Marines Discuss the Severity of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome
WHSV News
Jun 27, 2012
Marine Corps Veteran Daniel Fahey served for years before being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. It is an anxiety disorder that can start after psychological trauma, like warfare.
“If you don't at least recognize and make that first step, it can really start to tear you up and tear everybody else around you down,” said Fahey.
He served in Afghanistan and in Iraq counseling other soldiers.
Fahey said he considered suicide by driving off the road to get rid of his problems. That was when he realized he had a problem.
“It can seriously just cause you to implode slowly, and that's a very lonely place to be.”
Staunton Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) members wanted to make sure people have information about PTSD, in case they suffer from some of the symptoms. They held a forum so other people could learn about PTSD.
read more here
Monday, July 2, 2012
Army Sgt. Major Raymond Chandler III keeps fighting to save lives
One of the heroes on PTSD is Sgt. Major Chandler and in this article he "called himself the poster child of someone with PTSD" with a lot of courage. He's been open about his own battle with Combat PTSD making him a true hero in the fight to save the lives of the men and women serving today and the veterans of yesterday.
Officials Say Progress Must Continue in PTSD Treatment
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 27, 2012 – Great strides have been made in treating service members with post-traumatic stress disorder, but progress must continue, military and medical leaders told an audience here today.
The military’s three surgeons general and the Army’s senior sergeant major spoke at an event to mark the third-annual National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day.
Sgt. Major of the Army Raymond Chandler III called himself the poster child of someone with PTSD who is concerned about the stigma associated with seeking treatment, something which he says is an on-going issue for many.
His first brush with a life-threatening event in Iraq became life-altering, he said, adding that it caused him to do things that led to a “downward spiral.” For example, during his post-deployment health risk assessment, he wasn’t completely honest about his situation because he was being redeployed.
“I felt that if I said truthfully what happened and what I was feeling, I wouldn’t be able to succeed and move on. I’ve come a long way since 2005,” he added, noting that he had turned off a good part of his life -- the emotional, spiritual and physical elements to deal with being the professional soldier.
Chandler finally entered a two-week behavioral health program which he said made a significant difference.
In 2011, when he interviewed with then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. for the job as Sergeant Major of the Army, he said Casey was glad to have him onboard with his experience in PTSD counseling, because Chandler could speak to the challenges and treatment.
Chandler got the job and went on to tell his story to service members and families.
“I think we’ve made a difference,” Chandler said. “I know in many of our soldiers’ lives and the many challenges of the past 10 years, we’ve made tremendous strides in our behavioral health care access, and our care and quality of care, [but] we still have a long way to go.”
“I believe we will work through this and we will be better as a nation,” he said.
Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho told the audience “As a society in military medicine we must be able to provide care for the invisible wounds of war in the long run. As a nation, it is our opportunity to partner and lead the way in breaking the silence [of the invisible wounds].”
read more here
Canadian Military ‘Disappointed’ head of veteran’s suicide probe
‘Disappointed’ head of veteran’s suicide probe won’t press Peter MacKay for key documents after Defence Minister’s stonewalling
Chris Cobb
Postmedia News
Jun 27, 2012
OTTAWA — The head of a federal inquiry probing the suicide of Afghan war veteran Stuart Langridge says he won’t immediately challenge Defence Minister Peter MacKay in Federal Court over his refusal to hand over key documents.
MacKay refused a request by Military Police Complaints Commission chairman Glenn Stannard to waive solicitor-client privilege in the Langridge case and provide the inquiry with the documents.
“While I’m disappointed with this response by Minister MacKay I continue to respect his position of authority,” said Stannard and his undoubted prerogative to exercise his discretion with respect to any request to waive privilege.”
read more here
Chris Cobb
Postmedia News
Jun 27, 2012
OTTAWA — The head of a federal inquiry probing the suicide of Afghan war veteran Stuart Langridge says he won’t immediately challenge Defence Minister Peter MacKay in Federal Court over his refusal to hand over key documents.
MacKay refused a request by Military Police Complaints Commission chairman Glenn Stannard to waive solicitor-client privilege in the Langridge case and provide the inquiry with the documents.
“While I’m disappointed with this response by Minister MacKay I continue to respect his position of authority,” said Stannard and his undoubted prerogative to exercise his discretion with respect to any request to waive privilege.”
read more here
Changes needed in Guard, Reserve pay
Review: Changes needed in Guard, Reserve pay
Stars and Stripes
Published: July 2, 2012
A Pentagon review of compensation members of the National Guard and reservists receive is recommending that changes be made to make salaries and benefits more equitable, according to an article from The Associated Press.
