Dogs more actively integrated into rehab
By Alysia Patterson - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jun 28, 2009 13:48:10 EDT
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Army Spc. Cameron Briggs washes down a cocktail of prescription drugs every day for post-traumatic stress disorder and a brain injury he suffered when four roadside bombs rocked his Humvee in Iraq.
Tramadol for pain. Midrin for debilitating headaches. Minipress to suppress nightmares. Klonopin to control anger and anxiety.
His next dose of treatment will come from an unlikely source: a purebred Golden Retriever.
A new Veterans Administration program adopts dogs from animal shelters, trains them and matches them with wounded warriors home from Iraq and Afghanistan to help with their recovery.
For Briggs, his dog will be trained to help him find his wallet, cell phone and keys, which he habitually loses because of cognitive memory loss. The dog also will brace Briggs, who has an ankle injury, so he doesn’t have to use a cane or walker in public.
“I call him my little battle buddy,” the 24-year-old Briggs said as he strapped his old camouflage assault vest onto Harper. It’s modified to store biscuits and toys instead of ammunition. “I most definitely think he’ll help me transfer back to civilian life.”
VA hospitals nationwide are integrating service dogs into treatment plans for disabled vets, said Will Baldwin, a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the VA in Denver. The program was formed after Freedom Service Dogs, a Denver-based nonprofit, recently partnered with the VA.
go here for morehttp://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/ap_military_service_dogs_062809/
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Vt. town comes together for paralyzed soldier
Vt. town comes together for paralyzed soldier
By John Curran - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Jun 27, 2009 15:41:23 EDT
HYDE PARK, Vt. — For Pfc. Andrew Parker, it was a bittersweet homecoming: He was hailed as a hero, feted with a star-spangled parade and showered with gifts at a welcome home ceremony.
He had to watch it all from a wheelchair.
Parker, a 21-year-old Army cavalry scout, was paralyzed in November when a roadside bomb blew up the vehicle he was driving on patrol in Afghanistan.
On Saturday, after months of rehabilitation in Veterans Administration hospitals and a community fundraising effort that added wheelchair-accessible accommodations to his parents’ house, the wounded warrior came home.
Riding in his wheelchair in the back of a flatbed truck, a smiling Parker took in the flag-waving well wishers and the hand-lettered signs — “For your sacrifice and our freedom” and “Thank you, Andrew” among them — on a six-mile parade to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7779.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/ap_army_vt_paralyzed_soldier_062709/
By John Curran - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Jun 27, 2009 15:41:23 EDT
HYDE PARK, Vt. — For Pfc. Andrew Parker, it was a bittersweet homecoming: He was hailed as a hero, feted with a star-spangled parade and showered with gifts at a welcome home ceremony.
He had to watch it all from a wheelchair.
Parker, a 21-year-old Army cavalry scout, was paralyzed in November when a roadside bomb blew up the vehicle he was driving on patrol in Afghanistan.
On Saturday, after months of rehabilitation in Veterans Administration hospitals and a community fundraising effort that added wheelchair-accessible accommodations to his parents’ house, the wounded warrior came home.
Riding in his wheelchair in the back of a flatbed truck, a smiling Parker took in the flag-waving well wishers and the hand-lettered signs — “For your sacrifice and our freedom” and “Thank you, Andrew” among them — on a six-mile parade to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7779.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/ap_army_vt_paralyzed_soldier_062709/
Houston, We've got a problem! This time with veterans claims
Here we have Houston Texas with the worst problem in the country. The same state where the Governor wanted to pass on stimulus money and complained about socialism never seeming very concerned that the veterans in his own state were falling behind, suffering from claims not being approved and in between suffering for serving the country ending up wounded, they were further wounded financially while having to fight the same country to honor their claims.
When did Texans stop caring about the men and women serving on their military bases? When did they stop caring about the veterans in their state? Any ideas? So how can it be they are not holding their own governor's feet to the fire to make sure these veterans are taken care of properly? Why aren't they holding their senators and congressmen personally responsible for neglecting them all these years? Is this a matter of national honor or party loyalty? Veterans are suffering all over this country and so are the men and women serving today. If we do not immediately resolve to do whatever it takes today to meet the need of today's veterans, we will in turn betray the men and women risking their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan today. This cannot remain a national disgrace.
