Pentagon grapples with sex crimes by military recruiters
By Craig Whitlock
The Washington Post
Published: May 13, 2013
Military recruiters across the country have been caught in a string of sex-crime scandals over the past year, exposing another long-standing problem for the Defense Department as it grapples with a crisis of sexual assault in the ranks.
In Alaska, law enforcement officials are fuming after a military jury this month convicted a Marine Corps recruiter of first-degree sexual assault in the rape of a 23-year-old female civilian but did not sentence him to prison.
In Texas, an Air Force recruiter will face a military court next month on charges of rape, forcible sodomy and other crimes involving 18 young women he tried to enlist over a three-year period. Air Force officials have described the case as perhaps the worst involving one of its recruiters.
In Maryland, Army officials are puzzling over a murder-suicide last month, when a staff sergeant, Adam Arndt, killed himself after he fatally shot Michelle Miller, a 17-year-old Germantown girl whom he had been recruiting for the Army Reserve. Officials suspect the two were romantically involved, something expressly forbidden by military rules. read more here
Showing posts with label Maryland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maryland. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Pentagon grapples with sex crimes by military recruiters
Rape is a crime and if guilty, the criminal needs to go to jail. So what's the problem?
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
What went wrong at military’s ‘Super Pond’ in Maryland?
What went wrong at military’s ‘Super Pond’ in Maryland?
By Justin George
The Baltimore Sun
Published: March 6, 2013
BALTIMORE — Shaped like a teardrop and carved out of the eastern bank of the Bush River in Maryland, the UNDEX Test Facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground has earned the nickname “Super Pond” for its unusual properties.
Viewed from above, the man-made pond looks much darker than the nearby waters of the Chesapeake Bay. That’s because it drops 150 feet to a flat bottom, where, out of view of the public, the military tests missiles, torpedoes, sonar and the effects of explosions on submarines and boats — all within walls that can withstand the equivalent of 4,100 pounds of TNT.
It’s also where Navy divers practice salvage missions. When the military isn’t blowing things up in the Super Pond, it offers a controlled and easy-to-monitor environment, away from the unpredictability of nature’s choppy waves and ever-shifting conditions.
“Until recently,” said Maj. Gen. Genaro J. Dellarocco, chief of the Army Test and Evaluation Command, “it was one of the safest facilities we had on the installation.
“We’re investigating with the Navy to find out what changed.”
On Feb. 26, rescue workers pulled two members of the Navy’s elite Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 from the Super Pond.
Diver First Class James Reyher, 28, and Diver Second Class Ryan Harris, 23 — whose unit has been involved in high-profile missions such as the recovery of the space shuttle Challenger — had been participating in a training exercise at the facility. They were reportedly using air hoses supplied from the surface, and were tethered together.
One was dead at the scene; the other was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. They were the second and third divers to die at the Super Pond in less than a month.
read more here
By Justin George
The Baltimore Sun
Published: March 6, 2013
BALTIMORE — Shaped like a teardrop and carved out of the eastern bank of the Bush River in Maryland, the UNDEX Test Facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground has earned the nickname “Super Pond” for its unusual properties.
Viewed from above, the man-made pond looks much darker than the nearby waters of the Chesapeake Bay. That’s because it drops 150 feet to a flat bottom, where, out of view of the public, the military tests missiles, torpedoes, sonar and the effects of explosions on submarines and boats — all within walls that can withstand the equivalent of 4,100 pounds of TNT.
It’s also where Navy divers practice salvage missions. When the military isn’t blowing things up in the Super Pond, it offers a controlled and easy-to-monitor environment, away from the unpredictability of nature’s choppy waves and ever-shifting conditions.
“Until recently,” said Maj. Gen. Genaro J. Dellarocco, chief of the Army Test and Evaluation Command, “it was one of the safest facilities we had on the installation.
“We’re investigating with the Navy to find out what changed.”
On Feb. 26, rescue workers pulled two members of the Navy’s elite Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 from the Super Pond.
Diver First Class James Reyher, 28, and Diver Second Class Ryan Harris, 23 — whose unit has been involved in high-profile missions such as the recovery of the space shuttle Challenger — had been participating in a training exercise at the facility. They were reportedly using air hoses supplied from the surface, and were tethered together.
One was dead at the scene; the other was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. They were the second and third divers to die at the Super Pond in less than a month.
read more here
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Two Navy Divers Die in Aberdeen Diving Op
Two Navy Divers Die in Aberdeen Diving Op
Feb 27, 2013
Associated Press
BALTIMORE -- The Navy is investigating the deaths of two sailors during a diving operation at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, the second deadly incident at a deep pond there in the past month.
Officials say the divers died Tuesday. While one diver was pronounced dead at the scene, the other was transported to a local medical facility, where he was pronounced dead. The unit is based at Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach.
read more here
Feb 27, 2013
Associated Press
BALTIMORE -- The Navy is investigating the deaths of two sailors during a diving operation at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, the second deadly incident at a deep pond there in the past month.
Officials say the divers died Tuesday. While one diver was pronounced dead at the scene, the other was transported to a local medical facility, where he was pronounced dead. The unit is based at Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach.
read more here
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Two students shot at University of Maryland
University Of Maryland Shooting: Two Students Dead After Shooting In College Park House
Huffington Post
02/12/13
COLLEGE PARK, Md.
Police say a University of Maryland student shot two housemates, one fatally, in an off-campus residence and then killed himself.
The shooting happened at around 1 a.m. Tuesday in College Park in Prince George's County.
go here for more later
Huffington Post
02/12/13
COLLEGE PARK, Md.
Police say a University of Maryland student shot two housemates, one fatally, in an off-campus residence and then killed himself.
The shooting happened at around 1 a.m. Tuesday in College Park in Prince George's County.
go here for more later
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Veterans in Maryland seeking disability benefits can face a perilous wait
Veterans in Maryland seeking disability benefits can face a perilous wait
Washington Post
By Steve Vogel
February 03, 2013
BALTIMORE — Veterans across Maryland who have filed disability claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Baltimore office may wait more than a year for a decision and even then face a 25 percent chance that their claims will be mishandled, according to agency figures.
Nationally, the system is struggling with a backlog of more than 900,000 claims, the result of a sharp increase in filings by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as well as by older generations. The Baltimore regional office’s performance is among the nation’s worst, with claims filed by veterans seeking disability compensation pending 429 days on average, six times VA’s goal of 70 days, and 162 days longer than the national average.
read more here
Washington Post
By Steve Vogel
February 03, 2013
BALTIMORE — Veterans across Maryland who have filed disability claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Baltimore office may wait more than a year for a decision and even then face a 25 percent chance that their claims will be mishandled, according to agency figures.