Guard members and reservists normally receive two days of pay for each weekend day they spend training in the States, but only receive one day’s pay when deployed to Afghanistan, according to the article.
read more here
Stars and Stripes
Published: July 2, 2012
A Pentagon review of compensation members of the National Guard and reservists receive is recommending that changes be made to make salaries and benefits more equitable, according to an article from The Associated Press.
Guard members and reservists normally receive two days of pay for each weekend day they spend training in the States, but only receive one day’s pay when deployed to Afghanistan, according to the article.
read more here
Troop hospitalizations show mental toll of war
Troop hospitalizations show mental toll of war
By WYATT OLSON
Stars and Stripes
Published: July 1, 2012
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Hospitalizations of troops with mental disorders such as suicidal or homicidal intent and debilitating psychosis reached a 10-year high in 2011, underscoring the mental and emotional toll of America’s dual wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center says 13,133 servicemembers were treated as inpatients last year for mental disorders, the top reason for hospitalization of active-duty troops. That was up from 10,706 in 2007.
The total number of hospitalizations for mental disorders in 2011 was about 21,700, suggesting that many patients were treated more than once, based on annual data from a recently released Medical Surveillance Monthly Report.
The number of visits for outpatient mental health treatment has also ballooned, almost doubling from just under 1 million in 2007 to about 1.89 million in 2011, the report revealed.
The number of hospitalizations is almost certainly higher because it does not include inpatient treatment of mental disorders during deployments or field training exercises, or on ships at sea.
read more here
By WYATT OLSON
Stars and Stripes
Published: July 1, 2012
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Hospitalizations of troops with mental disorders such as suicidal or homicidal intent and debilitating psychosis reached a 10-year high in 2011, underscoring the mental and emotional toll of America’s dual wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center says 13,133 servicemembers were treated as inpatients last year for mental disorders, the top reason for hospitalization of active-duty troops. That was up from 10,706 in 2007.
The total number of hospitalizations for mental disorders in 2011 was about 21,700, suggesting that many patients were treated more than once, based on annual data from a recently released Medical Surveillance Monthly Report.
The number of visits for outpatient mental health treatment has also ballooned, almost doubling from just under 1 million in 2007 to about 1.89 million in 2011, the report revealed.
The number of hospitalizations is almost certainly higher because it does not include inpatient treatment of mental disorders during deployments or field training exercises, or on ships at sea.
read more here
Triple Amputee Marine wrestles gator on "Gator Boys"
Want an emotional lift this Monday morning? This will do it! Great video!
'Gator Boys': Severely Injured Marine, Corporal Todd Love, Wrestles An Alligator
(VIDEO)
Posted: 07/02/2012
On "Gator Boys" (Sun., 9 p.m. EST on Animal Planet) Sunday night Paul Bedard and Jimmy Riffle helped make a wounded veteran's dream come true.
Todd Love, Corporal USMC, lost both his legs and his left arm in an IED explosion in Afghanistan in October 2010.
Despite the severity of his injuries, Todd had not given up on his dream of wrestling an alligator, and so the "Gator Boys" obliged. He also got to touch an 11-feet-long alligator on the nose.
read more here
Camp Lejeune Marines told conserve energy or pay for it
Some Marine families may have to pay electric bills
By AMANDA WILCOX
The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.
Published: July 1, 2012
Thursday’s town hall meeting on Camp Lejeune left some military families worried about utility bills for the first time in their adult lives.
On-base housing residents will now be held responsible for their energy consumption and will be receiving electric bills within the next year as part of a new residential energy conservation program being implemented by Headquarters Marine Corps and Marine Corps Installation Command at all Marine installations.
“A lot of families have never had to pay electricity bills,” said Dixie Johnson, marketing manager with Atlantic Marine Corps Community Housing. “If they’ve always lived on a military installation they’ve never had to worry about that ... and it’s a concern for them.”
Navy Capt. Craig Fulton came to the town hall meeting from Headquarters Marine Corps to talk to Lejeune residents about the new changes. He said the Department of Defense is implementing the conservation program because research has found that military families on base use far more electricity than their civilian counterparts.
As a result, the DoD will start sending out bills in October to families who use more energy on average than their neighbors and reward those who use less.
