Veterans Get Burned Again By Court After Burn Pits

Court Deals Major Blow to Veterans Suing Over Burn Pits

Special to McClatchy Washington Bureau
By Patricia Kime
5 Aug 2017

"My husband is DEAD because of burn pits," Dina McKenna, whose husband, former Army Sgt. William McKenna, died in 2010 from a rare form of T-cell lymphoma after serving in Iraq, told McClatchy in an email. "I want someone to be held accountable."

A senior airman tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq, in March 2008. (US Air Force photo/Julianne Showalter)

A federal judge has dismissed a major lawsuit against a defense contractor by veterans and their family members, over burn pit operations in Iraq and Afghanistan that plaintiffs said caused them chronic and sometimes deadly respiratory diseases and cancer.

In the decision, U.S. District Court Judge Roger W. Titus wrote that the company, KBR, could not be held liable for what was essentially a military decision to use burn pits for waste disposal. Titus said holding the Pentagon responsible was outside of his jurisdiction.

"The extensive evidence ... demonstrates that the mission-critical, risk-based decisions surrounding the use and operation of open burn pits ... were made by the military as a matter of military wartime judgment," Titus wrote in an 81-page opinion.

The dismissal -- the second by Titus in the case -- deals a major blow to the more than 700 veterans, family members and former KBR employees who brought the suit.

read more here

Hundreds Attended Funeral for Amie Muller After Iraq Burn Pits Battle

Hundreds say goodbye to Amie Muller, who sounded alarm over toxic risks for Iraq veterans
Star Tribune
By Mark Brunswick
FEBRUARY 24, 2017

Muller, who died of pancreatic cancer at age 36, worked and lived next to one of the most toxic military burn pits in all of Iraq.

National Guard veteran Amie Muller believed deployments to Iraq caused the cancer that killed her.

She worked and lived next to burn pits that billowed toxic smoke night and day at an air base in northern Iraq. After returning to Minnesota, she began experiencing health problems usually not seen in a woman in her 30s.

Muller died a week ago, nine months after being diagnosed with Stage III pancreatic cancer. On Friday, more than 800 of her friends and family gathered at a memorial service in Woodbury to remember the life of the 36-year-old mother of three. A pastor noted her loss was both painful and seemingly incomprehensible.

“I wish there was a simple way to explain what has happened to Amie. Why Amie is gone,” said Pastor Lisa Renlund. “Life truly isn’t that simple. It can get messy. It can feel complicated. It can seem unfair.”

But others also are remembering Muller’s battle to win recognition from the U.S. government for victims of the burn pits, which have the potential of becoming the Iraq and Afghanistan wars’ equivalent of the Vietnam War’s Agent Orange. It took nearly three decades for the U.S. government to eventually link the defoliant used in Vietnam to cancer.

Muller first told her story in the Star Tribune last year shortly after she was diagnosed.

In 2005 and in 2007, Muller was deployed to Balad, Iraq, with the Minnesota Air National Guard, embedded with a military intelligence squadron. The burn pit near her living quarters there was one of the most notorious of the more than 230 that were constructed at military bases across Iraq and Afghanistan before their use was restricted in 2009. Items ranging from Styrofoam to metals and plastics to electrical equipment to human body parts were incinerated, the flames stoked with jet fuel.
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Burn Pit Marine Abandoned After Burn Pit Exposure

Marine Dies, Family Blames Burn Pit for Terminal Illness
FOX 40 Sacramento
BY SONSEEAHRAY TONSALL
OCTOBER 7, 2016

SACRAMENTO -- What Agent Orange was to Vietnam veterans, some say toxic exposure from burn pits is to those who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One local family has been told their Marine son will probably not survive the weekend and they believe it's because of a toxic war injury that's turned into a killer here at home.

"He's a hero. He's a fighter," Marty Robinson said of his stepson. "What he has done for this country ... he loved the Marines."

"It just made him feel like he had a purpose and that he was doing something really positive with his life," said mother Karen Robinson.

But the Robinsons, Ricky Wasco's parents, say that positive has turned into the negative that will take him from them, his highschool sweet heart wife and their three little girls.

After a failed bone marrow transplant, the 27-year-old corporal's organs are failing as he faces his last days with acute lymphocytic leukemia.
read more here

Burn Pits Killing OEF and OIF Veterans

Iraq, Afghan vets may have their own Agent Orange
Star Tribune
Mark Brunswick
June 18, 2016

“It makes me really mad,” said Muller, who monitored and edited video feeds from Air Force fighter jet missions while in Iraq. “I inhaled that stuff. It was all day, all night. Everything that they burned there, is illegal to burn in America. That tells you something.”

ELIZABETH FLORES – STAR TRIBUNE

Amie Muller received a chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic, Thursday, June 16, 2016.

While it took nearly three decades for the U.S. government to eventually link Agent Orange, the defoliant used in Vietnam, to cancer, President Obama has pledged quick action to make determinations about the effect of the burn pits on perhaps as many as 60,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

ROCHESTER – They are known as the Agent Orange of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars: Massive open-air burn pits at U.S. military bases that billowed the toxic smoke and ash of everything from Styrofoam, metals and plastics to electrical equipment and even human body parts.

The flames were stoked with jet fuel.

One of the most notorious was in Balad, site of the largest and busiest air base operated by the military in Iraq. More than 10 acres in size, the pit burned at all hours and consumed an estimated 100 to 200 tons of waste a day. It was hastily constructed upwind from the base, and its plumes consistently drifted toward the 25,000 troops stationed there.

During two deployments to Balad with the Minnesota Air National Guard, Amie Muller worked and lived next to the pits. And now, she believes, she is paying the price.

Diagnosed last month with Stage III pancreatic cancer, the 36-year-old mother of three from Woodbury has just completed her third round of ­chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic here. As she undergoes treatment, she struggles with anger and awaits a VA determination on whether a host of ailments from migraines to fibromyalgia is connected to her military service at Balad.
read more here

Combat Did Not Kill Iraq Veteran But Burn Pits May

Cancer forces veteran to fight for his life
Daily Times
Hannah Grover
April 16, 2016

Retired New Mexico National Guard Master Sgt. David Montoya hopes a clinical trial in Texas can help save his life

"I knew it was the burn pits," he said. Montoya is among dozens of veterans throughout the country who have sued Halliburton and KBR Inc., companies that were contracted by the military to dispose of waste in Iraq and Afghanistan.

FARMINGTON — After two combat tours in Iraq, a local veteran is now fighting a battle against cancer.

David Montoya, a retired master sergeant with the New Mexico Army National Guard, is battling lung cancer. He talks about the experience on Thursday at the home of his girlfriend, Summer Martinez. (Photo: Steve Lewis/The Daily Times)

And his friends and family are trying to raise the money necessary to help David Montoya, a retired master sergeant with the New Mexico National Guard, receive treatment in Houston.

Montoya, 44, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2012 while serving at the National Guard Armory in Farmington.

"It happened so fast I had to have emergency surgery," Montoya recalled last week.

He said the tumor in his colon nearly caused the organ to burst. At the time, his prognosis was good. Doctors removed the tumor, and chemotherapy destroyed cancerous cells in his lymph nodes.

But at a cancer screening in February 2014, Montoya learned that the cancer was back, and, this time, it was in his lungs.
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Iraq Veteran Died After Burn Pit Exposure Before Justice Was Granted

Soldier who fought VA, blamed cancer on Iraq 'burn pits,' dies
FOX News
By Perry Chiaramonte
Published April 04, 2016

Ashely and John Marshall met while serving in the Army. John died last week, leaving behind his wife and two young children.

A decorated Army veteran who battled the VA over treatment for cancer he claimed to have gotten from working over burn pits in Iraq has died, his family said Monday.

Former Army Sgt. John Marshall, who went to his grave believing his cancer was caused by standing over burn pits where the military disposed of everything from disabled IEDs to lithium batteries, died at his home in Surprise, Ariz., March 29. He was 31, and left behind a wife and two young children.

"John was the type of guy who touched people even if he didn't know them that long," said Marshall's wife and fellow veteran, Ashley. "The amount of people that have come from all over to offer condolences has been amazing and overwhelming. I knew John was a great person, but it shouldn't have amazed me as it did that so many other people thought so, too."
read more here

Here's the link to rules for a case like this. His claim does not have to die and they can fight to finally have his service honored.

Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors
Chapter 13 Dependents and Survivors Benefits

And this as well
Compensation for Dependents

Evidence Required
Listed below are the evidence requirements for this benefit:
The Servicemember died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, OR
The Veteran died from an injury or disease deemed to be related to military service, OR
The Veteran died from a non service-related injury or disease, but was receiving, OR was entitled to receive, VA Compensation for service-connected disability that was rated as totally disabling
For at least 10 years immediately before death, OR
Since the Veteran's release from active duty and for at least five years immediately preceding death, OR For at least one year before death if the Veteran was a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999

Iraq Veteran Warns Others About Lung Cancer After Burn Pits

Iraq war veteran warns other vets to get their lungs checked
FOX2 News St. Louis
BY PAUL SCHANKMAN
MARCH 16, 2016

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KTVI) - An Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran from South St. Louis County is warning fellow veterans to have their lungs checked by a doctor.

