Wounded Altavista Soldier Stays Positive
Posted: May 30, 2012
Reporter: Carleigh Griffeth
Altavista, VA- An inspiring update on a soldier from Altavista, nearly killed in Afghanistan. Chris Walker was clearing a site of explosive devices when one went off, throwing him 30 feet.
He lost both of his lower arms, and a leg. Right now, he's at Walter Reed Memorial Hospital in Maryland. We got to speak with him.
He's been through so much, but he's very optimistic. He's not mad, he's not upset, he's not even worrying about the future. The only thing he is complaining about, is having to stay in bed. And from the looks of things, he won't be there long.
Chris Walker's mother remembers it like it was yesterday.
"I can't explain. I really can't explain the feeling that it, that you have when you get the call," said Donna Hammack, Chris' Mother.
The call that her son lost three limbs, and was clinging to life.
"It's nothing that I'd wish on nobody else," said Hammack.
read more here
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Cranston Rhode Island Veteran with PTSD getting help after standoff
Man surrenders after Cranston standoff
Residents allowed back into their homes
Published : Thursday, 31 May 2012
By Courtney Caligiuri
With Reporting by Andrew Adamson
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) - People have been allowed back into their homes in a Cranston neighborhood after being evacuated during an hours-long standoff Wednesday night.
Police said a 30-year-old veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder was behind the incident.
Police responded to a home on Legion Way around 7 p.m. after being alerted by the man's family.
Residents allowed back into their homes
Published : Thursday, 31 May 2012
By Courtney Caligiuri
With Reporting by Andrew Adamson
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) - People have been allowed back into their homes in a Cranston neighborhood after being evacuated during an hours-long standoff Wednesday night.
Police said a 30-year-old veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder was behind the incident.
Police responded to a home on Legion Way around 7 p.m. after being alerted by the man's family.
"He has had some issues in the past, and I'm happy to say he's going to a place where he's going to get the help he needs and all of our officers are going home safe," said Col. Polombo.read more here
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Veteran and Englewood Police Officer killed by hit and run driver
Hit-and-run kills officer
May 30, 2012.
Tom Munds
Englewood Police Officer Jeremy Bitner died from injuries he received when he was hit by an alleged drunk driver in the early-morning hours of Memorial Day.
Englewood Police Chief John Collins’ voice reflected the depth of his feelings at a May 29 press conference where he announced Bitner’s death. He said Bitner had died the day earlier – the same day as the crash – but the announcement was delayed at the request of the family and so Bitner’s desire to be an organ donor could be honored
read more here
May 30, 2012.
Tom Munds
Englewood Police Officer Jeremy Bitner died from injuries he received when he was hit by an alleged drunk driver in the early-morning hours of Memorial Day.
Englewood Police Chief John Collins’ voice reflected the depth of his feelings at a May 29 press conference where he announced Bitner’s death. He said Bitner had died the day earlier – the same day as the crash – but the announcement was delayed at the request of the family and so Bitner’s desire to be an organ donor could be honored
Bitner served a tour in the Army as a member of the 101st Airborne Infantry and served a tour in Bosnia. He became a law enforcement officer and was a deputy with the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office before being hired by Englewood in December 2004. In his time as an Englewood police officer, Bitner served as a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics team, was a field training officer for newly hired officers and was an instructor in the Citizen’s Academy.
read more here
War hero, 91, targeted in Florida's purge of voter rolls
War hero, 91, targeted in Florida's purge of voter rolls
By Brittany Wallman and Kathleen Haughney
Sun Sentinel
Published: May 29, 2012
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.
Using an American war veteran as the face of their cause, two South Florida congressmen called on the governor Tuesday to immediately stop the state’s purge of the voter rolls.
And in a separate move, Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson sent a letter to the governor expressing his own concerns about the voter purging. U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, accused the Republican governor of using the roll cleanup as a ruse to disenfranchise voters just months before a presidential election.
Sitting in the retirement village in Davie where he lives, 91-year-old Bill Internicola listened Tuesday as Deutch read from a piece of his recent mail: “The Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office has received information from the state of Florida that you are not a United States citizen; however you are registered to vote.’’
read more here
By Brittany Wallman and Kathleen Haughney
Sun Sentinel
Published: May 29, 2012
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.
Using an American war veteran as the face of their cause, two South Florida congressmen called on the governor Tuesday to immediately stop the state’s purge of the voter rolls.
And in a separate move, Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson sent a letter to the governor expressing his own concerns about the voter purging. U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, accused the Republican governor of using the roll cleanup as a ruse to disenfranchise voters just months before a presidential election.
Sitting in the retirement village in Davie where he lives, 91-year-old Bill Internicola listened Tuesday as Deutch read from a piece of his recent mail: “The Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office has received information from the state of Florida that you are not a United States citizen; however you are registered to vote.’’
read more here
In Sweat Lodge, Vets Find Healing 'Down To The Core'
In Sweat Lodge, Vets Find Healing 'Down To The Core'
by TAKI TELONIDIS
May 28, 2012
Substance abuse. Violence. Even thoughts of suicide. These are some of the problems that many veterans returning home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are struggling with.
