Reporter gave FUBAR veteran suicide report!

UPDATE
And what happened after this report? More carried the story without correction!

17 veterans per day commit suicide

PostBulletin.com-Nov 12, 2018

A frequently quoted 2012 VA report found that 22 veterans committed suicide per day, but that figure included active-duty troops,

Each day 17 veterans commit suicide. New campaign featuring ...

Herald & Review-Nov 10, 2018

A frequently quoted 2012 VA report found that 22 veterans committed suicide per day, but that figure included active-duty troops,

If you read the "story" by Nara Schoenberg of the Chicago Tribune, about "17 veterans committing suicide per day" demand accountability from her! 
This is what she reported.

"In 2016, the age- and gender-adjusted suicide rate for veterans was 26 per 100,000 — 1.5 times higher than the rate for nonveterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A frequently quoted 2012 VA report found that 22 veterans committed suicide per day, but that figure included active-duty troops, Stars and Stripes reported in June. Stars and Stripes broke down more recent VA numbers, reporting there are 21 military suicides a day, including 17 by veterans and four by active-duty service members, Guardsmen and reservists."

Either she is misinformed or the VA and the DOD are! 

This is from the DOD, and if you add them up, it is an average of 500 a year, which is not even 2 per day.

Where did she get 4? Where did she get the numbers from at all?

Easy, from an article that was not only corrected, it was explained, and oh, BTW, it was on Military Times.

"Franklin said to VA researchers, the data shows that the rate of suicides among former service members has remained steady at around 20 a day, and the rate among currently serving troops sits just above one person a day."

This is the link to the last DOD Suicide report for up to June of 2018. They put it out for every quarter, as they have done going back to 2012. Do you think she should have at least did a basic search to find it?

These are the links to the VA reports and the chart from the latest one they did.

We will never change the deadly outcome as long as reporters DO NOT DO THEIR JOBS AND TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY~ instead of being FUBAR!

Newlywed Marine Bride Dead, Husband Charged

A WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN VIRGINIA AND THE MAN CHARGED WITH HER MURDER ARE BOTH U.S. MARINES

News week

BY JAMES LAPORTA

11/7/18

U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Natasha Rivera, 20, poses for a photograph in August 2017. Her husband, U.S. Marine Corporal Rodolfo Rivera, 24, has been charged with murder in connection with her death on November 3. FACEBOOK

A woman found dead in a Virginia hotel room on Saturday and the man arrested in connection with her murder are both U.S. Marines, Newsweek has learned.

Marine Corporal Rodolfo Rivera, 24, is being held without bond at the Arlington County Jail in Virginia, following a domestic-related homicide investigation at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Washington, D.C.

At roughly 9:40 a.m. on November 3, police responded to the hotel after a report of a possible death, according to a press release from Arlington County Police. Officers found the body of Marine Lance Corporal Natasha Rivera, 20, whose maiden name was Natasha Soto.

Local news outlets in Virginia and The Washington Post reported on the murder but did not say that the alleged suspect and victim were U.S. Marines. Both Task and Purpose and Newsweek confirmed their active-duty status on Wednesday.

Two U.S. Marines familiar with the incident, who asked for anonymity due to Pentagon restrictions told Newsweek that the two Marines were married and that on November 2, Rodolfo, who was alleged to be heavily intoxicated at the time, strangled his wife after the couple had returned to their hotel room.
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Vietnam veteran died before stolen service dog was foung

Vet died hours before he was set to be reunited with stolen service dog

By: WESH
Posted: Nov 08, 2018

Vet died hours before he was set to be reunited with stolen service dog Kira the Pomeranian, left, suspect, right. (Photo: Osceola County Sheriff's Office)

Joseph was sadly never reunited with his beloved service dog, passing away hours prior to her recovery.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) - A veteran's stolen service dog has been recovered, hours after he passed away. Two women have been placed under arrest in Osceola County.

Authorities said detectives from Osceola County, Lake County and the Winter Garden Police Department identified Jennifer Gotschall and Monique Cosser on Wednesday.

Authorities said one of the woman got into an altercation with 67-year-old veteran Joseph Hanson last week in Kissimmee, while the other came up behind him and unleashed his dog, named Kira.
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Original story

Veterans among victims killed in California bar attack

Navy, Marine Corps veterans among victims killed in California bar attack

By THE WASHINGTON POST AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 8, 2018

Dan Manrique, 33, volunteered for the Marine Corps and deployed to Afghanistan as a radio operator in 2007. He served for six years, then returned to Southern California. He was one of the 12 victims of Wednesday's shooting in Thousand Oaks, Calif. VIA TWITTER

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — One was a veteran police officer who didn't hesitate to run toward danger. Another was an art student who worked with children at her church. Others were a Navy veteran, an a cappella singer who worked as a caregiver, and a security guard with a "big personality" who was known for making sure everyone got home safely.

