Hampton Inn told veteran PTSD is not a disability because of service dogs

Veteran says he was kicked out of hotel for having a service dog: 'PTSD isn’t a disability'

Yahoo Lifestyle
Paulina Cachero
July 1, 2019

“The night manager said PTSD isn’t a disability and we don’t allow emotional support animals because we’re not pet friendly,” Nic recalls. “We educated her on ADA regulations and showed her that PTSD is an ADA certified condition.”

After serving 13 years in the Marine Corps, including four deployments overseas, Nicholas “Nic” Day is “proud to have served my country and I would do it all again in a heat beat” — no matter the costs to himself. However, as a veteran now afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his time in the armed forces, Nic never expected that the civil rights he fought so hard to protect would be “abused” after he was kicked out of a hotel for his PTSD service dog.

“I feel like I was discriminated against because I have PTSD,” Nic tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “A lot of people don’t understand that there’s a difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog.” Nic was first diagnosed with PTSD — a mental health condition considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) — around 2008, while he was still on active duty.

Nic’s condition makes it difficult for him to be in large crowds and unfamiliar places, as they often trigger anxiety attacks. After trying the full range of treatments for his PTSD with little to no success, Nic finally decided to try getting a service dog. “I had from medication to meditation and nothing was working. I figured let’s try a service dogs and let’s see how that works,” says Nic.

A loyal, four-legged companion turned out to be exactly what the former marine needed to help mitigate his PTSD symptoms. He trained his current service dog, Atlas, to paw at him or jump and give him a hug if he “gets too worked up,” and to trail right behind him to make sure no one creeps up on him from behind. “As a marine, we’ve always had someone there to watch our backs and are always working with other marines. Having Atlas at my side all the time gives me the same sense of security,” Nic says of the 1-year-old Akita.

“Failing to accept new information or correct information and blowing it off in my opinion is just ignorant,” Nic says. “My goal is to educate not only the hotel but other businesses about the differences between an emotional support animal and service dogs.”

Nic tells Yahoo Lifestyle that he and his wife, Tina, were taking a long over-due vacation and planned to stop by Medford, Ore., to attend his nephew’s high school graduation. The couple made reservations at the local Hampton Inn, and allegedly informed the hotel that they would be bringing their service dogs, Ares and Atlas.read it here

NYPD and Chicago lost two more officers to suicide

Hero cop sixth NYPD officer to take life in 2019

The Riverdale Press
By JOSEPH KONIG 
Posted July 7, 2019

Five months later, however, Preiss was dead, reportedly taking his own life outside his Nassau County home June 26. He was the fourth New York Police Department officer to commit suicide in June, the sixth this year.

He was 53.

It was early in the morning on Jan. 27 when Liam Amir Rodriguez decided it was time to be born.

Officer Kevin Preiss, right, smiles with officer Roland Benson and the baby they helped deliver in January. Preiss reportedly died by suicide last month.

Liam’s parents, Naida and Jerry, began to make their way to the emergency room, except there was one problem: The elevator in their North Riverdale building was out of service. The contractions were starting, and on top of that, Naida needed to use the bathroom, so she returned to the apartment.

“Developments being what they were, my daughter could not leave the apartment,” Liam’s grandmother, Rebecca Maitin later explained in a letter. Maitin called 911, and within moments, two 50th Precinct officers were at the door.

Officers Kevin Preiss and Roland Benson helped deliver a perfectly healthy baby boy at 2:20 a.m., in a narrow hallway. Two weeks later, Preiss and Benson returned with a gift bag of baby clothes.

“There is good and kindness within New York’s finest and New York’s first responders,” Maitin wrote. read it here

Officials: Sheriff’s officer shoots himself to death on Northwest Side

Chicago Tribune
Rosemary Sobol
JUL 06, 2019

At least seven Chicago police officers have committed suicide in the last year. And the New York Police Department just experienced four suicides in three weeks, spurring the department to seek “psychological autopsies” to analyze the officers’ actions.

A Cook County corrections officer has taken his own life in a forest preserve in the Forest Glen neighborhood. Graham Hyland, 40, died of a gunshot wound to the mouth, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Saturday determined Hyland’s death was a suicide. 

