Military suicides, congress and clueless

For two members of congress military suicides are a personal issue. Maybe now there will be something done to stop them from happening. But while there have been many congressional hearings, there hasn't been much listening going on. After reading this, there hasn't been much learning either.

(Army Lt. Gen. Thomas) Bostick said that the Army is trying to figure out why suicides among soldiers with multiple deployments are climbing.

"It's early. We don't know why that's happening, but we're looking at it very closely," he said.

Did he really say that? It's early? For heaven's sake! Did he just arrive in the Army? They've been talking about military suicides since 2003 when they started to come out with their "prevention programs" to prevent PTSD.
Battlemind

Mental orientation

In the definition provided by the U.S. Army Medical Command
"Battlemind is the Soldier's inner strength to face fear and adversity with courage. Key components include:
Self confidence: taking calculated risks and handling challenges.
Mental toughness: overcoming obstacles or setbacks and maintaining positive thoughts during times of adversity and challenge."[1]
The significance of Battlemind in the Medical Command's context is that "Battlemind skills helped you survive in combat, but may cause you problems if not adapted when you get home."[1]
Initial writings on the subject focused on the utility of battlemind while in service,[2] while several recent works focus on treatment and self-help.[3][4

In 2007 I wrote how Battlemind was not working when this report came out.


Department of Defense and Revenge of the Sith
THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007

The task force was formed through the 2006 National Defense Appropriations Act to examine the current state of military mental health practices and processes. The panel is now collecting information through visits to multiple military installations, document reviews, specialists’ opinions and town hall-style meetings. The panel is scheduled to provide its report to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in May. Reservists are assessed for mental health issues during both pre- and post-deployment phases, Army Maj. Clemens Presogna, a nurse and reservist assigned to U.S. Army Reserve Command, Fort McPherson, Ga., told members of the task force....................


..............“We really need to train and reinforce actions that soldiers, leaders and buddies can take,” Thomas said. The Battlemind system, he added, requires “emphasis on looking out for your buddy, and for small-unit leaders to look out for their soldiers.” Another troop mental health assistance initiative is the Combat and Operational Stress Control Program implemented in October 2006 by the Marine Corp Reserve’s 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, said Dr. Tania Glenn, a military contractor who co-manages the program.

“This is a Marine-to-Marine advocacy and education program,” Glenn explained. “We are teaching Marines how to identify and help other Marines.” The COSC program utilizes peer-to-peer discussion and monitoring, she said, to assist in recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental stress and burnout among Marines returning from combat overseas. Actively discussing mental health issues represents “a culture shift in the Marine Corps,” but not a massive change, said Glenn, noting the COSC program could be likened to adding high-potency vitamins to a servicemember’s normal field rations. Returning Marines experiencing heightened emotions caused by “mindset conditioning” during combat tours are provided counseling and assistance while transiting to stateside assignments, Glenn said.

Considering they were talking about "vitamins" and getting them to "train their brains" to fight against PTSD, that should have sent an alarm bell off across the country. But that wasn't enough.

As for the redeployments, they knew it back in 2006.

So after all these years of hearings in Congress, all the claims made by the military to be learning from their mistakes, we see the numbers go up and yet, yet they still have to come out with something as clueless as saying "It's early. We don't know why that's happening, but we're looking at it very closely,"

For two lawmakers, military suicides hit too close to home
By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN Pentagon Unit
September 9, 2011 9:02 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Reps. Joe Heck and Judy Chu have personal connections with military suicides
They both spoke during an Armed Services Committee hearing on Friday
A soldier under Heck's command recently committed suicide
Chu's nephew, a Marine, killed himself after an alleged hazing incident

Washington (CNN) -- For years, the Pentagon and Congress have worried over the problem of military suicides. The House Armed Services Committee held another hearing on this life-and-death issue Friday, but this time, it was more than studies and statistics.

For two members of Congress, suicide is an issue they know intimately.

"This is -- especially right now -- a bit of a personal issue for me," said Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nevada, a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. "I just had a soldier recently under my command commit suicide.

"He was actually seen two hours earlier by another member of his unit. And both had been through the Army Reserve Suicide Prevention Training Program. And his colleague did not recognize anything that was out of the ordinary. And two hours later this other soldier took his own life."

Rep. Judy Chu, D-California, is not a member of the committee, but she was allowed to participate in the hearing because of her personal interest in the issue.

She told the story of 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Harry Lew, who got in trouble when he first arrived in Afghanistan for falling asleep while on watch. Chu said his sergeant told Lew's fellow Marines to "teach" him.

"Lance Corporal Lew was beaten, berated and forced to perform rigorous exercise. He was forced to do push-ups and leg lifts wearing full body armor, and sand was poured in his mouth. He was forced to dig a hole for hours. He was kicked, punched and stomped on. And it did not stop until 3:20 am," Chu told the committee.

Chu said that a few minutes later, "Lance Corporal Lew climbed into the foxhole that he just dug and shot himself and committed suicide.

"Lance Corporal Lew was my nephew."
read more here

Last year I asked Congressman Filner why they were holding hearings just about the problems and never seemed to hold any on what was working. He said he people like me should be heard but that was the last of that conversation. I should have asked him when they were planing on holding hearings on who was responsible for this callousness. After all, insisting on repeating the same failed approach shows they have not cared enough to learn anything.

Reading that "Lieutenant General Thomas P. Bostick Deputy Chief of Staff G-1, United States Army" with "EDUCATIONAL DEGREES: United States Military Academy – BS – No Major Stanford University – MS – Civil Engineering Stanford University – MS – Mechanical Engineering" we should be wondering why he was answering questions on this matter. There are several Generals that already came out and admitted they have PTSD, sought help and were still able to keep their careers. Why not have them testify?

The reports go all the way back to the 70's on PTSD but the same questions are being asked all over again. The same research is being done all over again. The same results followed. Yet somehow they wonder why Soldiers with PTSD were at increased risk for suicide

Services still grappling with suicide trends
By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 9, 2011 17:36:03 EDT
Suicide prevention programs appear to have contributed to the dip in self-inflicted deaths among active-duty soldiers, sailors and Marines in 2010, but the services must continue addressing the problem in the face of some disturbing trends seen so far this year, military leaders told lawmakers Friday.

Efforts such as the Marine Corps’ Operational Stress Control and Readiness program, the Army’s resiliency counseling and efforts to reduce the stigma of mental health counseling, as well as the Air Force’s at-risk identification program, are reaching troops, military leaders told the House Armed Services Committee’s military personnel panel.

But there is more to do as the wars wind down and the Defense Department faces possible budget cuts, officials and lawmakers agreed.

“Talking about success in suicides, unless you get no suicides, is not appropriate,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for personnel.

“Suicides are a loss that we simply cannot accept,” agreed Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Milstead Jr., deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs. “Leaders at all levels of the Marine Corps are personally involved in efforts to help address and prevent future tragedies.”

Rear Adm. Anthony Kurta, DoD’s director of military personnel plans and policy, said the Navy is “regrettably” seeing an increase in its suicide rate this year compared to 2010.

He added that historically, the Navy has seen a spike in the year following a drawdown — something that has happened three times in the past 20 years.

The Army, which saw a decline in active-duty suicides in 2010 but an uptick in rates among National Guard and Reserve troops, must continue developing its programs, Bostick said.
read more of this here

Following 'Soldiers,' To The Battlefield And Back

September 10, 2011
Following 'Soldiers,' To The Battlefield And Back
Filmmaker Heather Courtney didn't set out to make a war story. "I set out to make a story about rural America," she says. Her new documentary, Where Soldiers Come From, is both war story and small-town homecoming saga; it follows a group of young men who sign up for the National Guard, serve in Afghanistan, and then return home to their families in Michigan's woody Upper Peninsula.

Courtney joins NPR's Scott Simon to discuss the documentary, along with two of the young soldiers featured in the film, Dominic "Dom" Fredianelli and Matt "Bodi" Beaudoin.

On his assertion in the film that serving in Afghanistan taught him "to hate people":
Matt "Bodi" Beaudoin

Beaudoin: "I was so mad at the time. I obviously don't feel that way anymore. ... It was a crazy time in all of our lives, and I was so jaded because of how many times that I got blown up that I hated everything about that place. I don't regret what I said because at the time that's how I felt. ... What I love about the film [is that] Heather wasn't afraid to put the times like that into the film, because that's as real as it gets."

