Iraq War veteran and former beauty queen, dies at 32

One thing we don't talk enough about is linked to short term memory loss. When they have PTSD, that is part of it. They forget things that just happened while they are haunted by things that happened in the past. It's a huge problem for veterans, especially when they are supposed to remember to take medications at certain times. Sometimes they forget they just took them and take more. Sometimes they don't take them when they are supposed to. Being organized and learning some tricks, like using pill boxes helps with this. While it's impossible to know if a death was accidental overdose or not when they die, there has been many cases when a veteran has survived and said they were not sure if they took too much or not.

There is also the issue that PTSD does harm the heart because of the high levels of stress. One more thing we don't talk enough about. Then again, when it comes to our veterans, we don't talk enough about any issue they have to endure when they come home.

"...she had hoped to become a counselor, helping other veterans."

Theresa Flannery, Iraq War veteran and former beauty queen, dies at 32
By JIM WARREN
McClatchy Newspapers

Theresa Flannery went to Iraq in 2004 and walked into one of the hottest firefights of the war.

She and other U.S. soldiers were trapped on the roof of a government compound at Najaf, dodging rifle fire and rocket-propelled grenades from renegade militiamen. Flannery traded gunfire with enemy snipers, shattering bones in her wrist diving for cover. A photo of Flannery, taken during the two-hour fight, circulated around the world, and the former Miss Madison County was recommended for a Bronze Star.

Back home in Kentucky, Flannery got a hero's welcome. But only family members and close friends knew of the price she paid, and her struggles with post traumatic stress disorder.

Last Thursday, Flannery, 32, died while on a visit in Lexington, N.C. She apparently died in her sleep.

Preliminary autopsy results were inconclusive. But her father, David Flannery, said he has no doubt that her death was related to the physical and emotional scars she carried from her experiences in Iraq.

"That's my gut feeling," he said. "Theresa had been dealing with some horrible problems from PTSD. She was being treated for that, and they kept changing the medication she was taking. She was on 85 percent disability from the Army. She had lost a lot of weight."



Read more: Iraq War veteran and former beauty queen dies at 32

Third grade class honors military for Memorial Day

Grab a tissue before you watch this.

Supreme Court gets papers in Snyder lawsuit against Westboro

Supreme Court gets papers in Snyder lawsuit

By Jessica Gresko - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday May 25, 2010 17:36:54 EDT

WASHINGTON — The father of a Marine killed in Iraq says anti-gay protesters who showed up with inflammatory signs at his son’s funeral in Maryland should not be given blanket protection by the Constitution.

Attorneys for Albert Snyder submitted a 67-page brief Monday in their case now before the U.S. Supreme Court. The attorneys argued that the First Amendment does not fully protect the protesters because they infringed on Snyder’s own rights to peacefully assemble with family and friends for the funeral.

Snyder, a Pennsylvania resident, is challenging the protests held by the fundamentalist Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas. Westboro pastor Fred Phelps and other members — many of them Phelps’ family members — have become well-known for their funeral protests, which they have used to advertise their belief that U.S. Iraq war deaths are punishment for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality.
read more here
Supreme Court gets papers in Snyder lawsuit

NC man charged with posing as officer again

NC man charged with posing as officer again

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday May 25, 2010 14:10:08 EDT

WILMINGTON, N.C. — A man who pleaded guilty last year to altering an identification card after he was spotted in the uniform of a three-star Marine general has been charged again with posing as a highly decorated Marine officer.

Sixty-seven-year-old Michael Hamilton of Richlands was charged last week with wearing a Marine colonel’s uniform and three counts of wearing medals, including two Navy Crosses, the second highest award for valor, according to court papers.

Hamilton was photographed wearing the uniform and medals at Jacksonville’s Vietnam Memorial during a military recognition day ceremony last month.
read more here
NC man charged with posing as officer again

Community mourns fallen soldier

Community mourns fallen soldier

BY ELIZABETHE HOLLAND
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/23/2010

COTTLEVILLE — Church bells tolled and a massive American flag fluttered in the breeze Saturday as motorcyclists in leather vests stood in salute and soldiers in dress blues delivered the casket holding Sgt. Denis Kisseloff's body to an awaiting hearse.

They were among scores of people — nuns, Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, firefighters and others — who probably didn't know Kisseloff, of St. Charles, but came to pay their respects as his body made its way from his funeral service in St. Charles County to his gravesite in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
read more here
Community mourns fallen soldier

Feds urged to recover Marines killed in WWII battle

Memorial Day is coming again and it seemed like a good time to bring this up. I am still searching for where my husband's uncle is buried. I came across this. There are many of our fallen buried in other countries and we have a feeling my husband's uncle is one of them. I know several were returned and buried at Arlington.

Friday August 17, 2001:
WWII Marines Buried at Arlington

Playing "Onward! Christian Soldiers,'' the Marine Band marched Friday along the twisting paths of Arlington National Cemetery to the open grave sites of 13 World War II Marines whose remains had lain nearly 60 years in a mass grave on a South Pacific battlefield.

The full honors ceremony marked the homecoming of 2nd Raider Battalion Marines killed during a 1942 raid on Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.

The battalion destroyed most of its target, a Japanese seaplane base. But, hurriedly departing under fire from hostile aircraft, they were unable to carry away their dead.

read more here

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/raiders-1942.htm

It would be a great thing to bring them all home or at least find out where they are.

Feds urged to recover Marines killed in WWII battle
From wire service reports
Posted: 09/15/2009 10:26:27 PM PDT

U.S. Marines hunker down for protection against fierce Japanese fire on the beaches of Tarawa during World War II.
The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday announced a plan to urge the Department of Defense to recover the bodies of hundreds of Marines killed in the World War II battle of Tarawa, left in temporary graves where they fought and died more than 65 years ago.
The unanimous vote to send a letter to Congressional representatives, seeking legislation and funding for a recovery effort, came in tandem with the presentation of an honorary scroll to Leon Cooper.
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky asked the board to bestow the honor and proposed the letter.
Cooper is a veteran of the Tarawa campaign and five other Pacific battles, including Iwo Jima. His documentary, "Return to Tarawa: The Leon Cooper Story," narrated by Ed Harris, calls on the U.S. government to honor the memory of the dead who fought on Red Beach in Tarawa.
"Our government has done nothing since 1943 to recover and repatriate these brave Americans who gave their lives in defense of our freedom," Cooper stated.
During 76 hours of combat, 1,106 Marines were killed and 2,200 wounded. Of those killed, 118 were buried at sea, 88 were listed as missing in action and the remainder were buried in temporary graves.
The Department of Defense acknowledges that 25,000 to 30,000 bodies of men "missing in action" are recoverable, but fewer than 100 are brought home each year, Cooper said.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/latestnews/ci_13346176

The 4th Marine Division landed on Saipan 15 June 1944. The severity of this battle was indicated by the 2,000 casualties suffered in the first two days of battle. The Flag was raised on Saipan after 25 grueling and bitter days of combat. The Division sustained 5,981 casualties killed, wounded and missing. This represented 27.6 percent of the Division's strength. The Japanese count was 23,811 known dead and 1,810 prisoners were taken.
http://gyrenesgungho.com/history.htm

Lest We Forget

Op-Ed for Memorial Day: Lest We Forget
Written by Linda Seebeth
Monday, 24 May 2010 09:00
May 20, 2010, Issaquah, Washington (Issaquah Reporter Editorial) - Memorial Day became a national day of remembrance thanks to the efforts of wives and mothers of fallen soldiers. Civil War widows lobbied for years until Memorial Day - originally Decoration Day - was officially proclaimed in 1868.

Those women lost loved ones and didn’t want the rest of the United States to forget the painful costs of war.

Today, just as back then, our veterans and their families primarily carry the enormous burden of war for the rest of society.

Memorial Day is commemorated one day a year, yet many of our fellow Americans live Memorial Day every day of their lives.

This I know, because when I married my husband, in many ways I married Vietnam.

