Parents of Ryan Clark helped uncover the fraud.
Showing posts with label Minnesota. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Minnesota. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2016
A Fallen Soldier's Parents Help Bust An Impostor
A Fallen Soldier's Parents Help Bust An Impostor - Stolen Valor Series.
Parents of Ryan Clark helped uncover the fraud.
Parents of Ryan Clark helped uncover the fraud.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Afghanistan Veteran Shot Down Eagle and Set It Free
Army veteran rescues an eagle in incredible way
KARE
July 02, 2016
RUSH CITY, Minn. - A army veteran of two tours in Afghanistan has again picked up a weapon on behalf of freedom.
On Thursday Jason Galvin took shots from a .22 caliber rifle to free an eagle that had become tangled in a rope, hanging upside down from a tree 75 feet off the ground.
“It was very windy and I was just waiting for the right shot,” said Galvin who spent 90 minutes firing roughly 150 shots while mowing down three branches, and finally the rope, holding up the eagle.
Other branches on the white pine and the underbrush below helped break the eagle’s fall. The bird is now recovering at the University of Minnesota Raptor Center.
“It was a good weekend for it to happen,” Galvin said. “Fourth of July, you know, that’s our bird. I can’t let it sit there.”
Galvin was on a bait run in his pickup, when he spotted the bird above a gravel road about a mile from his family's cabin, upside down and struggling. By then the eagle had already been hanging more than two days, as neighbors called the Minnesota DNR and the Rush City police and fire departments, only to be told there was nothing the agencies could do.
Galvin's wife Jackie began making calls too, with similar results. "They just couldn’t get up there high enough and they just unfortunately deemed this was going to be a loss."
read more here
KARE
July 02, 2016
Jason Galvin said the eagle's rescue was an emotional experience. "There was a lot of tears," he said. "When it finally came down, it was breathtaking. It was a beautiful moment."
On Thursday Jason Galvin took shots from a .22 caliber rifle to free an eagle that had become tangled in a rope, hanging upside down from a tree 75 feet off the ground.
“It was very windy and I was just waiting for the right shot,” said Galvin who spent 90 minutes firing roughly 150 shots while mowing down three branches, and finally the rope, holding up the eagle.
Other branches on the white pine and the underbrush below helped break the eagle’s fall. The bird is now recovering at the University of Minnesota Raptor Center.
“It was a good weekend for it to happen,” Galvin said. “Fourth of July, you know, that’s our bird. I can’t let it sit there.”
Galvin was on a bait run in his pickup, when he spotted the bird above a gravel road about a mile from his family's cabin, upside down and struggling. By then the eagle had already been hanging more than two days, as neighbors called the Minnesota DNR and the Rush City police and fire departments, only to be told there was nothing the agencies could do.
Galvin's wife Jackie began making calls too, with similar results. "They just couldn’t get up there high enough and they just unfortunately deemed this was going to be a loss."
read more here
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Burn Pits Killing OEF and OIF Veterans
Iraq, Afghan vets may have their own Agent Orange
Star Tribune
Mark Brunswick
June 18, 2016
The flames were stoked with jet fuel.
One of the most notorious was in Balad, site of the largest and busiest air base operated by the military in Iraq. More than 10 acres in size, the pit burned at all hours and consumed an estimated 100 to 200 tons of waste a day. It was hastily constructed upwind from the base, and its plumes consistently drifted toward the 25,000 troops stationed there.
During two deployments to Balad with the Minnesota Air National Guard, Amie Muller worked and lived next to the pits. And now, she believes, she is paying the price.
Diagnosed last month with Stage III pancreatic cancer, the 36-year-old mother of three from Woodbury has just completed her third round of chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic here. As she undergoes treatment, she struggles with anger and awaits a VA determination on whether a host of ailments from migraines to fibromyalgia is connected to her military service at Balad.
read more here
Star Tribune
Mark Brunswick
June 18, 2016
“It makes me really mad,” said Muller, who monitored and edited video feeds from Air Force fighter jet missions while in Iraq. “I inhaled that stuff. It was all day, all night. Everything that they burned there, is illegal to burn in America. That tells you something.”
ELIZABETH FLORES – STAR TRIBUNEAmie Muller received a chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic, Thursday, June 16, 2016.
