Cottonwood Heights woman charged with murder in the death of her National Guard husband

“According to Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, Jennifer Gledhill, 41, is facing several felonies including first-degree murder after she allegedly shot her husband, Matthew Johnson, and buried him in a shallow grave last month.

“Documents say the missing person investigation began on Sept. 25 when the Utah National Guard called the police requesting assistance in locating Johnson after he did not come into work.

Read on www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/utah-woman-charged-with-murder-in-the-death-of-her-husband/

Veterans, advocates examine potential link between prescribed drugs and veteran suicide

“Prescription pills are meant to help veterans cope with the injuries they bring home from service — physical and mental. However, advocates say that medications might do more harm than good. Advocates also say more needs to be done to examine the link between prescription medications and medication suicide.”

“On Tuesday, Tim Jensen with the Grunt Style Foundation hosted the first-ever national summit exploring the potential role that certain prescription medications play in a growing number of veteran suicides. ‘Specifically to the overprescribing and abuse of psychotropics within the veteran community,’ according to Jensen.”

“With more than 6,000 veterans having died by suicide nationwide in 2021, advocates hope that Tuesday’s conversation leads to fewer prescribed medications and more mental health counselors and resources.”

Read on www.wilx.com/2024/10/15/military-veterans-families-advocates-examine-potential-link-between-prescribed-drugs-veteran-suicide/

Army Reservist sentenced in Fayetteville 2021 killing of Kotasha Griffith

Army reservist sentenced for her part in 2021 Fayetteville murder

“A former Army reservist was sentenced to probation last week for her part in a deadly shooting in 2021 in which a man was gunned down in a neighborhood off Ramsey Street as he waited to meet up with a girl he talked to on Instagram.”

“Damaryia Shantelle Mack, 23, pleaded guilty in January to felony accessory after the fact of discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle in the July 23, 2021, death of Kotasha Glenroy Griffith, 27, of Fayetteville. Mack received a sentence of three years probation with a suspended prison sentence of 25 to 42 months.”

Read on www.fayobserver.com/story/news/crime/2024/10/14/woman-sentenced-in-fayetteville-2021-killing-of-kotasha-griffith/75587432007/

Lantern Walk gets a military makeover

Oct. 19 event to shine a light on mental health struggles of veterans, active-duty service members.

This year, the Brandon Caserta Foundationand ASU’s Pat Tillman Veterans Center are teaming up for a lantern procession of their own, this one to raise awareness around the mental health struggles of veterans and active-duty service members.

“Suicide in the military is at an epidemic level, and we’re hoping this walk is a way to honor the ones we have lost, the ones who are struggling and the ones who have attempted to take their lives but are still with us,” said Teri Caserta, who along with husband Patrick started the Brandon Caserta Foundation in 2021. The foundation offers assistance, guidance, education and resources to active-duty service members, veterans and their families.

Read on news.asu.edu/20241015-local-national-and-global-affairs-lantern-walk-gets-military-makeover

More than 800 military veterans receive honorable discharges from Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” records review

“The news comes a little more than a year after proactively reviewing the records of LGBTQ+ veterans who might be eligible for an honorable discharge but had not yet applied for one. The 800+ veterans receiving this relief will see their discharge papers – known as a DD-214 – automatically change to “honorable” without the burden of having to go through the military’s formal process of applying for a discharge upgrade. An honorable discharge status unlocks access to benefits that some of these veterans may have been missing out on for decades, including things like health care, college tuition assistance, VA loan programs and even some jobs.”

“In a separate effort announced in June, President Biden sought to redress some of the harms brought about by the military justice system against those suspected of homosexuality when he issued pardons for former service members convicted under a military law from years past that explicitly criminalized consensual ‘sodomy.'”

