The Being There-Reaching Out newsletter for our Families of our Fallen
May 2014 Issue 28
Another wonderful weekend with our Families of our Fallen, April 2014 in Green Bay.
Can you find yourself:>)))
Pencil in April 10-13th
for our 2015 Weekend Retreat. Location is being discussed. L-J
Barbara Keyes
Greg Lemke
My daughter, Jade who was born on Christmas Eve gave birth this morning (12/24/13!) to a little boy. She named after her brother Eric! How cool is that! She was due in mid January, but he surprised us all. Everyone is doing well. What a great gift from God. Merry Christmas! Joanne Marfechuk, Proud mom of PFC Eric D Clark, KIA 11May2006
Sent in by Lucy Henzig mother of Army Spc. Michael A. McGlothin KIA April 17, 2004: Granddaughter Nora Rae Nuttycombe!!! She was born Dec.4th 7lbs 4oz 19 3/4 inches.
OLIVIA ANN KNOWLES 11/4/13 NIECE TO CPL BRIAN R PRENING KIA 11/12/2004 Sent in by Deb Prening, mother of Hero Brian Prening
RIP
Gold Star Grandma Phyllis Luck, Maternal Grandmother
of PFC Jacob Gassen, and Mom of Gold Star Mom Barb Gassen. Joined Jake on
the other side on March 24, 2010
Betty Evangeline Schroeder, age 82 of Clintonville,
passed away unexpectedly on Monday, November 18, 2013 at the New London
Family Medical Center: Mother of Deb Schroeder, husband, Allen Stevens,
Father of our Hero Andy Stevens.
Up-Coming BT-RO Family Memorials
Planting Trees on the Cpl. Justin Ross Memorial Trail
Saturday, May 3 at 10:00am at Mills Center Park Cpl. Justin Ross
Memorial Trail…bring a pointed shovel.
Contact is Debbi Ross: [email protected]
********
Bench Dedication It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since Todd left our home
in Loyal, WI. Our lives have evolved in so many ways, yet there is always the wish for what might have been. We think of him daily and
still share stories of his warmth and love for family. We (Todd's children and I) will be placing a bench in The Persian Gulf Tribute to
remember his service to country. I would like to personally invite you to the dedication of a bench for Todd D. Olson at The Highground on
Saturday, August 2 at 2 p.m. If you have any questions don't hesitate to email ([email protected]) or call.
Love always, Nancy Olson
******
Nick’s Ride To Remember August 23rd, 2014
The Stone Yard on Cty Hwy JJ, Appleton Motorcycles/Vehicles Ride, After the ride at The Stone Yard
Raffle baskets, 50/50, large raffle Bands: Grand Union and Roof Top Jumpers (Country vs Rock)
See: nicksridetoremember.com in honor of Hero Nick Mueller
*****
4th Annual SrA Daniel James Johnson Memorial Golf Classic Hawk's View Golf Club
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Monday, August 25, 2014 Registration begins at 10:00 am Lunch Served 10:30-11:15 am
Shotgun Scramble starts at 11:30 am Followed by a great dinner and presentation
Silent and major auction items will be available (Credit cards accepted). Contact: Josh Peterson,Golf Classic Coordinator,
*****
8th Annual Spc Shaun Novak Memorial Golf Outing
Seven Lakes Golf and Dining 1420 N County Rd S, Cato, Wisconsin 54230 Saturday, May 17 at
12:00pm at Seven Lakes Golf and Dining
Contact Brenda Novak: [email protected]
4 person teams $75.00 per player. Includes, Golf, Cart, Food and
Beverages and a golfer only raffle. Everyone is welcome to come and
enjoy the day.
*****
Nicole Frye Memorial Ride
Saturday, August 23 at 11:00am, Little River Inn, Lena,
Registration 9-10
WI Veterans tribute takes shape
Workers start construction of a new memorial at The Highground, a veteran’s memorial
park west of Neillsville.
Celeste Kaufman has been involved in the planning of a Persian Gulf War tribute at The Highground, a veteran’s memorial park near Neillsville, since a committee was formed in 2008, and she’s excited to see work on the memorial is under construction. The cement foundation for the new memorial was poured in September. The tribute — which will be in the shape of a soldier’s boot and feature four bronze statues — is expected to cost about $750,000 to complete. The building committee has raised about one-third of the money.
"The first time seeing it take shape, to stand in it and see the bigness and greatness of it, is just wonderful," she said. "It’s an awesome feeling to see it visually."
Kaufman, 51, of Colby, became involved in The Highground memorial after her 20-year-old son, Charles Kaufman, was killed while on duty in Iraq as a member of the Army National Guard in June 2005. She is a firm believer the memorial area needs an exhibit to honor soldiers who have fought in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf. The park is home to memorials honoring veterans of other wars. "Being on the committee was partial healing," Kaufman said. "The support was there. And it was just seeing what The Highground has brought to veterans of previous wars." Now that work on the project has started, Kaufman said she’s hopeful it will lead to more donations that will allow the rest of the project to proceed quickly. "The plan is to have it completed in a year and a half," she said. Like Kaufman, Nancy Olson has emotional ties to the memorial. Her husband, Todd, died in Iraq in 2004. She has volunteered alongside Kaufman since 2008 to get the memorial tribute underway. "It’s been a long process," Olson said. "We are hoping we get support statewide. It’s pretty exciting (to break ground), but we feel a lot of pressure to raise the money. We want to keep the momentum going." Paul Kokosz, 48, grew up in Loyal and now lives in Chicago. A Persian Gulf War veteran and member of the committee raising money to build the memorial, Kokosz said he and others involved with the effort hope the new memorial will be meaningful and prompt those who see it to contemplate the lives lost in war. "It speaks to any veteran who comes across it," Kokosz said. "It’s a boot print in the sand. It leaves an impression." Four bronze statues will be lined up in a row, down the center of the boot print. One will honor soldiers killed in action by showing a pair of boots, a helmet and a gun while others will depict a soldier on patrol and a woman in uniform embracing her husband and other family members.
