American Legion 100 Years of Dedication

One of nation's largest veterans organizations, American Legion celebrates 100 years
The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) (Tribune News Service)
By Tom Roeder
Published: September 18, 2016

Additionally, it provides educational programs for students and its post are loaded with community volunteers - its 2.4 million members provide nearly 4 million hours of community service annually - which Schmidt thinks could be key for growing the Legion.

The American Legion is hoping its upcoming 100th birthday will bring renewal to one of the nation's largest and quickly graying veterans organizations.

The Legion's national commander, Charles Schmidt, said during a weeklong Colorado visit that he wants the organization to focus on its accomplishments and press forward with programs for children in a bid to draw younger veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan to its ranks.

"That's where the rubber meets the road," said Schmidt, an Air Force retiree from eastern Oregon.

Schmidt, who served nearly 27 years in the Air Force, said he was a reluctant Legionnaire at the start.
read more here

1st Lt. Katie Blanchard Set on Fire, Third and Fourth Degree Burns

Crowdfunding quickly raises $44,000 for soldier recovering from brutal hospital attack
Army Times
September 17, 2016

Blanchard has three children under the age of five that she raises with her husband, also a soldier in the Army.

A crowdfunding effort quickly raised tens of thousands of dollars for a hospitalized lieutenant set on fire in suffering severe burns. A civilian subordinate is accused of attacking the officer on Sept. 7 at Munson Army Health Center in Kansas.

The GoFundMe page for 1st Lt. Katie Blanchard, 26, has raised nearly $44,000 since Monday. The page said her injuries included “severe burns to her head, neck, back, arms and hands — mostly third and fourth degree,” and that she would be in the hospital or rehab for most of the next year.

An update to the page late Wednesday said she had undergone successful skin graft surgery Monday, and that Tuesday Blanchard spoke for the first time since she was injured. The update also said the family closed the campaign to donations because it had raised more than enough money for its current needs; excess money will be donated to charity.
read more here

Veterans Stand Watch On Bridge to Prevent Suicides and Spread Hope

Vets Stand Watch Around the Clock on Colorado Street Bridge to Prevent Suicides, Spread Awareness
Pasadena Now
Story and Photography by BRANDON VILLALOVOS
Published : Sunday, September 18, 2016

“Our veterans at Wellness Works decided that it is just not acceptable. It was their idea to do this. These veterans that commit suicide are losing their last battle with PTSD and we need the community’s help with all of this. We simply cannot do this by ourselves,” said Lynch.

Military veterans set up post on Pasadena’s Colorado Bridge for three days in effort to help prevent suicide and spread awareness about the epidemic that takes the lives of around 22 vets each day. Their around-the-clock shifts from Thursday through Saturday aimed to draw the attention from the community and shed a light on the impact of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on veterans that often results in taking their own lives.

“They’re walking back and forth on the bridge in shifts ranging from one to two hours in memory of those who killed themselves to let other veterans who are in despair at this moment know that they have their backs,” said Kathy Lynch, Clinical Director of Glendale non-profit Wellness Works that created this event in collaboration with local veterans. Wellness Works engages the community in restoring hope and a sense of wholeness of body and soul to veterans and their families through events like this one, according to organization’s website.

The Colorado Bridge campout known as “Not On Our Watch 2016” is the result of concerned veterans that were tired of seeing their brothers in arms fall down the road of depression that often leads to suicide, according to Lynch.
read more here

WWII Veteran Swindled Out of Money Finds Hope From Real Friends

WWII veteran has new hope after losing almost everything
KOB 4 News
Brittany Costello
September 16, 2016

Hundreds of thousands of dollars gone, two savings accounts drained. Now a World War Two Veteran is just trying to get by after he said he was scammed out of all that money by his two so-called caretakers.

It's a story we first brought you in July: Caregivers accused of scamming 95-year-old Santa Fe man. But, Friday, Sept. 16, KOB sat down with 95-year-old Dennis Ferk, who has had to make some huge changes, including selling his home.

He is a former army sergeant who was awarded three Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars and two presidential citations for his service.

But now, he’s fighting a much different battle. He spends most days trying get his finances back in order. He said at first, the two helped with yard and house work, and then took over his finances.

“I thought they were my friends but what they were after was taking care of themselves,” said Ferk.

He said over two years they took around $340,000 of his money. Money that was set aside, not for vacations or shopping sprees, but to care for his disabled daughter whose brain never fully developed.
read more here

UK: Heroes Cannot Live With Trauma of PTSD

For all the global awareness of PTSD and suicides, this is the result. They managed to survive combat with every anguishing moment yet too many cannot survive living in their own countries. So when do we stop the bullshit of raising awareness they are suffering and actually tell them how they can heal?

Tragedy of the Afghanistan and Iraq Army heroes who cannot live with the trauma of PTSD
Mirror UK
BY SEAN RAYMENT , PHIL CARDY , JONATHAN CORKE
18 SEP 2016

One serviceman or woman commits suicide almost every two weeks, official figures have revealed and nearly 400 have taken their lives between 1995 and 2014

Lee Alan Dodgson is the latest of 400 troops to

lose their lives due to post traumatic stress

Lee Alan DodgsonLee Alan Dodgson is the latest of 400 troops to lose their lives due to post traumatic stress

He survived tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia – but it was a silent killer that claimed the life of Lee Dodgson.

Only 40, the ex-soldier was found lying near the spot where his father’s ashes were scattered.

For years the dad-of-one had been failed by authorities in his fight with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Speaking shortly after Lee’s funeral, his stepmum Roseann told us: “Post-traumatic stress disorder is underrated. It’s a silent killer. It’s not recognised quick enough.

“He has said he was told that you don’t show your emotions, you hold them in. They, the soldiers, aren’t taught how to deal with it.”

One serviceman or woman commits suicide almost every two weeks, official figures have revealed.

Nearly 400 have taken their lives between 1995 and 2014.

Today the Sunday People highlights Lee’s tragic story and demands change.
read more here