Newton County Times Toilet Buddy: A Collection of Facts, Questions, and Answers (2023)

Eremedal: Sergeant. James W Robinson Jr.
Poke KATIE LANGE
Defense Department News

Army Sergeant James William Robinson Jr. was surrounded by the enemy deep in the jungles of Vietnam as he gave the last measure of devotion to save his fellow soldiers. His courage and selflessness were never forgotten and earned him the Medal of Honor.
Robinson was born on August 30, 1940, in Hinsdale, Illinois, to parents James Sr. and Ethel Robinson, but grew up in nearby Lyons, Illinois, with his younger brother, Tom, and sister, Joan.
Robinson was known as a smart and kind boy who loved animals and became interested in health and fitness at a young age. As he got older, he developed an appreciation for literature and wanted to be a writer, according to a letter posted online by his father.
Robinson attended Morton West High School and played football before leaving in 1958 to join the Marines. Much of his time in the service was spent in Okinawa, where he earned a black belt in karate.
When his tour of duty ended, Robinson returned to civilian life. Several newspapers reported that he graduated from high school and enrolled in Morton Junior College. He eventually moved to Annandale, Virginia, where his father moved after his parents divorced. There, Robinson used his karate knowledge to run a self-defense school, according to army documents.
As American involvement in Vietnam expanded, Robinson really wanted to do his part. He decided to re-enlist in December 1963, but this time he enlisted in the army. Robinson was originally posted to Panama, but he was so eager to fight in Vietnam that he constantly requested a transfer to the war zone until he finally got it. In July 1965, Robinson went to Vietnam, where he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division in Saigon.
defend Saigon
In the spring of 1966, the battalion was part of Operation Abilene, whose task was to locate and destroy enemy base camps and supply depots that had been established in preparation for an assault on the capital.
On April 11, 1966, Robinson was part of C Company when it directly ambushed a Viet Cong battalion about 40 miles east of Saigon. At the time, the company was already short on men due to furloughs and injuries, Army data showed. The heavy fire they received from all sides soon began to further decimate their numbers. They tried to take cover, but it was difficult in the dense jungle, where enemy snipers hiding in the trees could easily spot them. Two other companies were supposed to support them, but they had lost sight of them in the thick foliage of the jungle.
According to a 2019 Dupage County Chronicle article, Air Force rescuers were able to break through the dense jungle canopy sometime in the afternoon to evacuate and airlift around a dozen wounded. But as the helicopters moved away, heavy enemy fire fell on those who stayed behind.
Despite the chaos, Robinson moved confidently among the men, instructing and inspiring them and placing them in strategic positions. Finally, Robinson identified one of the snipers who suffered the most casualties. He grabbed a grenade launcher and successfully knocked out this man.
Soon after, Robinson witnessed a nearby medic being beaten while helping another soldier. He knew that the two men were now at the mercy of the enemy, so he ran through a hail of gunfire to grab them and carry them to safety, where he helped save their lives.
As casualties mounted and day turned to night, Robinson moved under heavy fire to collect weapons and ammunition from the wounded for redistribution to soldiers who could still use them.
As another man fell in front of him, Robinson again ran into enemy fire trying to pull him to safety. This time, however, he received blows to the shoulder and leg. Despite the pain, Robinson dragged his partner to a shelter and also provided life-saving assistance.
While bandaging his wounds, Robinson saw one of the enemy machine gunners inflicting heavy casualties on his men. He had run out of ammunition for his gun, but he was determined to end his reign of terror, so he grabbed two grenades and charged the fortified enemy gun.
As he did so, a tracer bullet struck him in the leg, setting his clothing on fire. Robison tore off the burning clothing and continued anyway. The enemy now focused only on him and he was shot twice in the chest with a .50 caliber machine gun. Before Robinson lost power on him, he was close enough to the gun to throw the two grenades into the redoubt.
When the shells exploded, destroying the enemy position, Robinson died where he fell. He was 25 years old.
Robinson's courage and dedication to the cause saved many lives and helped defeat the enemy battalion. However, he came at a price. A 2019 Dupage County Chronicle article reported that 80% of Robinson's unit was killed or injured that day.
he always remembers
Robinson's body was returned to the United States and interred at Clarendon Hills Cemetery in Westmont, Illinois.
For his extraordinary bravery in action, the young soldier was awarded the Medal of Honor. His family received it from Secretary of the Army Stanley R. Resor in a ceremony at the Pentagon on July 16, 1967.
"Those of us who survived that day, and Vietnam...we came home and lived the rest of our lives. Sergeant Robinson didn't get to live the rest of his life," recalled fellow soldier Phil Hall, speaking to the county. Dupage Chronicle for a story commemorating Robinson's 79th birthday. "He gave us this."
In the many decades since Robinson's death, his legacy has not been forgotten. The elementary school in his hometown of Lyon was renamed for him in 1967. A few years later, Robinson High School was dedicated in Falls Church, Virginia, also in his honor. His family even donated the Robinson Medal of Honor to the school, which displays it in the hall case.
The Robinson Army Reserve Training Center in Chicago and an annual military award honor his exploits. Robinson was also honored in April 2021, when his colleagues from the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment dedicated a street in his name at Fort Riley.

###

Class of '23: How to Improve Your Chances of Landing Your First Job After College

It's one thing to successfully navigate four years of college and earn a degree. Landing that first "real" job after graduation is another challenge.
It may not take you four years to find the job you want, but it may seem that way to eager graduates who are new to job hunting, worried about the job market in general, and unsure of the most effective way to stand out. . the crowd, the crowd, says Kathleen Quinn Votaw (www.talentrust.com), CEO of TalenTrust, a strategic recruiting and human capital consulting firm, and author of Dare to Care in the Workplace: A Guide to the New Way We work.
"Young people who are about to graduate or start working in their early 20s are confused about how to apply for jobs and how to conduct themselves during interviews," says Quinn Votaw. “They ask themselves, 'Who wants to hire me and what do I need to say in my application and interview?'
"They don't teach you all of this in college or high school — the practical stuff like what kind of conversation to have in an interview, what your resume should look like, what employers look for in candidates, and how to define values ​​like your work ethic." work, honesty and reliability".
Quinn Votaw offers these tips for first-time job seekers in their first career:
Don't "post and pray": be proactive and direct with your enthusiasm. Companies can receive hundreds of applications and inquiries for a single job posting, and Quinn Votaw says that candidates who simply go online and post their application and cover letter like everyone else aren't doing enough to get noticed. . “If you post and pray your application and resume get noticed, you risk getting lost in the rush of applicants,” she says. “You have to go a step further, which means first you have to search online and find companies you want to work for and research them. Second, send your resume to the CEO, president, or owner and tell them how excited you are to be working for them.
“Ask in your letter who to talk to in the company to hire. If they see your aggressiveness and genuine interest and know that you have taken the time to research your company, you are much more likely to get an interview.”
Start networking. The saying, it's not what you know, it's what you know still holds true. Networking is a proven way to get a job. "Contact professionals in your chosen field for an informative consultation," says Quinn Votaw. “Join a professional group related to your field and attend conferences and webinars. In addition to attending networking events, you can obtain alumni lists from your career office or alumni association and gain insight into your career path. See what contacts they have that might give you an advantage for an interview. Do the same with past employers, teachers, friends, and others who have watched you and know some of your strengths."
Develop a personal website. This is an effective way to stand out in your job search. A link to a personal website at the top of your resume or application gives the employer access to a better view of your attributes. "Building your own website gives you a platform to showcase your personality, skills, and portfolio," says Quinn Votaw. “You can add content that reflects who you are through blogs and videos. It goes far beyond a standard resume or job application. And search results for your name will show your website, helping you reach more employers with more information about you."
Prepare an elevator speech. You never know: the best work break may come unexpectedly in a store or restaurant. "That's why it's important to have your elevator pitch ready," says Quinn Votaw. “And the preparation starts with understanding your strengths and aspirations, and then summing them up in a 30-second infomercial about yourself. You want to get straight to the core of who you are and what you're looking for."
“Looking for your first full-time, professional-type job may seem like a full-time job in itself, but the rewards are great if you fully commit to the process,” says Quinn Votaw. “Because job hunting isn't really taught in school, you learn a lot as you go, but an organized and systematic approach can build confidence and increase your chances of success.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,

Ask Rusty: Retired Official Thinks AOW Compensation Is 'Unfair'
Dear Rusty, I am a retired firefighter living in Ohio. I won Social Security from my side job, but the Emergency Elimination Provision (WEP) took a big hit to my Social Security. My wife worked in the school system and earned a state pension "SERS". I understand the WEP change, and it doesn't bother me as much as the fact that my wife won't get my Social Security benefits when she dies: her state pension is over the monthly Social Security limit. I earned this benefit by working side jobs and living away from my family, and it seems unfair to let my benefit expire with me. Thanks for letting me vent. Signature: retired civil servant
Dear Retired Official: Is not the provision that you consider "unfair" the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) that affects the retirement benefits of the SS for those who also have an "unfunded" pension (pension earned without contributions to social security )? Rather, it is the government pension offset (GPO) that also affects those with a pension that they earn without contributing to Social Security. While I know it's no consolation, your frustration with Government Pension Compensation (GPO) is shared by nearly a million Americans in a similar situation. A law since 1983, the GPO aims to "equalize" the way spousal and survivor benefits are paid to all beneficiaries. I'm certainly not defending it, but I have researched why the GPO was created decades ago.
Historically, as spouse and survivor benefits became part of the Social Security benefit structure in the late 1930s, if a spouse also has their own self-earned SS benefit, each spouse's benefit spouse/survivor to whom he was also entitled, offset by personally earned SS pension. how many. The prevailing view in Congress in 1983 was that since regular spousal and survivor benefits are generally offset by the husband's own earned SS benefit, it was unfair for a spouse who had an "unfunded pension" not to receive the same compensation as her. that they did not have such an unfunded pension. So, the GPO was enacted in 1983 to "level out" the way spousal and survivor benefits were paid. It is the GPO that affects her wife's survivor benefits because she earned state pension from her while she did not contribute to Social Security.
To give you a more personal perspective, if your wife had worked outside of the OH school system and was entitled to full Social Security benefits based on her own income that she contributed to SS, any survivor benefits she may have had entitlement to you would still always be compensated for the pension payment that you personally earned SS. If your own SS pension benefit would exceed her entitlement as a widow, you would not receive any additional amount as a surviving spouse. Or if your own SS pension benefit was less than yours, the survivor benefit would still be offset by your benefit (your benefit would be paid first and only a supplement would be added to bring your benefit up to the highest amount to which your benefit was entitled). widow). ). The goal of state pension equalization is to equalize the way spousal or survivor benefits are paid to those with and without an unfunded pension. Because the GPO only offsets the potential spouse/survivor benefit with 2/3 of a spouse's unfunded pension, the GPO is actually a bit more lenient.

###

Eremedal: Sergeant. First Class Edward Carter Jr.
Poke KATIE LANGE
DOD NEWS
Army Sergeant 1st Class Edward Allen Carter Jr. endured many humiliations during World War II, but his determination to fight kept his pain at bay. His exploits in Germany in 1945 were downplayed for years, and even he was unceremoniously fired for reasons he later discovered had no basis in fact. However, after 50 years, these errors were finally corrected, and Carter was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Carter was born in Los Angeles on May 26, 1916 to missionaries Edward Sr. and Maria Carter. She had two younger siblings, William and Miriam.
When Carter was 9 years old, her parents moved the family to Calcutta, India, so they could start a church in her mother's hometown. While there, Carter fell in love with the military, often slipping away to watch troop maneuvers at a nearby British military base, according to the Association of the US Army.
At some point, Carter's mother abandoned him and left him with his father, according to a biography written by a relative. In 1927, the boy's father moved him and his siblings to Shanghai, where Carter enrolled in a military school. He received extensive combat training and learned several languages, including German, Mandarin, and Hindi.
At the age of 15, Carter was so determined to join the military that he left home and joined the Chinese Nationalist Army, fighting against the Japanese forces that had invaded Shanghai in hopes of undermining the region's natural resources and taking over. the control. Carter hadn't been in the military long before his father tracked him down and brought him home, but he had been there long enough to earn the rank of lieutenant, according to a Department of Veterans Affairs article.
Barricade
Carter tried to join the United States Army at age 18, but was turned away due to racial bias. He returned to Los Angeles and joined the Merchant Marine in 1936. But this was not enough energy for him. In early 1937, he had heard of the Spanish Civil War and decided to go to Spain, where he joined the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, an American volunteer military unit that fought against General Francisco Franco and his fascist troops. However, in 1938 the unit was forced to leave for France, so Carter returned home.
Back in Los Angeles, Carter met Mildred Hoover in 1940. They married and had a son, Edward III. In September 1941, Carter tried again to enlist in the United States Army. This time, the American troop buildup due to World War II had begun, and he was hired.
However, his time in the service was not easy. Carter trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, which was still segregated, for which he and many other black servicemen faced discrimination. Despite his previous experience in military combat, Carter was relegated to cooking and baking, like most black men at the time, according to AUSA. According to the VA, many black men did not tolerate discrimination and were unfairly discharged. However, Carter didn't want that, so he faced him, despite several unfair demotions.
Carter still managed to rise to the rank of staff sergeant. While at Fort Benning, he and his wife had his second child, William.
In November 1944 Carter's unit, the 3535th Quartermaster Truck Company, was sent to France where they were on supply duty. But when fighter replacements ran out about a month later, as the Battle of the Bulge began, General Dwight D. Eisenhower called for more soldiers to be brought to the front. This order eventually allowed black soldiers to serve in white armor and infantry units.
After three years of trying, Carter would finally see the fight. However, to do this, he had to give up his rank of sergeant and volunteer as a soldier. This was because his superiors still did not allow a black man to command white troops.
Carter was assigned to the all-black 1st Provisional Infantry Company, 7th Army, which was attached to D Company of the 56th Armored Infantry Battalion, 12th Armored Division. He even went so far as to temporarily serve as a bodyguard for famed General George S. Patton, who felt there was no room for prejudice in the ranks.
save the day
On March 23, 1945, Carter's company was en route to Speyer, Germany, to secure a bridge needed to cross the Rhine. At approximately 8:30 a.m., the tank Carter was riding in was attacked with small arms and bazookas. .
The men quickly hid behind a roadside. Carter then volunteered to lead a three-man patrol to a warehouse from where the soldiers had seen the bazooka fire. His goal was to travel about 500 feet across an open field in order to determine the size and strength of the enemy.
Naturally, the field exposed the patrol to enemy fire, so when the four men left their covered position, they were fired upon rapidly. One of the patrols died instantly. Carter then ordered the other two men to take cover to fire on the enemy as he advanced alone. Unfortunately, more enemy fire killed the second man and badly wounded the third before they could get back to the safe side of the road.
Carter went ahead and was shot three times in the left arm. He kept moving and was shot again in the left leg, a wound that knocked him down. When he tried to drink from his canteen to wash down some wound pills as he lay on the ground, he was struck again, a bullet through his arm.
Despite all his injuries, Carter kept moving forward, crawling to within about 100 feet of the charger. When the enemy fire became too heavy, he hid behind a river bank for about two hours until eight German gunners came up to try and capture him. However, Carter pounced on them, killing six of the soldiers and capturing the remaining two.
Thanks to his fluent command of the German language, Carter was able to question the two prisoners, who provided him with valuable information that helped clear the route to Speyer for the Allies. Carter refused medical attention until he informed the leadership of what had happened and what he had learned.
More prizes
When Carter's injuries healed after about a month, he returned to his unit on the front lines. He reinstated himself to the rank of staff sergeant, became an infantry squad leader, and spent the rest of the war training troops. However, due to the insignia of the time, Carter only received the nation's second-highest award for his actions, the Distinguished Service Cross.
At the end of the war, Carter was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was promoted to sergeant first class. He attempted to enlist again in 1949, but was not allowed to do so and was discharged without cause on September 30, 1949.
It was eventually revealed that the Army Counter-Intelligence Corps had begun investigating Carter early in his career due to his living in the Far East and serving in Abraham Lincoln's brigade. Investigators wanted to keep an eye on him for possible communist activities, so unknown to Carter, his commanders reported on his movements for years.
Deeply disillusioned after the discharge, Carter returned to civilian life, which was not easy with the rumors of communism that followed him. According to the National Park Service, the complaints caused him to lose two jobs and have difficulty finding work. He eventually found work in the tire industry while continuing to raise his family.
In 1962, doctors discovered that Carter had lung cancer. While he was smoking, doctors attributed the diagnosis to shrapnel from the war still in his throat, according to an Army article.
Carter died on January 30, 1963, at age 47. He was originally buried in the National Cemetery on the grounds of the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The errors are correctly defined.
In 1992, a study was commissioned to review the records of black World War II soldiers to see if they might have been transferred for awards due to the prejudices of the time. The study was completed in 1996. Carter was one of several men determined to deserve an upgrade.
On January 13, 1997, Carter was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. President Bill Clinton presented the medal to Carter's son, Edward Carter III, in a ceremony in Washington. Six other blacks also received the honor retroactively.
At the ceremony, Carter's family also received three awards that he was eligible for but never received according to his personnel file: the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Occupation Medal, and the American Campaign Medal.
Days before the ceremony, Carter's body was exhumed and honored in Los Angeles. He was reburied at Arlington National Cemetery on January 14, 1997, the day after the Medal of Honor ceremony.
After years of pressure from Carter's family, in November 1999 the military formally apologized for firing him so unceremoniously and officially erased the stain of suspicion of communism around him. The family was given a redacted set of military files, which redacted his name and honorably discharged him beginning in October 1949. The files also said that declassified intelligence files showed that the suspicions against him were unfounded. no basis in fact.
"It was destroyed. Now it's restored," said Allene Carter, the wife of Carter's eldest son.
“Today, Sergeant Carter has been vindicated,” he said at the time.
Allene Carter published a book about Sgt. The life and legacy of 1st Class Carter in 2003.

###

Residence

Puerta Dr. Daniel Knight

Q: I think I'm fit, so why am I still sore the day after I work out? A: The pain you experience the day after your workout is called delayed-onset muscle soreness. This soreness or stiffness that occurs a day or two after exercise is normal and can happen to someone new to an exercise routine or an athlete in very good shape.
Delayed-onset muscle soreness usually occurs when you start a new exercise program, change your routine, or change the duration or intensity of your exercise routine. It is believed to be caused by a microscopic tear of the muscle fibers and the more you move, the more muscle is torn. Therefore, the more new or vigorous movements you do that your body is not used to, the more sore you will be the next day. How do you deal with it? Treatments such as ice, rest, anti-inflammatory medications, massage, and heat are helpful in allowing the body to heal. The best way to break the pain cycle is to stretch regularly before and after exercising. It's also important to give your muscles a break from the gym if they're really sore.
Q: What is LASIK eye surgery and is there an age limit to perform it?
A:
LASIK, which stands for laser in situ keratomileusis, can be used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. During LASIK surgery, changes are made to the shape of the cornea, the clear dome at the front of the eye. The goal of LASIK is to reshape the cornea so that light passing through it is correctly focused on the retina at the back of the eye. The American Academy of Ophthalmology reports that nine out of 10 LASIK patients develop vision between 20/20 and 20/40. The worse a patient's vision is before surgery, the more likely she is to need glasses or contact lenses after the procedure. In addition, LASIK surgery cannot correct presbyopia, the age-related decline in the ability to focus on near objects, so older patients may still need reading glasses. In general, patients who wish to undergo LASIK surgery must be at least 18 years of age. Your vision should be stable with no changes in your eyes for at least one year before surgery. There is no generally recognized age limit, although patients should discuss all options with their surgeon.

Q: Why do I hiccup? A: Hiccups occur when the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest and abdomen and is responsible for drawing air into the lungs and pushing it back, contracts involuntarily. These spasms are followed by closing of the vocal cords, producing the "hickey" sound. Several things can irritate the diaphragm and cause hiccups, such as eating too fast or too much, drinking soda or too much alcohol, or swallowing air while chewing gum or sucking on candy. Excitement, emotional stress, or a sudden change in temperature can also trigger annoying hiccups. For most of us, hiccups are a minor annoyance that lasts a few minutes and goes away on its own. But for some people, hiccups can last for hours, days, months, or even years. Hiccups that last longer than 48 hours are called persistent hiccups, a condition that is more common in men than women. Persistent hiccups can harm your overall health, so call your doctor if you experience hiccups that last 48 hours or more. There are several treatments that can be used to treat persistent hiccups. Question: Which is better, walking or running? A: Research shows that when it comes to reducing the risk of heart disease, brisk walking is just as good as running. Walking is associated with fewer injuries and is accessible to more people. The capture; Walking takes longer than running to see the same benefits, simply because it takes longer to cover the same distance. For example, 15 minutes of jogging is equivalent to half an hour of brisk walking in terms of calorie burn. Recent research from the American Heart Association also found that brisk walking has the same benefits as jogging in terms of risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Walking is a good option for people with joint problems, arthritis, and other health problems, such as heart disease, because it doesn't put as much stress on the body as running. If you have these conditions or any other concerns, talk to your doctor before experimenting with the race. The news even better? You can do both. Part of staying healthy is giving your body variety. If you're healthy enough to run, you can mix things up by incorporating both running and walking into your routine.
Dr. Daniel Knight is a professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine for Medical Sciences. ###

___________________________

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation
Ask Rusty: Why should a non-working spouse be eligible for Social Security benefits?
Dear Rusty: Why can a non-working spouse claim half of their working spouse's benefits even though they haven't contributed to the Social Security system? That doesn't seem right or fair to those of us who have contributed our salary for years. Signed: Researcher
Dear Researcher: This is a question that needs a bit of historical background to be properly explained: the original purpose of Social Security, when it was introduced in 1935, was to keep older people in America from living in poverty (remember, Social Security was introduced during the “Great Depression.” Even before the first Social Security check was sent to a retired worker in 1940, Congress had amended the original Social Security law to also provide poverty relief benefits to spouses of non-working workers (a prevailing family reality at the time) and surviving spouses and their minor children The fundamental purpose of Social Security has always been to lift eligible Americans out of poverty, which it continues to do very effectively.
It is important to note that this change in no way reduced (and does not reduce) benefits to those who work and contribute to Social Security, leaving them to earn their own SS retirement benefit. In other words, recipients of the SS pension benefit are not penalized at all if their non-working spouse also receives benefits (albeit in a much smaller amount) on the employee's file. The cost of living for two people is simply higher than for one, which was/is the reason for paying dependents who are not eligible for Social Security benefits based on their own work history. In the end, it all comes down to avoiding poverty.
While the numbers vary slightly by state, gender, and ethnicity, without Social Security, about 38% of all Americans age 65 and older would live below the poverty line, while with Social Security, only about 9% of Americans 65 and older would live below the poverty line. poverty line. But that 9% figure would be significantly higher if non-working spouses and dependents of eligible workers were not also eligible for Social Security benefits.
While it's true that Social Security will face solvency problems in the future, the idea of ​​limiting benefits to only those who have worked and contributed to the program (and not their non-working spouses or minor children) is not accepted by anyone considerate . in Congress regardless of their political beliefs. This would be devastating for much of the American population, dramatically increasing poverty, exactly what Social Security is designed to prevent.

###

Order of the Medal of Honor: Marine Cmdr. Donald A.Gary
Poke KATIE LANGE
Defense Department news
As an engineering officer on the USS Franklin during World War II, Navy Cmdr. Donald Arthur Garry knew the ins and outs of the aircraft carrier. This knowledge helped him save hundreds of men trapped when the ship was nearly destroyed by the Japanese. His courage and leadership earned him the Medal of Honor.
Gary was born on July 23, 1903, in Findlay, Ohio, to parents Henry and Katherine Gary, who already had seven children, three of whom died before he was born. His parents had another child after him, but that child also died at an early age.
Gary attended high school for one year before enlisting in the Navy on December 12, 1919, when he was 16 years old. In a speech he wrote later in life, Gary said he always wanted to be a firefighter, so he joined the service to see the world and hopefully learn some skills that could help him find a job when he returns home, according to The congress. Medal of Honor Society.
Gary initially trained in San Francisco before moving to the Philippines, where he served on a gunboat and then on a research ship. He later told the Los Angeles Times that he had no plans to pursue a career in the Navy, but after six years of service, he decided he liked it enough to stay and re-enlisted in February 1926. .
The young sailor spent the next 15 years working in various positions and on many different ships. He also married a woman named Dorothy and they had a son, Kenneth.
Gary served at the 3rd Naval District headquarters in New York when Pearl Harbor was attacked and the United States entered World War II. He told the LA Times that he planned to retire after 20 years of service, but when that happened, he knew he had to stay the course.
fight the enemy
For the next two years, Gary's duties were on ships responsible for patrolling US coastal waters from Canada to Jacksonville, Florida, until November 1943, when he was commissioned a lieutenant. He spent about a year in an office outside Ohio before joining the USS Franklin in December 1944, which was sent to fight the Japanese.
In mid-March 1945, Franklin was part of Task Force 58, which carried out a series of air raids against the Japanese homeland in support of the invasion of Okinawa. Gary, then 42, was an engineer on the ship, which was about 50 miles off the southeast coast of Japan.
Shortly after dawn on March 19, the Japanese responded. Franklin received a radio warning of approaching Japanese aircraft, but cloudy skies and disorderly air traffic prevented the crews from seeing foreign aircraft until it was too late. Three minutes after the warning, the enemy dropped two 550-pound bombs on the ship.
While air operations were in effect, the ship's flight deck housed 31 armed and fully fueled aircraft, with more than a dozen ready to go in the hangar. The results were disastrous. The bombs blew up the aircraft's fuel and ammunition, completely destroying part of the flight deck, hangar and gallery deck. According to the US National Naval Museum, there were 126 secondary explosions of various types.
Also, flooding from those trying to fight the fires kept the ship on the list for a long time. The Franklin lost power and sailors immediately began evacuating areas that were filling with smoke and heat.
Gary was stationed on the third deck deep in the belly of the ship when the explosions began. He soon realized that he was one of hundreds of men, including the two remaining ship's medics who had not been killed in the explosions, trapped in a cluttered, smoke-filled compartment.
As the trapped men panicked, Gary assured them that he would find a way to get them out. One such captured man, Reon G. Hillegass Jr., told the Virginian-Pilot newspaper decades after the ordeal that "Gary was the only one who could save us. He had a blueprint of the huge ship in his head."
According to the Naval History and Heritage Administration, Gary used an oxygen mask with a very limited air supply to navigate the dark, debris-filled corridors. After wandering some 600 feet through twisting ducts and vents, he found a way out. Gary bought another oxygen mask somewhere along the way and headed back to free the other trapped men, despite raging flames, flooding, and the threat of more explosions.
"We wet rags and put them on our faces to breathe through the smoke," Hillegass told the Virginian-Pilot. It was so dark that we couldn't see anything. Each man held the man's belt in front of them as Gary led us out of the apartment."
The Virginian-Pilot article said that Gary led them through a long hatch into a funnel-shaped exhaust channel that ran from the bottom of the ship to the top. The channel had ladder steps, so they could also climb onto a catwalk directly below the destroyed and flame-encrusted flight deck.
Gary returned three times to the wreckage compartment and calmly led large groups of men down this path through layers of smoke until all, some 300 sailors, were safe.
They might have made it out of this apartment alive, but they weren't out of the woods yet, and Gary knew it. He continued to rally the men to organize and fight the fires that still ravage the ship, including the burning cabin. His Medal of Honor report stated that after determining that two of the ship's fire chambers were no longer operational, Gary moved to the third fire chamber "and diverted the steam to a boiler in view of the extreme difficulty and danger." .
Gary's courage and leadership were inspiring, yet he remained humble about it throughout his life. In an interview with the LA Times in 1950, he said, "It was just a matter of knowing his ship and he should have thought of the method of escape sooner."
Other American ships eventually came to Franklin's aid to put out the fires and rescue the men who had drowned in the water. In all, some 800 men were killed or missing, and some 300 were wounded.
The ship was towed until it could resume its voyage under its own power and reach Ulithi Atoll, where it underwent emergency repairs. She then sailed to Pearl Harbor and New York for a complete overhaul.
The March 19 incident was the fourth time that Franklin had been attacked during the war. The damage she sustained that day led to her earning the title of most damaged aircraft carrier of the war for survival.
He was officially honored
Gary received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman in a White House ceremony on January 23, 1946. Three other heroes received the medal that day: Army Sgt. John R. McKinney, Army 1st Lt. Daniel Lee and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joseph O'Callaghan, who was also in Franklin. This award made O'Callahan the first Navy chaplain to earn the Medal of Honor. Franklin's crew members also earned 19 Navy Crosses, 22 Silver Stars, and 116 Bronze Stars.
About two months after the award ceremony, Gary was promoted to lieutenant. He remained with Franklin until February 1947. Gary retired on June 1, 1950 and was promoted to the rank of major because of his outstanding service record. At 46, having served in the naval service on all kinds of ships, he was ready to try civilian life for the first time.
Gary, his wife, and their son moved into a house they built in Garden Grove, California. The retired sailor stayed there for the rest of his life, working as a realtor and co-owner of a daycare center, according to the LA Times.
He also served as the National Secretary of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society from 1964 until April 9, 1977, when he died of lung cancer. Gary was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.
In 1976, a year before his death, the Garden Grove City Council honored Gary by naming the Commander Donald A. Gary Civic Center the Bicentennial Mall, according to his obituary in the LA Times.
On November 17, 1984, the Navy commissioned the guided-missile frigate USS Gary to celebrate the Medal of Honor recipient. She operated on a large scale for several decades and remained in service until her decommissioning on July 23, 2015.

###

Travel Problem Solver

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a non-profit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his website.

###

Seven steps to protect employees during business travel

By ANUJA AGRAWAL in MARY MILLER SALLAH

Business travel inherently causes a certain amount of stress for a traveler. The more a person travels on business, the greater the health risk can be. And these risks and associated costs don't just affect workers and their families. They also have consequences for the employer, in terms of insurance and temporary or long-term loss of an employee.
In the context of business travel and employee health, the duty of care requires an employer to research, design, develop, and implement a set of policies and operating procedures to mitigate the risks employees may face when traveling on business. . Duty of care encompasses both the legal and moral responsibility of organizations to care for their employees when they travel. Successful risk avoidance is a matter of careful planning.
In the wake of COVID-19, many companies have turned their attention to employee health, especially for business travel. Cédric Fraissinet, Director General for Central Europe of International SOS, says that health and safety policies in travel must be closely linked. “Just as 9/11 upended airline industry safety rules, so too did COVID-19 for travel risk management,” says Fraissinet. “A tacit focus on health and safety risks is no longer enough. Employee travel fitness assessment and travel support is needed now more than ever.”
Through our research and experience, we believe in the value of an organization that assesses its objectives, the needs of its travelers, its culture, its current political situation, and its own unique needs before developing or revising travel policies. We've seen too many companies borrow travel policies or use policy templates to create rules that no one understands, rules that don't apply, or rules that may even be redundant.
We recommend a seven-step approach to fulfilling your duty of care on corporate travel:
internal evaluation
Conduct an internal review to determine the rationale that will form the foundation of the travel program in general and how it relates to employee health in particular. Gathering all the relevant materials — not just site descriptions, but also existing travel policies and perceived risks — puts everything on the table for review, analysis, and ultimately coordination.
For organizations looking to revise their corporate travel policies based on a duty of care model, we recommend seeking feedback from employees, corporate travel managers, partners/suppliers, and other key stakeholders.
risk assessment
The next step is to assess the health, safety, vulnerability, or exposure risks associated with the organization's business travel requirements. The goal of any risk management program is to mitigate risk to an acceptable level consistent with the organization's business objectives, government laws and regulations, and applicable industry standards. The main risk factors to take into account are:
Destination and location risks: weather, crime rates, political unrest, political and socioeconomic factors.
Travel risks: passport and visa issues, travel delays, missed connections, jet lag, fatigue.
Health risks: Sanitation and hygiene problems, infectious or foodborne or waterborne diseases, unfamiliarity with the environment.
Security risks: mode of travel, accommodation, area where the hotel or business meeting will take place, security of local transportation
Development of policies and procedures
Travel policies are not about controlling or simply managing expenses. You must balance efficient use of company resources with efforts to maintain the health, safety, welfare and morale of traveling employees in a manner that ensures employee compliance.
Key elements of creating and reviewing related policies and procedures include:
State the purpose of the policy.
Clearly indicate the objectives of the duty of care
Identify the products from step 2, including the definition of essential and non-essential travel and approved places to travel
Designation of the main party/responsible parties
Establish acceptable guidelines and/or exceptions, processes and procedures for relevant groups/locations.
Document policies and procedures for each step of the process, including pre-approval, pre-travel risk assessment, reservations, follow-up, incident response, and feedback.
Employee education and training.
Proactive communication is key to raising awareness and anticipating or combating misinformation. By educating everyone, an organization creates and reinforces a culture of risk awareness and discernment. Educating everyone, including supervisors, on the policy and procedure is essential to fulfilling the duty of care. All employees must be trained in the entirety of the policy itself, the related processes, procedures and protocols, as well as any assistive technology or other tools used by the organization.
Risk assessment before the trip
Identify anything that may compromise the safety and well-being of a particular traveling employee in connection with a particular business trip. Department managers and others responsible for managing the trip must understand and perform the required pre-trip inspections.
Employee travel tracking
At the very least, organizations should be able to track travel routes and see at a glance who is traveling, where they are, where they are staying, how long they are staying, and how to contact them in an emergency.
incident response
If an incident occurs, an organization must be able to coordinate efforts to quickly respond to the situation and provide immediate and appropriate assistance to the employee. The ability to respond quickly and effectively often depends on the steps that are taken to monitor and track the well-being of employees. In addition, organizations must have comprehensive contingency plans, including the ability to determine what constitutes an emergency, immediately implement emergency protocols, provide appropriate support, and activate local support as needed.
Companies should proactively, not reactively, develop policies that are comprehensive and explicitly address the health, safety and well-being of employees. Outdated or ineffective policies create confusion and errors among employees and often their managers. Regular audits, compliance analysis, and feedback gathering are important tools for implementing policy and process changes that better ensure compliance.

###

Ere Medal: Legerstaf Sergeant Herbert Burr
Poke KATIE LANGE
Defense Department News
When it came to tank warfare, the army general. Herbert Hoover Burr seemed unfazed. He saved the day twice during World War II in separate actions that earned him the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor.
Burr was born on September 13, 1920 in St. Joseph, Missouri. He had five brothers and two sisters and attended the city's Central High School before moving to nearby Kansas City at age 17.
Burr told a reporter at the St. Joseph Gazette that he had tried to join every branch of the military as a young man, including the National Guard, but was turned down by all because of bad teeth. But in early 1942, with the American war machine in full swing, he was drafted into the army. He trained as a tank gunner and was eventually sent to France to fight with Company C of the 41st Tank Battalion, 11th Armored Division.
Burr's courage was evident during his time in Europe. On January 15, 1945, he earned the Distinguished Service Cross for rescuing a wounded soldier from a burning tank in Belgium. He then extinguished the fire and drove that tank back to the American lines.
The one that earned him the Medal of Honor occurred about two months later, on March 19, 1945, near Dorrmoschel, Germany. Burr told the St. Joseph Gazette that he was in one of three Allied tanks that moved into the area. The first tank was attacked on the outskirts of the city. The second was told to hold his ground and Burr's was told to scout the area.
Moments later, Burr's tank was hit by an enemy bazooka shell. The explosion severely injured the platoon sergeant, killed two men in his turret, and forced the rest of the crew to abandon the vehicle.
"The big gun was on top of the tank and couldn't get out," he told a St. Louis reporter. Joseph News-Press/Gazette in 1988. “I didn't hear anything, but I felt the vibrations and I knew the tank was working. I wasn't going out with that guy with the bazooka out there.
Burr, who was the tank gunner, was knocked unconscious but uninjured, so he immediately got into the driver's seat and kept the tank moving towards the city. But when he turned left, he realized that he had made the wrong decision: an 88mm anti-tank gun was pointing at him a few points away.
"I don't think there should be a turn to the left there," Burr told the News-Press/Gazette reporter. "Well, it was too late to turn back now."
Although there were no other crew members in the tank to man the guns, Burr took the bold step of engaging the German gun directly. It would have been easy for the Germans to take it out: Burr's Medal of Honor report stated that the anti-tank gun was fully manned, needing only someone to pull the rope to fire a grenade. But the Germans were so surprised by Behr's unexpected and daring rush towards them that he was able to drive his tank completely over him, destroying the gun and confusing his crew.
Burr continued to advance, flanking and overturning a German truck before returning to his company line.
Burr then got out of the tank and pushed through the sniper fire to find some medics looking for him. Burr pointed out one of his wounded comrades, who was still alive in the tank's turret. Unfortunately, this man did not survive the ordeal, the newspaper reports.
Burr's bravery and determination quickly earned him a Medal of Honor nomination, which allowed him to be transferred back to the US, according to the St. Joseph Gazette. He was sent to serve as an instructor at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and then to a war school in Washington, D.C.
Burr received the Medal of Honor on August 23, 1945 from President Harry S. Truman in a White House ceremony honoring 27 other war heroes. Burr's parents and his wife, Verna, attended.
To enhance his honour, Burr was also awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1946, Britain's second highest military decoration at the time, and Luxembourg's Croix de Guerre, a rare foreign decoration awarded to Allied troops, in 1947.
Burr was discharged from the Army after the war and returned to Kansas City. He and his wife had three sons and a daughter.
Burr worked in construction and as a painter for the federal government until he retired in 1986. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the 11th Armored Division Association and was content with a quiet life, according to an article. 1984 from the Kansas City Times. Burr's son, Jack, said his father didn't like to talk much about the war and liked to fish.
Burr moved to Urbana, Missouri in 1988. He died two years later, on February 8, 1990, at a hospital near his home. He was buried in the Mount Washington Cemetery in Independence, Missouri.

###

Do you think you are ready for success as a young entrepreneur? not without a mentor

Puerta TONY DISILVESTRO

Running a business is hard, and the first few days of starting can be difficult.
I worked over 100 hours a week for many years. I missed the first five years with my oldest daughter. I came irregularly and it affected everything in my life.
I too wanted to grow and soon found that I couldn't burn the candle on both sides. I had to give something. But I had no mentor. I had no one to guide me or teach me how to promote, delegate, train and scale my business. I had to figure this all out on my own, at least until I made one of my wiser decisions.
Are you an entrepreneur or an entrepreneur?
When I was young, in the early days of my business, I thought I was an entrepreneur, but the fact was, I wasn't one at all. I was just a businessman. And then another busy and busy.
The most important thing I wish I had in my younger years is a coach. He suffered so many losses in the early years of the business that it could have been reduced by at least 50 percent if I had someone to guide me. It wasn't until I had been with the company for 10 years that a mentor came into my life. His name was Don and he worked at one of the first marketing companies I worked with. He sat down with me and talked about business trends.
When I met Don, he hadn't grown up yet. I finally had to admit it. He had peaked and to reach my growth goals I had to try something different. I tried to do everything myself. The company depended entirely on me and I am one person. So one day I took his advice and started looking at the big picture and thinking more carefully. A big part of that was learning to trust the systems I had and starting to delegate and trust my employees to do the work without me. Over the years, Don had given me this advice over and over again, but I only followed it when I had a change of mind.
I told him it was the best advice he ever gave me. The most rewarding thing I do now is mentor others and help them avoid many of the mistakes I made.
So if you're ready, I'm telling you the same thing: if you want to grow and scale, you have to go from business owner to entrepreneur and know the mindset that change requires.
The will to fail leads to success
"Failing well" sounds like an oxymoron, but it's part of the path to business success. You have to take risks to promote your business and failure is inevitable in this process. Learning to fail well is essential to becoming an entrepreneur.
For me, there are two types of failures: micro and macro. A small mishap is something that will not paralyze your business. It can be like trying out a new product, depending of course on how much your products cost. In my store, adding a new menu item that doesn't work well is a minor hiccup. But a macro error will sink you. I almost had a macro meltdown when I opened a bakery at a young age. I was not prepared and I did not have a coach to guide me.
A good business coach will help you avoid macro failures and will often push you towards micro failures. Too often we associate failure with negative outcomes, but failure teaches us a lot. And most importantly for entrepreneurs, failure builds confidence. Often, to make the leap from entrepreneur to entrepreneur, you have to get your feet wet with failure. He needs to take a few small hits and learn that he will survive so he can get back up and try again.
Entrepreneurs who have not yet ventured into the business world are often repulsive and overly cautious. Entrepreneurs want to scale and grow. They know that your business cannot depend only on them. Thank God Don came into my life and made me understand this critical point.
Everyone needs something other than a business coach. If you're leaning toward the business owner end of the spectrum, you probably need a coach to boost your confidence and light a fire under you. If you are more of a serial entrepreneur like me, you need someone to check up on you and help you make sound decisions. Either way, one of the wisest decisions you can make is to have a mentor help you on your journey.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,

Ask Rusty - Widow Stung by Social Security's Claw Back Rule

Dear Rusty, My husband of 48 years died on December 30 and received a direct deposit from Social Security in early January for his December benefit, but Social Security asked the bank to refund his December payment. I used part of the December allowance to pay for household expenses, so his bank account was overdrawn after his bank paid the December allowance to Social Security. My questions are:
1. Can Social Security claim your benefit because you died one day before 1/1/2023? It seems so bad!
2. Am I legally responsible for the overdraft that your bank has paid to social security? I was not notified by Social Security or their bank until "the deed was done."
3. Are Social Security benefits not available to the surviving spouse and how do I claim them? (Form #, please)
My husband took early medical retirement and his Social Security benefits have always been lower than mine, but I'm afraid his death may affect my benefits. That's right? Signed: grieving widow, wronged
Dear Grieving Widow, Our deepest condolences on the passing of your husband. Unfortunately, I don't have good news for you regarding the December surcharge payment. Social Security pays benefits the month following the month they are earned, and the beneficiary must live the entire month to qualify for that month's benefit. Although her husband lived almost to the end of the month, the Social Security rule says he must live the entire month to qualify for December benefits. Therefore, they recouped (often referred to as a "recapture") the December payments paid in January.
So is all this legal? Yes, I'm afraid so. From what you shared, Social Security recovered the money to which you are legally entitled, so you have no further obligations to Social Security. The bank had no choice but to return her husband's social security payment in December; the law required them to do so. Therefore, she maintains her obligation to resolve the debt from her spouse's checking account derived from the bank's legal obligation to Social Security.
As for any spousal or survivor benefits you may be entitled to, you say your spouse's social security benefits were less than yours, which means you don't get spousal benefits and as a widow you can't get a benefit for a spouse survivor (it can only be your benefit or his, whichever is greater). However, she is entitled to a lump sum death benefit of $255. I know it's not much, but she deserves it and she has to claim it. And, from what she described, since her monthly Social Security amount is higher than her spouse's, her own benefit will not be adversely affected by this.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial guidance. It presents the views and interpretations of AMAC Foundation staff, who are trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and AMAC Foundation and their staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other government agency. To ask a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

###

Midrange Hit vs. Music Superstar
Not all musicians make it to the top, and many are okay with that.

Every year, aspiring musicians looking to launch their careers try to land a spot on TV shows like American Idol and The Voice, hoping that fame will catapult them into the music career stratosphere.
But for every Kelly Clarkson or Jennifer Hudson who breaks away from the crowd, untold numbers of musicians abandon the dream.
However, superstar success or abject failure are not the only options. Somewhere in between, there are thousands who believe that success in the music industry doesn't mean becoming a household name.
"Success for musicians comes in many different forms," ​​says John Kim Faye (www.johnfaye.com), former lead singer of the Caulfields and author of the new memoir The Yin and the Yang of It All: Rock 'N' Roll Memories from the Cusp, said by a Mixed-Up, Mix-Race Kid.
“There is a large community of what I call 'middle-class musicians' who play, sing, write and produce at the highest level. They go on tour, they wow people when given the chance, and yet the general public has never heard of them. Trust me, there are a lot of us who just do what we do and find a way to keep going."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 24,000 people in the United States work as musicians or singers. The median income is around $30 an hour, well below the multi-million dollar contracts young music dreamers can envision.
How each artist defines success often depends on the individual's specific talents and strengths, as well as what they want their day-to-day life to look like.
"Some people want to achieve a certain level of financial gain and are willing to play 250 shows a year to achieve it," says Faye. “Others might focus on writing and putting their songs in movies or on Netflix. Others may go to great lengths to build a following online and spend their days creating content. There are many different paths you can take. It's a mosaic, not a monolith."
Fleeting Hits and One Hit Wonders
However, it's tempting to reach the heights of Billboard popularity with a hit that has the whole country singing along.
In her book, Faye mentions how much she loved the song "Moonlight Feels Right," a 1976 hit by the band Starbuck. But Starbucks was never able to replicate that success with the music that followed, an example of how fleeting and tenuous success can be in the music industry.
Faye knows this because she achieved her own musical heights as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Caulfields, who recorded two albums for A&M Records in the 1990s.
"When I got a little taste of the trappings of success in the mid-'90s, I actually convinced myself, 'This is my life now,'" says Faye. "My record was on the radio. I toured all of creation. I was paid a hefty advance for my release. The idea that everything would go out faster than it came in was certainly not something I had in mind and my behavior would confirm this because I covered that money pretty quickly."
Faye says that it is therefore important that aspiring musicians, especially those on the brink of success, realize that their so-called fifteen minutes of fame cannot be the main driver of an ongoing career.
“These early opportunities are disappearing fast,” he says. "But if you're in it for the right reasons, you have the determination to put yourself in a position to learn from it, move on, and maybe even turn it into something of value."
Looking back on her career thus far, Faye says she would tell her younger self, "Enjoy every experience and appreciate it through the lens of connection." Instead, she says, it was too easy to get caught up in the industry mindset that bigger is always better and only think about the number of visitors.
"But in a lot of ways," says Faye, "every time I got closer to the traditional idea of ​​being a rock star, it got so far away from the real reason I started playing music, which was to use my voice." and write songs to make people who I am. I want to be seen and, more importantly, I want people to hear me. I want the experience to be symbiotic."

_________________________________

Four Ways All Leaders Can Increase Their Impact

Leaders are all around us, in businesses, sports teams, community organizations, and other organizations.
In many cases, the work they do and its impact does not extend much beyond their immediate sphere of influence.
But leaders can also guide, teach, and inspire people in ways that have an enormous impact, and perhaps even last long after the leader is gone, says Brendan P. Keegan (www.brendanpkeegan.com), author from The FUD Factor: Fear. ., overcome uncertainty and doubt to achieve the impossible.
“Leaders must ask themselves: 'What do I want my legacy to be?' What lasting impact do I want to leave in the world and how can I be an inspiring legend to others? said Keegan, president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of Merchants Fleet, a company that provides leasing, maintenance and other services for commercial vehicles.
He says there are a few ways to create that legacy and leave a bigger mark on the world:
Guide others through a clear vision and the means to achieve that vision together. Have you ever noticed in sports teams how successful coaches leave a legacy of other coaches who have worked or played for them? Keegan says the same thing could happen to leaders in other fields. "When you make the decision to lead," he says, "you build an exponential legacy of leadership. When you lead 10 people who then lead 10 other people, and then lead 10 more people to achieve a common goal, you've impacted more than 1,000 lives." This has a big impact, Keegan says, and his efforts also have the added positive effect of dispelling people's fear, uncertainty, and doubt about their abilities, while also instilling confidence.
Become a mentor. Keegan suggests looking around his circle of friends, family, and colleagues and "pick one person to take under his wing and lead the path of leadership." Mentors, he points out, are voluntary, even at companies with formally structured mentoring programs. Mentors also focus on helping their mentee achieve their professional goals, not the mentor's goals, and they do so without expecting personal or professional benefits.
Train others to be the best version of themselves. Set aside time each week to spend a little more time showing someone how to improve a particular skill or trait. “Thirty minutes of training can change the trajectory of someone's life,” says Keegan. Coaching has similarities to mentoring, he says, but there are differences. Mentoring plays a much larger role in furthering one's career and overall personal and professional development. Coaching leads to a certain goal through learning. For example, coaching someone to make a sales call, do a better job, or complete a 20-yard pass. “When you train, you immediately see the impact you have on others,” Keegan says. "If leadership and coaching are the long game, then coaching is the short game."
cultivate. Leaders have opportunities every day in every interaction to inspire leadership, not just at work but also in the communities in which they live, Keegan says. “Really, everyone we meet is an opportunity to light someone else's leadership fuse,” he says. “These could be our neighbors, our children, our social circles. It can happen in our places of worship, gyms or cafeterias. Many people in life have never been told that they too can be leaders, let alone have someone else invest in them.”
Finally, Keegan says, find other ways to give without any expectation of receiving. Giving can mean sharing your time, encouragement, and wisdom, but it can also mean charity.
“We all have the opportunity to give in more ways each day and to do it without expecting anything in return,” says Keegan. “It could be running a 5K for charity, buying Girl Scout cookies, serving meals at a local shelter, coaching a youth sports team, or donating blood. The possibilities are endless."

###

Eremedaille: Marina j.g. José Carey
Poke KATIE LANGE

Marine Lieutenant J.G. Joseph R. Kerrey has been many notable things in his life: businessman, governor, senator, and even a presidential candidate. But perhaps one of the most famous titles he holds is that of recipient of the Medal of Honor for his service as a Navy SEAL during the Vietnam War.
Kerrey was born on August 27, 1943, in Lincoln, Nebraska, where his father, James, was in the Army Air Corps during World War II. James and his wife, Elinor, stayed there after the war to raise their seven children.
Kerrey, who went by Bob, a nickname shortened from his middle name Robert, said he had a typical childhood for the time. He became a Boy Scout and played high school football, graduating in 1961. He then attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in 1965.
Kerrey worked as a pharmacist after college as the Vietnam War began to escalate. He said in an interview at the Library of Congress that he knew he would be summoned after being notified to perform a physical. He wanted a say in which branch he joined, so in October 1966 he decided to enlist in the Navy.
After Kerrey attended Officer Candidate School, he decided he wanted to join the SEALs, so he successfully completed that training in 1968. He eventually joined SEAL Team 1, which consisted of two officers and 12 soldiers. After further training they were sent to Vietnam in January 1969.
Within three months, Kerrey's team was tasked with capturing key enemy political leaders. Kerrey said they had received reliable intelligence from a Viet Cong defector who knew enemy leaders had set up a base of operations on an island in Nha Trang Bay, off the south-central coast of Vietnam. The defector told the Special Forces operators that he had escaped from the island and that he was willing to guide them back there.
In the early morning hours of March 14, 1969, Kerrey led the SEAL team on a mission to the island to surprise the enemy. While the night was still dark, the group split in two: one group entered the island from the front, while Kerrey's six-man team manually climbed a 100-yard cliff from the rear only to end up on a ledge. in which the enemy discovered .
Kerrey said they even took off their boots to ease up the slope. But just as they neared their goal, the enemy found them.
"They slept in two different groups," Kerrey said of the enemy camp. 'Second sleeping group - we arrived a bit late. They had broken camp and were on their way, and they contacted us.
Kerrey said the Viet Cong fighters threw some type of explosive device at them, sparking a shootout. Almost immediately, a grenade landed at Kerrey's feet and exploded, severely injuring his right leg. The explosion threw him backwards onto sharp rocks.
Kerrey said she quickly put on her own tourniquet and tried to get up, but couldn't. Despite the great loss of blood and her pain, she knew that she had to keep the mission going. So he directed the rest of his team's fire into the heart of the enemy camp. Then, using his radio, he called for more fire support, which seriously confused the Viet Cong, who were caught in their own devastating crossfire.
Kerrey, maintaining his composure and control, had his team find a mine site for a helicopter rescue. He said that some of his men had been deployed before, so they knew what to do. By the end of the ordeal, Kerrey was nearly unconscious, but he continued to direct the actions of his team until everyone was evacuated, including his enemy captors, who ended up providing crucial intelligence to the Allied effort.
Kerrey was evacuated to Japan before returning to the US, where he learned the severity of his leg injuries. He said he spent eight months in a Navy hospital in Philadelphia, where his right leg had to be amputated below the knee.
“I saw true heroism there…both in the patients who suffered so much, physically and psychologically, and in the people who took care of us,” he said of his time at the hospital.
On May 14, 1970, Kerrey was one of 12 members of the military to receive the Medal of Honor from President Richard M. Nixon at a White House ceremony, although he initially refused to accept it. Kerrey said in his interview with the Library of Congress that he was not a fan of medals or medal culture in the military, but his fellow SEALs told him so.
"I talked to some of the guys that I trusted," Kerrey said. "They asked me to take it for them and other guys who didn't get anything."
When Kerrey was discharged from the Navy, he began working as a pharmacist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, according to an article in the Omaha World-Herald. From there he decided to become an entrepreneur. Kerrey co-owned a few restaurants and a few other businesses for most of the 1970s. During that time, he also underwent several surgeries on his leg that helped him walk and even run, according to a New York Times article. from 1991.
Kerrey married Beverly Defnall in 1974, though the marriage only lasted a few years before divorcing. The couple had two children, Ben and Lindsay.
By the 1980s, Kerrey had learned a lot about business and wanted to try to make a difference in the world, so he went into politics. He served as the governor of Nebraska from 1983 to 1987, then as a senator from 1989 to 2001. He even ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 1992, but lost the nomination to Bill Clinton.
Kerrey kept busy in the new century. In 2001 he married writer Sarah Paley and they had a son, Henry. From 2001 to 2010, Kerrey served as president of The New School, a private research university in New York. He also served on the 9/11 Commission and published an autobiography in 2002 titled "When He Was Young: A Memoir."
When Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson decided not to run for another term in 2012, Kerrey decided to get back into the fray for his old Senate seat. I lost this offer.
Over the past decade, Kerrey has served as a director of numerous companies in healthcare and other industries. Most recently, in October 2022, he was listed as the President of Tenet Healthcare Corporation.

