Military widows asked to repay benefits after remarriage

Military widows asked to repay benefits after remarriage
Daniel Trotter

Brooksville, Florida (CNN) -- Freda Green thought the battle was over when her husband returned from the Vietnam War.

But more than seven years after his death in 2003, she says the U.S. Defense Department is demanding she repay more than $41,000 in benefits the government shelled out as part of an insurance policy he paid into.

"They gave me 45 days to pay it back," said Green, 74, who claims the federal government began garnishing her benefit payments when she couldn't pay it all back at once.

"They said 45 days, and two weeks later they started taking it out of my check," she said.

Green says $577 is now being deducted from her military benefit check each month. The reason: She got remarried last year.

It is a confusing section of a federal law that affects some 57,000 military spouses and their children who receive military benefits and are now being forced to pay Uncle Sam back after walking down the aisle again, according to Norb Ryan, a retired Navy vice admiral and president of the Military Officers Association of America.
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Military widows asked to repay benefits after remarriage

If FOX, MSNBC and CNN stopped turning every program into a political war

This year is only 15 days old and there have been 11 US deaths in Afghanistan for a total of 1,457 according to iCasualties.org , with 5 more killed in Iraq and a total of 4,435. As sad as this is, there have been few reporters coving any of this. Some reporters are working on pieces covering criminal charges against the veterans of these wars as if it will help to know about the fraction coming back and doing illegal things. While there are serious crimes committed by them supporting the need for Veterans' Courts, the reason behind most of them is linked to the combat operations they survived. Most can be tied to PTSD just as drug use can be tied to legal drugs they are given to keep them functioning in theater no matter what they are doing to them. In all of this my biggest concern is the lack of reporting lately on PTSD and suicides.


Considering there are always distractions taking up airtime on the cable news stations, serious ones like the shootings in Tucson, stupid ones like Sarah Palin's feelings being hurt, no one seems to be able to find any time to cover the troops and our veterans.

There were heroes last week in Tucson and average people put their lives on the line to save others placed against a madman with a gun. There was a healing moment at the Memorial gathering when the unity of this country and what was good was raised up above the evil act that caused the need to heal. These were worthy of the attention given by the media. The political gossip and finger pointing were distractions just as covering Sarah Palin for days was a distraction from what people really needed to learn.

This should have been a wake up call to the media to stop the nonsense of covering the political divide making it seem worse than what it is and start to make a difference.

The truth is, while on TV we see people hating other people on the other side of the political divide, we all live next to each other, help each other, work with each other and yes, pray for each other. This was made clear last week in Tucson. When the prayers of the nation were with all the survivors and their families, no one was thinking about how they voted. They just cared about fellow Americans. When those killed were being mourned, they were not Democrat or Republican, they were Americans just as after the attacks on September 11th, they were all our neighbors and they mattered to us. No one cared how they voted or anything other than that simple fact.

This is something the men and women in the military learned to do a long time ago. They risk their lives for their "family" and nothing means more than that to them. Even after combat when they are supposed to be safe back home, they still watch over their "family" and when one of them cannot carry the pain any longer, they all wonder what could have been done to save their lives and make it better to live than to die. They also wonder if they will end up the same way.

There are tragedies all over this country showing how we have failed the men and women serving as heroes everyday putting the lives of someone else above their own but we are not reminded about them.

No Airman left behind: Life after suicide

Posted 1/12/2011

by Staff Sgt. Erica Picariello
50th Space Wing Public Affairs

1/12/2011 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- As a "rainbow flight" member on day zero in basic military training, Airmen are taught the wingman concept. From a brand new lieutenant or an airman basic to a four-star general or chief master sergeant, the Air Force indoctrinates this concept, which symbolizes a person who becomes a rock during uncertain times, a caring heart or maybe an extra set of hands to help get the job done. For most, this means there will always be someone there during a hardship.

But what happens if that person, the only person who has helped or cared, takes their life?

This was one Schriever Airman's reality after waking up July 20, 2010, the day after 1st Lt. Mark Moret, 4th Space Operations Squadron satellite vehicle operator, committed suicide.

"I woke up doubting myself," the Schriever member said. "You wonder why they didn't come to you, you wonder why you're here, why you're still breathing, living - when there was a fine example of a person who ended it all. He would always come to me about anything. So I wondered why he didn't about this."

"I went to Iraq, and when I came back, I noticed both he and I were different," the Schriever Airman lamented. "I was trying to give him some space to get through his issues, because I was trying to help myself get back into the swing of things. I was having bad dreams, and difficulty dealing with being back. It was a very confusing time.

The Operation-Iraqi-Freedom veteran leaned on his wingman, pressing through initial Post Traumatic Stress Disorder signs knowing that he always had his friend.

On July 18, 2010, the Schriever Airman, Lieutenant Moret and Lieutenant Moret's wife sat down for dinner. This was the last time the return deployer saw his best friend alive.

"I raised my glass and said, "Hey, man - thanks for having my back for the past three years and thanks for being my support system. Thanks for proving me wrong when I thought the Air Force was the worst place in the world, that you helped get my head on straight, through rough times after my deployment and you helped me meet cool people, that you helped me stop worrying about people so much and teaching me to enjoy my job. Thank you," he said.

The next day Mark was gone.
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http://www.schriever.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123238128

If FOX, MSNBC and CNN stopped turning every program into a political war, covered how average people live and work together, there would be great healing in this country and then maybe they would be able to find the time to help the troops heal. Maybe they would find the time to report on the heroes we have saving lives in Iraq and Afghanistan because we sent them there. Maybe they would have time to report on the suffering of them and their families when they come home. Then maybe, just maybe they could do some good instead of just increasing the reasons some feel the need to turn everything into a political war. There are two real wars going on and then there is another one when they come home.

