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Category: Veterans in the news

  • Dan Crenshaw, SEAL for Congress

    Dan Crenshaw, SEAL for Congress

    The folks at Connecting Vets sent us a link to their bio of Dan Crenshaw, a real former SEAL officer who is running for Congress in Texas’ 2nd district. He lost his right eye in an IED attack in Afghanistan in 2012, but that hasn’t slowed him down;

    Under the spotlight that comes along with running for office, the details of Crenshaw’s military career have become public knowledge, and caused some to think he’s got to be making it up, or embellishing at the least.

    It’s because of this that a number of people have contacted the man known for finding and outing SEAL impostors, retired Senior Chief (SEAL) Don Shipley. In fact, Shipley says he’s had more people reach out to him questioning Crenshaw’s credentials than any other individual, with some of those questions coming from within the SEAL community.

    “If he knew how many people I’ve verified him to… maybe the eye patch is part of it,” Shipley says with a laugh. “Some of the old-school SEALs have asked me about him because they think there’s nobody out there with his quals and everything. I tell them right away ‘hey, this guy is legit, the real deal, and you don’t wanna mess with this young man.’”

    I don’t want to steal too much of Eric Dehm’s work on Dan, so click over and read the rest.

  • Mansfield firefighters step up to help WWII vet step up

    Someone sent us a link to an article from Mansfield, Massachusetts which tells the story of some firefighters there who stepped up to help World War II veteran Walter Gilbert and his wife Mary. The 95-years-olds have mobility issues, and the firefighters noticed that when they responded to a call at the Gilbert home recently;

    “The guy is an amazing individual,” Fire Capt. John Terry said.

    Terry said he stumbled across Gilbert when firefighters responded to a fire alarm call at his home. He later visited on a weekend off duty to change batteries in smoke detectors in the home.

    Terry said he sat down and talked to Gilbert, learning he endured about 180 days of combat, and was wounded twice. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge where he took shrapnel.

    Those wounds make it difficult for Mr Gilbert to walk, and Mary had recently broke her leg, so the firefighters coordinated with the local veterans services to get him a ramp for his stairs. They went out to the house to install the ramp during their off-hours. Unfortunately, there was a part missing, but they stand ready to make the installation when it arrives.

    Terry urges folks to check in on local veterans to see what they can do for veterans, whatever war they served in.

  • Terry McClelland; Army veteran to donate lottery windfall

    Terry McClelland, an Army veteran in Statesville, North Carolina, has pledged his lottery winnings to help folks with substance abuse problems, according to the Charlotte Observer;

    Terry McClelland and his wife intend to use the proceeds from his lucky scratch-off ticket win to start a non-profit counseling center aimed at freeing people from their addictions – his wife’s lifelong dream.

    “This is what I was put on this earth to do,” McClelland’s wife, also named Terry, told lottery officials. She is is pursuing her doctorate in psychology. “It’s my calling,” she said. “This is why I did all those years of college. There’s people out there that need something, and now we are going to be able to help and bless someone else.”

    After the government took their share of his $250,000, McClelland ended up with $173,754.

  • Taylor Winston; Marine veteran saving the world

    Taylor Winston; Marine veteran saving the world

    Chief Tango sends us links to the story of Taylor Winston, a former Marine, who was on the scene in Las Vegas and he’s being credited with saving dozens of lives. He was dancing with his girlfriend when the gunfire began. Without hesitating, he went and checked out some pickups parked nearby for keys and he found the first one, loaded it with injured concert-goers, drove them to the hospital and returned.

    Still under fire, Winston upon his return to the scene, loaded more of the wounded into his stolen truck and took them to the hospital, in time for life-saving treatment. According to CBS News;

    Winston joined the Marines at age 17, eventually serving two tours in Iraq. In 2011, he was honorably discharged as a sergeant.

    “I think a lot of my training in the military helped me in the situation. We needed to get them out of there regardless of our safety,” he said.

    Winston rejects the “hero” label. He said he saw many people – like him – doing good deeds.

    “There was a lot of bravery and courageous people out there. I’m glad that I could call them my country folk,” he said.

    He told Fox News this morning that his girlfriend has back injuries because she helped to lift and load patients into the truck.

  • Vets accuse SC lawyers of ripping off vets

    Stars & Stripes reports that three veterans, Chad Wright, an Army veteran from South Carolina, Marine veteran Jason Lyons of New Jersey and Army veteran Adrian Russo of Maryland, have filed lawsuits against Candy Kern-Fuller and Arkansas businessmen Andrew Gamber and Mark Corbett and their related companies for bilking them out of their pensions;

    “The behavior alleged in the complaint is reprehensible,” said Anne Richardson, an attorney with Public Counsel, which is representing Wright, Lyons and Russo for free. “The victims are veterans who served their country and were injured in the line of duty. Instead of offering them fair business terms, we allege that the defendants looked to bilk them out of their disability benefits through illegal high interest loans.”