###

Promote empathy as a leadership skill and disprove some myths

from DR. DEAR NICOLE

People who lack empathy, as I once did, share the belief that they can achieve a lot if they don't deal with "human problems."
They believe that a lack of empathy drives results rather than hinders them. But the tragedy is that sometimes we have to take a subjective view. We have to humanize the people in front of us. We need to get into situations and ask ourselves, "What would I want to happen if it was me?" "What does this person need the most right now?"
The challenge is, how do you get leaders to prioritize empathy if they don't believe it belongs in their leadership toolbox? The evidence that empathy in the workplace is a boon for business is quite compelling: 87 percent of CEOs believe that a company's financial performance is linked to empathy in the workplace, as is than 79 percent of HR professionals.
But I understand why some well-meaning, rational, logical, results-oriented leaders struggle to understand why people just can't do their jobs. After all, they are committed to these roles, so why would they need comforting, beatings, or hand-holding? I used to get frustrated too, until I realized that engagement works both ways: employee-to-employer and employer-to-employee. If an employer does not commit to providing an employee with the necessary support, tools, and resources to complete their job, they cannot expect an employee to honor their commitment to complete their job.
Note to leaders: empathy means understanding for your employees
Of course, for the employer to commit to providing the employee with what they need to get the job done, they must understand what those needs are. That is why leadership with empathy is important. Empathy is crucial for this mutual understanding. Contrary to popular belief, leading with empathy is not about holding hands or making excuses. It's the opposite. Empathy is the foundation that allows us to move forward.
Empathic leadership is about understanding others and then strategically using that understanding to move forward. Yes, I used empathy, strategy, and influence in the same sentence. Bet you didn't expect that. The work you need to do may include getting your team on time and ready to start meetings. If your team member is scheduled for an authorized meeting in town that ends 15 minutes before yours starts and takes 20 minutes to get to town, you'll rarely be on time. If you don't understand why they're always late (and stressed), you're not going to solve the problem. In fact, a lack of understanding will only make the problem worse.
Many people equate empathy with caring. When the topic of empathy comes up, it's common for people to think, “Now you expect me to care about everyone: what they're doing, how they're feeling. I don't have time for that." While caring is often a natural consequence of practicing empathy, the truth is that caring is not required. Understanding is. If you start with understanding, you can begin to understand the difficult situation of the person. give.
In the meantime, let's clear up some misconceptions, some long-standing myths about empathy, and debunk them:
Empathy requires that you embrace the other person's beliefs and values.
Empathy is not believing other people's beliefs or living by other people's values. Empathy is understanding why another person believes what they believe and values ​​what they value, even if it is different from yours.
Empathy is feeling sorry for another. Empathy is understanding and sensitivity to another person's thoughts, feelings, and experiences. it is not a commitment to another person, something based on your own thoughts, feelings and experiences. While we sometimes feel sorry for people, this is not the definition of empathy.
Empathy makes you weak. Empathy requires the courage to acknowledge and accept your own difficult feelings in order to better understand and connect with those around you. Connecting with others strengthens relationships and has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety.
You can't always empathize. If that's possible. Empathy requires no action. It is the simple act of trying to understand and put yourself in the place of the other. Your ability to respond better improves as your level of understanding increases.
Empathy is giving, giving, giving. This discreditation consists of three elements:
While empathy can sometimes seem overwhelming, healthy empathy requires boundaries. You can get exhausted if you spend 24 hours a day trying to understand the feelings and circumstances of everyone around you.
Acting with empathy also benefits the empath. For starters, it helps you understand and regulate your emotions and promotes better connections with others.
You're not always the sympathizer. You have generated empathy in those you spend time with.
The bottom line is this: empathy is a strength, not a weakness. It can be built and developed. And it is very important that leaders know this. It is vital that they strengthen their empathic muscles so that they can connect, energize and unite their workforce. Because a workforce that feels understood will help leaders build a successful business.

###

How and why leaders should prevent America's child care crisis

As companies find ways to hire the best employees in a tight job market, they face an additional hurdle.
The lack of affordable child care has forced many people, especially women, out of work, creating an even greater shortage of qualified candidates for critical positions.
Meanwhile, employees still on the job may not perform at their best if they don't trust that their children are getting proper care, says John W. Mitchell (www.johnwmitchell.com), author of the forthcoming book Fire Your Hiring Habits: Build an environment that attracts the best talent into today's workforce.
“We are already realizing that if there are no affordable options, they may be forced out of the workforce entirely,” says Mitchell.
For some parents, childcare is not possible at all. According to a report from the Center for American Progress, roughly half of the US population lives in a child care desert. Those who can find care often pay a heavy price. The report states that annual tuition for two children in daycare averages nearly $20,000.
Families of color are especially affected by the situation. According to a report by the nonprofit Child Care Aware of America, they are more likely to experience a lack of accredited child care in their community, and they are also more likely to struggle with the affordability of that care.
The effects of the child care crisis on business, the economy, family life, and other aspects of American life are potentially staggering. Mitchell says that companies need to address child care crises head-on, and offers ideas on how to do so:
Be flexible. Companies can offer flexibility to parenting employees in a number of ways, such as shorter work weeks, telecommuting or hybrid work, Mitchell says. But flexibility can go even further. A parent who needs to take their child to the doctor usually has to take a full or half day off, even if it's only two hours. By offering flexible hours, parents can avoid looting their paid time off when they don't need it, Mitchell adds.
Offer referral services and child care subsidies. The best employees are hard to come by, so companies and their bottom line will suffer if employees leave because they can't find safe and affordable child care, Mitchell says. One option to consider is to offer referral services and grants. With so many daycare closures, Mitchell says, it's also time to consider bringing licensed providers into the homes of working parents.
Don't insist on the "get it done whatever it takes" mentality. If they haven't already, companies should stop insisting that people come to work even if they're sick, Mitchell says. Sometimes this is an unspoken policy, but one that nervous employees usually understand. “Illnesses are spread when people who are legitimately ill enter the workplace because they fear for their jobs or their performance,” she says. Ideally, providing adequate paid sick leave and personal time should take care of this.
Support for the mental health of employees. Some people just juggle too much, according to Mitchell, and parents can be pulled in different directions, such as when a child has a fever and can't make it to daycare, but the parent has an important meeting to attend. “Parents are exhausted and work-life balance can seem impossible,” says Mitchell. Employees will feel valued knowing that the company supports them and provides access to services to help with stress, such as mental health counselors or retreat rooms or yoga.
Finally, says Mitchell, companies should explore the possibility of on-site partnerships with day care centers.
This not only solves the problem of parents finding child care, but also provides added peace of mind that the child is very close.
Businesses with a large number of parenting employees also benefit from helping to address the child care crisis, says Mitchell. Employees will be more engaged in their work, and as a result, these companies will experience less absenteeism, more recidivism, higher productivity, and higher employee morale.

###

social security problems
From National Social Security Counselor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: How do I withdraw my Social Security application?
Dear Rusty, I will be 67 next month and will have reached full retirement age in July 2022. My wife and I are debating whether to receive Social Security now or wait until age 70 for a higher benefit. I remember reading that you can start Social Security and if you don't need it, pay it off within a year and then "reset" it for a larger benefit by waiting longer. Describe the steps in this process that we must follow now and repay benefits for the year if we don't need them. Signature: Uncertain
Dear Unsure: Well, to exercise what's called an "opt-out" (which essentially withdraws your claim for benefits), you need to contact Social Security (1.800.772.1213 or your local SS office) and apply for your benefits right away. Of retirement. You can also download and complete Form SSA-521 and submit it to your local Social Security office. You can get this form from this link: www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-521.pdf.
This "repeat option" is only available within 12 months from the date of your request and can only be done once in your lifetime. Using it requires you to pay Social Security all payments made on your behalf, including not only your monthly payments, but also any income taxes you have withheld and any Medicare contributions withheld from your monthly payments (Social Security will tell you how much must pay). ). Once reimbursed, it will be as if you never applied for benefits, so your benefit amount will be higher if you reapply later (which would be the case if you simply did not apply; your entitlement to benefits continue to increase until claimed, until age 70, when the maximum SS benefit is reached). This process would be the same for both you and your partner.
However, I recommend that you consider whether you really need to withdraw your application. Keep in mind that since you have reached your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you can apply now, and if you later decide you don't need the monthly SS money, you can temporarily suspend your benefits to avoid having to pay in full. back Social Security has already paid you and on your behalf (you don't have to formally withdraw your claim). With a simple suspension (instead of a withdrawal), your benefit amount will increase again each month your benefits are suspended (approximately 0.67% more for each month you do not receive benefits) and you will be able to keep anything you already received at the time of withdrawal. the suspension. suspension of payment. To stop your payments, simply call Social Security at the number above and tell them you want to stop your benefits and increase your payment amount. Although you can only use the withdrawal process once in your lifetime, you can temporarily suspend your benefits multiple times if necessary.

_______________________

###

###

Medal of Honor: Army Colonel Lewis Millett Sr.
Poke KATIE LANGE
Defense Department news

It's not often that overzealousness can lead to a court-martial for desertion, but that's what happened to Army Colonel Lewis Lee Millett Sr. during World War II. However, he had a long military career after this incident and later cemented his legacy when he won the Medal of Honor for leading the last great American bayonet in military history.
Millett was born on December 15, 1920 in Mechanic Falls, Maine. His parents, George and Elsie, divorced when he was a young child, so he moved to Dartmouth, Massachusetts with his mother at a young age. He had a brother, Albert, and three sisters, Alice, Helen, and Marion.
Millett grew up hearing stories about his grandfather, who served in the Civil War, and his uncle, who served in World War I. These leadership stories led him to become vice president of his senior class and a member of the National Guard while he was still in high school.
in a hurry to fight
By the time Millett graduated in 1940, war had broken out in Europe. He wanted to serve, so he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. But after a few months, Millett did not believe that the US would join the war. He was so eager to fight that he left the army to join the Royal Canadian Artillery, which had joined the war on the Allied side.
Millett attended this unit's training, but by the time he was sent to Europe, the Pearl Harbor attacks had taken place, bringing the US into the war. So while serving in London as a radar operator for Canada, Millett turned himself in to the US embassy. The officers reinstated him into the United States Army and assigned him to the 1st Armored Division.
Millett was eventually sent to fight in North Africa as an anti-tank gunner. While stationed in Tunis, he earned the Silver Star for rescuing several Allied soldiers. During the incident, Millet saw a burning halftrack that was probably about to explode. The half-track, a truck with wheels at the front and a wagon-shaped cart at the rear, was loaded with ammunition, so Millet jumped out and pulled it away from the other soldiers. He managed to jump to safety just before it exploded. On another occasion, Millett also shot down a German fighter plane with a vehicle-mounted machine gun.
Not your typical court martial
However, when Millet arrived in Italy, his defection to join the Canadian Forces finally caught up with him. He was court-martialed and convicted, resulting in a $52 fine and denial of a permit.
"He didn't give a shit about the licensing privileges because he wasn't going to go anyway, but he was kind of mad about the $52," Millett's brother Albert told the Boston Globe in 2009. "They told him they had to promote that." .
A few weeks later, Millet won a commission on the battlefield.
After the war, Millett joined the 103rd Infantry of the Maine National Guard. At one point, he was married to a woman named Virginia Young, but that ended in divorce, according to Millett's obituary in the Boston Globe. As a politician, he attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, for about three years. But in 1949 he was called up for active duty.
Millet was eventually sent to Korea with the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division. It was during a pivotal attack that became known as the Battle of Bayonet Hill that Millett earned his Medal of Honor.
Attack!
In early February 1951, Millett led E Company across a paddy field in an assault on a well-fortified enemy position around Hill 180 near Soam-Ni, Korea. After two days of fighting, Millet and his men were finally pushed to the bottom of the hill.
On February 7, one of the company's platoons was pinned down by heavy fire. Millet knew they had to go up. He had also read a translated enemy report stating that US troops were unwilling to engage in hand-to-hand combat, something he wanted to prove himself wrong.
Millet then ordered the other two platoons forward, took up the lead of the attack and mounted his bayonet on his rifle. He then ordered everyone to do the same and follow him up the hill in a close combat charge that became the last great American bayonet charge in military history.
During the fierce battle, Millet bayoneted two enemy soldiers, then hurled a flurry of grenades and bayonets through more enemy fighters as he pushed his men forward. According to a 2019 article written by the 51st Fighter Wing's public affairs unit, while leading the attack, Millett had to dodge enemy and friendly shells. He managed to dodge eight, but a ninth wounded him, leaving shrapnel in his legs and back.
Finally, the American platoons forced their way to the top of the hill. When the enemy withdrew, Millet indicated to his men that they had succeeded. The clash resulted in the death of nine friendly fighters and around 100 enemy soldiers. Millet refused to be evacuated due to his injuries until the mound was firmly secured.
For his courage and leadership, Millett received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman on July 5, 1951, in a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House. Three other Korean War soldiers: Col. Raymond Harvey, Master Sgt. Stanley Adams and Sgt. Einar Ingman, also received the great honor that day.
During the festivities surrounding the ceremony, Millett met a woman named Winona Williams. They eventually married and had four children: Lewis Jr., Timothy, Elizabeth and John, the last of whom also joined the service but was killed along with 255 other soldiers who perished in a plane crash in 1985.
Meanwhile, Millett continued his military career. He attended ranger school and eventually ran a 101st Airborne Division school for reconnaissance training. He served in several overseas special operations advisory missions during the Vietnam War and even helped found the Royal Thai Army Ranger School.
Sometime in the 1960s, Millett also received his undergraduate degree from Park College in Missouri, the Boston Globe reported.
always honorable
Millett finally retired from the Army in 1973. He then served as an honorary colonel of the 27th Infantry Regiment for more than 15 years.
Millett's later life was spent in Idyllwild, California. Although retired, he remained active in the veteran community and with units at March Air Force Base. In June 2000, Millett was one of eight Korean War veterans to return to South Korea to serve as keynote speaker at the Army's 225th Anniversary Ball. One of his last services was as grand marshal for the April 2009 Veterans Salute Parade in Riverside, California.
Millett died of congestive heart failure on November 14, 2009 while receiving treatment at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Loma Linda, California. The 88-year-old was later buried at Riverside National Cemetery, near the Medal of Honor Monument.
Shortly before Millett's death, the Moreno Valley Navy Operational Support Center, which had close ties to the retired colonel, created a unit excellence award in his name.
In 1952, about a year after Millet's exploits, the United States Air Force built Osan Air Force Base around what was believed to be Hill 180 (opinions differ as to where exactly the hill was located). hill). The base erected a monument to the battle and has held an annual memorial service there since 1994, when Millett was honored at the opening ceremony. There is also a path up the hill called Millett Road.

###

history is important
A feature courtesy of
De Grateful American Book Award

###

_____________________________________

###

social security problems

From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,

Ask Rusty: Cutting Social Security will make me lose my home!
Dear Rusty, Politicians talk about taking money from Social Security, but I need that money to support my daughter and pay for my house. I am a widow and my husband passed away in 2017. I will lose my home if my Social Security benefits are reduced. Please help. Signed: Senior Widow
Dear Elderly Widow: Despite what you read or hear in the media, the biggest threat to losing some of your Social Security money is if Social Security isn't reformed. In this case, everyone with a benefit around 2034 will see a reduction of approximately 23% in their monthly benefit. The way to avoid this is to update the current Social Security law to address two key issues:
1. People are now living much longer than they did when Social Security was instituted in 1935 and when the last major change to the program occurred in 1983. The average life expectancy of beneficiaries today is in the mid-1980s, compared to the mid 60's when the show started. In other words, people are now receiving benefits for much longer (often decades longer) than the program was designed for.
2. The number of employees contributing to the plan is growing at a much slower rate than the increase in benefit recipients. This means that the ratio of contributors to beneficiaries is now much smaller than in the past, which means that the costs of the program are increasing faster than the income.
The reality is that reforms are needed now to prevent benefit cuts for everyone later. But here's a very important point that should comfort you: Any reform that passes will almost certainly affect only those who haven't yet claimed their Social Security benefits. This means that you should not be affected because you are already receiving benefits and will continue to receive them in the same amount, except for increases you receive in Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA). Any changes to Social Security that have been made affect only future beneficiaries, not current ones. The only real threat to your Social Security benefits is if no changes are made, and even then there won't be any cuts until around 2034.
So you can be sure that your personal Social Security benefits won't be reduced. Everything you hear now that suggests otherwise is a scare tactic designed to grab headlines for political gain. The program must be reformed or declared bankrupt in a little over 10 years, and that is what both Republicans and Democrats want to avoid. The difference between the parties is that one side wants to solve the problem primarily by increasing workers' Social Security taxes, while the other side wants to modify the program to address the two factors mentioned above that are causing the problem. What is needed is cooperation between the two parties to reach a compromise, which we hope Congress will eventually reach. They already know how to fix Social Security. They just need to find the duality necessary to do it. For its part, the Association of Mature Americans (AMAC) has for years proposed amendments that would return Social Security to full solvency without raising taxes on American workers, and AMAC's proposal was welcomed by many in Congress. To view AMAC's proposal, visit www.amac.us/social-security/.
In any case, contrary to what you may hear in the media, your current Social Security benefits should not be negatively affected by future Social Security reforms.

###

Medalla de Honor: Marine Corps PFC. james anderson jr.
Poke KATIE LANGE
Defense Department News

Marine Corps soldier. James Anderson Jr. she had a plan for his future, but when the Vietnam War began, he felt compelled to serve. The 20-year-old never returned home to fulfill the plans he had for himself, but his bravery during his brief tour of duty earned him the Medal of Honor.
Anderson was born in Compton, California on January 2, 1947 to Agethine and James Anderson Sr. He was the first son for the couple, who already had five daughters. He also had a younger brother, Jack.
Growing up, Anderson loved to sing in the choir. According to his niece, Denise Johnson-Cross, he was also a keen dancer and was involved in service organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Anderson played clarinet in the Centennial High School band and graduated tenth in her class in 1964. Johnson-Cross said her uncle, who was 14 when she was born, wanted to be a pastor.
Marine Corps soldier. James Anderson Jr. he won the Medal of Honor for rescuing his comrades from a shell during combat in Vietnam on February 28, 1967.
After high school, Anderson attended Harbor College in Los Angeles for a year and a half to study law. When the Vietnam War began, he did not want to return to the army, so he enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 1966 and was deployed to Vietnam in December. Anderson was trained as a gunfighter, even though his sister, Mary, told the Los Angeles Times in 1984 that he said he couldn't kill anyone.
On February 28, 1967, Anderson had just celebrated his 20th birthday and his first anniversary in the Marine Corps when he was put to the ultimate test.
Anderson served as a gunner with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, in Quang Tri province on the central coast of Vietnam. He and his platoon were on a mission to rescue a heavily besieged reconnaissance party when they came under heavy enemy fire in the dense jungle northwest of Cam Lo.
The platoon reacted quickly and began firing. Anderson was on the ground in a tight group of Marines about 20 yards from the enemy and began firing at them.
Suddenly, a grenade landed very close to Anderson's head. Without hesitation, Anderson selflessly grabbed the grenade, brought it to his chest and wrapped himself around it before it exploded.
Anderson's body absorbed the blast. He died instantly. However, thanks to his performance, the surrounding Marines survived with minor injuries.
Anderson's extraordinary bravery and sacrifice were a testament to his bravery, for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on August 21, 1968. Washington Naval Barracks.
The honor made Anderson the first black Marine to receive the nation's highest gallantry award.
Anderson's sister, Mary, told the Los Angeles Times that she did what she did in Vietnam "because of her faith and her faith in humanity. She always cared about other people."
Anderson's sacrifice has not been forgotten. In 1983, the United States Navy showed its appreciation for her bravery by renaming a naval prosthetic ship in her honor. USNS soldier. James Anderson Jr. was based for him in the Indian Ocean and until 2009 transported teams in support of a Marine Brigade. His name also appears in Anderson Hall at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
More recently, a bill passed by Congress in December 2022 would rename a post office in Anderson's hometown after the distinguished Marine. The bill was introduced in 2020 by United States Representative Nanette Barragan of California, who first learned of Anderson from Compton Mayor Emma Sharif. Johnson-Cross said Sharif visited Anderson Cemetery in Lincoln Park when she noticed the correct headstone was not available for the Medal of Honor recipient. Sharif brought this to the attention of Barragán, who took postal legislation very seriously.
A park in Carson, California, near Anderson's home, was also named in his honor.

###

Residence
door dr. bullet simon
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine UAMS

Q: When should a girl see a gynecologist?
A: A teen's first visit to the gynecologist should be between the ages of 13 and 15, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This visit may be with a gynecologist or primary care provider. Many primary care providers, including internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatricians, are trained to provide preventive care for younger women.
The first visit usually does not include a pelvic exam, but will focus on education, screening, and counseling. The doctor discusses the reproductive cycle, related problems, birth control, HPV vaccination, and sexually transmitted infections, and discusses these infections if the patient is sexually active. The doctor may also do a breast exam to check for lumps.
A Pap smear is not indicated until age 21, and an internal pelvic exam is only required for younger patients presenting with symptoms such as irregular periods, vaginal discharge, or pelvic pain. A Pap smear may also be necessary if the young patient has symptoms but her cycle has not yet started.
It is important to remember that everything the patient discusses with the gynecologist or primary care provider is confidential.

Q: I am 32 years old and still have strep throat. Should I have my tonsils removed?
A: People tend to think that diseases that affect the tonsils, such as strep throat, only occur in children. However, adults can also be affected.
One of the most common reasons a surgeon would remove your tonsils is to stop recurring strep throat. Therefore, you may be a good candidate for a tonsillectomy.
However, since you are an adult, there is a risk of further complications. Adults generally do not recover as quickly as children, so take at least a week or two off work to recover. Many people experience nausea and vomiting, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, mild fever, bad breath, earaches, and fatigue. Because the tonsils are located near major blood vessels, bleeding is also a particular concern after surgery.
While there are potential complications, the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term drawbacks. It is estimated that approximately 380,000 tonsillectomies are performed each year in the United States. The vast majority of these interventions are considered successful. If recurrent strep throat prevents you from working and having a good quality of life, surgery may be worthwhile.

Q: What should I do if I think I have depression?
A: First of all, know that you are not alone. Depression is an illness that affects approximately 21 million adults in the United States each year. Women are twice as likely as men to develop major depression, also known as clinical depression.
While everyone experiences sadness from time to time, depression is more than just a bad day. Common symptoms include a persistent sad or anxious mood. changes in weight or appetite; changes in sleep patterns; increased restlessness or irritability; lack of pleasure in activities that once produced pleasure. tiredness or decreased energy. feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness. inability to concentrate or make decisions or thoughts of death or suicide.
If you regularly experience five or more of these symptoms over a period of two weeks or more, you may be suffering from major depression and should make an appointment with your GP who can guide you to the best treatment.
If you are thinking about committing suicide, seek help immediately. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has counselors available 24 hours a day by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org. Or go to the nearest emergency room or mental health center.

Q: When do I definitely need to go to the ER?
A: Many circumstances warrant a trip to the emergency room, but other times it's not so obvious.
It's part of human nature to doubt ourselves or "not want to be bothered." But there are several warning signs of potentially serious illnesses that should never be ignored or put off until later.
Weakness in the arms, legs, or face, especially on one side of the body, can be signs of a stroke. Remember the acronym BE FAST: Balance Problems, Vision Changes, Face Droop, Arm Weakness, Slurred Speech, and Time to Call 911.
It is important to control chest pain because it can be a sign of heart disease or a heart attack. A tightness or heaviness in the chest that lasts or recurs for a few minutes is also a sign to seek help.
Tenderness and pain in the back of your lower leg may be a sign of a blood clot called a deep vein thrombosis. It is more common after sitting for a long time, such as on airplane travel, or when you are bedridden due to illness.
Blood in the urine, wheezing, fainting, severe shortness of breath, and suicidal thoughts should also never be ignored.

###

social security problems
From Social Security advisor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: What's the best way to get survivor benefits?
Dear Rusty: If someone becomes a widow/widower, what is the most efficient way to receive the deceased's monthly Social Security? Signed: Still Grieving
Dear Still Grieving: There's really only one way to receive survivor benefits: You must contact Social Security directly to apply. You can call 1.800.772.1213 or call your local SS office (find the number at www.ssa.gov/locator) to make an appointment to apply for your survivor benefit. These appointments are usually made over the phone, so an in-person visit to the Social Security office is usually not necessary.
The most important question to ask yourself is when to apply for survivor benefits. Like most other Social Security benefits, the age at which you apply determines the amount of your survivor benefit. And the survivor's benefit is not paid in all cases. Consider these points:
If the surviving spouse is already receiving their own SS pension benefit and it exceeds what the deceased spouse received, the surviving spouse will continue to receive only their own and receive a higher benefit, but will receive a $255 death benefit.
If the surviving spouse's benefit is less than the decedent's benefit, the surviving spouse's benefit will be based on the higher amount.
If the surviving spouse has reached Full Retirement Age (FRA), the survivor benefit is 100% of the amount the deceased received. If the widow has not reached the FRA at the time of claiming Survivor's Benefit, the amount is reduced (by 4.75% for each full year before the FRA).
The survivor benefit is capped in the FRA for surviving family members. If the surviving spouse has not yet reached her FRA, she has the option to defer applying for survivor benefits until she has reached her maximum FRA. There is an exception to this: if the surviving spouse already received only a marriage benefit from the deceased (and not his own SS pension benefit), the survivor's benefit is granted automatically, regardless of the survivor's age.
If the surviving spouse has not yet claimed their own SS pension benefit, they have the option to apply only for the survivor benefit first and allow their own SS pension benefit (up to age 70). This would be sensible if the survivor's SS pension benefit at age 70 exceeds the maximum survivor benefit at full retirement age.
If you're not full retirement age and still working, Social Security has an earnings test that limits how much you can earn before certain benefits are taken away. The limit for 2023 is $21,240, and if you go over that, they will deduct benefits equal to $1 for every $2 over the limit. Income tests kick in when you reach your FRA.
So, as you can see, there are many things to consider when deciding when to claim your Social Security benefits as a widow or widower. I hope the above information helps you make an informed decision.

###

###

Pain relief found in the garden.

###

Medal of Honor: Sgt. First Class Melvin Morris
Poke KATIE LANGE
In 1969, Army Sgt. 1st Class Melvin Morris endured grueling combat in Vietnam to rescue a fallen comrade and keep critical information out of the enemy's reach. During the battle he was wounded three times, but after recovering he continued his military career. Forty-four years later, the original awards Morris received for his actions were upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
Morris was born on January 7, 1942, in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, a farming community east of Oklahoma City. His father, Giannis, was a craftsman who found work whenever he could, while his mother was a homemaker. Morris said that when he was young he liked to fish, hunt and hang out with his three brothers and four sisters.
Unfortunately, he grew up in a time of depression, so there were few career opportunities in his field. But there was the military, something most of the men in her family had served in, including his two older brothers and an uncle who was a member of the all-black 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion during World War II. Morris said that he admired these men and their uniforms and that serving was something he thought about from a very young age.
There weren't many black men in the Oklahoma Army National Guard in the late 1950s, but the service was recruiting, so in 1959 Morris enlisted. After about a year, he applied to join the active duty army. He underwent gunnery and airborne training before deciding that he wanted to join the fledgling Special Forces. He began this training in 1961 and by September 1963 he was a fully qualified Green Beret.
"I was 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 117 pounds," Morris said during a 2015 interview with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. "But I was a strong boy."
Morris said that at one point he was transferred to the 82nd Airborne Division and posted to the Dominican Republic for about a year and a half while the United States intervened in that country's civil war. But by 1967 he had returned to the Green Berets as a member of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
While stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Morris met Mary Nesbitt, whom he married three months later. The couple had two sons and a daughter before he volunteered to go to Vietnam in February 1969.
In the jungle
Morris said he saw fighting shortly after his arrival, preparing him for the ordeal he would face in September 1969. Morris, then a staff sergeant, was the commander of a five-man special forces team within the IV Mobile Strike Force supporting South Vietnamese troops and other local soldiers.
On September 17, 1969, his unit carried out a search and destroy mission in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam, near the Cambodian border. Morris said his company was after two others who had passed through a town that seemed almost empty. But soon after, the two companies at the front were ambushed.
Several men were injured very quickly and had to be evacuated by helicopter, Morris said. Soon after, he learned over the radio that another squad leader, Master Sgt. Ronald Hagen, was killed near an enemy bunker.
Morris immediately reorganized his men to defend his position, then took two men with him to advance and recover the fallen commander. Morris said that when they reached Hagen, the enemy fire stopped long enough for him to pray over the body. Soon, however, enemy fire was fired, wounding the two men with it.
Morris helped get them back to safety, then recruited two more men to continue the mission. With only the fire from his team to protect them, the trio charged forward through the enemy heavy machine guns. As they approached the closest bunker to Hagen, Morris knocked out the enemy soldiers inside, grabbed Hagen, and began the arduous journey back to friendly lines.
Morris said he returned unharmed, only to realize that a box of maps belonging to Hagen had fallen to the ground along the way. It contained vital classified information that couldn't get into enemy hands, so he and another soldier had to go back and retrieve it.
After collecting as many grenades as he could, Morris threw them at every dugout he found along the way, knocking out four of them. He and his partner managed to retrieve the map bag and run, but on the way back, Morris was shot at point blank range.
"I saw bubbles coming out of my chest," he recalls.
Morris said he cleaned up behind a palm tree and then threw his last grenade at the enemy soldiers. He was then shot in the right arm, causing him to drop his gun out of reach where he could easily retrieve it.
Morris desperately needed help, so he called the Air Force for field support. However, they did not have a fixed target, so they were afraid that if they fired artillery, they would hit it. Instead, Morris contacted the Navy Seabees, who had a helicopter nearby. He had smaller explosives dropped on the enemy, giving him a chance to return to his gun and start shooting, despite taking a third hit to the finger.
"I shot every magazine I had," Morris said. "My training started and I remembered everything I had to do. Trust your training. That's all I have to say. I had trained well."
The chaos gave Morris enough time to get out of the direct path of the fire and return to friendly lines. Eventually, he was transferred to a field hospital, then to Saigon and then to Japan for treatment before returning to his home at Fort Bragg. He spent about three months in hospitals recovering from his injuries.
Soon after, he learned that he had earned the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions. According to the Okmulgee Daily Times, in April 1970, he was awarded the Army's second-highest gallantry award by Lieutenant General John T. Tolson at a ceremony at Fort Bragg.
Within weeks, Morris volunteered to return to Vietnam for a second tour of duty. This lasted 13 months.
Morris left the Army around 1975 and was gone for about three years, but his desire to serve drew him until 1978. He finally retired in May 1985 after 23 years of service.
Morris said he initially had trouble returning to civilian life, as well as post-traumatic stress from what he had seen in Vietnam. But he said he finally reached out for help and was able to get his life back on track with the help of the veteran community and his family.
expired prices
In the early 2000s, Congress ordered the service records of several servicemen from previous wars to be reviewed to determine if any of those men had surrendered for the Medal of Honor because of the awards of the time. The review determined that several men should have received the nation's highest honor for bravery.
Then, in May 2013, Morris got a call he wasn't expecting. President Barack Obama was on the phone to tell him that his Distinguished Service Cross was being upgraded.
"He also told me to keep it confidential... Keep pursed lips for 10 months? That's hard," he joked in his interview with the Veterans History Project.
Morris received Obama's Medal of Honor on March 18, 2014, in a highly anticipated ceremony at the White House. Nearly two dozen other servicemen were awarded the Enhanced Medal that day for their service in Vietnam, Korea and World War II.
Morris later said that the honor was not his alone. It was for all the soldiers who were with him that day, especially those who died as heroes and never had a chance to be recognized.
"This is for them and for the entire nation," he said.
Since receiving the Medal of Honor, Morris has spent much of his time speaking with people in the military community, as well as high school students. He said that he wants to pass on his knowledge to the younger generation.
"These kids of today are our leaders of tomorrow. If they don't have the knowledge or the skill, we slide," Morris said in his interview with the Veterans History Project. "A nation that does not recognize its heroes fails as a nation."
In 2015, a bronze statue of Morris was unveiled at Riverfront Park in Cocoa, Florida, where he and his wife currently live.

###

_________________________________________________

###

How thinking like an engineer can solve our financial problems

By Jarl Jensen

If there is something that everyone wants, it is financial vision. But this is difficult to realize.
All the best economists admit that they don't know what is going to happen. Even after their long and grueling years of academic study, they all graduated blindfolded. And yet here we ask economists to help us solve our biggest problems.
So how do you develop an x-ray financial vision? In the same way that engineers can predict the future of bridges, buildings and just about anything they build. They use and apply science to make predictions about how things will behave in the future, and they do so with an incredible degree of accuracy and reliability.
Imagine if our economy worked the same way. Imagine if it were possible to 'see' economics the way an engineer views product design. Imagine the ideas you might have about what will happen next.
Of course, you don't want to think like an economist if you want to get a sense of what the economy is going to do. So start thinking like an engineer. An engineer examines the inputs of a system to determine its outputs. The mistake economists make is to start with production and hopefully try to figure out what production will do next.
Believe it or not, economists look for answers in human behavior, which is the product of the economy.
Starting point: the banking system
An engineer always starts with input to a system, which in economics is the monetary policy of the banking system. Monetary policy is the true "mechanical" input of the economy and society. So the way to look at all the aspiring economist bullshit is to start with the banking system and what it does to our world, society and humanity.
This can quickly become a profitable tool. Because it turns out that the monetary policy of the banking system is open and has not changed significantly in a century. In short, the banking system needs to grow the economy by balancing interest rates and now quantitative easing, a monetary policy used by central banks to increase the money supply and stimulate borrowing and investment. But what we need is a better option that is both capitalist and small government and eliminates the need for social safety nets. We need a system that unites us instead of dividing us.
The best way to reach a consensus on how our economic system should work is to break down the arguments on both sides and unite them into one effort, in short, to replace the way we think about and use money today. in a lifelong dependency on government safety nets) and follow a more natural system that allows for dignity, freedom, and growth.
From a technical perspective, I can imagine ways that we can solve many of our problems and have a future that looks something like this:
Where technology contributes more and more to the common good, for the poor and the rich and everyone in between.
Where supermarkets do not throw away 60% of their products while street people go hungry.
Where not 5 million children die a poverty related death each year.
Where the bottom 25% of the population now have absolutely nothing in their savings and instead have the means to keep saving as the years go by.
A future in which savings accounts yield good returns instead of the predatory near-zero interest rates of modern times.
A future in which sustainability is possible for nature, humanity and nature
A future where jobs are not valuable, but ubiquitous and not seen as a scarce resource manipulated to control wages.
The bottom line is that if we change the way money flows into our reality, we will fundamentally change reality.
Surprisingly, the biggest obstacle is not the government or the bureaucracy. The main problem lies in what humanity collectively believes to be money. To solve the world's problems, we will have to undo the definition of money and how we think it should work.

###

Medal of Honor: Chief of Staff Stewart Daniel Atkins
Poke KATIE LANGE
Navy chief Stewart Daniel John Atkins was serving on a ship near Cuba during the Spanish–American War when a violent storm knocked one of his comrades overboard. Despite the choppy waters threatening to consume anyone in it, Atkins jumped in to try and save the straying sailor. This bravery earned him the Medal of Honor.
Not many details have been released about Atkins' life. Birth records for him show that he was born on November 18, 1866 in Brunswick, Virginia, to Jack and Ann Atkins. However, the record lists him as "John Daniel Atkins". All other records list him as Daniel, so it is unclear if the first and middle names were reversed later in his life or if they were incorrectly recorded.
Military records show that Atkins had a sister named Fanny and that he considered himself a "laborer" before enlisting in the Navy on January 27, 1888, historian and Howard University professor Joseph P. Reidy told. That's probably why Atkins chose this service.
Atkins joined the Navy as a territorial member, but after re-enlisting several times, he slowly rose through the ranks. By the time the Spanish–American War broke out in 1898, he had risen to the rank of cook first class and was sent to serve on the Navy's first torpedo boat, the USS Cushing.
On February 11, 1898, the Cushing was en route from Key West, Florida to Havana to deliver supplies to the battleship USS Maine, which was there to protect American interests during the Cuban revolt against Spanish rule.
Most of the details of what happened next were recounted in a letter from Admiral Albert Gleaves to Ensign Joseph C. Breckinridge's father, who was Cushing's executive officer. The letter was published in several American newspapers days after the incident that earned Atkins the Medal of Honor.
According to Gleaves, Cushing was off the coast of Havana when the weather suddenly darkened and the seas turned "heavy". At about 1:30 p.m., Greaves said the ship listed violently and Breckinridge, who was walking on the deck, was thrown into a life jacket by a huge wave. The lifeboat broke up and Breckinridge was washed overboard into stormy seas.
Cushing's sailors went into action to save Breckinridge, but ran into trouble. A lifeboat capsized in the water and the two crew members had to be towed back to Cushing, Gleaves said. One of these men was the Gunner's Mate First Class, John Everetts.
According to Gleaves, the Breckinridge was only about 30 feet from the Cushing, so Everetts jumped into the sea, swam through the choppy water, and managed to tie a life preserver around Breckinridge's body.
Atkins, who had joined the rescue, saw Everett struggling with exhaustion and knew more help was needed. According to an account of the incident in a 1969 Pittsburgh Courier article, Atkins strapped another life jacket around his waist and jumped into the freezing water. When he got to the other two men, he tied them both up with ropes. One by one they were led back to the ship.
Unfortunately, the crews were unable to revive Breckinridge, who was ultimately pronounced dead. In his honor, the Navy named the World War II destroyer USS Breckinridge.
Atkins and Everett continued to be honored for their valiant efforts in saving Breckinridge's life. Both men received the Medal of Honor, with Atkins receiving his on May 20, 1898. Newspapers at the time reported that each man also won gold pins from the New York Life Saving Department Association.
Atkins remained in the Navy for another two decades, serving on various ships. Military records indicate that he was probably married twice: in April 1900, her relative was listed as her husband, Carrie Atkins. However, in 1904 it turned out that he was not married and listed his closest relative as his sister. In June 1917, records indicated that his immediate family was another woman, Luvinia Atkins.
Atkins finally retired in October 1921 after reaching the rank of chief of police. He lived with his wife in Portsmouth, Virginia, but unfortunately his retirement was short-lived. Atkins died of a brain hemorrhage on May 11, 1923, aged 56. He was buried at the Captain Ted Conaway Naval Memorial Cemetery in Portsmouth.
This Black History Month, we honor Atkins and all the brave men who served during turbulent times in our country.

###

Protect your indoor plants from cats
MELINDA MYERS Door

Growing houseplants when curious cats are in the house can be difficult. We want our cats to be safe and happy by keeping indoor plants intact. You can achieve both with a few simple strategies.
Increase your indoor gardening success by choosing plants that suit your growing conditions and garden style at home. Then be sure to remove any poisonous plants to ensure your pet's safety. Consult your veterinarian and visit the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) website for a list of poisonous and safe plants for pets.
Make a list of all the plants you grow. Add common and botanical names for accurate identification. Do some research on the care they require and their toxicity to your pets. If you suspect your pet has ingested a poisonous plant, contact your vet and they will give you the correct name for the plant.
Match the pet-friendly plants you choose to your preferred lighting conditions. An east or west facing window provides enough light for most houseplants. Keep those that need brighter light a foot or two from a window. Those that prefer low light can be grown near a north-facing window or up to six feet behind or to the side of an east or west-facing window.
Keep poisonous plants away from curious cats. This can be challenging if your cat is good at jumping and climbing. There are so many beautiful houseplants out there that it might be safer to avoid the poisonous ones.
Make your houseplants less attractive to your cat with the citrus scent. Spray a mixture of lemon, lime or orange juice diluted with a little water on the leaves of your plant. Or buy one of the commercial mixes. If you don't want to spray your plants, put citrus peels in the pot.
Give your cat a pot of grass to chew on and enjoy instead of your houseplants. Most cat grass kits contain wheatgrass, oatgrass, rye, or a mixture of these. A pot of catnip can keep your cat busy, provides fiber and some micronutrients, and aids digestion.
There are many theories about the attraction of cats to green. One theory suggests that the plants were used to help them regurgitate undigested parts of their prey. Many cat owners find that it works for hairballs as well. Another theory suggests that vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, can promote health and aid digestion.
Busy and novice gardeners can successfully grow a pot of catnip. Look for an easy-care grow kit like True Leaf Market's Organic Self-Watering Kit for Cats (trueleafmarket.com). You only need to fill the water tank twice a week, and the tray helps eliminate messes and spills that are common with traditional cookware.
Keep curious cats from knocking over your pots with mounting putty. A few pieces in the bottom of the pot will help reduce the risk of it tipping over.
Prevent cats from using houseplants as litter boxes. Cover the soil surface with coarse mulch, such as cork or a large nugget. If this is not an option, spray the soil surface with the citrus-water mixture to prevent digging.
Regular playtime can keep your cat entertained, reduce stress, and even reduce nibbling on plants. This is also good for your well-being and the beauty of your indoor plants.
Apply these strategies and you can make sure that your cats and plants can live together in your home.

_________________________________

Medal of Honor: Sgt. First Class Eugene Ashley, Jr.
Poke KATIE LANGE
Army Sgt. The bravery of 1st Class Eugene Ashley was integral to the rescue of Special Forces troops at the Battle of Lang Vei, which marked the first enemy use of tanks in the Vietnam War. Ashley, a Green Beret, never came home after the war, but his determination earned him undying respect and the Medal of Honor.
Ashley was born on October 12, 1931 in Wilmington, North Carolina to Eugene and Cornelia Ashley. She had two sisters, Gertrude and Louise.
Shortly after Ashely's birth, the family moved to New York, where she grew up and attended Alexander Hamilton High School. After graduation, Ashley was tired of going to a dead-end job, so on December 7, 1950, she joined the Army.
With the Korean War underway, Ashley was initially sent to serve with the 187th Regimental Combat Team there. In the years after her return, she held many positions, including as an infantryman, ambulance driver, anti-aircraft gunner, and as a parachute and heavy weapons repair specialist. He also served as a cavalry and armored combat team leader, as well as a company sergeant.
Ashley was in the 82nd Airborne Division when he volunteered for the Special Forces. After training, he was assigned to Company C of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces.
At some point, Ashley met and married his wife, Barbara. They had five children before he was sent to Vietnam in January 1968, just as the Tet Offensive was beginning in North Vietnam.
Until February, Ashley served as Senior Advisor to 5th SFG Detachment A-101 at Camp Lang Vei Special Forces in the northwestern corner of South Vietnam. Located about a mile from the border with Laos and five miles west of the US naval base at Khe Sanh, the camp was established in December 1966 as an outpost for Ashley's detachment to train and equip locally recruited Vietnamese soldiers.
According to a publication in the Army Center for Military History by the late Army Col. John A. Cash, the enemy infiltrated Lang Vei in May 1967, so the camp was moved further west in September. Since then, the area has come under fire from North Vietnamese and Viet Cong artillery, including on February 6, 1968.
Tanks and captured soldiers
That night, shortly after midnight, North Vietnamese forces brought Soviet-made tanks to the outskirts of the camp, marking the first time the enemy had used tanks in combat. According to a publication from the Army Special Warfare Center, "while calling for help, the team was unable to convince anyone in Khe Sanh...that the tanks were indeed 'on the wire.' Cash said Khe Sanh leaders did many requests for help turned down because they feared ground forces would be ambushed and helicopter strikes would be futile "because it was dark and the enemy had armour".
For the Green Berets and the few local soldiers willing to fight, this meant they were on their own. And because the camp lacked sufficient anti-tank weapons, the tanks were able to break through the inner perimeter of the camp, trapping several US soldiers, most of whom were in the camp's command bunker.
Ashley was in the former camp further east when the attack took place. Since the enemy had chosen to leave the area largely unscathed, he immediately began coordinating a defense that included illuminated and high-explosive mortar shells. When communications with the main camp were cut off, the 36-year-old took on additional responsibility for directing airstrikes and artillery support.
Ashley was also in command of a small strike force that included two other US soldiers, Sgt. Richard H. Allen and Spc. 4 Joel Johnson and friendly local staff. His mission: rescue the men trapped in the main camp. Unfortunately, the local soldiers refused to enter the camp to fight until dawn.
When the day finally dawned, Ashley led this group in five strong attacks on the enemy. Each time, he placed himself in the direct line of fire from grenades, machine guns and automatic weapons and had to dodge multiple bags of explosives. He also kept calling for more airstrikes. Each attempt diverted the enemy's attention from the men captured in the command bunker.
Eventually, Ashley was hit by machine gun fire that pierced the right side of her chest and through the radio on her back. She was badly wounded, but she was only 30 meters from her command bunker, so she refused to give up.
Just after 11:00 a.m., Ashley again adjusted the airstrikes to come almost on top of her unit. The movement forced the enemy to withdraw and opened an escape route for the men trapped in the bunker.
While this was happening, Ashley passed out. According to Cash, Johnson and Allen managed to drag him out of the line of fire and back to a relatively safe area with the help of some local soldiers. When a jeep pulled up, they loaded Ashley in and drove off. Unfortunately, as the jeep came to a stop and Allen jumped out for bandages, Cash reported that "enemy artillery exploded nearby, killing Ashley and knocking Johnson unconscious."
At the end of the battle, Lang Wei was lost to the enemy. Of the 24 Americans stationed at the camp, 10 were killed or missing, including Ashley, and 11 others were injured.
Ashley's courage and disregard for his own safety inspired the men around him. According to an Army Special Warfare Center publication, many of his fellow soldiers considered him a fatherly type of man and said that without his steadfast efforts there probably would have been no survivors that day.
For paying the ultimate sacrifice, the Medal of Honor was posthumously awarded to Ashley. Her family received it from Vice President Spiro Agnew in a ceremony on December 2, 1969 in Washington. Two other men who gave their lives in Vietnam: Army General. Clifford Sims and 2nd Lt. Terence Graves of the Marine Corps also received the medal that day.
Ashley's body was eventually returned to the United States. He was buried at Rockfish Memorial Park Cemetery in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Green Beret's legacy lived on in the military and in his homeland. In 2001, Eugene Ashley Jr. High School, located south of Wilmington, was dedicated in his honor. In 2013, an operations complex at Fort Campbell for the 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was named Ashley Hall. In 2019, Ashley was inducted into the US Special Operations Command Hall of Honor.
Ashley's son, Darrin, who was 2 in 1968, said his father's heroic legacy led him to become a soldier, according to a 1991 article in the South Bend (Indiana) Tribune. Darrin Ashley served during the Gulf War, retiring in the early 2000s.

###

###

###

_________________________________

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: Will Social Security be there for me?

###

Medal of Honor: Army Colonel Gordon Johnston
Poke KATIE LANGE
Army Colonel Gordon Johnston had a remarkable career that spanned many continents and conflicts and led to a lifelong friendship with a famous colonel who became president. His life ended tragically during a polo match, but before that it was marked by many triumphs, including the Medal of Honor.
Johnston was born on May 25, 1874 in Charlotte, North Carolina, the son of Confederate General Robert Johnston and his wife Elizabeth. According to a 1919 Washington Post article, he had seven siblings, including Louise, who died at age 6, and Ewart, who also served in the military.
At some point, the family moved to Birmingham, Alabama. Johnston initially attended public school before attending a private academy in Pantops, Virginia, where he played football and baseball. Even at a young age, he was known as a leader, according to a biography of his life written by his widow, Anna Julia Johnston.
In the fall of 1892, Johnston entered Princeton College (now the university), where a friend, Barney Haynes, said that Johnston helped design the honor system in his freshman class. He was on the board of directors of the Princetonian newspaper and a member of the Tiger Inn, one of the most prestigious clubs in the school. According to the family, he also played tackle for the Princeton football team.
After graduating in 1896, Johnston became head coach of the University of North Carolina football team for one year. He then worked for some time in the insurance industry in Memphis, but found the business "tacky," his biography says.
Thus, in the spring of 1898, Johnston enlisted in the 2nd Infantry of the Mississippi Army to serve in the Spanish–American War, which lasted from April to August of that year. He wanted to get to the front lines quickly, so he traveled to Tampa, Florida, to see if he could be transferred to the famous US 1st Cavalry Regiment. Column. "Rough Riders" by Teddy Roosevelt. His bid was successful, but he ultimately became the only unit in the regiment not to be sent to the war in Cuba.
That summer, Johnston and another soldier were sent to Montauk Point, New York, with some of the unit's horses ahead of the accompanying soldiers. There he met Roosevelt and they became friends for life.
Friends with a Living Legend
According to Johnston's biography, Roosevelt was at Montauk Point looking for a soldier to help him, so the 24-year-old Johnston volunteered. He spent about two days on horseback with Roosevelt, who told him the whole story of the Battle of San Juan Hill (for which Roosevelt belatedly received the Medal of Honor in 2001). Roosevelt then asked Johnston to travel with him permanently during his stay in New York.
Johnston said that the two of them used to go horseback riding on the beach. At one point, Roosevelt insisted on wading into the ocean when the waves were unbelievably high.
"They seemed to run onto the beach with tops 15 or 20 feet high and then fell like a great collapsing building," Johnston wrote in his personal correspondence. "Despite all my efforts, I stripped naked on the beach and ran into the sea."
Johnston said that Roosevelt fell into the waves over and over again, then returned to shore and insisted that Johnston do the same. Johnston, a self-described "domestic child", was not a great swimmer and protested out of sheer fear, but eventually gave in to the Colonel's urging.
"It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but the Colonel held both horses and encouraged me," Johnston recalled. "I have a vague idea that I would swallow gallons of water and piles of sand and end up being thrown on the beach like I fell off a ten-story building... I thought it was a great sport, but I never did it."
Later that year, when Johnston was released from the regiment, he said he was waiting at a train station to catch a train to New York, but Roosevelt drove and insisted on accompanying him and the other officers in his vehicle. Not wanting to offend his superiors, Johnston intervened. Instead of going to the city, they ended up spending a week on Long Island, at Roosevelt's house on Sagamore Hill.
forward and up
By October 1898, Johnston had returned to civilian life and was working with his uncle in Baltimore, when he met Anna Julia and began a long courtship. They were finally married on Johnston's 30th birthday, May 25, 1904.
Civilian life still did not suit Johnston, so he returned to the Volunteer Army in 1899, when he was offered a lieutenant on Roosevelt's recommendation. Johnston was transferred to the Philippines, where he served with the 43rd Infantry Regiment during the Philippine-American War. According to his biography, Johnston's actions in 1900 as the leader of a small group of explorers earned him the Distinguished Service Cross.
In 1902 the war ended, so Johnston returned to the United States. In his biography, he said that he found out that he was assigned to the Regular Army Coastal Artillery, but turned it down because he only wanted to be in the cavalry. However, during a visit to the War Department in Washington, DC, he said that an officer "who was a little hard on me" told him that refusal was not possible.
Later that day, Johnston met an acquaintance who took him to the White House to visit his friend, the current President Roosevelt. When the details of his mission were announced, Roosevelt asked Secretary of War Elihu Root, who happened to be in the room at the time, if the situation could be resolved. Root said that he did and took it immediately.
"Upon my arrival in Baltimore, I received a telegram from the same officer who had reprimanded me in this case, informing me that my assignment had been turned over to the cavalry," Johnston said. "I have accepted this assignment."
Injuries and high prices
In early 1906, Johnston volunteered to return to the Philippines to live during the postwar occupation, this time accompanied by his wife. In March, Johnston was sent home from his island by steamboat for 16 hours to the island of Jolo, where native Filipinos were still fighting American forces on Mount Bud-Dajo. There he got the medal of honor from him.
On March 6, 1906, Johnston was cleared to lead an assault on the hilltop fort despite heavy fire from the fort's defenders. Johnston was one of the first to reach the top, despite being shot in the right shoulder in the process.
According to Major Omar Bundy, who recommended Johnston for the Medal of Honor, Johnston's "exceptionally courageous action ... distinguished his conduct above that of his comrades."
Johnston's severe injuries forced him to spend 10 days in a hospital before he was allowed to return home to the Philippines to recuperate. According to Johnston's biography, Roosevelt called him after the test to see how he was doing. Johnston's wife said she later learned that the surgeons working on him thought they had to amputate his arm. Fortunately, he was referred to doctors in San Francisco who were able to save the critical organ. After a month there, Johnston was sent to Baltimore.
A few years later, on November 10, 1910, Johnston received the Medal of Honor from President William Taft in a White House ceremony.
Germany and the First World War
Johnston was eventually assigned to study cavalry tactics in Hannover, Germany. He was an excellent horseman and attended the Royal Military Academy of Riding and during his time there he participated in the 1911 International Horse Show in London as a member of the US Army Officers Group.
He also enjoyed playing polo, which was important in the military at the time because it helped improve horsemanship skills for cavalrymen and taught leadership, teamwork, and strategy.
By 1915, the US had begun training officers in what was called the Home Army to supplement the insufficient number of officers in the regular army, should the US enter World War I, which had already exploded in Europe. Johnston was an assistant at one of these training camps in Plattsburgh, New York.
In 1916 Johnston was appointed colonel of the 12th New York Infantry and joined them to serve along the Mexican border in July. The troops were there to prevent incursions on US soil by Mexican troops, who were in the midst of a civil war. Ultimately, however, Johnston decided to resign as colonel and return to his cavalry command.
When mobilization for World War I in Europe was officially ordered in August 1917, Johnston was commissioned as a temporary major in the Home Army. He was posted as an adjutant to the newly activated 83rd Division at Camp Sherman near Chillicothe, Ohio and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a colonel in October 1918.
During the war, Johnston served with the 82nd Infantry Division and helped direct the unit's operations in the Argonne area. A 2019 US Army North article reported that he was involved in the successful rescue of Major Charles Whittlesey's 77th Division, known as the Lost Battalion. His performance earned him the Distinguished Service Medal and the title of Acting Chief of Staff of the VII Army Corps.
Johnston returned to the United States in June 1919, seven months after the end of the war. A year later, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the regular army and selected to participate in an expedition to the Philippines in 1921 as assistant governor general.
Johnston eventually returned to the United States. By 1926, he had taken an advanced course in cavalry and graduated from the Escuela Superior de Guerra Militar. In 1929 he was promoted to colonel in the regular army for the last time.
Throughout the 1920s, Johnston and his wife continued their international travels while he served. In 1923, the couple went to Java with General Leonard Wood and his wife. they moved there for a short time in 1928 as part of the United States electoral mission, the biography of him says. In 1929 they lived for a time in Mexico City.
tragic end
In 1934, Johnston was assigned as the Chief of Staff of the Army's Second Infantry Division at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. On March 7, he was playing in a polo tournament when the disaster struck. According to his wife's account, Johnston was riding a new horse when he walked across the field toward the goal.
"When the fight broke out, a player was lying motionless on the ground. 'It's Gordon!' I cried," recalled Anna Julia Johnston. Look long and deep before they isolate themselves forever from the things of this world.
Records show that his horse tripped, rolled and crushed him. Johnston died soon after. He was 59.
Johnston was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. At the time of his death, he was one of the most decorated soldiers in the United States.
Although Johnston and his wife never had children, their legacy lives on. During World War II, Camp Gordon Johnston, a training facility in Carrabelle, Florida, was named after him in his honor. It closed in 1946, but has since been turned into a museum. In more recent years, the US Polo Association has named the Col. Sportsmanship Award created. Gordon Johnston, who was first awarded in 2019. Johnston's wife's family continues to share his story as well, including for this article.
Johnston's Medal of Honor is located in the Princeton University Library.

____________________________________

Eremedaille: Rear Admiral of the Navy. Robert Cary Jr.

