Female Navy Corpsman Murdered Friday Night

Man Arrested In Fatal Shooting Of Navy Corpsman In Oceanside
By California News Wire Services
News Partner
Jul 21, 2018

The woman was identified as Devon Rideout, 24, a Navy corpsman stationed at Camp Pendleton.

OCEANSIDE, CA – The woman fatally shot at an Oceanside apartment Friday afternoon was identified as a Navy corpsman, and a suspect is in custody, police said Saturday.

The shooting took place at a building at 550 Los Arbolitos Blvd around 4 p.m. Friday, Oceanside police said.

Responding officers found the woman shot. Paramedics tried to save her but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
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PTSD: It happened all in a moment

"It happened all in a moment"
Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 22, 2018

Tia Coleman got onto a Duck Tour boat with her family hoping to have a nice ride. A thunder storm rolled in.

Video captured by a passenger on a nearby vessel shows a duck boat capsize and sink during a severe thunderstorm in Missouri, killing at least 11 people. Source: CNN

Eleven people died. Nine from Tia's family. Duck boat accident survivor mourns her 9 relatives who drowned

"I said, 'Lord, please, I've got to get to my babies. I've got to get to my babies," she said Saturday at a news conference at Cox Medical Center Branson, where she has been hospitalized since the incident that took 17 lives, including her husband, three children and five other members of her family.

Duck boat survivor describes sinking
CNN Newsroom

Duck boat survivor Tia Coleman tells how she survived the incident that killed nine members of her family. Source: CNN

In Los Angeles people were shopping at Trader Joe's. A gunman walked in after his grandmother was shot multiple times, which he is being charged for. Another woman, shopping in the store was killed.

"It happened all in a moment. He came out of the car, the cops were already shooting at him in that instant, right before he came out of the car," said Miguel Jeffrey Trujillo Cerventes, who saw the end of the police chase and the suspect emerge from his car.

That is the cause of every case of PTSD. It happened! One moment the world you live in is "normal" and in the next, chaos. 

For citizens it is the moment you do not expect to come. 

For military folks, it is the moment you dread will happen.

For firefighters and police officers, it is the moment they know may come with the next one.  

Responders prepare to do what has to be done to save the rest of us. They also deal with the same traumas the rest of us do, but the simple fact is, they are willingly rushing to those events for the sake of others.

That is how PTSD starts. That is the only way it happens. The term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder actually says that clearly. 

Post means "after" it happened.

Trauma means "wound" and the "stress" surviving causes the survivor. The "disorder" part seems to the the term people have the most problem with, but that is simply because they do not know what that means. 

"Disorder" means that things were one way one moment and out of order in the next moment.

Nothing is ever the same after you survive a traumatic event. It is not supposed to be back to "normal" moments the moment before it happened.

The key is that you can change again, just as you did from "victim" to "survivor" and defeat what is still trying to kill you.

Veterans commit suicide in public hoping we'll pay attention

Veterans Commit Suicide in Public 
Combat PTSD
Kathie Costos
July 21, 2018

Thursday a friend of mine, Sgt. Dave Matthews of Remember the Fallen covered what the National News used to think was important. The shocking number of veterans committing suicide in pubic! Yes, in public. It happened at least 12 times since March of 2018, and this is just July.

Who hears veterans scream before public suicides?

Dave read about John Michael Watts setting himself on fire in front of the Georgia state Capitol. He was furious that it happened but shocked the press did not give his scream for help the attention he deserved. We did. I had it up 3 hours after Military Times covered it.

Dave called me after he saw it and wanted to do a show on his death. I asked Dave why just him and not all the others committing suicide in public. He was shocked and had a hard time getting his head around the others when I sent him the link to the post.

It took me about an hour to put it together. After all, I was limiting the search down to this year but with over 29,000 articles, there are far more times when veterans took this one last step of being heard.

So who heard them before they ended their lives this way?

When the national news reporters are too busy for those who serve this nation, none of us should be shocked when a veteran decides to turn in the blank check they wrote to this country. The "up to and including" their lives was never supposed to be about the nation turning our backs on them.

We settle all too easily for what gets the image of them of them lying dead out of our heads.

We settle for slogans and support the "cause" of people raising awareness that it is happening but refuse to support the people working to change the outcome. That was abundantly made clear when the Federal Trade Commission decided to put an end to all the bogus charities taking advantage of veterans for their own incomes. 

We settle for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs using a slogan of "one is too many" but never pay attention to the reports they release showing nothing has changed.

We settle for members of Congress getting their names on Bills that have done very little since 2007 when they passed the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act and the number of veterans committing suicide has not changed since then.

As a matter of fact the number of military suicides went up after Congress became "aware" of what was going on.

If anyone really wants to know why veterans are facing off with members of law enforcement every week, committing murder-suicides in every state, and taking the lives that survived service, all they have to do is listen. Listen to the screams of those who all of the above never paid attention to before it was too late!

