Keep God but dump your church

Since there has been so much outrage against churches lately (more than usual) between the gay marriage ban in California, while Connecticut now allows it along with Massachusetts, some churches telling parishioners they can not receive communion if they voted for President Elect Obama, following all the others who have told lawmakers they couldn't receive communion either if they were pro-choice, the solution seems pretty simple to all of this, dump your church and find one that works for you. Don't dump God or your faith or fellowship. Just find one where you are welcome to come as you are.

This is a free country after all and even pastors, ministers, priests, along with all religious leaders have the right to open their mouth, no matter how terrible, you have the right to leave that church so you won't have to listen to them anymore. Who wants to sit in a pew and hear someone spouting off hatred of others? The church lives on your money and if you don't feel welcome there, then why would you want to pay someone to make you feel miserable? You're supposed to walk out of church feeling forgiven, feeling fellowship and as if you are loved. You are not supposed to walk out of there wondering why you just wasted an hour to feel worse than when you walked in the door.

They are supposed to be walking a fine line between faith and politics in order to keep their tax exempt. If they preach that voting for Obama is something to be forgiven for then you really need to ask them where they were when all the evidence about Iraq was proven to be "bearing false witness" or when McCain, Palin and many in the GOP spread false rumors.

You also need to wonder a few more things while you're at it. Do they spend more time talking about politics than they do the homeless? The wounded veterans? The poor and needy? In Nebraska there are parents dumping their teenagers because they cannot handle raising them any more. Some parents have abandoned their younger kids at the hospital because they are so poor, they can no longer take care of them properly. Do they talk about this? Do they bother to tell you what you can do to help? Do they set up anything in that church to take care of God's children the way Christ said we should or do they spend more time condemning them the way Christ did not?

This nation has a lot of problems while some of these "holy people" stuck their fingers in their ears and hands over their eyes so they could have more time attacking politicians they don't like instead of being about God's work.

The Mormon church spent boat loads of money to take rights away from people they think are evil when they could have spent that money on taking care of the homeless and the needy. Did you donate money to that church and know what they were going to do with the money? Or did you assume it would have gone to help people in your community? If you agree with what the church you go to stands for, then fine, stay. You fit right in there. If you don't agree then why on earth would you spend time there and give your money when they make you feel terrible?

Read what Christ said and then read what the Constitution says. If your place of worship does not match then you should find one that does, otherwise you are not worshiping God according to your own soul. You are worshiping political policy. Don't blame God for it or turn away from your faith. The problem is not your's. It is the problem of the church you attend when it does not welcome you the way you are and the same way Christ would have welcomed you. He told us how to live our own lives if we made the choice to follow Him and He also told us how we were supposed to treat other people. If it doesn't fit, find another place to sit. There are plenty of churches out there to go to.

One more thing and this is just a reminder. I went to a lot of really large churches here in Central Florida trying to get them to help the veterans with PTSD so they could help them heal their souls. Over twenty churches later, I heard back from exactly one. It turned out the pastor of that church was also a Chaplain and a veteran. No one else bothered. What does this say about these churches when they cannot even bother to stay up on current events and understand how many veterans, especially the National Guardsmen and their families suffering right now? It does not reflect well on them at all. They didn't care that when the mind, body and especially the spirit are tended to the healing rate is higher. They just didn't want to bother to learn. Too many still don't.

If you are happy with your church and what they preach then you are in the right place for you but if you are not, begin to ask someone who seems to have the same type of heart as you do and find out where they go. You don't have to give up being a member of your particular branch and it's not that hard to adapt to their traditions if you walk out of there feeling better, closer to God then when you went in.

Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

Veterans group reaches out to over 1000 homeless people per month

Veterans group reaches out to over 1000 per month
North Fort Myers Neighbor - North Fort Myers,FL,USA

By ANDREA GALABINSKI, nfmneighbor@breezenewspapers.com



In the month of October — working only one morning a week — a group of dedicated volunteers provided 999 bags of groceries and 951 meals to local veterans and community members, including 82 children.

“We serve all who are hungry with the meals — veterans have priority,” said Lee County Veterans Outreach Inc. Director Sara Cacciolfi. Many of the veterans do not have homes. “I don’t say homeless, they are those who make their home in the woods.”

