Thursday, April 8, 2010

Soldier found guilty in 1985 triple slaying of his family

Soldier found guilty in 1985 triple slaying

By Kevin Maurer - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Apr 8, 2010 16:21:31 EDT

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A soldier who was acquitted in civilian court more than 20 years ago was convicted by a military jury Thursday of murdering an Air Force wife and her two children in 1985.

Master Sgt. Timothy Hennis was found guilty of three counts of premeditated murder by a jury that deliberated less than three hours following three weeks of testimony in the case.

The panel is to consider Hennis’ punishment during a sentencing hearing that starts Friday and is expected to conclude Monday. It could sentence him to death or to life in prison for the slayings of 31-year-old Kathryn Eastburn and her young daughters in their Fayetteville home.

Eastburn’s husband and surviving child hugged each other and wept after the verdict was announced. Hennis, 52, reached back and squeezed wife Angela’s hand before the decision was announced but he showed no reaction to the verdict. His wife cried.
read more here
Soldier found guilty in 1985 triple slaying

Time for Oregon to step up for returning vets

Time for Oregon to step up for returning vets
By The Oregonian Editorial Board
April 07, 2010, 5:10PMOne thing about sending soldiers to war repeatedly for more than six years is that you learn a few things about bringing them home. Oregon will need all that experience and more beginning this month, as it re-absorbs some 2,700 soldiers of the Oregon National Guard's 41st Brigade who have spent most of the last year in Iraq.

This represents the state's biggest single contribution to a war effort in 60 years, so the effort to reintegrate the brigade into Oregon's civilian life must reach into every corner of the state and extend for months -- even years.

Some needs are pressing and immediate. Veterans advocates working on the reintegration campaign they're calling "Fort Oregon" now say they believe that fully half of the soldiers in the brigade are unemployed and will need to start collecting civilian paychecks quickly. For those soldiers, the Guard is trying to assemble potential employers -- a more difficult job than usual at a time of double-digit unemployment.
And yet, they are the lucky ones. Military leadership and civilian veterans advocates are horrified by the rate of suicide among military personnel and officers. At least 301 active-duty military personnel killed themselves last year, more than were killed by other causes in Iraq or Afghanistan. It's not certain how many recent veterans took their own lives. Oregon must be prepared to think that, in every community in the state, a veteran might be lying awake, feeling unmoored, unappreciated, angry or all three.
read more here
Time for Oregon to step up for returning vets

Shinseki Emphasizes Addressing Mental Health Issues Early

Shinseki Emphasizes Addressing Mental Health Issues Early
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2010 – Close collaboration between the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, plus proactive military screening policies, are helping to identify and treat mental-health issues in returning combat veterans before they escalate into more serious, long-term problems, Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told American Forces Press Service.

Shinseki credited Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ leadership in addressing mental-health concerns early, before they spill over into the VA health care system.

“We know that if we diagnose things like [post-traumatic stress] and treat it early, people generally get better,” Shinseki said. “That’s opposed to waiting until 20 years later, when a youngster comes in and says, ‘I have a problem.’”

Nearly everyone returning from a combat deployment has at least some symptoms of post-traumatic stress, Shinseki said. The trick, he said, is to deal with it before it becomes PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder.

“If we can diagnose and treat it, you never get to the ‘d,’ the disorder,” he said. “Because that’s what causes the problem. And the disorder oftentimes sets in later, after it goes ignored and unrecognized. That’s what we are trying to get beyond.”

Shinseki called the military’s mental-health screening process a big step in the right direction.
read more here
Shinseki Emphasizes Addressing Mental Health Issues Early

5 Connecticut National Guard wounded in Afghanistan

5 Conn. soldiers injured in Afghanistan
Associated Press

April 8, 2010


HARTFORD, Conn.
The commander of the Connecticut National Guard says five soldiers have been wounded, three seriously, while on patrol Sunday in eastern Afghanistan.

Maj. Gen. Thaddeus Martin says reports indicate the soldiers were riding in a vehicle that was attacked with an improvised explosive device. He says they are all from the New Haven-based 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment.
read more here
5 Conn soldiers injured in Afghanistan

Calls To Suicide Hot Line On the Rise

Remember, this is not just a suicide prevention line. It's a lifeline when you are in crisis too.

Calls To Suicide Hot Line On the Rise
More Veterans Seeking Help By Calling Hot Line

ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- New Mexico Department of Veteran's Services Dr. Brenda Mayne said that calls to the suicide hot line have been non-stop.

"People are calling just for support right then and there because of a bad nightmare or a flashback, something related to their service, and they want someone who understands to listen," said Mayne.

Statistics show the need for that support has risen in the past three months.

According to the New Mexico VA hospital, for all of 2009 they received about 2,000 calls. From January to March of this year, the hot line has already received 2,000 calls.
read more here
http://www.koat.com/news/23085091/detail.html

Jacksonville Police need help finding killer of veteran Marine

Marine veteran, 50, killed in gas station attack
The Associated Press
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Police in Jacksonville are searching for a masked gunman who attacked and killed a Marine veteran as he was pumping gas.

Authorities say Gregory Eugene Chisholm struggled with a man attempting to rob him at a BP station about 2:30 a.m. on Monday. The gunman shot Chisholm and ran from the scene.

Chisholm was pronounced dead at the scene.

Chisholm's family says he entered the Marines after graduating from high school. He served for four years before being discharged and spent another four years in the Marine Reserves.

Anyone with information is asked to contact First Coast Crime Stoppers at 866-845-8477.



Read more: Marine veteran killed in gas station attack

2,000 Facebook users comfort fallen Marine's family

Austin News
Memories, friends comfort Rochester Marine's family
4/7/2010 9:54:02 AM
Comments (0)
By Matt Russell
The Post-Bulletin, Austin MN

After getting support from more than 2,000 people on Facebook in recent days, the family of a Rochester Marine killed in Afghanistan last week say they are overwhelmed by kind words from friends, family and people they've never met.

"It's mind-boggling," said Kay Swenson, the mother of Lance Cpl. Curtis M. Swenson, 20, a 2007 Mayo High School graduate. "It's really been a comfort."

Swenson's family returned to Rochester on Monday night from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where they attended a ceremony marking the return of the soldier's body to American soil. Swenson is the 1,037th American solider to die in Afghanistan since 2001, according to icasualties.org, a site that tracks coalition deaths.

"It was devastating," Swenson's father, Dave, said Tuesday as he recalled the experience of seeing his son's flag-draped coffin., when a black SUV parked in the driveway of their southeast Rochester home and two Marines got out.

Dave Swenson recalls standing frozen with his hands in a questioning gesture as they approached. No words needed to be spoken, he said, for him to realize his son had passed away.
read more here
Memories, friends comfort Rochester Marine family

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

VA IT Improves Quality of Health Care While

VA Health Information Technology Improves Quality of Health Care While
Reducing Costs

WASHINGTON (April 7, 2010) - The Department of Veterans Affairs has
shown that health information technology provides improved quality of
health care and substantial cost savings, according to a study in the
public health journal Health Affairs. The use of technology lowered
costs while producing improvements in quality, safety and patient
satisfaction.

"VA has seen its investment in health information technology pay off for
Veterans and taxpayers for many years, and this study provides positive
evidence for this correlation," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric
K. Shinseki. "The benefits have exceeded costs, proving that the
implementation of secure, efficient systems of electronic records is a
good idea for all our citizens."

The study, which covered a 10-year period between 1997 and 2007, found
that VA's health IT investment during the period was $4 billion, while
savings were more than $7 billion. The authors noted that most of the
savings are in areas that also improve quality, safety and patient
satisfaction.

More than 86 percent of the savings were due to eliminating duplicated
tests and reducing medical errors. The rest of the savings came from
lower operating expenses and reduced workload. The authors further
noted that these were conservative estimates of net value, based on
available literature and published studies.

VA has also begun piloting health record exchanges with the Department
of Defense and private-sector providers. These programs are paving the
way for the seamless, lifetime exchange of the health care records of
Veterans, regardless of where they live.

VA has been using health IT systems for more than 20 years to improve
medical outcomes and efficiency in delivering care. The use has grown
to support the full range of patient care, including computerized
patient records, bar-coded medications, radiological imaging, and
laboratory and medication ordering.

The study looked at the success in meeting clinical guidelines through
the use of electronic health records and computerized physician alerts.
Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, which impacts about 25 percent of VA
patients, was a focus of the study. VA patients with diabetes had
better glucose testing compliance and control, more controlled
cholesterol, and more timely retinal exams compared to Medicare's
private-sector benchmark. Retinal damage can be caused by diabetes. VA
averaged about 15 percentage points higher than the private sector on
preventive care for patients with diabetes.