"It represents the sad departure, or her going home, the welcoming hug," Kokosz said. By Chris Vetter Chippewa Falls News Bureau
The first suicide was in 2007
By Leo Shane III Stars and Stripes Published: September 11, 2013
Mike Little was preparing to head to Iraq for a year when he heard that his close friend, a National Guardsman who had inspired Little to join the military, had killed himself. The second was before Little deployed to Afghanistan, about two years later. He couldn’t go to the funeral because he was due on a plane. The next three came during the naval reservist’s yearlong deployment in Afghanistan. Another suicide happened just as he got home, in late 2010.
He’s up to nine now. “At this point, I’m taking it personally,” he said. “I deployed twice, I came home, I struggled. I feel responsible that I didn’t reach out to them. Maybe if I had …” Little, a petty officer 2nd class in the Naval Reserves, fought his own battle with suicidal thoughts and won, as much as any person still struggling with depression and post-traumatic stress can say they’ve won.
He has trouble sleeping. He calls the Veterans Crisis Line almost weekly. He can’t stop thinking about the others who didn’t make it.
As the military has tackled the problem of suicide, the focus has been on the value of the lives lost and the impact on the family and loved ones left behind. But the military hasn’t emphasized the dangerous ripple effect that any suicide can have on the force, the unspoken suggestion to unstable troops that if their fellow service members can’t make it, maybe they can’t either.
Little’s psychiatrist tells him he suffers from “vicarious traumatization,” a combination of survivor’s guilt and empathetic engagement with the fallen troops. It’s a common problem among trauma counselors and suicide hotline workers. He’s lost so many friends, he has started to obsess over the idea of suicide. It’s been the focus of his college assignments, his interactions with veterans groups and his free time.
“No one really wants to talk about suicide,” he said. “But I’ve lost too many people. And I was almost one of those numbers. I’m not OK with that.”
Determined to change the system More than 2,600 active-duty troops, guardsmen and reservists have killed themselves since 2002. America has lost fewer service members to combat in Afghanistan over the last 12 years than it has to suicide.
Little has added two more names to his grim total in the last five months alone. It’s a lengthy list for anyone, and Little just turned 30. He feels guilty referring to one death as more emotional than the others, but also confesses that “after a while, you kind of get numb to them.” He’s desperately trying to avoid that. Part of his obsession has been crafting proposed legislation to improve the Navy’s health and wellness programs, reaching out to any lawmaker who would listen.
Suicide prevention has been a major focus of the four services and the Department of Veterans Affairs in recent years, with a host of new support programs and public awareness initiatives. The results have been disheartening. Military suicides have climbed steadily over the last decade. The latest VA data available shows an increase in veterans killing themselves.
Little believes much more can be done. In a five-page “suggested outcomes” document he’s distributed to congressional committees, state lawmakers’ offices and pretty much anyone else willing to read it, he calls for ending phone assessment checkups. “No doctor in the world can diagnose mental illness after 15 minutes on the phone,” the document says. He wants longer reintegration sessions for returning troops, in-depth training on PTSD in boot camp and dozens of follow-ups for every service member potentially affected by downrange stress. He’s not sure whether his ideas are practical. But he knows the system isn’t working. If it was, he wouldn’t have so many examples of how it has failed.
Searching for reasons Back when Little was just a kid, Adam Fiock was the cool sixth-grader who lived down the street, the one who stayed out a little too late playing flashlight tag and dispensed advice to the younger kids on how
to be popular in middle school. That’s how Little wants to remember him — not as suicide No. 1. “He taught me how to rollerblade,” Little said. “He’d pick on you, but then come over and play video games. He just knew how to fit in.”
Fiock’s father worked alongside Little’s father, so the friendship went beyond the two adolescents. The families were close. The boys were always hanging around each other’s homes, or just as likely running through neighborhood backyards.
When Fiock graduated high school, he joined the Army National Guard. Little remembers being awed by the move. “He was really a role model to me,” said Little, who was only two years younger. Little followed suit, signing up for the Navy in 2003. His love of boats was getting him nowhere in his landlocked Indiana hometown, plus “I wasn’t smart enough to get into college.”
The childhood friends lost touch over the years, as jobs and deployments took them to separate parts of the globe. Little got updates on Fiock’s Iraq tour through his parents.
By 2007, Little had left active duty and shifted to the Naval Reserves. Instead of continuing his work with ships and aircraft, Little found himself being trained for combat deployment. He would be working with detainees, as an individual augmentee attached to an Army unit. The abrupt mission change was stressful. Much more shocking was when, in October that year, Fiock shot himself in his apartment. Little’s father called him to let him know. Little was devastated. “And I was scared.”
Years later, Little keeps searching for the reasons behind Fiock’s suicide and the others. He also wonders why he’s still alive.
Struggle with despair Little’s fiancée, Elizabeth Leretsis, describes him as a funny, easy-going guy. He volunteers with local veterans clubs, civic organizations — anywhere he thinks he can make a difference. He’s a Monty Python fan with a dry sense of humor. He’s a fun person to be around. Except when he’s not. “When he’s upset, that’s a different Mike,” she said. Little believes his PTSD largely stems from his deployment to Iraq. He doesn’t think about killing himself anymore, he said, but that doesn’t mean he no longer suffers. When things go wrong, he doesn’t get frustrated. He despairs.
In August, when problems arose with his GI Bill benefits, he didn’t simply worry that he’d have to drop out of school. He worried about the money problems that would follow for years and the extra stress that would put on the couple. He worried that his whole world would come apart. “I get so overwhelmed. … I stop making sense,” he said.
It’s difficult for Leretsis, 28, a health technician in the U.S. Coast Guard. She’s naturally chatty and upbeat, accustomed to talking out problems instead of sitting in silence. Brooding worries her, and Little does a lot of brooding. “I’m getting better with the silence, I think,” she said. “It’s hard for me to give him that space. I think that if I’m not asking questions, am I really trying to help? “PTSD is not anything I’ve ever dealt with. We’ve been taught, ‘This is what PTSD is; this is how it presents.’ But it’s different when it’s right in front of you.”