His name is Tim Smith. He`s 37-years-old, and even though he says he has never been a smoker, doctors recently discovered he has lung cancer.

Now he's wondering if it might have been caused by a different kind of smoke.

'We`d see black smoke all the time, we`d see some weird colored smoke clouds up in the air that would turn different colors at times. We really didn`t know what it was,' said Smith.

He owns Patriot Contract Commercial Cleaning, which hires veterans to tidy up offices and schools.

But he says when he served in Iraq, there was no one hauling off trash.
read more here

Terminal Burn Pit-Iraq Veteran Claim Denied by VA?

Report: VA Abandoned Terminally Ill Army Combat Veteran
Free Beacon 
BY: Morgan Chalfant 
February 24, 2016

Marshall missed mandatory meetings with the VA last year during which he would have had the opportunity to offer evidence connecting his cancer to his service in Iraq because he was hospitalized with pneumonia. While Marshall said he could still present such evidence, the VA will not listen to him.

A decorated Army combat veteran says that the Department of Veterans Affairs abandoned him in his fight against terminal cancer following his service in Iraq.

Pvt. John Marshall told Fox News that the VA has denied his claims that his service in Iraq, particularly his close proximity to burn pits, precipitated his cancer.

“It’s all just a big slap in the face. I tried to be the perfect soldier,” Marshall said. “I did everything I was told, and now they just forced my claim through and denied coverage and my benefits.”

Marshall, who now lives in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, was diagnosed with scar tissue sarcoma a little over a year ago. He attributes his illness to his time spent working over open burn pits, which a 2013 report from the Government Accountability Office designated as a likely cause of chronic health problems for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
read more here

Beau Biden's Death May Save Lives After Burn Pit Exposures

Link Found Between Burn Pits and Cancers MSN

Joe Biden's eldest son Beau Biden returned home from his deployment to Iraq after serving two years in the U.S. military's occupation of the country. In a few months' time following his return, he began to experience an onset of illnesses, including a stroke that lead to brain cancer, which killed him in less than two years from that point. Beau Biden's case is not unlike many other veterans who have served overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, as a recent study has linked service in those countries to various cancers and bronchial illnesses. The common trait between the two is believed to lie within the open air burn pits, of which their are over 250 between the two countries, set up atop Saddam Hussein's chemical weapons program.

Congress cut funding for more research on burn pit exposures for 2016

News5 Investigates: Vets and contractors believed to be sickened by war time burn pits
KOAA 5 News
By Maddie Garrett
February 5, 2016

"We have no idea what these veterans were exposed to day to day," said Daniel Warvi, Public Affairs Officer, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System.

COLORADO SPRINGS - A News5 investigation into so-called burn pits looks into how toxic fumes our service members and civilian contractors were exposed to in war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq on a daily basis are now believed to be causing serious health problems.

As thousands of veterans came home from war, doctors started noticing a common health problem, they reported having a cough and/or trouble breathing. Some cases developed into rare lung diseases, and few even ended in death. But just as more vets and civilians are being diagnosed as having respiratory problems, Congress cut funding for more research on burn pit exposures for 2016.

The burn pits were used to destroy all types of waste during wars in the Middle East, burning everything from trash and food waste, to vehicle parts, ammunition, tires, batteries, medical waste, animal carcasses, chemicals, plastic and in some cases even body parts.

The Department of Veterans Affairs said one of the challenges in understanding the risks of burn pits is that each one could contain varying kinds of waste and that could differ on a day-to-day basis.
read more here
KOAA.com | Continuous News | Colorado Springs and Pueblo

Federal Court May Finally Help OEF OIF Veterans After Burn Pits

Federal court to weigh lawsuit alleging lung diseases from Iraq, Afghanistan burn pits
Stars and Stripes
By Tara Copp
Published: December 31, 2015

KBR, under the military’s logistical support contract, operated the pits.

WASHINGTON — A federal district court on Jan. 21 will consider the scope of a lawsuit alleging soldiers’ exposure to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan led to serious respiratory illnesses and deaths and whether government contractor KBR, Inc. is responsible for the way the pits were operated.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, the military relied heavily on the large, open-air pits to burn trash and waste daily, exposing the personnel working the pits and others living nearby to toxic smoke.

In 2010, the Government Accountability Office found the Department of Defense was not following its own regulations for safe burn-pit operations, and that pits were regularly used to dispose of prohibited plastics, paints, batteries, aerosols, aluminum and other items that could produce harmful emissions when burned.

Nine locations in Afghanistan are also potentially within the lawsuit’s scope, as are another eight bases supporting Iraq and Afghanistan operations, such as Camp Arijian in Kuwait.
read more here

Congress Dumps Veterans in Burn Pits

Congress Drops Burn Pit Exposure from Pentagon Research List
Military.com
Bryant Jordan
December 23, 2015

Senior Airman Frances Gavalis tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq, on March 10, 2008. Julianne Showalter/Air Force

Burn pit exposure as a cause of illnesses among veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan failed to make the 2016 list of peer-reviewed medical research programs that Congress requires the Defense Department to conduct.

The absence of burn pit exposure on the list was confirmed on Tuesday by a spokeswoman for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs at Fort Detrick, Maryland.

"Congress designates the topic areas for each fiscal year, and these topic areas change each year," Gail Whitehead told Military.com.

The research programs fall under the Department of Defense budget.

"There's nothing comparable," said Anthony Hardie, director of Veterans for Common Sense. "There's very little research inside the [Department of Veterans Affairs]."

Ron Brown, president of the National Gulf War Research Center, which has long advocated for more medical research into Gulf War Illness and now burn pit exposure, said he didn't know why the topic was discontinued.

It was added for the first time to the list in 2015, according to Brown, who took part in the peer reviewed process this year.
read more here

Iraq Veterans Sue KBR For Burn Pit Toxic Exposures

Five Casper veterans sue company over toxic burn pits in Iraq
Casper Star Tribune
Lillian Schrock
October 9, 2015

Five Casper military veterans filed a federal lawsuit Friday alleging they were exposed to toxic fumes when a Houston-based corporation improperly burned waste during the war in Iraq.

Ochs Law Firm filed the suit against KBR Inc. in the U.S. District Court of Wyoming. The suit is believed to be the first toxic burn pit case filed in Wyoming, according to the Casper-based law office.

The suit states KBR was hired to handle waste disposal for American operations in Iraq.

KBR failed to take necessary safety precautions and incinerated unsorted waste, including chemicals, in burn pits, exposing the soldiers to health-damaging toxins, the suit claims.
read more here

ALSO

Vets Can Finally Sue Contractors for Cancer Caused by War
After the Supreme Court found that KBR could be sued over the burn pits it operated on bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2008, I received a memo from an Air Force bioenvironmental flight commander, Lt. Col. Darrin Curtis, saying that the troops at Air Base Balad were being exposed to “an acute health hazard.”

At that point, no one had reported on the burn pits, which were used by the military and its contractors to dispose of trash at almost every base in Iraq and Afghanistan.

New Mexico

Ailing vets sue, say toxic burn pits cost them their health

KBR, Halliburton Found Not Immune in Burn-Pit Suits
March 6 (Bloomberg) -- KBR Inc. and Halliburton Co. aren’t automatically immune from lawsuits by military service members over illnesses caused by exposure to contractor burn pits, a U.S. appeals court said, reversing a lower court ruling. KBR is only entitled to immunity if it adhered to the terms of its contract with the government, something the district court failed to explore adequately, U.S. Circuit Judge Henry Floyd wrote in sending the case back for further proceedings.

There are a lot more like this one from 2010

Houston National Guard troops file suit over Camp Taji burn pits
Ill wind blows, some in Houston Guard unit believe
Baghdad burn pit operated by KBR said to cause migraines, breathing problems and rashes
By LINDSAY WISE and LISE OLSEN
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Feb. 1, 2010

CAMP TAJI, Iraq — One night in mid-January, a shift in the wind sent a sudden flurry of white flakes into a detainee internment facility guarded by soldiers from Houston’s 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

The Texas Army National Guard troops weren’t witnessing a rare Baghdad snowfall. The flakes drifting from the pitch-dark sky were ash and bits of charred trash belched from an open-air burn pit about 100 yards from the outer walls of the internment facility.

Operated by Houston-based contractor KBR, the pit consumes 120 tons of garbage a day here at Camp Taji, a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. On calm days, noxious smoke billows upward and dissipates into a smog-like haze. When the wind blows, the acrid-smelling fumes pour into towers and yards where about 800 Texas troops from the 72nd keep watch.

