Marine on leave for sister's wedding killed in car crash

Susquehanna crash victim was Marine, father of two 
The Times Tribune
BRENDAN GIBBONS, STAFF WRITER
Published: January 3, 2015

PHOTO COURTESY KARIN DORMAN Susquehanna County native Andrew Stevens with his sons Logan, top, and Hunter, and wife, Katy. Andrew Stevens was killed Friday in a crash in Springville Township.

A 27-year-old Susquehanna County native killed Friday when a water tanker truck smashed into his SUV was an active-duty Marine and father of two boys, a family member said.

Staff Sgt. Andrew Stevens was home for his sister’s wedding, his mother-in-law Karin Dorman said. Sgt. Stevens and his wife, Katy, 26, and their sons, 2-year-old Logan and 5-year-old Hunter, were staying at Mrs. Dorman’s.

After driving away from his parents’ home in Springville Twp. around 4:20 p.m., Sgt. Stevens stopped his 2013 Dodge Durango at Routes 3004 and 29, the main intersection in Springville, state police said.

Behind him, Arlan Elmer Elvis Taft’s truck barrelled downhill. Unable to stop, the Tioga man’s tanker crashed into Sgt. Steven’s Durango. A four-vehicle pile-up ensued as the SUV was crushed between Mr. Taft’s truck and a Kenworth tractor-trailer, which in turn hit another Kenworth rig.

A fire started after the crash, and flames engulfed Sgt. Stevens’ SUV, Mrs. Dorman said. Mr. Stevens died at the scene, state police said. The other three drivers were not injured.

The fire left the Durango’s vehicle identification number illegible, along with any other clue to identify Mr. Stevens, Mrs. Dorman said.

“The vehicle was unrecognizable,” she said. “It totally just went in flames.”

Troopers had to identify Sgt. Stevens by his father’s hunting rifle, she said. He had just picked it up before the crash. A deer with an injured leg frequented Mrs. Dorman’s property, and Sgt. Stevens wanted to put it out of its misery, then call a game officer, she said.
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Marines recoiled at media reports that link Stone to PTSD

A simple reminder of facts substantiated by numbers. Over 22 million veterans in this country yet suicides claim more lives than crimes like this. They are more likely to harm themselves than someone else and news reports from all over the country prove that everyday. PTSD does not make them dangerous. If it did then we'd be reading more reports like this than about them committing suicide.

Questions linger as ex-Marine sought in Montco killing spree stabs self to death
Philly.com
DAVID GAMBACORTA, JASON NARK, WENDY RUDERMAN
DANA DIFILIPPO and BARBARA LAKER
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
December 17, 2014

A community pray vigil at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Souderton for the shooting victims in Montgomery County, Tuesday, December 16, 2014. ( STEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer )

A GENERATION FROM NOW, people will still talk about the way Bradley William Stone went about butchering his ex-wife and her family, leaving a trail of blood and gore across Montgomery County as he moved from house to house, town to town, ambushing them in the middle of the night like a demon from hell.

But no matter how many times the story is revisited, no one will ever be able to answer the question that gnaws at the soul of anyone who discovers all of this heartache and horror: Why?

Any hope of making sense of the Monday morning massacre that claimed the lives of Nicole Stone and five of her relatives was snuffed out yesterday afternoon, when investigators found the killer's body in the woods in Pennsburg, about a half-mile from his house.

Brad Stone, 35, committed suicide, apparently hacking away at himself in his final moments with a knife, District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said.

The discovery of his body brought an end to a manhunt that had left the area increasingly on edge as authorities struggled to pinpoint Stone's whereabouts.

Those who were friendly with Stone and his ex-wife, meanwhile, were left with the impossible task of trying to reconcile the guy they thought they knew - a father who adored his two daughters - with the cold-blooded killer whose fury made national headlines.

Military veterans who served with Stone in the Marines recoiled at media reports that seemed to link the bloodshed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that Stone was supposedly saddled with from a tour in Iraq.

