Car crash got disabled GI the help he needed
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Dec 23, 2007 13:35:10 EST
DETROIT, Maine — For former Army Spc. Matthew Pennington, who lost one leg and part of the other in combat in Iraq nearly 20 months ago, a near-fatal drunken driving accident in September marked the low point in his struggle to get his life back on track.
Traveling at what police later told him was about 55 mph, Pennington drove into the wall of the Bank of America building on Exchange Street in Bangor.
“It was my statement: ‘I am done,”’ said the 24-year-old paratrooper from Detroit. He had turned to alcohol, he said, out of frustration in dealing with his physical injuries and the demons that followed him home from the war.
Pennington had been fitted with a prosthetic leg that he hoped to someday use to run a marathon. But when the leg broke in June and Pennington was unable to get it fixed, he lost a measure of his independence.
A months-long delay in getting his leg fixed was the first of what he said was a series of barriers that prevented him from getting the help he needed through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
After the crash in Bangor, Pennington started receiving treatment for the post-traumatic stress disorder he had been diagnosed with more than a year before. Other help came after he and his wife began speaking publicly about their problems. On Thursday he was fitted with new parts for his prosthetic leg, which turned out to be a vast improvement.
go here for the rest
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/ap_vetsstruggle_071223/
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Encouraging hope during annual homeless service
When Michael Keslosky, homeless veterans advocate, first met Zarnoch about five weeks ago, the former combat vet was living with Vietnam and Korean veterans underneath the Market Street Bridge. Zarnoch now resides in Kingston House.
Encouraging hope during annual homeless service
Event gave voice to those who can’t speak for themselves, says charity official.
By SHERRY LONG slong@timesleader.com
Homelessness doesn’t just affect large cities like New York City and Los Angeles. It’s also a growing problem in Luzerne County, Volunteers of America officials said.
Believing it’s important to bring awareness to the issue to help end homelessness, the Luzerne County Homeless Coalition held its second annual Homeless Memorial Service Friday afternoon at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church to coincide with other homeless memorials being held across the country.
“The purpose of the event was to be a voice for those who may not be able to speak for themselves,” said Bill Jones, Volunteers of America’s vice president and chief operating officer.
Organizers wanted to bring attention to the blight of homeless people, including Iraq War veteran Robert Zarnoch.
Keslosky said his heart goes out to the veterans because he was once in their shoes – a homeless veteran struggling to survive day to day.
“People in the community don’t realize every one of us is one paycheck away from being homeless,” Keslosky said.
Keslosky said he’s outraged that any men and women who risked their lives serving for our country are homeless.
“There should be no homeless veteran. We are the richest and most powerful nation in the world. We need to take better care of our veterans who served this country with honor and distinction before the number of homeless veterans increases with the ending of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan as they did when the Vietnam veterans returned home,” he said.
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My heart is tugged by homeless veterans above all because they were willing to lay down their lives for this country. I believe that this nation should take care of all the homeless people but if we do not take care of the veterans, it is very unlikely we will take care of the regular citizens who become homeless. We don't take care of their mental anguish or help them to overcome feeling as if the world has forgotten them.
I've posted it many times in the past, that my husband was almost one of them because of PTSD. What I do not talk about is that we almost lost our house as well. Forbearance agreements with the mortgage company and borrowed money from my Mother helped see us through. It gave me a new perspective of homeless veterans and their families, just as being married to a PTSD veteran helped me understand everything that went with that aspect. They are not lazy people, but they are unable people. They are not crazy people, but they are wounded people. To know there is so much suffering among them as well as their families captures you. You cannot forget about it or them. You find yourself running out of reasons to retain your own indifference toward them. Little by little all the excuses you come up with to not care about them evaporates. Soon you understand that no one in their right mind wants to be homeless, living on the streets, fighting for a place to sleep or pushing a shopping cart filed with what is left of everything they own. Once you understand this, they matter to you.
Why are family member last to know about military suicides?
December 22nd, 2007 1:35 pm
After a suicide, military families wait — and wait — for answers
Associated Press
WASHINGTON: It can take months — even years — for the families of troops who kill themselves in Iraq and Afghanistan to learn about the circumstances leading up to the death, including if their loved one left a suicide note.
To obtain all investigative materials related to the deaths, the families are required to file one or more Freedom of Information Act requests.
Liz Sweet, whose son Sgt. T.J. Sweet, 23, of Bismarck, N.D., was fatally shot in his barracks in 2003 in Iraq in what she says the Army has determined to be a self-inflicted wound, is still waiting to obtain her son's service and health records.
Sweet said she participates in an online forum with other families who lost a loved one due to a non-combat death in Iraq such as a suicide, and a common problem is that the families don't know what to ask for and where to file requests.
"I don't feel that there is a great deal of attempt on the military's part to make sure that families have what they need," Sweet said.
Chris Scheuerman, of Sanford, N.C., whose son Pfc. Jason Scheuerman committed suicide in Iraq in 2005, said he only learned that his son had left a note when it arrived in the mail more than a year later in an envelope with documents he had sought by filing a Freedom of Information Act request.
At least 152 U.S. troops have committed suicide in Iraq and Afghanistan since the start of the wars.
go here for the rest
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=10584
After a suicide, military families wait — and wait — for answers
Associated Press
WASHINGTON: It can take months — even years — for the families of troops who kill themselves in Iraq and Afghanistan to learn about the circumstances leading up to the death, including if their loved one left a suicide note.
To obtain all investigative materials related to the deaths, the families are required to file one or more Freedom of Information Act requests.
Liz Sweet, whose son Sgt. T.J. Sweet, 23, of Bismarck, N.D., was fatally shot in his barracks in 2003 in Iraq in what she says the Army has determined to be a self-inflicted wound, is still waiting to obtain her son's service and health records.
Sweet said she participates in an online forum with other families who lost a loved one due to a non-combat death in Iraq such as a suicide, and a common problem is that the families don't know what to ask for and where to file requests.
"I don't feel that there is a great deal of attempt on the military's part to make sure that families have what they need," Sweet said.
Chris Scheuerman, of Sanford, N.C., whose son Pfc. Jason Scheuerman committed suicide in Iraq in 2005, said he only learned that his son had left a note when it arrived in the mail more than a year later in an envelope with documents he had sought by filing a Freedom of Information Act request.
At least 152 U.S. troops have committed suicide in Iraq and Afghanistan since the start of the wars.
go here for the rest
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=10584
Coming Home Changed to Fort Carson
Fort Carson doctors diagnosed 615 soldiers in 2007 with post-traumatic stress disorder, up from 102 cases in 2003, when soldiers started returning from their first tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was the fifth straight year with an increase in the number of soldiers being diagnosed with PTSD.
Coming home changed
Stress can play part in crimes, experts say
By DENNIS HUSPENI and TOM ROEDER
THE GAZETTE
December 23, 2007 - 7:35AM
CRIMES LINKED TO CARSON VETERANS
Here are some notable criminal cases involving Iraq war veterans stationed at Fort Carson.
- Colorado Springs police allege two veterans from the same platoon are tied to a crime ring that could be responsible for the homicides of two soldiers.
Spc. Kevin Shields was shot to death and his body was found Dec. 1.
Pfc. Robert James was also shot to death. His body was found in a car parked in a Lake Avenue bank parking lot in August. The suspects are: Louis Bressler, 24, who was discharged and complained of suffering from PTSD; Pfc. Bruce Bastien Jr., 21; and soldier Kenneth Eastridge, who was an infantry rifleman. Authorities have charged or plan to charge all three with homicide, court records show.