Today it's called post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, but it has affected veterans going back much farther. While doctors and researchers put enormous efforts into developing new treatments, one group of veterans in Salt Lake City is finding relief in a very old tradition: a Native American sweat lodge.
If you didn't know to peer over the six-foot brick wall next to a parking lot at Salt Lake's Veterans Affairs center, you'd never guess it was there.
On a Friday afternoon, Cal Bench, a Vietnam veteran, is here early, gathering firewood like he does every week for the ceremony that will start in a few hours.
"I went into the service at 18 and I went to Vietnam at 19," Bench says. "And I had no idea how it would change or affect you mentally. The concept that I would carry that around forever was just hard. But I just never had any place to turn. I came here and I was given a blessing."
read more here
by TAKI TELONIDIS
May 28, 2012
Substance abuse. Violence. Even thoughts of suicide. These are some of the problems that many veterans returning home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are struggling with.
Today it's called post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, but it has affected veterans going back much farther. While doctors and researchers put enormous efforts into developing new treatments, one group of veterans in Salt Lake City is finding relief in a very old tradition: a Native American sweat lodge.
If you didn't know to peer over the six-foot brick wall next to a parking lot at Salt Lake's Veterans Affairs center, you'd never guess it was there.
On a Friday afternoon, Cal Bench, a Vietnam veteran, is here early, gathering firewood like he does every week for the ceremony that will start in a few hours.
"I went into the service at 18 and I went to Vietnam at 19," Bench says. "And I had no idea how it would change or affect you mentally. The concept that I would carry that around forever was just hard. But I just never had any place to turn. I came here and I was given a blessing."
read more here
What does Chris Hayes think a hero is?
Chris Hayes doesn't seem to understand what makes someone a hero. "Doing his job" a person puts on his /her uniform because they are very different from people like Hayes.
A hero is a regular person who rises about being ordinary. We use the word for regular people putting their own lives on the line for the sake of someone else, yet they live the same way the rest of us do the rest of the time. Same hopes, dreams and problems but they managed somehow to show the rest of us how very different they are.
We have some making it their careers to save lives. They go into law enforcement knowing they could be killed in the line of duty as well as usually being the last person you want to see unless you need them.
Firefighters and EMT responders know they could also die in the line of duty but people are happy when they show up simply because they only show up when you need them.
Even in these groups there are some going above and beyond what is expected of them, above the ordinary for their class. We call them all heroes but the difference comes when they call one of their own hero.
It looks like there is a heated debate going on about who is a hero.
It all depends on who is using the word.
Medals are given because someone higher up in the military thinks the serviceman or woman deserves it. Calling someone a hero is determined by the person using the word. To me, anyone putting their own lives, wants, desires and needs aside for someone else is a hero. As with everything else, there are different levels of heroic acts but in the end they are very different from the rest of us.
A hero is a regular person who rises about being ordinary. We use the word for regular people putting their own lives on the line for the sake of someone else, yet they live the same way the rest of us do the rest of the time. Same hopes, dreams and problems but they managed somehow to show the rest of us how very different they are.
We have some making it their careers to save lives. They go into law enforcement knowing they could be killed in the line of duty as well as usually being the last person you want to see unless you need them.
Firefighters and EMT responders know they could also die in the line of duty but people are happy when they show up simply because they only show up when you need them.
Even in these groups there are some going above and beyond what is expected of them, above the ordinary for their class. We call them all heroes but the difference comes when they call one of their own hero.
It looks like there is a heated debate going on about who is a hero.
Overheard on CNN.com: Does the uniform make the hero?
May 29th, 2012
Editor's note: This post is part of the Overheard on CNN.com series, a regular feature that examines interesting comments and thought-provoking conversations posted by the community.
When a soldier puts on his uniform for the first time, has he joined the ranks of our nation’s heroes? Or is he simply doing his job? MSNBC’s Chris Hayes chose Memorial Day to share his opinion that military service alone does not a hero make – an opinion he quickly rescinded and publicly apologized for amid a barrage of criticism.
While many thought the newsman was out of line, others supported him as simply exercising his rights to tell an uncomfortable truth.
It all depends on who is using the word.
Hero
he·ro [heer-oh]
noun, plural he·roes; for 5 also he·ros
1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
3. the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc.
4. Classical Mythology
a being of godlike prowess and beneficence who often came to be honored as a divinity.
b.(in the Homeric period) a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage, or ability.
c.(in later antiquity) an immortal being; demigod.
Medals are given because someone higher up in the military thinks the serviceman or woman deserves it. Calling someone a hero is determined by the person using the word. To me, anyone putting their own lives, wants, desires and needs aside for someone else is a hero. As with everything else, there are different levels of heroic acts but in the end they are very different from the rest of us.
