Siblings Suffer After Suicide But Go Without Help to Heal

After a suicide, sibling survivors are often overlooked

NPR
Cheryl Platzman Weinstock
August 25, 2017 

"I think people don't understand how profound a loss of a sibling can be. They help shape your trajectory and sense of self." Julie Cerel, a psychologist and president of the American Association of Suicidology  

Ryan Steen (left) found himself "on edge" and isolated for years after his younger brother, Tyler, died by suicide. Courtesy of Ryan Steen

When Taylor Porco's brother, Jordan, died by suicide during his freshman year of college in February 2011, people told her to be strong for her parents, who were incapacitated by their grief. Hardly anyone seemed to notice that Porco, only 14 at the time, was suffering and suicidal.

"I was really depressed and in such extreme pain. Nothing, literally, mattered to me after he died. All I wanted was my brother back. I never loved someone as much as I loved him," she says.

Porco's experience is hardly unique. Approximately 25,000 people each year become sibling survivors of suicide, according to the support group, Sibling Survivors of Suicide Loss. Those who lose a sibling to suicide at any age can experience anger, complicated grief reactions, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and thoughts of taking their own lives.

Until recently, these survivors often fell under the radar. They were overlooked in medical research, and no one understood what they were going through or how to support them. But, according to several studies of survivors, those who lose a sibling to suicide, especially one of the same sex or close in age, have more serious mood disorders and thoughts of suicide themselves than survivors who lose a sibling for any other reason. 
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POTUS Pardons and Harvey Pounds Texas

What was POTUS getting ready for as Harvey headed to US?

1. President Trump Grants Pardon for Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio
NBC News
by PHIL HELSEL and VAUGHN HILLYARD
August 25, 2017

President Donald Trump on Friday pardoned former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted of criminal contempt for ignoring a judge’s order not to detain suspected undocumented immigrants, the White House said.

Trump at a campaign-style rally in Phoenix strongly suggested he would pardon Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County. Arpaio had said he would appeal his conviction on misdemeanor contempt.
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Is that what he as focused on as the monster Harvey was headed toward Texas? It looks like he had something else on his mind as well.

2. Trump Halts Pentagon Payments for Transgender SurgeryNBC Newsby ALI VITALI August 25, 2017
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday stopped funding for sex-reassignment treatment for transgender people currently in the military and barred the Pentagon from accepting any more transgender people into the services.

The president signed a memo giving new guidance to his previously-tweeted ban on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military, according to a senior White House official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.

Trump signed the memo, the details of which were first reported by The Wall Street Journal, on Friday and directed the departments of Defense and Homeland Security to stop funding of sex-reassignment procedures and deny entry of transgender individuals into the military.
Openly transgender individuals will be barred until the Secretary of Defense "provides a recommendation to the contrary that I find convincing," Trump's memo reads. read more here

Hurricane Harvey Slams Texas, Risk of ‘Catastrophic Flooding’

NBC News

Saphora Smith

August 26, 2017

More than 200,000 people were without power Saturday after Hurricane Harvey smashed into Texas, bringing prolonged rainfall that was expected to cause "catastrophic flooding."

It made landfall near Corpus Christi as a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 130mph, and weakened as it moved slowly inland to become Category 1 by 6 a.m. ET.

But while the winds eased to 90mph, forecasters warned that torrential rain would be a major threat.

"It's hard to imagine just how horrific and destructive this amount of water will be," NBC News meteorologist Bill Karins said.

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VA Data on Homeless Veterans Shows, All of Us Make a Difference

Leveraging data to provide insight into complex issues surrounding Veteran homelessness

VAntage Point

Department of Veterans Affairs

August 23, 2017

It’s not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best.” — W. Edwards Deming

Deming, a well-respected statistician, reminds us that identifying the what is critical in determining how to be successful. Deming is widely known for helping to develop the sampling techniques still used by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

VA has taken a similar approach in working toward its priority goal to end Veteran homelessness, gathering and reviewing data on homelessness that then inform strategies to address it. As a result, the nation saw a nearly 50 percent reduction in the number of homeless Veterans between 2010 and 2016.

