I was talking with a friend of mine last Sunday and all the sudden he got serious. He looked at me and said, I am really happy now Travis. I asked him why. He said about four months ago he started taking himself out of PTSD social media groups.
What he noticed when he quit seeing , “Constant Negativity”, was he started looking for ways to be positive in life. Whatever the reason was, it became easier for him start rebuilding his life when he wasn’t dealing with constant loss every time he opened Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to name a few.
Later that day, I really began to think about what he said and asked myself this question, “Are we as a Veteran community too focused on the 22 till none?” Is there correlation between negative coverage and Veteran’s Suicides?
I don’t know what the correct answer is. The question needed to be raised for discussion. There are many individuals and organizations who work on Veterans’ behalf. What is the most effective way to serve to prevent more loss of life? For this Veteran is was tuning out things that caused him pain and discomfort. Part of me is like whatever works, but I feel there is more to be done.
Sponsor Information
Thanks to my sponsor Joyce Asack for supporting Veterans!
Megan Bruce is a Marine Veteran and talented artist, actress, and comedienne. The Movement is her current film project, but much more than a documentary. It is a way to change how Military Sexual Trauma is treated in the Marine Corps. I had talked with Megan Bruce for Episode 88 and 98, and learned a lot from collaborating with her. (Links to podcasts below).
We have talked off and on since then but never met in person. A couple weeks ago we tried to meet up when she came to my area, but things didn’t work out. Then, on a Sunday night, we had the oppurtunity to meet in Boston. I asked her if I could bring my recording gear and Megan said, “Sure, and I would like to talk with you about The Movement.”
I met Megan in a park in downtown Boston. It was a perfect night to be outside and I setup my rig in the part and we started talking.
Even before I hit the record button, it was plain to see that behind the smile, and the exhaustion from being on the road, there is an undercurrent of anger. It seemed that this anger, which has been building up for a while, has now found an outlet in the Military Sexual Trauma Movement. Megan began to talk about her experience with Military Sexual Trauma and why The Movement is going to work.
Military Sexual Trauma Movement as Megan described it is a group of people primarily made up of female Marines. These women have shared their stories with Megan and want to use their experience to make change to how rape is handled in the Marine Corps. Her film project is to capture these stories in a way that makes it impossible for change not to happen.
Listening to what Megan is doing and why in person made an impact on me as she talked about what we can do to end this problem. One can’t ignore the inaction from military leadership once you listen to Megan’s story.
I thanked Megan for her time and told her I am with my fellow Marines all the way. Semper Fidelis
At Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery – Agawam, MA.
I have lived in Massachusetts for a while. Well, a long while at this point. I am still surprised when fellow Veterans tell me they don’t know their Veterans Service Officer. Massachusetts has taken many steps to ensure Veterans have access to services and benefits. One of the ways this is accomplished is via the Veterans Service Officer. The person in charge of VSOs as they are called is the Secretary of Veterans Services. It was an honor to speak with the current Secretary of Veterans Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Francisco Urena.
This was a great oppurtunity to get information that Veterans can use from the person who is in charge of taking care of us. Secretary Urena went through what VSOs and his office do to address Veteran’s needs in Massachusetts.
We also talked about a recent event where the Town of Weymouth worked with their VSO and Department of Veterans Services. The event was Scott Lobaido’s sculpture to raise awareness about PTS and Veteran’s Suicide. This was an example of a lot of people coming together to present this impactful sculpture to across the entire state of Massachusetts.
I wanted to get Secretary Urena’s perspective on Veteran’s Non-Profits. There is always a concern of how effective an organization can be when there are so many who are working in the same space. Secretary Urena said that resources are not the problem in Massachusetts. The issue is connecting Veterans to those organizations and resources that can provide assistance.
Whether it is an organization or individual looking to help Veterans, the Department of Veterans Services exists to ensure all Veterans in Massachusetts have a “hand up” when needed. Every Veteran in Massachusetts has an advocate where they reside to assist. We are not alone.
I want to say thank you to Secretary Urena and his staff for working to make this interview happen. I learned a lot and gained a better appreciation for how Veterans are served in Massachusetts. Semper Fidelis
What is this craft called? Listen to find out!
Thanks to my sponsor Joyce Asack for supporting Veterans!
I got an email from Moni Jefferson (https://www.monijeffersonpr.com/) about Ashley Bugge. Moni does PR work and has a whole part of her business focused on the military. As I read the email, I realized I had heard the name before. Last year her husband, Brian Bugge, died in a scuba diving accident. Moni asked me to reach out and see if Ashley would come on Oscar Mike Radio.
Ashley and I connected, and set a time to record. I asked her about her husband and what his Navy career meant to her. It was clear they were in love and having a family was important to them.
She went to describe the accident, and how in just a little over a year life completely changed. However, I didn’t hear any complaining or regrets when Ashley was talking about what happened. Instead she talked about the idea of “No Bucket Lists”.
No Bucket Lists, means living life to the fullest every day. Ashley and Brian believed the life is a gift to be treasured. They wanted their children to be a part of what they were doing so no one was left out or behind. Living life this way didn’t allow for regrets. I believe that came across clearly when talking with Ashley. Yes, a terrible accident struck the Bugge family, but Ashley believes that finding a way to move forward would be what Brian would want. As terrible as this was, her message of resilience and perseverance can speak to all of us.
Find out More
Go to https://www.ashleybugge.com/ to find out more about the Bugge’s story. Ashley is writing a book about her family’s story. I want to say thanks again to Moni Jefferson for making the connection. I am looking forward to talking with Ashley again.
This podcast is dedicated to the memory and service of Navy Ensign Brian Bugge
Thanks to my sponsor Joyce Asack for supporting Veterans!
Some people have asked me what “Oscar Mike” actually means for me. I wanted to share a bit about what that means at certain times. Here we go.
Braintree Rotary Golf Tournament
It was my pleasure to support the Braintree Rotary by doing a LiveCast at their Annual Golf Tournament. “Service above Self”, was said by everyone I talked with during the livecast. I feel that Veterans could benefit by participating or joining the Rotary. You can find out more about the Braintree Rotary by visiting their website – https://braintreerotaryclub.org/
69th New England Irregulars Summer Kick Off
I talked to Scott Libby in New Hampshire for Episode 97 – https://whoobazoo.com/oscarmike/2018/06/14/episode-97-new-england-69th-irregulars1/ – Getting to see the 69th take off with Cookout was amazing if you had seen all the work Scott has done behind the scenes. This is just the first of many events and it was so good to see the Veterans having a good time.
Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes 10th Anniversary Gala
10 years of being in existence is a major accomplishment for any non-profit. Julie Lovely has been working in equestrian therapy and it was amazing to see the demonstration conducted by one of the Veterans she works with. Happy for Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes.
Thanks to my sponsor Joyce Asack for supporting Veterans!
