Bay Area NBC

danieldresen said:
A news story regarding the national guard in reference to line of duty investigations will air on Monday at 11p and again on Tuesday at 6pm PST. You can also find it posted online at nbcbayarea.com/investigations on Tuesday morning.
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This is an important story....I was interviewed for this story (but it was somewhat odd... I was in the local affiliate in West Palm Beach, FL, and I was set up in a "green room," with a "stand in reporter" sitting across from me, but the questions came from the reporters in CA via voice conference/phone. It was strange, because, I was supposed to look at the camera and the reporter across from me, but, I was being interviewed over the phone. I hope I came off well and did not look like an idiot. The main point was to tell the story about the HUGE problems with cases being processed....(I got a query earlier today from the same local Florida affiliate about doing a follow up story....I will take them up on the offer).

Hopefully, the news exposure helps folks!
 
danieldresen said:
A news story regarding the national guard in reference to line of duty investigations will air on Monday at 11p and again on Tuesday at 6pm PST. You can also find it posted online at nbcbayarea.com/investigations on Tuesday morning.
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Hello, I responded to this but did a cut and paste.......and not sure where it went
 
Hello, not sure if I am placing this information in the right location>

I noted information about the nightmare soldiers have had getting medical care and benefits related to in the line of duty injuries.

Soldiers in the CAARNG with LOD issues will air locally in Calif Oct 5 2015 NBC.

I had the same issues with LOD's from the CAARNG. The SSO/DSO CPT Coleman advised my husband and I "LOD's provided to me from the WTC (Warrior Transition Command) and FT Lewis were not completed correctly. My husband and I exhausted the Chain of Command and turned to the COS and MG Haskins. I finally hired a law dipped into my retirement accounts and spent over 50k.

The law firm, my Assembly member and Congressman did not get anywhere with the CAARNG.

Timline:

April 12, 2012-I filed a request for AD extension per INCAP and submitted LOD's and medical/personnel documents to my unit to remain on AD for unresolved LOD injuries.

April 24, 2014-My MRNCO finally responds (but I fell of AD). MRNCO claimed in an email my request and LOD's were at SSO/DSO.

June 2012-INCAP denied told to appeal wnet to MSB for guidance and advised in writing by SGM Smith "We not know how to write an appeal."

Aug 2012- Appeal INCAP denial, case went to NGB and took 7 months to get resolved.

Nov 2012-Submitted for extension of INCAP with a request to return to AD on MRP2.

It would take 27 months to get back on AD, but I would never get INCAP or backdated order for the 24 months I waited for MRP2 orders and return to AD (another nightmare), however I was med boarded.

Attny sent a demand letter to Gen Baldwin March 2015 for backdated orders because the injuries that returned me to AD in 2014 were for the same unresolved LOD injuries I had in 2012 with no response to date.

The LOD issues were addressed in a recent GAO report to Congress.(however the GAO was not looking at LOD denied), but why soldiers were being declared medically able when they were not.

The GAO discovered that when looking at CAARNG for issuance of LOD's they are 70-80% behind in completing LOD for CAARNG and with no plans to correct the issues........
 

Attachments

Ocean, please contact the reporter that Daniel Dresen referenced above.
 
Jason,

I'm sure you will look great! You weren't in the original video, but you were mentioned in the accompanying article with a direct link to Mike Parker's thread. I can't wait to see the follow up stories, and the hopeful transition to national coverage of the problem.
 
TopSecret said:
Jason,

I'm sure you will look great! You weren't in the original video, but you were mentioned in the accompanying article with a direct link to Mike Parker's thread. I can't wait to see the follow up stories, and the hopeful transition to national coverage of the problem.
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Thanks for the kind words.....just glad to have contributed. Maybe I have a face made for radio?

(I tend to think that the story- by necessity- needed to be cut to a reasonable length of time. Also, my interview was kind of interesting. I was seated in the "green room" of the local NBC affiliate, with a "stand in" reporter seated opposite me as a "prop" for me to maintain eye contact with- but, she was outside of the "shot"- and the questions coming over speakerphone from Tony and Liz in CA. I would not doubt that it made for a weird shot as I was not engaged in conversation directly with a real person. Or, it might have been my face made for radio!).

Either way, like I said, I am happy to have aided in the reporting/discussion. The local affiliate reached out to me with a desire to have me in a "Florida based story" on similar issues, so, I may actually get my other 14:30 minutes of fame! (Not that I care much about that...except where it works to help folks get their due).

I thought the story was great and you did very well on camera. Let's hope this story affects some change....at least in CA, but, hopefully nationwide. It is a disgrace that the CAARNG's "highest priority" is getting these cases right and that they do so poorly in achieving their stated highest priority. Have said it before, and I will say it again, it is shame what happens and it is a shame that the leaders are not fixing this problem. Had two calls today from Servicemembers who have messed up LODs impacting their cases. It is a pervasive and systemic problem that needs to be- and can be- fixed.
 
Jason,

I believe your biggest contribution to the story was lending credibility to the issues raised. Even though the FOIA documents were so damning, injured soldiers are up against the entire National Guard, which is a master at explaining away its deficiencies. You, Mike Parker, and others helped NBC see quickly that this was a major story, and NOT a case of confused soldiers requesting benefits they weren't entitled to. Thank you!
 
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