Veterans in other news October 17, 2018

Ex-Marine to serve 18 years after attempt to run over Las Vegas pastor

A former Marine convicted of menacing his neighbors and attacking a Las Vegas pastor was ordered to serve up to 46 years behind bars on Tuesday. Walter Laak was found guilty but mentally ill in August after prosecutors argued that he knew his actions in September 2016 were illegal, while acknowledging that the Iraq War veteran suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder...He was acquitted of one count of assault with a deadly weapon. Laak, who served two tours of duty in Iraq, was accused of beating and attempting to run over a Las Vegas pastor with his vehicle, then driving to the victim’s home and firing multiple gunshots into it while the pastor’s wife and children were inside. It was the third serious crime for which Laak faced charges since his return from combat. He was given a general discharge in 2005. read more here

We’re Too Excited About MDMA’s Potential for Treating PTSD is the headline, however, it is far from new. They have been "researching" it since the 70's.

Read the rest of the article on SLATE here

Florida man rescued after clinging to capsized boat for nearly 20 hours says he prayed, 'called on the Father'

“A bigger wave came and it just filled the back of the boat up and it just went down,” Stills told FOX35. The grandfather and Vietnam War veteran grabbed onto the boat while his friend, 73-year-old Earnest Jones, ended up in the water with a lifejacket on. “Then he started drifting off and he told me to stay with the boat,” Stills told FOX35. read more here

An Army Veteran Wages War on Social-Media Disinformation

 The Wall Street Journal

Kris Goldsmith’s campaign to get Facebook Inc. to close fake accounts targeting U.S. veterans started with a simple search. He was seeking last year to gauge the popularity of the Facebook page for his employer, Vietnam Veterans of America. The first listing was an impostor account called “Vietnam Vets of America” that had stolen his group’s logo and had more than twice as many followers. Mr. Goldsmith, a 33-year-old Army veteran, sent Facebook what he thought was a straightforward request to take down the bogus page. 

At first, Facebook told him to try to work it out with the authors of the fake page, whom he was never able to track down. Then, after two months, Facebook deleted it. The experience launched him on a hunt for other suspicious Facebook pages that target military personnel and veterans by using patriotic messages and fomenting political divisions. It has become a full-time job. read more here

Veterans in other news for October 14, 2018

Colorado man charged in slaying of Army captain from Santa Fe

Santa Fe New Mexican
Cynthia Miller
October 13, 2018

Police have charged a Colorado Springs, Colo., man in the September slaying of a 28-year-old U.S. Army captain from Santa Fe who was found fatally shot near an intersection east of the city’s downtown area.

Gilberto Chavez Jr., 27, who was already jailed on unrelated charges, faces a count of first-degree murder in Army Capt. Daniel Chamberlain Lehman’s slaying, the Colorado Springs Police Department announced Friday in a Facebook post. Chavez is being held without bond in the El Paso County, Colo., jail.Police found Lehman’s body at the end of a trail of blood around 7 a.m. Sept. 15. But they believe he was shot about five hours earlier and two blocks away. read more here

Crooked scientist who worked on 

combat PTSD research dodges prison 

by playing piano for poor people

By: Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press

In June, Neumeister pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. He admitted stealing $87,000 from New York University and various grant programs from 2012 to 2014.

NEW YORK — A former prominent neurological researcher at Yale and New York universities avoided prison time Wednesday for stealing research funds, but a judge said he must play piano for indigent elderly people in Connecticut to make amends.

The unusual sentence for Dr. Alexander Neumeister was handed out Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.

Neumeister must play piano an hour at least twice weekly for the next three years at group facilities in Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford and Waterbury, the Manhattan judge said.
read more here

Car repair shop owners helping veterans get service dogs

Rocket City Now
By: Kelly Kennedy
Posted: Oct 13, 2018

"Most of the veterans that I've dealt with over the years that have had PTSD or non-physical injuries coming back from war, there's something not quite wired right because of the job that they had to go do," said LeClair.

Car repair shop owners in Hazel Green are doing what they know best to help others. The Lowdown in Dubtown event is put on annually to support local causes.

There was a 50/50 engine blow contest where participants bought guesses on how long an old engine would run.

The event is raising money for the Train a Dog, Save a Warrior charity this year. The charity trains dogs to help veterans better adapt to life after war.

