PUBLISHER
Steve Roderick
Steve@FireWatchMagazine.com | 813-489-4748
EDITORIAL DEPT.
Toni Hedstrom, Managing Editor
Editor@FireWatchMagazine.com | 813-489-4792
E.J. Christy, Asst. Managing Editor ej.christy@firewatchmagazine.com
ADVERTISING DEPT.
Ads@FireWatchmagazine.com | 813-489-4792
GRAPHIC DESIGN DEPT.
Stefanie Burlingame, Art Director
Sharon Perkins, Graphic Designer
DIRECTOR OF SALES & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Sarah Williams
Sarah@FireWatchMagazine.com | 813-435-1092
It has been an amazing year of twists, turns, ups and downs. With everything that has gone on in the Tampa Bay community, it seems the perfect time to reflect on where we’ve been this year and where we want to be in the coming year. Basically, after debriefing, what is our personal go-forward mission? The foundations highlighted in this edition have defined their mission and wish list. It is a great model for each of us to put everything into perspective and create our personal improvement wish list to achieve our goals in 2025.
Looking back only helps us see where we have been. We can’t change the past, but we can use it to improve us. It is unhealthy to get stuck in the past and allow it to derail our progress. Realizing the past can be learned from but not changed, the only option left is to move forward with the experience and wisdom of the past, not the baggage. Setting realistic, achievable goals for your personal self-improvement and recording your progress will almost ensure success. Realism is the key. Setting too big goals sets us up for failure because the mountain looks too large to climb, for example. If your goal is to lose seventy pounds, set a goal of six pounds per month. You will see it as achievable by focusing on the monthly goal of six pounds. With the same goal each month, the mountain (no pun intended) of seventy pounds will be achieved in twelve months. To help set goals, consider using the FireWatch Hero planner. It breaks big goals into nine-week achievable segments.
Whatever your goals, everyone at FireWatch is cheering for you. Be kind and honest. Everything else will work out.
Sincerely,
Steve Roderick, Publisher
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
#GIVINGTUESDAY
Giving Tuesday is an actual organization based out of New York City, and in 2012, they started a movement that “unleashes the power of radical generosity around the world.”
The organization’s goal is to inspire generosity. They don’t necessarily want you to donate to them; they want you to be inspired by them.
When you visit www.givingtuesday.org, you will find many ways to participate in the annual celebration through Toolkits, which have been provided and include a hundred different ways to express generosity.
For individuals, you can discover a local fundraiser, or community drive or coordinate an event with others in your area to give back to a local cause.
If you want to volunteer, you can always check with www.VolunteerMatch.org, where local organizations post opportunities to help.
Check out this month’s special edition of “The FireWatch Six Pack” (page 25) where we feature six local, amazing non-profit organizations who are changing lives in your communities, and who could really use your support.
7:
First Broadcast of the FireWatch Update on WAA FireWatch Magazine became a weekly guest on the Michael Hale Morning Show, where a different member of #TeamFireWatch speaks about the magazine’s impact each week.
24:
Our Community Salutes Event FireWatch joined Our Community Salutes for its Annual Enlistee Recognition Ceremony, which honored the Class of 2024 high school seniors and their families.
6:
After more than two years of hard work and planning, VFW Post 4412 of Hudson, Florida, alongside Past Post Commander Dale Cloutier and Post Commander Ron Wood, unveiled and christened the impressive M60A2 Tank that served US Combat Engineers from the mid-60s to mid80s and served 17 NATO countries in various variations. The tank, christened ‘Big Bertha,’ arrived from The Military Museum in Titusville, Florida. “It’s a great addition to this post,” says Past Commander Dale Cloutier, “It’s a good thing to see when you come around the corner to the post.”
Steps Towing transported the tank 144 miles and provided a giant American Flag and boom for the christening
8:
2nd Annual Anthony Muhlstadt Defender Ruck Walk FireWatch was a proud sponsor of the 2nd Annual Anthony Muhlstadt Defender Ruck Walk, which raised $35,694.99 for the Stop Soldier Suicide organization.
ceremony. Suncoast Eco Blasting, LLC, skillfully completed sandblasting and painting of the M60A2.
Members of Post 4412 dropped name suggestions into a hat, and the name ‘Big Bertha’ won the prize. Now, Big Bertha stands proudly on the VFW Post 4412 landscape as a reminder of the dedication of past and current post commanders, all VFW Post 4412 members, and their combined mission to keep our military history alive.
JULY 25:
2024 Florida Media Conference
FireWatch Magazine wins the 2024 Charlie Award for General Excellence.
AUGUST:
FireWatch Magazine 1st Birthday!
OCTOBER 22:
Sophros Veterans Event
In partnership with our advertiser, Sophros Recovery, FireWatch Magazine participated in the 1st Annual Veterans’ Wellness Event at Sophros Recovery Tampa.
NOVEMBER 9:
Clearwater Patriot Fest
FireWatch Magazine teams up with the Florida Veterans Coalition to support the Clearwater Patriot Fest, where thousands of resources were provided to veterans and their families for hurricane relief.
NOVEMBER 9:
Battle For Veterans
FireWatch Magazine teams up with the Zephyrhills Military Museum to support the largest Veterans Event in Florida, the Battle for Veterans. The event features two days of live WWII Reenactments with real tanks and WWII equipment.