Every Wednesday those from the outreach start early preparing a great meal and grocery bags for local veterans and community members at All Souls Episcopal Church on Cleveland Avenue. Along with the veterans, there are the children.

click link for more

Three gifted students drown in Fox River

Big dreams cut short

After voting in his first election last week, 18-year-old Jimmie Avant stayed up into the wee hours of the night celebrating Barack Obama's presidential victory.

So moved by the Illinois Democrat's win, Avant, a senior at North Lawndale College Preparatory High School, told his mother, "If Obama can achieve that, I can too,"

Avant and two other North Lawndale students, Melvin Choice III, 17, and Adrian Jones, 16 --all described as high achievers who planned to attend college -- drowned in an early-morning boating accident on the Fox River near a campsite in northwest suburban Algonquin.

Jones graduated valedictorian in grade school and made the high school's honor roll every year, his family said. He was a straight-A student and a lifeguard who dreamed of owning his own business and having children, especially a little girl.

The three were among about 16 teenagers who snuck out about 1:30 a.m. to take paddleboats down the river, some of the victims' family members said. Authorities said two teens got in the first boat -- it's unclear which two -- and the boat quickly sunk. The third teen swam into the cold water to save them.
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Wildfire claims 100 homes in Montecito, Santa Barbara

Wildfire claims 100 homes in Montecito, Santa Barbara
By Times staff writers2:02 p.m.
Firefighters battle flames that have charred 2,500 acres and driven thousands from luxury neighborhoods.
• L.A., Ventura counties get wildfire warnings
• Stepping up to help fire victims
• Wildfire fears of the rich and famous

Congressman Filner, do VA hearing right or not at all!

Congressman Filner, the veterans in this country need this to be done right. Otherwise it is just paying more lip service instead of taking care of them. Have you ever considered what these veterans are going thru when they do their duty, serve their country, get wounded and then have to fight the government after? Have you ever considered what this does to them and their families as they wait, and wait, and wait? They didn't make the government wait until they got around to going to combat and risking their lives so why is the government under the impression they are entitled to make the veterans wait to have their claims processed and approved so their wounds are treated and their families are provided for? Can they tell a mortgage company to wait? Can they tell a landlord to wait? If they cannot work they don't have an income!

If you think this is just about Afghanistan and Iraq veterans you better think again. Too many Vietnam veterans are still waiting to have their claims approved and have fought the government in order to finally have justice. How many do you need to sit in front of you giving sworn testimony before you understand that? This is just the latest slap in the face to veterans when they found out claims were being shredded and filing dates changed to not make it look that bad. We have to get this right and get it right now. Our veterans should not have to wait to be taken care of! kc

Vets committee reneges on VA hearings
Nov 14, 2008
November 14, 2008
Vets committee reneges on VA hearings
The chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs won't hold hearings as promised on a shredding controversy at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Instead of a formal hearing, the committee chairman will hold a two-hour "round table" discussion on Wednesday in Washington without sworn witnesses and no assurance the VA will even participate.

Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., who chairs the committee, could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday and no explanation about the change was provided by committee staff.
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Online town hall to discuss wounded care

Online town hall to discuss wounded care
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Nov 14, 2008 13:40:50 EST

Defense health care officials began accepting advance questions on Friday for an online town hall meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 19, to talk about medical programs and services for wounded troops.

The online meeting, a “webhall,” will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time on Nov. 19, and can be accessed at www.health.mil.

Questions can be submitted in advance to MHSWebContent@tma.osd.mil, but questions also will be taken during the meeting, defense officials said in an announcement.

The forum is designed to talk about overall issues and not specific problems, officials said.
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Army promotes first woman to four star rank

Army promotes first woman to four star rank
The female descendant of a long line of US military officers was promoted to four star general Thursday, the first woman ever to reach the top rung of the US military.

Ann Dunwoody accepted the promotion and command of the army's materiel command with humor and humility at a Pentagon ceremony so packed with well wishers that three star generals were standing in the aisles.

"When people ask me, Ann, did you ever think you were going to be a general officer, say nothing about a four-star, I say not in my wildest dreams," she said.

