Fort Carson Special Forces Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

DOD confirms two soldiers assigned to Fort Carson died in Afghanistan
KKTV News 11
November 4, 2016

FORT CARSON, Colo. (KKTV) The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) confirmed Friday two soldiers working with Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan who were killed were assigned to Fort Carson.

They have been identified as Capt. Andrew Byers, 30, of Rolesville, N.C. and Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Gloyer, 34, from Greeville, Penn.

The DOD says the soldiers were assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) of Fort Carson.
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Golden Retriever Watches Over PTSD Veteran on Job as Paramedic

Local service dog rides in ambulance to help her owner cope with PTSD
ABC 13 News
Lisa Guyton
November 2,016

TOLEDO (13abc Action News) - You've no doubt seen service dogs providing all kinds of help to people around the community. But Star is probably the first of her kind in our region She rides around in a ProMedica ambulance, helping her owner as he battles Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.

Star is a one-year-old Golden Retriever, Labrador mix. She's only been on the job for a few weeks but she has already had a big impact on the man she was trained to help.

Louis Belluomini is a ProMedica paramedic. Before this career, he was in the Army for nine years. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, "I think the majority of veterans have PTSD to some extent."

Louis says he was diagnosed with PTSD after his first tour. Medicine is what helped him at first, now it's Star, "She's woken me up from nightmares sometimes two and three times a night. She senses when something is off, when it's not right."

Louis says one of the other important things Star does is protect his personal perimeter, "As members of the military we are trained to watch our back and our partner's back. By having her I don't have to ever worry that someone is behind me because she is always watching behind me."
read more here

Vietnam Veteran Gets Home Repaired by Miami Dolphines

Miami Dolphins, Bank of America Repair Veteran’s Home
NBC Miami
November 3, 2016

In honor of Veterans Day, the Miami Dolphins partnered with Bank of America in giving the home of a U.S. Army veteran a major makeover.

Joe Riddick, 65, is a U.S. Army veteran who's served in Vietnam, and parts of the Gulf War.

"I did it for the country you know, because I love this country of America," Riddick said. "I'm glad to do it, and I would do it again."

Riddick and his wife Shonda now live in Opa-Locka but his home isn't a symbol of a heros welcome. The home is in need of several repairs.

That's why the Miami Dolphins and Bank of America is partnering to give Reddick's home a makeover.
read more here

November Central Florida Veterans Events

Central Florida Veterans Events
From Cathy Haynes

NOVEMBER 2016 –Week #1 of veterans, military and patriotic events in Central Florida This list does NOT include the Veterans Day events. It will be sent soon.
*Send me your events – people cannot attend an event if they don’t know about it!
*Event information is concentrated mostly on the Central Florida counties served by the new VA Hospital at Lake Nona – Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, Lake and Volusia. Other events elsewhere are considered based upon uniqueness and groups best served.
*Every effort is made to put a space into email addresses and websites – firewalls and spam filters don’t like direct links, website and email addresses. If you use ‘Copy and Paste’ to make contact or get additional information, please keep this in
Avoid the confusion - Just a bit of a reminder - There is a difference between veterans and military.

Sometimes people get confused that veterans were once active military but they are not officially serving anymore. And our military who are serving now and will one day be veterans. Retired veterans served a specified required time in service. All military retirees are veterans but not all veterans are military retired.

Veterans Day honors all persons who once were in the military - especially the living. Formerly known as Armistice Day after WWI – 11/11/11 – Eleventh day of the Eleventh month at the Eleventh hour.

Armed Forces Day is the third Saturday in May - it was established in 1950 to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force Days. That is a day to pay tribute to men and women who ARE currently serve the United States’ armed forces.

Memorial Day honors those who died while serving in the military; Observed on the last Monday in May.