“You could, the word is could, be charged for the utilities that you use,” Camp Lejeune Base Sgt. Maj. Ernest Hoopii said. “If you’re below the average usage of a house of a particular size, then you’ll make money... but if you go over that threshold, you’re going to be charged.”
read more here
By AMANDA WILCOX
The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.
Published: July 1, 2012
Thursday’s town hall meeting on Camp Lejeune left some military families worried about utility bills for the first time in their adult lives.
On-base housing residents will now be held responsible for their energy consumption and will be receiving electric bills within the next year as part of a new residential energy conservation program being implemented by Headquarters Marine Corps and Marine Corps Installation Command at all Marine installations.
“A lot of families have never had to pay electricity bills,” said Dixie Johnson, marketing manager with Atlantic Marine Corps Community Housing. “If they’ve always lived on a military installation they’ve never had to worry about that ... and it’s a concern for them.”
Navy Capt. Craig Fulton came to the town hall meeting from Headquarters Marine Corps to talk to Lejeune residents about the new changes. He said the Department of Defense is implementing the conservation program because research has found that military families on base use far more electricity than their civilian counterparts.
As a result, the DoD will start sending out bills in October to families who use more energy on average than their neighbors and reward those who use less.
“You could, the word is could, be charged for the utilities that you use,” Camp Lejeune Base Sgt. Maj. Ernest Hoopii said. “If you’re below the average usage of a house of a particular size, then you’ll make money... but if you go over that threshold, you’re going to be charged.”
read more here
20 Navy and Marine members help feed homeless during Navy Week
Boston Navy Week 2012
On day off, they continue to serve
By Matt Rocheleau
Globe Correspondent
Boston Globe
July 2, 2012
About 20 Navy and Marine members volunteered to help dish out meals to some 300 homeless men in a cafeteria at the Pine Street Inn shelter in the South End on Sunday afternoon. Before the meal, five Navy sailors from the Northeast Navy Band put on a musical performance.
(click links for more)
Compiled by Anush Elbakyan, Boston.com correspondent Ships berthed at Pier 4 at Charlestown Navy Yard, from left: USCGC Juniper, HNOMS Thor Heyerdahl, and HDMS Esbern Snare.
On day off, they continue to serve
By Matt Rocheleau
Globe Correspondent
Boston Globe
July 2, 2012
About 20 Navy and Marine members volunteered to help dish out meals to some 300 homeless men in a cafeteria at the Pine Street Inn shelter in the South End on Sunday afternoon. Before the meal, five Navy sailors from the Northeast Navy Band put on a musical performance.
(click links for more)
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Fort Bragg soldier who shot commander dies
Fort Bragg soldier who shot commander dies
By GREG BARNES
The Fayettville (N.C.) Observer
Published: July 1, 2012
The soldier who fatally shot his superior officer during a safety briefing on Fort Bragg and then turned the gun on himself has died.
Col. Kevin Arata, a Fort Bragg spokesman, identified the soldier as Spc. Ricky G. Elder, 27, of Hutchinson, Kan. Elder died Saturday at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said.
Elder is accused of fatally shooting his battalion commander, Lt. Col. Roy L. Tisdale, during a safety briefing Thursday.
A third soldier, 22-year-old Spc. Michael E. Latham, was treated for minor wounds at Womack Army Medical Center and released.
read more here
By GREG BARNES
The Fayettville (N.C.) Observer
Published: July 1, 2012
Lt. Col. Roy L. Tisdale, commander of the 525th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade at Fort Bragg, N.C., was fatally shot by a member of his battalion around 3:30 p.m., June 28. COURTESY OF THE U.S. ARMY
The soldier who fatally shot his superior officer during a safety briefing on Fort Bragg and then turned the gun on himself has died.
Col. Kevin Arata, a Fort Bragg spokesman, identified the soldier as Spc. Ricky G. Elder, 27, of Hutchinson, Kan. Elder died Saturday at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said.
Elder is accused of fatally shooting his battalion commander, Lt. Col. Roy L. Tisdale, during a safety briefing Thursday.
A third soldier, 22-year-old Spc. Michael E. Latham, was treated for minor wounds at Womack Army Medical Center and released.
read more here
Combat PTSD is nothing to fear
When I read the title of this article it bothered me.
"Enduring mental problems" makes it sound like they are the subject of a Criminal Minds episode with an "unsub" blowing people away instead of pointing out the simple fact that less than half of the veterans with PTSD seek help.
Yesterday I was talking to a group of veterans and one of them wanted to warn me about phony PTSD veterans just looking for a free ride. I told him he was listening to the wrong people because while it is true there are some trying to take advantage of the compensation, the likelihood of this happening is very low especially when you know they are more apt to avoid the VA than they are willing to reach out for any kind of help from them.
