Veterans living with bed bugs in building not zoned for residential use
Building cited for improperly using upstairs unit as rental property
Local 10 News
Published On: Dec 15 2014
POMPANO BEACH, Fla.
Bed bugs, broken doors, and a moldy bathroom describes the condition that Local 10 News found some South Florida veterans living in a Pompano Beach building zoned for "heavy business" use and recently cited for renting a unit which the violation read is an improper use.
Several were stacked in a room; another veteran was sleeping in a closet.
The veterans who spoke with Local 10 said they were placed there by the Veterans In Need Foundation, which is located on the first floor of 1350 S. Dixie Highway.
Michael Janet, a Navy combat veteran in Vietnam, told Local 10 the organization is not delivering the services it promises when it solicits money from people at rest stops all across South Florida.
"These are veterans who have served with dignity and honor and deserve better treatment," Janet said.
"They deserve a clean place to sleep (and) a clean mattress to sleep. Take some of that money that is given to you and give it to the veterans, provide better living conditions, doing things that you say in this brochure."
On a Veterans In Need Foundation solicitation card obtained by Local 10, the organization writes that donations collected will provide "free temporary housing assistance for homeless veterans." Janet said he was asked by the organization's leader, Joseph Haddy, to pay more than $500 in rent from his Veteran Affairs-issued benefits check.
read more here
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Coburn was right, Congress failed veterans
UPDATE
We failed veterans. Plain, simple and contrary to what the talking heads on TV say, the Clay Hunt Suicide prevention bill would not do much to make any of this right.
Tom Coburn gave a speech that, while not well delivered, was mostly right. Veterans lost hope and we have failed them. This speech was slammed by Rachel Maddow last night much to my horror. I could just see veterans cringing, listening to her words and wondering when the hell someone like her will actually know what she is talking about while they are waiting for things to change.
"They are searching for an answer that we have failed to give them." said Coburn.
"They are searching for the support, the nurturing and the love need to be there."
Rachel Maddow asked if anyone had an idea what Coburn was talking about. I wondered why she didn't.
"Nobody else has an objection at all." said Maddow.
I doubt she did much research to know exactly how many people do not hold the same outrage as she does. Many of us are outraged the Congress would dare write one more bill without a basic understanding of the reason for the suicides any more than they dare to even contemplate why everything else has failed.
"The relief of death" Maddow had trouble with comes from when a veteran decides that he will surrender his life after fighting for it, most of the time for decades, only to lose hope.
It isn't the first time Coburn blocked a bill about suicides. He did it to the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act back in 2007. Eventually it was passed and signed into law by President Bush in 2008.
This is what was happening around then.
In 2007 parents were telling members of congress about their on experience with a veteran committing suicide.
They also had this bill passed and signed in 2008
I don't want to bore you with more details especially if you have not read Wounded Times before but since all of this has been tracked from news sources and government reports, the rest of us have seen enough to have come to some conclusions a long time ago. The first one is that reporters on the local level know more about the reality veterans and families live with everyday than national reporters too busy to do any basic research on what is going on. That congress is not interested in what works best and actually doing the right thing as much as they are getting their name on a bill while failing to comprehend the simple fact their name on a bill that produced more suicides will not be forgotten.
Since Congress has been passing bills under "preventing suicides" even though they went up among the veterans population, it is a good time to reflect on exactly what that means to veterans and their families.
The claim of at least 22 veterans a day committing suicide equals 56,210 for the last 7 years. Again, that is an average with some states reporting suicides in their veterans population double the civilian rate.
This is why no one with the national attention should be allowed to just say whatever they want, whenever they want playing politics while pretending they are trying to do some good. We're tired of excuses, empty promises and speeches.
We failed veterans. Plain, simple and contrary to what the talking heads on TV say, the Clay Hunt Suicide prevention bill would not do much to make any of this right.
Tom Coburn gave a speech that, while not well delivered, was mostly right. Veterans lost hope and we have failed them. This speech was slammed by Rachel Maddow last night much to my horror. I could just see veterans cringing, listening to her words and wondering when the hell someone like her will actually know what she is talking about while they are waiting for things to change.
"They are searching for an answer that we have failed to give them." said Coburn.
"They are searching for the support, the nurturing and the love need to be there."
Rachel Maddow asked if anyone had an idea what Coburn was talking about. I wondered why she didn't.
"Nobody else has an objection at all." said Maddow.
I doubt she did much research to know exactly how many people do not hold the same outrage as she does. Many of us are outraged the Congress would dare write one more bill without a basic understanding of the reason for the suicides any more than they dare to even contemplate why everything else has failed.
"The relief of death" Maddow had trouble with comes from when a veteran decides that he will surrender his life after fighting for it, most of the time for decades, only to lose hope.
It isn't the first time Coburn blocked a bill about suicides. He did it to the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act back in 2007. Eventually it was passed and signed into law by President Bush in 2008.
This is what was happening around then.
In 2007 parents were telling members of congress about their on experience with a veteran committing suicide.
Mike and Kim Bowman are on the first of six panels of witnesses who were scheduled to testify at the hearing, which will focus on suicide prevention and treatment within the VA health care system.
Two authors of books about post-traumatic stress disorder also will testify, as will veterans’ advocates from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, Vietnam Veterans of America, the American Legion and Disabled Veterans of America. After the testimony from other panelists, including officials from the VA’s Veterans Health Administration and inspector general’s office, the authors and veterans service organizations’ representatives will return to share their reflections on that testimony.
According to the committee, the Veterans Health Administration estimates there are about 1,000 suicides per year among veterans receiving care through VHA, and as many as 5,000 suicides per year among all living veterans.
According to the Veterans Affairs Department, there were at least 283 suicides among veterans who left the military between the start of the war in Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2001, and the end of 2005.
The Army said its suicide rate in 2006 rose to 17.3 per 100,000 troops, the highest in 26 years of record-keeping. In October, two recently returned Marines one from New Jersey, the other from Bucks County committed suicide.
In response, CONTACT, a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week crisis hotline, is establishing an outreach program specifically for returning veterans and their families. The "It's About Hope" program is a first in 31 years for CONTACT and could be one of the first in the state.
They also had this bill passed and signed in 2008
Library of Congress Summary
The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.
TitleI - Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health Care
Section101 -
Enacts this title in tribute to Justin Bailey, who, after returning to the United States from service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, died in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) domiciliary facility while receiving care for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a substance use disorder.
