Press Release: U.S. Army Soldier on Mission to Bring Dog Back with Him from Middle East

A Soldier and Dog. Image Source: Pixabay

U.S. Army Soldier on Mission to Bring Dog Back with Him from Middle East

One U.S. Army soldier is on a mission to save his dog and bring him home to Florida

New York, NY – (July 31, 2018) – While U.S. Army missions may be the stuff of top secret details, there is no hiding what is going on with the mission that one solder is on. Protecting his identity so that his security is not compromised, David is a U.S. Army soldier stationed in the Middle East who is on a mission to save a dog he befriended while being deployed. Not wanting to leave the dog behind after he leaves the Middle East, he reached out to Paws of War to see if they can help bring Rukban back to Florida with him. It’s a mission that Paws of War has helped numerous other soldiers with and that they have agreed to take on once again.

“Bringing a dog back from another part of the world like this is a true mission,” says Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War. “There is a lot that is involved in doing it, including the paperwork, travel and medical expenses, and more. It’s a mission that we cannot succeed at without the assistance of people in the community who want to help support those who help defend the country.”

While it may seem like a true mission impossible to bring a dog back from the Middle East, Paws of War is well experienced at helping soldiers successfully pull it off. Being left in the Middle East when David’s unit is sent home would most likely be a death sentence. It’s an area of the world that sees dogs as pests and doesn’t treat them kindly as a result. When David found the dog he named Rukban, he was hungry, thirsty, and injured. He had a fresh neck wound and someone had previously cut his ears off, a common abuse toward dogs in that area.

Immediately going into action, David gave the dog food, water, and got it medical attention. He created a strong bond with Rukban as he nursed him back to health. Military protocol does not allow for soldiers to bring dogs back home with them, so David reached out to Paws of War for assistance.

“Rukban has been such a blessing to me while being in the Middle East,” says David. “I can’t imagine leaving him behind and what would become of him. Being able to bring him home to Florida with me would be amazing. I’m grateful that an organization like Paws of War exists to help with this mission, and I’m humbled that so many citizens give them the support they need to make it happen.”

Those who would like to a donation to help keep David and Rukban together, and help keep Rukban from being further abused, can log online to make a donation: https://pawsofwar.networkforgood.com/projects/56176-rukban.

Paws of War is an organization that focuses on serving veterans, law enforcement, and first responders. They are an all-volunteer organization that provides assistance to military members and their pets, and provides service and service dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD. To learn more about Paws of War or make a donation to support their efforts, visit their site at: www.pawsofwar.org.

About Paws of War

Paws of War is a 501c3 organization devoted to helping both animals and veterans. The Paws of War goal is to train and place shelter dogs to serve and provide independence to our United States military veterans that suffer from the emotional effects of war such as PTSD. In turn each veteran can experience the therapeutic and unconditional love only a companion animal can bring. To learn more about Paws of War, visit the site at  www.pawsofwar.org.

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Press Release: America’s Run for the Fallen Has Nearly Completed its Coast-to-Coast Run to Arlington

America’s Run for the Fallen Has Nearly Completed its Coast-to-Coast Run to Arlington

Runners Crossing North Carolina and Virginia on Way to Arlington

July 23, 2018

On July 23, runners honoring fallen American service members crossed the South Carolina-North Carolina border, marking the beginning of the last two states on their cross-country run to Arlington National Cemetery. America’s Run for the Fallen is organized by Honor and Remember, a veteran and Gold Star Family organization that seeks to individually recognize nearly 20,000 Fallen Service Members since the USS Cole (October 2000). Each mile along the 6,000-mile route from Fort Irwin, California to Arlington National Cemetery, runners pause for a short ceremony to remember by calling each name out loud of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, coast guard and marines killed on a different day since the War on Terror began.

This year, “America’s Run for the Fallen” marks the ten-year-anniversary of the first Run for the Fallen. Never has there been a Fallen Military Tribute on this scale or magnitude. The event has grown both in the number of participants and, sadly, the number of service members honored. By the time the race finishes in August, Gold Star families, veterans, and other supporters from the community will have run 6,000 miles through 19 states on their journey from Fort Irwin, California to Arlington National Cemetery.

The 2018 “America’s Run for the Fallen” began on April 7th in Fort Irwin and has since covered over 4,800 miles. Runners will take nine days to cross North Carolina, entering the state on July 23 near the coast. They will be in North Carolina from July 23 through July 31, passing through Wilmington, Fayetteville, and Jacksonville with a day of rest near Washington, NC. You can view their full schedule here.