- Former soldier Anthony Marquez, 23, admitted Thursday he shot and killed a 19-year-old Widefield resident and suspected drug dealer Oct. 22, 2006, during a robbery attempt. Marquez’s public defenders attempted to introduce PTSD as a possible defense, but dropped the effort when a judge ruled against them, court records show. According to the plea agreement, Marquez will spend 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in February.
- Pueblo police last month arrested Spc. Olin “Famous” Ferrier, 22, on suspicion of shooting taxi driver David Chance, 52, on Oct. 30. No charges have been filed.
- Former Pfc. Johnathon Klinker, 22, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in July for killing his 7-week-old daughter, Nicolette. Klinker blamed the baby’s October 2006 death, in part, on “war-related stress.”
- Former Pvt. Timothy Parker of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, was convicted by court martial of manslaughter for beating Spc. Piotr Szczypka to death in a November 2005 fight at an apartment complex near the base. Both men had been drinking before Parker hit Szczypka with a fireplace poker, trial testimony showed. Parker was sentenced to seven years in a military prison.
- Nine days after 2nd Brigade Combat Team Pfc. Stephen S. Sherwood, 35, came home from Iraq in August 2005, he drove to Fort Collins and shot and killed his wife of seven years, Sara E. Sherwood, 30. The soldier, described by his commanders as a hero who fought bravely in Iraq, then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide.
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Saturday, December 22, 2007
A Soldier's letter and 3 suicides in two weeks
“The surge is working.” In recent months, attacks have gone down. Many soldiers are shocked at how long it has been since they hit an IED in certain locations, or received incoming mortar rounds hit their camp. While there is a correlation (more troops, less attacks) there is no causation. Also, most of the influx of troops have been placed in Baghdad… this increase in volume simply displaced the “terrorists” and insurgents into areas surrounding Baghdad! Since the surge began, there have been more innocent, non-combatant Iraqis killed and more soldiers have died. We have had 3 suicides in 2 weeks!! Do you think the Army attracts suicidal people? Or perhaps the cost of carrying out U.S. foreign policy is making soldiers suicidal (15 month deployments, deployment extensions, stop-loss program, etc.)…
Day 11: Open Letter to Americans
December 22, 2007
Posted by captainj0e in Uncategorized. trackback
After breakfast and the morning update, the boss had meetings and briefing for the next 6 hours… I didn’t have a computer around so I decided to write a letter…[Note: I typed up this letter after handwriting it, and I am mailing it to 100 voters in every state before their primary, from Iraq]
Dear Voter,
My name is Joe. I am currently serving in my second deployment to Iraq as an Army officer. The biggest differences between this deployment and my last one are:
The location (within Iraq)
-The Job (much busier : less free time/sleep)
-The duration (last deployment was 12 months, this one is 15)
I am sure you are wondering why some random soldier in Iraq would write you a letter… there are several reasons, but the primary one will be obvious by the end. First I’ll tell you a little about myself.
I’m 26 years old, I’ve been married for almost 7 years, and I have a son and a daughter in elementary school. I grew up in Georgia, but I live in Colorado Springs now. I come from a long line of military officers, so I was sort of “destined” to serve. Although I only have 3 ½ years in the Army, I’ve been wearing the uniform for 12 years (JROTC & ROTC). I have a degree in computer science and I’m a music & movie enthusiast.
Now that you know a little about me, I’d like to inform you on what Iraq is really like.
Iraq is a war-torn country in political and engineering shambles. When the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, the intent was to remove Saddam Hussein from power. Once that was done, the military then targeted all Ba’athists (members of Saddam’s political party) because they were assumed to be loyal to Saddam. The problem with this “eradication” was the Ba’athists were the people who managed Iraq’s infrastructure. So our targeting caused the collapse of all of their water, power, sewage, oil, and transportation capabilities!
http://captainj0e.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/day-11-open-letter-to-americans/
I said I would keep a fine line on politics out of this blog and I intend to do just that. If you want to hear my political views, hop on over to Screaming In An Empty Room by the link over on the right side of the blog. My heart is with them. I fight for them. I fight for them when they are risking their lives as hard as I do when their lives are at risk because they risked their lives.
I wanted to post this here for a very important reason. It's the same reason I do so very hard to watch videos. If we do not understand what it is like for them, if we gloss over all of it with "good news" or "high five for the surge" we will never understand totally what they go through. War is not pretty. It is not wrapped in a flag. They do not serve whomever happens to be president at the moment, but the office of the Presidency and the Commander-in-Chief. We talk a great deal about them following orders and doing their jobs but we fail when it comes to doing our jobs for them. The nation sent them to war, but the nation is not at war with them. We are forgetting all about them. They live, fight and die for their comrades. They want to come home to their families and friends and to get on with their lives when their mission is over. Most know their battles will never end without a great deal of therapy, medication and understanding.
This soldier wrote of three suicides in 2 weeks. It was during a letter where he also indicated that the attacks are down. That should tell you a great deal. It should also sound a huge alarm bell in your mind. The Army stated clearly over a year ago that the redeployments increase the risk of developing PTSD by 50% and yet we dare wonder why there are so many suicides. We send them back with medication when they are diagnosed with PTSD. When that doesn't work and their wound has cut too deeply into them, they are dishonorably discharged and discarded.
Think about all of this. If you still support what is being done in Iraq and more so if you don't, you need to face the fact that the men and women we as a nation sent into Iraq and Afghanistan need us to live up to our obligations to them. We on our own cannot make that big of a difference to them. We can help but we cannot get all of them into treatment and make sure their sacrifices do not have to continue in terms of financial suffering or emotionally when they are seeking help to heal.
People like me have been working to get rid of the stigma of PTSD and we will keep doing it but we cannot make sure the help we talk them into getting is waiting for them. We assumed it would be, but no one on the other end was ready for what we were warning about. Now it's your turn. Call you congressman and your senator and tell them to stop talking about doing something to address PTSD and do it. No more excuses. No more whining about Bush won't approve the funds. Get the rest of congress to act and get this done for their sake. The only people holding back fully funding what is needed on an emergency basis is congress. They know what they have to do but they won't.
Your senator and congressman are home for the holidays. Call them at home or go and ring their door bell if you have to. Go and stand outside their sidewalk and tell them the troops matter to you. They need your help. What are you waiting for? More graves for next Memorial Day?
War:When the enemy is the military
By revealing the truth about how and why American soldiers became ill while fighting overseas, this film sets the record straight and holds the government accountable for trivializing and covering up some of the major causes and consequences of Gulf War Syndrome.
Gulf War Syndrome-Killing Our Own (Trailer)
published by qruel 10 hours 33 minutes 58 seconds ago • 136 views
After the Vietnam War, hundreds of thousands of U.S. veterans suffered toxic reactions, neurological damage, and rare cancers due to exposure to 2,4,5,-D and 2,4,5-T dioxin that was used in the form of the defoliant Agent Orange. Unfortunately, the U.S. military denied the problem and failed to heed any of the lessons of this chemical butchery. Instead, it expanded its harmful legacy to the current generation of soldiers and civilians exposed to new, more deadly chemical toxins in the Persian Gulf.