Increased suicide rate prevalent in US military
By Tyler Silvy

Contributing Reporter

Published: Monday, December 6, 2010
Cookie Wright never thought about killing himself. But then again, he's a Marine Corps veteran, he's supposed to be tough.
He may not have thought about killing himself, but Wright, a secondary education sophomore at Oklahoma State University, has been depressed.
"There was a time when I was pretty f***** up in the head," Wright said.
That time came between deployments. Wright was deployed twice to the same region, Al Anbar Province, Iraq. It was August 2006 to May 2007, and January 2008 to September 2008. After the first deployment, Wright was stationed at 29 Palms in California.
For nearly a year, he had flashbacks.
The worst were the nightmares, Wright said. He had nightmares that would wake him out of sound sleep.
Wright never sought and was never forced to attend individual counseling sessions. He says he's much better now than he was then, but he wouldn't say he has recovered.
"Things don't bother me like they used to," Wright said. "I'd say the biggest factor is time, I guess just maturing."
Some of his friends weren't so lucky.
"I have friends who aren't as well adjusted," Wright said. "I have friends that haven't moved on."
And, there's the rub: He may be right. Since troops were deployed to the Middle East in 2001, military suicide rates have risen exponentially each year. Suicides have accounted for more than 2,100 deaths since 2001, almost triple the number of troops who have died in Afghanistan and almost half of all deaths in Iraq. In 2009, for the first time, more military personnel took their lives than died at the hands of enemy combatants, according to a 2009 Congressional Quarterly compilation.

Lt. Col. William Beck of the OSU Army ROTC, said the Army didn't see this coming.
"We as an organization admitted we did not see this problem coming, and we weren't ready to deal with it," Beck said.

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Increased suicide rate prevalent in US military

I don't know about you but I stopped watching cable news as soon as politics comes up. I watch it for real news reports and then shut it off. I think better of the American people and believe in them a lot more than the minority on TV acting as if their political view is worthy of hating anyone. I have too many friends on both sides and there is not one of them who does not love this country as much as I do and I know for sure they do not live and breathe their party line above taking care of their neighbors and being a friend.

We come together in times of crisis. We see average people pulling together when someone is in need. We see it when they get on their motorcycles for a charity ride. When they show up at events to help the homeless, feed the hungry at soup kitchens, buy extra food to donate to the hungry families, pitch in to build a home and when they take the time to offer hope to someone with none. Heroes among us show up after a disaster and ask nothing more than "how can I help" while they forget about their own problems and comforts. We saw it leading up to Christmas when donations of toys for poor kids were given by total strangers so they could have something on Christmas morning. We see it when a neighbor offers to shovel out another neighbor unable to shovel the snow. We also see it when a family near us is in mourning for the loss of one of their own. We see it when church members come to the aid of someone in need no matter what church they themselves go to or even if they don't go to church at all.

These acts of kindness we live with everyday and they surround us with care and compassion but when we turn on the TV we hear anger and hatred. When we hear political people attack each other we think that is all there is and it feeds the divide. When we see political rallies with hateful signs and shouts about violence, we think that is all over the country but the truth is far from it. All this week there has been a lot of talk about "toning" down the rhetoric but they should be toning down the coverage as well so that it is not all over the news all the time.

When will the day come we can stop saying we didn't see something coming because we were distracted by a lot of nonsense?

Marine Corps' camp may have cancer link for Bay area vets

Marine Corps' camp may have cancer link for Bay area vets

By HOWARD ALTMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 14, 2011
In the beginning of 2007, Andrew Przenkop woke up with "a bit of pain" in his back.

A Polk County detention deputy, he shrugged it off as a byproduct of his job.

"I thought it was fatigue," Przenkop said. "In jail, you get a lot of hands-on with the inmates. They are always acting up."

Przenkop lived with the pain, but one morning in 2009, he began urinating blood. A short while later, he learned the pain had nothing to do with inmates.

"In March 2009, I found out I had kidney cancer," he says.

For the former Marine, who spent 11 months at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, finding out about the cancer was only the opening salvo in a battle for his life. In July, a friend told him about studies that show drinking water at two of the eight wells at Lejeune were contaminated with chemicals like perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene and that some people think those chemicals are linked to his cancer.

Saturday, Przenkop will be joined by scores of other Marines, their spouses and children at a meeting in Tampa of those searching for answers to what caused their health problems and what, if any, compensation is available from the Corps or the Veterans Administration.
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Marine Corps' camp may have cancer link for Bay area vets/

Watertown cab driver accused of extorting fares from Fort Drum soldiers

Watertown cab driver accused of extorting extra fares from Fort Drum soldiers
By Robert A. Baker / The Post-Standard
Published: Friday, January 14, 2011

Syracuse, NY -- A Watertown taxi driver is facing a felony after he was accused by Syracuse police of scamming soldiers trying to get from Syracuse Hancock International Airport to Fort Drum.
Michael B. Lavery, 37, of 8417 Willow St., Evans Mills, a driver for Phenix Cab Co. of Watertown, was charged with grand larceny.
Sgt. Tom Connellan gave the following details:
On Jan. 3, several soldiers stationed at Fort Drum were waiting for a shuttle back to the base after flying into the airport. Because of the long wait, a soldier contacted Phenix Cab Co. to find out the fare to the base and was quoted a price of $90. The soldier informed the cab company that there were three going to the base for the $90 fare.
When Lavery arrived, he solicited another two soldiers to join the cab ride with the agreement that $90 would cover all five.
When the cab arrived at the Northern New York base, Lavery told the five that the price was $90 per person and that they owed him $450, not $90.
During the discussion on the rate for the ride, Lavery threatened to have the five arrested and called the military police. When the MPs arrived, Lavery told them he increased the amount for the trip because he had to drive through bad weather. When MPs said the rate sounded excessive, Lavery said he didn’t care and threatened the soldiers with criminal charges. Knowing that criminal charges could hurt their military careers, the soldiers paid the $450.
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Watertown cab driver accused of extorting

Vietnam Memorial Desecrated Repeatedly In Philadelphia

Love, respect, gratefulness and compassion built the this memorial to the fallen in Vietnam. Hate, stupidity and evil hearts refuse to understand any of it. They must think it is fun to destroy. What does it gain them to walk around this world with absolutely no regard for the selfless few mourned at this memorial? Empty wretches passing themselves off as a mourner only to destroy what was left by real ones. God sees them and will remember what they have done on this earth.

