Why Vietnam Veterans Are Finally Getting Help

There have been a lot of questions about why Vietnam veterans are filing claims for PTSD now, after all these years. This pretty much answers those questions. It's not that they are just now understanding they need help. They are finally finding out there is help for them!

It still irks me that they are the last ones to know when they were the first generation to fight for PTSD to be treated. They came home just like the older veterans did carrying this wound within them but they were the first ones to fight to have it treated and compensated. As bad as it is for the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, think of how much worse it would be if they did not push for treatment, research and programs to be in place.

I do more videos focused on Vietnam veterans for this reason alone. I started doing outreach work in 1982 because of them and now it's lead to helping the newer veterans, but also police officers, firefighters and victims. The problem is, there are just not enough programs like the VFW is doing for them. It would be wonderful if the rest of the service organizations would do the same. The good thing is, more of them are.

VFW holds event to get info to those who need it
By SEAN PATRICK NORRIS, Staff Writer
Published 06/24/09

Bill Brady served as a Marine in Vietnam for two years.

Bob Prater was as an Army sniper there in 1969 and 1970.

Both men came out of the war needing help and have been struggling to find it.

On Saturday, the two men and 50 other Vietnam-era vets received help from the state Department of Veterans Affairs, benefiting from outreach efforts even as the agency works to help a new generation of soldiers coming home.

"There is a lot more out there than there was when some of these veterans separated 20 or more years ago," said Cate Conroy, deputy director of outreach for the department. "There is a lot of new information."

Soldiers leaving the services now are given an overview of benefits available from the military and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Older vets are often on their own to find out what help they can get.

"Especially now with an aging veteran population and tough economic times it can really make a difference in someone's life," Conroy said.

Vets at Saturday's event said the outreach hasn't always been there for them. Brady, a Glen Burnie resident, said his experiences with the state and federal agencies have been frustrating.

"Whenever I went to them you were always put on hold or put on a list and you never heard from them again," he said. "It was like, hurry up and wait."

The Veterans Muster held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 160 in Glen Burnie, however, provided about 15 tables stocked with information on finding help for health problems, education aid and other issues. He and other vets strolled, browsed and asked questions.

Conroy acknowledged she's heard of people having problems with benefits, but most focus on the federal agency. She said her organization has a better track record.

"I know when I separated (from the military) 17 years ago there was a lot of misinformation," she said. "I know they are working to improve and they have come a long way. I use the VA for health care and it's great."

Prater, the former Army sniper, said Saturday was the first time he received information about getting help for post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health complication many combat veterans face.
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VFW holds event to get info to those who need it

Vietnam Vet swims Sea of Cortez for Wounded Warrior Project

Night Train Swimmers attempt to break world record with relay swim
June 24, 2009
157-mile Swim Across Sea of Cortez to Benefit Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)

Night Train Swimmers will attempt to break the world record for the longest continuous relay swim. Departing from La Paz, on the Baja California Sur, the six member team will cross the Sea of Cortez to hit mainland Mexico approximately 157 miles away. The team is using this event as a fundraiser to benefit Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors.

The record-breaking relay swim will commence on June 27th at 8:00am from a beach near La Paz, Mexico, and is expected to take approximately 3-4 days and nights of continuous swimming. Live GPS tracking will be available at www.nighttrainswimmers.com where the team will also keep an updated blog and photo gallery.

Vito Bialla, himself a Wounded Vietnam Veteran, says, “I’m taking it upon myself to try to make the world just a little bit better. By completing this swim and raising money for Wounded Warrior Project, we can make a huge difference for our injured heroes when they return home. It’s a privilege to help our returning Veterans.”
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Night Train Swimmers attempt to break world record with relay swim

Football coach fatally shot at Iowa high school

UPDATE June 25th

Family of Iowa suspect urges prayers after coach's killing
Story Highlights
Mark Becker accused of murder in death of longtime football coach Ed Thomas
Becker's family "wishes to express our deepest sympathy to the Thomas family"
Becker is a former football player, former student at coach's high school
"It's just too early to speculate" on motive for shooting, law enforcement official says


(CNN) -- The family of a man suspected of fatally shooting an Iowa football coach urged the community Thursday to pray for the victim's family.