"A lot of us come home with it, but you can't blame what happened there on PTSD," said a veteran who once worked alongside Stone. "It really is the person you are underneath that will decide if you do something like this."
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UPDATE
WHO WAS BRADLEY STONE? FRIENDS SAY HELPFUL, LAID-BACK GUY

After Former Marine's Killing Spree, Questions Raised About PTSD

Man sought in death of six people in Pennsburg PA

SUSPECT IDENTIFIED IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY KILLING SPREE; SIX DEAD
ABC News
Updated 4 mins ago

PENNSBURG, Pa. (WPVI) -- Authorities have identified the man sought in a Montgomery County killing spree that left six people dead.

Bradley William Stone, 35, of Pennsburg, Pa. is being sought in the deaths of those six people. All of the victims had a 'familial' relationship with Stone, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said.

The Montgomery County DA says Stone is described as 5'10" tall and weighs 195 pounds. He has a red or auburn beard and mustache with closely cropped hair.

Stone is known to use a cane or walker to assist him, the DA said, and he may be wearing military fatigues, in either sand or green color.

The DA says: "Stone should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about Stone's whereabouts is asked to call 9-1-1 immediately. Do not approach him."

"Police are conducting an extensive search in and around Pennsburg, at both known and outdoor locations where Stone may be located."

"People in that area should remain indoors, keep their doors locked and call 9-1-1 if they think they have seen the suspect."
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UPDATE

6 dead in Montgomery County shooting spree, police hunt for suspected gunman
MCALL.com
By Dan Sheehan, Pat Lester, Manuel Gamiz Jr.
Of The Morning Call
December 15, 5:38 PM

A military veteran from Pennsburg diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder killed his estranged wife in Lower Salford Township, neighbors say, the start of a shooting rampage Monday that Montgomery County authorities say claimed five more lives.

Bradley W. Stone, 35, allegedly killed a total of six family members in Lower Salford, Lansdale and Souderton, according to the district attorney's office, and seriously wounded another.

Stone is still on the loose and considered armed and dangerous. He may be wearing military fatigues and using a cane or walker to get around.

The shootings took place in three different locations in Montgomery County.
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UPDATE 12/16/2014
Montgomery County Shooting Spree Suspect Bradley Stone Found Dead in Woods

"Deficiencies" Prevent Veteran in Cardiac Arrest From Emergency Care

Veterans Affairs Weighs In On Patient Death
Central PA.com
Ashley Doerzbacher
12/08/2014

HOLLIDAYSBURG, BLAIR COUNTY - A report out indicates that man stopped breathing after going into cardiac arrest at the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home.

That report states the home did not send that patient to the emergency room after he complained of severe pains.

Both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Health conducted investigations.

They found two deficiencies at the facility, but they don't feel they played any role in that man's death.

According to a report from the department of health, about 8:30 PM on August 29, a man complained of excruciating abdominal pain to a nurse at the home, and requested to go to the emergency room.

At that time, a physician increased his pain medication. About five hours later, just before one o'clock in the morning on August 30, that man went into cardiac arrest and stopped breathing.
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Lewis-McChord Has No Record of Stolen Valor Loser Serving There

Can't tell if they are wearing a uniform or costume? A great suggestion was made by a buddy of mine, a real veteran, on what to do if you are not sure. Ask for their military ID.

My husband is 100% and we carry ID cards we have no problem showing at stores when they offer discounts or at movie theaters. Why should they simply trust me to claim the right to the discounts they give? I even have to show the card at the carwash but every bit helps. This guy is yet one more Stolen Valor Loser confronted by a real veteran.

JBLM distances itself from Ranger impostor in viral video
The News Tribune
BY ADAM ASHTON
Staff writer
December 5, 2014

Joint Base Lewis-McChord is distancing itself from a Pennsylvania man caught in a viral video falsely claiming to be one of the base’s Army Rangers.

Officials have no record of the man, Sean Yetman, serving in the Army at JBLM, base spokesman Joe Kubistek said.

Yetman also did not serve in the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. It’s an elite Special Operations unit that has deployed 20 times to Iraq and Afghanistan since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, according to the Ranger Regiment.

A video of Army veteran Ryan Berk confronting Yetman while shopping in a mall on Black Friday has been viewed more than 3.2 million times on YouTube and has been discussed on Fox News and on “Good Morning America.”

Yetman is “impersonating in the uniform people died for,” Berk, 26, told The Allentown Morning Call newspaper. “He was wearing awards that I earned and he didn’t.”

