GI Bill funds failing for-profit California colleges
Center for Investigative Reporting
Aaron Glantz
June 30, 2014
Over the last five years, more than $600 million in college assistance for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans has been spent on California schools so substandard that they have failed to qualify for state financial aid.
As a result, the GI Bill — designed to help veterans live the American dream — is supporting for-profit companies that spend lavishly on marketing but can leave veterans with worthless degrees and few job prospects, The Center for Investigative Reporting found.
"It's not education; I think it's just greed," said David Pace, a 20-year Navy veteran who used the GI Bill to obtain a business degree from the University of Phoenix's San Diego campus.
Although taxpayers spent an estimated $50,000 on Pace's education, he has the same blue-collar job he landed right after he left the service: running electrical cable for a defense contractor.
Financial records analyzed by CIR show that California is the national epicenter of this problem, with nearly 2 out of every 3 GI Bill dollars going to for-profit colleges.
The University of Phoenix in San Diego outdistances its peers. Since 2009, the campus has received $95 million in GI Bill funds. That's more than any brick-and-mortar campus in America, more than the entire 10-campus University of California system and all UC extension programs combined.
read more here
Showing posts with label Afghanistan veterans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Afghanistan veterans. Show all posts
Monday, June 30, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
We were warned, you just didn't hear it
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
June 12, 2014
The earth was always round and always circled the sun even though people believed it was flat and the sun circled the earth. People are strange like that. If they hear something often enough, they just believe it. They never ask for proof. After all, why would so many people just pass on a lie?
Right now the same thing is going on and most will be shocked to discover everything happening with our veterans was known ahead of time, but too few knew.
After the Vietnam War the government knew what the numbers were. By 1978 there were 500,000 Vietnam veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ten years later, a study put the number of their suicides at 150,000 with another study finding 200,000 had taken their own lives. Yet the report two years ago was this. "Suicide Rate Spikes in Vietnam Vets Who Won't Seek Help"
In 2007 we knew what they were facing but did nothing.
This was true and they knew it would happen.
They knew it would happen to redeployed troops going in and out of Afghanistan and Iraq.
What good did it do to try and warn people that veterans were falling off the earth because Congress did not make sure they were taken care of? No one in congress thought about the wounded coming home when troops were sent into Afghanistan in 2001. No one thought about the wounded when troops were sent into Iraq.
Just because the members of the 113th Congress want to pretend they discovered the truth, the fact is, so did all the others. They spent money by the billions but fixed little. We talk about the fact far too many politicians have been trying to privatize the VA for decades. We also talk about how it seems they were hell bent on doing just that and let the VA fall apart even though it meant veterans suffered. How could they turn the care of our veterans over to for profit conglomerates if the VA was doing right by veterans? They couldn't. Veterans had to suffer so much that it become a public outcry to hand their care over to vultures.
Reporters don't remember what they reported on last year so they never ask politicians to explain what they already knew or hold any of them accountable. Politicians just keep repeating their story as fact often enough people just believe it without demanding proof.
When do we get that repeating the same mistakes over and over again while expecting a different result is just as insane as believing other people were falling off the earth?
Kathie Costos
June 12, 2014
The earth was always round and always circled the sun even though people believed it was flat and the sun circled the earth. People are strange like that. If they hear something often enough, they just believe it. They never ask for proof. After all, why would so many people just pass on a lie?
Right now the same thing is going on and most will be shocked to discover everything happening with our veterans was known ahead of time, but too few knew.
After the Vietnam War the government knew what the numbers were. By 1978 there were 500,000 Vietnam veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ten years later, a study put the number of their suicides at 150,000 with another study finding 200,000 had taken their own lives. Yet the report two years ago was this. "Suicide Rate Spikes in Vietnam Vets Who Won't Seek Help"
But suicide rates among Vietnam veterans are the highest of any particular group, according to John Draper, project director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
In 2007 we knew what they were facing but did nothing.
148,000 Vietnam Vets sought help in last 18 months In the past 18 months, 148,000 Vietnam veterans have gone to VA centers reporting symptoms of PTSD "30 years after the war," said Brig. Gen. Michael S. Tucker, deputy commanding general of the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He recently visited El Paso.
Two-tiered system of healthcare puts veterans of the war on terror at the top and makes everyone else -- from World War I to the first Gulf War -- "second-class veterans"
This was true and they knew it would happen.
Unable to completely absorb this increase, VA began 2003 with more than 280,000 veterans on waiting lists to receive medical care. In addition, a new regulation giving priority access for severely disabled veterans was implemented for those veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 50 percent or greater. This new priority includes hospitalization and outpatient care for both service-connected and nonservice-connected treatment. In 2004, VA will provide priority access to other veterans for their service-connected conditions.
They knew it would happen to redeployed troops going in and out of Afghanistan and Iraq.
What good did it do to try and warn people that veterans were falling off the earth because Congress did not make sure they were taken care of? No one in congress thought about the wounded coming home when troops were sent into Afghanistan in 2001. No one thought about the wounded when troops were sent into Iraq.
The VA admits its disability system was overburdened even before the administration invaded Iraq; and, by 2004, it had a backlog of 300,000 disability claims. Now, the VA reports that the backlog has reached 540,122. By April 2006, 25% of rating claims took six months to process -- no small thing for a veteran wounded badly enough to be unable to work. An appeal of a rejected claim frequently takes years to settle. One hundred twenty-three thousand disability claims have been filed already by veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet, in its budget requests, the administration has constantly resisted congressional demands to increase the number of VA staffers processing such claims.