Nationally, the system is struggling with a backlog of more than 900,000 claims, the result of a sharp increase in filings by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as well as by older generations. The Baltimore regional office’s performance is among the nation’s worst, with claims filed by veterans seeking disability compensation pending 429 days on average, six times VA’s goal of 70 days, and 162 days longer than the national average.
read more here
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Veteran can't get gun after old conviction, court says
Veteran can't get gun after old conviction, court says
Politico
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
1/11/13
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court says a Maryland veteran can't own a gun because of a misdemeanor assault conviction more than four decades ago.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Friday turned away an appeal from 68-year-old Navy veteran Jefferson Wayne Schrader, who sued after failing a 2008 background check.
read more here
Politico
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
1/11/13
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court says a Maryland veteran can't own a gun because of a misdemeanor assault conviction more than four decades ago.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Friday turned away an appeal from 68-year-old Navy veteran Jefferson Wayne Schrader, who sued after failing a 2008 background check.
read more here
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Combat Medic listed as AWOL turned himself in
Army Specialist Catalino Rodriguez of Aberdeen, Md.,Turns Himself In After Being AWOL For Two Years
Written by
Surae Chinn
WUSA9.com
Aug 9, 2012
BETHESDA, Md. (WUSA) -- An Aberdeen, Maryland soldier who went AWOL (Away Without Leave) two years ago has decided to turn himself in.
Army Specialist Catalino Rodriguez says he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD and major depression. He has emerged from hiding in his mother's basement.
"It's a nightmare. A two year nightmare. I don't want to do this anymore," he said.
He said he fell into a dark place after a 15 month deployment as a combat medic in Iraq.
He further spiraled into mental illness when he learned he would be deployed to Afghanistan.
"I felt the demons that were in my head," he said. "I felt I was not prepared to go to Afghanistan. Being a medic, I was fearful of my personal demons getting in the way in how I would treat a battle buddy."
He sought help, but he says the military's solution only masked the problem.
"The only thing they gave me was medication, medication, medication," Rodriquez said.
read more here
Written by
Surae Chinn
WUSA9.com
Aug 9, 2012
BETHESDA, Md. (WUSA) -- An Aberdeen, Maryland soldier who went AWOL (Away Without Leave) two years ago has decided to turn himself in.
Army Specialist Catalino Rodriguez says he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD and major depression. He has emerged from hiding in his mother's basement.
"It's a nightmare. A two year nightmare. I don't want to do this anymore," he said.
He said he fell into a dark place after a 15 month deployment as a combat medic in Iraq.
He further spiraled into mental illness when he learned he would be deployed to Afghanistan.
"I felt the demons that were in my head," he said. "I felt I was not prepared to go to Afghanistan. Being a medic, I was fearful of my personal demons getting in the way in how I would treat a battle buddy."
He sought help, but he says the military's solution only masked the problem.
"The only thing they gave me was medication, medication, medication," Rodriquez said.
read more here
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Homeless man shot 2 at Maryland church, then killed himself
Police: Homeless man shot 2 at Maryland church
By DAVID DISHNEAU
Associated Press
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) - A disgruntled homeless man fatally shot a secretary and critically wounded a priest in the office of a Maryland Episcopal church after he was turned away from the food bank because of his increasingly aggressive behavior, police said Friday.
After killing Brenda Brewington, 59, and wounding the Rev. Mary-Marguerite Kohn, 62, Douglas F. Jones killed himself with the handgun in the woods where he lived near St. Peter's Episcopal Church, about 14 miles west of Baltimore, police said.
"He's been described as argumentative and belligerent, and at some point they asked him to leave and not return. If there was a motive here, we believe that may have contributed in some way," Howard County Police Department spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said.
Brewington, of Ellicott City, was pronounced dead Thursday evening at the church after a custodian discovered the scene and called police.
Kohn, of Halethorpe, remained in critical condition Friday afternoon at Shock Trauma in Baltimore, according to police and hospital officials. She had been co-rector of the parish since 2009 and associate rector since 2003.
The incident provoked grief, anger and prayerful reflection at the opening Friday of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland's two-day annual convention in Hunt Valley, said the Right Rev. Eugene T. Sutton, bishop of Maryland.
He said the anger was directed at a society that would let a deranged man have a handgun.
"How is it that someone as mentally unstable, and who is on the edge, mentally, how does he get a gun to wreak that havoc?" Sutton said. "And of course, it's very painful for us that that violence happened in a holy place."
read more here
By DAVID DISHNEAU
Associated Press
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) - A disgruntled homeless man fatally shot a secretary and critically wounded a priest in the office of a Maryland Episcopal church after he was turned away from the food bank because of his increasingly aggressive behavior, police said Friday.
After killing Brenda Brewington, 59, and wounding the Rev. Mary-Marguerite Kohn, 62, Douglas F. Jones killed himself with the handgun in the woods where he lived near St. Peter's Episcopal Church, about 14 miles west of Baltimore, police said.
"He's been described as argumentative and belligerent, and at some point they asked him to leave and not return. If there was a motive here, we believe that may have contributed in some way," Howard County Police Department spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said.
Brewington, of Ellicott City, was pronounced dead Thursday evening at the church after a custodian discovered the scene and called police.
Kohn, of Halethorpe, remained in critical condition Friday afternoon at Shock Trauma in Baltimore, according to police and hospital officials. She had been co-rector of the parish since 2009 and associate rector since 2003.
The incident provoked grief, anger and prayerful reflection at the opening Friday of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland's two-day annual convention in Hunt Valley, said the Right Rev. Eugene T. Sutton, bishop of Maryland.
He said the anger was directed at a society that would let a deranged man have a handgun.
"How is it that someone as mentally unstable, and who is on the edge, mentally, how does he get a gun to wreak that havoc?" Sutton said. "And of course, it's very painful for us that that violence happened in a holy place."
read more here
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Maryland state trooper shot, killed
Maryland State Trooper Wesley Brown. (AP/Maryland State Police)
Maryland state trooper shot, killed
This post was updated at 11:30 a.m.
An off-duty Maryland state police officer was shot and killed early Friday in the parking lot of a Forestville area restaurant, police said.
Wesley Brown, 24, was shot shortly before 12:40 a.m. at the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar on Donnell Drive after an incident inside the restaurant involving a “disorderly” customer who refused to pay a bill, Col. Michael Blow told reporters.
Maryland State Trooper Wesley Brown. (AP/Maryland State Police)Brown, who was working part-time as a security officer at the Applebee's, escorted the individual outside, police said. About 30 minutes later, a gunman ambushed the trooper as he exited the restaurant. The man who disputed his bill is considered a “person of interest,” police said, but they are not limiting their search to him.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Marine charged with faking war wounds and combat medals
Sgt. David W. Budwah is not just a jerk deciding to play dress-up hero, telling tall tales to impress strangers. He isn't your average veteran faking wounds to collect funds he didn't earn. He is worse because he is still in the Marines! This is a betrayal against every real wounded veteran, every real combat medal wearing hero and every man serving today in the military.
Marine charged with faking war wounds for gain
By DAVID DISHNEAU (AP) – 3 hours ago
SABILLASVILLE, Md. — On a sultry day in July 2008, Marine Sgt. David W. Budwah strode in his battle fatigues to the front of a picnic pavilion to tell three dozen young boys what he did during the war.
With his clear gaze, rigid posture and muscled, tattooed arms, Budwah looked every inch the hero he claimed to be. He said he was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan when a homemade grenade exploded, wounding his face and arm when he dove to shield a buddy from the blast.
He urged the boys, ages 9-12, to take pride in themselves, their country and its warriors.
"We're here to make sure of the freedom you have every day," Budwah told his audience at Camp West Mar, a wooded American Legion compound about 60 miles northwest of Washington.
Spencer Shoemaker, then 10, was so impressed he had his picture taken with Budwah and kept a treasured newspaper clipping about the visit.
