Camp Lejeune Marine receives Silver Star

Lejeune Marine receives Silver Star
July 11, 2012
CPL. JEFF DREW - USMC

A Camp Lejeune Marine received the Silver Star this week for his actions during a patrol that shifted from recon to firefight in a matter of minutes.

Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cole was awarded the nation’s third highest award for valor Tuesday for his actions on Aug. 17, 2010, in Marjah, Afghanistan.

Cole, with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, was part of a patrol that included six Marines from his squad, a Navy corpsman and three Marines from a Professional Mentor Team, a group primarily responsible for training and working with Afghan National Security Forces. It was a reconnaissance mission to photograph the local landscape and populace and learn as much as they could about the area. At 1:30 p.m., the patrol made its way to a location they had been the night before and spoke with local Afghans and searched the area. As they left the final compound two hours later, they came under attack from about 20 insurgents entrenched only 30 meters away.

Pinned down by heavy enemy fire and without radio contact, the five injured Marines made their way into a nearby canal for cover as Cole, who had himself taken three rounds into the ceramic plates protecting his body from small-arms fire, provided suppressive fire with his rifle.
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Biden escorts media out to talk to veterans openly

In the article Veterans appreciate Biden’s visit … and wardrobe on Las Vegas Sun, two veterans had a lot to say about PTSD, suicide and what they came home to.

DeCaprio, a 64-year-old Army veteran who served in Vietnam, said he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after he saw an unarmed Vietnamese child shot to death. He was turned down 25 years ago when he asked for benefits related to his trauma, and he posed the first question to Biden: Why do so many veterans have to hire attorneys to win access to benefits?

DeCaprio said Biden pulled up a chair and sat down right in front of him to directly answer the question.

“He said it himself. A lot of the veterans from Vietnam fell through the cracks, the country turned its back on us,” said DeCaprio, who said some people spat on him when he first came back to the United States after the war. “I had to prove that a specific incident occurred for them to acknowledge that I had PTSD. (Biden) said today it is much easier to receive benefits related to PTSD. He did say that they need more people in the Veterans Administration to work on cases.”

Andrew Rocco, 65, also served in Vietnam and said he suffered from psychological and physical health problems from injuries, trauma and exposure to Agent Orange, a defoliant the military used to clear trees and brush from the Vietnam countryside. Agent Orange led to birth defects in the Vietnamese population, and nerve, digestive, skin and respiratory disorders to members of the armed forces.

Rocco said he has attempted suicide twice and has fought for years to get the benefits to which he feels entitled. U.S. VETS has provided Rocco with housing, food and counseling.

“My message to the government for us, and those coming back now, is: Be responsible for the people, for those coming back and those left behind,” said Rocco, who still wears his original dog tags around his neck.

DeCaprio and Rocco are supporters of President Barack Obama and liberals, but even some conservatives in the room appreciated the vice president’s visit.

“I won’t vote for (Obama and Biden), I’ll vote for (Mitt) Romney. I think Obama has done right by veterans, but I’m against his economic policies, taxing people to death, spreading the wealth,” said Marine veteran Damon D’Amico, 51. “What I really appreciated, though, was that the vice president told us, ‘Don’t be scared to ask for help. You deserve it.’ The whole thing made me feel good.”

D’Amico added that he supported the Obama administration’s efforts on behalf of veterans, such as allowing those returning from active duty to obtain professional licenses — for electrical engineering for example — more easily.
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Association of American Railroads planning to hire 5,000 veterans

There is an announcement about the Association of American Railroads planning to hire 5,000 veterans here. Joining Forces
This is one more step in the right direction. Joining Forces is about this country standing behind them for a change.

Rail industry aims to hire 5,000 veterans this year
By Alicia Tarancon
CNN
July 11, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
DOT Secretary Hood: "Our veterans have skills and real life experiences that we need"
Rail group official: "23 percent of the railroad workforce is eligible to retire by 2015"

Rail companies are among some 1,600 companies that have committed to hiring vets Washington (CNN) -- Facing an aging rail industry workforce and an influx of returning military veterans, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday an initiative in which the growing rail sector will hire more than 5,000 veterans this year, matching the same number hired in 2011.