Just because the members of the 113th Congress want to pretend they discovered the truth, the fact is, so did all the others. They spent money by the billions but fixed little. We talk about the fact far too many politicians have been trying to privatize the VA for decades. We also talk about how it seems they were hell bent on doing just that and let the VA fall apart even though it meant veterans suffered. How could they turn the care of our veterans over to for profit conglomerates if the VA was doing right by veterans? They couldn't. Veterans had to suffer so much that it become a public outcry to hand their care over to vultures.
Reporters don't remember what they reported on last year so they never ask politicians to explain what they already knew or hold any of them accountable. Politicians just keep repeating their story as fact often enough people just believe it without demanding proof.
When do we get that repeating the same mistakes over and over again while expecting a different result is just as insane as believing other people were falling off the earth?
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Afghanistan Veteran Double Amputee Re-injured in Car Accident
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: AFGHANISTAN WAR VET – DOUBLE AMPUTEE RE-INJURED HERE AT HOME
The Memorial Day holiday is celebrated by all, but really is most relevant for those who’ve served, and those who have been marked forever for their bravery. Here is a touching story of one decorated Afghanistan war vet, a double amputee, who was re-injured here at home, and turned to the law firm of Steinger, Iscoe and Greene for help.
On a spring morning in 2013, this 22-year old corporal suffered drastic injuries when an 89-year old driver collided into his vehicle while attempting to cross 3 lanes of traffic. Her negligence not only caused considerable damage to his vehicle, but also triggered a relapse of his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD syndrome had begun to plague him 2 years earlier, about the time an IED explosion cost him both of his legs during active duty in Afghanistan.
read more here
The Memorial Day holiday is celebrated by all, but really is most relevant for those who’ve served, and those who have been marked forever for their bravery. Here is a touching story of one decorated Afghanistan war vet, a double amputee, who was re-injured here at home, and turned to the law firm of Steinger, Iscoe and Greene for help.
On a spring morning in 2013, this 22-year old corporal suffered drastic injuries when an 89-year old driver collided into his vehicle while attempting to cross 3 lanes of traffic. Her negligence not only caused considerable damage to his vehicle, but also triggered a relapse of his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD syndrome had begun to plague him 2 years earlier, about the time an IED explosion cost him both of his legs during active duty in Afghanistan.
read more here
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Veteran "Angry Barbeque" Serving Veterans PTSD
Angry Barbeque serves up sizzle to benefit veterans
Mark Albert opened the Angry Barbeque on Belden Village Street in Jackson Township more than a year ago. A retired combat veteran of Afghanistan, Albert has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
By Patricia Faulhaber
The Suburbanite
Posted May. 18, 2014
JACKSON TWP
Mark Albert opened the Angry Barbeque on Belden Village Street in Jackson Township more than a year ago. A retired combat veteran of Afghanistan, Albert has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cooking is something he loves to do and it has become therapeutic for him.
“The name Angry Barbeque is named after the anger that sometimes flares up from the PTSD,” Albert said.
Albert’s restaurant is a true reflection of him and it’s representative of his time in the service. He remembers what it felt like when he retired after 24 years in the service. He didn't want to leave his house, except when he was meeting his Marine brothers. He wanted to create a restaurant where veterans wanted to be, a place they could visit and talk with others about their experiences.
The menu is designed around the military theme, also, featuring items such as the “Devil Dog” – an Angus beef hot dog topped with pulled pork, coleslaw and onion rings – and the “Hand Grenade” – a baked potato seasoned with butter and Cajun seasonings and topped with a strip of bacon, pulled pork, cheddar cheese and an onion ring.
read more here
Mark Albert opened the Angry Barbeque on Belden Village Street in Jackson Township more than a year ago. A retired combat veteran of Afghanistan, Albert has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
By Patricia Faulhaber
The Suburbanite
Posted May. 18, 2014
Patricia Faulhaber
Mark Albert, owner of Angry Barbeque in Jackson Township, stands next to T-shirts designed especially for his restaurant.
JACKSON TWP
Mark Albert opened the Angry Barbeque on Belden Village Street in Jackson Township more than a year ago. A retired combat veteran of Afghanistan, Albert has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cooking is something he loves to do and it has become therapeutic for him.
“The name Angry Barbeque is named after the anger that sometimes flares up from the PTSD,” Albert said.
Albert’s restaurant is a true reflection of him and it’s representative of his time in the service. He remembers what it felt like when he retired after 24 years in the service. He didn't want to leave his house, except when he was meeting his Marine brothers. He wanted to create a restaurant where veterans wanted to be, a place they could visit and talk with others about their experiences.
The menu is designed around the military theme, also, featuring items such as the “Devil Dog” – an Angus beef hot dog topped with pulled pork, coleslaw and onion rings – and the “Hand Grenade” – a baked potato seasoned with butter and Cajun seasonings and topped with a strip of bacon, pulled pork, cheddar cheese and an onion ring.
read more here
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Memorial held for Canadian Soldier after Suicide
Memorial held for latest soldier to take his own life
Pressure grows to provide more support to veterans in crisis following latest military suicide
CBC News Canada
Posted: Mar 24, 2014
There was a solemn farewell in Central Blissville, N.B., on Monday as the latest Canadian soldier to take his own life was remembered.
Master Cpl. Tyson Washburn, 37, died in Pembroke, Ont., in mid-March as the most recent in a long list of soldiers to commit suicide in recent months, many after struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Washburn joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a cook in 2006 and was deployed to Afghanistan from July to October 2010.
While his family and friends said goodbye in New Brunswick, pressure grew elsewhere in the country to provide more support to veterans in crisis.
Washburn's death came just three days before the last plane load of Canadian soldiers returned home from Afghanistan to promises from government and military leaders that soldiers who fought would be taken care of back home.
But for many who fought, including former soldier Bruce Moncur, those words rung hollow.
