Marine Missing from Vietnam War to be Buried with Crew

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, was recently accounted for and will be buried along with the 12 other servicemen who were lost in the same crash.

Marine Corps Pfc. Daniel A. Benedett of Seattle, Wash., will be buried May 15, at Arlington National Cemetery, along with Air Force 2nd Lt. Richard Vandegeer of Cleveland, Ohio; Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Bernard Gause Jr., of Birmingham, Ala.; Hospitalman Ronald J. Manning of Steubenville, Ohio; Marine Corps servicemen Lance Cpl. Gregory S. Copenhaver of Lewistown, Pa.; Lance Cpl. Andres Garcia of Carlsbad, N.M.; Pfc. Lynn Blessing of Lancaster, Pa.; Pfc. Walter Boyd of Portsmouth, Va.; Pfc. James J. Jacques of La Junta, Colo.; Pfc. James R. Maxwell of Memphis, Tenn.; Pfc. Richard W. Rivernburgh of Schenectady, N.Y.; Pfc. Antonio R. Sandoval of San Antonio, Texas; and Pfc. Kelton R. Turner of St. Louis, Mo. 

On May 12, 1975, Khmer Rouge gunboats captured the S.S. Mayaguez in the Gulf of Thailand, approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of Cambodia. After the vessel was taken to Koh Tang Island, U.S. aircraft began surveillance flights around the island.  When efforts to secure the release of the ship and its crew failed, U.S. military forces began a rescue mission. 

Three days after the Mayaguez seizure, the Air Force dispatched six helicopters to the island.  One of the helicopters came under heavy enemy fire and crashed into the surf with 26 men on board.  Thirteen of the men were rescued at sea, leaving Benedett and 12 other service members unaccounted-for from the crash. 

Between 1991 and 2008, investigators conducted more than 10 investigations and excavations, led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC).  On three occasions, Cambodian authorities turned over remains believed to be those of American servicemen.  In 1995, U.S. and Cambodian specialists conducted an underwater recovery of the helicopter crash site where they located remains, personal effects and aircraft debris associated with the loss.  Between 2000 and 2004, all of the missing service members from this helicopter, except Benedett, were accounted-for.

On Jan. 30, 2013, Benedett was accounted-for.  Scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and DNA process of elimination to account for his remains. 

Today, more than 1,600 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.  The U.S. government continues to work closely with the governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to recover Americans lost during the Vietnam War.        

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169 .

Kirkwood Named Military Friendly School

National group names Kirkwood among the best, fourth consecutive year 

G.I. Jobs magazine announced its 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools in the United States. One of the top schools in the study is Kirkwood Community College. The Cedar Rapids based two-year college reports more than 770 student-veterans enrolled for college credit classes in the past academic year.

The veterans-focused magazine publisher, Victory Media, honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools it believes are doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students.

G.I. Jobs identifies the winners based on which schools offer military students the best services, programs, discounts, scholarships, clubs, networking and staff. Support services at Kirkwood include a dedicated Veterans Lounge area in Iowa Hall, providing a spot for current and former military personnel to socialize, study and access veteran-specific resources and information as needed. The college also has a full-time liaison for its veterans and military members.

Veterans Affairs Certifying Official Vicki Terronez stated that in addition to recently discharged veterans, she often hears from new service members when Kirkwood students get called to active duty.

“Often when our veterans get deployed, they spread the word about Kirkwood to their fellow soldiers,” said Terronez. “I keep in touch with these men and women, helping them navigate the enrollment process so they can start using their military education benefits upon their return.”

Terronez offers support to students as they acclimate to the rigors of college life, but also helps them adjust to the different dynamics of civilian life. “Some of these veterans are coming home with very specific needs. We are fortunate to partner with a number of valuable community resources for veterans. It’s great to work at a college that supports my efforts to provide the very best to our military students.”

Now in its fourth year, the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools was compiled through research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 VA-approved schools nationwide, according to Victory media. Kirkwood has been recognized as a Military Friendly School all four years.

Schools on the Military Friendly Schools list also offer additional benefits to student veterans such as on-campus veterans programs, credit for service, military spouse programs and more.

A full story and detailed list of 2013 Military Friendly Schools ® will be highlighted in the annual G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools ®, distributed in print and digital format to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel in early October.  The Guide and associated media will also be featured at the Carrier Classic college basketball game on Nov. 9, between Ohio State and Marquette on the deck of the USS Yorktown. Both participating schools are on this year’s list of Military Friendly Schools.

ABOUT Victory Media Inc
Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001. Victory’s free, data-driven, Military Friendly ® lists can be found at www.gijobs.com/2012Top100, www.militaryfriendlyschools.com and www.militaryfranchising.com. Victory’s lists are also published in G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, Vetrepreneur magazines, republished in national and local periodicals and are frequently cited on national and local TV stations.
reprinted from a Kirkwood Community College press release

Sailors Missing from Vietnam War Identified (including an Iowan)

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that a Navy pilot, missing from the Vietnam War, has been accounted for and will be buried with full military honors along with his crew. 

Navy Lt. Dennis W. Peterson of Huntington Park, Calif., was the pilot of a SH-3A helicopter that crashed in Ha Nam Province, North Vietnam.  Peterson was accounted for on March 30, 2012.  Also, aboard the aircraft was Ensign Donald P. Frye of Los Angeles, Calif.; Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Technicians William B. Jackson of Stockdale, Texas; and Donald P. McGrane of Waverly, Iowa.  The crew will be buried, as a group, on May 2 at Arlington National Cemetery.  

On July 19, 1967, the four servicemen took off from the USS Hornet aboard an SH-3A Sea King helicopter, on a search and rescue mission looking for a downed pilot in Ha Nam Province, North Vietnam.  During the mission, an enemy concealed 37mm gun position targeted the helicopter as it flew in.  The helicopter was hit by the anti-aircraft gunfire, causing the aircraft to lose control, catch fire and crash, killing all four servicemen. 

