AWOL soldier stole Microsoft co-founder's identity, FBI says
Associated Press
March 27, 2012, 1:26 p.m.
An AWOL soldier's simple scheme to defraud one of the richest men in the world has landed him in federal custody, according to a criminal complaint.
In the complaint unsealed Monday, federal investigators allege Brandon Lee Price changed the address on a bank account held by billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, then had a debit card sent to his Pittsburgh home so he could use it for payments on a delinquent Armed Forces Bank account and personal expenses.
Price called Citibank in January and changed the address on an account held by Allen from Seattle to Pittsburgh, then called back three days later to say he'd lost his debit card and asked for a new one to be sent to him, an FBI investigator wrote in a criminal complaint filed in February.
read more here
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Dr. Frank Ochberg talks about Sgt. Robert Bales and the nature of PTSD
Sgt. Robert Bales and the nature of PTSD
by Steve Edwards
Mar. 27, 2012
Some, including his lawyers, say Sgt. Robert Bales, the soldier accused of killing 16 people in Afghanistan, may have been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Others disagree.
Nevertheless, the incident, Bates' frequent tours of duty in Afghanistan and the growing violence in the country have put PTSD back in the spotlight. In fact, WBUR's On Point devoted an entire hour to the subject yesterday.
Of course, PTSD affects more than just soliders in war zones. It affects children and families living in such areas, victims of natural disasters, and some say, even affects the residents of some of Chicago's most violent neighborhoods.
Dr. Frank Ochberg was among the scientists who came to define PTSD during its earlier years.
read more here
also
Frank M. Ochberg, M.D.
Gift From Within
by Steve Edwards
Mar. 27, 2012
Some, including his lawyers, say Sgt. Robert Bales, the soldier accused of killing 16 people in Afghanistan, may have been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Others disagree.
Nevertheless, the incident, Bates' frequent tours of duty in Afghanistan and the growing violence in the country have put PTSD back in the spotlight. In fact, WBUR's On Point devoted an entire hour to the subject yesterday.
Of course, PTSD affects more than just soliders in war zones. It affects children and families living in such areas, victims of natural disasters, and some say, even affects the residents of some of Chicago's most violent neighborhoods.
Dr. Frank Ochberg was among the scientists who came to define PTSD during its earlier years.
read more here
also
Frank M. Ochberg, M.D.
Gift From Within
Fort Campbell soldier's body discovered in lake
Soldier's Death Under Investigation
By WSIL Manager
Story Created: Mar 27, 2012
POPE CO. -- Illinois State Police are investigating the death of a soldier whose body was discovered at a Pope County lake.
The body of Timothy A. Clark, 21, of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was found inside a vehicle submerged in the water at Lake Glendale.
read more here
By WSIL Manager
Story Created: Mar 27, 2012
POPE CO. -- Illinois State Police are investigating the death of a soldier whose body was discovered at a Pope County lake.
The body of Timothy A. Clark, 21, of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was found inside a vehicle submerged in the water at Lake Glendale.
read more here
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
GI Bill Consumer Awareness Act to help veterans decide
Sens.: Grade schools that take GI Bill benefits
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Mar 27, 2012 14:26:35 EDT
A new Senate bill proposes to create a consumer report card for every school covered by Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to disclose information about their policies on transferring credits to other schools, their average student loan debt, their course or degree completion rate, and how many graduates find jobs in their chosen fields.
The GI Bill Consumer Awareness Act is the latest effort by lawmakers to provide a warning to those using generous veterans’ education benefits that some schools may make big promises but deliver very little.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairwoman and chief sponsor of the bill, said it is a response to “stories of frustration, confusion and even manipulation.”
“We have seen that in certain instances, our service members and veterans have been misled just to boost enrollment of students with this very lucrative benefit,” she said, referring mostly to some for-profit schools that use recruiters or salespeople to sign up students.
“We have seen reports of veterans who utilize the benefit for one school only to find out that when they want to move on to graduate school, the degree they received from the first school is inadequate,” Murray said.
read more here
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Mar 27, 2012 14:26:35 EDT
A new Senate bill proposes to create a consumer report card for every school covered by Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to disclose information about their policies on transferring credits to other schools, their average student loan debt, their course or degree completion rate, and how many graduates find jobs in their chosen fields.
