Federal employees’ leave extended to care for wounded
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Friday, August 28, 2009
WASHINGTON — Federal employees can take up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave from their job to care for a servicemember injured in combat under new rules outlined by the White House on Wednesday.
Office of Personnel Management officials said the rules are technically still in the proposal and review stage, but federal agencies have already begun following them based on changes made to the Family and Medical Leave Act earlier this year.
Jerry Mikowicz, deputy assistant director for pay and leave administration, said the goal is to help provide medical and emotional care to a servicemember injured in the line of duty during their recovery. It will also apply to troops who contract a potentially life-threatening disease while serving on active duty.
The unpaid leave applies to troops’ next of kin: a spouse or parent, or even a sibling or cousin who is the closest surviving relative.
read more here
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=64417
Thursday, August 27, 2009
U.S. troops in Japan rescue man from fiery crash
U.S. troops in Japan rescue man from fiery crash
By T.D. Flack, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Saturday, August 29, 2009
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — U.S. troops from Misawa say they were simply acting on instinct when they rushed toward a fiery car crash on a dark country road Aug. 15 to save an unconscious Japanese man.
"I was just doing what I would want someone to do for me if I was in that guy’s spot," said Senior Airman Thomas Sullivan, who works with the 35th Medical Support Squadron.
Sullivan, Airman 1st Class Justin Bunton, a firefighter, and Tech Sgt. Rory Stark, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist, braved the heat of the fire to carry the man to safety, according to base and Japanese officials.
They were part of a group of about 30 airmen returning from a trip on a base tour bus when they came upon what Sullivan first thought was a "big bonfire" next to some Japanese homes along the road.
When they realized that it was the scene of a car crash — and that there was a man lying on the road next to a car and garage engulfed in flames — they stopped the bus to help. About five or six other airmen — including Airman 1st Class Aaron Lauer, with the 35th Maintenance Operations Squadron — also ran from the bus to help.
read more here
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=64424
By T.D. Flack, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Saturday, August 29, 2009
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — U.S. troops from Misawa say they were simply acting on instinct when they rushed toward a fiery car crash on a dark country road Aug. 15 to save an unconscious Japanese man.
"I was just doing what I would want someone to do for me if I was in that guy’s spot," said Senior Airman Thomas Sullivan, who works with the 35th Medical Support Squadron.
Sullivan, Airman 1st Class Justin Bunton, a firefighter, and Tech Sgt. Rory Stark, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist, braved the heat of the fire to carry the man to safety, according to base and Japanese officials.
They were part of a group of about 30 airmen returning from a trip on a base tour bus when they came upon what Sullivan first thought was a "big bonfire" next to some Japanese homes along the road.
When they realized that it was the scene of a car crash — and that there was a man lying on the road next to a car and garage engulfed in flames — they stopped the bus to help. About five or six other airmen — including Airman 1st Class Aaron Lauer, with the 35th Maintenance Operations Squadron — also ran from the bus to help.
read more here
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=64424
August tied for deadliest month in Afghan war
August tied for deadliest month in Afghan war
By Amir Shah - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 27, 2009 17:59:42 EDT
KABUL — A U.S. service member died Thursday in a militant attack involving a roadside bomb and gunfire, a death that pushed August into a tie with July as the deadliest months of the eight-year war.
The death brings to 44 the number of U.S. troops who have died in Afghanistan this month. But with four days left in the month, August could set a record.
More than 60,000 U.S. troops are now in the country — a record number — to combat rising insurgent violence. The number of roadside bombs deployed by militants across the country has skyrocketed, and U.S. forces have moved into new and deadlier areas of the country this summer, in part to help secure the country’s Aug. 20 presidential election.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/08/ap_afghanistan_082709/
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Army Casualties (4 of 4)
Pfc. Dennis M. Williams,
24, of Federal Way, Wash...died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Army Casualties (3 of 4)
Sgt. 1st Class Ronald W. Sawyer,
38, of Trenton, Mo...died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Army Casualties (2 of 4)
Capt. Cory J. Jenkins,
30, of Arizona...died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Army Casualties (1 of 4)
Capt. John L. Hallett III,
30, of California...died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Lance Cpl. Donald J. Hogan,
20, of San Clemente, Calif., died Aug. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force...