In October 1982, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated five boxes of remains to U.S. officials.  In 2009, the remains within the boxes were identified as Frye, Jackson, and McGrane.             

In 1993, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team, investigated a loss in Ha Nam Province.  The team interviewed local villagers who identified possible burial sites linked to the loss.  One local claimed to have buried two of the crewmen near the wreckage, but indicated that both graves had subsequently been exhumed.  

Between 1994 and 2000, three joint U.S./S.R.V. teams excavated the previous site and recovered human remains and aircraft wreckage that correlated to the crew's SH-3A helicopter.  In 2000, U.S. personnel excavated the crash site recovering additional remains.  Analysis from the Joint POW/MIA Command Central Identification Laboratory subsequently designated these additional remains as the co-mingled remains of all four crewmen, including Peterson. 

DoD scientists used forensic tools and circumstantial evidence in the identification of the remains.  

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1420.

 

Soldiers Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that a Navy pilot, missing from the Vietnam War, has been accounted for and will be buried with full military honors along with his crew. 

Navy Lt. Dennis W. Peterson of Huntington Park, Calif., was the pilot of a SH-3A helicopter that crashed in Ha Nam Province, North Vietnam.  Peterson was accounted for on March 30, 2012.  Also, aboard the aircraft was Ensign Donald P. Frye of Los Angeles, Calif.; Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Technicians William B. Jackson of Stockdale, Texas; and Donald P. McGrane of Waverly, Iowa.  The crew will be buried, as a group, on May 2 at Arlington National Cemetery.  

On July 19, 1967, the four servicemen took off from the USS Hornet aboard an SH-3A Sea King helicopter, on a search and rescue mission looking for a downed pilot in Ha Nam Province, North Vietnam.  During the mission, an enemy concealed 37mm gun position targeted the helicopter as it flew in.  The helicopter was hit by the anti-aircraft gunfire, causing the aircraft to lose control, catch fire and crash, killing all four servicemen. 

In October 1982, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated five boxes of remains to U.S. officials.  In 2009, the remains within the boxes were identified as Frye, Jackson, and McGrane.             

In 1993, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team, investigated a loss in Ha Nam Province.  The team interviewed local villagers who identified possible burial sites linked to the loss.  One local claimed to have buried two of the crewmen near the wreckage, but indicated that both graves had subsequently been exhumed.  

Between 1994 and 2000, three joint U.S./S.R.V. teams excavated the previous site and recovered human remains and aircraft wreckage that correlated to the crew's SH-3A helicopter.  In 2000, U.S. personnel excavated the crash site recovering additional remains.  Analysis from the Joint POW/MIA Command Central Identification Laboratory subsequently designated these additional remains as the co-mingled remains of all four crewmen, including Peterson. 

DoD scientists used forensic tools and circumstantial evidence in the identification of the remains.  

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1420.

Soldier Missing from Korean War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that a serviceman, who was unaccounted-for from the Korean War, has been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. 

Army Lt. Col. Don C. Faith Jr. of Washington, Ind., will be buried April 17, in Arlington National Cemetery.  Faith was a veteran of World War II and went on to serve in the Korean War.  In late 1950, Faith's 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, which was attached to the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), was advancing along the eastern side of the Chosin Reservoir, in North Korea.  From Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces (CPVF) encircled and attempted to overrun the U.S. position.  During this series of attacks, Faith's commander went missing, and Faith assumed command of the 31st RCT.  As the battle continued, the 31st RCT, which came to be known as "Task Force Faith," was forced to withdraw south along Route 5 to a more defensible position.  During the withdrawal, Faith continuously rallied his troops, and personally led an assault on a CPVF position. 

Records compiled after the battle of the Chosin Reservoir, to include eyewitness reports from survivors of the battle, indicated that Faith was seriously injured by shrapnel on Dec. 1, 1950, and subsequently died from those injuries on Dec. 2, 1950.  His body was not recovered by U.S. forces at that time.  Faith was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor­­ - the United States' highest military honor - for personal acts of exceptional valor during the battle. 

In 2004, a joint U.S. and Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (D.P.R.K) team surveyed the area where Faith was last seen.  His remains were located and returned to the U.S. for identification. 

To identify Faith's remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence, compiled by DPMO and JPAC researchers, and forensic identification tools, such as dental comparison.  They also used mitochondrial DNA - which matched Faith's brother. 

Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War.  Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously turned over by North Korean officials or recovered from North Korea by American teams. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Soldier Missing from World War II Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman from World War II have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.  

Army 1st Lt. John E. Terpning, of Mount Prospect, Ill., will be buried on April 3, in Arlington National Cemetery.  On May 7, 1944, Terpning was a pilot of a B-24D Liberator that departed Nadzab, New Guinea on a bombing mission.  Due to mechanical troubles, the B-24D was delayed in departing the airbase and was unable to join the formation after takeoff.  The aircraft, Terpning, nor the nine other crewmen aboard the plane were seen after takeoff.  In 1946, the War Department declared all ten men to be presumed dead. 

In 1973, a Papua New Guinea Forest Department official reported a wartime aircraft in the mountains northeast of the city of Lae.  In October 1973, a team of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) responded to the report and visited the site, where they found aircraft wreckage that corresponded to that of a B-24D.  At that time the RAAF recovered possible human remains, which were transferred to the U.S. Army Mortuary in Tachikawa, Japan; however, given the limited technology at the time, no human remains were individually identified.  In 1974, the remains were buried as a group at Arlington National Cemetery. 

In April 2008, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) team was sent to investigate and survey the crash site.  The team recovered aircraft wreckage, including a radio call sign data plate that matched the aircraft, from a B-24D and additional remains. 

