Military Connection Archives

Defense Bill Vetoed, Heads Back to Congress

October 24, 2015/in Government

President Barack Obama vetoed a $612 billion defense policy bill, insisting congressional Republicans send him a better version, one that doesn’t tie his hands on some of his top priorities.

Obama praised the bill for ensuring the military stays funded and making improvements on armed forces retirement and cybersecurity. Yet, at the same time, he accused Republicans of resorting to “gimmicks,” objecting to the way the bill purposes using money meant for war spending to avoid automatic budget cuts to military programs.

“Unfortunately, it falls woefully short,” Obama said. “I’m going to be sending it back to Congress, and my message to them is very simple: Let’s do this right.”

Previously, Obama has vetoed only a handful of bills. And those vetoes were done in private. But in an effort to call attention to Obama’s concerns, the White House invited reporters and photographers to witness him veto this bill.

The veto marked the latest wrinkle in the ongoing fight between Obama and the Republican-controlled Congress over whether to increase federal spending, and how.

Four years after Congress passed and Obama signed into law strict, across-the-board spending limits, both parties are eager to bust through defense spending caps. Obama and many Democrats want a broader budget deal that would address mandatory cuts in domestic spending rather than only providing more funds for the Pentagon.

Republicans argue that the military should be spared many of the so-called sequestration budget cuts to ensure national security. They accuse Democrats of using the issue to camouflage a desire for irresponsible domestic spending.

Obama also said he disagreed with provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act that would limit his ability to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center before he leaves office.

“It’s time for us to close it. It’s outdated, it’s expensive, it’s been there for years. We can do better in terms of keeping Americans safe while making sure that we are consistent with our values,” he said.

A Tragic Ending for a Military Canine: Military Connection

October 23, 2015/in Employment, Military Veteran, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

By Debbie Gregory.

A bomb-sniffing combat dog who earned two Bronze Stars during two tours in Iraq in a Special Operations Forces unit was shot to death by a bicyclist who felt the hero canine was a threat.

Now his owner, Army veteran Matthew Bessler, is asking for a burial with military honors for his dog.

Mike, a 10-year-old Belgian Malinois, was killed in Wyoming by a bicyclist who says the dog attacked him. There were no witnesses, but the man told police he used his bike as a shield from the attacking dog.

Mike served with Bessler in Iraq in the U.S. Army acting as a combat dog and in bomb detection. When the pair returned from their deployment, Bessler adopted the military canine. Mike helped Bessler transition back to civilian life.

But Mike was more than just a companion.

Bessler shared, “I raised him and trained him as a puppy, and the ability he has to sense some of the issues that I have with seizures, with my PTSD, my TBI (traumatic brain injury) and severe anxiety disorders, how he can calm me down just by him being in my presence. He can help take the focus and help change the focus of what’s going on with me and help me calm down or relax me.”

The unnamed bicyclist who shot Mike told law enforcement that he felt threatened by a pack of dogs that he encountered while on the road.

Bessler, who was out of town at the time of the shooting, does not believe the cyclist’s claims that Mike was acting aggressively enough to warrant the shooting.

“If the guy was actually fending the dogs off with a bicycle, (Mike) would have really been barking, and there was no barking,” Bessler said. “The guests who were at the house, they said the same thing. There was no barking. It was just a gunshot.”

A GoFundMe account for Mike was created, and has already surpassed its initial goal to raise $10,000. The additional donations will be distributed to a program that honors and supports military war veterans.

“We are a community coming together to mourn the loss of a brave military service dog, who deserves the honor to be laid to rest with a military funeral and burial,” according to the account.
The 59-year-old bicyclist has not been cited for any wrongdoing.

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.

French Train Attack Hero Released From Hospital: Military Connection

October 22, 2015/in Archived Blogs

By Debbie Gregory.

Spencer Stone, the U.S. Air Force Airman who thwarted a terrorist attack on a French train in August, was released from the hospital following a violent stabbing attack in Sacramento CA.

The 23 year old Stone suffered multiple stab wounds, including one to his heart, during an early morning fight. He was rushed to UC Davis Medical Center, where he underwent open heart surgery.

Stone issued a written statement thanking the emergency responders and the team at UC Davis Medical Center for caring for him.