Join accomplished filmmaker Gary Null, PhD, as he explores the real truth about Gulf War Syndrome and the secrets about chemical and germ warfare that the U.S. government is hiding from its veterans and the public. Dr. Null uncovers the hidden truths about Gulf War Syndrome, including the deadly and toxic effects of armor-piercing radioactive depleted uranium, the use of experimental and risky vaccines on over 100,000 U.S. troops, and the indescribable chemical contamination and environmental devastation that the military caused during the Persian Gulf Wars.
In this film, Dr. Null relies on compelling testimony from eyewitnesses who served in the military, leading doctors and scientists who specialize in chemical exposure, and those veterans still suffering from the effects of their tours of duty. Dr. Null goes further than ever before to explain the illnesses of Gulf veterans, including their rare cancers, neurological diseases, cardiac ailments, genetic mutations, and autoimmune conditions, ranging from chronic fatigue syndrome to lupus and scleroderma. "Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome" is the glib and demeaning explanation that the U.S. Government likes to give to injured veterans and their families.......
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Agent Orange. Depleted Uranium. Hepatitis C. Lariam. What goes into waging war is part of the deal. It's not just the men and women sent, but the chemicals they are sent in with. Some they are given and others they are exposed to. The military brass pass most of it off as "collateral damage" when these chemicals kill off civilians. What do they call it when it kills off our own people? What do they call it when it comes home with them, killing them slowly and then attacks their children? What do they call it when the ravages of war attach to minds and then slowly attack the families of the wounded? What do they call it when the same government fails those who ended up wounded? Most of these things should be called criminal but they get away with it when the government announces it was "all necessary" to complete the mission,but the mission never ends for far too many exposed to their expedience. It is not the quickest solution for them but the beginning of a very slow end.
The bumpy road home from military to civilian
The bumpy road home
By Tony Lascari
12/22/2007
Dan and Sara TerBurgh shook hands, gave hugs and shared stories during a welcome home celebration in August following a several-year long absence from Midland.
The two had dated while attending Midland High School and both graduated in 1998. When Dan pursued a nine-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, Sara went with him. After the couple had three children and Dan served two tours of duty in Iraq, they decided it was time to come home.
The readjustment to civilian life hasn’t been easy as Dan waited for a new job, struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and arranged for his family to share a home with his parents.
“We took a big risk getting out of the Marine Corps,” Dan said. “We gave up a lot and we were not used to living with nothing.”
The family’s return to Midland came at the end of July, and an early August welcome home party organized by Sara’s mom gathered dozens of family and friends.
Displays of his military gear, certificates, photos, letters from Sara and a map of missions in Iraq were displayed with honor. Dan’s smile widened as family arrived and he told stories of traveling from southern Iraq to Baghdad as an operations chief of a firing battalion with the 1st Marine Division.
He had joined the Marines right out of high school because he knew he wasn’t ready for college and wanted new experiences that would help him get disciplined.
“I kind of wanted to be a part of something the country was going through,” he said. “I’ll take my Marine Corps experience with me the rest of my life. I learned more there than I ever think I will anywhere else.”
click post title for the rest
By Tony Lascari
12/22/2007
Dan and Sara TerBurgh shook hands, gave hugs and shared stories during a welcome home celebration in August following a several-year long absence from Midland.
The two had dated while attending Midland High School and both graduated in 1998. When Dan pursued a nine-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, Sara went with him. After the couple had three children and Dan served two tours of duty in Iraq, they decided it was time to come home.
The readjustment to civilian life hasn’t been easy as Dan waited for a new job, struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and arranged for his family to share a home with his parents.
“We took a big risk getting out of the Marine Corps,” Dan said. “We gave up a lot and we were not used to living with nothing.”
The family’s return to Midland came at the end of July, and an early August welcome home party organized by Sara’s mom gathered dozens of family and friends.
Displays of his military gear, certificates, photos, letters from Sara and a map of missions in Iraq were displayed with honor. Dan’s smile widened as family arrived and he told stories of traveling from southern Iraq to Baghdad as an operations chief of a firing battalion with the 1st Marine Division.
He had joined the Marines right out of high school because he knew he wasn’t ready for college and wanted new experiences that would help him get disciplined.
“I kind of wanted to be a part of something the country was going through,” he said. “I’ll take my Marine Corps experience with me the rest of my life. I learned more there than I ever think I will anywhere else.”
click post title for the rest
Nation makes them combat veterans but states have to heal the warriors?
Illinois leads way in helping veterans
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - MO, United States
By Philip Dine
POST-DISPATCH WASHINGTON BUREAU
12/23/2007
WASHINGTON — By mid-January, Illinois will become the first state to require screening of all returning National Guard troops for traumatic brain injuries. And a hotline will provide around-the-clock psychological help for veterans who wake up in the middle of the night panicked by combat-related stress.
Illinois officials have spent months preparing, including training clinicians and securing funding, as they seek to help soldiers who have fallen through large cracks in care at the federal level.
Illinois is among several states that are beginning to assume responsibility for the detection and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, which military experts are calling the "signature wounds" of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
The amounts are relatively small but growing, as is the number of states cobbling together funding and programs. Illinois legislators have appropriated $8 million this year; Missouri's governor intends to ask the Legislature for money as well
"It shouldn't be the responsibility of the Illinois taxpayer, but these are our sons and daughters," said Tammy Duckworth, director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and an Iraq veteran who lost both legs to a rocket-propelled grenade in 2004. "If we don't take care of these veterans through this program, we'll be taking care of them in our prisons or our homeless shelters."
State programs
Among the states setting up programs to deal with the problems of returning veterans:
Click above for the rest
The nation sent them. Congress sent them. The President sent them. Yet the states are the ones who have to take care of them because the ones who sent them won't. This is so wrong. While it is great the states, some states are trying to take care of the wounded, it is not every state and the actions taken are not enough. What if a soldier or National Guardsman or Reserve lived far away from the help they need in a state where no one is doing much of anything? They served equally. They were wounded equally. Tax payers paid for each one equally to risk their lives. Why is it the government on the national level seems to believe their job is over when they come home?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - MO, United States
By Philip Dine
POST-DISPATCH WASHINGTON BUREAU
12/23/2007
WASHINGTON — By mid-January, Illinois will become the first state to require screening of all returning National Guard troops for traumatic brain injuries. And a hotline will provide around-the-clock psychological help for veterans who wake up in the middle of the night panicked by combat-related stress.
Illinois officials have spent months preparing, including training clinicians and securing funding, as they seek to help soldiers who have fallen through large cracks in care at the federal level.
Illinois is among several states that are beginning to assume responsibility for the detection and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, which military experts are calling the "signature wounds" of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
The amounts are relatively small but growing, as is the number of states cobbling together funding and programs. Illinois legislators have appropriated $8 million this year; Missouri's governor intends to ask the Legislature for money as well
"It shouldn't be the responsibility of the Illinois taxpayer, but these are our sons and daughters," said Tammy Duckworth, director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and an Iraq veteran who lost both legs to a rocket-propelled grenade in 2004. "If we don't take care of these veterans through this program, we'll be taking care of them in our prisons or our homeless shelters."
State programs
Among the states setting up programs to deal with the problems of returning veterans:
Illinois: Will require screening of all National Guard troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan for traumatic brain injuries. Screening will be offered to other returning veterans. A 24-hour hotline will be set up for veterans who need counseling.
Minnesota: Offers "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon," a program that helps reintegrate returning veterans into communities, including counseling for family members even before soldiers return home. This year, the Minnesota National Guard funded the program from money intended for training; the state legislature appropriated $1.5 million for next year.