Section103 -
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure the provision of the following services and treatment to each veteran enrolled in the VA health care system and in need of services and treatment for a substance use disorder:
(1) screening for substance use disorder in all settings, including primary care;
(2) short-term motivational counseling;
(3) marital and family counseling;
(4) intensive outpatient or residential care;
(5) relapse prevention;
(6) ongoing aftercare and outpatient counseling;
(7) opiate substitution therapy;
(8) pharmacological treatments to reduce cravings for drugs and alcohol;
(9) detoxification and stabilization;
(10) coordination with groups providing peer-to-peer counseling; and
(11) such other services as considered appropriate by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to ensure that amounts available for such care are allocated to ensure a full continuum of such care, treatment, or services to all veterans without regard to the location of their residences.
Section104 -
Requires the Secretary to ensure that treatment for a substance use disorder and a comorbid mental health disorder is provided concurrently through a health professional with training and expertise in the treatment of both disorders, by separate services for each disorder, or by a team of experienced clinicians.Section105 -
Directs the Secretary to conduct a two-year pilot program on the feasibility and advisability of providing veterans who seek treatment for substance use disorders access to a computer-based self-assessment, education, and treatment program through a secure Internet website operated by the Secretary. Makes eligible for such program volunteer veterans who have served in Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom. Requires a program report from the Secretary to Congress. Authorizes appropriations.Section106 -
Requires the Secretary to conduct a: (1) review of all Veterans Health Administration (VHA) residential mental health care facilities; and (2) follow-up review, within two years after the first review, to evaluate any improvements made or problems remaining with respect to such facilities. Requires a report from the Secretary to the veterans' committees after the initial review.Section107 -
Directs the Secretary to conduct a three-year pilot program on the provision of the following services to veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, particularly to those who served as a member of the National Guard or Reserve:
(1) peer outreach;
(2) peer support provided by licensed providers or veterans with personal experience with mental illness;
(3) readjustment counseling; and
(4) other mental health services.
Requires:
(1) the Secretary to conduct training programs for veterans and clinicians providing such services;
(2) annual reports to the Secretary from entities participating in the program; and
(3) the Secretary to design and implement a strategy for evaluating the program.
You can read the rest from the link above.
I don't want to bore you with more details especially if you have not read Wounded Times before but since all of this has been tracked from news sources and government reports, the rest of us have seen enough to have come to some conclusions a long time ago. The first one is that reporters on the local level know more about the reality veterans and families live with everyday than national reporters too busy to do any basic research on what is going on. That congress is not interested in what works best and actually doing the right thing as much as they are getting their name on a bill while failing to comprehend the simple fact their name on a bill that produced more suicides will not be forgotten.
Rachel Maddow Clueless As to Why Clay Hunt Suicide Bill Should be Blocked
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 12/15/14
Coburn obstinate in blocking veterans suicide prevention bill
Ms. Maddow said that "nobody else has an objection at all" without a clue as to why so many people are in fact against it. She is wrong because she cannot remember how many other bills, how many years, we have failed veterans.
We watched them die after floor speeches delivered by other politicians. We heard all the speeches by groups getting the national attention saying they are doing this and they are doing that but we count the caskets.
People are not against the Clay Hunt Suicide bill because they don't care or it will cost too much money. We are not against it for any other reason other than we've heard it all before. None of the others worked no matter how much money was spent. None of them worked because Congress still doesn't understand what the problem is and remain clueless.
They have in family members to tell heartbreaking stories of what failed, then come up with bills named after those we failed. This makes sense to them. This makes no sense to those of us paying attention.
We know the number of veteran suicides are higher than the "22" but no one is paying attention to the fact those numbers went up after Congress decided to do something to prevent them. We know members of the military are being failed and more of them committed suicide than died in combat after the Congress and the DOD failed them by "doing something" that made the stigma worse.
We've settled for better than nothing for far too long and those who took their own lives were saying thanks for nothing left to hope for. We took away their hope of healing PTSD.
If you supported this bill then please do all of us a favor. Suck up your pride and actually pay attention because we're tired of excuses. Tired of speeches from politicians when we end up having to write eulogy speeches for veterans making it back from combat.
The last memorial I went to was in Bradenton Florida. Donald "Donnie" Wendt was a Bradenton Firefighter failed by the VA and the DOD. Why? Because he was a decorated Army veteran who risked his life pulling bodies out of burning Humvee so that even if he couldn't save their lives, their families would be able to bury them. Don was killed by a bullet from a member of a SWAT Team.
Don was losing everything but he was used to hardships and sucking it up. That night he wanted to die after a neighbor called police to report he was holding guns and threatened his sister. It was the moment the last shred of hope vanished.
Last night I was on the phone for over an hour with his Mom.
Donnie lost hope even after being decorated as a firefighter for risking his life over and over again to save lives no matter what price he'd have to pay. He tried to hang onto hope and went to the VA but reluctant to talk to others about what was going on. He didn't want to be thought of as weak.
You can read all the news reports you want but unless you live this everyday you'll be willing to settle for them to respond to your cries to "do something" even though that something is not the right thing. You can pretend all you want that the only veterans suffering are young ones but you'd be ignoring the fact the majority of the veterans committing suicide are over 50 years years old, failed for many more years than the younger ones.
You can pretend all you want that the congress is paying attention but then you'd have to explain to the rest of us how all of this has been happening after over 7 years of congress passing bills and the bullshit of "doing something" so you didn't notice how very wrong it all was.
Coburn obstinate in blocking veterans suicide prevention bill
Ms. Maddow said that "nobody else has an objection at all" without a clue as to why so many people are in fact against it. She is wrong because she cannot remember how many other bills, how many years, we have failed veterans.
We watched them die after floor speeches delivered by other politicians. We heard all the speeches by groups getting the national attention saying they are doing this and they are doing that but we count the caskets.
People are not against the Clay Hunt Suicide bill because they don't care or it will cost too much money. We are not against it for any other reason other than we've heard it all before. None of the others worked no matter how much money was spent. None of them worked because Congress still doesn't understand what the problem is and remain clueless.
They have in family members to tell heartbreaking stories of what failed, then come up with bills named after those we failed. This makes sense to them. This makes no sense to those of us paying attention.
