Fort Hood Army Sgt. Marcus Nelson Sr. Died While in Custody at Bell County Jail in Belton, Texas; Nelson Held on Charges Stemming from 1st Cavalry Division (May 23, 2016)

On May 23, 2016June 27, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, In Their Name, Military Policy, Stateside Death, Suspicious DeathsLeave a comment

Fort Hood Army Sgt. Marcus Nelson Sr., 45, died May 23, 2016 while in custody at the Bell County Jail in Belton, Texas. Nelson was being held in pretrial confinement on behalf of the 1st Cavalry Division. According to Army Times, Nelso was charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice with departing his appointed place of duty, disobeying a lawful order from a noncommissioned officer, dereliction of duty and disobeying lawful regulation, and communicating a threat. Sgt. Nelson was from Detroit, Michigan and joined the Army in April 2005 as a petroleum supply specialist. In June 2015, Nelson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. Sgt. Nelson deployed to Iraq twice and his awards and decorations include three Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, and the Iraq Campaign Medal with four campaign stars.

Related Links:
Soldier who died in Bell County Jail identified
Soldier who died in Bell County Jail identified
Iraq war veteran found dead in local jail cell identified
Fort Hood Releases Name of a Soldier Who Recently Died in the Bell County Jail
Fort Hood soldier dies while in pretrial confinement
Fort Hood soldier dies while confined in Texas jail
Soldiers remember sergeant who died in Bell County Jail
Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside
Violent Crime, Suicide, and Non Combat Death at Fort Hood, Texas (US Army)
Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside (January 1, 2016 to Present)

TSgt Steven Bellino, US Air Force (2016)

On April 8, 2016June 11, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Scandals, Suicide, USAFLeave a comment

2540 — TSgt Steven Bellino, US Air Force

TSgt Steven Bellino, 41, US Air Force, passed away on April 8, 2016 at Joint Base San-Antonio in Texas.

Related Links:
Obituary: Steven D. Bellino
Technical Sgt. Steven D. Bellino, Save Our Heroes
Two Airmen Fatally Shot at San Antonio Base Identified
Air Force Officials Identified Two Men Killed In Workplace Violence
Lackland AFB shooting victims identified as TSgt and squadron commander
Victims in Lackland shooting ID’d as former FBI agent, squadron commander
Gunman in Texas Air Force Base Killing Had Gone AWOL
Lackland AFB Shooter Was Facing Disciplinary Action For Going AWOL
Training Squadron Commander, Student ID’d as Airmen Dead in Air Force Base Shooting
Lackland Air Force Base Gunman in Murder-Suicide was Ex-FBI Agent
Official: Ex-FBI Agent Was Gunman in Texas Base Shooting
Suspect in Apparent Murder-Suicide at Texas Air Force Base Was a Former FBI Agent
Lackland base shooter ID’ed as former FBI agent, Iraq war veteran
Air Force: Student from Northeast Ohio killed commander at Lackland AFB
Texas Air Force base gunman was from Parma Heights, reports say
Commander ‘went out swinging’ in Lackland murder-suicide
Air Force commander ‘went out swinging’ during deadly shooting with former FBI agent at Texas base
Special Operations airman killed his squadron commander in apparent-murder suicide
Gunman in Texas Air Force base killing had gone AWOL, then taken mental health exam
A Long Career in Military’s Elite Spirals Into a Killing and a Suicide
Lackland gunman had been a standout soldier
Air Force: PTSD, other factors led airman to kill commander
Air Force reports: PTSD, other factors led airman to kill commander
Special Forces Vet Killed Himself, Commander Because Of Failing Career
Special Forces vet took two guns, a knife and a grudge into fatal meeting
In wake of Lackland shooting, Air Force aims to remove dropouts quicker
Family of Spec Ops Airman, who killed commander, alleges a USAF cover-up
A disputed suicide note and other documents trace Steve Bellino’s descent
Violent Crime, Suicide & Non Combat Death at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas

The gunman behind the fatal shooting at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland has been identified as Steven D. Bellino, a former FBI agent who later enlisted in the US Air Force. Bellino was an FBI agent for less than two years before resigning in 2013. Authorities have not confirmed why Lt. Col. William A. Schroeder was targeted in the murder/suicide attack.

United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals Upheld United States v. Jane Neubauer, US Air Force (2016)

On March 10, 2016March 4, 2018 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Military Policy, USAFLeave a comment

On March 10, 2016 the United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals upheld United States v. Jane Neubauer, United States Air Force. Is this another case of federal government overreach and denial of due process rights? I think John Q Public‘s assessment of this case speaks volumes of the real issues behind the Command directed prosecution of an airman who blew the whistle after being recruited as an Office of Special Investigations (OSI) confidential informant. The same OSI office she exposed ended up investigating and assisting with her prosecution. This is yet another example of the importance of letting an impartial law enforcement official and prosecutor make decisions about whether to investigate, who should investigate, who to investigate, and whether or not they have the evidence to move forward with a case. The moment a military member asks for an attorney, all criminal justice communications with Commanders and their investigators must cease. Every accused military member should be represented by counsel and afforded their due process rights throughout the entire investigation including collection of evidence. Learn more about your due process rights here.

