Greg Plitt Killed by Train in California

Greg Plitt

Greg Plitt, Army veteran and reality TV star, killed by train during filming
Washington Times
Cheryl K Churnley
January 19, 2015

Greg Plitt, a reality television show star and fitness model — and a veteran of the U.S. Army — was hit and killed by a train during filming in Southern California.

Plitt, 37, was being filmed on a track when a Metrolink train hit him, said Burbank Police Sgt. Scott Meadows, The Associated Press reported.

It’s not clear what was being filmed. But Plitt, a West Point graduate who served five years in the Army, has been on the cover of magazines more than 200 times and appeared on Bravo’s reality show “Work Out” and “Friends to Lovers,” AP said.
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Veteran Received Medical Records in Mail, For Someone Else?

Florida Navy veteran receives another person's medical records in mail
WFLA.com
Shannon Behnken
Updated: Jan 19, 2015

It was hard enough for Carol McBride, who served in the Navy, to get copies of her own medical file from the Veteran's Administration. But now, she has someone else's records - and she can't seem to give them back.

"I shouldn't have to deal with this," McBride said. "I don't want to be responsible for someone else's medical records."

When her 1,500 pages of medical records arrived, she found someone else's records sandwiched between hers. There are three EKG reports and doctor's notes for a man who was in the Army in the 1980's. His name, social security number and date of birth are right there: Everything someone would need for identity theft.

"I know more about him than I should know about him, and it (could have) been someone who's not honest. They could have taken quite a bit of advantage of him," McBride said.

She worries that if she has someone's records by mistake, someone else could have hers. After all, she ordered her file to make sure all of her records are there. She's battling with the VA over her compensation amount for a disability. She questions whether all of her records are there - and wonders if this man needs the documents she now has.

"With the VA's history of losing and compromising veteran's social security numbers this upsets me because apparently they haven't fixed the problem yet," McBride said.
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Arizona Iraq Veteran Killed By Police, Turned Away from VA

Arizona veteran suffering from PTSD killed in confrontation with police 
AZ Family.com
by Jared Dillingham
Posted on January 19, 2015

MARICOPA, Ariz. --- An Arizona military veteran died after a confrontation with police in his neighborhood south of Phoenix Sunday afternoon.

The widow of 32-year-old Johnathan Guillory says her husband struggled for many years with post-traumatic stress, brought on by a combat deployment in Iraq. He also spent time as a contract worker in Afghanistan.

"Sometimes he couldn't even deal with day-to-day life. It was a struggle for him to get through each morning, but he did," Maria Garcia told 3TV.

DPS is investigating the confrontation with Maricopa Police, which led to the deadly shooting. A spokesman would not comment on why the officers felt threatened, or whether Guillory was armed at the time.

Garcia says her husband proactively sought help for his condition.

"He saw therapists, and was on the phone constantly with suicide hotlines," she says.

Guillory's widow says he went to the VA hospital, where he reported he was having a mental health emergency.

"They turned him away. They told him there was no room, and that he'd have to make an appointment," she recalls.
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Fatal Motorcycle Accident Claims Marine Veteran's Life

Parents grieve for son, an ex-Marine who was killed in motorcycle accident
Jacksonville.com
By Derek Gilliam
Jan 19, 2015

A fatal motorcycle crash killed a former U.S. Marine Saturday night on Jacksonville’s Westside, the family told the Times-Union.

Rodney Keith Housand said he believes his son — 28-year-old Richard “Ricky” Housand — was on his way to visit a friend when a sports utility vehicle turned into his path near Plymouth Street and Cassat Avenue about 8 p.m. about three blocks from where his friend lives.

Ricky Housand died at the scene.

Rodney Housand said his son always wore a helmet and had been riding motorcycles for years.

“He was a very safety conscious rider,” he said.

Ricky Housand was a member of The American Legion Post 137 where other members nicknamed him Sheldon from the popular television show “The Big Bang Theory” because of some slight social awkwardness.

“He was really overcoming that and they accepted him and it was all good,” he said.
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If you want to know how something like this can happen watch this from a motorcycle escort we had Saturday for a double amputee Marine.

