What's New
| Congressman Mitchell: Pausing to Consider People Who REALLY Matter |
Chairman Harry Mitchell is a Hero to Veterans Nationwide August 20, 2010 (Arizona Republic) - It's been a month since I spoke to Rep. Harry Mitchell about suicides among military veterans and I'm just getting around to writing something. |
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| What Obama Won't Say Tonight About US Withdrawal from Iraq |
| August 31, 2010 (ConsortiumNews) - President Barack Obama’s aides say his speech this evening marking the end of "combat operations" in Iraq will avoid the vainglorious aspects of President George W. Bush’s infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech in 2003. We’ll see. |
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| Lawsuit Update: Prudential's Half-Billion in Dirty Secret Profits |
Families of Dead Soldiers Sue Insurer Over Its Handling of Survivors’ Benefits August 29, 2010 (New York Times) - Vickie Castro’s only child was killed six years ago just before Christmas, when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside an Army mess tent in Mosul, Iraq, killing more than 20 people. |
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| Op-Ed: Cost of War Must Also Include Caring for Our Veterans |
Overlooked Cost of Iraq / Afghanistan Wars: Our Veterans' Healthcare and Benefits August 15, 2010 (San Francisco Chronicle) - Two years after an Army specialist saw half his platoon torn apart in Iraq, he hanged himself in a California backyard. |
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| VA Secretary Shinseki's Open Message to Gulf War Veterans |
| August 11, 2010, Washington, DC (VA Press Release) - August 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the Gulf War, launched with Operation Desert Shield and followed by Operation Desert Storm. VA honors this milestone with a renewed commitment to improving our responsiveness to the challenges facing Gulf War Veterans. |
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Police - Gunman Left Suicide Note
Written by Lisa Roose-Church
Friday, 14 August 2009 09:41
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August 13, 2009 - Police say they found a suicide note left by a distraught veteran fatally shot Monday in a multihour standoff with police, who described the incident as "suicide by cop."
Sheriff Bob Bezotte said authorities also have learned that Wesley David Gilson, an Iraq war veteran, had a large life insurance policy that would not pay out in the event of suicide. "He left a suicide note that gave instructions to his wife about what to do when she found his body in the fifth-wheeler, which was hooked to his truck," the sheriff explained. "He said take it to (a nearby) bar ... for someone to find. He didn't want his kids to find it." Gilson, a nearly 26-year U.S. Army veteran who served with the 82nd Airborne Division and was a sniper, was shot dead at 2:18 p.m. Monday at his Howell Township home after raising an AR-15 assault rifle at officers, who repeatedly ordered Gilson to lower his weapon. Police believe a combination of personal troubles led to the standoff, which began after county paramedics responded to the home for a possible overdose and a potentially suicidal man. Those troubles included that Gilson had been diagnosed with cancer, had a failing business, was facing possible divorce and had child-support issues, Bezotte said. Michigan Army National Guard 1st Sgt. Terrence Popp of Berkley said many veterans like Gilson return with post-traumatic stress disorder. He said PTSD combined with personnel issues can lead to tragic results. "I would deploy with him again if he were still alive," said Popp, who was Gilson's sergeant during their 2004-2005 tour in Iraq. "I wouldn't think twice about it. He was a good guy. "I just don't want him to be remembered as a crazy gunman; that's not him. If he had really wanted to kill those police officers, they would be dead," Popp said. "He is a proficient gunfighter. He knew exactly what he was doing." Gilson was a former member of the Texas Army National Guard and the 82nd Airborne Division. He served in the Michigan Army National Guard with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife, Carol Gilson; and children, Christian, Danny, Emily, Mary, Ethan and Anna Gilson. A funeral service for Gilson is 11 a.m. Saturday at MacDonald's Funeral Home in Howell. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph Catholic School. Contact Daily Press & Argus reporter Lisa Roose-Church at (517) 552-2846 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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