Mark Becker, 24, faces first-degree murder charges in the death of Ed Thomas, 58, a longtime football coach at Aplington-Parkersburg High School.

Investigators believe Becker walked into the school's weight room, where Thomas was overseeing athletes' training Wednesday morning, and shot him several times as about 20 horrified students looked on. Thomas was flown to a hospital, where he later died.

"Our family wishes to express our deepest sympathy to the Thomas family," the Becker family said in a statement to CNN television affiliate KWWL.

The community has lost an icon, a leader and a teacher, the statement said.
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http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/25/coach.shooting/index.html

Football coach fatally shot at Iowa high school
Story Highlights
NEW: Coach Ed Thomas has died after being shot inside a school

He was flown to a hospital after the incident

An adult has been taken into custody in connection with the shooting

About 50 high school students present during the shooting; none were injured


(CNN) -- An Iowa high school football coach died Wednesday after he was shot inside the school as athletes were lifting weights, the district superintendent told CNN.


Ed Thomas had been with the school district for more than 30 years and was well-known in the region.

Ed Thomas died shortly after he arrived at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Iowa, according to a hospital statement.

He was flown to a hospital after he was shot about 8:30 a.m.at Aplington-Parkersburg High School, said Holly Fokkena, Butler County auditor.

No students were injured, although about 50 students were present at the time of the shooting, she said.

One person, an adult, was taken into custody, Fokkena said.

Superintendent Jon Thompson of the Aplington-Parkersburg Community Schools said crisis counselors were on scene to assist students who witnessed the shooting.
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http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/24/football.coach.shot/index.html

Air Force Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr. and wife among dead in DC train crash

UPDATE,,,,They were together since high school.

Service set for Guard commander killed in crash

Staff report
Posted : Friday Jun 26, 2009 13:26:51 EDT

The former commanding general of the D.C. National Guard and his wife, both killed in a deadly train collision in Washington, D.C., will be remembered at a service Monday.

The ceremony in memory of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr. and his wife, Ann, begins at 6 p.m. Monday at the D.C. Armory.

The couple will be interred together at Arlington National Cemetery. That ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday.


Wherley and his wife, both 62, died June 22 when the Washington Metro train in which they were riding slammed into the back of a stopped train. Seven other people were killed in the crash, the deadliest in Metro’s 33-year history.

The Wherleys, who were high school sweethearts, are survived by a son, Staff Sgt. David Wherley, 36, a member of the Golden Knights, the Army’s parachute team, and a daughter, Betsy Regan, 35, and her family.

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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/army_wherley_funeral_062609w/

Retired Guard commander killed in D.C. crash

By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jun 23, 2009 22:04:30 EDT

The former commanding general of the D.C. National Guard was one of the nine people killed in the deadly train collision Monday in Washington, D.C., according to the National Guard Bureau.

Air Force Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr. and his wife, Ann, were killed when a train on Metrorail’s red line ran into the back of a train that had stopped on the same track.

From July 2003 until his retirement in 2008, Wherley was commanding general of Joint Force Headquarters, D.C. National Guard, where he was responsible for operational readiness and command and control of the 2,500 soldiers and airmen in the D.C. Army and Air National Guard.

“We are all deeply saddened by this sudden and tragic loss of General Wherley and his wife, Ann,” said Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, Commanding General of Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard. “I am personally grieved by this unbelievable tragedy. David Wherley and Ann were two of the best people you could ever want to know. This community will grieve, as will the entire National Guard throughout the country who knew and loved them both.”
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/army_train_victim_062309w/

Congress to CIA: Review Gulf War illness info

Congress to CIA: Review Gulf War illness info

By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jun 23, 2009 18:44:44 EDT

After a former CIA employee told a team created to investigate Gulf War illness that 1.5 million documents exist detailing poisonous gas exposures during Operation Desert Storm, Congress is asking the CIA to review the secret classifications of those documents.

