Heather Hummert Again Shares Valuable Information Regarding PTSD and TBI

In preparation for October, which is domestic violence month, Heather Hummert again was a guest on the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com that I co-host with Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com.

Heather shared her projects to help support military personnel and their families deal with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which are frequently connected with domestic violence.

I personally appreciated Heather's clear explanations of the difference in treatment for these two conditions even though the symptoms of both can be very similar.

Perhaps most interesting was her explanation of how people can have TBI without any apparent brain injury. The conclusion from being near a blast can cause a brain injury even when the head is not physically hit.

Listen to the interview now to learn more about PTSD, TBI and what Heather is doing to help people suffering from these conditions. Then check out her sites www.getdemi.com and www.acquirelife.com.

FYI -- And you can get a free report on PTSD written by Heather at my site www.InSupportOfOurTroops.com.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Documentary Filmmaker Anita Sugimura Holsapple Talks About TBI and PTSD

"Mental Valor" is a documentary focused on military psychology and how this impacts troops and families during time of loss, deployment and injuries, including battles with TBI and PTSD.

Anita Sugimura Holsapple, the creator/producer of this in-progress documentary, was the guest on the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com that I co-host with Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com.

While below is the link so that you can hear the entire BlogTalkRadio interview, one aspect was barely mentioned that intrigued me. Thus I asked Anita to write a short guest post about this aspect:


The issues of psychological warfare have been around since war began. From the strategy of the Spartans to the clandestine movements of the Ninjas, warriors have always held an element of psychology in their execution.

Psychology and warfare have long been partners, and in the U.S. it was during the Civil War that psychologists began to study the effects of psychological warfare upon troops. Now known as Division 19 -- The Society for Military Psychology, the early scientists documented various effects of war and trauma.

But it wasn't until 1939 that a psychological committee was actually formed. Known then as the Committee on the Selection and Training of Military Personnel, this was the "birth" of Division 19.

Division 19 is one of the original divisions of the American Psychological Association. It "represents an 'intellectual town hall' for psychologists who share in common an interest in psychological issues pertaining to military personnel and their families.

"The society encourages research and the application of psychological research and clinical methods to military problems. Military psychologists may be either civilians or uniformed personnel, and their academic backgrounds may reflect any specialty area in the broad field of psychology."

The term PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, was first utilized during the Vietnam War. However, it wasn't until 1980 that the term and issue were "formally recognized" and thus listed in the DSM-111. (ptsd.va.gov)

However, the biggest concern today is the issue of TBI or Traumatic Brain Injury. Because of our increased armor and medevac abilities, troops are now surviving what used to cause causalities. Thus the brain injuries are escalating anxiety disorders due to the physical injury that results in psychological injuries.

For more on Division 19, see www.apadivision19.org/

For more on TBI, see www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm

Listen to the BlogTalkRadio show interview of Anita now.

FYI -- Anita's documentary website is www.MentalValor.com, and more information on her project can be found on my new website www.InSupportOfOurTroops.com
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

MWSA Award: Dealing With the Deployment Challenges Facing Children

The Military Writers Society of America (www.militarywriters.com) award recipient in the category of Children’s Books are Minnesota authors Sara Jensen-Fritz, Paula Jones-Johnson and Thea L. Zizow. They will receive the Gold Medal Award from the MWSA for their children’s activity book “You and Your Military Hero: Building Positive Thinking Skills During Your Hero’s Deployment.”

The three authors are educational professionals with experience spanning from 19 to 25 years. The authors work with children ages 5-12 in the roles of school psychologist (Sara), school social worker (Paula) and speech pathologist/special education teacher (Thea).

Three years ago the authors created a private business -- UFLIPP, LLC -- with the mission of creating positive, innovative products for children. Their first project “You and Your Military Hero” reaches out to children with deployed loved ones. Their website is www.uflipp.com.

You and Your Military Hero:

It is well-known that children in today’s world experience unique challenges that children even 10 years ago did not have. One of these challenges is dealing with a loved one’s deployment. We live in an area of the country where National Guard deployments are common place.

In our work with military children, we struggled to find a resource to help these children in the positive coping skill style that we find effective. As colleagues, we had been inspired for some time to create something original that would help children and make a difference in their lives. Our book You and Your Military Hero grew out of this inspiration.

You and Your Military Hero helps children ages 5-12 develop resiliency skills as they live through the challenging time of a loved one’s deployment. This book provides adult-guided learning opportunities for building positive coping skills in an easy, fun and systemized manner.

You and Your Military Hero is written in an easy-to-follow format so that any adult can guide a child through the activities. When a caring adult guides the child, the adult-child connection is strengthened and this also builds resilience. Children learn to cope with their “new” world in a positive way.

With consistent practice, the skills taught in You and Your Military Hero can become lifelong coping skills that will assist a child through many other challenging situations.

Let’s look at why today it is so difficult for kids to be kids:

Why is it that we see so many children growing up so fast and missing out on the enjoyment of childhood? The world has become increasingly fast-paced, especially in the area of technology, and in the process has hijacked many a childhood.

In our work with children over the years, we have observed a more and more frequent tendency for children to absorb the problems of the world and the adults around them. This is unfortunate, because a young child does not possess the experience nor the advanced cognitive development to solve such problems.

