Vietnam veteran receives Silver Star 48 years later
WBIR NBC News
Kendall Morris
September 29, 2014
(WBIR- Gatlinburg) A Vietnam War veteran received the Silver Star Sunday for his heroic actions in heavy combat 48 years ago.
Former Army Sgt. Larry F. Freeman of Pulaski, Virginia accepted the honor, the United States' third highest military decoration for valor, in front of family and friends at the River Terrace Resort and Convention Center in Gatlinburg. It's the place he and his fellow veterans have reunited for more than a decade.
"It's just a real honor for me to know Larry and help get this award for him after 48 years," Lt. Col. Howard Lavy, U.S. Army (Ret), said about his fellow member of the 1st Bn, 27th Infantry Regiment.
Freeman said Lt. Peter Schnizer, his platoon leader, first nominated him for the award in 1966. But the original recommendation for the Silver Star was never formally submitted due to an administrative oversight.
Schnizer found the award packet in 2005, Freeman said, and began pursuing the award on his behalf. And though Schnizer died in 2012, Lt. Col. Lavy continued to pursue the Silver Star for Freeman.
"It brings great closure not only to Larry, but to the other gentleman in our platoon that are surviving because we're finally able to see him recognized for what he did to help save not only us but other members of the platoon," Lavy said. read more here
Colorado cannabis giveaway attracts about 1,000 veterans
Nearly 1,000 veterans stopped by a Colorado Springs hotel to learn about cannabis as an alternative to the plethora of prescription medication they take to subside pain from injuries and post-traumatic stress syndrome sustained during war.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
BY NICOLE HENSLEY
Published: Sunday, September 28, 2014
Marijuana seeds were just one of the items given away for free to Colorado veterans seeking alternative medication to treat physical and mental trauma.
The Saturday event attracted about 1,000 veterans to a Colorado Springs hotel to get a taste of cannabis products such as cookies in lieu of pills, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper.
“It isn’t going to hurt them as much as the prescription drugs,” Roger Martin, an Army veteran and director of Operation Grow4Vets, the nonprofit responsible for organizing the event, told the Gazette. “I just need something to take the pain away during the day.”
Nearly 20% of soldiers are coming home from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, according to Veteran’s Affairs statistics. That number is even higher for those who served in Vietnam, which 30% of the veterans also suffer from the anxiety disorder. read more here
Psychiatrist to examine Andrew Tahmooressi to determine whether he has PTSD
FOX News
By Dan Gallo
Published September 29, 2014
The trial of former Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi on gun charges in Mexico will take a new turn this week, one that will move the focus to the defendant's health.
A prosecution psychiatrist will be sworn in at Tijuana federal court Monday, empowering him to interview Tahmooressi to determine whether he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
After being sworn in, the psychiatrist is expected to travel to the Tecate prison where Tahmooressi has been held for the last 6 months so he can make his own conclusions about whether Tahmooressi suffers from PTSD.
Tahmooressi attorney Fernando Benitez tells Fox News that the psychiatrist could interview Tahmooressi either on Monday afternoon or Tuesday. Benitez is optimistic that the psychiatrist will come to the same conclusion that the defense has: That Tahmooressi suffers from PTSD and cannot receive treatment for it in Mexico.
“There's no scientific way for him not to concur,” Benitez said Sunday. “He would have to find a completely different person to diverge from that diagnosis.” read more here
Drone operators return to combat amid growing research they can suffer emotional strain, PTSD
Associated Press
Article by: JULIE WATSON
September 29, 2014
Then they might analyze the carnage and damage from bombings before driving home to eat dinner with their families and maybe play soccer with their children — a jarring shift that may contribute to stress, mental health experts say.
SAN DIEGO — President Barack Obama has assured Americans he opposes sending U.S. ground troops to crush Islamic extremists in Iraq and Syria — well aware the country is not ready to return to the battlefield with its war wounded still recovering from a decade of conflict.
