Will Smith and Son Got Jiggy at Fort Hood
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Mom Of Murdered Baby Speaks Out
Mom Of Murdered Baby Speaks Out
WITN News
May 31, 2013
The mother of a 10 month baby that died after police say his father choked him to death is now speaking out for the first time to WITN.
Amber Hewitt is the mother of Aidyn Burton of Jacksonville. She says the baby's father, a Camp Lejeune Marine, killed himself days after the child's murder.
Now Hewitt says she wants answers into why police didn't arrest the father before it was too late. "For 23 years I searched for my purpose in this world, so when I held that little boy in my arms I knew what my purpose was, and now I'm trying to find it again," Hewitt told us from her new home in Florida.
Back in February she lived in Jacksonville with her son. The child's father, Corporal Rodney Burton who everyone called "Will" didn't take care of his son until he was 9 months old, according to Hewitt.
One day the mother's sister and brother-in-law were babysiting while she was at work. Burton came over.
"I though that he actually was trying to be involved with his son," said Hewitt.
But according to the autopsy, a baby wipe was stuffed in the baby's mouth, suffocating him. After being questioned by police, Burton left Jacksonville and was found at a home in Craven County with a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
read more here
WITN News
May 31, 2013
The mother of a 10 month baby that died after police say his father choked him to death is now speaking out for the first time to WITN.
Amber Hewitt is the mother of Aidyn Burton of Jacksonville. She says the baby's father, a Camp Lejeune Marine, killed himself days after the child's murder.
Now Hewitt says she wants answers into why police didn't arrest the father before it was too late. "For 23 years I searched for my purpose in this world, so when I held that little boy in my arms I knew what my purpose was, and now I'm trying to find it again," Hewitt told us from her new home in Florida.
Back in February she lived in Jacksonville with her son. The child's father, Corporal Rodney Burton who everyone called "Will" didn't take care of his son until he was 9 months old, according to Hewitt.
One day the mother's sister and brother-in-law were babysiting while she was at work. Burton came over.
"I though that he actually was trying to be involved with his son," said Hewitt.
But according to the autopsy, a baby wipe was stuffed in the baby's mouth, suffocating him. After being questioned by police, Burton left Jacksonville and was found at a home in Craven County with a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
read more here
FBI, Veterans Affairs agents raid home of ex-Louis Medical Center Chief
FBI, Veterans Affairs agents raid home of ex-Louis Stokes VA Medical center chief William Montague
By Pat Galbincea
The Plain Dealer
May 31, 2013
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio -- Agents from the FBI and the Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Veteran Affairs swarmed the Brecksville home Friday of the former director of the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center.
Agents searched inside the house of William Montague for nearly an hour in mid-afternoon. Gavin McLaren, resident agent in charge of the Criminal Investigations Division, said he could not comment on the raid.
FBI spokeswoman Vicki Anderson said Montague was not taken into custody or brought in for questioning. She said she could not comment if anything was taken from the home.
"We executed a search warrant, but it was sealed," Anderson said. "We can't make any further comments."
read more here
By Pat Galbincea
The Plain Dealer
May 31, 2013
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio -- Agents from the FBI and the Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Veteran Affairs swarmed the Brecksville home Friday of the former director of the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center.
Agents searched inside the house of William Montague for nearly an hour in mid-afternoon. Gavin McLaren, resident agent in charge of the Criminal Investigations Division, said he could not comment on the raid.
FBI spokeswoman Vicki Anderson said Montague was not taken into custody or brought in for questioning. She said she could not comment if anything was taken from the home.
"We executed a search warrant, but it was sealed," Anderson said. "We can't make any further comments."
read more here
Sacramento Marine posthumously awarded Bronze Star for Sangin heroism
Sacramento Marine posthumously awarded Bronze Star
DIVIDS
1st Marine Division
Story by Cpl. Joseph Scanlan
May 31, 2013
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, honored a fallen brother who fought and died with valor in 2011 in Sangin, Afghanistan.
