Mefloquine: The Military’s Suicide Pill

Box Lariam (mefloquine) antimalarial tabletsMefloquine: The Military’s Suicide Pill

In late July, 2013, the FDA issued a powerful “black box” safety warning for a drug which has been taken by hundreds of thousands of troops to prevent malaria. The drug is called mefloquine, and it was previously sold in the U.S. by F. Hoffman-La Roche under the trade name Lariam. Since being developed by the U.S. military over four decades ago, mefloquine has been widely used by troops on deployments in Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan.

We now recognize, decades too late, that mefloquine is neurotoxic and can cause lasting injury to the brainstem and emotional centers in the limbic system. As a result of its toxic effects, the drug is quickly becoming the “Agent Orange” of this generation, linked to a growing list of lasting neurological and psychiatric problems including suicide.

The public had its first glimpse of the mefloquine suicide problem over a decade ago in 2002, when a cluster of murder-suicides occurred among Ft. Bragg soldiers returning home from deployment. All three soldiers had been taking mefloquine, yet an official Army investigation later concluded mefloquine was “unlikely to be the cause of this clustering.”

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-remington-nevin/mefloquine-the-militarys-_b_3989034.html

A Stranger in My Home Premiered ‘Buried Secrets’ on ID: Army Veteran Allan Kowalski Found Buried in Shallow Grave on Texas Property (October 27, 2013)

Al Kowalski is new to Hill Country, Texas. He plans to spend his early retirement hunting and fixing his vintage vehicles. Al welcomes meth-addicted mechanic Charlie Tidwell into his home to help with the cars, but Charlie has a different plan. -Buried Secrets, A Stranger in My Home (S1,E3)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

Related Links:
Buried Secrets | A Stranger in My Home | Investigation Discovery (S1,E3)
Buried Secrets | A Stranger in My Home | Investigation Discovery (website)
Buried Secrets | A Stranger in My Home | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Army Veteran Allan Kowalski Found Buried in Shallow Grave on Texas Property; Charles Tidwell Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Murder (November 6, 2008)

Death on the Home Front: Women in the Crosshairs

stop the violenceDeath on the Home Front: Women in the Crosshairs

Wake up, America.  The boys are coming home, and they’re not the boys who went away.

On New Year’s Day, the New York Times welcomed the advent of 2009 by reporting that, since returning from Iraq, nine members of the Fort Carson, Colorado, Fourth Brigade Combat team had been charged with homicide. Five of the murders they were responsible for took place in 2008 when, in addition, “charges of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault” at the base rose sharply.  Some of the murder victims were chosen at random; four were fellow soldiers — all men.  Three were wives or girlfriends.

This shouldn’t be a surprise.  Men sent to Iraq or Afghanistan for two, three, or four tours of duty return to wives who find them “changed” and children they barely know. Tens of thousands return to inadequate, underfunded veterans’ services with appalling physical injuries, crippling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suck-it-up sergeants who hold to the belief that no good soldier seeks help.  That, by the way, is a mighty convenient belief for the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, which have been notoriously slow to offer much of that help.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-jones/death-on-the-home-front_b_181728.html

Cody Hooks, US Air Force, Murdered his Wife Kaylla Rihn & Then Killed Himself in San Antonio, Texas (2013)

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Kaylla Brooke Rihn and SrA Cody Hooks, US Air Force

Senior Airman Cody Hooks and Kaylla Brooke Rihn were found dead in their apartment from an apparent murder-suicide on October 17, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas. Their friends reported this was two days after they heard them having a late night argument. Although family were not aware of any previous issues with the couple. Senior Airman Cody Hooks, 21, was considered a suspect and Kaylla Brooke Rihn, 22, was listed as a homicide victim in the shooting. They found Rihn dead with a bullet wound to one eye and Hooks with a .40-caliber wound to his temple. A Beretta handgun was found near his body. SrA Hooks was a member of the 802nd Security Forces Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio. Hooks and Rihn were married only two weeks before the murder-suicide yet family didn’t learn she was married until after she was found dead. This was SrA Hooks first tour of duty with the Air Force and it is unknown if he deployed in support of the war efforts.

“Suicides have plagued the armed forces for years, with self-inflicted deaths rising after the U.S. went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. A record was set last year (2012), with the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps logging 514 suicides.” -My SA

Related Links:
Murder-suicide suspected in pair’s deaths

Court-martial begins Tuesday in Dyess child neglect case

USAF SealCourt-martial begins Tuesday in Dyess child neglect case

A court-martial begins Tuesday for a Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, senior airman accused of failing to report the neglect of a toddler who died last year at her family’s base home.