While it was predictable this would happen, and much has been reported over the last 8 years about things getting worse, we can't say none of that will help now. It's high time it did so that it never, even happens again.
We had a President and his cabinet while all of this was happening and there were two occupations sending over 1.7 million off to fight in both of them. Why weren't they planned for? Who was held responsible for the suffering of all of these veterans? What was congress doing up until 2007 when the Democrats took over and started the ball rolling on play catch-up? Yes, that's right, the Democrats are the ones pushing for all that has happened for the troops in the last couple of years. While they can excuse the fact the Republicans had control over the House, Senate and the White House, they are not off the hook either for the mess.
People are wondering where they were when the need was getting so out of control, but none of them decided to make a public issue out of any of it. It's not that they didn't try to do something because I heard most of their speeches on CSPAN. The problem is, not very many people will sit and listen to the floor speeches or read transcripts. They turn on TV for entertainment and spend very little time watching the news. So why weren't the Democrats and the Republicans that were paying attention, on every single channel making sure the public was aware of the dire need the troops and our veterans were in? Where was the media?
Instead of inviting congressmen and senators on their cable news shows to answer questions on this crisis, they were asked some pretty stupid questions over and over again instead of asking them questions that would do someone some good. Where are the questions now? Any ideas when the talking heads over at FOX Cable news will start to ask or prove they care? Any ideas when they will find time in between covering Michael Jackson and South Carolina Governor Sanford? Realizing these stories are big news, reporting on them will not really make a difference in this country. They don't have to spend so many hours on either one. What happened to their obligation to report on the events that do have a direct impact on our lives?
When did Texans stop caring about the men and women serving on their military bases? When did they stop caring about the veterans in their state? Any ideas? So how can it be they are not holding their own governor's feet to the fire to make sure these veterans are taken care of properly? Why aren't they holding their senators and congressmen personally responsible for neglecting them all these years? Is this a matter of national honor or party loyalty? Veterans are suffering all over this country and so are the men and women serving today. If we do not immediately resolve to do whatever it takes today to meet the need of today's veterans, we will in turn betray the men and women risking their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan today. This cannot remain a national disgrace.
While it was predictable this would happen, and much has been reported over the last 8 years about things getting worse, we can't say none of that will help now. It's high time it did so that it never, even happens again.
We had a President and his cabinet while all of this was happening and there were two occupations sending over 1.7 million off to fight in both of them. Why weren't they planned for? Who was held responsible for the suffering of all of these veterans? What was congress doing up until 2007 when the Democrats took over and started the ball rolling on play catch-up? Yes, that's right, the Democrats are the ones pushing for all that has happened for the troops in the last couple of years. While they can excuse the fact the Republicans had control over the House, Senate and the White House, they are not off the hook either for the mess.
People are wondering where they were when the need was getting so out of control, but none of them decided to make a public issue out of any of it. It's not that they didn't try to do something because I heard most of their speeches on CSPAN. The problem is, not very many people will sit and listen to the floor speeches or read transcripts. They turn on TV for entertainment and spend very little time watching the news. So why weren't the Democrats and the Republicans that were paying attention, on every single channel making sure the public was aware of the dire need the troops and our veterans were in? Where was the media?
Instead of inviting congressmen and senators on their cable news shows to answer questions on this crisis, they were asked some pretty stupid questions over and over again instead of asking them questions that would do someone some good. Where are the questions now? Any ideas when the talking heads over at FOX Cable news will start to ask or prove they care? Any ideas when they will find time in between covering Michael Jackson and South Carolina Governor Sanford? Realizing these stories are big news, reporting on them will not really make a difference in this country. They don't have to spend so many hours on either one. What happened to their obligation to report on the events that do have a direct impact on our lives?
Backlog of VA claims in Houston one of highest
© 2009 The Associated Press
June 27, 2009, 5:14PM
HOUSTON — Houston has one of the biggest backlogs and some of the longest waiting times in processing veterans' claims for disability benefits in the nation, according to the most recent data released by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Nearly 18,000 veterans are waiting for the Houston VA Regional Office to process their applications for disability benefits, the Houston Chronicle reported Saturday.
Also, 26 percent of those claims in Houston have been pending for more than half a year, compared to the national average of 21 percent.
