Army Sailor -- War in the Sandbox...
The Adventures of a Sailor in Afghanistan...

Found this song by an independent artist named Tay Zonday that really touched me. I like it a lot and wanted to share it with all of you. No worries, more updates coming soon...

Tay also did a powerful song called "Chocolate Rain" that I highly recommend...

An important Parable narrated by Orson Welles...

I have recently read posts on several sites that indicate that some people (especially military & ex-military) people feel Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder may be a sham. I think it is appalling to read these posts, because they may prevent someone who needs help from seeking treatment.

The fact is that PTSD is a real problem, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. Certainly, there are those who would try to abuse the system, by claiming to be traumatized when they aren't, but I believe those people are likely the exception to the rule. I recently read a study that showed that a person is twice as likely to commit suicide if they have served in the military. This is an astounding revelation that can not be ignored.

The fact is that if you have been put in a position to witness the worst parts of war, if you have seen killing, corpses, bloodshed and destruction up close, and it has no effect on you at all, then there is probably something really wrong with you (in my opinion). Certainly, different people will react to different stimuli in different ways, but most everyone will have some sort of a reaction. The simple fact of the matter is that war changes people, some of those changes are positive, some are negative, many are permanent.

Please, if you or a loved one think you may be suffering from PTSD or depression, please seek treatment. Don't try to be a tough-guy just because you feel that is what is expected of you, these are serious issues. If you think one of your shipmates, or comrades may be having difficulty dealing with stress, talk to them, and encourage them to seek assistance. Too many of our warriors are becoming statistics and falling to a silent, easily defeated enemy... Depression.

Don't wait till it's too late.