But airmen have been sent back into combat in the region with the focus on airstrikes, divided between fighter pilots and drone operators.
While drone operators are not physically in harm's way — they do their work at computer terminals in darkened rooms far from the actual battlefield — growing research is finding they too can suffer some of the emotional strains of war that ground forces face.
"It can be as impactful for these guys as someone in a foxhole," said Air Force spokesman Tom Kimball.
The Bush and Obama administrations have both used the 2001 authorization of force against al-Qaida to justify drone strikes against terror targets in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.
During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, drone operators pulled long shifts at U.S. bases, watching full-motion video across multiple screens. Some would follow the daily life of locals for months to assess threats before an airstrike was ordered. read more here
Hundreds of homeless vets get help in Orlando
Orlando Sentinel
By Caitlin Dineen
September 27, 2014
Tufts of salt-and-pepper hair fell past Michael Clancy's blue eyes and landed on his shoulders and the floor space around him.
Clancy, who turned 54 Friday, was one of more than 300 homeless veterans in the Orlando region looking for help Saturday.
Haircuts were just one of the eight types of services available at the annual Orlando Veterans Stand Down, which first started in 2008. The daylong event took place at the Downtown Orlando Recreational Center on North Parramore Avenue.
"My next haircut will be the next Stand Down," said the Navy veteran, who sat wrapped in a black salon cape with the toes of his blue-and-gray sneakers poking out.
The Stand Down was sponsored by the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center and partner agencies. Providing wraparound services is crucial to battling homelessness among veterans in Orlando and Central Florida, said VA officials.
"The combat field is a little bit different," said Ken Mueller, coordinator of health care for homeless veterans with the Orlando VA. "It's not the combat of war, but combat of the street." read more here
"Stand down" helps homeless veterans get back up
KBOI 2 News Idaho
By Jacqulyn Powell
Published: Sep 27, 2014
BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) - Around 200 of the Treasure Valley's homeless veterans got special care at Boise's Homeless Veteran Stand Down. The vets were given food, clothes, medical care, showers, haircuts and other gear they need for the winter.
In combat, the phrase "stand down" means a quick time to rest and get refitted before heading out to battle.
"The Homeless Veterans Stand Down is for homeless veterans that are struggling, that could use a little rest, some medical care, some basic needs and some gear to help them prepare for the winter," said John Porch, who works at Boise's Department of Veterans Affairs and serves as committee chair for the Homeless Veterans Stand Down.
At the event, struggling vets were offered heavy coats, boots and warm clothes. They were also given sleeping bags and sleeping mats to help keep them warm and dry over the next few months. All of it was retired military gear.
"I was in the Army for 12 years as an airborne infantryman, so I'm very familiar with all of this stuff," said Dough Strand, a homeless vet. "The military wouldn't let us keep any of it. But it's nice to get it now, because I need it now." read more here
Homeless Veterans Get Help At “Stand Down” Event In Cherry Hill
CBS Philly
Hadas Kuznits
September 27, 2014
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Hundreds of homeless veterans took advantage of the services provided at this year’s “Stand Down” event Friday at the National Guard Armory in Cherry Hill.
The goal of Stand Down 2014 is to help homeless U.S. war veterans re-enter mainstream society.
“They come through and they get a medical screening here, they get access to social services here.” says Jim Maher, chairman of Stand Down in South Jersey. “We give them a meal, we give them clothing, a haircut if they want, they get eyeglasses.”
Maher says while they provide services to take care of the veterans’ physical needs…
“It’s really important that they get the medical aspect of what they do,” he says, “and the social services.” read more here
Grit and granite: A monument to disabled veterans
Philly.com
Edward Colimore, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: Sunday, September 28, 2014
"The country has finally separated the disdain for what politicians do with the military and the service member who sacrifices himself for his country," he said. "Our country loves the soldier and hates the war; that's a positive evolution."