Twins born simultaneously, served in Vietnam the same way

Twins in Vietnam
The Mountaineer
Mike Schoeffel
July 20, 2018

What he and his twin brother, Fred, both 71, did was serve in the Vietnam War, one of the most divisive and brutal military engagements in United States history. What's more is their deployments overlapped, making them – to Ted's knowledge – one of just seven sets of twins to serve in Vietnam simultaneously.

VIETNAM VETS — Fred Underwood, left, and his twin brother, Ted, are one of the few sets of twins to have served in Vietnam simultaneously. The brothers are active in a number of veteran organizations, including DAV Chapter 89 (Keith Mehaffey), of which Fred is the commander.

Ted Underwood likes to whittle. It helps him relax.

He mostly makes small wooden soldiers. One of them is a boy – or, rather, a young man – clutching a duffel bag and a discharge notice. A wide grin is etched on his face.

"That's me [leaving Vietnam,]" he says.

Another of Ted's creations is a soldier wearing a flak jacket, carrying a toolbox and a rifle. As Ted explains, this little guy is about to be helicoptered into the middle of the jungle to fix a tank.

That's him, too.

"It seems to calm me," says Ted of his newfound hobby. "It gets your mind off all this mess. I say mess, but it's an honor to do what we done."
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Another interesting story is about six brothers who served during the Vietnam War

During the 1960s and early 1970s, a time when many young men of draft age were trying to avoid military service, six brothers from Montgomery County volunteered to serve in the U.S. armed forces.Terry, Bill, Max and Jim Graybill were in the Army, Bob in the Navy and Joe in the Marines. They didn’t wait to get drafted. Every one of them volunteered.

Vietnam Veteran Got Surprise Visit from Combat Vets Association

Upstate veterans association surprises fellow vet in hospice with motorcycle rev up
FOX Carolina
By Ashley Minell
Updated: Jul 20, 2018

"In my opinion, God puts certain people in place at the right moment. And I see Matthew Dordal and the association and all the people that showed up that night as that," said Dordal.

GREER, SC (FOX Carolina)
On July 17, 68-year-old Vietnam veteran and motorcycle lover, Jerry Palmer, got the surprise of a lifetime.

"My husband tried to explain that they were coming for him and he didn't believe it until we saw... Jerry started crying. My husband was there and choking them back as well. We all felt the chill," said Joyce Tebault, Jerry's friend.

The people on the bikes felt it too.

"When you see the emotional connection Jerry had with motorcycles and hearing them roll up and us being fellow veterans. It was emotional for all of us," said Matthew Dordal, Chapter Commander of Combat Vets Association.
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FOX Carolina 21

Police make arrest arrest Lt. Michael P. Murphy memorial destroyed...a 14 year old!

Arrest in Vandalism of Monument Honoring MOH Recipient Michael Murphy
Stars and Stripes
By Chad Garland
20 Jul 2018

Michael Murphy's mother was crying early Friday when she called his father to say that the damage felt to her "like they killed Michael all over again."

The Suffolk County Police Department is investigating the recent act of vandalism that took place at Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Park in Lake Ronkonkoma. (SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT FACEBOOK)

Police arrested a 14-year-old boy and charged him with vandalism on Friday after a memorial to a slain Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient was found smashed to pieces at a Long Island lake.

New York state will pay to replace the stone, inscribed with the image of Lt. Michael P. Murphy and his Medal of Honor, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said earlier in the day. The new stone is expected be nearly impossible to shatter.

Cuomo said in a statement he was "appalled and disgusted" by the vandalism, promising the state would fully fund the replacement.

"I hope this brings comfort to his family and community," the governor said. "The people of this state and this nation owe Lieutenant Murphy a debt of gratitude, and I personally thank him for his service."

Marcus Luttrell, a former Navy SEAL who served with Murphy and wrote about his heroism in his book "Lone Survivor," also donated money for a replacement, said Murphy's father Daniel Murphy, who got the call from the governor's office about a replacement stone on Friday.
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Now the news pays attention to scams using veterans?

From the Sacramento Bee

The charity’s promotions used urgent language, such as, “22 VETERANS WILL DIE EACH DAY UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING.” The number refers to Department of Veterans Affairs studies that estimate 20 to 22 veterans take their own lives every day.

“While donors dug deep into their pockets in response to pleas for assistance, Help the Vets paid its president, Neil G. Paulson, Sr. hundreds of thousands of dollars and spent more than 88 percent of every dollar donated from 2014 through 2016 ... paying for-profit fundraisers,” the injunction reads.

It looks like this has finally made national news but we're wondering why they have not bothered before the FTC decided that veterans deserved better than being used for someone else to make money off their suffering?

Here is what a Google search looks like now.