Beaudoin has been diagnosed with severe traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. He says he fooled the military into letting him continue to go out on missions:

Beaudoin: "I would kind of bend the truth — tell them, 'I feel fine, I feel fine, let me keep going out.' They have what's called a TBI test — a traumatic brain injury test — and I kind of cheated and memorized it. ... I could have sat out way earlier on the explosions, but I didn't want to because I wanted to go out with my boys. I'd rather get me blown up than my buddies."

read more here

Every once in a while I am reminded of an argument I had with an Iraq veteran. He was drunk, or high, or a combination of both. He was convinced God was "an evil bastard enjoying the suffering of children." There was no goodness left in the world to him because he had seen way too much of the opposite.

My challenge was to prove to him the existence of a loving God, which was nearly impossible considering where he had been.

"Look around you right now. Think about the fact almost everyone here is armed with guns and knives. What are they doing?"

He looked around. What he saw was a bunch of bikers talking, laughing and hugging with one arm and a beer in the other hand. He looked at everyone for a long time, turned back to me and said "So what!" as if it was no big deal at all. He'd seen all that going on a hundred times but never really thought about it.

"It's easy to see what God allows but you have to look for what God prevents." Then I walked away. He followed me. "What's that supposed to mean?" I told him that if he only looks for what is bad, that is all he'll see. There is a lot of good going on at the same time."

When we see someone suffering, we often miss the love they are surrounded with at the same time. We think of only the suffering and wonder where God was when right in front of our eyes proof of His love and mercy are right there.

In the midst of horror the simple fact that someone can still cry, feel the pain inside for someone else, that is proof that love and compassion survives everything. Those emotions were not created by "an evil bastard" but by a loving God more powerful than the worst man can do to man.

Someone just has to point all that out. How can they see what God stops from happening when they are not looking for it? He keeps humans from hardening to the point where they just stop caring about anyone. He allows compassion to survive when surrounded by people willing to blow themselves up and take as many others with them as possible.

He causes a soldier to pray another life is not taken by his hand just as much as he prays one more of his friends does not have to die that day. If evil was the only thing left, that would not be possible. It would be like a computer game when they are more concerned with scoring points than the lives taken. Any goodness within them had to have come from somewhere and the source has to be a lot more powerful than the source of the evil because the good survives.

It is that goodness within them that causes so much internal suffering. Focusing on what was bad becomes all they know and faith is eroded.

If Beaudoin in the above article could see that his thoughts were for his friends above all else, he'd see that came from love and it lasted no matter what else was happening.

The young Iraq veteran I was arguing with kept asking more and more questions, more determined to shatter my own faith than to restore his own. Finally I asked him the question he needed to think about. "Did anyone help you?" He fought to hold back a tear. "Ya" I let him think about that for a while. "Then why would "evil" send help to you?"

I think it's really funny when I hear someone say you cannot prove God is real. I wonder if they believe someone loves them when they cannot "see love" or prove it. We know love is real with what the other person does, says, looks at us and cares for us. Well, we can know God is real the same way. We can see God everyday if we only look for Him and understand that there are things happening all around us surviving whatever "evil" attacks it with.

Canine Heroes of 9-11

Canine Heroes of 9-11
During the chaos of the September 11 attacks, nearly 100 loyal search and rescue dogs and their brave owners scoured Ground Zero for survivors. Credit: Barcroft Media

Scout and another unknown dog lie among the rubble at Ground Zero, just two of nearly 100 search and rescue animals who helped to search for survivors.
click the link for more amazing images

Soldiers with PTSD were at increased risk for suicide

The military can try to blame every other factor for the suicide rate, but here is the real answer.

PTSD comorbidity and suicidal ideation associated with PTSD within the Ohio Army National Guard.

J Clin Psychiatry. 2011 Aug;72(8):1072-8

Authors: Calabrese JR, Prescott M, Tamburrino M, Liberzon I, Slembarski R, Goldmann E, Shirley E, Fine T, Goto T, Wilson K, Ganocy S, Chan P, Serrano MB, Sizemore J, Galea S

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study the relation between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychiatric comorbidity and suicidal ideation in a representative sample of Ohio Army National Guard soldiers.

METHOD: Using retrospective data collected on the telephone from a random sample of 2,616 National Guard soldiers who enrolled in a 10-year longitudinal study (baseline data collected November 2008-November 2009), we examined (1) the prevalence of other psychopathologies among those with DSM-IV-diagnosed PTSD compared to those without PTSD and (2) the association between PTSD comorbidity and suicidal ideation (reporting thoughts of being better off dead or hurting themselves). All analyses were carried out using logistic regression.

RESULTS: Of guard members with PTSD in the last year, 61.7% had at least 1 other psychopathology; 20.2% had at least 2 other co-occurring conditions. The most common co-occurring psychopathology was depression. While those with PTSD overall were 5.4 (95% CI, 3.8-7.5) times more likely to report suicidality than those without PTSD, those who had at least 2 additional conditions along with PTSD were 7.5 (95% CI, 3.0-18.3) times more likely to report suicidal ideation at some point in their lifetime than those with PTSD alone.

CONCLUSIONS: Soldiers with PTSD were at increased risk for suicidality, and, among those with PTSD, those with at least 2 additional conditions were at the highest risk of suicidal ideation. Future research should address the mechanisms that contribute to multimorbidity in this population and the appropriate treatment methods for this high-risk group.

Iraq Vet with PTSD pleads insanity in girlfriend's murder

Vet pleads insanity in girlfriend's murder
Published: Sept. 7, 2011

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 7 (UPI) -- An Iraq war veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder killed his girlfriend because he thought she was part of a "hostile military force," his lawyer said.

Davon Londell Thomas, 29, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity Tuesday in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend in November 2009, The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer reported.
read more here

Most UK doctors 'cannot detect PTSD'

This may go a long way to explaining how the UK came out with a report on how low their military PTSD rate is.

Most doctors 'cannot detect PTSD'
07 September 2011

More than half of Britain's GPs are unaware of how to spot Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in veterans despite official guidelines being available, a survey has found.

A ComRes poll commissioned by forces charity Combat Stress found that just 42 per cent of GPs were familiar with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on diagnosing PTSD.

Nearly half, 49 per cent, said they were not familiar with the guidelines at all, according to the survey of 1,006 doctors.
read more here

Michelle Obama helps build home for homeless women veterans

In North Carolina, under a blazing sun, the First Lady lent a hand to crew and volunteers building "Steps N Stages Jubilee House," a boarding home for homeless women veterans.

Her visit was filmed for an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" that drew a huge crowd early in the day, hundred of fans hoping to see Michelle Obama in person. For some of these fans, the wait was overwhelming. The Times Union reports "the early afternoon heat and excitement got the best of some and a handful of people fainted, requiring the care of emergency medical crews."

But for the most part, the event was a success, if a sweltering hot one. Obama took a tour of the project with Barbara Marshall, herself a 15-year Navy veteran who allowed her own home to be demolished to make room for the boarding house, playhouse, greenhouse, and resource center-- all intended to function as shelter for women veterans. Several families will be able to live in the new building.
read more here

Bill would expand disabled vets’ job rights

Bill would expand disabled vets’ job rights
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 9, 2011 13:59:30 EDT
A Texas Democrat is proposing an expansion of the employment protections for service members and veterans to prevent combat-wounded troops from being fired or demoted if they need time off for medical treatment.

Under the proposal unveiled Friday by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, called the Wounded Veterans Job Security Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act would be amended to protect wounded veterans from workplace discrimination if they need time off for treatment of war-related injuries or disabilities.

In a statement, Doggett said the issue was raised during discussions with veterans. “They said, ‘Wounded veterans should not be fired after they exhaust their sick and vacation days to receive care for injuries suffered while defending our nation.’ I agreed. They said, ‘There ought to be a law supporting our veterans.’ I agreed.”
read more here

Montana VA stresses suicide prevention without a full time psychiatrist?

Montana VA stresses suicide prevention, awareness
Posted: Sep 8, 2011 4:48 PM by Melissa Anderson (Helena)

This is Suicide Prevention Week, and the suicide rate among veterans is reported to be two times higher than the civilian population.

Registered nurse Kellie LaFave of the Montana VA in Helena explained, "Veterans are at greater risk because they're exposed to such extremes and where they do their service. They may be injured physically or emotionally. They may be suffering from traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress syndrome. "

That's why the VA has stressed mental health as a key priority in its healthcare system.

The VA Montana system recently added the 24,000 square foot mental health facility that will house up to 24 veterans.

The PTSD program, which opened in July, is set up in six week outpatient sessions.

While the VA awaits hiring a full time psychiatrist, they are not taking inpatients at this time. However, veterans can still be referred.
read more here

Police: Veteran officer shot wife, then self

Police: Veteran officer shot wife, then self
CAROL ROBINSON, The Birmingham News
Published 11:50 a.m., Thursday, September 8, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Police detective Rodney Wilson and his wife of two years, Uteva, had their difficulties, but family members said they never expected those troubles to end in murder-suicide.