Hats Off to Our Veterans – Nov 1 – 14 – AVET Project, based near Patrick Air Force Base, sponsors this fundraiser where businesses/groups offer special HATS that can be purchased for a donation. The HATS can hang on a chosen WALL – at work, at home, etc., for the month of November. The HATS are provided by AVET Project. Proceeds assist active military, veterans, and their families in MANY ways. Contact: Kim at kim@ avetproject .org

Space Coast Veterans Prayer Breakfast – Wed. Nov 2 – Keynote speaker Col. Danny McKnight will address the attendees from 7:30-9:30, at Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place, 200 Rialto Pl, Melbourne, 32901. Coordinated by the Space Coast Paratroopers Association (SCPA). Contact Doug at 321-408-2289 Donald.Overton@ palmbayflorida .org

Career Fair – Wed. Nov 2 - Over 35 employers will be conducting interviews with companies such as Lockheed Martin, Golf Channel, Sea World, Massey, UPS, The Middlesex Corporation, Universal Orlando, Amazon and many more. 11am – 2pm at the UCF Venue (behind the CFE Arena). Attendees who RSVP will be entered to win various door prizes. Parking is available in garages D and H, across from the arena. Info: lorine.cisch-taylor@ ucf .edu or joshua.johnson@ ucf .edu

Greeters needed! Honor Flight Welcome Home – WED. NOV 2 - Orlando Int’l Airport – LAST FLIGHT FOR 2016! After a day spent in Washington DC, 40 veterans - 13 veterans of WWII, 27 beginning their service from the Korean War - return home thru Orlando Int’l Airport. (This group includes an Air Force fighter pilot shot down over Vietnam and spent over 6 years as a POW, a Marine who took part in the Inchon Landing in Korea, an Air Force test pilot, and a Canadian engineer.) This Honor Flight hub is a part of the nation-wide organization that takes veterans on a single day trip to our nation’s capital where they visit the WWII, Korea, and Vietnam War Memorials, Marine Corps Iwo Jima and the Air Force Monuments, and witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. This particular group will return just about 9:20pm and enter the terminal area at (+/-) 10:00pm. Come welcome these former warriors home! “Welcome Home” receptions at the airports makes a difference! Bring your flags, banners and signs! – Southwest Airlines # 936 from Reagan National (DCA) (Note: Different departure airport than usual), Terminal A, Airside 2 (hotel area in front of Starbucks.)
Before leaving home, check online to see if the flight is on time because there may be delays due to weather, mechanical or medical issues. Free parking has been arranged at an off airport property – FastPark and Relax – who has been very generous to Honor Flights with free parking and shuttles to the airport (tips welcomed by drivers!) - 7870 N Frontage Rd, Orlando, 32812. Contact Cathy Haynes for those details NLT 7pm 407-239-8468 chaynes11629 @yahoo .com
New: Vouchers are available for airport garage parking from a GOAA rep. in the terminal for this event – maximum of 3 hours – BUT you have to take a paper ticket upon entering the airport garage. The vouchers will NOT work if you use the SunPass transponders – we cannot credit the charge back. For the Early Birds - you can wave these veterans off in the morning no later than 5am – same location. They process thru Security early and quickly. Wave them off for a wonderful day! (NOTE: This is the LAST 2016 Honor Flight from this area – weather gets unpredictable over the winter. Honor Flight Missions resume in Spring 2017.)

Every Day is Veterans Day – Thurs. Nov 3 – A special tribute celebration to honor and remember the service and sacrifice of our veterans past and present. Open to the public. 10-11:30am at the Wayne Densch YMCA, 870 N Hastings St, Orlando, Florida 32808 Keynote Speaker is Army 1st Sgt Daila Espeut-Jones, ret. Info: Casman.Flowers@ VITAS .com or 407.865.4614

City of Orlando Mayors’ Veterans Advisory Council – Thurs. Nov 3 – 1:30pm monthly meeting of numerous organizations and individuals for the benefit of local veterans and active duty personnel. Planning of functions (ie: Veterans Day parade) and awareness of events is shared. Designated representatives allow groups to coordinate efforts. If your Orlando area vet/military associated group isn’t attending, it should plan to get involved. Networking before and after the meeting. See website at cityoforlando.net, Office of the Mayor, Mayor’s Committees, Veterans. Contact Chairman Michael Waldrop for attendance and location information. mwaldrop@ blue-cord. com

