Slogan "accepted and understood" by clueless reporter

Reporter carelessly pushed ear worm of 22

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
February 17, 2019


Janice Kiaski Community editor of Weirton Daily Times wrote a headline of "SAVE22 helping family members impacted by veteran suicide" and turned in what could have been a great story of searching for healing, into a selling job of the ear worm that has penetrated the brains of Americans.

"And accepted and understood, too, not to mention inspired to return and help in its mission to raise awareness about the statistic that, every day, 22 veterans commit suicide."

It is not "accepted" and is not "understood" by anyone paying attention to all of this because facts actually matter to them!

How the hell is it raising awareness when they couldn't even get the number right? That notorious number came from the VA report that stated clearly it was limited data from just 21 states. Apparently not worth reading for any of the folks popping their heads out of the sand, discovering the heartache the rest of us had been living with for decades and then deciding they should "do something" about it without taking any of is seriously enough to research any of it! Damn it! How could they have taken such a callous attitude? 

"While SAVE22 is designed to raise awareness about and help in the prevention of suicide among veterans and active-duty military personnel, it also is an aid for family and friends who’ve been impacted."

Suicides in active duty military personnel have gone up over the last decade in every branch, including Special Forces. The Air Force reported they lost 11 Airmen and civilians to suicide last month! Veteran suicides, the known ones, have also gone up, even as the reported numbers remain the same. Why? Because as the VA reported, the number of veterans committing suicide back in 1999 was 20 a day. Although there were over 5 million more veterans living back then, that would mean that the percentages actually went up!

 Yet with all that, this unacceptable truth escaped the reporting. Apparently, the result of the "efforts" to raise awareness did not matter either.

"1st Sgt. Brent Charles Myers of Anchorage, Alaska, was 45 when he died Jan. 20, 2018. The former area resident served in the Army for 20 years as an Airborne Ranger, retiring in August 2011. He left behind his wife, two sons and his parents and was part of a big family that included 16 cousins, Corder among them."

This group has been doing it for 4 years! What good did all the "efforts" do Myers last year? What good did any of this do for the family? Or for any of the families before it was too late? 

The fault does not belong to the families.  It belongs to the reporters not paying any attention to the story they want to push down our throats as if it is actually supposed to mean anything! 

Good story on support turned into a bad dream

Good cause, bad reporting

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
February 17, 2019

This morning, I opened my email and saw something that I knew I had to read. It has veterans and motorcycles in it. 

I am reading how Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association donated a huge check to help veterans in Virginia, thinking what a great thing to do...but that thought went poof soon afterwards.

I had to read something like this,"Most issues stem from combat in recent conflicts." Bet the reporter still uses "22" as if that is supposed to mean anything.

Isn't it bad enough that after all this time few have learned the lessons Vietnam veterans fought so hard to provide? Have we sunk so low that it has become acceptable to forget all about them or the other generations who came home with the same wounds? Safe bet they do not even know that the majority of veterans in this country are over the age of 50...as well as being the majority of the veterans committing suicide.

So what started out as thinking a great story was in front of my eyes, it is just another bad dream. I may just go back to bed!

Veterans' motorcycle club raises awareness, funds for veterans' support
Fredericksburg.com
February 16, 2019

Members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Chapter 27–2 presented Carlos Hopkins, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, and members of Virginia’s Veterans Services Foundation with a donation in the amount of $20,000. The Veterans Services Foundation directly funds the Virginia Veteran and Family Support program, which supports veterans by providing resources and access to behavioral health, rehabilitative, supportive services, and veteran care centers.

Funds are raised each July at the chapter’s annual Bull Run III motorcycle event, an 80-mile ride through picturesque Virginia. The first two battles of Bull Run took place on the Manassas battlefield during the Civil War; however, a civil war continues to be fought. Bull Run III was organized to bring awareness to the battle still being waged by veterans as they encounter debilitating issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and veteran suicide which continue to bring death, casualties and missing men. Most issues stem from combat in recent conflicts.
read more here

Gary Sinise brought to tears while being thanked for his service to troops and veterans

Make sure you watch the video!

Forrest Gump Star Gary Sinise Opens Up About Raising $30 Million Annually for Veterans

PEOPLE
KARA WARNER
February 13, 2019

"Service is a great healer," says Gary Sinise of his four decades of service work for military veterans and first responders.

