Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Night of the Machete’ on ID: Veteran Twain Thomas Flipped Out on Loud Neighbors After VA Cut Off Monthly Benefits (June 7, 2016)

On June 7, 2016August 10, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Scandals, True Crime, VeteransLeave a comment

ID Go: Two young couples in an Idaho apartment building walk on eggshells around a neighbor who can’t stand the one couple’s music and the other’s dog. Tensions keep rising between all parties until finally hell breaks loose and a violent rampage erupts. -Night of the Machete, Fear Thy Neighbor (S3, E10)

“Thomas Twain, an Idaho man with a machete, kicked down the door of home of Kaila Gearhart and James Cvengros and attempted to attack the couple. Upon hearing the shocking sounds of the door coming off its hinges, Cvengros ran the front room, screamed at Twain to leave, and ultimately shot the intruder.

The Idaho machete attacker survived the gunshot wound, and faces up to 15 years in prison for the home invasion. Idaho prosecutors claimed that Thomas Twain’s years of military service meant that he was a danger to the public.”

Read more here: Idaho Machete Attack: Veteran’s Military Service Used By Prosecutor In Attempt To Garner Longer Prison Term (The Inquisitr)

In the News:

Man with machete breaks into apartment; victims tell all. -KAKE News (January 15, 2015)

February 2014, Twain N Thomas was shot three times after he kicked in a neighbors door and came at the occupants with a machete. -Idaho State Journal (January 16, 2015)

Twain Thomas sentenced. -KIFI Local News 8 (January 16, 2015)

Interview with Bannock County Prosecutor and footage of Thomas being shot after knocking down neighbor’s door. -Idaho State Journal (January 16, 2015)

An attempted murder is caught on camera, along with a confession. CNN’s Brianna Keilar reports on the Idaho machete attack. -CNN (January 28, 2015)

Watch as a man with a machete hacks into a neighbor’s apartment – not realizing he brought a knife to a gun fight! -True Crime Daily (September 26, 2018)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the 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. Download the ID Go app and binge away. 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 $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.

Related Links:
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Man sentenced for attempted murder
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WATCH: Machete-wielding Idaho man tears through neighbor’s door before being shot
Machete-wielding Idaho man chops through apartment door before tenant shoots him to end ‘Shining’-style rampage (VIDEO)
Man Relives Bone-Chilling Moment When a Neighbor Kicked Through His Door and Came at Him With a Machete: ‘It Was Like ‘The Shining”
Machete-Wielding Suspect Shot As He Breaks Through Door In GRAPHIC VIDEO
Terrifying footage shows man kicking down apartment door wielding a MACHETE just moments before he is shot by the homeowner
Pocatello man who was shot while breaking into neighbors’ apartments to threaten them with machete is sentenced
Idaho man sentenced for attempted murder with machete
Man sentenced to 15 years for machete attack
State v. Twain N. Thomas (Idaho Ct. App. 2016)
Idaho Machete Attack: Veteran’s Military Service Used By Prosecutor In Attempt To Garner Longer Prison Term
Fear Thy Neighbor: 23 Veteran Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Video Links:
Man with machete breaks into apartment; victims tell all
Machete wielding intruder shot on camera
Machete-wielding Idaho man breaks through door before tenant shoots him
‘The Shining’-esque machete attack caught on camera
Prosecutor discusses video of intruder shot on camera
Twain Thomas sentenced
He brought a machete to a gun fight
Night of the Machete | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (S3, E10)
Night of the Machete | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (website)
Night of the Machete | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)

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.

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Obituary: Steven D. Bellino
Technical Sgt. Steven D. Bellino, Save Our Heroes
Two Airmen Fatally Shot at San Antonio Base Identified
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Air Force reports: PTSD, other factors led airman to kill commander
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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.

Disabled Army Veteran Joseph Jeremy Weber Shot and Killed by California Police Officer After Allegedly Aggressing Upon Him with a Knife in Hand (2015)

On April 8, 2015June 8, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military PolicyLeave a comment

20150413__weber21 — Joseph Jeremy Weber, US Army Veteran

Army veteran Joseph Jeremy Weber, 28, was shot and killed in Sunnyvale, California by police on April 8th, 2015 after an alleged liquor-store robbery. Apparently, Weber was shot and killed by the police because he was wielding a knife despite being asked to drop the weapon multiple times. Authorities released that Joseph Jeremy Weber was a disabled veteran reportedly dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. The confrontation was preceded by a 911 call reporting a robbery where a man took a pack of cigarettes at knifepoint from a clerk at Grewalz Liquor & Groceries. The police say the suspect continued to move toward an officer while holding a knife and this is what prompted the 13-year police veteran to open fire. Joseph Jeremy Weber later died at the hospital.

