In line at the chow hall

   I would like to apologize for the lateness of this post.  I was going to post it last weekend but I had internet problems.  Combined with two children who were, for pretty much the first time, deprived of the internet (think of all the online games that are played real time, plus youtube, et al) and you have a situation.  So I took the approach of dealing with it like I was standing in line at the chow hall.  NCOs (Noncommissioned officers) usually let the lower ranks eat first, especially during field meals, because you don't know if they brought out enough rations.  More than a couple times during an FTX (field training exercise) did the NCOs in my mortar platoon have to take half a ration or (in the case of green egg T-Rats) just skip that meal in favor of any poogie bait they brought with them. 
   That's how I dealt with the internet problem.  I let the kids have their share of playing minecraft, halo or whatever else they wanted to do.  Now, I'm back for the attack, as I'm often fond of saying.  Let's see what our targets are looking like today.
   Marine held in Mexico.  That didn't take long.  Yes, SGT Andrew Tahmooressi is still in a freaking jail in Mexico.  It is absolutely despicable that he is still in a jail cell, and even more reprehensible that he is being held in Mexico.  The country where a lot of drugs and weapons come out of (just stating facts) is holding a U.S. Marine for bringing in legal (in the U.S.A.) firearms.  Firearms that he declared he had when he made that wrong turn.  I know that unless you've been living outside the thunder of the media for the past 6 months, you know exactly what the deal is for SGT Tahmooressi, but I believe in restating the facts, as outlandish as they are. 
   But now we have something else to keep the spotlight on our beloved Devil Dog.  Remember the lesson of the Veterans Admin scandal.  The squeaky wheel gets the grease.  The VA has been broken for decades, yet recently we have gotten some action on making the VA (and the politicians & bureaucrats) make good on their mission of taking care of this country's Veterans.  Well, the same will hopefully be said of keeping SGT Tahmooressi's plight in the public eye.  Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) & Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) have set up a Congressional hearing on SGT Tahmooressi's imprisonment.   SGT Tahmooressi's mother, Jill, will testify art the hearing as to what her son has gone through since he was taken into Mexican custody in March.  LCDR Montel Williams (ret) will also testify at the hearing.  
   The hearing is being touted as a PTSD hearing.  SGT Tahmooressi suffers from PTSD and the hearing attests to the fact that he is not being treated for his PTSD while in Mexican confinement.  The hearing is set for 1 October at 1000 hrs. (yes, 10 a.m. civilian time.  My wife does remind me I am not in the military, but old habits die hard.)

   Treating the devil.  PTSD is another one of those tough subjects.  It affects many of our Military.  I have friends who need two hands to count the number of times they've been "blown up" while on patrol over in Iraq.  Many of our returning Veterans also have physical injuries.  PTSD is an injury you can't see.  It's also an injury which needs to be treated better by the aforementioned VA.  There are numerous private groups that help with PTSD treatment.  From groups like K9s for Warriors that help with hooking up Veterans with specially trained dogs that can help the Veteran overcome bouts of PTSD to other groups like Chili's Off the Grid  that help by providing therapy in the form of hunting and a sense of camaraderie that Veterans need.  Treatment for PTSD is more than just medication and counseling by some doctor who has probably never even been in "combat boots".  It is a group effort, so to say.  More ways of treatment are being developed and the VA and it's political handlers in Congress, must remember that.  The VA should be among the leaders in the treatment of PTSD and, in my opinion, it isn't.  That has to change.  Far more has to be said about PTSD.  And, yes, there are numerous groups that help Veterans with different types of therapy, whether its dogs or whatever.  I will mention more groups as I can.
   I am also not an expert on PTSD, but I want to help my Brothers & Sisters who know all too well what it is like living with this devil every day.  Please, let me know where I can get information or talk to groups who deal with PTSD. 

   Platoon, Fall In!  There seems to be some infighting among some of the Veterans advocates on social media.  Let me fire a warning shot and say THIS HAS TO STOP!  I don't want to mention some members that have been attacked but I will say this, we all need to stand together.  It's the United We Stand thing.  We have to leave our differences at the door of twitter or facebook or whatever social media we are using because we are heard and seen better when we stand together.  We are Veterans.  We served in the Military.  We need to stay in formation, no matter what.  It is kinda like being in line for the chow hall.  Some of us go first.  Others go last.  But we all are here for the same reason.  To make sure Veterans get the care, respect and recognition that they are due.
   That is all.