We read reports of veterans committing crimes simply because the majority of them do not commit crimes but are not considered newsworthy. There are actually more veterans seeking to kill themselves than commit crimes. We don't talk about that though. It is heartbreaking enough to know that out of the 8% of this country 18 veterans a day take their own lives and out of the less than 1% serving today they are averaging 1 a day. Should we actually face the fact that many more attempt suicide each day, the number of veterans committing any crime at all would seem insignificant but if a person is accused of committing a crime and happens to be in this minority, well then, it makes the headlines.
Don't get me wrong. This article is well worth the read but the title misleads. More veterans have PTSD for several reasons. Repeated deployments increase the risk and we know too many have done multiple tours. The other factor is there are now more combat veterans with more knowledge than every before and more seeking help to heal.
Growing number of veterans endure mental problems
By JENNA MINK
Daily News
Published: July 1, 2012
Bowling Green, Ky. — One Bowling Green veteran remembers too well the deep depression and mental breakdown that haunted him after years of combat. Decades after serving in the military, the man still does not want his name connected to his condition.
“That’s one of the main problems in combat,” he said. “It’s what it does to you mentally.”
A growing number of veterans are reporting mental problems, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. They are just a few issues veterans encounter when they return home.
read more here
"Enduring mental problems" makes it sound like they are the subject of a Criminal Minds episode with an "unsub" blowing people away instead of pointing out the simple fact that less than half of the veterans with PTSD seek help.
Yesterday I was talking to a group of veterans and one of them wanted to warn me about phony PTSD veterans just looking for a free ride. I told him he was listening to the wrong people because while it is true there are some trying to take advantage of the compensation, the likelihood of this happening is very low especially when you know they are more apt to avoid the VA than they are willing to reach out for any kind of help from them.
We read reports of veterans committing crimes simply because the majority of them do not commit crimes but are not considered newsworthy. There are actually more veterans seeking to kill themselves than commit crimes. We don't talk about that though. It is heartbreaking enough to know that out of the 8% of this country 18 veterans a day take their own lives and out of the less than 1% serving today they are averaging 1 a day. Should we actually face the fact that many more attempt suicide each day, the number of veterans committing any crime at all would seem insignificant but if a person is accused of committing a crime and happens to be in this minority, well then, it makes the headlines.
Don't get me wrong. This article is well worth the read but the title misleads. More veterans have PTSD for several reasons. Repeated deployments increase the risk and we know too many have done multiple tours. The other factor is there are now more combat veterans with more knowledge than every before and more seeking help to heal.
Combat PTSD "The war inside"
The war inside
By Katie Burford
The Durango Herald
June 30, 2012
As a Marine stationed in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2007, Christian Warren spent his days and nights living among the Iraqis the Americans were trying to help. This meant delivering aid like a humanitarian but being ready at any moment to respond like a soldier should an attack occur.
That state of hypervigilance that served him in Iraq isn’t so useful now when Warren is studying for classes at Fort Lewis College, where he plans to major in adventure education.
Memories, flashes, sensations all flood in unbidden. Sleeplessness, anxiety and resignation result.
“Some days it becomes overwhelming, and I just break down for a day,” Warren said.
He has done counseling and group therapy and briefly found himself approaching dependence on painkillers. These days, his medicine is the outdoors, where he hikes and climbs.
The term used to describe this reaction, post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, has become part of the mainstream vernacular as vets like Warren stream home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
read more here
By Katie Burford
The Durango Herald
June 30, 2012
As a Marine stationed in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2007, Christian Warren spent his days and nights living among the Iraqis the Americans were trying to help. This meant delivering aid like a humanitarian but being ready at any moment to respond like a soldier should an attack occur.
That state of hypervigilance that served him in Iraq isn’t so useful now when Warren is studying for classes at Fort Lewis College, where he plans to major in adventure education.
Memories, flashes, sensations all flood in unbidden. Sleeplessness, anxiety and resignation result.
“Some days it becomes overwhelming, and I just break down for a day,” Warren said.
He has done counseling and group therapy and briefly found himself approaching dependence on painkillers. These days, his medicine is the outdoors, where he hikes and climbs.
The term used to describe this reaction, post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, has become part of the mainstream vernacular as vets like Warren stream home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
read more here
Thousands turn out for Iowa event honoring vets
Thousands turn out for Iowa event honoring vets
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jul 1, 2012
DES MOINES, Iowa — Several thousand people lined the streets of downtown Des Moines on Saturday for a parade honoring veterans and current members of the armed services.