Vietnam Era Veterans luncheon – Sat. Nov 5 – Sebastian in Brevard Co. but are welcome! The American Legion Auxiliary Dept of Florida 12th District have a special “Welcome Home” luncheon planned for all Vietnam era veterans. 11am – 3pm with special guest speaker. Hosted by American Legion Auxiliary Unit 189, at 807 Louisiana Ave., Sebastian 32958. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will award each Vietnam Era Veteran in attendance a special congressional pin and certificate. RSVP requested by Wed. Oct 19 for proper count for food and planning. RSVP/Info: Dorothy Walsh at dwalshusa @gmail .com or 321-426-6736

Veterans Village Groundbreaking – Sat. Nov 5 - Hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter FL from 11am – 2pm at 112 Turtle Run, Umatilla, 32784-9545. Do a Search or contact them about specifics. Danielle at 352-483-0434 Ext 133 or Danielle @habitatls .org.

Daylight Savings Time ends – Sun. Nov 6 – Turn your clocks back one hour. Use that bonus time to do something nice for our veteran and service personnel!

Election Day – Tues. Nov 8 – Become educated and do your civic duty – VOTE! Our local elections are especially important as they tend to have a more direct impact on us.

Misc. info
Everyone and especially Veterans – please plan to attend the various school programs. There MAY be events at some schools near your home that are not listed here. Our young ones need to be aware of who veterans are and how they have served our country. Your attendance reinforces the efforts that some teachers are trying to provide. Be an example – be someone that the young generation will remember and model after…

Shopping consideration – As we are preparing for the upcoming holidays, please consider buying items that are made in this country. Buying “Made in U.S.A.” allows employment for more persons in this country and some of those workers may be veterans, reservists, or guardsmen/women. UPC barcodes do not always indicate the country of manufacture. Look for the “Made in U.S.A.” labeling.

Volunteering - Would you have liked to be able to help senior veterans, active military and veteran families after the hurricane? You still can, and it doesn’t require damage from hurricanes.
Hands On Orlando - Volunteer Central Florida - Brittany@ HandsOnOrlando .com 407.740.8652 (c) 407.375.9389 The Mission Continues - Orlando 1st Platoon –Daniel Kalagian at dkalagian@ missioncontinues .org or Eric Weiss, 2nd Platoon Leader Orlando eweiss@ missioncontinues .org Team Red, White and Blue (RWB) – Sherrie LaBarre at sherrie.labarre@gmail.com

Mentors needed - Veteran Courts ARE succeeding! Longer term success is possible with community mentors and there are mentoring programs in Orange, Seminole and Osceola Counties. Be a “battle buddy” or “foxhole buddy” by assisting someone with life challenges. No proselytizing – just non-judgmental caring. Most of the offenders are DUI or possession, or PTS anger issues that are being rechanneled. If you have experienced substance abuse – although not required - and came thru it, you may be very helpful to someone else. If you are interested in participating as a mentor, know someone who is interested, or are a part of an organization where Mentors can be recruited, contact your local Veterans Court resource.

Caring and sharing,

Cathy Haynes

Member/supporter of numerous veteran and military organizations in Central FL
407-239-8468

NOTE TO READERS OF WOUNDED TIMES

Just to let you know, there will be limited posts for the near future. I am dealing with arthritis in my spine, plus discs crushing some nerves. Not much fun working all day for a paycheck, then trying to sit at the computer doing this afterwards. I'll do what I can but please don't forget about me.

If you are a regular reader please take some time to check out my latest book, RESIDUAL WAR, SOMETHING WORTH LIVING FOR on AMAZON and also on Kindle. 

This one is fiction but totally inspired by the men and women I've met over the last 3 decades. It has a female hero, actually make that two, PTSD, suicides, murder, homeless veterans, and all the other bad stuff, but it also has hope, peer support, love, compassion and a whole lot of finding something worth living for after have plenty to die for in combat, like the others they served with.

