Mystery Surrounds Local Marine's Death
Man Killed In ‘Non-Hostile Incident’ In Iraq
POSTED: Thursday, April 2, 2009
UPDATED: 8:04 am EDT April 3, 2009
MIAMI -- A mystery is brewing from Miami to Iraq, where a local member of the U.S. Marine Corps was found dead at a military facility.
The Department of Defense said Thursday that 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Nelson M. Lantigua of Miami died on Tuesday in Anbar province.
Lantigua was found shot to death, face down, in a bed inside the military facility to which he was assigned in Iraq, Local 10's Terrell Forney reported.
Officials said Lantigua died of a single gunshot wound to the back of the head. But no other details have been released. The incident is under investigation.
Military officials have called it a non-hostile incident and non-combat related, which raises questions for Lantigua's family. The 20-year old joined the U.S. Marines after graduating high school in Miami and was nearing the end of his first deployment to Iraq when he died.
go here for more
Mystery Surrounds Local Marine's Death
linked from CNN
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Marine says he is tormented over killing of Iraqi prisoner
What is justice in this case? What is right when this happens? Is there really a right answer? We heard President Bush say we don't torture, while he did everything in his power to make sure they could, but it was not the people giving the orders to do it that ended up in prison for it, it was the men and women ordered to do it. What would you do?
Marine says he is tormented over killing of Iraqi prisoner
Sgt. Ryan Weemer is on trial at Camp Pendleton.
Sgt. Ryan Weemer, in a tape-recording played at his court martial, says he wants to forget what happened in Fallouja in 2004. He is accused of unpremeditated murder and dereliction of duty.
By Tony Perry
April 2, 2009
Reporting from Camp Pendleton -- A Marine Corps sergeant charged with murdering an Iraqi prisoner told an investigator that he is tormented by the shooting and has tried to forget what happened that day in Fallouja in 2004, according to a tape-recording played Wednesday at his court-martial.
In the recording, Sgt. Ryan Weemer talked of being covered with the blood of his best friend, who was killed by a sniper, and then minutes later being ordered by his squad leader to kill an Iraqi taken prisoner when Marines stormed a house.
"I grabbed a gun and took him to the back of the house," Weemer is heard telling two agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. "I shot him twice in the chest."
Weemer, 26, is charged with unpremeditated murder and dereliction of duty, and could face a dishonorable discharge and life in prison. His jury is comprised of eight Marines, all with experience in Iraq, Afghanistan or both.
go here for more
Marine says he is tormented over killing of Iraqi prisoner
Capt. Bierwiler's widow takes comfort in her husband's devotion
Widow of Hernando sheriff's Capt. Bierwiler takes comfort in her husband's devotion
By Dan DeWitt, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Thursday, April 2, 2009
SPRING HILL — Angie Bierwiler turned on the television 11 years ago when she first heard that Hank Earl Carr was holed up in a Hernando County convenience store with a hostage after killing his girlfriend's son and three law enforcement officers.
"I see Scott's patrol car pull right up in front of the store,'' she said.
Scott was her husband, Scott Bierwiler, 42, a Hernando sheriff's sergeant. But the situation did not worry her.
"I guess that I felt like everyone else did, that he was going to handle it,'' Mrs. Bierwiler, 40, said. "He just stood out there with a notepad and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and organized the whole county.''
That calm air of authority made Bierwiler seem perfect for the job he'd always wanted and seemed likely to assume one day — Hernando County sheriff.
It also made his death even more shocking.
Bierwiler, by then a captain, finally encountered circumstances he couldn't control at 5:45 a.m. on Feb. 19, just minutes after kissing his sleeping wife on the forehead and leaving their home in a quiet gated community.
On an otherwise empty, two-lane highway, his unmarked Ford was struck head-on by an SUV that veered into his lane. The Florida Highway Patrol has not yet completed its investigation or decided whether to charge the SUV's driver, 16-year-old Andrew Morris.
go here for more
Widow of Hernando sheriff's Capt. Bierwiler takes comfort in her husband's devotion
By Dan DeWitt, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Thursday, April 2, 2009
SPRING HILL — Angie Bierwiler turned on the television 11 years ago when she first heard that Hank Earl Carr was holed up in a Hernando County convenience store with a hostage after killing his girlfriend's son and three law enforcement officers.
"I see Scott's patrol car pull right up in front of the store,'' she said.
Scott was her husband, Scott Bierwiler, 42, a Hernando sheriff's sergeant. But the situation did not worry her.
"I guess that I felt like everyone else did, that he was going to handle it,'' Mrs. Bierwiler, 40, said. "He just stood out there with a notepad and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and organized the whole county.''
That calm air of authority made Bierwiler seem perfect for the job he'd always wanted and seemed likely to assume one day — Hernando County sheriff.
It also made his death even more shocking.
Bierwiler, by then a captain, finally encountered circumstances he couldn't control at 5:45 a.m. on Feb. 19, just minutes after kissing his sleeping wife on the forehead and leaving their home in a quiet gated community.
On an otherwise empty, two-lane highway, his unmarked Ford was struck head-on by an SUV that veered into his lane. The Florida Highway Patrol has not yet completed its investigation or decided whether to charge the SUV's driver, 16-year-old Andrew Morris.
go here for more
Widow of Hernando sheriff's Capt. Bierwiler takes comfort in her husband's devotion
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty non-combat death in Iraq
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Nelson M. Lantigua, 20, of Miami, Fla., died March 31 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10 Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The incident is currently under investigation.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Nelson M. Lantigua, 20, of Miami, Fla., died March 31 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10 Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The incident is currently under investigation.