Certified dog trainer, Sara Astle, siad, "People who join the program do it because they feel that they need the dog to help them regain their life."

"What we see is more of an emotional support, and the dog can actually read if the veteran is having a bad day, if the PTSD is starting to kick up," said owner of Airkooled Kustoms, Eric LeClair.
read more here

'The greatest honor': 3 names added to California Vietnam Veterans Memorial

KCRA News
Max Resnik
October 13, 2018

Three names were enshrined on the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Saturday.

The names were read aloud during an elaborate ceremony on the California State Capitol grounds.

Joining more than 5,000 other Vietnam veterans on the memorial were MSgt. William A. Gerg, U.S. Air Force, of North Highlands; Spec. 4 James E. Williams, U.S. Army, of Bakersfield; and CTM2 Gregory K. Zeller, U.S. Navy, of Pasadena.

"It is like the greatest honor that I think that anybody could have done for him, for the things that he did for everybody," said William Gerg about his father.

Unlike the overwhelming majority of names at the memorial, Gerg's father made it home from his two tours in Vietnam, where he served as an Air Force flight engineer.

Decades later, the veteran would succumb to the effects of cancer in 2009 as a result of Agent Orange.
read more here

Veterans in other news for October 11, 2018

Guilty Plea Entered by Man who Fired BB Gun at Navy Seals in Training

San Diego Union Tribune

Pauline Repard

October 11, 2018

First Phase Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs candidates participate in log physical training at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, July 14, 2016.
(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy M. Black)

A man who fired a pellet gun at Navy SEALS who were diving near Liberty Station pleaded guilty Wednesday, a day before his trial was to begin. Scott Weaver, 48, pleaded guilty to brandishing a replica firearm and attempting to threaten a witness. A charge of assault with a deadly weapon was dismissed in an earlier hearing. read more here

Former Reality TV Star Gets 16 Years After Crash that Killed Coast Guardsman

Canadian Press

October 11, 2018

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A former reality TV star will serve 16 years in prison for killing a U.S. Coast Guard technician in a drunken wrong-way collision on a Virginia highway. News outlets reported that Melissa Hancock was sentenced Wednesday after earlier pleading guilty to manslaughter, driving the wrong way and failing to obey a highway sign...Daniel Dill was a Logan Township, New Jersey, native who was stationed in Portsmouth, Virginia, as an information systems technician. read more here

Veterans in other news

When reporters decided that they would cover politics more than anything else, everything else went unnoticed but we were actually looking out for veterans.

So, dear readers, here are veterans reports in other news!

Vietnam veteran was fired as Dean of military school. 
Why? He used cannabis for cancer.

Missing since Pearl Harbor Sailor's remains were identified as Harold Lloyd Head.

Widow of Sgt. Richard Kutch, will run the Marine Marathon to honor her husband. He committed suicide five years ago.

Army veteran Tyler Lackey was murdered at an ATM two years ago. Man was just convicted of it.

Navy veteran's puppies were stolen from his home. He is disabled.

Veteran reacted to the latest VA budget, sold by reporters as the largest in history, but did not mention that most of that increase goes to private providers and not into the VA.

Volunteers helped a Vietnam veteran who has been living out of his car. Why? His house was ruined by Hurricane Harvey. Yes, that long ago.

Two soldiers in Alaska were hunting when a bear dropped on them from a ridge after being shot. One of them has "life threatening injuries."

Lt. Col. Patrick Schreiber's adopted daughter is being deported. Why? He did not fill out the papers in time. He was deployed.

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie went to check the damage done to VA facilities by Hurricane Florence.

A headline that has been about Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II, receiving the Medal of Honor, should have mentioned that he is also dying of stage 4 lung cancer and has set up a GoFundMe for his family. Oh, by the way, he has also been serving in the Secret Service for President Trump.

There are a lot more but those are just from today on Google+.

Then again, considering they are also reporting on veterans committing suicide, missing several keys points, here are a few of those too.

Veteran suicides have increased, not decreased. The number of living veterans has decreased since 2005 but clearly this chart shows the bigger picture.

But reporters do not seem to mention any of this, other than a few who actually care.

You can also check to see how your state did with all the "raising awareness" campaigns going on, and on, and on.

