Wars take a heavy toll on one California school
Buchanan High School in the Central Valley community of Clovis has lost seven troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the most of any school in the state.
By Diana Marcum, Los Angeles Times
July 31, 2010
Reporting from Clovis, Calif. — The seventh funeral was Friday. The church was full, even strangers lined the streets and everyone in sight stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads as Brian Piercy's body moved from church to cemetery — the same as they had done for six others.
Seven boys from Clovis' Buchanan High Shool have been killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
read more here
Wars take a heavy toll on one California school
linked from
http://icasualties.org/OEF/index.aspx
Showing posts with label fallen soldiers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fallen soldiers. Show all posts
Saturday, July 31, 2010
TAPS volunteers help grieving children
Wrangler Bde volunteers help grieving children
By Pfc. Amy M. Lane, 4th Sust. Bde. Public Affairs
July 29, 2010 News
One of the Army values is selfless service, and volunteers from the 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), along with other III Corps Soldiers, were a living example of this value during last weekend’s two-day Good Grief Camp at Fort Hood.
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, known as TAPS, organized the annual event, which pairs children who have lost a loved one in the military with a Soldier-mentor for two days of activities aimed at dealing with grief. Mentors received training before the event.
The Wrangler Brigade sent 15 volunteers to the event. Each had various reasons for offering their time. Some said they were doing it to honor a loved one they had lost, to honor those lost in the Nov. 5 shooting or simply to help children.
go here for more
Wrangler Bde volunteers help grieving children
By Pfc. Amy M. Lane, 4th Sust. Bde. Public Affairs
July 29, 2010 News
One of the Army values is selfless service, and volunteers from the 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), along with other III Corps Soldiers, were a living example of this value during last weekend’s two-day Good Grief Camp at Fort Hood.
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, known as TAPS, organized the annual event, which pairs children who have lost a loved one in the military with a Soldier-mentor for two days of activities aimed at dealing with grief. Mentors received training before the event.
The Wrangler Brigade sent 15 volunteers to the event. Each had various reasons for offering their time. Some said they were doing it to honor a loved one they had lost, to honor those lost in the Nov. 5 shooting or simply to help children.
go here for more
Wrangler Bde volunteers help grieving children
Friday, July 30, 2010
When soldiers' deaths benefit companies, families continue to lose
As the combat in Afghanistan heats up and draws down in Iraq, we can still argue all we want about the necessity to have troops in either country, but the reality is, we ignore the other issues as we make the claims to support them and their families.
For years as they suffered because of the backlog of claims in the VA, most people in this country didn't have a clue. As the suicides were ever increasing, again, most people didn't have a clue. What it took to bring attention to what we so easily ignore, were the families involved to speak out and fight for what they should have never been forced to fight for. Had they not spoken out, we would blissfully sleep at night knowing they were doing their jobs serving and defending this country and assuming all was well with them too.
So Secretary of Defense Bill Gates attends yet another military funeral as another milestone is reached in Afghanistan. But too often the family's pain is just starting.
We could very well settle for that knowing the fallen soldiers receive a military funeral, but then the back story would show a totally different story when we read about the problems at Arlington National Cemetery topped off with the recent news of families left behind being ripped off by insurance companies that are supposed to be paying the families instead of themselves first.
The Lucey family lost their son because he wasn't taken care of and committed suicide. These people are heroes! They could have just grieved in the privacy of their own home, let the death of their son remain a private matter, but they knew other families were suffering and something had to be done to end the silence.
I remember when their son's story first came out.
And they won!
Not only did they bring honor to the life of their son, they managed to bring attention to the suffering of hundreds of other families so that their ranks would not grow without anyone noticing.
Now they are fighting another public battle for the sake of other families. No longer can insurance companies just do what they want without anyone even trying to stop them. Today the news is flooding in from other families and it will go on for a while as the media reports on it. Just as with suicides happening in private lives, it took someone coming forward to talk about it so that others stop suffering. Ending the silence brought attention to PTSD. It brought attention to suicides. Things changed because people were more concerned about others going through the same thing than they were about their privacy. Things only change when someone has the courage to speak out.
But this is not the worst of it or the end of it. This is what they used to excuse what they were doing,,,,
This was from Prudential's press release posted on MarketWatch
Prudential addresses concerns with the Department of Veterans Affairs
How dare they? Do they do this on all life insurance policies? Do they try to "save people the trouble" of having to decide what to do with the insurance checks? Who the hell told them they had any right to decide what people did with the money?
These families had to spend day in and day out wondering if their warrior would spend their last day on this earth, then ended up with the doorbell proclaiming their worst fears had come true. They have to wait for the body to return home covered by a flag on top of a casket, then prepare for a funeral. To have anyone holding back paying out on an insurance claim for any reason is unacceptable and appalling! There is no excuse for this at all!
For years as they suffered because of the backlog of claims in the VA, most people in this country didn't have a clue. As the suicides were ever increasing, again, most people didn't have a clue. What it took to bring attention to what we so easily ignore, were the families involved to speak out and fight for what they should have never been forced to fight for. Had they not spoken out, we would blissfully sleep at night knowing they were doing their jobs serving and defending this country and assuming all was well with them too.
So Secretary of Defense Bill Gates attends yet another military funeral as another milestone is reached in Afghanistan. But too often the family's pain is just starting.