To identify the remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools such as dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA, which matched Terpning's brother. 

At the end of World War II, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans.  Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Please Report Stolen Identities of Tyler Davin

There have been numerous reports of someone posing as my son, Tyler Davin, using his photos on dating websites and Facebook.  I have seen one Facebook account calling himself Peter Tyler Davin.  Another report is the use of the name Timothy Davino with a photo of Tyler.  

If you come across someone posing as Tyler, please email me at nancy.davin@yahoo.com along with the URL of the website and the username of the individual posing as Tyler Davin.

Please do not send this person any money.  

Thank you.

Red Cross Workshop: Coping with Deployments

The Red Cross is offering a free online “Coping with Deployments” workshop. This is the online version of the popular course they run through their Services to the Armed Forces division. The Red Cross worked closely with subject-matter experts from all service branches—along with their National Guard and Reserve components—to create the course that helps military families with learn psychological resilience and first aid; helps children understand and cope; and connects families to assistance resources and referrals.

 

To access the class, click here. 

Click “View the Catalog.” 

Select the “Courses” tab.  

Select the category “Military Families Support” 

Click “Search Learning Catalog.” 

A list of courses will populate and click on “Coping with Deployments” to download the program. (You have to technically “register,” but since it’s an online course and has no set date, choose whichever dates you’d like.)

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

 

Iowa National Guard prepares for peace Soldiers should see fewer, shorter deployments

(reprinted from The Gazette, 1/11/2013)

CAMP DODGE — Changes are in store for the Iowa National Guard as relative peace replaces more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The tempo will slow to a pace not seen for the past 12 years,” said Maj. Gen. Tim Orr, the Iowa Guard’s adjutant general.

For Guard members and their families, the most obvious anticipated change will be fewer, smaller, shorter and less dangerous deployments, he said.

The Guard will, however, “remain an operational force, trained and ready to resume combat roles when called upon,” Orr said.

Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Orr said the Guard changed suddenly from a strategic reserve to an operational force, with a beefed-up budget to fund more intense, combat-specific training and upgraded equipment. For the foreseeable future, he said, the Guard will make do with much less funding.

“The world can change on short notice, and the Army realizes we are probably going to be called on again, but for now we are maintaining our relevance through training and preparation,” said Col. Ben Corell, who commanded the 2nd Brigade Combat Team during the Guard’s recent Afghanistan deployment.

The challenge, he said, is maintaining readiness in a peacetime environment.
“It’s hard to duplicate the focus and intensity that soldiers have when they know they are going to war,” said Corell, a Strawberry Point native who has been deployed to combat zones four times in the past 10 years.

The extent of the forthcoming budget cuts “remains to be seen and will depend on the strategic environment around the world,” Iowa Guard spokesman Col. Greg Hapgood said.

Maintaining numbers

The Guard’s shrunken budget will not, however, result in a substantial reduction in force, he said.

Hapgood said a high percentage of Iowa Guard troops served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
“During that time we’ve lost 22 members in combat operations, which includes deaths from wounds, accidents and illnesses,” Hapgood said.

The Iowa Guard’s most recent deployment — about 40 soldiers in the 186th Military Police Company sent off Dec. 2 for service in Honduras — will be typical of most deployments in the immediate future, Hapgood said. Their mission will be disaster relief, humanitarian aid, strengthening a regional ally and countering transnational crime.

A major casualty of the downsizing will be the Iowa Air National Guard’s detachment of 21 F-16 aircraft, which will be moved from Des Moines under provisions of a federal defense bill recently approved by Congress.

Orr said about 32 Iowa Guard positions are expected to be eliminated when the 132nd Fighter Wing is replaced in Des Moines by three smaller units, including one that will remotely fly unmanned aircraft and another that will analyze the data collected.

Training simulators

Hapgood said the Guard is reducing its training expenses by taking advantage of combat simulators.

The Iowa Guard uses the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000, an elaborate $1.4 million computer system, for marksmanship training and combat scenarios including shoot/don’t shoot situations.

“The sound, recoil, shape and heft of the weapon — everything is realistic except the bullets,” said Staff Sgt. Beaumont Pierson, who manages the EST 2000 at Camp Dodge, the Iowa Guard’s headquarters in Johnston.

Using the EST 2000, “a whole battalion can accomplish its weapons training goals in a single weekend,” said Pierson of Remsen.

Capt. Kent Greiner said the Iowa Guard’s eight EST 2000 units save both time and money, compressing training sessions, reducing transportation expenses and eliminating the cost of ammunition.

“It gets troops on target much faster and expedites diagnosis of shooting problems,” said Greiner, a company commander with the Guard’s 168th Infantry Regiment.
The system accommodates every weapon typically used by an Army platoon, from pistols and rifles to machine guns and grenade launchers.

The Guard’s training also includes equipment that simulates rollovers with two common Army vehicles — the Humvee and the MRAP (mine-resistant ambush-protected) vehicle.
Soldiers in combat need to understand how to safely exit a wrecked vehicle and how to defend themselves when they do, said Greiner, whose company experienced two MRAP rollovers while serving in Afghanistan last year.

“You can’t be wrecking Humvees for training,” said Greiner, a Dike native who served with the Guard’s 1-133rd Iron Man Battalion in its marathon Iraq deployment in 2006 and 2007.

