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What else has been going on around here…
- Twenty-One January 29, 2026
- Nostalgia January 8, 2026
- We Made It! December 22, 2025
- We Make Do, So Can You! November 2, 2025
- Twice in 3 Days October 31, 2025
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Tag Archives: Alaska life
Today is the day that we as a Nation give lip service to those serving in our armed forces.
Is that too harsh? 🤷🏼♀️
Veteran Stats:
Increased suicide rates in Post 9/11 war personnel. More vets have died by suicide than we’ve lost in the War on Terror. Was it worth it?
An estimated 30,177 active duty service members and war veterans of the
U.S. Department of Defense. (2021). Casualty Status as of 10 a.m. EDT May 10, 2021.
post 9/11 wars have died by suicide, significantly more than the 7,057 killed in
“Global War on Terror” military operations. This marks a failure by the military and
U.S. society to manage the mental health cost of our current conflicts.
https://www.defense.gov/casualty.p
Homelessness Current numbers for homeless veterans hover around 37,000 individuals.
…because of veterans’ military service, this population is at higher risk of experiencing traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), both of which have been found to be among the most substantial risk factors for homelessness.
National Alliance to End Homelessness
Unemployment. Veterans have seen a slight improvement in unemployment rates recently but keep in mind this factor is often influenced by those whose benefits are expired and not necessarily employed.
Unemployment Rates by Gender
Veteran’s Employment and Training Service
Annual Unemployment Rates
November 2021 – October 2022 Averaged
Women Veterans 3.1%, Women Nonveterans 3.7%, Male Veterans 2.9%, Male Nonveterans 3.7%
Source: bls.gov
Difficulty in returning to Civilian Life Military life is rigid and ordered, and ordered for you. Returning to taking charge of your own purpose and existence can be daunting for some.
,,,while a series of studies conducted by USC’s Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families (CIR) at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work show that the majority of veterans look favorably on their military experience, the majority also report having difficulty adjusting to civilian life, which can lead to larger problems such as joblessness, homelessness and untreated mental health conditions.
USC
Personnel go to a rigorous Basic Training to learn what’s expected of them in Military life. Perhaps we should do something similar when they are returning to civilian life. As a Nation, we can do better and we have a responsibility to do better.
As an individual, other than saying thank you to service members (which is a nice gesture) what do you do to facilitate a culture of honoring those who’ve made the sacrifice to serve? There are so many options. So many ways to make a difference.
Do you support veteran focused service groups or charities? Do you vote for pro-veteran public servants? Do you employ veterans? Maybe give them a discount at your business? Perhaps you live in a pro-veteran state, as I do, where the policies benefiting Vets are more visible. If you don’t, are you contacting your representatives to affect change?
We could even be more personable and talk about relationships with vets. Do you help out an aging neighbor who served? What about the significant number of unhoused or homeless vets? Do you take action when and where you can?
If you do, and I know many who do and are doing so regularly, my heartfelt thanks to you. If you’re not, let me challenge you to step up your game. You never know what your small gesture of kindness can do for an individual. We owe our Vets more than a day of celebration. Keep up the good work!
Summer and fall have come and gone and we are fully in the grasps of Old Man Winter. Hopefully I’ll have the time to regularly share my Sourdough ramblings now that we’ve slowed down a bit.
Sourdoughs of old times had plenty of things to do to while away the long winters. I’ve touched on a few of them here. But perhaps my favorite is reading. But it seems that a Sourdough might also write a book. I’ve met or interacted with several such Sourdoughs in my little circle (like these folks) with multiple titles published and I’m in awe of their accomplishments.
Besides entertainment there are many reasons to read a book: to learn, to explore, to feel close to someone who is no longer here, to get an understanding. I’m sure there are others but you get the idea. And the drive to share, to leave a legacy, to inform others are no doubt behind some of these words put to paper.
This week I read a new book, written by a gentleman I was privileged to meet a while back. Now I didn’t get to know Larry well but what I did know of him is that he was pleasant, kind, determined (or was that stubbornness? sometimes it’s hard to tell) and quite tall. And as it turns out, a Sourdough from way back.
I met he and his wife Joy while building their lake cabin (we broke ground Jan 6 ,2021). I get to meet the nicest folks doing what I love! And if I’m really lucky, we go on to remain friends!
Larry passed from this life into his rest May 2, 2022. May his memory be a blessing.
Joy was kind enough to share some of Larry’s work with me and I finished the first book this past week. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next one.
When Copper Was Gold in Alaska is a work of historical fiction based around the Copper River mining area. Being raised in Cordova & Chitina in the late 1940s, Larry was intrigued with the history of copper mining; it’s effects on the land, the indigenous people of the region, and the future.
This is an area of Alaskan geography and history that I’m interested in exploring! Larry’s book was a perfect introduction for me. Maybe next summer we can visit the Kennecott Mine? In the meantime, I’ll be reading more Alaskan books!
Alaska on my mind... 