Items

• 2023-10-11

  Return to the Big Island

  I was stationed in Hawaii with the Army for 3 years. Due to regulations, I was not able to participate in the many hunting and fishing opportunities that can be found there. I was discharged in 2020 just before the pandemic really started. I spent most of 2020 fighting my state for unemployment benefits and looking for a job. I did not travel during the pandemic and only afterwards for work. I want to some day get back to Hawaii and enjoy those missed opportunities. Unfortunately, I think it will be a long time before I am financially stable enough to travel.
• 
  2023-05-16

  Vigilantism in Pandemic Japan

  It is about the excessive vigilantism that Japan experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people became the target of harsh criticism for failing to abide by governmental regulations, and I can remember that I felt a sense of experiencing the negative aspect of society seeing such harsh vigilantism against others. It is important to me because I can unconsciously become part of such vigilantism and should be aware of why I should not relentlessly accuse others of their actions.
• 2020-04-20

  Trapped in paradise

  I was stationed in Oahu when Covid restrictions went into place. The entire island shut down and, at first, it was fantastic not having to go to work and just hanging out on a tropical island. As time went on, people started to go stir crazy, when the local government closed the beaches and other activities that made island life bearable. When Covid reached its worst point, the Army stopped allowing people to move, so even plans that were months out were canceled. Having joined those who went stir crazy, the prospect of being stuck in Hawaii any longer than necessary held little appeal to my family and I. When restrictions eased a little, military moves were only possible if the place you were coming from and going to were having drops in cases. We didn’t know for sure that we could move until a few days before it happened. We were so excited to be getting out of Hawaii, we forgot about how disappointed we were that my next duty assignment would be taking us to Denver. I’ve been to Denver before and didn’t like it, but when we got off that plane, after being trapped on an island for the last year, it was exciting. Most of my children weren’t old enough to remember snow, so they were immediately excited about the change. I was happy to see real mountains again, but forgot about changing seasons. It took me a while to realize that I can’t wear shorts in December any more. Colorado, for being so liberal didn’t have much in the way of covid restrictions. It was refreshing, considering that in Hawaii everyone was still wearing masks for everything.
• 
  2021-11-17

  Sadeyshus Sweets Oral History, 2021/11/17

  The interview I conducted was with an individual who was prior military -- lived through the pandemic while enlisted and upon returning home what his experience was like with COVID 19 now that he has returned home-as a civilian. Face to face interview. This interview allowed me gain more insight to learn how other people really feel about the pandemic and how they survived and are thriving throughout the lifespan of COVID.
• 
  2021

  Home Brewing Beer During The COVID-19 Pandemic

  I think my story in the attached document details how someone coped with the monotony of restricted activities from COVID-19, as well as the shutdown of social drinking.
• 
  2020-07-27

  Justice for Vanessa Guillen

  "The lives of Latino soldiers should be just as valuable as the lives of any other soldier of any other ethnicity. Together we are going to move seas, and together even the heavens will hear us. Whether it be for Black Lives Matter, for Vanessa, for Sean, for George, for Breonna, for everybody, for Andreas. We are going to do it," said Samantha Varela, protesting for Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen.⁣ ⁣ Details of Vanessa Guillen's death and disappearance are just beginning to be revealed. It still doesn't paint a full picture of the Army's negligence in preventing and responding to sexual assault and harassment. ⁣ ⁣ Follow @findvanessaguillen for the latest updates and national actions. Funds are currently being raised for a March in DC on July 30th to demand a Congressional investigation into her death. Photos from Justice for Vanessa Guillen, July 12, 2020
• 
  2020

  Transgender Atheist Army of the Anti-Christ (Staged by Joe Biden)

  Apparently, according to a pastor, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (who have a history of mistreating LGBTQ+ people are their rights) are building an atheist army for the Anti-Christ full of transgender individuals. Humorously someone decided to accompany this headline with an image of people in maid costumes at war, adorned with a transgender pride flag on a tank with guns.
• 
  2020-08-13

  DOD covid-19 military cases

  This is an update of the number of coronavirus cases in the military.It shows a significant difference between the military branches with the army leading with the highest number of cases.
• 
  2020-06-01

  New basic testing methods

  This is an article discussing new protocols for military basic training involving a 14 day quarantine period and testing before training as well as contact tracing.
• 
  2020-07-10