The study authors are associated with the Center for Information
Technology Leadership, a research organization in Charlestown, Mass.,
which is focused on guiding the health care community in making informed
strategic IT investment decisions.

The study is available on the Internet at
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/29/4/629

Make-A-Wish helps soldier's brother get to Germany

Teenager gets his ‘wish’: Time with his soldier brother on the flightline in Germany
Cresencio Santos’ greatest wish was to see his older brother in Germany. Kevin Colindres, 20, an Army private with the 8th Medical Logistics Company at Miesau Army Depot, is a father figure to his younger brother, since both grew up without a dad around. Cresencio, 15, who goes by “Chris,” got his wish and much more, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

click link for more

Veterans for Common Sense to have answers on how to "Fix VA"

VCS Public Advocacy in Action: VCS to Hold Press Conference Friday, April 9
Written by VCS
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 07:36
Veteran Advocacy Group to Announce New Program to Fix VA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bill Morgan, Veterans for Common Sense
Contact@veteransforcommonsense.org


On April 9, Veterans for Common Sense (VCS) will be joined by Congressman Bob Filner to host a press conference to announce a new program, “Fix VA,” to reform the Veterans Affairs Department (VA). When: Friday, April 9, 2010 – 10:30 a.m. (press should arrive by 10:15 a.m.)
Where: The Westgate Hotel, 1055 Second Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101


Who: Veterans for Common Sense Executive Director, Paul Sullivan, a Gulf War Veteran and a former VA analyst: For 18 years, Paul Sullivan has been dedicated to ensuring that Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans get healthcare and disability benefits they earned and deserve. Veterans for Common Sense uses the government’s own data through the Freedom of Information Act to expose the real human costs of the conflicts.


In 2007, Paul worked behind the scenes to help journalists break stories about the dramatic increase in suicides and other mental health problems plaguing returning veterans. His organization publicly fought the VA to force the release of documents indicating the reality of the long-term health issues faced by U.S. veterans, including recent appearances on “60 Minutes,” and CNN.


Congressman Bob Filner, the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, who is meeting with Veterans for Common Sense and other veterans organizations in San Diego on the morning of the 9th, will attend the press conference and make comments.
What:
• The launch of the new VCS program, “Fix VA” and new http://www.fixva.org/ website.
• Information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act showing the current human costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
• A set of practical, implementable solutions for fixing the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), the VA agency responsible for processing disability benefit claims.
Veterans for Common Sense is a non-profit based in Washington, DC providing advocacy for veterans. Founded in 2002 by Gulf War veterans, VCS testifies regularly before Congress about veterans’ healthcare and disability benefits. For more information about VCS, please visit our web site: http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/undefined

50 years after he was chained and set afire, WWI veteran is honored

50 years after he was chained and set afire, WWI veteran is honored
By Wayne Drash, CNN
April 7, 2010 10:01 a.m. EDT

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Isadore Banks gets military honors 90 years after he served nation in World War I
Banks was chained to a tree and set on fire in June 1954
His case is one of the nation's oldest unsolved civil rights killings
"This has been a long time coming," a granddaughter said
Marion, Arkansas (CNN) -- A traditional three-shot volley salute and the solemn sound of taps echoed across the black cemetery in the Delta flatlands of Arkansas, just across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee.

The military honors were followed by the jubilant singing of "Amazing Grace." The service had been five decades in the making.

Everyone was here to honor Isadore Banks, an African-American veteran of World War I who was chained to a tree in June 1954, doused in gasoline and burned beyond recognition.

The slaying -- a year before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to whites on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama -- remains one of the nation's oldest unsolved civil rights cases.

"This has been a long time coming," said Marcelina Williams, a granddaughter who worked with the Army to arrange Monday's ceremony after she found her grandfather's military records. "Bless our country with freedom and righteousness."
read more here
50 years after he was chained and set afire WWI veteran is honored

Joblessness hits male vets of current wars

Since December, the rates have been reported a lot higher for young veterans and how they return without jobs. Some can't find work because of the economy. Some can't work because of what combat hit them with. Whatever the reason, it seems as if they do not just suffer when they are risking their lives. They suffer after because they risked their lives.

Saturday, December 12, 2009
Unemployment for young vets surpasses 20%

Friday, March 12, 2010
Young Iraq and Afghanistan veterans hit 21.1 percent unemployed

Friday, April 2, 2010
One in three young vets now unemployed


One in three young vets now unemployed

By Rick Maze - Staff writer

Posted : Friday Apr 2, 2010 15:12:51 EDT
Disturbing new statistics from the Labor Department show that one in three veterans under age 24 is unemployed — and that the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans has jumped to 14.7 percent, half again as high as the national employment rate of 9.7 percent.The March unemployment rate of 30.2 percent for veterans aged 18 to 24 is a big jump from February’s figure of 21.7 percent, although it may be partly the result of a small sample used by the Labor Department in determining unemployment, said Justin Brown, a labor expert for Veterans of Foreign Wars. (Click links above for the rest of these.)





Joblessness hits male vets of current wars

By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Unemployment for male Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans has tripled since the recession began, rising from 5% in March 2007 to 15% last month, Labor Department statistics show.

More than 250,000 of these veterans were unemployed last month. An additional 400,000 have left the workforce to attend college or raise children, or because they have stopped trying to find a job, Labor Department economist Jim Walker says. The overall national unemployment rate is 9.7%.

"It makes you almost want to go out and rip off all the 'Support Your Troops' bumper stickers," says Joe Davis, a spokesman for the 1.5-million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars. "If you want to support your troops, give them a job."


Reasons behind the joblessness:

•Veterans are having a difficult time translating military skills — initiative, leadership and coolness under pressure — into job-application language that civilian employers can grasp, says Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. She has been meeting with unemployed veterans while on recess from Congress.

"These guys are disciplined. They're great workers, and we should be getting them jobs," says Murray, who is sponsoring legislation to improve résumé training, expand the G.I. Bill to include apprenticeship programs and assist veterans starting small businesses.
read more here
http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2010-04-06-vets_N.htm

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Madigan hospital expands PTSD screening to 12,000

Madigan hospital expands PTSD screening

By Scott Fontaine - The News Tribune
Posted : Tuesday Apr 6, 2010 10:21:58 EDT

TACOMA, Wash. — As some 12,000 soldiers from three Stryker brigades return to Joint Base Lewis-McChord from war this year, Madigan Army Medical Center will temporarily expand its staff and implement new screening programs to catch mental health issues.

Hospital staff will pay special attention to 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, which has lost a reported 35 soldiers and has seen frequent combat since it deployed to southern Afghanistan last July.

"It's no surprise the Army is searching for the right answer for this: How do you take care of soldiers and families during this whole cycle?" said Col. Mark Thompson, the hospital's deputy commander for clinical services.

Before each brigade returns to Lewis-McChord, platoon leaders and platoon sergeants will complete a questionnaire on each soldier that looks for potential mental health concerns.
read more here
Madigan hospital expands PTSD screening

Iraq war veteran gets probation, treatment

This is what can happen when justice is not blind. This is what happens when the courts understand that you cannot suddenly become someone willing to die for the sake of this nation into a regular "criminal" without cause. It is not a "get out of jail free card" but considers that there could be a chance to help a veteran recover from what happened to them. It's a chance.

Iraq war veteran gets probation, treatment
By Kathleen Kreller - kkreller@idahostatesman.com
Published: 04/05/10

If veteran George Nickel complies with strict requirements and supervision from Fourth District Judge Deborah Bail, he's spent his last night in jail.

Nickel, 38, will on Tuesday enter weeks of residential treatment for alcohol abuse and post traumatic stress disorder at the Veteran's Administration hospital in Boise.

Nickel has been in the Ada County Jail since a July incident when he pointed a gun at police after firing shots into neighbors' apartments.

Nickel has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Nickel was of 100 Idaho Army Reservists with the 321st Engineer Battalion who spent a year in Iraq hunting and disarming roadside bombs. He was the only man in a group of four to survive the explosion of a roadside bomb.

Police say Nickel was looking for his dog in his apartment building July 28 when he used an AR-15 rifle to try to shoot the locks off two different doors.



Read more: Iraq war veteran gets probation, treatment

Is the DOD just renaming same kind of failures?

