Pizza Break

No job should ask more than the employee can give. Some jobs specialize in it. Military service demands it. Any branch of service from Coast Guard to elite an Seal Team, all demand more. More than what the individual thought possible. More than what the families may have initially signed up for. More than the body of a battered and bruised soldier can handle.  This kid was 12 years old. We never read the files. It seemed best to show up, do the job the best we could, leaving the memories with the family. I was young, early 20s, barely out of the house myself, both parents still alive. I started this duty for money, what I got was the best experience of my life.  In the military, anyone who serves has the opportunity to have an American Flag, rife squad, and a presented folding of the flag as a memento for a loved-one's time served . The ceremony is expected to be flawless, no matter the conditions.  This kid was 12. He was sitting next to his mom,...

When I first decided to get my foot in the door of a mental health profession, my years of nutrition and supplement sales didn’t provide much background. Well, as any resume building youngster knows, sometimes you take a position that isn’t exactly a dream job, but it gives that much-needed experience. My first job in the field was working with adolescents who struggled in life. The struggle could have been legal, family, even as insignificant as truancy. So, some legal entity decided that a “group home” would be the best place for them. Unfortunately, what happened was that a bunch of kids, ages 11-18 were put together in a house-like facility, and other inexperienced people like myself were placed in charge. During the day there were the clinical staff, the counselors, even a doctor, however after hours, the place was ran by 2-3 staff of similar capabilities.   One particular evening a young gentleman whom had lived there for a while, was being more “defian...