Grim milestone as three U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan
By the CNN Wire Staff
July 30, 2010 6:52 a.m. EDTDefense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday consoles the family of Army Pfc. David T. Miller, who was killed in Afghanistan.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Deaths bring July tally to 63, the highest monthly toll for U.S. forces in the 9-year war
Milestone comes amid concern over Washington's strategy in the Afghan war
A total of 85 international service members, including Americans, have died this month
(CNN) -- Three U.S. soldiers were killed in two separate blasts in southern Afghanistan, making July the deadliest month for American forces since the war started nine years ago.
The three died Thursday after an improvised explosive device attack, the International Security Assistance Force said.
Their deaths bring the July tally to 63. A total of 85 international service members, including Americans, have died this month.
Before this month, June was the deadliest month for Americans and coalition forces. A total of 103 international soldiers died last month -- including 60 Americans. The totals are based on reports compiled by CNN.
The grim milestone comes amid concern at home over Washington's strategy in the Afghanistan war.
read more here
Grim milestone as three U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan
We could very well settle for that knowing the fallen soldiers receive a military funeral, but then the back story would show a totally different story when we read about the problems at Arlington National Cemetery topped off with the recent news of families left behind being ripped off by insurance companies that are supposed to be paying the families instead of themselves first.
Dead soldier's family sues insurer
Friday, July 30, 2010
By FRED CONTRADA
fcontrada@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD - A Belchertown family that has advocated for soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder since their son committed suicide in 2004 is among the lead plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against Prudential Insurance Co. of America.
Kevin and Joyce Lucey received a $250,000 life insurance payment following the death of their son, Jeffrey, an Army corporal who hanged himself in their home shortly after returning from active duty in Iraq.
The class-action suit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Springfield by Conway lawyer Cristobal Bonifaz alleges that the Luceys and other beneficiaries of life insurance policies on members of the military were short-changed by Prudential, which was earning 5.7 percent interest on the benefits while paying 1 percent interest.
According to Bonifaz' calculation, Prudential has kept more than $100 million that should have been paid to the families of soldiers. The suit includes as plaintiffs all beneficiaries dating back six years.
Kevin Lucey said Thursday that he and his wife received a kind of checkbook from Prudential weeks after their son's suicide that gave them access to an account worth $250,000, the amount of the policy. The Luceys spent about $53,000 of that money, but took out the remaining $197,000 last year after talking to a financial adviser and invested it so it would have a higher yield.
Lucey said he is outraged that Prudential is making a profit on his son's life insurance policy.
The Lucey family lost their son because he wasn't taken care of and committed suicide. These people are heroes! They could have just grieved in the privacy of their own home, let the death of their son remain a private matter, but they knew other families were suffering and something had to be done to end the silence.
I remember when their son's story first came out.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Jeffery Lucey's parents sue government over suicide, bravo!
Iraq war veteran's parents sue U.S. after suicide
Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:41PM EDT
By Svea Herbst-Bayliss
BOSTON (Reuters) - The parents of an Iraq war veteran who committed suicide sued the U.S. government on Thursday for negligence, charging their son hanged himself after the government ignored his depression.The suit accuses the federal government of not helping 23-year-old Jeffrey Lucey, who committed suicide in his parents' Massachusetts basement less than a year after returning home from fighting during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson was also named in the suit.
And they won!
Marine Reserve Cpl. Jeffrey Lucey's family wins law suit
Family of Iraq vet gets settlement after his suicideU.S. loses wrongful death suit
By Jeff Schogol,
Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, January 16, 2009
ARLINGTON, Va. — Marine Reserve Cpl. Jeffrey Lucey hanged himself on June 22, 2004, about three weeks after being released as an inpatient from the Northampton Veterans Medical Center in Leeds, Mass.His parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. government, claiming the VA initially refused to treat him for post-traumatic stress disorder because they required him to be sober first.Now they will receive $350,000 under a settlement with the U.S. government that was announced Thursday by Military Families Speak Out, an anti-war group to which they both belong."The Government killed my son," Lucey’s father, Kevin, said in Thursday’s news release. "It sent him into an illegal and reckless war and then, when he returned home, it denied him the basic health care he needed."
click link for more of this
Not only did they bring honor to the life of their son, they managed to bring attention to the suffering of hundreds of other families so that their ranks would not grow without anyone noticing.
Now they are fighting another public battle for the sake of other families. No longer can insurance companies just do what they want without anyone even trying to stop them. Today the news is flooding in from other families and it will go on for a while as the media reports on it. Just as with suicides happening in private lives, it took someone coming forward to talk about it so that others stop suffering. Ending the silence brought attention to PTSD. It brought attention to suicides. Things changed because people were more concerned about others going through the same thing than they were about their privacy. Things only change when someone has the courage to speak out.
Local veterans upset over life insurance policy
Elise Preston
NewsChannel 10
AMARILLO---A national out cry of disgust rises as people learn Prudential life insurance makes money off of dead veterans benefits. Prudential is the sole provider of life insurance for active duty and recently retired service members.
They provide what's called a retained asset account. When active duty or recently retired service members die, they're beneficiaries don't receive a lump sum. Instead, they receive the funds through a checking account. The account also allows the beneficiaries to earn interest on the policy.
read more of this here
NY subpoenas MetLife, Pru on soldier death benefits
By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK
Thu Jul 29, 2010 7:26pm EDT
(Reuters) - New York's attorney general has subpoenaed MetLife Inc and Prudential Financial Inc as part of a probe into whether life insurers are defrauding families of deceased military personnel by siphoning off millions of dollars of death benefits for themselves.