We know the number of veteran suicides are higher than the "22" but no one is paying attention to the fact those numbers went up after Congress decided to do something to prevent them. We know members of the military are being failed and more of them committed suicide than died in combat after the Congress and the DOD failed them by "doing something" that made the stigma worse.
We've settled for better than nothing for far too long and those who took their own lives were saying thanks for nothing left to hope for. We took away their hope of healing PTSD.
If you supported this bill then please do all of us a favor. Suck up your pride and actually pay attention because we're tired of excuses. Tired of speeches from politicians when we end up having to write eulogy speeches for veterans making it back from combat.
The last memorial I went to was in Bradenton Florida. Donald "Donnie" Wendt was a Bradenton Firefighter failed by the VA and the DOD. Why? Because he was a decorated Army veteran who risked his life pulling bodies out of burning Humvee so that even if he couldn't save their lives, their families would be able to bury them. Don was killed by a bullet from a member of a SWAT Team.
Don was losing everything but he was used to hardships and sucking it up. That night he wanted to die after a neighbor called police to report he was holding guns and threatened his sister. It was the moment the last shred of hope vanished.
Last night I was on the phone for over an hour with his Mom.
Donnie lost hope even after being decorated as a firefighter for risking his life over and over again to save lives no matter what price he'd have to pay. He tried to hang onto hope and went to the VA but reluctant to talk to others about what was going on. He didn't want to be thought of as weak.
You can read all the news reports you want but unless you live this everyday you'll be willing to settle for them to respond to your cries to "do something" even though that something is not the right thing. You can pretend all you want that the only veterans suffering are young ones but you'd be ignoring the fact the majority of the veterans committing suicide are over 50 years years old, failed for many more years than the younger ones.
You can pretend all you want that the congress is paying attention but then you'd have to explain to the rest of us how all of this has been happening after over 7 years of congress passing bills and the bullshit of "doing something" so you didn't notice how very wrong it all was.
Tom Coburn Blocks Bill On Veterans' Suicide Prevention
AP
By By MATTHEW DALY
Posted: 12/15/2014 7:32 pm EST Updated: 4 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Veterans groups blasted Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn Monday for blocking a bill intended to reduce a suicide epidemic that claims the lives of 22 military veterans every day.
"This is why people hate Washington," said Paul Rieckhoff, CEO and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy group.
Rieckhoff accused Coburn of single-handedly blocking a bill that could save the lives of thousands of veterans.
Coburn, a Republican, is retiring after 10 years in the Senate. In a floor speech Monday night, he defended his actions, saying the bill would not accomplish its stated goal and duplicates programs that already exist.
Instead of passing the $22 million bill, Coburn said lawmakers should hold the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable for frequently failing to serve veterans.
"I don't think this bill would do the first thing to change what's happening" in terms of veterans' suicides, Coburn said.
read more here
Monday, December 15, 2014
Kentucky Suicides Tied to Military Have Inreased
And this is after all the other "suicide prevention bills" congress has not only passed but paid for.
Military Suicides Have Spiked in Kentucky in Recent Years
WFPL.org
By DEVIN KATAYAMA
December 15, 2014
Suicides among Kentucky veterans and active military service members have increased the past several years. In many cases, those who have died never sought help through the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
“Most of the people [military service members] that kill themselves we don’t know about,” said Barbara Kaminer, Louisville’s Robley Rex VA suicide prevention coordinator.
The increase in suicides among veterans and servicemembers has led to legislation aimed at reducing or eliminating suicides of active service members, but the effort face challenges.
There’s no national database that tracks all active duty and veteran suicides; once a service member is discharged the government no longer keeps tabs on them.
The Department of Defense does track active military member suicides. Last year, 475 active service members committed suicide, according to the data. That’s compared to the 132 active soldiers the U.S. has lost in combat.
The University of Kentucky’s Kentucky Violent Death Reporting System has more complete figures.
In 2012, 129 active military members and veterans committed suicide in the state. That is more than double any year from 2005 and 2009. And it’s been increasing.
read more here
VA spending $16 million on IBM Watson computer for PTSD?
Spending $16 million on Watson doesn't make sense when they should have spent money on Sherlock to find out where all the other money they spent went. After all, more suicides after billions a year spent to reduce them doesn't take a genius to figure out veterans have been placed in jeopardy.
VA signs $6 million contract for IBM Watson to advise PTSD treatment
Washington Post
By Mohana Ravindranath
December 15, 2014
The Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to use IBM’s Watson — the Jeopardy! winning supercomputing system designed to simulate human cognition — to advise doctors on treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder patients, IBM announced on Monday.
As part of a two-year, multi-million dollar contract, IBM plans to install Watson software at the Department’s data center in Austin, Tex. The total contract is valued at $16 million, according to IBM, though the initial set-up and assessment phase is worth about $6 million.
Watson is designed to crunch large volumes of medical literature, clinical data and personal electronic medical records to suggest the treatment options it deems most appropriate for individual patients. Physicians can type questions in natural language, and Watson spits out a series of options, ranked by its confidence in each method’s success.
“Physicians can save valuable time finding the right information needed to care for their patients” with Watson technology, interim undersecretary for health Carolyn Clancy said in a statement. “A tool that can help a clinician quickly collect, combine and present information will allow them to spend more time listening and interacting with the Veteran.”
read more here
Mom died after charity ride accident, 2 year old daughter has broken jaw
Rockledge woman dies after Toy Run motorcycle crash
FLORIDA TODAY
Rick Neale
December 12, 2014
UPDATE, DEC. 12: Breana Donna, the 22-year-old Rockledge woman who was struck by a motorcycle during Sunday's ABATE of Florida Toy Run, has died, said Joshua Donna, her brother-in-law.
She had been hospitalized in critical condition at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. Kadence Donna, the 2-year-old Rockledge girl who suffered a broken jaw when she was struck by an out-of-control motorcycle during Sunday's ABATE of Florida Toy Run, has been reunited with her family. read more here
FLORIDA TODAY
Rick Neale
December 12, 2014
This family photo shows Breana Donna, her daughter, Kadence, and husband, Andy. (Photo: Provided)Breana Donna, the 22-year-old Rockledge woman who was struck by a motorcycle during Sunday's ABATE Toy Run, has died.