"I knew in the past they had problems and I told him and her that we all have financial worries," said Sharon Woods, Uteva Wilson's mother. "I talked to Rodney Saturday and he was concerned about things. I said, 'I have bills too. Do what you can, even if it's $1, and leave the rest to God.'"

"He always stressed that he loved her," Woods said Wednesday. "I never thought he would take her life."

Police said that's exactly what happened.

The 41-year-old detective apparently shot his 23-year-old wife and then got on his police radio and warned he was about to take his own life.

He told dispatchers he had killed his wife, but that the children were OK. He asked for paramedics and a supervisor to come to the scene, and then said, "I won't be here when you get here," authorities said.

Wilson, a nearly 11-year veteran of the Birmingham force who served in the burglary unit, used his service weapon in shooting, authorities said.

Leavenworth-born Marine killed in motorcycle crash

Leavenworth-born Marine killed in motorcycle crash

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. | The Marine Corps says a 37-year-old gunnery sergeant has died in North Carolina of injuries he suffered in a motorcycle accident last week.

Sgt. Christopher E. Cunningham was a 19-year veteran of the Corps and a native of Leavenworth, Kan. Officials announced his death in a news release Thursday.
read more here

Bill protects Constitutional Right to Freedom of Religion for Veterans

The law has managed to protect the rights of the Westboro hate group to say whatever they want, show up at military funerals, tell the family members they are thankful for the death and spewing hatred against them. To think that a separate Bill has to be written to protect the rights of our veterans needs to be done is deplorable.

CONGRESSMAN POE INTRODUCES THE VETERANS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT
Bill protects Constitutional Right to Freedom of Religion for Veterans

Washington, Sep 8 -

WASHINGTON, DC— This week Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02) introduced the Veterans’ Religious Freedom Act in response to the alleged religious censorship taking place at the Houston National Cemetery.

This legislation will prohibit the Veterans Administration from limiting the free speech of any member of a veteran service organization or any person who else who has been invited to speak at a funeral service of a veteran. It will also require that within 90 days of the passage of the bill, all VA cemetery directors must be veterans. Finally, it will mandate that the VA inform families of veterans all options available to loved ones when they are planning funeral services.

“It is the constitutional duty of the federal government to protect speech and religion, not prohibit it. Government censorship of funeral services for our veterans is unacceptable, unconstitutional and un-American. The policy of the director of the Houston VA Cemetery is anti-Christian, anti-religion and anti-veteran. What has reportedly taken place at the Houston VA Cemetery is inexcusable, and Congress must take immediate action to protect the rights of those who have fought and died for our country.”
read more here

Iraq War Vet with PTSD Pleads Guilty, Finally Gets Help

Iraq War Vet with PTSD Pleads Guilty to Assault, DUI Charge

Rob Low
6:19 p.m. CDT, September 8, 2011

PLATTE CITY, Mo.— A Platte County Iraq War veteran fighting post-traumatic stress disorder may finally get the help he needs, but only after he pleaded guilty in court on Thursday.
read more here


UPDATE
I received this email from his wife.

Chaplain Kathie,

Thanks for posting the story, however, it's somewhat misleading. Zac has applied to Pathway Home in California for inpatient treatment. We are awaiting approval. It is his only hope, if doesn't get in, we don't know what we'll do. Additionally, it is tragic and an injustice that it came down to this. My husband is now a felon for something he did not do. Those rights he promised to protect when he signed his life over to Uncle Sam, are the very ones he has been unjustly stripped of. Our veterans with legal issues and injuries are being largely ignored and neglected by those who have the power to help them. We received no help from the VJOC or any other veteran's organization we reached out to.
I am really disappointed in my country.

Over 20 groups unite to end military suicides

Sept. 8, 2011, 8:14 p.m. EDT
More than 20 Organizations Unite in Washington DC to End Suicide for US Veterans and Active Duty Military Personnel
Sept. 10th to Honor 8th Annual World Suicide Prevention Day with the Global Night for Hope

WASHINGTON, Sep 8, 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Groups join together on September 10th uniting in solidarity to end suicide for the veteran and active duty military communities. Serendipity brought twenty organizations and counting together to present expert views of why we are losing 18 veterans every single day to suicide, share personal stories of loss, and provide solutions for a reduction in these tragic occurrences. Mood-factory is donating 25,000 Mood-lites to Washington DC to shine a light of hope, and donating $0.25 of each Happiness Mood-lite sold to Project Hope, an iFred initiative. If you know an active duty military or veteran, encourage them to get support by visiting imalive.org, 1-877-VET2VET, or www.hopeline.com . To find out more about this historic event that marks the first collaborative effort of these groups, putting aside politics and egos in hopes of saving lives, at www.globalnightforhope.org .

When: Saturday, September 10th 2011 - noon -- 2:00pm rally with porches lit at dusk

Where: The area is known as Taft Memorial Park.

http://www.uscapitolpolice.gov/special_events/map.pdf .

What: Rally from 12-2 and Global Night for Hope for the military.

Why: Military and veteran suicides outpace the rest of the population, in combat zones as well as back home. Suicide now outpaces the number of combat deaths of active duty personnel and has become a critical crisis for our military and veteran community. Sadly, July 2011 had the most suicides occur in the army, 32, since the War on Terror began 10 years ago.

We must examine the methods we are using to eliminate suicide in our society, particularly for active military, Veterans and their Family Members. Serendipity, the KBHC, and iFred are joining with other veteran service organizations and hundreds of survivors who have lost their loved ones to suicide on the 8th Annual Suicide Prevention Day with an emphasis on the military. The intent is to send a message to the Nation that all veteran service organizations, the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration, and people in the community must work together collaboratively to end suicide among these brave men and women.

In addition, iFred.com has initiated a Global Night For Hope, and Mood-lites has donated 25,000 yellow light bulbs to hand out to participants and the neighborhoods surrounding the capital during the September 10 event. All are encouraged to place the yellow bulb in their porch light fixtures and turn them on the evening of Sept 10th. It is our goal to "light up the night" and show people in our nations' Capitol support for our veterans and their family members in providing world class depression, PTSD,and TBI evaluation and treatment which may in turn save lives.

The 1-877-VET2VET (838-2838) suicide prevention and crisis intervention counseling program is vital to many veterans in need of empathetic support from their own peers. The Kristin Brooks Hope Center, one of the leading suicide prevention organizations in the U.S. for over 13 years, is well positioned to have a significant impact on the at-risk veteran community with this new, online, peer-to-peer, crisis intervention program. We encourage you to join us and would be happy to include you in the program during our event.

Who: Our Sponsors: Kristin Brooks Hope Center (KBHC), Mood-factory, PostSecret.com, Psych Central, World Makers. Our Nonprofit Partners: Blue Star Families, Center for Strategic Military Excellence, Family of a Vet, Project Honor an iFred.org initiative, NAMI of Montgomery County, National Veterans Foundation, Operation Second Chance, Serendipity, The Mommies Network, The Soldiers Project, Vet2Vet, Veterans Advocacy Services, Inc., Veteran's Dream Foundation, Veteran's Education Project, VetsforVets, iFred, and invited members of Congress on both the Senate and House Committees for Veterans Affairs and Armed Services.

Our Sponsors:

About Mood-factory: We have one goal at our company: To Improve Moods. We do this by teaching you how to engage all of your senses, in the correct way, to create a more desirable state. Mood-lites is the Mood-factory's first product category, and are light bulbs based on how colors affect moods. Mood-factory is now just launching our 2nd generation Mood-lites in Lowe's Home Improvement stores throughout the United States. It is our goal, through the donation of 25,000 light bulbs, to shine Washington DC porches yellow on September 10th to increase awareness for depression. Additionally, 0.25 of each Mood-lite sold will be donated to iFred, a 501c3 aiming to shine a positive light on depression. Light your porch yellow on September 10th, showing Hope for healing and support of our military. Allow this light to flood our cities as we fall into September 11, in the Hope for a more peaceful world free from violence and hatred.