Tennessee officials and FTC to crack down on veterans charity scams
The Tennessean-7 hours ago

Bogus Veterans Charities Hit By New Federal/State Crackdown
Forbes-Jul 19, 2018

FTC cracks down on fake charities for veterans
CNN-Jul 19, 2018

Dozens of fake charities scammed donations for veterans then ...
In-Depth-USA TODAY-Jul 19, 2018

Operation Donate with Honor seeks to expose fraudulent fundraisers
In-Depth-Washington Times-20 hours ago

Florida-based veterans charity banned from soliciting in Minnesota

TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press-22 hours ago

The charity would say donations would go toward disabled and wounded veterans' medical care and solicited more than $370,000 in ...

Minnesota bans Florida veterans' charity that officials say deceived ...
Minneapolis Star Tribune-21 hours ago

Minnesota Bans Fraudulent Charity Aimed to Help Veterans
KAAL-20 hours ago

Paul Paulson, former Orlando mayor candidate, accused of 'sham ...
In-Depth-Orlando Sentinel-Jul 19, 2018

Two veterans charities sued for misleading Washington donors

KOMO News-22 hours ago

The state is suing two charities alleging they scammed donors, who were trying to help veterans, out of as much as $5 million in a two-year ...

Washington state AG sues two veteran-aid charities, alleges they ...
Seattle Times-20 hours ago

Washington joins national crackdown on veteran scams
The Spokesman-Review-Jul 19, 2018

Virginia AG Herring going after 'phony' veteran charities

WAVY-TV-18 hours ago

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) -- Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced he is taking action against charities he says conned Virginians ...

Virginia cracks down on allegedly deceptive veteran charities
FairfaxNews.com-Jul 19, 2018

Virginia Attorney General files legal action 'fake charities' that claimed ...
wtvr.com-21 hours ago

Attorney Gen. Madigan takes action against fake veteran charities

FOX Illinois-22 hours ago

CHICAGO, Ill. (WICS/WRSP) — Attorney General Lisa Madigan is cracking down on fake charities claiming to help veterans. Madigan is joining ...

Illinois Attorney General alleges charity claiming to help veterans was ...
Chicago Daily Herald-17 hours ago

BBB charity arm lists safe veteran's charities, warns of misleading ...

MyStateline.com-Jul 19, 2018

Below are the charity reports on the six veterans' charities referenced by the FTC and state officials. These charities did not disclose any of the ...

BBB Wise Giving Alliance urges public to investigate veterans' groups ...
TriStateHomepage.com-Jul 19, 2018

Virginia lawmaker files suit claiming two veteran charities are deceptive

wtkr.com-Jul 19, 2018

RICHMOND, Va. – Mark Herring, Virginia's Attorney General, announced Thursday morning that his office is suing two veterans charities that ...

AG Mark Herring Takes Action Against Deceptive Veterans Charities ...
Blue Virginia (press release) (blog)-Jul 19, 2018

Washington joins campaign to stop phony veteran's charities

KPUG 1170-5 hours ago

Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed two lawsuits against veteran charitiesThursday, including the Spanaway-based Fallen Hero Bracelets ...

Tulsa Man Faces 20 Felony Counts in Alleged Veterans Charity Fraud

Public Radio Tulsa-Jul 19, 2018

A Tulsa man accused of running a fake veteran's charity is in jail. Jeff McDougal, 43, faces 18 felony counts of obtaining property by false ...

Attorney general announces charges in fake veteran's charity case
Local Source-kjrh.com-22 hours ago

And that was just the first page of results.

Gun to head, Colonel better off not dead because of Dad

Colonel: I pointed the pistol at myself ... then my dad came into my head 
News Letter UK 
Philip Brandfield 
7/20/2018

"I thought – I can’t deal with this anymore. At that instant a picture of my father came into my head and he said something to me."
Colonel Philip Ingram

Col Philip Ingram from Co Tyrone, overcame post traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts

A former Army officer who is thought to be the most senior person in the forces to disclose his battle with post traumatic stress disorder, has assured sufferers that “there is hope” and that he has been able to get his “normal” personality back.

Fifty-three-year-old Colonel Philip Ingram, who is originally from Tyrone but now lives in Birmingham, was the most senior British Army intelligence officer in western Iraq in 2005 when a combination of pressures wore him down to crisis point.

Flying across the sector by Chinook on an advance reconnaissance mission, his helicopter was just coming in to land.

“Suddenly a cold shiver went down my back and I just had this feeling, I have to phone back to Basra to the guy I was taking over from,” he said.

He then considered what impact suicide might have on his soldiers who would find him, and put his pistol away. He was “only microseconds” away from taking his life.

read more here

Vietnam Veteran Adrian Cronauer Passed Away

'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.
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Federal Trade Commission Operation Donate with Honor campaign

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.”
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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.
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