DECEMBER 14:
911 Memorial Event
Dozens of volunteers, community members, organizations, and businesses came together to place 2977 placards for every person lost on September 11, 2001.
National Wreaths Across America Day
FireWatch Magazine teams up with Wreaths Across America to purchase one Wreath for every new advertiser in FireWatch Magazine! FireWatch Magazine attends the first WAA Day at the local Lutz Community Cemetery to honor and place wreaths on over 200 veterans laid to rest there.
There is a day in world and American history that will forever “live in infamy.” A single event 83 years ago changed everything.
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941, plunged America into World War II. Every service member and veteran knows the story.
On that morning, our ancestors exhibited bravery and grit in dire circumstances as Imperial Japan attacked them.
Every year, we remember this day. The flag is lowered to half-mast. There is a memorial ceremony attended by the survivors, of whom only 19 of 335 remain.
The battleship USS Arizona remains at the bottom of the harbor, a rusting tomb for more than 900 Sailors and Marines.
By Kurt Waterstradt
I’ve been to the USS Arizona Memorial. Even as I stood on the deck, a popular location for reenlistments and promotions, peering down at the watery grave, I appreciated the sacrifices of that day but experienced no connection to them.
After 83 years and as time rumbles on, how do we honor the memory of those who lived and died that day?
The last survivor of the USS Arizona, Lou Conter, died this year at 102 years old. His life was extraordinary, and Pearl Harbor was only one of over 37,000 mornings in his life. Lou Conter and that simple statistic provide two pertinent lessons.
The first lesson is toughness: the ability to cope with hardship and difficult situations. Despite the outcome, each person that
day showed toughness. They were ordinary people who did extraordinary things even as they faced danger and, unfortunately for many, death.
Most of us may never encounter a moment of this magnitude, but that doesn’t mean you can’t embrace toughness in your everyday life. You are guaranteed to encounter moments in life in which, sometimes, the best choice comes with a healthy dose of hardship.
The hardship in that moment could feel unbearable, even frightening, but take inspiration from those who faced immense hardship that fateful morning. Steel yourself against fear or doubt and charge forward. No matter the difficulty, you can handle it. This is an irrefutable truth.
The second lesson: one moment doesn’t define your life. Yes, we know Lou Conter’s name because of Pearl Harbor, but that event didn’t define his life. He was a naval aviator, an officer, and so much more. I encourage you to look him up. I mean, he lived to be 102! While that morning was significant, he had thousands of other moments too.
One moment doesn’t define you. The most difficult moment is still simply a moment. You will experience thousands of moments in your life. Don’t let one, good or bad, define you. Use your innate toughness to deal with the difficult ones as they happen, and then move on. Live the sweetness of each good moment and then move on. Let every moment be simply a moment.
This December 7, as you see a flag lowered at half-mast or someone reference Pearl Harbor Day, take a moment to appreciate those who lived and died that day and the example they set.
Sarah has joined #TeamFireWatch as Sales Director for the greater Tampa region. We are so happy to have her on board. Not only is she an advocate for veterans, but she is also a veteran, having served in the United States Air Force with multiple deployments.
For more about Sarah Williams, visit her contributing author profile at FireWatchMagazine.com
BY: SARAH WILLIAMS
“What is it like being a woman in the military?” If I had a dollar for every time I was asked that question during my active-duty time I’d be living in a mansion with a Corvette for every day of the week!
Well, maybe not a mansion … but definitely the seven Corvettes!
Every time I was asked that question I cringed inside and still do to this day.
I attended the United States Air Force Academy from 1993 to 1997 when female enrollment was at 10%. Today, it is 29%.
On day one of boot camp, all cadets marched up a ramp under the words “Bring me Men.” Was I offended? Not in the least. Those words had historical distinction based on an 1894 poem by Sam Walter Foss, which reads in part, “Bring me men to match my mountains, Bring me men to match my plains,” and was put in place in 1964.
The Academy became co-ed in 1976, but the name remained in place until 2003. The words now read “Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do,” the slogan of USAFA.
The Academy changed that messaging to match the core values of the Air Force and the aspirations of the entire cadet wing. I never felt like a “woman” at USAFA. I wanted to be recognized for me as a person vs. part of the minority.
Throughout the 26 years after graduation every time I was asked “the question”, I replied “no different than you.”
Whether male or female we have the same responsibilities, the same purpose, and should produce the same desired results. Was it harder at times being a woman in a male-dominated environment? Sure. There were times and that’s another story.
What got me back to the task on-hand was to not dwell on this, but to re-direct my audience to me as a fellow aircraft maintainer … period.
At the end of the day, it’s what we do that counts, not the box we check when asked to provide who or what with which we identify.
I will continue to answer that question by responding “no different than you.” Power is in our action, not in our identity.
FireWatch Live! at the Sterling Cigar Lounge & Bar
American Legion Post 108 Golf Tournament
FireWatch Live! Resource Fair with Food Trucks, Music, giveaways, and more!
Veterans’ Coalition Memorial Day Fair and Concert
The 3rd Annual Anthony Muhlstadt Defender Ruck Walk
FireWatch Live! Tampa Cold Plunge
9/11 Memorial Placement Event and Concert
Fire Walk Retreat at Croom. YOU can be a Fire Walker!
