Kentucky soldier's son found and back home

Soldier's missing son found safe
Jan 07, 2013
KTBC News
By Derrick Mitcham

The missing son of a Kentucky soldier was found safe early Monday morning. Noah Dinh was returned to his father, Jason Dinh, and stepmother, Haley Dinh.

Noah had been with his biological mother, Cendy Johnly, since December 23, 2012. Johnly was supposed to return the child to his Kentucky home on New Year's Day. Dinh and his wife had been trying unsuccessfully to establish contact with Johnly.

Johnly was arrested by the Travis County Sheriff's Office this morning, and is currently being held in the Travis County jail.
go here for video

Soldier's son taken
KTBC News
Posted: Jan 06, 2013

Kentucky soldier, Jason Dinh, is in Austin, hoping to see his six-year-old son once again.

"I want my son back."

He talked to FOX 7 because he wants Noah's biological mother to return the boy.

He says Noah is with Cendy Johnly in Austin.

She has had him since December 23rd and was supposed to return the boy on New Year's Day.

That didn't happen.

Dinh and his wife, Haley, say they have not been able to reach Cendy.

Now, the soldier, who did two tours of duty in Iraq, is dealing with a parent's worst nightmare.

"You just don't want to find them face down somewhere. That's my biggest fear."

"I just worry that he's scared and know what's going on and I don't want him to think this is his fault and that we don't want him. I just want him to come home."

The couple went to Kentucky authorities.
read more here

Fort Hood Soldier, one of three killed in Texas shooting

WNY Soldier Killed in Texas Shooting
Written by
WGRZ Web Staff
Jan 7, 2013

KILLEEN, TX-- Fort Hood officials have released the name of a WNY soldier who was shot and killed last week in Texas.

Specialist Austin James Sampson, 25, of Bliss, NY in Wyoming County was one of three men shot outside a convenient store in Killeen, Texas January 3rd.

Witnesses told police that a black male with dreads got out of a white Lincoln Towncar, approached a vehicle with the three men and shot them.

According to Fort Hood, Sampson joined the Army in 2006 as a cavalry scout. He had been stationed out of Fort Hood since 2010.

Sampson served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
read more here

How many student veterans graduate? No one knows

How many student veterans graduate? No one knows
By LEO SHANE III
Stars and Stripes
Published: January 7, 2013

ORLANDO, Fla. – Veterans advocates worry that lawmakers will consider trimming GI Bill benefits as part of their deficit reduction plans unless they can show that student veterans are graduating and succeeding in their education goals.

But no one knows whether they are.

Neither veterans affairs nor federal education officials have reliable data on student veterans’ graduation rates, student grade point averages, or post-college employment success. Without it, proving the value of the more than $20 billion spent to send veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan war era becomes problematic, if not impossible.

This week, Student Veterans of America – which boasts more than 21,000 members at 700 college campuses nationwide – announced a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Student Clearinghouse to research those graduation figures, with the goal of showing the return taxpayers are getting on the money spent.
read more here

Navy facing unplanned baby boom

Navy seeks to combat high rate of unplanned pregnancies
By CRISTINA SILVA
Stars and Stripes
Published: January 7, 2013

NAPLES, Italy — Facing a staggering 74 percent unintended pregnancy rate, the Navy has launched a family planning awareness and information campaign.

The Navy’s peer-mentoring program Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions is holding informational sessions on family planning throughout January covering topics that include parental leave, operational deferment and the best forms of birth control.

Unintended pregnancy is a significant problem across the general population, but the Navy’s rate is higher.

In 2006, about 49 percent of all pregnancies in the United States were classified as unplanned, according to 2011 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Up to 65 percent of pregnancies in the military are self-reported as unplanned, according to a December report by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women.

Nearly three-fourths of all Navy pregnancies were unplanned, according to a recent parenthood survey conducted by the service. Of those, only 31 percent of the couples were using birth control at the time they conceived. With pregnancies involving enlisted servicewomen, 70 percent of the fathers were also in the military.
read more here

Vietnam Veteran's new mission to heal others

Vietnam veteran pastor signs on for another fight
His mission: To help military families find a road back from war
Jan 6, 2013
Written by
Philip Grey
Leaf-Chronicle

CLARKSVILLE, TENN. — Pastor David Wesner began the interview with a straight admission; “Anyone who knew me back in the day would never imagine this is where I’d be.”

“This” is his associate pastor’s office at Faith Outreach Church, and he sums up the trip that led him to this place as a “very odd journey,” without a distinct start point, but with a very definite destination. And, having arrived at his calling, he is unafraid and unashamed to credit God with saving his sanity, marriage and life.

Seeing today’s soldiers and military families enduring much of what he is painfully familiar with, which is suffering from both the receiving and giving end, the Vietnam veteran says he is determined to do whatever he can for those who are still fighting a war within.

As he finds himself now on the front line of an effort linking local ministries and the chaplains of Fort Campbell into a united force, waging their own war against despair and disconnectedness in their combined communities, he explained how his own battles helped to prepare him to fight for others.
read more here