U.S. Senate 86 voted for veterans 11 voted against them

The Senate passes help for veterans exposed to toxins, after a reversal drew fury

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) looks on Tuesday as Susan Zeier, mother-in-law of the late Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson, hugs Rosie Torres, wife of veteran Le Roy Torres, who suffers from illnesses related to his exposure to burn pits in Iraq, after the Senate passed the PACT Act at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The U.S. Senate, in a bipartisan 86-11 vote, approved a measure to provide health care and benefits for millions of veterans injured by exposure to toxins, from Agent Orange in Vietnam to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Known as the PACT Act, the bill no longer would force generations of veterans to prove that their illness was caused by toxic exposures suffered in the military in order to get VA coverage. It had been hailed as the largest expansion of care in VA history, and was expected to cost $280 billion over a decade.

The House passed the measure in July. President Biden, who supports the PACT Act, is expected to sign it into law.

read more here 

You may be wondering who were the eleven Senators voting against taking care of the veterans. You can stop wondering, This list is from Yahoo News

On Tuesday, the 11 no votes included:

• Mitt Romney of Utah

• Rand Paul of Kentucky

• Mike Crapo of Idaho

• James Lankford of Oklahoma

• Mike Lee of Utah

• Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming

• James Risch of Idaho

• Richard Shelby of Alabama

• Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania

• Tommy Tuberville of Alabama

• Thom Tillis of North Carolina

All 11 senators also voted against the bill in June.

"Ain't this a bitch!" Jon Stewart fights for veterans

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 29, 2022

UPDATE

Worse than we thought as GOP members of the Senate celebrated blocking this bill!

The bill that would finally provide some justice to the men and women we sent to Afghanistan and Iraq, was stopped from passing yesterday by the same people that voted for it weeks ago, GOP members of the Senate!

I've seen a lot of crap in my day and that was over a lifetime. My Dad was 100% Korean War veteran and my husband is 100% disabled Vietnam veteran. I remember what it was like to fight the VA for what their service cost then and our families. I also remember the 40 years of fighting so that veterans and families could finally see their service honored.

I've seen political games played by both parties on all sorts of issues. I have never seen a good bill being blocked to take care of veterans. Surely, politicians prolonged the passage so they could get attention for themselves, whine, moan and complain like a toddler, but in the end, there were enough votes to pass it.

This time, They needed just 10 Republicans to step up so the bill could be voted on. Only five showed up to do the right thing for veterans. So what happened to the other 55 Republicans that voted on it before passing it?

The House passed the PACT Act by a 342-88 vote on July 13, about a month after the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 84-14.

They claim it was because the House tweaked it and they couldn't stand that. I mean, the same crowd that kept repeating they support veterans and their care should never be subjected to budget cuts, is now something they want to use to take a temper tantrum!

Ever since the beginning of this nation, the leaders asked men and women to risk their lives for the sake of this nation. And ever since they returned back to this nation and home and families, they were forced to fight the same leaders to be compensated for what their service did to them. What is the most reprehensible thing of all is when they were forced to fight for what the nation did to them while they were serving and risking their lives.

Vietnam veterans fought for PTSD to be covered and treated, and that was a little easier to take on since it was due to combat. They also had to fight for being treated and compensated for what Agent Orange, sent by the government did to them and their families. Gulf War veterans were forced to fight for care after whatever the cause was for Gulf War Syndrome. And now this! Yet another thing the nation they served did to them with burn pits!

AND NOW THEY HAVE TO HEAR THIS BULLSHIT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS!

This post went up in 2008!

Troops sick from burn pits urged to contact DAV

“Anyone out there who thinks they may have had a long-term health effect ... needs to file a complaint” with the Department of Veterans Affairs, said Kerry Baker, DAV’s associate national legislative director.

Noting that it took Vietnam veterans 20 years to gain benefits for exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange, Baker said, “We don’t want to see these guys have to wait 20 years. We want to see Congress act right away.”

When will they do the right thing? When the American people demand it!

Watch the video and if you are not as angry as all these speakers are, don't ever say you support the troops or veterans with a straight face because the members of the GOP couldn't do the right thing when they had the chance, have been now seen for what they truly are and they are disgusting!

WATCH: Jon Stewart criticizes Republicans for voting down bill to increase care for veterans exposed to burn pits

PBS
Jul 28, 2022

“I’m used to the hypocrisy … but I’m not used to the cruelty,” Stewart said.

Former Talk show host turned veterans advocate, John Stewart joined a bicameral group of Democrats to call out Senate Republicans for failing to pass the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022.

In a speech riddled with strong language, Stewart criticized Republican senators for speaking in support of veterans, but then voting against the bill that would increase spending by more than $300 billion over the next decade and dramatically boost health care services and disability benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I’m used to the hypocrisy … but I’m not used to the cruelty,” Stewart said.

The bill would open up Department of Veterans Affairs health care to millions of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service even if they don’t have a service-connected disability. The bill also would provide new or increased disability benefits to thousands of veterans who have become ill with cancer or respiratory conditions such as bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The measure has the backing of the nation’s major veterans groups and underscores the continued cost of war years after the fighting has stopped.
read more here 

Warning: This video contains strong language.

Vermont National Guardsman "dead man walking" after burn pit and VA failure to test him

What's killing Staff Sergeant Wesley Black? The VA doesn't want to talk about it.

CNN
By Brianna Keilar and Catherine Valentine
March 6, 2020

"You're looking at a dead man walking!" Staff Sergeant Wesley Black

Washington (CNN) "I'm not bullshitting you when I say the conversation went like this: 'Hi Wesley, I just wanted to call and see how you're doing. Are you alone this weekend?'" retired Staff Sergeant Wesley Black said, describing the call he received three years ago from his doctor.

"'No, my wife is here,'" he answered.

"'Great,OK good, because we wanted to let you know you have stage four colon cancer, and we'll be in touch with you Monday, OK? Have a good weekend.'"

Black was 31 years old and had recently begun a new career as a firefighter. His wife had just given birth to their baby boy. Days before, they had signed the mortgage on their first home.

The colon cancer had spread to his liver and lungs and Black says doctors gave him three to five years to live. That was three years and one month ago.

