Fort Snelling Veteran Volunteer Received Veterans Voices Award

An army of one: Farmington veteran Marilyn Anderson honored for volunteerism
Farmington Independent
By William Loeffler
Sep 30, 2017

The actions of people like Anderson exemplify mission of Veterans Voices, which is to let them dictate their own narrative, O'Fallon said.

"They say, 'We get trapped into two stories: "You're a hero, thanks for your service," or, 'Oh my God, maybe you're troubled and have PTSD and we don't know how to talk to you,'" he said.

Marilyn Anderson of Farmington (left) was presented with a Veterans Voices Award Sept. 11 at the University of St. Thomas Anderson Student Center in Saint Paul. She is pictured with Humanities Center board member Sakinah Mujahid. Submitted photo courtesy of Minnesota Humanities Center

Army veteran Marilyn Anderson of Farmington was honored with a Veterans Voices Award Sept. 11 at the University of St. Thomas Anderson Student Center in St. Paul.

She is one of 13 legacy veterans in the 40-and-over category to be honored by the Minnesota Humanities Center for their community contributions that extend beyond their military service.

"Everything that she's learned in the military about leadership, teamwork, concern for others, she applies across the whole community in extraordinary ways," Humanities Center president David O'Fallon said.

Anderson works as the education services specialist for the 88th Regional Support Command at Fort Snelling. She has volunteered for Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program, Heritage Village, Ronald McDonald House at the Children's Hospital of Minneapolis, Habitat for Humanity, Toys for Tots and Feed My Starving Children.
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Burnette Chapel Church Of Christ Fellowship Unbroken Faith

Nashville church tries to move forward amid shooting trauma, questions
USA Today
Holly Meyer
September 30, 2017

"I sat out here. It was early Monday morning and I was looking up and I could see Orion's Belt," Carter said. "I mean just how great — don’t understand why — but how great God truly is." Terry Carter

The sound of gunfire haunts Terry Carter.

She and the young students in her Bible class barricaded a classroom door one week ago as a masked man opened fire at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, killing one woman and injuring the minister and six others, police said.

The shooter did not go into the classroom, but the Sunday morning mayhem clings to Carter's thoughts.

"You can’t get some of the stuff out of your head for a while," Carter said. "I’ll gradually get there. But those sounds. The pop."

Carter and other members of the small Antioch church are trying to process what happened in the violent attack. In the midst of the pain and big unanswered questions, the congregation is moving forward.

The crime scene tape is gone and so is the carpet in the chapel. The 25-year-old suspect, Emanuel Samson, is in jail on a homicide charge. They have buried 38-year-old Melanie Crow, who was gunned down at the end of last week's service. And the victims who remain in the hospital are in stable condition.

After the Wednesday night service ended, Carter stood in the church parking lot chatting. Her great-grandchildren played nearby.

"It’s kind of a relief that we can get together and have a fellowship," Carter said. "That’s what we’re supposed to do, have fellowship and encourage each other. It’s going to take a whole lot of encouragement."

She was not certain the Wednesday service would occur nor that she would want to attend Sunday. But Carter will be there equipped with plans for better classroom safety.

She remembers hearing the first shot. It sounded too close. Carter put her finger to her lips, told the children to be quiet and turned off the classroom lights. Together, they moved furniture in front of a door and she cycled through scenarios in her mind.

Carter has her own questions. She knows nothing is guaranteed in life, but her faith is strong and she believes God is everywhere, Carter said.
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Andrew Nelles

Kaitlyn Adams, a member of the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, hugs another church member at the scene after shots were fired at the church on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Antioch, Tenn. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean via AP)

Tennessee church suspect may have sought Charleston revenge

Missing Veteran Alert: James Kozik

Military Veteran From New London Missing Nearly Three Weeks, Friends Concerned

Police are currently searching for information regarding a New London man who has been missing for nearly three weeks. 
PATCH 
By RJ Scofield (Patch Staff) 
Sep 29, 2017 

NEW LONDON, CT - Police said James Kozik, 31, of New London has been missing for approximately three weeks. His friend said he went for a walk one evening and never returned home, and anyone with information on his location is asked to contact police immediately.  