Vietnam Veteran Died Alone, Remember by Many

Community Gathers to Honor, Lay to Rest Winona Soldier Who Died Alone 
KSTP.com
By: Joe Mazan
January 19, 2015

One Minnesota community came together to honor a Vietnam Veteran who could have easily been forgotten.

Seventy-three-year-old Richard Rhodes was buried in a Winona cemetery on Monday. He died about a week before Christmas, no family or friends could be found. He left no will. A funeral home took charge of the body and discovered he served in the U.S Army in the 1960s.
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Kentucky: Vietnam Veteran Killed by Police

Vietnam veteran killed in Magoffin County officer involved shooting
WYMT News Montana
By: Kyle Collier, Alix Casper-Peak
Jan 19, 2015

Gunlock, Ky. (WYMT) Update: Sunday evening, Magoffin County Sheriff's Deputies and Kentucky State Police, went to serve an arrest warrant on Vietnam War Veteran, Carter Castle.

They say things quickly escalated and Castle told them he had a gun.

"Both tasers that were deployed on Mr. Castle were ineffective, which Mr. Castle at that point turned towards officers with the weapon and the officer acted and shot the suspect" says Kentucky State Trooper, Steven Mounts.

Longtime friend and neighbor, Ray Shepherd, grew up with Castle and even enlisted in the Military at the same time.

"He was like a sniper on the front line most of the time over there in Vietnam, he seen a lot of action.

After he came back home he's been sick" says Shepherd.

Family members and neighbors say that Castle was on medication, they believe he quit taking his medication a few days prior to the incident.
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Schultz, Moore of the Same Attacking Chris Kyle

“It humanized the struggle of soldiers returning from combat with post-traumatic stress disorder. It also serves as a harsh reminder that soldiers were sent to war under false pretense — at least, that’s how I took it."

MSNBC’s Ed Schultz Was ‘Disturbed’ By ‘American Sniper’ [VIDEO]


No, Mr. Schultz, it isn't conservatives upset by idiots. I am not a conservative. I am not a Democrat. Unlike some people you think you know, most Americans do not hold political titles above all else. Most of us know how we obtained the freedoms we have as well as how it has been retained ever since.

If you really do love freedom, great but it comes with a price. A price that isn't pretty. It isn't as easy as sitting in a chair and talking about it. It is doing what I have never done and that is being willing to die for everyone else as well as willing to kill to save lives.

I work with veterans when they fight their battles stateside and most of the time they have to hear a lot of things they don't agree with. People forget they were willing to die for rights of fools to prove what they are all by themselves. Guess its one more reason why I would rather hang around with them than anyone else.

Michael Moore backtracks and insists his comments calling snipers cowards was NOT about American Sniper Chris Kyle
The documentary filmmaker caused controversy on Sunday by tweeting that snipers are cowards
Moore's tweets corresponded with the wide release of the film American Sniper, which raked in a record $103.5million this weekend
However, he later said the comments were not directed at the movie or real-life Chris Kyle who was the inspiration
He went on to praise Bradley Cooper's acting, while calling out director Clint Eastwood's 'confused' portrayal of the Iraq War
Daily Mail UK
By ASHLEY COLLMAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and MIA DE GRAAF FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and JENNIFER NEWTON FOR MAILONLINE
19 January 2015

Michael Moore claims he didn't mean to offend the memory of Chris Kyle when he wrote a series of tweets yesterday calling snipers 'cowards'.

The Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker wrote a lengthy Facebook post today clarifying his statements, saying they were not intended as a criticism of the movie American Sniper, based on Kyle's bestselling memoir.

The Navy SEAL became the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history for shooting dead at least 160 during tours of duty in the Middle East, but was tragically killed just four years after he was discharged by a fellow soldier who was allegedly struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Seriously? Does he really think anyone is confused as to what he tweeted?

TBI and PTSD War Wounds Do Heal, No Cure For Stupidity

Sometimes I really wonder where reporters find these people! Wounds of war that never heal on the Washington Post, by Amy Ellis Nutt, is about TBI. Really bad title considering it ended up attacking PTSD veterans.

This gives us an idea of how many have TBI since the numbers went way up since 2005.

And this is what the article had to say.

Once World War I ended, blast injuries were not the leading cause of combat injury until the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. The Vietnam War, however, did produce the first diagnosed cases of post-traumatic stress disorder, which Koliatsos believes has helped to stigmatize IED survivors who return home but have enormous difficulties adjusting."