Lt. Col. Kevin Olson of the Minnesota National Guard said: "We realized that while the military does a great job of preparing our soldiers for combat, they don't necessarily do a good job of preparing them to deal with post-combat stress, including divorces, anger management, relationship problems or issues with substance abuse."
Wisconsin: Offers "Mission Welcome Home," which enlists Vietnam veterans, Rotary Clubs and community groups to ease soldiers' transitions to civilian life. State veterans officials acted after noticing that many soldiers finished their tours of duty and returned to isolated rural communities with few services. The program has generated a large response, and officials will seek more than $1 million next year.
North Carolina: Rising domestic problems among returning veterans, few of whom sought help, convinced Veterans Affairs Director Charles Smith to request $600,000 so state officials could offer help to each of the 12,000 veterans returning over the year. He plans to set up a hotline for veterans next month and go before the Legislature early next year to request more funding.
Click above for the rest
The nation sent them. Congress sent them. The President sent them. Yet the states are the ones who have to take care of them because the ones who sent them won't. This is so wrong. While it is great the states, some states are trying to take care of the wounded, it is not every state and the actions taken are not enough. What if a soldier or National Guardsman or Reserve lived far away from the help they need in a state where no one is doing much of anything? They served equally. They were wounded equally. Tax payers paid for each one equally to risk their lives. Why is it the government on the national level seems to believe their job is over when they come home?
The Longest Night Of The Year
The Longest Night Of The Year
Posted:Dec 21, 2007
Reporter: Danielle Saar
Catholic charities organized a vigil this evening for homeless people who died this year.
Tonight, on the longest night of the year, concerned citizens and faith leaders held a vigil to remember those who have died as a result of homelessness.
On any given day in El Paso county, over 11-hundred people are homeless.
Homelessness dramatically increases one's risk of illness, injury and death.
About 20 people gathered to honor locals who died because they were homeless.
"Symbolically, if you're homeless, this probably would be the toughest night of the year," says Stephen Handen, participant.
The memorial service started in the parking lot of the Veterans Administration building, at the corner of Spruce street and Pikes Peak avenue. Participants then walked from there to Bijou house, an agency that helps the homeless.
"To me its a type of expression that draws to mind the value system that should be so basic to us, that we as human beings are all equal. We're all interdependent with each other," says Peter Sprunger-Froese, participant.
They honor them as people, people who are not defined by their homelessness, but by their souls.
"Frequently these people die, and no body really recognizes them, or their name is not in the obituary," says Handen.
Around 30 known homeless men and women lost their lives in 2007.
go here for the rest and video
http://www.kktv.com/news/headlines/12759132.html
Posted:Dec 21, 2007
Reporter: Danielle Saar
Catholic charities organized a vigil this evening for homeless people who died this year.
Tonight, on the longest night of the year, concerned citizens and faith leaders held a vigil to remember those who have died as a result of homelessness.
On any given day in El Paso county, over 11-hundred people are homeless.
Homelessness dramatically increases one's risk of illness, injury and death.
About 20 people gathered to honor locals who died because they were homeless.
"Symbolically, if you're homeless, this probably would be the toughest night of the year," says Stephen Handen, participant.
The memorial service started in the parking lot of the Veterans Administration building, at the corner of Spruce street and Pikes Peak avenue. Participants then walked from there to Bijou house, an agency that helps the homeless.
"To me its a type of expression that draws to mind the value system that should be so basic to us, that we as human beings are all equal. We're all interdependent with each other," says Peter Sprunger-Froese, participant.
They honor them as people, people who are not defined by their homelessness, but by their souls.
"Frequently these people die, and no body really recognizes them, or their name is not in the obituary," says Handen.
Around 30 known homeless men and women lost their lives in 2007.
go here for the rest and video
http://www.kktv.com/news/headlines/12759132.html
Ceremony honors 2007's homeless victims
Richard Trudeau places a flower in a wreath to honor Danny, a bridgeport homeless man who died in 2007. Southwest Community Health Center and Homes for the Brave held a National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day ceremony in Bridgeport. (B.K. Angeletti/For the Connecticut Post )
Ceremony honors 2007's homeless victims
LINDA CONNER LAMBECK lclambeck@ctpost.com
BRIDGEPORT — Braving Friday's cold weather, the way the homeless do every day, about 100 people huddled in front of Homes for the Brave to remember homeless people who died in the city during 2007.
They remembered Daniel, Jeffrey, John and Joseph. Also Tom, Mack, John P. and Bill.
As the names were called, red, white and blue carnations were placed in a wreath.
A military honor guard, flags snapping in the wind, stood at attention in front of the shelter for homeless veterans at 655 Park Ave. Taps was played.
The noon ceremony drew about 100 dignitaries, military and the public. Hosted by Homes for the Brave and the Southwest Community Health Center, the program also was an opportunity to distribute free coats and to educate.
Of the nation's estimated 3.5 million homeless, as many as one in four are veterans, said Rich DeNisco, coordinator of health care for homeless at the health center. It's believed there are 33,000 people in Connecticut with no place to live. The last time a homeless census was done in Bridgeport, the number reached 1,400. DeNisco thinks that count was low.
This is the third year that National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day was observed locally, a date traditionally observed on or close to the first day of winter, which this year is today.
go here for the rest
http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_7782709
Thursday, December 20, 2007
VA clinics in Rice Lake and Hayward closed with plenty of notice
She said the company found it could not supply the services at the per capita rate and that it had been negotiating with the VA when the clinics closed. She said she had “hundreds of pages” to substantiate that claim, despite VA claims that the closing was abrupt.
The Veterans Administration clinic in Rice Lake has reopened at a new location. The reopening at the AmericInn Hotel on Pioneer Avenue follows the closing last week of VA clinics in Rice Lake and Hayward.
The new clinic is staffed by medical and support personnel from the Minneapolis VA and will operate on a temporary basis until a permanent clinic is established.
On Dec. 10, Corporate Health and Wellness, a private contractor, closed newly opened clinics serving veterans in Rice Lake and Hayward. Corporate Health owner Mary Cheek said then that the closings were over a contract dispute.
The clinics provided primary and preventative care and mental health services and served veterans from Barron, Burnett, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer and Washburn counties. There were no emergency room services. About 17,000 veterans live in the region.
The first Rice Lake clinic shared a building at 2700 College Drive with Barron County Division of Probation and Parole.
Both Cheek and the VA say negotiations continue between the VA and Corporate Health to resolve their contract dispute. Corporate Health is based in Paris, Ky., which is a suburb of Lexington.
Patients who were scheduled for appointments in Rice Lake and Hayward were to be called Friday about the opening of the temporary clinic. The AmericInn is at 2906 Pioneer Ave. South. The VA is using guest rooms for examining rooms.
If veterans have questions, they should call 866-414-5058 Ext. 9 1100.
click post title for the rest
So now they are operating out of a hotel?
"Mr Oddie was a casualty of war," and a Royal Marine who drank himself to death
A CASUALTY OF WAR: EX-MARINE DRANK HIMSELF TO DEATH
A former Plymouth Royal Marine drank himself to death after watching his friend die from gunshot wounds in Iraq, an inquest has ruled.
Steven Oddie was described as a 'casualty of war' after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following his service in 2003 in Operation Telic.
The 38-year-old was also diagnosed with the mental illness bipolar disorder, and the inquest heard he drank heavily to blank out flashbacks from the war and his mental health problems, at one stage consuming up to a litre of vodka a day.
