February 25, 2012- The Department of Defense issued the Seven Seals Award to Branson resident and legendary entertainer Tony Orlando for the work he does in the United States, as well as overseas, in supporting National Guard and Reserve members.

The Seven Seals Award is the highest award given to civilians, and was created to publically recognize Americans who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to those that have been called to serve in the armed forces.

The Seven Seals Award represents the seven military reserve components: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Coast Guard reserves, along with the Army and Air National Guard.

Orlando frequently visits and entertains troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and performs countless shows for military personnel and their families in the United States. For 18 years he has hosted “Tony Orlando’s Yellow Ribbon Salute To the Veterans” in Branson MO on Veteran’s Day: a free show to all veterans who attend the Branson Veterans Homecoming  America’s largest veteran’s day celebration.

New Jersey Air National Guard Chief of Joint Staff, Brigadier General James J. Grant, and
Department of Defense State Vice Chair Don Tretola presented Orlando with the award at
The Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Tony Orlando will return to Branson November 1, 2012 to star in “Tony Orlando’s Great
American Christmas” at The Welk Resort Theatre.

I am searching for anyone who may have worked in the area of Supply (specifically in Korea in the 1960s through the 1970s) who recalls or knows about 55 gallon drums painted bright yellow in color and having red bands at both the top and bottom and red stenciled text. These drums may have been elsewhere in the supply chains – Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Guam, etc.. Anyone with information about these drums and their contents and location, please contact me through email at pesteward@hotmail.com. Time is critical, so please respond directly to my email as soon as possible.

Thank you,
Phil Steward

The CBS Weekend News, which airs Saturday/Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. EST (5:30 p.m. CST/PST), is putting together a story about the high unemployment rate among female veterans, according to the latest numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While there may be some explanations as to why the 22% rate is so alarmingly high, compared to the national average… even when all the explanations are factored in, the rate remains alarmingly high.

What we’re looking for is to profile one or two women who have recently served in the military, who have seen combat, and who are continuing to have problems getting employment. What were your expectations upon returning home? What’s the reality been like? What is your sense of why returning vets are finding it disproportionately harder to get jobs? Is there an (unspoken) fear by potential employers of dealing with PTSD? Is it an (unspoken) concern about future redeployments?

We are producing this story out of Los Angeles, so our preference for interviews would be those who live west of the Rockies. We would do any interview on site (coming to you, instead of conducting it in a studio).

Our goal is to put a story together that looks behind the numbers. The person(s) we interview will be speaking for herself, not on behalf of the group, but she will be emblematic of what a growing number of female combat veterans are experiencing.

If you meet the criteria and don’t mind sharing your current situation (as difficult as it is) with a national audience, please contact me. Our deadline is ASAP.

Thank you so much,

Bob Kozberg
Producer, CBS News
Los Angeles Bureau
(323) 575-3425 (office)
rjk@cbsnews.com

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur when something outside the body hits the head with significant force. Whether it is a head hitting the windshield during a car accident, an impact from a fall, head injuries received during sports or other recreational activities , or trauma from a nearby blast or explosion, TBI can cause changes in a person’s ability to think, control emotions, walk, or speak, and can also affect sense of sight or hearing.

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The breaking point came when Sandra Rivera found their 9-year-old son backed against a wall with his arms over his face, shielding himself from her husband’s screaming.

Desperate, she did what is unfathomable for a Marine wife: She called her husband’s commander.

It was a Friday in fall 2010, about a year and a half after Gunnery Sgt. Felix Rivera emerged as the sole survivor of a car bomb in Afghanistan. By the following Monday, he was checked into a mental hospital.

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