Philadelphia’s Vietnam Memorial Desecrated Repeatedly In New Year
January 13, 2011 6:00 PM

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Vietnam War is a memory for Jim Moran, and every time someone disrespects that memory, the pain, for him, is real.
“They started to bust the wreaths up here and steal all the flowers out of there,” said Moran, pointing to the most recent desecration at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
“I wish it would stop, because it is heartbreaking.”
In his regular visits to the memorial that bears his brother’s name, Moran has noticed the desecration happening more often.
In the last three weeks, he said, he has found wreaths torn up and flags on the ground.
“It hurts all the families of the 646 men’s names that are on this wall.”
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Vietnam Memorial Desecrated Repeatedly In New Year/

Angel of death on Touched By An Angel found dead at 47

John Dye

Actor best known for 'Touched by an Angel'

John Dye, 47, an actor best known for his role as Andrew in the long-running CBS-TV series "Touched by an Angel," was found dead Monday at his home in San Francisco, the San Francisco medical examiner's office confirmed. His brother Jerre told the Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis, Tenn., that Dye died of a heart attack.

Dye became a regular on "Touched by an Angel" in 1995 for its second season and starred opposite Roma Downey and Della Reese as heavenly messengers sent to help humans through difficult times. Dye's character functioned primarily as an angel of death at first.

"When you see me in my white suit and I start glowing, you know somebody's toast," Dye joked in a 1999 interview with the Commercial Appeal.

But as the show, which ended its run in 2003, evolved, the handsome and compassionate Andrew took on more duties as an angelic caseworker.

"I like the role because death isn't something we talk about much in America," Dye wrote in a 1997 compilation of "Touched by an Angel" scripts. "As a nation, we find it difficult to mourn or grieve, labeling tears a sign of weakness.
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John Dye

Veteran’s sister challenges law enforcement’s PTSD policies

An Army of One
Veteran’s sister challenges law enforcement’s PTSD policies
By Marisa Demarco


Jonelle Ellis hasn’t done much public speaking. She's never been involved in politics. But for the last six months or so, she's helped create a bill and convinced legislators in Santa Fe to carry it

Ellis' brother, a 25-year-old Iraq War veteran, was shot and killed a year ago on Jan. 13, 2010, by Albuquerque police. Kenneth Ellis III stepped out of his car with a gun to his head in front of the 7-Eleven at Constitution and Eubank.

She'd talked to her baby brother just a few days earlier. He wanted to go to the movies. "He was telling me about his son and his life," she says. "He was very positive. It's hard to listen to them say 'suicide by cop.' ”

Jonelle, a Veterans Affairs nurse, says her brother suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and couldn't sleep because of hideous nightmares. "He was active in trying to survive mentally what he had gone through in Iraq." He was doing all the right things to get better, she adds.

The Kenneth Ellis III Act seeks to beef up crisis intervention training for law enforcement officers and emphasizes how they handle people with mental impairments. The training would be mandatory statewide for 911 personnel and police—cadets and longtime officers alike. 2010 saw a spike in the number of officer-involved shootings in Albuquerque; 14 people were shot, and nine of them died. If it’s passed, the legislation will go into effect on July 1.

Frances Crockett is a civil rights lawyer who, along with attorneys Shannon and Joe Kennedy, filed a wrongful death lawsuit for the Ellises in late May. Crockett drafted the legislation after researching other programs around the country. She spoke with the officers who teach Houston's crisis curriculum, and they said the additional education made a big difference in how the police force responds to calls. “Its been a tremendous benefit, because it provides officers with a better understanding about mental illness,” says Frank Webb, a senior officer with Houston’s training program. “It teaches them the tactics and techniques for safely handling someone in a state of crisis.”

The training in Albuquerque is "bare bones," Crockett says, so the measure aims to add on to what's already in place. Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz says the department already does more crisis education than what’s called for in the bill. Crockett says the training the bill requires would be more focused.
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Veteran’s sister challenges law enforcement’s PTSD policies

Australian flood teen's sacrifice to save brother

Australian flood teen's sacrifice to save brother
By Bryony Jones, CNN
January 13, 2011 2:45 p.m. EST
Jordan Rice was swept to his death when floodwaters surrounded his family's car in Toowoomba.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Family trapped on roof of car as floodwaters rose in Toowoomba
Teenager pleads with rescuers to save his younger brother first
Mother and son swept to their deaths in the torrent
(CNN) -- A teenager who was scared of water drowned in the Queensland floods after begging rescuers to save his younger brother first.
Jordan Rice, 13, and his mother Donna, 43, were swept away as a wall of water hit the town of Toowoomba on Monday afternoon.
His family has hailed the youngster's selfless actions.

"Jordan can't swim and is terrified of water," his father, John Tyson, told local newspaper The Toowoomba Chronicle. "But when the man went to rescue him, he said 'save my brother first.'
"I can only imagine what was going on inside to give up his life to save his brother, even though he was petrified of water. He is our little hero."
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Australian flood teen's sacrifice to save brother

Former soldier found dead at Fort Hood Memorial

Apparent suicide victim ID’d
Posted On: Wednesday, Jan. 12 2011 11:07 PM

From staff reports

Fort Hood officials identified the former soldier found dead Monday at the 1st Cavalry Division's Operation Iraqi Freedom Memorial as Justin R. Languis.