Hyland was found at approximately 9:45 p.m. Friday in the 5900 block of North Central Avenue, at the Ted Lechowicz Woods. Hyland was pronounced dead at 10:12 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.
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If you decided to risk your life for a living...saving others, isn't it time you included saving your own life? #BrakeTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife

Police Officers honored...and wrongly judged

Instead of arresting a woman accused of shoplifting, these NYPD cops paid for her groceries

CBS News
BY DANIELLE GARRAND
JULY 5, 2019

"You know, I've been doing this for 22 years. This is not the first time I've paid for food. This is not the first time they've paid for someone's food," he said referring to the two other cops."We don't go out and do it all the time, but, you know, when you look at someone's face and you notice that they need you, and they're actually hungry. It's pretty difficult as a human being to walk away from something like that. We weren't raised like that. So, it's the right thing to do."

Three New York City police officers were working on the Fourth of July when they decided to stop by a Manhattan Whole Foods supermarket. Security guards told the cops a woman was shoplifting groceries -- and officers are now getting massive praise for their generous response.

The cops -- now identified as Lt. Louis Sojo and Officers Esnaidy Cuevas and Michael Rivera -- were on the way to grab a snack and cold drink in the store when security guards told them a woman was stealing food, Sojo said at a press conference Friday. The cops approached her to assess the situation.

"I asked her, 'What's going on?' She told me she was hungry," said Sojo."So, I looked in her bag. I decided -- we decided -- to say 'We'll pay for her food.'"
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But some people would rather take out their anger on officers...

Starbucks and Tempe Meet After Barista Asked Cops to Leave

Phoenix New Times
MEG O'CONNOR
JULY 8, 2019

Starbucks representatives met with Tempe Police Department officials Sunday and are continuing meetings today to try to smooth relations after a barista asked cops to either move away from a customer who was nervous about their presence or leave the shop.

Rob Ferraro, Tempe police union president, said that on July 4, a barista asked six Tempe police officers to either move out of the line of sight of a customer who said he felt unsafe, or leave the establishment.

The encounter drew national attention and prompted calls from Arizona lawmakers and conservative commentators to boycott Starbucks.

"Unacceptable. Respect our brave police officers! #BackTheBlue #DumpStarbucks," the Arizona Republican Party tweeted.

"So I'm wondering what the person who complained will do if they get robbed or assaulted? Who are you going to call then? Safe spaces aren't going to save you!" said Bret Roberts, a Republican state representative who previously worked for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
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Emotional support and trained service animals can provide wellness and healing

Canine Companions Offer Love and Support to Returning Vets

NBC 4 News
By Mario Solis
Published Jul 7, 2019

Emotional support and trained service animals can provide wellness and healing for veterans struggling with mental health or physical disabilities.

"Just seeing them have a sense of belonging with these dogs, and with the people who have helped them get to that point, it just creates a whole new type of community," said Natasha Smith, the executive director of Canine Companions LTD.

Canine Companion Daisy sits ready and waiting.

More than a quarter of men and women who have served in the armed forces find it difficult to return to civilian life, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. In these cases, emotional support and trained service animals can provide wellness and healing for veterans struggling with mental health or physical disabilities.

Canine Companions LTD. is a nonprofit organization that connects specialized dogs with veterans in need. The program operates out of the eighth floor of the Dream Center, a faith-based charitable organization in Silver Lake, to aid returning servicemen and women as they transition back into civilian life.

According to the organization's website, the program's mission is to provide veterans with a marketable skill so that they can train dogs to provide emotional, mental and physical support to future veteran owners.
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Veterans lives saved by boxing club?

'They Saved My Life,' Boxing Club Provides a Healing Outlet for Veterans

The Associated Press
By Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Diana Nelson Jones
7 Jul 2019

Boxing isn't for every veteran who needs an outlet, but for those it does help, it is a testament to the power of physical activity in improving mental health

.

