U.S troops killed in action have a last ally

U.S troops killed in action have a last ally
By Misty Showalter, CNN
updated 8:33 AM EST, Thu January 26, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Scientists and historians, military and civilians aim to recover all missing U.S. service personnel
The Joint POW-MIA Accounting Command digs at battle sites and crash sites for remains
In the lab they use dental records, photo recognition software and DNA tests to put a name to the remains
They call it the most honorable mission in the military

Editor's note: A team dedicated to finding, recovering and identifying every missing U.S. service member opens its doors to CNN International. Watch "World's Untold Story" Friday January 27 at 2330 ET, Saturday at 1630 ET and Sunday at 2330 ET.

Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii (CNN) -- There is a skull here, hundreds of fragments of bones there. Table after table is lined with human remains. One holds a near-complete skeleton, another has hundreds of tiny pieces of bone that could come from many different people.

Together, it tells the story of life and death in the military.

At the world's largest skeletal identification laboratory more than 30 forensic anthropologists, archaeologists and dentists of Joint POW-MIA Accounting Command are working to put names to the remains.

Based at Hickam Air Force Base -- site of the Pearl Harbor attack -- in Honolulu, Hawaii, JPAC is made up of all branches of the U.S. military and civilian scientists, united in the goal of bringing back all 84,000 U.S. service members who went missing during war or military action.
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An Iraq Vet's Journey From Wall Street to OWS

An Iraq Vet's Journey From Wall Street to OWS
Derek McGee January 25, 2012

In late September 2001, I was living in a tent in Lower Manhattan with the 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, a reserve unit just outside the city. We were occupying Battery Park, which at the time served as the National Guard's headquarters. "Guarding the guard," we called it.

The two weeks I spent there were profoundly affecting. There I was, at the center of the world, watching America at its finest, showing at once nearly impossible perseverance and limitless compassion. Generosity sprouted everywhere throughout New York City; people gave out food, shoe inserts, massages, coffee, flowers, hugs, kind words and anything you needed. I told someone I liked Red Bull, and hours later he came to my tent, dragging a handcart with eight cases of the stuff. I would slip one under each of the other marines' pillows while they slept, and when we woke up for guard duty I would say the Red Bull fairy had come.

Exploring the city on my one afternoon off, I stumbled upon the Wall Street Bull. The smooth metal sculpture is stunning, always on the verge of some wild movement—a lunge or a charge, at the least, a bellow with a head toss. Too tarnished to be gold, too big to be a calf, it's revered nonetheless. I would come fairly close to worshiping it myself years later. But for now, I just had my picture taken on top of it. From where I stood, the whole world seemed to feel empathy. It was one of the only times in my life that I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be.

Another time was when I was living under a bridge along the Euphrates River. A nearly ceaseless convoy rolled overhead. I wasn't particularly keen on the invasion of Iraq, but if we had to have one, I knew I needed to be there with my fellow marines. A Subaru filled with reporters pulled up and offered us cigarettes to hasten our search of their car. "They're just outside Baghdad," they told us. The whole world is watching, I thought.
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Vietnam Veteran dies after being punched by 18 year old

Vietnam vet dies after being punched by 18-year-old during traffic confrontation
66-year-old bumped man's girlfriend with car: cops

BY PHILIP CAULFIELD / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, January 25, 2012,

An 18-year-old New Jersey man is facing murder charges after cops say he killed an aging Vietnam vet with one punch during a traffic dust-up.

Allen Briscoe, 66, suffered a brain aneurysm caused by blunt force trauma and died at a south Jersey hospital on Monday night after falling and hitting his head during the confrontation Aleem Mayes, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Cops say Briscoe was driving to pick up his girlfriend near his home in East Camden at around 7:30 p.m. when he accidentally bumped Mayes' pregnant girlfriend "at very low speed" with his black Ford F-150, cops say.

The 16-year-old girl was knocked to the ground, and Briscoe rushed out of the cab to help her, cops say.

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GAO finds Defense Center for Excellence lacking

GAO: DoD fails to detail mental health spending
By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 25, 2012 19:18:28 EST
A new report from a congressional watchdog agency raises concerns about the Defense Department’s accounting of $2.7 billion marked for treating and researching psychological health issues and traumatic brain injuries.