About PostSecret.com: Called "the most trusted stranger in America," Frank Warren is the sole founder and curator of the PostSecret Project: A collection of nearly 500,000 highly personal and artfully decorated postcards mailed anonymously from around the world, displaying the soulful secrets we never voice. The PostSecret.com site now receives more than 1,000,000 visitors every week. In 2005, the All-American Rejects approached Warren about using images of actual PostSecret images in their "Dirty Little Secret" music video. They offered Warren $1,000, but Warren instead asked them to donate $2,000 to 1-800-SUICIDE where Warren was a volunteer. The donation was made and the music video became one of the most requested on MTV. The National Mental Health Association presented Warren with an award for his work in raising public awareness of Suicide. The PostSecret project has now raised over $500,000 for 1800-SUICIDE. PostSecret was awarded the December 2008 "Myspace Impact Award" and donated 100% of the proceeds to 1-800 SUICIDE. The latest PostSecret book titled Confessions on Life, Death and God made the NY Times Best Seller List at #1 and in June 2010 Time Magazine rated Postsecret the #2 blog in the US. www.postsecret.com

About World Makers: World Makers, Inc. creates and sources high quality and environmentally friendly personal use and gift products through its website, www.worldmakers.com . World Makers, Inc. insists that free enterprise is a luxury that would not exist if it weren't for America's veterans. For this reason the company is creating a Veterans Sales Force (VSF) in order to proactively employ U.S. military veterans and to stem the pandemic of 6,000 veteran suicides per year. Commissions from product sales will be shared equally with the Vet2Vet suicide prevention program.

About Psych Central: Psych Central ( www.psychcentral.com ) is the Internet's largest and oldest independent mental health and psychology network. Since 1995, it has been run by mental health professionals led by Dr. John Grohol offering reliable, trusted information and over 170 support groups to consumers. We touch the lives of over 2 million people around the world every month. Psych Central also runs one of the most popular suicide resources on the Internet, "Suicide… Read this first," ( www.metanoia.org/suicide/ ) which has been read by over 16 million people since 1995 and changed the minds of over 5 million of them.

About Our Nonprofit Partnerships:

About Blue Star Families: Blue Star Families is a non-partisan, non-profit organization, created by real military families. We are committed to supporting one another through the unique challenges of military service and asking the larger civilian population to help as well, connecting military families regardless of rank, branch of service or physical location, and empowering military family members to create the best personal and family life possible for themselves. www.bluestarfam.org

About Center for Strategic Military Excellence: The Center for Strategic Military Excellence is a private organization that serves as a standalone center to fulfill the needs of veterans, DOD members, and their dependents by providing access to health care, mental health services, education, job placement and special needs housing. The Center for Strategic Military Excellence is determined to make these services more effective and efficient so to better provide the level of care and consideration that these great men and women deserve. They strive to bridge the gap between the private health care industry and VA/DOD health services by helping to overcome bureaucratic obstacles and working to better deliver the quality of care that we all expect for the veterans of this country. Their mission requires that we approach the care of our veterans with a steadfast resolve from the day they take their oath to serve until the day that they are laid to rest. csme-usa.com

About Family of a Vet: Family Of a Vet was started by the proud wife of an OIF Veteran who suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). Her family originally planned to be "career" Army. They dearly loved the military, the people who make up its family, and are passionate patriots.

About the Kristin Brooks Hope Center/Vet2Vet: The Kristin Brooks Hope Center was founded in April 1998 by Reese Butler after his wife, Kristin Brooks, died by suicide. The mission of the KBHC is to offer hope to those in the deepest emotional pain. To that end, the KBHC has launched programs such as the National Hopeline Network 1.800.SUICIDE, which connects those who are depressed or suicidal to a local certified crisis center. In 2003 KBHC launched 1-877-VET2VET and the www.veteranscall.us which provides peer support online, via telephone or email. The KBHC works to prevent suicide and educate people about depressive disorders. www.hopeline.com .

About National Veterans Foundation: The National Veterans Foundation serves the crisis management, information and referral needs of all U.S. Veterans and their families through: Management and operation of the nation's only toll-free helpline for all veterans and their families. It is our goal to increase public awareness programs that shine a consistent spotlight on the needs of America's veterans. In addition we provide outreach services to veterans and families in need with food, clothing, transportation, employment, and other essential resources

About NAMI, Montgomery County: NAMI Montgomery County (NAMI MC) is the Montgomery County, Maryland affiliate of National Alliance on Mental Illness which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

About Operation Second Chance: Founded in 2004 by Cindy McGrew they are patriotic citizens committed to serving our wounded, injured and ill combat veterans. They support Veterans and their families while they recover in military hospitals, by building relationships and identifying and supporting immediate needs and interests. They are dedicated to promoting public awareness of the many sacrifices made by our Armed Forces. Since its foundation in 2004, Operation Second Chance has developed a series of deep, mutually beneficial, and constructive working relationships with a series of Partners, and is proud to be associated with them.

www.operationsecondchance.org

About Serendipity: Responding to the outcry of military families who are losing not only soldiers, but family members as well to suicide, this team of professionals from all walks of life have become "People Brokers" and dedicated themselves to eliminating suicide in our nation. By bridging current resources both nationally and locally, empowering survivors and survivor families to find their own voices, holding leadership accountable for changes long overdue, and creating awareness for the public at large, Serendipity seeks to create a holistic support system that not only prevents suicide, but also promotes healthier families and communities across both military and civilian communities.

About The Mommies Network: The Mommies Network is a 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping moms find support and friendship in their local community. We started as one chapter and launched as network of chapters in 2005. Now we have about 100 communities across the country and over 25,000 active members.

About The Soldiers Project: The Soldiers Project is a private, non-profit, independent group of volunteer licensed mental health professionals. This group of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, registered nurses, marriage and family therapists provide free confidential psychological counseling for military service members and their loved ones.

About Veterans Advocacy Services: Veterans Advocacy Services Inc. works hard to make sure our Veterans get the help they deserve. Please make a donation today and make a difference in the life of an armed services family.

About Veteran's Dream Foundation: Veteran's Dream Foundation work to fulfill the final dreams of our nations terminally ill veterans.

About Veteran's Education Project: VEP Veterans speak in secondary schools, youth programs, colleges, public venues, and at conferences and workshops for human service and education professionals in the Western Massachusetts area.

About Project Honor an iFred.org initiative: Kathryn Goetzke founded the International Foundation for Research and Education for Depression which operates www.depression.org iFred's primary purpose is to Bring Depression Hope. iFred brings energy and information together from a variety of existing sources to educate, inform and change the way we look at depression today.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com

SOURCE: iFred



CONTACT: Lindsey Mask
lindsey@globalvisioncommunications.com
202 680 4417

New start for wounded vets and military complex

New start for wounded vets and military complex

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
Story by JoAnne Castagna
Courtesy Photo

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Heather Miller of Saint Charles, Mo., remembers a horrific day - Oct. 20, 2009.

"My husband Greg sent me a text message telling me he was going to take his life and that he will send me a message with the location of his body."

Luckily, she found him hours later safely in a hospital bed. Greg Miller suffers from severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and this was one of several suicide attempts he's made after his last deployment to Kirkuk, Iraq, in 2008.

Today, Greg is a retired staff sergeant with the U.S. Air Force and is on the road to recovery. He and his wife attribute this in large part to his love of art.

“His talents and ability to complete art projects have literally saved his life,” said Heather. “It also makes Greg feel good to finally have his passion of artwork get noticed.”

One of Greg's works of art will be displayed in the new Department of Defense (DoD) administrative office complex in Alexandria, Va. as part of the Spirit of Wounded Warriors and Veterans: Healing the Soul through Artistic Expression program.

“This program is a way for us to thank our wounded veterans for their service and provide them a venue to display their artwork. The residents of the complex will also benefit by being able to view the works of art,” said Joanne Hensley, chief, project development, BRAC 133. Hensley created this program in cooperation with personnel from other federal agencies.
read more here

PTSD cases grow as combat continues for Fort Drum soldiers

PTSD cases grow as combat continues for Fort Drum soldiers
By DANIEL WOOLFOLK
TIMES STAFF WRITER
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

FORT DRUM — James E. Bonds sat on the back deck of the Captain’s Cove Motel overlooking Henderson Harbor and took a break from preparing reflective bait to watch the sea gulls feed.

“Fishing runs in me,” the lifelong angler said. “My mom said she was even dreaming of fishing when she had me.”

Even when the former soldier was deployed to Iraq in 2005 with the 10th Mountain Division’s 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, he fished.

“I was the only one ... who’d get dressed up in full battle gear to go fishing," he said.

Mr. Bonds survived an improvised explosive device attack. And during a raid, he was shot twice in the chest at close range. The rounds hit his armor, knocking the wind out of him before his fellow soldiers killed the shooter.

Back home after the deployment, Mr. Bonds began having nightmares about being attacked. One night while asleep with his girlfriend beside him, Mr. Bonds had another nightmare and began to choke her.

“After that, I didn’t sleep in the bed with her no more,” he said. “I couldn’t trust myself.”

In 2008, a doctor diagnosed Mr. Bonds with post-traumatic stress disorder that he believes came from the countless combat experiences and a traumatic brain injury, which likely came from the IED explosion, he said. To combat the effects of the wars, he makes behavioral health appointments and constantly works to keep the bad dreams and thoughts at bay. He does that mostly by keeping busy. If he’s not fishing, he’s mowing the lawn or painting.