The GI Bill Consumer Awareness Act is the latest effort by lawmakers to provide a warning to those using generous veterans’ education benefits that some schools may make big promises but deliver very little.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairwoman and chief sponsor of the bill, said it is a response to “stories of frustration, confusion and even manipulation.”
“We have seen that in certain instances, our service members and veterans have been misled just to boost enrollment of students with this very lucrative benefit,” she said, referring mostly to some for-profit schools that use recruiters or salespeople to sign up students.
“We have seen reports of veterans who utilize the benefit for one school only to find out that when they want to move on to graduate school, the degree they received from the first school is inadequate,” Murray said.
read more here
Psychologist says Nicholas Horner was in a ‘dreamlike state’
Expert: Horner lacked intent
Psychologist says veteran was in a ‘dreamlike state’
March 27, 2012
By Phil Ray
The Altoona Mirror
HOLLIDAYSBURG - Nicholas A. Horner was in a "dreamlike state," or delirium, when he shot three people, killing two, during a 2009 robbery and getaway, a defense psychologist testified Monday in Blair County Court.
It was caused by repeated use of medication, and it also meant Horner was unable to form an intent to kill, psychologist Ernest Boswell of Minnesota said.
"He was operating at a different level," he testified.
Horner, who served three tours with the Army in Iraq, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, but Boswell said it was not the cause of the April 6, 2009, incident at 58th Street Subway.
Horner, 31, is charged with killing Scott Garlick, 19, and wounding Michelle Petty, both Subway employees.
read more here
Psychologist says veteran was in a ‘dreamlike state’
March 27, 2012
By Phil Ray
The Altoona Mirror
HOLLIDAYSBURG - Nicholas A. Horner was in a "dreamlike state," or delirium, when he shot three people, killing two, during a 2009 robbery and getaway, a defense psychologist testified Monday in Blair County Court.
It was caused by repeated use of medication, and it also meant Horner was unable to form an intent to kill, psychologist Ernest Boswell of Minnesota said.
"He was operating at a different level," he testified.
Horner, who served three tours with the Army in Iraq, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, but Boswell said it was not the cause of the April 6, 2009, incident at 58th Street Subway.
Horner, 31, is charged with killing Scott Garlick, 19, and wounding Michelle Petty, both Subway employees.
read more here
Murray helps meet the nation's obligation to all the casualties of war
Murray helps meet the nation's obligation to all the casualties of war
The armed services have an ally in Washington's U.S. Sen. Patty Murray to help them rethink how they deal with post-traumatic stress disorder within their ranks, and to help veterans after they leave active duty.
Seattle Times Editorial
AMERICANS who saw heavy combat suffer a toll in health, happiness, marital status and earning power as civilians. So concluded a major study in 1985, followed by others.
The devastating traumas of combat experience, and exposure to the hazards and tensions of a war zone, are as old as the Trojan War, and as fresh as the multiple deployments of U.S. troops spread across two conflicts.
One thing has changed. Washington Sen. Patty Murray, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, has emerged as a tenacious advocate for service personnel and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and related mental health issues.
What apparently has not changed is the military's own ambivalence about the condition. Anyone who wants to stay in the service believes it's a career-ender to acknowledge the flashbacks, nightmares and depression that characterize PTSD. At the very least, it could compromise a promotion.
read more here
The armed services have an ally in Washington's U.S. Sen. Patty Murray to help them rethink how they deal with post-traumatic stress disorder within their ranks, and to help veterans after they leave active duty.
Seattle Times Editorial
AMERICANS who saw heavy combat suffer a toll in health, happiness, marital status and earning power as civilians. So concluded a major study in 1985, followed by others.
The devastating traumas of combat experience, and exposure to the hazards and tensions of a war zone, are as old as the Trojan War, and as fresh as the multiple deployments of U.S. troops spread across two conflicts.
One thing has changed. Washington Sen. Patty Murray, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, has emerged as a tenacious advocate for service personnel and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and related mental health issues.