While it took nearly three decades for the U.S. government to eventually link Agent Orange, the defoliant used in Vietnam, to cancer, President Obama has pledged quick action to make determinations about the effect of the burn pits on perhaps as many as 60,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.ROCHESTER – They are known as the Agent Orange of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars: Massive open-air burn pits at U.S. military bases that billowed the toxic smoke and ash of everything from Styrofoam, metals and plastics to electrical equipment and even human body parts.
The flames were stoked with jet fuel.
One of the most notorious was in Balad, site of the largest and busiest air base operated by the military in Iraq. More than 10 acres in size, the pit burned at all hours and consumed an estimated 100 to 200 tons of waste a day. It was hastily constructed upwind from the base, and its plumes consistently drifted toward the 25,000 troops stationed there.
During two deployments to Balad with the Minnesota Air National Guard, Amie Muller worked and lived next to the pits. And now, she believes, she is paying the price.
Diagnosed last month with Stage III pancreatic cancer, the 36-year-old mother of three from Woodbury has just completed her third round of chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic here. As she undergoes treatment, she struggles with anger and awaits a VA determination on whether a host of ailments from migraines to fibromyalgia is connected to her military service at Balad.
read more here
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Suicide Hits Minnesota National Guard Hard
Suicide hits hard among the ranks of Minnesota National Guard
A father's despair over his son's death in Iraq drives home a suicide crisis for Minnesota National Guard.
Star Tribune
By Mark Brunswick
APRIL 1, 2016
Kim Schmit knew her husband was in trouble, that much was clear.
It had been seven years since the Willmar couple’s 26-year-old son, Josh, had been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq while serving in the Army. Greg Schmit, an 18-year member of the Minnesota National Guard, had found it particularly hard to adjust.
Out of guilt and grief, his life had dissolved into a series of unproductive counseling sessions at the VA. A medley of medications for anxiety, depression and sleeplessness now frequently left him either lethargic or irritable. Contributing to his despair, he contended that the Guard had been unsupportive after Josh’s death and that a few commanders had conspired to ruin his career and have him fired.
Late on a July night last year, Kim would later tell authorities, she was awakened by her husband struggling for breath next to her. She spotted the prescription bottles. All were empty. Within minutes, Greg Schmit, the by-the-book supply sergeant, was rushed to the hospital in a futile attempt to save his life.
A father's despair over his son's death in Iraq drives home a suicide crisis for Minnesota National Guard.
Star Tribune
By Mark Brunswick
APRIL 1, 2016
Few organizations have felt the crisis in military suicides more than the Minnesota National Guard. In the past five years, more of its members have died by suicide than all but one state Guard in the country.
It had been seven years since the Willmar couple’s 26-year-old son, Josh, had been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq while serving in the Army. Greg Schmit, an 18-year member of the Minnesota National Guard, had found it particularly hard to adjust.
Out of guilt and grief, his life had dissolved into a series of unproductive counseling sessions at the VA. A medley of medications for anxiety, depression and sleeplessness now frequently left him either lethargic or irritable. Contributing to his despair, he contended that the Guard had been unsupportive after Josh’s death and that a few commanders had conspired to ruin his career and have him fired.
Late on a July night last year, Kim would later tell authorities, she was awakened by her husband struggling for breath next to her. She spotted the prescription bottles. All were empty. Within minutes, Greg Schmit, the by-the-book supply sergeant, was rushed to the hospital in a futile attempt to save his life.
Few organizations have felt the crisis in military suicides more than the Minnesota National Guard. In the past five years, more of its members have died by suicide than all but one state Guard in the country. Minnesota’s Guard is the 10th largest state Guard by size. But when it comes to suicide, its 27 deaths rank second only to Pennsylvania’s 30.read more here
Sunday, February 28, 2016
After Five Tours Veteran Writes About Hardest Battle--Being Home
St. Cloud Vet’s Book Explores Struggles After War
WJON News AM1240
By Isaac Schweer
February 27, 2016
ST. CLOUD — A St. Cloud veteran of the U.S. Air Force has taken the struggles he’s experienced firsthand and channeled them into what he calls a reintegration tool for soldiers returning home from overseas.
Todd Kuikka served five tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflict areas performing explosive ordinance disposal duties. Since his return home, he has suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — something he says is somewhat of a taboo subject.
“I think it’s pretty typical, but not spoken about very often,” Kuikka says. “The hardest battle that I fought was not actually on the battlefield — it was trying to re-enter civilian life.”
read more here
WJON News AM1240
By Isaac Schweer
February 27, 2016
Todd Kuikka served five tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflict areas performing explosive ordinance disposal duties. Since his return home, he has suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — something he says is somewhat of a taboo subject.