I've been reading, and reading, and reading about different programs the Army claims will work better than the other programs they've had. What I'm not reading is that they have learned anything new. This all boils down to just one more program that will replace another program that didn't work. When the DOD comes up with any kind of understanding of why some end up with PTSD and why some don't that's when I'll have some kind of hope for the soldiers. Until that day comes, plan on the numbers for PTSD go up every year along with attempted suicides and suicides. Too many years as these numbers rise but to this day, they have not shown they understand PTSD any better than they did after Vietnam. Who is in charge over these programs anyway? You can call a cat a "dog" all you want but at the end of the day, the cat will still meow instead of bark and instead of warming your feet, he'll bite them.

No waiting: New Army program puts rescue before the crisis

Enemy fire isn't the only occupational hazard of military service. Whether it's one deployment or four, those who fight face an elevated risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide and a host of other disruptions to their lives.

This week the Army deployed another weapon against one of the biggest adversaries - stress. It's called Master Resilience Training.

The program, initiated at Fort Jackson, S.C., focuses on helping soldiers maintain psychological as well as physical health, rather than on treating those who have already been tripped up or knocked down.

The emphasis is on positive thinking, but the training isn't an endless recitation of Norman Vincent Peale's greatest one-liners. In fact, it isn't the rank and file who will be trained at Fort Jackson. These "trainees" will be sergeants and young officers taught to mentor soldiers both before and during deployments.
read more here
http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2010/04/06/988889

Families of 25 killed in West Virginia mine blast need your prayers

Please pray for the 4 others still missing as well.

25 killed in West Virginia mine blast
By the CNN Wire Staff
April 6, 2010 6:52 a.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Death toll stands at 25
Four miners remain unaccounted for
Rescue efforts suspended due to hazardous conditions underground
Officials think some of the trapped miners may have breathing devices
Montcoal, West Virginia (CNN) -- The death toll from the massive explosion at a sprawling coal mine in West Virginia rose to 25 early Tuesday, making it the deadliest U.S. mining disaster in 25 years.

Crews halted their efforts to reach four miners still unaccounted for at the Upper Big Branch Mine following the blast Monday afternoon.

Concentrations of methane and carbon monoxide inside the mine made it a safety risk for crews to proceed, said Kevin Stricklin of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration at a 2 a.m. briefing to reporters.

Officials planned to drill bore holes from the surface 1,200 feet into the mines to help ventilate it and to collect samples. However, they will first have to use bulldozers to clear a path to reach the part of the mine where they can drill.
read more here
25 killed in West Virginia mine blast

Monday, April 5, 2010

Deadlines, Dismissals and Disabled Veterans

The following is a great example of what is really going on. In the cases of veterans with "mental" problems, the vast majority are harder than hell to get to seek help. Then there is the issue of expecting them to be able to fight the system to have their claims approved at the same time they are expected to make doctors appointments and show up for the testing that has to be done. Should they make a mistake on their claim because they cannot really understand it, then their claim gets turned down. They have to file an appeal within a certain amount of time and should they dare not do it in time, they lose retroactive pay if and when their claim is finally approved.

Some veterans have a family member helping them, standing by them and doing the Lord's work taking care of them. (Most of the time it takes a Saint to do all that comes with this.) That is in a perfect world however, the majority of the veterans have no one to fight for them. Families surely love them but they have no ability to understand what's going on and they trust the system, so they assume the VA is right and their family member is looking for excuses to act the way they do. These rules are abusive to the veterans.

“It is the veteran who incurs the most devastating service-connected injury who will often be the least able to comply with rigidly enforced filing deadlines,” Judge Mayer wrote.



Deadlines, Dismissals and Disabled Veterans
By ADAM LIPTAK
Published: April 5, 2010
Three years ago, the Supreme Court said there are some filing deadlines so rigid that no excuse for missing them counts, even if the tardiness was caused by the erroneous instructions from a federal judge.

The vote was 5 to 4, and Justice David H. Souter wrote a furious dissent. “It is intolerable for the judicial system to treat people this way,” he said, adding that he feared the decision would have pernicious consequences.

He had no idea.

The court’s decision concerned a convicted murderer who had beaten a man to death. But now it is being applied to bar claims from disabled veterans who fumble filing procedures and miss deadlines in seeking help from the government. The upshot, according to a dissent in December from three judges on a federal appeals court in Washington, is “a Kafkaesque adjudicatory process in which those veterans who are most deserving of service-connected benefits will frequently be those least likely to obtain them.”

The Supreme Court will soon consider whether to hear an appeal from David L. Henderson, who was discharged from the military in 1952 after receiving a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. He sought additional government help for his condition in 2001, and he was turned down in 2004.

read more here

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/us/06bar.html

Body of LAPD SWAT officer and Marine reservist returns home


U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Major Robert J. Cottle (left) and Lance Cpl. Rick Centanni, both from Yorba Linda, were killed March 24 in Afghanistan. (Courtesy Rick Centanni Memorial Fund)




Second OC Marine’s body returns home
By Staff, City News Service
Monday, April 5, 2010



LOS ALAMITOS — The body of LAPD SWAT officer and Marine reservist Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Cottle, who was killed March 24 in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, arrived at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base today.

Cottle, 45, who leaves behind a wife and a 9-month-old daughter, died alongside a fellow Southern California Marine, Lance Cpl. Rick J. Centanni, a 19-year-old light armored vehicle driver from Yorba Linda. Centanni, whose body arrived at Los Alamitos Friday, would have turned 20 on Saturday.

A large contingent of Marines and LAPD personnel were on hand at Los Alamitos as Cottle’s flag-draped coffin arrived at the base.



Read more: Second OC Marines body returns home

Dog eats police car and goes to doggie jail

Police-Car-Eating Dog Is Back Home -- But On Probation
by Helena Sung
A dog in Tennessee who chewed up a police car and landed in doggie jail, has been released and is back at home with his family after nearly two weeks in the custody of the local animal control shelter, reports the Chattanooga Times Free Press. The Chattanooga Police Department released astonishing video of Winston, a pit-bull mix, on his vehicle-chomping spree, flattening tires and ripping the fiberglass cover off a police-car fender.

"I try not to watch the video," Winston's chagrined owner, Nancy Emerling, tells Paw Nation. Cited for owning a "potentially dangerous dog," Emerling was ordered to appear in court.

Last month, Winston had initially started chewing the tire of a police car, and, when the officer got out and sprayed the dog with pepper spray, Winston moved on to front bumper. Even a Taser didn't stop him. The tires of a second patrol car, as well as the tires of two cars trying to pass through the area, also succumbed to Winston's powerful jaws.
read more here

Police-Car-Eating Dog Is Back Home

Is it time for VA Home Refinancing

Never a Better Time for VA Home Refinancing, says Mortgage Investors Corporation
With rates at record lows, veterans can enjoy government-guaranteed assistance at home.
(PRNewsChannel) / March 29, 2010 / Washington, D.C. / At a time when home foreclosures dominate the day’s headlines, Mortgage Investors Corporation wants veterans to know they’ve got their backs.
Mortgage Investors Corporation says the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs offers veterans and soldiers on active duty a VA home loan program—one that enables military personnel to refinance a home. Known as a VA Streamline Home Loan Refinance, the program also benefits spouses of those veterans and active soldiers.

While the government does not act as a lender, the Veterans Administration guarantees the money loaned through VA-approved lenders like Mortgage Investors Corporation in St. Petersburg, Fla. Veterans receive the (no hassle) benefit and a lower interest rate.

Mortgage Investors Corporation remains one of the nation’s largest VA loan providers, and has a reputation of helping veterans transition from serving their country to living in it comfortably. Mortgage Investors Corporation assists veterans with refinancing a VA loan and saving hundreds of dollars on monthly payments.

The Dept. of Veterans Affairs’ Loan Guaranty program does not impose a maximum amount an eligible veteran may borrow. Certain county limits, however, are used to calculate VA’s maximum guaranty amount. For example, this year’s VA limit for Pinellas County, Fla. is $425,000, while the District of Columbia is $768,750 and in some locations over $1-million.

“The VA makes sure these brave men and women shouldn’t have to worry about how to pay for their homes once they return to the United States,” says William Edwards, chairman and chief executive officer of Mortgage Investors Corporation. “We guarantee them the best deal when refinancing a VA loan.”

For more information about VA refinancing options available from Mortgage Investors Corporation, please visit: www.mortgageinvestors.com or phone 1–800–891–6678.

