We know the drill.  It’s flu season.  Active duty personnel get their shots/mist first… then… if there is time/supplies left, the remaining retirees, then dependents get their shots.  Take control of your own flu shot this year and head to the nearest CVS Pharmacy.

As the peak season for flu approaches, CVS Pharmacy, the nation’s leading [...]]]>

We know the drill.  It’s flu season.  Active duty personnel get their shots/mist first… then… if there is time/supplies left, the remaining retirees, then dependents get their shots.  Take control of your own flu shot this year and head to the nearest CVS Pharmacy.

As the peak season for flu approaches, CVS Pharmacy, the nation’s leading retail pharmacy, and MinuteClinic, the largest retail health care clinic provider in the US, are reinforcing the importance of prevention and reminding people that it’s not too late to get vaccinated.

Both CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic are providing flu shots to service members and their families at no cost to TRICARE military health plan beneficiaries. There are no co-payments or authorizations required.  Pharmacists are vaccinating at all CVS Pharmacy locations and appointments can be made easily at www.cvs.com/flu.  Additionally, MinuteClinic nurse practitioners are vaccinating on demand.  Both will provide members of the military with documentation for their official shot records.

‘Flu season typically peaks in January and February and a flu vaccination is the best protection against contracting the virus,’ says Papatya Tankut, R.Ph, and Vice President of Pharmacy Professional Services at CVS Pharmacy.  ’And, as we head into the holidays where travel and gatherings can spur the spread of viruses like the flu, we urge people to get the flu shot not for yourself, but to protect their loved ones too.’

This year, only one vaccine will be required for protection against three influenza strains, including the H1N1 virus and the seasonal H3N2 virus.  In addition, the CDC is recommending for the first time that anyone ages six months or older get a flu shot, an expansion from previous recommendations that certain risk groups be vaccinated.  MinuteClinic nurse practitioners can vaccinate pationes who are 18 months or older.  The minimum age for vaccinations by a pharmacist varies depending on the state.  Check your local CVS Pharmacy or visit the website’s My Flu Shot Scheduler to determine minimum vaccination age by state.

Tankut adds that in addition to the flu shot, consumers can prevent the spread of germs by:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based cleanser.
• Covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue
• Avoiding contact with people who are sick with the flu; and
• Staying home from school or work if you have the flu

For more information, please visit CVS’s flu site or the MinuteClinic site.

**Delta Whiskey was not paid to give this information to you, simply asked by CVS to spread the non-germy cheer!**

Alright. I’m late for the party.  I should have had this up last week, but I came down with a ’bout of the flu… and then I went to a conference that took me away all weekend.  I’m sorry for not having it up earlier, because donations could have been lost… and this is something [...]]]>

Alright. I’m late for the party.  I should have had this up last week, but I came down with a ’bout of the flu… and then I went to a conference that took me away all weekend.  I’m sorry for not having it up earlier, because donations could have been lost… and this is something that I truly love and support.

What is Valour-IT?  

When my friend Captain Charles (Chuck) Ziegenfuss was wounded by an IED in Iraq of 2005 while he was the commander of a tank company.

While Chuck was deployed, he kept a blog (and still does).   After his injury, his beautiful wife, Carren continued to write on his behalf, updating his faithful readers of his recovery.

Chuck wanted to write himself.  He wanted to connect with his readers, in his own voice… sharing his story, but the injuries he sustained to his hands prohibited his blogging.  Then, the generosity of a reader came through… Chuck was given a laptop from Soldier’s Angels… and this wonderful, kind, reader gave him Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred Software for the laptop.

Chuck wrote from recovery using his new laptop and software.

Thus began one of the most endearing, wonderful charitable projects I’ve ever known.

Each year, a group of bloggers compete for donations to the Valour-IT branch-specific teams.  Of course, I’m an Air Force wife… but in my mind… any donation is a good one.

I hope you find it in your heart to make a donation.  These laptops go a long way in keeping our wounded warriors in contact with their friends and loved ones as they make the long journey to recovery.

Please go here to  make a donation for Team Air Force.

Competition ends Veteran’s Day: November 11, 2010

The Husband received some [...]]]> I feel like after such a long absence, I should be bringing more to the table than a raspberry peanut butter.  The truth is, things have been busy, I’ve lost motivation and… I just don’t have a good excuse other than extreme business and an unbelievable desire to maintain radio silence.

