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PTSD

Speed Meets Style: State Farm’s New Bobber

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by Prince Najar with photos by Jeff the flunky

State Farm’s New Bobber Produced by Roys Toys Customs

Roy Martin of Roys Toys Customs recently headed up Build Team 13, comprising an elite group of veterans and first responders to build a ground-up custom bobber.

Crystal Hess’s Motorcycle Missions is a 501(c)3 non-profit focused to help Veterans and First Responders with PTS(D). Roy donated his shop and provided mentorship to build a one-of-a-kind Roys Toys Customs bobber.

The sponsor for the build is State Farm Insurance. Jake from State Farm came by to be fitted. It turned out he was too short for the controls. He looks bigger on TV… Naw, I’m kidding about that. The fellas said if Jake came by, they would be happy to get a quote, though.

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Veterans Crisis Line: Remembering & Caring

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article by DMAC

Veterans Crisis Line
1-800-273-8255

This is the third year that the American Legion Riders Post #104 gather to remember their brother, a retired Air Force veteran with 22 years of service.

The annual memorial event this year was a Poker Run and Fundraiser with all proceeds being donated to K9s for Warriors.

CLICK HERE To Read this article on Bikernet.com and learn more to spread awareness about Veterans

K9s for Warriors Mission: “Determined to end veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors provides highly-trained Service Dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma.”

You can find out more about K9s for Warriors at their website: https://k9sforwarriors.org

CLICK To Read: National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report/September 2021

You are not alone.
If you or anyone you know is a Veteran needing any form assistance or care, please contact the Crisis Line.

Call 1-800-273-8255

Myth, Mystery & Weirdness of the legend of Ganja

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The mysterious weirdness about the legend of the ganja
by Amy Irene White with images from the Bob T. collection
10/29/2021

One of the most exasperatingly ridiculous brick walls in Washington DC is, the age-old conundrum of legalizing marijuana.

Throughout the years, marijuana has gone through many transformations in the public eye.

House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) were scheduled to conduct a legislative hearing on Wednesday, October 13th, which included consideration of the bipartisan VA Cannabis Research Act of 2021, HR 2916. So far, there have been no updates, when I wrote this.

The legislation “would direct the VA to conduct clinical research with varying forms of medicinal cannabis to evaluate the safety and effects of cannabis on health outcomes of veterans with PTSD and veterans with chronic pain.”

CLICK HERE for a Feature Report on the State of the Myth, Mystery & Legend of Ganja

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June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day

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June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day and This is One Soldiers Experience

PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and is a condition that many veterans and non-veterans alike suffer.

June 27th is National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Injury Awareness Day. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness around the signs, symptoms, and stigma, associated with PTSD. As a former Infantry Officer with two deployments to Afghanistan this issue is deeply personal to me. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reported that somewhere between 10-15 percent of Veterans have a clinical diagnosis for post-traumatic stress. That number is likely far greater. A recent survey suggests at over a quarter of our population believes PTSD is incurable and those who have it are dangerous and mentally unstable – it is for this reason that so many Veterans refuse to seek help. 22 Veterans will take their own life today, two thirds of them will have never stepped foot inside a VA facility – 15 Veterans will die today without ever asking for help.

The redeployment process was like an assembly line, 2,600 soldiers going from office to office getting their checklist signed off by each office (dental, vision, finance, etc.). The mental health station was no different, walk in, answer a few questions, get your sheet stamped and leave. It was June of 2006, I had returned a week earlier from a 16-month deployment to Afghanistan. I walked into the mental health office and without looking up a man asked, “what was the worst thing you experienced while you were deployed?” I proceeded to tell him, in detail, about the suicide bomber attack on my platoon that resulted in every member of the platoon being awarded the Purple Heart. He looked up at me and said “Lieutenant, that is the worst story I’ve heard all day.” He left me with one question “am I still me?” I said yes, partially because I thought it was true, but partially because if I knew if I said no it would mean an early end to my career. Over 30 soldiers would recount the same attack that day, 30 soldiers would answer “Yes, I’m good” and walk out of the office with their paper stamped “cleared MENTAL HEALTH” and start preparing for the next deployment.