UPDATE, DEC. 12: Breana Donna, the 22-year-old Rockledge woman who was struck by a motorcycle during Sunday's ABATE of Florida Toy Run, has died, said Joshua Donna, her brother-in-law.
She had been hospitalized in critical condition at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. Kadence Donna, the 2-year-old Rockledge girl who suffered a broken jaw when she was struck by an out-of-control motorcycle during Sunday's ABATE of Florida Toy Run, has been reunited with her family. read more here
Marines Searching for Toys for Tots Across the USA
Marines dance with seniors, celebrate Toys for Tots drive
Blue Ridge Now
By Nathaniel Axtell
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Sunday, December 14, 2014
They were few, but they weren't too proud. For the night, at least, two local Marines were willing to put aside their reputation as rigid, disciplined warriors and cut a rug in their dress blues.
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. James Holbert and Staff Sgt. Wes Russell arrived at the Carolina Village Retirement Community's annual Christmas dinner Sunday evening to pick up more than 825 gifts for the Corps' WNC Toys for Tots campaign.
Pressed into service, however, they also danced with several Carolina Village residents to the timeless dance grooves of Asheville-based covers band Dashboard Blue.
Peachy Brady, for one, didn't need to be asked twice about the chance to dance with a handsome Marine. The 89-year-old described herself as “a kid at heart. I'm old and I'll never grow up. Two glasses of wine and I'm ready to go!”
Brady and Russell tangoed to Stevie Wonder's “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and bopped to “Gimme Some Lovin'” by the Spencer Davis Group before taking a break and letting the community's activities director, Betty Hensley, cut in.
read more here
Blue Ridge Now
By Nathaniel Axtell
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Sunday, December 14, 2014
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. James Holbert and Staff Sgt. Wes Russell dance with two seniors during Carolina Village Retirement Community's Christmas party on Sunday.
Photo by Nathaniel Axtell/TIMES-NEWS
They were few, but they weren't too proud. For the night, at least, two local Marines were willing to put aside their reputation as rigid, disciplined warriors and cut a rug in their dress blues.
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. James Holbert and Staff Sgt. Wes Russell arrived at the Carolina Village Retirement Community's annual Christmas dinner Sunday evening to pick up more than 825 gifts for the Corps' WNC Toys for Tots campaign.
Pressed into service, however, they also danced with several Carolina Village residents to the timeless dance grooves of Asheville-based covers band Dashboard Blue.
Peachy Brady, for one, didn't need to be asked twice about the chance to dance with a handsome Marine. The 89-year-old described herself as “a kid at heart. I'm old and I'll never grow up. Two glasses of wine and I'm ready to go!”
Brady and Russell tangoed to Stevie Wonder's “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and bopped to “Gimme Some Lovin'” by the Spencer Davis Group before taking a break and letting the community's activities director, Betty Hensley, cut in.
read more here
Man sought in death of six people in Pennsburg PA
SUSPECT IDENTIFIED IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY KILLING SPREE; SIX DEAD
ABC News
Updated 4 mins ago
PENNSBURG, Pa. (WPVI) -- Authorities have identified the man sought in a Montgomery County killing spree that left six people dead.
Bradley William Stone, 35, of Pennsburg, Pa. is being sought in the deaths of those six people. All of the victims had a 'familial' relationship with Stone, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said.
The Montgomery County DA says Stone is described as 5'10" tall and weighs 195 pounds. He has a red or auburn beard and mustache with closely cropped hair.
Stone is known to use a cane or walker to assist him, the DA said, and he may be wearing military fatigues, in either sand or green color.
The DA says: "Stone should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about Stone's whereabouts is asked to call 9-1-1 immediately. Do not approach him."
"Police are conducting an extensive search in and around Pennsburg, at both known and outdoor locations where Stone may be located."
"People in that area should remain indoors, keep their doors locked and call 9-1-1 if they think they have seen the suspect."
read more here
UPDATE
UPDATE 12/16/2014
Montgomery County Shooting Spree Suspect Bradley Stone Found Dead in Woods
ABC News
Updated 4 mins ago
Bradley William Stone, 35, of Pennsburg, Pa. is being sought in the deaths of those six people. All of the victims had a 'familial' relationship with Stone, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said.
The Montgomery County DA says Stone is described as 5'10" tall and weighs 195 pounds. He has a red or auburn beard and mustache with closely cropped hair.
Stone is known to use a cane or walker to assist him, the DA said, and he may be wearing military fatigues, in either sand or green color.
The DA says: "Stone should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about Stone's whereabouts is asked to call 9-1-1 immediately. Do not approach him."
"Police are conducting an extensive search in and around Pennsburg, at both known and outdoor locations where Stone may be located."
"People in that area should remain indoors, keep their doors locked and call 9-1-1 if they think they have seen the suspect."
read more here
UPDATE
6 dead in Montgomery County shooting spree, police hunt for suspected gunman
MCALL.com
By Dan Sheehan, Pat Lester, Manuel Gamiz Jr.
Of The Morning Call
December 15, 5:38 PM
A military veteran from Pennsburg diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder killed his estranged wife in Lower Salford Township, neighbors say, the start of a shooting rampage Monday that Montgomery County authorities say claimed five more lives.
Bradley W. Stone, 35, allegedly killed a total of six family members in Lower Salford, Lansdale and Souderton, according to the district attorney's office, and seriously wounded another.
Stone is still on the loose and considered armed and dangerous. He may be wearing military fatigues and using a cane or walker to get around.
The shootings took place in three different locations in Montgomery County.
read more here
UPDATE 12/16/2014
Montgomery County Shooting Spree Suspect Bradley Stone Found Dead in Woods
Wreaths Across America Honors Fallen Back to Revolutionary War
Wreaths Across America ceremony honors fallen colonial soldiers
Newark Post Online
By Josh Shannon
Mon Dec 15, 2014
As part of a nationwide observance, dozens gathered Saturday near the site of the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge to lay wreaths in honor of the 24 colonial soldiers who died in the only Revolutionary War battle fought in Delaware.
“When our forefathers came to this ground in 1777, on their lips and in their minds was what freedom really stands for: independence and liberty,” State Rep. Earl Jaques told the crowd gathered at the Pencader Heritage Museum on Route 72. “They gave us that with their blood and with their ultimate sacrifice.”
Jaques, a brigadier general in the Delaware National Guard, was one of 10 people chosen to lay the wreaths, which are part of the Wreaths Across America program.