What apparently has not changed is the military's own ambivalence about the condition. Anyone who wants to stay in the service believes it's a career-ender to acknowledge the flashbacks, nightmares and depression that characterize PTSD. At the very least, it could compromise a promotion.
read more here
Survey Gives Glimpse Into Minds of Recent Veterans
Survey Gives Glimpse Into Minds of Recent Veterans
By JAMES DAO
March 26, 2012
The 2012 edition of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s annual survey of its members came out on Monday. The largest such survey by the group to date, its results provide some interesting insights into what’s on the minds of recent veterans today.
Not surprisingly, the survey found that employment, mental health, disability benefits, health care, education (including the G.I. Bill), suicide and families — in that order — were the top concerns of the more than 4,200 members who responded.
Nearly 17 percent said they were unemployed when they took the survey in January, a higher rate than was documented by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which put the veterans’ unemployment rate for January at 9 percent.
Of those who are working, 37 percent said they worked for the government at some level, far outpacing the second largest industry listed, health care and pharmaceuticals, which tallied 8 percent. Similarly, of those looking for work, the largest group, about a quarter, said they wanted to find jobs in government.
In its summary of the survey, I.A.V.A. noted that because many local, state and federal agencies have been trimming their work forces, “the threat to veteran employment may grow.”
More than one in three respondents, 37 percent, said they knew someone who had committed suicide, down slightly from last year’s result. Asked if the person who committed suicide was serving or had separated from the military, respondents were almost evenly divided: 30 percent said the person had separated when the act occurred; 27 percent said the person was serving but not deployed; 25 percent said the person was serving and deployed. Another 11 percent said the person was in the National Guard and not deployed.
read more here
By JAMES DAO
March 26, 2012
The 2012 edition of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s annual survey of its members came out on Monday. The largest such survey by the group to date, its results provide some interesting insights into what’s on the minds of recent veterans today.
Not surprisingly, the survey found that employment, mental health, disability benefits, health care, education (including the G.I. Bill), suicide and families — in that order — were the top concerns of the more than 4,200 members who responded.
Nearly 17 percent said they were unemployed when they took the survey in January, a higher rate than was documented by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which put the veterans’ unemployment rate for January at 9 percent.
Of those who are working, 37 percent said they worked for the government at some level, far outpacing the second largest industry listed, health care and pharmaceuticals, which tallied 8 percent. Similarly, of those looking for work, the largest group, about a quarter, said they wanted to find jobs in government.
In its summary of the survey, I.A.V.A. noted that because many local, state and federal agencies have been trimming their work forces, “the threat to veteran employment may grow.”
More than one in three respondents, 37 percent, said they knew someone who had committed suicide, down slightly from last year’s result. Asked if the person who committed suicide was serving or had separated from the military, respondents were almost evenly divided: 30 percent said the person had separated when the act occurred; 27 percent said the person was serving but not deployed; 25 percent said the person was serving and deployed. Another 11 percent said the person was in the National Guard and not deployed.
read more here
Department of Veterans Affairs offering free training for rural clergy
PTSD attacks the soul. Plain and simple. It is an attack and does not begin within. PTSD only strikes after a traumatic event and it hits humans in all walks of life. We hear more about PTSD connected to combat for several reasons. The biggest one is the number of times these men and women are exposed to traumatic events and the violent nature of the trauma. Another reason is because they are a tiny minority in this country. Less than 1% serve today. With over 300 million people in the USA, we have about 24 million veterans but these are the latests figures from the VA about the number of them needing care.
According to the report the number of veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is 501,280. Yet this nation has a problem taking care of them? The Paul Ryan Budget did not include our veterans as if they are a burden to be forgotten.
Some will say it is the government's job to take care of them so they don't have to do anything when our veterans come home from combat. Yet when the government needs more money to do it, we hear about the deficit and passing on our debt to our children. When it comes to our veterans, this is a debt we owe to all veterans and it was paid for in advance when they offered their lives in service to this nation. Shame on us!
Every single one of us needs to do all we can when they come home. This includes members of the clergy helping them heal spiritually. If you live in a rural area, you are needed for the veterans and their families. Time to step up!
