Veterans deal with PTSD through filmmaking
KENS Alicia Neaves February 10, 2017
"For many veterans, these films are the perfect way to share their stories. Because sometimes, words are not enough."
A group of San Antonio veterans is taking a special approach to treat symptoms of PTSD. They're sharing their experiences on film.
They not only star in the video, they also help write it and produce it.
KENS 5 captured moments behind the scenes.
For many veterans and their families, sharing stories about loss and war can be nearly as painful as the original experience.
"They gave everybody their orders. Everybody was going to Vietnam. You should have seen everybody crying. A lot of them were crying, some of them were disappointed. Big kids, football players cried like little babies," said Richard Diaz, a veteran who participated in the film.
As a therapy of sorts and a method of reducing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, filmmaker Benjamin Patton, the founder of the Patton Veterans Project, created the “I Was There” film workshops.
"It does feel quite rewarding to be able to help these veterans of different services and different eras in a way that maybe isn't possible in a wartime environment, that isn't possible in uniform," Patton said.
These workshops bring veterans into the movie-making process. Patton has worked with over 1,000 veterans to produce over 300 films. read more here
The veteran is facing charges, "Hernandez has been charged by the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor with two counts of Attempted Murder of Police Officers; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm; Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose; Eluding Police Officers; Resisting Arrest; and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer." But why isn't anyone else being held accountable considering how many times veterans reach this point after risking their lives for others?
An Army veteran, a mayor, and a police standoff Nearby incident with police raises questions about warriors who come home Hudson Reporter by Al Sullivan Reporter staff writer Feb 12, 2017
“We teach these men how to fight and kill, but we don’t teach them how to come home and be civilized again. “I don’t know what set this man off. He may have seen the police cars and heard the sirens, and thought maybe he was back in Iraq. But I didn’t want to see this man die or anyone else get hurt because of this.”
Roque, a doctor, has worked with veterans in the past, mostly assisting in pain management. And he said he’s seen the troubles these veterans come home with, and the need for counseling that many never get.
WAITING AND WATCHING – Police waited with guns drawn outside the home on 57th Street for some resolution to the standoff in West New York. (Photos by Al Sullivan)
After standing behind an armored vehicle on 57th Street for nearly 12 hours last Saturday, Feb. 5, West New York Mayor Felix Roque had a lot of time to think about the harrowing event that took place in Hudson County that day, and what it means for how veterans are treated when they come home from war.
Earlier that day, a call came in to the police in North Bergen, a town that shares a border with West New York. Emmanuel Hernandez, 27, of West New York, had reportedly been seen inside a red Infiniti with a firearm on Kennedy Boulevard at about 2 a.m.
North Bergen police caught up with Hernandez – an Army veteran who served honorably in Iraq – at about 2:20 a.m. at the QuickChek on Kennedy Boulevard. When they approached him, he reportedly became defensive and, as he fled in his car, he allegedly ran over a cop’s foot and struck the police vehicle.
The officers chased Hernandez for several blocks into West New York, where he exited his vehicle in front of his residence at 608 57th St.
Mayor Roque said Hernandez, inside the house, saw these reports and became even more frightened.
“He kept saying he didn’t commit a crime,” said Mayor Roque, who was among several mediators talking to Hernandez via cellular phone during the standoff. Hernandez was also apparently in contact with his mother in Florida via another phone. read more here
Stop Feeling Pain and Start Healing Combat Wounded Times Kathie Costos February 11, 2017 It doesn't matter if the pain you feel is physical or emotional, or both, you want to stop feeling it. Pain makes life harder than it should be.
