Vietnam Veteran Honored Same Name On The Wall

WARNING: Have tissues ready when you go to watch this video.

Vietnam vet honors familiar name on wall
ABC 57 News
By: Jess Arnold
Posted: Aug 5, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- During his first ever trip to the wall, one Vietnam vet honored an all too familiar name on the wall.

The name--his own--Robert Berta.

A Robert D. Berta was born the same year (1946) as this vet, Robert L. Berta--also in South Bend.

They served overseas at the same time, where the former was killed in action.

“Scary considering I was there at the same time. We could have, we didn’t know who was going to be coming home, me or him. It seemed like I made it and he didn’t. and we never think that way. We figure we should be there, too on this wall, because we all did our job. Maybe I should have been on this wall myself, so that’s the way I feel about it," said Robert L. Berta.
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Fort Hood Soldier victim of hit and run after trying to help some else

Woman killed, soldier injured after 2 consecutive hit-and-run crashes
WSMV 4 NBC News
Meredith Digial Staff
August 4, 2018

A Good Samaritan, Kalen Lawson, 20, of Fort Hood, Texas, who is also an active duty member of the U.S. Army, stopped to help the woman. As he was helping the woman, another vehicle traveling on N Galloway, hit and struck Lawson and the woman he was helping. The woman died at the scene of the crash.

LAKELAND, Fla. (Meredith/WFTS) -- A woman is dead and a Good Samaritan U.S. Army soldier coming to her aid was seriously injured after two consecutive hit-and-runs in Polk County on Thursday morning.

One of the drivers, 20-year-old Corey Wesley Jones of Lakeland, was arrested in the case. He is also known as "DB Da Kid," and is a rapper. He was driving a 2002 black GMC SUV and left the scene after hitting 40-year-old Kelli Black.

Sheriff Grady Judd said at a press conference on Thursday that he had spoken to Jones and Jones has promised to turn himself in. Now he has been taken into custody and charged with the leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury and reckless driving with serious bodily injury.
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PTSD Patrol Two Wheel Power Drive Update

The power to move starts with your desire
PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
August 5, 2018

The only thing stopping you from going where you want to go in life, is your imagination is not fueling your power to even start.

If you think you are stuck where you are, you may want to have a different life, but lack the way to change it. Just like all journeys, you need someone to clear the way so you can see what is possible on the road ahead.

The question is not how do you get there, but how do you even want to begin? If you have hope there is something better ahead for you, then you'll seek it. The more you look, the more you'll find people along the way to cheer you on.

PTSD Patrol Sunday Morning Empowerment Zone

Update from PTSD Patrol Two Wheel Power Drive

It is Sunday Morning! The beginning of a new week and hopefully, a new beginning for you too!

By now, you watched the video and saw how all of these athletes received help to achieve their goals. That is how everyone moves on in life. 

You had a desire to serve. They had a desire to do that too. 

You had to be trained to do it. So did they.

They needed help to get out of the wheelchairs. Help to learn how to swim with their physical limits but they did not limit themselves to what they were expected to do. You should not settle for being limited to what people expect out of you with your disability.

They needed help on every part of this trip in their lives, and so do you.

Sure, I know most wheelchairs have more than two wheels but when you think about it, that is really all you need. One wheel moves you but the other one guides you to where you want to go.

So where do you want to go? The only limits on your life are those you settle for. Want to get up and move that vehicle you live in? Then #TakeBackYourLife and find the drive to do it.

On a personal note: Gunny, there is something on the end of this just for you! Thank you for being such a huge part of encouraging me to never give up! 

Click the link above for the rest of this!

Widow of Vietnam Veteran struggles with HUD

Program designed to help veterans buy houses leaves widow in more debt
News 4 San Antonio
by Jaie Avila
August 3rd 2018

Vivian Crook paid most of her 30-year mortgage on her own. Her husband Steve, a Vietnam veteran, suffered from depression and committed suicide just two years after they moved in.

SAN ANTONIO - A government program that was supposed to help veterans instead leads to heartache. A local widow struggled for decades to pay off her home, only to find out she doesn't own it; the government does.

It was called the 235 Program, offered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to veterans and their families. The deal sounded promising: HUD pays part of your mortgage payment.

However, you are never able to sell, refinance, or pass the home on to your children. Jaie Avila investigated that housing program which may have impacted many other San Antonio families.

Vivian Crook paid most of her 30-year mortgage on her own. Her husband Steve, a Vietnam veteran, suffered from depression and committed suicide just two years after they moved in.

“It's been very hard on me. I've been here 30-years and paid my house off and come to find out, I don't own my house,” Vivian says.

The couple had explored a V.A. loan, but the builder told them about the special HUD program.
read more here

Federal Housing Administration (FHA): Removal of Section 235 Home Ownership Program Regulations

38th National Veterans Wheelchair Games

Yesterday at the Ovideo Aquatic Facility the 38th National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games is co-presented between the Department of Veterans Affairs and Paralyzed Veterans of America. The Games serve Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Amputations and other central neurological impairments with the goal to increase their independence, healthy activity and quality of life through wheelchair sports and recreation. Veterans are being exposed to wheelchair sports at their home VAMC or PVA Chapters as part of their rehabilitation to improve function, independence and getting them active in their home communities in sport and fitness.

This group is training to be "lifters" to help get the veterans into the pool and out of it.

Oviedo High School Volunteers

This veteran started having trouble...in a blink of an eye, the lifeguards were there to help her!