“There have been many sexual assault accusations far less credible than the accusation made by this Airman. Many that were enthusiastically pursued by prosecutors despite their frailty … many that did not result in disciplinary actions when they were revealed to have been false.

So, what was so special about this accusation?

Well, she was an OSI informant, and the situation cast OSI in an extremely negative light at a time when the OSI informant program was already under fire. The same organization that recruited her right out of BMT to help investigate drug activity at Keesler AFB conducted the investigation that eventually resulted in her prosecution.

If she’s wrong … if she’s bad … if she’s a liar … then obviously she’s the problem. She’ll absorb the negative attention and culpability … leaving OSI and its shady actions in this debacle comfortably out of the limelight.

Another example of prosecutorial inconsistency and arbitrariness in the USAF … demonstrating that it’s not operating an impartial justice system, but a score-settling control device on behalf of the chain of command.” ~John Q Public

Related Links:
United States v. Airman Basic Jane M. Neubauer, United States Air Force
Spies, Lies, and Rape in the Air Force: An Undercover Agent’s Story
Undercover Agent Says the Air Force Is Retaliating Against Her After She Was Raped
Air Force undercover informant claims she is being hounded out of the service after being raped while trying to root out drug rings
Gillibrand Reacts to Air Force Rape Case First Reported by The Daily Beast
The Pentagon’s shameful culture of sexual assault can still be uprooted
Air Force Charges Ex-Informant With Lying About Her Rape
Keesler Air Force Base ex-informant loses appeal
Former Air Force informant who made false rape charge loses appeal
Former Air Force Informant Who Made False Rape Charge Loses Appeal
Honor and deception: A secretive Air Force program recruits academy students to inform on fellow cadets and disavows them afterward
Air Force Cadet’s Secret Story: I Blew the Whistle on Football Players and Sex Assaults
Hearing testimony reveals subterfuge of Air Force Academy informant program
Informant Debate Renewed as Air Force Revisits Cadet Misconduct
Air Force Academy: Please Reinstate Cadet Eric Thomas and Reform the Confidential Informant Program!

Homicide Hunter Premiered ‘Victim Zero’ on ID: Fort Carson Soldier Christopher Walton Fatally Shot Outside Colorado Springs Night Club (October 20, 2015)

On October 20, 2015September 14, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Stateside Death, True CrimeLeave a comment

All Hell Breaks Loose In Club Brawl Leaving A Young Solider Dead -Victim Zero, Homicide Hunter (Preview)

A massive brawl erupts at a local bar ends with the shooting death of a young army soldier. To unravel the murder, Lt. Joe Kenda must infiltrate a revered military institution, and expose a dangerous vendetta. -Victim Zero, Homicide Hunter (S5,E9)

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:
Victim Zero | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (preview)
Victim Zero | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (S5,E9)
Victim Zero | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (website)
Victim Zero | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Victim Zero | Homicide Hunter | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Lt Joe Kenda of Homicide Hunter Outlines Murder of Army Soldier Christopher Walton
Fort Carson Soldier Christopher Walton Fatally Shot Outside Night Club; Leroy Davis Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison by Military Court (November 21, 1991)
Violent Crime, Suicide & Non Combat Death at Fort Carson, Colorado (US Army)

Tracking Military Sex Offenders Prevents Crime

On December 9, 2014December 5, 2017 By AdministratorIn Military PolicyLeave a comment

If someone reports a crime to a police department, even if the person is not prosecuted, there is still a record of the complaint. This is not happening in the military because the Commander does not have access to law enforcement databases. So if the person was accused before in the military, the Commander has no way of knowing. And they are not entering data into the system if they are informed of a complaint. We are losing valuable data if the person is not prosecuted for the crime. The military currently prosecutes less then 10% of complaints.

If information was processed like in the civilian world, we quite possibly could prevent a rape or sexual assault. It could help establish a pattern even if one of the cases didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute. If the military had multiple complaints against one person then they would have a better chance at prosecution.