“I think it’s pretty typical, but not spoken about very often,” Kuikka says. “The hardest battle that I fought was not actually on the battlefield — it was trying to re-enter civilian life.”
read more here
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Minnesota Firefighter Fights to Prevent Suicides After His Own Attempt
With Suicides Among Firefighters on the Rise, Minnesota Firefighter Tries to Help
Eyewitness 5 ABC News
Katherine Johnson
February 19, 2016
A Minnesota firefighter is working to reduce the number of suicides among colleagues. "I just don't want this to happen to anyone else," said Frazee firefighter Scott Geiselhart in front of a room filled with firefighters from across the northern half of the state.
He's a firefighter in Frazee, a small town in Becker County with a population of about 1,350 people.
Tuesday night, he traveled to Randall as part of his effort in responding to a crisis that his fellow firefighters don't usually talk about and, he says, don't train on, either.
"I started blaming myself for every single accident I went on," he said.
Geiselhart is telling a story that goes back about a year and a half to the day that he attempted suicide.
"It was a revolver. I put it to my head and I pulled the trigger," he said. The room fell silent.
"I couldn't believe... it clicked and it didn't go off. That gun never ever misfires," Geiselhart said.
read more here
Eyewitness 5 ABC News
Katherine Johnson
February 19, 2016
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 87 firefighters across the country died in the line of duty in 2015. 114 firefighters committed suicide that year. That's up from 109 in 2014 and 69 firefighters in 2013. The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance started tracking numbers on suicides in 2010.
A Minnesota firefighter is working to reduce the number of suicides among colleagues. "I just don't want this to happen to anyone else," said Frazee firefighter Scott Geiselhart in front of a room filled with firefighters from across the northern half of the state.
He's a firefighter in Frazee, a small town in Becker County with a population of about 1,350 people.
Tuesday night, he traveled to Randall as part of his effort in responding to a crisis that his fellow firefighters don't usually talk about and, he says, don't train on, either.
"I started blaming myself for every single accident I went on," he said.
Geiselhart is telling a story that goes back about a year and a half to the day that he attempted suicide.
"It was a revolver. I put it to my head and I pulled the trigger," he said. The room fell silent.
"I couldn't believe... it clicked and it didn't go off. That gun never ever misfires," Geiselhart said.
read more here
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Veterans Widow Shocked "Candy Man" Doctor Starting Practice
Fired 'Candy Man' Tomah VA chief of staff to start own practice
WTMJ Exclusive
Michelle Richards
Feb 3, 2016
TOMAH - The wife of a veteran who died from an overdose at the Tomah VA was shocked to learn the former chief of staff, whom veterans nicknamed "Candy Man," may soon be prescribing drugs to others.
Dr. David Houlihan was fired last fall after an investigation into over-prescribing painkillers at the VA Medical Center.
WTMJ has learned Houlihan is soliciting new patients in LaCrosse while also being considered for a job at a practice in Minnesota.
"I am shocked," Heather Simcakoski told WTMJ. Simcakoski's husband, Jason, died from an overdose in 2014. "I am just shocked to know he would be able to open a practice."
Houlihan has not been charged. Calls to his practice were redirected to another practice in Minnesota.
read more here
WTMJ Exclusive
Michelle Richards
Feb 3, 2016
TOMAH - The wife of a veteran who died from an overdose at the Tomah VA was shocked to learn the former chief of staff, whom veterans nicknamed "Candy Man," may soon be prescribing drugs to others.
Dr. David Houlihan was fired last fall after an investigation into over-prescribing painkillers at the VA Medical Center.
WTMJ has learned Houlihan is soliciting new patients in LaCrosse while also being considered for a job at a practice in Minnesota.
"I am shocked," Heather Simcakoski told WTMJ. Simcakoski's husband, Jason, died from an overdose in 2014. "I am just shocked to know he would be able to open a practice."
Houlihan has not been charged. Calls to his practice were redirected to another practice in Minnesota.
read more here
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Marine From Florida Among Missing After Helicopters Collided
Marines Identify 12 Missing After Helicopter Crash Off Hawaii
NBC News
by PHIL HELSEL
January 17, 2016
The Marine Corps on Saturday released the names of 12 Marines missing after two helicopters apparently collided in mid-air off the coast of Oahu Thursday, as the search continued for the missing air crew for a second day.
