Green Beret Records Challenged After Volunteering Award

Red Cross volunteer's story challenged by Vietnam Veterans groups, individuals
Tulsa World
By Rita Sherrow
World Scene Writer
February 2, 2016

Vietnam War veteran John Smith, leaning next to the Disaster Relief vehicle he staffed during one of the California wildfires, pays it forward as a volunteer with the Tulsa chapter of the American Red Cross. After being lost in a Vietnam jungle for almost three months, it was the Red Cross that helped him let his family know he was alive.
JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World

A Tulsa World story that profiled a Red Cross volunteer in October brought numerous questions and protests from Vietnam veteran military groups.

John Smith, a Red Cross volunteer who was nominated for an award with the Tulsa Area United Way, identified himself as a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran who served more than 20 years in military service.

The veterans group Green Beret Posers Exposed and others immediately challenged Smith’s story.

The Tulsa World has tried repeatedly since October to talk to Smith, advising him the story was being challenged and to verify his military record. He claimed health issues and other reasons for not answering repeated requests for another interview.

Green Beret Posers Exposed has supplied the Tulsa World with military documents, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, that indicate Smith was never in Special Forces and only served in the military for a limited time (U.S. Army 1970-1972 and U.S. Navy 1974-1975). Additionally, records show Smith receiving medals for serving in Vietnam, although he was never a Green Beret or member of the Special Forces.
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Vietnam War veteran gives back to Red Cross that helped him in his time of need

Quantico Marine Corps Sued After Triple Killing on Base

Marine Base Blamed for Triple Killing
Courthouse News
By KATHERINE PROCTOR
February 1, 2016

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - The Quantico Marine Corps base's failure to monitor a mentally ill sergeant allowed him to kill his ex-girlfriend, her boyfriend and himself in the barracks, the late woman's father claims in Federal Court.

Isaac Castro sued the United States on behalf of his late daughter Sara Castromata's estate, claiming the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va. mishandled the medical records and weapons of Sgt. Eusebio Lopez.

Lopez, who had documented head trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, was transferred to Quantico, Va. from Camp Lejeune, N.C. in May 2012. Castro claims the Quantico base never obtained or reviewed Lopez's medical records, and that the sergeant stopped receiving treatment for his mental disability as a result.

Lopez moved into Quantico barracks in September 2012, but base command did not ensure that his weapons were registered and stored at the armory, Castro says. His weapons included a semi-automatic pistol, a shotgun and several large knives.
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Korean War Veteran Made Pact With God--Became Philanthropist

Auto dealer’s philanthropy a pact with God 
Bob Baker has given millions to Catholic, veteran and homeless outreach groups
San Diego Union Tribune
Pam Kragen
Feb. 1, 2016

From ninth grade, his dream was to become a Catholic priest, but sons from divorced families weren’t allowed to enter the priesthood. Instead, right after high school in 1951, he and two buddies enlisted in the Army to fight in the Korean War. During his service overseas, Baker went on 27 night patrols, earned two Bronze Stars and avoided getting shot or killed on at least seven occasions.

Sixty-three years ago, Bob Baker was a young Army corporal stationed at Outpost Harry during the Korean War when he embarked on what his commanders warned would be a suicide mission. When he ended up in the middle of a minefield during the night patrol for Chinese soldiers, he decided it was a good time to make a deal with God.

Bob Baker, founder of the Bob Baker Auto Group, is especially interested in helping veterans reintegrate into society. — Howard Lipin

“I told him, if he spared me that night, I would go home, get married, have six children, become a success and do whatever he wanted me to do,” Baker said. “With all the millions of dollars I’ve given away over the years, I believe that’s what God wanted me to do.”

During the past 10 years, the founder of San Diego’s Bob Baker Auto Group has donated from $500,000 to $1.7 million a year for projects that have included Catholic churches and schools, programs for military veterans and underwriting for Solutions for Change, a nonprofit that helps get North County homeless families off the streets.

Baker, 84, said he’s drawn to causes where he feels a personal connection. The Rancho Santa Fe resident was homeless as a boy, his faith saw him through years of hardship, and he witnessed the horrors of war and knows how it can impact veterans trying to reintegrate into society.

