Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Police say shots fired at Coast Guard recruiting station in Virginia

Police: Shots fired at CG office in Va.

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Nov 2, 2010 11:14:57 EDT

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Police in northern Virginia say shots were fired overnight at a Coast Guard recruiting station, the latest case of someone shooting at military-related buildings in the Washington area.

Prince William County police say they're investigating multiple bullet holes at the building.

read more here
Shots fired at CG office in Va

Record 14 foot 3 and 1/2 inch alligator trapped

Orlando man caputers and kills a record gator!

Use my work but don't just take it as your's

Note to anyone wanting to use my work:

Everything I do is out there for free. My research and my videos are there to share so that we can help as many veterans as possible along with their families. The least you can do since I work so hard is to credit that work back to me if you use it!!

The below are from one of my videos Wounded and Waiting.




This is not to say that a few, VERY FEW, Veterans do not scam the VA. However, their numbers are so insignificant to make Breed, Hefling, and the Associate Press appear to be more FOOLISH than Journalists.
Lastly, both AP reporters not only appear to be in violation of the Associated Press Statement of Principles and Journalistic Integrity, but AP owes America’s Veterans an apology for publishing such an opinionated piece based on lame to little evidence. The article needs to be retracted of published as an opinion piece NOT NEWS.

We at Veterans Today News believe that such opinions held by representatives of the Associated Press reflects an instigation and spreading of rumors that betrays our troops in the field by belittling PTSD, and harms the reputation of AP as being a reliable source for NEWS.
Veterans for Common Sense (VCS) has asked AP to retract the article, and we ask that other Veterans Service Organizations join VCS and Veterans Today News Network in condemning this story as news and asking AP to better educate and monitor their journalists on the difference between writing opinion pieces and reporting NEWS.

read more here
UPDATE:
I emailed Veterans Today and fast work was done there on this. I received an email back letting me know that my work was credited. BRAVO Veterans Today John Allen, General Manager.

RESOURCES and CREDITS


■Nam Guardian Angel

■A Special Thanks to Chaplain Kathie, Senior IFOC Chaplain at DAV Auxiliary Chapter 16 Chaplain. Chaplain Kathie is PTSD Consultant and noted blogger for Veteran causes at Wounded Times

Will voters let John Boehner and the GOP kill off veterans?

John Boehner had his chance for years when our troops were coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan but he lead the attack against them. The GI Bill, raises for the troops, cost of living raises for disabled veterans along with the elderly, PTSD research and help with getting claims approved, were all efforts the GOP under Boehner fought against. It took the Democrats to do it!

Why didn't Boehner? Why didn't the GOP who keep saying they are pro-military but never seem to let that translate into taking care of the men and women serving equal to the defense contractors they do in fact adore?

Boehner wants you to hate the Democrats but they are the ones who fought for you to increase funding and make all the changes in the VA that you deserved. They have a long way to go but considering it was the GOP ignoring the problems you face, then getting in the way of getting you what you need, letting them take back control is the worst thing that can happen to you.

Why? Because people have a habit of blind support or hatred. I talk to veterans all the time and often I ask them why they support Republicans. I use John McCain as an example of it all the time. They use "he's a veteran" or "he was a POW" but none of them ever checked his voting record. People have a habit of being lazy when it comes to knowing who they are voting for and what they are voting against. It really is a shame the very people who proved where their hearts are by taking care of veterans can end up out of jobs because someone just assumed wrong.

Before you vote today, look up their record and know who has been fighting for you and who has been trying to get in the way. By the way, the Democrats did another bill this year to raise your cost of living but the GOP are blocking it again with a filibuster just like they did last year but you assumed the Democrats didn't do one. You are already paying for votes for the wrong people like Boehner. Has that man ever pushed a bill for your sake? Has he ever really showed he cared more about you than he does about defeating Democrats?