On August 1, runners will cross the North Carolina-Virginia border near Norfolk, VA, entering the final stretch of their 6,000-mile run. They will spend five days crossing Virginia on their way north through Norfolk and Newport News before arriving in Arlington on August 5. You can view the full route through Virginia here or the last day of their run here.  

*** Arlington Closing Ceremony Day ***

The public is invited to attend the August 5th, Arlington, VA America's Run for the Fallen Final Day

• 6.1k HERO RUN at Fort Myer in the morning
• 11AM - Brunch Special in Honor of America's Run for the Fallen, on own at: The Board Room in Arlington
• 1:15 PM Old Post Chapel greet the Core Group, walk the final mile together to Section 60.
• 2 PM Closing Ceremonies – Arlington National Cemetery, Section 60.
• 4 PM After-Event Social Gathering at The Board Room in Arlington

For more details and to register for the commemorative 6.1K HERO Run, visit here.

You can read about the history of “America’s Run for the Fallen” here or watch the PSA here.

You can watch the run 7AM – 5PM (time zone of current state) LIVE.

Loved one’s can find the location of their Heroes by visiting Find A Hero, or can add a Hero if their name does not appear at Add Your Hero.

You can get a birds-eye view of “America’s Run for the Fallen,” as well as the Hero Mile Marker Ceremony (occurs every mile, 50 times per day) here.

Honor and Remember is a nationally recognized non-profit organization which aims to “honor and remember every American fallen service member and recognize the enduring sacrifice of every family.” You can find out more here. 

 

Image Source: Pixabay Arlington National Cemetery Image 1, Image 2

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Book Review: The Flying Tigers: The Untold Story of the American Pilots Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan by Sam Kleiner

The Flying Tigers: The Untold Story of the American Pilots Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan by Sam Kleiner

If you like to read about fighter pilots or World War II like I do, you will enjoy The Flying Tigers: The Untold Story of the American Pilots Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan by Sam Kleiner.

This is a good account of what went on during the top secret days before the war. It is the story as taken from letters written back home to the families and friends of those infamous Flying Tigers.

This is a very interesting story written, while trying to be factually accurate, to tell the story of the leader and founder of the Flying Tigers and his fight to keep the Tigers flying.

To be honest, I never knew how involved the U. S. was with China at the time. Most of the books I have read mentioned the war in China more as a footnote than anything else.

We learn a little more about Pappy Boyington and his Black Sheep. We read about how a direct descendant of Robert E. Lee is buried in the rose garden at Lee’s home.

We give The Flying Tigers four out of five stars. It is a good book, but it just does not get to the level of “Can’t put it down.”

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.  

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Book Review: The Gun Club: U.S.S. Duncan at Cape Esperance by Robert Fowler

The Gun Club: U.S.S. Duncan at Cape Esperance by Robert Fowler

If you are looking for an action-packed book that is difficult to put down, The Gun Club: U.S.S. Duncan at Cape Esperance by Robert Fowler is the book.

This is an exciting, play-by-play story of the battle and the struggle for survival by all the men aboard the U.S.S. Duncan. You will read about some very dramatic things.

Fowler, the author and son of the main character, tells his readers about all the trials and tribulations the crew went through and what happened to many of them after the fact.

If you like stories of shark attacks, it is in here. If you like to read about heroism, it is in here.

The story is surprisingly clean and, for the most part, Christian Friendly.

We give it five stars on our scale of zero to five stars. It is thrilling, entertaining, and informative. The Gun Club is very well-written and researched in depth.

For our blog readers, there is no graphic sex, but there is some innuendo. The Lord’s Name is used in vain twice during the story and those are direct quotes.

We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.


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Press Release: Shocking Military Suicide Rates and Identifying the Signs

Shocking Military Suicide Rates and Identifying the Signs

EOD Warrior Foundation offers suicide prevention tips, works to help prevent suicide

NICEVILLE, Florida – (September 5, 2017) – September is National Suicide Prevention Month, which makes it an important time to move the conversation about suicide forward. While suicide is a national problem, it is one that also affects smaller communities, including the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) community.  These brave men and women have suffered losses not only on the battlefield, but from suicide in recent years.  According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, each day there are around 20 veterans who commit suicide. What’s more, they report that veterans’ suicides account for 18% of the suicide deaths in the country, while they only make up 8.5% of the adult population.

“There’s clearly a serious issue with suicides among active duty military service members, veterans and their families, and it’s one that we are passionate about addressing,” explains Nicole Motsek, executive director of the EOD Warrior Foundation. “Only when people are aware of what is going on can they begin to affect change.”

