Bookkeeper pleads guilty to defrauding Fort Campbell charity
WKRN web staff
Published: November 5, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A woman pleaded guilty to defrauding more than $54,000 from a Fort Campbell charity on Thursday.
Anita Marshall, 43, of Daphne, Alabama and formerly of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to a charge of bank fraud association with her theft and subsequent use of checks from the Fort Campbell Thrift Shop.
Marshall served as the thrift store’s assistant manager and bookkeeper. She admitted that she stole blank checks from the thrift shop, issued these checks to herself, forged the signature of the thrift shop manager and then deposited these checks into her own accounts.
The fraudulent activity occurred from August 2009 until November 2010 and involved 91 checks totaling more than $54,000.
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Thursday, November 5, 2015
Ohio 90 Year Old WWII Veteran Robbed At Knifepoint
Robber who threatened 90-year-old WWII veteran has been identified, sheriff's office says
Deputies on the lookout for Brandon Wilson, 23
WCPO Staff
Nov 4, 2015
CLEVES, Ohio — The suspect in the robbery of a 90-year-old World War II veteran at knifepoint has been identified, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office says.
Deputies are looking for Brandon Wilson, 23, last known to be living in Owenton, Kentucky. Wilson is 5-feet, 11-inches and approximately 220-230 pounds. He has short dark hair and brown eyes with multiple tattoos on his right lower arm and a star tattoo on his left elbow.
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Deputies on the lookout for Brandon Wilson, 23
WCPO Staff
Nov 4, 2015
CLEVES, Ohio — The suspect in the robbery of a 90-year-old World War II veteran at knifepoint has been identified, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office says.
Vietnam Veteran Told Benefits Cut Off Because "You're Dead"
Vietnam veteran to VA: I'm not dead, restore my benefits
Tampa Tribune
By Howard Altman
November 5, 2015
But Rieker could not survive the Department of Veterans Affairs claims processing system.
When his monthly VA disability check failed to show up in his bank account this week, the 69-year-old Dunedin man called to find out why.
A short while later, a woman from the VA’s Philadelphia office called him back.
“‘Your benefits were suspended because you are deceased,’” she told him.
“Well, wait a minute,” Rieker replied. “I’m talking to you.”
Realizing there was a problem, the woman told him to hold the phone. She came back to let him know that over the summer, a veteran named Michael G. Rieker died in Arizona.
“I’m Michael C. Rieker,” he said.
The woman then told him that in September, his wife filed for burial benefits.
“But I don’t have a wife,” he replied.
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Tampa Tribune
By Howard Altman
November 5, 2015
Mike Rieker says he was contacted by the VA's St. Petersburg Regional Office on Wednesday and told his check would be deposited by Nov. 17. TRIBUNE FILE PHOTOMike Rieker survived the Vietnam War, where he was a Navy seaman serving aboard river boats. It was dangerous work that claimed the lives of 11 of his closest friends.
But Rieker could not survive the Department of Veterans Affairs claims processing system.
When his monthly VA disability check failed to show up in his bank account this week, the 69-year-old Dunedin man called to find out why.
A short while later, a woman from the VA’s Philadelphia office called him back.
“‘Your benefits were suspended because you are deceased,’” she told him.
“Well, wait a minute,” Rieker replied. “I’m talking to you.”
Realizing there was a problem, the woman told him to hold the phone. She came back to let him know that over the summer, a veteran named Michael G. Rieker died in Arizona.
“I’m Michael C. Rieker,” he said.
The woman then told him that in September, his wife filed for burial benefits.
“But I don’t have a wife,” he replied.
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Thousands of Soldiers With PTSD Abandoned by Army
From the DODIncluding all soldiers all of these are over 2,000 since 2009.