Forty-one years ago, John was a young soldier filled with the idealism of youth. He was a medic and volunteered to fly aboard helicopter ambulances. Unarmed Army medevacs- Dustoff had the highest casualty rate of all aeronautical units in Vietnam.

After nine months of flying rescue missions, John took a hit from an AK-47. Today, he still breathes and speaks from a hole in his neck - a daily reminder of the gunshot wound he received in Vietnam.

Every war causes loss of life and limb. And every war creates disabled veterans with lifelong physical challenges.

While treating the wounded, John saw sights in the chopper’s cargo bay that no one would ever want to see - and no one could easily forget. He doesn’t want to remember the pleading, frightened eyes of grotesquely wounded soldiers or the whimpering of dying Vietnamese children.

But those memories are etched deep inside him. I have learned that war does not always end when the warrior comes home.

He’s not the same Johnny anymore.
go here for more
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/index.php/veterans-category-articles/1715-linda-seebeth

also on Veterans For Common Sense

VCS Invited to Testify Before Congress

Our pro-veteran advocacy continues to be recognized by Congress
. On Tuesday, June 15, 2010, Veterans for Common Sense will be honored to testify before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee regarding the "State of the Veterans Benefits Administration."

Yes, that means VCS will be offering our suggestions on how to fix the broken and overwhelmed VBA. We support VBA staff who are trying their best under difficult circumstances and burdensome rules.
VCS also hopes help is on the horizon.

We recently asked VA when it would publish final regulations to streamline and modernize PTSD claims. VA replied the agency is still working on new regulations. We hope they come out soon. The longer it takes VA to write new rules based on new scientific evidence, then the longer veterans wait for healthcare and benefits.

For a sample of what we plan to say to Congress about VBA, please visit our new program web site http://www.fixva.org/.


This week's update is mostly about veterans' issues.

Here's a news clip providing an example of why VA urgently needs reform. Journalist Michael Sedon at NorthJersey.com reports on the plight of an Iraq War veteran facing multiple VA challenges. Please read the article and see how VCS is fighting for research and treatment for illnesses related to exposure to depleted uranium, a radioactive toxic waste.

Gulf War veteran and Army Times investigative reporter Kelly Kennedy reveals how PTSD may harm veterans' immune system.

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), who sits in the important Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, is quoted in by the Fayetteville Observer describing VA as having "a culture of no" when it comes to veterans' benefits.

Even other top government officials recognize VA is held back by old, inadequate technology. In an article by Eliot Van Buskirk for Wired Magazine, President Obama's chief information officer Vivek Kundra says VA poses a challenge to itself and veterans because VA uses such outdated technology.

Tenn. Iraq vet’s statue vandalized again

Tenn. Iraq vet’s statue vandalized again

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday May 25, 2010 10:22:16 EDT

MARTIN, Tenn. — A statue memorializing a Martin soldier has fallen victim to vandals for the second time in two years.

The statue was erected in honor of Dustin Laird, who was killed in 2005 in Iraq only a month before he was scheduled to return home.

In 2008, two people from Martin were convicted of vandalism after confessing to painting a skull over the statue's face and dousing it with red paint to simulate blood.

According to radio station WCMT, the head and arms were broken off over the weekend.

Dustin's father, Billy Laird, plans to replace his son's memorial soon.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/05/ap_statue_vandalized_052510/

Wainwright GI told to remove Facebook video

Wainwright GI told to remove Facebook video
ANCHORAGE, Alaska
An Alaska-based soldier is under investigation for a video on his Facebook page that taunts smiling Iraqi children by asking if they're gay, if they engage in certain sex acts and if they would grow up to be terrorists.

U.S. soldiers focus of criminal investigation

Sources: U.S. soldiers focus of criminal investigation
WASHINGTON — At least 10 U.S. Army soldiers from an already-troubled unit of the 2nd Infantry Division in southern Afghanistan are now the focus of a criminal investigation into allegations they deliberately killed three Afghan civilians, used illegal drugs and conducted other illicit activities, several military sources told CNN.

The soldiers are part of the 5th Stryker Brigade of the 2ID, based out of Fort Lewis, Washington, said the sources, who declined to be identified because the military has not named those under investigation.

The military issued a brief statement last week saying a criminal probe was under way into the allegations of killing, illegal drug use, assault and conspiracy. One military official familiar with the details of the case told CNN the matter was brought to the attention of commanders by at least one other soldier. The killings of the three civilians did not take place in one single incident, the official said.

Those under investigation are members of the same company, the official said. All 10 remain in Afghanistan. One soldier is being held in detention known as "pre-trial confinement." The others have been "put in a position where they can do no harm," the official said. He would offer no other details.
read more here
U.S. soldiers focus of criminal investigation

Community, Soldiers and Red Sox Foundation team up to help veterans

Community, Soldiers and Red Sox Foundation team up to help veterans
May 24, 2010

By John Harlow/USAG-Natick Public Affairs Officer
BOSTON -- On a sunny morning in Boston, more than 2,000 runners gathered on Yawkey Way outside of Fenway Park to run nine kilometers with the finish line being one of the most famous spots in Boston... home plate of Fenway Park.

The Boston Red Sox Foundation hosted the run to raise money supporting The Home Base program which helps veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).

The Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. was on hand to welcome the runners, thank them for what they are doing to help our wounded warriors and congratulate them when they crossed home plate. Casey is very familiar with the area, having graduated from Boston College High School in Dorchester, Mass.

"This run is very important to our servicemembers," said Casey. "We are working to reduce the stigma of asking for help which is half our battle. Once we reduce the stigma, we can help Soldiers recover."

The Red Sox Foundation partners with Massachusetts General Hospital for The Home Base Program. The event on Sunday raised $2.4 million to support research for PTSD and TBI.
read more here
Community, Soldiers and Red Sox Foundation team up to help veterans

PTSD in the news

Golf Outing Raises Funds for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Posted Monday, May 24, 2010 ; 10:27 PM
Updated Monday, May 24, 2010; 11:55 PM



The organizer has been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder since 1993.
Story by Kristen Sell


HURRICANE -- There was a lot of activity Monday afternoon on Sleepy Hollow's greens in Hurricane.

But the golfers swinging clubs weren't just paring for entertainment.

This golf tournament raised money for Mission PTSD Foundation.
go here for more
http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=80372

PTSD counseling helps veterans heal from emotional wounds of war


by Len Cannon / 11 News

khou.com

Posted on February 3, 2010 at 10:05 PM

Updated Thursday, Feb 4 at 12:04 AM

Related:
PTSD Web site

HOUSTON—Paul Schroeder and Robert Nuttal are decorated soldiers who both served on the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan.

But even though they’re long retired, they’re still haunted by the battlefield.

"People say, ‘Well, when did you get back from Iraq?’ I got back last night – it was in my dreams," Schroeder said. "The smells are the worst, but it’s also the noise and the sheer chaos."

They saw things overseas that they can’t forget.

"The bodies had burned into the seats where they had become one, and I found myself chiseling these bodies out, one at a time," Nuttal said.

Guilt is just one of the problems Nuttal and Schroeder have struggled with after returning home.
go here for more

PTSD counseling helps veterans heal

Ali Lowitzer missing after school

Distress of 9/11 may have led to miscarriages

Distress of 9/11 may have led to miscarriages, research says
By Madison Park, CNN
May 25, 2010 7:42 a.m. EDT
Even without personal connections, people can be stressed by major events like September 11, 2001.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Distress after 9/11 may have contributed to a higher loss of male fetuses
Even without direct relationships with those killed, women appear affected by attacks
Stress during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, early labor, low birth weight
Factors seem to affect only male fetuses; reason not known


(CNN) -- The shock and stress felt by pregnant women after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, may have contributed to an increase in miscarriages of male fetuses in the United States, according to a study released Monday.

Researchers found the male fetal death rate increased in September 2001 and subsequently affected the ratio of boys born in a later month, according to the study published in the journal BMC Public Health.