"The biggest issue here is the triple-D policy: delay-deny-die policies," said Moncur. "Soldiers are given denials and delays until they get frustrated, throw up hands their hands and don't pursue the services they need."
read more here
Pressure grows to provide more support to veterans in crisis following latest military suicide
CBC News Canada
Posted: Mar 24, 2014
Master Cpl. Tyson Washburn, 37, died in Pembroke, Ont., in mid-March as the latest in a long list of Canadian soldiers to commit suicide in recent months.
(CBC)
There was a solemn farewell in Central Blissville, N.B., on Monday as the latest Canadian soldier to take his own life was remembered.
Master Cpl. Tyson Washburn, 37, died in Pembroke, Ont., in mid-March as the most recent in a long list of soldiers to commit suicide in recent months, many after struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Washburn joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a cook in 2006 and was deployed to Afghanistan from July to October 2010.
While his family and friends said goodbye in New Brunswick, pressure grew elsewhere in the country to provide more support to veterans in crisis.
Washburn's death came just three days before the last plane load of Canadian soldiers returned home from Afghanistan to promises from government and military leaders that soldiers who fought would be taken care of back home.
But for many who fought, including former soldier Bruce Moncur, those words rung hollow.
"The biggest issue here is the triple-D policy: delay-deny-die policies," said Moncur. "Soldiers are given denials and delays until they get frustrated, throw up hands their hands and don't pursue the services they need."
read more here
Monday, March 10, 2014
Florida Afghanistan Veteran Marine Takes Down Crook
Former Marine helps catch robbery suspect in Bradenton
Bay News 9
By Randi Nissenbaum, Reporter
March 09, 2014
BRADENTON
Dustin Ellis was relaxing outside of his parents' house in Bradenton last week, when he witnessed a neighbor's house being robbed.
“He got past us and I heard that the gentlemen robbed a ladies house," said Ellis. "I started chasing him down the sidewalk.”
Ellis, a Marine who served in Afghanistan until 2012, ended up chasing the suspect through the neighborhood. He even had to climb through fences. Ellis has a brown belt in Marine Corps martial arts.
When he tracked down the suspect, he realized that he had a screw driver in his hand. Thanks to his Marine background, he knew just what to do.
“I came up from behind him, I took the screwdriver from him and then I put him on the ground," he said. "When I did, he was on his hands and knees and dropped to his stomach. From there I then rolled him over in a sitting position and grabbed him by his hoodie.”
read more here
Bay News 9
By Randi Nissenbaum, Reporter
March 09, 2014
BRADENTON
Dustin Ellis was relaxing outside of his parents' house in Bradenton last week, when he witnessed a neighbor's house being robbed.
“He got past us and I heard that the gentlemen robbed a ladies house," said Ellis. "I started chasing him down the sidewalk.”
Ellis, a Marine who served in Afghanistan until 2012, ended up chasing the suspect through the neighborhood. He even had to climb through fences. Ellis has a brown belt in Marine Corps martial arts.
When he tracked down the suspect, he realized that he had a screw driver in his hand. Thanks to his Marine background, he knew just what to do.
“I came up from behind him, I took the screwdriver from him and then I put him on the ground," he said. "When I did, he was on his hands and knees and dropped to his stomach. From there I then rolled him over in a sitting position and grabbed him by his hoodie.”
read more here
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Service dog lends war veteran a helping paws
Service dog lends war veteran a helping paw
Longmont Times-Call
By Whitney Bryen
POSTED:02/16/2014
For the first time since returning from Afghanistan, former Army Cpl. Jesse Murphree has found a partner that is just as alert as he is — his service dog, Jasper.
Since coming home wounded from his deployment in 2007, Murphree said, he is constantly looking around, surveying his surroundings. Now, he has an extra pair of eyes.
"I have a partner," Murphree, 26, said of his 2-year-old German shepherd. "It's the same idea as having a battle buddy in the field watching your back."
The comfort and assistance that Jasper provides is priceless to Murphree, a Niwot High School graduate who lost his legs in December 2007 when his unit was attacked. But that doesn't make the $6,000 bill any more affordable for the veteran.
A canine companion was out of reach for Murphree before Niwot resident Kurt Miller got involved.
Miller, who founded the nonprofit and film production company Make a Hero, launched a fundraiser in the fall to get Murphree a service dog. Miller is hoping this weekend's debut at the Boulder International Film Festival of a movie featuring Murphree will spur interest in Murphree's story and boost donations, contributing to the remaining $2,500 needed to pay Jasper's bill.
read more here
Longmont Times-Call
By Whitney Bryen
POSTED:02/16/2014
Afghanistan war veteran Jesse Murphree gets help from his service dog, Jasper, as the Niwot High School graduate copes with PTSD.
(Lewis Geyer, Longmont Times-Call)
For the first time since returning from Afghanistan, former Army Cpl. Jesse Murphree has found a partner that is just as alert as he is — his service dog, Jasper.
Since coming home wounded from his deployment in 2007, Murphree said, he is constantly looking around, surveying his surroundings. Now, he has an extra pair of eyes.
"I have a partner," Murphree, 26, said of his 2-year-old German shepherd. "It's the same idea as having a battle buddy in the field watching your back."
The comfort and assistance that Jasper provides is priceless to Murphree, a Niwot High School graduate who lost his legs in December 2007 when his unit was attacked. But that doesn't make the $6,000 bill any more affordable for the veteran.
A canine companion was out of reach for Murphree before Niwot resident Kurt Miller got involved.
Miller, who founded the nonprofit and film production company Make a Hero, launched a fundraiser in the fall to get Murphree a service dog. Miller is hoping this weekend's debut at the Boulder International Film Festival of a movie featuring Murphree will spur interest in Murphree's story and boost donations, contributing to the remaining $2,500 needed to pay Jasper's bill.
read more here
Thursday, January 23, 2014
PTSD on Trial: Tampa Green Beret with Bronze Star
Special forces sniper Gabriel Brown given short prison term after citing PTSD in series of robberies
ABC Action News
By: Carson Chambers
January 23, 2014
TAMPA - "He wasn't just a soldier. He was a super soldier - an elite fighter," said defense attorney Jose Baez.
