29 Oct 11: CPL Justin Matthew Stark, 1989-2011, R.I.P.
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MedCorps said:
Syndicated in a number of Sun Media papers, for example,
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/616855--canadian-forces-investigating-armoury-death
Haggis
Army.ca Veteran
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Grimaldus said:
Actually it sounds more like a proper response to a reporter's question like "Do our reservists get to take their rifles home like the Swiss?"
(I was asked that during an Open House a few years ago by a reporter from an Ottawa newspaper)
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Just a friendly warning against speculation.
Remember, this is a public forum that's open to, among others, media and family/friends of the late Corporal Stark.
Milnet.ca Staff
Remember, this is a public forum that's open to, among others, media and family/friends of the late Corporal Stark.
Milnet.ca Staff
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It doesn't look like any media was present, but we had a good send off for Stark on Saturday.
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The express request of the family was that the media not be allowed at the funeral. And suprisingly enough, they were courteous enough to stay away.
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And, from the "Accountants aren't happy unless everything balances to the penny" department,
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/dead-soldier-gets-1-cent-cheque-from-federal-government-1.2559809
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/dead-soldier-gets-1-cent-cheque-from-federal-government-1.2559809
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Is anyone else starting to think this is all part of an inside job to discredit the Govt. and/or the CF?
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Bruce Monkhouse said:
No no, its only an evil conspiracy when the Conservatives can be blamed.
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It's as likely to be the result of some past complaint where someone felt they should get a cheque for some remainder of pennies in an account, and a rule was changed that any remaining amount would thereafter be issued by cheque.
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Hate to see his mom go through any more then she already has. RIP Justin.
LINK
A Hamilton mother whose son killed himself after serving in Afghanistan was devastated when she received a federal government cheque cut for him in the amount of one cent.
"It just tore her heart out," said Keven Ellis, speaking on behalf of Wayne and Denise Stark, whose son Justin died Oct. 29, 2011 at the John W. Foote VC Armoury on James Street North. "It was just horrible."
But rather than wallow in pain after receiving the cheque last Friday, the couple set out to make sure it does not happen to other families.
Hamilton East-Stoney Creek New Democrat MP Wayne Marston — who called it "inexcusable" — raised the issue in the House of Commons Tuesday and Defence Minister Rob Nicholson agreed, calling it "absolutely ridiculous."
The minister pledged to take "immediate steps" to ensure "this never happens again," and he also offered the Stark family an apology.
"I extend the apologies of everyone in the government to his mother and we thank this individual for the service that he gave his country," Nicholson told MPs.
Justin Stark was a corporal in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders when he killed himself in his barracks on a Saturday evening. He was 22.
He served in Afghanistan for seven months, starting in May 2010, after being associated with the military since 2006. His duties included patrols around Kandahar, where Canadians had their main base.
His death was the subject of several tribunals to determine whether it was related to his tour of duty, but Marston understood it was finally ruled not work related.
The Stark family has no doubts about what caused their son's death and remains emotionally shattered by the loss of Justin, Ellis said. He said Denise, a local hospital nurse, visits her son's grave every single day.
"They don't talk about it much, but the thought is it was PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)," said Ellis, who got to know the family after his motorcycle group, the North Wall Riders Association, attended Justin's funeral in November 2011.
"He did his tour. He came home and, shortly after that, he took his own life."
The cheque was sent from Public Works and was marked as "CF Release Pay." CF stands for Canadian Forces.
The family was too distraught to talk to media, but Stark did comment on a Facebook page set up in her son's memory. She also posted a picture of the cheque.
"Don't want to sound ungrateful BUT … was it really necessary to send me this? (sic)" she wrote. "I could have done without more agony."
Ellis said Denise was moved by the minister's remarks and hopes it will lead to changes.
"She was very pleased that the minister took that stance," said Ellis, whose group specializes in honouring veterans and hosts an annual Christmas Eve memorial at Woodland Cemetery in Burlington.
"He immediately addressed it and said this is wrong," he said. "What more can you ask for and that's all Denise wants. She wants to make sure another family doesn't go through this."
Marston was also pleased with the minister's remarks. He did not want to assign blame and also wanted to make sure measures are put in place to ensure this does not happen to any other military family.