The authors hypothesized that this might be a case of "communal bereavement." Even without direct relationships with the deceased, pregnant women may have been distressed by the attacks, resulting in miscarriage, according to the research.

"A huge population saw the consequences and carnage onscreen," said lead author Tim Bruckner, who is an assistant professor of public health at University of California Irvine, about the effects of 9/11. He examined this topic "because pregnancy is sensitive to stressors. I wondered whether pregnant women might have a physiological reaction to witnessing harm."
read more here
Distress of 9 11 may have led to miscarriages

Design Chosen For Veteran's Memorial

Design Chosen For Veteran's Memorial

By AMANDA FALCONE, afalcone@courant.com

10:54 p.m. EDT, May 24, 2010

ROCKY HILL —A design has been chosen for a statewide veterans' memorial. Now all that's needed is about $1 million in donations to build it.

The state chose a design featuring an amphitheater, a remembrance wall and ample parking, submitted by landscape artists Dean Adam Johnson and Robert Schechinger Jr., both of the Collinsville section of Canton.
read more here
Design Chosen For Veterans Memorial

Flag dispute sparks veteran angst at city leaders in Idaho

Flag dispute sparks veteran angst at city leaders in Idaho
The Associated Press

Kellogg, Idaho » A dispute between military veterans and town leaders in Kellogg over flagpole etiquette and the fate of a war memorial park has now take a political turn, with veterans leading a drive to recall the mayor and all six members of the City Council.

The veterans' frustration with the officials focuses on the city's response to complaints about flying a second flag below the American flag on the same flag pole at Kellogg's Memorial Park.

The flagpole, located at a stone memorial dedicated more than 50 years ago for veterans of the two World Wars and Korean War, displayed Old Glory along with a Tree City USA flag.

But commanders of the Silver Valley veterans groups complained last summer that it was improper to fly the Tree City flag over a memorial honoring soldiers. Veteran Lee Haynes said the group asked the city to remove the Tree City flag and display it on a separate pole.

In response, the city removed the American flag, dug up the stone memorial and moved it to a newer veterans memorial inside the park, irritating and frustrating veterans.

"We look at a memorial much like you do a gravesite," Haynes told the Spokesman-Review. "Why you think you can rip apart a 50-year-old memorial is beyond my imagination."

But Mayor Mac Pooler said city leaders met with veterans and believed moving the stone memorial was a suitable solution.
read more here
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_15154975

When we help less

When we help less

by
Chaplain Kathie

I was sitting here yesterday reading emails and stunned when yet another email came in from someone asking me to help them. Maybe sickened is the word I'm looking for. Helping is what I do. It's in my nature. It's a huge contributing factor behind becoming a Chaplain. I want to share the love I know God has for us, especially with our veterans. I want to share what I know about PTSD. Simple as possible, imperfect as expected, I do what I can to help anyone God sends my way. Feeling the way I do when people ask for help, are in the position to return the favor when I need help, but ignore my pleas, then turn around when they are in need again, asking for help, really put a damper in my day. I really wanted to say no, debated if I should just ignore the email or fire off an angry response. In the end, I replied with the help asked for and then had a good cry.

I was talking to one of my friends last night over dinner before the movie Just Wright, telling her what happened. She's known me for a long time and is well aware of what I was feeling like. It happened to her many times. When she had a better job, she would spend her own money supplying gifts and snacks for the veterans at the nursing home in Orlando every month for Bingo night. Her heart was tugged by our veterans and she didn't want them forgotten about. When she was laid off, no one helped her when she was having a hard time paying her bills. Now she has another job but is unable to do what she used to do even though her heart really wants to.

I told her that yet again someone asked me for help, to make life easier but when I asked for help before I was ignored. The person is not a veteran in need or a family member of one trying to cope. The person is a professional acquaintance. It makes me think twice about helping someone after they have shown me how little they really care about me.

In the movies, like the one we saw last night, the giver is usually rewarded in one way or another. They go through hardships and heartbreaks but it would hurt them more to stop being who they really are inside. They struggle with what other people think is a "normal" reaction and what their soul is calling them to do. We don't have to look very far to see examples of this every day if we bother at all to notice, because good guys don't always win in the real world.

We see it in the military and in our veterans. We turn to them all the time for our security and our safety. We feel as if we are doing our part by simply saying we support them but our words don't do much for them when so few of us bother to know what's happening to them while they are deployed. Few of us care how many died, how many were wounded or if any of them are in need. They are important to us and they matter to us, but the truth is, they just don't matter enough to enough of us.

This is all one more reminder of how they are so much better than I am. They don't help less because we don't seem to care when it matters to them, to what they need, and they still serve just as much as they would had we bothered to care enough to help them.

I have to admit that when the person asked for help, the help I gave yesterday was not up to my normal standards. I held back. I just didn't want to bother as much as I would have had the person helped me when I needed it.

Ask any veteran if they would serve again and their eyes light up. The majority would be willing to do it all over again. Regrets come from losing someone they cared about but they never seem to connect the other losses they endured because of their service to the point they would question doing it again. Some lost families because the war came home with them. Some lost a place to live because they couldn't work anymore or because claims were tied up. Some had to fight for years to have their claims honored, but instead of dwelling on the higher price they paid for their service, they feel grateful the claim was finally honored.

The beginning of the month I put out a request for financial help because I'm heading into Washington DC for Memorial Day weekend. I'm broke but this trip is important to my husband and to me. Not one donation came in. I am going to Arlington Cemetery, Walter Reed, the Wall and the Law Enforcement Memorial so that I can be better at what I do, refueled by being with some of our veterans. Since I asked for help but no one bothered, it's been really hard to focus on putting more of myself "out there" because it feels as if I just don't matter enough to others in return.

What about them? They don't get to say that today they will only shoot a limited amount of bullets or just work half day because they are feeling sorry for themselves. They don't get to say they have their own personal problems back home so they want to "call in sick" today. Veterans don't get to say they will stop being a veteran when there are no activities in their honor a couple of times a year.

While I know I can walk away from this anytime I want, I am surrounded by reminders of people so much better than I am. Pictures of family members in their uniforms, of monuments and the old pamphlet hanging on my wall of the PTSD publication the DAV put out in 1978. Certifications of the training I've taken remind me of why I do any of this and a map of the world remind me of all the places we've sent the troops since the beginning of this country. Books read over and over again fill my bookcase and in each one of them more reminders of people so much better than I am. The Bible filled with stories of even more imperfect humans going above and beyond what others were willing to do. Emails saved over the years reminding me of how little they ask for in return and how much they have paid for being among the few willing to risk their lives while I whine about my own insignificant ego issues. All reminders of the years I've done what I could publicly and privately, knowing I will never be one of them or even come close to measuring up to them.

If we can look at our own lives and remember what it feels like to feel being taken for granted or abandoned, why can't we understand what it's like for them? What will it take for the rest of us to know what it must be like to be forgotten about in Iraq or in Afghanistan right now? We've lost over 5,000 between the two wars but other than the occasional serviceman or woman in uniform, we're more interested in the scandals and our TV shows. Hundreds of thousands of our veterans are wounded still paying the price with body and mind but we ignore them.

I get to decide when to shut down the computer and do something else. I get to decide if I will post something I read to share it or go out to the pool and relax. There are no strings on me and in the grand scale of things, I'm not that significant, so if I stopped, few would even notice. If they decided they wanted to just care about themselves, everyone would notice because no one would be serving and they would have to start the draft again. No one would blame them for not joining the National Guards or Reservists but we sure would complain when there is no one to help when natural disasters strikes, tornadoes come or hurricanes blow or floods rush in. The truth is we don't seem to think about them unless we need them.

I know what that feels like and how much that hurts but thank God these men and women are better than I am because they still give us all they have no matter how much we just take them for granted.

While we would decide to help less being treated the same way, we ask more of them but offer nothing more in return. They push their own personal feelings out of the way for the greater good and forgive us for not caring enough.