Asbestos and toxic exposure risk low for troops in Haiti

Burn pits and contaminants in the water of Iraq were also not supposed to be a problem, just as Agent Orange use in Vietnam. Is this one more problem that will arise years later for the troops?

Toxic exposure risk low for troops in Haiti
Officials say samples show contaminants below hazard levels
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Sunday, April 4, 2010

Air, water and soil samples taken from places where U.S. troops have been operating in Haiti do not contain high levels of toxic substances, according to the U.S. Southern Command.

The U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine tested the hundreds of samples for some 200 contaminants, including silica and asbestos.

“Everything we have been able to analyze so far has not presented a risk that is expected to be long-term, short-term or one we can’t mitigate,” said Lt. Col. Eric Milstrey, SOUTHCOM’s public health officer.

Teams from the Army, Air Force and Navy collected the samples from sites where U.S. military personnel have worked in Haiti since January’s deadly earthquake. Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, who provided security for earthquake rubble removal in Port-au-Prince, have reported sore throats and coughing that they blame on dust inhaled on the job.


The Army’s preliminary results suggest that asbestos levels found in dust from the Haiti earthquake are low enough that it would have been safe for soldiers to work without masks. The only place where a significant quantity of asbestos was detected in Haiti was at an AIDS clinic used by the U.S. Public Health Service, where an asbestos ceiling tile was discovered, Milstrey said.

Furthermore, testing of 14 wells used to supply shower water to troops in Haiti turned up quite a few contaminants, including harmful bacteria, that could be a health risk if the water was untreated, Milstrey said.

read more here

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=69140

Air Force captain dies after damaged tire explodes in her lap

Air Force captain dies after damaged tire explodes in her lap
By Geoff Ziezulewicz, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Saturday, April 3, 2010
RAF MILDENHALL, England — An England-based Air Force officer died Thursday from injuries sustained last week when a damaged car tire exploded in her lap during a trip to Scotland.

Capt. Jenna Wilcox, and her husband, Capt. Scott Wilcox, pulled into a garage at about 6 p.m. March 27 in Dalkeith, just outside of Edinburgh, after changing a tire on their BMW Z3 approximately 100 miles earlier, according to Inspector David Muir, a spokesman for the Lothian and Borders police in Scotland.

Jenna Wilcox was in the passenger seat and had the damaged tire on her lap when it suddenly exploded, blowing out the car’s windows and roof, he said.

She was taken to Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, where she succumbed to her injuries Thursday, Muir said. She was 27.
read more here
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=69121

Vietnam-era photo hanging in a cafe unearths memories

Vietnam-era photo hanging in a cafe unearths memories, emotions
By Chris Vaughn, McClatchy Newspapers
Stars and Stripes online edition, Sunday, April 4, 2010



FORT WORTH, Texas — War has a way of surfacing at the most improbable times and unlikely places.

The hostess and waitresses at the West Side Cafe can attest.

Not long ago, on an ordinary, crowded Thursday morning, a man visiting from Ohio came in for a plate of bacon and eggs, saw a photo on the wall and dissolved into tears, unable to speak.

The small portrait, just a few steps from the cash register, was of Army Sgt. John E. Miller, a man he had fought to save in a battle in South Vietnam nearly 44 years ago.

Within the span of a few minutes, Galen Taylor's spring break visit to Fort Worth had transformed from seeing the kids and grandkids to reuniting with Miller's family. The process unearthed distant memories and raw emotions — not all of them exactly welcome.
read more here

Vietnam era photo hanging in a cafe unearths memories

Killing somebody in combat more likely produce PTSD symptoms

Of nearly 2,800 soldiers surveyed, 40 percent reported killing or being responsible for somebody’s death in Iraq.

“Those who acknowledged killing somebody in combat were more likely to have PTSD symptoms, anger, relationship problems,” said Maguen, a staff psychologist at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.


Study finds troops risk emotional toll for taking enemy life in combat
By Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today
European edition, Sunday, April 4, 2010
WASHINGTON — Army Capt. Grant Speakes had lived through the worst the Iraq war has unleashed: He had heard the screams of a soldier burned to death in a roadside bomb strike, stanched the bleeding of a soldier cut down by a sniper and killed an insurgent himself. He returned home haunted by the memories.

While riding in cars, he jumped when other vehicles pulled next to his. He drank too much. One night at his parents’ home, his father, retired Lt. Gen. Stephen Speakes, found his son sitting awake at 2 a.m., rocking back and forth alone in a chair.
One night he finally crumbled.

“My dad had been calling, leaving messages asking why I didn’t return his phone calls,” Grant Speakes said. “I just broke down and told him all the stuff I was dealing with. I was crying outside Hooters on the phone in Killeen, Texas. That was a low point for me.”

Soldiers such as Grant Speakes, who say they killed enemy troops in combat, are at greater risk of suffering combat stress and having emotional problems, a new study shows.

read more here
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=69149

Sunday, April 4, 2010

New school at Fort Jackson to aid in fighting stress

New school at Jackson to aid in fighting stress

By Susanne M. Schafer - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Apr 4, 2010 12:00:54 EDT

FORT JACKSON, S.C. — Army officials are hoping to better arm soldiers to fight the stress that comes from repeated deployment to war zones in an effort to stem record suicide rates.

The military branch on Monday plans to officially open a new school aimed at teaching soldiers how to think positively to help deal with emotional, social and psychological stress. The work being done at Fort Jackson, the Army’s largest training base, has been offered in some trial courses already.

“It helps you deal with the bruises, the bumps, ways to cope with adversity,” said Staff Sgt. Jose Sixtos, a 29-year-old from Tanasket, Wash., who has served for nine years. “It gives you some better models, some ways to cope with the grim stuff in your life.”

The school will train sergeants and young officers who mentor other soldiers during training and deployments. Those superiors will work with soldiers informally, passing on the tips and techniques they learn in the classroom, participants said.
read more here
New school at Jackson to aid in fighting stress

AZ Senate hopeful accused of faking his military past

AZ Senate hopeful accused of faking his military past
Arizona Daily Star

A Vietnam veteran and state Senate hopeful from Tucson is being accused of embellishing his service record by a national group that exposes military fakes.

J.D. "Duke" Schechter, 63, is trying to collect enough signatures to run as the Republican candidate in Legislative District 27. He has been besieged for weeks on his Facebook page by critics who have dubbed him "the Milli Vanilli of the Marine Corps," a nod to the lip-synching 1990 Grammy winners.

Schechter ran for state House of Representatives in the same district in 2008 and captured more than 10,000 votes - about 17 percent of ballots cast by voters on Tucson's West side.

A copy of his military service record, obtained by the Star under the Freedom of Information Act, shows that Schechter, who calls himself a Marine sergeant, was in fact discharged as a lance corporal, two ranks lower.

Schechter, who served from 1966 to 1970, said he feels entitled to use the higher rank because he briefly was a sergeant before being demoted - twice - for misconduct.


They include claims that he posed as a recipient of the Silver Star - the nation's third-highest award for combat valor - and of five Purple Hearts. He didn't earn any of those honors, his service record shows.

A photograph of Schechter, which he posted on several Web sites including Classmates.com, a high school reunion site, shows him wearing a white waistcoat with several rows of medal ribbons on his chest.

read more here

AZ Senate hopeful accused of faking his military past
Arizona Daily Star

Dr. Todd Hatch wants other doctors to step up for OEF and OIF veterans

Local doctor has a plan to help the VA treat America's vets -- for free

by Kevin Reece / 11 News

Posted on April 2, 2010


HOUSTON—The Veterans Administration more than has its hands full when it comes to caring for aging and injured veterans.

Even under the best of circumstances, they have millions of patients to care for each year.

But a Houston-area doctor has a plan – he wants the rest of the medical community to step in and do their part.

John Thompson is one of those veterans. He makes monthly visits to Dr. Todd Hatch for neck, back and foot pain.

That pain started on the other side of the world, when Thompson spent a year with the Army in Iraq.

Thompson’s supply convoys criss-crossed the country, and day-to-day life was mostly uneventful. But even though he was never injured in battle, the wear and tear of being on the road led to back problems.

When he came home, he initially sought help at the Houston VA.

"They, uh, you know, threw some medicine at me and said, ‘Here you go. This will take care of it.’ But over time, it progressively got worse, and I really didn’t know where to go," Thompson said.

That is, until he drove past the readerboard at Sunrise Chiropractic, where Dr. Hatch Works, and saw that Iraq and Afghan war vets could get help there – for free.

