Accidental call to suicide prevention hotline gave family back hope

Veteran, family rebuilding lives after five-year struggle
VOA program targets former service members in need
7:48 PM, Dec. 24, 2011

Written by
Melody Brumble

"I was in the first wave to enter Kuwait in Desert Storm," he said. "I only served in the military four years, though. I didn't think I'd done enough to qualify for benefits."

Brett and Ida Smith are home after a five-year journey that tested their faith and forced them to face the specter of homelessness.

This morning the Smiths and their three children will wake in a place of their own with groceries in the pantry after spending nearly five years in a 40-foot-by-16-foot mobile home with Ida Smith's mom north of Shreveport. A pile of surprises from Santa will be waiting under the tree.

Logan, 17, and Alison, 13, took turns sleeping on the floor. Shannon, 10, slept in a king-sized bed with her parents. The mobile home didn't have heat so the family depended on a gas stove and electric space heaters for warmth. The home also lacked adequate hot water.

"I tried to call the veterans help hotline, then when someone answered I realized I had dialed the wrong number and it was the suicide hotline," he recalled.

The wrong number turned out to be the right answer. Someone referred the Smiths to the Volunteers of America, which enrolled the family in a new support services program to help veterans' families avoid homelessness.

"When I initially met with them, they mentioned that the only thing their children wanted for Christmas was a house of their own," said Gary Jaynes, who oversees the program for VOA.

VOA uses a $400,000 federal grant to prevent veterans' families from becoming homeless or to quickly find them new housing.
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Disabled Desert Storm Marine Corps veteran getting new home after fire

Area family receives a home for Christmas
December 25, 2011 1:11 AM
JANNETTE PIPPIN - DAILY NEWS STAFF

RICHLANDS — An organization dedicated to providing housing solutions for service connected disabled veterans is giving special meaning to home for the holidays for an Onslow County family.

Purple Heart Homes and sponsor NewDay USA have stepped up to help put the James Davis family of Richlands into a new home that will help them recover from a fire while ensuring Davis’ specialized needs as a disabled veteran are met.

With work well under way, the Davis family celebrated the holidays in anticipation of moving into their new home soon. Completion of the project is expected by the end of January.

“It’s definitely a good start to the New Year,” said Davis, who is looking forward to living in a home where his movement and daily activities are no longer restricted by the wheelchair he requires.

Davis, a Desert Storm Marine Corps veteran who served from 1990 to 1996, had returned to Camp Lejeune for his second enlistment and additional training when the vehicle he was riding in on base was hit head-on by a Humvee in a wreck that resulted in spinal neuropathy and eventual paralysis in both legs from the knees down.

He is now 100-percent service connected disabled; and much of his time is in a wheelchair, which has made daily tasks from maneuvering narrow hallways to getting out of the bathroom a challenge in his own home.
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With two sons deployed, soldiers' Mom spends Christmas with "Hungry Man" dinner

Phone call make Christmas for soldiers’ mom
Staff Reports
Sunday, December 25, 2011

by Jennifer Decker


FREMONT — Tamera Johnson has no planned holiday hoopla. There will be no eggnog, presents, or caroling.

Instead, she will be alone at home with a “Hungry Man” TV dinner meal waiting anxiously for what is Christmas to her — telephone calls from both of her sons. But she said she’s used to it as a military mom.

“My phone call is Christmas,” Johnson said. “Our holidays are over the phone. There’s a lot of families who don’t get a phone call because they’re dead. Every day’s a holiday when you talk to your soldier.”

Her Army sons are Sgt. Seth Wagner, 27, a flight medic with the 1st Air Calvary Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas, and Spc. Shawn Wagner, 22, a combat medic with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky.
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Chicago Soldier, Returns Home, Surprises Daughter For Holidays

John La Giglia, Chicago Soldier, Returns Home, Surprises Daughter For Holidays (VIDEO)

A local soldier delivered a long-awaited holiday surprise to his six-year-old daughter Friday: Himself.

Army Staff Sgt. John La Giglia, 29, of Chicago's Beverly neighborhood, surprised his daughter Grace with a visit to her classroom at Sutherland Elementary School Friday morning. La Giglia, a 10-year veteran, has served the past year in Afghanistan, NBC Chicago reports.
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Fort Knox soldier killed in crash in Radcliff

Fort Knox soldier killed in crash in Radcliff

By Tamara Evans
RADCLIFF, Ky. (WDRB Fox 41)----A Fort Knox soldier has been killed in a crash.

Radcliff Police tell us the crash happened around 9:30 Saturday morning on South Wilson Road, between Skyline Drive and Nalls Lane.