Sgt. First Class Steven Webb of Indianola (from left), Chief Warrant Officer 3 Mike Baldus of Boone and Sgt. James Prince of Mason City work on exiting an upside-down MRAP Egress Trainer at Camp Dodge in Johnston on Dec. 19, 2012. The simulator can roll at different speeds and different directions so soldiers can understand the disorientation caused by a rollover and then learn to safely exit the vehicle with their team. The exercise also is performed with the lights out to simulate nighttime conditions. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Army Women’s Foundation Announces 2013 Legacy Scholarships

Applications Being Taken Now Through Feb. 1^st, 2013

 

WASHINGTON, January 8, 2013 —The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation (AWF) today begins taking applications for their 2013 Legacy Scholarships.  Tens of thousands of dollars in support is available to Army women and their lineal descendants, earning various certificates or undergraduate degrees at community colleges, or 4-year institutions. The awards are based on merit, academic potential, community service and need. 

 

Applications are available online at www.awfdn.org, and must be post-marked by February 1^st, 2013.  The winners will be announced at the AWF Annual Symposium and Hall of Fame Luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. March 12, 2013.  The event will also recognize Army women who have paved the way for others, including Women Who Served in the Korean War, on the conflict’s 60^th anniversary. A symposium will explore issues facing Army women as they transition into civilian careers, family or further military service.

 

Last year, seven women were awarded Legacy Scholarships with awards ranging from $1,000 - $2,500.  The winners ranged from active duty to retired soldiers; some were single mothers, and at least one was a wounded warrior.

 

“An important part of our mission at AWF is to provide this support for women to achieve their career goals,” says AWF President Dee McWilliams. “At a time when education costs are going up, we need to give a boost for Army women to succeed in all phases of their lives. The Legacy Scholarships are a great help to many women who may not otherwise get their degrees.”

 

ABOUT THE U.S ARMY WOMEN’S FOUNDATION

The U.S. Army Women’s Foundation is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which fosters education excellence through its scholarship program, serves as a national network for today’s Army women, and is a dynamic advocate for recording the history of Army women.  It is dedicated to women who serve or have served in the U.S. Army. Originally established in 1969, the Foundation is headquartered in Fort Lee, Va.  For more information, visit www.awfdn.org.

Soldier KIA During Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, killed in action during the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Capt. James M. Johnstone, of Baton Rouge, La., will be buried Dec. 12, in Arlington National Cemetery.  On Nov. 19, 1966, Johnstone was the pilot of an OV-1A Mohawk aircraft that crashed while conducting a daytime reconnaissance mission over Attapu Province, Laos.  Nearby U.S. aircrews reported seeing the wing of Johnstone's aircraft hit a tree during a climb to avoid a nearby ridgeline.  No parachutes were seen exiting the aircraft.  Heavy enemy presence in the area prevented recovery efforts. 

From 1993 to 2009, joint U.S.-Lao People's Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), interviewed multiple witnesses, and conducted several investigations and excavations of the crash site in Attapu Province.  The teams located human remains, military equipment, an identification card bearing Johnstone's name, and aircraft wreckage of an OV-1A, which correlated with the last known location of Johnstone's aircraft. 

To identify the remains, scientists from JPAC analyzed circumstantial evidence and used forensic identification tools, such as dental comparisons. 

Today, the U.S. government continues to work closely with the governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to recover Americans lost during the Vietnam War. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

"Your Son's Identity has been Stolen from Facebook"

For the benefit of everyone, I've decided to explain why I recently pulled down My Yellow Ribbon for a little more than a month.

About 6 weeks ago, I received an email from a woman who identified herself as retired Air Force.  The subject of the email was "Your son's identity has been stolen from Facebook" and it read as follows:

Dear Ms. Davin,
            I’m writing to you because I have tried to contact your son, Tyler, through Facebook and not sure that he received my message.  This is going to sound really off the wall, but please trust that I’m trying to warn your son and your family of identity theft.  I really feel nervous about writing to you and your son about this, but if it happened to me I would want someone to come forward and let me know.

            My name is Theresa and I signed up to a dating website for military members.  I’m retired Air Force of 24 years and returned from deployment in 2007.  Anyway, I got a message from a guy who was interested and after talking to him for 2 days, I realized that he was a fraud. This man was pretending to be your son.  He sent me three pictures of your son, told me about where he lived and what he did in the military.  There was quite a bit of personal information that this man was telling me, in detail.  This guy didn’t know that I was prior military, so some of the stuff he was telling me I knew was not true.  So, I started asking more specific questions and started investigating.  I found your son on Facebook by his last name and I knew what unit he was assigned to by the patches on his arm in the pictures that were sent to me.  So, I tried to find Sgt Davin to warn him.  I feel that it is very important that he puts a red flag on his credit and whatever else to protect his identity.  I have already reported the scam to the FBI (no lie, I really did).  I, also, have an appointment this Thursday with the US Attorney’s office to turn over all documentation that I have.  I was actually contacted by phone by a Muslim man trying to get me to pay for Sgt Davin’s luggage to be returned to the states….lol  This scam was very crazy.  I kept, and documented, everything. 

            I think your son thinks I’m crazy…lol  I’m just trying to protect a fellow soldier from further identity theft.  I found your e-mail from your blog website : http://my-yellow-ribbon.blogspot.com/p/my-yellow-ribbon-story-by-soldiers.html.  I understand that this sounds bizarre, and trust me, it was a trip for me too knowing that people from other countries really get away with this stuff.  Anyway, if it’s not too intrusive, I will e-mail you Thursday afternoon after I return from the US Attorney’s office to let you know what they advised.  I will have to give them the information that I received from these foreigners about your son.  I’m sure that you and your family will not be contacted or disturbed, but with great respect, feel that you should at least know what is going on.  If you have any questions, I don’t mind if you call me.  My cell phone is XXX-XXX-XXXX.  I live in NE Oklahoma and work at the Department of Veterans Affairs while attending Northeastern State University as a Psych major.  I, also, have two teenage children.  So you can see why this has me up in arms. 

            Again, I apologize for any inconveniences that I may have caused you.  Please take care and God Bless you and your family.

