specialist (MOS 4066), and she became an instructor. Say what you will about “29 Stumps,” but for Laura, this was a good season for her personally and professionally. 38 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine |Fall 2022

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In 2000, She decided to reenlist for the 2nd me, “I sll wanted to be a Marine,” Laura said. And with that, the Marine Corps had a change of plans for her. While at Miramar, San Diego, CA., she was sent to school to learn security clearances and urinalysis. Her duty was sll communicaons operator but now she was trained as an assistant security manager for the Substance Abuse Control Oce (SACO). This job was stressful and unrewarding, “I had to weed out the Marines who used drugs.”On 9/11, everything changed. Laura’s unit was preparing for deployment, and she was packed and ready to go. Unfortunately, she became ill and was waing for a doctor’s release, while Laura’s unit deployed without her. She was disappointed when her Sergeant Major called from overseas to say her role as security manager and SACO would be beer ulized in the rear…so she stayed at Miramar.On the plus side, Laura applied and was accepted to the Substance Abuse Control Center (SACC) conducted at Point Loma, SD. The Naval Drug and Abuse Counseling School (NDACS) was dicult yet rewarding. “I thought I was going to the school to learn how to help people, but the school is structured to make you look at yourself & your life. If I wasn’t resilient enough to manage my own problems, how could I help someone else?” Laura Recalls. Now a Sta Sergeant, she graduated from NDACS and went on to Naval Air Staon in Jacksonville, FL. to become a counselor. The clinic at Jacksonville was a 21-day residenal facility tailored for substance abusers and dependents, but the clinic was being civilianized, so her me there was short. Laura was a Sta Sergeant waing in line to become a Gunnery Sergeant, but because she was at a Naval base, she was told she would never be able to compete. That was exactly the wrong thing to say to Laura! She kept up her physical tness training and graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree, and later received her master’s. By the me Laura le Jacksonville for her next duty staon, she was selected for Gunnery Sergeant. So much for the naysayers!Laura’s last duty staon was Cherry Point, NC. She was assigned as a Family Readiness Ocer to help aide spouses and dependents of deployed Marines and Laura loved it! She hosted many fall fesvals, Christmas pares, and homecomings were her favorite. On April 30, 2012, Laura officially rered from the Marine Corps as a Gunnery Sergeant aer 20 years of service. She now lives in AZ with her husband, also a Marine, and their 3 dogs. She stays acve by running and playing golf. She and her husband are hosng their 9th annual Toys for Tots golf tournament this Winter.Laura Greene has many accomplishments throughout her Marine Corps career, but her proudest moment is the day she received the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor…the day she became a Marine. “I owe my life to the Marines!” OOOH RAH! ...Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 39

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I Remember When...I Remember When...Following my Street-angel-magical encounter in Kowloon, China (Summer 2022 issue, page 40), I must tell you what happened when my buddies convinced me to skip my date with this young lady who took my breath away, forced my knees to shimmy and shake, and almost stopped me in my tracks. Following ”Operation Blue Star,” our outt was assigned quarters at the U.S. Navy Base in Yokosuka, Japan. We did our usual “retail therapy” trips, buying whatever we thought might impress our ladies at home. My Company Commander received a letter from a general, (name not remembered), inviting him and his Platoon Commanders to y with him to Hong Kong for several days. We platoon commanders accepted the invitation.My fellow ofcers and I ew for several hours out of Japan and the rst people we met on the tarmac in Hong Kong was an entourage of our assigned four tailors. Assigned is the right word. Who assigned? I have no idea, but they did drive us to our Marine Hotel, our “assigned” hotel. We found out that Marines were not to be assigned to other hotels that had different branches of service assigned. It was probably something to do with not getting along. Who possibly could NOT get along with my Marines?These tailors offered us their services in making our clothing as well as our shoes. All we had to do is say yes and we would be tted the next day and two days later everything would be ready for our return to Japan. At our “Marine” Hotel, they introduced us to the eleventh-oor bar and cocktail lounge. They said they could get us anything we wanted because they had connections. I said something foolish like “What about some ladies?” They said they would try.We settled down in this quiet lounge with its soft piano music playing in the background and ordered a couple of drinks when a waiter came to us, asking for a Lt. Sullivan. It seemed I had a telephone call. The waiter showed me where the phone was and I answered it. Lo’ and behold, a pretty little voice asked me if I were Lt. Sullivan. Upon saying yes, she said she and her friends would meet us in our room. Unbelievable? Yes, yes, and yes! However, they felt uncomfortable with their surroundings and offered their residence not too far from our “Marine” hotel. We took the bait. Several blocks away, we found ourselves in a unique setting. The home appeared to be old, but the inside was quite modern. One room, in particular, was rather large with, get this now, a linoleum tiled oor for dancing purposes. Around the outside of the dance oor were three love seats, a four-seater sofa, and a couple of lounge chairs. I think we found ourselves in a very special place. What say you?The Kowloon SAGA Continues...by Paul Sullivan, Ret. Captain, USMC40 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022

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Just beyond the furniture was a hallway with what I believe were two bedrooms on either side. This pretty little thing, and I do mean pretty little thing, invited me to discuss business. Now, business, may I remind you, dealt with money and time. Time meant all night, three hours or two hours. Money meant American dollars, only American dollars. Naturally, I had to speak with my men, and in doing so, I returned to the pretty little thing. We appeared not to be able to agree to a price. It began to become a little uncomfortable, when for whatever reason, I, being the smart ass I am, impulsively blurted out, ”Why don’t we do what was planned for all of us to do FOR LOVE!”Well, the shit really hit the fan! I knew she was swearing at me and my men. (How dare she?) Paul Sullivan, Ret. Captain, USMC resides in Massachusetts with his wife Beverly. I did not know Chinese but I did recognize one’s tone of voice. They literally kicked us out of their “home” and the four of us had to reconnoiter back to our hotel around midnight in the dark streets of an unknown place called Kowloon, China. And this was only our rst night. What other escapades might be waiting for us on the island of Hong Kong, after a short ferryboat ride across the Hong Kong harbor tomorrow?Maybe I’ll tell you about Hong Kong’s King Kong sister. Maybe I’ll try the brief story of the woman I met in Hong Kong’s lower-class neighborhood whose name I discovered was on a tattoo on her right thigh. Maybe I’ll share the story about my Japanese Geisha I was so happy to have a date with one night in Yokosuka, Japan. My goodness, gracious, gosh, golly, gee, I still have a few stories in this cantankerous old mind of mine. Maybe we’ll see each other next issue. Remember, God loves you and so do we at AT EASE!

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42 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022A shot rang out. Excitedly, John whispered, “I’m hit!” Carlos reached over and felt that dreaded warm wetness on John’s side. He drew his hand back, expecting to see blood but instead, saw water. Carlos looked closer and in a whisper, told John, “You ain’t hurt, it just killed the devil out of your canteen!”1 John was not the casualty…his canteen was and its warm water was seeping through the fresh bullet hole. Relieved, they both resumed searching the far tree line…Carlos through his 8-power Unertl scope and John through binoculars.It was another hot and muggy, November 1967 afternoon, outside of the Fire Base on Hill 55, a few clicks southwest of Da Nang, Vietnam. The 2-man team of Carlos Hathcock II, America’s premier sniper, and John Burke, an accomplished sniper himself working as Carlos’ spotter, were stalking North Vietnam’s premier sniper, the Cobra…who in turn, was stalking them. Carlos saw a glint of sunlight reect off something in the tree line across the valley. He took aim and red his Winchester Model 70 rie.Carefully moving to the area of the target, they found the lifeless body of the Cobra who is believed to have been sent to kill 1https://youtu.be/3qs_C_pLcro...An interview of Carlos retelling this story…A sniper is a marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target’s detection capabilities. Throughout history, military snipers have been used with varying degrees of effectiveness. A sniper’s success requires stealth, patience, marksmanship, eld craft, stamina, and nerve.…Marine Corps Sniper Legend: GySgt. Carlos Norman Hathcock IIMarine Corps Sniper Legend: GySgt. Carlos Norman Hathcock IIMarine Corps Sniper Legend: GySgt. Carlos Norman Hathcock IIMarine Corps Sniper Legend: GySgt. Carlos Norman Hathcock II By Bob Wartman, Sgt. USMC'WHITE 'WHITE FEATHER'FEATHER''WHITE 'WHITE FEATHER'FEATHER'