Oftentimes a child claims the problem as his/her own but then has no “tools” with which to navigate the problem and find solutions. This leads to frustration at the very least and, at worst, depression. Furthermore, a child’s worry and heartache over adult and/or world problems does absolutely nothing to eliminate the problems. It changes nothing.

However, as adults, we can help to create more happiness within children as well as appreciate the pure innocence that is their birthright. Children need to be encouraged to nourish their inner joy and be consistently reassured that the adults will handle the challenges in their own lives and do what they can to move toward a more positive world.

To help children access their inner happiness is our mission. We are UFLIPP, LLC, and children are our passion. Together our experience spans across almost three decades. As school psychologist (Sara), school social worker (Paula) and speech/language and special education teacher (Thea), we work every day to make children’s lives better.

Through our work we have found that children are not necessarily born with a positive attitude. However, children can learn how to become more positive. Both environment and heredity shape a child’s attitude.

Some children have a very challenging home life and still have a positive attitude, while other children seemingly have a good home life and have a negative attitude toward life’s challenges. In our experience, when children are helped to focus on positive solutions, they respond in a more positive way. They become more resilient.

Note: The Amazon link is an affiliate link.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Support USO Project to Help Soldiers Phone Home

I was contacted by @GISUPPORTER on Twitter and asked to get the word out about this program. Here's information from the USO website:

The USO - through Operation Phone Home® -- buys and hands out thousands of pre-paid phone cards to our men and women in uniform.

For our soldiers at the Front, there’s no magic like the music of your child's voice on a Holiday morning... no warmth like the familiar sound of "Happy Birthday" sung by your parents or siblings... and no relief as complete as the chance to chat with a friend when you're really down.

Your $15 donation provides a GI in Iraq with 45 minutes of prepaid calls to the US. A $20 donation buys 60 prepaid minutes. A $100 donation: 300 minutes. Please give as generously as you can, today! Tomorrow could be too late.

DONATE NOW.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

New Project: Films That Support Our Troops and Their Families

After a meeting with Anita Sugimura Holsapple, who is behind the documentary Mental Valor, I created a LinkedIn group for films that support our troops.

I did this because I've had the opportunity -- in connection with my co-hosting the BlogRalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com with Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com -- to screen some of the wonderful documentaries and feature films being made. Yet there's no central point where all these films and filmmakers can connect.

I'm turning my website www.InSupportOfOurTroops.com into a connecting site to the LinkedIn group and offering every filmmaker a page on the site to promote his/her film. As you can read on the home page of the site, I'm hoping to interest corporate sponsors to help with funding for the films that are not yet completed.

I hope that you will spread the word about the LinkedIn group and the website to filmmakers as well as potential corporate sponsors in order to encourage these important projects.

Join LinkedIn group now.

Visit InSupportOfOurTroops.com now.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Nonfiction Book LONE SURVIVOR Is a Must-Read

The nonfiction book LONE SURVIVOR: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson is a must-read.

This is what my husband said to me when he handed me the book after he read it. And now that I have read the book, I agree.

Luttrell provides his first-hand account of the four-man mission into Taliban territory in Afghanistan in June 2005 that he alone survived. The description of how the four held out against a huge Taliban force is one of the most amazing warrior descriptions I've ever read or seen.

Yet there are other parts of this book that are just as compelling. These parts include the detailed information on SEAL training and the amazing story of the Afghan mountain village that risked every villager's life to prevent the Taliban from finishing off Luttrell.

If you want to know what our military personnel who go on clandestine missions do on these missions -- as well as understanding the "band of brothers" of our military -- read this book now.

Note: The above Amazon link is an affiliate link.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Why You Should Take Action to Help Military Families Affected by Autism

As those of you know who are regular readers of this blog, I have been supporting the effort of military families to have the treatment of their autistic children covered by the military health care program TRICARE.

I got permission to share the following letter with you from Army Major Shannon Beckett, currently stationed in Tikrit, Iraq.

Please read this letter and then read the email below to learn how you can help:


Dear Representatives~

I am a military officer currently stationed in Iraq. I am currently serving my
4th tour of duty. Autism nearly took our youngest son Jacob from us, with a
diagnosis of moderate to severe autism in July of 2005. I was serving as a
MEDEVAC (Air Ambulance) squadron commander at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, at that time.

As a family, we were able to pull together to see our son recover from this
simply horrific disorder. But, to be sure, there have been costs. If I may
speak plainly, TRICARE has been of very little help.

The required intensive behavioral therapy (ABA)proved very costly. To date, we have expended $385,000.00 in personal funds, which of course we did not have.

Please, ladies and gentlemen, our military families need help. Any family
dealing with a son or daughter battling autism is in peril and needs responsive support, and a military family faced with extended separation and
recurring deployments is no exception.

It would be difficult to convey just how hard the task of bringing our son
through to recovery was. What I can tell you is that it made four tours of combat look easy.

My wife held down the toughest job I have ever witnessed through
this ordeal: patiently working all day, every day, and most of the night,
every night, working to break through to our son again.

Sadly, without support through military insurance, many military families do
not have the resources, support, and training to handle the severity of this
disorder. Many families (80%: CNN data) simply disintegrate.

Our son has since fully recovered. He attends elementary school with his older
brother, reads at two grades above his level, loves to surf and skateboard, and
is a joy to be around.

I ask for your help in providing this hope to my brothers and sisters in
service to our country. I ask that you support the Sestak Ammendment and
provide the funding required for autism treatment right away.