Brandy Horchak-Jevsjukova, left, helps Tysh Wagner with stretches after a workout at Warrior's Call Boxing in Baden on Monday, June 10, 2019. Wagner served two tours of duty as a medic in Afghanistan and says the boxing workout helps her heal from the trauma of her war experiences. Horchak-Jevsjukova, co-owner of Warrior's Call, served in Iraq. (Steve Mellon/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)

BADEN, Pa. (AP) — Brandy Horchak-Jevsjukova jokes that she is Tyshie Wagner's service dog.

A veteran's service dog is trained to lean into her to provide comfort, to stand watch behind her, to jump up or paw her to interrupt a crisis.

Brandy has leaned into Tyshie persistently since they met in 2017, when Tyshie was almost 400 pounds, terrified of leaving her house, and imagining — and once attempting — suicide. She had gone through several therapists and had a husband who was at his wits' end.

Cutting through the chronology of their story, we arrive at the Warrior's Call Boxing Club in Baden, Beaver County, one recent morning.

Brandy and her husband, Vitali Jevsjukova, whom everyone calls "V," opened the club in 2015 to be the help to veterans that boxing had been for them during their military service in Iraq.
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Veteran called crisis line and lived to heal

Veteran gets life-saving help at VA Clinic

Albany Herald
By J.W. Huckfeldt
Jul 7, 2019

“As soon as I walked into Dublin VA, I was immediately admitted to Urgent Care, where I was treated by a nurse practitioner,” Ridings said. “She knew that I needed help, was determined to provide whatever care I required, and that I couldn’t leave the medical center.”

Greg Swars Albany Herald

DUBLIN — When Emergency Department Nurse Practitioner Kristin Horton logged into her LinkedIn account April 24, she found a message from Ashton Ridings, a former U.S. Army Ranger, who required emergency intervention on April 17. The first line of the letter read, “You guys saved my life.”

“My night terrors left me with three or four sleepless nights, and knew I needed help now,” Ridings said. “I was overwhelmed, my (post-traumatic stress disorder) hit me hard, and this time I couldn’t run or work it off. I felt like suicide was my only option, so I planned it out step-by-step.”

Ridings made up his mind that he was going to die by suicide if he couldn’t find help immediately. He called the Veterans Crisis Line and finally the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center. Ridings thought enrolling in a PTSD program at the medical center would be a step in the right direction.

The Veterans Crisis Line contacted the Dublin VAMC Emergency Department informing the staff Ridings, who was suffering from severe PTSD, would be presenting sometime that day.
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Alabama veteran became homeless and got closer to God

Alabama’s homeless veterans: Army vet says struggle brought him ‘closer to God’

AL.com
By J.D. Crowe
July 7, 2019

“Being homeless is an isolated experience. A close relationship to God makes all the difference.”

“Is that what you want people to know about you?” I asked.

“It’s what I want people to know about the Lord.”

Homeless. Veteran. These two words don’t belong together. How could someone who is willing to die for their country wind up on the streets, kicked to the curb after their service?

How many homeless veterans are in Alabama? I want to draw them all – or as many as possible - and let them tell their stories.

According to an AL.com report in 2018 citing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development study, there were 339 homeless veterans in Alabama. Of those, 52 were in the Mobile area. So, it makes sense to start locally.

Those numbers are in flux, of course. Thanks to organizations like Housing First, since last July 151 homeless veterans in the Mobile and Eastern Shore area have been identified and transitioned into apartments.

To kick off this project, we talked with four of these Housing First veterans. We hope their stories will inspire more homeless and formerly homeless veterans to come forward with their stories. (See the video in the story below.)

In the meantime, I’m gonna be searching, listening, learning and sketching.
read it here

It is my birthday and I want gifts to go away

Rejoice with me

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 7, 2019

Today is my birthday and I am asking for gifts to be given away.

I know it sounds strange, but since that is how I have spent most of these years, it makes perfect sense to me.

Lily Casura at Healing Combat Trauma posted a reminder on her Facebook page of something I said a long time ago.

I took the gift I was given by Dana Morgan, at Point Man International Ministries so I could keep giving away what I had to give.

So many times I wanted to quit. It got to be too much for me, spiritually draining and depressing. Even with the knowledge of how many lives have been changed, there were times when I did not see any point in continuing this work.

