Woolwich Attack: Man Reportedly Beheaded In Brutal Assault In London Neighborhood
(WARNING: DISTURBING FOOTAGE)
Posted: 05/22/2013
A man was reportedly killed in an attack with a knife and a meat cleaver in London's Woolwich neighbourhood on Wednesday.
In a statement, London's Metropolitan police commander Simon Letchford said that police have shot two men who had attacked the victim in Woolwich's John Wilson Street. The Telegraph reports that local MP Nick Raynsford said that he believed the victim was a soldier returning to his barracks, while several witnesses described the attack as a "beheading."
According to Bloomberg, two men are in police custody.
The Guardian reports that British Prime Minister David Cameron called the incident "truly shocking." Cameron asked Britain's home secretary to chair a meeting of Cobra, the government's emergency committee.
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Memorial Day remember those lost to suicide and their families
Memorial Day remember those lost to suicide and their families
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times
May 22, 2013
Memorial Day Weekend is a couple of days away. Most people are planning get-away trips for the official kick off of summer. Some of them are planning events to honor the fallen and remember the sacrifices made in the name of this country. Most of them are veterans and family members. Far too few average citizens care enough to remember the lives lost. For us, it is a matter of a loss we are all too familiar with.
My Dad was only 58 when he passed away. He was a Korean War veteran. My uncles passed away and they served in WWII. Not bad considering I am just second generation American. My husband served in Vietnam and so did his nephew. His nephew took his own life years ago. A loss I have never really gotten over because he is a constant reminder of the fact that we cannot get all of them to want to live more than they want to die. He is always on my mind when I write about suicides tied to military service. My husband's Dad and uncles all served in WWII. One of them was killed in action and another suffered shell shock, the term they used to use for PTSD. My husband is also second generation American.
For us, Memorial Day is a day to honor the lives lost. For me it is also a time to remind people of the lives lost to losing the battles after the risk to their lives should have ended.
We've lost over 8,000 since last Memorial Day to suicide. If you use the limited study done recently of 22 a day, multiply that by 365 it is 8,030 but then you would also have to add in the numbers from the military at 349 plus the Army National Guards and Reservists most reporters forget about.
When I was writing THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR I thought about the families I talked to and how much they grieve because they didn't just lose someone they loved, they blame themselves. The truth is, we are all to blame because we allowed "because I said so" to be acceptable to us. The military said they were doing something about it, so we said good then moved on. 900 suicide prevention programs with a rise in military suicides and billions spent every year to be followed by more of the same and we were ok without holding anyone accountable. This is where we ended up.
This Memorial Day, for those of us planning on honoring the fallen, please hold the families of veterans and service members lost to suicide.
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times
May 22, 2013
Memorial Day Weekend is a couple of days away. Most people are planning get-away trips for the official kick off of summer. Some of them are planning events to honor the fallen and remember the sacrifices made in the name of this country. Most of them are veterans and family members. Far too few average citizens care enough to remember the lives lost. For us, it is a matter of a loss we are all too familiar with.
My Dad was only 58 when he passed away. He was a Korean War veteran. My uncles passed away and they served in WWII. Not bad considering I am just second generation American. My husband served in Vietnam and so did his nephew. His nephew took his own life years ago. A loss I have never really gotten over because he is a constant reminder of the fact that we cannot get all of them to want to live more than they want to die. He is always on my mind when I write about suicides tied to military service. My husband's Dad and uncles all served in WWII. One of them was killed in action and another suffered shell shock, the term they used to use for PTSD. My husband is also second generation American.
For us, Memorial Day is a day to honor the lives lost. For me it is also a time to remind people of the lives lost to losing the battles after the risk to their lives should have ended.
We've lost over 8,000 since last Memorial Day to suicide. If you use the limited study done recently of 22 a day, multiply that by 365 it is 8,030 but then you would also have to add in the numbers from the military at 349 plus the Army National Guards and Reservists most reporters forget about.
When I was writing THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR I thought about the families I talked to and how much they grieve because they didn't just lose someone they loved, they blame themselves. The truth is, we are all to blame because we allowed "because I said so" to be acceptable to us. The military said they were doing something about it, so we said good then moved on. 900 suicide prevention programs with a rise in military suicides and billions spent every year to be followed by more of the same and we were ok without holding anyone accountable. This is where we ended up.
STATEMENT OF JACQUELINE GARRICK LCSW-CI was searching for the Department of Defense Suicide Event Report for 2012, since it has been delayed. It has all the data broken down by branch, means, age, all the information needed to have a better understanding of what is happening but also has the number of attempted suicides.
ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE DEFENSE SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE
BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE CONCERNING UPDATE ON MILITARY SUICIDE PREVENTION ON MARCH 6, 2013
According to the most recently published DoDSER Calendar Year 2011 Annual Report, the Department knows that the majority of military suicides were completed by enlisted Caucasian males, age 29 and below, with a high school education. In some cases, legal or financial issues were present and many had experienced a failed intimate relationship. Service members primarily used firearms to complete a suicide and died at home. The majority of Service members did not communicate their intent for self-harm nor did they have a known history of behavioral health problems. Less than half of those who died by suicide had deployed, and a small number were involved with direct combat.
Service members involved in non-fatal suicide attempts were most often high-school educated, junior enlisted Caucasian males under the age of 25. Slightly more than half had a failed intimate relationship. The majority used drugs in their suicide attempt, which most frequently occurred in their own residence. The majority did not communicate their intent for self-harm, but, in contrast to those who died by suicide, most had at least one documented behavioral health disorder. Less than half of those who attempted suicide had a history of deployment, and a small number had experienced direct combat.
The 2010 Task Force noted that there were nearly 900 suicide prevention activities across the Department and found that while the Department had attempted to evaluate its programs, there were inconsistencies, redundancies, and gaps in its approach. Recognizing that there are challenges with measuring prevention since outcomes of the counterfactual—that which did not happen—are difficult to capture and connecting programs to reduced mortality or morbidity are not easy conclusions to draw, DSPO responded by developing a comprehensive capacity analysis of suicide prevention programs and resources through an automated resource management tool that tracks requirements and funding across the Future Year Defense Plan.
This Memorial Day, for those of us planning on honoring the fallen, please hold the families of veterans and service members lost to suicide.
Joint Effort Aimed at Promoting Use of Fully Developed Claims
This is a great example of how veterans can have an easier time filing claims when they use one of the non-profit service organizations to help them. The service officers at the DAV train every year on the latest rules, so they know what is needed for a claim or an increase. They also know what veterans are entitled to when most of the time the veteran isn't even aware these benefits are available for them. I am sure the American Legion also trains. Don't go it alone because missing something can delay your claim and you already have a big enough headache dealing with whatever your service has caused.
Recent VA News Releases
VA and Veterans Service Organizations Announce Claims Initiative to Reduce Claims Backlog
Joint Effort Aimed at Promoting Use of Fully Developed Claims
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and The American Legion announced a new partnership to help reduce the compensation claims backlog for Veterans. The effort—the Fully Developed Claims (FDC) Community of Practice—is a key part of VA’s overall transformation plan to end the backlog in 2015 and process claims within 125 days at 98% accuracy. VA can process FDCs in half the time it takes for a traditionally filed claim.
“VA prides itself on our ongoing partnership with organizations that represent Veterans throughout the claims process,” said Undersecretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey. “A Fully Developed Claim is the most effective way to ensure a Veteran’s claim never reaches the backlog—and is the basis for this new initiative between VA and what we expect will be an ever-increasing number of Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and others who represent Veterans at various points of the claims process. ”
“This new initiative takes a common-sense approach to working smarter to better serve our injured and ill Veterans,” said DAV Washington Headquarters Executive Director Barry Jesinoski “DAV is pleased to be working with the VA to help improve the disability compensation system.”