The report released Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office says DoD has not provided reports required by law detailing how those funds were spent. The money was distributed between fiscal 2007 and fiscal 2010.

The GAO described as “unreliable” the obligations data — information that gives an overview of what contracts and programs the funds support — in the reports.

“We found that the Tricare Management Activity, which administered funds allocated to [the Defense Centers of Excellence] had not developed written policies and procedures to ensure the proper recording of obligations and that it had not properly classified most of DCoE’s fiscal 2009 contract obligations,” the report states.

GAO also said the strategic plan of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, responsible for the Pentagon’s head injury and behavioral health programs, lacked clear guidance on its statutory responsibilities.

Instead, responsibilities for creating standards of care for injured and mentally ill service members as well as training, outreach, research and patient care are spread among the DCoEs, Tricare, the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and other agencies.
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Fort Bragg soldier out of hospital, in police custody

Fort Bragg soldier out of hospital, in police custody
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A Fort Bragg soldier is out of the hospital and in custody after being treated for injuries he received during a police shootout nearly two weeks ago.

Army Staff Sgt. Joshua Eisenhauer, 30, was released from UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill on Tuesday and faced a District Court judge in a Cumberland County courtroom Wednesday on 30 charges stemming from the Jan. 13 standoff.

Police say Eisenhauer fired several shots at police and firefighters responding to a fire at his third-floor apartment in the Austin Creek Apartments complex and then barricaded himself inside.

Four hours later, a special response team used explosives to take down the door to Eisenhauer's apartment. He was found injured on the kitchen floor.

Authorities haven't said how he was injured, but court records show police fired back. His father said last week that his son had three gunshot wounds.
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also
Fort Bragg soldier in standoff

Gulf War Vet and wife's death may have been murder-suicide

UPDATE

AH Shooting Ruled Murder-Suicide; Two Had DP Ties
Posted: Saturday, January 28, 2012 11:54 am
By TOM ROBB Journal and Topics Reporter
Members of Des Plaines veterans organizations remembered two colleagues this week found dead in what the Cook County Medical Examiner Thursday ruled a murder-suicide.

Police said Roger and Angelita James, 48 and 56 respectively, of the 900 block of Shady Way, Arlington Hts., both sustained gunshot wounds Wednesday. A gun was found "in close proximity to the body" at the crime scene, said Arlington Hts. Police Capt. Ken Galinski.

Mr. James was commander of Des Plaines American Legion Post 36 and a member of Des Plaines VFW Post 2992. Mrs. James was a member of the American Legion Women's Auxiliary.

Arlington Hts. police conducting a welfare check with the couple's adult son found the couple dead in their home across from Forest View Educational Center Wednesday morning.
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Arlington Heights couple found shot to death in home

By Matt Arado and Madhu Krishnamurthy
1/25/2012

Arlington Heights police are investigating the deaths of a husband and wife found shot to death in their home Wednesday morning.

Police discovered the bodies of Angelita James, 56, and Roger D. James, 48, about 8:40 a.m. after forcing their way into the residence on East Shady Way when no one responded to the door.

Police Sgt. Richard Kappelman said evidence collected so far was “pointing” to the shootings being a murder-suicide.

Angelita James' son met police at the residence, telling officers his mother had not shown up for work for the past two days and couldn't be reached. The vehicles of both Angelita and Roger James were parked outside the home, police said.

Inside, police found the couple in a bedroom, dead from gunshot wounds. A firearm was found inside the home, but police declined to say whether they believe it was the weapon used in the shootings.

Police said they believe the tragedy was domestic and there is no danger to the community. Autopsies are scheduled for Thursday at the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Roger James was a veteran of the Gulf War and commander of the Des Plaines American Legion Post 36, said his friend and past commander Phil Campbell. He was last seen at the Legion office on Monday.
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Fort Riley Big Red One back from Afghanistan

Fort Riley Cavalry Soldiers Honored After Return From Afghanistan
Jan 25, 2012
"Big Red One" soldiers were honored for their service and bravery at Fort Riley Wednesday after returning from Afghanistan.
Reporter: Lindsey Rogers

FORT RILEY, Kan. (WIBW) -- "Big Red One" soldiers were honored for their service and bravery at Fort Riley Wednesday after returning from Afghanistan.