Although Gary Sinise didn’t initially set out for a career in service, after four decades of making a difference for military veterans and first responders, he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.

Sinise, 63, who reflects on his journey from “self to service” in his new book Grateful American, details the major turning points in his life, which include learning the details of his family connections to the military, playing Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump and feeling “broken” after the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

“I’ve found that service is the best way to heal,” he tells PEOPLE in the latest issue. Sinise’s foundation The Gary Sinise Foundation now raises now raises $30 million annually – 90% of which goes toward the organization’s programs, like building specially adapted smart homes for severely disabled vets and bringing military families to Disney World.

“If every person in every neighborhood around the country took a little bit of responsibility for patting these folks on the back, all the problems that we hear about with regards to veterans not getting services or falling through the cracks would disappear,” he says. “If citizens would look at their freedom providers in a little bit different way.”
read more here

BS of 22 a day needs to stop so they can live!

When they cannot even get the number right...how much do they really care?

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
February 10, 2019

22 is a bogus number taken from the first suicide report from the VA, which was based on limited data from just 21 states!

How many times does it have to be proven that "suicide awareness" does only one thing. It lets veterans know that others have given up, along with showing how little the raisers actually care. Yes! If they cared enough they WOULD HAVE READ THE DAMN REPORT IN THE FIRST PLACE!

If they really cared, then they would be supporting established efforts that have actually been proven to not just prevent suicides but replenish hope!

What set me off tonight? Simple. 

Walk for Hope aims to prevent suicide That just came out about an event yesterday! It seemed like a good idea in the beginning of the article but then I read this.

"And while the college student statistic can seem high, military veterans commit suicide at a higher rate. Every day 22 veterans take their lives. In a year that totals out to be 8,030 military lives lost to suicide."

First is we know the military suicides just reached a ten year high, so no, "awareness" did not even help them. The other factor is that while the VA reports on veteran suicides, we know how many are not counted, but they do not. They do not even seem to know that there are two sets of numbers and current military reports are 90 days old while the VA reports are two years old. This is why we know awareness does not work to convince them to stay alive.

Watch the video I put together a while back and then maybe you'll understand why this kind of stuff makes me sick to my stomach!

The War Within, batteling PTSD

If the title sounds familiar, it should. PBS had it! Also reminder, as more and more publicity comes out for our Afghanistan and Iraq veterans, Vietnam veterans are not only responsible for all the research, openness to #BreakTheSilence they are also still suffering but no one is paying attention to the fact that the majority of known veterans committing suicide, are in fact, over the age of 50!

War Within was filmed in 1990
Special | 29m 1s
Documentary consisting of powerful interviews with veterans who returned from Vietnam physically intact but emotionally scarred. Veterans pay tribute to their friends who died in war and fellow soldiers who helped them in wartime battles and continue to help them in battles with PTSD.
Aired: 11/11/10
Rating: NR

Local Marine veteran takes part in documentary series about PTSD

King 5 News
Author: Su Ring, Helen Smith
February 7, 2019

Former Marine Scott Whistler was featured in a Facebook Watch series about veterans dealing with the aftermath of their military service.

SEATTLE — According to the VA, between eleven to twenty percent of veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan live with post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues, whether they've seen active combat or not. A new Facebook Watch series "The War Within" profiles three veterans living with PTSD in the aftermath of their Military service. One of those veterans is Scott Whisler, a former US Marine living in Tacoma, Washington. Whisler was diagnosed with PTSD after his deployment to Afghanistan.

However, Whisler was able to find an opportunity for leadership and connection through a running and fitness club Team Red, White and Blue. Whisler joins New Day Northwest to talk about his participation in the documentary and his life after coming home.
read more here

PTSD FOR THE FNGs

PTSD is an old wound and so are most of our veterans

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 30, 2019



If you do not know what FNG stands for, look it up. I'll wait...now you know.

This morning driving to work, I had my usual radio station on. WMMO plays music from the 70's. Considering that is my generation, the listeners are far from FNGs. 

As usual, I had to hear the nauseating commercial for the famous, or as our generation refers to it as, infamous veterans charity. Normally I have a spontaneous zap on the channel switch, but this morning I found myself yelling at the radio instead of saving myself the grief of listening to the damn thing!