Documentary on PTSD Needs Help to Reach Completion
The great thing is they are talking about it. The troops are talking on this video and it's a wonderful thing. The need is so great for all of them and the others already home, but at least, thank God, they are talking about it now. Maybe they are finally getting the message that PTSD is normal, not new, and most of all, nothing to be ashamed of at all. I am very hopeful for the first time in a very long time because of this video.
Documentary on PTSD Needs Help to Reach Completion (VIDEO)
Tim King Salem-News.com
The hour-long program could help hundreds of thousands; we are looking for Americans who care to lend a hand.
Soldiers from the Army's 101st Airborne on patrol in Iraq during the summer of 2008. Salem-News.com photo by Tim King
(SALEM, Ore.) - Hundreds of thousands of American combat veterans are suffering from the effects of combat and war. The symptoms of PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, are wide ranging.
The current conflicts continue to generate PTSD in our troops, and they join the ranks of veterans of the Persian Gulf War, Lebanon, Vietnam, Korea and WWII as survivors of things that no man or woman should ever witness in a civilized world.
My goal in Iraq last summer was to gather interviews for a television documentary on PTSD. What veterans are doing while at war is part of what we will explore, and even more importantly, we will show all types of different therapies that are being used successfully by vets and people who help veterans, in their adjustment back to a peaceful society.
We are seeking a partner to help with the cost of producing this extremely important program. Significant interest has already been shown by one television organization and the number of stations and venues where it can be used to help educate people about PTSD, is nearly endless.
go here for more
Documentary on PTSD Needs Help to Reach Completion (VIDEO)
Cleveland Ohio:Three girls disappear within five blocks of each other over four years
Three teens disappear from same neighborhood
By Philip Rosenbaum
Nancy Grace Producer
Story Highlights
Three girls disappear within five blocks of each other over four years
Police, FBI in Cleveland, Ohio, looking into hundreds of leads
Investigators not yet sure there's a connection
Tip? Call the FBI at (216) 522-1400 or Cleveland Police at (216) 623-5000
All from the same neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, the girls disappeared within five blocks of each other over a four-year span, starting in 2003.
Agents and detectives from the FBI and Cleveland Police are looking into hundreds of leads in the cases and whether they may be linked, according to FBI Special Agent Scott Wilson in the agency's Cleveland bureau.
"We kind of put all three of these cases together to work them to see if there's any connection," Wilson said.
go here for more
Three teens disappear from same neighborhood
By Philip Rosenbaum
Nancy Grace Producer
Story Highlights
Three girls disappear within five blocks of each other over four years
Police, FBI in Cleveland, Ohio, looking into hundreds of leads
Investigators not yet sure there's a connection
Tip? Call the FBI at (216) 522-1400 or Cleveland Police at (216) 623-5000
All from the same neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, the girls disappeared within five blocks of each other over a four-year span, starting in 2003.
Agents and detectives from the FBI and Cleveland Police are looking into hundreds of leads in the cases and whether they may be linked, according to FBI Special Agent Scott Wilson in the agency's Cleveland bureau.
"We kind of put all three of these cases together to work them to see if there's any connection," Wilson said.
go here for more
Three teens disappear from same neighborhood
How a small community can cope with great loss
How a small community can cope with great loss
By Lily G. Casura
STAFF WRITER
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Here in St. Helena, the community is reeling from the recent tragedy in which 14 extended family members of the Jacobson family, including many small children, died. Dr. Erin Jacobson and his wife, Amy, were well-loved by their friends, family members and colleagues. Their children, Taylor, Ava and Jude, were also beloved locally.
And the question remains, how does a small-town community cope with such a great loss? And what local and national resources are available to them?
From the St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School, where parents gathered last week to grieve in tandem; to the St. Helena Hospital, where a memorial to the Jacobson family is set up in the lobby, and added to daily; to informal gatherings of friends and family at Taylor’s Refresher, or Miner Family Vineyards; to Saturday’s memorial service for the family; the Napa Valley reverberates with echoes of pain and suffering and compassion. And fortunately, also, with help for the grieving.
go here for more
How a small community can cope with great loss
By Lily G. Casura
STAFF WRITER
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Here in St. Helena, the community is reeling from the recent tragedy in which 14 extended family members of the Jacobson family, including many small children, died. Dr. Erin Jacobson and his wife, Amy, were well-loved by their friends, family members and colleagues. Their children, Taylor, Ava and Jude, were also beloved locally.
And the question remains, how does a small-town community cope with such a great loss? And what local and national resources are available to them?
From the St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School, where parents gathered last week to grieve in tandem; to the St. Helena Hospital, where a memorial to the Jacobson family is set up in the lobby, and added to daily; to informal gatherings of friends and family at Taylor’s Refresher, or Miner Family Vineyards; to Saturday’s memorial service for the family; the Napa Valley reverberates with echoes of pain and suffering and compassion. And fortunately, also, with help for the grieving.
go here for more
How a small community can cope with great loss
Ethnic Disparities in Incidence of PTSD and Suicide among Combat Veterans
April 01, 2009
Ethnic Disparities in Incidence of PTSD and Suicide among Combat Veterans
by Lily Casura
The topic of "culture, race, ethnicity and PTSD" is a complicated subject, with great potential to offend, so it has to be covered delicately, and slowly, over time.