“We thought it was hysteria in World War I and then came PTSD in Vietnam,” he said, so we continued to think of these [hidden] injuries only as psychological.”

In saying IED survivors were stigmatized, Koliatsos just managed to slam PTSD veterans. That is the wound that will never heal. PTSD is nothing to be ashamed of. TBI is nothing to be ashamed of. Isn't it time for "experts" to stop feeding the stigma? PTSD and TBI do heal. They are not cured. Unfortunately there is no cure for stupidity.

Combat Wounded Staff Sgt. Tavera Retired From Army

Wounded vet given several standing ovations in retirement sendoff 
Tampa Bay Times
Rich Shopes Times
Staff Writer
Friday, January 16, 2015

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence gave a tribute Friday to Staff Sgt. Joel Tavera, here with his parents, Maritza and Jose Tavera. Joel Tavera was badly injured in a rocket attack. Rich Shopes, Times

TAMPA — Joel Tavera was five months into his deployment in Iraq when a rocket ripped into the vehicle he was riding in, killing everyone except Tavera and another soldier.

Burns covered 60 percent of Tavera's body. Exploding shrapnel and the blast's concussion left him with severe brain trauma that took his sight. His right leg was amputated below the knee. He lost several fingers. Doctors weren't sure he'd survive the trip to a hospital in San Antonio.

"Against all odds he recovered from injuries that most people wouldn't have survived from," said Dr. Steven Scott, who specializes in traumatic brain injuries at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa.

Enduring more than 75 surgeries, Tavera, 27, became an inspiration to other wounded vets, as well as doctors, nurses and just about anyone he encountered.

"He's one of the most positive people you'll ever meet," said Taylor Urruela, a former Army sergeant who lost his right leg to an improvised explosive device in 2006. "And it comes through right away, as soon as you meet him."

On Friday, Staff Sgt. Tavera officially retired from the Army. The Army, in turn, wasn't about to let Tavera go quietly. Top brass organized a send off at Haley replete with commendations, letters of proclamation, including one from President Obama, and more than a few heartfelt tributes.
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Chris Kyle American Sniper Movie Breaks Record Opening

'American Sniper' Breaks Box Office Records After Oscar Nominations 
NBC News
January 19, 2015

NEW YORK — Oscar-nominated "American Sniper" led North American box office charts over the weekend with a record-smashing $90.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates.

The film, which broke the record for a January weekend as well as for any drama opening ever, was directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Bradley Cooper.

"American Sniper" virtually doubled industry expectations after widely expanding to some 3,500 screens from just a handful of theaters the day after scoring six Oscar nominations, including best picture and best actor for Cooper, who plays a Navy Seal sharpshooter.
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Story of Texan Chris Kyle, ‘American Sniper,’ works best as a portrait of PTSD (B+) Dallas News
By CHRIS VOGNAR
Culture Critic
December 24, 2014

Twenty-two years ago, Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven served up an eloquent encapsulation of what it means to take a life: “It’s a hell of a thing, killing a man. You take away all he’s got, and all he’s ever gonna have.”

The late Chris Kyle, the hero of Eastwood’s new movie American Sniper, might have an appropriate answer: Try killing 160.

That’s how many official kills were credited to the sharpshooting Texan, the most in American military history. As played by Bradley Cooper, Kyle absorbed his role, embraced his duty, but turned into a husk of a man once each of his four tours in Iraq was finished. Though it never uses the term “PTSD,” American Sniper, at its best, is a devastating portrait of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The movie is strongest when Kyle is home, as his wife, Taya (Sienna Miller, also strong), wonders whether the man who was her husband might re-enter the land of the living. Cooper turns Kyle’s emotional vacancy into a vivid presence. He wears it in the hollow eyes, and the clenched jaw, and the monosyllabic shutdown when anyone expresses concern.
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'American Sniper': What Happened in Real Life After the Movie Fades to Black
ABC News
By MEGHAN KENEALLY
Jan 20, 2015

His funeral was held at the Cowboy's Stadium to allow for crowds and his wife Taya gave an emotional eulogy on stage.

"When you think you cannot do something, think again. Chris always said the body will do whatever the mind tells it to. I am counting on that now," she said. "I stand before you a broken woman but I am now and always will be the wife of a man who was a warrior both on and off the battlefield."