The supply guy Little knew that something was wrong inside him long before his Iraq deployment was over. His only real counselor was an E-5 with a friendly ear but no psychological resiliency training. As the supply guy, Tom Murphy served as base bartender minus the alcohol. Everyone stopped in for a quick chat or lengthy rant while picking up uniforms, envelopes, whatever. “I remember worrying that maybe we were all dumping too much on him,” Little said. “But he was probably the nicest guy I’ve ever known. “He had been in combat before and dealt with the stress. He wasn’t going to judge you, just listen.” Little struggled with his role in the detainee mission in Iraq, he still isn’t comfortable talking about the details. When he came back to the U.S., he wanted to forget the whole thing. Murphy kept pushing the reservists to keep their makeshift unit together, planning reunions for the group on the flight home. He was active on online message
boards, prodding the guys for dates and locations. Little said Murphy called to chat every few weeks for months after their return.
While Murphy was busy planning a get-together, Little was preparing to deploy to Afghanistan, just six months after returning from Iraq — for detainee affairs again, despite all the stress of the first mission. Little was agitated and angry, but determined to push through the depression and self-doubt. He started frequenting his local American Legion post and self-medicating with alcohol. He was on that barstool in late November 2009 when his phone rang. It was Murphy. Little said he remembered thinking he was probably calling about a reunion again. Little kept drinking and let the call go to voice mail. Murphy didn’t leave a message. He shot himself in his Florida home later that night.
Almost giving up Murphy’s death haunted Little through his time in Afghanistan. When his command informed him of additional suicides — three service members who deployed to Iraq with Little — his commanding officer ordered several of the individual augmentees to seek counseling. Little says it helped.
When the deployment ended in late 2010, he decided to move back home to Indiana. He missed his family. He thought he’d feel more connected if he was near his friends. But McLeansboro was three hours away from the nearest naval reserve unit in St. Louis. Even though he remained in the reserves, Little felt isolated from anyone who understood what it felt like to go to war. “I didn’t want to talk to someone who had never deployed before, who had no idea” what he went through, he said. He started missing drills, adding weight. Little said he didn’t sleep for days at a time. He was pursuing an associate’s degree at Rend Lake College but struggled to make it to class. “Now I look back and say, ‘I had so many people I could have called,’ ” he said in a recent interview. “I could have called my unit. I could have called my old captain. … I know my father would have rushed to help me.
Little said he kept waiting for the Navy to call, to make sure he was OK. He felt like they had an obligation to take care of him, even if he had withdrawn from them. “It was like a locomotive had hit me, but I still didn’t really know I had a problem,” he said. “So I was racking my mind, wondering why the Navy didn’t care about me. “And then one day, I thought, ‘Maybe if nobody else gives a damn about me, maybe I shouldn’t care either, and maybe Mike Little shouldn’t be around anymore.”
Tempting fate Little is a Catholic, and he grew up believing that suicide is morally wrong. “I remember being taught early on that you can’t hurt yourself, that there’s no eternity for you if you do,” he said. “There were times I didn’t feel like living anymore, but that still wasn’t how I wanted to end my life.” Instead, Little found other ways to tempt fate. He headed back to drink the pain away at the American Legion bar. After a few drinks, he started asking the Vietnam vets why he should bother to go on living. After several more minutes, he was escorted out the door. “I had some guys literally take me by the hand and walk me to the VA, and when I got there the VA employees took my hand and walked me back to get help,” he said.
Turning to counselors Each of the four services has set up offices to combat suicide and mental illness among active-duty troops. Service members returning from combat zones are screened through health assessments. Transition assistance programs hammer home the warnings about depression, PTSD and suicide. Reservists and guardsmen go through the same reintegration programs, but don’t get the follow-up support that troops returning to a major military base do. Often, for many reserve units, VA clinics become the medical response team by default. Little has nothing but praise for the care he has received from VA counselors. He’s worked with several regional offices now, as he’s moved across the country. Initially, as a navy reservist, he said he didn’t feel comfortable looking for help there. “I thought the VA was just going to shove medicine down my throat and send me away,” he said. “I’m not a veteran yet. I didn’t know anything about the VA. I
thought I had to stay with the Navy, and I was afraid to talk to them because of what might happen to my career.” It’s a delicate balance, according to Ryan Gallucci, deputy legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. VA resources are foreign to many active-duty and reserve troops. “For reservists, it’s tough to know what resources are available,” he said. “And for individual augmentees [like Little], it’s even harder to know where you can go.”
Another loss with no warning The Department of Defense Suicide Prevention Program has a lengthy list of warning signs for a service member who might be considering suicide: withdrawing from friends, loss of interest in work, expressing feelings of excessive guilt or shame, appearing sad most of the time.
The day before naval reservist Aleida Bordas committed suicide last spring; she posted on Facebook about taking her daughters to cheerleading camp. “She was so excited,” Little said. “And she was dead the next day. There were no warning signs. They teach you to watch for them, but there wasn’t a sign.” Bordas — a high school teacher in New York who served with Little in Afghanistan — took her life in April. That was suicide No. 8 for Little, and it hit him hard.
He had been getting counseling from the VA for almost three years by then. He got a service dog named Ginger, a 4-year-old golden retriever who won’t leave his side. He proposed to Leretsis — the pair are getting married next month. Things had been better for Little. Not easier, but better.
Bordas’ death brought back the questions, the doubts about why the others killed themselves and why he didn’t. He wants to know more details about her final months but can’t bring himself to ask. “I just always remember her as the happiest person in the world,” he said. “She was always talking about her kids, she was always finding something positive to say. “Why her?”