"Our veterans have skills and real life experiences that we need to help rebuild America," said DOT Secretary Ray LaHood during a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.

LaHood said veterans are valuable potential employees because of their prior training in the military. He pointed out military personnel have leadership and teamwork training and experience working with heavy machinery in demanding work conditions.
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PTSD veterans still "faking" after all these years?

This article is about a lot of things veterans face including being given dangerous drugs to "battle" PTSD. From getting "help" in the form of drugs to being told by a commander that he is "faking" it. We've been sold a bunch of lies that add up to dangerous conditions for our veterans trying to heal from where we sent them.

How is it that one soldier will get all the help and support they need to not only heal but return to the duty they love when others are accused of lying and drugged up to numb their pain instead of being helped to heal as well?

One woman's crusade on the dangers of PTSD treatment
Jul 10, 2012
By AJ Giardina
BILOXI, MS (WLOX)

According to military statistics, as many as 30 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Up until a few weeks ago, the military was treating the men and women with multiple drugs. It's a treatment that was deadly for one coast military man.

Alicia McElroy says her husband died from multiple drug toxicity as a result of medications to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Staff Sergeant James McElroy returned from his second tour in Afghanistan in 2010.

McElroy, a native of Vancleave, met her husband Mac on Valentine's Day 2005 in Mobile.

"We ended up getting married in 2007 and he was still in the military working at Camp Shelby. We bought a house in 2007. I just finished grad school and started my job. Everything was great. We had a baby that year. It was the perfect year."

McElroy said her husband served in the Marines from 1998 through 2002 and did one tour of duty in Afghanistan. He decided to move to Mississippi after he got out of the Marines and joined the Army National Guard in 2004.

McElroy said she, her husband, and their son, Dane, were so happy. That is until Mac was sent to Afghanistan in May of 2010. He returned to Hattiesburg on leave in October of that year.

"He was starting to adjust to living together and Dane was getting used to Daddy being home. Mac took a turn for the worse."

She said Mac was always depressed, agitated and wasn't sleeping.

"I went into the room to check on him, like I always did throughout the day. He was just balled up in the sheets crying. Like, okay, it's alright. What's wrong? He wouldn't talk, and I really couldn't comfort him. I sat there held his hand and rubbed his back and he looked up at me and said, 'I need help. Help me, please.'"

She said she took her husband to the emergency room at Keesler Medical Center and later checked in at the VA. McElroy said a doctor told her Mac needed to be treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

She said things were going well with his treatment until he was released from the military, because his commanders thought he was faking his illness.
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2 Fort Bliss soldiers killed in Afghanistan from Florida

Friends, family: 6 Fort Bliss MPs among those killed in Afghanistan
By DAVID BURGE
El Paso (Texas) Times
Published: July 11, 2012

The Fort Bliss community is in mourning after one of the darkest days for the post in more than 10 years of the war on terror.

Six soldiers, all from the 978th Military Police Company of Fort Bliss, were killed Sunday in a roadside blast in eastern Afghanistan, according to family members and news media reports across the country.

The MPs killed were:

Spc. Erica Alecksen, 21, of Eatonton, Ga.

Pfc. Cameron Stambaugh, 20, of York, Pa.

Spc. Clarence Williams III, 23, of Brooksville, Fla.

Pfc. A.J. Pardo, 21, of Porterville, Calif.

Staff Sgt. Ricardo Seija, 31, Tampa Bay, Fla.

Pfc. Trevor Adkins, age and hometown unknown.

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Intense emotional distress number one reason for Military Suicide Attempts

Study reveals top reason behind soldiers' suicides
By Gregg Zoroya
USA TODAY

When researchers asked 72 soldiers at Fort Carson, Colo., why they tried to kill themselves, out of the 33 reasons they had to choose from, all of the soldiers included one in particular — a desire to end intense emotional distress.