“It hovers over like a blanket,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Ethier, 36, of Montgomery. “After it rains, you’ll get puddles of stuff. It’s like a yellowish, brackish color. It looks metallic. It’s just disgusting.”

Soldiers say a fine layer of soot settles on their uniforms and black goop comes out when they blow their noses. They complain of migraines, breathing problems, coughs, sore throats, irritated eyes and skin rashes.

The Texas Guard troops aren’t the first to report problems from exposure to burn pits at U.S. military bases across Iraq and Afghanistan.

Burn Pits Long Term Aftereffects For Veterans

Exposure to toxic ‘burn pits’ the new Agent Orange 
WTNH News
By Mark Davis, News 8
Chief Capitol Correspondent
Published: May 8, 2015

The V.A. has admitted some veterans could have long-term aftereffects, especially those with preexisting conditions like asthma or other heart or lung conditions.

They have established a burn pit exposure registry and are conducting research into it.
For more information, click here.

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Some are calling toxic “burn pits” near military installations in Iraq and Afghanistan the “new Agent Orange.” Veterans at an event in Waterbury Friday say they had to live and breath contaminated air from the burn pits for extended periods of time, and now they’re worried about their health. read more here

Widow Warns Iraq Burn Pit Caused Cancer

After her husband's death, widow warns burn pits used in Iraq may cause deadly cancer
KSHB Kansas
Garrett Haake
Feb 19, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The widow of a Lee’s Summit veteran killed by a rare and aggressive cancer says she’s convinced her husband’s illness was brought on by his exposure to toxic fumes from “burn pits” during his service in Iraq.

Now she’s warning other veterans to speak to their doctors about risks associated with the pits.

Staff Sergeant Matthew Gonzales received a diagnosis of Esthesioneuroblastoma four years after returning from Tikrit, where he worked regularly near a burn pit used to dispose of medical waste by burning it with jet fuel in a large open pit.

“One thing that caught me off guard is that they didn't have any protective gear covering themselves,” his widow, Elizabeth, said of a video her husband showed her of the pit. “I asked about that, and he felt confident saying, 'The government wouldn't put us in any harm’s way. They're going to protect us.'”
read more here

Troops At Risk Because DOD Didn't Follow Regulations

IG thrashes DoD in final burn pit report
Military Times
By Patricia Kime
Staff writer
February 12, 2015

The VA established a burn pit registry in October to track the health of individuals who believe they were exposed to pollutants from burn pits or other airborne hazards in Iraq and Afghanistan, such as dust and sand.

As of January 26, 30,711 people have enrolled in the registry, according to VA.

U.S. Marines dispose of trash in a burn pit in

Khan Neshing District, Afghanistan, in 2012.

(Photo: Cpl. Alfred V. Lopez/Marine Corps)

The Defense Department's failure to follow regulations on solid waste disposal, along with its practice of burning prohibited items in burn pits in Afghanistan put U.S. troops' health at risk, says the chief watchdog for Afghanistan reconstruction.

In his final report on the use of burn pits and incinerators in Afghanistan, John Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, accused the Pentagon of being unprepared for waste disposal at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom and said continued use of burn pits put troops at unnecessary risk from potentially harmful emissions.

According to Sopko, DoD "had been aware for years" of the health risks posed by burn pits and called their use — even after policies were adopted to restrict it — "disturbing."

"It is indefensible that U.S. military personnel, who are already at risk of serious injury and death when fighting the enemy, were put at further risk from the potentially harmful emissions from the use of open air burn pits," Sopko wrote in the "Final Assessment: What We Have Learned from Our Inspections of Incinerators and Use of Burn Pits in Afghanistan," released Thursday.

The Office of the SIGAR was established to ferret out waste and fraudulent use of U.S. taxpayer money in rebuilding Afghanistan.

The U.S. has spent more than $104 billion for reconstruction, with Sopko's office recovering more than $570 million from criminal fines, restitution, forfeitures, civil settlements and cost-savings, according to SIGAR reports.
read more here

Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth May Get Justice After Electrocution Death

Mom of soldier electrocuted in base shower hails Supreme Court ruling 
The Associated Press
Published: January 21, 2015

PITTSBURGH — The mother of a Pittsburgh-area soldier electrocuted in his barracks shower at a U.S. Army base in Iraq seven years ago says she's grateful the Supreme Court rejected three appeals by a military contractor seeking to stop the case and other lawsuits from going forward.

The high court offered no comment Tuesday in allowing three lawsuits against KBR Inc. over the electrocution and open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan to proceed.

The parents of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, who was electrocuted in his barracks shower in January 2008, filed one of the lawsuits. The suit alleges a KBR unit was legally responsible for what it says was shoddy electrical work common in Iraqi-built structures taken over by the U.S. military. KBR disputes the claim.

Cheryl Harris, Maseth's mother, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Wednesday that she never expected it to take more than seven years after her son's death to get the case closer to a trial. "I'm grateful that we're here," she said.
read more here

Green Beret electrocuted in shower on Iraq base
CNN
Abbie Boudreau and Scott Bronstein
May 28, 2008

Story Highlights
At least 12 U.S. troops have been electrocuted in Iraq from wiring problems

Ryan Maseth, 24, died January 2 while taking a shower on base

"I truly couldn't believe he would be electrocuted," his mom says

Defense Department inspector general, Congress launch investigation

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- A highly decorated Green Beret, Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth died a painful death in Iraq this year. He died not on the battlefield. He died in what should have been one of the safest spots in Iraq: on a U.S. base, in his bathroom.

Ryan Maseth, a 24-year-old Green Beret, died in his shower January 2.

1 of 2 The water pump was not properly grounded, and when he turned on the shower, a jolt of electricity shot through his body and electrocuted him January 2.

The next day, Cheryl Harris was informed of his death. A mother of three sons serving in Iraq, she had feared such news might come one day.

"I did ask exactly, 'How did Ryan die? What happened to him?' And he had told me that Ryan was electrocuted," she said.

Her reaction was disbelief. "I truly couldn't believe he would be electrocuted ... in the shower," she said.

Maseth, 24, was not the first. At least 12 U.S. troops have been electrocuted in Iraq since the start of the war in 2003, according to military and government officials. Watch mom describe horror, heartbreak over son's electrocution »
read more here

Electrical Risks at Bases in Iraq Worse Than Previously Said
New York Times
By JAMES RISEN
Published: July 18, 2008

WASHINGTON — Shoddy electrical work by private contractors on United States military bases in Iraq is widespread and dangerous, causing more deaths and injuries from fires and shocks than the Pentagon has acknowledged, according to internal Army documents.

During just one six-month period — August 2006 through January 2007 — at least 283 electrical fires destroyed or damaged American military facilities in Iraq, including the military’s largest dining hall in the country, documents obtained by The New York Times show. Two soldiers died in an electrical fire at their base near Tikrit in 2006, the records note, while another was injured while jumping from a burning guard tower in May 2007.

And while the Pentagon has previously reported that 13 Americans have been electrocuted in Iraq, many more have been injured, some seriously, by shocks, according to the documents. A log compiled earlier this year at one building complex in Baghdad disclosed that soldiers complained of receiving electrical shocks in their living quarters on an almost daily basis.
read more here

Toxic Battlefields Burn Pits Leave Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans Fighting for Their Lives

'Toxic battlefield'
Many tie Iraq, Afghanistan War veterans' illnesses to burn pits, dust
Live Well Nebraska
By Steve Liewer
World-Herald staff writer
Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2014

U.S. MARINE CORPS
Burn pits used especially in the early days of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars to destroy trash sent piles of wood, paper, medical waste, metal, plastics and even human waste up in smoke.

Jeff Flint remembers the sandstorms that regularly cloaked his military base in Iraq in a choking darkness.

And the black smoke, from the base’s fiery 10-acre garbage pit, that frequently blanketed both the gate where he stood guard and the tent where he slept during his yearlong deployment with the Nebraska National Guard in 2006-07.

“It was constant, 24 hours a day. It made you sick, nauseated,” said Flint, 45, of Fremont, Nebraska. “Put a dome over a city, and that’s what it was like.”

The hacking cough he developed more than seven years ago has never gone away. And it’s been joined by the tingling in his body and the numbness in his hands from multiple sclerosis, which he was diagnosed with two years after his return.

Flint is among tens of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan War vets who have developed chronic illnesses since returning from the war zones. Many — including Flint and his brother, John, who served with him and also has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis — are convinced they are sick because of noxious stuff they breathed in during their deployments.

“It’s just a toxic battlefield,” said Dan Sullivan, president and CEO of the Sergeant Sullivan Center, a nonprofit organization that supports veterans with post-deployment health problems.
“You’ve got a bunch of toxic stuff floating around in an atmosphere that picks everything up.
read more here

Central Florida Veterans Events Part Two

September list #2 of veteran, military and patriotic events

 

Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance – September 11

Service to others - Pay it back or pass it forward.  And at the same time remember the service of those who gave all.

Please share this information and events with your friends and interested others and attend.  Post where appropriate.

