Air Force veteran sues after being thrown out of flag-folding ceremony Air Force Times By: Stephen Losey 4 hours ago
Oscar Rodriguez, the retired senior master sergeant whose ejection during a flag-folding ceremony at Travis Air Force Base in California sparked a nationwide uproar, is suing the Air Force for alleged civil rights violations.
In April 2016, Rodriguez was thrown out of a retirement ceremony for his friend Master Sgt. Charles Roberson when he stood — at Roberson’s request — to deliver an unauthorized speech during a flag-folding ceremony that mentioned God.
Roberson is also a plaintiff to the lawsuit, which was filed on their behalf by the religious freedom organization First Liberty Institute. Rodriguez is alleging violations of his rights under the First, Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution.
The IG said that Rodriguez had been told multiple times that he could not deliver his speech because the ceremony was an official on-base retirement, and his speech was not the one spelled out in Air Force regulations. He was told he could attend the ceremony quietly as a guest but not as a participant.
Oscar Rodriguez, the retired senior master sergeant whose ejection during a flag-folding ceremony at Travis Air Force Base in California sparked a nationwide uproar, is suing the Air Force for alleged civil rights violations. read more here
Police report details suicide by veteran, 76, in Boynton City Hall lot Palm Beach Post By Alexandra Seltzer Staff Writer April 2, 2018
BOYNTON BEACH A 76-year-old Vietnam War veteran ended his life last week in a Boynton Beach public parking lot shared by City Hall and the police department.
City police said John Troyan of suburban Boynton Beach died from a single-gunshot wound to his head Tuesday, March 27.
Police video shows Troyan driving into the parking lot at 100 E. Boynton Beach Blvd. in a grey Dodge Caravan at about 10:50 a.m. Police said Troyan shot himself with a silver Smith and Wesson revolver in the driver’s seat of the car at about 11:15 a.m.
Troyan wore a camouflage ball cap with “Vietnam Veteran” imprinted along the front and side, according to the police report. read more here
April Fools' Day pranks include ‘military working cats,’ Marine ‘drill sergeants’ STARS AND STRIPES By SETH ROBSON Published: April 3, 2018
U.S. Forces Japan celebrated April Fools' Day by tweeting a photo of a cat named Muffins tactical patches and the sort of camouflage harness you might expect to see on a military working dog.
SCREENSHOT FROM FACEBOOK
Military working cats were in the news along with a slew of other unbelievable stories on April 1.
U.S. Forces Japan celebrated April Fools' Day by tweeting a photo of “MWC (Military Working Cat) Muffins” wearing tactical patches and the sort of camouflage harness you might expect to see on a military working dog.
The image shows Muffins alerting on a suspect during a tracking exercise, according to USFJ’s post. read more here
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is shifting its focus from ending veteran homelessness to preventing veteran suicides. With supporting data, this Open Forum argues that VA homelessness services also help address veteran suicides.
Analysis of a nationally representative survey of U.S. veterans in 2015 shows that veterans with a history of homelessness attempted suicide in the previous two years at a rate 5.0 times higher compared with veterans without a history of homelessness (6.9% versus 1.2%), and their rates of two-week suicidal ideation were 2.5 times higher (19.8% versus 7.4%).
Because the majority of veterans who die by suicide are not engaged in VA care, VA services for the homeless that include outreach efforts to engage new veterans may be reaching some of these veterans.
Thus continued federal support for VA homelessness services not only may help address homelessness but also may help prevent suicide of veterans. Linked from Yale News
CT army veteran gets discharge upgrade CT Post By Peggy McCarthy, Conn. Health I-Team Writer April 2, 2018
Connecticut veterans’ leader and decorated soldier Stephen Kennedy has won his eight-year battle to have his Army discharge status upgraded to honorable.
Kennedy, 31, of Fairfield, president of the Connecticut branch of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, will continue his federal class action lawsuit on behalf of Army veterans nationwide who received less than honorable discharges for behavior later attributed to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Kennedy said his Army service “was really central to my identity. I was really proud of that. To have them say it was less than honorable, to have that kind of stamp on it…has been a cloud over the memory of my service.”
“It’s hard not to really take that to heart,” he said, adding that the upgrade “really feels great.”
Kennedy served in Iraq for 13 months. In the Army, he was given leadership positions, fast-tracked to become a sergeant and honored with several awards including the Combat Infantry Badge, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal. His discharge status was based on his going Absent Without Leave for his wedding and honeymoon, a behavior he later said was uncharacteristic for him and based on PTSD, which had resulted from his military service. He had become suicidal and self-destructive, cutting himself and drinking and smoking heavily.
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