A couple of years ago, I experienced my first graveside service with military honors. Beautiful, solemn, patriotic, a tearjerker. Believe me, when I heard the soulful wail of a bugled Taps that day, my tears flowed freely. I had never seen this spectacle in person until I attended my older brother’s funeral in August 2011. As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours, and a few months later, I watched my father-in-law’s military graveside service.

My brothers both served in the Navy as medics during the Vietnam War—Jim on the USS Ranger and Dick at a naval base on Okinawa. Being somewhat younger, I don’t remember much about their time away, other than the excitement we all felt when one of the big brothers came home for leave.

 Recently, I came across some letters they wrote during their active duty that brought back some sad, yet heartwarming memories. They served only a few years and after they left the Navy, they moved on to new lives, never looking back. In those days, Vietnam vets of any stripe weren’t celebrated.

My father-in-law was a member of “The Greatest Generation.” As a paratrooper with the 82^nd Airborne, he parachuted into France on June 6, 1944. Don, like many of his fellow World War II veterans, said little about his war experiences, but on occasion, I prodded him to share some anecdotes.

Missing the designated drop zone, they jumped into the night sky, and Don told me that he could feel the German bullets whizzing past him as he floated down. After landing safely on firm ground, he described using the clickers they had been given to find one another in the dark. Initially caught in the hedgerows, they eventually made it to Sainte-Mère-Église, their original objective. A couple of months later, he went back to England, and then returned to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, beginning the long trek into Germany. He was there when Dachau and Mauthausen were liberated. He didn’t talk about what he saw there because it bothered him too much. Like most of his fellow veterans, Don preferred more pleasant memories.

This will be the second year that I won’t be able to call him on June 6 and thank him for his service on that day in 1944. As I do every day, on Memorial Day, I will remember my father-in-law and my brothers, but on that day, I’ll offer silent thanks for all they did to preserve our way of life and our freedom.

The post All gave some. Some gave all. appeared first on Phoenix Patriot Magazine.

People often ask me why I gave up my career as a speech-language pathologist to start my own company, MilitaryOneClick.com.  The answer is simple: I didn’t give it up; it’s still a huge part of what I do as the founder and CEO of MilitaryOneClick.com.

I combined my 20-plus years of professional experience with my personal experience as a military spouse and mom to create MilitaryOneClick. Communication is the core of speech-language pathology and MilitaryOneClick is built with communication at the heart of its mission to provide the most comprehensive collection of military resources in one user-friendly platform. At MilitaryOneClick, our goal is to educate the military community about those resources through social media outlets and community outreach programs.

I spent a lot of time volunteering in the military community and saw so many people struggling to find resources. Information about jobs, education, moving and military family support is spread far and wide across the Internet and often difficult to access. I knew there was a need for a better system.

Yet, there is a huge difference between having an idea and actually executing it. The one thing remains constant on the path to success with MilitaryOneClick—communicating directly with our military community. From finances and health to relocation, education, jobs and military news, we’re passionate about improving and enhancing the lifestyles of our military families, as well as educating the community on how to connect with our military partners.

There was a specific moment when I discovered we were doing much more than a “resource website.”  In 2011, I was invited to brief members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon about MilitaryOneClick and how we are reaching our community.  During the briefing, Sergeant Major Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman (SEAC), asked me about our demographics, specifically the gender and age range we reach.  I explained that our numbers are typically even week after week, male to female, ages 18-85, however one specific group, males 18-24, always emerges as the highest demographic through our Facebook page.  Sgt. Maj. Battaglia then asked me why did I think this was the case?  I admitted that I was also a bit surprised and I attributed the numbers to “millennials who are tech savvy.”  He nodded and responded with words I will never forget, “the first thing I thought of was suicide.”  He went on to explain that males 18-24 are the leading demographic of suicide in the military with an average of one suicide per day.  The SEAC acknowledged, while there is no way to prove this is why they are coming to MilitaryOneClick, we can show that we are a no login, no password site where the user has complete anonymity and feels safe in accessing information.

Our community can access the help they need both through military and non-military resources and connect directly with real people through our various social media platforms.  I went home that night and designed the Crisis Support area on our Health and Wellness Category with this note:  “Dear friend, if you or someone you know is sad, angry or feels alone, we want you to know that life can get better again. We’ve done our best to list available resources so that you may connect with the best resource for you. Sending hugs and hope.” – from the MilitaryOneClick Team

If we are able to connect directly with members of our community through MilitaryOneClick to help make a positive difference in their lives, we are completing our mission. I feel so fortunate to be part of their journey.

The post MilitaryOneClick One-Stop Resource Could Be a Life-Saver for Some appeared first on Phoenix Patriot Magazine.

We seem to have reached a point in our society where we afford those in pop culture a form of hero status, placing them on a higher pedestal than the individuals who truly should be the real “stars.”

I’m talking about individuals with integrity, compassion and honor. The dictionary defines “honor” as “a keen sense of ethical conduct; a person of superior standing; or one whose worth brings respect or fame.”