"It is shocking and plain wrong for these multinational life insurance companies to pocket hundreds of millions in profits that really belong to those who have lost family members and have already suffered immensely," the attorney general, Andrew Cuomo, said in a statement.
Cuomo announced the subpoenas of the largest U.S. life insurers on Thursday, one day after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said in a published report that it had begun its own investigation into the issue.
read the rest of this here
NY subpoenas MetLife, Pru on soldier death benefits
But this is not the worst of it or the end of it. This is what they used to excuse what they were doing,,,,
-- We do not think it makes sense to force people to make decisions in a difficult and complex financial environment during a very emotional time in their lives.
This was from Prudential's press release posted on MarketWatch
Prudential addresses concerns with the Department of Veterans Affairs
How dare they? Do they do this on all life insurance policies? Do they try to "save people the trouble" of having to decide what to do with the insurance checks? Who the hell told them they had any right to decide what people did with the money?
These families had to spend day in and day out wondering if their warrior would spend their last day on this earth, then ended up with the doorbell proclaiming their worst fears had come true. They have to wait for the body to return home covered by a flag on top of a casket, then prepare for a funeral. To have anyone holding back paying out on an insurance claim for any reason is unacceptable and appalling! There is no excuse for this at all!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Fort Bragg has almost 2,000 surviving spouses, parents and children
Bragg: More being done to aid spouses of fallen
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 28, 2010 15:54:15 EDT
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The Army has drastically increased its outreach and support for surviving spouses since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the post commander said.
Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, commander of the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, told reporters Wednesday that he still remembers the first time he served as a casualty assistance officer in 1994. One of his men was killed in a training accident in Italy, and officials didn’t know how long the surviving spouse’s benefits would last or how long they could stay in military housing.
That has changed with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Since 2001, the military has drastically increased benefits and allow widows to keep military housing for one year and health care for three years. They also receive almost $500,000 in benefits.
read more here
More being done to aid spouses of fallen
Wonder if any of these families went through this kind of "help" when they needed it?
Fallen soldiers' families ripped off by Prudential Financial?
VCS in the News: Fallen Soldiers' Families Denied Cash as Insurance Companies ProfitWritten by David EvansWednesday, 28 July 2010 09:52Top VA Officials Unaware of Scam; VCS Blasts "Secret Profits" for Prudential and MetLife
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 28, 2010 15:54:15 EDT
Fort Bragg has almost 2,000 surviving spouses, parents and children in its database, and formed Fort Bragg Survivor Outreach Services to help widows find a community where they feel comfortable.
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The Army has drastically increased its outreach and support for surviving spouses since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the post commander said.
Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, commander of the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, told reporters Wednesday that he still remembers the first time he served as a casualty assistance officer in 1994. One of his men was killed in a training accident in Italy, and officials didn’t know how long the surviving spouse’s benefits would last or how long they could stay in military housing.
That has changed with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Since 2001, the military has drastically increased benefits and allow widows to keep military housing for one year and health care for three years. They also receive almost $500,000 in benefits.
read more here
More being done to aid spouses of fallen
Wonder if any of these families went through this kind of "help" when they needed it?
Fallen soldiers' families ripped off by Prudential Financial?
VCS in the News: Fallen Soldiers' Families Denied Cash as Insurance Companies ProfitWritten by David EvansWednesday, 28 July 2010 09:52Top VA Officials Unaware of Scam; VCS Blasts "Secret Profits" for Prudential and MetLife
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Hundreds of the motorcycle riders filled the street in tribute to the fallen soldier
Mourners salute fallen soldier
By Leia Mendoza
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Underwood Avenue was awash in red, white and blue.
Hundreds of people, young and old, friend and stranger, stood along more than three blocks, carrying American flags for Pfc. Edwin Wood.
The Patriot Guard was there, too. Hundreds of the motorcycle riders filled the street in tribute to the fallen soldier.
People who had never met the 18-year-old Omahan came to join his family Saturday in saying goodbye.
read more here
Mourners salute fallen soldier
By Leia Mendoza
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Underwood Avenue was awash in red, white and blue.
Hundreds of people, young and old, friend and stranger, stood along more than three blocks, carrying American flags for Pfc. Edwin Wood.
The Patriot Guard was there, too. Hundreds of the motorcycle riders filled the street in tribute to the fallen soldier.
People who had never met the 18-year-old Omahan came to join his family Saturday in saying goodbye.
read more here
Mourners salute fallen soldier
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Soldier from Tallahassee killed in Afghanistan
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pvt. Brandon M. King, 23, of Tallahassee, Fla., died July 14 at Combat Outpost Nolen, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Fort Bragg lost 7 soldiers this week in Afghanistan
7 Fort Bragg soldiers killed in Afghanistan this week
By: News 14 Carolina Web Staff
FORT BRAGG -- More than half a dozen Fort Bragg soldiers were killed this week in Afghanistan.