'I just want to do something' Suicide No. 9 wasn’t a service member, but instead the father of a friend in the reserves. Little isn’t sure how that one could have been stopped. But the other eight? Little says his “suggested outcomes” outline can help save lives. It wasn’t written by the professional staff at the Pentagon, or by suicide prevention specialists who have been tracking the problem for years. It’s a five-page paper from a guy who has to believe that working harder will stop people from killing themselves. The plan is, at best, a legislative Hail Mary. Congress has kept on eye on the issue but typically takes its cues from the veterans’ service organizations and mental health professionals. Most legislative initiatives on the topic recently have been funding expansions, with little new approach to general suicide prevention efforts. Little knows that. “I’m just tired of sitting at home, taking call after call,” he said. “I just want to do something. “I’ve got a buddy who’s headed to Afghanistan (this fall), and I’m worried about how he’ll come back, and whether he could be next.”
Little has started making regular trips to Washington to introduce himself to lawmakers. He has gotten positive feedback within the Navy on his efforts. A few have started to show some interest. This month, he landed an internship with a New York state senator’s office, a lawmaker who has tackled veterans’ legislation in the past. Maybe he can build that into hearings and some action. And, he said, maybe prevent suicide No. 10.
Weather great for Halverson Memorial Fisheree February 20, 2011 11:45 pm, By Lyn Jerde, Daily Register
John Halverson said it's almost impossible to find a photo of his son Josh (above) not smiling as if he were near the water or holding a fish.
BRIGGSVILLE - Brandon Kleist's red pickup truck fishtailed and spun on the frozen surface of Lake Mason on Saturday morning, and that was a reason for rejoicing. Despite last week's thaw, the ice on the lake was 2 feet thick - more than adequate to support hundreds of ice anglers and the vehicles that transported many of them to the western area of the lake, where underwater vegetation made for prime fish habitat. "I think Josh helped us. I do, honestly," Kleist said of his best friend and fishing buddy, Josh Halverson.
Josh Halverson, 20, died in a car crash. The 2008 Portage High School graduate was on his way to Fort McCoy, where he was supposed to participate in a drill as a private first class in the U.S. Army Reserves. All along the road leading to the Lake Mason boat landing at the Wagon Wheel Campground near Briggsville, parked vehicles bore decals with Halverson's birth date (Feb. 24, 1990), his death date (Sept. 12, 2010) and the statement "Forever in our hearts." Todd Kleist, Brandon's father and coordinator of the first Josh Halverson Memorial Fisheree, said it was hard to tell how many people were out on the lake angling for bluegill, perch, bass and crappie in the hope of winning one of the numerous trophies for the largest fish caught.
By noon Saturday - two hours before the last fish had to be registered - the event had raised at least $3,000 for a scholarship in Josh Halverson's name, to be awarded to a deserving graduate of Portage High School. Those proceeds came from tickets sold for chances on dozens of donated prizes, many of them sold to people who had no intention of dropping a line in the frozen lake. Prizes included warm padded seats for ice fishing, a DVD that outlines techniques for catching small-mouth bass and caps with the Poynette Iron Works logo. The grand prize, according to Kleist, was donated by the Corner Pocket in Portage: a three-day, two-night stay at a house on Green Lake. On the ice, Josh Halverson's father, John, modeled an example of another door prize - a hat made out of a coyote pelt, complete with ears and tail. John Halverson said he'd gone to Wildthings, a fur trading post in Rockton, to solicit a donation of a door prize for the fisheree. He liked the fur hats so much, he bought three of them, including a silver fox for Josh's 12-year-old brother, Logan. The store owner threw in another as a door prize. Logan was wearing his fox hat with pride, and with considerable warmth, on Lake Mason's west end. "I'm only going to be wearing it for one day," Logan said, "because I don't want kids at school pulling the tail."
Josh Halverson's extended and blended family was well represented on the lake: His father John and John's wife Mary, and Halverson siblings Amber, 24, Jessica, 19, Travis, 18, and Logan; his mother, Tonya Timme and her husband David; and Timme siblings Tiffanie, 15, and Tori, 13.
On the shore, another group that helped shape Josh Halverson's identity - members of the 1152nd Transportation Company out of Fort McCoy - waited for the time when they would lead a patriotic ceremony for the awarding of trophies and prizes after the fisheree. Before that, however, Sgt. Jarod Martinson of Tomah said he intended to drop a fishing line of his own, although he hadn't ice-fished for several years. "We're pry-bar fishermen," he said of the
group from the 1152nd. "You've got to pry us out of bed to get us to fish."
Registration for the fisheree started at 4 a.m. Saturday, and the official start of the event was 5 a.m. But late in the morning and early in the afternoon, people kept coming - including Josh Halverson's grandparents, Glen and Flo Halverson, from Vesper.
On the ice, Josh's parents, who will choose the winner of the scholarship in Josh's name, reflected on what kind of student might be the most appropriate recipient. For sure, said Tonya Timme, it would have to be someone who values the same things that Josh valued - perhaps somebody seeking a career related to conservation or the outdoors. John Halverson said the recipient might be someone who, like Josh, benefited greatly from River Crossing Environmental Charter School. "He didn't like school," David Timme said. "But when he got outside, that made all the difference." John Halverson noted that Josh was considering enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point partly because the school had a hunting club.
Brandon Kleist remembered, however, the many hours that he and Josh spent fishing on Lake Mason. Had the thaw made ice-fishing unsafe or impossible, he said, the fisheree probably would have been rescheduled for the summer. But it wasn't. And somehow, Kleist said, Josh had a hand in that.
WI Gold Star Bossert Family Donates Worn and Torn Flag Box
The project had been in the works for a
couple of years. Steve & Diane Bossert, parents of SSG Andrew
Bossert, wanted to use an old mail box and turn it into a Worn and
Torn flag depository. The US Postal service said they are not allowed
to give or sell old mail boxes. So the designing began. Theo Lopez,
brother in law of Andrew, designed a box that could be used for the
project. Now it was time to build the box. Tom Oberlin of Oberlin
Filter Company donated the materials, tools, space and labor to build
the box. There is a special plaque giving Tom and the many workers,
who included Theo’s Father, brothers and son, for their generosity.
The plaque reads: A special thanks to Tom Oberlin of Oberlin
Filter Company, Waukesha, WI. The donation of material, time,
manpower and the use of their facility made The Worn and Torn Flag
Box possible. Thank you to the dedicated employees that helped build
The Worn and Torn Flag Box. Thank you for your support.