The married father of two, from Plympton served with 539 Assault Squadron but, after three separate periods in rehabilitation failed to cure his alcohol problems, he was medically discharged from the Royal Marines in October 2006.
The inquest, held in Plymouth, heard that he was devastated by the decision, having spent 11 years as a Royal Marine and went through a period of heavy drinking at Christmas last year.
Mr Oddie went to bed on December 27, and when his wife Naomi, 29, went to wake him the next day he was dead.
The inquest heard he died from acute alcohol poisoning and Plymouth assistant deputy coroner Robert Newman recorded a verdict of accidental death.
"Corporal Oddie served in Iraq; he was a witness of the very distressing event leading to the death of one of his friends," he said.
click post title for the rest
For 11 years he served his country but where was his country when he needed them to return the honor?
A former Plymouth Royal Marine drank himself to death after watching his friend die from gunshot wounds in Iraq, an inquest has ruled.
Steven Oddie was described as a 'casualty of war' after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following his service in 2003 in Operation Telic.
The 38-year-old was also diagnosed with the mental illness bipolar disorder, and the inquest heard he drank heavily to blank out flashbacks from the war and his mental health problems, at one stage consuming up to a litre of vodka a day.
The married father of two, from Plympton served with 539 Assault Squadron but, after three separate periods in rehabilitation failed to cure his alcohol problems, he was medically discharged from the Royal Marines in October 2006.
The inquest, held in Plymouth, heard that he was devastated by the decision, having spent 11 years as a Royal Marine and went through a period of heavy drinking at Christmas last year.
Mr Oddie went to bed on December 27, and when his wife Naomi, 29, went to wake him the next day he was dead.
The inquest heard he died from acute alcohol poisoning and Plymouth assistant deputy coroner Robert Newman recorded a verdict of accidental death.
"Corporal Oddie served in Iraq; he was a witness of the very distressing event leading to the death of one of his friends," he said.
click post title for the rest
For 11 years he served his country but where was his country when he needed them to return the honor?
Most Seattleites are not cruel, but many are thoughtless
Most Seattleites are not cruel, but many are thoughtless
By PAUL LEIGHTY
GUEST COLUMNIST
It is cool outside as I write and the weather report says it will drop into the low 30s tonight. Thousands of Seattleites are going to sleep outside tonight in freezing temperatures because they are homeless. A dialogue about the homeless is in progress and I would like to add my two cents' worth. As a three-year veteran of the streets -- now in subsidized housing -- I hope to inject some reality into the discussion.
Homeless people are not gang members. Nor are we all of a piece. We mirror the rest of America. With one major exception we are citizens who have been overwhelmed by events beyond our control. No one grows up wanting to be homeless. We have simply reached the end of our tether due to some reason(s). Major causes are job loss coupled with medical problems, personal bereavement and mental health issues. Substance abuse, either before or after becoming homeless, is another cause or effect. The exception is the hard-working illegals who choose the life so they can send more money back to their homes and families.
Beware. It is extremely easy for this to happen to you or someone you know.
go here for the rest
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/344390_homeless21.html
By PAUL LEIGHTY
GUEST COLUMNIST
It is cool outside as I write and the weather report says it will drop into the low 30s tonight. Thousands of Seattleites are going to sleep outside tonight in freezing temperatures because they are homeless. A dialogue about the homeless is in progress and I would like to add my two cents' worth. As a three-year veteran of the streets -- now in subsidized housing -- I hope to inject some reality into the discussion.
Homeless people are not gang members. Nor are we all of a piece. We mirror the rest of America. With one major exception we are citizens who have been overwhelmed by events beyond our control. No one grows up wanting to be homeless. We have simply reached the end of our tether due to some reason(s). Major causes are job loss coupled with medical problems, personal bereavement and mental health issues. Substance abuse, either before or after becoming homeless, is another cause or effect. The exception is the hard-working illegals who choose the life so they can send more money back to their homes and families.
Beware. It is extremely easy for this to happen to you or someone you know.
go here for the rest
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/344390_homeless21.html
Homeless Vietnam Veteran Dies; No Family Claims Body
Veteran Dies; No Family Claims Body
KFOXtv.com - El Paso,TX,USAEL PASO, Texas -- Family members of a homeless veteran never showed up to claim his remains. US Army (E-5), Ignacio Apodaca, 64, died on Oct. 26
UPDATE
Homeless Veteran Laid To Rest
Video High
Thursday, December 20, 2007 - Ignacio Apodaca left for Vietnam in 1966 and when he came back to the United States, he had a hard time adjusting to life back home. The Marine Corps member was homeless for years before passing away on October 26th.
His Brother Luis Apodaca shares his feelings with NewsChannel 9, on how he felt when he found out Ignacio was receiving a proper burial.
http://www.ktsm.com/news/local/12669302.html
KFOXtv.com - El Paso,TX,USAEL PASO, Texas -- Family members of a homeless veteran never showed up to claim his remains. US Army (E-5), Ignacio Apodaca, 64, died on Oct. 26
UPDATE
Homeless Veteran Laid To Rest
Video High
Thursday, December 20, 2007 - Ignacio Apodaca left for Vietnam in 1966 and when he came back to the United States, he had a hard time adjusting to life back home. The Marine Corps member was homeless for years before passing away on October 26th.
His Brother Luis Apodaca shares his feelings with NewsChannel 9, on how he felt when he found out Ignacio was receiving a proper burial.
http://www.ktsm.com/news/local/12669302.html
Less Than Honorable When Military Turns Against PTSD
All Things Considered, December 20, 2007 ·
"Our military families deserve better," President Bush declared in October as he sent a proposed bill to Congress. The legislation, he said, would make it easier for our troops to receive care for PTSD, "and it will help affected service members to move forward with their lives."
But veterans advocates say that even if the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs became models for helping troops with mental health problems, it wouldn't help a large category of vets who are already wounded and forgotten. These soldiers and Marines came back from combat, couldn't get adequate help, "flipped out" and misbehaved in some way — and as a result, were kicked out of the military without all the financial and medical benefits that veterans usually receive.
"I think it's an outrage that we have not taken proper care of them," said Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO), one of the most influential voices on veterans' affairs. "Too many of these people have been kicked out because of the results of the stress they've been under."
'Head and Shoulders Above His Peers'
NPR has tracked down dozens of vets across the U.S. to put a face on the problem.
Until he got PTSD, Patrick Uloth was a poster boy for the Marines in Iraq. He enlisted right out of high school, fought two tours and quickly was promoted to lance corporal. His commander hailed him as "head and shoulders above his peers." He received an award for valor, for helping save his unit one night near Fallujah.
But, like just about every Marine and soldier who has fought in Iraq, Uloth saw violence and death in ways that most people can barely imagine. During one patrol, for instance, a suicide bomber's vehicle exploded in front of Uloth's convoy.
Uloth said that the explosion left one of his Marine buddies decapitated. He remembers that he and two other Marines "scooped the Marine into bags, because he was in pieces." When Uloth rushed to another victim, he realized it was one of his best friends. "There was a large hole in the back of his head," Uloth says.
go here for the rest
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17362654
Uloth says that if he had benefits, he'd check himself into a psychiatric hospital because, although he can seem charming and cheerful on the surface, he says he is in deep emotional trouble.