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Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 43White Feather, the name the NVA had attributed to Hathcock. Carlos’ perfectly placed .30-06 round had slammed down the length of the Cobra’s rie-scope, through his right eyeball, and into his skull…One Shot, One Kill!Hathcock wore a small white feather in his bush hat, daring the enemy to spot him. When the enemy placed a bounty on his head, other Marines in the area of Hill 55 began wearing a white feather to intimidate and confuse them.…Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on May 20, 1942, Carlos Norman Hathcock II took up shooting and hunting at an early age and throughout his childhood, dreamed of being a Marine. On May 20, 1959, his 17th birthday, with his mother’s permission, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. That same day, he was on a plane to MCRD San Diego to begin 13 weeks of Marine Corps Boot Camp. In September 1959, PFC Hathcock arrived in Hawaii where for 2 years, he operated as a machine gunner in the Weapons Platoon of E/2/4. During this period, he also engaged in competitive shooting and became the “High shooter” on the island.In January 1962, while stationed at New Bern, NC, Carlos met Josephine “Jo” Broughton, and on the Marine Corps birthday, November 10, 1962, they were married…he was 20 and she was 32. Also during this same period, with Carlos as a new team member, the Marine shooting team at Cherry Point, NC nearly defeated the Marine Corps’ premier rie team from Quantico. Shortly after that match, Hathcock received orders to report to Quantico…to join their premier rie team. After completing the Marine Corps Scout/Sniper course at Camp Pendleton, CA, L/Cpl. Carlos Hathcock II competed in the Wimbledon 1,000-yard National High-power Rie Championship that hosted 2,600 competitors. On August 26, 1965, he out shot them all and won the Wimbledon Cup.Along the way, Carlos and Jo had their only child…Carlos Norman (Sonny) Hathcock III. When old enough, Sonny enlisted in the Marine Corps and retired as a Gunnery Sergeant. Like his father, he became a champion marksman and shot competitively for the Marine Corps.…April 1966, Cpl. Carlos Hathcock arrived in Chu Lai, Vietnam, and was assigned as an MP. To ease the boredom during his off-duty time, he would walk off base alone and go “hunting.” On one of these “hunting” trips, he spotted a group of VC in an area where a Marine patrol was due that night. It looked like an ambush in the making so he immediately began searching for one wearing a pistol or pointing instructions to others. He found him…the ofcer in charge, and shot him. He waited for others in the group to come to the ofcer’s aid. As they did, he shot them. Later that day, a Marine patrol found the three dead Vietcong killed by Hathcock.Captain Jim Land was tasked with establishing a Sniper Course in Vietnam to train snipers. He knew Carlos from stateside shooting events and recruited him into this newly formed group. Land noticed that Carlos possessed more than just marksmanship skills. He had a total awareness of his surroundings, noticing every breeze, every sound, and how leaves fell from trees. He was one with nature. Land said Carlos did not enjoy killing but knew that what he was doing was saving Marines. Hathcock’s heroic feats in Vietnam are legendary. Using an M2 Browning, .50 caliber machine gun that he had designed with a scope and set for single-shot, he killed an enemy soldier at a distance of nearly 1½ miles (2,460 yards). He crept, sometimes crawling on his side for days, deep into enemy-controlled areas to eliminate high-value targets. He, along with another sniper under his charge pinned down 200 newly-minted NVA regulars for three days in a rice paddy. When Carlos and his partner had to boogie out, they called in Air and Artillery to nish the job…And of course, the shot he red through the Cobra’s scope. …Of his hundreds of kills, there are two that he took very personally, both for opposite reasons…having to kill a young boy and getting to kill Apache.On a ridge with his scope-mounted, .50 caliber, single-shot machine gun, he spotted a boy, maybe 12 years old, on a bike carrying several ries and a large bag of ammo. This “child” was a VC mule delivering this weapons cache to a nearby VC unit. Carlos dreaded the thought of having to kill a child so at 1,200 yards, he shot the front wheel off the bike. The “child” fell, got up, quickly and skillfully loaded a clip into one of his ries, and began shooting toward Hathcock. Carlos had no alternative but to re One more Shot and kill the VC rieman “child”. This became a recurring nightmare for the rest of his life.On the ip side, getting to kill Apache became a happy memory. Apache was a female VC who led a platoon of snipers near Hill 55. She tortured Marine prisoners within earshot of the Fire Base. She was known to cut off her victims’ eyelids and keep them as souvenirs. She would cut out their ngernails, skin them alive, and cut off their testicles and penis. She was an evil and sadistic person who Above: Carlos Hathcock (far right) with Billy Jack Hathcock and Dicky Thomson.Left: Young Carlos Fishing, 1952Carlos and Josephine Hathcock, 10 November 1962Marine Corps Sniper Legend: GySgt. Carlos Norman Hathcock IIMarine Corps Sniper Legend: GySgt. Carlos Norman Hathcock IIMarine Corps Sniper Legend: GySgt. Carlos Norman Hathcock IIMarine Corps Sniper Legend: GySgt. Carlos Norman Hathcock II

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44 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022Hathcock had to eliminate. After days of waiting, he and Captain Land spotted her. At 700 yards, Carlos put One Shot into her and on Land’s suggestion, shot her again, ending her reign of terror and starting a string of good lifetime memories for Carlos.Among several highly rated American snipers operating during the war in Vietnam, Hathcock stood out. He was credited with 93 conrmed kills and up to 400 probable total kills during his two tours. The total numbers were never important to him…the individual kills were.…During S/Sgt Hathcock’s second tour in 1969, on September 16, his career as a sniper came to a sudden end, on Highway 1, North of LZ Baldy, when the AMTRAC on which he was riding struck an anti-tank mine. Hathcock was blown to the ground. With his clothes on re and himself severely burned, he climbed into the burning AMTRAC and pulled seven dazed and injured Marines to safety. For this action, he was later, awarded the Silver Star. After a lengthy recovery from 2nd and 3rd-degree burns over 40% of his body, he returned to active stateside duty. Even though these extreme injuries caused him nearly constant pain, he continued to dedicate himself to teaching snipers. In August 1975, GySgt Hathcock’s health began to deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. For the next few years his health continued to decline and just 55 days short of the 20 years that would have made him eligible for regular retirement, he received a permanent disability separation. During a retirement ceremony, his commanding officer, Major Willis, presented him with a plaque reading, “There have been many Marines. And there have been many Marine marksmen. But there is only one Marine Sniper--Gunnery Sgt. Carlos N. Hathcock II. One Shot--One Kill.”Fighting depression, Hathcock took up shing. He also spent time sharing sniper and shooting techniques with various police departments and select military units. One day, he went hunting with friends and while he enjoyed the camaraderie and the sounds and smells of the woods, when it came time to pull the trigger, he couldn’t do it. He just could not kill anymore.…After ghting the insidious effects of Multiple Sclerosis for more than 25 years, on February 22, 1999, at 56 years of age. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, Carlos N. Hathcock II died. He was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Norfolk, VA, with full Military honors.Among his ribbons and awards are the Combat Action Ribbon, the Purple Heart, and several medals for heroism and valor including the Silver Star, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with ”V” device.Carlos Norman Hathcock II. Vietnamwarhistoryonline.com/news/gunny-hathcock.html?chrome=1 White Feather - VietnamPhoto: Marine Corps Archives

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Weapons Training Battalion (WTB) has grown substantially from the late 1960s to the present. The Marine Corps saw the need to send school-trained snipers to the front lines. With GySgt Carlos Hathcock II, the school’s rst Staff Non-commissioned Ofcer in Charge (SNCOIC), and using lessons learned during the Vietnam War, in 1977 the WTB’s rst formal school, the Sniper School, was established at the Marine base in Quantico, VA. To paraphrase Stephen Hunter, Washington Post Staff Writer, “…with a rie made by Winchester, a heart made by God and a discipline made by the Marine Corps, [Hathcock] stalked and killed 93 of his country’s enemies.” In recognition of his remarkable and sustained contributions to the increased success of Marine Corps snipers, a number of organizations (both Marine Corps and civilian) have shooting trophies and awards bearing his name. The sniper range atCamp Lejeune,North Carolina and the rie and pistol complex atMCAS Miramar, California bear his name. The Springeld Armory redesigned aversion of their M1A rie and dubbed it the“M-25 White Feather”.Turner Saddlery similarly honored Hathcock by producing a line of leather rie slings based on Hathcock’s design and embossed with his signature. Hathcock and his achievements have been the subject of numerous books, movies, and TV programs....Since the War in Vietnam, due in great part to the accomplishments and dedication of Carlos Norman Hathcock II, sniper strategies, equipment, and training have been revamped and sniper effectiveness has improved significantly. It is estimated an average of 50,000 rounds were red for each kill made by a line trooper in Vietnam, while the average for a sniper was 1.3 rounds.ONE SHOT, ONE KILL…THE SNIPER’S CREED. ALL PHOTOS COLLECTED FROM THE CARLOS HATHCOCK COLLECTION (COLL/5613) AT THE ARCHIVES BRANCH, MARINE CORPS HISTORY DIVISION - OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH - UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. Bob Wartman – Sergeant, USMC, Chu Lai, Vietnam 1966-1967. Retired from the Telecom Industry, Bob lives in Kentucky with his wife Carol.