Continue reading “Tracking Military Sex Offenders Prevents Crime” →

A Very Realistic Military Game | Inside Amy Schumer (August 26, 2014)

On August 26, 2014November 11, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, In Their Name, Military Policy, National Guard, Navy, Non Combat Death, Sexual Assault, USAF, USCG, USMC, VeteransLeave a comment

Amy discovers that her boyfriend’s war game unfolds very differently when the player chooses a female character. -Inside Amy Schumer, Comedy Central (August 26, 2014)

The sketch says it all… there’s a reason the majority of service members don’t report crime. Character assassination and retaliation is real for both male and female victims of crime in the military. Their lives, reputations, careers, and futures are dependent on the actions of the convening authority who has the power to do nothing. In the civilian world, after reporting a crime to the local police department and evidence is gathered, a prosecutor determines whether or not a case moves forward in the judicial system. The Military Justice Improvement Act (MJIA) attempts to mirror this process and was reintroduced in June 2019, yet again was not allowed on the Senate floor for a vote. The last cloture vote on the way the military should handle felony crimes was on March 6, 2014. Invoking cloture means 60 Senators or two-thirds is required for passage of a bill as opposed to the majority of Senators. The biggest opponents of the MJIA were former Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and former Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), both since voted out of the Senate and replaced by Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ). This pair of military officers are proponents of keeping the Chain of Command involved in the decision making process of adjudicating felony crime despite what the majority of military sexual assault survivors have asked for because the fear and retaliation continues. Meanwhile, the fight for military justice reform rages on. #PassMJIA

Related Links:
Inside Amy Schumer – A Very Realistic Military Game (YouTube)
Inside Amy Schumer – A Very Realistic Military Game (website)
Inside Amy Schumer: Military Video Game and Victim Blaming
Best of 2014: Inside Amy Schumer’s military rape sketch
The 11 Best Sketches from ‘Inside Amy Schumer’ Season 2
Amy Schumer Plays a Very Realistic Military Game (Trigger Warning)
Here’s Why You Don’t Want To Play A Female Character In A ‘Realistic’ Military Game
Amy Schumer Realizes Military Games Are Not Fun for Female Characters
15 feminist Amy Schumer sketches that will make you stand up and cheer
Amy Schumer’s Top 5 Feminist Comedy Sketches
The top 10 funniest sketches from ‘Inside Amy Schumer’
Amy Schumer: ‘I don’t try to be feminist. I just am. It’s innately inside me’
Amy Schumer Is A Feminist Icon & Here’s 5 Undeniable Reasons Why
5 jokes that explain how Amy Schumer became the new queen of comedy
Breathless: Why Amy Schumer Is an Amazing Feminist
Amy Schumer’s Call of Duty: The Comedic Art of Straddling the Line Between Humor and Hurt

The Stop Act versus MJIA

On July 28, 2014August 4, 2015 By AdministratorIn Military PolicyLeave a comment

Amy Schumer, a comedian, has depicted the unexpected turn your career takes when you become the victim of sexual assault in the military. We are not only harmed by the perpetrator but we are again harmed by the system. And currently we have two proposals in Congress that begin to address the issue. One is the Stop Act sponsored by Representative Jackie Speier. The other is the Military Justice Improvement Act sponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Please watch the Amy Schumer video here before reading further.

If you keep up with Congressional efforts to address sexual assault in the military, you will find that the media discusses Senator Gillibrand’s Military Justice Improvement Act the most. But what most people do not know is that the MJIA was a compromise to our original efforts. I supported any efforts made by the Senate at the time considering we did not get the support we needed for the Stop Act from either the House of Representatives or military and women organizations. At the time, it was better then nothing and at least Senator Gillibrand addressed an option for our military members who do not report due to fear of retaliation from their Chain of Command. But it is only one element of the big picture.

Continue reading “The Stop Act versus MJIA” →

‘The Silent Truth’ Documentary: The Rape, Murder and Military Cover-Up of Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson in Iraq (July 1, 2014)

On July 1, 2014September 16, 2024 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Cold Cases, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, Scandals, Sexual Assault, Suicide2 Comments

Murder or Suicide? On a military base in Iraq, PFC LaVena Johnson is found dead, shot in the head. The Army rules it a suicide,her family believes it is murder. “The Silent Truth” follows the Johnson’s pursuit of truth and justice for their daughter.

The Silent Truth Documentary | Amazon Video

The American Army Has a Huge Hidden Rape Problem (June 23, 2016)

“What happened to LaVena Lynn Johnson and so many others speaks to a Pentagon culture which more closely resembles a rogue government–than a legitimate branch serving under civilian control. It is highly telling that this family, along with the Tillman family each had to have a documentary film made JUST TO ALERT THE PUBLIC TO THE TRUTH OF PENTAGON COVER-UPS. I urge everyone to view this important documentary–before the local military recruiter mandated under No Child Left Behind–‘friends’ their child at school. God forbid, they could wind up coming home in a body bag–like LaVena.” Read more from Truthout here.

In the News:

Pfc. LaVena Johnson died in Iraq on July 19th, 2005 and her family needs your help. -Unsolved Mysteries (September 26, 2014)