If you are a veteran with PTSD and need spiritual help you can contact Point Man International Ministries
VA Annual Benefits Reports for 2011
Number of Veterans and Survivors Receiving Compensation Benefits at the End of Fiscal Year 2011 is 3,710,215
Veterans received service-connected disability benefits 3,354,741
Survivors received service-connected death benefits 355,474
Veterans Receiving Service-Connected Disability Benefits at the End of Fiscal Year 2011 by Period of Service
World War II 191,425
Korean Conflict 148,180
Vietnam Era 1,161,473
Gulf War Era 1,203,834
Peacetime 649,829
According to the report the number of veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is 501,280. Yet this nation has a problem taking care of them? The Paul Ryan Budget did not include our veterans as if they are a burden to be forgotten.
Some will say it is the government's job to take care of them so they don't have to do anything when our veterans come home from combat. Yet when the government needs more money to do it, we hear about the deficit and passing on our debt to our children. When it comes to our veterans, this is a debt we owe to all veterans and it was paid for in advance when they offered their lives in service to this nation. Shame on us!
Every single one of us needs to do all we can when they come home. This includes members of the clergy helping them heal spiritually. If you live in a rural area, you are needed for the veterans and their families. Time to step up!
Matthew 9:37-38
New International Version (NIV)
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
Rural Clergy
March 22, 2012
VA Offering Training for Rural Clergy
Finding New Ways to Connect Rural Vets with VA Services
WASHINGTON (March 22, 2012) -- Members of the clergy in rural areas can sign up for free, one-day workshops offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs to educate these community leaders about the concerns of Veterans and the services offered by VA in their communities.
“VA has always recognized that faith is an important healing resource for many Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “These new workshops will provide training that will help community clergy in supporting Veterans in rural areas.”
It is estimated that one-fourth of people who seek help for mental health problems go to members of the clergy. “In addition to providing good spiritual care, we hope clergy will recognize the presence and severity of mental health problems, and know when and how to collaborate with health care professionals,” said Chaplain Jeni Cook, Associate Director of VA’s National Chaplain Center in Hampton, VA.
Workshops will run through June in rural parts of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Community clergy and Veterans Service Organization representatives are invited to attend.
Participants will learn about VA benefits and services and about how to contact local VA facilities to request information or assistance for Veterans.
Workshop topics will include post-deployment readjustment challenges, the spiritual and psychological effects of war trauma on survivors, and the important role of community in helping to reduce mental health stigma and support Veterans and their families.
Seating for the workshops is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information about dates and locations, visit Rural Clergy Training or contact Jim Goalder at 1-800-872-9975 or at jim.goalder@gmail.com.
If you are a veteran with PTSD and need spiritual help you can contact Point Man International Ministries
Monday, March 26, 2012
Memorial march for Bataan vets draws 7,000
Memorial march for Bataan vets draws 7,000
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Mar 26, 2012
WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. — Nearly 7,000 have participated in a march at White Sands Missile Range to honor the 70th anniversary of the Bataan Memorial Death March.
The special ceremony also drew more than a dozen survivors, including 94-year-old survivor Ben Skardon of Clemson, S.C.
read more here
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Mar 26, 2012
WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. — Nearly 7,000 have participated in a march at White Sands Missile Range to honor the 70th anniversary of the Bataan Memorial Death March.
The special ceremony also drew more than a dozen survivors, including 94-year-old survivor Ben Skardon of Clemson, S.C.
read more here
Governor poised to settle Virginia War Memorial issue
Governor poised to settle Virginia War Memorial issue
By Bill Sizemore
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 26, 2012
RICHMOND
A long-running dispute over how to honor Virginians killed in America's 21st century wars is grinding slowly toward resolution, but the final chapter of the saga could still be years away.
One reason it's taking so long is the unique nature of the "war on terror," which poses questions that past wars didn't: What does it encompass? When did it begin? When, if ever, will it end? And how will we know?
State lawmakers have wrestled with the quandary for four years. Now it appears Gov. Bob McDonnell may have the final word.
At the center of the dispute is the Virginia War Memorial, a glass and marble monument on a picturesque hillside with a panoramic view of the James River and downtown Richmond. In some ways, its mission has been a moving target from the beginning.
read more here
By Bill Sizemore
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 26, 2012
RICHMOND
A long-running dispute over how to honor Virginians killed in America's 21st century wars is grinding slowly toward resolution, but the final chapter of the saga could still be years away.
