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“Ferocious About Getting the Job Done!” The Volunteers of America and Homeless Veterans
VoA Homeless Shelter in LansingWe drove down the street looking for the Volunteers of America (VoA) Michigan homeless shelter in Lansing. The GPS was right on the money but as I looked in the rear view mirror to change lanes and find a parking spot I had to change plans. Realizing I had an escort as the police officer pulled in behind me, my first thought was uh oh, what did I do? Then I saw the ambulance in front of the building we were looking for … Four hundred ambulance runs a year according to Dennis Neuner of VoA’s communications department. Deb and I had been on the road…
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“Too Sweet a Deal”? You Decide!
The military lifestyle is a tough road! No one can deny that but many civilians do not understand why it is tough either! Long deployments, extensive TDY/TADs, frequent relocations (PCS), and caring for our families despite these conditions are frequently misunderstood. Also largely misunderstood is the impact on the lives of Reserve Forces including the National Guard and Service Reservists. Yep, some civilians may even ignore these situations but I think the major issue is education. How do we tell our fellow citizens that we are stretched as a community and in some cases would like them to “cover our 6 o’clock” for us? Checking 6 is when another aircraft…
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Mentorship in Marriage
39 years ago today, I wasn’t but a sparkle in my mom’s eye as she walked down the aisle in her beautiful white dress on her dad’s arm. Her focus, my dad, her future! My future. My children’s future. I have been blessed. Since that wedding day the Lt. and Mrs. became Mom and Dad to three children, me and my two younger brothers. They took their family where the military sent them, far from their own families. They relied on each other, friends around them and the grace of God. Their three children grew up, got married and had children. Dad has retired from the Air Force after thirty-years…
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Veterans and Military Associations
What is the purpose of a military association? Why do we join them? Veterans have numerous military organizations/associations to choose from for membership. Recently, I wrote one to resign my membership because they were doing political endorsements with which I strongly disagreed. I received a very professional note back from them but the damage was done. Their name infers that veterans supported these particular politicians that I had absolute no faith in (either for supporting our veterans or directing the course of our country) so I resigned. That caused me to start thinking about military associations to which I send my dues. Why did/do I/we join? Some are working hard…
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A Life Changing Moment
We never know where our lives are going to take us! Particularly for our service members and their families! Yep, we never knew when the next orders were going to arrive and where we would be heading till the last possible moment it seemed (we had a couple of PCS orders that arrived within 2 weeks of report date for the next assignment). Growing up I had enjoyed seeing airplanes but this northern Indiana farm and steel worker family’s kid had no idea he would be in the Air Force flying aircraft for 30 years defending this wonderful country. So I was enjoying life with a bit more of a…
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A Walk in the Shoes of a Wounded Warrior
Have you ever been confined to a wheel chair? Recently, I had to have surgery on a foot and the doctor prescribed no weight on the foot for a month. Easy enough, let me have those crutches and I will move around I thought! Then came the devastating news! I just didn’t have a lump removed from my foot it was cancer. I visited a couple of doctors for care and one took the cake for lack of patient comfort and bedside manner! Ok, this is an almost exact quote if not the exact words. I have to say I was in a bit of shock but I did have…
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Taking a Baseball Bat to Cancer
Sometimes life throws curve balls. I didn’t even know that I was up to bat! It was so hectic and now I see bases are loaded and I am NOT going to strike out, or walk or punt (wait… that’s the wrong sport!) See… I really didn’t know I was in the game. And then whoosh something flew at me and caught my breath.I think it was fear. But just like one pitch, it was thrown at me trying to get me off center, trying to get me to go after it, jerk away from it, recognize it and not ignore it. I did.Whoosh… next came uncertainty. How can I…
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Flu Prevention and Treatment – DoD Roundtable Discussion
MilitaryAvenue participated in a DoD Roundtable discussion this morning with Commander (Dr) Danny Shiau, a Navy Preventive Health specialist and Dr Robert Morrow, a subject matter expert for the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu. The doctors provided some great information for military families concerning treatment and the flu vaccines available to the military community! One critical note for military and family members who suspect they have the flu: Before proceeding to the medical treatment facility (MTF) please call and ask for where to go, nurse triage, etc. To reduce the spread of the viruses to expecting mothers, small children, reduced immunity folks (cancer treatments) and others the facilities have established…