Stephen Cochran, wounded veteran, sings Pieces for others with PTSD
Stephen Cochran's new song helps PTSD sufferers
Posted: May 28, 2012
Reported By Roxanna Haynes, Reporter
NASHVILLE, Tenn.
U.S. Marine turned country singer Stephen Cochran nearly took his own life after returning home from war four years ago.
Through the message in his new song, "Pieces", Cochran hopes to help other veterans going through the same thing.
The lyrics of the song demonstrate the struggles veterans' face with post traumatic stress disorder.
"We hope to touch the people out there and save some lives. If we save two or three people, that's two or three people that wouldn't be here before this message," said Cochran, who left his music career to fight overseas but got injured in Afghanistan.
"I was paralyzed from the waist down," he continued. "They told me I've never walk again I thought this dream that I had would never happen."
When he returned home, Cochran suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder and was on the brink of suicide.
read more here
Posted: May 28, 2012
Reported By Roxanna Haynes, Reporter
NASHVILLE, Tenn.
U.S. Marine turned country singer Stephen Cochran nearly took his own life after returning home from war four years ago.
Through the message in his new song, "Pieces", Cochran hopes to help other veterans going through the same thing.
The lyrics of the song demonstrate the struggles veterans' face with post traumatic stress disorder.
"We hope to touch the people out there and save some lives. If we save two or three people, that's two or three people that wouldn't be here before this message," said Cochran, who left his music career to fight overseas but got injured in Afghanistan.
"I was paralyzed from the waist down," he continued. "They told me I've never walk again I thought this dream that I had would never happen."
When he returned home, Cochran suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder and was on the brink of suicide.
read more here
Reward offered for murderer of Nathan Taylor, 3 tour veteran
$20,000 reward offered in slaying of Army vet in Lancaster
By City News Service
Posted:05/29/2012
MONTEREY PARK - Authorities today offered a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of whoever killed an Army sergeant outside his brother's home in Lancaster.
Sheriff Lee Baca held a news conference to appeal to the public for help in solving the murder of 26-year-old Nathen Taylor, who served three tours of duty with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The idea of solving a homicide case is one where all possibilities have to be considered," Baca said. Taylor had just left a party at his brother's home in the 700 block of West Avenue H-7 and was shot while sitting in his car about 12:10 a.m. His brother, Patrick, heard the gunshots and ran out to find brother fatally shot.
Nathen Taylor, who had been in the Army for seven years, had been taking computer and engineering classes at Antelope Valley College.
read more here
By City News Service
Posted:05/29/2012
MONTEREY PARK - Authorities today offered a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of whoever killed an Army sergeant outside his brother's home in Lancaster.
Sheriff Lee Baca held a news conference to appeal to the public for help in solving the murder of 26-year-old Nathen Taylor, who served three tours of duty with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The idea of solving a homicide case is one where all possibilities have to be considered," Baca said. Taylor had just left a party at his brother's home in the 700 block of West Avenue H-7 and was shot while sitting in his car about 12:10 a.m. His brother, Patrick, heard the gunshots and ran out to find brother fatally shot.
Nathen Taylor, who had been in the Army for seven years, had been taking computer and engineering classes at Antelope Valley College.
read more here
Older veterans included in Hire Heroes Act
Program recruits older vets for employment training
By Steve Vogel
Washington Post
For Cheryl Blackburn, an Army veteran who lost her job as a leasing consultant in March, the search for new employment has been frustrating.
“I wanted to get back in government, but everybody said you needed a degree,” said Blackburn, a D.C. resident who once worked as a security consultant for the State Department. “I had the experience, but I needed the degree.”
Blackburn, 51, of Southeast, is one of the first veterans in the country to sign up for a new program offered jointly by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Labor Department aimed at retraining up to 99,000 older veterans for high-demand jobs.
The program, known as the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), targets unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60. The program is a key part of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act passed by Congress and signed by President Obama late last year.
Blackburn hopes to use the program to earn a degree in finance at the University of the District of Columbia or Northern Virginia Community College.
“This important tool will help those who served our country receive the education and training they need to find meaningful employment in a high-demand field,” Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said upon the program’s May 15 launch.
read more here
By Steve Vogel
Washington Post
U.S. Department of Labor - Cheryl Blackburn, an Army veteran, had previously held jobs in customer service and as a security contractor, but is also unemployed. She recently signed up for the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program.
For Cheryl Blackburn, an Army veteran who lost her job as a leasing consultant in March, the search for new employment has been frustrating.
“I wanted to get back in government, but everybody said you needed a degree,” said Blackburn, a D.C. resident who once worked as a security consultant for the State Department. “I had the experience, but I needed the degree.”
Blackburn, 51, of Southeast, is one of the first veterans in the country to sign up for a new program offered jointly by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Labor Department aimed at retraining up to 99,000 older veterans for high-demand jobs.
The program, known as the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP), targets unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60. The program is a key part of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act passed by Congress and signed by President Obama late last year.