The Husband received some more bad news regarding his situation this past week.  Because of his age, he will not be able to compete for a pilot slot.  We have exhausted every resource, from the top down.  The answer is the same, a resounding NO.

I think we’re both in shock.  A little depressed.  A little more than depressed.

We’re walking zombies, really.  The spunk knocked right out of both of us.

He’s in the process of another application process, we’re hoping he’ll hear something soon… but at this point, does it matter how long we wait for an answer?  Yes.  It does.  We’d like to know if he’ll be picked up for a training phase that will determine if he’s fit for this job.

He’ll be good at this.  Strong enough.  Willful enough.  Passionate enough.  More than passionate.  If you can, please keep us in your prayers.

There’s just a few remaining months left here before the Air Force sends us packing to another place… another experience… hopefully a good one… one that will allow The Husband to fulfill his desires and dreams.

I pass the time running like crazy.  Spending time with friends, family, working, cooking, cleaning, exercising, the list goes on and on.  It seems like just as one demand for my time has been met, I’m met with four more things that need attention.  My favorite escape is in the kitchen, preferably with friends or family milling about filling the room with laughter.  Since the celiac diagnosis, I’ve been trying desperately to learn as much as I can about what’s going on with me, how to makes things the way I used to…

Never one to snack, I find myself leaning more on several small meals a day instead of the main ones.  My favorite snack right now is raspberry peanut butter with gluten-free pretzel sticks and fresh cut celery.  There’s just something magical about the sweet and salty combination that makes me forget the 1,001 things on the To Do list.

Raspberry Peanut Butter
A Delta Whiskey Recipe

1 (12 oz) package frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

2 cups roasted, salted peanuts

In a medium saucepan, bring the raspberries, sugar and water to a boil.  Turn heat to low, simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl, discarding the seeds and reserving the raspberry liquid.

In a food processor, pulse the peanuts until broken down, then run the processor constantly until a thick butter forms.*  Add raspberry juice and pulse to combine.

Refrigerate up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

*If you don’t like “chunky” peanut butter, you can add a little vegetable oil at this point, starting with a tablespoon and increasing until you reach the consistency you desire.

Serve with pretzel sticks and fresh cut celery.

You have one week to vote!  Let’s make a difference here!

I received an email the other day from a wonderful military brat whose dad is retired Navy.  Wanting to give back to the community that raised her, she’s working with the Pepsi Refresh Project trying to raise funds for [...]]]> Click here to view the embedded video.

You have one week to vote!  Let’s make a difference here!

I received an email the other day from a wonderful military brat whose dad is retired Navy.  Wanting to give back to the community that raised her, she’s working with the Pepsi Refresh Project trying to raise funds for Trees for Troops.

From the information she sent:

About the Pepsi Refresh Project:
During the month of September, Trees for Troops is competing for a $250,000 grant in the Pepsi Refresh Project that will help Trees for Troops deliver an additional 5,000 trees to military families this Christmas.

Since 2005, Trees for Troops has reached over 67,000 military families by delivering fresh Christmas trees donated by American farmers to service members and their families living on bases across the U.S.  Last year alone, Trees for Troops provided over 16,000 military families across the U.S. with a real tree.

How to Vote

• Go to Refresh Everything and create an account with your name, email address and birthday.  This will allow you to quickly login each day to vote.

-OR-

• Login to your Facebook account, search for the PepsiRefreshEverythingApp.  Allow it to access to your profile and then you will be able to vote daily through Facebook.

-AND/OR-

• Vote from your mobile phone.  Text 102662 to Pepsi (73774)*
  *Standard Rates Apply

It takes less than 1 minute to vote

Yesterday afternoon as I was buried waist deep in work, I had this uncontrollable urge to make The Husband laugh.  I contemplated sending a dirty text (don’t judge… we’ve been married long [...]]]> It’s amazing.  Really.  The hands of God can wrap around an entire car and keep harm away from a loved one.  Truly.  Utterly amazing.

Yesterday afternoon as I was buried waist deep in work, I had this uncontrollable urge to make The Husband laugh.  I contemplated sending a dirty text (don’t judge… we’ve been married long enough to know that flirting is where it’s at).  Thinking he was probably sitting in a classroom with a bunch of rowdy Air Force guys, I opted for funny and only slightly suggestive… “You’re HOT!” my text said.  I chuckled and threw the crackleberry back on my desk and began working again.

