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Woman Raises over $394K for Homeless Veteran who Came to Her Aid

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bobbitt

By Debbie Gregory.

The night that Kate McClure ran out of gas could have been a really awful night. Instead, it became a lesson is generosity, kindness, and selflessness.

“My heart was beating out of my chest. I didn’t know what the heck to do,” said McClure.

She called her boyfriend, Mark D’Amico, who told her that he would come and get her.

Johnny Bobbitt, a 34-year-old homeless veteran witnessed Kate’s misfortune. He told her to get back in the car and lock the doors. A few minutes later, the former Marine returned with a red gas can, paid for with his last $20.

Wanting to repay him for his kindness, she provided Bobbitt with a few things to help keep him warm. She also started a GoFundMe page to share the story and raise funds for him. Hoping to raise $10,000 to help Bobbitt get into an apartment, as of this writing, the GoFundMe account stands at over $394K, with more than 14,000 contributors.

Change of plans: instead of an apartment, Bobbitt will get a home of his own. He will also purchase the truck he’s always wanted… a 1999 Ford Ranger.

In order to protect the funds, two trusts will be set up in his name, one that will pay him a living allowance for each year, and a retirement trust that will be carefully invested by a financial planner. Bobbitt will also have a bank account for every day needs.

Bobbitt wants to pay this good fortune forward, and will be donating to a few organizations and people who have helped him get through this rough patch in his life.

On the GoFundMe page, McClure wrote, “I wish that I could do more for this selfless man, who went out of his way just to help me that day. He is such a great guy, and talking to him each time I see him makes me want to help him more and more.”

If you have a story of helping a veteran, we invite you to share it with us. If you don’t, it’s never too late to write one.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Fallen Navy Pilot’s Skills Saved Lives

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Combs

By Debbie Gregory.

In his last moment,  Navy Lt. Steven Combs was thinking of saving the lives of his fellow crew members.  When his C-2A Greyhound failed only miles from the USS Ronald Reagan, the 28-year-old pilot decided to land on the water.

Combs ultimately saved the lives of eight of the 11 people aboard the aircraft, but he perished, alongside Seaman Matthew Chialastri and Seaman Apprentice Bryan Grosso.

A three-day search for their bodies proved unsuccessful.

Those final actions, which allowed rescuers to retrieve the eight survivors within 45 minutes of the crash, did not surprise anyone who knew Combs.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these Sailors,” said Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet.  “Their service and sacrifice will be lasting in Seventh Fleet and we will continue to stand the watch for them, as they did bravely for all of us.”

While the crash, which is the third fatal incident involving the U.S. 7th Fleet based in Japan in the last six months, is under investigation, there is speculation that the plane may have suffered a rare double engine failure.

Elizabeth Combs, speaking on behalf of her family, whose grief she called “tremendous,” said that her brother’s ability to save the lives of a majority of the plane’s passengers makes him the hero that they always knew he was.

“That aircraft is not meant to do a water landing and he was able to land it in a way that let people get back to their family,” Elizabeth added.

“It does help a little bit, that even in his last moment he was looking out for others. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.”

The actions of the other crewman, who helped removed the survivors from the plane, were also heroic.

The November 22nd crash was the first fatal C-2 crash since the Naval Safety Center began collecting data on such incidents, 37 years ago.

The USS Ronald Reagan held a memorial service to commemorate the three sailors who died in the crash.

The Navy is considering a posthumous award for Combs’ actions.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Discrimination Lawsuit Filed Against UC Davis Following Veteran Suicide

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santos

By Debbie Gregory.

It was supposed to be a two-day retreat to Monterey, a chance for a small group of employees in UC Davis’ agriculture college to bond. Instead, it ended tragically for a decorated Air Force veteran.

Now a lawsuit filed on behalf of the widow and two children of Col. Christopher de los Santos alleges that the university’s actions against Santos, less than four months after he began working at the school, caused him to end his life.

