AT EASE! Veterans Magazine - Winter 2021 : simplebooklet.com

PUBLISHERDevil Doc PublishingEDITORChristine WalkerASSISTANT EDITORShannon RobinsonSTAFF WRITERSShannon RobinsonJudy SkillingMike SaundersEric SowerChristine WalkerFEATURE WRITERSEric McNailChristina MortelCristie RemmelPaul SullivanSALES STAFFScott NeideckerChristine WalkerLAYOUT & DESIGNChristine WalkerCONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Tim BailesMia BurkeDaniel DancerLes StevensonAnnette WhittenbergerFIND US ON:FB:@AtEaseVeteranMagazineTheATEASEmagazine.comCopyright 2021 © 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.A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORA MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORFirst and foremost, I would like to thank every single subscriber, advertiser, sponsor, and our staff, feature, and contributing writers! This magazine would simply not exist without every single one of you! It's been one hell of a ride this year! But we made it! This is our fourth issue and we have completed one full year of a magazine written by Veterans for Veterans. We are also proud to announce that this year, we have built a readership of almost 8,000. But we have a lot of work to do in 2022. We need more subscribers and sponsors moving forward to keep this magazine going and and to continue to share all of your amazing stories and articles. Finally, from myself and all of our Tribe at AT EASE!, we wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas & a safe Happy New Year! It’s ALL about the Vets! Chisne WlkerWinter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 3

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6 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021Once in a while, you have the privilege to meet someone extraordinary, even it is vicariously through the internet. As we were gearing up to publish our inaugural edion of this magazine, I was contacted by Paul & Bev Sullivan who had heard about us, and Paul, a writer, oered to write a few humorous pieces chronicling some of the stories from ‘back in the day’ during his me in service as a USMC Captain. Aer reading Paul’s piece, I knew I had to give him his own feature in every issue. Not only were his stories well wrien, but the humor and bits of wisdom sprinkled in for good measure were exactly what this magazine needed. So let me tell you a lile bit more about Captain Sullivan… He entered the Naonal Guard at the age of 15, but because this was during the Korean War, they released him when they discovered he was too young to serve. At 17, he entered the Massachuses Air Naonal Guard and served through boot camp. At the me he was going to college he couldn’t make all the meengs, so they released him. In 1956, he entered Worcester State Teacher’s College and at the same me, the USMC Platoon Leaders’ Course in Quanco, VA. He graduated college in 1958 with a BS in Educaon and was sworn into the USMC as a Second Lieutenant on the very same day. Aer compleng Ocers’ Basic School, Capt. Sullivan was staoned in Hawaii for most of his enlistment in H Company, Second Baalion, 4th Marines, rising to the rank CAPTAIN PAUL SULLIVANCAPTAIN PAUL SULLIVANCAPTAIN PAUL SULLIVANCAPTAIN PAUL SULLIVANTe ExtdinaryTe ExtdinaryTe ExtdinaryTe ExtdinaryBy Christine Walkerof Captain. In his MOS, he frequently made trips to Taiwan to train Marines in Jungle Warfare before they were sent to Vietnam. Aer Captain Sullivan’s acve-duty discharge, he served 8 years in B Company, 1st Baalion, 25th Marines of the USMC Reserves and became a teacher at a Youth Detenon Center, a prison for hardcore kids, and worked there for 10 years, purposing to make a dierence in those kids lives. Paul eventually moved on, teaching K-8th grades for several years before he went on to Administraon for the remainder of his 40 years in educaon. All the while he connued his own educaon culminang in a master’s degree in Administraon and Supervision of K-8. Aer rerement, Paul became a substute teacher, taught religious educaon, and volunteered with Hospice Programs and at local hospitals in their Spiritual Care Departments. He has taken up wring and has wrien two books. Paul is also a budding arst, gardener, and an acve member of a local men’s prayer group.Paul & his wife Beverly were introduced to the “Stars Program”. They cut the stars o of rered ags and send the remnants on to be burned in a ag ceremony. Then taking the stars and giving them out in a small plasc bag about 1 /1/2 “ square (to t into a wallet) with a lile saying and give them out to veterans they meet. They also developed a program aaching one of the stars to a lile parchment document to give out during ceremonies

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World War 1, also known as the ‘Great War,’ was fought between the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria & the Ottoman Empire and the Allied Powers of Great Britain, France, Russia, Japan, Italy, Romania, Canada and eventually the United States, who entered the war in 1917. The Great War was an especially brutal and bloody war, utilizing trench warfare tactics. At the wars end, it is estimated that over 16 million soldiers lost their life.Just six months in, the bodies of dead soldiers from both sides littered the Western front; the weather was bitter cold and damp, the kind of cold that makes it impossible to get or stay warm. Rations were difcult to get because the supply trucks were being bombarded with artillery re from the opposite sides. Throughout human history, there are, on rare occasions, a moment in time when faith and humanity poke through the apogee of division and war. The following story, while not only inspirational, but also absolutely true, shows us one of these rare moments. On Christmas Eve in 1914, in a remote eld in Belgium, our story begins. Allied Forces were on one side, German Forces on the other…and in between was ‘no man’s land.’ Out of the darkness, like the fog settling overhead, so too did an eerie silence fall on the frozen battleeld; when just mere minutes ago were the constant sounds of gunre and artillery re, now … nothing. Then, the sweet soft melody of a very familiar tune broke the silence from the German trenches. “Stille Nacht, Helige Nacht, Alles Schlaft, einsam wacht” and then a chorus from the allied trenches joined in: “Silent Night, Holy Night, All is calm, all is bright…” As this simple familiar Christmas carol was being sung, there was peace. Suddenly, it was “a beautiful moonlit night, frost on the ground, white almost everywhere,” as recalled by Pvt. Albert Moren of the Second Queens Regiment. Another soldier, Graham Williams of the 5th London Rie Brigade describes in a letter home, “First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would one of ours, until when we started up ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words ‘Adeste Fideles.’ And I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing – two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war.” There was no ofcial truce, no orders coming down from the top on either side, but according to historians, this unofcial Christmas truce extended to an estimated 100,000 troops along the 500-mile Western front. Even more astounding is the next morning, one account recalls German troops holding up a sign that read “You no shoot, we no shoot.” Exhausted, battle-weary soldiers on both sides began to hesitantly climb out of the trenches. They met in ‘No man’s land’ shaking hands, exchanging cigarettes, buttons and other small gifts, and even having a friendly ‘football’ game (that’s Soccer for us Yanks). It also gave them the opportunity to properly honor and bury their dead, some of whom had been laying in the eld for weeks.During a newspaper interview, Alfred Anderson, of the 5th Battalion the Black Watch, remembered “It was a short peace in a terrible war.” WWI German Veteran, Stephan Westmann, said in a BBC interview in 1961, “We were civilized people, after all. But I felt that the culture we boasted so much about is only a very thin lacquer which chips off the very moment we come in contact with cruel things like real war.” And British Soldier, Murdoch Wood, speaking in 1930 said, “I then came to the conclusion that I have held very rmly ever since, that if we had been left to ourselves, there would never have been another shot red.”There is a time for every season under Heaven, a time for war, and a time for peace. And while yet again it may seem that darkness has enveloped our world, it is important to remember that all it takes is one spark to be a light in the dark. Hope is not lost and peace within ourselves and our community is possible - all it takes is one simple act of faith to see the humanity in each other to change everything.Silent Night:The Unexpected Christmas Truce of 1914A German Solider lights the cigarette of an English soldier. Christmas Day, 1914.10 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021by Christine Walker

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Silvio Barsanti, with a pack on his back and hope for the future, left his struggling family farm and walked ve miles to Lucca, Italy, where he would catch a train to Genoa and embark on his journey to the United States. On April 1st, 1906, he emigrated through Ellis Island. Soon, his search for work took him to Canada to meet some friends from home. As immigrant tales often go, Silvio followed opportunity. He and his friends heard about a mining town—Tonopah—high in the mountains of Nevada. There was a miner’s strike, so they naturally thought it would be ripe with work opportunities. Silvio and some of his friends moved together in 1915. They worked long, hard days and spent breaks at the local boarding house. From another small town between Lucca and Pisa, Italy, a young lady, Agata Vangelisti, moved to California with her father at 26 years old in search of a better life. They made a home in the Sunshine State until her father decided they should move to Tonopah. There, she picked up a waitressing job at the local boarding house, serving the miners who would stop in for lunch during the day shift. It was there that she met Silvio. From the same country, the same region, and with the same dreams of the future, they were soon married on August 16, 1916. A year later, on November 11, 1917, they had their rst son: Olinto Mark Barsanti.Mark was the oldest of four boys, all given Italian rst names and English middle names. Angelo John, William Peter (he changed his Italian name to sound more American), and Elio Al followed Mark. Silvio spoke some English for work, but Agata spoke almost no English; thus, the brothers grew up speaking Italian at home, and none of the boys spoke much English when they went into school. Mark was bullied and roughed up at school, but this taught him to ght and stand up for himself, never take any ack, and it made him into a tough young man. Little did he know how far that would take him.The Barsanti parents instilled two things in their children: a strong work ethic and the importance of education. William Barsanti described his father’s attitude towards work in an interview with the University of North Texas Oral History Program: “[He believed] ’You have to work for everything.’ Work was his life. It didn’t matter what kind of work he was doing, as long as he was producing something.” Boy, did this work ethic pass on to his sons. They all grew up working after school. Mark ran a newspaper route for the Tonopah Times Bonanza that got passed on to each of his brothers once they were old enough to keep up. He and Angelo also worked at a fruit and vegetable stand throughout school. Silvio was insistent that his boys excel academically as well. According to William, he often said “I would rather see you dead than at the end of a muck stick. You’ve got to go to college and get an education and do something worthwhile.” Mark played basketball and boxed in high school, and all four boys made excellent grades and attended college. Bill admired his oldest brother, remembering that “he had a lot of drive, a lot of push. Everything he did, he put a great effort into it.”Mark attended college at the University of Nevada Reno in 1936. Bill remembers that “he did not hang out at bars like a lot of the students did. Instead, he became very active in football, boxing, and a lot of other sports.” He maintained his work ethic from childhood and joined the Sigma Nu Fraternity while also waiting tables to earn money. It was obligatory to take military training at the time, so Mark joined the Army ROTC, which also paid a stipend. He loved it and decided to make a career out of the military, graduating a commissioned 2nd Lieutenant.HE MET HIS MATCHMeanwhile, Aletha Howell, a genteel southern lady from West Texas, was young and single, attending the University of Texas with her older sister. Aletha recalled that she and several friends were working in Austin when one of her friends met a few young, handsome lieutenants from San Antonio. The boys visited so frequently that the girls naturally “decided the thing to do was to ‘help the war effort,’ so we resigned our jobs, and we went to San Antonio…and got jobs with the Army—all four of us.”The girls worked in the San Antonio Arsenal, and as they met more soldiers, they would set each other up. It was after a bad blind date that Aletha’s friend called her and said there was one more guy she just had to meet. Aletha resisted, but eventually caved and went back out for her second blind date that evening. That man was Mark.“I just thought he was wonderful,” Aletha remarked. “He was just an exciting guy. He had a lot of humor. He was a handsome, young rst lieutenant.” She added that he was a good dancer, a great conversationalist, and could speak several languages—what a catch!Sure, he had a bad temper. However, Aletha soon decided that would never be a problem. “I was going to scream back just as loudly.” On the Barsanti, University of Nevada ROTC, 1938. 14 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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other side of the same coin, she afrmed “he was as gentle as a lamb.” Tough and tender, Mark and Aletha were a dynamite match.Mark was promoted to Captain that same year. It was obvious to both him and Aletha that his division was going to go to war, so they rushed and got married on October 22, 1942 in the 2nd Division Chapel at Fort Sam Houston. Soon, the entire division was moved to Camp McCoy in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, just before Thanksgiving 1942. WWIIAlready an Army Ranger, Barsanti became the Director of the Ranger Battle Training Course, and he was promoted to Major in March 1943. Soon, his division was shipped off to Northern Ireland in October 1943, where they underwent intensive training until the D-Day Invasion of Normandy in June 1944. On June 7th, 1944, Barsanti arrived at St. Laurent sur Mer near Omaha Beach on the coast of occupied France. At just 26 years old, he was one of the youngest battalion commanders in Europe at the time, commanding the 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry. Shortly after landing, he successfully prevented a German counterattack against his battalion for which he received a Silver Star. Mark and Aletha agreed to write to each other every night while he was in Europe, and he kept his word without fail. She anxiously awaited the stack of letters she would receive every several days. “You were so happy when you got a stful of mail” Aletha said, even though the censors cut up any sensitive information; the letters were often quite disheveled. Still, the knowledge that he was surviving brought hope.For the next eight months of battle, Barsanti fought tirelessly alongside his men. He was awarded ve Purple Hearts between June 1944 and January 1945. In December 1944, the 3rd Battalion assisted in the Ardennes Campaign, the famous Battle of the Bulge. It was here that he met his brother Bill in Europe. Bill was with Cannon Company in the 106th Infantry Division; however, they lost their cannons on their way to England, so when they arrived and only had ries, they became a rie company. The 106th made their way in covered trucks to relieve the 2nd Division in St. Vith, Belgium. Mark—a Lieutenant Colonel at that point—knew that Bill was in the 106th, so he sent a car to pick him up and bring him to his quarters behind the Siegfried Line. While their meeting was sentimental, it was also practical. Mark told his 21-year-old brother, “We’re going to go north and make a big push. You stay here. Here are some souvenirs in case I don’t make it.” Mark gave Bill various collected items, including a German Luger. He was certain that the Germans had nothing left and that the War would be over after their push north. Snow and sleet covered the ground in the Ardennes Forest. The cold air bit at soldiers’ faces. The 2nd Division moved forward with condence, but General Gerd von Rundstedt launched the last big German offensive of World War II. The 3rd Battalion was entrenched at the southern edge of Krinkelt to block a German attack. Over a four-day battle with the Sixth Panzer Army, the 38th Infantry suffered 625 casualties. Mark added an oak leaf cluster to his Silver Star for his assistance during the brutal, devastating battle. Having already been wounded several times, commanders were concerned Mark was tempting fate a bit, and decided to send him home. Barsanti was one of only two original battalion commanders of the 2nd Infantry that landed in June 1944 and survived the war. He wrote in journals every day of the war, recounting everything he saw. However, when he nally shipped home, his footlockers were stolen from the docks at Bremerhaven, Germany. Thieves were only hoping for weapons, but they took a whole account of the War as well.AGATA'S CITIZENSHIPAll four of the Barsanti boys answered the call of duty and served during World War II. Mark, Bill, and Elio to the Army, and Angelo to the Navy.A prudent Nevada judge knew the sacrice Agata Barsanti made sending all four of her boys to the frontlines of the War. This judge also knew that if she could give up her four boys for the United States, then she deserved to be a citizen of the country they were ghting for. A NEW FATHERMark did have troubles adjusting to peacetime service. Aletha remembered him waking up with nightmares and screaming out in the night “Get down! Get down!” However, “That didn’t last long,” Aletha stated. Eventually, reliving the experience would drift away.It was Aletha who convinced Mark to stay in the military after World War II. She embraced the military culture completely. She studied the Army Wives Handbook and taught Mark the ins-and-outs of etiquette and protocol at each rank. Bette credits her mother for her role in supporting and encouraging her father’s military career. “It was a great partnership.”The couple moved around the southern states for a bit before they were sent to Fort Carson in Colorado. The couple arrived at Fort Carson and almost immediately received a telegram saying “Where are you? You are assigned to duty back at Fort Leavenworth.” They packed up right away and moved again. It was at Fort Leavenworth that Aletha and Mark had Bette. As a father, Aletha recalled that “he was [a] rm disciplinarian, but he adored his little girl.” Bette remembers growing up that her father wasn’t always Mark & Aletha BarsantiWashington D.C., 1960sWinter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 15