At one point during the chaos and carnage of D-Day, the USS Frankford sailed so close to Omaha Beach that it scraped bottom.
The destroyer's big guns blasted German machine-gun positions and helped pinned-down GIs advance on June 6, 1944, when all seemed lost.
Tom Potts, then a teenager from Moorestown, was manning an antiaircraft gun on the Frankford's deck amid the cacophony of fire - and lost most of his hearing that day 70 years ago.
After numerous surgeries and hearing aids, the now-89-year-old from Upper Pittsgrove, Salem County, still has trouble following conversations and is among four million disabled service members who returned home with the lingering effects of war.
Next Sunday, all of them will be honored with the dedication of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington.
The 2.4-acre triangular site - across from the U.S. Botanic Garden and about 1,000 feet from the Capitol - uses granite and glass to communicate the strength and vulnerability of service members.
read more here
Also some more on this story
Actor Gary Sinise champions disabled veterans' memorial
AUGUST 24, 2014
Lost Homecoming gives Vietnam veterans overdue welcome home
Sun Herald
BY PATRICK OCHS
September 27, 2014
AMANDA McCOY/SUN HERALD
Vietnam veteran Paul Norvel attends Pass Christian's Vietnam Veterans Homecoming and Appreciation event on Saturday at War Memorial Park. At left, veterans salute during the singing of the National Anthem. The event recognized Vietnam veterans around the Coast and paid tribute to their sacrifices and contributions while serving their country.
PASS CHRISTIAN -- Russell Nichols spent 11 months, 20 days and six hours in Vietnam with the U.S. Marine Corps. When he returned home, he was spat on, cussed at and called things like baby killer and murderer.
He wasn't alone. Many of his fellow soldiers were shown anything but respect.
With yellow ribbons wrapped tightly around the trees and a row of American flags flapping in the breeze, South Mississippi turned out Saturday at War Memorial Park to give Nichols and 70-plus other Vietnam veterans the proper homecoming they never received 40 years ago.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," state Sen. Philip Moran told the assembled veterans, many proudly wearing clothing from their military branch.
"Because of the times, you did not come home and brag about your bravery. You did not brag about what you had done for us," former U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor said. "You kept it to yourself. I think ceremonies like this give us the opportunity to recognize your bravery, to thank you." read more here
Scenes from Lost Homecoming ceremony honoring Vietnam vets
Combat PTSD: Don't Fight Your Own Inner Struggle Alone
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
September 28, 2014
Most veterans have no problem with the term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. They know what PTSD means and why they ended up being changed by their military service. They know it is a price they paid for risking their lives for their military brothers. They made peace with all of it including the fact they can never be cured of it. What they could not reverse, they learned how to cope with it enough to take the power away from it.
They still have nightmares and flashbacks, but they happen less often growing weaker over time. They still have the same stressors setting them off but know how to recover faster. Their mind calendar still remembers anniversary dates but they see those days coming ahead of time. Able to prepare for the sadness of the event days in combat, they are no longer freaked out when they come.
They no longer isolate as if they have a reason to hide or are not worth being helped. They sought out other veterans, joined their "family" groups, found support and understanding after finally giving up on "fitting in" with people who will never be able to understand them. Life got better.
For others, well, they don't understand PTSD, so it is very hard to accept the words behind the letters PTSD. Put those letters to these words.
Painful Transition from Stressful Deployments.
While you may think changing the term is necessary to remove the stigma, you're wrong. You could call it anything you want but it is still what it is and there is nothing to be ashamed of having it. That is if you really understand what it is and where it came from. Came from? Yes, you didn't do it to yourself and it isn't something you were born with. It hit you. It hits roughly a third of combat veterans from one degree to another because it comes in different levels.