“Bob is a hands-on kind of donor,” said Chris Megison, founding president for Solutions for Change in Vista. “A lot of philanthropists will want to see our audited financial statements and study our plans, but Bob is the kind of philanthropist who wants to get in the car with me and drive out to see what we’re doing firsthand.”

He discovered the Solutions for Change charity in 2013 and has since become one if its champions. Most recently, he signed on as title sponsor for its 2015 gala, which honored military veterans. He said he was drawn to the cause because the Vista nonprofit helps find homes for the families of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and addictions.
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Louisiana Veterans Affairs Secretary Blasted After Investigation

Investigation blasts former veterans affairs secretary
The New Star
Greg Hilburn
February 1, 2016

Former Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary was fired by former Gov. Bobby Jindal Oct. 8.

(Photo: GANNETT LOUISIANA)

Former Louisiana Veterans Affairs Secretary Dave LaCerte is accused of improperly funneling funds to a company owned by former law school classmates, lying about his military service record and inflating travel expenses in a joint report released today by the state's legislative auditor and inspector general.

LaCerte's attorney, Jarrett Ambeau of Baton Rouge, denied all of the investigation's findings in a letter to Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera.

"The Joint Investigation Report's findings are patently false, blatant character assassination and appear to be a calculated attack on the integrity and credibility for (LaCerte)," Ambeau wrote.

But former Interim Veterans Affairs Secretary Thomas Enright and newly-appointed Veterans Affairs Secretary Joey Strickland concurred with the findings in written responses.

"I am disturbed to learn that the previous LDVA secretary deviated from a veteran-focused mind-set and that this contributed to many of the problems cited in your report," Strickland wrote. "... I firmly believe that once the reforms I put in place are fully implemented, LDVA will be back on track and again focused on its mission of supporting Louisiana veterans and their families."
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Army Ranger Double Amputee Running For Congress

W Mich. native running for Congress in Fla.
24 Hour News 8 web staff
Published: January 31, 2016

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A West Michigan native who lost both of his legs while serving overseas is now campaigning to represent part of Florida in Congress.

Brian Mast graduated from South Christian High School in Grand Rapids in 1999, after which he joined the U.S. Army. After more than 12 years in the service, he lost both of his legs in an explosion while serving as a bomb disposal expert in Afghanistan.

Now, he wants to represent Florida’s 18th Congressional District.

“I don’t know how I go through life and think that the best thing that I’ve done in my life is now in my past,” he told 24 Hour News 8 in a Facetime interview on Sunday. “Or the best defense that I’ve given our country is now behind me. And I told her that’s where I ultimately thought about running for Congress, hoping that the best would still be ahead of me.”

He was featured in an episode of “Live to Tell” on the History Channel. The episode aired Sunday night and was scheduled to air again at 2 a.m. Monday.
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Sarah Palin Denies PTSD Blame Game

Palin still has no clue how much harm she did to veterans. Not just in her speech but as Governor of Alaska.

Sarah Palin Freaks Out on ‘Today Show’ Over PTSD Question
Daily Beast
Andrew Kirell
February 1, 2016

Donald Trump's highest-profile endorser had a meltdown Monday morning.

Sarah Palin doesn't like being asked questions about questionable things she has said.

That was the lesson Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie learned Monday morning when she asked the former Alaska governor about her controversial remarks connecting her son's alleged post-traumatic stress disorder to President Obama.

"I want to ask you about something you mentioned on the campaign trail," Guthrie said. 

"You said that President Obama may be to blame for some of the PTSD that's out there."

"I never said that," Palin shot back.

Nevertheless, Palin attempted to explain away the remarks to her stunned hosts. "I never blamed President Obama," she asserted. "What I have blamed President Obama in doing, though, is this level of disrespect for the United States military that has made manifest in cutting budgets, in not trying to beef it up and let our military do the job they're trained to do, and in specific issues we're talking about that are so hot today, specifically, let's get in there and utterly destroy ISIS."
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PTSD Veteran Racing To Top of Empire State Building at 70

At 70, Vietnam Veteran From Middletown To Race Up Empire State Building
Courant
Erik Hesselberg Special to Courant
February 1, 2016

Jerry Augustine (center) with buddies at Tay Nin Military base, near the Cambodian border north of Saigon. (Jerry Augustine / hc)

MIDDLETOWN — At the Empire State Building, Jerry Augustine doesn't take the elevator. He sprints up 1,576 stairs to the 86th-floor observation deck.