Gov. Terry Branstad’s office organized the parade, which began at the state Capitol with a flyover of F-16 fighter jets. Branstad, who served in the Army from 1969 to 1971, also marched in the parade, wearing his old uniform.
Daryl Johnson, of Mason City, carried a POW/MIA flag as part of the parade’s color guard, the Des Moines Register reported. The 65-year-old Johnson, who served in the U.S. Army from May 1968 to 1971 and is a Vietnam veteran, said it was an honor to participate.
“It helps us recognize the extra pain and suffering that those individuals and their families go through,” Johnson said of the flag honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action.
The parade served another important function, Johnson said.
“As a Vietnam veteran, I certainly want to welcome back veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said.
read more here
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jul 1, 2012
DES MOINES, Iowa — Several thousand people lined the streets of downtown Des Moines on Saturday for a parade honoring veterans and current members of the armed services.
Gov. Terry Branstad’s office organized the parade, which began at the state Capitol with a flyover of F-16 fighter jets. Branstad, who served in the Army from 1969 to 1971, also marched in the parade, wearing his old uniform.
Daryl Johnson, of Mason City, carried a POW/MIA flag as part of the parade’s color guard, the Des Moines Register reported. The 65-year-old Johnson, who served in the U.S. Army from May 1968 to 1971 and is a Vietnam veteran, said it was an honor to participate.
“It helps us recognize the extra pain and suffering that those individuals and their families go through,” Johnson said of the flag honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action.
The parade served another important function, Johnson said.
“As a Vietnam veteran, I certainly want to welcome back veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said.
read more here
Military veterans find new firefight
Military veterans find new firefight
By PAUL FATTIG
The (Medford, Ore.) Mail Tribune
Published: June 30, 2012
Armed with a fire hose attached to a pump that's pulling water from a fold-a-tank, firefighter Jeff Darner kept a fire-drowning spray on the tree in front of him.
Behind him, fellow firefighters Charles Dusenberry and Michael Tucker worked to keep the engine running and the water flowing.
The men are veterans whose experience in the military will be counted on as members of Team 10, a U.S. Bureau of Land Management squad of wildland firefighters that includes 10 young military veterans on the 20-person team.
Based at the BLM's Medford District, the team has grown out of a nationwide program by Uncle Sam to put young veterans to work and on a career path.
It is one of three teams being organized in Oregon and Washington, including one in Klamath Falls and another in Spokane. Several other teams of young veterans are being mustered in California and Nevada.
read more here
By PAUL FATTIG
The (Medford, Ore.) Mail Tribune
Published: June 30, 2012
Armed with a fire hose attached to a pump that's pulling water from a fold-a-tank, firefighter Jeff Darner kept a fire-drowning spray on the tree in front of him.
Behind him, fellow firefighters Charles Dusenberry and Michael Tucker worked to keep the engine running and the water flowing.
The men are veterans whose experience in the military will be counted on as members of Team 10, a U.S. Bureau of Land Management squad of wildland firefighters that includes 10 young military veterans on the 20-person team.
Based at the BLM's Medford District, the team has grown out of a nationwide program by Uncle Sam to put young veterans to work and on a career path.
It is one of three teams being organized in Oregon and Washington, including one in Klamath Falls and another in Spokane. Several other teams of young veterans are being mustered in California and Nevada.
read more here
A community mourns slain Guardsmen
A community mourns slain Guardsmen
Thousands pay their respects to 2 of the guardsmen killed in Afghanistan
By MINDY LUCAS and NOELLE PHILLIPS
First Lt. Ryan Rawl and Sgt. John David Meador II shared a lot in life and in death. Both graduated from Lexington High School. Both wrestled. Both worked in law enforcement. Both were married with children. Both volunteered for the S.C. National Guard. Both deployed to Afghanistan in November with the 133rd Military Police Company.
Both died June 20 when a suicide bomber attacked their unit while they were conducting a security checkpoint in Khost, Afghanistan.