Gabriel Brown is a highly decorated combat war veteran. He is a former Special Forces Green Beret awarded a bronze star for serving as a sniper in Afghanistan.
A hero until he came home.
"Because of his illness, he had a downward spiral," said Baez.
Brown pleaded guilty to robbing four Tampa Bay businesses while tossing military flash grenades and carrying a gun. He faced a maximum of 32 years in federal prison for his crimes.
"I do believe that veterans do need treatment. Instead of being incarcerated, they need mental health treatment and drug abuse treatment," said ex wife Maria Suarez.
Suarez says post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD and an addiction to adrenaline took over her ex husband's life. Brown failed out of nursing school, lost money at poker tables, cheated on his wife, abused drugs and became suicidal.
Still Suarez voice support on the steps of the federal courthouse.
"He's a loving man, very caring, great father, always involved with his childrens' life, very family oriented, just fell into some depression or PTSD," she said.
read more here
ABC Action News
By: Carson Chambers
January 23, 2014
TAMPA - "He wasn't just a soldier. He was a super soldier - an elite fighter," said defense attorney Jose Baez.
Gabriel Brown is a highly decorated combat war veteran. He is a former Special Forces Green Beret awarded a bronze star for serving as a sniper in Afghanistan.
A hero until he came home.
"Because of his illness, he had a downward spiral," said Baez.
Brown pleaded guilty to robbing four Tampa Bay businesses while tossing military flash grenades and carrying a gun. He faced a maximum of 32 years in federal prison for his crimes.
"I do believe that veterans do need treatment. Instead of being incarcerated, they need mental health treatment and drug abuse treatment," said ex wife Maria Suarez.
Suarez says post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD and an addiction to adrenaline took over her ex husband's life. Brown failed out of nursing school, lost money at poker tables, cheated on his wife, abused drugs and became suicidal.
Still Suarez voice support on the steps of the federal courthouse.
"He's a loving man, very caring, great father, always involved with his childrens' life, very family oriented, just fell into some depression or PTSD," she said.
read more here
Monday, December 23, 2013
From Sarasota, to Afghanistan, to New York City TV studio
From Sarasota, to Afghanistan, to New York City TV studio
Herald Tribune
By Josh Salman
Published: Monday, December 23, 2013
SARASOTA - As John Wilcher laid sleepless in his Army bunk not far from areas of Afghanistan pockmarked by bombings, he could think only of a promise he had made his daughter two years earlier.
Wilcher didn't know if he would ever see his family again -- but he had vowed to his little girl he would return home safely.
Now a Realtor in Sarasota, his combat deployment stands in stark contrast to a recent crowning achievement.
Nearly penniless after the real estate market collapsed in 2007, Wilcher turned to the Armed Forces as a way to support his family.
But his story after his return also propelled him to the top of a global contest that sent him to New York City this month to meet the star of Bravo's reality TV series "Million Dollar Listing" -- Wilcher's hero in the business.
"I laid it on thick and just told my story," Wilcher said. "Hundreds and hundreds of people applied -- and I was one of about 20 to be selected."
Wilcher began his career in law enforcement, working as a police officer in Lexington, Ken. There, he was involved in the largest crack cocaine arrest in the city's history and spent time undercover for both the Drug Enforcement Agency and U.S. Marshall Service.
He moved to Florida with his girlfriend -- now his wife -- in 2001 to forge a life in Sarasota.
read more here
Herald Tribune
By Josh Salman
Published: Monday, December 23, 2013
John Wilcher, an agent with DWELL Real Estate in Sarasota, was flown to New York City to meet with the star of Bravo TV's "Million Dollar Listing," Fredrik Eklund.
SARASOTA - As John Wilcher laid sleepless in his Army bunk not far from areas of Afghanistan pockmarked by bombings, he could think only of a promise he had made his daughter two years earlier.
Wilcher didn't know if he would ever see his family again -- but he had vowed to his little girl he would return home safely.
Now a Realtor in Sarasota, his combat deployment stands in stark contrast to a recent crowning achievement.
Nearly penniless after the real estate market collapsed in 2007, Wilcher turned to the Armed Forces as a way to support his family.
But his story after his return also propelled him to the top of a global contest that sent him to New York City this month to meet the star of Bravo's reality TV series "Million Dollar Listing" -- Wilcher's hero in the business.
"I laid it on thick and just told my story," Wilcher said. "Hundreds and hundreds of people applied -- and I was one of about 20 to be selected."
Wilcher began his career in law enforcement, working as a police officer in Lexington, Ken. There, he was involved in the largest crack cocaine arrest in the city's history and spent time undercover for both the Drug Enforcement Agency and U.S. Marshall Service.
He moved to Florida with his girlfriend -- now his wife -- in 2001 to forge a life in Sarasota.
read more here
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Seeking clarity from tragedy: A veteran's journey
Seeking clarity from tragedy: A veteran's journey
The Times-Tribune
By David Singleton
Scranton, Pa.
Published: November 10, 2013
SCRANTON, Pa. — The question raced through Staff Sgt. Earl Granville's mind in the chaotic moments after the roadside bomb in Afghanistan exploded five years ago, shattering the left leg he would ultimately lose.
"What the heck is going to happen to me now?"
Like many other men and women who have suffered grievous injuries in service to the nation, and whose sacrifice Americans will honor Monday with the observance of Veterans Day, Mr. Granville found the answers to that question have been slow in coming.