The missing air crew were identified as:
As of 8 a.m. Saturday, searchers had scoured more than 5,000 square nautical miles, the Coast Guard said.
read more here
Sergeant Dillon Semolina
‘He Was Just A Fun-Loving Kid’: Missing Marine Left Mark On Community
Corporal Christopher Orlando
Family of missing Hingham Marine speak about son
Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller
PHILADELPHIA MARINE AMONG 12 MISSING AFTER HELICOPTER CRASH IN HAWAII
NBC News
by PHIL HELSEL
January 17, 2016
The Marine Corps on Saturday released the names of 12 Marines missing after two helicopters apparently collided in mid-air off the coast of Oahu Thursday, as the search continued for the missing air crew for a second day.
The missing air crew were identified as:
Coast Guard and other aircraft and ships spent a second day searching for the missing Marines, but weather and high swells were hampering the effort.Maj. Shawn M. Campbell, 41, College Station, Texas.Capt. Brian T. Kennedy, 31, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Capt. Kevin T. Roche, 30, St. Louis, Missouri.Capt. Steven R. Torbert, 29, Florence, Alabama.Sgt. Dillon J. Semolina, 24,Chaska, Minnesota.Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller, 25, Gardners, Pennsylvania.Sgt. Jeffrey A. Sempler, 22, Woodruff, South Carolina.Sgt. William J. Turner, 25, Florala, Alabama.Cpl. Matthew R. Drown, 23, Spring, Texas.Cpl. Thomas J. Jardas, 22, Fort Myers, Florida.Cpl. Christopher J. Orlando, 23, Hingham, Massachusetts.Lance Cpl. Ty L. Hart, 21, Aumsville, Oregon.
As of 8 a.m. Saturday, searchers had scoured more than 5,000 square nautical miles, the Coast Guard said.
read more here
Corporal Christopher Orlando
Family of missing Hingham Marine speak about son
Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller
PHILADELPHIA MARINE AMONG 12 MISSING AFTER HELICOPTER CRASH IN HAWAII
Saturday, January 16, 2016
David Crowley Murder Suicide Investigation Took Strange Twist
Disturbing details of Minnesota filmmaker's murder-suicide emerge one year after killings
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Christopher Brennan
January 16, 2016
The bodies of 29-year-old Twin Cities screenwriter David Crowley, his wife Komel and their five-year-old Raniya were discovered in their suburban home last January.
Those around the family were stunned by the tragedy, though relatives and neighbors said that they hadn’t seen from them over the holidays and the execution-style deaths are thought to have occurred the day after Christmas.
David Crowley's brother had left Christmas presents on the family's door that went unopened.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Christopher Brennan
January 16, 2016
Beauty Komel Crowley met her husband when he was serving with the Army in Texas, was raised Muslim in Pakistan and converted to Christianity for her marriage.
Investigators say that a Quran was open in the family's living room to a page with a prayer for forgiveness.Disturbing details about the last moments of a Minnesota man who shot his wife and child before turning the gun on himself have surfaced one year after the killings.
The bodies of 29-year-old Twin Cities screenwriter David Crowley, his wife Komel and their five-year-old Raniya were discovered in their suburban home last January.
Those around the family were stunned by the tragedy, though relatives and neighbors said that they hadn’t seen from them over the holidays and the execution-style deaths are thought to have occurred the day after Christmas.
David Crowley's brother had left Christmas presents on the family's door that went unopened.
Police Crowley also may have tried to kill the family dog, though the animal survived and scavenged from its owners’ bodies before they were found.
read more here
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Dying Vietnam Veteran Gave House Away--To Another Veteran
Dying veteran donates home, lives to meet new owner
WMAZ News
Boua Xiong
December 22, 2015
MAPLE GROVE, Minn. - When 13WMAZ's sister station KARE 11 first met Bob Karlstrand last February, the Vietnam veteran had terminal lung disease.
So he got rid of everything, including his Maple Grove home of 39 years. He donated it to Habitat for Humanity and hoped a fellow veteran would move in.
Karlstrand got his wish. Bonita Reyna-Berg, a veteran who is raising her grandson, is working with Habitat for Humanity to make Karlstrand's house her home.
The two met for the first time at the home on Tuesday. Reyna-Berg is still getting used to all the new space and the generosity of a stranger.