"They have a lot of pride, and they don’t want to ask for help. But they’ll take help if it’s offered," Hatch said.

Hatch began offering that help, because soldiers told him the VA often can’t.

"The government cannot take care of all these soldiers. There’s no way they can meet all their needs. So I think it’s time for the citizens to step up, say what we can do for our own people," Hatch said.
read more here
Local doctor has a plan to help the VA

also

Wounded Warriors Volunteer Association Web site
MISSION STATEMENT



The Wounded Warrior Volunteer Association (WWVA) recognizes and appreciates the willingness of our veterans, active duty and reservists to serve and protect. While the United States government attempts to meet the health care needs of those brave men and women there are times that some of those needs are not meet. Additionally we are concerned about those warriors that did not sustain injuries that “qualified” them for health care under such programs, warriors that have been “released” from such programs and those warriors that have given up on seeking care through such programs due to the extenuating bureaucracy involved. The primary mission of the Wounded Warriors Volunteer Association (WWVA) is to connect Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with healthcare providers and services who agree to provide quality care at no cost to the warrior. Some providers may also elect to offer the same benefit to the warrior’s spouse or primary care giver.

"Where Honor Lives" until nursing home veterans are abused

Elder abuse investigations linger in incidents at state veterans home

11:55 PM CDT on Saturday, April 3, 2010
By JAMES DREW / The Dallas Morning News
jdrew@dallasnews.com

BIG SPRING, Texas – The Veterans Land Board promotes its seven state-owned veterans homes with a glossy brochure titled "Where Honor Lives."

But there was nothing honorable about what allegedly happened to World War II Navy veteran John Harris in the final months of his life in 2007 at the Lamun-Lusk-Sanchez State Veterans Home in Big Spring.

A certified nurse aide said she saw a co-worker grab the 97-year-old from his wheelchair and slam him into his bed. Harris, suffering from Alzheimer's disease, was taken to the hospital that night when he complained of hip pain, according to a state inspection report.

That same year, another employee at the home was accused of punching and trying to choke Albert Teague, 84, a Marine who fought at Iwo Jima.
go here for more
Investigations linger in incidents at state veterans home

Service dogs help ease veterans' postwar pain

Service dogs help ease veterans' postwar pain
Government to test how dogs can help troops cope with post-traumatic stress disorder.

By Janie Lorber
THE NEW YORK TIMES

Published: 11:00 p.m. Saturday, April 3, 2010


WASHINGTON — Just weeks after Chris Goehner, 25, an Iraq war veteran, got a dog, he was able to cut in half the dose of anxiety and sleep medications he took for post-traumatic stress disorder. The night terrors and suicidal thoughts that kept him awake for days on end ceased.

Aaron Ellis, 29, another Iraq veteran with the stress disorder, scrapped his medications entirely soon after getting a dog — and set foot in a grocery store for the first time in three years.

The dogs to whom they credit their improved health are psychiatric service dogs specially trained to help traumatized veterans leave the battlefield behind as they reintegrate into society.

Because of stories like these, the federal government is spending several million dollars to study whether scientific research supports anecdotal reports that the dogs might speed recovery from the psychological wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In dozens of interviews, veterans and their therapists reported drastic reductions in post-traumatic stress symptoms and in reliance on medication after receiving a service dog.
read more here
Service dogs help ease veterans postwar pain

Hundreds honor wounded Marine

Hundreds honor wounded Marine
Sunday, April 04, 2010
By MICHAEL McAULIFFE
mmcauliffe@repub.com
HOLYOKE - In big letters, on a queen-sized bed sheet, was spray-painted the message Dennis S. Marini and his 12-year-old daughter, Kylie Kuhn, wanted Joshua J. Bouchard to see Saturday afternoon: "Welcome Home Josh! We Love You."

Hundreds of people who gathered along Beech Street and in the parking lot of the Anne H. McHugh Educational Center appeared to feel the same way.

The throng, which included Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray, were there to honor the 27-year-old Bouchard, a Marine Corps sergeant who had lost his left leg, broken his right arm, and had part of his spine crushed in an explosion in Afghanistan in July.
read more here
Hundreds honor wounded Marine

A Marine's father fights on for his son

A Marine's father fights on for his son
He took case to highest court after Kan. church protested at funeral

By Tricia Bishop tricia.bishop@baltsun.com

April 4, 2010


YORK, Pa. — - Albert Snyder is a soft, bear of a man - more teddy than grizzly - with thinning hair, a trim goatee and tired eyes. He has a folksy, polite manner and speaks with the gentle tone and tempo of a storyteller.

But if you mess with his family, he turns fierce. You can see the change whenever the Westboro Baptists of Topeka, Kan., are mentioned. They messed with his son in what he considers an unimaginable way.

"You don't go after one of my kids," Snyder said from his lawyer's office in York, Pa.

Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, 20, was killed in a Humvee accident in Iraq on March 3, 2006. A week later, church members stood outside his funeral at St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Westminster waving signs that said "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags" while mourners grieved inside. Later, they posted a diatribe on their Web site claiming that Matthew's divorced parents raised him "to commit adultery" and to support "satanic Catholicism."

The Westboro church members had never met Matthew, who wasn't gay, nor his family. Yet seven of them - adults and children - traveled 1,100 miles across a half-dozen states to celebrate the young Marine's death as part of their anti-gay gospel aimed at the military. They contended that the protest was directed not at Snyder but at the U.S. government and its tolerance of homosexuality and gays in the military.

Snyder sued Westboro Baptist Church and its leaders in Baltimore federal court a few months after Matthew died, contending that they invaded his privacy and intentionally inflicted emotional distress. He testified that the defendants placed a "bug" in his head so that he could no longer think of his son without thinking of them and their signs.

The trial, too, took its toll, wearing on him physically and emotionally as he relived his son's death each day.

Snyder won a multimillion-dollar jury verdict, with the judge calling Westboro's actions "outrageous" and "highly offensive," but an appeals court reversed it. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case during its fall term, vaulting Snyder's personal fight onto a national stage.

He appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" last week, and taped an episode with MSNBC's Chris Matthews the week before. On Tuesday, shortly after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that Snyder would have to pay some costs of Westboro's appeals, Bill O'Reilly of Fox News pledged to pay the $16,000 bill.

Snyder's lawyers have become part-time publicity agents and celebrities. And military families across the country consider Snyder - a man who never wanted his son to be a soldier - a champion for basic human decency.

read more here
A Marine's father fights on for his son
A Marine father fights on for his son

Rolling away the stone

Was I worth dying for? Today as Christians around the world take time to honor the day Christ surrendered His life on the cross, many will attend church wondering if they were worth dying for. Good Friday, the day Christ was nailed to the cross is a time for reflection on our own lives. Then there is Easter, Pascha, the day we celebrate our new life, redeemed from sin.

It is mostly forgotten about during the rest of the year that Christ forgave the people calling for His execution with His last few breaths. Imagine what that must have been like for the people who were screaming "Crucify Him!" to hear those words from Him. Did they regret what they did? When the temple curtain was torn, did they understand? Did they understand when the ground beneath their feet shook or when the sky turned dark? What did they do the day after? How did this change them? Did they even understand what happened a few days later when the tomb was empty?

Christ had a choice to lay down His life or walk away. He had the power. When He was on His knees in the garden grieving over destiny, He asked God to find another way and "let this cup pass" from Him. He did not want to die but put His life into the hands of God, leaving it up to Him. This we also forget. Christ knew His time here was nearing the end. It also proves that He knew how His life would end all along.



Abiding in the Light of Pascha
Fr. Christopher Foley

It is the feast of feasts, the holiday of holidays, which surpasses not only human feasts, but even feasts of Christ, as the light of the sun is brighter than that of the stars. It is the day of resurrection and the beginning of true life."