Later, he learned burn pits used by the military to destroy trash in Iraq and Afghanistan, where Black had served in the Vermont National Guard, were to blame.
read it here

"For me, it was just about trying to turn the pain into purpose" after wife died serving near burn pits

Woodbury veteran's legacy lives on through Amie Muller Foundation

River Towns
Written By: Hannah Black
Jan 21st 2020

"For me, it was just about trying to turn the pain into purpose. When you think about ... what the military's done for us as a country, and then we're not taking care of our soldiers and our veterans the way we should, I think for us it's about raising awareness about how we can continue to help these veterans and to give back." Brian Muller

WOODBURY, Minn. — When Minnesota Air National Guard veteran and Woodbury resident Amie Muller died in 2017 after battling pancreatic cancer, her loved ones set out to carry on her legacy.

Amie Muller, 36, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2016 and died nine months later. Muller, who served two tours in Iraq, believed her cancer was caused by living next to a massive burn pit while stationed in Balad. Courtesy of Brian Muller

The resulting Amie Muller Foundation was formed to provide financial assistance to military families fighting pancreatic cancer. The foundation will host its second annual Family Fun Day fundraiser Sunday, Jan. 26, at Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America in Bloomington. One of two yearly fundraisers the foundation holds, Family Fun Day was started as tribute to Muller's love of family and as a way to include the children — hers, and those of her family and friends — she loved so much.

"Amie was very family-focused, and her kids were everything to her," said Julie Tomaska, Muller's best friend and fellow Minnesota Air National Guard veteran. Muller and Tomaska were in the same unit and did two tours in Iraq together in 2005 and 2007.

Amie Muller and Tomaska had been stationed at Balad Air Base near a giant open-air burn pit. Inside the pit was anything from Styrofoam to plastics and even human body parts, burning 24 hours a day in a fire stoked by jet fuel, the Star Tribune reported in 2016. The burn pit was just one of many used by the U.S. military throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tomaska and Muller's husband, Brian, started planning the foundation shortly after Amie's death. Every couple of months, the foundation's leadership combs through the GoFundMe site in search of military families affected by a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, providing $2,500 to $5,000 in financial aid to each family.

Nearly 200,000 veterans have signed up for the VA's Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. read it here

Jennifer Kepner served as an Air Force Medic in Iraq in 2006, killed by cancer caused by burn pits

President Trump signs Rep. Ruiz’s burn pits, law enforcement mental health bill into law

News Channel 3
By Jesus Reyes
December 20, 2019

Kepner lost her battle to cancer on October 16, 2017. She was 39 years old and left behind a husband and two young children. After her passing, her husband continued her fight to end burn pits.

President Donald Trump signed three of local Congressman Raul Ruiz's bills into law, including legislation to stop burn pits and improve mental health services for local law enforcement.

On Friday, Trump signed the bipartisan, $738 billion National Defense Authorization Act into law. The NDAA included two pieces of Ruiz's legislation aiming to end the use of toxic military burn pits.

Burn pits were used as the main way to get rid of waste and garbage on American military bases during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, hundreds of tons of waste were burned each day including plastics, Styrofoam, petroleum products, human waste, and other items.

Many service members and veterans exposed to burn pits ended up suffering from pulmonary issues, insomnia, cancer, and rare illnesses.

An independent registry by Burn Pits 360, a veteran organization whose goal it is to end burn pits, reveals that over 6,000 veterans have been exposed to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes generated by open air burn pits.

Ruiz's legislation calls on the Department of Defense to produce and implement a plan to phase out the use of burn pits and provide a comprehensive list of all locations where the toxic burn pits have been used.

One local veteran affected by burn pits was at the forefront of highlighting the dangers of the practice years ago.

Cathedral City resident Jennifer Kepner served as an Air Force Medic in Iraq in 2006. She told News Channel 3's John White in Sept. 2017, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2016. read it here

Those who serve...paying beyond what is acceptable

Supreme Court rejects appeal over military burn pits

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: January 14, 2019

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is rejecting appeals from military veterans who claim they suffer health problems because of open burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The justices on Monday left in place a federal appeals court ruling that more than 60 lawsuits over the burn pits could not go forward.

The lawsuits said military contractor KBR dumped tires, batteries, medical waste and other materials into open burn pits. The suits claimed the resulting smoke caused neurological problems, cancers and other health issues in more than 800 servicemembers. The complaints said at least 12 servicemembers died. #ExposedAndBetrayed
read more here

Commandant tells Coast Guard families: ‘You have not, and will not, be forgotten’

By STARS AND STRIPES
Published: January 14, 2019

Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz drew attention to ongoing missions around the globe and expressed his support for Coast Guard families as the service prepared for about 41,000 members to go without paychecks on Tuesday as part of the ongoing partial government shutdown.

A Coast Guard Cutter Munro crewmember embraces his children after the cutter returned home to Alameda, Calif., Dec. 24, 2018. MATTHEW MASASCHI/U.S. COAST GUARD

"While our Coast Guard workforce is deployed, there are loved ones at home reviewing family finances, researching how to get support, and weighing childcare options—they are holding down the fort," Schultz wrote on Sunday. "Please know that we are doing everything we can to support and advocate for you while your loved one stands the watch. You have not, and will not, be forgotten."
read more here

And then there is the latest news that the Congress is once again thinking about the term permanent and totally disabled should be followed up with "just kidding." They managed to cut the taxes on their wealthy friends, but now they want to cut the budgets of the disabled veterans who cannot afford to lose their compensation. Gee, wonder how much the heads of all the corporations get for their compensation after that sweetheart deal?

In other words folks...mostly cutting Vietnam veterans off at the knees!

Background

In 2017, 4.5 million veterans with medical conditions or injuries that were incurred or that worsened during active-duty service received disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The amount of compensation such veterans receive depends on the severity of their disabilities (which are rated between zero and 100 percent in increments of 10), the number of their dependents, and other factors—but not on their income or civilian employment history.

In addition, VA may increase certain veterans' disability compensation to the 100 percent level, even though VA has not rated their service-connected disabilities at that level. To receive the supplement, termed an Individual Unemployability (IU) payment, disabled veterans must apply for the benefit and meet two criteria. First, veterans generally must be rated between 60 percent and 90 percent disabled. Second, VA must determine that veterans' disabilities prevent them from maintaining substantially gainful employment—for instance, if their employment earnings would keep them below the poverty threshold for one person. In 2017, for veterans who received the supplement, it boosted their monthly VA disability payment by an average of about $1,200. In September 2017, about 380,000 veterans received IU payments. Of those veterans, the Congressional Budget Office estimates, about 180,000 were age 67 or older. That age group has been the largest driver of growth in the program.