Augustine, a Vietnam War veteran, belongs to an elite group of tower runners who bolt up 86 floors of the 1,200-foot skyscraper in less than 15 minutes. A few do it in a gasping 10 minutes.

Augustine has run the race eight times, placing first, second and third in his age group. His best time is 14 minutes, 28 seconds. That was in 1998. He was 52 years old at the time.

Now 70, the Vietnam veteran, who said he started running to cope with his PTSD symptoms, wants to see if he's still got it. Augustine is running in the 39th annual Empire State Building Run-up in New York City on Wednesday.
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Fort Hood Gets New Center for Healing

Fort Hood satellite center 'symbolizes hope' for injured soldiers
Killeen Daily Herald
JC Jones
Herald staff writer
January 31, 2016

“It symbolizes that no matter what the soldier has been through, they may be broken, but they’re still standing, and able to heal. It really symbolizes hope,” said Christopher Miller, chief nursing officer at the Intrepid Center.

Eric J. Shelton | Herald

Fort Hood Intrepid Center

FORT HOOD — Soldiers being treated for traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder now have a new home for treatment at Fort Hood.

The National Intrepid Center of Excellence Satellite Center at Fort Hood opened its doors to patients for the first time Jan. 11, ushering in a new era of care on post.

The 25,000-square-foot facility includes state-of-the-art technology, a fully functioning gym, a yoga and meditation area, group session rooms, an outdoor patio and a staff of health care and mental health professionals, all to offer a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to treating TBI, PTSD and other conditions.

“Some of the equipment that we have here now is going to allow us to be better able to quantify objectively how service members are doing upon their initiation of treatment, and then what happens while they’re going through treatment,” Dr. Scot Engel, the center’s director, said.

Ground broke on the center in June 2014. It is the fifth of its kind on military installations across the country, all part of a joint effort by the government and the private sector. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a nonprofit organization, donated $11 million to Fort Hood’s Intrepid Center. A similar facility at Fort Bragg, N.C., also opened recently.
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Amputee's Angel Showed Up As Marine

While we're all having a problem with Wounded Warrior Project right now, get past the hat the veteran is wearing because this is about a veteran doing something for another veteran in need.

Marine builds ramp for amputee veteran in Cullman Co.
WTVM ABC News 9
Vanessa Ariza
Posted: Jan 30, 2016

CULLMAN COUNTY, AL (WBRC)
Jeremy Hogan has a history of helping fellow Marines.

In his spare time, he makes American flags out of wood and gifts them to fellow soldiers and veterans.

And now he's a man on a mission. A mission to help a fellow brother. A man he has just met Thursday but one he shares an immediate bond with.

"I walked in. It was just one of those things where you know the gentleman is in straight distress and needed anything and everything I could do for him," Hogan said.

Hogan heard about former Marine Corporal Ken Beasley at a local grocery store. Beasley is an amputee veteran who is struggling with health and home issues. So, Hogan did what he knows best as a Marine.

"I didn't even tell my wife I was coming over here. I ran over here and was just going to see what supplies I needed and was going to get him help and build a ramp," said Hogan.
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WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather

Navy Veteran Survived Truck Fire in Florida

Navy veteran escapes truck fire with minor injuries
WSVN News
Posted: Jan 31, 2016

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WSVN) -- A Navy veteran is lucky to be alive after he crashed his pickup truck and it burst into flames.

The 18-year veteran from Jacksonville walked away from the fire with only a few scratches.

Michael Smith was driving down an exit ramp when his brakes wouldn't work properly Friday. "I put my foot on the brake and nothing. Foot pedal to the floor, nothing," he said. "I mean, just fear, I just got scared. I don't know. Didn't know what to do."
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WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miami Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

What Connection Does Gen. Ray Odierno Have To Wounded Warrior Project?

UPDATE February 1, 2016
Wounded Warrior Project Board of Directors Issues Statement

The Board takes very seriously the concerns that have been raised in recent days and is in the process of retaining independent advisors to conduct a thorough financial and policy review of the concerns. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our warriors and supporters and will ensure that the organization is effectively fulfilling this important mission."

What they "do" is very vague so hopefully the "independent advisors" can clear that up. No one really knows what they are actually doing for the post 9-11 veterans but we do know they don't serve older veterans waiting even longer. If these veterans are "aiding and assisting each other, then why does WWP need all that money?