 

9/11 Remembrance – Thurs. Sept 11 – American Legion Post #112 invites all to this Remembrance that coincides with 9-11 timeline events.  8am – 10am, Refreshments.  4490 N. Goldenrod Road, Winter Park, 32792.  Info:  Post – 407.671.6404  or Jerry at 407.212.6587.

 

3rd Annual 9/11 Tribute – Thurs, Sept 11 - in Avalon Park Town Center.  4pm – 9pm.  Unique Special Event honoring our First Responders, Police, Fire and Military. There will also be a Motorcade, Entertainment Show and Tributes.  Free vendor spaces and for affiliated non-profit organizations. 3680 Avalon Park East Blvd. Orlando, 32828.  Contact Laura Burk, Game Plan Media  at 407-900-1915.

 

Free Legal Seminars – Weekly beginning in September – Viera and Titusville area.  Free legal seminars offered to the public with the intention of providing information on a variety of legal topics for 6 weeks.  Topic for Thurs. Sept 11 in Viera:  “Veterans Benefits” presented by Garren Cone of AVET Project.  6pm-8pm. Provided/coordinated by Space Coast Community Law School, at Moore Justice Center, 2825 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Jury Assembly Room, Viera, 32940.    Topic on Thurs. Sept 18 – “Elder Law/Medicaid Preparedness.”  Titusville area seminars: Wed. Sept 17 – “DUI Laws and Related Changes” at Space Coast Community Law School Titusville campus, Brevard Room, 518 S. Palm Ave., Titusville, 32796.  Info and list of future topics:  spacecoastcommunitylawschool.com  321-269-6833

 

Pre-Ride Party for 10th Annual Jason Burnett Memorial USO Benefit Ride - Fri, Sept 12 - 6pm-10pm, hosted by Orlando Harley Davidson South, Hwy W-192, Kissimmee, 34747. (West of I-4, about 4.5 miles on Hwy 192) Free food and drink, live entertainment. www.usobenefitride.com

 

Every Day is Veteran’s Day – Sat. Sept 13 – Special tribute to veterans from 10am-1pm. Keynote speaker will be Brig. General Wilma Vaught, USAF (ret.), one of the most highly decorated women in U.S. history.  One Senior Place, 715 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, 32714.  407.949.6733   Organized by VITAS. 

 

10th Annual Jason Burnett Memorial USO Benefit Ride - Sat, Sept 13, at Orlando Harley Davidson South, 7786 Hwy 192 (aka Irlo Bronson Hwy), Kissimmee, 34747.  (West of I-4, about 4.5 miles on Hwy 192) Central Florida's largest motorcycle fundraising event in support of our military personnel.  (Marine Lance Cpl. Jason K. Burnett, of St. Cloud, died May 11, 2006 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Osceola County Sheriff Department Major Ron and Shelley Burnett are his parents.) 70 Mile police escorted ride. Registration 8:30 am to 1000am/ Ride departs 1030am.  After party 12 - 3 pm.  Silent auction, raffles, live music, lunch provided by Carrabba's Italian Grill.  $25 per person - each registration covers the cost of a USO Care Package to be sent to a deployed member of the U.S. Military.  Also there will be a custom car/bike show hosted by "Born To Ride".  Persons interested participating in car/bike show may register day of event.   usobenefitride.com  407-892-2246

 

Jason Burnett Memorial Texas Hold'em Tournament & Casino Games – Sat. Sept 13, 6pm - 11pm at Westgate Town Center Resort, 7700 Westgate Blvd., Kissimmee, 34747.  Grand Prize is 7 day stay at Westgate Las Vegas, NV.  Doors open at 5pm; Casino Games $40 entry donation ($40,000 Casino money, 2 drink tickets);  Texas Hold'em Tournament $100 buy-in donation ($10,000 chips, $10,000 casino money, food, open bar - beer & wine) Register at  usobenefitride.com/poker-tournament  407-892-2246

 

Honor, Hope and Glory – Sun. Sept 14 – Community wide prayer service in remembrance of those who died on September 11, 2001.  A time to thank our first responders and military.  All are invited.  4pm at Cathedral Church of St. Luke, 130 North Magnolia Ave., Orlando, 32801. Bishop Gregory Brewer will speak, St. Luke’s Cathedral Choir, Orlando Brass Quintet, and Orlando Deanery Boys Choir and Girls Choir.  Info: 407.849.0680 fchandler@stlukescathedral.org

 

Sept 14 is the 200th Anniversary of the writing of the poem that later became our national anthem.  Francis Scott Key wrote “Defence of Fort M’Henry” (yes – that was the original spelling!) after witnessing the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. When renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” it later became the national anthem of the United States of America by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931, which was then signed by President Herbert Hoover.

 

NEW EVENTS ADDED:

9/11 Candlelight Vigil – Thurs. Sept 11 – Windermere Mayor Bruhn will lead this Remembrance beginning at 7pm.  Elsie Cintron-Rosado, who lost her daughter Maria due to the NY attacks, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.  520 Main Street, Windermere, 34786.  Info: 407-876-2563.

 

The Patriots Day Remembrance and Special Tribute – Thurs. Sept 11 – Tampa. This event will also recognize the four brave Americans killed on Sept 11, 2012, during a terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya and includes a memorial plaque remembering them.  There will be on display a piece of steel girder from the fallen World Trade Center.  Ceremony starts at 11am at Veterans Memorial Park, 3602 US Highway 301 N, Tampa, 33619.  Sponsored by Veterans Council of Hillsborough County, Inc., the Hillsborough County Government, and Veterans Museum & Parks.

 

“Camo the Complex”  and “Military Appreciation Night!” - Fri, Sept 12 - Ocoee High School Varsity Football game vs Winter Park HS, 7:30pm. Past and present military service men/women can get into the game free if they are in uniform and/or show their valid military id (active, veteran, and/or other sources “DD214”).  Wear your uniform, camo, and military shirt/hat!!!! 1925 Ocoee Crown Point Pkwy, Ocoee, 34761.  Contact:  Ocoee H.S. Athletic Director and USMC Veteran Steven McHale at 407-905-3006.

 

Welcome Home Army Reservists of the local 143rd ESC - Sun, Sep 14 – 10 am (prompt) at David R. Wilson Armed Forces Reserve Center, Armed Forces Reserve Center, 9500 Armed Forces Reserve Drive, Orlando, 32827.  This local unit of 250+ warriors came home in small groups from Afghanistan and Kuwait over several months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  The community is invited to welcome them back at this Uncasing the Colors of the Command to signify the unit’s return from the yearlong deployment.  Brig. Gen. Francisco A. Espaillat, the new commanding general of the 143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) will preside.   In addition, Lt. Col. Christopher E. West, the new 143rd Public Affairs Officer, will be welcomed.  (He replaces Maj. John Adams in the position.)  Plan to arrive early.  Due to security concerns, have photo ID available.  Info:  1LT Nicole Rossman, Commander of 204th Public Affairs Detachment,  407- 446-1673  nicole.a.rossman.mil@mail.mil

 

FAVOB – Florida Association of Veteran Owned Businesses – Mon Sept 15 – 11am-1pm. Meeting at Doc’s Streetside Grille, 1315 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, 32806 (Across from ORMC Hospital)  Association developed as a 'chamber of commerce' and voice for Veteran Owned and Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses in the Great State of Florida. ALL Veteran owned businesses are welcome!  Small businesses run by Veterans don't have the same status when competing against other small businesses in regards to bidding and vendor status. Visitwww.FAVOB.org to learn more.  chairman@favob.org

 

USO Volunteer Orientation – 3 dates - Interested in helping at the new USO at Orlando Int’l Airport?  While it won’t open until after the beginning of the new year, you will first need attend one of the  New Volunteer Orientation sessions to learn more about USO Central Florida and the volunteer opportunities available (i.e. USO Welcome Center, Special Events, etc.)   Orientation sessions:  Wed, Sept 17 -8:30 am, at Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803;

OR:  Fri, Sept 19 -1pm at Museum of Military History, 5210 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, 34746.

OR:  Wed, Sept 24 -4pm on the 2nd Floor at 1420 Celebration Blvd., Celebration, 34747.

Please RSVP your attendance to Kris Kimberly, the Events, Programs, and Volunteers Coordinator of USO Central Florida,  407-766-2821  kkimberly@usocentralflorida.org

 

POW/MIA Day – Fri. Sept 19 – Official day that remembers the military POW’s (prisoners of war) and the MIA’s (still missing is action) - see Orlando event on Fri. Sept 26.

