Drum soldier in custody after shooting
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday May 19, 2011 7:04:45 EDT
FORT DRUM, N.Y. — A Fort Drum soldier was in custody Thursday after shooting his wife on the Army post, authorities said.
The shooting happened at post housing Wednesday night, base officials said, adding that Sgt. Jason Seeds, 31, of Toms River, N.J., was taken into custody.
read more here
Drum soldier in custody after shooting
Showing posts with label Fort Drum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fort Drum. Show all posts
Thursday, May 19, 2011
10th Mountain Soldier in custody after shooting at Fort Drum
Soldier in custody after shooting at Fort Drum
Fort Drum (WSYR-TV) - A Fort Drum soldier is in custody after a domestic dispute in which shots were fired and a woman was injured.
read more here
Soldier in custody after shooting at Fort Drum
Fort Drum (WSYR-TV) - A Fort Drum soldier is in custody after a domestic dispute in which shots were fired and a woman was injured.
read more here
Soldier in custody after shooting at Fort Drum
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Army is investigating death of Fort Drum soldier
Army is investigating death of Fort Drum soldier
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2011
FORT DRUM — The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the non-combat-related death of a 10th Mountain Division soldier last month in the final days of his Afghan deployment.
Spc. Andrew P. Wade, 22, of Antioch, Ill., died March 10 in Kunduz, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered March 7.
read more here
Army is investigating death of Fort Drum soldier
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2011
FORT DRUM — The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the non-combat-related death of a 10th Mountain Division soldier last month in the final days of his Afghan deployment.
Spc. Andrew P. Wade, 22, of Antioch, Ill., died March 10 in Kunduz, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered March 7.
read more here
Army is investigating death of Fort Drum soldier
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Spc. Keith Buzinski Soldier from Daytona Beach killed in Afghanistan
Soldier from Daytona Beach killed in Afghanistan
By Anika Myers Palm, Orlando Sentinel
1:52 p.m. EDT, April 9, 2011
The Department of Defense announced today that a Daytona Beach man died this week while serving with the U.S. Army as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Keith Buzinski, 26, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30 Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, N.Y.
Soldier from Daytona Beach killed in Afghanistan
By Anika Myers Palm, Orlando Sentinel
1:52 p.m. EDT, April 9, 2011
The Department of Defense announced today that a Daytona Beach man died this week while serving with the U.S. Army as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Keith Buzinski, 26, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 30 Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, N.Y.
Soldier from Daytona Beach killed in Afghanistan
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Fort Drum soldier shot at self-storage facility
NY Police Search for Soldier Involved in Shooting at Self-Storage Facility
Police are still looking for a man involved in a shooting Sunday at a self-storage facility in Watertown, N.Y.
The man has been identified as 25-year-old Leonard R. Whitefield. Police want to question him about a shooting at ABC Self-Storage on Water Street where an unnamed soldier from Fort Drum was shot in the leg.
The shooting occurred Sunday around 11 a.m. and involved two men and a woman, all three soldiers from Fort Drum, an army base located near the facility.
read more here
NY Police Search for Soldier Involved in Shooting
Police are still looking for a man involved in a shooting Sunday at a self-storage facility in Watertown, N.Y.
The man has been identified as 25-year-old Leonard R. Whitefield. Police want to question him about a shooting at ABC Self-Storage on Water Street where an unnamed soldier from Fort Drum was shot in the leg.
The shooting occurred Sunday around 11 a.m. and involved two men and a woman, all three soldiers from Fort Drum, an army base located near the facility.
read more here
NY Police Search for Soldier Involved in Shooting
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Watertown cab driver accused of extorting fares from Fort Drum soldiers
Watertown cab driver accused of extorting extra fares from Fort Drum soldiers
By Robert A. Baker / The Post-Standard
Published: Friday, January 14, 2011
Syracuse, NY -- A Watertown taxi driver is facing a felony after he was accused by Syracuse police of scamming soldiers trying to get from Syracuse Hancock International Airport to Fort Drum.
Michael B. Lavery, 37, of 8417 Willow St., Evans Mills, a driver for Phenix Cab Co. of Watertown, was charged with grand larceny.
