60 days and a "Wake-Up"

Wow! At Last...

The selection has been made. We would like to personally thank everyone who helped us decide on a cover.

May the force always be with you.

It's 4:22 AM-CST and I can't sleep. Partly due to the nervous anticipation of a pending book release, then too, I haven't had an uninterrupted nights sleep in almost 40 years. Except when I slept inside various bottles, seeking shelter from the night sweats, and the painful memories etched on the walls of my mind. Yes Sir-Ree- Buffalo Bill/Bob---I was Self-Medicating myself in order to hide from those Nightmares, the Frequent Recurring Flashbacks with Vivid Intrusive Thoughts that have plagued me since those days when I was a dutiful classmate of The Republic of South Vietnam 1966-1967.

Forty years later and "I Can Still Hear Their Cries, Even In My Sleep."

PTSD or COSR

The Leaders Guide for Managing Marines in Distress is designed to provide guidance and tools to leaders on what to look for, what to do and specific resources for helping Marines who are in distress.

The Labeling of PTSD may be too harsh for the Military to deal with, so they are adapting a more Manly- Man- Classification---Combat Operational Stress Reaction-(COSR).

The Leaders Guide is a quick reference, designed to help leaders at all levels take care of Marines within the unit who are in distress because of their situation or behavior. It covers approximately 40 different problems Marines may face. Problems that Marines face whether deployment related, financial or personal can all be detrimental not only to the readiness of the individual Marine, but to the entire unit as well. These issues can occupy a great amount of the leaders time and personnel, and can have significant consequences for the command and the Marine if the issue is not quickly addressed and handled effectively.

Even the most motivated and well trained Marinescan find themselves in difficult situations. These situations, while infrequent, can weigh heavily on each Marines mind. Some Marines handle these problems well on their own, but others may not. These Marines will look to their leaders for guidance. The Leaders Guide provides the information and resources a leader needs to help their Marines overcome problems that have the potential to become severely debilitating.

Combat and Operational Stress (links)
Overview- What to Look For- What to Do- What to Avoid- What to Expect- Troubleshooting

“Combat/ Operational Stress Reaction” (COSR) is an issue that will likely affect every Marine unit. Left unaddressed, the effects of combat and operational stress can lead to long-term psychological injuries. Although not as visible as physical trauma, psychological injuries have been a significant portion of total casualties in any conflict. In the American military, combat stress reactions were noted as early as the Civil War. After the First World War, large numbers of combatants suffering from “shell shock” sought medical attention. Combat stress reactions were observed in more than 20% of US troops in World War II, and in the Korean War, 10% of medical evacuations were attributable to combat stress. Some estimate that as many as 30% of Vietnam veterans suffer from the long-term effects of untreated COSR. Approximately 15% of long term casualties after the Gulf War were psychological in nature. Effectively addressing the psychological effects of such stress both before and after it occurs can greatly improve a unit's readiness status.

Combat Stress -Overview

"Combat/ Operational Stress Reaction" (COSR) is a term used to describe physiological, behavioral, and psychosocial reactions experienced before, during or after combat. These are normal reactions to the abnormal circumstances of war. Some of these normal reactions are adaptive, such as increased alertness, exceptional strength, heightened endurance or tolerance to pain and hardship. However, other common reactions to combat may not be adaptive, such as difficulty concentrating, and sleeping, diarrhea, extreme anxiety, sudden mood swings, regression, and marked sadness. Usually the severity of the reaction depends in part on the severity and duration of exposure.

From Newsweek.com

Dec. 11, 2006: Three years and nine months after the U.S.-led Coalition began its war against Saddam Hussein, researchers have quietly recorded another grim milestone in the cost of the conflict. American military casualties have now exceeded 25,000.

(1) Department of Defense press releases @ DoD(2) CENTCOM press releases @ CENTCOM(3) MNF press releases @ MNF(4) British Ministry of Defense website @ MoD

You can be sure that we will be revisiting this topic in greater detail. (Yes, this is PTSD with a new fancy wrapper.)

To access the Leaders Guide, click here. Pass the Word, tell others/ send them an Email about this site- click on the white envelope.

Semper Fi- "DOC" McFall

Little Tiny Faces

I Can Still Hear Their Cries,

Even In My Sleep!
E. Everett McFall has produced a moving testament to the enduring pain that stems from the horror of war. A sensitive, intelligent person whom I first met when he was a student in my Vietnam War course, he has written in a style that is raw, searing and ruthlessly honest. His journey to come to grips with what he encountered in Southeast Asia has been a long but successful one, and his poetic memoir should help other veterans and be an inspiration to all who read it. THIS IS A MUST READ!

Dr. James B. Lane PhD is a Distinguished Historian and Author who has written over thirty-five publications during his tenure as a Professor of History at Indiana University Northwest.
_________________________________________________________
Little Tiny Faces

I see little tiny faces
Hands stretched out and up
Ravaged by a life of War
Potbellied barefoot children
Seeking, Pleading, Wanting, Begging, and Needing.

I see little tiny faces
Hands stretched out and up
Ravaged by the plight of War
Some silently crying and withdrawn
Others Brash, Bold, Vocal, Very Animated.

I see little tiny faces
Hands stretched out and up
Ravaged by the sights of War
Fixed stares prayerfully looking for love
Peace, Hope, Happiness, Resolution or Solution.

