Marine Dad Gives Kids Heartwarming Surprise With Early Homecoming
CBS Los Angeles
January 30, 2014
MURRIETA (CBSLA.com) — A local Marine dad gave his two children the surprise of their young lives Thursday.
Marine Gunnery Sgt. Ronald Clement was not expected to be home from a five-month deployment in Afghanistan for another six weeks, but when the military father arrived home early he used the opportunity to surprise his son and daughter at school.
CBS2′s Tom Wait reports Jayda Clement, a student at Shivela Middle School in Murrieta, walked toward the stage expecting the principal to deliver her honor roll certificate.
Instead, she found her dad waiting with open arms, telling her, “I’m so proud of you.”
The father and daughter were overcome with emotion.
“You’re making me cry, stop,” he told her.
The school’s principal, the district and family worked hard to keep the secret to make sure the moment was possible.
read more here
Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Military suicide rate is 'out of control'
We need to stop pretending and hoping more legislation will do any better than the last 7 years worth have done. The AP put the spotlight on military suicides in 2007. "Army soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years" because there were 99 suicides. 2007 brought the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act signed by President Bush. It was also the same year members of the clergy were getting educated on Combat PTSD. A year later, the VA Suicide Hotline announced it had received 37,000 calls and saved 720.
It seems like every year another politician comes out with another bill without ever understanding if it will work or not.
It seems like every year another politician comes out with another bill without ever understanding if it will work or not.
Veterans group says military suicide rate is 'out of control'
Lohud.com
Written by
BRIAN TUMULTY
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Suicide prevention is the No. 1 legislative priority this year for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, says Paul Rieckhoff, the group’s founder and CEO.
His New York-based organization, with 270,000 members, also supports the effort by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York to have military prosecutors rather than commanders make decisions on whether to prosecute sexual assault cases in the armed forces.
Gillibrand expects a Senate vote on her proposal in the next couple of weeks.
As chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, Gillibrand also plans to convene a hearing this winter on the link between sexual assaults in the military and suicides.
read more here
Ex-Canadian General, now contractor detained in Afghanistan
'Ex-Canadian top general in Afghanistan detained'
(AFP) – 1 hour ago
Ottawa — A former Canadian brigadier-general and head of Canadian forces in Afghanistan is being detained in Afghanistan for alleged gun smuggling, media said Thursday.
Daniel Menard resigned from the military after pleading guilty in 2011 to having an affair with a female corporal under his command on active duty.
He now works for security firm Garda World, whose spokesman Joe Gavaghan told the Toronto Star newspaper Menard was picked up by Afghan authorities on or about January 12 after a meeting with Afghan officials.
"He was leaving a meeting at the ministry office and a couple of officials approached him. They said, 'We've got a problem with something and we'd like you to come with us to clear it up.' Off he went and the next thing he knew he was going to be detained until they cleared it up," said Gavaghan.
Gavaghan said his detention relates to an "administrative misunderstanding" over the private security firm's licensing to operate in the country.
"It's been cleared up and we believe that the individual is going to be released very shortly," he added.
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(AFP) – 1 hour ago
Ottawa — A former Canadian brigadier-general and head of Canadian forces in Afghanistan is being detained in Afghanistan for alleged gun smuggling, media said Thursday.
Daniel Menard resigned from the military after pleading guilty in 2011 to having an affair with a female corporal under his command on active duty.
He now works for security firm Garda World, whose spokesman Joe Gavaghan told the Toronto Star newspaper Menard was picked up by Afghan authorities on or about January 12 after a meeting with Afghan officials.
"He was leaving a meeting at the ministry office and a couple of officials approached him. They said, 'We've got a problem with something and we'd like you to come with us to clear it up.' Off he went and the next thing he knew he was going to be detained until they cleared it up," said Gavaghan.
Gavaghan said his detention relates to an "administrative misunderstanding" over the private security firm's licensing to operate in the country.
"It's been cleared up and we believe that the individual is going to be released very shortly," he added.
read more here
'We need to do more' for veterans, college's president says
Eastern Florida State College opens center for vets
'We need to do more' for veterans, college's president says
Florida Today
R. Norman Moody
Jan. 29, 2014
COCOA — Gulf War veteran Roger Estep found that he needed help when he arrived at Eastern Florida State College two semesters ago.
“They guided me to classes,” said Estep, who is living in a transitional apartment for homeless veterans in Cocoa. “I have some disabilities and they guided me to some people that can help.”