Senior Airman Christopher Perez is charged with dereliction of duty, child endangerment and adultery. Perez was living at the home of Tiffany Klapheke and her husband, Senior Airman Thomas Klapheke, when the toddler died in August 2012.

Read more: http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20131014/NEWS06/310140011/Court-martial-begins-Tuesday-Dyess-child-neglect-case

Ashley Ard, US Army, Left Newborn Baby in Park to Die (2013)

Ashley Ard, Army

*Outcome of case is unknown at this time.

Police: Soldier mom left newborn in park to die
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After abandoned baby’s death, state invests in spreading word about “safe surrender” law

Deadly Affairs Premiered ‘Love is a Battlefield’ on ID: Love Triangle Leads to Murder of Pregnant Army Spc. Megan Touma (October 12, 2013)

Fred and Amber Dalton’s marriage becomes a battle when Fred lies about his affair with a feisty young woman. Later, when Specialist Megan Touma breaks the military’s rules with fellow serviceman Edgar Patino…with deadly consequences. -Love is a Battlefield, Deadly Affairs (S2,E11)

American soldier Megan Touma has left her husband for her lover Edgar. Turns out Edgar has a spouse of his own. When Megan gets pregnant Edgar must make a decision between two women. Someone will be left brokenhearted and someone will be left dead. -Love is a Battlefield, Scorned: Love Kills (S5,E2)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

Related Links:
Love is a Battlefield | Deadly Affairs | Investigation Discovery (S2,E11)
Love is a Battlefield | Deadly Affairs | Investigation Discovery (website)
Love is a Battlefield | Deadly Affairs | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Love is a Battlefield | Scorned: Love Kills | Investigation Discovery (S5,E2)
Love is a Battlefield | Scorned: Love Kills | Investigation Discovery (website)
Love is a Battlefield | Scorned: Love Kills | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Army Spc. Megan Touma Found Murdered in Hotel Room; Edgar Patino Pleaded Guilty to Murder, Sentenced to 16-20 Years in Prison (June 21, 2008)
Scorned, Love Kills Premiered ‘Love is a Battlefield’ on ID: Married Army Soldier Edgar Patino Murders Girlfriend & Unborn Child (March 14, 2015)
30 Domestic Abuse Cases in the Military That Ended in the Murder of Female Partners
Scorned, Love Kills: 6 Active Duty Military Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Judge: ‘Military…fell down on job…’ in case of soldier with PTSD

US ArmyJudge: ‘Military…fell down on job…’ in case of soldier with PTSD

LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) – The case of Marcus Carey shines light on what some suggest is an escalating problem: Combat veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who don’t get the help they need. Carey fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and suffers PTSD. Now, he’s serving 30 years for murder and some question if proper treatment might have made a difference. Whether you call it shell shocked or PTSD, it’s a serious mental health issue for veterans being reintroduced into society after being in combat.

Watch video: http://www.kplctv.com/story/23651540/judge-militaryfell-down-on-job-in-case-of-soldier-with-ptsd

Suspect jailed after allegedly strangling one man to death, stabbing another

US ArmySuspect jailed after allegedly strangling one man to death, stabbing another

RAISIN TWP.   —  A 31-year-old soldier on leave from the  U.S. Army is lodged at the Lenawee County Jail after he allegedly strangled a  man to death and stabbed another in the shoulder Saturday morning at 2985 Gady  Road, Lot 63, in Raisin Township, according to the Michigan State  Police. The deceased victim is a 20-year-old man from Adrian. The second  victim is an 18-year-old man from Adrian who was treated for lacerations and  released.

Read more: http://www.lenconnect.com/article/20131005/NEWS/131009586

Former Carson soldier pleads guilty in infant stepson’s death

US ArmyFormer Carson soldier pleads guilty in infant stepson’s death

Zachary Ryan Doggett pleaded guilty to fatal child abuse on Wednesday under a plea agreement with prosecutors. The Gazette reported that Doggett’s voice cracked as he told the judge the decision to plead guilty was “mine and mine alone.”

Read more: http://www.armytimes.com/article/20131010/NEWS06/310100008/Former-Carson-soldier-pleads-guilty-infant-stepson-s-death