 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LTC Adam Hackel
Calmly defining courage
by
Denny
Meyer |
 |
Lieutenant
Colonel Adam W . Hackel had to find his courage
at a very early age after he lost both parents
in succession and he faced the world alone as a
young teenager. As if that were not enough for
anyone to have to deal with, he also knew he was
gay -furthering his isolation in the military
boarding academy where he spent his youth. If
you can remember ever having felt alone without
anyone to turn to as a child, his experience can
make you burst into tears just imagining what he
went through. And yet, by his own account, he
faced forward and marched into making his own
way educationally and into a military career.
He thrived in his military school and won a
partial college scholarship from the American
Legion, went through ROTC, was commissioned as
an officer, served in combat in Iraq, and after
a seventeen year career has just assumed command
of a USAR Public Affairs Operations Center.
His
father
enlisted
in
the
Marines
at
the
age
of
16
during
World
War
II
and
drove
a
"Duck" ferrying
troops back and forth through enemy fire during
the Battle of Iwo Jima. His uncles all served
in the Navy.
Now, with that background, you might think LTC
Hackel would be one tough bulldog to deal with
and a terror to his troops, with an explosive
chip on his shoulder. But, in reality, you
could not meet a kinder gentler soul, with a
calm demeanor and a clearer patriotic commitment
to serving his country and being a guide to his
troops. It is that character, perhaps, that
enabled him to have commanded a Dual Purpose
(Smoke/DECON) Chemical Company, among other
command and staff assignments during his ongoing
career. While in Iraq, he served in Major
cities
through
the
country;
his
awards
include
a
Bronze
Star,
a
Meritorious
Service
Medal,
a
Combat
Action
Badge,
and
an
Army
Commendation
Medal
with
3
oak
leaf
clusters.
MORE
|
|
|
Take Care
of Yourself
by
Danny Ingram
President,
American
Veterans For Equal Rights |
 |
How many
times have we said that to a young warrior
passing through the airport? It's that thing you
say when you don't have enough time, you feel a
little awkward, but you really care, and you
want to give a heartfelt message to someone
going off to a dangerous place, knowing the
reality that there is a chance, however slim,
that they won't come back. Or they won't come
back whole.
In March, I went to a lecture at West
Georgia University given by Dr. Edward Tick, a PTSD guru, as part of the Psychology
Department's Jim Klee Forum. The Psychology
Department at West Georgia specializes in
Humanistic Psychology. For those of you who
don't know a lot about different schools of
psychology, Humanistic psychologists are the
"touchy-feely", long hair and beards,
jeans-wearing folks who believe in meditation,
healing circles, and lots of hugs. They are the
ones who have weekend retreats in the woods,
beat drums, and sing strange chants (badly). It
was of course my preference when majoring in
Psychology.
Although I disagreed with some of Ed Tick's
ideas, he did raise some very interesting points
in his lecture. Dr. Tick is the founder of
Soldier's Heart (www.soldiersheart.net), an
organization that approaches PTSD from the
perspective that the entire community is
responsible for taking care of its warriors. He
has researched Native American and ancient
European cultures to show how being a warrior
was an integral part of overall society, and how
rituals of preparing young people to be
warriors, honoring their experiences, and caring
for them afterwards, was an ongoing part of
community life.
Dr. Tick
pointed out that the military spends a heavily
structured training period to prepare young
people to fight, but does comparatively little
to prepare them to stop fighting.
MORE |
|
|
|
Congressman, LGBT leaders press Navy
for
a ship to be named USS Harvey Milk
This
article was originally published in
San Diego LGBT
Weekly, on April 23, 2012, in slightly
different format, with the title: "Exclusive: Congressman, LGBT leaders press Navy for
a ship to be named USS Harvey Milk" |
 |
Congressman Bob Filner (D-California)
has joined with several prominent LGBT
civil rights leaders from San Diego and
across the country, calling on the US
Navy to name “ … the next appropriate
ship after Harvey Milk.”
The late civil rights icon, Harvey
Milk was a Navy veteran who began his
service during the Korean War. In Korea,
he served aboard the submarine rescue
ship USS Kittiwake as a diving officer.
Milk was also stationed at Naval
Station, San Diego where he was a diving
instructor. Milk, whose parents both
also served in the US Navy, was
honorably discharged at the rank of
Lieutenant, junior grade.
The GLBT Historic Task Force (the
Task Force) of San Diego County sent an
official letter to Secretary of the Navy
Ray Mabus, last week, requesting that
Harvey Milk be considered as the
namesake of a naval submarine, carrier
or other vessel named “in his honor and
memory.”
MORE
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
LGBT Vets
Activist
ALERTS |
American Veterans For Equal Rights,
is seeking patriots to form a Philadelphia chapter
and Pride Parade Color Guard. Interested veterans,
service members, reservists and supporters please
contact
region1vp@aver.us |
| A national Transgender
rights website is seeking a webmaster. To inquire
about volunteering for this unpaid position please contact
gaymilitarysignal@yahoo.com |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
