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Majority of Young American Adults Are Unfit for Military Service

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By Debbie Gregory.

The failure of Americans from 17- 24 years old to meet weight and fitness standards, as well as issues with conduct, medical concerns, mental health, and substance abuse are causing significant recruiting problems for the military.

And that doesn’t even take into consideration the prospects that are in college or the ones who have no interest in military service.

A big misconception is that military service disproportionately attracts minorities and men and women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many believe that troops enlist because they have few options, not because they want to serve their country.

But often times, military service is a family tradition. Some 80% of recruits currently entering the military have family members who served, with between 22% and 35% being the children of veterans.

As the veteran population shrinks, the obligation to serve is increasingly being shouldered by a small subset of multigenerational military families. A soldier’s demographic characteristics are of little importance in the military, which values honor, leadership, self-sacrifice, courage, and integrity-qualities that cannot be quantified.

There are a number of ways that the military is looking to beef up its numbers. Besides aggressive marketing, the service branches are offering incentives such as relaxed standards, monetary bonuses, sabbatical leaves, and of course, the great GI Bill benefits.

There is also a big push to recall veterans to active duty.

But will this be enough?

“If we don’t turn this around, where does the world’s strongest military recruit from?” asked Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican and former Air Force one-star general.

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 Opioid Use Decreases

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By Debbie Gregory.

Members of the armed forces are not immune to the substance use problems that affect the rest of society. The Army’s efforts to find alternate methods of pain management for active duty soldiers have resulted in a decrease of opioid use by more than 3 percentage points.

From 2012 to 2016, opioid use fell from about 10.5 percent to about 7 percent.

“This addiction problem recognizes no distinction between those who wear the uniform and those who don’t,” said Lt. Gen. Nadja West, speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.

With that said, studies have shown that soldiers and veterans use opioid painkillers, essentially the chemical equivalent of heroin, far more frequently than civilians because their military training, combat -related injuries and the strains from carrying heavy equipment during multiple deployments likely play a role in this trend.

A 2012 report prepared for the DoD by the Institute of Medicine (IOM Report) recommended ways of addressing the problem of substance use in the military, including increasing the use of evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions, while expanding access to care.

The report also recommended broadening insurance coverage to include effective outpatient treatments and better equipping healthcare providers to recognize and screen for substance use problems so they can refer patients to appropriate, evidence-based treatment when needed. It also recommends measures like limiting access to alcohol on bases.

At that time, the Army implemented changes that included limiting the duration of prescriptions for opioid pain relievers to six months, and having a pharmacist monitor a soldier’s medications when multiple prescriptions were being used.

Now officials have shifted their focus to seek out alternatives to prescribing medication, including meditation, tai chi, acupuncture and yoga.

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.

After a Long Wait, Translator’s Special Immigrant Visa Finally Approved

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By Debbie Gregory.

For Iraqis and Afghans, working with the U.S. military in the Middle East carried great risks. Mahmood, who is going by his first name for his protection, is one of more than 23,000 Iraqi and Afghan people who worked with American Forces, and then immigrated to the United States.

Their work as translators or other supporting roles earned them special immigrant visas for themselves and their families.

Mahmood has been mired in the dangerous process of applying for the visa for more than two years. But on April 6, 2017, Mahmood found out that his application had been approved.

“It was the best day of my life,” said Mahmood, but he is still treading very carefully; his family in Iraq is still at risk.

With his parents’ encouragement, in 2008 Mahmood got a job in the laundry department on a U.S. military base in the Kirkuk province.

As Mahmood’s language skills improved, Army Col. Mark Leahey encouraged him to become a military translator, a job that would allow him to apply for a special immigrant visa.

Mahmood became a tactical translator first in the Kirkuk province, then in Diyala province.  He lived on an American base and translated reports about attacks.

When the United States began drawing down its forces in Iraq, Mahmood moved back to his family home and worked on finishing his degree.