Especially after his twin brother, Joe, took his own life in 2010, clarity has been a process, not a revelation; healing a journey, not a destination.
Today, Earl Granville is 30 years old, a junior at the University of Scranton and driven to provide hope, comfort and inspiration to other veterans in distress, to those who may be asking themselves the question he asked that surreal day in June 2008.
"I just want to help people, you know, like so many people have helped me," Mr. Granville said. "I'd like to inspire, too, especially people with disabilities. That is very important because I never thought I would be where I am when I was lying on the ground in Afghanistan."
read more here
The Times-Tribune
By David Singleton
Scranton, Pa.
Published: November 10, 2013
SCRANTON, Pa. — The question raced through Staff Sgt. Earl Granville's mind in the chaotic moments after the roadside bomb in Afghanistan exploded five years ago, shattering the left leg he would ultimately lose.
"What the heck is going to happen to me now?"
Like many other men and women who have suffered grievous injuries in service to the nation, and whose sacrifice Americans will honor Monday with the observance of Veterans Day, Mr. Granville found the answers to that question have been slow in coming.
Especially after his twin brother, Joe, took his own life in 2010, clarity has been a process, not a revelation; healing a journey, not a destination.
Today, Earl Granville is 30 years old, a junior at the University of Scranton and driven to provide hope, comfort and inspiration to other veterans in distress, to those who may be asking themselves the question he asked that surreal day in June 2008.
"I just want to help people, you know, like so many people have helped me," Mr. Granville said. "I'd like to inspire, too, especially people with disabilities. That is very important because I never thought I would be where I am when I was lying on the ground in Afghanistan."
read more here
Murder, suicide and the family left behind
Shooter couldn't put war behind him, girlfriend says
Wounded vet who committed murder-suicide had a difficult time dealing with trauma.
The Morning Call
By Pamela Lehman
November 9, 2013
Amanda Snyder fell in love with him five years after he came back from Afghanistan.
A soldier with the 82nd Airborne Division, he had enlisted while still in Northampton Area High School because he wanted to fight in the war on terror. The wounds from that battle injured his brain, cost him the lower half of his right leg and left him without the use of his right hand and wrist.
When she met Robert Kislow at a car show in Macungie, he broke the ice by introducing himself and taking off his prosthetic leg.
That didn't matter to Snyder.
"It made him who he was," she said.
She gave him two children and looked forward to marrying him and living in a new house in Moore Township built by the nonprofit group Homes for Our Troops, which honors veterans by building their dream homes.
For Kislow, that was a house in the woods of northwestern Northampton County that he loved. It was there, just before midnight July 29, that Kislow erupted. He got into an argument with Snyder's mother, shot her to death and then turned the gun on himself.
The murder and suicide seemed the opposite of the positive attitude Kislow had shown in one newspaper story after another. While lying in a bed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2005 — knowing that his right foot and lower leg would likely be amputated — he told a Morning Call reporter, "This isn't going to slow me down one bit."
In early 2011, he eagerly awaited moving into his new home and reveled in his job as a technician at PSI Motorsports in Lowhill Township: "I've healed. My head's in a good place."
Snyder, a slight 21-year-old who nervously pulled on her long hair while she talked recently about Kislow and the shootings, said her fiancé's struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder revealed itself in bouts of silence, not violence.
But she has no doubts the shootings were the result of Kislow's battle with PTSD and the traumatic brain injury he suffered in the firefight that cost him his leg eight years ago.
"I don't think of him as a murderer," she said. "I think it built up and he just snapped."
Looking back, she said she now sees warning signs that Kislow was struggling. Instead of worrying his family, she said Kislow would sometimes grow silent.
She said he was frustrated by therapists who seemed to offer only pills to deal with his issues.
"I thought I knew what PTSD is, but I really had no idea," Snyder said.
read more here
Wounded vet who committed murder-suicide had a difficult time dealing with trauma.
The Morning Call
By Pamela Lehman
November 9, 2013
Amanda Snyder fell in love with him five years after he came back from Afghanistan.
A soldier with the 82nd Airborne Division, he had enlisted while still in Northampton Area High School because he wanted to fight in the war on terror. The wounds from that battle injured his brain, cost him the lower half of his right leg and left him without the use of his right hand and wrist.
When she met Robert Kislow at a car show in Macungie, he broke the ice by introducing himself and taking off his prosthetic leg.
That didn't matter to Snyder.
"It made him who he was," she said.
She gave him two children and looked forward to marrying him and living in a new house in Moore Township built by the nonprofit group Homes for Our Troops, which honors veterans by building their dream homes.
For Kislow, that was a house in the woods of northwestern Northampton County that he loved. It was there, just before midnight July 29, that Kislow erupted. He got into an argument with Snyder's mother, shot her to death and then turned the gun on himself.
The murder and suicide seemed the opposite of the positive attitude Kislow had shown in one newspaper story after another. While lying in a bed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2005 — knowing that his right foot and lower leg would likely be amputated — he told a Morning Call reporter, "This isn't going to slow me down one bit."
In early 2011, he eagerly awaited moving into his new home and reveled in his job as a technician at PSI Motorsports in Lowhill Township: "I've healed. My head's in a good place."
Snyder, a slight 21-year-old who nervously pulled on her long hair while she talked recently about Kislow and the shootings, said her fiancé's struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder revealed itself in bouts of silence, not violence.
But she has no doubts the shootings were the result of Kislow's battle with PTSD and the traumatic brain injury he suffered in the firefight that cost him his leg eight years ago.
"I don't think of him as a murderer," she said. "I think it built up and he just snapped."
Looking back, she said she now sees warning signs that Kislow was struggling. Instead of worrying his family, she said Kislow would sometimes grow silent.
She said he was frustrated by therapists who seemed to offer only pills to deal with his issues.