It also hits at different times. Most of the time you may not even be aware of when it started. Since combat comes with multiple traumatic events, it is often one on top of another. Sometimes you are able to shove it into the back of your mind, filling your days with other things leaving you no time to acknowledge the pain during the day and so exhausted at the end of the day, you pass out. Maybe you drink to cover up what your nerves are doing or to stop being agitated. All this just allows PTSD to fester and feed off your spirit robbing you of joyous emotions.
If you are so busy covering up what is painful, how can you find time to enjoy life?
Have you thought "Nobody cares" about you?
An Iraq veteran in Whitehouse Texas felt that way. He tried to commit suicide one night on a road near Lake Tyler. When Police Officer Sgt. Shawn Johnson found him covered in blood, the event was recorded by dashcam video.
On the video, the officers can be heard talking with the man and asking him why he wanted to end his life. When he tells them he feels nobody cares about him they respond, "We care. If we didn't care we wouldn't be here, right?"
He had used a broken beer bottle to cut himself and was losing a lot of blood.
"(We) went and spoke with him and as I was talking with him, he moved his arm and then I could actually see blood start, you know, coming out rather quickly," Johnson recalled.
Minutes went by as they, along with Tyler police officers, awaited EMS.
It isn't that nobody cares. Plenty of people do. You just haven't met them yet. Think about it this way. You know there are billionaires and millionaires in this country. Have you met any? Does that mean they don't exist? No, they are very real. They just haven't been where you were. Same thing with people caring about what happens to you. They care without even knowing your name.
Suicides tied to military service are horrible. All suicides are however when they come after a man or woman has managed to survive combat cannot survive being home, that screams a multitude of sins committed against them.
The sins did not belong to them but all of us.
Marine Clay Hunt committed suicide after doing everything right on his part. He went to the VA, became an advocate for other veterans. He didn't stop there. He became part of TEAM Rubicon going out on missions following natural disasters.
Although he battled post-traumatic stress disorder, he had 'turned his life around' and thrown himself into charity work and lobbying.
His mother, Susan Selke, told CNN: 'In my mind he is a casualty of war. But he died here instead of over there. He died as a result of his war experience. There is no doubt in my mind.'
His death will not be counted as an official military suicide by the Pentagon, because he left the Marines in 2009.
Doctor needs to explain what comes after seeking help when so many have been failed. The military fails them then turns around claiming year after year what they are doing is working. Ok then, why are there so many still committing suicides just as the number of enlisted goes down as well? Why have the number of veterans committing suicide increasing?
They say peer support works best and that is very true but what they don't say is too often the "peer" has no clue what PTSD is or what can help, who can help or how to get any of it beyond a waiting line at the VA and a pocket full of pills.
There are things that do work but the first one is far too often the most ignored one.
Spirituality
Spirituality means something different to everyone. For some, it's about participating in organized religion: going to church, synagogue, a mosque, etc. For others, it's more personal: Some people get in touch with their spiritual side through private prayer, yoga, meditation, quiet reflection, or even long walks.
Research shows that even skeptics can't stifle the sense that there is something greater than the concrete world we see. As the brain processes sensory experiences, we naturally look for patterns, and then seek out meaning in those patterns. And the phenomenon known as "cognitive dissonance" shows that once we believe in something, we will try to explain away anything that conflicts with it.
Humans can't help but ask big questions—the instinct seems wired in our minds.
It isn't up to anyone to judge if you need to be forgiven or not. That is your own inner struggle just as much as if you need to forgive someone else. Often there is nothing you did wrong but you may believe you did.
Survivor guilt is very powerful.
High on that list of emotions is guilt. Soldiers often carry this burden home-- survivor guilt being perhaps the kind most familiar to us. In war, standing here rather than there can save your life but cost a buddy his. It's flukish luck, but you feel responsible. The guilt begins an endless loop of counterfactuals-thoughts that you could have or should have done otherwise, though in fact you did nothing wrong. The feelings are, of course, not restricted to the battlefield. But given the magnitude of loss in war, they hang heavy there and are pervasive. And they raise the question of just how irrational those feelings are, and if they aren't, of what is the basis of their reasonableness.
