Hey Gang,
I have a friend and fellow classmate that may be joining us soon. He is a Gulf War vet as well as a veteran of Iraqi Freedom. He suffers from PTSD in a number of ways. He is a policeman with NYPD and during the crisis of 9-11 he was at ground zero 16 hours a day for the duration. I'm not sure if he will post under his real name or another. Just in case, his name is Jemal.

God bless all of you this weekend. I hope you have a happy Easter, especially if you realize the significance.

preacher

Hi everyone, Blessed Easter to everyone! Update: I got the letter off to my congressperson today. Mary Ellen's staph infection is being treated with oral medication. She is taking part in the worship service tonight! One thing that I like about our church is that everyone is treated alike! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted by sending the letter. Mike's bill for the hit and run is being paid for! So all we need to do now is find him health coverage. My garden is growing and blooming!! I am taking positive little steps. Sally

Sally,

I'm glad you are in a church you like and feel comfortable in. I know there is no such thing as the "perfect" church. If there was, I wouldn't be able to be a part of it because I'm not perfect. But it is important to feel a vital part of it. There is something about Christian family that can lift you up and encourage you when you are down. That's hard to find! Glad to hear the good news about Mike and Mary Ellen. Keep hanging in there, sweet Sister, taking small positive steps. God bless you and your family. My prayers are with you.

preacher

TO PREACHER:

My oh my, your friend has certainly been through the trauma ringer. I hope he does join us and we can lend him some support. My oh my.

-------

TO SALLY:

You are doing so very well. That is encouraging to me and I love to read your posts. Having a secure, comforting, loving home and marriage makes a world of positive difference on the PTSD walk, doesn't it. You and I are both very blessed to have that.

Give your daughter a big MOM hug from me. Bless her heart, she has had so many recent physical struggles. I read that she asked to come live with you and can certainly understand why she would do so since she has such a loving mom. We will all keep praying that the day will soon come when all the legal machinations are past and you are reunited under one loving family roof. It will happen. God is a good God and he has answered so many of our forumily prayers, hasn't he.

Hugs,

MOM

I would like to ask for ongoing continued support for Cherry. He is struggling with PTSD symptoms and physical health symptoms are escalating as a result of his recent treatment over there.

Although, he won't complain nor tell you, this includes sleep deprivation and a recent fall in his home. Cherry has diabetes and serious circulatory problems in his legs.

Please keep his SO, Vickie, in your hearts and minds as she so recently has struggled quite seriously.

This is a very low time for their little family. Cherry needs us. So does Vickie.

Thanks,

MOM

Mom, we certainly give support and brotherly/sisterly love to our brother Cherryread. He and Vickie certainly need our support.
Currently I am in the great state of Florida doing my annual training as an AMVETS Service Officer. We have great training by excellent instructors. It was fitting that my first class was on PTSD and Acute Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Nothing can ever equal the on the job training I received 45 years ago this week. Tomorrow is the last day of training, ironic (at least to me) the 21st was a Friday 45 years ago, when we steamed away leaving dead and wounded on the beaches of the Bay of Pigs. Of those dead were 4 Alabama Air National Guard pilots and 114 brave Cubans patriots, with about 1,500 others captured. Then the big lies began. First the politicians, then the wannabe's.

Hi everyone! Sat, April 22, Mike turns 50! I want to buy him a kite for his birthday. Something that he can enjoy and do himself. My tulips are blooming like crazy! Cherry(Scott) and Vickie have been real strong in my mind as needing help and support from our forum family. I have put them in my prayers. Take care. Sally

Ah, Dave, my heart goes out to you. Anniversary dates are so difficult, as we all well know.

Prayers out to you from Bob and I, Hon,

MOM

Dave,
You are definitely in my prayers. Come home safe. We will leave a light on for you. God bless.

preacher

Well the training ended Friday and once again the magic certificate was granted, giving me certification for another year to do my duty! I was in attendence with some pretty sharp individuals. The AMVETS National Service Office is putting heavy concentration toward the returning veterans from the war zones. Which is what should be done and will be done. The Deputy Director of AMVETS Service Mr. McDivitt reminded all, of what it was like when we Vietnam Era veterans returned, were basically ignored, even unwelcome in certain veterans organizations or functions. His comments had a moving and strong affect on all of those present. The effect upon me was overwhelming. The AMVETS will not allow the past attitudes, damage our returning personnel.
After the session was over, I checked out of the hotel at 3:40 PM and headed north. From Dayton Beach to Jacksonville it took 2 1/2 hours to go 110 miles! It seemed like I-95 was a parking lot until I was north of Jacksonville. After that it was smooth sailing until Charlotte. Then the mother of all landlubber storms hit, and it felt like we were floating on the high seas in a full gale. I was in a rental car and not really used to driving 70 MPH in heavy rain and 60 MPH winds. So I finally pulled in a rest area at 11:30 PM and slept until 3:30 AM. After pulling back on I-77 it rained all the way until I passed Charleston WV. But I did make good time. It is about 100 miles from Charleston WV (where I grew up) to Portsmouth OH (where I reside) and the last hour and a half driving was a piece of cake in the sunshine. I arrived home at 11:10 AM, not to bad considering.

Dave,

Welcome home! I'm glad things went well for you in Florida at AMVETS. I used to do a lot of long distance driving when I was AD in San Antonio, TX. I enjoyed going home but I hated the 900 plus miles it took to drive here. Plane tickets for myself, and a wife and three kids was definitely out of the question.

Take care and God bless.

preacher

10-4 on that!
The CB and me, with the help of a lot of truckers made good time.

Yeppir, BTDT lol.

Davey Doo:

I just honestly don't know how you did that marathon drive with a slipped disc in your back. You are one tough man methinks !!!!