It was like getting slapped in the head over and over again! By the time I heard their registered slogan at the end, I was pretty much out of my mind.

Wounded Warrior Project - The greatest casualty is being forgotten.® ... the Advance Guard monthly giving program for $19 a month and receive a WWP blanket.

Yes, they actually registered that slogan! The thing is, the commercial plays on a station for older people, including a lot of older veterans.

Why is this such a torn in my side? This group does absolutely nothing for the generation they avoid mentioning! They are only interested in OEF and OIF veterans. YEP! They consistently leave that part out.

No one is saying that the new generation does not deserve help. No one is saying there is anything wrong with so many charities focusing on their needs. What is wrong IS WHEN THEY DO NOT MENTION THAT FACT TO THE PUBLIC especially when they are asking for the pubic to donate to them.

Sure, they run down a list of what PTSD was called before, but fail to even begin to acknowledge how most of the veterans in this country are not OEF or OIF. THEY ARE OLDER! They waited longer, fought harder and made sure that the government accepted their disabilities as a price of sending them into combat.

We know all that! The problem is, the majority of the people in this country have no clue.

The commercial says that PTSD effects one out of five Iraq and Afghanistan veterans right after it lists the other terms given to the wound that has stricken veterans since the beginning of war itself. So the "today" it is called, is BS. Oh, by the way, it hit one out of three Vietnam veterans.

It claims that "today" it is called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Too bad the commercial itself shows how they forgot a lot of veterans, especially the ones who have to endure that BS FUBAR crap coming over their favorite radio station.

PTSD is called that because Vietnam veterans came home and fought for it to be recognized as a war wound, and they fought for all generations. They wanted to make sure that no generation left another behind. 

Since the known number of veterans committing suicide are in fact mostly over the age of 50, you'd think that should matter, but it doesn't to any of the new groups popping up pretending that no one was doing anything before they came along.

While Vietnam veterans used their strength in numbers for the greater good, the FNGs use their stupefied social media skills for the mighty buck.

Considering that according to all the known data on PTSD and suicide, we had much better results before this wound was turned into a billion dollar industry, we're screaming BOHICA incoming FNGs mucking up everything we achieved.

In Vietnam, they went into units as strangers, one at a time. The FNG was someone to stay away from until they proved themselves to the rest of the unit. So when do we actually see proof from this group, or any of the other groups that popped up? 

When does this group mention the fact that a huge chunk of the money that is donated to them actually ends up being given to colleges as grants, instead of to the veterans that need services?

Emory Healthcare was one of the recipients, among many more.

The Emory Healthcare Veterans Program has received a five-year, $29.2 million-dollar grant from Wounded Warrior Project to further its work providing transformative care for Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI),dd depression and anxiety.The Emory Healthcare Veterans Program is one of four U.S. programs that are part of Wounded Warrior Project’s Warrior Care Network, a first-of-its-kind treatment partnership that provides world class mental health care to Veterans or servicemembers who served/deployed after 9/11.

Oh, sorry, guess they just forgot to leave that part out too. 

They did do something good up in Boston with the Red Sox Home Base and Mass General Hospital.

Home Base, a partnership between the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, has announced a $65 million grant from the Wounded Warrior Project in support of mental health care for military veterans and their family members.The commitment — $3 million for a capital campaign to establish a National Center of Excellence in the Charlestown Navy Yard and $62 million to Mass General to expand its clinical services — will fund Home Base's continued participation in the Warrior Care Network, which connects wounded veterans and their families to high-quality individualized mental health care. 

Don't get me wrong here. They do some good butwhy is that commercial playing on our age group station? Because they hope that no one notices what they do not say and twist things up to the point that we forget that we have been forgotten...or not even worth mentioning?

Boots on Ground Founder indicted for embezzlement

Founder of veteran's non-profit arraigned on embezzlement charges

January 29, 2019

According to a federal indictment, Azevedo-Laboda used funds donated to Boots on Ground for personal bills made out to several companies, including Time Warner, First Energy, and National Fuel.

The founder of an Erie non-profit appears in federal court this morning.