Commanders say they faced off against the enemy nearly every day for a year during a dangerous and deadly deployment.

Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, held a ceremony to award Soldiers for valorous actions at Fort Riley's Marshall Army Airfield Wednesday afternoon.

The soldiers are just back from Afghanistan and during the ceremony, commanders gave out eight Army Commendation Medals for Valor, 25 Bronze Stars for Service and 48 Purple Hearts.

"Because of individual actions of soldiers in this squadron, 4-4 Cav defeated the Taliban in central Zhari, freed the people in that area from oppression and in the process, made history.

The warriors in this room destroyed thousands of pounds of homemade explosives, military vests and military grade explosives," said Lieutenant Colonel Michael Katona, Squadron Commander.

"There’s 144 total purple hearts earned across the squadron of just a little over 500 soldiers.
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Wounded Marine gets 6,000 followers on Facebook

Wounded Marine gets some fresh air during treatment at Walter Reed
1/25/2012
ANDREA L. CHAFFIN
Staff Writer

Despite being in a hospital bed, Cpl. Josh Sams, Wilmington, is showing he has a lot of strength left.

Sams was moved off the critical care floor Tuesday, where he is a patient at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Wound wash surgeries went well and the family received a good report from the trauma team, said his mother, Barb Regan. In addition, his wife, Hillsboro High School graduate Lindsey Sams, was able to spend the night with him for the first time.

“We have a long way to go, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Regan said.

The Marine was on routine patrol Jan. 11 when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and was rendered a double amputee. Since, a Facebook page supporting him titled, Support WIA Marine Scout Sniper Josh Sams, has steadily gained popularity and now has more than 6,600 followers.
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Wife of Camp Lejeune Marine shot to death

Woman from Kalamazoo found shot to death at a home in North Carolina Monday
Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2012
By Simon A. Thalmann

KALAMAZOO — A woman from Kalamazoo was found shot to death at a home in North Carolina Monday, according to local media reports there and in Michigan.

ABC affiliate WCTI, which operates from New Bern, N.C., reports that no arrests have been made for the murder of Susan Zemlick, 50, who was found dead at a South Dogwood Lane home shortly before 11 a.m. Monday.

Zemlick was married to Matthew Zemlick, a 29-year-old Marine who has family in Portage and is based at Camp Lejeune, according to WWMT Newschannel 3.
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also

Victim Name, New Info Released In Swansboro Shooting
By WCTI Staff

UPDATED: 6:59 pm EST January 25, 2012

SWANSBORO -- Swansboro Police have a suspect in the shooting death of a woman found Monday.
An arrest has not yet been made.
Police found Susan Zemlick, 50, dead at a South Dogwood Lane home after a 911 call at 10:50 a.m. Monday, police said.
Zemlick lived at the home with John and Helen Giltz, neighbors said.
Zemlick married 29-year-old Matthew Zemlick, a Camp Lejeune Marine, in 2009.
Susan asked for domestic violence protective order against Matthew last year, records show.
Matthew "threatened to kill [me] and himself," Susan alleged last summer.
The couple later agreed to not have contact with each other, records show.
Matthew is not involved in the case, police said.
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'ReEntry' Play teaches Marines about returning home

'ReEntry' - Play teaches Marines about returning home

I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story by Cpl. Jennifer Pirante

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Marines and family members with I Marine Expeditionary Force gathered to watch a play at the South Mesa Club at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 24.

“ReEntry” is a play written by theater writer Emily Ackerman and KJ Sanchez, CEO of American Records, based on interviews conducted with Marines returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their family members.

“I am a member of a military family,” Ackerman said. “I had no idea of a lot of the things they were going through, a lot of the things that they thought until we started working on this play. I try to be supportive and it was hard to figure out how to do that. It wasn’t until we started talking to a lot of Marines that I got a better idea of things that people actually go through, the way they actually feel and how to be more supportive.”
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4 Month Old Pup's Death Tied to Vet's "War Trauma"?

This is not the first time this kind of thing has happened. It is also not the first time PTSD has been blamed for it. With many veterans with PTSD turning to PTSD service dogs to help them heal, it is obvious how much they love their dogs and how much the dogs love them in return.

