Vet court grad: 'I'm ready to embrace life'
Livingston Daily
Lisa Roose-Church
August 19, 2016
Brig. Gen. Michael McDaniel said the court is “building a new cycle” for the veterans, and it is unique to other specialty courts.
Judge Carol Sue Reader presents U.S. Army veteran John M. a certificate and coin celebrating his graduation from the 53rd District Court's Veterans Treatment Court. Graduate Aron B., a U.S. Army veteran, waits his turn.
(Photo: Lisa Roose-Church/Livingston Daily)
John M., who spent “many years” sober, found himself standing before a judge — charged with and eventually convicted of driving drunk.
“To this day, I haven’t had a drop to drink since I was caught on that November over a year ago,” he said to thunderous applause. “I’m ready to embrace a life without any type of drug or alcohol.”
It was a sentiment echoed by the three other men, who along with John, were the inaugural graduates of the 53rd District Court Veterans Treatment Court. They were recognized during a ceremony held at the historic Livingston County Courthouse on Grand River Avenue in downtown Howell.
John, a U.S. Army combat medic during the Vietnam War, said he was able to use the court’s services to identify his emotional problems and address those as well as his drinking.
“I love my country, and I’d do it again,” he said about his service. “We’re fortunate to have a court system that bent over backward to help us guys. Thank God it’s here.”
read more here
Flagler County eyes court option for troubled veterans
Daytona Beach News Journal
Matt Bruce
August 19, 2016
Buffalo, New York introduced the concept to the U.S. when it implemented the first veterans court in the country in January 2008. That circuit billed its diversionary treatment model as a “hybrid drug and mental health court” designed specifically to help veterans struggling with addiction and/or mental illness
BUNNELL — Flagler County officials are seeking to establish a special court aimed at helping military veterans who run afoul of the law.
Flagler County commissioners overwhelmingly favored the idea of establishing a veterans court after listening to a presentation by Palm Coast resident Ed Fuller and congressional staffer Randy Stapleford during a Monday afternoon workshop inside the Government Services Building in Bunnell. Each of the four commissioners said they supported the idea.
“As a county, we need to set the example for our veterans that they are welcome in Flagler County and we will take care of them,” said Commissioner George Hanns, a Vietnam War veteran. “So many of them have problems. Post-traumatic stress is a terrible thing … It’s very important. I think it’s a great program.”
Despite unanimous support from county commissioners, the plan to implement a veterans court in Flagler has hurdles to clear. Stapleford, who identified himself as a military and veterans coordinator for U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis' office, told the commission that 7th Circuit Chief Judge Terrence Perkins would likely determine the court’s fate in Flagler County.
Sal Rutigliano, the county's veterans services officer, also attended Monday’s workshop and indicated there are nearly 13,000 veterans in Flagler County. Stapleford said Volusia has about 56,000 and St. Johns has close to 20,000 vets.
read more here
Also if you want to know why this is such a great idea,
Jacksonville veteran praises drug court program for changing his life
Man faces several charges linked to defrauding VA
Citizen Times
Abigail Margulis
August 19, 2016
He was then stationed in Hawaii and was ranked as a sergeant. Shortly later, he was determined to be absent without leave and was dropped from the military and classified as a deserter, according to court paperwork. He was discharged about a year later based on his AWOL/deserter status.
ASHEVILLE - An Army deserter is facing multiple federal charges for defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of more than $150,000, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Roy Lee Ross Jr., 64, is accused of receiving more than $150,000 in veteran benefits based on fraudulent service-connected disabilities claims and defrauding other VA programs, U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose announced Friday.
Ross was charged with one count of executing a scheme to defraud a health benefit organization (the VA), which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces two counts of making false statements in connection with the delivery of health care benefits by the VA, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
He is also charged with two counts of stealing from the VA, a charge that levies a potential maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine, and one count of a making false claim for travel benefits from the VA, which carries a potential maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine.
He claimed he was Daniel Alfred Sullivan Jr. and had served in the U.S. military under that name in the special forces, had been wounded in combat, and had been honorably discharged from the Army, court paperwork says.
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Whenever there is an election we're pretty much forgotten about. Candidates never seem to have any plans, or even understand what military, veterans and families, go through. Sure there are a lot of issues they have to pay attention to but we're all pretty tired of hearing how much they value us without ever seeing any proof of it. The IAVA is trying to do something about that.