VA's regulations require that IU benefits be based on a veteran's inability to maintain substantially gainful employment because of the severity of a service-connected disability and not because of age, voluntary withdrawal from work, or other factors. About 48 percent of veterans receiving the IU supplement were 67 or older in September 2017, up from about 40 percent in September 2010. That rise is attributed largely to the aging of Vietnam War veterans.

But the tax cuts for the wealthy they managed to make permanent!

House passes GOP bill to make new tax cuts permanent

• Republicans have sped legislation through the House to expand their massive new tax law, capping their session for the year as they rush out of town to face voters in the November elections.
• The new bill would make permanent the individual and small-business tax cuts in the law.
• It's the second tax-cut proposal that Republican leaders have pushed in less than a year.

Burn Pits get studied today, forgotten about from all other wars

Wonder if any of these reporters are aware this is how they got rid of the same stuff in all other wars?

*******

Burn Pits Exposed: A Look at How Military Got Rid of 'Anything and Everything' on Overseas Bases

NBC 10 News
By NBC10 Investigators
Published Nov 16, 2018

They served. Now they're sick. Thousands of former soldiers claim they are suffering ill effects from the garbage disposal methods on overseas bases.

In the middle of the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, garbage disposal on American military bases was historically a simple thing.

"Anything and everything burned in a burn pit — from mail to dead animals to anything," Ryan Conklin, a former soldier, says.

Asbestos and other chemicals? Yes, retired Army Lt. Col. Dan Brewer, says.

Medical waste? Yes again, according to a doctor now researching the effects of burn pit dust. "It was always burning, always black smoke coming of there," another veteran, Michael Ray, says.

Several former soldiers and medical doctors spoke to NBC10 Investigators about their experiences with burn pits: large holes dug by crews who then filled the pits with trash and lit them on fire with jet fuel. For many soldiers deployed to the desert and living on bases adjacent to the debris disposal, the billowing black smoke was just part of their daily life.
read more here

Military’s burn pit problems ignored by Congress

Veterans fear Congress has forgotten about the military’s burn pit problems
Military Times
By: Leo Shane III
5 hours ago

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nathanial Fink, left, and Lance Cpl. Garrett Camacho dispose of trash in a burn pit in the Khan Neshin district of Afghanistan in March 2012. (Cpl. Alfred V. Lopez/Marine Corps)

WASHINGTON — For years, Veterans Affairs leaders and administration officials have promised they won’t let health issues surrounding burn pit exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan become another “Agent Orange” in the community.

Now, advocates and a handful of lawmakers are worried it already has.

“The level of awareness among members of Congress on the problems from burn pits is abysmally low,” said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii and an Army National Guard soldier who served in Iraq in 2004-2005. “Too few understand the urgency of the issue.”

Gabbard and Afghanistan war veteran Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., recently introduced new legislation dubbed the Burn Pits Accountability Act to require more in-depth monitoring of servicemembers’ health for signs of illnesses connected to toxic exposure in combat zones.
read more here

Did Burn Pits Kill Joe Biden's Son?

Biden addresses possible link between son’s fatal brain cancer and toxic military burn pits

PBS

Dan Sagalyn

January 10, 2018

The issue appears to be personal for Biden, whose son, Beau Biden, a former Delaware attorney general, died at age 46 in May 2015 from glioblastoma multiforme, the most common form of brain cancer.

A U.S. Army soldier watches bottled water that had gone bad burn in a burn-pit at Forward Operating Base Azzizulah in Maiwand District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, February 4, 2013. File Photo by REUTERS/Andrew Burton 

Former Vice President Joe Biden said he thinks toxins found in smoke from burning waste at U.S. military installations in Iraq and at other facilities abroad could “play a significant role” in causing veterans’ cancer.

“Science has recognized there are certain carcinogens when people are exposed to them,” Biden said in an interview with Judy Woodruff last week. “Depending on the quantities and the amount in the water and the air, [they] can have a carcinogenic impact on the body.”

Biden’s comments shed light on a debate that has roiled physicians, former service members and the Department of Veteran Affairs about whether the health of some U.S. military personnel was compromised by garbage disposal methods used by contractors and the military at overseas bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As a major in the Delaware Army National Guard, Beau Biden’s judge advocate general unit was activated in late 2008. He served in Iraq for much of 2009 at Camp Victory in Baghdad and Balad Air Force Base, 50 miles north of the Iraqi capital. Both bases used large burn pits. Earlier, he helped train local prosecutors and judges in Kosovo after the 1998-1999 war. read more here

Has Florida Doctor found cure for burnpits

Vets exposed to burn pits falling ill, treatment invented in Tampa Bay
WTSP News
Liz Crawford
January 9, 2018

Dr. Harrell said he's cured all of the veterans he's treated so far. His goal now is to make his treatment easily accessible for all veterans suffering from burn pit exposure.

PALM HARBOR, Fla
You've likely heard many stories over the years of veterans dealing with PTSD or soldiers learning to live as an amputee but there's another lesser-known challenge tormenting our soldiers.

Exposure to toxic burn pits while in Iraq and Afghanistan could have devastating effects on the lungs. While tens of thousands of veterans have signed the VA's burn pit registry, nothing else is being done...until now.

Joe Hernandez served four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the US army. During that time he was exposed to toxic burn pits where the military burned waste like chemicals, ammunition, oil, anything they had to get rid of.

Hernandez explained that depending on which way the wind would shift, he would breathe in the burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan for extended periods of time.

“It’s war, it's not pretty. You got so many other things that are going to kill you on a daily basis so it’s like well what are you going to do?” Hernandez revealed.

When Hernandez came home in 2009, he struggled and had to adjust to becoming a regular civilian. Eventually, he found relief in fitness and started a new career in Florida as a personal trainer. However, Hernandez started to notice that although he was in great shape, he was lethargic and got winded way too easy, and even struggled to breathe.
read more here

If You Think Veterans Are Not News Worthy, You're Not Paying Attention

SEVEN DAYS IN OCTOBER
Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
October 7, 2017

There are so many times when I have to explain to people why I do not have time for Facebook or other social media sites. Aside from this site, working a full time job, family, friends and more, this is what my week also looks like.