Battle For Veterans & Clearwater Patriot Fest
DECEMBER Wreaths Across America
Join Veterans and our families on the 4th Monday of each month
5pm Auxiliary • 5pm Riders • 6pm Sons • 7pm Legion Club House at Plantation Palms Golf Club 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd. Land O’Lakes, FL 34639
ALL LEGION MEMBERS RECEIVE A PLANTATION PALMS GOLF CLUB SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP
For details about membership contact Don Hinst, Commander Post 108 813-845-9108
December 14, 2024
Imagine 100 years from now, just about everyone who is currently on this earth will be gone. Who will be left to remember, honor, and teach?
The responsibility to keep legacy alive is laid upon each generation. The telling of stories, the days of remembrance, these activities are the threads through our past that will weave into our futures.
It’s as simple as visiting a national cemetery where heroes have been laid to rest. Most cemeteries are mapped by blocks in time, meaning, the older sections are blocked together, as are the newer sections. What becomes clear is that over time, there are less and less visitors to the older sections. Likely because family members of the deceased have themselves passed away or have moved too far to visit regularly.
What stories could be told about the heroes who lay there? One can only imagine.
A young paperboy from Maine had won a trip to Washington, D.C. During his visit, he had the opportunity to visit Arlington National Cemetery. That boy is Morrill Worcester who later became owner of Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine.
The time he spent at Arlington National Cemetery amongst the hundreds of thousands of graves made an indelible impression on him.
Years later, Morrill’s Wreath Company happened to have a surplus of wreaths as they neared the end of the holiday season. When deciding what should be done with the wreaths, Morrill remembered his visit to Arlington and realized he had an opportunity to honor our country’s veterans by arranging to have the surplus of wreaths placed in one of the
“Remember the fallen. Honor those who serve. Teach the next generation the value of freedom.”
older cemetery sections. He chose the older section because it was an area that had been receiving fewer visitors each passing year.
Making the idea happen came with many moving parts, including transporting the wreaths from Maine to Virginia.
It was James Prout, owner of local trucking company, Blue Bird Ranch, Inc. who generously provided the transportation. Volunteers from local American Legion and VFW posts gathered to help decorate and place the wreaths.
It was a group effort to make the vision a reality. Something Wreaths Across America still believes in to this day.
By 2022, Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers had placed more than 2.7 million sponsored veterans’ wreaths on headstones across 3,702 participating locations.
This massive effort consists of more than 5,000 sponsorship groups, corporation contributions, and inkind donations from the transportation industry across the country.
To read the full story and history of Wreaths Across America please visit: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/About/OurMission
You can be a part of this mission to remember our heroes in many ways. You can sponsor a wreath, volunteer to place wreaths, or both. Participating cemeteries are listed at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/About/ LocationAndGroupSearch
These are local cemetery locations placing wreaths on veteran gravesites on National Wreaths Across America Day Saturday, December 14, 2024.
Florida National Cemeteries
Florida National Cemetery at Bushnell, Florida
Ceremony 11:30 AM, Saturday, December 14
(Wreath Placement 10:00 AM)
Bay Pines National Cemetery at St. Petersburg, Florida
Ceremony 12:00 PM, Saturday, December 14
(Wreath Placement 11:00 AM)
Local Cemeteries
Lutz Cemetery, Lutz, Florida
Ceremony 12:00 PM, Saturday, December 14
(Wreath Placement 11:00 AM)
Veterans Memorial Park, Tampa, Florida
American Legion Veterans Cemetery Post 5, Tampa, Florida
Ceremony 12:00 PM, Saturday, December 14
(Wreath Placement 11:00 AM)
To Volunteer or to Sponsor Wreaths visit www. wreathsacrossamerica.org or give through FireWatch Giving where $5 from every sponsored wreath supports local non-profit organizations.
FireWatch Giving tinyurl.com/23fhukz9
I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
(If Only in My Dreams) by
Bing Cosby 1943
Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home at Christmas time.
I’ll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe And presents on the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the lovelight gleams
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
WHERE THEY ARE, CHRISTMAS 2024
Afghanistan, Syria, and Turkey 14,000+
Iraq and Kuwait 18,000+
Bahrain 7000
Jordan 2800
Qatar 13,000
Saudi Arabia 3000
United Arab Emirates 5000
Israel 100+ REMEMBER THOSE DEPLOYED
BY CHRIS “RANGER” GAY
Christmas time is here, and we cannot think of a better gift for our loved ones than spreading 2nd Amendment cheer.
No matter what you will be celebrating this holiday season, a firearm or firearm accessory is always a gift of love.
Think about all the gifts you have given your loved ones in the past: ties, socks, appliances, electronics, etc. none of those items will provide the safety and security for their family. They may provide some entertainment, but that is different from going to the range with friends and having a little friendly competition.
And of course, we all know the signs that the gift was not what they really wanted. That does not happen when you give them a firearm or its accessories. So, as we approach Christmas, your friends at 2nd Amendment Armory have put together this little holiday buying guide to help you out.
PISTOLS
Small or large, great for target practice and personal defense. They come in a variety of sizes and calibers. The 9mm caliber is the most popular and provides excellent stopping power as well as ammo prices that are very affordable and readily available.
Again, lots of options here, good for hunting and target shooting. Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR) are your AR or AK variations and are extremely modular so the recipient can customize them however they want. They come in two sizes, AR-15 (smaller calibers 5.56mm / .223, etc.) and AR-10 (larger calibers 7.62x51mm / .308 etc.) and are extremely fun to shoot and customize.
Then you have your bolt action and semi-automatics. These usually come with a wood stock, or the more modern ones have synthetic stocks making them much lighter for that long walk through the woods. Excellent for long range shooting and hunting.
Numerous options including tactical, pump action, over/ under, or semi-auto. For those that enjoy bird hunting or sporting clays, we recommend a long-barreled shotgun. The semi-automatics are easy to use and great when hunting, but the over/under is best for those doing clay competitions as most of the time there is a 2-round limit per round. Pump actions will work, but you may lose the shot by the time you load the next shell.
Tactical shotguns have a myriad of uses, but most popular is home defense. Shotguns are great for home defense because they require less aim and better safety in the home. If loaded with the correct shells, the rounds will not go through every wall in your house.
Depending on who you are buying for, there is no limit to the accessories they may want or need. Optics, night sights, holsters, range bags, magazines, cleaning kits, range gear such as eye protection and ear protection, speed loaders, non-lethal defense sprays or tasers, custom parts for firearms, targets and purses are just some of the options you can go with.
By offering your loved ones a class on safe gun handling, advanced shooting techniques, or a concealed carry class you are showing them that you really care about them and their safety.
I saved this for last because this one is the easiest. All you need to know is what caliber they need, and they will love this gift. With ammo prices being what they are, everybody that shoots will love the gift of ammo!
Team FireWatch is in the field every day meeting incredible visionaries who lead impactful missions in the veteran and first responder communities. In this special edition of The FireWatch Six Pack, we share six organizations who deserve your support. In honor of #GivingTuesday, we ask you to consider supporting these organizations who are changing lives within your community.
Located at 1750 Arcadia Rd. Holiday, FL 34690, and online at www.warriorwellnessprogram.org, or call (727) 393-8387. FOUNDATION
Through participation in a study on Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), the founders realized the incredible impact that this therapy had on veterans. ART became the driving mission of the organization with its ability to provide significant results in short periods of time.
At the Warrior Wellness Program facility, the Accelerated Wellness Program, is a five-day program that requires participants to “put in the work doing the hard things to find relief and healing,” as stated by Operations Manager, Chris Sowell.
“We don’t advertise our services,” says Sowell, “because we have a six-month waiting list for our programs.”
The running six-month waiting list is because of the tremendous word-of-mouth power of personal referrals from one veteran/service-member to another.
MILESTONES/CHALLENGES
The WWP finds itself in a hard time. Like many other impactful non-profit organizations, WWP failed to get State appropriations for 2025. This has impacted all growth efforts for the coming year.
With current budgeting, there is only enough money to cover so many veterans through the program which has an average cost of $3000 per person for each five-day session. WWP hit program number 200 this year resulting in the assistance of approximately 1200 veterans and service members.
GOALS FOR 2025
WWP intends to expand its services to Huntsville, Alabama, a highly veteran populated community. For Pasco County, the team at WWP would love to open the program to more veterans in quicker time.
“Oftentimes when a veteran gets to us, they are at the end of their rope,” says Sowell. “If we recognize an emergency, we will do whatever we can to get them into the program quicker.
Otherwise, they are put on the waiting list and may have to wait several months to enter the program. This is unfortunate. We know we have something that has been proven to help people. We just want them to be able to get the help as soon as they need it.”
More funding means more veterans helped! When a person enters the WWP five-day program, all expenses are covered to include transportation, accommodations, and all meals.
WWP has established relationships with local restaurants who offer a reduced price for participant meals. Each mealtime has a combined price tag of $150 - $200 for participants and staff. Their Christmas wish list includes:
3 Restaurant Gift Certificates* or Meal Sponsorships of $200
3 Gas Cards for the Center’s Van (WaWa or RaceTrac)
3 Marriott Bonvoy Point Donations, or Room Sponsorships of $100
3 Amazon Gift Cards for Supplies
Participating Restaurants include Central Park, Zen Kitchen, Tarpon Turtle, Carmelitas, El Cerrito’s, Whiskey Joes; all located in West Pasco County.
Visit online at www.AmericanLegionPost108.com, email them at Outreach@AmericanLegionPost108.com, or call (813) 8459108.
Since its founding in 1919, the American Legion has been a source of good for service-members, veterans, and their families. One of their slogans is, “Veterans Helping Veterans.”
But local American Legion Posts, like Post 108 in Land O’Lakes, do a lot to support their communities, other organizations, and youth programs. In turn, there are many people and businesses who would love to support their community American Legion, but until now, have only been able to do so in limited ways.
With the new American Legion Post 108 “Friend of the Legion” Program, anyone can support and honor their community American Legion, with great support from legionnaires in return.
The American Legion Post 108 Friend of the Legion Program launched in September 2024 offering three different
sponsorship packages ranging from $25 per month to $1,250 per month. Friend of the Legion benefits can be found at www. AmericanLegionPost108.com/become-post-sponsor.
Through fundraising efforts, including the Friend of the Legion Program, The American Legion Post 108 looks forward to growing its Legion Ball Program, support for its sponsored Boy Scout Troop 0366, and Cub Pack 0366, as well as to launch a Veteran Owned Business Entrepreneurial Track Program with Scholarships and Grants awarded to participants.
Post 108’s Goal for 2025 is to find one “The General” corporate sponsor, one “The Command” corporate sponsor, and 10 “The Sergeants” individual sponsors.