Who voted against veterans again





Santorum votes against broad protections for veterans and reservists in bankruptcy bill
http://mysite.verizon.net/lardil/id109.html
 (great info on this site)

The Senate rejected the stronger of two approaches for softening the impact of new bankruptcy rules (S 256) on military personnel, surviving spouses and some destitute veterans. Sponsored by Democrats, the measure sought to exempt military families from the bill's new means test on bankruptcy filers. It proposed a $75,000 minimum exemption for homes in bankruptcy courts in the 50 states. Also, the amendment sought to deny predatory "payday" lenders any claim on assets and to exempt debt incurred after military service begins from the reach of creditors during bankruptcy. A yes vote backed the Democratic amendment.
For: 38 / Against: 58 [Santorum voted against Democratic amendment]


The Senate approved the milder of two pending measures for easing the impact of S 256 (above) on bankrupt military families and destitute veterans with high medical costs. Republicans said their approach would protect people incapable of repaying debt because of military service or poor health. They noted that federal law already shields active-duty personnel from most civil actions regarding their finances. A yes vote backed the GOP plan.
For: 63 / Against: 32 [Santorum voted for GOP plan]
Washington Post, Mar 6, 2005 [vote Mar 2, 2005]


GOP against the GI Bill

Graham claimed today, “If we just leave the generals alone and support the troops, they will win this war.” But the nation’s most respected veterans organizations are joining average veterans to clamor for this bill. Just yesterday, the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars joined the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and the American Legion in support of the bill.




As Webb said last Sunday, “The Republican party is on the block here, to clearly demonstrate that they value military service or suffer the consequences of losing the support of people who’ve served.” Citing Orwellian “support” for the troops, Graham appears willing to sell them out for partisan gain.



Update Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who frequently touts his devotion to his fellow veterans, skipped the vote today to hold a swanky fundraiser in California. By contrast, both Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) spoke on the floor in favor of the bill before voting for it.

Update Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), who withdrew his name from the list of co-sponsors for the Webb bill in April, ended up voting in favor of it today.

Update Nine out of the 15 Republican senators facing reelection in November voted for the bill
read more of this here
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/05/22/graham-reward/
Against Homeless veterans
Republicans Object To Bill For Homeless Veterans (VIDEO)
Arthur Delaney Huffington Post

Jun 29, 2010 ... You can't be a member of the Party of Corporate Welfare, unless you vote against veterans' issues bills


VA Begins Paying Benefits for New Agent Orange Claims

More Vietnam War vets eligible for Agent Orange benefits
By the CNN Wire Staff
November 1, 2010 7:57 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Three additional diseases now qualify veterans for benefits
200,000 veterans could qualify under the liberalized disability program
Washington (CNN) -- The government has started distributing additional benefits for Agent Orange exposure to Vietnam War veterans who qualify under liberalized rules, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday.

Up to 200,000 Vietnam veterans could be eligible for the disability compensation for diseases now associated with Agent Orange, including hairy cell leukemia, Parkinson's disease and ischemic heart disease, the department said in a news release.

Agent Orange was a chemical used to destroy the jungle canopy in the Vietnam War in an effort to expose the enemy.

read more of this here

More Vietnam War vets eligible


VA Begins Paying Benefits for New Agent Orange Claims

VA Encourages Affected Vietnam Veterans to File Claims



WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun
distributing disability benefits to Vietnam Veterans who qualify for
compensation under recently liberalized rules for Agent Orange exposure.



"The joint efforts of Congress and VA demonstrate a commitment to
provide Vietnam Veterans with treatment and compensation for the
long-term health effects of herbicide exposure," said Secretary of
Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.



Up to 200,000 Vietnam Veterans are potentially eligible to receive VA
disability compensation for medical conditions recently associated with
Agent Orange. The expansion of coverage involves B-cell (or hairy-cell)
leukemia, Parkinson's disease and ischemic heart disease.



Shinseki said VA has launched a variety of initiatives - both
technological and involving better business practices - to tackle an
anticipated upsurge in Agent Orange-related claims.



"These initiatives show VA's ongoing resolve to modernize its processes
for handling claims through automation and improvements in doing
business, providing Veterans with faster and more accurate decisions on
their applications for benefits," Shinseki said.



Providing initial payments - or increases to existing payments - to the
200,000 Veterans who now qualify for disability compensation for these
three conditions is expected to take several months, but VA officials
encourage all Vietnam Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and
suffer from one of the three diseases to make sure their applications
have been submitted.



