Paco Lopez has been playing Whitney Houston singing the Star Spangled Banner everyday at noon. This is in response to some athletes deciding they would rather sit or kneel instead of acknowledging while this nation is not perfect, some are risking their lives everyday because it is even worth dying for.
This is Paco at the opening of Rock and Brews in Oviedo. Paco is a Marine, you know because "once a Marine always a Marine" and he's the one remembering our veterans at the VA. The coolest thing is, he plays some of the calls coming in thanking him for doing it. Today someone called in and said that he was in his garage working, stopped, put his hand over his heart when his neighbor was walking his dog, stopped to ask him what he was doing. When he told him, the man stopped, put his hand over his heart and the dog sat down. So if you want to turn to Sunny 105.9 at noon on Monday. I look forward to it now especially when I think of the price paid by those serving today and those carrying the weight of their service from before so guys and make millions playing a game and sit it out. Oh, by the way, according to Forbes it looks like a lot more Americans think this country is worth taking a few minutes to honor.
Whitney Houston - Star Spangled Banner
CavBuffaloSoldier
Among the annals of national anthems as a prelude to sporting events, few have topped the one delivered by Whitney Houston before Super Bowl XXV in 1991 in Tampa. A woman, her incredible voice and the bare minimum of extraneous notes. Her rendition came at a particularly patriotic time, just after the onset of the Persian Gulf War, and was released as a single. It was re-released after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Houston donated all proceeds to charity. She ranks among the best of all-time because of the circumstances and ... that voice..
Billionaire Investor Steven Cohen Pledges $325 Million to Combat PTSD in Vets
FORTUNE by Jen Wieczner
SEPTEMBER 22, 2016,
Cohen said he plans to invest $325 million during a five year period in his two new initiatives to help veterans and prevent them from committing suicide, a recent phenomenon among vets that has alarmed policymakers.
His own son was a Marine.
Steven A. Cohen, the billionaire hedge fund manager whose former firm SAC Capital pled guilty to insider trading charges, rarely does speaking gigs. Always extremely private, the investor has hardly ever spoken publicly since the 2013 settlement.
But Cohen, who has since transformed his firm into a family office called Point72 that manages $11.6 billion of mostly his own money, broke his silence Thursday. The occasion was a special and deeply personal one to him: The kickoff of his inaugural Cohen Veterans Care Summit (or just “Cohen Cares,” as it’s called for short), a two-day meeting held in Washington, D.C. at the Ronald Reagan Building, a block away from the White House.
His speech led the convention of medical and policy experts focused on pursuing new research and breakthroughs for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries, frequently seen among recent veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Inspired by his son Robert who served as a U.S. Marine, deploying to Afghanistan in 2010, Cohen has since stepped up his philanthropic efforts focused on the mental health of military veterans—particularly the 2.7 million who served in the “War on Terror” after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. read more here
Lake City pilot killed in California spy plane crash By News4Jax.com Staff September 21, 2016
LAKE CITY, Fla. - The pilot who died Tuesday after ejecting from a U.S. Air Force U-2 spy plane that crashed into a mountain in Northern California was a 20-year veteran who grew up in Lake City.
According to his family, Lt. Col. Ira Stephen Eadie had been stationed in California for the past six years. Before joining the Air Force, he was in the Navy and flew P-3 patrol aircraft out of NAS Jacksonville.
A co-pilot who also ejected has survived.
Eadie (pictured below) leaves behind a wife and six children, ranging in age from 6 to 25 years old.
Eadie's father told News4Jax that the couple met in Lake City and they were excellent parents devoted to family. He asked the community for prayer. read more here
U.S. Navy sailor dies of non-combat injury off Libya UPI
By Andrew V. Pestano
Sept. 22, 2016
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday said Devon M. Faulkner, a U.S. Navy aviation boatswain's mate airman, died from a non-combat-related injury while supporting the U.S.-led coalition operation against the Islamic State in Libya.
Faulkner, 24, from Raleigh, N.C., was assigned to the Norfolk, Va.-based USS Wasp, which left in late June for a 6-month tour in the central Mediterranean Sea. The incident that caused Faulkner's death on Tuesday is under investigation. read more here
Former TRADOC, Fort Hood commander Gen. Robert Cone dies Army Times
By: Kevin Lilley and Michelle Tan
September 20, 2016
Left to right, Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, first lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry pray at a memorial service at Fort Hood, Texas, for the victims of the Fort Hood shootings on Nov. 10, 2009.
Photo Credit: Jay Janner/Pool via AP
Retired Gen. Robert Cone, who led Army Training and Doctrine Command and was the top general for III Corps during the deadly 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, that killed 13 people, has died at age 59.
“He was a great friend, a brave warrior and a uniquely gifted Army leader. His loss leaves a big hole in our ranks and in our lives,” said retired Gen. Carter Ham, president of the Association of the U.S. Army, in a statement. read more here
Camp Pendleton Marine dies three days after he was mysteriously shot and left for dead in South L.A. LA Times Veronica Rocha and Matt Hamilton
September 20, 2016
A U.S. Marine Corps training command said in a statement that his death weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts.