I was hoping to have part two done by Veterans Day, but that isn't going to happen. Hopefully by the end of the year anyway.

Soldier Wanted Help For PTSD, He Faced Being "Disciplined" Instead

A soldier battling PTSD reported that he wanted to hurt his commanders. They disciplined him.
The Baltimore Sun
Ian Duncan
November 1, 2016

Since returning from his second deployment to Afghanistan, Army Spc. Scott Miller had been through several stays at a mental health hospital. But after Christmas, the thoughts about taking his own life were joined by new ones about killing members of his unit.

Scott Miller suffered PTSD after serving with the Army in Afghanistan. When his symptoms got worse and he was having thoughts of killing people in his unit, he sought treatment but ended up being disciplined for making threats. (Family photo / HANDOUT)

Miller, a helicopter mechanic from Bowie, sought help in the emergency room at the hospital on his post at Fort Campbell, Ky. He says he revealed his murderous thoughts so that he could get the treatment he thought he needed.

He eventually was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. But his words triggered a criminal investigation and a lengthy disciplinary process that ended with him stripped of his rank on his way out of the service.

"I didn't threaten anybody directly," Miller said. "I was there to try and get help, and I was honest with the behavioral health provider. I know that I'm not going to get any better if I'm not honest with my feelings and thoughts."

Lt. Col. Jay Thoman, the Army lawyer who represented Miller in his disciplinary proceedings, said he was unable to find other cases in which hospital staff aided a criminal investigation, or a commander took disciplinary action over something a soldier said to a medical provider.
read more here

Civilian Doctors Untrained To Take Care of Veterans, Duh!

Very timely consideirng today is Halloween and for the most part veterans have been finding either great care or walking away as if someone just played a trick on them in exchange for their service. Congress has been playing more of an April Fool's joke on them when they say they will fix the VA but sought to kill it and privatize it instead.

Expert: Most physicians outside VA are untrained to handle vets' issues
The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa. (Tribune News Service)
By Jon O'Connell
Published: October 31, 2016

SCRANTON, Pa. (Tribune News Service) — Most veterans get some health care from private doctors.

But most doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system aren’t trained to identify service-related illness, according to a physician working to educate clinicians on the issues.

“While everybody seems to be mostly focused on the health care that veterans are getting at the VA, it sort of went unnoticed that 80 percent of veterans get most of their health care from civilian providers,” said Jeffrey L. Brown, M.D., a clinical professor of pediatrics at New York Medical College who also teaches at Weill Cornell Medicine.

While about 40 percent of veterans get some health care from the VA, only about 20 percent of all veterans rely totally on the VA, according to a 2015 government survey of health and health care use.

Dr. Brown, a pediatrician and retired U.S. Army medic, carried a .45 pistol and treated wounded and sick soldiers and, at times, local children in Vietnam. Late in his post-military private practice career, a New York Times article alerted him that anyone who served in Vietnam should consider themselves exposed to Agent Orange, a carcinogenic defoliant used to kill thick plant growth and expose hiding Vietnamese fighters. Those veterans risked serious illness like cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
read more here

Humane Society Hero Dogs Of Year

Hooch, an abused French mastiff, is Hero Dog of the Year
Associated Press
LEANNE ITALIE
October 29, 2016

NEW YORK — The human nearly lost his life to drug and alcohol addiction. The dog, well, he nearly lost his life to humans.

A French mastiff named Hooch, rescued by Zach Skow in Tehachapi, California, is the 2016 American Humane organization's Hero Dog of the Year, bestowed in a Beverly Hills ceremony taped in September and broadcast Friday on the Hallmark Channel.

Hooch, among eight canine finalists, wore his best tuxedo collar, though he was reluctant to join Skow on stage.

Hosted by James Denton and Beth Stern, and featuring Dave Foley, Kym Johnson, Robert Herjavec, Marilu Henner and Greg Louganis, among other celebrities, this is the sixth year for the awards.
The other seven finalists for Hero Dog, all honored for their service, are:

• Law enforcement: Edo, a K-9 superstar with the Los Angeles Police Department, and handler Nhut Huynh. Edo, a Belgian malinois, was the first sent into a house where a shootout was underway. He pulled the armed man away from his weapon.