Languis, whose wife is a Fort Hood soldier, served in the 1st Cavalry Division's 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, before being assigned to the Warrior Transition Brigade. He medically separated from the Army in May 2010, according to information from Fort Hood.

The cause of death was a gunshot wound, according to a Monday release from III Corps. Officials wouldn't confirm the manner of death, but they implied it was suicide.
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Apparent suicide victim ID’d

Fort Hood Chaplain’s assistant found dead in Dallas

Chaplain’s assistant found dead in Dallas
Posted On: Wednesday, Jan. 12 2011 11:07 PM

From staff reports

A Fort Hood chaplain's assistant was found dead Monday in a Dallas hotel room.

Sgt. 1st Class Donald Wayne Jones, 50, worked in the garrison chaplain's office, according to information from Fort Hood.

He was found Monday morning by hotel employees, said a Dallas police spokesman.

The cause of death is unknown, and circumstances around the incident are under investigation, according to a Fort Hood release. There was no sign of a struggle or forced entry, said a Dallas police spokesman.
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Chaplain’s assistant found dead in Dallas

Hundreds Come Out for Funeral of Christina Green

Hundreds Come Out for Funeral of Youngest Arizona Shooting Victim
Jan 13, 2011 – 2:55 PM

Gillian Flaccus
AP
TUCSON, Ariz. -- As the funeral for the youngest victim of the mass shooting in Arizona was set to begin Thursday, the largest flag recovered from Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center was raised by two fire trucks with ladders extended, and several hundred people lined a road near the church to show support.

Nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green was born on Sept. 11, 2001, and featured in a book called "Faces of Hope" that chronicled one baby from each state born on the day terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people. Christina's funeral is the first for the six victims killed when police said a gunman opened fired on a crowd at an event for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, critically injuring the congresswoman and wounding 13 others.

Christina Green, 9, was killed at a political event in Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday.

The third-grader had an interest in politics and had recently been elected to her student council. She was also the only girl on her Little League baseball team and wanted to become the first professional female ball player.

During President Barack Obama's speech at a memorial Wednesday night, he spoke at length about Christina and reminded the audience that the third-grader's neighbor had brought her to meet Giffords because of her budding interest in democracy.

"She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted," he said. "I want to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as Christina imagined it. I want America to be as good as she imagined it."

Her funeral was set for 1 p.m. MST (3 p.m. EST). Before it began, cars were parked on both sides of the road, and traffic was backed up. Members of motorcycle groups from Arizona and California parked their bikes in a group. Several hundred people, many dressed in white T-shirts, stood silently along a road near the church. About 20 people were dressed as angels.

They organized over the Internet and by word of mouth, saying they wanted to be there in case members of a Kansas church showed up to protest. The Westboro Baptist Church threatened to picket the funerals for Christina and other victims, but they backed off, in part because a nationally syndicated radio show agreed to host some of their members.
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Hundreds Come Out for Funeral of Youngest Arizona Shooting Victim

Injured warriors face a different fight today

Injured warriors face a different fight today

Mike Fradera, a member of the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, takes off one of his prosthetic legs as he prepares to get onto his hand-crank wheelchair to practice for the Disney Half Marathon at Disney's Shades of Green Hotel on Jan. 6, 2011. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel / January 4, 2011)

Darryl E. Owens
COMMENTARY
11:10 p.m. EST, January 7, 2011
Three years ago, after losing his legs to a roadside blast in Iraq, Mike Fradera lay in a Texas Army hospital bed, going stir-crazy.

He craved the freedom that a new set of government-issued limbs promised.

Three years later, padding around on his metallic limbs is second nature. Still, it's only when Fradera ditches his legs and climbs into his hand-crank wheelchair that his soul runs free.

"I feel liberated" in a way that his prosthetic legs wouldn't allow, says Fradera, 33, of Lakeland. "There're a lot of limitations to what you can do with missing legs."

Limitations that seem miles away when he cranks his three-wheeler, as he showed last year in winning the wheelchair crank division of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon.

"You're doing 20 mph and you're pushing yourself and you've got the wind in your face and you're flying down that road, you feel a sense of freedom and a sense of accomplishment of crossing that finish line," Fradera says.

This morning, he defends his title at Disney. But he won't be alone. A platoon of 11 wounded warriors — all staying at Disney's Shades of Green military resort — will join the retired Army staff sergeant. Their mission: prove to themselves — and everyone else — that combat may have stolen their limbs, but not their ability to accomplish great things.
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Injured warriors face a different fight today

Suspect Arrested in Threats Against Rep. Jim McDermott

Suspect Arrested in Threats Against Rep. Jim McDermott of Washington State

CHRISTOPHER WEBER
Correspondent

Authorities have arrested and charged a California man suspected of threatening to kill Rep. Jim McDermott of Washington last month.

Charles Turner Habermann of Palm Springs was charged in federal court Wednesday on allegations that he made threatening phone calls to the Democrat's office, the Seattle Post Intelligencer reported. If convicted, he could face up to10 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Habermann, 32, was angry about taxes and feared losing a $3 million trust fund.

McDermott found a number of expletive-filled voice messages in December threatening violence against him and his loved ones, CNN reported.

"I'll round them up, I'll kill them, I'll kill his friends, I'll kill his family, I will kill everybody he (expletive) knows," Habermann allegedly said in one voice mail message, according to an affidavit obtained by CNN.
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Suspect Arrested in Threats Against Rep. Jim McDermott

Congressman Jim McDermott's Biography


Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) is serving in his eleventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the 7th Congressional District of Washington State, which includes Seattle and parts of several neighboring communities. As a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, Representative McDermott is chairman of its Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee and also serves on its Subcommittee on Trade. Jim McDermott was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 28, 1936. He was the first member of his family to attend college, and went on to finish medical school. After completing his medical residency and military service in the Navy, he made his first run for public office in 1970 and was elected to the State Legislature from the 43rd Legislative District of Washington State. In 1974, Jim successfully ran for the State Senate, and subsequently was re-elected three times.


