"Adam Fox is usually impaired. They have resumed the fight this year. The Daily Dot has reached out to Facebook as to why. He deserves to have justice. He never placed judgement on anyone. After Casertas death, her husband sought mental health treatment. The attorney said federal prosecutors needed more people to be charged along with Adam Fox. The defense argues this video is " irrelevant,""unfairly prejudicial," and "has nothing to do with kidnapping the Governor.". He's just playing his game. Share. ", "When they talk about suicide," Patrick Caserta added, referring to the command and the Pentagon as a whole, "they talk about trauma, exposure to war and mental health. The plot was foiled as undercover agents and an informant were embedded in the group, whose members were ultimately arrested in a setup by the FBI. His smile was so contagious. "But, you know, all too often the military in these cases just interviews the circle of command, not the circle of trust. For the most part, this strategy appears to work. Valeria Rodrguez expects to graduate in May 2024 with a masters degree in mass communication. Could GhostEzra take QAnon to an even more disturbing level? It felt like meeting an old friend, Clemons-Etheredge said. Shortly after asking for help and after his wife filed an inspector general claim a captain from the HSC-28 command woke up her husband in the middle of the night and berated him. Croft, Fox, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are charged with conspiracy . Last year, 580 service members died by suicide 384 active duty members, 77 reservists and 119 National Guard members. It sucks that telling the truth will make things bad for [anyone] who speaks up," the sailor wrote. She believesthe Brandon Act isnecessary. "People need help. PEORIA The mountain that sits just steps away from Teri and Patrick Casertas backyard was their son Brandons favorite hiking spot. Disabled Veterans Sign up for a Career Change. Claimed. youtube.com You NEED to Pay Attention to This! Thanks for contacting us. As for Fox and Croft, because the case against them has not been resolved, he said they would be remanded into custody. The Way He Died Was the Exclamation Point, Military Has Yet to Reveal Causes of Red Hill Fire Suppressant Spills, US Army: Helicopters Crashed in Mountains, Fair Weather, Erdogan Says Turkish Forces Killed IS Chief in Syria, Biden, Marcos Set to Meet as Tensions Grow With China, Army Not Tweaking Fitness Test After Uncertainty Over Gender Standards, Female Commander Investigated over Alleged Sexual Assaults of Male Subordinates, Pattern of Harassment, Veterans Health Care and Benefits Become Flash Points in Debate over Debt Ceiling and Spending Cuts, Toxic Exposure Law Triggers Tsunami of Veteran Disability Claims, There Are Too Many Generals and Admirals, a Senator Stalling Military Promotions Argues. Caserta, who was from Arizona, was assigned his rating after breaking his leg during Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL School in 2016. The first couple years I was getting mental health treatment, I told them I was going to the dentist, said Kolata, who is fully disabled due to her military service. Friday morning, jurors sent a note to the judge saying they had reached agreement on several counts but were deadlocked on others. The FBI on Thursday announced it had arrested five men and charged six in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. But when he notified his command, they refused his request. This year, the Philippines agreed to give the U.S. access to four more bases on the islands. He uses the term "murder" to describe what they did to his son. I mean we had volumes and hundreds and thousands of hours of recordings, and it just wasnt there. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. "We are all scared that we will get into trouble. He knew our background. As for the two who pleaded guilty, Langton says they're "stupid" for doing so and acted too quickly. Brown said he would support the idea or similar measures. The Caserta family, along with politicians and advocacy organizations, coordinated a June 25 vigil in Washington in which they remembered Brandon's life and recommitted to pushing for the Brandon Act. It was difficult for her to get treatment, and James attempted suicide. The counts and jury decisions for Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Brandon Caserta and Daniel Harris are as follows: Adam Fox was charged with two counts. We have to turn in our phones, something happened, I cant talk about it, Clemons-Etheredge remembers her husband texting her. My ears popped on the way down. They deserve to get it," said Patrick Caserta. He could see things differently, and he always found ways to make things easier and better, which, Patrick said, made Brandon such a good fit for the military. Hecht said manning issues did not play a role in any of the command's decisions. They volunteered. In a lot of big organizations, theres always a resistance to change, Kelly said. Non-Profit The Brandon Caserta Foundation will provide assistance, guidance, education, and resourc He just needed someone to talk to, and they were unwilling to allow him to do that, Clemons-Etheredge said. Since Brandon's death, his parents Teri and Patrick have fought for legislation that would protect service