The September 20 Warrior Connection program is dedicated to SSG Paul Lyons, retired , 100% disabled,  U.S. Army, 101^st Airborne who committed suicide on March 15, 2015. Paul’s birthday would have been September 23. Paul was co-host of this program Warrior Connection and was abandoned by the Army and VA.  Paul, even though very ill, kept trying to help all other vets.  In Paul’s own words before the crash. Paul’s widow Tammy Lyons joins Major Denise Nichols, RN, USAF retired  and I, Major Doug Rokke, Ph.D. U.S. Army, retired,  to discuss the horror. Tammy is a U.S. Navy veteran herself.   This discussion must not be in vain.  

Download this episode (right click and save)

Paul wrote:

quote

I have had the privilege to have co-hosted With Doug Rokke And Denise Nichols on Gary Nulls Radio Station, known as “The Progressive Radio Network”, out of New York City, regarding the various exposures that occurred during Desert Storm, whether they be concerning Depleted Uranium, Biological Warfare, and Chemical exposures; not to mention experimental shots with records of them being given as well as Nerve Agent pre-Treatment pills that we were ordered to take, that occurred during Operation Desert Storm. I and well over 275K Troops are said to be on the Gulf War Registry. I have also been exposed…I have two post war Children who are also sick, including my wife. How’s that for a “Welcome Home Party”? The VA and DOD Need to Restart  their Children and Spouse Health Registry and get with program! We didn’t ask for this and I DAMN sure wouldn’t have intentionally exposed my Wife and now my sick post Gulf War Children, had I known that the birth defects and Illnesses were transmittable…This has been a NIGHTMARE for my wife and I. Someone In The Federal Government needs To Pick up the dropped ball and GET WITH THE PROGRAM!! We Also Need New Congressional Hearing’s, from somebody in Congress with the backbone and fortitude of Former US Senator Donald Riegle, (R) Who saw the problem back in the early 1990’s and held hearings, trying to get to the TRUTH of Gulf WAR Illnesses and now we have possible OIF exposures as well. This Government needs to settle this most important issue once and for all….If our current CBRN, also known as NBC gear is faulty, then let’s fix the problem…WE know it there are GAPS, so let’s FIX IT!!

 end quote

The crash suicide 

SSG Paul Lyons 101st airborne us army retired- ultimate veterans advocate and my co-host of  warrior connection on prn.live reached the breaking point of no return and committed suicide on Sunday march 15 2015 .  Paul had called national hotline for help on march 7 at about 3 am and they failed to help. Paul called Major Denise Nichols, RN for help.  Denise called me, I got Chaplain Brian Manigold – Danville (Illinois)  illiana VA Medical Center to call Paul about 3:30 am.  Brian got to Paul but being about 400 miles away could only offer verbal help.  Hot line- Va- DOD failed Paul. In our last talk only days before he left us Paul told me he had nothing left.  He had outlined the problems and offered the solution in one of his last emails to me.  The army (101^st AB) and va who paul once trusted had dumped him like so many others, Overt retaliation aimed at Paul because of Paul’s efforts  and on others he loved took its toll.   Paul’s  abandonment and the ongoing abandonment of so many others including me cannot be allowed to continue. we must fix the va now and stop ongoing trashing of God’s earth. Our nation and God just lost one of the finest we must now force va and dod to change. Please help edit or add to these recommendations to stop the misery. 

1.  ALL THE PERTINENT DOCUMENTS ARE FULLY DISTRIBUTED

2. VA- DOD LEADERS must PUBICALLY ADMIT the CORRELATION BETWEEN TOXIC EXPOSURES AND ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS as already known in internal reports.

3. CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATON must be made available and completed such as initiated in the ATTACHED POWER POINT. The numerous investigative documentaries  must be made available and watched to begin to comprehend and resolve the lingering problems.

4. MEDICAL CARE must be optimized.

5. PROMPTNESS

6. STOP OVERT AND HIDDEN RETALIATION

7. THOROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION to mitigate exposures

8. ADEQUATE STAFFING

9. coordinated medical care appointments

    10. TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THESE WARS.  Ethical moral dimension

    11. REPORT ACTUAL CASUALTIES NOT REDUCED  NUMBERS  

12. crisis line follow up through referral
13. verify definitive treatment- recovery plan.
14. crises intervention team- chaplain, medic,
15. no police swat team intervention unless chaplain makes call.
16. return all phone calls requests for help before end of day- even if only contact.
17. thorough support system- action plan.
18. Coordinated family support- notification
19. thorough primary and secondary – historical survey to determine casuals relationships – DD 2796
20. coordinated best friend(s) coordination
21. do not give referral back to failed group – team