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home, but when he was home, he was present with her and was a truly wonderful father. It might be easy to think that a man of such rigor and solemn strength might be an intimidating father. “He wasn’t a very patient man, but he was more patient with her than other things. He was a very good father,” Aletha remembered. Bette said that he was a super father, but she was still very careful as a child to not step out of line. One thing that Aletha couldn’t convince Mark to do was speak Italian in the home for Bette to learn. “We’re American,” he would say, and he saw no reason for them to speak anything other than English. Bette remembers her father as tough and almost impervious to pain. He was a warrior, but he had a soft side. He raised Bette with the encouragement and support that “you can do whatever you want to do. You can be whatever you want to be.” She remembers that he didn’t have many rules or prevent her from doing much, as long as it wasn’t illegal and she was always on time. KOREABarsanti was called to serve in Japan in August 1949 in the Far East Command under General Douglas MacArthur. Lieutenant Colonel Barsanti moved to Tokyo with Aletha and Bette. “It was absolutely different to any place I had ever lived, the Far East,” recalled Aletha. She could afford a babysitter, so she had plenty of time to play bridge, shop in Tokyo, and entertain her friends. Both she and Bette looked fondly back on their time spent in Japan.It was only six months later on June 27, 1950 that Mark, along with eleven other ofcers, was called into action again. This was only two days after North Korean soldiers invaded the South. The beginning of the Korean war was a mess, and it took America by surprise. The rst men who arrived there bore the brunt of the war before the Marines came. Barsanti was tasked with establishing a command post for General MacArthur at Suwon. Except for help from indigenous peoples, he worked alone. Barsanti set up “all necessary systems and facilities for administration, receipt of replacements, care of prisoners of war, mess, billeting, and transportation, as well as strength and casualty reporting systems,” These actions earned him the Legion of Merit.It was on October 19th and 20th, however, that Lt. Col. Barsanti had to deliver top secret information behind enemy lines. He drove alone, under repeated attacks by enemy soldiers, for 190 miles to deliver secret orders to two South Korean infantry divisions. For this act of bravery and heroism, Barsanti was presented the Distinguished Service Cross by Major General Edward Almond at the X Headquarters in Hungnam on December 14th. It was Christmastime in Japan. A four-year-old Bette was playing on the oor, and Aletha was trimming the tree. “The doorbell rang, and I went to the door, and there he stood,” said Aletha. Mark stood in full combat gear, his stocky, dirt-covered silhouette shadowing the doorstep. He had a four-day pass, and it took him three of those four days to get home. He took off his pack and gingerly laid down on the ground next to Bette. He pulled a small item out of his pocket. “I don’t have a present for you,” he said to Bette, “but I do have this pack of gum.”“That’s my earliest memory,” Bette reminisced with tears in her eyes.Barsanti had to turn around that same night and go back to Korea. Barsanti soon joined the 2nd Infantry Division at the start of 1951. He began as an Executive Ofcer, and later became the Commanding Ofcer of the 9th Infantry Regiment. He was the Army’s youngest regimental commander in Korea at 33 years old. He was awarded a Bronze Star (Sixth Oak Leaf Cluster) and a Silver Star (Second Oak Leaf Cluster) for participating in heavy ghting and for his personal leadership in a successful assault against strongly fortied North Korean emplacements near Inje. He suffered injuries in battle and returned to Japan in August 1951. “He was on the last plane that came out when they had to evacuate,” Aletha remembered. In true Mark fashion, he refused to leave despite having enough points to go home. Eventually, he ew back to Japan to pick up his family. Soon, they were all evacuated to California. SERVICE, FOREIGN AND DOMESTICThe Barsantis moved around the United States, from Camp Atterbury in Indiana to Norfolk, Virginia when Mark graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College. It was eventually time to move again, and the family picked up and shipped off to Heidelberg, Germany in 1954. By 1955, Mark was promoted to Colonel and became Chief of Staff of the Berlin Command. “No one expected him to be promoted,” Aletha said. “He was always in the top ve percent, and he came out on the list,” However, “that surprised everyone in the headquarters because there [Mark] sat in quarters that were too small for even a lieutenant colonel, so imagine that they have this full colonel sitting in this [small] Lt. Colonial Barsanti receiving the Distinguised Service Cross by Major General Edward Almond, Korea, December 1950*16 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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set of quarters.” They couldn’t believe Mark was a Colonel because the family was living in quarters that were far too small for that rank. Aletha said that she would get calls everyday offering a different house for the family to move to, but she insisted, “No, I don’t want to live there. I want to live on Colonel’s Row, right over there across from the headquarters. You can call me back when you have one over there.” It was a busy life in Germany. Aletha remembered having lots of interaction with the French, British, Germans, and even the Russians. “Mark was number three on the protocol list, so that means we received invitations to everything that the missions did.” He also completed the Basic Airborne Course with the 11th Airborne Division. Bette learned German, alongside the Japanese that she already knew. While they were only in Berlin for a year, they soaked up the experience.When they returned again to the US, Mark went to the National War College, from which he graduated in 1958. This was the Barsantis’ rst tour in Washington, and they had a chance to settle for about six years. He graduated from the college and was stationed at the Pentagon in various positions. He also went to night school at George Washington University and earned his Masters in International Affairs. He worked in the bustling city until 1963, when he went back to South Korea on an unaccompanied tour. In Korea a second time, he served as Assistant Division Commander for Combat Operations, 7th Infantry Division. His schedule was tight, and his duties kept him busy. His aide-de-camp and helicopter pilot, 1st Lt. John Oliver remarked that Barsanti “places a premium on prociency. When he tells someone to do something, he expects it to be done well and on time. But he sets the same standards for himself as he does for others. The man has an almost inconceivable amount of energy.” It was in South Korea that Barsanti was notied of his promotion to Brigadier General, which made him one of the youngest generals in the Army at 46 years old. One year later, he was reassigned back to Heidelberg. Aletha and Bette—now a senior in high school—joined him in Heidelberg in 1964. Mark served as Comptroller for Headquarters for the U.S. Army in Europe, and in 1966, he became Chief of Staff. He was moved back to Washington to be Comptroller and Director of Programs at the United States Army Materiel Command Headquarters. Another year passed and Barsanti was promoted to Major General. “His sights were so high, and he was always ahead of his contemporaries. I just always expected it,” Aletha recalled. Mark always outperformed others, setting the highest standards for his work and achieving them; however, he didn’t like being a comptroller. He always wanted to be on the ground with the troops. He wanted to be in Vietnam. “He enjoyed it—every minute of it…he just loved those troops,” said Aletha.In the Summer of 1967, the 101st Airborne Division had six months before they were to deploy to Vietnam. The 1st Brigade was already overseas; the remaining men needed to be whipped into shape. The men needed Mark Barsanti. “They sent him to Fort Campbell because he was a strong disciplinarian, and they had had some deaths in night training,” Aletha said. Bette remembers that this was the proudest moment of his career. Barsanti was honored to have the opportunity to command the 101st, a command usually given to a West Point graduate. “He was so excited,” Bette remembers. On July 1st, he took command at Fort Campbell. The soldiers had to be trained and ready to deploy to Vietnam by December. His instructions? “Go down, kick ass, and take names.” It was a challenge—well, a challenge for anyone but Barsanti.Colonel Ted Crozier, who rst met Barsanti in Heidelberg, lived in Clarksville at the time that Barsanti commanded the 101st. He remembers stories that “he was a tough commander. He wanted to shape up the division…intensify the training; get them into rst class physical shape.” Bette remembers going to church after they had been in Ft. Campbell for three to four days. They got in the staff car and started driving down to the chapel. Bette looked out the back window and saw a military police car following them. She sank lower and lower in the back seat as she soon noticed four cars following them, stopping periodically and picking up troops along the way. By the time they stopped, she realized that the police picked up every single troop who didn’t salute her father’s two-star as they passed (or they gave him the “one nger salute”). It was then that she realized how serious they were that her father had to improve the Division.VIETNAMCome Winter 1967, the 101st was ready to deploy. Codenamed Operation Eagle Thrust, Barsanti commanded the largest airlift transfer of men and equipment from the United States to Southeast Asia since World War II. Over 10,000 troops and 14,000 pounds of combat equipment were own nearly 10,000 miles from November 17th to mid-December. Settled in to base camp, General Barsanti communicated to his troops that “the mission of the 101st Airborne Division is to nd the enemy and destroy him. Inherent in this mission is an incumbent responsibility to respect the proud people we are here to assist.” A little-known fact about General Barsanti is that he was a great lover of animals. Bette remembers always having pets growing up, and her father loved cats. So, Barsanti on Helicopter in Camp Kaiser, Korea, c. 1950.Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 17

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the moment he got his command trailer in Vietnam, the rst thing he told his aide was “get me a cat.” Soon, Geronimo joined the Division and became a part of life on base.Crozier, a parachutist in World War II, joined Barsanti in Vietnam as his aviation ofcer in charge of restructuring the division for helicopter use. He rmly stated that if anything had to be done, Mark “wanted it right.” Mark was rarely behind the desk and spent most of his time out in the eld as Crozier recalled. Twice, Crozier was called into Barsanti’s ofce, and the General was livid. First, an aircraft was thirty minutes late picking up a brigade commander, and the second time, an aircraft ew out without any headsets. Both times, Crozier said “I will take care of that right now,” and both times, General Barsanti responded “I knew you would.” Instead of xing the problem himself or remaining angry, Mark trusted his men to perform their duties and, in Ted’s case, allowed him to correct the mistakes himself.The 101st Airborne, or Screaming Eagles as they were called, played a major role in the defense of Saigon, Bien Hoa, Song Be, Hue, and Quang Tri during the Tet Offensive. Aletha knew that “The rst person killed in the Tet Offensive was a clerk in his ofce. They hit the 101st Division rst. There were a lot of the casualties coming in.” According to his biography, Barsanti “believed that to ght a war in the coastal plains the following methods of combat were required: multiple actions to keep the enemy off balance, continuous attacking to keep pressure on the enemy, night ghting for continuous pressure, no reliance on reserves and a home base, providing maximum re support, rapidly massing on lucrative targets, coordinating closely with ARVN units, and using special equipment and techniques such as airlifts and constant night illumination in cordon operations.”General Barsanti never quit. He frequently visited wounded troops in the hospital or made his way to the frontlines, engaging in combat when he needed to. He never asked his men to do anything that he wasn’t willing to do himself. He received two Purple Hearts in Vietnam (that makes seven in total) before General Creighton Abrams—one of his former students at Command and General Staff College—said “if you get wounded one more time, you’re coming home.”However, Bette found out much later that her father should have received another Purple Heart. Mark was on his way to the front when a shell exploded in the helicopter. His leg was wounded, and he was rushed to the medics. They tended to his leg and said “well, this is a Purple Heart,” to which Barsanti looked them square in the eye and said “Don’t you dare report this.” He refused to go home and didn’t want to leave his men before his Command was complete. ALETHA’S RESPONSIBILITYBack home in Fort Campbell, Aletha, with a heavy heart and a grave sense of responsibility, stood by the wives of the 101st Division. “I always went with the post commander and the chaplain to inform if a serviceman was killed.” She took her duty as a General’s wife very seriously and did everything she could to stand by the women who supported their husbands’ service. She ingratiated herself into military culture from day one and considered it her stateside duty to support the women on base in the good times and the devastating times.FT. SHERIDANAfter his year-long command in Vietnam, General Barsanti turned over the 101st to General Melvin Zais. General Abrams assigned Mark to Fort Sheridan, Illinois, as Chief of Staff. The Barsantis could look forward to a bit of stability after years of traveling, and they would be near Bette who was attending Northwestern University. It was an ideal situation—although, “he liked the one he had with the troops,” Aletha said. “He would have stayed [in Vietnam] until the end.”Here, Mark had his routine. He started every morning with an exercise regimen and ended every evening with a walk around the base, his cat Louis Noir Quatorze walking beside him.It was at Ft. Sheridan that Mark’s health started to deteriorate. He knew he had stomach cancer and was suffering from stomach pains, fevers, and a weakening immune system. Yet, “he was convinced it wasn’t going to kill him,” Aletha said. Even when they were in Germany, Mark went to the hospital for ulcers in his stomach. The doctors wanted to remove the ulcers, and as the “General in the room,” he Mark Barsanti standing at a microphone, making a speech during a fallen soldier memorial in Vietnam c. 1967-68. *18 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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outranked them; with a rm “no, you’re not,” he refused surgery.On the list to be promoted to Three Star General, Mark received a visit from long-time friend Lt. Gen. Frank Mildren who came to visit the Barsantis at Fort Sheridan. He wanted to check on Barsanti’s health, and “I am sure he was going to put him on the list for his third star,” Aletha recalled; however, he witnessed Mark’s poor health, and it wasn’t too long after that that instead of a promotion, Mark was asked to retire on disability. “It just about broke Mark’s heart because he thought he would go on forever.” Aletha remembered.Very soon after his retirement from the Army, Mark was offered a CEO position with the American Automobile Manufacturers Association in Detroit. Another good friend, General Frank Kreml, had already been tapped by the Detroit auto industry, and he wanted to bring in Mark as Chief of Staff to run the day-to-day operations. Aletha and Mark talked about traveling, and Mark even went out and got himself a passport. However, when he got home, he told Aletha “I don’t want to do that. I want to work somewhere.” So, the couple moved to Detroit.For the rst time in his life, Mark had to buy civilian clothes. He had to work and live as a civilian. He struggled to adapt to civilian culture and didn’t understand a world where people didn’t give 100% energy in everything they did. “He really didn’t like it,” Bette remembers.Mark was steadily deteriorating in health, but as much as his wife and daughter tried to get him to nd a doctor at a cancer hospital, he would not leave the Great Lakes Naval Hospital. His response was “not only no, but hell no.” They remained in Detroit for nine months until Mark had another attack; they operated on him and conrmed there was no hope of survival. It was then that the Barsanti’s moved one last time back to Chicago where they could be close to their daughter and live out his remaining months together as family. A true powerhouse, a man of resilience and strength, Mark “fought it until the end. He wasn’t going to give up” said Aletha. However, cancer eventually overtook him, and Mark passed in May of 1973.His remains were shipped to Arlington National Cemetery. In true Mark fashion, he left Aletha six pages of clear instructions detailing what to do about the funeral. Most importantly, Mark “wanted to be sure he was in a GI casket like all the other GIs.” Even after the end, Mark was right beside his men, his fellow soldiers.How do you sum up the life and service of such an exceptional man? Is it by the medals, meticulously preserved and displayed? Or is it through the stories and memories of family, servicemen, brothers, and friends? There may be no better way to describe Mark’s service than by Aletha’s own words: “He loved the troops, and they loved him.” Mark gave everything for his family, his men, and his country. He earned 76 medals, citations, and declarations during his 31-year career. Among his many commendations and years of service, one of his greatest honors was sitting on the selection board for the rst female general; “it’s about time,” he said.Mark Barsanti’s life and service humbly stand as a testimony to one man who worked tirelessly to preserve and defend the freedoms of our Nation.THE LEGACY CONTINUESPerhaps in the most tting way, Mark’s legacy has been commemorated through educational scholarships and endowments. At the University of North Texas, Bette and her husband Bob endowed the MG Olinto M. Barsanti Graduate Fellowship in Military History as well as the MG Olinto M. Barsanti US Air Force ROTC Scholarship and the MG Olinto M. Barsanti US Army ROTC Scholarship, both of which support enrolled and active members of the Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC programs at the University. Additionally, they endowed the MG Olinto M. Barsanti Emergency Relief Endowment Fund which provides support for student veterans. Because of their family legacy of service, the family established The Barsanti Brothers Military and Veterans Endowed Scholarship for military and veteran students at the University of Nevada Reno. This scholarship was endowed by Bette and her husband Bob, John Stephan Barsanti (son of Angelo) and his wife Trish, Dr. Jeanne Barsanti (daughter of Angelo) and her husband Dr. Craig Greene, and John Silvio Barsanti (son of Elio) and his wife, Romy. Finally, the Barsanti name and dedication to education is memorialized in the form of the MG Olinto M. Barsanti Elementary School at Ft. Campbell, which was dedicated in January of 2011.In honor of Mark’s storied career in the US Army, Aletha, Bette and Bob are counted as charter contributors to the recently opened US Army Museum in Washington, DC._____________Thank you to the UNT’s Oral History Program and Special Collections Library for access to the interview transcripts with Aletha Barsanti, Bill Barsanti, and Ted Crozier. All quotations from these individuals were sourced from their material.Thank you to the Arlington National Cemetery for the detail and description of MG Barsanti’s exceptional service.A very special thank you to Bette and Bob Sherman, without whom I would not have received the personal insight into General Barsanti’s courageous life or truly understood the impact he had as a soldier, a father, and a man.Mark at Detroit Automobile Mfg. Association. Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 19SCAN THE QR CODE FOR A BONUS ARTICLE ON BILL BARSANTI