How Did Wounded Warrior Project Get So Big?
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 31, 2016

In 2013 General Raymond Odierno was asked about the increase in soldiers committing suicide by David Wood during an interview for the Huffington Post.

This was his answer.

"Some of it is just personal make-up. Intestinal fortitude. Mental toughness that ensures that people are able to deal with stressful situations."

"But it also has to do with where you come from. I came from a loving family, one who gave lots of positive reinforcement, who built up psychologically who I was, who I am, what I might want to do. It built confidence in myself, and I believe that enables you to better deal with stress. It enables you to cope more easily than maybe some other people."

The problem is that he was head of the Army at the time. Left a pretty bad image of how the troops were really being treated especially in the Warrior Transition Units. It always comes down to the difference between what they tell us and what they actually do.

What does this have to do with all the reports about Wounded Warrior Project?

General Raymond Odierno's son, Anthony K. Odierno, is Board Chair, a combat wounded Iraq veteran. When I searched Charity Navigator for the report on WWP being put on "watch list" I discovered this.

"Odierno joined the WWP board of directors in 2009, serving as secretary from 2009 – 2013 and audit committee chair from 2011 – 2014. In 2014, he was elected to the position of chair."

Charity Navigator listed the CEO this way.

Steven Nardizzi Executive Director, Founder

But is he the founder?

Steve Nardizzi is a founder of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) and currently serves as chief executive officer, overseeing all aspects of the organization. Before being promoted to this role in 2009, Steve served as chief operating officer.

Just a reminder, Nardizzi is not a veteran. With all the reporting going on it turns out that only about a third of the employees are veterans.

In the New York Times report on the scandal there was this about how it was founded and by whom.

The Wounded Warrior Project’s roots are more humble. Its founder, John Melia, was a Marine veteran who had been injured in a helicopter crash off the coast of Somalia in 1992. When wounded troops began returning from Iraq in 2003, Mr. Melia remembered how he had arrived in a stateside hospital with only his thin hospital gown, and began visiting military hospitals to distribute backpacks stuffed with socks, CD players, toothpaste and other items.

As the backpack project grew, Mr. Melia hired a few employees, including Mr. Nardizzi, a lawyer who had never served in the military but was an executive for a small nonprofit, the United Spinal Association, which served disabled veterans.

No one has been able to figure out how WWP went from that to that to this mega size charity. The question now should be if General Odierno had anything to do with it or not. If the accusations turn out to be true, they are far from new considering CBS had reported on most of this last year.

CEO responds after watchdogs give Wounded Warrior charity low marks

On the Wounded Warrior Project’s website, the charity says it spends 80 percent of its donations on its main services. But tax records show it also includes some fundraising expenses in that mix. Charity Navigator subtracts the fundraising and — in its most recent report — said the Wounded Warrior Project spends less than 60 percent on its services. The rest, according to Charity Navigator, went to fundraising and administration.

But as we've seen, not much has changed.  There are still a lot of other questions no one seems to have found the answers for. How did they get all the footage of wounded getting physical therapy? Are they doing it or did the DOD and VA let them use their wounded? If they are doing it then why don't they mention that in their commercials? When you think about it, they never really say what they are doing with all the money.

Charity Navigator Wounded Warrior Project

EXPENSES (Adjusted)
Program Expenses
$148,641,215
Administrative Expenses
$15,006,166
Fundraising Expenses
$84,358,058
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES
$248,005,439

Wounded Warrior Project on Charity Navigator's watch list
CBS News
January 30, 2016

In another response to the on-going CBS News investigation of Wounded Warrior Project, Charity Navigator, a national evaluator of charities, put the country's most prominent veterans charity on its watch list.

Part 1: Wounded Warrior Project accused of wasting donation money
Part 2: Ex-employee: Wounded Warrior Project conduct "makes me sick"
Part 3: Charity watchdogs question Wounded Warrior's spending on vets

Wounded Warrior Project is facing criticism from more than 40 former employees about how it spends the more than $800 million it's raised in the past four years, reports CBS News correspondent Chip Reid.

CBS News asked Marc Owens, a former director of tax exempt organizations at the IRS, to review the Wounded Warrior Project's tax documents.

"What was your biggest concern in reading these forms?" Reid asked him.