Respectfully,

Shannon Beckett
Major, United States Army
Tikrit, Iraq

Now a report from Karen Driscoll, the Marine Corps wife and mother of three children -- one with autism -- telling you how you can help now:


Dear Family, Friends, & Military Supporters:

As you are aware, a group of military spouses from across the country has been
working tirelessly to improve the lives of military families with autism and
other disabilities.

With the help of many key leaders on Capitol Hill, we have a unique opportunity comprehensive legislative reforms for military children living with autism. We need your help!

Please take action to voice your support for legislation in the National Defense Authorization Act to recognize the medical necessity of effective autism treatments. There is still time to help our special kids!

Thanks to Autism Speaks, we have the below link to email your support directly
to the conferees on the Armed Services Committee. Please take a minute to
complete the form and email the conferees directly:

AUTISM VOTES

Semper Fi,

Karen Driscoll - Marine Corps wife, mother of 3 (one with autism)
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Jerry Yellin Writes About His Iwo Jima Experience

Military Writers Society of America (www.militarywriters.com) member Jerry Yellin has an essay that is a finalist in the society’s People’s Choice Award – “Iwo Jima, August 14, 1945.”

The above video is of Jerry Yellin reading his story – and you can vote for his story on the society's website.

Here’s an email he sent me and gave his permission to include here:

On March 7, 1945, I landed my P-51 on Iwo Jima after the Marines cleared the area around a dirt air strip. For the next month we strafed the island for the Marines.

On April 7, 1945, I was one of 16 pilots of the 78th Fighter Squadron to fly the first VLR -- Very Long Range -- mission over Japan. We escorted B-29s over Tokyo and watched as they dropped incendiary bombs on the city. Not once did it occur to me that there were people on the ground. They were Japs, my enemy, not really human beings.

I made 19 missions over Japan, lost 16 good friends whom I flew with, and carried a hatred for Japan, her people, her culture until March 6, 1988, when I attended the wedding of my youngest son, Robert, to the daughter of a member of the Japanese Imperial Air Force from WW2. Her father, Taro Yamakawa, hated me and I hated him. Now we have three grandchildren ages 20, 18 and 13 who live in Japan.

Last year I attended a ceremony in Japan conducted by Dr. Hiroya Sugano since 1972 honoring the lives of 23 American airmen who were killed over Japan in a mid-air collision of their B-29s. A charred and scarred canteen with the hand print of the American who was holding it is embedded on the canteen. Dr. Sugano uses that canteen in the ceremony.

This is a tape of the 2008 ceremony photographed by American Air Force personnel from Yokota Air Base.

Dr. Sugano has invited me to go to Iwo Jima on March 18, 2010, to use the canteen in a memorial service for those who were killed on Iwo 65 years ago - 7,000 Americans and 21,000 Japanese.

He, like me, has an interest in preserving peace on our planet for the young people in our lives. His daughter is married to a West Point graduate and he has American grandchildren just as I have Japanese grandchildren.

I have written two books about my experience in the war: Of Wars & Weddings and The Blackened Canteen. Yoko Ono has written a beautiful passage on my website about the message contained in The Blackened Canteen -- www.jerryyellin.com/

Both books talk about the healing experience I have undergone. For us old veterans of wars, and for any veterans of a war, my story will strike a deep cord in their hearts.

Note: The Amazon links are affiliate links.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Military Writers Society of America Names People’s Choice Finalists

The Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) recently announced eight finalists for its 2009 People’s Choice Award.

The open format competition presented over 800 MWSA members with an opportunity to write a story, poem, song or essay inspired by one of four patriotic pictures or sketches by MWSA photographers or artists.

Entries were required to be short enough to be read aloud in under five minutes in order to be read on the Veteran's Radio Show -- "Talking with Heroes" -- hosted by Bob Calvert of Colorado Springs, CO. The eight finalists' entries will also be read at the society’s annual convention on October 10th in Orlando, FL.

This year’s finalists are Mindy Phillips Lawrence, Springfield, MO; Jack L. Wells, Lakeland, FL; James R. Jellerson, Oahu, Hawaii; Jerry Yellin, Vero Beach, FL; Bonnie Bartel Latino, Atmore, AL; John Cathcart, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, FL; Marlyce Stockinger, Branson, MO; and Jeff Senour & CTS, Phoenix, AZ.

Their entries may be read as PDF files with links from this MWSA web page: http://tinyurl.com/oj9exl. After reading stories which interest you in the PDF file format, you can go back to the bottom of that web page and click on the name of the author you’d like to vote for, enter your name, and click the vote button.

Or you can vote by sending an email stating that you vote for (name of author) and (title of work). The e-mail address for each entry is listed at the bottom of each story. One vote per person or email account. Note: You do NOT have to register to vote.

Today Mrs. Lieutenant features the first 300 words of Bonnie Bartel Latino’s flash fiction entry “The Rush of Butterflies.” Bonnie is one of only two women who are finalists. You may remember Bonnie from her guest blog here about how she came to write for Stars and Stripes in Europe.

As her inspiration image, Bonnie chose an untitled sketch by MWSA artist Bob Larkin (see above). Although Bonnie was an active-duty Air Force spouse for 30 years, she gave her story an Army setting.