For the last four years, VA and partners at the state and community levels have been using a data-driven management platform to determine and update the number of Veterans who are homeless and track those Veterans by name so that they can be served most efficiently and effectively. The platform houses data from multiple sources, including but not limited to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Point-in-Time count and the VA Homeless Registry.

This data-driven approach to ending Veteran homelessness helps all of us — national organizations like VA, community groups, and individuals in every corner of the U.S. — ensure that we’re doing our best to give every Veteran a safe, stable place to call home and the resources they need to stay there.

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Florida Navy Veteran Left in Road by Hit and Run Driver

Veteran hit by car while riding bike, driver flees

CBS 12 News
Vincent Crivelli
August 24, 2017

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Bloody, bruised, and battered. He served our country, but a local veteran almost died right here at home. The 37-year-old father, left for dead in Delray Beach by a hit and run driver.

On Monday evening, father of two, Ian Rose went on a bike ride down Linton Avenue in Delray Beach when he was hit from behind and thrown off his bike. “So I landed face first, heard a crack of my head hitting the sidewalk was the last thing that I heard until I woke up,” said Rose. He broke several bones in his face, and bruised his ribs.

He isn’t sure how long he was unconscious, but when he woke up the driver was nowhere to be found. “The most painful thing that I’ve experienced,” said Rose. With no one around to help, Rose got back on his bike drenched in blood and peddled a mile to get home.
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Death of Edwards Air Force Airman Under Investigation

U.S. Air Force service member dies on Edwards AFB
By 412th Test Wing Public Affairs 
Published August 24, 2017

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.
The U.S. Air Force is investigating the death of an Airman assigned to Edwards Air Force Base.

The deceased is identified as Senior Airman Joseph Connors of the 812th Civil Engineer Squadron, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight.

The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m., Aug. 23, near the base’s north gate on Edwards AFB property. The north gate entrance was closed for a period of time due to the investigation.

Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander, issued a statement to the base populace today.

“I'm heartbroken to announce the loss of one of our valuable teammates … Senior Airman Connors was one of our "rock star" Airmen — Airman Leadership School distinguished graduate and our 2016 Wing Airman of the Year. 

He is survived by his active duty spouse, who is also a vital member of our wing. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, our EOD team, and all those supporting in the wake of this tragedy.”

For general questions regarding this release, call the Edwards Public Affairs Office at 661-277-3510.

Adm. William Moran "Our testimony today may seem like a broken record," But Congress Did Nothing About Any of This!

Many warnings of readiness 'crisis' before latest ship accidents

CNN

Jeremy Herb and Dianna Gallagher

August 25, 2017

"Our testimony today may seem like a broken record," Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Moran said at a February House armed services committee hearing. "Our Navy faces increased demand without the size and resources required to properly maintain and train for our future. And every year we've had to make tough choices often choosing to sacrifice long-term readiness to make sure we be ready to answer the call today."

(CNN) Military leaders, Congress and government watchdogs have all warned for years that the military faces a possible readiness crisis as it has slashed training and maintenance to keep up with budget cuts and increased operations around the globe.

Monday's collision between USS John S. McCain and a tanker off the coast of Singapore — where one sailor was found dead and another nine are missing and presumed dead — has sparked a new round of questions about the Navy's readiness and training, as it's the fourth major collision for the Navy in the Pacific this year.

But the warnings about the military's readiness problems are nothing new, and the Navy isn't alone in seeing a spike in major non-combat incidents and fatalities.

"I think it's probably approaching a readiness crisis," Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican and Air Force veteran. "You have, in many cases, a Navy that is highly operational and may not get the time or the chance to train as deeply or as much as they want. You have old equipment. You have failing equipment because it's not being repaired or invested in. These are all concerns when it comes to this."

