TACAMO Fallen Veteran - Larry Wagar, VQ-3
DOB ?? - DOD JULY 27, 2022
Reported by Mike Neri, "Sad to report we lost another TACAMO Sailor under very disturbing circumstances. AECS Larry Wagar was one of the VQ-3 FRAMP Department personnel under Skipper Lochausen early in the C-130/E-6 transition at Barber's Point. He was an AEC at the time; and my next door neighbor in Iriquois Point housing. He retired to Washington State, and I was aware he had PTSD issues, among others as indicated by his family's FB posts. Larry was walking on the Interstate yesterday and intentionally stepped in front of a semi truck. Fair Winds and Following Seas my friend.
62 Year Old Larry W Wagar Dead After
Motor Vehicle Accident in Bellingham (Bellingham, WA)
JULY 27, 2022
Larry W. Wagar, 62, of Sedro-Woolley, walked into traffic and was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck by a semi-trailer. The incident took place on the I5 south of Bellingham on Wednesday morning. Larry Wagar, 62, of Sedro-Woolley, was declared dead at the scene, according to a Washington State Patrol memo. The driver, Lakhvir Singh, was unable to stop his vehicle before striking Wagar near milepost 225.
TCVA extends its sympathy and prayer for peace to Larry's family and friends during this time of the passing.
A Skipper’s Worst Day
A Skipper’s Worst Day You might be thinking something related to work but no this is personal. Every Sailor is crucial to the success of the mission, yes, but the lives of every Sailor are precious to the Skipper, the Chief, the LPO. Sailors are THE NAVY. Losing a Sailor who only yesterday was smiling and laughing with Mates is a tragedy. My Command Master Chief called my cell and said, “Skipper, please meet me at the Barracks ASAP. This isn’t good.” It wasn’t. A young Second Class Metal Smith had downed a bottle of hard liquor, written a note, and then killed himself in his shower. Nothing to do now but leave it to the medical folks and grieve, right? NO! Now is the time to talk to all our Sailors, past and present about suicide. No matter how bad things get, no matter how bleak the future, we CARE about our Sailors. The Sailor I described above left us a beautiful legacy on the tail of the Herc that was heading for her last flight, 173. No another Sailor from that time, for reasons we don’t know, took his life some 32 years later. He was one of the critical players in VQ-3’s transition to the Merc. He worked on the flight engineer training we needed, laying out schedules and making sure the FEs got the right stuff to engineer the Merc. But he walked out of care facility and out onto the Interstate, sadly into the path of an 18 wheeler. My memory of Chief Larry Wagar is of smiling, joking, dedicated Sailor, who worked for CDR Mike Clemens and Master Chief Mike Neri up on the Mezzanine in Hangar 110. Don’t go where Larry went. Call someone close, call a hot line, call a Sailor you served with but DON’T CALL IT QUITS. You are some important, someone who COUNTS.
REACH OUT https://www.va.gov/REACH/default.asp
Life is full of challenges and rewards. Everyday life events such as working, family relationships, and finances, can all be overwhelming at times. When you feel overwhelmed, remember that you are not alone. You do not have to go through life’s challenges by yourself. It is okay to take a moment, reach out and ask for help.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) empowers Veterans to connect with resources you may need now to better respond to challenges you may face later. Veterans are driven and resilient, but everyone needs help sometimes. It is not always easy to ask for help, but there are people who want to listen.
If you are having a difficult time, VA encourages you to reach out for peer-to-peer support, clinical care, or counseling.
Finding Support
If you are looking for peer-to-peer support, clinical care, counseling or something else, you can reach out in the following ways:
Call, text, or email a friend or family member to ask for support through a tough time. Veterans can find ways to get started on REACH OUT.
Connect with a fellow Veteran to talk about what they are going through.
Use these resources to find support through life challenges:
VA Solid Start: Qualified Solid Start representatives will call Veterans three times in their first year of separation to walk through the benefits available to them.
MyVA411: Veterans, their families, and caregivers can call 1-800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411) to easily access information on VA benefits and services.
Make the Connection: More than 600 Veterans and family members from across the country have shared their stories of strength and recovery. It only takes a few seconds to find a story to which Veterans can relate.
SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services: This tool, which is confidential and anonymous, allows people to search by ZIP code for local treatment facilities that focus on substance use/addiction and/or mental health issues.
Self-Check Assessment: People cope with stressful situations in different ways. This confidential, anonymous risk assessment can show if stress and depression are affecting Veterans.
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can get free, confidential support through the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans. Call or chat online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you know a Veteran who is in crisis, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and press 1.
If you find yourself in crisis, do not hesitate to reach out for immediate help. Emergency care is available by calling 911 or going to your nearest emergency department. The Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7 and can be reached by calling 1-800-273-8255 (Press 1 if you are a Veteran) or chat online here or text 838255.