A Republican congressman from Pennsylvania, meanwhile, has asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether Yetman committed a crime while shopping. It is not illegal for a civilian to claim to be a military service member, but the Stolen Valor Act of 2013 prohibits civilians from seeking financial gain by lying about military service.
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Veteran Confronts Fake Army Ranger Trying to Get Discounts

Man claimed to be "Army veteran but was wearing an Air Force uniform"

'Army Veteran' in Air Force Uniform to Get Treatment
Associated Press
Nov 26, 2014

UNIONTOWN, Pa. -- An alleged military impersonator who was wearing the wrong uniform when he tried to enter a southwestern Pennsylvania school to talk about Veterans Day will likely receive probation and mental health treatment.

Fayette County Assistant District Attorney Meghann Mikluscak discussed the plea deal after Jonathan Campbell, 23, of Uniontown, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday.

Campbell showed up unannounced on Nov. 17 -- six days after Veterans Day -- at Laurel Highlands Middle School near Uniontown, state police said.

Campbell claimed to be an Army veteran but was wearing an Air Force uniform and said he was there to speak with students about Veterans Day.

School officials denied Campbell entry and called police.
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Forest Ranger Steps Up For Homeless Veteran With Puppies

Forest ranger helps homeless veteran caring for litter of puppies
FOX 43
NOVEMBER 20, 2014

A litter of German Shepard puppies owned by a homeless veteran and his wife were all staying in a tent in Perry County, until Tuscarora state forest ranger Steve Shaffer came by to check in on them.

Shaffer’s colleague Stephen Wacker, who is an assistant forest manager, said Shaffer “wanted to find out what the situation was and if they needed some help and obviously the change in the weather was pretty significant and a factor for them.”

With temperatures declining by the day Shaffer decided to post a Facebook message asking for help, which got more than six thousand shares. “Facebook does sort of take a life of its own. You get a story that resonates with people and gets shared and spreads around the world literally in minutes and in this case it did that very well,” said Wacker.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADOPT A DOG OR DONATE TO COBLE’S RESCUE CLICK HERE.

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Wounded Afghanistan Veteran Gets New Home

Military family gets place to call home
Center Daily
By Clayton Over
November 15, 2014

UNIVERSITY PARK — Any serviceman or woman, past or present, will talk of how good it feels to come home after a tour of duty.

Nicholas Snook, an Army sergeant recently discharged from active duty, and his family now have a home of their own to go to. The Snooks were presented with a house Saturday during a ceremony at Pegula Ice Arena. After moving every couple of years in the service, Snook said a permanent home is welcomed.

“The main thing is stability,” he said. “It’s a place to call home.”

Snook, of Dover, served as a military policeman and deployed to the Kandahar province of Afghanistan in 2010. He was awarded the Purple Heart during that tour. The home was presented to the family by Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization that provides services to veterans, including awarding homes to selected veterans, said Pete Stinson, Operation Homefront’s executive director for Pennsylvania. The group has provided around 10 homes to veterans in Pennsylvania in the last two years, he said.
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Police charge man for burning flags on Veterans graves on Veterans Day

Man Who Stole, Burned American Flags at Veteran Gravesites Arrested on Veterans Day: Police
NBC Philadelphia
By David Chang
November 11, 2014

A Bucks County man accused of burning American flags and decorations at the gravesites of local military veterans was arrested on Veterans Day.

Anthony Davis Carter, 29, of Feasterville, Pennsylvania, is charged with institutional vandalism, arson and other related offenses.

Carter was allegedly involved in five vandalism incidents over the summer at Roosevelt Memorial Park on Old Lincoln Highway and Rosedale Memorial Park on Richlieu Road.

During each incident, Carter removed dozens of American flags, veteran flag holders and decorations from the gravesites of veterans, according to investigators. He then allegedly placed the items in a pile and burned them.
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Weekend proves homeless veterans matter a lot

Hundreds of homeless vets get help in Orlando
Orlando Sentinel
By Caitlin Dineen
September 27, 2014

Tufts of salt-and-pepper hair fell past Michael Clancy's blue eyes and landed on his shoulders and the floor space around him.

Clancy, who turned 54 Friday, was one of more than 300 homeless veterans in the Orlando region looking for help Saturday.