"I thought I knew what PTSD is, but I really had no idea," Snyder said.
read more here
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Canadian wounded troops face discharge before pension
Military boots injured soldiers before they qualify for pension
OTTAWA — The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, Oct. 29 2013
Gravely injured troops are being booted from the military before they qualify for a pension, despite assurances to the contrary from the federal government.
A former reserve combat engineer was let go last Friday on a medical discharge after begging for months to remain until hitting the 10-year mark.
Corporal David Hawkins is about a year shy of being eligible for an indexed pension, but was released because his post-traumatic stress means he is unable to deploy overseas.
Cpl. Glen Kirkland is also among those leaving. His plea to remain in the army last June was answered by former defence minister Peter MacKay with a pledge he could stay until September, 2015 – and that no members are released until they are ready.
But the offer turned out to be exclusive to Cpl. Kirkland, who chose within the last few days to leave rather than be given special treatment.
“I joined as a member of a team, as a family,” Cpl. Kirkland said in an interview from Shilo, Man. “So, when I was offered an opportunity when no one else was, it just goes against everything I joined for.”
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OTTAWA — The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, Oct. 29 2013
Gravely injured troops are being booted from the military before they qualify for a pension, despite assurances to the contrary from the federal government.
A former reserve combat engineer was let go last Friday on a medical discharge after begging for months to remain until hitting the 10-year mark.
Corporal David Hawkins is about a year shy of being eligible for an indexed pension, but was released because his post-traumatic stress means he is unable to deploy overseas.
Cpl. Glen Kirkland is also among those leaving. His plea to remain in the army last June was answered by former defence minister Peter MacKay with a pledge he could stay until September, 2015 – and that no members are released until they are ready.
But the offer turned out to be exclusive to Cpl. Kirkland, who chose within the last few days to leave rather than be given special treatment.
“I joined as a member of a team, as a family,” Cpl. Kirkland said in an interview from Shilo, Man. “So, when I was offered an opportunity when no one else was, it just goes against everything I joined for.”
read more here
Suicide of Marine veteran shock to friends after standoff
What happened? Someone needed help and Justin Eldridge showed up. When you read this story you'll see how many times he did that. A 911 call, police show up, Eldridge's life was over.
Former Marine’s suicide in Waterford standoff shocks friends
The Day
By Izaskun E. Larrañeta
Published 10/29/2013
Sean D. Elliot/The Day file photo In this Dec. 21, 2011, Day file photo, Justin Eldridge, right, of Toys for Tots, pulled toys from the back of a mini-van as crew from the U.S. Navy submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit North Dakota (SSN 784) help unload about 200 toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program in New London.Eldridge was married with four children. His wife helped organize a fundraiser this June to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. While promoting the event, Joanna spoke of the struggles her husband had with PTSD and with his traumatic brain injury.A Waterford man who killed himself during a standoff with police Monday night was a former Marine who was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, his friends said Tuesday.
Many of Justin Eldridge’s fellow Marines said it was too soon to talk about the death of their “brother,” who they said was also dealing with a traumatic brain injury sustained while on tour in Afghanistan.
Eldridge, 31, was the first commandant of the Thames River Detachment of the Marine Corps League in Quaker Hill.
Robert Montminy, commandant of the Thames River Detachment, said Eldridge was a good friend and great father.
“We are all very much still in shock,” he said. “We’re still trying to deal with it. Nobody had a clue that it could lead to this.”
Montminy said he knew that Eldridge had struggled with PTSD but that Eldridge told him he was getting treatment at a Veterans Affairs hospital and was trying to turn things around.
Just prior to police receiving the 911 call, Eldridge posted on his Facebook page, “See you later Facebook!!!!!!!” He then posted, “Theres only so much bashing someone can take before they react.”
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Sunday, October 27, 2013
UK Military family stays strong with love
War hero burned in Afghanistan: 'Birthmark threatened to disfigure my newborn baby's face'
The Mirror UK
By Sarah Arnold
27 Oct 2013
Lance Corporal Martyn Compton has suffered more than most people could ever imagine.
Seven years ago he was horrifically injured by a Taliban bomb. Since then he has endured an incredible 500 operations.
Four years ago, he and his wife Michelle – who has remained steadfastly at his side throughout his terrible ordeal – thought they had finally turned a corner when they were happily anticipating the birth of twins.
But, tragically, it was not to be. Michelle went into labour at 22 weeks pregnant and lost the babies they had so longed for.
The following year, they finally started a family when their son Archie, now three, was born.
And when last year Michelle gave birth to their baby girl Coral, they felt that at last their life was complete.
But just a week later their happiness turned to dismay as a ruby birthmark began to appear on Coral’s face.
It threatened to close her eye and led to part of her lip being damaged.
Martyn said: “Coral was born perfect. A few hours later I noticed what looked like a bruise on her head.
"A few days later the birthmark appeared and started to rapidly spread. I have just endured my 500th operation.
"The thought of my beautiful baby girl going through any of the pain I’ve suffered was unbearable.
“Our initial reaction was, ‘Why us?’ after everything we’d already gone through.
"But then Michelle said, ‘She’s a fighter just like her daddy so she’ll pull through’. And thankfully it’s looking like she will.”
read more here
The Mirror UK
By Sarah Arnold
27 Oct 2013
Martyn Compton was horrifically injured by a Taliban bomb seven years ago and has endured an incredible 500 operations
Lance Corporal Martyn Compton has suffered more than most people could ever imagine.
Seven years ago he was horrifically injured by a Taliban bomb. Since then he has endured an incredible 500 operations.
Four years ago, he and his wife Michelle – who has remained steadfastly at his side throughout his terrible ordeal – thought they had finally turned a corner when they were happily anticipating the birth of twins.