A few seconds later my phone started vibrating and singing the annoying song that plays when The Husband calls.  I laughed thinking, “ugh. He’s going to give me crap because I called him HOT! Hello?” I answered on a laugh.

The next word out of his mouth sent chills down my spine.  ”Whiskey.” Wait. What? He never, ever calls me by my first name.  ”What’s wrong?” I shouted through the phone.  ”I’m FINE.  Listen to me… I AM FINE but I’ve been in a terrible car accident and I need proof of insurance before I get a ticket”  he tells me.  ”Where are you!?!” I shout through the phone.  ”I’m not telling you until you get me proof of insurance” he argues back.

People do dumb things when they hear awful news.  As The Husband was speaking, the words were coming to me as if in slow motion… I hit SHUT DOWN on my computer and bolted through the office.  Crap.  At this point, I needed a computer.  ”GEICO.COM!” I shouted a coworker.  I clicked Contact Us and had a DUH! moment.  1-800-MILITARY.  I knew this.

I pressed 3 for customer service and immediately my call was answered.  A gentleman named Bob answered.  ”Bob!  My husband was just in a car accident and needs proof of insurance before he gets a ticket!” I was calm, just speaking so fast that I saw the exclamation points forming over my head as I spoke in one long word instead of sentences.  I gave him The Husband’s social, my date of birth, Bob verified identity, told me how sorry he was that my husband had been in an accident, was he okay?

“He’s talking and he says he’s fine… but dang Bob!  I found out he was in a car accident when he called to say he needed proof of insurance.” Bob chuckled softly and said he was sorry, but he had to side with the man in this case, pointing out that men think differently in stressful situations and why upset the little lady if not necessary?

Within two and half minutes of my placing the call, Bob had faxed me a copy of The Husband’s insurance card.  He was asking me to please stop running because wouldn’t it be awful if I fell and hurt myself.  He was so incredibly kind.

Of course, I hit every red light between my office and the accident.  It happened down a long stretch of road, I saw the ambulances and police cars as I sat at one particular light about 4 blocks from the accident.  WHERE IS HE?!?  Where is his car?  I got more and  more anxious, pushing my little sports car to do things best left untold.  Finally, about 2 blocks from the accident I saw his car.  It was torture, seeing it… my stomach was in knots.  How can he be FINE?

Blessedly, I saw him standing in the middle of the intersection, holding a camouflage bag filled with his “always prepared” stuff.  He was standing there looking miserable.  In his dress blues.  How humiliating!  I parked nearby and ran to him.  He didn’t want me walking over to the accident, but nothing was going to stop me.

I walked closer, saw the car that he hit.   It was a tiny woman driving a big SUV.  She didn’t yield to The Husband who had the right of way.  She made her left hand turn, cutting him off, he knew there was going to be impact so he jerked to the right to avoid hitting engine to engine.  The woman was in the ambulance, she thought she was having a heart attack.  I pray she’s alright.

We left as they were sweeping the road of the debris.  The cars were still sitting in the intersection as if frozen in time, mangled and bruised. Oh, but that’s our War Wagon!  It’s the car The Husband bought right before he met me, brand new.  We were holding on to it for another year, continuing to live debt free until he graduates and commissions.  It was gone.

We got home a few minutes later, I spoke with my brother, The Husband called GEICO to officially report that he’d been in an accident.  He was on the phone with them for about 40 minutes, giving every bit of information he could.  I noticed a gash on his left elbow, blood soaking a huge bandaid.   What happened there?

He hung up from GEICO and asked if I could give him a ride to the rental place.  I cleaned his wound and he told me what was going to happen next.  GEICO was going to come get the car from the junk-yard today and take it to their storage facility in the city.  They would evaluate and assess the price of the car, send him a check for what they deem it’s worth and go after the other lady’s insurance company for the money GEICO gives us for the car as well as our $500 deductible.  The rental car is already arranged, paid for, waiting for us.

Wait. What?  The accident happened literally an hour and fifteen minutes ago.  We already have a rental in place?  Yeah.  We did.

The woman at GEICO apologized several times for The Husband being in an accident.  Polite.  Very, very polite.  Then… then… she thanked him for his service to this great nation.