Haircuts were just one of the eight types of services available at the annual Orlando Veterans Stand Down, which first started in 2008. The daylong event took place at the Downtown Orlando Recreational Center on North Parramore Avenue.

"My next haircut will be the next Stand Down," said the Navy veteran, who sat wrapped in a black salon cape with the toes of his blue-and-gray sneakers poking out.

The Stand Down was sponsored by the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center and partner agencies. Providing wraparound services is crucial to battling homelessness among veterans in Orlando and Central Florida, said VA officials.

"The combat field is a little bit different," said Ken Mueller, coordinator of health care for homeless veterans with the Orlando VA. "It's not the combat of war, but combat of the street."
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"Stand down" helps homeless veterans get back up
KBOI 2 News Idaho
By Jacqulyn Powell
Published: Sep 27, 2014

BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) - Around 200 of the Treasure Valley's homeless veterans got special care at Boise's Homeless Veteran Stand Down. The vets were given food, clothes, medical care, showers, haircuts and other gear they need for the winter.

In combat, the phrase "stand down" means a quick time to rest and get refitted before heading out to battle.

"The Homeless Veterans Stand Down is for homeless veterans that are struggling, that could use a little rest, some medical care, some basic needs and some gear to help them prepare for the winter," said John Porch, who works at Boise's Department of Veterans Affairs and serves as committee chair for the Homeless Veterans Stand Down.

At the event, struggling vets were offered heavy coats, boots and warm clothes. They were also given sleeping bags and sleeping mats to help keep them warm and dry over the next few months. All of it was retired military gear.

"I was in the Army for 12 years as an airborne infantryman, so I'm very familiar with all of this stuff," said Dough Strand, a homeless vet. "The military wouldn't let us keep any of it. But it's nice to get it now, because I need it now."
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Homeless Veterans Get Help At “Stand Down” Event In Cherry Hill
CBS Philly
Hadas Kuznits
September 27, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Hundreds of homeless veterans took advantage of the services provided at this year’s “Stand Down” event Friday at the National Guard Armory in Cherry Hill.

The goal of Stand Down 2014 is to help homeless U.S. war veterans re-enter mainstream society.

“They come through and they get a medical screening here, they get access to social services here.” says Jim Maher, chairman of Stand Down in South Jersey. “We give them a meal, we give them clothing, a haircut if they want, they get eyeglasses.”

Maher says while they provide services to take care of the veterans’ physical needs…

“It’s really important that they get the medical aspect of what they do,” he says, “and the social services.”
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Department of Veterans Affairs Highers PR Firm for "Shareholders"

First Generation Delivers Video Series for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Insurance Net.com
Allentown, PA (PRWEB) September 23, 2014

First Generation (FG), an advertising and integrated marketing agency and service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), was recently awarded a contract with the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), an administration within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The contract grants First Generation the opportunity to assist the VBA in effectively communicating changes in VA benefits and services to a wide variety of shareholders. The 508 compliant videos will describe new technology initiatives, transformation milestones and how to apply for benefits online.

Under the direction of the award-winning production team of Stephen White, David Beedle and John Costello, FG will script, direct and edit several public service announcements, develop multiple animated videos and produce over twenty video interviews to help the VBA communicate important information to valued shareholders.

"FG has a history of creating videos to assist the VA, and we are thrilled for the opportunity to continue to do so," says First Generation President, Alexandra Shade. "Our dedicated team of producers, directors and editors are eager to deliver high-quality videos to help the VBA accomplish their mission and reinforce our status as a robust partner for the U.S. government."
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Ajax, Greek tragedy told to National Guardsmen about military suicide

Centuries-old tragedy opens personal dialogue on military suicides
Joint Force Headquarters
Pennsylvania National Guard
Story by Tech. Sgt. Ted Nichols
August 8, 2014

Theater of War comes to FTIG Tech. Sgt. Ted Nichols

Actress Chinasa Ogbuagu (left) reading for Tecmessa, actor Brendan Griffin (center) reading for Ajax and associate artistic director Greg Taubman (right) perform a dramatic reading of Sophocles' "Ajax" at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., Aug 8, 2014. The reading was part of the Theater of War: Soldiers and Citizens Tour and was sponsored by the Pennsylvania National Guard's Guard’s Resilience, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention Program.