Rawl’s and Meador’s funerals were held eight miles apart, both at 10 a.m. Saturday. The services drew thousands of mourners, who endured scorching heat to pay respects to the soldiers and their families.
read more here
Thousands pay their respects to 2 of the guardsmen killed in Afghanistan
By MINDY LUCAS and NOELLE PHILLIPS
Sgt. John David "J.D." Meador II 's mother, Sharon Meador and brothers, James Meador, center, and Michael Meador, comfort each other during the graveside service. Meador was buried at Fort Jackson National Cemetery on June 30, 2012, with full military honors. - Rob Thompson /RTHOMPSON@THESTATE.COM
First Lt. Ryan Rawl and Sgt. John David Meador II shared a lot in life and in death. Both graduated from Lexington High School. Both wrestled. Both worked in law enforcement. Both were married with children. Both volunteered for the S.C. National Guard. Both deployed to Afghanistan in November with the 133rd Military Police Company.
Both died June 20 when a suicide bomber attacked their unit while they were conducting a security checkpoint in Khost, Afghanistan.
Rawl’s and Meador’s funerals were held eight miles apart, both at 10 a.m. Saturday. The services drew thousands of mourners, who endured scorching heat to pay respects to the soldiers and their families.
read more here
Camp Lejeune Marine survives blast, inspires brothers
Marine survives blast, inspires brothers
By Cpl. Jeff Drew
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
June 27, 2012
2nd Marine Division
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – “I was looking at Simone when it went off and where he was standing was just a big dust cloud,” Sgt. Bjorn Cantrell said. “Then we heard Simone scream out to us he was hurt.”
The morning of Aug. 24, 2011, began with the Marines of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, preparing to step out on a blocking mission. They were tasked with protecting engineers along Route 611 in Sangin, Helmand province, Afghanistan, as they repaired a wall damaged by a roadside bomb. Not long after they were in place, 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Adrian Simone, carrying 110 pounds of ammunition, water and equipment – nearly his own bodyweight – stepped on a pressure plate and changed the course of his life indefinitely.
“I was standing over the (improvised explosive device), I bent down and heard a pop, not loud at all, then felt the concussion,” Simone said as he retold his experience. “There wasn’t any immediate pain. I remember seeing my legs fly off, because they were amputated right there. I came back to and heard the ‘EEEEE’ sound as the dust was settling. I was in a hole and I knew I had to get out so I started to climb out and realized my muscles were shot. I couldn’t move so I started screaming for help.”
Cantrell, Simone’s squad leader, rushed to his aid, applying tourniquets to his legs alongside squad members Lance Cpl. Cory Mays and Lance Cpl. Pat Sutton. The Marines began to treat him for shock and, when the corpsman arrived, he was given morphine for the pain.
read more here
By Cpl. Jeff Drew
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
June 27, 2012
2nd Marine Division
“In Afghanistan, life is simple: you either die that day or you don’t die that day. You just do your job. When you go to a place like Sangin with a ton of IEDs, you have to put the thought in your mind you might die today. You can’t think about it, you can’t care about it, you just need to do your job. If you step on an IED then well, you step on an IED and hopefully you won’t lose that much. But, it’s a possibility. This is war.”
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – “I was looking at Simone when it went off and where he was standing was just a big dust cloud,” Sgt. Bjorn Cantrell said. “Then we heard Simone scream out to us he was hurt.”
The morning of Aug. 24, 2011, began with the Marines of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, preparing to step out on a blocking mission. They were tasked with protecting engineers along Route 611 in Sangin, Helmand province, Afghanistan, as they repaired a wall damaged by a roadside bomb. Not long after they were in place, 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Adrian Simone, carrying 110 pounds of ammunition, water and equipment – nearly his own bodyweight – stepped on a pressure plate and changed the course of his life indefinitely.
“I was standing over the (improvised explosive device), I bent down and heard a pop, not loud at all, then felt the concussion,” Simone said as he retold his experience. “There wasn’t any immediate pain. I remember seeing my legs fly off, because they were amputated right there. I came back to and heard the ‘EEEEE’ sound as the dust was settling. I was in a hole and I knew I had to get out so I started to climb out and realized my muscles were shot. I couldn’t move so I started screaming for help.”
Cantrell, Simone’s squad leader, rushed to his aid, applying tourniquets to his legs alongside squad members Lance Cpl. Cory Mays and Lance Cpl. Pat Sutton. The Marines began to treat him for shock and, when the corpsman arrived, he was given morphine for the pain.
read more here
PTSD counselor charged with falsifying his military discharge papers
Former PTSD counselor charged with falsifying his military discharge papers
By Lindsay Wise
June 29, 2012
A Houston-area Army veteran who claimed to be a combat-tested Special Forces soldier and Silver Star recipient has been charged with a federal crime for falsifying his military discharge papers.
