Fort Hood shooter paid while waiting for trail, victims go broke

This was posted on May 21, 2013.

Fort Hood shooter paid while waiting for trail, victims go broke
The “combat related” designation is an important one, for without it Burnett and other shooting victims are not given combat-related pay, they are not eligible for Purple Heart retirement or medical benefits given to other soldiers wounded either at war or during the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon.

So why did it take so long for ABC to care?

Outrage Over Accused Fort Hood Shooter's $300K Pay Spurs Legislation
ABC News
By NED BERKOWITZ
July 23, 2013

For the nearly four years since Army Maj. Nidal Hasan allegedly gunned down more than a dozen American servicemen, U.S. taxpayers have continued to pay his salary -- to the tune of around $300,000 so far. But new legislation, called the "Stop Pay for Violent Offenders Act" and introduced Monday in the House of Representatives, would authorize the military to suspend pay for Hasan and other members of the military for any capital or sex-related offense.

Current law allows the military to suspend the pay of civilian employees, but an Army spokesperson told ABC News last month that it cannot stop paying Hasan, who is still officially in the Army, at his usual pay grade unless he's convicted. Hasan has admitted to shooting his fellow soldiers, saying in June that the Nov. 5, 2009 attack on Fort Hood in Texas was done in the "defense of others," in his case, the Taliban. Hasan has repeatedly refused to enter a plea, so earlier this month the military pleaded "not guilty" for him.
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Vietnam veterans are the largest group of veterans waiting for VA claims

As you can see, it is not just a claim made. The reporters want to lump all veterans in together to pretend they are all "new" veterans but the fact is, we did not provide for the Vietnam veterans and they do in fact represent the largest percentage of veterans waiting for what they need from us. Take a look at the report from the VA on the Monday Morning Workload Reports

63% of pending claims come from Veterans filing supplemental claims for additional benefits

The VA calls these veterans "inventory" but we call them family!

Majority of the claims in the pending and backlog are from Vietnam Veterans

Ex-VA Boss: Elderly Vet Claims Worsen Backlog
Military.com
by Bryant Jordan
Jul 24, 2013

A former Department of Veterans Affairs chief questioned if veterans in their later years are filing claims from conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease that may have more to do with aging than their military service.

In 2010, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki added illnesses such as heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and leukemia to the conditions VA officials can presume in Vietnam veterans to be caused by Agent Orange exposure.

Others on the list include Type 2 diabetes, Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prostate cancer, and respiratory cancers, among them lung cancer.

Anthony Principi, a Vietnam War combat vet who led the VA under President George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, said the addition of these illnesses makes it much harder for the VA to determine what may have come from exposure and what from old age.

These decisions not only caused the backlog that today has Iraq and Afghanistan veterans waiting a year and longer for action on their claims, but have increased the compensation budget by millions annually, Principi said.

In some cases, men in their 70s and older are being awarded a 100 percent disability based on a finding that they cannot work, Principi said. These veterans are essentially receiving the same compensation as a soldier who lost both legs in Afghanistan.
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Ex-Marine Indicted in Slaying of Former Navy SEAL Sniper Chris Kyle

Ex-Marine Indicted in Slaying of Former Navy SEAL Sniper Chris Kyle
NBC
Thursday, Jul 25, 2013

A grand jury in North Texas has indicted the man accused of killing former Navy SEAL and "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and another man on two charges of capital murder.

Eddie Routh, a former Marine, was arrested in the slayings of Kyle and Chad Littlefield in February.

A judge has issued a gag order in the case.

The Feb. 2 shootings at a gun range in rural North Texas were national news.

The memorial service for war hero Kyle was so big that it was held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. His funeral procession to Austin drew thousands.

The case against Routh, who reportedly had been seeking treatment for post-combat stress, seems strong. Police said he confessed to his sister and he was arrested driving Kyle's pickup after a chase in Lancaster, a Dallas suburb.
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Hurricane Sandy destroyed veteran's home but love rebuilt it

Marine flag rises over restored Ortley Beach home
Flag ceremony honors volunteers
Written by
Bob Vosseller
July 25, 2013

TOMS RIVER — The U.S. Marine flag once again flies beside the home of Michael and Audrey Gavala Jr. of the Ortley Beach section of the township.

The Gavalas’ two-story home at 207 Third Ave. was severely damaged during superstorm Sandy. Michael J. Gavala, 76, served in the Marines from 1956 to 1959. He and his wife Audrey, 74, lived in the home for 52 years.

A flag-raising ceremony Wednesday afternoon served to not only celebrate their return home after Sandy, but honored the volunteers who made that return possible. Watch the video above to see some of the ceremony.
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Marine veterans among the 19 firefighters killed in Yarnell wildfire

Marine Veterans Among 19 Firefighters Killed
DVIDS
by Cpl. Chelsea Anderson
Jul 24, 2013

PRESCOTT, Ariz. - During the summer months in Arizona, fires are an ordinary occurrence. But the bravery shown by the Hotshot crew, 19 men who gave their lives saving the small town of Yarnell on June 30, was anything but commonplace.