March 25^th marks National Medal of Honor Day–a day to pay respect to the 3,460 individuals who have earned that badge. The medal, which is awarded by the U.S. Congress and presented only by the President of the United States, is bestowed upon the bravest of the brave and the most honorable of men and women in our military. The real heroes. The true stars.

The Medal of Honor was introduced during the Civil War by Congress to recognize Navy enlisted men who “distinguished themselves by their gallantry in action and other seamanlike qualities.” When President Lincoln signed the bill in 1861, the (Navy) Medal of Honor was born. The prestigious award was expanded to include Army privates, and later to incorporate officers, as well as all branches of the military.

A friend of mine, Alfred Rascon, is one of only 80 living recipients of the Medal of Honor.  He earned it by throwing himself between wounded soldiers and exploding grenades and enemy fire as he tried to pull them out of harm’s way during a firefight in Vietnam. As an Army medic, Alfred says he did what came naturally—administer aid for the wounded—his brothers, his comrades. He doesn’t consider himself a hero, but I’ll bet the soldiers he pulled out of the line of fire did—and still do. Some of them survived because of Alfred. When he received the medal from President Clinton in 2000, Alfred says the one thing he thought about was that every person he served with who stepped out on that battlefield deserves a medal—not just him. To me, that simple statement illustrates a true hero—someone with honor and integrity.

Alfred, and the men and women who serve our military then and now deserve our deepest respect for their selfless actions. Remember and honor them on March 25—and always.

To learn more about the Medal of Honor, visit http://www.cmohs.org/.

The post An Atypical Honorable Mention appeared first on Phoenix Patriot Magazine.

Almost a decade before the first formal nursing school opened in the United States, a former schoolteacher and government clerk was providing medical care and compassion where it was most needed—on the battlefield.

Long thought of as the “angel of the battlefield,” Barton possessed the strength, energy and ambition of a commanding officer to accomplish all she did in her lifetime.  Early on, she earned her way in a man’s world as a teacher at a time, during the late 19^th century, when most teachers were male. Later, Barton was one of the first women to hold a job with the federal government as a clerk with the U.S. Patent Office.

In 1861, when Union troops started to flood the Capitol as the Civil War began, Barton recognized that the soldiers needed more than the Union Army could provide. Her compassion for these young men—some newly wounded—motivated her to begin collecting medical supplies that she distributed to those she called “her boys.” But Barton didn’t stay in the comfort and safety of Washington, D.C., for long.

Eventually, she convinced those in charge that the need was the greatest at battlefield hospitals. Traveling with Union troops, she brought supplies—medicine, bandages, food and clothing to the front. But above all, Barton gave the soldiers compassion. She nursed soldiers’ wounds, cooked for them, and comforted them. She wrote letters to their families and prayed with them. She tended the wounded from some of the war’s most brutal battles at places like Fredericksburg, Antietam and Petersburg, among others.

As the war wound down, Barton wrote to families of missing soldiers, but she didn’t stop there. With President Lincoln’s blessing, Barton established the Office of Correspondence with Friends of the Missing Men of the United States Army. Barton and her assistants received and answered 63,000 letters, and identified 22,000 missing men—all without the use of today’s technology.

Thinking her work was finished in Washington, Barton traveled to Europe in 1870, volunteering to work with victims of the Franco Prussian War. It was there that she became familiar with the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland, and a new treaty—known as the Geneva Convention—that called for agreement across the globe to aid citizens of war-torn countries without regard to nationality.

When she returned home, Barton fought tirelessly for the U.S. government to sign the Geneva Treaty, which finally happened in 1882. Just before the treaty was signed, a group headed by Barton formed the American Association of the Red Cross, later to become American Red Cross.

Mainly focused on disaster relief, Barton and the organization helped victims of forest fires, floods—including the infamous Johnstown flood in 1889—and hurricanes. The American Red Cross began the organization’s tradition of war-time assistance during the Spanish-American War.

During her lifetime, Barton was involved with a number of causes, including women’s suffrage, civil rights and education. Honored with numerous awards throughout her lifetime, Barton is best known for her early work on the battlefield with “her soldier boys.” Hers is a legacy of volunteerism and service to those in need, and continues today through the employees and volunteers of the American Red Cross.

March is American Red Cross month–to donate or learn more, visit redcross.org.

The post A Woman With a Cause appeared first on Phoenix Patriot Magazine.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a sweet tooth—a major sweet tooth. Cookies, cake, pie, candy—if it contains sugar, bring it on. We all need a little sweetness in life, right? And no one needs it more than deployed service members. But sending baked goods or chocolate overseas can be challenging—except for one sweet treat that’s been making a difference to the troops for more than 100 years: All hail the Tootsie Roll.

What started as a penny candy in New York City in 1896 has become a favorite of U.S. military service members for decades. This chocolate-flavored confection was the creation of Leo Hirschfield, who named the candy after his daughter Clara’s nickname, Tootsie.

During World War II, Tootsie Rolls were included in troop ration kits as a source of nutrition and because they were the only chocolate candies that held up in weather extremes. In fact, military lore has it that during the Korean War, Tootsie Rolls saved the day for soldiers and marines who fought in the Chosin Reservoir Campaign in November and December 1950.