3 ONE General Level Corporate Sponsorship ($1,250 per month)
3 ONE Command Level Corporate Sponsorship ($500 per month)
3 TEN Sergeant Level Individual Sponsorships ($25 per month)
See the benefits you receive as a Friend of the Legion Sponsor at www.AmericanLegionPost108.com/become-postsponsor
Visit online at www.bubblesforvets.org, email tonyjoyce@ bubblesforvets.org, or call (813) 390-3576.
FOUNDATION
Bubbles for Vets founder, Tony Joyce, spent 12 years in the military where he witnessed many families broken by neverending deployments and separation.
“We all missed a lot,” explains Joyce. “When we finally got home, we were different and so was our family. I watched this happen to several friends, and started to wonder how I could help fix broken families. It became my goal to find a way to give families a hobby they could do together, something new they had never tried before.”
Joyce had been a diver in the military and later became a scuba instructor. One summer, he was asked to teach a group of kids.
“The first time I saw those kids take their first breath under water, I was hooked,” says Joyce. He went on to offer instructional classes for autistic, handicapped, and physically impaired people of all ages.
Ultimately, Joyce created his own non-profit teaching vets and their families to dive.
Fundraising has been the biggest challenge for the Bubbles for Vets organization. Like many other impactful organizations, funding has been very limited because of a down economy. To add insult to injury, Joyce lost much of his equipment in the 2024 hurricanes that hit central Florida.
The Bubbles for Vets’ goals for 2025 are simple and concise. They would like to raise enough money to put six families through the program successfully. They would like to own, or rent, a facility where they can train participants, and they would like to replace the damaged gear from the hurricanes.
3 Wetsuits in childrens and small sizes
3 BCDs in small and medium sizes
3 Boots, 2 in every size
Visit online at www.educatingtosavelives.org, email spti@ educatingtosavelives.org, or call (813) 807-7784.
Dr. Derrick Copper, a counseling psychologist and Navy veteran, provided behavioral health services to the Department of Defense, U.S. Army, Army Substance Abuse Program for 35 years. He first trained as a LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) trainer in 2008 while serving at the U.S. Army Presidio of Monterey, California.
Dr. Copper provided this training until his retirement in 2015. Later, a personal and profound experience filled his mind with despair, and he thought to himself, “You can be part of the problem, or part of the solution.”
He chose to be part of the solution, and went on to establish the Suicide Prevention Training Institute.
As of November 2024, four years after it began delivering ASIST workshops, SPTI trained 207 individuals in suicide prevention, exceeding its five-year goal to train 200 per year. Among those attending the
By Kurt Waterstradt
Here we are again, that magical time of year. Okay, I’m biased. This is my favorite holiday season. It is the one time of year I feel really promotes joy, community, and happiness. Decorations go up, people come together, Christmas music fills the air (preferably Bing Crosby, Darlene Love, and Nat King Cole), peppermint mochas flow in every coffee shop, holiday movies fill the streaming queues, and there is perpetual laughter of children (young and old).
As the holidays build steam, Christmas shopping goes into full swing. You might have a lengthy list of people for whom to buy gifts. Friends and family might be asking what you want for Christmas. Tis the season for giving. But, before you brave a congested mall or give Amazon all your money, I happily offer you the greatest gift suggestion for this, or any holiday season: presence.
American author and psychotherapist John Eldredge said,
“The gift of presence is a rare and beautiful gift. To come unguarded, undistracted—and be fully present, fully engaged with whoever we are with at that moment.”
This is the most thoughtful holiday gift you can give. It’s a gift more valuable than anything you can wrap and place under a tree. This is distraction-free time. Turn off your phone, not in silence or airplane mode, and actually power it all the way down. Make space in your calendar where you’re completely unavailable to everyone except who you’re with. Allow that person to feel your love and gratitude for them by devoting all your attention to this moment.
We only have the present moment. Anything before the present is memory, and anything beyond the present is imagination. You’re only guaranteed the moment right now, which is why sharing your time, love, and attention is exquisite.
Active service personnel and veterans undoubtedly have memories of time lost due to their commitments. Perhaps it was a birthday, first baseball game, school recital, anniversary, or holiday you missed. Almost every person knows this feeling because life’s complicated, and things happen, whether they’re planned or not.
However, those missed moments weren’t about the gifts given or awards received. They are about the moments with people that make your life better—the inside jokes that occur, the hugs given, the smiles and laughs that fill everyone with joy, creating enduring memories that you’ll have until the end of time.
This holiday season, slow down, unwind, and turn off your phone. Pour a hot beverage for you and whomever you are with. Play a board game, build the least architecturally sound gingerbread house, or sword fight with candy canes (you know you’ve done this). However you celebrate this joyous time of year, do it with every atom of your presence because that gift is without equal.
I wish you a happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
...sharing your time, love, and attention is exquisite.
By Mary Peter
Impulse purchases rarely work out well.
And while we all know how irresistible puppies are— what a big hit they could be as a Christmas gift!—too many puppies are brought home with the best intentions, only to be dropped off at shelters just a few weeks or months into the new year. That’s called “buyer’s remorse”.
Here’s what often happens. Bringing a dog into your home is a commitment to time, space, money, and energy. Ideally, the planning and preparation should come first. Yes, it can put demands on you that you may not have considered, and not everyone is ready for the responsibilities.
dog, as it can cause stomach and diarrhea issues.