Over the years, the Erie Community has gotten to know Venus Azevedo-Laboda for her work with veterans, but today, several of those veterans showed up to the hearing, many saying they're not surprised by the charges.

Azevedo-Laboda is accused of embezzling more than $7,000 from the non-profit she created, Boots on Ground.

The organization provides services to veterans transitioning back into civilian life and recovering from numerous disorders including post-traumatic stress.
read more here

PETCO partners to Paws of War

Petco Foundation Invests in Paws of War’s Life-Changing Work Supporting Service Animals

Press Release

Paws of War of Nesconset, NY, announces it has been awarded a $15,000 grant investment from the Petco Foundation to support its new Vets to Vets Mobile Veterinary Clinic serving disabled veterans’ pets and service dogs.

Paws of War is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to train and place shelter dogs to serve and provide independence to our U.S. military veterans that suffer from the emotional effects of war serving the United States. Since 2014, Paws of War has supported over 120 Veterans with service dogs rescued from kill shelters.

This grant was made possible through the Petco Foundation’s annual Helping Heroes fundraising campaign, in partnership with Merrick Pet Care. Each October during the campaign, Petco customers are invited to donate online and in Petco stores across the country to support the life-changing work of service, therapy and working animals.

To date, the Petco Foundation has invested more than $12 million to support the transformative effect that therapy, service and working animals that have on people across the globe. The Petco Foundation investment will help Paws of War to continue their mission and will directly impact the lives of veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and helping rescued dogs get a second chance at life while providing services on their new “Vets to Vets” Moblie Veterinary Clinic.

“On behalf of Paws of War, I would like to personally thank The Petco Foundation for making our mission of ‘helping both ends of the leash’ possible. We could not offer this amazing free veterinary care to our disabled heroes without their support. We thank The Petco Foundation for being our first large provider of these important services” said Dori Scofield, co-founder of Paws of War.

For more information about Paws of War or the Petco Foundation, visit http://www.pawsofwar.org or http://www.petcofoundation.org. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by using the hashtag #HelpingHeroes.

About Paws of War
At Paws of War our mission is to suitably match rescued dogs from shelters and pairing them with military veterans suffering from the emotional effects of war such as PTSD who seek the therapeutic and unconditional love only a companion animal, emotional support or service animal can bring.Your support helps to save, train, feed, house, provide veterinary care and transport a dog to his/her veteran in waiting. We hope you will become part of our Paws of War family! For more information please visit the website, http://www.pawsofwar.org.

About the Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we’ve invested more than $230 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we’ve helped more than 5.5 million pets find their new loving families, and we’re just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.

Homeless veterans shipping into tiny homes

Shipping containers being turned into 'tiny homes' for homeless vets

Las Vegas Now 8 ABC News
Cristen Drummond
December 11, 2018

"My vision is that we have no veteran that is homeless and that we never use the words United States veteran and homelessness in the same sentence." Arnold Stalk

LAS VEGAS - A local group has found a way to help America's veterans who are struggling with homelessness. There was a groundbreaking Tuesday on a new project that will provide more housing at the Veterans Village.

Veterans Village is dedicated to making sure that those who served our country are not left behind if they fall on hard times.

There is an apartment complex that serves as homes for veterans and now some tiny homes are being added to the village.

The homes are each made from an old shipping container, around 320-square feet, including a bedroom, kitchenette, living room, bathroom and shower.

With the help of donations and federal grants, Veterans Village is able to offer them to homeless vets for just a few hundred dollars per month.
read more here

Maryland Veteran Lives on Roof Waiting for Santa

Man sleeps on roof for 12 days for toy drive

Cecil Whig
By Katie Tabeling
9 hrs ago

Mangini is also a veteran, as he served with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division in the late 1970s. In his own way, living up on the roof during Christmastime is a way to pay tribute to those in the military who are currently stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq or other far-flung places. Mangini himself never served overseas, but said his tent is “a mansion” compared to what he lived in while training. He’s willing to bet his current living conditions are miles better than active-duty troops.

ELKTON — He has eyes that twinkle and a beard as white as snow. But unlike the Santa Claus described in “The Night Before Christmas” that shimmies down chimneys to leave presents, Bruce Mangini, of Landenberg, Pa., plans on staying on his rooftop until he can rally enough people to fill his “sleigh” with toys for families of veterans in need.