This is me with my Semper Fidelis America Brothers. This is how I get to spend so much of my free time. You'd never know that two of us were in physical pain and others were in emotional pain. You can't see pain in any of us, or in anyone else. This picture was taken during a fundraiser for one of our members. In other words, having fun, doing something for someone else, took that pain away for a few hours because someone else came first. Last year I was having a lot of problems with my left leg. I am a klutz, so falling down wasn't a big deal, but it was happening way too often. I was in even more pain because of the pain, if that makes sense. I put off going to the doctor because some days it wasn't as bad as other days. When I finally reached the point where I just couldn't take it any longer, I went to my doctor. He got me in the day after I called. Then he sent me for an MRI. That took about a week. A couple more days, and I got a phone call telling me it was nerve damage and I needed to see a surgeon. Another couple of weeks before I could get into that office. At least I had some pain pills to help. That was vital considering I have a desk job and had to sit on my leg while feeling as if my chair turned into barbed wire. The second doctor sent me for X-rays. A couple of more days and I went back to see him. He said I would need surgery but it could be put off. I needed to go to a pain management center. That took another couple of weeks because some of the doctors did not take my insurance. A few more weeks later, I was told what I was actually dealing with. A vertebra moved and disc went with it, pushing my sciatic nerve, plus arthritis and fluid in my spine. A few more weeks and I was sent for shots into my spine. Little by little the pain was being defeated, but the cause of the pain was still there. This week it came back full force. Now I wait to go to the pain center again in a couple more weeks. As for the pain right now, I am going to see my primary care doctor on Monday to see what he can do. That's what people need to remember when talking about delays at the VA. All of us have to wait for appointments. Go through tests to find out what is causing what is wrong and then wait for more tests and appointments before we start to feel better. They have to play around with medications to take the pain away without causing other problems from side effects. They have to make them strong enough to work, but not so strong we become numb to the rest of our lives or so out of it we can't do our jobs. (Oh, sorry, I forgot. I didn't miss a full day of work because of this.) It all works the same way when you have emotional pain. They have to figure out the cause of it, the level of pain you are feeling and then come up with a plan to address it. With emotional pain, it means therapy and usually medication. The therapy is based on what is best for you. One-on-one or group, but you have to wait for appointments. They have to base your medication on what they think will work, but discover they have to change it because it is not working well with your chemistry. Yep, you have to wait for another appointment. I know shots and medications will not take away the cause of my pain. I will only be made numb to the pain. The only option for me is to let them operate on the problem and hope for the best. With emotional pain it is the same story. Medications numb the pain but the cause is still there. The only option for you is to operate on the problem and hope is the best way to do that. Yes, you read that right. It wasn't a typo for a change. Hope is the best way to operate on PTSD. Did you know it stops getting worse as soon as you start to talk about it? Did you know that you can actually heal instead of getting numb? Well you can. Three hours ago, I was on my knees, waiting for the pill to kick in. Now I am sitting at my desk and not changing positions every couple of seconds to avoid the agony. Getting help for PTSD is a long process and takes a lot of work. It means working to change your life and thus, saving your life. Getting you off your knees so you can start to feel happy emotions and kick the hell out of you. If you doubt what I just told you, then listen to my "brother" tell his story.
Former soldier uses PTSD defense in death penalty trial The Atlanta Journal-Constitution By Rhonda Cook February 10, 2017
Witnesses told police Mixon became even more belligerent as officer Jordan, a 43-year-old father of seven, walked her out. In the parking lot, Bowman allegedly shot Jordan five times in the back as he tried to arrest Mixon.
LaGrange, Ga. A former sergeant in the Georgia National Guard said he does not remember shooting and killing an off-duty police officer outside a Griffin Waffle House almost three years ago, but he doesn’t doubt that he did it.
A portrait sits on the stage for the home going service for Griffin police officer Kevin “Shogun” Dorian Jordan, 43, who tragically died in the line of duty at the Oak Hill Baptist Church on Monday, June 9, 2014, in Williamson. CURTIS COMPTON
Michael Bowman — the first defense witness called in his death penalty trial — is claiming post traumatic stress disorder from three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan caused him to react as if he were being attacked by the enemy when he allegedly shot and killed officer Kevin Jordan. read more here
Are passengers flying with legit, or phony, support animals? Philly.com Linda Loyd FEBRUARY 10, 2017
Airlines are seeing more animals in cabins of planes. Owners can buy medical certificates and service-animal vests online for as little as $40 and avoid airline fees, which can be $75 to $125 each way, for pets to travel.