"That I couldn't tell the number of people that were assisted. I thought that was truly unusual. If the organization is asking for money and spending money -- purportedly spending money -- to assist veterans, I would like to know," Owens said.
read more here

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And if all that isn't enough for you, you can still get a credit card from USAA with their logo on it.

Make a Difference With the WWP USAA Rewards™ World MasterCard®
Show your support for WWP and its mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. USAA Bank will contribute to WWP five dollars for every new WWP USAA Rewards™ World MasterCard® account opened, one dollar for each renewal and 0.30% of each purchase. This excludes refunds, returns or cash and reward point transactions. Plus get a competitive introductory APR.

Fort Riley Soldier Died in Iraq

UPDATE
Soldier from Glendale killed in crash while serving in Iraq
Los Angeles Times
Ryan Fonseca
January 30, 2016

An Army sergeant from Glendale serving in Iraq was killed earlier this week in a rollover accident, Army and Department of Defense officials said.

Sgt. Joseph F. Stifter, 30, from Glendale, suffered fatal injuries after his armored vehicle rolled over at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq. (Courtesy of the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division)

Sgt. Joseph F. Stifter, 30, suffered fatal injuries after his armored vehicle rolled over at Al Asad Airbase in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, the DOD confirmed Friday.
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Fort Riley soldier dies in Iraq
WIBW News
Jan 31, 2016

FORT RILEY, Kan. (WIBW) -- A Fort Riley soldier has died on Thursday while serving in Iraq.

Sgt. Joseph F. Stifter died on Thursday from non-combat-related injuries, the post said. 

He was a field artillery cannon crewmember with the 1st Infantry Division Soldier with the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team

"Sgt. Stifter was an exceptional Soldier and leader in our battalion," said Col. Miles Brown, commander of the 2nd ABCT.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of a member of the 'Dagger' family."
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Heroin Robs Family of Army Veteran

Heroin robs another family: Young Army veteran from Hudson remembered
Telegram.com
By Brad Avery
MetroWest Daily News Staff
Posted Jan. 30, 2016

After a relapse, he was able to get clean again and had been living in Veterans Administration transitional housing. He had been clean up until the night he died, his parents said.

Matthew Holmes with his sister Rachel at her Hudson High School graduation.

Submitted Photo/MetroWest Daily News

HUDSON - A soldier, a sports fan, a son and a brother - Matthew Holmes was the kind of person who always wanted to help others. He was the kind of person who would give the shirt off his back - literally. He once tried to use his shirt to put out a brush fire, his parents said.

Holmes died last week at age 22, losing a years-long battle to heroin addiction.

"He was in the top 2 percent on aptitude tests," said his father. "He could have had any job he wanted and written his own script. He wanted to be the boots on the ground, to be an infantryman."

Holmes lived at Fort Hood and trained as a sniper, but never saw combat. By the time he reached the military, troops were being pulled out of Iraq and the wars in the Middle East were winding down for a period. That's when he started running into problems.

He told his parents that his whole sniper team was getting into a depressive mode, doing busywork during work hours and partying heavily in the downtime. Although he started abusing prescription drugs at 16 at high school parties, his problems grew in the military where he had access to hard drugs. Eventually, as the problem worsened he sought help and was able to receive an honorable discharge.
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Congress Didn't Plan Veterans Choice Program

Program to hasten veterans’ care poorly implemented, Maine advocates say
Portland Press Herald
BY STEVE MISTLER STAFF WRITER
January 30, 2016

Health Net Inc. is one of the program managers cited in the report. It’s also the company charged with managing the Veterans Choice program in Maine and New England.

A report released Thursday shows that a 2014 program designed to reduce wait times has left half the qualifying veterans without medical appointments.

AUGUSTA — Advocates for Maine veterans said Friday that the rush to implement a $10 billion federal program designed to shorten wait times for veterans seeking medical care is contributing to delayed care, unbooked doctor appointments and billing errors.

“It was doomed for failure before it even hit the streets,” said Gary Laweryson, a retired Marine from Waldoboro who is chairman of the Maine Veterans Coordinating Committee.

There have been a number of reports in Maine and other states that the 2014 Veterans Choice health program is not working as intended. Those complaints, once anecdotal, were validated Thursday in a report produced by the VA Maine Healthcare System showing that only half of the 4,300 veterans who applied for care under the 2014 Veterans Choice program had received appointments since July.