The Rush of Butterflies by Bonnie Bartel Latino:

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jerry Pruet loved America and the U.S. Army as if they were his blood relatives. Alone in his parked UH-1H “Huey” helicopter, he was a long way from the comfort and safety of family or country. He peered through the windscreen. Fog clouded his view as the sound of a northbound F-105 “Thud” reverberated overhead.

Not far away, somewhere in this godforsaken Quang Tri River Valley, six exhausted Rangers had been on the run all night. Radio reports painted a bleak picture. The North Vietnamese Army surrounded their long-range reconnaissance patrol.

Scanning the airfield perimeter for his launch signal, he saw no one. He pulled a snapshot of his wife from his flight suit. His mouth curved into a grin. Yen brought more than the "peace" her name implied. As fair of spirit as of face and form, she had proven as faithful as dawn. To thrive, he needed Yen, just as his helicopter needed JP-4 to soar.

# # #

The somber tones of Walter Cronkite reporting the daily body count from Vietnam filled Yen Pruet’s Honolulu apartment. She constantly rotated the gold band around her finger. When she and Jerry left her homeland, she never dreamed he would volunteer to go back.

Chills raced along her arms raising tiny bumps. Hawaiian friends called the unexpected sensations chicken skin. The description fit perfectly. From the day she and Jerry met in Soc Trang, they shared a sixth sense connection. It had never felt stronger.

# # #

“Mr. Pruet,” an operations sergeant said from outside the Huey. “The major says the Rangers are taking a heckuva lot of fire. We’ve got to get ’em outta’ there ASAP. Cobras aren’t available, and fixed-wings don’t have visibility in the zone.”

. . . To read more of “The Rush of Butterflies” and to read the other finalists’ entries, please go to Bonnie Bartel Latino’s PDF file found at http://tinyurl.com/oj9exl
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Dave Murphy Started ThankaSoldier.net to Support Canadian Troops in Afghanistan

Dave Murphy is "just a Canadian civilian" who wanted to say thanks to the Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan. In a very short time Dave's project has grown from one person to 2.6 million supporters and from a project sending coffee cards to the soldiers in Afghanistan to bigger and better support projects.

Listen to the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com interview of Dave and then check out his website at www.thankasoldier.net. He doesn't take donations or advertising, but he does sell t-shirts. And those proceeds go to other organizations in the U.S. and Canada that support military troops.

And to Dave Murphy we say thank you for this wonderful project. (You can follow him on Twitter at @thankasoldier.)
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

U.S. Army Honors Supporters Thanks to Freedom Team Salute Program

Major Michael Conroy, Director of Strategic Communications of the U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute, talked about this incredible program begun in 2005 on the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com that Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com and I co-host

At its core, the program boils down to the U.S. Army giving back to veterans, military personnel and civilian supporters for supporting U.S. troops.

Listen now to Major Conroy describe how this program, which the U.S. Army is the only service branch to have, goes out on the road to thank supporters. (The story of the middle school in Mississippi is particularly compelling.)

And then submit your candidates for this recognition at www.freedomteamsalute.com.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Erin Rainwater's Army Nurse Background Contributes to Her Historical Novels

As an Army nurse during the Vietnam War-era, Erin Rainwater cared for the bodies and spirits of soldiers and veterans, including repatriated POWs and MIAs. Her military experience has helped in writing parts of her novels.

Erin now serves as a nurse in the National Disaster Medical System, and has deployed to disaster areas around the country. Her support of the military is ongoing, and she currently volunteers at the USO in Denver.

She is the recipient of the 2009 Military Writers Society of America (www.militarywiters.com) Gold Medal for Historical Fiction for her novel True Colors, which she talks about below.


My passion has always been for the historical, thus my novels are set in the 1860s. Being a nurse, I couldn’t help but make one of the heroines a nurse, too (write what you know!). And I have an absolute fascination with American history.

I think you need that if you’re going to write historicals. Anyone can research and report on subject matter, but the author of historicals lives vicariously in that era when writing. At least I do.

Good storytelling places the reader in the moment, makes them feel the danger, the meaning of consequences. With historical fiction you get all of that plus a telescopic view of a time and place with the customs, culture, dress and vernacular of a different time.

Yet you still experience those timeless issues, such as separation during war, grieving the loss of a child, or dealing with a traumatically acquired handicap. And the perseverance that must accompany all of that.

I do my own research, and I absolutely love that part of writing. The hard part is sorting through what can be used and what simply doesn’t work. There are so many fascinating (to me, anyway) historical facts I want to include. But you won’t see them because I couldn’t work them into the story without it seeming forced or contrived.

Another hurdle is sorting through varying accounts of the same historical incident. The best you can do is choose the source that seems the most credible and hope it’s the most accurate, then go with it.

True Colors takes place during the most enigmatic time in our nation’s history, the Civil War. Cassie Golden is a Pennsylvania farm girl turned government nurse, whose father was a physician, so she believes she is well-equipped for caring for patients with acute illnesses and wounds, although nothing really prepares her for all she comes to deal with.

I’ve long been fascinated by the medical care delivered in those days. True Colors incorporates those primitive ways with some of my military nursing experiences, as well as some personal, real-life family history.

There is a scene where the hero (an intelligence officer) and heroine deal with the internal struggles of his accepting a mission that would take him away for an extended period. A portion of the male character’s dialogue in that scene is taken word-for-word from letters my father (an intel officer) wrote to my mother after he left for service in WW II.