Pfc. Dennis M. Williams,
24, of Federal Way, Wash...died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Army Casualties (3 of 4)
Sgt. 1st Class Ronald W. Sawyer,
38, of Trenton, Mo...died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Army Casualties (2 of 4)
Capt. Cory J. Jenkins,
30, of Arizona...died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Army Casualties (1 of 4)
Capt. John L. Hallett III,
30, of California...died Aug. 25 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
08/27/09 : DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Lance Cpl. Donald J. Hogan,
20, of San Clemente, Calif., died Aug. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force...
It seems as if AP has missed the biggest point of all. This is already the deadliest year in Afghanistan. Last year US deaths were 155, this year already it is 175. Coalition forces last year was 139 and so far this year 139.
click link back to ICasualties and find out what the troops are going through there. By the way, there are still troops in Iraq in case any of your friends forgot because I know you didn't.
$70 million project but veterans still waited
When I write/talk about what went on over the last eight years, how there are some people in this country deciding they didn't want to talk about it, I have been deadly serious. This should have never, ever gotten as bad as it did and it wouldn't have if everyone in this country actually acted like adults, valued truth over spin and maybe spent some time tuning into CSPAN to actually find out what was really going on.
Now think of this. All this money allocated, veterans wait even longer and who was in charge when all of this was happening? Read this and if your blood is not boiling, then keep reading.
But 2003 there was still a huge problem going on.
This was from 2005.
Now put it all together and then try to remember a time when you heard about any of this on cable TV show you watch or the talk radio show you listen to. They thought you'd never find out. So are you finally getting the message that all of these false outrages are cover ups from people that just don't care about veterans but do care about power? As bad as these reports are, it only got worse. Do you still want to defend Republicans or Democrats no matter what they've done or do you now plan on defending veterans?
Now think of this. All this money allocated, veterans wait even longer and who was in charge when all of this was happening? Read this and if your blood is not boiling, then keep reading.
Report: No oversight for $70M program at VA
By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 27, 2009 17:22:40 EDT
WASHINGTON — The inspector general for the Veterans Affairs Department says that agency managers were aware of serious problems with a $70 million project to replace its hospital appointment system several years before the VA dropped the program.
The VA announced the project in 2000 after complaints from veterans about long waits to make appointments. It was halted this year.
The inspector general says that managers didn't take timely and appropriate action to address problems, even as millions more were put into the program.
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has since ordered improvements in the VA's information technology management. But the IG says that the VA still needs more qualified staff.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/08/ap_va_oversight_082709/
But 2003 there was still a huge problem going on.
H.R. 3094, the “Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act”Oh but that's not all. While some people in this country were fully supporting their elected just because they said they supported and cared about veterans, this is what was going on.
H.R. 3094 would establish standards of access to care within the VA health system. Under the provisions of this legislation, the VA will be required to provide a primary care appointment to veterans seeking health care within 30 days of a request for an appointment. If a VA facility is unable to meet the 30-day standard for a veteran, then the VA must make an appointment for that veteran with a non-VA provider, thereby contracting out the health care service. The legislation also requires the Secretary of the VA to report to Congress each quarter of a fiscal year on the efforts of the VA health system to meet this 30-day access standard.
Access is indeed a critical concern of PVA. The number of veterans seeking health care from the VA in recent years has risen dramatically. Since 1995, the number of veterans enrolled in the VA has risen from approximately 2.9 million to more than 5 million. Despite the Secretary’s decision to close enrollment of Category 8 veterans earlier this year, the numbers of enrolled veterans only continues to increase as we begin adding new veterans from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, VA health-care resources do not meet the increased demand for services and the system is unable to absorb this significant increase. With tens of thousands of veterans on a waiting list, waiting at least six months or more for care, VA has now reached capacity at many health-care facilities and closed enrollment to new patients at many hospitals and clinics. Additionally, VA has placed a moratorium on all marketing and outreach activities to veterans and determined there is a need to give the most severely service-connected disabled veterans a priority for care.