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48 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine |Fall 2022FINDING A WAY TO THE HEARTStable Connections is a registered 501c3 Non-Prot and was established in 2009 in Guildhall, Vermont. Stable Connections, as it exists today, was founded by Karen Guile-Caren who is also the CEO. The land where this organization operates was owned by her grandparents and passed down to her father and then, eventually, to her. Karen was the rst person in Vermont to be certified in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning. Karen is assisted by Kathy Peters, who has been a licensed social worker since 2012 but has been working in the mental health eld for about twenty years.Stable Connections provides multiple services however, the two primary areas of focus are Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning. The Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is designed to be more of an individualized mental health approach where Karen and Kathy work in tandem to assist their clients. Karen, being a certied equine specialist, oversees safety for both the horse and human alike. Kathy, being a licensed social worker, is primarily responsible for the client’s mental and emotional well-being.The other main program is Equine Assisted Learning which primarily involves ground-based activities and services to various groups. The Equine Assisted Learning approach is offered for Corporate Team-Building Retreats, and there is an eight-week program for veterans called Pathnders which is offered free of charge for eligible veterans. They also run an eight-week program called “SEL”, or Social & Emotional Learning (program) in which they work with groups from local schools. Likewise, they host therapeutic riding sessions for people with disabilities as well as standard riding lessons. However, Karen notes that upwards of “Eighty percent of what we do is Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning.” She goes on to explain how those programs have shown to significantly help veterans with issues related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Military Sexual Trauma, and other serious mental and/or emotional problems from their time in service.Karen explains that horses, being prey animals, “Will always keep themselves safe. They can hear your heartbeat up to four feet away.” She went on to explain that if a person approached a horse while anxious or angry, for example, that animal will not respond well to that approach and the horse’s behavior can be easily observed. Thus, Equine Therapy is a way to teach people how to slow down and calm themselves, ostensibly to be able to engage with the horse, but in reality, it’s a lesson for life in general. Written by: Eric McNailStable Connections (Equine Assisted Activities & Therapies) - Guildhall, VTKaren Guile-Caron, CEO & FounderKathy Peters, Program Director & Mental Health Specialist. (Licensed in VT, NH, and ME)

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Tax Preparation | Income Tax Advice and Planning Virtual Accounting Department | Taxpayer RepresentationLikewise, many veterans often develop a deep and sincere bond with a particular horse since, as they learn to calm the horse, they learn how to calm themselves. Also, it’s not uncommon for veterans to project their trauma outwards onto the animals. Karen and Kathy will ask what they see or how they think the horse feels or what it’s thinking. The veteran will then, oftentimes express how they are feeling or what they are thinking, all the while claiming it is the animal they are speaking about. It’s a safe way to express emotions and feelings for veterans who very often have a difcult time doing so. It’s no wonder the power of these animals resonates with the veteran community. Albeit powerful, the horses will simply not respond to force. It’s an alien concept for veterans, who’ve been largely trained that force equals authority, to realize that in this world that is simply not the case. A calm, smooth, and loving approach is the way to the heart of these animals and, in reality, it’s the way to the heart of the veteran as well. 5099 US Hwy 377 S, Suite 400 | Aubrey, TX 76227 Phone: 940-365-3115 | linda@financialfitnesstx.comWe are a financial services firm offering a wide menu of disciplines to meet the many needs of our clients – both personal and business. Focused on building long-term relationships, we provide a professional and personal approach to our business. Our clients’ goals and concerns are our focus; our commitment and professionalism are our tools and our training, experience and credentials ensure our successful outcomes."Courage is "Courage is being scared being scared to death but to death but saddling up saddling up anyway."anyway." - John Wayne- John WayneSCAN THE QR CODE TO VIEW THE YOUTUBE INTERVIEW WITH 'STABLE CONNECTIONS'FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT 'STABLE CONNECTIONS SCAN THE QR CODE TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE, OR GO TOSTABLECONNECTIONS.COM'

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Time Constraints Apply To These Camp Lejeune CasesTime Constraints Apply To These Camp Lejeune CasesIf you or your family were stationed at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 for 30 days or longer, you may have been exposed to drinking water that was contaminated with toxins.These toxins cause cancer, death, birth defects, miscarriages, female infertility, and more. If you suffered any medical hardships, it may have been caused by the poisonous water.You may qualify for signicant compensation for your medical costs, continuing issues, or lost loved ones even if you receive VA Benets. Contact Us NOW!bobbymoak402@att.net1-800-595-6244The Law Ofce of Bobby Moak, PC, PO Box 242, Bogue Chitto, MS 39629The Mississippi Supreme Court advises that a decision on legal services is important & should not be based solely on advertisements. Free background information available upon request. Listing of these previously mentioned areas of practice does not indicate any certication of expertise therein. For information on this ofce you may contact the Mississippi Bar at 601-948-4471. Phone calls or replies to ads and correspondence does not create Attorney/Client representation, which is by contract only. This advertisement may be delivered to more jurisdictions than Mississippi.MISSISSIPPI VETEraNS! online. More employers will need qualied and trained workers and will sponsor apprentice programs. Apprenticeship areas include cybersecurity, data analysts, software engineers, telecommunications and eld technicians, Lineman apprentices, and many more. Some positions may require certications and licensure. For more information on apprenticeships in your area, visit Career One Stop You can also reach out to your local Workforce ofce. Texas Veterans Commission Employment team is also here to help!Digital Works -Veterans and military spouses can access this exible digital training through Connected Nation, a non-prot organization that works to help states and localities expand its broadband deployment through technical expertise and planning. Connected Nation’s workforce development program started at Ft. Campbell in 2020, and in its rst year, noted impressive participation and job placement success. Sign up for the newsletter and check out the virtual training available to all candidates, who include veterans and families, young adults, seniors, rural and urban residents, and anyone interested in growing their digital skills.Small Business: Each state will create a selection process to identify subgrantees for broadband deployment projects and non-deployment activities. The goal is to have the participation of diverse small businesses that can deliver products and services. This includes minority-owned, women-owned veteran-owned, disadvantaged business enterprise, 8a, and other small businesses. If you are a small business owner, consider completing a certication for your business and research whether your products and services may be required to help support the broadband mission. Request the TVC VEP GovCon Guide to learn more about local, state, and federal certications and resources. There will be more information on the Broadband plan and implementation, so stay tuned. Check out the resources in this article. As more information becomes available, I will include it in future updates.DD-214 & Beyond Continued from page 23