Fast forward a few years, I left the military, used my GI bill to get a master’s degree, and had started a new career in management consulting. The guidance most people gave to Veterans starting civilian careers was to not talk about being a Veteran, so I did not. During a conversation with a colleague, I happened to mention my service because it was related to the topic at hand. My colleague stopped and said, “I didn’t know you were in the Military, you’re remarkably well adjusted.” Not exactly a compliment but also not far from the truth – from the outside I was a normal businessman, from the outside you could never tell that had it not been for an Afghan guard who grabbed the suicide bomber at the last minute I probably wouldn’t have seen my 26th birthday, from the outside I was still me. On the inside, these memories are defining moments, “you can’t unsee a suicide bomber attack” or all the other memories associated with combat. Again, from the outside for the most part you can’t tell what another person has experienced but these memories tend to pop up at the unexpected times. A child’s nosebleed triggers a memory you’re not equipped to deal with as you comfort the child in the middle of the night. That’s PTSD. Its your past fighting with your present and no one on the outside can see that battle.

I cannot describe the weight of command, especially in a combat environment. As a junior officer I was given the responsibility of leading an amazing team of men and women. The mantra of “mission first, people always” was a heavy reminder that it was my job to maintain a balance of keeping my soldiers safe and accomplishing our mission. I wasn’t always successful at either, but we all came home alive.

Today, my office is built for our “zoom world” behind me hang the awards and pictures that represent the proverbial “T-shirt” as in been there, done that, I’ve got the T-shirt to prove it. In front of me, out of view of the camera, a collection of bracelets, each inscribed with the name of a friend or colleague I’ve lost, either to our enemies abroad, or the demons within. So, while the world see’s all my accomplishments I am confronted with my why – the friends I’ve lost. There is one in particular that inspires me to do more every day – the one I couldn’t save.

Every loss is painful. As I mentioned I was lucky, I had amazing NCO’s and soldiers, they are truly exceptional and many continue to serve our great nation. During our deployment in 2006 I honestly lost count of how many times we came into contact with the enemy, the suicide bomber was the worst, but not the only attack. We were lucky, we lost friends while we were out on mission, but when those wheels touched U.S. soil, we had all made it back.

June 16, 2019, it was Father’s Day, and I was up early, partially because I don’t sleep well, and partially because I enjoy the peace of the early morning. I learned through Facebook that I had failed. That night one of my soldiers had taken his own life. This was not my first, second, or 10th time dealing with suicide, but it was by far the most personal.

There is a certain power and resolve that comes with acceptance of a great loss. After that day it became clear that while I couldn’t change the past we could do more moving forward. We have a running Facebook message – which is mostly filled with the type of dark and profane humor that only and Infantry Soldier would understand but it connects us, a constant reminder that there’s always someone there who “gets it.” In the Ranger’s Creed there is a line “I will always shoulder more then my fair share of the task, whatever it may be;” with every loss, whether by combat or suicide, it’s our responsibility to shoulder their load and to carry the memory of them forward.

On any given day there are around 19 million Veterans, living and thriving in communities across the country. Approximately 22 Veterans take their own life, every day. This is nothing less than a national tragedy and we’ve dedicated an enormous amount of resource to trying to solve this issue. A recent survey found that almost 70 percent of Americans believe that most Veterans struggle with PTSD, while 25 percent of Americans believe PTSD is untreatable, and those with PTSD are violent and dangerous. The truth: PTSD is treatable, and many of those who carry a PTSD diagnosis are able to thrive in their post service life with minimal, if any, clinical intervention. The biggest threat to our Veterans is the stigma we attach to mental health issues like PTSD as it prevents us from seeking help.

As a society, and as Veterans we must do better, this same survey showed the misperceptions about PTSD were even more prevalent amount the Veteran community then our civilian counterparts. Steven Ambrose once said that Veterans gave the best years of their lives in the defense of our country, when they leave the service there is a strong desire to make up for lost time. Veterans thrive in civilian life when they are able to find their why, their new purpose. By having these candid conversations, we can break the stigma associated with mental health and make it easier for a Veteran to seek help when they stop being themselves.

Joseph Reagan is the Director of Military and Veterans Outreach for Wreaths Across America. He has over 10 years’ experience working with leaders within Government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 companies to develop sustainable strategies supporting National Security, and Veterans Health. He served 8 years on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army including two tours to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. He is a graduate of Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the country.

Wreaths Across America Radio (WAAR) is a 24/7 Internet stream. Listen live at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/radio and most recently, via the iHeart Radio app, or download it at the App Store or on Google!

Hogs for Heroes gifts motorcycle to Wisconsin Dells veteran

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by Erica Dynes from https://www.wiscnews.com

A Wisconsin Dells man became the 18th veteran to receive a motorcycle from a Wisconsin organization that gifts motorcycles to veterans to help them cope with mental and physical wounds from their time in active duty.