There are some real-life characters in the story as well, such as Colonel Thomas Rose, who was captured at the Battle of Chickamauga and imprisoned in Richmond at the infamous Libby Prison. (I have visited the site where it once stood and where now only a plaque on a stone wall reveals where the building was located, but cannot describe the horrors that took place within.)

President Lincoln makes a cameo appearance, having visited the Confederate capital in the closing days of the war.

American history, when well told, is not only fascinating but can contribute to our identity as a nation and its values. I believe historical fiction can do the same, which makes historical accuracy a must. And if we include our Judeo-Christian roots, there can be an added “take-away” value—a lesson learned or at least a point to ruminate over. My goal is to incorporate all these things into my stories.

(The Amazon link is an affiliate link.)
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Naval Officer Rob Ballister Winner of the 2009 MWSA President’s Award

Rob Ballister is an active-duty Naval officer currently serving in Washington DC. He is the recipient of the 2007 Military Writers Society of America (www.militarywiters.com) Gold Medal for Humor for his book God Does Have a Sense of Humor and the winner of the 2009 Military Writers Society of America President’s Award for service to the society. Here’s Rob sharing some of his humorous insights:

Recently, I came to a pair of conclusions. First, I was due for a mid-life crisis. Second, I was not rich. Because I didn’t have the money for a corvette, a mistress, or a sailboat, I needed another outlet for my attempt at feeling both younger and more in control of my life.

Therefore, I decided on the spot to pursue a week-long dream of mine and learn to play the drums. After all, if some high-school dropout with long hair can do it, a Naval Academy grad with more degrees than talent should have no problem.

The effects of my decision have been immediate and mixed. On the down side, my neighbors hate me, my wife won’t talk to me, and my dog cowers under our bed most of the day. On the bright side, my in-laws almost never come to visit anymore, so it’s pretty much a wash. But my wife’s divorce threats not withstanding, it has been absolutely worth it.

Okay, I’m not Buddy Rich. When it comes to drums, I’m not even Buddy Hackett. But I love to play. Every chance I get, I go out in my garage, put in my earplugs, grab my sticks, and for the next 30 minutes make some serious noise.

To anyone else, the ensuing cacophony sounds like a train derailing during a thunderstorm, complete with cursing passengers (that’s me when I whack myself in the face; occasionally, a stick gets away from me), but to me, it’s music. And not church music or nursery school music that you learned in school because you had to; I mean put-the-top-down-and-crank-the-radio-so-you-can-FEEL-it music.

I shake and jitter and shudder and flail and feel like I can play forever. Then my hands cramp up and the sticks fly around the room, but until that point I am the greatest drummer since man first covered a log with an animal skin and thumped away.

I have no doubt that had I started this a bit earlier in life, I would be a lot better at it by now. I would also probably be a lot less passionate. When I was younger, I learned something because I felt like I wanted or needed to get better at it for some particular reason, to achieve some goal or success in life. That mentality can take all the fun out of something.

With drumming, it’s not the destination but the journey that provides the enjoyment, and when I’m out there slamming the skins as hard as I can, I don’t care if I never get any better, because I’m happy right where I am. The joy is not in the reward, but in the release, the learning, the creativity, the just plain playing.

So I guess it’s never too late to learn something new. Just grab a set of sticks, or some scuba gear, or a parachute, or knitting needles, or SOMETHING, and enjoy the journey that comes with it.

Be that 55-year-old taking piano lessons, or that 70-year-old learning to ice skate (be careful, please), or the 63-year-old skydiving for the first time (be even MORE careful). When you stop learning, you stop living, and there is no reason to do either for a very long time.

(The Amazon book link is an affiliate link.)
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Jolt Energy Gum Continues to Support Our Troops

In a previous blog post I announced how Jolt Energy Gum was supporting our troops by donating a percentage of sales to organizations that help military personnel and their families. If you missed that blog post, you can read it now.

Now Jolt Energy Gum is giving away 100 packs in conjunction with the Military Times. Here's the announcement from the Times:

The makers of Jolt Gum want to supply one lucky company with 100 packs of their minty, spill-proof caffeine delivery system.

To be the caffeine fairy of your unit, write OFFduty@militarytimes.com with a story of a recent accomplishment. A winner will be chosen randomly from the entries, which may be used on the Jolt Gum blog.

But even if you don’t get any Jolt free, you can still get it at a discount: The company is offering 1-cent shipping to any APO or FPO address through October.

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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Military Writers Society of America to Present Founder’s Award to E. Franklin Evans for His Vietnam War Memoir

The Military Writers Society of America (www.militarywriters.com), of which I’m a member, will present awards at its annual convention in October. While semi-finalists have been announced in various categories, some award recipients are already known.

One such recipient is E. Franklin Evans, who will receive the Founder’s Award for his memoir “Stand To .. A Journey to Manhood.” The award will be presented by the founder of MWSA – W.M. McDonald. “This is one of this decade’s ‘Top 10 Best Memoirs’ on the Vietnam War experience,” McDonald said.

A retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, Evans is a decorated officer with over 26 years of service. He has a degree in criminal justice and graduate degrees in management and computer resources.

He has been an adjunct college professor teaching microcomputer applications for over 11 years and recently ventured into the world of writing. He is widowed and has three grown children: two sons and a daughter. His website is www.efranklinevans.com.