When my husband's PTSD was about as bad as it could be, we had a Golden Retriever named Brandon. Like all puppies, he was getting into trouble, trying to learn what he could and could not do. There were times when my husband would yell at him more than he should have but that is just about as far as that went. Brandon lived to almost 14 years old. My husband called him "brother" and he was not just a "dog" to us, but part of our family.

Anger is an issue with PTSD but it is no excuse to allow it to be so out of control a puppy ends up dead. Violence cannot be excused but it does need to be taken into consideration when seeking justice. We need to be asking a lot of questions.

The lawyer said he was being treated for PTSD at the VA. Was he getting any anger management help? Was he on medication he had a bad reaction to? Is he a dog lover or stressed about a puppy he didn't really want? These questions the court needs to ask before they can know what to do with this veteran accused of this crime.

Pup's Death Tied to Vet's "War Trauma": Family
Defendant's uncle believes a case like this is one where "Support Our Troops" comes into play
By R. Stickney
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012

NBC San Diego

NBCSanDiego
Phillip Shawn Rich (left) at his arraignment and Knight shown with another dog before the beating.

A San Diego-area man charged with beating a puppy so badly it had to be euthanized is a veteran currently getting treatment for PTSD at the VA hospital, according to his defense attorney.

Phillip Shawn Rich, 26, of Crest, faces one felony charge of animal abuse for the death of his four-month-old male Siberian husky.

Rich brought the puppy, named Knight, to a veterinary hospital Saturday night. After the hospital staff examined the dog, they decided its injuries were so severe the animal had to be euthanized.

His attorney requested no bail, explaining that her client has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and is currently receiving treatment at the VA hospital.
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Many Soldiers Have Their Own Terrors to Deal With

I read a lot of articles about faith and war. This one I really want you to read if you have been struggling with your faith.

Coming Home From the War on Terror, Many Soldiers Have Their Own Terrors to Deal With
One Special Forces major recommends ways civilians can help veterans readjust to American life after Iraq, Afghanistan.
Share by JUSTIN BELL 01/25/2012

Major Stephen C. Flanagan of the U.S. Army Special Forces served four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Tewksbury, Mass., native is in the mid-career Master in Public Administration program at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. The previous year, he had completed courses in the human development and psychology program in Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.

His next stop will be teaching at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the behavioral sciences and leadership department.

Flanagan, 32, recently met with Register correspondent Justin Bell at the Harvard Catholic Student Center at St. Paul’s Parish in Cambridge, Mass., to discuss how he felt God’s protection in combat and the struggles soldiers have returning to American society.

Could you speak to a specific time when you felt God really taking care of you?


God whispers to you through your successes and screams at you through your pains ... fears and dangers. ... So I really felt that; my faith has probably [been as] strong as it’s ever been in some of those times in combat. I was reading the Bible and praying a lot. I was almost never in any place where I could have regular religious services or anything.

One time, in Iraq in 2007 on my third combat tour ... we’re driving through the center of town, and all of a sudden we got ambushed from two sides. All the terrain and everything were to the enemy’s advantage. We couldn’t get the vehicles out of the road, and they had pushed a burning vehicle in … in front of us.

We’re sitting there in the open: The “kill zone” is what it’s actually called. … I had to [try to move the truck, and so I ran] through a big open area, getting shot at from both sides. …

I was saying an Our Father just subconsciously … running between a hail of bullets. I remembered looking to the side, and I saw fire coming out of windows; and I was shooting to the side as I was running. And all of a sudden a guy started charging down the hill at me; he looked like he was shooting his AK [AK-47 assault rifle]. ... Luckily, I think one of our Iraqi soldiers actually shot the guy and killed him.

I got up there and was able to work with the Iraqis to get them to push the vehicle out of the way. … I think we captured 14 more terrorists that day, and they didn’t have a single American or an Iraqi army soldier killed.

That just really seemed like a miracle to me … It wasn’t just us on that battlefield; there were angels and demons there with us having their own battle. … I reflect back, and I thank God for sending a small legion to our support.
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Military guests at State of the Union

Military guests at tonight’s State of the Union
By LEO SHANE III
Published: January 24, 2012

WASHINGTON – The White House has announced its guest list for tonight’s State of the Union address.