“Ill Desert Storm veterans have been waiting for years for our government to make public any information in its possession about the kinds of toxic agents they may have been exposed to during and immediately after the 1991 war,” Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., said in a prepared statement. “This is a long-overdue stop toward meeting that goal.”

The intelligence authorization bill now includes language that would require the CIA to review the classification of those documents, with the intent of declassifying them.

Studies have shown that veterans exposed to sarin — which the military accidentally doused troops with when the 82nd Airborne Division destroyed an Iraqi chemical weapons dump in Khamisiyah in 1991 — are more likely to suffer from symptoms of Gulf War illness.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/military_gulfwar_cia_062309w/

Troops pause to remember Capt. Kafele Sims at memorial

Troops pause to remember Captain at memorial
By Steve Mraz, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Wednesday, June 24, 2009


On Tuesday, Quinonez said farewell to Sims, the physician assistant who diagnosed him with appendicitis last August. Quinonez had persistent gas pains and went to see Sims.

"Within five minutes, [Sims] said, ‘You have acute appendicitis,’" Quinonez said. "I can’t tell you what happened 20 minutes later because I was knocked out and in surgery. I do know that I am here today because of [Sims’] actions and decisions. That day he saved my life."

Sims, 32, of Los Angeles, died June 16 in Mosul, Iraq, in a noncombat-related incident. The cause of Sims’ death is still under investigation, said Bruce Anderson, U.S. Army Europe spokesman. Sims was assigned to the 18th Engineer Brigade in Schwetzingen.

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http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=63436

Federal bill would allow GIs to sue for medical negligence

Federal bill would allow GIs to sue for medical negligence
Malpractice claim » A Utah colonel says the military botched her operation.
By Dawn House

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 06/23/2009 10:10:11 PM MDT


A colonel who underwent surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to remove a cancerous breast says her physician operated on the wrong side of her body, mistakenly removing several healthy lymph nodes and disfiguring her.

But the government rejected all claims brought by Col. Adele Connell of Stansbury Park under a law that makes it nearly impossible for GIs and their families to sue the military for medical malpractice.

Connell hopes a bill the House Judiciary Committee expects to consider today will allow military families like hers to hold the government accountable for noncombat-related injuries. The Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act would overturn the so-called Feres Doctrine, named for a 1950 Supreme Court case that effectively bars service members from collecting damages for death or injuries caused by negligence.

"These last eight months have been unbelievably difficult," said Connell, 57, who has served in the military for more than 30 years. "The reason I am going public is that I want to try to improve the military for soldiers serving all over the world."

Connell's attorney, Dean Swartz of Washington, D.C., said it's outrageous that imprisoned felons can sue for damages from medical malpractice, but that same right is denied members of the U.S. military.

"This is a no-brainer," he said. "When doctors operate on the wrong side of a patient and cause harm, there should be some compensation."
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http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_12675099

Bill O'Reilly - Blowhard

Bill O'Reilly - Blowhard
Harmon Biehl

Miami Veterans Affairs Examiner
June 23, 1:46 PM
Greetings Vets, I am a relatively articulate person both in the spoken word as well as the written word. I am an amateur in the field of political coercion in the written word or the spoken word. I am like a fifth grader debating the college freshman in a debate about the dating habits of post adolescent teens. Occasionally I am way more knowledgeable about a topic than the experts, because the experts depend on hearsay and other people to do their footwork and real research homework before shooting off their mouths. Like Take Bill O'Reilly for example.

He has been shooting his mouth off about homeless veterans. He says they are few and far between. I, on the other hand know that to be bullhocky. In Orlando alone, of the homeless vets that are countable we have by my nose count 250 living on the streets and in overnight homeless shelters with the rest of the street people. Above that there are homeless veterans living at the V.A. facility on property in Orlando. I would guess there are at least 150 of them there. I know of homeless veterans that make the rounds of the Christian service centers as well as the Salvation Army's over night lodgings. Just the other day I was bringing a homeless Veteran to the Christian Union Rescue Mission, only to find out in intake that I was sitting next to another homeless veteran.