 

Central Florida Building Homes for Heroes Golf Outing – Fri. Sep 19 - 11:30am to 9:30pm, Shotgun start at 1:30; Cocktails and dinner at 6:30 pm.  Reunion Resort, 7593 Gathering Drive, Kissimmee, 34747.  Flyer available upon request.  Sponsorships welcomed.  This organization and event builds or modifies homes, and gifts them, mortgage-free, to wounded veterans and their families.   Contact Kim at 407-803-5398  kim.valdyke@buildinghomesforheroes.org

 

Home at Last Project/A Home For a Hero Golfing – Sat. Sept 20 – The first 60 persons to sign up can play the Disney Palm Course for a suggested donation of $35 (or more, please!) Windermere Country Club Foundation will collect in support of Home At Last, a Home for a Hero.  This project raises fund to build a mortgage-free, specially designed home in Oakland for a disabled veteran.  This year, Marine Sgt. Stephen Tovet, has been chosen.  Shotgun Start at 8am. Contact Disney Floggers Group member Joe Gustafson, 407-654-9004

 

Volunteers needed for Veterans Stand-Down – Sat. Sept 20 -  Titusville - National Veterans Homeless Support sponsors this event.  A Stand Down is designed to provide veterans with the services they need all in one location, and at no cost. We anticipate around 150 veterans will attend this event, with the majority of them being homeless. Some of the services they will receive include VA hearing and eye tests, medical and dental screenings, information on housing and employment, showers, haircuts, supplies, and many more. Transportation and meals are also included.  DAV #109, 435 N. Singleton Ave, Titusville, 32796.  Pre-event training is on Tues. Sept 16 - 5:30 - 6:30pm.  One final training will be held the morning of the Stand-Down Sept 20 – 6 – 7am  Contact Tina Flanary   tina@nvhs.us  321-208-7562

 

Veterans Tribute & Museum of Military History Tenth Anniversary Celebration – Sat. Sept. 20 - All day affair, 10 am Commanders Call (vendors, displays, sharing, etc.) snacks, entertainment, door prize every thirty minutes, lots of meet & greet.  Commemorative coins available.  10am – Grand opening of new exhibit – Osceola Fallen Heroes.  Museum of Military History, 5210 West Irlo Bronson Hwy., Kissimmee, 34746. (One quarter mile west of the intersection of US Hwy 192 and Poinciana Blvd.; Btwn Mile Marker 10 and 11.) 407-507-3894 for further information.  www.museumofmilitaryhistory.com 

 

Veterans Town Hall meeting – Wed., Sept. 24 – sponsored by the Orlando VA and encouraged by new VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald.   4 pm. to 6 pm. at the Orlando VA Medical Center (Lake Baldwin) in Auditorium A & B.  Veterans and their families, congressional stakeholders, Veteran Service Organizations and other community partners are invited to attend. During the town hall, VA officials will provide updates on VA operations and improvement initiatives regarding VA health care. Veterans and their families will have an opportunity to comment publicly about VA programs and services.  VA Outreach services and special program representatives will also be available to assist Veterans to include VA health care enrollment and eligibility; VA benefits and claims assistance; patient advocate services and more.  5201 Raymond St, Orlando, 32803.  407-629-1599

 

Orlando City Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Council POW-MIA recognition ceremony – Fri, Sept 26 - Orlando City Hall Rotunda, 10am.  Community is invited.  Local WW2 and Vietnam POW’s will attend.  UCF ROTC performs Missing Man Table Ceremony; Lake Highland Prep Principal Warren Hudson, Vietnam Navy veteran, will speak, and the Lake Highland Boys Choir will give a special performance. Info: April Michael, Communications Mgr at 407.246.3720 april.michael@cityoforlando.net

 

2014 Veterans Stand Down in Orlando  -  Sat. Sept. 27 - 9am – 2pm at Downtown Orlando Recreation Center, 363 N. Parramore Ave., Orlando, 32801 – within easy walking distance from the Lynx Bus Terminal.  Volunteers needed!  Donations welcomed!  This event provides services to all veterans (particularly the homeless veterans) with medical care, dental screening, haircuts, clothing, VA benefits and info, food and more.  Color copies of the information flyer will provide FREE bus transportation to the Lynx Bus Terminal for this event. (Bus drivers will only accept COLOR copies.)  Make and give the copies to homeless veterans so that they can receive help. Over 300 persons received assistance last year.   Registration to volunteer can best be done online - hsncfl.org/veterans-stand-down    Info:  Sean Gibbs of the Homeless Services Network at sean.gibbs@hsncfl.org   407.893.0133  x615.   (Cathy can also provide the color information flyers by email.)

 

The Hispanic Heritage Committee of Greater Orange County (HHCGOC)– Sat. Sept. 27 - Hispanic Heritage Month will feature Orange Fiesta in the Park that will include a special recognition for local veterans of the U.S. Army 65th Infantry Regiment, the Borinqueneers.  The group will receive the Congressional Gold Medal next year in recognition for their unique military service in WWI, WWII and the Korean War.  This family-friendly, FREE event starts at 11 am-3pm at Downey Park, 10107 Flowers Ave, Orlando, 32825.  (located at the intersection of East Colonial Drive and Dean Road, in east Orlando.)  Food truck vendors, sing and dance to live music performed by local talent, and more.  Children activities.  Contact:  Roberto Carlos Acevedo, Orange County Constituent Relations and Hispanic Outreach, Roberto.Acevedo@ocfl.net    407-836-7370;  Vendors contact: carmen.velazquez@myorangeclerk.com  407-836-2208.

 

Greeters needed!  Honor Flight Welcome Home – Sat Sept 27 – Orlando Int’l Airport - The WW2 and Korean War veterans truly appreciate the “Welcome Home” receptions at the airports with the flags and patriotic signs – It makes a difference!  After a day spent in Washington DC, 25 veterans of WWII and Korean War veterans return home thru Orlando Int’l Airport.  The nation-wide organization has three local hubs that take veterans on a single day trip to our nation’s capital where they visit the WWII, Korea, and Vietnam War Memorials, Marine Corps Iwo Jima and the Air Force Monuments, and witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.  This group will return at about 9:35 pm.  Come welcome these former warriors home!  Bring your flags, banners and signs! Southwest Airlines #1867 from Baltimore-Washington (BWI), Terminal A, Airside 2 (hotel area in front of Starbucks.) Before leaving home, check online to see if the flight is on time because there may be delays due to weather, mechanical or medical issues.  Free parking has been arranged at an off airport property with free shuttle to airport - Contact Cathy Haynes for those details NLT 7pm  - chaynes11629@yahoo.com   407-239-8468.

For the Early Birds - you can wave them off in the morning no later than 5am – same location. They process thru Security early and quickly.

Honor Flights for the remainder of the year will be on Sat. Oct 18; and Sun. Nov 2.  (Dates subject to change)

 

Honor Flight Welcome Home #2 – Sat. Sept 27 – Sanford Airport - After a day spent in Washington DC, a LARGE group of 75 veterans of WWII, Korea and other service eras return home thru SANFORD Int’l Airport – north of Orlando.   The single day will be spent visiting the WWII, Korea, and Vietnam War Memorials, Marine Corps Iwo Jima and the Air Force Monuments, and witnessing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.  The veterans and their assistants will return at about 10pm.  This is a chartered flight thru Allegiant Airline and it may arrive slightly early.  Musical entertainment beginning at 9:30pm.  Come welcome these former warriors home in what can be described as an indoor parade!  Bring your flags, banners and signs! Sanford Int’l Airport:  1200 Red Cleveland Blvd, Sanford, 32773.

 

Gold Star Mothers and Families Day – Sun. Sept 28 -  Community is invited in this honoring and remembering the sons, daughters and other family members who died while serving our country.  Please bring a photo of your loved one (it will be returned) 3pm – 5pm, Orlando City Hall Rotunda, 400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, 32801.  Info: Jean Balderson  407.691.4548 or 407.875.0028   Sponsored by VITAS, Dignity Memorial and the City of Orlando.

 

Deadline for Orlando City Veterans Day Parade entries – Tues. Sept 30 – All entries must be received in order to participate in one of the largest parades of its kind on Sat. Nov 8.  One of Orlando’s signature events, the parade includes 100 units consisting of local veterans organizations, members of the active military, bands, floats and more coming together to pay tribute to those who have fought for our freedom.  Advertising space is also available which will appear in the Parade Program.  Parade Applications and advertisement forms are online at cityoforlando.net/veterans    Contact:   April Michael, Communications Mgr at 407.246.3720 april.michael@cityoforlando.net

 

Central FL Navy League Golf Tournament fundraiser – Fri. Oct 3 - open to all interested persons.  This Bob Bret Memorial Golf Tournament honors a veteran who for many years, donated his time and talent to organizing a golf tournament in honor of the Navy’s birthday. He passed away in 2013, leaving a legacy of service and devotion.   Proceeds go to JROTC and Sea Cadet support and scholarships, and the Port Canaveral US Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant crew Morale, Welfare and Recreation Fund.  $75 per person, or $55 for active duty servicemen, includes lunch & range balls, 1pm shotgun start at Celebration Golf Club, 10350 Emerson Lake Blvd, Orlando, 32832.  Sponsorships available.  Contact Brian at  bholmes@aegistg.com 

 

Central Florida’s 2014 Navy Birthday Ball – Sat. Oct 4 - sponsored by Central FL Navy League and open to all interested persons at the Rosen Centre Hotel on International Drive, Orlando.  This year the theme is “Service, Honor and Sacrifice” of our veterans by commemorating 50 years since the commencement of the Vietnam conflict.  Keynote speaker is Chief of Naval Personnel VADM William Moran.  Corporate sponsorships are available.  Special overnight room rates available.  Proceeds from this Ball fund the work of the local Navy League, scholarships for JROTC, and the Lone Sailor Navy Memorial to be constructed in Baldwin Park on the site of the former Orlando Naval Training Base.  See website at cfnavyleague.org for ticket info.   Contact:  Bill Reuter, 240-577-9017  roto@r-squaredsolutions.net

 

Orlando National College Fair – Sun. Oct 12 - Over 200 college representatives from across the country will be at the CFE Arena on the campus of the University of Central Florida. The fair is open to the public, 1 pm to 4 pm and this year there are two financial aid workshops at 12 noon and 2:15 pm. In addition, a representative from the UCF – Veterans Academic Resource Center (VARC) will be located near the counseling center to answer questions. 