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20 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021“My Mission Is Not Yet Complete”An UnToLd StOrY Of WoRlD WaR Ii HeRo “MaGgIe” MeGeLlAsI’ve been fortunate to create sculptures and paintings that are in galleries and public and private collections, but nothing prepared me for a commission to do a painting for a man’s 103rd birthday.I had never heard of James Megellas, nicknamed “Maggie.”I would soon learn that he was one of the most decorated army veterans of World War II, with the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts. He narrowly missed being awarded the Medal of Honor. He later served two tours in Vietnam and retired as a lieutenant colonel.The painting would be of it. Maggie, then 27, in 1944 leading his men in a imsy boat across 400 yards of river water in the Netherlands in a hail of German bullets. The boat didn’t have enough paddles, so in desperation, the men used their rie butts and even their hands to push their boat safely to shore. Only 11 of the 26 boats launched made it.A paratrooper, Maggie had parachuted some 60 miles behind enemy lines in a massive airdrop, but six troop carrier planes were shot down while bullets ripped through Maggie’s plane, killing two, as he and others exited the door.Maggie would be the rst American to receive an Award for Bravery by the Netherlands.The allied offensive against the Germans in the Netherlands, called market garden, would be immortalized in the 1977 star-Story & Artwork by Susan NorrisStory & Artwork by Susan NorrisJames “Maggie” Megellas, who died at 103, was one of the most decorated Army veterans of World War II with the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, and the rst American to receive an award for bravery from the Netherlands. (Courtesy photo)'THE PAINTING'Lt. James “Maggie" Megellas, 27, with his men furiously paddling across the Netherlands’ Waal River in 1944 in a hail of enemy bullets in the famous assault against Nazi occupation. (Painting by Susan Norris)'THE PAINTING'Lt. James “Maggie" Megellas, 27, with his men furiously paddling across the Netherlands’ Waal River in 1944 in a hail of enemy bullets in the famous assault against Nazi occupation. (Painting by Susan Norris)

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Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 21laden epic lm, a bridge too far. Actor John Ratzenberger, who starred as the mailman in the comedy series Cheers (1982-1993), portrayed Maggie.I rst met Maggie in his comfortable Texas home. Wearing a plaid shirt, he rose to shake my hand as bets a gentleman. I soon learned that he loved to talk, had an encyclopedic memory, and was condent for 102 years old. I was a willing listener.He told me about his crossing the Waal River at Nijmegen to liberate the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. He had told the story many times before, for newspapers and magazines, his autobiography, and a PBS movie titled Maggie’s War: A True Story of Courage, Leadership, and Valor in World War II. He told me of several battles, of carrying a wounded soldier on his back while ring a machine gun and dropping grenades into a Nazi tank.I was in awe, but not awe-struck. I was talking with someone who sacriced a lot for his country. This was a famous but very old, humble man who sat before me.He asked me to name the painting “my mission is not yet complete,” because he hated wars, found them sometimes necessary, but fervently wished people could be more kind to each other. He would say, “the greatest generation has not yet been born. They will be the generation that does not send its young people off to die in wars but rather learns to live in peace. The Lord did not put us on this earth to kill each other.”Later, to help my painting be accurate, I was invited to see reenactors in Texas re-create the famous crossing of the Waal River. I got realistic action photos. I was concerned about the period uniforms being too clean and neat, as Maggie and his company hadn’t changed clothes for days. But I could x that in the painting.Maggie’s 103rd birthday arrived. It was no small celebration. Sold out in advance, it was held in a Dallas luxury hotel by the Tribute to Valor Foundation which engages students with the values of the Medal of Honor: courage, sacrice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment. The foundation awards scholarships to students in science and math.A separate room was lled with impressive period-correct displays of equipment from Maggie’s old unit, the 82nd Airborne, along with reenactors dressed in World War II airborne uniforms. Maggie was escorted by an elite group including Medal of Honor recipients and John Ratzenberger. Also, there was foundation director and singer, songwriter, producer, and actor Tony Orlando, whose 1973 song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” topped the charts and became the standard for hope that a loved one would return home.After the elegant meal in the decorated ballroom, I was invited to present my painting. I was so emotionally charged that I can’t remember exactly what I said, but, it was something about being honored to be there. Maggie sat at his table, and the covered painting was placed near him.As the painting was unveiled, I looked into Maggie’s eyes as he gazed at the painting. They lled with tears, and he buried his face in his hands.Maggie died three weeks later. When I think of Maggie, I also think of my family. My father was from England, my mother, Germany. Like Maggie, I am a rst generation American.My mother’s father was a Lutheran minister in Germany. He spoke out against Germany’s war- making when he taught a conrmation class and was turned in by one of his students. When my mother was 12, my grandfather was sent to the Dachau concentration camp, where he died with at least 32,000 others, probably many more.Maggie told me that as the war ended, he helped liberate a concentration camp at Wobbelin, where dead were piled high in buildings among the sick and dying. He once said, “when we talked to the survivors, we realized the greater cause we were ghting for.”On his 103rd birthday, at the celebration, Maggie was reunited with a man he helped liberate from that camp 75 years before. The man brought his children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren. I was overwhelmed thinking all of them might not have been born without Maggie’s help.I am thankful I am here, too, because of Maggie and tens of thousands like him who fought and sacriced so others could live free. Others are thankful, too.The Dutch built a magnicent new bridge across the Waal River and gratefully named it Oversteek, which translates in English as “the crossing.” It is the largest war monument in Europe. At sunset, 48 paired bridge lights, for the 48 American soldiers who died in 1944 in the river crossing for the freedom of the Netherlands, light up pair by pair at a slow marching pace.Every night, regardless of weather, a military veteran of the day walks the sunset march, across the bridge, walking in pace with the lights. The veteran wears a beret, military insignia, personal medals, and salutes a monument engraved with the names of the 48 soldiers.Maggie, followed by a crowd of old and young, crossed the river again 73 years later, at 100 years old, as veteran of the day at a sunset march.Each year on the anniversary of the river assault that Maggie survived, the citizens of Nijmegen take part at sunset in a massive, moving observance to honor the 48 American soldiers killed at the crossing.To nd out more about James 'Maggie' Megellas, scan the QR Code. The author, Susan Norris (susannorrisartworks.com), lives and works in cimarron, New Mexico. To contact Susan for more information or an interview, call her at (575) 770-5725 or email her at: susannorrisartworks@gmail.com

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DD-214 & BEYONDDID SOMEONE SAY 'COFFEE?'MEET SCARS AND STRIPES MEET SCARS AND STRIPES COFFEE COMPANYCOFFEE COMPANYIf you ask a veteran what they miss most about the military, they will likely answer the "sense of camaraderie." Often hard to describe yet simply understood, there is a bond created between those who served in uniform. Earned through sacrices and vivid experiences, friendships forged in the re are rare, unique, and not likely replicated. Can this unique connection continue outside of military service?You may think Scars and Stripes Coffee is just another craft coffee company, but here, the coffee is only the vehicle. Founders Chat Watts and Brad Dean created Scars and Stripes Coffee as a reintegration program that offers vets a chance to reconnect with a team while building a business. Empowering veterans is the cornerstone of this thriving business and the reason it is today a 200-member organization with a 100% veteran sales team.Although Chad is not a vet, he worked extensively at VA Hospitals and came face to face daily with veterans who suffered devastating physical injuries and emotional scars. These same soldiers though, had a deep connection and could lift each other up despite their circumstances. Witnessing this connection drove Chad to create a path for veterans who would soon transition to the civilian community. Chad brainstormed a business framework, pulled in his friend and National Guard Ofcer Brad Dean aside, and shared the idea and Scars and Stripes Coffee was born.Chad’s framework took the familiar military rank and structure–and built a business model that would ll the void created when exiting the service. “How do you prepare for something where you lose your family, so to speak, and you don’t know where you are going?” Scars and Stripes seeks to answer that question by creating a team of veterans who raise each other up, and hold one another accountable, while building a business, and community. “Five things we continue to hear about, high suicide and unemployment, divorce, homelessness and high drug and alcohol abuse, - these symptoms aren’t really getting better according to the data”. Scars and Stripes wants vets to know they are incredibly special adding “you are not done yet and we are here to get you back into the ght.” The name says it all: “Scars are what vets live with every day; Stripes refers to the healing power given to us through Jesus- Through his stripes we are healed”- Isaiah 53.5.HOW IT WORKS:HOW IT WORKS:When a vet joins Scars and Stripes Coffee, the vet is plugged into a team of 6-10 members lead by a squad leader. The new team member obtains a startup kit that provides the materials to become familiar with the coffee products and sales processes. Communicating weekly during Monday Morning Muster, the group connects on wins and challenges, and shares how the business is going. Chad notes that rst it is a check on everyone’s headspace how everyone is doing, and then it’s on to the business conversation. Not only is this a great networking opportunity, but it helps to grow the communication skills of the team. Besides the Monday Muster, YouTube trainings are available to help new members ramp up on the mechanics of running the business. These tools are the foundation to help the vet understand the sales process, Written by: Christina MortelBrewing a Business of Community, Camaraderie, and Empowerment22 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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but most importantly, the mission to help vets integrate successfully and transition into civilian life. The key to success is the supportive network. The squad leader and teammates are available to help support onboarding, attend events with the new member, and help with the sales conversation. The vet receives a unique link and is set up with an ecommerce website. When a customer uses the unique link, the vet receives a 20% commission from a sale. NOT YOUR AVERAGE CUP OF JOENOT YOUR AVERAGE CUP OF JOERoasted by a local small batch coffee roaster, most beans are single origin, but coffee blends are available and come in whole bean, ground, and now in special steeping coffee bags. There is something for every coffee lover, and Chad mentioned that more coffee options will be added to the lineup.Branden Baxley, an Afghanistan veteran who served in the Oklahoma National Guard, joined Scars and Stripes in 2019. Branden started as a team member and now serves in a First Sergeant role. A 15-year Oklahoma law enforcement ofcer, Branden really loves the mission of empowering veterans to get back together. As part of his law enforcement duties, Branden is a veteran liaison for the veteran community. By helping my department with our veteran community outreach, I thought I could bring that experience to the company and that is why I joined. The Scars and Stripes model brings veterans together and ignites the camaraderie that vets previously experienced. I just saw a real need for it. In his role, Branden speaks to employee leaders, regularly receiving feedback on processes, listening for challenges, concerns, and recommendations, and addresses these up and down the chain. 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/(DD-214 & Beyond...Continued on page 46)