“The more you harp on it, the worse it gets,” he said. “That’s why I’m always doing something.”


read more here

LPGA Golfer Jennifer Johnson giving half winnings to Wounded Warrior Project

Jennifer Johnson to Donate Half of Navistar LPGA Classic Winnings to Wounded Warrior Project
LPGA Golfer Teams with Navistar to Encourage Donations to Wounded Warrior Project

PRATTVILLE, AL. – SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 — Jennifer Johnson, one of the LPGA’s leading rookies, has announced that half of her total winnings at this year’s Navistar LPGA Classic on September 15-18, 2011, will be donated to Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP), a nonprofit organization that provides programs and services for injured service members and caregivers.

“Our wounded veterans should not have to endure any more suffering than they already have and deserve the best care and treatment available,” said Johnson, who last year was the NCGA Freshman of the Year and an NCAA First Team All-American. “Wounded Warrior Project helps those who have sacrificed so much move back into civilian life. It’s a wonderful organization and I encourage other players and tournament attendees to make a donation.”

Johnson’s donation is following Navistar’s recent announcement that for the first time, the 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex in Prattville, Alabama will be open to the public free of charge. In a partnership with the LPGA and the Retirement Systems of Alabama, the company is asking spectators to instead donate to those who serve in the U.S. armed forces by asking event attendees to donate to the WWP.

“Our military men and women have given so much to our country,”said Dan Ustian, chairman, president and CEO, Navistar International Corporation. “That is why we support Wounded Warrior Project and have made the Navistar LPGA Classic free of charge this year, in hope attendees will consider taking a portion of the admission fee that would have paid and donate to Wounded Warrior Project. We at Navistar are thankful to Jennifer for her extreme generosity and commitment to Wounded Warrior Project.”

More than 45,000 of our nation’s armed forces have been physically wounded during the recent military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands more are estimated to be recovering from invisible wounds of war, including post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury. WWP assists wounded warriors and their families through a holistic approach to their recovery. In addition, the Warriors to Work program of WWP assists warriors with the transition back into the civilian workforce, including many jobs in the trucking and transportation industry. This free program offers a complete package of employment-assistance services, including resume assistance, interviewing skills, job training, networking and job placement assistance. Those interested in donating will be able to either at the tournament or by texting “WWP” to 90999 on a mobile phone.

“Jennifer’s dedication to both her profession and the military men and women who serve our country is inspiring to us as an organization,” said Steve Nardizzi, Executive Director of Wounded Warrior Project. “With the support of partners like Navistar and Jennifer, we are able to honor and empower warriors each and every day.”

In its fifth year, the Navistar LPGA Classic has confirmed more than 100 of the world's top women golfers, including the top six-ranked players: Yani Tseng, Cristie Kerr, Suzanne Pettersen, Jiyai Shin, Na Yeon Choi and I.K. Kim.

To learn more about the Navistar LPGA Classic and Wound Warrior Project visit navistarlpgaclassic.com or woundedwarriorproject.org.


How-to Donate

To donate, text “WWP” to 90999 on your mobile phone to donate $10 to Wounded Warrior Project. A $10.00 charge will be added to your mobile phone bill (or deducted from your prepaid account).


About Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. The purpose of WWP is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members; to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other; and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, non-partisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.


About Navistar

Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International® brand commercial and military trucks, MaxxForce® brand diesel engines, IC Bus™ brand school and commercial buses, Monaco® RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse® brand chassis for motor homes and step vans. The company also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com/newsroom.


Media contact: Steve Schrier, 630-753-2264
Investor contact: Heather Kos, 630-753-2406
Web site: www.navistar.com

Hood soldier dies while diving in Hawaii

Hood soldier dies while diving in Hawaii
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 7, 2011 19:56:50 EDT
FORT HOOD, Texas — A Fort Hood soldier who had been deployed to Afghanistan died on leave last week while scuba diving in Hawaii.

Army officials said Chester Gerhardt Stoda, 32, of Black River Falls, Wis., died Sept. 2 in Kauai, Hawaii. The Army said Stoda was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in December.
read more here

Lewis soldiers charged with raping Ore. teens

Lewis soldiers charged with raping Ore. teens
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 7, 2011 18:54:00 EDT
PORTLAND, Ore. — Police have charged two soldiers with the rape of a pair of teenage girls in a downtown hotel room.

The soldiers are accused of participating in the rape, along with “numerous” men in the room, police say.
read more here

Veterans express anger, concern about closing Bingham VA clinic

Veterans express anger, concern about closing Bingham VA clinic

By Alex Barber, BDN Staff
Posted Sept. 07, 2011, at 11:05 p.m.
Last modified Sept. 08, 2011, at 12:02 a.m.

BINGHAM, Maine — Nearly 150 veterans and residents gathered at the American Legion Stanley Beane Post on Wednesday evening — many angry and others concerned — to voice their opposition to the closing of the Veterans Affairs medical trailer in town.

The mobile health trailer will be closing down within weeks, said VA medical director Brian Stiller. It’s at the end of its three-year pilot program.

“I’m not done [with helping the veterans of the area],” said Stiller. “This isn’t over, but I’m not sure the mobile medical unit is the approach to get where we need to be.”

Veterans expressed their displeasure in a question-and-answer session involving Stiller and representatives for Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and Rep. Mike Michaud.

“We get the finest care in the world here in Bingham,” said Ross Fortier of Guilford. “We can’t give up this last vestige of what we have. I’m quite adamant about that.

“Damn it, we can’t keep taking away! We live here. And we’re in the woods, granted, and it’s a long ways to anywhere, but goddamn it we need something,” added Fortier, who left the two-hour meeting early in disgust.

Once Bingham’s medical trailer closes down, the only options for veterans in the area will be to travel Bangor or Togus in Augusta.
read more here

Marine Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan shot after police standoff

Man shot in Custer was honorably discharged Marine
Emilie Rusch Journal staff

Stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Engen was trained as a scout/sniper in the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and served in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He was honorably discharged in May.

The Custer man who was shot and killed by a South Dakota Highway Patrol officer early Tuesday after going on a destructive rampage through his hometown was a Marine who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Cody G. Engen, 22, died during a standoff with law enforcement officers about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to South Dakota Attorney General’s office. In the previous hour, he had used his pickup and a handgun to cause considerable damage to buildings, vehicles, mailboxes and street signs throughout Custer. No one else was injured in the incident.

“Cody was just a normal young man growing up,” said Custer County Sheriff Rick Wheeler, who has worked with his father, Dan Engen, a sheriff’s deputy, for a number of years. “As far as I know, there were no issues or anything.”
read more here

Defense Department shows increase in military children deaths

FORT HOOD
Defense Department shows increase in military children deaths


Posted: Sep 07, 2011 7:31 PM

By Stephanie Jacksis

CENTRAL TEXAS - According to Defense Department's data, deaths of military dependent children related to abuse and neglect have steadily risen to nearly 50% in the last seven years.

The number of children in military families who have been killed through abuse, may have exceeded child abuse fatality rates in the civilian world.

Statistics from Aware Central Texas are showing nearly 20% of Central Texas children are being abused. Coryell, Bell, and McLennan county are among the top 10 Texas counties for confirmed cases of child abuse in Texas. Combined, these three counties total more than 1,700 cases of child abuse in 2010.
read more here

also



Soldier sentenced in daughter's death
Posted: Sep 07, 2011 1:12 PM

By Eric Boynton

BELL COUNTY - A soldier who was stationed at Fort Hood, will now spend the next 25 years of his life behind bars for the death of his step-daughter.

Back in July 2010, Christopher Allen Hassler, 22, shook 9-month old Cristyonna Hyams, and then dropped her on the floor; causing her to die.
read more here

We just expected patriots to rise out of the ashes

We just expected patriots to rise out of the ashes
by
Chaplain Kathie

Less than one percent answered the call to serve this nation after 9-11. What did we do? We just expected patriots to rise out of the ashes of the Twin Towers ready to fight the enemy that sent the terrorists.

Bay Area military families reflect on the reason so many enlisted: 9/11

By Angela Hill
ahill@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 09/07/2011

Statistics from the Department of Defense show that between 2001 and 2011 about 3.1 million Americans have entered military service -- enough to assemble the country's third-largest city. Roughly 2 million deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq. More than 6,000 have been killed in the wars -- including 644 from California -- and about 44,000 have been wounded.

In September 2001, U.S. Army Sgt. Romeo Horvath was just about to go home. He was in the last two months of his five-year enlistment -- an MP stationed in Kosovo on a peacekeeping mission, planning to return to the States and pursue a career with the FBI.

That was before the world changed, and Horvath changed his mind. Angry at the Sept. 11 attacks on U.S. and eager to fight in the war on terror, the San Jose man immediately re-enlisted, this time in the California National Guard, and deployed to Iraq several months later.