VA has offered Veterans exposed to Agent Orange special access to health
care since 1978, and priority medical care since 1981. VA has been
providing disability compensation to Veterans with medical problems
related to Agent Orange since 1985.



In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and
who have a "presumed" illness do not have to prove an association
between their illnesses and their military service. This "presumption"
simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.



The three new illnesses - B-cell (or hairy-cell) leukemia, Parkinson's
disease and ischemic heart disease - are added to the list of presumed
illnesses previously recognized by VA.



Other recognized illnesses under VA's "presumption" rule for Agent
Orange are:

* Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy

* Chloracne

* Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

* Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)

* Hodgkin's Disease

* Multiple Myeloma

* Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

* Porphyria Cutanea Tarda

* Prostate Cancer

* Respiratory Cancers

* Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma,
Kaposi's sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)

* AL Amyloidosis



Veterans interested in applying for disability compensation under one of
the three new Agent Orange presumptives should go to
http://www.fasttrack.va.gov/ or call
1-800-827-1000.

Bipolar, substance abuse linked to suicide risk in vets

I have a huge problem with this report. If you look up symptoms of PTSD, a psychologist can find bipolar along with a lot of other mental illnesses including addiction itself when it very well could be self-medicating instead of addiction. It all depends on what they are looking for based on what they have studied. They need to be a trauma expert before they even think of diagnosing a PTSD-trauma survivor. Average citizens with no exposure to trauma have bipolar but there is only one way to get PTSD and is from a traumatic event.


Bipolar disorder and substance abuse are the most common psychiatric disorders linked to suicide in veterans, according to a new study.
The study looked at the medical records of more than 7,000 vets who took their own lives, and found that male veterans with bipolar disorder were about 3-times more likely to commit suicide; while female bipolar vets had a sixfold increase.
"Approximately 25 percent of veterans are diagnosed with at least one psychiatric condition," said Mark Ilger, a psychologist at the VA Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the lead study author. "We wanted to see who might be at the greatest risk of committing suicide."
Substance abuse, which includes both drug and alcohol use, correlated with a twofold increase in suicide risk for men, and a sixfold increase in women.

read more here

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/01/bipolar-substance-abuse-linked-to-suicide-risk-in-soldiers/

A Chico Soldier's PTSD Claim is Denied

A Chico Soldier's PTSD Claim is Denied
Reported by: Lauren Hallacher
Email: lhallacher@khsltv.com

Sgt. Francisco Carrillo Jr. says, "I feel hurt. They call me a liar." Sgt. Francisco Carrillo Jr. has served in the National Guard for 18 years. As part of his duty, he was deployed in 2004 to Iraq for an 11 month tour. When he returned in 2005, he says he began suffering from nightmares, flashbacks, and anxiety attacks. He began drinking heavily to ease his pain. He chose not to disclose that he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, for fear of what the military response would be.

Francisco says, "as soon as I mentioned the symptoms that I had, that's when the national guard slapped me with discharge papers." Not only would he be discharged but also forced to pay all medical expenses affiliated with his PTSD.

read more here
A Chico Soldier's PTSD Claim is Denied

Monday, November 1, 2010

CHEST: Apnea Elevated in Vets With PTSD

CHEST: Apnea Elevated in Vets With PTSD
By Crystal Phend, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Published: October 31, 2010
Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.

VANCOUVER -- Combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) almost universally suffer sleep problems -- with more cases of sleep apnea than might otherwise be expected -- U.S. Army researchers found.

In a group of 135 young, otherwise healthy combat veterans with PTSD, 98.5% reported sleep complaints, Nick Orr, MD, and colleagues at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., reported here at the annual international scientific meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST).

Despite their relatively young age (around 35) and slightly overweight physique, 54% of the PTSD patients who underwent polysomnography at Walter Reed were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) -- whereas, in the general population, the rate of OSA is only 20%.

It can be all too easy to dismiss daytime sleepiness and other symptoms as part of depression and PTSD, Orr explained. But these results argue for screening all military PTSD patients for sleep apnea, Orr said in an interview.