It was especially hard when some families asked me to put together the book The Warrior SAW (Suicides After War) because of the video I had done years before. It was based on research for the post Why isn't the press on suicide watch?

That post and video was not as hard as writing the book. Too many memories came flooding back. Nightmares were draining too.

When you do this work, taking on the pain of others, comes with the territory. It is called Secondary Traumatization but I dealt with it, the same way I did with all the other times. I talked to people I trusted, like Dana.

There were so many other times I needed help because of what I do, and I took comfort in knowing all this provider had to do was ask for help too!

Next month I am going to Buffalo for a conference and a thank you celebration for Dana, who retired as President. It is also to congratulate Paul Paul Sluznis as our new president.

Dana also helped Paul. Years ago, I was at another conference and Paul was giving his presentation. I recorded it while he was talking about having the gun to his head, but his life was saved because of Dana. Paul ended up saving others in Washington.

This is the link to part one but I want to focus on what came afterward in part two.

None of us do any of this for money, or fame, or glory. We sure do not do it for publicity. We do it because we know what pain feels like and what it is like to rejoice again!

So, for my birthday please give to the group who helped me, and so many others, receive so much from!

Point Man Intl. Ministries
14420 SE 13th st
Vancouver WA 98683

Community honors memory of soldier who never got to meet his baby son

Hundreds of flags decorate coffee shop belonging to fallen soldier and wife

The Denver Channel
By: Jessica Barreto
Jul 05, 2019

Sergeant Elliott Robbins also leaves behind a baby son, Elliott Jr., who was born shortly after his deployment.

FLORISSANT, Colo.
Hundreds of U.S. flags now adorn a coffee shop in belonging to a fallen Fort Carson soldier and his wife.

Special Forces Sergeant First Class Elliott Robbins died earlier this week in Afghanistan, just three weeks before he was set to return home.

Many took time out of their holiday on Thursday to pay their respects to Robbins and his family.

Costello Street Coffee House opened up early at 6:30 Thursday morning, and folks from all over the area stopped by to plant a flag, drop off a note of encouragement, and simply let this grieving family know there is an entire community behind them.

"Without them giving up everything for us, we can't celebrate," said Amber Ray, a military spouse who went to the coffee shop with her family.

Robbins deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year, and on Sunday, his family found out he would not be coming home.
read it here

21 people injured after explosion at shopping center

Explosion at Plantation, Florida, shopping center leaves 21 people injured: 'It just looks like an apocalypse'

ABC News
By EMILY SHAPIRO
Jul 6, 2019

Police and fire crews are looking for answers after an explosion at a shopping center in Florida, officials said Saturday.

First responders at the scene of an explosion in Plantation, Fla., July 6, 2019.

Twenty-one people were injured, including two seriously, in the blast in Plantation, just outside of Fort Lauderdale, said Joel Gordon, Battalion Chief for Plantation Fire.

Video shows windows blown out of an LA Fitness while a building next door appeared completely destroyed, with debris strewn in all directions.
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The power inside of you is stronger than anything they can say against you

Why give them power over you

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 6, 2019


Do you believe you made the choice to risk your life for others because you were called to do it? Was there a tug to enter into a job you knew could kill you?

There was always something very different inside of you. Plenty of times in your life someone said something proving they did not understand your decision to choose that kind of job.

You did not let them stop you then. They had no power to prevent you from doing what you knew you needed to do. Then why listen to them now when you need to heal because of that job? 

Point Man International Ministries

The only power people have over you, is what you allow them to have. If you hear someone say something stupid because you need help now think about it and you'll see they are not making any sense at all.

First, your job required you to help others and so did theirs. If they are turning against you needing help from them...they should not be on that job.

Next, think about how you would have died to save them and supposedly they would have died on the job to save you too. Would it be too much to ask them to listen to you to save your life now or you to listen to them to save theirs?

Come out of the dark and fight like you served...side by side.

Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version (NIV)

You may feel lost and alone right now

and wondering what you did wrong.

You may think you are now weak instead of strong.

Why believe what others say about you

when you always knew what was true?

