Posted on Jun 4, 2015
Remember the Florida Frat boys and the Veteran? Police not charging frat members in harassment of vets
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PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — College fraternity members accused of harassing a group of disabled military veterans at a Florida beach resort in April won't be facing charges.
Police in Panama City Beach say they closed the investigations Tuesday because they couldn't identify the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity members who allegedly hurled drunken insults and spat at the disabled veterans. The veterans were attending a Wounded Warrior retreat at the resort.
Fraternity members from the University of Florida and Emory University were attending spring formals there at the time.
The fraternity members were initially accused of simple battery, petit theft, criminal mischief and launching a deadly missile.
The University of Florida closed its Zeta Beta Tau chapter after the allegations arose.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/06/03/police-not-charging-frat-members-in-harassment-of-vets/28438495/
Police in Panama City Beach say they closed the investigations Tuesday because they couldn't identify the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity members who allegedly hurled drunken insults and spat at the disabled veterans. The veterans were attending a Wounded Warrior retreat at the resort.
Fraternity members from the University of Florida and Emory University were attending spring formals there at the time.
The fraternity members were initially accused of simple battery, petit theft, criminal mischief and launching a deadly missile.
The University of Florida closed its Zeta Beta Tau chapter after the allegations arose.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/06/03/police-not-charging-frat-members-in-harassment-of-vets/28438495/
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University of Florida
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University of Florida Law
Posted >1 y ago
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I'm glad they closed the fraternity chapter. However, I think the authorities should still seek prosecution of the lowlifes.
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I'm a vet and a UF student not in any way affiliated with Greek life on campus. I think they should allow the old ZBT frat house to now house veterans. They should be arrested but cops often can't do anything. It's a real shame too. ZBT was founded by Jewish students who were excluded from other frats because of discrimination, only to turn around and discriminate others some 100 years later.... Their founders are rolling in their graves I'm sure. But this isn't the fault of Gainesville, its the PC Beach police that can't get the job done, not us.
As always
Hooyah and Go Gators
As always
Hooyah and Go Gators
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I would like to say I am shocked but unfortunately this does not seem unlikely. Police have trouble to identify visiting frat boys who probably won't give each other up and the Disabled Vets are probably not local. [Note I changed local frat boys to visiting frat boys based on comment by CPT Danford Sawyer on 6/6/2015 which is the Anniversary of invasion of Normandy in 1944.]
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LTC Stephen F.
Well, CPT Danford Sawyer, I am not intending to libel or slander Florida. An old friend of mine is the Commander of SOCOM and I am fairly familiar with the panhandle of Florida which has more in common with Alabama than the rest of Florida - especially Miami and Dade county where my wife and her family lived for many years.
What happens in the towns and beach areas that draw the spring break "visitors" from South Carolina through to Texas is not unique to mid-size or small size towns in FL.
Generally many of the college break visitors are well behaved much of the time. The subject of this thread is that disabled veterans were insulted and harassed - the location happened to be Panama City, FL.
When I first enlisted at the tail end of the Vietnam War, people in uniform or who had served in the military were insulted by average citizens. There have been concerns mentioned in many forums that while many in this nation respect those of us who wore the uniform there seems to be an increase in targeting disabled veterans by usually the young and foolish. I believe a significant factor is that service members are surviving and thriving as best they can after suffering kinetic and other traumatic injuries that would have killed them if they happened in earlier wars - thanks in large part to advances in combat medicine and treatment.
What happens in the towns and beach areas that draw the spring break "visitors" from South Carolina through to Texas is not unique to mid-size or small size towns in FL.
Generally many of the college break visitors are well behaved much of the time. The subject of this thread is that disabled veterans were insulted and harassed - the location happened to be Panama City, FL.
When I first enlisted at the tail end of the Vietnam War, people in uniform or who had served in the military were insulted by average citizens. There have been concerns mentioned in many forums that while many in this nation respect those of us who wore the uniform there seems to be an increase in targeting disabled veterans by usually the young and foolish. I believe a significant factor is that service members are surviving and thriving as best they can after suffering kinetic and other traumatic injuries that would have killed them if they happened in earlier wars - thanks in large part to advances in combat medicine and treatment.
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Suspended Profile
Agreed. Virginia is a great state too. (My nephew just finished up his second year at Virginia Military Institute. He was a corporal last year and will be a platoon sergeant next year. He is going of to Kentucky for 3 weeks of 'recondo' type training next week.) I serve and many other serve because we would not wish for our youth to go by and some bad thing happen and NOT be trained and ready to lead those who will see our country through.
Suspended Profile
In response to your post about medical care: A short time after I left the Army my wife began what has now been a long career in health care. She is presently the Chief Marketing Officer with Penn Medicine (University of Pennsylvania Health System). I have always been amazed by the large number of physicians who volunteer to serve in the Reserve Medical Corps. In particular the many surgeons who take time away from their busy regular practice to deploy with our troops and ensure that the troops get the finest surgical care.
One such surgeon- Major John P. Pryor made the ultimate sacrifice on Christmas Day 2008. http://articles.philly.com/2008-12-27/news/25243757_1_trauma-program-iraq-surgical-training
I think I would rather think about his example rather than the few drunk young losers on that beach. There will always be losers. You know the people who ask about your military service "Were you searching for Atlantis?"
As for spitting on veterans that has a long history going back to ancient Rome.
I think I would rather live in a society where people have the liberty to misunderstand veterans and behave badly towards us than one in which they do not have such liberties.
One such surgeon- Major John P. Pryor made the ultimate sacrifice on Christmas Day 2008. http://articles.philly.com/2008-12-27/news/25243757_1_trauma-program-iraq-surgical-training
I think I would rather think about his example rather than the few drunk young losers on that beach. There will always be losers. You know the people who ask about your military service "Were you searching for Atlantis?"
As for spitting on veterans that has a long history going back to ancient Rome.
I think I would rather live in a society where people have the liberty to misunderstand veterans and behave badly towards us than one in which they do not have such liberties.
Heroic healer is felled Leader of Penn's trauma team killed in Iraq.
John P. Pryor, 42, of Moorestown, the dedicated leader of the University of Pennsylvania's trauma team and a decorated major in the Army Reserve who wrote eloquently about the painful parallels...
LTC Stephen F.
CPT Danford Sawyer, I concur with your statements about Major John P. Pryor.
It is interesting to me that you brought up the University of Pennsylvania, my father was associate director of their library system and both of my younger sisters graduated from Penn.
In general I concur with your statement "I would rather live in a society where people have the liberty to misunderstand veterans and behave badly towards us than one in which they do not have such liberties." In this country different localities support or condemn certain public behaviors which are treated significantly different in much of the county. I am all for supporting the liberty's expressed in this nation's founding documents. General abusing people is more akin to demonstration of licentiousness more than expressions of liberty. Licentiousness seems to be part of every culture and nation whereas true liberty seems to be rare in the world over the centuries.
It is interesting to me that you brought up the University of Pennsylvania, my father was associate director of their library system and both of my younger sisters graduated from Penn.
In general I concur with your statement "I would rather live in a society where people have the liberty to misunderstand veterans and behave badly towards us than one in which they do not have such liberties." In this country different localities support or condemn certain public behaviors which are treated significantly different in much of the county. I am all for supporting the liberty's expressed in this nation's founding documents. General abusing people is more akin to demonstration of licentiousness more than expressions of liberty. Licentiousness seems to be part of every culture and nation whereas true liberty seems to be rare in the world over the centuries.
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