A local Waukesha company, Graphic Designs, came up with a wrap to
apply to the box to make it look like a “waving” American Flag. The
Worn and Torn Flag box is in honor of SSG Andrew Bossert and all who
have served.
The Worn and Torn Flag box was presented to the VFW Post 10406 in
Cochrane, WI in July 2012. The Bossert Family presented the Worn
and Torn Flag box to Mike Heinz and Krist Beseler representing the
VFW Post 10406. There was a small ceremony and the deposit of
some “Worn and Torn “flags.
Tom Oberlin has proposed a possible plan to create more Worn and
Torn Flag boxes to distribute to local and statewide VFW’s.
.
Congrats to the Father of our Hero Cord Daentl,
Scott Daentl!
Tech. Sgt. Scott Daentl, Wisconsin Air National Guard 2014
Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
Wisconsin Air Guardsmen vie for national honors February 17, 2014: Vaughn R. Larson, Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs
Six Airmen hailing from the Wisconsin Air National Guard's three bases will compete against their peers from across the country for the chance to be named the 2014 Air National Guard Outstanding Airman of the Year.
The Wisconsin Outstanding Airmen for 2014 include Airman 1st Class Jonathan Vargas of the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Airman of the Year; Tech. Sgt. Scott Daentl of Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year; Master Sgt. Christian Schweitzer of the 115th Fighter Wing, Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year; Master Sgt. Linda Schwartzlow of the 128th Air Control Squadron, First Sergeant of the Year; Master Sgt. David Coker of the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Honor Guard Program Manager; and Senior Master Sgt. Patricia Gross, Honor Guard Member.
According to Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Cullen, the Wisconsin Air National Guard's top enlisted member, the six were selected based on
I wanted to send our Girl Scout troop 6131 pictures to you. We collected & boxed 30 packages of Girl Scout cookies for Gold Star sister Becky Dotzler's memorial cookie drive in honor of her brother ND2 Robert Dotzler. Troop members: Kaitlyn Edwards, gold star niece Courtney (Uhl) Walker, gold star niece Emma (Uhl) Walker & Co-Leader Shawn Strook Leader: Gold Star sister Chastity Uhl-Walker
Senator Tammy Baldwin
stopped at our house today
to bring a copy of the
Congressional Record
honoring the dedication of
the Sergeant Benjamin
Edinger Corridor of the West
Side Trail. Sent in by Rose
and Randy Scannell
their achievements during the 2013 calendar year — including their primary job accomplishments, self-improvement, community service, physical fitness and a records review. The candidates also wrote about being a professional in the Wisconsin Air National Guard. A five-member panel of chief master sergeants reviewed each Outstanding Airman packet individually. A tally of independent scores determined the state winners.
Daentl, of Bloomington, Wis., works at the Hardwood Gunnery Range as an equipment operator, wildland firefighter and target maintainer. He has nearly 10 years in the Wisconsin Air National Guard, and an additional 10 years in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. He called his selection an honor and a pleasure.
"Very few Airmen are given this opportunity to represent their peers," he said. "It is my intent to be the very best representative."
Schweitzer, of Rio, Wis., is a fuel operations section chief at the 115th Fighter Wing. He has been in the Wisconsin Air National Guard since August 2009. "It feels good to be recognized for my contributions to my unit, and motivates me to keep on growing and working hard," Schweitzer said. "I believe there are many other highly qualified Airmen that could represent the Wisconsin Air National Guard in my category, so I am honored to be nominated and selected." Schweitzer also thanked his coworkers, supervisor, command leadership and his local community for their support.
Gross, of Milwaukee, is the noncommissioned officer in charge of the commander's support staff at the Combat Readiness Training Center. She has just over 24 years in the Wisconsin Air National Guard, but is a relatively new member of the Volk Field Honor Guard. "I have learned and trained from the best," she said. "[They] are among the most sharp and patriotic Airmen I have served with. I believe the entire team deserves this award — definitely not just me." Gross said her selection is one more reminder of why the Air National Guard is an amazing career. Who gets awards for attending veterans funerals, posting the U.S. flag, or folding the flag for a service member's retirement ceremony? she asked. "Although it is an honor to have been selected for this award, I feel proud and honored to have the opportunity to be on the Honor Guard team," Gross said. Schwartzlow, of Holmen, Wis., has been a Wisconsin Air National Guard member for 15 years. She said she was "taken aback" by her selection as the Wisconsin Air National Guard's First Sergeant of the Year. "All the first sergeants in the state are dedicated and committed professionals," she said. "Each have unique qualities and qualifications that set them apart from their peers, and to be selected from amongst this group — I am astonished and honored." Cullen said national winners should be announced in mid-March. The Wisconsin Air National Guard has had recent success at the national level, with Senior Master Sgt. Mike Schmaling, and, Senior Master Sgt. Jessica Maple being named the Air National Guard First Sergeant of the Year in 2013 and 2010, respectively.
Congrats Scott/Steve!
MEMORIAL DAY
May 26th
Lest we forget...it’s not a BBQ or sales day.