The film showed clips of the ceremony and Kyle's flag-draped coffin, but some of the most moving moments came when it showed how hundreds of people lined the sides of the interstate to salute the procession as the coffin was moved from the stadium to the Texas State Cemetery about 200 miles away.
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World News Videos | ABC World News

After Suicide Marine's Wife Guest for State of the Union

While this is yet one more heartbreaking story of a widow left behind, it is even more so knowing all the other bills before this repeated "effort" failed. Had Congress taken the time to review what was done, failed and repeated, maybe, just maybe Justin Eldridge would be healing, instead of leaving a grieving widow.

Widow continues Marine veteran’s fight
Publication: The Day
By Deborah Straszheim
Published January 19. 2015

Joanna and Justin Eldridge are shown at a Marine Corps ball in Connecticut. Joanna Eldridge will be Sen. Richard Blumenthal's guest at Tuesday's State of the Union address in Washington. Justin Eldridge, who suffered from PTSD and took his own life in 2013 in Waterford, served in Afghanistan.
Photo courtesy of Joanna Eldridge

The widow of a U.S. Marine who took his own life after a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder, will travel to Washington, D.C., as Sen. Richard Blumenthal's guest at Tuesday's State of the Union address.

Joanna Eldridge had four young children and was caring for her 31-year-old husband, Justin Eldridge, at the time of his death in Waterford. He also had a traumatic brain injury that initially went undiagnosed. "Justin Eldridge is one of thousands of veterans who have lost their battle to invisible wounds of war," Blumenthal said in a news release issued last week. "Even as we lose another 22 veterans each day to suicide, we must not forget the spouses, children and community they leave behind."

Blumenthal is pushing for passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, a bill aimed at improving mental health care and suicide prevention programs for servicemen and women.

The bill, which passed the House of Representatives last week, would evaluate suicide prevention programs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, improve coordination among veterans organizations and the VA and provide loan repayments for psychiatrists and mental health workers at the VA. The legislation would also boost community outreach and support services.
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Heroes Behind Heroes But Only Some Matter

I became a caregiver over 30 years ago. I had to worry about taking care of my husband and our daughter along with trying to figure out how to hold down a job while helping my widow Mom with what she needed.

Families like mine had to do everything the Internet generation of veteran families have to do today but we didn't have the support. Reporters didn't care. They still don't. Vietnam veterans had the same physical wounds along with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury but do did other generations.

For over 30 years, before most of this generation was born, advocates like me were fighting for their lives knowing that unless we did, the next generation would join in our suffering instead of being cared for and about. We saw it happen to our parents and grandparents. We saw it happen to family after family. Now it is almost as if none of the suffering OEF and OIF veterans go through happened before. I got news for you.

Had it not been for families like mine and Vietnam veterans pushing for everything, albeit less than perfect, for the new generation, they would be like us. Abandoned and alone.

The heroes behind our heroes
Suffolk News
Staff Report
January 16, 2015

Andrea Sawyer of Colonial Heights takes her husband to all of his medical appointments as often as three or four times a week. At one point, he required all-day safety supervision at home. Although his conditions have improved greatly, there are still multiple medications and appointments to manage.

Mrs. Sawyer’s husband suffers from traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress as a result of his military service in Iraq. During his service, Mr. Sawyer served overseas in Department of Defense mortuaries in Tallil and Balad, Iraq, and stateside at Dover Port Mortuary, Dover Air Force Base. While in Iraq, he sustained blast-related injuries.

For the Sawyers, their toughest journey was not during his deployment, but after Mr. Sawyer returned home. It was a long road to his diagnosis of severe PTS and TBI. During that time, Mr. Sawyer needed full-time supervision — someone to manage his medications, take him to the doctor, ensure he was safe at home, and monitor his mental health.

But it wasn’t the Department of Veterans Affairs or Tricare or representatives from the Department of Defense who stepped in to fill that role. It was Mrs. Sawyer. At 34 and with two young children, she became the primary caregiver to her husband.

She’s not alone.

All across the nation, behind our wounded heroes, there is another army of heroes: veteran caregivers. These are the spouses, parents, family members and volunteers who provide regular care to those who have served our nation.
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So did we! I left this comment.