OEF OIF
FORT HOOD, 2,579
Fort Sill, 1,768
FORT BRAGG 1,865
FORT BLISS 1,332
FORT LEWIS 1,559
FORT CARSON 1,595
FORT CAMPBELL 1,508
(There are more you can find on the report below from NPR)
But looking back even further, it gets worse
More than 140,000 troops have left the military since 2000 with less-than-honorable discharges, according to the Pentagon.Add this into it
Of those suicides, 403 were among ex-service members whose discharges were "not honorable" — for a wide range of misconduct, from repeatedly disrespecting officers to felony convictions. An additional 380 occurred among veterans with "uncharacterized" discharges, the designation used for troops who leave in fewer than 180 days for a variety of nondisciplinary reasons.
Ex-troops with highest suicide risk often don't qualify for mental care
The Army shed 57,835 soldiers from 2010 to 2014. Over that time, 57,060 soldiers were kicked out for discipline issues. The Army says the similarity of the numbers is a coincidence. Army cleaning up its ranksFactor in all of this and then add in the number of suicides and then you arrive at the point where you are ready to call for an investigation into every member on the Armed Services Committee. For all the money and time they wasted, producing more suicides in the military and out of it, it should be considered crimes committed against the soldiers and their families. Less serving means there are more suicides but if they get booted out, no one has to count them and they have no one to count on other than you!
Lawmakers Call For Army To Investigate Misconduct Discharges Of Service Members
NPR
NOVEMBER 04, 2015
"We are concerned that it may be easier to discharge service members for minor misconduct — possibly related to mental health issues — than to evaluate them for conditions that may warrant a medical discharge."A group of 12 U.S. senators, led by Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., is calling for the Army inspector general to investigate the discharges of tens of thousands of service members diagnosed with mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries.
The formal letter sent to top Army officials Eric Fanning and Gen. Mark A. Milley was motivated by last week's "Missed Treatment" investigation by NPR's Daniel Zwerdling and Colorado Public Radio's Michael de Yoanna, which revealed that since January 2009, the Army has separated 22,000 soldiers for misconduct after they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and were diagnosed with mental health problems such as PTSD or TBI. As a result, many of those soldiers won't receive benefits or have access to the treatment they need.
"I mean the fact that there are 22,000 individuals who had a diagnosis who were then discharged, really suggests that we're only looking at the tip of the iceberg," Murphy tells NPR.
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Fallen Marine Reads To Son He Left Behind
Fallen veteran reads to son he never met
11Alive
November 4, 2015
(WOWT) Every so often, Shane Kielion, Jr. finds himself flipping through a scrapbook about his father.
The 11-year-old Papillion, Nebraska resident loves the football pictures, especially since he just started playing football himself this year.
His dad had been quarterback at Omaha South.
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11Alive
November 4, 2015
On Nov. 15, 2004, a sniper's bullet killed Cpl. Shane Kielion in Fallujah, Iraq. Thirty minutes later, in Omaha, his wife April gave birth to their son, Shane Jr.
(WOWT) Every so often, Shane Kielion, Jr. finds himself flipping through a scrapbook about his father.
The 11-year-old Papillion, Nebraska resident loves the football pictures, especially since he just started playing football himself this year.
His dad had been quarterback at Omaha South.
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Wounded Iraq Veteran Uses Scars to Help PTSD veterans With Unseen Ones
Veteran wounded in Iraq: 'my scars are a blessing'
WNYT.com
By: Anna Meiler
11/04/2015
“I joined because it was the right thing to do,” said Staff Sergeant Shilo Harris.
Like thousands of others, that call of duty took Staff Sergeant Shilo Harris to the deserts of Iraq. In 2007 he was on his second deployment when an IED obliterated his Humvee, killing three of his close friends.
Harris was knocked unconscious and when he woke up, he had no idea how badly he was injured, until he saw his reflection in a pair of glasses.
“My face was charred black, my nose was gone, my ears were gone, I had blood running out of my nose, my mouth, my eyes and I just couldn't believe that was me that I was looking at,” said Harris.
Harris describes the three years that followed as a rollercoaster of painful surgeries and emotions. He taught himself to talk again, how to walk and how to eat. But, it was still hard for him to look in the mirror.
“I felt like Frankenstein,” he said.
read more here
WNYT.com
By: Anna Meiler
11/04/2015
One day, after yet another painful reconstructive surgery Harris realized he needed to change his way of thinking for himself and his five children.LATHAM - When terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, a generation of soldiers was born.