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. - An ancient Greek story about the invisible wounds of war experienced during decades of war in Athens, Greece, more than 2,500 years ago, was recently brought to a modern-day audience of citizen-soldiers and –airmen in central Pennsylvania.

More than 200 soldiers, airmen and civilians gathered at Fort Indiantown Gap Aug. 8 for a dramatic reading from Sophocles’ “Ajax” as part of the Theater of War: Soldiers and Citizens Tour.

“This play, Ajax, and all of the Greek tragedies, were written in a century in which Athens was at war for 80 years, and you had the full city come together to see these plays once a year,” said Greg Taubman, associate artistic director for Theater of War. “What our artistic director Bryan Doerries realized is that this was a play written for veterans by veterans and a play for military audiences in its original context and that we would have a lot to learn about the text by bringing it to military audiences.”

The dramatic reading of the ancient Greek tragedy about a war hero’s suicide—after what would be called post-traumatic stress today—and the struggles faced by his family, utilized the talent of actor Brendan Griffin, whose credits include “Taking Chance,” “Generation Kill” and “The Good Wife,” and actress Chinasa Ogbuagu, whose credits include “Law and Order,” “Nurse Jackie” and “Fringe.”

“As actors we don’t often have an opportunity to do things that have impact beyond just performing, and this is a really compelling way for me to do what I do and have it have resonance in the communities beyond just entertainment,” said Griffin. “I’ve found that, as I get older, it becomes more and more important to do things that allow me to interact with other communities and do things that are profound and interact with issues that are much greater than myself and much greater than my own community, and being part of Theater of War is an incredible opportunity to be part of something greater.”
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Captain's death in Afghanistan under investigation

Army captain from Pennsylvania killed in Afghanistan 'loved by everybody'
Lehigh Valley Live
By Express-Times staff and wire
June 05, 2014

The investigation will probably continue for several weeks into Monday's death in Afghanistan of a U.S. Army captain from Pennsylvania, an Army spokeswoman said today.

Capt. Jason B. Jones, of Orwigsburg in Schuylkill County, died Monday in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, of wounds received from small-arms fire, military authorities said Tuesday. He was 29.

Army spokeswoman Major Allison Aguilar said today the death is under investigation by the Special Operations Joint Task Force Afghanistan, a division-level headquarters that encompasses all NATO special operations forces and assets in Afghanistan.

"This is the type of an investigation that occurs anytime we have a death in theater, especially when it's in combat," Aguilar said.

Jones was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, N.C. He deployed in April to Afghanistan and previously served in Iraq.
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Student to be charged as adult after school stabbing

Source: Teen accused in stabbing rampage in Pa. school charged as adult
CNN
By Chelsea J. Carter, Ashley Fantz and Pamela Brown
updated 5:51 PM EDT, Wed April 9, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: 20 students and one adult were injured in the attack, the district attorney says
The 16-year-old accused in the attack has been charged as an adult, a source says
Teachers use students' hoodies as tourniquets on injured teens, student says
An assistant principal tackled the accused attacker, authorities say

Murrysville, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- A teenage boy wielding two kitchen knives went on a stabbing rampage at his high school in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, early Wednesday, before being tackled by an assistant principal, authorities said.

Twenty students and a security officer at Franklin Regional Senior High School were injured in the attack, District Attorney John Peck told reporters.

As authorities work to piece together a possible motive, the accused attacker -- a 16-year-old sophomore -- has been arraigned by a Pennsylvanian magistrate, said Dan Stevens, deputy emergency management coordinator for Westmoreland County.

The teen has been charged as an adult, a source close to the investigation told CNN. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he has been charged with attempted homicide.

A doctor who treated six of the victims, primarily teens, said most initially did not know what happened.

"They just felt pain and noticed they were bleeding," Dr. Timothy VanFleet, chief of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, told CNN.

"Almost all of them said they didn't see anyone coming at them. It apparently was a crowded hallway and they were going about their business, and then just felt pain and started bleeding."
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Soldier battling brain cancer in fight of her life

Soldier battling brain cancer in fight of her life
BY BOB KALINOWSKI (STAFF WRITER)
Published: March 9, 2014

COURTDALE - After Joanne Dennis spent a year overseas serving in the U.S. military, she came home to find out she may only have a year to live.