We left early this morning to meet the tow company at the junk yard before GEICO takes our little War Wagon away forever.  We had to clean the car out.  The Husband took a crow-bar to his hula girl that was epoxy’d to one of the cup holders (successful).  She’s from our honeymoon.  It’s pouring rain today.  Yesterday I was completely calm in the midst of it all.  Today, with the darkness of rain shrouding me… I finally wept for what could have been.  Thankfully, The Husband’s angels were working over-time yesterday, in heaven and at GEICO.

Now.  I could talk to you more about GEICO and how great they’ve been through every deployment, but this is the first time I’ve had experience with them when I needed something.  They were excellent.  Excellent doesn’t even seem to cut it.

If you’re military… or heck… even if you aren’t military… you should have GEICO.

For Military & Military Family dial 1-800-MILITARY.

This really is not a paid advertisement, I was totally impressed by GEICO yesterday.  They were beyond courteous and helpful.  Just what you need in a crazy moment.  Calm. Cool. Collected.

The late afternoon light filters through the front window, filling the living room and kitchen with a soft warm glow.  The Husband is upstairs, working on homework, returning emails, keeping his mind on the positive things in life.  He had just run downstairs to fill his tumbler with water, kiss me on the forehead and [...]]]>

The late afternoon light filters through the front window, filling the living room and kitchen with a soft warm glow.  The Husband is upstairs, working on homework, returning emails, keeping his mind on the positive things in life.  He had just run downstairs to fill his tumbler with water, kiss me on the forehead and say, “I love you more than anything.”  Homemade applesauce was bubbling away on the stove, the smell enveloping us like a warm hug, promising things yet unknown.

The summer is coming to an end, bringing shorter days and longer nights.  Labor Day has come and gone.  Patriot Day is fast approaching.  Patriot Day.  What an incredible name for such a horrible day.

Many times I heard folks from previous generations wax on about the day Kennedy was shot, how their world changed that day.  Until 9 years ago, I thought it was a dramatic attempt at creating their own piece of history.  September 11, 2001 changed all of that for me.  No longer do I think the generations gone by are waxing poetically about a sad piece of history, but a piece of their hearts that were broken beyond repair, an experience that shaped who they’ve become.

September 11, 2001 changed my life.  In the beginning I thought about the tragedy with practically every waking minute.  As time passed… lots of time, my thoughts were consumed with everyday issues, joys, heartache.  I was raised a patriot, the daughter and sister of Marines.  In our family, we didn’t balk at the “God, Country, Corps, Family” mentality, we lived it.

With the passage of time, I realized that the tragedy of September 11 no longer dominated my thoughts, but was always there… a piece of me, a part of my heart left broken and in shambles.

Just like any heartbreak, time has healed most of the wounds.

Time doesn’t take away the feeling of being punched in the gut as the days get closer and closer to 9/11.

Time doesn’t take away the pride that fills my heart when I think of our men and women who are continuously fighting for our freedom, to ensure that this never happens again.

Time doesn’t erase the worry lines that have taken residence on my face, I could name them:  The Husband.  The Brother.  The Troops.

I pray that each of us who lived through 9/11 take the lessons that day handed us and move forward with our lives.

I continually pray for healing, because for many of us… we haven’t quite healed yet.  I’m not sure we ever will.  What I am sure about is that there is a God who walks with me, who wraps His hands around my heart when it feels like it’s being squeezed from my chest.

I pray that each of us take the precious moments and savor them, knowing that life can change… in an instant.

We still don’t know if he has a pilot slot.

He spent a month this summer training new cadets and making nice with brass.

The brass he met was so impressed [...]]]> This may seem a little ramble-some, but at this point it’s been so long since I’ve given an update on The Husband’s situation that I’ve surpassed long overdue.

We still don’t know if he has a pilot slot.

He spent a month this summer training new cadets and making nice with brass.

The brass he met was so impressed with his attitude and dedication to this country that they wrote The.Most.Incredible letters of recommendation.  The letters are flowing in.

The letters make me cry.  They remind me of the man I married, the man I supported through several deployments.  The man who is trying to achieve his dream.

The letters of recommendation are no longer going to be part o his ROTC age exemption packet.

The colonel still hasn’t submitted his age exemption packet, which was given to her in January.

The Husband is now actively seeking a commission through Officer Training School (OTS).

The kick right now is the OTS recruiter has emailed The Husband and told him that he would have to forfeit his ROTC scholarship to apply for OTS.  This goes against what the regs say, so we’re waiting for clarification.

