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Absolutely . Both Wade Robson and James Safechuck are blatant and serial liars. They alleged they were molested because they NEEDED/ WANTED money. Their allegations are 100% fabricated and 100 % financially motivated. They both denied ANY misconduct for 20 years and they both changed their story when they were BOTH BROKE and they have hopes for a big and easy payout by accusing Michael Jackson years AFTER he died WITHOUT providing any corroborating evidence to back up their accusations other than a ridiculously one sided and emotionally manipulative documentary , which was called out for its lies , thus they deleted 30′ scenes which exposed them as liars. I strongly believe that Robson and Safechuck have zero credibility. Both Robson and Safechuck had their lawsuits thrown out of court and have repeatedly changed their stories since they came forward in 2013 AFTER:Robson was NOT hired for the MJ ONE director job , he was unemployed , by his own admission his career crumbled and he was rejected by the Estate for Jamie King , with whom Britney Spears also replaced Robson for her Circus Tour. Until then Robson, who took for granted that he would be hired for the job , non stop praised Michael Jackson , whom he defended UNDER OATH in 2005 , when he , his mother and his sister put their hand on the Bible and swore to tell the truth and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH with the penalty of perjury and they all said they NEVER witnessed or experienced ANY misconduct AT ALL. Now Robson expects reasonable people to believe that he was unable to understand the concept of molestation UNTIL 2012 ( which was the only way to get past the statute of limitations ) but at the same time he lied in 2005 to protect his alleged abuser and he feared he might go to jail if he told the truth. Why would he fear he might go to jail if he thought UNTIL 2012 what he and Michael Jackson did since he was either 7 or 11 ( he has given two different versions about when his claimed abuse began) and until he was 14 was consensual love and NOT sex abuse ? He recently told Oprah Winfrey that he had no understanding of his abuse when he testified in 2005. Yet , in Leaving Neverland he said he had understanding that he had to lie to protect his abuser and his kids.Robson described himself as a "master of deception," when he wrote a book about his sexual abuse( which was rejected by all publishers he sought) and tried to force the Jackson Estate into a financial settlement so as not to go public with his claims. The book was clearly written before he said he understood his abuse and there were many differences between the claims of abuse in his book draft and those in his lawsuit. When asked about these discrepancies Robson said his memories had evolved. Robson’s and Safechuck’s stories are the most stupid thing i have ever heard. Their claims are an insult to human intelligence. Robson first claimed for years nothing happened, then he does not get gigs from the Estate, and all the sudden he claimed molestation, and also repressed memory. Then he claims the memories were NOT repressed , he always remembered being abused, yet he testified on the stand that he was NOT abused, he invited MJ to his wedding, he was upset when he did not come, and continued to invite him to other events. After MJ passed he kept singing his praises UNTIL he was FLAT BROKE and he began to claim he molested him, then later claimed he raped him everyday for 7 years. And he kept coming back because he thought that was consensual love.Safechuck ‘s family was sued for 800.000 $ in 2013 and they were on the verge of bankruptcy . Two days AFTER papers were filed Safechuck ‘’realised’’ being abused by Jackson and joined a multi million $ civil claim against the Michael Jackson Estate allegedly realising his abuse AFTER he saw Robson on tv but in reality he was contacted by Robson ‘s attorneys who are since his as well. Safechuck’s claim came two days within the release of X scape .Safechuck ‘s lawsuit was tossed out within 4 months. It was copied by Victor Gutuirrez’( the REAL pedo in the Michael Jackson story) pro pedophilia book , which in fact normalises pedophilia. Michael Jackson successfully sued Gutuirrez , a gay pedophile and NANBLA member ,for slander in 1998, who was court ordered to compensate Michael Jackson but he NEVER paid the 2.7 million $ he still owes to Michael Jackson’s Estate. Gutuirrez filed for bankruptcy and fled the USA. That was NOT the first time Victor Gutuirrez, whom tabloid tv anchor Diane Dimond called her best source, was sued for defamation. Robson and Safechuck , whose twice dismissed lawsuits are UNDER APPEAL , owe MJ’s Estate dozens of thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees. Leaving Neverland is adapted from a pro pedophilia fiction book by NAMBLA member Victor Gutuirrez. Under Reed’s instructions Wade refers to Michael Jackson, his alleged abuser , as his lover .Robson said he was forced to testify in 2005 as he did not want MJ’s children to be fatherless although he also said he didn’t realise he was being abused UNTIL 2012. He said he was subpoenaed to testify in 2005 BUT in reality he WAS NOT. His testimony was NOT even required for Michael Jackson to win the case in 2005 so why would he risk bringing his own abuse victim as a witness? Safechuck’s testimony was NOT requested AT ALL in 2005 as the court determined him to be a non entity , he DID NOT even exist for the 2005 trial , he was a non factor, the Judge eliminated Safechuck as a witness in 2005 , NOBODY asked him to testify for Michael Jackson in 2005 . Safechuck lied about being pressured to testify in 2005 and Robson lied he was subpoenaed. Then again Safechuck sued MJ ‘s companies for liability even though he was NOT even employed by the companies during the relevant period. Anything just to get money. Similarly , everything Robson alleged about Norma Staikos is contradicted by his own mother’s deposition, according to whom she pursued Jackson with almost obsessive intent. During the time Robson claims to have had a nervous breakdown which led to his realization that he was sexually abused he was trying to shop a tell all book deal ( before he said he realised he was abused) about his claimed molestation ( which he supossedly had NOT realised yet , prior 2012 that is ) in which he gave two contradictory versions about when his alleged abuse began. According to Safechuck’s own civil complaint he realised his alleged abuse in 2013 AFTER he saw Robson on tv share his own experience (AFTER Robson unsuccessfully tried to sue the Estate UNDER SEAL , which however refused to be extorted and AFTER Safechuck was in fact contacted by Robson’s attorneys with whom they have shared the same law firm since, first Gradstein and Marzano who resigned in 2016 even though they vowed to appeal and now Finaldi and Stewart ) . The same law firm , Finaldi and Stewart , also represented a woman under the alias Jane Doe who alleged MJ raped her but she dismissed her own bogus lawsuit as it didn’t fit the narrative that MJ was only interested in little boys and hated women. Yet , in his own police deposition and in Leaving Neverland Safechuck’s mother appears to have known about it since 2005 and Dan Reed recently said Safechuck told his mother in 2009 ( the story keeps changing) , hence she danced when MJ died in 2009, yet Safechuck himself told both Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey recently and clearly stated in his civil complaint that he ONLY realized and disclosed his alleged abuse in 2013. Safechuck, who can’t seem to keep any of his timelines straight, said he honeymooned with Michael Jackson in Euro Disney in 1988 which however in fact opened in 1992 and he also claimed to have attended the 1989 Grammys with Michael Jackson in New York , which IN FACT took place in Los Angeles that year and Michael Jackson DID NOT even perform at the 1989 Grammys , he in fact performed at the 1988 Grammys ( sadly he didn’t win any award ) BUT according to Safechuck’s own story the claimed abuse could NOT have possibly taken place then as it allegedly started in June 1988 . Undoubtedly Safechuck did NOT attend the GRAMMYS with MJ in 1989. Because Michael Jackson DID NOT perform then. Then again the Safechucks claim to have invited Michael Jackson to their home in 1987 for ThanksGiving who was