MELISSA JARBOE
  • Home
  • Sacrificed Book
  • About
  • News
  • Awards & Accolades
  • Get involved
    • Topeka Veterans Parade
  • Store

Melissa Jarboe

Founder & CEO Military Veteran Project | Activist | Author SACRIFICED | Mother | Lover of life |

To Veterans & Transitioning Military -

2/12/2015

0 Comments

 

To Veterans and transitioning military seeking career opportunities, the search for a career can be frustrating after about the hundredth application you have completed.

But here are some tips to keep you motivated during your career search:

1. "Positive Energy Yields Positive Results": This is one I personally use. Focus on the positivity in every situation, and see how the glass is half full instead of half empty.

2. Stay Focused: Stay focused on your goals. Also, remember the achievements you have made thus far to help you see the next goal is reachable.

3. Never Give Up: No matter how many no's you may have received, never give up! A yes is bound to come.

4. Seek a Mentor: I love this one! Seek a mentor who can give career advice, tips, best practices, and guidance. A mentor can be the most valuable resource during your career search.

As always- Thank you for your service and sacrifice!

Picture
0 Comments

WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT SOLDIERS, THE WAR AND CUTBACKS?

2/9/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Do you?
Today I joined thousands of people in Junction City for a moment to hear the truth about what is going on with our military and Fort Riley right now.  I was able to arrive a few hours early, mix & mingle before the event started.  Thousands of people packed the conference center, the hallways, parking lot and even stood outside as the dignitaries and Pentagon officials discussed the overall goal.

Those who chose to stand up, made their points about how Fort Riley is their home and a troop draw down could affect the lives of active duty and the community that supports them.  Out of curiosity, I had asked a friend to pull up the 2011 Budget Control Act and see who voted "Yes" for such a bill?  I was surprised to see that 3/5 politicians that arrived to brief the pentagon and talk about how important Fort Riley was, were in fact 3 of the "YES" votes for the bill.  Many thoughts ran through my head as I watched these people up at the front talking about the importance of the base and how Fort Riley is an instrumental piece of history for Kansas... but again, they voted yes to cut back our military even when we are at war in not ONE, but two countries.

While many people today wage their own war on our government, at one point will it be realized that if our military is cut back, we will have a war in our community and in our backyard and not even have the manpower to protect our families.

Below is just one of the stories about today, I encourage you to read it and then google the budget control act, what are your thoughts?

February 9, 2015 By Cathy Dawes
More than 3,000 people showed up at the Courtyard by Marriott in Junction City to show U-S Army officials their support of Fort Riley, in light of possible cut-backs to the military post. Seats were available for 1,200 at the Monday afternoon event, with a standing room only crowd filling the convention center–and an estimated 1,500 people standing outside and not able to get in. While Junction City and Manhattan communities were featured, areas from as far away as Wichita, Lawrence,Emporia, and Salina were also represented.

An official with the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce indicates the official count going by the remaining “We are 1″ stickers was 4,203. Another 3,000 plus individuals viewed online and a small parking lot sample showed license plates from 16 Kansas counties. KMAN aired the session live.

Presentations were made by Army representatives, as well as governmental and community leaders. Veterans and military spouses also had their say during the close to four hour session–with many of the comments leading to applause and in come cases, standing ovations.

Moderator of the event was Governor’s Military Council Executive Director John Armbrust, who first introduced Brigadier General Eric Wesley, who is currently serving as the Acting Commander of the Big Red One, in the absence of Major General Paul Funk, who is now stationed in Iraq. Wesley was met with applause as he talked about the synergy of Fort Riley.

Brig. Gen. Roger L. Cloutier Jr., who had a tour of Fort Riley earlier in the day, told the crowd he was humbled and honored to be at Fort Riley, admitting the Pentagon and Washington D.C. are a long way away. He explained he hoped to take back to the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff the “texture” and “granularity” of the post–admitting to the tough situation facing the Army with the law of the land, which is calling for a possible reduction from 490,000 troops to 450,000 or even an eventual 420,000. The war time peak had been 570,000.

There was also a pre-recorded message from Major General Funk, who described Fort Riley as the best place to train in the Army and the “best place to come home to.”