They were among a dozen people killed in a shooting at a country music bar in Southern California. Authorities believe the gunman , Ian David Long, ultimately killed himself.

The victims' stories began to emerge Thursday. It was going to be a "very difficult day for many people," said Andrew Fox, mayor of Thousand Oaks, California, where the attack happened Wednesday night.

DAN MANRIQUE: A 'REALLY STRONG, SELFLESS LEADER' It wasn't easy for Dan Manrique, 33, after he left the Marine Corps. As he resumed life in California, Manrique was drawn to Team Red, White and Blue, a group that helps veterans adjust. First, he was a volunteer, and then, just weeks ago, he became a full-time program manager.

TELEMACHUS ORFANOS: NAVY VETERAN NICKNAMED 'TEL'
Telemachus Orfanos, 27, was a U.S. Navy veteran with a thick beard, an easy smile and a gladiator helmet tattoo. His friends called him "Tel."

Orfanos had survived last year's massacre at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, only to die inside Borderline, less than 10 minutes from his home in suburban Los Angeles.

CODY COFFMAN: 'THE BIG BROTHER THAT MY KIDS NEED' Cody Coffman, who had just turned 22, was talking with Army recruiters and preparing to fulfill his dream of serving his country, said his father, Jason Coffman, who wept as he told a group of reporters that his first-born son was among the victims.

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PTSD destroys hope, UCF Restoring It

UCF Restores Hope

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
November 8, 2018

With the news today about a shooting involving a veteran, people started to talk about it, and veterans, started to withdraw.

While it is rare for a veteran to be involved in something like this, the fact it was a veteran this time, has managed to be in almost every headline.

I felt there was a sense of urgency to put this up today instead of waiting for Sunday.

Yesterday I went out to UCF and interviewed Deborah C. Beidel of UCF Restores. They are doing fantastic work on helping veterans and first responders heal. Heal? Yes! 

PTSD is not something to be afraid of and it is not worth gaining power over your life.

If you understand what it is, why you have it, then you take away power from it. When you fight back, you take away more power from it and gain it for yourself.

Listen do what Dr. Beidel has to say and then, start to #CombatPTSD so you can #TakeBackYourLife.

"And one day, she discovered that she was fierce, ad strong, and full of fire. And that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears."

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VA takes aim at unions

VA returns medical professionals currently serving unions to serving Veterans

Department of Veterans Affairs
Press release

Today the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will be moving nearly 430 medical professionals from taxpayer-funded union work back to health care jobs serving Veterans.

The move, which will improve VA’s ability to deliver health care to Veteran patients, will take effect Nov. 15 when VA repudiates certain provisions of master collective bargaining agreements VA accepted during the Obama administration with the following unions: American Federation of Government Employees, National Federation of Federal Employees, National Association of Government Employees and National Nurses United.

VA has a separate employment system under title 38 of the U.S. Code for medical employees. The repudiation will apply to all of VA’s nearly 104,000 title 38 employees, eliminating all forms of taxpayer-funded union work for the following professions:

Physician
Dentist
Podiatrist
Chiropractor
Optometrist
Registered Nurse
Physician assistant
Expanded-Duty Dental Auxiliary

“It’s common sense,” VA Acting Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd said. “Allowing health care workers to do taxpayer-funded union work instead of serving Veterans impacts patient care negatively. President Trump has made it clear – VA employees should always put Veterans first. And when we hire medical professionals to take care of Veterans, that’s what they should do at all times. No excuses, no exceptions.”

As an example of the negative effect taxpayer-funded union time has on Veteran care, one VA registered nurse who was elected as a local union official receives 100 percent taxpayer funded union time. Although she no longer provides patient care, she continues to receive a nurse’s salary, which at VA averages more than $90,000 per year.

Department-wide in fiscal year 2016, VA employees spent more than a million hours doing taxpayer-funded union work at a total cost of more than $49 million.

VA is in the process of renegotiating several of VA’s national collective bargaining agreements to ensure official time allocations are putting Veterans first. The negotiations are guided by federal law that permits VA to set taxpayer-funded union work (also known as official time) amounts contractually that are reasonable, necessary and in the public interest.

Heroes of Borderline

What happened and the rest of the story at Borderline Bar and Grill

Already the headlines are leading with "veteran" "Marine" but is is also a story of heroes.

