Daughter of Vietnam Veteran Virtual Thank You!

Lauderdale: Vietnam veteran ‘thank you’ goes viral from Bluffton
The Island Packet
David Lauderdale
February 23, 2016

‘Dear Vietnam Vet’ nonprofit created
It wants to get a letter of thanks to every living Vietnam veteran
Founder’s father was a Vietnam vet who died at 43

Vietnam was many years ago, and also just yesterday.

Only a veteran of America’s unpopular war of a half century ago could say that.

And that’s exactly how one responded to a Bluffton woman who has taken it upon herself to get a personal letter of thanks into the hands of every living Vietnam veteran. Bonnie Wade Mucia has sent thousands of letters, but it’s one she got in return that chokes her up. It mentions her father, the drive behind her drive. Her dad served two tours in Vietnam and got home with a Purple Heart, but he died unexpectedly at 43.

“I could have met your father,” writes an aging Marine.

“We did travel the same rice paddies, villages and jungle. Watching men die, and how they die, affects even the toughest Marines. It does change your life forever.

“Vietnam was many years ago, and also just yesterday. We all have our burdens to bear. Thank you for making mine more bearable.”
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Was Public Duped Searching for Missing "Service" Dog?

Attorney claims public was 'duped' by Marine veteran in 'Bring Kai Home' search
KGTV San Diego
Allison Ash
Feb 23, 2016

A Vista woman's plea to find her missing service dog is not all that it appears to be, according to the attorney representing the man accused of stealing the German shepherd.

Attorney Alex Ozols told 10News that former Marine Alexandra Melnick didn't tell the whole story about Kai, who she said disappeared from her Vista home around Thanksgiving 2014.

Melnick launched a massive search for Kai, claiming he was a registered service dog that helped her cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. Melnick created a "Bring Kai Home" Facebook page, went on TV and handed out thousands of fliers with Kai's picture, hoping for his return.

Kai was found 9 months later in Texas.

However, what was never revealed at that time was who Kai was living with. It was Melnick's ex-father-in-law.
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Missing Veteran's Body Found in Red River

Family of veteran found in river offers advice in dealing with PTSD 
KSLA News
Posted by Troy Washington
Updated: Feb 21, 2016

BOSSIER CITY, LA (KSLA) - The body of a Bossier City man who was reported missing earlier this month was recovered from the Red River Sunday.

The body of 33-year-old Bernard Rozell Hall
was found Sunday morning in the Red River
(Source: Bossier City Police Department)

The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol found the body of 33-year-old Bernard Rozell Hall around 7:00 a.m.

Police say the Bernard Hall's body was found in the river near the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway scenic overlook area, just north of McDade Street.

Hall was reported missing on February 10 by family members.

"Anyone out there going through this or dealing with this let it be known, post traumatic stress disorder is a serious illness," said Pamela Hall.
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KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather

VA Nurse Accused of Being Drunk in Operating Room?

Nurse accused of aiding in emergency surgery at Wilkes-Barre Veterans Administration Medical Center while under the influence of alcohol 
Times Leader
By Joe Dolinsky
February 22nd, 2016

PLAINS TWP. — A registered nurse is accused of assisting in an emergency surgical procedure on a patient at Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center while under the influence of alcohol.

Richard J. Pieri, 59, (removed address) is charged with reckless endangerment, driving under the influence and public drunkenness. A summons was issued for him Monday, according to court documents.

The charges stem from a Feb. 4 incident in which Pieri allegedly staggered into the hospital and struggled through his duties before aiding in the procedure. Pieri was responsible for prepping and retrieving the patient, preparing surgical materials inside the operating room, documenting the procedure and monitoring the subject’s vital signs, according to the affidavit.
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Researchers Discover Link Between Concussions and Suicide

The terrifying link between concussions and suicide is the headline on the Washington Post and after reading it, it seems as if there is a lot that is contributing to suicides in our veterans. As someone with over 50 years walking around following a concussion and a fractured skull, it makes a lot of sense but it also causes concern that researchers are still learning how to crawl through researching what is happening instead of being able to run marathons on how to help healing.

The terrifying link between concussions and suicide
Washington Post
Erin Blakemore
Feburary 22, 2016

“The magnitude of the increased risk surprised me,” says Donald Redelmeier, a practicing physician and professor of medicine who led the study. “I always had my doubts about whether individuals fully recover from concussions, but I never thought I’d find a three-fold increase in risk.”

Suicide and brain injury have long been linked by scientists, but just how many people who have had a brain injury end up committing suicide? A new study has a grim answer: It found that the longterm risk of suicide increases three-fold among adults who have had concussions.

That’s the conclusion of a team of Canadian researchers who studied a health insurance database of more than 235,000 people. Their work was recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Rather than focus on athletes or people who were hospitalized for days or weeks after head injuries, they looked at ordinary people who had concussions but did not sustain severe brain injury.
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