“We truly mourn the loss of our paratroopers from the 618th Engineer Company, and we will never be able to fill the hole that now exists in our hearts,” Col. Richard G. Kaiser, commander, 20th Eng. Bde said in statement Friday. “These men were in the most dangerous spot on this Earth, doing what is arguably one of the most dangerous jobs that can be imagined--clearing roadside bombs, or improvised explosive devices. They did so willingly, professionally and absolutely without fear. Their whole purpose was to make Afghanistan a safer place for our American troops and our Afghan partners, as well as every citizen of Afghanistan. What more noble and selfless task could there be? They are true American heroes.”
go here for the rest and video
Fort Bragg soldiers killed in Afghanistan this week
By: News 14 Carolina Web Staff
FORT BRAGG -- More than half a dozen Fort Bragg soldiers were killed this week in Afghanistan.
Military officials say 24-year-old Sgt. Zachary Fisher of Missouri, 21-year-old Spc. Matthew Johnson of Minnesota, 26-year-old Spc. Jesse Reed of Pennsylvania and 21-year-old Spc. Chase Stanley of California died Wednesday when insurgents hit their vehicle with a roadside bomb.
“We truly mourn the loss of our paratroopers from the 618th Engineer Company, and we will never be able to fill the hole that now exists in our hearts,” Col. Richard G. Kaiser, commander, 20th Eng. Bde said in statement Friday. “These men were in the most dangerous spot on this Earth, doing what is arguably one of the most dangerous jobs that can be imagined--clearing roadside bombs, or improvised explosive devices. They did so willingly, professionally and absolutely without fear. Their whole purpose was to make Afghanistan a safer place for our American troops and our Afghan partners, as well as every citizen of Afghanistan. What more noble and selfless task could there be? They are true American heroes.”
On Tuesday, 23-year-old 1st Lt. Christopher Goeke, 34-year-old Staff Sgt. Christopher Stout and 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Sheldon Tate died in Kandahar City, Afghanistan when insurgents attacked their unit with rifle, rocket propelled grenade and small arms fire.
go here for the rest and video
Fort Bragg soldiers killed in Afghanistan this week
Monday, July 12, 2010
Twilight series, Harry Potter and Monty Python defeat Westboro Baptist protests against heroes
Counterprotests Drown Out Westboro
July 12, 2010
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Protests at two Arlington churches organized by Westboro Baptist Church on Sunday morning were drowned out by more than 100 counterprotesters who rebuked the controversial group.
About a dozen members of Westboro Baptist Church picketed at Fielder Road Baptist Church and later at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, two of four North Texas religious institutions they planned to visit Sunday. Most of the group's members were children related to Fred Phelps, the church leader, who was not there. The group has gained notoriety for protesting at military funerals and alleging that U.S. Soldiers' deaths are God's punishment for America's acceptance of homosexuality.
At both Arlington events, Westboro members were outmatched more than 10-to-1 by counterprotesters, many of whom opted for irreverence over anger as their weapon against the Topeka, Kan., group's message.
Westboro members' signs included: "Your Pastor is a Liar," "You Hate God," "God Hates Israel" and "Pray For More Dead Soldiers."
Some of the signs from counterprotesters were: "God Hates Signs," "I Love Pie" and "Cheerios Lowers Your Cholesterol." Counterprotesters also held signs featuring pop culture references including the Twilight series, Harry Potter and Monty Python.
read more here
Counterprotests Drown Out Westboro
July 12, 2010
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Protests at two Arlington churches organized by Westboro Baptist Church on Sunday morning were drowned out by more than 100 counterprotesters who rebuked the controversial group.
About a dozen members of Westboro Baptist Church picketed at Fielder Road Baptist Church and later at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, two of four North Texas religious institutions they planned to visit Sunday. Most of the group's members were children related to Fred Phelps, the church leader, who was not there. The group has gained notoriety for protesting at military funerals and alleging that U.S. Soldiers' deaths are God's punishment for America's acceptance of homosexuality.
At both Arlington events, Westboro members were outmatched more than 10-to-1 by counterprotesters, many of whom opted for irreverence over anger as their weapon against the Topeka, Kan., group's message.
Westboro members' signs included: "Your Pastor is a Liar," "You Hate God," "God Hates Israel" and "Pray For More Dead Soldiers."
Some of the signs from counterprotesters were: "God Hates Signs," "I Love Pie" and "Cheerios Lowers Your Cholesterol." Counterprotesters also held signs featuring pop culture references including the Twilight series, Harry Potter and Monty Python.
read more here
Counterprotests Drown Out Westboro
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Fort Hood victim's family fighting for grave marker
Fort Hood victim's family fighting for grave marker
by JASON WHITELY
WFAA
Posted on July 7, 2010 at 11:32 PM
DALLAS — The family of a Fort Hood soldier who was murdered in the massacre on post last November is now fighting to place a headstone on his unmarked grave.
"When I drive up and see nothing there, it breaks my heart every time," Leila Hunt-Willingham said.
Her little brother was Army Specialist J.D. Hunt, 22. Eight months after he was killed at Fort Hood, his grave remains without a permanent headstone — an unmarked patch of grass.
"To continue to dishonor him by not allowing a headstone for people to pay respects to him is just unfathomable," Hunt-Willingham added.
She and her mother, Gale Hunt, who live in North Texas, are frustrated at Hunt's widow.The couple married two months before his death, and legally it is her decision whether to mark his grave at a cemetery just outside Oklahoma City.