 

Sincerely and Respectfully,

Theresa (last name withheld)

Because I wasn't sure if the photos and information was stolen from Facebook or the blog, I opted to remove My Yellow Ribbon from public view.  As a precaution, I advised Tyler to put a fraud report on his SSN and to limit the viewership to his photos.  As this story played out, Theresa did speak with the FBI and US Attorney's office, but unfortunately they are inundated with these reports and there is little they can do.  I asked Theresa to verify her identity by sending me a copy of her DD214, which she did quickly and sent along with other military IDs.  I was encouraged by others to verify that I wasn't being scammed.

Nonetheless, not much ever came from it.  She did share with me the photos of Tyler and the texts that were sent to her claiming to be my son.  In fact, this person tried to extort money from her by claiming to have luggage stuck in Pakistan and he requested she help him get his luggage back.  Interestingly, Tyler did have some belongings stolen from the Conex at the end of his deployment before he was stateside.

I write about this to alert you why it's important that you protect your photos by limiting the audience.  If you post photos on Facebook, limit the viewing to your "friends only" or at a maximum "friends of friends."  It's creepy that it's so easy to copy someone's identity.  As it turns out, I think it's unlikely that the scammer was able to obtain any personal information. 

So, who can see and copy your photos?

Soldier Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Sgt. John R. Jones, of Louisville, Ky., will be buried Dec. 6, in Arlington National Cemetery.  On June 4, 1971, Jones was part of a U.S. team working with indigenous commandos to defend a radio-relay base, known as Hickory Hill, in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam.  When enemy forces attacked the site, Jones and another serviceman took up a defensive position in a nearby bunker.  The following morning, Jones was reportedly killed by enemy fire and the other soldier was captured and held as a POW until 1973.

From 1993 to 2010, joint U.S.-Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted several investigations, surveyed the site and interviewed multiple witnesses, including those involved in the battle.  During that time, analysts from JPAC and DPMO evaluated wartime records and eyewitness accounts to determine possible excavation sites.  In 2011, another joint U.S.-S.R.V team located human remains in a bunker suspected to be the last known location of Jones. 

For the identification of the remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, such as dental records and mitochondrial DNA that matched Jones' mother and brother. 

Since 1973 more than 900 servicemen have been accounted for from the Vietnam War, and returned to their families for burial with military honors.  The U.S. government continues to work closely with the governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to recover all Americans lost in the conflict. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Native Iowan Serving on Active Duty Killed in Afghanistan

The Department of Defense regrets to announce the death of Algona, Iowa native Sgt. Joseph A. Richardson, 23, serving on active duty in the U.S. Army. Richardson died Nov. 16 during a patrol in Paktika province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an Improvised Explosive Device and small arms fire.

Also killed in the attack was Sgt. Channing B. Hicks, 24, of Greer, S.C. Both Soldiers were assigned as infantrymen to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. 

Richardson was assigned to the 1st ID in October 2008 and had previously served in Iraq with this unit. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.

Richardson was born Sept. 10, 1989 and grew up in Algona, Iowa. He attended Seton Elementary in Algona from kindergarten through 6th grade, and Algona High School from 7th through 9th grade, and graduated from Booneville (Ark.) High School in 2008. While in high school, Richardson participated in drama, golf, cross country, and Future Farmers of America. He was nominated and participated in the Booneville High School Mr. and Miss Pageant his junior year. Richardson worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken and Sonic in Arkansas prior to joining the Army in June 2008.
 
His awards and decorations include: the Bronze Star Medal (posthumous); Purple Heart (posthumous); Army Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with Campaign Star); Iraq Campaign Medal (with Campaign Star); Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Ribbon (posthumous); and the Combat Infantry Badge.
 
The family of Sgt. Joseph Richardson issued the following statement:
“He was eager to come into this world and lived his life full of energy and with passion for everything he did.  He loved his family and friends. Joe was always on the move and liked by everyone. There wasn’t a time that you spent with Joe that he wasn’t laughing or joking around.  Everywhere you would go you would find someone that knew him or just loved how full of life he was.

“He met his wife Ashley Marie and fell deeply in love. You could see the love between them…it showed in both of their eyes. Joe and Ashley had just celebrated their second wedding anniversary on November 5th. He had planned on coming home and starting his family with her. Joe had just re-enlisted for  six more years in the Army.  He loved his job; he loved fighting for his country and our freedom.

“Joe loved his brothers in arms and had said he wanted to go to Afghanistan. He wanted to make sure that his brothers, his family, came home safe. Joe was always one to help, no matter what.”
Funeral arrangements are pending and details will be provided as they become available. The Richardson family asks that their privacy be respected at this time. For more information regarding Sgt. Richardson, media may contact the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs Office at (785) 239-3033/3358/2022, or the Iowa National Guard Public Affairs Office (contact information listed below).

For additional questions concerning this release, please contact Col. Greg Hapgood, Iowa National Guard Public Affairs Officer, at (515) 252-4582 (office), (515) 971-6385 or by email at gregory.hapgood@us.army.mil or Master Sgt. Duff E. McFadden at (515) 252-4666 (office), (515) 480-7647 (cell), or by e-mail at duff.e.mcfadden@us.army.mil .

Airmen Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of two servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be buried, as a group, with full military honors. 

Air Force Col. Wendell Keller of Fargo, N.D., and Capt. Virgil K. Meroney III of Fayetteville, Ark., will be buried as a group, in a single casket representing the crew, on Oct. 19, in Arlington National Cemetery.  Meroney was interred individually on June 9, in his hometown. 

On March 1, 1969, Keller and Meroney were the crew of an F-4D Phantom II aircraft that crashed while carrying out a nighttime strike mission in Khammouan Province, Laos.  Nearby U.S. aircrews reported seeing the aircraft hit by enemy fire.  No parachutes were seen after the aircraft was hit.  Heavy enemy presence in the area prevented recovery efforts.  

