Timothy couldn't believe the brave soldier he worshipped shot himself on purpose

Soldier's son on a mission to help others after father's suicide
He has a message for other grieving military children
By Lindsay Wise
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Timothy couldn't believe that the brave soldier he worshipped had shot himself on purpose.

When his father returned from Iraq in 2004, Timothy, dressed in a mini version of a miliatry uniform, welcomed him home. Photo: Karen Warren / © 2012 Houston Chronicle

Timothy Swenson was 6 years old when his father, a soldier, died by suicide at Fort Hood. Thinking to spare the little boy, his mother told him that Daddy had died of a heart attack.

But Timothy's grandparents, who had been taking care of him at their home in Humble, wanted to be as open as possible. They told him the truth.

"He didn't believe us," said his grandmother, Judi Swenson. "He said, 'Nobody was in the apartment when he died. Nobody knows. I know he didn't commit suicide.' "

It took Timothy years to come to terms with how his father died. Now 13 and a student at Timberwood Middle School, he wants to help other grieving military kids heal.

"Let your feelings out. And just, like, don't hide it," Timothy advises. "Don't keep it to yourself."

For adults, he has this message: "Suicide is not the answer."

Timothy's father, Spc. David Paul Swenson Jr., served in the U.S. Army and Texas Army National Guard. He is among a record number of Guard members, reservists and active-duty service members who have killed themselves in the decade since the start of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Their children, like Timothy, grow up grappling with a complicated legacy of patriotism and pain.

"Timmy was extremely close to his daddy," Judi said. "His daddy was his hero."
read more here

States’ Attorneys General Action A Victory for Veterans and the GI Bill

States’ Attorneys General Action A Victory for Veterans and the GI Bill
WASHINGTON (June 27, 2012) – Officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs applauded a decision by the attorneys general of several states to give VA the rights to use the GIBill.Com website, after the website’s original owners QuinStreet Inc. agreed to give up the internet site to settle a lawsuit by the states.

“This action is a victory for Veterans and a victory for the GI Bill. Veterans and VA applaud the great work by the states’ attorneys general, along with Holly Petraeus and her team,” said W. Scott Gould, Deputy Secretary for Veterans Affairs. “We all want Veterans to be informed consumers and for schools to meet their obligations in training this Nation’s next ‘Greatest Generation.’”

Holly Petraeus is assistant director for service member affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The attorneys general of several states had sued QuinStreet Inc., the owner of the GI Bill.com domain, charging it with deceptive practices by directing Veterans and Service Members on its website exclusively to for-profit schools that were clients of QuinStreet.

The announcement comes as VA is seeking legal authority to trademark the term GI Bill. An executive order by President Obama on April 26 directed VA and the Department of Defense to undertake a number of measures to “stop deceptive and misleading” promotional efforts that target the GI Bill educational benefits of Service members, Veterans, and eligible family members and survivors.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill, which was authorized by Congress in 2008, is the most extensive educational assistance program since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944. VA has issued nearly $20 billion in Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit payments to more than 759,000 people and their educational institutions.

All of VA's education benefits are designed to be flexible and give Veterans the power of choice by enabling them to pursue college degrees, technical certifications, or vocational training according to their preferences and needs, at public, private non-profit and private for-profit schools.

For-profit schools are held to the same approval standards as all other schools, and VA education programs at for-profit institutions are approved by the State Approving Agencies, which act independently on behalf of the federal government to ensure quality education and training is provided to Veterans within each state.

Gould said Veterans should not be recruited aggressively by institutions principally because of financial motives, and that VA’s and other federal and state agencies’ oversight activities provide strong monitoring. VA is engaging with other federal agencies to provide this oversight, including the departments of Defense, Education, and Justice, as well as the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

“VA looks forward to helping Veterans make informed decisions by accepting this gift of the GIBill.com domain. We will continue to support our Veterans by helping them obtain the best education of their choosing—a right for which they have bravely served, and which they have rightly earned,” Gould said.

For more information on GI Bill programs, please visit www.GIBILL.va.gov or call 1-888-GI-Bill-1 (1-888-442-4551) to speak with a GI Bill representative.