Poke KATIE LANGE
Navy Vice Admiral Robert W. Cary Jr. had a long military career that spanned both world wars, but his Medal of Honor actions took place when he was just a few months old as an officer.
Curry was born on August 18, 1890 in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Robert and Lala Curry. According to a Kansas City Times article, he was a descendant of Meredith Miles Marmaduke, governor of Missouri in 1844.
After graduating from Westport High School in Kansas City, Carey attended William Jewell College and the University of Missouri before attending the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1914. About seven months later, he served as an ensign in USS San Diego. .
On January 21, 1915, off the coast of La Paz, Mexico, the San Diego was undergoing a full-speed, four-hour endurance test when all hell broke loose.
Towards the end of the test, Cary worked in the ship's boiler rooms reading the steam pressure from each boiler every half hour. She had just read the steam and air pressure in Boiler No. 2 and had entered Boiler Room No. 1 through the electrically sealed door when Boiler No. 2 exploded.
Apparently one of the boiler tubes had clogged, causing an explosion that set off a chain reaction.
As the emergency unfolded, the ship's bridge began to electronically lock the doors between the rooms. Curry did not want the men trapped in Room 2, so he forced the doors open so they could escape, even as steam from the ruptured boilers swirled around them. This quick thought saved the lives of three men.
Carey's cool demeanor also kept the men in Boiler Room No. 1 calm enough to remain at their posts, despite the fact that five boilers had exploded nearby and they expected more to explode at any moment.
Eventually, Carey was able to lead the men into boiler room No. 1 into a hide for safety. The entire incident killed five men and injured at least seven others, according to the Naval History and Heritage Administration.
Cary was calm and collected during the ordeal and showed great courage in a terrible situation. But it would be 19 years before he would earn the Medal of Honor for those actions.
Curry continued his service in the Navy. During World War I, she served on destroyers and earned the Navy Cross for bravery from him when the possibility of an explosion threatened another ship. On November 7, 1918, Cary was an executive officer of the USS Sampson when a depth charge breached the ship's stern tail during a heavy storm, which could have triggered an explosion. Carey and three men quickly made their way to the stern and secured a depth charge to quell the danger, though they nearly fell overboard.
At some point early in his career, Cary married a woman named Jane Watt. After his death in 1931, he remarried a woman named Jane Christian. Between the two marriages, Cary had a son, Robert, and four daughters.
After World War I, Cary remained in the Navy, serving in various capacities in various positions. It was during this period between the two world wars that he was finally awarded the Medal of Honor for the San Diego incident of 1915. On May 23, 1934, then Lt. Commander Cary received the highest award in the nation for his bravery. The ceremony took place at the Bremerton Navy Yard, where Cary's ship, the USS Arizona, was docked at the time. Another San Diego sailor, Petty Officer 2nd Class Telesforo Trinidad, also received the medal for his efforts in rescuing crew members that day.
Cary went on to serve in various European campaigns during World War II, including commanding the USS Savannah during the American invasion of Italy. On September 11, 1943, the ship was hit by a German skid bomb off the coast of Salerno. About 200 sailors were lost in the incident, but the ship made it to Malta for salvage.
According to an article in the Kansas City Times, Cary was awarded the British Distinguished Service Order by King George VI during World War II. He returned to the United States in 1944 to command the Treasure Island Naval Station in San Francisco.
When Cary retired from the Navy in 1946, he had reached the rank of rear admiral. As a politician he held various positions in industry and business. He also owned and operated a ranch in his home state for about 10 years, according to The Lima Times in Lima, Ohio.
Cary died of a heart attack on July 15, 1967 in Toledo, Ohio. At the time, he was the chairman of the board of directors of Trans-World Service Inc., Toledo's largest freight forwarder. He turned 76.
Curry was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

###

Tips for Growing Beautiful Dahlias
MELINDA MYERS Door

Growing beautiful dahlias is easier than you think. Proper planting and care will result in plenty of beautiful blooms to enjoy in your garden and summer bouquets. Use these strategies to increase your dahlia's success:
Start early for a long blooming season.
Dahlias grow from tuberous sweet potato roots, often called bulbs, and are usually planted in late spring. For earlier blooms, start your dahlias indoors four to six weeks before the last spring frost. Use one or two gallon pots with drainage holes. Fill them with a moist growing mix and cover the tips of the tubers with an inch or two of soil. Water sparingly until sprouts appear, which can take two to four weeks.
Plant outdoors in late spring.
Grow dahlias like tomatoes. Choose a sunny spot with fertile, well-drained soil. To encourage healthy root growth, take the time to loosen the soil in the planting area to at least a foot deep. Don't rush to plant your dahlias. Wait until the soil has warmed and all danger of frost has passed.
Good air circulation encourages strong, healthy growth. Space the dahlias 6 inches from the center of one plant to the next. The larger types should be spaced at least 18 to 24 inches down the center. Plant so that the top of the tuber is no more than an inch or two below the soil surface. It can take several weeks for the first shoots to appear, but once they appear, the plants grow very quickly.
Pinch off for fuller growth and more blooms.
When your dahlias reach a height of 10 to 12 inches, use sharp shears or shears to remove the top two to three sets of leaves. Pinched plants produce more side branches, resulting in stronger growth and many more flowers. Pinching will set the plants back for a week or two, but they will bounce back quickly.
Stake to avoid broken stems
Dahlias that grow taller than a meter benefit from staking. This is especially true for species that produce large flowers. Staking helps plants stand upright, minimizes wind and rain damage, keeps flowers more visible, and makes topping easier. To prevent damage to the bulbs, stake at or shortly after planting. For more information on staking and staking dahlias to increase flower production, read the Longfield Gardens article How to Pinch and Stake Dahlias (Longfield-gardens.com).
Feed your plants and don't let them go thirsty
Dahlias do best when given a consistent amount of moisture throughout the growing season. Too much or too little water causes stress and can reduce flower production. In dry weather, water deeply once or twice a week with drip irrigation, a soaker hose, or a watering can. Keep foliage as dry as possible to minimize disease. Mulching the soil with shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or other organic material helps conserve moisture, keep soil temperatures moderate, and suppress weeds.
Dahlias do best when they are well fed. Enrich the soil with compost and add a slow-release, low-nitrogen fertilizer at planting time. Once the plants are 12 to 18 inches tall, many gardeners increase yields with an additional application of slow-release fertilizer or several applications of liquid fertilizer every three to four weeks. Follow label instructions for timing and application rates of the fertilizers you choose.
Pruning and headless
The more flowers you cut, the more flowers you will get. Harvesting flowers twice a week will encourage an abundance of flowers. Wilted flowers should be removed (dead) immediately to minimize pest and disease problems. Always use sharp pruning shears or bypass pruners to make clean cuts. If you want long-stemmed flowers, be prepared to sacrifice some side buds. The stems will grow back longer and stronger if you cut deep into the plant and close to a main branch.
Dahlias require a bit more time and attention than many other flowering plants. But your efforts will be amply rewarded with an abundance of beautiful blooms and a sense of accomplishment.

###

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,

Ask Rusty: About the difficulty with the Social Security login process

Dear Rusty, Last month I tried to contact Social Security, but they didn't answer the phone. The same goes for the tax authorities. When I finally got through, they told me I had to join ID.me before they could help me. This took me over a week, and many requests and rejections, to get through. The final step was to hold onto my Social Security card and driver's license during a Zoom call with an ID.me representative. I thought it was very strange: why do I have to go here to get information from my government agencies? Now I get catalog offers to buy things from ID.me online. I find this very strange and inappropriate. How do I unsubscribe from this site? I am very afraid that they will share my information with the world. Is it a government service and why do we have to register there, just to receive offers to buy things? Signature: Frustrated old man
Dear Frustrated: Many others have shared their frustrations with us when applying to enroll in the latest federal government credential verification programs, so while I know you're not comfortable, you're not alone.
Starting September 18, 2021, Social Security will require all newly created online accounts to use ID.me or Login.gov to authenticate the user. "ID.me" is a private company contracted by the government to ensure that you are who you say you are, preventing fraudulent activity. Login.gov is the government authentication program created to allow access to multiple government services for the same purpose. The purpose of both is to give you a set of signing credentials that can be used to access multiple government agencies, rather than a single login process for each agency. And most importantly, the goal is to protect you from fraudulent activity that could cause you financial loss. You can be sure that your personal information is secure by using one of these government-sponsored methods to verify your identity for government businesses.
Those who created a My Social Security account before September 2021 can continue to use the previous SSA-only authentication method (a "2-factor identification process") to access their My Social Security account online. This method is just as safe as the newer methods. , but it is only suitable for accessing your Social Security account (not the IRS or any other government agency). However, if you want to create a new Social Security account online now, you'll need to use the current government ID verification methods: ID.me or Login.gov. If you choose ID.me (a private company), you have control over the type of communications you receive from them and you can opt out of receiving additional service offers. basically log into your ID.me account, open your profile and select "Cancel All" in the Preferences section. In the meantime, you can also select "Unsubscribe" at the bottom of any promotional email you receive from ID.me.

###

###

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: What Counts Against the Social Security Income Limit?

Dear Rusty, I retired on February 1 of this year (2022). I receive a pension from my employer plus a union pension, as well as social security, all of which started in February 2022. I am married and 65 years old. I only worked 4 weeks in 2022 before retiring, but my income ended up being much more than expected. I received 5 weeks of vacation pay and a retroactive effect for an expired employment contract. I also received hazard compensation and a small check for a class action lawsuit my union filed many years ago. All of this puts my income for 2022 at about $35,000, which means I've made more than I can on Social Security. My question is, do I need to contribute money to my IRA to offset my income? And is it possible to do this? Signed: retired but concerned
Dear Retiree: In general, income earned before Social Security benefits (such as accrued vacation pay) does not count toward the Social Security earnings limit for individuals under Full Retirement Age (FRA), nor do your income from employment in the 4 weeks of 2022 before SS benefits begin. Similarly, retroactive benefits from employment contracts, prior occupational hazard payments, and income from class action lawsuits do not count toward the Social Security income limit. The only thing that counts toward the limit is income from work after you started collecting Social Security benefits, which you clearly didn't. So from what you've shared, you shouldn't be affected by your monthly SS benefits as a result of your total income in 2022. Keep in mind that you may still get a question from Social Security next year about your 2022 earnings, but only Earnings from actual work after Social Security benefits begin (which you didn't) count toward the Social Security earnings limit.
However, you may want to consult a qualified tax advisor because some of the Social Security benefits you received in 2022 will be subject to income tax on your 2022 tax return. Assuming you file as "married" /combined", if your income from all sources exceeds $32,000, then 50% of the SS benefits you received during the tax year become part of your total taxable income. and if your combined income for 2022 from all sources (including your spouse's income) exceeds $44,000, then up to 85% of the SS benefits you receive in 2022 will become taxable income. A tax advisor can give you more information about this and also help you decide whether to contribute to an IRA account. In either case, however, contributing to an IRA will not affect your monthly Social Security payment.

###

PROBLEM SOLVED

Sheri Lau's Samsung washing machine doesn't work, despite many repairs. Now the manufacturer claims that she sold the device "as is" and will not help her repair it. Is she out of luck?

Q: I bought a Samsung washing machine from Best Buy in 2019. It was a total lemon! They replaced it in August 2020. But the second washer broke down in June 2022.
I called Samsung and a representative told me the warranty on the washer had expired and I would have to pay for the repairs. Samsung has made an appointment with one of its repair services. They charged me $90 for the service call.
A technician said my washing machine needed a drain pump. He ordered one and charged me $120. He later called me and told me the part was not available but he could order one online and they would reinstall it.
I asked him why he couldn't order it and he told me that Samsung only allowed them to buy the parts from them. I just wanted my washing machine fixed and asked for a replacement. When he arrived, the mechanic came back and installed it. He charged me another $120 for the service call.
The washing machine was not working. When I tried to wash my first load, water gushed out the bottom. I called the repair center repeatedly and left messages for three days with no response. At first, Samsung agreed to repair the machine. But then he said he couldn't find the right parts and canceled, claiming he sold me the washer "as is." I just want a washing machine that works. You can help? -- Sheri Lau, Right, Mich.
A: Samsung should have repaired your washing machine as promised. You can't just say you're going to help a customer and then say no, claiming the washer is out of warranty.
Buying something "as is" means that it is not covered by any warranty. You'll find "as is" most commonly used for used cars and appliances. But it's very unusual for a manufacturer to sell a new device "as is." Some states prohibit retailers from selling devices "as is," but unfortunately Michigan isn't one of them.
You would have argued that while your written warranty (also called an express warranty) no longer covered your washing machine, an implied warranty did. I have more information about implied warranties in my ultimate guide to getting your device fixed at Elliott.org, the consumer advocacy website. In principle, a washing machine should last 13 years, and the manufacturer suggests that it should last about that long. Two years is a very short life.
But that's why I took his case: Samsung told him it would fix his broken washing machine, but then changed his mind because he couldn't find the right parts. Excuse me? Can't find the manufacturer's own parts? Maybe you should look within yourself for the solution.
I see companies doing this all the time: blaming another department or company policy for not being able to help a customer. But they ignore the fact that they control the other department and set company policy. So from a consumer perspective, these excuses are inexcusable.
You can contact one of the Samsung executive contacts that I post on the consumer protection site. A short but kind email outlining your issues may have resolved this device issue.
I have contacted Samsung on your behalf. If you are offered a rebate of $563, which represents the depreciated value of your Samsung washing machine. Perhaps your next washing machine will not be a Samsung.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a non-profit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his website.

_________________________________

###

###

Neurodiversity and the art of managing an inclusive workplace

Van DR. NIKA LEFKO

When people think about diversity, equality, and inclusion, their attention naturally turns to race, gender, and other characteristics that are apparent to anyone who wanders into the workplace.
But the world of PPC encompasses much more than that.
One area that has been overlooked is neurodiversity, which recognizes that not all brains work the same and that a person struggling under certain working conditions can improve if adjustments are made, says Dr. Nika White, president and CEO and Consultant at Nika White Consulting (www.nikawhite.com) and author of Inclusion Uncomplicated: A Transformative Guide to Simplify DEI.

Hosting could not be created

Neurodiversity includes ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, dyslexia, Tourette syndrome, and other conditions.
"More and more people are coming out as neurodiverse, which means there's a good chance that a given company will employ neurodiverse people," says White.
About 15 to 20 percent of people worldwide fall into at least one of the neurodifference categories, according to a study published in the British Medical Bulletin and shared online by the US National Library of Medicine.
But when companies think about how to further DEI's goals, they don't always consider the adjustments they can and should make for all these neurodiverse people, White says.
Of course, part of the reason could be that corporate leaders, even those tasked with implementing DEI policies, don't recognize their neurodeviant employees, who must find their own ways to overcome the obstacles they face at work, he says. .
To name just one example, an employee may struggle in noisy environments but shine when given a quiet room to perform their duties.

I appreciate the different styles of work.

"But it's important to remember that employees are individuals, so you won't find one-size-fits-all solutions," says White.
That said, there are ways a thoughtful leader can help their employees succeed, White says, such as assigning a manager to act as a trusted ally who listens to employees' concerns and can suggest changes that include policies and practices.
"You can also design different workspaces to meet the work needs of different types of people," he says. “This can be a combination of offices with closed doors and open spaces where people can work together. You can even include different types of furniture or wall colors. An added benefit of this is that it can help not just workers with neurodeviations, but all workers."
It's also important for companies to encourage other employees to appreciate each other's different work styles. Some employees may not understand why someone else prefers a particular work situation and may even look down on neurodeviant people, White says. The agency can help by providing training that encourages employees to be "compassionate and respectful" in these scenarios, she says.
But here's the tricky part: Even when companies are looking for accommodations, White said, they must be careful not to make the person feel labeled as a "different" class of person or employee.
“The goal is for managers to provide employees with neurodeviations with the tools and environment they need to succeed,” he says, “without labeling them or making them feel exposed or embarrassed for making personal requests about their work or well-being.”

About Dr. Nika White

Dr. Nika White, author of Inclusion Uncomplicated: A Transformative Guide to Simplify DEI, is President and CEO of Nika White Consulting (www.nikawhite.com). Dr. White is an award-winning management and leadership consultant, keynote speaker, published author, and executive professional for DEI's efforts in business, government, nonprofits, and education. Her work helping organizations break down barriers and integrate DEI into their business context has led her to be recognized as one of the top 10 leaders in diversity and inclusion by Forbes. Dr. White's approach is about creating professional spaces where people can collaborate through a lens of compassion, empathy, and understanding.

###

Eremedaille: Army Technology. Sergeant Russell Dunham
Poke KATIE LANGE
army technology. Sergeant Russell Everett Dunham had been shot in the back and was an obvious target for the Germans as he defended a hill in France in 1945. But none of these prevented him from single-handedly taking out three enemy machine gun nests. His courage and determination to stop the enemy attack earned him the Medal of Honor.
Dunham was born on February 23, 1920 in East Carondelet, Illinois, just south of St. Louis. Her parents, Ola and Dorothy Dunham, eventually moved the family about 40 minutes north of Fosterburg, Illinois.
Dunham was part of a large family. She had eight brothers and five sisters. She attended elementary school but dropped out before high school to help out on the family farm. According to a Washington Post article, Dunham moved to St. Louis with her brother Ralph at the age of 16. The two young men sold soup and tamales on the street and in bars to make ends meet during the Great Depression.
During a 2003 Library of Congress interview for the Veterans History Project, Dunham said that in 1940 he, Ralph, and a friend went to Peoria, Illinois, to try to get a job at Caterpillar, but the company was not hiring. . Instead, the three men volunteered to join the army. Both Dunhams were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division when the United States entered World War II.
On November 8, 1942, Dunham landed in North Africa, where he fought until his unit was sent to Sicily in July 1943. From there they went on to Italy, where Dunham was wounded at the Battle of Anzio. Soon after, the 3rd ID was sent to France, where Dunham, then a technical sergeant, was to take part in one of the hardest battles of his life.
An uphill battle
On the afternoon of 8 January 1945, Dunham was with 2nd Platoon of I Company in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. The platoon engaged the enemy at the base of a snowy hill near Kaysersberg when they became caught between enemy artillery and machine gun fire.
The only option they had, Dunham said, was to go up the hill. So she camouflaged herself in a white mattress cover to blend in with the knee-deep snow and started climbing. Carrying 12 carbine magazines and twelve grenades, he crawled some 75 yards under heavy direct fire to an enemy machine gun nest. With about 10 yards to go and his platoon some 35 yards behind him, Dunham sprang to his feet and charged into the enemy position. He was hit by machine gun fire that opened a 10-inch gash across his back and sent him spinning 50 feet down the hill.
"They said if it had gone any deeper, it would have snapped my spine right down the middle," Dunham recalled in the Library of Congress interview.
However, he said to immediately jump back and continue, as he did not want to be hit by the incoming artillery. At that moment a German shell landed next to him. Dunham kicked it before it exploded five feet from him. At the same time, he managed to shoot and kill the German machine gunner and his assistant. With his carbine out of ammunition, he jumped into the paneled trench and yanked a third enemy crewman by the neck.
Dunham was in severe pain and bleeding through his white mattress, making him an important target, but he continued the fight. He dodged more bullets and continued up the hill another 50 yards to attack a second machine gun nest. He tossed two grenades at it, knocking out the gun crew. He then fired his carbine into the nearby trenches to dispose of any extra rifle-wielding enemies.
Despite his condition and the heavy grenade and gunfire coming his way, Dunham dragged himself up the hill alone. About 50 feet from the third and final machine gun nest, he jumped to his feet, staggered into the hole, and killed his crew with more shells. An enemy soldier fired at him from a distance, but he miraculously missed. Dunham took out this soldier and then drove the rest of the Germans out of hiding with his carbine.
In all, according to his report, Dunham's actions left nine Germans dead, another seven wounded, and two captured. Dunham said he was initially recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross but was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
However, before he could receive it, he had to travel through France. After the battle at Kaysersberg, Dunham was cared for by doctors until he was largely healed, but was soon sent back to the front.
He was captured by the Germans.
On January 22, 1945, Dunham's unit was surrounded by enemy tanks near Holtzwihr, France, and most of the men were forced to surrender. In an attempt to escape, Dunham said he hid in a sauerkraut barrel next to a shed overnight, but was caught the next day.
But Dunham was lucky. The guards who searched him scrambled over the cigarettes and candy he had in his pockets, failing to find the gun he was holding. The guards loaded him into a vehicle and drove towards the German lines, but when a man stopped at a tower for a drink, Dunham shot the other guard and ran off.
A few days later, Dunham met some American engineers who were working on a bridge over the Ill River. He said that at first they thought he was German, but eventually a doctor he knew came to recognize him. The doctor took care of him and saved his frozen legs from amputation.
Dunham and his unit finally made it to Germany. On April 23, 1945, the 25-year-old received the Medal of Honor from Lieutenant General Alexander M. Patch III at Nuremberg's Zepman Stadium. At the ceremony, Patch said Dunham's actions saved the lives of 120 captured US soldiers.
Dunham also won France's Croix de Guerre and many other honours. However, he was always quick to remind others that his sister, who also fought in the unit, received all the awards he did, except the Medal of Honor. About two weeks after the medal ceremony, the war in Europe ended and his unit was sent home.
When Dunham left the Army, he returned to Illinois and took a job as a benefits consultant for what was then the Veterans Administration in St. Louis, helping veterans for 32 years before retiring in 1975. To honor his fellow infantry, Dunham also urged that a monument be erected at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis to honor soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division.
Dunham was married twice. He had a daughter, Mary Neal, by his first wife, also named Mary. He later remarried Wilda Long-Bazzell and helped raise her two children, Annette Wilson and David Bazzell.
His family said he liked to recount his war days to anyone who would listen, even at lectures and school-age children.
"A lot of people go home, don't want to talk about it and have nightmares or something," Annette Wilson said in Dunham's Chicago Tribune obituary. "He talked about it all the time."
Dunham died of heart failure at his home in Godfrey, Illinois on April 6, 2009, at the age of 89. She had moved there from nearby Jerseyville, Illinois, several weeks earlier. He was buried in the city's Valhalla Memorial Park.

###

Medalla of Honor: Lightweight PFC. garfield langhorne
Poke KATIE LANGE
army soldier. Garfield McConnell Langhorn was just 20 years old when he lost his life fighting in Vietnam. He sacrificed himself to save his fellow soldiers from harm in an act of bravery that earned him the Medal of Honor.
Langhorne was born on September 10, 1948 to Garfield and Mary Langhorne in Cumberland, Virginia. At some point, the family—his parents, him, and his two sisters—moved to Riverhead, a town on Long Island, New York.
As a young man, Langhorne was a devout Christian who served as a messenger at his church. He graduated from Riverside High School in 1967 and worked for Suffolk County, New York, before enlisting in the army in 1968.
Langhorne was assigned to 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry of the 1st Airborne Brigade. He was posted to Vietnam in November 1968, but not before becoming engaged to his high school sweetheart, Joan Brown-Smith.
On January 15, 1969 Pfc. Langhorne served as a radio operator with C Army, which deployed to a landing zone near Plai Jereng, Vietnam. The platoon was on a mission to rescue two American AH-1 Cobra helicopter pilots shot down by enemy fire on a wooded hillside.
As the platoon's soldiers fought their way through the dense jungle to reach the wreckage, Langhorne coordinated with the command and control aircraft overhead. Unfortunately, when they got to the wreckage, they found both pilots dead. While transporting the bodies back to the collection point, the platoon was suddenly attacked by North Vietnamese soldiers hiding in camouflaged bunkers. Within minutes they were surrounded.
Langhorne immediately called for help from the cannons flying overhead. When close air support opened fire with machine guns and missiles on the enemy, the soldier called cover for the wounded who had been moved to the center of the small perimeter from him.
Finally, the sun went down, leaving the platoon in the dark and making it impossible for the fighters to provide accurate support. This gave the enemy enough courage to start inspecting the outline of the encircled soldiers.
When an enemy shell landed in front of Langhorn, injuring several, his comrades said he did not hesitate. Several soldiers reported after the incident that Langhorne said, "Somebody cares!" before jumping on the detonator and absorbing the blast as it detonates.
Langhorne sacrificed himself to save his fellow soldiers, many of whom survived the war.
For his extraordinary sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. President Richard M. Nixon presented it to Langhorne's mother, father, and sisters in a White House ceremony on April 7, 1970.
In interviews with him years later, Langhorne's fiancé recalled the smile he always had on his face.
"In his official portrait and in his photos he always looks so serious, but Garfield was not that at all. Garfield had the most beautiful smile and he was always smiling," Brown-Smith recalled in a 2013 article in Riverhead Local, a publication online. news site "I want the world to know about him."
Langhorne was buried in Riverhead Cemetery, his hometown, where the legacy of the only Medal of Honor recipient in the past 50 years has been preserved in many ways.
In 1993, a bronze bust of Langhorn was erected in front of Riverhead City Hall. Years later, the town's post office was named in his honor. Among many other tributes to the fallen soldier is an annual school essay contest for sixth graders who are asked to answer the question, "How can I emulate and honor Private Langhorn in my daily life?"
In addition to his hometown awards, Langhorn was also inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 1998.

###

a stingy empath

This is someone who has developed and engages his empathy muscles, but occasionally finds himself holding back on empathy. Unlike stingy supporters, it's not because they think the person or group is undeserving. Instead, it is based on concern about the consequences of your empathy. When the idea that empathy equals weakness is so prevalent in our society, it can be easier to sit on the sidelines and restrict your empathy rather than risk being seen as weak or out of step with the majority.
If you've ever been bullied and your friends would look at you and then sympathize with you in private, or if you were the friend who stood there and did nothing, you know what I'm talking about. It happens all the time in the workplace and in public and social settings. The desire to empathize is there, but instead we choose to distance ourselves. We must stop holding back our empathy for fear of how we will be perceived. When we show our empathy shamelessly and confidently, others will come to see it for what an incredibly beneficial power it is.

impatient empath

This man empathizes with the person listening, but once the exchange is done, he wants the other person to move on. But that's not how empathy works. It's about supporting a person during the time and space he needs to deal with her feelings or circumstances.
If we find we can't understand why someone continues to feel the way they do, we have another choice: offer grace and kindness rather than pressuring them to get over it or move on before they're ready.

nature lover

Judging empathy is judging those of us who aren't always up to the empathy game. In these cases, they may not say it in the opinion of the supporters, but they certainly think: “What is wrong with you? How can you be so unfriendly?
Instead of judging the other person's lack of empathy right now, take the opportunity to be an empathetic advocate by helping and encouraging others to build their own empathy muscles. The advocate of empathy does not fall into any of the empathy traps. They are empaths who are willing to help others on their empathy journey.
I like novelist and essayist Leslie Jamison's description of empathy as a kind of journey: "Empathy requires us to be a respectful visitor who is there to observe, reflect on, and try to understand another person's experience." To develop the ability to feel another's experience, we must expand to travel beyond our limits and enter into another's experience, allowing ourselves to observe other people's feelings, thoughts, and ideas to see where they belong with our own.

about dr. nicole price

Dr. Nicole Price (www.drnicoleprice.com) is the Forbes author of Spark The Heart: Engineering Empathy in Your Organization. She is also the CEO of Lively Paradox, a professional coaching company focused on practicing empathy in leadership. Originally trained as an engineer, Dr. Price strengthens her objective approach to solving process problems and helps focus on solutions.

###

Are hiring practices stuck in the past while workplaces move faster into the future?

Puerta JOHN W. MITCHELL, Ph.D.

Work is no longer what it used to be.
Technology has transformed the modern workplace, and COVID-19 has changed it even more.
But even as this evolution continues, some things will remain stubbornly in the past, including how companies recruit, hire, train and retain their employees, says John W. Mitchell (www.johnwmitchell.com), author of the forthcoming book Fire Your Hiring Habits: Build an environment that attracts the best talent in today's workforce.
"We're still recruiting like we did decades ago," says Mitchell. "In an era of unprecedented change, hiring managers remain focused on outdated requirements related to expected titles, references, amount of experience, and number of fancy letters behind a person's name."
Too often, he says, the process boils down to reviewing a resume to make sure the right boxes are checked. If they have. Yes they did it.
"But what about the people who can deliver the results with specialized training without checking those boxes?" Mitchell asks. "What about the people who can actually do the job, but we've put up so many barriers that require years of expensive and time-consuming advanced degrees that many of these people never reach the positions we so desperately need to fill."
As hiring practices try to keep up with the rest of the workplace, Mitchell offers these suggestions for those who want to get ahead of the curve:
Get rid of your old mentality. One thing that undermines recruiting can be your own mindset, says Mitchell. It proposes to re-examine and possibly dispel persistent myths that are no longer valid. Some of these include the removal of degree or experience requirements that may be unnecessary and ultimately irrelevant. Another example, she says, is that hiring managers are sometimes hesitant to hire older workers because they may think the person will retire in five years and don't want to bring them on board any time soon. "That mindset shuts out great candidates," Mitchell says, "because we're obsessed with the idea that we need long-term commitments."
Understand who you are recruiting. Different generations have different characteristics and often different desires when it comes to work. This means that even for the same position, messages can be personalized when recruiting these different cohorts. “What attracts someone from Generation X or a Millennial is not going to be the same thing as a Baby Boomer in most cases,” says Mitchell. For example, many millennials see their jobs only as part of their lives, while for older cohorts, work may have been the main focus of their lives. “For these millennials, flexibility for outside activities, for work-life balance, is important,” she says. “While you can't be everything to everyone, and not every job is right for everyone, the same job can appeal to every generation. What you need to do is send messages that focus on what's important to each team as you recruit them."
Use the 'Rule of Three'. Even if the first candidate you interview seems like the perfect fit for the job, he or she will look further before making an offer, Mitchell says. He advocates adherence to the Rule of Three, the idea that final interviews should be limited to three candidates. Mitchell takes this rule even further for hiring managers and executives. “My rule of thumb is that in the executive interview process, there should be a limit of three different people, at three different times by three different people, in three different places,” he says. "It's very easy to get a 'snapshot' of the candidate in a single interview, how he is presenting himself at that moment."
Finally, while some people insist that you shouldn't hire friends or family, Mitchell is less adamant about it. Yes, there are drawbacks, she says, but there are also benefits.
"If you're interviewing an applicant, that person may spend a total of three hours with you and your team," says Mitchell. "But if I know someone, if I've worked with them or if they're family or friends, I have years of experience with them."
Here's the tricky part, he says: If they don't perform, make sure you're ready to fire them, just like any other employee.

About John W. Mitchell, Ph.D.

John W. Mitchell, Ph.D. (www.johnwmitchell.com), author of the forthcoming book Fire Your Hiring Habits: Building an Environment that Attracts Top Talent in Today's Workforce, is president and CEO of the global electronics industry trade association, IPC. Mitchell began his engineering career at General Electric Aerospace before moving on to leadership positions at Alpine Electronics and Bose. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Georgia Institute of Higher Education, an MBA from Pepperdine University, and a BS in electrical and computer engineering from Brigham Young University.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: Will Earnings From My Job Affect My Social Security Benefits?

Dear Rusty, I am currently 67 years old and still working full time. I receive Medicare coverage, but I have not yet applied for the monthly payments from Social Security. I was told that I can receive SS payments even while I am still working. That's how it is? Is there a limit to how much I can earn and receive SS payments each year? Signature: Working but curious
Dear Employees: Social Security's so-called "earnings test" only applies to those who have not yet reached full retirement age. At age 67, you are past the full SS retirement age (FRA) of 66 years and 2 months, which means there is no longer a limit to how much you can earn working. No matter how much you earn, your monthly Social Security payments won't be affected, so you can claim your Social Security benefits at any time and don't have to worry about your benefits being affected.
You should also know that because you haven't applied for Social Security yet, your monthly benefit has increased since you reached full retirement age in October 2021. You get Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) at a rate of . 667% more benefits for each month you deferred filing, so your benefits now at age 67 would be more than 8% higher than last year in your FRA. And if you want, you can keep waiting to claim SS and keep earning those DRCs for an even bigger buff. But PRCs stop when you reach age 70, when you get your maximum Social Security benefit, about 31% more than your FRA amount, so don't wait until you're over 70 to claim.
In short, since you have reached your full retirement age, you can now claim your SS benefits (for example, starting in January) and receive benefits that are 8+% more than if you had claimed your full retirement age, or you can keep waiting and receive an even higher amount by claiming even later. The path you choose depends largely on your current financial needs and your life expectancy. If you don't need the money urgently right now and you are in good health and expect at least an average lifespan (around 84 years for a man your current age), then it would be a smart move to wait longer to claim. But if you need (or want) the money now, claiming now is also a wise choice. At least you don't have to worry about your job income negatively affecting your monthly Social Security payment; they will not.

###

_________________________________________________

###

Medal: Legion SFC Junior Edwards
Por Katie Lange
Korea was a tough place to be in the winter, especially during the war and during the holidays, and Army Sgt. Junior Dean First Class Edwards knew this. His quick thinking and bravery in early 1951 formed the basis for his platoon to occupy a critical position during the battle. Edwards sacrificed his life for the cause and his bravery earned him the Medal of Honor.
Edwards was born on October 7, 1926 in Indianola, Iowa, the son of Walter and Anna Edwards. He was part of a large family with four brothers and four sisters.
Edwards went to school but dropped out in ninth grade to work, according to a 1951 article in the Des Moines Tribune. He joined the army in 1945, shortly after his 18th birthday. Edwards worked as a cook and trained as an infantryman when World War II ended. He was discharged in August 1946, but his family said he didn't have much to do when he got home, so he re-enlisted in June 1947.
"He was always laughing and joking," said his sister, A.K. Moldenhauer said in the Des Moines Tribune article in 1951. "I think she loved the army. She wrote to us a lot and always seemed to see the funny side of things."
In August 1950, Edwards was posted to Korea, where he served as a non-commissioned officer with Company E of the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.
On January 2, 1951, Edwards and company worked near Changbong-ni to clear an enemy roadblock that had stopped supplies to South Korean troops. Edwards's platoon was defending a strategic hill when they were attacked by an enemy machine gun nest set up on adjacent high ground and forced to abandon their position.
Edwards quickly ordered a counterattack.
"With enemy fire still covering the area, some men were hesitant to advance," Maj. Perry A. Sager, E Company commander, said in his account of the battle. "Edwards personally led four of the men into trenches within 50 yards of the enemy position. During these trips he was completely exposed to the enemy."
Edwards then fired on the enemy. However, he soon realized that he wouldn't be of much use, as the enemy was hiding in a hole. He also knew that he could not use mortar fire against them due to their proximity to friendly troops, so Edwards grabbed several grenades and single-handedly attacked the enemy nest.
The enemy withdrew, but quickly returned when Edwards ran out of shells. Edwards ran back to replenish his supplies, then reloaded. This time he managed to launch a projectile into the hole where the enemy was, destroying his weapon and killing his crew.
However, Edwards was pushed back again when he ran out of shells a second time. He ran for more when the enemy replaced his damaged machine gun with another and resumed firing. Collecting more shells, Edwards charged the enemy position a third time through a fierce hailstorm and again managed to free his crew and gun from him.
Unfortunately, the 24-year-old was seriously injured while running and passed away. His courageous sacrifice, however, bought his fellow combatants time to regain his strength and take his place. They tore down the barricade, allowing the isolated South Korean forces to withdraw with minimal loss of men and equipment.
When Edwards' remains were returned to the United States, he was buried in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery in his hometown.
For his life in combat, the young sergeant was awarded the Medal of Honor. His father accepted from Secretary of Defense Robert A. Lovett at a Pentagon ceremony on January 16, 1952. Edwards' mother, a sister, and two brothers also attended.
Edwards Hall at the former Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and the former Camp Edwards near Kumchon, Korea, are named in his honor.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: Will my family limit my benefits?

Dear Rusty, I have a question about the SS maximum pension benefit. As I understand it, if the breadwinner receives a retirement benefit or is deceased, the family maximum is calculated using a formula that yields a percentage between 150 percent and 188 percent of the head of household's primary insurance amount, his or her benefit monthly if requested at full age retirement. This age is 66 and 4 months for people born in 1956 and gradually increases to 67 in future years. Does this calculation only apply to full retirement age (in my case 66 and 4 months) or does it also apply if I defer SS at 68 or 70? I suspect that the "breadwinner" is the partner who earns the most. Signature: I am planning my retirement
Dear Schedule: The family cap only applies when more than one dependent receives a benefit from the record of an employee who is deceased or receives a retirement benefit (the "dependent"). Typically, this could be a spouse and a minor child, multiple minor children, or perhaps multiple children and a spouse.
For example, the family cap does not apply when both the current spouse and the former spouse receive benefits from that "producer," only when the current spouse and minor children also receive benefits. The family limit also does not apply when only one dependent (for example, spouse) receives "beneficiary" benefits or when there are no dependents receiving benefits on the "beneficiary" file. Also, the family maximum would not limit your benefits if you wait until age 70 to claim your personal benefit maximum. So if he's worried that the family maximum might limit her or her partner's benefits, he can put those concerns aside if he waits until he's 68 or 70.
You are correct that the Family Maximum formula, if applicable, provides a maximum aggregate limit of 150% to 188% of the employee's 'Principal Insurance Amount' or 'PIA', the amount the employee must pay at full age Retirement Plan (FRA) and as you know, your FRA is determined by your year of birth. If the family maximum applies because multiple dependents collect SS benefits on your file, Social Security will determine the family's maximum dollar amount, deduct your PIA (your FRA benefit) from that amount, and the remainder will be available to pay equally to several dependents. be divided between you. However, if no one else, or only your spouse, collects benefits on your record, the family maximum does not apply.

###

###

social security problems
From Social Security advisor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: Can International College Students Get Social Security Benefits?

Dear Rusty, We have been hosting international students for many years, all of whom were required to apply for a Social Security number upon arrival in the United States. Would these students ever qualify for Social Security funds? Some have worked as paid graduate assistants, but others have not worked while in school. Signature: I wonder
Dear Interested Persons: To receive Social Security benefits later in life, your invited students must have earned and earned at least 40 "quarters" of credit in the US and contribute to US Social Security from your "substantial" income in the US Forty is the minimum number of credits for anyone eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. Foreign students who earn only a few "quarters" of their US Social Security credit (at least 6) may collect benefits in the US later in life, depending on their country of citizenship/residence . The US has bilateral agreements with most of its allies for Social Security eligibility, and in some cases, a foreign national can "combine" their Social Security credits from both countries to qualify for US benefits. However, eligibility rules vary slightly by country, and in some countries (for example, Cuba and North Korea) Social Security benefits cannot be paid. Payments to people who live in countries with which the US does not have a bilateral Social Security agreement may also be limited.
At least US Social Security benefits. would not be available to any of these students until they are at least age 62, and only if they have worked and earned enough US credits (40) to independently qualify for US benefits. earnings in the US or later became eligible for US benefits because some worked in the US At least all US Social Security benefits earned under an agreement The cumulative integration fees will be based only on your actual US income (and not your home country income) and therefore are likely to be very small.
My guess is that most of the international students you receive will only be in the US for a short time, maybe a year. The maximum number of Social Security points that can be earned each year is four, so it is highly unlikely that students you receive in such a short period of time will be eligible for US Social Security benefits. unless they extend their presence in the US and continue long-term work and earn enough in the US to later qualify for US benefits;

_________________________________

Eremedal: Major Thomas McGuire Jr.
Poke KATIE LANGE

During World War II, Army Air Corps Major General Thomas B. McGuire Jr. himself was a legend. The young pilot quickly became one of the greatest airmen in the history of American aerial combat. His skills and prowess in the air also earned him the Medal of Honor for Christmas 1944.
McGuire was born on August 1, 1920 in Ridgewood, New Jersey, the son of Thomas and Pauline. He was the only son of a fairly wealthy couple who owned a car dealership.
McGuire's parents eventually divorced, so he moved with his mother to Sebring, Florida, where he spent his teenage years playing various musical instruments and became a sports car enthusiast. He too became interested in flying after hearing stories from an uncle who was a World War I pilot.
After graduating from high school, McGuire attended the Georgia Institute of Technology (now Georgia Tech) to study aeronautical engineering. However, he left after his junior year of college in July 1941 to join the Army Air Corps during World War II. McGuire trained as a fighter pilot, earning his wings and a commission in February 1942.
His first assignment was to fly patrols over the Aleutian Islands and Alaska in a P-39 Airacobra. There he honed his instincts as a pilot, something that seemed natural to him. In December 1942, McGuire switched to the P-38 Lightning. That same month he married Marilynn Giesler, whom he had met while training in Texas.
In March 1942 McGuire, who called himself Mickey, was posted to Australia with the 49th Fighter Group. A few months after his deployment, he was established in the 475th Fighter Group and selected to join the 431st Fighter Squadron. Nicknamed "Satan's Angels," the 431 flew across the South Pacific on missions ranging from escorting bombers to executing fighter-bombers. He also helped gunsmiths test new machine guns and barrels on P-38s.
In August 1943, McGuire was introduced to aerial combat for the first time. In two days he shot down five enemy planes while protecting the bombers over New Guinea. By the end of the month, he had scored two more kills, received a Silver Star and earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a record set in a span of eight days that has not been surpassed by anyone in Air Force history.
In the summer of 1944, McGuire befriended famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, who was visiting the 475th in the Pacific as a political consultant. According to The Ridgewood News, McGuire and Lindbergh were close together in a cabin in New Guinea, and Lindbergh flew occasional covert missions with McGuire in his P-38.
On Christmas Day 1944, McGuire volunteered to lead a squadron of 15 P-38s as cover for heavy bombers attacking a Japanese airfield over the Philippine island of Luzon. They were en route when the formation came under attack by 20 Japanese fighters.
McGuire repeatedly came to the aid of his combat comrades and repulsed enemy attacks, despite being outnumbered three to one at times. At one point, his guns jammed, but he continued the fight, forcing an enemy aircraft into his wingman's line of fire. He had shot down three Japanese Zeros when he returned to base.
On the 26th, McGuire led more escort fighters on a mission to Clark Field, Luzon, which the Japanese had brought over from the US when they invaded the Philippines early in the war. While attempting to rescue a crippled bomber, he shot down an aircraft and then evaded four other enemy fighters, shooting down one. McGuire destroyed two more aircraft before completing the mission.
According to The News, a Paterson, New Jersey newspaper, McGuire was hospitalized for three days due to injuries sustained during these missions.
At the time, McGuire had 38 kills and was close to the 5th Air Force record for aerial victories. He was second only to Major Richard Bong in having shot down 40 enemy aircraft.
McGuire hoped to increase his tally and become the No. 1 ace, so on January 7, 1945, he led a team on a volunteer mission to another Japanese airstrip on the island of Los Negros. As a Japanese Zero aircraft approached them, McGuire had his squadron surround the Zero, which tried to escape the trap by falling 200 feet. According to the Air Force Historical Support Division, "the formation broke up there and the enemy aircraft maneuvered onto the tail of one of the Lightnings." McGuire came to the pilot's aid, but the dangerous maneuver he attempted caused his plane to stall and crash.
After 325 missions, McGuire was reported missing. His remains were finally found in June 1949 in the jungles of Los Negros near a pineapple plantation. He was repatriated to the United States and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
However, McGuire's aerial achievements were honored long before then. On May 8, 1946, his wife received the Medal of Honor in her name from General George K. Kennedy at a ceremony in Patterson, New Jersey. This honor was in addition to many other awards McGuire had received during his career, including the Distinguished Service Cross, three Silver Stars, six Distinguished Flying Crosses and 15 Air Medals.
McGuire remains the tallest American ace to be killed.
Perhaps the greatest honor of his career came when his remains were finally found. In June 1949, the airfield at Fort Dix, New Jersey was renamed McGuire Air Force Base. According to The Ridgeway News, a World War II-era P-38 flew to the base in 1981 and remains there in his honor.

###

Residence
door dr. bullet simon
associate professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine of Medical Sciences.
Q: How do I know if I am lactose intolerant?
A: People who are lactose intolerant experience diarrhea, gas, and bloating after consuming dairy products such as milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt, butter, and cream. Dairy products are often an ingredient in processed foods, so it's important to check the label. Symptoms can appear 30 minutes to two hours after consuming dairy products. If you suspect a child may be lactose intolerant, look for loose stools and gas. diarrhea and gas; bloating, flatulence and nausea. skin rashes and frequent colds. and general abdominal pain and cramps. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the natural sugar found in milk and other dairy products. Lactose intolerance can develop in late childhood or adolescence and become more problematic in adulthood. The condition is not life-threatening and has no long-term complications. Up to 50 million American adults are lactose intolerant, with some ethnic and racial groups affected more than others. About 80% of all African American and Native American adults and more than 90% of Asian adults are lactose intolerant. The condition is less common in people of Northern European descent. Q: Is loss of bladder control inevitable as we age? A. Urinary incontinence (loss of urine that you cannot control) is common and does not just affect older people. About a third of older men and half of women experience occasional accidental discharge, and it is most common after pregnancy, childbirth, or the menopause. But there are ways to handle it. Urinary incontinence can be caused by being overweight, stress, smoking, ostomy problems, nerve damage from diabetes, Parkinson's, too much alcohol or caffeine, or an infection or structural problem, so see your doctor to determine the cause. .
It may help to establish a routine of urinating every two to three hours and working to extend the time in between. However, do not reduce fluid intake, as this can cause urine to be too strong, which can irritate the bladder. The size of the bladder is not the problem. Instead, the bladder can't hold the usual amount of urine (about two cups) or has lost the ability to stretch and hold that amount. Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles with Kegel exercises that tense and relax the muscles and release and stop the flow of urine can improve bladder control. Q: What is plantar fasciitis and how is it treated? A: This painful foot condition is the result of inflammation of the fascia, or a thick fibrous band of tissue that connects the heel to the toes and supports the muscles and arch of the foot. When the fascia is overstretched, small cracks appear. Plantar fasciitis is more common in women and people who are overweight or who are on their feet for several hours a day. Additional risk factors include wearing worn-out shoes with thin soles. wear high heels regularly. with a very high arch or flat feet. unusual walking or leg posture; or tight Achilles tendons or heel tendons. Symptoms include lower leg pain in the middle or front of the heel bone. Some experience pain that gets worse when they wake up in the morning or from sitting for a long time. Plantar fasciitis is usually diagnosed by a doctor who examines the tender area, often determining the cause from its location. The condition usually gets better on its own after a few months, but rest, applying an ice pack, or taking over-the-counter pain relievers can help reduce swelling and ease discomfort. If the condition does not improve or redness or bruising occurs on the heel, tell your doctor.

Q: How do I know if I'm getting enough iron?
A: Iron is a mineral that the body uses to make hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen in the blood throughout the body. Iron deficiency can restrict this flow of oxygen and lead to anemia. There are several types of anemia, but iron deficiency anemia is the most common. A poor diet or a serious illness can cause an iron deficiency. Those most at risk are women, from the beginning of the menstrual cycle, and older adults whose appetite has decreased. Others at risk are those receiving treatments or medications, such as blood thinners that rob the body of iron, and those with chronic diseases that cause blood loss. The symptoms of iron deficiency are fatigue. constant chills; paleness, especially around the eyes. Dry Skin; bruises; and swelling. Blood tests will confirm anemia, but a physical exam and sharing a medical history with a doctor often lead to an initial diagnosis. When diet appears to be the cause, iron-rich foods such as spinach, red meat, peanut butter, beans, dried fruit, squash or pumpkin seeds, and oysters may be recommended. Your doctor may also recommend an over-the-counter iron supplement. Send your health questions to: housecall@uams.edu. ###

_________________________________________________

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: Can I Get Survivor Benefits While I Work?
Dear Rusty, I lost my wife several years ago and was entitled to Social Security benefits. Unfortunately, due to my income, I was unable to use this allowance. I am currently 64 years old and still working. I think I have until the age of 70 to receive it. Is there a way I can claim this before I receive my Social Security in a few years? Signature: working widower
Dear Working Widow: Your right to spousal support from your spouse never expires, so you can wait until you stop working full-time or until you reach Full Retirement Age (FRA) to claim the widow's benefit.
The Social Security "earnings test" lasts until you reach full retirement age, which is 66 years and 8 months for you. This is the age at which your earned income no longer affects your benefit. Then, you can simply delay applying for the survivor benefit until you reach the FRA or until you stop working full time and do not exceed the annual earnings limit (the income limit changes annually; for 2023 it is $21,240). But there is no way to avoid the means test if you receive SS benefits of any kind before your full retirement age. If you collect benefits from your surviving spouse early and exceed the income limit, SS will deduct benefits equal to $1 for every $2 over the limit (half of what is over the limit) and if your earned income is high enough, it may temporarily disqualify you from receiving SS benefits. The penalty for exceeding the income limit is also less severe the year you reach your FRA.
You can at least be sure that collecting your survivor benefit before the FRA would mean it would be reduced (by 4.75% for each previous full year), but wait until you reach your FRA to claim you have 100% of your benefit. the survivor benefit to which he is entitled (the same amount his wife was entitled to when she died). And you can (just) claim and collect the survivor's benefit first, while letting your personal self-employment benefit grow along with it, up to age 70 if you wish. You should try to maximize the highest benefit (your benefit or the survivor's benefit) and receive that benefit for the rest of your life. If you choose to claim your FRA survivor benefit and switch to its higher amount at age 70, your SS personal retirement benefit at age 70 will be nearly 27% higher than it was at your full retirement age. This would be a good way to bypass the means test, maximize both benefits, and ensure the highest possible Social Security benefit for life.
Whether you wait until age 70 to claim your own SS retirement benefit depends on whether it will exceed your FRA survivor benefit at age 70 and your life expectancy. The average life expectancy for a man at his current age is around 84, and he will run out of money around 81 if he waits until 70 to claim his own SS pension. Therefore, he gets the maximum lifetime accrued benefit by waiting for his FRA to claim his survivor benefit and, if higher, by waiting until age 70 to claim his own SS retirement benefit. . His choice is his, but longevity is key, so he should carefully assess his potential life expectancy, including his family history, current health, and his lifestyle to help him decide.

_________________________________

How can you help make a big change happen? grow from scratch

We live in a time when many people around the world want to see positive changes in various aspects of society. But making these changes from the ground up can be difficult, especially when the people trying to move forward don't have a strategic roadmap or the right tools to overcome obstacles.
With a strong organization and an effective process, grassroots advocacy—driving change from the bottom up—can work, despite the common perception that only people in positions of power can make a difference, says Dr. Tarek Kteleh, author of The Six Pillars of Advocacy: Embrace Your Purpose and Change Lives. Dr. Kteleh has led numerous successful advocacy efforts, saving lives, punishing war criminals, and defending healthcare workers and patients.
"You've heard these phrases before: 'You are powerless to change the status quo,'" he says. Or, "You don't fit in with the special interests embedded in the US government." Or, "You lost the battle before it even started." But I'm here to tell you that none of that is true.
“I know this because my community and I have been able to work on multiple levels of the US political system and take on everyone from war criminals to for-profit corporations and move on. If you are passionate about helping a community or cause and are willing to selflessly give your time and energy to serve others, you have a solid foundation to make a difference. You just need to know the tools you need to fight for those who desperately need change or are unable to fend for themselves.”
Dr. Kteleh offers the following keys to successful grassroots advocacy:
A noble goal. "Allocate your limited time, energy, and financial resources to a campaign that benefits the many, not the few," says Dr. Kteleh. "Find and fight for a cause that uplifts entire communities and inspires commitment from those around you."
networks. Once you've committed to a worthy cause, find a community of kindred spirits who share your goals, says Dr. Kteleh. "The difficulty is getting in touch with them," he says. "Start with your neighbors, colleagues, and professional associations." Online search engines and social networking sites can also be valuable tools for finding like-minded organizations.
Education. Dr. Kteleh says the challenge here is twofold: "To inform his followers of his cause and undo a lifelong indoctrination that tells us that the powerful hold all the cards."
fundraiser Even with a worthy cause, asking family, friends and supporters for financial help can be daunting. But dr. Kteleh says that if he has built a vibrant network and developed strong educational messages, he has already done the hard work. "Tell his followers the results he hopes to achieve, and especially how he can achieve them," he says. "Potential donors will then understand why fund their hard-earned money and justify their donation."
Organization. With the help of an accountant or lawyer, Dr. Kteleh says, define the mission of his group and legally register an entity in his state. There are three main classifications for interest groups. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with charitable and educational purposes. Donor contributions are tax deductible. A 501(c)(4) is not tax deductible, but it has more flexibility in its operation than a 501(c)(3) and can exert unlimited pressure on decision makers. A Political Action Committee (PAC) is a vehicle for advocating for policies that can further your legislative priorities.
Promotion tools. Dr. Kteleh says there are many resources to advance his cause through legislators and the public: a professional staff, ideally with lobbying experience; the media, including articles about your topic, news coverage about the topic, and advertisements; social networks, in particular through targeted ads from Facebook and Google; and face-to-face meetings with policy makers.
"Human beings are made to bring positive change to the world," says Dr. Kteleh. "No matter what cause you work for, the people whose lives you are trying to change need and deserve your full commitment."

###

Eremedaille: The Army Technical Sergeant. raphael nepal
By Katie Lange, DOD News

social security problems
From National Social Security Counselor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty - Retired Federal Employee with little Social Security

Dear Rusty, When I got Social Security at age 62, the SS office told me that I would get a lower monthly amount because I worked for the federal government and received a pension from the Civil Service Pension System (CSRS). I worked outside the government on Social Security for about 20 years and now I only get about $280 a month in Social Security. It just seems like you should be getting more. How do I investigate what Social Security calls an "unexpected"? Signature: Federal Retiree
Dear Federal Retiree: From what you shared, you did not contribute to Social Security while receiving your CSRS pension, but you did contribute to SS while working elsewhere, earning Social Security retirement benefits in addition to your CSRS pension. Those who receive a federal pension under the old Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) are affected by the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces the Social Security benefits to which they may be entitled due to to employment outside the federal government. because the SS benefit is only $280 per month. To be clear, federal employees who retire under the new Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are not affected by the WEP because they contribute to Social Security.
The formula for calculating Social Security when WEP is applied is quite complicated and depends on how many years you have contributed significant private sector income to Social Security. With 20 or fewer years of Social Security contributions, you incur the maximum WEP penalty for your "eligibility year" (the year you turned age 62), but with more than 20 years of Social Security contributions, the WEP deduction it is also reduced with 30 or more years of contributions to the SS, WEP no longer applies.
If you received your CSRS pension when you applied for Social Security, your WEP reduced SS benefit was calculated and continued at that time. However, if you had additional years of work and Social Security contributions after the initial application, you may now have more than 20 years of contributions, so you may be eligible for a smaller WEP reduction and therefore a higher Social Security benefit. The only way to find out if you are now entitled to a higher benefit due to the additional years of contributions is to call Social Security, either your local office or the national number (1.800.772.1213) and ask for your current WEP check. benefit. If you now have more years of Social Security contributions than when you first applied, you may be eligible for an increase in benefits.
Before you call SS, you may want to check your lifetime earnings record on file with Social Security and determine how many years of significant SS earnings you actually have. The easiest way to get a copy of your lifetime Social Security SS Earnings Statement is through your personal "My Social Security" online account. If you have not yet created an account online, you can easily do so at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. You can then compare your earnings to the SS table at the following link that shows what your earnings must have been each year to count for the WEP: www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf.
So, to summarize, if you continued to work after Social Security benefits started at a reduced WEP, you may be eligible for a smaller WEP reduction and therefore a higher Social Security benefit now, but you should contact Social Security to get your current assessment. situation (and, if necessary, increase your welfare benefit).