 

Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Golf Tournament – Fri. Oct 17 - Stoneybrook East Golf Course, 8am start time. Proceeds benefit the JROTC Scholarship Program.  2900 Northampton Ave, Orlando, 32828 in East Orlando.  Contact Dick Aldinger at 407-859-7436   famdinger@aol.com or Mike Patterson at 407-240-7609 dmphome@earthlink.net

 

Osceola County Stand Down – Sat. Oct 25 – Various services offered to veterans, including homeless veterans.  Volunteers needed!  Osceola County Veterans Service office, 330 N. Beaumont Ave., Kissimmee, 34741.  Contact Tommie Maldonado, VSO at 407-742-8455, Ken Mueller, HCHV, at 407-631-7228.  Register to volunteer with Chanel at 407-742-8455 cf66c@osceola.org 

 

Veteran Owned Businesses – Coming soon:  a compiled list of 25 Veteran-Owned Businesses that will be printed.  That’s almost like FREE advertisement!  The Orlando Business Journal has weekly lists of businesses that are compiled annually into a Book of Lists.  It provides a reliable and reputable source of business information and contacts. Fill out a survey and allow your business to be included.  Larger businesses, including cities, counties, utilities, etc., are sometimes making provisions of contracting specifically to Veteran Owned Businesses.  We hope you will help us update this important reference resource.  Contact Denise Hicks (herself a Marine Corps vet!) of Orlando Business Journal at  407.241.2893  dhicks@bizjournals.com  or FAVOB atchairman@favob.org 

 

September is Suicide Prevention Month

Depression - Many people were shocked and saddened with the news of the recent death of actor Robin Williams, and that Joan Rivers husband had also committed suicide years ago.  No one is exempt!  If you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one, there are treatments for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.  Depression has been referred to as “both the common cold and cancer of health care.” It’s like the common cold in that it can affect anyone at any time (depression affects approximately 14.8 million American adults annually). It’s like cancer because it can be deadly. Take, for example, someone who is clinically depressed and commits suicide. Depression also increases the chances of someone experiencing a heart attack. 

 

It Takes the Strength of a Warrior to Ask for Help

The journey after military service can be a difficult one.

If you are Veteran in crisis or know of one who is,

please call the VA’s 24/7 Suicide Prevention Line at

1–800–273–TALK (8255)

to speak with a trained counselor,

or find a Crisis Center near you at www.veteranscrisisline.net.

Local resources include but are not limited to:

·         Vet Centers are available for combat zone veterans to help with personal and family readjustment counseling and outreach services.  The nearest centers are located in Orlando, Melbourne, Clermont, and Daytona Beach.      www.vetcenter.va.gov/

·         Camaraderie Foundation – 407-841-0071 during normal business hours.

 

Burn Pit Exposure Registry – veterans with service listed below should register their exposure for future possible lung and other health conditions.  Research may find airborne hazards and you will want to be notified.  Contact your local county or vet organization Veteran Service Officer.

Eligible Veterans include those who served in:

·         Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn

·         Djibouti, Africa on or after September 11, 2001

·         Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm

·         Southwest Asia theater of operations on or after August 2, 1990

Modern waste contains significant amounts of plastic and other material which may emit toxic aerosol compounds and particulates when burned. In Iraq and Afghanistan the U.S. military, or its contractors such as KBR, operated large burn pits for long periods of time burning many tons of assorted waste. Active duty personnel reported respiratory difficulties and headaches in some cases and some veterans have made disability claims based on respiratory system symptoms. 

 

Local military, veterans, patriotic and associated organizations – Please send me information about your groups. (No political groups please.)   I would like to provide a future list of groups that will allow interested persons to contact you and perhaps become a new member/supporter! We get new people moving to the area all the time and existing residents sometimes want to get involved.  Retirees also want to volunteer!  This may be your opportunity to find new members! 

 

ALL governments and veteran/military organizations:  Get your Veterans Day event information to me ASAP!  Others cannot attend your event if they do not know about it!

 

Caring and sharing,

 

Cathy Haynes

Member/supporter of numerous veteran and military organizations in Central Florida

407-239-8468

chaynes11629@yahoo.com

Central Florida Veterans Events Features Fundraiser for Sgt. John Peck

Always something for veterans to do in Central Florida but this one needs a bit of special attention:

Benefit Concert for Marine Sgt. John Peck -  Fri Aug 29 - Marie Bogdonoff of The Villages has organized a benefit concert for Peck at American Legion Post 347, 699 W. Lady Lake Blvd, Lady Lake, 32159. Singer Roy Michaels will perform his “music of our lives” show from 6pm to 9pm. Four years ago when Peck was 24, he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. The Marine, who also served in Iraq, lost both arms and legs. That made him the third quadruple amputee of the Afghan and Iraq wars.  Peck is currently a candidate for a potential double-arm transplant surgery in early November. The cost will be close to $500,000. Some of the surgical and other costs are being donated but Peck is facing a dire financial burden.  He has to travel to Boston, MA. for the surgery. Then he will face about three years of rehabilitation in Boston. He must have a caretaker with him at all times. Hotel, travel and food costs will be staggering, not to mention the physical toll of surgery and recovery. His home is in Virginia but he certainly has friends in Florida!   Info:  Post #347 at 352-750-2099.  Or to mail donations contact Rob at 516-521-5925

August list - veterans, military and patriotic events in Central FL

Please share this information and events with your friends and interested others and attend.  Post where appropriate.

If you wish to be removed from the email list, just let me know.

JUST FOR FUN:  August, this year, will have 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens only once every 823 years. The Chinese call it 'Silver pockets full'.

“Veterans of Influence” nominations – deadline Fri. Aug 15 - Orlando Business Journal has a new award this year for which they are holding a luncheon to honor those nominated.  Go to the website before to nominate veterans that you know who deserve to be honored. www.bizjournals.com/orlando/nomination  Contact Denise Hicks (herself a Marine Corps vet!) of Orlando Business Journal at  407.241.2893  dhicks@bizjournals.com 

"One Nation Under God" - A Celebration of Christian Patriotism – Fri Aug 15 and Sat Aug 16.   Operation Safety 91 (OS91) promotes this dinner and program as a stirring live Musical and Visual Christian Patriotic presentation to honor our Veterans and 1st Responders, and to spread the message of OS91. Doors open at 6 pm. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm. followed by the 50 minute "One Nation Under God" program.  Donations for the dinner will be accepted.  BYSM Worship Arts Theater at 13355 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, 34787 (in the strip mall behind Taco Bell.)  Also presented nightly on Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd, Fri 29th, and Sat 30th.  Reserve Tickets for free dinner and program at  www.byyoursideministries.com/boxoffice   Info:  Dave Gillum at: dave@byyoursideministries.com   321-305-1111

Air Force Sergeants Association National Convention – Sat. Aug 16 – Wed. 20th in Jacksonville, FL   www.hqafsa.org 

VA Benefits Seminar – Sat. Aug 16 – 9am-2pm at Double Tree Hilton in Cocoa Beach. Free assistance provided by AVET Project for you to get your DD214, service medical records and awards. Hotel at 2080 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach, 32931.  Info: kim@avetproject.org  321-373-7046

Wills and Directives legal assistance  - Sat. Aug 16 –Free help for veterans in preparing wills and advanced directives provided by various Brevard County legal resources.  Death is inevitable but you can have some control.  10am – 2pm; Double Tree Hilton in Cocoa Beach. Pre-register at 321-631-2500 x14.  Info: brevardlegalaid@yahoo.com.