"What he said made me feel like I wanted to join the Marines," Spencer said.
But the Marines say Budwah is a liar, a fraud and a thief. They are court-martialing the 34-year-old Springhill, La., native, alleging he was never in Afghanistan, wasn't wounded and didn't earn the combat medals he wore — or the many privileges he enjoyed.
Budwah joined the Marines in October 1999 and spent nearly all of the next six years with a radio communications unit in Okinawa, Japan, according to the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va., where Budwah has been stationed since February 2006.
read more here
Marine charged with faking war wounds for gain
Friday, July 10, 2009
Army Guardsman Named 'Chaplain of the Year'
Army Guardsman Named 'Chaplain of the Year'
National Guard Bureau
Story by Sgt. Patrick McCollum
Date: 07.09.2009
Posted: 07.09.2009 06:46
ARLINGTON, Va. – Chaplains have a myriad of reasons for serving their country, but recognition is usually not one of them.
"Chaplains are often in the position where we love to serve so much, it's always a surprise to be rewarded for it," said Army Capt. Rebekah Montgomery, who will receive the "Chaplain of the Year" award from the Military Chaplains' Association July 17.
A Unitarian Universalist chaplain serving at both the Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Va., and Maryland's 58th Troop Command, Montgomery, she has been a student of religion since high school.
She found that religion fascinated her. "I was always drawn to how people negotiate their daily lives with the experience of the spiritual," said Montgomery, who grew up in Bethesda, Md. "I got so much stimulation out of understanding other faith traditions and I still do."
After an 18-month tour in Afghanistan, Montgomery found herself back in Maryland with two jobs. One weekend a month, she is the brigade chaplain in the 58th TC, a job that she says keeps her grounded in the "M-Day" unit mentality.
National Guard Bureau
Story by Sgt. Patrick McCollum
Date: 07.09.2009
Posted: 07.09.2009 06:46
ARLINGTON, Va. – Chaplains have a myriad of reasons for serving their country, but recognition is usually not one of them.
"Chaplains are often in the position where we love to serve so much, it's always a surprise to be rewarded for it," said Army Capt. Rebekah Montgomery, who will receive the "Chaplain of the Year" award from the Military Chaplains' Association July 17.
A Unitarian Universalist chaplain serving at both the Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Va., and Maryland's 58th Troop Command, Montgomery, she has been a student of religion since high school.
She found that religion fascinated her. "I was always drawn to how people negotiate their daily lives with the experience of the spiritual," said Montgomery, who grew up in Bethesda, Md. "I got so much stimulation out of understanding other faith traditions and I still do."
After an 18-month tour in Afghanistan, Montgomery found herself back in Maryland with two jobs. One weekend a month, she is the brigade chaplain in the 58th TC, a job that she says keeps her grounded in the "M-Day" unit mentality.
read more here
Monday, June 22, 2009
Two Metro Trains Crash, 7 dead
Two Dead, Many Injured in Red Line Collision
Two Metro trains were involved in a collision between the Takoma and Fort Totten stations at about 5 p.m., leaving two people dead and many seriously injured, according to preliminary reports. Here's a link to a Twitter picture, a screen shot from Channel 9. It shows one train car resting on top of another.
D.C. Fire/EMS spokesman Alan Etter said: "We have a number of injuries. We have at least one fatality. And we have dozens of injuries. The fire depatment is still in the proecess of extricating people from the cars. We're using heavy rescue equipment to cut open the cars to get whoever's trapped in there out."
"There will obviously be a very thorough investigation into what caused this derailment," said Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein. She said there were "many serious injuries" and that passengers were being taken to hospitals."Our hearts are with the families of those who have passed," she said............
Posted at 5:43 PM ET, 06/22/2009
At Least 1 Dead, 9 Hurt in Metro Crash: Report
A Metro representative has just told ABC-7 television that one person died and at least one was injured in the collision near Fort Totten. CNN has also reported the death.
go here for updates and the rest
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/?hpid=topnews
Two D.C. Metro trains collide, 4 confirmed dead
Two Metro trains collided between stations north of downtown Washington, D.C., during afternoon rush hour Monday, killing at least four people, CNN has confirmed. The crash occurred just before 5 p.m. on an above-ground track on the Red Line near Takoma Park, Maryland. At least nine people have been hurt, a Metro representative said, according to CNN affiliate WJLA. full story
UPDATE June 23
Death toll 7 in D.C. Metro crash
Story Highlights
NEW: Next-of-kin notifications to begin Tuesday morning, D.C. mayor says
Official death toll in accident is 7, mayor says; as many as 9 reported earlier
Traffic on the Red Line will be "severely" affected Tuesday, officials say
One train was stationary when crash happened, Metro official says
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Seven people were killed in a rush-hour collision between two Metro trains in Washington on Monday, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said Tuesday.
There had been conflicting figures on the number of deaths.
Fenty said 76 people were taken to hospitals, including two who were in critical condition. Their conditions remained stable overnight, he said at a news conference. The condition of another critical patient was upgraded.
Two of the injured were emergency responders, said Washington Fire Chief Dennis Ruben.
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/23/washington.metro.crash/index.html
Two Metro trains were involved in a collision between the Takoma and Fort Totten stations at about 5 p.m., leaving two people dead and many seriously injured, according to preliminary reports. Here's a link to a Twitter picture, a screen shot from Channel 9. It shows one train car resting on top of another.
D.C. Fire/EMS spokesman Alan Etter said: "We have a number of injuries. We have at least one fatality. And we have dozens of injuries. The fire depatment is still in the proecess of extricating people from the cars. We're using heavy rescue equipment to cut open the cars to get whoever's trapped in there out."
"There will obviously be a very thorough investigation into what caused this derailment," said Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein. She said there were "many serious injuries" and that passengers were being taken to hospitals."Our hearts are with the families of those who have passed," she said............
Posted at 5:43 PM ET, 06/22/2009
At Least 1 Dead, 9 Hurt in Metro Crash: Report
A Metro representative has just told ABC-7 television that one person died and at least one was injured in the collision near Fort Totten. CNN has also reported the death.
go here for updates and the rest
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/?hpid=topnews
Two D.C. Metro trains collide, 4 confirmed dead
Two Metro trains collided between stations north of downtown Washington, D.C., during afternoon rush hour Monday, killing at least four people, CNN has confirmed. The crash occurred just before 5 p.m. on an above-ground track on the Red Line near Takoma Park, Maryland. At least nine people have been hurt, a Metro representative said, according to CNN affiliate WJLA. full story
UPDATE June 23
Death toll 7 in D.C. Metro crash
Story Highlights
NEW: Next-of-kin notifications to begin Tuesday morning, D.C. mayor says
Official death toll in accident is 7, mayor says; as many as 9 reported earlier
Traffic on the Red Line will be "severely" affected Tuesday, officials say
One train was stationary when crash happened, Metro official says
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Seven people were killed in a rush-hour collision between two Metro trains in Washington on Monday, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said Tuesday.
There had been conflicting figures on the number of deaths.
Fenty said 76 people were taken to hospitals, including two who were in critical condition. Their conditions remained stable overnight, he said at a news conference. The condition of another critical patient was upgraded.
Two of the injured were emergency responders, said Washington Fire Chief Dennis Ruben.
