This post discusses suicide. I know that has nothing to do with coding, but it is important for me and others. If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or feeling overwhelmed, help is available. You are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted person or contacting local or national support resources.

I want to apologize for not posting since mid-January. January was a tough month for me. I lost several friends and acquaintances during the month to cancer and suicide. The folks I knew who died by suicide were military veterans, like me. The veteran suicide statistic published in 2012 estimated that 22 veterans a day committed suicide. That is the reason for the title of this post and a reminder to you and me of the mental health challenges our veterans experience.

Veterans, especially those who served in the Global War on Terror, have a difficult time transitioning to civilian life. Many feel they are not accepted. That could be because of what they did to survive the war or a feeling of losing of mission. This is traumatic, especially for veterans, who suffered other traumatic events during their military career.

As a veteran, I have also felt this myself. The loss of a sense of mission has plagued me for decades. Losing my muse and addressing the sense of hopelessness I experienced in January has given me a new mission. I am here for my brother and sister veterans.

I will be making some changes to my blogs. First off. Russel’s Ramblings will be going away. I think trying to maintain two blogs will be difficult in the long term. Secondly, Russel Codes will change its direction. I will continue to try to impart my hard-earned knowledge of enterprise level development, but I will add a regular post on learning to code, oriented towards beginners. I want to make this blog a place for my fellow veterans to learn a skill.

If you are a veteran reading this and you’re wrestling with your own sense of purpose or connection, please know this: your experiences matter, your voice matters, and you deserve our support. Reaching out for help isn’t weakness—it’s a step toward rediscovering your mission. Know that I am here for you. There are others like me.

For you, my readers, thanks for your patience. I’m trying to deal with my feelings and accepting my new mission. I’m going to try to make this blog a success. I’m going to try make my new mission a success. I’m going to be here for my brothers and sisters. I have a favor to ask. On the 22nd of every month, visit with veterans you may know. Go to their house, call them on the phone, let them know they are valued.

Russel, still coding, and still here.