Kansas City Veteran Accused of Lying by 6 From His Unit

Kansas soldier honored for his service now under attack by members of his own unit
FOX4KC News
BY LINDA WAGAR
POSTED JULY 29, 2015

Myers said he has been dealing with Garrison’s lies ever since 2008. That’s when Garrison was interviewed by HBO for a documentary on the portion of Arlington Cemetery dedicated to veterans of the Afghanistan War.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Fellow servicemen of one area solider say Brandon Garrison told several lies about his military experiences in order to receive unearned praise and free services he didn’t deserve.

Some may have already heard about Garrison. He received a free house in Kansas City Kansas last year. Last February, he got a free service dog; all because of his service half a world away in Afghanistan.

Garrison served in the Army and left with what he describes as major injuries, from Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome to traumatic brain injury; something he said may have been resulted when both of his eardrums were ruptured.

Garrison was on FOX 4 News again last May talking about more injuries. This time possible nerve damage caused by exposure to noxious fumes from the burning pits the Army used to dispose of trash in Afghanistan. It was after that news report that six members of Garrison’s former Army unit contacted FOX 4 with a warning: Garrison is a liar.

Myers said Garrison spent the majority of his service in the Korengal Valley in the only air-conditioned office in the outpost.

But Garrison was considerably more straight forward when it came to his claims on HBO regarding Sgt. Wilson.

“I would like to apologize first and foremost to the family members and service members who were affected by the inaccuracies of my interview eight years ago,” Garrison said. “I take full responsibility for that. The lessons that I learned from that have helped make me a more mature individual.”

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From Stars and Stripes
At home, but not at peace: A soldier's struggle with PTSD
Spc. Brandon Garrison volunteered to deploy and loved putting on his uniform each day. But after watching a mortar attack claim one of his friends in Afghanistan, he joined the thousands of servicemembers battling PTSD.
March 30, 2008

Baby Survived After Pregnant Woman Shot to Death in Murder-Suicide

Pregnant woman shot to death in murder-suicide, unborn baby survives
FOX 8 Cleveland
BY DARCIE LORENO AND LORRIE TAYLOR
JULY 29, 2015

“Chrissy was on her knees, she was yelling and screaming ‘he`s going to kill me, he`s going to kill me,’” Mary said. “I said Chris, don`t, I told him’ don`t kill Chrissy, don`t kill her, don`t kill Chrissy’ and he shot her in the head.”

“He looked at me, put the gun to his head and shot.”

CLEVELAND, Ohio — A pregnant woman was shot to death, but doctors were able to save her unborn child after an apparent murder-suicide Tuesday night.

That’s according to Mary Scruggs, the mother of the suspected shooter, Chris Scruggs, 32. Chris was the victim’s fiance and high school sweetheart, Mary says.

“He loved Chrissy and Chrissy loved him,” Mary said.

Mary says her son struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; there were times when he wasn`t himself. “So you sensed there were moments when he was edgy? Asked Fox8’s Lorrie Taylor, “I knew, um hum, and I can understand that.”
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Iraq Veteran's Home Robbed 3rd Time

Thieves Target Iraq Veteran’s Home Three Times 
CBS
Steve Pickett
July 29, 2015

Bowden also struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Golfing became therapy — until burglars stole the golf clubs.

FORNEY (CBSDFW.COM) – Kevin Bowden’s garage is his late night sanctuary. “When I don’t sleep, I’m here,” he said, pointing to one of two patio chairs stationed at opening of the garage of his Forney home.

Sleep is an apparent rarity for the Iraq War veteran. Disabled after sustaining an injury to his brain after a roadside bomb detonated under his military Humvee, the former Army Sergeant takes refuge in his garage, filled with tools, lawn equipment and a home security system.

Missing from the inventory are drills, a leaf blower and Bowden’s treasured golf clubs.
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VA Budget Short $3 Million or Billion?

The headline was $3 Million but as you read the article, you see it was more like $3 Billion,


Department of Veterans Affairs reveals last minute $3 million budget shortfall
by Continuous News Desk
Posted: 07.28.2015

"The VA's not managed well I think, because they should have asked for that a long time ago," he said.

Congressman Jeff Miller who chairs the House Veteran's Affairs committee agrees.

"Unfortunately, the VA waited to the last minute to inform us before the August recess that they now have a $2.6 billion budget shortfall," says Miller.

But that isn't anything new. The claim about "last minute" isn't true either.

This was posted back in April

Last week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee marked up the 2016 Veterans Affairs funding bill, and slashed more than $1.4 billion from the president’s requested budget for America’s Veterans. Today, VA Secretary Bob McDonald appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss that budget proposal.

This came out in June

Hearing on VA Budget Shortfall
June 26, 2015 - FRA
The House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) held a hearing to review how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could have a $2.6 billion budget shortfall for the current fiscal year (FY 2015). The VA claimed that the shortfall is mainly because of increased demand by veterans for health care, including new life-saving treatments for Hepatitis C.