MARK ESSIG Daniel, an emotional support animal, on a flight to Asheville, N.C. in October. The duck's owner suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after a 2013 accident. The flight was the owner Carla Fitzgerald's first since the accident, and she brought the duck along for support.
A Chihuahua in a handbag at 30,000 feet.
A marmoset monkey peering out of his owner’s shirt as a Frontier Airlines jet lands in Las Vegas.
A potbellied pig waiting at the gate to board a Delta Air Lines flight in Boston.
Next time you fly, you may encounter an unusual passenger in the next seat. Turkeys, rabbits, roosters, ducks, and geese are legally allowed in the cabins of airplanes as “emotional-support animals.” Owners need only a note from a licensed medical professional — which can be bought online — that the companion animal is needed for emotional and psychological well-being.
“The bottom line is it’s a bad situation,” said Doug Lavin, vice president of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 269 airlines around the world. “The numbers are quite high — in a six-month period from November 2015 to April 2016, one major carrier had 82,000 service animals, of which 54,694 were emotional-support animals.”
“There is a good amount of fraud,” Lavin said. “If you go online, you can find sites and order, for a small fee, a letter from a licensed professional that says you need to bring your potbellied pig on the plane." read more here
Retired Air Force major guilty of trying to kill 2 family members WSVN 7 News Miami February 10, 2017
Maffei shot Katherine and Robert multiple times as his 4-year-old son begged him to stop.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A retired Air Force Major is facing 25 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty, Thursday night, of trying to kill his wife and father-in-law.
Thomas Maffei claimed prescription medications sent him into a rage on Nov. 2, 2012, when he opened fire on his then-wife, Katherine Ranta, and her father, Robert, at her Coral Springs apartment. Both victims survived their gunshot wounds.
Katherine and Robert tearfully sat in the courtroom as a jury foreman read the guilty verdict. The jury took just six hours to find Maffei guilty on two counts of attempted first-degree murder.
read more here
As Commander-in-Chief, he has the authority to order a full review of the Department of Defense's "Resilience Training" that has cost billions of dollars in the last decade and has produced more suicides among current military members as well as OEF and OIF veterans. He can actually do something to fix something that should have been done a long time ago.
Here is the latest Quarterly Suicide report for up to October of 2016. You can see the full chart on the last page of the report. I simply wanted to show what the numbers were back in 2012, which had the highest on record, compared to what is going on this year with thousands of less servicemembers.
POTUS said that he wants to increase the size of the military, but that has to be funded by Congress. Thousand of troops are needed for Afghanistan,
“We have a shortfall of a few thousand,” Gen. John W. Nicholson said in a sober assessment of America’s longest war to the Senate Armed Services Committee .
The international force that is helping the Afghans currently has 13,300 troops, 8,400 of whom are American.
More troops, more equipment and more money, so that has to come from Congress. Unfortunately, everything that requires writing a check comes from Congress but in the case of stopping something the military is doing, will not only save money, it will save lives! I have been undoing what this FUBAR training has been doing to the troops and our veterans. If the numbers do not prove it failed, then simply think of the latest abuse of excuses the DOD has been claiming.
And that is the worst part of all. All of them had the "resilience training" but it wasn't even good enough to prevent them from committing suicide. How the hell did they expect it to work on those with combat deployments or a multitude of them? The were told to suck it up and not admit they needed help for PTSD! They thought it was their fault. Gee, where did I read that before? Oh, I remember. Back in 2009 WHEN I PREDICTED IT WOULD EXACTLY WHAT IT DID DO!
He can also stop signing Bills on suicides by members of Congress until they stop repeating the same ones that already failed going back to 2007!
While that is not the headline the news station decided to use, when you read the article, it is obvious the pain was not ignored and they sought care.