IAVA Commander-in-Chief Forum
Joint Candidate Event to Highlight National Security, Military and Veterans Issues
Live in Primetime on NBC and MSNBC on Wednesday, September 7, 2016
AUGUST 18, 2016 – Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) will host both major party presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, for a live televised primetime forum to focus exclusively on issues the next president will have to confront as Commander-in-Chief.
The event will take place in New York City and will be simulcast on NBC and MSNBC in primetime on the evening of September 7, 2016.
The candidates will appear back to back during the one-hour event. They will take questions on national security, military affairs and veterans issues from NBC News and an audience comprised mainly of military veterans and active service members.
“IAVA is proud to lead this historic event for our veterans community and all Americans,” said Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IAVA. “On the cusp of the 15th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, New York is a fitting stage to give voice to American veterans and service members that are all too often shut out of our political debate. IAVA members world-wide, 93% of whom say they’ll be voting in November, and many deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan right now, are ready to hear from the candidates and hold them accountable. IAVA is honored to join with NBC on this significant event that will ensure that America’s next Commander-in-Chief, at least for one night, addresses our nation’s moral obligation to support and empower its 22 million veterans, our servicemembers and our military families.”
learn more about IAVA here
They tried ranking politicians before but it did not do much good considering the rest of the population does not have a clue about any of the Bills politicians write. This time, we may get some answers. Hopefully they actually paid attention all along.
Among the questions I'd love to have answered are these.
What will the candidates do about housing civilians on military property?
Thirty-four other U.S. military installations have already brought in nonmilitary residents, and there have been no major security issues, said Mack Quinney, project director for the housing company.
And if they plan on ending this practice or leaving it the way it is?
In 2001, Fort Hood became the first U.S. military installation to hand over housing to a private operator when it entered into a deal with the Australia-based Lendlease Group to form the Fort Hood Family Housing company.
The deal has facilitated the building of hundreds of new homes on Fort Hood, where soldiers have complained about the quality of the housing stock, by allowing them to be financed with private construction bonds, Fort Hood and Lendlease officials said.
Do they plan on actually doing something about the rules and funding of the VA that Congress is in fact in charge of?
When there is a backlog of claims, do they have any plans to make sure contractors hire to process the claims are not just trained to do it properly, but have enough staff to fulfill the commitment this country made to those who are willing to lay down their lives for the sake of her?
When private-contracted out doctors are evaluating claims, are there any plans to hold them accountable when they fail to put qualified practitioners in the positions or rate claims wrongly?
Do they have any plans to hold contractors accountable for failed programs, like suicide prevention, when clearly they do not work?
Do they plan on hold any member of Congress publicly accountable for writing and funding Bills they pass when it has been tired and failed before. Just look at the list of "suicide prevention" Bills coming out of congress in the last decade and you'll see what I mean.
Do they have any plans to hold veterans charities accountable?
Do they have any plans for holding the Joint Chiefs accountable for the rise in military suicides at the same time there has been a sharp reduction of enlisted personnel?
Do they have any plans for holding defense contractors accountable for the billions they receive for programs that do not work and do very little to prevent healing from traumas troops face?
What about ISIS, Iraq, Afghanistan, NATO, the rest of the world including humanitarian missions? Will anyone be held accountable for the mess we're in?
What do they plan on doing about Defense Contractors outnumbering military personnel?
Data compiled by the Congressional Research Service shows that private contractors outnumber U.S. troops in Afghanistan by more than a three to one margin.
The latest numbers covering just the first few months of this year show that there are still around 29,000 contractors in Afghanistan — well over three times the 9.000 troops.
The thing is, there are hundreds of questions all of us have, but unless these politicians are asked, we won't know if they even considered any of it or how much thought they gave to any of us.
Partially paralyzed veteran in need of handicapped van
WCMH 4 News
By Rick Reitzel
Published: August 17, 2016
GAHANNA, OH (WCMH) — A Vietnam War Army veteran has fallen on hard times. Partially paralyzed and in pain, and now confined to a wheelchair without a vehicle, Stephen Karales, 70, has kept a good attitude.
Karales is a giver – volunteering 15,000 hours in the benefits office at the local VA and homeless shelter with the YWCA, until illness left him partially paralyzed.
It took a tremendous effort for Karales to stand up and move to a wheelchair wheeled up to the passenger side of Steve Guenther’s SUV.
Karales came to the Gahanna Legion and VFW Post on Johnstown Road with several other veterans who pitched in to help.
A year ago the former combat medic said he was on a mission spending all of his waking-hours helping other veterans. Then he contracted a strange virus which left him in a coma for 11 days and permanently paralyzed from the waist down.
read more here