One reason it's taking so long is the unique nature of the "war on terror," which poses questions that past wars didn't: What does it encompass? When did it begin? When, if ever, will it end? And how will we know?
State lawmakers have wrestled with the quandary for four years. Now it appears Gov. Bob McDonnell may have the final word.
At the center of the dispute is the Virginia War Memorial, a glass and marble monument on a picturesque hillside with a panoramic view of the James River and downtown Richmond. In some ways, its mission has been a moving target from the beginning.
read more here
A big salute to Staten Island's Vietnam Vets
A big salute to Staten Island's Vietnam Vets
March 26, 2012
By Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- To recognize the sacrifices of those who served in the Vietnam War, state Sen. Andrew Lanza and Assemblyman Matthew Titone joined veterans and elected officials yesterday afternoon at the fourth annual Vietnam Veterans Day Celebration.
In 2008, Lanza (R-South Shore) and Titone (D-North Shore) authored legislation designating March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day in the state of New York after hearing the stories of Vietnam veteran Lester Modelowitz.
read more here
March 26, 2012
By Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- To recognize the sacrifices of those who served in the Vietnam War, state Sen. Andrew Lanza and Assemblyman Matthew Titone joined veterans and elected officials yesterday afternoon at the fourth annual Vietnam Veterans Day Celebration.
In 2008, Lanza (R-South Shore) and Titone (D-North Shore) authored legislation designating March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day in the state of New York after hearing the stories of Vietnam veteran Lester Modelowitz.
read more here
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day attracts crowd
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day attracts crowd
March 26, 2012
The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day attracted hundreds of people Sunday to Guadalupe for a ceremony, barbecue and more.
The Central Coast Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 982 organized the third annual event, which this year included unveiling the signs naming a segment of Highway 1 as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
read more here
March 26, 2012
The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day attracted hundreds of people Sunday to Guadalupe for a ceremony, barbecue and more.
The Central Coast Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 982 organized the third annual event, which this year included unveiling the signs naming a segment of Highway 1 as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
read more here
Vietnam veterans to be honored at Homecoming in Charlotte
Vietnam veterans to be honored at Homecoming in Charlotte
March 26, 2012
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina residents who served in Vietnam will be honored at a special event in Greensboro this week.
The USO of N.C., Charlotte Motor Speedway and N.C. Association of Broadcasters have worked together to organize the Vietnam Veterans Homecoming Celebration for military members and their friends and family.
The event, which was announced last December as the first of its kind in the region, is set to be held at Charlotte Motor Speedway on March 31.
read more here
March 26, 2012
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina residents who served in Vietnam will be honored at a special event in Greensboro this week.
The USO of N.C., Charlotte Motor Speedway and N.C. Association of Broadcasters have worked together to organize the Vietnam Veterans Homecoming Celebration for military members and their friends and family.
The event, which was announced last December as the first of its kind in the region, is set to be held at Charlotte Motor Speedway on March 31.
read more here
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans event held in Tulare
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans event held in Tulare
Mar. 25, 2012
Written by
DAVID CASTELLON
Plans were to hold the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans event at Veterans Park in Tulare, but with a strong storm approaching over the weekend, organizers arranged Saturday to move it indoors, inside the neighboring Tulare Memorial Building
Despite the rain, the event drew about 500 people — well above the 300 to 400 estimated to have attended last year in the park, said Kent McNatt, a Tulare native and one of the event's organizers.
Sunday marked the third year in a row that Central Valley Vietnam Veterans has put on the event in Tulare.
The event was organized to support a 2009 proclamation signed by then-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger designating March 30 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day" in the state. That date signifies the date the last U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam in 1973.
read more here
Mar. 25, 2012
Written by
DAVID CASTELLON
Post of colors by the Tule River Native Veterans Post 1987 and the Blood River Drum group and Joey Garfield of Native Blessing during the welcome home Vietnam Veterans Day program hosted by Central Valley Vietnam Veterans on Saturday at the Tulare Veterans Memorial building. Michael AlvarezA little rain didn't stop Valley veterans from honoring Vietnam War veterans Sunday in Tulare.