Sgt. Tom Connellan gave the following details:
On Jan. 3, several soldiers stationed at Fort Drum were waiting for a shuttle back to the base after flying into the airport. Because of the long wait, a soldier contacted Phenix Cab Co. to find out the fare to the base and was quoted a price of $90. The soldier informed the cab company that there were three going to the base for the $90 fare.
When Lavery arrived, he solicited another two soldiers to join the cab ride with the agreement that $90 would cover all five.
When the cab arrived at the Northern New York base, Lavery told the five that the price was $90 per person and that they owed him $450, not $90.
During the discussion on the rate for the ride, Lavery threatened to have the five arrested and called the military police. When the MPs arrived, Lavery told them he increased the amount for the trip because he had to drive through bad weather. When MPs said the rate sounded excessive, Lavery said he didn’t care and threatened the soldiers with criminal charges. Knowing that criminal charges could hurt their military careers, the soldiers paid the $450.
read more here
Watertown cab driver accused of extorting
By Robert A. Baker / The Post-Standard
Published: Friday, January 14, 2011
Syracuse, NY -- A Watertown taxi driver is facing a felony after he was accused by Syracuse police of scamming soldiers trying to get from Syracuse Hancock International Airport to Fort Drum.
Michael B. Lavery, 37, of 8417 Willow St., Evans Mills, a driver for Phenix Cab Co. of Watertown, was charged with grand larceny.
Sgt. Tom Connellan gave the following details:
On Jan. 3, several soldiers stationed at Fort Drum were waiting for a shuttle back to the base after flying into the airport. Because of the long wait, a soldier contacted Phenix Cab Co. to find out the fare to the base and was quoted a price of $90. The soldier informed the cab company that there were three going to the base for the $90 fare.
When Lavery arrived, he solicited another two soldiers to join the cab ride with the agreement that $90 would cover all five.
When the cab arrived at the Northern New York base, Lavery told the five that the price was $90 per person and that they owed him $450, not $90.
During the discussion on the rate for the ride, Lavery threatened to have the five arrested and called the military police. When the MPs arrived, Lavery told them he increased the amount for the trip because he had to drive through bad weather. When MPs said the rate sounded excessive, Lavery said he didn’t care and threatened the soldiers with criminal charges. Knowing that criminal charges could hurt their military careers, the soldiers paid the $450.
read more here
Watertown cab driver accused of extorting
Friday, November 19, 2010
Fort Drum Doctor calls PTSD “behavioral health condition"
Fort Drum Doctor calls PTSD “behavioral health condition”
November 19, 2010 posted by Chaplain Kathie · 1 Comment (Edit)
Sounds bad to start off with but it ended up getting worse.
Hammond mother fights to get son treated for PTSD
When Rene Schwappach’s son Gerald (“Jerry”) left for Iraq in 2007, she never imagined he would come back “somebody different.”
By: Ashley Halladay, New Richmond News
When Rene Schwappach’s son Gerald (“Jerry”) left for Iraq in 2007, she never imagined he would come back “somebody different.”
As Veterans Day has recently passed, Rene says her son and many other soldiers at Fort Drum in New York are not getting the help and medical treatment America’s soldiers deserve.
“You think if they come back in one piece, everything is going to be all right,” she said. But she said Gerald’s post-traumatic stress disorder has left him anxious, angry and suffering from nightmares nearly every night.
Gerald has been stationed at the Fort Drum New York 10th Division 38th Brigade Warrior Transition Unit since Jan. 12 and feels he is not getting adequate medical care.
After receiving depressed and suicidal phone calls from her son about his treatment and the staff at Fort Drum, Rene flew to New York on Oct. 1 to see what her son was experiencing. She stayed at Fort Drum for 15 days and said she was disgusted with what she saw.
Upon leaving, Rene said, “I never cried so much in my life.”
read more here
Fort Drum Doctor calls PTSD behavioral health condition
November 19, 2010 posted by Chaplain Kathie · 1 Comment (Edit)
Sounds bad to start off with but it ended up getting worse.
Hammond mother fights to get son treated for PTSD
When Rene Schwappach’s son Gerald (“Jerry”) left for Iraq in 2007, she never imagined he would come back “somebody different.”
By: Ashley Halladay, New Richmond News
When Rene Schwappach’s son Gerald (“Jerry”) left for Iraq in 2007, she never imagined he would come back “somebody different.”