Seven Days Ago

Veterans angry, disappointed following PBS’ Vietnam War documentary

"But veterans of the South Vietnamese military say they were largely left out of the narrative, their voices drowned out by the film’s focus on North Vietnam and its communist leader, Ho Chi Minh. And many American veterans say that the series had several glaring omissions and focused too much on leftist anti-war protesters and soldiers who came to oppose the war."

Bill would help veterans exposed to burn pits

"Amie Muller returned home to Woodbury nearly a decade ago after serving a two-year tour in Iraq. The end of her deployment, however, ushered in a gamut of health issues for Muller, including severe skin rashes and sun sensitivity, chronic fatigue and a fibromyalgia diagnosis. She was eventually diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer in 2016. Amie, a mother of three, died from the disease in February at age 36...."

Army Specialist Pleads Guilty in Female Soldier's Slaying

"The Leaf-Chronicle reports that Spc. Charles Robinson III pleaded guilty at his court-martial Thursday to murder, conspiracy and obstruction of justice in the death of Pfc. Shadow McClaine. The post on the Kentucky-Tennessee line houses the 101st Airborne Division."

Army Ends Search for Remains, Wreckage from Hawaii Helicopter Crash

"The 25th Infantry Division said in a statement Thursday officials wrapped up the search after concluding it was unlikely to find additional remains. Investigators also determined they had gathered enough evidence for a thorough probe into the cause of the crash. All five crew members on board were killed when the UH-60 helicopter went down off Oahu on Aug. 15."

2 Troops Injured in Non-Combat V-22 Crash in Syria

"The two were evaluated for non-life threatening injuries and quickly transported to a medical treatment facility where they were seen and released," said the statement from Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.

Dad learns why you shouldn't drop the f-bomb in front of your toddler

"As a former U.S. Marine, now a father, there is perhaps one word I should try to cut out of my vernacular around my soon to be 2-year-old', he posted on Twitter."

Retired Gen. Ham: I got emotional support. You can, too.

This guy...General Ham, is one of the heroes on PTSD and getting help! “I didn’t die, but I was definitely reborn,” said Parish, who spent the last seven years of his military career as a lead instructor for resilience training. “I strongly encourage anyone to ask for help before it’s too late.” "The first step is the hardest, Ham said. “It’s knocking on the door and saying, ‘Hey, chaplain, you got a minute?’ But once you take the first step, it’s easy. If you experience hardship and then get help to work your way through it, you come out stronger.” #combatptsd

Mom with disabled veteran son blasts NFL protests

"Rolaine Stoddard said she cries when no one is around because of the grief she has experienced as a military mom. Her one moment that made it seem like the sacrifices were worthwhile was when NFL stadiums filled with fans would stand during the National Anthem in unison - a moment that she said was stolen from her by the protests"

Peterson AFB delivers food and water to thousands in Puerto Rico

"COLORADO SPRINGS - The U.S. Northern Command, in support of FEMA continues to conduct 24-hour operations working to open ports and roads, restore power, and assist with bringing life-saving commodities into disaster-affected areas."

Burnette Chapel Church Of Christ Fellowship Unbroken Faith

"I sat out here. It was early Monday morning and I was looking up and I could see Orion's Belt," Carter said. "I mean just how great — don’t understand why — but how great God truly is." Terry Carter If you want to know what causes #ptsd read this story and not only understand it better, but know more about what it takes to heal it!

Missing Veteran Alert: James Kozik 

"Police said James Kozik, 31, of New London has been missing for approximately three weeks. His friend said he went for a walk one evening and never returned home, and anyone with information on his location is asked to contact police immediately." 

Six Days Ago 
County Vietnam dead, missing remembered in annual vigil

“We’ve got at least one person per shift” to staff the vigil, White said, and more in some cases. “We’ve got an assortment of people. We’ve got some guys that are still on active duty, a couple of guys that helped us out last year. And some new Vietnam veterans have stepped up to the plate” who haven’t previously participated. A surviving sister of an individual killed in the war also volunteered for the first time.

Fort Snelling Veteran Volunteer Received Veterans Voices Award

"The actions of people like Anderson exemplify mission of Veterans Voices, which is to let them dictate their own narrative, O'Fallon said. "They say, 'We get trapped into two stories: "You're a hero, thanks for your service," or, 'Oh my God, maybe you're troubled and have #PTSD and we don't know how to talk to you,'" he said.

England cricket star's punch victim an Afghanistan war veteran: report

"[The victim is] a loving dad and a proper family man. He's got a little boy … he wouldn't instigate a fight," the relative said. "He's a trained soldier, he's been to Afghanistan, he knows better than that. But he knows how to handle himself. "It's quite shocking. I don't think he's said much to anybody. You wouldn't expect that kind of behaviour."

Demons Defeated UK Veteran--MoD Left Him Unarmed to Fight PTSD

"The demons are winning the battle, I can’t keep going any more and I’m so tired. I have seen things nobody should ever see and I see it ­everywhere I go and it’s eating away at me. It hurts babe, it’s been 20 years of pain and so much that I can only think of one way to stop the pain." Mike Emslie #combatptsd

'It's a vendetta' Hero veteran who fought ISIS investigated by MoD for fraud

Allan Duncan, 50, spent the last three years as the only British veteran fighting alongside the Peshmergan 7 Brigade, official coalition partners in the war against the evil death cult in the Iraq. His experiences have been featured in the Daily Express and even used by British security services hungry for vital intelligence on ISIS. But now the Ministry of Defence is investigating him for fraud, because he claims a partial pension for post-traumatic stress disorder #PTSD

UPDATE-She was not alone!!!!

Vietnam Veteran's Widow Planned Lonely Funeral For Tomorrow

FIVE DAYS AGO 
USS Kirk Crew Honored for Rescues After Vietnam War

Saturday was the first time the crew had been recognized formally by the U.S. government. The ceremony included dignitaries and congressional, county and city officials."

Corporal Legend, Parris Island Mascot, Has Passed Away

"Corporal Legend, a mascot who has served as a Parris Island morale booster since 2011, died on Sept. 17, according to a release from the Marine Corps depot. The English Bulldog was found unresponsive and taken to the depot's veterinary clinic where he was pronounced dead, according to the release. It states a funeral ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 13 at the depot's mascot cemetery."

After losing their loved ones at war, survivors find strength in each other on Colorado ranch

Howell described surviving in one word: stuck. At least, that’s how she felt for the first several years. “When you grieve you kind of get stuck in the muckery,” she said. “The shock of grief. It takes time to come out of it.”

