Hearts Toward Home International

In Rememberance

2009-12-03T12:46:00.000-08:00

A short memorial will be held Saturday night, Dec. 5, for the four Lakewood police officers who were killed Sunday, Nov. 30. The memorial will start at 7:30 p.m. and run until about 8 p.m. at Maritime Heritage Park here in Bellingham, WA. Local law enforcement would like to encourage everyone to attend.

Lest We Not Forget

2009-11-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

Oldest Female Marine Laid to Rest
November 18, 2009
Marine Corps News|by Sgt. Randall A. Clinton

NEW YORK — The oldest living female Marine died on Veterans Day and was buried in the Cypress Hills National Cemetery.

Miriam Cohen was one of the oldest females to enlist in 1943, at 35 years old, said Debra Allee, the 101-year-old's niece. Cohen answered her nations calling twice, serving during World War II and the Korean War.

Cohen, a graduate of the Girls High School in Brooklyn (since renamed to Boys & Girls High School), moved to Tuscan, Ariz., when she was 92.

During their eulogy, her friends and family remembered Cohen's energetic life and attachment to the Marines.

Rabbi Deborah Hirsch told the story of the five-foot, elderly Cohen pushing wheel chairs around the veteran's clinics after she moved to Tucson, Ariz, well into her 90s Cohen continued working with veterans throughout her life, and in that her loved ones found meaning in the timing of her passing.

"She died on Veteran's Day, that makes that day an even more sacred moment," said Hirsch.

Allee said Cohen was a vanguard for women service members. Cohen was one of the first females to serve in a command post, along with being in the first group of female Marine enlistees.

One of the proudest moments of Cohen's later life was her appearance as the grand marshal for the local Tucson, Ariz., Veteran's Day parade in 2006, said Dennis Mincieli, Allee's husband.

Apart from the friends and family gathered for the small grave-side ceremony, a group of local Marine Corps League and Women Marine Association members came to pay their respects and salute a fellow Marine laid to rest.

© Copyright 2009 Marine Corps News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

A Time to Remember, Reflect and Replenish

2009-11-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time to remember, reflect upon and replenish our relationships with friends and family. The other day I had the privilege of speaking with some homeless veterans at an outreach center. I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman who goes by the name of Thaddeus. He is a Vietnam Veteran, who served with the Special Forces, and he states that he is homeless by choice. He retired from the Army after dedicating 20 years of service to our country. He proceeded to tell me about his life, and the many blessings he has experienced throughout his time here on earth. His mission is to be here for other veterans who have lost their way. He lives in a tent without heat and relies upon the generosity of the community for any needs that may arise.

So often we get busy in our own lives and are blinded to the fact that there are people all around us who need a helping hand. There are a few sayings that have left me with much to ponder, one of which is: “To the World You May Be One Person, but To One Person You May Be the World”. Think about this for a while, just a smile, a gesture of kindness, compassion and respect can make such a difference in the hearts of most people, but for those who are feeling invisible and insignificant, this can turn their world around.

So next time you walk down the street, hold your head up, and smile at the person coming toward you. Stop for a moment at the feet of the person sitting on the street, ask them their story, what makes them who they are, and where have they been? Every single person has a unique and compelling story, which can leave a lasting impact on our lives as well. By opening ourselves to being aware of those around us, and extending our hearts, we too will be filled with more love and meaning.

Here is yet another saying that also leaves me much gratitude for my family, friends, and colleagues, as well as for the thousands of veterans and active duty troops and their families that I have had the honor of meeting. “Some People Come Into Our Lives and Quickly Go. Some Stay for a While and Leave Footprints in Our Hearts and We are Never Ever the Same”. I have personally been forever changed by the exchanges of heartfelt words and actions of all those I meet.

Take this time to remember our many blessings, reflect on the needs of our veterans, active troops, and their loved ones who may be separated during this holiday season. Also remember our elderly and homeless citizens who also have a story to tell. Take action to provide, make a difference, and replenish your connections with your communities. I believe that we are much stronger standing as a forest, than we are standing alone in a field of one.

