Fort Jackson Drill Sergeant Took Responsibility for Fatal Crash

Drill sergeant pleads guilty in Fort Jackson crash that killed 2, injured 6

The State
By Teddy Kulmala
FEBRUARY 11, 2019

When Staff Sgt. Andrew Marrow fell asleep at the wheel of the military truck he was driving on Fort Jackson on Oct. 6, 2017, he was awoken not by the truck plowing into a group of recruits, but by the screams that followed.

Army Privates Ethan Shrader and Timmothy Ashcraft died in an accident on Ft. Jackson during basic training. By Tracy Glantz

At times choking back tears, Marrow testified in military court on Monday about the events leading up to the deadly crash and the grisly scene he saw when he exited the truck. The drill sergeant pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent homicide and one count of dereliction of duty in the deadly crash that killed two young soldiers and injured six others.

“I was tired from being in the sun all day and having four hours of sleep,” he said Monday.

He faces up to 7.5 years in prison and dishonorable discharge. A judge is hearing from witnesses before imposing a sentence.
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Deaths of two soldiers under investigation

Two S. Korea-based soldiers found dead — one in barracks and another while on leave in Nebraska

STARS AND STRIPES
By KIM GAMEL
Published: February 12, 2019

SEOUL, South Korea — The Army was investigating the deaths of two South Korea-based soldiers, including one found unresponsive in his barracks and the other while on leave in Nebraska. Both joined the service less than a year ago.

Claytun Cepeda, 19, was one of two South Korea-based Army privates found dead in separate incidents since last week. COURTESY OF THE U.S. ARMY

Pvt. Claytun N. Cepeda, a 19-year-old Guam native, was pronounced dead Sunday after he was found in his room at Camp Humphreys, the Army said. It added that the circumstances surrounding his death were under investigation.

Cepeda, a water purification specialist, joined the Army in June 2018 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and was assigned to A Company, 602nd Aviation Support Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, according to a press release.

Separately, the Army said a soldier stationed at Camp Henry, South Korea, was found dead Feb. 5 while on leave in Valley, Neb. The cause was under investigation. Pvt. Aaron Mitchell, 21, was a mortuary affairs specialist assigned to the 498th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, U.S. Army Materiel Support Command Korea, 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command.
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Also, From Stars and Stripes

Army helicopter repairman dies of injuries sustained at on-base home in Alaska

An Army helicopter repairman died Monday of injuries he sustained a week earlier at his home at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, the Army said.

Sgt. Brian Peter Sawyer, 33, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment at Wainwright, died at Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., where he had been transferred because of the severity of his injuries, the Army said in a statement Tuesday.

He was injured at his on-base residence on Feb. 3 and initially treated at Bassett Army Community Hospital on Fort Wainwright, the statement said. 
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Military Suicides went Up...so DOD wants to cut mental health providers?

When does the DOD get a clue that what they are doing failed and they have not even thought of why it did? We figured it out back in 2009~

Military Mulls Medical Personnel Cuts Even as Suicide Rates Rise

Military.com
By Gina Harkins
February 11, 2019

The Defense Department is weighing the option of cutting thousands of uniformed medical personnel, including psychologists and other mental-health professionals, even as military leaders grapple with rising suicide rates among troops.

With the National Defense Strategy pushing for a more lethal force, Pentagon leaders are considering slashing as many as 17,000 uniformed medical corps billets across all the services.

The move, which could go into effect in October 2020, would open more slots for troops in combat-arms specialties or other warfighting jobs.

Thousands of those uniformed personnel serve as psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, counselors and nurses. And, as the number of active-duty troops taking their own lives reaches a six-year high, military advocates say now is not the time to consider cuts to those fields.