A 31-year-old soldier with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Joanne was diagnosed earlier this year with terminal brain cancer after experiencing weeks of headaches, vomiting and memory lapses.

At first, she was angry over the grim diagnosis. Now she accepts it and plans to cherish every moment she has left. And she doesn't plan to give up.

"It is what it is. I just have to do what I have to do. I have to keep fighting," Joanne said recently at her Courtdale home. "I'm just trying to enjoy the time that I do have left."

The type of cancer Joanne has, glioblastoma multiforme grade 4, is aggressive and difficult to treat. After she and her husband repeatedly pressed doctors for a survival prognosis, they finally gave their best guess: 12 to 36 months.

Joanne is hoping they're wrong.

She wants to see her 10-year-old son, Evan, graduate high school. She wants to be there to help raise him to become a man.
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Founder of veterans' group, defrauded VA and is convicted felon

Veteran's group founder defrauded V.A. of $178,000
PHILLY.COM
Sam Wood
Friday, February 28, 2014

A Philadelphia man who claimed to be the founder of the non-profit Veterans Support Group of America, was sentenced to 30 months in prison this week for defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs out of $178,000 in healthcare and pension benefits.

Richard Gordon, 65, pretended to be his brother, “H.G.” who had served a tour of duty in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam war. He assumed H.G.’s identity in 2004 because he was a fugitive from justice after being convicted of a felony in New Jersey.

Richard Gordon, would have qualified for VA benefits, because had spent one year in the U.S. Marines but had been discharged after claiming a family hardship. But fugitives are prohibited from receiving V.A. benefits, according to court papers.
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Gulf War Veteran with PTSD killed by police in Pennsylvania

UPDATE

Investigation into Lodi police shooting of Gulf War veteran could take a year to complete
By Cynthia Hubert
Published: Friday, Feb. 14, 2014

An investigation into the fatal shooting of a Gulf War veteran by Lodi police last month could take as long as a year to complete, a department spokesman told The Sacramento Bee.

Parminder Singh Shergill, who family members said suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder that made him anxious and depressed, was walking down the street where he lived with his mother and brother when officers shot him dead last month. Police said Shergill, 43, was carrying a knife and charged officers before they opened fire, an account that witnesses interviewed by legal investigators reportedly have disputed.
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Lt. Sierra Brucia, police spokesman “If someone is charging an officer and is a moving target, the officer can’t just shoot them in the leg,” Brucia said. “You’ve got to stop the suspect’s actions, stop the threat. The center of the body is the obvious target.” While we can understand that officers have to make snap decisions all the time shooting him was not as obvious as Brucia wants it to sound. Ever hear of something called a taser? That would be very obvious when faced off with a veteran with a knife and not a gun!

Lodi police kill Iraq veteran allegedly armed with knife
Modesto Bee
BY CYNTHIA HUBERT
January 31, 2014 Updated 5 hours ago

Shergill was born in Jagapur, India, and came to America with his parents when he was about 5 years old, according to Johal. After graduating from Lodi High School, he joined the Army, serving in Germany for two years before fighting on the front lines as an infantryman in Iraq during the Gulf War, Johal said.

He began showing symptoms of PTSD after his honorable discharge from the military in 1995, his cousin said. The condition is often accompanied by severe anxiety, flashbacks and depression.

At a vigil Friday, Kulbinder Sahota comforts her mother, Sukhwinder Kaur, as she sits next to a photograph of her son, Parminder Singh Shergill, whom Lodi police fatally shot last Saturday after they said he lunged at officers with a knife. JOS EACUTE; LUIS VILLEGAS

LODI — When the aftereffects of his post-traumatic stress disorder made him very anxious, Parminder Singh Shergill, a Gulf War veteran from one of the Central Valley’s most established Sikh families, would simply start walking.

A tall, soft-spoken man who relatives said kept his problems mostly to himself, Shergill, 43, was a familiar face in the tidy Lodi neighborhood where he lived with his mother and younger brother.

Last Saturday morning, family members said, he was battling his internal demons. After an anxious discussion with his mother, they said, he left on foot into the streets of his subdivision on the north end of town.

According to his cousin, Sacramento attorney Jack Johal, Shergill’s mother called police, worried about her son’s state of mind. Lodi officers intercepted Shergill not far from his home. What happened next is a matter of dispute.