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22 years ago, Juan met his wife. Her parents were out of the picture; his parents divorced when he was 11. Juan was attending a Youth Academy run by the Army National Guard. Similar to bootcamp, Juan attended the six-month program in order to get his GED after dropping out of high school as a sophomore. He met her walking down the street, and when he met her, “life was over. I knew ‘uh oh, I’m in trouble.’” She was the one. They soon got married.Juan graduated in late June 2000. He’d just turned 17 and had to gure out what to do next. He picked up a job at Albertsons, and in the meantime, a Marine Corps recruiter kept knocking on his door. Juan was clear: “I just went to bootcamp for six months; I ain’t doin this shit for real!” He was from a military family and knew he didn’t want that future. However, he thought about his new wife, and he wanted to get out of the area they were living in. He gured he’d join the reserves, but the recruiter (as they often do) convinced him to go active duty. Juan shipped out on January 8, 2001.Juan didn’t join the Marine Corps because he wanted to be a Marine, and after he joined, he realized “this is the dumbest shit I’ve ever done. Why did I do this.” He tried to get a job as a bulk fueler, but he got a call to be in refrigeration mechanic school in Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. However, about a month and a half later, right before school started, the commander pulled him into the ofce and said “Juan, your ASVABs are too low, you’re too stupid for this school. You’re going down to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. You can go purify water now.” He spent 3 months learning how to purify water, and then he was sent to a maintenance battalion. “My MOS was water purication. I’ve never puried water. The nine years I was in the Marine Corps, I never puried water.” Juan was stationed in Okinawa. Working in a maintenance battalion, his main duty was rebuilding diesel engines out of everything: HUMVs, forklifts, and generators especially. That’s where he was when 9/11 happened. They were in the middle of a typhoon, and he asked his brothers what movie they were watching on TV. The guys told him “no, this is happening in New York City right now!” For the last six months of his yearlong assignment, he worked 15 to 18 hours a day, Sunday through Saturday, rebuilding generators.After Japan, he was stationed in North Carolina to “swing with the wing.” He agreed because, apparently, he wouldn’t deploy as much. “Man, they sent me to Iraq twice!” he laughed. A Lance Corporal, he rst deployed in 2003 for the invasion. At the FOB, he held a billet for quality control. Fresh off a maintenance battalion, his Chief came up to him and said “you’re going to run maintenance in my shop, and everybody’s going to report to you. You’re the only maintenance guy I have.” Juan was on the Kuwait/Iraq border. It was a “supplies in, bodies out” type mission. C-130s came in and out on a regular basis. Juan was the youngest Marine out there and was working with all the engineers. He was running generators, relling generators, and xing anything that broke. On an Air Force deployment, he was there for four months.Juan re-enlisted in 2005, and they asked him where he wanted to move. He wanted to move to Dallas and settle in Texas, but soon, they responded “nope! You’re going back to Iraq.” The second deployment, Juan spent 9 months in Al Assad. His mission was to support the ight line, keep the base powered, and ensure the generators were up and running.Back from Iraq, he asked again about going to Texas, and there was nothing available. His wife asked, “how about Hawaii?” Juan was skeptical and said “you hear about people going to Hawaii, but nobody ever actually gets to go to Hawaii.” So, Juan asked again, and to his surprise, a spot opened up in Hawaii. The catch: he had to reenlist for one more year. For the last three years he was in the Marines, the Garcia family lived in Hawaii.After Hawaii, Juan was discharged. After about six months, he got a job at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City to do Electroplating, and he’s been working there for eleven years.Looking at his time in the Marine Corps, Juan says “We all become family. They instill that into us. We got each other. We’re gonna take care of each other because that’s all we have. Nobody else is gonna help us. Don’t depend on anyone else to help you; you gotta depend on your brother to your left and to your right to take care of you.” Now it is through his podcast The Stoned Vet where Juan says “hey, you’re not alone” to the other Vets who hate asking for help. Juan tries to give it a Friday night, after work, “where’s the barbecue at?” kind of “THE CORPS IS FAMILY!”The Story of Juan Garcia - USMC – Iraq“The Corps is Family” continued on page 4326 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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police that have died in the line of duty. He participates in several organizations such as Irreverent Warriors, Ruck for the Fallen, Memories of Honor, and The National Fallen Fireghters Foundation. When asked why he works with these organizations, he shares that it’s his personal mission, based on his experience in Iraq where he lost 12 of his fellow soldiers rst-hand, to bring awareness to those that have sacriced their lives. He brings the memories, honor, and remembrance of the lives lost so that they are never forgotten. He lives by the life philosophy of “You can” and not “You can’t.” He shares that you shouldn’t use setbacks as an excuse to go after what you enjoy and love. He inspires Veterans everyday with his story to hopefully motivate them to keep going, to never give up in life. Phil is an amazing man with an inspirational story. If you ever think that you can’t achieve anything, look at Phil and know that anything is possible for you too. “RUCK'N IT”The Story of Phil Cook - USA – IraqWe often hear of warrior stories of veterans doing inspirational things in their lives. One such warrior is Phil Cook. From his service of 16 years in the Army, serving 5 combat tour deployments, undergoing back surgery, participating in several nonprots, and running a photography business, one would think, “How is all that possible for someone to do?!”. Well, Phil is unlike anyone you’ve ever met. When he initially joined the Army as an infantryman in 2000, he had no idea where his service would take him. Being an older recruit (around the age of 29-30), he was already 10 years older than most of his peers. Usually, recruits join right out of high school or soon afterwards. After basic, he was shipped off to Stuttgart, Germany where he was then deployed for the rst time in Iraq. He spent about 18 months in Iraq. It was during that time where he encountered an IED blast and suffered traumatic injuries. He was sent back to Germany to recover and heal. After his healing, he returned to battle on another deployment. His endless cycle of deployments continued until his last one where he needed to be discharged from the Army. He underwent lower back surgery, and it was during his recovery process that his surgeon shared that he would have trouble walking for the remainder of his life. You see, Phil is one of those warriors that when you tell him he can’t do anything, he goes out to prove you wrong. After 4 years from his back surgery, with the aid of intense physical therapies and treatments, Phil was able to complete a 10-mile ruck march with a 30 lb ruck sack. He even took a picture of himself doing his ruck march and sent it back to his surgeon saying, “Here’s your success story.” Needless to say, his surgeon was astonished he was able to complete a ruck march. To this day, Phil does ruck marches with several nonprots and organizations. With these marches, Phil brings attention to those that have fallen during service, whether they are military, police, or reghters. He’s passionate about bringing awareness to veteran suicides, reghters that have lost their lives and Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 27

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When you’re 21, with a family to support, most people wouldn’t consider joining the military as a viable option to provide for their family. In Saul’s case, it was. Prior to enlisting in the Air Force, Saul was working three jobs to nancially provide for his wife and young son. Life was stressful, challenging, and very hard. He didn’t have much going for him besides putting food on the table and a roof over his family’s head. It wasn’t until his younger sister introduced him to the idea of joining the military, that it sparked a seed that forever changed his life. He went off to boot camp, leaving behind his wife and child, and entered the military lifestyle. His rst experience with a drill instructor caught him off guard. He shares that when the bus pulled into boot camp, the drill instructor got onto the bus and yelled, “You have 30 seconds to get your stuff and get off this bus!” From that brief interaction, Saul knew he wanted to do THAT job, but it would be a few years before he would become a U.S. Air Force drill instructor. After basic, he was sent off to Florida as an aerospace ground technician. During that time, he became involved with the Honor Guard and Color Guard. It was something he was proud to participate in and performed in over 100 different ceremonies and funerals. He wanted to do more, to have more of an inuence and then he recalled his boot camp experience with the drill instructor. He submitted his package for special duty to become a ‘Military Training Instructor.’ He was accepted and got sent off to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Being an MTI was one of Saul’s best experiences in the military. Now he was the guy yelling at brand-new recruits to get off the bus in 30 seconds. He was the pivotal changemaker for thousands of recruits. It was his job to break these people down and mold them into successful airmen. He connected with them, encouraged them, disciplined them, and sent them off into the Air Force. One of the things he shared was that he didn’t quite understand or fully grasp the magnitude of the impact he was making on these people when he rst started as an MTI. One particular story he shared was with a recruit from Detroit. This recruit had a rough upbringing and when he entered into Air Force boot camp, he was in Saul’s squadron. This particular recruit attempted to square off with Saul and if you’ve ever been through any kind of military boot camp (or seen something similar on TV or in the movies), you know that it’s a bad idea to challenge a drill instructor. Needless to say, the recruit lost. Saul managed to break this recruit down and build him back up. After leaving boot camp, this recruit went on to have a successful Air Force career and returned back to Detroit mentoring young guys and making a difference in his community. Talk about impact and the ripple effect! Unfortunately, there are downsides of being an MTI. Saul shares that there is an image that you’re supposed to uphold as a drill instructor. You’re supposed to be the ‘rough & tough’ persona that comes along with the label of drill sergeant. It is a job in which you’re not allowed to show weakness, ask for help, or appear undisciplined. It is a highly stressful job, working upwards of 14-16 hours a day, 5-6 days a week. He shares that there were traumatic experiences when recruits couldn’t handle the intensity of boot camp and resorted to drastic measures. In those situations, it was challenging to keep going and focusing on the other recruits. You just move on and continue on the mission of training recruits. After spending 6 years as an MTI, Saul decided to put up his drill instructor boots and move on to Colorado where he nished his remaining enlistment and left the Air Force. He pursued his education and attended the University of Arizona where he received his Bachelors and Masters in Journalism. Currently, he is the general manager of PHNX, a complete digital sports network. In reecting on his 14-year service to the Air Force, he shares that one of his biggest takeaways was when his MTI trainer told him, “Bookman, if you can’t train them, nobody can”. This quote became his motto in life and it has benetted him in the military and as a journalist. “YOU HAvE 30 SECONdS!”The Story of Saul Bookman - USAF – Post 9/1128 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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Yeomen Chief Petty Ofcer Robin D. Hamilton comes from the small town of Danville, Virginia. She isn’t from the richest of families, and after graduating from Rockingham County Senior High School, Robin wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. She completed the ASVAB and mulled over several ideas for her future, including the Air Force and becoming a State Trooper. However, when a mentor of a hers, a State Trooper, was killed, she decided she didn’t want to pursue that route. Exploring her options, she went out with some high school friends that summer and decided to enroll at Rockingham County Community College in Wentworth, NC.“My rst year was horric,” she stated. She had a realization that college was nothing like high school. It got to the point that her mom and step-dad had to sit her down and talk to her about getting serious. She pulled herself together and ended up graduating with her Associate Degree in Business Administration in 1983. “If I start something, I’m going to nish it.”It was because of one of her friends from college that Robin joined the Navy. When asked for a name of someone who might be suited to the Navy, her friend gave the ofcer’s Robin’s name. Thus began the relentless calls from the recruiter, the dinners and conversations about Navy service. “Suddenly, it got serious,” Robin said. She realized a life working retail wouldn’t fulll her potential. So, she enlisted in the Navy’s Sea and Air Mariner Program on April 9, 1984. She attended Bootcamp at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida, and because of her interest in communication, Robin went on to Cryptologic Technician Administration “A” School in Pensacola, graduating as the Honor Graduate. This gave her a top-secret clearance and the skills to gather information to help troops in the air and on the ground do their jobs. After “A” School, she returned to Greensboro, North Carolina to begin her Navy Reserve Duty at the Armed Forces Reserve Center, where she started drilling with the Naval Reserve Security Group two days a month. Robin worked as an administrative/training Petty Ofcer (PO) and Lead PO, and she also began working at Squibb & Sons (now Bristol-Myers Squibb) in 1988. During the events of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Robin says her unit wasn’t called into active duty; however, she played a supporting role during the War, earning her rst National Defense Service Medal. She was named Junior Sailor of the Quarter and of the Year in 1993. She went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from High Point University in 1997.Then, the fateful date September 11th, 2001, called Robin into active duty. 21 days after the 9/11 attacks, Hamilton was called to emergency orders to Camp Park and Pearl Harbor, HI for 45 days. She couldn’t say anything about her work there, but Robin remarked that the Global War on Terrorism changed the game for warfare. She then had to quickly reenlist on January 9, 2002, to ship off to Menwith Hill Station with the Royal Air Force in Harrogate, England. Once there, she worked as a Communication Technician in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Global War on Terrorism. She said the buildings looked like 17 enormous golf balls where you could listen to everything going on all over the world. Robin remembers working the second shift from 3 – 11. At her desk, she was listening in both ears, scanning the airwaves for anything exceptional, out of the ordinary, or important for intel. Suddenly, she heard the faintest “Mayday! Mayday!” out of one ear. “I could hardly hear it,” she described, so she ddled with the frequency to try and get a clearer sound. She called her supervisor to listen. Nobody else heard it. For over an hour, Robin listened and didn’t hear anything. Robin begged to go in an hour early for her next shift to see what happened to her mysterious Mayday. As it turns out, it was an American ejecting from a plane, and because Robin had his longitude and latitude, he was rescued. When asked how that impacted her, Robin said honestly “I never thought about it. I was just doing my job.” Although, she says that she would give anything to meet him one day.Part of the day-to-day life at Menwith Hill included constant rioting. There was one woman who, every Thursday, would protest with her group outside the gate to the base. One week, she actually cut the fence and got on base. Robin says it was annoying more than anything because the base was always on high alert.While at Menwith Hill, Hamilton was asked to travel to Stuttgart, Germany on temporary Duty Assignment to head up a 2-man mission for 36 days, working Communication “SACRIFICE & dEdICTION”The Story of CPO Robin Hamilton - USN – Desert Storm“Sacrifice & Dedication” continued on page 43Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 29

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Aboard the Arizona, echoing explosions and Mitsubishi engines overhead drive men to prepare the ship for battle. An 1800-pound armor piercing bomb smashes through the deck igniting the magazine storage in a massive explosion sending the bow into the air, then splashing back down as the pyre scorches all the souls spared from the tremendous blast. Air wafts with the smell of burning hair and flesh. Creaking steel beams screech under the weight of the collapsing deck above the doomed crewmembers. The ceiling collapses, burying them in a metal coffin forever. Men fortunate enough to ascend from the fiery depths of the ship bore charred arms with skin peeling off from being boiled in what became a hellish oven. A manifestation of the unthinkable suffering so many would endure by the wars’ end. Smoke chokes the brazen men slowly dying as they reach down to grasp one more hand to save them from a terrifying end. Lieutenant Commander Fuqua orders sailors to abandon ship after they selflessly did all they could to recover the maimed. Fifty feet above the ground, civilian George Walters uses his crane to swat at zeros with a long thick cable flailing through the air. His actions drew the ire of Imperial forces as they barely missed killing him with a 500-pound bomb.Beyond the billowing dark smoke and increasingly cloudy overcast sky, more humming breaks the silence miles away as the 167 aircraft strong second wave approaches. This time anti-aircraft guns set the sky ablaze as Japanese pilots dodge molten streams of metal and flak puffs that began to send their fellow attackers into the flames of the bay. Sailors John Anderson and Chester Rose manned a small boat departing Ford Island and returned to the USS Arizona in search of anyone who could still be saved.Believed to be the first bomb dropped on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in the sneak-attack on Dec. 7, 1941, this picture was found torn to pieces at Yokusuka Base by photographer's mate 2/C Martin J. Shemanski of Plymouth, Pa. One Japanese plane is shown pulling out of a dive near bomb eruption (center) and another the air at upper right. (AP Photo)32 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021Supple waves gently slap against the side of the hull, harmonically in tune with the serene silence of this clear 73-degree Sunday morning. Marines and sailors below deck exchange jibes at each other in the spirit of camraderie. Built in Brooklyn, New York, the USS Arizona is their 608-foot majestic mother. Today over 1177 crew flow through her veins as she slumbers peacefully in this Hawaiian paradise. Many of the pearls of the US Pacific fleet are nestled in the calm waters of Pearl Harbor on Oahu. The “Big E” was due back yesterday, but poor weather damaged a destroyer escorting her and delayed them on their way back from reenforcing Marines on Wake Island. Laying in the sand, the warm sun massages your muscles as an occasional gentle breeze sways your hair from one side to the other. Humming in the distance sounds familiar as aircraft buzz around the island all the time. Looking up, only a few white puffs sail across the blue sky. As the vibrations become stronger and humming grows louder you raise your head to view the planes. Excitement rises as a screaming aircraft descends straight down only to cringe in horror as a bomb is released striking a Hanger on Ford Island. As the shockwave pounds your chest, you jump to your feet as a fireball ascends to the sky. Riotous white fighters and green torpedo bombers adorning big red meatballs on their wings wreak havoc as the band aboard the USS Arizona finishes playing the Star-Spangled Banner. The USS Utah is struck several times and quickly begins listing. Heavyweight boxer and Navy cook Doris Miller dishes out hot lead from a .50 caliber anti-aircraft gun from the USS West Virginia as she is struck by multiple torpedoes. This fight is not just for survival. Being the first Americans to have enemies in your sights meant your actions were the dawn of the retribution against the Land of the Rising Sun. Both our European Allies and soon to be Axis foes would learn of the courage and tenacity that the defenders mustered in this day that would live in infamy.