"There is no one more surprised than I, except, of course, my husband.

And you know what they say, behind every successful woman there's an astonished man."

click post title for more

Proof It's Never Too Late To Get Help For PTSD

There are only so many hours in the day and I have not had time to take a good look at this series. I'm putting in the links to the other parts and hopefully, I will get to the rest of them. For now, take a look at this site and see the great work they did and then do something for the veterans with PTSD. Contact the station and tell them "thank you" for this.

The War Within: Eyewitness News investigates PTSD, Part IV
By Kurt Rivera, Eyewitness News Video

Bakersfield Now - Bakersfield,CA,USA

* Editor's Note: This is an installment in an Eyewitness News special report on post-traumatic stress disorder. For months, Eyewitness News has been documenting personal accounts of the devastating disorder. Many military veterans have never spoken publicly about their agonizing problems.

____


As our armed forces continue fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, more and more are coming home with post-traumatic stress disorder. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates 18 veterans a day, or 6,500 a year, commit suicide.

Many fought in Vietnam where PTSD is an ongoing battle, even now.

"You would have three guys in a fox hole and one guy gets shot and other guys live.

You know what kind of mental effect that has on you?" says Oildale Vietnam veteran Mike Stevenson.

Stevenson was just 17 years old when he was dropped in a jungle to fight as a Marine.

"It's unreal some of the things I've seen," says Stevenson.

After 17 months of heavy combat in Vietnam, the Marine rifle expert came home, changed forever.

"Main thing is bodies, children, women. It's unreal whenever they wire up a child with an explosive and send him out to us. They're babies and don't know what's going on," he says.

Stevenson was diagnosed with post traumatic disorder. As a result, he has been plagued with nightmares, anxiety, anger for years. His life was a wreck.

"It got bad for me. ... I went through three marriages, drinking, doing drugs," said Stevenson.

It took 30 years and being homeless for months, but Stevenson finally sought help and has turned things around. Today, the numbers on just how many Vietnam vets suffer from the disorder is controversial. Some say one in five, others one in three.

go here for more

http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/healthalert/34435119.html

The War Within: Eyewitness News investigates PTSD, Part I
The War Within: Eyewitness News investigates PTSD, Part II
The War Within: Eyewitness News investigates PTSD, Part III

New York Chief of Veteran's Affairs suspended after investigation

Nov. 13: VA Employees Suspended in Widening Shredder Scandal
Scott Waldman
Times Union

Nov 13, 2008

November 13, 2008 - A high-ranking U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administrator from Guilderland has been placed on paid leave in the wake of an investigation into his office.

Joseph Collorafi was suspended last month as chief of veterans affairs at the New York City regional VA office, said Keith Thompson, acting director of the office.

The investigation revealed that someone in the regional office intentionally entered claim documents from veterans with incorrect dates — called "backdating" — into an internal database, VA spokeswoman Alison Aikele said Wednesday.

"They would make it look like they were processing claims faster than they really were," said Aikele, who works in Washington, D.C. Changing the dates made it appear that the management was not "severely underperforming," according to Aikele.

She said the leadership of the office in Manhattan was replaced and the individuals who left would not be returning. She maintained that no veterans were affected by the backdating.

In recent weeks, 41 of 57 regional VA offices across the country have come under scrutiny over the possible shredding of supporting evidence in claims filed by veterans. Next week, the Democratic chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Rep. Bob Filner of California, will hold a hearing on the destruction of the records.
go here for more
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/11628

Ecstasy may help PTSD

You need to see this video, especially if you are under the delusion scientist are not sure about PTSD. It is real. They have the test and research to prove it!

Ecstasy may help PTSD 2:02
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on research showing ecstasy might help those suffering from PTSD.

For more on this on this blog

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Tom Shroder wants questions from you on ecstasy trials for PTSD

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Ecstasy Trials Was it a fluke -- or the future?

