A little more than three years after charges were formally framed against Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez for the  murders Capt. Phillip Esposito and 1st Lt. Louis Allen, the trial is finally coming to a close.

On Monday the defense will start its rebuttal statement, and if things go according to schedule closing arguments should start on Tuesday. The jury could go into deliberations soon after that we could have a verdict as soon as the end of the week.

Also, after many weeks of trying to get information from JAG attorneys, I finally got the answer I was looking for — the jury doesn’t need to be unanimous to reach a guilty verdict; it needs a 2/3rd majority. It needs a unanimous vote for the death penalty.

I’ll keep you posted about how the remainder of the trial goes. For a more detailed account, go to www.lohud.com.

Newsday reports that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has reassigned its New York regional director and five other top managers after discovering that hundreds of claims were misdated to make it appear that they were being processed on time.

“It was systematicaly enough of a problem that we removed the leadership,’’ the newspaper quotes VA spokeswoman Alison Aikele in a story you can read here.

Most of us have heard about problems in trying to get a VA claim or appeal dealt with in a timely manner. If you’re a local veteran interested in sharing your experience for a future newspaper story, please e-mail me at rliebson@lohud.com or give me a call at 914-694-3534. Make sure to leave your name and contact info.

Looks like this is becoming an annual event. The Town of Ramapo in conjunction with the Jewish War veterans PFC Fred Hecht Post # 425 will be sponsoring the second annual “Salute To Veteran” concert on Sunday, Nov. 23.

Featured will be the renowned U.S. Military Academy Concert band. The event will take place at Suffern High School located at 47 Viola Road, Suffern, at 2 p.m. Free tickets are available till supplies last at Ramapo Town Hall.

The United States Military Acadaemy Band has quite a history, and is a descendant from the small band that first assembled in West Point in 1817. The original 20 piece military band has evolved to the current 48-member wind band. Over the years it has developed a reputation of being among the finest of its kind. So don’t don’t miss the opportunity!

Fourth- and fifth-graders from Ossining’s Claremont School will visit the Montrose VA hospital on Friday (Nov. 21) to visit with veterans, hand out candy and play some jazz.

The Claremont Jazz Band will jump and jive at the hospital from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Every year, I really look forward to our trip, as I know the students, the veterans and the staff at the hospital do as well,” said Claremont Teacher Ron Whitehead, who organizes the annual event. “It is a great thing to see, the mess hall staff smiling and waving, the veterans saying thank you and dancing by their lunch tables.”

The visits started nine years ago, when Whitehead, a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Desert Storm, decided to invite the Jazz Band to join him on a trip to the hospital. The concerts started out small but soon moved to the dining hall in order to accommodate more of the veterans, who wanted to attend. The students also enjoy the personal interaction of meeting the veterans while handing out candy.

“Being a veteran makes these visits very personal and makes me think of the friendships I had when in the Army,” said Whitehead. “I think of the people serving our county overseas everyday. It is amazing to think that everyday, people sacrifice so much.”

Nami-Familya is calling all veterans or members of their families who fear that their loved ones are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, to attend a gathering on Wednesday. As we’ve heard and read too often, suicide and factorss that contribute to suicide such as depression, PTSD, and a rise in drug and alcohol abuse is increasing in veterans returning from war.

Several speakers experienced in veterans affairs will be speaking at the Dr. Robert L. Yeager Health Center Building F, Room 119, on Sanatorium Road in Pomona at 7:30 p.m. Jerry Donnellan, director of Rockland County’s Veteran’s Services Agency, Jim Murphy of Veteran’s For Peace, Stan Hyman of VCS Vets for Vets Program, and Jim Ievolella, also of VCS Vets for Vets Program will be speaking that night.

A flier distributed by Nami-Familya helps identify some of the signs of PTSD, including bad dreams, flashbacks, trouble sleeping, angry outbursts, scary thoughts that caan’t be controled, thoughts of hurting yourself or others.

If you feel that you, or a veteran you know may be suffering from PTSD, please take advantage and go to hear the people who know.

This just in on CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN)—An Army lieutenant general has become the first woman in U.S. military history to get four stars.

The military on Friday promoted Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, who has served in several command positions in her 33-year Army career.

She will command Army Material Command, responsible for equipping, arming and outfitting soldiers.

The story, which can be found here, notes that Dunwoody is a native New Yorker who graduated from SUNY Cortland in 1975 and planned to spend two years in the Army.

The defense opened its case in Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez’s fragging court-martial yesterday and its clear that it is trying to paint him as a dim-witted, profanity prone soldier who was none-the-less affable, and hardly the type who would plan the cold-blooded murder of two superior officers.

The problem with that picture is that the prosecution has brought forth enough witnesses who have testifying that they were personally aware about the ongoing feud between Martinez and his commander, Captain Phillip Esposito of Suffern,  and that they heard him making threats to fragg Esposito.  So far the prosecution has been able to make the case that Martinez is the only person who had the motive, the ability and the opportunity to carry out the murders.

Martinez was the supply sergeant of the 42nd Infantry Division’s headquarter support company in Tikrit, Iraq, in 2005, and has access to all kinds of ammunition and explosives. Esposito was his company commander. 1st Lt. Louis Allen of Milford, Pa, the new second-in-command, had just arrived in Iraq, and was in esposito’s room when a claymore mine exploded and killed them both. Martinez is charged with planting the mine.