There is a concern that ethnic minorities or non-white populations experience PTSD at greater rates than whites, but this concept is not without its detractors, who frankly disagree.
It would be interesting to learn more about this phenomenon, and learn if the data really supports it, or if it's just an assumption. If it turns out to be true, then it might be useful to map it against the prevalence of ethnic minorities who serve in the armed forces, in order to guesstimate more accurately future numbers of veterans who are likely to be affected by PTSD, and predict the resources that will be needed for their effective care in their home communities. On the one hand, you would hope that these estimates were already being made; on the other hand, it doesn't seem that they are. Consequently, in this post we're unfortunately raising more questions than answers.
To narrow the focus here enough for discussion, let's take a look at just one ethnicity among many from which we could choose -- one that's on the rise in the United States (and in the U.S. military) -- Hispanics (aka Latinos). Observe how cultural issues may come into play with their incidence of PTSD, as the study indicates. (The same questions that are raised here could apply, in turn, to other ethnic minorities, and ideally, all should be studied.)
Re: Hispanics/Latinos:
"Several studies have found that Hispanic Americans have higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than non-Hispanic Caucasian and Black Americans. The authors identified predictors of PTSD symptom severity that distinguished Hispanic police officers (n=189) from their non-Hispanic Caucasian (n=317) and Black (n=162) counterparts and modeled them to explain the elevated Hispanic risk for PTSD. The authors found that greater peri-traumatic dissociation, greater wishful thinking and self-blame coping, lower social support, and greater perceived racism were important variables in explaining the elevated PTSD symptoms among Hispanics. Results are discussed in the context of Hispanic culture and may be important for prevention of mental illness in the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States." (Source.)
Hispanics/Latinos in the military. Do figures exist for how many Hispanics/Latinos are currently serving in the military; and/or are veterans of the Vietnam war, the Gulf war, the Iraq war, or Afghanistan? Are more Hispanics/Latinos joining the military?
I've seen a copy of a report that the state of Massachusetts has for number of veterans by zip code across the state. Not surprisingly, a quick glance through that report impresses the casual reader that numbers of veterans are highest in poorer communities than wealthier communities. (You'd have to know Massachusetts for the examples to make sense, but say, the difference between Brockton or Fall River, MA and Wellesley or Osterville, MA.) A similar trend may also exist for communities with higher concentrations of ethnic minorities.
click link for more
Ethnic Disparities in Incidence of PTSD and Suicide among Combat Veterans
by Lily Casura
The topic of "culture, race, ethnicity and PTSD" is a complicated subject, with great potential to offend, so it has to be covered delicately, and slowly, over time.
There is a concern that ethnic minorities or non-white populations experience PTSD at greater rates than whites, but this concept is not without its detractors, who frankly disagree.
It would be interesting to learn more about this phenomenon, and learn if the data really supports it, or if it's just an assumption. If it turns out to be true, then it might be useful to map it against the prevalence of ethnic minorities who serve in the armed forces, in order to guesstimate more accurately future numbers of veterans who are likely to be affected by PTSD, and predict the resources that will be needed for their effective care in their home communities. On the one hand, you would hope that these estimates were already being made; on the other hand, it doesn't seem that they are. Consequently, in this post we're unfortunately raising more questions than answers.
To narrow the focus here enough for discussion, let's take a look at just one ethnicity among many from which we could choose -- one that's on the rise in the United States (and in the U.S. military) -- Hispanics (aka Latinos). Observe how cultural issues may come into play with their incidence of PTSD, as the study indicates. (The same questions that are raised here could apply, in turn, to other ethnic minorities, and ideally, all should be studied.)
Re: Hispanics/Latinos:
"Several studies have found that Hispanic Americans have higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than non-Hispanic Caucasian and Black Americans. The authors identified predictors of PTSD symptom severity that distinguished Hispanic police officers (n=189) from their non-Hispanic Caucasian (n=317) and Black (n=162) counterparts and modeled them to explain the elevated Hispanic risk for PTSD. The authors found that greater peri-traumatic dissociation, greater wishful thinking and self-blame coping, lower social support, and greater perceived racism were important variables in explaining the elevated PTSD symptoms among Hispanics. Results are discussed in the context of Hispanic culture and may be important for prevention of mental illness in the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States." (Source.)
Hispanics/Latinos in the military. Do figures exist for how many Hispanics/Latinos are currently serving in the military; and/or are veterans of the Vietnam war, the Gulf war, the Iraq war, or Afghanistan? Are more Hispanics/Latinos joining the military?
I've seen a copy of a report that the state of Massachusetts has for number of veterans by zip code across the state. Not surprisingly, a quick glance through that report impresses the casual reader that numbers of veterans are highest in poorer communities than wealthier communities. (You'd have to know Massachusetts for the examples to make sense, but say, the difference between Brockton or Fall River, MA and Wellesley or Osterville, MA.) A similar trend may also exist for communities with higher concentrations of ethnic minorities.
click link for more
Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior
I was given a copy of Clark's book and it is very good. Suggested reading.
Vietnam veteran offers advice at lecture
By Melissa Bower Staff Writer
Vietnam veteran offers advice at lecture
By Melissa Bower Staff Writer
"The problems, the pain from combat and the military situation is inevitable, but suffering does not have to happen," said Allen Clark, retired Army captain. "That was then, this is now."