To put it simply, dog food is what’s best for dogs.
If your dog is not used to something, table food can lead to health problems, including digestive issues and weight gain.
For safe and healthy dog chew toys, look for toys made from sturdy and durable materials such as rubber, silicone, or nylon, which can withstand your dog’s strong jaw. These toys are great for high-energy dogs and help clean their teeth!
After the Christmas holidays, the kids go back to school and resume their myriad after-school activities. They have no time to spare. You’re now taking the dog outside five or six times a day.
The tiny puppy that arrived at Christmas grows rapidly. You discover that a visit to the vet for vaccinations and preventive measures comes close to your monthly car payment. The vet recommends a pet insurance plan. You realize that you didn’t do your homework, didn’t consider the time it takes, and are not ready to handle it. You’re grinding your teeth when you sleep.
So, today’s lesson is: Don’t get a dog without careful planning first.
Holiday treats for your dog?
While it’s only natural to want to share the holiday mood with your pet, do not give “holiday” food to your
As a Certified Master Dog Trainer (CMDT), I’ve trained thousands of dogs over the years. It’s important to pay close attention to your dog’s toys and condition. The types of toys I give my personal dogs include KONG toys, Jolly balls (medium/large), and Elk Antlers. Pet stores can offer excellent selections, and their staff can help if you have any questions.
There are also toys to avoid, such as toys with batteries or circuit boards inside, rope toys, and toys that can be chewed apart and swallowed.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Mary Peter is the founder and executive director of training operations of K9 Partners for Patriots, a nonprofit dedicated to veteran suicide prevention, based in Brooksville, Florida.
BY: KEN SMITS
We’ve claimed our little space about ten feet from the stage where Bob Hope will perform. We pass out as the sun climbs higher in the sky on the day after Christmas. It will be a splendid day for Bob Hope and his little band of Hollywood Stars.
In a short while, the security police arrive. They move us out under considerable protest. They check the stage and surrounding grounds searching for booby traps and things like that. The first one hundred yards from the stage is roped off.
TV crews come in and set up towers for their equipment. After the work’s completed the security police pat down each person for weapons, then allow them in.
We sit behind the roped off area. The space up front is for wounded American servicemen. We laugh at Gator and DJ. Irony is, if they had stayed one more day in the hospital, they’d be right up front. Instead, A-Team sits about three hundred feet from the stage.
Beginning in May 1941 and continuing for nearly fifty years, Hope brough his variety show to military camps and war zones to entertain troops with song, dance, comedy, attractive women, and people in the news. Shortly after his death, a cartoon was published showing Bob Hope again on stage, this time with angel wings, performing in front of thousands upon thousands of troops who had beat him to heaven.
The show is over much too quickly. Bob Hope, Ann-Margaret, Miss America, and all the rest are spectacular. The ‘National Anthem’ sung by The Pussy Cats made tears run down my cheeks.
Beginning in May 1941 and continuing for nearly fifty years, Hope brough his variety show to military camps and war zones to entertain troops with song, dance, comedy, attractive women, and people in the news. Shortly after his death, a cartoon was published showing Bob Hope again on stage, this time with angel wings, performing in front of thousands upon thousands of troops who had beat him to heaven.
When ‘God Bless America’ was performed I, and everyone else, had a lump in their throat. The gathering of men cry, laugh, cheer, and sing along. We forget about the war for a few short hours.
All of A-Team fall in love with Ann-Margaret, Miss America, and The Pussy Cats. They’re beautiful, a reminder of America that will help drive us in our fight to keep freedom alive. What they do for the American spirit, a million dollars couldn’t buy.
During the show, thousands of servicemen have shed tears for peace and happiness in the world. For their friends who gave their lives and the tremendous number of others who’ll give everything for freedom. As I look at A-Team, I wonder who will see Christmas next year, and who will be loaded on a helicopter for the long silent ride home.
At 0800 hours on December 26, 1968, the nine remaining men of A-Team load a truck heading back to Qui Nhon Air Base. The ceasefire will be over soon, and our replacements will require lots of training before we can work together as a team. The time’s short for preparing for the battles I know await us.
Our holiday is over; Christmas 1968 has ended, gone forever.
December 2024
ASIST Workshops in 2024, for the first time, SPTI had five couples attend together.
In efforts to reach the community and to be a valuable learning asset to veterans, service-members, their families, and gatekeepers, SPTI became part of the Hillsborough County Veterans Council.
These successes come alongside challenges. For SPTI, acquiring funds to offer the ASIST workshop at little or no cost to participants is challenging. This is with the understanding that quite often, those that are in greatest need of a workshop are those that can least afford the registration cost. The team at SPTI works diligently to acquire monetary donations and grant funds to support its mission to provide the ASIST workshop for free.
To fully fund the SPTI’s program: Combating Suicide: Prevention and Intervention Education for the Tampa Bay Community. When fully funded, this program can offer critical suicide prevention and intervention training to ALL in the Tampa Bay Community at no cost to the participant.
3 To reach their fundraising goal of $22,000 which will allow for six workshops in the Greater Tampa Bay Community in 2025 at no cost to participants.
Visit online at www.floridaveterans.org, or email info@ floridaveterans.org.
The Florida Veterans Coalition was founded with a mission to provide financial, emotional, and regulatory assistance to veterans and their families. Their focus is on delivering emergency funding, medical and therapy services, and scholarships for children, grandchildren, and spouses of veterans.