Wilde East Towne Honda Earns The 2013 Honda President’s Award
(Two of our dad’s are part of this award. L-J)
Madison, WI – Annually, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., recognizes top-ranking Honda dealerships with its most prestigious honor. This year, Honda is proud to announce that Wilde East Towne Honda is among the recipients of the Honda President’s Award for its exceptional performance in 2013. After its first year in operation, Wilde East Towne Honda has earned the exclusive President’s Award. Achieving the President’s Award requires a yearlong commitment to attaining excellence in the areas of customer satisfaction, sales, training, and facility image. More than 1,000 Honda dealerships participated in the 2013 program, with only 173 earning dealership honors. “At Honda, we have a passion for excellence that serves as the driving force behind everything we do for our valued customers,” says John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales for Honda. “The President’s Award was introduced in 1995 as a way to challenge our dealerships to achieve the exacting standards Honda established for the brand. Throughout the years, the criteria have been altered to ensure we remain industry leaders in customer service and satisfaction.” “It is a privilege to honor Wilde East Towne Honda with the distinguished President’s Award. I invite you to visit their showroom to experience firsthand the benefits of working with one of our award-winning dealerships.” “We are proud to be recognized as a first year recipient of Honda’s President’s Award. We thank our dedicated staff and the amazing support of our loyal customers for this honor,” said Jorge Hidalgo, partner-Wilde East Towne Honda. “With a focus on customer satisfaction and teamwork, Wilde East Towne Honda has established a solid foundation of excellence that will take it to new heights.” “From our first day in business, our goal has been to exceed customers’ expectations. We have listened to their feedback and incorporated it into continuous improvement of our processes,” added Jorge Hidalgo. “Our employees have embraced the “customer first” organizational culture as demonstrated by earning this prestigious award. We look forward to achieving even higher levels of excellence as we strive to be the dealership of choice for our customers’ automotive needs.” Wilde East Towne Honda located at 5555 High Crossing Blvd., Madison, carries the full line of Honda vehicles, including: the Accord (rated one of Car and Driver magazine’s 10Best for the 28th year), as well as the ever-popular Civic, CR-V, Crosstour, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot, and more. About the Wilde Automotive Group The Wilde Automotive Group is a family-owned and operated business founded by Harold L. Wilde. His automotive career began in 1945 in Michigan where he opened a two-man used vehicle sales operation. Today, the Wilde Automotive Group has grown to include 12 dealerships in Wisconsin and Florida with more than 700 employees. Harold Wilde’s legacy is continued under the leadership of his wife, Mary Ann, CEO, his son, Mark, president, Pat Donahue, vice president, Sharon Bloom, CFO, Jorge Hidalgo, partner-Wilde East Towne Honda, and Harold’s daughter Tracie Pierce, Director of Marketing.
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Sent in by Gold Star Mother Kay Castner Hi Judith, Steve asked that I forward this link to you. It’s part of an email we got from a soldier that served with Stephen in Iraq that we’ve been in close contact with. When he came back he had severe PTSD issues, was working as an ER nurse, and eventually wound up working at the VA hospital where he is now an OR nurse. We see him quite a bit. He is really the motivating force about arranging the get-together each year at Wood National Cemetery on the anniversary of Stephen’s death.
Transitioning
Jason Christopher Hartley in Military Veterans
Hi, I’m a 17 year old girl making a Documentary based on PTSD in soldiers as part of my college work. If there is any way you could be of help, (answering questions honesty) I’d be grateful, Thank you. Kind Regards
Reporter Wendy Fleury WFRV interviews Gold Star mother, Brenda Novak, who was the guardian for her father on the Honor Flight. Her dad is a survivor of the Chosin Reservoir, Korean War. Talk about a family that understands the meaning of "freedom is not free."
Veteran: I’d be happy to help you however I can.
Girl: Thank you sooo much! If possible could you answer this question? Was the transition between soldier and civilian hard? If yes, why? Can you describe (if not too painful) what it was like? Thank you again
Veteran: The transition from being a soldier in combat to being a civilian is hard. It is worth mentioning that making the transition from civilian life to combat is easy. I know you didn’t ask this question, but I’m telling you anyway. Pretty much 100% of the people I’ve ever spoken to about my combat service have been shocked to hear me say this. I’ve told them that if it were them, they would see how easy it is too. They all disagree with me because they want to think that I am different from them, but they are wrong. We’re all the same. Humans are built to fight and survive. Put a human in a situation where she needs to fight and survive, she’ll do just fine. She’ll find a way and she’ll make that transition almost instantly. But once that switch has been flipped, it is not easily unflipped.
Coming home is a motherfucker. “Transitioning” back to civilian life? There is no transition. You never really transition. You either learn to cope or you kill yourself.
When veterans, and civilians who care about veterans, discuss this topic, they usually refer to it as the “civilian-military divide”. You can think of it as a wide gap between the experiences of the veteran and the experiences of the civilian. They want to connect—mostly it’s the civilian who is making an effort to find an empathetic connection with the veteran. A lot of work is being done to bridge this gap, but I’ll let you in on a secret: it will never be bridged. The gap cannot be closed. There will always be a gap. But that’s okay. Veterans will usually easily understand other veterans, and civilians will try their very best to understand veterans, and many will do (and are doing) a pretty decent job, but there is not a way you can directly bridge this gap. It’s a frustrating predicament. Anyone who thinks otherwise is dangerously naive and will ultimately do more harm than good.
I want to tell you what it feels like to transition back to civilian life, but after trying over and over and over again at social gathers and in casual conversation I have come to the conclusion that there is no way to explain what it’s like. Not directly at least. The best way I can think to explain what it is like is like this:
Imagine you worked really hard in high school and after you graduated you got accepted into a fantastic Ivy League school. While at this school you met so many people who were so smart and motivated and brilliant and with them you learned more than you ever thought you could learn. You had incredible experiences, created imaginative work, and made bonds with so many different types of people in so many different ways. You had no idea there was so much that could be experienced in life, you never knew you could feel so much, and so deeply. You grew up, you matured, you were sharp, and mostly you learned how to really care. Now let’s say you graduate, and you move back home for a while before going out into the world and deciding what to do next, like get a job. But when you get home, the entire world is a kindergarten class. There are all these ridiculously little chairs and little desks. There’s a teacher who is older than dirt and sucks at her job and you can’t get her attention to ask her what the hell is going on. Everyone is 4 or 5 years old. They can barely speak English, yet alone talk to you about all your new passions and experiences. When you do try to talk to someone, they just cry, or walk away, or babble stupidly. One kid just peed his pants, another actually shit himself and won’t stop laughing. The best part of the day is art time, but everyone just finger-paints badly and makes a mess, all the activities are meant entirely for small children and you are bored out of your mind because the entire world has suddenly become one huge kindergarten class and there isn’t one single person you can talk to in an adult voice or about one single thing you care about. Now do this for days. And weeks. And years. It never ends. So you try to act normal, you try to fit in. You try to act like you enjoy finger-painting and you try to act like you enjoy sing-along time and you try your best to not be rude or impatient with Susie when she talks to you about her American Girl doll. But it’s all an act. You still know you’re trapped in this fucking kindergarten class and you have to either learn to assimilate or go mad. I doesn’t matter what anyone says—an adult will never have a meaningful connection with a pants-shitting kindergartener.