After the McCain collision, the Navy ordered a one-day operational pause across the entire fleet in order to examine the root causes of the accidents. The commander of the Navy's 7th Fleet, which operates in the Pacific, was dismissed in the fallout.

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And all of this is thanks to Congress who did not want to make sure there was a budget to take care of any of our troops! They play politics and troops pay with their lives.

Eagle Paid Respects At Fallen Kissimmee Police Officers Funeral

Red Huber / Orlando Sentinel 
As police officers arrive to the First Baptist Church of Orlando for funeral services for Kissimmee Police officer Matthew Baxter, left, and Sgt. Sam Howard an adult bald eagle takes flight from a cross towering over the church. The nations symbol perched atop the cross for several minutes before taking flight.
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Names Released After USS John S. McCain Goes Into a Recovery Operation

Navy names 10 sailors missing since McCain collision, begins recovery operation
Washington Post
Anna Fifield
August 24, 2017

TOKYO — The U.S. Navy on Thursday turned its search and rescue mission to find 10 missing sailors from the USS John S. McCain into a recovery operation, an acknowledgment that it does not expect to find any of them alive.

It also named the 10 who have been missing since the guided-missile destroyer and an oil tanker collided near Singapore before dawn on Monday.

“After more than 80 hours of multinational search efforts, the U.S. Navy suspended search and rescue efforts for missing USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) Sailors in an approximately 2,100-square mile area east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore,” the 7th Fleet, to which the McCain belongs, said in a statement Thursday.

The Navy said it has recovered the remains of one sailor, Electronics Technician 3rd Class Kenneth Aaron Smith, 22, from New Jersey. The Navy said it will continue search operations inside flooded compartments in the ship.

Still missing are:

Electronics Technician 1st Class Charles Nathan Findley, 31, from Missouri

Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Abraham Lopez, 39, from Texas

Electronics Technician 2nd Class Kevin Sayer Bushell, 26, from Maryland

Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jacob Daniel Drake, 21, from Ohio

Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Timothy Thomas Eckels Jr., 23, from Maryland

Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Corey George Ingram, 28, from New York

Electronics Technician 3rd Class Dustin Louis Doyon, 26, from Connecticut

Electronics Technician 3rd Class John Henry Hoagland III, 20, from Texas

Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Logan Stephen Palmer, 23, from Illinois.

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Navy Veteran Survived Two Tours, Killed Outside Texas Pub

Navy veteran killed in shooting outside Katy-area pub
KHOU
Michelle Choi and KHOU.com Staff
August 23, 2017

“Tough, hands-on type of a guy. He never wanted to sit behind a desk,” said his mother, Robin Raab. Instead, 30-year-old Corey Raab wanted to travel the world, and just like his older brothers, he did it by joining the U.S. Navy. He heroically served two tours.

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas -- A Navy veteran was killed and another man was injured after a reported argument outside of a Katy-area pub overnight.

It happened in the parking lot of EinStein's Pub on Mason near Cimarron. Investigators believe the incident started with four men involved in a verbal altercation that led to a fight. Someone pulled out a gun and opened fire.

Harris County Sheriff’s Deputies say a 30-year-old Navy veteran was killed, and a 23-year-old man was pistol-whipped He was taken to the hospital with head injuries.
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Merritt Island ceremony marks Vietnam service

Merritt Island ceremony marks Vietnam service, sacrifice decades later
Florida Today
Britt Kennerly
August 22, 2017

The "Vietnam Veterans Service Day and Welcome Home Ceremony" at Brevard Veterans Memorial Center in Merritt Island drew more than 100 cadets from eight Brevard schools, dozens of friends and family members and more than 120 Vietnam veterans for a morning of respect and gratitude.

Many Vietnam veterans still feel the aching sting of not receiving a welcome home from the public when they returned from a long and bitterly divisive war.

Tuesday, local veterans got that overdue honor from young and old, down to Air Force Junior ROTC cadets not much younger than some of the veterans were when they served in Vietnam.

And the vets, now in their late 60s and older, were grateful.
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