St. Gregory of Nazianzus

We have just celebrated the true Pascha, or passover, of our Lord. This is the passing over from death to life, from bondage to freedom, from darkness to light, from suffering to healing. We are now reveling in the light of His glorious resurrection. The brightness of these days is our participation in this "true life" that St. Gregory speaks of above. We can see it all around us in nature. St. Gregory goes on to list many things in nature that reveal to us this new life springing up in his homily on Pascha. He says that everything is "conspiring together, rejoicing together, for the beauty of this feast." Everything all around us is hymning Christ who has sprung up from the tomb in order to bestow life on the whole world. He begins, "Now the heaven shines more brightly, the sun stands higher and glows more golden; now the moon's orb is more radiant, the chorus of stars gleams more clearly. Now the sea's waves make their peace with the shores, the clouds with the sun, the winds with the air, the earth with the plants, the plants with our eyes. Now the springs gush forth with a new sparkle; now the rivers flow more abundantly, released from the bonds of winter's ice. Now the meadow is fragrant, the shoots burst forth, the grass is ready for mowing, and the lambs skip through the rich green fields... All things sing God's praise, and give Him glory with wordless voices. For God receives my thanks for all these things: so each of their songs becomes our hymn, for I make their hymnody my own!... Now is the world's spring, the spiritual spring, spring for our souls, spring for our bodies, spring visible, spring invisible."
read more here
http://holycrossoca.org/newslet/0805.html



Christ's message of love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion was delivered everyday when He spoke to the huge crowds but it was fulfilled when He clung onto all of these with His life was being sacrificed. As He healed the lame, restored sight to the blind, fed the hungry, forgave the sinner, He knew how His life would end. When He spoke to some people He knew hated Him, He also knew He would forgive them.


Matthew 17
22When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.



How can any of us still think there is something we cannot be forgiven for? There is nothing beyond His mercy.

Consider Saul of Tarsus. Saul was determined to see all Christians put to death because he truly believed he was serving God and this mission of death was his duty. He was very good at tracking down the followers of Christ until one day on the road to Damascus, he was blinded, feel to his knees and heard a voice calling down to him asking why he was persecuting Him. It was the voice of Christ. In that moment, Saul understood how wrong he was and he must have remembered all the lives lost because he was wrong. Christ not only forgave Saul but Saul, renamed Paul went on to reach the gentiles and convert them into Christians. He also wrote most of the New Testament. Christianity spread because Christ was able and willing to forgive him for all he had done. Paul was willing to be forgiven and change his ways.

We can all be forgiven by God, Christ and other people. The problem most of us have is forgiving ourselves. Thoughts we've had, things we've done, selfish acts, all come back to haunt us but if you believe, if you walk away from church, especially after Easter services, you are cleansed. You are forgiven. From that moment on, you can be the type of person Christ talked about once you begin to forgive yourself.

The stone you need to roll away, trapping you is what you hold against yourself. Let that stone roll away!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Female Afghan war vet dealing with PTSD

Afghan war vet dealing with PTSD, motherhood and normalcy of life
April 1st, 2010 @ 5:45pm
By Jill Atwood, Veteran Affairs Salt Lake City
The following story was sent to us by the VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System. It is factual and shines the spotlight on women in combat environments and the emotional toll it can take. It also focuses on the broader issue of PTSD for all returning Veterans and their willingness to reach out for help.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Before 2006 There was nothing Marlo Anderson couldn't handle. She was tough, confident, and in charge. It's why she signed on the dotted line and why she was the first one packed for deployment to Afghanistan.

This highly motivated Air Force Sergeant went on mission after mission, patrol after patrol in a high stress combat environment.

"You're on edge 24-7 and you are always waiting for something to happen," Marlo said.
She served proudly for the 419th Security Forces out of Hill Air Force Base and performed at the highest level.

Marlo was stationed at Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan which is a small state just north of Afghanistan. She was deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. During her time there in 2006 it was considered "Washington's sole front line state for confronting terrorism in Afghanistan." She was a Sergeant when she was discharged from the Air Force.


Did you know...
The VA Salt Lake City Health Care System has a weekly PTSD intake session. Every Tuesday, (except holidays)
11:00 a.m.
Building 47 (Outpatient Mental Health)
George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center
No appointment necessary
Bring a copy of your DD Form 214

read more here

Afghan war vet dealing with PTSD

Only a fraction of wounded veterans apply for benefits

Report: Some vets miss out on better benefits

By Kevin Maurer - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Apr 2, 2010 16:53:13 EDT

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Only a fraction of wounded veterans who could get better benefits have applied in the two years since Congress, acting on concerns the military was cutting costs by downplaying injuries, ordered the Pentagon to review disputed claims.

As of mid-March, only 921 vets have applied out of the 77,000 the Pentagon estimates are eligible, according to numbers provided to The Associated Press by the Physical Disability Board of Review. The panel was created in 2008 but started taking cases in January 2009.

More than 230 cases have been decided, about 60 percent in favor of improving the veteran’s benefits, while 119 cases were dismissed as ineligible.

Advocates and even the board members themselves want the review panel to do a better job of getting the word out.

“Quite frankly, I would like to see more opportunities for us to reach out to these people,” said Michael LoGrande, president of the three-member board that has a staff of 10. “But we are doing the best we can with the limited people and resources we have.”
read more here
Some vets miss out on better benefits

Tears, honor greet Marine


The Patriot Guard Riders group welcomes home U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Rick J. Centanni carried by a color guard upon arrival Friday April 2, 2010 at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, Calif. Centanni who was assigned to the 4th light armored recon, 4th Marine Division, Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Pendleton, Calif., died March 24 from injuries while supporting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) (Nick Ut)


Tears, honor greet Marine
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_14810148
Photos by Nick Ut
The Associated Press
Posted: 04/02/2010 06:18:17 PM PDT


Tribute to a fallen Marine

Hannity insults "tea party" audience with McVeigh comment


Tim McVeigh wannabe's? Is Hannity implying that McVeigh was someone to be proud of? Is this possible?





Who can forget the despicable actions of McVeigh when he slaughtered people just because he could? The "tea party" people are made up of grandparents, moms and dads, average citizens doing what they believe is right because of what they have been told all these years by people like Hannity. Now Hannity compares them to McVeigh? How many people in that audience were appalled by the reference while others disgustingly cheered what he said?



Did Sean Hannity call his audience Tim McVeigh-wannabes?
By Ron Brynaert
Thursday, April 1st, 2010 -- 1:40 pm

A video posted on YouTube two days before April Fool's Day asks, "Did Sean Hannity call his audience Tim McVeigh-wannabes?"

Well, the answer is... sort of.

At the very end of this video clip taken from a FOX News Channel broadcast on March 30, and uploaded by the website Mox News, conservative radio host and Fox anchor Hannity can be clearly heard telling his audience, "Can I add one thing. I think we won the debate."

"When you think of the vast majorities they have in Congress, and they had the bribe back room deals, corruption," Hannity continued, "that's because of the Tea Party movement, all these Tim McVeigh wannabes."


Fox News Channel viewers, at the time of its broadcast, wondered why a crowd full of conservatives would cheer being compared to the white supremacist sympathizer who was executed for killing 168 people in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing which destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.




read more here

Did Sean Hannity call his audience Tim McVeigh wannabes








Friday, April 2, 2010

Vietnam veterans and Hepatitis C jet gun delivered?

Roger That: Local vet wants others to be aware of hepatitis C dangers
April 1, 2010, 6:10 pm


Shaun Brown is on a campaign to make Vietnam veterans aware that their segment of the population faces what he calls "a grave epidemic."

Shaun is from Newfield, the son of a Vietnam vet who died last year -- the result, Shaun says, of the hepatitis C virus that he believes can be traced to his dad's service in the war.

"Medical professionals believe the high prevalence (of HCV in veterans) points to a single causality," Shaun wrote recently.

"Jet gun injectors have been at the forefront of possible causes."

Well, certainly one possible cause. There are many others, but let's go with this for now.

The jet gun, for those who haven't had the pleasure, was used to administer several immunizations at once by firing the fluids, with high pressure but no needles, into the upper arm.

read more here
Local vet wants others to be aware of hepatitis C dangers

One in three young vets now unemployed

Smart enough to learn new skills? Yep. Dedicated to the mission? Yep, can't beat willing to lay down your life to do it. Physically able? Yep, boot camp alone proved that one. Works great on team efforts? Ever see a soldier fighting alone and doing his own thing? That one's covered too. What more can an employer ask for? Considering they spent at least a year in combat, unable to call in sick, or take the easy way out of anything, the list of reasons to higher a veteran is a lot longer than the reason to pass them over. What kind of "grateful nation" is this when they come home after serving in the military and find out they don't have a job?

One in three young vets now unemployed

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Apr 2, 2010 15:12:51 EDT

Disturbing new statistics from the Labor Department show that one in three veterans under age 24 is unemployed — and that the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans has jumped to 14.7 percent, half again as high as the national employment rate of 9.7 percent.