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,

 He had plans for you and put what you need inside of you

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you"

He had

"plans to give you hope and a future."

 You had everything you needed to do your job already inside of you and that includes healing because of your job.

Over 7 million Americans have PTSD and most, ended up hit by the one time that could have killed them. You responded to those times. For you it was not one time but the one time too many saving them that hit you the hardest.

You proved you were brave when you took your job and trained hard to be able to do it. What is stopping you now from being brave again so you can train to heal because of your job?

If you cannot find the right words to explain what PTSD is, then you may not understand it totally. Time to learn what it is so you can explain what it is not.

It is because of your job that you grieve

It is not God punishing you

"The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say at the moment when you need them." Luke 12:12 The Voice (VOICE

And when you understand what it is, then you can become a hero after you begin to fight this war against the people who have no power over you anymore.

VA got it right on religious freedom fight and faith won!

update History does not change just because people say it did.

This is the headline from The Washington TimesVA secretary rejects Obama religious expression rules:

That is not what actually happened. This is what happened.

But this issue had nothing to do with the Obama administration, Snopes.com found. The VA chapel in Iron Mountain had been found to be in noncompliance with Spiritual and Pastoral Procedures that were established by the Department of Veterans Affairs and most recently revised in July 2008, six months before Obama became president. Those procedures require chapels at VA facilities be maintained as “religiously neutral” whenever they are not being used by chaplains for services associated with a particular faith: The rules state that no permanent religious symbols are to be incorporated in the construction or renovation of chapels.

Back to the headline from The Washington Times VA secretary rejects Obama religious expression rules: 'They did not know the makeup of the force'

Robert Wilkie, the soft-spoken and managerial-minded secretary of Veterans Affairs, went public in a big way this summer when he said he refused to be “bullied” by a federal lawsuit claiming a Bible on display at a New Hampshire VA hospital violated the separation of church and state. In an interview with The Washington Times in his office at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Wilkie said displaying a Bible in a VA hospital is a matter of liberty and that the Obama administration erred in trying to eliminate religious symbols from the veterans health care system.

Not so much on reliable reporting on that one!

VA secretary moves to permit public display of religious symbols

STARS AND STRIPES
By NIKKI WENTLING
Published: July 3, 2019

In addition to permitting public displays of religious symbols, the changes allow VA facilities to accept donations of religious literature and symbols, which can now be provided to patients and their families.

WASHINGTON — Citing a need to protect religious liberty, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie issued new policies Wednesday permitting displays of religious and spiritual symbols in VA facilities.

A Bible is part of a memorial table display at the veterans hospital in Manchester, N.H. KRISTIN PRESSLY/MANCHESTER VA MEDICAL CENTER VIA AP

Religious symbols will now be allowed in public areas of VA facilities, including lobbies, public entrances, security and information desks and nursing stations. In directives sent to VA facilities nationwide, Wilkie clarified that displays “should respect and tolerate differing views” and “should not elevate one belief system over others.”

“We want to make sure that all of our veterans and their families feel welcome at VA, no matter their religious beliefs. Protecting religious liberty is a key part of how we accomplish that goal,” Wilkie said in a statement. “These important changes will bring simplicity and clarity to our policies governing religious and spiritual symbols, helping ensure we are consistently complying with the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution at thousands of facilities across the department.”

An official announcement about the new rules cited a recent Supreme Court decision in which a 40-foot “Peace Cross,” a tribute to World War I dead, was permitted to remain at a public intersection in Maryland. The court rejected the argument that the cross was an unconstitutional endorsement of Christianity, but justices didn’t reach an across-the-board consensus about how to handle religious imagery on public property.
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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Veteran suicide rate in Alabama is 60% higher than the rate for civilians

Reducing Alabama’s high veteran suicide rate

Rocket City News
Posted: Jul 5, 2019

More than 16% of all suicide deaths in Alabama are veterans.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — The veteran suicide rate in Alabama is 60% higher than the rate for civilians and 9% higher than other southern states.

It’s estimated that 20 veterans take their own lives each day in the United States. That’s the purpose behind this task force is to provide help to those who need it.