To ensure that all service-connected disabled veterans, and all other enrolled veterans, are able to access the system in a timely manner, it is imperative that our government provide an adequate health-care budget to enable VA to serve the needs of veterans nationwide. Access standards without sufficient funding are standards in name only. PVA is concerned that contracting health care services to private facilities when access standards are not met is not an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ensuring access to care. As we stated with regard to H.R. 2379, paying for contract care out of an already inadequate VA health care appropriation draws even more resources away from the funds needed to pay for VA’s core services. Likewise, contracting out to private providers will leave the VA with the difficult task of ensuring that veterans seeking treatment at non-VA facilities are receiving quality health care. We do think that access standards are important, but we believe that the answer to providing timely care is in providing sufficient funding in the first place in order to negate the impetus driving health care rationing. For these reasons, PVA cannot support H.R. 3094.
PVA appreciates the efforts of this Committee to ensure that veterans receive timely access to care. However, we must emphasize that the VA will continue to struggle to provide timely access without adequate funding provided by this Congress. We look forward to working with this Committee to ensure that veterans not only receive timely access to care, but high quality care as well.
PVA would like to thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.
read more here
http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/schedule108/sep03/9-30-03/cblake.html
This was from 2005.
Snapshot of How VA Budget Shortfall is Hurting Veterans’
Access to Safe and Timely Care across the Nation
The VA claims that by shifting funds dedicated to replace old equipment and conduct maintenance the department can address its budget shortfall and meet veterans’ demand for timely, high–quality health care. The following snapshots from across the nation reflect the stark reality of the budget shortfall on veterans’ access to safe, high quality care.
The 3 surgical operating rooms at the White River Junction VAMC in Vermont had to be closed on June 27 because the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system was broken and had not been repaired due to the siphoning of maintenance funds to cover the budget shortfall.
The VAMC in San Antonio could not provide a paraplegic veteran with a special machine to help clean a chronic wound because the facility did not have the equipment dollars.
The VAMC in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, closed its Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit which does extensive case management to help elderly veterans increase their functioning and remain at home.
The Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) needed to meet veterans’ increased demand for care in the North Florida/South Georgia VA Healthcare System have been delayed due to fiscal constraints. The Gainesville facility has made progress in reducing its wait lists, but as of April there were nearly 700 service-connected veterans waiting for more than 30 days for an appointment.
VA Medical Centers in VISN 16, which includes Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Louisiana and part of Texas, have stopped scheduling appointments for many veterans who are eligible for care, pending available resources.
Even though the VA Palo Alto, California, Health Care System has used $3 million in capital funds for operating needs, as of March 1 more than 1,000 new patients had to wait more than 30 days for a primary care appointment. A third of these new patients had to wait more than 3 months. More than 5,000 patients had to wait more than 30 days for a specialty care appointment. Roughly 1,400 had to wait more than 3 months.
The replacement of the fire alarm system at the Loma Linda VAMC in California won’t be done this year because the facility is using most of its capital funds to cover operating expenses.
The White River Junction VAMC in Vermont struggling with a $525,000 shortfall in its prosthetics budget.
Because the FY 2005 budget is inadequate, the facility has not been allowed to hire 3 additional mental health care staff and 3 additional Registered Nurses for the ICU. Nurses in the ICU have been forced to work double shifts, which this Committee has found to be an unsafe patient practice.
Even though the San Diego VAMC expects to exceed its goal in medical care cost collections, it will divert $3.5 million of non-recurring maintenance funds to partially cover operating expenses, and has delayed filling 131 vacant positions for 3 months. The facility has a waiting list for patients of 750 veterans.