Suicide is a major concern with veterans and active duty military members. It’s especially shocking when viewing the suicide rates of active duty Army members. According to a research report in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings journal, the Army suicide rate increased 80% from 2004 to 2008. While the Army may have the most shocking suicide statistics, but no branch of the military is immune to the crisis. Among EOD technicians, suicide is considered to be at a crisis level. It’s an issue that the EOD Warrior Foundation is tackling and hoping to help change.

Suicide among EOD technicians is an issue that organizations such as the EOD Warrior Foundation are trying to not only raise awareness about, but are trying to help prevent. They are currently working with Dr. Kelly Posner Gerstenhaber, of Columbia University. Dr. Gerstenhaber is the director of The Columbia Lighthouse Project, and has dedicated her life to saving others from suicide, as well as removing the stigma around the issue.  She created the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and has shown that this is a critical tool in preventing suicide. We must identify to find those suffering in silence.

Those who suspect someone they know may be considering suicide should seek immediate professional assistance. The C-SSRS supports suicide risk assessment through a series of simple, plain-language questions that anyone can ask. The answers help users identify whether someone is at risk for suicide, assess the severity and immediacy of that risk, and gauge the level of support that the person needs. Users of the C-SSRS tool ask people:

• Whether and when they have thought about suicide (ideation)
• What actions they have taken — and when — to prepare for suicide
• Whether and when they attempted suicide or began a suicide attempt that was either interrupted by another person or stopped of their own volition

“The suicide rate for our veterans and active duty is around 50% higher than for their civilian counterparts, showing what a serious issue we have on our hands,” says Dr. Gerstenhaber. “This group of people have a tremendous amount of stress and they need to know it’s not a sign of weakness to seek help. We have programs in place that have been successful at helping to reduce the suicide rates, and we want to expand those to help others around the nation.”

These are questions everyone must ask.  In order to continue working to eradicate suicide, we all must go beyond the medical model, and this is what the Dr. Gerstenhaber and the EOD Warrior Foundation are working together to do in the EOD community.

The EOD Warrior Foundation is an organization that helps the families of the 7,000 people in our military who are Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians, and perform bomb disposal duties. Engaging in the most dangerous job in the military, EOD technicians often sustain serious injuries, lose limbs, or are killed in action. The EOD Warrior Foundation helps this elite group by providing financial relief, therapeutic healing retreats, a scholarship program, care of the EOD Memorial Wall located at Eglin AFB, Fla. and more. Their work is supported by private donations and the generosity of those who support the organization.  To learn more about the EOD Warrior Foundation, or see their fundraising events calendar, visit their site at: www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.

About EOD Warrior Foundation

The EOD Warrior Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help EOD warriors and their family members with a priority on wounded EOD warriors and the families of fallen EOD warriors. Specific programs include financial relief, college scholarships, hope and wellness programs that include therapeutic healing retreats, and care for the EOD Memorial Wall located at Eglin AFB, Fla. To learn more about the EOD Warrior Foundation, or see their events calendar, visit their site at: www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.

Veteran's Memorial - Wharton, Texas ©2014-2017 Suzanne G. McClendon

 Military Honor Guard Image Source: Pixabay


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Press Release: Service Dogs: More than Man’s Best Friend for Team Navy Athletes

Service Dogs: More than Man’s Best Friend for Team Navy Athletes

Dogs are often called man’s best friend.

For Team Navy athletes at the 2017 Department of Defense Warrior Games, their service dogs are more than that.

In this video, athletes and their families explain why the dogs are a big part of the athletes themselves and also the team.

Thirty-nine athletes competed June 30 to July 8 on behalf of Team Navy in the annual Department of Defense Warrior Games – an event that introduces wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans to Paralympic-style sports. They’re among approximately 225 service members and veterans from the U.S. military, as well as the United Kingdom and Australia.

The Navy, in partnership with the city of Chicago, hosted this year's event, which marked the first time the DoD Warrior Games have been held off a military installation. The Games demonstrate the incredible potential of wounded warriors through competitive sports and provides a tremendous healing power for athletes. The competition provides a means to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect of those who serve their country.

Team Navy is comprised of athletes from Navy Wounded Warrior - Safe Harbor, the Navy's sole organization for coordinating the non-medical care of seriously wounded, ill, and injured Sailors and Coast Guard members, providing resources and support to their families.