however in fact in Australia then performing on the Bad Tour. During the same time Safechuck claimed he invited Michael Jackson to his home for Thanksgiving in November 1987 Michael Jackson was in fact performing in Brisbane , Australia where he met the Robsons for the first time AFTER 5 year old Wade won a competition IN REALITY organised by CBS , PEPSI and Target , NOT by MJ’s companies as Robson later claimed and sued them for liability. Safechuck LIED he spent ThanksGiving with Michael Jackson in 1987 and Robson lied the meet and greet prize after a dance competion he won was organised by MJ’s companies so MJ could lure children when in fact Michael Jackson was NOT even in the USA in November 1987 and it was IN REALITY CBS , PEPSI and Target which organized the dance competition for which the prize was a meet and greet with Michael Jackson, not MJJ Productions , which Robson deliberately implicated and slandered. Contrary to Wade’s claims his own mother testified in 2005 that ‘’My memory is in the entire time we’ve lived here since 1991, we’ve only been at the ranch with Michael on four occasions in 14 years’’. His mother Joy and his brother Shane also admitted in their depositions that Wade , who refers to himself as a master of deception and claims his memories are evolving , was in financial trouble when he accused MJ of molestation which he testified under oath in 2005 NEVER HAPPENED.The house Safechuck ‘s mother claimed Michael Jackson bought for them was in fact a loan he gave them to help them out because they told him they struggled financially and they could not pay their mortgage and they were supposed to PAY HIM BACK but they NEVER did. Safechuck NEVER mentioned Michael Jackson gave him a wedding ring in either his deposition or his lawsuit. The first time he ever mentioned MJ gave him a wedding ring was in Leaving Neverland , which he said he hated yet for some reason he kept for 30 years. Robson claimed in Leaving Neverland he cried hard at Michael Jackson’s Memorial Service at Staples Center in 2009 YET in his OWN deposition he said he did not even remember whether he cried at Michael Jackson’s Memorial Service or not , yet, in the movie he said he cried for Michael more than he cried for his own father who suffered from bipolar disorder and killed himself in 2002 , which is the REAL reason Robson had nervous breakdowns as he is genetically predisposed to mental illness ( his cousin on his father’s side also suffered from bipolar disorder and committed suicide) and Robson was prescribed anti depressant medication which he refused however to take. Instead , he chose to project his failures on Michael Jackson and sued his Estate for 1.5 billion $. The judge found that Robson had lied in his own sworn declaration and dismissed his claims against the Estate finding that no rational person could believe Robson’s declaration that he did not know about Michael Jackson ‘s Estate until 04/03/2013 in his attempt to get around the statute of limitations for monetary claims against the Estate.Wade Robson forgot to mention that he dated Michael Jackson ‘s niece Brandi for 7 years and he also slept with Britney Spears , who he hoped would advance his career , instead she fired him TWICE and Prince’s wife Mayte Garcia , who attended his 18 th birthday party wearing a necklace with his name on it, thus , Brandi left him . During the time Wade alleged he was being abused and raped by Michael Jackson he also dated his niece Brandi ( even though Robson claims now that MJ taught him to hate women) , which conveniently is NOT included in the movie as it is NOT included that his allegations emerged two weeks AFTER the MJ ONE Show debuted in Las Vegas for which he was NOT hired AFTER he begged Branca to give him the job so he could pay tribute to Michael Jackson who UNTIL then he said he was ONLY his mentor and a father figure but apparently he was also his lover ( though both Robson and Safechuck are and always have been exclusively heterosexual yet they claim they were both in love with MJ ) . However Robson shamelessly lied UNDER OATH that he had no knowledge of MJ’ s Estate UNTIL 2013 even though he contacted it several times in 2011 hoping to get hired. In Leaving Neverland Robson said he was molested for the first time AFTER his family left him alone to visit the Grand Canyon YET in his complaint and deposition he says it was when his family was still there and in fact with his sister in the same room. In Leaving Neverland he appears to vividly remember his first visit to Neverland BUT in his deposition he vaguely remembered it. Thus , he e mailed his mother in 2012 and asked her about their first trip to Neverland who responded and i quote: ‘’ i will take a look at what i have written , i have several versions , will let you know if i think it is something that will benefit you’’.Robson even referred to Neverland as a place taken from a story book or a fairy tale EVEN THOUGH he allegedly experienced sex abuse there FOR YEARS , either since the age of 7 or 11 , and he even wanted to get married to his girlfriend there , who is now his wife and though she appeared as an abuse survivor herself on the Robson Foundation they recently set up to receive donations, in the movie she said she had no experience with abuse and she could not help him ( hence the scene was later deleted), which means that either she lied in the movie or she lied on the Robson Fund webpage . Either way , she lied . She has zero credibility. By the way , the dinner in Neverland , which allegedly convinced Robson to commit perjury for Michael Jackson in 2005 DID NOT TAKE PLACE BEFORE BUT ONLY AFTER HE HAD ALREADY TESTIFIED. Brian Oxman instructed Michael not to speak with Robson and other witnesses during the 2005 trial. Susan Yu said that they had 500 witnesses to testify for Michael Jackson in 2005 yet Robson was forced to testify? Michael Jackson would risk having his own alleged victim testify UNDER COERCION ? He would want to put under questioning and rigorous cross examination a person he allegedly raped for 7 years? Who in their right mind would do that? Also , Brett Barnes , with whom Joy Robson suggested Michael replaced her son during the Dangerous Tour , is left with NO OTHER CHOICE but to sue HBO because thanks to Robson he is non stop harassed by people who tell him to admit he was molested even though he has vehemently denied it EVEN UNDER OATH and unlike Robson , who unapologetically ruins Barnes’ life to promote his own agenda , Barnes is consistent and he has no financial motive to lie. For Robson to say that he is bullied by MJ fans when he has treated Barnes and Spence in the most abominable way is beyond ridiculous. Not to mention that his lawyers harassed Jordan Chandler ‘s sister and fiancee to help them track down Jordan , the alleged 93 victim , who fled the USA (again) so as to avoid him .Neither Safechuck nor Robson ever owned the Thriller jacket, which was auctioned for 1.8 million $ to a rich guy from Arizona in 2011. The money was given to charity. Obviously , it was not sold by either Robson or Safechuck. According to Julien’s Auction’s Robson by 2011 had already sold his MJ memorabilia for 100.000 $ because he was / is BROKE. Julien’s Auction’s confirmed that he asked to remain anonymous and that he did not want anyone to know it was him selling the items in 2011. But they did not agree to that and they listed it as the Wade Robson collection. Wade Robson was the person that Juliens Auctions confirmed they paid directly when he sold his collection because he needed the money. Other MJ items he sold on e bay . He said he needed to pay for therapy sessions AFTER he suffered a nervous breakdown under the pressure of directing the Step Up movie , a project he eventually dropped out of as it was too much for him. Meanwhile he applied for the MJ director job which the Estate gave to Jamie King instead. Until then Robson NEVER accused MJ. Clearly he sold his MJ memorabilia because he needed cash as in 2011 he had not yet ‘’realized’’ his’’ abuse’’ . Instead he claimed that his friendship with Michael Jackson and his love for him made him best qualified for the job he lost out to Jamie King. The MJ related items he supposedly burns in the movie are all FAKE. Safechuck also claimed that Michael Jackson gave him the Indiana Jones bull whip which was in reality donated to the Institute of Archaeology in 1990.The