Clark served in the 5th Special Forces Group at Camp Dak To, Vietnam. He was injured June 17, 1967, and eventually had both legs amputated below the knees. Clark received a Purple Heart, a Silver Star and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.
In 2007, Clark authored a book, "Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior," about his injuries and healing. He also founded a lay ministry, www.combatfaith.com, to assist warriors healing from combat wounds and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"We're all going to be impacted to some degree by some combat operating stressors of sadness, of anger, of bad - even horrific - memories of things we did or did not do ... Sometimes we see things that we found to be overwhelming and inescapable for our dreams and memories for a long period of time, maybe our whole lives," he said.
go here for more
Vietnam veteran offers advice at lecture
Fort Leavenworth Lamp - Fort Leavenworth,KS,USA
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen:Problems after combat will last generations
Mullen: Suicides, homelessness trends a concern
By Robert Burns - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Apr 2, 2009 16:28:24 EDT
NEW YORK — Homelessness, family strains and psychological problems among returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will persist in the U.S. for generations to come, the top U.S. military officer said Thursday.
“This is not a 10-year problem. It is a 50- or 60- or 70-year problem,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a lunchtime audience at the Hudson Union Society, a group that promotes nonpartisan debate.
Mullen said he was particularly disturbed by the emergence of homelessness as a problem among war veterans.
“I have started to meet with, in veterans hospitals, homeless veterans” of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. “And they are every bit as homeless and every bit as tragic as any homeless vet we’ve ever had. We as a country should not allow that to happen.”
At a White House news conference last week, President Barack Obama said that some of the funding increases in his proposed budget for veterans affairs are directed at alleviating the problem of homelessness among veterans, which he said is a bigger problem, proportionally, than is homelessness in the rest of the American population.
Mullen said he also was worried by a rising number of suicides among U.S. military members.
“The trends are all in the wrong direction,” he said, adding that “we’re just at the beginning of understanding” how to deal with the psychological wounds and scars that military members incur during combat service.
go here for more
Mullen: Suicides, homelessness trends a concern
By Robert Burns - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Apr 2, 2009 16:28:24 EDT
NEW YORK — Homelessness, family strains and psychological problems among returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will persist in the U.S. for generations to come, the top U.S. military officer said Thursday.
“This is not a 10-year problem. It is a 50- or 60- or 70-year problem,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a lunchtime audience at the Hudson Union Society, a group that promotes nonpartisan debate.
Mullen said he was particularly disturbed by the emergence of homelessness as a problem among war veterans.
“I have started to meet with, in veterans hospitals, homeless veterans” of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. “And they are every bit as homeless and every bit as tragic as any homeless vet we’ve ever had. We as a country should not allow that to happen.”
At a White House news conference last week, President Barack Obama said that some of the funding increases in his proposed budget for veterans affairs are directed at alleviating the problem of homelessness among veterans, which he said is a bigger problem, proportionally, than is homelessness in the rest of the American population.
Mullen said he also was worried by a rising number of suicides among U.S. military members.
“The trends are all in the wrong direction,” he said, adding that “we’re just at the beginning of understanding” how to deal with the psychological wounds and scars that military members incur during combat service.
go here for more
Mullen: Suicides, homelessness trends a concern
Children of Combat Veterans getting help
While there are many things parents have a hard time talking to their children about, avoiding talking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder should not be one of them.
I had the opportunity for all the knowledge I needed when our daughter was an infant. She was raised knowing "why Daddy was ......" and this prevented her from blaming herself for the way he acted. This did not prevent hurt feelings but it did minimize the damage. It did not prevent conflict but kept it from escalating. She was able to adapt to the fact Daddy didn't go with us most of the time but she was able to enjoy his company when he did come.
There are adults walking around right now, children of Vietnam veterans feeling as if their fathers did not love them, that it was their own fault for the stained relationships and they carry the wound of war within them with secondary PTSD. This comes when being exposed to the traumatic situations veterans often deliver with untreated PTSD.
Drop a glass and Dad freaked out.
Sneak up on Dad to hug him or cover his eyes, the way most kids love to do, Dad freaks out.
When Mom was out of the house and you got hurt playing the yard, you needed him to clean up your wound and,,,you guessed it, Dad freaked out.
Dad had a habit of waking you up in the middle of the night because you could hear him screaming not knowing he was having a horrific nightmare.
Dad got drunk a lot, or got high, embarrassing you in front of your friends and your parents screamed at each other most of the time.
This they carried with them the rest of their lives. It never seemed to matter what they did because nothing was ever good enough.
for more go here
Nam Guardian Angel PTSD Shield
I had the opportunity for all the knowledge I needed when our daughter was an infant. She was raised knowing "why Daddy was ......" and this prevented her from blaming herself for the way he acted. This did not prevent hurt feelings but it did minimize the damage. It did not prevent conflict but kept it from escalating. She was able to adapt to the fact Daddy didn't go with us most of the time but she was able to enjoy his company when he did come.
There are adults walking around right now, children of Vietnam veterans feeling as if their fathers did not love them, that it was their own fault for the stained relationships and they carry the wound of war within them with secondary PTSD. This comes when being exposed to the traumatic situations veterans often deliver with untreated PTSD.
Drop a glass and Dad freaked out.
