Former GI gets 30 years in Polk soldier’s death
LAKE CHARLES, LA. — A 28-year-old Army veteran, who pleaded guilty in June to second-degree murder in the 2010 slaying of a soldier at Fort Polk, has been sentenced in federal court in Lake Charles.
KPLC-TV reports Marcus Carey was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison in the death of Byron Whitcomb, of Whitefish, Mont., and for the attempted murder of another soldier, Howard Alley.
VA to furlough 7,000 employees, close regional offices
Veterans regional offices will be closed and nobody will answer their phones beginning Tuesday morning as the government shutdown forces furloughs of 7,000 employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration.
“All public access to VBA regional offices and facilities will be suspended,” said Veterans Affairs Department spokeswoman Victoria Dillon.
Shutdown halts death benefits for military families
A growing number of military families are facing temporary denial of the $100,000 death gratuity benefit the Defense Department typically provides after service members are killed while on active duty.
At least 17 troops have died — including six killed in Afghanistan — since the government shutdown began Oct. 1. But their family members have not immediately received the lump sum payments known as a “gratuity benefits.”
For most Guardsmen, shutdown means no pay, no training
Members of the National Guard remain in limbo during the shutdown, with their weekend drills canceled and the funding necessary for training exercises left unapproved.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s Monday announcement that the Pay Our Military Act allows many civilian employees of the Defense Department to return to work, and also guarantees payment for the military, does not help most National Guardsmen.
Navy 3-star fired as No. 2 nuclear commander
WASHINGTON — The Navy says a three-star admiral was notified Wednesday that he has been relieved of duty as second-in-command at the military organization that oversees all U.S. nuclear forces. He is under investigation in a gambling matter.
Read more: http://www.armytimes.com/article/20131009/NEWS/310090029/Navy-3-star-fired-No-2-nuclear-commander
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Angel L. Lopez, 27, of Parma, Ohio, died Oct. 5, in Zabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.
He was assigned to the 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.
For more information, media may contact the Fort Knox public affairs office at 502-624-3051.
Original link: http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16305
Support for Senator Gillibrand’s approach is building. Far from stripping commanders of accountability, as some critics have suggested, removing prosecution decisions in sexual assault and other serious crimes from the chain of command would not undermine discipline or end commanders’ responsibility to set the proper climate.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/opinion/broken-military-justice.html?_r=0
Is the chain of command interfering with justice in military sexual assault cases?
In the military, the chain of command is the foundation of discipline and order, but in recent months, legislators and many members of the military have become concerned that it’s become an obstacle to prosecuting claims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Opponents of the current system think it intimidates victims from bringing claims to senior officers, while proponents see the military’s system as more than adequate in ensuring a fair process.
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has been building support for her proposed legislation which would remove commanding officers from being the final arbiter of sexual harassment and assault cases, but opponents argue that the current system insures trials that are fair and balanced.
How important is preserving the chain of command? And should sexual assault cases be held to different criteria in military courts?
Listen here: http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/2013/09/23/33845/is-the-chain-of-command-interfering-with-justice-i/
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaches Epidemic Levels Among Veterans
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 20 percent of Iraqi War veterans, and 11 percent of those returning from the war in Afghanistan, suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mental health issues among service members have reached a crisis level. The Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration have recognized the gravity of this epidemic and are now actively supporting mind-body modalities, from yoga to mindfulness practice, as a complement to traditional drug and talk therapies for veterans.
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1513185#ixzz2hEnICLNd
Veterans, impatient over shutdown, demand protection for VA benefits
WASHINGTON — Veterans groups, angry that they are being used as political pawns, are lashing out at lawmakers, telling them to find an end to the government shutdown and ensure that veterans benefits and services aren’t disrupted.
MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL 