'Good Morning, Vietnam' DJ and Air Force veteran Adrian Cronauer dies at 79 By STARS AND STRIPES Published: July 19, 2018
“If I did half the things he did in that movie, I’d still be in Leavenworth and not England,” Cronauer told Stars and Stripes during a stop at RAF Mildenhall in 2004.
Adrian Cronauer is a U.S. Air Force veteran and radio personality whose experiences as a disc jockey during the Vietnam War inspired the 1987 Robin Williams film "Good Morning, Vietnam." Cronauer passed away on July 18, 2018. He was 79.
Many things in Robin Williams' portrayal of DJ Adrian Cronauer in "Good Morning, Vietnam" weren't really based on Cronauer. But that drawn-out "goooooood morning, Vietnam" was all Cronauer.
Cronauer, the Air Force veteran played by Robin Williams in the 1987 movie, died Wednesday. He was 79.
The 1987 movie, which Cronauer co-wrote, was loosely based on his life as an Armed Forces Network disc jockey for a year in Vietnam. But, as he said, it is a movie and Williams’ frenzied performance was not him. read more here
Yes! Yes! AND OH HELL YES! If you are sick and tired of people making money off veterans, this will make you happy too!
FTC and States Combat Fraudulent Charities That Falsely Claim to Help Veterans and Servicemembers Federal Trade Commission July 19, 2018
The Federal Trade Commission, along with law enforcement officials and charity regulators from 70 offices in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam and Puerto Rico, announced more than 100 actions and a consumer education initiative in “Operation Donate with Honor,” a crackdown on fraudulent charities that con consumers by falsely promising their donations will help veterans and servicemembers.
“Americans are grateful for the sacrifices made by those who serve in the U.S. armed forces,” said FTC Chairman Joe Simons. “Sadly, some con artists prey on that gratitude, using lies and deception to line their own pockets. In the process, they harm not only well-meaning donors, but also the many legitimate charities that actually do great work on behalf of veterans and servicemembers.”
The FTC planned this ongoing effort with the National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO). The initiative includes an education campaign, in English and Spanish, to help consumers recognize charitable solicitation fraud and identify legitimate charities.
Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen said, “Time and again, state attorneys general have come together on matters of national importance to enforce, educate and advocate on behalf of our residents. Charities fraud of any kind is abhorrent, and veterans charities fraud is especially upsetting. This campaign will offer important resources to help donors identify charities that match their own values.”
Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said, “While the enforcement actions announced today represent some truly bad actors in the charitable sector, the vast majority of charitable organizations do good and important work. I urge donors to use the resources highlighted in today’s announcement and to donate with confidence in support of our military and veterans.”
“Not only do fraudulent charities steal money from patriotic Americans, they also discourage contributors from donating to real Veterans’ charities,” said Peter O’Rourke, Acting Secretary for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “The FTC’s Operation Donate with Honor campaign will help educate citizens on how to identify organizations that misrepresent themselves as legitimate veterans charities, and those who, by contrast, truly help our nation’s heroes. I commend the FTC and its state partners for taking strong action on this important issue.” read more here
Minnesota bans Florida veterans charity that officials say deceived donors, didn't benefit veterans Star Tribune Kelly Smith July 19,2018
It's part of a nationwide crackdown on fraudulent veterans charities.
According to Swanson’s office, Help the Vets, Inc., solicited more than $370,000 in donations from more than 2,000 Minnesotans, telling donors their money would go to veterans’ medical care, operate a suicide prevention program for veterans and offer assistance to veterans fighting cancer.
Instead, most of the program, run by its Orlando-based founder Neil Paulson, distributed hotel and chiropractic vouchers that it had already received for free and officials said the charity couldn’t substantiate that it helped a single veteran.
Minnesota and five other states are permanently banning a Florida charity that promised donations would help disabled and wounded military veterans but instead, officials say, went toward the charity’s president and for-profit telemarketers.
Attorney General Lori Swanson announced Thursday that she got a consent judgment banning Help the Vets, Inc., from soliciting in Minnesota along with action from the Federal Trade Commission and attorney generals from Florida, California, Maryland, Ohio and Oregon. read more here
UPDATE: Service dog that went missing after veteran’s car was stolen found safely WTTV 4 News July 18, 2018
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A Marine veteran’s missing service dog was safely found on Wednesday.
IMPD asked the public to help find 2-year-old Wrigley on Tuesday after its owner’s vehicle was stolen on the south side of Indianapolis.
The vehicle was later recovered on the east side, but police say the dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, was not inside. read more here
How fast did the word "privatization" pop into your head? Trump loyalists at VA shuffling, purging employees before new secretary takes over Washington Post By Lisa Rein July 18 at 2:32 PM
Ahead of Robert Wilkie’s likely confirmation to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, Trump loyalists at the agency are taking aggressive steps to purge or reassign staff perceived to be disloyal to President Trump and his agenda for veterans, according to multiple people familiar with the moves.
The transfers include more than a dozen career civil servants who have been moved from the leadership suite at VA headquarters and reassigned to lower-visibility roles. The employees served agency leaders, some dating back more than two decades, in crucial support roles that help a new secretary.
None say they were given reasons for their reassignments.