Sneak up on Dad to hug him or cover his eyes, the way most kids love to do, Dad freaks out.
When Mom was out of the house and you got hurt playing the yard, you needed him to clean up your wound and,,,you guessed it, Dad freaked out.
Dad had a habit of waking you up in the middle of the night because you could hear him screaming not knowing he was having a horrific nightmare.
Dad got drunk a lot, or got high, embarrassing you in front of your friends and your parents screamed at each other most of the time.
This they carried with them the rest of their lives. It never seemed to matter what they did because nothing was ever good enough.
for more go here
Nam Guardian Angel PTSD Shield
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
William "Wild Bill" Wiley, homeless veteran killed by BMW
Homeless man ID'd as victim in fatal accident
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/Times-Herald staff writer
Posted: 03/31/2009 02:02:43 AM PDT
William "Wild Bill" Wiley, recently featured in the Times-Herald as a spokesman for local homeless people, was identified officially Monday as the pedestrian victim of an early morning Vallejo car crash.
Wiley was struck and killed by a BMW driven by a woman traveling south on Sonoma Boulevard at about 1:15 a.m. March 16, Solano County Deputy Coroner Adrian Garcia said.
"He was walking crossing Sonoma just north of Yolano, walking west, and was struck and killed by a passing motorist," Garcia said. "There was fairly poor lighting there, and the woman stopped after realizing she'd
hit something. It was deemed a freak accident."
Wiley had been featured in two recent newspaper articles about an illegal encampment in the White Slough area -- one on the encampment's environmental impact and one about the Vallejo Police Department's efforts to evict the 50 or so homeless people from the area.
go here for more
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_12035784?source=most_viewed
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/Times-Herald staff writer
Posted: 03/31/2009 02:02:43 AM PDT
William "Wild Bill" Wiley, recently featured in the Times-Herald as a spokesman for local homeless people, was identified officially Monday as the pedestrian victim of an early morning Vallejo car crash.
Wiley was struck and killed by a BMW driven by a woman traveling south on Sonoma Boulevard at about 1:15 a.m. March 16, Solano County Deputy Coroner Adrian Garcia said.
"He was walking crossing Sonoma just north of Yolano, walking west, and was struck and killed by a passing motorist," Garcia said. "There was fairly poor lighting there, and the woman stopped after realizing she'd
hit something. It was deemed a freak accident."
Wiley had been featured in two recent newspaper articles about an illegal encampment in the White Slough area -- one on the encampment's environmental impact and one about the Vallejo Police Department's efforts to evict the 50 or so homeless people from the area.
go here for more
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_12035784?source=most_viewed
Pfc. David Sharrett's family lied to about death in Iraq
Army Lied About How My Son Died in Iraq: Friendly-fire Victim Was 'Misidentified' as Enemy Gunman
Posted April 1, 2009
BY James Gordon Meek
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON - Army brass in Iraq whitewashed an incident of a soldier killed by his own lieutenant by blaming the dead hero, stonewalling his family and promoting his killer, the Daily News has learned.
The friendly-fire victim, Pfc. David Sharrett, 27, of Oakton, Va., was "misidentified" by 1stLt. Timothy Hanson as an enemy gunman during a botched night raid Jan. 16, 2008, against an Al Qaeda in Iraq stronghold north of Baghdad, the Army belatedly acknowledged.
Sharrett bled to death as his buddies searched frantically for him for 25 minutes after the firefight ended.
For four months after the Army knew the truth, it still insisted to Sharrett's father that he was killed by enemy fire - and gave only atemporary wrist slap to Hanson under pressure from the families of Sharrett and two other G.I.s killed in the clash.
After The News uncovered new video evidence and raised questions, a 101st Airborne Division general said the probe into Sharrett's death may reopen.
"The final decisions and dispositions have yet to be made," Brig. Gen. Steve Townsend said.
Sharrett's family claims top officers in the legendary "Screaming Eagles" division initially - and angrily - denied friendly fire was involved, claiming for months that insurgents killed Sharrett when his eight-man team tried to capture six suspects in a rural thicket.
go here for more
Army Lied About How My Son Died in Iraq
Posted April 1, 2009
BY James Gordon Meek
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON - Army brass in Iraq whitewashed an incident of a soldier killed by his own lieutenant by blaming the dead hero, stonewalling his family and promoting his killer, the Daily News has learned.
The friendly-fire victim, Pfc. David Sharrett, 27, of Oakton, Va., was "misidentified" by 1stLt. Timothy Hanson as an enemy gunman during a botched night raid Jan. 16, 2008, against an Al Qaeda in Iraq stronghold north of Baghdad, the Army belatedly acknowledged.
Sharrett bled to death as his buddies searched frantically for him for 25 minutes after the firefight ended.
For four months after the Army knew the truth, it still insisted to Sharrett's father that he was killed by enemy fire - and gave only atemporary wrist slap to Hanson under pressure from the families of Sharrett and two other G.I.s killed in the clash.
After The News uncovered new video evidence and raised questions, a 101st Airborne Division general said the probe into Sharrett's death may reopen.
"The final decisions and dispositions have yet to be made," Brig. Gen. Steve Townsend said.