As Veterans Day has recently passed, Rene says her son and many other soldiers at Fort Drum in New York are not getting the help and medical treatment America’s soldiers deserve.
“You think if they come back in one piece, everything is going to be all right,” she said. But she said Gerald’s post-traumatic stress disorder has left him anxious, angry and suffering from nightmares nearly every night.
Gerald has been stationed at the Fort Drum New York 10th Division 38th Brigade Warrior Transition Unit since Jan. 12 and feels he is not getting adequate medical care.
After receiving depressed and suicidal phone calls from her son about his treatment and the staff at Fort Drum, Rene flew to New York on Oct. 1 to see what her son was experiencing. She stayed at Fort Drum for 15 days and said she was disgusted with what she saw.
Upon leaving, Rene said, “I never cried so much in my life.”
read more here
Fort Drum Doctor calls PTSD behavioral health condition
Thursday, November 18, 2010
LIFE AFTER COMBAT: Civilian clergy learn the effects of deployment
PTSD, STRESS, AND PRAYER
LIFE AFTER COMBAT: Civilian clergy learn the effects of deployment
By DANIEL WOOLFOLK
TIMES STAFF WRITER
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010
FORT DRUM — Stresses of military life extend beyond the installation gates — they can be found where soldiers pray.
Almost 60 civilian clergymen met with Fort Drum chaplains at The Commons Tuesday to discuss how to better minister to military congregants.
"The clergy want to do all they can for the soldiers and their families that are in our communities," said Denise K. Young, executive director of the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization.
She worked with Fort Drum garrison Chaplain Col. Lee Dudley to organize the event that highlighted the importance of understanding post-traumatic stress disorder, the availability of additional family resources and the stresses unique to each phase of a deployment.
The Rev. Frederick G. Garry of the First Presbyterian Church addressed the audience, telling them civilian clergy are very good at working with common problems, but should also understand military needs.
"It doesn't always translate easily into the parish," he said.
Personality disorders are especially difficult, said Rev. David L. Hayner, of New Life Christian Church.
"We're lacking in being able to understand, being able to cope with and being able to reach out to soldiers with PTSD," he said.
More than 60 percent of families in his congregation have a member in the military, an organization he is familiar with.
A combat-wounded veteran, the Rev. Mr. Hayner served as a platoon sergeant in the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment.
read more here
PTSD, STRESS, AND PRAYER
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Soldier admits killing two soldiers from Florida
Soldier admits killing 2 roommates in northern NY
(AP) – 5 hours ago
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — A Fort Drum military policeman admitted stabbing to death two Army buddies at their apartment near the northern New York military post and will be sentenced to 45 years to life in prison.
Spc. Joshua Hunter, who was raised in Ona, W.Va., repeatedly stabbed Waide James, 20, of Cocoa, Fla., and Diego Valbuena, 20, of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., last November in a duplex the three men shared near Fort Drum's main entrance.
The three friends had returned in spring 2009 from a yearlong tour in Iraq with the 10th Mountain Division, Hunter as a military policeman and the other specialists as drivers. Hunter's wife and parents say he returned from Iraq a changed man plagued by flashbacks.
read more here
Soldier admits killing 2 roommates in northern NY
(AP) – 5 hours ago
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — A Fort Drum military policeman admitted stabbing to death two Army buddies at their apartment near the northern New York military post and will be sentenced to 45 years to life in prison.
Spc. Joshua Hunter, who was raised in Ona, W.Va., repeatedly stabbed Waide James, 20, of Cocoa, Fla., and Diego Valbuena, 20, of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., last November in a duplex the three men shared near Fort Drum's main entrance.
The three friends had returned in spring 2009 from a yearlong tour in Iraq with the 10th Mountain Division, Hunter as a military policeman and the other specialists as drivers. Hunter's wife and parents say he returned from Iraq a changed man plagued by flashbacks.
read more here
Soldier admits killing 2 roommates in northern NY
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Carson GI cited for preventing suicide in Iraq
Carson GI cited for preventing suicide in Iraq
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday May 18, 2010 14:00:51 EDT
FORT CARSON, Colo. — A Fort Carson soldier has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for preventing a buddy’s suicide in Iraq.
The Army says Spc. Albert Godding removed the firing pin from his buddy’s rifle after noting he was feeling down because his wife was leaving him and he had several months left in his deployment.
