Vista veteran and service dog kick off casino's new six-legged security force San Diego Union Tribune Pam Kragen August 12, 2018
Four years ago, Tipton said he wouldn’t have been able to strike up a conversation with strangers and even found himself incapable of cracking a smile. Tipton said having Daisy and the self-esteem of a holding a job “have made me human again.”
After struggling for years with post-traumatic stress disorder, 22-year Marine veteran John Tipton decided three years ago to get a trained service dog. The Vista man calls the day he took Daisy home in May 2015 both the best day and the worst day of his life.
John Tipton of Vista and his service dog Daisy do their rounds at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula. The 22-year Marine Corps veterans and his dog are the first of nine human-canine security teams Pechanga plans to hire. (Pechanga Resort and Casino)
Because although the 4-year-old black Lab/terrier mix helped heal the crippling anxiety that had turned Tipton into a housebound “grumpy grandpa,” he couldn’t find anyone willing to hire a man with a full-time service dog.
“It was a pretty rough couple of years,” said Tipton, 62. “I’d walk into job interviews and they’d take one look at me and then look at the dog … You could see it in their eyes and hear it in the tone of their voice. They wondered what was wrong with me.”
But those years of isolation ended in mid-June, when Tipton and Daisy became the first six-legged safety patrol team at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula. Over the next year, Pechanga plans to hire a total of 10 veteran-service dog teams.
The idea was conceived by Robert Krauss, vice president of public safety at Pechanga. Before joining Pechanga’s security team 21 years ago, Krauss spent four years in the Marine Corps. He said military veterans make up a substantial portion of his department’s 300-strong staff because their leadership qualities make them great workers. read more here
Search underway for Camp Pendleton Marine missing at sea San Diego Union Tribune Andrew Dyer August 10, 2018 An all-hands effort is underway near the Philippines to find a U.S. Marine reported overboard Thursday morning from the amphibious assault ship Essex.
An MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft prepared to depart the flight deck of the USS Essex (LHD 2) on July 17. The Essex and its crew of sailors and marines left San Diego July 10. (U.S. Navy)
The unidentified Marine is deployed with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit based out of Camp Pendleton.
The Essex left Naval Base San Diego with its complement of Marines on July 10.
The Navy, Marine Corps and Philippine ships and aircraft are searching the Sulu Sea, where the ship was conducting routine operations, the Marines said in a news release Friday.
“It is an all-hands effort to find our missing Marine,” said Navy Capt. Gerald Olin, the amphibious squadron commander leading the search and rescue operation, in a statement. “All of our sailors, Marines and available assets aboard the USS Essex have been and will continue to be involved in this incredibly important search and rescue operation.” read more here
Have you decided to get into your life and drive? PTSD Patrol Sunday Morning Empowerment Zone Kathie Costos August 12, 2018
When you are a passenger, you do not control anything. Someone else is in control of where you go, how fast you get there and how safe your trip is.
When you are the driver, then you decide all of it! Where you go and how fast you get there is all up to the decisions you make. There are things you decide in your own life. Do you want to be happy? Do you want to stay miserable? How you live can change just as it did when you survived the events that caused PTSD. This time, it can change for the better! PTSD is change, so, change again! It is your life. Get in and drive it instead of letting it drive you!
PTSD Patrol Sunday Morning Empowerment Zone topic is are you a passenger in your own life or a driver?
Iraq War veteran, radio host David Bellavia to run for 27th Congressional District WHAM ABC News 13 August 11, 2018
Buffalo, N.Y. (WHAM) - Decorated Iraq War veteran and radio host David Bellavia will run for Congress to represent New York’s 27th District.
Bellavia confirmed his decision to run Saturday, hours after Rep. Chris Collins announced he will not be running for reelection. read more here
Bellavia spoke at the Point Man conference in Buffalo last year.
Money Raised for Veterans Charities at Hog Heaven for Heroes News 9 and 10 Bret Greenacre August 11, 2018
“Well, I woke up in the middle of the night with a dream, and it just blossomed from there.”
It started as a dream, but it’s now become reality, helping to raise money for charity.
Saturday, people are going hog wild at an event to raise money for veterans organizations.
People at Saturday’s “Hog Heaven for Heroes” event at Hopewell Ranch in Weidman are being treated to everything from a roast pork dinner to live music — and even a live auction.
The money raised is going to two veterans organizations that support veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: Project Solomon and Reboot Combat Recovery.
About three years ago we pulled together a group of veterans to create an advisory board so we could expand our programming to help veterans struggling with PTSD,” said Jodi Stuber, executive director of Hopewell Ranch. “We’re really excited to have this great event here today.” read more here