fact that Dan Reed even mentioned Blanca Francia as a witness to the alleged molestation that was supposedly going on in Neverland says it all. Blanca Francia , a discredited witness , who by her own admission , sold her pedo story to Diane Dimond for 20.000 $ , NEVER reported any misconduct to the authorities , her own sworn depositions debunked her pedo story , she was fired from Neverland in 1991 and ONLY claimed molestation AFTER she saw the Chandlers get millions from Jackson in 1994 ( in fact by his insurer carrier ), nobody believed her or her son Jason when they testified in 2005 and she was refuted by both Mac Culkin and Robson ( who had NO reason to lie in 2005) . Not to mention Adrian McManus who was also fired for stealing objects from Neverland to resell them and she still lives on selling fake stories to the media about Michael Jackson and objects she stole from Neverland . Not to mention that Victor Gutuirrez , Wade Robson , James Safechuck and Andrian McManus owe money to MJ’s Estate as she and other 4 disgruntled former Neverland employees , aka the Neverland 5 , sued MJ for wrongful termination in 1994 and demanded 16 million $ yet they were all ordered to compensate him, because they stole from his property, and pay his legal expenses. McManus in particular stole even a sketch of Elvis MJ did and sold it to a tabloid for 1000 $ and on her lawyer’s advice she non stop slandered MJ to the tabloids because they paid her and in addition she hoped MJ would settle out of court to shut her up and she even claimed she perjured herself during her 1993 sworn depositions about the Chandler case. And the media use Adrian McManus , a pro pedophilia mockumentary, which is based on falsehoods and in fact promotes the NAMBLA agenda, and two already disproved in a court of law opportunistic liars , aka Robson and Safechuck , to make a case that Michael Jackson was a pedophile !!! Unbelievable!!!I don’t believe that Michael Jackson molested and raped Robson and Safechuck for 7 years , while he was being investigated by several police departments (which FOUND ZERO EVIDENCE OF THIS ) AFTER the 93 allegations and then he had his own abuse victim of 7 years testify for him on a criminal trial( which was a travesty ) because the alleged victim , who NEVER had any sexual interest in other males , was so in love with him that he actually thought that fingering and fellatio he experienced as a child was NOT sex abuse until he had an epiphany at the age of 30 and coincidentally the other alleged victim , who was also happily married and 100% straight , had to ‘’by mere chance’’ watch Robson on tv talk about his abuse to realize he too had been raped AFTER ALL because he also until then thought the claimed molestation was love. I am NOT interested in ‘’their truth’’. There is ONLY one truth. And these two men stories’ are at odds with it. I am NOT interested in a propagandistic , fictional mockumentary inspired by a NAMBLA member ,by the name Victor Gutuirrez , which in fact glorifies pedophilia. I don’t believe in witch hunts.

You have to meet certain requirements to be buried in a National Cemetery. You have to apply through The National Cemetery Scheduling Office to get buried in a VA national cemetery. Here are the requirements:EligibilityPersons Eligible for Burial in a National CemeteryThe National Cemetery Scheduling Office has the primary responsibility for verifying eligibility for burial in VA national cemeteries. A determination of eligibility is made in response to a request for burial in a VA national cemetery. To schedule a burial fax all discharge documentation to 1-866-900-6417 and follow-up with a phone call to 1-800-535-1117.a. Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard)(1) Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who dies on active duty.(2) Any Veteran who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. With certain exceptions, service beginning after September 7, 1980, as an enlisted person, and service after October 16, 1981, as an officer, must be for a minimum of 24 continuous months or the full period for which the person was called to active duty (as in the case of a Reservist called to active duty for a limited duration). Undesirable, bad conduct, and any other type of discharge other than honorable may or may not qualify the individual for Veterans benefits, depending upon a determination made by a VA Regional Office. Cases presenting multiple discharges of varying character are also referred for adjudication to a VA Regional Office.(3) Any citizen of the United States who, during any war in which the United States has or may be engaged, served in the Armed Forces of any Government allied with the United States during that war, whose last active service was terminated honorably by death or otherwise, and who was a citizen of the United States at the time of entry into such service and at the time of death.b. Members of Reserve Components and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps(1) Reservists and National Guard members who, at time of death, were entitled to retired pay under Chapter 1223, title 10, United States Code, or would have been entitled, but for being under the age of 60. Specific categories of individuals eligible for retired pay are delineated in section 12731 of Chapter 1223, title 10, United States Code.(2) Members of reserve components, and members of the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard, who die while hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of the United States for injury or disease contracted or incurred under honorable conditions while performing active duty for training or inactive duty training, or undergoing such hospitalization or treatment.(3) Members of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps of the Army, Navy, or Air Force who die under honorable conditions while attending an authorized training camp or on an authorized cruise, while performing authorized travel to or from that camp or cruise, or while hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of the United States for injury or disease contracted or incurred under honorable conditions while engaged in one of those activities.(4) Members of reserve components who, during a period of active duty for training, were disabled or died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty or, during a period of inactive duty training, were disabled or died from an injury or certain cardiovascular disorders incurred or aggravated in line of duty.(5) Members of reserve and Guard components who have met minimum active duty service requirements, as applicable by law, and who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable are also eligible provided they were called to active duty and served the full term of service.c. Commissioned Officers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(1) A Commissioned Officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (formerly titled the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Environmental Science Services Administration) with full-time duty on or after July 29, 1945.(2) A Commissioned Officer who served before July 29, 1945; and,(a) Was assigned to an area of immediate military hazard as determined by the Secretary of Defense while in time of war, or in a Presidentially declared national emergency; or,(b) Served in the Philippine Islands on December 7, 1941, and continuously in such islands thereafter.d. Public Health Service(1) A Commissioned Officer of the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service who served on full-time duty on or after July 29, 1945. If the service of the particular Public Health Service Officer falls within the meaning of active duty for training, as defined in section 101(22), title 38, United States Code, he or she must have been disabled or died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.(2) A Commissioned Officer of the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service who performed full-time duty prior to July 29, 1945:(a) In time of war;(b) On detail for duty with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard; or,(c) While the Service was part of the military forces of the United States pursuant to Executive Order of the President.