The report was presented to veterans advocates and staff for the state’s congressional delegation during an unannounced meeting held at the VA’s Togus campus. The meeting has prompted urgent calls from Maine’s delegation to reform the program.

However, veterans advocates say the program was hastily conceived and carelessly implemented. Those assertions are supported by a U.S. Veterans Health Administration Office of Inspector General report issued in September.

Amedeo Lauria, a service officer for the American Legion at Togus, said veterans are having a difficult time just getting a call returned from a hotline provided by the choice program. On Thursday, Health Net said a call center in Tampa, Florida, was set up for 500 employees. Only 130 have been hired.
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Australia: Veteran Sent Wife's Attacker to Hospital

Aussie Iraq war vet under investigation for protecting wife from alleged Muslim attacker 
Washington Times
By Kellan Howell
January 30, 2016

“I’m a war veteran and I fought in the Middle East. The main attacker was Muslim and my take is he probably didn’t like being told what to do from a woman,” Mr. Tyrrell told the Herald Sun.

Kyle Tyrrell, 47 and his wife Liana. (Image: the Herald Sun)

Police are investigating a retired Lieutenant-Colonel and Iraq war veteran in Australia after he got into a skirmish with a fisherman who he says attacked his wife.

Kyle Tyrrell, 47, suffered minor injuries and says his wife, Liana, was punched in the face during the fight on Jan. 23 at the Cosy Corner beach at Torqauy, the Herald Sun newspaper reported. At least one of the fishermen was taken to the hospital.
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Community Comes Together For Family of Missing Marine

Community rallies support for missing Marine's family
KOAA News 5
By Lena Howland
January 31, 2016

FOUNTAIN - A community rallied in support of a grieving southern Colorado family as their decorated Marine was lost at sea in a helicopter crash.

The American Legion Post 38 held a fundraiser dinner for fallen Marine Sergeant Jeffrey Sempler on Saturday evening.

As News5 has reported, Sempler's helicopter crashed off the coast of Hawaii during a routine training session more than a week ago.

The search for him and 11 other missing marines has since been called off.

"It's been really rough, we were hoping that they would find him alive, but that didn't happen," Laurie Allen, the mother of Jeffrey Sempler said.

A mother's worst nightmare.

"I kind of knew it was coming but I didn't want to believe it," Allen said.

She hopped on a plane to Hawaii soon after learning the search mission for her son was called off.

"It's hard, everybody lost so much," she said after meeting with the families of the 11 other marines.

Sergeant Jeffrey Sempler, one of 12 missing Marines, now presumed dead.
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KOAA.com | Continuous News | Colorado Springs and Pueblo

They did it in Pennsylvania too.

DUNCANNON, Pa. (WHTM) – A vigil was held for Sgt. Adam Schoeller, the marine who went missing off the coast of Hawaii, following a training exercise on January 14.

Sunday, the community gathered to honor a friend, son, neighbor, and comrade.

“We’re just going to miss him,” Adam’s father, Ralph Schoeller, said.

Even though Adam didn’t make it home, his memory is a homecoming.

Life After Combat Shouldn't Be Harder After It

This Time Save Yourself 
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 31, 2015

Paul Combs

You put your life on the line for the sake of others. Did you think less of them because they needed you?

In combat, if you were overwhelmed by enemy forces, did you ask for help? Did you think you were weak because you couldn't defeat them by yourself?

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ASKING FOR HELP NOW?

Do you still think you'll get over it? You won't. No one gets "over" anything that happens in their lives but they do get past it if they have the help they need to stop being stuck suffering. Your life can get better if you don't settle for the way it is today. PTSD is caused by surviving and it changed you but you can change again!

Do you still want to fit back in with your civilian friends? Forget about it since you didn't fit in as well as you thought in the first place because you served and they didn't. You went places and did things they never will. Find other veterans because no matter what war was in their lives, they are fighting the same battle back home as a veteran. None of this is new.

If you're sick and tired of hearing about folks "raising awareness" using the number of "22 a day" veterans committing suicide, you should be. The only things you need to be aware of is that YOU CAN HEAL and where you can get the help to do it.

It isn't "22 a day" but they say "it is an easy number to remember." Why should any of this be easy for them? This isn't like guessing how many jelly beans are in a jar! This is your life and it is far from easy on you and your family.