For more information about Team Navy, contact the team's public affairs officer Kyle Malloy at 319-210-8388 and visit http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2017/06/30/team-navy-competes-at-2017-dod-warrior-games.

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Book Review: The Bravest Guy By Harry E. Wedewer

The Bravest Guy

By Harry E. Wedewer

Before we begin, we first must explain our rating system. Our blogs are Christian-based.  We are fundamentalist and charismatic Christians.  We believe that when the Bible says in Exodus 20:7 not to take the Lord’s name in vain, that means not to use it as a curse word.

We instruct authors and publicists not to send us their books if the Lord’s name is used in vain in the book.  This is specifically mentioned in our review policy.  Like it or not, if a book contains God’s name used in this way, we mark the book down to a complete zero when this happens even once in the book.  From that point, the book has to fight to make its way up to a one.

The Bravest Guy by Harry E. Wedewer uses God’s name in vain at least four times. It is on pages 29, 49, 81, and 114.  This takes the rating down to a zero.  Let’s see what happens after that.

This book is NOT Christian friendly.  The author uses quite a few profane words throughout the book  There is no real reason for it when other words would do.

However, The Bravest Guy is a story that needs to be told. Other than the profanity, it is very well-written.  Mr. Wedewer, the author, is telling his father’s story in a way that no one else could.

We are given the family story of how they got here in the United States of America and how his family had left Germany because they were tired of the endless wars.  We see that, when it came time to serve in the military, this whole family answered the call in their own way.

The reader is given a glimpse of how really messed up our military health care system is and how it has been since at least World War II.   We even see where a man who has had both legs blown off, along with one eye and had the second eye damaged, is not even given a toothbrush when he asks for it.

The Bravest Guy is a book that one just can’t put down.  We actually read it in one afternoon.  It is very entertaining.  Mr. Wedewer paints a word picture in such a way as to have his readers sucked in.  We see how wonderful humanity can be and how terrible they can be as well.

Even with the Lord’s name used in vain, we feel compelled to give this book all five stars. The book is that well-written and the story is one that needs to be told. 

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Book Review: Dog Company

First, a brief explanation of our review policy. Our blogs are all Christian-based and we view everything from a Christian perspective.

That being said, the use of the Lord’s name in vain, even once, is unacceptable. Doing so automatically knocks the book’s rating down to zero stars. This means it has to be better in all other categories just to rate a one star.

On our scale of zero to five stars with zero being terrible and five being superb, we rate this book at least four stars and, based on how important it is that this message gets out, it earns its way back up to five stars.

If, like us, you don’t want to read or hear the Lord’s name in vain, you will probably want to avoid this book since it is used at least five times. Also, if you wish to avoid all types of profanity, this book is not for you.

And now, without further commentary, is our review.

Dog Company highlights just how bad things have gotten for our military. Not only are they fighting against an enemy who does not play by any of the rules of warfare, they also have to fight against policies that have been put in place by a public, with a lot of liberal policies, who wants to Monday morning quarterback every move a military person makes.

It is easy for us who are safe at home to say, “He should have done this or that.” We are safe and not in danger of having our heads blown off. We have time to make decisions. These military people have to protect themselves and their men, with no public support. They sometimes have milliseconds to respond.

That is what happened to Dog Company. This lone company of 89 men held out, however they could, until their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony DeMartino threw them under the bus, so to speak.

You will read about how this group of men found spies in their midst and tried desperately to get the powers that be to keep them in custody. The result, the only way they could keep these spies from being released was to get confessions.

They did everything they could to get the information out of them the legal way. We see that nothing they did was wrong. These spies were the enemy. They should have no rights. Instead, their rights trump the lives of our military personnel.

The words “messed up” come to mind here. This is like when someone in school sees their friends being beat up by bullies. They do what they are supposed to do, tell the school authorities. But the school authorities do nothing. So, they take matters into their own hands and they are the ones who get expelled.

Some of these brave men, many of whom were injured in battle in service to our country, did not receive the Purple Heart and other awards that are their due. Our Army “lost” the paperwork.

Well then, find it and give them their medal. Reinstate those who were kicked out. Give them back their military benefits. AND, take the benefits away from that chicken-necked Lieutenant Colonel Anthony DeMartino. This is as close to justice as the United States can come now.

This book will be available April 11 in both Kindle and print editions.


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Gold Star Family Day

Please click the image to learn more about this initiative.

All across this country, there are military families, families that have to let go of loved ones to help insure freedom for all of us.  We are the Blue Star families.  Our family is a Two Blue Star family.    Some of those loved ones never come home. Those families left behind are the Gold Star families.  There are many.

