Military Extras in Movies Not Paid?

Ok, so we have military families on food stamps but if the servicemember is acting in a movie, they don't get paid for it? Huh? Do they at least get coffee and donuts?
Getting paid for camo cameos

S.1669, Military Equitable Reimbursement Act.
Last action: November 2013 sent to Senate committee.

The Transformers movie franchise has grossed hundreds of billions of dollars. The U.S. military could have seen some of that money. The Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines each all supported the movies —– treating it as a public relations bonanza —– by offering up hundreds of servicemember extras, equipment including F-22 jets and Predator drones, and access to facilities such as Edwards Air Force Base in California and the Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. So, who pays and who gets paid for the screen cameos?

The military can be reimbursed for the movie productions but current laws make it uncertain whether it can keep the money for use of installations like White Sands.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., proposed closing the loophole and getting the services paid. "Clarifying the reimbursement policy for the film industry allows movie productions to realistically portray the skill, heroism, capability and challenges of our Armed Forces and their families while ensuring local installations are directly reimbursed for use of state-of-the-art facilities and equipment," Heinrich said in a written statement.

Amid sound and fury, some military bills likely to go nowhere
Stars and Stripes
By Travis J. Tritten
Published: November 30, 2014

WASHINGTON — The current Congress, entering its final weeks, is on course to be one of the least productive in history.

The passage of new laws hit record lows during the 113th Congress, which spans the last two years. It was not for a lack of trying; about 1,600 bills related to the military were introduced, while only 48 were signed into law, according to a government database that tracks legislation.

A variety of military issues languished — suicide screenings, illegal immigrants in officer schools and toxic exposure. Some were sent to committees, where they quietly died. Others remained in play as lawmakers prepared for a harried last few weeks of legislating following the Thanksgiving break.

Historically, only about 5 percent of bills pass into law, which has meant 300 to 600 new laws per Congress, said Josh Huder, a senior fellow with the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University in Washington.

But partisan wrangling and filibusters have dramatically reduced the number that ever make it to a vote, let alone become law. Only about 185 laws have been passed by this Congress, Huder said.
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Ashton Carter, the former second-in-command may replace Hagel

Meet Chuck Hagel's expected replacement as Defense Secretary
CNN
By Jamie Crawford and Barbara Starr
December 2, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: Sources said Tuesday that DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson is no longer considered
The White House has struggled to find a successor for Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary
The new frontrunner is Ashton Carter, a former Pentagon official with years of DOD
experience

Washington (CNN) -- Ashton Carter, the former second-in-command at the Pentagon, appears to be the top choice to replace outgoing Secretary Chuck Hagel.

Barring any last minute complications, Ash Carter will be President Barack Obama's choice as the new Secretary of Defense, several U.S. administration officials told CNN.

An administration official had said that Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, a former General Counsel at the Pentagon, was also still on the list of possibilities, but on Tuesday morning, sources said Johnson was no longer being considered. The prospect of an additional confirmation hearing for Johnson's replacement if he were to move to the Pentagon as the Senate switches to Republican control would have been problematic for the White House.

Carter, who served as Deputy Defense Secretary under both Leon Panetta and Hagel, would bring a wide range of experience to a department confronting multiple crises in the Middle East and preparing to enter a new phase in Afghanistan as the NATO combat mission ends.

Carter's ability to hit the ground running from his past experience at the Pentagon, in addition to the respect many senior military leaders have for him are seen as major benefits to winning confirmation should Obama nominate him.
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Marine Afghanistan Veteran died from drug toxicity from one of his prescriptions

Marine sniper Rob Richards died from drug toxicity: autopsy
Marine Corps Times
By Hope Hodge Seck
Staff writer
December 1, 2014

Robert Richards, who was found dead in his home in Jacksonville, N.C., on Aug. 13
(Photo: Mike Morones/Staff)

The sudden death of a Marine Corps combat veteran after his controversial exit from the military was a result of drug toxicity from one of his prescriptions, according to a newly published autopsy report.

Rob Richards, 28, was found dead in his Jacksonville, North Carolina, home Aug. 13, a year and five days after he was medically retired from the service as a corporal. Richards, a combat-wounded veteran with multiple deployments, had been among a group of Marine scout snipers whose actions came under intense scrutiny after a video surfaced in 2012 depicting them urinating on an enemy corpse in Afghanistan.

Richards disliked the publicity associated with the urination scandal and worked hard to put the incident behind him, but his autopsy report and other medical documents released to Marine Corps Times reveal the scars of combat and the psychological toll his experiences had taken.

Though the injuries qualified Richards for 100 percent medical disability, and the experience left him with depression and post-traumatic stress — he spent a month in a psychiatric facility after discharging a pistol in a Florida hotel room in a frightening moment of disorientation — he volunteered to return to Afghanistan in 2011 with another scout sniper unit attached to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. Twelve months after he was wounded, Richards quit his medications cold turkey and deployed for the last time.
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Gunnery Sgt Back From Afghanistan Thought No One Was There For Him

Until he saw he was wrong.

"Gunnery Sgt. Chris Taylor recently returned from a year-long deployment in Afghanistan, and didn't expect to see any family members at his homecoming."

Wife welcomes Marine home with surprise visit upon his return from Afghanistan
NBC TODAY
Eun Kyung Kim
December 1, 2014

Sgt. Chris Taylor was surprised when he returned home

(Photo: YouTube)

A surprise reunion following a year-long separation from loved ones can overwhelm even the most disciplined, battle-hardened Marine with emotion.

Gunnery Sgt. Chris Taylor recently returned from a year-long deployment in Afghanistan, and didn't expect to see any family members at his homecoming.

"Because he is stationed in California and our kids and I live in Maryland, he didn't think that anyone would be there when he returned. But I showed him!" wrote his wife, Sara Taylor, in the caption of a YouTube video she posted last month of their emotional reunion.
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Veteran's PTSD Cross-country Horseback Trip Change His Own Life Too

Vet Crosses Country on Horseback for PTSD Awareness
NBC San Diego
By Liberty Zabala
December 1, 2014

A Marine Corps veteran has come home to Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, California, after traveling across the country entirely on horseback.

Matt Littrell is riding to raise awareness for veterans dealing with mental, emotional and physical pain. Bronze Stars, Navy Cross Awarded for Bravery in Afghanistan.

After two combat tours in Iraq, coming home was one of the darkest parts of Littrell’s journey — until he got on his horse to ride 2,600 miles to fight for his brothers in arms going through the same thing.

“One step at a time. One mile at a time. It’s a journey you’ll take and you’ll find it,” Littrell said.

As this part of his journey ends, a new one begins.

“We actually got engaged on the trail, and we do plan to get married when we get home,” said Littrell’s fiancé Kristen Fuhrmann. “I fell in love with the honesty and the person.”

Every mile along the way, he’ll keep fighting.

“I told these guys we’d ride for them and we will and we did,” Littrell said.

So far, he has raised $82,000 for the Semper Fi Fund.
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A Marine Corps veteran has come to Camp Pendleton after traveling across the country on horseback to raise awareness for veterans dealing with physical and emotional pain. NBC 7's Liberty Zabala reports on Nov. 30, 2014. (Published Monday, Dec 1, 2014)