The first officer on scene confronted the suspect in an alley and the police radio recordings reveal the officer reported that the suspect was about 50 feet away at that moment. Joseph Jeremy Weber refused to drop the knife and moments later, the officers reported shots were fired and the suspect was down. The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety contended the suspect closed the distance during the gap in transmissions. The officer’s attorney stated, “Even when (the suspect) was advancing, [the] officer was still giving commands. The suspect was within range to inflict death or great bodily injury. There’s no question.” The officer was placed on paid administrative leave, which is routine in all officer-involved shootings. The outcome of the investigation is unknown.

Related Links:
Sunnyvale officer in fatal shooting identified
Man shot, killed by police in Sunnyvale IDd
Sunnyvale: Man killed in officer-involved shooting identified
Sunnyvale: Veteran killed in officer shooting, but not missing vet with same name
Army Veteran Suffering PTSD Shot, Killed By Sunnyvale Police Following Armed Robbery
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Sunnyvale officer involved shooting, One suspect dies, other at large
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NBC DFW | Injured Heroes, Broken Promises: Army Launches Investigation Inside Fort Hood’s Warrior Transition Unit (2015)

On February 21, 2015March 7, 2018 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, SuicideLeave a comment

Allegations of mistreatment persist inside units designed to heal wounded soldiers

“NBC 5 Investigates has learned that the U.S. Army has launched a new investigation inside Fort Hood’s Warrior Transition Unit (WTU), looking at claims of harassment and abuse.

The investigation comes after NBC 5 Investigates partnered with The Dallas Morning News for a six-month investigation that revealed hundreds of complaints from injured soldiers who said commanders harassed, belittled them and ordered them to do things that made their conditions worse at three Warrior Transition Units in Texas: Fort Hood, Fort Bliss and Fort Sam Houston.”

The Clay Hunt Act: What President Barack Obama Just Signed (February 12, 2015)

On February 12, 2015September 8, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, National Guard, Navy, Non Combat Death, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Stateside Death, Suicide, USAF, USCG, USMC, VeteransLeave a comment

On February 12, 2015, President Obama signed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act into law at the White House. -The Obama White House (February 12, 2015)

Summary: Learn more about the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act and the Administration’s commitment to help veterans.

The new suicide prevention law is named in honor of Clay Hunt, an extraordinary young Texan and decorated Marine who served with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan. Like too many of our veterans, Clay struggled with depression and post-traumatic stress after he came home. Sadly, Clay’s life ended much too soon when he tragically committed suicide in 2011 at the age of only 28.

This new law builds on a long history of executive actions the President has issued to improve access to mental health services for members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. The Clay Hunt Act will:

Require annual third-party evaluations of VA’s mental health care and suicide prevention programs
Create a centralized website with resources and information for veterans about the range of mental health services available from the VA
Require collaboration on suicide prevention efforts between VA and non-profit mental health organizations

President Obama passes law to prevent suicide among military members. -CNN (March 31,2016)

Read more from the The Obama White House here.

Air Force Reserve Capt. Jamie Brunette Died by Suicide After What Parents Allege May Have Been an Unreported Sex Assault in Afghanistan (February 9, 2015)

On February 9, 2015September 9, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Sexual Assault, Suicide, USAFLeave a comment

jamie-brunette4 — Captain Jamie Brunette, US Air Force

Captain Jamie Brunette, 30, US Air Force, was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in her car on February 9, 2015 in Tampa, Florida. Tampa police found her in the parking lot of a Harbour Island cafe near her apartment slumped over in the back seat of a locked vehicle. She purchased the hand gun six months earlier. According to friends and family, Jamie didn’t speak much about her time in Afghanistan but her parents believe she may have suffered with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after a sexual assault while deployed to Afghanistan. The issue sheds light on whether or not military members feel comfortable reporting crimes and asking for help for the aftermath. According to one MacDill Air Force Base official, they actively encourage airman to reach out for help and assured they would not lose their careers. They also reminded airman that reaching out for help early will help prevent the Post Traumatic Stress from getting worse and in the end help save their military career.