###

_________________________________

Medal of Honor Monday: Navy Vice Admiral Samuel Fuqua
By KATIE LANGE, DOD News

More than 1,100 sailors died on the USS Arizona when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Those who survived the chaos did what they could to help others before the battleship sank. Vice Admiral Samuel Glenn Fuqua was one of those men. For his bravery and leadership that day, he earned the Medal of Honor.
Fuqua was born on October 15, 1899 in Laddonia, Missouri to parents Lulu Belle and Samuel. He was the youngest of four brothers.
After graduating from high school, Fuqua spent a year at the University of Missouri, where he participated in the Army ROTC program. He briefly served as a soldier during World War I before being commissioned to the Naval Academy in July 1919.
Fuqua was commissioned into the Navy in June 1923. Two weeks later, he married his high school sweetheart, Edna Hammett, according to a report in the Atlanta Constitution.
Fuqua's first mission was on the USS Arizona. For more than a decade after that, he served on various other ships and shore stations before becoming commanding officer of the minesweeper USS Bittern. After a stint at the Naval Training Station at Great Lakes, Illinois, he returned to Arizona in February 1941 as a battleship damage control officer and first lieutenant. He was on the doomed ship when she docked at Pearl Harbor's Battleship Row on December 7, 1941, as the United States entered World War II.
That morning, when Lt. Commander Fuqua was eating breakfast when the ship's air raid siren sounded. Fuqua calmly ordered a general noise, according to a statement he made after the attack.
Through a porthole in the side of the ship, Fuqua saw a Japanese plane go by, so he ran onto the ship's deck. He was immediately knocked unconscious by a powerful explosion that rocked the area. The bomb penetrated several decks and started a massive fire.
When Fuqua regained consciousness, he quickly began ordering the sailors to put out the fire and rescue the wounded. According to a National World War II Museum account of the attack, Fuqua's sailors used portable carbon dioxide fire extinguishers because there was no pressure in the fire hoses. The fire extinguishers were no match for the blazing inferno on board, but they did put out the flames enough to allow a few men to escape.
Immediately afterwards, a torpedo struck the ship, causing a massive explosion that made it appear as if the ship rose out of the water and lurched before coming to a stop. The entire front of the ship was engulfed in flames, which spread rapidly. The wounded men climbed out of the ship onto the deck, where Fuqua was.
"I saw men burn to death, and they fought the fire until they dropped dead at their battle stations. When we picked them up, the meat fell from their hands," Fuqua later recalled.
As the enemy continued to shell and target the Arizona and other ships in the vicinity, Fuqua continued to order other sailors to fight the flames so that he could get as many of the wounded off the ship as possible. According to his Medal of Honor citation, he "he oversaw the rescue of these men in such an astonishingly calm and cool manner and with such excellent judgment that he inspired all who saw him" to press on despite the chaos.
Finally, Fuqua realized that the ship could not be saved. As he was now the oldest surviving officer on board (Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh and Vice Admiral Isaac C. Kidd had died), he ordered the remaining Arizona sailors to abandon ship. Fuqua remained on deck and led the way out until he was satisfied that all the men who could have been rescued were off the ship. He alone then left Arizona with his last surviving ship of his.
Although 1,177 of the ship's crew died, nearly half the total death toll to that day, Fuqua's calm demeanor and excellent leadership undoubtedly helped save many lives. Arizona had been on fire for more than two days. During the efforts to rescue him, Fuqua continued to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts.
Fuqua received the Medal of Honor on March 19, 1942 from Admiral Royal E. Intersoll in a ceremony at the US Naval Training Station in Newport, Rhode Island. Fourteen other sailors received the medal for their actions at Pearl Harbor. Ten of these awards were awarded posthumously, including Van Valkenburgh and Kidd of Arizona.
Fuqua spent most of 1942 as an officer on the cruiser USS Tuscaloosa before serving in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba and then attending the Naval War College. Towards the end of the war, the then-Captain helped plan and execute several amphibious operations in the Philippines and on the island of Borneo.
After the war, Fuqua held various positions on the staff. He commanded the destroyer USS Dixie from 1949 to 1950 before serving as Chief of Staff of the Eighth Naval District. When Fuqua retired in July 1953, he was promoted to rear admiral for his numerous war decorations.
Fuqua returned to civilian life as a student. He attended Stanford University, where he received a master's degree in political science in 1957, under the Atlanta Constitution. He later taught mathematics at the Fort Union Military Academy in Virginia and then politics at St. Petersburg Junior College in Florida. In 1970, he and his wife moved to the Atlanta area to be closer to his daughter Pat.
Fuqua suffered several strokes in 1985, so he moved into a nursing home at the Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia. He was still living there when he died on January 27, 1987.
Fuqua was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The USS Arizona is still in the background of Pearl Harbor. Unveiled in 1962, her memorial was placed atop the ship's sunken hull and serves as a reminder of the lives lost on that fateful day. The ship itself was designated a national cemetery. One of her barbettes, holding a gun turret, can still be seen above the water.

###

The great resignation has proven problematic for many entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, "silent layoffs," where workers do the bare minimum to protest because they feel undervalued, have become a major problem.
But the solution to either is not so elusive or far-fetched. If the leaders of these affected companies were to change their focus and focus more on the employee experience, they would likely see great retention.
A survey of US workers and employers found significant gaps between how employers think things are going at their company and how employees see things. In summary, the vast majority of companies surveyed believed employees were satisfied or well supported in key areas: compensation, training, mental health, and workplace empowerment. But the majority of employees surveyed disagreed, and one in three would quit their current job without a backup plan.
The good news for employers is that these trends can be reversed. The survey found that 69% of employees surveyed would consider staying if something changed for the better at their current employer. This change can occur if business leaders recognize the need to better engage their employees, recognizing how these dynamics are directly related to production and retention, and take consistent action.
The bottom line is this: if you don't provide a great employee experience, you can't retain or compete for the best talent. Unfortunately, too many leaders are unaware of the needs of their employees. They can change this by addressing these points:
Think and treat your business as a community
Leaders need to start with this mindset: You don't just build a company. you build a community that revolves around relationships, trust and shared values. Just as every business is unique, so are the communities they build.
Leaders have a responsibility to make sure communities work for members. Today, working communities are restless about the changes. The workplace is radically different now than it was before the pandemic. Technology and teleworking have reshaped our idea of ​​what an office is. Home workers and hybrid workers are bringing their co-workers, and now homes, families and pets are part of the work community.
Navigating this change can be overwhelming for anyone. At this point, more than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, some people are still scared, stressed, and exhausted. They want to be heard, they want to be treated as the people they are, they want to be treated as a valuable asset to the company, and they want to be safe.
So put your people first. Model the behavior you want to see. Show genuine interest and concern. It's up to leaders to create a community based on the diverse experiences of employees, and their struggles provide an opportunity to lean on HR. HR understands how to build listening, equity, inclusion, and flexibility and can be a great resource for leaders.
Employers must be flexible, because it is here to stay. Part of building your community will be defining flexibility with a conversation about equity. Let your employees find personal solutions instead of getting stuck in the old command and control model where management made all the decisions.
Get in touch and celebrate
Today, if you want to attract and retain the best talent, you have to treat your employees with respect and empathy, and you have to communicate much more than you think is necessary.
The old model of running a business, with top-down management and little agility or humanity, has caused unprecedented stress, anxiety, and mistrust in the modern workplace. Leaders who do not communicate openly, clearly, and regularly about what they expect and why must break this self-serving mindset that revolves around the wants, needs, or pocketbook of the business or owner. They may have gotten away with it in the past, but thankfully this form of leadership is no longer acceptable.
You should reward and celebrate employee achievement as part of your communication and performance programs. Lack of recognition is the #1 reason people quit, and recognizing people is as easy as it is fun.
The basic pillars for any community are simple. Come closer and listen. Any form of communication is highly valued by employees and is an essential way to show that you are listening and that you care. It's important to embrace technology to enable connections with your community. Host an open house or fireside chat to welcome your people home and connect on a deeper level. YouTube is one of the largest social media channels and is underutilized for building community within businesses.
Even create a collection of crazy videos for those times when your people need a mental break. Find ways to be creative and flexible by using Instagram, Facebook, and snail mail to communicate.
Community is a mutual concept and experience. Ask your people what they want their community to look like and they'll tell you. Your employees experience you, but are you aware of what they experience? It's a subtle shift in thinking about leadership and how you interact with employees and vice versa, and it can make all the difference in your ability to retain your best employees.

__________________________-

history is important
A feature courtesy of
De Grateful American Book Award

Eremedal: Marine Corps Pvt. Hector Cafferata Jr.
By KATIE LANGE, DOD News

When one of the fiercest battles of the Korean War broke out, Marine Corps Pvt. Hector A. Cafferata Jr. almost single-handedly prevented enemy forces from penetrating a line that, had it been breached, would have stranded thousands of American soldiers. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his undying bravery during this test.
Cafferata was born on November 4, 1929 in New York. His father, Hector Sr., was a Peruvian immigrant who ran a paper mill. The family eventually moved to Montville, New Jersey, where his mother, Helen, grew up. Cafferata had two brothers, Godfrey and William.
Those who knew Cafferata when he was young said that he always takes care of others. She loved to play chess and hunt, sometimes even on her way to school, according to the Morristown, New Jersey, Daily Record newspaper.
After graduating from Boonton High School, Cafferata played semi-pro soccer while working in a factory for the Sun Dial Corporation. He joined the Marine Corps on February 15, 1948, and served in a local unit until he was called to active duty on September 6, 1950. Caferata was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. In mid-October he was heading to Korea.
Once Cafferata arrived in the war-torn country, his unit was ordered to march 75 miles from the Sea of ​​Japan to the frozen peninsula at Chosin Reservoir to push North Korean troops across the border into China.
This mission led to the historic Battle of Chosin Reservoir. The battle, which began in late November and lasted for about 17 days, was one of the most brutal of the war. Some 30,000 UN troops, including many US marines and soldiers, were ambushed and surrounded by some 120,000 Chinese fighters. They were forced to defeat the enemy and escape despite the rugged terrain and sub-zero temperatures.
During that crisis, Cafferata was one of approximately 220 Marines from F Company tasked with holding a three-mile mountain pass called Fox Hill that overlooked Toktong Pass. The route was vital for some 11,000 captured Marines and soldiers to free themselves from the encircling enemy.
In the early morning of November 28, 1950, Caferata awoke to the sound of some 1,400 Chinese soldiers ambushing his company on the hill. Soon, all of the other members of his fire crew were killed or seriously injured, except for him and his colleague Pvt. Kenneth Benson.
Cafferata knew that if the enemy took the hill, there would be a gap in the line that the captured UN troops used to escape. So without stopping to put on his boots -despite the snow that reached his ankles- he set to work to defend the hill. For about five hours he fought the enemy with grenades and his rifle, and Benson supplied him with ammunition.
Despite being targeted by the enemy, Cafferata moved up and down the line providing accurate and effective fire. He killed several enemy combatants, wounded many others, and forced others to withdraw until reinforcements could consolidate the enemy position.
When an enemy shell landed in a shallow redoubt containing wounded Marines, Caferata dodged heavy fire to grab and throw it. The device exploded as it came out of his hand, cutting off part of his finger and severely injuring his right hand and arm. However, Cafferata ignored the intense pain and fought on until a sniper's bullet hit him, forcing him to evacuate to a first aid tent.
By the end of the battle on the hill, only 82 Marines of Cafferata's unit remained, army records show. However, Cafferata is credited with saving many more men from death. He was also considered an essential part of his unit's ability to keep the path open for thousands of other captured Marines to escape.
According to his obituary in the Washington Post, the doctors who first treated Cafferata noted that his feet were blue from frostbite as he struggled for hours without boots or a coat. She flew back to the US and spent about a year and a half in hospitals recovering from her injuries, with doctors initially unsure if she would live. He did so, becoming one of the men who survived the battle and becoming known as the 'Chosin Few'.
According to an Army writer, when the humble Cafferata first learned that he had won the Medal of Honor, he asked if it could be mailed to him. This request was rejected. Instead, Cafferata was flown to Washington, D.C. He received the Medal of Honor on November 24, 1952 from President Harry S. Truman in a White House ceremony.
Cafferata's Medal of Honor citation stated that he killed 15 enemy combatants during the intense battle. However, author Peter Collier wrote in a book about the battle that the soldier's fellow Marines counted more than 100 dead around the trench where he had fought. Collier said those Marines decided not to include that number in their reports because they thought no one would believe them.
Cafferata withdrew due to his injuries. He returned to New Jersey and spent the next few decades selling hunting and fishing equipment, working for the state department of fish and game, and owning a bar. In 1965, he married Doris Giblock and they had four children: Lynn, Deborah, Heather, and Dale, the last of whom attended the Air Force Academy and became a helicopter pilot.
The Medal of Honor recipient eventually retired to Venice, Florida, but continued to embrace the military community. Cafferata served as Grand Marshal of the Parade several times during the annual Armed Forces Day celebrations at the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. He also joined President Barack Obama in Seoul, South Korea in 2010 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Korean War.
Caferata died in Venice on April 12, 2016, at the age of 86. He was buried approximately a week later at Quantico National Cemetery at Quantico Marine Corps Base, Virginia.
In his honor, a school in Cape Coral, Florida is named after the Hector A. Cafferata Jr. Elementary School.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: Can a Working Widow Collect Survivor's Benefits?
Dear Rusty, I am 63 years old and still working. My husband died 7 years ago at the age of 58. Can I collect social security from my partner while I'm still working? Signature: working widow
Dear Working Widow: Technically, at age 63, you are entitled to a survivor benefit from your spouse, but since you are working, we need to dig a little deeper.
When benefits are received before full retirement age, the Social Security means test applies. The earnings test limits how much you can earn from work before some (or even all) of your Social Security benefits are taken away. If your annual income for 2023 is over $21,240, Social Security will deduct benefits equal to $1 for every $2 you exceed that limit. If you earn significantly more than the limit, you may even be temporarily ineligible to collect your survivor benefit (because the amount of your benefit may not be enough to offset the over-limit penalty). So if you work part-time and don't cross the border or are just crossing the border, you can now apply for your survivor benefit and just pay your benefit penalty. But if you work full time and are well over the annual limit, you may want to delay filing your survivor benefits until you reach full retirement age (FRA) or stop working.
If you turn 63 in 2022, your FRA will be 66 years and 10 months and the means test will apply until you reach that age. Four months earlier, your survivor benefit hits the maximum (reportedly it was reduced by 4.75% per full year earlier). So what should I do? I suggest you look at the estimated maximum benefit (70 years) and compare it to your spouse's maximum survivor benefit. You should try to maximize the highest benefit and claim that maximum benefit for the rest of your life. For example, if your FRA survivor benefit is higher than your personal benefit for 70 years, then it's smart to wait for your FRA to claim your survivor benefit and collect it for the rest of your life. Instead, if your personal benefit at age 70 exceeds your maximum FRA survivor benefit, you may want to apply for the survivor benefit first and let your personal benefit reach its maximum and switch to your highest benefit at age 70 .
In any case, because you work, you should be aware of the salary cap until you reach full retirement age. The income limit increases a little each year, and the year you reach the FRA becomes much higher (about 2.5 times) and the penalty is smaller. There is no longer an earnings limit once you reach full retirement age, but if you decide to claim Social Security before your FRA, you'll want to know if your earnings will exceed the annual limit each year.

###

###

Healthcare 2023: the need to move from reactive to proactive

Puerta JEFF MARGOLIS

The functionality, accessibility, and affordability of the US healthcare system has been a major issue for quite some time. The COVID-19 crisis, which began in March 2020, has put a magnifying glass on the industry.
As we begin to emerge a bit from the dark cloud of COVID, there have been some rays of sunshine in terms of health care advances in 2022. For starters, Congress has acted bipartisanly to provide funding for research and vaccines, and surprisingly little energy was spent arguing about whether or not people deserve medical attention.
The Inflation Relief Act of 2022, signed into law by President Joe Biden in August, included important health provisions. Among them: reducing Medicare prescription drugs by negotiating prices with manufacturers. require pharmaceutical companies to pay rebates if prices rise faster than inflation for drugs used by Medicare beneficiaries, and limit drug spending for Medicare Part D beneficiaries to $2,000 per year; and extending for three years the enhanced Affordable Care Act grants that Congress passed last year as part of America's Bailout Act.
In the second half of 2022, there was enough confidence in vaccination and control measures around COVID-19 to think of a new normal in healthcare. The data confirmed that those who maintained better overall health and well-being fared much better than those with underlying conditions and less healthy lifestyles. But it also reminded us that even very healthy people are sometimes overtaken by new diseases.
Looking ahead, our health care system needs significant improvement, starting with a more frequent alignment of decision makers in both industry and government. The 2022 election cycle presents an opportunity for hyperbolic and unproductive political rhetoric that divides the US population into labels of high need, seniors, and "everyone else." And there still hasn't been a systematic enough change in the industry to understand people as individuals and simply classify them based on their economic and geographic demographics.
But let us take solace in the fact that elected government officials, policymakers, and employers are beginning to understand that health care is broader than just providing access to care for reactive diseases.
Americans deserve a health care system that supports health in our daily lives, not just gets us back when we're sick. It is our daily lives, the actions we take in terms of nutrition, fitness, sleep, mental health, relationships, financial management, and how they are affected by social determinants, that make up the vast majority of what governs health and our general well-being. However, our healthcare system primarily treats diseases with limited support for disease prevention.
Here are some healthcare predictions for 2023 and things I think need to happen in 2023 to move from disease care to healthcare:
2023 predictions
Inflation and insurance affect the industry. Unfortunately, inflation in nursing staffing and resources will halt some progress after 2022. Local and regional hospital systems will struggle to cover costs. While healthcare inflation will be under control by the end of the 23rd, the rate hikes for 2023 and 2024 will be relentless.
Rivals seek common ground. Politicians will continue to publicly attack pharmaceutical and insurance companies as the cause of healthcare financial challenges, but they will work together behind the scenes as private industry supports the need for innovation.
Mental health is receiving more attention. Mental health will have a long-awaited day in the sun. There will be bipartisan and private support for broad mental health resources ranging from serious conditions to stress management and resilience building. In addition, attention to issues such as loneliness among older adults and adolescents will receive some attention.
Advances in treatments and personalized medicine. Serious progress on treatments that make some of the scariest health problems less scary, like tough cancers and dementia, will be accelerated. And the application of personalized genomics, metabolomics, and proteomics will increasingly be integrated into personalized therapies available at many leading community and specialty hospitals and academic medical centers.
Businesses will view healthcare through a broader lens. Major employers will anticipate government approaches to health benefits and address general wellness while emphasizing primary care connections with consumers through digital, virtual, and physical means.
Needs List 2023 – Transition of care from illness to care
A broader perspective on benefit plans. Medicare, Medicaid, military and commercial plans must be viewed through the lens of physical health. mental health; social health, economic health and, to the extent possible, individual purpose. In addition to doctor visits, hospital visits, medications, emergency room visits, etc., these categories should appear more clearly in benefit descriptions.
Better communication from employers. Employers, who often already have a belief system around holistic wellness, need to communicate more clearly about the broader range of holistic health and wellness benefits and educate their employees about what is available.
Cost approach through CMS. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should step back and consider how less expensive lifestyles and daily living supports (eg, nutrition and reduced loneliness) can dramatically reduce the cost of traditional medical care.
Combined use of data. Consumer consent to combine non-health care data with health care data for the benefit of their health should become commonplace when enrolling in health benefits.
Imagine a world where the health care system actually works with people to improve their overall health, a world where health care becomes proactive instead of reactive.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

###

_________________________________

Medal of Honor: Marine Corps First Lieutenant William Hawkins
By Katie Lange, DOD News

Marine Corps 1st Lieutenant William Dean Hawkins did everything he could to help the Allies gain control of the strategic Tarawa Atoll from the Japanese during the second half of World War II. Although he never returned home from this small island, his efforts earned him a posthumous medal of honor.
Hawkins was born on April 19, 1914, in Fort Scott, Kansas, to parents William and Clara Jane Hawkins. When he was 3 years old, Hawkins suffered serious injuries after being accidentally scalded by a pot of boiling water. According to a 1986 El Paso Herald-Post article, burns covered a third of his body and left him with "a leg torn off and an arm so twisted that doctors wanted to cut the muscle to straighten it." However, the young man persevered, learned to walk again, and recovered better than expected.
Within a few years of the incident, Hawkins's parents moved to El Paso, Texas. His father died when he was 8 years old, according to a 1980 El Paso Times article, so his mother, who was a nurse, went back to school to become a teacher to better support him.
Hawkins was an excellent student. His sharp intellect allowed him to skip fifth grade and, according to the El Paso Historical Society, he once won the state chemistry competition.
After graduating from El Paso High School at age 16, Hawkins entered the Texas College of Mines, now the University of Texas at El Paso, on a scholarship to study engineering. During that time, he worked various odd jobs to earn money, including laying pipelines in New Mexico when he was 17, according to the historical society.
As the United States plunged into World War II, Hawkins felt compelled to serve. He was denied entry into the Army and Navy, so on January 5, 1942 he joined the Marine Corps. He entered sniper school in July 1942 and shortly thereafter was posted to the Pacific with the 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division.
Hawkins's superiors noted that he was a natural leader, so he was promoted rather quickly at times. He received a combat commission in the Solomon Islands on November 18, 1942, during the Guadalcanal Campaign. By June of the following year, he had again been promoted to second lieutenant.
By the fall of 1943, he had been appointed commander of a sniper platoon attached to the assault regiment preparing to attack Japan's Tarawa Atoll. The small island of Betio on the southwest side of the atoll had a strategic airfield that the Allies wanted to control.
On November 20, Hawkins's platoon was ordered to land ahead of the main wave of troops at Betio to make way for them. The island, which was only 2 miles long and about half a mile wide, was well defended by the Japanese, so they immediately engaged in heavy fighting, for the first time in any Pacific campaign.
Hawkins was the first to get off the transport. Without hesitation, he pushed through the heavy enemy fire and worked quickly to neutralize the enemy emplacements. Day and night, he led his men to establish themselves on the nearby beach along with other Marines, repeatedly risking his life to lead and direct attacks on pillboxes and other enemy strongholds.
At dawn on the 21st, the platoon continued its efforts to clear the small beach of enemy resistance. Hawkins launched an attack against a position reinforced by five enemy machine guns. During a moment of destructive fire, he crept towards the site, fired his spiked weapon and then destroyed it with grenades.
Hawkins was seriously injured five times during the fight, including to the chest during the final blow. However, he refused treatment and continued to fight. Hawkins destroyed three more pillboxes before being badly wounded by Japanese fire.
According to the El Paso Herald-Post, he died that night on a hospital ship. However, his daring tactics during a critical phase of the battle inspired the men around him, leading the 2nd Marines to capture the island and capture the entire atoll.
"It's not often that a second lieutenant wins a battle, but Hawkins got as close as he could," said attack commander Col. David M. Shoup after the battle. "He was really an inspiration."
On August 30, 1944, Hawkins's mother received the Medal of Honor on behalf of her son from President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a White House ceremony.
Hawkins was initially buried on Tarawa, but his remains were reinterred in 1949 at the Pacific National Monument in Honolulu.
In honor of the brave lieutenant, a naval destroyer originally named USS Beatty was renamed USS Hawkins and commissioned in February 1945. The airstrip on Betio Island that his fellow Marines helped capture was also named Hawkins Field. As late as 2020, Hawkins's alma mater, the University of Texas at El Paso, created a meritorious scholarship in his name.
The Hawkins Medal of Honor is located at the El Paso County Historical Society.

Ask Rusty: For some simple instructions on Medicare
Dear Rusty, I'm almost 68 years old, I've never signed up for Medicare, but I think you should look into it. I am currently covered by my wife's health insurance through her employer. I would really appreciate some simple guidelines on Medicare. I tried to watch some videos on the subject, but it was always so boring that I never finished watching it. I lose myself in everything Part This and Part That. I just want a good understanding of what coverage I really need and what it costs. Signature: confused
Dear Confused: Medicare is certainly a confusing subject, but I'll try to clear it all up for you. Think of it this way: Medicare has two main parts: one that covers inpatient hospital services (called Part A) and one that covers outpatient services like doctors, medical tests, and so on. (called Part B). Part A is generally free (if you or receive Social Security), but there is a monthly premium for Part B. By 2023, the monthly premium for Part B will be $164.90 and will be deducted from your Social Security payment, or pay directly to Medicare if you don't already collect Social Security.
There are deductibles and copays for both Part A and Part B, so they don't cover 100% of health care costs; they generally cover about 80% of certain types of medical services after you pay the deductible. The deductibles aren't high: $226 for Part B and $1,600 for Part A, but that still leaves you with some health care costs not covered by Medicare. And for that out-of-pocket cost, many people choose to get additional private coverage known as a "Medigap" (or Medicare Supplement) plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan (commonly known as Medicare "Part C"). This extra coverage isn't required, but it's usually smart.
The standard age to enroll in Medicare is 65, but if you have other "creditable" health care coverage from your spouse's employer, you can delay enrolling in Medicare until that coverage ends or is about to end. Having this "creditable" employer coverage after age 65 protects you from a late enrollment penalty for signing up for Medicare after age 65. From what you wrote (assuming your employer coverage is "reliable"), you can now enroll in Medicare anytime with no penalty for enrolling after age 65. You can enroll online at www.ssa.gov/medicare or by calling Social Security at 1.800.772.1213.
Medicare Part A and Part B do not include prescription drug coverage. This requires you to get a private prescription drug plan (called Medicare Part D) if you want such coverage after age 65 and after your employer drug coverage ends. Part D plans are usually inexpensive, in the range of $15 to $50 per month, depending on the specific plan and the "formula" of the drug (the amounts the plan pays for each type of drug). To discuss all of this and find your best supplemental coverage options, contact AMAC's Medicare Division (www.amac.us/medicare) and speak with a Medicare insurance specialist.
To summarize, under your personal circumstances, you are eligible to enroll in Medicare without penalty, even if you are now age 68, because you have had "creditable" health care coverage through your spouse's employer since age 65 (" meritorious" is a design group with a minimum of 20 participants). You can also stay with that employer's plan if you want and enroll in Medicare only when your employer's coverage ends or is about to end. At that time, you enter a Medicare Special Enrollment Period during which you can enroll in Medicare without a late enrollment penalty. It all comes down to; If your current coverage from your spouse's employer is reliable and meets your current needs, you can wait until that coverage ends to enroll in Medicare. The only caveat is that you should get Medicare Part A for free if you collect Social Security after age 65.

____________________________________

history is important
A feature courtesy of
De Grateful American Book Award

###

Medal of Honor: Vice Admiral of the Navy Bruce McCandless
Poke KATIE LANGE
Second World War II Navy Admiral Bruce McCandless lost most of his ship's senior officers in heavy fighting during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Rather than hesitate, he stepped forward to take the initiative. His actions helped win the battle and earned him the Medal of Honor.
McCandless was born on August 12, 1911 in the District of Columbia, the son of Byron and Velma McCandless. Young McCandless's affinity for the Navy likely developed at an early age. His father enlisted and, while still a young man, he became a rear admiral and earned the Navy Cross during World War I.
As many military families do, the McCandlesses moved a lot as McCandless and her sister, Velma, grew up. It probably came as no surprise that he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and landed a position at the US Naval Academy after high school.
In June 1932, McCandless graduated from Annapolis and spent his early Navy years at sea on USS Louisville, USS Indianapolis, and USS Case. While serving in Louisville, he met and married Sue Bradley, whose father received a World War I Medal of Honor. The couple went on to have two sons and two daughters.
McCandless eventually attended graduate school in Annapolis. After graduating in 1939, he began serving on the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco. That's where he was when World War II started and that's where he'd be when he won the Medal of Honor.
In the fall of 1942, the ship took part in the great naval battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands chain in the South Pacific. Her mission was to prevent Japanese ships from bringing troops to the coast of Guadalcanal. The sea battle was the last in a series that forced the Japanese to surrender the island, giving the Allies a strategic victory.
On November 12 and 13, the then Lt. Commander McCandless was the liaison officer for San Francisco when he fought Japanese forces off the coast of nearby Savo Island. During the night, a massive bombardment by the Japanese badly damaged the ship and knocked McCandless unconscious. The incessant fire also killed many of the senior officers on the ship's bridge, including the captain. Cassin Young and Vice Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan, commander of the task force of the ships to which the San Francisco belonged.
Despite the severe injuries, McCandless knew someone had to take control of the now-out-of-control ship. He quickly took command and ordered the ship to fire on the enemy. Not only that, but the 31-year-old man issued orders to the other ships in the task force, who still didn't know Callahan was dead.
According to a newspaper column written by journalist Drew Pearson, McCandless did not want to use the radio to tell the other ships in the task force that Callaghan had died for fear that the messages would be intercepted by the Japanese. Knowing his superiors' plan of attack, McCandless went ahead, but feared he would be court-martialled if he survived the battle, Pearson wrote.
McCandless survived, as did San Francisco. The Japanese eventually stopped their attack on Guadalcanal and withdrew from the area.
According to naval intelligence reports, the battle sank or destroyed 26 Japanese ships and damaged 12 others. But the victory also came at a heavy cost to the Allies. The United States lost nine ships and 11 others were damaged. The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal was one of the deadliest of the war.
Instead of court martial, McCandless was quickly promoted to major and told that he had won the Medal of Honor. He received the country's highest award for bravery on December 12, a month after the incident for which he earned it. Admiral Ernest J. King placed the medal around McCandless's neck on the USS San Francisco while in San Francisco Harbor. At the time of the ceremony, McCandless's father was the commander of a destroyer base in San Diego, according to a 1942 Associated Press article.
For the remainder of the war, the young McCandless continued to command USS Gregory during Operation Iwo Jima in 1945 and the subsequent invasion of Okinawa, where the ship was badly damaged by kamikaze aircraft in April. McCandless earned a Silver Star for his actions at the time, according to a 1968 Washington Post News Service article.
After the war, McCandless took a staff position at a naval base in San Pedro, California, before returning to Washington, D.C. in November 1946 to work in the office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations. McCandless returned to sea in May 1949 to command a minesweeper on USS Shannon before taking up a position at the Naval Academy and being promoted to captain in early 1951.
McCandless was hospitalized for a time due to a physical disability, so in September 1952 he decided to leave active service. He was promoted to vice admiral on the retired list in recognition of his two decades of outstanding service.
Shortly after his retirement, McCandless learned he had multiple sclerosis, according to the Long Beach, California-based Independent newspaper. The diagnosis soon put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
After leaving the service, McCandless and his wife moved to Long Beach, where he attended California State College (now California State University, Long Beach), earning a master's degree in 1953. They eventually moved back to Annapolis.
McCandless died on January 24, 1968 from complications related to his illness. The 56-year-old was buried in the cemetery of his beloved alma mater, the Naval Academy.
The McCandless name lived on. Commissioned in 1972 and serving in the Gulf War, the USS McCandless was named after him by both Bruce McCandless and his father. A community center for veterans in Florence, Colorado, is named after the young McCandless.
And if you google Bruce McCandless, you'll find a lot of information about the Medal of Honor recipient, but you might find more about his son, Bruce McCandless II. Young Bruce also attended the Naval Academy and had a storied career at NASA as an astronaut. He was the first human to walk unrestrained through space.

###

Travel Problem Solver

Edward Marks purchases a "cancel for any reason" protection plan for his cruise. But if he has to cancel, he thinks it's worthless. What went wrong?

Q: I had to cancel my American Cruise Lines cruise from Memphis to New Orleans for medical reasons.
I called American Cruise Lines and asked to rebook a cruise this fall using cancellation credits. I had paid $570 for a "cancel for any reason" protection plan.
A representative told me that I only had $350 in credit instead of 80 percent of the original rate of $5,745. When I asked for an explanation, referring to the "cancellation for any reason" protection plan, he said that he had canceled less than nine days before my cruise. This is not true. I canceled one day before the deadline.
He hoped that upon investigation, American Cruise Lines would find out they were wrong and decide to take a more responsible stance. But that's not true. Can you help? --Edward Marks, Washington, D.C.
A: Your "cancellation for any reason" travel insurance should have covered your cancellation. However, the American Cruise Line protection plan has some important limitations. First of all, it is not an insurance but a "protection". You pay $570 for a more lenient cancellation policy. And these terms state that you must cancel nine days or more before your cruise package begins to receive 80% of the cruise credit. A typical cancel for any reason policy allows you to cancel with less notice, typically 48 hours before your trip, and get a 50 to 75 percent refund.
Travel insurance is worth considering for any cruise. Cruises can be expensive and a lot can go wrong. (Trust me, I know.) But you have to buy carefully. Never take the first travel insurance or "protection" policy someone offers you. Talk to your travel advisor or spend some time online. Based on the reviews I've seen, the protection you got was a bit pricey and had some major limitations. You may have found better elsewhere.
You canceled your cruise on the 9th day before departure, so the cruise line should have accepted your claim. Instead, he apparently considers the ninth day past his deadline. Technically, it would take you nine calendar days to check into your Memphis hotel, the start of your trip.
You can call a cruise line executive. I list the names, numbers, and email addresses of American Cruise Lines executives on my consumer advocacy website, Elliott.org. I also post some helpful tips on how to negotiate your refund.
I thought American Cruise Lines should take another look at your case. Losing $4,596 in a few hours and it seems technically wrong.
I contacted American Cruise Lines on your behalf. He accepted. A representative contacted you and told you that the cruise line has reimbursed you the 80% that you should receive under your protection plan.

###

social security problems
From National Social Security Counselor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: How can I avoid cheating and get maximum social security?

Dear Rusty, I turned 70 in June of this year and want to start receiving benefits. I currently also work full time. I want to set things up and start in the most profitable way so that my profit is maximized even after I stop working. What are your recommendations to start the process smart and avoid cheating? Signed: ready to claim

Dear, Ready to Claim: Since you're over 70, you've already maxed out your Social Security benefits based on your current lifetime earnings history, which happened when you turned 70 in June. However, since you are still working, Social Security will review your earnings each year (after receiving last year's earnings from the IRS) to see if your most recent earnings justify an additional increase in your monthly benefit. The fact that you're still working shouldn't stop you from claiming your Social Security benefits now, and you should ask to get your benefit back until June, when the current maximum benefit is reached. This way, you start your benefit at the maximum amount you are now entitled to and know for sure that SS will increase your benefit each year if your current income requires it.

After your benefits take effect, the key to whether or not your benefits will increase depends on how your most recent earnings compare to the earnings originally used to calculate your benefits when you filed a claim. Your benefit is based on the highest 35 years of earnings in your life, and to trigger an increase, your current income must be greater than one of those 35 years you originally used. Keep in mind, however, that your earnings in prior years are adjusted for inflation to calculate your benefit, so your current earnings will need to be higher than your inflation-adjusted past earnings to generate an increase in benefits. For example, the inflated value of $50,000 you earned in 1990 is approximately $105,000 in today's dollars and is the adjusted amount that must be exceeded for the benefit to increase. If your current income exceeds the adjusted amount in any of the 35 years for which your benefit was calculated when you applied, your benefit will still be increased accordingly.

So how do you start the process and avoid pitfalls? You must apply for your benefit now and claim your benefit through the month in which you reach age 70. Social Security pays up to six months of benefits retroactively, so the problem is that waiting more than six months after age 70 will result in a loss of money. If you want, you'll now be reimbursed for six months, but if that's before the month you turned 70, that would result in getting paid less than you turned 70. To maximize, ask for June 2022 as the start month of your benefits, not before.

You can claim your benefits by calling Social Security (1.800.772.1213) and making an appointment, or you can claim your benefits online at www.ssa.gov/retire. Applying online is by far the most efficient method, but you must first create your personal "My Social Security" online account, easily done at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

_________________________________

###

How can you help make a big change happen? grow from scratch

We live in a time when many people around the world want to see positive changes in various aspects of society. But making these changes from the ground up can be difficult, especially when the people trying to move forward don't have a strategic roadmap or the right tools to overcome obstacles.
With a strong organization and an effective process, grassroots advocacy—driving change from the bottom up—can work, despite the common perception that only people in positions of power can make a difference, says Dr. Tarek Kteleh, author of The Six Pillars of Advocacy: Embrace Your Purpose and Change Lives. Dr. Kteleh has led numerous successful advocacy efforts, saving lives, punishing war criminals, and defending healthcare workers and patients.
"You've heard these phrases before: 'You are powerless to change the status quo,'" he says. Or, "You don't fit in with the special interests embedded in the US government." Or, "You lost the battle before it even started." But I'm here to tell you that none of that is true.
“I know this because my community and I have been able to work on multiple levels of the US political system and take on everyone from war criminals to for-profit corporations and move on. If you are passionate about helping a community or cause and are willing to selflessly give your time and energy to serve others, you have a solid foundation to make a difference. You just need to know the tools you need to fight for those who desperately need change or are unable to fend for themselves.”
Dr. Kteleh offers the following keys to successful grassroots advocacy:
A noble goal. "Allocate your limited time, energy, and financial resources to a campaign that benefits the many, not the few," says Dr. Kteleh. "Find and fight for a cause that uplifts entire communities and inspires commitment from those around you."
networks. Once you've committed to a worthy cause, find a community of kindred spirits who share your goals, says Dr. Kteleh. "The difficulty is getting in touch with them," he says. "Start with your neighbors, colleagues, and professional associations." Online search engines and social networking sites can also be valuable tools for finding like-minded organizations.
Education. Dr. Kteleh says the challenge here is twofold: "To inform his followers of his cause and undo a lifelong indoctrination that tells us that the powerful hold all the cards."
fundraiser Even with a worthy cause, asking family, friends and supporters for financial help can be daunting. But dr. Kteleh says that if he has built a vibrant network and developed strong educational messages, he has already done the hard work. "Tell his followers the results he hopes to achieve, and especially how he can achieve them," he says. "Potential donors will then understand why fund their hard-earned money and justify their donation."
Organization. With the help of an accountant or lawyer, Dr. Kteleh says, define the mission of his group and legally register an entity in his state. There are three main classifications for interest groups. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with charitable and educational purposes. Donor contributions are tax deductible. A 501(c)(4) is not tax deductible, but it has more flexibility in its operation than a 501(c)(3) and can exert unlimited pressure on decision makers. A Political Action Committee (PAC) is a vehicle for advocating for policies that can further your legislative priorities.
Promotion tools. Dr. Kteleh says there are many resources to advance his cause through legislators and the public: a professional staff, ideally with lobbying experience; the media, including articles about your topic, news coverage about the topic, and advertisements; social networks, in particular through targeted ads from Facebook and Google; and face-to-face meetings with policy makers.
"Human beings are made to bring positive change to the world," says Dr. Kteleh. "No matter what cause you work for, the people whose lives you are trying to change need and deserve your full commitment."

###

###

Medal: Light PFC. Joe Nishimoto
Poke KATIE LANGE
army soldier. Joe Nishimoto faced discrimination during World War II because of his Japanese ancestry, but that didn't stop him from joining the military when he had the chance to prove his loyalty to the US. He never returned from battle, but his efforts were unsuccessful. forgotten. Many years after making the ultimate sacrifice, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Nishimoto was born on February 21, 1919 in the Fresno area of ​​California to Japanese immigrants Giichi and Kiyo Nishimoto. He had an older brother, Frank, and two sisters, Aki and Marie. Not much is known about his childhood, but Nishimoto was working on a farm he owned in Fresno when World War II began.
The Pearl Harbor bombing created rampant fear in the United States for anyone of Japanese descent, leading to an executive order forcing the internment of approximately 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans in internment camps across the country. Nishimoto was taken from his home and placed in the Jerome concentration camp in southeast Arkansas, which housed about 8,500 people during the war. Nishimoto's parents were taken to the nearby Rohwer concentration camp.
The Marion, Ohio, newspaper the Marion Star reported that the FBI eventually allowed Nishimoto to settle somewhere to the east, so he moved to Marion, near where his sisters and their husbands had settled before the war.
Nishimoto volunteered for the army almost immediately after arriving there, but it took him around seven months to complete his national service. Marion Star said that he worked at Olds Poultry Farm and Hatchery during this time, from January to July 1943.
Nishimoto was finally commissioned on October 4, 1943, and sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi to train with the regiment's 442nd Fighter Group. Activated in February 1943, the 442nd was a separate unit made up entirely of Japanese Americans initially banned from military service after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Nishimoto's brother, Frank, was also part of the 442.
After training, Nishimoto and the 442nd deployed to Italy in June 1944, where they saw combat with the 100th Infantry Battalion, the first all-Japanese American unit to be activated during the war. Within two months, Nishimoto earned a Silver Star for leading a daring river crossing in daylight where he provided cover for other soldiers, then destroyed a machine gun emplacement and stole enemy equipment.
The 442nd did such a great job in combat during its first few months abroad that it was redeployed to the south of France where its soldiers saw heavy fighting in the Vosges mountains. For a month that fall, the unit freed Bruyeres and Biffontaine and helped rescue the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry, now known as the Lost Battalion, which had been surrounded by Germans.
By November the 442nd was near La Houssiere, France, under pressure from enemy fire and hidden mines. On November 7, after his company had spent three days unsuccessfully trying to drive the enemy off the ridge he was defending, Nishimoto decided to intensify the fighting.
Not caring about his own safety, he crept forward through an area littered with mines and other traps. Upon encountering an enemy machine gun nest, he destroyed it with a grenade. He then went to the rear of another machine gun nest and fired his submachine gun from a distance, killing one gunner and wounding another. Nishimoto then pursued two more enemy soldiers and killed one of them before driving another machine gun squad from his position.
After losing these three strongholds, the enemy decided they had no choice but to flee, all thanks to Nishimoto's extraordinary bravery.
Unfortunately, Nishimoto did not live long enough to receive credit for his actions. The 25-year-old died a week later. His parents were notified while they were still in the internment camp they had been sent to at the start of the war. When Nishimoto's body returned home, he was buried in the Washington Colonial Cemetery in Fresno.
The young soldier was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery on November 7. But for years, those who knew him believed he deserved more.
In the 1990s, decades after Nishimoto's actions, lawmakers called for a review of his and other Asian American military service records since World War II. They wanted to determine if any of these men had surrendered for the Medal of Honor for the honor of the time.
Considering that the 442nd RCT remains one of the most highly decorated units in American history, reviews considered the distinction to be a factor.
On June 21, 2000, this error was finally corrected for 22 men who served in segregated Asian American units during World War II. In a White House ceremony, President Bill Clinton presented Nishimoto's older sister, Aki, with her brother's long-awaited Medal of Honor.
In 2014, the medal was donated by his family to the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, to become part of the Smithsonian's permanent collection.

###

social security problems
From National Social Security Counselor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: When will my spouse be eligible for full survivor benefits?

Dear Rusty, I heard that my wife will receive 100% of my Social Security if I pass when she reaches her Full Retirement Age (FRA), which is 66 years and 8 months. But I've also heard that full widow's benefits for those born in 1958 are available at age 66 and 4 months. Which one is correct?
Then I learned that taking 100% of my Social Security is NOT valid because I started Social Security at age 70. I hear this is because widow's benefits are based on my benefits at full retirement age. So will my wife get 100% of my Social Security if she starts it in her FRA or will she get my lower FRA amount?
My wife now gets spousal benefits and I've also heard that for those who get spousal benefits, Social Security automatically changes them to widow's benefits when the other spouse dies. If I die before my wife reaches her FRA, can she tell Social Security not to pay her widow's benefit at that time? Can she wait until she gets to her FRA and then she starts widow's benefits to get 100% of mine? Signature: Worried Husband
Dear interested parties: I would like to clarify this for you. There are two "full retirement age" numbers that apply to your spouse if you transition first: 1) "ordinary" (FRA) "full retirement age" and 2) "widower's full retirement age."
Your wife's “normal FRA” is 66 years and 8 months, at which time her personal SS pension can be claimed without discount and when she will no longer be subject to the Social Security earnings test if she is still working. Your spouse's "Widow's FRA" is determined by subtracting two years from your birth year, and the FRA number for that year becomes your "Widow's FRA," which is the age at which you are eligible for unreduced survivor. In the case of his wife, his "widow's ARF" is 4 months earlier than her normal ARA, or 66 years and 4 months.
Confusion about whether your spouse's survivor benefit will be based on your FRA entitlement or your age of 70 generally stems from the fact that a spouse's benefit while both spouses are alive is based on FRA amounts, while that your wife's as a surviving spouse is based on the full amount you received when you died. Therefore, her wife's current benefit as her husband will be based on age 66, but her widow's benefit will be based on her age 70. If you were older than her, your wife's survivor benefit (if she reached the 'Widow's FRA' of 66 plus 4 months) will be 100% of her age at 70 (including any cost-of-living adjustments granted for continue) and this replaces the smaller allowance you now receive as your spouse.
Whether your spouse's survivor benefit is awarded automatically depends on whether your current benefit consists of your own Social Security benefit from your own lifetime employment history plus a spousal benefit from your past. If this is the case, her survivor benefit will only be paid if she requests it. However, if your current spousal benefit is based solely on her history, when Social Security receives your death, Social Security will automatically award your spousal benefit as your surviving widow(er). If she already reached "Widow FRA" from her when this happens, her new buff will be the same as what she received from her when she died. But if her wife has not yet reached her widow's FRA, the survivor's benefit will be awarded at that time, but will be reduced by 0.396% for each month prior to her FRA. So, if her current benefit is based solely on her Social Security earnings history, her wife will not have the option to defer her survivor benefit until her widow's FRA.

###

Travel Problem Solver

Christopher Elliott's latest book is "How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler" (National Geographic). Get help by contacting him at http://www.elliott.org/help

###

history is important
A feature courtesy of
De Grateful American Book Award

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidency began on November 8, 1932. He was subsequently reelected in 1936, 1940, and 1944. During his administrations, he led the country through the Great Depression and World War II, but died on April 12, 1945. —three and a half weeks before the end of the battle.
In a tribute written for the University of Virginia Miller Center, historian William E. Leuchtenburg wrote:
“Under Roosevelt's leadership, the United States emerged from World War II as the world's foremost economic, political, and military power. FDR's contributions to domestic life during his presidency were equally important. While his New Deal did not end the Great Depression, Roosevelt's leadership gave Americans hope and confidence in their darkest hours and fundamentally changed the relationship between the federal government and the American people. FDR so dominated American politics that he almost single-handedly catapulted the Democratic Party into a position of lasting political dominance. During his tenure, FDR also raised the prestige and power of the United States presidency to unprecedented heights."
For more information, the Grateful American Book Prize recommends Young Mr. Roosevelt: FDR's Introduction to War, Politics, and Life by Stanley Weintraub.

There are about 400,000 veterans at Arlington National Cemetery with recorded ranks, branches of service. dates of birth and death; on their tombstones. Except one:
History.com reports that “Exactly three years after the end of World War I [on November 11, 1921], the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier [was] dedicated in Arlington Cemetery in Virginia in an Armistice Day ceremony presided over by by President Warren G. .
According to Arlington National Cemetery, from May 25 to May 28, 1984, an "unknown veteran of the Vietnam War lay in the rotunda of the US Capitol. On Memorial Day, May 28, a military procession He took the casket to Arlington National Cemetery for burial." President Ronald Reagan presided over the funeral ceremony." When the DNA became available in 1998, it was used to identify the Unknown Soldier, who was later reburied in accordance with his family's wishes.
"On September 17, 1999, National POW/MIA Day, [his grave] was rededicated in honor of all missing members of the United States Army in the Vietnam War."
The Grateful American Book Prize is nominating Twenty One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, written by Jeff Gottesfeld and illustrated by Matt Tavares.

In 1892, Annie Moore, a 15-year-old Irish immigrant, was the first of 12 million welcomed to Ellis Island, until she was decommissioned in November 1954. And genealogy enthusiasts continue to spend every year.
“Not all immigrants who sailed to New York had to go through Ellis Island. First and second class passengers were briefly inspected on board and then disembarked at the New York or New Jersey docks, where they cleared customs. However, the third class was taken to Ellis Island, where they underwent legal and medical inspections to ensure they did not have any contagious diseases or conditions that would make them a liability to the government. Only two percent of all immigrants were denied entry into the United States," according to History.com.
The Grateful American Book Prize recommends books like American Passage: The History of Ellis Island by Vincent J. Cannato for more information.

###

Medal of Honor: Marine Corps Major. George O'Brien Jr.

By KATIE LANGE, DOD News
Marine Corps Commander George Herman O'Brien Jr. led many, as he described them, "children" in a one-sided fight to hold the main line of resistance in Korea. His bold and dynamic leadership inspired the men around him, helping them fend off the enemy. O'Brien received the Medal of Honor for his bravery.
O'Brien was born on September 10, 1926 in Fort Worth, Texas. His father, George, was a traveling salesman and his mother, Della, was a pastor, according to the Texas State Historical Association.
O'Brien's parents eventually moved him and his younger brother, Larry, to Big Spring, Texas, where they grew up. O'Brien, a self-described troubled child, said he went to a few different schools because he would disrupt class. He said that he finally earned a war diploma from Big Spring High School in 1944.
O'Brien then spent about a year and a half as a merchant seaman on a gas tanker, including a stint in the Pacific at the end of World War II. He eventually traded it for college, attended Texas Tech University, graduating in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in geology. During his college years, he also joined the Marine Corps.
In November 1951, O'Brien was called up for active duty. He was an officer at Quantico Marine Corps Base, Virginia, then trained at Camp Pendleton, California before being sent to fight in the Korean War in September 1952 with the 7th Marines, 1st Division. of the Marine Infantry. There he became the commander of H Company, 1st Platoon, 3rd Battalion.
Less than two months later, then-2nd Lt. take part in the fight of his life.
On October 27, 1952, O'Brien's unit was one of many defending the 38th Parallel, the main line of resistance, when they learned that another company occupying a vital hill in an area known as The Hook had been overwhelmed by a huge Chinese power. . . O'Brien's company waited in reserve for hours, but were soon told to recapture the hill.
“They took us as far as they could in the trucks. We walked the rest of the way," O'Brien said, referring to the area where the other Marines had been shot. "There was no trench line there. It was completely destroyed by bombs, mortars and artillery, and there were a lot of troops there."
As his platoon prepared to launch its attack, the enemy shelled them with mortars and artillery. However, that didn't stop O'Brien. When he received the signal, he jumped out of his trench and called his men to follow him, then ran to an exposed area and scaled the enemy-fortified hill through a hail of gunfire.
When he came within range of the Chinese soldiers, he was shot in the arm and thrown to the ground. He but he rose and saluted his men as he continued to lead the charge, even as he stopped to help a wounded Marine.
O'Brien threw grenades into enemy bunkers, killing at least three enemy soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. He was knocked down three times by concussion grenades, but each time got up and refused medical treatment. For four hours, O'Brien kept pushing forward, encouraging his teammates to push forward as well.
When a lull in the attack came, O'Brien organized his remaining men into a defensive position in case the enemy returned. He personally checked each point and then helped the injured while speeding up their evacuation. When another unit finally came to his aid, O'Brien stayed behind to cover his platoon's retreat and make sure no one was left behind.
Thanks to his efforts, the American troops recaptured the hill. However, it came at a price that he would never forget.
"We went to our goal and we did it. [But] we left a lot of good ones [behind]," he said through tears during an interview with the Veterans History Project decades later.
O'Brien earned a Purple Heart for his actions. He was treated for his injuries on a hospital ship, but returned to combat a few weeks later. He earned a second Purple Heart for more injuries sustained later in his deployment.
The young second lieutenant returned to the United States on a transport ship in the summer of 1953 with other troops. On the way, he heard great news.
"When we arrived at the port of San Francisco, one of my friends spoke on the radio from San Francisco and said: 'George, I just heard on the radio that you are going to receive the Medal of Honor,'" O. Brien himself recalled.
One year after his performance in Korea, President Dwight D. Eisenhower awarded O'Brien the nation's highest Medal of Valor at a White House ceremony.
Seven other servicemen also received the honor that day. O'Brien said he and three of the other recipients, Marine Corps Capt. Ray Murphy, Army Private. Hiroshi Miyamura and Marine Corps Pfc. Bob Simanek – They became close afterward and met every year for many years after that.
O'Brien said the Medal of Honor represents the tremendous sacrifices made by the Marines he led in the war -- those who came home and those who didn't.
“This medal is not mine. He is one of those children who were never grandparents, ”she said with tears in her eyes. "It is in confidence and I hope to take it well."
After the war, O'Brien returned to West Texas to work as a petroleum geologist in the oil and gas industry. The state history society said he also operated wells in southeastern New Mexico.
O'Brien remained in the Marine Corps Reserve and retired as a major in 1963. He was married twice and had two sons and a daughter. One son, Mike O'Brien, said his father rarely talked about his war days or the awards he received. Those who knew him said that he was humble and kind.
O'Brien died on March 11, 2005 in Midland, Texas. He was buried in the Texas Cemetery in Austin.
His name lives on in the places he called home. The veterans medical center in Big Spring has been renamed the George H. O'Brien Jr. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in January 2012. In March 2020, O'Brien's medal was loaned to Texas Tech for your display. His son, Mike, said he thought it was time to share it with the college that loved his father.

###

Give the gift of preserving the garden harvest.
MELINDA MYERS Door

Give a gift that will allow your favorite gardeners to enjoy the flavors of your garden long after the growing season is over. Both new and experienced gardeners often waste their gardening budget on plants and seeds, leaving little to nothing to invest in food storage equipment and supplies. Prepare your favorite gardener for the upcoming harvest season with some food preservation supplies and equipment.
Mason jars, freezer containers, spice cubes, and airtight bottles for canning, freezing, and storing dried herbs and vegetables are always welcome gifts. These supplies come in handy during harvest season and are often in short supply when food preservation is at its peak.
Most gardeners grow their own herbs fresh, and drying is the easiest way to preserve the crop. Just collect the stems, secure with a rubber band, and leave them in a warm, dry place. As the stems dry out and shrink, so does the gum, keeping the stems secure. Use a spring loaded pin to secure the herb bundles to cables or other support. Build your own drying setup or invest in one of the commercial herb drying racks.
If space is limited, your gift recipient will appreciate a system like the Stack-it Herb Drying Rack (gardeners.com) that allows them to dry lots of herbs in a very small space. The drying system you purchase or build should provide the space needed for harvesting and allow adequate air circulation for rapid drying.
Herbs with a high moisture content such as basil, oregano, lemon balm, and mint will mold if they are not dried quickly. If this has been a problem in the past, try putting a small bunch in a paper bag with holes in the sides and stems outside the bag. Hang them on a drying rack or speed up the process by using a microwave or dehydrator.
Many gardeners grow onions, garlic, and potatoes for long-term storage. All three of these vegetables prefer cool, dark storage areas with good air circulation. Separate the potatoes from the onions which give off pungent gases that can spoil the flavor of the potato.
Avoid plastic bags that trap moisture and can shorten the life of these vegetables. Gardeners have used breathable storage baskets for potatoes and onions for centuries. Amp up the style and save space with the Stackable Bamboo Harvest Storage Basket with Lid. Simply stack them as needed and place them on the rolling base for easy storage and accessibility.
Help your gift recipient turn their harvest into something delicious. Fermentation is a relatively easy preservation technique that has been used for thousands of years. Save some of your cucumbers as pickles, cabbage as sauerkraut, and berries as fermented preserves.
For most projects, all you need is a fruit or vegetable, water, salt, and spices. The desired ingredients are placed in a covered container, such as a stone stripper. Weights are used to keep fruits and vegetables submerged during the fermentation process.
Consider smaller fermentation kits for those with limited space. A three-quart glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and ceramic weights allows you to ferment small batches of vegetables.
Reduce the workload and increase the fun for those who prepare tomato juice, sauces and soups. Manual and electric tomato press, strainers and sauce makers allow gardeners to separate the skin and seeds from the tomato pulp for faster and easier processing.
Giving a gift that helps preserve the flavors of the recipient's garden will be beneficial and remembered for seasons to come.

###

social security problems
From National Social Security Counselor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: How do I get my Social Security ASAP?

