Nov
28

Appreciating Military ‘home makers’ at Thanksgiving

Military spouses are the proponents, supporters, defenders and enablers, in the most positive and patriotic sense,who can help their life partners to do what they are called to do. To do the right thing as it is understood by their service member. Male or female, a spouse helps to keep all the plates spinning in the air with their abilities and their willing contribution.

Joe Byerly, at home, photo  provided.

Joe Byerly, at home, photo provided.

 

Guest writer, Joe Byerly, of Enlightened Soldier, pays tribute to HIS military spouse and places her role in a most interesting, historical context.

So now, to honor spouses, many of whom will be working, heatedly over meals of Thanksgiving themselves, this post and in his own words…..

[Read more…]

Nov
25

Making a tax planning list, checking it twice

“Money Mondays” is officially a new MilSuccessNet feature, but  money is on all our minds a lot, isn’t it? Especially at this time of year.

Now’s a good time to give it attention so that you can take advantage NOW of programs and deductions to benefit you from your past year. Plus, you can plan better for your upcoming year.

MoneyIt may look like we are starting heavy, but year-end is going to slam us hard, real soon.. so..  enjoy your Thanksgiving gatherings and then make time over the holidays to collect yourself , and your papers and get on it! Times’s a tickin;.

In future Money Mondays, we’ll feature  tips from independents and authors and financial folks to give you ideas and information. Some bits will be technical and other bytes may be spooned out – firm but friendly, like friends over coffee.

We’re in this, together and the holiday season is a good time to start. We’re spending time and funds that brings us and our families both joy and stress. So now…our first financial writer,  Rick Rodgers, in his own words… [Read more…]

Nov
22

Thanksgiving feeds one family’s stress

A call out from Ft. Leonard Wood for some support on the upcoming holidays via the Guidon, and a response from advice columnists, Shaun and Pamela Collins

box with question marksSeason’s holidays are upon us and the stress levels are simply up. For their take on some of what is complex when families, and our expectations come together, here is what He Said and She Said when this question was sent in:

We recently invited my wife’s Family to come to our house this year for Thanksgiving. It is something we have done before and we often rotate it between going to her Family in Iowa, inviting Family to our home, or going to my Family in Illinois. It’s sort of a tradition.

This year, however, we were thrown a curve ball. [Read more…]

Nov
18

On doing too much and being enough

As a mother, I am licensed to worry.

As a contributing editor on MilSuccessNet, I now also worry about all the military men and women I’ve gotten to know in person, by phone or via social media conversations. And I worry about the many service members at large because now I understand more about the depth of your military experiences. As I record or report individual stories, I also know your challenges when you transition into civilian roles at home and in your communities. That’s why I worry.

I feel you are vulnerable to:

1. Being overworked due to your ‘get ‘er done’ work ethic in a marketplace where supervisors and colleagues may be all too happy to let you deliver on tasks to the standards and expectations you applied to your military duties.

2. Demanding so much of  yourself that, you never feel ‘enough’ in aspects of your life and work…   or at least, take a long time to re-jig your measurement of  where you are great and good enough. 

It’s a topic of conversation at team MilSuccessNet. It can all be overwhelming if we submit to the machine, without checking in with ourselves, regularly. So, dear readers, we’re kicking off upcoming articles with this conversation.

Welcome Bob Beverley, a friend Nate, Marius and I all met at the same time and whose words both inspire and comfort when his Ezine, The Dig appears in our inbox, weekly.

Bob Beverley

Bob Beverley

Monday then is a great day to pause and read Bob Beverley’s reflection from The Dig. A psychotherapist of more than 25 years experience in New York State, he shares installment #9 from his series POWER and an idea on how we can show up for the rest of the week, or for the rest of our lives. Read more about Bob in Words on Wednesdays, and for now…..in his own words…

POWER (9)  “You can only do so much.”

[Read more…]

Nov
11

American Legion calls for service to Veterans

D.M. Dellinger, National Commander, American Legion

Daniel M. Dellinger, National Commander, American Legion

On this Veterans Day, 2013, MilitarySuccessNetwork.com shares with direct permisson, this message from………..Daniel M. Dellinger, who is national commander of the 2.4 million-member American Legion…..in his own words…..

  

Let’s Serve Veterans as Well as They Have Served Us
 
By Daniel M. Dellinger
 
During the recent government shutdown many numbers were thrown around. But there is one number that stands out and it has nothing to do with the debate over the federal budget. [Read more…]
Oct
23

What’s sunk and what’s successful in your Military to Civilian transition process?

Sunk Costs: MilSuccessNet guest writer, Cindy Dachuk weighs in on what it means to readers in the midst of Military to Civilian transition. And, we revisit the sunk costs post of  US Army Light Infantry veteran, Jesse Hughes as he experienced it during his MBA process.

Sunk Costs in a team scenario was the topic of one of our Go To ‘business guys’ on the MilSuccessNet guest writer roster, Jesse Hughes.

Jesse Hughes (photo supplied)

Jesse Hughes (photo supplied)

The reality of sunk costs that Jesse introduced, goes a step deeper with Cindy’s post. It speaks to the every day  decision-making process. It may also touch on the analysis our readers experience as they shift from military to civilian work places and community situations.

