Iraq Veteran Killed in Police Standoff

Police kill Eagle River veteran after standoff near Denver
Chugiak Eagle River Star
Tuesday, March 7, 2017

A former Eagle River resident and Marine reservist was shot and killed by police after a standoff near Denver on Friday.

According to the Denver Post, police in Englewood, Colorado were called Friday afternoon for a report that an armed man was barricaded inside a home holding several hostages. During the incident, police fatally shot Michael Kocher, 32, in the torso.

Kocher was profiled in a 2009 story in the Alaska Star in which he talked about a recent seven-month tour of duty in Iraq. In the story, Lance Cpl. Kocher is described as having worked in intelligence and communications while deployed with Delta Company, 4th Anti-Terrorism Battalion. He shared fond memories of sharing candy with Iraqi children while deployed with the Marines.

“All the convoys would take candy to toss to the kids,” he said, according to the profile written by Jill Fankhauser. “I’d always read that there were groups that would send over shipments of soccer balls and things like that to handout.”

Kocher told the Star he enlisted the help of his mother in Eagle River, who got donations of soccer balls, candy and stuffed animals for her son to give away to kids in Iraq. He also mused about missing home while deployed near the Syrian border and said he wasn’t a supporter of the war but wanted to serve despite his misgivings.

“Even when the war started, I didn’t particularly agree with the war,” he told the Star. “I knew other people my age there, so I figured I ought to be with them.”

According to the article, the 6-foot-8 Kocher studied political science at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where he was the first person to win a designated on-campus parking spot, the university reported in 2009.
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Veteran Marine-Police Officer Death Suspected Suicide

Lompoc Police officer dead in apparent suicide
Santa Maria Times
Logan B. Anderson
Mar 7, 2017

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the apparent suicide of a Lompoc Police Department officer that occurred early Tuesday morning.

City officials announced the death of three-year Lompoc Police Department veteran Miguel Grijalva on Tuesday afternoon.

“The Lompoc Police Department asks the community to keep Miguel and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Our Lompoc Police Department employees are devastated by this news and are grieving, as well,” said Samantha Scroggin, city spokeswoman.

According to the city’s statement, Grijalva was off duty and outside of Lompoc city limits when he died.

“The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is handling the death investigation case, and the preliminary investigation indicates that the death was a suicide,” Scroggin said.

Prior to joining the Lompoc Police Department, Miguel served in the United States Marine Corps.
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Family Wants Answers After Two Fort Stewart Soldiers Shot to Death

update

Fort Stewart Sergeant Arrested in Soldiers Deaths

Fort Stewart soldier from Macon shot to death, family pleads for answers 
WMAZ 13 News
March 7, 2017

Hinesville Police found the 23-year-old and fellow soldier 21-year-old Malika Jackson, dead in a townhouse Sunday night. They were both on active duty at Fort Stewart.

Marquez Brown (family photo)

The family of a Macon soldier found dead late Sunday in Hinesville is searching for answers. "Anything he wanted to do, any goal he had, he would reach it," Shakeera Simmons said. "And you knew he was going to do it to the best of his ability."

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Five Days After Suicide, Veteran Found in VA Parkinglot

Veteran’s suicide in Durham VA parking lot highlights problem
WNCN News
By Jonathan Rodriguez
Published: March 6, 2017

“He had gotten partial benefits, and he found out that Wednesday that he went missing that he would not be getting full benefits because of a paperwork error. Had he been a little patient, we don’t think it would have taken a lot longer to get them but he had been waiting, struggling emotionally and financially for quite some time,” Donald said.

RALEIGH, NC – A veteran who took his own life in the parking lot of the Durham VA hospital was in struggling to get his benefits.

Veterans are promised care in return for serving our country, but many veterans say getting their financial support is incredibly challenging.

63-year-old Paul Shuping was found in the parking lot by Durham VA police.

“He tried to do things the right way and it just didn’t work,” his brother Donald explained.

It took five days before police found Paul in his car.

“He was in a seldom used area of the parking lot in a corner,” said Donald.

The veteran served 6 years in the United States Navy. Donald says the care this veteran got at the Durham VA was great, but he was battling emotional issues, depression, and PTSD and had just found out he was denied his veteran benefits.
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Warrior Transition Leader Mocked Soldier Suicides!

Just add this to the fact that they have been decreasing enlisted numbers at the same time suicide numbers went up. Then add this to the simple facts that the Army has been "addressing" the seriousness of suicide, or at least telling us that, and yet, here we are with another example of soldiers being mocked! Oh, sure this will get them to seek help especially when it comes after the reports from the Dallas Morning News about this type of crap happing to others in Texas Warrior Transition units

Soldiers angry, say social media post mocks suicide
KENS 5 News
Priya Sridhar
March 06, 2017

SAN ANTONIO - Soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center's Warrior Transition Battalion are angry after they claim a senior enlisted leader posted a picture to social media that they believe mocks suicide.

The Warrior Transition Battalion helps injured and wounded soldiers transition back to their units or to civilian life.

A former soldier who used to work there told KENS 5 he believes the issue was swept under the rug. Many of the soldiers who are upset over these pictures don't want to be identified because they said they don't want to jeopardize their careers.

The picture that was allegedly posted by a senior enlisted leader at BAMC's Warrior Transition Battalion shows a snowman hanging from a ceiling.

"It's very disturbing, insensitive and childish. Somebody needs help. Anybody contemplating suicide, they don't need to see this. It's going to push them over the edge," said John Ornelaz, commander of VFW Post 76 and Army veteran.

Army veterans from VFW Post 76 said they are disturbed by the picture and want to speak out for their fellow active duty soldiers who are afraid to talk about it publicly.

"It hurts me, and it upsets me because there are services out there to help soldiers," said Richard Valenzuela III, an Army veteran.

One former soldier shared his concerns on JBSA's Facebook page. He said JBSA responded to his post last week saying that they take this seriously and will work to ensure that the information is passed to the correct leadership.

Since then, he said that post and the picture have been taken off JBSA's Facebook page.
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