"I am legally his sister," Hunt-Willingham said. "I have been his sister for 22 years, and she's been his mother for 22 years. To put all the power and decision in a wife who was married to him for two months — I don't think that's right."
In e-mails to friends last March, Hunt's widow, Jennifer Hunt, said it is her headstone, too. She wrote that she would get it taken care of, but she's not rushing it.
"I am trying my hardest to get it done, but it's hard with everything I have going on," Jennifer Hunt told News 8 in an e-mail from her Oklahoma home on Wednesday. "Despite what most people think, my life did not stand still that day — only my marriage. I still have kids, I am a single mom, I have activities for them and unpacking in our new home. I am doing my best, but no one is ever happy. I will get the headstone as soon as I can, it isn't something to rush!"
read more here
Fort Hood victims family fighting for grave marker
by JASON WHITELY
WFAA
Posted on July 7, 2010 at 11:32 PM
DALLAS — The family of a Fort Hood soldier who was murdered in the massacre on post last November is now fighting to place a headstone on his unmarked grave.
"When I drive up and see nothing there, it breaks my heart every time," Leila Hunt-Willingham said.
Her little brother was Army Specialist J.D. Hunt, 22. Eight months after he was killed at Fort Hood, his grave remains without a permanent headstone — an unmarked patch of grass.
"To continue to dishonor him by not allowing a headstone for people to pay respects to him is just unfathomable," Hunt-Willingham added.
She and her mother, Gale Hunt, who live in North Texas, are frustrated at Hunt's widow.The couple married two months before his death, and legally it is her decision whether to mark his grave at a cemetery just outside Oklahoma City.
"I am legally his sister," Hunt-Willingham said. "I have been his sister for 22 years, and she's been his mother for 22 years. To put all the power and decision in a wife who was married to him for two months — I don't think that's right."
In e-mails to friends last March, Hunt's widow, Jennifer Hunt, said it is her headstone, too. She wrote that she would get it taken care of, but she's not rushing it.
"I am trying my hardest to get it done, but it's hard with everything I have going on," Jennifer Hunt told News 8 in an e-mail from her Oklahoma home on Wednesday. "Despite what most people think, my life did not stand still that day — only my marriage. I still have kids, I am a single mom, I have activities for them and unpacking in our new home. I am doing my best, but no one is ever happy. I will get the headstone as soon as I can, it isn't something to rush!"
read more here
Fort Hood victims family fighting for grave marker
Vt. National Guard Mourn Soldier's Loss
Fellow Guardsman Remembers Fallen Soldier
Vt. National Guard Mourn Soldier's Loss
BRADFORD, Vt. -- A small town closely tied to the Vermont National Guard spent the Fourth of July mourning a lost soldier whose friends called him compassionate and kind.
Guardsman Ryan Pero shared more than just his first name with his friend, Spc. Ryan Grady, he also shared memories.
"Both of us had the first name Ryan, and there's a lot of Ryan's in this unit so all the Ryan's liked to hang out together, (and) him and I struck up a friendship," Pero said.
Grady was killed Friday outside Bagram Air Force Base when his convoy hit a very large IED.
Also with him were four other guardsman, all from the same Bradford unit and all injured in the attack.
Pero was supposed to be deployed with that unit, but a surgery held him back.
read more here
http://www.wptz.com/news/24141279/detail.html
Vt. National Guard Mourn Soldier's Loss
BRADFORD, Vt. -- A small town closely tied to the Vermont National Guard spent the Fourth of July mourning a lost soldier whose friends called him compassionate and kind.
Guardsman Ryan Pero shared more than just his first name with his friend, Spc. Ryan Grady, he also shared memories.
"Both of us had the first name Ryan, and there's a lot of Ryan's in this unit so all the Ryan's liked to hang out together, (and) him and I struck up a friendship," Pero said.
Grady was killed Friday outside Bagram Air Force Base when his convoy hit a very large IED.
Also with him were four other guardsman, all from the same Bradford unit and all injured in the attack.
Pero was supposed to be deployed with that unit, but a surgery held him back.
read more here
http://www.wptz.com/news/24141279/detail.html
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Army journalist first killed in war since 9/11
Army journalist first killed in war since 9/11
By Kristin M. Hall - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jul 4, 2010 12:44:15 EDT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Military officials say a Fort Campbell soldier killed in Afghanistan who was dedicated to telling the soldier’s story was the first Army journalist killed in combat since 9/11.
Staff Sgt. James P. Hunter died June 18 when a patrol he was with was struck by improvised explosive device in Kandahar.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/07/ap_journalist_killed_070410/
By Kristin M. Hall - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jul 4, 2010 12:44:15 EDT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Military officials say a Fort Campbell soldier killed in Afghanistan who was dedicated to telling the soldier’s story was the first Army journalist killed in combat since 9/11.
Staff Sgt. James P. Hunter died June 18 when a patrol he was with was struck by improvised explosive device in Kandahar.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/07/ap_journalist_killed_070410/
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Soldier from St. Petersburg killed in Afghanistan
DOD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died June 27 in Konar, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with small arms fire. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Killed were:
Staff Sgt. Eric B. Shaw, 31, of Exeter, Maine; and
Spc. David W. Thomas, 40, of St. Petersburg, Fla.http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13665
linked from ICasualties.org
Other deaths in the last couple of days
06/28/10 AP: Marine killed in Afghanistan had Michigan ties
Cpl. Daane Adam DeBoer, 24, was killed Friday by an improvised explosive device while on foot patrol, said his father, David DeBoer of Valparaiso, Ind. He said the military notified family in Indiana and Michigan of his son’s death the same day.