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/23/washington.metro.crash/index.html
Maryland Therapeutic Riding needs money, horses and volunteers
Tough soldiers find gentle care at riding center
Annapolis Capital - Annapolis,MD,USA
Maryland Therapeutic Riding needs money, horses and volunteers
By EARL KELLY, Staff Writer
Published 06/21/09
A disabled soldier, back from fighting in Iraq, leaned forward and rubbed the small gray mare's neck. He whispered to the horse, as if confiding in a girlfriend.
Across the arena, another injured warrior, a larger man, was leaning back in his saddle and actually appeared to be dozing off as the gelding named Dakota walked along gently in the arena at Maryland Therapeutic Riding in Crownsville.
"Talk about being in the moment - when you are up there, everything else is blocked out, everything else goes away," the group's founder, Naomi Parry, said as she looked out over the riding area.
Tears came to Parry's eyes on one occasion as one of the disabled riders leaned forward and put his arms around the horse's neck.
"That's enough to make you cry," she said.
A week later, on the following Wednesday, these soldiers were back at MTR, ready for more riding therapy.
The soldiers were from Fort George G. Meade's Warrior Transition Unit, an outfit consisting of about 145 soldiers, half of whom were injured fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
click link for more
Annapolis Capital - Annapolis,MD,USA
Maryland Therapeutic Riding needs money, horses and volunteers
By EARL KELLY, Staff Writer
Published 06/21/09
A disabled soldier, back from fighting in Iraq, leaned forward and rubbed the small gray mare's neck. He whispered to the horse, as if confiding in a girlfriend.
Across the arena, another injured warrior, a larger man, was leaning back in his saddle and actually appeared to be dozing off as the gelding named Dakota walked along gently in the arena at Maryland Therapeutic Riding in Crownsville.
"Talk about being in the moment - when you are up there, everything else is blocked out, everything else goes away," the group's founder, Naomi Parry, said as she looked out over the riding area.
Tears came to Parry's eyes on one occasion as one of the disabled riders leaned forward and put his arms around the horse's neck.
"That's enough to make you cry," she said.
A week later, on the following Wednesday, these soldiers were back at MTR, ready for more riding therapy.
The soldiers were from Fort George G. Meade's Warrior Transition Unit, an outfit consisting of about 145 soldiers, half of whom were injured fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
click link for more
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Maryland Veterans Behavioral Health Initiative
Maryland Launches Veterans Network Of Care Portal
Posted on April 04, 2009
Maryland is first state in the nation to launch online program to connect veterans with behavioral health services
ANNAPOLIS (April 3, 2009) – Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown on Tuesday, March 31, joined representatives of the public mental health industry and veterans affairs as Maryland became the first state in the nation to launch a “Network of Care” Website devoted to the state’s veterans. The Maryland Veterans Network of Care portal is an on-line resource that provides simple and fast access to information on local, state and national behavioral health services available to veterans. The portal is part of Network of Care online community.
“We ask a great deal of our military families and our veterans and for that we owe them a debt of gratitude. When we saw men and women falling through the cracks of a large and out dated federal VA system, we didn’t point fingers. We chose to act,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “Maryland’s Commitment to Veterans initiative is a national model for what states can do to improve veteran services, especially behavioral health services. We are proud to be the first state in America to launch the Veterans Network of Care portal. We hope that other states follow our example and make veterans health a leading priority.”
Last year, the O’Malley-Brown administration introduced to the General Assembly one of the most comprehensive veterans packages in the nation. The cornerstone of the package was the Veterans Behavioral Health Initiative that set aside $2.3 million for behavioral health services for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. The initiative provides funding for four regional resource coordinators who help direct behavioral health services to veterans in need. The administration introduced a bill this year that will expand the Veterans Behavioral Health Initiative to include all veterans. Brown is working closely with leaders in the General Assembly to protect funding for this program.
“Many veterans do not sign up for services through the VA, and their families don’t know where to turn for help,” said Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary John M. Colmers. “The Veterans Network of Care portal is a comprehensive Website that includes information to help veterans find and sign up for these services.”
go here for more
Maryland Launches Veterans Network Of Care Portal
Posted on April 04, 2009
Maryland is first state in the nation to launch online program to connect veterans with behavioral health services
ANNAPOLIS (April 3, 2009) – Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown on Tuesday, March 31, joined representatives of the public mental health industry and veterans affairs as Maryland became the first state in the nation to launch a “Network of Care” Website devoted to the state’s veterans. The Maryland Veterans Network of Care portal is an on-line resource that provides simple and fast access to information on local, state and national behavioral health services available to veterans. The portal is part of Network of Care online community.
“We ask a great deal of our military families and our veterans and for that we owe them a debt of gratitude. When we saw men and women falling through the cracks of a large and out dated federal VA system, we didn’t point fingers. We chose to act,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “Maryland’s Commitment to Veterans initiative is a national model for what states can do to improve veteran services, especially behavioral health services. We are proud to be the first state in America to launch the Veterans Network of Care portal. We hope that other states follow our example and make veterans health a leading priority.”
Last year, the O’Malley-Brown administration introduced to the General Assembly one of the most comprehensive veterans packages in the nation. The cornerstone of the package was the Veterans Behavioral Health Initiative that set aside $2.3 million for behavioral health services for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. The initiative provides funding for four regional resource coordinators who help direct behavioral health services to veterans in need. The administration introduced a bill this year that will expand the Veterans Behavioral Health Initiative to include all veterans. Brown is working closely with leaders in the General Assembly to protect funding for this program.
“Many veterans do not sign up for services through the VA, and their families don’t know where to turn for help,” said Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary John M. Colmers. “The Veterans Network of Care portal is a comprehensive Website that includes information to help veterans find and sign up for these services.”
go here for more
Maryland Launches Veterans Network Of Care Portal
Thursday, January 8, 2009
3,000 veteran survivors sue over chemical testing
Maybe this will give us all a glimpse of why our veterans feel as if they were all expendable and not treated as remarkable individuals. This is yet another national disgrace.
Veterans Sue CIA Over 1960s Chemical Tests on Humans
Bloomberg - USA(Update2)
By Karen Gullo
Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Vietnam Veterans of America and six former soldiers sued the Central Intelligence Agency claiming the U.S. failed to provide care for human subjects in once- secret tests of chemical and biological weapons and drugs.
The veterans say they and others were treated like guinea pigs in tests involving nerve gas, hallucinogenic drugs and mind-control experiments that left civilians and military people who unwittingly volunteered for the program with permanent disabilities. The tests, codenamed MKULTRA, began in the 1940s at a Maryland Army base and continued to about 1976, they said.
“What is not historical about these tests is the impact they had on the enlisted men,” Gordon Erspamer, an attorney with Morrison & Foerster in San Francisco, said today at a news conference. “They have never been compensated, they have been denied health care, they have been left alone for more than 30 years.”
The lawsuit, filed today in federal court in San Francisco, names as defendants the CIA, which allegedly funded the experiments, and the Defense Department. It seeks court orders declaring the experiments violated international law and forcing the government to notify and provide health care to people who participated in the tests.
3,000 Survivors
There are about 3,000 survivors of the tests conducted at the Army’s Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland and at U.S. hospitals and universities, Erspamer said. Most are in their 60s and 70s and have been denied benefits by the Army for health problems related to the experiments, he said.
click link above for more
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Non-combat death in Iraq
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pvt. Charles Yi Barnett, 19, of Bel Air, Maryland, died on Nov. 20 of
injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident in Tallil, Iraq.