"When it sunk in -- the thought that America could be attacked -- it made me mad," Horvath, 33, said last week, remembering when he and his buddies had watched the Sept. 11 attacks on a TV in their unit from another war zone and an ocean away. "I wanted to be involved. I wanted to serve my country."

He was one of many -- but not the throngs originally believed -- who stepped up after Sept. 11 to defend the country. Indeed, initial reports painted a patriotic picture of young men and women storming recruitment offices in the ensuing months after 9/11. And while inquiries swelled and there was a brief spike in enlistments, they leveled off, leaving the real work to those who volunteered to put their lives on the line -- and followed through.
read more here

For a start, all the flags that we hung outside our homes came down a couple of months later. The magnets on our cars faded. News coverage became less and less and most of us didn't even notice. Even the protestors forgot about the troops in Afghanistan when they screamed about having troops in Iraq. Politicians forgot about Afghanistan too when all the speeches were about Iraq. Sure they used 9-11 when they thought they could score some emotional points but that was just about all they had to offer that horrible day. Some saw no point in holding hearings on what happened that day when ever defense this nation had all failed at the same time. Some didn't see the point in debating sending troops into combat or if they would have everything they needed or not.

For the rest of us we were only reminded of two wars when one of our neighbors came home in a coffin with a flag on it. We loved to say that we were all united after 9-11 but the truth was, we weren't. Less than one percent of the population of this nation were willing to step up and do something about it. They were willing to risk their lives, endure being away from home, their families, jobs and comforts for the sake of the rest of us.

In return they ended up with wounds and memories needing to heal but what they got was a long line at the VA and claims that took too long to be approved. They no longer had pay checks from the jobs they gave up to go and their military paychecks stopped after discharge but the VA wouldn't pay them until their claim was approved, yet no one seemed to care. As they lost their homes because of no income we passed off their suffering as if they were just financially irresponsible. It didn't matter to us that even the veterans able to work couldn't find jobs or that the few employers willing to hire anyone didn't want them.

We saw families fall apart with all the added stress of redeployments and financial burdens they didn't deserve to fall on their shoulders. We were too busy whining about the deteriorated state of our own lives.

As the numbers of the fallen went up and more and more military funerals were held we didn't want to notice the ones without a press release. More and more died because of combat after they came home but no one wanted to count their suicides as linked to their service.

When they got in trouble with the law, we viewed them as criminals giving the military a bad name instead of noticing this was the same person willing to die for the sake of others before they returned as a "burden to society." Our pride didn't want to face the fact that we were just not taking care of them by giving them the help they needed to recover from where they were sent. Even today as there are Veterans' Courts showing treatment provides more justice for them than jail, it depends on where they live if they end up locked up or helped back up again.

We are a nation of over 300 million people yet we can't take care of the less than one percent willing to die for all of us. This is what I am reminded of when I think of 9-11. We lost less than 3,000 that horrible day and spent trillions of dollars as politicians expected the people would approve of any amount being spent on combat but they didn't seem to feel the same way when it came to taking care of the veterans coming home and needing help because of it.

I still believe in the people of this nation and I believe when they are told about what our veterans are going through, they will respond united in making sure these patriots do not become buried in the ashes of our neglect.

Profiles of Nevada Shooting Victims

Profiles of Nevada Shooting Victims
September 08, 2011
Associated Press
CARSON CITY, Nev. - Before the breakfast-time massacre killed three National Guard members and sent tremors of fear through Nevada's state capital, Sgt. 1st Class Miranda McElhiney drew a happy face on a poster board outside her office door and wrote her last message to the world: "staff meeting. Will return by 11:00."

She never returned. What should have been a routine gathering over pancakes and eggs at an IHOP Tuesday morning ended in panic, terror and death when a gunman burst into the Carson City restaurant and released a blaze of bullets that struck every uniformed Guard member in the dining room. A patron was also killed before the attacker fatally shot himself in the head.

Among the four people killed by the gunman in the still-unexplained shooting was an Iraq War veteran who loved military history, a Navy crewman who had served in Afghanistan and a devoted grandmother who crocheted blankets for every pregnant woman in her life.

"This is unquestionably the most devastating attack in Carson City's history," Sheriff Kenny Furlong said on Wednesday. "Yesterday our town was shocked to the core."

read more here

Jacksonville Naval Hospital $60M upgrade

Jacksonville Naval Hospital $60M upgrade to help families stay closer to home

Posted: September 8, 2011
By Jeff Brumley
By the time Mayor Alvin Brown took the podium Wednesday morning, anyone with a role in the mostly completed expansion and renovation of Jacksonville Naval Hospital had been praised and thanked.

That included military and civilian engineers, architects, previous commanding officers, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw and even Brown himself. But the mayor wanted someone else to get some kudos for the five-year, $60 million project:

"Let's give God a hand for blessing Jacksonville with the best military personnel," Brown said before an audience of Navy brass and civic and government officials gathered for the ribbon cutting on the upgraded facility.

From there, Brown launched into one of his standard refrains: his commitment to making the city the most military-friendly community in the nation. The changes to the hospital, including the addition of 62,000 square feet of space, are a step in that direction, he said.

read more here

3 Marines Accused Of Hazing To Appear In Court

3 Marines Accused Of Hazing To Appear In Court
by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HONOLULU September 8, 2011, 04:18 am ET
Three Hawaii-based Marines are appearing in a military court to face accusations of hazing and beating a fellow Marine who would later committed suicide in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Benjamin E. Johns, Lance Cpl. Carlos Orozco III and Lance Cpl. Jacob D. Jacoby face an Article 32 hearing, the military justice equivalent of a grand jury proceeding. The hearing will be held at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay, where the three are assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.
read more here

original report
Marine Suicide tied to hazing

Marines report 2 suicides and 15 attempted for August

Since 2003 when the DOD began to address suicides and stress along with the steps taken with the Suicide Prevention Hotline, we are left with attempted suicides still high. While there is still a chance to save their lives, the number of successful suicides proves what they have been doing has not been working.

MILITARY: Two Marine Corps suicides recorded in August
By MARK WALKER
Posted: Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Two U.S. Marines killed themselves in August, raising the service's number of suicides for the year to 23.

An additional 15 Marines attempted suicide last month, according to the latest report from the Marine Corps' Suicide Prevention Program, bringing the number of attempts for the year to 125.

If that pace continues, the Marine Corps would record roughly 185 suicide attempts in 2011, surpassing the 172 attempted suicides reported last year, the highest such figure the service has ever recorded.

On Friday, the House Armed Services Committee is conducting a hearing on Capitol Hill on the status of suicide prevention programs in the military.

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Robert Milstead Jr., deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs, is among the witnesses scheduled to testify before the panel that includes Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon.

The 23 Marine suicides so far this year and 37 reported in 2010 are lower than the record 52 the service recorded in 2009.
read more here

VA Begins New Program to Serve Veterans Living Abroad

VA Begins New Program to Serve Veterans Living Abroad

WASHINGTON (September 7, 2011) - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
has instituted a new program to provide comprehensive compensation and
pension (C&P) examinations to U.S. Veterans living overseas.

"We are proud to deliver these services to our Veterans living abroad,"
said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "This is an
example of how VA is supporting Veterans in unprecedented ways to help
them get the benefits they have earned."

In June, VA staff traveled to Camp Lester in Okinawa, Japan, to join
with members of the Department of Defense in providing C&P exams to
Veterans. Over the course of their three week trip, the team completed
247 examinations on 39 Veterans. Due to the success of the pilot
program, a return visit is planned for Sept. 19-30.

Typically, VA uses local physicians and the assistance of U.S. Navy
personnel for disability examinations overseas, but these trips allow VA
practitioners more familiar with VA protocols and requirements to
provide the Veterans' examinations.

VA's C&P examination program includes providing a medical assessment to
evaluate Veterans' current disabilities that may be related to their
military service. If VA has previously determined a Veteran has a
service-connected medical condition, the examination helps determine the
current severity of the condition, which could affect the amount of VA
disability compensation payable or entitlement to additional benefits.
One Veteran can require separate examinations for various conditions.
On average, Veterans receive four examinations during the VA C&P
process.

In addition, VA conducted its first international C&P examination in
Okinawa using telehealth technology on April 13. To date, six Veterans
have participated in remote C&P examinations between VA's National
Telemental Health Center location and the U.S. Naval Hospital in
Okinawa. VA is using telehealth technology to reduce the number of
Veterans awaiting examinations overseas and to ease their burden of
travel.

VA plans to explore other opportunities to provide similar services to
additional destinations in Europe and Asia where U.S. Veterans live.