I’m planning to have a series of guest posts by the winners of the MWSA awards this year. Evans kicks off this planned series with the guest post below:


Throughout most of my career I have refused to revisit my time in Vietnam. I have often been asked questions about why I volunteered, what did I experience, and how do I feel about my service there. I found no adequate means of relating to those unfamiliar with the military with what a young soldier far away from home and in a dangerous environment felt.

It was uncomfortable for me to engage in conversation on the subject of my experiences. I think partly that was true because many of those who asked were just making polite conversation and were surprised to find that I was a “Vietnam vet.” In their minds, the “typical” Vietnam vet was a long-haired, social misfit, and frequently was seen as a malcontent grabbing attention for some personal reason or other.

Discussions with many non-military experienced individuals sometimes led to a confrontational debate. I avoided these discussions altogether. To do otherwise invited lengthy, and often heated, discussion that led to questions of “Why did we get involved in such a war?” or “Why didn’t we go all out to win?” Or “How could our military let such occurrences as village burning, civilian massacres, and indiscriminate bombing happen?”

Questions such as those provoked anger and resentment against those who rarely understood that the vast majority of our men and women in uniform were honorable, compassionate, and patriotic persons doing their duty in a professional manner and focused on the more relevant concerns of staying alive and protecting those around them.

My Vietnam experience was highly personal and, I suspect, like many of my contemporaries, I just wanted to move on with my life and not focus upon that brief, although significant, part of my life.

Another reason I did not want to reflect on my Vietnam experience had nothing to do with the experience itself. Rather it dealt with the pain of how I came to become a Vietnam veteran. I had lost a very good friend of mine in Vietnam and tried to put it out of my mind. I often wondered if that incident could be related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Did my friend’s death and my reaction to it constitute PTSD?

Unusual as it may seem, during my research I found some support for that thought. One source defines PTSD as “…a debilitating psychological condition triggered by a major traumatic event, such as rape, war, a terrorist act, death of a loved one, a natural disaster, or a catastrophic accident. It is marked by upsetting memories or thoughts of the ordeal, ‘blunting’ of emotions, increased arousal, and sometimes severe personality changes.”

Using that definition I began to see that it might be possible for that long ago loss of a friend to be contributing to my reluctance to discuss or admit my Vietnam experience. I further discovered that this syndrome, although normally occurring soon after the event, could develop years after the initial trauma occurred and, once the symptoms begin, they could fade away to return later or even become chronic.

My book Stand To…A Journey to Manhood is my attempt to express my thoughts and experiences in a forum that, hopefully, reaches many people and educates those who don’t know what a young soldier far away from home and in a dangerous environment feels.

The broad range of emotions suddenly thrust upon a young man or woman evoke varied responses. These emotions can contribute to PTSD, requiring lengthy treatment later.

Many times, though, the combat veteran returns home and quietly adapts. The veteran, in any case, is a changed person because of his or her experiences.

(The Amazon book link is an affiliate link.)
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

Portraits of Love for Deployed Military Personnel

Holly Almond and daughters taken by photographer Aimee Bickers for U.S. Army Major Mark Almond, who returned from Iraq last week.

Aimee Bickers, owner of Pure Expressions Photography in Apex, North Carolina, alerted me to a very special September program for deployed military personnel and their families. I’ve asked Aimee to describe this program:

This September Pure Expressions Photography and over 300 others across the nation have embarked upon a journey to send 10,000 family portraits to deployed soldiers.

The PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA) along with Soldiers Angels, a grassroots volunteer organization, began the Portraits of Love Project, a volunteer effort aimed at sending family portraits to soldiers around the globe this holiday season.

“This project is the photo industry’s way of giving back to our soldiers and thanking them for the sacrifices they have made for our country,” according to Jerry Grossman, the president of the PMDA.

“Our industry is uniquely qualified to bring an important piece of home to our soldiers, and we are pleased to be able to organize this effort.”

“It’s incredible how motivating a simple family photograph can be to a soldier who is far from home,” according to Sergeant First Class Toby Nunn, who has served two tours in Iraq and has worked with Soldiers Angels on a number of projects.

“This volunteer effort is one more way that we can help our soldiers cope with their situation,” he said.

One 5x7 will be sent to the deployed military personnel for free -- sessions to create the photos [at least in Aimee’s studio] are also free. There is no additional purchase obligation.

For more information about Portraits of Love or to find a photographer near you, visit www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

Author Peter Nelson Recounts the True Story of the WWI Harlem Hellfighters

Author Peter Nelson discussed his new nonfiction book about the Harlem Hellfighters of World War I on the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com that Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com and I co-host.

Only Nancy had an emergency and I did the show solo for the first time because I didn't want to cancel this particular show. Why? Read the P.S. at the end of my Examiner.com article to learn about my special connection to author Peter Nelson.

The book's title is: A More Unbending Battle: the True Story of the Harlem Hellfighters Struggle for Democracy in WWI and Equality at Home. And Peter and I had a a terrific discussion of the Harlem Hellfighters, a unit of the New York National Guard who became part of the French army during World War I. We also discussed race relations in the U.S. before, during, and after the military service of the Harlem Hellfighters.

You can learn more about Peter's numerous books at http://members.authorsguild.net/ipetenelson/

Listen to the interview now -- it's a fascinating U.S. military history lesson. (The Amazon link is an affiliate link.)
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

American Music Therapy Association Sponsors Pilot Program for Military Personnel and Their Families

Music therapist Barbara Else shared with BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com (which I co-host with Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com) the amazing grant-funded program that she is involved with which uses music therapy techniques to help military personnel and their families cope with issues and stress before, during or after deployment.

