Tag Archives: Veterans

Unauthorized Individuals Compromise Our Veterans Data

.jpg photo of our flag which represents all the veterans and service members who have taken the oath to defend our country
Unauthorized Individuals Compromised Our Veterans Data on monday.

US Department of Veterans Affairs
Discloses Data Breach Impacting Nearly 50,000 Veterans

The personal information of approximately 46,000 US veterans was compromised after unauthorized individuals gained access to a Financial Service Center application, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disclosed on Monday.

According to a press release, the unauthorized users who gained access to the application managed to change financial information and divert multiple VA payments intended for medical treatments of US veterans.

“A preliminary review indicates these unauthorized users gained access to the application to change financial information and divert payments from VA by using social engineering techniques and exploiting authentication protocols,” the agency said.

VA’s financial department said that the compromised application was taken offline until it passes a complete security review.

“To prevent any future improper access to and modification of information, system access will not be reenabled until a comprehensive security review is completed by the VA Office of Information Technology,” the VA added.

Although the agency took immediate action to mitigate the breach, individuals whose Social Security Numbers may have been compromised are now vulnerable to identity-theft related crimes.

The VA said it would provide free credit monitoring services to affected individuals and will advise additional instructions on how to safeguard personal information.

“To protect these Veterans, the FSC is alerting the affected individuals, including the next-of-kin of those who are deceased, of the potential risk to their personal information,” the statement reads.  “The department is also offering access to credit monitoring services, at no cost, to those whose social security numbers may have been compromised.”

The department encourages individuals notified of the data breach to contact the FSC for additional information.  “There is no action needed from Veterans if they did not receive an alert by mail, as their personal information was not involved in the incident,” the VA added.

AZ Veterans On Patrol Find Signs Of Trafficking

Veterans Group Discovers Possible
Underground Child Trafficking Camp

Members of a veteran’s advocacy group believe they have discovered a hidden child-trafficking camp in Arizona.

Last month, Veterans on Patrol, a group that helps homeless veterans, were searching for veterans in need near Interstate 19 in Tucson when they came across what looked like an underground bunker.  According to KGUN-9, they also found a baby crib, stroller, hair dye, wrist restraints, crates, and pornographic material.

The group contacted local authorities who said while they are not ruling out the possibility that this site was used for human trafficking, they believe the bunker is most likely an abandoned homeless camp.

Veterans on Patrol shared what they discovered with former Navy SEAL Craig Sawyer, who founded Veterans for Child Rescue, a faith-based organization that fights human trafficking. He went to the site and shot footage of what he found.

“The underground bunker is a septic tank and it’s turned on its side and it’s buried partially underground,” Sawyer told CBN News.  “It looked cruel and inhumane.. like a place where you would put children so people don’t hear them scream.”

In the bunker he found a chain, children’s clothing, and toy dolls among other things.

While he admits his suspicions of human trafficking could be wrong, he does not believe the site is an abandoned homeless camp like local police suggest.

“I can’t imagine seeing any homeless people putting their children in there willingly. It just does not seem like a hospitable shelter,” he explained.

Sawyer and his team also found a grove of trees nearby with “numerous straps to latch or bind” something or someone to them.  If this is indeed a trafficking ring, he believes children could have been tied to the trees and assaulted.

Sawyer says the combination of what appears to be “rape trees” and an underground septic tank with children’s clothes in it leads him to believe children were being trafficked here.

While it’s too early to tell who could be behind the alleged trafficking camp, Sawyer says the location could give some clues.

“MS-13 or the Mexican drug cartel would be my first two guesses,” he explained.  The site is located right next to Interstate 19, which runs all the way to Mexico.

Whatever the truth behind this site may be, Sawyer says he will continue to glorify Christ by fighting those who wish to do children harm.

“This is the frontline between good and evil,” he shared, adding that the Church needs to be on the forefront of the battle against human trafficking.

According to Tucson News Now, the local police department is now investigating the veterans group’s discovery.

Hypocrite’s Oath: Over Paid And Above The Law

.jpg photo of WW2 Veteran calling for help
Hidden camera footage revealed a decorated WWII veteran died after fighting for air while a pair of nurses laughed.

Video shows nurses laughing as dying WWII vet calls for help

Hidden camera footage recently made public revealed a decorated World War II veteran died after fighting for air while a pair of nurses laughed in front of him.

James Dempsey on Feb. 27, 2014, repeatedly called out to staff members at Northeast Atlanta Health and Rehabilitation before he fell unconscious, gasping for air all the while.

Nursing home staff found him unresponsive just before 5:30 a.m. and it took them nearly an hour to call 911, according to state records obtained by WXIA.

Dempsey’s family, who sued the facility in 2014, declined to comment, citing a settlement with the nursing home.

Former nursing supervisor Wanda Nuckles testified during the trial that she rushed to the 89-year-old veteran’s room when she learned he’d stopped breathing and performed chest compressions until help arrived.

Nuckles did not know she’d been filmed at the time and the clip directly contradicts her account, which she said was just “an honest mistake.”

Instead, the footage shows nursing staff repeatedly start and stop Dempsey’s chest compressions.