Shelia Snyder's tribute to veterans

Beautiful!

It is the Veteran, not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Veteran, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Veteran, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Veteran, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the Veteran, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Veteran, not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.


It is the Veteran who salutes the Flag,

It is the Veteran who serves under the Flag,

Eternal Rest Grant Them O Lord
And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them
~Sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance~

I honor and remember our military, both past and present. I help with health and well being issues of our Veterans of all Era’s and for the active duty military of today.
This is the focus, this is our purpose, this is what we owe to our Veterans.
Shelia Snyder
Agent Orange Quilt Of Tears

Agent Orange Victims & Widows Support Network
Home Of The Agent Orange Quilt Of Tears
http://www.agentorangequiltoftears.com
~Sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance~

Man pleads guilty to fake military medals

Man pleads guilty to fake military medals

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday May 24, 2010 11:32:29 EDT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A Marshall County man accused of wearing military medals he didn’t earn and illegally possessing firearms has pleaded guilty in a Birmingham court.

Douglas Lee Weaver, 35, had pleaded not guilty in April to charges of fraudulently wearing the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and the Combat Infantry Badge.
read more here
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/05/ap_fake_medals_052110/

Military must deal with alarming number of suicides

OPINION: Military must deal with alarming number of suicides
By Express-Times opinion staff
May 24, 2010, 12:30AM

We may never know why Austin Gates Benson — a 19-year-old Hellertown resident and airman first class in the U.S. Air Force — took his life earlier this month while serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

But we do know this: Gates Benson loved his country. And we know that far too many of our men and women in uniform are dying by their own hand.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, there were 160 reported active-duty Army suicides in 2009, up from 140 in 2008. Even though military suicide rates are similar to civilian rates in the U.S., officials say last year’s numbers are alarming because military rates traditionally have been lower than civilian rates.
go here for more
Military must deal with alarming number of suicides

186,000 troops in two wars this Memorial Day

For First Time, More US Troops in Afghanistan than Iraq
May 24, 2010 1:31 PM


ABC News' Luis Martinez reports:

For the first time ever, the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan is larger than the number of American forces in Iraq. Pentagon figures show that there are now 94,000 U.S. forces serving in Afghanistan and 92,000 serving in Iraq.

The crossover point for American force levels in both countries was expected to take place this Summer as the Obama administration surges 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan this year and draws down the number of forces in Iraq.

The drawdown plan in Iraq calls for reducing the number of American forces to 50,000 by September 1, a move that will require a major logistical effort over the next three months.
go here for more
More US Troops in Afghanistan than Iraq

CNN Pays Tribute to Coalition Casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq

There are times when I am absolutely heartbroken by the lack of news coverage of Iraq and Afghanistan. There always seems to be some other story for all the major media stations to jump onto with too little time to remind the American people there are troops risking their lives everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan. What is more heartbreaking is that even when they return home, out of danger from bombs, they are still in danger from bullets but instead of the weapon held in the hands of enemies, the gun is held in their own hand. 18 suicides a day, most committed with guns. The American people are not reminded of the fallen except when a hometown boy or girl comes home for the last time. They are not reminded of the wounded. Most of the time the American people are left on their own to search for news or just get on with their own lives, their own problems, their own families. Few know of the hardships of the families of the military and harder times for the families of National Guards and Reservists.

CNN has done a good job tracking it all. They could have done a better job on the news station itself, but the online work they've done has been outstanding. I search it often because I know it is accurate and very up to date. It looks like CNN has done it again with this site. Take a look at it and remember, just because we are not reminded everyday of the price they pay, they still pay it.

CNN Pays Tribute to Coalition Casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq Wars with Launch of “Home and Away”
Ten-Year Project Culminates in Immersive Online Interactive Memorial and Month-long On-Air Programming Honoring Troops
Continuing to develop innovative ways to present its audience with news and information, CNN is combining the unparalleled strengths of its on-air and online platforms to honor every Coalition Forces casualty in Afghanistan and Iraq.
CNN.com has launched “Home and Away,” an immersive interactive which allows users to learn about and pay tribute to more than 6,000 fallen troops from more than 20 countries. Simultaneously, CNN chief national correspondent John King begins a month-long tribute on his week-nightly 7 p.m. ET program, JohnKing, USA, airing one of the fallen’s personal stories each night. On Memorial Day, a special edition of JohnKing, USA, entitled “Home and Away,” will be dedicated entirely to this subject. Throughout these tributes, King will utilize the Magic Wall to go behind the statistics and provide human faces to the sacrifice.
“Each of these casualties has an inspiring and moving story, and we wanted to find an exceptional way to honor the sacrifice every single one of them made,” said Susan Grant, executive vice president of CNN News Services. “We hope ‘Home and Away’ serves as an enduring memorial for those that made the ultimate sacrifice while also helping the CNN audience more personally connect with this deeply complex topic.”
“We were so moved by the powerful stories of these service members and those who loved them along the way,” said Michelle Jaconi, Executive Producer, John King, USA. “Our CNN.com colleagues have created a powerful tool that allows us to more deeply engage with our viewers, connecting them to personal tributes from the fallen's family and friends."
Available at www.cnn.com/homeandaway this extensive data visualization project began nearly 10 years ago at the start of the war in Afghanistan. A cross-divisional effort between the CNN Library and CNN.com, a team of researchers, producers, designers, user-experience specialists and developers have gathered information about the casualties of the wars. Evolving from two separate lists of casualties in Afghanistanand Iraq, “Home and Away” tells the story of where and how the lives of these troops began and ended, and is continually enhanced with personal memories from family and friends.
go here for more
CNN Pays Tribute to Coalition Casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq

Warren County Marine gets surprise welcome home

Warren County Marine gets surprise welcome home
Monday, May 24, 2010
By SARA K. SATULLO
The Express-Times
HACKETTSTOWN Cpl. Frankie Giaquinto never dreamed he would miss grass.

But when the U.S. Marine returned from the Afghanistan desert, the first thing he did when getting off the bus was lie down in some.

"It feels good to be home," the Mansfield Township native said Sunday following a surprise welcome home parade. "It is nice to see grass; you don't see any grass over there."

The humble 2006 Warren Hills Regional High School grad had no interest in being the center of attention during his 17 days of leave from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where he first returned April 30. But his family and friends had other plans for him.
read more here
Warren County Marine gets surprise welcome home

Why people lie about military service

There was a time when Vietnam Veterans wanted to deny they served in Vietnam. It was a time when it seemed no one wanted them around. Established service organizations didn't want them to join. Employers didn't want to hire them. Families, well families just wanted to forget where they had been for the last year. Friends back home told them to get over it. Girlfriends dumped them because they "changed." It wasn't bad enough they had to go through all that and more, but it seemed no one noticed despite our best efforts to ignore them, they still managed to achieve what other generations fail to do. They taught us to finally care.

When WWII veterans came home they were recipients of a promise delivered. They were taken care of. Veterans hospitals opened around the country and then there were housing developments springing up with not only new houses, but surrounded by other veterans, they found a new home. We started to call them Veteran's Villages.

When Vietnam veterans came home too many of them ended up in what we started to call tent cities and shelters. Too many ended up homeless as well as abandoned. PTSD, drinking problems, all the problems we see in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, they faced but no one was there to catch them when the cracks in the system opened so wide they fell in. No one noticed that as they now wait in line for care, most of what the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are receiving is due to them fighting for it. This is not to suggest in anyway the newer veterans face no problems. We report on them all the time here on this blog and on blogs around the country. The truth is, Vietnam veterans refused to surrender and refused to lose this battle for the sake of all generations of veterans.

Did you know they never lost a battle in Vietnam? They wouldn't give up then and they won't give up now. They still believe in us even though we stopped caring about them. Amazing that we now see people trying to pretend they are Vietnam veterans when there was a time no one wanted to be called one. Combat Vietnam veterans are a rare breed but we need to acknowledge some combat veterans who were unable to even say they were Vietnam veterans because they deployed into Cambodia and Thailand. They saw combat just the same and death and risked their lives. Still even with so many Vietnam Era veterans around the country, they are still embraced by the combat veterans. They are still called "brother" and this bond includes them as well.