The Army says the other soldier tried to kill himself with his rifle later that day, but it wouldn’t fire without the pin.
Godding was presented the award at Fort Polk, La., where he was training with Fort Carson’s 4th Brigade Combat Team to deploy to Afghanistan.
The Army says the buddy got counseling, and has been promoted to corporal and now is engaged.
Godding and the other soldier were based at Fort Drum, N.Y., at the time.
Carson GI cited for preventing suicide in Iraq
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday May 18, 2010 14:00:51 EDT
FORT CARSON, Colo. — A Fort Carson soldier has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for preventing a buddy’s suicide in Iraq.
The Army says Spc. Albert Godding removed the firing pin from his buddy’s rifle after noting he was feeling down because his wife was leaving him and he had several months left in his deployment.
The Army says the other soldier tried to kill himself with his rifle later that day, but it wouldn’t fire without the pin.
Godding was presented the award at Fort Polk, La., where he was training with Fort Carson’s 4th Brigade Combat Team to deploy to Afghanistan.
The Army says the buddy got counseling, and has been promoted to corporal and now is engaged.
Godding and the other soldier were based at Fort Drum, N.Y., at the time.
Carson GI cited for preventing suicide in Iraq
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
PTSD on Trail, combat claims disputed in double murder charges
PTSD comes only one way and that is after traumatic events. It does change the way people think, react and feel about others as well as themselves.
This article says Spc. Hunter did not see combat or any deaths of anyone in his unit this time but it does not say what happened on the other deployment that could have caused PTSD. It does not say if there were civilians killed when Spc. Hunter was in the area or not. As we all know from reports, bombs are still blowing up civilians in Iraq. We should not totally dismiss PTSD yet until everything is reported. If Hunter was not exposed to any traumatic events the his use of it to defend himself against a double murder charge is beneath contempt. PTSD does not let anyone off the hook for crimes they commit but it would have to be taken into account when deciding what justice is in each case. Too many of our veterans suffering from PTSD never commit crimes and never harm anyone. The veterans committing crimes are rare and this is something the media should take into account whenever they report on a story like this.
This article says Spc. Hunter did not see combat or any deaths of anyone in his unit this time but it does not say what happened on the other deployment that could have caused PTSD. It does not say if there were civilians killed when Spc. Hunter was in the area or not. As we all know from reports, bombs are still blowing up civilians in Iraq. We should not totally dismiss PTSD yet until everything is reported. If Hunter was not exposed to any traumatic events the his use of it to defend himself against a double murder charge is beneath contempt. PTSD does not let anyone off the hook for crimes they commit but it would have to be taken into account when deciding what justice is in each case. Too many of our veterans suffering from PTSD never commit crimes and never harm anyone. The veterans committing crimes are rare and this is something the media should take into account whenever they report on a story like this.
MURDER SUSPECT'S COMBAT CLAIMS DISPUTED
ARMY CHECKING: Deployed unit had no deaths, injuries
By JOANNA RICHARDS
TIMES STAFF WRITER
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009
FORT DRUM — Officials from the Army base are looking into the veracity of claims that Spc. Joshua Hunter, the military policeman accused this week of killing two fellow soldiers, experienced trauma during his Iraq deployment.
Some of the soldier's family members said this week that the 20-year-old military policeman had returned from a recent deployment mentally disturbed. Emily Hunter, his wife, told the Associated Press, "He saw his best friend get blown up to pieces and he tried to put him back together. He was never right after that."
But the unit Spc. Hunter deployed with experienced no combat deaths or even injuries during its 15-month Iraq deployment that ended in mid-2009, although it had two non-combat related deaths, said Maj. Frederick C. Harrell, a spokesman for the 10th Mountain Division.
"We're looking into whether his statements are true or not," Maj. Harrell said. "There's questions on it, so we've just got to answer the questions."
read more here
Deployed unit had no deaths, injuries
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Fort Drum soldier killed in Providence
RI shooting victim was Drum-based soldier
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 8:43:42 EST
FORT DRUM, N.Y. — Military officials say one of two men fatally shot in Rhode Island last weekend was a soldier stationed at Fort Drum.