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The incident is under investigation.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who
was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pvt. Charles Yi Barnett, 19, of Bel Air, Maryland, died on Nov. 20 of
injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident in Tallil, Iraq.
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The incident is under investigation.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Combat May Cause Long Term Problems for Veterans
http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/10776
Combat May Cause Long Term Problems for Veterans
SOUTHERN MARYLAND - 11/11/2008
By Pete Hurrey
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has released a new 14-page brochure on post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment and recovery. It is available online at www.nami.org/PTSD and is intended to help individuals experiencing symptoms or diagnosed with the illness, along with their families and caregivers.
The sad reality of our nation’s current military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan is that an increasing number of troops returning from those conflicts experience some level of PTSD. Symptoms can include poor concentration, sleeplessness, nightmares, flashbacks, heightened fear, anxiety and disassociation – feeling “unreal” or cut off from emotions.
“PTSD affects individuals and families,” said NAMI medical director Ken Duckworth, M.D. “Traumatic events produce biological responses that affect the mind, brain, and body. Those changes involve everyone.”
“Over a lifetime, approximately five percent of men and 10 percent of women in the general population are diagnosed with PTSD,” Duckworth said. “Risk factors include the type of trauma, degree of exposure and any prior history of trauma. In most cases, there is a direct physical impact. Proximity in witnessing violent, life-threatening events also makes a difference.”
PTSD sufferers are not limited to military veterans. The disorder was acutely evident, especially in children after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the gulf coast. In that case, affected children displayed the same symptoms as soldiers returning from armed conflict.
In her advocacy work on behalf of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, Connie Walker, Capt., USN (Ret.) and the president of NAMI Southern Maryland, has observed the devastation unresolved PTSD can bring to returning Veterans and families of Veterans. In a recent interview, she described PTSD as “an invisible wound that is often misunderstood by family members, and by Veterans themselves."
Walker went on to state that Veterans often pull within themselves when they suffer from the disorder. “Telling them to get a grip or shake it off only makes the situation worse,” said Walker.
She went on to explain that family members find the situation difficult to understand when they discover their loved ones are different after returning from armed conflict.
“Many times, active duty service members and Veterans who have served in combat experience feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, or depression. Between serving in a military culture where historically, disclosing a mental health problem has hurt servicemembers' careers, and their awareness of the stigma that surrounds mental health issues in our society even now,
these men and women are often reluctant or refuse to seek help," said Walker.
NAMI’s new brochure on PTSD addresses these areas: Psychological Trauma & PTSD , Risk Factors for Developing PTSD, The Neurobiology of PTSD, What is PTSD?, PTSD & Co-occurring Disorders, Combat Veterans & Trauma, Children & Trauma, Trauma & the Mental Health System, Family Impact of PTSD, Recovery and Coping, Treatment for PTSD, Medications, and Resources -- including NAMI’s Family-to-Family Education Program and NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups.
It notes that treatment for PTSD for returning service members and combat veterans can involve several methods depending on the individual and the severity of the problem; and can range from individual therapy, to group therapy, to a combination of therapy and medication. Like any other mental health condition – the sooner a mental health issue is diagnosed and effective treatment can begin, the better.
In discussing resources available, Walker noted that Dr. Mary Vieten (St. Mary’s County) and Dr. Al Brewster (Calvert County) are local specialists in PTSD and combat PTSD. She also said that through this year’s passage of the Maryland Veterans Behavioral Health Act (SB-210), Southern Maryland now has a Regional Resource Coordinator to assist Veterans and family members in connecting with VA services for these issues and other areas of VA assistance. The RRC’s role includes facilitating connections with local providers when timely and regular access to VA services is impeded by distance from VA Medical Centers in Washington and Baltimore. Southern Maryland’s RRC is Arianna Hammond and can be reached at (410) 725-9993.
In recognition of the need for increased services for Veterans and families, earlier this year, NAMI launched a Veterans Resources Center Web link on their Web site at www.nami.org Whether Veterans and families are looking for information on PTSD, mental illness, or how to obtain VA benefits – the Veterans Resources Center provides an extensive list of sites online to find information.
NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by serious mental illnesses. For more information about NAMI Southern Maryland and programs available in our region, visit their website at www.namisomd.org.
====================
Constance A. Walker, CAPT, USN (Ret)
President, NAMI Southern Maryland
P.O. Box 25
46940 S. Shangri-La Drive, Ste 101
Lexington Park, Maryland 20653
Combat May Cause Long Term Problems for Veterans
SOUTHERN MARYLAND - 11/11/2008
By Pete Hurrey
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has released a new 14-page brochure on post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment and recovery. It is available online at www.nami.org/PTSD and is intended to help individuals experiencing symptoms or diagnosed with the illness, along with their families and caregivers.
The sad reality of our nation’s current military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan is that an increasing number of troops returning from those conflicts experience some level of PTSD. Symptoms can include poor concentration, sleeplessness, nightmares, flashbacks, heightened fear, anxiety and disassociation – feeling “unreal” or cut off from emotions.
“PTSD affects individuals and families,” said NAMI medical director Ken Duckworth, M.D. “Traumatic events produce biological responses that affect the mind, brain, and body. Those changes involve everyone.”
“Over a lifetime, approximately five percent of men and 10 percent of women in the general population are diagnosed with PTSD,” Duckworth said. “Risk factors include the type of trauma, degree of exposure and any prior history of trauma. In most cases, there is a direct physical impact. Proximity in witnessing violent, life-threatening events also makes a difference.”
PTSD sufferers are not limited to military veterans. The disorder was acutely evident, especially in children after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the gulf coast. In that case, affected children displayed the same symptoms as soldiers returning from armed conflict.
In her advocacy work on behalf of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, Connie Walker, Capt., USN (Ret.) and the president of NAMI Southern Maryland, has observed the devastation unresolved PTSD can bring to returning Veterans and families of Veterans. In a recent interview, she described PTSD as “an invisible wound that is often misunderstood by family members, and by Veterans themselves."
Walker went on to state that Veterans often pull within themselves when they suffer from the disorder. “Telling them to get a grip or shake it off only makes the situation worse,” said Walker.
She went on to explain that family members find the situation difficult to understand when they discover their loved ones are different after returning from armed conflict.
“Many times, active duty service members and Veterans who have served in combat experience feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, or depression. Between serving in a military culture where historically, disclosing a mental health problem has hurt servicemembers' careers, and their awareness of the stigma that surrounds mental health issues in our society even now,
these men and women are often reluctant or refuse to seek help," said Walker.
NAMI’s new brochure on PTSD addresses these areas: Psychological Trauma & PTSD , Risk Factors for Developing PTSD, The Neurobiology of PTSD, What is PTSD?, PTSD & Co-occurring Disorders, Combat Veterans & Trauma, Children & Trauma, Trauma & the Mental Health System, Family Impact of PTSD, Recovery and Coping, Treatment for PTSD, Medications, and Resources -- including NAMI’s Family-to-Family Education Program and NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups.