The entire Kansas Congressional Delegation offered comments, with U-S Senator Jerry Moran receiving applause when saying the Budget Control Act makes no sense when our country is in jeopardy. Senator Pat Roberts described proposed cutbacks as a meat ax approach to our military, when it ought to be done with a scalpel. Others making comments were Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins, and Congressmen Tim Huelskamp and Mike Pompeo.

Others making comments were Kansas’ Adjutant General, Major General Lee Tafanelli, School Superintendents from USD 475, Manhattan/Ogden’s USD 383, and Chapman’s School District. KSU President Kirk Schulz talked about the unique partnership between the university and Fort Riley, and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback told the Army officials, “We love Fort Riley and we want you to stay.” When the Governor suggested moving other operations here, the audience broke out in applause.

Other authorities such as John Broberg from Mercy Regional Health Center and Robbin Cole with Pawnee Mental Health talked about assisting troops and wonderful partnerships. And transportation matters, housing, quality of life, and low crime numbers were also mentioned by other city and community leaders.

A standing ovation followed a presentation by military spouse Christine Benne who said after 22 years and 10 moves with the Army, Kansas and the Flint Hills is home.

Following the planned presentation by local leaders, nearly 40 other members of the public spoke up with their own personal stories of the partnership between Fort Riley and the community and what it has meant to them.

A decision is expected by late spring or early summer regarding possible cut-backs nationwide.

- See more at: http://1350kman.com/thousands-show-up-for-fort-riley-listening-tour/#sthash.M0jC1goc.dpuf
0 Comments

10 Promises You Need To Make To Your Future Spouse

2/9/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture

Via James Michael Sama / 2 weeks ago

Sadly, marriage has lost much of its meaning in today’s society. Growing up in a household where my parents have been together over 35 years and my grandparents over 60 years, I was always under the impression that marriage meant forever. It is a pledge, a promise, a commitment to another human being to be there for them and with them through thick and thin. To be their teammate and their partner in love and in life.

Unfortunately these days, ‘Until death do us part’ has become ‘until I get bored of you,’ or ‘until times get rough.’

With celebrities spending millions on marriages that last 72 days, over 50% of American adults being single, and a higher-than-comfortable divorce rate, one may begin to ask themselves what exactly is going haywire.

I think a big part of this problem is that people are not fully aware of what it really takes to commit to a marriage. They are rushing love, getting engaged (or pregnant) before they really know someone, and before you know it – a few years have gone by, and the divorce lawyers are collecting another pay day.

So – if and when we are going to make this important commitment to the person we love, what exactly is it that we need to be able to promise them for the future?

“I promise to stick by you through tough times.”

I’m starting off with an important one. I have said it before and I’ll say it again – anyone can stand by your side during the sunny days. The real test of character is whether or not they will hold the umbrella over you during the stormy days.

When making a lifelong commitment to someone, you are committing to being there for them “in sickness and in health.” Sickness – may not be a common cold. It may be a large, life-altering challenge. It may be the sickness of a family member. Maybe, your own sickness. It may not necessarily be a literal health challenge, but perhaps a rough patch in life that tests your commitment and love. You are not pledging to be a fair weather spouse and only be there when times are good. You are pledging to be there – always.

“I promise to always make us a priority.”

Yes, strive for success. Yes, go for that promotion at work. Yes, hustle to take your business to the next level. But be very careful not to destroy your relationship through neglect in the process. Before you were a CEO or a high-powered attorney or a doctor, you were a man or woman who fell in love. You are a human being who is intimately and emotionally connected to another human being.

Even the greatest accomplishments in life lose their meaning when we have lost the person we always wanted to share them with. The key is to find a balance. To build off of your relationship as a foundation. To appreciate your teammate as part of your success as he or she supports you along the way. Letting the scales tip too far in either direction will only lead to disaster

“I promise will never let you forget how much I love you.”

As an extension of the previous point, sometimes life gets crazy and we lose sight of things by accident. One of these things can easily be letting our significant other know how much he or she means to us, daily. One of the biggest problems in long term relationships is lack of gratitude. When someone feels taken for granted it can easily breed resentment and a whole slew of other problems that will eat away at your foundation.

