Duty First

Working with homeless veterans is a tough job but it has great rewards. Since January of 2008 I have worked as the Director of Veterans Services for the Albany Housing Coalition. Every night when I go home I know that today I made a difference to some veteran in need. Part of my job is to supervise a case management team that manages the Veterans House in Albany. The Vet House is a 28 bed transitional housing for veterans. The Vets who come to our home have multible challenges in their lives. Substance abuse and mental health issues are at the top of the list. Some have serious criminal histories. Others have been out of contact with their families for years. They come to us with broken hearts and broken spirit. They come to us with little more then the clothes on their back and two duffle bags of trouble. But when they come to our house...we don't focus so much on where the've been. We don't much care. The only thing that really matters is they used be soldiers and marines, airman and sailors. They were brothers and sisters in arms. Now they are veterans. They served. Now we serve them. And honor them. So when someone asks what I do I tell them. They served. Now I serve them. Duty first!




-- Post From My iPhone

The pipes the pipes are calling

Over 3 years ago I starting this blog to let folks know about what I was up to as I prepared to deploy to Iraq. I kept the blog going all through my training, deployment and redeployment. I have been lax in writing this year but in the last few weeks I have been working on the next phase of my military career. I am currently in Vermont working with a deploying unit headed to afghanistan in 2010. They need a senior paralegal NCO to go with them and I have been asked if I am available. My response is yes. So now the paper chase begins. It will be awile before I know definite dates but I am now preparing mentally and physically to go to war again.

-- Post From My iPhone

I lit a Candle

This past weekend I went to Montreal and had a great time. The last time I was in Montreal was around 2000, when I went on a bus trip sponsored by the agency I was working with at the time. I really don't remember much about the trip but one thing stood out for me. Our bus driver was a catholic priest who worked with persons with HIV/AIDS and organized trips like this for our clients. I became close with father John who did so much for so many people. I can really say I loved him. That day father John invited me to go with him to St Joseph's Basilica and the grave of Brother Andre. Father John told me that he make a pledge to Brother Andre that he would visit the Basilica when ever he came to Montreal. So off we went. I remember he prayed and lit a candle. Father John and I became very food friends over the next few
years. We went to conferences together. He heard by confession. (I didn't have to say much, he knew all the details, ha ha.) Sadly, he died of a stroke in November of 2003. I was devastated by this loss. His death effects me today. I really miss my old friend. I would love to have the chance to spend just one more day with him. I thought of him Saturday as I was looking up at the ceiling at the Notre Dame Cathedral in downtown Montreal. I felt a surge of emotions. The I realized what I needed to do. I needed to light a candle for Father John. I took a crumpled one dollar bill and put it in the slot, and picked up a stick and lit a candle. And I make this pledge. When I go to Montreal from now on, I will go to Notre Dam and light a candle for Father John Lysongorski. A great man, a great priest, a great friend.

-- Post From My iPhone

Preparing others for war

For the last week I have been in Vermont at a SRP (soldier readiness preparation). The 86th infantry is deploying later this year to Afghanistan and I am here to assist deploying soldiers with the legal issues. It is very interesting and laid back. Today I spent some time with a kid who is 18, just out of high school. I was impressed with him. As we spoke I couldn't imagine what was going through his mind. He's infantry and going off to war instead of going off to college. Wow. I was a chicken shit at 18. Never could of done what he is doing at his age. Then he told me something else. His power of attorney is his grandmother instead of his mother. You know why? Because his mom is going with him! She's deploying to Afghanistan for the second time. What must be going through her mind????? But this is not unique. Families are serving together in the warzone all the time now. For them both I am proud. If anything bad happens, they will be there for each other. I pray that they get back to just do normal mom-son stuff. No more family outings to war.


-- Post From My iPhone

Hello..it's been a long time

It has been a long time since I have written. So many changes. A new president..a bad recession. But we have survived. But now there is so much to talk about and I feel like I am going to start writing again. For now I just wanted to say hello and let you all know I am still around. So I promise to write again soon and let you know what I am up to. Hang tough my peeps!


-- Post From My iPhone