Army Sgt. Ashleigh Berg -- Berg is from Malibu, California, and joined the United States Army in July of 2004. She has been stationed in South Korea and Germany, and has served two tours of duty in Iraq.

Retired Navy Capt. Mark Kelly -- Kelly is an American astronaut, best-selling author, and an experienced naval aviator who flew combat missions during the Gulf War. The winner of many awards, including the Legion of Merit, two Defense Superior Service Medals and two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Kelly was selected as an astronaut in 1996.

Navy Adm. William McRaven -- McRaven assumed command of the Joint Special Operations Command on June 13, 2008. Prior to assuming command, he served from June 2006 to March 2008 as commander, Special Operations Command Europe. In addition to his duties as COMSOCEUR, he was designated as the first director of the NATO Special Operations Forces Coordination Centre, where he was charged with enhancing the capabilities and inter-operability of all NATO Special Operations Forces.

Air Force Col. Ginger Wallace -- Colonel Ginger Wallace is an Air Force intelligence officer who has led airlift and intelligence operations during Operations Southern Watch, Provide Relief, Uphold Democracy, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom And Iraqi Freedom. She currently lives in McLean, Va., with her partner of over a decade, Kathy Knopf.

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also

Military mentions in Obama speech were carefully phrased

Published: January 24, 2012

NPR's "It's All Politics" blog analyzed President Barack Obama's references to U.S. military operations in Tuesday's State of the Union address and concluded his words were carefully chosen.

The president didn't devote much of the speech to military issues, but he opened and closed with a tribute to the armed forces, holding out their "team" approach as an example for the rest of society. "At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down," he said, "they exceed all expectations. They're not consumed with personal ambition. They don't obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand."
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Orlando Police Chaplain called in after drivers hit pedestrian on I-4

I-4 reopens after horrific crash kills pedestrian
Susan Jacobson, Orlando Sentinel
7:46 a.m. EST, January 25, 2012

Interstate 4 westbound has reopened after a pedestrian fatality closed the highway from John Young Parkway to Conroy Road late Tuesday.

A man walking on the highway about 7:45 p.m. was hit by several vehicles, police Lt. Barbara Jones said.

Three vehicles stopped, but police received calls from other drivers who thought they might have run over the man and from witnesses who said more cars were involved, she said.
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Big Boy news stations forgot about the rest of the news

This morning I posted how the last military shipment from Iraq had arrived in Beaumont and it bothered me. Why wasn't this story all over the "big boy" news station? It seems as if all they are interested in is politics.

There are so many other stories out there reported on a daily basis that should be covered by the 24-7 cable "news" station but someone decided a long time ago to play a game with what they tell us. FOX has been the Republican station of choice. MSNBC decided to serve the Democrats. CNN has been trying to stay in the middle. There isn't a cable news station for the rest of the news.

I spend a lot of time in my car, so I bought a satellite radio. I like to listen to oldies and enjoy the fact I can decide what decade I feel like hearing. Sometimes it is the 60's, other times it is the 80's but most of the time it is the 70's. I don't expect to hear rap on any of them. I don't expect to hear classical music instead of the groups I grew up with. On a rare occasion I hear a song I had not heard before but I always know the song fits in with the rest of what I want to listen to. There are a lot of choices so that people can listen to what they want to hear and trust that is what they will be provided with.

There was a time when I could feel that way with turning on a news station. I lived in the Boston area most of my life. I knew when I turned on WBZ radio I would hear the news and not hear a bunch of political nonsense. I knew what was going on in the area from traffic reports to events along with reports on crimes and even some feel good stories. The only time there was political coverage was when there was an election coming up but never once did they spend years covering the candidates unless they did something really "news worthy" the general public needed to know about.

We have no choices now. We have little information now. Even when you turn on local news stations, you hear about political candidates on a national level way too much. The GOP candidates are covering Florida now, so some of the coverage is understandable but they have been reporting on what has been happening when these candidates show up in other states more than they covered local stories.

Who decided the American public didn't need to know what was going on in this country as much as they needed to know about the people wanting to run it?