Plans were to hold the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans event at Veterans Park in Tulare, but with a strong storm approaching over the weekend, organizers arranged Saturday to move it indoors, inside the neighboring Tulare Memorial Building
Despite the rain, the event drew about 500 people — well above the 300 to 400 estimated to have attended last year in the park, said Kent McNatt, a Tulare native and one of the event's organizers.
Sunday marked the third year in a row that Central Valley Vietnam Veterans has put on the event in Tulare.
The event was organized to support a 2009 proclamation signed by then-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger designating March 30 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day" in the state. That date signifies the date the last U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam in 1973.
read more here
Vietnam War Mom talks about son being killed by another soldier
During a Vietnam War Veterans Day, a woman spoke about losing her son at the age of 19, but he didn't die in the usual way. Back then, it probably didn't even make the news. He was killed with three others others by one of their own.
There are so many lessons Vietnam taught us but we just never learned them.
Vietnam veterans honored decades after traumatic war
By NATALIE SHERMAN
March 26, 2012
"Things like this bring everything back," said Louise Pina, 87, of New Bedford, whose son Luiz Pina Jr. enlisted in 1964 and was killed Dec. 2, 1966, at the age of 19, when another man he was serving with "went berserk" and shot him and three other men.
NEW BEDFORD — Former Mayor Scott Lang called on the country to expedite troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, speaking Sunday at an event in honor of Vietnam War veterans about the parallels between the two conflicts.
"We are seeing history repeat itself," he said at the Vietnam War Veterans Day of Recognition in the Fort Taber museum. "The moment we ask as a nation, just as we did during the Vietnam War and what's happening right now, 'For what purpose are we there?' it's time to bring our troops home.
"The Vietnam War veterans can understand and explain this circumstance better than any other individuals in the United States."
Lang's speech Sunday afternoon was met by loud applause from the audience of more than 100, including at least 32 veterans of wars from World War II to Iraq.
read more here
Habitat for Humanity program helps veterans by giving them homes
Habitat for Humanity program helps veterans by giving them homes, home repairs
By Marian Rizzo
Correspondent
Published: Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 9:49 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 9:49 p.m.
Dexter and Maricel "Marty" Smith love to show off their home.
The four-bedroom dwelling — with its gable roof, screened front porch and landscaped yard — satisfied a longtime dream for the couple.
They and their four boys had been living with Marty's sister since they moved to Ocala in 2003, but they wanted a fresh start and a home of their own. They applied with Habitat for Humanity of Marion County and moved into their new home in September 2006.
As veterans of the U.S. Army, the Smiths are among a half-dozen veteran families serving as role models for Habitat's new housing program, Project Patriot. The program began March 1 and will be providing homes or home repairs for area veterans.
read more here
By Marian Rizzo
Correspondent
Published: Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 9:49 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 9:49 p.m.
Dexter and Maricel "Marty" Smith love to show off their home.
The four-bedroom dwelling — with its gable roof, screened front porch and landscaped yard — satisfied a longtime dream for the couple.
They and their four boys had been living with Marty's sister since they moved to Ocala in 2003, but they wanted a fresh start and a home of their own. They applied with Habitat for Humanity of Marion County and moved into their new home in September 2006.
As veterans of the U.S. Army, the Smiths are among a half-dozen veteran families serving as role models for Habitat's new housing program, Project Patriot. The program began March 1 and will be providing homes or home repairs for area veterans.
read more here
N.Y. Officer Stabbed By Former Officer-ex Marine
N.Y. Officer Stabbed By Former Officer
MATTHEW CHAYES
NEWSDAY, MELVILLE, N.Y.
An emergency services police officer suffered a stab wound to his stomach and arm in a Hempstead home Sunday during a confrontation with an emotionally disturbed former correction officer.
March 25--An emergency services police officer suffered a stab wound to his stomach and arm in a Hempstead home Sunday during a confrontation with an emotionally disturbed man, Nassau County police said. The injury is not considered life-threatening, police said.