Now, Estep and other student military veterans needing assistance with benefits, mentoring, tutoring, counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues can find it at the college’s new Veterans Resource Center.
The center officially opened its doors Wednesday afternoon in the student center.
Eastern Florida State College President James Richey said the college has a history of embracing veterans and veterans’ issues and will continue to do so.
“It’s a great opportunity to do what we can to help our veterans the best we can,” he said before speaking to the audience at the open house.
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'We need to do more' for veterans, college's president says
Florida Today
R. Norman Moody
Jan. 29, 2014
COCOA — Gulf War veteran Roger Estep found that he needed help when he arrived at Eastern Florida State College two semesters ago.
“They guided me to classes,” said Estep, who is living in a transitional apartment for homeless veterans in Cocoa. “I have some disabilities and they guided me to some people that can help.”
Now, Estep and other student military veterans needing assistance with benefits, mentoring, tutoring, counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues can find it at the college’s new Veterans Resource Center.
The center officially opened its doors Wednesday afternoon in the student center.
Eastern Florida State College President James Richey said the college has a history of embracing veterans and veterans’ issues and will continue to do so.
“It’s a great opportunity to do what we can to help our veterans the best we can,” he said before speaking to the audience at the open house.
read more here
Army kicking out soldiers and silencing advocates
Is the Army silencing those who intervene in questionable discharges?
Aljazeera America
by Dave Philipps
January 29, 2014
A downsizing Army is discharging more soldiers for misconduct — and, some say, retaliating against those who cry foul
FORT CARSON, Colo. — John Bettencourt, an infantry soldier who served two tours in Afghanistan, tested positive for marijuana at the military base here in 2012. Drug use is against Army rules, and though the soldier went to drug treatment programs and never had another positive test, he was told he’d be kicked out for misconduct.
But Bettencourt had suffered head injuries in a truck bombing in Afghanistan that, he said, had left him sleepless, depressed and suffering from debilitating headaches. He appealed for medical help and for further evaluation that would have made him eligible for medical care and possibly disability benefit checks. He enlisted the help of two soldier advocates to make his case, went to a brain-injury doctor who told commanders the soldier needed medical attention, and contacted an Army hospital ombudsman who tried to stop the discharge.
The Army kicked him out anyway. And then local commanders fired the doctor, banned the advocates from the military base and opened two investigations into the hospital ombudsman. (The Army said that it followed procedures and that soldiers need to be held responsible for their actions.)
Bettencourt, who was decorated for valor in combat, left Fort Carson with no medical benefits and a lifetime ban on access to health care through the Veterans Administration. He even owed the Army $120 because he was kicked out before his enlistment was up. At last contact, five months ago, he was living in an abandoned trailer in Arizona with no water or electricity.
“This is how they treat us, even after we risk our lives,” he said. “And the only people that tried to help, the Army went after them.”
“This is how they treat us, even after we risk our lives,” he said. “And the only people that tried to help, the Army went after them.”
The Army is kicking out more soldiers for misconduct than ever before. Congress has ordered the military to cut 80,000 troops now that a decade of war is winding down; in the four years since 2009, the number of misconduct discharges rose annually by more than 25 percent Army-wide. At the eight Army posts that house most of the service's combat units, which include Fort Carson near Colorado Springs, misconduct discharges have surged 67 percent since 2009. All told, more than 76,000 soldiers have been forced out of the Army this way since 2006.
read more here
Aljazeera America
by Dave Philipps
January 29, 2014
A downsizing Army is discharging more soldiers for misconduct — and, some say, retaliating against those who cry foul
John Bettencourt the day he was discharged from the Army for misconduct. The discharge on such grounds meant Bettencourt, who was injured in Afghanistan, was ineligible for medical benefits.
Dave Philipps
FORT CARSON, Colo. — John Bettencourt, an infantry soldier who served two tours in Afghanistan, tested positive for marijuana at the military base here in 2012. Drug use is against Army rules, and though the soldier went to drug treatment programs and never had another positive test, he was told he’d be kicked out for misconduct.
But Bettencourt had suffered head injuries in a truck bombing in Afghanistan that, he said, had left him sleepless, depressed and suffering from debilitating headaches. He appealed for medical help and for further evaluation that would have made him eligible for medical care and possibly disability benefit checks. He enlisted the help of two soldier advocates to make his case, went to a brain-injury doctor who told commanders the soldier needed medical attention, and contacted an Army hospital ombudsman who tried to stop the discharge.