Guardsmen killed in Nevada IHOP served in Iraq, Afghanistan

Guardsmen killed in NV served in Iraq, Afghanistan
SANDRA CHEREB, Associated Press
Updated 03:29 p.m., Wednesday, September 7, 2011

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Dozens of 911 calls made from in and around a Nevada IHOP detail a frantic scene as witnesses describe the shooter and dispatchers tried figure out if more than one person was involved in the rampage that killed four and wounded seven.

Callers describe victims gunned down inside the restaurant on tapes released Wednesday; the sheriff's office said those killed included two National Guard members who served overseas.

"In the IHOP! In the IHOP!" one caller said. "Now he's coming back out with a gun shooting people in the parking lot!"

The attack by lone gunman Eduardo Sencion, aka Eduardo Perez Gonzalez, left four dead and seven injured. Sencion also killed himself.

The dead included three Nevada National Guard members, identified Wednesday as:

Sgt. 1st Class Christian Riege, 38, of Carson City;

Major Heath Kelly, 35, of Reno; and

Sgt. 1st Class Miranda McElhiney, 31, of Reno.

read more here

Health survey headed to Tampa Bay veterans of Camp Lejeune

Health survey headed to Tampa Bay veterans of Camp Lejeune

By William R. Levesque, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Sep 06, 2011 07:07 PM

Times Staff Writer

Tampa Bay residents who lived at Camp Lejeune, N.C., between 1972 and 1986 will receive a health survey by Friday as scientists research whether the base's polluted water harmed their health.

About 250,000 former residents of the Marine Corps base in every U.S. state are getting the mailing from the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry, ATSDR officials say.

The survey is one of the largest of its type ever conducted and includes about 14,000 Floridians — 2,816 of those from the Tampa Bay area. ATSDR says the work may help direct future research.

But the survey, which must be returned to ATSDR by Christmas, comes amid controversy as critics accuse the Marine Corps and its Navy overseers of trying to quash participation. The Corps denies the charge.

"The Marine Corps fully supports ATSDR's work on the health survey and strongly encourages participation," said Capt. Kendra Hardesty, a Corps spokeswoman. "The more surveys that are filled out and returned, the more likely the results will be useful."
read more here

Fort Carson sees drop in military suicides

In December Fort Carson offered some hope in addressing military suicides when I posted this.
Fort Carson sees progress in mental health battle as suicides drop

According to the following, it looks as if they just may have gotten it right.

Fort Carson reports 1 confirmed suicide this year
3:29 PM, Sep 1, 2011
Written by
Associated Press
FORT CARSON (AP) - Fort Carson commanders reported Thursday that one soldier suicide has been confirmed so far this year and three other possible suicides are still under investigation, a signal that a broad prevention campaign may be paying off. Last year, Fort Carson reported seven suicides.

Brig. Gen. James Doty, Fort Carson's acting senior commander, said the post emphasized suicide-prevention training at all levels of leadership, from corporal up.

"I could take any one of these guys," Doty said, motioning to an auditorium where about 400 soldiers were attending a suicide prevention forum, "and they would know what the signs of behavior problems are, they would know what the signs of PTSD are, they would know what the signs of (traumatic brain injury) are."

"That's extraordinary," he said.

Fort Carson is one of only a few posts where behavioral health specialists work alongside soldiers where they live and train, so they are easily accessible.
read more here

Three Nevada National Guardsmen killed at IHOP

As with the Fort Hood shootings, if they do not address this with crisis intervention right now, there will be many problems afterwards among the National Guardsmen. The plain truth is, when they are deployed into combat, they know the risk involved but when they are home, there isn't supposed to be any risk to their lives here. This is where they live, where their families live. To have this happen at an IHOP leaves them wondering where "safe" is.

5 dead, including gunman, at Nevada IHOP
By the CNN Wire Staff
September 7, 2011 1:42 a.m. EDT

Steven Martin, a witness, told CNN Reno affiliate KRNV that he ran to see if he could help after he heard the shots. "There was blood everywhere; broken glass everywhere. It was just a war zone down there," he said.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
In all, 11 people are shot
Of them, three National Guard members and a civilian are killed
Witness: "It was just a war zone down there"
The suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities say
Read more about this story from CNN affiliate KRNV.
(CNN) -- The death toll from a shooting at a Nevada IHOP restaurant has risen to four, officials said early Wednesday morning.
A gunman carrying a variant of an AK-47 rifle opened fire on uniformed Nevada National Guard members as they were having breakfast at the Carson City restaurant Tuesday morning.
In all, 11 people were shot.
Of them, one civilian was killed as were two National Guard members. Another National Guard member, who was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery, later died -- bringing the toll to four, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.
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Tampa soldier dies of injuries from bombing in Afghanistan

Tampa soldier dies of injuries from bombing in Afghanistan

By Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Wednesday, September 7, 2011

TAMPA — Christophe Marquis was 39 when he joined the Army.

His wife was wary, but Marquis insisted it was the best way he could provide. She had just given birth to their first son, Christopher.

"It was the health insurance, the chance to have a house and just to not have to worry about anything," Brittany Jackson-Marquis said.

He said goodbye and left for basic training. Then he moved to a base in Alaska and shipped off to Afghanistan as a private first class in April. On Sunday, he died at a German hospital from injuries suffered Aug. 27 in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan, the Army said.

Jackson-Marquis, 22, said Army officials told her a suicide bomber set off an improvised explosive device at a checkpoint where Marquis had been working that day.

"Christophe was the closest one to him," she said.

She flew to Germany last week with their son, but Marquis was already on life support. She talked to him anyway.

She thanked him for little Christopher and sang their song, Happy Together. He had loved that song from the time they began dating — the only one for me is you, and you for me.

On Saturday, their son, who will turn 2 next week, waved goodbye to his father at the hospital. The next day, Marquis was taken off life support.
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Transcendental Meditation helping ease PTSD

There is only one road to PTSD and its location is any place where traumatic events happen. We can understand when someone is changed by a natural disaster, an accident or a crime but we have a harder time understanding when a firefighter, EMT, police officer or member of the armed forces end up with PTSD. Considering the number of times the road they travel is filled with trauma, it should be easier to understand the suffering they endure. Is it because we expect more of them? Think their training should shield them from the hell they are sent into? Whatever causes our lack of understanding, we allow it to get in the way of their healing.

There are many different programs offering help with PTSD. Yoga, Martial Arts along with a list of physical approaches helps take care of the body and Transcendental Meditation helps calm the body down taking care of the spirit. With many veterans the spiritual healing they need will not come from a religious approach to healing their soul/spirit, so this fills the need for some. When this is coupled with their faith being addressed, it is of tremendous benefit to the veteran. They need their mind-body and soul tended to since all of the "veteran" is paying the price for where they were sent to go to.

Overcoming the Nightmare of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Eighteen veterans will commit suicide every day—a horrific consequence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In fact, more veterans die by suicide every year than are killed annually in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Over 500,000 U.S. troops deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001 suffer from PTSD.
Forty percent of all homeless people are veterans.
Health care costs for all veterans with PTSD will be an estimated $6.2 billion biannually.
David Lynch Foundation

There is no "one size fits all" healing so keep looking until you find what works for you. Take care of your own "trinity" of your body, your mind and your soul/spirit and you will find a better life. Remember when it comes to traumatic events, you took the road less traveled by others.

Nevada National Guardsmen shot at IHOP leaving 2 dead

UPDATES
Three Nevada National Guardsmen killed

Gunman kills 3, wounds 6 at Nevada IHOP
By the CNN Wire Staff
September 6, 2011 4:27 p.m. EDT
Three shot and killed at Nevada IHOP
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Two of the dead were members of the Nevada National Guard, official says
The suspect was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and is not expected to survive
Two people were found dead at the scene; a third died during surgery
Police decline to identify the shooting suspect
(CNN) -- A gunman opened fire Tuesday at a Carson City, Nevada, IHOP restaurant, killing three people and wounding six others before turning the gun on himself, police said.
The suspected gunman is not expected to survive, said Sheriff Ken Furlong of the Carson City Sheriff's Office.
The shooting began shortly before 9 a.m., according to Furlong. When authorities arrived, those who called in the incident identified the shooting suspect as a man lying wounded in the parking lot.
Two victims were found dead at the scene, and seven others were taken to a hospital for emergency surgery. One of the wounded died during surgery, Furlong said. He did not know which hospital was treating the suspect.
read more here

2 guardsmen killed in Nevada IHOP shooting
By Sandra Chereb - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Sep 6, 2011 17:00:30 EDT
CARSON CITY, Nev. — An official says five of the nine people who were shot by a gunman at an IHOP restaurant were members of the Nevada National Guard.