Sharrett's family claims top officers in the legendary "Screaming Eagles" division initially - and angrily - denied friendly fire was involved, claiming for months that insurgents killed Sharrett when his eight-man team tried to capture six suspects in a rural thicket.
go here for more
Army Lied About How My Son Died in Iraq
Bond – Boxer – Lieberman Bill will Improve Treatment of Troops, Military Families
When President Obama was a Senator and running for the office, he made a promise to the family of Spc. Chris Dana and the Montana National Guard. He said if he ended up elected, he would take their PTSD program nationally. It looks like this is the start of honoring that promise. Read about Chris Dana below.
United States Senate
WASHINGTON, DC
For Immediate Release Shana Marchio - Bond: (202) 224-0309
WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2009 David Frey - Boxer: (202)224- 8120
Erika Masonhall - Lieberman: (202) 224-4041
Bond – Boxer – Lieberman Bill will Improve Treatment of Troops, Military Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Kit Bond (R-MO), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) along with a bipartisan coalition of Senators, introduced the Honoring Our Nation’s Obligations to Returning Warriors Act (HONOR) to improve treatment for our service members and veterans suffering with invisible injuries like PTSD and TBI and increase care for military families. Additional original co-sponsors of the bill include Sam Brownback (R-KS), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Arlen Specter (R-PA).
Senator Bond said, “The government pledged to provide care for our troops and veterans who served America honorably in combat and their families but to date the Pentagon’s response to the suffering of our troops returning home with ‘invisible injuries’ has been deeply disappointing. We can’t continue to wait for the Pentagon to do the right thing, Congress must act now and this bipartisan bill is a critical first step.”
Senator Boxer said, “This bipartisan bill will help ensure the best possible care for those brave individuals who incurred traumatic brain and mental injuries while serving their country. We also help provide for the loved ones of those lost to suicide. I look forward to working with Senator Bond, Senator Lieberman and my other colleagues to see this bill become law.”
Senator Lieberman said, "We have no greater obligation than to care for our wounded service members. Our troops put their lives on the line for our nation – we must fulfill our duty to provide them with the support they need to recover from mental health problems and resume normal lives. If we provide the right care at the right time, we will not only be protecting them, but making our military stronger and more effective.”
As the Senate’s leading advocates for improving the mental health care our troops receive, Bond, Boxer, and Lieberman reintroduced the HONOR Act to address the immediate needs of those suffering with invisible injuries and to make a long-term fix to the military’s mental health care system. The Senators are hopeful for swift passage and Administration support since President Obama was one of the HONOR Act’s strongest supporters in the Senate last year.
According to the RAND Institute an estimated 620,000 returning service members suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, (PTSD) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), or both. Despite this figure, which represents about 30 percent of those who have served in combat, the Pentagon’s response to the suffering of these troops and their families has been inadequate. The Senators stressed that the current military mental health system is underfunded, understaffed, and extremely difficult to navigate. Compounding this problem, there is a silent stigma on these “invisible injuries” that prevents many service members from seeking mental health treatment.
Provisions in the Bond-Boxer-Lieberman bill will:
Give active duty service members access to Vet Centers – the community-based counseling centers veterans use for mental health care services;
Extend survivor benefits to families of military personnel who commit suicide and have service-related mental health conditions, including PTSD and TBI;
Establish a scholarship for service members who have served in a combat zone to seek professional degrees in behavioral sciences to provide assistance to active and former service members afflicted with psychological mental health conditions connected with traumatic events during combat;
Create a program to employ and train combat veterans as psychiatric technicians and nurses to provide counseling for active duty service members in immediate need of treatment;
Establish an annual joint review and report on the effectiveness of re-integration programs from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.
The HONOR Act also has support from our veterans and military groups. Wayne Frost, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Military Spouses of America said the HONOR Act is “one of the necessary steps that our nation must take in order to provide for the adequate and deserved care of our active duty military personnel and veterans who have become post traumatic stress, or traumatic brain injury war casualties.”
Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said “Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is pleased to offer our support for the ‘HONOR Act’. This legislation provides incentives for retiring or separating military personnel and combat veterans to pursue an advanced degree in the behavioral health field, alleviating the shortage of mental health specialists serving our active service members and veterans.”
The Importance of the HONOR Act: Chris Dana’s Story
At 23 years old, Chris Dana returned home with the 163rd Infantry Battalion, Montana National Guard. With an Iraq combat deployment and a world of experiences behind him, Dana was ready to transition from warrior to civilian. In November 2005, he came home to the peaceful town of Helena, Montana to rejoin his family, his friends, and his old job.
Like many before him, Dana honorably served his country and returned full of pride. Nevertheless, he began to struggle with the world around him, grappling with the inescapable memories of war. Chris'
loved ones began to notice his distant behavior, a striking departure from his usual outgoing demeanor. Although Chris was never physically injured in combat and his uniform was adorned with multiple stacks of ribbons, his psychological injuries festered under the surface. One of his brothers, Matt Kuntz, said Chris seemed to be melting from the inside. His father noticed that his eyes had lost their shine, reflecting the slow withdrawal from the joys of living.
Too many of our returning warriors come home with the same obstacles and face large uphill battles. These invisible injuries manifest themselves from numerous traumatic events which are often exacerbated by the lack of effective treatment at home. Chris was no different. Struggling with Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (PTSD), he distanced himself from those closest to him, and his unit failed to reach out to him.
Today, many returning war fighters are unfamiliar with the mental and physical occupational hazards of war. In effect, military leaders struggle to grasp the toll that combat takes on the human body, and fail to reach out to their subordinates and those around them. All too often there exists an environment plagued by a stigma that punishes the returning service member for seeking help and rewarding those who "suck it up."
As a result, our Armed Forces continue to lose our most precious assets to suicide from PTSD and other psychological disorders. The spike in suicides is alarming, and the month of January 2009 solidified our worst fears. That month, suicide rates eclipsed combat fatalities from both Iraq and Afghanistan. The services have responded with audacious plans and resolute intensity to find a way to fix the suicide epidemic. A significant contributor to the inflated suicide rate is the inadequacy of mental health treatment for invisible injuries among service members, all too often compounded by a stigma that discourages seeking help. For example, in many units seeking mental health treatment is silently portrayed as a sign of weakness. One common phrase is that "our men and women knew what they were signing up for." Many cases of PTSD are never reported because service members are asphyxiated by the formidable impression of losing their job or more importantly, losing the respect of their colleagues.
Soon, Chris Dana drew further away from his family. He began screening his calls, he quit his job, and he stopped showing up at drill with the National Guard. Members of Chris' family felt that his unit failed to offer him an acceptable level of care, which ultimately pushed him further away. In the end, he was unable to be saved. Chris lost his battle to PTSD when he took his own life.
Chris' was buried with honors at a VA cemetery in his home state of Montana. The ceremony was filled with state officials, Montana National Guardsmen, and throngs of family. The National Guard honored Chris Dana's service by extending survivor benefits to his family. As a result, his brother was able to attend college and carry on the legacy his brother left behind.
Under current law, survivor benefits are not extended to former service members who commit suicide. The Honor Act introduced by Senators Bond, Boxer, Lieberman, Brownback, Grassley, McCaskill, Murkowski, Schumer, and Specter will extend survivor benefits to EVERY former service member who commits suicide and has a medical history of PTSD connected to combat. No military family should be left behind with nothing to honor and remember the legacy of their fallen loved one.
Orlando teen will walk to D.C. to help homeless children
Orlando teen will walk to D.C. to help homeless children
When 14-year-old David Ashby writes his how-I-spent-my-summer-vacation essay next fall, he's hoping that everyone from Oprah Winfrey to the nation's housing secretary will take note.
When 14-year-old David Ashby writes his how-I-spent-my-summer-vacation essay next fall, he's hoping that everyone from Oprah Winfrey to the nation's housing secretary will take note.
Two more non-combat deaths in Iraq
04/01/09 MNF: MND-N Soldier dies from non-combat related incident
A Multi-National Division - North Soldier died in a non-combat related incident in Salah ad Din province, March 31. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin and release by the Department of Defense.
03/31/09 MNF: MNF-W Marine dies in non-combat related incident
A Multi National Force – West Marine died as the result of a non-combat related incident here March 31. The Marine’s name is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification and release by the Department of Defense.
http://icasualties.org/Iraq/index.aspx
A Multi-National Division - North Soldier died in a non-combat related incident in Salah ad Din province, March 31. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin and release by the Department of Defense.
03/31/09 MNF: MNF-W Marine dies in non-combat related incident
A Multi National Force – West Marine died as the result of a non-combat related incident here March 31. The Marine’s name is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification and release by the Department of Defense.
http://icasualties.org/Iraq/index.aspx
Study links Gulf War exposures, brain changes
Study links Gulf War exposures, brain changes
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 1, 2009 12:06:55 EDT
A new study of veterans of the 1991 Gulf War suggests that exposure to neurotoxins such as anti-nerve agent pills, insect repellent and Sarin caused neurological changes to the brain.
However, brain imaging shows those changes appear to differ depending on what and how much each person was exposed to. The changes also correspond to different sets of symptoms.
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Southern Methodist University, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dallas performed digital brain scans on 21 chronically ill Gulf War veterans from the same Naval Reserve construction battalion, all of whom had symptoms of “Gulf War syndrome.”
According to a study published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging Journal, previous studies defined three categories of symptoms associated with Gulf War veterans:
• Complex 1: mild cognitive problems, such as distractibility, forgetfulness, feeling depressed, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
• Complex 2: a more debilitating state with confusion and a gross lack of muscle coordination.
• Complex 3: continuous joint and muscle aching.
go here for more
Study links Gulf War exposures, brain changes
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 1, 2009 12:06:55 EDT
A new study of veterans of the 1991 Gulf War suggests that exposure to neurotoxins such as anti-nerve agent pills, insect repellent and Sarin caused neurological changes to the brain.
However, brain imaging shows those changes appear to differ depending on what and how much each person was exposed to. The changes also correspond to different sets of symptoms.
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Southern Methodist University, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dallas performed digital brain scans on 21 chronically ill Gulf War veterans from the same Naval Reserve construction battalion, all of whom had symptoms of “Gulf War syndrome.”
According to a study published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging Journal, previous studies defined three categories of symptoms associated with Gulf War veterans:
• Complex 1: mild cognitive problems, such as distractibility, forgetfulness, feeling depressed, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
• Complex 2: a more debilitating state with confusion and a gross lack of muscle coordination.
• Complex 3: continuous joint and muscle aching.
go here for more
Study links Gulf War exposures, brain changes
The Memory War and PTSD
The Memory War
Posted by: Matthew Newton on March 30, 2009 at 8:00 am
We might be on our way out of Iraq but things are just starting to pick up in Afghanistan. With record-high number of veteran suicides and rising rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and clinical depression in every branch of the armed forces, is the nation headed for a mental-healthcare crisis?
On the eve of her discharge from the U.S. Navy, Annette Yover stood beneath a black sky watching fireworks explode in blooms of green and purple, yellow and red. It was July 4th, 2005, and the Navy was holding its annual Independence Day celebration at Carney Park, an American military recreation center in Naples, Italy. Yover had been stationed there for the last 18 months. A mortician at the nearby U.S. Naval Hospital, she was looking forward to a night of celebration with her friend. They spread out a blanket among crowds of other soldiers, and sat down to enjoy the show.
But Yover soon noticed something was wrong. As columns of fireworks spiraled into the air, each explosion more amplified than the last, her heart rate quickened and the blood drained from her face. The repetitive booms reminded her of the mortar fire she heard while forward-deployed in Kuwait, collecting human remains from the battlefront in Iraq. The smell of sulfur triggered memories of long hours spent in the Naval mortuary, mending wounds on the bodies of dead soldiers. Her chest muscles tightened, and tears welled up in her eyes. At first her crying was subdued, escaping from her mouth in short bursts. But it quickly gave way to heaving sobs, the type that take hold of the body and forcefully wring it out.
“I noticed other people looking at me,” Yover says now. “But I was the only one reacting. It was overwhelming, that sense of panic, that feeling of, ‘I need to get out of here.’”
go here for more of this
The Memory War
Posted by: Matthew Newton on March 30, 2009 at 8:00 am
We might be on our way out of Iraq but things are just starting to pick up in Afghanistan. With record-high number of veteran suicides and rising rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and clinical depression in every branch of the armed forces, is the nation headed for a mental-healthcare crisis?
On the eve of her discharge from the U.S. Navy, Annette Yover stood beneath a black sky watching fireworks explode in blooms of green and purple, yellow and red. It was July 4th, 2005, and the Navy was holding its annual Independence Day celebration at Carney Park, an American military recreation center in Naples, Italy. Yover had been stationed there for the last 18 months. A mortician at the nearby U.S. Naval Hospital, she was looking forward to a night of celebration with her friend. They spread out a blanket among crowds of other soldiers, and sat down to enjoy the show.
But Yover soon noticed something was wrong. As columns of fireworks spiraled into the air, each explosion more amplified than the last, her heart rate quickened and the blood drained from her face. The repetitive booms reminded her of the mortar fire she heard while forward-deployed in Kuwait, collecting human remains from the battlefront in Iraq. The smell of sulfur triggered memories of long hours spent in the Naval mortuary, mending wounds on the bodies of dead soldiers. Her chest muscles tightened, and tears welled up in her eyes. At first her crying was subdued, escaping from her mouth in short bursts. But it quickly gave way to heaving sobs, the type that take hold of the body and forcefully wring it out.
“I noticed other people looking at me,” Yover says now. “But I was the only one reacting. It was overwhelming, that sense of panic, that feeling of, ‘I need to get out of here.’”
go here for more of this
The Memory War
Bill would reimburse reservists for travel
Bill would reimburse reservists for travel
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Apr 1, 2009 8:27:14 EDT
Sen. Ben Nelson has introduced legislation allowing new travel reimbursements for National Guard and Reserve members.
Nelson, D-Neb., says it was inspired by 48 Nebraska National Guard soldiers who almost didn’t make it home for Christmas 2007 because of travel restrictions.
go here for more
Bill would reimburse reservists for travel
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Apr 1, 2009 8:27:14 EDT
Sen. Ben Nelson has introduced legislation allowing new travel reimbursements for National Guard and Reserve members.
Nelson, D-Neb., says it was inspired by 48 Nebraska National Guard soldiers who almost didn’t make it home for Christmas 2007 because of travel restrictions.
go here for more
Bill would reimburse reservists for travel
Phones, computer searched in 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc slaying investigation
Phones, computer searched in Wimunc slaying investigation
By Nancy McCleary
Staff writer
Investigators want to know what is on two cell phones, a computer and storage device and three cameras that belonged to Holley Wimunc, an Army nurse who was killed last summer.
Detective Jeff Locklear filed an affidavit March 20 asking for a warrant allowing him to search the items that remain in the custody of the Fayetteville Police Department, court documents say.
The warrant was granted, but it did not say what, if anything, investigators found.
Wimunc, 24, a second lieutenant, was a medical surgical nurse at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg. Police have said she was killed in her apartment on Wayah Creek Circle.
Her husband, Marine Cpl. John Patrick Wimunc, 23, who was stationed at Camp Lejeune, is charged with first-degree murder in her death.
The couple was in the process of divorcing.
go here for more
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=322588
Found on Army Times
By Nancy McCleary
Staff writer
Investigators want to know what is on two cell phones, a computer and storage device and three cameras that belonged to Holley Wimunc, an Army nurse who was killed last summer.
Detective Jeff Locklear filed an affidavit March 20 asking for a warrant allowing him to search the items that remain in the custody of the Fayetteville Police Department, court documents say.
The warrant was granted, but it did not say what, if anything, investigators found.
Wimunc, 24, a second lieutenant, was a medical surgical nurse at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg. Police have said she was killed in her apartment on Wayah Creek Circle.
Her husband, Marine Cpl. John Patrick Wimunc, 23, who was stationed at Camp Lejeune, is charged with first-degree murder in her death.
The couple was in the process of divorcing.
go here for more
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=322588
Found on Army Times
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)