Teen Challenge, Commander’s Call - Sat. Aug 16 - Museum of Military History -  9am – 3pm.  Skills offered in a combination of class room and field training for ages 12 to 17. Presented by veterans knowledgeable in both fundamentals and application.   A five block series of skills includes Basic First Aid/CPR; Compass/Map reading; Health/Physical Fitness/Basic Self-Defense (no hitting, sparing, contact); Field skills and Knot tying; US Military History. $20 fee includes 1 MRE (lunch) and dogtag with double chain and silencer.  Limited enrollment.  Call 407-507-3894 for further information.  5210 West Irlo Bronson Hwy., Kissimmee, 34746.  www.museumofmilitaryhistory.com  Commander’s Call is a continuing education and sharing project provided by the Museum.

Copout Adventures TV Show Fundraiser – Sat Aug 16 – A fun night of food, drinks, silent auction and raffle at Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grille, 5pm – 9pm; 610 Glen Cheek Drive, Port Canaveral, 32920.  Portions of all food and drink purchased go into this fundraiser. Copout gives away (as in completely free) fishing trips for wounded law enforcement officers (LEO) and other first responders as a way of saying thank you for their service. This event will help cover the cost of these trips. The show can be seen on the World Fishing Network and coming soon to Destination America.  Auction items include a foursome round of golf at Grand Cypress Resort; A 3 day 2 night stay (with all taxes and gratuities included) at the beautiful Abaco Beach Resort; a box each of Montecristo, Rocky Patel and Romeo cigars, and more! Do you know of a LEO who deserves a trip?  Nominate him/her on the website!  copoutadventures.com   Contact:  Jeff at 407-810-3474   jeff@copoutfishing.com   

FAVOB – Florida Association of Veteran Owned Businesses – Mon Aug 18 – 11am-1pm. Meeting at Doc’s Streetside Grille, 1315 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, 32806 (Across from ORMC Hospital)  Association developed as a 'chamber of commerce' and voice for Veteran Owned and Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses in the Great State of Florida. ALL Veteran owned businesses are welcome!  Small businesses run by Veterans don't have the same status when competing against other small businesses in regards to bidding and vendor status. Visitwww.FAVOB.org to learn more.  chairman@favob.org

Cocktails for a Cause – Thurs Aug 21 – Fundraiser to benefit Heroes' Commons at Jefferson Park.  Sponsored by Florida Real Estate Foundation, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM.  $50 per person Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction to include heavy hors d'oeuvres and cocktails at The University Club of Orlando, 150 E Central Blvd, Orlando, 32801.  Heroes' Commons at Jefferson Park is located in Orlando's historic Parramore neighborhood.  The housing village will feature six detached, single-family homes that offer flexible floor plans designed to accommodate veterans and their families as the homeowners, including those with physical challenges. Register at  www.floridarealestatefoundation.com  or contact marym@orlandorealtors.org   407.513.7277.

Honor Flight Welcome Home – Sat Aug 23 – The WW2 and Korean War veterans truly appreciate the “Welcome Home” receptions at the airports with the flags and patriotic signs – It makes a difference!  After a day spent in Washington DC, 25 veterans of WWII and Korean War veterans return home thru Orlando Int’l Airport.  The nation-wide organization has three local hubs that take veterans on a single day trip to our nation’s capital where they visit the WWII, Korea, and Vietnam War Memorials, Marine Corps Iwo Jima and the Air Force Monuments, and witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.  This group will return at about 9:35 pm.  Come welcome these former warriors home!  Bring your flags, banners and signs! Southwest Airlines #1867 from Baltimore-Washington (BWI), Terminal A, Airside 2 (hotel area in front of Starbucks.) Before leaving home, check online to see if the flight is on time because there may be delays due to weather, mechanical or medical issues.  Free parking has been arranged at an off airport property with free shuttle to airport - Contact Cathy Haynes for those details NLT 7pm  - chaynes11629@yahoo.com   407-239-8468.

For the Early Birds - you can wave them off in the morning no later than 5am – same location.  They process thru Security early and quickly.

Honor Flights for the remainder of the year will be on THURS. Sept 4; Two local hubs at two airports (Sanford and OIA) on Sat. Sep 27; Sat. Oct 18; and Sun. Nov 2.  (Dates subject to change)

Ocoee Military History show – Sat. Aug 30 – (Labor Day Weekend) - A “show and tell” of artifacts and interests from Seminole War to present.  8am – 5pm at the Tom Ison Center, 1701 Adair Street, Ocoee, 34761.  Military History buffs:  Come share your items and knowledge! Space is limited but there are still tables available inside.  No sales – just displays.  There is ample room outside for vehicle displays and tents. Admission will be free, donations gladly accepted.  Event POC: Glen Richardson at 407-877-7472  cappouch@aol.com  

TEACHERS – Schools start again in mid-August.  Please consider extra credit for student attendance at this History event!

Orlando Veterans Stand Down Organizing meeting – Tues. Sep 2, 2pm.  Members of Veterans Service organizations, Members of Veterans Service Providers, Volunteers, non-Veterans. Basically, anyone who wants to help us make this year's event even better than last year's. It's a good opportunity to become actively involved in helping our homeless or financially challenged Veterans.  Stand Downs (this year on Sat. Sep 27) provide services to veterans and their families. Services included showers, haircuts, Veterans benefits counseling, medical exams, employment counseling, rent and utility assistance, legal assistance, a warm meal, and Veteran camaraderie.  Meeting location:  VAMC Orlando, 5201 Raymond St, Orlando, 32803,  Room C100 in building 503.  (Old CLC at the Lake Baldwin Campus.) POC:  Sean Gibbs, Veteran Services Coordinator, Homeless Services Network of Central Florida.  (407) 893-0133 x 212  sean.gibbs@hsncfl.org 

Honor Flight Welcome Home –THURS Sept 4 – The WW2 and Korean War veterans truly appreciate the “Welcome Home” receptions at the airports with the flags and patriotic signs – It makes a difference!  After a day spent in Washington DC, 25 veterans of WWII and Korean War veterans return home thru Orlando Int’l Airport.   The nation-wide organization has three local hubs that take veterans on a single day trip to our nation’s capital where they visit the WWII, Korea, and Vietnam War Memorials, Marine Corps Iwo Jima and the Air Force Monuments, and witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.  This group will return at about 9:05 pm.  Come welcome these former warriors home!  Bring your flags, banners and signs! Southwest Airlines #130 from Baltimore-Washington (BWI), Terminal A, Airside 2 (hotel area in front of Starbucks.) Before leaving home, check online to see if the flight is on time because there may be delays due to weather, mechanical or medical issues.  Free parking has been arranged at an off airport property with free shuttle to airport - Contact Cathy Haynes for those details NLT 7pm  - chaynes11629@yahoo.com   407-239-8468.

For the Early Birds - you can wave them off in the morning no later than 5am – same location.  They process thru Security early and quickly.

Honor Flights for the remainder of the year will be on Sat. Sep 27 - Two local hubs at two airports (Sanford and OIA); Sat. Oct 18; and Sun. Nov 2.  (Dates subject to change)

Central Florida Heroes on the Water – Sat and Sun Sep 6 and 7 – This group will host its monthly kayak fishing trip with a two day campout at Twin Oaks Park .  It is for "warriors" (Active Duty and Veterans) family members, Caregivers (fishing buddies also) and service dogs. We do a shore lunch and provide all of the equipment and instruction, the cost is always the same FREE. They are a 501.c.3 that operates from donations and grants and since this chapter started in Oct of 2013 have proudly served 231 warriors. There are 10 active chapters across the state and warriors can participate at any event by reserving their spot. Future local trips are Oct 4 at Ralph V. Chisolm Park East Lake Toho; Nov 1 on Shingle Creek; and Dec 6 on Lake Jackson.  Contact Tom Welgos, 407.414.8393  centralfl@heroesonthewater.org  www.heroesonthewater.org and click on the local chapter.

Stick Marsh Veterans Bass Challenge - Sat Sep 6 - Fishing teams of up to 3 (1 military veteran or active, 1 Municipal Leader, plus 1 Boat Captain) at The Stick Marsh, 6,500-acre reservoir near Fellsmere, west of Vero Beach.  Bragging rights and prizes will be awarded afterwards at the Bass Challenge BBQ hosted at Bass Pro Shops. Sponsorship opportunities at multiple levels are available.  Contact Justin at 321-724-5400 ext. 233  orJustin@MelbourneRegionalChamber.com

Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk – Sat Sep 6 -  Cranes Roost in Altamonte Springs. Commemorative 9/11 run/walk.  On 9/11/2001, off-duty FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller strapped on 65 pounds of firefighting gear on his back and ran 3 miles through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers where he died at Ground Zero.  Being the youngest of 7 and orphaned at the age of 10, as well as having a wife and 5 kids, Stephen was loved by everyone which is why his family and friends started the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Funds raised will go towards their many programs, including the signature program, Building for America's Bravest which builds Smart Homes for the most catastrophically injured veterans. Contact Race Director Kyle Albano at  kylealbano@gmail.com  (c) 407-383-1992   www.t2trun.org    Event info relayed by Mark Owens.

Seminole County Veterans Service Officer Ed Burford shares: 2014 is the 100th anniversary of the beginning of WWI, the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Europe at Normandy, the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Vietnam War and the 10th anniversary of the Battle of Fallujah in Iraq.

And I will add:  Sept 14 is the 200th Anniversary of the writing of the poem that later became our national anthem.  Francis Scott Key wrote “Defence of Fort M’Henry” (yes – that was the original spelling!) after witnessing the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. When renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” it later became the national anthem of the United States of America by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931, which was then signed by President Herbert Hoover.

On the Horizon – Mark your Calendar – more info to come

Sep 11, Thurs. - 3rd Annual 9/11 Tribute in Avalon Park.  Free vendor spaces and for affiliated non-profit organizations.  Contact Laura Burk, Game Plan Media  at 407-900-1915.

Sep 13, Sat - 10th Annual Jason Burnett Memorial USO Benefit Ride – honoring Osceola Co. Marine LCpl who died in Iraq.  Sponsorships and early registrations welcomed. www.usobenefitride.com

Sep 19, Fri. - POW/MIA Day – see Sept 26 event.

Sep 19, Fri  - Central Florida Building Homes for Heroes Golf Outing, Reunion Resort, Kissimmee.  Flyer available upon request.  Sponsorships welcomed.  Contact Kim at 407-803-5398  kim.valdyke@buildinghomesforheroes.org

Sep 26, Fri - Orlando City Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Council will host a POW-MIA recognition ceremony in Orlando City Hall Rotunda, 10am.  Local WW2 and Vietnam POW’s will attend.

Sep 27, Sat - Orlando Veterans Stand Down – providing services to veterans, especially homeless vets. Volunteers needed, sponsors and supporters welcomed.  Sean Gibbs at 407-893-0133   www.standdown.HSNCFL.org  

Oct 3, Fri – Central FL Navy League Golf Tournament fundraiser – open to all.  See website for participation and sponsorship info.  Proceeds go to scholarships and support of area youth groups.

Oct 4, Sat – Navy Ball – sponsored by Central FL Navy League.  Open to all interested persons.  See website for ticket info and sponsorships.

Nov 1, Sat – Battle of the Branches – Satellite Beach.  Sponsors welcomed. Planning by Melbourne Regional Chamber and AVET Project.  Info:  www.avetproject.org  kim@avetproject.org 

Nov 7, Fri –The UCF College of Business Administration, Wells Fargo, and OrlandoJobs.com will host the second annual Central Florida Veterans Job Fair.   Matching motivated veteran job seekers with top employers from around the region.  Join us now in our efforts to register 100 legitimately hiring employers (no scammers) to meet more than 1,000 job seekers to achieve our goal of raising $25,000 to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit veterans-service organization. 

Nov 8, Sat. – Orlando Veterans Day Parade in downtown Orlando.  Applications for parade entries can be submitted NOW online at cityoforlando.net/mayor/events

Nov 8, Sat. – Veteran’s Day Parade in St.Cloud, 10am.  Contact TJ Palmer at tpalmer44@cfl.rr.com

Nov 8, Sat – Central Florida Marine Corps Ball (Marine Corps birthday is Nov 10, 1775.) Open to all interested persons.  Ticket info to be provided in future.

Nov 9, Sun - Mount Dora Patriot Cruise and Salute.  Sponsors and volunteers welcomed. www.mountdorapcs.org  More info to come.  Event Awareness from Rozann Abato.

Nov 9, Sun - Veterans Concert –- at Trinity Prep School auditorium in Winter Park.  Portion of the proceeds go to Pets for Vets – which helps heal the emotional wounds of military veterans by pairing them with a shelter animal that is specially selected to match his or her personality. Professional animal trainers rehabilitate the animals and teach them good manners to fit into the veteran’s lifestyle.  As seen in People magazine, CNN, NPR, etc.  Timacua White House.  407-595-2713.  More info to come.   Event awareness from Wendy Wallenberg.

Nov 11, Tues – Veterans Day Luncheon –Double Tree Hilton in Cocoa Beach.  Sponsors welcomed.  Proceeds assist the Not-for-profit 501(c)3 AVET Project with continuing help for community vets and military events.  kim@avetproject.org  321-373-7046 www.avetproject.org

Nov 22, Sat. - Villages Honor Flight Golf Tournament - This fun event is their major fundraising undertaking of the year.  Sponsorships welcomed.  www.villageshonorflight.org Event awareness from John Driscoll.

EXTRAS

Voting - This is the only type of political event information that will be listed in these event lists. 

Florida is a closed primary state. If you wish to vote in a partisan primary, you must be registered with that particular party affiliation. All registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, can vote on issues and non-partisan races. If you changed your address or want to change your party affiliation, you need to change your voter’s registration.  If you did not do that or you were not registered to vote by July 28, you will NOT be able to vote in the Primary Elections.  Primary Elections will be on Tues. Aug. 26 at your assigned polling place.  Early voting is available in each County starting Fri Aug 15 through Sun Aug 24 only at selected sites.  Absentee Ballot request deadline is Wed. Aug 20 at 5 pm and must be received back to the office by 7pm on Election night. 

The General Election for ALL registered voters is Tues Nov 4.  If you change your address, you need to change your voter’s registration.  First time voters need to register.  Voter registration deadline for the General Election is Mon. Oct 6.

If you have any questions about your registration or your polling place/time, contact your County Voter’s Registration office.

If you are eligible to vote you owe it to your community and even possibly your ancestors to do so.  Blood from military personnel and others has been spilt in the past to allow you this right. If you are eligible to vote and don’t, there are very few good excuses.  Others, including myself, then do NOT want to hear your complaints!  Get educated on the candidates and issues.  Do the correct thing and vote….. Make it count….

For veterans considering college, remember these 8 questions.  Hyperlink to Article Bangor Daily News:  The Federal Trade Commission advises those consumers to ask eight questions of those representing institutions of higher learning. The goal is to cull the responsible ones from the diploma mills that are most interested in getting their hands on veterans’ tuition money. Visitwww.consumer.ftc.gov and search “choosing a college.”  If you are using your GI Bill for schooling, make it count….

Depression - Many people have been shocked and saddened with the news of the recent death of actor Robin Williams.  It takes a Hero to ask for help!  Depression is Treatable: Take This Online Screening.  If you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one, visit Military Pathways to take a free, anonymous, online self-assessment for common mental health conditions such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. These conditions are treatable, and a self-assessment is not only easy but can be the first step you take toward getting the help you need. Learn more about depression and its symptoms from the below blog post we’re revisiting by Dr. James Bender.   Depression has been referred to as “both the common cold and cancer of health care.” It’s like the common cold in that it can affect anyone at any time (depression affects approximately 14.8 million American adults annually). It’s like cancer because it can be deadly. Take, for example, someone who is clinically depressed and commits suicide. Depression also increases the chances of someone experiencing a heart attack.  

http://dcoe.mil/blog/13-10-10/Depression_is_Treatable_Take_This_Online_Screening_Today.aspx

Veteran Owned Businesses – Coming soon:  a compiled list of 25 Veteran-Owned Businesses that will be printed.  That’s almost like FREE advertisement!  The Orlando Business Journal has weekly lists of businesses that are compiled annually into a Book of Lists.  It provides a reliable and reputable source of business information and contacts. Fill out a survey and allow your business to be included.  Larger businesses, including cities, counties, utilities, etc., are sometimes making provisions of contracting specifically to Veteran Owned Businesses.  We hope you will help us update this important reference resource.  Contact Denise Hicks (herself a Marine Corps vet!) of Orlando Business Journal at  407.241.2893  dhicks@bizjournals.com  or FAVOB at chairman@favob.org 

Burn Pit Exposure Registry – veterans with service listed below should register their exposure for future possible lung and other health conditions.  Research may find airborne hazards and you will want to be notified.  Contact your local county or vet organization Veteran Service Officer.

Eligible Veterans include those who served in:

Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn

Djibouti, Africa on or after September 11, 2001

Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm

Southwest Asia theater of operations on or after August 2, 1990

Modern waste contains significant amounts of plastic and other material which may emit toxic aerosol compounds and particulates when burned. In Iraq and Afghanistan the U.S. military, or its contractors such as KBR, operated large burn pits for long periods of time burning many tons of assorted waste. Active duty personnel reported respiratory difficulties and headaches in some cases and some veterans have made disability claims based on respiratory system symptoms. 

Local military, veterans, patriotic and associated organizations – Please send me information about your groups. (No political groups please.)   I would like to provide a future list of groups that will allow interested persons to contact you and perhaps become a new member/supporter!  We get new people moving to the area all the time and existing residents sometimes want to get involved.  Retirees also want to volunteer!  This may be your opportunity to find new members! 

Caring and sharing,

Cathy Haynes

Member/supporter of numerous veteran and military organizations in Central Florida

407-239-8468

chaynes11629@yahoo.com