Navy training jet is missing after reports of crash in Tennessee

“At approximately 6 p.m., Training Air Wing ONE, based at Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss., was made aware of the reports of a jet crash near Tellico Plains, Tenn., in the Cherokee National Forest,” a Navy statement said.

First woman takes command at Joint Task Force North at Fort Bliss

"Brig. Gen. Laura Yeager grew up in a military family, but no one really expected her to become a soldier too. Yeager, the new commanding general at Joint Task Force North, originally joined the Army to help pay for her college education."

Las Vegas shooting near Mandalay Bay - live updates

"A shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip killed at least 20 people and wounded more than 100 others late Sunday, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said. He said the man authorities think was the sole gunman was killed by police on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino across Las Vegas Boulevard from the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a country music festival."

Gorham police officer recognized for helping Vietnam veterans

"The two Vietnam vets that were in that truck are the true heroes. Unfortunately, it was not just a battery issue wrong with the truck the alternator had seized also. It was time for me to go off duty shortly after this picture was taken."

Protests muted week after NFL responds to Trump criticism

"The Colts tweeted a statement from their players explaining why kneeling is not meant to be disrespectful of the flag." Then they should stop using it to make a point about what is important to them. The Anthem is more than just a "song" to far too many!

Service dog warns ex-Army sergeant of seizures

"But for Sgt. Mark Jenkins, his relationship with Scout, a 9-year-old yellow Lab, is more than just a bond of friendship. It's a lifesaving connection. Jenkins, who medically retired from the U.S. Army in 2010, depends on Scout — considered a "service animal' — to alert him to the fact he's close to suffering a seizure."

Veterans audition to tell other vets' stories

"Henne and Ploof interviewed 42 local military veterans since August 2016 in writing the script for “The Veterans Project,” which will debut in November. They range from a 93-year-old World War II veteran to twenty-something soldiers still on active during, Henne said."

More than 20 people killed, 100 hurt in Las Vegas Strip shooting

"People kept dropping and dropping… People were getting shot one foot away from us," she said. “People were trying to save their friends. There were gunshots everywhere. Helping them would’ve meant that we got shot too.”

Dead rats and frogs discovered in Camp Pendleton water supply

"Despite the nauseating discovery, Camp Pendleton officials say the water — consumed by some 55,000 Marines and their families — is safe, and that there is no need to boil water or take other precautions, according to a memo circulated by the base’s leadership."

Two Pilots Killed in Cherokee National Forest Navy Jet Crash

Both pilots aboard a Navy training jet that went down in Cherokee National Forest have been confirmed dead, military personnel said Monday.

" Las Vegas shooting victims identified

"LAS VEGAS -- At least 58 people were killed and more than 500 others were injured after a gunman opened fire at a country music festival in Las Vegas. The victims of the deadliest mass shooting in recent American history were beginning to be identified on Monday afternoon."

Will Veterans’ Family, Caregiver, and Survivor Advisory Committee Remember Us?

The Committee will advise the Secretary, through the Chief Veterans Experience Officer, on matters related to Veterans’ families, caregivers, and survivors across all generations, relationships, and Veteran status..."

Gary Sinise honors military in Melbourne

"Lieutenant Dan, certainly, when I played that I got more involved with our wounded through the Disabled American Veterans Organization and started supporting them," he told FLORIDA TODAY. The group contacted Sinise three weeks after the movie opened in 1994, inviting him to a convention.

Pennsylvania now has Stolen Valor Law

GOV. Tom Wolf has announced that the Pennsylvania Stolen Valor Law is now in effect. The law protects benefits for Pennsylvania’s service members and veterans. It makes it a crime to impersonate a service member, a veteran of the armed services, or a recipient of a service medal or decoration to gain access to those privileges set aside specifically for those who have served our country.

Maine veterans given substandard care are told it’s too late to sue

"Now, Wood and five other Maine veterans are suing, claiming that the VA fraudulently concealed that a podiatrist at the VA hospital in Togus gave them substandard care, subjecting them to years of pain that hospital officials now say could have been avoided. Their case is currently before U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy in Portland, who will decide whether the lawsuits can move forward."

The best that comes out of many because of the "one"

Time and time again we have witnessed the worst that can be done, but we have also witnessed the best that comes out of many because of the one.

Navy SEAL killed in California skydiving accident FOUR DAYS AGO

"The SEAL, Cmdr. Seth Stone, died after jumping out of a hot air balloon in Perris in Riverside County, Calif. The Federal Aviation Administration said his parachute failed to open properly and the agency is investigating."

Vietnam veteran earned more than 45 military awards

"While Joseph L. Durbin Jr. is proud to have served his country for 39 years, when he talks about his three Bronze Stars earned during two tours of duty in Vietnam, he modestly shrugs off the medals as simply recognition for doing his job."

Iraq war veteran borrows a utility van to ferry dozens of victims to the hospital

"“We started grabbing people and loading them in the truck,” Winston said. “Some were in critical condition. We took a full load to the hospital and then came back for more.” Winston estimates that he ferried around 30 people to the hospital, where emergency workers waited to take over."

Army Veteran: Las Vegas Shooting Worse Than Iraq Skirmishes

The soldier, who was on a search and rescue team in 2012, said he started helping people get out of the line of fire. "I just did what I was supposed to do and what I was trained to do, and I was trying to take care of people."

Stories of heroism emerge from Las Vegas massacre

When you see evil, think help comes too late, too little, remember angels often come in the middle. “What these people did for each other says far more about who we are as Americans than the cowardly acts of a killer ever could,” Sanders said, fighting back tears during the daily news briefing.

12 hours after deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, fear grips Vegas strip

By Monday afternoon, 59 victims were dead and 527 injured in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. "You just didn't know what to do," Akiyoshi said. "Your heart is racing and you're thinking, 'I'm going to die.'"
"Tales of heroism and compassion emerged quickly: Couples held hands as they ran through the dirt lot. Some of the bleeding were carried out by fellow concertgoers. While dozens of ambulances took away the wounded, some people loaded victims into their cars and drove them to the hospital."

Iraq War Veteran Helped Direct Cops To Vegas Shooter’s Room

Gunfire rang out last night just two floors below Chris Bethel’s Mandalay Bay Hotel room. “I could just hear the gun shots. Continuously. Just full automatic,” said Bethel. “There’s explosions going off. It was like, a bomb just went off man. And then there were more gun shots.”