• Search and rescue: Kobuk, a German shepherd, and handler Elizabeth Fossett in York, Maine. He sniffed out an elderly woman with diabetes and dementia after she wandered off from a cabin in the wilderness.

• Service: Gander, a labradoodle rescue, and handler Lon Hodge. Hodge is an Army veteran in Great Lakes, Illinois, who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and was once homebound for months at a time. The two are inseparable and travel the country helping others with disabilities. "Thank you for saving my life," Hodge told his beloved Gander on the show.

• Military: Layka, another Belgian malinois, and trainer/veteran Julian McDonald in Galena, Kansas. The dog lost a leg when she took fire while McDonald's Ranger unit was assaulting an enemy compound in Afghanistan. McDonald and his family adopted Layka.

• Arson: Judge and handler Lee Laubach Jr., fire chief in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Judge is a yellow Labrador who has worked more than 275 fire scenes and has found evidence leading to multiple arrests and civil penalties for insurance fraud.

• Hearing: Hook, a 12-pound, 10-year-old Chihuahua mix, and handler Joyce Herman. Herman, from Sacramento, California, is a hearing-impaired marriage and family therapist. He pulled Herman off some light train tracks as a train approached and once chased away a prowler in her office waiting room.

• Therapy: Mango, a paralyzed Cairn terrier rescue, and handler Judy Walter, a veteran in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Both dog and human had broken their backs. Mango uses a canine wheelchair to get around. "I healed her and she healed me," said Walter, who now routinely visits disabled vets with Mango.
read more here

Black Hawk Down Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Wayne Bray Passed Away

Air Force veteran whose story was told in 'Black Hawk Down' dies
The Courier-Tribune (Tribune News Service)
By Judi Brinegar
Published: October 29, 2016

S/Sgt. Jeffrey Wayne Bray's actions in Somalia in 1993 earned him a Silver Star and were later portrayed in the movie, “Black Hawk Down.” He died Oct. 24 at the age of 49. COURTESY BRAY FAMILY

ASHEBORO — A recognized hero, Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Wayne Bray, 49, a Randolph County, N.C. native, died Oct. 24 at Columbus Regional Healthcare.

You might not know his name, but his actions in Somalia in 1993 earned him a Silver Star —and those actions were later portrayed in the movie, “Black Hawk Down.”

Bray was born in Randolph County in 1966, the son of Martha Woodell Lindsey of Asheboro and the late John Franklin Bray.

Bray was a decorated veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a Senior Airman who served with a Combat Control Team.
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Marine Based in Okinawa Drowning Death Second This Month

Marine in Okinawa dies, second apparent drowning this month
Marine Corps Times
By: Jeff Schogol
October 29, 2016

A Marine in Okinawa has died in an apparent drowning incident, marking the second such death this month at Okinawa.

The Marine was assigned to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing with III Marine Expeditionary Force and pronounced dead at 3:40 p.m. Saturday at Medea Point, said 1st Lt. Joseph Butterfield, a spokesman for III MEF.

An investigation into the cause and circumstances of the Marine’s death is ongoing, Butterfield said Saturday in a statement. The Marine’s name is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification.
read more here

PTSD Veterans Need A Reputation Defender

Who Defends PTSD Veterans With Truth?
Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
October 30, 2016

In the 80's and 90's researching suicides tied to military service used to make me very sad. After all, the online world had not connected the entire planet to information like that. We whispered about them as if they were something to be ashamed of. That is until we got angry, finally figuring out, that these are the same men and women, were willing to die for the sake someone else, yet could not find that same will to live after it. Yes, coming home was more dangerous to them back then too.

They were homeless and reports said there were 300,000 veterans walking the streets, but Congress simply ignored them. They were getting arrested and ended up in jail for crimes that were tied to their service, but Veterans Courts did not exist. They stood in line at the VA and fought for years to have their claims approved. They needed caregivers who gave up jobs to provide the loving care these veterans needed but would not receive otherwise.