It is nice they are being helped. What isn't nice is my generation was not included in this. My generation is Vietnam veteran families and while we went through everything longer without any help, we were not included in on the Caregivers act. Gulf War families were not. Korean veterans were not. WWII veterans were not. Guess we just didn't matter to the people responsible for the bill that changed so many lives while forgetting about us.

It is more than insulting. When one group of veterans receives special treatment it says a lot. It tells the other veterans they just don't matter. Good Lord! Do they really think taking the D our of PTSD will matter when they don't have a clue how any of this actually started?

California Doctor Will Practice Again After Drunk Doctoring

Drunk Doctor Who Passed Out at Work to Continue Treating Patients
NBC 7 San Diego
By Paul Krueger
Jan 16, 2015

A local doctor who drank so much he passed out at his medical office will be allowed to treat patients again. NBC 7 Investigates reporter Mari Payton explains how the state Medical Board is keeping tabs on this doctor and trying to protect his patients.

Lane told investigators his alcohol problem worsened when he returned from military service in Afghanistan and diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

A local doctor who drank so much that he passed out at his medical office, will now be allowed to treat patients again.

Dr. Jason Lane collapsed while working with the Kaiser Zion Medical Group in October 2013, according to a formal accusation filed by the Medical Board of California.

Lane's blood alcohol level was .39, which is almost five times the legal limit, and his colleagues in the emergency room had to treat him for alcohol poisoning, as revealed in the Medical Board’s accusation.

Those documents, obtained by NBC 7 Investigates, also reveal that Dr. Lane drank more than two bottles of wine, the night before he collapsed at work.
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Iraq Veteran PTSD Service Dog Not Welcomed at Taco Bell

Army Veteran kicked out of Taco Bell 
ABC 57
By Alexandra Koehn
Posted: Jan 16, 2015

An Army Veteran said he was kicked out of the Taco Bell on M-139 in Benton Township because he had a service dog.

The veteran called 911 because he said the scene got heated. Here is some of the audio from the call: “I'm a veteran. I have PTSD and I have a service dog. And the lady has refused service and wants to throw me out of the establishment... She's still cussing and putting me down and bullying me.”

The fast food chain said the issue was resolved and they invited the veteran back into the restaurant.

Lance Reeves said this happened on December 13th and it's upsetting because he served our country for nearly 22 years.

Reeves said he served for 4 years as a Military Police officer in Iraq and now he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He said his service dog 'Bolo' goes with him everywhere, and helps him when he's having anxiety.

Reeves said, “If I'm having real bad nightmares and night sweats, he's able to turn on the light and wake me up and get me out of that. If I stop breathing at night, he can lay on my chest and get me to breathe.”
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Utah Deputy Cleared After Killing Veteran Nicholas McGehee

Sheriff’s deputy justified in shooting armed soldier in Tooele County
FOX 13 Salt Lake
BY ASHTON EDWARDS
JANUARY 16, 2015

“Task Force Marne commanding general, Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo, shakes hands with, Spc. Nicholas McGehee, a native of Sanford, N.C. and “Golden Dragon” Soldier with 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, after pinning him with the military’s oldest award still given to servicemembers, The Purple Heart, during a ceremony on Contingency Operating Site Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq, Oct. 7.”McGehee was shot and killed in an encounter with police in Tooele County on December 28. Image courtesy Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System.

TOOELE, Utah – The Department of Public Safety said the Tooele County deputy who shot and killed a man in Stansbury Park was justified in using deadly force.

Back on Dec. 28, Sgt. Eli Wayman shot 28-year-old Nicholas Ryan McGehee.

The incident started when McGehee’s wife Kathryn called authorities about her husband who was intoxicated, had stepped on some glass and needed help.

Deputies went to the home near Aberdeen Lane and Merion Dr. after Kathryn told the 911 dispatcher her husband was armed with a shotgun.

When Sgt. Wayman saw McGehee with the shotgun, he told him to put down the gun and talk.

At that point McGehee went back into the house and slammed the door.

During the altercation Sgt. Wayman told McGehee at least three times to drop his weapon but he didn’t listen.

Officials said McGehee ended up pointing his gun at Sgt. Wayman which forced him to shoot.
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Utah Iraq Veteran Killed by Police