And, he waited. Finally, his application was approved, and within two months, Mahmood landed in Washington, D.C. He stayed with Leahey at his home in New Hampshire, and eventually settled in Portland.

He hopes to become a teacher.

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.

Veterans Identification Card, Courtesy of Office Depot?

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By Debbie Gregory.

The Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015 was enacted so that veterans who weren’t entitled to military retired pay nor enrolled in the VA health-care system could prove their veteran status without having to carry their DD214s.

As the Department of Veterans Affairs prepares to accept applications for the new cards in November, questions remain: will veterans need cellphone contracts in order to enter an online national registry, a step that must be completed before they can even apply for the cards? Will the VA enter into sponsorships with private companies to produce the cards? Will the cards carry corporate logos on them?

But probably the most confusing part of the act is the stipulation that the VA must issue hard-copy photo IDs to any veteran who applies and pays a fee. The law does not stipulate that an honorable discharge is required. So will the ID cards be available to veterans with bad paper discharges? Because when the VA begins accepting applications for the cards in November, veterans with less-than-honorable discharges will not be eligible to apply.

Wait, what?

According to VA Press Secretary Curt Cashour, “Only those Veterans with honorable service will be eligible for the ID card.”

Apparently, only veterans with honorable discharges are eligible to register for and receive an ID during the first phase. Perhaps future phases will be more inclusive. Who knows? And apparently, the ID card will be brought to veterans courtesy of Office Depot!

AMVETS has tweeted images of the new ID card, which carries an Office Depot logo on the back, along with “Saluting you today and every day. Thanks for taking care of business.”

Cashour said that Office Depot is absorbing the cost of making the cards, so that veterans can receive them without having to pay for them.

To apply for one of the new ID cards, you will need to apply online, although the specific website has not been announced. You must also register with Vets.gov, a website that authorizes users through third-party verification company ID.me, to support identity and authentication.

Serial Fraudster Arrested for Stolen Valor- Again!

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By Debbie Gregory.

You would have thought that spending a few years in federal prison sentence for impersonating military personnel would have taught Kyle Barwan a lesson. But apparently, he’s a slow learner.

Already wanted in Florida on several “stolen valor” charges, 27-year-old Barwan was arrested in Ayer, Massachusetts, after a roommate followed up on another one of Barwan’s suspicious tales.

Barwan, formerly of Polk County, Florida, had relocated to Ayer and was living with a roommate.

Suspicious of Barwan’s claims, the roommate turned amateur detective and found that Barwan had not only been arrested several times for stolen valor, but also had a nationwide warrant out for his arrest.

On September 29th, Barwan was again arrested and held without bail. He will be returned to Florida sometime in this month.

Barwan was previously arrested in 2010 in Vincennes, Indiana and charged with impersonating an officer and possession of cocaine. He was convicted of both offenses and sentenced to 18 months.

Then, in 2012, he was arrested again in Kentucky for impersonating an Army Chief Warrant Officer with intent to defraud. He was sentenced to serve 16 months in prison, followed by one year of probation.

Barwan’s run-in with the law in Florida occurred in January, when he told a woman on the online dating service “Plenty of Fish” that he was a military officer who had served five years in Afghanistan and England, claiming he had been shot in the face while storming a building.

Barwan allegedly asked the victim for money. She became suspicious, and went to the police.

When news broke of his arrest was released, several more victims came forward.

Barwan was enlisted in the Army National Guard of Kentucky in 2007, but was discharged in 2008 in less than 180 days for failing to meet medical procurement standards.

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.

Military Working Dogs Receive Medals for Courage

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By Debbie Gregory.

American Humane is committed to recognizing and celebrating the lifesaving contributions of the brave dogs who support our armed forces on the battlefield.

The five retired military dogs who have received the Lois Pope K-9 Medal of Courage to America demonstrated exceptional valor in serving our country by uncovering improvised explosive devices, sniffing out weapons caches, surviving ambushes, boosting morale, and saving lives.