It's really not so amazing when some people want to claim to be Vietnam veterans considering how proud they made the rest of us be just knowing them and all they have done for the sake of all veterans when we did so little for them.

Why people lie about military service

By John Christoffersen - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday May 23, 2010 13:56:57 EDT

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — U.S. Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal acknowledged he misstated his service in Vietnam, said he made mistakes, regretted them and took responsibility.

What he didn’t explain was why.

Blumenthal, Connecticut’s popular attorney general who insisted he was proud of his domestic military service in the Marine Reserve, became part of a long running phenomenon in which men embellish or outright lie about their military record.

“They all do it for the prestige,” said retired FBI agent Thomas Cottone, who used to investigate military impostors for the agency. “They all want to be recognized. They need that ego boost.”

A longer version of the video of the 2008 event posted by a Republican opponent shows Blumenthal at the beginning of his speech correctly characterizing his service by saying that he “served in the military, during the Vietnam era.”

read more here

Why people lie about military service

Richard Blumenthal started his speech the right way as a Vietnam Era veteran. The problem is he let his need to be included in with the men he worked so hard for. I don't know if he can be forgiven but I really doubt that is the the most important thing to be asking now. I wonder if any of us can be forgiven by the real veterans after all we put them through? A word here, words there, they do matter but what matters most is them and how we treat them as much as it is about what we learned from all of them.

600 museums offer free admission to military

600 museums offer free admission to military

By Brett Zongker - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday May 23, 2010 17:09:16 EDT

WASHINGTON — More than 600 museums nationwide are offering free admission to military families all summer in a new partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

The list includes some of the nation’s premier art museums, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as science centers, children’s museums and other sites in all 50 states.

The program, called Blue Star Museums, is being announced Monday in San Diego, where 14 museums will participate. The offer for active duty military personnel and their families runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/05/ap_museum_052310/

"No Veteran Left Behind" nice thought but untrue

While it is wonderful to think that "no veteran is left behind" in this country, it is far from true. Every day it seems funeral homes report long forgotten remains of veterans long gone and forgotten about by family and friends. Their ashes collect dust in storage. Some people have dedicated their lives to finding these forgotten heroes and make sure they have a proper military funeral.Homeless veteran given proper military funeral
There are more stories like this on this blog and they break your heart at the same time they make you feel thankful there are so many people out there trying to help in whatever way they can.

Then some end up finding their way into the hands of angels on earth trying to take care of them when they become homeless.
Vietnam Vet Andrew Elmer Wright found a home as a homeless vet
Pastor Joel Reif, of First United Church of Christ made sure that when Andrew died, he was not forgotten any more than he was forgotten in the last part of his life spent on church grounds surrounded by love of the members there.

We leave them behind when claims are not honored. We leave them behind when programs to help them do not begin because someone is waiting for someone else to do it. We leave them behind when we decide to not donate to any veteran's charity simply because there are too many of them, never once thinking that one less veteran will be helped because we didn't want to give a buck or two to all of them, even though we could afford it.

We leave them behind all the time but when we try, or should I say when some people try to make a difference, there are less veterans to leave behind. When you think they are less than 10% of the population of this country and less than 1% of Americans serve today, you'd also think we should be able to take care of all of them but first, you'd have to really care for all of them and stop waiting for someone else to do it. I see so much good happening across the country, like this report, but then I wonder, what about the other cities and towns doing nothing but thinking someone should do something.

No veteran left behind as volunteers flag gravesites

By Kendra Leigh Miller
Staff writer
Posted May 22, 2010 @ 09:44 PM
Last update May 23, 2010 @ 01:31 AM
Taunton — No veteran’s grave was left unmarked.

Volunteers came out by the droves to the Mayflower and St. Joseph’s cemeteries Saturday to make sure every veteran’s grave was marked with an American flag.

Marine veteran Don French, who served in World War II, is one of many who organizes the flag marking every year for the more than 60 cemeteries in the city of Taunton.

“Just like when we’re in battle, we don’t want to leave a buddy behind,” French said. “This is the same thing. Even after death, we don’t want to leave anyone behind.”
click link for more

Web portal Warrior Gateway helps digital-age vets

Web portal Warrior Gateway helps digital-age vets
By BARBARA ORTUTAY (AP) – 2 hours ago

NEW YORK — For young veterans returning from duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, the process of re-entering society can be daunting, especially if they have been injured or have struggled with mental health problems.

A new, free Web portal wants to help these warriors find the services they need in an environment they are comfortable in: the Internet.

Warrior Gateway is designed with Google Inc. and social media in mind to make its intended audience as comfortable as possible. Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, generally in their mid-20s, grew up with e-mail, keep in touch using Facebook and are familiar with online communities that stretch across time zones.

"Our generation of vets exists within a social media landscape," said Tom Tarantino, a former Army Captain who now works as the legislative associate for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "We couldn't navigate a city without Google Maps, without Yelp."

The site lets veterans, their families, friends and caretakers search for services based on an extensive range of categories, including geography, eligibility and even user ratings inspired by Yelp, a restaurant and shopping review site.
go here for more
Web portal Warrior Gateway helps digital age vets

60-Foot Wall In Lake County Will Honor Veterans

60-Foot Wall In Lake County Will Honor Veterans
Sunday, May 23, 2010 2:11:09 AM
Reported by Dave D'Marko

LEESBURG-- Following bagpipes, a Color Guard carried the flag of every foreign war involving U.S. soldiers.

In the crowd were veterans from almost every war of the past century, including World War II’s Tom Donahoe, who waited 65 years to see his service recognized.

"Nothing is ever easy and I'm sure it was brought up many times," Donohoe said.

"The governments don't seem to want to give money to build the monuments, so the veterans have to come up with the money,” said Don Van Beck, Executive Director of Veteran’s Memorial Committee. “The only time they want veterans is when there’s a war."
read more here
60 Foot Wall In Lake County Will Honor Veterans

New rules for families of deceased soldiers

New rules for families of deceased soldiers

By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday May 22, 2010 15:15:05 EDT

A recent change to Defense Department policy authorizes eligible relatives of deceased service members round-trip travel and transportation allowances to a memorial event that occurs at a location other than the burial site.

The policy change, directed by the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, took effect May 11, and will be included in an upcoming revision of Army Regulation 600-20 (Command Policy).

Army policy already requires commanders to conduct a unit memorial event for all deceased soldiers, to include those who commit suicide.

As part of the Army Family Covenant, commanders also are required to inform family members about any memorial event that is conducted by the unit in a combat theater.
read more here
New rules for families of deceased soldiers

41st Fires Bde works on building ‘spiritual muscles’

41st Fires Bde works on building ‘spiritual muscles’
By Staff Sgt. Kyle J. Richardson, 41st Fires Bde. Public Affairs
May 20, 2010 News

As anyone in the military can attest, physical fitness is essential to good health and success in the Army. However, fitness isn’t just acquired; Soldiers must work hard to develop their bodies. The same effort is needed to develop a Soldier’s spiritual fitness.

The 41st Fires Brigade went the extra distance to ensure Soldiers within the brigade received the opportunity to work out their spiritual physique, according to Chap. (Capt.) James Ward, chaplain for 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment, 41st Fires Bde. His unit hosted a spiritual fitness luncheon for the Soldiers and command in the Grande Ball Room at Club Hood May 11.

“As the spirit goes up, we stay motivated, on-point, think more clearly; we’re just a better equipped team-oriented people when our spirits are right,” said Ward.
read more here
http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=3878

Family lives in car to "keep house clean" for 8 years?