The man was identified by police as Christopher Sargeant, 32. He is a former correction officer in New York City who was terminated March 12 for a medical disability, according to department spokeswoman Sharman Stein.
MATTHEW CHAYES
NEWSDAY, MELVILLE, N.Y.
An emergency services police officer suffered a stab wound to his stomach and arm in a Hempstead home Sunday during a confrontation with an emotionally disturbed former correction officer.
March 25--An emergency services police officer suffered a stab wound to his stomach and arm in a Hempstead home Sunday during a confrontation with an emotionally disturbed man, Nassau County police said. The injury is not considered life-threatening, police said.
The man was identified by police as Christopher Sargeant, 32. He is a former correction officer in New York City who was terminated March 12 for a medical disability, according to department spokeswoman Sharman Stein.
Neighbors said Sargeant served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Public records show that in 2001 he lived at the Marine base in Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
read more here
Thousands wrongfully discharged for personality disorders
Veterans study says thousands wrongfully discharged for personality disorders
By ERIK SLAVIN
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 26, 2012
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — The Defense Department violated regulations by discharging thousands of servicemembers under the pretense of personality disorders during the past decade, according to a study by Vietnam Veterans of America and the Veterans Services Clinic at Yale Law School.
The study data — obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests — reinforces previous smaller studies from the General Accountability Office and supports claims by others that the military diagnosed combat veterans with personality disorders to avoid paying retirement benefits to servicemembers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
While PTSD constitutes a medical disability, personality-related diagnoses are considered pre-existing conditions by the Defense Department.
The data showed that 31,000 servicemembers were discharged from 2001 to 2010 because of personality disorders, a group of disorders in which a person’s behaviors and thoughts differ from their culture’s expectations, causing work and relationship problems.
The Army alone discharged 734 soldiers for personality disorders in 2002, but that number steadily climbed to 1,078 by 2007, according to the report, which was released last week.
read more here
By ERIK SLAVIN
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 26, 2012
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — The Defense Department violated regulations by discharging thousands of servicemembers under the pretense of personality disorders during the past decade, according to a study by Vietnam Veterans of America and the Veterans Services Clinic at Yale Law School.
The study data — obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests — reinforces previous smaller studies from the General Accountability Office and supports claims by others that the military diagnosed combat veterans with personality disorders to avoid paying retirement benefits to servicemembers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
While PTSD constitutes a medical disability, personality-related diagnoses are considered pre-existing conditions by the Defense Department.
The data showed that 31,000 servicemembers were discharged from 2001 to 2010 because of personality disorders, a group of disorders in which a person’s behaviors and thoughts differ from their culture’s expectations, causing work and relationship problems.
The Army alone discharged 734 soldiers for personality disorders in 2002, but that number steadily climbed to 1,078 by 2007, according to the report, which was released last week.
read more here
Combat PTSD: Understanding the menace of memories
Understanding should have started with the reporter getting some real numbers.
Combat PTSD: Understanding the menace of memories
Sunday, March 25, 2012 - Tango of Mind and Emotion
by Jacqueline Marshall
WASHINGTON, March 25, 2012 - The more combat situations a soldier experiences, the greater is his or her chance of acquiring post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Many of us consider that to be stating the obvious, but there are statistics that make the obvious concrete.
A study assessing the incidence of PTSD in troops leaving Iraq found that soldiers not involved in fighting had a PTSD incidence rate of 4.5%. For those in intense combat once or twice, the incidence rate more than doubled to 9.3%. The number is 13% for troops in three to five combat situations. More than five exposures and the occurrence rate of PTSD shoots up to 20%.
The study’s “silver lining” is that after five or more combat experiences, 80% of the troops studied did not report symptoms of PTSD. Still, the number of troops with them is significant. The Military Health System reported 39,365 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2003 and 2007 were given a diagnosis of PTSD.
read more here
Military Scrambles To Limit Malaria Drug Just After Afghanistan Massacre
It is looking more and more like the medication Bales was on was part of this.
This was posted here January, 2008. Just goes to show what they new back then. It is a long post with some of the results of what they got wrong in human terms.
