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Ninety-Pound Rucksack Recounts Story of World War II’s 10th Mountain Division

Monday, April 17th, 2023

A new podcast, Ninety-Pound Rucksack, is recounting the story of World War II’s 10th Mountain Division and its contributions to outdoor recreation in America.

Hosted by veteran alpinist and climbing historian Christian Beckwith, the podcast offers a deep dive into the origins of the 10th, an unprecedented unit of US Army climbers and skiers who trained for more than two years in the Colorado Rockies to fight the Axis powers in extreme cold and mountainous terrain.

Informed by an advisory board of the 10th’s foremost experts, the podcast details a different chapter in the unit’s history with each episode, providing a sweeping overview of the Division’s influence on both American military and its outdoor recreation industry. Post-war, 10th Mountain Division veterans founded and developed ski areas across America, started companies like NOLS and Nike and launched the fields of avalanche science and wilderness rescue.

Based on the podcast’s first few episodes, Beckwith was invited to keynote the XVIII Airborne Corps’ Leadership Forum at Ft. Drum, New York, in February. He is now serving as an advisor to the 10th Mountain Alpine Club, a nascent organization that is helping the unit reconnect with its historic identity, and will keynote the 10th Mountain Division’s Mountain Fest 2023 in June.

Ninety-Pound Rucksack is available at www.christianbeckwith.com

Posted in Media, Mountaineering, Press Release, Veterans | 2 Comments »

New Military Thriller by Brigadier General Anthony J Tata: Total Empire

Sunday, March 19th, 2023

BELOVED FICTIONAL HERO GARRETT SINCLAIR DIVES INTO THE MAW OF DEATH TO THWART CHINESE GLOBALIST AGENDA AND NUCLEAR WAR

FLORIDA – Powerhouse military thriller author Anthony J. Tata returns with a brand new book, using his vast military experience to create stories that feel all too real. In Total Empire: A Garrett Sinclair Novel (St. Martin’s Press; on sale March 21, 2023; $27.99), Tata sends his hero General Garrett Sinclair on a rogue mission in the Sahara Desert to thwart an international nuclear threat.

When Sergeant Major Sylvester “Sly” Morgan is killed on a mission, his daughter Zoey tells General Sinclair that she discovered her father’s death wasn’t a random killing. Her father accidentally recorded a high-level meeting between Chinese, American, and French diplomats as they spoke with tech moguls about a plan for a new global government.

The Chinese-U.S. Partnership (CUSP) intends to combine the world’s two largest economies and militaries to usher in a new era of partnership and global control. But China’s offer to partner has a deadline and penalties for noncompliance. As a safeguard, China launches five high-tech hypersonic glide vehicles, armed with nuclear weapons, from a strategic point in the Eye of Africa. When Zoey disappears after her father’s funeral and reappears in the Eye of Africa, seemingly in pursuit of her father’s killer, Sinclair and his team scramble to catch up with Zoey’s rapid movements once she activates a distress signal.

Without authorization, Sinclair takes Dagger Team into Dakhla, Morocco, and points beyond in the Mauritanian Desert as he attempts to save Zoey’s life. With too many missions to execute and not enough information, Sinclair and Dagger Team discover that the Chinese plan is nearly complete. Facing insurmountable odds and without support from the American government, Sinclair takes matters into his own hands, leading his team into the Sahara death pit to find Zoey, prevent a nuclear war, and stop the globalist agenda from taking hold.

Posted in Media, Press Release, Veterans | Comments Off on New Military Thriller by Brigadier General Anthony J Tata: Total Empire

Financial Instructions for Survivors of Deceased Veterans

Saturday, March 18th, 2023

We recently had a death in the family and we’ve had to deal with DFAS and the VA so I thought it would be worth posting again.

If you are retired military (or DoD/USG Civilian), please save this and pass it to your family so they know what to do with your retired pay, SBP, VA, DEERS, VGLI and Social Security when you pass.

Retired pay ends when the retiree dies. Survivors must promptly report a retiree’s death to help avoid delays and possible financial hardship to surviving annuitant beneficiaries, family members or executors who will be required to reimburse any retired pay overpayments.

Please follow the steps below to report the death of a military retiree:

Step 1 – Notify the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) Casualty Care Team at 1-800-321-1080. Please have the retiree’s Social Security Number and the date of death when you call.

Upon notification, DFAS will begin to close out the pay account to prevent any overpayments.

Step 2 – Contact your financial institution and inform them of the death of the retiree.