“Anytime you put a human into a high level stressful situation like combat, it does take a toll,” said Kent Davis.

Alabama is home to roughly 400,000 veterans many of them go on to fight the battle aboard but unfortunately come home to fight another battle.

“One of our missions it to handle those hot button issues and veteran suicides is certainly one of those that we’ve identified as something that needs special attention.”

Kent Davis, the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, recently selected Paulette Risher, chief executive officer for Still Serving Veterans and a retired Army major general, to lead the new Task Force on Veterans’ Suicides.

The task force will study ways to reduce veterans suicide as well as the causes of suicides among returning Alabama veterans. The task force will then make recommendations to the Legislature.

Rep. Neil Rafferty submitted the House resolution to create the task force. House Joint Resolution 151 noted that the veteran suicide rate in Alabama was 60% higher than the rate for civilians and 9 percent higher than other southern states. More than 16% of all suicide deaths in Alabama are veterans.
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Want to prevent suicides? #BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife so you can help others to heal too!

Fireworks started fire, Colorado woman rescued from house by strangers

Good Samaritans rescue woman from fireworks-sparked fire in Montbello

Denver Channel
By: Jaclyn Allen
Jul 05, 2019

DENVER – Denver Fire is investigating a fire in a Montbello home that was reportedly sparked by fireworks Wednesday night.

Dramatic dash cam and cell phone video captured the moment a bush caught fire, spreading to a car and a house on Atchison Way.

William Birkett was shooting the video after he saw the firework shoot into the bush, and pulled over to help.

"I tried my best to put it out with the water bottles that I had in my car. The neighbor was using his garden hose," said Birkett, who said the fire quickly grew out of control, and that’s when they heard a woman screaming. “Myself and two other men, we just started running towards the house. And the two men pulled her out while I held back the bushes and I ran back inside to make sure no one was inside.”
read more here

Massachusetts was warned about Zhukovskyy before Jarheads deaths

Nearly 900 drivers suspended in wake of deadly motorcycle crash in New Hampshire

USA Today
Joey Garrison
July 5, 2019

Connecticut also mailed the Massachusetts RMV as notice, but like thousands of other out-of-state notifications, it was discarded into one of 58 mail bins in a state facility in Quincy, Massachusetts.

BOSTON — The embattled Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles has suspended an additional 330 drivers whose past violations in other states had gone unprocessed after thousands of notices piled up in mail bins inside a registry facility for the past 15 months.

The RMV's lapse in processing out-of-state suspensions was discovered in the aftermath of a horrific crash in Randolph, New Hampshire, in which Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, a 23-year-old truck driver, crossed a double-yellow line, collided with a group of bikers and killed seven motorcyclists.

In all, 876 Massachusetts drivers whose out-of-state traffic infractions had previously been overlooked have now had their licenses suspended in the two weeks since a deadly motorcycle crash in New Hampshire exposed severe deficiencies within the RMV.
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First Responders fighting PTSD, you can walk in their shoes...sneakers

Iowa officer's shoe campaign helping first responders struggling with PTSD goes national

If you or your loved one is suffering from PTSD, you can contact the Code 9 Project here. Officer Slagle's shoes are back up for sale and can be found here.

FOX 28 News
by Kayla James
July 3rd 2019

It was just this spring Marion officer Ron Slagle announced the pre-ordering of his footwear, the Honor and Respect Shoes. 

The sneakers, sporting a patriotic design, are an effort of Slagle's to raise money for the Code 9 Project and Blue H.E.L.P. Both are organizations focusing on providing help and resources to first responders and their families battling post traumatic stress disorder.

On Wednesday morning, Officer Slagle appeared on "Fox and Friends" to discuss his shoes and his mission. Code 9 Project co-founder, Deborah Ortize, tells CBS2/Fox28 News the shoes quickly sold out after his appearance. In addition to them selling out for a brief period of time, Ortize says she's been receiving many calls and e-mails to the Code 9 Project's headquarters.
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Motorcycle charity ride to help female veteran...by all female club!