"You'll be darned if you just keep treating it with medications, cognitive behavioral therapy, and all the other modalities you use for PTSD, when you haven't addressed possible sleep apnea, which could get restorative sleep and kind of break the cycle for the PTSD symptoms," he told MedPage Today.
read more here
Apnea Elevated in Vets With PTSD

Soldier's remains repatriated after 66 years

Soldier's remains repatriated after 66 years
Oct 26, 2010

By J.D. Leipold

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 26, 2010) -- Just 10 days after the sand and blood of Normandy's beaches, on the heels of D-Day, 2nd Infantry Division Ranger Staff Sgt. John R. Simonetti lay prone in the hedgerows on the outskirts of the sleepy, deserted town of St. Germain d'Elle, zeroing in with his grenade launcher on a German machine-gun nest.

As the New Yorker sighted in on his target, a German sniper hidden in the town's church bell tower was squinting through his scope's cross-hairs on the 26-year old. Before the GI could pull off his round, the German squeezed off his.

Zzzzip... the bullet tore through Simonetti's throat, tumbling down, taking out a rib, lodging in his lower abdomen, killing him instantly. On the day Simonetti lost his life -- June 16, 1944 - more than a third of the remaining 300 men in his company would go down, and before the war ended, the 2nd Infantry Division would spend 337 days in action in five campaigns and loose 2,999 Soldiers.

The fighting was nothing short of brutal. Back and forth went the momentum, but eventually the American troops prevailed. Following what become known as the Battle of the Hedgerows and the capture of St. Germain d'Elle, the townspeople returned to what was left of their buildings and homes, the little church with the bell tower destroyed, the milk factory leveled.

Worse than the destruction of the village was the countless dead American and German Soldiers, lying in grotesque positions where they'd fallen, sometimes next to each other, victims of each other's weapons.

read more here

Soldier's remains repatriated after 66 years

Veterans get perks for serving they don't know about

There are a lot of perks I didn't even know about.

..VETERANS..........ATTENTION ON DECK............YA'ALL............!!!
Applebee's Restaurant; FREE dinners to veterans throughout Veterans Day November 11; selections will be from a new Veteran's Day menu.

Outback Steakhouse; FREE Blooming Onion and beverage

Golden Corral; FREE buffet dinner from.....5:00-9:00pm Monday, November 15th..... to anyone who has served in the U.S. Military

Subway; In celebration of Veterans Day, November 11th, Subway is showing it's thanks with FREE 6 inch subs to all veterans and Active Duty members.

McCormick and Schmick's restaurants will offer a FREE entree, Sunday November 7, 2010, to military veterans for it's 12th annual Veteran's Appreciation Event. Menu picks include such seafood items as parmesan crusted tilapia, roasted cedar plank salmon, and almond crusted rainbow trout. "Our Veterans Appreciation Event has become a tradition that our restaurants look forward to each year" said Bill Freeman, CEO of McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants, in a statement. For more information log onto:
www.mccormickandschmicks.com

Krispy Kreme; One FREE doughnut of any variety.

UNO Chicago Grill; FREE entree or individual pizza with an entree or pizza purchase of equal or greater value.

Coushatta Casino Resort; The Louisiana casino and resort is offering a FREE seven-clans lunch or dinner buffet to veterans or active militay.

MarketPlace Grill and Express; Veterans and active duty military recieve FREE entrees.

Masala Wok; The Northern Virginian restaurant is offering a FREE entree to veterans.

Hy-Vee Supermarkets; The mid-wetern supermarket chain is offering a FREE breakfast to veterans.

Abuelo's Mexican Food Restaurants; All veterans and active duty military recieve a FREE entree.

Carolina Burgers and BBQ; In Matthews, NC is offering a FREE meal to all service members and veterans.

Brides Across America; Provides FREE wedding gowns to qualified Military brides.

Lowe's and Home Depot; Extra 10% off to active-duty military members, National Guard and reserve members, retirees, honorably discharged veterans and immediate family members.

Sam's Club; Over 25,000 Hugo canes will be given away to U.S. veterans in need of mobilty assistance. Membership is not required, but supplies are limited, so check with your local store.