Police officials said Shergill was armed with a knife, refused to respond to orders and lunged at officers, prompting them to open fire. He died just down the block from his family’s home.
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Someone stole wheelchair from disabled Vietnam Vet

Pa. vet says wheelchair stolen from front of home
SF Gate
January 23, 2014

SHAMOKIN, Pa. (AP) — An ailing Vietnam veteran from northeastern Pennsylvania says he's shocked someone could do something so low.

Police in Coal Township are investigating the theft of 70-year-old Martin Glover's wheelchair from in front of his home on Monday.
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Air Force Colonel assisted General McChrystal, now homeless veteran

UPDATE

Homeless Colonel Grateful for Outpouring
Philadelphia Inquirer
Jan 13, 2014

Retired Air Force Col. Robert Freniere says he is considering dozens of offers for housing and jobs after an outpouring of responses from Inquirer readers who learned of his story of unemployment and homelessness last Sunday.

Freniere, who spent 30 years in the military, both in active duty and the reserves, estimates he has gotten two dozen offers per day since The Inquirer published his story. Offers have come from Philadelphia-area people and organizations and from others as far away as Alaska, Tennessee, and New Mexico. Veterans and civilians have offered their help.

Freniere, 59, said he is grateful for the support and plans to respond to every offer.

"It's been a really positive experience," he said.

But it hasn't been all positive.

Freniere said he has seen in online comments that some readers, including veterans, questioned his living situation and annual pension of more than $40,000, thinking the amount should be higher for a colonel. Freniere said he wanted to clarify that the money is compensation only for injuries he sustained while on active duty.

He said he doesn't know whether he will receive more retirement pay when he turns 60, as most veterans do. Veterans groups have offered to help him find out.
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From commanding the skies to sleeping in a minivan
Homeless veteran USAF colonel now lives in his car because he can't find a job
Colonel Robert Freniere, 59, was once a special assistant General Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan
He has served his country in Somalia, Panama, Haiti, and Kuwait
Freniere now lives out of his minivan in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania, as he can't find a job
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
8 January 2014

Frustration: Despite having a wealth of military experience and three graduate degrees, Colonel Robert Freniere is currently living in his van with all of his possessions in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

A U.S. veteran who has experienced combat all over the world and was once a special aide to military top brass has been reduced to living in his van as he can't find a job. But it's not for a lack of trying.

Homeless Robert Freniere, 59, told his story to Philly.com, and explained how he has been rejected for dozens of jobs he has applied for from public libraries, despite having excellent references and three graduate degrees.

When people ask why don't you get a job as a janitor, Freniere replies: 'Well, I've tried that.' He lives out of his blue minivan in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
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Family says Embassy Marine's heart removed by Greece Officials

When I saw this headline I was thinking the source must be back to some outrageous publication in checkout area of Publix but it linked to NBC.

Greek Government 'Harvested' Dead U.S. Marine’s Heart
Family says the Defense Department lied to them about the missing heart and that the Greek government later sent a heart that was not their son’s back to United States
NBC 10 News
By Vince Lattanzio
Saturday, Dec 7, 2013

The family of a U.S. Marine who committed suicide inside a U.S. Embassy in Greece says their son was buried without a heart, after the Greek government performed an illegal autopsy on his body and “harvested” the organ.

Craig and Beverly LaLoup, of Coatesville, Pa., filed a lawsuit in federal court on Friday against the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Navy and U.S. government for negligence, emotional distress and alleged mistreatment of their son’s body.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Brian LaLoup, who was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece, shot himself following a night out drinking in the Greek capital on Aug. 12, 2012, according to the court filing.

The 22-year-old allegedly had been at an off-duty party when he told a fellow officer he was considering ending his life.

“I don’t have anyone who loves me,” he allegedly said. He then apparently told the officer he was planning to shoot himself in the face with a shotgun.

That officer notified a superior, listed in the suit as Staff Sgt. Martinez, about Brian’s intentions. But instead of getting him medical care, the commander allegedly took him out to drink more – a violation of Marine Corps protocol, the lawsuit claims.

Later that night, Brian went into an unlocked room inside the embassy, where weapons were stored, and committed suicide. According to court documents, he was visibly drunk and distraught and passed a guard on his way through the building.
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