Dear Rusty, I am a few weeks away from my 61st birthday in November 2022. I was wondering how long before I turn 62 next year I should apply for Social Security benefits in order to receive my first check the same month I turn 62. So I usually work part-time during the winter months, but that job ended in the fall of 2022. So I don't want to waste time getting the first check by when I turn 62 in November 2023. I don't want to experience delays in applying for social security retirement benefits since I am not currently working. Signature: Ready to retire soon
Dear Retirees: If you were not born on November 1 or 2, you will first qualify for Social Security in December 2023. That's because you must be 62 for the entire month before you can receive Social Security for the month. If you were born on November 1 or 2, November 2023 is your first eligible month and you will receive your first payment in December. However, if you turn 62 after November 2, your first month of eligibility will be December 2023 and your first payment will be received in January 2024 (Social Security pays benefits the month after the month they are earned).
Social Security recommends applying for your retirement benefits about 3 months before you want your payments to start, but you can apply up to four months in advance. When you complete the application, you will be asked when you want your benefits to start and you will need to select the one that says, "I want benefits to start as soon as possible and I accept an age-related reduction." ." Please note that the benefit amount at age 62 will be permanently reduced (the benefit at age 62 will be 70% of the amount you would have received at your FRA of 67).
By applying as suggested above, you will receive your first Social Security payment as soon as possible, but you should also keep in mind that the exact date of your payment will depend on the day of the month you were born. If you were born between the 1st and 10th of the month, you will receive your payment in your bank account every 2nd Wednesday of the month. If you were born between the 11th and 20th of the month, your payment will be received every 3rd Wednesday of the month. and if your birthday is after the 20th of the month, the payment will be deposited into your account on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
You can apply for benefits by making an appointment at 1.800.772.1213 or by calling your local SS office, but the most efficient way to apply is online at www.ssa.gov/retire. To apply online, you must first create your personal "my social security" online account, which is easy to do at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

____________________________________

Medal: Marine Captain David McCampbell
Poke KATIE LANGE
Navy Captain David McCampbell was not only the top naval ace of World War II, but is also considered the service's all-time leader in air combat. It is his spirit and leadership that made his air group one of the most honored of the war and earned him the Medal of Honor.
McCampbell was born on January 16, 1910, in Bessemer, Alabama, to parents Andrew and Elizabeth McCampbell. When he was around 12 years old, the family moved him and his older sister, Frances, to West Palm Beach, Florida.
As a teenager, McCampbell moved north to attend Staunton Military Academy in Virginia. His 1928 graduation earned him a commission from the Army, according to Army University Press. Instead, he chose to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he played soccer and made the swim team. He also joined Navy ROTC, which led to his appointment to the Naval Academy. While at Annapolis, McCampbell became an accomplished swimmer and diver, competing in and winning several NCAA regional championships.
McCampbell graduated in June 1933, but because economic problems associated with the Great Depression had affected the amount of supplies available, he immediately entered the Naval Reserve. He returned to Alabama to work in construction and in an aircraft assembly plant for a year before finally being ordered to report for active duty in June 1934.
The young ensign's first duty station was on the USS Portland. By May 1937 he had risen through the ranks and began flight school in Pensacola, Florida, earning his wings in April 1938. His early years as an aviator were spent on the USS Ranger and the USS Wasp.
World War II began while McCampbell was on the Wasp. The carrier spent the first half of 1942 in the European theater before moving to the Pacific. On September 15, 1942, the ship was sunk during the Guadalcanal Campaign. McCampbell, who survived his death, was promoted to lieutenant and returned to the United States.
In late 1943, McCampbell commanded a fighter squadron attached to the USS Essex. He was promoted to captain in January 1944 and given command of the ship's Air Group 15, one of the most decorated air groups of the war. It was in this position that McCampbell became one of the great aces of World War II.
McCampbell shot down his first Japanese aircraft on June 11, 1944. About a week later, during the First Battle of the Philippine Sea, he led several F6F Hellcat fighters against 80 Japanese aircraft bound for the US fleet. McCampbell personally destroyed seven of these enemy aircraft, five bombers and two fighters, helping his outnumbered men to effectively annihilate the enemy. According to the Alabama Encyclopedia, McCampbell's group accounted for about 68 of the 600 downed Japanese planes.
On October 24, 1944, during the infamous Battle of Leyte Gulf, McCampbell and another pilot, Ensign Roy Rushing, intercepted 60 enemy Japanese aircraft approaching American shipping. Despite overwhelming air power against them, McCampbell shot down nine Japanese aircraft, setting an air combat record for a single American mission. He rushed in and knocked out six more enemy combatants. His successes took the Japanese Air Force completely by surprise. the remaining aircraft abandoned their mission before any of them reached the US fleet.
In a 1987 interview with the US Naval Institute, McCampbell explained that he almost never returned to his ship after that engagement.
“When I fell overboard, I found out they had a cabin full of planes and I knew it would take 20 minutes to launch all those planes and I didn't have that much gas left,” he said.
As the ship made room to land, he said, "I ran out of fuel on the deck. I had to be pushed off the landing area. I heard from the engineer reloading the guns that there were exactly six rounds left on the starboard side." ., and everything was blocked."
"But it worked fine," he added nonchalantly.
McCampbell returned to the United States in December 1944. By then, he had become the Navy's all-time greatest ace and F6F Hellcat ace, having shot down 34 Japanese aircraft during their months-long dogfights. His impressive numbers made him the third leading American scorer of World War II, trailing only Army Major Richard Bong and General Thomas B. McGuire, neither of whom survived the war.
For his valor in the air, McCampbell received the Medal of Honor from President Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 10, 1945, in a White House ceremony.
After the war, McCampbell served in various positions, including as a senior naval aviation consultant in the Argentine Navy. After becoming a captain in July 1952, he also served as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Bonhomme Richard and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C. In the latter role, McCampbell helped prepare emergency invasion plans during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, according to a 1996 article in the Palm Beach Post.
McCampbell was married several times and had three children, Frances, David, and John. He finally retired from the Navy in 1964 after 31 years of service.
According to the Palm Beach Post, McCampbell dabbled in real estate in the Bahamas before moving to West Palm Beach, where he lived for the rest of his life.
McCampbell died on June 30, 1996 at a veteran's home where he remained for approximately a year. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
His legendary exploits have not been forgotten. The destroyer USS McCampbell was named in his honor. There's also the David McCampbell Terminal at Palm Beach International Airport, named after him when the airport opened in 1988.
McCampbell's medal is on display at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

###

###

Travel Problem Solver

Almost a year after another driver canceled his rental with Hertz, Michael Edgar receives a claim for another $658. How can I get the company to revoke the account?

Q: I rented a car from Hertz over a year ago. Another driver canceled my rental. I was slightly injured and the rental car had minor damage to the bumper.
I followed all the rules during the claim process. The other driver's insurance paid a $2,000 claim to Hertz. A Hertz representative told me the claim was closed.
I got a call from Hertz almost 10 months after the accident and they said I still owe them $658 for loss of use, a late payment on the other driver's insurance, and driving fees. Hertz claims that he called me "several times." But it was the first time I heard of the company.
I am unable to make a new claim with my insurance because I have exceeded the 60 day limit. I thought it was a scam because it was a long time after the accident, it just didn't seem realistic. Hertz has now sent my case to collections.
What I can do? I emailed customer relations and used their reference guide to email Hertz corporate members. But I keep getting it. Hertz now refuses to talk to me and only refers me to the third party collection agency. I would appreciate any help on this matter. --Michael Edgar, Vancouver, Wash.
A: Hertz should have closed their claim when they said that. The fees it charges for loss of use and processing are controversial. Some also call them residue levies. Loss of use covers the hypothetical revenue the car rental company would have received had the vehicle not been in the repair shop. Many insurance adjusters do not cover this fee. Chances are the other driver's insurance won't cover it, leaving you with the bill.
The administrative end is also problematic. Essentially, it asks you for other costs from the car rental company associated with repairing the vehicle, such as employee wages and other overhead. Again, I bet your insurance refused to pay that crap fee.
If an employee tells you it's ready, you should be ready to go. But it is better to make this decision in writing. This is especially the case when it comes to a car rental claim.
I see you tried to use the <a href="https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/hertz/">Hertz executive contacts</a> on my consumer support website, Elliott.org. Someone should have responded quickly and fixed this for you.
I have contacted Hertz on your behalf. Deny the claim against you.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,

Ask Rusty: How do I handle a Social Security overpayment notice?

Dear Rusty, So far I'm doing well. I found a job and enjoyed going back to work after retirement. But I just got some bad news: a letter from Social Security saying I owe them $17,000 because when I went back to work I was making more than they would allow me in 2021. Now they say they can't pay me benefits in 2022 because I work. Well done SSA as I told them when I got back to work! Anyway, I can't afford it all at once, I'm lucky enough to buy gasoline to go shopping. They mention exemptions, but I'm not sure what's best for me. I was planning to move for health reasons, but if I pay all at once, I won't have anything left for the move. I've just started my research on how to do this, but was hoping you might have some insight. Signature: non-retired employee
Dear Non-Retired Employee: We're sorry about the overpayment notice you received from Social Security. These are my thoughts: the reimbursement options you have been offered are probably a) withholding the full amount, or b) withholding SS benefits until they recover what you owe, or c) requesting special payment terms for doing either above is a difficulty
At this time, you can request forgiveness of the overpayment in two ways:

Fill out Form SSA-632, which states that you agree you overpaid, but don't think you should be asked to pay it back because it wasn't your fault (it was Social Security's fault because you told them when you went back to work).

Fill out Form SSA-634, which states that you agree you overpaid and want to pay it back, but you can't pay it the way they offered.
I suggest you start filing the SSA-632 mainly because you informed them in August 2021 that you returned to work and yet they continued to pay you, overpaying themselves (see section 3, question 12 of the SSA-632). . While I can't predict the likelihood that you'll get a full exemption, I think there's a good chance that you'll be offered a special accommodation, since the overpayment was the result of your own negligence after letting them know you're back at work.
I suspect what happened is that they simply didn't act after you notified them, and when they received your 2021 income data from the IRS, they found that you had earned more than the 2021 limit, so they issued the overpayment notice. But your inaction shouldn't put you in financial trouble, so I suggest you apply for a waiver. Please also note that if your application for a waiver is denied, you have the right to appeal that denial, including requesting a hearing before an independent administrative judge or the SS Appeals Committee, or even in federal court if you wish. .
In any case, while your case is pending, they should not ask you to pay them back; they should temporarily suspend your request for a refund until your case is resolved.
Assuming you're still working full time, there's a good chance your benefits will now be suspended because your earnings are too high. For your information, you will later receive credit for all months your benefits are suspended, which will result in an increase in your benefit amount after you reach your full retirement age (FRA). Therefore, over time, you may be able to recover some of the SS benefits you lost because of your earnings before you reached full retirement age.

Ask Rusty: Why am I not getting COLA?

Dear Rusty, I get net $210 from Social Security plus a $1,400 alimony check. Do other people I know get a COLA increase every year but have been told I'm not eligible? But no reason was given. Why am I not eligible? Signed: Fighting Senior
Dear Disabled Senior: Everyone who collects Social Security receives the Annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), so whoever told you you don't qualify for a COLA increase was wrong. Keep in mind, however, that the COLA applies to your gross Social Security pay, not your net pay. One thing that can happen, especially for those whose Social Security payments are small, is that an increase in your Medicare Part B premium could affect your COLA increase. Here is an example of how this can happen:
You say your net Social Security amount is $210. Assuming you are enrolled in Medicare, your gross Social Security benefit (before the Medicare Part B premium is deducted) is likely to be approximately $380. The COLA increase for 2022 was 5.9%, which would increase your gross Social Security benefit from about $380 to about $402, an increase of about $22. However, the 2022 Medicare Part B premium also increased by almost $22, and since the premium for Medicare is deducted from your Social Security payment, your NET Social Security payment would not change. I suspect that's why you didn't see the cost-of-living adjustment to your Social Security benefit: An increase in your Medicare Part B premium likely offset any COLA increases.
I know (and agree) that this seems unfair, but inflation has also had an impact on healthcare costs in general and Medicare premiums in particular, and an increase in Medicare premiums unfortunately offsets by you grow at least a part, and sometimes all, of the annual COLA received by all Social Security beneficiaries. I'm assuming the above, or some variation of this, is why you don't see a COLA increase on your net Social Security benefit. However, be sure to get an annual COLA increase on your gross Social Security amount: each Social Security beneficiary receives each COLA increase that is awarded.

###

###

Ear Medal: Lt. Second Lt. Harold Durham Jr.;
Poke KATIE LANGE
When his unit in Vietnam was overrun, Army 2nd Lt. Harold Bascom Durham Jr. didn't hesitate to unleash an artillery barrage on the enemy to save the lives of his fellow soldiers. Durham did not survive to tell the tale, but the men with him told others of his bravery. He earned the Medal of Honor for his action.
Durham was born on October 12, 1942 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. That day she received the nickname that she would carry for the rest of her life: Pinky, supposedly because the hospital where she was born ran out of blue blankets, so she received a pink blanket.
Within months of his birth, Durham's father, a World War II Marine, and his mother, Grace, moved the family to Tifton, Georgia, where they raised Durham and his two siblings, the older brother John and the younger sister Eugenia.
Known for being charming, likeable and kind, Durham graduated from high school in May 1960. According to military records, he moved to Durango, Colorado, in December of that year. While living in the United States, he attended Fort Lewis A & M College (now Fort Lewis College) and worked in the hotel industry before returning to Georgia in September 1963.
When Durham's brother joined the Army, he decided to do the same and enlisted in February 1964. While traveling in Vietnam as a helicopter and aircraft mechanic, he accepted an offer to attend Field Artillery Officer Candidate School, according to a 1999 article on Rocky Mount. Telegram. After receiving the commission from him in December 1966, Durham volunteered to return to Vietnam. The army agreed and returned to the war-torn country in September 1967, Telegram reported.
Durham was a member of the 15th Infantry Artillery Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division, but on October 17, 1967, he was serving as a forward observer with Company D of the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Division, about 56 miles northwest of Saigon. His purpose was to reconnoitre the area, and Durham's job was to plan and radio for artillery fire to support the infantrymen.
What they didn't know was that they were entering a Viet Cong stronghold.
At around 10:15, Durham's battalion was ambushed by a well-camouflaged enemy force outnumbered 10 to one. The young second lieutenant quickly moved into an exposed position so that he could direct supporting artillery fire against the enemy fighters.
During a brief interval, Durham tended to the wounded around him, despite being the target of heavy sniper fire. A few minutes later he learned that the lead observer from A Company, who had been the worst affected by the attack, had been killed. He would later find out that the entire company had disappeared.
Durham moved quickly to take up the position of the fallen forward observer. When he entered his position, the enemy soldiers detonated a clay mine near him, severely injuring his head and damaging his eyesight. Despite his intense pain, Durham continued to direct supporting artillery fire at the enemy, even using his own rifle to support the infantry around him. At one point, when the enemy really pressed the attack, Durham called for supporting fire to be dropped almost directly on his position.
Only after the rebels had been repulsed twice, with many killed and wounded in their wake, did Durham allow himself to move into a secondary defensive position.
'Lieutenant Wells remembers seeing the brave 2nd Lt. Gunnery press the push-to-talk switch on his wrist radio receiver because his hand had been blown off,' said Brig. Gen. James E. Shelton, the operations officer that day, he wrote in "The Beast Was Out There" a book about the battle, which became known as the Battle of Ong Thanh.
Although extremely weak, Durham continued to lay artillery fire on the enemy and refused to take cover. Instead, he positioned himself in a small clearing that gave him a better vantage point of the enemy's location so that he could more precisely adjust his artillery fire. But he was soon hit by enemy machine guns.
As Durham lay on the ground near death, he saw two Viet Cong fighters approach and shoot defenseless wounded soldiers. Gathering the last of his strength, he shouted a warning to a nearby soldier, who managed to kill the two enemy fighters.
The 25-year-old died shortly after. The radio headset he used to call for fire support was still in his hand.
According to army records, Durham was one of 56 American and South Vietnamese soldiers killed that day. Another 75 were injured and two were reported missing. Durham's efforts probably kept those numbers from rising.
Durham was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery. On October 31, 1969, Vice President Spiro Agnew and Army Chief of Staff General William Westmoreland presented her mother with the nation's highest award for valor. Sadly, Durham's father died the same year as her son and never learned of her son's honor.
Durham was buried in the Oakridge Cemetery in his hometown.
His name has not been forgotten. The Fort Sill Ordnance Officer Candidates Hall of Fame was named Durham Hall in his honor in 1999. In October 2016, the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton established the Liberty Gallery as a tribute to him.

###

Do you have mobility problems? Personal training and medical practice can help!

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – One of the biggest problems of aging is mobility. According to the National Institutes of Health, mobility problems, such as walking and moving freely, can occur as we age. They report that a lack of exercise or exercise makes people more prone to mobility problems. The good news for those who already have mobility issues is that they can improve their fitness through personal training and medical exercises.
"Having a consistent exercise routine will help lubricate your joints and muscles, prevent injury, and help you move better," explains Jennifer Scherer, an exercise medicine specialist, certified personal trainer, and owner of Fredericksburg Fitness Studio. "Whole-body mobility will translate into injury prevention and the feeling that you can do the things you want to do in life, whatever they are."
As Scherer points out, mobility problems arise for a variety of reasons, including our lifestyle, jobs, hobbies, etc. Many jobs create a sedentary environment, which contributes to a lack of mobility. Different lifestyles can cause mobility deficits in different parts of our body. Personal training and exercise medicine can help in many areas of a person's fitness, including strength, flexibility, range of motion, cardiovascular health, and mobility.
By strengthening and stretching the entire body, the body can relieve muscle tension, fatigue, mobility problems, etc. Here are three exercises that can help promote better mobility:
Open book exercise. Lying on your side with your arms straight on the floor, palms together, and knees bent at a 90 degree angle, slowly swing your upper arm up and back to the other side of the floor, following your head. Repeat 10 times on each side and do two sets.
Raise the dumbbell from the front to the sides. While standing with good posture and dumbbells in hands at sides, palms facing you, raise arms shoulder-width apart and out to sides like a T, then return to starting position. Repeat 10 times and do two sets.
Running lunges. While standing with good posture and feet together, take a big step forward with your left leg, bend both knees to 90 degrees, and lift your right leg up to meet your left leg. Repeat 10 times and do two sets.

###

###

How Hurdles Stack Up, How Small Business Owners Can Survive With Resiliency

With high inflation and widespread economic uncertainty facing the nation, small business owners have the same concerns as consumers. Add to that ongoing supply chain issues and labor shortages, and there are plenty of concerns that can keep business owners up at night.
But the good news is that, according to a survey, many small business owners have shown the resilience to face, adapt and overcome these challenges that have increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some find new sources of supply, raise wages and training to retain top employees, cut costs and revise prices. Taking such steps reflects the resilience, flexibility, and problem-solving skills needed to weather business storms and help homeowners better prepare for the turbulent times ahead, says James Webb (www.jamesharoldwebb.com), a successful fitness and medical entrepreneur and author of A Country Boy's Journey to Prosperity.
“The pandemic has severely strained small business owners, forcing some to close and many to turn around,” Webb says. “Having resilience is a huge factor that separates those who have been able to overcome challenges from those who have not.
“Resilience is the most important thing in life and in business. It is the key ingredient of success that will never let you down."
Webb offers three tips for how small business owners can show resilience in the face of challenges:
Don't be afraid to jump and choose new landings. This approach involves a business owner rethinking their business and taking calculated risks. Webb says it's now a necessity due to changing consumer habits, such as more online shopping. This company redesign can also mean reassessing current products and services, determining which ones to eliminate or change, looking at market gaps, and innovating. “When certain obstacles arise, other avenues and opportunities present themselves,” he says. "You can stay on the path to your company's demise, or you can lift your head to seek more horizons and energize your employees and your company."
Lead with clarity, provide guidance and motivation, but don't be afraid to quit. Webb says weeding out underperforming employees is essential, as is hiring people who can fill in the owner's gaps. "You have to know your strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else," he says. “Create clarity for those you lead. Management is a service, not a power play. Give people the best possible chance to succeed by making sure they get the right job, set clear goals, support their needs, and reward them for a job well done. But if people are in the wrong job or can't achieve their goals, or if they can't or won't move into a different or more important role, you owe it to them and your company's survival to set them. free. "
Trust your gut and move on. Webb says that disappointments, failures, big changes and sacrifices build resilience, and the combination of these experiences can empower a business owner and build more confidence in decision-making over the long term. "Resistance is a key element of resilience," says Webb. "Wait. Learn from your mistakes and trust what you know. Going by instinct is a popular expression, but it makes more sense when you've had the experience, good and bad, of trusting your instincts and knowledge."
“Resilient people find a way to work things out,” Webb says. “They don't sit around complaining and waiting for their complaints to produce results. They roll up their sleeves and turn a bad situation into a good thing.

###

###

_________________________________

5 facts about workplace bullying that everyone should know

FAIRFAX, Va. - Most people know what a problem bullying children is, but they're not the only ones who are bullied. Those who have experienced workplace bullying know how damaging it can be. October is National Bullying Prevention Month, so it's a great time to highlight an underappreciated but important issue: workplace bullying.
"I've been a victim of workplace bullying and it's something I don't want anyone else to experience," explains Andi Geloo, an attorney in Fairfax, Virginia. "The more we can help people understand the reality of what is happening, the more we can help end it."
Gelo was surprised to find herself harassed by two other lawyers who worked in the same court where she was a lawyer. He jumped through hoops to find out who was behind the cyberbullying against her and filed a defamation lawsuit. When she did, she offered him money to fix the situation. She refused the money and just wanted an apology, which she never received.
Her case put her on a mission to turn things around, which led her to pass Andi's law. The law makes it easier for victims of cyberbullying to get information more quickly about who is behind the anonymous messages and online bullying. She continues with the mission of raising awareness about workplace bullying and helping the victims of it.
Here are 5 things you can do for people experiencing bullying in the workplace:
Document everything. It is important to keep detailed records of all bullying that is taking place.
Talk to a lawyer. Most people do not want a harassment lawsuit. This is a great way to quickly resolve the issue.
Don't take revenge. Resist any impulse to respond to cyberbullying, as it can lead to more problems.
Keep calm. It may seem hard not to get stressed and tired, but it's important not to. Keep calm, document everything, and take legal action.
Stay focused. Remember that you are not the one who chose the battle and did not bring the bullying. You still have to take a legal route to defend yourself and stop him.
“Nobody should be bullied at work,” adds Geloo. "Bullyers attack people who feel weak and they will accept this. Confront them through legal means and you will see how quickly the bullying stops."
According to Purdue University, workplace bullying includes threats, workplace interference, and verbal abuse. They report that nearly 49 million Americans are being bullied at work and that 30% of Americans have experienced abusive behavior at work. They report that bullying occurs even in virtual meetings and that women are twice as likely to bully women as men. Workplace bullying can lead to anxiety, depression, skin conditions, panic attacks, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, and more.
Andi Geloo is an attorney in Fairfax, Virginia who focuses on Virginia appellate, misdemeanor and traffic defense, criminal defense, juvenile defense, prison law, crimes against the person, personal injury cases, and civil miscellany. She offers free advice. For more information, visit the website here: http://www.misdemeanorandtraffic.com.

###

Spring-blooming bulbs force flowering
MELINDA MYERS Door

Illuminate your interior, patio, terrace or balcony by letting a series of spring bulbs bloom. Just plant, kick back, and enjoy some extra daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, crocuses, and grape hyacinths this winter and spring.
All you need is a suitable container, some well-draining potting soil, the bulbs, and a place to give them the necessary cooling to force them to flower. Choose a container with drainage holes deep enough for larger bulbs. Cover the bottom few inches of the pot with well-draining potting mix. Place larger, taller bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, in the center, surrounded by smaller varieties. They can be planted close together, spaced about half the width of the bulb with the neck of the largest bulbs at or just below the soil surface. Place the tulips with the flat side of the bulb toward the pot for best viewing.
If using a deep container, plant layers of bulbs for a firmer, longer-lasting appearance. Place the largest bulbs in the potting mix near the bottom of the container. Cover these bulbs with soil and add smaller bulbs, such as hyacinths and crocuses, to the next layer. Plant these bulbs close together, covering the surface, for greatest effect. Cover this layer with at least an inch of soil. Water well so that excess water drains out of the bottom of the pot.
Move the container filled with bulbs to a cool location where temperatures will stay above freezing and 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 weeks. A backup cooler works well for this. Just don't store bulbs in the fridge with fruits like apples and pears that give off ethylene gas that can negatively affect bloom. If refrigerator space is limited, you can store unplanted bulbs in a paper bag so they take up less refrigerator space for refrigeration needed before planting.
Those gardening in cooler climates can also store the pots in an unheated garage. Simply water the containers whenever the soil thaws and dries out. Or sink the container into your landscape in an empty garden space. Once the ground starts to freeze, cover it with evergreen branches. Winter mulch makes it easy to restore the container in winter or spring.
When the cold period of 12 to 15 weeks is over, you can move the pots indoors. Remove a few pots each week to extend their bloom time and enjoy. Place the pot in a cool, bright location to encourage more compact growth. Water well when the first few inches of soil begin to dry out. Soon the leaves will start to grow and the flowers will appear after about four weeks.
Provide ongoing care if you plan to move the bulbs into the garden. Remove faded flowers and place foliage plants in a sunny window and water well when the top inch of soil is dry. Fertilize with a dilute solution of any indoor fertilizer for flowering plants.
Once danger of frost has passed, you can move these plants into the garden if they suit your growing conditions. These plants may not flower the following spring, but they usually flower the following year and beyond.
Or you can toss the forced bulbs in the compost pile so they return to your garden as good compost.
Investing time to get some spring bulbs to bloom is sure to lift your spirits this winter. Consider planting a few extra pots of bulbs to do the same with friends and family.

###

Whether out of ambition or necessity, businesses compete for limited loans

Entrepreneur Toni Brewer is not intimidated by the current economic climate.
Brewer, a former schoolteacher who owns five daycare centers in and around Atlanta, is confident in her ambitious plans for her next projects: a sports bar, salon, and spa. Like many small business owners, though, Brewer needs money to make her dream come true, and that usually means getting a business loan, which in turn means getting the loan application in order.
“The bottom line is you get your documentation together, you approve it, and then you move on,” says Brewer.
Borrowing money is something many businesses do, even at a time when rising interest rates and rumors of a recession may cause others to hesitate. Some businessmen, like Brewer, are undaunted by such discussions because they have ambitions they want to fulfill. Others try to borrow because they have few options, forced to borrow because inflation or other factors make their business need money.
In fact, 40 percent of small businesses said they applied for an inflation-fighting loan in the third quarter of this year, the US Chamber of Commerce reported in its quarterly small business index.
But getting a business loan is not always an easy task. Many lenders disregard loan requests that don't meet their credit requirements and send disgruntled business owners due to poor credit, relatively new business, owner lacking a solid business plan, or other reasons.
Understanding what loan options are available and what lenders are looking for can make all the difference in the success or failure of a loan application, says Elijah McCoy, CEO of McCoy Brokerage Service (www.mccoybrokerageservice.com).
It was McCoy who helped Brewer secure most of his capital, except for a cash loan that he later refinanced with his help.
“Different lenders target different types of investments for their portfolios, so it helps to know which lender is best for your type of business,” McCoy says. "The trick is to match the entrepreneur's goals with the most suitable lender as quickly as possible."
Because business loans aren't always easy to obtain, the Biden administration recently announced a proposed policy change that would allow new lenders to take advantage of the Small Business Administration's loan guarantee. The goal is to make more money available to small businesses, especially in minority and other underserved markets "where borrowers are most severely locked out of today's loans," the White House said.
The more opportunities, the better, says McCoy, who founded his company in 2006 after seeing many entrepreneurs struggling to find financing. Two years after his brokerage was born, the country fell into the Great Depression and lending generally declined. In the years after the recession, small business lending picked up, but the recovery was weak. That's due, at least in part, to a decline in the number of major banks, community banks, credit unions and savings banks, a trend that began in 2004, according to a survey by the Consumer Financial Protection Unit.
These factors make it even more important for small business owners in need of money to learn as much as they can about lenders and their requirements, or at least work with someone who has that knowledge, McCoy says.
"Put all your ducks in a row," he says. “Do your homework, do all your due diligence. Know the company you are providing your information to."
McCoy says that money comes with opportunity, whether the entrepreneur is planning a start-up, expanding, or simply needs working capital. But borrowers need to know all the places to look and the right moves needed to hit the target.
Then, just as Toni Brewer did with her five daycare centers and sports bar and spa salon plans, it's all about making those business dreams come true.

###

###

Medal of Honor: Mate of Naval Chief Oscar Schmidt Jr.
By KATIE LANGE, DOD News

The naval chief's partner, Oscar Schmidt Jr., probably knew that working on a ship during World War I would be dangerous, but he probably didn't expect to save two lives before reaching the coast of Europe. He did so during an incident at sea and his bravery earned him the Medal of Honor.
Schmidt was born in Philadelphia on March 25, 1896. According to a 1962 York Dispatch article, he entered the Navy in 1913 and remained there until 1919. During World War I, he served on the fuel ship USS Chestnut Hill.
On October 9, 1918, the ship was part of a convoy crossing the Atlantic to war in Europe when disaster struck.
According to the York Dispatch, the Chestnut Hill was refueling Submarine Chaser 219 off the Azores when the small ship's forward tanks exploded. The explosion threw several crew members into the air and the fighter had to be abandoned.
Schmidt, looking from Chestnut Hill, saw a man with his legs partially broken while dangling from a line on the bow of the fighter. Schmidt jumped into the sea, swam to the man, and carried him from stem to stern. There, a member of the fighter's crew helped him place the injured man on the aft deck of the submarine.
Schmidt then tried to fight his way amidships to pick up another badly burned man, but the flames from the explosion were too hot to pass. Schmidt eventually saw the man fall overboard, and as he made his way to the stern, Schmidt grabbed the man and helped him aboard.
According to the York Dispatch, when a reporter later asked Schmidt what he thought of the bailout, he replied, "I didn't think before I acted. If I had, I wouldn't have done it."
For his heroic actions, Schmidt was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 15, 1919. He was also awarded the Italian Military Cross, the York Dispatch reported.
After the war, Schmidt left the Navy and moved to York, Pennsylvania, where his father bought a house in 1920. By then he was married to Helen Goldey and they had two sons, Robert and Wesley. Both boys served in the Army, Navy, and Air Force respectively.
Schmidt worked at the York Safe and Lock Company, where his father worked. In 1929, the company sent him to Japan to oversee the construction of a bank vault in Tokyo that Emperor Hirohito later used as a bomb shelter during World War II, according to the Indiana Evening Gazette of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
Schmidt was the supervisor of one of the company's assembly lines during World War II, according to his obituary in the York Daily Record newspaper. The newspaper also reported that Schmidt was in charge of the guard force at the York Naval Mechanism when the Navy took over in 1946.
Schmidt's wife, Helen, died in 1951. That same year he changed careers, buying and operating the Lincoln Hotel in York.
Schmidt was a member of the Army and Navy of the Legion of Valor. In May 1958, he joined dozens of other Medal of Honor recipients at a Memorial Day ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House, where he met President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Schmidt continued to work in the hotel industry until 1963, when he moved to Somers Point, New Jersey, according to the York Daily Record. There he married a woman named Louise.
Schmidt died in Somers Point on March 24, 1973, one day short of his 77th birthday. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Schmidt's Medal of Honor is housed at the Freedoms Foundation in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

###

Why leaders strive to build a culture of accountability and how to do it

###

history is important
A film courtesy of The Grateful American Book Prize

The famous Texas Rangers date back to 1823, when Stephen F. Austin, the "Father of Texas," gave them their name as the area attracted settlers from all over the country.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, "there was no regular army to protect them, so Austin called out to the citizens and organized a team to provide the necessary protection."
It was not until October 17, 1835, that Texas passed a resolution officially recognizing the Rangers as a group of armed and mounted police officers designed to "control and guard the frontier between the Brazos and Trinity rivers." The province declared its independence from Mexico in 1836. Nine years later, it became the 28th state in the United States.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Rangers [now] oversee the department's tactical program and operations, including the DPS SWAT team, six regional special response teams, a Ranger Recon team, an ordnance disposal team explosives and crisis negotiators".
For more information, The Grateful American Book Prize recommends Zane Grey's The Lone Star Ranger.

###

social security problems
by the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,
by the non-profit association van of the Association of Mature American Citizens

Ask Rusty: How Do Social Security Survivor Benefits Work?

Dear Rusty, Social Security is confusing on its own, and it gets even more confusing when you get multiple answers to the same question from multiple sources. During my research, I came across your organization and I hope you can help me make informed decisions about my Social Security benefits.
My husband of over 20 years passed away in 1998 and I have never remarried. I will be 65 next month (born 1957) and my full retirement age is 66 years and 6 months. I work full time, have not made any specific retirement plans, and my current gross salary is over $60,000. So my questions are, can I collect something from my late husband's Social Security? If so, when and how? Signed: Confused Widow
Dear Confused Widow: Based on the information you provided, you are eligible to collect a survivor benefit from your late spouse, but because you work full time and earn more than $60,000, you cannot collect that benefit at this time. This is why:
Social Security imposes an "earnings test" on anyone who receives benefits before reaching full retirement age. The penalty for exceeding the income limit is $1 for every $2 you exceed the limit (that's $19,560 for 2022). With an income of $60,000, you exceed the limit by $40,440, so the SS fines you $20,220. This means that the survivor benefit is fully (or almost fully) offset by the penalty for exceeding the salary limit, which means that you cannot collect any survivor benefits at this time. The earnings test applies until you reach your full retirement age (FRA), after which your earnings will no longer affect your Social Security benefits.
here are also other nuances that you should know. Claiming SS benefits before reaching your FRA will result in a permanently reduced benefit. If claimed on your FRA, the survivor benefit would be 100% of the amount your spouse received (or was entitled to) at the time of your death, but at age 65, your survivor benefit would reduce to approximately 93% of your right. You are also entitled to your full Widow's Benefit at age 66 years and 2 months because, in your individual case, your 'Widow's FRA' is less than your full normal retirement age. However, the income test described above will continue to apply until you reach your normal FRA of 66 years and 6 months.
In the year that you reach your full normal retirement age, the income limit (for the months before you reach FRA) will increase approximately 2.5 times. In February 2024 you will reach your normal FRA and at your current income level you will not exceed the higher income limit in 2024. This means that the wage test in 2024 will have no SS benefit consequence at your current income level. As of January 2024, she can claim the full survivor benefit without penalty.
You also have the option, if you wish, to claim only the survivor benefit and increase your personally earned AOW benefit. This is sensible if your maximum earned personal SS pension benefit is higher than the widow's maximum survivor benefit. After you reach your FRA, your Personal Benefit will increase by 0.667% for each month you wait to claim it, until age 70, when your Personal Benefit will be 28% higher than your normal FRA. So you can collect your full survivor benefit from your regular FRA, continue to work if you want, and roll up to your highest personal benefit at age 70 (and collect it for the rest of your life). If you expect to live at least an average life (around 87 for a woman your current age) and the maximum benefit will be higher than the widow's benefit, this is an option to consider.

###

Is your business stuck or is it chaos? These 3 steps can stimulate a transformation

Por ALI DAVICHI

What is your goal?
I'm not talking about writing your company's mission statement. I'm talking about what is the ultimate goal of the organization.
With a baseball team, the answer is obvious: win the World Series. The key to this is to maintain a high win rate throughout the season so that you can compete at the end of the season. For a company, the desired results may not be so obvious. Leadership may be unsure of the direction the company will take. Or they just fail to communicate these goals to staff.
Be that as it may, the rest of the company lacks clarity. People aren't sure what you're working on, so your efforts are scattered. And because they are not united in their goals, success will be difficult, if not impossible.
In this scenario, it is time for a hard reset. The three key stages of a successful transformation that I use are research, analysis, and planning, and I'll break them all down here:
the research phase
If we don't build a foundation of facts, we are likely reacting to the wrong incentives and making decisions based on fear, rather than decisions that reflect reality. What you don't know can kill your business. And the research phase is all about making sure you know everything so you can not only survive, but thrive.
Research not only precedes a transformation, but continues throughout the process. A new fact will always appear that will motivate you to go deeper. You just need to be open to new information and willing to use it in a useful way to inform your decision making.
Under the umbrella of the research phrase, there are a number of other three R's that must be followed:
Results. This is basically a company health check - current results. Results can refer to objectives, outcomes, key performance indicators, or milestones. It is about being able to document these results in a practical way. These results then need to be linked to outcomes, not just for you, your team or organization, but especially for your customers. This way, you can see if you are falling behind or meeting your expectations.
Specifically, what kind of value is the customer looking for in what you offer? What is the "why" behind your business? By looking at the current results, everyone can see what they are delivering and what they are not. Sometimes there is a frightening discrepancy between the perception of leadership and those dealing with loudly complaining customers.
Recognition. This is generally a passive process. By simply observing and asking questions, you collect data about your stakeholders. Observe how people interact. How does leadership deal with the team under attack? How does this team interact with other parts of the company? How is the internal interaction of the team?
I found that the best approach is to ask an open question. If they can't simply answer yes or no, they need to talk for a longer period of time. And the more I let them talk, the more likely they are to feel comfortable telling me information that I unknowingly reveal. All views serve to create a complete picture of the past and current environment.
When you enter the exploration phase, it's important to master the story and not fall prey to someone else, especially in the early stages. It takes time to build the confidence you need to get real information, and no one will give you that confidence until you see positive action.
Judgment. Here you classify all the information you have collected into two different categories: areas of friction and areas of value creation.
The areas of friction in a company represent all the things that get in the way of success, both in terms of what doesn't work internally in the company and what doesn't work for customers. What causes loss of momentum? What reduces productivity?
Value creation is the other end of the spectrum. When I align my research within the company with the customer experience, I can more easily identify opportunities to improve customer value elements.
The evaluation phase should be reviewed regularly, perhaps when milestones are reached or at a logical point where everyone needs to see exactly where they are with their efforts.
The analysis phase
It is not just about collecting the information and looking at it in a simplistic or incomplete way. It requires a creative aspect, applying your experience and knowledge to the facts to get the best possible result, instead of settling for a simplistic solution that doesn't work for anything. In the analysis phase, you dig deeper into the data collected in the research phase to determine its underlying meaning and move from there to the design phase.
For most business situations, the analysis phase should include at least four different categories:
People. Here you can see how well people are used to working in a company. Ultimately, I find many sticking points in an organization's workforce. Sometimes I find one person who seems to be doing a lot of work, while three others don't seem to be doing much. Sometimes problems with employee effectiveness arise from the job description, job design, or lack of delegation, competence, or autonomy.
financing. I only do financial analysis if there is a serious risk of bankruptcy of an organization. My goal is to compare and benchmark resource allocation against client results. And depending on whether finance provides all the information I need, I sometimes ask to speak to other departments.
Product. My first goal is to understand what the company believes the product is, from the perspective of management, employees, and customers. State some basic facts, which are the ones at stake for me. In business, table bets are the minimum requirements to enter a market. They may include price, cost model, technology, or other features that give the product a credible key position in a market.
Technology. The first thing I look for are failures in systems, platforms and other technologies. A defect indicates an architectural issue that will absolutely limit future implementation, current use, and purchase by the customer.
the design phase
In the planning phase, you must create a sustainable path to improvement and growth, understanding that negativity is your worst enemy when trying to change things. Unfortunately, negativity is also the predominant feeling in the company when we are asked for help, and this negativity is also one of the main reasons why management has failed to generate productive change. They are too immersed in pessimism to think clearly.
Therefore, a hard reset is required. The attitude must improve. You can't walk around obsessing over the underlying business, even though the problems can be incredibly serious. Instead, you need to encourage a new perception where people actually believe that things can be improved. The way to do that is with a realistic yet forward-thinking progression plan that offers genuine hope to a company that yearns for it.
This is when a real momentum can come, as all the research and thinking comes together to create action. This action must focus on people, the process and the product. If only one of the three is down, it will drag the other two down.
People planning. There are two ways the people in the business equation can go wrong: skills and culture. Once you've determined that certain skills are missing, you'll need to determine how to address the problem. You may also come across employees who have the right skills but are total disasters when it comes to fitting into the corporate culture. Its negative impact must be mitigated.
process plan. Needs tend to change over time, and processes often do not change with them. What we're finding is that a process a company uses can make things complicated instead of efficient. Bureaucracy and the tendency for people to keep doing things the way they've always done them keep these processes obsolete. Look for opportunities where a new process will improve workflow and offer value. This type of process gap analysis can identify multiple departments and/or teams where more improved processes would improve results.
Product design. There are two different aspects to answer here: the actual products and/or services that the customer provides to their customer, and the internal processes that the customer uses to track the value they derive from those products and/or services. We often find that a particular department does not meet the needs of the other departments. But most bottlenecks are easy to fix, especially in today's cloud environments. Finding a way to manage data internally to make it a smoother, less stressful process empowers everyone
Many companies believe that there is a silver bullet that fixes everything, like a new platform. But sometimes the business really stops because the problem was never platform related. The problem was that the company did not know how to approach and implement a successful transformation.

_________________________________

Enhance the beauty of your indoor garden
MELINDA MYERS Door

Whether your indoor garden has grown out of your deck or you want to expand your garden, a little pruning, pruning, or propagation may do the trick. Caring for houseplants keeps your indoor garden looking its best and limits plants to the available space. You can use some of the clippings to start new plants.
Give plants with very long stems a pinch. Removing a small or large part of the growing tip encourages the plant to branch more and grow more compactly. Pinching removes a growth hormone produced at the stem tip called auxin. This hormone stimulates the upward growth of the stem. Removing the stem tip reduces auxin and allows more branches to grow along the stem.
A gentle pinch removes only the upper part of the stem with developing leaves and the tip of the stem. A sharp pinch, more like pruning, removes the tip and several inches of green stem. These stems can be used to start new plants.
Some gardeners pinch with their fingers, but I prefer to use sharp blades like the Corona Tools ComfortGEL® Micro Clippers with stainless steel blades that resist plant debris buildup, or the Corona Bypass Pruners that make a clean cut that closes quickly and it looks better.
When pinching and pruning your houseplants, make the cuts just above a bunch of leaves. The plant remains relatively attractive while it waits for new leaves and stems to grow. Do not leave cutting stems elsewhere, as they diminish the appearance of the plant and can create entry points for insects and diseases.
Houseplants can be propagated in many different ways. Avoid propagating proprietary plants that are protected by patent law. These laws are intended to protect the investment of the plant breeder. By upholding patent law, companies can continue to make plant improvements for all of us to enjoy in the future.
Use leaf bud cuttings to start a variety of houseplants, including inch plants, philodendron, pothos, dieffenbachia, dracaena, jade plants and more. Use a sharp knife, shears, or bypass pruners to cut three to six-inch-long pieces of stout, mature, non-woody stems. Remove the bottom leaf or two that will be buried in the potting mix. Here new roots will be formed. If you've had trouble rooting cuttings in the past, try using rooting hormone labeled for use on houseplants. Contains fungicides to fight disease and hormones to stimulate root growth.
Root cuttings in a small container filled with orange or well-draining potting mix. Poke a hole in the mix, insert the cut end, and gently push the potting mix around the stem. Loosely cover the pot cutting with an open-top plastic bag. This will increase the humidity around the cutting to make up for the lack of roots. Place the container in a bright spot out of direct sun for several weeks while roots develop. Give the stem a gentle tug to see if roots have formed. Move the rooted cutting to a container filled with well-draining potting mix, placing it in a location with the proper amount of sunlight and water as needed.
You'd be surprised how a little care and propagation can lift a tired indoor garden. Share or trade extra rooted cuttings with family and friends so everyone can grow their own inner garden and memories.

###

Medal of Honor: Air Force Lt. Col. Addison Baker
Poke KATIE LANGE
World War II Lt. Col. Addison Baker was one of four men to earn the Medal of Honor during a daring raid into Romania. The veteran pilot was reported missing after that flight, but thanks to DNA technology and the persistence of scientists dedicated to bringing home the missing military, his remains were recently found. After nearly 80 years, Baker was given the funeral he deserved.
Baker was born on January 1, 1907 in Chicago to Edith and Earl Baker. He had two brothers, Russell and Harold. When Baker was still young, the family moved to Akron, Ohio, so that his father could take a new job.
Baker attended Central High School and was known to be a bit of a wild child, according to a recent interview with his granddaughter, Mary Ostrow, in the Akron Beacon Journal. A 1962 edition of the newspaper stated that he dropped out of school and eventually joined the army, taking flight school training that earned him his pilot's wings in 1931. In December 1934 he married Frances Rogers.
Baker spent several years in the Air Force before transferring to the Army Reserves in 1939, but was called to active duty in 1940. He rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel as the United States became heavily involved in World War II. In the summer of 1943, Baker was stationed in North Africa and was the commander of the 93rd Heavy Bombardment Group of the 328th Bombardment Squadron.
On August 1, 1943, Baker and several other men participated in Operation Tidal Wave, a daring attack aimed at destroying one of the Nazis' largest oil refineries in Ploiesti, Romania. Baker and his B-24 Liberator, nicknamed "Hell's Wench," took off from Libya to join nearly 180 other bombers on the mission.
Baker was the first plane in the second of five formations to fly 18 hours on the 1,400-mile round trip. As they approached the target area, Baker and several other pilots noticed that the mission's lead pilot, Colonel K.K. Compton, took a wrong turn and was heading to Bucharest instead of Ploiesti. Records show that Compton did not respond to calls to warn him of the error, so Baker made a shared decision: he broke formation and led the remaining men of the 93rd Bomb Group back onto the track.
Baker was the first of the bombers to reach Ploiesti. Like all the pilots on the mission, he flew low to avoid enemy radar. However, just as they reached the target area, Hell's Wench was hit by an anti-aircraft missile causing heavy damage, including a fire. Baker knew that he was flying over an area where he could land, but he ignored it and stuck to the plan. He continued to drive the bombers towards the target and dropped his bombs, successfully completing the mission.
Then Baker left the formation and, with the help of his co-pilot, the Major. John Jerstad, avoided colliding with other aircraft as they attempted to gain enough altitude for his crew to parachute to safety. Unfortunately, his attempts failed and the plane caught fire. No one on the plane survived.
posthumous awards
The Allies suffered heavy casualties in the attack: 54 bombers were destroyed and 532 of the 1,726 personnel were killed, reported missing or captured. But the mission itself was crowned with success. The attack destroyed 42 percent of the oil refinery facilities, dealing a heavy blow to the Germans for weeks.
Baker and three others involved with Tidal Wave - Jerstad, 2nd Lt. Lloyd Hughes and Colonel John Kane all received a Medal of Honor for bravery that day. According to an Airman magazine article, some traditionalists initially opposed Baker and Jerstad receiving the medals, arguing that the men had disobeyed orders by breaking formation. But dissatisfied airmen in the mission quelled these differences, and the awards were approved.
On March 2, 1944, Baker's widow and parents received the Medal of Honor in his name from Brig. General Uzal Ent at a ceremony at the First Presbyterian Church in Akron. This medal is now in the National Museum of the Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
A long-awaited homecoming
Because Baker's remains were not identified after the crash, his name was listed on the Wall of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Impruneta, Italy. That "missing" status stayed the same for nearly 80 years, until last spring.
On April 8, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Service announced that experts had finally accounted for their remains.
According to the DPAA, the remains of the US troops involved in the attack, who could not be identified, were initially buried in a Ploiesti cemetery. After the war these remains were scrapped for identification. The American Graves Registry, which led the search and recovery of the fallen personnel, has yet to identify about 80 of the unknown servicemen. Thus, these remains were reburied in the Ardennes American Cemetery and the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, both located in Belgium. They were not touched again until 2017, when the DPAA began exhuming the 80 unknowns believed to be related to Operation Tidal Wave.
In the US, scientists used anthropological analyses, circumstantial evidence, and mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA analysis to positively identify Baker's remains. After being missing for nearly 80 years, it took DPAA experts a year, eight months and 17 days to identify Baker.
"At 36, Lt. Col. Baker was the oldest missing service member, and that's one characteristic that can be used to identify him," said Dr. Megan Ingvoldstad, DPAA anthropologist and Operation Tidal Wave project leader. . . In this case, the forensic anthropologist assigned to Baker's case determined a higher skeletal age. She not only matched herself with Lieutenant Colonel Baker, but was also able to rule out all other reasonable candidates for Operation Tidal Wave, further cementing his identity. powerful."
Thirty-six of the 80 missing from Operation Tidal Wave have been identified so far, Ingvoldstad said.
Baker, who was 36 when he died in 1944, was buried Sept. 12 at Arlington National Cemetery. Although Baker had no children, several of his descendants attended the ceremony and recently joined Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the Pentagon for the annual National POW/MIA Day observance ceremony. According to ANC historian Kevin Hymel, some of these descendants were named Addison to honor the hero in his lineage.
"Out of respect for our mother and her family, we named our son Addison," said Joshua Greenberg, Baker's second cousin. "He grew up with stories about his childhood, but also about his heroism."
Baker's name remains on the wall of the missing at the Florence American Cemetery, with one notable change. A rosette is placed next to his name to indicate that he is registered.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: Octogenarian Asks About Spouse and Survivor Benefits

Dear Rusty, I'm 80 now and my wife is 76 and we both received early Social Security benefits at age 62. When my wife got her Social Security from her, it was much less than mine, so they took a part of mine and added it to hers. How does this work? And if I die, will my wife get everything from me or just a percentage? Signed: Curious Major
Dear curious: Social Security's standard procedure is to first pay the beneficiary's earned retirement benefit and then add an additional amount, if necessary, to bring the payment up to the amount to which the surviving spouse or spouse is entitled. . So, in the case of her wife, she now (while they are both alive) receives her own Social Security benefit plus a "marriage benefit" so that her payment equals what she owes as the wife. husband of her Your spouse's spousal support was not deducted from your benefit (you will still receive your own retirement pension), but your spousal support was calculated by comparing the amount you were entitled to at your full retirement age (FRA) to 50% the FRA benefit amount, and then reduces the spousal benefit amount because you filed for it at age 62 (all Social Security benefits, except disability benefits, received before the FRA reduction).
Regarding your wife's survivor benefit, since the SS pension benefit is lower, the additional "spouse benefit" amount that your wife now receives will cease and be replaced by a higher supplement that increases the full payment to which you are entitled if you die first. your surviving widow.
As your spouse during your lifetime, your spouse could receive up to 50% of the benefit amount to which he or she was entitled at your FRA of 66, but receives less because you applied at age 62. When he dies, your spouse will receive a larger lump sum consisting of the age 62 benefit he personally earns, plus an additional amount to make his payment equal to 100% of the amount he received at your death. Her death benefit amount may be even higher than what she received when she died because she will receive at least 82.5% of her "Principal Insured" or "PIA", which is the benefit she owed at 66 years old. (his FRA of her).
Think of it this way: As your surviving spouse, your total spousal benefit will be either 100% of the benefit you received when you died or 82.5% of the benefit you were entitled to at age 66, whichever is higher. . And this will replace the lower amount that his wife now receives as a husband while they both live. Of course, your spouse must notify Social Security of her death, and must do so in a timely manner to receive the highest benefit to which you are entitled as your surviving spouse as soon as possible.

_________________________________

###

home visits

by Dr. Daniel Knight is a professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine for Medical Sciences.

doctor gentleman
Q. Can I have a heart condition without knowing it?
A. Coronary artery disease (CAD) causes blood flow through the arteries to the heart to slow or even stop, preventing the blood from carrying oxygen to the heart muscle. CAD occurs when the arteries become weak or damaged over time.
Smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure can cause inflammation that weakens and damages blood vessels, and ongoing inflammation can cause a buildup of fat, known as plaque, in the arteries, narrowing or clogging them. The plaque can break into clots, which can cause strokes or heart attacks. Lack of exercise is another risk factor.
Shortness of breath and chest pain or tightness, usually caused by stress or activity, are the first signs of CAD. However, in the early stages of the disease, there are often no symptoms. Symptoms are different between men and women, who may experience fatigue, a feeling of fullness, and pain at the end of the breastbone.
Healthy lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of CHD. Think about eating healthy, exercising, not smoking, drinking in moderation, and managing your weight and stress. If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, managing these conditions will also reduce your risks.

Q. What things can affect my immune system?
A. Lack of sleep can increase your chances of getting sick and slow down your recovery. Your body releases cytokines, which are certain proteins that help the immune system, only when you sleep.
You can also get sick. Your immune response can weaken within 30 minutes of anxious thoughts, and constant stress can make it harder to fight viruses.
Lack of vitamin D and too little time outdoors can also play a role. Sunlight can boost immune system T cells that help fight infection, and many plants produce pesticides and other substances that, when inhaled, appear to support the immune system.
Taking the wrong things, like too much alcohol, marijuana, nicotine from tobacco products, or chemicals in vape, can weaken your immune system.
What you eat also plays a role. A diet that does not contain plant foods, such as nuts and fresh produce, can make it harder for your immune system to function. Over time, high-fat diets can upset the balance of gut bacteria that help the immune system respond.
Certain medications, lack of exercise, and prolonged grief can also suppress immunity.

Q. How can you tell the difference between anxiety and depression?
A. Both of these common mental disorders, twice as common in women as in men, are believed to be caused by a combination of genes and environmental factors such as trauma and stress. They often occur at the same time, and about 60% of people who have one eventually develop the other.
It can be hard to tell the difference between the two, but there are some differences.
Anxiety is more common and affects more than twice as many people as depression. It often develops first, usually just before or in early adolescence, while depression typically appears from adolescence to mid-adulthood.
Anxiety symptoms include irritability, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and uncontrollable feelings of worry, while people with depression have feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and loss of interest in things they once enjoyed.
Other symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, fatigue, anxiety, or unexplained pain, may indicate a disorder. A life-threatening symptom of both disorders is suicidal feelings.
If you're experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, see your doctor, who can discuss treatment options, including talk therapy, medication, or both.

Q. When does a respiratory problem require medical attention?
A. Asthma and other conditions related to the respiratory tract affect one in 13 people in the US. Common symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness, pain, or pressure in the chest. .
These symptoms can be easy to explain, but you need to take them seriously. Some breathing problems can also indicate a medical emergency. Difficulty breathing can be caused by something as simple as lack of shape, but it can also indicate a life-threatening blood clot. Heavy breathing is normal after exercise, but it should not be accompanied by a high heart rate, heavy chest, fainting, paleness, dizziness, or fatigue. Painful breathing accompanied by pain, pressure, or heaviness in the chest may indicate a heart attack.
If left untreated, these breathing problems can lead to serious medical complications, such as a pulmonary embolism or other problems with the airway system, and possibly damage the muscles or nerves that control breathing.
Other breathing problems could be symptoms of COVID-19, air not moving through the airways correctly, or a problem carrying oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream.
See your doctor if you have breathing problems.