Corporal Gurpreet Singh lived by the saying, “All gave some. Some gave all,” to the deepest sense of the phrase.
On May 30, Singh was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V” for valor posthumously for heroic service in Sangin district.
Singh, a rifleman, was raised in Punjab, India, until he was 10 years old when his family immigrated to Sacramento, Calif.
Growing up with a Sikhism background, Singh was proud of his heritage and was inspired by Sikh warrior gurus who risked their lives to fight against terrorism, said Manpreet Kaur, Singh’s sister.
read more here
DIVIDS
1st Marine Division
Story by Cpl. Joseph Scanlan
May 31, 2013
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, honored a fallen brother who fought and died with valor in 2011 in Sangin, Afghanistan.
Corporal Gurpreet Singh lived by the saying, “All gave some. Some gave all,” to the deepest sense of the phrase.
On May 30, Singh was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V” for valor posthumously for heroic service in Sangin district.
Singh, a rifleman, was raised in Punjab, India, until he was 10 years old when his family immigrated to Sacramento, Calif.
Growing up with a Sikhism background, Singh was proud of his heritage and was inspired by Sikh warrior gurus who risked their lives to fight against terrorism, said Manpreet Kaur, Singh’s sister.
read more here
Camp Pendleton Marine develops "bullet proof" groin protector
Camp Pendleton Marine develops groin protector
ABC News
Michael Chen
Posted: 05/31/2013
SAN DIEGO - A man who served in the Marine Corps out of Camp Pendleton has invented a piece of equipment that could to save lives and prevent devastating injuries that are playing out more and more often on the battlefield.
Dubbed the Nutshellz, Jeremiah Raber said tests show the groin shield made of bulletproof material can repel direct bullet strikes from 9mm and .357 Magnum pistol rounds.
"It actually eats bullets," said Raber, who calls his invention the world's strongest cup.
With thousands of troops sustaining serious lower-extremity injuries in recent wars, the Pentagon has made groin protection a priority.
"I recently got an email. In August, they'd like to test the product," Raber said.
read more here
ABC News
Michael Chen
Posted: 05/31/2013
SAN DIEGO - A man who served in the Marine Corps out of Camp Pendleton has invented a piece of equipment that could to save lives and prevent devastating injuries that are playing out more and more often on the battlefield.
Dubbed the Nutshellz, Jeremiah Raber said tests show the groin shield made of bulletproof material can repel direct bullet strikes from 9mm and .357 Magnum pistol rounds.
"It actually eats bullets," said Raber, who calls his invention the world's strongest cup.
With thousands of troops sustaining serious lower-extremity injuries in recent wars, the Pentagon has made groin protection a priority.
"I recently got an email. In August, they'd like to test the product," Raber said.
read more here
Ex-cop who wanted 'suicide by cop' killed by police
Ex-cop who wanted 'suicide by cop' killed by police
By Mari A. Schaefer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
May 31, 2013
It was the former cop's last stand after fleeing police on attempted murder charges
UPPER DARBY, Pa. — When the SWAT team kicked in the door of Room 207 at the Summit Hill Inn in Upper Darby, Anthony Galla was crouched between a bed and a window holding a fully loaded Glock handgun.
He pointed his weapon toward the doorway; Officers fired.
Law enforcement officers knew when they began looking for Galla that the former police officer with military training was heavily armed, was wanted in connection with a shooting, and had talked about committing "suicide by cop."
The four officers shot 52 times, killing Galla, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. Galla did not get off a shot. The incident took five to 10 seconds, Chitwood said.
"This was Galla's last stand," Chitwood said. "There is no doubt he was ready for war."
read more here
By Mari A. Schaefer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
May 31, 2013
It was the former cop's last stand after fleeing police on attempted murder charges
UPPER DARBY, Pa. — When the SWAT team kicked in the door of Room 207 at the Summit Hill Inn in Upper Darby, Anthony Galla was crouched between a bed and a window holding a fully loaded Glock handgun.