You’ll know you’ve found the right partner when they keep showing you how much you mean to them, long after they’ve already committed to you.

“I promise I will not lose my identity.”

In any happy, healthy relationship, it is important that the two individuals who are together still remain two individuals. Of course your lives are combined into one and you have become ‘us,’ but if either partner begins to lose sight of their hopes, dreams, hobbies, or whatever makes them, them - it can bring about a deep dissatisfaction that could be projected onto the relationship.

This is another reason why self development is so important, as well as personal growth. We need to be sure to not only grow as a couple, but also as individuals alongside each other.

“I promise to keep things exciting.”

A step beyond consistently reminding someone you love them is literally taking action to keep the spark alive. Spontaneous candle-lit dinners. A bath running when they get home from work. A weekend getaway for no reason.

When we start a fire, we cannot walk out of the room and expect it to keep burning forever. We need to continue to add logs to it and to stoke it. If we keep doing that, it will never go out. The problems arise when we stop giving it the attention it requires in order to continue burning.

Always keep stoking your fire.

“I promise I will do my best for our children.”

I don’t have kids, so I can’t speak to the obviously large challenges that come along with it. But what I can do, is appreciate the importance of making them a priority in your life and doing everything you can to love, teach, and raise them into adults you can be proud of.

You can read all of the books you want, talk to all of the parents you want, and be as prepared as anyone could be – but one can imagine that there are endless unique challenges that every set of parents face. When you make the promise to your husband or wife that you will do the best you can and figure it out together along the way – that’s exactly what happens.

“I promise I will accept and love you fully.”

We all have flaws. We all have insecurities. We all have things we want to change about ourselves. We cannot expect to like every single little thing about our spouse, but what we need to do is promise that we accept all of their traits, and love them to their very core, just the same.

“I promise I do not love you for your beauty.”

Yes, of course you should love someone’s beauty. Yes, of course you should be physically attracted to the person you are with. Yes, of course you should love making love to them. But all of these things are very different than loving someone for their beauty.

My mother and grandmother always said to never fall in love with someone for their hair, teeth, looks, or money – because they can lose all of it. When marriage is part of the conversation, when true love is part of the conversation, all of these things take a back seat to who this person is at their very center. In their heart. Who they would be if everything that made them beautiful got taken away. If it did, would you still love the person underneath it all?

“I promise I will not let myself go.”

Is this a contradiction to the previous point? I think not. There is an important distinction to be made between someone who reaches old age and someone who figures “hey, I’m married now, I can stop trying.” Of course bodies and appearance change as we age, but the point here is to not become a giant lump on the couch just because you’ve gotten yourself a husband or wife.

It is important we continue to live a healthy lifestyle. To eat right. To take care of the only body we have in this life. To show the man or woman you love that you will still put in effort for them and not become too comfortable. Just because you are in a long term, committed relationship, does not mean that your partner deserves a lesser version of you.

“I promise I am in this until the end.”

Scary, isn’t it? The rest of your life. Death. Possible illness. Forever. Hell yes, it’s scary. It scares the living daylights out of me, to be honest. I don’t want to get old, ever. I am watching my grandparents age and it kills me to think that we are all looking out into the same future. It is not romantic or glamorous or beautiful. And for them, they still have each other.

But, it is reality. It is love. It is commitment. And, it is marriage.

When you pledge the rest of your life to someone, that is exactly what you’re doing. I think this is so far outside of our realities that it’s almost not an ‘actual’ promise we feel like we are making. 50, 60, 70 years down the road? Who knows what the future will bring, anyway? We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it…

When you marry someone, though, you are making the promise that you will be crossing any bridges you reach together. You will do it whether you are walking side by side holding hands, or whether one of you is pushing the other in a wheelchair. You will cross each bridge you find along your journey with the quiet confidence that your partner is going to be stepping onto the other side with you.

How can you be sure they will be there?

Because they promised you.

