14 News Investigation: Stolen Valor? KXXV News Posted by Jess Powers, Reporter November 18th 2016
EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) For six months, 14 News has been investigating a claim of stolen valor involving an Evansville business owner.
That's after several people contacted us, asking us to look into the matter.
Investigative reporter Jess Powers spent months acquiring documents and sifting through the information to get answers for you.
All of those documents are public records. Documents that help tell a tale, some may not want you to hear.
Veterans earn the right to wear the uniform. They have the right to display their earned patriotism.
When people falsify military claims or embellish their records, it's taken very seriously.
14 News received an email on May 20th titled "Stolen Valor".
The email claimed an Evansville business owner was portraying himself as a military veteran, but did not serve in the military.
The claims surround Richard Reisz, a man who previously identified himself to 14 News as the owner of the former Ground Zero Fitness. read more here
Donations stolen from Lorain homeless veterans ABC News Cleveland Tara Molina Nov 18, 2016
LORAIN, Ohio - A veteran's shelter relied upon by dozens of Cleveland veterans was robbed of its donations.
"I could be homeless and I'm not," Carmen Tucker said.
For Tucker, and so many other veterans, Valor Home and Family and Community Services offer more than shelter from the streets. Tucker calls it his second chance.
"They gave me the opportunity to achieve some of the things I need in my life to move forward," he said.
But when he learned someone stole their donations? Someone stole cash, gift cards, food and cleaning supplies meant for veterans.
"I probably can't say what I want to say on TV," he said.
Senior Veteran's Advocate, Sandra Wright, said those are items they provide to any vet who comes through the door and needs some help.
"It hurts ! It's here to help other people," Wright said. read more here
If you saw the following copy of the report, it is wrong. The picture below is of a Sailor.
Bronx soldier, 24, fatally shot while serving in Indiana New York Daily News Ginger Adams Otis November 19, 2016
A Bronx soldier serving in Indiana died of a gunshot wound, Army officials said Friday.
Provided by New York Daily News Pvt. Kevin Paulino, 24, was shot in Peru, Ind., and died Wednesday, officials said. - Byron Smith for New York Daily News
Pvt. Kevin Paulino, 24, died Wednesday, according to officials at Fort Hood Army Base in Texas.
Paulino entered active-duty service in May as an infantryman.
He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood in September, officials said. read more here
Army Investigating Soldier's Death at Fort Bragg Barracks THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FORT BRAGG, N.C. Nov 19, 2016
Army officials say a 21-year-old decorated soldier was found dead in his barracks at Fort Bragg.
Local media outlets report that Pfc. David Winchester, of Adamsville, Alabama, was found Wednesday. Agents with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command are investigating.
The Army said in a release Friday that Winchester was a biomedical equipment specialist. He joined the Army in April 2015 and was assigned to Fort Bragg last June. read more here
Blind veteran says he was left stranded by MARTA FOX 26 By: Portia Bruner POSTED:NOV 18 2016
“Patients were coming in after my appointment was over. Then they would be on their way out and ask why I was still there. I told them I was still waiting. They were supposed to pick me up at 2:30. They didn’t get there until 6:30. That was a long time," Litttle said.
ATLANTA - John Little is happy to boast that driving is the only thing he can’t do. Despite being legally blind, the 92-year-old World War II Navy Veteran takes a lot of pride in living own in Hapeville.
He doesn’t like to bother his loved ones for a ride, so he relies on MARTA Mobility to get back and forth to his doctor's office in Tucker. But Little told FOX's 5 Portia Bruner, MARTA left him stranded for four hours at the doctor's officer on Thursday. read more here
Friends of Fallen Iowa Veteran Honor His Memory in Ink WHO 13 News BY REID CHANDLER NOVEMBER 19, 2016
ANKENY, Iowa - A group of tattoo artists in Ankeny are remembering a dear friend through ink.