Police in Providence say 22-year-old David Thomas of Boston was shot and killed about 2:30 a.m. Sunday while in a vehicle with his 18-year-old brother, Dwayne, and 21-year-old Domingo Ortiz, who also died. Dwayne Thomas survived the shooting.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/12/ap_army_drum_shooting_victim_120809/
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 8, 2009 8:43:42 EST
FORT DRUM, N.Y. — Military officials say one of two men fatally shot in Rhode Island last weekend was a soldier stationed at Fort Drum.
Police in Providence say 22-year-old David Thomas of Boston was shot and killed about 2:30 a.m. Sunday while in a vehicle with his 18-year-old brother, Dwayne, and 21-year-old Domingo Ortiz, who also died. Dwayne Thomas survived the shooting.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/12/ap_army_drum_shooting_victim_120809/
Thursday, December 3, 2009
PTSD on Trail:Wife says Iraq war changed soldier accused in slayings
Wife: Iraq war changed soldier accused in slayings
By MARY ESCH
The Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. — Relatives say a Fort Drum soldier accused of stabbing his two Army buddies to death told them he saw his best friend "blown to pieces" in Iraq and came back a changed man: violent, sleepless, edgy and plagued by flashbacks.
Spc. Joshua Hunter, a military policeman, was expected to be arraigned on second-degree murder charges Friday morning, three days after the bodies of Waide James, 20, and Diego Valbuena, 23, were found in their apartment just outside Fort Drum, about 140 miles northwest of Albany. Hunter and the two victims served in Iraq at the same time in the same battalion.
They all were based at the wind-swept Army post near the Canadian border, home of the much-deployed 10th Mountain Division, and shared an off-base apartment.
Hunter's wife, Emily Hunter, told The Associated Press in a phone interview that her husband was outgoing before he went to war, but when he returned stateside, he was preoccupied by images of his friend being blown up.
read more here
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/wife-iraq-war-changed-224253.html
By MARY ESCH
The Associated Press
ALBANY, N.Y. — Relatives say a Fort Drum soldier accused of stabbing his two Army buddies to death told them he saw his best friend "blown to pieces" in Iraq and came back a changed man: violent, sleepless, edgy and plagued by flashbacks.
Spc. Joshua Hunter, a military policeman, was expected to be arraigned on second-degree murder charges Friday morning, three days after the bodies of Waide James, 20, and Diego Valbuena, 23, were found in their apartment just outside Fort Drum, about 140 miles northwest of Albany. Hunter and the two victims served in Iraq at the same time in the same battalion.
They all were based at the wind-swept Army post near the Canadian border, home of the much-deployed 10th Mountain Division, and shared an off-base apartment.
Hunter's wife, Emily Hunter, told The Associated Press in a phone interview that her husband was outgoing before he went to war, but when he returned stateside, he was preoccupied by images of his friend being blown up.
read more here
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/wife-iraq-war-changed-224253.html
Hearing held for Fort Drum soldier in stabbings
Hearing held for Drum soldier in stabbings
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Dec 3, 2009 12:02:35 EST
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — A Fort Drum soldier accused of fatally stabbing two fellow servicemen has been arraigned on fugitive from justice charges in Ohio and has agreed to return to New York to face murder charges.
A court official says bond was set at $1 million Thursday for 20-year-old Joshua Hunter in Portsmouth Municipal Court in southern Ohio.
Hunter was arrested at a nearby hotel early Wednesday. He is wanted in New York on two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of 20-year-old Waide James and 23-year-old Diego Valbuena. Their bodies were found Tuesday in an apartment complex housing mostly military families near Fort Drum.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/12/ap_army_drum_fatal_stabbings_120209w/
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Dec 3, 2009 12:02:35 EST
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — A Fort Drum soldier accused of fatally stabbing two fellow servicemen has been arraigned on fugitive from justice charges in Ohio and has agreed to return to New York to face murder charges.
A court official says bond was set at $1 million Thursday for 20-year-old Joshua Hunter in Portsmouth Municipal Court in southern Ohio.
Hunter was arrested at a nearby hotel early Wednesday. He is wanted in New York on two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of 20-year-old Waide James and 23-year-old Diego Valbuena. Their bodies were found Tuesday in an apartment complex housing mostly military families near Fort Drum.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/12/ap_army_drum_fatal_stabbings_120209w/
Saturday, October 31, 2009
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Robert K. Charlton, 22, of Malden, Mo.,
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Robert K. Charlton, 22, of Malden, Mo.,
died Oct. 27 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident Oct. 23 in Wardak, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
The circumstances surrounding the non-combat related incident are under investigation.