He pointed his weapon toward the doorway; Officers fired.
Law enforcement officers knew when they began looking for Galla that the former police officer with military training was heavily armed, was wanted in connection with a shooting, and had talked about committing "suicide by cop."
The four officers shot 52 times, killing Galla, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. Galla did not get off a shot. The incident took five to 10 seconds, Chitwood said.
"This was Galla's last stand," Chitwood said. "There is no doubt he was ready for war."
read more here
Angel Fire program: Vietnam vets find support in one another
Angel Fire program: Vietnam vets find support in one another
Sangre Chronicle
By Eric Heinz
Staff writer
Published:
Saturday, June 1, 2013
For Vietnam War veterans, breaking the silence can help soldiers break the shackles of painful memories.
As many infantry soldiers did not get a friendly welcome when they returned home, the process of trying to forget has in some instances done more harm than healing by repressing the past as well as neglecting mental illnesses brought on by war.
In Jack McLean’s case, amplifying his voice through literature helps him retard the loud, intrusive memories.
What would lead to a search for the seemingly lost and fractured family of a fallen comrade, McLean pieced the war back together with letters he sent home and churned pages of his experiences for his novel “Loon: A Marine Story.”
read more here
Sangre Chronicle
By Eric Heinz
Staff writer
Published:
Saturday, June 1, 2013
For Vietnam War veterans, breaking the silence can help soldiers break the shackles of painful memories.
As many infantry soldiers did not get a friendly welcome when they returned home, the process of trying to forget has in some instances done more harm than healing by repressing the past as well as neglecting mental illnesses brought on by war.
In Jack McLean’s case, amplifying his voice through literature helps him retard the loud, intrusive memories.
What would lead to a search for the seemingly lost and fractured family of a fallen comrade, McLean pieced the war back together with letters he sent home and churned pages of his experiences for his novel “Loon: A Marine Story.”
read more here
Police look for trauma support after Boston bombing
Police look for trauma support after Boston bombing
By Maria Cramer
GLOBE STAFF
JUNE 01, 2013
Boston Police Department officials said they are worried about long-term psychological effects of the Marathon bombings on their officers and are searching for ways to pay for more mental health specialists.
“We have an entire department that was impacted by the Marathon and many, many officers who saw things they should never have seen and endured things they should never have endured,” said Superintendent-in-Chief Daniel Linskey. “We’re going to have make sure they’re getting services not just for the first 12 to 24 hours [after the bombing], but the first week, the first month, the first year, and next five years down the road.”
In the days following the bombings, 600 officers were ordered to attend sessions called debriefings, in which they broke off in smaller groups to talk about the horror of that day. New York City police sent 18 retired and active officers trained in counseling to help Boston’s Critical Incident Management Team, which is composed of 45 officers trained in peer counseling.
The Boston Police department also contracts with three clinicians, but in the long run, the department will need even more help to respond to any psychological effects on officers in the weeks, months, and even years to come, Linskey said.
“Officers [generally] see horrific scenes and violent scenes that can have a cumulative effect on people over the years,” he said. “We’re going to have to invest additional resources.”
read more here
By Maria Cramer
GLOBE STAFF
JUNE 01, 2013
Boston Police Department officials said they are worried about long-term psychological effects of the Marathon bombings on their officers and are searching for ways to pay for more mental health specialists.
“We have an entire department that was impacted by the Marathon and many, many officers who saw things they should never have seen and endured things they should never have endured,” said Superintendent-in-Chief Daniel Linskey. “We’re going to have make sure they’re getting services not just for the first 12 to 24 hours [after the bombing], but the first week, the first month, the first year, and next five years down the road.”
