Saturday, February 4, 2017

PTSD on Trial: VA and Air Force Veteran Needing Help

And we should wonder which contractor staffed this clinic for a lot of money instead of VA employees doing it because they love veterans...and usually are veterans.
Trial starting for ex-Air Force major accused of trying to kill his wife and her dad in Broward
Sun Sentinel
Paula McMahon
February 4, 2017
"He goes to the VA that day, looking for help and they just loaded him up with more pills," Haddad said. "This is a guy who was a major in the Air Force, he has a master's degree. This is a stand-up guy, a highly regarded, trusted retired member of the military who served his country."
Thomas Maffei Sun Sentinel / Broward Sheriff's Office Handout
Thomas Maffei, 49, a retired Air Force major from Parkland, is charged with attempted first-degree murder in the November 2012 shootings of his estranged wife and her father in Coral Springs. Both victims survived.
Hours before retired U.S. Air Force Major Thomas Maffei shot and seriously injured his estranged wife and her father in Coral Springs, he went to a Veterans Administration crisis clinic in Palm Beach County and told staff he was under extreme stress.

When Maffei goes on trial Monday in Broward Circuit Court on attempted murder and other charges, he won't dispute that he fired three shots through his then-wife's apartment door as she and her father leaned against it, trying to keep him out.
read more here

22 comments:

  1. Just an update. This piece of garbage was NEVER deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, and he got sentenced to 60 years. What he is,is a narcissistic, misogynistic sociopath, that shot his ex wife, and her father in front of his 4 year old son. He will die in prison like the POS he is. Get you facts straight you idiots.

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    1. I deployed with Tom to Saudi and flew into Iraq with him for 17 days doing contract work. He did encounter an IED though minor as the humvee took the blast. His back and tailbone was messed up he said afterward. No idea about Afghanistan but one knows how the news gets things wrong. He was a lieutenant about 34 the and a stand up dedicated troop.

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    2. Clearly Pagan knows nothing about the military. I looked her up and she is a close friend of the victims. Her comments are disgusting. This is about a vet who was let down by the VA and had the sense to seek help. The tragedy is just that but personal defamation isn't right.

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  2. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-sb-maffei-attempted-murder-sentencing-20170406-story.html is where it shows why the comment from Panganpath was allowed.

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  3. I hate to see this I was looking up ol Airforce buddies and looking Tom up I found this, is hard to believe he was a stand up guy when I knew him he was also my next door neighbor at Grand Forks AFB, PTSD is real we all have it in o e way or another some more worse than others

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  4. I was deployed in Saudi with him and together we traveled to Iraq. I dont know about Afghanistan but can verify Iraq. YOU get your story straight. He was a fine officer. A lieutenant at the time. And yes he was involved in a minor IED.

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  5. Is a 60 year--LIFE sentence reasonable for the injuries sustained? A hand injury and one in the rib near a lung, where both Victims are fine today, minus granted PTSD. Maj M is sentenced to life. Any other state than Fl he would've received 10 years. It is sad for him his son and this country. He deserves better. I am sorry for the victims but they clearly capitalized on his crime. I want to hear HIS story and side of things!!

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  6. I knew Tom for 5 years while at gfafb
    He instructed skeet shooting for the entire time to dozens of military people and spouses. I know if he wanted his Vics dead they would've been. This is so so sad. He deserves better .

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  7. It is sad that we only hear and read the victims side. I too knew Capt Maffei while at Wright Patt . Worked in his office. He was a noble fellow and did so much for the community . He was a fine man and officer.

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  8. BTW Capt M deployed to Saudi while he was at Wright Patt with me. HE was in Recon in the drone program when we worked together. He was deployed for about 4 months as I recall. He did get hurt somewhere over there...A back and tailbone injury. I don't know the specifics. Either way he doesn't deserve all the crap his ex says about his valor or our military.

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  9. I knew Maj M while he was in DC. I'm an E9 and he and I worked together when I was an e7 in Saudi and he was a lt. It was his first deployment and he was a great prior enlisted officer. I am stunned over this event and am sorry for all involved. I met up with him at the NSA where I worked 13 years ago and he was the same fine officer I knew previously. I say this because his character appears to be on trial and he doesn't deserve the bashing I see his victim is laying out. I hope he is well and his vics heal and forgive him.

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  10. I knew SSgt Maffei at GFAfb and he taught me and my wife how to shoot skeet at the range there. That was 25 years ago and I know people change....but one thing I do know and read about his case is no where is HIS story. I know if he intended to kill his victims they wouldn't be here today to say all the horrible things they are. He isn't the guy Kate makes him out to be. He was married to a German lady for 8 years when I knew him And they were a great military couple. I simply don't believe all his vics say happened and sadly he didn't take the stand. My guess is his lawyer told him the prosecution would paint his military training negatively. Is there a way to contact him now???

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    1. He and vets deserve better. I pray he gets an appeal

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    2. An appeal for being a terrible person? Go read “Killing Kate” by his wife that he tried to murder. He manipulated her and many other women his entire life. He abused them too. I love veterans, and they deserve to get the help they need, but Thomas Maffei is a devil.

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    3. Thanks to you I bought her book. I read between the lines and it clearly is a one sided attack without any proof of claims. I get it, Kate needs vindication. She speaks as if she was the perfect one in every respect and Tom the monster from day one. I don't buy it. Sorry.

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    4. Two things I wish to point out. 1. The crime happened after he retired.
      2. His service to our country is not in question as we see by other posts here.
      Don't confuse a crappy relationship with the military
      It's tragic all the way aroubd,. I too would like to hear his side A fellow vet

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    5. There are so many contradictions throughout the book it made my head spin. For example on page 146-7 Kate talks about a trip to Disney where Tom took their son. First she complains Tom "kept texting me"... throughout their time together and sent pics etc, torturing her. Then next page says she was a basket case because " I was hoping for texts". She always seems to want her cake and eat it too. I don't trust her. Just my 2 cents.

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  11. He and vets deserve better. I want his story not some crazy victims side only. what's his appeal status?

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    1. He was found guilty. Kathie Costos https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/jury-expected-to-get-trial-of-coral-springs-man-charged-with-attempted-murder-of-ex-wife-father-in-law/30791/

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    2. I would like to know if he will get an approved appeal....I know he was found guilty but there is an appeal process out there

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    3. Sorry, I couldn't find one. Kathie Costos

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  12. I did some digging into his trial and found that there was a "Veterans Court" offered in Broward county when he went to trial. I believe he was eligible to have his case presented for trial there. I wonder why he didn't go that route.... The judge is said to be a higher ranking retired military member him or herself, who would understand better what veterans themselves go through in the civilian world. Maffei had only been a civilian for a little over a year when this happened. He had been in the military active duty since he was 17. Without a doubt, in 26 years of service even Air Force members are exposed to stressors and other conditions that can lead to problems when they transition to civilian life. I'm sorry to learn of his story, his sentence and naturally the pain his victims went through. I feel the VA should be held more accountable for allowing him to leave after he self identified that he was having serious mental problems hours before he cracked.

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