Because the Iowa City VAMC had to shift maintenance funds and equipment funds to cover a FY 2004 million shortfall of $3.2 million in medical care expenses in FY 2004, the facility is facing severe infrastructure problems and a larger shortfall of $6.8 million in FY 2005 that puts patient care and safety at risk. The facility wanted to spend $950,000 in non-recurring maintenance funds last year to prevent a mechanical failure of the electrical switcher, which would close the facility, but was required to use those funds to cover a budget shortfall in medical care last year. As a result in FY 2005, the VA must divert $1.5 million of medical care funds to maintain the key electrical switchgear for the hospital.
Recently, a motor failed on a hospital bed, which the VA planned to replace but couldn’t because of the shortfall, causing a fire with the patient on the bed. Fortunately the patient was able to get out of the bed safely, but the facility was forced to expend $700,000 of medical care dollars to replace all the beds, which thanks to the diligence of VA staff lasted 7 years beyond their life expectancy. The facility could not use capital funds to replace the very old beds because the money had already been siphoned off to cover medical care.
To bring the shortfall down to $6.2 million the facility has delayed hiring staff for 4 months. The deliberate short staffing of nurses on the psychiatric ward – as a means to correct the budget shortfall -- has forced the VA to cut the beds available for treatment in half.
As a result of cost cutting measures to make up for the shortfall in FY 2005, the Portland, Oregon, VAMC is delaying all non-emergent surgery by at least six months. For example, veterans in need of knee replacement surgery won’t be treated because of the budget shortfall.
Since FY 2002, the Portland VAMC has had to use its equipment and non-recurring maintenance funds to cover medical care expenses. For FY 2005 the facility needed $13 million for medical and clinical equipment but only received $2 million.
The facility is reducing staff as a cost-cutting measure and is now short at least 150 hospital staff, including nurses, physicians, and social workers. As a result of budget cuts for staffing, the VA has cut the number of medical beds available to care for veterans.
Veterans in need of outpatient psychiatric treatment at the Portland facility are on a waiting list because of the budget shortfall.
The Biloxi, Mississippi, VAMC has diverted maintenance dollars to meet operating expenses for the past two years but the facility will not be able to balance its budget without reducing staffing levels at a time when the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System has approximately 100 new veterans seeking enrollment each week.
Fifty percent of all the veterans receiving home health care through the San Antonio VAMC will now have to fend for themselves. This cost-cutting measure means that some 250 veterans, including those with spinal cord injuries, will no longer be provided this care.
The VA Connecticut Healthcare System is facing a major budgetary challenge of sending veterans to non-VA facilities for hospitalizations because the VA has a shortage of beds to care for veterans and staff.
Due to the budget shortfall, the VA facility in Bay Pines, Florida, has been forced to put veterans who have a service-connected illness or disability rating of less than 50% on a waiting list for primary care appointments. As of late April, some 7,000 veterans will be waiting longer than 30 days for a primary care appointment.
Prepared by the Democratic staff of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee
http://veterans.house.gov/democratic/budget/snapshot6-29-05.htm
Now put it all together and then try to remember a time when you heard about any of this on cable TV show you watch or the talk radio show you listen to. They thought you'd never find out. So are you finally getting the message that all of these false outrages are cover ups from people that just don't care about veterans but do care about power? As bad as these reports are, it only got worse. Do you still want to defend Republicans or Democrats no matter what they've done or do you now plan on defending veterans?
Fallen Lewis County deputy honored
Fallen Lewis County deputy honored
By Keith Eldridge
LEWIS COUNTY, Wash. - Law enforcement officers from all over the region gathered alongside friends and family members of Dep. Mike Gallagher to pay tribute to his life and service.
Gallagher died from his injuries last week after an elk hit his patrol car as he was responding to a domestic violence call near Packwood.
Wednesday's memorial service was held at St. Martin's University in Thurston County as no venue in Lewis County was big enough to house the crowd honoring the public servant.