Start with that. Asking why you are still here is the beginning but it shouldn't be the end. If you do not ask yourself the basic questions, you will not make peace with the guilt you feel.
Be honest. Think about what happened. Where were you, what were you doing and what else was happening?
Often a veteran will say "I should have been watching him" when the truth is, they were watching where the bullets were coming from and trying to stop them from coming. Reality sucks but the reality is humans cannot look everywhere at the same time.
Whatever happened, think about it all the way. Even if you come to the conclusion you could have done something differently, which happens a lot, that shouldn't be the answer you settle for. The big question is, would it have changed anything?
"I would have jumped in front of the bullet and saved him" comes out a lot. Unless you had ESP and super human reactions, that really wasn't a possibility.
Thinking you were responsible only shows how deeply you cared.
The very fact you are hurting now proves you cared then and now. Evil people don't give a damn about anyone but themselves. Folks joining the military need to care. You wouldn't have joined if you didn't care in the first place and cared a hell of alot more than your friends did when they decided to just do what they wanted to for their own sake.
That is the biggest reason why you feel as if you don't fit in with them anymore. You don't but if you think about it, you never really did or they would have joined too. You were different then and different now as a veteran. That is a big key in healing. You are not different from other veterans no matter what war they fought in.
You are not as alone as you think you are. You just haven't found them yet. Use the internet for veterans groups in your area. Try the established groups like the DAV, VFW, American Legion and all the others.
Here's the link for local chapters of the DAV
Getting involved in your local DAV Chapter is one of the many ways you can reach out to fellow veterans in your community.
DAV Chapter members usually meet monthly to network and discuss issues of importance to veterans and the organization. Legislation, volunteer efforts and community projects are among the topics discussed, as well as upcoming events and activities. Chapters often hold formal ritual ceremonies in which new members are inducted into the organization.
WE KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT
OUR MISSION:To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military, and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.
OUR VISION: Ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of this great country.
OUR CORE VALUES:
Always put the interests of our members first
Treat donors as partners in our cause
Promote patriotism
Honor military service
Ensure the care of veterans and their families
Serve our communities
Promote a positive image of the VFW
Respect the diversity of veteran opinions
The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.
If you Google "Veteran Support Groups" you'll find 10,700,000 results. They all care. They all know what you are going through because they did too.
The older veterans faced not fitting back in with people they knew after Vietnam. What made it worse for them was that they didn't even fit in with other veterans. They were totally isolated but that wasn't the end of their story. They ended up heading all the groups above. If you think they won't get what you are dealing with, think about what they came home to.
Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is the only national Vietnam veterans organization congressionally chartered and exclusively dedicated to Vietnam-era veterans and their families.
By the late 1970s, it was clear the established veterans groups had failed to make a priority of the issues of concern to Vietnam veterans. As a result, a vacuum existed within the nation's legislative and public agenda. In January 1978, a small group of Vietnam veteran activists came to Washington, D.C., searching for allies to support the creation of an advocacy organization devoted exclusively to the needs of Vietnam veterans. VVA, initially known as the Council of Vietnam Veterans, began its work. At the end of its first year of operation in 1979, the total assets were $46,506.
"Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another."
You are not alone and you are worthy of living a better life than you are right now.
Veterans Surviving Combat Unable to Survive Police?
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
September 28, 2014
There have been far too many cases across the country of Police vs Veterans leaving veterans dead instead of helped and police officers struggling after pulling the trigger.
We can keep asking why it is happening but the answer is already right in front of us.
Smith's father said he'd have moments of uncontrollable fits of anger. ABC-7 spoke with a doctor with the Ft. Bliss restoration and resilience center, she says one of the very first steps in treatment is recognizing that you have PTSD.