The mood around our house is a little schizophrenic.  We both have our highs and we both have our lows.

We prayed together, out loud for the 2nd time in our marriage 3 days ago.  It was one of the most emotional moments of my life.

Given the alternative (the job ROTC assigned him), we’d both prefer he return to active duty enlisted, but we’re willing to accept what we’re given (but, please God… let it be a pilot slot!)

The Husband had to attend a function yesterday where the colonel was present.  I believe he conveyed to her that he just wants a chance to do what he came here to do.

If given the chance, and he is denied, he will live with that… but to not be given an opportunity is the hardest part of all of this for him.

The colonel indicated that The Husband isn’t “owed” anything.

I get this.

But.  I also don’t get it.  The reason he is not meeting the so-called “age requirements” of the ROTC is because he was dedicating his life to this country in an active duty position, fighting wars and supporting the men and the mission.  No.  Life is not fair.  I understand that.

The Husband does not serve this country for what he is owed. As a military family, we believe we are held to a higher standard.

He does not fight, and I do not wait for his return because we expect something in return.  We do it because we are patriots, we love this country.

When The Husband started the OTS application process in April, he was told the application was due in September, we’d know by November if he was accepted.

Now the packets are due in December, we’ll find out in March.  2 months before he graduates.

Time is running out.

This whole ordeal is like a deployment… there are happy times, there are miserable times, time seems to stop and start on it’s own accord.   Minutes seem like months… then minutes later… they feel like seconds flying by at warp speed.

Please continue to pray for us.  We’re surviving.  By the grace of God, we’re surviving.

This is long overdue, since I’ve known about this initiative for months and am just now realizing what a great idea it is to share it with all of you who visit my little website.  I realize that I have the ability to touch a different group of people [...]]]> Click here to view the embedded video.

This is long overdue, since I’ve known about this initiative for months and am just now realizing what a great idea it is to share it with all of you who visit my little website.  I realize that I have the ability to touch a different group of people who aren’t all military centered, so I hope those of you who are not connected with Soldiers’ Angels take a moment to do so, as well as take advantage of this incredibly generous offer from The Zac Brown Band (who I LOVE)!

A few months ago Zac Brown Band, Chrysler and Soldiers’ Angels teamed up to support our troops with a program called Letters for Lyrics.  In exchange for a letter or postcard written by you to a soldier, marine, airman or seaman who is stationed overseas… you receive a free copy of Zac Brown Band’s album, “Breaking Southern Ground.”  You don’t have to have the name and address of a soldier to send the letter and get the CD, you simply fill it out “Dear Soldier” and the team will take care of the rest.  Soldiers’ Angels hopes to deliver a million letters or postcards to troops around the world.  Go to the Soldiers’ Angels website for more details.  While you’re there, please, please, please consider adopting a soldier.  I can guarantee, the experience will change your life.

The situation with The Husband has gotten worse.  Jobs were handed out today and he was given a little heads up about what his job will be when he reenters active duty.  The job is a slap in the face, to put it mildly.

When The Husband and I went on our little mini-spring break vacation, [...]]]>

The situation with The Husband has gotten worse.  Jobs were handed out today and he was given a little heads up about what his job will be when he reenters active duty.  The job is a slap in the face, to put it mildly.

When The Husband and I went on our little mini-spring break vacation, we agreed to a new job that he’d apply for when packets were due.  He submitted that job, along with several others in his career field.  The age waiver for his pilot packet is still pending, but the Air Force was needing additional positions he would be happy with.  He applied for several that would keep him in the fight.  Apparently, the Air Force decided The Husband would be better suited for the Chair Force.

My knickers are still in a bind.  I’ve cried enough tears today to flood the Kansas river.  My heart breaks for this man.  My dad emailed me this morning after I called the house in a panic.  He says, “After-all, The Husband is a veteran of 3 conflicts, was voted NCO of the year, almost has an AEROSPACE degree and these people want to slap him in the face and make him a paper-pusher? Hardly.”  I can always count on my dad to put it in perspective, just like I can always count on my mom to jump on my bandwagon and rally with me.

I realize that since this whole debacle has begun, I pick and choose what I want to lay at God’s feet.  It’s as if I’m grabbing my worry and pain and snatching it away from Him as He tries to take it away from me.  I don’t want to do take it back.  I want to lay it down and walk away.