According to his longtime friend, 30-year-old Cas McDonald, Kozik went for his nightly walk on September 8 but never returned home. She also said he left with only his phone on him, which he typically used to text his significant other, Kay Richards, when he would be home. read more here

Civil War Veteran No Longer Missing in America

Civil War veteran finally laid to rest more than 100 years after his death
Kitsap Sun
Julianne Stanford 
Sept. 28, 2017

"When I picked that guy up, I had tears in my eyes. I was able to hold the cremains of a veteran of the Civil War, but I felt a great sense of sadness for all of the other unclaimed remains of people whose families hadn't come to get them." Jim Diamond

RETSIL -- More than 100 years after his death, a Civil War soldier was finally laid to rest with full military honors at the Washington Veterans Home at Retsil on Thursday.

Zachariah M. Stucker served as a musician and later as a private in the Union's 48th Illinois Infantry Regiment from 1861 to 1865. He was a resident at the veterans home from 1910 until his death in 1914 at the age of 69.

Stucker's remains were sent to Seattle for cremation after his death, but for unknown reasons they were never returned to Retsil. His remains sat in storage for decades until his name was discovered on a list of unclaimed remains at the Lake View Cemetery in Seattle by a volunteer with the Missing in America Project, which seeks to locate the unclaimed remains of veterans and provide burial services for them.

“What is really sad is that he has been missing for 103 years,” said Lourdes "Alfie” Alvarado-Ramos, director of the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, during the ceremony. “That is 103 Memorial Days where nobody put a flag by his headstone. That is countless holidays, Christmases, where he didn’t get a wreath on his grave. But now, that’s over.”

Civil War historian Jim Dimond went to the Seattle cemetery last weekend to recover Stucker's remains and bring them back to Retsil.

"When I picked that guy up, I had tears in my eyes," Dimond said. "I was able to hold the cremains of a veteran of the Civil War, but I felt a great sense of sadness for all of the other unclaimed remains of people whose families hadn't come to get them."
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Assistant Chief Brian Hopkins Honored For Saving Suicidal Veteran

Hopkins honored for going above and beyond duty

Banner Graphic

Eric Bernsee

September 29, 2017

"Apparently it was the anniversary of a day on which something very bad happened to the Marine and his unit in Iraq, Hopkins said.As officers prepared to make contact with him he placed his military dress cap back on his head, put the car in gear and started driving toward the west exit of the parking lot."

With Greencastle City Police officers dutifully assembled Thursday afternoon for training on the new lifesaving equipment, they took time to honor a lifesaver of their own.

Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE With the rest of the Greencastle Police Department assembled behind him, Police Chief Tom Sutherlin (left) presents an award for actions above and beyond the call of duty to Assistant Chief Brian Hopkins for his actions during a crisis situation on Aug. 17.

Assistant Chief Brian Hopkins was surprised with an award for going above and beyond the call of duty on Aug. 17, 2017.

Before settling into training on the new AED (automated external defibrillator), a portable electronic device that diagnoses and can correct arrhythmia of the heart, Chief Tom Sutherlin read a citation about Hopkins prepared by Capt. Charles Inman.

“I was surprised,” Hopkins said after the squad meeting was over.

He recalled how he had already gone to bed the night of Aug. 17 when the call came in concerning a possibly suicidal person, a medically retired Marine Corps veteran in full dress uniform.

The man’s fiancée told police the 36-year-old was suffering from severe PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and seemed intent upon taking his own life through “suicide by cop.”

While responding to the scene, Capt. Inman reported, “I contacted Assistant Chief Hopkins to advise him of the situation. Recognizing the seriousness of the call, Hopkins advised he would be en route from his residence to assist in the investigation.”

In fact, Hopkins was up and out in no time.

“I’m one of those people,” he said, “who prepares everything,” laying out his clothes and all the night before.

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