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Disappeared: Disabled Army Veteran Joseph Weber IV Missing from San Francisco, California Since November 24, 2014

On November 24, 2014June 8, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Cold Cases, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental IllnessLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-08 at 7.21.33 PM — Joseph Weber IV, US Army Veteran (photo credit: Missing Veterans)

Disabled Army veteran Joseph Weber IV, 28, disappeared near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California on November 24, 2014. Joseph is an Iraq war veteran who struggled with both Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). If you have any information, please contact the Sunnyvale Police Department at (408) 730-7100.

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Joesph Weber an Iraqi combat veteran walks on to the Golden Gate bridge and disappears. -Missing and Tattooed

Army Veteran Tomas Young Dies at 34; Shot & Paralyzed on Black Sunday in 2004 on Peace Keeping Mission with Fort Hood in Sadr City, Iraq (2014)

On November 10, 2014December 28, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Scandals, SuicideLeave a comment

DQNNXeoXUAAiSvF — US Army Veteran Tomas Young (photo by Danny Clinch)

“I write this letter on behalf of those veterans whose trauma and self-revulsion for what they have witnessed, endured and done in Iraq have led to suicide and on behalf of the active-duty soldiers and Marines who commit, on average, a suicide a day. I write this letter on behalf of the some 1 million Iraqi dead and on behalf of the countless Iraqi wounded. I write this letter on behalf of us all — the human detritus your war has left behind, those who will spend their lives in unending pain and grief.” -Tomas Young, Disabled Army Veteran

Read the rest of The Last Letter to Bush and Cheney here.

Tomas Young, who joined the Army in the days after 9/11, was deployed to Iraq where he was shot and paralyzed just five days into his tour of duty. He spent ten years battling his injuries and speaking out against war and injustice before his death on the eve of Veterans’ Day, 2014. “Tomas told me that one of the reasons he joined the Army was to obtain GI Bill funding so he could go to college,” said [Mark] Wilkerson (author of Tomas Young’s War). “He wanted to study creative writing or journalism. After his passing, we felt a scholarship would be a perfect way to honor his legacy.” –Pearl Jam

Body of War, a film by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. It is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. -The Real News

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What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

On March 1, 2014March 4, 2018 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Military Policy, Navy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, USAF, USCG, USMCLeave a comment

What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

When in danger, it’s natural to feel afraid. This fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to prepare to defend against the danger or to avoid it. This “fight-or-flight” response is a healthy reaction meant to protect a person from harm. But in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this reaction is changed or damaged. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they’re no longer in danger.

PTSD develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. The person who develops PTSD may have been the one who was harmed, the harm may have happened to a loved one, or the person may have witnessed a harmful event that happened to loved ones or strangers.

PTSD was first brought to public attention in relation to war veterans, but it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents, such as mugging, rape, torture, being kidnapped or held captive, child abuse, car accidents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, or natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes.

FMI from the National Institute of Mental Health, please click here.

Missouri: Local victim of military sexual assault speaks out (2013)

On November 27, 2013July 4, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Sexual AssaultLeave a comment

Reports of sexual assault in the military went up 46 percent in 2013, but the problem is not new to the women who answer the call of duty. -41 Action News

“It seemed like sexual trauma in the military back then was unheard of. I was not trying to be the test baby. I wasn’t trying to be the Rosa Parks of that generation.” -Ja-Renna Floyd, US Army Veteran

Related Links:
Local military sexual assault victim speaks out

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: Post Traumatic Stress

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Night of the Machete’ on ID: Veteran Twain Thomas Flipped Out on Loud Neighbors After VA Cut Off Monthly Benefits (June 7, 2016)

TSgt Steven Bellino, US Air Force (2016)

Disabled Army Veteran Joseph Jeremy Weber Shot and Killed by California Police Officer After Allegedly Aggressing Upon Him with a Knife in Hand (2015)

NBC DFW | Injured Heroes, Broken Promises: Army Launches Investigation Inside Fort Hood’s Warrior Transition Unit (2015)

The Clay Hunt Act: What President Barack Obama Just Signed (February 12, 2015)

Air Force Reserve Capt. Jamie Brunette Died by Suicide After What Parents Allege May Have Been an Unreported Sex Assault in Afghanistan (February 9, 2015)

Disappeared: Disabled Army Veteran Joseph Weber IV Missing from San Francisco, California Since November 24, 2014

Army Veteran Tomas Young Dies at 34; Shot & Paralyzed on Black Sunday in 2004 on Peace Keeping Mission with Fort Hood in Sadr City, Iraq (2014)

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Missouri: Local victim of military sexual assault speaks out (2013)

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