Vietnam Veteran Searching for Owner of Hard Drive from Iraq

A military mystery found on a hard drive in Lynnwood
Q13 FOx
BY JAMIE TOMPKINS
OCTOBER 19, 2016

LYNNWOOD, Wash. — It’s about 400 megabytes of a soldier’s memories captured on a hard drive.

George Williams says a friend found the beat-up hard drive and traded it to him for a few cigarettes.

“There were pictures of them in camp, pictures of the war, pictures of some cities around there and there were also family pictures. I don’t know if it’s fate. Maybe it was because if it was in somebody else’s hands, they would have wiped everything out and forgotten it,” says Williams.
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Fort Campbell Soldier Killed in Tennessee

Sheriff: Disoriented soldier killed in Tennessee after walking into road
WKRN
Published: October 19, 2016

PLEASANT VIEW, Tenn. (WKRN) – A young soldier based out of Fort Campbell was killed after he was hit on a Pleasant View highway early Saturday morning.

Investigators say the accident happened around 4 a.m. when Austin McGrough walked into the middle of Highway 41A and was hit by a BMW driven by an 18-year-old girl.

Cheatham County Detective Jeff Landis said the young driver had no way to avoid the collision.

According to Det. Landis, McGrough had been snorting Percocet and drinking grain alcohol after having his wisdom teeth removed a few days prior.

He and four other soldiers reportedly left Fort Campbell on Friday and were staying at a home on Highway 41A.
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US Navy Jet Turned Pink?

Pretty in pink: Navy fighter jet painted for Breast Cancer Awareness month
CNN
By Doug Criss and Thom Patterson
October 18, 2016

(CNN)The fight against breast cancer picked up a powerful new ally -- a retired US Navy fighter jet. And of course, it's pink.

A Grumman F9F-8 Cougar, painted a vivid shade of pink called "Heliconia," has been unveiled on the flight deck of the World War II aircraft carrier USS Lexington, anchored at Corpus Christi, Texas.

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Cougar will be on the deck through October 31.
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Peterson Air Force Base Released Contaminated Water

U.S. Air Force: Toxic chemicals released into Colorado city's sewer system
CBS News
October 19, 2016

The Air Force said the tainted water was released from a storage tank sometime in the past week, but the cause of the leak was still under investigation. It was discovered during a routine inspection of the tank on Oct. 12.

DENVER -- An Air Force base in Colorado said Tuesday it accidentally released about 150,000 gallons of water containing toxic chemicals into the sewer system of the adjacent city of Colorado Springs, but the potential health hazards weren’t immediately known.

Peterson Air Force Base said the water contained perfluorinated compounds or PFCs, which have been linked to prostate, kidney and testicular cancer, along with other illnesses. The Air Force hasn’t said how high the levels were.

The chemicals didn’t get into the city’s drinking water, said Steve Berry, a spokesman for Colorado Springs Utilities.

CBS Colorado Springs affiliate KKTV reports that releasing the water isn’t an easy task.
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Gulf War Veteran Woke Up From Coma After Final Prayer

Veteran awakens from coma during final prayer; family now faces mountain of red tape to bring him home
WHNT News
BY DAVID KUMBROCH
OCTOBER 17, 2016

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Gulf War veteran’s family had to make a difficult choice recently, and only a miracle could change their tragic course.

Gulf War veteran Frank Bedwell was in a coma. With the pressure of a brain bleed pressing against them, his family came to a conclusion.

“My kids and myself, we all knew what he would want for himself. We knew that he didn’t want to live on machines for the rest of his life,” said Amy Bedwell, Frank’s wife.

They decided to turn off the machines at six o’clock.

“Fifteen minutes before it was time to pull the plug, I sent everybody out except for my kids,” Amy recalled.

“We called my dad. We prayed for him. And he woke up.”
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Sheriff and Daughter Share Heartbreak to Help Others With PTSD

Boone County Sheriff shares important personal message about PTSD
WTHR 13 News
October 19, 2016

"Taylor wanted us to share her story to save other lives," Mike Nielsen wrote. "Taylor feels very strongly that this is the beginning of a path that God has laid for her to help others with PTSD. This will be the beginning of our advocacy with her."

BOONE COUNTY, Ind. (WTHR) - The Boone County Sheriff is expressing an important message about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and its effect on law enforcement.

Sheriff Mike Nielsen wrote in a post on Facebook Tuesday night that his daughter, Lebanon Police Officer Taylor Nielsen, almost lost her life to PTSD, caused by the February murder of a Zionsville mother and her young son.

"I always thought giving my life would be the ultimate sacrifice on my job," Mike Nieslen wrote. "I never imagined my decision that day to send my daughter into the autopsy of a young child to document the evidence would have triggered what was almost truly the ultimate sacrifice of my career – my daughter.

"I am a broken man.

"We will heal from this with God's grace, prayer and the right treatment."