Total claims in Houston, including nondisability compensations and pensions, add up to almost 24,000, with 24 percent pending over six months. That percentage is also higher than the national average.
The number of claims on appeal from Houston — 11,389 — is the highest in the country.
"The situation at VA's Houston office is among the worst in America," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, a national advocacy group. "Our veterans and their families deserve better."
go here for more
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6500860.html
Billy Mays, died in Tampa FL after being hit in the head
UPDATED 6-29-09
Pitchman Billy Mays Had Enlarged Heart
PopEater
Popular product pusher Billy Mays had an enlarged heart and likely died over the weekend of a pulmonary embolism, or blocked artery, a medical examiner told reporters on Monday. There was no sign of head trauma. He was 50.
Dr. Vernard Adams told reporters that Mays' heart weighed 500 grams, or about 17.6 ounces. A typical male heart weighs about 10-12 ounces. The "heart disease that was found was certainly capable of causing the sudden death that he experienced."
There was no indication of drug abuse, prescription or otherwise. Further test need to be made and the official ruling of cause of death won't be available for several weeks, Adams said.
Mays told his wife, Deborah, he didn't feel well when he went to bed Saturday night. In the morning she found the booming-voiced OxiClean pitchman unconscious. Earlier in the day, he said he was hit on the head when the airplane he was riding in had a rough landing at Tampa Bay's airport.
However, doctors found no evidence of head trauma during the autopsy.
go here for more
Pitchman Billy Mays Had Enlarged Heart
Billy Mays, OxiClean pitchman, found dead
Story Highlights
Billy Mays, 50, is best known for his ads in which he shouts the attributes of OxiClean
The pitchman was pronounced dead Sunday morning, authorities said
Mays was on a plane that had a rough landing in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday
CNN) -- Infomercial pitchman Billy Mays died at his Tampa, Florida, home Sunday morning, authorities told CNN.
OxiClean pitchman Billy Mays died Sunday morning at his home in Tampa, authorities said.
The 50-year-old known for his shouting OxiClean ads was pronounced dead at 7:45 a.m. The Hillsborough County medical examiner will perform an autopsy, Tampa police Lt. Brian Dugan said.
Mays was on the US Airways flight from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Tampa on Saturday that had a hard landing at Tampa International Airport when the plane's front tire blew out. There were no reported injuries on Flight 1241, US Airways told CNN.
According to a local Tampa TV station, Mays said: "All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping. It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/28/mays.death/index.html
Drive-by shooting hits motorcylce charity ride
3 killed in drive-by at motorcycle fundraiser
Story Highlights
Three people killed at California motorcycle club fundraiser, authorities say
Fundraiser was held by group known as Old School Riders
Authorities do not know if shooting was random
By Janet DiGiacomo
CNN
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Three people were killed and at least seven wounded Saturday in a drive-by shooting at a motorcycle club fundraiser in California, authorities said.
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/28/california.shooting/index.html
Story Highlights
Three people killed at California motorcycle club fundraiser, authorities say
Fundraiser was held by group known as Old School Riders
Authorities do not know if shooting was random
By Janet DiGiacomo
CNN
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Three people were killed and at least seven wounded Saturday in a drive-by shooting at a motorcycle club fundraiser in California, authorities said.
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/28/california.shooting/index.html
Guardsmen say chemical exposure changed lives
Guardsmen say chemical exposure changed lives
By Sharon Cohen - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jun 28, 2009 8:40:07 EDT
Larry Roberta’s every breath is a painful reminder of his time in Iraq. He can’t walk a block without gasping for air. His chest hurts, his migraines sometimes persist for days and he needs pills to help him sleep.
James Gentry came home with rashes, ear troubles and a shortness of breath. Later, things got much worse: He developed lung cancer, which spread to his spine, ribs and one of his thighs; he must often use a cane, and no longer rides his beloved Harley.
David Moore’s postwar life turned into a harrowing medical mystery: nosebleeds and labored breathing that made it impossible to work, much less speak. His desperate search for answers ended last year when he died of lung disease at age 42.
What these three men — one sick, one dying, one dead — had in common is they were National Guard soldiers on the same stretch of wind-swept desert in Iraq during the early months of the war in 2003.