Miami parents, daughter lived in car outside house for eight years, police say

By Laura Morales and Jennifer Lebovich, The Miami Herald

9:12 p.m. EDT, May 21, 2010


For years, a Miami couple and their daughter have been sleeping, crammed together, in a small car parked in the front yard of their home, police say.

They used a hose to bathe outside and plastic containers for waste.

On Friday, Miami police charged Philipe Mathieu, 62, and Sherrine Mathieu, 42, with 863 counts of child neglect, and their 16-year-old daughter is in protective custody.

His wife, Philipe Mathieu told police, cleaned compulsively and wouldn't let her husband or family inside their home on the 6300 block of Northwest First Court. But police say the south unit of the duplex was nearly empty and very dirty.
read more here
Miami parents daughter lived in car outside house

Woman loses breast after brown recluse spider bite

Woman Loses Breast After Spider Bite

Updated: 9:55 am EDT May 21, 2010

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. -- A Paulding County woman is recovering from major surgery after being bitten by a brown recluse spider at her home.

“I would have never known in a million years that a spider could ever do this much damage,” said Victoria Franklin.

Franklin was at WellStar Windy Hill Hospital Friday morning, recovering from an April mastectomy.

“I didn’t flip out over that. I was glad to be alive,” she said of her surgery.
read more here
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/23630182/detail.html
linked from CNN.com

Eight of 166 passengers aboard plane taken to hospital

158 feared dead in India plane crash
By the CNN Wire Staff
May 22, 2010 10:29 a.m. EDT

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: All but three bodies recovered from charred wreck of plane
Eight of 166 passengers aboard plane taken to hospital
Believed the plan overshot the runway, crashed into valley and burst into flames
Boeing 737 flew from Dubai, UAE to Mangalore in southern India

New Delhi, India (CNN) -- Rescue teams worked into the night at the smoldering scene of an Air India plane crash that killed 158 people Saturday after the jet overshot a runway in southern India, crashed into a ravine and burst into flames, officials said.

As darkness descended, workers used portable lights to pull charred bodies out of the wreckage outside Mangalore International Airport. All but three bodies have been recovered, said Jeeja Harisingh, head of fire and emergency services.

Eight of the 166 people on board Air India Flight IX-812 survived the crash and were taken to hospitals.
go here for more
158 feared dead in India plane crash

President Obama speaking at West Point

JOIN THE LIVE CHAT

VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV

Two females lead the way!

The enchantment of a warrior

The enchantment of a warrior

by
Chaplain Kathie

When we think about adulthood, we tend to think our kids reach it when they turn 21. At that age they are supposed to be responsible for all they do. By the age of 18, they are considered responsible enough to vote and decide the direction this country will take, yet they are not old enough in most parts of the country to legally drink alcohol. There is a reason for this and that is their minds are still too able to be under the influence of it. Imagine being a Marine or member of another branch of service, sent into combat, and then be told you are just too young to drink, but this happens all the time. Read about some of the deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, just as we've read stories about other wars and you see many under the age of 21.

These are just from the first page of CNN Special Reports page and only those who died in Iraq.

Pfc. Steven Acosta 19 Company C, 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division Calexico, California Died from a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baquba, Iraq, on October 26, 2003

Pfc. Michael S. Adams 20 Company C, 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division Spartanburg, South Carolina Died of injuries sustained in a fire during a small-arms fire exercise. The fire began when a bullet ricocheted and ignited a fire in the building in Baghdad, Iraq on August 21, 2003

Pfc. Christopher S. Adlesperger 20 Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Albuquerque, New Mexico Died due to enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq, on December 9, 2004. Adlesperger was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, the nation's second highest military honor for valor, for actions in a firefight on November 10, 2004.

Lance Cpl. Anthony Aguirre 20 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force Mineral City, Ohio Killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on February 26, 2007

Pfc. Daniel J. Allman II 20 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Canon, Georgia One of two soldiers killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 13, 2006

Pfc. Adriana Alvarez 20 571st Military Police Company, 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade San Benito, Texas Died of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq, on February 10, 2010

Spc. Brushaun X. Anderson 20 Company C, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Columbus, Georgia Died of wounds suffered from a non-combat related incident in Baghdad, Iraq, on January 1, 2010

Lance Cpl. Nicholas H. Anderson 19 Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Las Vegas, Nevada Died in a vehicle incident during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on November 12, 2004

Spc. Yoe M. Aneiros 20 Company C, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armor, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division Newark, New Jersey Killed when his patrol vehicle came under attack by enemy forces using rocket-propelled grenades in Sadr City, Iraq, on September 7, 2004

Lance Cpl. Levi T. Angell 20 11th Combat Service Support Group, 1st Force Service Support Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force St. Louis, Minnesota Died due to injuries received from hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq, on April 8, 2004


Pfc. Joseph J. Anzack Jr. 20 Company D, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Torrance, California One of five soldiers killed when their patrol was attacked by enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives in Taqa, Iraq, on May 12, 2007.

Pfc. Michael A. Arciola 20 Company D, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division Elmsford, New York Died of injuries sustained from enemy small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq, on February 15, 2005

Pfc. James J. Arellano 19 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Cheyenne, Wyoming Died of injuries suffered when his patrol encountered enemy forces using roadside bombs and small arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq, on August 17, 2006

Cpl. Bradley T. Arms 20 Company C, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve Charlottesville, Virginia Died as result of enemy action in Falluja, Anbar province, Iraq, on November 19, 2004

Lance Cpl. Alexander S. Arredondo 20 Company A, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit Randolph, Massachusetts Killed as result of hostile action in Najaf, Iraq, on August 25, 2004

Spc. Richard Arriaga 20 Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division Ganado, Texas Killed when his unit was ambushed with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in Tikrit, Iraq, on September 18, 2003


Pfc. Shawn M. Atkins 20 Headquarters Company, 4th Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division Parker, Colorado Died as a result of a non-combat injury in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 14, 2004

Pfc. Shane R. Austin 19 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division Edgerton, Kansas Died of injuries suffered from enemy grenade fire in Ramadi, Iraq, on October 8, 2006

Pfc. Jeffrey A. Avery 19 571st Military Police Company, 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade Colorado Springs, Colorado Died from wounds suffered when a homemade bomb exploded during checkpoint operations in Muquadadiya, Iraq, on April 23, 2007

Spc. Adrian L. Avila 19 1343rd Chemical Company, 151st Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Battalion, 115th Fires Brigade, Alabama Army National Guard Opelika, Alabama Died of injuries sustained in a non-combat related accident at Khabari Crossing, Kuwait, on October 29, 2009



Lance Cpl. Andrew Julian Aviles 18 Headquarters & Service Company, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion, 4th Marine Division Tampa, Florida Killed when an Iraqi artillery round struck his amphibious assault vehicle near Baghdad, Iraq, on April 7, 2003

Cpl. Salem Bachar 20 Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Chula Vista, California One of two Marines killed due to enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq, on April 13, 2006

Pfc. Roberto C. Baez 19 Company D, 3rd Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division Tampa, Florida One of three soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their Humvee during combat operations in Haqlaniya, Iraq, on October 3, 2005

Pfc. Joe L. Baines 19 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division Newark, New Jersey Died of wounds suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee in Taji, Iraq, on December 16, 2006

Pfc. Dane R. Balcon 19 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Colorado Springs, Colorado One of two soldiers killed when a homemade bomb exploded in Balad, Iraq, on September 5, 2007

Pfc. Stephen P. Baldwyn 19 Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force Saltillo, Mississippi Died of wounds received from an explosion during combat operations against enemy forces in Nasser Wa Salaam, Iraq, on May 9, 2005

Pfc. Chad E. Bales 20 1st Transportation Support Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group Coahoma, Texas Killed in a non-hostile vehicle accident during convoy operations east of Ash Shahin, Iraq, on April 3, 2003


Pvt. Craig Barber 20 Company C, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh Ogmore Vale, Wales Killed by small-arms fire while driving a Warrior Armored Vehicle during a night operation to counter indirect fire attacks on Basra Palace in Basra, Iraq, on August 6, 2007

Airman 1st Class Eric M. Barnes 20 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron Lorain, Ohio Died as a result of a roadside bomb attack on an Air Force convoy about 100 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq, on June 10, 2007

Lance Cpl. Matthew R. Barnes 20 Headquarters & Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force West Monroe, Louisiana One of two Marines killed when a suicide car bomber attacked their vehicle near Qaim, Iraq, on February 14, 2006

Pvt. Charles Yi Barnett 19 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Bel Air, Maryland Died of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident in Tallil, Iraq, on November 20, 2008

Spc. Jacob D. Barton 20 277th Engineer Company, 420th Engineer Brigade Lenox, Missouri One of five U.S. troops who died of wounds suffered in a non-combat related incident at Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq, on May 11, 2009. Maj. Gen. David Perkins, a military spokesman, said Army Sgt. John M. Russell allegedly shot the five U.S. troops. Russell has been charged with five counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault.