members who feel abandoned by their leaders and need help. Two defendants now await re-trial and, for that reason, we have no further statement at this time.". But the jury returned several hours later to say they were still unable to reach a verdict on some counts. According to the unsigned message provided by both Patrick Caserta and included in the command investigation, the LPO called subordinates his "bitches" and referred to the chiefs behind their backs as "douchebags" and "dumbasses." Kelly said he doesnt expect a lot of resistance to the Brandon Act. He was then sent to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 in Norfolk, Virginia, where he worked under a lead petty officer known to be verbally abusive to sailors. As the platoons substance abuse and drug coordinator for a command stationed in New Mexico, many soldiers were coming to her with drug problems, asking her if they could be sent to rehab. According to the FBI, the men used social media to discuss violently overthrowing the government. Posted on Oct 8, 2020Updated on Oct 8, 2020, 3:05 pm CDT. Whitmer kidnap plot suspects face new charges: Weapons of mass destruction. "You hear horror stories of people trying to get help and them unable to do so," Clemons-Etheredge said. An annual DOD report, released in September, showed rates for active duty service members alone went from 20.3 suicides per 100,000 members in 2015 to 28.7 in 2020, with increases across all branches. ", They are, the directive states, a combination of "self centered attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have adverse effects on subordinates, the organization, and mission performance.". If he wasn't doing sports, he was working out. Being at HSC-28 didn't help: Caserta and his colleagues worked for a lead petty officer (LPO) who berated them publicly, frequently cursed at them and called them out for the slightest infraction. It has launched a new campaign to support soldiers who experienced hardship during military service. 2023 FOX Television Stations, issued a statement saying that the trial is normalizing political violence, DPD host walk to raise awareness on National Crime Victims Rights Week, WATCH - Jennifer Hammond was in Allen Park as the Lions introduced their 2023 first round picks, 'No Beef Zone in effect' by Detroit activists in Greektown to keep the peace. Moulton introduced similar legislation last year. Caserta's LPO often "screamed, yelled and name-called" when sailors forgot to do something or made a mistake, and he would "throw fits worse than my toddler.". Photos of Brandon Caserta decorate the Peoria home of his parents, Teri and Patrick. She is working for the Phoenix news bureau. Aircrew Aviation Electrician's Mate Striker Brandon Caserta, 21 died by suicide on June 25, 2018. One chief petty officer with the unit was promoted to ensign after Caserta's death and another is on terminal leave. The Tontitown father accused of holding down his son and forcibly piercing his ear is set to appear in court on May 22. Marine Corps veteran Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Navy veteran Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., are among the sponsors of the Brandon Act: legislation that would give service members a safe phrase that would trigger an automatic referral to a mental health specialist for evaluation. As you know, weve got a high rate of suicide in the veteran community and active duty. Disabled Veterans Sign up for a Career Change. Military.com first reported on the tragedy in 2019. Teri and Patrick Caserta bought a new car and drove it from Peoria to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2019. The Brandon Act is a step in the right direction.. On Count 2: Weapon. In the weeks leading up to Brandon Caserta's death, friends said little seemed amiss with the smiling sailor they knew from the "gedunk," or canteen, at Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 out of Norfolk, Virginia. The U.S. military has not yet put a six-month-old federal law designed to improve how service members get mental health care into effect, despite a recent rash of suicides in the Navy. They had no interest in his career," he said. Asked by the Army to "think outside the box" in studying the deaths, Matsuda found that, given the opportunity, some noncommissioned officers and officers in the chain of command make their subordinates' lives a living hell. If this shit goes down, okay? Yet most who may need help arent getting it. Review. There must be accountability and consequences for those who commit heinous crimes. It was like they wanted to teach me a lesson. And theyre treated like this? He knew what kind of parents we were. That's what it's going to be, dude, becausethey are the f------ enemy, period.". With the jury deadlocked on charges against Adam Fox and Barry Croft, Jr.,the judge declared a mistrial on those counts. And were not done.. ", "It was awful," the sailor said. He had a Magic Johnson smile.. It amazes me that people actually, like, believe that when hes shown over and over and over again that hes a tyrant. Creative Commons, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. When youre in the military, you have this part to play. In fact, his parents Patrick and Teri said he had a phobia and hadn't been behind the wheel since taking a driver's