How much veterans news reports have you missed this week?

These are some of the stories on Google+ that you may have missed...
  Police and PTSD "like your brain getting shot"

They say it’s an illness, a disorder, cumulative stress disorder, post-traumatic distress — but it’s an actual injury, no different from being a cop and getting shot and having this disability now because of an injury. It's like your brain getting shot.” Matt Frank

Vietnam Veteran learned to love again...from dog

"He married once, twice, three times. He attributes much of the failure of the first two to post-traumatic stress disorder, a diagnosis he didn’t get until some 15 years ago. But he fathered two kids. For a man who can make the literal claim that “half of me is still in Vietnam,” no shelf seemed too high." #combatptsd

John Young, astronaut who grew up in Orlando, dies at 87

Young’s sharp wit struck a high note when asked about then-President John F. Kennedy’s plan to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to Earth. According to a NASA story posted at the time of his retirement in 2004, Young quipped: “I thought returning safely to Earth sounded like a good idea.” Young was in NASA’s second astronaut class, chosen in 1962, along with the likes of Neil Armstrong, Pete Conrad and James Lovell. Young flew twice during the two-man Gemini missions of the mid-1960s, twice to the moon during NASA’s Apollo program, and twice more aboard the new space shuttle Columbia in the early 1980s. Orlando Sentinel

Indiana National Guard Soldier's Death Under Investigation

Indiana Guard officials said 43-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Mark Boner of Fort Wayne died early Saturday. combatptsdwoundedtimes.org

WWII Veteran Honor Restored and Medals Back

"Virgil Westdale was part of the most decorated battalion in military history: the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, after he was stripped of his Army Air Corps badge during the war because he was a Japanese-American. Westdale had his pilot's license taken away and was demoted to a Private in the Army."

Veterans' Group Calls on Troops to Own the 'Me Too' Movement

Long standing "efforts" have left far too many suffering and far too few being treated like a criminal for doing it to them!

"Military officials say this is because the Defense Department has its own longstanding efforts underway to educate about sexual assault and prevent it. But some veterans and critics say that, despite policy, training, and initiatives to prevent reprisal, it's still too difficult for victims of military sexual assault to speak out publicly on the issue."

Rental units set aside to help low-income veterans

"Thanks to Air Force veteran Bill Phillips and his active-duty son William Phillips, three more veterans and their families will have an affordable place to live while they get back on their feet. The Phillipses are working with Community Action of Skagit County to rent the units in their Mount Vernon four-plex to low-income veterans."

'Get ready to fight:' Veterans condemn DOJ rollback of Obama-era marijuana policy

Too many VA doctors have said they would prefer their veterans were using medical pot instead of most of the drugs they are allowed to prescribe. For this to happen goes against what doctors want to do for their patients.

"He did away with a guideline signed in 2013 during President Barack Obama’s administration by former Deputy Attorney General James Cole – and known as the Cole memo – that discouraged U.S. attorneys from prosecuting marijuana-related cases in cannabis-friendly states. In a statement, Sessions called the change a “return to the rule of law.”

Zillah memorial pays respects to city’s veterans

"The pathway on which the sentinels are positioned is reminiscent of the World War II Memorial in the nation’s capital while the black granite for the sentinel walls was inspired by the Vietnam War Memorial, Clark said."

Navy: Fallen pilot’s ‘heroic’ flying saved lives in Philippine Sea crash

"Navy Lt. Steven Combs determined an emergency landing of his transport plane on the choppy waters of the Philippine Sea was necessary as the aircraft he was piloting failed only miles from the deck of the USS Ronald Reagan, according to Navy officials."

Scientists seek veterans for final act of service - CBS News

"For many soldiers who are involving themselves in this research — and many of the families who are donating their brains to this research — they're viewing this as sort of a final act of service, so that they can help the soldier coming up behind them or help the veteran who they served within Iraq or Afghanistan," says 60 Minutes producer Ashley Velie, who produced this week's piece with Alfonsi. #tbi

Gulf War veteran Frank Williams is back home for his last battle

"Now, Frank Williams is fighting brain cancer. He's stage IV. It forced him to quit his long career as a civilian graphics artist at Fort Bragg. But he may create more art so that his voice can live on. "I don't want to become forgotten," he says."