“We have been working with VA since last December on its fully developed claims process,” said James E. Koutz, national commander of The American Legion. “Teams of our experts have already gone to VA regional offices in Denver, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and other cities to help identify best practices for FDCs, and to further train our own service officers.” Koutz said the Legion’s next visit in support of the FDC program is planned for June at the VA regional office in Reno, Nev.
Claims are considered to be “fully developed” when Veterans submit all available supporting evidence, like private treatment records and notice of federal treatment records, to VA at the time they first file a formal claim and certify they have no more evidence to submit. This is the information that VA needs to make a determination on a disability claim. The FDC program supports the sharing of best practices across Veterans Service Organizations, who help thousands of Veterans each year with their compensation claims, to identify up front all evidence necessary to support a Veteran’s claim. Veterans then certify that they have no additional evidence to submit, and VA can process the claim in half the time it takes for a traditionally filed claim.
VSOs have long played an integral role in submitting Veterans claims - often with representatives working within VA regional offices. VA has consulted with them throughout the development and implementation of VA’s plan to end the backlog in 2015 to ensure best practices and their unique insights were incorporated. The American Legion and DAV are the first to step forward to work with VA on the FDC program, and that program has led to a much more efficient process. Meaningful progress will be felt by increasing numbers of Veterans as more VSOs participate with VA in the FDC program. This initiative is just the latest example of the collaboration between VA and VSOs. In July, VA held a workshop to obtain the views of VSO representatives and to provide them with information on the effort to eliminate the claims backlog. The main focus of the workshop was VA’s emphasis on the shared goal of better serving Veterans and positive impact of filing Fully Developed Claims. These workshops will be replicated in VBA regional offices across the country.
“VA will continue to work with our VSO partners to provide the world-class health care and benefits that Veterans have earned through their service,” said Undersecretary Hickey.
This is the latest effort in support of the Secretary’s plan to reduce the backlog. Last month, VA announced an initiative to expedite compensation claims decisions for Veterans who have waited one year or longer. On April 19, VA began prioritizing claims decisions for Veterans who have been waiting the longest, by providing provisional decisions that allow eligible Veterans to begin collecting compensation benefits quickly. With a provisional decision, a Veteran has a year to submit additional information to support a claim before the decision becomes final.
On May 15, VA announced that it is mandating overtime for claims processors in its 56 regional benefits offices through the end of fiscal year 2013 to help eliminate the backlog, with continued emphasis on high-priority claims for homeless Veterans and those claiming financial hardship, the terminally ill, former Prisoners of War, Medal of Honor recipients, and Veterans filing Fully Developed Claims. As of May 17, the paperless claims processing system known as the Veterans Benefits Management System, or VBMS, has been deployed to 46 out of 56 regional office locations, and about 18% of VA’s current claim inventory is in an electronic format.
Claims for Wounded Warriors separating from the military for medical reasons will continue to be handled separately and on a priority basis with the Department of Defense through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES). On average, Wounded Warriors separating through IDES currently receive VA compensation benefits in 2 months following their separation from service.
Veterans can learn more about disability benefits on the joint Department of Defense-VA web portal eBenefits at http://www.ebenefits.va.gov and find information about filing Fully Developed Claims here: http://www.benefits.va.gov/transformation/fastclaims/. Servicemembers returning from active duty in combat theatres are eligible for five years of VA medical care – regardless of the status of any disability claim submitted. Medical care is not withheld while disability claims are under review. For more information on enrolling in VA health benefits, please visit http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/.
Team Rubicon heading to Oklahoma
Operation Starting Gun
On May 20th, a EF-4 Category tornado touched down outside of Oklahoma City, destroying thousands of homes and businesses and affecting tens of thousands of lives. At times, this tornado stretched as wide as three miles across, decimating the town of Moore, OK. And more severe weather is expected.
We are launching a massive operation to help those affected, and we need your help.
Similar to our response to Superstorm Sandy, TR will activate volunteers from across the country to deploy to Oklahoma. Strike teams will work in the community, going home to home, providing damage assessments and expedient home repair.
I just became part of their fundraising team. Please help them on this important mission.
Wounded Times Team Rubicon
Let them know readers of Wounded Times Supports their work as well as these veterans.
On May 20th, a EF-4 Category tornado touched down outside of Oklahoma City, destroying thousands of homes and businesses and affecting tens of thousands of lives. At times, this tornado stretched as wide as three miles across, decimating the town of Moore, OK. And more severe weather is expected.
We are launching a massive operation to help those affected, and we need your help.
Similar to our response to Superstorm Sandy, TR will activate volunteers from across the country to deploy to Oklahoma. Strike teams will work in the community, going home to home, providing damage assessments and expedient home repair.
I just became part of their fundraising team. Please help them on this important mission.
Wounded Times Team Rubicon
Let them know readers of Wounded Times Supports their work as well as these veterans.
No postings yet for HIV-positive Marines, sailors since policy change
No postings yet for HIV-positive Marines, sailors since policy change
By Matthew M. Burke
Stars and Stripes
Published: May 22, 2013
SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — More than nine months have passed since the Navy decided to open up overseas and large-ship platform assignments to HIV-positive sailors and Marines, but not a single sailor has gotten such a posting.
The Navy’s Personnel Command is grappling with how to implement the instruction, which also covers blood-borne pathogens like hepatitis B and C.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus handed down the policy in August 2012.
Personnel Command officials declined to comment on when the policy would actually take effect. Instructions can take time to implement, Personnel Command spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Rob Lyon told Stars and Stripes in an email.
“Navy Personnel Command recently completed a review of SECNAVINST 5300.30E, dealing with blood-borne pathogens, to ensure sailors affected will have the greatest opportunity to be successful, and any concerns by their receiving commands will be addressed,” Lyon said. “We will more than likely have more to discuss once the Milpersman article (implementation guidance) has been chopped by all parties.”
read more here
By Matthew M. Burke
Stars and Stripes
Published: May 22, 2013
SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — More than nine months have passed since the Navy decided to open up overseas and large-ship platform assignments to HIV-positive sailors and Marines, but not a single sailor has gotten such a posting.
The Navy’s Personnel Command is grappling with how to implement the instruction, which also covers blood-borne pathogens like hepatitis B and C.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus handed down the policy in August 2012.
Personnel Command officials declined to comment on when the policy would actually take effect. Instructions can take time to implement, Personnel Command spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Rob Lyon told Stars and Stripes in an email.
“Navy Personnel Command recently completed a review of SECNAVINST 5300.30E, dealing with blood-borne pathogens, to ensure sailors affected will have the greatest opportunity to be successful, and any concerns by their receiving commands will be addressed,” Lyon said. “We will more than likely have more to discuss once the Milpersman article (implementation guidance) has been chopped by all parties.”
read more here
Man shot by FBI in Orlando over ties to Boston bombing
Friend: Orlando man shot by FBI agent was questioned in Boston Marathon bombings
By Jerriann Sullivan and Amy Pavuk
Orlando Sentinel
10:21 a.m. EDT, May 22, 2013
An Orlando man who was shot and killed by an FBI agent early Wednesday morning was friends with the Boston bombings suspects, according to a friend of the victim.
Ibragim Todashev, 27, was shot in a condo at 6022 Peregrine Avenue, a quiet residential street near Universal Studios, said FBI Agent Dave Couvertier.
"The agent encountered the suspect while conducting official duties," Couvertier said.
An FBI post-shooting incident review team has been dispatched from Washington, D.C., and is expected to arrive in Orlando within 24 hours.
Couvertier, the FBI's spokesman for the Orlando region, released no other details on the shooting or the investigation.
read more here
By Jerriann Sullivan and Amy Pavuk
Orlando Sentinel
10:21 a.m. EDT, May 22, 2013
An Orlando man who was shot and killed by an FBI agent early Wednesday morning was friends with the Boston bombings suspects, according to a friend of the victim.
Ibragim Todashev, 27, was shot in a condo at 6022 Peregrine Avenue, a quiet residential street near Universal Studios, said FBI Agent Dave Couvertier.
"The agent encountered the suspect while conducting official duties," Couvertier said.
An FBI post-shooting incident review team has been dispatched from Washington, D.C., and is expected to arrive in Orlando within 24 hours.
Couvertier, the FBI's spokesman for the Orlando region, released no other details on the shooting or the investigation.
read more here
House passes bill giving disabled vets expedited airport screening
House passes bill giving disabled vets expedited airport screenings
Legislation comes after reports of overzealous TSA inspections of injured veterans
May. 21, 2013
Army Times
By Patricia Kime
Staff Writer
The House has passed a bill that would require the Transportation Security Administration to expedite security screenings for severely injured or disabled veterans and any family members or caregivers traveling with them.
The “Helping Heroes Fly” act, H.R. 1344, would mandate that TSA develop policies for screening disabled veterans to protect their privacy and let them keep on their shoes, belts and jackets when going through security. Taking them off, as is required of regular passengers, is “more than just an inconvenience” to service members or veterans who are wearing a prosthetic or are confined to a wheelchair, said bill sponsor Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii.
“These selfless heroes should never have to face lengthy, invasive and even humiliating screening procedures at our airports. The ‘Helping Heroes Fly Act’ is a strong step toward ensuring they do not face unnecessary hardships after having served our country with courage and dignity,” said Gabbard, who also serves as a captain in the Hawaii National Guard.
read more here
Legislation comes after reports of overzealous TSA inspections of injured veterans
May. 21, 2013
Army Times
By Patricia Kime
Staff Writer
The House has passed a bill that would require the Transportation Security Administration to expedite security screenings for severely injured or disabled veterans and any family members or caregivers traveling with them.
The “Helping Heroes Fly” act, H.R. 1344, would mandate that TSA develop policies for screening disabled veterans to protect their privacy and let them keep on their shoes, belts and jackets when going through security. Taking them off, as is required of regular passengers, is “more than just an inconvenience” to service members or veterans who are wearing a prosthetic or are confined to a wheelchair, said bill sponsor Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii.
“These selfless heroes should never have to face lengthy, invasive and even humiliating screening procedures at our airports. The ‘Helping Heroes Fly Act’ is a strong step toward ensuring they do not face unnecessary hardships after having served our country with courage and dignity,” said Gabbard, who also serves as a captain in the Hawaii National Guard.
read more here
Tornado turns Marin Iraq vet’s town into war zone
Tornado turns marine vet’s town into war zone
War veteran vows to rebuild home flattened in devastating Oklahoma storm
AFP
May 22, 2013
Moore, Oklahoma: Curtis Carver has every intention of rebuilding from scratch the house he lost in Monday’s powerful and deadly hurricane that devastated this Oklahoma City suburb. But first, the construction worker and 20-year veteran of the US Marine Corps, who spent two years on active duty in Iraq, wants to recover his memories from the rubble - and law enforcement is getting in the way.
“My pictures. That’s all I want - my pictures,” he said Tuesday while cooling his heels and suppressing his anger at a road block where a police officer politely but firmly denied him access to the disaster zone.
Other residents could enter with a valid proof of address, and many did, toting out by foot whatever they could in bags and luggage of all shapes and colours to their cars parked a few kilometers away.
But Carver’s house, in the vicinity of Southwest 14th Street and Santa Fe Avenue, was in an area deemed by authorities Tuesday to be still too hazardous to enter, although he did get a glimpse of it Monday evening.
“It was my home, my kids’ home,” said Carver, a 38-year-old father of two, wearing a camouflage jacket over an Oklahoma T-shirt. “Now it’s gone. There’s nothing left. It’s a pile of sticks, and they’re keeping me away.”
read more here
War veteran vows to rebuild home flattened in devastating Oklahoma storm
AFP
May 22, 2013
Moore, Oklahoma: Curtis Carver has every intention of rebuilding from scratch the house he lost in Monday’s powerful and deadly hurricane that devastated this Oklahoma City suburb. But first, the construction worker and 20-year veteran of the US Marine Corps, who spent two years on active duty in Iraq, wants to recover his memories from the rubble - and law enforcement is getting in the way.
“My pictures. That’s all I want - my pictures,” he said Tuesday while cooling his heels and suppressing his anger at a road block where a police officer politely but firmly denied him access to the disaster zone.
Other residents could enter with a valid proof of address, and many did, toting out by foot whatever they could in bags and luggage of all shapes and colours to their cars parked a few kilometers away.
But Carver’s house, in the vicinity of Southwest 14th Street and Santa Fe Avenue, was in an area deemed by authorities Tuesday to be still too hazardous to enter, although he did get a glimpse of it Monday evening.
“It was my home, my kids’ home,” said Carver, a 38-year-old father of two, wearing a camouflage jacket over an Oklahoma T-shirt. “Now it’s gone. There’s nothing left. It’s a pile of sticks, and they’re keeping me away.”
read more here
Veterans groups not happy with House Cost of Living Bill
House Passes COLA Bill for Vets
May 22, 2013
Military.com
by Bryant Jordan
The House on Tuesday passed a cost-of-living adjustment bill for veterans that guarantees a raise each year. However, the American Heroes Cost of Living Adjustment Act still contains some provisions that veterans groups don’t like.
Veteran advocates feared that the legislation could tie future increases to a more conservative Consumer Price Index (CPI) formula. Before the bill passed, those fears were resolved.
Lawmakers introduced what is often called “chained CPI” as a measure to lower Social Security spending. Chained CPI more conservatively calculates inflation. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that a chained CPI could reduce the deficit by about $340 billion.
Along with Social Security, CPI is also used to determine a veteran's COLA. Veterans groups worried that the American Heroes Cost of Living Adjustment Act would protect the COLA from political interference, but it could also lock them into a lower rate. But before the bill was passed, a compromise was struck.
read more here
May 22, 2013
Military.com
by Bryant Jordan
The House on Tuesday passed a cost-of-living adjustment bill for veterans that guarantees a raise each year. However, the American Heroes Cost of Living Adjustment Act still contains some provisions that veterans groups don’t like.
Veteran advocates feared that the legislation could tie future increases to a more conservative Consumer Price Index (CPI) formula. Before the bill passed, those fears were resolved.
Lawmakers introduced what is often called “chained CPI” as a measure to lower Social Security spending. Chained CPI more conservatively calculates inflation. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that a chained CPI could reduce the deficit by about $340 billion.
Along with Social Security, CPI is also used to determine a veteran's COLA. Veterans groups worried that the American Heroes Cost of Living Adjustment Act would protect the COLA from political interference, but it could also lock them into a lower rate. But before the bill was passed, a compromise was struck.
read more here
Reflections of Vietnam
REFLECTIONS OF VIETNAM
Citizen Times.com
Local man fights effects
Written by Barbara Hootman
Staff Writer
May 21, 2013
Greg Miller served in Vietnam in 1969, and remembers it as six months that has affected his entire life.
“I was stationed in Lay Binh in south Vietnam,” the Black Mountain resident said. “I was in the Army Signal Corp. I helped coordinate communications from the bottom half of Vietnam to 28 different sites every day. Then I would trouble shoot, figuring out what they needed and making sure they got it.”
Miller describes the area as one not under fire a lot of the time.
“On a stress level of one -10, it would rank about a four or five,” he said. “We were stationed across from a Medi-Vac hospital and there were lots of wounded soldiers coming in.”
Miller had been a divinity student in the States, but had grown tired of college and decided to volunteer for the Army.
“I probably could have served as a chaplain, but I was interested in electronics, and that put me in communications,” he said.
read more here
Citizen Times.com
Local man fights effects
Written by Barbara Hootman
Staff Writer
May 21, 2013
Greg Miller served in Vietnam in 1969, and remembers it as six months that has affected his entire life.