Today take a moment to make a difference in someone’s life. Remember: “Regret For Things We Did Can Be Tempered By Time. It is Regret For Things We Did Not Do That is Inconsolable”. –Sidney J. Harris.

Have a Blessed Holiday Season.

Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D.

Copyright 2009 Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D.
All Rights Reserved

Attention All Riders !!!

2009-11-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

Please note ALL riders (club or solo) who would like to participate in the funeral procession for our Fallen Hero Specialist Aaron Aamot please meet at Haggens Grocery parking lot in Ferndale at 12 noon, Saturday 14th. November. Combat Veterans International (CVI) will be leading the procession to Ferndale High School Gymnasium for the 100pm service, and afterwards to the graveside service which will be held at Haynie Cemetery immediately following. ALL riders are invited to fall in to honor Spc Aamot and his familiy.

A Community Mourns Spc. Aaron S. Aamot

2009-11-13T12:09:00.000-08:00

♥ Let Us Remember This Fallen Hero ♥

2009-11-12T12:50:00.000-08:00

Let us pause for a moment of reflection as a motorcade will escort the remains of Spc. Aaron Aamot from Bellingham International Airport to Moles Funeral Home in Ferndale this afternoon.

Spc. Aaron S. Aamot, 22, of Custer, WA, died Nov. 5 in Jelewar, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Aamot was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Govenor Chris Gregoire has ordered flags flown at half staff today in honor of Spc. Aaron Aamot. Our thoughts and prayers are with Aaron's family and friends.

Funeral services for Spc. Aaron Aamot will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2009, at 1:00 PM, in the Ferndale High School Gymnasium. The public is invited to attend. A graveside service will be held at Haynie Cemetery immediately following. Please see http://www.molesfuneralhome.com/index.cfm?do=obituary&obID=2547 for additional information. Please keep Aaron’s family and all our warriors who are still in harm’s way and their families in prayer as well.

Veteran's Day (11 November 09)

2009-11-11T16:45:00.000-08:00

Veteran's Appreciation Day with my guys, Combat Veteran's International (CVI) at Retirement Community Parkway Chateau Bellingham, Wash. What a Motley Crew!!

Today is Veteran's Day!

2009-11-11T11:21:00.001-08:00

May we all take a moment to stop in our steps today and everyday to remember those who have served our country. So many of our veterans are living today who feel invisible and have yet to be thanked for their sacrifice. Make a conscious effort to look around you, put out your hand and just say "thank you". I recently had the privilege of doing just this a few days ago. It was truly amazing to see the eyes of this WWII veteran light up when he was stopped and honored for his service to our country. He walked away with a smile on his face and with a little more joy in his heart because he was no longer invisible. Thank you to all those who have served and who are currently serving in our military forces. May you and families have a warm Veteran's Day.

Come Home Soon

2009-10-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

The Long Road Home

2009-10-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

Transitional Workshops

2009-10-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

First of all, thank you for your interest in the work I am doing for the

U.S. Military and related organizations to assist the troops, their families,

and all military veterans make healthy transitions from the war front to

the home front. I am a PTSD specialist andtherapist from the Pacific

Northwest, and the co-author of two recent books designedespecially for

the OIF/OEF troops and their families. The books are the first of their

kind due to the fact that they have been written both by a therapist

and a combat veteran.Chuck Dean, my co-author served as a paratrooper

in Vietnam and adrill instructor upon his return from the war zone.