A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted Paul A. Schroeder, 40, of The Woodlands, who is accused of unlawfully possessing and exhibiting a certificate of discharge from the military, "knowing the same to be forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered." The misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Schroeder played a high-profile role in Houston's veteran community as the former director of counseling at PTSD Foundation of America, a local nonprofit.
read more here
By Lindsay Wise
June 29, 2012
A Houston-area Army veteran who claimed to be a combat-tested Special Forces soldier and Silver Star recipient has been charged with a federal crime for falsifying his military discharge papers.
A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted Paul A. Schroeder, 40, of The Woodlands, who is accused of unlawfully possessing and exhibiting a certificate of discharge from the military, "knowing the same to be forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered." The misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Schroeder played a high-profile role in Houston's veteran community as the former director of counseling at PTSD Foundation of America, a local nonprofit.
read more here
Navy Cross Marine Hero returns home to cheers
La Porte crowd cheers return of Marine hero
By Tabatha Bognar
Saturday, June 30, 2012
A Houston-area Marine was given a hero's welcome Saturday by dozens of supporters in La Porte.
A crowd filled the parking lot outside La Porte High School stadium, cheering and waving flags for Cpl. Christopher Farias, 26, who returned home with a Purple Heart and Navy Cross for "fearless actions and leadership" during a 2010 attack on his patrol base in Afghanistan.
"I had no idea what was going on today," said Farias, who sustained serious injuries as he helped fellow Marines during a Taliban attack. "It hit home to have so many people come to pay their respects, and I thank them for their support." read more here
By Tabatha Bognar
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Marine Cpl. Christopher Farias, who earned the Navy Cross and Purple Heart, was given a hero's welcome Saturday in La Porte. He was cited for "fearless actions and leadership" during combat in Afghanistan. Photo: Melissa Phillip / © 2012 Houston Chronicle
A Houston-area Marine was given a hero's welcome Saturday by dozens of supporters in La Porte.
A crowd filled the parking lot outside La Porte High School stadium, cheering and waving flags for Cpl. Christopher Farias, 26, who returned home with a Purple Heart and Navy Cross for "fearless actions and leadership" during a 2010 attack on his patrol base in Afghanistan.
"I had no idea what was going on today," said Farias, who sustained serious injuries as he helped fellow Marines during a Taliban attack. "It hit home to have so many people come to pay their respects, and I thank them for their support." read more here
Fallen Marine Sgt. William Stacey's last letter, "it was all worth it"
Fallen Marine Sgt. William Stacey's last letter, "it was all worth it" became famous. Today, the LA Times brought back his story but it is a story that has been told one way or another since this country was born out of the actions of others willing to lay down their lives for it and their friends.
They live for their families but they die for their friends. It is something that we never seem to fully acknowledge. This country sends them as a whole to fight on foreign lands. Some believe in the reason they go, some don't, but when the men and women they serve with are in danger, they are ready to lay down their own lives to save them.
If we say they did it for their country, that is only part of the story. The most magnificent part of the story is how deep their love is.
Christ said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) but Stacey wrote how he was not just willing to do that, but to lay down his life for total strangers so they could have a better life.
They serve no matter who is president at the time or which party controls congress. They serve in good economic times as well as bad. They serve in times of peace just as they serve in times of war. They are less than 1% of the population today and veterans are about 8% with disabled veterans the percentage is even lower yet this country keeps finding excuses to not do the right thing for them. A beautiful letter home from a Marine gets the nation's attention proving we do care. So how is it we never seem to prove it all the way?
They live for their families but they die for their friends. It is something that we never seem to fully acknowledge. This country sends them as a whole to fight on foreign lands. Some believe in the reason they go, some don't, but when the men and women they serve with are in danger, they are ready to lay down their own lives to save them.
If we say they did it for their country, that is only part of the story. The most magnificent part of the story is how deep their love is.
Christ said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) but Stacey wrote how he was not just willing to do that, but to lay down his life for total strangers so they could have a better life.
They serve no matter who is president at the time or which party controls congress. They serve in good economic times as well as bad. They serve in times of peace just as they serve in times of war. They are less than 1% of the population today and veterans are about 8% with disabled veterans the percentage is even lower yet this country keeps finding excuses to not do the right thing for them. A beautiful letter home from a Marine gets the nation's attention proving we do care. So how is it we never seem to prove it all the way?
William C. Stacey dies at 23; Marine sergeant from Seattle
'If my life buys the safety of a child who will one day change the world, then I know that it was all worth it,' Marine Sgt. Will Stacey wrote in a final letter to his family.