This transition is probably something akin to overcoming addiction. The way Alcoholics Anonymous approach it is by first admitting that you are an addict, then working your way from there. I think that once you’ve been in combat and you’ve gotten The Addiction (and trust me, it is a powerful addiction), you have to first realize that coping with The Addiction is a life-long process. It’s this dark companion you will always have. And if you’re smart and healthy about it, you’ll look for real ways to live with it. It’s different for everyone, but it almost always involves years of therapy. In my humble opinion, I think the best thing for veterans to do is to find an occupation or a hobby where they get to make something. I’m a writer (sometimes), but these days I’m a software engineer.
Being a soldier is about service. True service is something that is done for its own sake and once you’ve done it there is no record of it; nothing persists. That’s the nature of service and that’s what makes it great. You do it for the fuck-all of it; you do it for glory; you do it for duty; you do it for love; you do it because someone’s gotta do it and you feel like it might as well be you. Service is one of the greatest things you will ever be able to experience as a human: helping other humans. And when your service is complete, it is my opinion that the person who has served should turn to something creative. Something that persists. Something that exists not just for it’s own sake but the sake of something else. You’ve served. Now build. Jason is the author of the
memoir, Just Another Soldier: A Year on the Ground in Iraq, published in 2005 by HarperCollins.
Pray for our Service men and Women…and keep a watchful eye on them.
SGT Bowe Bergdahl: Captured in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, on June 30, 2009. The Pentagon declared him Missing in Action (MIA) on July 1, 2009; his status was changed to Missing-Captured on July 3, 2009.
SPC Ahmed K. Altaie: On October 23, 2006, Altaie was categorized as Missing
in Action when he allegedly was kidnapped while on his way to visit family in Baghdad, Iraq. The Pentagon changed his status to Missing-Captured on December 11, 2006.
Prisoner of War Update on SPC Altaie
On October 23, 2006, Altaie violated military regulations and left his military base in Iraq without telling anyone. It is believed that he was
in the Karrada neighborhood in central Baghdad, Iraq to visit the family of his wife, Israa Abdul-Satar, a student at al-Mustansiriya
University. He was captured by armed men and forced into a waiting vehicle outside.
On November 2, 2006, a ransom demand for Altaie was relayed to his uncle Entifadh Qanbar, a former spokesman for the Iraqi National Congress and recently an official in the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. Qanbar made contact with an intermediary trusted by the kidnappers. In a secret location in Baghdad, the mediator met with members of the group who showed Qanbar a grainy video on a cell phone screen of a man they claimed was Altaie, beaten up and bloody and demanded $250,000 from the soldier's family to secure his release.
Qanbar stated that he wouldn't talk about a price until he had seen for himself some proof that Altaie was still breathing. Qanbar suggested they have his nephew describe the inside of his home in Ann Arbor or that the kidnappers photograph the soldier holding a current newspaper by November 4, 2006 at 12:00pm.
The U.S. government said on November 11, 2006, that it was offering a US $50,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Altaie's body.
On February 14, 2007, a proof of life video of Altaie was posted on a militant Shiite website. A previously unknown group called the "Ahel al-Beit Brigades" claimed responsibility for Altaie's abduction. The eight second video showed Altaie reading from a paper but no audio was heard. He appeared thin but in good health. His uncle identified him as the man in the video.
Altaie was the last American serviceman to be accounted for in Iraq. He was captured when he was the rank of Specialist and was promoted to Staff Sergeant.
On February 26, 2012, U.S. officers knocked on the door of the family home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with news that Army Staff Sgt. Ahmed Altaie was confirmed dead. The remains of Altaie were turned over as part of an amnesty exchange agreement between the Iraqi government and the militant group Asaib Ahl al-Haq. Altaie's captors acknowledged killing him within a year of his capture.
REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN LOVED ONES
May PO2 Michael Anderson 2-May 2004
SGT John Griffith 5-May 2006 LCPL Adam Ludwigson 5-May 2005 SGT Nathan Vacho 5-May 2006 SPC Jason Bohac 7-May 2006 SGT George Manis 7-May 2011 ME3 Matthew Oleson 9-May 2004 PFC Eric Clark 11-May 2006 OIF James Garvin 14-May 2012 PFC Brooks Foth 14-May 2012 PFC Grant Dampier 15-May 2006 SFC Jesse Albrecht 17-May 2007 SFC Scott Brown 18-May 2007 LTC Paul Bartz 18-May 2010 SGT Kirk Straseskie 19-May 2003 SPC Samuel Watts 19-May 2012 SGT Kurt Schamberg 20-May 2005
