That Feeling of 'Aliveness' Combat Veterans Miss Most:

Ilona Meagher, of PTSD Combat: Winning the War Within, shares with us, from her Blogspot, the writings of another blogger, a Combat Veteran, Scott Lee, a Gulf War I Veteran , who writes about his experiences with PTS and returning to civilian life after the military and combat experiences and more.

Can it Be Recaptured in Ho-Hum Civilian Life?

A powerful post by Scott Lee, a Gulf War veteran who blogs over at PTSD, A Soldier's Perspective, arrived on Friday. We Cannot Make it Through the Confines of Our Minds Without the Help of Others is so full and rich and speaks entirely to my current research that I hope he doesn't mind my reprinting it here to share with you:

I am a Gulf War I vet, I felt the same as you when I returned home from combat. For me it was the total sense of feeling alive and being a part of my squad that I missed, although I did not figure this out until after 15 years of insanity.

Ilona commented at his blog on the post, just above, by Scott, the one in the blockquotes, and it seems they are both sharing their thoughts on each others blogs for all. Ilona's is above and Scott has this Some Insights From Ilona Meagher on Presence of Mind posted at his.

The more I write here, the more blessings God gives me. Lately I have been talking with people on the national scene, some of the leading PTSD advocates. A high profile PTSD lawyer, some of the leading proponents in the veterans court movement, and authors. Such as the veteran blogger of PTSD: Winning the War Within, Ilona Meagher, who had commented on one of my latest articles. Additionally, Ilona has authored Moving A Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and America's Returning Troops. I do not think that she will mind me dropping her name (I hope).

You will find both writings informative and open.

As Ilona points out you really should read what other thoughts Scott has put out for all to read and learn from, especially for those who've never experienced the Military and especially engaging in what you train for actual Conflicts and Occupations. But it, as any writings and research about PTS, will also inform and bring to light the suffering many go through after their own traumatic experiences in their lives, PTS is not only related to Combat, War and Occupations, for the soldiers or the civilians of!

Here's a few links to Scott's recent writings:

Structural Dissociation of the Personality

Not One, But Two Stars Died to Make You

Dissociation, Fructose, Insomnia & Escape

Visit and read more of Scott's writings and thoughts at PTSD, A Soldiers Perspective

"We Will Not Go Down"

Zionists beware... the roar of Humanity.

The video is a mosaic of Palestinian animations found on YouTube. The music is composed and performed by Michael Heart

"We Will Not Go Down" by Michael Heart


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The Bullets in My In-Box

GAZA — Faisal Husseini, a Palestinian leader who died at the start of this decade, used to tell a story about his first visit to Israel. The 1967 war had just ended, borders were suddenly opened and he took a drive to Tel Aviv, where at some point he found himself detained by an Israeli policeman. Questions and answers ensued. At one point the policeman said to him, “As a proud Zionist, I must tell you ....” At which Mr. Husseini burst out laughing.

Afghan views on new US president

Some Afghans Speak: Short Slideshow

Just a few of the comments

A Ghoayoar, 26, fruit seller

"Afghan people want three things immediately: no more civilian casualties, improvement in the lives of common people and help to develop the police and army. But this is our country and we must rebuild it ourselves. Our government must sack corrupt people and help low-level people with salaries."

Mohammad Gul, labourer

"I work in a far-away village in northern Afghanistan. We want Obama to help Afghans with clinics, roads and other things. More troops, more war creates more war. But I have a lot of hope for Obama. Each time he talks on television, he seems like a honest person. Bush came across as bad guy in the movies."

Shamsudin, orange seller

"I want Barack Obama to stop the killings of the Palestinian people. Where is democracy and human rights? They must also stop killing our civilians. Democracy doesn't come with bombs and bullets. I don't expect any foreigner to rebuild my country for me - they can only help with things from time to time."

And in Iraq

Martin Chulov in Baghdad

Many Iraqis seemed nonplussed at the swearing-in of Obama, with some not knowing the inauguration was taking place and others consumed by the fall-out from the outgoing presidency.

Obama's messages of change and remaking America have yet to resonate in the country that will help shape the legacy of his first years in office. Some Baghdadis, however, were impressed by his inauguration speech.

"If he can do as well as he talks, then all our problems are over," said Abu Ali, the owner of a sparkling new restaurant, Shisha Cafe, in the city's Karada district. "I believe he is a good man, but many people in Iraq believe all American presidents are the same and that we are a playground for their interests," he added. "That's it."

Another cafe-goer, Haitham Sarkis, said that his family had long ago stopped listening to Bush and become dispirited by his last three years in office.