The other real place to look is in the county jail. The reason to look in the county jail is that Veterans living on the street are there for a reason. PTSD, ANGER, HOPELESSNESS, FEAR, MENTAL ILLNESS, and the list goes on and on. When a local cop asks them for ID or for some good reason why they are panhandling, these old warriors invariably tell the officer some obvious answer that is not flattering to the officers intelligence, which of course, their question was bait in the first place. Yes, Bill could find a bunch of homeless vets in jails all across the country. These were educated, uniformed, highly trained warriors in the employ of Uncle Sam at one time so mostly there is some underlying reason they are homeless. Of course this reason escapes the understanding of the V.A., but then so does a lot of stuff, both medical and psychological. That is an ongoing story though of gigantic proportions.
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Bill O'Reilly - Blowhard

I could think of another term to use for O'Reilly, but that would not make a difference to him or his viewers. They haven't cared all this time and it's doubtful they ever will. There are some people you just can't educate. They have no interest in learning or caring.

Much like the villains in our history, O'Reilly seems to think that if a woman is raped, it's more important to him what she was wearing at the time in order to discern if she was asking for it. Don't be so shocked over this because he has spent a long time shooting off his mouth blaming the victim of a crime. He instigates hatred and seems to enjoy it. Look back at some of the transcripts of his shows. The boy that was kidnapped, O'Reilly said he must have enjoyed it because he was away from the rules of his parents. The abortion doctor murdered in church, O'Reilly instigated hatred against him and when he was murdered, O'Reilly justified himself by pointing out how many "lives" were saved.

O'Reilly attacked homeless veterans, first by saying they were not real, then blamed them because they were "drug addicts and alcoholics" because he could not continue to ignore the fact. He had a chance to redeem himself once provided with some clue of their reality, but once again, he blamed them for their own suffering.

I used to think that O'Reilly had enough viewers to use his power for good, to inform them of what exactly was going on as any honest person would, but O'Reilly preferred to do more harm than good. His viewers apparently approve and agree. I read what they have to say all the time.

People like O'Reilly are all about themselves. They constantly attack anyone they see as a threat to their bubble. They have a view of President Obama, mostly because he's a Democrat, cling onto a bunch of nonsense and rumors ignoring the good he's done for veterans. They hold up people like McCain as heroes to veterans, even though he voted against them every time he had a chance to prove what they meant to him. It does not take a lot of insight to figure out they are not about the veterans needing this nation's loyalty in return for their service, it's about power.

I actually feel sorry for people like O'Reilly because fate has a way of teaching us lessons. Call it Karma if you wish, but it all boils down to what we do, what we send out, comes around to reward us accordingly to all of it. Each time he attacks veterans and victims, his reservations to the pit of hell are being upgraded and confirmed. People like him end up being in need of help one day and find there is no one there to help him up. They will stand and convict him as he has convicted others.

Disabled Vets:Salt Lake Utah makes it easier for tax exemptions

Disabled veterans given easier path to benefits
By Arthur Raymond

Deseret News

Published: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 11:14 p.m. MDT


Disabled veterans facing bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining property tax exemptions in Salt Lake County should have an easier path following a policy shift approved by the County Council Tuesday.

Terry Schow, executive director of the Utah Department of Veteran Affairs, said Tuesday that his office has been besieged with complaints from vets running into trouble securing benefits from the county.

"We've received more complaints from veterans with disabilities in Salt Lake County than the whole rest of the state combined," Schow said.

Disabled veterans are eligible for a break on property taxes, collected by the county treasurer, based on the percentage of their disability — a number that is determined by the Veteran's Administration. Schow said the benefit is offered to vets who have been determined to have a 10 percent or higher level of disability. Each 10 percent increment represents about a $25,000 decrease on the taxable value of their property, up to about $230,000, a number set by the Utah Tax Commission.
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Disabled veterans given easier path to benefits

Advanced VA funding approved by House

Bill Seeks to End Delays in Veterans’ Care
By JAMES DAO
Published: June 23, 2009
The House approved legislation on Tuesday that is intended to prevent delays in federal financing for veterans’ health care programs, a problem that has disrupted services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for decades, officials say.


The bill, which has been a major lobbying priority of veterans’ organizations in Washington, would allow Congress to appropriate funds for health care programs one year in advance.