After ignoring pain, Texas veteran dies days after fall KENS Sharon Ko and KENS February 10, 2017
Don was a corpsman in the Navy and will have a funeral with full honors on Monday.
SAN ANTONIO -- A veteran suddenly passed away nearly 72 hours after he slipped and fell outside.
On Saturday afternoon, Patsy Turner said that her husband, Don, was taking out the trash when he slipped and landed face down on the pavement. Patsy said that he said he was bruised but otherwise said he felt fine. Later that evening, Turner said that he had trouble sleeping.
The following day, Patsy got Don to go to urgent care, where a doctor took an X-ray. They said that all he had was bruised ribs, but Patsy said that Don kept complaining of pain.
"He just couldn't get comfortable. He kept saying, ‘I'm okay, I'm okay,’ but holding onto my hands really, really tight telling me how much he loved me," she said.
Don fell asleep that evening but Turner later found out that he fell into a coma.
"I called EMS. They ripped the sheets off the bed, put him on the gurney, and out the door they went, so fast I couldn't go with them," she recalled.
Patsy said that what they thought was a minor fall turned out to be far more serious. A doctor at the hospital that examined Don said that he had a 10 percent chance of living.
"They told me that he had sepsis. That he had, like, an air pocket in [his abdomen] that was kind of dead and a tear inside that had caused his intestines to rupture when he hit the ground," she described. read more here
3 of Fort Campbell quadruplets released from hospital Clarksville Now February 8, 2017
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Three of the quadruplets delivered by the wife of a Fort Campbell soldier are back home following an extended stay at the hospital after their birth.
Kayla and Sgt. Charles Gaytan are the proud parents of quadruplets born at the end of 2016 without fertility treatment of any kind. Babies Lillian, Victoria and Charles have all returned home. The final quadruplet, Michael, should be released from the hospital on Wednesday or Thursday.
Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last January, Kayla had just finished five months of chemotherapy and was in remission when she learned she was pregnant.
read more here
Fort Campbell soldier died protecting his fiancee's best friend Army Times By: Meghann Myers February 8, 2017
When news broke that two soldiers had been killed in an off-post home near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, early reports left out the third adult in the house that night.
Spc. Priscilla East was killed Feb. 2 by her estranged husband in an off-post home near Fort Campbelly, Kentucky
(Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle)
Spc. Dominique House had invited her best friend and fellow 101st Airborne Division soldier Spc. Priscilla East over for dinner with her and her fiancee after East called and said she didn't feel safe going home after an argument with her estranged husband.
But East's husband, Jeremy Demar, showed up at House's residence, House told Army Times in a Tuesday phone interview. Demar is accused of shooting his way into the home and killing House's fiancee, Spc. Christopher Hoch, 28, and East, 32.
"It's been a lot survivor's guilt, I guess you could say," she said. "And then reading articles -- I don't know why the police didn't mention my name."
"It feels impossible to live life without them right now," she added. read more here
Fort Hood special agent's body found behind building on base KCEN Katie Grovatt February 7, 2017
“The Criminal Investigation Command is a very small and close knit organization. Losing one of our own deeply affects us all. We will do everything in our power to support the Hines family during this very difficult time,” said Maj. Gen. Mark S. Inch, the provost marshal general of the Army and commanding general of CID.
FORT HOOD - A Fort Hood soldier's death is being investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) after his body was discovered behind a building on the military base.
Staff Sgt. Steven K. Hines' body was discovered Sunday at around 10 p.m. about 50 yards behind building 2201.
CID agents investigating the death have not completely ruled out foul play but they do not suspect it at this time. Special agents from outside the Fort Hood area were brought in to conduct a complete and thorough death investigation.
read more here
Does he understand that Captain America is not a disabled veteran? Trump held his first VA listening session without veterans advocates Military Times By: Leo Shane III February 7, 2017
White House officials held their first listening session on problems with the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday, but without inviting prominent members of the veterans community to the event.