These soldiers and hundreds of other Guard members from Indiana, Oregon and West Virginia were protecting workers hired by a subsidiary of the giant contractor, KBR Inc., to rebuild an Iraqi water treatment plant. The area, as it turned out, was contaminated with hexavalent chromium, a potent, sometimes deadly chemical linked to cancer and other devastating diseases.
go here for more
Guardsmen say chemical exposure changed lives
By Sharon Cohen - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jun 28, 2009 8:40:07 EDT
Larry Roberta’s every breath is a painful reminder of his time in Iraq. He can’t walk a block without gasping for air. His chest hurts, his migraines sometimes persist for days and he needs pills to help him sleep.
James Gentry came home with rashes, ear troubles and a shortness of breath. Later, things got much worse: He developed lung cancer, which spread to his spine, ribs and one of his thighs; he must often use a cane, and no longer rides his beloved Harley.
David Moore’s postwar life turned into a harrowing medical mystery: nosebleeds and labored breathing that made it impossible to work, much less speak. His desperate search for answers ended last year when he died of lung disease at age 42.
What these three men — one sick, one dying, one dead — had in common is they were National Guard soldiers on the same stretch of wind-swept desert in Iraq during the early months of the war in 2003.
These soldiers and hundreds of other Guard members from Indiana, Oregon and West Virginia were protecting workers hired by a subsidiary of the giant contractor, KBR Inc., to rebuild an Iraqi water treatment plant. The area, as it turned out, was contaminated with hexavalent chromium, a potent, sometimes deadly chemical linked to cancer and other devastating diseases.
go here for more
Guardsmen say chemical exposure changed lives
Special Moments turn terrifying as day care center attempted robber is shot
Do these people have any limits on what they are willing to do, who they find it acceptable to target in the commission of a crime? You would think that any human, even the lowest of the lows, would not stoop so low as to break into a day care center of all places! These children ended up being terrorized just so that some criminals could take what was not their's and in the process, ended up taking the place these children felt safe.
Day Care Center Intruder Shot
By ANAHAD O’CONNOR
Published: June 26, 2009
Police officers, responding to an attempted robbery at a Brooklyn day care center on Friday afternoon, shot a man who had stormed into the center and pointed a gun at arriving officers as a group of frightened children stood nearby, the authorities said.
The shooting unfolded at the Special Moments Daycare in East Flatbush after two men entered intent on stealing money, the police said. At the time, about a dozen children, mostly toddlers, were napping in a room on the building’s ground floor.
None of the children were harmed, but one of the robbers, identified by the police as Gavin Nugent, pointed his weapon at the officers, who then opened fire. He was hit at least twice and was in stable condition at Kings County Hospital Center.
The other intruder was taken into custody, as was a third man who the police said stood outside as a lookout.
go here for more
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/27/nyregion/27shooting.html?_r=1
New Program Teaches Valuable Life-Skills To Veterans
Jun 24, 2009 7:06 pm US/Eastern
Program Helps Homeless Vets Get Life Back On Track
New Program Teaches Valuable Life-Skills To Veterans
BEDFORD (WBZ) ―
Some veterans, who have been homeless, are getting a fresh start on life with some help.
WBZ reporter Dawn Hasbrouck details an innovative new program that will give homeless veterans a new apartment and the skills needed to succeed in life.
"We're going to take clients who are living in our shelter, but who may lack the skills to live independently. And we're going to take them as a group of four and move them into our brand new model apartment," Dr. Dennis Upper said.
People at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans say they have heard and seen the success stories and hope to add to the numbers.
"Every aspect of my life was in ruins," Steven Holland said.
Holland, a Persian Gulf War veteran, left Saudi Arabia in 1995 with problems.
"I was dealing with a lot of stress. I had child support to pay. I had to find another home and I started to drink real heavily," Holland said.
go here for more
http://wbztv.com/local/homeless.veterans.program.2.1058472.html
Program Helps Homeless Vets Get Life Back On Track
New Program Teaches Valuable Life-Skills To Veterans
BEDFORD (WBZ) ―
Some veterans, who have been homeless, are getting a fresh start on life with some help.
WBZ reporter Dawn Hasbrouck details an innovative new program that will give homeless veterans a new apartment and the skills needed to succeed in life.
"We're going to take clients who are living in our shelter, but who may lack the skills to live independently. And we're going to take them as a group of four and move them into our brand new model apartment," Dr. Dennis Upper said.