The circumstances surrounding the non-combat related incident are under investigation.
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Joseph L. Gallegos, 39, of Questa, N.M.,
died Oct. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 720th Transportation Company, New Mexico Army National Guard, in Las Vegas, N.M.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13089
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Clermont Florida Soldier with 10th Mountain dies in Afghanistan
Florida soldier killed in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Aug 4, 2009 15:52:21 EDT
CLERMONT, Fla. —The Defense Department said Tuesday that Army Spc. Alexander J. Miller of Clermont, Fla., died Friday in Nuristan Province during an insurgent attack. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
A Fort Drum spokeswoman said Tuesday that Miller has been awarded the Purple Heart, among other medals.
Miller’s stepfather told the Orlando Sentinel that the 21-year-old “put everybody before himself.”
According to the Defense Department, as of Monday, at least 686 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan began in late 2001.
Florida soldier killed in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Aug 4, 2009 15:52:21 EDT
CLERMONT, Fla. —The Defense Department said Tuesday that Army Spc. Alexander J. Miller of Clermont, Fla., died Friday in Nuristan Province during an insurgent attack. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
A Fort Drum spokeswoman said Tuesday that Miller has been awarded the Purple Heart, among other medals.
Miller’s stepfather told the Orlando Sentinel that the 21-year-old “put everybody before himself.”
According to the Defense Department, as of Monday, at least 686 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan began in late 2001.
Florida soldier killed in Afghanistan
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tri-care problems need attention
DoD to focus on health care access problems
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jul 24, 2009 10:48:42 EDT
Although defense health care does not fall within the purview of Tommy Thomas, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy, military families do.
So Thomas is looking into military families’ complaints about access to health care.
He plans to travel to Fort Drum, N.Y., and Fort Campbell, Ky., with representatives from the Tricare Management Activity to hear firsthand about that particular issue, said Arthur Myers, principal director of the military community and family policy office, in testimony Wednesday before the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/07/military_family_help_072409w/
Myers noted that spouses testified in a Senate hearing earlier this year that they rated their health care as excellent, but access as poor.
“And what we’ve found out [is that] a lot of health professionals will not accept Tricare. So constantly we hear at Fort Campbell, these families have to travel to Nashville, an hour and a half, to get the care,” Myers said.
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jul 24, 2009 10:48:42 EDT
Although defense health care does not fall within the purview of Tommy Thomas, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy, military families do.
So Thomas is looking into military families’ complaints about access to health care.
He plans to travel to Fort Drum, N.Y., and Fort Campbell, Ky., with representatives from the Tricare Management Activity to hear firsthand about that particular issue, said Arthur Myers, principal director of the military community and family policy office, in testimony Wednesday before the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/07/military_family_help_072409w/
Myers noted that spouses testified in a Senate hearing earlier this year that they rated their health care as excellent, but access as poor.
“And what we’ve found out [is that] a lot of health professionals will not accept Tricare. So constantly we hear at Fort Campbell, these families have to travel to Nashville, an hour and a half, to get the care,” Myers said.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Soldiers Question the Defense Secretary About Long Deployments
Soldiers Question the Defense Secretary About Long Deployments
Washington Post
By Walter Pincus
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Outside the military, not much attention is paid to the personal problems of families caught up in the endless rotational deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan that mark serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.
Last Friday, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates dealt with a handful of those problems in a town hall meeting at Fort Drum, N.Y., in front of Army units that either were coming from Southwest Asia or preparing to go there.
Many of the questions focused on disparities among units when it comes to "dwell time" -- time spent at home between deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan. With 130,000 troops remaining in Iraq through the end of the year and 68,000 more scheduled to be in Afghanistan during the same period, pressures on military family life have grown.
An Army sergeant opened by pointing out that one brigade has alternated between one year at home and one year deployed over the past five years, whereas another brigade in the same division has been spending two-year stretches at home. He asked whether anything could be done to even out the dwell time.
read more here
Soldiers Question the Defense Secretary About Long Deployments
Washington Post
By Walter Pincus
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Outside the military, not much attention is paid to the personal problems of families caught up in the endless rotational deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan that mark serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.