During his MBA, Jesse bridged interests in his civilian academic study group using both military and business savvy. In his current work life now, he bridges his company’s interests through strategic matching of its specialists with clients’ needs for solutions in the marketplace.

We are wise to do what he does, pause and ask if we can afford to sink into one path without review, or being open to revision and refinement?  

Cindy D_2ThumbCindy Dachuk answers this question in today’s Wow- Words on Wednesdays. She is a Leadership Breakthrough Expert and founder of the Titan Training Group.

 A friend of MilitarySuccessNetwork, we  met her at the same time Team MilSuccessNet’s members first met each other- all at a communications boot camp led by Kevin Hogan

We were all there to learn, to adapt and to advance.. and we do so now again, with the reprint of Cindy Dachuk’s blog on sunk costs, from her post this week and in her own words… [Read more…]

Oct
16

End of deployment brings anxiety for spouse

Transitions are explored in WoW – Words on Wednesdays by folks connected to the military, writing about the transformative experience from a personal perspective or the experience of books of fiction and of biography.

Today, some direct advice from Pam and Shaun Collins. It’s reprinted from their mid summer column at their first writing base at Ft. Leonard Wood’s Guidon.

Now, directly from the He Said, She Said column and in their own words…….. [Read more…]

Jun
07

Food n’ frustration at office pot luck foibles

 

Let 'em eat cake, photo courtesy of Teresa's Custom Cakes (Ft. Hood)

Let ’em eat cake, photo courtesy of Teresa’s Custom Cakes (Ft. Hood)

Hey, did someone at your last holiday BBQ , or office gathering grab a little too much? I’m not talking too much booze, or an extra chicken leg on their paper plate. Nope, we’re talking out and out packaging up extra provisions. Portions destined for off property consumption-without  permission or polite inquiry of others’ opinion on their pilfering it. Sometimes, they even march off with the conveyancing pot or pan!

Our guest writers share their HE SAID, SHE SAID column advising one harried staffer with a question on how to deal with this class of glutton. I think you’ll find a heapin’ helpin’ of  some good life calming takeaways, too!
[Read more…]

Jun
05

Trials of transition rooted in trust, responsibility and duty

 “SGM (Ret) Jason Beighley offers a relevant and poignant interpretation of the “book”, Message to Garcia in today’s Words on Wednesdays. It is a relatively short text,  written by its author in a single sitting, almost as a letter in response to emotion. 

A few links are provided for WoW readers to access the whole text. Our guest writer, Jason Beighley served 25 years in the US Army’s Mechanized Infantry, 2/75 Rangers, and Special Operations. His post introduces us to a classic read which is both a favorite known to many military service members and one referenced by leaders: Message to Garcia.

SGM (Ret.) Jason Beighley

SGM (Ret.) Jason Beighley

 

A classic tale of a mission from another time, in the jungles of Cuba, Beighley uses it as a vehicle to traverse the challenges of transition. In it he conveys the great treasure of service that he feels makes moving from the military, to essentially any other life role, such a challenge.

Beighley shared in a recent interview that he has explored and experienced several workplace environments since he separated in April 2009 as part of his transition journey. He now works for The Praevius Group, a technology integration company in Texas, where amongst other projects calling on his expertise, he is involved in teaching  the Master Army Profession and Ethic Trainer course. Beighley is the 2011 recipient of the NDIA Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock Award.

He expressed gratitude in being able to continue to grow and define himself in his new civilian life status with the support of his wife of 25 years and their three children. Together, they reside on a small farm in North Carolina with a Dr. Doolittle–‐like collection of animals. 

Now on to the little volume’s story and one man’s investment in the USA’s military… in his own words… [Read more…]

May
22

Doolittle Raiders post sparks memories in advance of Memorial Day on MilSuccessNet

In advance of Memorial Day 2013, the WoW – Words on Wednesdays post touches on only one of the many layers of service and sacrifice that will be remembered by its spotlight of The Doolittle Raiders.

Doolittle Raiders, 1st crew set for take off

Doolittle Raiders, 1st crew set for take off

A major “Navy and Army show”, much has been written about this group of 80 courageous men. They took on the death defying mission to fly 16 B-25s in 5-man crews to retaliate against Japan for Pearl Harbor from the only possible launch, a US Navy carrier. Their actions sent a strong message to the world and helped restore America’s fighting spirit. The basic details of their story are so well written by author and journalist Bob Greene, that we are reposting his CNN article of April 14, 2013 below.

The Raiders’ stories have been presented in books as wells as movies, the first of which had great impact on America in Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. It is immediately accessible in its entirely on YouTube starting with this 1st 10 min segment. 

We are grateful to Isaac Cubillos, for his original photo of 3 of the 4 surviving Raiders to accompany this tribute. Cubillos traveled to what is understood to be the last public reunion of the Doolittle Raiders in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. One Raider was not well enough to travel and a 5th died at the age of  96, in only February of this year.

Cubillos, journalist, military reporter, editor and significant friend of Military Success Network.com has informational pages of both his written and photographic work on Facebook, other social media and on his website. 

The MilSuccessNet editorial team also acknowledges past guest contributors, some of whom  are veterans of active duty, and others the children of veterans who brought the impact of war into their home. 

Now, onto CNN contributor Bob Greene, and more than 500 comments by his readers following his article link.………in his own words [Read more…]