Secret Army volunteer's widow blames VA for spouse's death

Secret Army volunteer's widow blames VA for spouse's death
By Saundra Young, CNN
March 3, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Secret Cold War program tested chemical and biological agents on 7,000 soldiers
Program vet Wray Forrest died in 2010 after he was diagnosed with heart trouble and cancer
Widow accuses VA of neglecting her ailing husband
VA wouldn't answer questions about the case due to a pending lawsuit

(CNN) -- "I promised Wray I would never give up the fight." It was a wife's final pledge to her dying husband, who was once identified as Medical Volunteer No. 6692 at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland.

In 1973, Army Pvt. Wray Forrest spent two months at Edgewood as a volunteer human test subject in a top secret Cold War research program studying chemical and biological weapons.

His widow, Kathryn Forrest, says those tests were his undoing.

During his time at Edgewood, Wray participated in at least five different tests. In one, Kathryn says he was given high doses of Ritalin. In a deposition he gave before his death, Wray described the effect it had on him.

"It wound up making me want to do things very rapidly and in a rushed manner," he says in the deposition. He says he was "wound up like a golf ball teed off in a tile bathroom. Bouncing off the walls."

Ritalin is a Schedule II drug -- a class of drugs considered dangerous and addictive. Large doses can cause dizziness, jitteriness, cardiac arrhythmia, stroke, high blood pressure, even sudden death. Wray was injected with various substances at Edgewood, according to court documents. And his story is just one of many.

In fact, from 1955 to 1975 more than 7,000 soldiers each spent two months at Edgewood. Overall, they tested at least 250 different chemical and biological agents.
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Great Falls man in custody after 17 hour standoff

Great Falls man in custody after 17 hour standoff
Posted: Mar 3, 2012

After keeping police at bay for 17 hours in an overnight standoff, 64 year old Michael Waycott is in custody.

Waycott has been charged with two counts of felony assault on a peace officer and one count of felony criminal endangerment.

He is being held at the Cascade County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond.

Police first responded to a call of a suicidal male just before 6 p.m Friday.

The caller stated that several shots had been fired inside the home.

Police said once they arrived, Waycott fired at least four to five rounds outside, toward two police officers.

Officer Pamela Henry tells us Waycott was intoxicated and suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

A High Risk Unit, the Montana Highway Patrol and Great Falls Police were all on scene while the U.S. Marshall Service and the Cascade County Sheriff's Office assisted with dispatch duties.
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Does Rush Limbaugh think military women are "sluts" too?

UPDATE

Meet The Soldier Behind The "I Am Not A Slut" Hashtag
Army Lieutenant Jessica Scott was the accidental leader of a successful Twitter campaign against Rush Limbaugh last week. She also writes romance novels. posted Mar 4, 2012
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Does Rush think they're "sluts" too? The government pays for their birth control, just like every other medication they need as well as males in the military. So shouldn't they be included in on the same category Rush just put the law student?

For heaven's sake! The man does not even know the number of times a woman has sex has nothing to do with the number of pills she takes or the fact birth control is used for a lot of other reasons.

Surviving Military Boot Camp
Medication. Over-the-counter medication is not allowed in basic training. If you bring any with you, it will be taken away. All prescription medication will be re-evaluated by a military doctor upon arrival. If the doctor determines that the prescription is necessary, the civilian medication will be taken away, and the recruit will be re-issued the medication by the military pharmacy. This includes birth control pills (for women). Women are usually encouraged to continue taking birth control pills during basic training, if they took them before going to basic, to ensure that their systems maintain their regular cycle.

Will Sandra Fluke sue Rush Limbaugh for calling her ‘a slut’?
When Rush Limbaugh called Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke 'a slut' and a 'prostitute,' he set off a firestorm of criticism. Some advertisers are leaving Limbaugh's show.


By Brad Knickerbocker, Staff writer / March 3, 2012

Rush Limbaugh’s diatribes against Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown University law student who spoke out about contraception, continue to roil the political environment. And it may be nicking the bottom line for the conservative talk show personality who draws millions of listeners daily.