Nevada National Guard spokeswoman April Conway says all five uniformed Guard members who were in the restaurant at the time were shot. Two have died — one man and one woman.

Conway also says there’s no indication the shooter had any connection with the Guard. The restaurant is about four miles from the Guard’s headquarters complex.
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3 Silver Stars awarded for fierce firefight at Fort Campbell

3 Silver Stars awarded for fierce firefight
By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Sep 5, 2011 9:20:28 EDT

101st Airborne Commanding General Maj. Gen. John Campbell, right, makes remarks on Sgt. Rocky Bloom, left, and Staff Sgt. Sean Outman during a ceremony Tuesday at Fort Campbell after they received Silver Star Medals for their valor in Afghanistan.

Rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire slammed into the soldiers’ command post, immediately taking out some of their weapon systems.

The enemy had launched an L-shaped ambush, targeting soldiers from A Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment.

Spc. Jesse Snow, without regard for his safety and despite his disabled weapon, low-crawled to the command post to aid the wounded. He dragged two comrades more than 30 feet to cover, at the same time spotting targets for a machine-gun team.

When the team ran low on ammunition, Snow, under intense enemy fire, fed them more. As he continued to provide life-saving aid to the wounded, Snow used his body to shield a wounded soldier from intense, incoming machine-gun fire.

When the fighting stopped, Snow and four other soldiers had been fatally wounded.

But for his actions on that day in Kunar province, Afghanistan, Snow was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the third-highest award for valor.

Also recognized for their actions that day are Staff Sgt. Sean Outman and Sgt. Rocky Bloom, who received their Silver Stars during a ceremony Aug. 9 at Fort Campbell, Ky.
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VCS Editorial: Suicide Remains Sad Legacy of 9/11

Veterans for Common Sense has been a champion for veterans and they are responsible for much of what has been happening in the battle to save the lives of our veterans. They released an editorial on the plight our veterans face especially the post 9-11 veterans. As the tenth anniversary approaches, we pause to think of the lives lost that day, we should also think of the lives lost answering the call to serve in the military because of that day.

"According to VA, as of July 31, 2011:

462,854 total calls to VA's Crisis Line at 800-273-8255

259,891 calls from veterans

6,030 calls from active duty service members

16,955 “rescues” of veterans and service members"

While this is a great editorial by Veterans For Common Sense, they are a lot nicer than I am. I have to face it, I am not politically correct and I have no patience when it comes to needless suffering. When will someone notice these numbers and actually know what they represent?

These numbers do show the need for and success of the Suicide Prevention Hotline. Wonderful when you look at it and never really think about it. Yet when you add in the fact the suicide numbers have still gone up even after all these "programs" were started by the DOD to address the suffering, these numbers show failure of those programs sold as "resiliency training" to toughen their minds. If the attempt worked when introduced in 2003, there would have never been a need for the Suicide Prevention Hotline.

Almost 17,000 rescues, which is also wonderful but what happens to them after they are "rescued?" Do they have the help they need to make sure they never get that hopeless again? Where do they go? Do they end up with approved claims from the VA to support themselves and give them the emotional boost when the VA accepts responsibility for what they are suffering from? Or are they still trapped in the pile of 850,000 other claims, as pointed out by this editorial, waiting to be processed? Or the 250,000 other claims trapped for over 4 years? Any idea what kind of stress this adds to a veteran dealing with PTSD? Any idea what kind of stress this adds to their families trying to come to terms with someone they love falling apart?

Over 250,000 calls from veterans but no one is asking why they reach the point of contemplating suicide with all the things available to them now? How many charity groups are out there supposedly taking care of them, getting grants and collecting donations? Does anyone bother to check to see if their programs are working, work the best or fail? Support groups are all over the Internet providing more support than ever before to veterans all over the country yet no one is studying if the support they are getting is helpful or harmful.

We see ads all the time with companies promising to donate a portion of the money we spend to programs like Wounded Warriors Project, a worthy endeavor offering programs for a full range of wounds but along with the other groups we should all be asking why the tragic numbers go up despite these efforts.

We can keep reading about veterans facing more life threatening situations back home than they face in combat or we can look at what has been working, repeat it and stop what has not been working.

VCS Editorial: Suicide Remains Sad Legacy of 9/11
Written by vcs
Monday, 05 September 2011 17:08

VCS Releases New Suicide-Related Statistics as Part of National Suicide Prevention Week
September 5, 2011 (VCS Editorial) - As the war in Afghanistan enters its 10th year, and as the war in Iraq enters its 21st year, our troops and veterans suffer enormous casualties. One sad legacy is the current suicide epidemic. In the last two years more of our service members completed suicide than were killed by the enemy. An average of 18 veterans from all wars complete suicide every day.

VCS remains at the forefront of this issue. With the assistance of attorneys at Morrison / Foerster and Disability Rights Advocates, VCS and VUFT sued VA for turning away suicidal veterans in 2007. Our vigorous advocacy continues prompting improvements in medical care and awareness at both VA and DoD.

However, as the wars drag on, the deadly suicide crisis worsens. Untreated depression and PTSD can become serious issues for service members, veterans, and families. Deployment and re-deployment to war, improper denials for care, lengthy delays to see doctors, and discrimination against those seeking mental healthcare further increase the risk for suicide.
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Firefighter Arrested After Weekend Standoff was Military Police Officer

Firefighter Arrested After Weekend Standoff

Attorney: Client Being Treated For PTSD

CINCINNATI -- A Deerfield Township firefighter was arrested after a standoff on Saturday.
Prosecutors said Nicholas Bomske broke into his girlfriend's parents' home in the 3700 block of N. Berkley Circle.

A SWAT unit was called in and residents were kept in their homes until Bomske was taken into custody.

At his arraignment Monday, Bomske's attorney said his client is a current firefighter and former military police officer who is undergoing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
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New center could offer equine therapy to disabled veterans

New center could offer equine therapy to disabled veterans
UCF medical school, Osceola County may partner on project
By Jeannette Rivera-Lyles, Orlando Sentinel
7:34 p.m. EDT, August 31, 2011

An emerging partnership between UCF's College of Medicine and Osceola County could result in an unusual center that useshorses to help disabled veterans from across the country.

UCF wants to establish an equestrian center to help rehabilitate soldiers through therapeutic horse riding, also known as equine therapy. The program would draw patients from the Veterans Affairs hospital under construction at the Medical City at Lake Nona, which is also home to the college.

"What we would want to do is become the national center for this kind of therapy and its research," said Dr. Manette Monroe, a dean of students at the college who is developing the equine program.

Jim Sursely, a past commander of the Central Florida chapter of the Disabled American Veterans, said the center would be "wonderful" for disabled veterans, who don't have many local options.

"Not just for the young soldiers coming back from Iraq but for others, like me, who were wounded in Vietnam and other conflicts," said Sursely, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam. "Many of the older soldiers could benefit from additional therapy."

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Marine died of "multi-drug toxicity"

This young Marine died in March but it was not until now that the family found out why? Were these drugs prescribed by the military?

Marine Corps: Sickels died of drug overdose

TimesReporter.com staff report
Posted Sep 02, 2011 @ 12:14 AM
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. —
The Marine Corps has ruled that Cpl. Shawn Sickels, 22, of New Philadelphia — found dead in his barracks at Camp LeJeune, N.C., on March 30 — died of an accidental drug overdose.

The listed cause of death was “multi-drug toxicity,” according to 2nd Lt. Oliver David, public affairs officer for the Second Marine Division. Sickels was a field artillery cannoneer with the 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division.
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Homeless veteran says 'I'm Jesus Fine'

Homeless man: 'I'm Jesus Fine' (SOUNDSLIDE)

September 04, 2011 5:38 PM
FORT WALTON BEACH — Bill Parker remembers standing in front of the Waterfront Rescue Mission with nothing but his clothes in hand and his daughter by his side.

He pointed to the ground and told her that that was their home. Parker said she looked into his eyes with a warm smile and said, “I don’t care, Dad, as long as I’m with you,”

Little did Parker and his 11-year-old daughter LeighAnn Carper know that only hours later they would be setting up home at Opportunity Place across town.

Opportunity Place, which opened in July 2009, houses homeless women and families who are seeking future housing and stability. They get help through outreach programs such as personal finance and parenting classes and support groups. They also are referred to other agencies for various needs.

“Whatever it takes to help them reach their stability, I should be able to find that resource that can help make it happen,” said C.C. Fearson, director of Opportunity Place.

One of those resources is a newer program that has been in place in Okaloosa County for the past year. The Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, or HVRP, provides veterans with job training and helps them find employment.

“The goal of the HVRP program is to get our people back into employment,” said Stephanie Duenas, the HVRP program director at Opportunity Place. “They are not disqualified by their barriers.”

From jail to ministry
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