Marine Sgt. Rick Erickson was gifted a Harley-Davidson motorcycle from Hogs for Heroes at The Keg and Patio in Wisconsin Dells May 23. The presentation included a color guard ceremony by Wisconsin Dells American Legion Post 187. Eleven of the veterans who had receive motorcycles from the non-profit organization were there to hand keys to Erickson to start his new motorcycle.

Erickson hand-picked his motorcycle after going to three different dealerships with the co-founders of Hogs for Heroes before finding his perfect one at an Oconomowoc dealership.

To Erickson, the presentation was much more than receiving a motorcycle. It was sharing the emotional moment with the family he had become a part of, forming bonds with others who understand the pain and struggle of coming home from war. He struggled to fight back tears as he told the crowd what it meant to him.

“As awesome as the bike is, it’s about getting back in touch with people who understand you, living life again, people who know me and who have shared experiences that I had and welcoming me into the family,” Erickson said.

Erickson planned to follow in the footsteps of his father, who served in Vietnam as a Marine. He decided to enlist in the Marines after high school but was diagnosed with cancer, according to his biography on the Hogs for Heroes website. After being cancer free for five years, he enlisted in the Marines in 2003.

One year later he did a six-month tour of Iraq and served as an artillery scout and gunfire controller. Erickson was also in the center of Operation Phantom Fury, the highest point of conflict during the Iraq War against the Iraqi insurgents as the Marines invaded Fallujah. He was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Valor. He served in the Marines until 2007.

Upon returning home, Erickson fought a different battle as he struggled to cope with the transition to civilian life and post-traumatic stress disorder. He underwent surgery to treat several injuries from his time in the Marines and also struggled in his personal life. He later sought help for his PTSD and obtained two associate degrees. He currently works what he calls his “dream job” as assistant county veterans service officer for Sauk County. According to his biography on Sauk County’s website, he’s held the position since 2018.

Erickson tried to cope with his struggles riding his motorcycle, which he purchased when he returned from service 14 years ago. However, he sold it two years ago to save money for a necessary remodel to his house.

During Sunday’s ceremony, Kevin Thompson, one of the co-founders of Hogs for Heroes, told Erickson not to hold back his feelings. Thompson said he deserves to have some time to release energy as “wind therapy,” along with the support of the Hogs for Heroes family. Thompson also hopes the moment changes Erickson and makes him realize he isn’t struggling alone.

“My hope (is) to take Rick’s words; he said his experience in the military and Iraq changed him,” Thompson said. “My goal is Rick looks back at today as the moment this experience changed him.”

Hogs for Heroes started in 2015 by Kevin and Audra Thompson and Craig and Michelle Thompson. Audra Thompson said the non-profit will give away six bikes by the end of this year, a record for the organization that started with a goal of giving away one bike annually to an injured veteran. All proceeds raised goes directly to fund a motorcycle for veterans who apply to receive a motorcycle. For more information on Hogs for Heroes, go to hogsforheroeswi.org.

Riding a Harley-Davidson Can Help Fight PTSD, Veteran Group Ride Planned

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com/

In the first month of of 2019, Harley-Davidson released the results of a research that showed just how beneficial riding a motorcycle can be for the mental well-being of humans. As it seems, motorcycling is even good to treat more serious conditions.

Back in 2015, Harley started supporting the efforts of an organization called Wounded Warrior Project. The group provides services and programs for war veterans post-9/11, and among these programs there is an idea called Rolling Project Odyssey.

This Odyssey is centered around bringing together soldiers and help them heal their mental scars through adventure-based learning. And that includes riding Harleys in groups, just as a Harley should be ridden. This type activity has been found to be beneficial in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), among other things.

The Harley research we mentioned earlier, conducted by scientists at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, showed that riding a motorcycle for 20 minutes can increase the heart rate by 11 percent, reaching a level similar to that achieved while performing a light exercise.

That in turn increases alertness, and helps decrease hormonal stress biomarkers by 28 percent. The study’s findings were based on data taken from 50 experienced motorcyclists that were made to ride their own bikes on a 22-minute route.

“Rolling Project Odyssey was a life-changing experience for me,” said in a statement Jonathan Goolsby, an Army and Rolling Project Odyssey veteran.

“The experience has taught me many things that I have been able to implement into my daily life, like finding my center and keeping my cool when things start to get tough.”