He wrote that PTSD is not talked about in law enforcement.

"We have lost many lives to a disorder that is treatable and more common than we want to believe," Mike Nielsen said. "Police officers don’t want to admit that a call has affected them emotionally. Police officers feel that showing emotion is a sign of weakness."

He said that loved ones "need to do a better job at identifying the signs that our loved ones are displaying from the disorder."

He said Taylor's employer did not provide her with the proper treatment after the incident.
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It Doesn't Matter Unless Veterans Really Matter

Why It Matters written by Matthew Daily of Associated Press had this part that is very important.

THE ISSUE: There are an estimated 21.6 million veterans in the United States. Among them, nearly 9 million are enrolled in health care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. About 4.3 million veterans get disability compensation from the VA and nearly 900,000 have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

A 2014 law signed by President Barack Obama aimed to alleviate delays many veterans faced in getting treatment at VA hospitals and clinics and end the widespread practice of fake wait lists that covered up long waits for veterans seeking health care. Two years later, many of the problems remain.

But the problem is, none of this is new and since we live with it every day, every year, we know the struggles do not belong to who sits in the Oval Office. Every issue veterans and families face belong to Congress. The President sets, or is supposed to set, the direction the country needs to go in. The Congress has the obligation to fulfill their end of the deal, but they don't.

Congress has had since 1946 to find a way to take care of veterans. Think about that for a second. Then add in the simple fact that no wound is new. They declared two wars when there was already a line of older veterans waiting to be cared for in return for what their service did to them. Congress did not come close to honoring those they sent.

Want proof? Ok, here is what the House Veterans Affairs Committee had been in charge of since 1946.

House Veterans Affairs Committee
History And Jurisdiction
The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives was authorized by enactment of Public Law 601, 79th Congress, which was entitled "Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946." Section 121(a) of this Act provides: "there shall be elected by the House at the commencement of each Congress the following standing committees": Nineteen Committees are listed and No. 18 quotes: "Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to consist of 27 Members." This Act has since been amended so that there are now 22 Standing Committees in the House of Representatives. The number of Members (Representatives) authorized to serve on each Committee has been changed from time to time. There are currently 29 members of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

The Committee on Veterans' Affairs is the authorizing Committee for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Committee recommends legislation expanding, curtailing, or fine-tuning existing laws relating to veterans' benefits. The Committee also has oversight responsibility, which means monitoring and evaluating the operations of the VA. If the Committee finds the that VA is not administering laws as Congress intended, then it is "corrected" through the hearing process and legislation. We are the voice of Congress for veterans in dealings with the VA.

Legislation Within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Veterans' measures generally.
Pensions of all the wars of the U.S., general and special.
Life insurance issued by the government on account of service in the Armed Forces.
Compensation, vocational rehabilitation, and education of veterans.
Veterans' hospitals, medical care, and treatment of veterans.
Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief.
Readjustment of servicemen to civilian life.
National Cemeteries
Complete Jurisdiction of the Committee

The Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was established March 15, 1989, with Cabinet rank, succeeding the Veterans Administration and assuming responsibility for providing federal benefits to veterans and their dependents. Led by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, VA is the second largest of the 14 Cabinet departments and operates nationwide programs of health care assistance services and national cemeteries.

Care for veterans and dependents spans centuries. The last dependent of a Revolutionary War veteran died in 1911, the War of 1812's last dependent died 44 years ago, the Spanish American War's, in 1962. There are widows and children of Civil War and Indian War veterans who still draw VA benefits. Some 2,190 children and widows of Spanish-American War veterans are receiving VA compensation or pension benefits. The last American Doughboy, Corporal Frank Buckles, passed away on February 27, 2011. His passing signified the passing of the last of the World War I veterans.

As long as we are avoiding the fact that members of Congress have ditched their duty, it really doesn't matter who ends up in the chair. Veterans will continue to be failed by the same people who created their wounds in the first place. It has been going on for decades. Look up the voting record of the people you sent to do their jobs in Washington and then ask them why they didn't take care of those who went to war to do their jobs.

When you're done with that, ask them how much more money they plan on spending while veterans keep committing suicide after they survived those wars and came home to the mess Congress created. The reported number is the same as it was back in 1999 but there are about 5 million less veterans now.

Marine Veteran Killed As Contractor, GoFundMe Account Used By Selfish "Friend"

After their dad died, a family friend set up a GoFundMe account to help. Then she raided it.
Washington Post
By Cleve R. Wootson Jr.
October 17, 2016

Holder pleaded guilty on Wednesday to felony theft by conversion. She will spend two years in prison and eight on probation.

This cached photo shows Barry Sutton’s daughters as they appeared on a GoFundMe site made by a woman who bilked a town out of nearly $5,000. (Via GoFundMe)

Barry Sutton was working as a civilian contractor when he was killed by a car bomb in Afghanistan last year, but he received a soldier’s homecoming.