“I was stationed in Lay Binh in south Vietnam,” the Black Mountain resident said. “I was in the Army Signal Corp. I helped coordinate communications from the bottom half of Vietnam to 28 different sites every day. Then I would trouble shoot, figuring out what they needed and making sure they got it.”
Miller describes the area as one not under fire a lot of the time.
“On a stress level of one -10, it would rank about a four or five,” he said. “We were stationed across from a Medi-Vac hospital and there were lots of wounded soldiers coming in.”
Miller had been a divinity student in the States, but had grown tired of college and decided to volunteer for the Army.
“I probably could have served as a chaplain, but I was interested in electronics, and that put me in communications,” he said.
read more here
MLB teams are wearing camouflage for Memorial Day for PTSD and TBI
MLB teams are wearing camouflage for Memorial Day
Memorial Day uniforms unofficially unveiled
USA Today Sports
By MIKE FOSS
May 21, 2013
These authentic uniforms are being sold for $256.99 at MLB.com, and before you balk at the price, consider 100% of MLB’s proceeds are going to Welcome Back Veterans, which is a program designed to provide grants to hospitals and clinics that provide post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury treatment to veterans.
read more here
Memorial Day uniforms unofficially unveiled
USA Today Sports
By MIKE FOSS
May 21, 2013
These authentic uniforms are being sold for $256.99 at MLB.com, and before you balk at the price, consider 100% of MLB’s proceeds are going to Welcome Back Veterans, which is a program designed to provide grants to hospitals and clinics that provide post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury treatment to veterans.
read more here
Army Specialist Mason Van Kuiken missing since March from Fort Carson
Where is this missing soldier from Bradenton?
WTSP News
Tammie Fields
May 21, 2013
BRADENTON, Florida - In Manatee County, there's a mystery over a 22-year-old missing soldier who seems to have vanished without a trace.
The parents of U.S. Army Specialist Mason Van Kuiken say they've made phone numerous phone calls to try to figure out what happened to their son. Dru Love and Mike Van Kuiken say so far this is the best timeline they've been able to develop:
Army specialist Mason Van Kuiken from Bradenton is stationed at Ft. Carson, Colorado. He left the base without permission on March 14 when he had three days off.
He drove to the Fort Hood, Texas area to visit his best friend, Will, who is also from Bradenton but is stationed there.
But as Mason was headed back to Colorado a deputy pulled him over in the small town of Goldthwaite, Texas on March 15.
A Mills County Sheriff's Office deputy told the family weapons were found inside Mason's vehicle that he didn't have proper permits for so he was arrested and his car impounded. Mason bonded out of jail the evening of March 17, and a bail bondsman employee took him to a motel in Early, Texas, where Mason's debit card was used to stay the night.
read more here
Recent missing reports
Iraq Veteran missing in Gainesville Larry Vantassel, Gainesville.
Marine Combat Vet Jonathan Pablik is missing in the Seattle
WTSP News
Tammie Fields
May 21, 2013
BRADENTON, Florida - In Manatee County, there's a mystery over a 22-year-old missing soldier who seems to have vanished without a trace.
The parents of U.S. Army Specialist Mason Van Kuiken say they've made phone numerous phone calls to try to figure out what happened to their son. Dru Love and Mike Van Kuiken say so far this is the best timeline they've been able to develop:
Army specialist Mason Van Kuiken from Bradenton is stationed at Ft. Carson, Colorado. He left the base without permission on March 14 when he had three days off.
He drove to the Fort Hood, Texas area to visit his best friend, Will, who is also from Bradenton but is stationed there.
But as Mason was headed back to Colorado a deputy pulled him over in the small town of Goldthwaite, Texas on March 15.
A Mills County Sheriff's Office deputy told the family weapons were found inside Mason's vehicle that he didn't have proper permits for so he was arrested and his car impounded. Mason bonded out of jail the evening of March 17, and a bail bondsman employee took him to a motel in Early, Texas, where Mason's debit card was used to stay the night.
read more here
Recent missing reports
Iraq Veteran missing in Gainesville Larry Vantassel, Gainesville.
Marine Combat Vet Jonathan Pablik is missing in the Seattle
Finally healing from ‘the forgotten war’
This is a great example of many things. One is that we didn't take care of older veterans properly and they suffered but above that, they survived. Some of them took their own lives many years ago. Some are still doing it. We don't know how many but then again, we still don't know how many take their own lives today. There are too many unknowable with questions left behind. No suicides notes. Drug overdoses are not always known to be accidental or on purpose. Vehicle accidents are another puzzle because there have been reports that the driver was suffering. We will never really know for sure.
Another lesson is that it is never too late to get help to heal.
My Dad was a Korean War veteran and he was 100% disabled. We knew he was an alcoholic but he very well could have had a mild case of PTSD. He passed away when he was only 58. We know that PTSD comes with a long list of health issues and one of them is damage to the heart. The VA took care of his physical health but back then, mental healthcare was not so great.
He went to AA.
Another lesson is that it is never too late to get help to heal.
My Dad was a Korean War veteran and he was 100% disabled. We knew he was an alcoholic but he very well could have had a mild case of PTSD. He passed away when he was only 58. We know that PTSD comes with a long list of health issues and one of them is damage to the heart. The VA took care of his physical health but back then, mental healthcare was not so great.
He went to AA.
Finally healing from ‘the forgotten war’
Montgomery Herald
May 22, 2013
By Linda Beaulieu
It used to be called shell shock or battle fatigue. Today, the term is post traumatic stress disorder – PTSD. And while it can affect the life of anyone who goes through some horrific event, it’s most closely connected to members of the armed forces who have survived physical battle only to face a mental and emotional battle that can go on for the rest of their lives.
Today, the military provides help for soldiers and veterans with PTSD. But in 1954, when young men returned from the horrors of what is often called “the forgotten war” in Korea, they were on their own.
One of those young men was James McQueen, of Star.
McQueen grew up in Okeweemee, left school in ninth grade and went to work driving a delivery truck for FCX farm supply.
read more here
Our Shared Mission…to End Suicide
Our Shared Mission…to End Suicide
TIME
By Barbara Van Dahlen
May 21, 2013
I didn’t know Neil Landsberg.
But I know many of the fine veterans who work for and volunteer with the organization that Neil clearly loved, Team Rubicon.
Neil was 34 years old when he took his life May 9.
By all accounts he was a fine man who had served our country with distinction as a captain in Air Force Special Operations. Neil received the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. According to posted information about his life, Neil completed multiple overseas combat deployments while with the Air Force, and after he came home he continued to serve his community. In addition to his work with Team Rubicon, Neil volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and at Walter Reed.
I didn’t know retired Army colonel Grant Zachary either.
But I do know and respect his wife, Brigadier General Marianne Watson, who serves with the Army National Guard.
Grant was 54 years old when he took his life—also on May 9. The pictures posted online with his obituary tell the story of a loving father, husband, and family man. Grant served our country for 20 years with the Minnesota Army National Guard as a UH-1 Huey helicopter pilot, Flight Facility Commander at Holman Field, and State Aviation Officer in St. Paul.
read more here
Marine Clay Hunt's family fighting to keep others alive
Another member of Team Rubicon lost battle to suicide
TIME
By Barbara Van Dahlen
May 21, 2013
I didn’t know Neil Landsberg.
But I know many of the fine veterans who work for and volunteer with the organization that Neil clearly loved, Team Rubicon.
Neil was 34 years old when he took his life May 9.
By all accounts he was a fine man who had served our country with distinction as a captain in Air Force Special Operations. Neil received the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. According to posted information about his life, Neil completed multiple overseas combat deployments while with the Air Force, and after he came home he continued to serve his community. In addition to his work with Team Rubicon, Neil volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and at Walter Reed.
I didn’t know retired Army colonel Grant Zachary either.
But I do know and respect his wife, Brigadier General Marianne Watson, who serves with the Army National Guard.
Grant was 54 years old when he took his life—also on May 9. The pictures posted online with his obituary tell the story of a loving father, husband, and family man. Grant served our country for 20 years with the Minnesota Army National Guard as a UH-1 Huey helicopter pilot, Flight Facility Commander at Holman Field, and State Aviation Officer in St. Paul.
read more here
Marine Clay Hunt's family fighting to keep others alive
Another member of Team Rubicon lost battle to suicide
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Army's ineffective to prevent sexual assaults in Korea
Report underscores Army's ineffectiveness to prevent sexual assaults in Korea
By Ashley Rowland
Stars and Stripes
Published: May 21, 2013
SEOUL – Failed leadership, easy access to alcohol and mixed messages about questionable off-post establishments have rendered the Army’s sexual assault prevention programs in South Korea largely ineffective, according to a military study.
Stars and Stripes obtained a copy of a 28-page draft report produced by a sexual assault task force formed in spring 2011 to study the problem. For nearly two years, Eighth Army officials have refused repeated requests from Stars and Stripes for the report, instead providing a one-page summary this month.
The draft report documented the Army’s inability to respond to what it described as “special circumstances” in South Korea that might contribute to sexual assaults, including widespread underage drinking.
read more here
By Ashley Rowland
Stars and Stripes
Published: May 21, 2013
SEOUL – Failed leadership, easy access to alcohol and mixed messages about questionable off-post establishments have rendered the Army’s sexual assault prevention programs in South Korea largely ineffective, according to a military study.
Stars and Stripes obtained a copy of a 28-page draft report produced by a sexual assault task force formed in spring 2011 to study the problem. For nearly two years, Eighth Army officials have refused repeated requests from Stars and Stripes for the report, instead providing a one-page summary this month.
The draft report documented the Army’s inability to respond to what it described as “special circumstances” in South Korea that might contribute to sexual assaults, including widespread underage drinking.
read more here
Fort Jackson 1-star suspended amid misconduct allegations
Fort Jackson 1-star suspended amid misconduct allegations
Army Times
By Joe Gould
Staff Writer
May. 21, 2013
The Army announced it has suspended the commander of Fort Jackson, S.C., amid misconduct allegations that include adultery and a physical altercation, according to a spokesman for Training and Doctrine Command.
Brig. Gen. Bryan T. Roberts was suspended today as commander of the Army Training Center and Fort Jackson by TRADOC commander Gen. Robert W. Cone, based on a preliminary investigation by Army Criminal Investigation Command. The investigation pointed to a breach of good order and discipline, “which was contrary to Army values and could not be condoned,” said spokesman Harvey Perritt.
Perritt said he could not provide details of the investigation in order to protect the privacy of those involved and the investigation itself, which is expected to span several weeks to several months.
“Regardless of rank or position, soldiers will be held accountable for their actions,” Perritt told Army Times. “We have to assume Brig. Gen. Roberts is innocent until proven otherwise.”
read more here
Army Times
By Joe Gould
Staff Writer
May. 21, 2013
The Army announced it has suspended the commander of Fort Jackson, S.C., amid misconduct allegations that include adultery and a physical altercation, according to a spokesman for Training and Doctrine Command.
Brig. Gen. Bryan T. Roberts was suspended today as commander of the Army Training Center and Fort Jackson by TRADOC commander Gen. Robert W. Cone, based on a preliminary investigation by Army Criminal Investigation Command. The investigation pointed to a breach of good order and discipline, “which was contrary to Army values and could not be condoned,” said spokesman Harvey Perritt.
Perritt said he could not provide details of the investigation in order to protect the privacy of those involved and the investigation itself, which is expected to span several weeks to several months.
“Regardless of rank or position, soldiers will be held accountable for their actions,” Perritt told Army Times. “We have to assume Brig. Gen. Roberts is innocent until proven otherwise.”
read more here
Oklahoma National Guard Uses New Combat Gear, Tactics From Afghanistan
National Guard Uses New Combat Gear, Tactics in Moore, Okla.
'It's still chaos,' said one soldier who patrolled with Air Force, Army veterans
US News
By PAUL D. SHINKMAN
May 21, 2013
Oklahoma National Guardsmen, many of them combat veterans, were among the first responders to the tornado that tore through Moore, Okla. Monday afternoon.
Roughly 80 soldiers and airmen from nearby bases rushed to the disaster zone early Monday evening, a spokesman says. They brought with them advanced tactical equipment, experience from the war in Afghanistan and an overarching desire to help friends and neighbors.
"It's still chaos," says Maj. Geoff Legler, a spokesman for the Oklahoma National Guard who arrived with the initial quick reaction force Monday night. He first saw victims of the EF4-rated tornado escaping on foot via major avenues, clutching photo albums and pictures, and anything else that would fit into suitcases.
Hundreds of firemen, search and rescue workers and police responded to schools and neighborhoods affected by more than 200 mph winds. Legler flew over the disaster site Tuesday morning and says every intersection was occupied by first responders or members of the National Guard. Roughly 75 percent of the guardsmen based in Norman, just south of Moore, came out last night to work with airmen from the 146th Air Support Operations Squadron stationed out of Will Rogers Air National Guard Base near Oklahoma City.
read more here
'It's still chaos,' said one soldier who patrolled with Air Force, Army veterans
US News
By PAUL D. SHINKMAN
May 21, 2013
Oklahoma National Guardsmen, many of them combat veterans, were among the first responders to the tornado that tore through Moore, Okla. Monday afternoon.
Roughly 80 soldiers and airmen from nearby bases rushed to the disaster zone early Monday evening, a spokesman says. They brought with them advanced tactical equipment, experience from the war in Afghanistan and an overarching desire to help friends and neighbors.
"It's still chaos," says Maj. Geoff Legler, a spokesman for the Oklahoma National Guard who arrived with the initial quick reaction force Monday night. He first saw victims of the EF4-rated tornado escaping on foot via major avenues, clutching photo albums and pictures, and anything else that would fit into suitcases.
Hundreds of firemen, search and rescue workers and police responded to schools and neighborhoods affected by more than 200 mph winds. Legler flew over the disaster site Tuesday morning and says every intersection was occupied by first responders or members of the National Guard. Roughly 75 percent of the guardsmen based in Norman, just south of Moore, came out last night to work with airmen from the 146th Air Support Operations Squadron stationed out of Will Rogers Air National Guard Base near Oklahoma City.
read more here
Defense contractors gets jail time stealing from injured Marines
Man sentenced for stealing from injured troops
U-T San Diego
By Susan Shroder
MAY 20, 2013
SAN DIEGO — An Oceanside man who U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy said sought to profit at the expense of injured U.S. troops was sentenced Monday for stealing medical equipment from Camp Pendleton that was to be shipped to Marines overseas.
Michael Tuisee, 34, was one of three civilian defense contractors charged in the case. All three men worked at medical-supply warehouses on the base.
The other defendants, Henry Bonilla, 25, of Pomona, and Richard Navarro, 39, of Fallbrook, are scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 30. All three pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to engage in theft of government property.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo sentenced Tuisee to six months in prison, then six months of house arrest and three years of supervised release. Tuisee also was ordered to pay nearly $180,000 in restitution to the Marine Corps and forfeit $8,250 in illegal proceeds.
read more here
U-T San Diego
By Susan Shroder
MAY 20, 2013
SAN DIEGO — An Oceanside man who U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy said sought to profit at the expense of injured U.S. troops was sentenced Monday for stealing medical equipment from Camp Pendleton that was to be shipped to Marines overseas.
Michael Tuisee, 34, was one of three civilian defense contractors charged in the case. All three men worked at medical-supply warehouses on the base.
The other defendants, Henry Bonilla, 25, of Pomona, and Richard Navarro, 39, of Fallbrook, are scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 30. All three pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to engage in theft of government property.