Gallagher is survived by his wife Andrea and his two children, daughter Alex and son Andrew
By Keith Eldridge
LEWIS COUNTY, Wash. - Law enforcement officers from all over the region gathered alongside friends and family members of Dep. Mike Gallagher to pay tribute to his life and service.
Gallagher died from his injuries last week after an elk hit his patrol car as he was responding to a domestic violence call near Packwood.
Wednesday's memorial service was held at St. Martin's University in Thurston County as no venue in Lewis County was big enough to house the crowd honoring the public servant.
Gallagher is survived by his wife Andrea and his two children, daughter Alex and son Andrew
He had a distinguished career in the Army, and was offered a position in the secret service. Gallagher declined, however, so that he could spend more time with his young family. Instead he chose a law enforcement career in the Lewis County Sheriffs office.
read more here
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/55199902.html
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Deputy killed in crash elk was Army veteran
Girl missing 18 years walked into sheriff's office
Girl missing since 1991 found alive; two arrested
Story Highlights
NEW: Two arrested in case of girl missing for 18 years, police say
Jaycee Dugard in good health, California sheriff's office says
FBI earlier told family that woman identified herself as missing girl, stepfather says
Dugard disappeared in South Lake Tahoe, California, at age 11 in 1991
By Taylor Gandossy
CNN
(CNN) -- A girl abducted in 1991 as an 11-year-old has been found alive in California, the El Dorado County sheriff's office said Thursday.
Jaycee Dugard is in good health, the office said in a statement, but provided no details.
Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department, confirmed that a man and a woman have been arrested in connection with the case, but could provide no other details.
Earlier Thursday, Carl Probyn, Dugard's stepfather, told CNN that an FBI agent had called his wife, Terry, on Wednesday afternoon to tell her that Dugard had been found.
The girl was last seen walking to her bus stop in South Lake Tahoe, California, on June 10, 1991, according to the FBI.
read more here
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/27/california.missing.girl/index.html
Story Highlights
NEW: Two arrested in case of girl missing for 18 years, police say
Jaycee Dugard in good health, California sheriff's office says
FBI earlier told family that woman identified herself as missing girl, stepfather says
Dugard disappeared in South Lake Tahoe, California, at age 11 in 1991
By Taylor Gandossy
CNN
(CNN) -- A girl abducted in 1991 as an 11-year-old has been found alive in California, the El Dorado County sheriff's office said Thursday.
Jaycee Dugard is in good health, the office said in a statement, but provided no details.
Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department, confirmed that a man and a woman have been arrested in connection with the case, but could provide no other details.
Earlier Thursday, Carl Probyn, Dugard's stepfather, told CNN that an FBI agent had called his wife, Terry, on Wednesday afternoon to tell her that Dugard had been found.
The girl was last seen walking to her bus stop in South Lake Tahoe, California, on June 10, 1991, according to the FBI.
read more here
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/27/california.missing.girl/index.html
Tow truck driver, finds baby in car to be towed away
Tampa tow truck driver takes parked car with a baby on board
By Robbyn Mitchell, Time Staff Writer
In Print: Thursday, August 27, 2009
TAMPA — The tiny foot popped into view just as the tow truck driver pulled over to call in and let his bosses know he had picked up an illegally parked Nissan at an apartment complex.
John Davenport looked more closely and discovered there was a 13-month-old boy in the car he had just loaded onto his truck Tuesday night at Park Terrace Apartments.
"They need to be put under the jail for that," he said. "You just don't leave a child in a car for a second. You just don't do that."
The baby was asleep, buckled into a child safety seat in the back of the 1995 Nissan. Davenport, 31, of Tampa said the windows were just barely cracked.
"It wasn't even open enough for a dog," he said.
read more here
Tampa tow truck driver takes parked car with a baby on board
By Robbyn Mitchell, Time Staff Writer
In Print: Thursday, August 27, 2009
TAMPA — The tiny foot popped into view just as the tow truck driver pulled over to call in and let his bosses know he had picked up an illegally parked Nissan at an apartment complex.