The doctor said it's not a one size diagnosis, it's like cancer, there's different treatments, different levels of severity. The treatments are not easy, there is no magic pill, she added.
What good does it do to acknowledge you have PTSD when you do not get what you need to heal it? Do they ever answer that question?
Germantown Police describe scene that led up to vet's shooting death
Members of GPD’s Crisis Intervention Team got to the park at 9:50 p.m. but, despite their attempt to talk with Davis over a loudspeaker and by cellphone, he threatened to shoot at them and “made statements about killing himself.” He asked them to turn off their bright lights.
Then Davis pointed the barrel of the rifle out the passenger side window toward police. Three officers opened fire, hitting Davis multiple times.
When the ambulance got to the park at 10:05 p.m., he was dead.
Davis, a veteran of the Kentucky National Guard, had served two tours in Iraq, the most recent ending in 2012, according to guard records.
Before his fatal encounter with police, Davis struggled with alcohol abuse and was released from a 30-day rehabilitation program in September, according to divorce papers filed by his wife in October. His father, a Navy veteran, died in February. By March, Davis was without a job.
Vallandinghan said Davis had an appointment at the Memphis VA Medical Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to have an MRI on his back, and that while he was there, told VA staff he was having suicidal thoughts.
After leaving, Vallandinghan said, he texted friends and family to say goodbye.
But it isn't just young veterans being failed. It happens to older veterans too.
It happened in 2011
A 50-year-old Gresham man who was killed in a confrontation with police was a career serviceman who spent the last two years trying to raise money and respect for veterans.
Officer John Rasmussen, spokesman for Gresham police, said McDowell's wife, Teresa, called police right before 7 p.m., saying her husband was suicidal.
"Prior to our arrival, a family member had already taken a weapon away from him," Rasmussen said. "He did rearm himself with a rifle."
Higginbotham, 67, was struck 10 times and died from wounds to the chest and abdomen, according to grand jury records released Friday
It happened in 2010
A Baldwin police officer shot Edward Zevola Sr., 61, at his home Tuesday night on Songo Street, a quiet hilltop enclave of two-story homes and swimming pools above Streets Run Road.
Police said Zevola's wife called them about 9 p.m. to say the two argued and Zevola threatened her with a gun. She told police she feared he was suicidal or willing to kill someone.
Scott said Zevola was in and out of psychiatric treatment at the VA hospital for the past year.
What is worse is that it has been happening for decades. It is still happening during a time when there has never been more claims made about what is being done to help them. Astonishing.
If our Federal Government would approve it, then maybe the VA would step up as well.
Bill to Add PTSD to New Jersey Medical Marijuana Program Filed in Assembly
The Daily Chronic
By Scott Gacek
September 27, 2014
Studies conducted in Israel — where medical marijuana was allowed beginning in 2005, and has since become a dominant leader in medical marijuana research fueled by Israel’s strong research sector in medicine and technology, have found that THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, is “safe and well tolerated by patients with chronic PTSD.”
TRENTON, NJ — A bill to add post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in New Jersey was filed Monday.
The bill, Assembly Bill 3726, is sponsored by Vincent Mazzeo (D-Atlantic) and Linda Stender (D-Middlesex, Somerset and Union).
Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that is estimated to impact some eight million Americans annually, including many military veterans returning from combat as well as victims of violent crimes, such as rape.
To date, there are no pharmaceutical treatments specifically designed or approved to target symptoms of PTSD.
“[We] have long hoped that PTSD would be the first condition that would be added to qualify for marijuana therapy in New Jersey,” said Ken Wolski, Executive Director for the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.
“PTSD is poorly managed by traditional pharmacologic intervention–22 veterans commit suicide every day here in the U.S.”
“Our veterans deserve the best healthcare available and that includes marijuana therapy,” Wolski added.
“CMMNJ is committed to efforts to add PTSD and other mental and emotional conditions to the New Jersey list of qualifying conditions ASAP.”
read more here