"He's touched my life and made such a difference and an impact on my life," she said.
read more here
WMAZ News
Boua Xiong
December 22, 2015
So he got rid of everything, including his Maple Grove home of 39 years. He donated it to Habitat for Humanity and hoped a fellow veteran would move in.
Karlstrand got his wish. Bonita Reyna-Berg, a veteran who is raising her grandson, is working with Habitat for Humanity to make Karlstrand's house her home.
The two met for the first time at the home on Tuesday. Reyna-Berg is still getting used to all the new space and the generosity of a stranger.
"He's touched my life and made such a difference and an impact on my life," she said.
read more here
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Man Charged After "Navy SEAL Sniper" Claim
Man claiming to be Navy SEAL sniper charged with bar assault
FOX News 9
Mike Durkin
October 15, 2015
BURSNVILLE, Minn. (KMSP) - A man claiming to a Navy SEAL sniper is accused of putting a steak knife to the throat of another bar patron in Burnsville, Minn. Leo John Clark III, 27, is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon for the Sunday, Oct. 11 incident.
FOX News 9
Mike Durkin
October 15, 2015
Clark indicated he was a Navy SEAL and a sniper, and the victim said that was of interest to him. Clark then accused the victim of not believing him, at which point he grabbed a steak knife from the bar and held it to the victim’s throat.
The U.S. Navy confirms there is no one with the name Leo John Clark III in their system read more here
Decorated Iraq Veteran Beaten and Left For Dead
Veteran suffers brain damage after alleged assault outside Oakdale, Minn. bar
FOX 9 News
By: Leah Beno
October 23, 2015
Oakdale police say he called around 11 p.m. to report he had been assaulted and had his cell phone stolen.
Brian, whose last name has not been released due to safety concerns, was staying at a Best Western in Oakdale because he is trying to sell his house and had to get out of the way for several showings over the weekend, according to his mom, Jane.
Police found the 31-year-old laying in the parking lot between the Demori’s Italian Restaurant and the hotel. read more here
FOX 9 News
By: Leah Beno
October 23, 2015
Jane says no matter what caused the injuries her son, a decorated Iraq War veteran did not deserve to be left for dead.OAKDALE, Minn. (KMSP) - A veteran from Hudson, Wis. is recovering at Regions Hospital after police found him outside a bar in Oakdale, Minn. on Oct. 16 with a broken collar bone, a fracture to the back of his head and brain damage.
Oakdale police say he called around 11 p.m. to report he had been assaulted and had his cell phone stolen.
Brian, whose last name has not been released due to safety concerns, was staying at a Best Western in Oakdale because he is trying to sell his house and had to get out of the way for several showings over the weekend, according to his mom, Jane.
Police found the 31-year-old laying in the parking lot between the Demori’s Italian Restaurant and the hotel. read more here
Friday, October 2, 2015
Minnesota National Guardsman Found Dead At Hibbing Armory
Star Tribune
By Mark Brunswick
SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
Hibbing police are investigating the possible suicide of a Minnesota National Guard soldier whose body was found Monday in the Hibbing armory.
The Minnesota National Guard identified the soldier as Staff Sgt. Ryan Esala, 43, of Virginia, Minn., who served for more than 26 years.
Published reports indicate that a weapon was near the body.
read more here
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Minnesota and Wisconsin Veterans VA Co-Pay Bills Included Dead Veterans?
Minnesota and Wisconsin veterans are facing thousands of dollars in old co-payments from the VA
Star Tribune
By Mark Brunswick
SEPTEMBER 1, 2015
Recently, members of Congress were notified that the VA discovered unbilled copay amounts for inpatient care provided to veterans over a five-year period. Veterans were going to be assessed copays ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 because the VA erred in not charging them at the time of the care.
Veterans in Minnesota and Wisconsin were to be affected, prompting members of Minnesota’s and Wisconsin’s congressional delegations to sign a letter to VA Secretary Bob McDonald asking to delay attempting to collect the payments from the vets, many of whom are on fixed incomes and might not be able to pay.
“Our veterans sought care at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in good faith and should not be suddenly saddled with thousands of dollars in bills years later due to the VA’s inability to properly track, record, and bill for services,” the letter said.
read more here
Star Tribune
By Mark Brunswick
SEPTEMBER 1, 2015
The VA identified 1,482 veterans in Minnesota and Wisconsin who would have been affected by the retroactive charges, including 26 who have been deceased for more than six months.Minnesota’s congressional delegation, led by Rep. John Kline, is fighting a Veterans Affairs directive that found veterans suddenly being billed for co-payments that were as much as five years old.