course. Brandon Caserta was one of two acquitted of a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Asked why she decided to speak out, Clemons-Etheredge said, because I'm a civilian and tired of seeing people I care about not get mental health treatment, not get proper treatment in general. "They are working like 14 aircraft with the manning of five," MacMillan said. Please enter valid email address to continue. A self-proclaimed anarchist, he was accused of participating in the thwarted plot to kidnap 49th Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer while the world was battling the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020. "I'm sorry you have to see this," he shouted to the plane captain before he died. Questions she's heard aboutthe Brandon Act include its vagueness, whether it's absolutely necessary, and whether the person's command should be removed from the process altogether, Romero said. Navy Petty Officer Third Class Brandon Caserta, 21, killed himself in 2018 by walking into a chopper tail rotor More than 200 sailors were moved off the USS George Washington aircraft carrier. Shortly after the verdict, Whitmer's Chief of Staff JoAnne Huls, issued a statement saying that the trial is normalizing political violence: "Today, Michiganders and Americansespecially our childrenare living through the normalization of political violence. His favorite sports were karate, swimming and tackle football. He put at least 17 miles a day on his bike and did this for about four years. OK? DETROIT (FOX 2) - An attorney for Brandon Caserta, one of two men who were found not guilty on all charges on Friday in the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, says that the leader of the state was never in any danger and that the case presented by the prosecution was clearly not enough for a conviction. This was no . Seven of the defendants were linked to a militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen. I'm sick of being robbed and enslaved by the state, period. Brandon was very athletic and took karate, swimming, football and track. Updated on: April 8, 2022 / 4:33 PM The stalked and surveilled Whitmer in an effort to help violently overthrow the government. And these are the guys who are actually doing it. They told him that he needs to suck it up and that he was fine.. As they learned more about the workings of the Capitol, Teri and Patrick grew more confident that the bill could be passed into law and scheduled more appointments for April 2020. To reprint or license this article or any content from Military.com, please submit your request, His Suicide Note Was a Message to the Navy. Read Next:Troops Can Finally File Medical Malpractice Claims Against the Military. He touched so many lives in such a short time. ", If they seek help, "People could be concerned about losing their security clearance, their place in the tribe, being flagged, being put on a profile, having someone remove their firearm privileges," Springer said. One of the militiamen accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Services also are available online at www.veteranscrisisline.net or by text, 838255. We want to make things better for future generations.. He only went to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a license so he would have a state ID and could legally drive in an emergency. Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms. He was always on the go. That compares with a national suicide rate of 13.5 in 2020. The plot to kidnap and kill a governor may seem like an anomaly. "This short 70-second video that was posted on Facebook says nothing about kidnapping the governor, nothing about any plot to kidnap the governor, because it has nothing whatsoever to do with any conspiracy orplot to kidnap the governor. That's exactly what they did to Brandon., After meeting with Patrick and Teri for the first time last year, Romero said she thought, Wow, I went through the same things as him.. But we must be honest about what it really is: the result of violent, divisive rhetoric that is all too common across our country. The four members of anti-government groups are facing trial on federal charges accusing them in a plot to abduct Michigan's. 'You aren't going back to BUD/S, you are going on the [amphibious assault ship] Kearsarge,'" MacMillan recalled. They all turned a blind eye to [his] bullying and hatred toward Brandon and others," they wrote. Brandon Casertas bedroom was left as it was except for a few gifts arranged on his bed. ", "There's no proof that strategy works," Matsuda said. Caserta is one of five men facing federalconspiracy charges of plotting to kidnap Whitmer, largely fueled by anger over mask mandates and state restrictionson business and travel during the pandemic. "And when you have harassment, or bullying, what that does is it takes a person and singles them out, which makes that service member feel like they are not a core part of that tribe. They also would like to see the Navy implement Brandon Caserta's request in his suicide note regarding the re-rate process: that sailors who don't complete the training for the rate they initially sought be able to select any other training they qualify for with their Armed Services Vocational Battery Test results.
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