“I joined because it was the right thing to do,” said Staff Sergeant Shilo Harris.
Like thousands of others, that call of duty took Staff Sergeant Shilo Harris to the deserts of Iraq. In 2007 he was on his second deployment when an IED obliterated his Humvee, killing three of his close friends.
Harris was knocked unconscious and when he woke up, he had no idea how badly he was injured, until he saw his reflection in a pair of glasses.
“My face was charred black, my nose was gone, my ears were gone, I had blood running out of my nose, my mouth, my eyes and I just couldn't believe that was me that I was looking at,” said Harris.
Harris describes the three years that followed as a rollercoaster of painful surgeries and emotions. He taught himself to talk again, how to walk and how to eat. But, it was still hard for him to look in the mirror.
“I felt like Frankenstein,” he said.
read more here
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
But The Greatest Of These Is Their Love
But The Greatest Of These Is Their Love
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 4, 2015
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that some do it everyday for strangers like you and me.
Firefighters rush towards dangerous flames
while no one else knows their names.
The alarm sounds and they go to the unknown
not knowing if they will ever get back home.
Then they go back home at the end of their shifts
wondering all the time about what ifs.
They try to leave it all behind
but peaceful thoughts are sometimes hard to find.
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that some do it everyday for strangers like you and me.
Police officers watch over the street
for when criminals and victims meet
ready to put themselves in between
with deep love seldom seen
yet hated by many they still defend
knowing it could bring their own life to an end.
They believe we're worth the risks they take
and they do it for their blue family's sake.
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that some do it everyday for you and me.
In the military and National Guard
their lives are often very hard.
Men and women serve at home and in strange lands
just to give helping hands.
When nature strikes or terror takes the night
ready to do whatever it takes to make things right
they wait, they watch, they pray
this this will not be their last day.
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that some do it everyday for strangers like you and me.
They know the price they pay while they serve
yet they do not receive what they deserve.
All they wanted to do was save lives no matter the cost.
So why it is then we leave so many lost?
Searching for a way to be themselves again
for comfort, understanding and healing
just so they can stop fearing feeling.
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that do it everyday for you and me.
They all needed courage to do what they did
when they went toward danger while we ran and hid
and they survived it all somehow
left to wonder where are we now
they need help to heal their grief
and support to find relief.
We all had faith they'd show up and hope they would succeed
but we all forget there was love behind the deed.
How else could they do it so strangers could live
unless they had so much love to give?
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 4, 2015
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that some do it everyday for strangers like you and me.
while no one else knows their names.
The alarm sounds and they go to the unknown
not knowing if they will ever get back home.
Then they go back home at the end of their shifts
wondering all the time about what ifs.
They try to leave it all behind
but peaceful thoughts are sometimes hard to find.
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that some do it everyday for strangers like you and me.
for when criminals and victims meet
ready to put themselves in between
with deep love seldom seen
yet hated by many they still defend
knowing it could bring their own life to an end.
They believe we're worth the risks they take
and they do it for their blue family's sake.
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that some do it everyday for you and me.
In the military and National Guard
their lives are often very hard.
Men and women serve at home and in strange lands
just to give helping hands.
When nature strikes or terror takes the night
ready to do whatever it takes to make things right
they wait, they watch, they pray
this this will not be their last day.
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that some do it everyday for strangers like you and me.
They know the price they pay while they serve
yet they do not receive what they deserve.
All they wanted to do was save lives no matter the cost.
So why it is then we leave so many lost?
Searching for a way to be themselves again
for comfort, understanding and healing
just so they can stop fearing feeling.
They say there is no greater love than to lay down your life for the sake of your friends.
There is an even great love that never ends.
We're reminded everyday if we are willing to see
that do it everyday for you and me.
They all needed courage to do what they did
when they went toward danger while we ran and hid
and they survived it all somehow
left to wonder where are we now
they need help to heal their grief
and support to find relief.
We all had faith they'd show up and hope they would succeed
but we all forget there was love behind the deed.
How else could they do it so strangers could live
unless they had so much love to give?
