A Life That Keeps on Giving: The Sgt. Anthony Muhlstadt Foundation

Joe Shmuckatelly — Thu, 16 May 2024 20:06:28 +0000

A military life is a hard life. It requires commitment, dedication, discipline and a boatload of sacrifice. When we consider that fewer than 1% of Americans serve at any given time to protect the freedoms and lives of over 330 million, well, that is a very distinguished group indeed.

Within that group stands a Marine who served his country with honor, bravery and distinction: Sgt. Anthony Patrick Muhlstadt, USMC 0331. A vehicle commander and machine gunner out of Twentynine Palms (affectionately known as 29 Stumps) was loved and admired by his fellow Marines, family and friends.

As military life would have it, especially in the combat arms, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) would rear its ugly head, and Sgt Muhlstadt took his life in 2021. It was a combination of many factors that included returning from a six-month deployment to Australia to the Covid pandemic, in Twentynine Palms, plagued by loneliness and depression, and the increased medications created a toxic soup that would overwhelm Sgt. Muhlstadt.

The Sgt. Anthony Muhlstadt Foundation

The pain and anguish of a light being darkened emanated throughout his community and family. This led his mother, Gold-Star Mom, Tanya Mort, to ensure that Anthony’s service and sacrifice would not end without purpose. You see, America loses 22 heroes a day (on average), according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. That is 22 too many.

While becoming a Marine or Soldier changes a person from the inside out, making them the epitome of a selfless warrior, it also adds to the lie of the stigma that only weak people seek help. You need to suck it up! And unfortunately, they do such a good job at building us up into Marines that the bad comes with it as well and is not easily discarded.

This is why Tanya and her organization, The Sgt. Anthony Muhlstadt Foundation, a 501c3, was founded. Their mission is simple: Spread awareness of this insidious condition and how everyone can make a difference in saving the lives of our men and women, who came back from service alive, only to lose the battle at home.

Defender Ruck Event to Raise Awareness and Funds

Tanya, along with the Marine Corps 4th Amphibious Assault Battalion, will host a Defender Ruck, Run or Walk event, to help spread the word. This 2.2-mile ruck (hump), walk or run, symbolizes the 22 men and women we lose each day, due to PTSD.

On June 8^th, starting at 0645, it will be a fun day of camaraderie, food, music and purpose. Whether you choose to don a pack and hump it in the good ole fashioned grunt style, walk it leisurely or run it and wait for everyone else at the finish line, all present will help draw the community’s attention to learn of what they can do to make a difference in this tragic siege on our veteran heroes lives.

Whether you served or were the beneficiary of the largesse of the freedoms defended for you, we hope you will join the Sgt. Anthony Muhlstadt Foundation, shout from the rooftops that they are not alone! That they are loved and appreciated more than they can imagine. And that they can come out of the darkness with no shame or guilt and receive all the support they need to win. After all, their time to give has passed; now it’s their time to receive.

Marines Are a Brotherhood and Sisterhood for Life: Marine Corps League Maintains that Bond

Joe Shmuckatelly — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:46:53 +0000

“…there is no better friend and no worst foe than a US Marine…” General James “Mad Dog” Mattis

Every Marine is bonded together by the infamous yellow footprints. Each remembers explicitly when they got off the bus, tripping over each other as their Drill Instructor shouts, “You have 10 seconds to get off MY bus, ladies, and I just used three seconds telling you!” Scrambling in fear, the moment arrives… they place their feet on the infamous yellow footprints (often with the momentary regret of wondering if they made a HUGE mistake…I know I did). Their journey into becoming a United States Marine has begun.

For those who make it (not all do), all who have heard the words on graduation day, “Congratulations, you are now United States Marines!” forges a bond that is strengthened in pride, blood, sweat, tears, love of God, country, and Corps, and it’s unbreakable – unshakeable.

Many a veteran wonder what is it Marines have? When they see each other, whether they are friends or strangers, the “Semper Fi!” often followed by war stories, are as passionate as meeting a long lost loved one. And, quite frankly, they envy that camaraderie.

Transition to Civilian Life

However, once a Marine hangs up his or her cammies and dons their jeans or slacks, and returns to civilian life, what they miss most IS the camaraderie. The sense of family and knowing someone has his or her back. That joy of smoking and joking, good-natured ribbing and sharing a drink, and understanding no matter how offensive it may sound to an outsider, they are the sweetest moments and words burned into their memory, like a branding iron on a cattle’s butt.

Welcome to the Marine Corps League

If you are one of the few and miss your family, know that it continues in The Marine Corps League, and we want to welcome you home.

“The Marine Corps WHAT?” you ask? Yeah, I know. I had no clue we existed either. You would think the active-duty fleet would inform us of it, but alas, they probably don’t know about it themselves…but I digress.

The Marine Corps League is one of two leagues founded by Congress (the other is the Navy League and, yeah, never heard of them either). It was founded by an Act of the 75^th Congress of the United States of America, and signed and approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on August 4, 1937 (so we have a birthday too, but we only celebrate November 10^th, just sayin…).

What We Do

What we do at the Marine Corps League is uphold the traditions and camaraderie of the Corps by having fun, like shooting, competition between sister detachments, celebrating the Marine Corps birthday, among other things. But, the MOST IMPORTANT thing we do is help veterans, their families, widows and orphans.

If you have a heart for your fellow veterans, miss the camaraderie of the Corps and would like to continue your service with a bunch of men and women who are just like you, then you need to join our ranks. And, by the way, we even accept associate members who want to make a difference, but are not Marines, FMF Corpsmen or FMF Chaplains. After all, at the end of the day, we all stepped up and want to help our fellow heroes.

Join Our Detachment

So, if you are in the St Petersburg, Florida area and would like to make a difference, contact us and join us for a beer and bad pizza. Guaranteed to be the best pizza you ever had, or the next slice is FREE! Semper Fi!

“…there is no better friend and no worst foe than a US Marine…” General James “Mad Dog” Mattis

Transition to Civilian Life

Welcome to the Marine Corps League

If you are one of the few and miss your family, know that it continues in The Marine Corps League, and we want to welcome you home.

What We Do

Join Our Detachment

Veterans’ Benefit Trap Shoot Fundraiser on March 23rd at The Skyway Gun Club

Joe Shmuckatelly — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 21:03:03 +0000

Come and join the Marine Corps League’s St Pete Leathernecks at the Skyway Gun Club, for a day of fun, camaraderie, food and fundraising. Money raised will benefit veterans of all services, their widows(ers), orphans and disabled veterans. Your fun will allow you to do good helping our heroes do well. The cost is $60 per shooter, and it will include continental breakfast. Click on the button below to register and submit your payment.

Vet Fest at Tropicana Field on August 5th from 10AM to 2PM

Joe Shmuckatelly — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 13:36:23 +0000

Veterans & Caregivers: Join VA at Tropicana Field, home of the Rays, on Sat., Aug. 5 for #VetFest. Enroll for VA health care, submit disability claims, get screened for toxic exposures, enter to win Rays tickets, and more! The event is free. No registration required. Park in lot 6 and enter through gate 1. Please share with all who may be interested!