Read more: www.cbsnews.com/news/military-veterans-honorable-discharges-dont-ask-dont-tell-review/

Family members, victims of Lewiston mass shooting to take legal action against Army

Attorneys say the notices summarize some of the key facts uncovered to date that support their negligence claims, including:

  • Between March and July 2023, the Army became aware that Card had suffered a severe and precipitous decline in his mental health, resulting in erratic and combative behaviors, and promised to take steps to address Card’s condition. The Army failed to act.
  • The Army, KACH and DoD knew that Card had been exposed to thousands of blast events from his work as a firearms and grenade instructor but did not investigate whether physiological damage to Card’s brain from such blast exposure was a root cause of Card’s sudden and inexplicable onset of mental illness, or otherwise determine whether Card’s illness was caused or exacerbated in the “line of duty,” as required by Army regulations.
  • In July and August 2023, the Army and KACH determined that Card’s mental illness—including paranoia, delusions, and homicidal ideations with development of a “hit list”—posed a serious risk to himself and others, but nevertheless allowed Card to return to the community without the cause of his mental illness determined or a plan for treatment, and without reporting Card under New York’s SAFE Act or Red Flag laws.
  • Although Card’s doctors released him from the hospital on the condition that he no longer have access to firearms, and the Army and KACH assured his doctors that they would remove Card’s firearms, they did not do so and left Card in possession of numerous weapons, including the AR-10 assault rifle he used to carry out the mass shooting.
  • Following Card’s release from the hospital and return to Maine, the Army and KACH failed to notify local Maine law enforcement, provide them with Card’s recent history or inform them that Card’s doctors had directed that Card be separated from his firearms.
  • In September 2023, when the Army learned that Card had threated to shoot up the military base in Saco and commit a mass shooting, the Army downplayed and minimized the threat (despite later acknowledging that it was serious and credible), and actively discouraged local law enforcement from taking decisive action.

Read more here: wgme.com/news/local/family-members-victims-of-lewiston-mass-shooting-start-process-of-suing-army-robert-card-maine-gun-violence-schemengees-bar-and-grille-just-in-time-recreation-governor-janet-mills-attorney-general-aaron-frey

Air Force maintainers will learn more about mishaps but can’t share it

“The Air Force is trying to halt an increase in maintenance-related aircraft mishaps by putting new safety training and briefings in place for maintainers that the service says will now require those airmen to sign non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, in the process. An NDA is a legal contract that prevents the sharing of such information.”

“The beefed-up training and briefings will allow the Air Force to confidentially share the details on these accidents and quickly teach maintainers what lessons have been learned, Stefanek said.

“But some critics worry that the NDAs could stifle the Air Force publicly acknowledging its mishaps.

Read more here: www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2024/10/14/air-force-maintainers-will-learn-more-about-mishaps-but-cant-share-it/

Army veteran killed wife after becoming ‘tired of her adult modeling career’

Kathleen West

“The courtroom was gripped as details emerged of how West, trained in crime scene investigation, allegedly used his expertise to stage an accident. A medical specialist testified that Kat’s head wound was too extreme to result from a fall, given her petite stature at 5ft 2in.

“During discourse on the couple’s tensions, prosecutors illustrated a volatile relationship, asserting they had argued about Kat’s mature online content after drinking. The prosecutor painted a scenario: “He is fed up with this stuff,” then suggested an altercation ensued where West tossed Kat’s phone onto the street.

“In November 2020, after five hours of jury deliberation, West was acquitted of murder but convicted of reckless manslaughter… The judge acknowledged West’s military service and clean record but reproached him for not admitting guilt in a plea deal, leaving it to the jury to determine his responsibility for Kat’s death.

Read on http://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/army-veteran-killed-wife-after-745805

Update: 20% Air National Guard benefits claims denied

October 9, 2024

In 2023, the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records found she was “the victim of an error or injustice,” and ordered that she receive back pay and benefits. She told ABC15 that the National Guard fully compensated her before her retirement.

“Even though this was probably the hardest thing that I’ve had to fight in my military career and stand up for, I think my timing was great and being able to use it and help other people,” Kjornes said.

After ABC15 aired Kjornes’ story, we connected with airmen across the country. Their local commanders also had approved their medical claims, but they were later denied during a second review at National Guard Bureau headquarters.

“We just had a sense that it wasn’t right,” said Lt. Col. Rich Cullen, a Washington Air National Guard member, who had several claims approved, then denied.

“It’s either incompetency, apathy or corruption,” said Lt. Col. Mitch Hall. “You kind of feel abandoned.”

Read more: www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/update-20-air-national-guard-benefits-claims-denied

NBC News: Veterans Wait 30 Years on Average for the U.S. to Acknowledge Toxic Exposures (September 18, 2024)

“Veterans exposed on U.S. soil have had to wait even longer.” 