U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo sentenced Tuisee to six months in prison, then six months of house arrest and three years of supervised release. Tuisee also was ordered to pay nearly $180,000 in restitution to the Marine Corps and forfeit $8,250 in illegal proceeds.
read more here
Fort Hood shooter paid while waiting for trail, victims go broke
Accused Fort Hood Shooter Paid $278,000
While Awaiting Trial
Injured soldier outraged suspected shooter receives salary while his family financially struggles in recovery
By Scott Friedman
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The Department of Defense confirms to NBC 5 Investigates that accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Hasan has now been paid more than $278,000 since the Nov. 5, 2009 shooting that left 13 dead 32 injured. The Army said under the Military Code of Justice, Hasan’s salary cannot be suspended unless he is proven guilty.
If Hasan had been a civilian defense department employee, NBC 5 Investigates has learned, the Army could have suspended his pay after just seven days.
Personnel rules for most civilian government workers allow for "indefinite suspensions" in cases "when the agency has reasonable cause to believe that the employee has committed a crime for which a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed."
While Awaiting Trial
Injured soldier outraged suspected shooter receives salary while his family financially struggles in recovery
By Scott Friedman
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The Department of Defense confirms to NBC 5 Investigates that accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Hasan has now been paid more than $278,000 since the Nov. 5, 2009 shooting that left 13 dead 32 injured. The Army said under the Military Code of Justice, Hasan’s salary cannot be suspended unless he is proven guilty.
If Hasan had been a civilian defense department employee, NBC 5 Investigates has learned, the Army could have suspended his pay after just seven days.
Personnel rules for most civilian government workers allow for "indefinite suspensions" in cases "when the agency has reasonable cause to believe that the employee has committed a crime for which a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed."
Retired Army Spc. Logan Burnett, a reservist who, in 2009, was soon to be deployed to Iraq, was shot three times when a gunman opened fire inside the Army Deployment Center.
“I honestly thought I was going to die in that building,” said Burnett. “Just blood everywhere and then the thought of -- that's my blood everywhere.”
Burnett nearly died. He's had more than a dozen surgeries since the shooting, and says post-traumatic stress still keeps him up at night.
Burnett is now fighting a new battle; only this one is against the U.S. Army.
The Army has not classified the wounds of the Ft. Hood victims as “combat related” and declines to label the shooting a “terrorist attack”,
The “combat related” designation is an important one, for without it Burnett and other shooting victims are not given combat-related pay, they are not eligible for Purple Heart retirement or medical benefits given to other soldiers wounded either at war or during the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon.
read more here
Military's Suicide Scandal and Wounded Times
Military's Suicide Scandal and Wounded Times
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
May 21, 2013
I am so sick and tired of seeing all the hard work that goes into covering the stories on this site turn into a "go to" to make reporters lives easier but never getting mentioned or donated to. The worst part is, when I ask the reporters using it to return the favor, they don't. They can't even manage to kick in a buck or two for the resource they find so valuable.
Friday I was heading to a meeting in Merritt Island and as usual, I was lost. The street I was looking for was not clearly marked, so I kept passing it. My cell phone rang. It was a reporter "working on deadline" wanting to ask questions on Jim Dao's report on the New York Times because links were not working. The reporter was none other than Nancy Goldstein. I told her some basics as I tried to find the address when somehow as I was not really paying attention to where I was going, I found it. I told her that she could call me later on and we could talk since the meeting was suppose to end at 5:00. I received a text from her saying she found what she needed on Wounded Times. That was the last I heard from her. That is until now when I was reading the article she wrote.
I hesitated to put the link up after yet again seeing my hard work on Wounded Times just being used to make the life easier for a reporter being paid to write their articles. The truth is, it is a good report and should be read.
There are almost 19,000 posts on Wounded Times and they come from news reports I track across the country. Each one of them has links to the reports reporters get paid to write because it is their time, energy and talent. The least thing they can do is return the favor by listing Wounded Times as their resource.
This isn't the first time and it won't be the last time but I no longer put up with just taking and and not letting readers know what is going on. Some may say it is unprofessional for me to point this out but it is even more unprofessional for them to just do it. Plus consider that I do not get paid to do this, so when you think about, I am not a professional. I just have more professional standards to live up to when it comes to doing the right thing.
Yep, my day started off really badly. They write stories but we live with them on a daily basis. They report on the lives being torn apart but we are living with them. They are not just some subject of curiosity. They are our family members. Well at least we know our stories matter to some reporters but it really should make all of us wonder, if they are doing something like this, how much do they really care about what we live with?
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
May 21, 2013
I am so sick and tired of seeing all the hard work that goes into covering the stories on this site turn into a "go to" to make reporters lives easier but never getting mentioned or donated to. The worst part is, when I ask the reporters using it to return the favor, they don't. They can't even manage to kick in a buck or two for the resource they find so valuable.
Friday I was heading to a meeting in Merritt Island and as usual, I was lost. The street I was looking for was not clearly marked, so I kept passing it. My cell phone rang. It was a reporter "working on deadline" wanting to ask questions on Jim Dao's report on the New York Times because links were not working. The reporter was none other than Nancy Goldstein. I told her some basics as I tried to find the address when somehow as I was not really paying attention to where I was going, I found it. I told her that she could call me later on and we could talk since the meeting was suppose to end at 5:00. I received a text from her saying she found what she needed on Wounded Times. That was the last I heard from her. That is until now when I was reading the article she wrote.
The Military's Suicide Scandal
The American Prospect
NANCY GOLDSTEIN
MAY 20, 2013
It’s time for the top brass to stop feigning surprise and start addressing the mounting mental-health epidemic.
What a drag it’s been these past few weeks to watch the military brass—those kings of accountability, at least when it comes to other people’s behavior—huffing and bluffing and outright lying about what they knew and when they knew it. First we had to endure the sight of them gaping over the news that the sexual-violence crisis they’ve done nothing to squelch since the assault of 83 women and seven men at the Tailhook Air Force convention in 1991 has worsened. Now those same Pentagon officials are shocked, simply shocked, by the military’s spiking suicide rates, despite the fact that those numbers, which have been rising steadily for the past 12 years, come from their own reporting system (and some claim are still an undercount).
The only thing worse than the Pentagon’s faux surprise has been the complicity of news organizations willing to echo its talking points. Shame on The New York Times for last week’s “Baffling Rise in Suicides Plagues the U.S. Military.” Disturbing, yes. But there’s nothing “baffling” about the news that more active-duty troops killed themselves in 2012 than were killed in combat in Afghanistan in the same year, and that the number of suicides has doubled from a decade ago.
As the Government Accountability Office (GAO)—Congress’s nonpartisan investigative wing—and a variety of media outlets attest, there’s been only one thing better documented than the military’s unwillingness over the past 25 years to throw any real muscle into ending its culture of widespread sexual assault. And that’s the military’s unwillingness to acknowledge the prevalence of post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD) and other mental-health issues plaguing service members and to enact serious reforms aimed at curbing and treating mental illness in its ranks. The military’s systemic incompetence on this issue continues despite years of analysis and criticism, not only from service member advocacy organizations, but also from within the Beltway.
read more here
I hesitated to put the link up after yet again seeing my hard work on Wounded Times just being used to make the life easier for a reporter being paid to write their articles. The truth is, it is a good report and should be read.
There are almost 19,000 posts on Wounded Times and they come from news reports I track across the country. Each one of them has links to the reports reporters get paid to write because it is their time, energy and talent. The least thing they can do is return the favor by listing Wounded Times as their resource.
This isn't the first time and it won't be the last time but I no longer put up with just taking and and not letting readers know what is going on. Some may say it is unprofessional for me to point this out but it is even more unprofessional for them to just do it. Plus consider that I do not get paid to do this, so when you think about, I am not a professional. I just have more professional standards to live up to when it comes to doing the right thing.