Uloth's Superior Speaks
Letter from Uloth's Platoon Sergeant
(Requires Adobe Acrobat)
Listen: Matt McLauchlen explains to NPR's Daniel Zwerdling how
he has "fallen through the cracks" of the military system.
add
Read Letter to President Bush
Letter: Sen. Bond Calls for Special Discharge Review Program
(Requires Adobe Acrobat)
How many more reports do we have to read to understand these men and women risked their lives for us, were wounded in the process, and then they were betrayed by less than honorable treatment of them? When are we going to get this right for all of them? Are we even really trying? I've heard testimonies for years about PTSD and the way the veterans have been treated and I've heard a lot of promises to change what is wrong but have seen very little evidence of it.
Is anyone in Washington giving these veterans the same sense of urgency they did when they issued the orders to deploy them and get them there? It seems only logical and honorable to take care of them when they are wounded. So what's the problem? It can't be money because in the long run taking care of them now saves a lot of money. Is it still ignorance? After years of testimonies by experts and over 30 years of studies, there isn't that much more they have to know before they figure out they have a serious problem. How many more times do they have to hear the figures of the ever growing number of veterans with PTSD not being taken care of, committing suicide because they are not being taken care of or about the numbers of the wounded being kicked out of the military with dishonorable discharges? Seems like we have a bigger problem with the congress being less than honorable to them than the other way around.
"Our military families deserve better," President Bush declared in October as he sent a proposed bill to Congress. The legislation, he said, would make it easier for our troops to receive care for PTSD, "and it will help affected service members to move forward with their lives."
But veterans advocates say that even if the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs became models for helping troops with mental health problems, it wouldn't help a large category of vets who are already wounded and forgotten. These soldiers and Marines came back from combat, couldn't get adequate help, "flipped out" and misbehaved in some way — and as a result, were kicked out of the military without all the financial and medical benefits that veterans usually receive.
"I think it's an outrage that we have not taken proper care of them," said Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO), one of the most influential voices on veterans' affairs. "Too many of these people have been kicked out because of the results of the stress they've been under."
'Head and Shoulders Above His Peers'
NPR has tracked down dozens of vets across the U.S. to put a face on the problem.
Until he got PTSD, Patrick Uloth was a poster boy for the Marines in Iraq. He enlisted right out of high school, fought two tours and quickly was promoted to lance corporal. His commander hailed him as "head and shoulders above his peers." He received an award for valor, for helping save his unit one night near Fallujah.
But, like just about every Marine and soldier who has fought in Iraq, Uloth saw violence and death in ways that most people can barely imagine. During one patrol, for instance, a suicide bomber's vehicle exploded in front of Uloth's convoy.
Uloth said that the explosion left one of his Marine buddies decapitated. He remembers that he and two other Marines "scooped the Marine into bags, because he was in pieces." When Uloth rushed to another victim, he realized it was one of his best friends. "There was a large hole in the back of his head," Uloth says.
go here for the rest
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17362654
Uloth says that if he had benefits, he'd check himself into a psychiatric hospital because, although he can seem charming and cheerful on the surface, he says he is in deep emotional trouble.
Uloth's Superior Speaks
Letter from Uloth's Platoon Sergeant
(Requires Adobe Acrobat)
Uloth says that when he went to the mental health center at Camp Pendleton's hospital to ask for help, they were so overwhelmed by returning troops with mental health problems that he couldn't book a therapy appointment for months. The staff eventually gave him sporadic counseling, and prescribed a cocktail of powerful medications, but Uloth complained that the drugs made him feel worse.
So, he took off from Camp Pendleton without permission: Uloth went AWOL, as it's commonly called. (The Marines call it UA for "unauthorized absence.")
But he didn't disappear. Instead, Uloth checked himself into a psychiatric center he had heard about at an Air Force base in Mississippi. He started getting intensive therapy, which he couldn't get at his own base.
When Uloth's commanders learned where he was, they sent two guards to arrest and restrain him with handcuffs and metal shackles. They locked him in a jail cell at Camp Pendleton for almost two months, even though a military medical staff member concluded that he was "unfit for confinement."
Listen: Matt McLauchlen explains to NPR's Daniel Zwerdling how
he has "fallen through the cracks" of the military system.
add
Read Letter to President Bush
Letter: Sen. Bond Calls for Special Discharge Review Program
(Requires Adobe Acrobat)
How many more reports do we have to read to understand these men and women risked their lives for us, were wounded in the process, and then they were betrayed by less than honorable treatment of them? When are we going to get this right for all of them? Are we even really trying? I've heard testimonies for years about PTSD and the way the veterans have been treated and I've heard a lot of promises to change what is wrong but have seen very little evidence of it.
Is anyone in Washington giving these veterans the same sense of urgency they did when they issued the orders to deploy them and get them there? It seems only logical and honorable to take care of them when they are wounded. So what's the problem? It can't be money because in the long run taking care of them now saves a lot of money. Is it still ignorance? After years of testimonies by experts and over 30 years of studies, there isn't that much more they have to know before they figure out they have a serious problem. How many more times do they have to hear the figures of the ever growing number of veterans with PTSD not being taken care of, committing suicide because they are not being taken care of or about the numbers of the wounded being kicked out of the military with dishonorable discharges? Seems like we have a bigger problem with the congress being less than honorable to them than the other way around.
Is The Military Neglecting PTSD Troops?
Is The Military Neglecting PTSD Troops?
Veterans' Advocates Say Ignoring Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Is A Military-Wide Problem
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2007
(CBS) Army Spc. Shawn Saunders was proud of his first two tours in Iraq. But midway through his third tour - he snapped.
"If I hear loud noises, I get, I'm real, real jumpy,” Saunders told CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier. “I get paranoid."
"Distraught, lost, confused..." is how Saunders’ father characterizes his behavior.
His parents say his breaking point was watching his best friend die while guarding a checkpoint.
"He kept saying, it should have been me, it should have been me," said his mother, Pam Wilson.
Texas medic Taylor Burke took Saunders’ turn, and the car blew up.
"When he passed, it was like a part of me that's left me, and I haven't been the same since," Saunders said.
During home leave from Iraq, Shawn talked of suicide.
go here for the rest
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/20/eveningnews/main3637097.shtml
Veterans' Advocates Say Ignoring Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Is A Military-Wide Problem
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2007
(CBS) Army Spc. Shawn Saunders was proud of his first two tours in Iraq. But midway through his third tour - he snapped.
"If I hear loud noises, I get, I'm real, real jumpy,” Saunders told CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier. “I get paranoid."
"Distraught, lost, confused..." is how Saunders’ father characterizes his behavior.
His parents say his breaking point was watching his best friend die while guarding a checkpoint.
"He kept saying, it should have been me, it should have been me," said his mother, Pam Wilson.
Texas medic Taylor Burke took Saunders’ turn, and the car blew up.
"When he passed, it was like a part of me that's left me, and I haven't been the same since," Saunders said.
During home leave from Iraq, Shawn talked of suicide.
go here for the rest
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/20/eveningnews/main3637097.shtml
The War Over PTSD or dealing with a soulless jerk
December 20, 2007, 7:14 PM
The War Over PTSD
Posted by Kimberly Dozier
Kimberly Dozier is a CBS News correspondent based in Washington.
There's a war inside the military over how to treat a not-so-new enemy: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"I've never had a guy in my unit develop PTSD," one senior general from Iraq told me. 'It's nonsense."
"You're only scratching the surface," of cases from this war, another senior general told me. "Keep looking."
Simply put, PTSD is what happens when you put a combatant in the pressure cooker of Iraq or Afghanistan, and tell him or her, "No matter what you see or feel, tough it out. Lock it down. Keep it to yourself." After multiple tours living on high boil, with no relief valve, some U.S. troops are breaking. Make that thousands.