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Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 51We’re at a precipice. The connection between America’s violent past and the current political/cultural wars we see in our country, and even around the world, is a ght for freedom. Many citizens all over the world feel scared and betrayed due to the lack of empathy and certainty from their political leaders. Unfortunately, most leaders use their superiority to live lavishly as the rate of homelessness, food insecurity, and suicides continues to rise. Our Political representatives, from all parties, constantly push certain agendas for political and personal gain, making political moves for money, leniency, or even rivalry. And the desire to make certain parties happy has led to many changes, including censorship. With social media being an easily accessible tool, political leaders have also been using these outlets to spread misinformation or change denitions for their own benet. For example, the classication of “vaccine” has now been changed due to arguments over purpose and effectiveness.In recent events, America has also witnessed certain rioters being praised for violence and criminal activity, while Constitutionally minded protesters are being arrested and treated like prisoners of war, even when being peaceful. We are divided, just like we were during the Civil War. DIVISION AND CENSORSHIP IS NOTHING NEWHistorically, the American Civil War, ensued from the years 1861-1865. And while most are aware that the major focus and cause for this devasting war was President Lincoln’s agenda to abolish slavery; following the founding fathers pledge that the end of enslavement would truly unite America. Other justications responsible, but not nearly as publicized, were based on the ensuing North’s Industrial Revolution and the South was looking to secede, ghting to keep everything the way it had been since the establishment of our Country. More currently, was Germany’s censorship and demonization of the Jews that began in 1933. The rst major law that singled out Jewish citizens was the “Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service of April 7, 1933”, which excluded Jews and the “politically unreliable” from civil service. This new law was the National Socialist German Workers’ Party’s (also known as the Nazi Party) rst formulation of the Aryan Paragraph, a regulation which was used to not only exclude Jews and non-Aryans from organizations, professions, and other aspects of public life, but also to silence them. Some believe that the deliberate attacks on personal rights and freedom of speech, such as President Trump’s banishment from Twitter is similar, while others praise and welcome extreme censorship of those they fundamentally disagree with. The world remains divided, and the introduction of social media misinformation policing have split political parties and divided nations, even more so. FREEDOM TO SPEAK & ENGAGEThere cannot be a true United States of America without freedom. And not so long ago, both major political parties agreed on the basic tenants of Americanism, among a multitude of other things. There was also a time when Americans chose their candidates based on everyday morals and individual topics instead of a political party. The focus of all the messy inghting is over The United States Constitution’s First and Second Amendments specically. It is extremely important to understand the First Amendment is the sword of the American people and the Second Amendment is the shield. There cannot be free speech without the right to bear arms, which ultimately protects us from those who actively choose to try to silence their opposition.And much like the German-Jewish people, who were separated, segregated, and silenced due to targeted propaganda; the average American may succumb to the same fate. Misinformation continues to spread due to social media and news outlets refusing to relay the true story. The public is only shown what political leadership chooses to disclose to us. But there cannot be freedom without the ability to express thought and engage in respectful dialogue. IT’S UP TO USThe phrase “It takes a neighborhood” no longer exists. The long-lasting life lessons I remember the most, always ended with either my parents, teachers or another adult, whooping my ass and putting me back on the correct course. Maybe it’s time for our nation to have the same. I have not given up hope; not as a father, a husband, a Marine, and denitely not as an American. We must get back to prioritizing meaningful and honest conversations, without verbally attacking each other. The U.S. must be our primary and only concern before interfering with other nations. I will teach my children, that while our country has many historical faults, we must continually try to right those wrongs. And as long as our nation believes in the Constitution, there is still hope that we are only fractured and never severed.fractured, not severed“Those who cannot remember thepast are condemnedto repeat it.” George Santayanaby C. 'Jarine' Bradley

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52 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2021Being in the tness industry as a Veteran has been a huge blessing. I get to train individuals and help them change their lives. Being a one-stop shop for training and nutrition is a big deal. One of the biggest things I notice that clients face is how they view themselves and the benets of burning fat. More importantly, understanding the types of fat we carry. Most of us focus on how we look on the outside but forget what goes on inside our body is just as important. We see someone with ripped abs and think this is the denition of tness and health. Sometimes people are really just skinny. We see someone who looks amazing in photos not understanding they are just photo-shopped.So how do we know what the denition of true health is? Based on the World Health Organization’s denition “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or inrmity.” I thought they would start talking about blood pressure and vitals but that’s their denition of health. As a trainer, I look at vitals because they are important. But what is more important is clients understand moderation and how fat affects the body.The fat you see on the outside of your body just under the skin is called subcutaneous fat. This is the fat that most people worry about because we deem it unpleasant when it grows in the wrong places. This is why many people go to the gym and spend hours on the treadmill. They want to burn fat and keep it off. But there is another type of fat we need to be aware of. This fat is called visceral fat.This is the fat that you cannot see. This fat is a dangerous fat that many are unaware of. It likes to wrap itself around organs. Unfortunately for us, this type of fat is linked to metabolic disease and insulin resistance. We can look healthy on the outside and still have visceral fat building up on our insides. For many, this is very problematic and can increase the risk of death. So how do we reduce this type of dangerous fat?The best way to do this is to diet and exercise with an emphasis on diet. They say abs are made in the kitchen and this is true. What we put inside our bodies is very important. The goal is to live a long healthy life. The best way to start is to start in the kitchen but if you are reading this magazine we can start working out now. Check out this free Calorie burning workout. No weights are needed!Veteran Fitness:FITNESS & DIETBy Daniel Dancer | USMC...

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Fall 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 53This journey wouldn’t be possible without my amazing wife Deanna. She’s the CEO of Camp Freedom Fitness. She cooks for our clients and does all the back end, behind the scenes work. I run the programs and coach the clients. The best part about this journey is that most of it is online. Most of our clients are all over the US. We send them workouts, build their diets, coach them, and train them. Having an online platform means we can work with more people more often. You can always nd us on Facebook at @campfreedomtness or visit our website at campfreedomtness.org . We would love to meet you. THE QUICK LEG BURN. Special thanks to Israel Davis forbeing our model today. Israel is a United States Navy Veteran. Remember to consult a doctor before performing any type of exercise as it is at your own risk. Let so do 3 to 5 rounds of the exercises below based on your current tness. ......Enjoy the Workout! I hope you enjoyed the workout! I know Izzy did. Take care of yourselves and remember to make yourself a priority. FIRST EXCEECISE...20 AIR SQUATS 1. The starting position is standing tall and upright. 2. Next, we go into the Squatting position. 3. Now stand up into the same starting position. NEXT EXERCISE IS ALTERNATING LUNGES. 1. Starting position is standing upright like the lunges. You will do alternating lunges. 10 each leg. 2. Now lunge forward. You can start with right or left. 3. And back to the starting position. You will now do it again with the opposite leg. You will do a total of 20 reps which is 10 for each leg. THE LAST EXERCISE IS JUMP SQUATS. 1. Starting position is upright. You will do 20 repetitions. 2. Now squat down and prepare to jump! 3. Jump straight up into the air and come down into the squat position. You will do these 20 times. 123123123AIR SQUATSALT. LUNGESJUMP SQUATS

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Didn’t get the job you wanted? GREAT, more time to build your resume for the perfect opportunity Got injured? Well, guess you needed a break from training and time to reassess your workout routine. Unexpected nancial situations? Good, time to gure out creative solutions and learn where you can adjust your nances.  Boyfriend/girlfriend left you: Thank God you needed more time to work on yourself and you have been removed from the wrong relationship. Feel grateful for the lessons and work on yourself so that you are ready for the perfect person in your life. Move forward each time something happens, see the good in it and see how well it will turn out for you. Never regret the lessons, don’t get stuck in the past, and never dwell on the past since you can’t get it back and nothing will change. RULE 9: SPEAK TO THE DEADII don’t mean literally, but reading is a great way to speak to the dead. Reading good books and books from the past that are still relevant today is a great way to learn how to live a good life. According to Harry Truman, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers” He spent a lot of time reading from Marcus Aurelius, Tomas Jefferson, and others, he was learning and applying the knowledge imparted by these great men. The power of great books is that they can bring the past to life and they can inspire you to a better life. It is the best secret on the planet that can liberate you from the bondage of a bad life. Read for 30 mins every day and watch how it changes your life.RULE 10: BE UNDERSTANDING OF OTHERS BUT BE TOUGH ON YOURSELF.YYou can not expect others to do what you are doing and each person has their own journey to follow and their own lives to lead. You can have strong opinions of what people should and shouldn’t do but you can’t force this on anyone. Be understanding of where people are, be kind, and if they want your advice of course do give it freely. However, be tough on yourself, your understanding, your knowledge and work to improve, lead by example and let others live their lives however they see t, it is not your job to change anyone. RULE 11: TURN OBSTACLES FOR THE BETTEROObstacles are great learning lessons, for the most part, we always try to avoid them because they are painful. However, when faced with an obstacle, don’t shy away from it, embrace it and learn from it. Make it a subject of study, make it fun and rejoice while you learn. Obstacles are the fuel that gives you courage and perseverance to get to the other end. Never avoid difculty because that is not a life well lived. Look for the good in every situation you nd yourself in and never feel sorry for your obstacles. RULE 12: YOU DIE EVERY SINGLE DAYEEvery day that passes is a day we can not get by, we are closer to death than to life. Death is not in the distant future but is in our very present. Death is a process, it is happening to us each day. Time is passing by and you will never get it back, that time now belongs to death. As the arrows of time move, death follows, claiming the life we either discard or live. So how do we live? Leave nothing unnished, seize all the opportunities that come your way, put nothing off that you want to do, and love everyone close to you. As I nish writing this, I want to tell you that as part of the American Legion Color/Honor guard I attend a lot of funeral services and I get to hear about the great men and women who have served our country with pride and honor. It is an honor for me to tell you that at my last honor guard funeral service I learned about a great and amazing man who lived life to the fullest, who served his country, and who inspired many men and women throughout his amazing career. He self-reected often and thus he was able to become a very strong man, yet gentle and kind. I learned that he was a man who inspired and in his death he inspired me to be better, do better, and not let my time left on this earth slip away. Death is amongst us every single day we let a minute pass that we don’t make count it belongs to death. And death my friends is here, it is not in the distant future….You are welcome to take my Rules and apply them to your life, or you can come up with your own. Referring to them often and making them a part of your life is what changes your life. God bless!If you have been following my writings and you want to send me an email please send it to: cristie@bludragony.net - I welcome the comments. FROM MY POINT OF VIEW:By Cristie RemmelInIn SearchSearch ofof aa GoodGood LifeLife P T. IIP T. IIInIn SearchSearch ofof aa GoodGood LifeLife P T. IIP T. IITThe last few years feel like the world is falling apart at so many levels. First, we had a worldwide pandemic, then all the riots in our country, mass shootings at schools, mass shooting period, vandalism, and the list goes on and on. I feel like we are living in an alternate reality where only one side has all the “rights” to speak and act without consequences. How did we end up here? I say this because it isn’t what is going on out in the world, but how I react to what is going out in the world. How much of that do I let affect my life? Do I succumb to fear, anxiety, and outright paranoia? Or do I stick to my values and self-directed compass?? Well if I look at Rule #2 in my previous article, then I need to focus only on what I can control and nothing else. This brings me to my next rule.RULE 7: IS THIS NECESSARY?“Ask yourself at every moment, ‘Is this necessary?’” — Marcus AureliusNNow more than ever we need to continually reevaluate everything we are surrounded by. Our jobs, nances, where we live, our government, our culture, etc..all of these things have put immense pressure on all of us. Marcus Aurelius in his journal made this statement: “Most of what we say and do is not essential,” he writes. “If you can eliminate it, you’ll have more time and more tranquility. Ask yourself at every moment, ‘Is this necessary?’” most of what we are all doing isn’t essential and we will be happier if we change. I seek peace in my life, so I constantly have to ask myself if this is necessary for my life? Make a list of things that are competing for your attention and check them if they are necessary, if they are not cross them off your list. RULE 8: LOVE FATELLove of fate means that you want nothing to be different not in your past, not in your present, and not in your future. Love your life just the way it is and trust that is absolutely perfect, lled with excitement, lessons, love, fear, anxiety, and it all works out for you in the end. The only part that is in our control is how we think and how we act. When something bad happens, think of how it is teaching you great and amazing lessons. Change how you see your life situations and nd the positive in them. Here are a few examples: 54 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022