“The overwhelming support and prayers we witnessed in support of this young man are a testament to the mighty son, friend and warrior that he was,” the training command said.
A 19-year-old Marine from Camp Pendleton who was shot this weekend while visiting friends and family in South Los Angeles died Monday night, coroner’s officials said.
Carlos Segovia died at 8 p.m. at California Hospital Medical Center, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner. Segovia had been hospitalized in grave condition since the weekend.
He was found at 11:35 p.m. Friday slumped over and unconscious in a Dodge Charger in the 2100 block of 31st Street, according to Capt. Peter Whittingham of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The Marine left the military base near San Diego on Friday. He had just visited his girlfriend that night and was preparing to drive to the home of Claudia Perez, a family friend, when he was struck by gunfire. read more here
Vets Slam Northport VA During Congressional Hearing On Long Island CBS New York September 20, 2016
“There weren’t suicides here,” Moschitta said. “There weren’t two veterans. One was a staff employee, the other one by a car exam, indicated that he died of other issues. So you’re gonna see a continuous array of falsehoods because people have other issues here.”
NORTHPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Accusations of patient neglect and suicide consumed much of a congressional hearing on veteran’s affairs at a VA hospital on Long Island on Tuesday.
Northport VA Medical Center Director Phil Moschitta says the hospital did not turn away a patient that later committed suicide in the hospital’s parking lot, WCBS 880’s Mike Xirinachs reported.
Earlier this year, Peter Kaisen, 76, a retired police officer from Islip, was found in a parking lot at the medical center suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
read more here
Mark Kirk campaign site falsely calls senator 'veteran' of Iraq war CNN Digital Expansion DC Manu Raju
By Manu Raju, Senior Political Reporter
Updated 1306 GMT (2106 HKT) September 21, 2016
A once public, now private webpage on Mark Kirk's official campaign website touted his record on veterans' issues, Kirk was listed as a "veteran of the Iraq war."
(CNN)Sen. Mark Kirk's campaign falsely asserted on its website that the Illinois Republican was a veteran of the Iraq war, a misstatement that comes six years after exaggerations over his military record nearly cost him his state's Senate seat.
The Republican, now battling for a second term in a tight race in Illinois, stayed in the United States during the Iraq War when he served in the Navy Reserves. But on a public webpage on his official campaign website touting his record on veterans' issues, Kirk was listed as a "veteran of the Iraq war."
While Kirk campaign officials said it was a staff error, the issue resembles the controversy that nearly caused his 2010 Senate campaign to implode. Moreover, Kirk is now running for reelection against Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a military veteran who lost both of her legs during combat in Iraq. read more here
How many times does this have to happen before things really change and veterans get proper care? When do politicians actually face the families and apologize for all the years veterans have been left waiting while they make speeches? When does our Congress actually fix the VA instead of trying to sell our veterans to private for profit corporations?
How many more years of pain and suffering do they intend to let us go through watching our veterans suffer while they pass bill after bill that only repeat what has been proven to have already failed them?
Colorado veteran’s suicide prompts call for investigation into VA wait times
Denver Post By MARK K. MATTHEWS
PUBLISHED: September 20, 2016
Specifically, the whistleblower said the situation in Colorado Springs could have contributed to the death of an Army Ranger who was awaiting treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
WASHINGTON — Two U.S. senators are calling for an investigation into wait times at VA facilities in Colorado following the suicide of a 26-year-old U.S. Army Ranger who did not receive PTSD counseling in time.
The request by Republican U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin also asks that an internal watchdog at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs examine allegations that VA officials forged documents after the service member’s death and then threatened a whistleblower who raised these issues with authorities, according to a letter dated Monday.
Without specifically addressing the accusations, the VA released a statement in response that said the agency would work with Congress and investigators “to determine the facts of the situation and take appropriate action should any wrongdoing be uncovered.” read more here
Longtime Johnson City firefighter retires early, cites workplace conditions WJHL 11 News By Nate Morabito Published: September 19, 2016
JOHNSON CITY, TN (WJHL) – A Johnson City firefighter who is battling mental illness has decided to call it quits and retire early, citing the ongoing working conditions as his reason. 25-year veteran Sergeant. Mike Sagers retired earlier this month after spending an extended period of time on medical leave.
Sgt. Sagers says it was a difficult decision, but one he had to make for his mental health. Sagers suffers from stress, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to medical records.
Back in May, Sgt. Sagers provided us with select medical records that documented his concerns of bullying, belittling and workplace violence by longtime administrator and current Fire Chief Mark Scott. His medical provider documented words like “abusive fire chief,” “harassment” and “concern of retaliation.”
Johnson City Professional Firefighters Association President Charlie Ihle shared his disappointment.
“I don’t like it one bit,” Ihle said. “To lose somebody like Mike Sagers is awful. It’s just awful. Mike Sagers was passionate about the fire department and the city. Nobody knows more about the fire department and the city than Mike Sagers, so for him to be forced out is just awful.” read more here
