SKYTROOPERS UNLEASHED!

1966-67 were wild years for me. I was drafted in '65, took basic at Ft. Polk and then the U.S. Army aimed me at South Vietnam where I served gloriously with the 1st Air Cav (Airmobile). We kicked ass! For that adventure they pinned a Bronze Star on my chest and sent me back to Texas. Oops! Almost forgot. The Army also sprayed me with Agent Orange; a defoliant/herbicide contaminated with a dioxin, ...TCDD-the most horrific, toxic molecule ever synthesized by man. For me it meant diabetes type II, cataracts, coronary artery disease, peripheral neuropathy, etc. For my Air Cav brothers it meant cancer, lymphomas, missing limbs and death. For the South Vietnamese it was 400,000 killed or maimed, innumerable miscarriages and stillbirths in women, cattle, water buffalo and pigs. 2003: The VA rated me 60% disabled. Many of my war buds came into my gun store with the same sit rep as me but with 100% which gets you more monthly compensation, medical treatment, life insurance and PX privileges. 2013: Healthwise, things started going south for me but I was reluctant to contact the VA because I felt others needed care more than me...because I was still vertical...because the tens of thousands of Irag and Afghanistan vets didn't have arms and legs and I did. Besides, I had heard that the VA was overloaded and couldn't deal with you for months, even years. A totally bogus bad rap! I contacted the Disabled American Vets and DONALD HODGES, National Service Officer and Veteran's Advocate (Houston Office). He convinced me that my thinking was unsound and that he would assist me with claims, claims processing, appeals and most veteran's benefits and issues. He said he would work with my original 2003 VA hero Dwayne Bowles (Decision Review Officer). And work they did! And Fast! I filled out a few forms, took a couple to my doctors, went to the VA Hospital for three back to back one hour verification physicals and three weeks later was rated 90% disabled. 15 days after that I got my first increased check. THE VA & DAV WERE NOT SLOW. THEY WERE FAST, EFFICIENT, PERSONABLE AND READY TO ROCK! All vets listen up: If you have a service connected disability our government owes you medical care and money. You paid for it with flesh and blood. America is taking care of it's vets! We always will. If you had difficulty with benefits before I'm here to inform you that there's a new VA in town and DAV is part of that effort. In many cases the VA and DAV personnel are veterans! When I went to the VA Hospital-Houston. everybody was there to help, to give instructions and advise and direct. Disabled vets were there to help the disabled vets. Even Samsung had organized volunteers to hand out early morning cupcakes decorated with red, white and blue icing and little U.S. flags and iced tea. Consider the organization involved in putting together that kind of act...cooking, decorating, buying cups & paper towels, driving in Houston traffic and spending a large part of your day being kind to others who really need a cup...cake of kindness. Kinda what God had in mind for us? You bet!!!See More

SAYING GOODBYE ! June 12,2013

Joy named it "Fred." Zoll Life Vest is his real name; a heart difibulator that will shock my pants off in case I am unable (unconscious) to disarm it. I've carried Fred with me when I walk, sleep, watch TV, everywhere and all the time including the porcelain
throne. I don't think God intended for you to invoke his name when doing your biz in the dumper. The sensor parts are in a harness worn ove...r the shoulders and under the arms with a fabric chest band encircling my randy man nips. A heavy duty cord runs down the back to the bag that contains the electrics.The bag hooks to the belt or you can opt for the sling load when hip or knee goes south. It was always exciting
getting unhooked and pants down in time! Summary:Today Dr. Kamran K. Sherwani, cardiologist,said Jimmah's heart was strong and pure and we could say adios to Fred. Daily, Joy changed the batteries, washed the vests, CHARGED the batteries, inserted the sensor system, helped me put the harness on right and on occasion ran
for cover when Fred went off accidentily. All that and she still would find time to cover me with my favorite blankie when I went to sleep on the couch. You know, I think we will both miss Fred...NOT!!!

FIRST POST 8 June 2013

It's been about three months since my sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in a flowerbed in our backyard.  I was dead. My Son, his wife, my wife, fire department first responders, hospital emergency personnel, cardiac physicians and the hand of God brought me back. But I'll detail the miracles involved in a future blog. It's an awesome tale. Stay tuned. But back to the hits: My fans, friends and family have been pressing me to tell these and many other stories in the form of a book that would chronicle my chaotic life as a radio personality, flight instructor, father of three special sons, dutiful husband to the same woman for 48 years, Vietnam veteran and trouble maker. I can't write a book. My wife, Joy, said try a blog. After she told me what that was I agreed. I could tell all the stories, she would copy them and put them together in sequence or hire an editor to make sense of it all. Hello blog! Hello book!. Get outa the way Stephen King!

But First (book delay): After the SCA the doctors wanted me to work a max of two hours at my gun store, Jim Pruett's Guns & Ammo, Houston, Texas. I figured I would do something special during my time off and the idea I came up with was to draw the face of God...the real face. I bought sketchpads, special pencils and erasers but before even the first sketch I was at a loss of what to draw. I've never even seen him although I had an authentic out of body experience back in 1980 as again I rose from the dead after a plane crash in the mountains of Mexico.  Only problem- during the ascension I looked down. Not up.  So now I have decided to go LOOKING FOR GOD!

Parameters: God sitting on a golden throne high in the sky with clouds wafting about? I don't think so. Now who am I to think such things? Well, it says in the Bible that we are made in His image. As God you can do anything you want including sitting on the throne but I think that would last about thirty minutes and then you would do stuff! I pray that one of his options would be to check on his creations here on earth. Why? Because He Loves us! That fact rings true throughout the Good Book.
Furthermore I know that The Book says that whenever more than one are gathered together in prayer He is there...so that means we hang out at least three times a day at the beginning of meals. I want to be with Him more while on Earth. Check this out:

The Mossy Oaks Trail Guide, one of my favorite books, says to visualize what God looks and sounds like. A challenging idea unless you go for the "greybeard in the sky" picture. I have this idea that God often visits; masquerading as a homeless old man looking for a handout, a businessman with a heavy schedule, a mother herding children, a shopper/customer with a complaint, a Stevens & Pruett Show fan wanting an autograph, a policeman trying to do his job, a child with a broken toy, etc. AND THAT'S WHAT I NOW LOOK FOR in every person I run into.  All I have to do is look in their eyes and talk to them and seek for God clues. This attitude towards people has changed my attitude and has certainly made my life far more enjoyable. I'll let you know if I catch Him.

I think I'm close. I look forward to turning in at night. I seek Him through prayer and after that I do what the Trail Guide says and imagine what God looks like...what his voice would sound like...his posture...sitting next to me and talking gently...standing over me-hands on hips with the booming Hollywood movie voice...only problem with this is...when I begin to consider these things I immediately go to sleep! It's a cool technique. Far better than Ambien and safer. I urge my friends to
join me in the search for God in all people and to IMAGINE (a wonderful word) what He looks like. Be sure to let me know how that works out for you. Thanks for joining me - MY FIRST BLOG!

Oh, don't be surprised if I'm talking to you and I suddenly blurt out "HEY IS THAT YOU IN THERE?" (Tomorrow's mission: Learn how to add photos from the jim pruett secret stash of forgettable sorrows...a good title but bogus...just photos)