______________________________________________

0 Comments

Military Veteran Project and Topeka Police Department Support Wounded Officer

2/5/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
 Posted: February 5, 2015 - 5:15pm  Via  http://cjonline.com/news/2015-02-05/military-veteran-project-topeka-police-deliver-cards-wounded-missouri-officer 
  • Photos
SUBMITTED Melissa Jarboe, right, Topeka Police Chief James Brown, fourth from left, and five additional officers meet Thursday with Pleasant Valley, Mo., police officer Jacob Baldwin in Pleasant Valley. Baldwin is recovering after being shot twice in the face while initiating a car stop this past December.   Related Stories
  • Wife of fallen soldier working to keep his memory alive
  • Military Veteran Project moves into new home with Topeka Rescue Mission
  • Warrior's widow spearheads effort for Veterans Day parade
  • Sgt. Jarboe continues fight with family by his side
  • Kansans honor Sgt. Jarboe at memorial service
By Samantha Foster samantha.foster@cjonline.com The Military Veteran Project and Topeka police teamed up to share support Thursday for a Missouri police officer and veteran who is recovering after being wounded in the line of duty.

MVP director Melissa Jarboe, Topeka Police Chief James Brown and five additional Topeka police officers who also are military veterans traveled Thursday morning to Pleasant Valley, Mo., to deliver gifts and words of encouragement to Pleasant Valley police officer Jacob Baldwin, Jarboe said.

Baldwin, 32, sustained two gunshot wounds to his face Dec. 13, 2014, while conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 35 in southern Clay County, Pleasant Valley Police Chief Mark Dumolt said in an emailed statement Thursday. While he continues to recover, he hasn’t yet returned to work.

About two months ago, Jarboe’s organization, which provides support and assistance for veterans, issued a request for people to send get-well cards that could be delivered to Baldwin.

“We received cards from all over the world: the U.K.; Germany; Okinawa, Japan” and states from across the nation, she said.

In fact, the Military Veteran Project received so many cards for Baldwin — including some from members of the Kansas Highway Patrol and Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office — that delivery of the cards had to be delayed. On Thursday, Jarboe said, the Topeka delegation that visited Baldwin delivered more than 200 cards from well-wishers.

Baldwin, who has served for two years in the police department, is a veteran of the Air Force and a current member of the Kansas Air National Guard, Dumolt said. He serves in the 284th Air Support Operations Squadron based in Salina.

Dumolt said Baldwin has been deployed four times in the past 14 years, including assignments in Africa, Kuwait and Iraq.

Jarboe said Baldwin also serves under Police Chief James Brown in Brown’s capacity as command chief master sergeant of the Kansas Air National Guard. Topeka police Maj. Jerry Stanley, Lt. Scott Gilchrist, Lt. Joe Perry, and officers Ronnie Connell and Matt Cobb traveled to Pleasant Valley with Brown and Jarboe to meet Baldwin.

For the Topeka police officers, Jarboe said, it was encouraging to see a survivor. Topeka police lost three of their fellow officers to fatal gunshot wounds between December 2012 and September 2014.

The visit also proved to be a “great morale booster” for Baldwin, Dumolt told Jarboe in an email shared with The Topeka Capital-Journal. Jarboe said the Topeka officers and Baldwin connected quickly, talking and laughing in a display of “veteran camaraderie.”

Kansas City-area news media reported in late December that a grand jury indicted 31-year-old Omar Maria, whom Dumolt described as a “wanted career criminal,” in Baldwin’s shooting. Maria, who was taken into custody Dec. 14, now faces felony charges of first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and armed criminal action.

“It is ironic that Officer Baldwin was seriously wounded in Pleasant Valley and not overseas in a foreign country,” Dumolt said in his statement. “This is a reminder of how demanding and dangerous the law enforcement profession is and the risk our officers encounter every day.”

A credit union account has been established to benefit Baldwin, Dumolt said. Details are available on the Pleasant Valley, Mo., Police Department’s Facebook page.

Samantha Foster can be reached at (785) 295-1186 or samantha.foster@cjonline.com.
Follow Samantha on Twitter @samfoster_ks.

0 Comments

MILITARY VETERAN PROJECT

2/4/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Military veteran project
  • Story
  • Comments
  • Image (1)
Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Previous Next
Posted: Wednesday, February 4, 2015 1:12 pm | Updated: 2:52 pm, Fri Feb 6, 2015.