Officials say that for 19 of the last 22 years, the department’s budget has been approved late, usually because of fiscal wrangling on Capitol Hill. As a result, veterans’ groups and officials say, the directors of veterans’ health care centers and clinics have often been unable to proceed on time with new services, staff expansions or renovations.

A similar bill sponsored by Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Democrat of Hawaii and the chairman of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, has bipartisan support and is expected to pass the full Senate.

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Bill Seeks to End Delays in Veterans Care

Search on for pilot in F-16 crash

Search on for pilot in F-16 crash
Story Highlights
Emergency responders from Hill Air Force Base in Utah searching for pilot

Crash site found in remote area of Utah Test and Training Range

No contact has been made with the pilot, who was on a routine training mission
(CNN) -- A search was under way Tuesday for the pilot of an F-16 that crashed over the Utah Test and Training Range west of Salt Lake City, Utah, the Air Force said.


An F-16 from Hill Air Force Base trains in Utah in 2001.

The F-16 crashed about 10:25 p.m. Monday, according to a posting on the Air Force's Web site.
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http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/23/utah.f-16.crash/index.html

Iranian women stand up in defiance, flout rules

I've been reading what's been going on in Iran especially since the election. It's stunning. No matter what happens regarding the election many believe was fixed, I doubt Iran will ever be the same again. Regular people standing up and saying they've had enough and want to live differently. Threats against them, gunning them down in the streets, beating them, all their attempts to stop the protests and silence their voices will never work again. They have found the power of numbers.

Iranian women stand up in defiance, flout rules
Story Highlights
Recurring theme of Iranian protests: Women defiantly standing up against authority

19-year-old woman says, "When they want to hit me, I say hit."

A young woman named Neda has become the rallying cry of protesters

"This shows the new face of Iran -- the young women who are the vanguards of Iran"


(CNN) -- A young Iranian woman named Neda is gunned down in one of the most iconic images of the last week. Another walks down the street, defiantly showing off her hair and body in a revealing dress. And still another woman says she's not scared of paramilitary forces -- no matter how many times she gets beaten.



"When they want to hit me, I say hit. I have been hit so many times and this time it doesn't matter. I just want to help my brothers and sisters," says the 19-year-old woman whose identity is being withheld by CNN for her safety.

Amid the clashes and chaos, there has been a recurring scene on the streets of Tehran: Women, in their scarves and traditional clothing, at the heart of the struggle. Some are seen collecting rocks for ammunition against security forces, while video showed one woman trying to protect a fallen pro-government militiaman wounded in the government crackdown. At Shiraz University, riot police clubbed women dressed in black robes. "Don't beat them, you bastards," one man yells.

When security forces come to attack, the 19-year-old woman protester says she looks them in the eye and asks: "Why do you kill your brother? Why do you hit your mother, your sisters?"

"We all tell them, if you're Iranian, you shouldn't do that to your people, to your own country's people," she told CNN by phone.
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http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/23/iran.women/index.html

Family and friends grieve at Wood family funeral

Family and friends grieve at Wood family funeral
The family of four was found dead in their Heathrow home.
Anthony Colarossi Sentinel Staff Writer
1:04 PM EDT, June 23, 2009
Family and friends of the Wood family gathered at First Baptist Church of Umatilla this morning to mourn the loss J.D., Cynthia, Dillon and Aubrey.

The four members of the Heathrow family died in a murder-suicide discovered early last week. Today's service at the Umatilla church was followed by a burial at Lakeside Memory Gardens in Eustis.

Rev. Brooks Braswell urged the dozens of people attending today's service to turn to God for strength at a time when many might lose faith following a tragedy that is hard to explain or understand.

Braswell said people often "turn to substance abuse to drown out the pain of a loss." But he told the visitors of another way.
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Family and friends grieve at Wood family funeral

Murder Investigators pay respects to slain veteran at Fla. funeral

Investigators pay respects to slain veteran at Fla. funeral

By Patricia Burkett
WBTW Anchor/ Reporter
Published: June 22, 2009

FLORENCE — Friends, family and even strangers spent Monday remembering one of America’s heroes.