In 1987, after 15 years of legislative service, McDermott decided to leave politics and to continue in public service as a Foreign Service medical officer based in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), providing psychiatric services to Foreign Service, Agency for International Development, and Peace Corps personnel in sub-Saharan Africa. When the 7th District Congressional seat became open, he returned from Africa to seek election to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected in 1988 to the 101st Congress and is currently serving in his 11th term.

As a physician, Representative McDermott is especially interested in health care issues. While serving in the Washington State Legislature, he crafted the Washington Basic Health Plan, the first state program in the country to provide low-cost health insurance to the unemployed and working poor. In the U.S. Congress, Representative McDermott is consistently active on health care reform issues. He founded and chairs the Congressional Task Force on International HIV/AIDS, and championed the AIDS Housing Opportunities Act. The co-author of a major single payer health care proposal, Representative McDermott is leading the fight in the U.S. House of Representatives to guarantee all Americans comprehensive and affordable health care coverage. Representative McDermott is married to Therese Hansen, an attorney in Seattle. He has two adult children and three grandchildren. He attends St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle.
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Congressman Jim McDermot

Whiteman airman missing after Texas suicide

Whiteman airman missing after Texas suicide
© 2011 The Associated Press
Jan. 12, 2011, 5:15PM
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. — Officials at a Missouri air force base say one airman died in Texas and another is missing after both failed to show up for work on Monday.
Whiteman Air Force Base is not identifying the two.
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Whiteman airman missing after Texas suicide

Suspect pulled over hours before Arizona killing spree, took cab to kill

Suspect pulled over hours before Arizona killing spree
Wildlife officer checked Loughner's papers, found no probable cause to hold him
By Ben Conery-The Washington Times7:46 p.m., Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Only a few hours before a shooting rampage that killed six people and gravely wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona Democrat, a state wildlife officer pulled over the suspected killer after he apparently ran a red light, authorities said Wednesday.

The officer from the Arizona Game and Fish Department gave Jared Loughner, 22, a warning after a check of his driver's license and vehicle registration found no outstanding warrants.

"He had a valid license; the car was registered; he had insurance," Games and Parks spokesman Jim Paxon said. "He was warned and released because we had no probable cause to hold or do an extensive search."

Mr. Paxon said wildlife officers usually do not make traffic stops unless public safety is at risk, such as running a red light.

Before the 7:30 a.m. stop, authorities said Mr. Loughner, who is in jail and faces federal charges that could bring the death penalty, argued with his father, Randy. Police said the young man ran from his family's Tucson home into the desert to escape his angry father, who chased him after seeing him remove a black bag from the trunk of a family car. Investigators are still searching for the bag.

At 10 a.m., police said, Mr. Loughner took a cab to a Tucson supermarket where Mrs. Giffords was holding a meet-and-greet event. Authorities said Mr. Loughner, a loner who displayed paranoid and frequently anti-government views in numerous Internet postings, targeted the congresswoman before firing indiscriminately into the crowd, stopping only when bystanders subdued him.
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Suspect pulled over hours before Arizona killing spree

Obama: We mourn with you, stand by you

Obama: 'The hopes of a nation are here tonight'
By the CNN Wire Staff
January 13, 2011 7:05 a.m. EST


Obama: We mourn with you, stand by you
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Obama says Rep. Giffords has opened her eyes for first time since shooting
Obama says that "Scripture tells us that there is evil in the world"
Rep. Giffords' recovery is "going as anticipated," the hospital says
The Obamas visited Giffords in the hospital
Tucson, Arizona (CNN) -- In between consoling those touched by Saturday's Arizona shooting and warning the nation against politicizing the tragedy, President Barack Obama delivered some good news in his address at a Tucson memorial event on Wednesday.
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona has opened her eyes for the first time since being shot four days ago.
"There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in your hearts," Obama said. "But know this: The hopes of a nation are here tonight."
The attack killed six and left Giffords fighting for her life.
Obama told a crowd of thousands that he visited Giffords earlier on Wednesday and that her husband told him that shortly after the president left her room, "Gabby opened her eyes for the first time."
"Gabby opened her eyes so I can tell you know she knows we are here, she knows that we love her and she knows that we are rooting for her through what will undoubtedly be a difficult journey," Obama said.
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Obama: We mourn with you, stand by you

Orlando National Vietnam War Museum building a memorial to MOH Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller

Orlando National Vietnam War Museum building a memorial to MOH Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller. Different wars, different times but there are very few who know what true sacrifice means. When we honor the dead, we honor the living. When we remember the living and care for their wounds, we honor the fallen. When we forget them, we forget all generations who have made this country what it is.

Staff Sgt Robert Miller

"We are a nation of over 300 million Americans. Of these less than one percent wears the uniform of our armed services. Of these just a small fraction has earned the badges of our Special Operations Forces. In the finest military the world has ever known these warriors are the best of the best."

This video of the posthumous awarding of the Medal of Honor to Staff Sgt. Robert Miller's family, has only received 17,375 views. According to the website Congressional Medal of Honor Society there are;

Total Recipients: 3,449

Living Recipients: 86

Double Recipients: 19

Most Recent:

SALVATORE A. GIUNTA

We may say that we are a grateful nation but when less than 20,000 people managed to watch this video about one of the very few join the even less, we have a problem.

“Rob Miller endures in the service of his teammates -- his brothers in arms who served with him, bled with him and fought to bring him home. These soldiers embody the spirit that guides our troops in Afghanistan every day -- the courage, the resolve, the relentless focus on their mission...”