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SerenitySerenity Before theBefore the ''Rising SunRising Sun''''SerenitySerenity Before theBefore the ''Rising SunRising Sun''''Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 33Beginning at 0755 on December 7th 1941, the 353 aircraft raid on Pearl Harbor lasted approximately two hours. The American Pacific fleet was seriously damaged. Yet with Japan’s perceived great blow to the United States’ ability to project naval power in retaliation, there were several critical errors— One major failure was not striking the fuel storage that held enough fuel to resupply the fleet for 10 months. Another was not disabling the submarine base that berthed 4 submarines that would be some of the first to begin clenching the throat of Japan’s maritime supply lines. Though Japanese Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo was aware the 3 carriers were not in Pearl Harbor, he still approved the launch unable to resist taking advantage of the element of surprise. The sneak attack ignited the patriotism of all Americans that would culminate in the courage and perseverance to achieve a total victory at any cost. Recovering three of their wounded shipmates, they headed to safety amid floating corpses and burning oil. Bullets rained from the sky shattering the boat into splinters. As Anderson raised his head from the water, he viewed the lifeless bodies of Rose and the three they were vying to save. They both made a choice to go headlong back into danger after surviving the broiling fireball from the Arizona’s massive explosion. In doing so, they chose to live and die by the ethos of never leaving a man behind. Many accounts of Japanese cowardice in strafing civilian and maimed military only tempered the resolve of those survivors who would go on to see the war through to its end. As the USS Nevada was underway, Japanese planes attempted to sink her to block the mouth of the harbor. After 5 bombs struck and a fire spread aboard the ship, the Nevada was intentionally beached to prevent blocking the harbor. Jumping into action to train up volunteers and help save the lives of the wounded, Army 1st Lieutenant Annie Fox’s actions in the heat of battle would see her become the first woman to earn the Purple Heart that would eventually be upgraded to the Bronze Star. Her bravery would lead the way as one of the 350,000 women to serve in uniform during WWII. The Japanese military preemptively murdered 2404 US military and civilians before issuing a declaration of war. Journalist Betty McIntosh wrote an article her editor rejected since it was considered too graphic when she wrote it shortly after the attack. She witnessed countless scenes of the carnage and recovery of the deceased. Published in 2012, she wrote of the many children killed, including how “One little girl in a red sweater, barefoot, still clutched a piece of jump-rope in her hand.” Once the attackers withdrew, America’s sons and daughters gathered the dead and mended the wounded. The days and weeks to come would haunt those who were left to pick up the pieces and reassemble the fleet that would answer Japan’s audacity. Smoke billows from the USS Arizona in the aftermath on the attack at Pearl Harbor, while Sailors on the dock are ready to catch a line of a small boat carrying battle shocked sailors, wounded and casualties. For more on this historical photo, visit http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/december-7-1941-9-m-pearl-harbor/by Eric Sowers

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Behind the uniform was also a person who had a caring heart, who was sympathetic and would do anything to make someone else happy. I turned into a person who pretended she was tougher than she looked. I stopped smiling and kept wearing the mask that I thought I needed to wear in order to survive this life. This life consisted of sexual assaults, suicidal attempts, depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress syndrome. I ruined my marriage and was a terrible parent. I drank to numb the pain and acted completely out of character. Who the hell was I turning into? I thought I had it all under control… until I didn’t. I am very blessed to have been able to make it to over 17 years of service but on the actual day of retirement, I was broken hearted and completely lost. I felt like a failure and isolated myself from anyone and everyone. Why was I not good enough? Why did this happen to me? I was handed the flag in a box with the certificate of appreciation inside. I looked at it and could feel my chest tighten. I walked out of the building, opened the car door, heavily sat inside and cried. These were not tears of joy or relief. These were tears of sadness like there was a loss in the family. That family was me. Some of my peers wanted to be excited for me as it was finally time to get out. Some were jealous because they wished it were them that could be released from this life. I, on the other hand, had mixed emotions. Loss, grief, anger and resentment. I was so angry. I should have tried harder. I should have taken that one job. I should have put myself first. If I didn’t have to take care of the kids all the time, then I could have excelled quicker. These thoughts overcame me as I tried to come up with the answers I needed for closure. I was paralyzed and couldn’t find my way out until I uttered the words, “I will be ok”. As of November 1, 2021 it has been 6 years since I retired. I have been able to say the words “I will be ok”. I have also been able to share that this life happened for me and not to me. I went through all of the hell just so that I can be here today to help others through their own type of hell. I will never stop having faith that God saved me when I didn’t feel I was worth saving. He put me through the hard lessons because he knew that I would learn and do something with them one day. Why me? Because I have lived the life of someone who can help you live instead of suffering through life’s most difficult obstacles and come out even stronger than before. Annette Whittenberger hosts the podcast ‘A Wild Ride Called Life’ and published The Wall Between Two Lives this past summer. For more information about Annette and her journey, scan the QR Code to the right. ...Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 35

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Camp JJ Carroll sat atop a plateau just a few miles south of Highway 9, the east-west winding road that originated in Dong Ha, Vietnam to the border of Laos. Carroll was signicant because of its commanding view of the DMZ (demilitarized zone) as well as a battery of 175MM cannons. From Carroll, these cannons could reach across the DMZ into North Vietnam and did so regularly. They could launch a 150-pound high explosive projectile more than 20 miles. After spending four months ghting the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) in the jungles of the DMZ, 2nd Battalion 9th Marines, my battalion, moved to Camp Carroll in early October of 1967 and found a bit of reprieve. Carroll had plenty of sand-bagged bunkers and general-purpose tents with plywood oors. Water was easily accessed as well as two hot meals a day. Many thanks to the cooks who used magic to make something out of nothing! There were enclosed outdoor latrines, or heads as Marines called them—among other names, and “piss tubes” strategically placed around camp. Crude but effective 55-gallon drum showers were available if you put in the effort to ll them by hand. Hence, with all these amenities, the name “Fat City” was born.While in Vietnam, the main radio we carried was the PRC25. One day, my buddy Bob and I came up with an idea to help our brother radio operators in the eld on operations. We decided to start a radio station using our PRC25 radios. We had a cassette tape recorder with lots of popular songs. and played these songs through our radios. We told all the other radio operators in the eld to set their radios to the “Charlie Brown” frequency, an unused frequency at the top of the radio band. Of course, this would only be to serve the operators who were not on radio duty.The radio operators in the eld would call in on “Charlie Brown” with song requests and we would oblige. I was on the technical side and Bob was the DJ. Bob had a real knack for DJing—the gift of gab and a radio voice. It was as if our brothers in the eld were listening to their radio back home. Difcult to imagine for many how gratifying it was to be laying in your foxhole, cold, wet, muddy, fearful…and listening to Orbison’s “Pretty Woman.”What we were doing was against military regulations, and if caught, we would have been in serious trouble. However, we took the risk anyway because we knew how much our brothers enjoyed it. Soon, we became known as the “Fat City DJs” by our radio operators with notoriety spreading to some neighboring battalions. The command bunker was about 30 yards from our tent and was the nerve center. It contained all the radio and telegraph communications for the entire battalion. It was a hole in the ground with a sandbagged roof. All the radio antennas were on top of the sandbags, some extending 20-30 feet in the air. There were about 20 radio operators in our battalion radio section. We manned the radios 24/7 in the command bunker and there was battalion brass always accompanying us.Once, we had a close encounter with the brass. One evening, Bob and I were broadcasting our radio station, having lots of fun taking requests and playing all the favorites. Suddenly, one of our buddies stormed into our tent straight from radio watch shouting, “STOP! STOP! the signal is bleeding over into the battalion net and music is playing in the bunker!” That meant the brass could hear it too. Terried, we immediately signed off and shut down. Our buddy returned to the command bunker and later told us the subject never came up among the brass. They either did not hear the music or brushed it off as a deceptive enemy trick to interfere with radio trafc. It was not uncommon for radio frequencies to interfere with nearby frequencies. On the other hand, it was never common to hear the top 40 playing on our battalion radio net!Our only intent was to bring a familiar feeling of home to all our brothers in the eld—I think we succeeded. Regrettably, the incident with the frequency interference ended our days as the “Fat City DJs!” We may have had a venturous endeavor, but we were not foolish enough to test our fate. I had sixty days left before I would leave Vietnam forever and the last thing I wanted was an extended stay in the brig!VL Stevenson – Corporal, USMCVietnam 1966 – 1968The Fat City DJs. (L) VL Stevenson and (R) RE Gault enjoying some downtime from the command bunker radio watch.Camp Carroll, South Vietnam, October 1967. Photo by VL StevensonPhoto Above: The large tent on the right was the radio section’s supply tent. Barely visible behind the tent on the far right is a 175MM gun barrel. Camp Carroll, South Vietnam, October 1967Photo by VL Stevenson36 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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Rudy Richards was born and raised in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. When he graduated from high school, he had grand plans for attending college to get a degree. However, after learning that he could only afford one class he needed to develop a Plan B. Four days after his 18th birthday he joined the U.S. Air Force with the plan of getting an education while traveling the world and serving his country.So, what was initially planned as a 4-to-6-year military and educational experience became a 22 year and 8 months military career. Rudy spent half of his career in Communications and the other half in Operations. In those 22 years he permanently relocated 10 times with residences in Texas, Mississippi, South Korea, New Jersey, Turkey, Georgia, Virginia, and Belgium. During his career Rudy was deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His unit was one of the rst to arrive and provided communications vital to the mission. He was also deployed to Afghanistan in support of Enduring Freedom where he led his team at a FOB (Forward Operating Base) in setting up and operating surveillance communications. He also deployed to Haiti to provide humanitarian relief after Hurricane Matthew by ensuring that there was orderly operations at the Airport with the arrival of Aircraft. Rudy retired from the Air Force at the rank of Master Sergeant.When Rudy was close to getting out of the military, he started thinking that maybe now is the right time to start his own business. Being a business owner was always a dream of Rudy’s since both of his parents owned their own businesses, and he always felt that there was nothing like working for yourself. “I kept that business ownership mindset with me throughout my military career and thought that if I can work this hard for my superiors and my subordinates, I can do the same for myself and my employees in my own business.”A few months before leaving the military, Rudy received a call from a Franchise Consultant by the name of Irving Chung. After a comprehensive consultation, Rudy was introduced to three business opportunities to explore based on his interests and skills. After some in-depth research, Rudy decided to open an ACE Handyman Services business. After just one year, he already is in the process of expanding his business by acquiring another territory.DREAMS OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP“I can honestly say that I proud to have had the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself throughout my military career.”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.comRUDY RICHARDSMaster Sgt., USAFWinter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 37

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THE SMITH TWINS: A Family LegacyClaude stuck together to support their family, and the two boys would continue doing so by Joining the United States Army Air Corps. Clyde was a member of the Army Air Corp band as well as a B-17 aircraft engine mechanic, while Claude rose to the rank of Lieutenant and went to ight school where he learned to y B-17s and B-25s. During this time, the twins were separate, Clyde was in Seattle, while Claude was in Yugoslavia during the latter part of WWII.In 1946, Clyde was discharged in Texas, and Claude stayed in. Clyde moved to California and joined the Naval Reserves in Port Waini. After his stint was complete, Clyde moved to Oklahoma, where he worked for Southwest Bell Phone Company, doing long wire repairs, and climbing poles. Clyde must have felt right at home working for a phone company because the twins, “used to set up a schedule in order to talk on the radios,” recalls Tyler Smith, Clyde’s son and a retired Command Sergeant Major (CSM) himself. Clyde and Claude were very close, and whether or not people buy in to the idea that twins can sense when their other halves are in trouble, Tyler Smith had this to say, “One night, at supper, Clyde seemed anxious. He felt as though something had happened to Claude,” who was in Colorado Springs at the time. “As it turned out, Claude was setting up his radio antenna when it hit a powerline. Claude suered burns to the top of his head, across his shoulders, and his back.” During their time in service, the Smith Twins would be lucky to see each other once a year.Tyler shared another coincidence. One year, when the family got together, both twins had 1953 Pontiacs; Claude’s was dark green with a light green top, and Clyde’s was light green with a dark green top. The Smith Twins spent a lot more time together after their retirements. They were both talented musicians—they taught themselves by ear. The twins enjoyed each other’s company until the very end. Clyde passed away in 2010 at the age of 91. Claude passed 7 years later at the age of 98 (he wanted to live to be 100). The Smith Twins served honorably. Clyde’s sons, Tyler and Clint, served, as well as Tyler’s son. The twins may have joined just to support their family, but there is no doubt that they are looking down and are very proud of the tradition they started. 2 Generations of Army - Clyde with sons, Tyler & Clint SmithWinter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 39* Signal Mirror above was used by Clyde when he was a B-17 mechanic. by Mike Saunders

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40 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021I Remember When...I Remember When...THE MISSIONApproximately three weeks before graduation, my platoon Sergeant, Robert L., called me into his ofce and told me I would be responsible for nding young ladies to attend our graduation which would be at the Willard Hotel in downtown Washington, DC. He didn’t care how I got them but he wanted them there. Naturally, I said yes and went about seeking help from my fellow “ofcer candidates”. I have no idea why he chose me for this task. However, it just so happens that I went to church the next Sunday and stopped in the local diner. Sometimes it pays to go to church (or to eat in a diner). IF IT SEEMS TOO EASY...There I was minding my own business, when out of the clear blue sky, in walked a Woman Marine, who, by the way, looked extremely familiar. It dawned on me she was a graduate of my old high school in Roslindale, MA. I spoke up. We remembered each other. Who could forget me? I told her about my “assignment”. She agreed to go with me. “There’s number one”, I said to myself. She was assigned to a women’s barracks in which there were approximately seventy Women Marines. She told me she would talk it over with them. If they agreed, arrangements would be set up for all of them to go to the graduation party at the famous Willard Hotel in DC.When I returned to my own barracks and informed Sergeant L. of my “success”, he could not have been happier. In one week I was able to arrange for seventy ladies to celebrate with his graduating platoon of fty four future ofcers. To say that he was pleased would be an understatement. He marched me right to our squad bay and bellowed out that “success was ours”. There would be seventy ladies attending our graduation. I was pleased, the Sergeant was pleased, and my fellow ofcer candidates were pleased. I did good! I was a leader! I had what it takes to lead Marines! (Into Washington D.C.)A week went by and she (Sheila was her name) had agreed to meet with me and make nal arrangements for all seventy ladies to attend. On Friday, I waited for my long lost friend to show up. She didn’t. So, I went to the women’s barracks area. Guess what! The only females in the barracks were those assigned to “re watch”, assigned to keep an eye on an empty barracks! Where the hell were “my” women???!!!! Honest to God, I tell no lies. The whole damn barracks was given “basket leave” for the weekend. This simply means each and every one of them had from Friday afternoon to Monday morning OFF! Everybody disappeared. They went their separate ways! They had no intention of honoring their commitment to mingle with my men! DEAD MAN WALKING...What do I do now?!!!! I’m dead meat! Sergeant L. will kill me! I’m dead. Go face the music. Bring your entrenching tool and be prepared to dig your own grave. With entrenching tool in hand, I went to Sergeant L.. He was cool as a cucumber. He told me we would go to DC, and when we arrived, I would carry out my initial responsibility of bringing women to our party. He depended on me to do just that. How the hell am I going to do that?Upon arrival at the Willard hotel’s conference area where we were to have our party, Sergeant L. took me aside, told me to pick two or three good men and scour the neighborhood for women. I was to invite them posthaste. Having spent several weeks in the DC area for two summers, I had a pretty good idea where we might nd a few ladies. My men and I would invite them and would walk them back to the Willard. Simple, right?THE REPREIVEWhen the three of us left the hotel, we were caught in a rush hour of secretaries leaving their places of employment. A number of them were crossing the street and going to board several Marine Corps busses. Why were they going on “our” busses? We knew they were heading south to Quantico Marine Corps Base to go to the enlisted men’s and NCO’s dances which were held every week end. These ladies were jokingly called the “Washington Queens”. There were six buses being loaded up. In a few minutes, they would be heading South on the Shirley Highway for a 25 mile ride to Quantico. If we didn’t stop them, we would lose out on a great opportunity. I yelled out to my buddies telling them to follow me and do exactly what I do and say what I say on the rst bus in line. We hustled up GIRLS, WHISKEY & A LIL 'SWAGGER'by Paul Sullivan, Ret. Captain, USMC