But, tragically, it was not to be. Michelle went into labour at 22 weeks pregnant and lost the babies they had so longed for.
The following year, they finally started a family when their son Archie, now three, was born.
And when last year Michelle gave birth to their baby girl Coral, they felt that at last their life was complete.
But just a week later their happiness turned to dismay as a ruby birthmark began to appear on Coral’s face.
It threatened to close her eye and led to part of her lip being damaged.
Martyn said: “Coral was born perfect. A few hours later I noticed what looked like a bruise on her head.
"A few days later the birthmark appeared and started to rapidly spread. I have just endured my 500th operation.
"The thought of my beautiful baby girl going through any of the pain I’ve suffered was unbearable.
“Our initial reaction was, ‘Why us?’ after everything we’d already gone through.
"But then Michelle said, ‘She’s a fighter just like her daddy so she’ll pull through’. And thankfully it’s looking like she will.”
read more here
Friday, October 4, 2013
Afghanistan veteran runs for charity, punched by villain
This Vet Was Punched In The Face While Running 3,600 Miles For Charity
Could Use Our Support
Huffington Post
Posted: 10/03/2013
Brendan O’Toole won’t let anything stop him from running 3,600 miles to raise funds for struggling veterans –- not even something as serious as a blow to the head he recently sustained.
After serving four years and two deployments in Afghanistan, O’Toole returned to the U.S. and his friend who served in Iraq committed suicide and O’Toole found the bureaucracy he faced at the VA unbearable. That’s when the former Marine decided to take matters into his own hands in order to get the services he, and thousands of other returning vets, need, NBC Philadelphia reported.
”The VA system is backed up right now, and instead of playing the blame game we decided to find services that can help our veterans,” O’Toole told CBS42.
read more here
Could Use Our Support
Huffington Post
Posted: 10/03/2013
Brendan O’Toole won’t let anything stop him from running 3,600 miles to raise funds for struggling veterans –- not even something as serious as a blow to the head he recently sustained.
”The VA system is backed up right now, and instead of playing the blame game we decided to find services that can help our veterans,” O’Toole told CBS42.
read more here
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Family searching for missing Afghanistan veteran with PTSD
His body was found
Army vet Andrew Ackerman missing since Tuesday
11 Alive.com
Julie Wolfe
Sep 26, 2013
ATLANTA -- Friends of an Army veteran missing since Tuesday worry he may be in the middle of a PTSD episode.
Atlanta police tell 11Alive's Julie Wolfe they responded to a call for a missing person Tuesday morning at the Hangovers Bar in Buckhead. Jeanette Kunitz reported her friend, Randal Andrew Ackerman, was last seen there around 2 a.m. Tuesday. He lives in Sandy Springs and was in the city going out after attending a Braves game.
When he stopped answering his phone, she called mutual friends who also were unable to locate him.
Ackerman's roommate said he hasn't been home. Kunitz told police she was concerned because Ackerman suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and could be in the middle of an episode. He was recently honorably discharged from the Army after a tour in Afghanistan. He's served for more than ten years and had also been stationed in Iraq for multiple tours.
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Army vet Andrew Ackerman missing since Tuesday
11 Alive.com
Julie Wolfe
Sep 26, 2013
Atlanta police tell 11Alive's Julie Wolfe they responded to a call for a missing person Tuesday morning at the Hangovers Bar in Buckhead. Jeanette Kunitz reported her friend, Randal Andrew Ackerman, was last seen there around 2 a.m. Tuesday. He lives in Sandy Springs and was in the city going out after attending a Braves game.
When he stopped answering his phone, she called mutual friends who also were unable to locate him.
Ackerman's roommate said he hasn't been home. Kunitz told police she was concerned because Ackerman suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and could be in the middle of an episode. He was recently honorably discharged from the Army after a tour in Afghanistan. He's served for more than ten years and had also been stationed in Iraq for multiple tours.
read more here
Monday, September 23, 2013
Gym owner laughed at Afghanistan veteran with PTSD because of service dog
Gym apologizes for denying access to war vet with PTSD service dog
Former soldier's service dog refused entry to gym
Human rights complaint planned by man suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder
CBC News
Posted: Sep 23, 2013
A former soldier, who now lives in Vancouver, is filing a complaint with the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission against a Moncton fitness club.
Kevin Berry, 30, served in Afghanistan and says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He travels with his service dog Tommy to help him cope with his PTSD symptoms.
"Tommy wakes me up during nightmares, Tommy walks in and clears my house when we get home," said Berry.
Last week, Berry and Tommy were passing through Moncton as part of a walking tour between Nova Scotia and Ontario to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder.
Berry says they went to Global Gym on Mapleton Road so he could work out, but were denied entry even though Tommy wears a service dog vest and comes with a government-issued ID card.
"They never once asked what Tommy was for," said Berry. "It was, `No,' right away."
Berry says after being denied entrance by a club employee, he contacted the gym's owner by telephone. He says the man laughed at him and said he'd never allow pets at his gym.
read more here
Friday, September 20, 2013
Men Accused Of Killing Ft. Campbell Specialist Taylor Hotzoglou
Men Accused Of Killing Ft. Campbell Soldier Found Guilty
News Channel 5
September 20, 2013
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Two men accused of killing a Fort Campbell soldier have been found guilty.
Giovanne Treymane Johnson, 19, and Rakeem Rashan Jones, 18, were convicted of second degree murder and especially aggravated robbery in the death of 22-year-old Specialist Taylor Hotzoglou.
The soldier was shot multiple times on April 28, 2012 in Clarksville, after giving the two teenagers a ride.
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Fort Campbell soldier back from Afghanistan, dead from multiple gunshot wounds
News Channel 5
September 20, 2013
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Two men accused of killing a Fort Campbell soldier have been found guilty.
