My husband and I participated in our second 5K this spring. The first one we did was last fall for the Dempsey Center who raises awareness and funds for those who have cancer, a deadly disease most of us have come in contact with at some point in our lives. I chose to do the Dempsey … More My First Teal Ribbon 5K for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Soldier Ride Tampa (Florida) was incredible. I had a lot of anxiety about signing up for this program but thanks to some coaxing from some female veteran friends I got up the courage to give it a try. Initially I had planned to go to Soldier Ride with a female veteran friend from every branch of service … More Soldier Ride Tampa Inspired Me to Start Cycling for Physical & Mental Health
I’ve done a lot of firsts this past couple years and I added one more to the list this past week. I went sailing for the first time ever and even took the helm of the sailboat for quite a ways. What went from being completely uninterested in pursuing this particular hobby in the future … More Sailboating in Tampa Bay with the St. Petersburg Sailing Center in Florida
The first time I ever heard the term military sexual trauma was when I was living with my future husband in Olympia, Washington in 2006. He was active duty Air Force stationed at McChord Air Force Base. I was a traditional National Guardsman. I had just transferred from a combat communications squadron in 2005 to a … More Paying It Forward Thanks to Army Specialist Suzanne Swift
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress occurring as a result of injury or severe psychological shock, typically involving disturbance of sleep and constant vivid recall of the experience, with dulled responses to others and to the outside world. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has baffled my mind since first … More Treating Post Traumatic Stress in Early Stages Prevents a Life Long Disabling Condition
“Your house should be a place where we feel most comfortable, but to someone who wants to pose a threat, there’s no better way to get inside your life than to get inside your home. Let the wrong person in and it could be the last mistake you ever make.” ~A Stranger in My Home … More Investigation Reveals Retired Marine Daniel Vandecar Not Involved in Schutzler Homicide
My friend April and I decided to hike the Roost Trail in Evans Notch on December 7th. It was a warm, sunny day to get outdoors and take in the fresh air, beauty, and silence one experiences when hiking. We decided to hike the Evans Notch trail thinking that the winter gate to the White … More The Roost Trail, Evans Notch, White Mountain National Forest, Maine
My husband and I are disabled US Air Force veterans. We signed up for the Wounded Warrior Project a little over a year ago. We both have benefited greatly from the experiences. We have focused mostly on self-improvement but this event was a little different. Wounded Warrior Project organized a couple hikes with the Appalachian Mountain … More Our Hiking Adventure with the Appalachian Mountain Club in New Hampshire
In a recent article published in the Stars and Stripes, the public learned that military commanders were forced to overlook bad behavior to include assault due to wartime demands. According to the article, a recently retired general stated that the “Army desperately needs to clean up misconduct in its ranks.” The response from the Army’s top … More The US Military Recruited Violent Felons to Support the War Efforts
I was a hot mess before I got my service dog. I am so thankful I followed through on getting a service dog because she has changed my life significantly. I had tried everything and found myself sinker deeper and deeper into isolation and didn’t know how to fight it. I am a veteran with … More 15 Ways My K9s for Warriors Service Dog Has Helped Me
Jennifer S. Norris 