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Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 41Paul Sullivan, Ret. Captain, USMC resides in Massachusetts with his wife Beverly. to that rst bus. I knocked on the door and told the corporal driving who we were and that we had to speak to the ladies before they went to Quantico.This is pretty much what I said. “Ladies, may I have your attention please. My name is Paul and my buddies’ names are John and Bill. We are Ofcer Candidates from Quantico’s summer basic training programs. We have successfully graduated. Prior to our returning to our colleges and becoming OFFICERS, that is, 2nd Lieutenants, we are celebrating at the Willard just across the street. There is plenty of food waiting, lots of dancing and drinks are free. On behalf of my fellow OFFICER candidates and those waiting at the hotel, I invite you to join us for a great evening. I’m sure each of you will have a fantastic time. If you’re willing to join us, we ask that you step to the sidewalk and those from the other buses can join us also. My friends will visit the other buses before they take off and then we can all go together.WILL THEY... OR WON'T THEYThere was some silence for a few moments as they thought about what was said and little by little one or two began to move forward. Others joined and then damn near the whole bus. Maybe twenty ve stepped to the front and moved to the sidewalk. A total of four buses were invited and close to sixty beautiful Washington DC secretaries followed us across the wide avenue to the Willard Hotel lobby. Can’t you just see three good looking, crew cut Marines leading sixty or so beautiful ladies through that lobby? I took the rst ten or so ladies to the elevators while my two buddies guided the other ladies onto another elevator.MISSION ACCOMPLISHEDIt just so happened that Sergeant L. was standing directly in front of the elevator when the doors opened. I began to direct the ladies to the dance oor. Sergeant L. looked at me. He began counting, and as only he could do, bellowed at me, saying “Is this all of them?” (Like it wasn’t going to be enough). I said, “No, Sir, the rest are walking and some are taking the other elevators.” He could not believe it. Neither could I. He then made me the proudest man there. He picked me up eyeball to eyeball and crushed me, tearing my brand new shirt at the same time. He squeezed the breath out of me as he bellowed, “Sullivan! Sullivan! You are the only man in this platoon I would follow!!” (I kid you not.) IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SWAGGERWith that, he put his st into my chest, gave me a small shove backwards and handed me his swagger stick. His swagger stick! My God, nobody gives up his swagger stick! He told me it was mine - for the night. He said that I was to be in charge of it and that I was to see to it that he got to his room with or without a woman when the night was over, but denitely with his swagger stick. I know, I know. Don’t ask me.The rst order of business was my introduction of all these pretty ladies to my fellow future Marine Corps Ofcers. It was a great feeling - simply a great feeling. I was given an order and carried it out completely. As it should be. All was well.NOTHING TO SEE HERE FOLKS!I then became a judge for a drinking competition between John M. and Sergeant L.. John was a Californian and a neighbor of the movie actor John Wayne. He said he could drink more Old Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey straight from the bottle than Sergeant L.. The competition took place in the cloak room. John M. won. I was able to get Sergeant L. to his room, with his swagger stick. That’s right, with his swagger stick. The last time I saw him, he was welcoming two women into his room. Not one, but two! I was not invited. Sorry, no story.I remember Brigadier General Francis W. Tief when he was rst introduced to me by my sister Joan who brought him home from Washington DC when she was a secretary at the Pentagon building. This was in 1954, and he was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps at that time. He became my brother-in-law when my sister Joan brought himto Boston for a second visit back in the fall of 1954. My rst impression of him was quite simply that he was a “Marine’s Marine”. About 6’ 5”, 230 lbs of “twisted blue steel” (I think he would have liked that phrase). I took a liking to him immediately. He graduated from Georgetown University and became a 20-year-old 2nd Lt. with his rst assignmentbeing that of a tank commander while on board his ship on the way to Korea. As I recall, he told me he knew nothing about tanks. He was given a crash course on tanks by a couple of NCOs while on board ship. Thank God for NCOs! He soon found himself in “Hell” in one of the bloodiest battles in and around the Chosin Reservoir. The Powers that be never did call it a war, just a Korean Conict. For whatever reason, they still don’t. I can only guess that the USA was still drawing down troops from WWII, helping GI’s nd jobs and build a business of their own. A MARINE'S MARINE!The Story of Brigadier General Francis W. Tiefby Paul Sullivan, Ret. Captain USMCContinues on Page 46

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validity of that belief after a while. That validity of that belief after a while. That erroneous belief and all your baggage erroneous belief and all your baggage are on the train with you and you are are on the train with you and you are so unconscious that you don’t stop to so unconscious that you don’t stop to question anything. The crab bucket question anything. The crab bucket really likes this. Remember your brain really likes this. Remember your brain is designed to keep you “safe, secure, is designed to keep you “safe, secure, and in the same spot because it loves and in the same spot because it loves you so much it wants to keep you safe” you so much it wants to keep you safe” but that is the dysfunctional side of but that is the dysfunctional side of who we are.who we are."But Cristie, how do we change the "But Cristie, how do we change the train from continuing in the wrong train from continuing in the wrong direction?” Right? That is what you are direction?” Right? That is what you are asking, well, here it is. It is easy, yet it is asking, well, here it is. It is easy, yet it is the hardest thing you will do.the hardest thing you will do. Be ready for the pushback from your Be ready for the pushback from your crab bucket; it will go like this: “this crab bucket; it will go like this: “this doesn’t work, nothing will change,” or doesn’t work, nothing will change,” or you will have anxiety and panic attacks you will have anxiety and panic attacks if your crab bucket has a strong hold if your crab bucket has a strong hold on you. on you. First:First: Start with paying attention to Start with paying attention to your feelings; how are you feeling? your feelings; how are you feeling? Especially when you are angry. Why Especially when you are angry. Why are you angry? Are you wearing a mask are you angry? Are you wearing a mask for something else? Are you angry, or for something else? Are you angry, or in reality are you disappointed, sad, in reality are you disappointed, sad, overwhelmed, etc…? Pay attention, overwhelmed, etc…? Pay attention, don’t be mad at the world when in fact don’t be mad at the world when in fact you are just hurting, feeling lonely, or you are just hurting, feeling lonely, or sad. Don’t take it out on your family or sad. Don’t take it out on your family or friends either. friends either. Second:Second: Let’s say you realize you Let’s say you realize you are angry, but in actuality, you are just are angry, but in actuality, you are just disappointed about something. Take a disappointed about something. Take a deep breath and realize that it’s okay to deep breath and realize that it’s okay to have those feelings. Then ask yourself have those feelings. Then ask yourself what can you do right here and now what can you do right here and now to change a tiny bit of how you are to change a tiny bit of how you are feeling? Just a tiny bit? Maybe close feeling? Just a tiny bit? Maybe close your eyes and picture something you your eyes and picture something you like. I like the ocean and sunny blue like. I like the ocean and sunny blue skies. So I close my eyes and in my skies. So I close my eyes and in my mind I would see the ocean waves, I mind I would see the ocean waves, I would imagine blue skies and a gentle would imagine blue skies and a gentle breeze. It only takes less than a minute breeze. It only takes less than a minute to do that. Open your eyes and see to do that. Open your eyes and see how you feel. Do you feel a little bit how you feel. Do you feel a little bit better? Then move on with life. That is better? Then move on with life. That is it! You can put a tiny bit of a break on it! You can put a tiny bit of a break on the train you are on, and if you do this the train you are on, and if you do this constantly you will slow it enough to constantly you will slow it enough to change directions.change directions.MMS :S : YouTube has a YouTube has a ton of meditation music. Experiment ton of meditation music. Experiment and set your timer to 5 mins and work and set your timer to 5 mins and work on increasing that over time. Focus on on increasing that over time. Focus on the music and nothing else. If thoughts the music and nothing else. If thoughts do arise, re-focus and pay attention do arise, re-focus and pay attention to the music. When the timer goes to the music. When the timer goes off, you’re done. Don’t worry about off, you’re done. Don’t worry about doing it right, wrong, how long etc… doing it right, wrong, how long etc… just keep practicing, and don’t attach just keep practicing, and don’t attach feelings to it. feelings to it. Y  : Y  Y  : Y                Coming into alignment with who you Coming into alignment with who you really are is how you become happy really are is how you become happy regardless of any traumatic experience regardless of any traumatic experience you had. You can’t change the past, it you had. You can’t change the past, it is done. Your journey hasn’t ended and is done. Your journey hasn’t ended and you can’t stop living. Make the choice you can’t stop living. Make the choice to live a good life and help others. You to live a good life and help others. You are deserving!are deserving!......'Thank You' to AT EASE! Veterans Magazine for 'Thank You' to AT EASE! Veterans Magazine for giving me the opportunity to be a permanent xture giving me the opportunity to be a permanent xture in her magazine. It is truly an honor to have a section in her magazine. It is truly an honor to have a section dedicated to writing about anything from my point dedicated to writing about anything from my point of view. I only hope that I write something that is of view. I only hope that I write something that is worthwhile to read. worthwhile to read. FROM MY POINT OF VIEW:By Cristie RemmelStep Into YourHappinessStep Into YourHappinessStep Into YourHappinessStep Into YourHappinessBEING HAPPY | PART 1BEING HAPPY | PART 1My disclaimer is that I am not a physician My disclaimer is that I am not a physician of any kind and what I write is from my own of any kind and what I write is from my own personal experience and point of view. Please personal experience and point of view. Please seek professional help if you need to. The seek professional help if you need to. The resources are there and yes; you are deserving. resources are there and yes; you are deserving. L  L   (sometimes this (sometimes this phrase makes me think of Kenny Rogers song, phrase makes me think of Kenny Rogers song, looking for love in all the wrong places...I felt like looking for love in all the wrong places...I felt like that at times when I was looking for answers)that at times when I was looking for answers)I began looking for answers as to why I began looking for answers as to why I was feeling so bad, why I felt so I was feeling so bad, why I felt so disconnected from the world. Why was disconnected from the world. Why was I not happy? What was it that I needed I not happy? What was it that I needed to do? I began listening to anyone that to do? I began listening to anyone that seemed to have answers about “how seemed to have answers about “how to be happy.” One of the recurring to be happy.” One of the recurring themes was to “meditate,” but “how themes was to “meditate,” but “how to meditate was more difcult than to meditate was more difcult than I expected” I couldn’t sit still long I expected” I couldn’t sit still long enough to meditate. My mind just enough to meditate. My mind just would not shut down. Change isn’t would not shut down. Change isn’t easy. You spend years building your easy. You spend years building your life the way you see it now, and it’s like life the way you see it now, and it’s like being on a train that is going at 80 miles being on a train that is going at 80 miles per hour and then wanting to change per hour and then wanting to change directions. It’s not gonna happen. If directions. It’s not gonna happen. If you don’t slow the train, then you can’t you don’t slow the train, then you can’t change directions. Unless of course change directions. Unless of course you crash and burn and then you have you crash and burn and then you have to rebuild. I dont recommend crashing to rebuild. I dont recommend crashing and burning; it’s painful...and burning; it’s painful...Y      Y              How do I know that my soul was How do I know that my soul was telling me, screaming at me that I was telling me, screaming at me that I was out of alignment? Every time you feel out of alignment? Every time you feel the crab bucket (crab bucket explained the crab bucket (crab bucket explained in previous issues) hold you back and in previous issues) hold you back and you become angry, sad, disappointed, you become angry, sad, disappointed, etc… that is your soul telling you that etc… that is your soul telling you that you are out of alignment. I started you are out of alignment. I started analyzing every thought and feeling analyzing every thought and feeling and I realized that beliefs are thoughts and I realized that beliefs are thoughts you think about over and over and you think about over and over and over until you believe what you have over until you believe what you have been thinking; then it is so ingrained been thinking; then it is so ingrained in you that you don’t question the in you that you don’t question the 42 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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Operations to support Noble Eagle Operations, returning to Menwith Hill on June 4, 2002 to complete her original orders. On September 11, 2002, Hamilton received orders to report to Washington, DC to work for the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Communications, Command, Control and Intelligence in the Pentagon.Initially, she did not want to work in the Pentagon because she thought it would be like the non-stop activity she witnessed at the NSA. However, the Pentagon ended up being one of the best times of Robin’s life. She lived in Rosland, Virginia and didn’t have to travel far for work. She got tickets to everything and saw several shows, games, and events in the city. Every day at work she would drive her golf cart along the long hallways for various administrative duties, and every day she would make a point to stop by the rebuild site from the September “Sacrifice & Dedication” continued from page 29EVERY VETERAN HAS A STORY TO TELL...LET US TELL YOUR STORY! Contact christine@devildocpublishing.com “The Corps is Family!” continued from page 26ambiance. His biggest goal is to break the stigma about cannabis and educate people about natural remedies for pain. He’s passionate about cannabis’s ability to heal a variety of physical and mental wounds, and the benets it can have for the veteran community instead of the pharmaceuticals the VA prescribes.Juan also wants to promote veterans and their businesses, and he is a part of the Vetrepreneur tribe. He wants to connect veterans and support and expand the community. The Stoned Vet has become the No. 1 Marine podcast in the world. Juan has earned a giant, gold Warhammer award to commemorate that status. The next step? “I’m going to be bigger than Joe Rogan.” Juan’s show airs every Wednesday and Friday. Juan is a family man (with seven kids!), a fearless defender of freedom and American values, a Veteran advocate, and above all, a Marine.11th terror attack. She said the rebuild was one of the most beautiful things she witnessed, and she loved seeing it come together while she worked there. “Every day was amazing at the Pentagon.”At the same time, Hamilton worked at the FBI Headquarters, where she worked for the National Infrastructure Protection Center, or an early development of the Department of Homeland Security. Chief Hamilton took orders next to Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West, Florida. There, she was be the Lead PO for the Special Security Ofce. She handled security clearances, determining whether people could retain their clearance or not. Most frequently, she said people lost their clearances because of nancial issues. Most notably, however, while in Key West, Hamilton underwent training to become a Chief Petty Ofcer. For 45 days, from 5am to midnight each day, she underwent training. Finally, on September 16, 2005, Robin was pinned Chief Petty Ofcer.Robin remained in Key West for another month until her Active Duty was complete. She left with no car, no job, no house, and had to start all over at 40 years old. She returned to Greensboro and got her old job back at Squibb and Son and worked as the Lead Chief Petty Ofcer for the Administrative and Training Departments, Navy Information Operations Command, Georgia. From there she was selected as the Ofcer-in-Charge/Senior Enlisted Leader for the Personnel Support Detachment in 2006. She got to be in complete control of the unit, sending families everywhere. In 2010, she was transferred to the Volunteer Training Unit as the Senior Enlisted Leader and later that year was promoted to Ofcer-in-Charge. On 9 April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Hamilton stepped in as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for NOSC Greensboro, lling a gap until the Active Duty SEL could arrive. She didn’t have a handbook or any kind of guide to run the reserves during a pandemic, but she didn’t hesitate. “Sure, I can do it!” she agreed. She worked every day of the pandemic.One way Chief Hamilton honors her fellow servicemen and women is as a Lead member of the Funeral Honors Team performing almost 200 funerals a year, covering Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. She considers this one of the highest honors of her career. Over the course of her Navy service, Chief Hamilton has learned to take the good with the bad. “From bootcamp to long deployments, sailors conquer them all through hard work, continuous sacrice, and dedication.”One thing Robin continuously asked herself throughout her career is “how did I get here?” A little girl from North Carolina, she never imagined that her life would take the circuitous route that it did. All because of an offhand recommendation and a persistent recruiter, Robin’s life in the Navy has been an adventure. Chief Hamilton currently resides in High Point, North Carolina. She retired from Bristol-Myers Squibb after 29 years of service as a Quality Lead. She will be retiring from the Navy on April 9, 2022—38 years to the day of her enlistment. Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 43