Recently, members of Congress were notified that the VA discovered unbilled copay amounts for inpatient care provided to veterans over a five-year period. Veterans were going to be assessed copays ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 because the VA erred in not charging them at the time of the care.
Veterans in Minnesota and Wisconsin were to be affected, prompting members of Minnesota’s and Wisconsin’s congressional delegations to sign a letter to VA Secretary Bob McDonald asking to delay attempting to collect the payments from the vets, many of whom are on fixed incomes and might not be able to pay.
“Our veterans sought care at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in good faith and should not be suddenly saddled with thousands of dollars in bills years later due to the VA’s inability to properly track, record, and bill for services,” the letter said.
read more here
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Motorcycle Ride Honor Fallen Army Ranger Life Saver After Death
Motorcycle Ride Honors Army Ranger Killed In Afghanistan
CBS Minnesota
Jennifer Mayerle
July 24, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – On Saturday morning, hundreds will ride motorcycles in honor of an Army Ranger who died after being shot in Afghanistan six years ago. Fire sparked by lightning almost halted Friday night’s fundraising part of the Memorial Ride.
Twenty-one-year-old Ben Kopp died after being shot in Afghanistan in 2009. The Army Ranger saved the lives of six of his fellow Rangers, and in death, donated tissue and organs, including his heart, to 75 people.
It’s why Kopp’s mother, Jill Stephenson, and others press on, despite a set-back.
Silent auction items line the room at Bogart’s Place in Apple Valley. The items were saved from her Rosemount home early this morning and some still hold the lingering smell of smoke.
“Lightning struck outside my town home and hit a gas main and it started the box on fire,” Stephenson explained. “You know it’s not my first rodeo with something like this, unfortunately.”
She said a neighbor pounded on the door, saving her and her guests’ lives.
“I don’t think my heart’s ever beat so fast in my life,” Stephenson said. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
read more here
CBS Minnesota
Jennifer Mayerle
July 24, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – On Saturday morning, hundreds will ride motorcycles in honor of an Army Ranger who died after being shot in Afghanistan six years ago. Fire sparked by lightning almost halted Friday night’s fundraising part of the Memorial Ride.
Twenty-one-year-old Ben Kopp died after being shot in Afghanistan in 2009. The Army Ranger saved the lives of six of his fellow Rangers, and in death, donated tissue and organs, including his heart, to 75 people.
It’s why Kopp’s mother, Jill Stephenson, and others press on, despite a set-back.
Silent auction items line the room at Bogart’s Place in Apple Valley. The items were saved from her Rosemount home early this morning and some still hold the lingering smell of smoke.
“Lightning struck outside my town home and hit a gas main and it started the box on fire,” Stephenson explained. “You know it’s not my first rodeo with something like this, unfortunately.”
She said a neighbor pounded on the door, saving her and her guests’ lives.
“I don’t think my heart’s ever beat so fast in my life,” Stephenson said. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
read more here
Thursday, March 5, 2015
St. Paul Police Officers Learn How To Help PTSD Veterans
Bill would pay for police training to help veterans
SC Times
Kirsti Marohn
March 5, 2015
ST. PAUL – The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan stretched on for 10 years and left some of its veterans with invisible scars, from post-traumatic stress to traumatic brain injuries.
While the majority of veterans have returned civilian life successfully, some have struggled, and a few have ended up in the legal system.
In recent years, there's been an effort to better educate law enforcement officers on the characteristics of veterans and how to deescalate a crisis to avoid a potential deadly result.
A bipartisan bill authored by Rep. Tim O'Driscoll, R-Sartell, aims to provide funding for more police officers to receive such training. The House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee held a hearing on the bill Thursday.
About 10 percent Minnesota's of law enforcement has received deescalation training, O'Driscoll said. He hopes to boost that number to 25 percent.
read more here
SC Times
Kirsti Marohn
March 5, 2015
For veterans who are disoriented or experiencing war-related flashbacks they aren't able to process, "that can be dangerous to them to others in the area and to law enforcement," O'Driscoll said.
ST. PAUL – The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan stretched on for 10 years and left some of its veterans with invisible scars, from post-traumatic stress to traumatic brain injuries.
While the majority of veterans have returned civilian life successfully, some have struggled, and a few have ended up in the legal system.
In recent years, there's been an effort to better educate law enforcement officers on the characteristics of veterans and how to deescalate a crisis to avoid a potential deadly result.