Monday, February 11, 2008

A New Look At Ecstasy To Treat PTSD

Monday, February 18, 2008

Breaking the Drug Taboo:PTSD Veterans Get Ecstasy Treatment

Monday, April 7, 2008

UK:Welsh soldier dies from Ecstasy use

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Australia tackles Ecstasy treatment for PTSD

Monday, June 23, 2008

Ecstasy for PTSD in Australia battle for minds

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Drug trials:Had a nice trip. Wish you could, too.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

From Marijuana to Ecstasy, Scientists Fight to Study Illicit Drugs

But, this study is not new. This is from my other blog


Ecstasy trials for combat stress
David Adam,
science correspondent
Thursday February 17, 2005
The Guardian
American soldiers traumatised by fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are to be offered the drug ecstasy to help free them of flashbacks and recurring nightmares.

The US food and drug administration has given the go-ahead for the soldiers to be included in an experiment to see if MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, can treat post-traumatic stress disorder.

Scientists behind the trial in South Carolina think the feelings of emotional closeness reported by those taking the drug could help the soldiers talk about their experiences to therapists. Several victims of rape and sexual abuse with post-traumatic stress disorder, for whom existing treatments are ineffective, have been given MDMA since the research began last year.............................
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1416073,00.html



TWO QUESTIONS ON THIS LITTLE KNOWN REPORT. ARE THEY STILL DOING THIS? ARE THE TROOPS BEING SENT BACK TO IRAQ TAKING IT? WE KNOW THEY ARE SENDING TROOPS DIAGNONSED WITH PTSD BACK TO IRAQ ON MEDS. IS THIS ONE OF THEM? COULD THIS BE THE CAUSE OF SOME OF THEM GOING OVER THE EDGE?
http://namguardianangel.blogspot.com/search?q=ecstacy+trails

Panel: Gulf War vet health research lacking

Panel: Gulf War vet health research lacking

By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Nov 14, 2008 6:46:12 EST

WASHINGTON — Even as possibly hundreds of thousands of veterans suffer from a collection of symptoms commonly called Gulf War illness, the government has done too little to find treatments for their health problems nearly two decades after the war ended, a panel commissioned by Congress said.

The advisory panel of medical experts and veterans wants at least $60 million spent annually for research, calling it a “national obligation,” according to its report, obtained by The Associated Press.

The report, which goes to the Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake on Monday, said the Defense Department cut research money from $30 million in 2001 to less than $5 million in 2006. Both departments have identified some of their research as “Gulf War research” even when it did not entirely focus on the issue.

“Substantial federal Gulf War research funding has been used for studies that have little or no relevance to the health of Gulf War veterans,” the panel concluded.

Independent scientists have declared that the symptoms of veterans of the 1991 Gulf War do not constitute a single syndrome. They have pointed to pesticide, used to control insects, and pyridostigmine bromide pills, given to protect troops from nerve agents, as probable culprits for some of the varied symptoms.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_gulfwarresearch_111408/

London Police alerted to 'distressed' mother hours before child killings

Police alerted to 'distressed' mother hours before child killings
Last updated 12 minutes ago
Senior police officer describes scene as 'something no human being should ever have to see in their life'
Woman, 21, sectioned under Mental Health Act
• Social services launch inquiry into family's case
Helen Carter and Sandra Laville guardian.co.uk, Friday November 14 2008 00.01 GMT The Guardian, Friday November 14 2008

The family of a baby and his two-year-old brother who were stabbed to death at home expressed their complete devastation yesterday at the loss of their "beautiful, innocent" children.

A senior police officer described the scene inside the home in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, as "something no human being should ever have to see in their life". Police and ambulance crews who attended the house have been offered counselling.

The boys, Romario Mullings-Sewell, two, and his three-month-old brother Delayno, were discovered at 6pm on Wednesday, a few hours after a family doctor had called police to express concerns at the erratic behaviour of their mother, Jael Mullings. The brothers had single stab wounds to their abdomens.

As Mullings, 21, was arrested on suspicion of murder and sectioned under the Mental Health Act yesterday it emerged the family was known to social services, though the children were not on the at-risk register. The admission that the family was on the radar of social services is likely to once again focus attention on the efficiency of child protection measures in the wake of the death of Baby P in Haringey, north London.

click link for more

New Castle soldier death investigated

New Castle soldier death investigated

Updated: Nov 13, 2008 04:54 PM EST

Fort Campbell, KY - The Army is investigating the death of a Fort Campbell soldier who was being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for injuries suffered in Iraq.