###

###

Medal of Honor: Recipients Unknown

Poke KATIE LANGE
An image that reads "Medal of Honor Monday" shows an Army Medal of Honor.
Medal of Honor Monday typically highlights a specific individual and their extraordinary acts of bravery. However, many may not know that several unknown soldiers from 20th century conflicts were also awarded the Medal of Honor as a tribute to all those fallen who were never recognized.
The Medal of Honor was awarded to the remains of nine unknown servicemen. These include the four unknown members of the United States Armed Forces who were ultimately buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and its three crypts at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, as well as five unknown recipients from World War I Britain. , France, Belgium, Italy and Romania.
Each medal is inextricably linked to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Last year marked the centenary of the tomb's founding in 1921 and included major anniversary events and special projects.
In October 1921, an unidentified American soldier who died in World War I was randomly chosen to represent "the soul of America and the supreme sacrifice of her heroic dead" under legislation authorizing burial. On 11 November 1921, a ceremony was held at the ANC's newly built memorial amphitheater to inscribe this service member in a newly created temporary grave. President Warren G. Harding presented the Medal of Honor in the casket during the funeral.
Several foreign awards were also presented to the Unknown Soldier at the ceremony, including the Belgian Croix de Guerre, the French Croix de Guerre en Medaille Militaire, Britain's Victoria Cross, and the Italian Gold Medal of Valor. Romania, Czechoslovakia and Poland also presented their highest awards for military valor. The permanent grave was not completed until 1932.
A large crowd of people looks at a platform, where there is a coffin.
The other three US Medals of Honor came later when unknown servicemen were chosen to represent the fallen of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Because World War II and Korea were fought in a relatively short period of time, a double funeral was held for the couple on May 30, 1958. President Dwight D. Eisenhower presented each Unknown Soldier with a Medal of Honor during the ceremony.
In 1984, a series of American remains recovered from the Vietnam War were designated to represent the war dead in the grave. The unknown soldier of the Vietnam War was laid to rest in a ceremony on May 28, 1984. President Ronald Reagan presented the Medal of Honor in the casket.
Thanks to advances in DNA technology, in 1998 the Department of Defense identified the remains of the unknown soldier from the Vietnam War as those of US Air Force 1st Lt. Michael J. Blassie. At the request of his family, Blassie was reburied at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Missouri. However, the empty cache in Arlington still honors all the missing and missing from the Vietnam War.
Living Medal of Honor recipients also played a significant role in these burials. Tim Frank, ANC historian, said the recipients of each Unknown played a special role during the funerals. For example, Army Sgt. Korean War Medal winner Ernest Kuma presented a folded flag to Eisenhower at the double ceremony in 1958. Retired Army SFC Ronald Rosser, another Korean War winner, presented then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon's flag from the coffin of the Korean Unknown. . Marine Corps Sgt. Commander Allan Kellogg Jr., who earned the Medal of Honor during Vietnam, was chosen as the person to designate the remains that became the recipient of Unknown Vietnam.
Foreign recipients, discrimination
The five foreign World War I recipients buried abroad represent the unknown fallen of their nations. However, it is important to clarify that none of them were US military personnel. Allied soldiers from France, Belgium, Italy, Romania and Great Britain received the Medal of Honor from representatives of the United States.
Several men look at a line of soldiers with rifles slung over their shoulders.
The British Unknown Warrior Medal of Honor is on display in Westminster Abbey in London. Frank said there's a replica of the Belgian Unknown medal buried with that service member. It is not clear if the other three medals are buried with their respective unknowns or if they are on display.
No unknown foreign soldier from another war has received the award.
“The United States is one of the few, if not the only, countries that have buried Unknowns in the Tomb of the Unknowns since subsequent wars,” said Alison Finkelstein, senior historian for the ANC. "In Westminster Abbey at the British Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, there was only one set of remains, and that's from World War I. They never added to or buried remains from later conflicts. It's something that makes America unique."
Frank said the awarding of the Medal of Honor to unknown foreign military personnel has led to the exchange of awards between nations.
"The Americans awarded the Medal of Honor to the unknown [British] warrior and then there was a discussion on the British side about awarding a Victoria Cross to the unknown American," he said.
A medal is displayed on a purple ribbon.
Over the years, other countries have awarded their highest military medals to the US for valor in unknowns of post-World War I conflicts. South Korean officials awarded the Taegeuk Medal, that country's highest military decoration for bravery, in the Unknown Korean War in March 1960. Belgium also awarded the Croix de Guerre to winners of World War II and the Korean War, and French President François Hollande awarded the Legion of Honor to the Unknown World War II in 2014.
Keeping history alive
The medals awarded to the four U.S. The Unknown Soldiers are awarded, remain in the care of Arlington National Cemetery's history office, and are cared for by civilian historians and curators, not the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard," which protect the grave
A folded American flag and various medals are displayed in a display case.
Four columns mark the entrance to a room full of showcases and souvenirs.
The medals are on display in the Memorial Amphitheatre's Exhibition Hall, located near the grave site and open to the public. They are kept in low light and undergo basic maintenance, the ANC historians said.
"The purpose of these exhibits is to raise awareness of the history and meanings of the tomb, and much of the display in Display Hall is about the Medal of Honor," Finkelstein said.
Due to technological advances, historians have said that an unknown soldier will probably never be buried in the tomb again. These nine Medal of Honor recipients will likely be the last unknown to receive this award.

###

social security problems

by the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,
by the non-profit association van of the Association of Mature American Citizens

Ask Rusty: Veteran asks about disability and benefits for ex-spouses
Dear Rusty, I am a permanently and totally disabled military veteran. I was married for over ten years to a military man who has since been honorably divorced from military service. I was originally disabled for Social Security, which automatically converted to regular Social Security retirement benefits when I turned 65, with the amount remaining at the "disabled" level instead of the "regular" rate based on Social Security history. Why wasn't my "regular" Social Security rate used when I turned 65? I also contacted social security regarding my ex-husband's social security, since I was married to him for over 10 years, but they told me that I am not entitled to a portion of his social security benefits. Why not? I was told that the amount he would receive would not take away his right to SS. Signature: Disable Veterans
Dear Disabled Veteran: First, I would like to thank you for your service to our country. His sacrifice is truly appreciated and I would be honored to answer your questions about Social Security.
In terms of the current Social Security amount compared to the previous disability amount, the Social Security disability benefit you received was actually the amount you were entitled to at your full retirement age, even though you had previously claimed benefits for disability. The SSDI benefit, when awarded, was calculated based on your lifetime earnings history up to the time you became disabled, so you will receive the full amount you earned as disability benefits before you reached full age. retirement. And that's why the amount stayed the same when it was automatically converted to your regular pension benefit (at your full retirement age, which was 66 if you were born before 1955). Simply put, SSDI is the total amount of Social Security he has earned up to the point he stopped earning it, so it stays the same when he reaches full retirement age.
As for your ex-spouse's extra benefits, while you meet the length of marriage rule for ex-spouse benefits, there are also additional criteria: you must not remarry and stay married and your ex-spouse must receive all of your Social Security benefits . (unless he's been divorced for at least two years, then her ex should only have collection rights). However, you can get an additional benefit called a “Spouse Benefit” if you meet all other criteria and one-half (50%) of the benefit your ex-spouse was entitled to at full retirement age is greater than your current benefit from Social Security. Since Social Security said you are not eligible for ex-spouse benefits, you clearly do not meet all of the eligibility criteria listed above. And to address your last point, if you met all the criteria and were entitled to an ex-spouse benefit, that would not have affected your ex-spouse's benefit in any way.
Once again, please accept my sincere thanks for your military service. You may want to visit the "For Veterans" section of our website at www.amacfoundation.org.

_____________________

Stuck in a rut? How to focus on self-improvement and make an impact

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – (September 20, 2022) – Many people reach a point in their lives where they feel stuck in a rut. Day after day everything is the same. Touch a clock here, drive there, see this, go to bed and do the same the next day. Since September is the month of self-improvement, it's a great time for those who feel stuck trying to find their way and moving forward effectively and happily, making changes and feeling alive again.
"This is the month to take action and make it happen," explains Katie Sandler, career and personal development consultant. "It's time to remove the negative things from your life that are holding you back. There's no better time to do it than now."
A survey by SWNS Digital found that 80% of Americans admit to being stuck in a rut. Most of the people surveyed believe that their lives mimic "Groundhog Day" scenes, where the same things continue to happen every day. Almost half of the people felt that their routine was too tight. The good news is that those who feel stuck in the rut of life can take steps to turn things around for the better.
Here are ways to make big changes to relax this month:
Let's get serious. Those who feel trapped or torn need to be honest with themselves. It's time to take stock of what's going on, identify the problems, and do the work to achieve something new.
Make a plan. There are a few things that need to be mapped. Identify these things by deciding what needs to change and when. Sharpen the negativity that needs to be removed and plan for its gradual removal.
Work with a trainer. A coach can do wonders to get people off track. Coaches can bring out the best in people, help them identify their weaknesses and strengths, and enable a successful game plan. Whether you work one-on-one with a coach or attend a retreat, you can benefit greatly.
Focus on the impact. To escape failure, there must be a change that has an impact. Determine where you want the most impact and change, such as in your professional life, personal life, or both.
Change your perspective. It's all about mindset. Everyone's perspective is how they see things. Two people can be looking at the same thing and both can have different opinions about what is going on. When we change our perspective and start seeing things in a more positive way, we tend to get great results and enjoy life more. Changing perspective can change everything, even if nothing has changed for us. It is about working in a healthy and positive attitude.
"The truth is, most people stop in their thoughts," Sandler added. “Learning to pay attention to your thoughts is powerful and life-changing. It is the key to moving forward and generating impact.”

###

Are you ready to take on the challenges of life? 4 ways to prepare

When people try to accomplish almost anything—start a business, start a new career, plan a trip—hurdles get in the way.
How well they respond depends not only on whether they're prepared for the unexpected, but also whether they've made the right preparations to weather it, says Dr. Akintoye Akindele, author of the Forbes books featuring Olakunle Soriyan of A Love Affair with Failure. : When hitting rock bottom becomes a keyboard for success.
“People often confuse preparation with preparation, but they are completely different things,” Akindele says. "The preparation takes place in a controlled environment, while the preparation takes place in the 'real world', where events do not respect your expectations and are not dictated by your preferences or prejudices."
In other words, he says, readiness depends on factors that are under your control. This may include taking advantage of strengths, eliminating weaknesses, exploiting opportunities, or eliminating identified threats. Preparation involves dealing with a variety of internal and external factors beyond your direct influence.
“You can be prepared based on seemingly irrefutable plans and assumptions and still be unprepared for what reality will bring,” says Soriyan. "However, you never finish if you don't prepare."
Akindele and Soiryan say there are four overlapping dimensions of readiness that prepare people for real challenges. It is physical preparation, mental preparation, emotional preparation and spiritual preparation.

Here's a breakdown of each:

Physical Health. Regardless of what activities you engage in, recreational or professional, it's important to stay in shape, says Akindele. "You can't afford to gamble with your health," she says. "Your body may not be high on your balance sheet, but it's the most powerful asset you own." That means exercising, eating right, and getting regular checkups. "Fitness also includes how you look," says Akindele. How you come across and the impression you make is more important than we want to admit. Nearly every minute, important personal and professional decisions are made based on appearance."
Mental preparation. Put a lot of effort and time into gaining knowledge, building skills, and improving your resilience and focus, Soriyan says. “By developing our brainpower, we can better anticipate and remove potential roadblocks, understand competition where it exists, design thoughtful backup plans, and strategize,” she says.
emotional preparation. You'll need plenty of positive reinforcement along the way, so it's important to surround yourself with people who believe in you and your journey, says Akindele. “Talk to anyone who is successful and they will tell you how much investment in people and relationships has played a part in their success,” she says. “From advice and help preparing you for the road to holding your hand and helping you overcome obstacles, from standing by you when everyone else has given up on you to helping you get back on track when you feel like giving up, the emotional benefits and the resources help create winners.”
Mental preparation. Spirituality does not necessarily have to do with religion. "Spirituality is about connection," says Soriyan. "Connecting with people, places, experiences, times, and energies is the hallmark of spirituality on all levels." Spirituality is also linked to happiness, and happy people are more likely to achieve their goals than unhappy people, she says. "Investing in activities that make you happy is wise," she says. "Look for what gives you peace. Invest in the family, in charity, in charity, in faith in God, in reading, in travel, in conversation, even in silence."
"To achieve a goal, you must first identify and define that goal," Akindele says. "But preparation is the foundation on which success and achieving your goals are built."

###

social security problems
From National Social Security Counselor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty - About Applying for Social Security Benefits
Dear Rusty, I will be turning 65 in December and will likely continue working at my current job until July 2024. I may have left a year earlier. With that said, when do I need to file to start collecting Social Security benefits? Is there anything I need to know before signing up to make sure the process goes smoothly? Signature: Ready to Retire
Dear Retirees: Social Security recommends that you apply for benefits 2-3 months before you want your benefits to start, but you can apply up to 4 months in advance. When you apply, you specify the desired start month of your benefits on the application and your benefits will begin from that time. Keep in mind that Social Security pays benefits "in arrears," which means your benefits are paid the month after the month you earned them. So, for example, if you request that your benefits begin in January, your January benefits will be paid in February.
The exact date of your payment depends on the day of the month you were born: if you were born between the 1st and 10th of the month, you will receive your payment on the second Wednesday. born between the 11th and 20th of the month, payment on the 3rd Wednesday; born after the 20th of the month, your payment will be received in your bank account every fourth Wednesday of the month.
You can do so in person, by phone, or by visiting your local Social Security office, or you can apply for your benefits online at www.ssa.gov/retire. Applying online is by far the most efficient method. To apply online, you must first create your personal "My Social Security" online account, which is easy to do at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. I recommend creating your account online now, even if you don't plan on claiming your SS for a while. After you create your account online, you can view your estimated benefit amounts for different ages, which can help you decide when to file a claim.
As long as you continue to work, you should know that if you file a claim at any time before your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you will be subject to the Social Security income test. If you turn 65 in December 2022, your FRA will be 67, which is the point at which you will receive 100% of the SS benefit you earned from a lifetime of work. If you file a claim early, your benefits will be permanently reduced and the Social Security "earnings test" will apply. The 2023 income cap will be slightly higher than the 2022 cap of $19,560. If you accumulate SS and go over the earnings limit, they will deduct benefits equal to $1 for every $2 over the limit. In the year you reach your FRA (2024), your income limit will be about 2½ times the normal annual limit and the penalty will be less, and once you reach your FRA there is no limit to how much you can earn. Just to be clear, you can also wait and claim your FRA and get a higher benefit (your benefit will go up to age 70).
So how can you make the process "relatively smooth"? Create your My Social Security account online ahead of time and verify that your Social Security-recorded lifetime earnings are correct. When you're ready to file a claim, simply go to www.ssa.gov/retire and follow the instructions. The online application process is quite intuitive and you will not have any problems even if you have limited computer skills. Social Security will contact you if they need more information after you file an online claim. Of course, you can also apply when you're ready by calling Social Security to schedule a phone appointment, but applying online is much more efficient.

###

_________________________________

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty - Explanation of Surviving Spouse Benefits

Harvest of red and green tomatoes.

###

Why today's leaders must admit mistakes and show a human side

Por WARREN RUSTAND

Leaders make mistakes, just like everyone else. And when they do make mistakes, it's important, if they want to maintain credibility and not lose the trust of their employees, that leaders admit their mistakes and take responsibility.
I had a front row seat to one of the most egregious mistakes ever made by a senior leader in American history. And what made matters worse, for him and for the country, was that President Richard Nixon did not approve it, but instead tried to cover it up.
I then worked in the White House and eventually became Gerald Ford's Secretary of Appointments and Cabinet after replacing Nixon, who was forced to resign on August 9, 1974 due to the June 17, 1972 raid of the Democratic National Committee. in the Watergate office building. Nixon resigned to avoid certain impeachment. He wouldn't admit that he knew about the break-in and kept covering it up for months until he lost credibility.
Of course, in the decades since Watergate, we have often seen public figures cover up mistakes or be unwilling to apologize or admit wrong, and the cover-up is almost always worse than the wrong.
Three great leadership qualities are openness, honesty, and vulnerability. When a leader practices each of these qualities, the trust and respect factor among employees and colleagues increases. The corporate culture can also become more stable because a strong moral example is at the top. That is why it is important for a leader to admit when he has made a mistake and it is equally important to explain the admission as well.
As difficult as it is, the leaders of any organization, small or large, must be willing to admit that they have made mistakes. A major mistake does not necessarily mean the end of your tenure or the demise of your company or organization. If a leader gets it right, it can even be a tipping point in a positive direction.
Show strength to be vulnerable.
Leaders don't know everything. They don't have all the answers. Recognizing these facts opens up an opportunity for collaboration with your peers, opening up the possibilities for more and fresher ideas, solutions, and strategies. It allows leaders to have a different, more open and productive dialogue with people. Show the kind of humility, vulnerability, and relatability that makes a leader strong, because those qualities make it easier for people to follow.
But many leaders have a hard time admitting they don't know. Your ego is an obstacle. They think they must have all the answers. We went through a period in world history where we thought the best leaders were the smartest people, but it takes a lot more than that to make it all work. We really have lived for decades expecting leaders to be strong and have all the answers: command and control leadership.
But that's not really the time we live in today. I think there is more sensitivity around leadership these days. Good leaders are people who can be trusted, who tell the truth, admit they don't know, and seek advice and counsel from other people. Historically, this is a big shift from where we are today in terms of how strong leadership is characterized or perceived.
Why the change? I think we've been caught up in some big events in the last 30 years that show leaders not only don't know everything, but like the rest of us, are caught off guard and have trouble finding quick fixes. There is no better example than COVID-19. And there's been SARS, HIV and AIDS, the swine flu, the dotcom bubble/tech crisis of 2000, the Great Recession of 2008, and now we could be headed for another recession. We have seen an acceleration of challenging events for leaders and they are often surprised by what is happening. The extent to which leaders can open up to this and accept input from others will make them better and stronger leaders.
Looking out of his bubble
Millennials have fueled the new definition of modern leadership. There are 75 million millennials in the workforce who strongly believe that leaders need to be open and trustworthy. that leaders must be proactive. And to get a sense of what's ahead, leaders need to be proactive, not reactive, and most importantly, collaborative.
So we are entering a new era of leadership: more outward-looking leadership than inward-looking. Leaders need to be much more aware of what is happening in the rest of the world from a macro perspective, as it affects their businesses, families, and communities. COVID is an example. It was inclusive and we saw many leaders who did not know how to respond.
There will still be leaders who bury their heads in the sand and worry only about getting the gadgets out the door and the cars out of the factory. But there are other leaders who look at the context in which the world operates. And those who can admit they made a mistake or don't have all the answers. These most humble, most vulnerable, most communicative and collaborative types of leaders will be the strongest and most successful in an uncertain world ahead.

###

5 Ways Society Benefits When Kids Spend More Time With Dad

STATE COLLEGE, PA – According to the Pew Research Center, 63% of parents report that they feel they don't spend enough time with their children. When it comes to parents in co-parenting situations, that number is probably even higher. What may surprise many is that society also loses something when this happens. Children across the country miss out on a lot when they don't spend enough time with their parents.
"When fathers are actively involved in their lives, our children are happier and more secure, and our societies are healthier and more productive," said Dr. Joel N. Myers, founder and president of the Dads' Resource Center. "But instead of celebrating fatherhood and finding ways to ensure father involvement, our government spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer money on state aid and social services every year."
According to the US Census Bureau, 121 million men in the country are biological fathers of at least one child under the age of 18. This shows that the impact that parents will have on the lives of these children will be far-reaching.
A few years ago, Fortune reported that men who spend more time with their children are happier employees. Based on the research, it was suggested that companies should give men more time to spend with their families in order to increase retention rates. Having happier men at work is one way society benefits from fathers spending more time with children.
Here are 5 more ways society benefits when kids spend more time with dad:
generational effects. A study published in the journal Parenting Science and Practice reports that patterns of parental involvement and the quality of parent-child relationships are often passed down from generation to generation. Parents who are allowed to become more involved in their children's lives will in turn raise children who become more active parents in their children's lives. In other words, the current relationship affects future relationships.
Healthier societies. Fewer children growing up in nuclear families are considered to be in poor health. Research published in The Linacre Quarterly found that 12% of children growing up in a nuclear family are in poor health, compared to 22% of children with only one parent.
Financial stability. According to research published in The Linacre Quarterly, nursing mothers lose up to 50% of their household income and are more likely to receive government assistance. The median income for divorced mothers is only 47% of couple households. Children who live with their mothers are more likely to live in poverty. When a father takes an active role in a child's life, there is likely to be more financial stability.
Better educated citizens. In a study published in the journal Sociological Science, researchers report that parental divorce reduces a child's educational level. This is due to a decrease in family stability, family income, and the child's psychosocial skills. They report that the child's emotional well-being is reduced, harming her educational performance.
Generally better societies. The Parent Resource Center shares studies that show that children who spend more time with their parents are less likely to commit crimes, use government assistance programs, and smoke and use drugs. They are more likely to finish high school and college and become contributing members of society by the time they reach adulthood.
"We live in a time when men are more involved in raising children than ever before," said Jeffrey Steiner, executive director of the Dads' Resource Center. "Unfortunately, far too many capable and willing parents are being denied this opportunity. Their children and our society suffer greatly when this happens."

###

Break these bad habits when using credit

PHOENIX – Credit card use has increased across the country as Americans face higher rates in recent months. As more people turn to credit for everyday purchases, they are more likely to develop bad habits that can negatively affect their finances.
“Credit has become an increasingly necessary tool to participate in today's financial world,” said Amy Maliga, a financial educator at Take Charge America, a nonprofit credit counseling and debt management firm. "That's why it's important for people to use credit responsibly so they don't derail their life and money goals."
Maliga breaks down four bad habits that must be avoided when using credit:
minimum payment. It may be easier, but making the minimum payment on your credit card each month is a habit that will keep you in debt. This also leads to you paying much more interest than is necessary. Instead, try to pay off your balance in full each month to avoid loan costs.
Credit reversal. This is the process of opening multiple credit cards to collect bonuses from new customers, such as miles and cash back. The practice can have potentially devastating effects on your credit score and your ability to get new credit when you really need it. Opening multiple accounts in a row is often seen as a red flag. The more credit cards you have, the greater the risk of not paying. Instead, use one or two of the major cards regularly to build and maintain good credit.
Buy now pay later. No, BNPL is not a credit card in the traditional sense. But these popular services are a form of credit that comes with financial risks, including potential late fees, the temptation to overspend and a lack of consumer protection. Instead of BNPL, only buy items you can afford at checkout.
Cash advance. One of the most expensive credit card transactions, cash advances typically carry the highest interest rates. Plus, with no grace period, interest starts accruing immediately. There is also a fee for each cash advance transaction. If you use credit cards to get cash, stop immediately. Evaluate your spending for ways to free up extra money so you don't have to resort to expensive cash advances.
For people overwhelmed by credit card debt, relief can be found with nonprofit credit counseling. After going through a free credit counseling session online or over the phone, you'll receive a free action plan with tailored solutions to get out of debt.

###

Medal of Honor: Army Major John J. Duffy
Poke KATIE LANGE
Army Major John J. Duffy often operated behind enemy lines during his four tours in Vietnam. During one such deployment, he single-handedly saved a South Vietnamese battalion from annihilation. Fifty years later, the Distinguished Service Cross he received for these actions was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 16, 1938, Duffy enlisted in the Army in March 1955 when he was just 17 years old. By 1963, he earned his commission as an officer and joined the 5th Special Forces Group as an elite Green Beret.
Vietnam War Commemoration
Duffy was deployed to Vietnam four times during his career. in 1967, 1968, 1971 and 1973. It was on his third tour that he won the Medal of Honor.
The fight
In early April 1972, Duffy was a senior adviser to an elite battalion in the South Vietnamese Army. When North Vietnamese forces attempted to capture Charlie Fire Support Base in the country's Central Highlands, Duffy's soldiers took it upon themselves to hold off the battalion-sized unit.
As the offensive neared the end of the second week, the South Vietnamese commander working with Duffy had been killed, the battalion command post had been destroyed, and food, water, and ammunition had run out. Duffy had been wounded twice but refused to be evacuated.
In the early morning hours of April 14, Duffy attempted to establish a landing zone for supply aircraft, but was unsuccessful. As he continued, he managed to get close to the enemy anti-aircraft positions to launch air strikes. The major was wounded a third time by shrapnel, but he again refused to receive medical attention.
Soon after, the North Vietnamese began shelling the base with artillery. Duffy remained in the open so that he could direct the American artillery into the enemy positions to close the attack. When this success led to a lull in the battle, the major assessed the damage to the base and arranged for the wounded South Vietnamese soldiers to be moved to a relatively safe location. He also made sure that the remaining ammunition was distributed to the men who could still defend the base.
Soon after, the enemy resumed their attack. Duffy kept pointing his guns at them. Late in the afternoon, enemy soldiers began to move towards the base from all directions. Duffy had to move from one position to another adjusting the counterattack, locating targets for artillery spotters and even directing artillery towards his own position, which had been compromised.
Not a person was left behind
By night it was clear that Duffy and his men would be overwhelmed. He began to organize a withdrawal and, codenamed Dusty Cyanide, continued to call in rifle support to cover fire and was the last man to leave the base.
Early the next morning, the enemy ambushed the remaining South Vietnamese soldiers as they withdrew, inflicting additional casualties and scattering the healthy men. Duffy set up defensive positions so that his soldiers could drive the enemy back. He then led the remaining men, many of whom were badly wounded, to an evacuation area, even as the enemy continued to pursue them.
Once they reached the evacuation point, Duffy fired again at the enemy, marking a landing zone for the rescue helicopters. Duffy refused to board any of the helicopters until all the other men were on board. According to an account of the evacuation in the San Diego Union Tribune, Duffy, balancing on one knee from the helicopter as it flew away from him, rescued a South Vietnamese paratrooper who began to fall from the helicopter by grabbing him and pulling him back. He then assisted a helicopter door gunner who had been injured during the evacuation.
an improved price
Duffy was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for the actions described above. However, this honor was recently upgraded to the Medal of Honor. With his brother Tom at his side, Duffy, now 84, received the nation's highest award for military valor from President Joseph R. Biden at a White House ceremony on July 5. of 2022.
"It seemed inconceivable that some 40 men without food, water or ammunition were still alive among the swarm of enemy combatants," Army Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Joseph M. Martin said at the ceremony. "It was the numerous heroics of Major Duffy, including calling in blows on his position to give his battalion a chance to withdraw, that made the breakout possible. Major Duffy's Vietnamese brothers... credit him with saving their battalion from utter destruction."
Three other Vietnam veterans received the medal at the same time as Duffy. Army Specialist 5 Dennis M. Fujii, Army Sgt Edward N. Kaneshiro and Army Specialist. 5 Dwight's Bird Well.
From warrior to poet
Duffy retired in May 1977. During his 22 years of service, he received 63 other decorations and awards, including eight Purple Hearts.
The commander moved to Santa Cruz, California after retiring and eventually met and married a woman named Mary. As a politician, he was president of a publishing house before becoming a stockbroker and founding a discount brokerage that was eventually acquired by TD Ameritrade.
Duffy also became a poet, describing some of his wartime experiences in his writing as a way of passing the stories down to future generations. Many of his poems are online. The eldest has written six collections of poetry and was once nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
A poem written by Duffy called "The Forward Air Controller" was inscribed on a memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado, honoring the sacrifices of forward air controllers. According to Duffy's website, she also wrote a requiem that he delivered at the monument's unveiling ceremony. This requiem was later added in bronze to the centerpiece of the monument.
Another former soldier, retired Army Colonel William Reeder Jr., wrote "Extraordinary Valor: The Fight for Charlie Hill in Vietnam," a book detailing Duffy's exploits during the 1972 battle.
According to Duffy's website, he was a founding member of the Special Operations Association and was inducted into the OCS Infantry Hall of Fame in 2013 at Fort Benning, Georgia.

###

_________________________-

Colorful mums for fall gardens and containers
MELINDA MYERS Door

Add a burst of fresh color to the fall landscape with moms. This traditional fall flower is still a favorite with many. These fall beauties come in a wide variety of colors and offer weeks of flower arrangements. Chrysanthemums look lovely in pots, in the garden, and in cut flower bouquets. Autumn would not be the same without them.
When shopping for mums, you may see them labeled garden, perennial, gift or florist mums. All these different names for plants that are essentially similar can be confusing. The answer is in its response to the day, durability and use.
The mothers put flowers according to the time of day. Growers can force them to flower by covering them to create shorter days to trigger flowering. Those grown as gift and festive plants are often referred to as florists. These generally require longer periods of continuous darkness or shorter days. When these mother plants are grown in natural light, they typically do not flower until late fall or early winter. These late bloomers are usually killed by cold temperatures before or shortly after the blooms appear in cooler parts of the country.
Nurseries that sell mums in full bloom in the fall often refer to them as garden mums. These can be perennials or "flower seller" mums forced into bloom for fall displays. The intention is to use them as annual plants. Place a planter on the stairs, place a plant in an empty spot in the garden, or combine them with other fall favorites.
Even if these garden mums are hardy and suitable for their growing conditions, they may not survive the winter. Since all the energy from flowering mums planted in the fall goes into the flowers, there is little left to build a robust and long-lasting root system. If you managed to spend the winter with your garden mom, you can brag. Don't worry if your plants don't survive or if you don't try. He uses them as fall annuals as intended. This gives rise to new plants in the spring and a chance to try a different mother color the following fall.
Sold as perennials, these mums are hardy and bloom in late summer or early fall, adding weeks of color to the garden. They are often sold with other perennials, labeled as perennials, or promoted as zone hardy. Increase their success by planting them in the spring. This allows the plant to develop a strong root system before it begins to flower in the fall. This increases the ability of the plant to survive the cold winter.
Increase the overwintering success of fall perennial mums with proper care. Make sure the plants get plenty of moisture for the rest of the growing season, and leave them in the garden for the winter. Those in colder climates may want to add winter mulch. Wait for the ground to freeze. Then mulch with no weeds or evergreen branches. Remove mulch in the spring when temperatures approach freezing or when plants begin to grow. Cut dead stems and wait for new growth to appear.
Whatever you call them, add some mums to your fall display. You are sure to enjoy this last burst of color before winter arrives.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,

Ask Rusty: About the "Limited Request for Prenup Only"
Dear Rusty, You wrote an article about a man who was collecting spousal support, but filed it for his own benefit at age 70 under an earlier law. What are the circumstances surrounding this gentleman's ability to collect spousal support? Why did he rate? And he worked decently into his 70s before applying for his own Social Security? Signed: An Inquiring Mind
Dear Spirit, The "old law" that the author only received spousal benefits from his wife is no longer available to those born after January 1, 1954, which means it is largely unavailable to those who are in Social Security today. This is how the "old law" worked:
It used to be possible for someone who had reached the full retirement age (FRA) of 66, who had not yet filed for their own Social Security, and whose spouse was already collecting SS retirement benefits, to file a "restricted claim." collect only the woman's benefits. This allowed a higher-income spouse (only) to claim a spousal benefit without claiming their own SS pension benefit, allowing the latter to continue to grow in value. This resulted in the higher-earning spouse receiving half of their spouse's FRA benefit, while maximizing her personal benefit later in life (usually at age 70).
This was the case for the gentleman in the article you refer to: his wife had previously applied for her own SS pension benefit and the husband had only made a limited application for spousal benefits. The man received a spousal benefit from his wife while his own SS pension benefit continued to grow. Now, when he turned 70, he was ready to use his maximum personal SS pension. His employment status was irrelevant because he had already reached full retirement age when he filed the limited claim, but by deferring his own claim for SS benefits, he earned Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs). The People's Republic of China has made his personal allowance at age 70 32% higher than the allowance he would have had if he had applied for it at age 66.
This strategy was not documented as a specific option under the old Social Security law. Rather, it was a "loophole" that many took advantage of because the then Social Security law did not prevent it. In other words, the Social Security Act, as written years ago, allowed anyone who had reached full retirement age to file a limited claim for spousal benefits without filing for her own benefit. This (along with another option known as "filing and staying") was deemed null and void and removed by the "presumptive filing" provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2015. BBA specified that those who apply after 2015 turned 62 (born after January 1, 1954), when they applied for benefits, they were expected to automatically apply for all Social Security retirement and marriage benefits available to them at that time. moment. And that effectively removed the "limited claim for spouse-only benefits" option for anyone born after January 1, 1954. The author was born in 1952, making him eligible to take advantage of the loophole. Today, only those born before January 2, 1954, who do not yet have Social Security, but have a spouse who does, are eligible.

###

Medal of Honor: Major Douglas Jacobson of the Marine Corps
Poke KATIE LANGE
Major Douglas Thomas Jacobson of the Marine Corps was one of more than two dozen men whose bravery earned him the Medal of Honor on Iwo Jima. The five-week battle on the small Pacific island was the bloodiest Marine battle of World War II, and Jacobson was instrumental in winning a critical part of that battle.
Jacobson was born on November 25, 1925 in Rochester, New York, but moved to Port Washington, Long Island with his parents when he was a baby. He was an only child.
Jacobson attended high school, but dropped out before graduation to work as a cartoonist for his father, Hans, who was a carpenter. He also worked as a lifeguard.
In 1942, World War II was raging, and he wanted to serve. Jacobson enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in January 1943 at the age of 17.
In December 1943, Jacobson was an active duty Private First Class who had transferred to the Pacific war zone as part of 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. Marine. He spent the next year fighting campaigns in the Marshall and Mariana Islands. But the biggest battle of his life, and that of many Marines, was yet to come.
On February 19, Jacobson and 70,000 other Marines landed on tiny Iwo Jima, an eight-square-mile island of volcanic ash. Iwo Jima was vital to the Allies because its airfields were essential for American bombers to stay within range of mainland Japan. Once the fighting started, it didn't stop for over a month.
On 26 February 1945, Jacobson's I Company was called upon to attack the Japanese defenses on Hill 382, ​​the highest point north of Mount Suribachi used for anti-tank and field artillery emplacements. According to the Medal of Honor entry, it was the heart of Japan's defense abroad.
When the company's anti-tank gunner was killed, Jacobson seized the man's bazooka and destroyed an enemy 20mm anti-aircraft gun and its crew. The bazooka was a weapon intended for two-man use, but Jacobson only managed to use it with deadly accuracy when his platoon was pinned down by heavy enemy fire. He destroyed two enemy machine gun emplacements, neutralized a large observation fort known as a bunker, then took out a bunker's five-man crew before blowing up the bunker.
Jacobson continued up the hill and swept up a concealed rifle emplacement. Noticing that there was a group of similar positions near him that formed the perimeter of the enemy defenses, he continued anyway. He was able to knock out all six of the enemy's six guns and 10 fighters, allowing the Allies to capture the position.
However, Jacobson was not done yet. He was determined to extend the Allied advance on the Japanese defenses, so he volunteered to help a neighboring assault company. He neutralized a pillbox that the company had immobilized and then opened fire on an enemy tank firing on an allied tank. Jacobson then broke through the enemy tank turret and single-handedly subdued another block.
Through his intrepid actions, Jacobson destroyed 16 enemy positions and eliminated approximately 75 enemy combatants. Hill 382 was finally captured by the Allies after four days and Jacobson's efforts contributed substantially to that victory.
The Battle of Iwo Jima did not end until May 26, 1945, and was the bloodiest in Marine Corps history. In addition to Jacobson, 26 other Marines and sailors earned the nation's highest honor for stock value.
After Iwo Jima, Jacobson was promoted to corporal. When the war ended a few months later, he returned to the US and was assigned to Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
He received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman on October 5, 1945, in a White House ceremony. Thirteen other men received the award that day, including fellow Marine Cpl. Hershel Williams and Lt. Col. Gregory Boyington.
Jacobson was discharged from the Marine Corps in December 1945, but re-enlisted in April. Discharged again in 1949, he spent a few years as a civilian before re-enlisting in 1953. At this time, he attended Officer Candidate School to earn his commission, which he received in March 1954.
Jacobson was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California before being posted to Japan, where he commanded a company of the 9th Marines. There he met his wife, Joan. According to a 2000 Newsday article from Melville, New York, she worked as a teacher for the Department of Defense in Okinawa. They married in 1962 and had three daughters.
When the couple returned to the United States, Jacobson spent several years at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. He returned to Okinawa for a period before retiring from LeJeune in 1967 as a major. Before doing so, however, he reached another milestone: earning the high school diploma that he never achieved as a teenager.
Jacobson lived in New Jersey and sold real estate for many years before moving to Florida with his family in 1987. His wife said he rarely talked about the war unless someone asked him about it. In those later years, however, he spoke on behalf of schools and veterans' groups and remained active in the veterans' community.
Jacobson died on August 20, 2000 at a hospital in Port Charlotte, Florida, not far from his North Port home. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans Nursing Home in Port Charlotte is named in his honor.

###

###

Do you want to invest in real estate? 3 options you may not have thought of

puerta clint koons

If you've been thinking about investing in real estate, you're in good company.
A significant percentage of home sales in the first half of this year came from investors, not people planning to move into a home. Investors accounted for 20.1 percent of homes purchased in the first quarter of the year and remained strong in the second quarter at 19.4 percent, according to a report by real estate brokerage Redfin.
By comparison, in the days before the 2019 pandemic, investor share of quarterly home sales hovered around 15%.
It is clear that many people consider that investing in real estate is profitable. But here is something worth knowing. While buying a single-family home or multi-family complex as an investment and controlling the rent money is certainly a viable option, there are other ways to invest in real estate, some of which may not immediately come to mind. average investor.
Let's see three:
Airbnb. One reason to consider running an Airbnb is the tax benefits it offers. With traditional rental properties, such as single-family homes, you can't take losses on your property and offset them with the income you generate from your W-2 job. Something called passive loss rules prevents this. However, an Airbnb is different because the people who rent a space from you are not staying for a longer period of time, such as a six-month or year-long lease. Typically, an Airbnb stay is seven days or less, which means Airbnb is considered an active business. Without getting into all the legalities here, it means you can probably deduct your depreciation damage and the initial cost of furnishing and outfitting these spaces. This can provide significant tax deductions and savings.
hack at home This is a case of owning your home and also renting it out. With home hacking, you buy a multi-unit home (apartments or single rooms) and live on the property while letting the tenants pay most or all of your expenses. The rent you collect from tenants pays your mortgage. And while you're paying off the mortgage, you can of course borrow the equity to buy another home. Home hacking is an especially fun strategy for newer investors who are making their first foray into real estate and don't have the cash to buy investment properties.
Investment in a caravan. One of the main differences between investing in a mobile home and investing in a traditional home is that with mobile homes, the land and the house do not necessarily go together. Some mobile home investors own the land and not the trailers. Renters bring their own and rent the pads. In other cases, like my RV, we own both the rigs and trailers and rent them out to lessees. But for business reasons, we split them. The pads are in a joint stock company, which also owns the land. We put the trailers in another LLC. We then rent both to an operating company, which organizes the tenants. The reason we do this is, of course, that we want to separate the land from the trailers and the lessee. If something happens, we have minimized our overall risk exposure.
Each of these options could be a great investment for you, but each has its own legal questions, such as how best to structure your business and what is and is not tax deductible. Before you start, and possibly make mistakes you'll probably regret, get the help of an attorney who's experienced in the ins and outs of real estate investing.
So dive in. Real estate investments can be profitable for those who understand how to best manage and profit from them.

###

5 Proven Positive Tips for a Healthier Lifestyle

TUSTIN, Calif. – The American Psychological Association reports that more than 57% of respondents want to lose weight and 50% say they want to live a healthier life. However, they feel they lack the willpower to do so, as only 1 in 5 achieve these goals. The good news is that more people can lead healthier lifestyles if they have the right ideas to help them do it.
"It's more than willpower that it takes to help people lead healthier lifestyles," says Dr. TJ Tsay, Ageless MD's medical director. “People need to know what to do to achieve their goals. People have more willpower than they think when they have a clear plan of what to do."
Dr. Tsay has not only helped many people achieve their healthy lifestyle goals, but he also stands out among those who see him. Although he is fifty years old, it seems that he is in his late thirties. She has made a healthy lifestyle a priority and loves sharing tips that can help others do the same.
Here are 5 proven positive tips for a healthier lifestyle (just in time for Self-Improvement Month):
Revelation. There has to be a revealing moment that leads to change. When you realize that you need a balanced lifestyle, things start to move in the right direction. There has to be a defining moment in someone's life for you to want to create change. Whether it's a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled diabetes, or a heart attack in the ER. This decisive moment is where it all begins.
Control the mind. Mental barriers need to be overcome to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Identify what things are holding you back mentally and then work on them. Each of these obstacles can be removed if you work to identify them and change your mindset.
Set small goals. Four wins to go. You don't have to reach a big goal to celebrate on the road. As you head in the right direction, celebrate the milestones you've reached. Each one of them takes you where you want to be.
Year. The more you adhere to it, the healthy lifestyle becomes part of who you are. Once you do it enough, it doesn't feel like a lot of work. It will become second nature and it will be the way you normally do things. You are working on a new, healthier daily lifestyle.
Get support. Find a community or role model that motivates you and holds you accountable. Those with support are generally more successful. Whether you join a support group, work with a personal trainer, or hang out with friends who want to make changes, you'll find that it helps you move in the right direction and strengthens your willpower. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that when you exercise with a partner, you'll feel more motivated, adventurous, and more consistent.
"If you don't have your health, you are limited in what you can achieve." added Dr. Chai. "It's never too late to change your life and get yourself on a healthier path."
Dr. Tsay is committed to a healthy lifestyle. She was motivated to do this to have more energy to spend more time with her children, which was her turning point. When she was diagnosed with a sleep disorder, she motivated him to lose weight, losing 35 pounds. Some of the things that have helped him get healthier over the years include testosterone replacement therapy, eating healthy, limiting alcohol and sugar, and exercising 5-6 days a week. He also loads up on daily antioxidants like vitamin C (vitamin C tablets and oral serum) and wears sunscreen SPF 50 or higher and sunglasses outdoors so squinting won't cause wrinkles.
Based in Tustin, California, Ageless MD practices a full range of advanced and advanced cosmetic procedures. They serve Orange County and the surrounding area. They specialize in non-invasive facial and skin rejuvenation, including the treatment of wrinkles, acne, and atrophy. They offer non-surgical face lift, non-surgical nose lift, eyelid lift, non-surgical buttock lift, and more. The office has laser and energy devices to tighten loose skin, reduce pigmentation, treat brown spots, etc. In addition, they offer injectables, dermal fillers, double chin treatment, body treatments, and special procedures for men, including penis enlargement and erection treatments. dysfunction and hair loss. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit the website at: https://www.ageless-md.com

_________________________

home visits

With Dr. Bala Simon Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine for Medical Sciences

Q. What causes round hair loss and how is it treated?
A. About 2% of the population will have round, well-defined bald patches known as alopecia areata at some point in their lives. It's not clear exactly how or why alopecia areata develops. Boys who develop this condition before puberty are more likely to have more widespread and persistent hair loss.
Alopecia can also cover the entire scalp (alopecia totalis) or spread throughout the body (alopecia universalis).
Researchers believe that alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the roots of hair follicles deep within the skin, causing them to swell, even though there is no redness and little to no pain. Unlike other autoimmune diseases, hair follicles are not completely destroyed and can regrow as inflammation subsides. However, the longer the hair grows, the more difficult it is to restore it.
Treatments include corticosteroid creams applied to bald patches, which are only successful in the mildest cases, injecting corticosteroid solutions into bald patches, and taking corticosteroid pills. See your doctor if you are concerned and to see what options are available to you.

Q. What are some of the benefits of sex?
A. In studies of couples in committed relationships, scientists have found that having sex once a week makes both partners happier. The hormone oxytocin, released during sexual intercourse, generates feelings of affection, closeness, and intimacy, allowing couples to bond and develop a strong, stable relationship.
Adults in committed relationships who have more sex are less likely to be depressed or take medication for mental health problems. The release of a burst of oxytocin and endorphins in both men and women triggered by orgasm relieves pain, including migraines, reduces anxiety, and relaxes you, which can help you fall asleep more easily.
Sex can be just as good for you as moderate exercise, raising your heart rate as fast as a slow bike ride or brisk walk. Women who have sex twice a week are less likely to develop heart disease than women who have sex once a month.
People who had sex twice a week had more cold antibodies than those who had sex less often, and couples who are sexually active in midlife are more likely to continue doing so as they age. what is related to health. and luck

Q. What are some signs that your body is aging faster than it should?
A. If your walking pace slows by the time you're 40, it could mean you're aging faster than normal. Walking is one of the best and easiest forms of exercise. Start with five minutes a day and work up to 30 minutes, aiming for a maximum of 100 steps per minute.
People over the age of 50 may notice brown sun spots on their faces, arms, and hands. Most are harmless, but see your doctor if they change shape, bleed, have a rough outline, or are black.
Other signs of aging include dry skin, bruising more easily, difficulty climbing stairs, a larger waistline (more than 35 inches for women and more than 40 for men) because body fat tends to shift to the abdomen. Grip strength usually begins to decline at age 50. For women, irregular periods usually start in their late 30s or early 40s. Women whose periods suddenly become very different or painful, especially in their 30s, should see their doctor.
Eye problems, including difficulty seeing things up close, cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, also occur after age 40.

Q. Who is at risk of getting shingles?
A. About a third of all Americans will develop shingles, which is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Chickenpox causes hundreds of itchy blisters and lasts from five days to a week, while shingles causes painful rashes, blisters, and nerve pain and can last for about a month. After you've had chickenpox, the virus remains inactive and can then cause shingles, which is more common in people older than 50.
Shingles can also affect the eyes, which could lead to glaucoma, scarring, or blindness. Although rare, shingles can also cause swelling of the brain, partial facial paralysis, or hearing loss.
An antiviral medication may be given to reduce pain and possibly clear up shingles faster if taken within three days of the rash onset.
Two doses of Shingrix vaccine two to six months apart can reduce the chance of getting shingles by more than 90%. The Centers for Disease Control recommends the vaccine for healthy adults age 50 and older and immunocompromised adults age 19 and older. The exceptions are people who have shingles, are pregnant, or have a test that shows they are immune.

###

Eremedaille: naval engineer Charles Willey

Poke KATIE LANGE

Naval engineer Charles H. Willey never expected to save the lives of his colleagues on a peaceful mission, but that's exactly what he did during an unexpected tsunami that occurred when his ship docked in the Dominican Republic in 1916, but he was also awarded the Medal honorary.
Willey was born on March 31, 1889 in Boston. Not much is known about his life until August 1908 when he enlisted in the Navy. Six years later, on December 28, 1914, according to congressional records, he was commissioned an engineering noncommissioned officer. That same year he married a woman named Grace.
In August 1916, Willey served on the armored cruiser USS Memphis, which had been renamed USS Tennessee earlier that year. The ship was in the Caribbean and was sent to Santo Domingo, the present-day Dominican Republic, in late July on a peace patrol off the coast of the insurgent-ravaged republic.
a horrible incident
The area was known for its dangerous weather, so the crew was prepared to move into deeper water if there were any weather threats. But on August 29, bad weather came without warning.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. m., the ship's commander thought the swell appeared to be increasing, according to a report from the Navy lieutenant. Thomas Withers Jr., who was on board at the time. So the sailors in the engine room, including Willey, prepared the ship's boilers and engines for starting. But before the ship could go further out to sea, it was reported that waves reaching up to 80 feet (23 meters), unaccompanied by the wind, began to batter the ship without warning.
"The golf followed the wave at intervals of about 30 or 40 seconds," Withers said in a record. "These waves were so big and their faces got so steep that they just rolled over the ship."
The ship slid onto the beach and everyone below deck was trapped in a precarious position. Boilers and steam pipes in the engine room were opened. Willey was burned by the steam when thousands of tons of water fell on him. However, he remained in the nearly dark room while the engines ran. He only left his post on orders.
When the kettles exploded, Willey and two other men broke into the rooms where the kettles were kept. Despite their injuries, they managed to drag the men trapped there and into rooms where air was breathed.
Throughout the night, lifeboats were lined up from Memphis to shore to bring many of the men to safety. However, 43 men were killed in the incident and many others were seriously injured, including Willey.
A 1932 Boston Globe article reported that Willey lay unconscious in a Washington, D.C. hospital for nearly three months after the tragedy. It took him 18 months to fully recover, the Globe reported.
Willey hoped to return to the seas, but that was not in the cards. According to a congressional report, he was medically discharged on July 30, 1917. Until then, he lived in East Concord, New Hampshire. He and his wife, Grace, had three children: Richard, Doris, and Walter.
The sinking of a ship, the honor of a sailor
After the incident, the USS Memphis appeared to have sustained no damage above the waterline, but below decks it was a different story. Her hull was crushed by rocks and coral, and her lower decks were flooded, causing the ship to run aground in shallow water. She there she remained wrecked until 1937, when she arranged for a shipbreaking yard to salvage her.
A subsequent investigation revealed that a tropical disturbance had moved south of the area the night before the incident, but there was no evidence of bad weather other than the strong surf that caused the tragedy.
Sixteen years later, Willey was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery that day. The medal was presented to him on August 19, 1932 by Vice Admiral Clarence S. Kempff at the Navy Yard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Two of his classmates also received credit. then-Lieutenant Claud A. Jones and his partner, Chief Engineer George William Rud, who died in the incident. The three men were among the last to receive the Peacetime Action Medal.
At the time of the medals, Willey was working on a Concord-area poultry farm, the Boston Globe reported. He also did some engineering and technical writing for magazines.
Willey died on September 11, 1977 in Manchester, New Hampshire. He was buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Concord.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,

Ask Rusty - Younger Widow Ass About Collecting Survivor Benefits

Dear Rusty, My husband passed away several years ago in 2019. I understand that I am required to receive a portion of his Social Security benefits. However, when I called to let Social Security know what happened, they told me not to touch his final check because they would take it away. I was 8 years younger than my husband so I'm only 58. I always earned more than him too. How do I know if there is a remnant that I have yet to receive? Signed: widow
Dear Widow, The reason you were told to "don't touch" your husband's last paycheck is because benefits are not paid for the month someone dies. Social Security pays benefits the month after the month they are earned, so someone who dies before the end of the month is not entitled to benefits for that month. In fact, Social Security recovers this payment. As a surviving dependent, you are not entitled to these benefits because they were granted to your deceased spouse and are withdrawn because he or she did not live the full month.
As for the benefits you are entitled to as a survivor of your spouse, you cannot receive a monthly survivor benefit until you are at least age 60 (unless you are disabled, in which case you can collect it starting at age 50). . Sixty is the earliest age to start receiving survivor benefits, but claiming at age 60 reduces your survivor benefit by 28.5% of what it would have been at your full retirement age (FRA) of 67. Survivor benefits will reach their maximum limit on their FRA, but any benefits previously earned will be reduced by 0.396% per month before, up to a maximum discount of 28.5%. However, she is entitled to a one-time death benefit of $255, for which she can contact Social Security at 1.800.772.1213 (or your local SS office).
You should also be aware that receiving a monthly SS benefit before reaching your full retirement age of 67 will put you on Social Security's "earnings test," which limits how much you can earn before some (or all) of your ) of your money runs out. be repaid penalties The income limit changes annually, but for 2022 the limit is $19,560, and if it is exceeded, SS will receive a distribution equal to $1 for every $2 over the limit (they "catch up" by withholding future distributions or require you to come back once). lump sum). If you work full time and earn significantly more than the annual earnings limit, it is generally not advisable (and may not even be possible) to claim your monthly survivor benefit before you reach full retirement age.
From what you have shared, it appears that you are not currently entitled to any Social Security survivor benefits other than the $255 lump sum death benefit. Employment status and income level may limit or prevent your ability to receive monthly survivor benefits at that time. However, once you reach your FRA, the income test no longer applies and you can apply for any benefits available to you. If the means test ends in your FRA, you can also choose to take the smaller survivor benefit first and increase your SS personal pension benefit, up to age 70, if you wish.

###

###

_________________________________

Superbugs get stronger. Our defenses are weakened.
Puerta David Thomas y Emily Wheeler

Drug-resistant infections are a growing threat to public health. We are not ready to comply.
This is because the pipeline of new antibiotics to combat superbugs has shrunk. Superbugs are strains of bacteria and fungi that have developed resistance to the drugs used to kill them. Antimicrobials are critical tools in our fight against these pathogens.
The problem is that we are not developing enough of them and many of the drugs that we have are no longer effective. It is imperative that we act now to strengthen our defenses against these serious and life-threatening infections.
There are only 64 antibacterial treatments in clinical development. This compares with 1,300 treatments in development for various types of cancer.
The antibacterial channel shrinks. In the last 35 years, only one antibacterial agent with a new way to fight bacteria has been approved.
Meanwhile, the superbugs keep going strong. New research estimates they claimed 1.27 million lives in 2019, more than double the estimated number of annual deaths just five years earlier.
Why is the development of new antibacterials declining while new pathogens are increasing?
The problem is not the lack of success in developing new treatments. In the past decade, antibacterial drugs in clinical trials were twice as likely to make it from early human testing to FDA approval than drugs for all other diseases.
Rather, the problem is the misalignment of the antimicrobial market.
Consider the experience of biotech company Achaogen, which received FDA approval in 2018 for its new antibiotic plazomicin after 15 years of development.
While important to the general armamentarium, new antimicrobials are used sparingly to prevent pathogens from developing resistance to our most potent drugs. As a result, doctors are stocking up on new antibiotics and using them wisely to stay effective. That means companies like Achaogen don't sell large quantities of the drugs they develop, or recoup the capital they've invested in research and development.
Achaogen filed for bankruptcy in 2019. In the three years since, several other small biotech companies have met the same fate.
Market conditions are so grim that most major biopharmaceutical companies have withdrawn from the industry entirely. This momentum is causing investors to exit the antimicrobial sector as well.
If nothing changes, 10 million people worldwide could die annually from drug-resistant infections by 2050, with cancer being the leading cause of death.
Government intervention and incentives can help change the game for private companies to develop these drugs.
One solution is the bipartisan, bipartisan Pioneering Antimicrobials to End Emerging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act, which would change the current dose-based payment model for some antimicrobials. Under PASTEUR, the government would offer developers of much-needed antimicrobials between $750 billion and $3 billion up front in exchange for access to their drugs once they hit the market. This approach provides developers with the predictable ROI needed to drive much-needed antimicrobial innovation.
Another bill being discussed is the Antimicrobial Resistant Microorganisms Innovative Strategies Development Act (DISARM). The legislation would increase Medicare reimbursement for certain antimicrobials so that patients can access the best new antibiotics for their individual needs.
Superbugs are here to stay. We have political solutions on the table that can help you avoid losing more and more lives. It is time to act.
David Thomas, MS, is vice president of industry research at the Biotechnology Innovation Agency. Emily Wheeler is Director of Infectious Disease Policy at the Agency for Biotechnology Innovation. A version of this article was originally published on MedPage Today.