Today is Gold Star Family Day. Please light a luminary this evening in honor of those brave families that are enduring the honor of being a Gold Star family, for this honor means that they have lost someone very dear to them.  

May our Heavenly Father bless them all.

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Happy Veteran's Day!

Happy Veteran's Day to all of you out there. Have you thanked a veteran today? Find one, shake his or her hand, give them a hug...whatever you and they are comfortable with. Let them know how much you appreciate the sacrifices that they have made for the freedoms we often take for granted.

As I study my family's history and that of my husband, I find more and more men that have served this country in one capacity or another. I thought that I would share some of our family's military history with you here today.

Jared, US Navy. David, Jr., US Marine Corps

We do have two sons serving. Jared is in his 11th year with the US Navy in the silent service under the ocean somewhere. He is stationed in San Diego. Davey has been in the US Marine Corps for about 17 months now and will possibly be promoted to corporal in January, ahead of schedule...that's my boy. :) He is stationed in Okinawa and should be there until sometime in 2017. I don't know where he goes from there.


Both of my brothers were in service. Ray was in the Air Force and then the Navy. He was severely injured in Afghanistan earlier this year. Robert was in the US Army.

Uncle Bobby Joe Gunter

My daddy went to sign up. He was rejected due to a bad back caused by a motorcycle accident when he was 19. His big brother, my Uncle Bobby Joe, died in a streetcar accident in Germany in 1963. Uncle Bobby Joe was 24 years old when he died. His picture sat in a place of prominence in my Granny's living room for as long as I can remember. My papa kept a box with the letters that he received after Uncle Bobby Joe died along with the letters he had written to him.

My uncles, my mama's brothers, were in service. The oldest, Uncle Billy, was in the US Navy. Uncle Jerry was in the US Army in the 82nd Airborne. He got a medical discharge due to an injury he received jumping from a helicopter. I don't know how long Uncle Billy was in service, but he brought home husbands for all of his sisters. Aunt Carolyn got Uncle Earl Moore, who was a chief petty officer by the time he retired after 20 years of service. Aunt Brenda got Uncle Billy Moody (Navy) and I don't know a thing about him as they divorced when I was very little. The one that he brought home for my mama didn't work out. She was devastated. She met and married my daddy. Aunt Judy got Uncle Ken Bostain, also in the Navy. They had 5 boys, some of which also served.

To my knowledge, neither of my grandpas were in service. They were too young for WWI (less than 10 years old at the end of it). Grandpa Spence would have been 31 and Papa Gunter would have been 23 at the beginning of US involvement in WWII, but I have never heard any stories about them being in service. I have seen Papa's draft registration card, so I know he registered.

My great-grandpa William Perry Fowler, my Granny Gunter's daddy, was also in the US Navy. The ship that he served on, the USS Cincinatti, was born the same year that he was. His brother, Robert E. Fowler, was in service, too. Both served during WWI. Robert didn't survive the war. The flu pandemic of 1918 got him.

There are many others in my family that served, all the way back to Andrew Pickens, my sixth great-grandfather and a revolutionary war general.

My husband David was unable to serve due to diabetes. His brother was in the Army then in the Navy. His brother's son is now serving in the Navy.

Robert Bruce McClendon, Jr. (David's daddy) and his brother Carl E. McClendon, were in the US Air Force.

Robert Bruce McClendon, Sr.

Robert Bruce McClendon, Sr. (David's grandpa) served, but we do not know what branch. We have a picture of him in his uniform, but can't find anyone that can identify the uniform for us because the picture isn't crisp and clear. Aunt Gloria was only 9 years old when her daddy died and she doesn't know what branch he was in. Aunt Gloria's husband Franklin Mitchell joined the US Marine Corps, but did not make it through basic training due to a problem with his feet. His heart was there; his feet just didn't cooperate. David's maternal grandfather did not serve as far as we know. David believes his blood pressure kept him out.

I have located the draft registration cards for 7 of our great-grandfathers. The missing one is my Great-grandpa Andrew J. Gunter. I do not know if I just haven't located the registration card for him or if one does not exist. He had some significant health issues that took his life in 1927, but still I think he would have been required to register even if they didn't take him into the service. I do not know how long he was sick, so his health may not have been an issue at the time of World War I.

That's enough of our family for now. Thank you to all of you out there that have served and those that have donated your children to the service of this country. May Heavenly Father bless them and they all return home safely!