Sgt. 1st Class Eric M. Emond killed on 7th tour

Sgt. 1st Class Eric Emond, Co-founder of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, killed in Afghanistan

WCVB 
November 28, 2018

One of the special forces soldiers killed Tuesday in Afghanistan was a co-founder of a Massachusetts organization that provides support for veterans and gold star families. 

Sgt. 1st Class Eric M. Emond, 39, succumbed to wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device struck their vehicle during operations in Ghanzi province, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday. 

Also killed were Captain Andrew P. Ross, 29, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, 25. Emond and Ross were both members of the 3rd Special Forces Group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. 

Emond was a native of Boston who had more than 21 years of military service in the Marine Corps and Army. He was on his seventh overseas tour. read more here

$600,000 meant for veterans taken by woman who ran charity

Ex-director of DC-based military charity found guilty of fraud, tax evasion

WTOP
Mike Murillo
November 29, 2018

Driscoll resigned in July 2016 after 12 years at the military charity after media reports alleging mishandling of funds. In a tax filing, the foundation reported it had "become aware of suspected misappropriations" by Driscoll totaling about $600,000 from 2006 to 2014.

FILE — Armed Forces Foundation president Patricia Driscoll is shown during an interview at the Venetian hotel-casino Sunday, May 25, 2008, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/ Ronda Churchill)

WASHINGTON — The former executive director of the now-defunct Armed Forces Foundation has been convicted Thursday by a jury of stealing from the charity that helped military veterans and their families.

Patricia Driscoll, 40, of Ellicott City, Maryland, was the executive director of the D.C.-based charity until 2015. During her 12-year tenure, federal prosecutors claimed she used money donated to the organization for herself and to pay expenses for her for-profit business.

In federal forms for the nonprofit, she is accused of falsely categorizing and having others falsely categorize money she spent on herself as money used to benefit veterans, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for D.C. She was also accused of failing to report benefits she received from fundraising, which included commissions.

While allegedly cooking the books, prosecutors said Driscoll also sent fraudulent federal forms to members of the organization’s boards and the Internal Revenue Service in an attempt to cover up her crimes.

A jury found Driscoll guilty on two counts of wire fraud and tax evasion, as well as one count of first-degree fraud. She could face more than 30 years in prison when sentenced.
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Stop letting suicide awareness take away hope!

Out of Nevada, there is this reminder of what it is like for far too many veterans thinking about committing suicide. 

Nevada is the 6th highest rate for veterans committing suicide in the nation.

Hopelessness, feeling like there's no way out

Anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness, mood swings

Feeling like there is no reason to live

Rage or anger

Engaging in risky activities without thinking

Increasing alcohol or drug abuse

Withdrawing from family or friends

Frequently talking about death or suicide

Self-destructive behavior such as drug abuse, weapons, etc.

The presence of these signs requires immediate attention.

If one of these "awareness" raisers wonders what they are doing wrong...you just got the answer everyone needs to be made aware of! Reminding them of veterans giving up, does not give them hope back. It just takes it away!

Someone robbed from future home of amputee veteran

Thieves steal materials from disabled veteran's future home

KIRO 7 News 
By: Shelby Miller 
Nov 28, 2018 

“I lost both of my limbs, obviously. Both of my ear drums blew out, my left eardrum was 100 percent, my right eardrum was 25 percent. The blast threw me back,” he said. “It gave me a traumatic brain injury because I hit my head so hard and it also gave me two bulging discs in my lower spine,” said Sawyer. Since then, the retired army veteran has overcome the unthinkable. Now, he has to deal with even more. 

Thieves in Maytown, Thurston County, stole more than $5,000 worth of building materials from the construction site of a disabled veteran’s future home. 

“When you feel like you’re not really worthy of a home in the first place and then you come out here and you find somebody’s broken into a box and stolen a bunch of materials, you know, from your project that have been donated for free - that just makes me feel even worse,” said Sgt. Jereme Sawyer.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said the theft happened at 4022 150th Ave. SW.

Those who’d like to help can donate to Homes For Our Troops. Anyone with information is asked to call the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office at 360-704-2740. read more here

Man convicted of selling fentanyl to veteran with PTSD

Kalamazoo man convicted of selling fentanyl to veteran with PTSD, causing his death

FOX 17 News
BY BOB BRENZING
NOVEMBER 29, 2018

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A Kalamazoo man has been convicted in federal court for distributing the drug fentanyl to a veteran with PTSD, causing his death.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announce that Deondray Abrams, 26, was convicted by a jury Wednesday evening after a two-day trial in the death of Brandon Demko. Abrams is scheduled to be sentenced on April 8 and faces life imprisonment due to prior convictions.

The U.S. Attorney says that Abrams sold fentanyl as heroin to Demko on March 21, 2017. Demko used the drug thinking it was heroin and lost consciousness. Responding officers from Kalamazoo DPS and Life EMS were not able to revive Demko and he died.

Demko was a Marine Corps veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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