Iraqis expressed mixed feelings about the new president, with some saying Mr Obama represents a significant new page in US history and others questioning how much American policy will change in Iraq.

Muna Abdul-Razzaq, a 37-year-old primary school teacher in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, said Iraqis have bad memories of Bush "who destroyed Iraq", adding: "We hope that Obama will be more responsible".

In the northern city of Sulaimaniyah, dozens of Kurds and Arabs cheered Mr Obama's inauguration as they watched it on television. The crowd gave Mr Bush a thumbs-down when he appeared on the screen, then cheered for Mr Obama.

War and Natural Gas

The Israeli Invasion and Gaza's Offshore Gas Fields

The military invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli Forces bears a direct relation to the control and ownership of strategic offshore gas reserves.

This is a war of conquest. Discovered in 2000, there are extensive gas reserves off the Gaza coastline.

British Gas (BG Group) and its partner, the Athens based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC) owned by Lebanon's Sabbagh and Koury families, were granted oil and gas exploration rights in a 25 year agreement signed in November 1999 with the Palestinian Authority.

The rights to the offshore gas field are respectively British Gas (60 percent); Consolidated Contractors (CCC) (30 percent); and the Investment Fund of the Palestinian Authority (10 percent). (Haaretz, October 21, 2007).

Who Owns the Gas Fields

The issue of sovereignty over Gaza's gas fields is crucial. From a legal standpoint, the gas reserves belong to Palestine.

The death of Yasser Arafat, the election of the Hamas government and the ruin of the Palestinian Authority have enabled Israel to establish de facto control over Gaza's offshore gas reserves.

Finally A Heartwarming 'Wasilla Alaska' Story

Wasilla, nobody knew about that little Alaskan town unless from Alaska. Wasilla's favorite daughter, what is it now 5 or 6 weeks ago few ever heard the name Sarah Palin and apparently those that did didn't know much about her either, even Alaskans are quickly finding out that apparently they didn't really get rid of the corruption and incompetence in the Alaskan Governors office when electing Sarah who ran on cleaning it up and honest government.


Now Wasilla and Sarah Palin are well known in the lower 49, and yes Hawaii is below Alaska despite where some maps of the U.S. put it.


But this isn't about the hockey mom nor really about Wasilla except for one of the residents of.


It is about a Soldier's source of hope, and that soldier, John Shaubach, who is an Alaskan veteran struggling with PTSD, and was reunited with his long-lost dog.


I don't know anything about this except what I read in this article I just caught, link above.

On Friday, Sarha Shaubach made the hour-long drive from her Wasilla, Alaska, home to the Anchorage airport by herself.

The winding road between the mountains carries too strong a reminder of convoys through Afghanistan for her husband, John Shaubach, a veteran suffering from a severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder.

But Sarha brought her husband's hunting jacket with her.

When she reached the kennel crate, Sarha put the jacket against the door. The bone-thin black Lab inside sniffed the jacket and jumped.

Zeus knew he was almost home.

I want you to clink the link and read about how and where Zeus was found but a few snippets won't hurt.

On the way home to Wasilla, Sarha bought Zeus five cheeseburgers and a large order of fries.

He devoured them in seconds. Then he started to crawl on Sarha as she drove. He slurped at her face and then licked a pearl earring right out of her ear.

It goes on to describe, briefly, John's meeting with Zeus when Sarha finally arrived at their home.

Sarha has been worried John's condition will worsen as Alaska's long, dark winter settles in, when her husband won't be able to go duck hunting or take long walks in the woods.

She still is.

But Sarha hopes reconnecting with his old friend will give her husband a renewed sense of purpose. And hope.

They have this at the bottom of the article:


AT A GLANCE

John Shaubach served 22 years in the Army with the 82nd Airborne Division. He led men in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan, earning a purple heart and a bronze star.

Now retired and living in Alaska, Shaubach is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and the effects of a traumatic brain injury. He has repeatedly had difficulty receiving the care he requires from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The York Daily Record/Sunday News wrote about Shaubach in June, after his sister, Melissa Gieniec, a dental assistant in Springettsbury Township, went to visit him.

According to the VA, Shaubach is one of more than 75,000 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan to receive treatment for PTSD at either a VA medical facility or a Vet Center.

You can read the previous story about him at in our veterans and military affairs special section.

Wasilla, just like any American Town, politicians and all, but with Real People and Real People stories, some heartwarming some heartbreaking, but American Stories all, and this one from Alaska which many of us down here know little about, till recently!