When the responding nurses struggled to get Dempsey’s oxygen machine to start, Nuckles can be heard laughing with them in the background.

“Ma’am was there something funny at the time?”  Mike Prieto, the attorney for Dempsey’s family, questioned.

She responded: “I can’t even remember all that, as you can see.”

Retired nursing professor Elaine Harris identified several violations, including failure to respond, failure to assess and failure to act.

“In 43 years of nursing, I have never seen such disregard for human life in a health care setting,” she told the news station.

Attorneys representing the Atlanta nursing home attempted to block WXIA from releasing the footage, but in the end dropped its appeal with the Georgia State Supreme Court.

Both Nuckles and another nurse were fired, but not until nearly a year after the incident.  And they only just turned in their licenses in September — nearly three years after Dempsey’s death.

A spokesperson for the Georgia Board of Nursing could not confirm when the state became aware of the video, but the board’s action did come on the heels of receiving a link to the video.

A spokesperson for the nursing home, owned by Sava Senior Care, in a statement wrote they were “saddened by the events which occurred three years ago” before going on to note it has “new leadership and the leadership team and the staff have worked very diligently to improve quality care and the quality of life for our residents.”

Our Heroes: Thank You All!

.jpg photo of Veterans Day
U.S. Air Force retired Col. James L. Wolfe, front, salutes stands with other Veterans during the National Anthem before a Veterans Day parade in Dallas, TX.

Dallas Celebrates Veterans Day 2017
With Parade, Flyover

DALLAS, TX  –  Dallas kicked off Veterans Day weekend early on Friday with a festival in Downtown.

More than 150 men and women take the Oath of Enlistment, led by Army Chief of Staff Mark A. Milley.

 

.jpg photo of Veterans Day
Jaiden Soto, 5, of the Sioux in South Dakota carries a flag during a Veterans Day parade in Dallas, TX.

Thousands showed up to Dallas City Hall where a parade and other honorary events were held to show veteran appreciation.

 

.jpg photo of Veterans Day
U.S. Marines stand at attention before a Veterans Day parade in Dallas, TX.

At 11:00 a.m., planes flew over the demonstration in the Missing Man Formation.  The flyover honors fallen service members, and is often demonstrated at funerals and memorial events.

More than 150 men and women took the Oath of Enlistment Friday morning at Dallas City Hall.  Those men and women will enter all branches of service.  Army Chief of Staff General Mark A. Milley led the recruits in the oath and encouraged past and current service members to rededicate themselves to the cause of freedom.

The parade honors all veterans, but this year focuses on veterans who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

View Tweets, Photos and Videos from the celebration:

Dallas Veterans Day Parade #Flyover #VeteransDay2017 @CityOfDallas pic.twitter.com/BvyyAiArbu
– Jennifer S. Gates (@cmjsgates) November 10, 2017

We have overcome many obstacles as a nation yet we still face many challenges. We must show compassion and strive for unity. We must work together for the betterment of our city and our nation, not only for the citizens who are here now but for those who are not here yet. pic.twitter.com/YKAFRvUeW4
– Mike Rawlings (@Mike_Rawlings) November 10, 2017

At City Hall Plaza celebrating our local veterans!#ThankYouForYourservice pic.twitter.com/gn7Rwo8FFf
– City of Dallas Parks (@DallasParkRec) November 10, 2017

Color guard from #DallasISD’s WW Samuell High School leads massing of the colors at today’s Dallas #VeteransDay Parade. pic.twitter.com/aLWdDjoZ6B
– Dallas ISD (@dallasschools) November 10, 2017

.@ArmyChiefStaff leads oath of enlistment. Thank you to our new military enlistees #DallasVetsDay pic.twitter.com/198JIWMtUw
– Mike Rawlings (@Mike_Rawlings) November 10, 2017

 

My Heroes Have Always Been Real

.jpg photo of Armed Forces Day graphic
“Courageous. Steadfast. Protectors.”

Armed Forces Day 2017
is a Day of Celebration

May 20 is Armed Forces Day, a time to honor all who serve in America’s Military Branches.

Hero – a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character, special strength, courage, and ability, an immortal being.

YOU ARE MY HEROES, but with so many empty places at the dinner table in Our Great Country, Our America The Beautiful, The Home Of The Free And The Brave, I can’t help but pause and Give Thanks for all the selfless people that answered the Call of Duty, and put themselves in Harms Way, MY HEROES, and I will never forget.

Blue Angels, Thunderbirds meet for rare joint training

“Armed Forces Day…and the Memorial Day weekend that follows, is a time to honor, remember and recognize those who serve and have served our country, as well as those who have died in service.  As we reflect, let’s not forget the many sacrifices made at home as well in support of our men and women in uniform.”
– Chuck Norris –

Armed Forces Day is celebrated each year on the third Saturday in May.  It traces its roots to Aug. 31, 1949, when Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day to replace separate holidays for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.  The day was first celebrated on May 20, 1950.

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation honoring members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard yesterday.

“On Armed Forces Day, we salute the bravery of those who defend our Nation’s peace and security,” the president said.  “Their service defends for Americans the freedom that all people deserve.”

The theme for this year’s Armed Forces Day is “Courageous. Steadfast. Protectors.”