The Army kicked him out anyway. And then local commanders fired the doctor, banned the advocates from the military base and opened two investigations into the hospital ombudsman. (The Army said that it followed procedures and that soldiers need to be held responsible for their actions.)
Bettencourt, who was decorated for valor in combat, left Fort Carson with no medical benefits and a lifetime ban on access to health care through the Veterans Administration. He even owed the Army $120 because he was kicked out before his enlistment was up. At last contact, five months ago, he was living in an abandoned trailer in Arizona with no water or electricity.
“This is how they treat us, even after we risk our lives,” he said. “And the only people that tried to help, the Army went after them.”
“This is how they treat us, even after we risk our lives,” he said. “And the only people that tried to help, the Army went after them.”
The Army is kicking out more soldiers for misconduct than ever before. Congress has ordered the military to cut 80,000 troops now that a decade of war is winding down; in the four years since 2009, the number of misconduct discharges rose annually by more than 25 percent Army-wide. At the eight Army posts that house most of the service's combat units, which include Fort Carson near Colorado Springs, misconduct discharges have surged 67 percent since 2009. All told, more than 76,000 soldiers have been forced out of the Army this way since 2006.
read more here
Fort Carson issues list of banned items to avoid sending to troops
Fort Carson brigade to families: Don’t send porn, Nerf guns to troops
The Gazette
By Tom Roeder
January 29, 2014
“Items that are NOT okay to send
alcohol beverages of any kind
pornography in any format
bow and arrow-type devices that includes slingshots
knives with a blade length over six inches (such as switch blades, ballistic, gravity, or stilettos)
brass knuckles
numchucks
throwing stars
shurikins
throwing spikes
samurai swords
blackjacks
slappers
saps
riot clubs
night sticks
lead or iron pipes
explosives including fireworks
teargas
mace
pepper spray
tasers
stun guns
drugs of any kind
firearms or missile launching devices including air rifles or pistols, spear guns, blowguns, paint-ball guns
Nerf guns squirt guns.”
read more here
The Gazette
By Tom Roeder
January 29, 2014
“Items that are NOT okay to send
alcohol beverages of any kind
pornography in any format
bow and arrow-type devices that includes slingshots
knives with a blade length over six inches (such as switch blades, ballistic, gravity, or stilettos)
brass knuckles
numchucks
throwing stars
shurikins
throwing spikes
samurai swords
blackjacks
slappers
saps
riot clubs
night sticks
lead or iron pipes
explosives including fireworks
teargas
mace
pepper spray
tasers
stun guns
drugs of any kind
firearms or missile launching devices including air rifles or pistols, spear guns, blowguns, paint-ball guns
Nerf guns squirt guns.”
read more here
Suicide rate for young veterans three times higher than active duty
Suicides for young veterans three times higher! This after years of "resilience" training. Now do you believe me? They are in more danger after combat than during it. This danger is greater after they leave the service.
State Funded Program Mentors El Paso Veterans
KFOX News
By Crystal Price
January 29 2014
EL PASO, Texas -- The Department of Veterans Affairs recently released a report that shows suicides among young veterans just getting out of the military are three times higher than active-duty soldiers. The report shows that in 2011 the annual suicide rate for young veterans was 80 for every 100,000 of the population.
In 2009, 46 out of 100,000 committed suicide. Suicide rates among Army soldiers peaked in 2012 with 185. However, the overall suicide rate for active-duty soldiers stayed the same at 22 per 100,000 from 2009-2011.
Donna Nesbit, suicide prevention coordinator at the El Paso VA Health Care System, said one contributing factor to the rise in young suicides is due to a rising number of young veterans coming out of the military. "It's difficult to make that transition," Nesbit said. "It adds up to a great amount of difficulty. There are financial stresses, relationship issues and the experiences that they may have had during their active duty service." Nesbit said they have seen a decrease in suicide rates among all veterans engaged in mental care at the VA. Since 2007 they've been working to improve their suicide prevention program. "Part of the program is to pay closer attention, to track suicide data so that we can provide more effective treatments and provide programs that will impact the suicide rate," Nesbit said.
read more here
Greater love has no man, or woman
When they are willing to die for the sake of someone else, it is based on courage but it is also based on a whole different spiritual level than most of us will ever experience. When an average person thinks of what it may be like for folks in the military, those thoughts usually do not carry onto thinking about veterans after military life. As we've seen, suicides among veterans shows the danger does not end after combat. It is actually worse because their friends are not facing any enemy they can see. The enemy is inside of them.