Officials from the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars said they were not invited to the morning event and did not know about it until it was announced late Monday night, as part of the White House’s routine schedule outline.
Other prominent veterans groups were surprised Tuesday morning by news of the event, and unsure who was invited to take part in the discussion.
White House officials initially did not release any other details of the event, other than the meeting followed a similar listening session with President Trump and county sheriffs discussing local law enforcement issues. A press pool event to take pictures of the meeting was cancelled shortly before the veterans meeting began.
As news spread of the meeting, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said White House officials told him the meeting was with health care executives, and that veterans groups would be invited for a similar session later.
In the afternoon, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer released a statement saying the meeting included Tiffany Smiley, the wife of a veteran who was blinded by a roadside bomb in Iraq, Isaac Perlmutter, chairman of Marvel Entertainment, and "health care experts" discussing "actions are necessary to improve health care access and quality for our heroic veterans." read more here
'Hiring Vets Is Who We Are': Black Rifle Coffee Company Hits Back at Starbucks FOX February 7, 2017
In response to Starbucks announcing it would hire 10,000 refugees to protest President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration, one veteran has a different plan.
Evan Hafer, an Army Special Forces veteran and CEO of Black Rifle Coffee Company, said he would hire 10,000 veterans.
"Our plan is to build 600 stores in the next six years. I'm gonna try to push this forward with the community behind me," Hafer said Tuesday as a guest on "Fox and Friends." read more here
And what exactly happened to all the other programs that we were told would work but didn't?
Navy launches new suicide prevention program for all sailors SAIL now available at all Fleet and Family Support Center locations News 4 Jax By Jodi Mohrmann - Managing Editor of special projects February 06, 2017
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Navy announced Monday that a pilot program to prevent suicide is now available to all sailors.
SAIL, which stands for Sailor Assistance and Intercept for Life, is designed to provide rapid assistance, on-going risk assessment and support for sailors who have exhibited suicide-related behavior. It is aimed at supplementing existing mental health treatment by providing continual support through the first 90 days after suicide-related behavior.
"We are excited that we are able to bring this important program to the fleet ahead of schedule," said Capt. Michael Fisher, Director, Navy Suicide Prevention Branch. "Having SAIL available across the Navy is a great addition to the ongoing work that commands are doing to promote help-seeking behavior, self-care, and support for our Sailors who reach out for assistance. Instilling hope is the hallmark of SAIL and we believe those Sailors who take advantage of this terrific program will see its benefit."
read more here
How Hyundai Pulled Off An Unexpected Reunion Of U.S. Troops And Their Families In Super Bowl 2017 FORBES Jennifer Rooney February 5, 2017
One of the more anticipated ads of the 2017 Super Bowl was from Hyundai Motor America, a surprise held until the very end of the game—for the fans but also for the soldiers at U.S. Military Base in Zagan, Poland.
Using satellite technology, 360-degree immersive pods and the filmmaking direction of Peter Berg, Hyundai, an official sponsor of the NFL, filmed what it refers to as a Super Bowl documentary as part of its Operation Better. It showed the soldiers experiencing a kind of virtual reality: that they were in Houston watching the Big Game live in a suite on site. But the shocker at the end and shown live just after the game was when it was revealed that—in a twist on the classic soldier-surprises-family—their loved ones were in the suite to surprise them.
Agency partner Innocean Worldwide Americas helped create the 90-second spot—Hyundai bought all three 30-second slots that immediately follow the confetti drop. Footage from Houston and Poland was edited and produced in a production trailer outside the stadium during the game. Soldiers in the documentary include Corporal Trista Strauch, Specialist Erik Guerrero and Sergeant Richard Morrill.
The ad Super Bowl night followed two teasers featuring Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Mike Singletary discussing the value of teamwork and courage, especially as it relates to our troops.