They say it appears the Toyota 4-Runner veered into the opposite lane and then slammed head-on into a tree.
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Soldier finally holds daughter he saw born on Skype while deployed

Soldier home, meets daughter for first time
Saturday, December 24, 2011

Evelyn Holmes
News Team
December 24, 2011 (CAROL STREAM, Ill.) (WLS) -- Saturday marked a happy holiday homecoming for Army Sgt. Matt Vega, one of the last soldiers to leave Iraq when the U.S. pulled out last week.

He met his first daughter for the first time Saturday. Vega, 23, got home just in time to spend the holidays with his family.

He was greeted at O'Hare Airport Saturday and then escorted to his parents' home in Carol Stream.

Vega just got about the best Christmas present possible.

"It's amazing. It really is amazing - it's special," said Vega.

"He's meeting his daughter for the first time today, and that right there is enough to bring tears to your eyes," said Gil Vollarth of the USO.

Leah was born two weeks before her due date on November 14th while Matt was completing his third tour of duty. She only weighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces. Matt witnessed part of her birth on a laptop connection in his barracks.

"He saw her on Skype.
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Soldier shot at his welcome home party trying to stop gunman

UPDATE Police arrest suspect

California Soldier Shot at His Homecoming Party

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. December 25, 2011

An Army soldier who survived a suicide bombing while serving in Afghanistan has been left paralyzed after being shot at his homecoming party in Southern California.

Christopher Sullivan, 22, was shot late Friday while trying to break up a fight between his brother and another man at a San Bernardino residence.

"My son didn't deserve this. He served his country," his mother, Suzanne Sullivan, told the San Bernardino Sun.

Suzanne Sullivan said her son suffered two gunshot wounds to his back, which shattered his spine.

Family members told the newspaper that the shooting late Friday left Sullivan paralyzed and in critical condition.

Police said Sullivan's brother and a partygoer got into an argument. When Sullivan moved to intervene, the man pulled a gun and opened fire.
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For troops, cards and care packages bring a touch of home to Christmas

For troops, cards and care packages bring a touch of home to Christmas
By LAURA RAUCH
Stars and Stripes
Published: December 24, 2011

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PASAB, Afghanistan — Even in the dust and grime of war in Afghanistan, the yuletide spirit takes hold.

Most holidays here come and go without fanfare; missed birthdays, anniversaries, and other personal milestones are more difficult. But for many soldiers, being away from their families at Christmastime is a little tougher still.

For some of the younger soldiers, it’s the first Christmas away from family; some of the older ones haven’t made it home in years.

“This holiday season will be is extremely difficult for our soldiers due to separation from family and engaging in a war that will not stop for Christmas,” Battalion Chaplain Capt. Omari Thompson of Miami said.

“We are still fighting a tough fight, we are still taking casualties,” he said.

His unit, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, serves on the front line of combat operations in Regional Command-South and has suffered the brigade’s most casualties for the deployment.

“I am a soldier who is struggling during this holiday season as well,” said Thompson, who will be missing his wife and four children. He has an especially strong bond with the soldiers he serves, having helped so many of them cope with the loss of their fellow infantrymen.
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Army helps Kentucky family with Christmas

Army helps Kentucky family with Christmas
By Misty Maynard - The Ledger Independent via AP
Posted : Friday Dec 23, 2011 15:36:32 EST
MAYSVILLE, Ky. — Santa came a little early this year for Donna Lewis and her three children, courtesy of the Army.

Lewis’ fiancée, Staff Sgt. Kevin Henning, died in June from cancer.

Although in college, Lewis has not worked full-time since 2007. She was borrowing money to pay bills and knew she would be limited when it came to buy Christmas presents for her children: 17-year-old Matthew Stevens, 14-year-old Tony Fite and 4-year-old Kaelynn Henning.

Sgt. 1st Class Charles Wake is the casualty assistance officer who helped with the funeral and paperwork after Henning’s death.

Lewis said the holidays might be a little slim this year when he asked about Christmas.

“He said, ‘Oh no you’re not,’ ” Lewis said.

Wake collected donations, purchased presents and delivered them to Lewis’ children in a van Wednesday. An Orangeburg Volunteer Fire Department truck escorted the van, with lights flashing.

“Where’s the fire?” Fite asked.

The rear van doors opened wide and revealed a pile of brightly wrapped presents, and one item without wrapping: a bicycle.
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Obamas give holiday tribute to the troops

Obamas give holiday tribute to the troops
The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Dec 24, 2011

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is wishing a Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all Americans in his weekly radio and Internet address, with a special message of thanks to the troops.

“Let’s take a moment to give thanks for their service; for their families’ service; for our veterans’ service,” the president said Saturday. “And let’s say a prayer for all our troops standing post all over the world, especially our brave men and women in Afghanistan who are serving, even as we speak, in harm’s way to protect the freedoms and security we hold dear.”
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