The moves are being carried out by a small cadre of political appointees led by Acting Secretary Peter O’Rourke who have consolidated power in the four months since they helped oust former Secretary David Shulkin.
Navy vet survives 300-foot fall from Mount St. Helens ABC 7 News Tuesday, July 17, 2018
As a Navy vet, Fintel joked by saying, "Oh crap, I'm being saved by Coasties."
Brittany Fintel knows she cheated death after falling more than 300 feet while climbing Mount St. Helens.
The 32-year-old Omaha, Nebraska native and Navy veteran lost her footing while climbing the 8,663-foot volcano in Washington state.
"The first thing that hit the boulder was my hip," Fintel told KATU. "Then I flipped over that and hit my head, and then kept literally rolling down until I naturally stopped."
Fintel's German Shepherd, named Indie, was the first to reach her after the fall. She said Indie helped by laying beside her and comforting her.
A nurse and search and rescue volunteer who were nearby were able to radio for help. Five hours later, a Coast Guard helicopter arrived to airlift Fintel.
read more here
Nevada VA takes new approach to combat rampant veteran suicides NBC 3 News Las Vegas by John Treanor July 15th 2018
“A veteran can walk into our facilities and seen, and if they say ‘I’m in crisis,’ they can see someone that day,” said Dr. Komanduri.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Suicide is still a serious problem plaguing our veterans. An average of 20 veterans take their own lives each day.
The alarming number of veteran suicides has been an ever-present shadow cast over our country. It’s a number that represents a sad fact in America.
The sad fact in America is reporters do not seem to care enough to learn anything about this! What is really alarming is when a reporter says that the "20 a day" veterans committing suicide are from Nevada! "Believe it or not" he really did say that.
Here is the clip!
If he blames the teleprompter, then he should have known better!
Police grant vet's wish to use night-vision goggles before going blind FOX News Caroline Judelson July 17, 2018
An 88-year-old Florida veteran recently called his local police department with an unusual request.
Pembroke Pines PD 88-year old Navy Veteran Stanley Gold, who is 75% blind, reached out to our officers and asked if he could try their night vision equipment before he lost his vision completely. Last night members of our PPPD SWAT met with Mr. Gold to make his dream a reality.
Stanley Gold, who served in the Navy, wanted to know if he could use the Pembroke Pines Police Department's night-vision goggles before he completely loses his sight, Fox 13 reported. read more here
Airman from Moody Air Force Base found dead in Missouri ABC 27 News WTXL.com Jul 15, 2018
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (WTXL) - An airman part of a unit connected to Moody Air Force Base was found dead in Missouri on Saturday.
Master Sergeant Brett Davidson, 37, was found in the water and pronounced dead at about 11:30 a.m. in Rocky Mount, Missouri on Saturday.
He was assigned to the 19th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. read more here
It looks like a neighborhood in New Jersey is not so neighborly when it comes to veterans with PTSD, or anyone else.
"The issue has been contentious from the outset when residents first heard about it last year in September. Residents said they are not against veterans, but they worry about those suffering from PTSD, saying the building is across the street from a preschool and blocks away from East Side High School. They questioned if the facility would be just for veterans, and wanted to know what happens to veterans if IFS is unable to find permanent housing for them in 60 to 90 days.
Just an FYI for this deplorable neighborhood. They could already have people living in their neighborhood with PTSD and they just did not know it.
Wonder how this makes them feel considering when Veterans have PTSD, like they do, they were hit by it while risking their lives for citizens, just like them?
Wonder how Police Officers and Firefighters feel about this considering when they get hit by PTSD, they were also hit by it serving their communities? You know, the same kind of community who said that homeless veterans with PTSD should not live there.
Wonder how this makes the over 7 million other people in this country with PTSD feel? That's the real problem. Uneducated folks just guessing at something they do not understand at all. Then why would you just judge someone you know nothing about and then try to block them from living next to you? It happens everyday when someone rents and apartment or sells a house. You do not know who is moving in and have no right to stop them from doing it, but apparently, it is OK to do that to veterans!
Increasingly, Maine police on front lines for mental illness interventions PORTLAND PRESS HERALD BY EDWARD D. MURPHY July 15, 2018
Involuntary committals are up, as are related service calls, forcing a shift in how authorities train for and perform their jobs.
Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce poses for a portrait at the county jail on Thursday. Staff photo by Derek Davis
Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin J. Joyce said calls related to people in crisis are spiking.
Maine is seeing a surge in involuntary committals – cases where people are held for mental health issues against their will – that is changing how police do their jobs.
The number of those committals has risen steadily in the last decade, from 344 in 2009 to 401 last year, an increase of nearly 17 percent. In another measure of mental illness affecting law enforcement and the courts, the number of Mainers found not competent to stand trial has leapt from seven in 2008 to 136 last year.
As state-provided services for the mentally ill dwindle, more front-line intervention work is performed by Maine’s law enforcement community, significantly changing how police train for and perform their jobs.
The number of calls for service that were mental health-related for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office rose from 383 in 2013 to 486 last year, an increase of nearly 27 percent. This year, the pace is continuing to rise, with 278 calls for service through early July, according to figures from the sheriff’s office. And those numbers don’t include calls for other issues – such as domestic violence or a disturbance – that are rooted in mental illness but categorized differently.
read more here