Giovanne Treymane Johnson, 19, and Rakeem Rashan Jones, 18, were convicted of second degree murder and especially aggravated robbery in the death of 22-year-old Specialist Taylor Hotzoglou.
The soldier was shot multiple times on April 28, 2012 in Clarksville, after giving the two teenagers a ride.
read more here
Fort Campbell soldier back from Afghanistan, dead from multiple gunshot wounds
Afghanistan veteran on food stamps has message for Congress
I'm a 35-Year-Old Veteran On Food Stamps
Huffington Post
Jason Kirell
Combat veteran, former reporter and blogger
Posted: 09/20/2013
My name is Jason. I turned 35 less than a week ago. My first job was maintenance work at a public pool when I was 17. I worked 40-hours a week while I was in college. I've never gone longer than six months without employment in my life and I just spent the last three years in the military, one of which consisted of a combat tour of Afghanistan.
Oh, and I'm now on food stamps. Since June, as a matter of fact.
Why am I on food stamps?
The same reason everyone on food stamps is on food stamps: because I would very much enjoy not starving.
I mean, if that's okay with you:
Hate to burst the bubble, but those people don't live in this country.
I do. And millions like me. Millions of people in poverty who fall into three categories.
read more here
Huffington Post
Jason Kirell
Combat veteran, former reporter and blogger
Posted: 09/20/2013
My name is Jason. I turned 35 less than a week ago. My first job was maintenance work at a public pool when I was 17. I worked 40-hours a week while I was in college. I've never gone longer than six months without employment in my life and I just spent the last three years in the military, one of which consisted of a combat tour of Afghanistan.
Oh, and I'm now on food stamps. Since June, as a matter of fact.
Why am I on food stamps?
The same reason everyone on food stamps is on food stamps: because I would very much enjoy not starving.
I mean, if that's okay with you:
Mr. or Mrs. Republican congressman.I do apologize for burdening you on the checkout line with real-life images of American-style poverty. I know you probably believe the only true starving people in the world have flies buzzing around their eyes while they wallow away, near-lifeless in gutters.
Mr. or Mrs. Conservative commentator.
Mr. or Mrs. "welfare queen" letter-to-the-editor author.
Mr. or Mrs. "fiscal conservative, reason-based" libertarian.
Hate to burst the bubble, but those people don't live in this country.
I do. And millions like me. Millions of people in poverty who fall into three categories.
read more here
Thursday, September 5, 2013
One fifth of OEF and OIF female veterans show signs of MST
One-fifth of female veterans from Iraq, Afghanistan show signs of sexual trauma
Many women aren't comfortable with the VA, and don't seek treatment
Center for Public Integrity
By Caitlin Cruz Asha Anchan
5 hours ago
At least one in five female veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has screened positive for military sexual trauma (MST) once back home, Department of Veterans Affairs records show. And this may understate the crisis, experts say, because this number only counts women who go to the VA for help.
Young female veterans — those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — often don’t show up for their first VA appointments, if they show up at all, said Ann LeFevre, MST coordinator at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in California. “They think they’re alone and they don’t want to talk about it,” LeFevre said. “Especially with new returners, it takes a lot to get them on the VA campus. It can remind them of their base where the assault occurred.”
The assault itself defies the discipline and values of the armed forces, but the problem is exacerbated, experts say, when victims report an assault and their allegations are met with skepticism and possible retaliation.
Even after their military service is over, many sexual assault victims are reluctant to approach the VA, a system intertwined with the military and perceived at times as prescribing drugs instead of meeting their treatment needs.
“There’s a disconnect between what survivors believe they need and the educated treatment community as to what is necessary and helpful,” said Mylea Charvat, a fellow in clinical neuroscience with the Stanford School of Medicine.
Many women aren't comfortable with the VA, and don't seek treatment
Center for Public Integrity
By Caitlin Cruz Asha Anchan
5 hours ago
At least one in five female veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has screened positive for military sexual trauma (MST) once back home, Department of Veterans Affairs records show. And this may understate the crisis, experts say, because this number only counts women who go to the VA for help.
Young female veterans — those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — often don’t show up for their first VA appointments, if they show up at all, said Ann LeFevre, MST coordinator at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in California. “They think they’re alone and they don’t want to talk about it,” LeFevre said. “Especially with new returners, it takes a lot to get them on the VA campus. It can remind them of their base where the assault occurred.”
The assault itself defies the discipline and values of the armed forces, but the problem is exacerbated, experts say, when victims report an assault and their allegations are met with skepticism and possible retaliation.
Even after their military service is over, many sexual assault victims are reluctant to approach the VA, a system intertwined with the military and perceived at times as prescribing drugs instead of meeting their treatment needs.
“There’s a disconnect between what survivors believe they need and the educated treatment community as to what is necessary and helpful,” said Mylea Charvat, a fellow in clinical neuroscience with the Stanford School of Medicine.
But many veterans feel lost in the void between these two large bureaucracies.
Women like Jessie de Leon and Corey Barrows are veterans who feel the military failed them — not only because the assaults occurred, but also because of what they consider inadequate responses once they returned from their deployments. As a result, they sought their own means of treatment.
“For a while it’s just like I was numb to the world. Just fake happiness, drug-induced happiness,” said de Leon, who was raped while serving as an Army medic in Bamberg, Germany, from 2007 to 2009. “I didn’t realize that this process was going to be more hindering to me in trying to recover from it than it was helping me.”
As a medic, she examined soldiers and their families at the health clinic in Germany and prepared soldiers to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. She also comforted families who lost soldiers in the war.
But back home in Florida, de Leon found no comfort with therapists at the West Palm Beach VA. They didn’t seem to understand the impact of her rape. Their recommended treatment consisted of prescription drugs for sleeping, anxiety and depression.
read more here
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