And those are just from 3 days ago. You'll have to check to see what else you missed this week.

How much news are you missing on our veterans?

If you don't get your news from Combat PTSD Wounded Times, then you're missing a lot. If you don't follow on Google+, you are missing even more!

A Fort Riley solider who was reported missing Wednesday was arrested on a Fort Riley warrant after being found “safe and in good health,” Riley County authorities said Thursday. Staff Sgt. Garett Michael Swift was originally sought to ensure his welfare.


Fort Riley soldier reported missing Wednesday arrested on warrant after being found safe

"Kohne and his wife, Wren, were worried they would have to get rid of Kona, an adopted greyhound boxer mix, for safety reasons after developing a close bond with him. The dog has helped Kohne, who was a medic in Afghanistan, by keeping him calm in public situations with crowds and other factors that can trigger anxiety." #combatptsd

'Dog Whisperer' Cesar Millan shares the 1 skill every owner should master

"Veterans in Windsor no longer face a two hour journey to voice their concerns and access services. After three years, a new Veterans Affairs office officially opened Friday to meet the needs of about 2,700 men and women who served as soldiers."

Canada VA Office Reopened After Three Year Wait for Veterans

Unlike the older Montgomery GI Bill benefit, the post-9/11 GI Bill does not require any fees or pay reductions for eligibility. The new proposal would change that, taking up to $100 a month from new enlistees’ paychecks for the right to access the benefit after they leave the ranks. 

There's a plan in Congress to start charging troops for their GI Bill benefits

"Titan, the service dog that made national news for accompanying an army veteran to his classes at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, is recovering after he was found lying in a pool of blood." #ptsdservicedog

Veteran service dog mysteriously injured

"I've been in the profession a very long time,” Pedersen said. “There was a time when these types of things were not only unrecognized, but were hidden. There was a stigma associated with mental illness that suggested there was a weakness of character."

The chief was speaking after a police services board meeting this week, in which the force outlined its policies for helping front-line workers with #PTSD  

PTSD Presumption For Canadian First Responders?

"Toronto police officers who die by suicide will now be allowed to have their names included on the force's memorial wall honouring officers who died in the line of duty, if certain conditions are met."

Toronto police officers who die by suicide now eligible for memorial wall

"Police said the suspect poured liquid onto the victim, a 69-year old man who is now in critical condition, and then lobbed a burning object at him. The suspect then fled the scene."

Oregon man arrested after setting stranger ablaze at Denny's restaurant - ABC News

Chief Master Sgt. Fredrick Gantzer will have a B-52 hanger named after him at Minot Air Force Base in Minot, North Dakota, reports the Weirton Daily Times.
Gantzer was stationed in Savannah, Georgia, Fairbanks, Alaska, Japan and Minot, North Dakota. He also did two tours in Vietnam."

B-52 hanger in Minot to be named after Vietnam veteran

"Philadelphia Police Department forensic graphic artist Jonny Castro created a digital painting of the Cleveland, Ohio, victim on Tuesday. The department shared the portrait of a smiling Godwin on its Facebook page, along with an eye-opening message..."

Cop creates beautiful portrait to honor shooting victim Robert Godwin, Sr.

"The outreach event is a collaboration between the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System and Let’s Promote Hope. The program will include remarks from Rachel Patterson, whose husband, Travis, died Jan. 27. Other speakers include Megan Jackson, widow of veteran Greg Jackson; VA Eastern Kansas suicide prevention coordinator Stephanie Davis; and spokesman Joseph Burks." #combatptsd

Veteran suicide prevention outreach event slated for Saturday at Topeka VA

Another quote on the number got me thinking about dialing a wrong number. "The number you have reached has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please check the number and try again." But that would require someone to actually be willing to do whatever it takes to reach the other end of the line.
Its beyond time for someone to actually stop talking about a false number and start talking about how to change the outcome for the number of veterans they acknowledge as well as those who never even come into the conversation.
"The walk is a collaborative effort created by Marine Jason Stavely, and sponsored by Fratres Custodis, My Brother's Keeper, a veteran- owned and-operated company. If you would like to donate or request a mile dedication, see the event page for details and availability."

Long walk honors veterans who have become victims of suicide

And you'd know even more if you follow on Google+