  Military coronavirus rates growing at twice the rates as nationwide average

  This is an article explaining how the military is experiencing higher rates of coronavirus than the general public.The article claims it is due to more people getting tested when in reality it is due to precautions not being taken seriously.My husband's whole platoon was exposed to the coronavirus and they just quarantined those who expressed a desire to get a test and wouldn't let them get an actual test because it would "expose the people taking a test" they even tried to force a soldier without coronavirus to room with a soldier who had tested positive for it.
• 
  2020-06-06

  Soldier of the 82nd Airborne Division conducting foot march to conduct Expert Infantry Badge training

  There was 1100 hundred people in a group with three groups rotating in this training and it was impossible to follow pandemic precautions.A total of about 3800 were involved in just this two weeks training.3 companies were quarantined because of this training due to coronavirus cases after the training was completed.Not everyone who was at the training was quarantined.
• 
  2020-06-16

  Army Teleconference

  With in-person meetings restricted, the US military switched to video conferences to conduct business, like this live streaming teleconference posted on the Army's Facebook page. A reflection of the Digital Age's technological acceleration, these four officers, one of whom is a major general, discuss in real time updates to the Army's Combat Fitness Test, all the while avoiding exposure to themselves or their fellow soldiers. Since the pandemic erupted upon the global landscape, video conferencing has proven to be invaluable in the struggle to continue day-to-day functions, as schools, universities, businesses, companies, and military bases all sealed their environs.
• 
  2020-06-16

  The Screaming Eagles Rendezvous with Temp Checks

  This screenshot of the 101st Airborne Division's (Air Assault) Facebook page reveals some of the counter-measures the US Army is taking against COVID-19. These soldiers of the 2nd BCT (Brigade Combat Team) undergo temperature checks before a training exercise, even though some medical professionals had voiced concerns about the reliability of handheld temperature guns. Furthermore, this image also reflects how the Army is continuing to maintain their training regimen and rotation schedule in the face of the pandemic, as these soldiers prepare to embark for the JRTC at Fort Polk, Louisiana, a state that had been a COVID hot spot just weeks earlier.
• 
  2020-03-22

  Fort Bragg Shut down

  This is from when Fort Bragg first put out that they were switching to mission essential personnel for a few days.Little did we know that this would continue for the next few months.They would say in two week we will re-evaluate and then the time would pass and it would get moved back.My family was supposed to P.C.S. at this time and we were getting ready to sell our home and move where ever the army told us to go.However due to the Pandemic my husband's orders were cancelled.We did not know if they would be changed to a later date or if cancelled completely.This happened to many military families who were stuck in limbo for months as we saw daily updates further restricting our movements for an indefinite amount of time.Luckily we still had a steady paycheck from the military so did not suffer financially like many others did.
• 
  2020-04-17

  “Spread The Love Not The Disease" Mural, 82nd Airborne Unit, French Quarter, New Orleans, LA

  This “Spread The Love Not The Disease” mural was done by members of the 82nd Airborne unit, French Quarter New Orleans.
• 
  March 13, 2020

  Military Changes

  During this time of social distancing and restraint of large gatherings, my brother was graduating from Army Basic Training. I, along with my parents and many other family members, made the trip from Dickson, Tennessee to Fort Benning Georgia. We went to watch his graduation ceremony and spend the few days he was allowed leave with him. However, the night before we were to leave we received word that the ceremony was cancelled and we wouldn’t be allowed to see our soldier as of that time. After hours of waiting to see what might change we finally were notified that the ceremony was still canceled but we were allowed to see our soldier and bring him off base. After traveling down to Fort Benning we got to watch his ceremony on our laptops and were then allowed to go pick up our soldier. We spent the remaining day catching up and doing as much as we could in as little as possible. Finally the end of the night came and we were headed back to our hotel when my brother got a a call that said he had to go back to base. Furious but helpless we had no choice but to bring him back. Once again because of the coronavirus precautions, and President Trump declaring the virus a pandemic that day, we had no clue when we might see him again. The next morning we got our final notification that we could go on base and spend the day with our soldier but he wasn’t allowed to leave and it would be his last chance to see us. We then went on base and spent what little time with him we could. That night we said our goodbyes and started home. My brother is now somewhere in the middle of the woods with the rest of his platoon in isolation. We have had little communication with him but he said that they will be spending five days in the woods, going back to the barracks for a shower, and right back into the woods for five more days. His base is now on lockdown and no civilians are allowed to enter. After this whole mess and scramble to see my brother I’m just happy we got to spend what little time with him we did.