13 Investigates: The death of 70-year-old veteran raises disturbing questions WTHR Bob Segall August 16, 2018
That day came last summer on July 17. Bowers died three and a half months after what appears to be a terrible mix-up. The Marine’s family wants to know how that mix-up happened so other veterans and their families do not have to suffer like they did.
FRANKLIN, Ind. (WTHR) — Traci Dearth was enjoying a family vacation in Florida when she heard a severe weather warning on her cellphone.
“My Channel 13 app continued to go off because of all the storms back home, but I didn’t think much about it at the time. I just had no idea,” she said.
What Dearth didn’t realize was her 70-year-old father was outdoors, helplessly seeking shelter from the severe thunderstorms that brought hail, lightning, high winds and flooding to central Indiana.
The wheelchair-bound veteran with dementia was supposed to be safe inside a nursing home. Instead, he was fighting for his life, abandoned by the people who Dearth trusted to care for him.
“They had one job and that was to take care of him for seven days, and they didn’t do that,” Dearth told WTHR. “He suffered so much. It’s been a year and I still don’t understand it.”
She is now demanding answers from the Roudebush VA Medical Center, a nursing home and a local cab company. All three are accused of negligence that eventually contributed to the death of Gerald Bowers.
“This is a horrible tragedy that should have never happened,” said attorney Mark Ladendorf, whose law firm has filed two lawsuits related to Bowers’ care. “This is a story the community should hear about. Somebody needs to be held responsible, so this never happens again.” read more here
When you discover the following, you'll have a better understanding why I have done this for over 36 years! It is because of veterans like John C. Wolf~
Wolfie the Grunt takes personal 8mm movies of a Combat Assault in Vietnam John Wolf Published on Nov 7, 2014 I bought a 8mm Yashica movie camera during a stand down from combat. Took movies during the stand down and then decided to hump the camera into the bush on our next mission. I took footage during our airmobile assault. After blocking out Vietnam for 36 years I decided to use my footage to pay tribute to those soldiers that were ambushed and killed on Easter Sunday 4-11-1971. I never expected that video to be seen 1.5 million times and the rest of my videos to be seen 1 million times for a total of 2.5+ million currently. In this version I decided to add personal narration.
Now that you have seen this, what comes next will help you to understand that this generation of veterans has waited far too long for their service to be really honored, beyond parties and parades. That this generation of veterans have been, and still are, the forgotten generation.
This is what Wolfie wrote about his life and what honor/vindication he still fights for.
John C Wolf to Combat PTSD Wounded Times Yesterday at 12:50 PM · I am still waiting for my Notice of Denial (NOD) to be review and given a decision. It was filed in 2016 and I was told it would take 277 days for a decision. Well needless to say that was a lie. For 8 years I have been treated by the VA Mental Health department here in Jacksonville and given 4 prescriptions to help with my nightmares, depression, suicidal thoughts and anxiety. I was combat Infantry Vietnam and awarded a Combat Infantry Badge (CIB), a Bronze Star and Air Medal as well as other honorable ribbons.
I experienced 3 major traumas, 1. I had only been in country for about 3 weeks and my squad was out on a search and destroy mission and we were ambushed and two new buddies in front of me were killed, one died in my arms. 2. I went over to another platoon to see some buddies and meet the new platoon leader, Lt. Hata. He was from a town near my home at the time in the Los Angeles area and talked for over an hour. I left to return to my platoon position, but turned around to wave goodbye. Lt Hata was waving at me and suddenly he was shot in the head and killed. I was devastated. 3. On April 11, 1971 Easter Sunday, Chaplain Merle Brown came out and brought us hot food, gave us communion and then Easter Sunday Services. He ate lunch with us and I had the blessing of sitting right next to him and he became my new friend. His helicopter was later ambushed while leaving the ground, the explosions killed Chaplain Brown as well as 10 others. I watched as this happened, I was devastated and traumatized for his loss.
In the denial of my compensation request and in a statement to Congressman John Rutherford, the VA C and P said I never experienced trauma in combat. Duh?
I was interviewed 1 time by the blond lady in Gainesville. Many of you probably have experienced with I have: DENIAL. The VA recently sent me to have a private non-VA doctor do an interview of me for PTSD. I have recently learned the blond investigator that turned me down is under investigation by the VA because there have been so many complaints about her decisions.
For all those that are filing for compensation and have or will submit letters from family and Vets they served with, do not have them put any comment in their letters with what is considered a diagnosis, i.e. PTSD, Insomnia, etc. Gainesville will take those letter and throw them into the garbage as though they were never received therefore they say they have no evidence of your problems.