Brandon Lasley 20-May 2011
SPC David Lawson 22-May 2007 SFC Brian Naseman 22-May 2009 PFC Kyle Hemauer 23-May 2005 SGT Chad Polinske 23-May 2009 ANG Brian Ashwell 25-May 2008 MSGT Joseph Foltz 25-May 2010
Timothy Lind 25-May 2010
MAJ Mathew Schram 26-May 2003 CW2 Joshua Scott 26-May 2005 SGT Mark Maida 27-May 2005 SGT Jonathan Markham 29-May 2007 CW3 Chris Allgaier 30-May 2007
June
PFC Theo Kaems 2-Jun 2007 SGT Tyler Kritz 3-Jun 2007 SGT Kyle Huss 3-Jun 2013 SPC Justin Linden 4-Jun 2004 SGT Cody Legg 4-Jun 2008 SPC Eric Poelman 5-Jun 2005 PO2 Jaime Jaenke 5-Jun 2006 SGT Travis Van Zoest 6-Jun 2006 SSGT Tyler Pickett 8-Jun 2008 LCPL John Mattek Jr. 13-Jun 2005 PV T Ryan Larson 15-Jun 2011 OIF Christopher Schneider 15-Jun 2012 SSGT Kenneth Rockwell 18-Jun 2004 SPC Tyler Kreinz 18-Jun 2011 ND3 Robert Dotzler 19-Jun 2013 SSG Patrick Lybert 21-Jun 2006 SPC Brian May 21-Jun 2011 SSG Charles Kiser 24-Jun 2004 LCPL Bradlee Wilber 24-Jun 2008 ANG Tim Marquardt 24-Jun 2012 SGT Fred Voss 25-Jun 2010 SPC Charles Kaufman 26-Jun 2005 PFC William Ewing 26-Jun 2011 SGT Shaun Bollig 27-Jun 2010 CPL Michael Nolen 27-Jun 2011 SPC Joshua Kurer 27-Jun 2011 LT Michael McGreevy JR 28-Jun 2005 PVT Steven Drees 28-Jun 2009
July SSG Stephen Martin 2-Jul 2004
SrA Timothy Dittmar 8-Jul 2008 SFC Daniel Gabrielson 9-Jul 2003 SPC Erica Alecksen 9-Jul 2012 SGT Peter Kastner 14-Jul 2010 SSG Jeremy Vrooman 15-Jul 2008 SPC Daniel Drevnick 16-Jul 2009 CPO Patrick Wade 17-Jul 2007 SGT Ryan Schlack 18-Jul 2009 1LT Nick Dewhirst 20-Jul 2008 LCPL Joshua MaGinn 22-Jul 2007 CPL John Jr. Yatso 22-Jul 2009 SPC Stephen Castner 24-Jul 2006 SGT Courtney Finch 24-Jul 2007 CPL Matthew Zindars 24-Jul 2007
Greg Homola 24-Jul 2011
ANG Andrew Cebular 25-Jul 2012 EMC Clinton Callahan 26-Jul 2008 SeaBee Bradley Christman 26-Jul 2012 CPT Benjamin Jansky 27-Jul 2005 SPC John Tollefson 27-Jul 2005 CPL Thomas Gaede 28-Jul 2008 SPC Donald Scott, Jr. 29-Jul 2008 SSGT Matthew Smolinski 30-Jul 2012
August
SPC David Badie 1-Aug 2008 SGT Ryan Jopek 2-Aug 2006 SSGT Chad Simon 4-Aug 2005 LTC Michael Laabs 5-Aug 2011 SPC Joshua Bunch 6-Aug 2004 LCPL Zachary Gallenberg 6-Aug 2010 SSGT Robert Stephens 12-Aug 2010 SPC Alum Howells 13-Aug 2007 CPL Kevin Rodrick 15-Aug 2009 LT Michelle Vacho 15-Aug 2009 SPC Dustin Knapp 16-Aug 2010 PFC Matthew Magdzas 10-Aug 2010 SrA Adam Servais 19-Aug 2006 PVT Jonathan Morales 20-Aug 2009 CPT Derek Dobogai 22-Aug 2007 LCPL Robert Newton 23-Aug 2010 SFC Trevor Diesing 25-Aug 2005 CPL Kenneth Cross 27-Aug 2006 SPC Shaun Novak 27-Aug 2006 PVT Adam Novak 27-Aug 2010 SPC Chad Coleman 27-Aug 2010 SGT Earl Werner 28-Aug 2009 SGT Adam Gray 29-Aug 2004 SPC Jason Greeno 30-Aug 2006 SSGT Matthew West 30-Aug 2010
2014 Up Coming BT-RO Events
June 13th and 14th: LaCrosse Freedom Fest
August 17th: “Walk for our Fallen”
November 8th: Unveiling of our
“Memorial Wall of Honor”
And Veterans Day Parade
See Judith, our website, or our Face Book page for details.
Being There-Reaching Out (BT-RO)
9th
Annual Weekend Retreat for our Families of our Fallen, Green Bay 2014
We went to Lambeau, Dads went on the Packer Heritage Tours. We ate, and made BT-RO Cookie dough.
We shared, shed some tears, laughed a lot! And danced to the music of DJ Tim(Big Sexy)!
And had many raffle winners! The Bruss Family won the week vacation!!!
And we danced some more!!!
Yes, Mr. DJ
Big Sexy, it’s
Air Guitar
time with
Peggy!
Our Families, together, making new friends…and seeing “old” ones again.
Our Twins:>)))
Our dads presented our Colors.
We presented the Gold Star Banners, and quilts made by Belle and her Quilting Warriors.
BT-RO Cookie Dough
Your Being There-Reaching Out Board of Directors (Shari and Trish were setting up the “Healing Room”)
All of our Families... of course!!!!
Mark Titre
Department of Corrections for Wisconsin
Green Bay Packers
Roelli Haus
Wild Eagle Lodge Condominium Resort-Won by our Bruss Family
Husher Car Company
Dr. Lisa Jakubiec
LiveSky Studio, artist Samantha Konop
AMVETS Post #3
Blue Sky Massage
Wisconsin Harley, Diane Crowley, Oconomowoc
Verlo, Adam Terasek-Greenfield
Cabela’s, Stephanie Crangle
Red Lobster-Greenfield
Kwik Trip-Muskego
Usinger's, Kathy Gelhar
Fleet Farm, Germantown
House of Harley-Greenfield
VVA 224…Every Year
Kids Valley Foundation…Every Year
Pat and Mary Donahue-One of our Families
Lori and Scott/Steve Daentl- One of our Families
Steve and Diane Bossert- One of our Families
Larry and Sharon Mueller- One of our Families
Sue Block and Family- One of our Families
VVA 351…Every Year
Dale and Mary Coleman- One of our Families
DAV Wm Speel Chapter 18…Every Year
John Zacher- One of our Families
Richard and Sharon Roelli- One of our Families
Mike Manteuffel…Brother of Patti Manteuffel, Board Member Greg and Eileen Wernsman- One of our Families
Phil Currier…Friend of BT-RO Tracy Jopek- One of our Families-Boots for our Display
Darryl Zernia-Friend of BT-RO
