Buffalo New York Food Banks: 35,000 are veterans or currently in the military

Food 2 Families: Veterans A Growing Group In Need of Help
WGRZ NBC News
Erica Brecher
December 3, 2014

Billoni said 27 percent of people the Food Bank serves in a four-county region, or some 35,000 people, are veterans or servicemembers currently in the military.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- It's not always who you'd expect receiving help from the Food Bank.

One growing group of people finding themselves in need is our own U.S. veterans.

"Well, for a man, it's not a good feeling," said Vietnam veteran Frank Kirkwood. "Lost employment. And especially in this particular area, and then my age too, you know I'm 59 years old."

The Veterans One-Stop Center in Buffalo, which helps veterans find the resources they need to get back their economic stability and emotional well-being, helped put Kirkwood in touch with Post 77, a member recipient of the Food Bank of Western New York.

"Sometimes there's a little bit more month left at the end of the food," said Roger Woodworth, president and CEO of the One-Stop Center.

Woodworth recognizes the need to help post-Vietnam and post 9/11 veterans growing.

He says putting them in touch with places like the Food Bank takes care of a short-term need that can put them on the path of meeting long term goals.

"When you look at providing a little bit of economic stability in the form of food supplements, or a hit around the holiday time with food, that helps make choices easier. It helps with economic well-being and emotional well-being," he explained.

He says 60 percent of post-Vietnam era veterans coming into the One-Stop Center are at risk of homelessness, and those are often the same folks struggling to feed themselves.
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Maj. Gen. Harold Greene's death "could not have been foreseen"

Military report: No negligence in death of U.S. General in Afghanistan
CNN
By Jamie Crawford, CNN National Security Producer
December 4, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Maj. Gen. Harold was killed by a member of the Afghan National Army in August
A report said there was no way the death could have been "foreseen"
The International Security Assistance Force authored the report

Washington (CNN) -- An investigation into the killing of the most senior U.S. military officer since 9/11 found the incident could not have been "foreseen" or "prevented," according to a military report out Thursday.

Maj. Gen. Harold Greene, who was leading efforts to train soldiers in Afghanistan, was killed by a member of the Afghan National Army on Aug. 5 during a visit to a military training facility in Kabul.

The report was from the International Security Assistance Force, which serves as NATO's command over allied military operations in Afghanistan.

Greene, along with more than 90 other US and Coalition personnel, visited the Marshal Fahim National Defense University to take a look at the construction of a site at the school that would serve officers in the Afghan Army.

According to the report, overall security at the site was provided by Danish forces, but there were protection forces from the United States, United Kingdom and Germany also present. But despite "extensive security planning" for the event, the report said "there was no comprehensive plan that incorporated all participating security elements," as each individual security detachment did their own preparation.

"The threat level that day was assessed as low, with no indicators of unusual activity or concern," the report said.
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Navy Bails Out Bill Cosby Honor

14 minutes ago
Navy revokes honorary title given to Cosby
Associated Press
December 4, 2014

WASHINGTON — The Navy is revoking Bill Cosby’s title of honorary chief petty officer, saying allegations of sexual abuse made against the comedian are serious and conflict with the Navy’s core values.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Stevens made the announcement Thursday in a statement.

Cosby enlisted in the Navy in 1956 and served four years as a hospital corpsman before being honorably discharged in 1960 as a 3rd Class Petty Officer. The honorary title was presented to Cosby in 2011.
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Bill Cosby made honorary chief petty officer

Congressional Grinch Cuts Pay and Benefits For Troops

BREAKING NEWS
House passes defense bill with benefit cuts, money for Obama war strategy
Stars and Stripes
By Travis J. Tritten
December 4, 2014
WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday passed a defense budget that cuts troop benefits and clears the way for the Obama administration to continue its war strategy against the Islamic State, despite bipartisan outcry over a lack of debate.

The last-minute budget compromise reduces military pay raises, housing allowances, prescription medicine coverage, and commissary funding next year, while providing $63.7 billion for overseas wars and permission for continued arming and training of Syrian rebel groups.

The Senate is expected to vote next week on the massive 2015 budget bill, which was cobbled together during weeks of closed-door negotiations after the Senate failed to pass its version of a defense budget.

The military “is going to have to live with a dramatically smaller amount of money than they thought they would have,” said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.

He said the cuts do not go far enough and more are likely in the coming years.

The military is faced with a shrinking budget as sequestration forces caps on spending. Top brass came to Capitol Hill earlier this year lobbying for a wide range of cuts to personnel and equipment, warning that their ability to fight wars depends on reining in the ballooning expenses.
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Fort Hood Soldiers Finally Getting Justice From Lame Ducks

Purple Hearts might be awarded in domestic terrorism cases
Military Times
By Andrew Tilghman and Leo Shane III
Staff writers
December 3, 2014

Victims of the 2009 Fort Hood shootings will be eligible to receive Purple Hearts and combat injury benefits under a provision included in the latest defense authorization deal.

The measure is expected to be approved by Congress next week, and would end a five-year quest by Texas lawmakers to get battlefield recognition for the soldiers killed in the deadliest attack on a domestic military installation in U.S. history.

It could also be a financial windfall for the families of the 13 people killed and 32 wounded in the attack.

The latest authorization draft stipulates that Purple Heart medals will be awarded to "members of the armed forces killed or wounded in domestic attacks inspired by foreign terrorist organizations."

The Fort Hood, Texas, shooter — Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan — was allegedly inspired by al-Qaida but faced murder charges rather than international terrorism charges. He was convicted and sentenced to death.

Pentagon officials for years have said the shooting victims are not eligible for the Purple Heart and certain combat-injury compensation. Families of the victims have said they've faced thousands of dollars in uncovered medical expenses that would have been covered if the same injuries occurred in Iraq or Afghanistan.
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