He also thanked all the well-wishers, and said, “I’m focused now on healing and recovering and look forward to the next part of my journey.”

According to a GoFundMe account set up by Spencer’s brother, Everett, Spencer Stone’s medical costs are covered by the military. The money they are raising on the crowdfunding platform is going to assist family members who have needed to take time off to care for Spencer at this critical time.

Stone’s mother, Joyce Eskel, released a written statement: “Our family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to the staff and providers at UC Davis Medical Center. I’m especially grateful to (trauma surgeons) Dr. Ellie Curtis, Dr. Garth Utter, the entire trauma team and the ICU nurses who treated Spencer so well. We’ve been overwhelmed by the support from our family and friends, the Sacramento area, the Air Force and people around the world. Thank you all.”

Stone and his traveling companions Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler, thwarted a terrorist attack when they tackled and subdued a would-be terrorist on a Paris-bound train. Stone suffered cuts to the neck and a deep wound on a thumb in that incident.

Police have described the assailants in this recent incident as two Asian men, wearing white shirts and blue jeans. They are believed to have fled in a dark-colored Toyota Camry.

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.

Lawmaker Calls for Mabus’ Resignation : Military Connection

October 22, 2015/in Government, Military, Military News

By Debbie Gregory.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and Marine Corps veteran, is demanding the resignation of the Navy’s secretary for his plans to open Marine Corps infantry positions to women.

A lengthy Marine Corps experiment involving about 300 men and 100 women who volunteered as research subjects found that all-male units performed significantly better than mixed-gender ones on 69 percent of tactical tests. The task force on gender integration also found that women were injured more than twice as often as men, according to a brief summary of results released by the Corps.

Regardless, Secretary Ray Mabus announced he intends to open Marine infantry, Navy SEALs, and all other combat jobs in the Navy to the new gender-neutral employment policy in the Defense Department.

The Marine Corps is expected to ask that women not be allowed to compete for several front-line combat jobs, military officials said.

The report acknowledged that “female Marines have performed superbly in the combat environments of Iraq and Afghanistan and are fully part of the fabric of a combat-hardened Marine Corps after the longest period of continuous combat operations in the Corps’ history.”

Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Marine commandant, is weighing the task-force findings as well as related research on entry-level training courses, the opening of 12 occupations to women and the addition of female support staff to some ground-combat units.

Military women who support the end of all gender restrictions for employment praised Mabus for what they described as his leadership and acumen at gauging weaknesses in the Marine Corps research.

The services have been slowly integrating women into previously male-only roles, including as Army artillery officers and sailors on Navy submarines. Adding to the debate was the groundbreaking graduation last month of Capt. Kristen Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver, the first two women to female soldiers to complete their courses at the Army’s exhausting Ranger School.

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.

Up, Up and Away for the First Female Blue Angel : Military Connection

October 21, 2015/in Military, Military News

By Debbie Gregory.

Marine aviator Capt. Katie Higgins has earned the honor of donning the famous blue and gold flight suit of the Blue Angels. Higgins has the groundbreaking distinction of being the first woman to perform as a pilot in the 69 year history of the Blue Angels.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a celebrity. No way. I’m a Marine,” Higgins said.

“I definitely appreciate the support from the American people, and if I can bring attention to opportunities people have in life, girls included — that they can join the military, be a Marine, even be a Blue Angel pilot, then that’s cool.”

Higgins, 29, is a third-generation military aviator. Both of her grandfathers flew in the military, as well as her two uncles and father, Bill Johnson, a 1981 Naval Academy graduate. Her brother graduated from the Naval Academy in 2010. “I grew up with a love for flying because of my family,” she said.

The Navy estimates that each year 11 million people watch Blue Angels air shows, which happen weekly, around the country, March to November. The best part about being a C-130 pilot is working together as a crew, Higgins said. “We have two pilots on the plane, a navigator, a flight engineer and a loadmaster. So there’s five of us that it takes to fly this aircraft.”

The selection process to join the Blue Angels is intense. It includes a long application, essays, and a microscopic look at personal and professional lives by Blue Angels officers.

In Higgins’ case, it came down to her and one male competitor.