A bipartisan bill authored by Rep. Tim O'Driscoll, R-Sartell, aims to provide funding for more police officers to receive such training. The House Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee held a hearing on the bill Thursday.
About 10 percent Minnesota's of law enforcement has received deescalation training, O'Driscoll said. He hopes to boost that number to 25 percent.
read more here
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Remains of Korean War POW Going Home
Remains of Minnesota soldier who died in Korean War prison camp coming home
Twin Cities News
By Helmut Schmidt
Forum News Service
POSTED: 02/18/2015
GARY, Minn. -- After more than six decades, Sgt. Arnold Andring is finally coming home.
The Gary man, who fought in the Korean War and died as a prisoner of war, will be laid to rest with full military honors in April next to his mother and father in St. Michael's Cemetery in Mahnomen.
His remains, stored at the Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii, were recently identified by experts using DNA testing.
For Andring's family, the news kindled a mix of long-buried sadness and relief.
"It's the end. It's a closure. We've been waiting for this for a long time," said Lucille Gish, one of Andring's five surviving siblings.
"I firmly believe it was a miracle. God was looking out for us. We're lucky," the 82-year-old Mahnomen woman said. "There are many boys who haven't been found out there yet."
"I just mostly blubbered" on the phone, Len Andring of Moorhead said of his initial talk on Jan. 22 with military officials.
Len Andring said the family always wondered if it was possible to find his brother's remains, but no one gave up hope.
"The Army has been great in keeping in touch," the 86-year-old said. "To go this far to honor their promise of bringing everyone home..." he said, his voice trailing off.
read more here
Twin Cities News
By Helmut Schmidt
Forum News Service
POSTED: 02/18/2015
 |
| Shadow Salute by Wounded Times |
GARY, Minn. -- After more than six decades, Sgt. Arnold Andring is finally coming home.
The Gary man, who fought in the Korean War and died as a prisoner of war, will be laid to rest with full military honors in April next to his mother and father in St. Michael's Cemetery in Mahnomen.
Andring's remains -- found amid 208 boxes holding the commingled remains of more than 400 soldiers -- were turned over by the North Koreans between 1991 and 1994.
His remains, stored at the Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii, were recently identified by experts using DNA testing.
For Andring's family, the news kindled a mix of long-buried sadness and relief.
"It's the end. It's a closure. We've been waiting for this for a long time," said Lucille Gish, one of Andring's five surviving siblings.
"I firmly believe it was a miracle. God was looking out for us. We're lucky," the 82-year-old Mahnomen woman said. "There are many boys who haven't been found out there yet."
"I just mostly blubbered" on the phone, Len Andring of Moorhead said of his initial talk on Jan. 22 with military officials.
Len Andring said the family always wondered if it was possible to find his brother's remains, but no one gave up hope.
"The Army has been great in keeping in touch," the 86-year-old said. "To go this far to honor their promise of bringing everyone home..." he said, his voice trailing off.
read more here
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Vietnam Veteran Leaves Legacy to Homeless and More
Dying Veteran Gives Away All His Possessions, Wills Retirement Fund to Alma Mater (VIDEO)
BY ALEX HEIGL
02/08/2015
"I've had a good life, so I can't complain at all," Bob Karlstrand tells Minneapolis NBC affiliate KARE 11.
Karlstrand's positive attitude comes in spite of his circumstance: The 65-year-old Vietnam War veteran has battled colon cancer and is currently facing a terminal lung disease.
An only child who never married and never had children, Karlstrand is preparing for the end of his life with a remarkable gesture: He's willing his Maple Grove, Minnesota, home of 38 years to Habitat for Humanity, with the only stipulation being that it has to go to a veteran.
Karlstrand has been giving his things away for some time. Most of his appliances and furnishings are gone, right down to his living room carpet. "Most of the things I can remember having," he said.
"Maybe some pictures I'll keep but in the end it's only material things."
read more here
BY ALEX HEIGL
02/08/2015
Karlstrand's positive attitude comes in spite of his circumstance: The 65-year-old Vietnam War veteran has battled colon cancer and is currently facing a terminal lung disease.
An only child who never married and never had children, Karlstrand is preparing for the end of his life with a remarkable gesture: He's willing his Maple Grove, Minnesota, home of 38 years to Habitat for Humanity, with the only stipulation being that it has to go to a veteran.