###

###

Medal of Honor: Sergeant Edward Kaneshiro of the Army General Staff
Poke KATIE LANGE
Then the squadron chief of the army staff. Edward Noboru Kaneshiro heard that his companions were in trouble in Vietnam, he did not hesitate to face the enemy alone. His bravery and courage saved his comrades and led to the success of the mission. More than five decades after this achievement, the award Kaneshiro originally won was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
Kaneshiro was born on July 22, 1928 in Honolulu, Hawaii, the son of Japanese immigrants. He was the eighth of 16 children, nine boys and seven girls, and grew up working on his family's farm. He graduated from Leilehua High School in June 1946 and worked for various civilian employers before enlisting in the military on April 2, 1959, four months before Hawaii became a state.
The 30-year-old was originally stationed on Oahu with the 25th Infantry Division and went on non-combat tours in Japan and South Korea. At some point, Kaneshiro married his girlfriend, Mitsuko, and they had five children.
Kaneshiro was eventually transferred to the 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. In July 1966 he was sent to Vietnam.
fearless courage
Kaneshiro was approximately four months into his deployment when he found himself as a squad leader taking part in a search and destroy mission along the central coast of Vietnam. They attempted to remove North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters from the Kim Son Valley.
Spotlight: Vietnam War Commemoration
On the morning of December 1, 1966, his platoon entered a town. Two of the platoon's platoons fanned out in the center, while Kaneshiro's platoon discovered more open ground to the east of the village. No one in the platoon knew that the village was heavily fortified with a bunker and hidden trench system housing a massive force of enemy fighters.
These fighters eventually emerged from the trenches and fired heavy machine guns and small arms at the US soldiers in the center of the village. The attack killed the platoon leader and its leader, injured four others, and immobilized the remaining soldiers.
Kaneshiro and his team heard the attack and walked towards the sound of gunfire. The first sergeant saw that if one was to survive, the trench fire had to stop. He ordered his men to take cover, then crept forward to attack the enemy alone, armed with only six grenades and his M-16 rifle.
As he lay on the ground, Kaneshiro threw his first grenade from the trench wall into an opening in the pillbox, knocking out the machine gun firing at the pinned Americans. He then he jumped into the ditch and got to work. At about 35 feet, Kaneshiro shot down an enemy unit with his rifle and two more with his remaining grenades. Towards the end of their range, the pinned down Americans still in combat form were able to get up and move their dead and wounded.
Kaneshiro's incredible bravery allowed the platoons to get to safety and regroup as one platoon, resulting in many lives being saved and a successful withdrawal from the village.
Kaneshiro survived the ordeal, but unfortunately he did not survive the war. According to an article in the Honolulu Advertiser, he was shot and killed on March 6, 1967 when he was trying to help a comrade wounded during an ambush. He was 38 years old.
Before his death, Kaneshiro had been awarded the Silver Star for his actions in Kim Son Valley. According to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, he was eligible for the Medal of Honor at the time. Instead, his Silver Star was upgraded in October 1967 to the Army's second highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross.
A long awaited prize
In recent years, the US military has been reviewing past member awards to see if one needs to be improved, particularly for minorities who may have been overlooked due to prejudice and bigotry. In December 2021, the National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress waived the time limit requiring Medals of Honor to be awarded within five years of combat.
That legislation paved the way for something Kaneshiro's sons had been calling for since the 1990s: upgrading their father's Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor. They finally got the upgrade approval call back in June.
“My whole body was shaking,” Kaneshiro's eldest daughter, Naomi Viloria, told the Stars and Stripes newspaper of the call from President Joseph R. Biden. "Sometimes I try to imagine what he went through, like, could he do this? It's very encouraging that he just wasn't afraid. Or maybe he was afraid, but he did it anyway. That takes a lot of courage because he was so humble, I think he was just serving his country."
Sadly, Kaneshiro's wife, Mitsuko, died a few weeks before the news broke.
On July 5, 2022, Biden posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Kaneshiro. He was picked up by his youngest son, John, who was 4 months old when his father was sent to Vietnam. John Kaneshiro followed in his father's footsteps and enlisted in the army. he achieved the rank of sergeant before retiring.
"I'm so proud to receive the Medal of Honor on behalf of my family and just say, 'Yes, Dad, this is for you,'" John Kaneshiro said.
For decades, Kaneshiro has been remembered by the entire military community. A housing complex in Fort Detrick, Maryland, was named in Kaneshiro's honor in 1998. In 2009, he too was inducted into the Gallery of Heroes at the Fort DeRussy Army Museum in Honolulu.
Kaneshiro is buried at the Pacific National Monument in Honolulu. His wife was buried next to him a few weeks after the Medal of Honor ceremony.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty - Military Wife Turning 65 Looking for Medicare Information

Dear Rusty, My husband is 63 years old and I will be 65 in a few months. He is retired from the Air Force, so we currently have Tricare Select. As I understand it, all I have to do is sign up for Medicare Part B, which I think I can do now. Can I do this online or do I have to register somewhere? And how do I find the costs? We are currently enrolled and paying FEDVIP for our dentistry and vision. Is vision covered by Medicare? All our adult lives we have been using Air Force bases and now we have to pay attention and we don't know where to start. Any guidance is appreciated. Signed: Retired Military Wife
Dear Military Wife: First, I would like to thank your husband for his military service. I am happy to help you with his questions.
With few exceptions (mainly those in active duty and military reservists), TriCare requires that you enroll in Medicare Part B as soon as you are eligible (age 65) to maintain Tricare coverage. If you already collect Social Security, you'll be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B at age 65 and won't need to enroll separately. Otherwise, enrollment can be easily done online at this link: www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/. Here you will see an explanation of how Medicare works and you can scroll down to the "Apply for Medicare Only" tab to start your application. You must first set up your personal "my social security" online account to apply for Medicare online, which is easy to do at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. You must enroll in Medicare during your initial enrollment period (IEP), which begins 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after the month you turn 65. So if you're within 3 months of turning 65, you can sign up for Medicare now and your coverage will start the month you turn 65. Your Medicare coverage begins on the first day of the month in which you turn 65. 65, even if your birthday is later in the month. If you have trouble signing up for Medicare online, you can call Social Security at 1.800.772.1213 to sign up for Medicare.
It is important to understand the different "parts" of Medicare. Medicare Part A is coverage for hospital care and is free to anyone who also qualifies for Social Security (you don't have to collect SS, you just qualify). Medicare Part B is coverage for outpatient medical services (eg, doctors, tests, etc.) and there is a monthly premium associated with Part B. The Part B premium for 2022 is $170.10 per month and unless you have Social Security. when you enroll in Medicare to pay those premiums separately, usually quarterly. If you already collect Social Security, your Medicare Part B premium will be deducted from your monthly SS payment. When your Medicare coverage begins, Medicare becomes the primary payer for your health care costs and TriCare becomes the secondary payer.
Medicare Part C is an "Advantage" plan that is obtained through a private insurer and is used in place of Part A and Part B. Medicare also has Part D for prescription drug coverage, which you probably won't you will need because TriCare probably has all the medications you need. I might need.
Medicare Part B does not cover routine dental services and covers only very limited vision services (glaucoma screening, diabetic retinopathy screening, and macular degeneration screening and treatment), but eye exams routine vision, contact lenses, glasses and frames, etc. they are not covered. TriCare vision coverage is also very limited, so if your current FEDVIP is not enough for your needs, you may want to explore your private vision and dental coverage options.
_________________________________

###

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: Can My Wife Claim Spousal Support First?
Dear Rusty: I have received Social Security since I was 66 years old. My wife turned 62 in June. We are considering taking her spousal benefits from her on my file as they would be higher than hers (we checked online). We've started to fill out the application, but we can't figure out how to let them know that we want her to receive spousal support and not theirs. How do we do that? Signed: Attempt to submit a request
Best Effort: You do not see this option because your wife does not have the option of collecting only spousal support from you without also claiming yours. This option was removed by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 for anyone born after January 1, 1954. So if your spouse is now applying for SS benefits, they are automatically considered to be applying for their own benefits as well (from your employment record). as well as the benefit of your husband from you. You cannot delay getting your own benefits by making a claim. Your wife's benefit will consist of your own benefit plus, if you are entitled to it, a 'husband's benefit' to bring your payment up to the level of your spousal entitlement and, applied for at age 62, both your own benefit if your partner alimony is reduced. But there are a few other factors to consider:
• If your spouse is still working, he or she will be subject to the Social Security “means test” until he or she reaches full retirement age (FRA) of 67. The income test limits how much money your wife can earn working, and if the limit exceeds $19,560 by 2022, SS will deduct benefits equal to $1 for every $2 over the limit. If her current earnings from work are high enough, they could even disqualify her from receiving early SS benefits. The income cap will last until your partner reaches full retirement age.
• Your spouse cannot collect your full benefit, 100% of your own benefit, or 50% of your FRA benefit, unless you wait until your full retirement age (67) to claim. But if he were to claim spousal support from the FRA, he will have to consider whether his own SS benefit will be at most higher than spousal support. Your wife's maximum spousal benefit (at age 67) is 50% of your FRA benefit, but if you delay applying for your SS pension benefit, your own SS pension benefit will continue to increase (at 8 % per year) until age 70. Her wife's personal benefit at age 70 will be greater than her partner's benefit than you, she may consider forgoing her partner's pension and wait until age 70 to claim her own personal benefit plus high of her The question is what she will benefit most from her for the rest of her life, where her life expectancy plays a role. In general, if your partner is in good health and has at least an average life expectancy (around 87 for a woman your current age), it is prudent to wait until the highest benefit available (that is, the benefit of your partner) husband) is reached. choice.
• Your spouse's widow's allowance may also be taken into account. If your survivor benefit is higher than any other benefits you are entitled to, it may be smart to apply for your other benefits earlier. For example, if your widow's benefit (100% of your death benefit if claimed on or after your FRA) will exceed your maximum spousal benefit or your maximum personal benefit, it may be a better option to have your pension and spousal benefits . earlier. How much sooner depends on whether you work and if you exceed the income limit before age 67.
As you can see, there are several factors your wife should consider before claiming her Social Security benefits, but you can't just claim your spousal benefits at age 62 and increase your own benefits.

###

Are you ready to take on the challenges of life?

4 ways to prepare

When people try to accomplish almost anything—start a business, start a new career, plan a trip—hurdles get in the way.

How well they respond depends not only on whether they're prepared for the unexpected, but also whether they've made the right preparations to weather it, says Dr. Akintoye Akindele, author of the Forbes books featuring Olakunle Soriyan of A Love Affair with Failure. : When hitting rock bottom becomes a keyboard for success.

“People often confuse preparation with preparation, but they are completely different things,” Akindele says. "The preparation takes place in a controlled environment, while the preparation takes place in the 'real world', where events do not respect your expectations and are not dictated by your preferences or prejudices."

In other words, he says, readiness depends on factors that are under your control. This may include taking advantage of strengths, eliminating weaknesses, exploiting opportunities, or eliminating identified threats. Preparation involves dealing with a variety of internal and external factors beyond your direct influence.

“You can be prepared based on seemingly irrefutable plans and assumptions and still be unprepared for what reality will bring,” says Soriyan. "However, you never finish if you don't prepare."

Akindele and Soiryan say there are four overlapping dimensions of readiness that prepare people for real challenges. It is physical preparation, mental preparation, emotional preparation and spiritual preparation.

Here's a breakdown of each:

Physical Health. Regardless of what activities you engage in, recreational or professional, it's important to stay in shape, says Akindele. "You can't afford to gamble with your health," she says. "Your body may not be high on your balance sheet, but it's the most powerful asset you own." That means exercising, eating right, and getting regular checkups. "Fitness also includes how you look," says Akindele. How you come across and the impression you make is more important than we want to admit. Nearly every minute, important personal and professional decisions are made based on appearance."
Mental preparation. Put a lot of effort and time into gaining knowledge, building skills, and improving your resilience and focus, Soriyan says. “By developing our brainpower, we can better anticipate and remove potential roadblocks, understand competition where it exists, design thoughtful backup plans, and strategize,” she says.
emotional preparation. You'll need plenty of positive reinforcement along the way, so it's important to surround yourself with people who believe in you and your journey, says Akindele. “Talk to anyone who is successful and they will tell you how much investment in people and relationships has played a part in their success,” she says. “From advice and help preparing you for the road to holding your hand and helping you overcome obstacles, from standing by you when everyone else has given up on you to helping you get back on track when you feel like giving up, the emotional benefits and the resources help create winners.”
Mental preparation. Spirituality does not necessarily have to do with religion. "Spirituality is about connection," says Soriyan. "Connecting with people, places, experiences, times, and energies is the hallmark of spirituality on all levels." Spirituality is also linked to happiness, and happy people are more likely to achieve their goals than unhappy people, she says. "Investing in activities that make you happy is wise," she says. "Look for what gives you peace. Invest in the family, in charity, in charity, in faith in God, in reading, in travel, in conversation, even in silence."
"To achieve a goal, you must first identify and define that goal," Akindele says. "But preparation is the foundation on which success and achieving your goals are built."

____________________________________

Medal of Honor: Navy Quartermaster John Cooper

Poke KATIE LANGE

Navy Quartermaster John Cooper was not born in the United States, but when he immigrated here at age 17, he chose to serve his adopted country. In doing so, he became one of 19 Medal of Honor recipients to earn the Army's highest decoration twice.
Cooper was born John Laver Mather in Dublin, Ireland on July 24, 1828. Little is known about his life before moving to the United States. surname Cooper.
According to military retirement records, Cooper served in the Mexican-American War before being discharged in 1849. In 1856, he married Mary O'Keeffe. The couple had three sons: John Jr., Edward, and William.
When the Civil War broke out, the 36-year-old Cooper re-enlisted in the Navy and spent the next several years on various ships.
The action for which he earned his first Medal of Honor took place on August 5, 1864, while serving as a gunner on the USS Brooklyn. As the ship and other members of its fleet sailed past Forts Morgan and Gaines toward Mobile Bay, Alabama, they were confronted by rebels from the forts and gunboats, including the Confederate Navy ship CSS Tennessee.
Enemy fire severely damaged the USS Brooklyn and killed several of her men, but Cooper kept his cool and used his weapon with "skill and courage", according to his Medal of Honor citation. Late in the battle, the Union ships managed to anchor outside the cannons of the Confederate forts. The fighting severely damaged the batteries at Fort Morgan and led to the surrender of Tennessee, which was eventually absorbed by the Union Navy and used for the remainder of the war.
The general order awarding Cooper the highest medal for gallantry was announced on December 31, 1864. It is unclear when he received it.
Cooper won his second Medal of Honor on April 26, 1865, just weeks after the end of the Civil War. Still in Mobile, he was stationed on the USS Stockdale and served as Rear Admiral H.K. Thatcher's baton.
According to historical records, ammunition stores exploded in a city warehouse, setting much of the city ablaze. Some of the debris even landed on the Union fleet flagship about three-quarters of a mile away, naval records show. With part of the city on fire, all sorts of help was needed, so several sailors from the fleet were called in to help the firefighters.
Despite the threat of being hit by explosive shells emanating from the warehouse, Cooper moved into the burning city to search for survivors. The quote from him says that he saved an injured man from certain death by carrying him to safety on his back.
Approximately two months later, it was announced that Cooper would earn a second Medal of Honor for this achievement. Only one other sailor has received two Medals of Honor since the Civil War era: Petty Officer Patrick Mullen.
Cooper was discharged from the Navy in October 1866.
It is not clear what Cooper did during his postwar life, but he lived for another 25 years. He died on August 22, 1891 at the age of 63 in a hospital on Staten Island, New York. Cooper was buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn.

###

###

social security problems
by the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: What are my wife's benefits while I'm alive and as my widow?

Dear Rusty, I will be 70 in January and my wife will be 65 in February, so we are both going to Medicare. I am currently working and my estimated Social Security benefit will be approximately $2,900. My wife was a stay-at-home mom and therefore she has very few Social Security benefits on her account. At age 65, she will be eligible to receive $870, and at full retirement age, she will be eligible for $990. A few questions: If she receives benefits at age 65, what would her total spousal benefit be? If she waited until her full retirement age, what would be the amount? What would be even more concerning, what would be your survivor benefit based on the same criteria as stated above. Signature: Programming
Dear Scheduling: Based on the Social Security amounts in your email, your wife is entitled to spousal support as long as you both are alive. Her husband's benefit, when she requests it, will consist of her own Social Security retirement benefit plus an allowance for her husband to bring her payment to her spousal entitlement. Spousal benefits are calculated based on Full Retirement Age (FRA), so if the benefit at age 70 is "about $2,900," then the FRA (66) benefit amount (known as the " primary insurance amount") is approximately $2225. Your wife's basic spousal benefit would be the difference between her FRA amount and 50% of her FRA amount, so her total benefit, if taken at full retirement age, would be approximately $1,112 ($990 plus a spouse $122). But given the age of 65, both her own benefit and her partner's alimony would be reduced. At age 65, her wife's total benefit would be approximately $963 (hers of $870 plus a reduced spousal benefit of approximately $93).
In terms of your widow's survivor benefit, if she reached full retirement age (66 years and 8 months), she would receive the same amount at the time of her death that you received when she died: the $2,900 you receive when you claim at age out of 70 Your widow's survivor benefit replaces the smaller amount your partner received while you were both living. Since her wife already receives spousal support from you, her wife will automatically receive the survivor's benefit at that time if she has met her FRA. If she has not met her FRA when she dies, her spousal support will stop, but she can apply for a reduced survivor benefit sooner. In this case, her Early Survivor Benefit will be actuarially reduced by 0.396% for each month before the FRA is claimed from her. If you died in the month your wife turns 65, your anticipated survivor benefit would be approximately $2,668.
One last thought about Medicare: If you continue to work and have "creditable" health care coverage from your employer, you can defer enrollment in Medicare Part B (coverage for outpatient services), avoiding the Part B premium until you leave to work. If your spouse is under your employer's “trustworthy” health plan, you can also defer enrollment in Medicare Part B until coverage ends (“trustworthy” is a group plan with at least 20 participants). However, enrollment in Medicare Part A (coverage for hospitalization services), for which there is no premium, is required to collect Social Security after age 65.

###

Eight simple tricks to stop motion sickness

Anxious travelers get tips on how to ease the symptoms of motion sickness when traveling this summer.
The vacation rental experts at StressFreeCarRental.com have explored eight simple solutions to prevent vacationers from getting seasick.
Motion sickness is caused by constant movement while traveling and is more common in children and pregnant women.
Simple tips like sitting in the front of the car and rolling down the windows can make a world of difference for anyone experiencing symptoms of headaches and dizziness.
(Getting fresh air can help prevent motion sickness/Image Credit: Pixabay)
A StressFreeCarRental.com spokesperson said: “One of the biggest fears for travelers is getting motion sickness, which can ruin a trip.
"Using simple methods like chewing gum and avoiding scrolling through the phone can help alleviate symptoms like nausea.
"Following this basic advice can make all the difference for passengers and allow them to reach their destination with peace of mind."
Here are eight helpful tips from StressFreeCarRental.com to avoid motion sickness:
download windows
Getting fresh air is vital when a passenger is sick. Breathing fresh air can reduce the symptoms of nausea. When traveling by plane, turn on the air conditioning to reduce feelings of nausea.
Keep hydrated
Water is key to reducing the severity of motion sickness headaches. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid the temptation of a glass of prosecco or fizzy drinks.
pack the gum
Chewing gum can relax your stomach, as the coolness can relax your abdominal muscles and take your mind off pain. Carry mint and ginger flavored gums to help fight the disease.
snack lightly
Avoid heavy and greasy meals during the trip. Choose some lightly salty snacks like seaweed snacks or dry crackers that won't upset your stomach.
play some good songs
Distraction is one of the best ways to help your mind forget the burden of dizziness. Play your favorite songs on the radio at a low volume to focus your mind on something other than feeling bad.
Bring a sick bag
A last resort may be necessary if you can't do anything to stop the disease. Having a sick bag on board can give you the peace of mind that another option is available.
sit in the front
Whether you're renting a family car or taking a road trip with friends, sitting in the front allows you to focus on the road ahead and minimizes the chance of motion sickness.
Stay away from the screen
As tempting as it is, scrolling through social media can worsen headaches from straining your eyes when looking at bright screens. It is best to leave the phone until the end of the trip.

###

Do you want to become self-employed?

This means this before taxes

The idea of ​​being your own boss can be tempting, but being self-employed comes with responsibilities, including tax implications that can be obvious and not so obvious.
"It's easy to make mistakes, so guidance from a professional can make all the difference in how much you pay or stop paying," says Rob Cordasco (www.cordasco.cpa), CPA and author of A Framework for Growth: Smart Marketing Strategies. financial and fiscal planning throughout the business life cycle.
It's also easy to fall behind in paying what you owe because, unlike someone who works for an employer, a self-employed person doesn't collect tax on every paycheck. That means setting aside money to make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS, Cordasco says.
Other tips worth knowing for freelancers, Cordasco says, include:
Be sure to deduct business expenses, but be careful what's allowed. If you used to work for a company, someone else was concerned about what business expenses are deductible. But as a self-employed person, that responsibility is now yours, Cordasco says. One possibility might be a home office deduction if you have a dedicated area of ​​your home that you use for work. In addition, deductions for deliveries and travel expenses are allowed, although Cordasco notes that rules do apply.
It is also possible to deduct 50 percent of the costs of a business meal, but there are rules attached to this as well. For example, you or someone who employs you will need to be physically present at the meal, Cordasco says. You also can't deduct any lunch that occurs during business hours, but you can deduct a meal if you're traveling on business or taking a customer out to dinner. For all business expenses, it's imperative to keep good records so you can support your case if the IRS questions something, Cordasco says. It's also important to make sure you deduct only legitimate business expenses. A hobby that occasionally makes money but isn't run like a business can raise red flags at IRS headquarters, he says.
Plan your retirement. It is common for people who work for companies to have a pension plan to which they can contribute, where money is deducted from their salary and sometimes the employer adds a corresponding amount. A self-employed person does not have this system at his disposal, but he can set up his own pension plan, says Cordasco. One option to do this would be to simply open a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA and make regular contributions. But IRS rules also allow the self-employed to set up a SEP-IRA, allowing for larger annual contributions. SEP stands for Simplified Employee Pension. You can contribute up to 25 percent of your net income from self-employment up to a maximum contribution of $61,000 by 2022. By comparison, annual contributions to traditional and Roth IRAs are generally capped at $6,000.
Be diligent with your records. It's important to keep good records that track your income and expenses in case you're audited by the IRS or a state or local tax agency, Cordasco says. Without good records, you can't provide an accurate accounting of your income, which means that when it comes time to file your tax returns, you could end up in big trouble, he says. As mentioned above with these expenses, you also can't deduct them if you can't document them.
These are just a few of the many problems a freelancer can face, Cordasco says.
"While you may be able to manage your needs yourself, it's a good idea to consult a professional who can advise you on what's allowed and what's not, and some things you may not have thought of," Cordasco says. "Also, tax laws are constantly changing, so you want to make sure you have the most up-to-date information."

###

###

###

____________________

Eremedal: Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Lloyd Hughes
Poke KATIE LANGE
During Army 2nd Lt. Lloyd Herbert Hughes' last mission over the skies over Europe in World War II, he had a choice to make: abort the mission to save himself and his crew, or finish what they had started before. Hughes chose the latter, earning him the Medal of Honor.
Hughes was born on July 12, 1921 in Alexandria, Louisiana, the son of Lloyd Sr. and Mildred Hughes. However, by 1923 his father was out of the picture, so his mother moved them to Texas together. He went to work at the post office, remarried, and had four more children. The family moved around the state a bit, but eventually settled in Corpus Christi.
Hughes, nicknamed Pete, attended Refugio High School, where he captained the football and basketball teams. After graduation, he attended Corpus Christi Junior College, but transferred to Texas A & M College (now Texas A & M University), where he studied petroleum engineering and served in the Corps of Cadets. According to the Texas State Historical Association, he left school in early December 1941 to care for his family, since his stepfather was in poor health.
According to the Corpus Christi Times, Hughes also worked in an oil field in Corpus Christi before enlisting in the Army Air Corps as a flying cadet in January 1942. On November 10, 1942, two days after he married his girlfriend Hazel Dean Ewing, received his pilot's wings.
Hughes earned his commission as a second lieutenant in 1943. He served briefly in some locations in the United States before being posted to North Africa in June 1943 with the 564th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force. He participated in four combat missions in Italy and Romania before the fatal flight that earned him the Medal of Honor.
Spotlight: World War II Commemoration
On August 1, 1943, Hughes was part of Operation Tidal Wave. Nearly 180 B-24 Liberator bombers were ordered to fly for 18 hours on a 2,400-mile return mission to Ploiesti, Romania. His objective: to destroy an oil refinery that was one of the largest of the Nazis.
The 22-year-old was piloting "Ole Kickapoo," one of the B-24s that flew at the back of the formation. This location meant that by the time they reached the target area, the enemy was clearly aware of his presence. Hughes had to fly through heavy anti-aircraft fire and a dense barrage of balloons, strategically placed to deny low airspace to enemy aircraft.
Before Hughes's plane could reach the target, it had sustained heavy damage, including a ruptured gas tank that sent fuel from the bomb bay into the left wing. Hughes had time to make an emergency landing in several nearby grain fields, but was focused on completing the mission. Instead, he turned his gaze to the refinery, already ablaze with burning oil tanks and other damage from the first wave of bombs.
Hughes knew the consequences of flying a gas-leaking plane into hell, but in his mind the mission came first. Rather than make this crash landing or abort the mission, he didn't hesitate to fly into a wall of fire about 30 feet above the ground.
The plane left the area after successfully dropping bombs on its target, but its wing was on fire. Only then did Hughes try to force a landing. Unfortunately, the plane was too damaged to be salvaged. crashed and burst into flames.
Of the 10 crew members on the plane, Hughes and six others died instantly. The eighth died two days later, while the remaining two men were held prisoner until the end of the war.
Despite the loss, reports indicated that the target area of ​​Hughes and the other bombers was so badly damaged that production did not continue for the remainder of the war.
Hughes sacrificed his life for the mission and earned the Medal of Honor. He was presented to his widow on April 19, 1944, in a ceremony at Kelly Field in San Antonio. Four other men involved in Operation Tidal Wave - Colonel Leon Johnson, Col. John Kane, Lt. Col. Addison Baker and Maj. John Jerstad also received the nation's highest honor for bravery that day.
According to TSHA, Hughes' body was initially buried in Romania, but he returned to the US in 1950 and was reinterred at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.
Over the years, many tributes have been paid to Hughes's name and contributions. The former Williams Air Force Base in Arizona had a residence named in his honor. a Texas A&M dormitory still does.
The young pilot's medal is on display at the Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center, a museum on the campus of Texas A&M University. A copy is also on display at the Memorial Student Center on the same College Station campus, where a portrait of Hughes still hangs.

###

###

###

###

Dear Rusty, I am a 62 year old Canadian Green Card holder who has lived in the US for almost twenty three years. For the past 19 years, he has contributed to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), the US equivalent of Social Security. I am planning to retire in the US and have been told that I can receive my old age pension in either the US or Canada, but not both.
My 19 years of Canada Pension Plan contributions are not included in the calculation of my US SS benefits. Discussions with the US Social Security Agency revealed that my CPP contributions were "likely" to be apply to my US pension after I apply for benefits. However, the person I spoke to wasn't sure how it would work. Do you know the process of transferring my earnings from Canada to my US SS account and how do I find out what my combined benefits will be? Signed: Retired Canadian
Dear Retired Canadian, Let me clarify how things work under the bilateral agreement between the US and Canada. Even if you worked and contributed to the CPP while living in Canada, your Canadian income is not included in the calculation of your US Social Security benefits (nor does your US income contribute to your entitlement to CPP benefits). CPP benefits). Although the bilateral agreement between the US and Canada allows for the combination of income credits from either country to qualify for benefits, only dollars earned in the country are used to calculate benefit amounts in each country. Therefore, your entitlement in the US is based solely on your income in the US.
Due to your years of contribution to the Canadian program, you are also eligible for a separate CPP pension and can apply for your CPP pension through your local US Social Security office by filing the SSA CDN-USA1 form. Your local SS office can provide you with the correct form and instructions to apply for your CPP benefits. Please note, however, that collecting your CPP pension will affect your benefits in the US due to a US regulation known as the windfall elimination provision (WEP). WEP reduces US Social Security benefits for anyone with a separately earned pension without Social Security contributions (including some US state and local government employees, as well as those with a pension of another country).
The US benefit is calculated using a special WEP formula, which takes into account the number of years you have contributed to the "significant income" US plan. Assuming you have substantial US income for 23 years of which you contributed to the US SS program, your US benefit will be reduced by approximately 35%. Your CPP pension triggers WEP, which reduces your US pension, but not more than 50% of your CPP benefit.
For your information, WEPs and international benefits are complex topics and it is not unusual for SS representatives you meet for the first time (for example, over the phone) to not fully understand how these benefits work. You may want to make an appointment to apply for your CPP benefits in person at your local Social Security office while getting more specific information about how WEP will affect your US Social Security benefits. This may mean talking with an older person who is well versed in WEP and international pensions.
Finally, you should be aware that at age 62, the US benefit will be further reduced because you have not yet reached your full retirement age (66 years and 10 months). Also keep in mind that until you reach full retirement age, you'll be subject to the Social Security earnings test, which limits how much you can earn before certain benefits are taken away.

______________________

###

Create a dream garden for your dog
Van de Turf Mutt Foundation
According to the ASPCA, 23 million households in the United States, and 3.7 million in Canada, welcomed a new pet to their pack during the pandemic. People have been using their gardens more in recent years for everything from work and play to vacations and exercise. But for dogs, this backyard affair is old-fashioned.
"No one loves the family garden more than the family dog," says Kris Kiser, president of the TurfMutt Foundation, an organization that supports the care and use of green spaces, as well as pet rescue. "She's my rescue dog, Mulligan's favorite part, so I do everything I can to make it safe and enjoyable for her, which ultimately makes it better for me."
Kiser and Mulligan have tips for creating a dream garden this summer for your pets and the whole family:
real grass plant
Plastic grass is uncomfortable on feet (and bare feet), gets very hot in the summer, is difficult to clean, and is worse for the environment as it requires water to clean up and generally cannot be recycled . The bottom line: real grass is the best choice for pets, people, and the environment.
Choose the right plants and grasses
Choose a type of grass that can support the stay of your pet. Buffalo and Bermuda grasses may be a good choice depending on your climate zone. For other plants and shrubs, see the ASPCA's List of Poisonous and Nonpoisonous Garden Plants for guidance before planting. You want soft, sturdy foliage near walkways. Save dainty, decorative blooms for raised planters and pots. Pro Tip: Place plants close together in the areas you want to outline for your dog to create boundaries.
Think about pollinators and other wildlife.
Nature begins in your garden, which provides habitat and food for birds, butterflies, bees, and more. Each of these species helps pollinate food crops and flowering plants, so keep them in mind when choosing plants for your garden as well.
design for fun
Add a pool, build a digging litter box, or even create an obstacle course for dogs for hours of fun. After a day of play, your dog needs a place to relax, so think about where you can plant trees or shrubs that provide shade to curl up in.

###

Tempted to withdraw? Maybe you just need a goal

Retirement is not good for everyone.
Some retirees return to the job market due to financial problems. Others simply do it because they become restless, unsatisfied from endless golfing or binge-watching.
If the latter, these retirees have discovered that a life without purpose and meaning is not a life at all, says Mark Goldsmith (www.marklgoldsmith.com), founder and CEO emeritus of Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO). a nonprofit organization that provides educational, vocational, career preparation, counseling, and other services to incarcerated youth.
Goldsmith, who tells how GOSO got started in the book From Madison Avenue to Rikers Island, got involved after retiring from the world of corporate advertising. Retired or not, older adults have a lot to offer, and going back to work isn't the only option, she says.
“Many have a remarkable range of skills that can make a big impact in the nonprofit world,” says Goldsmith. "Combining these hard-earned skills with a passion to help cure a societal disease can make a world of difference in the lives of those in need."
According to an April 2021 Indeed Hiring Lab report, about 3.2% of workers who retired in March 2021 had returned to work by March of this year. This is equivalent to approximately 1.7 million retirees who have decided to retire, either for economic or satisfaction reasons.
Goldsmith understands why some of these retirees may be bored with their new lives.
"Many people don't give much thought to what they might do when their work hours are done," he says. "They have vague plans at best."
His advice to people looking for a meaningful retirement:
Be open to possibilities. The opportunity to find a direction for retirement can come from an unexpected source. Such is the case for Goldsmith, whose wife suggested he volunteer for an annual Principal for a Day program, in which volunteers go to New York City public schools to talk to students about their futures. . He asked for the toughest school, not realizing it meant an educational program at the infamous Rikers Island prison. But it was inspired by his time with inmates, and the experience ultimately led to the creation of GOSO and Goldsmith's efforts to help incarcerated youth become productive citizens rather than repeat offenders.
Take stock of your skills and experiences. Think about your personal characteristics, says Goldsmith. What are you good at? What personality traits characterize you and make you attractive to others? Why do people listen to you? “Evaluate yourself to determine what makes you feel good about completing difficult tasks,” she says. “It is important how you spend your time. If you do volunteer work, make sure you do it for a cause you love."
Prepare to receive more than you give. Goldsmith is not talking about material rewards, but about the feeling you get when you make a difference in your life. “In GOSO, in almost all volunteer efforts, what happens is that the volunteers end up receiving the same number of sessions, if not more, than the recipients of the service,” he says. "This is the exact same general reaction that I experienced personally."
“When I made the decision to change my skills and my passion, I not only helped create a new life for my clients, but I also created a whole new life for myself,” says Goldsmith. "I feel privileged to be able to do the work that I do now and it never feels like a job or a chore."

###

Eremedaille: Léger Spc. 5 Dwight W. Birdwell
Poke KATIE LANGE
Army Specialist 5 Dwight W. Birdwell was one of the first American soldiers. which attacked the enemy during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. He wasn't in charge of his unit, but when soldiers fell, he stepped in to fill the leadership vacuum. The silver star he earned for his bravery was recently upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
Birdwell was born on January 19, 1948, in Amarillo, Texas, but grew up in the small town of Bell, Oklahoma, a predominantly Native American community. Birdwell, who is Cherokee, said he learned to fish and hunt from his father, skills that likely helped him survive in Vietnam.
Birdwell graduated from Stilwell High School in 1966 and joined the Army shortly thereafter. He trained at the Armored School in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was sent to Korea, according to the Stilwell Democratic Journal. According to the newspaper, after returning home on leave in September 1967, Birdwell was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armored Division, which was already in Vietnam. Birdwell was eventually transferred to the 4th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.
The 20-year-old was near Saigon in South Vietnam when the Tet Offensive began in late January 1968. He was assigned to Army C of the regiment's 3rd Squadron.
On 31 January, Army C was ordered to move south to repel an enemy attack on Tan Son Nhut airbase. It was the first US ground unit outside the airbase to respond.
As his column of tanks and armored vehicles approached the western gate of the base, they came under heavy enemy fire. The unit didn't know it, but they had gotten into the middle of three enemy battalions. Army C attempted to continue the attack, but the tank was crippled by a rocket-propelled grenade and hampered its advance.
As enemy fire came from both sides of the road, Birdwell rushed to the aid of the wounded tank commander and carried him to safety. Birdwell then brought the tank up and took over. From the tank commander's hatch and with his upper body exposed, Birdwell used the tank's .50 caliber machine gun and 90mm main gun to subdue the enemy.
When the 90mm barrel ran out of ammunition and the machine gun overheated, Birdwell switched to his M-16 rifle. By doing this, he exposed his entire body to the enemy several times in order to gain a better advantage.
Birdwell finally moved when a US helicopter crashed nearby. Still under fire, she ran to the helicopter to collect two M-60 machine guns and the ammunition it contained. After giving one to a fellow soldier, he reassembled the tank and began using the other until enemy fire destroyed the M-60.
Birdwell sustained injuries to his face, neck, chest, and arms, but did not give up. Dismounting the tank, he refused medical attention and rallied his fellow soldiers to move to the front of the armored column to establish a defensive position.
There, by a large tree, Birdwell and his men continued to fire M-16s and grenades. As the enemy fire subsided, Birdwell recovered more ammunition from the disabled vehicles and helped move wounded soldiers to safer positions.
Birdwell's strength and courage inspired his fellow soldiers to continue the one-sided fight, which they ultimately won. 3rd Squad managed to prevent enemy reinforcements from approaching the base. By noon, the base was safe again.
During his service in Vietnam, Birdwell earned two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star for meritorious service, and two Silver Stars, his first for air base combat. He earned his second Silver Star on July 4, 1968, again risking his life to save more Americans trapped in a combat zone in an enemy-controlled town.
Birdwell returned to the United States in December 1968 and married a few months later. He and his wife, Virginia, had two children, a daughter named Stephanie and a son, Edward.
General Glenn Otis, Birdwell's commanding officer in Vietnam, worked for decades after the war to upgrade Birdwell's Silver Star from Air Force Base Battle to a Medal of Honor. In a 2011 letter to an Oklahoma congressman, Otis called for support for Birdwell's case, saying "clerical errors" were the reason for the initial error that he hoped to correct. Otis died in 2013, but others made the effort and eventually came to the attention of the Pentagon.
This decades-long search has only recently been done. Birdwell, 74, received the Medal of Honor from President Joe Biden on July 5, 2022 in a White House ceremony. Two other soldiers who served in Vietnam also received the country's highest honor for bravery that day. A fourth soldier received the medal posthumously.
Birdwell is the 33rd Native American to die earning the Medal of Honor.
After Vietnam, Birdwell left the military and enrolled at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He continued his education at the University of Oklahoma, graduating in 1976 with a law degree.
Birdwell served on the Cherokee Nation Court of Judicial Appeals from 1987 to 1999 and served twice as Chief Justice. He continues to practice law in Oklahoma City, with a focus on energy, natural resources, and Native American law.
Birdwell also wrote a book titled "A Hundred Miles of Bad Road" describing his experiences in Vietnam.

###

Practicing self-care helps ensure overall well-being
It's important for people to make self-care a priority throughout their lives, said Janette Wheat, a professor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and a specialist in human development for the Cooperative Extension Program.
"Self-care should not be overlooked or ignored, it is one of the cornerstones of one's well-being," she said. "It's important for maintaining our mental, physical, and spiritual health. Making self-care a priority goes a long way toward ensuring our overall health and happiness."
But what exactly is self-care? Dr. Witt said that self-care refers to a person putting his own needs first. When a person prioritizes her own mental health and well-being, he can function better in other areas of his life, such as at home or at the office."
"Some people may worry that self-care is selfish, but it's not," she said. “Improving yourself and your well-being does not have to be at the expense of others. By working on your own inner peace, you will probably find that you can function better in your relationships with family, friends, or colleagues."
Dr. Witt said self-care comes in many forms and it's up to people to decide what works best for them.
"Practicing self-care can be as simple as going for a walk, a leisurely run, reading a good book, or putting on your favorite music," she said. "Some may plan a special activity, like getting a massage or meeting an old friend for lunch."
Other self-care activities can be practiced regularly and for long periods of time. For example, people can work to maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, practice good personal hygiene, and maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Paying bills on time and saving money can be forms of financial self-care, while tidying up the house and keeping track of time on social media are forms of environmental self-care.
"Meditation is an important practice that improves mental and general well-being when practiced regularly," said Dr. Blanco. “Taking a few minutes every day to calm your mind can build self-awareness and stress management skills, and increase patience and productivity.”
Dr. Wheat also recommends that people keep a journal to track their progress and relieve stress. Keeping a reflective journal can help record the small steps you take each day to ensure inner harmony.
"Some people may want to make a list of the ways they want to participate in self-care for the rest of the year," she said. "Remember that the list can include simple, everyday activities, as well as planned special occasions. For example, drinking a cup of tea every morning can give you a sense of calm, while going to a concert or the cinema once in a while can bring some tension and variety into our lives."

###

home visits
door dr. Gentleman

Dr. Daniel Knight is a professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine for Medical Sciences.

Q. How can I increase my metabolism?
A. Your metabolism determines how quickly your body burns calories, which it does continuously, even at rest. You can boost your metabolism, but there are some factors you can't control, such as genetics, gender (men burn more calories than women), and age (metabolism slows steadily after age 40).
Strength training will help because those with more muscle have a much higher average daily metabolic rate and rest rate. Also, modify your current aerobic training by adding interval training, such as short jogging sessions during your regular walk.
Nutrition also plays a role. You need water to process calories, and your metabolism can slow even if you're slightly dehydrated. Black coffee and green tea or oolong tea, in moderation, can temporarily boost your metabolism.
Eating smaller, more frequent meals or snacks, including spicy foods such as chopped red or green peppers or red pepper flakes, and replacing fats and carbohydrates with lean protein, which requires more calories to digest, may also help.
Diets with very few calories a day (less than 1,200 for women and 1,800 for men) don't provide enough nutrition, so while you may lose weight, you'll also lose muscle, which slows your metabolism.
Dr. Daniel Knight is a professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine for Medical Sciences.

Q. Can I do strength exercises at home?
A. Bodyweight exercises target different muscles, building strength and stability. They use your body weight for resistance, so no machines or weights are required, which means you can do them almost anywhere.
Probably the best known type of these exercises is the push-up, which uses the pectorals and triceps. In this exercise, the shoulder muscles support the movement of the arms and the abs keep the core contracted. Using the major muscles of the legs, squats help with flexibility and build lower body strength.

An exercise where you keep your body parallel to the ground, the plank is a great way to increase flexibility and balance and strengthen your core, which can relieve lower back pain, stress your spine, and help improve posture.
Lunges target the working leg muscles and are ideal for those who play sports that use lung movements. Crunches strengthen the abs, while step-ups, which require several kicks, target the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. The pelvic tilt exercise strengthens the gluteal and core muscles.
Consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program and learn how to perform the exercises correctly to avoid injury.

Q. What are some of the causes of memory loss?
A. Lack of sleep makes it harder to remember things. Sleep also improves the connections between brain cells that help with long-term memory, so not getting enough sleep makes it harder to form memories. Avoid alcohol and caffeine at the end of the day, exercise every day, and stick to a regular sleep schedule of at least eight hours a night.
Some medicines, including sleeping pills and blood pressure medicines, can affect memory. If you have memory problems after starting a new medicine, talk to your doctor.
Diabetics are more likely to develop memory problems, including dementia, possibly because high blood sugar levels damage small blood vessels in the brain or high insulin levels damage brain cells.
Age is also a factor. The number of people with Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, doubles every five years after the age of 65. While genetics, which cannot be changed, play a role in who develops dementia, healthier lifestyle choices, including diet and exercise, reduce the risk of brain decline.
Depression and anxiety make it hard to focus or remember things. A traumatic brain injury can affect short-term memory, while repeated blows to the head increase the risk of dementia later in life.

Q. What are the different types of skin cancer?
A. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun increases the risk of skin cancer. Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF30 or higher, wearing a UPF cloth hat, sunglasses, and covering your skin with clothing will help prevent skin damage.
There are several types of skin cancer, including Bowen's disease, an early cancer that looks like a red, scaly patch on the skin, and squamous cell carcinoma, which can be cured if treated early. Basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, spreads slowly and is easier to treat.
Melanoma is less common, but it is the most serious form of skin cancer. It can spread to organs and bones, but it can be cured with early treatment. Symptoms may include a change in the appearance of a colored area or mole. Use the ABCDE rule to test a mole for melanoma. Look for asymmetry, irregular outlines, multiple colors within a dot, more than ¼ inch in diameter (about the size of a pencil eraser), and a dot that evolves or changes in size, shape, or color. Tell your doctor about anything that concerns you.

###

###

social security problems
by the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,
by the non-profit association van of the Association of Mature American Citizens

Ask Rusty: How do we file for spousal support for my wife?

Dear Rusty, I am 70 years old and just started receiving my Social Security benefits about 4 months ago and I receive almost $3700 a month. My wife is 65 years old and has worked sporadically over the years and therefore is entitled to her own benefit. If we were to apply to her account, she would receive about $300 a month. If you file for spousal support, you should get a lot more, but we're not exactly sure how you're going to claim spousal support based on your existing account. Will you help us on our way? Signed: I'm not sure how to proceed
Insecure Dear: Your wife can claim her own SS pension (from her own lifetime employment history) and your spousal benefit at the same time. When she applies for her own Social Security benefits, since you are now receiving her benefits from her, she is automatically expected to apply for her spousal benefits as well.
Your wife's Social Security benefit will actually have two components: your own earned benefit and a "spousal benefit" to give you spousal rights. So, if she requests her own SS benefit, she will also receive spousal support so that her benefit is equal to what she is entitled to as a spouse. She can apply for her by calling Social Security at her local office or by calling the National Service Center at 1.800.772.1213 to make an appointment. She also has the option of applying for her benefits online at www.ssa.gov, which is by far the most efficient way. To apply online, her spouse must first create her personal "my social security" online account, which is easy to do at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. When her wife completes her application for benefits, she will be able to identify you as her husband and she should use the "Comments" section of the application to indicate that she also wants to receive the spousal benefit from her.
Just so you understand, your wife's benefit will be based on her full retirement age (FRA) benefit amount, not age 70, and if she claims at age 65, her benefits will be reduced because she is still it has that yours has not reached the totality. retirement age (ie 66 years and 4 months if she was born in 1956); Her wife's personal benefit is reduced by 0.556% for each month prior to her FRA that she claims, and her spousal benefit is reduced by 0.694% for each month prior to her FRA claimed. Therefore, if your spouse applies for her benefit before full retirement age, her payment will be less than 50% of the FRA benefit amount.

###

###

###

###

_________________________

3 lessons for those struggling to overcome dark times

Getting your life back on track after a major crisis is never easy, but it can be even more difficult when your reputation is on the line.
Carlos Legaspy (www.carloslegaspy.com), owner and CEO of Insight Securities, is aware of such lawsuits. When he reported a massive Ponzi scheme by a company his company provided services to, the scammers blamed him and he soon faced charges of negligence and fraud, charges that have affected him emotionally and professionally. him.
“There was intense fear, as if I was seeing the end, not the end of my life, but the destruction of my business, my career and my reputation,” he says. "But pushing back that feeling of fear was acceptance, combined with the will to fight."
Only after years of fighting and litigation, and reluctant settlements, does he finally clear his name. Legaspy tells his story in the book Going for Broke: How one of Latin America's longest running financial frauds became a blessing in disguise.
He believes that his experience can provide lessons for others facing difficulties, however different from their own situation. These courses include:
The best defense is a strong attack. No matter what crisis someone is facing, it's important to realize that you don't have to hide in a corner, says Legaspy. At some point, you can go on the offensive, whatever that means for your circumstances, he says. "I'm a huge rugby fan and one of the best things about rugby, unlike American football, for example, is that when you're on the field you play both defense and attack," he says. "I applied some of the lessons of the sport that I thought I enjoyed, defending my territory and counterattacking at the same time."
Never give up. Before his resolve was tested by his legal troubles, Legaspy was faced with a situation where his life was at stake. He and a friend were stranded in Mexico's Guadalupe Canyon when their rental car got stuck on a sandbank. They endured a six-hour trek through the desert in 120-degree heat and little water. "At times like this, when you're faced with an impossible task or insurmountable obstacles, a part of you will be tempted to give up, to back down. To stop fighting," says Legaspy. But he wanted to move on, and the memory of that day helped him later, when his ability to adapt to adversity was put to the test in his legal battle.
There is joy even in the darkest moments. Bad times can seem overwhelming. “In the darkest days of the crisis, I felt like Thelma and Louise in that famous climactic scene in the movie,” says Legaspi. "Locked in, pursued from all directions, with no way out but to plunge off the cliff into the canyon below." Clearly, this was a mindset he didn't want to be in, so he found fun and happiness where he could. "In difficult times, one thing you can do is connect with your family and friends," she says. Plus, hours spent in a hobby like Legaspy's favorite rugby will help you escape your problems and add joy to your life, she says.
"What I also learned about hard times is that I can shut down, wither and shut down, or I can fight back," Legaspy says. “I can accept the reality of failure and not be ashamed of it, but accept that every great success story, on reflection, consists of many smaller failures. I imagine that it is part of a divine plan that God, the universe, destiny or whatever word you want, has for each one of us."

###

Medal of Honor: Union General General Daniel Sickles
Por Katie Lange
Many Civil War Medal of Honor recipients did not receive their medals until long after the conflict ended. So it's no surprise that General Daniel Sickles of the Union Army didn't receive the medal from him until decades later. Although Sickles was instrumental in creating the Gettysburg National Battlefield Park, he led a controversial life and may have been the only recipient to win the medal ignoring a direct order.
Sickles was born on October 20, 1819, the son of wealthy New York landowners George and Susan Sickles. Few details are known about his childhood, but scandals continued to dog him throughout his life.
Sickles attended the City College of New York, now known as New York University, before studying law and passing the bar in 1846. His political connections landed him a job as a corporate attorney handling legal affairs for the city of NY. as the seat of the Senate in 1847.
early controversies
In 1852 Sickles married his much younger wife, Teresa. A year later they had a daughter, Laura. According to the American Battlefield Trust, Sickles used to tell people he was born in 1825. Historians believe he said this because his wife was about half his age and he wanted to appear younger to make up the age difference. was less scandalous.
In 1856, Sickles was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, so he and his family moved to Washington, D.C., where they lived a lavish lifestyle in a mansion on Lafayette Square, across from House White.
It was also known that neither the man nor the woman were faithful to each other. Perhaps one of Sickles' biggest scandals was the fact that he shot and killed the lover of his wife, Philip Barton Key, prosecutor and son of famed "Star-Spangled Banner" author Francis Scott Key. When the matter came to light in February 1859, Sickles shot Key three times in broad daylight. According to the American Battlefield Trust, future Secretary of War Edwin Stanton represented Sickles in what became the first use of temporary lunacy as a successful defense.
Sickles was cleared of the murder and even got his wife back, shocking Washington's elite. According to ABT, the Sickles became social outcasts. Few people were associated with them, with one chronicler noting that Sickles "was left alone as if he had smallpox."
Combat and war orders were not followed.
Sickles continued to serve in Congress until March 1861, just weeks before the Civil War began. He later joined the Army and began serving as a colonel in the 70th New York Infantry. He was later appointed Brigadier General of the Volunteers and given command of the New York Excelsior Brigade. In November 1862 he had been promoted to major general. He commanded a division during the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 before taking command of the Third Corps before the Chancellorsville Campaign in the spring of 1863.
At Chancellorsville, Sickles discussed the orders his superior had given him. He did it again at Gettysburg, this time against the direct orders of Major General George C. Meade, who commanded the Army of the Potomac. Amazingly, instead of being reprimanded, Sickles won the Medal of Honor.
The actions for which he earned it took place on July 2, 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Sickles, still in command of the Third Corps, was ordered to take Little Round Top, a small hill on the Union army's left flank. Instead, he moved his men to Peach Orchard, a mile away. The ABT said that as a result of his resistance, Sickles lost his leg and the Third Corps was destroyed and driven from the field.
According to a 1902 article in the New York Tribune, Sickles was hit by a shell in the right leg and was lying on a gurney after his boot was filled with blood. Somehow it was reported that he, the commander of him, was dead, so the demoralized troops began to fall back. To add to their weakened courage, Sickles ordered them to stand in line on the gurney. "To further reassure his men that he was alive, he sat down and smoked a cigar," the article said.
Sickles did not receive the Medal of Honor until almost 35 years later, on October 30, 1897. He was badly wounded."
Despite the disaster that unfolded due to Sickles disobeying a direct order, the Union managed to hold its ground that day and won the crucial battle. Since then, Sickles' actions have been debated and represent one of Gettysburg's longest-running controversies, said James Hessler, a Civil War author and licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg National Military Park.
postwar politics
Meanwhile, Sickles's leg was amputated above the knee while still on the field. He was taken to a hospital in D.C. the next day and he recovered well enough to ride a horse two months later, according to the National Museum of Health and Medicine. Drepanakia donated the limb to the Army Medical Museum. It is now known as NMHM, as mentioned above, and the bones can still be seen to this day. According to the museum, Sickles visited the member for years after he donated it, often bringing guests, including Mark Twain.
After the war, Sickles served in a variety of government positions, including New York sheriff, chairman of the city's Civil Service Commission, and foreign diplomat to Colombia. During a term as South Carolina's military governor, Sickles was charged with assessing the effects of slavery on blacks and making recommendations for future reconstruction.
His wife, Teresa, his wife, Teresa, died of a persistent cold. In 1871, while serving as United States Secretary to Spain, he married another woman, Caroline, who was only a few years older than his daughter, Laura. Around the same time, Sickles and Laura drifted apart. Sadly, she died years before him, in 1892 at the age of 38, according to a 1945 New York Daily News article.
Sickles and his second wife had a son, Stanton, and a daughter named Edna. But eventually Caroline drifted away from Sickles as well. Daily News sources said she refused to leave Spain when he was ready to return to the United States, so she stayed behind while he returned alone.
A leader in battlefield conservation
Upon his return, Sickles saw Civil War veterans begging for money and was so moved that he decided to become more involved in veterans' causes, author Hessler reported. This included revisiting the Gettysburg battlefields, visits that led him to play a significant role in the early preservation and development of Gettysburg National Battlefield Park.
In 1886, the New York State Monument Commission was formed, and Sickles became its chairman. His role: to oversee the construction of monuments at Gettysburg that highlighted the contributions of New York soldiers to the battle.
Sickles was also re-elected to Congress in late 1892, more than 30 years after he had initially left office to join the war effort. During his second term, he actively championed veterans' causes and all things related to the Gettysburg battlefield. In 1893 he played a key role in stopping the commercial destruction of the battlefield, although it was not until after his death, more than 20 years later, that the federal government had the opportunity to purchase the land for preservation. In February 1895, he pushed legislation through Congress that made the area an official park and even set the original boundaries, which remained unchanged until 1974, Hessler said.
In 1912 Sickles was embroiled in another scandal. He was ousted as chairman of the New York State Landmarks Commission after an audit of the commission's books found about $28,000 missing, Hessler said. Then, in the early 1990s, Sickles had health problems, and most people involved in the case assumed the consequences were due to his inability to manage the finances of a large organization, not fraudulently.
Sickles died of a brain hemorrhage on May 3, 1914, in New York, with his ex-wife, Caroline, by his side. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
While his name has often followed controversy, Sickles' legacy is felt throughout Gettysburg. Sickles Avenue is a prominent strip running through the park, and several monuments and markers commemorate him and show his unity efforts.

_______________________

history is important
A biweekly article courtesy of
De Grateful American Book Award
Let's show our children that their past is the prelude to their future
door John Grimaldi in David Bruce Smith

On July 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln assembled his cabinet and advisers to reveal his intention to issue an Emancipation Proclamation that would abolish slavery.
“In an effort to hold together a nation embroiled in a bloody civil war, Abraham Lincoln made a final but carefully calculated executive decision regarding the institution of slavery in the United States. At the time of the meeting with his cabinet, things were not looking good for the union. The Confederate army outnumbered the Union forces in major battles, and Britain and France came close to formally recognizing the Confederacy as a separate nation,” History.com reports.
However, Lincoln waited until September 22, 1862 to issue a Provisional Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all enslaved people in the Rebel States, effective January 1, 1863.
El Grateful American Book Prize recomienda Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Freedom de Tonya Bolden.