From 1994 to 2011, joint U.S.-Lao People's Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) teams, led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted several investigations and excavations of the crash site in Khammouan Province, Laos.  The teams located human remains, military equipment, a military identification card, and aircraft wreckage of an F-4, including an engine data plate and radio call-sign plate.  During the 17 years of investigations, analysts evaluated the material evidence and the accounts of more than 40 eyewitnesses to confirm the information correlated with the crew's loss location. 

To identify the remains, scientists from JPAC used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools including dental comparisons and radiograph comparisons.

Today, 1,655 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.  The U.S. government continues to work closely with the governments of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to recover Americans lost during the Vietnam War. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Seven Marines Missing in Action from WWII Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of seven servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being buried with full military honors.  

Marine Corps 1st Lt. Laverne A. Lallathin of Raymond, Wash.; 2nd Lt. Dwight D. Ekstam of Moline, Ill.; 2nd Lt. Walter B. Vincent, Jr. of Tulsa, Okla.; Tech. Sgt. James A. Sisney of Redwood City, Calif.; Cpl. Wayne R. Erickson of Minneapolis; Cpl. John D. Yeager of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Pfc. John A. Donovan of Plymouth, Mich., will be buried as a group, in a single casket representing the crew, on Oct. 4, in Arlington National Cemetery.  Six of the Marines were identified and buried as individuals previously this year.  Lallathin, also individually identified, will be interred individually at Arlington on the same day as the group interment.

On April 22, 1944, the Marines were aboard a PBJ-1 aircraft that failed to return from a night training mission over the island of Espiritu Santo, in what is known today as Vanuatu.  None of the seven crew members were recovered at that time, and in 1945 they were officially presumed deceased.  

In 1994, a group of private citizens notified the U.S. that aircraft wreckage had been found on the island of Espiritu Santo.  Human remains were recovered from the site at that time and turned over to the Department of Defense. 

In 1999, a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) survey team traveled to the location.  The crash site was located at an elevation of 2,600 ft., in extremely rugged terrain, and the team determined that specialized mountain training would be necessary to safely complete a recovery mission.  From 2000 to 2011, multiple JPAC recovery teams excavated the site and recovered human remains, aircraft parts and military equipment. 

To identify the remains, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) evaluated circumstantial evidence and mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of the Marines' family members.

Today, more than 73,000 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the conflict. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Airman Missing from WWII Identified: Samuel E. Lunday

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. 

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Samuel E. Lunday, of Marianna, Fla., will be buried today, at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, DC.  On April 24, 1943, Lunday and four other U.S. servicemen were flying a C-87 Liberator Express aircraft over the Himalayan Mountains, from Yangkai, China, to their home base in Chabua, India.  After losing radio communications following take-off, the crew was never heard from again.  Eleven aerial search missions were unable to locate the aircraft or crew due to intense snows on the mountains at high altitudes, and dense jungle growth at lower altitudes.  

As part of the war effort against the Japanese, U.S. Army Air Forces cargo planes based in India continually airlifted critical supplies over the high mountain ranges that comprise the Himalayas -- known as "The Hump" -- in support of American airbases in China.  The amount of materiel flown over the Himalayas was a logistical achievement unparalleled at the time. 

Almost 60 years later, in 2003, an American citizen discovered the wreckage of the C-87 aircraft while trekking in the mountains, approximately 100 miles from Chabua, near the Burmese border.  He recovered the aircraft's identification plate, military equipment and human remains.  The artifacts and remains were turned over to U.S. officials for analysis.  Attempts to excavate the site are being negotiated with the Indian government. 

To determine the identity of the remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and mitochondrial DNA -- which matched that of Lunday's nephews. 

Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died.  Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, call 703-699-1169 or visit the DPMO Web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo .

Marine Missing in Action from Korean War Identified: Richard S. Gzik

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. 

Marine Pfc. Richard S. Gzik, of Toledo, Ohio, will be buried today, at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, DC.  On Dec. 2, 1950, Gzik and the other Marines of M Battery, 11th Artillery Regiment, 1st Marine Division, came under attack on the west side of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea.  It was during this battle that Gzik was killed in action and his remains were buried alongside the road leading to Hagaru-ri.  Later that month, the withdrawal of U.N. forces from the Chosin Reservoir region made it impossible to recover Gzik's remains. 

In 1954, United Nations and Communist Forces exchanged the remains of war dead in what came to be called "Operation Glory."  All remains recovered in Operation Glory were turned over to the Army Central Identification Unit for analysis.  Those which were unable to be identified, given the technology of that time, were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii -- the "Punchbowl."  

In 2012, analysts from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) re-examined the case records and determined that advances in technology could likely aid in the identification of the unknown remains as Gzik.  Once the remains were exhumed, scientists from JPAC used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including dental records and radiographs, to validate Gzik's identification.   

Using modern technology, identifications continue to be made from remains that were previously buried as unknown.  Today, 7,947 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War.  

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, call 703-699-1169, or visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo .

 

9/11 Tribute

On the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in NYC, I'm reposting those Budweiser commercial which was aired only once.  There are many deserving videos and tributes, but this one is very neat.  May God bless the families and survivors of 9/11.  Enjoy.

VA Mobilizes Veterans’ Supporters for Suicide Prevention Month: Veterans’ Communities, Families Asked to ‘Stand by Them’

WASHINGTON (Sept. 10, 2012) -- In recognition of September as Suicide Prevention Month, the Department of Veterans Affairs is calling on individuals and communities across the country to show their support for Veterans in crisis and help raise awareness of the VA mental health services Veterans have earned.  The theme for the outreach campaign, “Stand by Them,” is part of a joint VA and Department of Defense (DoD) effort focused on Veteran and Servicemember support networks, especially their friends and family members, who may be the first to realize a Veteran or Servicemember is in crisis.