Blackburn hopes to use the program to earn a degree in finance at the University of the District of Columbia or Northern Virginia Community College.
“This important tool will help those who served our country receive the education and training they need to find meaningful employment in a high-demand field,” Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said upon the program’s May 15 launch.
read more here
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Austin veterans react to alarming increase in military suicides
Local veterans react to alarming increase in military suicides
by SHELTON GREEN KVUE News and
Photojournalist MATT OLSEN
kvue.com
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:26 PM
AUSTIN – As the nation reflects this Memorial Day on the men and women who served our country both past and present, there is also a growing focus on an alarming number of military suicides with the present generation of U.S. Veterans.
“Those of us who've served and been in war, we've seen things that you haven't seen," said James Floyd, an Air Force veteran who served four tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan in six years. "We've done things that maybe some of us aren't so proud of, not that we wouldn't do it again if we had to.”
Floyd credits strong family support and the support of his veteran family at the V.F.W. Post 8787 in North Austin for helping him reacclimate back in to society. That hasn’t been the case for every veteran.
“Actually, I just found out that on Mother's Day one of my former troops committed suicide. He was having martial issues,” added Floyd.
The Associated Press reports that a staggering 45% of the 1.5 million soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are now filing for disability benefits at an historic rate. Other research also suggests that military suicides are now up 80%
“They're doing three, four and five tours. Where in Vietnam, unless you really wanted to, I would say the maximum tour, I would say a maximum of two years,” said P.K. Wright, a Vietnam Veteran who spoke to KVUE News Monday.
read more here
by SHELTON GREEN KVUE News and
Photojournalist MATT OLSEN
kvue.com
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:26 PM
AUSTIN – As the nation reflects this Memorial Day on the men and women who served our country both past and present, there is also a growing focus on an alarming number of military suicides with the present generation of U.S. Veterans.
“Those of us who've served and been in war, we've seen things that you haven't seen," said James Floyd, an Air Force veteran who served four tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan in six years. "We've done things that maybe some of us aren't so proud of, not that we wouldn't do it again if we had to.”
Floyd credits strong family support and the support of his veteran family at the V.F.W. Post 8787 in North Austin for helping him reacclimate back in to society. That hasn’t been the case for every veteran.
“Actually, I just found out that on Mother's Day one of my former troops committed suicide. He was having martial issues,” added Floyd.
The Associated Press reports that a staggering 45% of the 1.5 million soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are now filing for disability benefits at an historic rate. Other research also suggests that military suicides are now up 80%
“They're doing three, four and five tours. Where in Vietnam, unless you really wanted to, I would say the maximum tour, I would say a maximum of two years,” said P.K. Wright, a Vietnam Veteran who spoke to KVUE News Monday.
read more here
Veterans Stick With the Republican Nominee, but why?
This is something I can never understand. Why do veterans do this to themselves? John McCain is supported by veterans even though his history of votes has been against them. President Obama has done a lot for veterans, but they don't support him. Why? If they look up the facts they would know what they have been told is not always true then maybe they'd have a lot more than either side has given them.
Case in point is "strong military" but their votes (on both sides) actually mean strong on defense contractors and not the troops or veterans. Everyone in Washington is trying to get re-elected, so they want to bring defense money to their own area of the country but they don't seem to be all that interested in veterans. Do they have claims processed correctly and on time? Do they have a place to live? Do they have jobs? Do they have support services from their communities? Do their families have what they need when troops are deployed? Do National Guards and Reservists have the ability to keep healthcare insurance when they are back home, especially when they don't have jobs to go back to? Do they get support from the colleges, have their GI Bill funds move the way they are supposed to?
There are so many issues regarding veterans and what they need after they served but no one seems to be really paying attention to them.
Case in point is "strong military" but their votes (on both sides) actually mean strong on defense contractors and not the troops or veterans. Everyone in Washington is trying to get re-elected, so they want to bring defense money to their own area of the country but they don't seem to be all that interested in veterans. Do they have claims processed correctly and on time? Do they have a place to live? Do they have jobs? Do they have support services from their communities? Do their families have what they need when troops are deployed? Do National Guards and Reservists have the ability to keep healthcare insurance when they are back home, especially when they don't have jobs to go back to? Do they get support from the colleges, have their GI Bill funds move the way they are supposed to?
There are so many issues regarding veterans and what they need after they served but no one seems to be really paying attention to them.
Veterans Stick With the Republican NomineeUPDATE no shocker here! Another reporter decided to take the work of someone else as their own. First a play on my headline and then a change of words for the original report from NY Times.
By MARJORIE CONNELLY
May 28, 2012
President Obama never served, and neither did Mitt Romney. For the first time since World War II, neither presidential nominee is a military veteran. But polling suggests that veterans still have a strong preference for the Republican candidate.
In 2008, military veterans strongly backed Senator John McCain for president. In fact, Mr. McCain’s huge advantage among veterans largely fueled his majority support from men in general.