Soldier accused in firefight with police is prisoner to PTSD

Soldier accused in firefight with police is prisoner to PTSD
Joshua Eisenhauer, believing he was under attack by insurgents, opened fire from in his North Carolina apartment. His lawyer wants the military to take over the case so the veteran can get the treatment he needs.
By David Zucchino
Los Angeles Times
June 24, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — There were shouts and footsteps in the darkness, then a banging on the door.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Eisenhauer rose from his mattress on the floor of his apartment in Fayetteville, N.C. He reached under the bedding for his Glock 19 pistol. He fired into the night.

The noises had come from firefighters responding to a minor fire Jan. 13. But to Eisenhauer, a veteran of two Afghanistan combat tours diagnosed with severepost-traumatic stress disorder, the firefighters were insurgents storming his position.

Eisenhauer's ensuing gun battle with police lasted nearly two hours. He was shot in the face, chest and thigh, finally passing out from blood loss. When he was first able to speak in a hospital two days later, according to his lawyer, he asked a nurse: "Who's got the roof?"

Now Eisenhauer is inmate No. 1304704 in Raleigh's Central Prison. He faces 17 counts of attempted murder of firefighters and police officers, nine counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and other charges. No firefighters or police were hit.
read more here

Visible Honor For Invisible Wounds

Visible Honor For Invisible Wounds
Jun 26, 2012
Written by
Anita Brikman

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA)-- An event entitled "Visible Honor for Invisible Wounds" will be taking place in Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning, June 27th.

The idea is to recognize how post traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, severe depression, and survivor's guilt can wound our veterans as much as roadside bombs or a sniper's fire.

In particular, the urgent focus is on the tremendous loss of our veterans to suicide and how to help them before it is too late.

In addition to remarks by high-ranking members of the Armed Services, lawmakers, and mental health professionals, there will be a young but powerful voice coming from the podium.

Barbara Webb is just 10 years old. She will be speaking about the day she almost lost her father Steven to suicide, and what needs to be done to help other veterans suffering in silence.

Barbara and her mother Megan joined WUSA 9's Anita Brikman in the studio to talk about their family's experience with PTSD.
read more here

Soldier sent back to duty after asking for help

AWOL and Ailing
JBLM soldier Brook Thomas Lindsey says the Army's mental-health system needs help.
By Keegan Hamilton
Seattle Weekly
Wednesday, Jun 27 2012

An Iraq War veteran stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord says struggles with PTSD and a lack of responsiveness to his condition by Army doctors forced him to go AWOL.

The soldier, 26-year-old Sgt. Brook Thomas Lindsey, met with members of the media on Friday, June 22 at Coffee Strong, a nonprofit organization headquartered across the street from JBLM that advocates for military mental-health treatment reform. Lindsey recounted why he decided to leave the base without permission on March 26.

"I'd go over to Madigan [Army Medical Center], right across the street, and I'd tell them, 'I'm having suicidal thoughts,' " Lindsey says. "They would just tell me to breathe. They'd talk me down. The next day I'm still feeling the same way, but they'd return me to duty, tell my leaders everything was fine."
read more here

Private Needham's War

UPDATE

Tuesday's "48 Hours Mystery" Was #1 in Households and Viewers
CBS spins the numbers for Tuesday, June 26.
[via press release from CBS]
"48 HOURS MYSTERY" TUESDAY'S EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE PLAYED BY POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN PVT. JOHN NEEDHAM'S KILLING OF HIS GIRLFRIEND WAS #1 IN HOUSEHOLDS AND VIEWERS

CBS News' 48 HOURS MYSTERY TUESDAY (R) was first in households (4.0/07) and viewers (5.66m), while delivering a 1.5/04 in adults 25-54, according to preliminary Nielsen same day ratings for June 26. Compared to last week, 48 HOURS MYSTERY TUESDAY was even in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49.

The broadcast, which aired on the eve of National PTSD Awareness Day, featured Troy Roberts' emotional report on Pvt. John Needham, who beat to death the woman he loved, 19-year-old Jacque Villagomez. Needham's story started in Iraq where he was severely injured in combat and exposed to multiple IED and grenade attacks. He was later diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. Needham's father says the war took a heavy toll on his son, and ravaged his mind and body. From the beginning, Needham took responsibility for Villagomez's death but said he remembered little of the incident. He said that as they argued one night, something inside him snapped. He blamed his brain injury and PTSD for the beating that came next.
Read more

I watched this last night and wanted to share it with you. There are so many stories out there that do not get the attention of the national media, but are reported all across the country.

