Struck by lightning, Idaho Soldier lives life to the fullest
Idaho National Guard
By Capt. Robert Taylor
Oct. 2, 2018
Karla said A.J. was non-responsive for approximately 20 minutes before he breathed again. The ongoing storm prevented LifeFlight from responding so A.J. was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Local media reported two teammates were also injured by the lightning strike.
Boise, ID - Idaho Army National Guard Capt. A.J. Edwards poses for a photo while tossing a football Sept. 27, 2018, on Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. Edwards was struck by lightning on Sept. 30, 1998, at a football practice in Inkom, Idaho. He was wearing the helmet and holding the football shown. His teammates signed the football.
BOISE, Idaho - The National Weather Service estimates the odds of being struck by lightning in the United States are one out of 14,600. Despite those odds, Idaho Army National Guard Capt. A.J. Edwards was struck by lightning playing football as a 12-year-old 20 years ago.
Doctors told his parents he might not live, and that if he did live, he might not walk again.
Edwards beat those odds. The lightning temporary ended his life and caused him to relearn how to walk. He ran track for his school the next spring, ran a marathon the following year and earned an ROTC scholarship to Brigham Young University – Idaho. He enlisted into the Idaho Army National Guard in 2010 and earned his commission in 2013.
Lightning strikes
Edwards was struck by lightning Sept. 30, 1998. The last thing he remembers that day is riding his bike to football practice in Inkom, Idaho. His mother, Karla Edwards, remembers A.J. didn't want to go to practice that day because it was hot. She made him go anyway.
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Veteran and amputee inspires with each death-defying climb
USA Today
Sheeka Sanahori, Militarykind
Oct. 3, 2018
"The main thing that saved me, saved me from myself, really was my dad telling me, 'You've got to be shittin' me. The enemy couldn't kill you, and you're going to do it for them?'"
Kirstie Ennis is on a mission to become the first female amputee to climb the highest peaks on every continent. She's well on her way to accomplishing her latest mission.
"It reminds you of your resiliency, it reminds you of your independence, it's a fight," Ennis said. "Quite literally an uphill battle and I love it."
Ennis is used to tough battles. She joined the U.S. Marine Corp when she was 17, following in the footsteps of both of her parents.
She was deployed to Afghanistan twice. During her second deployment, a helicopter crash changed her life.
"I lost my entire jaw, my teeth, especially on the right side. And then I just screamed. I screamed mostly out of shock, not pain," she said. "One of the Army medics that we picked up got in my face and told me not to close my eyes again because I wouldn't open them and then everything went black."
Ennis raises money for non-profits from her climbs and from modeling. She was the first amputee to pose for a fundraiser calendar for the nonprofit organization called Pin-ups for Vets, which raises money to help hospitalized veterans and deployed troops.
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Department of Defense 2nd Quarter 2018 Suicide Report
For the 2nd Quarter of 2018, the Military Services reported the following:
o 75 suicide deaths in the Active Component
o 14 suicide deaths in the Reserves
o 27 suicide deaths in the National Guard
Comparisons of suicide counts between the 2nd Quarter of 2017 and 2018 are provided below.
For the 2nd Quarter of 2018, the number of Active Component suicide deaths is greater by 18 than the 2nd Quarter of 2017 (75 versus 57 deaths)
o Air Force deaths are up by 7
o Army deaths are up by 7
o Marine Corps deaths are up by 4
o Navy deaths are unchanged
For the 2nd Quarter of 2018, the number of Reserve suicide deaths is lower by 15 than the 2nd Quarter of 2017 (14 versus 29 deaths)
o Air Force Reserve deaths are down by 3
o Army Reserve deaths are down by 10
o Marine Corps Reserve deaths are down by 2
o Navy Reserve deaths are unchanged
For the 2nd Quarter of 2018, the number of National Guard suicide deaths is lower by 16 than the 2nd Quarter of 2017 (27 versus 43 deaths)
o Air National Guard deaths are down by 2
o Army National Guard deaths are down by 14
First Quarter of 2018 121
80 suicide deaths in the Active Component
18 suicide deaths in the Reserves
23 suicide deaths in the National Guard
Ever heard of a quitter inspiring others to fight? Read this then you can say, now you have.
Afghan War vet ends bid for Kansas City mayor, citing PTSD and depression
STARS AND STRIPES
By NIKKI WENTLING
Published: October 2, 2018
“I wish I would have sought help sooner, so if me going public with my struggle makes just one person seek assistance, doing this publicly is worth it to me,” he wrote.
WASHINGTON — Jason Kander, an Afghanistan War veteran widely praised as a rising star in the Democratic party, withdrew Tuesday from the Kansas City, Mo., mayoral race to seek help for depression and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Jason Kander, pictured here during a 2013 visit to Fort Leonard Wood, withdrew Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, from the Kansas City, Mo., mayoral race in order to seek help for depression and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. ANGELINA BETRAN/FORT LEONARD WOOD
Last week, Kander called the Veterans Crisis Line and told a crisis responder that he had suicidal thoughts. On Monday, he went to the Kansas City VA Medical Center, where he’s planning to receive regular treatment.
“To allow me to concentrate on my mental health, I’ve decided that I will not be running for mayor of Kansas City,” Kander wrote Tuesday.
Kander posted a letter on his campaign website and Facebook page explaining his mental health struggles. He hopes that being forthcoming will help veterans and others who are working through mental health issues, he said.
“Last Tuesday, I found out that we were going to raise more money than any Kansas City mayoral campaign ever has in a single quarter,” he wrote. “But instead of celebrating that accomplishment, I found myself on the phone with the VA’s Veterans Crisis Line, tearfully conceding that, yes, I have had suicidal thoughts. And it wasn’t the first time.”
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Chicago police officer suicide rate 60-percent higher than other departments
FOX 32 News
October 1, 2018
In a FOX 32 special report: a hidden battle behind the badge.
The tragic trend of police suicides is hitting home in Chicago, with officers taking their own lives at alarming rates.
FOX 32’s Elizabeth Matthews explains why the numbers are higher here than anywhere else.
“He wanted to help everybody, he wanted to help the world, not only certain people. He started noticing, after high school, how bad the world is, and his mission in life was to fix it,” said Ark Maciaszek.
Ark describes his cousin Scott Tracz as loud and passionate, with a big heart. Scott served as a Chicago police officer, working in some of the city's toughest neighborhoods.
“Once he got on it, this guy was 100 percent devoted to it. He said this is it. This is what I want to do. This is how I'm going to fix this,” Ark said.
But at age 30, the job began to take its toll on Scott, and Ark began asking questions.
“I wanted more details so I started asking him, and he would never tell me. He said - this is not the right time, this is not the right time to talk,” Ark said.
Ark says his cousin became quiet and distant.
“He'd seen some bad things happening to good people. He couldn't understand why,” Ark said. “He would never mention the word suicide, or harming himself. That's not Scott.”
But on December 27th, 2016 - his family's worst fears were realized.
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