Veterans need to be reminded of the goodness inside their spirit that compelled them to risk their lives. They did it for love. You can help by buying a t-shirt and taking the tax deduction. All the money for these T-shirts supports Point Man International Ministries and the work I do with veterans everyday.
They pay the price everyday and Never Forget Price Paid is a way for you to show you noticed. You noticed why they are willing to risk their lives. You also noticed that when it comes to healing because of combat, they need help from us.
Veterans receive help by reading the information on Wounded Times, by email and phone calls from across the country. If they are local they also have the ability to meet in person if they need to see me. Events across central Florida are filmed and shared so they know they matter.
Each and everyday they come first because they deserve no less from me. I am the daughter of a Korean Veteran, niece of WWII veterans and wife of a Vietnam veteran. They have always been in my life so I have dedicated my life toward giving them a better life and helping them heal.
Veterans need to be reminded of the goodness inside their spirit that compelled them to risk their lives. They did it for love. You can help by buying a t-shirt and taking the tax deduction. All the money for these T-shirts supports Point Man International Ministries and the work I do with veterans everyday.
Veterans receive help by reading the information on Wounded Times, by email and phone calls from across the country. If they are local they also have the ability to meet in person if they need to see me. Events across central Florida are filmed and shared so they know they matter.
Each and everyday they come first because they deserve no less from me. I am the daughter of a Korean Veteran, niece of WWII veterans and wife of a Vietnam veteran. They have always been in my life so I have dedicated my life toward giving them a better life and helping them heal.
Canadian inquest shows military ethos prevents seeking help for PTSD
It is the same thing in the US.
‘Military ethos’ prevents veterans from getting help, ex-soldier testifies at Prince George inquest
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN
BY MARK NIELSEN
JANUARY 29, 2014
A “military ethos” is preventing Canadian veterans from seeking the help they need for such problems as post-traumatic stress disorder, a coroners inquest into the death of Greg Matters heard Wednesday.
Tim Laidler, who served in Afghanistan in 2008 before leaving the military, said “very thorough” support is available through such organizations as the Veterans Transition Network, a non-profit group that provides counselling services.
“The problem is it’s not within the military ethos and the veterans’ culture to actually access that service, to stand up and ask for help,” Laidler said in giving testimony at the Prince George courthouse via telephone from Vancouver, where he attends the University of B.C.
Matters was a 15-year veteran of the Canadian military who did a tour in Bosnia before receiving an honourable discharge in 2009. It was not until late 2010, however, that he began receiving counselling for PTSD, the inquest has heard.
An RCMP emergency response team shot and killed Matters on his family’s Prince George property on the evening of Sept. 10, 2012, some 40 hours after he ran his brother off the road. Matters’ possible state-of-mind at the time of his death has been a major topic during the inquest.
read more here
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Canadian military billed husband after wife committed suicide?
After veteran's death, government demands $581 benefits repayment
CTV News
January 28, 2014
Just days after the funeral of a Canadian veteran who died of suicide on Christmas Day, her husband received a letter from Veterans Affairs saying the family must repay a portion of her monthly disability cheque.
The letter, dated Jan. 9 -- a day after retired Cpl. Leona MacEachern’s husband publicly revealed that her death was in fact a suicide -- expresses condolences to the family while asking for a repayment of $581.67.
In an email to CTV News, Tom MacEachern called it “a slap in the face.”
“(I) didn’t know whether to laugh or cry…was breathless actually,” he said.
The letter from Veterans Affairs begins with: “We have recently been advised of the death of Mrs. MacEachern. Our most sincere sympathy is extended to you and your family at this time.”
It goes on to say that “Earnings Loss benefits paid under the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act are payable up to the day of Mrs. MacEachern’s death.
read more here
CTV News
January 28, 2014
Just days after the funeral of a Canadian veteran who died of suicide on Christmas Day, her husband received a letter from Veterans Affairs saying the family must repay a portion of her monthly disability cheque.
The letter, dated Jan. 9 -- a day after retired Cpl. Leona MacEachern’s husband publicly revealed that her death was in fact a suicide -- expresses condolences to the family while asking for a repayment of $581.67.
In an email to CTV News, Tom MacEachern called it “a slap in the face.”
“(I) didn’t know whether to laugh or cry…was breathless actually,” he said.
The letter from Veterans Affairs begins with: “We have recently been advised of the death of Mrs. MacEachern. Our most sincere sympathy is extended to you and your family at this time.”
It goes on to say that “Earnings Loss benefits paid under the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act are payable up to the day of Mrs. MacEachern’s death.
read more here
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