They were not just suffering, they started to fight back and everything available for the generations following them, as imperfect as it all is, began because they take a stand for the sake of their brothers and sisters. The worst part is, they are still the majority of the suicides tied to military service. They led the way then were left behind.

I am no longer simply sad about what they face on a daily basis. I am pissed off! If you aren't then you haven't been paying attention to any of this.

With the online world what it is, anyone can post anything they want, a company called Reputation Defender popped up in 2006, offering to fix how the world sees customers. There is a case that goes back to 2006, but it is doubtful the reputation needing defending will ever seek them. 

PTSD veterans are the subject of at least 16,700,000 results on a Google search. Everyone seems to be talking about them. What really sucks is that as life back home gets worse for them, it has been very profitable for the publicists of their suffering.

Want proof? Easy to deliver. Reuters published an article Friday "Veterans may face higher risk of suicide during first year back home." The research also showed that "six years after leaving the military, veterans had a 63 percent higher risk of suicide than those still in the service." Pretty shocking to some, but not new at all to the rest of us.

As for those still in the military, the ones that never seem to get mentioned in the arbitrary number of "22" a day, while the DOD claims deployment has little to do with suicides, we have this piece of news. "However, in the first quarter following deployment, service members had a 50 percent higher risk of suicide than their peers who didn't experience deployment."

Yet again, we find this ties into another blast from the past within another article about redeployments from the Army's research on PTSD. The research was published on the Washington Post December 20, 2006, appropriately titled warning of "Repeat Iraq Tours Raise Risk of PTSD, Army Finds" 

U.S. soldiers serving repeated Iraq deployments are 50 percent more likely than those with one tour to suffer from acute combat stress, raising their risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the Army's first survey exploring how today's multiple war-zone rotations affect soldiers' mental health.

But what did they do? They kept redeploying them and then wondered why they were committing suicide. All they had to do was actually understand their own research to discover the answer.

The report also found a doubling of suicides among soldiers serving in the Iraq war from 2004 to 2005, the latest period for which data are available. Twenty-two soldiers took their own lives in Iraq and Kuwait in 2005, compared with 11 in 2004 and 25 in 2003, Army officials said.

They were sent to Iraq in 2003, so when you think of those numbers, consider that the number of deployments was nowhere near the number these men and women have been facing with 15 years of war.

The Department of Defense finally released the 2nd Quarter Suicide report for 2016. With less serving now than in 2006, the reported total for the first six months is 120 Active and 101 Reserve/National Guards. 

Billions are spent every year as members of Congress get their names put on Bills they write claiming to be about preventing suicides, yet as this shows, nothing they have done worked.

We have about 5 million less veterans than we had back in 1999, but as you can see, the numbers have not changed. The latest research has the number back at 20 veterans committing suicide a day again. 

So when do we defend their reputations against falsehoods? When do we take a stand for them and say we reached the "one too many" of them dying by their own hands because they did not get what they needed to fight back home?

You want to raise awareness? Then start with the truth. Start with the fact that none of this is new and that is the most deplorable thing of all. We ran out of excuses as soon as the world was connected and what was happening in one part of the country was not known nationally. Do you really want to change anything or do you want to remain sad and do nothing with substance?

"We couldn’t have drawn up a more catastrophic way to fail" Veterans

Review: ‘Thank You for Your Service,’ Stories of Soldiers and Suicide
New York Times
By KEN JAWOROWSKI
OCT. 27, 2016

“While you have watched this documentary, a veteran has committed suicide.”

Kenny Toone, an Iraq War veteran, hugs a Vietnam War Veteran in the documentary “Thank You for Your Service.” Credit CreativeChaos

“Thank You for Your Service” starts with a frantic, tear-filled 911 call reporting a suicide. It’s a gut-wrenching moment in a documentary that’s filled with them, and with scenes that make you want to scream in frustration at the bureaucracy faced by combat veterans seeking mental health services.