“Soldiers have been relying on these four-footed comrades-in-arms since the beginning of organized warfare and today military dogs are more important than ever in keeping our service men and women safe,” said American Humane President and CEO Dr. Robin Ganzert. “It’s estimated that each of these dogs saved 250 lives.”

Alphie worked with Marine Lance Cpl. William Herron in Helmand province and had several close calls- being shot at numerous times, almost falling out of a V-22 Osprey that was under fire. Alphie, 7, works as a member of the TSA’s elite Canine Explosives Detection Program.

Capa helped provide safety for a dozen Naval ships and 26,000 personnel — including his handler, Navy Master-at-Arms Petty Officer Second Class Megan Wooster. Wooster adopted Capa, but is getting ready for a deployment, so he is living with Wooster’s mother.

Coffee, a Chocolate Lab, has served alongside Army Sgt. 1st Class James Bennett, an explosives detection dog, for almost 10 years, including three tours in Afghanistan.

Ranger, a Black Lab, served in Afghanistan and Iraq, where he worked as an explosives-detection dog specializing in IEDs. He suffered from heatstroke in 2012 and retired from service. He is currently living with his owner, Kirk Adams, a retired police sergeant, and his wife. Ranger is battling cancer.

The award was given in memoriam to Gabe, a pound puppy from Texas, who completed more than 210 combat missions, with 26 explosive and weapons finds in Iraq. Gabe passed away in 2013 in the arms of his adopter, retired Army Sgt. First Class Chuck Shuck. Gabe was selected as the American Kennel Club Heroic Military Working Dog in 2008 and won the top title of American Hero Dog at the annual national American Humane Hero Dog Awards in 2012.

Over 1,600 dogs currently serve in the U.S. military. Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began, 34 dogs have been killed in action.

American Humane is accepting nominations for the 2018 awards now. The organization’s website provides a submission form available here.

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.

From AK-47 to Flying Car!

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By Debbie Gregory.

Kalashnikov Concern is the largest arms manufacturer in Russia, and produces a wide range civilian and military weapons, including the AK-47 assault rifle, which became a staple of fighting forces around the world.

Kalashnikov Concern has also channeled its ingenuity to unusual military-grade technology, which now includes a flying car!

The slender metal vehicle, which is more like a hovercycle than a car, bears a close resemblance to the speeder bikes from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. It also resembles the Kitty Hawk Flyer, a prototype hovercraft funded by Google co-founder Larry Page.

As seen in a promotional video released last month, the unnamed vehicle is fully electric, powered by batteries located underneath the driver, which are linked to sixteen rotors. The car is controlled using two joysticks situated in front of the driving seat.

The vehicle is still in very early stages of development, with a rough and exposed appearance, although the video also appears to show the design plans that are in place for the hovering car.

Obviously, the prototype is far from battle-ready, lacking both armor and weaponry, which will necessitate design tweaks to accommodate for the additional weight.

The U.S. military has been working on its own hoverbike with Malloy Aeronautics, which they showed off in a successful flight demo earlier this year. The Malloy Hoverbike is a single seater turbo-fan powered quadrocopter developed in 2006 by Chris Malloy, and has been contracted by an American engineering firm to produce such bikes for the United States Department of Defense.

Either way, it seems possible we’ll see the first few of these skeletal hovercycles skimming above land in the near future.

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.

Thirty-one Marathons in as Many Days for Marine Veteran Double-amputee

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By Debbie Gregory.

Running one marathon is difficult. Running one marathon after losing both legs is extremely difficult. So what would you say of a double amputee running 31 marathons in 31 days? An impossible task?

Well, Iraq and Afghanistan Marine combat veteran and double-amputee Rob Jones would disagree with you there. The 32-year-old Jones is running the equivalent of 31 marathons in 31 days on two prosthetic limbs to raise money for veterans’ charities.

Jones lost both legs above the knee in 2010, four months in to his second deployment, when an improvised explosive device detonated under his feet in Helmand province in Afghanistan.

