"No words can truly express the sorrow we feel for the Kyles and Littlefields," Routh's mother, Jodi, said in the statement. "We wish we could thank Chris Kyle for his genuine interest in helping our son overcome this battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."
There is more in this report from Bill Miller.
The man suspected of killing former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle (right) and his friend had been taken to a psychiatric hospital at least twice, the last time just two weeks before Saturday's fatal shootings, according to police reports obtained Monday by the Star-Telegram.
Eddie Ray Routh (below) was on suicide watch Monday at the Erath County Jail in Stephenville.
Routh is accused of shooting and killing Kyle, author of American Sniper, and his friend Chad Littlefield at a gun range Saturday at Rough Creek Lodge west of Glen Rose.
Kyle and Littlefield had taken Routh to the gun range in an attempt to help the veteran deal with problems he was having related to post traumatic stress disorder.
But mental health issues were also cited in police reports involving Routh.
Read more in this report by Domingo Ramirez Jr.
Now, in his first comments since the incident, one of the commanders has told The Associated Press that decision is under review. But he also stands by his assessment that the U.S. troops under his watch display "exceptionally high standards of professional and personal conduct."
Two sailors from Naval Air Station Fort Worth were accused of raping a woman on Okinawa, a small island that has long had a tense relationship with the large American force stationed there.
Citizens of the island (shown here) protested the rape last week.
Here's another Veterans Day report on an alleged injustice to service members.
A California man is accused of wearing military medals, but he never served, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
CNN has reported that Steven Burton, 39, of Palm Springs, California, is charged with the unauthorized wearing of military medals.
Burton has never served, according to CNN, but he has been photographed several times wearing military uniforms and various medals, including a Purple Heart and the Navy Cross, the highest medal awarded by the U.S. Navy.
The misdemeanor offense carries a maximum penalty of a year in federal prison, according to CNN.
Go here to see the entire CNN report.
-- Bill Miller
Muggers give fist bump to Milwaukee serviceman; Fort Worth vet beaten
On this Veterans Day, we are reminded that even service members, past and present, are targets for robbers.
At least Tuesday in Milwaukee, a 21-year-old reservist was shown some respect by muggers.
The Associated Press reports that the unnamed soldier, also a student University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was accosted at gunpoint by four masked men.
But the leader saw an Army ID in the serviceman's wallet, and then ordered his friends to return all of the belongings.
"The guy continued to say throughout the situation that he respects what I do and at one point he actually thanked me and he actually apologized," the reservist told The AP. "The leader of the group actually walked back, gave me a quick fist bump, which was very strange."
Read more here.
A World War II vet in Fort Worth was not treated so well on Tuesday.
Police said three burglars invaded the man's home on Hampshire Boulevard. The vet, 85, is mostly deaf, according to his niece, who said he may not have understood their commands.
"Maybe that's what aggravated them, so they just started pistol-whipping him," said Pam Fojtik, the niece, who confirmed that he served in the Army. "They beat him until he was down on the floor."
Three arrests have been made in the case, but he was still being treated Wednesday at a Fort Worth hospital. Read more in this report by Staff Writer Deanna Boyd.
-- Bill Miller
Staff Writer Chris Vaughn reports that a federal judge in the Rio Grande Valley has sentenced a Texas National Guard soldier from Fort Worth to 38 months in prison for his role in smuggling illegal immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Clarence Hodge Jr., 36, a veteran sergeant in the Guard, (right) pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to transport illegal immigrants last year as he worked in Laredo on Operation Jump Start, an effort aimed at curbing illegal immigration along the border.
Read more more about the case here.
Meanwhile, another guardsman assigned to Jump Start, made news Tuesday following his arrest Tuesday on drug trafficking charges in Fort Worth. Joseph Earl Jones, 31, also a sergeant, had earlier been to the police internal affairs office to file a complaint about a police search Friday which did not result in arrest.
Correspondent Susan Tallant reports that officers arrested Jones Tuesday after he allegedly sold drugs to an informant.
But not all local news involving the military is bad today.
Chris also reports that Tarrant County has emerged as one of the most productive recruiting areas in the nation, ranking fifth and far eclipsing Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Miami.
"The quality of the recruiting environment here is absolutely outstanding," said Capt. Rick Frank, a recruiter. "We obviously do not have the greatest population size. But there are good schools here and Texans have those core values of God, Mom, apple pie. They're willing to serve."
Read more here.
-- Bill Miller