The effort ties to Hyundai’s overarching goal of supporting the U.S. Armed Forces through its special discounts and incentive programs for military personnel. read more here
Ft. Benning soldier shot and killed after breaking into apartment on Armour Rd. WLOX News Monday, February 6th 2017
COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) - Columbus police have confirmed that 31-year-old Christopher Warden, a soldier stationed at Fort Benning was shot after he broke into an apartment on Armour Road.
On Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, at approximately 7:19 AM, the 911 center received a call about someone trying to break into an apartment in the Armour Landing Apartments at 3929 Armour Avenue.
Warden beat and kicked the door and eventually broke out a front window and crawled into an apartment, which he thought was where his wife had gone to pick up her daughter.
He was warned by his friend that they were at the wrong apartment and a neighbor also told him that he was at the wrong apartment and that he would call 911 if he didn’t leave. read more here
Did this powerful message from a wounded war veteran spark Donald Trump's latest rant? Mirror UK Mike Smith February 6, 2017
“That’s not the America I sacrificed for. You want to be a legitimate President, sir? Then act like one.”
The Donald famously watches TV News in the morning - so this veterans' organisation knew just how to get a message to him. A hard-hitting message from a wounded Afghan War veteran might have sparked Donald Trump’s latest rant.
The Donald famously starts each day in the White House early by sitting down and watching the TV news networks’ morning broadcasts. MSNBC’s show Morning Joe is reputedly among his favourites.
So when VoteVets, a group representing military veterans wanted to get a message to him, they knew where to put it.
An advert aired during this morning’s show featured an Afghanistan War Veteran - who the group have not named - doing squats with a very heavy looking barbell.
read more here VoteVets: Act Like One
VoteVets
Military Widows Find Hope And Understanding Together NPR Gloria Hillard February 4, 2017
At 43 years old, Murzyn wondered if she would be the oldest widow, and on the first day of the retreat she was nervous. "A lot of widows, military widows are young," Murzyn says. "[I thought] am I going to be the only suicide widow? Like, is everyone else going to be KIA?"
The American Widow Project provides retreats for groups of military widows.
Gloria Hillard /Gloria Hillard for NPR
In the kitchen of a vacation rental in southern California, family pictures form a collage on the refrigerator.
On closer inspection the photos are of multiple families, and many of the women in the photos are sitting together around the kitchen table nearby. The photos are from their weddings or pictures of children. This is a typical, makeshift family scrapbook at an American Widow Project retreat.
During the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the women seeking help from the group were young, with husbands who had been killed in combat. Today the widows contacting the organization are older, and their husbands aren't dying abroad — they're dying on American soil.
"I have to say, I haven't genuinely laughed as much as I've laughed with these ladies, and shared things that ... that I know that they understand," says Erin Murzyn.
"He did leave a letter and he put in the letter that his head hurt so bad," Murzyn says. "And he didn't feel he could be fixed."
Russell had served two tours in Iraq and was being treated by the VA when he died. His widow says she didn't realized how bad things had become — that he was a wonderful new father and kept his feelings inside to protect those he loved.
"Russell was that Marine that other Marines looked up to," Murzyn says. "He was the guy that they went to with problems." read more here
"And he didn't feel he could be fixed" but that is the number one thing that does not get through to them. They do not know they are not stuck with the anguish and can change again. My friend, a Marine veteran, delivered a powerful message for New Year's Eve on how their lives can in fact change for the better.
Vietnam vet waiting for justice after attack by Howard Middle School students on Lynx bus WFTV ABC 9 Orlando by: Janine Reyes Feb 3, 2017
ORLANDO, Fla. - John Taylor says he is still recovering physically from an attack by a gang of Howard Middle School students on a Lynx bus in November.
And Thursday, he was still waiting for justice as well.
Taylor, a 61-year-old Vietnam vet, was riding the bus on Nov. 17 when the group of students rushed onto the bus.
Now, 11 weeks later, the bus company just recently released video of the incident to police.
“The first little guy, he was pushing and hitting people with the ball, the basketball, then when I shoved him back like this, the other guy shoved him to the side and he hit me in my jaw,” Taylor said. read more here