"It's not about a blame game here," Marston said. "If it was a computer error, let's find it and make sure it doesn't happen again."
dnolan@thespec.com
905-526-3351 | @dandundas
LINK
A Hamilton mother whose son killed himself after serving in Afghanistan was devastated when she received a federal government cheque cut for him in the amount of one cent.
"It just tore her heart out," said Keven Ellis, speaking on behalf of Wayne and Denise Stark, whose son Justin died Oct. 29, 2011 at the John W. Foote VC Armoury on James Street North. "It was just horrible."
But rather than wallow in pain after receiving the cheque last Friday, the couple set out to make sure it does not happen to other families.
Hamilton East-Stoney Creek New Democrat MP Wayne Marston — who called it "inexcusable" — raised the issue in the House of Commons Tuesday and Defence Minister Rob Nicholson agreed, calling it "absolutely ridiculous."
The minister pledged to take "immediate steps" to ensure "this never happens again," and he also offered the Stark family an apology.
"I extend the apologies of everyone in the government to his mother and we thank this individual for the service that he gave his country," Nicholson told MPs.
Justin Stark was a corporal in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders when he killed himself in his barracks on a Saturday evening. He was 22.
He served in Afghanistan for seven months, starting in May 2010, after being associated with the military since 2006. His duties included patrols around Kandahar, where Canadians had their main base.
His death was the subject of several tribunals to determine whether it was related to his tour of duty, but Marston understood it was finally ruled not work related.
The Stark family has no doubts about what caused their son's death and remains emotionally shattered by the loss of Justin, Ellis said. He said Denise, a local hospital nurse, visits her son's grave every single day.
"They don't talk about it much, but the thought is it was PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)," said Ellis, who got to know the family after his motorcycle group, the North Wall Riders Association, attended Justin's funeral in November 2011.
"He did his tour. He came home and, shortly after that, he took his own life."
The cheque was sent from Public Works and was marked as "CF Release Pay." CF stands for Canadian Forces.
The family was too distraught to talk to media, but Stark did comment on a Facebook page set up in her son's memory. She also posted a picture of the cheque.
"Don't want to sound ungrateful BUT … was it really necessary to send me this? (sic)" she wrote. "I could have done without more agony."
Ellis said Denise was moved by the minister's remarks and hopes it will lead to changes.
"She was very pleased that the minister took that stance," said Ellis, whose group specializes in honouring veterans and hosts an annual Christmas Eve memorial at Woodland Cemetery in Burlington.
"He immediately addressed it and said this is wrong," he said. "What more can you ask for and that's all Denise wants. She wants to make sure another family doesn't go through this."
Marston was also pleased with the minister's remarks. He did not want to assign blame and also wanted to make sure measures are put in place to ensure this does not happen to any other military family.
"It's not about a blame game here," Marston said. "If it was a computer error, let's find it and make sure it doesn't happen again."
dnolan@thespec.com
905-526-3351 | @dandundas
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J
jollyjacktar
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Shared under the fair dealings provisions of the copyright act.
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See also,
and discussion that follows...
http://milnet.ca/forums/threads/103164/post-1294541.html#msg1294541
“His name will be recorded in the Book of Remembrance and his family will receive the various memorials to which they are entitled,” said department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier. “We look forward to honouring Cpl. Justin Stark’s memory the right way, and invite the general public to commemorate this very important event.”
Different institutions handle it different ways,
Keep suicide cops off memorial wall, widow of murdered officer says
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/13/keep-suicide-cops-off-memorial-wall-widows-of-murdered-police-say
Threaten to remove names if added
TORONTO - Several angry widows of Toronto Police officers killed in the line of duty are threatening to remove the names of their husbands from the memorial wall if a human rights tribunal orders the addition of those who have committed suicide.
dapaterson said:
and discussion that follows...
http://milnet.ca/forums/threads/103164/post-1294541.html#msg1294541
“His name will be recorded in the Book of Remembrance and his family will receive the various memorials to which they are entitled,” said department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier. “We look forward to honouring Cpl. Justin Stark’s memory the right way, and invite the general public to commemorate this very important event.”
Different institutions handle it different ways,
Keep suicide cops off memorial wall, widow of murdered officer says
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/13/keep-suicide-cops-off-memorial-wall-widows-of-murdered-police-say
Threaten to remove names if added
TORONTO - Several angry widows of Toronto Police officers killed in the line of duty are threatening to remove the names of their husbands from the memorial wall if a human rights tribunal orders the addition of those who have committed suicide.
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