"When you're sleeping, you're healing".

I've noticed that things have been somewhat quiet on the Air Cav Site recently and on this site, too. I woke up this morning feeling a whole lot better than I have since Aunt Margie's attack and I concluded that it was because I've had a ton of sleep.

The title above came from Tim Jr when I was going through some really tough times during the chemo and radiation part of my cancer treatment. It's true. There's nothing like a ton of sleep when you've had the rug pulled out from under you.

For those of us who have experienced atrophy, sleeping is kinda like a double edged sword. More sleep means less exercise and less exercise generally slows the recovery from the muscle weakness that comes from so much time spent in bed over the past two years.

It's also true that the support of your friends is paramount to overcoming really difficult times. When the guys from the 11th Cav came to Shreveport to see me, I hitched a ride on an emotional high that only seems to come from that kind of brotherhood.

My visit with Ed Usrey lasted longer than any as he stayed at my townhouse and we spent several days together. It was great to see everybody and really enjoyable for me to talk with Lorin Bustin about the days of getting shot in the Chup Rubber Plantation.

I actually enjoyed seeing the pictures of the bullet holes in our OH6 that Lorin brought with him. That may be a somewhat weird method to use as a defining moment of our time together in Cambodia but it works really well. 

Yesterday, I had a long conversation with a great friend from my working days in the 80's. His name is Neil Rose and he's really a great American and a perfect example of what Immigration should be about. Neil and his family migrated here via Canada, after the Second World War. His family served as RAF pilots during the Blitz

To add a little bit to that support group, once again, the Red River Valley Fighter Pilot's Association injected a bit of soul in my spirit. I've mentioned how influential and supportive they've been to me in the past years and how wonderful it is to belong to an organization of Veterans who are so focused on things that are really American.

I have a friend there who's call sign is ZOO. Sound weird? It's really not when you add to it, Swede, Coke, Lurch, Load, Mom, Cracker and my own call sign: Fireball.

Between the well wishes from my buddies at the Cav site and all the guys at the Fighter Pilot's Association, I managed to pull myself out of the ditch and get back on track with my work to create the EveryVet.com organization.

All the above mentioned individuals are joined by a high school friend who is a retired Navy Captain and my next door neighbor from the Dixie Garden days. He an Equine Vet or, as we call him, a Horse Doctor.

The point I wanted to make about the entire group mentioned above has to do with their support of the concept of bringing all the Veterans together into one group. Support is coming in from people who aren't Veterans but are family members of Veterans. How's that for banding together? We sometimes forget those who stood beside us when we served and how important they were to us.

In any event, I wanted to say thanks to all and once again say that I'm getting closer to having the documents in place that I need to begin operations. Neil's attorney will undoubtedly help with that. Zoo and his gang are behind me. So are the guys from the 11th Cav.

I haven't yet made contact with the National Command Structure of the VFW, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion, Vietnam Helicopter Pilot's Association or a multitude of other Veteran Organizations but I'm real confident that they will do the typical "Veteran Thing" and come on board with the multitudes from their membership roles.

Thanks to all above for your continued support and encouragement to "Do Something".  It's really a great time to be an American and a Veteran of our Armed Forces.

Tim