(3) A Commissioned Officer serving on inactive duty training as defined in section 101(23), title 38, United States Code, whose death resulted from an injury incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.e. World War II Merchant Mariners(1) United States Merchant Mariners with oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946. Prior to the enactment of Public Law 105-368, United States Merchant Mariners with oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict of December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945, were eligible. With enactment of Public Law 105-368, the service period is extended to December 31, 1946, for those dying on or after November 11, 1998. A DD-214 documenting this service may be obtained by submitting an application to Commandant (G-MVP-6), United States Coast Guard, 2100 2nd Street, SW, Washington, DC 20593. Notwithstanding, the Mariner’s death must have occurred on or after the enactment of Public Law 105-368.(2) United States Merchant Mariners who served on blockships in support of Operation Mulberry during World War II.f. The Philippine Armed Forces(1) Any Philippine Veteran who was a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States at the time of their death; and resided in the United States at the time of their death; and,(a) Was a person who served before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, while such forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the military order of the President dated July 26, 1941, including organized guerilla forces under commanders appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized by the Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or other competent authority in the Army of the United States, and who died on or after November 1, 2000; or,(b) Was a person who enlisted between October 6, 1945, and June 30, 1947, with the Armed Forces of the United States with the consent of the Philippine government, pursuant to section 14 of the Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945, and who died on or after December 16, 2003.g. Spouses and Dependents(1) The spouse, surviving spouse or dependent of an eligible Veteran or member of the Armed Forces may be eligible for interment in a national cemetery even if that Veteran is not buried or memorialized in a national cemetery.(2) The surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran who had a subsequent remarriage to a non-Veteran and whose death occurred on or after January 1, 2000, is eligible for burial in a national cemetery, based on his or her marriage to the eligible Veteran.(3) The minor children of an eligible Veteran. For purpose of burial in a national cemetery, a minor child is a child who is unmarried and:(a) Who is under 21 years of age; or,(b) Who is under 23 years of age and pursuing a full-time course of instruction at an approved educational institution.(4) The unmarried adult child of an eligible Veteran. For purpose of burial in a national cemetery, an unmarried adult child is:Of any age but became permanently physically or mentally disabled and incapable of self-support before reaching 21 years of age, or before reaching 23 years of age if pursuing a full-time course of instruction at an approved educational institution. Proper supporting documentation must be provided.h. Parents(1) Biological or adoptive parents, who died after October 13, 2010, and whose biological or adoptive child was a servicemember:(a) whose death occurred on or after October 7, 2001, and(b) whose death was the result of a hostile casualty or a training-related injury, and(c) who is interred in a national cemetery, in a gravesite with available space for subsequentinterment, and(d) at the time of the parent’s death, had no spouse, surviving spouse, or child who is buried, or who, upon death, may be eligible for burial in a national cemetery.(2) The term “hostile casualty” means a person who, as a member of the Armed Forces, dies as the direct result of hostile action with the enemy, while in combat, while going to or returning from a combat mission if the cause of death was directly related to hostile action, or while hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of the United States for injury incurred during combat, and includes a person killed mistakenly or accidentally by friendly fire directed at a hostile force or what is thought to be a hostile force. The term “hostile casualty” does not include a person who dies due to the elements, a self-inflicted wound, combat fatigue, or a friendly force while the person was absent-without-leave, deserter, or dropped-from-rolls status or was voluntarily absent from a place of duty.(3) The term “training-related injury” means an injury incurred by a member of the Armed Forces while performing authorized training activities in preparation for a combat mission.i. Hmong Individuals(During the Vietnam War, special guerilla units and irregular forces in Laos were directed by the Central Intelligence Agency to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines, rescue downed United States pilots, and protect the Laotian government from falling to the Communist Pathet Lao. Following the war, some of the individuals who served in these units were relocated to the United States as refugees and were provided an expeditious route to citizenship under the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000, P.L. 106-207, as amended by P.L. 106-415, (“2000 Act”) (codified at 8 U.S.C. § 1423 note). The 2000 Act applied only to individuals who served in these special guerilla units and their spouses who applied for naturalization between May 26, 2000, and November 26, 2001, and to surviving spouses of individuals who served in these special guerilla units who were killed or died in Laos, Thailand, or Vietnam who applied for naturalization between November 1, 2000, and May 1, 2002.)The new category of persons eligible under 38 U.S.C. § 2402(a)(1) includes individuals who:• died on or after March 23, 2018,• resided in the U.S. at the time of death, and• were naturalized under Section 2(1) of the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 (“2000 Act”).The 2000 Act eased certain naturalization requirements for persons who served with special guerrilla units or irregular forces, operating from a base in Laos, in support of the U.S. military, anytime between February 28, 1961 to September 18, 1978; and their spouses and also persons married to an individual who served in special guerilla units or irregular forces who was killed or died in Laos, Thailand, or Vietnam during that time frame.i Naturalization under the 2000 Act was also available for spouses of those who served in SGU/irregular forces and surviving spouses of those who were killed or died in action while serving in SGU/irregular forces. However, section 251 of Public Law 115-141 only amended VA’s burial eligibility statute to inter eligible to Hmong fighters, not their spouses or surviving spouses.j. OthersSuch other persons or classes of persons as designated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (38 U.S.C. § 2402(6)) or the Secretary of Defense (Public Law 95-202, § 401, and 38 CFR § 3.7(x)).Persons Not Eligible for Burial in a National Cemeterya. Former SpousesA former spouse of an eligible individual whose marriage to that individual has been terminated by annulment or divorce, if not otherwise eligible.b. Other Family MembersFamily members of an eligible person except those defined as eligible in Section III, paragraph g (Spouses and Dependents).c. Disqualifying Characters of DischargeA person whose only separation from the Armed Forces was under dishonorable conditions or whose character of service results in a bar to Veterans benefits.d. Discharge from DraftA person who was ordered to report to an induction station, but was not actually inducted into military service.e. Persons Found Guilty of a Capital CrimeUnder 38 U.S.C. § 2411, interment or memorialization in a VA national cemetery or in Arlington National Cemetery is prohibited if a person is convicted of a Federal or State capital crime, for which a sentence of imprisonment for life or the death penalty may be imposed and the conviction is final. Federal officials may not inter in Veterans cemeteries persons who are shown by clear and convincing evidence to have committed a Federal or State capital crime but were unavailable for trial due to death or flight to avoid prosecution. Federally funded State veterans cemeteries must also adhere