Republicans, already facing a potential problem with many female voters over a controversial issue, are scrambling to respond – distancing themselves from a powerful voice among many of the party faithful. House Speaker John Boehner and GOP presidential hopefuls Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney put out statements – although the tone seemed grudging.

US Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who faces what could be a tough re-election campaign against Democrat Elizabeth Warren, says Limbaugh should apologize for calling Ms. Fluke “a slut,” “a prostitute,” and one of his signature slurs “a feminazi.”

But Limbaugh, who’s made himself very wealthy with his bloviating conservative commentary and mocking wise cracks, shows no sign of backing off, recently targeting other women as well for his ridicule.
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Rush Limbaugh Sponsors Distance Themselves
Did the popular conservative talk radio host go too far?
02:36 | 03/03/2012


update

Rush Limbaugh Apologizes To Sandra Fluke For Calling Her A 'Slut'
The Huffington Post
By Benjamin Hart and Jack Mirkinson
Posted: 03/03/12
After a media and political firestorm, Rush Limbaugh issued an apology on Saturday for calling student Sandra Fluke a "slut" on his radio show this week.

Fluke, a law student at Georgetown University who was advocating for health insurance plans to cover the cost of contraception, became the target of a series of attacks by Limbaugh. Besides calling her a "slut," he also called her a "prostitute," said that he wanted her to make sex tapes and post them online, and speculated that she only had a problem paying for contraception because she was having "so much sex."

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Mortician involved in sawing off Tampa area Marine's arm resigns

Mortician involved in sawing off Tampa area Marine's arm resigns
By HOWARD ALTMAN
The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 02, 2012

TAMPA --
The resignation of a Dover Port Mortuary supervisor who ordered their dead son's arm sawed off so it could fit into his Marine uniform is bringing little solace to a Thonotosassa couple.

The Air Force should have fired Quinton Keel immediately after learning that Keel ordered Sgt. Daniel Angus's arm sawed off over the objections of embalmers and without the family's permission, said Mark O'Brien, an attorney representing Kathy and William Angus.

The Air Force acknowledged Keel's resignation in a one-sentence statement this afternoon, but did not say when he resigned or why.

Sgt. Daniel Angus, 28, died in January 2010, after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Helmand province in Afghanistan. The next month, as the body was being prepared for a funeral, Keel ordered the removal of Angus' left arm bone after employees had difficulty placing the arm in the uniform.
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Gary Sinise Holds Fundraiser For Injured Marine

Gary Sinise Holds Fundraiser For Injured Marine

Money Raised Will Go To Build Corporal Juan Dominguez A Home
March 2, 2012
TEMECULA, Calif. -- Actor Gary Sinise took on a different role in Temecula Thursday evening.

Sinise, best known for his role as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, performed with his charity band to help a Camp Pendleton Marine wounded in battle.

Corporal Juan Dominguez lost his right arm and both legs when he stepped on a bomb last year in Afghanistan.
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Fort Hood soldiers thinking about unemployment line

New Army initiative brings changes to Fort Hood

By: Chris Cheng

FORT HOOD -- Fort Hood soldiers will find it harder to re-enlist in the Army due to a new initiative.

With military budget cuts looming, the Army is addressing the downsizing with Army Directive 2012-03.

The retention initiative went into effect March 1, the same day the re-enlistment window opens for soldiers whose service contract ends in the 2013 fiscal year. The directive places additional restrictions for some mid-grade noncommissioned officers to re-enlist.

"The time is now to be educating and preparing our soldiers for the future," said Colonel William Mcrae.

Col. Mcrae Is in charge of the 41st Fire Brigade on Fort Hood. It will be his task to cut the soldiers who will not meet the new strict standards.
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Sgt. Manuel Loggins Jr's family seeks justice after deadly shooting

Family of slain Marine plans to sue county
March 2, 2012
An attorney hired by the family of Sgt. Manuel Loggins Jr. said the family plans to file a claim against the county, and a federal suit alleging civil rights violations in the deadly shooting.

By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Authorities said the 31-year-old Marine was unarmed.

SAN CLEMENTE – The shooting death of a Camp Pendleton Marine by a sheriff's deputy appears to be headed to court as family members consider filing a federal law suit against the department.