###

###

Eremedal: Staff Sergeant Gerald Leon Endl
Poke KATIE LANGE
Defense Department News

Four men carry a person on a stretcher through the jungle to a jeep in which another man lies.
Medal of Honor Monday: Army Staff Sergeant Gerald Leon Endl
July 11, 2022 | Por Katie Lange
Army Staff Sergeant Gerald L. Endl served in the South Pacific for more than two years before losing his life, but he did it with honor while saving several of his comrades. For making the ultimate sacrifice so that others might live, Endl earned the Medal of Honor.
Endl was born on August 20, 1915 in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Her parents were Ferdinand and Ellen Endl, and she had two older sisters, Isabel and Mildred.
According to the 1930 census, Endl worked for a Western Union courier while attending Fort Atkinson High School. After graduating in 1933, he briefly served in the Wisconsin National Guard while working for the James Manufacturing Company as a poultry equipment machinist.
On January 1, 1941, Endl married his wife, Anna Marie, and then moved south about a half hour to Janesville, Wisconsin. About three months later he enlisted in the army. Endl trained in Louisiana and was eventually assigned to the 128th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division.
The 32nd would deploy to England, but as the war shifted to the South Pacific, so did his plans. Instead, the division transferred to Australia and New Guinea in April 1942.
In December 1942 Endl was wounded in the shoulder and knee during battle. He was hospitalized in Australia for several months before returning to active duty in May 1943. He was previously awarded the Purple Heart for his actions and promoted to the rank of sergeant. A few months later he was promoted to sergeant.
Endl managed to survive more than two years of fighting abroad. he unfortunately never made it.
On July 11, 1944, the 28-year-old's platoon took part in Operation Cartwheel, the goal of which was to neutralize a key Japanese base near Rabaul. According to a War Department announcement, Endl and his platoon were en route and had not eaten or rested for more than 30 hours.
Spotlight: World War II Commemoration
Endl was leading the company's lead platoon on a jungle trail near Anamo, New Guinea, when they encountered enemy forces. The Japanese rapidly fired rifles, machine guns, and grenades. Endl's platoon commander was wounded, so Endl quickly took command. He led his platoon to a line of fire at a fork in the road where the enemy attack was headed.
The dense jungle made it difficult for them to see and move easily, so Endl tried to walk further down the path toward a grassy clearing. But as he did so, he saw the enemy, who had at least six light and two heavy machine guns, trying to close on either side.
A second platoon was sent to advance on the left flank of Endl's platoon to assist, but the enemy was closing fast on them, threatening to isolate and destroy both units. Twelve members of Endl's unit were wounded, while another seven were cut off by the enemy advance.
Endl knew that if his unit was pushed back any further, these captured men would likely be captured or killed by the Japanese. So he decided to try to save them, even though he knew it was probably a death sentence. Endl single-handedly pushed through heavy fire and engaged the Japanese soldiers in hand-to-hand combat for 10 minutes. His effort kept the enemy at bay long enough for his comrades to sneak up, seize the captured and wounded men, and carry them to relative safety.
However, there were still four wounded on the road in enemy territory, and Endl refused to leave them there. One by one he brought them back to safety. As he held the last man in his arms, he was struck by a fiery blast of fire and died.
Through Endl's efforts, all but one man were evacuated and both platoons managed to escape with their wounded.
Endl's comrades later recalled his bravery.
"He knew that trying to get ahead of an advancing enemy was almost certain death," said Sgt. Edward R. Lane, Endl's comrade who later died in battle. “But in his calm, determined way, he said, 'I've got to get these men out.' And it was himself and he got them."
Another fellow soldier, Pfc. Andrew W. Danielinko called Endl "the calmest and most efficient man I have ever met."
On March 27, 1945, Endl's widow received the Medal of Honor in his name. It was delivered to him in his hometown by Army Colonel W. Lutz Krigbaum, commander of Camp (now Fort) McCoy, about two hours northwest of Janesville.
Endl was originally buried in New Guinea, but his remains were repatriated in July 1948 and interred in St. Joseph Cemetery in his hometown. His medal was eventually donated to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.
The streets of many military bases are named after Endl.

###

Phlox adds color and charm to the garden all season long
MELINDA MYERS Door

Fill your gardens with color from spring through summer and even into fall with a pollinator-friendly variety of phlox. The beauty, diversity and usefulness of this group of plants has led the National Office of Gardening to declare 2022 the Year of the Phlox.
Start the growing season with creeping phlox (Phlox subulata). This low-growing phlox is ideal for rockeries, as a ground cover, or in front of a perennial garden. Cover in sunny conditions with well-draining soil in zones three through nine. Once the blooms have faded, cut back the plants to encourage attractive new growth that will last all season.
Wood phlox (Phlox divaricata) is native to the woods and fields of the Midwest and is hardy in zones three through eight. Blue myrtle flowers add nice color to shady areas in spring. Cover it in rich, moist soil and watch out for hummingbirds and butterflies visiting the flowers.
The Garden Club of America named the Blue Moon Woodland Phlox Plant of the Year and awarded it the 2022 Montine McDaniel Freeman Horticultural Award. This award is given to domestically underutilized plants with superior ecological and ornamental characteristics. Their goal is to increase the use of these plants in gardens. Blue Moon is resistant to powdery mildew, flowers profusely, and, like the species, is an early source of pollen for native bees, swallowtail butterflies, and nectar for hummingbirds.
Downy or Prairie phlox (Phlox pilosa) is another North American native phlox found on prairies and hardy in zones three through nine. Pale pink to purple-pink flowers appear in spring. Cover in sunny conditions with moist or well-drained loamy or sandy soils. Like other phlox, it attracts and supports butterflies and hummingbirds.
Marsh phlox (Phlox globerima) is native to moist meadows and open woodlands and thrives in moist soil and even wet clay. The bright magenta flowers appear from June to July and are a magnet for hummingbirds. Grow this phlox in zones four through eight.
North American tall garden phlox has long been popular with gardeners. Blooms mid-season and adds color and height to any garden bed or mixed border. Perfect round clusters of flowers cover each stem and come in a variety of colors from white to pink to purple to salmon and more. Cover them in full sun with moist, rich, well-drained soil.
The flowers of many large varieties of phlox are fragrant, attract pollinators, and make wonderful cut flowers. Remove faded blooms and provide plenty of moisture and nutrients to encourage more blooms. The Fashionably Early range of tall phlox bloom early and over a long period of time, reblooming in autumn.
Grow tall phlox in full sun, providing plenty of space and avoiding overhead watering to reduce the risk of powdery mildew. Choose powdery mildew resistant varieties such as LUMINARY™, Opening Act, Sweet Summer and Super Ka-pow to reduce the risk of this disease.
Consider adding a variety of phlox plants to your garden this season or next. You and the pollinators will appreciate the long season of beautiful flowers, pollen, and nectar.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation

Milestones Federal employees need to be vigilant as retirement approaches

Retirement seems like a distant rumor when a federal employee shows up for his first day on the job.
But in the end, time flies and retirement is fast approaching, whether you're ready or not. When exactly should federal employees stop thinking of retirement as a distant dream and get serious about making sure they're on track to meet their needs once their working years are over?
"It's hard to pin down an exact date when you should sit down with a financial adviser when you retire," says Galen Bargerstock, president and founder of Government & Civil Employee Services (www.gces.us), a company that provides government services and federal employees with access to professional retirement and benefits services.
But he and GCES CEO Clinton Smith say there are key moments when extra attention is needed. These are:
49 and 54 years. Federal employees enrolled in Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) see automatic increases in the amount they pay for group coverage at age 50 and again at age 55 (and every five years thereafter). Therefore, they should review their status at ages 49 and 54 before these increases take effect. "If you've chosen additional options on top of basic life coverage, your increases can be quite large," says Bargerstock. "Now is a good time to find out if your choice is still the best coverage for you and your family."
Five years after retirement. Look at your health insurance as a family and your spouse's coverage specifically, says Smith. "If your spouse's coverage is cheaper while you're working as a federal employee and that's where you're covered, that's fine," she says. "However, check the details of what happens to your spouse's coverage when he retires." If they aren't allowed to keep coverage in retirement, there will be a gap in your coverage after you retire, Smith says. "You want to close that gap by getting coverage through the federal government," she says. "As a federal employee, you must have health insurance for the last five years before you retire if you want to keep coverage in retirement."
59 and a half years. In most cases, the IRS allows you to move your retirement funds without penalty after age 59½. "If you're a federal employee putting money into the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), 59½ now is the time to consider moving that money into an account that fits your retirement needs," says Bargerstock. "There are many options available to federal employees, most of them better than the options if you put your money in the TSP." He suggests contacting a financial professional who can understand your needs and make recommendations about what's available to you.
Two years before retirement. As his retirement approaches, you should do a complete financial analysis and take a hard look at your sources of retirement income, Smith says. “Most federal employees struggle to understand how their pensions, Social Security and other funds work together and what their final monthly income from all sources will be,” he says. "Now is the time to budget for retirement and get an idea of ​​how much you'll earn in retirement compared to what you'll earn while you're working." That's especially important because you don't have a lot of time to make sweeping changes when you retire, Smith says.
Ideally, federal employees would make good retirement decisions early in their employment, Smith and Bargerstock say.
"But that never happens," says Bargerstock. “Well, at least sitting down with an advisor when you're five and knowing you're going to receive a pension is the next best time to make sure you're on the right track. If this has already happened and you have been working there for more than 10 years, then yesterday is the best time."

_________________________-

A long non-stop flight

Being a flight attendant doesn't get more glamorous than the job Bette Nash has. After all, she's been at it, non-stop, as they say, since 1957. The 86-year-old flight attendant began her career flying for Eastern Airlines and now works for American Airlines, and the Guinness Book of World Records recently named her the flight attendant oldest in the world that is still working. Back then, 65 years ago, when she started, "You had to be a certain height, you had to be a certain weight," she said. "It was horrible. You gained a few kilos and you had to continue weighing yourself and if you continued like this they would take you off the payroll.

###

Have you heard of...

Seriously, July 1st has already passed and many of us didn't know it was International Day of Jokes. UK online learning platform Global Dimension explains that Joke Day was “founded in 1994 for fun by comedian and writer Wayne Reinagel so he could publish his own joke books. It has no official status and it's unclear how many people actually notice it, but that makes it all the more charming. Jokes are not just a trivial matter, they cheer others up when they are sad, they reveal useful cultural knowledge and, above all, they allow us to be more honest. This is a day to celebrate the importance of jokes and comedy in our lives."

###

The sweetest dog in the world?

Every year, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, America's oldest dog show, celebrates "the world's most perfect dogs." But what about the not-so-perfect dogs? They have a chance to gain international attention at the World's Ugliest Dog Contest in Petaluma, CA. An annual event dating back to the 1970s, Happy Face, a Chinese Crested Chihuahua mix, won this year's contest on June 24. In a biography of the event, the dog's owner, Janeda Banelly of Arizona, described Happy Face as a "humble soul" and "an example, in a subtle way, to help people realize that even old dogs need love and family".

###

Grow the flowers with some skullcap
MELINDA MYERS Door

Keep your garden looking its best with a little desperation. Removing faded blooms can encourage regrowth of some plants, encourage fuller, more compact growth, and clean up the garden.
Use bypass pruners or pruning shears to remove faded flowers. These tools have two sharp scissor-shaped blades. This results in a clean cut that closes quickly, keeping your plant looking its best.
The type of flower affects how and where the cut will be made. In general, cut faded flowers back to the first set of healthy leaves or nearby flower buds.
Deadhead flowers like Salvia, Veronica and Snapdragons by removing spent blooms to encourage more blooms. Make cuts below the faded flower and above a set of healthy leaves or new flower stalks.
Encourage additional blooms and improve the appearance of the Shasta daisy by removing faded blooms. Trim just above a bunch of healthy leaves.
Clip back Armeria flowers, coral bells, and other blooms to the base of the flower stalks emerging from the foliage. This improves the appearance and encourages more blooms on all of these flowering perennials.
Plants like lilies and balloon flowers require slightly different care for a neater appearance. Remove individual flowers as they fade. Once it blooms, you can prune the flower stem down to the base. Leaving the faded flowers hang on the stem until they have finished blooming will not harm the plant, it will only detract from the overall beauty of the plant.
Removing faded fuchsia and lantana flowers will prevent the plants from setting seeds and encourage more blooms. Remove any berries that form to keep these plants blooming.
Some plants like impatiens, cuphea, and calibrachoas are self-cleaning. Old flowers fall off the plants as new flowers form, eliminating the need for pruning.
Kill heavy seedlings like columbines to reduce seedling numbers and limit spread. Or grow some seeds if you have space to fill or want to transplant lots of seedlings into new garden beds.
Grow seed heads on conifers, radbacks, and other plants that provide winter interest and food for birds.
Remove the flowers as soon as they appear on the coleus to encourage more compact growth. Late-blooming varieties, non-blooming varieties, and self-branching Coleus hybrids reduce or eliminate the time spent on this task.
Consider skipping the graveyard of late-blooming perennials. This allows them to prepare for winter and form seeds for some winter interest.
Improve the appearance of leggy plants with long stems and few leaves with a little pruning. Cut the petiole further back on the deadhead to encourage fuller growth and more flowers.
Make cleaning a part of your regular garden maintenance. Investing time throughout the season will keep your yard looking its best.

###

Residence
from Dr. Bala Simon, associate professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine for Medical Sciences.

Q. What are some water related diseases?
A. Viruses, bacteria and chemicals are often present in natural swimming areas. While chlorine kills most germs in pools, fountains, and hot tubs, it doesn't work right away.
Swimmer's ear is an inflammation of the outer ear that can develop when water remains in the ear canal for a long period of time. Certain bacteria in hot springs and hot tubs, where higher temperatures cause chlorine to break down faster, can cause rashes and Legionnaires' disease, a type of pneumonia spread by inhaling water droplets.
In natural swimming areas, the risks are diarrhea, rashes, conjunctivitis, and lung problems from swimming near toxic algae. Avoid water that is discolored, sticky, cloudy, or has a strong chemical odor.
Rare infections include flesh-eating bacteria, which can be serious for immunocompromised people. Each year in the United States, there are about three cases of brain-eating amoebas, which are caused by a microscopic organism in warm freshwater entering through the nose. These infections are almost always fatal.
To protect yourself and others, cover open wounds with a waterproof bandage, avoid drinking water while swimming, shower before and after swimming or soak in a hot tub, and wash your swimsuit after wearing it. If you have diarrhea, do not enter the water.
Q. How can I reduce my risk of stroke?
A. A stroke occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries, blocking blood flow to part of the brain. When this happens, cells begin to die, and areas that control muscle, speech, and memory can be damaged.
A number of conditions increase the risk of stroke, including high blood pressure, obesity, or diabetes. People with an irregular heart rhythm, known as AFib, are five times more likely to have a stroke.
High levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol and low levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol can increase the risk of stroke. Lower your LDL by reducing your intake of saturated and trans fats and increase your HDL by exercising.
Eating a healthy diet with around 25 grams of fiber per day and getting regular exercise is key. Losing just 10 pounds can reduce your chances of having a stroke.
The risk of stroke can be reduced by drinking one alcoholic drink per day. However, it increases dramatically if you drink more than two a day. Smoking increases the risk of stroke.
Finally, reducing stress can reduce your risk of stroke, so explore some relaxing activities.
Q. What are some unexpected signs of lung cancer?
A. Usually, there are no obvious symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer. However, in later stages, signs can include wheezing, coughing, and chest pain.
There are also lesser known symptoms. Lung tumors produce hormone-like chemicals that can make fingertips appear thicker or larger than normal. other symptoms may include kidney problems, cramps, and nausea.
In some people, lung cancer leads to higher levels of calcium, which causes constipation, nausea, or stomach pain. High calcium levels can also affect the immune system or hormones, causing depression, anxiety, confusion, or blurred thinking.
People with cancer that develops in the upper part of the lungs and spreads to the ribs, spine, and nerves are more likely to experience shoulder or back pain than breathing problems. These types of tumors can also affect the nerves to the eyes.
Other lesser-known cancer symptoms include swelling of the hands, neck, or face when a tumor restricts blood flow, breast swelling in men, heart problems, headaches, and blood clots in the arms, legs, or legs. lungs.
Lung cancer is not the only cause of these symptoms, so anyone experiencing any of these symptoms should see their doctor.
Q. What causes numb or tingling feet?
A. Peripheral neuropathy is when a nerve or group of nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord becomes damaged or malfunctions. There are more than 100 types of peripheral neuropathy and it is estimated that more than 20 million Americans, most of whom are elderly, have this condition.
Diabetes is one of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy, accounting for about 30% of all cases. In diabetic neuropathy, tingling and other symptoms often develop in both legs first and work their way up the legs, followed by tingling and other symptoms affecting both arms and work their way up. In many cases, these symptoms are the first signs of diabetes.
Tingling in the hands and feet is also a common symptom of multiple sclerosis. Peripheral neuropathy can also be caused by alcohol use, kidney disease, liver disease, vascular damage, blood disorders, hormonal imbalances or vitamin deficiencies, cancers, or benign tumors that press on nerves.
Other possible causes include toxins, including heavy metals, industrial and environmental chemicals, certain medications, infections, autoimmune disorders, hereditary conditions, or injury.
If symptoms persist, see your doctor to determine the cause and determine treatment options.

###

Ere medalla: Corps Mariniers PFC. Melvin Newlin
Poke KATIE LANGE
Just because you didn't have the best education doesn't mean you can't keep doing great things.
That was the case for Marine Private 1st Class Melvin E. Newlin. He didn't have the ideal life growing up, but the actions he took in Vietnam to save his Marines in combat made him a name he will forever remember. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his sacrifice.
Newlin was born on September 27, 1948 in Wellsville, Ohio, a small town an hour west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Newlin's parents, Joseph and Ruth, had seven more children and struggled to support all of them, according to a 2004 article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. So Newlin spent time in foster care growing up.
In his senior year of high school, Newlin briefly reunited with his parents. According to her brother Joe, that ended after apparent domestic violence, she told the Post-Gazette. So the teenage Newlin moved in with Joe and his wife.
Newlin graduated from Wellsville High School in 1966, the only one of the brothers to earn a degree, said another brother, Richard.
About a month later, at age 17, Newlin enlisted in the Marine Corps. He became a gunner with Company F of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.
In November 1966, Newlin was posted to Vietnam. According to a 1969 edition of the Ohio Evening Review newspaper, prior to his Medal of Honor actions, he had been wounded several times in various battles. He was also offered an office job, but he turned it down, the newspaper said.
On the night of July 3, 1967, Newlin's unit was at an outpost on Nong Son Mountain, southwest of Da Nang, when some 400 North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong fighters launched a relentless attack. and well coordinated. Newlin and four other members of his platoon occupy a key position on the edge of the outpost. All four of his companions were promptly killed.
Newlin himself was badly wounded, but continued to fight. Leaning on his machine gun, the 18-year-old shot the attacking enemy with a bolt of deadly fire. Newlin was hit repeatedly by small arms fire, but his efforts repulsed enemy attempts to capture his position twice.
During a third attempt, a grenade explosion knocked Newlin unconscious. The Viet Cong insurgents assumed he was dead, so they moved in front of him and continued their attack on the main force behind Newlin's platoon.
When Newlin regained consciousness, he crawled to his machine gun and fired fire into the backs of the enemy soldiers, who were thrown back by the surprise attack. Newlin then noticed that more enemy soldiers were trying to use a captured recoilless rifle from the Americans, so he fired again at these men, inflicting heavy casualties and preventing them from firing the captured weapon.
Newlin turned his attention back to the main enemy force. They knew him well now, so the enemy soldiers stopped his attack on the Navy bunkers and shot him. Newlin endured two more attacks before enemy fire finally killed him in the early morning of July 4, 1967.
Newlin's efforts alone confused the enemy attack, causing them to lose momentum. The delay was long enough for more Marines to mount a defense and defeat the secondary attack.
For his selfless courage and unwavering devotion to duty, Newlin was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. President Richard M. Nixon presented the medal to her parents in a White House ceremony on March 18, 1969.
Newlin's remains were returned to the US and interred in the Spring Hill Cemetery in his hometown. His medal was eventually donated to the Soldier's Museum in La Porte, Indiana.
Newlin's name is recognizable to the people of his hometown and to the Marines serving today. The Marine Corps War Laboratory is located at Newlin Hall in Quantico, Virginia. A stretch of highway between his hometown of Wellsville and East Liverpool, Ohio is also named after him in his honor.

###

history is important
A biweekly article courtesy of
De Grateful American Book Award

July 1 to July 31

The Battle of Gettysburg, possibly the decisive skirmish of the Civil War, began as a chance encounter between Union forces and Confederate forces. General Robert E. Lee was busy taxing Union troops in his own territory as he led his 75,000-man army through Maryland and Pennsylvania. But as History.com describes it, “a Confederate division under General Henry Heath marched on Gettysburg hoping to seize supplies, but found instead three Union cavalry brigades. Thus began the Battle of Gettysburg, and Lee and [Union General George] Meade ordered their massive armies to converge on the makeshift battlefield."
The appointment took place on July 1, 1863 and ended three days later, in blood. Lee lost 25,000 casualties, and the Union racked up 23,000 killed, wounded, and missing.
Door from Grateful American Book Prize van Gettysburg: The True Account of Two Young Heroes in the Greatest Battle of the Civil War by Iain C. Martin.

###

During the Revolutionary War, women fought alongside their husbands. Some disguised themselves as men and joined George Washington's army. Deborah Sampson, for example, called herself Robert Shurtleff, enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Light Infantry Company and was the first woman to receive a military pension.
Loretta Walsh was the first to enlist in the United States military service in 1917.
But only on June 9, 1947, a woman rose to the rank of officer. Florence Blanchfield was promoted to lieutenant colonel by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
For more information on military personnel, the Grateful American Book Prize recommends They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the Civil War by De Anne Blanton and Lauren M. Cook.

###

Today, a gallon of gasoline costs $5.00 or more, but for Ernst Pfenning, a dentist in Chicago, IL, the price was just a few cents. On July 15, 1903, he was the first to purchase a car from the Ford Motor Company. According to History.com, it was "an $850 two-cylinder Model A with a tonneau (or rear seat). The car, produced at Ford's Mack Street (now Mack Avenue) plant in Detroit, [and] delivered to the Dr. Pfenning just over a week later.
“Designed primarily by Ford assistant C. Harold Wills, the Model A could seat two people side by side on a bench seat. it had no roof and was painted red. The car's biggest selling point was its engine, which at two cylinders and eight horsepower was the most powerful in a passenger car. It had relatively simple controls, including two driver-operated forward gears with a foot pedal, and could reach speeds of up to 30 mph (similar to the car's closest competitor at the time, the curved-dash Oldsmobile).
For more on America's first automobiles, the Grateful American Book Prize recommends Steven Parissien's The Life of the Automobile: The Complete History of the Motor Car.

###

social security problems
From National Social Security Counselor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: About working while collecting early benefits

Dear Rusty: How much is withheld from Social Security benefits? I am 62 years old and can now claim about $1,900 a month. I still work and earn about $75,000 a year. How much of my benefits would I receive? What would they keep and when would I get it back? and would there be a fine? Signed: In shape but working
Dear Beneficiaries: In the scenario you describe, you would not be eligible to collect Social Security benefits at this time because your income is too high. This is how it is determined:
• At age 62, you are subject to Social Security's “earnings test,” which limits the amounts you can earn while receiving advance benefits. The income limit applies until you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA), which is 67 for you.
• Your penalty for exceeding the earnings limit is now $1 for every $2 you exceed. At her current salary of $75,000 per year, she would exceed the annual earnings limit of $19,560 by $55,440 by 2022, which means she owes $27,720 in Social Security. Since the benefit amount for age 62 is approximately $1,900 per month ($22,800/year), the annual SS benefit would be insufficient to offset the penalty for exceeding the earnings limit, making you ineligible for Insurance benefits. Social because of your current income. You become eligible to collect SS again when your earnings are significantly lower or when you reach full retirement age, whichever comes first.
The Social Security income test affects everyone who works and earns when they collect benefits before reaching full retirement age. Each year, Social Security sets a limit on how much money can be earned before benefits are affected (2022 limit is $19,560; increases slightly each year). Those who exceed the limit pay a "fine" of $1 for every $2 over the limit, which must be paid to SS, either in a lump sum or by holding the benefit for several months to allow SS to catch up. If your Social Security benefit is not enough to offset the penalty for exceeding the earnings limit, no benefit will be paid.
Those who receive early distributions and earn just slightly more than the annual income limit can receive a number of distributions each year because their penalty is small enough. For example, someone who makes $25,000 a year exceeds the 2022 income limit by $5,440 and is therefore fined $2,720. This would likely mean withholding about 2 months of benefits, allowing them to receive benefits for the remaining 10 months of the year. Social Security will withhold benefits for several months to recover what the beneficiary owes for going over the limit.
The rules surrounding the Social Security income test are somewhat complicated. For example, there is a "freshman rule" that exempts wages earned before claiming SS from counting toward the income limit. When someone first claims Social Security in the middle of the year, they are subject to a monthly cap ($1,630 by 2022) for the remaining months of the calendar year. If the monthly limit is exceeded, no benefit will be paid for that month. The income limit no longer applies upon reaching full retirement age, but applies in the months of that year before the FRA is reached. The benefit limit in these months is much higher and the "penalty" for exceeding it is less.
Social Security prefers that those who work and collect benefits early contact them in advance to withhold benefits for as long as necessary to offset the expected penalty. This will prevent you from receiving an overpayment notice the following year when the IRS receives the amount of your income.
After full retirement age, Social Security will adjust the beneficiary's payment to account for months in which benefits were withheld and increase the monthly amount accordingly. This will result in some or perhaps all retained benefits being recouped over time (depending on longevity).

###

Healthy employees = a healthy company: 5 benefits of a wellness program

The benefits offered by companies play a key role in attracting and retaining employees. Workplace wellness has become increasingly important to both employees and employers in recent years, and such programs will continue to evolve in 2022, partly in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation.
Organizations that emphasize holistic employee wellness are often successful, creating holistic environments that foster a mentally and physically healthier workforce that is better positioned to thrive, says James Webb (www.jameharoldwebb.com), a successful entrepreneur in the field of medicine and fitness and author of A Country Boy's Journey to Prosperity.
"You have to make sure that all of your employees feel fully supported and valued," Webb says. “In today's hyper-competitive environment, where employees are commuting and moving to greener pastures, the benefits and wellness features that companies offer are just as important as pay for many employees. Companies that want to compete, retain talented and engaged employees, and grow their business must make wellness a priority.
“At the same time, companies cannot afford chronic absenteeism. Employees drive results. Companies pay more for employee health insurance, and employees pay more. Therefore, businesses and employees have a vested interest in saving healthcare costs, and it is up to businesses to view health holistically and directly related to their financial future."
Webb offers the following workplace wellness program benefits:
Improves employee health behavior. A wellness program doesn't guarantee good health for all employees, Webb says, but it does teach them to change and improve health behaviors. “By improving staff behavior, employees reduce health risks and adopt healthy habits,” Webb says. "Eating healthier, exercising more and dealing with stress are all important parts of a holistic health approach."
Increase productivity. Research shows that employees who are healthier are generally more productive in the workplace. "That's because they're more rested, energized, and motivated to do their job," Webb says. “With an effective wellness program you have less absenteeism. And healthy people are better able to multitask, focus for longer periods of time, and have the drive to perform at a consistently high level."
Improve employee engagement. “When companies create a culture that focuses on employee well-being, they tend to have a more engaged workforce,” Webb says. “Weight loss challenges, walking groups and other wellness activities help employees feel more connected to the company they work for and to their coworkers.”
It makes mental health as important as physical health. One area of ​​workplace wellness that is moving in a positive direction is access to mental health care. One survey found that 39% of employers have updated their mental health plans since the start of the pandemic to expand access to different forms of help. "With plenty of room for psychological well-being," Webb says, "your employees will be able to solve problems more easily than when they're tired, distracted, or anxious."
Create an environment of opportunity. Webb says a healthier workforce means more people have a better chance of reaching their potential while helping the company grow toward its goals. Professional development and career tracking, he says, should be linked to a corporate wellness program. “As leaders and mentors, we have the ability to create an environment of opportunity,” she says. “We can do that by helping employees figure out for themselves what's best for their lives and ultimately what's best for the organization. Creating a space in your organization that offers opportunities for growth and exploration for your employees can be a powerful thing.
"A comprehensive wellness program will help you create a culture of caring, a strong sense of loyalty, and a much stronger company," Webb says. “If you prioritize the overall health and well-being of your workforce, top recruiting and, more importantly, retention will take care of themselves.”

_________________________

baby t-shirts
Every June, in the Spanish town of Castrillo de Murcia, mothers gather in the town square and carefully place their newborn babies on strategically placed mattresses for the annual spring festival known as El Salto del Colacho. A band of pious black-clad locals hunt down El Colacho, the devil himself, forcing him to run and jump over babies in a ceremony said to cleanse babies and protect them from disease and bad luck. Dating back to 1620, the festival begins with a boisterous gathering of locals who chase passers-by through the village streets.

###

author, author
The average five-year-old would like mom or dad to read him a story once in a while. But Bella-Jay Dark, who lives in Weymouth, UK, doesn't just read her books, she writes them too. Bella-Jay had her storybook, The Lost Cat, published by Ginger Fyre Press and for sale on Amazon. In addition to making her parents proud, Bella-Jay earned a Guinness World Record title as the youngest person to write and publish a book.

###

find freedom
Her name is Happy and she was reportedly held against her will. But the New York Court of Appeals ruled that she is not entitled to a habeas corpus to seek her release simply because Happy is an elephant kept at the Bronx Zoo. The petition was filed by the Nonhuman Rights Project, which was seeking to free her after 50 years of "captivity" at the zoo so that she could spend her remaining years in an elephant sanctuary. Five judges ruled against Happy, but two disagreed that she, while an elephant, was entitled to "freedom."

###

Medal of Honor: Marine Cmdr. Clyde Everett Lassen
Poke KATIE LANGE
Not many helicopter pilots could carry out a mission to fly into enemy territory in total darkness and rescue their captured comrades. However, during the Vietnam War, the commander of the Navy. Clyde Everett Lassen did just that. It took him several tries to pick it up, and he barely returned to tell the story. But the courage he displayed that day earned him the Medal of Honor.
Lassen was born in Fort Myers, Florida on March 14, 1942. As World War II raged and his father, Arthur, enlisted, Lassen's mother, Jacqueline, moved her family to Lake Placid, Ne. child. His parents reunited when he was three years old and moved to Englewood, Florida and had another son, Gary.
Lassen grew up in this area, eventually graduating from Venice High School in 1960. He attended San Diego City College in California and Pensacola Junior College in Florida before joining the Navy in September 1961.
Lassen was an avionics technician, but he wanted to get more out of his military career. Then, in 1964 he was accepted into the Naval Air Cadet Program. On October 12, 1965 he was commissioned by himself and Wings of Gold as a helicopter pilot. That same month, he married his high school sweetheart, Linda. They had two children, Darryl and Lynn.
Lassen's first assignment was with Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 1, where he practiced search and rescue techniques in the Philippine jungle. Eventually, HC-1 was redesignated Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 7. Lassen became the commanding officer of the squadron's Detachment 104 on the USS Preble, which deployed off the coast of Vietnam during the war.
As the commander of a search and rescue helicopter, Lassen was called in on June 19, 1968, to rescue two downed airmen in North Vietnam. The pair had ejected 20 miles into enemy territory after their F-4J Phantom II was hit by a surface-to-air missile.
It was shortly after midnight on a pitch black night when then-Lt. jg Lassen took off from Preble in a UH-2A Seasprite light helicopter, despite the fact that the aircraft was not suitable for the mission. According to historian Hill Goodspeed of the National Naval Aviation Museum, the helicopter was too heavy to take off with a full load of fuel. Lassen also had to make the dangerous move of diving into the water to gain airspeed.
Once off the ship, Lassen flew deep into enemy territory on a steep tree-covered hill, where the survivors, Marine Lt. John Holtzclaw and John A. Burns were located. Despite enemy fire, Lassen initially landed in a clearing near the base of the hill. However, the brush was so thick that Holtzclaw and Burns were unable to reach the helicopter.
The two survivors were asked to send up flares for Lassen to find them from the air. He successfully flew the helicopter between two trees about 50 feet above the men's position. Lassen hoped to be able to get them out with a rescue lift, but the flares went out before he could begin the rescue, leaving the helicopter in darkness and in a precarious position. The helicopter crashed into a tree and fell down a steep slope. Fortunately, Lassen's special abilities helped him right the plane and stay clear of the trees.
He stayed in the area, determined to save the men. Lassen even encouraged the survivors to climb up the hill to a clearing to be picked up, while his helicopter waited for another plane to bring more flares.
Lassen made a second failed landing attempt. His fuel was now dangerously low and the aircraft had sustained significant damage. But Lassen stayed focused on the mission. He ejected again and attempted a third rescue attempt as enemy fire continued to target him. During this attempt, the torches went out again. Lassen knew that turning on his helicopter's landing lights would reveal his position to the enemy, but he did so anyway to land.
According to Goodspeed, Lassen kept the helicopter's weight off the wheels so they wouldn't get stuck in the mud by constantly hovering over a rice paddy for about two minutes. The helicopter gunners lit up the tree line with their machine guns as Holtzclaw and Burns ran toward the escape craft. Seconds after the gunmen loaded the two men onto the helicopter, they were airborne again and heading out of the area, Goodspeed said.
Lassen later said that it was that return flight that made him the most nervous. Along the way, he successfully evaded more enemy flak. With only five minutes of fuel remaining, he successfully landed the stricken helicopter on the USS Jouett.
For his bravery and his refusal to surrender, Lassen received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon B. Johnson in a White House ceremony on January 16, 1969. He became the first of three Navy aviators to receive the nation's highest honor. for actions in Vietnam.
Lassen remained in the Navy until he retired as commanding officer in December 1982 after more than 20 years in the service.
Goodspeed said Lassen rarely talked about the night he received the Medal of Honor. However, her children finally learned the full story of his father in 1993 at a National Naval Aviation Museum symposium that brought together rescue participants. Lassen donated his medal to the museum that same year.
Lassen died on April 1, 1994, after a battle with cancer. He is buried at the Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida.
In his honor, the guided destroyer USS Lassen was commissioned in 2001 and is still in service today. The Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans Nursing Home in St. Augustine, Florida, also honors him.

###

Compost directly in the garden
MELINDA MYERS Door

Don't toss those imperfect lettuce leaves, onion tips, and strawberry tips in the trash. Instead, compost them into your garden.
Worm composting and piles are great ways to deal with this waste. But if these methods aren't for you, try trench composting. This ancient technique requires little effort and is effective. The process is essentially invisible, eliminates the need to turn over a pile of plant debris, requires minimal space, and doesn't smell.
Simply dig a 12-inch-deep trench between rows of vegetables, along the path, or in an empty spot in the garden. Be careful not to damage the roots of the plants. Add about 4 to 6 inches of kitchen scraps, mix the soil in, and cover with at least 8 inches of soil removed from the hole. Covering so much land will prevent animals from digging. Repeat until the trench is filled with plant debris and covered with soil.
As with other composting methods, use only plant material. Do not add meat, dairy and fats that can attract animals and rodents. And this is no place for perennial weeds like horsetail, annual seed-bearing weeds, or invasive plants that can survive composting and take over the garden.
You can also compost one hole at a time. Simply dig a hole in an empty space in the garden, pour in the ingredients, mix and cover with soil. I grew up with this method. After dinner or if we had a bowl full of kitchen waste, we would be sent out into the garden to dig a hole, put the waste in it, and cover it up.
For those who want to rotate crops and compost, you can try one of these two methods. Plant in long rows and trench compost along the way. Next year, move the garden to the path location and convert last year's garden to the path. You rotate your plantings as you improve the soil.
Or designate separate adjacent areas for planting, pathways, and composting. Next year, rotate so that last year's compost area becomes a garden, the garden becomes a path, and the path becomes the new trench compost area. In three years alternate crops and improve the soil in the three areas.
Check with your local council first to make sure there are no restrictions on any form of composting. Then shovel out and dig in for healthier soil and a more productive garden.

________________________________

super mom
Halima Cissé knew that she would give birth to many babies when it was her time. The doctors even told her that she could count on septuplets, maybe even octuplets when she went into labor. Close but no cigarette! She is the first famous mother in the world who does not have partners: that is nine babies in one go! It happened last year, but it was recently announced. Halima is originally from the Republic of Mali in West Africa, but she spent the first year with her newborn in Morocco, where she gave birth. It was a suspension as a precaution. What did Halima have to say? "I hope that God blesses everyone who doesn't have children yet, that they can have what we, the parents of non-partners, have now."

###

Good action
Vicky Umodu of San Bernardino, California found the living room furniture she needed for her new home on Craigslist and it didn't cost her a dime. But when she brought home the two sofas and an armchair, she was surprised. One of the pillows was stuffed with several envelopes, each containing cold cash totaling more than $36,000. She brought out the best in Vicky. Rather than keep the money a secret, she called the previous owner, who told her the furniture belonged to a deceased relative and that they, too, had discovered a stack of envelopes full of cash at her home. The man, who has remained anonymous, was so moved by Vicky's innate honesty that he awarded her $2,000 compensation for her good deed. Vicky didn't think twice before taking the money and keeping quiet. “I knew I couldn't take it. I knew I had to return it."

###

Helicopter
Mobile, Alabama-based US Coast Guard helicopter pilots Blake Morris and Maggie Morton were browsing Facebook Marketplace when they found a helicopter body for sale. They wasted no time acquiring the helmet and quickly set about turning it into a very unique RV. Her "propeller" rebuild is on track for completion. Meanwhile, Blake and Maggie were collecting the history of the helicopter. According to Blake, "it first belonged to the German military police, then it was bought there and used in Afghanistan by US forces for a few years, and then it came back to the states here around 2011."

###

Medal of Honor: Army Lt. Col. Matt Urban
Poke KATIE LANGE
Army Lt. Col. Matt Urban was just 24 years old when he became its battalion commander as the Allies pushed deeper into France in the summer of 1944. His tenacity and outstanding leadership during that campaign earned him one of the most prestigious soldiers in all the times. — including the recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Urban was born Matthew Louis Urbanowicz on August 25, 1919 in Buffalo, New York. His parents, Stanley and Helen Urbanowicz, were Polish immigrants. He had two older brothers and a younger brother who died in infancy. Urban shortened his name early in life, but legally changed it after World War II.
Urban attended East High School in Buffalo, where he excelled in three sports. He then attended the prestigious Cornell University, where he joined the ROTC and was on the track and field and boxing teams. He graduated in mid-June 1941 with a bachelor's degree in history and government. He also received a military commission, for which on July 2, 1941 he sailed to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to begin his service.
During World War II, Urban served with the 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. He fought in six campaigns in Europe and the Mediterranean, including Operation Torch, which began on November 8, 1942 in North Africa, for which service he earned two silver stars. Urban also fought in Sicily and Germany. He but he won the Medal of Honor for his actions in France and Belgium in the summer of 1944.

An era of extraordinary courage

On June 14, 1944, six days after the Normandy landings with the 2nd Battalion, then Capt. Urban embarked on a remarkable career of heroic leadership and personal courage. His unit, F Company, was decimated by heavy enemy small arms and tank fire near Renouf, France. Urban knew he had to act fast, so he grabbed a bazooka and headed towards two enemy tanks.
Urban broke through the fences, despite the constant shelling. When he was close enough, he broke into the enemy's sight and fired the bazooka, destroying both tanks. His actions allowed his company to advance and eliminate the remaining enemy in the area, earning him a Bronze Star.
Later that afternoon, Urban was hit in the leg by a 37mm tank gun as F Company was near the town of Orglandes. However, he refused to evacuate and continued to lead his unit until they could take up defensive positions for the night.
At 5 a.m. the next day, Urban remained with his company and led another attack, despite being badly wounded. He was wounded again in that battle and was evacuated to England.
About a month later, Urban recovered from his injuries when he learned that his unit had suffered heavy casualties. He knew they needed proven leaders to survive, so he voluntarily left the hospital and returned to his unit, which was now near the town of Saint-Lo.
Just before noon on July 25, 1944, Urban arrived at 2nd Battalion headquarters to find that his unit had left within an hour to try and break through the German defenses in the area. Limping from the wound in his leg, Urban addressed the unit and resumed command.
As he did so, F Company struggled to keep going. Two supporting Allied tanks had been destroyed, while another still intact was immobile as it had no commander or gunner.
Urban found a lieutenant in charge of the tanks and began to execute a plan of attack. However, this lieutenant and a fellow soldier were killed instantly when they tried to lift the remaining tank. So Urbano, knowing the importance of getting this tank moving, walked through the enemy fire despite his injured leg and lifted the tank himself.
Even as bullets rained down around him, Urban commanded the tank in front of him and unleashed devastating fire on the enemy with his own machine gun. The soldiers of the battalion noticed his bravery and leadership and this strengthened his courage. They managed to attack and destroy the enemy position.
Urban's exploits were not over. On August 2, he was wounded in the chest by shrapnel, but he again refused to be evacuated. Four days later, at just 24 years old, he took command of the 2nd Battalion after his original commanding officer was assassinated. Nine days later, he was wounded again, but still chose to stay with his men on the battlefield.
On 3 September 1944, the 2nd Battalion was ordered to find a point to cross the Meuse at Heer, Belgium. however, the Germans hoped to halt the Allied advance there. They waited with a large concentration of their own troops.
As the 2nd Battalion made its way to the crossroads it had identified, it was stopped by heavy enemy artillery, small arms and mortar fire. Urban quickly moved from his command post to battalion leadership and reorganized the assault elements. He then personally led the attack on the enemy's strong point.
As the men advanced across open fields, Urban was struck in the neck, a life-threatening injury that tore one of his vocal cords. Urban could barely speak above a whisper, but still he refused to be evacuated until his men had won the battle and secured the river crossing.
Urban's bravery and extraordinary actions became legendary to the soldiers in his battalion, as well as to the enemy. In fact, he had earned the nickname "The Ghost" from the Germans because he kept coming back to the fight.
Army medics gave Urban no hope of survival when he was finally evacuated from the battlefield, but he recovered undeterred by his prognosis, though his vocal cords remained damaged, leaving him with a permanently broken voice.
Urban was promoted to major in October 1944. He became a lieutenant colonel before being medically discharged from the army in February 1946.
Urban moved to Port Huron, Michigan, where he served for several years as the city's director of recreation and community centers. In the 1960s he met his wife, Jennie, and they had a daughter, Jennifer. In 1972 the family moved to Holland, Michigan. According to Cornell University, Urban coached several athletic programs during his political career, coaching athletes who became Olympians and Gold Glove champions. He was eventually named president of the Michigan Olympic Boxing Committee.

late prices

Meanwhile, Army Staff Sgt. Earl G. Evans, who served with Urban in Europe and Africa, was released from a German prisoner of war camp in July 1945. After Evans returned home, he recommended Urban for the Medal of Honor, but apparently lost the medal. letter and it never got off to the right start. Fortunately, however, a copy had been deposited in Urban's official files.
This letter remained there until information was requested in June 1978. The Army finally considered and accepted the Medal of Honor recommendation.
More than 35 years after that summer of 1944, Urban was told he would receive the nation's highest military decoration for bravery. He was greeted by President Jimmy Carter in a White House ceremony on July 19, 1980. His wife and daughter attended, as well as hundreds of his fellow soldiers from the 9th Infantry Division.
Urban's other awards include the Croix de Guerre with France's Bronze Star, the Belgian Fourragere and seven Purple Hearts for wounds he received during the war. All of his awards make him one of the most decorated soldiers in United States history, comparable to the famous General Audie Murphy.
service to the end
Urban retired from his political career in 1989, but remained active in the Red Cross. According to Cornell, he also ran camps for underprivileged children. he was a cub leader, director of a boys' club, and president of the Boy Scouts. and was inducted into the Michigan Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame.
Urban died on March 4, 1995 in Holland, Michigan due to complications from a collapsed lung caused by one of his war wounds. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The 2nd Battalion headquarters at Fort Jackson was named Urban in 2017. A replica of the Medal of Honor is at the Michigan Heroes Museum in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

###

social security problems
From National Social Security Counselor to AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty: How Does Social Security Disability Work With Private Disability Insurance?

Dear Rusty, If someone collects long-term disability through your company, and the company says the employee must also file through Social Security, how does that work? Will the amount of Social Security be reduced from the amount the person would normally receive when they retire? Is long-term disability for life or only until retirement age? What about that person's wife? Would she affect them in any way? Signed: Concerned
Dear Interested Person, It is common for private long-term disability (LTD) insurers to require you to file an application for Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI). Generally, the private LLC benefit is offset (reduced) by the federal SSDI benefit.
The amount of the SSDI benefit, if awarded, is the total Social Security benefit earned up to the time the beneficiary becomes disabled and unable to work. This means that someone with SSDI before Full Retirement Age (FRA) will get their FRA amount sooner (FRA is between 66 and 67 depending on the year of birth). The SSDI benefit will be based on the disabled person's earnings history, with no reduction for claims before full retirement age. SSDI automatically converts to regular SS pension benefits in the same amount when FRA is reached. Therefore, receiving SSDI does not reduce an individual's FRA benefit amount. rather, they get the amount of FRA.
Social Security disability benefits last as long as you remain disabled or until you reach full Social Security retirement age. To be eligible, the disability must be expected to last at least one year and the disability must allow you to do substantial work. You must also have been working recently (usually at least 5 of the last 10 years) to remain eligible, and you must have paid FICA payroll taxes (or self-employment taxes) on your earned income. Only very limited income is allowed when collecting disability insurance benefits, and Social Security may require confirmation from time to time that you remain eligible for SSDI.
Applying for SSDI is a relatively simple process that can be done online at www.ssa.gov/applyfordisability or by calling SS directly at 1.800.772.1213. Depending on the nature of the disability, it generally takes 3-5 months to receive the determination and, if SSDI is approved, there is a 5-month waiting period before benefits begin. If your SSDI application is initially denied (approximately 65% ​​of all initial applications are denied), you can appeal at several levels, beginning by simply asking Social Security for reconsideration, followed, if necessary, by a hearing with an independent administrator. . judge. a review by the SSDI appeals board or even an appeal in federal court. Now, if the applicant has a long-term private disability, it is to be expected that the SSDI application will be approved in the first instance.
Whether the spouse of a person with SSDI is affected depends a lot on the spouse's age and how the spouse's SS pension benefit compares to the disabled spouse's SSDI benefit. Benefits for a spouse are already available at age 62, but the spouse's personal FRA benefit amount (from their own lifetime earnings record) must be less than 50% of the disabled spouse's SSDI amount to provide spousal support to the disabled husband who should receive. Otherwise, the spouse receiving SSDI has no impact on the other spouse's personal Social Security benefit.

###

history is important
De Grateful American Book Award

"Don't let either of you shoot until you see the whites of his eyes!" American General William Prescott told the band of soldiers fans of him. June 17, 1775; they would face a contingent of the British professional armed forces at the foot of Bunker Hill, MA. When the redcoats were about 120 feet away, they "let loose in a flurry of deadly fire," according to History.com.
The English, commanded by the veteran general Thomas Gage, who had led the battle, were taken by surprise. retired and regrouped. he attacked again and withdrew.
General Gage, not ready to surrender, led his troops into a third battle. By this time, Prescott's rebels, running low on ammunition, were forced to stand their ground and engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The rebels were adamant in the face of staggering odds, and although the Americans lost the Battle of Bunker Hill, it "was a morale boost to the Americans, convincing them that patriotic devotion could trump superior British military might," according to History.com .
For more information, the Grateful American Book Prize recommends Patriots, A Story of Bunker Hill for Young Adults by Gregory T. Edgar.

###

Legendary mountaineer Joe Meek did not live passively. Born in Virginia in 1810, he was "a kind and relentlessly good young man, but he had too much energy to do well in school," according to History.com. he became a frontiersman by trapping himself and fighting his way through the western lands.
Highlanders met each year at various locations in the "Wild West" to exchange information and tell stories of their adventures in the wild. His stories were "...often exaggerated," says History.com. A natural lover of half-hearted mythos, Mick was better than most at amplifying his feats, like how he "took down an aggressive grizzly bear with his bare hands."
He eventually settled in the Willamette Valley in western Oregon, where he became a farmer and political activist. In 1847, he led a delegation to Washington, DC, seeking territorial status for Oregon. The self-proclaimed envoy/secretary/plenipotentiary of the Republic of Oregon [traveled] to the American Court” and got what he wanted.
Mick died on June 20, 1875.
Nominado al premio De Grateful American Book Prize Joe Meek: The Merry Mountain Man de Stanley Vestal.

###

America has won the war. Now all she needed was a constitution for her to flourish. The Articles of Confederation had freed the country from British rule, but a better plan was needed for the future.
Then, as History.com described it: “Congress approved a plan to create a new constitution, and on May 25, 1787, the Constitutional Convention met in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. On September 17, 1787, after three months of debate led by convention chairman George Washington, 38 of the 41 delegates signed the new United States Constitution, which created a strong federal government with complex checks and balances. and counterweights. present at the conclusion. of the contract. As Article VII dictates, the document will not be binding until it has been ratified by nine of the 13 states."
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire, the ninth to ratify the US Constitution, voted to make it the law of the land.
Grateful American Book Prize Recommends Ratification: The Popular Debate Over the Constitution, 1787-1788 by Pauline Maier.

_________________________________

Once in a very long life
What's on your wish list? Maybe you want to see the Egyptian pyramids, go rafting, or write a book. Not for Bertha Comore. A Farmington, Connecticut native, she says she always wanted to pet a penguin. They're not so easy to find in this part of the world, but the local chapter of the Twilight Wish Foundation arrived in time for her 104th birthday celebration. She was excited, she gave the flightless seabird a little hug and said, "I didn't expect that. It's great. I'll just pet the penguin and watch it closely."

###

With the greatest of facilities
And then there's Ruth Larsson from Motala, Sweden. She wasn't enough to skydive two years ago when she was only 101, so she did it again, this time at the age of 103 years and 259 days. A Guinness World Records official was on hand to see her float through the air with the greatest ease of hers, declaring her the oldest woman to make the leap. She replaced previous record holder Kathryn Hodges of Snohomish, Washington, who was 103 years and 129 days old when she won the title in 2019.

###

chase the cheese
The Cooper's Hill Rolling Cheese Race sounds like a pretty tame race. It takes place every year in the picturesque British town of Brockworth. But it's not for the faint of heart. It was an officially sanctioned event until 2010, when it got a bit out of hand due to its increasing popularity. Too many contenders turned up, almost causing a riot when the contestants chased a 9-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down a very steep incline. Despite the possibility of breaking an arm or leg, the race continues to attract hundreds of entrants from around the world. The risks increased this year due to humidity.

###

Save money by planting flower seeds directly in the garden
MELINDA MYERS Door

Don't worry if you've already spent most of your planting budget for the year. Fill in gaps in your gardens and containers with heat-tolerant annuals planted directly into the garden from seed.
Zinnia and marigolds are traditional favorites that are often started from seed planted right in the garden. These germinate quickly and begin to flower after about eight weeks.
Zinnias are heat and drought tolerant once established. The Profusion line is compact, disease resistant, and blooms early and throughout the season. The Zahara series of zinnias are also heat and drought tolerant and resistant to leaf spot and powdery mildew. Zinnias are excellent pollinators and make excellent cut flowers.
Moss Rose's drought tolerance makes it an excellent choice for sandy, gravelly, and rocky areas. The thin seeds make it a bit more difficult to plant. Try mixing the seeds with sand to distribute the seeds more evenly. Look for varieties like Afternoon Delight and the Happy Hour and Sunrial series that have flowers that open earlier or stay open later so you can enjoy them longer.
Cleome is a large annual that can easily fill the space between these newly planted little shrubs. Prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil, but tolerates dry conditions. Thin the seeds so that the final planting distance is between 1 and 3 feet. The more space, the fuller and bushier the plant. These plants self-sow easily, so keep an eye out for volunteer plants in next year's garden.
Sunflowers are usually started from seed in the garden. You can find single and double flowered varieties that range in height from 18 inches to 12 feet or more. Cover your plant to extend the flowering time. Plant seeds every two weeks for plenty of fresh blooms to enjoy. Just check the seed packet for the number of days from plant to bloom. Make sure your last plantings have time to mature and flower before the end of the growing season.
The Mexican sunflower is not as well known as the common sunflower, but it is just as welcome in the garden. The bright orange blooms pair beautifully with the yellow, blue, and purple blossoms and attract butterflies and other pollinators to the garden. Cover them in a sunny area with well-drained soil. Avoid windy locations where brittle stems may break. Give this large plant plenty of room to grow to its mature size. The Mexican sunflower grows four to six feet tall and two to three feet wide. Fiesta del Sol and Goldfinger are shorter varieties that are better suited to smaller spaces.
See the seed packet for more information on planting seeds of these and other flowers directly in the garden. With proper planting and care, you'll have plenty of blooms to enjoy this season.

###

How to tell if you're sunburned (and what to do about it)

Katie Sandler, Professional Development and Impact Coach, helps people recharge and make an impact

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – Many people experience burnout in their careers and in their lives in general, but they may not realize it. Going through the motions, dreading it's time to go to work, and feeling mentally drained are exhausting, but they can affect your attitude, job performance, and quality of life. Knowing the signs of burnout and what to do about it can make all the difference.
“We live in a time where we just rush from point to point, constantly busy with work, chores, and life issues,” explains Katie Sandler, career and personal development consultant. "Soon this could leave people feeling emotionally drained."
Recognizing the signs and taking action can help people get through them and feel good. You can also prevent it from happening again. According to the National Institutes of Health, burnout is a term coined by an American psychologist in the 1970s. The term is widely used today to describe the condition in which people experience various symptoms, such as mental exhaustion, feeling unmotivated , separated and helpless, a sense of failure, an increasingly pessimistic outlook, and dissatisfaction with life.
People with burnout often feel like they have a lot of bad days, that the things they do don't matter and aren't appreciated. All of these feelings lead to decreased life satisfaction, and until this is addressed, things will stay the same or even continue to decline.
Here are some things that can be done to deal with burnout:
Take a serious look at your work. Burnout is often caused by people who are dissatisfied with their work. When that happens, it's time to determine what you can change. It may be time to change jobs or make a plan to move into a new career field.
Reduce the number of work hours that may be contributing to the problem. Some people work long hours at the office, and others take work home after they leave. Set boundaries so there are times when work is not a part of your life and schedule.
Work to improve your attitude by practicing gratitude, meditating, exercising regularly, and participating in activities that bring you joy. The balance between work and life must be in balance to help create happiness.
Be aware of who you surround yourself with to limit the time you spend with people who are overly negative or emotionally draining. This applies to people at work and in their private lives.
Take a break. Going on vacation or planning a vacation doesn't have to be luxurious. It just has to be something that allows you to relax, unwind and recharge. Relaxation time should also be part of your weekly schedule.
Seek help if you feel like you can't get over it. Work with an impact coach, career coach, or counselor to get the help you need to move things in the right direction.
“I have worked with many people to help them cope with and prevent burnout,” Sandler added. “When you finally take control and stop letting it control you, you will improve the quality of your life. It's better to deal with it now than let it continue and get worse."
Sandler has worked with many people with burnout to help them identify a personal performance plan, take action to achieve goals, and identify areas to work on. She provides people with essential tools that they can use to bring peace and understanding into their lives. In addition to working with individuals, she offers luxury retreats.
Sandler has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in mental health counseling, has a strong foundation in mindfulness-based stress reduction, and has worked in hospitals and in private practice. She previously spent time as a research assistant at Johns Hopkins, where she focused on life purpose. To learn more about Katie Sandler and her services or to view her retreat schedule, please visit: https://katiesandler.com/.

###

social security problems
From the National Social Security Adviser of the AMAC Foundation,

Ask Rusty - I am a widower with 3 minor children - What about social security?

Dear Rusty, My wife passed away a few days ago and I have three children ages 15, 11 and 10. I need to do something; Signature: Suddenly Widowed

Dear Sudden Widower: We are so sorry to hear that your wife has passed away. please accept our condolences on the loss of her. Here's what you need to know about Social Security:
• His underage wife