My case is unique, because as some know I bought a 8mm film movie camera and took it into the bush. I filmed our air mobile assault the day before Chaplain Brown was killed. Years ago I took the footage and made a tribute video for those killed on Easter Sunday and posted to YouTube. History Channel contacted me and asked if they could get my original 8mm film reels and use them in Vietnam in HD documentary. I did and they upgraded the footage to HD and sent the file to me. This footage has been used in 4 other documentaries and they have been viewed over 85 million times. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvIkTGmCmg4
I am on a mission to get this murderer lady in Gainesville fired and make the President and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to clean up C and P and get what Vets deserve. If you are having the same problems as I, please contact me in hopes my experiences can help you and others too.
Hit and run driver wipes out hospital transportation for area disabled veterans ABC 8 News By: Kristin Smith Posted: Aug 15, 2018
SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. (WRIC) -- A hit and run driver wiped out transportation for sick and disabled veterans near Fredericksburg.
The driver plowed into the only van those local veterans use to go back and forth to Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center.
"I was devastated," says veteran Roy Murphy.
After he learned the van was destroyed, Murphy realized getting to Richmond would be a struggle. The disabled marine is legally blind.
"Basically I'll have to rely on friends or somebody to get me to the VA so that you know I can actually go through my appointments," added Murphy.
The Fredericksburg Disabled American Veterans van transported about 90 veterans a month. It takes them on the hour-long trek to and from McGuire.
DAV transportation coordinator Kristi Corbett explained to 8News, "This is their way to get there. This is their only way to get there."
But now the van is ruined and there's no backup vehicle to replace it. So many veterans won't get the medical care they need.
"I have patients who go 40 days straight due to radiation," said Corbett "And they must go every day or they have to start their whole thing over again, so it's a hardship on them a lot." read more here
“We cannot afford to remain silent any longer — don’t let depression live in the shadows. Each day our members battle post traumatic stress injuries and cumulative stress injuries,” union president Dave Gillotte wrote. “We need to bring these issues into the light to ensure people get the help they need.”
UPDATE Missing Newhall fire captain’s truck found in Santa Barbara County Search is on for fire captain missing since Monday Santa Clarita Signal Jim Holt August 15, 2018
A loved and respected veteran firefighter, Capt. Wayne Habell, of Fire Station 73 in Newhall, is now the subject of a missing person’s report that says he has been missing since Monday.
The 43-year-old married father of two boys and one girl was last seen Monday morning on his way to LA Fitness in Stevenson Ranch.
“He suffered from depression, according to his wife,” said Capt. Adam Clint of Fire Station 108.
“His wife and family are devastated,” Clint said, noting his fellow firefighters are also seriously concerned about Habell’s well-being.
Habell’s wife filed a missing person’s report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. read more here
Army veteran mom of 2 dies after being struck by car while trying to protect her kids, officials say Fox News Katherine Lam August 15, 2018
A Texas mother was killed Monday when she was struck by a vehicle while trying to protect three children -- including two of her own -- on the first day of school, officials said.
Kharisma Ashlee James, who was an Iraq War veteran and a nurse, died in the tragic accident in the parking lot of Tippin Elementary School, El Paso Times reported. The 33-year-old was picking up her two children, ages 6 and 7, when a vehicle began accelerating toward them. James jumped in front of her two children and a 10-year-old, officials said. read more here
We have a lot of parades for veterans all over the country. We also have veterans who are homeless and dumpster dive for food. We have military families on food stamps. How about we dump the Trump parade and actually do some good with the money?
*******
DONALD TRUMP’S MILITARY PARADE COULD FEED EVERY HOMELESS VETERAN FOR ALMOST 9 MONTHS, BASED ON REPORTED NEW COST News Week BY RAMSEY TOUCHBERRY 8/16/18
Based on a new estimate reported Thursday projecting President Donald Trump’s military parade will cost $92 million to $80 million more than originally projected, every homeless veteran in the country could be fed three meals per day for almost nine months.
The military showcase is set to take place through the streets of Washington, D.C., on November 10 and will include about eight tanks, helicopters, fighter jets, other armored vehicles and troops. The Department of Defense will provide $50 million and other agencies like the Department of Homeland Security will cover the remaining $42 million, a U.S. defense official with knowledge of the assessment told CNBC. The total price tag is $80 more than the original $12 million the Pentagon estimated it would cost last month. read more here
Local vet struck by ice cream truck: 'I'm glad it was me that got hit and not kids' NBC 3 News Las Vegas by Kelsey Thomas August 14th 2018
The former prisoner of war was heading home to Veterans Village on Wednesday when police say he was hit by a drunk driver who was behind the wheel of an ice cream truck.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A disabled Vietnam veteran is recovering after he was hit on the sidewalk by an out-of-control driver.