“We couldn’t have drawn up a more catastrophic way to fail to meet mental health needs than the blueprints that were followed in this war,” a retired Navy psychologist says about Iraq. The facts bear him out: Over the past decade, the number of suicides among veterans has soared.
read more here

Gary Sinise Honors WWII Veterans "They saved the world from tyranny"

Actor Gary Sinise flies veterans to New Orleans' WWII Museum
KSLA 12 News
October 28th 2016

Two dozen World War II veterans from Texas and Louisiana joined Gary Sinise this week for the flight of their lives.

(Source: KSLA News 12)

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA)
Two dozen World War II veterans from Texas and Louisiana joined Gary Sinise this week for the flight of their lives.

The actor best known for his roles on "Criminal Minds:Beyond Borders" and as Lieutenant Dan in "Forrest Gump" sent 8 veterans from Tyler, Texas, and 16 veterans from Shreveport, La., to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans on Wednesday.

"They deserve everything. They saved the world from tyranny," Sinise said Wednesday before their flight out of Shreveport Regional Airport. "That was the most horrible conflict in human history. and the amount of devastation that happened during that time in the world is unthinkable."
read more here

Sgt. James Morrison, Soldier-Firefighter Laid to Rest

Soldier, firefighter who died of apparent suicide given hero’s escort
Westchester 12 News
October 27, 2016

Morrison’s parents say that their son’s death is proof that post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is very real among the military.

GARNERVILLE - A Rockland soldier and longtime Hillcrest firefighter who recently died of an apparent suicide in Colorado got a hero's escort to Garnerville on Thursday.

Sgt. James Morrison, of Wesley Hills, was on active duty at Fort Carson when he died Wednesday. The 28-year-old also used to be a firefighter in Hillcrest, joining the department when he was a teenager.

Morrison had been deployed to Afghanistan three times and later re-enlisted back in the United States.
read more here

Military Suicide Risk Higher Back Home

Veterans may face higher risk of suicide during first year home
Reuters
October 28, 2016

When they left the military, the risk of suicide remained higher than for current service members for several years. Six years after leaving the military, veterans had a 63 percent higher risk of suicide than those still in the service, the study found.

Veterans may be more likely to commit suicide during the first year after they leave the military than after more time passes, a U.S. study suggests.

Compared with people still on active duty in the military, veterans out of the service for up to three months were 2.5 times more likely to commit suicide, the study found. Veterans who had left the service from three to 12 months earlier had almost triple the suicide odds of current members of the military.

"Family members and community can be proactive to reach out to veterans if they recently experienced stressful events - not just limited to the stressful events we can capture in the data such as divorce or separation from the military," said lead study author Yu-Chu Shen, a researcher at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

"In addition, clinicians should be aware that deployments may increase suicide risk independently of underlying mental disorders, and so asking patients about deployment history is advisable," Shen said by email.

However, in the first quarter following deployment, service members had a 50 percent higher risk of suicide than their peers who didn't experience deployment.

read more here

Family of Maj. Gen. John Rossi Wants Others To Seek Help To Heal

Army Says 2-Star General Committed Suicide
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OCT. 28, 2016

"To the Army, he was Maj. Gen. Rossi. To us, he was John -- husband, dad."

WASHINGTON — The Army said Friday it has determined that suicide was the cause of death of a two-star general who was found dead in his home on a military base in Alabama.

Maj. Gen. John Rossi was found dead July 31 at Redstone Arsenal, two days before he was to assume command of Army Space and Missile Defense Command.

He is the first Army general to commit suicide on active duty since record-keeping began in 2000, according to the Army. Military suicides soared earlier this decade and remain a major source of concern; they typically have affected lower-ranking military members.

Rossi, a West Point academy graduate and an air defense artillery officer by training, had just moved onto Redstone Arsenal and was scheduled to be promoted to lieutenant general when he took command of Space and Missile Defense Command.