Community turns out to honor Vietnam veteran Roman Belasco

"When veteran organizations stepped in to help it was estimated 100 people would show, but there were hundreds of people. "It was shoulder to shoulder," said Steve Kjonaas, COO of VFW in Colorado, "People right next to each other. Everybody from all the veterans organizations, active duty military, I saw some cadets around here and everybody working together. It was just a wonderful sight.""

Spokane Army veteran describes terror of Vegas shooting

"I've done a lot of deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan and it's kind of different because there was no way to really protect yourself. It's a whole new feeling for me," said Jon Tampien. Minutes after posing for a photo outside Mandalay Bay, Tampien was forced to fight for his life.

WWII veteran finally gets VA benefits after more than 70 years without

"World War II veteran could’ve been receiving veteran benefits for the past 70 years, but he never signed up with the VA...Thanks to Kurt Heitman at the VA office on Fort Carson, who has gone above and beyond to help this hometown hero out, in a matter of about six weeks the VA determined Sgt. Sekulich is 100 percent disabled due to his hearing loss suffered from the war and he is now receiving his very well-deserved benefits."

Pulse survivors stand with Vegas

"After Sunday night’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, survivors of the Pulse Nightclub attack are responding with words of support. "I can feel it in all my wounds, it's like reliving that morning all over again," said survivor Tony Marrero. "All my senses and emotions are triggered just thinking of those families and friends of victims.""

How to Help Mandalay Bay Survivors. Be There!

Having seen the worst that can happen after a survivor is suffering without help, I weep more because I know that suffering did not need to happen. #combatptsd

General Tries to Avoid Political Firestorm over Puerto Rico Relief

"I'm not a Republican. I'm not a Democrat. I'm not a member of the blue party. I'm not a member of the green party. I'm a soldier and I'm here to help people," Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan said. "The people here need help and we're going to give them all the help we've got," he told PBS...

Soldier killed in Iraq bomb blast was just starting first deployment

"Army Spc. Alexander W. Missildine died Sunday of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in northern Iraq, according to a Pentagon statement released Tuesday. He was assigned to the 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division from Fort Polk in Louisiana."

Truck Thief You Got To Love!

An Iraq veteran is being hailed as a hero for stealing a festival truck and rescuing dozens of shooting victims as gunfire rained down in Las Vegas Sunday night."

THREE DAYS AGO 
Beaufort Marine found shot is released from the hospital. But who pulled the trigger?

An active-duty Marine who arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort’s gate Sept. 21 with multiple gunshot wounds is out of the hospital, according to the Corps, but the case remains under investigation."

Pilots killed in Tennessee jet trainer crash identified

"Lt. Patrick L. Ruth and Lt. j.g. Wallace E. Burch were the Navy pilots killed Sunday when the T-45C training jet that they were flying crashed into the Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee..."

38 year-old Goochland Army vet found dead in his wheelchair last spring in apartment

A Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper carrier found the body of Paul Chisholm between 4:30 and 4:45 a.m. April 17 in the parking lot of the Retreat at West Creek, located on Wilkes Ridge Parkway just west of the Short Pump area."

Veterans among victims of Las Vegas shooting, others fought to save lives

"No active duty servicemembers were among the dead or injured, the Pentagon said, but reports of National Guard, reserve and military veterans are slowly emerging from the horrific scene: a 34-year-old off-duty police officer who was a military veteran who coached youth football; a California Guardsman and his wife, wounded and in stable condition; a former Marine, a former Army Ranger and other veterans whose battlefield training kicked in, prompting them to jump in to save lives."

VA apologizes to Vietnam vet for ER denial

Despite doing exactly what the VA instructed, Rocky received a denial letter in the mail. The VA was refusing to pay for the stent removal, leaving the 100% service connected disabled veteran with the $1,200 bill. “What more could I have done?” Rocky asked while throwing his hands in the air. “I did as I was told, I don’t know how else you could do it!”

Dakota Meyer slams Dan Bilzerian for filming himself fleeing Vegas

'This is what kills me about people like you,' Meyer wrote to Blizerian. 'Always playing 'operator dress up' and so, so tough when the cameras are on''Running away filming, that's not what operators do. Please stop trying to be someone your not. People are dying, you're running away' Bilzerian constantly posts photos of himself alongside his arsenal of weapons, working out topless, or surrounded by a bevvy of Instagram models...But he failed to make the grade when he applied to join the Navy SEALs...

Mobile veterans services center touring county

"VA's Office of Rural Health (ORH), created in 2007, strives to eliminate the barriers between rural Veterans and the services they have earned and deserve, thus improving Veterans' health and well-being by increasing access to care. According to ORH, 5.2 million Veterans live in rural communities across the United States, and more than 32.9 million rural Veterans rely on VA for their health care."

Dennis Eakin Kia honors Vietnam veterans

“This is a big thing,” Jones said. “I’m hoping that it will spread across this country to tell those that are still living, Vietnam vets, that it did matter and that we were doing something that, at that time, no one else was willing to do.” Jones served in the Army and the Marine Corps from 1966-1987 and currently works as a minister and pastor.

Vietnam veteran earned more than 45 military awards

"While Joseph L. Durbin Jr. is proud to have served his country for 39 years, when he talks about his three Bronze Stars earned during two tours of duty in Vietnam, he modestly shrugs off the medals as simply recognition for doing his job."

Iraq war veteran from Lake Elsinore helped victims after Las Vegas mass shooting

“I still have dried blood in the cracks of my hands,” said Tami Colosimo, 44, a Moreno Valley High graduate who lives in Lake Elsinore. “I have probably washed my hands 100 times.” And, with all the trauma she saw during two tours as a military police officer in Iraq, she can’t get one image out of her mind from Sunday night.

Army veteran risked his life to save others at Las Vegas concert massacre, but don't call him a heor

"Robert Ledbetter was a scout sniper for the U.S. Army Rangers during one tour of duty in Iraq. He was trained for war. Those instincts kicked in on Sunday night at a different battlefield: about 40 yards from the stage where Jason Aldean was performing."