Curtis Gearhart, an Iraq War veteran and Des Moines native who took his own life last week, had many friends and family who want to honor him in a permanent way. That's why the artists at Pink Elephant Tattoo in Ankeny opened their doors Saturday for a special charity event; $50 tattoos to customers would ensure every penny be donated to Gearhart's family. What's more, the tattoos people could choose included designs Gearhart either had on his own body, or designs he intended to get.
"It's a piece of him that everybody can have," said Jesse Drake.
It's a tragedy told too often, but when Gearhart took his own life, it hit the people here inside this tattoo shop like a train.
read more here
Semper Fidelis America spent the day with a group of heroes at the Lake Nona VA Hospital Community Living Center, sharing a Thanksgiving meal. This is the 17th year!
Heroes Among Us: Major Jackie Hall ABC News 4 BY ASHLEY BLACKSTONE NOVEMBER 18TH 2016
"I had visions of all these guys that I had brought back and feeling guilty about why could I have not taken better care of them all all this other stuff. That was the first time it had reared its ugly head," she said. "It wasn't until about five years ago that they finally gave me a PTSD diagnosis."
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Approximately 11,000 military women were stationed in Vietnam during the conflict. Nearly all of them were volunteers, and 90 percent served as military nurses.
Among them was Major Jackie Hall.
"I did the very best I could," Hall said as she walked through the Vietnam exhibit at Patriots Point. " You're never really totally relaxed."
Visit the exhibit brought back vivid memories for Hall, some of them horrific.
Hall served as an Air Force flight nurse during the Vietnam War. It was a job she wanted and a service she requested.
"You listen to them pour out their guilt," she said. "Their survivor guilt, you know? 'Why me? Why did I survive?'" read more here
Doctors say VA's streamlined claims process facilitating fraudulent PTSD claims NEWS 4 SAN ANTONIO BY APRIL MOLINA NOVEMBER 17TH 2016
In 2008, 23,801 veterans applied for and were granted service-connected disability for PTSD.
That number continues to rise and in 2015 there were 63,049 for that year alone, bringing the total number to 751,499 veterans.
SAN ANTONIO — Thousands of U.S. soldiers are suffering the effects of traumatic incidents long after they return home from war zones.
The results is often a serious and mentally debilitating condition known as post traumatic stress disorder.
Six years after the Department of Veterans Affairs made changes to simplify the disability claim process, some VA doctors say the system is ripe for fraud.
Vets making false PTSD claims, doctors being pressured to diagnose and a system that incentivizes life long health problems are a few of the concerns among former and current doctors interviewed by News 4.
At the root of their concern is neglect for the veterans who desperately need the help. read more here Wow, times have changed. I remember in the 80's and 90's trying to get my husband to go to the VA for help. He, like his Dad, thought the VA was for "guys who can't work" and not for them. Back then, PTSD was something to suffer with in silence, suck it up and wait to get over it. It had taken decades to get veterans to understand that they wouldn't be suffering if they did not serve.
There was a backlog of VA claims even back then, but it was a long struggle to convince them to even file a claim. Now this report says there are more filing claims that are not suffering? It's been hard enough to get veterans with PTSD to go to the VA and this report will make it even harder after they have to wait in line for fakes who jumped to the front out of greed.
St. Petersburg Blind Veteran Competing in Shooting Competition ABC News Nicole Grigg Nov 18, 2016
“No matter how bad it gets, you can always remember a time when it was worse.” Michael Jernigan
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It only took a split second for Marine Veteran Michael Jernigan to find his target 50 feet down the range.
“I was just shooting a target, with an AR-15,” he uttered.
Jernigan, blind in both eyes, was able to hit his target with the help of a spotter on the very first shot.
The Iraq War Veteran served in 2004, when he was hit by an IED.
Jernigan lost both eyes along with his frontal cranium — he was hospitalized for more than a year, before extensive therapy.
After years of looking for healing, Jernigan met other blind veterans and began hunting with a non-profit organization based out of Tampa, Black Dagger Military Hunt Club .
Black Dagger Hunt Club provides shooting, hunting, fishing and outdoor opportunities for veterans and active duty military veterans.