    According to the suit, Kern-Fuller’s law firm in Easley “has acted as the central bank for the scheme.”

    The article claims that the Securities and Exchange Commission is also investigating the lawyers who bought veterans’ pensions with high-interest loans.

    It’s always been my motto that you can’t cheat an honest man. None of these lenders are your friends.

  • Captain Michael Trost gets his gun

    Captain Michael Trost gets his gun

    MCPO Ret. In TN sends a link to KBIR which tells the story of retired Army Captain Michael Trost who, for the past five years, has been involved in a struggle with the Army to get his issued Beretta handgun back from them. The gun saved his life, as guns tend to do, but, this time, not in the usual way;

    Back in 2012 on a mission in Afghanistan, Trost had his Army-issue sidearm holstered in his waist resting against his back. Out of nowhere an Afghan soldier, trained by American troops, turned rouge and suddenly opened fire on Trost and others in his unit.

    “Have five or seven bullets go through you, around you, near you, this probably would have been the eighth bullet right here,” said Trost pointing to the sidearm he credits with deflecting one bullet away from his spine.

    The attack cost the combat veteran part of his hand, and later the amputation of his leg, but he is certain that sidearm helped save his life.

    “It’s like your buddy to the left and to your right, this is like my buddy ‘cause he took a round for me,” said Trost with a smile holding his battered gun with an entry and exit wound of twisted metal.

    So, the Army welded the slide to make it inoperable and charged him for their trouble (Trost’s friends picked up the tab), but the captain is together with his buddy again.

  • MN AG files lawsuit against Future Income Payments

    MCPO Ret. In TN sends us a link which reports that the Attorney General of Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against Future Income Payments, of Delaware, and FIP, of Nevada which share an address. The company is not licensed to issue loans in Minnesota, but they’ve bilked two veterans and Minnesotans out of thousands of dollars in their business dealing there, according to the AG;

    The companies, which are the target of multiple state and federal investigations, issued the loans to veterans who receive pensions or disability benefits and to senior citizens with private-sector pensions. They are part of an industry that has been criticized for a lack of transparency and questionable business practices.

    “By signing away your pension rights for years to come, you often end up making a bad financial situation far worse because you are forfeiting the right to have hundreds of dollars of future financial payments,” Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson said.

    About 55 percent of the companies’ business targeted military pensions.

    Apparently, the AG charges that the companies are guilty of evading the law by getting licensed in the state and by calling the loans “purchase agreements” of a pension. That’s why I avoid doing business with people who “target” veterans – they’re likely to use our ignorance of dealings to wipe us out of our life savings.

    The two examples they provide;

    Gulf War veteran Stephen Schmelz told of getting a $2,700 loan that would cost $27,000 of his pension payments.

    […]

    “You’re desperate. You trust them,” said 68-year-old military widow Cecelia Gleb, who borrowed $2,249 and discovered she would be required to pay back $18,000. “You need it and no one else will help you.”

    Do the math before you sign.

  • Anthony Ventura; Vietnam vet embezzles from DFC Society

    Anthony Ventura, a Vietnam War Navy pilot and Treasurer of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society pleaded guilty in a San Diego courtroom yesterday to embezzling $140,000, according to the San Diego Tribune;

    Anthony Ventura, a naval aviator in Vietnam who himself has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, began taking funds after filing for personal bankruptcy in 2014, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He opened a secret credit union account and put $124,000 in society assets there to spend at his leisure. He spent more than $30,000 to operate his horses, Sovran Star Stables; $67,000 to buy stocks and bonds; and $25,600 in other personal living expenses.

    According to Fox5, the IRS and FBI cooperated on the investigation since Ventura filed false reports to the IRS.

    “It is unfortunate that Naval Veteran Anthony Ventura’s service to this country will now be tarnished by his decision to embezzle funds from the Distinguished Flying Cross Society, which also led him to file a fraudulent tax return on its behalf,” said Damon Rowe, the special agent in charge of the IRS criminal investigation. “Mr. Ventura ignored his duty to file an accurate tax return and will now be labeled a convicted felon, in addition to a decorated naval aviator.”

    From NBC Los Angeles;

    The defendant was previously awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross, said Robinson. After his military career, he worked as a Senior Vice President of Wachova Securities.