Mr. McCain, who was a naval aviator during the Vietnam War and spent more than five years as a prisoner of war, received 57 percent of the votes of male veterans while Barack Obama won 42 percent. Among men who had not served in the military, 52 percent backed Mr. Obama and 46 percent preferred Mr. McCain, according to the Edison/Mitofsky national exit poll.
This year, according to analysis of the Gallup daily tracking poll, voters who have served in the military strongly support Mr. Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, over Mr. Obama, 58 percent to 34 percent. Nonveterans back Mr. Obama, 48 percent to 44 percent.
read more here
Mitt Romney leads Obama among veterans, but why?
Published: Thursday, May 31, 2012, 12:02 PM
By Carly Rothman/The Star-Ledger
Just 24 of our 44 presidents served in the U.S. Armed Forces before taking office, suggesting Americans are not necessarily opposed to picking presidents without military experience. But the upcoming contest between President Obama and Mitt Romney is unique in recent history: the first such race since World War II in which voters won't have a veteran to vote for from either major party.
read more here
National Vietnam War Museum Memorial Day Service
On May 27, 2012
The National Vietnam War Museum in Orlando Florida had their annual Memorial Day Service.
Major Amy Rittenbusch came to cut the ribbon of the plane she flew.
The following was an email report Harry Scholer sent out about the day.
The National Vietnam War Museum in Orlando Florida had their annual Memorial Day Service.
Major Amy Rittenbusch came to cut the ribbon of the plane she flew.
The following was an email report Harry Scholer sent out about the day.
Folks, Yesterday I attended the Vietnam and all Veterans Memorial Day service at the Bunker and it was truly memorable.
A thirty year marine colonel with 50 plus air combat missions, a thirty two year old army lieutenant who holds a purple heat and a bronze star, and congresswoman Sandy Adams, a true conservative and veterans supporter were on the dais.. Each spoke briefly and from the heart about the true meaning of Memorial Day. The VFW band played patriotic music, the 5 joint services color guards presented colors and the names of the fallen Vietnam veterans from Orange County were read out loud as young marines placed wreaths at the wall. A soaking rain did not stop the attendees from paying their respects.
One of those present stood out to me. He was an old man wearing old clothes and his face and arms were scarred from cancer removal with a laser. He had tobacco juice staining the corner of his mouth and a baseball cap that said "Veteran of three Wars, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Maybe if you saw him on a bus you would turn away. I shook his hand and said something like what a career, his response was " I guess I was a slow learner." As we talked he told he retired from the Marine Corps as a Master Sergeant. As a teenager he was at Bougainville and Okinawa, a twenty something at the Frozen Chosin and in his words an old man in Vietnam (he had retired in 1964 and was called back to active duty in '68. It was there that he and other troops were sprayed with agent orange.) From his perspective Vietnam was the worst if he had to pick one, not like the other two were a cakewalk.
Most of us revere veterans from all wars but it is rare to meet one who served in three. He said he was driving by and saw all the cars so he decided to stop in. I'm happy that he did. Please remember all who served this day and everyday.
R/Harry
Monday, May 28, 2012
Afghanistan veteran's service dog could mean eviction
Taking His Doctor’s Advice Could Cost a Combat Veteran His Apartment
By JOSEPH BERGER
Published: May 28, 2012
After Eugene Ovsishcher returned from a nine-month combat tour in Afghanistan, he experienced what his doctors called symptoms of post-traumatic stress: nightmares, flashbacks and a pervasive anxiety. A psychiatrist advised him to get a dog, and last August he did — a shaggy, mocha Shih Tzu puppy that Mr. Ovsishcher named Mickey because he crawled like a mouse.
The dog proved to be the right medicine, Mr. Ovsishcher said: Mickey woke him from nightmares by sensing something was wrong and barking, settled him down when he was alone and anxious, and even checked up on him “like a registered nurse” when he had a fever.
“Take a look at his face,” Mr. Ovsishcher said, comparing Mickey to Chewbacca, the hairy character in the “Star Wars” series. “You can’t stay anxious or angry or whatever. You look at that face and you start laughing.”
But now Mr. Ovsishcher is facing eviction from his three-bedroom co-op at Trump Village in Coney Island, Brooklyn, because the housing complex has a no-dogs policy. He is wrestling with a kind of Sophie’s Choice: his home or his dog.
read more here
By JOSEPH BERGER
Published: May 28, 2012
After Eugene Ovsishcher returned from a nine-month combat tour in Afghanistan, he experienced what his doctors called symptoms of post-traumatic stress: nightmares, flashbacks and a pervasive anxiety. A psychiatrist advised him to get a dog, and last August he did — a shaggy, mocha Shih Tzu puppy that Mr. Ovsishcher named Mickey because he crawled like a mouse.
The dog proved to be the right medicine, Mr. Ovsishcher said: Mickey woke him from nightmares by sensing something was wrong and barking, settled him down when he was alone and anxious, and even checked up on him “like a registered nurse” when he had a fever.