Police say Nasario Garcia was drunk behind the wheel of an ice cream truck when he hit Steven Whitefeather.
Officers say they found empty beer bottles in a freezer in the back of the truck.
The crash happened last week on Fremont near Eastern in downtown Las Vegas. Officers say Garcia jumped a curb and hit Whitefeather, who was in a motorized wheelchair on the sidewalk.
read more here
Employee found dead inside Topeka VA Medical Center office Topeka Capital Journal Katie Moore August 14, 2018
A Veterans Affairs employee died Tuesday morning inside an administrative office at Topeka’s Colmery O’Neil VA Medical Center.
Joe Burks, spokesman for the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System, said the employee died of an apparent suicide.
“Today we suffered a great loss and our hearts are broken,” Burks said in a statement.
Officials are still working to understand the circumstances.
read more here
One thing to keep in mind when you watch the video. Deported veterans committing suicide, are not counted at all...anywhere. Busted with 267 pounds of pot and a DD214 that says ‘US citizen.' Should this Marine have been deported? Military Times By: Tara Copp 1 hour ago
At his 2002 deportation hearing, Martinez said the judge told him he had a case and could probably win, but he’d have to go back to jail to wait for a hearing, which might take two years. Martinez' other option was to be deported.
NUEVO PROGRESO, Mexico ― Marine Corps Vietnam veteran Jose Maria Martinez is not your typical deported immigrant.
In February 2002, five years after Jose Maria Martinez was sentenced to federal prison on drug charges, he was to be released. But immigration agents said his paperwork was incorrect. Two weeks later, he was deported. (Jillian Angeline and Tara Copp/Military Times)
First, he doesn’t want your sympathy. He was busted in 1997 at a South Texas border checkpoint with 267 pounds of marijuana in his car.
“I screwed up, it was bad. It was so bad it pisses me off sometimes,” Martinez said.
He’s an ardent Trump supporter and cheers at the thought of a wall. In our in-person encounter, he made clear that reporters, save for Fox, were purveyors of “fake news.” His personal views on former President Barack Obama landed him in Facebook jail. He takes a hard line on those who are in the U.S. illegally.
To the day he was deported, he thought he was a U.S. citizen.
It was February 2002. He’d just completed five years in federal prison for the drug bust. He’d served his time. Martinez was ready to be released, start over. Instead, immigration agents walked into his holding cell in Oakdale, Louisiana.
“They said they were going to deport me,” Martinez said.
“I took the oath in San Antonio and got on a plane to San Diego,” he said. He was assigned as an infantryman and mortar man and deployed in 1967 to Vietnam with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. He and several other Marines started naturalization classes, Martinez said, but then they were pulled into operations. read more here
Former NFL star shows his love and respect for Veterans Department of Veterans Affairs
Upon receiving the call a few months ago, former National Football League star running back Earnest Byner felt honored to be tapped for the role. He had been selected as a guest speaker during the annual “Parade of Athletes” at the National Veterans Golden Age Games in Albuquerque.
Byner is the founder of The Healing Dawgs, a non-profit group that is aimed at teaching, helping, and healing through humanitarian efforts in communities, with a special focus on Veterans, the homeless, and youth. He has led visits to VA medical centers in Cleveland, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., in hopes of assuring wounded Veterans that their service and the sacrifices they have made for their country are not going unnoticed.
The “Parade of Athletes” took place Sunday evening at the Kiva Auditorium at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The nearly 1,000 Veterans who are participating in the Golden Age Games—which run from Aug. 3-8 in Albuquerque and offer many sports and recreational events for Veterans age 55 and older—were on hand to hear Byner speak.
Speaking with passion and emotion, Byner urged the Veterans to keep on competing in sports “because healing comes from within when you are competing,” he said. “If you are trying to get better on a daily basis, you provide healing for the mind, body, and spirit.”
He also told the Vets: “I appreciate and honor and love you because of the freedoms you have fought for. You have given your life and limbs.”
Byner said the Veteran community and retired NFL players like himself share several potential similarities. Members of both groups could be experiencing debilitating symptoms from concussions. In addition, the Veteran population is battling alarming rates of suicide and drug and alcohol addiction, issues that are also of concern in the community of retired NFL players. read more here