The Coalition’s goal is to ensure veterans and their families have access to essential support when they need it most. They also host two flagship events each year: the Clearwater Honor Fest for Memorial Day and the Clearwater Patriot Fest for Veterans Day, bringing the community together to celebrate and support veterans.
In the past year, the Coalition has successfully
provided emergency relief grants to 100 veterans affected by the recent hurricanes, helping them recover from significant losses. Additionally, they’ve expanded their scholarship program to reach more students in veteran families and have offered funding for medical and therapy services not covered by the VA.
One of the biggest challenges has been addressing the increased demand for services due to recent disasters, but Coalition community partnerships have been vital in meeting these needs.
Goals for the coming year include expanding the emergency relief funding program, increasing outreach for the scholarship fund, and partnering with more local organizations to enhance their support network.
The Coalition aims to provide more veterans with critical medical and mental health services and continue championing educational opportunities for veteran families. There are plans to grow the Clearwater Honor Fest and Clearwater Patriot Fest events to reach more veterans and their families.
CHRISTMAS WISHLIST
3 Emergency Fund donations to provide financial assistance to veterans in crisis.
3 Gift cards for household essentials and groceries for veteran families.
3 Support for medical and therapy services for veterans needing care beyond VA coverage.
3 Toys for children of veteran families through Operation Toy Soldier.
3 Event sponsors for Clearwater Honor Fest and Clearwater Patriot Fest to help us expand our reach and impact.
Founded in 2014, K9 Partners for Patriots was created to prevent veteran suicide.
For veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Military Sexual Trauma (MST), we offer a six-month training program in which we teach
the veteran how to train a K9 that becomes his or her working service dog. In addition to the K9 for those who do not have one, we provide all of the essential equipment, training, and some veterinary care too, all at no cost to the veteran.
We also offer counseling with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Through K9P4P our veterans gain a second chance at life.
From the beginning of K9P4P has grown from one veteran to 770, and they travel here from 46 of Florida’s 67 counties, with some from out of state as well.
“While we believe that our growth reflects the effectiveness of our program, bringing health and healing to our veterans and their families, at the same time we must acknowledge that it also reflects the relentless need for help among so many veterans from all eras,” explains the team, “We have outgrown the space we now occupy and greatly need funding for a new facility on a parcel of land we purchased nearby.”
Goals for 2025 include the continuation of successfully managed growth and partnering with other veteran programs, and increasing awareness to expedite outreach for those in need.
As a member of the Wounded Warriors Service Dog Project, K9 Partners for Patriots looks forward to breaking ground for a new and permanent home for the organization. This progress will be vital to serving more veterans statewide while simultaneously translating leasing costs into equity to enhance financial stability for years to come.
By making financial contributions to organizations like K9 Partners for Patriots, support from individuals and communities translates into service dogs trained for therapeutic support to those dealing with PTSD, which can make a transformative difference for veterans struggling with mental health issues.
K9P4P also aims to offer mental health programs that offer professional counseling and peer support, empowering veterans to manage stress, overcome trauma and regain a sense of normalcy.
For veterans who have given so much, these resources are vital to achieving lasting stability and a brighter outlook. K9P4P’s Christmas wish list is simple:
3 Financial contributions, pledges, and/or grants.
By KeishaMarie Douglas
Well, friends, we made it! It’s the end of 2024!
How are we feeling? Happy? Sad? Are we ready for new beginnings? Are we glad it’s over, or are we just going through the motions, dreading that everyday monotonousness?
I want to be your veteran sister who shares some of her life experiences with you in hopes of you realizing that giving up is not an option and that you should focus on the good because good things are on the way.
During my time in the service, I was always angry. There was nothing that brought me joy. It seemed like the world around me
Children Ages 2-5
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Air Force Veteran Beverly Sheffield’s biggest gift was the gift of giving. She had dreamt of opening a Christian Preschool. Through her generosity, Harvester Sheffield Christian Preschool is here with a pledge to teach the love of God to our children and to strengthen our community spiritually through the families we serve.
was jacked up, and everyone around me who was happy just upset me even more.
It irritated me profusely to see others doing good. If a situation didn’t go how I wanted it to, I was ready to flip tables. When I separated, all my emotions intensified, and life became harder. I struggled mentally, physically, and emotionally, eventually leading to current day health issues.
However, it wasn’t until my grandfather passed away and my dog crossed the rainbow bridge that I began seeing that things aren’t really as bad as they seem.
During my healing journey, I realized that the day really is how we make it. We can have good days and bad days. It’s all up to us. We have many opportunities to share positivity in the world, we just have to be open to receive them.
Therefore, friends, if you are looking for a sign, then this is it. If you have a dream in your heart, it’s time to take action, sis. In 2025, I hope that you find passion in your everyday life. I hope you take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.
Take it from your sister from another mister who strongly believes that if you put good out in the world, then good will come back to you. Let’s embrace an abundant and prosperous New Year ahead.
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BY SARA BACHELDER
Building and maintaining wealth isn’t just about earning more money or investing your money, it’s about understanding the rules about how money works.
Have you ever wondered if there is something wealthy people know that the average American does not? For veterans transitioning to civilian life, these insights are especially valuable.
