Good news for at least some of the troops who will be spending Super Bowl Sunday in Iraq. The powers that be have announced that a few will be able to enjoy the big game and a cold one, or two, at the same time. Troops in Iraq are prohibited from consuming alcohol under General Order No. 1, but this year they’re making an exception for the Super Bowl, according to this story in the Stars&Stripes.
Being away from home is tough on GIs, and anything that brings home a little closer is a good thing.
MTV will explore issues surrounding post traumatic stress syndrome among returning Iraq and Afghanistan warriors tomorrow (Saturday) on “True Life: I have PTSD.”
It’s estimated that one in five Afghan and Iraq veterans report PTSD symptoms, which include depression, problems sleeping, the inability to trust, nightmares and fits of rage.
Saturday’s show, scheduled for 6 p.m., focuses on three young veterans struggling to get their lives back on track.
More than 100 volunteers from Larchmont and neighborhing communities will be at St. Augustine’s Church Sunday, accepting personal items and packing them up into care packages to ship to Iraq and Afghanistan in the annual “Support Our Troops’’ drive.
The effort began in 2006, when Jennie McFarland of New Rochelle and a few friends collected and shipped 120 boxes of magazines, snacks and toiletries while her husband was serving in the Marine Corps in Iraq. The drive has grown immensely and last year more than 700 care packages were shipped to the troops.
“We’re hoping for another great effort, especially since so many of our troops are on a third and fourth tour,’’ McFarland said of Sunday’s drive. “It’s important for our troops to know that we continue to support them, and for our military families at home to see the effort and know that they too are supported…”
The drive is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church, located at 40 Cherry Ave. Volunteers are asking for donations of reading material, snacks, toiletries and other small items. Check out their website here for a complete list.
Donations to cover shipping costs are also needed. Checks payable to St. Augustine’s Church should be mailed to Support Our Troops, 40 Cherry Ave., New Rochelle, NY, 10801.
"At Ease!" is a place for Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard veterans to share their experiences and voice their opinions. It doesn't matter if you served during war or peacetime, overseas or stateside, active duty or reserves, as a draftee or volunteer - if you served in uniform, this is the place for you.
We'll let you know about interesting military and veterans stories we find, issues that might affect you, and local veterans events you might want to attend.
If you're a member of a veterans organization in the Lower Hudson Valley, let us know about your events, charity efforts and other news. We may also ask for your help in finding sources to interview for veterans stories in The Journal News and LoHud.com.
Rich Liebson is a "military brat" who grew up on bases in the U.S. and Germany during his father's 23-year career as an Air Force enlisted man. Rich enlisted in the Army in 1976 and until his discharge in 1980 was assigned to the 78th Engineer Battalion in Ettlingen, Germany, as a public information specialist and translator. He's been a reporter at The Journal News and its forerunner, the Reporter Dispatch, for more than 20 years. During that time he's covered a variety of beats and has written frequently about veterans and veterans issues.
Hema Easley was born and raised in India, where she worked as a reporter for The Associated Press and United Press International. While in India she wrote about the insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir and covered the 1999 India-Pakistan conflict in the mountains of Kashmir. She joined The Journal News in 2002. She has covered municipal government in Westchester and now covers on social services in Rockland as well as military issues.
LoHud's "Return to Vietnam" blog chronicles the journey of Col. Andonios Neroulias (Ret.) and his daughter, reporter Nicole Neroulias, to the country he fought in 40 years ago.
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