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Where were you on 9/11/2001? Many of us who are old enough remember that tragic day. For Stacey Hanson, he more than remembers, he acted. On 9/19/2001, he was sworn into the United States Army as his call to duty and to make a difference.In December 2001 Ch. Hanson was directly commissioned as a United States Army Chaplain Candidate while attending Erskine Theological Seminary. Ch Hanson graduated ETS in May 2002 and was ordained and endorsed by the United Methodist Church. In May 2004 he was commissioned as a Chaplain in the South Carolina Army National Guard. In December 2004, he completed 400 hours of Clinical Pastoral Education. In February 2006, he transferred to the United States Air Force Reserve Chaplain Corps. In twenty years of federal service, Ch. Hanson has served as an Army Guard and Air Force Reserve Chaplain in South Carolina, Georgia, and the District of Columbia as both a traditional reservist and an IMA. Ch. Hanson has served as an Arlington National Cemetery Chaplain, a Mentor and Senior Mentor for the Chaplain Candidate Intensive Internship, a Deputy Wing Chaplain, and a Wing Chaplain. He completed the Academic Instructor Course in November 2019 with professional expertise in strategic visioning, conﬂict transformation, squadron-focused warrior-care, honoring the dead, and servant leadership. Prior to his current position, Ch. Hanson was the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Deputy Commandant of the Air Force Chaplain Corps College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Today, Ch. Lt Col Stacey L. Hanson is the Division Chief of Plans, Programs and Training, Headquarters, and Air Force Reserve Command at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. He assists and advises the Command Chaplain with career ﬁeld management tasks, such as recruiting, commissioning, and training, and directs the total force Chaplain Candidate Program. He manages the education and training requirements, monitors readiness for active and reserve Chaplain Corps personnel, and monitors policy guidance for Chaplain Corps programs.In addition to serving his country, Stacey dreamed of owning his own business to service his community. Although he knew that business ownership was his next big step, he didn’t know where to start, so he reached out for some professional advice and guidance. Stacey worked with a franchise consultant to explore business ownership options that would meet his goals. After reviewing several franchise options, Stacey and his wife Melissa decided to open an ACE Handyman franchise. This will be a true family business as their adult son Jacob will also be working in the business along with Melissa and Stacey.The The ENTREPRENEURIALENTREPRENEURIAL ChaplainChaplain“As I think beyond my military service, my goal is to achieve ﬁnancial freedom by owning my own business. After some research I decided to purchase a franchise for my family.”Why are Veterans Why are Veterans Selecting Franchises?Selecting Franchises?•• Proven track recordProven track record•• Less riskLess risk•• Established infrastructure Established infrastructure •• Full operating proceduresFull operating procedures•• Comprehensive training and Comprehensive training and ongoing support ongoing support •• Brand awarenessBrand awareness•• Experienced leadership teamExperienced leadership team•• Marketing resourcesMarketing resources•• Easier fundingEasier fundingWhy are Veterans Why are Veterans Selecting Franchises?Selecting Franchises?•• Proven track recordProven track record•• Less riskLess risk•• Established infrastructure Established infrastructure •• Full operating proceduresFull operating procedures•• Comprehensive training and Comprehensive training and ongoing support ongoing support •• Brand awarenessBrand awareness•• Experienced leadership teamExperienced leadership team•• Marketing resourcesMarketing resources•• Easier fundingEasier fundingIrving Chung is a franchise consultant with FranChoice. He is also the Director of Entrepreneurship and Board Member at the Dallas/Fort Worth Veterans Chamber of Commerce.To learn more, contact Irving for a free consultation.Irving ChungFranChoice Franchise Consultantichung@franchoice.com(214) 908-9791bigconsideration.comSTACEY L. HANSONCh. Lt Col, USAFHQ AFRC/HCXFall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 55

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Today, the public court of opinion, with short attention spans, is entirely swayed by the clickbait of well-crafted headlines with the latest buzz words, well-edited video clips, and little to no veracity or unbiased journalistic integrity given to a story. Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels said that “If you repeat a lie often enough it becomes the truth.”It’s this same public court of opinion that has deemed itself judge, jury, and executioner. All it takes is an accusation, a big headline, and the same fabricated talking points played on repeat for weeks, months, and now years on end to ruin the lives of the accused and their families. Where is the presumption of innocence? Where is the rule of law or a speedy trial by an unbiased jury of their peers? That is exactly what has happened to January 6th defendant and Marine Veteran, Ryan Nichols. Deemed a ‘Domestic Terrorist” by the press and certain elected representatives for his role at the Capital on January 6, 2021. For all intents and purposes, Ryan Nichols has been canceled, convicted, and sentenced to torture in America’s Gulag.But here at AT EASE! Veterans Magazine: we don’t buy into that. We stand with our brothers and sisters, come hell or high water, no matter the outcome. 56 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022RYAN & BONNIE NICHOLS STORY…Ryan and Bonnie met in 2013. While stationed in Okinawa, Ryan had posted a picture on Facebook and had tagged some of his Marine Corps buddies in the photo, one of whom was a high school friend of Bonnie. She commented on the photo, almost as a joke, “Whose your friend?”Ryan sent her a private message and after her initial embarrassment, they spoke every single day for the next 4 months. When Ryan got orders to Pendleton, he ew to Dallas where Bonnie was living at the time and spent his 30-day leave with her. A few short months later, Ryan ew her out to San Diego and asked Bonnie to marry him. “We got married and moved in together on the Camp Pendleton military base. It happened super quick. And shortly after that, we had our rst son, Ryan Junior. Everyone thought we were crazy, but we knew the rst time speaking together. I was like, you’re mine. You just don’t know it yet,” Bonnie recalls. Ryan served in the Corps in Communications from 2010 to 2014, for two years in Okinawa, Japan, and the remaining two years at Camp Pendleton. After his enlistment, he and Bonnie moved back to their home state of Texas. Living in Houston, they set up an eCommerce business together and settled into family life. a VOICE FOr THE VOICELESS PT IIIby Christine WalkerRyan & Bonnie Nichols holding son, Ryan Jr. | 2014