Mangini, 58, started living on the roof of the Elkton Veterans of Foreign Wars Elkton Memorial Post No. 8175 on Dec. 2 in a fundraising and awareness campaign called #BruceOnTheRoof

To protect himself from the wind and rain, he built a tent out of tarp and a blue gazebo and sleeps under an electric blanket on a cot his grandson chose for him. He comes down on occasion to walk around, per his doctor’s orders, and to go into the VFW to use the bathroom.

But for the most part, Mangini stays on the roof — and he’ll come down for good when his 12 days are up or when his trailer, parked nearby, is filled with toys, coats and non-perishable food donations.

“People say I’m crazy,” he said. “Well, I’ve been called that a lot in my life.”

Mangini likes to participate and organize charity events in the tristate region, like a motorcycle ride to fundraise for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, Pa., or coordinating with his cousin on a cookie baking and giveaway for veterans. But he’s always gravitated to Elkton after he established a friendship with Commissioner Mary Jo Jablonski and her family. After working with the Elkton VFW for other toy drives with the Steel Horse Guardians, a nonprofit charitable group of motorcyclists, he’s felt the need to continue paying it forward to Elkton.

“I don’t like talking negatively about nobody, but Elkton is a very small town, and it’s a struggling town that’s trying to do better,” Mangini said. “When I see a small town trying to do better, I want to jump in and help. Everybody needs a helping hand once in a while.”
read more here

Vietnam veteran left behind estate for veterans

Montevideo to celebrate major veterans home donation from late veteran's estate

West Central Tribune
Tom Cherveny
November 30, 2018

"This is God working in a mysterious way,'' said Jim Williams of his late brother's donation. Jim said he had mentioned the effort in Montevideo for a veterans home to his brother months ago when his late brother was in the process of developing a trust fund.

Courtesy photos The family of the late Steve Williams, shown here in photos shared by his brother, will make a major donation to the Montevideo Veterans Home. Details will be announced next week.

MONTEVIDEO — A major donation from the family of a late Vietnam veteran is helping make possible the Montevideo Veterans Home, and will be the cause for a special celebration on Dec. 5.

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and the city of Montevideo will announce the major gift from the family of the late Steve Williams at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the American Legion Club in Montevideo. Jim Williams, his surviving brother, will join them to announce the details of the gift.

Before Steve Williams died unexpectedly, Jim Williams said his brother had set aside his entire estate to the trust fund with instructions to donate the proceeds to a variety of charitable organizations, five of them serving veterans.

Steve Williams' death came as he was in the process of amending the trust to include the Montevideo Veterans Home as a beneficiary. Family members conferred with the five veterans groups, and an agreement was reached with them to make possible the donation that will be announced Wednesday.

Jim Williams said his late brother had been a frugal man and had invested wisely. He had been married only briefly. The surviving family is hoping to make possible the trust fund donations to all of the organizations chosen by Steve Williams before the year's end, with the Montevideo Veterans Home project being the first to be named, said Jim.
read more here

Sgt. 1st Class Eric M. Emond killed on 7th tour

Sgt. 1st Class Eric Emond, Co-founder of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, killed in Afghanistan

WCVB 
November 28, 2018

One of the special forces soldiers killed Tuesday in Afghanistan was a co-founder of a Massachusetts organization that provides support for veterans and gold star families. 

Sgt. 1st Class Eric M. Emond, 39, succumbed to wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device struck their vehicle during operations in Ghanzi province, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday. 

Also killed were Captain Andrew P. Ross, 29, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, 25. Emond and Ross were both members of the 3rd Special Forces Group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. 

Emond was a native of Boston who had more than 21 years of military service in the Marine Corps and Army. He was on his seventh overseas tour. read more here

$600,000 meant for veterans taken by woman who ran charity

Ex-director of DC-based military charity found guilty of fraud, tax evasion

WTOP
Mike Murillo
November 29, 2018

Driscoll resigned in July 2016 after 12 years at the military charity after media reports alleging mishandling of funds. In a tax filing, the foundation reported it had "become aware of suspected misappropriations" by Driscoll totaling about $600,000 from 2006 to 2014.