The effort began in 1992 when the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, had a surplus of wreaths and arranged to have them laid on graves at Arlington National Cemetery. The tradition continued, largely unnoticed, until 2005, when a photo of the wreaths went viral online.
The attention led to an influx of funds and volunteers, and the project expanded. Today, more than 540,000 wreaths are laid at 900 locations in all 50 states and in cemeteries on foreign soil.
read more here
Newark Post Online
By Josh Shannon
Mon Dec 15, 2014
NEWARK POST PHOTO BY JOSH SHANNON
Wreaths Across America
Kevin Conley's service dog Angus, who helps him control his PTSD symptoms, mingles among the crowd at the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Pencader Heritage Museum on Saturday.
As part of a nationwide observance, dozens gathered Saturday near the site of the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge to lay wreaths in honor of the 24 colonial soldiers who died in the only Revolutionary War battle fought in Delaware.
“When our forefathers came to this ground in 1777, on their lips and in their minds was what freedom really stands for: independence and liberty,” State Rep. Earl Jaques told the crowd gathered at the Pencader Heritage Museum on Route 72. “They gave us that with their blood and with their ultimate sacrifice.”
Jaques, a brigadier general in the Delaware National Guard, was one of 10 people chosen to lay the wreaths, which are part of the Wreaths Across America program.
The effort began in 1992 when the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, had a surplus of wreaths and arranged to have them laid on graves at Arlington National Cemetery. The tradition continued, largely unnoticed, until 2005, when a photo of the wreaths went viral online.
The attention led to an influx of funds and volunteers, and the project expanded. Today, more than 540,000 wreaths are laid at 900 locations in all 50 states and in cemeteries on foreign soil.
read more here
Glenn Miller "He gave his life when he didn't need to,"
Museum marks Glenn Miller's disappearance
Des Moines Register
Linh Ta
December 14, 2014
It's been 70 years since musician Glenn Miller disappeared over the English Channel during World War II, but even now, his music lives on.
On Sunday, the Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum in Clarinda remembered the disappearance of the Iowa native, and held a ceremony in honor of not only his musical contributions, but his contributions to the U.S. Army.
Miller, known for leading the Glenn Miller Orchestra to several top hits in the late 1930s and early 1940s, enlisted in the Army at age 38, despite making $15,000 to $20,000 a week in his musical career. After being denied at first because of his age, he was assigned to the Army Air Forces, and used his music to boost troops' morale.
"He felt that the biggest impact he could have was joining the service," said Rick Finch, director of the museum. "I think that we sometimes forget that service now."
read more here
Des Moines Register
Linh Ta
December 14, 2014
"He gave his life when he didn't need to," Yellin said. "The young people have to understand that they have to be up close and personal."
The museum displays items from musician Glenn Miller’s life and World War II service on Sunday.
(Photo: Linh Ta/The Register)
It's been 70 years since musician Glenn Miller disappeared over the English Channel during World War II, but even now, his music lives on.
On Sunday, the Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum in Clarinda remembered the disappearance of the Iowa native, and held a ceremony in honor of not only his musical contributions, but his contributions to the U.S. Army.
Miller, known for leading the Glenn Miller Orchestra to several top hits in the late 1930s and early 1940s, enlisted in the Army at age 38, despite making $15,000 to $20,000 a week in his musical career. After being denied at first because of his age, he was assigned to the Army Air Forces, and used his music to boost troops' morale.
"He felt that the biggest impact he could have was joining the service," said Rick Finch, director of the museum. "I think that we sometimes forget that service now."
read more here
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Ret. Command Sergeant Major Thomas Colvin Wants to Honor All Veterans
Looks like I'm not the only one thinking all veterans should matter and not just the one making the news today.
Honor all veterans
Gadsdey Times
Published: Sunday, December 14, 2014
During its regular session in 2014, the state Senate passed SJR3. As the resolution read, “Naming a portion of United States Highway 411 from Etowah-St. Clair County line north to the intersection of United States Highway 411 and I-759 in Gadsden as the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Memorial Highway.”
As a veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm (1990-1991), Iraqi Freedom (2003) and Operation Enduring Freedom (2005-2008), I declare it unnecessary to do so. Why, you may ask, would you not want a highway named in our honor? As the resolution further states; “WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that we show them that we shall not forget their service, sacrifice and dedication in protecting our nation.”
read more here
"Only when proper recognition is given to veterans who have gone before us, will I be proud of a highway named in our honor." Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Thomas Colvin
Honor all veterans
Gadsdey Times
Published: Sunday, December 14, 2014
During its regular session in 2014, the state Senate passed SJR3. As the resolution read, “Naming a portion of United States Highway 411 from Etowah-St. Clair County line north to the intersection of United States Highway 411 and I-759 in Gadsden as the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Memorial Highway.”
As a veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm (1990-1991), Iraqi Freedom (2003) and Operation Enduring Freedom (2005-2008), I declare it unnecessary to do so. Why, you may ask, would you not want a highway named in our honor? As the resolution further states; “WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that we show them that we shall not forget their service, sacrifice and dedication in protecting our nation.”
read more here
Service Dog Kicked Out of VA--For Blind Veteran
Blind Vet's Guide Dog Banned From VA Hospital
SF Weekly
Posted By David-Elijah Nahmod
Dec 12, 2014 at 2:14 PM
Matthew Easton's dog Chestnut isn't just his buddy — he's his eyesight.
Easton, an Air Force veteran who served from 2001-2005, lost most of his vision due to an eye disease. Chestnut is Easton's guide dog. With his faithful companion by his side, Easton is able to get around his neighborhood in San Luis Obispo.
Chestnut also guides Easton from Central California to the VA Hospital in San Francisco's Outer Richmond District, where he receives medical treatment for his eyes.
But recently, the VA Hospital delivered some not-so-welcoming news, telling Easton that he could no longer bring Chestnut into the eye exam room at the hospital.
"I was told by the Patient Advocate Office as well as the eye clinic that the only option was to have a family member or a friend watch my dog for me during my exam," Easton told SF Weekly. "I was told if that wasn't an option that I was to call Animal Control and have them take my guide dog to the shelter at my own expense just for the short duration of my appointment."
Easton says that he was advised to "leave his dog in the car."