I see widows and orphans
Little Tiny Faces
Their eyes Reveal, Glazed eyes Conceal
Expectation, Humiliation, Anticipation, Desperation
A Mirrored Reflection, and Hopeless Rejection Etched
On those Little Tiny Faces.
__________________________________________________________
"Sometimes, life provides opportunities for growth cleverly disguised as problems. Growth in various ways, including Mentally, Spiritually, and Emotionally. When in reality those problems are actually challenges and conditional events structured for teaching, learning, appreciating and understanding the lessons of life. Cold and harsh, yet a valid tool for developing wisdom.

Looking into those "Little Tiny Faces" gave birth then, and now, within me, an enduring source of Divine gratitude; but for the grace of God- I could have shared their plight... Thank You My Lord God. "

We Will Remember

Greetings of Peace to You, Health, Happiness and Prosperity Too!

We invite you to view a short video clip, please turn your speakers on and Click Here!
Special Thanks to Ken "DOC" Coleman, USMC

After the video clip has ended, simply click on your Browsers 'Back' button to return to this page and post your comments. This brought tears to my eyes, the prevailing attitude toward Vietnam Veterans, the memories linger painfully, indeed We Will Remember!!!

You Pick The Cover

I received these two cover drafts from
the Cover Editors, now I have to make a choice. Which one do you like? Why?

The Blue or The Red















Personally I like them both. "Fact a business", I think that they are dynamic and visually
powerful. However, as the author I might not be as subjective as I should be.

Therefore, I'm asking for opinions- Which one do you like and why? Feel free to Comment.
If you leave a comment, then you can brag that you helped design the cover. Smile !


Note: I am aware that the helmet in the Blue Cover is not from the Vietnam era. I wanted to give honor to the 'boots on the ground', in Iraq and Afghanistan. So please don't rag me about 'correctness'.
Your opinions and comments are always welcome, and they shall be accepted with Love and wisdom.

My thoughts drift from time to time, as they have since 1967. I've had 'vivid nightmares' and 'flashbacks with intrusive unsettling thoughts'. I still see the sights, smell those odors, and hear those sounds-even in my sleep... There are days and times that I am tranquil or depressed and distant from every thing and everyone. Some days I'm very moody, impatient with a short fuse, or irritable, often for no apparent reason. Then there are those days when I am jovial, smiling gregariously showing a nature that is full of warmth and love. However, at any moment I could erupt with more volatile force than an exploding volcano. Yes, my PTSD is quietly raging internally, challenging my moral values and my sanity.

Does this sound like someone you might know? My family and I became estranged. People thought that I was Crazy, I began to believe that I was Crazy, and I knew everyone else had a serious problem--- ''just don't mess with me.''

War will scar all participants with a lifetime condition known as;
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER ...
"DOC" E. Everett McFall

Coming Soon To A Store Near You!!!

Greetings of Peace to You, Health and Happiness Too!

This is our initial posting announcing the release of book one of 'The Dancing With Death Trilogy', which took forty years to write and publish. Book one, an Anthology is entitled,

"I Can Still Hear Their Cries - Even In My Sleep"

published by Outskirts Press Inc., Publishing

The companion website, http://www.icanstillheartheircries.com/ is still in the construction stage. We will post a notice when the webmaster has finished building that site. Writing has afforded me a few rays of hope, as I continue to struggle with these inner demons. The battles never end because, “I can still hear their cries, even in my sleep.”

My journey into PTSD started as I first touched the soil of that ancient Southeast Asian war torn country, Vietnam. Young, naive, full of "Pi-- and Vinegar", eager to prove my worthiness as a 19 year oldUS Marine Corps Medic. I was 'Gun- Ho", and ready to go!

Those 364 days in Vietnam has forever changed my life and of all of those that I have come in contact with. Forty years later, at age sixty, I am still fighting. Fighting through bouts of depression, vivid nightmares, and recurring flashbacks with intrusive thoughts.

The battles never end because, “I can still hear their cries, even in my sleep.”

Such As:

The Eyes of Death

You Never Forget the Eyes,
The death rattling sounds,
Your mind seeks to drown
The labored breathing and vacant lifeless eyes
Life loss, You despise.

The decaying smells of death and the dying,
You never forget the eyes.
Vivid flashbacks without trying,
Still, you’ll always remember,

The Haunting Eyes of Death

We have had positive feedback from everyone who have read the pre-published manuscript.

Here is a sampling of what others have said.

“In his collection of work entitled “I Can Still Hear Their Cries, Even in My Sleep” the author E. Everett McFall, a Purple Heart recipient, discusses his experiences with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder through his poetry. He details the causes of the “scars” in his mind, such as memories of the “eyes of death and dying” and “whistling sounds of incoming mortars.” In one narrative, McFall describes PTSD as a “valley of despair” and reflects upon the mental anguish and torment.
Throughout his poetry he describes the painful images of the Vietnam War and the suffering experienced by everyone involved as well as camaraderie’s created during the war. He includes tips for veterans and their families on coping with stress and depression. This book also contains a veteran’s resource guide and directory of National Service Organizations as well as recommended reading materials.”

Jean Wahlborg, Editorial Coordinator