In the days following the bombings, 600 officers were ordered to attend sessions called debriefings, in which they broke off in smaller groups to talk about the horror of that day. New York City police sent 18 retired and active officers trained in counseling to help Boston’s Critical Incident Management Team, which is composed of 45 officers trained in peer counseling.
The Boston Police department also contracts with three clinicians, but in the long run, the department will need even more help to respond to any psychological effects on officers in the weeks, months, and even years to come, Linskey said.
“Officers [generally] see horrific scenes and violent scenes that can have a cumulative effect on people over the years,” he said. “We’re going to have to invest additional resources.”
read more here
 |
| Boston Police after bombs |
Speaker of the House silent on cuts at Military Hospitals
Speaker of the House silent on cuts at Military Hospitals
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
June 1, 2013
When John Boehner said "I got 98 percent of what I wanted." with sequestration no one asked him how he dared be so happy when it meant so much harm to the American people. Congress hadn't managed to pass a budge that had a chance of passing for the simple reason it helped the wealthy but harmed the rest of the American people. We're used to it. We're used to people like him always shooting his mouth off about what he thinks the people want when he doesn't seem to care about what we need.
As most of us were reading how Meals on Wheels would no longer be able to deliver hot meals to thousands of elderly people and the disabled, he was whining about the Air Traffic Controllers and how cutting their hours made it hard on members of congress to have to wait in line with the rest of us. They acted fast to fix that problem.
Bridges and roads fall apart but instead of putting thousands to work fixing them, he approved of so many public workers losing their jobs.
Cops and firefighters lost jobs after most of these jobs are done by veterans coming home from combat and still wanting to serve their communities.
When he pushed and pushed to blame someone over what happened in Benghazi, he didn't seem too interested that Congress cut the budget for security. Boehner doesn't seem too interested in the outcome of the 98% of what he wanted would do unless it directly affected members of Congress.
We've heard speech after speech and hearing after hearing on the backlog of claims at the VA but what we didn't hear was that there has been a history of congressional ambivalence to what disabled veterans face when they come home. The VA claims were higher during other administrations simply because Congress never really got their act together on making sure veterans didn't have to wait in long lines to be treated and compensated for what their service did to them. Reporters failed to inform the American people that when troops were sent to fight in two wars there were less people working on taking care of them than after the Gulf War. That is how we ended up in the mess in 2009 when the backlogs hit 915,000.
Now it seems we have the ultimate betrayal. Workers at Military Hospitals are being cut. Yes, that is the truth but it is doubtful Boehner will do a damn thing about it.
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
June 1, 2013
When John Boehner said "I got 98 percent of what I wanted." with sequestration no one asked him how he dared be so happy when it meant so much harm to the American people. Congress hadn't managed to pass a budge that had a chance of passing for the simple reason it helped the wealthy but harmed the rest of the American people. We're used to it. We're used to people like him always shooting his mouth off about what he thinks the people want when he doesn't seem to care about what we need.
As most of us were reading how Meals on Wheels would no longer be able to deliver hot meals to thousands of elderly people and the disabled, he was whining about the Air Traffic Controllers and how cutting their hours made it hard on members of congress to have to wait in line with the rest of us. They acted fast to fix that problem.
Bridges and roads fall apart but instead of putting thousands to work fixing them, he approved of so many public workers losing their jobs.
Cops and firefighters lost jobs after most of these jobs are done by veterans coming home from combat and still wanting to serve their communities.
When he pushed and pushed to blame someone over what happened in Benghazi, he didn't seem too interested that Congress cut the budget for security. Boehner doesn't seem too interested in the outcome of the 98% of what he wanted would do unless it directly affected members of Congress.
We've heard speech after speech and hearing after hearing on the backlog of claims at the VA but what we didn't hear was that there has been a history of congressional ambivalence to what disabled veterans face when they come home. The VA claims were higher during other administrations simply because Congress never really got their act together on making sure veterans didn't have to wait in long lines to be treated and compensated for what their service did to them. Reporters failed to inform the American people that when troops were sent to fight in two wars there were less people working on taking care of them than after the Gulf War. That is how we ended up in the mess in 2009 when the backlogs hit 915,000.
