Update: What I thought was PTSD was actually CPTSD and chronic lead poisoning. PTSD sucks. No doubt about it. I can go from doing fine to wanting to die in a New York minute. Do I act on it? No, but I definitely want to escape the pain every once in awhile. Some days I … More PTSD and Military Injustice: Breaking the Silence
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins spoke on the Senate floor today in strong support of legislation coming before the Senate that would address the crisis of sexual assault in the military. “Since 2004, I have been sounding the alarm over the military’s ineffective response to the growing crisis of sexual assault in the … More Senator Collins speaks in support of efforts to address military sexual assault
If only these same ‘advocates’ spent this much time working on passing laws and helping troops. I didn’t know that if I worked hard and did the right thing that it made me a target in this so called movement. This is especially amusing because they have got it all conjured up in their minds … More Invisible War Actors & Ass Kissers Devise Plan to Accuse Advocates of “Bullying”; Protect Our Defenders Takes Credit for All Crime Bill They Didn’t Want, Then Stole and Perverted (2013)
Original Title: Update on the Military Justice Improvement Act (September 20, 2013) In January, veterans were able to address the House Armed Services Committee regarding crime and non combat death in the military. The testimony was on the heels of what was referred to in the media as the “Lackland Sex Scandal.” The veterans specifically emphasized that crime … More Reporting Military Crimes and Preventing Retaliation: A Call for Legal Reform (September 20, 2013)
At thirty, you think you still have time. Time to ask more questions. Time to sit a little longer at the kitchen table. Time to notice the small things—like how your father always paused before answering, not because he didn’t know what to say, but because he wanted to say it right. You don’t expect … More Navigating Life After Losing a Parent: Jennifer, Lee, Onyx and Sarge Visit William R. Stowell’s Gravesite on the 12th Anniversary of Death (September 14, 2013)
Jennifer got Onyx in May 2013 at a program for veterans called K9s for Warriors. Not only was Onyx an awesome companion during some of the most difficult times in our lives but the woman who ran K9s for Warriors with her son was a loving person we all referred to as “mom.” She really … More A Quiet Lifeline: How Onyx Helped Us Survive Relentless Online Bullying; Jennifer, Lee and Onyx Go For a Jeep Ride in Western Maine (August 10, 2013)
Washington D.C. – During a news conference today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), along with a bipartisan group of their colleagues in the Senate and House, announced new legislation that would reform the military justice system by removing the prosecution of all crimes punishable by one year or more in confinement from … More Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Leads Bipartisan Coalition to Reform the Military Justice System: Military Justice Improvement Act (2013)
There are dates that don’t pass quietly. They return each year with weight—carrying memory, love, and a kind of ache that never really leaves. My dad’s birthday is one of those days. In 2013, Lee and I chose not to spend it in silence or avoidance. Instead, we drove to Sunday River Ski Resort in … More The Power of Shared Memories: Jennifer and Lee Celebrate William R. Stowell’s Birthday at Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry, Maine (March 21, 2013)
A Review of Sexual Misconduct by Basic Training Instructors at Lackland Air Force Base: House Armed Services Committee Testimony Like the checks and balances that are currently in place for civilians, all we are asking for is the same. While civilians have various routes of redress to get justice for the crime perpetrated against them, … More A Review of Sexual Misconduct by Basic Training Instructors at Lackland Air Force Base: House Armed Services Committee Testimony (2013)
Editor’s Note: Protect Our Defenders was in their infancy when they preyed on Jennifer in 2012. We were not affiliated with them; they invited us to participate in some press functions in Washington D.C. and then used Jennifer and her story to get where they are today. We do not endorse Protect Our Defenders whatsoever … More Air Force NCO Testified Before the House Armed Services Committee in Washington DC; It Negatively Impacted Health, Safety & the Trajectory of Her Life (2013)
Jennifer and Lee 