to this law. This prohibition is also extended to furnishing a Presidential Memorial Certificate, a burial flag, and a headstone or marker.f. Persons convicted of Certain Sex OffensesUnder 38 U.S.C. § 2411, interment or memorialization in a VA national cemetery or in Arlington National Cemetery is prohibited if a person is convicted of a Tier III sex offense, who was sentenced to a minimum of life imprisonment and whose conviction is final. Federally funded State and Tribal organization Veterans cemeteries must also adhere to this law. This prohibition also applies to Presidential Memorial Certificate, burial flag, and headstone and marker benefits.g. Subversive ActivitiesAny person convicted of subversive activities after September 1, 1959, shall have no right to burial in a national cemetery from and after the date of commission of such offense, based on periods of active military service commencing before the date of the commission of such offense, nor shall another person be entitled to burial on account of such an individual. Eligibility will be reinstated if the President of the United States grants a pardon.h. Active or Inactive Duty for TrainingA person whose only service is active duty for training or inactive duty training in the National Guard or Reserve Component, unless the individual meets the eligibility criteria listed in Section III.1.b. of this information sheet.i. Other GroupsMembers of groups whose service has been determined by the Secretary of the Air Force under the provisions of Public Law 95-202 as not warranting entitlement to benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.National Cemetery AdministrationState Veteran’s Cemetery's are run by the state which each state has their own requirements of who can be buried there. Most states just require being a veteran. Some states are funded while others are not.Alabama State Veterans CemeteryThe Alabama State Veterans Cemetery is located in Spanish Fort. Eligibility for interment in the State Veterans Cemetery follows National Cemetery Administration eligibility requirements.In general, veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable and their spouses and dependent children are eligible. Residency requirements exist.For spouses or dependent children, a fee will be charged on the day of interment. For veterans, there is no cost.There are also three national VA cemeteries in Alabama.Arizona Veteran CemeteriesThe state of Arizona has 3 Veterans' cemeteries which are located in Camp Navajo, Marana, and Sierra Vista. Any veteran who has an other-than-dishonorable discharge is eligible for burial. Spouses and certain dependents are also eligible for burial. There is no charge for interment for veterans, and a one-time nominal fee for eligible spouses and dependentsArkansas State Veterans' CemeteriesThere are two Arkansas State Veterans Cemeteries, one in North Little Rock, and one in Birdeye.Veterans who have an other than dishonorable discharge are eligible for interment, along with certain others. Spouses and dependent children are also eligible. There is no cost for the veteran and a $300 cost for the spouse or dependent.California State Veteran CemeteriesThere are 3 state veterans cemeteries within California:California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery - MontereyNorthern California Veterans Cemetery - IgoYountville Veterans Cemetery - YountvilleComplete, professional burial services at no cost to veterans ($500 fee for spouses or dependents).Veterans, dependents and survivors who meet VA eligibility requirements for burial in a national cemetery may be eligible.Colorado State Veterans' CemeteryThe Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado is located in Grand Junction. Eligibility for burial in the cemetery is the same as for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries but includes a residency requirement.Connecticut State Veterans CemeteryAny veteran discharged with other than a dishonorable discharge is eligible for burial in the state veterans cemetery in Middletown. Spouses are also eligible for this benefit.Delaware State Veterans CemeteryThere are two state veterans cemeteries in Bear and Millsboro.Eligibility for burial is generally similar to burial requirements for a National Veterans Cemetery and include a residency requirementGeorgia State Veterans CemeteriesAny veteran or their family may be buried in one of the two Georgia State Veterans Memorial Cemeteries in Milledgeville or Glennville. Eligibility requirements are the same as for burial in a VA cemetery, and require an other-than-dishonorable discharge.Hawaii State Veterans CemeteriesHawaii has 7 state veterans cemeteries located in:HiloKailua-KonaKaneoheKauna KakaiLanai CityLihueMakawaoVeterans, spouses, and some dependents are eligible for internment. There may be a small fee charged for burial.Idaho State Veterans CemeteryThe Idaho State Veterans Cemetery is located adjacent to the Dry Creek Cemetery in Northwest Boise. The eligibility requirements for burial at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery follow the National Veterans Cemetery eligibility requirements and Idaho law. There is no requirement to be a resident of the state of Idaho.Indiana Veterans Memorial CemeteryThe Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery is located next to the Madison State Hospital and Clifty Falls State Park in Madison, Indiana. Any Hoosier veteran eligible to be buried in a national cemetery will be eligible for burial in the cemetery. Spouses are also eligible.Burial AllowancesEach county auditor is authorized to pay up to an amount not to exceed $100 for the burial of a veteran or the veteran's spouse, and to pay up to $100 for the setting of a federal headstone. Veterans must have received an honorable discharge, and an application must be filed with the county auditor in the county of residence.Iowa State Veterans CemeteryThe Iowa Veterans Cemetery is Located 10 miles west of Des Moines, near Van Meter, the cemetery is available to all veterans, their spouses, and dependent children for burial. Honorably discharged veterans will be interred at no charge and spouses/dependents will be buried for a $300 fee.Kansas State Veterans CemeteriesKansas has 4 state veterans' cemeteries in Ft. Dodge, Ft. Riley, Wakeeney, and Winfield. Veterans who received an "other-than-dishonorable" discharge, guard and reservists with at least 20 years of qualifying service, or those who die on active duty are eligible for burial.Dependents are also eligible for burial. There is no fee for veterans or their dependents, and there is no Kansas residency requirement.Kentucky Veterans CemeteriesKentucky Veterans Cemeteries are located in Hopkinsville, Fort Knox, Williamstown, and Greenup County.Any Kentucky resident veteran or any veteran who was stationed in Kentucky is eligible for burial. There is no fee.Louisiana Veterans CemeteriesThe state of Louisiana has 4 cemeteries located in Keithville, Leesville, Rayville, and Slidell. The cemeteries are available for qualifying veterans, their spouses and dependent children, there is no charge for veterans and only a small fee for spouses and dependent childrenMaine Veterans Memorial CemeteryThe Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System consists of four cemeteries. One of which is located in Caribou, two in Augusta and one in Springvale. Burial is free of charge to veterans with an other-than-dishonorable discharge as well as their dependents.Maryland State Veterans CemeteryMaryland has five state veterans' cemeteries located in Cheltenham, Crownsville, Flintstone, Hurlock, and Owings Mills. A burial plot is provided to eligible veterans and their eligible dependents, when the veteran is a resident of the State of Maryland and has received an honorable discharge.Plots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.There is no cost to the veteran for burial plot, opening/closing, headstone and State liner (if used). Eligible dependents have a minimal opening/closing cost and a direct cost for State liner (if used).Massachusetts State Veterans' CemeteriesThere are two state veterans cemeteries in Massachusetts (Agawam and Winchendon) where eligible veterans can be buried at no cost. There will be a nominal fee for the burial of spouses and eligible dependents.Michigan Veterans' Burial ExpensesUnder state law, eligible veterans and some