The workshop (Once a Warrior...Wired for Life) is designed for the

OIF/OEF warriors. Their partners are highly encouraged to attend

with them. Each workshop is a structured awareness course revealing

various ways warriors and their partners/family change during military

separation. It provides them with effective coping techniques ensuring a

smooth transition in regards to their communication and intricate

relationship-building methods after returning from a war zone. It is

also designed to encourage healthy interactions and discussions in a

group setting and help them work together indealing with critical issues

they may face before and after the deployment(s). Other important topics

include understanding the signs and symptoms of CombatOperational

Stress (COS), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain

Injury (TBI) and effectively coping with anger issues, substance abuse,

sleep disturbances, and other physical and emotional wounds. I am

currentlyproviding this workshop as part of the Returning Warrior

Program to the 7100 redeploying soldiers at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

My workbook course (Turning Your Hearts Toward Home) is written in a

twelve-chapter format, which helps the military person and their loved one

work together in order to better understand how they both have changed

in the process of deployment. It explores PTSD, the behaviors, triggers, and

consequences of choices. The course examines issues surrounding

emotional intimacy, communication, goal setting, anger, and how these

aspects affect their lives. Recognizing and coping with the signs and

symptoms is also a most critical point taken up by this course, which is

specifically designed to launch the process of building empathy and trust

for a more positive relationship.

If you are interested in arranging a workshop or having me speak with

your group please contact me. References available upon request.

Holiday Stress Warrior Article

2009-10-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well we are fast approaching the Holiday Season, and for many it is a
very stressful time of year particularly in light that many of you have
your family member deployed, or things at home have changed
dramatically due to the loss of your loved one or wounding.

It is a time to gather together and form strong bonds of love and
remembrance to help us all get through a rather difficult time of year.

I recently lost my father and this will be my first holiday season without
him and I have noticed that I am not quite myself. I feel all sorts of
emotions and I don’t even see them coming. So on that level I can offer
my own insights, but for those of you who have lost your loved one or
who are longing for them to be at home with you my heart truly goes
out to you.

The holidays bring about a certain amount of nostalgia, along with that
comes wishing for warm memories of the past. This is where it gets quite
difficult to bear. For this holiday season take some time to remember
but also take time to reach out to others to make their season a bit
smoother. It is through helping others that we can move beyond some
of our own pain and make a difference in the lives of others.
Having your Warrior home for the holidays is exciting, but also offers
some new challenges for them as well as for the family. Here are some
practical tips for reducing stress in your household.

1)If your Warrior is home with you this year after being deployed
do your best not to expect that things will be the same.

2) Give your Warrior plenty of space and don’t demand that they
join in the festivities. The commotion and chatter may create an
undue amount of stress for them.

3) Inform your guests and family members not to ask questions,
just let things flow naturally without going “to Iraq or Afghanistan”.
Let your Warrior direct the topic.

4) Discuss the plans with your Warrior, let them know what the

schedule of events consists of, and give them an option to bow out

if they feel more comfortable doing so.
5) Fix some of your Warriors favorite dishes, this can certainly be a
treat for them.

6) Watch the amount of alcohol that is passed around, nothing is

worse than someone who gets tipsy and starts spewing off without

even giving it a second thought how your Warrior may be affected.

7) It may be up to you to run interference to create a better
environment from which to celebrate this holiday season.

8) Flexibility is the key here, what may have traditionally been
standard protocol may need to be reevaluated to accommodate
and create a smooth landing for your Warrior.

9) Get plenty of rest in order to have the energy and resiliency
to handle whatever comes your way.

10) Keep it simple, what may be of paramount importance to
you, may not have the same significance for your Warrior.

11) Don’t expect them to run errands for you because bright
colors, crowds, and excess stimulation may push many buttons
for them.

12) Don’t be over alarmed if your Warrior sits quietly, watches
TV, plays videogames or isolates, as this may be a healthy
alternative and positive coping mechanism over the holiday season.

13) Bring out the board or card games and just enjoy the
togetherness without getting into any heavy conversations.

14) If gift giving is part of your tradition, talk about cutting back
and setting a limit on the amount spent.

15) Don’t be alarmed if your Warrior does not feel comfortable
attending your place of worship as in the past, just let it go and look
at this as their way of reducing the stress by not being around people.

16) Be sure to set some personal, family and professional goals for
this new year.

Have a blessed holiday season and may we all take this time to
remember those who serve our country today and in the past.
Let this holiday be the beginning of a year filled with compassion,
peace and kindness that we extend to all our fellow mankind.

With Deep Gratitude and Respect,
Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D. ©
All rights reserved