Women's motorcycle club holding benefit run to help disabled veteran

NBC 26 News
By: Stacy Engebretson
Jul 03, 2019

The Sapphires not only help military veterans, they also support the Oshkosh Police Department's K-9 unit, Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services and people battling serious medical issues. Next year, they plan to team-up with the Oshkosh Fire Department as well.

NEENAH, Wis. — The rev of their engines. The breeze in their hair. The camaraderie. There's so much the Sapphires enjoy about their all-female motorcycle group, but number one Is riding for a reason.

"We're a strong sisterhood," said Leslie Schultz, one of 14 members of the Sapphires.

The Sapphires are Oshkosh's chapter of the nationwide motorcycle club the Chrome Angelz . It's a nonprofit organization with 176 chapters worldwide where women ride with a purpose.

"That's pretty much what gets us going is it's the people we support, our sisters and our actual brothers that are out there riding for the same cause," Schultz said.

They're supporting six causes this year including a benefit run for 37-year-old Tatiana Saunders of Neenah.

"I feel grateful," Saunders said. "And I keep wondering why me?"

Saunders served nearly five years in the U.S. Army. A year of that time, she was in a war zone in Iraq.
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Philly veteran met best friend in Florida...PTSD Service Dog named Maverick

How a very good dog named Maverick is helping a local vet escape the lingering effects of war

Philly Voice
BY BRIAN HICKEY
PhillyVoice Staff
July 2, 2019

Geoff Dempsey was haunted by things he saw in Afghanistan, but an 18-month old canine lightened his mental load

In late April, Geoff Dempsey flew from Philadelphia to Florida knowing he would soon meet his new best friend without any idea who, exactly, that was.

BRIAN HICKEY/PHILLYVOICE Geoff Dempsey said he felt an instant connection with Maverick, a black-and-tan lab who helps him escape a shell brought about by PTSD stemming from his service with the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan.

He and six other veterans – each still troubled by their time in the service – waited in line. One by one, they walked outside of K9s for Warriors headquarters in Ponte Verde for the big moment.

There, the 30-year-old, who served for five years including an eight-month tour in Afghanistan with his fellow U.S. Marines, was introduced to Maverick, a one-and-a-half-year-old black-and tan lab. They hit it off on the spot.

That connection was clearly evident when the duo arrived at Philadelphia’s Fitler Square Park two months later to talk about a non-profit program that matches veterans with “life-changing service dogs.”

In Dempsey’s case, it was all about being saddled with post-traumatic stress disorder related to his military service.

“He was licking me, sniffing me. I felt an instant connection,” he recalled with a smile on Monday morning, with Maverick at his side. “It was clear that he had a lot of love to give.
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Do any rules apply to POTUS...or the Senate anymore?

Border wall $21.6 billion July 4th event going up with millions diverted from National Parks and then there was the government shutdown...but some of my Republican friends refuse to notice what else is going on that should hit them where their hearts used to be...

As Housing Mold Derails Military Moves, This Is the Solution We Need

Military.com
By Joyce Wessel Raezer
July 1, 2019

Joyce Wessel Raezer is the outgoing executive director of the National Military Family Association.

Contracted personnel perform an accountability assessment and pack items belonging to a U.S. Soldier before her moving to a different state June 12, 2019. (U.S. Transportation Command/Stephenie Wade)

‪Military families are at risk once again.

After suffering untenable living conditions, rodent and other infestations, loss of property and chronic health problems, military families dealing with mold in their privatized, on-base housing now face another challenge: moving.

While installations and contractors move ahead with remediating dangerous living conditions, many families must simultaneously navigate an unusually complex PCS season. And the damage done by the mold in their houses is affecting not just their furniture and their health, but also their ability to complete their PCS move on schedule. Shortages of movers as well as potential housing delays at installations where remediation work continues further complicate an already stressful time.

Moving companies, appropriately unwilling to assume the liability of moldy belongings that could create higher costs for themselves or safety problems for future customers, are now backing out of pack-outs in homes where mold is present, according to a story in Military Times. That includes the homes of thousands of families whose very safety has been affected by substandard conditions.
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You can catch up on that here....if you care more about our troops and veterans than you do a political party.