Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Iraq Veteran From Florida Killed in Michigan

Man killed in Parma Township shooting was Iraq war vet, father of 2
MLive
Nathan Clark
January 23, 2018
Campbell, originally from Crystal River Fla., was a resident of Fort Wayne, Ind. prior to moving to the Parma Township home about a year ago.

PARMA TWP., MI - Dan Wendling heard the shot. He thought someone was lighting fireworks.

His dog seemed to know something was amiss and soon emergency lights filled the street around Athena Drive.

He soon learned his neighbor, John D. Campbell, 31, was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17.

"I can't believe it. Totally shocked by it," Wendling said. "He seemed like a decent enough guy to me."

Campbell was a U.S. Army veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq, loved skiing, fishing and was a loyal friend to many, according to his obituary.
read more here

Monday, January 22, 2018

Megyn Kelly schooled Jane Fonda!

'Our Souls at Night' Team: Jane Fonda-Robert Redford Film Is an Older "Coming-of-Age Story"

"While the story follows characters of an older generation, the cast and crew argue that the film will appeal to all audiences. "I think it's a film that has no particular limits," said Fonda."

The film ended up limited because of who they picked to be in it!

When I was watching Fonda's face freeze with the question about plastic surgery, all I could think of what the witch in the Wizard of Oz melting...

Megyn Kelly, on behalf of the Vietnam veterans I know, thank you very much for reminding people what she put them through!

Megyn Kelly slams Jane Fonda’s ‘poor-me routine’
NBC News
by CLAIRE ATKINSON
JAN 22 2018

The war of words between Megyn Kelly and Jane Fonda escalated Monday after Kelly delivered a stern rebuke to the actress and attacked Fonda's anti-Vietnam War activism.


In September, during an interview with Fonda during her hour of "Today," Kelly brought up Fonda's plastic surgery, and Fonda seemed to take offense. Fonda has subsequently criticized how Kelly handled the interview, joking about it on another hour of "Today" earlier this month. Then, over the weekend, Fonda described Kelly as a poor interviewer in a conversation with Variety magazine, suggesting she would come on the show again when Kelly had “learned her stuff.”

That led to Kelly's blast at the end of her show on Monday.
"This is a woman whose name is synonymous with outrage. Look at her treatment of our military," Kelly told the audience, which clapped as the remarks continued.

Kelly mentioned that Fonda — an activist against the Vietnam War in the 1970s — had posed on an anti-aircraft gun that was used to shoot American pilots.

"She called our prisoners of war 'hypocrites and liars,'" Kelly said. "She referred to their torture as 'understandable.' She still says she is not proud of America. So the moral indignation is a bit much." read more here

UPDATE 1/25/2018
From Daily Mail
Insiders say Megyn Kelly 'got approval' from NBC bosses for Jane Fonda attack but execs are 'shocked at how far she went'

Decorated Vietnam Veteran Walter Bryant Jr and Daughter Found Murdered

Decorated veteran, daughter identified as victims in SE Indiana slaying
WLWT 5 News
January 22, 2018

AURORA, Ind.
A decorated Vietnam War veteran and his daughter have been identified as the victims in an Aurora, Indiana, double slaying.

The bodies of Walter Bryant Jr., 78, and his daughter Faith Craig, 58, were found Friday night in a home in the 5000 block of Douglas Drive.

Neighbors said Bryant was a decorated Vietnam War veteran.

Indiana State Police were called to the home for a welfare check and found the bodies inside.

Two people were taken into custody Saturday in Pulaski County, Kentucky, a mostly-rural area in the southern portion of the state, in connection to the case.
read more here

The Saint of Skid Row...Marine Who Was Homeless Too

The saint of Skid Row: How Marine veteran, 67, who became a homeless alcoholic after the death of his wife transformed his life and has spent 15 years helping the masses of huddled on LA's sidewalks
The Daily Mail
By Regina F. Graham For Dailymail.com
22 January 2018
The Marine veteran previously was an alcoholic living on the streets following the death of his wife, Lois, more than a decade ago. That left him feeling lost, and even more so after two of his fingers were severed when he fell off a building while working as an electrician.