This year’s Rolling Project Odyssey kicks off at the beginning of next week starting in Jacksonville, Florida, and going through Daytona, where the Bike Week marks the start of the riding season on the American continent.

Veterans find purpose, support through motorcycle rides

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by Patrick Filbin from https://www.stripes.com/

(Tribune News Service) — Chris Mathison served three tours in Iraq over a 14-month period.

As a U.S. Army infantryman, he was in charge of millions of dollars worth of equipment, led a team of fellow infantrymen and, all things considered, was a soldier who was depended upon and good at his job.

When he came back home to Tennessee, he had a hard time adjusting.

The Nashville native moved to Cookeville after he got out of the service in 2011 and tried to find a stable job.

“I’ve probably been through 10 jobs,” Mathison said. “It’s hard to find something that fits. You don’t feel like you belong, there’s no sense of purpose or belonging.”

He went to school and received an associate’s degree, but even school was a tough adjustment.

“I remember very fondly when I got out, I was going through a sociology class,” Mathison recalled. “As we were flipping through the book, I found a picture of my unit in Iraq and it just kind of blew my mind.”

Mathison, 35, had a whole life behind him that he had a hard time talking about. Not only was the subject matter sensitive, he couldn’t find like-minded people to talk to. As an infantryman, he was surrounded by people who were going through the same things as he was, living through the same experiences.

When he came back home, he was taking general education courses with 19-year-olds.

“That was interesting,” he said with a smirk.

Soon after he got out, Mathison signed up for his first program with the Wounded Warrior Project, the country’s largest veterans charity organization.

He enrolled in the organization’s TRACK program, which had a curriculum meant to heal, develop and train the mind, body and spirit of each wounded warrior through two semesters of college.

It also incorporated peak performance training, health and wellness training, personal finance advice and a physical education program.

Ever since, he’s been a loyal supporter of the organization that helps veterans in a number of ways.

Wounded Warriors also helped Mathison get certified in scuba diving.

One of the newest programs in Georgia is a 12-week mental health workshop that kicks off with a three-day motorcycle road trip across North Georgia.

Jon Blauvelt, a public relations specialist with Wounded Warriors, said the program is designed to give veterans an outlet to manage PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other invisible wounds of war while connecting with nature and fellow veterans.

Motorcycles play a huge role in the therapy. Through wind and throttle therapy, reflective discussion and several weeks of follow-ups, the group of eight veterans from Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Florida will experience a once-in-a-lifetime trip while bettering themselves mentally and spiritually.

“When you’re on one of these big bikes, all you’re thinking about is the bike,” Blauvelt said. “I’m on this bike, here are my surroundings, here’s the weather, but you’re not thinking about PTSD or [traumatic brain injury], you’re not thinking about what happened before and you’re not thinking about the future. You’re thinking about the present moment.”

It’s a perfect fit for Mathison, who is also a part of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.

Mathison and the seven other riders strolled in at the Harley-Davidson store in Dalton, Georgia, on Tuesday afternoon for a lunch hosted by the motorcycle shop.

Cynthia Allgood, manager of the store, said it was a privilege to host the veterans who sacrificed so much for the country without asking for anything in return.

“Something like this gets you together with like-minded individuals and you can talk about everything and it creates a really good atmosphere,” Mathison said. “You’re able to make some really good friends that I would not have met.”

Paris Harley-Davidson, Adam Sandoval set new world record

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by Macon Atkinson from http://theparisnews.com

Paris Harley-Davidson and philanthropist Adam Sandoval have set a new Guinness World Record for continuous Harley-Davidson motorcycles on parade.

In an event dubbed Bring it Home 2019, 3,497 motorcyclists from across the country rode their Harley Davidson bikes through Paris on a 3.5 mile ride, the Guinness official announced. The record has been taken from Hellas Motorcycle Club of Patras, Greece, which previously held the record set May 22, 2010, with 2,404 Harley-Davidsons making a 2.8-mile trip.

Paris’s parade raised money for Motorcycle Missions, a nonprofit that helps first responders with PTSD. The $15 per bike registration fee was donated entirely to the nonprofit, with over 3,400 pre-registrations, said event organizer Molly Beaudin, who is also a dealer development manager for Paris Harley-Davidson.

“I don’t even know what to say. Let’s hear it for America. We officially brought it home,” Sandoval said.

See Sunday’s edition of The Paris News for more coverage of the parade.