Hmm,,,that was "last minute" before August recess?


VA Budget Shortfall Again No Big Shocker To Us takes a look at the shortfall going back to 1985. It is really odd how $3 billion number keeps popping up and heads of members of Congress claim to be so upset over it,,,,over and over again.

2008

Vietnam Veterans of America: President Bush's VA Budget is $3 Billion Short

February 13, 2008 - "The annual exercise of debating the merits of the President's proposed budget is flawed," said John Rowan, National President of Vietnam Veterans of America, before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "Medical Center directors should not be held in limbo as Congress adjusts this budget and misses, yet again, the start of the fiscal year.

"These public servants can be more effective and efficient managers if they are able to properly plan for the funding needed to care for their patients. We ask that you consider an immediate alternative to the broken system we currently have," Rowan said.

Rowan characterized as "inadequate" the FY'09 request for $2.34 billion more than the FY'08 appropriation. This "barely keeps up with inflation" and "will not allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue enhancing its physical and mental health care services for returning veterans, restore needed long-term care programs for aging veterans, or allow working-class veterans to return to their health care system."

2009

$3.6 billion hike urged for VA health care
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 6, 2009

Four leading veterans groups called Friday for a $4.5 billion increase in veterans programs, including $3.6 billion for health care.

This is an even bigger increase than the groups asked for a year ago, and puts added pressure on President Barack Obama to keep campaign promises for full funding of Veterans Affairs Department programs.

The increase, which would result in a $54.6 billion discretionary VA budget, comes in the so-called “independent budget” prepared each year by AmVets, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Warrior Woman Marine Runs To Honor Fallen Female Troops

Marine vet honors fallen female troops with 160-mile run 
Marine Corps Times
By Dean DeChiaro
Medill News Service
July 29, 2015

Marine Maj. Bridget Guerrero (ret.) ran 160 miles around the Puget Sound in Washington from Thursday through Sunday. Each mile represented a female service member who lost her life in Iraq or Afghanistan.
(Photo: Courtesy of Marine Maj. Bridget Guerrero (ret.))

When veteran Marine Maj. Bridget Guerrero set out to run a mile for each of the 160 female troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, she never thought that one of their moms would show up to support her along the way.

After training for months, Guerrero set out to run 160 miles around Washington's Puget Sound from Thursday through Sunday. When she noticed a stranger among the crowd that came out to support her along the four-day trek, Guerrero introduced herself — and quickly realized the woman was the most important person there.

Re McClung, the mother of Maj. Megan McClung, an accomplished triathlete and the first female Marine officer killed during the Iraq War, had come to wish Guerrero well. She gave Guerrero her daughter's service coin, which Guerrero kept duct-taped to her arm for the remainder of the race.

"To know she is running for my daughter … and to know that she is running with Meg's coin and to know that funds she raises will pay forward to the daughter of another Marine — it's overwhelming," Re McClung wrote on Facebook.
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VA Doctor Regrets Facebook Comment "Off Yourself Please"

A VA doctor regrets leaving a comment but while we've all said things we regret but writing something leaves plenty of time to think before you type it.

VA Doctor Regrets Facebook Post Telling Gun Advocate to 'Off' Himself
Associated Press
by MaryClaire Dale
Jul 29, 2015

PHILADELPHIA — A Department of Veterans Affairs psychiatrist said Tuesday he regrets a Facebook post suggesting that a gun-rights supporter "off" himself.

Dr. Gregg Gorton said his comment was meant to be sarcastic but he'd love to take it back nonetheless.

"It's just one of those moments you'd rather take back in your life," Gorton told The Associated Press. "I've worked 30 years to treat psychiatric patients. I teach about suicide prevention. ... That's not me."

The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia is reviewing his job status, Gorton said. He has worked for the agency for 11 years. The hospital has apologized to veterans and called the post "unacceptable."

Gorton's comments follow a story in The Washington Times.

Gorton was responding to a post that came through his Facebook page by an apparent gun-rights supporter, according to images posted to the website Imgur and described by the newspaper.

"I am all for gun control," the user wrote. "If there is a gun in the room, I want to be in control of it."

Gorton replied: "Off yourself, please."
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30 years and working on suicide prevention but didn't take time to think about what he was typing?

Iraq Veteran Arthur Guise VA National Cemetery Denied Burial

You may be thinking that as a murder, this veteran does not deserve to be buried at a National Cemetery. You may be thinking that since he did serve this country and risked his life for it, that was enough for you. The trouble is, there is no easy answer.

Here is a reminder of what happened.

'He saw a lot in Iraq. It changed him': Father of shooter in York County murder-suicide

The man who authorities said committed suicide after he shot a woman at a York County bar last night likely suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder following military tours in Iraq, according to his father.

Lenard Guise of Mount Holly Springs said Arthur Guise, his son, did two tours in Iraq during his time in the Army.

"I think that affected him," Guise said. "He was going to some counseling to help. He saw a lot in Iraq. It changed him."

Here is the latest.