"Suicide and mental health are our top priority at [Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America] because of the serious impact these issues are having on our community," said Jeremy Butler, the new chief executive officer for the organization, which represents and advocates for post-9/11 vets. "I am concerned about any cut in resources signaling that DoD is not making these matters as high a priority as we do."
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Orlando Firefighters treated driver who hit them...and injured them

Firefighters, civilians in hospital after Orlando fire truck crash on I-4

Click Orlando
Crash marks second for department in 2 months, second in Central Florida Sunday
By Anna Johnson - Digital Journalist
February 10, 2019

ORLANDO, Fla. - A crash involving an Orlando Fire Department engine early Sunday morning sent four firefighters and two civilians to the hospital, according to officials from the department.

The crash marks the second for the department in the past two months. It's also the second on Sunday alone, after a vehicle crashed into an Ocoee Fire Department engine on State Road 429 just after 7:15 a.m., according to Orange County Fire Rescue.

The crash involving OFD's fire engine occurred on Interstate 4 near Orange Blossom Trail around 2:40 a.m. Officials said a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed crashed into the fire engine, which was stopped while assisting with another disabled vehicle.

Assistant Chief Dr. Hezedean Smith said the engine, which was angled to protect the disabled vehicle, was pushed approximately 8 to 10 feet forward from the impact of the vehicle.

All four firefighters at the scene were in the engine at the time of the crash. Officials said they immediately got out of the engine and went to assist the crashed driver, who had to be extricated. A passenger in the vehicle was able to get out without assistance.
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Female Officer Cadet found dead at Royal Military Academy

Female Officer Cadet found dead in apparent suicide at Sandhurst

The Telegraph UK
Dominic Nicholls, defence and security correspondent
8 FEBRUARY 2019 

A female Officer Cadet has been found dead in an apparent suicide at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, amid reports she was being investigated for a ‘drunken night out’.

The unnamed woman, 21, was found dead in her room on Wednesday Feb 7. It is not known if she was an overseas student or from the UK.

It is understood the woman was involved in an investigation over a drunken party at Sandhurst last weekend, after which she apparently stayed overnight in one of the other colleges on the site on the Berkshire-Surrey border. The MoD said there was no suggestion of wrongdoing, except that she had not returned to her accommodation.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed an investigation into her death had been launched by Thames Valley Police. It is thought to be the first suicide by a female cadet at the Surrey base.
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Kansas City Police Officer's organs being donated after suicide

KCPD officer's family to donate organs after self-inflicted gunshot wound

KSHB News
By: 41 Action News Staff
Feb 10, 2019

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department officer remains in critical condition and on life support after a suffering a self-inflicted gunshot wound Friday night.

The officer's family has decided to donate his organs and hospital staff are awaiting organ donor recipients, according to the KCPD.

Officers responded were searching for a missing and endangered person Friday night. In this case, "a dedicated officer who has served our department for approximately 10 years ... was missing and feared to be suicidal," KCPD in a statement.

Liberty police, who were assisting in the search for the officer's vehicle, located it in the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church parking lot about 9 p.m.

Responding police officers found the officer suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The unidentified officer was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.
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He took a job he knew could kill him one day. He wanted to serve his community and save lives. He was an organ donor, so, yet again, he wanted to save lives. So why did the lives of others mean so much to him, but his own did not? Because he never got the message that PTSD is not anything to be ashamed of and those he served with would have tried to save him too!

Veteran attempting to break Guinness World Record for "suicide awareness"

World Record attempt to raise awareness about veteran suicide

My Champlain Valley
Posted: Feb 11, 2019

BERLIN, Vt - On March 22, Jason Mosel will be attempting to break the Guinness World Record for most 'chest-to-ground burpees' in 12 hours to raise awareness for veteran suicide.

Jason Mosel. On Friday, March 22, Mosel will be attempting to break the Guinness World Record for most chest to ground burpees in 12 hours in an attempt to raise awareness of veteran suicide.

Mosel is hoping to beat the current record of 4,556. The event will be held at Snap Fitness in Berlin.

Mosel says his personal record is 3,000, which he did during the second night of the Death Race in July of 2018. At the age of 33, he says he does a minimum of 3,000 burpees per week and is ready to grab the record-holding title.