Amazon.com; FREE "Veterans Day Honor" MP3 album download. The album includes 12 songs by The Bands and Enembles of the U. S. Armed Forces.

Cabela's Outdoor Store; Offers their employee discount to all veterans, active-duty military and reserves, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel November 11-12. Discounts vary from 5% to 50%, depending on the item.

Build-a-Bear Workshop; Members of the armed forces including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Reserve Officer Training Corps will recieve a 20% discount Nov 11-15 on any one transaction at Build-a-Bear Workshop.

Dollar General; 10% discount for all veterans, active duty military, the National Guard and reserve and their immediate families.

Fashion Bug- 20% off all plus-size and misses clothing purchases with a copy of Military ID or spouse's military ID.

National parks, forests and monuments; Admission FREE to everyone on Veterans Day.

Knott's Berry Farm; FREE park admission to U.S. armed forces personnel and a guest during Veteran's Month, November 1-26.

Colonial Williamsburg; FREE admission Nov. 6-11 for active-duty Military, guard and reservists, retirees, veterans and their dependents.

San Jacinto Museum of History; FREE visits to the Observation Deck, theatre, and special exhibit for veterans, active duty personnel , and their families.

Historic Jamestown; FREE admission to veterans, current Armed Forces members

Battleship Cove; FREE admission and special ceremony for veterans, active-duty and reservists.

Vicksburg National Military Park; FREE admission for all.

Birmingham Museum of Art; FRRE admission to the ticketed event "Life and Liberty" on November 10-11 for veterans and active military.

Vulcan Park and Museum in Birmingham Alabama is offering discounted admission through November to the park and museum.

Greenbay WI New Zoo; FREE admission to veterans and families.

Central Florida Zoo; FREE admission to the Sanford Florida Zoo with proper identification.

Strategic Air; Space Museum; FREE admission for veterans Nov 1-14 to the Ashland Nebraska museum.

National Cowboy Western Heritage Museum; In Oklahoma City offers FREE admission to veterans and five guests from 9:00am-5:00pm on Veterans Day Nov 11.

Natural Elements Spa and Salon in Chesapeake Virginia will provide FREE services from 10:00am till 3:00pm to both active and retired military.

Military Discounts Update: All these businesses offer military discounts and all you have to do is ask...... Restaurants;

Arby's, A "&", C2, Backyard Burgers, Burger King, Captain D's, Chick-Fil-A, Cotton Hatch, Denny's, Dunkin' Donuts, Farmers Boy, IHOP (20% discount with military ID), Java Cafe, KFC, Long John Silver, Pancho's Mexican Buffet, Pizza Hut, Quizno's, Sizzler, Sonic, Taco Bell, Whataburger.............


ATT, California Cryobank, Gieco, Jiffy Lube, Meineke, Sears Portrait Studio. Blockbuster, Movie theaters, Ripley's attraction and museum, Professional Sports Teams. Apple Computers, Auto Zone, Barnhill's, Bass Pro Shop, Bath and Body Works, Big 10 Tires, The Buckle, Champs Sports, Copeland's Sports, The Discovery Channel Store, Dress Barn, The Finish Line, Foot Action, Footlocker, Gadzooks, GNC, Goody's, Happy Harry's, Home Depot, Hot Topic, Jocky, Lowe's, Michael's, NAPA Auto Parts, New York & Co. Payless Shoes, Play It Again Sports, Pure Beauty, Sally Beauty Supply, Spencer's Gifts, Suncoast, Timberland Outlets, Wilson's Leather


All Federal employees are able to get a 15% discount on their persoanl cell phones by calling their carrier and mentioning the "Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. Discount to Federal Employees past and present. You will need to know the military member's supervisor's name, phone number, and full address, so that his/her military status can be verified.

Use the following contact numbers:

Singular-800-319-6393

Sprint-877-812-1223

T-Mobile-866-646-4688

Nextel-800-639-6111

Verzion-800-865-1825

SPECIAL THANKS To Comrade Jim Nelson U.S. Army Vietnam War HERO for sharing this info with your nationally acclaimed reporter of important Veterans issues..... Lyle Schmeiser,Chaplain DAV Central Florida Chapter 16