World War II veteran Clair C. Chaffin was shot to death June 8 as he packed his car to leave the Thunderbird Inn in Florence.

Chaffin, of Archer, Fla., was 83. He fought at Iwo Jima and Saipan, and earned the Silver Star in his lifetime.

Although Chaffin’s life was taken during an attempted robbery, it was what happened to him before that day that made a lasting impression on those working on the case. He made an impact on the entire community as well as local law enforcement, all of whom recognized the great service he gave to the country.

Florence County Sheriff’s Office investigators were so moved by Chaffin’s family and the story of his life, they felt it fitting to fly hundreds of miles to pay their final respects Monday.

“A decorated veteran, who served his country and gave his life — a majority of his life — for this country, 83 years old and had been through what he had to go through and then had to come back to this country and die like he did, it’s unacceptable,” Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone said.

Powers Aviation officials made the flight possible for the investigators, providing the plane and pilot for the trip to Gainesville, Fla., for Chaffin’s funeral.
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Investigators pay respects to slain veteran at Fla. funeral

Suffolk cop killed in crash was Marine veteran

Suffolk cop killed in crash was Marine veteran
BY MARTIN C. EVANS AND ZACHARY R. DOWDY martin.evans@newsday.com zachary.dowdy@newsday.com
10:43 PM EDT, June 22, 2009


Seven-year veteran Suffolk police Officer Robert Bowen was a battle-tested and decorated veteran of the Iraq war, bringing experience in one of the nation's most revered fighting forces -- the Marines -- to his patrols of Suffolk County, where his superiors said he also served with distinction.

"He was just a down-to-earth nice guy who did a good job for us," said Suffolk Deputy Police Chief Patrick Cuff, who was Bowen's commanding officer at the Third Precinct in Bay Shore until last Friday when Cuff was promoted. "And he loved the Marines."

Suffolk County Sheriff's Department Chief of Staff Michael Sharkey said Bowen, 34, of Ronkonkoma, died early Monday when he lost control of his car, which clipped the rear of another vehicle, struck a guardrail and overturned.
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Suffolk cop killed in crash was Marine veteran

Staten Island veteran gets Purple Heart for injury received in Viet Nam

Staten Island veteran gets Purple Heart for injury received in Viet Nam: 'It's like a closure'
BY Stephanie Gaskell
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, June 23rd 2009, 4:00 AM



For the past 42 years, Anthony Carraturo buried painful memories of fighting in Vietnam.

He got married, had a daughter and a 25-year career with the city's Sanitation Department.

"I just didn't want to think about that place anymore," said the 63-year-old Staten Island man.

Those battlefield memories came alive again Monday when Carraturo was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat on April 2, 1967.

"It's something that was a long time overdue," said Carraturo after accepting his medal from Rep. Michael McMahon at a ceremony in New Dorp. "It's like a closure."

Carraturo was just 19 when he was injured by enemy fire while serving with the 11th Armored Cavalry's Blackhorse unit, a search-and-destroy reconnaissance team. Heavy gunfire knocked Carraturo unconscious. He was treated for head trauma at a field hospital and went back into battle after just 10 days, spending a total of 13 months in combat.

"Certain things about Vietnam are very private and I don't like to talk about it," he said.

Carraturo's unit was met with protests when they came home - something that hurt him deeply. "I didn't choose to go over there," he said. "I was drafted and I did what I had to do."


go here for moreStaten Island veteran gets Purple Heart

Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Bekaert takes charge of Fort Stewart WTB

New CSM brings experience to WTU
Soldier has served 20 years in National Guard

By Frenchi Jones
Staff writer
Updated: June 22, 2009


After more than a month of being without a command sergeant major, soldiers at Fort Stewart’s Warrior Transition Battalion recently welcomed a new leader to its chain of command.

On Wednesday, Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Bekaert assumed responsibility as the battalion’s commanding non-commissioned officer.

First Sgt. Glenn Swanson, who served as the interim CSM while the battalion courted a new one, exchanged responsibility for the troops with Bekaert in front of three companies of soldiers currently assigned to the WTB.