If you are not finding what you need, then keep looking for the weapons you need to save your own life this time. Folks you helped deserved the best you could give and now you deserve the same!

STOP GRIEVING AND START HEALING!

Veterans Plant to Paper Project Inspired by Ed Tick

Military and vets make art from plant to paper
Hi Desert Star
By Daniel Strasberger
The Desert Trail
January 30, 2016

“I read a book by Ed Tick, ‘War in the Soul,’ that said PTSD is more of a soul wound than anything else,” she said. “When you are in a situation that is beyond your wildest, sometimes your soul cannot take it all in, it’s too much and creates anxiety and all the symptoms that PTSD creates.”

Military and vets make art from plant to paper
Lt. Col. Frank Marilao and Donald Burton, from Marine Corps Community Services, join Mil-Tree founder Cheryl Montelle at informational meeting for the Plant to Paper Project Thursday at Copper Mountain College.

JOSHUA TREE — Joining Forces: Plant to Paper is a new art and writing project catering to veterans and people on active military duty.

Mil-Tree joined forces with Arts Connection from San Bernardino to create the project.

This multifaceted art project, spanning from February through May, is paid for by a Veterans in the Arts Initiative grant from the California Arts Council.

The goal is to clear invasive plants from the desert, make them into paper and pulp and create works of art and writing that will displayed in a show in May.

Cheryl Montelle, Mil-Tree founder, is excited about bringing the project to the Morongo Basin.

“Mil-Tree’s mission is to bring veterans into the community through arts and dialogue,” Montelle said. “Communication and arts is what we are about, to create bonds and connections where there haven’t been.”
read more here

This is a great video from 2010
War and the Soul: Healing our Veterans, Families, and Communities from the Wounds of War

Dr. Edward Tick is a practicing psychotherapist who has worked with veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for more than 30 years. For Tick, the key to helping veterans heal lies in how we understand PTSD.

Ret. General Petraeus Will Keep 4th Star

Pentagon won't demote Petraeus for sharing information
USA TODAY
Tom Vanden Brook
January 30, 2016

WASHINGTON — Retired General David Petraeus will not be docked one star for his conviction on charges of leaking classified information to his biographer and former lover, according to a letter sent by the Pentagon to the Senate and obtained by USA TODAY.

Stephen Hedger, a top official for legislative affairs, wrote Friday to Sen. John McCainsaying that Defense Secretary Ash Carter considers the Petraeus matter closed, according to the letter, which was obtained by USA TODAY from the Senate.

A Defense department official told USA TODAY on Saturday that Carter accepted the Army's recommendation that Petraeus not be sanctioned with demotion. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.

Carter agreed with the findings of an Army review that recommended Petraeus be allowed to maintain his four-star rank in retirement, the official said. Holding that rank, while prestigious, also allows him to collect a pension of around $220,000. Loss of a star could have cost him tens of thousands of dollars a year.
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Amputee Veterans Enjoy Parade of Pirates in Tampa

Wounded Veteran Meets Joe Maddon at Bayshore Home on Parade Route
Tampa Tribune
By Howard Altman
Tribune Staff
January 30, 2016

Charlie Lemon, center, got to have his wish fulfilled and met Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, left, on Saturday at Gasparilla. HOWARD ALTMAN/STAFF

Sitting in his wheelchair on the front lawn of the Bayshore Boulevard home owned by Jill and Scott Kelley, Charlie Lemon talks about an item on his bucket list.

“I really want to meet Joe Maddon,” says Lemon, 32, who lost both legs in Iraq in 2011 when an explosive hit the big armored vehicle in which he was riding.

Lemon is one of about a half-dozen veterans — wounded in combat dating back to the Vietnam War — who, along with spouses and significant others, were invited to watch the annual Gasparailla parade from the Kelleys’ lawn.

For Lemon and the other wounded veterans, it was a chance to see an event they otherwise would have to avoid.

“This is my first Gasparilla since I was hurt,” says Lemon. “There’s no way I could come out here otherwise, because it’s impossible to get around these crowds in this chair.”

It was a sentiment shared by Rudy Salas, who was a Marine lance corporal when he lost his left leg in Vietnam.

“Normally I’d stay home,” says Salas, 68.
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Gasparilla Parade of Pirates
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