It notes that treatment for PTSD for returning service members and combat veterans can involve several methods depending on the individual and the severity of the problem; and can range from individual therapy, to group therapy, to a combination of therapy and medication. Like any other mental health condition – the sooner a mental health issue is diagnosed and effective treatment can begin, the better.
In discussing resources available, Walker noted that Dr. Mary Vieten (St. Mary’s County) and Dr. Al Brewster (Calvert County) are local specialists in PTSD and combat PTSD. She also said that through this year’s passage of the Maryland Veterans Behavioral Health Act (SB-210), Southern Maryland now has a Regional Resource Coordinator to assist Veterans and family members in connecting with VA services for these issues and other areas of VA assistance. The RRC’s role includes facilitating connections with local providers when timely and regular access to VA services is impeded by distance from VA Medical Centers in Washington and Baltimore. Southern Maryland’s RRC is Arianna Hammond and can be reached at (410) 725-9993.
In recognition of the need for increased services for Veterans and families, earlier this year, NAMI launched a Veterans Resources Center Web link on their Web site at www.nami.org Whether Veterans and families are looking for information on PTSD, mental illness, or how to obtain VA benefits – the Veterans Resources Center provides an extensive list of sites online to find information.
NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by serious mental illnesses. For more information about NAMI Southern Maryland and programs available in our region, visit their website at www.namisomd.org.
====================
Constance A. Walker, CAPT, USN (Ret)
President, NAMI Southern Maryland
P.O. Box 25
46940 S. Shangri-La Drive, Ste 101
Lexington Park, Maryland 20653
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Teen survives, 4 killed in medevac crash
Teen survives, 4 killed in medevac crash
Story Highlights
Medevac helicopter crashes on way to hospital; 4 dead
Teenage patient survives the crash and is taken to hospital
Pilot said he was diverting around bad weather before radio contact was lost
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A medical evacuation helicopter crashed in suburban Washington late Saturday night, leaving four people dead, a Prince George's County Fire Department spokesman said.
The Maryland State Police helicopter was en route to Prince George's Hospital with two patients who had been critically injured in a Charles County, Maryland, car crash.
The copter went down in the Ritchie, Maryland, area, spokesman Mark Brady said.
The pilot, a paramedic, an emergency medical services technician and one of the patients were killed, he said.
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/28/medivac.crash/index.html
Story Highlights
Medevac helicopter crashes on way to hospital; 4 dead
Teenage patient survives the crash and is taken to hospital
Pilot said he was diverting around bad weather before radio contact was lost
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A medical evacuation helicopter crashed in suburban Washington late Saturday night, leaving four people dead, a Prince George's County Fire Department spokesman said.
The Maryland State Police helicopter was en route to Prince George's Hospital with two patients who had been critically injured in a Charles County, Maryland, car crash.
The copter went down in the Ritchie, Maryland, area, spokesman Mark Brady said.
The pilot, a paramedic, an emergency medical services technician and one of the patients were killed, he said.
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/28/medivac.crash/index.html
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Text of Biden's speech to National Guard in Baltimore
Text of Biden's speech to National Guard in Baltimore
The News Journal - Wilmington,DE,USA
September 22, 2008
Thank you, General Umbarger. It’s also good to see my friends General Frank Vavala, and General Hugh Broomall.
I come here today with a profound respect for the Guard.
I’m here as a citizen, who knows that our nation depends on the service of those who are civilians in peace, soldiers in war – not only to defend us abroad, but aid us when disaster strikes here at home.
I’m here as a Senator, who has traveled to conflict zones all around the world – Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq -- and disaster areas across America and seen the heroic work our young men and women in arms do to protect our citizens, protect our interests and to demonstrate not only the example of our force… but also the force of our example.
I’m here today as the father of a Guardsman. My son Beau is proud to wear the uniform, and proud to answer the call to serve.
And I’m here as the Democratic candidate for Vice President, knowing that you have served with great distinction time and again.
You have never let us down… but too often, your government has not given you all you’ve needed.
Issues affecting the Guard sit at the core of our two great national challenges – national security and economic security. Barack and I know that we need to strengthen both. That means supporting your missions at home and abroad, and making sure you return to strong secure jobs and a sound economy.
Yesterday, you heard John McCain claim that behind the positions Barack Obama takes “lies the ambition to be president.”
Let me just say this: after the last eight years, the last thing we need is more of the politics of division.
No one party has a monopoly on virtue or good ideas.
We can question each other’s judgments. That’s what elections are all about.
But we have to stop questioning each other’s motives and each other’s patriotism.
Whether we’re Democrats, Republicans or Independents, we all share a profound desire to do right by America.
We all put country first.
When John and I send our sons to war, they don’t wear a Republican flag or a Democratic flag. They wear an American flag.
Our only differences are on how best to protect our national interests, and serve our military.
And we do have differences.
Let’s begin where we are right now, right this minute.
We depend on you as never before.
More than half – 52% -- of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans are Guard or Reserve.
That has never happened before.
You have new and increased responsibility, but in my view – we haven’t given you the command and equipment in support of those new responsibilities.
But you never complain. You always step up.
It’s time for a change.
Change begins with giving the Guard a seat at the table. That table in the Pentagon where the Joint Chiefs sit.
General McKinley, I not only want to see your fourth star – I want to see you sitting there with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen.
Your men and women are serving and dying. Your voice needs to be heard.
When it comes to equipment -- to train on, to deploy with, and to have available at home for war or natural disasters – we have not provided what you need.
And that’s wrong.
Ninety percent of units have serious equipment shortages.
Collectively, over $100 billion worth of equipment has been left in Iraq.
And we’ve seen the consequences of that.
Simply put, the states have been left with the tab to make up for this equipment shortage.
Since September 11th, 2001, more than half a million reservists have been mobilized and deployed for homeland security missions and combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Every National Guard combat brigade has deployed at least once. Specialty units like military police, special forces, and medical units have deployed multiple times.
In Iraq and Afghanistan 870 members of the guard and reserve have given their lives.
6,785 have been wounded.
Of all serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have some 900 returning amputees, many of them Guardsmen.
And many who come home bear less visible – but nonetheless deep -- scars.
Roughly 320,000 -- nearly 20% -- may have experienced traumatic brain injury.
About 300,000 – nearly 19% -- meet the criteria for either PTSD or depression.
In 2006, the most recently recorded year, we saw 113 Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans lost to the enemy of suicide.
That’s a record number, and more than twice the suicide rate for civilians of the same age.
And multiple deployments have added to the financial and marital tension for many of your Guardsmen.
Reports show 11,000 guardsmen and women lost their jobs upon returning home – a clear violation of the law. That must stop.
Barack and I are going to set this straight.
And we have very different ideas on how do it than John McCain and Sarah Palin.
It starts with a guarantee that every returning veteran has the best health care available. We’re been fighting for this as Senators, and we’ll guarantee it as President and Vice President.
Shift the burden to the government: no more requiring a soldier to prove that their traumatic brain injuries are combat related.
Spend the money and hire the personnel to eliminate waiting time for the VA to decide on a disability claim.
Guarantee that any returning veteran needing a prosthesis will have the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art, for the his or her life.
And zero tolerance for veteran homelessness.
You know Barack is on the Veterans Affairs committee in the Senate. I watched him work with Republicans to pass a major law – with short term fixes and long term solutions – to end the shameful care we were giving our veterans at Walter Reed.