06/28/10 DoD: Army Casualty Identified
Staff Sgt. Edwardo Loredo, 34, of Houston, Texas, died June 24 at Jelewar, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
06/28/10 DoD: Marine Casualty Identified
Sgt. Joseph D. Caskey, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pa., died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
06/28/10 DoD: Air Force Casualties Identified (1 of 2)
Spc. Blair D. Thompson, 19, of Rome, N.Y...assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky...died June 25 at Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked their unit using rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire.
06/28/10 DoD: Air Force Casualties Identified (2 of 2)
Spc. Jared C. Plunk, 27, of Stillwater, Okla...assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky...died June 25 at Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked their unit using rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire.
06/28/10 DoD: Marine Casualty Identified
Lance Cpl. William T. Richards, 20, of Trenton, Ga., died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
06/29/10 DoD: Army Casualty Identified
Pfc. Robert K. L. Repkie, 20, of Knoxville, Tenn., died June 24 at Forward Operating Base Farah, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
06/29/10 DoD: Army Casualty Identified
Spc. David A. Holmes, 34, of Tennille, Ga., died June 26 at Sayed Abad, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 810th Engineer Company, Swainsboro, Ga.
06/29/10 DoD: Army Casualty Identified
Sgt. John M. Rogers, 26, of Scottsdale, Ariz., died June 27 at Forward Operating Base Blessing, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
06/30/10 DoD: Army Casualty Identified
Staff Sgt. Brandon M. Silk, 25, of Orono, Maine, died June 21 of injuries sustained when the helicopter in which he was travelling made a hard landing. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
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Monday, June 28, 2010
Soldier killed in Afghanistan had joined Army to help son
Provided
This is a family photo of Army Pfc. Russell Madden (left) with his father , Martin, after the younger Madden completed Army Airborne training.
Soldier killed in Afghanistan had joined Army to help son
Russell Madden was second Bellevue High Class of 2000 graduate to die in combat
BELLEVUE, KY. - When Russell Madden signed up for the Army two years ago, it was with one purpose – to provide medical care for his son.
Four-year-old Parker suffers from cystic fibrosis.
“Where he had been working he had no benefits or anything like that,” said Madden’s sister Lindsey Madden, “so he joined because he knew that Parker would always be taken care of no matter what.”
Madden’s family learned Wednesday night that the 29-year-old Bellevue High School graduate had been killed in Afghanistan. Madden, a private first class, died that morning when his convoy was attacked with a rocket-propelled grenade, his sister said.
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Soldier killed in Afghanistan had joined Army to help son
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Helo shot down in Afghanistan, 4 killed
Helo shot down in Afghanistan, 4 killed
By Rahim Faiez and Rohan Sullivan - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 9, 2010 9:55:22 EDT
KABUL, Afghanistan — Insurgents shot down a NATO helicopter and killed four American troops in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the military said, in the latest bloodshed ahead of a major operation in the militants’ heartland.
NATO said the four died “after their helicopter was brought down by hostile fire” in Helmand province, part of a volatile region where Taliban still hold sway despite a buildup of U.S. troops.
Lt. Col. Joseph T. Breasseale, U.S. military spokesman in Kabul, confirmed the four troops killed were Americans, but the military and NATO gave no other details.
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Helo shot down in Afghanistan, 4 killed
By Rahim Faiez and Rohan Sullivan - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 9, 2010 9:55:22 EDT
KABUL, Afghanistan — Insurgents shot down a NATO helicopter and killed four American troops in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the military said, in the latest bloodshed ahead of a major operation in the militants’ heartland.
NATO said the four died “after their helicopter was brought down by hostile fire” in Helmand province, part of a volatile region where Taliban still hold sway despite a buildup of U.S. troops.
Lt. Col. Joseph T. Breasseale, U.S. military spokesman in Kabul, confirmed the four troops killed were Americans, but the military and NATO gave no other details.
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Helo shot down in Afghanistan, 4 killed
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sister wants honor for fallen brother
The sister said she's been fighting for years to convince American Legion Post 575 to add Andrew's name to the memorial, but they refuse because he was not killed in action.
Sister wants honor for fallen brother
Posted: June 3, 2010
By Adam D. Young
Brothers Andrew and Jose "Freddy" Velez may both have died in war zones, but how they've been honored couldn't be more different - a reality their sister hopes to change.
It was 2004 when Freddy, then a 23-year-old Army specialist, was shot in the back of the neck by enemy fire while protecting fellow soldiers as they retreated from an enemy stronghold in Fallujah, Iraq.
The Army awarded him with two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and Silver Star for his bravery and posthumously promoted him to corporal.
It's Andrew, who committed suicide as a 22-year-old Army specialist in Afghanistan, who's gone relatively forgotten. Despite being buried next to his brother, the Estacado High graduate has an unmarked tombstone and his name isn't inscribed in the memorial's African granite.