Fort Campbell spokeswoman Kelly Tyler says 22-year-old Spc. William Justice Foster McClellan was found dead on Nov. 6 in his barracks room at Walter Reed.

Tyler says he was being treated for shrapnel injuries to his arms and legs, which were not life-threatening.

go here for more

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=9345944&nav=9Tai

linked from ICasualties.org

DYING DOESN'T STOP AFTER WAR

DYING DOESN'T STOP AFTER WAR

Many of the troops in Iraq have been drawn from the TA
History recounts the awful cost of war - the dead, the maimed and the destruction. But we are now learning more of a hidden cost that often only shows itself when soldiers return home. Battlefield trauma can come with a heavy price.

Peter Mahoney was a long distance lorry driver. He enjoyed his job, his family and friends.

He was, as his wife Donna says, "a loving father and a loving husband".

But he was also dedicated in his commitment to the Territorial Army (TA) as a specialist truck driver.

With the TA comprising a quarter of the British Army, he was always on the call-up list to join front-line actions with his regular army colleagues.

In 2003, his call up came for action in Iraq.

He already had experience of active service with the TA in Bosnia, so his family and he were aware of the implications.

But in August 2004, he died.

He was immaculately turned out in his army uniform - smart as he always was.

But he didn't die on the front line in Iraq. He died in his car, in his garage.
go here for more
http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/northeast/series6/ptsd.shtml

Neb. parents rush to leave kids at 'safe havens'

Neb. parents rush to leave kids at 'safe havens'
State sees uptick in abandoned children before law is rewritten

updated 59 minutes ago
LINCOLN, Neb. - The mother was running out of more than patience when she abandoned her 18-year-old daughter at a hospital over the weekend under Nebraska's safe-haven law. She was also running out of time: She knew that state lawmakers would soon meet in a special session to amend the ill-fated law so that it would apply to newborns only.

"Where am I going to get help if they change the law?" said the mother, who lives in Lincoln and asked to not be identified by name to protect her adopted child.

To the state's surprise and embarrassment, more than half of the 31 children legally abandoned under the safe-haven law since it took effect in mid-July have been teenagers.
go here for more
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27706078/

PTSD on Trial:Wife dead, Iraq veteran convicted

Double tragedy? Some will say no because this wife was murdered. Who did it was not in question. That was known. Ricardo Cortez shot Nikki Fix-Cortez. Her family has closure because "justice" has been granted. They will never have to wonder who killed their daughter or regret that he was not punished for doing it. The rest, we may never know.

There are two families in this. There are two stories in this. A man goes to serve his country and his company in Iraq. A wife waited at home. If she was leaving him, we may never know why. She was pregnant and it is not usual for a wife to leave her husband while pregnant, so there has to be more here.

This story is played out across the nation everyday. A veteran returns from combat with the war inside of him. He is judged by those who came home with just memories trapped in their minds but their ghosts were left behind. There are domestic violence issues that happen because a spouse is in the wrong place, at the wrong time with the wrong reaction simply because they don't know what PTSD does or what it can do. A combat veteran carries his wound well and tries to hide it but the anger and silence, the mood swings and pushing away are screams from his soul begging for help.

If Cortez has PTSD we need to wonder if this death could have been avoided. We need to wonder what else could have been done. If there was anything anyone could have done beside Cortez himself. What about all the others?

There are judges in different parts of the country setting up veteran's courts so they can render justice with knowledge and understanding of the uniqueness of these veterans. These courts deal with minor crimes and not murder. We really have to wonder if the judges dealing with murder cases are as informed as they can be to be able to provide the proper justice and then we need to wonder if while the veteran is incarcerated, if he is getting any help or not.

What I'm trying to say is that while some people will read this post and think "good justice is served" we really don't know if it was or not. Two families facing the rest of their lives with this in their mind, a wife stays in an early grave and a veteran, a man who was willing to lay down his life for this country, will see the rest of his days behind bars. kc

Iraq war veteran convicted in death of wife

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Nov 13, 2008 18:09:45 EST

GREELEY, Colo. — An Iraq war veteran has been convicted of first-degree murder in the shotgun death of his 21-year-old pregnant wife.

