Stand Down for Veteran Homeless

One in Four Homeless are Veterans.

National Novel Writing Month is in full swing. I'm a little over 11,000 words into the second novel of a romantic spy trilogy that deals with Veteran issues.  This particular one, Shelter, explores Veteran Homelessness.  

Stand Downs are one part of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ efforts to provide services to homeless veterans.  They are collaborative events, coordinated between local VAs, other government agencies, and community agencies who serve the homeless.  

Stand Downs provide services to homeless Veterans such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings, VA and Social Security benefits counseling, and referrals to a variety of other necessary services, such as housing, employment and substance abuse treatment.  

In November, Chicago, San Antonio, Binghamton and Fort Worth are holding Stand Downs.  If you wish to be a part of a Stand Down, the contacts are below.  If you wish to contribute to the VFW, please use the donate link to the left.

Nov 9     Chicago                     POC:  Jeanne Douglas 708-383-3225
Nov 9     San Antonio              POC:  Jerry Rangel 210-616-9915
Nov 13   Binghamton, NY        POC:   Adam Ormsby 315-425-4428 
Nov 14,  Fort Worth                 POC:  Linda Saucedo 214-927-4501

NaNoWriMo for VFW & Education

Wanna help me support Veterans and Education?  

How about win a NY Times Bestseller or a Kindle?

National Novel Writing Month is coming up -- 30 days to write a novel -- and I've decided:

• To write the second in a series of romantic thrillers on Veterans, and; 
• To dedicate my novel to two of my favorite causes: the VFW and Education.  

For each dollar someone donates, I'll put his/her name in the hat and at the beginning of December, I'll draw 5 names -- each for a NY Times Bestseller.  Then, the person who donates the most money will win the Kindle.

Money can be donated the entire month of November to keep me motivated to finish the novel.  I'll donate the proceeds to the VFW and the Woodland Park Elementary School in Sparta, Tennessee.  Why?  

EDUCATION -- my parents live in a small, rural and frankly, economically poor county in Tennessee. While my husband and I were deployed to Afghanistan last year, our daughter stayed with them and attended Woodland Park Elementary School in Sparta, city population around 4800.

From the principal to the teachers to the students and parents, they were just wonderful to her.  Everyone made her feel part of the community and accepted her so much that when we return home, her play dates and visits take up most of the date book.  What a wonderful experience that gave her lifelong friends!

For their kindness, I want to help them for helping us during a tough time for our family.

VFW -- is one of the leading organizations for advocacy of Veterans.  The first VFW I ever went to was in Songtan City, South Korea, right outside the Osan Air Base gate.  A man, easily a hundred years old smoking a stogie and driving a cadillac, signed me up.  This man was a WWII and Korean War Veteran with a wonderful personality and a goal to show the benefits of VFW membership by active duty.

Recently the VFW is pushing for more benefits for Women Veterans -- rightfully so when women make up more than 20% of the force and have distinctively different medical needs from men.  Additionally, they spotlight homeless and unemployed Veterans (with rates as high as 24%) as well advocating more resources for those who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (1 in 5 military service members suffer from PTSD).

The last eleven years has torn apart individuals and families, and I have seen some ugly things.  The price of war has been these selfless people and their wives, fathers, brothers, mothers, husbands and especially, children.  Because we as a nation ask volunteers to go to war for us, I wholeheartedly support this incredible organization that volunteers for them. 

I hope you join me in this endeavor!  To support, please click Google Wallet and don't forget to sign up to follow my blog.

Who is Jacqueline Marshall?

The newest partner of Sweet Gypsy Books is also the daughter of senatorial candidate Paul Marshall Jr as well as a Veteran's advocate.   I sat down with her today to discuss her background and her future.

Q1:  Ms Marshall, news travels fast in a small town and we're wondering what brought you back to Sweet Gypsy after being gone for so long.

