Take a stand for giving, thanks
Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 22, 2018
The word "stand" has many different meanings. As a transitive verb it can mean "to derive benefit or enjoyment from" as well as "remain firm in face of" something.
It also means "to be in a position to gain or lose because of an action taken or a commitment made."
Some gain money while we lose veterans.
One word with so many different meanings? Yes, and that is part of the problem. Most words can have different meanings. What we should be watching out for is, not just the words that accompany the one we focus on, but what the total message is.
Each of us take a stand, often without realizing it. The stands are based on what we believe and what we know to be true.
When we believe something is true, that does not mean it actually is the truth. It just means we think it is and the people who informed us, were telling the truth. The problem is, we never know if they just heard it was true or invested anything into knowing what the truth actually was.
Today is Thanksgiving Day, but while we think we know the trip was made to establish a place where people could worship the way they wanted to, there is much more to that "stand" they took.
It was not about giving everyone religious freedom, to decide on their own to believe what they wanted to. It was intended to provide the group the ability to have it their way...and everyone else had to follow their rules.
We see that all the time. People seem to take stands, use words to make their thoughts more acceptable than they deserve to be.
This nation began with people being protected by members of the military...
Mayflower Compact
One now-famous colonist who signed the Mayflower Compact was Myles Standish. He was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims to accompany them to the New World to serve as military leader for the colony. Standish played an important role in enforcing the new laws and protecting colonists against unfriendly Native Americans.
The words "conspiracy" seems dreadful but it is not always a bad thing. Freedom was established by a conspiracy of brave colonists who wrote different rules and by those who were willing to take a stand to put those words into action. Those patriots were willing to die to secure the ideals the rest of us enjoy.
Now, you'd think after all these years, the people of this nation would be willing to take a stand for those who serve to preserve our freedoms, but we settle for what we think to be true, when we should know the difference.
If we truly stand for them, then we need to stop falling for everything we hear, just because other people said it was true.
Over and over again, people defend the "22" stunts for "raising awareness" that veterans are killing themselves. Over and over again, it has been proven that there is no benefit for the veterans needing help, but plenty of benefits for the perpetrators of the conspiracy to cover up their intent.
Having a "fun time" because they think a number of veterans are committing suicide, is repulsive. Some groups just use veterans, while others were just following their footsteps without the intent to deceive. What all of them have in common is they failed to understand they were doing more harm than good.
Just as the Pilgrims wanted religious freedom for themselves, we thought that meant everyone else could have it too, but that was not their intent. Doing something to prevent veterans from committing suicide, is only what some want you to believe. The truth however is you only fell for it because you would not take a stand for the sake of the veterans not being able to find hope!
Start taking a stand for what you want to give...thanks!
Wow this headline sounds important!
The Veterans Administration estimates 22 veterans commit suicide each day. In Oklahoma, it’s estimated that one person dies by suicide every 11 hours.
Too bad it wasn't!
Had to recheck the date because I figured they would not possibly be this incompetent on such an important subject! It came out 9 hours ago!!!!!!!!!!
And now we all know why the "22" a day "awareness" stunt pullers keep getting away with it!
Drug used for PTSD may worsen nightmares, not reduce suicidal thoughts
Medical Press
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
November 19, 2018
McCall reconfirmed in 2013 in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine the link between insomnia and nightmares and how losing hope of ever getting another good night's sleep itself is a risk factor for suicide.
Nightmares and insomnia often accompany posttraumatic stress disorder and increase suicide risk.
Dr. W. Vaughn McCall, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia. Credit: Phil Jones, Senior Photographer, Augusta University
A small study looking at whether the drug prazosin, best known for treating high blood pressure but also used to treat PTSD-related sleep problems, can reduce suicidal thoughts has yielded surprising results.
They indicate it may actually worsen nightmares and insomnia and doesn't reduce suicidal thinking, investigators report in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
"I think we have to view this as not the final word on this, but it raises questions," says Dr. W. Vaughn McCall, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.
McCall is currently seeking input from PTSD experts across the country but says a likely consensus could be that prazosin may help some, but may not be a good choice when suicide is an active concern.
Two larger studies in active and retired military personnel yielded mixed results as well, the first in active duty military showed it helped with nightmares and sleep quality and a follow-up study just published this year on military veterans with chronic PTSD indicated it was no better than placebo.
McCall's pilot study is the first in which all participants had suicidal thoughts or actions.
"It did not seem to do much for suicidal ideation and that was somewhat disappointing, but the thing what was mind-blowing was that is actually worsened nightmares," says McCall. "Maybe it's not for everybody." He notes that with PTSD, a patient's nightmares often focus on the trauma that produced their disorder.
read more here
Are you supporting veterans or villains?
Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 21, 2018
This is the month when most Americans think about our veterans because of Veterans Day. The thing is, everyday is Veterans Day because they never stop being a veteran.
"...people donate more than $2.5 billion annually to the over 40,000 American charities with military-related missions."
If we fail to pay attention to what veterans need, they will still be used by groups and veterans will wonder if anyone really cares.
There is a lot of confusion about most charities. I got into one of those discussions yesterday. While all veterans served this country since the beginning, not all charities serve all veterans equally.
Charity Navigator has a list of charities focusing on veterans
The Federal Trade Commission, along with 70 other agencies, just announced 100 law enforcement actions across all 50 states against fraudulent charities stealing from individuals looking to give to nonprofits that support veterans and military members. During certain times of the year, we make time to honor the sacrifices many brave individuals have made and continue to make in order to keep us all safe. Americans love, respect, and honor our troops all year round -- in fact, people donate more than $2.5 billion annually to the over 40,000 American charities with military-related missions.We've curated this list of highly-rated trustworthy organizations providing a variety of services from lifting troops' morale to offering financial assistance for food, rent, utilities, and medical expenses. All of these organizations demonstrate financial responsibility and a commitment to accountability and transparency best practices.
As with all things, you need to find the charity itself to see who they are supposed to be working to help.
Wounded Warrior Project, for example, has this as their mission statement.
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Our purpose is: to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women; to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other; and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.
But they do not do anything for the other generations, just the OEF and OIF generation.
WWP began as a small, grassroots effort to provide immediate assistance when a warrior of this generation was injured. We felt we could do the most good by providing more comprehensive programs and services to the newly injured, rather than spread ourselves too thin by trying to help all veterans. We also knew there were many terrific veterans' organizations for warriors from previous conflicts, but very few focused on serving our newest generation.
Also with them, you do not know where the funds are going since they give millions in grants to colleges.
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) announced it has awarded $2.3 million in grants to organizations also serving this generation of injured service members and their families. Since its inception in 2012, the WWP Grant Program has awarded grants to over 85 different organizations, totaling more than $9.1 million.
Another key factor in all of this is none of the "suicide awareness" groups are on the lists. If you try to find out how many groups are doing the "awareness" stunts, you end up finding the results of groups doing prevention instead.
Having fun, doing stunts and having parties because veterans are killing themselves, is repulsive. It abuses the veterans they claim they care about.
The most famous group is 22 Kill. This is their story....
In 2012, the Veterans’ Administration (VA) released a Suicide Data Report that found an average of 22 veterans die by suicide everyday. The 22KILL initiative started in 2013, at first just as a social media movement to raise awareness, and later became an official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. 22KILL is committed to researching and understanding the common issues connected with suicide; including Post Traumatic Stress and depression, the various circumstances that they stem from, their effects on the individual, and the impact that suicide has on family, friends, and the community as a whole.
And yet, they seemed to have failed at researching the report that got them started. It stated clearly the "number" was not be taken as a whole because it was limited data from just 21 states.
For the rest of the results of the stunts, we find that right here.
Less veterans alive, more suicides, higher percentage of known suicides. Yet most of the groups do not even mention how many were not counted...or even have a clue about them.
They are not on the top 75 PTSD sites from Feedspot. This site is number 10!
So, if you want to keep having fun because veterans are killing themselves, think of what the result will be. The only stunts veterans have been doing lately are committing suicide in public so that you will be aware they were failed by all the 40,000 groups collect $2.5 billion a year!
California wildfires: Town hosting displaced victims for Thanksgiving feast
NBC News
By Dareh Gregorian and Rima Abdelkader
November 19, 2018
The town of Lincoln, California, is banding together to help the wildfire victims try to have a happy Thanksgiving.
Krystin Harvey, left, comforts her daughter Araya Cipollini at the remains of their home burned in the Camp Fire, Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, in Paradise, Calif.John Locher / AP
Residents of the Sacramento suburb — population 47,000 — are putting aside their own Thanksgiving Day plans to serve meals to those who’ve been displaced by the widespread destruction.
"It’s going to be a good night out to get their minds off what's happened," one of the organizers, Jeannette Bermudez, told NBC News on Monday.
The event was "thrown together pretty fast because all of this happened so fast," said another organizer, Jack Montgomery, 38.
The local fire department held a turkey drive that resulted in over 100 turkeys being donated. The city of Lincoln offered up its event space, McBean Pavilion, for free. A local casino offered up buses for transportation to and from hotels.
Companies were donating games and arts and crafts to keep kids busy. Townspeople and local restaurants and stores were cooking up food for the event.
My Dog's Spot, a local dog grooming shop, offered to house victims' pets during the dinner — and to give them a bath and some grooming if needed, Bermudez said.
"They'll be loved on and spoiled while their owners enjoy dinner," she said.
read more here