“Take a look at his face,” Mr. Ovsishcher said, comparing Mickey to Chewbacca, the hairy character in the “Star Wars” series. “You can’t stay anxious or angry or whatever. You look at that face and you start laughing.”
But now Mr. Ovsishcher is facing eviction from his three-bedroom co-op at Trump Village in Coney Island, Brooklyn, because the housing complex has a no-dogs policy. He is wrestling with a kind of Sophie’s Choice: his home or his dog.
read more here
Veterans filing for disability benefits at highest rate in history
This is what happens when people do not pay attention. When troops were sent into Afghanistan, there were less doctors and nurses working for the VA than during the Gulf War. When wounded were coming back from Afghanistan and the push was on to get Vietnam veterans to file claims for PTSD and Agent Orange by service groups, more troops were sent into Iraq. No one thought about the veterans from any wars. What did voters do? Nothing. They did not hold their politicians accountable. It didn't matter if they were Republican or Democrat, Independent or didn't vote at all, veterans should always be a national issue since this nation sends them from every part of this country.
If you want to really say you honor the fallen then we better do a better job of taking care of the living.
If you want to really say you honor the fallen then we better do a better job of taking care of the living.
Iraq, Afghanistan vets filing for disability benefits at highest rate in history
Meg Farris
Eyewitness News
NEW ORLEANS -- The men and women veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan are filing for disability benefits at the highest rate in U.S. history.
Forty-five percent are seeking claims. That's double the rate from the Gulf War in the 1990s.
At Monday's Memorial Day gatherings, wounded veterans of the past talked about their experience with getting benefits. People in the packed Fleet Reserve Association hall in Gretna stood to salute the flag and sing the Star-Spangled Banner.
These veterans came home a generation or two ago with unforgettable experiences.
"We were being shot at when a Viet Cong with an M79 grenade launcher, and it is frightful when you hear those things coming in, and there was an explosion. I didn't know where I was," said James Tompson.
He is a marine and a Vietnam veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart when his arm was injured. Four years ago he filed for disability benefits for a brain condition. He is still waiting.
"Especially when it comes to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and either anything, it seems to be taking an awfully long time for the VA to sort it out," said Tompson.
read more here
Wounded Times gave you the story first again
Why do I spend so many hours tracking stories across the country? Because the big boy media companies don't seem to care enough to do it. Wounded Times does it again! It took Associated Press all this time to pick up on this story but Wounded Times had it posted back in February. This happens all the time. Because veterans and the troops are all that is posted here, you get the stories first. How about you email them and ask them what took so long to report this.
Here's the AP story or you can click the link above for the way it was first reported.
Originally published May 28, 2012 at 5:45 AM | Page modified May 28, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Fallen Marine's letter marks Memorial Day in Kabul U.S. Marine Sgt. William Stacey was killed earlier this year by a homemade bomb in southern Afghanistan, a tragedy for which he prepared by writing a letter to his family explaining why he was fighting that was to be read in the event of his death.
By SEBASTIAN ABBOT
Associated Press
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Friday, February 3, 2012
Fallen Marine Sgt. William Stacey's last letter, "it was all worth it" This is what makes them so different from the rest of us. This last letter to Sgt. Stacey's family tells them that for all the talk for and against what he was doing, he believed he was making a difference in this world. He didn't serve to do anything other than do some good for someone. We can talk about everything else but in the end, this is what it all comes down to. They are willing to die for each other, surrender whatever comforts they have at home to travel around the world but once they do, most of the country moves on, forgetting about them.
Here's the AP story or you can click the link above for the way it was first reported.
Originally published May 28, 2012 at 5:45 AM | Page modified May 28, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Fallen Marine's letter marks Memorial Day in Kabul U.S. Marine Sgt. William Stacey was killed earlier this year by a homemade bomb in southern Afghanistan, a tragedy for which he prepared by writing a letter to his family explaining why he was fighting that was to be read in the event of his death.
By SEBASTIAN ABBOT
Associated Press
read more here
Helicopter Crash Kills 2 NATO Soldiers in Afghanistan
Helicopter Crash Kills 2 NATO Soldiers in Afghanistan
VOA News
May 28, 2012
NATO officials said two coalition members were killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan Monday.
The coalition said it is investigating the cause of the crash. Initial reports said there was no enemy activity in the area.
Earlier, another coalition aircraft also crashed in eastern Afghanistan. There were no fatalities in that crash.
Also Monday, an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan killed a NATO service member.
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VOA News
May 28, 2012
NATO officials said two coalition members were killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan Monday.
The coalition said it is investigating the cause of the crash. Initial reports said there was no enemy activity in the area.
Earlier, another coalition aircraft also crashed in eastern Afghanistan. There were no fatalities in that crash.
Also Monday, an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan killed a NATO service member.