The New York Times Magazine: The Army Thought He Was Faking His Health Issues. Turns Out He Had Chronic Lead Poisoning.

My Toxic Exposure Story:
After Lead Poisoning Symptoms Dismissed by PTSD Diagnosis, It Results in Brain Inflammation, Fatigue, Muscle Weakness, Digestion Issues & Chronic Pain
I Watched My Father Die From a Brutal & Painful Battle with Terminal Bone Cancer… And My Toxic Military Leadership Kicked Me While I Was Down

My Treatment to Prevent Cancer:

Ozone Saunas Help You Detox Lead From the Body #leadpoisoning
  1. Weekly Ozone Sauna to Sweat the Lead Out
  2. Weekly Homeopathic Infusion to Push the Lead Out of the Body
  3. Supersmart – EDTA 1000mg per Day – Calcium Disodium EDTA Supplement | Non-GMO & Gluten Free – 180 Vegetarian Capsules to detox the lead out of the body
  4. BioPure ZeoBind – 100% Natural Mineral Blend of Clinoptilolite and Mordenite Powder That Detoxes and Cleanses The Body to Support Immunity, Gastrointestinal Health, and Microbiome Balance – 200g to detox the lead out of the body
  5. Chelation Therapy (EDTA) infusions (this stopped after 8 infusions because the California Board of Pharmacy banned it from the State of California despite the fact that it’s the only recommended form of treatment by the CDC in the United States)
  6. Replaced all teeth after chronic lead poisoning went untested and untreated for over 20 years and created Burton’s line
This is the Burton’s Line that showed up in 2019 around 15 years after leaving a toxic military base. Jennifer’s lead levels were 12x higher than what’s acceptable in the body. Jennifer experienced long term exposure to lead contaminated water and soil while stop lossed for four years at Joint Base Cape Cod in Massachusetts, also an EPA superfund site still under the supervision of multiple agencies.

“Living with symptoms is difficult,” an Army veteran said, “but living without validation and causation of your symptoms is maddening.”

REPORT: Ending the Wait for Toxic-Exposed Veterans

INFOGRAPHICS: A Century of Military Toxic Exposures and Presumptives

According to NBC News:

“…The symptoms emerged one by one throughout the pages: stomach cramps, incessant headaches and extreme exhaustion. By the time [Mark] Jackson made it back to Melbourne, Florida, in April 2004, the former marathoner said he could barely walk up a flight of stairs.”

“Jackson filed for disability compensation for all his ailments but said he only got approved for the thyroid disease. He is among many veterans who say they are waiting for the government to recognize that their illnesses are related to military toxic exposure, advocates say.”

“A report released Wednesday found that sick veterans have waited an average of 31.4 years from when they first made contact with dangerous toxins on duty to when the government acknowledged they were exposed.”

“Most recently, in August 2022, lawmakers passed the PACT Act, which expanded benefits to millions of veterans exposed to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan and other toxic substances. Before then, advocates said it was challenging for veterans to prove their sickness was related to their service in order to receive disability compensation. ‘In both those instances, and for many other military toxic exposures, it took decades for the VA and Congress to finally act,’ Wednesday’s report said. ‘Some died before achieving justice.'”

“Veterans exposed on U.S. soil have had to wait even longer.”

“In one of the largest water contamination cases in U.S. history, up to 1 million people who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987 may have been exposed to a drinking water supply contaminated with chemicals that have been linked to severe health problems, including cancers and birth defects, federal health officials said.”

“The agency [VA] said it is conducting a scientific review to determine whether there is a relationship between toxic exposures and three conditions — acute leukemias, chronic leukemias, and multiple myeloma outside of the head and neck — for service members who deployed to Uzbekistan and other locations.”

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/veterans-wait-30-years-average-us-acknowledge-toxic-exposures-new-repo-rcna171371

RELATED LINKS:
The Army Thought He Was Faking His Health Issues. Turns Out He Had Chronic Lead Poisoning.
Why Are Military Women Affected by Toxic Exposure More than Men?
‘Ending the Wait’: How MOAA Is Making a Difference for Toxic-Exposed Veterans
Ending the Wait for Toxic-Exposed Veterans – DAV