A1:  News does travel fast down here (*smiles).  It's true I left Alabama right after college.  Adventure called me from an early age.  It probably started with playing hide-and-seek right here on the lake in Sweet Gypsy.  When I met my husband Charlie at (the University of) Alabama, it was like looking in a mirror and finding my inner soul, my partner for life.  As soon as we threw our graduation caps in the air, he took my hand and away we went.  The Army provided just the adventure we were looking for.  (pauses and looks at her wedding ring).  But like all good adventure stories, ours had to end.  When it did, I needed my home.   Home is the best medicine. So, I'm back. 

Q3:  Would you like to tell me how your marriage ended?

A1:  For more than ten years, our country has been at war but that war has affected less than 5% of the population.  Unfortunately, that 5% has endured a nasty burden, and I've seen it have a very ugly effect on some people. Families have been torn apart.  Strong, proud service members have been reduced to shrunken images of dejection and inconsequence.  My husband is a prime example.   Charlie deployed six times over ten years.  Each time was at least a year, and two or three were for 18 months.  Each deployment changed him.  He became more withdrawn, yet explosively angry.  Not the sweet, fun guy I knew.  Not the one who laughed at everything.  After the last deployment, he became violent.  

Q3: And that's when you left?

A3: Not at first.  I truly didn't understand he was physically abusing me and our daughter, who was seven at the time.  After the first time he hit me, he was probably as shocked as I was and couldn't stop apologizing.  But one day, I was cleaning up the dinner dishes and watching Olivia play with her dolls. The cast on her arm was bright pink.  For some reason, the color screamed at me. It was then I realized I wasn't protecting her; I wasn't doing my job as her mother.

Q4: I know this is tough to talk about, but thank you for sharing your story with us.  Why don't we move on to a lighter topic.  What are your goals now that you're back?

A4:  (*laughs) Sure.  Well, I'm finishing up my prolonged exposure therapy, which I recommend to anyone who has been through an awful experience.  Honestly, it has been a godsend because it forced me to look at what happened and through repetition, gave me freedom from it.  So, talking to folks about prolonged exposure is one goal.  

Another is to help my father with his senatorial campaign.  As a retired Marine, Veterans hold a special place for him. Together I think we can bring a bold awareness to Veteran's issues and hopefully more support.

And lastly, as the new managing partner at Sweet Gypsy Books, I'd like to bring books into the lives of children.  Veterans from my support group at the VA are helping me put together a children's authorfest.  It's a way for me to marry two issues I'm passionate about -- reading and Veterans.

(Jackie Marshall is the newest citizen of Sweet Gypsy Springs, Alabama, and we thank her for taking the time to interview with her author today).

What's in a Name?

This week I've been thinking a lot about names, particularly as a writer and developing a good brand.  My platform is writing on Veteran's issues.  I feel strongly about the need for folks to understand what Veterans face and how they can help.  Since Romance and Spy Thrillers are my two favorite genre, I combine them and create a story to entertain and hopefully, educate.

So, what's in a name?  Does HazelnutLive sound like a platform that discusses the deep problems of Veterans in a fun and entertaining way?  Since this used to be just a place for me to write whatever I wanted, the name was fine.  Now, though I'm not so sure.

Since the majority of my Facebook friends are people I served with, I went on and asked for name ideas.  Tons came my way -- from the quirky and cool jargon to the unmentionable in polite company.  Interestingly, most of the jargon I've found to have a negative connotation.  Even when saying "outstanding" or "interesting," there is a certain amount of sarcasm accompanying it.  But I'd rather the name have a more positive, kick ass vibe to them.  My favorites after one day are below, let me know what you think:

1- Sierra Hotel:  in military lingo, that means Shit Hot

2- Bravo Zulu: in naval terms, it means Good Job

3- Easy Day: in special ops terms -- "Of course we can" or "No Problem, why are we even talking about it?"

4- Check Your Six: aviation talk for watch your back

5- Go Pound Sand:  response to indicate you aren't going to do whatever you were just told to do

6- Point Blank Range: where you don't want to be 

7- Kickin' in Doors: making stuff happen

Veterans Benefits

*DISCLAIMER* A Veteran Benefit Rant

So I was researching some Veterans benefits information for a friend.  Two years ago I found out that Iraq and Afghanistan war Veterans were entitled to 5 years of medical care at the VA (and the only reason I knew this was because I worked at the VA).  When I went through the transition program before leaving active duty, there was NO mention of it.