“We are getting a great NCO to help lead this battalion in the direction it’s headed,” Lt. Col. James Kanicki, commander of the WTU, told the warriors. “Command Sgt. Maj. Bekaert brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. He’s a combat veteran … and above all else, he is a leader that understands soldiers and understands taking care of soldiers.”

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Wichita VA Hospital New Home to Homeless Vets

Wichita VA Hospital New Home to Homeless Vets


Reporter: Deb Farris


Robert J Dole Veteran Affairs Medical Center will soon be home to a temporary housing facility to help homeless vets get back on their feet.

The announcement was made official in a public hearing Monday night.

About sixty people showed up showing their support and even some opposed to the new facility. Many citizens said they are honored Wichita can finally do some good to aid those who served our country. But other neighboring residents to the hospital expressed concern over property values and safety concerns.
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http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/48816382.html

I will never understand some people. During the hearing a man stood up and said, "If it's about soldiers coming back from Iraq that's one thing but if it's about them sleeping under the bridge for a long, long time, I really don't want them in my neighborhood." Does this man realize the men sleeping under the bridge for a long, long time, were willing to give up their lives for him and his neighborhood? Does he understand that most of them have un-addressed mental health conditions and they are suffering because the rest of the country forgot all about them? Even with the way they have been discharged from their own communities, they would still give up their life for the sake of someone else. It's just the way they are.

Ask any of your neighbors if they know what PTSD is, and you're bound to get a blank expression or a puzzled one. Most people do not understand that too many veterans come back with PTSD and seek alcohol or drugs to relieve what PTSD is doing to them. They know there is something "wrong" with them but they don't even know what it is or that they can be treated for it. As with most challenges the PTSD veterans face, there is also the abandonment from a family that does not understand and does not support them in getting the help they need to heal. Pushed away from their families, where else do these veterans go? Is sleeping under a bridge more acceptable to this man than helping them get back on their feet?

I don't think this man is evil, nor do I think he is so greedy about his property values it comes before these veterans. I think he is uninformed and judging people he has no clue about.

Philadelphia Veterans Administration Doctor Botched Cancer Treatments

Report: VA errors caused radiation burns

PHILADELPHIA, June 21 (UPI) -- A doctor at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration hospital was off target on most of more than 100 patients he treated for prostate cancer, records showed.

Dr. Gary Kao has left the hospital after botching 92 of the 112 procedures involving the implantation of radioactive metal "seeds" in the prostate glands of patients, The New York Times reported Sunday.
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VA errors caused radiation burns

Camp Lejeune contamination leaves Marines behind

Camp Lejeune was supposed to take care of the Marines and their families. They were supposed to actually care about their well being. It looks like no matter what Marines and their families were exposed to at Lejeune, they military will not accept responsibility for any of it.

If you know someone stationed at Camp Lejeune, pass this onto them and encourage them to file a claim if they are ill, contact their congressman and their local media. This cannot be dropped.

Ill veterans push for answers on Lejeune contamination
By Bruce Henderson - McClatchy Newspapers

Kidney cancer, Mike Edwards says, came so close to killing him five years ago that he saw a stairway to heaven and smelled the brimstone of hell.

Now, Edwards and thousands of other veterans are caught in a kind of purgatory. They believe decades of drinking-water contamination at North Carolina's Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base sickened them or their family members.

But they may never know the truth.

Federal officials acknowledge that, from the 1950s to 1985, up to 500,000 people at Lejeune might have been exposed to high doses of chemicals that probably cause cancer and other illnesses.

A new report offers little hope of answers. No amount of study, it said, is likely to conclusively prove the contamination made anybody sick.

So many people came and went from Lejeune over the years, said a June 13 report from the National Research Council, that it's unlikely many can be located. It's also hard to estimate the amount of chemicals they might have been exposed to so long ago, it said, and to separate that from toxic substances encountered elsewhere.

Those problems, the committee concluded, "cannot be overcome with additional study."

The Navy has received 1,583 claims for compensation, totaling $34 billion. None have been settled. The Veterans Administration says it offers no health benefits from the Lejeune contamination.
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