FILE — Armed Forces Foundation president Patricia Driscoll is shown during an interview at the Venetian hotel-casino Sunday, May 25, 2008, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/ Ronda Churchill)

WASHINGTON — The former executive director of the now-defunct Armed Forces Foundation has been convicted Thursday by a jury of stealing from the charity that helped military veterans and their families.

Patricia Driscoll, 40, of Ellicott City, Maryland, was the executive director of the D.C.-based charity until 2015. During her 12-year tenure, federal prosecutors claimed she used money donated to the organization for herself and to pay expenses for her for-profit business.

In federal forms for the nonprofit, she is accused of falsely categorizing and having others falsely categorize money she spent on herself as money used to benefit veterans, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for D.C. She was also accused of failing to report benefits she received from fundraising, which included commissions.

While allegedly cooking the books, prosecutors said Driscoll also sent fraudulent federal forms to members of the organization’s boards and the Internal Revenue Service in an attempt to cover up her crimes.

A jury found Driscoll guilty on two counts of wire fraud and tax evasion, as well as one count of first-degree fraud. She could face more than 30 years in prison when sentenced.
read more here

Someone robbed from future home of amputee veteran

Thieves steal materials from disabled veteran's future home

KIRO 7 News 
By: Shelby Miller 
Nov 28, 2018 

“I lost both of my limbs, obviously. Both of my ear drums blew out, my left eardrum was 100 percent, my right eardrum was 25 percent. The blast threw me back,” he said. “It gave me a traumatic brain injury because I hit my head so hard and it also gave me two bulging discs in my lower spine,” said Sawyer. Since then, the retired army veteran has overcome the unthinkable. Now, he has to deal with even more. 

Thieves in Maytown, Thurston County, stole more than $5,000 worth of building materials from the construction site of a disabled veteran’s future home. 

“When you feel like you’re not really worthy of a home in the first place and then you come out here and you find somebody’s broken into a box and stolen a bunch of materials, you know, from your project that have been donated for free - that just makes me feel even worse,” said Sgt. Jereme Sawyer.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said the theft happened at 4022 150th Ave. SW.

Those who’d like to help can donate to Homes For Our Troops. Anyone with information is asked to call the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office at 360-704-2740. read more here

Some gain money while we lose veterans

Take a stand for giving, thanks

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 22, 2018


The word "stand" has many different meanings. As a transitive verb it can mean "to derive benefit or enjoyment from" as well as "remain firm in face of" something.

It also means "to be in a position to gain or lose because of an action taken or a commitment made."

Some gain money while we lose veterans.

One word with so many different meanings? Yes, and that is part of the problem. Most words can have different meanings. What we should be watching out for is, not just the words that accompany the one we focus on, but what the total message is.

Each of us take a stand, often without realizing it. The stands are based on what we believe and what we know to be true.

When we believe something is true, that does not mean it actually is the truth. It just means we think it is and the people who informed us, were telling the truth. The problem is, we never know if they just heard it was true or invested anything into knowing what the truth actually was.

Today is Thanksgiving Day, but while we think we know the trip was made to establish a place where people could worship the way they wanted to, there is much more to that "stand" they took.

It was not about giving everyone religious freedom, to decide on their own to believe what they wanted to. It was intended to provide the group the ability to have it their way...and everyone else had to follow their rules.

We see that all the time. People seem to take  stands, use words to make their thoughts more acceptable than they deserve to be.

This nation began with people being protected by members of the military...

Mayflower Compact

One now-famous colonist who signed the Mayflower Compact was Myles Standish. He was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims to accompany them to the New World to serve as military leader for the colony. Standish played an important role in enforcing the new laws and protecting colonists against unfriendly Native Americans.

The words "conspiracy" seems dreadful but it is not always a bad thing. Freedom was established by a conspiracy of brave colonists who wrote different rules and by those who were willing to take a stand to put those words into action. Those patriots were willing to die to secure the ideals the rest of us enjoy.

Now, you'd think after all these years, the people of this nation would be willing to take a stand for those who serve to preserve our freedoms, but we settle for what we think to be true, when we should know the difference.

If we truly stand for them, then we need to stop falling for everything we hear, just because other people said it was true.