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Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 572017 was a mixed bag of blessings and curses. On one hand, they welcomed their second son, but in August, their world came crashing down when hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area. “We lost everything,” Bonnie said. Little did they know at the time, that Harvey would change the trajectory of their lives in unbelievable ways. After getting Bonnie and the kids settled, and even with their own loss, Ryan jumped into action and with the help of friends, they were able to raise $30,000 in addition to supplies to take back down to the Houston area and help those most in need. In addition, with a whole squad of boats, Ryan teamed up with the Police & National Guard to help with water rescues. “People were on their rooftops, stuck in their attics. There were nursing homes that had been deserted and they left the elderly in the nursing homes with no electricity and no water. He evacuated a lot of different apartment complexes, neighborhoods, nursing homes, saving [the elderly], animals, women, and children,” Bonnie remembers. But this was not a ‘one-off’ experience for Ryan. As a kid, Ryan went with his Dad, also a Marine, down to Louisiana on search and rescue missions during Hurricane Katrina. “he’s always had a heart for helping and the community,” Bonnie said of her husband. After relocating to the Dallas area, the couple founded Rescue the Universe, a search and rescue non-profit organization. During hurricane Florence in 2018, Ryan and another Marine got a call that there were some dogs locked in a kennel that needed rescuing from rising ood waters in South Carolina. Journalist Marcus Diapola tweeted a picture of Ryan Nichols that went viral, as it was viewed more than nine million times on Twitter alone. The Ellen Show called Bonnie and ew them out to California for the show. They were given a check for the honeymoon they never had but instead used it to upgrade their rescue boats and gear. THE DAY FROM HELL“I’m so honored to be [Ryan’s] wife and to stand beside him as he continued to do these rescue missions. And that was the reason he was there that day. He was doing the same thing on January 6th as he has done in all his other rescue missions, and that was running to danger to rescue women and the elderly in the crowd. I remember the day it happened. I remember seeing the tear gas and all this stuff [on the news]. And I’m thinking, what the hell is going on here? Why are they tear gassing civilians who were there peacefully?” Bonnie said. Statement by Ryan’s Attorney, Joseph D. McBride:Ryan Taylor Nichols is an honorably discharged Marine Corps veteran living with PTSD. He is a father, son, husband, business owner, and search and rescue specialist that has saved countless lives. He is the absolute best of what America has to offer. Despite this reality, he has been illegally held and tortured by the federal government for exercising his First Amendment rights to politically protest on January 6, 2021. What is happening to Ryan is egregious and wrong. I recently led a Habeas Corpus Petition in DC District court demanding an end to his torture and his immediate release. Please read the Petition, share it with your friends, and pray for Ryan Nichols. In November 2021, In a rare phone interview on Newsmax with Greg Kelly, Ryan had the opportunity to speak about January 6. “We went to go protest and you know, we showed up in good faith on January 6th to protest the election results. But never would have imagined we’d encounter the horrors we did on the West Terrace and in the tunnel, that day … and when I saw women being beaten and in distress, my rescue instincts kicked in and I knew I had no choice but to help rescue them. As soon as I saw Ofcer Fanone in distress, I pointed at him and took action to help rescue him also. So, my participation in Ofcer Fanone’s event no doubt helped save his life. This is all proven by video, yet I still sit in solitary connement along with the other January 6’ers, awaiting my day in court. I love my country. I served my country honorably for four years in United States Marine Corps, and I still look for ways to serve with my nonprot, Rescue the Universe. I understand and accept that not everyone agrees with my stance or my beliefs, and that’s OK.” See Rescue VideoNichols Family | 2019

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58 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022Joseph D. McBride, Esq.Attorney & Counselor Joseph D. McBride, is the Founder of THE MCBRIDE LAW FIRM, PLLC, located in New York City. Prior to going into private practice, he was a criminal defense attorney with the Legal Aid Society’s Manhattan Criminal Defense Practice, and began his legal career with the Innocence Project. Mr. McBride’s practice is primarily focused on Federal Civil Rights Claims, Federal Criminal Defense, Federal Criminal Appeals, State Criminal Defense, and State Criminal Appeals. He has a team of people around him focused on civil matters and personal injury law as well.Mr. McBride became a lawyer in response to his brother Anthony’s wrongful conviction. Consequentially, he shares a bond with each client he represents because he knows what it is like to have his family’s fate in the hands of an attorney. His brand of representation is aggressive, forward thinking, and relentless.mcbridelawnyc.com/january6thlegalfundEditors Note - It has been decided to follow the development of these cases, therefore A Voice for the Voiceless will become an ongoing series in AT EASE! Veterans Magazine, to better inform our readers. Epoch Times Journalist, Joseph M. Hanneman, was at the Capital lming footage that day and there is clear irrefutable video evidence that before the crowd breached the West Terrace Capitol steps, Capitol Police and DC Metro Police were ring rubber bullets and throwing tear gas canisters into a peaceful crowd, who according to Hanneman, were just “milling around.” We encourage our readers to watch the Epoch Times documentary, The Real January 6 and decide for yourselves. On January 18, 2021, Ryan and Bonnie were in Oklahoma visiting family on their ranch. Bonnie woke up to her Ring alarm going off and was horried by what she saw. She recalls that day vividly, “I woke up at like 5:30 AM to our alarm on our cameras outside of our house and there was a tank in my driveway, and an entire SWAT team, probably 15 FBI [agents] and SWAT, fully dressed and tactical gear with military-style armor and strapped with assault weapons. They were unscrewing all of our light bulbs around our house in the dark. It wasn’t even daylight yet. They proceeded to cut every camera wire and they booted in our door. We weren’t there at the time, so they called Ryan on the phone and said, ‘we need you to come in for questioning.’ Ryan immediately cooperated, put his shoes on, and drove four hours back to Texas. He showed up and was immediately arrested. They went through our entire house; they broke into our safe and took all of our guns. They [also] took Ryan’s Social Security card, his birth certicate, including my children’s Social Security cards and birth certicates. After Ryan’s arrest, even with no criminal history, they denied him bond and said he was a ight risk and a danger to the community. What kind of bullshit is that?” According to the DOJ’s website, Ryan was originally charged with 5 counts on January 17, 2021, with Conspiracy and Unlawful Entry with a Dangerous Weapon, Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capital Grounds, Civil Disorder, Assault on a Federal Ofcer Using a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Aiding and Abetting. Since then, the DOJ has expounded their charges from ve to now 10 charges. They include:1. Civil Disorder2. Obstruction of an Ofcial Proceeding3. Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Ofcers Using a Dangerous Weapon4. Theft of Government Property5. Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon6. Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon7. Unlawful Possession of a Dangerous Weapon on Capitol Grounds or Buildings8. Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building9. Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings10. Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building By the publish date of this article, Ryan Nichols will have been conned in pre-trial detention for over 20 months, which is to say for over 600 days. And in that time, he has not been allowed even a zoom call with his children, with the DC Detention Center citing ‘COVID Restrictions.’ To get that privilege, Ryan must acquiesce to the COVID-19 vaccination. While it’s incredibly difcult for him not to see his children, the Marine in him will not be coerced into compliance on that matter. Ryan spends his days primarily in solitary connement, with short breaks for phone calls with his Attorney, Joe McBride, his wife, and purchasing provisions from the commissary. They still have the detainees on half-rations that often consists of food that has either been tampered with or spoiled. In May, Ryan was conned to the hole for over 25 days and subsequently put on suicide watch due to his exacerbated PTS. Bonnie is doing her best to stay strong and hold down the Fort. She has become the breadwinner, deals with the constant doxing and media intrusions, and has even had a few death threats. But this is taking a toll on their kids. “They’re suffering through this traumatic experience of having their daddy ripped out of their lives. It’s almost like a death. When you don’t see your dad for two years and you start to wonder if you’re ever gonna see him again. And to explain that to a 5 and an 8-year-old, how do you do that in a way where they don’t start to blame their country at such a young age? Their 5-year-old asked Ryan, “Am I ever gonna see you again? I don’t remember what you look like.” And Ryan Jr. feels like he has to be the man of the house now. That is a lot of burden to carry for an 8-year-old. He has borne the brunt of the bullying, not only by his peers but from his teacher as well. “They were giving him a really hard time and singling him out and