Obvious questions arose, such as: leave Chestnut in what car? A blind person can't legally drive. As a person who lives on disability insurance Easton can hardly afford boarding fees. And besides, how would Easton get from the pound—which is in the Mission—to the VA Hospital in the Outer Richmond without his guide dog?
read more here
SF Weekly
Posted By David-Elijah Nahmod
Dec 12, 2014 at 2:14 PM
Matthew Easton's dog Chestnut isn't just his buddy — he's his eyesight.
Chestnut also guides Easton from Central California to the VA Hospital in San Francisco's Outer Richmond District, where he receives medical treatment for his eyes.
But recently, the VA Hospital delivered some not-so-welcoming news, telling Easton that he could no longer bring Chestnut into the eye exam room at the hospital.
"I was told by the Patient Advocate Office as well as the eye clinic that the only option was to have a family member or a friend watch my dog for me during my exam," Easton told SF Weekly. "I was told if that wasn't an option that I was to call Animal Control and have them take my guide dog to the shelter at my own expense just for the short duration of my appointment."
Easton says that he was advised to "leave his dog in the car."
Obvious questions arose, such as: leave Chestnut in what car? A blind person can't legally drive. As a person who lives on disability insurance Easton can hardly afford boarding fees. And besides, how would Easton get from the pound—which is in the Mission—to the VA Hospital in the Outer Richmond without his guide dog?
read more here
Only way to reduce suicides tied to military is fix stupid solutions
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
December 14, 2014
There is only one way to reduce military/veteran suicides but in order to do it, they'd first have to fix what are stupid solutions.
Spc. Jacob Sexton committed suicide in 2009. His Dad went on a crusade to prevent other families from going through the same thing. Indiana WBNS 10 News reported that Jeff Sexton went to the State of the Union Address in 2014, invited by Senator Joe Donnelly.
In this video you'll hear about a Dad saying his son committed suicide in 2009. He talked about how his son Chance Kingsley had reported PTSD but was still sent back. He mentioned that if what was in the Sexton suicide prevention bill were in place back then, his son would still be alive. The trouble with this is, he was wrong.
There were many bills, rules and regulations in place pushed by parents with the same goal of sparing other families from burying their members due to suicide. A great example is the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act signed by President Bush in 2008. This was supposed to save lives too.
More bills followed and pushed for mental health screenings, pre and post deployment but the leaders of the military said they do not do post deployment screenings during a Senate Armed Forces Committee meeting in 2010. They excused themselves saying they didn't have the manpower or the time to do them.
While most are talking about the Clay Hunt Suicide act being held up, they pretty much ignored this one and all the others that sound good in a news report and a speech but will do little to actually save any lives.
There have been years of repeated "efforts" that were supposed to reduce suicides while removing the stigma attached to admitting a soldier needs help to heal PTSD. One of the first of such efforts was spawned by the suicide of a Montana National Guardsman Spec. Chris Dana.
This caused then Senator Obama to travel to Montana to talk about the efforts.
And this was said before the election.
I was hopeful. So were a lot of others that things would change because Senator Obama served on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and knew what was going on. He was one a few politicians paying attention to the bitter battles they fought after combat and suffering needlessly. He was one of a few politicians we expected to hold people accountable for what they failed to do.
Suicides went up after more bills and more money was spent by Congress yet as President, he has held no one accountable for any of it.
When Dallas Morning News and NBC reported Injured Heroes, Broken Promises: Hundreds of Soldiers Allege Mistreatment at Army Warrior Transition Units being told to man up and being treated like fakes, it showed exactly where all the talk, all the promises and all the claims made about changing the culture ended. It all ended with a bunch of nonsense produced by leaders like General Ray Odierno.
If leaders are this boneheaded then how can anyone expect a bill will reduce suicides when they are being pushed to blame themselves? Congressional Bills have yet to be written to fix stupid.
Kathie Costos
December 14, 2014
There is only one way to reduce military/veteran suicides but in order to do it, they'd first have to fix what are stupid solutions.
Spc. Jacob Sexton committed suicide in 2009. His Dad went on a crusade to prevent other families from going through the same thing. Indiana WBNS 10 News reported that Jeff Sexton went to the State of the Union Address in 2014, invited by Senator Joe Donnelly.
In this video you'll hear about a Dad saying his son committed suicide in 2009. He talked about how his son Chance Kingsley had reported PTSD but was still sent back. He mentioned that if what was in the Sexton suicide prevention bill were in place back then, his son would still be alive. The trouble with this is, he was wrong.
There were many bills, rules and regulations in place pushed by parents with the same goal of sparing other families from burying their members due to suicide. A great example is the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act signed by President Bush in 2008. This was supposed to save lives too.
More bills followed and pushed for mental health screenings, pre and post deployment but the leaders of the military said they do not do post deployment screenings during a Senate Armed Forces Committee meeting in 2010. They excused themselves saying they didn't have the manpower or the time to do them.
While most are talking about the Clay Hunt Suicide act being held up, they pretty much ignored this one and all the others that sound good in a news report and a speech but will do little to actually save any lives.
The Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act Explained -- Washington, D.C. 6-22-13
Chicago Medical Innovations
Jun 27, 2013
Marta McLellan Ross, Military Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN), explains The Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act at "Visible Honor for Invisible Wounds" to commemorate National PTSD Awareness Day in Washington, D.C. on June 22, 2013.
The event was co-sponsored by Chicago Medical Innovations. Join Chicago Medical Innovations (http://www.chicagomedicalinnovations....) in the fight against Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and help spread the word about PTSD.
Chicago Medical Innovations is a Non-Profit 501(c)3 Organization that facilitates access to innovative treatment options for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans, sexual assault victims and others who have faced traumatic experiences and have been unable to achieve adequate relief from PTSD symptoms through existing evidence-based treatments.
Indiana National Guardsman committed suicide at movie theater
Spc. Jacob Sexton died because of war and because the military didn't make sure they were prepared to return home.
Guardsman home from war kills self in Ind. theater
Associated Press
7:12 p.m. CDT, October 13, 2009
MUNCIE, Ind. - The father of an Indiana National Guardsman who fatally shot himself inside a movie theater said Tuesday that the families of servicemembers returning home from war need to closely watch them for signs of stress.
Spc. Jacob Sexton, 21, showed no signs of being suicidal before shooting himself in the head, the guardsman's father, Jeffrey Sexton of Farmland, said.
"We just need to watch these boys and the girls coming back home. Something's just not right. Too much is happening," Jeffrey Sexton told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
Muncie police said Jacob Sexton had argued with theater employees on Monday night over having to show identification to see the R-rated horror comedy "Zombieland." Twenty minutes into the film, a friend handed Sexton a 9 mm handgun, at the guardsman's request, and he then shot himself in the head, police said.
The Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act of 2014 would:
Require annual mental health assessments for all servicemembers, including members of the Active, Guard, and Reserve components. Right now, the best and most consistent screening is happening only for those within the deployment cycle which can leave non-deployed members of the Active, Reserve, and Guard components underserved.
Maintain strong privacy protections for servicemembers. We must ensure that seeking help remains a sign of strength by protecting the privacy of the servicemember coming forward. The privacy of servicemembers would be ensured by guaranteeing medical privacy protections for these mental health assessments.
Require a Pentagon report to evaluate existing military mental health practices and provide recommendations for improvement. This report, which is due to Congress within a year of enactment of the bill, would help identify which programs are working and which need to be fixed. A specific focus of the report will be identifying successful peer-to-peer programs that address the need for a more bottom-up approach to identifying warning signs and combatting stigma in each of the Services, with the intention of future expansion.
The Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act will come up for a vote as part of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act this year.
There have been years of repeated "efforts" that were supposed to reduce suicides while removing the stigma attached to admitting a soldier needs help to heal PTSD. One of the first of such efforts was spawned by the suicide of a Montana National Guardsman Spec. Chris Dana.
The Montana National Guard is taking steps to help returning and deploying soldiers and airmen deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The Guard hopes to equip citizens with the tools to reach out to friends, family members and neighbors who could be suffering from PTSD through statewide meetings.
The meetings outline symptoms of both PTSD and mild traumatic brain injuries and how to get help.
Col. Jeff Ireland: "We want to do everything we can to most importantly take care of our soldiers, our airmen and their families and if we have someone suffering from PTSD, helping them to get into a program that will help to get them better so that we can continue them as a resource for the guard and also be a productive citizen."
There were two PTSD meetings Wednesday -- one in Helena at the Armed Forces Reserve Center and the other in Butte at the National Guard Armory.
This caused then Senator Obama to travel to Montana to talk about the efforts.
Montana National Guard Spc. Chris Dana will never know the impact his life and ultimately his death may someday have on the lives of veterans nationwide.
Dana took his life in March 2007, less than two years after returning from a tour in Iraq. His family believes he was a victim of post-traumatic stress disorder, brought on by his combat experience.
Since Dana's death, his stepbrother Matt Kuntz has campaigned for more awareness of the costs of untreated post-traumatic stress syndrome in Iraq war veterans.
Wednesday, he was invited to meet with Sen. Barack Obama to share the message he's been spreading statewide for more than a year. At a quiet picnic table at Riverfront Park, Obama sat across from Kuntz, his wife, Sandy, and their infant daughter, Fiona.
And this was said before the election.
August 28, 2008 - Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama promised Wednesday to expand Montana's pilot program to assess the mental health of combat vets nationwide, if elected.
The Montana National Guard has developed a program to check its soldiers and airmen for signs of post-traumatic stress disorder every six months for the first two years after returning from combat, then once a year thereafter. The program exceeds national standards set by the U.S. Department of Defense.
The pilot program was created in response to the suicide of former Army Spc. Chris Dana of Helena, who shot himself on March 4, 2007, days after being given a less-than-honorable discharge because he could no longer handle attending drills following a tour in Iraq.
"He (Obama) told me he understood why we need to have additional screenings for PTSD," said Matt Kuntz, Dana's stepbrother, who was among a small group invited to meet with Obama on Wednesday in Billings.
"And he told me when he is elected president, he will implement Montana's pilot program nationwide."
Kuntz, who recently gave up his job as a lawyer in Helena to advocate for the mentally ill and their families, said he was invited to brief Obama on how Montana had become a national model for assessing the mental health of its combat vets.
Besides the additional screenings, the Montana National Guard has developed crisis response teams that include a chaplain to investigate behavioral problems among its troops, and TriWest Healthcare pays to have four part-time counselors on hand to talk with soldiers and airmen during weekend drills.
After the briefing, Obama spent about 20 minutes telling several hundred veterans and their families that, if elected as president, he will be committed to meeting their needs.
I was hopeful. So were a lot of others that things would change because Senator Obama served on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and knew what was going on. He was one a few politicians paying attention to the bitter battles they fought after combat and suffering needlessly. He was one of a few politicians we expected to hold people accountable for what they failed to do.
Suicides went up after more bills and more money was spent by Congress yet as President, he has held no one accountable for any of it.
When Dallas Morning News and NBC reported Injured Heroes, Broken Promises: Hundreds of Soldiers Allege Mistreatment at Army Warrior Transition Units being told to man up and being treated like fakes, it showed exactly where all the talk, all the promises and all the claims made about changing the culture ended. It all ended with a bunch of nonsense produced by leaders like General Ray Odierno.
Some of it is just personal make-up. Intestinal fortitude. Mental toughness that ensures that people are able to deal with stressful situations.
But it also has to do with where you come from. I came from a loving family, one who gave lots of positive reinforcement, who built up psychologically who I was, who I am, what I might want to do.
If leaders are this boneheaded then how can anyone expect a bill will reduce suicides when they are being pushed to blame themselves? Congressional Bills have yet to be written to fix stupid.
What is in the defense budget?
A 1% pay raise for the troops? Gee do you think they can get off food stamps with that?
Senate approves giant defense policy bill
The Associated Press
By Donna Cassata
PUBLISHED: Saturday, December 13, 2014
WASHINGTON – Congress on Friday sent President Barack Obama a massive defense policy bill that endorses his stepped-up military campaign of airstrikes, and training of Iraqis and moderate Syrian rebels in the war against Islamic State militants.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill, which authorizes funds for basic military operations, including construction of ships, aircraft and weapons, as well as a 1 percent pay raise for the troops.
The vote was 89-11.
The measure also served as a catch-all for legislation that was generally supported by Congress but stalled as the end of the session neared.
A coalition of defense hawks and Western state Republicans overcame objections by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and several other GOP senators, who were furious that unrelated provisions to designate 250,000 acres of new, federally protected wilderness were added to the popular legislation dedicated to military operations.