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24 VETERAN PODCASTS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT24 VETERAN PODCASTS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT1. Liberty Risk: Hosted by Billy Rubino & Hugh Borchers. Website: hp://libertyriskpodcast.com/2. The Red, White & You Show: Hosted by Dean McMurray. Website: hp://deanmcmurray.com/radio-show/3. The Truths We Hide: Hosted by Annee Whienberger. Website: hps://anchor.fm/annee-whienberger4. Someone You Should Know: Hosted by Stuart Sax. Website: hps://stuartsax.com/my-shows5. NonProt Architect: Hosted by Travis Johnson. Website: hps://nonprotarchitect.org/6. Entrepreneur on Fire: Hosted by John Lee Dumas. Website: hps://www.eore.com/7. Vercal Momentum: Hosted by Richard Kaufman. Website: hps://anchor.fm/richard-kaufman68. Jocko Podcast: Hosted by Jocko Willink. Website: hps://jockopodcast.com/9. Airman to Mom: Hosted by Amanda Human. Website: hps://www.airmantomom.com/10. The Stoned Vet: Hosted by Sgt G. Website: hps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJk55bmjx03NpyWSOyCbBGw/featured11. The Hoarding Soluon: Hosted by Tammi Moses. Website: hps://anchor.fm/tammi-moses12. Veterans Be Real: Hosted by John Valenne. Website: hps://www.veteransbereal.com/13. Disgruntled Docs Podcast: Hosted by Disgruntled Docs. Website: hps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disgruntled-docs-podcast14. The Military Veteran Dad: Hosted by Ben Killoy. Website: hps://www.militaryveterandad.com/15. The Ambious Vet: Hosted by Chris Homan. Website: hps://theambiousvet.libsyn.com/16. Home-Bound Veteran: Hosted by Keith and Laura. Website: hps://homeboundveteran.com/17. Mind of the Warrior: Hosted by Dr. Mike Simpson. Website: hps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mind-of-the-warrior18. Team Never Quit: Hosted by Marcus and Morgan Lurell. Website: hps://teamneverquit.com/podcast/19. Borne the Bale: Hosted by Tanner Iskra. Website: hps://www.audible.com/pd/Borne-the-Bale-Podcast/B08K568Z9120. Frontlines of Freedom: Hosted by Denny Gillam. Website: hps://frontlinesoreedom.com/21. The Warrior Soul: Hosted by Chris Alpert. Website: hps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-warrior-soul-podcast22. Mentors for Military: Hosted by Robert Gowin. Website: hps://mentorsformilitary.com/23. Bale Buddy: Hosted by Keith McKeever. Website: hps://www.balebuddypodcast.net/24. Veteran on the Move: Hosted by Joe Crane. Website: hps://veteranonthemove.com/44 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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WHY IT WORKSWHY IT WORKSBesides America’s love affair with a cup of Joe, this model is both scalable and sustainable. • Team members are in their community selling the coffee face to face through local events. When a customer purchases coffee, they help that veteran in that community. It is a shining example of a grassroots effort and a way to thank a vet for their service to our country.• The headquarters ofce manages sourcing, packaging, branding, and distribution, allowing team members to focus on sales and planning, not time-consuming or back-end operations.• If there is not a Scars and Stripes representative in an area, the Vet Generator can be found on the company website. When a customer places an online order, the customer can select a veteran who will receive 20% from the purchase.• Veterans have the exibility to build their business in a way that makes sense for them. This includes taking part in local events, farmers markets, military appreciation events, and outreach activities specic to their community, while offering the convenience of online ordering. • Vets help other interested vets join the team. This builds community, brand awareness, and kick starts camaraderie. “When you combine a motivated sales force who connects with the community, it is a recipe for success” says Jon, a Houston-based Veteran. Jon started with Scars and Stripes in late 2019, after retiring from the Air Force, and is now a squad leader. Since starting, Jon has had a meaningful experience and receives wonderful feedback from customers and clients. Although he loves coffee, he notes that it is the whole program that makes him feel right at home again. “It was like Scars and Stripes was lling a hole that I had just realized was there. Something was missing, and this experience helped me regain my condence in community, having conversations with people I probably would not have otherwise met.” Jon’s advice to veterans - “If you are a veteran out there considering doing something different, seeing new parts of town, or wish to try something new, I would say go for it! The worst thing is you say you don’t want to do it anymore; but the best thing is you could develop a small business with Scars and Stripes that can take you anywhere in the US.”THE FUTURE IS BRIGHTTHE FUTURE IS BRIGHT Chad shared that more products are coming as part of an all-new curated veteran marketplace. In 2022, the online store will feature unique items and fun gifts for the vet and the coffee connoisseur alike. There are plans to eventually have a brick-and-mortar facility as well to host events and train the team. Most of all, Chad keeps the company laser focused on the veteran adding, “they served our country, they did formidable things, and we can’t thank them enough.” Speaking to vets he adds, “but this is just half time for you… you have a whole other life to start so join us and get ready to go to work. I promise you; you’ll be better for this if you just give it a try.”Learn more about Scars and Stripes at Scars & Stripes Coffee - Scars & Stripes Coffee (scarsandstripescoffee.com) For Veterans Day, I feature Chad and Jon on my podcast Texas Veterans Mean Business • A podcast on Anchor. Check it out Spotify and Google Podcasts. (DD-214 & Beyond...Continued from page 23)46 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021As I understand, his Silver Star was earned when a Colonel, soon to be General, “Chesty Puller” was told that his Marines were denitely surrounded. His response was something like, “Now we got the Bastards!” His order was simply “Move to a more strategic position as quickly as possible”. In Marine Corps lingo—“Retreat!”. As I was told, Frank belayed that order “as quickly as possible” until all his men, other Marines, as well as anybody else, whether they were dead, wounded, alive, barely alive, limping, frost-bitten or just plain struggling to walk out of there could actually make it out. As I understood it, while he inspired and encouraged his troops, all the men, equipment and tanks did make it out. Apparently, it was damn near “Congressional Medal of Honor stuff. Enough honor for his courage and leadership under re to give this young 2nd Lt. the Silver Star for uncommon valor in the face of unrelenting re from all sides overlooking his position. Naturally, all Marines were proud of him; so was his family, and of course I joined that crowd of fans as well.The Communist Chinese may have been numerically superior (their 100,000 to our 20,000), but our MARINES, knowing there was no alternative but success, dealt the Chinese a devastating blow through their superior leadership and tenacity to hang tough. Francis Walter Tief, my brother-in law by this time, was part of that history.There‘s a saying out there somewhere that there is no better friend and no worse enemy than a United States Marine. The Chinese met Frank and his Marines and they knew this for sure. I know that Frank’s profound faith in his men and his courage throughout this Chosin Resevoir “police action” could only have encouraged and inspired his men to hang tough. After all is said and done, every Marine felt he would make it. Hell, there was no alternative but success! Right?The General assisted me several times during my tours of active and reserve duty through a few situations and predicaments in which I found myself. (Some of my escapades will be in future issues.)It was Frank Tief who told me about the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course (PLC). I followed his suggestion and enrolled for training to become an ofcerin the United States Marine Corps! His suggestion was simple: “If you want to join the military, go as an ofcer by doing your two summer boot camps successfully, graduate with a degree from college and successfully complete several months (32 week) Ofcer Basic training at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA." Since I admired this man and trusted his judgment I took his advice and never looked back."A Marine's Marine" continued from Page 41

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Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 4726 - AT EASE! Veterans Magazine| 8620 US-377 #300 | PILOT POINT, TX 76258 | (214) 529-5338 | |TKMTX.COM | FB: @| 8620 US-377 #300 | PILOT POINT, TX 76258 | (214) 529-5338 | |TKMTX.COM | FB: @AUBREYTXKRAVMAGAFITNESS |AUBREYTXKRAVMAGAFITNESS |Taccal Krav Maga (pronounced “krahv mahGAH”), meaning Taccal Krav Maga (pronounced “krahv mahGAH”), meaning “Contact Combat,” is a highly eecve, modern, and dynamic self-“Contact Combat,” is a highly eecve, modern, and dynamic self-defense and ghng system that was developed for the Israeli defense and ghng system that was developed for the Israeli Military. Since 1948, the IDF and Israeli Special Forces have Military. Since 1948, the IDF and Israeli Special Forces have used KRAV MAGA as a method to teach an eecve means of used KRAV MAGA as a method to teach an eecve means of realisc ghng and defensive taccs QUICKLY, to both men realisc ghng and defensive taccs QUICKLY, to both men and women who are required to serve in the military at the age and women who are required to serve in the military at the age of 18.of 18.The techniques of KRAV MAGA are based on your natural insncve The techniques of KRAV MAGA are based on your natural insncve reacons and responses in stressful aack situaons to develop skills reacons and responses in stressful aack situaons to develop skills rapidly and eecvely while enabling rapidly and eecvely while enabling you to address ‘Real World’ aacks you to address ‘Real World’ aacks under any scenario. under any scenario. Designed to be very praccal, KRAV Designed to be very praccal, KRAV MAGA is intuive and easy to learn MAGA is intuive and easy to learn for people of any age, shape, or size. for people of any age, shape, or size. You will learn how to defend yourself You will learn how to defend yourself and your loved ones while gaining and your loved ones while gaining increased awareness, insncve increased awareness, insncve reexes, improving your condence, reexes, improving your condence, and developing your overall health & and developing your overall health & wellness!wellness!“I lost 38 pounds in under 2 months. The training is something that is “I lost 38 pounds in under 2 months. The training is something that is much needed today, and it’s a blast so it keeps me coming back!” much needed today, and it’s a blast so it keeps me coming back!” Ma K. Denton, TXMa K. Denton, TX** NOW OFFERING VIRTUAL CLASSES **** NOW OFFERING VIRTUAL CLASSES **< Scan the QR Code to nd out more …< Scan the QR Code to nd out more …KRAV MAGAKRAV MAGA** IN PERSON** IN PERSON OROR VIRTUAL CLASSES **VIRTUAL CLASSES **

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BackBack on theon the Home Front Home Front The leaves from my majestic and ancient The leaves from my majestic and ancient oaks have all fallen - gently drifting to the oaks have all fallen - gently drifting to the barren ground as the season transitions barren ground as the season transitions from the humid hot of summer to the from the humid hot of summer to the crisp dryness of fall and into the chill crisp dryness of fall and into the chill of a Mississippi winter. The change in of a Mississippi winter. The change in weather brings with it the nostalgia of weather brings with it the nostalgia of the not-so-distant past- years gone too the not-so-distant past- years gone too swiftly. I can’t help but reﬂect on the days swiftly. I can’t help but reﬂect on the days when our home was vibrant with young when our home was vibrant with young energy, tension, and life- and like the energy, tension, and life- and like the current season, now seems cold, barren, current season, now seems cold, barren, and listless as the kids have ﬂown the and listless as the kids have ﬂown the nest to serve overseas.nest to serve overseas.My husband, third-generation Air Force, My husband, third-generation Air Force, now retired is now only a link in the chain now retired is now only a link in the chain of service as our son is now fourth and of service as our son is now fourth and our daughter is married to a fourth-our daughter is married to a fourth-generation member as well. Navigating generation member as well. Navigating this transition in seasons from active-duty this transition in seasons from active-duty spouse to retiree and mother of adult spouse to retiree and mother of adult service members has been delicate and service members has been delicate and unexpectedly treacherous- How do you unexpectedly treacherous- How do you share your experiences, wisdom, insight share your experiences, wisdom, insight without belittling or being perceived as without belittling or being perceived as talking down at them? How do you talk talking down at them? How do you talk with not at your adult children as they’re with not at your adult children as they’re learning the reality of adulthood? Do learning the reality of adulthood? Do they even want to hear our experiences they even want to hear our experiences or just live out their own?or just live out their own?The seasons turning is as gradual as The seasons turning is as gradual as their departure was- ﬁrst college, then their departure was- ﬁrst college, then their marriages, now living overseas. The their marriages, now living overseas. The relationship changed and it’s been lonely, relationship changed and it’s been lonely, unfamiliar territory with no promises of unfamiliar territory with no promises of coming through the changes intact much coming through the changes intact much less in the place I’d love it to be. Then I less in the place I’d love it to be. Then I remember my own journey of making a remember my own journey of making a home, learning the ways of the military home, learning the ways of the military as a spouse, and eventually ﬁguring out as a spouse, and eventually ﬁguring out how to balance a career, education, and how to balance a career, education, and raising children -oftentimes alone due to raising children -oftentimes alone due to deployments or a demanding tempo at deployments or a demanding tempo at work for Shawn.work for Shawn.Trusting my experience with the seasons, Trusting my experience with the seasons, things must die in order to come back things must die in order to come back anew in the spring- so I trust that the anew in the spring- so I trust that the length between conversations, the length between conversations, the shallow exchanges when we do talk, and shallow exchanges when we do talk, and the tongue biting when I would love to the tongue biting when I would love to interject some wisdom- is temporary. interject some wisdom- is temporary. As the parent of adult children in the As the parent of adult children in the military, I’m learning to listen more than military, I’m learning to listen more than talk, to love unconditionally, to support talk, to love unconditionally, to support without enabling. We are still in the without enabling. We are still in the season of rapid changes, quick decay; season of rapid changes, quick decay; but I choose to hope with persistence we but I choose to hope with persistence we will enter a new season and that we will will enter a new season and that we will connect more deeply.connect more deeply.In the dark days of winter when things In the dark days of winter when things seem dead, there’s life in the brittle seem dead, there’s life in the brittle branches. So, I begin to build a life branches. So, I begin to build a life apart from my children. I ﬁnd places to apart from my children. I ﬁnd places to serve, make new connections, and ﬁnd serve, make new connections, and ﬁnd a rhythm of work, serving, exploring my a rhythm of work, serving, exploring my marriage, and shifting into new ways of marriage, and shifting into new ways of relating to Shawn outside of parenting. relating to Shawn outside of parenting. We ﬁnd we aren’t taking the long We ﬁnd we aren’t taking the long silences as personally; we are able to silences as personally; we are able to rejoice as the kids work through hiccups rejoice as the kids work through hiccups and roadblocks and listen when plans and roadblocks and listen when plans are shared- regardless of agreeing or are shared- regardless of agreeing or disagreeing with the way they’re tackled.disagreeing with the way they’re tackled.My hope is placed in KNOWING Spring My hope is placed in KNOWING Spring is coming knowing that we raised our is coming knowing that we raised our children to the best of our abilities and children to the best of our abilities and are learning to see them as unique are learning to see them as unique individuals- actually enjoying that the individuals- actually enjoying that the burden of raising them is complete.burden of raising them is complete.By Mia BurkeTHE WINTER SEASON...If you have a story to share as someone who served on the home front, email stories@theateasemagazine.comShawn & Mia Burke48 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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GUTS & DETERMINATIONBeing a Marine is not an easy task by any measure; it takes guts and determination, dedication, and a sense of purpose to even make the choice to enlist in any branch of the military, never mind the USMC. However, that’s precisely what Mountain Sage chose to do, and he served with honor and integrity. Life was going well for him, and his future was wide open.However, he started to become plagued with various health issues to include severe stiffness of his muscles upon waking, problems with his handwriting, and a general slowing down of his physical movements, and even his doctors, initially, could not explain why; after all Sage was in perfect physical health. Soon he began to develop tremors, and the doctors discovered, upon further examination, that Sage had been aficted with the onset of Parkinsons Disease. He was devastated. Although Sage did go through a dark period of depression and anger, as well as a bout of guilt and a heavy dose of shame-the military does teach us, after a fashion, that weakness in body is weakness of mind-he started to rethink his situation. Sage meditated and prayed about his condition as well as researched Parkinsons to get a better picture of what he could expect as his disease progressed.Not one to be kept down, Mountain Sage shrugged off the mental anguish enough to begin a self-prescribed path of acceptance and growth. He began to hike and spend a great amount of time outdoors skiing and being as physically active as he could be, even as his Parkinsons advanced.Soon he decided to undertake the ultimate challenge as he saw it. He wanted to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, otherwise known as the AT. The Appalachian Trail is a wilderness hike that spans the entire East coast of the United States and stretches over 2190 miles. As one may imagine, this is not an easy hike, made even more difcult while suffering from Parkinsons Disease. However, he completed the hike. It was a spiritual journey for him, a healing in many senses, and a way to show everyone he came across on the trail that physical disabilities don’t always have to stop a person. If you want it bad enough, there may be a way. He has hiked the AT multiple times, inspiring people every step of the way knowing It won’t be easy, but it will take guts and determination as well as dedication and a sense of purpose to drive one forward. Today, Mountain Sage lives in the North Country of New Hampshire where he is an Adaptive Ski & Snow Adventure Sports Instructor in which he aids physically and mentally challenged individuals learn and participate in the outdoor activities that are so popular in this area of the nation.Eric McNailPresident, Veterans2Veterans GroupWritten by: Eric McNailWinter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 49