Last Friday, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates dealt with a handful of those problems in a town hall meeting at Fort Drum, N.Y., in front of Army units that either were coming from Southwest Asia or preparing to go there.
Many of the questions focused on disparities among units when it comes to "dwell time" -- time spent at home between deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan. With 130,000 troops remaining in Iraq through the end of the year and 68,000 more scheduled to be in Afghanistan during the same period, pressures on military family life have grown.
An Army sergeant opened by pointing out that one brigade has alternated between one year at home and one year deployed over the past five years, whereas another brigade in the same division has been spending two-year stretches at home. He asked whether anything could be done to even out the dwell time.
read more here
Soldiers Question the Defense Secretary About Long Deployments
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
10th Mountain soldier's death in Iraq under investigation
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Marko M. Samson, 30, of Columbus, Ohio, died May 31 in Tikrit, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 277th Aviation Support Battalion, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Fort Drum leaders look at history of ancient wound
by
Chaplain Kathie
A rather ornery man said to me, "What do you know? I can track my ancestors back to the Revolutionary war!" as if telling me I didn't know what I was talking about. I smiled and stated, "Young roots. I can track mine back to the Trojan war. So what's your point?" War did not begin when the Patriots decided to get the British out of control. It didn't start when the Romans decided to conquer the world. It's started as soon as Cain killed Able.
Taking a look at the past generations of warfare in history is a great start to supporting the fact that what we now call PTSD has been around as long as man has. The only thing that really bothers me about this is too many people act as if they just began to study it. This is what I've been reading since I was handed a copy of it, now so old, it's yellowed and fragile.
As you can see the term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was already being used and it can be tied into the Greek language. Trauma is Greek for "wound." You can also see that we knew there were 500,000 veterans of the Vietnam war wounded by it. It also warned the numbers would go up and they did. We knew a lot for over 30 years but some people are acting as if the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are the only ones suffering with it. The truth is that they are only the latest in a very long list of combat actions throughout history. It's just that no one did anything about it until the Vietnam veterans fought for it.
One of the little secrets about WWII is that there were many with PTSD and one of them was my husband's uncle. He was a Merchant Marine and his ship was hit by a Kamikaze pilot. He ended up with "shell shock" and spent the rest of his life living on a farm where he could be taken care of. Yes, PTSD can get that bad.
We have a friend, another Vietnam vet that came back home, worked up until last year even with PTSD but went over the edge and "flipped out" to the point where he will remain in a "home" for the rest of his life.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of their stories and the newer veterans are able to tell their's because of the Vietnam veterans finding the strength and courage to begin to speak out about this wound that followed them back from hell.
There are still some using the words "crazy vet" but then they'd be the type of person to use derogatory terms to describe anyone of "lesser" value in their eyes. It's easier than facing the fact that "crazy vet" was willing to risk his/her life for them and they were paying the price for it.
Anyway, with all we have known and for how long we've known it, I still find it very interesting that it's all been forgotten as if all of this is new and they are just coming to grips with the need of our veterans. By 1978 there were 70 outreach offices for veterans but the VA is just now understanding how vital these centers are. This is a quote from the same pamphlet.
This is part of the reason I get so angry with the Vietnam veterans still suffering without help to heal and why the newer veterans have to suffer at all. We knew it too long ago to have been this far behind in any of this but the same studies are being done and the same research is being done as if any of this is knew instead of as ancient as mankind. Taking a look back at the historical aspects of warfare and knowing humans are still human is a good step but it also proves the point, "those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it" and in this case, leaving veterans to suffer because all the knowledge we gained was lost and no one will bother too look.
Chaplain Kathie
A rather ornery man said to me, "What do you know? I can track my ancestors back to the Revolutionary war!" as if telling me I didn't know what I was talking about. I smiled and stated, "Young roots. I can track mine back to the Trojan war. So what's your point?" War did not begin when the Patriots decided to get the British out of control. It didn't start when the Romans decided to conquer the world. It's started as soon as Cain killed Able.
Taking a look at the past generations of warfare in history is a great start to supporting the fact that what we now call PTSD has been around as long as man has. The only thing that really bothers me about this is too many people act as if they just began to study it. This is what I've been reading since I was handed a copy of it, now so old, it's yellowed and fragile.