Now it seems we have the ultimate betrayal. Workers at Military Hospitals are being cut. Yes, that is the truth but it is doubtful Boehner will do a damn thing about it.
Walter Reed hospital workers receive furlough notices
May 30, 2013
ABC7 has confirmed the region’s two military hospitals are furloughing more than 3,500 civilian employees who care for the nation’s wounded warriors, nearly their entire civilian staffs.
The impacted employees are from departments across the board at both hospitals, including members of the trauma team, physical therapists and nurses. They will be forced to take 11 unpaid furlough days starting in July.
Hospital officials say the furloughs affect 2,392 caregivers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. That’s 94% of the civilian staff there.
Officials say 1,163 caregivers at Fort Belvoir’s hospital in Virginia are being furloughed, affecting 85% of its civilian staff.
read more here
PTSD Awareness Month Begins Today
June is PTSD Awareness Month
Ten steps to raise awareness on PTSD
10 Steps to Raise PTSD Awareness
Know more about PTSD.
Understand common reactions to trauma and when those reactions might be PTSD.
Challenge your beliefs about treatment.
PTSD treatment can help. We now have effective PTSD treatments that can make a difference in the lives of people with PTSD.
Explore the options for those with PTSD.
Find out where to get help for PTSD and learn how to choose a therapist. Also see our Self-Help and Coping section section to learn about peer support and other coping strategies.
Reach out. Make a difference.
You can help a family member with PTSD, including assisting your Veteran who needs care. Know there is support for friends and family too.
Know the facts.
More than half of US adults will experience at least one trauma in their lifetime. How common is PTSD?.
For Veterans and people who have been through violence and abuse, the number is higher.
Expand your understanding.
Learn about assessment and how to find out if someone has PTSD. Complete a brief checklist or take an online screen to see if a professional evaluation is needed. June 20th is National PTSD Screening Day.
Share PTSD information.
Share handouts, brochures, or wallet cards about trauma and PTSD.
Meet people who have lived with PTSD.
Visit AboutFace, an online gallery dedicated to Veterans talking about how PTSD treatment turned their lives around.
Take advantage of technology.
Download PTSD Coach mobile app and treatment companion apps in the National Center for PTSD's growing collection of mobile offerings.
Keep informed.
Get the latest information about PTSD. Sign up for our PTSD Monthly Update, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
 |
| Raise Awareness |
10 Steps to Raise PTSD Awareness
Know more about PTSD.
Understand common reactions to trauma and when those reactions might be PTSD.
Challenge your beliefs about treatment.
PTSD treatment can help. We now have effective PTSD treatments that can make a difference in the lives of people with PTSD.
Explore the options for those with PTSD.
Find out where to get help for PTSD and learn how to choose a therapist. Also see our Self-Help and Coping section section to learn about peer support and other coping strategies.
Reach out. Make a difference.
You can help a family member with PTSD, including assisting your Veteran who needs care. Know there is support for friends and family too.
Know the facts.
More than half of US adults will experience at least one trauma in their lifetime. How common is PTSD?.
For Veterans and people who have been through violence and abuse, the number is higher.
Expand your understanding.
Learn about assessment and how to find out if someone has PTSD. Complete a brief checklist or take an online screen to see if a professional evaluation is needed. June 20th is National PTSD Screening Day.
Share PTSD information.
Share handouts, brochures, or wallet cards about trauma and PTSD.
Meet people who have lived with PTSD.
Visit AboutFace, an online gallery dedicated to Veterans talking about how PTSD treatment turned their lives around.
Take advantage of technology.
Download PTSD Coach mobile app and treatment companion apps in the National Center for PTSD's growing collection of mobile offerings.
Keep informed.
Get the latest information about PTSD. Sign up for our PTSD Monthly Update, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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