The defense seems have have had a shaky start. It was supposed to bring forth its witnessess on Tuesday, but asked for a delay because all its witnesses hadn’t arrived at Fort Bragg where the trial is being held. Defense witnesses started their testimony on Wednesday, but broke early today because some witnesses hadn’t arrived. The defense blamed the government for dragging its feet in bringing the witnesses, most of whom are posted overseas or are at locations across the country.

I’ve been following the trial from West Point, where a live video feed has been provided for family members and the media. Several of Allen’s relatives who live in the area come to watch the trial. Relatives of Esposito’s wife, Siobhan, also occasionally come.

Aboard the USS Intrepid yesterday for a Veterans Day ceremony, Gov. David Paterson signed an Executive Order establishing the New York State Council on Returning Veterans and Their Families. The Council will develop recommendations for a comprehensive strategy to address the multiple needs of returning veterans and their families in adjusting to post-service life through a collaboration of federal, state and local benefits.

Click here to read the entire press release.

The military judge presiding over the court-martial of Alberto Martinez delayed the defense case for a day after attorneys told him that they didn’t have witnesses ready to testify on the first day. They will bring witnesses to the stand tomorrow.

The prosecution presented its last witness yesterday. Staff Sgt. Amy Harlan testified that she gave Alberto Martinez three claymore mines, the weapon that investigators say he used to murder Capt. Phillip Esposito of Suffern and 1st Lt. Louis Allen of Milford, Penn. The two officers died after a series of explosions in Saddam Hussein’s Water Palace in Tikrit, Iraq, which served as Forward Operating Base Danger.

So far the prosecution has presented witnesses who have testified that they were aware Martinez hated Esposito and had publicly spoken about fragging him. Witnesses have also said they saw him close to the blast site in suspicious circumstances after the explosions. As the supply sergeant of his unit, Martinez had access to all kinds of ammunition. In short, the prosecution has made the case that no one but Martinez had the motive, the ability and the opportunity to kill the two men.

Now its the defense’ turn. Witnesses have been called from across the country and from overseas to testify in the first fragging trial since the war in Iraq began. I’ll be waiting to see what they have to offer.

It’s great to see so many local events planned for tomorrow as the nation observes Veterans Day.  I hope most of you have the day off and can make it to whatever ceremony takes place in your town. If you have to work, at least spend a minute or two remembering your time in the military, whenever you might have served.

I remember that when I was discharged one of the sergeants handling my out processing told me that no matter what I did with the rest of my life, I should be proud that I answered our country’s call and did my bit for Uncle Sam. It sounded pretty corny at the time, but as the years of gone by I’ve thought about my days as a “cold warrior’’ more than I ever thought I would. I’ve kept in touch with a few old buddies and we laugh about our days in the Army’s “green machine.’’

When I first started working here, there were still a few World War I veterans around and I had the chance to do stories about them. In the 23 years since, I’ve met and written stories about hundreds of veterans and I can’t remember one that I didn’t enjoy. It’s great to swap stories about the military with men and women who actually understand what you’re talking about. What I’ve learned is that no matter when you served, or whether it was during war or peace, you share at least a small bond with everyone else who has ever sweated their way through basic training and worn a uniform.

Here’s hoping we all enjoy the bond tomorrow.

And by the way, happy birthday Marines!

For all of you who’ve been reading my stories about the court-martial of Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez in the murder of two officers in Iraq, the trial is expected to run until he end of the year. As you know, the 41-year-old Troy, NY, native is being tried for the premeditated murders of Capt. Phillip Esposito of Suffern and 1st Lt. Louis Allen of Milford, Pa. in 2005. Prosecutors say Martinez planted a claymore mine on the window ledge of Esposito’s office in Saddam Hussein’s Water Palace in Tikrit, Iraq, and also detonated grenades to simulate an enemy mortar attack, which was very common. He has pleaded not guilty.

Several witnesses have testifed that Martinez was openly hostile toward Esposito and had made threats against him. One witness told the jury that Martinez had sought her help in tracking Esposito’s movements and finding a key to his office. So it’s surprising that no one informed the Army top brass that Martinez was talking about fragging Esposito.

This has been a particularly disturbing issue with the family members of the deceased men. One wonders that with the history of fragging during the Vietnam war, the armed forces would have some rules in place that make it mandatory for soldiers to report threats against members of the armed forces.

With so many witnesses testifying that they heard Martinez using expletives against Esposito and making threats, the defense is finding it hard to deny it. It is arguing that Martinez was just venting because he was upset with disciplinary action that Esposito was contemplating against him because of his poor job performance.

Let’s see how it goes. The prosecution has a couple of dozen more witnesses to bring to the stand, and the defense has several dozen. Stay tuned.

P.S. The court-martial is taking place at Fort Bragg, NC. A live video feed has been made available to family members and the media at West Point. The widows and parents of the victims are attending the trial at Fort Bragg.

The Yonkers Pops Band and the city Parks Department will present musical “Salute to Veterans” at 2 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 9) at Saunders High School.

The band will play marches, a medley of tunes from Bob Hope movies and popular songs from the 1940s in a salute to the armed forces. Vocalist Kathy Hart will join the band for a number of songs, including “I’ll be Seeing You,” “White Cliffs of Dover,” and Boodie Woodie Bugle Boy of Company B.”

The free concert is being funded by a grant from the New York State office of Parks and Historic Preservation.

Saunders High School is located at 183 Palmer Road, just east of the Saw Mill River Parkway.