Sheriff's officials have not been forthcoming with details as to how the deadly shooting occurred, and family members of Sgt. Manuel Loggins Jr. are considering filing claims of wrongful death and civil rights violations against the department, said Brian T. Dunn, an attorney representing the Loggins family.

"We haven't seen a police report, we have not been given any specifics as to what the justification for this shooting was," Dunn said. "There's no conceivable reason for deadly force."

The Feb. 7 shooting in the parking lot of San Clemente High School has baffled relatives, colleagues and friends of the Marine, who was shot down inside his SUV while his two daughters sat in the back seat.

Officials with the Orange County Sheriff's Department said Loggins crashed through a gate of the high school, made several irrational statements as he walked out of his SUV, and ignored the orders of several deputies as he got back into his vehicle.
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VA National Call Center phone rings . . . [but] no one is there

This has been a common complaint but what makes matters worse is when the phone is answered, they don't know what they're talking about.

Senate to VA: Answer the phone
BY BOB BREWIN 03/02/2012
Frustrated lawmakers bashed the Veterans Affairs Department at a Senate hearing Wednesday for not handling the most basic service task -- answering the phone when veterans seek information from the department's National Call Center.

Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., told VA Secretary Eric Shinseki that often when his constituents contact the NCC "the phone rings . . . [but] no one is there. I had high hopes for the National Call Center, but it is not working well." If veterans do manage to connect with someone, that individual often lacks the right information, Johanns said.

The VA National Call Center (800-827-1000) is supposed to serve as a clearinghouse for information about a range of veterans benefits -- compensation and pensions, education, vocational rehabilitation, employment, home loans, and insurance. Johanns told Shinseki that in his view, VA created an expectation of service that it has not fulfilled.

Shinseki said he routinely phones the National Call Center to check on it, and at times has been disappointed with the response. He told Johanns that the NCC's performance has improved over the past six months thanks to development of the Veterans Relationship Management Program, including a new call queue system designed to reduce wait times.

Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, said his staff routinely tests the toll-free number, and as of Feb. 24 could not get an answer. When the National Call Center does answer, his staff gets "an inadequate response," he said.
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Fort Hood's Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers Connects Generations

Single soldiers, vets swap stories
Posted On: Tuesday, Feb. 28 2012 03:46 PM

By Colleen Flaherty
Fort Hood Herald

TEMPLE — Navy veteran Ben Russell, a survivor of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Army veteran Joe August Schovajsa, who fought in Germany, are among the approximately 95 World War II veterans who live at William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home in Temple.

Both 88, they swap stories on a regular basis, sometimes over a drink. During their weekly outings, Schovajsa takes a beer — preferably Shiner Bock, from his native Shiner — or a margarita on the rocks. But it's always beer for Russell.

"We're pretty close," said Russell.

On Friday, however, Russell and Schovajsa shared their stories with soldiers from Fort Hood's Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, or BOSS program, who visit the home once a week as volunteers.

"Sometimes we go to the Alzheimer's ward and sit down and play checkers or chess, or just talk," said BOSS president Spc. Torrie Lee, 25. "I come whenever I can."

Spc. Ashley Spurling, a 20-year-old BOSS representative with the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, said her favorite part about visiting with veterans is hearing their stories.
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Camp Pendleton Marine killed in Afghanistan electrocuted while riding atop a Humvee

MILITARY: Camp Pendleton Marine killed in Afghanistan
By MARK WALKER
Posted: Friday, March 2, 2012

A Camp Pendleton corporal died in Afghanistan on Thursday when he was apparently electrocuted.

The Defense Department announced the death of Cpl. Conner Lowry on Friday afternoon. A Chicago television station reported family members saying they were told he was accidentally electrocuted while riding atop a Humvee.

The station, NBC 5 Chicago, also quoted a friend, Owen Yanz, as saying the 6'5 Marine was "doing what he believed in, and that was fighting for us, for our country."

Lowry's death came during a combat patrol in the Helmand province, where most of the roughly 18,000 Marines in Afghanistan are stationed.

The 24-year-old Marine was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.
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