National Guardsman No Longer Stuck Thanks to Reporter

Another local level reporter makes a huge difference because she cared to help! Best reporting comes on the local level and a few national news reporters, but not many.

TROUBLESHOOTER: SOLDIER WAITS ON NATIONAL GUARD DISCHARGE PAPERS
ABC 11 News
Diane Wilson
February 13, 2015

We contacted the NC National Guard and the next day, the Speeds got what they were so desperately waiting for.

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A soldier was left waiting for months for an important document that he could not get his hands on.

Sergeant Derrick Speed spent the last 15 years serving his country. However, when his unit was dismissed earlier than expected, the North Carolina National Guard failed to give him the necessary documents.

"He was supposed to get off September 30th, and then in the beginning of August they said we don't have enough money to keep you, we have to let you go so they ended his orders early," said his wife, Mary.

Mary said her husband scrambled to find work, but it wasn't easy.

"We have five kids, at the time my daughter was almost six months old, it was hard," Mary said. "We lost our insurance when he stopped working so we didn't have that."

Sgt. Speed applied for unemployment, but he was missing an important document referred to as a DD214. The unemployment office told his wife that nothing could be done until this form was received.
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