People at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans say they have heard and seen the success stories and hope to add to the numbers.
"Every aspect of my life was in ruins," Steven Holland said.
Holland, a Persian Gulf War veteran, left Saudi Arabia in 1995 with problems.
"I was dealing with a lot of stress. I had child support to pay. I had to find another home and I started to drink real heavily," Holland said.
go here for more
http://wbztv.com/local/homeless.veterans.program.2.1058472.html
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Montana National Guard's PTSD Testing Program Going National
Montana National Guard's PTSD Testing Program Going National
By KFBB News Team
Story Published: Jun 26, 2009 at 5:50 PM MDT
Story Updated: Jun 26, 2009 at 5:50 PM MDT
A program that started in Montana to help soldiers cope with the stress of war is now going national.
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) says legislation modeled after the Montana National Guard's screenings for post-combat stress injuries and suicidal tendencies in returning troops has been included in this year's defense authorization bill.
"We in Montana have raised the bar very high and we have set very high standards for in-person interviews for men and women when they come home to make sure they are okay," said Baucus. "This legislation gets the rest of the nation up to Montana's high standards so that our men and women when they come home are treated with the very best care."
An estimated 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders and the Army's suicide rate has increased every year since the Iraq War began in 2003.
go here for video
http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/49254727.html
By KFBB News Team
Story Published: Jun 26, 2009 at 5:50 PM MDT
Story Updated: Jun 26, 2009 at 5:50 PM MDT
A program that started in Montana to help soldiers cope with the stress of war is now going national.
Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) says legislation modeled after the Montana National Guard's screenings for post-combat stress injuries and suicidal tendencies in returning troops has been included in this year's defense authorization bill.
"We in Montana have raised the bar very high and we have set very high standards for in-person interviews for men and women when they come home to make sure they are okay," said Baucus. "This legislation gets the rest of the nation up to Montana's high standards so that our men and women when they come home are treated with the very best care."
An estimated 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders and the Army's suicide rate has increased every year since the Iraq War began in 2003.
go here for video
http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/49254727.html
Traveling war memorial makes stop in Central Florida
UPDATE:
I should have added this yesterday because of all the confusion.
Last week there were several posts about traveling Vietnam Memorial Walls showing up in different parts of the country. A lot of people do not understand these Walls were created by different people. This is the difference between them.
Now you may have a better idea of how these Walls can be showing up in different parts of the country at the same time. Naturally living in Florida, this one is the one I usually show up for. Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall®
I should have added this yesterday because of all the confusion.
Last week there were several posts about traveling Vietnam Memorial Walls showing up in different parts of the country. A lot of people do not understand these Walls were created by different people. This is the difference between them.
The Moving Wall™ is a trademark of Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd. Since 1984, the traveling half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
25th Anniversary Year
About THE MOVING WALL™
"The Moving Wall" is the half-size replica of the Washington, DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has been touring the country for more than twenty years. When John Devitt attended the 1982 dedication in Washington, he felt the positive power of "The Wall." He vowed to share that experience with those who did not have the opportunity to go to Washington.
John, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver, and other Vietnam veteran volunteers built The Moving Wall. It went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984.Two structures of The Moving Wall now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site.
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall®
About Our Wall
Our Wall is a 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, it stands six feet tall at the center and covers almost 300 feet from end to end.
This Traveling Memorial stands as a reminder of the great sacrifices made during the Vietnam War. It was made for the purpose of helping heal and rekindle friendships and to allow people the opportunity to visit loved ones in their home town who otherwise may not be able to make the trip to Washington.
Feel free to take a look at our website, read about what we have to offer, and please contact us with any questions you might have in regards to the Memorial Wall coming to your town.
Copyright The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall® 2006-09
About the Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard (V V B)
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall® is part of the Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard (V V B) located in Brevard County Florida.
The V V B is a 501(c)(3) organization that was formed and incorporated in December of 1985. The VVB is a grass roots, community based organization.
We strive to be an active member of the community by having a color guard and a rifle team to participate in local events. We also support a transitional housing facility which helps veterans in getting back up on their own.
We plan on taking this same dedication and putting it into the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall®; not only here in Brevard County, but other Florida counties and all of the United States as well.
http://www.travelingwall.us/ourwall.htm
The Wall That Heals
On Veterans Day 1996, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund unveiled a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., designed to travel to communities throughout the United States.