When I wrote about the connection between what Bales is accused of doing and medications he was probably on for PTSD and TBI, I didn't think about Mefloquine. Army: PTSD treatable; some diagnosed return to war,,,with meds
By most accounts, Sgt. Robert Bales has PTSD and TBI. If true, then sending him back into combat, more than likely, included medications for both. Is anyone looking into what medications he was on and if they played a role in what happened more than PTSD and TBI? Most medications the troops are given come with clear warnings about side effects.
Looks like I should have.
Robert Bales Charged: Military Scrambles To Limit Malaria Drug Just After Afghanistan Massacre
Posted: 03/25/2012
Mark Benjamin
WASHINGTON -- Nine days after a U.S. soldier allegedly massacred 17 civilians in Afghanistan, a top-level Pentagon health official ordered a widespread, emergency review of the military’s use of a notorius anti-malaria drug called mefloquine.
Mefloquine, also called Lariam, has severe psychiatric side effects. Problems include psychotic behavior, paranoia and hallucinations. The drug has been implicated in numerous suicides and homicides, including deaths in the U.S. military. For years the military has used the weekly pill to help prevent malaria among deployed troops.
The U.S. Army nearly dropped use of mefloquine entirely in 2009 because of the dangers, now only using it in limited circumstances, including sometimes in Afghanistan. The 2009 order from the Army said soldiers who have suffered a traumatic brain injury should not be given the drug.
The soldier accused of grisly Afghanistan murders on March 17 of men, women and children, Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, suffered a traumatic brain injury in Iraq in 2010 during his third combat tour. According to New York Times reporting, repeated combat tours also increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Bales' wife, Karilyn Bales, broke her silence in an interview Sunday with NBC's Matt Lauer, airing on Monday's Today show. "It is unbelievable to me. I have no idea what happened, but he would not -- he loves children. He would not do that," she said in excerpts released Sunday.
On March 20, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Jonathan Woodson ordered a new, urgent review to make sure that troops were not getting the drug inappropriately. The task order from Woodson, obtained by The Huffington Post, orders an immediate “review of mefloquine prescribing practices” to be completed by the following Monday, six days after the order was issued.
read more here
This was posted here January, 2008. Just goes to show what they new back then. It is a long post with some of the results of what they got wrong in human terms.
VA issued warning on Lariam in 2004
VA Warns Doctors About Lariam
United Press International
25 June 2004
WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs is warning doctors to watch for long-term mental problems and other health effects from an anti-malaria drug given to soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.The drug is mefloquine, known by the brand name Lariam, which has been given to tens of thousands of soldiers since the war on terrorism began. Some of those soldiers say it has provoked severe mental and physical problems including suicidal and violent behavior, psychosis, convulsions and balance disorders.
Last year the Food and Drug Administration began warning that problems might last "long after" someone stops taking it.
Fort Campbell tries to stop soldier suicides
Spc. Adam Kuligowski's problems began because he couldn't sleep.
Last year, the 21-year-old soldier was working six days a week, analyzing intelligence that the military gathered while he was serving in Afghanistan. He was gifted at his job and loved being a part of the 101st Airborne Division, just like his father and his great uncle.
But Adam was tired and often late for work. His eyes were glassy and he was falling asleep while on duty. His room was messy and his uniform was dirty.
His father, Mike Kuligowski, attributes his son's sleeplessness and depression to an anti-malarial medication called mefloquine that was found in his system. In rare cases, it can cause psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, paranoia, depression, hallucination and psychotic behavior.
Army curbs prescriptions of anti-malaria drug Mefloquine
Army curbs prescriptions of anti-malaria drug
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Almost four decades after inventing a potent anti-malarial drug, the U.S. Army has pushed it to the back of its medicine cabinet.
The dramatic about-face follows years of complaints and concerns that mefloquine caused psychiatric and physical side effects even as it was used around the globe as a front-line defense against the mosquito-borne disease that kills about 800,000 people a year.
"Mefloquine is a zombie drug. It's dangerous, and it should have been killed off years ago," said Dr. Remington Nevin, an epidemiologist and Army major who has published research that he said showed the drug can be potentially toxic to the brain. He believes the drop in prescriptions is a tacit acknowledgment of the drug's serious problems.
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