Cpl. David A. Bass 20 Combat Logistics Battalion 7, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force Nashville, Tennessee One of six Marines killed when the seven-ton truck they were riding rolled over in a flash flood near Asad, Iraq, on April 2, 2006

Spc. Todd M. Bates 20 135th Military Police Company, Ohio Army National Guard Bellaire, Ohio Bates was on a patrol on the Tigris River south of Baghdad, Iraq, on December 10, 2003, when his squad leader fell overboard. Bates dived into the water and did not surface. He was listed as missing until his body was recovered on December 23, 2003.


Pfc. Matthew E. Baylis 20 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division Oakdale, New York Died May 31, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his dismounted patrol encountered enemy small-arms fire on May 30

Spc. Beau R. Beaulieu 20 Company B, 27th Main Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division Lisbon, Maine Killed during a mortar attack on Camp Cooke in Taji, Iraq, on May 24, 2004

Pfc. Gunnar D. Becker 19 Company B, 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 1st Infantry Division Forestburg, South Dakoka Died of non-combat related injuries in Mosul, Iraq, on January 13, 2005

Pfc. Andrew D. Bedard 19 Company L, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Missoula, Montana Killed by a homemade bomb that detonated during combat operations against enemy forces in Ramadi, Iraq, on October 4, 2005

Spc. David W. Behrle 20 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Tipton, Iowa One of six soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 19, 2007

Pfc. Wilfred D. Bellard 20 Battery C, 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division Lake Charles, Louisiana Killed when his vehicle fell into a ravine in Iraq on April 4, 2003

Pfc. Stephen C. Benish 20 Company B, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division Clark, New Jersey Killed after receiving enemy fire during a dismounted patrol in Ramadi, Iraq, on November 28, 2004

Spc. Robert T. Benson 20 Company A, 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division Spokane, Washington Died from a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 4, 2003

Pfc. David J. Bentz III 20 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Newfield, New Jersey One of four soldiers killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 20, 2007

Pfc. Ryan R. Berg 19 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division Sabine Pass, Texas Died of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire in Baquba, Iraq, on January 9, 2007

Spc. Joel L. Bertoldie 20 Headquarters Company, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division Independence, Missouri Killed when an explosive device was detonated underneath the military vehicle he was driving in Falluja, Iraq on July 18, 2003

Pfc. Stephen D. Bicknell 19 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division Prattville, Alabama One of two soldiers killed when two land mines detonated near their Humvee in Samarra, Iraq, on October 15, 2006
Cpl. Albert Bitton 20 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Chicago, Illinois One of three soldiers killed when their vehicle encountered a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq, on February 20, 2008

Cpl. Stephen R. Bixler 20 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force Suffield, Connecticut Killed during combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, Iraq, on May 4, 2006

Pfc. Christopher T. Blaney 19 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Winter Park, Florida Died from a non-combat related incident in Taji, Iraq, on September 29, 2006

Spc. Kamisha J. Block 20 401st Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade Vidor, Texas Died of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident in Baghdad, Iraq, on August 16, 2007

Spc. Clinton C. Blodgett 19 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Pekin, Indiana Died when the vehicle he was in struck a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 26, 2007

Lance Cpl. Nicholas William B. Bloem 20 Company B, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve Belgrade, Montana One of 14 Marines killed when their Amphibious Assault Vehicle struck a roadside bomb during combat operations south of Haditha, Iraq, on August 3, 2005

Pfc. Brandon K. Bobb 20 401st Military Police Company, 92nd Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade Orlando, Florida One of two soldiers killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, on July 17, 2007

Pvt. Jeremy S. Bohannon 18 59th Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade Bon Aqua, Tennessee One of two soldiers killed by enemy indirect fire in Baghdad, Iraq, on August 5, 2007

Pfc. John G. Borbonus 19 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Boise, Idaho One of two soldiers killed when their patrol encountered a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 12, 2007

Pfc. Rachel K. Bosveld 19 527th Military Police Company, V Corps Waupun, Wisconsin Killed during a mortar attack on the Abu Ghraib Police Station in Baghdad, Iraq, on October 26, 2003

Spc. Samuel M. Boswell 20 243rd Engineer Company, Maryland Army National Guard Elkridge, Maryland One of three soldiers killed when an 18-wheel tractor trailer accidentally struck the rear of their Humvee, starting a fire and causing ammunition to detonate in Taji, Iraq, on October 14, 2005


Pfc. Brian A. Botello 19 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division Alta, Iowa One of three soldiers killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their unit during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 29, 2007

Pvt. Michael E. Bouthot 19 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Fall River, Massachusetts One of four soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their Humvee, causing a fire, during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 22, 2006

Lance Cpl. Jeremy D. Bow 20 Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force Lemoore, California Killed when a Marine convoy was attacked with a car bomb in western Iraq, near Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, on October 30, 2004


Pfc. Matthew C. Bowe 19 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Coraopolis, Pennsylvania One of three soldiers killed when the vehicle they were in was struck by a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq, on February 19, 2007

Spc. Edward W. Brabazon 20 Company A, 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 9, 2004

Pfc. David J. Brangman 20 Company A, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division Lake Worth, Florida Killed when a mortar round struck his vehicle at Patrol Base Uvanni in Samarra, Iraq, on February 13, 2005

Pfc. Jeffrey F. Braun 19 Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division Stafford, Connecticut Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 12, 2003

Pvt. Lucas M. Bregg 19 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Wright City, Missouri Died of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident in Baghdad, Iraq, on July 8, 2009

Lance Cpl. Adam R. Brooks 20 Company B, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force Manchester, New Hampshire Died due to enemy action in Babil province, Iraq, on November 28, 2004

Lance Cpl. Dominic C. Brown 19 Truck Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Austin, Texas Died due to a non-combat related incident in Anbar province, Iraq, on September 13, 2004

Pfc. Donald S. Brown 19 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force Succasunna, New Jersey Died of wounds received while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on October 25, 2006


Lance Cpl. James E. Brown 20 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force Owensville, Indiana Killed during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on November 2, 2006

Spc. Micheal D. Brown 20 1st Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division Williamsburg, Kansas Died on October 16, 2007, in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of a non-combat related illness after being transported from Tikrit, Iraq, on October 15

Pfc. Oliver J. Brown 19 Company C, 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard Carbondale, Pennsylvania One of five soldiers killed when their M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle was attacked by enemy forces using indirect fire in Ramadi, Iraq, on September 28, 2005

Pfc. Brian A. Browning 20 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Astoria, Oregon Died of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire while conducting security operations in Baghdad, Iraq, on February 6, 2007

Lance Cpl. Daniel Scott R. Bubb 19 Company A, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Grottoes, Virginia Killed by small-arms fire during combat operations against enemy forces in Ar Rutbah, Iraq, on October 17, 2005

Pfc. Paul J. Bueche 19 Company E, 131st Aviation Regiment, Alabama Army National Guard Daphne, Alabama Died when the tire he was changing on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicoper exploded in Balad, Iraq, on October 21, 2003