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Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Ceremony pays tribute to soldier, other military heroes
Sgt. Randy Haney, who was 27 when he was killed in September 2009 in Afghanistan. He is holding his son, Austin, and his daughter, Aubry. (COURTESY OF FAMILY / May 31, 2010)
Ceremony pays tribute to soldier, other military heroes
Staff Sgt. Randy Haney was killed in Afghanistan
By Susan Jacobson, Orlando Sentinel
10:26 p.m. EDT, May 31, 2010
For many people, Memorial Day was a day off to relax, shop or have a family barbecue.
For friends and relatives of Staff Sgt. Randy Haney, it was a time to remember the fallen hero who left behind a wife and two young children when he was killed in Afghanistan last September.
On Monday morning, about 100 friends, family and community members attended a rededication of Orange County's War Memorial at the courthouse, where Haney was honored. It was among more than a dozen in Central Florida during the weekend that honored those who gave their lives in military service.
Haney's father-in-law, Andrew Alexopoulos of Fort Lauderdale, attended the downtown Orlando ceremony.
"He gave the ultimate sacrifice — his life — for his family and his country," Alexopoulos said.
Haney was 27, a military police officer and on his third tour of duty in the Middle East when his convoy was attacked by guns and rocket-propelled grenades in Nangarhar Province. He was inspired to join the Army when he visited Ground Zero three months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Alexopoulos said.
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Ceremony pays tribute to soldier
Friday, May 28, 2010
A hero soldier's life should be worth more than 111 words
A hero soldier's life should be worth more than 111 words
by
Chaplain Kathie
111 words to go with a headline "Hero Miami Soldier" and one of those words was a typo. How do you sum up the death of a soldier called hero in 7 lines of a news report? How do you do it without even checking the typing?
This is one of the biggest problems in this country right now. AP stated today that there have been 1,000 deaths in Afghanistan. The problem is, according to ICasualties.org, that number was reached well before today.
I am well aware of how easy it is to make typing mistakes, since I do it all the time. No matter how important a subject is to me, sooner or later I blow it with what I end up typing. This can be forgive on this article, if you can call it that, but the rest is very troubling. Not just from this reporter but from almost all reporters attempting to cover the fallen, the wounded and the suffering as well as the heroic stories we never seem to be hearing about.
I've heard it said that the rest of the American people want to honor the troops but they have a hard time understanding them. After all, when you think about how focused we are on our own problems and the stories that manage to become headline news, it is easy to just turn on American Idol or Desperate Housewives to get our minds off the problems. Yet when you actually look at the people we consider worthy of our attention, we really don't understand them either.
Celebrities, rich, famous, beautiful and most talented but do we really know what it is like to be one of them? Traveling around the world, eating exotic foods, having people take care of them all the time? Do any of us really know what that's like? No but we seem to want to read everything about their lives, especially their sex lives. We want to see pictures of what they are wearing and where they are traveling to. We want to read about their exploits and share their heartaches. We pay attention to them.
Sport figures, we watch their every move. We pay attention to what they are doing and what they are achieving for their team. We want to know about their personal lives but none of us will ever know what it is like to be one of them.
Politicians get our attention when they are running for office or do not do what we want them to do when they get in. Even though they are responsible for the direction this country will go in, we are more interested in their personal lives, especially their sex lives.
Our sense of values is messed up and we follow where the reporters lead instead of trying to get them to report on what matters to us. Amazing when you think that the above minorities the rest of us pay attention to are held up above us when real heroes risking their lives everyday end up being a news report of 111 words and an old figure reached that AP decided to release today, the kick off to Memorial Day weekend.
This will be the last post until Sunday. I am heading into Washington DC for the ride to The Wall and visit a few friends. I'll post about the trip when I get back.
Try to remember what this weekend is supposed to be about if you have other plans.
by
Chaplain Kathie
111 words to go with a headline "Hero Miami Soldier" and one of those words was a typo. How do you sum up the death of a soldier called hero in 7 lines of a news report? How do you do it without even checking the typing?
Hero Miami Soldier Killed in Combat in Iraq
Army tanker to be awarded Purple Heart and Bronze Star
By BRIAN HAMACHER
A hero soldier from Miami has died in a firefight in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.
Staff Sgt. Amilcar H. Gonzalez, 26, died in Ash Shura when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire on May 21.Gonzalez was was assigned to,,,,,,,,
read the rest of these few words here
This is one of the biggest problems in this country right now. AP stated today that there have been 1,000 deaths in Afghanistan. The problem is, according to ICasualties.org, that number was reached well before today.
2001 12
2002 49
2003 48
2004 52
2005 99
2006 98
2007 117
2008 155
2009 316
2010 140
Total 1,086
http://icasualties.org/OEF/index.aspx
I am well aware of how easy it is to make typing mistakes, since I do it all the time. No matter how important a subject is to me, sooner or later I blow it with what I end up typing. This can be forgive on this article, if you can call it that, but the rest is very troubling. Not just from this reporter but from almost all reporters attempting to cover the fallen, the wounded and the suffering as well as the heroic stories we never seem to be hearing about.
I've heard it said that the rest of the American people want to honor the troops but they have a hard time understanding them. After all, when you think about how focused we are on our own problems and the stories that manage to become headline news, it is easy to just turn on American Idol or Desperate Housewives to get our minds off the problems. Yet when you actually look at the people we consider worthy of our attention, we really don't understand them either.