Karlstrand has been giving his things away for some time. Most of his appliances and furnishings are gone, right down to his living room carpet. "Most of the things I can remember having," he said.
"Maybe some pictures I'll keep but in the end it's only material things."
read more here
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Prank on Air Force Veteran Sends SWAT Team
Air Force veteran reduced to tears after SWAT team raids his home over alleged 'swatting' prank
The heartless prank was live streamed to nearly 60,000 people, showing 27-year-old Joshua Peters going to answer his door before returning visibly shaken.
Peters, speaking in tears, said his 10-year-old brother opened the door to the armed officers who were told a shooter was inside their St. Cloud, Minn., home.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
BY NINA GOLGOWSKI
Friday, February 6, 2015
The heartless moment was live streamed on Twitch.TV as 27-year-old Joshua Peters cheerfully talked to his viewers while playing video games inside his St. Cloud home Thursday.
As he jovially toyed around while playing the game RuneScape, he paused to answer a knock at the door.
When he returned approximately 12 minutes later, the veteran, who said he was medically evacuated back to the U.S. after serving in Kuwait, appeared struggling to compose himself.
read more here
SWATTED CLASH OF CLANS RUNESCAPE STREAMER'S REACTION Published on Feb 5, 2015 This was the live footage after 10 police officers equipped with ARs held my family at gun point due to a prank call; including my little brother.
The heartless prank was live streamed to nearly 60,000 people, showing 27-year-old Joshua Peters going to answer his door before returning visibly shaken.
Peters, speaking in tears, said his 10-year-old brother opened the door to the armed officers who were told a shooter was inside their St. Cloud, Minn., home.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
BY NINA GOLGOWSKI
Friday, February 6, 2015
Instead they opened the door to a 10-year-old boy and a frightened family who risked being mistakenly killed, Peters said.Nearly 60,000 online viewers watched as an Air Force veteran was reduced to tears after a SWAT team allegedly raided his family's Minnesota home over a prank call known as "swatting."
The heartless moment was live streamed on Twitch.TV as 27-year-old Joshua Peters cheerfully talked to his viewers while playing video games inside his St. Cloud home Thursday.
As he jovially toyed around while playing the game RuneScape, he paused to answer a knock at the door.
When he returned approximately 12 minutes later, the veteran, who said he was medically evacuated back to the U.S. after serving in Kuwait, appeared struggling to compose himself.
read more here
SWATTED CLASH OF CLANS RUNESCAPE STREAMER'S REACTION Published on Feb 5, 2015 This was the live footage after 10 police officers equipped with ARs held my family at gun point due to a prank call; including my little brother.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Minnesota State University Student Suicide Was Iraq Veteran
Horror as MSU philosophy student and Iraq War veteran, 27, shoots himself dead in campus library
Timothy Lee Anderson, a junior philosophy major at MSU, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Police in Mankato, Minnesota, were called to MSU's Memorial Library Monday afternoon after getting a report about a suicidal man
Anderson served as a gunner in Iraq in 2007
Daily Mail
By SNEJANA FARBEROV FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 12:27 EST, 3 February 2015
A 27-year-old Minnesota State University student and war veteran shot and killed himself in the campus library Monday afternoon.
Mankato police responded to the Memorial Library at around 4.10pm after getting a report about a suicidal man.
After searching the premises of the library, they found Timothy Lee Anderson on the second floor. He was armed with a gun.
Police say at that point, the 27-year-old junior philosophy major turned the firearm on himself and committed suicide.
A portion of the campus was evacuated and a text message went out at 5.15pm via MSU's emergency alert system informing the community of the deadly incident.
read more here
Timothy Lee Anderson, a junior philosophy major at MSU, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Police in Mankato, Minnesota, were called to MSU's Memorial Library Monday afternoon after getting a report about a suicidal man
Anderson served as a gunner in Iraq in 2007
Daily Mail
By SNEJANA FARBEROV FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 12:27 EST, 3 February 2015
A 27-year-old Minnesota State University student and war veteran shot and killed himself in the campus library Monday afternoon.
Mankato police responded to the Memorial Library at around 4.10pm after getting a report about a suicidal man.
After searching the premises of the library, they found Timothy Lee Anderson on the second floor. He was armed with a gun.
Police say at that point, the 27-year-old junior philosophy major turned the firearm on himself and committed suicide.
A portion of the campus was evacuated and a text message went out at 5.15pm via MSU's emergency alert system informing the community of the deadly incident.
read more here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)