The story goes that when the trapped troops radioed that they were running low on 60mm ammunition, they referred to it by its code name, “Tootsie Rolls.” The person on the other end didn’t recognize the code and sent the real thing—a mistake that turned into a miracle. Due to below-zero temperatures, rations were frozen and Tootsie rolls were the only food the troops could eat for a few days, giving them the energy they needed to continue fighting. Chosin veterans consider Tootsie Rolls such an important part of their Korean War experience that they serve handfuls of them at their reunions.

February 23, 2013 is the 117^th anniversary of the Tootsie Roll. I invite all my fellow sweet tooths, military and otherwise, to join me in enjoying one of America’s all time favorite candies. And while you’re on a roll (pun intended), support our troops—send them a box or two or three.

If you’d like to know more about supporting care packages for military service members, check out these organizations.

USO   http://www.uso.org/operation-uso-care-package.aspx

Operation Gratitude     http://www.operationgratitude.com

Packages from Home   http://www.packagesfromhome.org

Give2 the Troops    http://www.give2thetroops.org

To learn more about Tootsie Roll memories, visit http://www.tootsie.com/gal_your.php.

The post Tootsies for the Troops appeared first on Phoenix Patriot Magazine.

Associate Regional Vice President

University of Phoenix Military Division

My wife and I had the great opportunity to go to Washington, D.C., to attend Inauguration activities at the invitation of AMVETS.

On Sunday morning, we attended the AMVETS Congressional Medal of Honor breakfast. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki spoke, and it was an awe-inspiring event. There are 74 living Medal of Honor recipients and 24 joined us at the breakfast.

That afternoon, we walked around the Mall area and watched the preparations for Monday’s Inauguration. The Sunday morning talk shows were out in full force with reporters everywhere. We ended at the World War II Memorial—a fitting place after hearing the experiences of some of our most respected veterans at the breakfast.

Monday morning—the Inauguration—and we didn’t go. Logistically, we simply couldn’t get there. So, like most of you, we watched it on television and were amazed at the crowd of more than 700,000.

We attended the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball—again, to honor all Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. It was a great evening with Tom Brokaw introducing each Medal of Honor recipient. Vice President and Mrs. Biden came into the room and made some incredible remarks. The one that struck a chord, “We have a lot of commitments that our nation makes, but the only sacrosanct commitment that we have to meet is that we properly prepare our service members to go to war, and then we have to take care of them when they come back.”  Very well said!

That evening, I asked one of the recipients from the Vietnam War about his citation, and he simply said that he saved some lives—far from the full story. I later read up on him—he was a Navy Corpsman whose unit was caught in a firefight. He did save some lives using his medical skills, but he made the ultimate decision to save lives when he jumped on a live grenade to shield his buddies from the blast. He was fortunate—it didn’t go off, and he lived to tell about it. Another recipient, also a medic, told me his story of trying to save lives in the middle of a firefight. Throughout, he was hit with all kinds of fire. By the end of his story, I had lost count, and asked him how many grenades had hit him. His reply?  “Six, and I got shot in the back, too!”  Wow—inspiring!

The post An Inspiring Inauguration appeared first on Phoenix Patriot Magazine.

For me, the subject doesn’t matter; if an event, person or place helped shape the world we live in, I’m fascinated. I want to learn what happened, who made it happen, where it happened, why it happened, and most importantly, how it changed the world.

Now, I have some particular interests—World War II, the Revolutionary War, the ’60s, old cookbooks, but overall I’ll delve into any subject. In my role as editor of Phoenix Patriot, I’m learning about how the world has improved because of military endeavors. I’ve always been a fan of U.S. military service members and veterans, but I didn’t realize just how much I owe to our men and women in uniform, both past and present, until I took this job.

For instance, if it weren’t for the U.S. military, I wouldn’t be able to thaw those frozen chicken breasts in the microwave when I forget that it’s my night to cook. And I definitely don’t get lost as much as I used to, thanks to GPS. In fact, if it weren’t for military technology, you probably wouldn’t be reading this right now. But you are, so while I have your attention, here are some tidbits that I think you’ll find interesting.

Did you know?

• A little girl named Grace Bedell wrote a letter to President-elect Abe Lincoln, telling him that he should grow a beard because, “You would look a great deal better for your face is so thin.” Well, old Abe took Grace’s suggestion and by his inauguration in 1861, he was rocking a goatee. Later, he told her, “Gracie, look at my whiskers. I have been growing them for you.”
• While we’re on the subject of U.S. presidents, here’s one for the books. President Andrew Jackson kept a parrot, named Poll, as a pet. Unfortunately, the parrot had a very, um, colorful vocabulary. So colorful, in fact, that the bird had to be removed from Jackson’s state funeral after letting the expletives fly.
• On April 18. 1775, Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride on a borrowed horse. Revere didn’t own a horse at the time, but even if he did, he couldn’t have ridden it from Boston because he had to row across the Charles River to Charlestown and from there, ride on to Lexington and Concord.

Well, that’s enough history geekiness for one post, but I promise I’ll have more in the future, so stay tuned.

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