He strengthened programs to help homeless veterans… he fought for fair treatment of veterans’ claims and forced the VA to fix disparities… he helped ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for Traumatic Brain Injuries… and he demanded a major national research effort into the readjustment needs of returning veterans.
He will see to it that all veterans – all veterans – have access to the VA system.
Military families need help coping with deployments. We’ll expand, Family Medical Leave to include reserve families facing mobilization.
We’ll add resources to help military families during deployments, such as more staff for Family Readiness Groups.
Because when soldiers go to war, their families go too.
John McCain says we’re a nation at war.
He’s wrong, we’re a military at war.
The only ones making the real sacrifice are those deployed, and their families back home.
Second, we’re going to restore your readiness.
That starts with increasing the end strength of the active military.
We’re going to increase our end strength by 65,000 for the Army, and 27,000 for the Marines.
Increasing the size of the active force means they can carry a heavier burden, allowing our Guard to have fewer deployments and more predictable deployments, with more time between them.
To cut down on equipment shortages, Barack Obama and I will end the trend of cannibalizing soldiers and machines from units back home for missions abroad.
We’ll consult with governors of the 50 states, so we know what the needs of their Guard units are – both for their combat missions overseas, and their domestic missions at home.
Remember in 2006, when it was reported that the Department of Defense was making plans to cut National Guard force structure and strength?
Barack Obama and I were two of the 75 Senators to send a letter to the Secretary of Defense strongly opposing those plans.
John McCain didn’t sign.
We believe we shouldn’t be cutting back on the Guard at the very time we’re asking you to do more.
Third, we’re going to make sure that you have opportunity when you come home.
We’ll start by putting the federal government on your side.
The Department of Defense, Department of Labor, Department of Justice – they have an obligation, each of them, to guarantee that laws designed to protect returning veterans are enforced.
A recent survey found that 44% of employers would not hire a reservist – even though that’s illegal discrimination – for fear that that employee might be called up.
The Department of Defense currently has no plan to ensure that businesses comply with re-employment laws for our Guard and Reserves. And the Labor Department and Justice Department have failed to vigorously enforce the laws which protect you, the men and women who have volunteered to protect us.
Seventy percent of Guardsmen work for small businesses, and DOD has no outreach program to small business.
You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your job in order to serve your country.
But your country owes you more than putting you back in the place you were before you left.
It owes you greater opportunity, because of lost opportunity.
And it all starts with education.
That is why Barack and I were supporters from the start of Jim Webb’s GI Bill – which allows National Guard and Reserve members to earn educational benefits based on their total cumulative active duty… instead of their single longest tour, the way they do in existing Title 10 programs.
Because we think that a Guardsman who serves three tours of 6 months should be credited for a year and a half of service, and not half a year.
John McCain is a friend, a patriot, and a hero.
But John and I have some fundamental disagreements as it relates to the Guard, and the interests of veterans.
John McCain voted against billions of dollars in additional funding for veterans’ health care – against $2 million for TBI research… against $500 million for mental health issues… against $400 million for inpatient and outpatient care.
John wants to ration veterans’ health care to those with combat injuries, which would mean that millions fewer veterans would have access to VA medical care.
And while Barack and I supported Senator Jim Webb’s bipartisan bill to update the GI Bill from the get-go, John initially opposed it because he thought it was too generous.
John’s version treated the Guard as second class citizens when it came to educational benefits.
Those are the facts. But don’t take it from me. Ask Disabled American Veterans, which represents millions of vets. They keep track of these things… John voted with DAV 20 percent of the time.
Barack Obama – 80 percent of the time.
Or ask the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. They keep track, too. They give letter grades, and they gave John McCain a “D”. Barack got at B+.
So as much as I admire John, I disagree with him.
Being a veteran isn’t the same as being there for veterans.
click link for more but you get the point. It's all been reported here. Biden didn't get anything wrong in his speech but he left out a few things like families on food stamps and ending up homeless because someone was deployed in the Guard instead of making their usual paycheck.
The News Journal - Wilmington,DE,USA
September 22, 2008
Thank you, General Umbarger. It’s also good to see my friends General Frank Vavala, and General Hugh Broomall.
I come here today with a profound respect for the Guard.
I’m here as a citizen, who knows that our nation depends on the service of those who are civilians in peace, soldiers in war – not only to defend us abroad, but aid us when disaster strikes here at home.
I’m here as a Senator, who has traveled to conflict zones all around the world – Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq -- and disaster areas across America and seen the heroic work our young men and women in arms do to protect our citizens, protect our interests and to demonstrate not only the example of our force… but also the force of our example.
I’m here today as the father of a Guardsman. My son Beau is proud to wear the uniform, and proud to answer the call to serve.
And I’m here as the Democratic candidate for Vice President, knowing that you have served with great distinction time and again.
You have never let us down… but too often, your government has not given you all you’ve needed.
Issues affecting the Guard sit at the core of our two great national challenges – national security and economic security. Barack and I know that we need to strengthen both. That means supporting your missions at home and abroad, and making sure you return to strong secure jobs and a sound economy.
Yesterday, you heard John McCain claim that behind the positions Barack Obama takes “lies the ambition to be president.”
Let me just say this: after the last eight years, the last thing we need is more of the politics of division.
No one party has a monopoly on virtue or good ideas.
We can question each other’s judgments. That’s what elections are all about.
But we have to stop questioning each other’s motives and each other’s patriotism.
Whether we’re Democrats, Republicans or Independents, we all share a profound desire to do right by America.
We all put country first.
When John and I send our sons to war, they don’t wear a Republican flag or a Democratic flag. They wear an American flag.
Our only differences are on how best to protect our national interests, and serve our military.
And we do have differences.
Let’s begin where we are right now, right this minute.
We depend on you as never before.
More than half – 52% -- of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans are Guard or Reserve.
That has never happened before.
You have new and increased responsibility, but in my view – we haven’t given you the command and equipment in support of those new responsibilities.
But you never complain. You always step up.
It’s time for a change.
Change begins with giving the Guard a seat at the table. That table in the Pentagon where the Joint Chiefs sit.
General McKinley, I not only want to see your fourth star – I want to see you sitting there with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen.
Your men and women are serving and dying. Your voice needs to be heard.
When it comes to equipment -- to train on, to deploy with, and to have available at home for war or natural disasters – we have not provided what you need.
And that’s wrong.
Ninety percent of units have serious equipment shortages.
Collectively, over $100 billion worth of equipment has been left in Iraq.
And we’ve seen the consequences of that.
Simply put, the states have been left with the tab to make up for this equipment shortage.
Since September 11th, 2001, more than half a million reservists have been mobilized and deployed for homeland security missions and combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Every National Guard combat brigade has deployed at least once. Specialty units like military police, special forces, and medical units have deployed multiple times.
In Iraq and Afghanistan 870 members of the guard and reserve have given their lives.
6,785 have been wounded.
Of all serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have some 900 returning amputees, many of them Guardsmen.
And many who come home bear less visible – but nonetheless deep -- scars.
Roughly 320,000 -- nearly 20% -- may have experienced traumatic brain injury.
About 300,000 – nearly 19% -- meet the criteria for either PTSD or depression.
In 2006, the most recently recorded year, we saw 113 Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans lost to the enemy of suicide.