It Was Sunday

Sunday was normally a day off for the Granite Mountain Hotshots, but a wildfire blazing outside of Yarnell that day had grown enough to put an end to any weekend plans. After a morning run at six, the men said goodbye to their kids, kissed their wives and donned their protective gear one final time to battle the 2,000-acre Yarnell Hill wildfire.

By the time the 20 members of the crew arrived on scene around 9 a.m., the fire was reaching abnormal temperatures for the time of day. But, the Hotshots were well prepared and put their training into action. There was no doubt in any of the leadership’s minds about the safety of the team. They knew what had to be done and got to work.

Six hours later though, and the fire behavior was beyond extreme. At this point, Prescott Fire Department Division Chief Darrell Willis, who was with a crew at a different spot on the fire, tuned in to the Granite Mountain radio frequency to check on them.

With the blaze growing, he listened to the Hotshots play-by-play crackle through the radio speakers.
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19 firefighters killed in Arizona blaze; 'Our entire crew was lost'

Fort Carson bomb squad responds to hand grenades at police station

Police Substation Evacuated When Woman Brings Hand Grenades
KKTV News
July 24, 2013

The bomb squad from Fort Carson was called to a Colorado Springs police station when a woman showed up with two hand grenades.

She left them in her car and went into the substation to tell police about the grenades. She says she found them in a storage unit that had belonged to a family member who had died.

Police had to evacuate their station while the bomb squad checked them out.
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VFW backs Medal of Honor for Vietnam veteran William Collier

VFW Backs Vietnam Veteran to Receive MoH
Military.com
by Bryant Jordan
Jul 24, 2013

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The Veterans of Foreign Wars national membership on Monday approved a resolution supporting congressional action to award the Medal of Honor to a retired Army officer for heroic actions in Vietnam 41 years ago.

Then-Maj. William Collier was one of just two Americans and 120 South Vietnamese troops at the Duc District Headquarters in Quang Ngai Province when it was attacked Sept. 16, 1972, by up to 1,000 North Vietnam Army soldiers.

The battle -- which two eyewitnesses called “Maj. Collier’s Alamo” -- lasted 54 hours and left only Collier and 21 ARVN soldiers alive. Staff Sgt. Carroll Jackson, the only other American at the headquarters, was killed in the fighting.

Collier, who retired as a colonel, was awarded the Silver Star for his leadership and bravery, though there has long been a belief his actions were worthy of the nation’s highest honor, said Joe Davis, spokesman for the VFW.

The VFW’s National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee on Sunday easily passed the resolution that was approved on Monday by members gathered this week in Louisville for the organization’s annual convention.
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Iraq veteran's shocked by giant American flag at solid waste station

Veteran discovers giant American flag in trash
WAOW.com
By Donovan Hill, Multimedia Journalist
Posted: Jul 23, 2013

TOWN OF PLOVER (WAOW)
Imagine finding a giant American flag in the garbage, beaten up, torn, and dirty.

That's what happened to Al Tessmann, a veteran of the Iraq war.

Tessmann discovered the flag while unloading trash at a the Portage County Solid Waste Transfer Facility.

"To my surprise there was this flag amongst all of the garbage," said Tessmann.

Upset at the sight he rescued the flag that he once fought for.

"For me you know, it was like finding a fallen comrade," added Tessmann.

He brought it to the V.F.W. post in Plover.
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UPDATE
Really angry over this story. This is how patriots treat flags. Watch the video and see how they respect and honor the flag.

Family's search for Erik Jorgensen comes to an end

Recent guardsman suicide prompts PTSD discussion
KTVB.COM
by Stephanie Zepelin
July 23, 2013

BOISE -- KTVB has confirmed an Idaho Army National Guard member committed suicide at the National Guard's Orchard Combat Training Center.

KTVB has a policy that we do not report suicides unless there are extenuating circumstances surrounding it. Post traumatic stress disorder continues to be an ongoing battle for many veterans in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says as many of 30 in every 100 veterans suffer from PTSD.

Friends and family spent the weekend searching for Private First Class Erik Jorgensen. A friend of the family said Jorgensen is described as someone who loved life, but they can't say for sure why he took his own life out at the Orchard Combat Training Center. However, PTSD experts we talked to say suicide is a risk in some PTSD cases.

A Facebook post was all it took to get Maggie Haswell-Sheppard involved in the search for Jorgensen. She saw a post asking for help to look for the soldier who had been missing since late last week, and she even helped lead the search efforts.
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Another family searching for missing soldier with PTSD

Spc. Brandon David Bertolo's body found at Fort Campbell

Dallas Police seek killer of homeless veteran caught in crossfire

Dallas police seek gunman who killed homeless veteran after robbery at illegal dice game
Dallas News
By Sarah Spellings
July 23, 2013

Dallas police are asking for help identifying a man accused of shooting a homeless veteran caught in the crossfire after a robbery at a dice game.

Craig Watson, 51, was sitting at a bus stop in the 9500 block Bruton Road in Pleasant Grove about 11:15 p.m. June 29 when armed robbers held up an illegal dice game at a nearby car wash.

After an exchange of gunfire, the robbers fled in a car. That’s when police say the suspect came out of a convenience store and shot at the fleeing vehicle, killing Watson.

“He was just an innocent bystander,” Dallas police Maj. Jeff Cotner said.
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