The 3 Real Secrets of Money are fundamental principles crucial to long-term financial success:
1. Never lose money.
2. Pay as little tax as legally possible.
3. Never stop the compounding of your money.
The first principle, never losing money, is perhaps the most vital. While investors, including veterans, often focus on potential returns, protecting against losses is equally important. When you lose 50% of your investment, you need a 100% gain to break even. This emphasizes the importance of thorough risk assessment, diversification, and avoiding emotional investment decisions. Veterans can apply their strategic training to prioritize capital preservation through careful asset allocation, proper insurance coverage, and maintaining emergency reserves.
The second principle focuses on tax efficiency: paying only what’s legally required. Tax planning should be a year-round
strategy, not just an April consideration. For veterans, this includes understanding both civilian and military tax benefits, maximizing contributions to tax-advantaged retirement accounts, and strategic timing of investment sales. Working with qualified tax professionals can help identify legitimate deductions and credits while ensuring compliance with tax laws.
The third principle, maintaining compound growth, harnesses what Einstein allegedly called the “eighth wonder of the world.” When returns generate additional returns, wealth can grow exponentially over time. Breaking this cycle by withdrawing funds or interrupting regular investments can significantly impact long-term results.
Consider this: $10,000 invested at 7% annually becomes $19,672 after 10 years without withdrawals. However, frequent interruptions to this compounding can reduce returns dramatically.
Successfully implementing these three principles requires discipline, patience, and often professional guidance. While markets may fluctuate and economic conditions change, these fundamental secrets remain constant. Veterans can leverage their military discipline to focus on these principles, building and maintaining wealth more effectively over the long term.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sara Bachelder is a retirement planning specialist trained under Shirley Luu, a nationally recognized expert in financial planning. Sara provides personalized guidance on maximizing military retirement benefits, optimizing TSP investments, and integrating other sources of retirement income. Her goal is to empower veterans with the knowledge and strategies necessary to achieve true financial freedom.
Body types and archetypes shape how we perceive ourselves—often in ways that exist only in our own minds unless others affirm them.
From early on, we are bombarded with images of what it means to be “fit” or “athletic,” often defined by muscular builds, lean physiques, or an ability to perform extraordinary feats of strength or endurance.
But here’s the truth: the love in your heart, your passion, is what defines you as an athlete. It’s not the look; it’s the drive.
If that passion isn’t expressed outwardly—through physical action, participation, or dedication—you might never call yourself an athlete. But does that mean you aren’t one?
Perhaps it’s time to redefine what makes someone an athlete, starting with the simple notion that athleticism is as much about mindset as it is about muscle.
Fitness and athleticism are often mistaken as the same thing but occupy two very different worlds. While people in both categories might look similar, they are driven by different motivations.
Picture one person with a beer belly and a tattoo above their boots. Maybe they spend their days
By JC LaVerde
hauling heavy equipment on a job site. Then picture another: a broad-chested powerhouse who inhales protein for a living, always prepping for the next big lift or race. On the surface, these two individuals seem worlds apart, but technically, both could be considered “fit.”
The difference, however, lies in their purpose. One might be able to jump for a minute, the other for an hour. But what does that ability mean without a deeper intention behind it?
Athleticism is not just about physical prowess or hours spent in the gym. It’s about resilience, perseverance, and the willingness to push yourself—not just to get stronger or faster, but to grow as a person.
If a person approaches life with a softness of heart, remains humble in their strength, and finds joy in helping others with hard tasks, then you’ve got an athlete. It’s not about their time on the track or their numbers in the gym but how they use their strength to serve, uplift, and challenge themselves and others. An athlete isn’t defined by peak performance alone but by the consistency and heart they bring to their efforts, even when no one is watching.
On the other hand, if someone lifts heavy things only when asked or jogs merely to escape their problems, whatever and whenever those may be, what you’ve got is a “fitness” person—someone who trains for themselves and their immediate
needs, rather than for a higher purpose. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this approach, but it lacks the depth of what true athleticism embodies: a growth mindset, service, and humility.
And to those athletes in their off-season, or perhaps in a season of recovery, remember, you’re still an athlete, even if you’re not at peak physical condition right now.
Athleticism is not something that comes and goes based on your current fitness level. It’s an identity. Veterans, first responders, and fathers especially understand this. Life changes, priorities shift, and physical conditions may fluctuate, but the heart of an athlete persists.
Whether you’re running a marathon, carrying your child on your shoulders, or enduring a long day of service, the athlete within you thrives. Athleticism, at its core, is about enduring with purpose and passion.
So, the next time you doubt your status as an athlete, remember that your heart, your discipline, and your willingness to serve are what truly define you.
The athlete isn’t confined to the field, the gym, or the racetrack. Athletes exist in every corner of life.
Fathers who wake up early to get their kids ready for school while still maintaining their responsibilities at work are athletes. Veterans transitioning from military life to civilian roles while carrying the weight of their service are athletes. First responders who put their lives on the line, not for glory but for the safety of others, are athletes.
Being an athlete is about showing up every day, even when it’s hard, even when the world feels heavy on your shoulders. It’s about the discipline to push through, whether it’s a grueling workout, a demanding work shift, or the everyday challenges of fatherhood. It’s about resilience, about standing up after you’ve been knocked down—again and again.
This kind of athleticism often goes unseen. It doesn’t win medals or get broadcasted on sports channels. But it’s there in every small act of perseverance, in every moment of quiet strength. It’s the athlete who stays up late comforting a crying baby or the one who holds it together when life seems to be falling apart.
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