This is when we knew it even though it had been happening to warriors since time began.
This is what we knew.
As you can see the term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was already being used and it can be tied into the Greek language. Trauma is Greek for "wound." You can also see that we knew there were 500,000 veterans of the Vietnam war wounded by it. It also warned the numbers would go up and they did. We knew a lot for over 30 years but some people are acting as if the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are the only ones suffering with it. The truth is that they are only the latest in a very long list of combat actions throughout history. It's just that no one did anything about it until the Vietnam veterans fought for it.
One of the little secrets about WWII is that there were many with PTSD and one of them was my husband's uncle. He was a Merchant Marine and his ship was hit by a Kamikaze pilot. He ended up with "shell shock" and spent the rest of his life living on a farm where he could be taken care of. Yes, PTSD can get that bad.
We have a friend, another Vietnam vet that came back home, worked up until last year even with PTSD but went over the edge and "flipped out" to the point where he will remain in a "home" for the rest of his life.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of their stories and the newer veterans are able to tell their's because of the Vietnam veterans finding the strength and courage to begin to speak out about this wound that followed them back from hell.
There are still some using the words "crazy vet" but then they'd be the type of person to use derogatory terms to describe anyone of "lesser" value in their eyes. It's easier than facing the fact that "crazy vet" was willing to risk his/her life for them and they were paying the price for it.
Anyway, with all we have known and for how long we've known it, I still find it very interesting that it's all been forgotten as if all of this is new and they are just coming to grips with the need of our veterans. By 1978 there were 70 outreach offices for veterans but the VA is just now understanding how vital these centers are. This is a quote from the same pamphlet.
"In its efforts to help these veterans, the million member Disabled American Veterans (DAV) funded the Forgotten Warrior Project research on Vietnam veterans by John P. Wilson, Ph.D. at Cleveland State University. That research resulted in providing counseling to these veterans in 1978. With 70 outreach offices across the United States, this DAV program served as a model for the Veterans Administration (VA) Operation Outreach program for Vietnam era veterans which was established approximately a year later."
This is part of the reason I get so angry with the Vietnam veterans still suffering without help to heal and why the newer veterans have to suffer at all. We knew it too long ago to have been this far behind in any of this but the same studies are being done and the same research is being done as if any of this is knew instead of as ancient as mankind. Taking a look back at the historical aspects of warfare and knowing humans are still human is a good step but it also proves the point, "those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it" and in this case, leaving veterans to suffer because all the knowledge we gained was lost and no one will bother too look.
Drum leaders learn combat stress timeless
By SARAH M. RIVETTE
TIMES STAFF WRITER
SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2009
FORT DRUM — The military leadership here took the conversation about combat stress back 2,500 years Wednesday night to the time of Sophocles and the age of the Trojan War.
The point was to show that cases of soldier's heart, shell shock or post-traumatic stress disorder — names from different eras of the same malady — transcends time and advances in warfare.
"This is an ageless phenomenon and we are just starting to take a scientific look at it," said Brig. Gen. Kevin W. Mangum, the rear detachment commander for the division and post. "We've called it different things, but these soldiers are facing the stresses never faced before."
The presentation was brought to Fort Drum by Walter Reed Army Medical Center to help start conversations on soldier and family reintegration after a deployment. The two-hour presentation has been shown at various military bases throughout the country, but Fort Drum is the first Army post to participate.
Based on feedback, Gen. Mangum said this was definitely something he would like to see happen at the brigade and battalion level so soldiers have an interactive way to talk about combat stress and the reintegration process. Brigade and other rear detachment leadership felt the same way.
"It's a different venue to talk about soldiers and these issues," said Col. Willard M. Burleson III, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team. "It's human interaction and it's emotion. The impact of war on the soldier and the family has been the same since the beginning of time, and that combat stress hasn't changed."
There were three scenes from the plays "Ajax" and "Philoctetes." Both were soldiers during the time of the Trojan War and both were dealing with issues that stemmed from their service.
Ajax was enraged when he did not receive the armor of his fallen comrade, Achilles, and in madness slaughtered a herd of sheep and cattle. His wife, Tecmessa, and fellow sailors tried to talk him out of suicide but were unsuccessful.
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Drum leaders learn combat stress timeless
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