spouses/surviving spouses, who meet residency and asset limits, may qualify for $300 for burial expenses paid by the County Board of Commissioners or the Board of County Auditors.Minnesota State Veterans CemeteryMinnesota has two state veterans cemeteries in Little Falls and Preston. Burial is open to all veterans with an other-than-dishonorable discharge.Veterans are interred free of charge, dependents may pay a small fee.Mississippi State Veterans Memorial CemeteryThe cemetery is located approximately three miles east of Newton on Highway 80.Veterans, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in the cemetery.Burial for veterans is free, a fee must be paid to bury non-Veteran spouses and eligible dependent children.Missouri State Veterans CemeteriesThere are five State Veterans Cemeteries, one each in Springfield, Higginsville, Bloomfield, Ft. Leonard Wood, and Jacksonville.There is no charge for any of the services provided. Eligibility is the same as for a federal cemetery, there is no residency requirement. Spouses, and dependent children may be eligible for burial.Montana State Veterans' CemeteriesThe State of Montana maintains three Veterans Cemeteries, they are located in Helena, Missoula, and Miles City.Spouses may be buried along with the Veteran.There is a small charge for burial. Non residents may also be eligible.Nebraska Veterans CemeteryThe State of Nebraska operates a veterans cemetery in Alliance. Veterans and their dependents are eligible for burial at no charge. Eligibility requirements are the same as federal veterans cemeteries.Nevada State Veterans' CemeteryNevada has two veterans cemeteries, in Fernley and Boulder City. There is no charge for the plot, vault and opening & closing of a gravesite for a veteran. A $450 fee (subject to change) is charged for the burial of the spouse or dependent of a veteran.New Hampshire Veterans CemeteryAll veterans are eligible for interment in the NH State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, you don't need to be a NH resident. There is a fee, spouses are also eligible.New Jersey State Veteran CemeteryFree interment and perpetual care is available for NJ resident veterans, their spouses and dependent children in the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown.New Mexico State Veterans CemeteryThe New Mexico state veterans cemetery in Ft. Stanton is open to honorably discharged veterans and their spouses.North Carolina State Veterans CemeteriesThere are four state veterans cemeteries: Black Mountain, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, and Spring Lake. Honorably discharged North Carolina veterans can be buried for free, there is a small charge for spouses.North Dakota Veterans CemeteryThe North Dakota Veteran's Cemetery is located near Mandan. Veterans and their spouses are eligible for burial. There is no charge for the veteran, a small fee is charged for the spouse. You DO NOT have to be a North Dakota resident.Rhode Island Veterans' CemeteryThe Rhode Island state veterans cemetery is located in Exeter. Honorably discharged Rhode Island wartime veterans, twenty-year retirees of the Rhode Island National Guard, reserve components are eligible. Some spouses and dependents may also be eligible for burial.South Carolina Veterans CemeteryThe M.J. "Dolly" Cooper veterans cemetery is located in Anderson. Burial is open to honorably discharged SC resident veterans and their spouses. There is no charge for the veteran's burial and a small fee for the spouse. Dependent children may be eligible for burial.South Dakota Burial & Memorial BenefitsBurial AllowanceA payment of up to $100 may be paid by the state to help defray the burial and funeral expenses of any honorably discharged veteran or the spouse or surviving spouse of a veteran when the estate, or immediate family of the deceased is lacking in funds to pay the expenses.Headstone Setting FeeThe state will pay $100 towards the cost of setting a government headstone or marker at the grave of a veteran who was a resident for one year before entering active duty or one year preceding death.Tennessee Veterans CemeteriesTennessee has four state veterans cemeteries, two in Knoxville, and one each in Memphis and Nashville. There is no fee for veteran interment, and a small fee for spouse and dependent children.Generally veterans with an "other than dishonorable" discharge are eligible.Texas Veterans CemeteriesTexas has four state veterans cemeteries in Abilene, Corpus Christi, Killeen, and Mission. All Texas veterans their spouses and dependent children are eligible for burial.There is no charge for burial of the veteran or their family.Utah Veterans CemeteryThe Utah state veterans cemetery is located in Bluffdale. The cemetery generally follows the eligibility requirements of VA National Cemetery System. Reservists and National Guard retirees are eligible for burial also.Surviving spouses and dependent children are also eligible for burial.There is no fee for the veteran and a small fee for dependents.Vermont State Veterans CemeteryThe Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery is located in Randolph Center. Veterans, their spouse, and unmarried minor children are eligible for burial as are National Guard and Reserve members with 20 years of service.There is no cost for the veteran's burial and a small cost for dependents.Virginia Veterans CemeteriesVirginia has three veterans cemeteries located in Amelia, Dublin, and Suffolk.Honorably discharged veterans may be buried at no cost, there is a small cost for their eligible family members.Washington State Veterans CemeteryThe Washington State Veterans Cemetery is located in Medical Lake.In general, veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable and their spouses and dependent children are eligible for burial. There is no residency requirement.There is no charge for veteran interments, and a one-time fee of $300.00 fee for eligible dependents. All other funeral expenses are borne by the familyWest Virginia State Veterans CemeteryThe Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery is located in Dunbar. Eligibility for burial is the same as for burial in a national cemetery. Burial is free for veterans, spouses and dependent children pay a small feeWisconsin Veterans CemeteriesWisconsin has three veterans cemeteries in King, Spooner, and Union Grove.Honorably discharged Wisconsin resident veterans and their dependents are eligible for burial. There is no fee for the veteran's burial and a small fee for the dependents.Wyoming Veterans CemeteryThe Oregon Trail State Veterans' Cemetery in Evansville is open to every veteran who receives any discharge other than dishonorable.There is no charge for any burial plot, spouses and dependent children may also be eligible for burial.U.S. Virgin Islands Burial Plot and ExpensesA maximum burial allowance of $3,500 and a free burial plot in the local cemeteries is offered to veterans who are residents and entered the military while residing in the Virgin Islands.

I have written many things, on many different subjects. I have skimmed the surface and mentioned being adopted. My adoption story will not be short. However, I write very few short responses. To save typing, I will use excerpts from my book, “The Journey” so I do not have to retype it all (with edits). Sorry for the length.Where It Started"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.The most famous of all words spoken from “The Tale of Two Cities (Dickens, 1859).”Tale of Two Cities, Tale of two children, Tale of two lives, both lives in constant battle. Both battling to know and be who they are. One battling health issues and overcoming addictions. The other battling to hide until he cannot any longer.I am a twin. I am the second of a set of twins born on June 10, 1954, in Bakersfield, California. My twin is five minutes older than me. I have told her: “The reason you were born first, I put my feet on her butt and shoved her out. I wanted five minutes of peace and quiet.”Our birthmother put us up for adoption while she was still pregnant. The adopting couple was unable to have children of their own. The woman had female issues at a young age and would never be able to have children. With our adoption, they were able to bring us to their home when we were fourteen days old.Ann and I were quite small for twins. The combined total of weight was twelve pounds. We were