A jury took just 2½ hours to convict Ricardo Cortez Thursday in the Sept. 16, 2007, slaying of Nikki Fix-Cortez.

The 25-year-old Cortez pleaded innocent by reason of insanity. The defense said he suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A psychologist testified that the PTSD stemmed partly from Cortez’s work as a medic during two tours in Iraq and from being molested by his father.

Prosecutors say Cortez shot his wife twice in the back because she was leaving him.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_shootingdeath_111308/

Medal of Honor:Buffalo Soldier Sgt. Cornelius H. Carlton Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

56 Years Later, Arlington Welcomes A Buffalo Soldier
By JESSE A. HAMILTON The Hartford Courant
November 13, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — - Zenobia Penn's uncle is done with his traveling. And her family has learned that sometimes you have to bury a man three times before it's done right.

Penn's Uncle Connie is better known to some by the name on his Medal of Honor citation: Sgt. Cornelius H. Charlton. Now that name will be carved into one of the white stones on the green slopes of Arlington National Cemetery — more than half a century after the family said racism turned the soldier away from this resting place of many of the country's honored heroes.

It's bittersweet, this victory. The family finally gets to see its own Korean War hero put in the place they always thought he should be. But it took so long, a 56-year wait, ended by a little administrative tenacity by Penn, who lives in New London.

Penn, the daughter of Charlton's older sister Fairy Mae Papadopoulos, never knew her uncle. She was a month shy of being born when Charlton was killed taking Hill 549 near the village of Chipo-ri. But she knew his story, the one told around kitchen tables as far back as she can remember. The family's honest-to-goodness hero, awarded the country's highest military honor, handed to his folks by President Harry Truman.
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Neighbors pull father and son veterans from burning home

Neighbors pull vets from burning home
Neighbors pull vets from burning home
09:15 AM CST on Thursday, November 13, 2008
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA-TV
DALLAS — Two military veterans — an elderly father and his son — are recovering after fire consumed their mobile home early Thursday in Southeast Dallas.

Neighbors were alerted to the fire in the 14700 block of Lasater Road shortly after 1 a.m., and they moved quickly to pull James and Danny Malone from the flames.
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Caylee Anthony searchers find toys and bones in river

Another Update at 5:53
This story gets stranger and stranger

Caylee Anthony search yields no bones, unrelated items
Nov 13, 2008 16:52 -0500
('Nov 13, 2008 16:52 -0500', '4:52 PM');

Updated: 58 minutes ago
Divers searching the river at Jay Blanchard Park today found plastic material holding some type of children's toys and what appear to be small bones.
go here for more
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-caylee-anthony-search-found-bones-111308,0,993530.story

Update seen on News 13, police are not happy about this. They want Leonard Padilla to take a polygraph. He contacted the media instead of law enforcement and they are not sure what to think. Caylee's grandparents were interviewed by News 13 and they do not believe what was reported is Caylee's remains.

Divers Find Plastic Bag With Bones, Toys
Divers said they have found a plastic bag filled with toys and bones that appeared to be weighted down with bricks, in a body of water near Blanchard Park. Bounty hunter Leonard Padilla said that, in his gut, he feels it is Caylee. However, OSCO says there is nothing credible or significant. OCSO also wants Padilla to take a polygraph.
Padilla Talks To News 13
Divers Look For Caylee
Read More




Caylee searchers find toys and bones in river
Sarah Lundy and Walter Pacheco Sentinel Staff Writer
2:10 PM CST, November 13, 2008
FBI agents are at Blanchard Park in east Orange County now looking at a bag of toys and bones that divers discovered in the Little Econlockhatchee River.

Four divers are back in the dark waters, continuing their search for more clues that could lead to finding Caylee Marie, who has been missing since June.

Rob Dick, who is coordinating the search along with bounty hunter Leonard Padilla, said it's unclear if the bones come from an animal or human. The bones were found in the same location where dozens gathered Monday for a prayer vigil for Caylee Marie.
click post title for more

I've been tracking this story on my other blog. Good Lord I really hope the pain of the family and the community ends soon. Not knowing must be horrible.