"Bringing The Wall Home" to communities throughout our country allows the souls enshrined on the Memorial to exist, once more, among family and friends in the peace and comfort of familiar surroundings. The traveling exhibit, known as The Wall That Heals, allows the many thousands of veterans who have been unable to cope with the prospect of "facing The Wall" to find the strength and courage to do so within their own communities, thus allowing the healing process to begin.
The Wall That Heals also features a Traveling Museum and Information Center providing a comprehensive educational component to enrich and complete visitors' experiences. The Museum chronicles the Vietnam War era and the unique healing power of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, while the Information Center serves as a venue for people to learn about friends and loved ones lost in the war.
Since its dedication, The Wall That Heals has visited more than 300 cities and towns throughout the nation, spreading the Memorial's healing legacy to millions. In addition to its U.S. tour stops, the exhibition made its first-ever international journey in April 1999 to the Four Provinces of Ireland to honor the Irish-born casualties of the Vietnam War and the Irish-Americans who served. It has also traveled to Canada.
For more information or to learn how to bring The Wall That Heals to your community, please contact the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at (202) 393-0090 or via email at vvmf@vvmf.org.
http://www.vvmf.org/index.cfm?SectionID=1
Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the most-visited National Park Service site in Washington, D.C. Even so, millions of Americans will never see or experience the impact of "The Wall" in their lives. To allow more people this opportunity, Dignity Memorial network providers created a three-quarter-scale traveling replica of the memorial in 1990.
Known as the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall, this faux-granite replica is dedicated to all Americans who served in Vietnam and honors all servicemen and women of the United States military forces. Each year the replica crisscrosses the country, allowing millions of visitors to see and touch its black, mirror-like surface inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died or are missing in Vietnam. Every exhibition is sponsored by a local Dignity Memorial provider, with the help and support of area veterans groups and civic organizations.
This program is only available in the United States.http://www.dignitymemorial.com/DignityMemorial/VietnamWall.aspx
Now you may have a better idea of how these Walls can be showing up in different parts of the country at the same time. Naturally living in Florida, this one is the one I usually show up for. Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall®
Traveling war memorial makes stop in Central Florida
Darryl E. Owens COMMENTARY
June 27, 2009
After his mother gathered the family and broke the news that the Army had declared her son missing in action in Vietnam, Lar'Rio Walden fell against a nearby wall. He leaned against it for several minutes, in stunned silence.
Thursday, as Walden leaned into a sprawling faux granite wall erected outside a local resort, he was anything but silent. He tapped a spot on Panel 37E,
Row 73 where a name was engraved in capital letters.
And he encouraged anyone within earshot to never forget the soldier — his older brother — who came home in a flag-draped casket almost a month after his mother's heartbreaking bulletin.
"He was a great young man," recalled the 60-year-old Miami Gardens man. "I feel so sorry that he was called home so soon."
As Walden held court Thursday at the Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel & Convention Center, the actual Vietnam Veterans Memorial stood hundreds of miles away in Washington. But he and the others who braved the merciless heat found a focal point for reflecting, mourning and celebrating loved ones and strangers lost in that war.
As the emotional centerpiece of its state convention, the American Legion Department of Florida, in conjunction with Dignity Memorial, brought to town a three-quarters-scale, faithful reproduction of the once-controversial Maya Lin creation
go here for more
Traveling war memorial makes stop in Central FloridaVietnam Memorial replica comes to Central Florida Thursday
Darryl E. Owens Sentinel Staff Writer
June 24, 2009
Central Floridians are invited to visit the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall, a three-quarter replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Wash., D.C., Thursday through Sunday during the 91st Annual American Legion Department of Florida Convention at the Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel & Convention Center.
The memorial wall stands eight feet high and is 240 feet wide. The names of more than 58,000 service members who died or remain missing in action in Vietnam are inscribed on its black, reflective surface. Visitors will receive paper and pencils to make rubbings of the etched names.
The three-day public showing kicks off with an opening ceremony today at 10 a.m. The closing ceremony is Sunday at 11 a.m. Caribe Royale is located at 8101 World Center Dr., Orlando.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-vietnam-wall-062409,0,3970126.story
1 in 8 combat troops needs alcohol counseling
1 in 8 combat troops needs alcohol counseling
Military testing pilot programs to erase stigma of seeking help
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jun 27, 2009 8:51:52 EDT
One in eight troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006 to 2008 were referred for counseling for alcohol problems after their post-deployment health assessments, according to data from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center.