Celebrities, rich, famous, beautiful and most talented but do we really know what it is like to be one of them? Traveling around the world, eating exotic foods, having people take care of them all the time? Do any of us really know what that's like? No but we seem to want to read everything about their lives, especially their sex lives. We want to see pictures of what they are wearing and where they are traveling to. We want to read about their exploits and share their heartaches. We pay attention to them.
Sport figures, we watch their every move. We pay attention to what they are doing and what they are achieving for their team. We want to know about their personal lives but none of us will ever know what it is like to be one of them.
Politicians get our attention when they are running for office or do not do what we want them to do when they get in. Even though they are responsible for the direction this country will go in, we are more interested in their personal lives, especially their sex lives.
Our sense of values is messed up and we follow where the reporters lead instead of trying to get them to report on what matters to us. Amazing when you think that the above minorities the rest of us pay attention to are held up above us when real heroes risking their lives everyday end up being a news report of 111 words and an old figure reached that AP decided to release today, the kick off to Memorial Day weekend.
This will be the last post until Sunday. I am heading into Washington DC for the ride to The Wall and visit a few friends. I'll post about the trip when I get back.
Try to remember what this weekend is supposed to be about if you have other plans.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
House panel labels Fort Hood victims as combat casualties
House panel labels Fort Hood victims as combat casualties
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Online Edition, Thursday, May 20, 2010
WASHINGTON — Victims of the Fort Hood shooting in Texas last November could be recognized as combat casualties under a measure approved by a House panel Wednesday.
The move would make survivors and relatives of those killed eligible for certain specialty pays and benefits, although it would not make the injured eligible for Purple Hearts. The House Armed Services Committee included the provision in their draft of the fiscal 2011 Defense Authorization Bill, along with a host of other military spending items.
Under current Defense Department rules, families of servicemembers killed in combat zones receive another $100,000 death benefit on top of the $400,000 maximum life insurance payout, and those wounded overseas are guaranteed additional money for catastrophic injuries. Those specialty pays are not taxed when awarded in a combat theater.
read more here
House panel labels Fort Hood victims as combat casualties
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Online Edition, Thursday, May 20, 2010
WASHINGTON — Victims of the Fort Hood shooting in Texas last November could be recognized as combat casualties under a measure approved by a House panel Wednesday.
The move would make survivors and relatives of those killed eligible for certain specialty pays and benefits, although it would not make the injured eligible for Purple Hearts. The House Armed Services Committee included the provision in their draft of the fiscal 2011 Defense Authorization Bill, along with a host of other military spending items.
Under current Defense Department rules, families of servicemembers killed in combat zones receive another $100,000 death benefit on top of the $400,000 maximum life insurance payout, and those wounded overseas are guaranteed additional money for catastrophic injuries. Those specialty pays are not taxed when awarded in a combat theater.
read more here
House panel labels Fort Hood victims as combat casualties
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Five Americans among 18 killed in Afghan suicide attack
Five Americans among 18 killed in Afghan suicide attack
By the CNN Wire Staff
May 18, 2010 8:25 a.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Five Americans among 6 ISAF service members killed
Suicide car bomb also kills 12 civilians, wounds 48, officials say
Taliban claim responsibility for attack near military recruiting post
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Five U.S. service members were among the 18 people killed in a suicide car bombing Tuesday in Kabul, a U.S. defense official confirmed.
Women, children and a NATO-led soldier also were killed when the bomb exploded near a registration center for Afghan Army recruits, officials said.
The attack occurred near an International Security Assistance Force military convoy on a busy road, ISAF said.
By the CNN Wire Staff
May 18, 2010 8:25 a.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Five Americans among 6 ISAF service members killed
Suicide car bomb also kills 12 civilians, wounds 48, officials say
Taliban claim responsibility for attack near military recruiting post
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Five U.S. service members were among the 18 people killed in a suicide car bombing Tuesday in Kabul, a U.S. defense official confirmed.
Women, children and a NATO-led soldier also were killed when the bomb exploded near a registration center for Afghan Army recruits, officials said.
The attack occurred near an International Security Assistance Force military convoy on a busy road, ISAF said.
Along with the international service members, at least 12 civilians were killed and 48 others were injured, local medical officials said.
read more here
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sgt. Robert J. Barrett touched the lives of many
The casket containing the body of Sergeant Robert J. Barrett, who was killed in Afghanistan, was carried by an honor guard into the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Fall River. (Photos By Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff)
Guardsman touched the lives of many
Barrett is called devoted to his family, country
By Jeannie Nuss
Globe Correspondent / May 2, 2010
FALL RIVER — Sophia Barrett, yellow ribbon in her hair, black ribbon on her sweater, cried at her father’s funeral yesterday when a priest waved incense over the flag-draped coffin, when a uniformed officer wiped away tears, and when her great-uncle read aloud a letter her father wrote.
The 2-year-old cried until a comforting hand showed her a photo of her father, Sergeant Robert J. Barrett.
“My dad,’’ she whispered and pointed to the casket at the front of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Fall River.
Barrett, a 20-year-old member of the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 101st Field Artillery Regiment, was killed in a suicide bombing on April 19 in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he was training new recruits for the Afghan National Army.
Sophia was her father’s pride and joy, said friends and fellow service members. Since Barrett deployed to Afghanistan in January, he calmed her restless nights on the phone and online.
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Guardsman touched the lives of many
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