Combat May Cause Long Term Problems for Veterans

http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/10776

Combat May Cause Long Term Problems for Veterans
SOUTHERN MARYLAND - 11/11/2008
By Pete Hurrey

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has released a new 14-page brochure on post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment and recovery. It is available online at www.nami.org/PTSD and is intended to help individuals experiencing symptoms or diagnosed with the illness, along with their families and caregivers.

The sad reality of our nation’s current military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan is that an increasing number of troops returning from those conflicts experience some level of PTSD. Symptoms can include poor concentration, sleeplessness, nightmares, flashbacks, heightened fear, anxiety and disassociation – feeling “unreal” or cut off from emotions.

“PTSD affects individuals and families,” said NAMI medical director Ken Duckworth, M.D. “Traumatic events produce biological responses that affect the mind, brain, and body. Those changes involve everyone.”

“Over a lifetime, approximately five percent of men and 10 percent of women in the general population are diagnosed with PTSD,” Duckworth said. “Risk factors include the type of trauma, degree of exposure and any prior history of trauma. In most cases, there is a direct physical impact. Proximity in witnessing violent, life-threatening events also makes a difference.”

PTSD sufferers are not limited to military veterans. The disorder was acutely evident, especially in children after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the gulf coast. In that case, affected children displayed the same symptoms as soldiers returning from armed conflict.

In her advocacy work on behalf of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, Connie Walker, Capt., USN (Ret.) and the president of NAMI Southern Maryland, has observed the devastation unresolved PTSD can bring to returning Veterans and families of Veterans. In a recent interview, she described PTSD as “an invisible wound that is often misunderstood by family members, and by Veterans themselves."

Walker went on to state that Veterans often pull within themselves when they suffer from the disorder. “Telling them to get a grip or shake it off only makes the situation worse,” said Walker.

She went on to explain that family members find the situation difficult to understand when they discover their loved ones are different after returning from armed conflict.

“Many times, active duty service members and Veterans who have served in combat experience feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, or depression. Between serving in a military culture where historically, disclosing a mental health problem has hurt servicemembers' careers, and their awareness of the stigma that surrounds mental health issues in our society even now,
these men and women are often reluctant or refuse to seek help," said Walker.

NAMI’s new brochure on PTSD addresses these areas: Psychological Trauma & PTSD , Risk Factors for Developing PTSD, The Neurobiology of PTSD, What is PTSD?, PTSD & Co-occurring Disorders, Combat Veterans & Trauma, Children & Trauma, Trauma & the Mental Health System, Family Impact of PTSD, Recovery and Coping, Treatment for PTSD, Medications, and Resources -- including NAMI’s Family-to-Family Education Program and NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups.

It notes that treatment for PTSD for returning service members and combat veterans can involve several methods depending on the individual and the severity of the problem; and can range from individual therapy, to group therapy, to a combination of therapy and medication. Like any other mental health condition – the sooner a mental health issue is diagnosed and effective treatment can begin, the better.

In discussing resources available, Walker noted that Dr. Mary Vieten (St. Mary’s County) and Dr. Al Brewster (Calvert County) are local specialists in PTSD and combat PTSD. She also said that through this year’s passage of the Maryland Veterans Behavioral Health Act (SB-210), Southern Maryland now has a Regional Resource Coordinator to assist Veterans and family members in connecting with VA services for these issues and other areas of VA assistance. The RRC’s role includes facilitating connections with local providers when timely and regular access to VA services is impeded by distance from VA Medical Centers in Washington and Baltimore. Southern Maryland’s RRC is Arianna Hammond and can be reached at (410) 725-9993.

In recognition of the need for increased services for Veterans and families, earlier this year, NAMI launched a Veterans Resources Center Web link on their Web site at www.nami.org Whether Veterans and families are looking for information on PTSD, mental illness, or how to obtain VA benefits – the Veterans Resources Center provides an extensive list of sites online to find information.

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by serious mental illnesses. For more information about NAMI Southern Maryland and programs available in our region, visit their website at www.namisomd.org.

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Constance A. Walker, CAPT, USN (Ret)
President, NAMI Southern Maryland
P.O. Box 25
46940 S. Shangri-La Drive, Ste 101
Lexington Park, Maryland 20653