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Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 59“Perhaps you and I have lived too long with this miracle to properly be appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.”Ronald Reagan, 1967administratively bullying [him]. I brought it to the attention of the school board, and nothing was done about it. They knew the situation, [Ryan Jr.] was already suffering to begin with. As an adult, as a teacher, and as a school, why bully my child because of something that he didn’t even do? You know, he should have a safe place to go [and be] fully supported in a loving environment. So, we had to switch schools because of that, because I will not allow my child to be bullied,” Bonnie said. On January 6, 2021, Ryan Nichols and another Marine buddy went to Washington DC to peacefully protest, what they and many others believe was a fraudulent election, as is their right under the First Amendment of our Constitution. Their actions were captured on video and in context, will be brought into evidence for their trials. We can agree, or we can disagree with their politics. But what we cannot do is accept the punitive and maligned treatment of our brothers and sisters that have yet to be convicted of a crime by a jury of their peers, as if we are living in a third-world country. Illustration: Ryan Nichols - DC Gulag Illustrated by: Kyle FitzsimonsInspired by: McNaughton Art

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In an effort to NEVER forget, this page will serve as a Memorial to our Brothers & Sisters who gave everything! If you would like to have a fellow soldier or loved one remembered, Please email TAPS@theateasemagazine.com with name, rank, branch of service, war and death date. WE WILL NEVER FORGET!WE WILL NEVER FORGET!WE WILL NEVER FORGET!WE WILL NEVER FORGET!T A P ST A P SRANK/NAME BRANCH DEATH DATE DEATH LOCATIONKORITZ, THOMAS FLAGG AIR FORCE 01.17.1991 IRAQHOLLAND, DONNIE RAY AIR FORCE 01.17.1991 IRAQCLARK, BARRY MAXWELL AIR FORCE 01.31.1991 PERSIANGULFKANUHA, DAMON VALENTINE KEAW AIR FORCE 01.31.1991 PERSIANGULFGALVAN, ARTHUR AIR FORCE 01.31.1991 PERSIANGULFMIDDLETON, JEFFERY THOMAS ARMY 02.17.1991 SAUDI ARABIATALLEY, ROBERT D ARMY 02.17.1991 SAUDI ARABIAHAWS, JIMMY DEWAYNE ARMY 02.20.1991 SAUDI ARABIAREICHLE, HAL HOOPER ARMY 02.20.1991 IRAQDANIELS, MICHAEL DAVID ARMY 02.20.1991 IRAQJENKINS, THOMAS ALLEN MARINE CORPS 01.29.1991 SAUDI ARABIAALLEN, FRANK CHOAI MARINE CORPS 01.29.1991 SAUDI ARABIABENTZLIN, STEPHEN ERIC MARINE CORPS 01.29.1991 SAUDI ARABIAMONGRELLA, GARETT ADAM MARINE CORPS 01.29.1991 SAUDI ARABIASNYDER, DAVID TIMOTHY MARINE CORPS 01.29.1991 SAUDI ARABIATURNER, CHARLES JOHN NAVY 01.18.1991 IRAQCOSTEN, WILLIAM THOMPSON NAVY 01.18.1991 IRAQCONNOR, PATRICK KELLY NAVY 02.02.1991 PERSIANGULFCOOKE, BARRY THOMAS NAVY 02.02.1991 PERSIANGULFDWYER, ROBERT JOHN NAVY 02.05.1991 PERSIANGULFThis issue we remember the names of our Brothers & Sisters who Gave All in Operation Desert Storm

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62 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022Black SnowflakesBlack SnowflakesBOOK REVIEWBOOK REVIEWBlack Snowflakes: Smothering A Torch or How to Talk to Your VeteranBy Ryan StovallPublisher: Woodhall Press, Norwalk, CT81 Old Saugatuck Road, Norwalk, CT 06855WoodhallPress.comCopyright © 2022 Ryan Stovall"but most of us, disinclined to self identify as heroes, disinclined to believe in heroes, or in self identification, or in pretty much anythingreturn and merely watch mortified shamed and embarrassed as these flamboyant righteous morons eat their just desserts and we just shake our heads in distrustful disbelief"Ryan Stovall is a former adventurer, world traveler, and Green Beret. Black Snowflakes Smothering a Torch, his first book of poetry, is due out in November from Woodhall Press. Originally from Montana, Ryan now lives and writes in the mountains of Western Maine.Black Snowakes: Smothering A Torch or How to Talk to Your Veteran – A Primer by Ryan Stovall is a raw, unhindered, unltered, and a disturbingly honest series of poems that give insight into the heart and mind of a combat Veteran. Each individual poem takes readers through a journey of its own, gripping the reader with unsolicited veracity, completely unraveling the unrealistic and altruistic romance of combat, and giving the reader awareness to the internal turmoil that create the scars of war.In Black Snowakes Smothering a Torch, Ryan Stovall exquisitely executes the delineation between ‘expectation of’ vs. the reality of a combat Veteran returning home to a life and country no longer recognizable. Not simply, because of the experiences of constant death transforming a soldiers own perception, but also the dramatic superuous and supercial shift in American culture.Overall, Black Snowakes: Smothering A Torch or How to Talk to Your Veteran – A Primer, walks us through the transparent maze of absolute truth of Post-Traumatic Stress connected to combat. But even more so, it solidies the in-tact humanity of combat Veterans who, in their experience of war, faced very inhumane things. AT EASE! Veterans Magazine highly recommends Black Snowakes: Smothering A Torch or How to Talk to Your Veteran – A Primer. Scan the QR Code to Find Out More...“despite all evidence to the contrary despite the twisting scars marbling our twisted faceslike the fat of famined lands despite our twisted mindsseething with a hatred of the calm and undisguredmore betting some outcast tribe of vagrant club-foot dwarvesdespite the black bracelets we boast in place of Rolexeswith dates and names and foreign places which by the time of our returnhalf of us have twisted in half in loving rage—we scarwish away our proving of our life desireour passion to show we were are and can still be aliveeven in these pastel pasty and oh so progressive United States” Excerpt from ‘Black Snowakes Smothering a Torch’ page 29

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Fall 2022 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 63Born in a BarBorn in a BarBOOK REVIEWBorn in a BarBy GySgt Jesse EsterlyPublisher: Independently PublishedSynopsis: November 10th, 1775, a Corps of Marines was created by the Continental Congress. Tun Tavern, a bar in Philadelphia, is regarded and celebrated as the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps.Anyone who has spent time in the military would admit that we often find humor in things civilians typically do not. We laugh when others cry. We find hilarity in the worst situations, and our inappropriate shenanigans are not only remarkable, but also legendary. Maybe it is a defense mechanism, or maybe it's just that we really are a group of individuals with a sick and twisted sense of humor. This book is a collection of short, humorous bar-type stories written by GySgt Esterly and other Marines. This book is dedicated to all veterans past, present, and future while bringing awareness to veteran suicide."Going back to base, we had competitions to see who could get past the Navy guard with the most random item in lieu of our ID cards. I once got in with a box of raisins. Back then, they didn't really check as long as we had a DOD sticker on the car. Thankfully, for the safety of all, they no longer do this." GySgt. Jesse EsterlyBOOK REVIEWMGunnery Sergeant Jesse Esterly served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1993 until 2010. During this time GySgt Esterly obtained several MOS's (Military Occupational Specialty) including 8152-Security Forces, 0311-Infantry, 0861-Forward Observer, and 8531-Marksmanship Instructor. GySgt Esterly deployed with Sierra Battery 5/10 and was attached to Regimental Combat Team 7 as the Fire Support Chief in 2004/2005 for Operation Phantom Fury- Fallujah, Iraq. GySgt Esterly began this book series in an attempt to bring humor to the veteran community during a time where so many are taking their own lives. This series is dedicated to all veterans past, present and future. While this book series is focused on short stories submitted by Marines, including his own, any veteran, or civilian will be able to read, understand and enjoy the humor in them.Every Veteran knows that within each of us is ingrained a dark sense of humor and Born in a Bar: The Untold Stories of Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children by GySgt Jesse Esterly, throws caution to the wind and shines a bright light on the hilarity of our jaded and often inappropriate shenanigans. Born in a Bar is a compilation of stories ranging from bootcamp, deployments and a hell of a lot of RNR drunken rogue mischief and stripper clubs. In fact, there is actually a disclaimer on the book… “Who should read this book: Marines, rst and foremost. Those with a ‘military-style’ sense of humor who aren’t easily offended. Navy Seals, Rangers, PJs, cops, reghters, and anyone else who thinks they are ‘special.’ This book is NOT politically correct, and we will NOT apologize for it. Who shouldn’t read this: My pastor, my parents, my wife, your wife, ofcers over the rank of Captain (with exception of helo pilots), the National Guard, and those with a weak stomach and low tolerance for the four S’s: Swearing, Strippers, Stupidity, and Sloppy Drunkenness.”The only mistake I see in this disclaimer is, it does not mention Hospital Corpsman…. Seriously? We have stories that would make even Chesty blush, and that denitely needs to be xed. Other than that, I would highly recommend this book to all of my Veteran readers who need a chuckle from the dark side. It’s a super easy read, even for crayon eaters, which is ‘Jarhead’ for older crowd. And the way the stories are laid out, it allows you to pick the book up and put it down at your leisure. Regardless of branch or time of service, you will denitely be able to relate. ** Stayed tuned… Born in a Bar II is coming in hot and will be available November 10th, just in time for the Holidays!! Scan the QR Code to Find Out More...Or Visit the Website @borninabar.comborninabar.com