Service members complete their initial health assessments within 30 days of returning home.
The authors of the study, published in the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, compared numbers of active-duty service members who had an alcohol-related medical encounter with those who received counseling for alcohol, noting that studies have shown troops with post-traumatic stress disorder are more likely to be substance abusers.
Defense officials said they are aware of the data. “Substance misuse/abuse is a psychological health issue, and thus one we are actively involved with,” said Navy Capt. Edward Simmer, Senior Executive Director for Psychological Health Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health.
In recent years, a number of soldiers and Marines have been discharged because of a “pattern of misconduct” stemming from alcohol abuse. Earlier this month, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli ordered military leaders to do a better job of getting treatment for soldiers or discharging offenders if they have received help and still have problems.
In an internal memo, Chiarelli wrote that “a growing population” of soldiers with substance abuse problems — identified either through urine tests or through “alcohol-related actions” — have not been referred to the Army Substance Abuse Program by their commanders.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/army_alcohol_062709w/
Military testing pilot programs to erase stigma of seeking help
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jun 27, 2009 8:51:52 EDT
One in eight troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006 to 2008 were referred for counseling for alcohol problems after their post-deployment health assessments, according to data from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center.
Service members complete their initial health assessments within 30 days of returning home.
The authors of the study, published in the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, compared numbers of active-duty service members who had an alcohol-related medical encounter with those who received counseling for alcohol, noting that studies have shown troops with post-traumatic stress disorder are more likely to be substance abusers.
Defense officials said they are aware of the data. “Substance misuse/abuse is a psychological health issue, and thus one we are actively involved with,” said Navy Capt. Edward Simmer, Senior Executive Director for Psychological Health Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health.
In recent years, a number of soldiers and Marines have been discharged because of a “pattern of misconduct” stemming from alcohol abuse. Earlier this month, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli ordered military leaders to do a better job of getting treatment for soldiers or discharging offenders if they have received help and still have problems.
In an internal memo, Chiarelli wrote that “a growing population” of soldiers with substance abuse problems — identified either through urine tests or through “alcohol-related actions” — have not been referred to the Army Substance Abuse Program by their commanders.
Joyce Raezer, executive director of the National Military Family Association, sees a deeper issue.go here for more
Troops “fear seeking help, so they self-medicate,” she said. “You’ve got competing stigmas going on here.”
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/army_alcohol_062709w/
If ever you doubt what just one soldier means, watch this video
One soldier came home this day. His body covered with an American flag. Just one soldier more giving his life for his country. Yet, just this one soldier was greeted by hundreds as his body traveled home to be laid to rest in American soil. If ever you doubt what just one soldier means, watch this video. Then you'll know each of them are in our hearts.
for video
This is truly awesome and a must see!
Killed in action the week before, the body of Staff Sergeant First Class John C. Beale was returned to Falcon Field in Peachtree City, Georgia , just south of Atlanta, on June 11, 2009. The Henry County Police Department escorted the procession to the funeral home in McDonough, Georgia.
A simple notice in local papers indicated the road route to be taken and the approximate time.
Nowadays one can be led to believe that America no longer respects honor and no longer honors sacrifice outside the military. Be it known that there are many places in this land where people still recognize the courage and impact of total self-sacrifice. Georgia remains one of those graceful, grateful places. The link below is a short travelogue of that day's remarkable and painful journey. But only watch this if you wish to have some of your faith in people restored. Please share widely.
Staff Sergeant First Class John C. Beale
Friday, June 26, 2009
Long Beach murder trial begins for ex-Marines
Long Beach murder trial begins for ex-Marines
The Associated Press
Posted: 06/25/2009 11:11:43 AM PDT
Updated: 06/25/2009 03:02:35 PM PDT
LONG BEACH, Calif.—Trial has begun for two former Marines charged with getting a brain-damaged Iraq War vet to kill a Long Beach man in a dispute over a laptop computer.
Anthony Vigeant (vih-ZHANT') and Trevor Landers were in court Wednesday in Long Beach. The ex-Camp Pendleton Marines are charged with the 2007 murder of David Pettigrew.