Iraq War veteran denied burial in national cemetery after murder-suicide
York Daily Record
Written by Dylan Segelbaum
Jul 29, 2015

A request from the family of an Iraq War veteran accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend and then killing himself outside a bar in the Dillsburg area for him to be buried in a national cemetery has been denied.

"It's a very tiny, tiny, tiny occurrence that, unfortunately, it does happen now and again," said Michael Nacincik, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration. "We have to follow the law, and that's what we did in this case."

On July 2, Arthur Guise, 31, of Dillsburg, walked into Flapjack's Restaurant and Pub, and, without saying a word, shot and killed Sharon Williams, 33, of Mount Holly Springs, before killing himself, the York County Coroner's Office has said. Both died at the bar, which is off Route 15 in Carroll Township. Under federal law, Nacincik said, veterans who commit a capital crime are barred from being buried in a national cemetery. Though he did not have exact numbers for denials, Nacincik said the administration handles the burials of 125,000 veterans per year.
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Guise wanted help and tried to get it. Now he is dead and so is Sharon Williams. Folks are recovering from the shock but some are still grieving. While you are deciding what should be the right way to bury this veteran, we should also be wondering what was the right way to take care of him before he went from risking his life twice in combat into pulling the trigger of someone he used to care about.

Sgt. Kyesha Lashell Harris-Foster Died 2 Months After Hit And Run

Killeen: Soldier Dies Two Months After Hit-And-Run
KWTX Our Town Texas News
By: Ethan Hutchins

KILLEEN (July 27, 2015) Police continue to search for a hit-and-run driver after a Fort Hood soldier who was struck by a vehicle in May died over the weekend.

Sgt. Kyesha Lashell Harris-Foster, 28, was hit early May 25 by a car while walking along South Fort Hood Street in Killeen.

The driver of the car that hit her did not stop.

Several people did, however, and were helping the 28-year-old victim when another car, whose driver couldn't see what was happening, struck Harris-Foster, pinning her beneath the car, the police said.

The car also struck a woman who had come to the victim's aid.

That driver did stop.

On Saturday, just two months after the accident, Harris-Foster died at a local hospital.
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Former Navy SEAL Alleges Anti-Gay CIA

Former SEAL alleges anti-gay harassment in CIA
Brett Jones says he was bullied, called slurs, left outside in hot weather during deployment
San Diego Union Tribune
By Joshua Stewart
July 28, 2015

“I don’t tolerate racism or bigotry, and for some reason, that line of work attracts some people that are like that,” Jones said. “And because of the way the small units are, it goes unchecked.”

Former Navy SEAL Brett Jones discusses the importance of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the continuing breakdown of boundaries for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals during the 2015 Cultural Awareness Day observance, April 10, 2015.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox/Released)

A former Navy SEAL who gained national attention for a memoir about being gay in one of the military’s elite communities has filed a complaint, saying he was the victim of homophobic bullying during a June deployment as a CIA contractor.

Brett Jones says when he arrived at his outpost in an undisclosed location in Afghanistan on June 11, he was forced to endure anti-gay bullying, including homophobic slurs, a crass PowerPoint presentation, and snide comments as people watched the news about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down bans on same-sex marriage.

The atmosphere was so toxic that he feared for his safety and had to return home early, he said.

The anti-gay comments came from a group of contractors and civil servants in the CIA’s Global Response Staff, Jones said. Many, like himself, are former members of special-operations units. A few of them took issue with working alongside a gay man, Jones said.
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Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital Opens in Alaska

Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital opens in Anchorage
KTVA News 11
By Alexis Fernandez
July 28, 2015

The Patriots Program has 14 locations across the country, but the new facility is the first of its kind in Alaska. It’s also the only hospital named after Chris Kyle.

ANCHORAGE – Active duty military servicemembers and veterans in Alaska have a new hospital to turn to for help.

On Tuesday, Universal Health Services — the second largest U.S. hospital chain — cut the ribbon to its new Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital at 1650 Bragaw Street in Anchorage. The 36-bed hospital will primarily focus on mental health services like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and short-term care in a non-traditional environment. It previously helped adolescents with behavior programs in Alaska.

Chris Kyle was a U.S. Navy Seal who wrote the best selling book “American Sniper” after he served four tours in Iraq. He was shot and killed in 2013 at a shooting range in Texas.

His wife, Taya Kyle, was at the dedication ceremony to represent her late husband.
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Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital
Inpatient Treatment Program for Service Members and Veterans ages 18 and older
Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital provides an intensive dual track treatment program for military service members and veterans, who have experienced trauma and are in need of detoxification and/or rehabilitation for substance abuse.

At its foundation, our program provides intensive trauma-focused multi-disciplinary treatment (i.e., psychotherapy, nursing, psychiatric and spiritual) with the goal to improve patients’ overall resiliency.

Holistic in nature, the Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital is attentive to needs of the whole self—the mind, the body and the spirit, and therefore, provides services that enhance the mind, strengthen the body, and empower the spirit.