Santos was the focus of an internal investigation into alleged inappropriate behavior during an alcohol-filled retreat with 16 of his co-workers. He supposedly stripped naked and invited subordinates to take a bath with him. The day after the investigation was launched, campus officials sent Santos an email placing him on leave, and ordered him to stay away from campus.

Santos took his own life a few hours after receiving that email.

According to the lawsuit, De Los Santos was subjected to exceptionally harsh punishment because he was a veteran, violating federal and state discrimination laws.

“They were concerned that he would show up with a gun and that he would have to be escorted off campus by security, and he said they made it clear that that was because he had a military background,” said Santos’ family attorney, Annabelle Roberts. “For them to have a knee-jerk reaction because in administrator in the Air Force might somehow be violent because he’s been in the military, I mean that’s blatant discrimination.”

Campus officials released a statement that read in part: “After the university received allegations of potential sexual harassment during an overnight staff retreat, he [Santos] was promptly placed on paid administrative leave so a thorough investigation could occur.”

The statement went on to say that the other employees who attended the retreat and also engaged in improper conduct received appropriate disciplinary action.

What do you think?

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Poll Finds Most Veterans and Military Support Legalization of Medical Marijuana

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medical mara

By Debbie Gregory.

Attitudes towards the use of medical marijuana have been undergoing rapid changes. For many people who are in pain, medical marijuana is the only medicine that relieves pain and suffering, or treats symptoms of their medical condition, without debilitating side effects.

There is a plethora of scientific research establishing medical marijuana as a safe and effective alternative to pharmaceuticals. Perhaps that has contributed to the majority of Americans supporting the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes.

Included in that majority are U.S. military veterans and veteran caregivers. A recent poll conducted on behalf of the American Legion found that while 82% of respondents supported the legalization of medical cannabis, 92% supported expanded research into the medical benefits of the drug.

It has been argued that medical marijuana can be used to treat or manage the symptoms of a variety of ailments that affect veterans, including chronic pain, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. It has also been thought that cannabis can be helpful in addressing the serious epidemic of veteran suicide.

While it is unlawful for VA doctors to prescribe marijuana as it is a Schedule 1 substance, in states where medical marijuana is legal, VA providers are allowed to discuss marijuana use with veterans as part of comprehensive care planning, and adjust treatment plans as necessary.

Additionally, there is a push to reschedule the drug to a Schedule II or III. That would automatically lift the barriers to research, and allow VA health care providers to immediately prescribe marijuana in states where it is legal.

According to the American Legion’s poll, one in five veterans surveyed consume marijuana “to alleviate a medical or physical condition.”

And it no longer needs to be smoked… medical marijuana is often administered to patients in alternative ways, including inhalers, pills, and even edible baked goods. These means of dispensation have proven to be healthier and sometimes more effective in relieving patients’ pain or discomfort.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

$2.3 Million Settlement in Marine Veteran’s Death

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jason and heather

By Debbie Gregory.

Former Marine Jason Simcakoski was 35 when he died in 2014 at the Tomah VA facility. His death uncovered a reality of overprescribed opioid painkillers at the facility.

From 2006 to 2014, Simcakoski had been treated for a variety of conditions. He was admitted to the Tomah VA’s psychiatric unit on Aug. 10, 2014. Less than three weeks later, he was found unresponsive. It took 10 minutes for life-saving CPR to begin, but by then, it was too late.

An autopsy revealed that Simcakoski died from mixed-drug toxicity.

The government reached a $2.3 million settlement with Simcakoski’s survivors , namely his widow Heather and daughter Anaya.

Simcakoski’s death led to the passage of the Jason Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act, a law aimed at improving the way opioid medications are used in treating veterans, improving patient advocacy by the VA Secretary, and expanding the availability of complementary and integrative health.

An inspector general’s report in 2015 found that Tomah VA doctors commonly over-prescribed opioid painkillers, earning the facility the nickname “Candy Land.” Tomah VA’s chief of staff, Dr. David Houlihan, was fired and permanently surrendered his medical license.

Simcakoski was never advised of the risks associated with the medications he was given.  Additionally, the delays in the start of CPR and the lack of medication at the Tomah VA to reverse drug overdoses contributed to his death.

Heather Simcakoski, who is also a Marine Corps veteran, says there was a point when she didn’t know it was possible to move forward. But now she is ready to dedicate a significant amount of her time to the new project she and daughter Anaya are getting ready to launch that will give back to veterans and their families.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

No Plan to Recall Retired Air Force Pilots, Even with Executive Order

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af pilot

By Debbie Gregory.

Despite the fact that President Trump invoked the National Emergencies Act to address the Air Force pilot shortage, Air Force officials have indicated they have no current plans to act on the authority granted to them by the president’s order to increase pilot numbers.

The Air Force needs roughly 20,000 pilots to accommodate its various needs and fly its wide array of aircraft. Roughly 10 percent of its positions remain unfilled.

While appreciative of the leeway granted by the act which allows the Air Force to voluntarily recall up to 1,000 retired aviators for active duty, the Air Force is responding to the pilot shortage with various incentive programs to keep officers in uniform longer.

Incentives such as promotion opportunities and pay bonuses worth up to $350,000 over a 10-year term may help ease the crisis.

But it doesn’t always come down to dollars and cents. Brig. Gen. Mike Koscheski, the Air Force’s Aircrew Crisis Task Force director said that incentives that focus on work-life balance and quality of life are paramount to retention.

“We’re looking to provide more time for the air crew member to have with their family and some work time at home,” said Koscheski.

But Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Senator John McCain, a veteran who was a U.S. Navy pilot during Vietnam, disagrees. A critic of how the Air Force has handled the pilot shortage, Sen. McCain feels the problem is actually linked to a desire to fly and the fact pilots feel they’re grounded far too often due to budget cuts.

“You are addressing this issue of pilot shortage from exactly the wrong direction,” said Sen. McCain. “I talk to too many [pilots] all the time. They say, ‘Senator McCain, all I want to do is fly. I want to be in combat.’ That’s what they’re all about…So this whole idea of trying to outbid the airlines on the keeping people in the Air Force is foolish.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

New Approach to Growing Army Force Numbers

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army

By Debbie Gregory.

The U.S. Army, like the other service branches, is struggling to maintain strong force numbers.

In the not-too-distant past, there was talk of a troop drawdown. But now Army recruiters are facing a significant challenge to increase their numbers and reach their target goal.

To that end, the Army has launched a pilot program to bring Active, Guard and Reserve recruiting under one mission.

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Snow, commander of Army Recruiting Command, was able to exceed the active troop goal by more than 300 soldiers, but fell short on the numbers for the Reserve component by 1,228 soldiers.

Since some of those soldiers may have gone to the Army National Guard, which recruits separately from the Army active and Reserve components, bringing the Army’s Active, Reserve and National Guard recruiting under one umbrella makes sense.

“The Army has obviously got three components; we only recruit for two of those in this command,” Snow said. “United States Army Recruiting Command has responsibility for two components — that’s Reserve and Active.”

Recruiting all three components as one Army would mean “we leverage recruiters to recruit for all three components, which I have always felt this is the right thing to do,” said Snow. Additionally, it would benefit the National Guard because there are some parts of the country where the Guard struggles to meet its numbers.

To reach last year’s target of 69,000 recruits, the Army accepted more people who did poorly on aptitude tests, increased the number of waivers granted, and offered hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Lawmakers Want to Reduce the Number of VA Facilities

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vava

By Debbie Gregory.

The Department of Veterans Affairs and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs are taking a hard look at VA facilities across the country to determine which ones have been outlived their usefulness. Many aging and underused facilities could be subject to closure.