John Davenport looked more closely and discovered there was a 13-month-old boy in the car he had just loaded onto his truck Tuesday night at Park Terrace Apartments.
"They need to be put under the jail for that," he said. "You just don't leave a child in a car for a second. You just don't do that."
The baby was asleep, buckled into a child safety seat in the back of the 1995 Nissan. Davenport, 31, of Tampa said the windows were just barely cracked.
"It wasn't even open enough for a dog," he said.
read more here
Tampa tow truck driver takes parked car with a baby on board
Deputies: Trustee stole from slain UCF officer's trust fund
This was less than $5,000, but if true it would mean that this betrayal had no conscience at all. Millions, could have been tempting for the greedy. I'll give you that. But less than $5,000? That shows no limits to the depths a person is willing to sink to. I really hope that this turns out to be one huge misunderstanding and no one tried to take advantage of the kindness of others for this widow. I will hang onto that hope until all the evidence comes out, but after being stunned over and over again, I have a feeling this will be one more case of the worst people are capable of.
Deputies: Trustee stole from slain UCF officer's trust fund
Susan Jacobson
Sentinel Staff Writer
11:31 p.m. EDT, August 26, 2009
A deputy's wife has been arrested on a charge of stealing from a trust fund meant to help the family of a University of Central Florida police officer killed on duty.
Bambi Darcey, 33, was a friend of the family of Mario Jenkins, who was mistakenly gunned down by a reserve Orlando police officer while both were working a UCF football game at the Citrus Bowl in September 2005.
Darcey was trustee of the Officer Mario Jenkins Memorial Trust Fund. Darcey told Jenkins' widow, Valerie, that she would transfer that responsibility to Valerie Jenkins, according to arrest paperwork.
read more here
Trustee stole from slain UCF officer trust fund
Indictment handed down in killings of Sgt. Christina Smith, Spc.Megan Touma
3 Bragg soldiers indicted in 2 deaths
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 27, 2009 9:12:28 EDT
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina grand jury has indicted three Fort Bragg soldiers who police had previously charged with killing two female soldiers in separate attacks last year.
read more here
3 Bragg soldiers indicted in 2 deaths
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 27, 2009 9:12:28 EDT
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina grand jury has indicted three Fort Bragg soldiers who police had previously charged with killing two female soldiers in separate attacks last year.
read more here
3 Bragg soldiers indicted in 2 deaths
Vietnam vet re-enlists, deploys with wife
Vietnam vet re-enlists, deploys with wife
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 27, 2009 9:51:16 EDT
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Vietnam veteran Jim Jones didn’t feel comfortable sitting at home while his wife deployed to Afghanistan.
So Jones decided to come out of retirement from the Illinois Army National Guard and join her. He made the decision to join his wife, Julie, as she was training in Indiana last year.
read more here
Vietnam vet re enlists deploys with wife
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 27, 2009 9:51:16 EDT
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Vietnam veteran Jim Jones didn’t feel comfortable sitting at home while his wife deployed to Afghanistan.
So Jones decided to come out of retirement from the Illinois Army National Guard and join her. He made the decision to join his wife, Julie, as she was training in Indiana last year.
read more here
Vietnam vet re enlists deploys with wife
20 injured in vehicle rollover at Fort Sill
20 injured in vehicle rollover at Sill
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 27, 2009 7:47:09 EDT
LAWTON, Okla. — Officials at Fort Sill say about 20 soldiers were injured when the five-ton truck they were in rolled over.
A statement from the base says none of the injuries are considered life-threatening — although one soldier was flown to an Oklahoma City hospital.
The soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 378th Regiment, were hurt about 3 p.m. Wednesday when the truck rolled as the driver tried to avoid an animal.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/08/ap_army_sill_rollover_082709/
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Aug 27, 2009 7:47:09 EDT
LAWTON, Okla. — Officials at Fort Sill say about 20 soldiers were injured when the five-ton truck they were in rolled over.