Step 3 – Within 7-10 business days of reporting the death to DFAS, you should receive a condolence letter.

If the member is due arrears of pay you will also receive a Claim for Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Member of the Uniformed Service (SF 1174).

If the decedent was enrolled in the Survivor Benefit Plan or the Retired Serviceman’s Family Protection Plan, you should also receive an Annuity Care Package for completion and return.

Step 4 – Complete the SF 1174 you received with your condolence letter and return with a copy of the retiree’s Death Certificate that reflects cause of death to:

DFAS U.S. Military Retired Pay

Defense Finance and Accounting Service

U.S. Military Retired Pay

8899 E 56th Street

Indianapolis IN 46249-1200

If you need assistance completing your claim form please contact the DFAS call center at 800-321-1080.

Contact List: In addition to notifying DFAS, you should also notify the following agencies/departments as soon as possible:

* Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.

* Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System at 800-538-9552.

* Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at 800-827-1000 for military retirees receiving disability compensation.

* Office of Personnel Management at 888-767-6738 if the member was a current or retired federal civilian employee.

* VA at 800-669-8477 for retirees enrolled in a VA-sponsored life insurance policy, such as National Service Life Insurance.

* Office of Servicemember’s Group Life Insurance at 800-419-1473 for retirees enrolled in Veteran’s Group Life Insurance.

Information provided by CSM Jeff Mellinger (USA, Ret)

Posted in Veterans | 2 Comments »

The Long Wait Is Over: Vietnam Veteran to Receive Medal of Honor

Saturday, March 4th, 2023

WASHINGTON — The White House announced retired Army Col. Paris Davis will receive the Medal of Honor for his acts of bravery as a commander during the Vietnam War.

President Joe Biden will present the award to Davis during a ceremony at the White House Friday.

Davis commanded American Special Forces as well as an inexperienced South Vietnamese company against a large North Vietnamese force June 17-18, 1965. His tactical leadership allowed the company to gain an advantage and surprise the enemy.

Davis was wounded in the initial assault, but he continued to push forward, killing several enemy soldiers.

Following a counterattack from the North Vietnamese and facing intense gun fire, Davis led a small group of Soldiers as they destroyed locations defended by the enemy.

Davis then regrouped with his company and ordered air strikes on the enemy. The North Vietnamese, however, launched another attack with increased numbers. Davis was again wounded but managed to hold off the enemy.

Noticing two of his Soldiers seriously injured, Davis disregarded his own safety and went to save them. He was shot in the leg as he pulled the first one to safety.

Davis went back to get the second Soldier and drew heavy enemy fire. He crawled 150 yards and was hit by grenade fragments, causing multiple wounds. He didn’t let that stop him and was able to get the Soldier to safety.

After rescuing both men, Davis directed the helicopter extraction of the wounded but refused it for himself. He continued to fight the enemy until his entire company made it out safely. He then remained on the battlefield to coordinate the final aerial and artillery attacks, ensuring victory.

Davis saved the lives of multiple Soldiers during the battle and led his company to victory over a much larger enemy force. He was awarded the Silver Star for heroism.

Now, after nearly six decades, Davis will receive the nation’s highest award for military valor.

By Christopher Hurd, Army News Service

Posted in Army, Guest Post, History, Veterans | 2 Comments »

USMC Scout Sniper Association Annual Sweepstakes

Tuesday, February 28th, 2023

FOR FOURTEEN YEARS, USMC Scout Sniper Association has offered the public the opportunity to win some of the finest and most authentic clones of US Marine Corps sniper rifles ever seen. Built and donated by our tremendous supporters in the shooting sports industry, these “0317 Day” raffles raised much-needed funds for our programs that continue to support the families of our fallen Marines, provide assistance to our Scout Snipers in transition and recognize the dedication and achievements of our active-duty Marine Scout Snipers.

From the Vietnam-era Winchester Model 70 that Bret won in 2022 and the authentic Mk13 Mod7 package Rad took home in 2020, to the entire M40-series of Marine Corps sniper rifles going back to the beginning, we’ve offered an example of every sniper rifle used by Marines from the Vietnam-era to the present day.

These raffles have been great fundraisers for our charitable programs, but they have also served as an important history lesson about the weapons and the men who carried them in service to our country.

The sad fact is the parts and components required to build an accurate M40 series clone are becoming more scarce and much more valuable. While it’s still possible to build a good clone, it’s not realistic to expect a donor to part with such valuable, original gun parts. So, we’ve decided to change up our offerings a bit.

