This week’s podcast is more of a veterans Public Service Announcement for veterans needing help with setting up health benefits with their local VA hospital, and other veterans services that they may need.
My guest and I discuss our own struggles with the transition from years of active duty into the civilian world and how we overcame some of them. Each of us has a different story to tell.
Then we move into our active memberships in the American Legion posts we both belong to. He is a Vice Commander for his post in Marietta, Georgia and very active in his community there. I am still a member of post 154 from Pflugerville, Texas, even though I no longer live there. There is a story behind that so come join us and and see how we are coping with civilian life and what we are doing to help other veterans through the American Legion and other activities.
If you are a veteran who has never signed up for your free health care, I encourage you to take the time to do so. If you are a young person who has left active duty and is in good health, sign up anyway. You will need it later in life when you start seeing the side effects of your military service. Trust me, you will. I didn’t start seeing the effects of my very active military service until I was in my 50’s and it hasn’t gotten any better with age.
I was one of those whom the Veterans Administration has deemed likely exposed to everything in my military service because of all of the places around the world I deployed to from the mid-1970’s until I retired from the service in 2004.
I was a brown water sailor during the last year of the Vietnam War, so the VA has me on a watch list for symptoms of Agent Orange. I was exposed to asbestos then also, so I am on the watch list for lung cancer. Then, I am on the watch list for exposure to the oil well fires and the smoke that was rolling across the northern part of the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm. I am also on another watch list for toxic smoke inhalation from Afghanistan in 2002.
I was a very busy soldier during my active duty and active reserve times and now I am paying for all of those adventures. My guest was also very active in his career with deployments to Okinawa and other wonderful places with the Marine Corps. He offers us a glimpse into his career during the interview.
I encourage everyone who watches the video and reads this to see what you can do for the veterans in need within your own community. You don’t have to be an American to help someone because there are veterans in need in every country around the world. The United States has a fairly good support system and there are some European countries with good veterans support programs. Then there are some places that have little to none, I am sorry to say.
Wherever you live in the world, thank a veteran for their service to your country when you see them. Most of us do appreciate it, even if we don’t say so. If you have and can participate, join a veterans support group to help needy veterans. No amount of support is too small. You never know, you just might save a life.
Thank you for joining me once again under The Village Oak Tree. I will be back again next week with something different. I am not sure exactly what yet as I am still working things out. Once I have something a little more concrete set up, maybe I will throw out a little teaser. We’ll see. Until next week, Sláinte
T. Ó Donhnaill - Gaelic Seanchaí
The Village Oak Tree