While millions of veterans return from combat with PTSD, few commit crimes and even fewer commit them "in their right mind" but we don't talk about them. They are just not "newsworthy" enough to have their stories told the same way Needham's story was.

When you watch this I hope you take away what happened to Needham while he tried to get help and his Dad fought hard for him. Needham's trouble got worse when he tried to commit suicide in Iraq but his buddy stopped him. During the struggle, the gun went off.

Before you watch this, keep an open mind and watch the whole thing. The ending shocked me too.

Private Needham's War
CBS News

original story PTSD on Trial Private John Needham

Military suicides alarms VFW's national commander

Military suicides alarms VFW's national commander
Jun 23, 2012
Written by
Jeff Matthews

Richard DeNoyer, VFW’s national commander, says military suicide rates need attention. Tia Owens-Powers

More U.S. military personnel committed suicide in the first five months of 2012 than were killed in action in Afghanistan.

Of all the issues affecting soldiers, veterans and their families, that one concerns Richard DeNoyer the most. DeNoyer, national commander in chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, was in Alexandria this week appearing at the VFW state convention.

"The bottom line is that's just about a suicide a day," DeNoyer said. "Why are these young people committing suicide? It's obvious our country as a whole is not doing enough to recognize it and deal with it."

According to a recent Associated Press report, there were 154 suicides among active-duty troops in the first 155 days of the year -- 50 percent higher than the number of U.S. forces killed in action in Afghanistan over that time.

DeNoyer said VFW is lobbying Congress to provide more psychiatric care and counseling both in the military and the veterans hospital system.

In addition, he said efforts need to be stepped up to combat the stigma of active-duty soldiers seeking psychiatric care.
read more here

Gov. Haley's husband called state Senate cowards on Facebok

Haley defends military husband's Facebook post
SUSANNE M. SCHAFER
Associated Press
Tuesday, June 26, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The head of South Carolina's National Guard said Tuesday he will conduct an internal review of the Guard's policy on social media use after Gov. Nikki Haley's husband used Facebook to call members of the state Senate cowards for not voting on a bill favored by his wife.

Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston said he spoke with Michael Haley about the matter, and Michael Haley told the general he intended to express himself as a private citizen, not as a member of the Guard.

Michael Haley is an officer the South Carolina Army National Guard.

Sen. Jake Knotts, a Lexington Republican who has often clashed with Gov. Haley, called late Tuesday for Michael Haley to resign his commission if he can't abstain from "contentious partisan issues."

In speeches, Gov. Nikki Haley frequently talks about her husband's military service and says she is proud that he puts on his uniform daily when he goes to work.
read more here

Marines not doing enough to stop sexual assaults

Report Finds Marine Corps Has Failed To Cut Down On Sexual Assaults
June 26, 2012

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The Marine Corps has admitted its failure to cut down sexual assaults within its ranks.

Just last year, there were 88 reported sexual assaults at Camp Pendleton and 24 at Twentynine Palms’ Air Ground Combat Center, according to a Marine Corps report cited by the Los Angeles Times.
read more here

Two tour Mom of two killed in car accident going to work

Iraq War vet killed in car wreck
Hinds Sheriff's employee served 2 tours, had 2 children
Jun. 26, 2012
Written by
Therese Apel

Col. Samuel T. Nichols, Jr, shakes Shametra Stamps' hand at Camp Shelby recently. The mother of two who served two tours in Iraq died in a car wreck Friday in Hinds County. / File photo/Hattiesburg American

Shametra "Meme" Stamps survived two tours in Iraq, including one as a driver.

On Friday morning, the veteran driver with the 365th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion out of Jackson, also a recent Hinds County Sheriff's Department employee, was killed in a car crash on her way to work.

"She put down many a mile up and down those roads in Iraq," said Sgt. Maj. Dwayne Howard, for whom Stamps was a driver both overseas and at home.

Stamps was a pro, he said. Even under fire, she kept her head.

