Tim King's Cross Country Ride for Veterans Health

Thank you for helping Tim King ride from coast to coast!

Tim King in Citrus Heights, California, where his journey begins and ends.

(SACRAMENTO, CA) - A letter is being dispatched to hundreds of readers who have contacted Salem-News.com over the years with regard to military base contamination which is largely unknown to the American public. Veterans are sick and dying, others are taking their own lives due to complications from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Still Needed: A set of leathers AA batteries Gas & travel funds Still adding venues... PayPal users, send to: tim@salem-news.com

Military bases are toxic and lethal and the government doesn't reveal these dangers unless it is forced to. Many of us who served are painfully aware due to health complications. Our writers include four former U.S. Marines who served at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro in Southern California. I am the only one of the four who is not a cancer survivor. Two of my children had severe health issues in their first six months that nearly claimed their lives. It took twenty years for me to learn why.

We have also worked with Jerry Ensminger, the decorated U.S. Marine who exposed the deadly contamination of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina - that claimed the life of his young daughter Janie. The documentary about Jerry's efforts to force the Marines to disclose the deadly water at Camp Lejeune is called 'Semper Fi'. (see: Salem-News articles about Jerry Ensminger)

Reality of Veteran Suicide Military Veteran suicides are now being reported at more than 20 a day, the rate was 18 a day three years ago. We have been working on a PTSD documentary and covering the subject for FIVE YEARS and I have substantial information that will assist those who are suffering in depression from PTSD. There are answers, please lend your support, help make this happen!

Our group has been reporting about the heavily contaminated Marine Corps bases El Toro, Camp Lejeune and Iwakuni, since 2008 and we are constantly branching out to examine the perils faced by members of other military services.

We must keep in mind that the Marines are the smallest service, and the example serves as a microcosm of the bigger problems facing those who served in the Navy, Army and Air Force. Bear in mind that war deployment is not a required ingredient for military poisoning. The ride will also be used to convey information about Agent Orange, and relative aspects like the children of Vietnam Veterans. No doubt we will soon have similar groups representing the children of Iraq and Afghan Vets.

On my ride for Vets titled: 'Operation Red Dragonfly' I will share information and resources, providing points of contact and leads for those who need help, this is a good idea and a subject where we literally can not do too much.

“

Hi, I'm writing to you because of your past contact with me, Tim King, the editor of Salem-News.com, regarding military base contamination/Agent Orange/PTSD. You probably already know that I publish news seven days a week, largely relating to Veteran issues. Like many of you, I am frustrated by the lack of awareness, so I am going on the road to spread the word - to tell Vets about what they may be or already are up against in terms of health impacts from their military experience. Now I am setting out on a cross country motorcycle ride to raise awareness of TCE, PCE, Benzene, DU and myriad other issues facing Veterans, including PTSD and TBI. I am touring as many states as possible, speaking at every opportunity, and ask you for support. Please, if you can, send a few dollars my way and also let me know if you want me to make a stop in your community, all I need are groups of say 15-20 (or larger of course) and media speaking opportunities, I am letting people know about the book I co-authored with Robert O'Dowd "BETRAYAL - Toxic Exposure of U.S. Marines, Murder, and Government Cover-up" (see: www.amazon.com/dp/B008035D5Q) and I am using the ride to gather the remaining video interviews for our documentary on PTSD. (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA8XCXy9heY) I need your support, fortunately what I am doing is not extremely costly, but there are unavoidable expenses like gasoline that I do need. We hope to see this happen next year on a grander scale, this is the beginning of a new yearly project for Veterans; they need our advocacy and outreach. Thank you so much, Tim King Salem-News.com Online Global News Service Email: newsroom@salem-news.com

”

Many are already helping, one significant person is Sheree Evans in Missouri, she is the east coast contact person for 'Operation Red Dragonfly'. You can write to Sheree at evasher6@cebridge.net if you are interested in seeing this event come to your city or town.

People and organizations who have contributed include Kevin Saunders, Charlie Smith, Jean James, Bob and Donna Collinsworth, Robert and Grace O'Dowd, Al Hayward, James Frederickson, Michael Rawlings, Gary Bennett, Veterans United for Truth, EnyaDreamz Productions, Sacramento Motorcycle Rentals, and several others have made enormous lifelong sacrifices, mostly Tim's family, specifically his wife and children.

Tim believes this is a cheap and effective approach that will gain measurable ground in our fight to save lives. It is time to think outside of the box, time to reach out in person.

Support this important
Salem-News.com mission
to help Vets via PayPal:

If you want to send money or a check then please just write to:

Salem-News.com P.O. Box 5238 Salem, Oregon 97304

More background:

Operation Red Dragonfly Brings Hardcore Veteran Health Outreach to America

Operation Red Dragonfly - Former Marine Will Cross Country for Veteran's Health

Road Warrior Crossroads: Taking Veteran's Issues to the Street

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

You can write to Tim at this address: tim@salem-news.com.

Visit Tim's Facebook page (facebook.com/TimKing.Reporter)

With almost 25 years of experience on the west coast and worldwide as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor, Tim King is Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. His background includes covering the war in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and reporting from the Iraq war in 2008. Tim is a former U.S. Marine who follows stories of Marines and Marine Veterans; he's covered British Royal Marines and in Iraq, Tim embedded with the same unit he served with in the 1980's.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing from traditional mainstream news agencies like The Associated Press and Electronic Media Association; he also holds awards from the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs; and was presented with a 'Good Neighbor Award' for his reporting, by the The Red Cross.

Tim King reporting from the war in Iraq

Tim's years as a Human Rights reporter have taken on many dimensions; he has rallied for a long list of cultures and populations and continues to every day, with a strong and direct concentration on the 2009 Genocide of Tamil Hindus and Christians in Sri Lanka. As a result of his long list of reports exposing war crimes against Tamil people, Tim was invited to be the keynote speaker at the FeTNA (Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America) Conference in Baltimore, in July 2012. This is the largest annual gathering of North American Tamils; Tim addressed more than 3000 people and was presented with a traditional Sri Lanka ‘blessed garland’ and a shawl as per the tradition and custom of Tamil Nadu

In a personal capacity, Tim has written 2,026 articles as of March 2012 for Salem-News.com since the new format designed by Matt Lintz was launched in December, 2005. Serving readers with news from all over the globe, Tim's life is literally encircled by the endless news flow published by Salem-News.com, where more than 100 writers contribute stories from 23+ countries and regions.

Tim specializes in writing about political and military developments worldwide; and maintains that the label 'terrorist' is ill placed in many cases; specifically with the LTTE Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, where it was used as an excuse to slaughter people by the tens of thousands; and in Gaza, where a trapped population lives at the mercy of Israel's destructive military war crime grinder. At the center of all of this, Tim pays extremely close attention to the safety and welfare of journalists worldwide.