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Citation
Presidential Remarks
October 6, 2010
1:52 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Please be seated. Good afternoon. And on behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House. And thank you, General Carver, for that beautiful invocation.
We are a nation of more than 300 million Americans. Of these, less than 1 percent wears the uniform of our Armed Services. And of these, just a small fraction has earned the badges of our Special Operations Forces.
In the finest military the world has ever known, these warriors are the best of the best. In an era that prizes celebrity and status, they are “quiet professionals” — never seeking the spotlight. In a time of war, they have borne a burden far beyond their small numbers — training foreign militaries to stand on their own; bringing schools and medicine to remote villages; and taking to the terrorists and insurgents who plot against us.
Few Americans ever see their service, but all Americans are safer because of it. And our hearts swell with pride just hearing their names, including the legendary Green Berets. Today, it is my privilege to present our nation’s highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor — to one of these remarkable soldiers, Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller.
To do so, we are joined by Vice President Biden, and from the Miller’s family’s home state of Florida, a leader who helped make this day possible, Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas.
We are joined by leaders from across my administration, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen; and leaders from our Armed Forces, including Army Secretary John McHugh and Chief of Staff General George Casey, as well as Commander of Special Operations Command, Admiral Eric Olson.
We are honored to be joined by Rob’s fellow soldiers in whose ranks he served — his teammates from Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group from Fort Bragg, and those who now welcome him into their ranks, members of the Medal of Honor Society.
Most of all, we welcome more than 100 of Rob’s friends and family, especially his father Phil, his mother Maureen and his many brothers and sisters.
It has been said that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. For Rob Miller, the testing point came nearly three years ago, deep in a snowy Afghan valley. But the courage he displayed that day reflects every virtue that defined his life.
Rob was wise beyond his years. Growing up in Wheaton, Illinois, outside of Chicago, he was the boy in school who penned a poem about American GI’s in World War II, men — like the soldier Rob would become himself — who he said fought day and night, fighting for what they thought was right.
Rob was born to lead — the high school gymnast who trained so hard his coach had to kick him out at night so they could close the gym. He was the Army recruit who pushed himself to his limits — both physically and mentally — to earn the title Green Beret. He was the Special Forces soldier who, on his first tour in Afghanistan, earned two Army Commendation Medals for his valor.
Devotion to duty. An abiding sense of honor. A profound love of country. These were the virtues that found their ultimate expression when Rob — just 24 years old and on his second tour — met his testing point on January 25, 2008.
Rob and his team were in the remote northwest of Afghanistan. Their mission: clear a valley of insurgents who had been attacking Afghan forces and terrorizing villagers. So when they came across an insurgent compound, Rob and his men made their move, unleashing their fire and calling in airstrikes.
Now, they were on foot, heading over to that destroyed compound, to assess the damage and gather intelligence. It was still dark, just before dawn. It was freezing cold — and silent, except for the crackle of their radios and the crunch of snow under their boots. Like so many times before, Rob was up front — leading a patrol of two dozen Afghans and Americans on a narrow trail along the valley floor, the steep mountains towering over them.
First, it was just a single insurgent, jumping out from behind a boulder. Then, the whole valley seemed to explode with gunfire. Within seconds, Rob and his patrol were pinned down, with almost no cover — bullets and rocket-propelled grenades raining down from every direction. And when enemy reinforcements poured in, the odds were overwhelming. Rob’s small patrol of two dozen men was nearly surrounded by almost 150 insurgents.
With the enemy just feets away — some so close he could see their faces — Rob held his ground. Despite the chaos around him, he radioed back enemy positions. As the only Pashto speaker on his team, he organized the Afghan soldiers around him. But the incoming fire, in the words of one soldier, was simply “astounding.”
Rob made a decision. He called for his team to fall back. And then he did something extraordinary. Rob moved in the other direction — toward the enemy, drawing their guns away from his team and bringing the fire of all those insurgents down upon himself.
The fighting was ferocious. Rob seemed to disappear into clouds of dust and debris, but his team could hear him on the radio, still calling out the enemy’s position. And they could hear his weapon still firing as he provided cover for his men. And then, over the radio, they heard his voice. He had been hit. But still, he kept calling out enemy positions. Still, he kept firing. Still, he kept throwing his grenades. And then they heard it — Rob’s weapon fell silent.
This is the story of what one American soldier did for his team, but it’s also a story of what they did for him. Two of his teammates braved the bullets and rushed to Rob’s aid. In those final moments, they were there at his side — American soldiers there for each other.
The relentless fire forced them back, but they refused to leave their fallen comrade. When reinforcements arrived, these Americans went in again — risking their lives, taking more casualties — determined to bring Rob Miller out of that valley. And finally, after fighting that raged for hours, they did.
When the dust settled and the smoke cleared, there was no doubt Rob Miller and his team had struck a major blow against the local insurgency. Five members of his patrol had been wounded, but his team had survived. And one of his teammates surely spoke for all of them when he said of Rob, “I would not be alive today if not for his ultimate sacrifice.”
This is the valor that America honors today. To Rob’s family and friends, I know that no words can ease the ache in your hearts. But I also know this — Rob’s life and legacy endures.
Rob endures in the pride of his parents. Phil and Maureen, you raised a remarkable son. Today and in the years to come, may you find some comfort in knowing that Rob gave his life doing what he loved — protecting his friends and defending his country. You gave your oldest son to America, and America is forever in your debt.
Rob endures in the love of his brothers and sisters, all seven of whom join us today. Your brothers laid down his life so you could live yours in security and freedom. You honor him by living your lives to the fullest, and I suspect Rob would be especially proud of his younger brother Tom, who, inspired by his big brother, is now training to be a Green Beret himself.
Rob endures in the Afghans that he trained and he befriended. In valleys and villages half a world away, they remember him — the American who spoke their language, who respected their culture and who helped them defend their country. They welcomed him into their homes and invited him to their weddings. And in a sign of their lasting gratitude, they presented Rob’s parents with a beautiful Afghan flag — Afghan rug, which hangs today in the Miller home, a symbol of the partnership between the people of America and Afghanistan.
Rob Miller endures in the service of his teammates — his brothers in arms who served with him, bled with him and fought to bring him home. These soldiers embody the spirit that guides our troops in Afghanistan every day — the courage, the resolve, the relentless focus on their mission: to break the momentum of the Taliban insurgency, and to build the capacity of Afghans to defend themselves, and to make sure that Afghanistan is never again a safe haven for terrorists who would attack our country. That is their mission, that is our mission, and that is what we will do. And I would ask Rob’s team, who were with him that day, to please stand and be recognized. (Applause.)
Finally, Rob Miller — and all those who give their lives in our name — endure in each of us. Every American is safer because of their service. And every American has a duty to remember and honor their sacrifice.
If we do — if we keep their legacy alive, if we keep faith with the freedoms they died to defend — then we can imagine a day, decades from now, when another child sits down at his desk, ponders the true meaning of heroism and finds inspiration in the story of a soldier — Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller and a generation that “fought day and night, fighting for what they thought was right.”
That is the meaning of this medal. And that is our summons today, as a proud and grateful nation. So please join me in welcoming Phil and Maureen Miller for the reading of the citation. (Applause.)
MILITARY AIDE: The President of the United States of America, authorized by act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded, in the name of the Congress, the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.
Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of heroism while serving as the weapons sergeant in Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3312, Special Operations Task Force 33, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on January 25th, 2008.
While conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol through the Gowardesh Valley, Staff Sergeant Miller and his small element of U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers engaged a force of 15 to 20 insurgents occupying prepared fighting positions. Staff Sergeant Miller initiated the assault by engaging the enemy positions with his vehicle’s turret-mounted Mk 19 40-millimeter automatic grenade launcher, while simultaneously providing detailed descriptions of the enemy positions to his command, enabling effective, accurate close air support.
Following the engagement, Staff Sergeant Miller led a small squad forward to conduct a battle damage assessment. As the group neared the small, steep, narrow valley that the enemy had inhabited, a large, well-coordinated insurgent force initiated a near ambush, assaulting from elevated positions with ample cover.
Exposed and with little available cover, the patrol was totally vulnerable to enemy rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons fire.
As a point man, Staff Sergeant Miller was at the front of the patrol, cut off from supporting elements and less than 20 meters from enemy forces. Nonetheless, with total disregard for his own safety, he called for his men to quickly move back to cover positions as he charged the enemy over exposed ground and under overwhelming enemy fire in order to provide protective fire for his team.
While maneuvering to engage the enemy, Staff Sergeant Miller was shot in the upper torso. Ignoring the wound, he continued to push the fight. Moving to draw fire from over 100 enemy fighters upon himself, he then again charged forward through an open area in order to allow his teammates to safely reach cover.
After killing at least 10 insurgents, wounding dozens more and repeatedly exposing himself to withering enemy fire while moving from position to position, Staff Sergeant Miller was mortally wounded by enemy fire. His extraordinary valor ultimately saved the lives of seven members of his own team and 15 Afghan National Army soldiers.
Staff Sergeant Miller’s heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty and at the cost of his own life are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.