5 Hero Veterans Who Saved Lives in Las Vegas 'War Zone'

1. Marine vet Taylor Winston stole a truck to evacuate the wounded
2. Army vet Colin Donohue moved others out of the line of fire
3. Marine vet Scott Yarmer evaded gunfire while leading others out
4. Army vet John Tampien moved his group to safety
5. Army vet Robert Ledbetter treated the wounded and made a tourniquet with a shirt

Man caught at traffic stop with automatic weapons, 900 rounds

"... Scott Edmisten, 43, of Johnson City, carrying a .357-caliber Magnum, a loaded .45-caliber semi-automatic, a .223-caliber fully automatic assault rifle, a .308-caliber fully automatic assault rifle, (aren't registered and lack serial numbers ) more than 900 rounds of ammunition, and survival equipment, Washington County Sheriff Ed Graybeal said."

The general's speech is the one we wish the President could make

In the battlefield of ideas, the general launched a frontal assault. "We are here," he said, "because we have a better idea." He called for "civil discourse" on the issues tearing the country apart. And he explained why the ideas of the bigots are wrong, speaking about how diversity creates strength, about the power we derive because, "we come from all walks of life... from all races ... all backgrounds ... all upbringings."

Defendant pleads guilty in disabled veteran's beating death

"The third of four suspects accused in the beating death of a disabled veteran in 2012 has pleaded guilty. The death penalty trial for Leroy Hines, 37, was scheduled to begin Monday in Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court. He avoided a possible death sentence by pleading guilty to felony murder Friday, and will be sentenced at a hearing scheduled for Nov. 13."

Providing An Adrenaline Rush For A Disabled Veteran

"...Retired Army Captain Edward Klein. The unique part is that Klein, who served 16 years in the Army; with tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan; is a triple amputee. He lost both legs above the knee, the right arm above the elbow, and three fingers on his left hand."

Contractors will pay $3 million settlement after allegedly

“Every time an ineligible contractor knowingly pursues and obtains such set-aside contracts, they are cheating American taxpayers at the expense of service-disabled veterans.” Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler.

Homeless Army Veteran Died Left Behind Bible

"The flag was placed there by members of a homeless community to honor Jeffrey R. Bakos, a 55-year-old veteran of the U.S. Army, according to his grieving friends."

Hit and Run in Florida Killed Michigan Sheriff's Deputy

"A 31-year-old Oakland County sheriff's deputy died in a hit-and-run crash in Orlando, Florida, while on vacation with her husband on Sunday, Oct. 1, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office says."

Saving Veterans Is Not In Awareness, It Is In The Works

If someone is hungry, do you give them sand to eat or do you give them food? If a veteran lost hope, do you make them aware of so many others who also lost hope, and then took their own lives, or do you give them hope they can heal #combatptsd

Ex-soldier convicted of manslaughter starts GoFundMe to pay restitution, causes outrage

Let's get this straight. He did it, was found guilty and now he wants others to pay the debt he owes the families? "Jan Michael Nieves Delgado, 22, on the crowd funding account pleaded for donations toward the $10,000 in restitution he was ordered to pay to the victims’ families."

Two Days Ago
House Dems boycott VA reform discussion over inclusion of right-leaning group: report

You know how I feel about politicians...all of them. This may shock you, but on this one, I totally agree with this boycott. "House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Democrats would not attend the meeting because Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) would be there. Democrats accused the group of being more interested in political attacks than creating new policy."

Navy officer fights for right to try unproven drugs before dying

"Matt Bellina was a 30-year-old officer in the U.S. Navy flying out of the Pacific Northwest to protect the country when he started showing symptoms of the deadly Lou Gehrig's disease in 2012. Now he's taken on a new fight: a law making it easier for terminally ill patients to get access to experimental drugs."

Valley Vietnam Veteran Battles Diabetes Linked to Agent Orange Exposure

"Veterans who believe they are suffering from an illness linked to Agent Orange may have health care options through the VA. "One of the most important things that they need to do when they believe that they've been exposed to Agent Orange is to come by either the McAllen outpatient clinic or the Harlingen outpatient clinic," said VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend spokesperson Reynaldo Leal." #agentorange

Judge won't release Iraq War veteran fighting deportation - ABC News

"Chong Kim, a South Korean immigrant and green card holder from Portland, Oregon, struggled with drug addiction, homelessness and post-traumatic stress following his time in Iraq in 2009 and 2010, leading to convictions for burglary and other charges. Kim's lawyer and friends have said he has done well since completing a substance abuse treatment program run by the Department of Veterans Affairs early this year." #combatptsd

3 Green Berets killed, 2 wounded in Niger ambush

"Three Green Berets were killed and two others wounded, military officials speaking on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press. The injured soldiers were taken to Niger’s capital city of Niamey and were in stable condition, said the officials, who had not been authorized to speak publicly."

While others were fleeing Las Vegas shooting scene, an Army veteran drove straight to it

"While thousands of people scrambled from the parking lot where the Route 91 Harvest music festival was held as bullets rained down from overhead, Stalker ran straight into the crowd. He searched frantically for his girlfriend and her mother. Unable to find them in the chaos, "I just started helping anyone and everyone I could," Stalker said."

Veteran charged in Gray's Creek murder

"He was the court’s first graduate during a ceremony in April 2016, earning praise from local judges, Veterans Affairs officials and others. But a little more than a year later, Vann, 32, of the 300 block of Southern Comfort Drive in Parkton, was led into a courtroom under very different circumstances."

‘Alzheimer’s is a veterans’ disease:’ New group tries to improve support for vets

Her (Shawn Taylor) decision to focus her attention on veterans -- a group disproportionately at risk for dementia – was personal, too. Taylor’s grandfather, John Gavin, was an Army colonel and West Point graduate, and her father, Bernard Landau, is a retired lieutenant colonel and Vietnam War veteran.

The five former presidents will headline a hurricane benefit concert

"Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush and Jimmy Carter will be the headliners at a special concert Oct. 21 at Texas A&M's Reed Arena in College Station, which will raise money for hurricane relief efforts."

Vets Sue Defense Department over 1966 Spain H-Bomb Mishap

"The lawsuit was filed by Yale Law School students representing Vietnam Veterans of America, the group's Connecticut chapter and Anthony Maloni, a 72-year-old veteran airman from Agawam, Massachusetts."

California Guard soldier and his wife injured in Las Vegas shooting

"A California National Guard soldier and his wife were among those injured in the shooting Sunday night in Las Vegas. The couple is in stable condition, Capt. Will Martin, a spokesman for the California Guard, confirmed to Army Times."

Green Alerts bill helps at-risk veterans

"Months after a missing veteran was found dead, his family is calling on lawmakers for change. It's called The Corey Adams Searchlight Act, named after a Milwaukee veteran who went missing earlier this year."