The March unemployment rate of 30.2 percent for veterans aged 18 to 24 is a big jump from February’s figure of 21.7 percent, although it may be partly the result of a small sample used by the Labor Department in determining unemployment, said Justin Brown, a labor expert for Veterans of Foreign Wars.
read more here
One in three young vets now unemployed

Grass-roots effort tries to fill needs while veterans wait

Help returning war vets
Grass-roots effort tries to fill financial and counseling gaps
Updated: April 01, 2010, 11:23 pm
Published: April 02, 2010, 6:51 am

For many veterans returning from both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and for their families, there are continuing issues that governmental entities may not be fully equipped to handle. Western New York veterans want to bridge that gap, and they deserve community support.

WNY Heroes, a grass-roots effort by the veterans and their supporters, is designed to help fill the financial and emotional gaps facing returning service members and their families, who face delays in getting medical treatment and financial hurdles worsened by deployments overseas. Through "A Salute to Service: Our Community Cares," a fundraising effort under the auspices of the Mental Health Association of Erie County, the group hopes to raise more than $535,000 over 60 days.
read more here
Help returning war vets

KBR sued by Uncle Sam after new contract

Why does this sound like something out of a bad movie?

US Sues Contractor KBR Over Iraq Bills
April 02, 2010
Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The federal government sued KBR Inc., the largest contractor in Iraq, on Thursday over what prosecutors say were improper charges to the Army for private security services.

Houston-based KBR Inc. is a former subsidiary of Halliburton Co. It recently won a new contract potentially worth more than $2 billion for support work in the country.

The lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington charged that KBR and 33 of its subcontractors used private armed security at various times from 2003 to 2006. The suit claimed KBR knew under the terms of its contract the company could not bill the U.S. government for such services but did so anyway.
read more here
US Sues Contractor KBR Over Iraq Bills

New Agent Orange Rule to Allow Retro Claims by 86,000

Agent Orange Retro Claims Allowed
Tom Philpott April 01, 2010
New Agent Orange Rule to Allow Retro Claims by 86,000

About 86,000 Vietnam War veterans, their surviving spouses or estates will be eligible for retroactive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs -- an average of 11.4 years for veterans and 9.6 years for survivors -- under a draft VA rule to expand by three the number of diseases presumed caused by herbicide exposure in the war.

The 86,000 are beneficiaries who can reopen previously denied claims for these conditions: ischemic heart disease, Parkinson's disease and chronic B-cell blood cancers including hairy cell leukemia. But another 29,000 claims are expected to be approved this year for Vietnam veterans suffering from these diseases but applying for benefits for the first time.

The projected cost of this dramatic expansion of claims linked to Agent Orange and other defoliants deployed four decades ago is $13.6 billion this fiscal year and $42.2 billion over 10 years. VA plans to hire 1772 new claims processors, starting this October, to be able to handle these claims "without significantly degrading the processing of the non-presumptive workload."
read more here
Agent Orange Retro Claims Allowed

Senator Sherrod Brown learns more about homeless veterans

Senator learns more about homelessness, mental health of veterans
By Loren Genson • Gazette Staff Writer • April 1, 2010


Homelessness and mental-health issues were hot topics when Sen. Sherrod Brown visited the Chillicothe VA hospital Thursday to speak with veterans and center hospital directors.

Director Jeff Gering said he was pleased Brown, a member of the Veterans Affairs committee and a northeast Ohioan, took the time to visit and learn more about the veteran population in southern Ohio.


“Addressing homelessness among veterans in Cleveland is very different than in Appalachia,” Gering said.


While the center has always worked to find homeless veterans a place to stay, the troubled economy has increased the number of veterans it must serve.


Foreclosures and more recent veterans returning home with mental-health problems have added local veterans in need of housing and mental-health assistance.
read more here
Senator learns more about homelessness

Apparent murder-suicide reported in Lawson

Apparent murder-suicide reported in Lawson
By St. Joseph News-Press

Friday, April 2, 2010


LAWSON, Mo. — Law enforcement officers continue to investigate what appears to be a murder-suicide involving a recently returned veteran from Iraq.

“At this time, we suspect that Alex C. Caton, 23, shot and killed his wife, Michelle, 22, wounded his father-in-law and then committed suicide,” said Brian LaFavor, Lawson chief of police. “We won’t know for certain until the autopsy results are in.”


The Ray County sheriff’s department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are assisting in the investigation. Mr. LaFavor said Mr. Caton was in the military and had recently returned from service in Iraq.

read more here

Apparent murder suicide reported in Lawson

Vietnam vet who lost son in USS Cole bombing wins in court

Judge: Lejeune officials violated veteran's rights by demanding removal of anti-Islam decals
By: MIKE BAKER
Associated Press
04/01/10 4:30 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. — Camp Lejeune officials violated the rights of a military veteran who came to his job on base in a vehicle emblazoned with anti-Islamic decals after his son died in a terrorist bombing, a federal judge ruled.

Jesse Nieto's stickers included one that said "ISLAM (equals) TERRORISM" and another with a threat to defecate on the Quran. He also had a decal to commemorate the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, in which 17 shipmates died including Nieto's youngest son.

"His vehicle is a way to express his mourning and anger," said Nieto's attorney, Robert Muise. Nieto has been driving a different vehicle to his on-base job since the summer of 2008, but Muise said he plans to return with his decals next week. He has worked at Lejeune since 1994 and previously served 25 years in the Marine Corps, including two combat tours as an infantryman in Vietnam.



Read more at the Washington Examiner: Lejeune officials violated veteran rights

Dad walking across country for Fisher House

Dad walking cross-country to help wounded troops' families
By Patty Lane, CNN
April 1, 2010 10:59 a.m. EDT

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Soldier's father will walk from California to Georgia
Going solo with five pairs of running shoes, two pairs of hiking boots
"Comfort homes" house injured troops' families near military hospitals

(CNN) -- Inspired by his West Point cadet son, a California man sets out Thursday on a cross-country trek to raise money for an organization that supports wounded troops and their families.

John Conte of San Diego will begin his walk at Camp Pendleton on the West Coast and expects to wrap up at Fort Benning, Georgia, sometime in July.

His goal is to raise $50,000 for Fisher House to help it build more "comfort homes." Such homes provide housing for injured soldiers' families near a hospital where their loved one is recovering. There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center.
read more here
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/01/cross.country.walk/

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Grieving Mom doesn't want others sons or daughters to die because of PTSD

A Grieving Mother Calls on Congressman to Help Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
SAUK CENTRE, Minn - Dorothy Sills lost her son Johnny last year and she believes his death was a result of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"When someone who values life is in a situation where life isn't valued and they have to kill people it sticks with them," Sills said.

Sills said when her son came home from the Iraq War horrific memories haunted him.

She believes those memories led to his death last summer.

"He crashed his motorcycle and I was told his death was unexplained. I think he had a flashback and thought he saw something," she said.

According to Sills, if her son had more help he might still be alive.
read more here
http://ksax.com/article/stories/S1495107.shtml?cat=10230

Events to honor 3-star killed on 9/11


Jacqueline Roggenbrodt / The Associated Press Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Regiment soldiers carry the casket of Army Lt. Gen. Timothy J. Maude during his funeral at Arlington National Cemetery on Oct. 6, 2001. Maude, 53, a three-star general and the Army's deputy chief of staff of personnel, was the highest-ranking casualty of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon.


Events to honor 3-star killed on 9/11

Staff report
Posted : Thursday Apr 1, 2010 16:10:28 EDT

Two coming events will honor the memory and legacy of Lt. Gen. Timothy J. Maude, the former Army personnel chief who was the highest-ranking service member killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

On April 30, the Potomac Chapter of the Adjutant General Corps Regimental Association will host the ninth annual Maude Foundation Golf Tournament at The Courses, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

The popular tournament raises funds for cadets enrolled in the Green to Gold Reserve Officer Training Corps program, and the Maude Leadership Lecture Series at the Soldier Support Center, Fort Jackson, S.C.

read more here

Events to honor 3-star killed on 9 11

Those who served and fell on hard times honored with dignity

Those who served and fell on hard times honored with dignity

by Brian New / KENS 5

Posted on March 31, 2010 at 6:20 PM

Updated today at 6:24 AM



They are military veterans who have fallen on hard time. Yet, on Wednesday, they were given the dignity they deserve.

Roy McNeair served to protect all we have and died with nothing of his own. The 52-year-old Brooklyn native joined the Air Force in 1980 and was stationed at Randolph Air Force Base.

In the years after his service, McNeair lost his wife, lost touch of his son, and lost his way. McNeair's struggles with alcohol kept him on the streets of San Antonio.