Citation Staff Sergeant Miller

Here is your chance to honor this young man and the ultimate sacrifice he made for the sake of this nation.

Fellow Patriots,

I have the honor reaching out to you all by assisting The Vietnam War Museum to begin the ground breaking of a new memorial for SSG Robert Miller, which ironically is named after another Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum.

Please take the time to read this article and let not this soldiers like many others be forgotten.
We need a village of resources to start the funding of an outside memorial for SSG Robert Miller from our next door neighbor Oviedo, FL.
Please visit and benchmark our website www.nvmocf.org and reply back to learn more about the museums dedication to all of the great men and women who so proudly served for our freedom in Vietnam and all other wars throughout time.

Together...YES WE CAN BUILD A MEMORIAL FOR THOSE WHO GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.

Spirit To Serve

SGT Dave Matthews
Advisory Board Member
National Vietnam War Museums

Marine Prayer Request for Darkhorse not what it seems

UPDATE
Looks like Stars and Stripes paid attention too

Don't believe the social media rumors: Camp Pendleton's 'Darkhorse Marines' aren't dying in Afghanistan
By CARL PRINE | 
The San Diego Union-Tribune (Tribune News Service) | Published: May 4, 2017
Although thousands upon thousands of well-meaning Americans on Facebook and Twitter are asking people to pray for the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, the grunts aren’t suffering any casualties in Afghanistan. They’re home at Camp Pendleton, preparing to deploy to sea.
The latest hoax seems to have broken out on Facebook in late February before dying down in mid-March. It has come roaring back in recent days, however, triggering a flood of social-media support for the “Darkhorse” battalion that once suffered heavy losses in Afghanistan but isn’t actually in combat now.
“We are asking everyone to say a prayer for ‘Darkhorse’ 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines and their families. They are fighting it out in Afghanistan and have lost nine Marines in four days. Please repost this,” reads the typical message being circulated on social media.

Not sure what to make out of this now. I did a search for more information on this prayer request I received by email. I remembered 9 in a week but not recently so I did some checking. One of the "Marines" listed as killed this week was from the UK and he died in July. Matthew Weikert was in the Army and so was Chase Stanley.

Staff Sergeant Brett Linley

Bomb disposal expert who saved hundreds of lives killed in Afghanistan
By TAMARA COHEN
Last updated at 8:46 AM on 20th July 2010

A bomb disposal expert who saved hundreds of lives in Afghanistan has been killed by a Taliban bomb.
Staff Sergeant Brett Linley, 29, died while clearing explosives on Saturday and was hailed by his military bosses as a 'true hero'.

In five months on the front line with the Royal Logistic Corps, he defused 100 bombs, on one occasion dismantling three in just one hour.