A statement from the base says none of the injuries are considered life-threatening — although one soldier was flown to an Oklahoma City hospital.
The soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 378th Regiment, were hurt about 3 p.m. Wednesday when the truck rolled as the driver tried to avoid an animal.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/08/ap_army_sill_rollover_082709/
Feds sue to recover cash sent to dead veteran
When a veteran receiving disability checks dies, the family has to notify the VA. This is not a case of a family member deciding to keep the money. It was automatically deposited into the bank account of this veteran. What this does end up doing is cause everyone reading this to wonder, how many others is this happening to? After all, we've all read about homeless, forgotten veterans, long forgotten by families. Some of them could have walked away from everything, including disability checks. Impossible? No not really.
When they give up, they give up all the way. There should be some way of keeping track of our veterans and knowing if they are dead or alive.
Funeral home operators notify social security and in the case of veterans, they notify the VA. So how did it happen that the VA didn't know they were sending checks to a veteran laid to rest? When my Dad died, the funeral home notified the VA and so did we. When my father-in-law died, we didn't have to notify the VA because he never had a claim. We couldn't even get help to bury him even though he was a WWII veteran with a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. When my Mom died, again, we notified the VA and social security along with her pension.
How many others are slipping through the cracks? Is anyone checking? Aren't there rules to go by all the way around the country? Raises a lot of questions that need to be answered.
When they give up, they give up all the way. There should be some way of keeping track of our veterans and knowing if they are dead or alive.
Funeral home operators notify social security and in the case of veterans, they notify the VA. So how did it happen that the VA didn't know they were sending checks to a veteran laid to rest? When my Dad died, the funeral home notified the VA and so did we. When my father-in-law died, we didn't have to notify the VA because he never had a claim. We couldn't even get help to bury him even though he was a WWII veteran with a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. When my Mom died, again, we notified the VA and social security along with her pension.
How many others are slipping through the cracks? Is anyone checking? Aren't there rules to go by all the way around the country? Raises a lot of questions that need to be answered.
Feds sue to recover cash sent to dead veteran
Associated Press
2:07 p.m. CDT, August 26, 2009
DETROIT - The federal government says it mistakenly gave more than $50,000 to a dead Detroit man. Now it wants the money back.
The government recently filed a lawsuit in federal court in Detroit, seeking to have the state of Michigan turn over the money.
read more here
Feds sue to recover cash sent to dead veteran
Red Cross, National Guard trying to head off suicide
August 26, 2009
Red Cross, National Guard trying to head off suicide
When members of the West Virginia National Guard's 821st Engineering Company came home from Iraq in the spring of 2008, they were hailed as heroes. But along with their gear and their memories, some members of the unit brought with them the ghosts of combat and stress.
By Rusty Marks
Staff writer
Advertiser
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- When members of the West Virginia National Guard's 821st Engineering Company came home from Iraq in the spring of 2008, they were hailed as heroes.
But along with their gear and their memories, some members of the unit brought with them the ghosts of combat and stress. In March, one of the members of the 821st shot himself.
"He had been back for 10 months," said Staff Sgt. Travis Willard, manager of the suicide prevention program for the West Virginia National Guard.
Willard said the soldier had been going through a divorce, and had been seeing a professional about his problems. "At one point he discontinued his treatment," Willard said. "He just stopped going."
Members of the American Red Cross and West Virginia National Guard teamed up Wednesday to present a Suicide Prevention and Military Families Workshop at Charleston's Embassy Suites Hotel.
About 50 people -- mostly health providers, behavioral health professionals and family advocates -- came to find out more about spotting service members at risk for suicide and how to stop suicidal thoughts before it's too late.
read more here
http://wvgazette.com/News/200908260754
Red Cross, National Guard trying to head off suicide
When members of the West Virginia National Guard's 821st Engineering Company came home from Iraq in the spring of 2008, they were hailed as heroes. But along with their gear and their memories, some members of the unit brought with them the ghosts of combat and stress.