Prosecutors contend he was shot when the men went to retrieve a laptop because Pettigrew had failed to pay them with an ounce of cocaine.
Authorities claim the men got former Cpl. Ramon Hernandez—who received severe brain injuries in a 2004 Iraq bombing—to kill Pettigrew.
Hernandez pleaded guilty to murder in April.
Landers had a previous trial that ended with a jury deadlock.
Vigeant and Landers face life in prison if convicted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_12688487
The Associated Press
Posted: 06/25/2009 11:11:43 AM PDT
Updated: 06/25/2009 03:02:35 PM PDT
LONG BEACH, Calif.—Trial has begun for two former Marines charged with getting a brain-damaged Iraq War vet to kill a Long Beach man in a dispute over a laptop computer.
Anthony Vigeant (vih-ZHANT') and Trevor Landers were in court Wednesday in Long Beach. The ex-Camp Pendleton Marines are charged with the 2007 murder of David Pettigrew.
Prosecutors contend he was shot when the men went to retrieve a laptop because Pettigrew had failed to pay them with an ounce of cocaine.
Authorities claim the men got former Cpl. Ramon Hernandez—who received severe brain injuries in a 2004 Iraq bombing—to kill Pettigrew.
Hernandez pleaded guilty to murder in April.
Landers had a previous trial that ended with a jury deadlock.
Vigeant and Landers face life in prison if convicted.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_12688487
Moving Wall erected in Munnsville
Moving Wall erected in Munnsville
Published: Thursday, June 25, 2009
Oneida Dispatch - Oneida,NY,USA
By LIAM MIGDAIL-SMITH
Dispatch Intern
MUNNSVILLE — The Moving Wall has arrived.
The 253-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., began its five day stay at Stockbridge Valley Central School Thursday. The wall traveled to Munnsville in pieces and was assembled at the school. State and local police, Madison and Oneida Sheriffs’ departments and a motorcycle troop organized by the American Legion Riders escorted the wall from Vernon to Munnsville at 7:15 Thursday morning. In Munnsville, volunteers assembled the wall within two hours.
The Moving Wall was started in 1983 by three Vietnam Veterans from California who wanted to give people the opportunity to see the memorial who wouldn’t be able to make it to Washington. As of January, it has traveled to 1,155 communities across the country.
The wall’s trip to Munnsville is sponsored and organized by the American Legion Post 54. Volunteers began reading the wall’s names at noon Thursday and will continue 24 hours a day until 3:30 p.m. on Monday. The wall is available for viewing throughout that time. Volunteers will be on site to read names, assist visitors in finding names on the wall and collect donations. Donations will be used to offset the cost of bringing the wall to Munnsville and then all extra money raised will go towards the wall.
The Town of Stockbridge issued a proclamation declaring the week of June 21 through June 27 to be “Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Week.”
go here for more
Moving Wall erected in Munnsville
Published: Thursday, June 25, 2009
Oneida Dispatch - Oneida,NY,USA
By LIAM MIGDAIL-SMITH
Dispatch Intern
MUNNSVILLE — The Moving Wall has arrived.
The 253-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., began its five day stay at Stockbridge Valley Central School Thursday. The wall traveled to Munnsville in pieces and was assembled at the school. State and local police, Madison and Oneida Sheriffs’ departments and a motorcycle troop organized by the American Legion Riders escorted the wall from Vernon to Munnsville at 7:15 Thursday morning. In Munnsville, volunteers assembled the wall within two hours.
The Moving Wall was started in 1983 by three Vietnam Veterans from California who wanted to give people the opportunity to see the memorial who wouldn’t be able to make it to Washington. As of January, it has traveled to 1,155 communities across the country.
The wall’s trip to Munnsville is sponsored and organized by the American Legion Post 54. Volunteers began reading the wall’s names at noon Thursday and will continue 24 hours a day until 3:30 p.m. on Monday. The wall is available for viewing throughout that time. Volunteers will be on site to read names, assist visitors in finding names on the wall and collect donations. Donations will be used to offset the cost of bringing the wall to Munnsville and then all extra money raised will go towards the wall.
The Town of Stockbridge issued a proclamation declaring the week of June 21 through June 27 to be “Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Week.”
go here for more
Moving Wall erected in Munnsville
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