Listen to this interview now and then check out the website of the program's sponsoring organization for which Barbara is a consultant -- the American Music Therapy Association -- at www.musictherapy.org.

And if you have questions you'd like directed to Barbara, email info@musictherapy.org and put "Military Family Grant" in the subject line.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

Troops In Touch Connects Deployed Parents With Their Children

After receiving the email below, I asked the writer, Beth Allen, if I could reprint it here as a guest post. Read about this wonderful project she is doing to help deployed parents stay in touch with their children. And then please help spread the word.

Dear Phyllis,

I was touched reading about all you've been involved in and moved by your thoughts and feelings on military life. My own interest in the military started in January, when a family friend -- a Navy Reservist-- began a year's deployment in the Persian Gulf, leaving behind his two young children.

After his departure, I became aware of the many organizations that send items to our troops, but found little that deployed parents can have readily available to easily communicate with their young children.

In an effort to help my friend keep in touch with his children - a difficult task under the best of circumstances, I designed interactive postcards for him to mail home. The cards are viewed as little gifts both by him and the kids, with space for a note from him and drawings the children enjoy coloring, connecting the dots and working out mazes.

When completed, the art is mailed back to him, sharing the children's creativity and accomplishments and maintaining ongoing communication. He says that the cards are especially helpful as an easy, economical way to keep in touch with his children and give them an equally easy -- and fun-- way to send a little of themselves to him.

Thus began the birth of the "Troops In Touch" project. I have become so energized that I've designed over 50 cards -- some gender specific, others general in nature, including military, sports, seasonal and holiday themes. The next step of making them available to others seemed natural.

Realizing how important it is for parents and children to stay in touch, I had hoped to provide the cards at no cost but I simply cannot afford to.

Ideally, groups that support military families will order in quantities to help keep the fee modest. Individuals may also order cards for service people they know. Sales through my website make it possible for me to have a small income stream that allows me to donate sets of the cards whenever necessary. Ideally, a link-up with a non-profit organization to underwrite expenses would be wonderful.

I hope you will help spread the word about this new resource. You can see a few samples at my website at www.createmygift.com/troops.php and I'd be happy to send actual samples of the postcards to you as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read this e-mail and familiarizing yourself with Troops In Touch. I greatly appreciate any assistance you can offer.

Most sincerely,
Beth Allen

Create My Gift - - Home of "Troops In Touch" (c)
connecting parents & kids one card at a time
website: www.createmygift.com e-mail: beth@createmygift.com
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

Advice on Transitioning Out of the Military and Becoming a Business Owner

Michael Kothakota, chief investment officer of Wolfbridge Financial Services and frequent guest on the BlogTalkRadio show I co-host with Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com, provided very valuable information on this topic on another guest stint on our show. I asked Michael to write a follow-up guest blog post on the subject because the information is so important.


Transitioning out of the military can be frightening, particularly for those that have either spent a long time in the service, or the military has been their only post secondary school career. Regardless of the circumstances, separating from service can be daunting.

Oftentimes service members get an idea for a business while conducting their military duties, either through everyday training, or by some other vocation that has piqued their interest. Making the transition from the military to business owner is certainly doable, but requires careful consideration and thoughtful planning to be successful.

The military does an excellent job training service members to be able to accomplish their tasks efficiently and correctly. This can translate well into business ownership. However, being a business owner is more than the business itself. It is a mishmash of bookkeeping, marketing, training, hiring, firing and other things that can occupy your time and keep you from actually doing what it is your clients hire you to do.

Where do you get help with these issues?

Prior to separation, we suggest that you first decide what type of business you want to run. A lot of veterans will use the skills they acquired in the military to start their business. For instance, if you were an electrician for six years and wanted to open an electrician shop, this would be a good way to go.

Some military skill sets do not have a civilian occupational track. If this is the case, and you have an idea that you want to turn into a business, get some training. Either at the local university or through distance learning. This will stand you in good stead when you decide to open your business.

Now that you’ve decided to start a business, where do you start on the path to doing so? Each service prior to separation has services that will help you make the transition. Below are the websites where you can get the information you may need:

Army
http://www.acap.army.mil

Navy
http://www.lifelines.navy.mil

Air Force
http://www.afcommunity.af.mil/transition/

Marine Corps
http://www.usmc-mccs.org/tamp/index.cfm

These services vary in the amount of time they look ahead to separation, but you can generally get help from them 12 to 24 months out. This can definitely get you started on your way to business ownership.

However, you need to get started writing a business plan so that you will have a framework in which to grow your business.

How do you get started writing a business plan? But what if you didn’t plan that far ahead?

There is still help to be had in the civilian world. The SBA (Small Business Administration) has a specific agency that is set up to help veteran business owners and service-disabled veteran business owners. You can find these services at http://www.sba.gov.

You can search the range of services offered from specialized loan services to the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), which will help you gain DOD contracts for your business. The SBA also gives classes on writing a business plan.

How can you leverage your security clearance and how do you grow your business? Starting with the SBA, there are many marketing resources available to business owners. With your security clearance you will have preferences on bidding on government contracts. The federal government is the largest contractor of small businesses in the nation, which stands to reason as the government is the largest entity.

With a security clearance, when bidding on contracts you will likely already meet many of the requirements that the contract is looking for. But let me back up a bit.