Police escorted his casket from the airport to a funeral home in Rome, Ga. People stood on either side of the procession route, waving flags. An honor guard presented colors at his funeral — paying tribute to the former police officer and sheriff’s deputy.

Amid the fanfare, Brandy Holder, a family friend, told people that she wanted to organize something special.

According to his obituary, Barry Dean Sutton had served in the Marines Corps and worked in law enforcement, first with Georgia’s Floyd County Police Department, then with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. He was also a school resource officer at Armuchee High School, his alma mater. He was working for DynCorp when he was killed in Kabul at the age of 46, the obituary said.
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Soldier Critical After Possible Road Rage Attack

U.S. soldier critical after possible road rage shooting in SW Houston
KHOU News
Lauren Talarico
October 17, 2016

HOUSTON – A 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier is fighting for his life after being shot during an apparent road rage shooting in southwest Houston overnight.

According to the Houston Police Department, it happened at 11 p.m. Sunday South Post Oak near East Orem.

Police have identified the victim as Luis Diaz, who was in town on leave. He was shot in the head and is in critical condition.

So far there’s just a possible vehicle description – police are looking for a white box-type vehicle like a Sion. Investigators are really hoping someone knows something because multiple gunshots were fired.
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Marine Finds Better Job Where Marine Tattoo Fits In, At The VA

Marine vet quits his job over 'Semper Fi' tattoo, finds his truer calling at a VA hospital
The Republic
Karina Bland
October 16, 2016

Marine Joseph Leal, a nurse at the VA hospital in Prescott, and Henry Alcott, 93, a vet who lives at the hospital. Both served in the Marines.
(Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic)

Joseph Leal was in the hallway of the historic veterans hospital in Prescott, on rounds as a registered nurse, when he saw an old man wheeling toward him.

“Good morning!” Leal called. He recognized the patient in the wheelchair as the one everyone called “Pops,” but it was the first time Leal had met him.

Pops rolled to a stop in front of Leal. “Let me see that,” he said. He took Leal’s wrist and turned it over to look at the tattoo on the inside of his forearm.

Pops studied the fierce-looking eagle atop a globe and anchor, the official emblem of the U.S. Marine Corps, with the words “Semper Fi” across the top and “U.S.M.C.” underneath, the letters inked in with scarlet and gold.
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Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Posted About PTSD Reality Before Taking His Own Life

Veteran IRC firefighter commits suicide shortly after PTSD post on Facebook
TC Palm
Lamaur Stancil
October 16, 2016

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Sheriff's Office said a veteran Indian River County Fire Rescue firefighter killed himself Saturday night.

Indian River County Sheriff's deputies went to a wooded area off State Road 60 west of Interstate 95 about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Eric Flowers said.

David Dangerfield 18 hours ago PTSD for Firefighters is real. If your love one is experiencing signs get them help quickly. 27 years of deaths and babies dying in your hands is a memory that you will never get rid off. It haunted me daily until now. My love to my crews. Be safe , take care. I love you all.

Dangerfield had driven his pickup to mile marker 13 on State Road 60, about midway between I-95 and Yeehaw Junction, Flowers said. Dangerfield made a 911 call from there and told dispatchers where he could be found, Flowers said.

Deputies drove to the area and located the pickup and found Dangerfield a short distance away in the woods, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Sheriff's Office said.

Emergency Services Director John King sent an email late Saturday night to Dangerfield's co-workers about his death, Assistant Chief Brian Burkeen said.

Dangerfield, who worked at the agency for 27 years, made a post on his Facebook page Saturday about post-traumatic stress disorder, pertaining to firefighters.
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"Navy Man" Arrested After 4 Killed, 8 Others Injured

Latest: Navy man arrested after truck fatally crushes 4
Associated Press
October 18, 2016

Witnesses said four people in the booth were crushed by the truck. Eight people on the ground were injured.

SAN DIEGO – The Latest on a car plummeting from the Coronado Bridge onto a park, leaving 4 dead and at least 4 critically injured (all times local):

9:10 p.m.
Police say a member of the U.S. Navy was driving a pickup truck that flew off the San Diego-Coronado Bridge and fatally killed four people who were at a festival at a park below.

Authorities say 25-year-old Richard Anthony Sepolio, who suffered major injuries in Saturday's crash, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was stationed at a naval base in Coronado Island, across a bay from San Diego.

The California Highway Patrol said Sepolio lost control of a GMC pickup truck with Texas license plates while driving onto the bridge, struck a guardrail and plunged about 60 feet onto a vendor booth set up for a motorcycle festival at Chicano Park.
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Orlando Nam Knights Eternal Chapter Biketoberfest

Yesterday at the Orlando Nam Knights Eternal Chapter, more bricks were placed in remembrance of those lost since last year.

There is something about these guys you need to know. They don't notice the rain at all when they have their brothers on their mind.

Video coming later.