"This really is the first study that provides scientific data saying that the top reason … these guys are trying to kill themselves is because they have this intense psychological suffering and pain," said Craig Bryan, co-author of the study by the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah that will be published in the coming months.

Suicide within the military has soared since 2005 as the military has waged two wars at once, and this year may set a record with troops committing suicide at the rate of one per day, according to Pentagon figures.

But military scientists say that finally, after years of congressional funding and the launch of randomized studies of a subject rarely researched, a few validated results are beginning to surface.
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I guess I should feel really glad that I was right so long ago but this is one of the saddest days of my life. How many lives could have been saved if someone listened? Think of it from my perspective. I've been reading what experts had to say about Combat PTSD and reports about veterans for 30 years. If I could figure this out when the troops were sent into Afghanistan in 2001, why couldn't the military and the government?

Iraq vet accused of election fraud in Pa.

Iraq vet accused of election fraud in Pa.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — A disabled Iraq war veteran and his wife are charged with forging dozens of names on nominating petitions in a bid for a seat in the Pennsylvania legislature.

Lycoming County detectives say Christopher Bain and his wife Misty faked 61 signatures on petitions he filed seeking a spot in April's 83rd district Republican primary.
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Veterans Affairs backlog leaves half a million waiting for benefits

Massive Veterans Affairs backlog leaves half a million waiting for benefits
July 10, 2012
by David Martin
CBS News

(CBS News) MANASSAS, Va. - It's Iraq, 2003, and a tragedy is about to happen. A photo shows a marine preparing to pull the trigger on a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. When he did, it blew up. After the smoke cleared two marines lay dead and Aaron Helstrom was riddled with shrapnel.

"I've got a fused spine that's causing me pain every day," Helstrom said.

He returned to active duty, served a tour in Afghanistan, and went on to become a master sergeant. Several months before he finally retired, Helstrom submitted a disability claim to the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA.

After War: Eye on Veterans Affairs

It lists a total of 65 conditions ranging from his shrapnel wounds to PTSD which would qualify him for $2,800 a month in disability pay.

"They say at the time of your retirement or when you get out you will start receiving your compensation claim," Helstrom said. "That's not the case."
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Tampa soldier dies in Afghanistan attack that claimed 6

Tampa soldier dies in Afghanistan attack that claimed 6
By Marlene Sokol and Robbyn Mitchell
Times Staff Writers
Wednesday, July 11, 2012

TAMPA — It was 6:15 Monday morning and Ignacia Seija was getting ready for her job as an airport custodian.

Her two dogs started barking. Her husband saw two men in military uniforms approaching their West Tampa home.

"When I saw those two men, I knew it wasn't anything good," Ignacia Seija said in Spanish. "I knew my son had died."

Her son, Army Staff Sgt. Ricardo Seija, 31, was killed Sunday in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan.

It was the same attack, a family member said, that had killed Army Sgt. Clarence Williams III, 23, of Brooksville and four other Americans. They were riding in an armored vehicle in Wardak province, just south of Kabul, when an improvised explosive device went off.

The knock on the door of the West Tampa home was the second visit military officers had made early Monday to deliver grim news. At 5 a.m., officers told the Williams family that their son, a 2008 Hernando High grad who hoped to someday become a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, had died in the attack.

Williams and Seija became the 27th and 28th Tampa Bay area service members to have died in Afghanistan.
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Push to hire veterans working, veterans finding jobs

New Veteran Unemployment Falls in June
STARS AND STRIPES

WASHINGTON -- The unemployment rate for veterans of the post-Sept. 11 era dropped to 9.5 percent in June, potentially indicating a positive trend in veterans hiring even as national employment remains stagnant.

The June young veteran unemployment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics mark the fourth month this year that the rate has dipped below 10 percent. From January 2010 to December 2011, it dropped below 10 percent only twice. Last month, the rate was 12.7 percent, and a year ago, more than 13 percent of those veterans were out of work.

The White House and Congress in recent months have pushed government agencies and private companies to hire veterans, especially those who recently returned from fighting overseas. Legislation creating new jobs programs for veterans of all eras was one of the few significant pieces of legislation signed into law last year.
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