Stamps, 30, who her friends say was a "girly girl," always maintained a positive attitude in spite of the rigors of the job.
read more here

Vet Jobless Rate Leads to Fed, State Initiatives

If your Governor did not spend the stimulus money that was for your state, as too many did not including Florida, tell them to explain why they sit on all that money and veterans go without jobs!

Vet Jobless Rate Leads to Fed, State Initiatives
Detroit Free Press
by Katherine Young

In the early 1970s, Anthony Tarkowski learned the hard way that some employers did not want to hire soldiers returning from the Vietnam War.

The young veteran had just come back from Germany, where he had served after injuring his back during training. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't seem to get a job.


Then one day, a human resources manager gave him some advice: Don't put a check mark next to the veteran's box on job applications. Just skip it.

At his next job interview, Tarkowski followed this advice and scored well on a test for a data-processing position. He got the job.


"Veterans are highly trainable people," said Tarkowski, who is now CEO of Sygnetics, a staffing firm in Rochester Hills. "They will come to work. They are dedicated."

More than four decades later, veterans are still struggling to get hired. Their high jobless rate, particularly for the youngest ones, is a major problem, sparking a number of initiatives on the state and national levels. It's the reason Detroit's Cobo Center will play host to a massive job fair this week that's expected to draw 10,000 veterans.
read more here

Naked For A Good Cause Army Wives Battling Bare

Army Wives Get Naked For A Good Cause
‘Battling Bare’ PTSD Awareness Campaign [video]
Posted: June 26, 2012

A group of military wives are baring their bodies (discreetly) to help support their patriotic spouses through the “Battling Bare” campaign. The women grew tired of “staying silent” about the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and created a media campaign to educate Americans about the affects PTSD has on the entire family, The Blaze reports. The military wives PTSD awareness campaign is a private organization in the process of securing non-profit status. The primary goal of the project is to empower “silent supporters” to “battle back” and provide resources to help returning veterans heal.

“Battling Bare” campaign photos of Army wives showing a bit of skin generated a lot of attention and helped relay the import message which is at the heart of the project. The pledge written on the bare skin of the participating military wife reads: Broken by battle, wounded by war, I support our troops forever – to them this I swore I will quiet your screams, help heal your shattered soul until once again every soldier is whole. Battle Bare.
read more here

Vietnam vet in custody after shooting 2 family members?

The last to die in Vietnam was 1975. How is a 52 year old a Vietnam Veteran?
Is this yet another "headline" grabber for the news station or is it just bad reporting?

Police: Vietnam vet in custody after shooting 2 family members
Deputies say grandfather shot man, woman
KOCO Oklahoma City

COYLE, Okla. - A Coyle grandfather is facing charges Monday after police say he opened fire on his own family. Two people are now in the hospital recovering from gunshot wounds.

Family members of the 52-year-old grandfather say the Vietnam veteran suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Sky 5 flew over the scene just after the shooting Monday afternoon in the 10000 block of East 32nd Street about 4:21 p.m. as police moved in to arrest the man.
read more here

Bill proposed to change PTSD military programs

Bill proposed to change PTSD military programs
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., on Monday submitted legislation that would reshape behavioral health programs in the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs based in part on her review of controversial post-traumatic stress diagnoses at Madigan Army Medical Center.

ADAM ASHTON; STAFF WRITER
Published: 06/26/12

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., on Monday submitted legislation that would reshape behavioral health programs in the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs based in part on her review of controversial post-traumatic stress diagnoses at Madigan Army Medical Center.

For much of this year, Murray has pushed the Defense Department to “standardize” its post-traumatic stress programs across the service. She has been troubled by service members receiving different diagnoses from different doctors, as well as by reports of veterans experiencing long wait times for mental health services at the VA.

“The Department of Defense and the VA are losing the battle against the mental and behavioral wounds of these wars,” Murray said in introducing her bill. “To see that, you don’t need to look any further than the tragic fact that already this year over 150 active-duty service members have taken their own lives.”

Murray’s bill has a long road before it can become a law. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, which Murray leads as chairwoman, will hold a hearing Wednesday on the legislation.

Her bill aims to:

• Compel the Defense Department to standardize its various behavioral health and suicide-prevention programs.
• Provide more behavioral health services for families through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Create opportunities for veterans and active-duty service members to counsel each other as peers.
• Require the VA to create “credible” staffing plans and performance goals.
read more here