premature.Like many women did back in the 1950’s, did not know smoking or drinking would cause serious harm to their unborn babies. Bertha was a heavy smoker. Her smoking brought serious breathing and other health issues for Ann and me to battle over the years. Bertha’s drinking gave us Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Each of us born with birth defects of some sort.Our adoption was initiated through a friend of our birthmothers. This friend incidentally was the younger sister of the adopting mother. This sister would play many parts in our lives over the years.This couples home was in Cody, Wyoming at the time of our birth. The man worked for Standard Oil, the Indiana division, in one of Standard Oil’s field offices at the time. When the final processing for our adoption would come, the closest courthouse was in Casper, Wyoming.My sister and I were born with the last name of our birth-mother. On December 30, 1954, our last names were officially changed to our last name now.The first few years, dad would have job transfers moving us from Cody to Casper, to Torrington, Wyoming and to Munster, Indiana. These were all prior to moving to Harrisonville, Missouri. Most of these early places are shadow memories. We were five years old when we moved to Harrisonville, Missouri in June of 1959, from Munster, Indiana.We moved into a two-bedroom apartment, located next to the playground behind the elementary school. I recall it was a nice enough place. If we wanted to go out to play it was nothing to walk across the yard to the playground. We started kindergarten in the fall at this elementary.School started at the end of August 1959 and we had the same kindergarten teacher. Some children liked her, others hated her. I did not seem to have a problem with her. School sessions were a half day which freed up the entire afternoon for playing. Not much happened at school year.Kindergarten ended in May of 1960. First grade in the fall. The summer of 1960 brought more changes. My parents bought a big farmhouse, two miles outside of town. This big old house sat on one hundred and two acres of farmland.The house was built in 1861, making it one-hundred years old. The property had a history dating back to the Civil War. Both of our parents were country people and had grown up on farms in southern Missouri, an area known as the Ozarks. It was their desire to raise their children on a farm and in the country as well.Shortly after school ended, we began packing and prepared to move to our new home. I was excited as I was given the largest bedroom in the house. My sister's bedroom was across the hall from mine. Her room was a little smaller than mine.Our house was a two-story, four-bedroom house with only one full bathroom. The staircase, hallway, and bathroom dissected the upstairs in the middle. There were two bedrooms in the front of the house, and two in the back. The bathroom was at the end of the hall between two of the bedrooms.At the top of the stairs, there were two doors, one on the left and one on the right. Ann had the bedroom on the left, facing the front of the house. My bedroom was on the right, over the kitchen, to the back.Past our rooms, mother and dad’s room was next to Ann’s and to the left of the bathroom. A smaller bedroom, next to mine, to the right of the bathroom completed the layout for upstairs.On the main floor were four large rooms, making a square. They were like upstairs, except no bathroom. The large open porch spanned the entire front of the house on the main level.There was a side entrance which was the main entrance we used. This entry was directly below the staircase to the upstairs. Once inside there was a small landing with a short stairwell to the basement to the left of the stairs going up to the main level of the house.On the outside, to the right of the side door was a wrap-around screened porch and a separate entrance into the kitchen. Many nights were spent sitting out on this screened in porch.There is nothing like growing up in the country and having a one-acre yard to play in. The yard was fun to play hide-n-go seek and nighttime tag, with only a flashlight.I was around eight years old when I realized I was not interested in girls. It was the boys who seemed to fascinate me the most.It was 1960 while riding the bus, I met another boy on my bus named Mike. I thought he was cute, yet I could not think of him in any other way than as a friend. Mike would become my best friend for life.Life with a NarcissistLife was not the “Perfect All-American Dream” family. There were the mother and father, two children and the family dog.Mother was a sadistic, narcissist/sociopath. I know this is a pretty damn ugly thing to say about my mother. The sad part, it is all true.I have often wondered why I am still alive. Mother made Ms. Joan Crawford, “Mommy Dearest” (Perry, 1981), look like Mother Theresa.There is no easy way of putting this. Mother was an abuser. What made us special or strong to survive? There is a strong division between discipline and abuse. Discipline is allowable. Abuse is not the deserved swat with the paddle on the butt at school. Abuse is when discipline goes beyond a few swats on the butt. Abuse is when the punishments become severe they mark or maim the body. These marks and scars will never go away.Mother was not an easy person to live with. She would get pissed off at dad for any number of reasons. Mainly because she knew he was out cheating on her. This was no secret. Only years later would Ann and I catch him with other women.Mother was a domineering woman. She was not a tall woman, only five-foot-two inches tall. The term: “Dynamite comes in small packages,” fit when it came to mother. Mother had a “Napoleon” complex I would say. She thought she was bigger than she really was.She was a power to be reckoned with. Mother always had to prove herself to be better than anyone. This trait fit her well during World War Two when she advanced to the rank of First Sargent in the Women’s Army Corp Service (WACS).She liked it best when she was in control of the people around her. She was an unforgiving person. She had no tolerance for weakness in anyone.Mother was married to her first husband, Butch when World War Two began. Butch enlisted into the Army, maybe to get away from her. She would have followed suit and joined the WAC’s as well.Mother was a teacher by trade and helped in organizing the school system at the Pine Bluff Arsenal in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. There she obtained her rank as a non-commissioned officer as a First Sargent. A rank she held during her time in service to her country.During the war, she was aware of her husband, Butch had been blinded due to alcohol poisoning. She immediately filed for divorce from him. Their divorce was finalized after WWII. She was not going to be married to anyone with a disability. She had no tolerance for it. This would come to haunt her in time.What is the old saying: “Karma is a Bitch.” After the war, she returned to Raymondville and Houston, Missouri. There she met her husband. They were married in 1946 in Casper, Wyoming where he was working for the Standard Oil Company.The All-American Dream was a house, a car, two children, and the family dog. There was one problem, she could not have children. She had a hysterectomy when she was sixteen due to female problems. Could this have caused her meanness due to hormone imbalance? Who is to say?They were living in Cody, Wyoming when her sister called to tell her a friend was pregnant and wanted to give her unborn child up for adoption.The adoption process was started in January of 1954, with a lawyer in Bakersfield, to represent the birthmother, and the couple's attorney in Cody, Wyoming. The papers were drawn up for the unborn child.They paid for all the healthcare expenses and legal fees for the adoption. However, all the paperwork had to be completely redone on June 10, 1954, when our birthmother went into labor. At nine o’clock in the morning, Ann was born. At five minutes after nine o’clock, I came into the world.We were quite small babies. Yet we were very different, besides the obvious. My sister was darker skinned, with dark brown eyes and long thick dark hair. I, on the other hand, was fair skinned, blue eyes and a toe-head blonde.Our adoption was finalized on December 30, 1954, in Casper, Wyoming, when our names were legally