The largest military employer, the U.S. Army, has rolled out new programs to teach troops what PTSD is, to try to reduce the stigma. It can be as simple as asking a patrol that saw something traumatic to talk about it out loud. That way, the incident on the battlefield gets tamed by a jawing session with your buddies, instead of becoming a nightmare that wakes you sweating at 4 a.m. with visions of the dead and maimed that won't leave you.
click post title for the rest
When military people claim no one in their unit developed PTSD, it's easy to understand why they say that. No one would tell someone with that kind of attitude about it. You don't share that kind of pain with a soulless jerk. Anyone left in the military dismissing PTSD as a load of crap or trying to trivialize reality, is a soulless jerk or a really stupid fool with no ability to learn anything.
The War Over PTSD
Posted by Kimberly Dozier
Kimberly Dozier is a CBS News correspondent based in Washington.
There's a war inside the military over how to treat a not-so-new enemy: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"I've never had a guy in my unit develop PTSD," one senior general from Iraq told me. 'It's nonsense."
"You're only scratching the surface," of cases from this war, another senior general told me. "Keep looking."
Simply put, PTSD is what happens when you put a combatant in the pressure cooker of Iraq or Afghanistan, and tell him or her, "No matter what you see or feel, tough it out. Lock it down. Keep it to yourself." After multiple tours living on high boil, with no relief valve, some U.S. troops are breaking. Make that thousands.
The largest military employer, the U.S. Army, has rolled out new programs to teach troops what PTSD is, to try to reduce the stigma. It can be as simple as asking a patrol that saw something traumatic to talk about it out loud. That way, the incident on the battlefield gets tamed by a jawing session with your buddies, instead of becoming a nightmare that wakes you sweating at 4 a.m. with visions of the dead and maimed that won't leave you.
click post title for the rest
When military people claim no one in their unit developed PTSD, it's easy to understand why they say that. No one would tell someone with that kind of attitude about it. You don't share that kind of pain with a soulless jerk. Anyone left in the military dismissing PTSD as a load of crap or trying to trivialize reality, is a soulless jerk or a really stupid fool with no ability to learn anything.
Are you too busy to pay attention to homeless veterans?
Forgive me for doing it the easy way today, but I've been really busy today with my job and running around. I'm no where near being ready for Christmas and this is one of the busiest times of the year for a church. I did mention I worked for a church right? Anyway, usually I read all the links I post, plus a ton more, but today there just isn't enough time to play catch up with a box full of emails, gifts to buy, shopping trips and Christmas parties and plays to go to.
There just isn't enough time for me to be spending on line like I normally do. See even I can come up with plenty of excuses for not doing something that is needed, yet I expect people who come into my blog to read the links I provide so that they can make a difference in the world. After all, what good can one person do? I'm only one person. I have a job that is demanding, a family, a dog and a very busy life. Surely other people have more time than I do. Normally I spend between 10 to 12 hours a day on line and that's seven days a week, except for play day with my husband when I get to just go out and enjoy life. Let someone else do it for a change. I do enough.
How many times have you thought the same way? How many times in the last month or so have you thought about your list of things to do and places to go that you took no interest in what you normally do or care about the rest of the year? We can find so many other things to fill up our time that suddenly all that matters involves "us" our lives and our own needs.
This time of year it's easy to make excuses for what we ignore because we are thinking about other people, people to shop for, people to send cards to and what to make for the holiday party we have to go to. We go to our kids Christmas plays and focus only on them instead of the little kid on the end crying or the kid in back making the weird faces. We pay little attention to the people sitting right next to us or the story being told, ignoring the message that they are trying to deliver to our ever clogging ears.
Christmas the message that was supposed to be absorbed by us has been filled with everything and anything other than the purity of love. The compassion that was born on that one day over 2,000 years ago in a tiny town called Bethlehem has been replaced by Santa and the rain deer instead of Jesus and the disciples. Elves replace the 70 sent out by Jesus to deliver the messages of love, forgiveness, mercy and redemption by a loving God "who so loved the world He gave His only son" to the rest of us. Frosty sings of being frozen water while we absent mindedly freeze our hearts to the needs of strangers seeking a safe place to give birth to a child that would change the world forever.
Some of us go to church on Christmas and Easter, the high holy days of the Christian faith, avoiding going to church the rest of the year because our lives are just too busy to bother. After all, we tell ourselves, it's not like we don't go when it really matters. We are CEO, for Christmas and Easter Only, people and that's all that God can want of us in return for what He gave to us. We are all "good people" who write a check once a year to our favorite charity for the tax write-off just in time for the deadline. I'm honest enough to admit that there were many years in my life that I felt the same way. When my mother was alive, I wouldn't dare avoid going to church if I didn't have a terrific excuse. When my daughter was born, I recommitted to going again all the time but never failed to find excuses when I was just too tired or too busy to go.
When we moved to Florida, it was easy to find excuses to not attend church because we didn't know anyone but God, having a wonderful sense of humor, filled my need for a part time job by placing me in a Presbyterian Church (even though I'm Greek Orthodox) so that I wouldn't have any excuses to not show up. Now I have to be there for two services on Sunday and the rest of the week as well. Do I feel as if I'm a better person than you? Absolutely not! Look at the confession I made in the beginning of this post. I admitted I'm too busy to read about the homeless veterans in this country. They have tugged at my heart for over half my life and I don't have time for them. I didn't want to make the time for them. I had better things to do.
Where would Jesus have been born had the inn keeper been too busy to talk to Joseph? How can any of us really call ourselves Christians and then find no time to actually practice what Jesus preached? Especially at this time of year? Think about it. Buying gifts for people who can say thank you reward you for what you did for them by returning the favor and handing you a gift. It's good to think about making other people happy but that is not the point of this time of year. We're supposed to be unselfish and give to people who have less than us, people in need of shelter, clothing or even a simple prayer. We are to give without expecting anything in return but the simple fact they will thank God for what we did for them because they cannot thank us.
Ok, so now I have to read the links I just put up because I feel too guilty to avoid doing it. I have a couple more posts to put up and then I'll read all of them. I hope you will too and I hope you will remember that while you have been too busy to pay attention to any of this, you will find time in your day to remember what this time of year is supposed to be all about.
Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
There just isn't enough time for me to be spending on line like I normally do. See even I can come up with plenty of excuses for not doing something that is needed, yet I expect people who come into my blog to read the links I provide so that they can make a difference in the world. After all, what good can one person do? I'm only one person. I have a job that is demanding, a family, a dog and a very busy life. Surely other people have more time than I do. Normally I spend between 10 to 12 hours a day on line and that's seven days a week, except for play day with my husband when I get to just go out and enjoy life. Let someone else do it for a change. I do enough.
How many times have you thought the same way? How many times in the last month or so have you thought about your list of things to do and places to go that you took no interest in what you normally do or care about the rest of the year? We can find so many other things to fill up our time that suddenly all that matters involves "us" our lives and our own needs.
This time of year it's easy to make excuses for what we ignore because we are thinking about other people, people to shop for, people to send cards to and what to make for the holiday party we have to go to. We go to our kids Christmas plays and focus only on them instead of the little kid on the end crying or the kid in back making the weird faces. We pay little attention to the people sitting right next to us or the story being told, ignoring the message that they are trying to deliver to our ever clogging ears.