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Developing Social Wellness, Post-Covid: 3 Tips to Regain Your 3 Tips to Regain Your Social Well-beingSocial Well-beingThe past 18 months have been the most challenging for anyone to endure. With the outbreak of Covid-19, it led our society to become even more isolated and withdrawn than ever before. Some people loved being isolated while other struggled with it immensely, suffering from depression and other mental health issues. At any rate, Covid-19 accelerated our society’s isolation at rapid speed. We dealt with lock downs, quarantine and 6 feet of spacing. Now that things are slowly returning back to a new normal, social wellness and social well-being is something to bring to light once more. As we approach the holiday season, this is the perfect time of year to re-develop your social well-being. We are emerging into the holiday parties and get togethers once again. We will have the opportunity to see our friends and families to spread holiday cheer. But what if you’re still struggling with isolation and you’re not sure how to reintegrate back into society again? What if you’re feeling awkward, uneasy, or just plain uncomfortable about socializing with people again? Why is it even important to put forth the effort to engage with people? We are humans and we are designed to be social creatures, no matter what we tell ourselves. Research has shown that people who have healthy relationships tend to live longer and that they are better able to respond to stress. It improves our mental, emotional, and physical well-being when we surround ourselves with people. Even being in an area where there’s people, whether its at a nearby park, grocery store or heck…even Walmart, there is something therapeutic about being around others. So how can you ease yourself back into engaging with people again? Here are three tips to consider. If you have been isolated and you’re ready to engage with people, to re-establish your relationships with your friends and family, be the ﬁrst to initiate contact and reach out. Check in with those people you haven’t seen if you’ve been in quarantine or isolated. Let people know you’re thinking about them and arrange an in-person meeting, if possible. We have shifted into an online culture where we don’t have to leave our house to meet people. We can just meet them online. It’s the physical component of social wellness that you are improving and re-engaging within yourself. It’s the act of physically being around someone that improves your social wellness. So, take the ﬁrst step, reach out, and plan something. If you’ve been accustomed to enjoying your own company and would rather binge watch a series on Netﬂix than go to a holiday party, well, I hate to say it, but you should go to the holiday party. I know, I know…this is hard and challenging for those introverts out there. If someone has taken the effort to invite you or has reached out to include you in their SOCIAL WELL-BEING FOR THE VETERANJudy SkillingJudy Skilling is a Certied High Performance Coach and U.S. Navy Veteran with a background in emergency nursing. She helps Veterans increase productivity without feeling overwhelmed, improve their wellness on a day to day basis and establish a healthy work/life balance. Her work can be found in several publications such as Entrepreneur, Medium, Elephant Journal, and more. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and having childlike fun with her young daughter. You can learn more about Judy at https://www.judyskilling.com . You can nd her on Facebook and LinkedIn. 50 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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SOCIAL WELL-BEING FOR THE VETERANAt twenty years I faced my fears and traveled o to war Joyous days lost in haze of muddled thoughts of goreSustaining life through bale’s strife, my calling was at hand My need to save these fallen brave I never could have plannedWhile serving those who in repose gave nal living breath Giving all, to heed the call in fending o their deathCrimson stains infect my brains ne’er to rid its thought Awake in fear, the bale’s near but never fully foughtHome returned with scars that burned and truly never healed Inside my brain I deal with pain too oen self revealedIn safe domain I can’t explain the honor that I shareWith fallen brave, to all who gave , I humbly kneel in prayerI’ve oen cried for those who died and gave their all in vain I stand up now in honored vow, treasured in my painTheir end was shared and never spared in memory to meI make this pledge from bale’s edge to live my life for theeIn honor of the 13 fallen in afghanistan...Veterans CREEDI AM A VETERAN, I HAVE SEEN AND DONE THINGS MANY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.I AM A WARRIORI WILL NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT.I WILL NEVER QUIT AND I WILL NEVER LEAVE A FALLEN BROTHER OR SISTER.IF THEY ARE HURT, I WILL CARRY THEMIF I CANT CARRY THEM, I WILL DRAG THEM.I WILL HELP THEM FACE THEIR ENEMIES.TO INCLUDE THE DEMONS FROM WITHIN.THEY ARE MY BROTHERS & MY SISTERS.I AM A VETERAN! festivities, that could possibly mean they enjoy you as a person and would like to see you there. Does that mean you have to talk to every single person there? Not if you don’t want to. It’s about being in the environment and enjoying being around other people. Heck! You could just sit on the couch and watch people get drunk. That’s fun too! It’s the principle of building your social wellness that you’re working on. Lastly, be intentional in building those relationships that had to be put on pause due to Covid-19. Building relationships are a two-way effort and if you’re putting forth the effort, then more than likely, it will be reciprocated. It’s about creating a healthy and nurturing connection with others. If you struggle with being intentional, perhaps create a weekly reminder. “Who will I reach out to this week to tell them I care about them? How will I surprise and delight my friend and/or family member this week?” When we feel cared for, then it builds a meaningful relationship with that person. Redeveloping your social wellness and well-being is crucial for your overall mindset. It helps with your longevity in life, lessens the chances of developing depression, and you’re a better, well-rounded person in society. This holiday season, go to the parties and reignite the enjoyment of being around people who truly care about you. CORPSMAN’S LAMENTBy Tim ‘Doc’ Bailes (2020)Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 51

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As a Veteran I always asked myself this question. Why isn’t tness a priority? In the Marine Corps, everything was tied to tness. Especially being an infantry Marine, this was life. The strongest fastest Devil Dogs would receive high levels of respect. So naturally, upon separation, I decided to continue on with this tradition. My wife and I wanted to build a community of support that combined mental health and tness. However, looking at the political state of the nation and how quickly a pandemic can spoil motivation, I knew we were in trouble from the start. ADAPT & OVERCOME!The nancial strain during the pandemic has really been hit and miss. Some people can afford to make tness a priority, but others struggle with their living situation and work. This has been hard to watch. “I want to be strong and lose weight but I feel like I can’t afford it,” one of my clients explained to me. I truly believe that everyone deserves to be healthy and t if they desire it. So in order to make things work, we had to be creative and start giving back. Single parents, mental health, Veteran and law enforcement discounts, whatever it took to make it work so we could train clients. This quickly became who we were and are today. We branded ourselves “Camp Freedom Fitness”.Last year, we became an LLC. Lives have been changed, and we started to grow faster than we could keep up. We launched our clothing line of hoodies and tanks which sell out within weeks of arriving. Our biggest slogan is “Outlast Your Pain”. This was created due to people suffering from depression and suicidal ideations. The idea is that life will get better, but you have to outlast your pain in order to see it happen. As a Veteran, this is my inner slogan. THE ROOT CAUSEMy drive comes from suffering in silence like so many others. As I mentioned before, we wanted to build a community that combined mental health and tness. The body will do what the mind tells it to. So if we are struggling with depression and issues that prevent us from mentally wanting to get out of bed, it will be impossible to workout or eat right. As a coach, this is the biggest ght. Everyone is struggling in some way. It’s usually relationships and not feeling loved. This has come from training and working with individuals for over 8 years. My time at Wounded Warrior and other places has taught me so much about inner struggle. Mothers who don’t feel love from their children. Fathers whose children have been taken away. Divorce, breakups, death, the list goes on. The truth Veterans Health:MAKING FITNESS A PRIORITYBy Daniel Dancer | USMC52 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

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about some of these tragedies is that there’s no immediate solution. The only solution for a problem that can’t be xed is love. The most important thing we do is love our clients. This is why they become family. We cook for them, design programs for them, mentor them, and remain available when needed. We check up on them and really just walk with them through Hell if that’s what it takes. Eventually, they climb out of depression or climb out of the situation holding them down and things get better. Just this year we have seen families come back together. Clients who never thought they would nd love again nd love and get engaged. Weight loss that led to a mother being able to run and pick up her kids again. We have so many amazing stories, and they keep coming. FORWARD MOTIONI can speak at length about what our future goals are and how we plan to change this industry, but I want to circle back to the main question. The reason why tness isn’t a priority is because in most cases you need emotional & physical health. You can be t and still be depressed. You can also not be t and be happy. I think for us Veterans, it’s different because we are different. We need more than most people because we have given more than most people. Over stimulated, over worked, hardships, and trying to t in during a pandemic is pretty difcult for us. So we need love that’s consistent in our lives. We need more mental health help and we need to take care of our bodies. I hope this article helps someone. LET'S GET STARTED! Getting started can be daunting but it’s not as bad when you have a coach. The number one issue we struggle with is diet. Working out is good but cutting fat and keeping it off is all about diet. Let me quickly introduce you to intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is my go to for people who are new to dieting. But it also has amazing benets such as Lower insulin levels, higher HGH levels, and increased amounts of norepinephrine (noradrenaline) which all increase the breakdown of body fat and facilitate its use for energy. In other words you eat less, burn fat, and have more energy. There are a different types of intermittent fasting schedules. The easiest one is 12 hours you can eat and 12 hours you fast. During the fast coffee and water are allowed but steer away from adding anything to the uids as it will disrupt the process. During your time to eat it’s ok to eat what you normally eat but stick to the fasting times. The goal is to build consistency. I love this diet because most people can stick to not eating from around 8pm-8am. You choose the times that work best for you and again enjoy the benets. Here are some other benets of intermittent fasting:• Manage hormones • Improved blood sugar control• More energy• Burn visceral fat• Better focus throughout the dayIt’s best to talk to your doctor before trying intermittent fasting, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. ...This 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. We would love to meet you. Winter 2021 | AT EASE! Veterans Magazine 53

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'MILITARY HISTORY'ACROSS 4 FIRST MARINE GENERAL TO COMMAND A NAVAL TASK FORCE IN COMBAT.8 IN THE WAR OF 1812, ANDREW JACKSON DEFEATED A BRITISH ASSAULT ON NEW ____________. 9 ON IWO JIMA, UNCOMMON ____________ WAS A COMMON VIRTUE10 AC47 SPOOKY WAS NICKNAMED "____________ THE MAGIC DRAGON"12 ON 2 SEPTEMBER 1945, JAPAN SURRENDERED ABOARD THE USS ____________.13 FIRST AMERICAN MARINE TO ORBIT THE EARTH WAS JOHN .16 SGT. WILLIAM ____________ WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MOH RECIPIENT20 LAST NAME OF THE ONLY FEMALE MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT21 CIVIL WAR GENERAL WHO CREATED 'TAPS'22 BLOODIEST BATTLE OF THE CIVIL WAR23 PJ DUANE ____________ WAS THE MOST DECORATED INLISTED AIRMAN IN HISTORY.26 MATERIAL USS CONSTITUTIONS SIDES ARE MADE OF ____________28 WWII ARMY GENERAL NICKNAMED 'OLD BLOOD & GUTS'29 MARINE COMMANDANT THAT USED HIS BODY TO SHIELD MARINES FROM A CANNON.31 THE 7TH DAY OF THIS MONTH IN 1941, BECAME A DAY OF INFAMY.32 FAMOUS WWII SERVICE RIFLE M1 ____________ 33 ORIGINAL NAME OF THE UH-1 HELICOPTER THAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE 'HUEY'34 AT ____________ WOOD GERMANS FIRST REFERRED TO MARINES AS 'DEVIL DOGS'DOWN1 PRESIDENT ____________ AUTHORIZED THE MEDAL OF HONOR.2 IN 2005, 79,000 NAITONAL GUARDSMEN WERE FEDERALIZED TO SUPPORT THE ____________ AND AFGHAN WARS.3 THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ENDED IN 178 __ 5 THE OFFICAL FIGHT SONG OF NAVAL ACADAMY IS ANCHORS ____________ 6 IN 1948 PRESIDENT ____________ DESEGREATED THE MILITARY7 THE SPACE FORCE MOTTO IS 'SEMPER ____________' OR "ALWAYS ABOVE"11 CLAMORE MINES READ "FACE TOWARDS ____________ "12 USMC OFFICER SWORD14 GENERAL WHO CREATED THE PURPLE HEART15 THE LAST ARMY FIVE STAR GENERAL WAS OMAR ____________ 17 NAVY PILOT WHO BECAME THE FIRST CASUALTY OF THE FIRST GULF WAR.18 THE BATTLE OF ____________ RIDGE WAS THE BLOODIEST BATTLE IN THE KOREAN WAR19 WWII AIRCRAFT CARRIER KNOWN AS THE 'BIG E' STOOD FOR THE USS ____________24 STICKY INCENDIARY BOMB FIRST USED IN WWII25 WWI FIELD IN BELGIUM27 MISSPELLED NAVAL AVIATION SAFETY PROGRAM30 ARMY MASTER SGT. MOH RECIPIENT KILLED IN SOMALIA SAVING A BLACK HAWK PILOT54 AT EASE! Veterans Magazine | Winter 2021

AT EASE! Veterans Magazine - Winter 2021

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