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25 VETERAN PODCASTS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT25 VETERAN PODCASTS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT1. Operaon Freedom Recovery :Hosted by Dan Miller. hp://www.ofrp.org/2. The Unprofessional Veterans: Hosted by The Rev & The Kid. hps://anchor.fm/unprofessional-veterans3. The Red, White & You Show: Hosted by Dean McMurray. Website: hp://deanmcmurray.com/radio-show/4. The Truths We Hide: Hosted by Annee Whienberger. Website: hps://anchor.fm/annee-whienberger5. Someone You Should Know: Hosted by Stuart Sax. Website: hps://stuartsax.com/my-shows6. NonProt Architect: Hosted by Travis Johnson. Website: hps://nonprotarchitect.org/7. Entrepreneur on Fire: Hosted by John Lee Dumas. Website: hps://www.eore.com/8. Vercal Momentum: Hosted by Richard Kaufman. Website: hps://anchor.fm/richard-kaufman69. Jocko Podcast: Hosted by Jocko Willink. Website: hps://jockopodcast.com/10. Airman to Mom: Hosted by Amanda Human. Website: hps://www.airmantomom.com/11. The Stoned Vet: Hosted by Sgt G. Website: hps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJk55bmjx03NpyWSOyCbBGw/featured12. The Hoarding Soluon: Hosted by Tammi Moses. Website: hps://anchor.fm/tammi-moses13. Veterans Be Real: Hosted by John Valenne. Website: hps://www.veteransbereal.com/14. Disgruntled Docs Podcast: Hosted by Disgruntled Docs. Website: hps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disgruntled-docs-podcast15. The Military Veteran Dad: Hosted by Ben Killoy. Website: hps://www.militaryveterandad.com/16. The Ambious Vet: Hosted by Chris Homan. Website: hps://theambiousvet.libsyn.com/17. Home-Bound Veteran: Hosted by Keith and Laura. Website: hps://homeboundveteran.com/18. Mind of the Warrior: Hosted by Dr. Mike Simpson. Website: hps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mind-of-the-warrior19. Team Never Quit: Hosted by Marcus and Morgan Lurell. Website: hps://teamneverquit.com/podcast/20. Borne the Bale: Hosted by Tanner Iskra. Website: hps://www.audible.com/pd/Borne-the-Bale-Podcast/B08K568Z9121. Frontlines of Freedom: Hosted by Denny Gillam. Website: hps://frontlinesoreedom.com/22. The Warrior Soul: Hosted by Chris Alpert. Website: hps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-warrior-soul-podcast23. Mentors for Military: Hosted by Robert Gowin. Website: hps://mentorsformilitary.com/24. Bale Buddy: Hosted by Keith McKeever. Website: hps://www.balebuddypodcast.net/25. Veteran on the Move: Hosted by Joe Crane. Website: hps://veteranonthemove.com/64 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Fall 2022

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CROSSWORD ANSWERS:Fall 2022| AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 67EXERPT FROM 'BORN IN A BAR'...I graduated from boot camp MCRD San Diego on February 14, 1989. After a brief leave, I was sent to Marine Corps Communication Electronics School in 29 Palms, California, for the 2841 MOS Ground Radio Repair. A week before Labor Day, seven Marine classmates and I were planning a road trip to Las Vegas for the upcoming ninety-six (four-day weekend). Because we were students at MCCES, we were not allowed to have personal vehicles. We called all the local car rental companies, but nothing was available because it was so close to the holiday weekend. We were all pretty bummed out. Then, being Marines, we decided to Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. Someone came up with the bright idea of renting a U-Haul box truck. They had a fteen-foot truck available, so the Vegas trip was back on. As soon as liberty was called for that ninety-six, all seven of us PFCs loaded up our duffel bags and a boom box for the guys in the back. We also found an unoccupied (and unlocked) barracks room and borrowed two mattresses to throw in the back. As soon as we were loaded up, we hit the road. I was a passenger up front with two other guys and the other four jarheads were in the back. After driving for some time, we noticed the gas gauge dropping closer and closer to that big E letter. We had been in a remote area for a long time and were starting to worry about running out of gas. Finally, we got to a gas station and the truck died as we coasted right next to the gas pumps. The ghost of Chesty Puller was looking out for us...or so we thought. We got out of the truck and realized the gas station was closed. Thanks a lot, Chesty. There was a diner next door, so we all climbed out, went in, and ordered dinner. There were a couple of gaming machines, so we entertained ourselves for a while. After a couple of hours, we talked to the waitress and told her our situation. She then said that the guy with the key to the gas pumps was sitting across the room. She went over to him, and he agreed to open a pump for us. Chesty had come through once again...or so we thought.Three of us went to the gas pump but were unsure if we should put ‘regular’ or ‘unleaded’ gasoline into the tank. We looked for a sticker by the gas cap. No luck. We looked for a sign near the dash gas gauge. No luck. We looked for the vehicle manual in the glove box. No luck. We all just looked at each other and made a guess. I believe we put ‘regular’ in there and lled up the tank. We then gathered up the rest of the guys and we were on our way once again. It became apparent very quickly that we had made the wrong guess with the gas choice. The truck was running like garbage and backring frequently, but we kept going. I was still up front in the cab. We heard some pounding on the wall behind us coming from the back, so we pulled over and slid the rear overhead door up. The guys in the back told us that the oor was getting hot to the touch. We looked underneath the truck and saw what we thought was the catalytic converter, glowing bright cherry red like a hot charcoal briquette. We stopped at a casino just outside Vegas and decided to park it there to cool the truck down, and after several hours it was good to go again. We drove into Vegas and parked the truck in the hotel parking lot, where it sat for the next three days. The guys who were twenty-one commenced gambling while the rest of us (I was only nineteen) went about roaming the strip on foot. I do recall us joining a strike picket line in front of Caesar’s Palace at one point. Eventually, it was time to head back to base. After we checked out, we lled up the tank with the correct gas and hit the road. The ‘correct’ gas made very little difference. The truck was still backring and hesitating badly. We were barely out of Vegas when we noticed a little smoke coming from the side of the truck as we were driving, so we pulled over to investigate. When we got out, the smoke quickly became ames. We ran to the back and slid open the door and yelled for everybody to get out of the truck. They were all in a bit of a daze after three days of partying in Vegas, but eventually made it out. There was a U-Haul rental place that we could see in the distance across the desert, so one other Marine and I decided to run there for help. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but it was probably ve miles away. We ran anyway. At one point, we looked back and the whole truck was fully engulfed in ames. A few seconds later, we heard sirens and saw retrucks coming, so we decided to head back to the truck. It was quite the scene. The truck was still on re, smoke everywhere. The tires exploded. Eventually, the firemen extinguished the ames. We all played stupid and told them we had no idea how the re started. In the report, they declared it, “Electrical in nature.” After things settled down, an ofcer drove two of the guys to the U-Haul rental place to get another vehicle. The other ve of us sat in a Burger King for three hours waiting for the replacement truck. The truck arrived and we were once again on our way back to base. When we nally got to the front gate late that night/early morning, the MPs slid open the back door to check out the truck. We heard them exclaim, “Holy shit. What the fuck?” They made us stand in line and commenced chewing our asses out. Then, the MPs huddled together to confer. We just looked at each other and started to chuckle, which did not make them happy. We told them the story of what we’d just been through, and they decided to just let us go on our way. Moral of the story: Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome does not always end well, but it sure leaves a hell of a memory and I have the photos to prove it. Side Note: My camera was sitting on the bench in the cab and was the only thing of mine to survive the re. It escaped with only a singe mark on the strap.FOr MOrE INaPPrOPrIaTE SHENaNIgaNS, SCaN THE Qr COdE bELOW: U-HAUL by Cpl Johnny MunozIMPROVISE, ADAPT & OVERCOME? IMPROVISE, ADAPT & OVERCOME?

AT EASE! Veterans Magazine Fall 2022

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