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin said that the agency is considering a plan to close more than 1,100 facilities across the country, given that the VA continues to allow a larger number of veterans access to private sector health care.

Shulkin told a House hearing that the department has identified 735 underused facilities. There are also 430 empty buildings, most of which were constructed around 90 years ago.

Committee Chairman Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., and Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., the ranking Democrat, want to create a paid commission to recommend which facilities should be closed.  Their bill, the Asset Infrastructure Review Act (AIR) is in its early stages. As it is currently written, the bill would require Shulkin publish the criteria to be used in choosing which facilities to close, modernize or realign in the Federal Register by January 15, which is less than two months away.

Shulkin said the VA and Congress would work together to review buildings for possible closure, possibly using a process like Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), which the Pentagon has used in the past to determine which underutilized military bases should be closed.

But the BRAC process has been controversial, raising concerns among members of Congress about the negative financial impact of closing military bases in their districts.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Can This Be A Game Changer – Army’s Blast-Proof Video System

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mvd

By Debbie Gregory.

A small group of Army engineers are addressing an age-old problem with tanks: visibility, or, rather, the lack of it.

The tank has dominated battlefields for the last 100 years. Heavily armed and heavily armored, tanks have repeatedly proven themselves on the battlefield, even in the face of repeated challenges from other weapons such as bazookas, anti-tank guns, and even guided missiles.

In order to provide complete visibility, as well as first-rate protection to the vehicle crew, engineers have come up with the Multi-Functional Video Display (MVD) blast-proof video system.

The MVD system is being tested on the Medium Mine Protected Vehicle (MMPV) Type II at Fort Leonard Wood.

In development for the last two years, the MVD system efficiently distributes images and sensor control simultaneously to all crew stations within the vehicle. This gives a single touch-screen display for each crew station the capability of viewing and controlling all vehicle enablers. With additional eyes on each video feed, situational awareness increases proportionally.

Along with image display, the MVD system can also act as a digital video recorder, allowing for the capture and playback of video sequences and snapshots.

The MVD technology is completely government-owned and developed, is hardware-independent, which enables it to run on numerous platforms.

Other future advancements for tanks may include shedding the heavy armor while still providing a high level of protection, robotics, and directed energy weapons, particularly lasers and rail guns with smaller energy requirements could be used against unmanned aerial vehicles and other enemy threats.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Higher Disability Ratings for Service-Connected Injuries

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sharp

By Debbie Gregory.

Sharp v. Shulkin may be a game-changing decision for many disabled veterans who suffer from injuries to the back, neck, and joints.

Many veterans file claims for disabilities that, while chronic, are worse on some days than on others. So, while on a typical day a veteran with a disability may experience pain in the 3 or 4 out of 10 range, on another day when the veteran experiences a flare-up of his condition, he may experience 10/10 pain. Not observing the impact of a flare-up on the veteran’s functionality could result in a drastically lower rating for the veteran’s disability.

Bobby P. Sharp, a Korean War veteran who suffers from numerous musculoskeletal injuries, argued in his lawsuit that the VA medical examinations he received were inadequate because he was never asked about the frequency, duration, characteristics, severity, or functional loss when he was having a flare up that resulted in 10 out of 10 pain.

The court agreed that the system was inadequate, and now the VA must now ensure that Compensation and Pension (C&P) examiners do not overlook flare-ups and pain when assessing a disabled veteran.

The ruling also specified that the VA must try, whenever possible, to schedule the C&P examination when the veteran is experiencing a flare-up.

If that is not possible, the veteran can submit evidence for consideration, such as their own description of the flare-ups and pain they experience, or they can submit a “buddy statements” from a person who knows the veteran and can testify to the extent of their suffering.

Hopefully, this decision will make it easier for veterans to receive a higher disability rating for injuries sustained while in the military. This gives precedent for other veterans who want to challenge their disability ratings.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.


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