Yep, my day started off really badly. They write stories but we live with them on a daily basis. They report on the lives being torn apart but we are living with them. They are not just some subject of curiosity. They are our family members. Well at least we know our stories matter to some reporters but it really should make all of us wonder, if they are doing something like this, how much do they really care about what we live with?
Marine Combat Vet Jonathan Pablik is missing in the Seattle
Marine Missing in Seattle Washington
Salem-News.com
May 20, 2013
(SEATTLE) - A Marine Combat Vet named Jonathan Pablik is missing in the Seattle area, his friends and family are concerned, they say Jonathan is suffering from PTSD.
Paul Isaac with Occupy Marines writes, "He is a good friend of mine. If you guys could post this, it would be awesome. If anyone has any information, they can contact his Mother on facebook."
Jonathan's mother, Sandy Pablik, wrote the following in regard to her son's disappearance:
"He was following a personal journey which he called walk of faith. The problem was he was the only one who knew what this all really meant. He suffered a PTSD episode on Wednesday night and that's the last we heard of him.
read more here
Salem-News.com
May 20, 2013
(SEATTLE) - A Marine Combat Vet named Jonathan Pablik is missing in the Seattle area, his friends and family are concerned, they say Jonathan is suffering from PTSD.
Paul Isaac with Occupy Marines writes, "He is a good friend of mine. If you guys could post this, it would be awesome. If anyone has any information, they can contact his Mother on facebook."
Jonathan's mother, Sandy Pablik, wrote the following in regard to her son's disappearance:
"He was following a personal journey which he called walk of faith. The problem was he was the only one who knew what this all really meant. He suffered a PTSD episode on Wednesday night and that's the last we heard of him.
read more here
Umbrella-gate Marine's family thinks the whole thing is a hoot
Marine holding umbrella for Obama is from Apopka
Beth Kassab
Orlando Sentinel Columnist
May 20, 2013
Such is the case for the picture of a frowning President Obama looking up at a rainy sky (how's that for a metaphor about recent White House missteps?) while a young Marine stands by with an umbrella.
The kerfluffle has even taken on its own name. Or several. "Umbrella Marine." "Umbrella Scandal." Yes, even "Umbrella-gate."
Well, the Marine has a name too. He's Cpl. Nathan Previti from Apopka.
And while Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity are using the photo of Previti's white-gloved hand dutifully shielding Obama from rain as more "proof" that the president is aloof (can't hold his own umbrella) and disrespectful of the military (doesn't he know Marines aren't supposed to hold umbrellas?), the Previti family thinks the whole thing is a hoot.
read more here
Beth Kassab
Orlando Sentinel Columnist
May 20, 2013
It's true that Marines are not supposed to carry umbrellas in certain uniforms. But Nathan Previti is assigned to a special unit in the White House that handles all kinds of ceremonial duties.Every now and then a photo of something relatively mundane takes on a life of its own.
Such is the case for the picture of a frowning President Obama looking up at a rainy sky (how's that for a metaphor about recent White House missteps?) while a young Marine stands by with an umbrella.
The kerfluffle has even taken on its own name. Or several. "Umbrella Marine." "Umbrella Scandal." Yes, even "Umbrella-gate."
Well, the Marine has a name too. He's Cpl. Nathan Previti from Apopka.
And while Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity are using the photo of Previti's white-gloved hand dutifully shielding Obama from rain as more "proof" that the president is aloof (can't hold his own umbrella) and disrespectful of the military (doesn't he know Marines aren't supposed to hold umbrellas?), the Previti family thinks the whole thing is a hoot.
read more here
Jon Stewart attacks the VA again, without a clue
Jon Stewart attacks the VA again, without a clue
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times
May 21, 2013
If you read Wounded Times with any regularity, you know how bad it has been for the men and women willing to risk their lives for this country and each other but if you don't you'd think the rantings of members of Congress on the subjects they want to talk about were all that was happening.
If you watch The Daily Show you'd hear Jon Stewart ranting about the claims backlog. He seems to think the problem just started. He has been going off on the VA for about a month now but as vocal as he was on the 900,000 claims, he didn't seem to know that the majority of those claims were from Vietnam Veterans. Stewart had no clue these numbers have been going up and down for as long as I've been involved and aware, which goes back to 1982.
Where the hell was Stewart when President Bush was advised to cut the VA budget because he was told that the number of veterans being treated by the VA would drop? Yes, that happened and Nicholson said that most of the claims backlogged were for dental appointments. Guess the forgot there were two wars producing more wounded war fighters and veterans.
It isn't as if President Bush was the first to betray the troops and veterans. Every week the VA releases a report on the claims they are handling. Monday Morning Workload Report 60% of the claims are for veterans with approved claims filing supplemental claims. Vietnam Veterans are 38% of the backlog and 37% of Pending Claims. These veterans have waited through all the presidents going back to President Kennedy. Agent Orange claims and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders tied to their service in Vietnam along with the contaminated military bases like Camp Lejeune and Fort McClellan more toxic than Camp Lejeune. If Stewart mentioned any of this it wouldn't be so funny to him. After all, no one cares about Vietnam veterans being the majority of the claims since the only reports Stewart's staff reads are OEF and OIF so they can hit the majority of their viewers.
Pending claims
Backlog claims
The problems didn't just start just because Stewart became aware of them now. It would have been great if he paid attention to the "other than honorable discharges" that were happening years ago and then maybe things wouldn't be as bad as they are now. Total discharges at the eight Army posts that house most of the service's combat units have increased 67 percent since 2009. Then again the military sexual assaults caused over 85,000 treated last year alone. Maybe he could care that 13,000 males were among the victims of sexual assaults?
I have no patience for any administration giving excuses on any of this. I have even less patiences when someone like Stewart blows the opportunity to actually do something about it.
I fully understand that Stewart is a comedian and not a reporter but if he makes the choice to cover a topic this serious, he has an obligation to know what the hell he's talking about.
I used to watch the Daily Show because he made me laugh. Now I think it is too sad to watch because he just doesn't care enough to know what is going on.
Last night he was talking about what a great machine Obama had running for office. What he didn't mention was Congress is responsible for oversight, hearings as well as funding. Obama appoints the heads of the departments and sets the agenda but all of it has to happen with Congress taking action or not. So far no one has been held accountable for any of this throughout any administration other than Nicholson losing his job.
It would be nice if Stewart thought about any of this and then maybe Congress would be forced to not just hold hearings but hold people accountable for a change and fix what is happening to the people we send to fight our battles.
If you want to get caught up on what you haven't been hearing about what has really been going on, read THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR and know how bad it is and how it got this way. I track all these reports and even I didn't know all of this was happening.
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times
May 21, 2013
If you read Wounded Times with any regularity, you know how bad it has been for the men and women willing to risk their lives for this country and each other but if you don't you'd think the rantings of members of Congress on the subjects they want to talk about were all that was happening.
If you watch The Daily Show you'd hear Jon Stewart ranting about the claims backlog. He seems to think the problem just started. He has been going off on the VA for about a month now but as vocal as he was on the 900,000 claims, he didn't seem to know that the majority of those claims were from Vietnam Veterans. Stewart had no clue these numbers have been going up and down for as long as I've been involved and aware, which goes back to 1982.
Where the hell was Stewart when President Bush was advised to cut the VA budget because he was told that the number of veterans being treated by the VA would drop? Yes, that happened and Nicholson said that most of the claims backlogged were for dental appointments. Guess the forgot there were two wars producing more wounded war fighters and veterans.
It isn't as if President Bush was the first to betray the troops and veterans. Every week the VA releases a report on the claims they are handling. Monday Morning Workload Report 60% of the claims are for veterans with approved claims filing supplemental claims. Vietnam Veterans are 38% of the backlog and 37% of Pending Claims. These veterans have waited through all the presidents going back to President Kennedy. Agent Orange claims and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders tied to their service in Vietnam along with the contaminated military bases like Camp Lejeune and Fort McClellan more toxic than Camp Lejeune. If Stewart mentioned any of this it wouldn't be so funny to him. After all, no one cares about Vietnam veterans being the majority of the claims since the only reports Stewart's staff reads are OEF and OIF so they can hit the majority of their viewers.