That’s a record number, and more than twice the suicide rate for civilians of the same age.
And multiple deployments have added to the financial and marital tension for many of your Guardsmen.
Reports show 11,000 guardsmen and women lost their jobs upon returning home – a clear violation of the law. That must stop.
Barack and I are going to set this straight.
And we have very different ideas on how do it than John McCain and Sarah Palin.
It starts with a guarantee that every returning veteran has the best health care available. We’re been fighting for this as Senators, and we’ll guarantee it as President and Vice President.
Shift the burden to the government: no more requiring a soldier to prove that their traumatic brain injuries are combat related.
Spend the money and hire the personnel to eliminate waiting time for the VA to decide on a disability claim.
Guarantee that any returning veteran needing a prosthesis will have the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art, for the his or her life.
And zero tolerance for veteran homelessness.
You know Barack is on the Veterans Affairs committee in the Senate. I watched him work with Republicans to pass a major law – with short term fixes and long term solutions – to end the shameful care we were giving our veterans at Walter Reed.
He strengthened programs to help homeless veterans… he fought for fair treatment of veterans’ claims and forced the VA to fix disparities… he helped ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for Traumatic Brain Injuries… and he demanded a major national research effort into the readjustment needs of returning veterans.
He will see to it that all veterans – all veterans – have access to the VA system.
Military families need help coping with deployments. We’ll expand, Family Medical Leave to include reserve families facing mobilization.
We’ll add resources to help military families during deployments, such as more staff for Family Readiness Groups.
Because when soldiers go to war, their families go too.
John McCain says we’re a nation at war.
He’s wrong, we’re a military at war.
The only ones making the real sacrifice are those deployed, and their families back home.
Second, we’re going to restore your readiness.
That starts with increasing the end strength of the active military.
We’re going to increase our end strength by 65,000 for the Army, and 27,000 for the Marines.
Increasing the size of the active force means they can carry a heavier burden, allowing our Guard to have fewer deployments and more predictable deployments, with more time between them.
To cut down on equipment shortages, Barack Obama and I will end the trend of cannibalizing soldiers and machines from units back home for missions abroad.
We’ll consult with governors of the 50 states, so we know what the needs of their Guard units are – both for their combat missions overseas, and their domestic missions at home.
Remember in 2006, when it was reported that the Department of Defense was making plans to cut National Guard force structure and strength?
Barack Obama and I were two of the 75 Senators to send a letter to the Secretary of Defense strongly opposing those plans.
John McCain didn’t sign.
We believe we shouldn’t be cutting back on the Guard at the very time we’re asking you to do more.
Third, we’re going to make sure that you have opportunity when you come home.
We’ll start by putting the federal government on your side.
The Department of Defense, Department of Labor, Department of Justice – they have an obligation, each of them, to guarantee that laws designed to protect returning veterans are enforced.
A recent survey found that 44% of employers would not hire a reservist – even though that’s illegal discrimination – for fear that that employee might be called up.
The Department of Defense currently has no plan to ensure that businesses comply with re-employment laws for our Guard and Reserves. And the Labor Department and Justice Department have failed to vigorously enforce the laws which protect you, the men and women who have volunteered to protect us.
Seventy percent of Guardsmen work for small businesses, and DOD has no outreach program to small business.
You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your job in order to serve your country.
But your country owes you more than putting you back in the place you were before you left.
It owes you greater opportunity, because of lost opportunity.
And it all starts with education.
That is why Barack and I were supporters from the start of Jim Webb’s GI Bill – which allows National Guard and Reserve members to earn educational benefits based on their total cumulative active duty… instead of their single longest tour, the way they do in existing Title 10 programs.
Because we think that a Guardsman who serves three tours of 6 months should be credited for a year and a half of service, and not half a year.
John McCain is a friend, a patriot, and a hero.
But John and I have some fundamental disagreements as it relates to the Guard, and the interests of veterans.
John McCain voted against billions of dollars in additional funding for veterans’ health care – against $2 million for TBI research… against $500 million for mental health issues… against $400 million for inpatient and outpatient care.
John wants to ration veterans’ health care to those with combat injuries, which would mean that millions fewer veterans would have access to VA medical care.
And while Barack and I supported Senator Jim Webb’s bipartisan bill to update the GI Bill from the get-go, John initially opposed it because he thought it was too generous.
John’s version treated the Guard as second class citizens when it came to educational benefits.
Those are the facts. But don’t take it from me. Ask Disabled American Veterans, which represents millions of vets. They keep track of these things… John voted with DAV 20 percent of the time.
Barack Obama – 80 percent of the time.
Or ask the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. They keep track, too. They give letter grades, and they gave John McCain a “D”. Barack got at B+.
So as much as I admire John, I disagree with him.
Being a veteran isn’t the same as being there for veterans.
click link for more but you get the point. It's all been reported here. Biden didn't get anything wrong in his speech but he left out a few things like families on food stamps and ending up homeless because someone was deployed in the Guard instead of making their usual paycheck.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Md. Marine Credited With Devotion to Faith, Family and Troops
'Servant Leader' Is Buried at Arlington
Md. Marine Credited With Devotion to Faith, Family and Troops
By Mark Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 18, 2008; Page B03
Marine Corps Capt. Jesse Melton III was remembered as a man of faith and devotion who would have taken a bullet for his fellow Marines and who helped others and worked for the greater good.
Melton died thousands of miles from his native Maryland, but his journey ended yesterday with his burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
Melton, 29, of Randallstown, Md., died Sept. 9 when the Humvee in which he was riding hit a makeshift bomb in Afghanistan's Parwan province, according to the Defense Department and family members.
Before his deployment to Afghanistan in March, Melton told his mother that he had a feeling he would be wounded or killed. She asked whether he wanted to avoid going, but he didn't consider it, despite that he might not return.
"He said, 'If I don't, I win. I'm going to be with the Lord,' " Janice Chance told The Washington Post last week.
Hundreds of mourners filled dozens of cars and trekked to the cemetery after a funeral at Colonial Baptist Church in Randallstown. Melton's family and friends followed a Marine Corps band west on Bradley Drive and pivoted onto the south side of the cemetery's Section 60.
go here for more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/17/AR2008091703490.html
Md. Marine Credited With Devotion to Faith, Family and Troops
By Mark Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 18, 2008; Page B03
Marine Corps Capt. Jesse Melton III was remembered as a man of faith and devotion who would have taken a bullet for his fellow Marines and who helped others and worked for the greater good.
Melton died thousands of miles from his native Maryland, but his journey ended yesterday with his burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
Melton, 29, of Randallstown, Md., died Sept. 9 when the Humvee in which he was riding hit a makeshift bomb in Afghanistan's Parwan province, according to the Defense Department and family members.
Before his deployment to Afghanistan in March, Melton told his mother that he had a feeling he would be wounded or killed. She asked whether he wanted to avoid going, but he didn't consider it, despite that he might not return.
"He said, 'If I don't, I win. I'm going to be with the Lord,' " Janice Chance told The Washington Post last week.
Hundreds of mourners filled dozens of cars and trekked to the cemetery after a funeral at Colonial Baptist Church in Randallstown. Melton's family and friends followed a Marine Corps band west on Bradley Drive and pivoted onto the south side of the cemetery's Section 60.
go here for more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/17/AR2008091703490.html
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