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Family Remembers Local Marine’s PTSD Struggle
Family Remembers Local Marine’s PTSD Struggle
May 28, 2012
Reporting Stephanie Lucero
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 NEWS) – The memories of the battles he fought in Iraq came home, to Fairview, with Corporal Gregory Schneider.
It was the long, confidential conversations he had with his father that helped Schneider rise above the darkness that overwhelmed him after his return from battle in Iraq.
Schneider died at home on Memorial Day in 2010. He was killed in a motorcycle accident that happened when he tried to get onto I-75 Central Expressway at Haskell, in Dallas.
Just one day before the crash the Schneider family had gotten together for lunch, to recognize Memorial Day.
Now two years later, before today’s memorial service at DFW National Cemetery in Dallas, Schneider’s parents visited his grave and talked to CBS 11 News about their son’s accomplishments and challenges trying to overcome Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
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May 28, 2012
Reporting Stephanie Lucero
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 NEWS) – The memories of the battles he fought in Iraq came home, to Fairview, with Corporal Gregory Schneider.
It was the long, confidential conversations he had with his father that helped Schneider rise above the darkness that overwhelmed him after his return from battle in Iraq.
Schneider died at home on Memorial Day in 2010. He was killed in a motorcycle accident that happened when he tried to get onto I-75 Central Expressway at Haskell, in Dallas.
Just one day before the crash the Schneider family had gotten together for lunch, to recognize Memorial Day.
Now two years later, before today’s memorial service at DFW National Cemetery in Dallas, Schneider’s parents visited his grave and talked to CBS 11 News about their son’s accomplishments and challenges trying to overcome Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
read more here
President Obama Guest Column in Stars and Stripes for Vietnam Veterans
42 minutes ago
Guest column
Keeping faith with Vietnam veterans
By BARACK OBAMA
President of the United States
Published: May 28, 2012
Today, all across America, we’re coming together to remember our men and women in uniform who gave their lives so that we could live free. In town squares and national cemeteries, in moments of quiet reflection and parades down city streets, we’ll pay tribute to all those who gave the last full measure of their devotion, from Lexington and Concord to Iraq and Afghanistan.
This Memorial Day also holds special significance because it marks the beginning of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. It was 50 years ago — January 1962 — when U.S. Army pilots on dozens of helicopters transported South Vietnamese troops into the jungles outside Saigon for a raid against enemy forces. It was one of America’s first major operations in Vietnam and another turning point in what would become one of our longest wars.
Today at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., I’ll join Vietnam veterans and their families for a ceremony to begin this 50th anniversary. It will be an occasion to honor the 58,282 names on The Wall—men and women who gave their lives in that war. We’ll stand with their families, who have borne that loss ever since. And we’ll reaffirm our commitment to never stop searching for the 1,666 service members who are still missing from that war.
After Vietnam, our veterans didn’t always receive the respect and thanks they deserved. At times they were neglected and even shunned, which was a national shame. We’ve pledged many times since Vietnam that we would never let that happen again, and that we would give our veterans, especially our Vietnam Veterans, the respect and honor they deserve. This 50th anniversary is our opportunity to do it right.
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This is what happened to Medal Of Honor Hero, Vietnam Veteran, Sammy Davis. He was beaten up at the airport after he saved lives in Vietnam.
Guest column
Keeping faith with Vietnam veterans
By BARACK OBAMA
President of the United States
Published: May 28, 2012
Today, all across America, we’re coming together to remember our men and women in uniform who gave their lives so that we could live free. In town squares and national cemeteries, in moments of quiet reflection and parades down city streets, we’ll pay tribute to all those who gave the last full measure of their devotion, from Lexington and Concord to Iraq and Afghanistan.
This Memorial Day also holds special significance because it marks the beginning of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. It was 50 years ago — January 1962 — when U.S. Army pilots on dozens of helicopters transported South Vietnamese troops into the jungles outside Saigon for a raid against enemy forces. It was one of America’s first major operations in Vietnam and another turning point in what would become one of our longest wars.
Today at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., I’ll join Vietnam veterans and their families for a ceremony to begin this 50th anniversary. It will be an occasion to honor the 58,282 names on The Wall—men and women who gave their lives in that war. We’ll stand with their families, who have borne that loss ever since. And we’ll reaffirm our commitment to never stop searching for the 1,666 service members who are still missing from that war.
After Vietnam, our veterans didn’t always receive the respect and thanks they deserved. At times they were neglected and even shunned, which was a national shame. We’ve pledged many times since Vietnam that we would never let that happen again, and that we would give our veterans, especially our Vietnam Veterans, the respect and honor they deserve. This 50th anniversary is our opportunity to do it right.
read more here
This is what happened to Medal Of Honor Hero, Vietnam Veteran, Sammy Davis. He was beaten up at the airport after he saved lives in Vietnam.
Obama on Memorial Day Recalls the Fallen
Obama on Memorial Day Recalls the Fallen
Winding Down of Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan
By Jon Garcia
May 28, 2012
Under bright, hazy skies at Arlington National Cemetery, President Obama spent his fourth Memorial Day as commander in chief honoring the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who died serving their country, particularly in the Vietnam War, which began more than 50 years ago.