“History shows that the costs of war will continue to grow for a decade or more after the wars have ended,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.  “The mental health and well-being of our brave men and women who have served the Nation is the highest priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs.”

Throughout September and beyond, VA is partnering with the DoD and other agencies, while urging community-based organizations, Veterans Service Organizations, health care providers, private companies to stand by Veterans and Servicemembers.  These groups can educate their networks—including Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ friends and family members—about recognizing suicide risk and encouraging those at risk to call the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255 and Press 1), chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net or text to 838255. 

On Aug. 31, President Obama issued his historic Executive Order to improve mental health services for Veterans, Servicemembers and military families.  As directed in the Executive Order, VA and DoD launched the joint “Stand by Them” outreach campaign.  VA is also increasing the workforce of the crisis line by 50 percent and hiring 1,600 new mental health professionals and 300 support staff. 

“Knowing the signs of crisis and where to turn for support can help save a life,” said Deputy Secretary for Veterans Affairs W. Scott Gould.  “Everyone can make a difference. We encourage Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ loved ones and members of the community to show their support for them during Suicide Prevention Month by becoming familiar with the signs of suicide risk and doing their part to let all Veterans and Servicemembers know that confidential support is only a call, click or text away.”

Supporters can work with local Suicide Prevention Coordinators—located at each VA Medical Center across the country—to coordinate special outreach events that encourage the public to make a difference in the lives of Veterans.  In September, these local coordinators will host seminars, organize health fairs, conduct training and information sessions, join in community events, organize events at their facilities and provide local organizations with educational and promotional material to distribute to Veterans and their loved ones.

Today, VA is also launching a new national public service announcement “Side by Side” that focuses on the important role family and community play in supporting Veterans in crisis. To view it, please visit:  http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/materials/spmsupport/files/side-by-side-SD-eng-60-cc.wmv)

VA is also encouraging people to show their support for Veterans by signing an online pledge at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net to learn the signs of a crisis and spread the word about the Veterans Crisis Line among Veterans and their friends and family members.  Supporters can share the pledge through social media and download special Suicide Prevention Month web banners, posters and flyers.

The Veterans Crisis Line, online chat and text messaging services offer free, confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to Veterans, their families and friends.  Veterans or anyone concerned about a Veteran can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net or text 838255 to receive support—even if they are not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care.

Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered more than 650,000 calls and made more than 23,000 life-saving rescues.  In 2009 the Veterans Crisis Line added the anonymous chat service, which has helped more than 65,000 people. 

To learn more about Suicide Prevention Month or to find a VA Suicide Prevention Coordinator near you, visit www.VeteransCrisisLine.net. For more information about VA’s mental health resources, please visit www.mentalhealth.va.gov.

Three MIA from Vietnam War identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, were recently identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Sgt. 1^st Class William T. Brown of La Habra, Calif., Sgt. 1^st Class Donald M. Shue of Kannapolis, N.C., and Sgt. 1^st Class Gunther H. Wald of Palisades Park, N.J., will be buried as a group on Aug. 30, in a single casket representing the three soldiers, in Arlington National Cemetery.  Brown and Shue were each individually buried on Sept. 26, 2011, at Arlington and May 1 in Kannapolis, N.C.

On Nov. 3, 1969, the menand six Vietnamese soldiers were part of a Special Forces reconnaissance patrol operating in Quang Tri Province, near the Vietnam-Laos border.  The patrol was ambushed by enemy forces and all three Americans were wounded.   Brown was reported to have suffered a gunshot wound to his side.  Due to heavy enemy presence and poor weather conditions, the search-and-rescue team was not able to reach the site until eight days later.  At that time, they found military equipment belonging to Shue, but no other signs of the men. 

Between 1993 and 2010, joint United States/Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), conducted multiple interviews on nine different occasions in Quang Tri Province.  Additionally, the S.R.V. teams unilaterally investigated this case, but were unable to develop new leads.  Among those interviewed by the joint teams were former Vietnamese militiamen who claimed in 1969 they ambushed three Americans in the area near the Laos-Vietnam border.  In 2007, a Vietnamese citizen led investigators to human remains that he had discovered and buried near the site of the ambush.  In 2008, a military identification tag for Brown was turned over to the U.S. Government from a U.S. citizen with ties to Vietnam.  Finally, in April 2010, joint teams excavated a hilltop area near Huong Lap Village, recovering additional human remains, military equipment, another military identification tag for Brown, and a "Zippo" lighter bearing the name "Donald M. Shue" and the date "1969." 

Scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial and material evidence, along with mitochondrial DNA - which matched that of some of the soldiers' family members - in the identification of the remains.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, call 703- 699-1169 or visit the DPMO Web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo.

Missouri Airman Missing in Action from WWII Identified: Staff Sgt. John Hogan

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, has been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors. 

Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. John E. Hogan, of West Plains, Mo., will be buried Aug. 24, in Arlington National Cemetery.  On Sept. 13, 1944, Hogan and eight other crew members were on a B-17G Flying Fortress that crashed near Neustädt-on-Werra, Germany.  Only one of the crewmen is known to have successfully parachuted out of the aircraft before in crashed.  The remaining eight crewmen were buried by German forces in a cemetery in Neustädt.  

Following the war, U.S. Army Graves Registration personnel attempted to recover the remains of the eight men, but were only able to move the remains of one man to a U.S. military cemetery in Holland.  In 1953, with access to eastern Germany restricted by the Soviet Union, the remains of the seven unaccounted for crewmen were declared non-recoverable.   

In 1991, a German national who was digging a grave in the cemetery in Neustädt, discovered a metal U.S. military identification tag and notified officials.  Due to German burial law, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) wasn't granted access to the site until 2007 and excavated the location in 2008.  The team recovered human remains and additional metal identification tags from three of the crewmembers. 