“When a veteran comes home and they’re wounded, whether psychologically or mentally or physically, that doesn’t mean they’re now disabled, broken, or incapable of contributing to society,” Jones said.

Seven years after losing his legs, Jones’s “31 in 31” kicked off on October 12th in Hyde Park, London.

“I’m trying to be an example of a veteran who’s had a traumatic experience overseas and I came back and I found my new way of helping society, staying in the fight, and contributing to my family and to America,” Jones said.

Jones was medically retired in December 2011 and was outfitted with a pair of bionic knees and prosthetics legs at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he relearned how to walk. As part of his physical rehabilitation, he took up rowing. Then cycling. Now running.

Jones hopes to raise up to $1 million for three charities he credits with aiding him in his recovery: Semper Fi Fund, Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, and Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation.

Jones finishes his run at the National Mall in Washington on Veterans Day.

If you would like to support this hero’s journey, visit http://www.robjonesjourney.com/

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.

Still Serving, Veterans Self-Deploy to Aid Puerto Rico

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By Debbie Gregory.

When Hurricane Maria landed in Puerto Rico, the catastrophic damage was evident.  Sparking a humanitarian crisis of epic proportion, the majority of residents still don’t have electricity or access to clean water.

While the federal government has been slow to move with emergency response, U.S. veterans aren’t waiting around. A group of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and first responders, who have  formed the Warfighter Disaster Response Team, are taking care of business.

After assisting Houston and Florida, the team is helping to restore communications to Puerto Rico, bringing much needed supplies and aid and helping to start the recovery process.  The Warfighter Disaster Response Team mission statement pretty much sums it up: Providing Veterans and First Responders with purpose and direction through service after service by helping their fellow man in times of dire need. Red tape frustrates them, especially when people are hurting and they can help, so they deploy themselves

Another contingent of veterans, led by Army vet Jason Maddy, is buying supplies with their own money, meeting the basic needs of the residents until other aid organizations get their footing.

“We learned through Hurricane Harvey that we were able to move a bit faster than FEMA and other government organizations because we became a ‘smaller task force,’ in a sense,” Maddy said.

Army veteran Chris Agron grew up in Puerto Rico before his family PCSed to California. He reached out to water filtration company Sawyer to purchase reusable mini filters and 170-gallon-a-day bucket adaptor systems at wholesale prices, and set up a GoFundMe to raise $10,000 to pay for the supplies.

“I know that anyone who’s been in the military is not afraid to ruck to bring aid to people.”

Agron plans on linking up with the other vets who have already “self-deployed” to Puerto Rico. And it’s there where Agron finally expects to put his military training to good use.

“We’re going to link up with the vets out there because they’re willing to go to where FEMA and the Red Cross are not,” Agron said.

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.

Missing Since 1977, Airman Discovered Living Double Life

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By Debbie Gregory.

A Florida man is facing a desertion charge after he was found allegedly living under another name more than 40 years after he vanished from his post at a North Dakota Air Force base

Jeffrey Michels, 64, was arrested on charges of desertion after he failed to report for duty at North Dakota’s Minot Air Force Base in July, 1977. He remains in the custody of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Originally from East Liverpool, Ohio, Michels was found living under the name “Jeffrey Lantz” in Sanford, FL. In the ensuing decades, he got married, had four children and started a construction business in Florida. Online records show the name Jeffrey Lantz had a certified general contractor license for construction business Atlantic Development Corporation.

A photo of Michels was posted on July 9 to the Facebook group “Veteran Doe” — a website dedicated to bringing “attention to the many missing veteran/active duty cases and unidentified person cases where there is a possible military connection.”

“Often the missing person turns out to be a John or Jane Doe case,” Amelia Pearn, the Facebook page administrator who first posted Michel’s picture.

“I was surprised by the results of this one,” Pearn says. “I’m glad he is alive though.”

The Veteran Doe post was deleted after Michels was discovered.

Due to the fact that there is no statute of limitations for deserting a military post, Michels will stand trial in military court.

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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