By Rusty Marks
Staff writer
Advertiser
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- When members of the West Virginia National Guard's 821st Engineering Company came home from Iraq in the spring of 2008, they were hailed as heroes.
But along with their gear and their memories, some members of the unit brought with them the ghosts of combat and stress. In March, one of the members of the 821st shot himself.
"He had been back for 10 months," said Staff Sgt. Travis Willard, manager of the suicide prevention program for the West Virginia National Guard.
Willard said the soldier had been going through a divorce, and had been seeing a professional about his problems. "At one point he discontinued his treatment," Willard said. "He just stopped going."
Members of the American Red Cross and West Virginia National Guard teamed up Wednesday to present a Suicide Prevention and Military Families Workshop at Charleston's Embassy Suites Hotel.
About 50 people -- mostly health providers, behavioral health professionals and family advocates -- came to find out more about spotting service members at risk for suicide and how to stop suicidal thoughts before it's too late.
read more here
http://wvgazette.com/News/200908260754
Deacon Bob Little, Vietnam Vet, Air Force Major, killed in accident
Three tours of Vietnam, Gulf War, Deputy Sheriff and the list goes on.
Deacon Bob Little - 1946 - 2009
By David Stoneberg
STAFF WRITER
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Deacon Bob Little of the St. Helena Catholic Church died Sunday morning following a crash about 10 miles north of Laytonville in Humboldt County.
According to Sgt. Jim Malner of the CHP Garberville office, the 63-year-old Little was on his Yamaha motorcycle on Highway 101, north of Laytonville. According to witnesses he was going about 60 mph when he approached a stopped vehicle waiting to turn left into a driveway. Little braked and skidded to the right, around the stopped vehicle. He lost control of the motorcycle and ended up on the edge of the roadway. The accident happened shortly after 10 a.m.
Little, who was wearing a helmet and protective riding apparel, was transported via Calstar 4 helicopter to Ukiah Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Little, who lived in American Canyon, was riding his motorcycle north to visit his daughter, Rebecca, who lives in Portland, Ore. According to Monsignor John Brenkle, he left about 7:30 a.m. and was expected to be back on Wednesday.
Deacon Bob Little - 1946 - 2009
By David Stoneberg
STAFF WRITER
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Deacon Bob Little of the St. Helena Catholic Church died Sunday morning following a crash about 10 miles north of Laytonville in Humboldt County.
According to Sgt. Jim Malner of the CHP Garberville office, the 63-year-old Little was on his Yamaha motorcycle on Highway 101, north of Laytonville. According to witnesses he was going about 60 mph when he approached a stopped vehicle waiting to turn left into a driveway. Little braked and skidded to the right, around the stopped vehicle. He lost control of the motorcycle and ended up on the edge of the roadway. The accident happened shortly after 10 a.m.
Little, who was wearing a helmet and protective riding apparel, was transported via Calstar 4 helicopter to Ukiah Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Little, who lived in American Canyon, was riding his motorcycle north to visit his daughter, Rebecca, who lives in Portland, Ore. According to Monsignor John Brenkle, he left about 7:30 a.m. and was expected to be back on Wednesday.
Three Vietnam tours
After high school he joined the military and served three tours in Vietnam from 1966 to 1969 and later was activated and served in Desert Storm for several months. He worked his way up from the enlisted ranks to U.S. Air Force major and retired from the Air Force Reserve in March 2006.
He was a sheriff’s deputy for 15 years and later earned his teaching credential while going to night school.
He taught science and physical education at St. Helena Catholic School from 1986 to 1991. While he was a teacher, Little augmented his salary by working in the hospitality room at Sutter Home and then moved over to head hospitality and marketing at Silver Oak Cellars.
read more here
Deacon Bob Little
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