We’re going to focus on great modern rifles that anyone would be proud to own

for a variety of uses, from hunting and competition, to hard use on the job.

We can’t think of a better rifle to start with than KMW’s Zealot in .308!

We’ve made our raffles available to the shooting public for 14 years, and that will not change as we transition to a sweepstakes. In fact, most of our 0317 Day raffle rifles have been won by folks outside of our Scout Sniper community. The support we’ve seen from military families, hunters, shooters, collectors and gun enthusiasts everywhere has been absolutely tremendous, so…

Enter here:

support.scoutsniper.org/give/456685/#!/donation/checkout

The USMC Scout Sniper Association (SSA) www.ScoutSniper.Org is the only non-profit membership organization for Marine Scout Snipers in the world. We exist to support the Scout Sniper community through programs that inspire brotherhood, encourage professionalism, and foster resiliency. Our community is comprised of those who have carried the long gun, those who have enabled our successes on the battlefield, and our families.

The USMC Scout Sniper Association is a non-partisan, nonprofit, tax-exempt, charity under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Founded in 1998, we received our IRS tax exemption as a 501(c)19 Veterans’ Organization in 2004, and were re-designated as a 501(c)3 Charity in February, 2022.

Posted in Charity, Contest, Fundraising, Veterans | 1 Comment »

Special Operations Wounded Warriors – Wild Game Dinner & Charity Auction

Tuesday, February 7th, 2023

SOWW is holding their annual Wild Game Dinner and Charity Auction the evening of May 12, 2023 at the Crown Reef Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC.
The guest speaker is SGM Kyle Lamb (USA, Ret) who is a Veteran himself of Army Special Operations and is an avif hunter. He is well known for his firearms training and philanthropy.

Special Operations Wounded Warriors is a 501(c)(3) Charity, was formed in August of 2012 for the distinct purpose of providing outdoor experiences to a select group of both active duty and veteran US Special Operations Forces, who have received wounds in battle, and that have received our Country’s prestigious Purple Heart Medal.

Visit sowwmb23.givesmart.com to purchase tickets.

Posted in Charity, Fundraising, Veterans | Comments Off on Special Operations Wounded Warriors – Wild Game Dinner & Charity Auction

HunterSeven Foundation – Heavy Metal Toxicity

Saturday, February 4th, 2023

HunterSeven Foundation shared this information on Heavy Metal Toxicity.

Heavy metal toxicity isn’t restricted to just Lead. Other metals like Cadmium, Mercury, Chromium, Aluminum, and Uranium are considered toxic at increased doses/exposures as well.

While short term exposures (<24hr.) may cause acute symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, dry throat, cough, and a slight fever, a majority (~75%) of these metals will be excreted. The other 25% circulate in the blood for a month or so before entering soft tissues and in the bone.

Once the heavy metals enter the soft tissue and bones, the ‘acute’ symptoms lessen, as the metals are not ‘active’ in circulation.

On the other hand, those repeat exposures continue the process stated above. Multiple exposures have the same ending.

Heavy metals, like Lead, remain in soft tissue for a few months, whereas it remains in bones for upwards of 25 to 30 years. Cadmium is approximately 38 years.

As those exposures continue, the deposits in the bone continue as well. Slowly increasing more chronic, systemic symptoms, including the ones mentioned on the graphic.

So the question is how can we prevent these chronic issues from occurring?

1. The obvious, do your best to prevent these exposures, meaning using special cleaning wipes, protecting your oral and nasal cavity, shooting outdoors when possible, changing your clothes, not eating / drinking on ranges, etc.

2. If you’ve been exposed for a LONG time, and you are symptomatic, there are specialized providers who can test, assess, and treat chronic heavy metals exposures through ‘chelation’ therapy.

Chelation is tough on the kidneys, so it is ordered and monitored closely by medical staff.

Otherwise, certain foods have been promoted as detoxifying agents, which may be helpful in that acute period (time of exposure -to- 2 months).

Posted in Medical, Veterans | 6 Comments »

Tattoos of the GWOT Vol II

Monday, January 2nd, 2023

Orders have opened for the second volume of “Tattoos of the GWOT”, a continuation of the visual showcase of some of the best tattooists specializing in military ink.

Limited to 700 copies, once they are gone, they are gone. They are had serialized and the final product will mimic the standard GSA green notebook.

store.fortherecordbook.net/products/vol-ii-1

Posted in Morale, Veterans | Comments Off on Tattoos of the GWOT Vol II