Pending claims
Backlog claims
The problems didn't just start just because Stewart became aware of them now. It would have been great if he paid attention to the "other than honorable discharges" that were happening years ago and then maybe things wouldn't be as bad as they are now. Total discharges at the eight Army posts that house most of the service's combat units have increased 67 percent since 2009. Then again the military sexual assaults caused over 85,000 treated last year alone. Maybe he could care that 13,000 males were among the victims of sexual assaults?
I have no patience for any administration giving excuses on any of this. I have even less patiences when someone like Stewart blows the opportunity to actually do something about it.
I fully understand that Stewart is a comedian and not a reporter but if he makes the choice to cover a topic this serious, he has an obligation to know what the hell he's talking about.
I used to watch the Daily Show because he made me laugh. Now I think it is too sad to watch because he just doesn't care enough to know what is going on.
Last night he was talking about what a great machine Obama had running for office. What he didn't mention was Congress is responsible for oversight, hearings as well as funding. Obama appoints the heads of the departments and sets the agenda but all of it has to happen with Congress taking action or not. So far no one has been held accountable for any of this throughout any administration other than Nicholson losing his job.
It would be nice if Stewart thought about any of this and then maybe Congress would be forced to not just hold hearings but hold people accountable for a change and fix what is happening to the people we send to fight our battles.
If you want to get caught up on what you haven't been hearing about what has really been going on, read THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR and know how bad it is and how it got this way. I track all these reports and even I didn't know all of this was happening.
Locked Away Army struggles with wounded soldiers
Locked Away Army struggles with wounded soldiers
By Dave Philipps
The Gazette
In 2012, the Army diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder. Doctors gave him a mix of contraindicated drugs that made him manic. A few weeks later, he slammed his wife's head against their Jeep until she was covered in blood then turned on the military police who tried to stop him. He had been scheduled to go into a special unit for wounded soldiers. Instead, the Army put him in jail.
In the El Paso County jail, Sasse picked up three more assault charges for assaulting guards. He ended up in solitary. He sat there for almost nine months, growing a long, bushy beard and developing, an Army doctor wrote in January, "severe psychiatric disease."
"Given his condition, his confinement is tantamount to cruel and unusual punishment," Fort Carson's top defense attorney said in a letter to Fort Carson's commander in September, asking the general to send Sasse to a psychiatric hospital.
Still, the Army left him in solitary.
His family pleaded to the commander and their hometown senator to intervene to no avail.
If convicted and thrown out of the Army, Sasse had a plan: go to the Capitol in Washington, D.C., lay his thick stack of medical records on the steps then set himself on fire.
"It's the only way I can get anyone to listen," he said as deputies took him away.
read more here
Also
Left Behind No break for the wounded
Other than honorable way to treat combat wounded, Army kicks them out
By Dave Philipps
The Gazette
Sgt. Paul Sasse arrived at Fort Carson in February in a uniform glistening with decorations from three combat tours: five medals for heroism, four for excellence, three for good conduct and one for nearly getting killed in Iraq. The 32-year-old Special Forces soldier also wore shackles. He was facing court-martial for assaulting his wife and two military police officers. Sasse had been sitting in solitary confinement at the El Paso County jail for months without military charge and had been brought to the Colorado Springs Army post to be arraigned. "I just need someone to help me," he said, reaching with bound hands to show a Gazette reporter his medical files.Sasse was hit by a roadside bomb in 2007 in Iraq and diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. He kept soldiering through another tour even though he struggled with shattered memory and concentration, depression, nightmares and rage.
In 2012, the Army diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder. Doctors gave him a mix of contraindicated drugs that made him manic. A few weeks later, he slammed his wife's head against their Jeep until she was covered in blood then turned on the military police who tried to stop him. He had been scheduled to go into a special unit for wounded soldiers. Instead, the Army put him in jail.
In the El Paso County jail, Sasse picked up three more assault charges for assaulting guards. He ended up in solitary. He sat there for almost nine months, growing a long, bushy beard and developing, an Army doctor wrote in January, "severe psychiatric disease."
"Given his condition, his confinement is tantamount to cruel and unusual punishment," Fort Carson's top defense attorney said in a letter to Fort Carson's commander in September, asking the general to send Sasse to a psychiatric hospital.
Still, the Army left him in solitary.
His family pleaded to the commander and their hometown senator to intervene to no avail.
If convicted and thrown out of the Army, Sasse had a plan: go to the Capitol in Washington, D.C., lay his thick stack of medical records on the steps then set himself on fire.
"It's the only way I can get anyone to listen," he said as deputies took him away.
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Left Behind No break for the wounded
Other than honorable way to treat combat wounded, Army kicks them out
Fort Carson Wounded Transitioned to Betrayed
Left Behind No break for the wounded
The Gazette
By Dave Philipps
May 13, 2013
In 2011, a year after joining the WTU, just days after coming out of a surgery, Jensen tested positive for the drug amphetamine. The then-41-year-old asked to be retested, suggesting his many Army prescriptions might be to blame. His commander refused and instead gave Jensen the maximum punishment, cutting his rank to private, docking his pay and canceling surgery to fix his face so he could spend weeks mopping floors, picking weeds and scrubbing toilets.
Then, Jensen said, WTU leaders said he should be discharged for misconduct — the equivalent of getting fired — with an other-than-honorable rating that could bar him from medical benefits for life.
"To call guys who sacrificed so much dishonorable and kick them out with nothing?" said Jensen, who is now out of the Army, living in a small apartment with blankets covering the windows because his injuries make him sensitive to light. "Christ sake, man, it is a disgrace." read more here
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Other than honorable way to treat combat wounded, Army kicks them out
The Gazette
By Dave Philipps
May 13, 2013
Jerrald Jensen holds a rocket-propelled grenade launcher at his outpost in Afghanistan in 2009. He deployed to Afghanistan after being Injured in Iraq.
A roadside bomb hit Sgt. Jerrald Jensen's Humvee in Iraq, punching through heavy armor and shooting a chunk of hot metal into his head at several times the speed of sound, shattering his face and putting him in a coma. "I wasn't supposed to live," the veteran lisped with half a tongue through numb lips.Jensen returned to recover in a battalion at Fort Carson designed to care for wounded soldiers called the Warrior Transition Unit. In the WTU, the soldier with a heroic record said he encountered a hostile environment where commanders, some of whom had never deployed, harassed and punished the wounded for the slightest misstep while making them wait many weeks for critical medical care and sometimes canceling care altogether.
"No one knows why I did. It's shocking." Even more shocking is what Jensen did next. After 16 surgeries, the sergeant volunteered to go back to combat in one of the most savage corners of Afghanistan, where he was injured again. Perhaps most shocking, though, is what happened when he got home.
In 2011, a year after joining the WTU, just days after coming out of a surgery, Jensen tested positive for the drug amphetamine. The then-41-year-old asked to be retested, suggesting his many Army prescriptions might be to blame. His commander refused and instead gave Jensen the maximum punishment, cutting his rank to private, docking his pay and canceling surgery to fix his face so he could spend weeks mopping floors, picking weeds and scrubbing toilets.
Then, Jensen said, WTU leaders said he should be discharged for misconduct — the equivalent of getting fired — with an other-than-honorable rating that could bar him from medical benefits for life.
"To call guys who sacrificed so much dishonorable and kick them out with nothing?" said Jensen, who is now out of the Army, living in a small apartment with blankets covering the windows because his injuries make him sensitive to light. "Christ sake, man, it is a disgrace." read more here
Also
Other than honorable way to treat combat wounded, Army kicks them out
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