Mosel is a former Marine with a deployment to Iraq under his belt. After returning from that deployment, he says he struggled with depression, sleepless nights, and alcoholism. The struggles came to a head In 2005, when he attempted suicide.

Mosel says this effort is an attempt at pulling back the cover of veteran suicide, and the stigma of depression in general. The topic is something he has a real connection with, and is why he's streaming the event live online.
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BS of 22 a day needs to stop so they can live!

When they cannot even get the number right...how much do they really care?

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
February 10, 2019

22 is a bogus number taken from the first suicide report from the VA, which was based on limited data from just 21 states!

How many times does it have to be proven that "suicide awareness" does only one thing. It lets veterans know that others have given up, along with showing how little the raisers actually care. Yes! If they cared enough they WOULD HAVE READ THE DAMN REPORT IN THE FIRST PLACE!

If they really cared, then they would be supporting established efforts that have actually been proven to not just prevent suicides but replenish hope!

What set me off tonight? Simple. 

Walk for Hope aims to prevent suicide That just came out about an event yesterday! It seemed like a good idea in the beginning of the article but then I read this.

"And while the college student statistic can seem high, military veterans commit suicide at a higher rate. Every day 22 veterans take their lives. In a year that totals out to be 8,030 military lives lost to suicide."

First is we know the military suicides just reached a ten year high, so no, "awareness" did not even help them. The other factor is that while the VA reports on veteran suicides, we know how many are not counted, but they do not. They do not even seem to know that there are two sets of numbers and current military reports are 90 days old while the VA reports are two years old. This is why we know awareness does not work to convince them to stay alive.

Watch the video I put together a while back and then maybe you'll understand why this kind of stuff makes me sick to my stomach!

#MissingVeteranAlert Alabama Ron Humbers

EXCLUSIVE: Search for missing Veteran with mental illness continues

NBC 15 News
Patrick Thomas
February 9, 2019

CARBON HILL, Ala. — Investigators in Walker County are still looking for a missing veteran, who hasn't been heard from in a month.

ABC 33/40 was the only station in Carbon Hill as search crews used a cadaver dog to look for Ron Humbers.

The police chief says it's given people in the area an uneasy feeling ever when he first learned Humbers was missing.
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Triple Amputee Brian Kolfage TSA Full Pat Down? Seriously?

Purple Heart triple-amputee veteran Brian Kolfage subjected to full pat down at Tucson International Airport

Daily Mail
Stephanie Haney
February 10, 2019

Florida Purple Heart veteran Brian Kolfage, 37, was subjected to an 'invasive' pat down by TSA agents
A concerned fellow traveler filmed the incident on Saturday in Tuscon, Arizona
'They groped and searched under his hips and buttocks, his groin and his half arm searching for what?'
YouTube users James Hoft said in the video caption
According to his website, Kolfage was severely wounded in a 2004 rocket attack at an Iraq air base, losing both legs and one arm and now has prosthetics
Kolfage, from Florida, was in the Tuscon area for a rally about building a border wall through crowdfunding
Kolfage raised more than $20 million through GoFundMe since December to support his effort, but fell short of his $1 billion goal triggering refunds to patrons
Now those who donated have the option to forward their support to a non-profit

The Florida triple-amputee veteran who garnered more than $20 million online to help build a wall along the southern US border was filmed being thoroughly searched by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents in Tuscon, Arizona.

A concerned fellow traveler filmed Purple Heart recipient Brian Kolfage, 37, being subjected to an 'invasive TSA pat down' on Saturday morning at Tuscon International Airport, following a 'We Build The Wall' rally in Sahuarita, which took place on Friday.

'They groped and searched under his hips and buttocks, his groin and his half arm searching for what?' YouTube user 'james hoft' wrote in the caption with the video, uploaded on Saturday.

'Brian is an Afghanistan War veteran. They also swabbed his prosthetic legs and wheelchair for explosives.'
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