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Disabled Marine Designer

I am 48 years old and catastrophically disabled by multiple sclerosis (secondary-progressive MS) that finally put me in a wheel chair in 2005. My MS started in the mid-80s while I was a Marine with the 2nd and 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. I was a 60mm Mortar man in 2/5 and a 50-caliber machine gunner in 3/5, but because so little was and still is known about MS, I was misdiagnosed with everything from depression to being called crazy.After the Marine Corps, I became an auto tech at a Chevrolet dealership in Norman, Oklahoma, which is where I was raised. My condition became so bad that after 10 years, I could no longer walk without falling down and suffered from extreme fatigue. I now live in Muskogee, Oklahoma. I can sit at my desk and function pretty well. I use a hands-free mouse that I control with my head movements to do my design work, and I use my computer because I can no longer use my hands. I have been designing cars for about five years now along with logos, etc. I really love doing this work because it is one of the only things I can do by myself without any assistance from anyone.I can still stand, but I have no balance and cannot take steps. Without the help of my wonderful family to assist me to do other things like moving from my chair to the bed, I would be lost. Kathy,Val and Tim, I love and would be lost without you.

Scott Bates
Muskogee, OK

FLYING THE FLAG <3

We hung this flag in front of our house in honor of a marine we lost locally.We hold a benefit in his honor to remember him and help 12th. grade students with some funds for college.The students write a essay on WHAT IT IS TO BE A AMERICAN.The wife that is now widowed chooses the winner or winners.Depending on how much we raise! After the bennefit we donated the flag to the Gaylord Michigan boy scouts. They took that flag down the Alpenfest parade:) This flag origanally came from the Alpena Michigan boat harbor as a gift from my dad. This flag has definately been flying high!!!

loretta
mancelona, MI

my father

Came to the USA from Asia at 17 ,He got his citizenship at age 18 , he came to USA while studying law , my dad's brother in law brought him here ..Virginia .. He served on an air craft carrier in Viet Nam , I will never forget my mom crying even though I was only 6 ... Later he did so well in USN recruiting that he my mom and a large group were invited to the Secy OF Defense in a private meeting under the Reagan administration .We should all be praying for our military and their families .We still have a pow/mia in Afghanistan

pamela badger
SUMMERVILLE, SC

Shawn and his battle with PTSD

My brother served 15months in Iraq from 2007 to 2008. His body came home from the war, but I am not sure his mind ever left it. He did marry, adopted two children and welcomed another in 2009. However PTSD took over his life, and he lost the battle Feb 6, 2012. There was a struggle, and the gun went off, killing him almost instantly. I feel we need to get more involved in evaluating the men and women returning from war. He struggled finding work, which I couldn't possibly understand. A man who knew what HARD work was, a man who picked up task easily, who strived to always go beyond the expected. He battled night terrors, and all the guilt associated with coming home after so many of his buddies did not. I am so thankfully he was able to come home, my regret is that our country failed one of their finest, they failed to help him in his time of need. I love you dear brother, and miss you greatly. I have vowed to spread the word about PTSD! Please seek help if you are struggling or know someone struggling. God Bless our troops.

Elaine Barber
Ogden, IL

It's Not What It Seems, Really

My husband, an Army veteran, served as judge of the 91st District Court of Michigan for 24 years before retiring in 2008. He has plenty of stories of incidents that happened both in an out of his courtroom, but this is my favorite.

After 9-11, everyone across the country flew American flags to show their patriotism and solidarity and our household was not to be outdone. The judge decided the best place to display our brand new flag was under the halogen light at the peak of the garage.

A few weeks later a gust of wind blew the flag up and conveniently wrapped it around the hot light bulb. Fortunately, he was raking leaves at the time and noticed the smoke coming from the front of the garage and quickly grabbed a ladder, but not quite quick enough.

The smouldering flag burst into flames and thinking quickly, the judge ripped the flag from around the light and threw it to the ground. Doing what comes naturally, he proceeded to stomp out the flames. In summary....

One halogen light . . . $39.95
One flammable flag . . . $16.95

The looks on people's faces driving by at the sight of the district judge stomping on a burning American Flag . . . priceless.