By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times July 1, 2012
At Marine Sgt. William Stacey’s burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Albright, center, speaks with Stacey’s loved ones. From left, parents Robert and Robin Stacey, sister Anna Stacey and girlfriend Kimmy Kirkwood. (Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press / March 13, 2012)
Multi-star generals attended his Arlington National Cemetery funeral. His name adorns a fighter jet. His words echo in the halls of Congress.
Since Marine Sgt. William C. Stacey, age 23, was killed Jan. 31 on a remote hillside in Afghanistan's Helmand province, a letter he wrote to his family has gained much attention from politicians and the news media.
"It's quoted by liberals, conservatives and generals and people across the political spectrum. They use it in different ways. But I think Will would be proud of them all," said Robert Stacey, Will's father and interim dean at the University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences.
The letter was intended only for Stacey's family. It was opened shortly after two Marines appeared outside the Staceys' Seattle home as Will's sister, Anna, was heading to school. Will's mother, Robin, was already teaching her UW history class. Robert Stacey said that before a word was spoken, the family knew why the Marines were there.
"My death did not change the world; it may be tough for you to justify its meaning at all," wrote Will Stacey, who left behind college baseball at Shasta College in Redding to join the Marines in 2006. Military personnel often leave behind a final letter for their families in case they are killed.
"But there is a greater meaning," Stacey continued. "Perhaps there is still injustice in the world. But there will be a child who will live because men left the security they enjoyed in their home country to come to his. And this child will learn in the new schools that have been built.... He will grow into a fine man who will pursue every opportunity his heart could desire."
"He will have the gift of freedom, which I have enjoyed for so long. If my life buys the safety of a child who will one day change the world, then I know that it was all worth it."
read more here
Operation Shufly Marine Vietnam Veteran Honored
Former Marine recognized for his service in Vietnam War
11:18 PM, Jun 30, 2012
Written by
Rachel Stalley
St. Cloud resident Art Levandowski was one of four veterans honored during 2012 Marine Week held June 11-17 in Cleveland.
Levandowski, a 1962 graduate of St. Cloud Cathedral High School, was recognized for being part of Operation Shufly, the first operational Marine Corp. activation unit deployed to Vietnam.
Levandowski enlisted in the Marines out of high school and was stationed in San Diego and Memphis before he and a friend volunteered to go into Vietnam. He was a helicopter mechanic in squadron HMM 261, only one of five squadrons in Vietnam from 1962-63.
“We thought it would be great to adventure,” Levandowski said. “We felt like we were indestructible at that age.”
read more here
11:18 PM, Jun 30, 2012
Written by
Rachel Stalley
Art Levandowski of St. Cloud was one of four Marines recognized for work in Operation Shufly during 2012 Marine Week held June 11-17 in Cleveland. He was recognized with a pin from Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer during ceremonies. / Photo courtesy of Deb Isaacson
St. Cloud resident Art Levandowski was one of four veterans honored during 2012 Marine Week held June 11-17 in Cleveland.
Levandowski, a 1962 graduate of St. Cloud Cathedral High School, was recognized for being part of Operation Shufly, the first operational Marine Corp. activation unit deployed to Vietnam.
Levandowski enlisted in the Marines out of high school and was stationed in San Diego and Memphis before he and a friend volunteered to go into Vietnam. He was a helicopter mechanic in squadron HMM 261, only one of five squadrons in Vietnam from 1962-63.
“We thought it would be great to adventure,” Levandowski said. “We felt like we were indestructible at that age.”
read more here
Fort Campbell Mom, guilty of setting fire that killed her 2 children
Woman found guilty of setting fire to home, killing her 2 children at Fort Campbell Army post
By Associated Press, Published: June 28
PADUCAH, Ky. — A federal jury has found a woman guilty of setting fire to her home and killing two of her children at Fort Campbell.
U.S. attorney’s office spokeswoman Stephanie Collins says the jury in Paducah, Ky., reached the verdict Thursday in the case of 32-year-old Billi Jo Smallwood after two hours of deliberations.
read more here
By Associated Press, Published: June 28
PADUCAH, Ky. — A federal jury has found a woman guilty of setting fire to her home and killing two of her children at Fort Campbell.
U.S. attorney’s office spokeswoman Stephanie Collins says the jury in Paducah, Ky., reached the verdict Thursday in the case of 32-year-old Billi Jo Smallwood after two hours of deliberations.
read more here
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