Read more: Bomb disposal expert who saved hundreds of lives killed in Afghanistan

Justin Allen and Justus Bartelt were killed in July

July 25, 2010
The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, or who died at a U.S. military hospital of their injuries:

Justin B. Allen, 23, of Coal Grove, Ohio; sergeant, Army. Allen was shot and killed July 18 during a firefight in the Zhari district of southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.


Justus S. Bartelt, 27, of Polo, Ill.; staff sergeant, Marine Corps. Bartelt was killed July 16 while supporting combat operations in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C.


http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/25/local/la-me-wardead-20100725

Army Sgt. Matthew W. Weikert
Died July 17, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

29, of Jacksonville, Ill.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died July 17 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Sgt. Matthew W. Weikert

Army Specialist Chase Stanley, 21, Napa
Soldier is killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
MILITARY DEATHS
September 26, 2010|By My-Thuan Tran, Los Angeles Times
Chase Stanley was eager to join the Army. When he was a teenager, his bedroom was covered in Army posters and he often sported an Army T-shirt, said his sister, Britney Stanley. Even before he signed up for boot camp, he would go to extra training sessions.

Growing up in the rugged terrain of the Capell Valley area of Napa, Stanley enjoyed hiking, fishing and hunting with his father. After graduating from Napa High School, he enlisted at age 17, along with two friends.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/26/local/la-me-stanley-20100926

Marine Cpl. Dave M. Santos
Died July 16, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

21, of Rota, Marianas Islands of the Pacific; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died July 16 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
http://militarytimes.com/valor/marine-cpl-dave-m-santos/4716075/

I am not sure who did this or why they did it but they did it.

Prayer Request

We are asking everyone to say a prayer for "Darkhorse" 3rd

Battalion 5th Marines and their families. They are fighting it out in

Afghanistan and they have lost 9 marines in 4 days. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE

the message spread if more could pass it on.

Semper Fi, God Bless America and God Bless the United States Marine

Corps...

Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever.

Nothing in the media about these guys because no one seems to care:

Justin Allen, 23,

Brett Linley, 29,

Matthew Weikert, 29,

Justus Bartett, 27,

Dave Santos, 21,

Chase Stanley, 21,

Jesse Reed, 26,

Matthew Johnson, 21,

Zachary Fisher, 24,

Brandon King, 23,

Christopher Goeke, 23,

Sheldon Tate, 27,

All are Marines that gave their lives for YOU this week.

It looks like the "this week" was back in October and had different names.

Unit in Sangin loses 9 Marines in 4 days

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Oct 18, 2010 18:11:02 EDT
The 3/5 casualties in October include:

• Sgt. Ian Tawney, 25. The squad leader was killed Saturday by an improvised explosive device while on a foot patrol, Marine officials said. He enlisted on March 14, 2005, and had deployed to Iraq in 2007.

• Lance Cpl. James Boelk, 24. The infantry rifleman was killed by an IED while on a foot patrol last Friday, officials said. He was on his first combat deployment.

• Lance Cpl. Joseph Lopez, 26. The infantry rifleman was killed by an IED while on a foot patrol last Thursday, officials said. He was on his first combat deployment.

• Lance Cpl. Alec Catherwood, 19. The infantry rifleman was shot to death while on a foot patrol last Thursday, officials said. He was on his first combat deployment.

• Lance Cpl. Irvin Ceniceros, 21. The machine gunner was shot to death while on a foot patrol last Thursday, officials said. He was on his first combat deployment.

Four additional Marines were killed last Wednesday in the same IED blast while riding in a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle, or M-ATV, according to media reports. Those Marines include:

• Cpl. Justin Cain, 22. The machine gunner was on his first combat deployment.

• Lance Cpl. Phillip Vinnedge, 19. The anti-tank assaultman was on his first deployment.

• Lance Cpl. Joseph Rodewald, 21. The machine gunner was on his first combat deployment.

• Pfc. Victor Dew, 20. The anti-tank assaultman was on his first deployment.

Additional details about the deaths were not immediately available, but the Corps said the unit is now based in Sangin in a news release covering the death of Lance Cpl. John Sparks, 23. He was shot to death Oct. 8, becoming the first Marine to die on 3/5’s deployment, Marine officials said.

The most recent Marine casualty announced was Cpl. Jorge Villarreal, 22. A member of Pendleton’s 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, he died Sunday from an IED blast while on a foot patrol.

Dog hospital rehabilitates war heroes with four legs

Great story but as WLOX News points out some of these dogs are treated for PTSD and once they are rehabilitated, they are sent back or adopted.

Dog hospital rehabilitates war heroes
SAN ANTONIO (CNN) - A hospital in San Antonio, TX, is helping military dogs injured in war zones get back on their feet.

Called the "Walter Reed" for dogs, dogs that serve the county are treated at the high-tech hospital, which is operated by the Department of Defense.
read more here
Dog hospital rehabilitates war heroes

Would be wonderful if someone would adopt some of the PTSD veterans with no family to go home to just as it would be wonderful if the others wanting to stay in the service were all "rehabilitated" before they were sent back. Odd how we seem to treat dogs better.

Pastor attacked, robbed at Seminole County church

Pastor attacked, robbed at Seminole County church

By Gary Taylor, Orlando Sentinel
11:25 a.m. EST, January 12, 2011

The pastor of a church in the north Seminole County community of Midway was kicked and beaten early Tuesday by two robbers who confronted him when he left his church, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office said today.

The Rev. Leonard Lee Wilson, 47, of Sanford, suffered injuries to his head and face and was treated by paramedics from Seminole County Fire Rescue, Sheriff's spokeswoman Kim Cannaday said.

The incident occurred about 4:15 a.m. at the St. Matthew's Missionary Baptist Church, 3724 Main St.

Wilson told deputies he worked late into the night preparing for a meeting when he realized how late it was and packed up to go home.
read more here
Pastor attacked, robbed at Seminole County church