"To all the other families out there, to the man or woman who may be facing challenging times, please seek assistance immediately. Compassionate and confidential assistance is available."
read more here

Police Officer Struggle With PTSD Iraq Veteran On Video

Video: Man with apparent PTSD struggles with Gladstone officer, asks girlfriend to ‘shoot him’
FOX 4
BY SHANNON O'BRIEN AND MICHELLE PEKARSKY 
OCTOBER 28, 2016

GLADSTONE, Mo. -- A Gladstone police officer struggled with a suspect for about 4 minutes, trying to keep Aaron Barker, 32, from getting a hold of his gun.

Barker's girlfriend Megan took video during the fight and wanted to explain that the man she loves suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after serving as a mortar man during a 10-month deployment in Iraq, where he saw combat every day and was blown up by a hidden bomb.

In the video above, FOX 4's Shannon O'Brien talked to Megan, who didn't want to show her face, but did want to explain Barker's actions.
read more here

Green Beret Soldier's Death in Kenya Under Investigation

Fort Bragg-based Green Beret dies while serving in Kenya
Army Times
By: Meghann Myers
October 28, 2016

A memorial service for a 3rd Special Forces Group soldier is set for Saturday in Fayetteville, North Carolina, 11 days after his mysterious death while deployed to Kenya, according to his obituary.

Sgt. 1st Class Zachary Bannister, 33, was found dead of non-combat related injuries on Oct. 17, Maj. Christopher Foreman, a spokesman for 3rd Special Forces Group, told Army Times on Friday.

Bannister's remains arrived at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, on Thursday. The cause of his death is under investigation, Foreman said.

The Reynoldsburg, Ohio, native spent four years as a Marine from 2003 to 2007, then re-enlisted into Special Forces in 2010, according to a 3rd Special Forces Group release.

He did two deployment to Afghanistan, the release said, earning three Bronze Star Medals -- one with the combat "V" device -- and various other awards.
read more here

Florida Marine's Widow Forced to Fight VA After Camp Lejeune

8 INVESTIGATES: Camp Lejeune widow keeps fighting V.A. for her husband and benefits
WFLA 8 News
By Steve Andrews
Published: October 27, 2016

“I’ve lost my husband, I’ve lost my home, I will not lose my dignity.” Tara Craver

AVON PARK, Fla. (WFLA) — Tara Craver of Avon Park is becoming a familiar site at busy intersections outside V.A. facilities. She protests what she believes is unfair V.A. treatment of marines and their families.

“They killed my husband,” said Tara.

Her husband Karle was a marine, stationed at Camp Lejeune in the 70’s. His is one of the many faces of Camp Lejeune, the site of one of the largest mass contaminations in American history. From 1953 to 1987, an estimated 750,000 marines, their families as well as base employees were exposed to cancer causing chemicals in their drinking water.

“They didn’t contaminate themselves, the government did and they kept it hid for two or three decades. They kept it hid,” added Tara.

Doctors diagnosed Karle with esophageal cancer in January 2014. He died 10 weeks later.

Karle passed well before Tara heard that the V.A. rejected his claim that his cancer was connected to Camp Lejeune.
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Man Wants To Be Commander-in-Chief Without Military Women?

Trump faces new round of military controversies just days before the election
Military Times By: Leo Shane III
October 27, 2016

With less than two weeks left before the election, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump finds himself in the middle of a new round of military-themed controversies that opponents say shows he’s unqualified to be commander in chief.

The problems began Monday, during an interview with a Florida television station where Trump stated that his campaign has impressive support among veterans and “I’ve been endorsed largely, at least conceptually, by the military.”

Campaign officials offered no further explanation of the remark, which drew criticism and confusion given the military’s strict rules against politicking in the ranks. The most recent Military Times/Institute for Veterans and Military Families Poll showed about 40 percent of active-duty troops plan to vote for Trump next month.

“Well, I went to a military academy, which was from a different planet. ... We didn’t have women in the academy at that time. Today you have women, which is a whole other story, women in the Army and you see what’s going on. It’s like, it’s like bedlam. It is bedlam."
“... It’s something that people aren’t talking about, but what’s going on is bedlam, bringing women in the Army.”
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He's not alone
Mike Pence said in 1999 that women shouldn’t be in the military.