Lisa MacDonald
Drummond Island, MI

Happy Cows

My Son Tyler and his squad were walking in Iraq in single file form, on a mission. A huge bull with a ring in his nose was tied to a very small tree, Tyler was at the end , the bull was very agrivated kicking the ground, he broke loose, and Tyler made eye contact with it. That bull started to charge at full speed toward Tyler. Tyler pulled out his weapon and tried to shoot it but his weapon was jammed, at that point the bull was almost to him so he stuck his foot out and the bull hit his foot and Tyler did a back flip , the bull must had been hurt because he ran away. When the Seargeant screamed my Sons name and he said " Why didnt you shoot the bull "? Tyler didnt want him to know his gun was jammed so he said " Well Seargeant Im from Calif. and happy cows come from Calif."

Nancy
San Jose, CA

Homeless Vietnam Vet

He sleeps in the back of his car and has all winter long. His name is Ronn. He is very talented. And yes, you have guessed right he is in his sixties. Disabled from Nam.

The picutre I have posted is his home. No windows, or doors, or bed to lay his head down at night. I fear he will not survive another winter living in his car. I also fear he will be mad at me for posting this on this site.

So, if you contact me, I will send you his phone # and please reframe from telling him I gave it to you. I would help him but I live 1800 miles away and it is impossible for me. My mother who is in her last stages of cancer lives with me.

He is in the Branford Ct. area of this small world we live. If by chance you can help him, thank you and God bless.

Anonymous
Mounds, OK

Half my heart came home from Afghanistan

My husband was in Afghanistan for 7 months, missing our sons birth, he was coming home 2 days before Thanksgiving and I could hardly wait to hold him in my arms again. Getting a hotel for the night of his arrival my mother in law, my 2 month old son, and I went to the arrival point and waited for 5-6 hours before we finally saw them all marching towards us. My heart was racing, hands were shaking, hard to breathe and my eyes scanning over every marine that marched in trying to find my husband. They released all the marines at once, running into the crowd of marines being welcomed, hugged, loved and missed by their loved ones, I searched for my husband. The crowd started to die down and I still hadn't found him, until...I turned around and there he was walking towards me as my heart filled with emotion and felt like it just fell out of my chest and my eyes with tears. I ran into his arms as he dropped his bags to the ground and loved the touch of his strong arms around me once again. When I finally let go I introduced him to our 2 month old son, Aiden. He was a little nervous, but very excited to finally see his son. I couldn't be any happier to have my husband back from overseas. <3 I love you William!

Brittney
Jacksonville, NC

Protecting & Preserving Our Veterans

We are the Volunteers of the Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery,a National Treasure that represents 350 years of Jersey City history and nature.

The Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery & Memorial Park evolved from the earliest Dutch-settled rolling hills & meadows to an encampment site during the Revolutionary War & in 1829, became the first Cemetery company in the State of NJ, and home to the City's earliest Mayors, leaders, & residents, plus thousands of SOLDIERS from Revolutionary era & Civil Wars forward. This 6 acre site is a sanctuary, rich with history & historic monuments, small wildlife, ancient wildflowers, & mysterious underground crypts & tunnels, and was sadly abandoned over three years ago.

Since then, Volunteers have operated the Cemetery and are transforming it into a beautiful Memorial Park & Center for History, offering Jersey City green open space, and historical, educational and cultural events and programs for children and adults. It is our HONOR to protect our soldiers, & to keep their memory alive, as well as host wonderful military & musical tributes to honor ALL soldiers on both Veterans Day and Memorial Day. We owe them our lives. God Bless them all.

Eileen Markenstein
Jeresy City, NJ

Missing in action

As a child I didn't see the hero . I do now. The marines trained him and he did what was needed,expected and more...3 times. There's one problem... My son didn't return.. What came home after 3 tours is not the boy who blossomed at Parris island but a grown man who can't seem to live the life he was meant to. He is my hero, in many ways he surely gave his life to keep his mother safe. I would gladly take his place ...Semper fi

Theresa Pinckney
Wakefield, RI