Military veteran project Emily Kobzar Washburn Review | 0 comments

  • Posted on Feb 4, 2015

    by Emily Kobzar

In 2011, while serving overseas, staff Sargeant Jamie Jarboe was shot by a sniper, paralyzing him from the chest down. His wife Melissa Jarboe, now the executive director for the Military Veteran Project, was taken to the Department of Defense hospital where they were treating him for his severe injuries.

Sgt. Jarboe endured numerous surgeries and struggled for his life. He required special surgery on his neck for an injury caused by the bullet. Melissa could see they needed another opinion and petitioned for him to be transferred to a civilian hospital.

After long days and nights of research and care, Melissa found a hospital and surgeon who was capable of performing the procedure. Dr. Stephen Yang had done the surgery many times with successful outcomes at Johns Hopkins Hospital. However, all 72 of Melissa’s transfer petitions were denied.

A ray of hope shined onto the situation. Surgeon General Patricia Horoho was able to help Melissa and her husband get their transfer accepted, and Sgt. Jarboe was sent to Johns Hopkins for the surgery he desperately needed.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Melissa was told that the medical insurance would not cover the cost. But for Melissa, it was not an option to give up. She sold and liquidated anything she could, left her corporate job and cashed out all her retirement funds. This was enough to cover most of the medical bills from the procedure.

Initially, there was an improvement after the surgery, but months passed and Sgt. Jarboe’s condition began to decline. On March 21, 2012, Sgt. Jarboe passed away. Before he passed, he left Melissa with three final requests: to care for fellow service members, to never go back into the corporate world, and to remember how beautiful she was and go on living her life with joy and love.

She has kept her word to him by creating the MVP. Through the MVP, Melissa has been able to reach out and help countless families and veterans. The project provides transitional housing for veterans and their families and comprehensive support services including outreach and assessment as well as emergency services and case management. Melissa explained that the vision of MVP is to empower veterans with lasting results, help them go to college, get degrees and reintegrate them into the community. Rehabilitation and reintegration for combat veterans helps bring veterans and their families back together. To date, the program has assisted over three thousand cases.

The Military Veteran Project has also come up with effective treatments for those who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to improve their function and reduce symptoms. Many of our returning soldiers suffer from PTSD and are overmedicated, making it even more difficult for them to return to a normal life. MVP has come up with several ways to assist and educate veterans, which include planning out a routine schedule, which helps with PTSD symptoms.

A case manager from MVP can aid the veterans with the paperwork for getting into a college. Battle Buddy is another great program MVP has started as a way for veterans going to school to reintegrate smoothly and successfully. Roughly 70 percent of their caseload suffer from traumatic brain injury, many of them caused by IEDs. They use aqua therapy and other treatments to help with day to day life.

Another hurdle returning soldiers face is having their military credentials not recognized by companies, making work hard to find. MVP has been working with several businesses, including West Star Energy, to help transfer the skills learned in the military to civilian jobs.

Melissa made a point of impressing that support for these men and women is vital for them to thrive once they are back in the everyday life. Over the next several years, Melissa would like to be able to have adequate staffing, and to grow and train more men and women for the Battle Buddy system. She also wants to make people aware of VA and Department of Defense cutbacks that are seriously affecting the aid our veterans receive.

“We’re training men and women how to come home from war, and reminding them they are the pillars of the community,” Melissa said when asked about the impact MVP is having on veterans and their families.

The MVP and Melissa Jarboe have come a long way since 2012 and continue to support and make a difference in the lives of many through their numerous programs.


0 Comments

    Author

    My name is Melissa Jarboe, military spouse, wounded warrior wife and war widow. Today and everyday moving forward, I will honor the sacrifice of our men and women who selflessly serve our nation.

    Archives

    February 2017
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    May 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    August 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    Afghanistan
    Congress
    Fort Riley
    Military
    Retirement
    Senate
    Valentines Day

    RSS Feed

1 veteran dies by suicide every 65 minutes. Estimating that
22 veterans a day loses their battle to suicide. We are on a mission to change
​that. Here's how.


Telephone

785.409.1310
Website
www.militaryveteranproject.org
Join our mission of military suicide prevention today!
  • Home
  • Sacrificed Book
  • About
  • News
  • Awards & Accolades
  • Get involved
    • Topeka Veterans Parade
  • Store