changed to our current last name. Our legal papers and all things associated with our adoption were sealed. This is still in effect today.Dad worked for Standard Oil for many years, but I am getting ahead of myself again. From the time we were babies, dad’s job transferred him to several places. In 1959, he was transferred to Harrisonville, Missouri. This is where my story really begins.Living with mother was difficult. Until we moved to Missouri, besides whippings, (some deserved, others not), she would use all sorts of things to scare us into behaving. She would go as far as to capture spiders in a jar and threaten to throw them on us if we did not mind. Why I have a tremendous fear of spiders today.I must add instances being in school on top of it. Let me reassure you, I was never a bad kid. Misunderstood, yes. Maybe I felt I was disciplined more than anyone. Maybe this was a perception in the relationship with the abuses from home.At least three to four times a week, in school, I would get the paddle (Brown Betty) on my butt. Brown Betty was an eighteen-inch-long, three-inch-wide, and one-inch thick piece of solid oak, carved with a handle and holes strategically spaced along the paddle’s length. This paddle had been around in the school for many years. After years of use, the paddle had turned dark brown in color. Maybe from years of beating the shit out of kids. Hence the name, “Brown Betty,” came about.Those holes helped to emphasize the sting on the butt. Why would I get a paddling so many times? I was told I was lazy, stupid, idiot, and a moron, to name a few. The shaming, ridicule, and embarrassment was horrible. All simply because I could not read, or write. Math was a nightmare for me. I call it the “Dark Ages”, the 1960’s. No one had an idea what learning disabilities were back then.Enduring the name calling of: “Dummy, Moron, Imbecile, Stupid, and Idiot”, from fellow students and teachers was humiliating. I would get a paddling at school. I would get another one when I got home, only worse.Mother rarely used a paddle or her hand for rendering punishment. Mother’s weapons of choice were my dad’s belt, or a switch broke off from the Forsythia bush.We had four of them in front of the house. Sometimes I got to choose the switch, more times than not Mother chose. I do not think size mattered. Whichever size she chose, it was used for maximum impact.Mother never “disciplined” Ann or me in the privacy of the house. Her ideal spot was in the middle of the front yard. Anyone driving by, our discipline would be more humiliating. Ann would get her whippings first. She would receive her “stripes” from the switch. After being released from mother’s iron grasp, it was always my turn.After Ann received her punishment she would run into the house to get away from mother. Then it was my turn. It was never on my jeans or baring my butt. No, I had to pull my shirt up to my shoulders and my pants down to my ankles. Maximum exposure. She used every inch of exposed skin to wield her torture.With every swing of her arm, switch or belt would cut into my skin. I did not have welts on my skin. I would have gashes and deep cuts. I would feel the blood running down my back and legs.I think she took pleasure when a car would go driving by while she was beating the hell out of me. No one ever stopped. Everyone knew her, and they feared her. I have wondered if the people driving by ever had pity for what they witnessed.Imagine receiving a paddling at school, on top of the open cuts and bruises covered up by your clothes. Those hidden cuts and scabs would tear loose from the paddle coming across my butt. They would start bleeding again. The blood staining the back of my jeans.If it was not the beatings, the name calling only added to the humiliation. The bullying started in Kindergarten and every year the bullying would get worse. By sixth grade, the word “Faggot” was added to the list of names the boys would start calling me.Why would anyone want to relive this? A totally interesting question. Why would I? The answer is quite simple. If I do not tell my story, someone out there may be going through the same thing. They will feel they are alone in their struggle. If I do not speak it, no one will know.Growing up, for me was brutal. Growing up as a closeted gay boy, was torture. The young people today are more able to come out and be themselves. Bullying still goes on. For someone to take the risk and share their history, no one will know the past.I grew up with abuse, and not only Physical, mental, emotional, psychological, verbal, and sexual. I am not counting the bullying. There were no counselors, no intervention, or foster care. No advocates to remove my twin sister and me from the abuse.I have wondered how I kept my sanity. Who says I have? Or am I the only sane person existing in an insane world?There were no child protection laws back then to protect children against abuse. There were no evaluations for students with learning disorders. Even if there were evaluations, for my mother, it would have been beneath her to admit her child had a learning disorder. Most students were labeled stupid or lazy and never encouraged to make something out of themselves.It was in 1962, Mother and dad were doing some paperwork in the dining room, taxes I think, and they needed a paper out of the file box. Mother told us where to find it. The file box was kept in a closet, in of all places, Ann’s room.Ann and I were around eight years old we found our adoption papers. We found the document mother requested, and we took the adoption papers downstairs as well. We had read it, and it scared us. What did this mean? I handed mother the paperwork she requested, then asked her what these papers were and meant.I have seen my mother angry, not like this. She was furious about us finding out we were adopted. Mother said our birth-mother was nothing but a low-life lazy whore. Then she made the most cutting of all comments. She said we were going to be like her. Basically worthless.This caused a severe self-esteem issue with me. It was hard to fathom everything I had believed, before this moment, had been a lie. How do you explain to an eight-year-old they were a thrown away child?Mother sent us to our rooms until she and dad finished their paperwork. When they finished, mother called us from our bedrooms to come downstairs. She told us to go outside to the front yard and for us to grab a switch on the way.Mother had Ann come to her first. She made Ann pull up her dress and she got a spanking on the butt, about ten swats with mom’s hand on her panties then sent to her room. I was about to be humiliated again. I was ordered to pull my jeans and underwear down to my ankles and pull my shirt up to expose my back, butt, and legs. Instead of using her hand, mother grabbed the switch. Maximum Exposure.Imagine hearing the whooshing sound as the switch cut through the air before you feel the barbs cut across your skin. Oh my God, it stung like hell. Mother never aimed for the same place. Each swing brought a fear of where she was going to strike next.I can remember jerking each time the switch came across my back, my butt or my legs. After counting to ten, on the number of times she hit me with the fucking switch, I lost count. Every swing made me hate her more. I hated her, yet I was supposed to love her because she was my monster, I mean mother.I do not think Ann knew all the beatings I got. I never told her. Maybe she got some I never knew about. I never showed her the welts and deep cuts where the belt or the switches had cut into my skin. My back looked like the aftermath of what a slave would have looked like after a flogging from the taskmaster. This was no different than other beatings. I buried them all.I was never a good liar. I thought people believed me when they asked me why I had many bruises, deep cuts, and marks on my body. I lied and said I got into a fight.I knew better. I knew they did not believe me. Getting into a fight does not leave evidence of being beaten. The most important person I was lying to, was me.Your final question, “Do you regret adopting?” I regret being adopting, but then again, I had no choice in that matter. I am adopting my oldest grandson, whom I have raised since he was a baby. I am the only father he has ever known. He is deaf and has Asperger’s. He is my son and I would never regret making that choice.