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:13 New International Version (NIV)
Unless it is for strangers so we may live on.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 New International Version (NIV)
Homeless Veteran Camp Lejeune Marine Final Honors
Group organizes funeral with military honors for homeless Marine who died in January
Jacksonville Daily News
By James LaPorta
Posted Nov. 3, 2015
“There is no former Marine,” Emmett Salas, a retired Marine sergeant major, said. “It’s just Marine … and that’s why we are doing this … We’re going to claim this Marine.”
“This Marine” is Lance Cpl. Andrew Mauney, a former infantry assaultman with Camp Lejeune’s 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, who died in January at 53.
Born June 1962, Mauney entered the Marines by way of Richmond, Virginia, and served three years and two months with two overseas deployments. Mauney received an honorable discharge in 1983, according to a copy of his DD-214, which lists Mauney’s record of service on active duty.
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Jacksonville Daily News
By James LaPorta
Posted Nov. 3, 2015
Lance Cpl. Andrew Mauney, a former infantry assaultman with Camp Lejeune’s 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, died in January at 53. After his death and six months in the morgue with all resources exhausted in search of Mauney’s next of kin, he was eventually deemed an “unclaimed individual.” However, for strangers who had never met Mauney the term “unclaimed” was unacceptable.
Emmett Salas, a retired Marine sergeant major, is helping the Missing in America project claim and bury Lance Cpl. Andrew Mauney, a former infantry assaultman with Camp Lejeune's 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, who died in January at 53. Photo by James LaPorta / The Daily NewsIt all comes down to a simple motto: No man left behind. A group of veterans are coming together to give final honors to a man they’ve never met, but one with whom they share a distinct bond.
“There is no former Marine,” Emmett Salas, a retired Marine sergeant major, said. “It’s just Marine … and that’s why we are doing this … We’re going to claim this Marine.”
“This Marine” is Lance Cpl. Andrew Mauney, a former infantry assaultman with Camp Lejeune’s 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, who died in January at 53.
Born June 1962, Mauney entered the Marines by way of Richmond, Virginia, and served three years and two months with two overseas deployments. Mauney received an honorable discharge in 1983, according to a copy of his DD-214, which lists Mauney’s record of service on active duty.
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Bruce Windorski Found Alive!
Missing Army Veteran Bruce Windorski Found Alive
NBC News
Rachel Trost
November 4, 2015
Army veteran Bruce Windorski, who vanished from his northern Wisconsin home on October 17th, has been found alive in Missouri.
The Oconto County Sheriff's Office confirmed Bruce was located safely in Missouri, but no other details have been released.
"The hug and kiss was long awaited," Bruce's wife, Courtney, told Dateline NBC Wednesday morning. The family is asking for privacy at this time.
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Family Searching for Missing Veteran
NBC News
Rachel Trost
November 4, 2015
Army veteran Bruce Windorski, who vanished from his northern Wisconsin home on October 17th, has been found alive in Missouri.
The Oconto County Sheriff's Office confirmed Bruce was located safely in Missouri, but no other details have been released.
"The hug and kiss was long awaited," Bruce's wife, Courtney, told Dateline NBC Wednesday morning. The family is asking for privacy at this time.
read more here
Family Searching for Missing Veteran
Double Amputee Afghanistan Veteran Lives on Street
Double amputee will live outside for 1 month to raise awareness of homeless veterans
WPXI.com
November 4, 2015
Rumbaugh, known by many in the Uniontown area as a great guy, is trying to gain attention for how veterans live when they return from active duty.
read more here
WPXI.com
November 4, 2015
Rumbaugh, who started his mission on Nov. 1, says he plans to stay outside until Nov. 29, the anniversary of when he was injured in Afghanistan five years ago.
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — Marine Cpl. Brandon Rumbaugh, a double amputee veteran, is voluntarily living outside for a month in an effort to raise awareness of homeless veterans.Double amputee will live outside for 1 month to raise awareness of homeless veterans
Rumbaugh, known by many in the Uniontown area as a great guy, is trying to gain attention for how veterans live when they return from active duty.
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