How do you get government contracts?

First you need to register at http://www.ccr.gov and get yourself what is called a DUNS number. This will allow you to search and bid on available contracts.

CAUTION: Once you do this, firms that specialize in “helping” you get contracts will be contacting you. Most business owners think these services are a waste of money. Let me repeat that: Most business owners think these services are a waste of money.

Once you have registered, you will also have access to the database and will be able to search for other veteran and service-disabled veterans. The Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) will be able to help you with marketing. Go to the website at http://www.aptac-us.org/new/Govt_Contracting/find.php, type in your state and then request help. You will likely be contacted within one day.

Now that you are on the road to opening and marketing your business, who is going to help you run it?

One suggestion is to use the other veteran and service-disabled veteran businesses in the database that provide functions you need (Accounting, Headhunting, Bookkeeping, Networking, Computer Repair, etc.), but there may not be a local option.

A further place to go is http://www.score.org. This site will get you set up with a mentor who can help you with your business.

The issue here is cost, and figuring out what you can afford and whether or not you need to do some of the things yourself. If you can write a business plan, that’s great. But if not, you can hire a private firm to either do it for you or help you with it.

My firm, WolfBridge Financial, specializes in helping military members and veterans with all aspects of their finances, and we further help veteran and service-disabled veteran business owners in getting started with becoming a business owner. We can be reached at www.wolfbridgefinancial.com.

Listen to the interview of Michael on this same important subject.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

Book TEARS OF A WARRIOR Offers Hope and Healing to Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Author Tony Seahorn shared this material regarding his very important book about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. His book site is www.tearsofawarrior.com.

Returning war veterans may face a multitude of physical and mental challenges. Veterans' families are often unprepared to deal with a family member who may experience nightmares, feelings of detachment, irritability, trouble concentrating, and sleeplessness. These are some of the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Experts estimate that between 25% and 30% of Vietnam veterans who fought in combat have symptoms of PTSD, and it's been recently estimated that 30% of combat soldiers returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan are experiencing similar trauma.

"Tears of a Warrior: A Family's Story of Combat and Living with PTSD" is a patriotic book written about soldiers who are called to duty in service of their country. It is a story of courage, valor, and life-long sacrifice. Long after the cries of battle have ended, many warriors return home to face a multitude of physical and mental challenges.

Author Tony Seahorn writes from his experience as a young army officer in Vietnam who served with the Black Lions of the First Infantry Division, which fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the war. He was wounded in action and continues to recover from the physical and emotional scars of combat.

Tony returned from the war decorated for heroism. Some of his most honored medals include two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, an Air Medal for Valor in flight, the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross, and a Presidential Unit Citation.

Janet Seahorn, Tony's wife and co-author, writes from both the perspective of a wife who has lived for 30 years with a veteran with PTSD, and as a professional in human development and neuroscience. Dr. Seahorn's research has focused on the effects PTSD has on the brain, body, and spirit.

"Tears of a Warrior" was written to educate families and veterans about the symptoms of PTSD and to offer strategies for living with the disorder. The book includes over 50 photos integrated into the text which provide the reader with a visual picture of the sequence of events as the storyline moves from the realities of combat, to returning home, to the ultimate impact on family and friends.

Families and society in general will better understand the long-term effects of combat. Veterans from all wars, regardless of service branch, will benefit by the authors' experiences and their message of hope.

"If we send them, then we must mend them."
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

OperationTroopAid.org Supports Our Deployed Troops

Mark Woods, executive director of Operation Troop Aid, returned to the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com that Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com and I co-host to give us an update on what his organization has been achieving.

Listen to the audio replay now to hear what events are upcoming and how you can help his organization support our troops.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

Limited Edition of Support Our Troops Jolt Gum Benefits Wounded Members of the Military and Their Families

GumRunners LLC, makers of Jolt Energy Gum, is donating 7% of all sales from the "Support Our Troops" Jolt Energy Gum packs to organizations that assist wounded or fallen members of the military or their families, including the Wounded Warrior Project, Intrepid Fund for Fallen Heroes, and Fisher House.

You can go to www.joltgum.com to learn about chewing this gum responsibly as "two pieces of Jolt Energy Gum contain enough caffeine, ginseng and guarana to give the energy boost of a coffee or energy drink."

I've tried both the spearmint and the icymint flavors and both are good. You can easily take these gum packs along with you -- and help support our troops at the same time!
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles with the power of Internet marketing strategies to promote your business more effectively. Her company also does Twitter tutoring by teleconferencing -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com.

Incredible Resources for Transitioning From the Military to a Business Owner -- If You Know Where to Find These Resources

Michael Kothakota, chief investment officer of Wolfbridge Financial Services and frequent guest on the BlogTalkRadio show I co-host with Nancy Brown of YourMilitary.com, provided very valuable information on this topic.

According to Michael, only the Marines get this type of information presented to them. The other branches make their members search to find out what information is available.

The above is just one nugget of the incredible information Michael shared with us. He also shared the URLs of some of these "hidden" sources.

Listen to the audio replay -- it will be well worth your time if this subject is of interest to you or someone you know.
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also writes articles as a National Internet Business Examiner and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show Your Military Life.

Phyllis' company has launched the monthly program WeTeachWebMarketing.com to help people promote their brand, book or business online. Her company also does Twitter tutoring -- see TeachMetoTweetNow.com