Blassingame (right) has provided hundreds and hundreds of people with a labyrinth of resources including finding showers, hot meals, clean clothes, social services, medical or dental treatment, drafting resumes for those seeking employment and more
Wendell Blassingame has dedicated his life to helping the homeless on Skid Row
The 67-year-old sits at a table inside San Julian Park and tells people where to find showers, hot meals, clean clothes, housing, drafting resumes
The Marine Veteran used to be a homeless alcoholic in the area until he turned his life around and decided to work for those in need in Skid Row
His efforts are needed even more now since homelessness increased 26 per cent in 2017 as one in four homeless people in America live in the city
Wendell Blassingame has found his purpose in life: helping others in the City of Angels.

For the past 15 years, the 67-year-old can be found sitting at a table inside Skid Row’s San Julian Park where he helps anyone who needs it, free of charge.

He has provided hundreds of desperate people find access showers, hot meals, clean clothes, social services, medical or dental treatment. He has even drafted resumes for those seeking work.

‘I’m in the business of trying to set an example as a resource assisting individuals with housing and anything else they might need,’ Blassingame told DailyMail.com while sitting at his table in the crowded San Julian Park.

‘Last year I placed 159 people in housing by myself. I’ve dedicated my life to make this a community.’

His valuable and selfless work in Skid Row is needed even more now: homelessness in Los Angeles rose 26 per cent in 2017 as one in four homeless people in America live in the city, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Homelessness in Skid Row has long been an issue for California dating back to the 1930s where an estimated 10,000 people were living on the streets in the community. Historical articles during that time period state that many of the transient people worked as seasonal laborers. Over the years, officials and police have conducted several crackdowns on vagrants which resulted in hundreds of arrests, but the problem still persists.
read more here

Sunday, January 21, 2018

See a female veteran as one of you

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 21, 2018

When I was growing up getting sassy was something bad. I heard that remark from my Mom probably more than a thousand times. (Gee, I'm sure no one was shocked by that.)

It is defined as "Lively, bold, and full of spirit; cheeky." Safe bet there are times when you are feeling like you are the only one feeling miserable, it would be comforting to know someone else felt the same way. Makes it even better to know that feeling that way is not all there is. 

The best comedy shows we watch have something most of us go through and then spin it around to make us laugh. Seeing it in a different way, especially in a funny way, makes it seem less like a burden we'll never be free of, to something that is part of our past.

For some reason when I was channel surfing I thought about how few movies there are with female soldiers, or even veterans as the lead character. I thought about all the Civil War movies and how Dr. Mary Edwards Walker did not manage to deserve a movie script even though she is the only female to have received the Medal of Honor. Yes, the Medal of Honor.

I searched for more reminders of women who fought for this country, right along side of men, even though sometimes, they had no clue the soldier next to them was female.

"More than 400 women disguised themselves as men and fought in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War."

Most of the time when women are gathered at veterans events, the males are thanked for their service, but females are lucky if the same person acknowledges them with a simple "hello."

Keeping with slamming-shaming suicide awareness as fake news, when was the last time you saw any of them talking about female veteran suicides?

The Department of Veterans Affairs put out "Facts About Suicide Among Women Veterans" August 2017
"From 2001 through 2014, the suicide rate among women Veterans increased to a greater degree (62.4 percent) than the suicide rate among male Veterans (29.7 percent)."
As you just read, yet one more group that has been left out of all the "awareness" being picky on who they want you to care about. Most of the groups talk about OEF and OIF veterans, failing to mention that the largest group needing help are over the age of 50...older veterans waiting longer for help. I don't know when the last time I read anything about any awareness being raised for female veterans.

If you are a female veteran and found help to heal, please share it with other female veterans. PTSD does not just hit females like too many assume, with sexual assaults, but the same way males are hit by it...combat zones chaos. It can hit you as a nurse, as much as it can hit you as a truck driver. It can hit you even if you did not deploy overseas but did your duty at Dover or in any of the military hospitals. Only you can understand them and it is very unlikely you will minimize anything they try to open up about.

If you SEE a female veteran looking lost in a crowd, go over and ASK her where she served, or what branch, or anything that will let her know that someone just acknowledged she serve too. SPEAK about your own service and SHARE something about YOURSELF with a good attitude and let her find some hope in what you are standing as an example of as a survivor.

Females may be the smallest group of veterans in the country but you are worth a lot more attention than anyone gives you credit doing.