The measure would authorize the training and equipping of moderate Syrian rebels battling the extremists, a mandate that lasts for two years. It also would provide $5 billion to train Iraqis to counter the militants who brutally rule large sections of Iraq and Syria.
“American air power had changed the momentum on the ground somewhat and given moderates in the region an opportunity to regroup, but ISIS cannot be defeated without an opposing force to take the fight to it on the ground,” said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
read more here
What these critics may not realize is that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is also increasingly relied upon by members of the U.S. armed forces, with patrons of military commissaries using food stamps to purchase $103.6 million worth of groceries in fiscal 2013.
That's a 5 percent rise from 2012, and almost double the $52.9 million spent in 2009.
That's a faster pace of growth than the general population, since overall SNAP spending rose just 51 percent from 2009 through 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Senate approves giant defense policy bill
The Associated Press
By Donna Cassata
PUBLISHED: Saturday, December 13, 2014
WASHINGTON – Congress on Friday sent President Barack Obama a massive defense policy bill that endorses his stepped-up military campaign of airstrikes, and training of Iraqis and moderate Syrian rebels in the war against Islamic State militants.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill, which authorizes funds for basic military operations, including construction of ships, aircraft and weapons, as well as a 1 percent pay raise for the troops.
The vote was 89-11.
The measure also served as a catch-all for legislation that was generally supported by Congress but stalled as the end of the session neared.
A coalition of defense hawks and Western state Republicans overcame objections by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and several other GOP senators, who were furious that unrelated provisions to designate 250,000 acres of new, federally protected wilderness were added to the popular legislation dedicated to military operations.
The measure would authorize the training and equipping of moderate Syrian rebels battling the extremists, a mandate that lasts for two years. It also would provide $5 billion to train Iraqis to counter the militants who brutally rule large sections of Iraq and Syria.
“American air power had changed the momentum on the ground somewhat and given moderates in the region an opportunity to regroup, but ISIS cannot be defeated without an opposing force to take the fight to it on the ground,” said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
read more here
“What the VA did to me 60 years ago is they tore up the Bill of Rights”
If you missed this story, Vegas Navy Cross recipient shot down by VA benefits office I strongly suggest you read it.
In this one you'll read about the story of a Korean War Veteran being denied benefits and his 60 years battle for justice. Charles Mahoney was treated to electroshock wiping out his memory for days much like 2,000 WWII veterans.
If you are still under the impression that any of this is new, then please make sure you are not expressing your imbecilic opinions publicly. Lack of knowledge, refusing to do basic research and actually learn the truth are reasons why it has been this bad this long for our veterans. We've doomed them to history repeated over and over again.
There used to be excuses for all of this happening. When? After the Revolutionary War when the Colonies had no basic understanding of the necessity to care for those who put their lives on the line. It isn't as if that generation was totally off the hook either because they did little to take care of any of them or their widows.
After 1946 when the House Veterans Affairs Committee took their seats there should have been no acceptable excuses.
In this one you'll read about the story of a Korean War Veteran being denied benefits and his 60 years battle for justice. Charles Mahoney was treated to electroshock wiping out his memory for days much like 2,000 WWII veterans.
Besieged by psychologically damaged troops returning from the battlefields of North Africa, Europe and the Pacific, the Veterans Administration performed the brain-altering operation on former servicemen it diagnosed as depressives, psychotics and schizophrenics, and occasionally on people identified as homosexuals, according to the report.
The VA’s use of lobotomy, in which doctors severed connections between parts of the brain then thought to control emotions, was known in medical circles in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and is occasionally cited in medical texts. But the VA’s practice, never widely publicized, long ago slipped from public view. Even the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says it possesses no records detailing the creation and breadth of its lobotomy program.
If you are still under the impression that any of this is new, then please make sure you are not expressing your imbecilic opinions publicly. Lack of knowledge, refusing to do basic research and actually learn the truth are reasons why it has been this bad this long for our veterans. We've doomed them to history repeated over and over again.
Veterans say legitimate claims routinely denied or ignored
Las Vegas Review
By KEITH ROGERS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
December 13, 2014
Vietnam War Navy Cross recipient Steve Lowery isn’t alone in his battle to convince the Veterans Benefits Administration that his wounds are linked to his military service.
Lowery, a retired Marine major from Las Vegas, took a long-awaited physical examination Thursday at the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center to show a doctor that scars from shrapnel in his knee and those on his thighs from an AK-47 resulted from a 1969 firefight in Vietnam.
In 1994, the VA benefits office in Reno told him those wounds weren’t related to his military service, and he’s been fighting with the agency ever since.
The VA apparently disallowed his initial claim because the government’s archive agency failed to send his records to Reno. Bewildered by the decision, Lowery provided a copy of his personal medical file in 2010. Two years later, his claim was rejected again.
Since the Review-Journal wrote about Lowery’s case last week, other veterans have come forward with complaints about tactics employed by the agency, which demands that veterans prove their injuries were service-related but can deny claims without proving anything.
They include Phil Cushman, a Vietnam War Marine veteran from Oregon who beat the VA system there by winning a “due process” challenge in a federal appeals court that netted $400,000 in compensation. Now, through his nationally recognized nonprofit veterans rights advocacy group, Cushman is helping disabled Korean War soldier Charles P. Mahoney, of Las Vegas, with his appeal for more compensation.
Screen capture from Las Vegas Review Journal
“I’m not filing claims for the money. I want justice,” Mahoney, 82, told the newspaper. “What the VA did to me 60 years ago is they tore up the Bill of Rights.”
Mahoney, who served with the 1st Cavalry Division in Korea in 1950, suffered wounds and mental problems from a mortar blast that heaved him 15 feet into the air. After a hospital stint in Japan, he was taken to Fort Hood, Texas, where he underwent a series of electroshock treatments in 1951 that “blotted out my memory for nine months.”
Two Army evaluation boards determined he was 100 percent disabled, but a third said he was only 10 percent disabled. The Army then told him he was cured and discharged him in 1952.
read more here
There used to be excuses for all of this happening. When? After the Revolutionary War when the Colonies had no basic understanding of the necessity to care for those who put their lives on the line. It isn't as if that generation was totally off the hook either because they did little to take care of any of them or their widows.
After 1946 when the House Veterans Affairs Committee took their seats there should have been no acceptable excuses.
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