Today, I read this benefit still applies but to two separate groups of Veterans.  If a Veteran left active duty after 2003, he or she can still apply for medical benefits as long as 5 years has not passed.  BUT, if a Veteran left active duty before 2003 and still hasn't registered, he or she can't get the benefit.  

Excuse me but is the war over?  Did I miss the huge welcome home parades and congressional announcements that we have ended the war in Afghanistan?  Has the unemployment rate for war Veterans dropped below 15%?

At what point do we as a nation realize that Veterans are entitled to these benefits because they sacrifice their lives at the request of their government?  And at what point do Americans realize that without an all-volunteer military, the draft will be implemented because somebody has to ensure the United States of America is the fiercest military on the planet?

Here's something else too.  If you think Veterans are only sacrificing their lives, think again.  Their families suffer, their friends suffer and they suffer.  War is not pretty.  It is not glory.  It is not adventure.  It is ugly.  And I have seen too many families ripped apart in the last eleven years.  Those families and their Veterans deserve every single benefit this nation can give them.

So, Congress, when are you going to extend the deadline to register for 5 years of medical coverage for Veterans to whenever they can get an appointment at the VA or even better, to whenever they can get a person to pick up the phone at the VA to make an appointment?  Because here's the other funny thing, of the 11 years worth of Veterans I know, NONE of them knew they were entitled to free medical coverage.

What a travesty during a time of major unemployment, ever-increasing medical insurance and oh yeah, ongoing war.

For more on Veteran Benefits, please see the Veteran Benefits link at the VA.

Ever been to war?

I have.  It is nothing like the movies and I've not even been in combat.  

After nine years of begging and pleading, my career field finally let me go.  I thought, great now I can get it out of my system.

Boy, have I never been more wrong.  

I grew up on stories of my grandfather fighting in the Pacific with the 3rd Marines.  His FOUR brothers were in Normandy and another brother taught pilots how to fly the hump with the Flying Tigers (two are in the US Air Force Museum and one is in Arlington).  My family can trace its war history back to the Revolution and they still own the 648 acres given to them for fighting. 

Those stories drove me through childhood and since I was 14 I knew I'd join the military.  After an unfortunate knee injury, the only option I had was the Air Force and I happily went.  Now, 11 years later and after my first "war" deployment, the only thing I can tell you about war is that it's a drug.

Yes, a drug.  I figured one trip and I'd be good.  Nope.  One trip and all I think about is going back.

A lot of guilt goes into that feeling also since I'm a wife and mother.  But I have found a writer who can articulate this better than anyone else.  Antonio Salinas wrote a war memoir that dares to tell the truth -- that war is one of the most terrifying yet intoxicating experiences on the planet for so many reasons.

Read it.  And you might understand why a wounded Marine wants to get back in the fight or why a Navy Seal returns year after year.  Or why a mother is riddled with guilt for wanting to serve her country.

Antonio, Thank you for explaining what I can't.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sirens-Song-The-Allure-of-War/152460134868988

Medal of Honor Stands Up

Medal of Honor Recipient Dakota Meyer is releasing a new book at the end of September. “Into the Fire: A Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War.”
It details his time during the Battle of Ganjgal in Kunar Province in Afghanistan. And he lets loose. Blasting Army officers who repeatedly denied pleas for artillery.
I can believe this happened.
With my own military experience, I'm appalled that the best military in the world is full of spineless, sycophants who seemingly only care about their next rank. And for what? More money? A better assignment?
What those "leaders" fail to understand is in reality we in the field worship those who actually take a stand and make a decision.
Unfortunately, we are inundated with bullies and those unwilling to do the right thing.
Mr Meyer, thank you for taking a stand and doing the right thing. I'm sorry you felt you had no choice but to pull that trigger and I thank God there were no bullets.