She was told that she was selected because she was the best person for the job, not the best woman,

Only 7 percent of the Marine Corps is female to begin with, and pilots are subject to height and weight restrictions that sideline many women. Out of 5,223 flight officers in the Marine Corps, 197 are female.

“I didn’t come to the team to break any barriers or smash any glass ceilings,” Higgins said. “They don’t want to fill any quotas. They want to fit the right person, ensuring you’re the right puzzle piece for that next year’s team.”

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.

Navy Ups Retention Incentives: Military Connection

October 20, 2015/in Military, Military News

By Debbie Gregory.

The U.S. Navy has announced a series of initiatives aimed to retain its best of its brightest young sailors.

In an effort to avoid a recruiting problem similar to the one the Army is facing, Navy brass has concentrated on improving benefits, including programs for maternity leave, child care and education and mid-career internships with industry. In a healthy economy, junior and mid-grade officers and enlisted can take their skills to the private sector for more pay.

Currently, the economy is on an uptick, so the Navy must work harder to compete with the private sector to bring in new sailors and keep them when their service obligations end. For many sailors, incentives that would benefit their careers or personal lives, like preferable assignments or favored bases, could be as important, or more so, than money.

“If you want to be retaining and recruiting the best and brightest, you’ve got to offer them a career model that is competitive to what they’re being offered on outside,” said Todd Harrison, a military budget expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

While many of the initiatives pertain to both male and female members of the Navy, a handful of the emphasized proposals, such as extending maternity leave and childcare hours, were aimed at appealing to women and families in the Navy.

The Navy’s Career Intermission Program (CIP) is an effort to allow members of the Navy to spend time away from the service, and then return, without damaging long-term advancement. CIP allows Navy members to spend time in academia or the private sector as part of their overall career path in the service.

Along similar lines is the Navy’s internship program with private industry. The Navy is partnering with Fortune 500 CEOs to create what’s called the “Secretary of the Navy Industry Tour.” This program will allow commanders to send their officers to work at U.S. companies for a period of time before returning to the Navy. The internships last nine months, paid for by the Navy, and allow sailors to learn business practices, techniques and technologies.

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.

Troops to Remain in Afghanistan: Military Connection

October 18, 2015/in Government, Military, Military News

By Debbie Gregory.

In a stark reversal from earlier pledges to end the war on his watch, President Obama halted the withdrawal of American military forces from Afghanistan. The announcement that the United States will keep thousands of troops in the country indefinitely will prolong the American role in the 14-year war.

While Mr. Obama said he continued to oppose the idea of “endless war,” the decision follows months of appeals from military leaders to extend the draw down timeline. And it marks an acknowledgement that, despite claims Al Qaeda is on the run, militants continue to pose a serious threat to the country.

“While America’s combat mission in Afghanistan may be over, our commitment to Afghanistan and its people endures,” said Mr. Obama.

Under the new plan, the administration will keep the current force of 9,800 troops in Afghanistan through most of next year, then draw down to 5,500 troops in 2017, at a pace still to be determined by commanders.

The decision, which was reached after a lengthy review leaves the “how” and “when” of ending the war in Afghanistan to Obama’s successor.

The current American force in Afghanistan of 9,800 troops will remain in place through most of 2016 under the administration’s revised plans, before dropping to about 5,500 at the end of next year or in early 2017, Mr. Obama said. He called it a “modest but meaningful expansion of our presence” in that country.

According to the United Nations, the Taliban are now more widespread throughout Afghanistan than at any point since 2001. Just last month, the Taliban scored their biggest victory to date, seizing Kunduz and holding it for more than two weeks before pulling back.

President Obama conceded that despite our best efforts, and years of building the Afghan Army and police force, the Afghan forces are still not fully up to the task of protecting their country.

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.

Tarnishing His Record With Adultery: Military Connection

October 17, 2015/in Veteran News

By Debbie Gregory.

There’s a reason why military law treats adultery as a criminal offense in cases where it brings discredit to the armed forces or undermines military order and discipline.

Brigadier General Anthony J. Tata, also known as Tony Tata served in the United States Army for twenty-eight years before retiring in 2009. Army inspectors concluded the retired general who headed North Carolina’s largest school district and the state transportation agency had adulterous affairs before retiring from the military.

The Army’s Office of Inspector General concluded that Tata had “at least two” extramarital affairs in 1985 and 1992.

Tata used his military credentials to secure the job of Wake County school superintendent and state transportation secretary. Tata is also an author of action thrillers, commonly referred to as the “Threat” series. Titles include Sudden Threat, Rogue Threat, Hidden Threat and Mortal Threat. He writes under the name A.J. Tata and promotes his books with frequent commentary on Fox News, CNN and other media outlets.

Citing the stresses of his day job, the success of his side career as a writer of military action thrillers and the demands of his family, Tata resigned abruptly as head of the state transportation department in July, saying he wanted to focus on his family and book career.

Tata says he retired honorably with the highest noncombat award, the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal, that the Army can award. He stated that the award wouldn’t have happened if his record included marks against his character.

The 55 year old Tata has a daughter and a son. He lives in Cary, North Carolina with his third wife, Jodi.

Army leaders chose not to penalize Tata for adultery, a charge that he has not denied.

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.

Soldiers’ Careers Took Very Different Paths: Military Connection

October 16, 2015/in Military Veteran, Veteran News

By Debbie Gregory.

The gunman who killed nine people and injured several others at a community college in Oregon was discharged from the Army for “failing to meet the minimum administrative standards.”

But according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, in 2008 the shooter had been discharged from Army basic training at Fort Jackson, SC, after just one month, following an attempted suicide. Since he did not receive a dishonorable discharge, he wasn’t precluded from buying guns under federal law. The Army said it couldn’t confirm details of his discharge, nor the nature of his administrative separation, citing privacy regulations.

Also serving in the Army was Christopher Lee Mintz, the heroic victim who tried to stop the shooter. Mintz served as an infantryman for almost three years, from 2004 until 2007. He advanced from the rank of private E-1 to specialist E-4Meanwhile.

Although Mintz never deployed to a war zone, he received multiple awards and decorations, including the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

Mintz’s heroic actions continued when gunfire erupted on the campus of Umpqua Community College, as he tried to block the door to keep the gunman out.

Both of Mintz’s legs were broken during the shooting. His family, friends and acquaintances describe Mintz as a devoted father to his 6-year-old son, Tyrik, and a fitness nut who never missed a workout. They also said his courageous act wasn’t surprising.

Mike Gwaltney, a friend and swim coach at the YMCA, initially bonded with Mintz over University of Florida football, but he also worked closely with his Mintz’s young son. Wanda Mintz, Christopher’s aunt, said Tyrik has autism. “He keeps this schedule,” she said of the boy. “This will throw him off. This has affected so many people.”

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.

Overhaul of VA Healthcare System Needed: Military Connection

October 16, 2015/in Healthcare, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Veteran News, Veterans Benefits

By Debbie Gregory.

In an attempt to get veterans the treatment they have earned, a September 1^st report calls for a complete overhaul of the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system.

The report, led by Mitre Corporation, included analysts from the Rand Corporation, McKinsey and Company, the Institute of Medicine, and Grant Thorton, Analysts concluded that the system is plagued by bureaucracy and leadership challenges. It also found that the quality of care can vary significantly, depending on where veterans receive treatment.

The report examined 12 segments of VA health care, including access to care, staffing, workflow, capabilities, business practices and more. It found that in addition to a leadership crisis, there are staffing shortages and a demoralized workforce.

Recommendations for improvement include cultivating a culture of service excellence among employees; holding employees accountable; instituting system-wide changes in administration, support and services; fostering respect through performance; and creating an office to oversee and implement change, with the fortitude to request funding to accomplish its goals.

The news wasn’t all bad; the report found that on many quality measures for outpatient care, the VA outperformed other health care systems. VA hospitals also performed equally or better than non-VA hospitals on some effective measures, such as inpatient mortality measures, but significantly worse on other measures like readmission standards.

The independent assessment comes as debate continues over whether VA should outsource or privatize veterans care.

Concerned Veterans For America (CVA) has called for a complete overhaul of the system, to include partially privatizing services. Under that plan, VA medical facilities would be reorganized under a nonprofit governmental organization and more veterans would be shifted to private health insurance programs.

VA Secretary Bob McDonald has denounced calls to increase privatization of services and says the VA mission to care for veterans is a “sacred trust” that the department will not relinquish.

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.