His pride kept him away from his siblings. McNeair hadn’t talked with his brother or sister in more than five years.

Only when he died did his family find out he was homeless.
read more here
Those who served and fell on hard times honored with dignity

Officials Take Over A Year To Lay WWII Veteran To Rest

Officials Take Over A Year To Lay Veteran To Rest

SANTA FE, N.M. -- County and State governments took more than a year to bury an indigent veteran.

When Vietnam veteran Jesse Anzures got a call that a fellow veteran died and no one claimed his remains, he stepped up.

Anzures got the call in the summer of 2009. The state medical examiner told him that they had the remains of a man with the same last name as his and that the man was a World War II veteran.
read more here
http://www.koat.com/news/23020644/detail.html

Sean Hannity and Ollie North accused of scamming Veterans

Let me make this clear for new readers. I am no fan of Hannity or North. The reason is simple. While both have made it their common claim of "supporting the troops" neither of them spoke up when it could have helped the troops and our veterans about the wait time for a claim to be approved, for their wounds to be taken care of or anything else, up to and including when the reports came out about Walter Reed, they seemed more angry over the reporters instead of what the reporters exposed. That's the biggest problem of all. When anyone claims to support the troops and our veterans, they need to speak out when they are not being taken care of properly no matter who is in charge. It should never, ever, matter if they voted for them or not. People expected so much more out of the people over at FOX cable news.

That said, Hannity is not a stupid man. He's a man with an agenda, that's for sure but he isn't stupid and I do believe he cares about the troops. Is he hyping the amount of money given to the families of the fallen? Perhaps, but let's wait and see what happens as evidence comes out instead of jumping to conclusions.



Sean Hannity and Ollie North accused of scamming Veterans
March 31, 2010 by Robert L. Hanafin

In line with our article on those non-profit organizations that do provide a service to our Veterans and ‘Support Our Troops’ as was covered in my previous article Do All Non-Profits really Support Veterans, Troops, and Military Families?

We will be exposing reports of fraudulent efforts and causes that scam our Veterans and Troops. We are also working on getting the latest ratings of organizations that provide services or support to our Veterans and Troops from the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) that has reportedly just released its latest ratings for April-May 2010.

Joe Conason at Salon reports that Sean Hannity and Ollie North say they collect millions of dollars for veterans’ kids. But where did the money go?

Robert L. Hanafin, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired, Veterans Today News
read more here
Sean Hannity and Ollie North accused of scamming Veterans

Maine Troop Greeters welcomed one million servicemen and women home

Maine airport holds ceremony for troop greeters

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Mar 31, 2010 18:46:24 EDT

BANGOR, Maine — The Bangor International Airport unveiled a new sign for the Maine Troop Greeters as the organization was honored for meeting its 1 millionth service member.
read more here
Maine airport holds ceremony for troop greeters

Female veterans still lack privacy at VA

Female veterans still lack privacy at VA

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Mar 31, 2010 15:04:55 EDT

Veterans Affairs Department officials are promising to improve privacy for female veterans who use its medical facilities after a new report discovered that some old problems have not been fixed.

A March 31 report from the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found women using VA hospitals and clinics continue to face:

• Examination rooms set up so that passersby can see patients disrobed when the door is opened.

• Restrooms that lack sanitary napkin or tampon dispensers.

• A lack of privacy at appointment and reception desks, so that others can overhear discussion of medical problems.

Investigators reviewed nine medical centers and 10 outpatient clinics; none fully complied with VA policy on privacy, the report says.
read more here
Female veterans still lack privacy at VA

Three Marine recruits dead after 7-car pile-up

3 Trumbull County Marine recruits dead after 7-car pile-up in Warren

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

LEAVITTSBURG

Three Trumbull County Marine Corps recruits on their way to Cleveland to take a military entrance exam were killed in a seven-car pile-up Wednesday afternoon on state Routes 5 and 82 at Burnett Road in Warren Township.

Killed were Zachery A. Nolen of Newton Falls, 19; Joshua A. Sherbourne of Southington, 21, and Michael T. Theodore Jr. of Warren, 19.

The Warren Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the crash occurred when a 2008 Pontiac G6, driven by Marine Sgt. Charles Keene, was hit from behind by a 2005 International tractor-trailer rig just as the car, carrying the Marine recruits, was about to proceed through the intersection.
read more here
Marine recruits dead after 7 car pile-up

Palm City Marine killed in Afghanistan laid to rest


Sarah Grile/The Palm Beach Post
Justin Wilson's parents, Fran and Lance Wilson (left), and widow Hannah grieve after they were presented with flags during the burial service Wednesday.

Memorial service held this morning for Palm City Marine killed in Afghanistan
By Andrew Marra and Daphne Duret

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 9:09 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2010
PALM CITY — A horse and buggy carried the body of 24-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Wilson to his funeral this morning as hundreds of family members, friends and other supporters gathered to pay their final respects.

Wilson, of Palm City, died March 22 when a roadside bomb exploded during one of his foot patrols in the Helmand region of Afghanistan.

Wilson's body arrived back in the Treasure Coast on Sunday, and this morning's funeral came after a two-day wake in his honor.
read more here
Palm City Marine killed in Afghanistan

Victim of fatal Dallas crash was decorated Marine preparing for fourth deployment


Victim of fatal Dallas crash was decorated Marine preparing for fourth deployment

12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, April 1, 2010
By STEVE STOLER WFAA-TV (Channel 8) sstoler@dallasnews.com

A Dallas man who died Tuesday when he drove his pickup into the back of an 18-wheeler was a highly decorated Marine Corps veteran who was preparing for deployment to his fourth tour of overseas duty.

Joseph Rodriguez, 38, was killed when his Ford F-150 ended up underneath the tractor-trailer.

His parents recalled their son as a man who loved to serve his country. Rodriguez joined the Marines right after graduating from W.T. White High School. He fought in Operation Desert Storm.

After serving with the Marines four years, he came back home and joined the Texas National Guard, with which he completed two tours in Iraq.

Rodriguez was getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan when he was killed in Tuesday's crash.
read more here
Victim of fatal Dallas crash was decorated Marine

Veterans for Common Sense wants to hear from Gulf War Vets

Feeling as if your war was forgotten about? Feeling as if your suffering because of what you were exposed to just doesn't matter to anyone? Take heart and know you have someone fighting very hard for you. Veterans for Common Sense has been fighting for all veterans to make sure all of you receive the "gratefulness" of this nation when you have been wounded or made ill because of your willingness to risk your life. You served this nation, doing what was expected of you and this nation has an obligation to you. This is not a "handout" but a debt the government accepted the responsibility of the day they sent you to war.



April 1, 2010 - Veterans for Common Sense asks you for your opinion about VA's new proposed policies for Gulf War veterans.


Yesterday, VA formally announced a huge, new effort VA hopes will address the needs of our 210,000 Gulf War veterans who suffer from illnesses nearly 20 years after widespread exposures to many poisons and toxins in Southwest Asia.

Here is background information about this important issue.

In August 2009, VCS wrote new VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and asked him to reform how VA had mishandled healthcare, research, and benefits for Gulf War veterans.

In response, VA set up a Gulf War Task Force chaired by VA Chief of Staff John Gingrich, a Gulf War veteran.

Last week, VA announced the agency would begin providing benefits for 9 diseases suffered by Gulf War veterans, a positive move supported by VCS.

A few days ago, Gulf War veterans Anthony Hardie and Paul Sullivan wrote an op-ed published by TruthOut praising VA's new policy as steps in the right direction. The veterans are still advocating for additional pragmatic solutions for veterans who urgently need healthcare -- vital healthcare denied for nearly 20 years because VA often blocked research, treatment, and benefits.

Yesterday, VA announced the release of the highly-anticipated Gulf War Task Force report. You have an excellent opportunity to tell VA how to fix the problems facing Gulf War veterans.

Today, VCS wants your response -- especially from Gulf War veterans and families -- about VA's Task Force report. All of our VCS comments are due by April 30, 2010, so send your response soon.


Your voice is important and urgently needed. Please send your thoughts to contact@veteransforcommonsense.org.


Your comments will allow VCS to present a robust response to VA from the perspective of veterans, family members, and supporters of veterans.

Our goal is to work with VA to get it right for our Gulf War veterans who have waited too long for answers, healthcare, and benefits.

While VA has made several positive first steps for veterans in the past 14 months, our advocacy will make sure VA keeps going in the right direction.

Please send your comments to
contact@veteransforcommonsense.org

Thank you, Veterans for Common Sense