Lance Cpl. Richard A. Buerstetta 20 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division Franklin, Tennessee One of two Marines killed during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on October 23, 2006

Lance Cpl. Brian Rory Buesing 20 Headquarters & Service Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Cedar Key, Florida Killed by enemy mortar fire during combat operations near Nasiriya, Iraq, on March 23, 2003

Lance Cpl. Jeffrey C. Burgess 20 Wing Support Squadron 373, Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force Plymouth, Massachusetts Killed in action during operations near Falluja, Iraq, on March 25, 2004

Lance Cpl. Jason K. Burnett 20 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force St. Cloud, Florida One of four Marines killed as a result of a vehicle accident in Anbar province, Iraq, on May 11, 2006

Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Burns 20 Company A, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Laramie, Wyoming Died as the result of enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq, on November 11, 2004


Pfc. David P. Burridge 19 Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Lafayette, Louisiana Killed when a suicide car bomb exploded next to his military vehicle while on patrol on the outskirts of Falluja, Iraq, on September 6, 2004

Pvt. Joshua C. Burrows 20 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Bridade, 1st Cavalry Division Bossier City, Louisiana One of three soldiers killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 26, 2006

Pvt. Matthew D. Bush 20 F Troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division East Alton, Illinois Died in his sleep on August 8, 2003, in Camp Caldwell in Kirkush, Iraq. A fellow soldier tried to wake Bush and noticed he was not breathing.

Lance Cpl. Kenneth J. Butler 19 Company E, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force Rowan, North Carolina Killed when a homemade bomb detonated during combat operations against enemy forces near Amariya, Iraq, on October 21, 2005

Lance Cpl. Anthony E. Butterfield 19 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Clovis, California One of two Marines killed while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on July 29, 2006

Pfc. Henry G. Byrd III 20 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Veguita, New Mexico Died on June 24, 2007, in Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat related illness sustained while in Iraq on June 18.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/

Old enough for combat but the rest of the country says they are not old enough to drink. The view of them being unable to control themselves comes from the development of the human mind. The emotional part of the mind is not fully mature until the age of 25. The "person" we end up becoming is pretty much "carved in stone" by then.

It works the same way when the military trains Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and National Guardsmen. They are trained to think a different way and be able to function in dangerous conditions, then adapt back to be able to deal with nothing to do. Adrenalins rushing every part of them, followed by alert boredom. They do remember they are in a war zone even when there is nothing going on. Considering what's been happening in Iraq and Afghanistan all these years with suicide bombers, IED filled roads and Taliban attacks, they never really rest.

This report shows that "monotony" plays a part in outcoming veteran and what comes next.

Study finds boredom puts troops at risk of anti-social behavior later
Navy researchers in San Diego say that a war zone deployment marked by monotony can be an even greater precursor of misconduct than the psychological trauma of combat.
By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times

May 22, 2010
It's long been assumed — correctly — that a Marine who experiences the psychological trauma of combat in Iraq or Afghanistan has an increased chance of getting into trouble when he comes home.

But two researchers at the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego have found another deployment experience that can be an even greater precursor of bad behavior later: boredom.

A survey of 1,543 Marines at Camp Pendleton, Twentynine Palms, Calif., and the Marine base in Okinawa, Japan, found that the Marine most likely to disobey orders, get into physical confrontations, neglect his family or run afoul of the police is one who reports that his war zone deployment was marked by boredom.

Dr. Stephanie Booth-Kewley and Robyn Highfill-McRoy of the research center's behavioral sciences and epidemiology department reported on their study to the Navy and Marine Corps Combat & Operational Stress Conference this week in San Diego. Their findings may later be published in the journal Aggressive Behavior.

The study also concluded that divorced Marines, younger Marines and those with mild traumatic brain injury are also more likely to display such behavior when they return. The average age of the Marines in the survey was 26 years; 46% had been deployed multiple times.

read more here

Study finds boredom puts troops at risk

We understand how alcohol can influence the mind but fail to understand how adrenaline changes the way humans respond from that point on. Take a young Marine, convince them they are tougher than the average human, train them to endure and you enchant them into thinking they are supposed to stop being a teenager still growing up or a pre-adult with very real grownup problems facing them.

The enchantment of the warrior begins. While it is necessary to teach them how to use weapons, focus on the mission, follow orders without stopping to really think about those orders, train their bodies to function under extreme conditions, what is not necessary is to attempt to train them to be machines without emotions.

The emotions they enter into the military with are strong. Their courage is built on the foundation of their chain of emotions. While they should be developing under "normal" circumstances, the abnormal has become "normal" to them. They need to be reminded of what "normal" really is.

They return home to family and friends, but they notice they are not thinking the same way they did before. They don't feel things the same way they did before.

Age matters but depends on the branch in special training.

To become a Navy SEAL the age is 18-28, yet to become a Army Green Beret it is 20-30.

The average age for Special Forces is 32.

Special Forces
The popularity of Special Forces among recent U.S. decision makers is due to their maturity, secretiveness, and ability to achieve substantial aims with small numbers. Special Forces recruits chiefly noncommissioned officers. The average age of troopers is 32—ten years older than the average army infantryman or Marine. Troopers therefore have already had considerable experience, extensive training, the ability to teach, and are likely to command more respect than would a younger, less experienced soldier. Additionally, Special Forces troopers are parachutists; they are also required to speak at least one foreign language.

It really depends on the maturity of the candidate for these special warrior classifications. They must be physically able as well as mentally able.

If we look back at veterans with PTSD, it is not so much the age they are when they seek help or are finally coming to terms with it, we need to look back at the age they were when they were exposed to the traumatic events haunting them now. The older they are when exposed, the less likely they may pay the price is the theory I am approaching this with. It comes from too many years of researching PTSD and contact with veterans. Compassion is a great indicator of if they walk away from combat traumas with more pain than they are able to carry on their own, or if they manage to leave it behind them. Compassion, the strong human emotion feeding the courage they have to be able to serve, is the doorway to PTSD but age may very well turn out to be the key.

If this is the case then it would also explain how younger veterans of combat seeking help soon after a PTSD diagnosis has a better chance of healing more fully. Before 25, the frontal lobe is still "growing up" and able to re-learn "normal" reactions to normal emotions. Being able to control their reactions is restored. It is perhaps one of the factors behind many older veterans feeling as if they "never grew up" even with the advanced years of combat Vietnam veterans. There are many "childlike" qualities still within them. The bonding they feel toward others is strong, in many cases, unbreakable as if they have spent all their lives with other veterans they call "brother."

This indicates that as their minds "grew up" with the wound of war trapped inside, it becomes less reversible. This could be because of the rest of their lives piling onto what was already suffering from a young age. While they have discovered it is not too late to heal no matter how many years have passed, it is also common knowledge there are aspects of PTSD that will not heal. When the rest of their lives are healed, when they understand why they think and react the way they do, they discover a whole new set of coping tools to help them overcome what could not be reversed.

The self-loathing, feeling as if they are unforgivable, evaporates and then the return of joys as the emotional wall is broken down so that emotions can live freely in their lives. Even with Vietnam seeking help over 30 years after the emotional assault, they are still healing. They feel forgiven and they forgive themselves. Regrettably too many never healed and took their own lives, walk the streets as homeless veterans or live isolated lives trapped in past pain.

Time and age should be placed in alert methods to respond to the crisis we see today in returning OEF and OIF veterans. There is a "golden hour" in this as well. The sooner they seek help to heal the sooner it takes over what PTSD is trying to do to them. If we understand how the human mind works, how we all change by events we live through, we are able to look at veterans through our own experiences and how they affected us. We then can take that understanding and imagine our own lives subjected to the same events, durations and exposures they go through all the time. Programs should be developed to bring awareness of PTSD to the level they can understand easily to overcome it better. The younger they are in this case, may predict how hard they fall and how fast.

If the military keeps trying to enchant them into thinking that being "resilient" means they can prevent being human, the warriors coming back will keep paying the price.