Air Force veterans reconnect after more than 50 years apart

"Cheyenne resident Ray Cahoon and Roy Salmon of Melbourne, Florida, met while stationed at Tachikawa Airfield in western Tokyo in 1957. Two years later, however, they lost touch after Cahoon was transferred while Salmon was at a track meet in the United States. For decades, the two men didn’t speak, but they never forgot one another."

Unclaimed veterans deserve a proper military funeral

As many as five of 64 unclaimed bodies that were set for mass interment could be veterans, according to Lancaster County Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni. If those bodies turn out to be veterans, they will have a military funeral, likely held at Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, a local Veterans Affairs official said."

Service to be held today for slain off-duty Las Vegas police officer - ABC News

"A service will be held this evening for Charleston Hartfield, an off-duty Las Vegas police officer and Nevada Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class, who was killed Sunday night when a gunman opened fire on a county music festival. Hartfield, who leaves behind a son and daughter, was attending Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas when he and 57 others were gunned down in what is now the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history."

As bullets flew in Las Vegas, Tacoma surgeon improvised to help victims

"Dr. James Sebesta is a surgeon who retired last year from service at Madigan Army Medical Center after an Army career that included four deployments to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan."
"Sunday, he encountered some of the worst carnage of his career during what he called a “prolonged date night” as he attended the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. After surviving the onslaught of bullets unleashed in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, he sent his wife away with friends to a safe place while he stayed behind to help the wounded."

Las Vegas Survivors and Responders Struggle to Heal

After Pulse, Police Officers said that the worst part was after the shooting stopped. They had to walk around in puddles of blood, but even that wasn't the worst for them. It was the constant ring of cell phones as they prayed the batteries would die. They knew on the other end of the call, was someone looking for someone who was not going home to them. #ptsd

After Hurricane Maria, The Flood of PTSD Cases

"PTSD doesn't develop immediately, it develops after about a month," Asim Shah, M.D., chief of the division of community psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine, told CBS News. #PTSD

Army of Heroes Showed Up in Las Vegas

A few of the Army veterans still putting their lives on the line for the sake of others. And thy wonder why the rest of us call them heroes?

One Day Ago 
A skydiver's parachute failed; prosecutors say her husband sabotaged it

"Prosecutors said Cilliers, a 37-year-old sergeant in the Royal Army Physical Training Corps, removed parts of his wife's parachute in hopes that she would die in the jump, according to British media."

Heartwarming: Disabled Napa Veteran Wins Toyota Tundra

"As an aircraft mechanic,( Steven) Hale was stationed in South Korea and did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He might still be serving today had a 100-pound generator not been dropped on him while he was on the job, injuring his shoulder; or had a drunk driver not hit him, breaking his neck and back."

Tricare reform rules fire a curveball over Jan. 1 fee levels

"Elderly or disabled retirees who use Tricare for Life, the military’s supplemental insurance to Medicare, and families of active duty enrolled in Prime, the managed care plan supported by military treatment facilities, will not impacted by the new set of appointment fees established under Select."

Union warns of VA privatization ahead of Choice reform debate

One word for this, Yep! "Using sometimes fiery language, they illustrated the VA as a model example of health care that was being starved of money and staff to benefit 'corporate cronies.'"

Honor Vietnam veterans

"To every Vietnam veteran, I admire and respect the sacrifices that you made. In fact, it was part of that selflessness and duty that influenced me to join the Army in 1989. I did not suffer like the Vietnam vets did, but it was because of your example that I enlisted. Having come from a long line of veterans, I wanted my family to be proud of me." Michelle L. Berthon

Missing leg won't keep 94-year-old veteran from standing for national anthem

"Marian Morreale has been practicing how to stand for the last three months. She is a 94-year-old World War II veteran and her left leg was amputated last year. But she practiced standing so that she could when the national anthem opening game of the Sabres tonight. She is trying to make a point."

Meet the veteran WUSA9's service dog Bunce is helping

"Dan Berschinski served our country as an Army Lieutenant in Afghanistan. In 2009, he lost both legs to an IED. He was 25. Fast forward to 2017, and Bunce now helps him in so many ways.

Head of Vietnam veteran charity who embezzled $150,000 sentenced to five

"John Thomas Burch, 75, of Alexandria, Virginia, who pleaded guilty in June to wire fraud, was the president of the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation until last year." "The former head of a Washington, D.C., charity meant to benefit Vietnam veterans, who embezzled about $150,000 of donations to spend on women he was involved with, was sentenced Thursday to five months in prison."

82nd Airborne in Afghanistan helps with gender reveal for fallen NC soldier

"All the way from Afghanistan, members of the 82nd prepped confetti canons and began to record. “My boy Harris, we’re gonna do it for him, find out what kind of baby he is going to have,” a soldier says in the video."

Tampa veteran police officer's son was in the middle of the Vegas shooting, helped save lives

"His son is a 29-year combat veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and now with the LAPD. A good guy in a crowd of victims..."Whenever you go into a crowd you see two guys with there heads up the good guys and the bad guys. We take an oath to do the job, and it doesn't matter what venue or what time of day it is. We are what we are," Jim says."

Bogus Lincolnshire Help for Heroes collector pretended to be Afghanistan veteran

UK: "But Santini, from south Lincolnshire, could not produce an armed forces identity card and it was later discovered that he had not been a soldier since 1983 when he was given a “dishonourable discharge.”"

Soldier committed suicide after seeing friends killed in Lebanon

UK: "Patrick Nolan, 60, from Hatfield, suffered from alcohol dependency and depression and was found dead on the rail tracks north of Hatfield on February 4. The inquest heard that to deal with his PTSD and depression following a tour of duty in Lebanon with the Irish Armed Forces..." #combatptsd

Ottawa, military in joint offensive to save soldiers from suicide

"The Globe's continuing investigation has found that more than 70 Canadian military members and veterans who were deployed on the Afghanistan operation have killed themselves after returning home. Another six ended their lives while on tour, and are counted among the 158 mission deaths."

Service-connection for PTSD important for spouse, children

"VA provides dependency and indemnity to surviving spouses and/or minor children of a veteran who dies on active duty or of a service-connected disability. In most cases, dependents are eligible even if the veteran never filed for the service-connected condition, with the exception of suicide." #combatptsd

And on the seventh day, I did not rest but you'll have to go to Google+ to find out.