Hugs,

MOM

Hi everyone! I have been busy on other forums trying to help veterans. I go to my primary VA. Dr. this afternoon. Then next tuesday, I go to the oral surgery DR. and eye clinic. I am feeling anxious about my Primary and oral surgery visits. I found a way to contact my friend, John Datto! John was like a brother to me and called my parents , Mom and Dad. I have not heard from John since 1972 , during the race riots on base were I was stationed!! Take care, Sally

Well I just got on and hear the pitter patter of 14 year old feet downstairs, so I have time for 1 post!
I have watched a new episode unfold in the VA system. The Medical Care Cost Recovery going after a veterans new service connected compensation award, to collect money the VA feels is due them, for co-pays prior to the effective date of his award which was 2002. The veteran had suffered from PTSD for decades, not just years. We had to take his case all the way to the Board of Veterans Appeals to win.
So we asked the VA to adjust his co-payments and guess what? Yes... you guessed it! A non-veteran staff has advised the veteran of deductions from his compensation, for the treatments and medications he received prior to 2002.
I filed a protest yesterday to the supervisor in charge. Looks like another appeal pending.

Hi everyone : I saw my primary VA DR.. We are increasing my dosage of Atenol for my blood pressure and heart flutter. It worked in 24 hours! I have to have oral surgery to remove jaw bone! Still only 8 teeth! Mary Ellen spent today with us and again tomorrow. She loves playing poker and visiting with us! Mike taught me how to play poker! Has anyone heard from Cherry read(Scott)? I still post on military .com. plus to other boards for veterans. My check came in early today, so we have money! Yea! Take care and Good Night, Sally

Sally...keep up your steady progress dear..you are doin so fine, especialy with all of your obstacles. You are an inspiration!

On a different note...I tried to get on the milnet site and got a message that the site has been closed...? any one got any info..?

De Oppresso Liber

Milnet is not closed but the older bookmark links may be corrupted or altered as new PTSD forum security was put into effect.

The USMilNet (Milnet) Website is growing. I get email alerts every day showing new members joining Milnet. A lot of changes happen as the Website forums grow. Milnet is not yet as big as Military.com but it is growing. Perhaps more to the point, the forums are for veterans. Recent events on other Websites have created a flood tide of membership. In time, Milnet shall be much larger.

The Milnet PTSD Support Group forum is now the best forum for on line PTSD Support on the Web. The reason is quite simple because it rests on forum security. Milnet Website Management, the PTSD forum Moderators and the posters are in accord that the priority is to protect the posting membership from harm. Events on other Websites have demonstrated that changes need to be made in PTSD forum security. There has been a lot of discussion of a need for a closed to the public PTSD forum. A special concern was for safe zones to post. Trust is a big issue. The recently publicly posted commentary that the Military.com forums are for entertainment purposes has been a factor in the development of more secure posting on PTSD forums on Milnet. PTSD forums should not be considered as entertainment. Moderators without accountability to the posting membership is a no brainer cause for distrust.

PTSD forums on the Internet have a history of failure. A lot of PTSD forums have come and gone on the Internet. Mismanagement and poster abuses have forced many PTSD forums to become hell holes or became extinct or empty Websites with decreased poster activity. Management of a PTSD forum must be a dedicated consistent effort to protect the forum and forum membership from harm. Good intentions do not replace clearly defined controls on poster activity on a PTSD forum. Carefully considered and carefully detailed PTSD forum rules that place clearly stated limitations on poster activity used to control activity on the forum need to exist and need to be enforced in a fair manner. There can be no forum security when other people outside of the PTSD forum can alter the forum content without prior discussion with the forum Moderators. No notice thread and post deletions without the knowledge of PTSD forum Moderators don't justify the position that a PTSD forum is safe. The PTSD forum management should have the protection of the posting membership as the only agenda and the only purpose to exist.

The PTSD forums on USMilnet are safer than anywhere else on the Web. The PTSD forum safe zone for posting is absolutely controlled by active Website owner veteran management working with PTSD forum Moderator supervision. Milnet PTSD forum discussion requires posting membership to use self constraint on what they post. It was the Milnet PTSD forum posting membership that decided to close the forums to the public view. A lot of changes have affected Military.com forums including the PTSD forum. The same PTSD forum rules that empowered the Moderators to intervene to prevent forum thread deletions and posting member abuses are put into effect on the Milnet PTSD discussion areas. The PTSD forums are not open forums and are not available to view without express permission granted by Website management. PTSD forum users must apply for entry to the PTSD forum Discussion areas. There are gender protected layers for PTSD Discussion. There is a general PTSD discussion area open to both genders and a separate and isolated PTSD Discussion area for female PTSD issues. The all female PTSD Discussion area is Moderated by female Moderators. Male PTSD forum Moderators do not have access to the all female PTSD Discussion area. The only exception is Bob Tisdale who presently serves as PTSD forums administrator.

Scott Insley posting as CherryRead on more than one PTSD forum Website.

Hi everyone! Well I am holding steady and keep on taking little positive steps forward. I have complete my Dr. trips to the Seattle VA, blood pressure med, Atenol increased, oral surgery as an outpatient( one more trip on May 24 and I will be done), new glasses ordered ( concern about left eye &brain) and mental health (no more Trazodone & stable!). I found my friend, John Datto! Mike and I are taking a road trip to southern Calif. to see John and get away for two weeks! OneoftheLost: I tried to respond to your private message but could not figure it out! My advice is stay out of the service and get a part time job, apply for finacial aid/scholarship. My private email is mesmcquown@yahoo.com if you have more questions send me your private email and I will answer them and try to guide and help you, OK?! Sally