Over and over again, people defend the "22" stunts for "raising awareness" that veterans are killing themselves. Over and over again, it has been proven that there is no benefit for the veterans needing help, but plenty of benefits for the perpetrators of the conspiracy to cover up their intent.

Having a "fun time" because they think a number of veterans are committing suicide, is repulsive. Some groups just use veterans, while others were just following their footsteps without the intent to deceive. What all of them have in common is they failed to understand they were doing more harm than good.

Just as the Pilgrims wanted religious freedom for themselves, we thought that meant everyone else could have it too, but that was not their intent. Doing something to prevent veterans from committing suicide, is only what some want you to believe. The truth however is you only fell for it because you would not take a stand for the sake of the veterans not being able to find hope! 

Start taking a stand for what you want to give...thanks!

Villains getting more attention than veterans?

Are you supporting veterans or villains?

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 21, 2018

This is the month when most Americans think about our veterans because of Veterans Day. The thing is, everyday is Veterans Day because they never stop being a veteran.

"...people donate more than $2.5 billion annually to the over 40,000 American charities with military-related missions."

If we fail to pay attention to what veterans need, they will still be used by groups and veterans will wonder if anyone really cares.

There is a lot of confusion about most charities. I got into one of those discussions yesterday. While all veterans served this country since the beginning, not all charities serve all veterans equally.

Charity Navigator has a list of charities focusing on veterans

The Federal Trade Commission, along with 70 other agencies, just announced 100 law enforcement actions across all 50 states against fraudulent charities stealing from individuals looking to give to nonprofits that support veterans and military members. During certain times of the year, we make time to honor the sacrifices many brave individuals have made and continue to make in order to keep us all safe. Americans love, respect, and honor our troops all year round -- in fact, people donate more than $2.5 billion annually to the over 40,000 American charities with military-related missions.We've curated this list of highly-rated trustworthy organizations providing a variety of services from lifting troops' morale to offering financial assistance for food, rent, utilities, and medical expenses. All of these organizations demonstrate financial responsibility and a commitment to accountability and transparency best practices.

As with all things, you need to find the charity itself to see who they are supposed to be working to help.

Wounded Warrior Project, for example, has this as their mission statement.

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Our purpose is: to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women; to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other; and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.

But they do not do anything for the other generations, just the OEF and OIF generation.

WWP began as a small, grassroots effort to provide immediate assistance when a warrior of this generation was injured. We felt we could do the most good by providing more comprehensive programs and services to the newly injured, rather than spread ourselves too thin by trying to help all veterans. We also knew there were many terrific veterans' organizations for warriors from previous conflicts, but very few focused on serving our newest generation.

Also with them, you do not know where the funds are going since they give millions in grants to colleges. 

Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) announced it has awarded $2.3 million in grants to organizations also serving this generation of injured service members and their families. Since its inception in 2012, the WWP Grant Program has awarded grants to over 85 different organizations, totaling more than $9.1 million.

Another key factor in all of this is none of the "suicide awareness" groups are on the lists. If you try to find out how many groups are doing the "awareness" stunts, you end up finding the results of groups doing prevention instead.

Having fun, doing stunts and having parties because veterans are killing themselves, is repulsive. It abuses the veterans they claim they care about. 

The most famous group is 22 Kill. This is their story....

History of 22KILL:

In 2012, the Veterans’ Administration (VA) released a Suicide Data Report that found an average of 22 veterans die by suicide everyday. The 22KILL initiative started in 2013, at first just as a social media movement to raise awareness, and later became an official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. 22KILL is committed to researching and understanding the common issues connected with suicide; including Post Traumatic Stress and depression, the various circumstances that they stem from, their effects on the individual, and the impact that suicide has on family, friends, and the community as a whole.

And yet, they seemed to have failed at researching the report that got them started. It stated clearly the "number" was not be taken as a whole because it was limited data from just 21 states.

For the rest of the results of the stunts, we find that right here.

Less veterans alive, more suicides, higher percentage of known suicides. Yet most of the groups do not even mention how many were not counted...or even have a clue about them.

They are not on the top 75 PTSD sites from Feedspot. This site is number 10!

So, if you want to keep having fun because veterans are killing themselves, think of what the result will be. The only stunts veterans have been doing lately are committing suicide in public so that you will be aware they were failed by all the 40,000 groups collect $2.5 billion a year!