Christmas the message that was supposed to be absorbed by us has been filled with everything and anything other than the purity of love. The compassion that was born on that one day over 2,000 years ago in a tiny town called Bethlehem has been replaced by Santa and the rain deer instead of Jesus and the disciples. Elves replace the 70 sent out by Jesus to deliver the messages of love, forgiveness, mercy and redemption by a loving God "who so loved the world He gave His only son" to the rest of us. Frosty sings of being frozen water while we absent mindedly freeze our hearts to the needs of strangers seeking a safe place to give birth to a child that would change the world forever.
Some of us go to church on Christmas and Easter, the high holy days of the Christian faith, avoiding going to church the rest of the year because our lives are just too busy to bother. After all, we tell ourselves, it's not like we don't go when it really matters. We are CEO, for Christmas and Easter Only, people and that's all that God can want of us in return for what He gave to us. We are all "good people" who write a check once a year to our favorite charity for the tax write-off just in time for the deadline. I'm honest enough to admit that there were many years in my life that I felt the same way. When my mother was alive, I wouldn't dare avoid going to church if I didn't have a terrific excuse. When my daughter was born, I recommitted to going again all the time but never failed to find excuses when I was just too tired or too busy to go.
When we moved to Florida, it was easy to find excuses to not attend church because we didn't know anyone but God, having a wonderful sense of humor, filled my need for a part time job by placing me in a Presbyterian Church (even though I'm Greek Orthodox) so that I wouldn't have any excuses to not show up. Now I have to be there for two services on Sunday and the rest of the week as well. Do I feel as if I'm a better person than you? Absolutely not! Look at the confession I made in the beginning of this post. I admitted I'm too busy to read about the homeless veterans in this country. They have tugged at my heart for over half my life and I don't have time for them. I didn't want to make the time for them. I had better things to do.
Where would Jesus have been born had the inn keeper been too busy to talk to Joseph? How can any of us really call ourselves Christians and then find no time to actually practice what Jesus preached? Especially at this time of year? Think about it. Buying gifts for people who can say thank you reward you for what you did for them by returning the favor and handing you a gift. It's good to think about making other people happy but that is not the point of this time of year. We're supposed to be unselfish and give to people who have less than us, people in need of shelter, clothing or even a simple prayer. We are to give without expecting anything in return but the simple fact they will thank God for what we did for them because they cannot thank us.
Ok, so now I have to read the links I just put up because I feel too guilty to avoid doing it. I have a couple more posts to put up and then I'll read all of them. I hope you will too and I hope you will remember that while you have been too busy to pay attention to any of this, you will find time in your day to remember what this time of year is supposed to be all about.
Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
Google News Alert for: homeless veteran
Wing's New Mission: Aid Homeless VetsMilitary.com - USAFeurt is the chairman of the Missouri Department of American Legions' Homeless Veterans Task Force, and a tireless volunteer worker on veterans' issues. ...
Edwards Campaign: Announces holiday ad campaign
IowaPolitics.com (press release) - IA,USAOne out of every four homeless people on our streets is a veteran. This is the season of miracles, of faith and love. So let us promise together: you will ...
When I came Home - Homeless Veterans - This must end!
By Realist(Realist) I have ordered the movie and Humanity for Homeless will host a screening sometime after Christmas. Any suggestions for a good site to show it would be great. I have several ideas in mind. The treatment of our veterans disgusts me to the ...
PSA: Rally for Forrest Clayton Salcido tomorrow
By Jay Stevens Ellie Hill of the Poverello Center, the sponsor of tomorrow's rally, also wrote her shock at Clayton's death, and the plight of fellow homeless veterans. Remember, you can actually make a difference for the homeless here in Missoula by ...
Tucker Attacks John Edwards For Remembering Homeless Vets In ...By Logan Murphy On Wednesday's Tucker, the soon to be unemployed host gets riled up because Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, had the nerve to mention homeless veterans and those less fortunate in his holiday ad. ...
Free Phone Calls from HELP (Homeless Evaluation Liaison Program)By Myrna the Minx Vincent's Dining Room will likely feed 400-500 people each of these days and not all are homeless. Some are retired veterans, disabled, working class and "regular folks." Reno Police Crisis Intervention Team and Reno HELP officers will ...
Stop creating homeless, damaged vets; stop the war
By xofferson ... the homeless, as well as a day to take some action to stop the war in Iraq. And, yes, they are related. As the environmentalists remind us, everything is connected. We are creating future homeless veterans every day in Iraq. ...
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Homeland security official Keith Washington Murder Trial Brings PTSD In News Again
Marnell wrote that Washington didn’t appear to be a risk to others, but a September report in The Washington Post said other assessments disputed that finding. One psychiatrist reportedly wrote that Washington was ‘‘a potential danger because of his impulsivity and generalized fearfulness.” Another report allegedly said he had ‘‘fleeting homicidal and suicidal thoughts.”
Washington's mental records barred from trial
Business Gazette - Gaithersburg,MD,USA
Judge: 12-year-old evalution too old to use in upcoming murder case
by Daniel Valentine Staff Writer
The psychological records of former Prince George’s County homeland security official Keith Washington cannot be used in his upcoming murder trial, a Circuit Court judge has ruled.
Washington, 46, shot two deliverymen – Oxon Hill resident Brandon Clark 22, and District resident Robert White, 36 – while they were apparently delivering furniture to his Accokeek home. Washington has claimed self-defense; White said they were shot without provocation. Clark died a week after the shooting without making a public statement.
Washington, who is also a former county police officer, was indicted in July on 12 counts, including second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, using a handgun in commission of a felony and first-degree assault.
The report said Washington had previously been diagnosed with depression; post-traumatic stress disorder; paranoid state and adjustment disorder, a condition caused when stress triggers short-term depression; anxiety; and other symptoms.
Washington's mental records barred from trial
Business Gazette - Gaithersburg,MD,USA
Judge: 12-year-old evalution too old to use in upcoming murder case
by Daniel Valentine Staff Writer
The psychological records of former Prince George’s County homeland security official Keith Washington cannot be used in his upcoming murder trial, a Circuit Court judge has ruled.
Washington, 46, shot two deliverymen – Oxon Hill resident Brandon Clark 22, and District resident Robert White, 36 – while they were apparently delivering furniture to his Accokeek home. Washington has claimed self-defense; White said they were shot without provocation. Clark died a week after the shooting without making a public statement.
Washington, who is also a former county police officer, was indicted in July on 12 counts, including second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, using a handgun in commission of a felony and first-degree assault.
The report said Washington had previously been diagnosed with depression; post-traumatic stress disorder; paranoid state and adjustment disorder, a condition caused when stress triggers short-term depression; anxiety; and other symptoms.
Non-combat death investigated at Camp Casey
Army investigating the death of a soldier at Camp Casey
Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, December 20, 2007
CAMP CASEY, South Korea — Army officials are investigating the death of a 2nd Infantry Division soldier whose body was found Monday at Camp Casey, according to an Army spokeswoman.
The soldier was assigned to the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team.
The soldier’s name was being withheld on Tuesday pending notification of family.
No other information was available Tuesday.
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51120&source=rss
Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, December 20, 2007
CAMP CASEY, South Korea — Army officials are investigating the death of a 2nd Infantry Division soldier whose body was found Monday at Camp Casey, according to an Army spokeswoman.
The soldier was assigned to the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team.
The soldier’s name was being withheld on Tuesday pending notification of family.
No other information was available Tuesday.
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51120&source=rss
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