The following came from live updates on CNN

People lined the streets as a procession of officers escorted the body of a hero Sgt. Ron Helus, who died trying to save people.

Hundreds line up to donate blood in Thousand Oaks

There are currently over 200 people in line at La Reina High School in Thousand Oaks, waiting to donate blood to victims of last night’s mass shooting, according to school officials.

Thousand Oaks Mayor Andy Fox had pleaded earlier Thursday for blood donors to step forward.

The school had previously scheduled a blood drive on campus - but pivoted to gathering donations specific to this incident.

Donors are encouraged to make appointments at 877-25-VITAL.

Recent college grad killed in shooting "heroically saved lives"
From CNN's Amanda Watts and Hollie Silverman
Justin Meek, 23, was among the people killed in the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, according to California Lutheran University President Chris Kimball.
In a statement, Kimball said Meek was a recent graduate and "heroically saved lives in the incident."

Strangers were trying to save others and officers rushed with other first responders. All of them putting the lives of others ahead of their own.

The thing is, headlines make everyone focus on the shooter being a veteran, without ever once considering the rest of his story, or the simple fact that a veteran committing mass murder is very rare.

The thing is, he was a hero too, because he was willing to die to save others. The fact that he pulled out a gun and shot so many strangers should not be a reflection on other veterans. 

This kind of thing is very rare because they are more likely to harm themselves than anyone else.

This kind of a thing, this should be a reflection on all of us. If this is the outcome after putting his life on the line, and the outcome of so many others who perish after service, then all of us should be wondering what we did not do about any of it.

Vietnam Veteran Warns Others of Mile High Singles

Colorado veteran charged nearly $10,000 by dating service

FOX 31 News
BY SHAUL TURNER
NOVEMBER 5, 2018

DENVER -- Vietnam War Veteran Wesley James Nelson says he didn't want to be alone, so he turned to an agency called Mile High Singles to find love.

The company is run by Sheryl McDowell. Nelson says, “she called herself the Love Doctor and I'd have a personal concierge to take care of me as if I would be in a five-star resort. I’d be meeting really classy ladies.”

Nelson showed his bill, which featured a program fee of $8,995 plus other costs totally totaling $9,114, he says.

"I about fell over I told her I can't afford this then boy she really laid it on.” Then, Nelson charged the fee on his credit card. He says he never went on one date.

Others have come forward to lodge complaints. An investigation in 2017 revealed Mile High Singles changed its name from Great Expectations after being investigated by attorneys general in Washington and Arizona.
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The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Escort Apopka FL

Family Fun Festival
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall

Escort in Wednesday Nov 7th at 10am
Opening Ceremony Wednesday evening at 6 pm - AHS Band Tribute
Thursday and Friday - Opening a 9 am for school class visits
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will be open to the public from Wednesday 11/7 at 6 pm through Sunday 11/11 at 8 pm. It will be open 24 hours per day.

92 veterans will be part of the 116th session of Congress

The number of vets in Congress appears headed down again

Military Times
By: Leo Shane III
November 7, 2018

WASHINGTON — After Tuesday’s midterm contests, the number of female veterans and younger veterans in Congress are rising but the overall number of veterans in Congress remains on a steady decline.

Navy veteran Mikie Sherrill greets voters during a candidate forum in New Jersey on Oct. 9, 2018. Sherrill is one of 17 new veteran candidates to win a congressional seat in Tuesday's midterm elections. (Mary Altaffer/AP)

In a contentious election which saw Democrats take over the House and Republicans add to their majority in the Senate, 77 veterans won elections across the country. Combined with 15 incumbent veterans in the Senate who did not face election, that guarantees at least 92 veterans will be part of the 116th session of Congress in January.

As of Wednesday morning, 10 races involving veteran candidates were still undecided. If all of those veterans were to win — an unlikely scenario, given the unofficial results at press time — that would still only match the 102 veterans who were in office at the start of the 115th session.

Still, Veterans Campaign Executive Director Seth Lynn said he sees plenty of positives in Tuesday’s midterm results for veteran candidates.

“We saw an uptick in the number of non-incumbent veterans who got major party nominations this cycle,” he said. “We had an uptick in the number of women veterans. And we have a huge cohort of incoming veterans now.

“We’re seeing more of the younger veterans taking their place in Congress.”

Of the 77 election-night winners, 17 of them are new candidates. Lynn said that’s the biggest class of freshman veteran lawmakers since 2010.

Almost half of the veterans in Congress in January will be individuals who served after Sept. 11, 2001. Of the 92, 25 are Democrats and 67 are Republicans.
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