I want to remember that God is bigger than this situation.

You see, I realize this… then I turn around and think some absurd thought.  I think, “Why doesn’t this colonel realize she’s ruining The Husband’s and my life.  Why doesn’t she realize she’s pushing him away from the Air Force.”  Then I rally myself and get it in my head that I’ll go talk to her.  Right.  Military Wife 101: Never interfere with The Husband’s Situation no matter what it may be.  I try to control the outcome of this whole ordeal.  As if I’m bigger than my prayers, as if I’m bigger than God.

As if.

The pattern is always the same: Silence, tears, internal screams, silence, numbness, complete and utter numbness.  Why can’t I just say, “Hey God!  I know you have a lot going on… but I really really need you to take this from me.  Apparently I’m too weak to offer it up to you.  Apparently I want to play your part in all of this and control, control, control.”  The truth of the matter is, I have to be the one to hand it over.  I have to lay it all down at his feet.  I know I do.

I do.

My spirits lift and I feel like good things will happen.  Then I think about seeing The Husband and I begin to feel guilty.  It’s my fault. We’d never be here if it weren’t for me.  He wouldn’t have given up his career to take another if I hadn’t pushed him.

But I believe we’re here because God wanted us here.

I feel like a sham, asking God to please give us some kind of answer.  I talked with an old family-friend, the highest decorated pilot to come out of Vietnam and a very influential person.  I asked my mom to call him and please relay a message that I’d like to talk to him.  I didn’t want her to explain the situation, I wanted to give him facts without emotion. The second I heard his voice my eyes filled with more tears.  He listened calmly, reassuringly and advised me to take a Valium and have The Husband call him.

I wonder, if God puts people in my path because I’m too emotional right now to hear Him. Men are so rational too.  I used to be rational.  I’m sure God is rational.

I lay it down.  I choose to live with hope in the future.  I choose to do whatever I do for the love of Christ.  Maybe… that’s exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is becoming a common wound of modern warfare.  It has even been coined the “signature wound” of the War on Terror.  While TBI is becoming more prevalent in wartime activity, many service men and women continue to go undiagnosed.  Institutions, like the US Department of Veterans Affairs, are working to make [...]]]>

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is becoming a common wound of modern warfare.  It has even been coined the “signature wound” of the War on Terror.  While TBI is becoming more prevalent in wartime activity, many service men and women continue to go undiagnosed.  Institutions, like the US Department of Veterans Affairs, are working to make quick and accurate diagnoses in order to prescribe appropriate and effective treatment.

TBI is caused by forced trauma to the head, either by being shaken or hit.  The severity of a TBI varies from case to case, but symptoms range from mild concussions to a debilitating state.  The majority of TBI’s acquired by military personnel are classified as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI).  Initial symptoms of MTBI consist of loss of consciousness, disorientation, loss of memory, headache, and temporary loss of hearing and vision.  They are often partnered with anxiety, irritability, difficulties processing information, limited concentration amongst other problems experienced down the road.  While MTBI is most common amongst the men and women of the armed forces, more severe cases of TBI are happening much more frequently and often require the victim to attend specialty rehabilitative nursing centers like CareMeridian.

The most common cause of TBI in the military is due to blasts.  There are three degrees of blast injuries where a TBI is common; Primary (due to blast itself), Secondary (due to objects being propelled by a blast) and Tertiary (due to a collision with a third party object).  According to the Veterans Health Initiative, active male members of the military from the ages of 18-24 are hospitalized with a TBI at a rate of 231 per 100,000 and females 150 per 100,000.  Based on military force projections this would mean that 4,141 military personnel are hospitalized on average each year with a TBI, and these numbers often rise during wartimes.

The best prevention for veterans to avert the long-term effects of a brain injury is to recognize the symptoms of a TBI.  Once the symptoms are identified an individual should take basic precautionary measures in order to begin the healing and recovery process until a more specific diagnosis can be made.

Service men and women give so much to protect this country and they deserve to come home to a happy and healthy life.  Creating awareness about TBI will help ensure their long term health.  By helping our veterans, their friends and their families recognize the early warning signs of TBI, treatment can be sought as early as possible.

The above article was written by Chelsea Travers for DeltaWhiskey.us.  If you have any questions, please contact Chelsea at ctravers(at)caremeridian(dot)com.

Delta Whiskey was not compensated for sharing this article, simply wanted to spread the word.