“From the jungles of Vietnam to the mountains of Afghanistan, they stepped forward and answered the call,” Obama told hundreds gathered in the humid, midday heat at the cemetery, which is across the Potomac River from the capital.
”They fought for a home they might never return to; they fought for buddies they’ll never forget. While their stories may be separated by hundreds of years and thousands of miles, they rest here, together. Side by side, row by row. Because each of them loved this country and everything it stands for more than life itself.”
Heeding to custom, Obama also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, pausing to reflect and pray as a lone bugler played taps.
Obama took pains to point out that “for the first time in nine years Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq.”
That declaration drew applause, as did his pronouncement that “we are winding down the war in Afghanistan and our troops will continue to come home.
“After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon,” Obama said, pointing out that we need to remember not only the fallen but their families too.
“As a country, all of us can and should ask ourselves how we can help you shoulder a burden that nobody should have to bear alone,” he said.
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Winding Down of Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan
By Jon Garcia
May 28, 2012
"The White House announced last week that the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the National Park Service and the Department of Defense had launched a 13-year program to “to honor and give thanks to a generation of proud Americans who saw our country through one of the most challenging missions we have ever faced.”
It was 50 years ago in January that the U.S. began to provide helicopter support to the South Vietnamese. That action grew into a 13-year conflict that took more than 58,000 American lives."
Under bright, hazy skies at Arlington National Cemetery, President Obama spent his fourth Memorial Day as commander in chief honoring the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who died serving their country, particularly in the Vietnam War, which began more than 50 years ago.
“From the jungles of Vietnam to the mountains of Afghanistan, they stepped forward and answered the call,” Obama told hundreds gathered in the humid, midday heat at the cemetery, which is across the Potomac River from the capital.
”They fought for a home they might never return to; they fought for buddies they’ll never forget. While their stories may be separated by hundreds of years and thousands of miles, they rest here, together. Side by side, row by row. Because each of them loved this country and everything it stands for more than life itself.”
Heeding to custom, Obama also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, pausing to reflect and pray as a lone bugler played taps.
Obama took pains to point out that “for the first time in nine years Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq.”
That declaration drew applause, as did his pronouncement that “we are winding down the war in Afghanistan and our troops will continue to come home.
“After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon,” Obama said, pointing out that we need to remember not only the fallen but their families too.
“As a country, all of us can and should ask ourselves how we can help you shoulder a burden that nobody should have to bear alone,” he said.
read more here
Wounded warrior's rehab heroic, too
Wounded warrior's rehab heroic, too
Jonathan Gurwitz
Express-News columnist
Saturday, May 26, 2012
On New Year's Eve 2010, Lt. Larkin O'Hern was leading an infantry platoon of the 101st Airborne Division, clearing a Taliban compound in southern Afghanistan when a cache of explosives detonated.
The blast blew off O'Hern's left leg completely and shredded his right leg and arm. As darkness fell over the village of Howz-e-Madad, the only question appeared to be whether O'Hern — bleeding profusely — would be the final U.S. death in Afghanistan of 2010, or the first of 2011.
In fact, O'Hern would survive — a tribute to the advances in American military medicine, to the skill of medics and medevac teams, and to his own fortitude. When I met him last May, the triple amputee had just stood up for the first time on prosthetic limbs after more than four months of surgeries at Brooke Army Medical Center and grueling rehabilitation at the Center for the Intrepid.
At the time, the West Point graduate had set a goal of flying to Fort Campbell, Ky., to greet his returning battalion — standing. Twelve months later, I visited with O'Hern again. He was walking — with a cane, but nonetheless walking, and carrying a backpack. Did he make it to Fort Campbell?
read more here
Jonathan Gurwitz
Express-News columnist
Saturday, May 26, 2012
On New Year's Eve 2010, Lt. Larkin O'Hern was leading an infantry platoon of the 101st Airborne Division, clearing a Taliban compound in southern Afghanistan when a cache of explosives detonated.
The blast blew off O'Hern's left leg completely and shredded his right leg and arm. As darkness fell over the village of Howz-e-Madad, the only question appeared to be whether O'Hern — bleeding profusely — would be the final U.S. death in Afghanistan of 2010, or the first of 2011.
In fact, O'Hern would survive — a tribute to the advances in American military medicine, to the skill of medics and medevac teams, and to his own fortitude. When I met him last May, the triple amputee had just stood up for the first time on prosthetic limbs after more than four months of surgeries at Brooke Army Medical Center and grueling rehabilitation at the Center for the Intrepid.
At the time, the West Point graduate had set a goal of flying to Fort Campbell, Ky., to greet his returning battalion — standing. Twelve months later, I visited with O'Hern again. He was walking — with a cane, but nonetheless walking, and carrying a backpack. Did he make it to Fort Campbell?
read more here
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