Shadows of dishonor cast on the U.S. military
May 18
BY DONALD BRADLEY AND RICK MONTGOMERY
The Kansas City Star
A military judge last week found Army Sgt. John Russell guilty of gunning down five fellow soldiers at a base in Iraq.
Victims’ family members hugged and wept at the verdict. Russell stood quietly, head down.
Friends and family say he was “combat stressed” by a third tour. “Snapped,” they say. He should have been sent home.
Prosecutors argued that Russell was angry about not getting a mental disability discharge and took out revenge.
What do you think?
Is the respect that America holds for its military — a pride shown Saturday in Armed Forces Day observances — being undercut by acts of mayhem, a growing sexual abuse scandal and a flurry of other misconduct cases grabbing headlines?
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Sunday, May 19, 2013
Fort Bragg investigates death of 1st LT from Derry New Hampshire
Army investigates 23-year-old paratrooper's deathWRAL.com
Associated Press
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The Army is investigating the death of a 23-year-old paratrooper at Fort Bragg.
Officials say 1st Lt. Paul Demeo of Derry, N.H., died Tuesday at Womack Army Medical Center on base.
Army officials are investigating the circumstances of his death, and aren't releasing any additional information.
read more here
Saturday, May 18, 2013
When the war followed Tyler Armacost home
Veteran's family aims to help others with PTSD
By STEVE GARBACZ
Daily Journal
May 18, 2013
FRANKLIN, Ind. (AP) — The sight of an old van parked on the street sent the soldier's mind back to Iraq.
Tyler Armacost darted off the front porch of his parents' house and into the street because he thought he saw an Iraqi insurgent in the van. His mother tried to shake him and tell him no one was there, but he looked right through her as if she weren't there.
Scott and Karen Armacost searched for their son after he ran off into their Franklin neighborhood but couldn't find him. Later that night, they found him curled up in a ball and sleeping behind the shed in their backyard.
The memory brings Karen Armacost to tears. She knew he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder following the war but never saw him behave that way before, she told the Daily Journal (http://bit.ly/15FoB2I ).
After serving 16 months in Iraq, killing insurgents and seeing fellow soldiers die, the high school athlete who wasn't afraid to hug his parents and tell them he loved them was gone. When he came home from war, he had a hard time even looking them in the eye.
Tyler Armacost wouldn't sit with his back to a door, always on the watch for the enemy. Some nights he would wake his parents after having graphic nightmares. The medications for his back and knees, which he injured in combat, and the anxiety and fear he felt every day sometimes made him groggy and sluggish.
And when Tyler Armacost was killed in a car accident in March, his parents know that the stress of his military past and the medication he was taking to help him try to cope likely were factors in the fatal wreck.
read more here
By STEVE GARBACZ
Daily Journal
May 18, 2013
FRANKLIN, Ind. (AP) — The sight of an old van parked on the street sent the soldier's mind back to Iraq.
Tyler Armacost darted off the front porch of his parents' house and into the street because he thought he saw an Iraqi insurgent in the van. His mother tried to shake him and tell him no one was there, but he looked right through her as if she weren't there.
Scott and Karen Armacost searched for their son after he ran off into their Franklin neighborhood but couldn't find him. Later that night, they found him curled up in a ball and sleeping behind the shed in their backyard.
The memory brings Karen Armacost to tears. She knew he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder following the war but never saw him behave that way before, she told the Daily Journal (http://bit.ly/15FoB2I ).
After serving 16 months in Iraq, killing insurgents and seeing fellow soldiers die, the high school athlete who wasn't afraid to hug his parents and tell them he loved them was gone. When he came home from war, he had a hard time even looking them in the eye.
Tyler Armacost wouldn't sit with his back to a door, always on the watch for the enemy. Some nights he would wake his parents after having graphic nightmares. The medications for his back and knees, which he injured in combat, and the anxiety and fear he felt every day sometimes made him groggy and sluggish.
And when Tyler Armacost was killed in a car accident in March, his parents know that the stress of his military past and the medication he was taking to help him try to cope likely were factors in the fatal wreck.
read more here
Marine Clay Hunt's family fighting to keep others alive
There are over a dozen reports on Clay Hunt on Wounded Times. The saddest thing is there is another member of Team Rubicon who committed suicide this week, Neil Landsberg.
PTSD. War on Suicides
FOX Houston
Posted: May 17, 2013
By John Donnelly, Reporter
HOUSTON (FOX 26)
Marine Sniper Clay Hunt was one of the finest warriors and human beings this country had to offer. After leaving the Marines he joined a group called Team Rubicon that travels to places like Haiti on humanitarian missions. His experiences in Iraq were never far behind.
He lost his battle with PTSD in 2011.
Former Marine Eusebio Collazo also swerved in Iraq and was wounded. He knows personally about the war warriors fight long after the battle has ended.
"PTSD is not something that should be taken lightly." he says.
Clay's parents sat down with Fox 26 shortly after his death.. and made this appeal to other vets.
"If anything good comes out the death of our son is that they might see this. They may talk to somebody to seek out help because there are other groups out there in addition to the VA and they are all heroes." says Stacy Hunt
Collazo has joined the veterans organization called Team Red, White and Blue. Saturday morning the group is joining forces with team Rubicon.. Clay's former group.. They will hold a run in Memorial Park to honor Clay... The Houston chapter has over three hundred members. While it's mainly for veterans, it's open to everybody.
"What we offer is a way to get connected with the community through social activities and athletic events." says Robert Mason.
read more here
Adverse effects of sleep medications causing emergency situations
The DOD and the VA have been giving Ambien out so check with your doctor.
Sleep Well
Sleep disorders include a range of problems -- from insomnia to narcolepsy -- and affect millions of Americans. Dr. Michael Breus shares information and advice on sleep disorder and insomnia treatments and causes.
WebMD
By Michael Breus, PhD, ABSM
There’s more news about complications that can arise from prescription sleep medication: Side effects from a common prescription sleep aid are sending increasing numbers of people to emergency departments.
The number of people seeking emergency medical treatment for the adverse effects of sleep medications containing zolpidem has risen dramatically in recent years, according to a new federal report. Zolpidem is the active ingredient in several of the most commonly prescribed sleep medications, including Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, and Zolpimist.
The report was issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Drug Abuse Action Network (DAWN), which collects information about drug-related visits to emergency departments nationwide. Their analysis included all emergency-department visits that involved adverse effects of zolpidem during the years 2005-2010. During this 5-year period, visits to emergency departments involving adverse effects of zolpidem increased significantly, rising by more than 200%.
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