Scientists from JPAC used forensic identification tools, circumstantial evidence and mitochondrial DNA which matched that of Hogan's cousin in the identification of his remains.   

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans.  Today, more than 73,000 are unaccounted for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Suicide Rate Amongst Military is Astounding

The Army released suicide data today for the month of July.  During July, among active-duty soldiers, there were 26 potential suicides:  one has been confirmed as suicide and 25 remain under investigation.  For June, the Army reported 11 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers; since the release of that report, one case has been added for a total of 12 cases:  two have been confirmed as suicides and 10 remain under investigation.  For 2012, there have been 116 potential active-duty suicides:  66 have been confirmed as suicides and 50 remain under investigation.  Active-duty suicide number for 2011:  165 confirmed as suicides and no cases under investigation.

During July, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 12 potential suicides (nine Army National Guard and three Army Reserve):  one has been confirmed as suicide and 11 remain under investigation.  For June, among that same group, the Army reported 12 potential suicides (nine Army National Guard and three Army Reserve):  seven have been confirmed as suicides and five remain under investigation.  The Army previously reported 10 Army National Guard and two Army Reserve cases for June.  Subsequent to that report, one Army National Guard case was removed due to a change in manner of death to non-suicide and one Army Reserve case was added.  For 2012, there have been 71 potential not on active-duty suicides (44 Army National Guard and 27 Army Reserve):  54 have been confirmed as suicides and 17 remain under investigation.  Not on active-duty suicide numbers for 2011:  118 (82 Army National Guard and 36 Army Reserve) confirmed as suicides and no cases under investigation.

"Suicide is the toughest enemy I have faced in my 37 years in the Army.  And, it's an enemy that's killing not just soldiers, but tens of thousands of Americans every year.  That said, I do believe suicide is preventable.  To combat it effectively will require sophisticated solutions aimed at helping individuals to build resiliency and strengthen their life coping skills.  As we prepare for Suicide Prevention Month in September we also recognize that we must continue to address the stigma associated with behavioral health.  Ultimately, we want the mindset across our force and society at large to be that behavioral health is a routine part of what we do and who we are as we strive to maintain our own physical and mental wellness," said Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, vice chief of staff of the Army.

Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  Trained consultants are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and can be contacted by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or by visiting their website at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org .

Army leaders can access current health promotion guidance in newly revised Army Regulation 600-63 (Health Promotion) at:  http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_63.pdf and Army Pamphlet 600-24 (Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention) at http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/p600_24.pdf .

The Army's comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at  http://www.preventsuicide.army.mil .

Suicide prevention training resources for Army families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials).

Information about Military OneSource is located at http://www.militaryonesource.com or by dialing the toll-free number 1-800-342-9647 for those residing in the continental United States.  Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource website for dialing instructions for their specific location.

Information about the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf.

The Defense Center for Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at Resources@DCoEOutreach.org and at http://www.dcoe.health.mil.

The website for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is http://www.afsp.org, and the Suicide Prevention Resource Council site is found at http://www.sprc.org/index.asp.

Press Release from the Department of Defense, 8/16/2012.

Airmen Missing from Vietnam War Identified: Air Force Lt. Col. Charles M. Walling

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of two servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Air Force Lt. Col. Charles M. Walling of Phoenix, Ariz., and Maj. Aado Kommendant of Lakewood, N.J., will be buried as a group at Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 8 -- the 46th anniversary of the crash that took their lives.  Walling was individually buried on June 15, at Arlington National Cemetery.

On Aug. 8, 1966, Walling and Kommendant were the crew of an F-4C aircraft that crashed while on a close air support mission over Song Be Province, Vietnam.  Other Americans in the area reported seeing the aircraft crash and no parachutes being deployed.  Search and rescue efforts were not successful in the days following the crash. 

In 1992, a joint U.S.-Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) team investigated the crash site and interviewed a local Vietnamese citizen who had recovered aircraft pieces from the site.  In 1994, a joint U.S.-S.R.V. team excavated the site and recovered a metal identification tag bearing Walling's name, and other military equipment.  In 2010, the site was excavated again, and additional evidence was recovered, including human remains. 

Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial and material evidence, along with forensic identification tools including mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1169.

Challenges Facing Women Veterans - Feedback Requested

Memo

To:            Department Adjutants, Department Service Officers 

Through:   Verna Jones, VA&R Director, Jacob Gadd, Deputy Director for Healthcare,
Lori Perkio, Women Veterans Coordinator

From:        Michael Helm, Chairman of VA&R

Date:         8/2/2012

Re:            Request feedback on top three challenges affecting women veterans care at VA Medical Facilities

The American Legion’s System Worth Saving Task Force will be conducting a comprehensive review of women veterans programs in its visitations of VA Medical Facilities in the fall of 2012.  

In an effort to understand what concerns women veterans are having with their VA health care, we would like to hear from all of the Department Adjutants, Department Service Officers and women veterans across the country to respond with their three challenges women veterans face with their VA Healthcare.  

Women Veteran Challenges

Challenge 1 –

Challenge 2 –

Challenge 3 - 

Thank you for your participation and providing response to the three major challenges you hear from women veterans regarding their VA healthcare.   Veteran related issues throughout the VA healthcare system are discovered and researched through many resources; however, the most effective way is through local American Legion districts, posts and members that routinely utilize the VA Medical Center for their care.  Your responses and feedback is the foundation of our report to Congress and the American people on what best practices and challenges veterans face with their quality of care at VA. 

Please provide response as soon as possible but no later than August 10, 2012.  You can send your responses to the Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission at var@legion.org or contact us at (202)861-2700.  

Sincerely,

Michael Helm, Chairman,

Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission