Healthcare

But we, veterans of other conflicts, do know at least one major reason, multiple tours. The others come from what they've lived through and until very recently the DoD, the previous administration, bush, and those congresses, republican, ignored. As well as the citizens of who refuse to pony up for the results of the wars they want and send us into.

I received three robocalls from Barack Obama in the days before the election. I listened to the first and cut short the second and third. The President implored me to vote because so much was at stake.

I had a brief conversation with the man who phoned on behalf of Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. John Sarbanes. He wanted to know if the two could count on me. I explained that I've called their offices many times to ask that they stop funding war. And that I’ve always received the obligatory acknowledgment, thanking me for my input. Then, I told the caller, “But they continue to vote for war, so, no, since I can’t count on them, they cannot count on me.”

By Dave Lindorff

The Democrats were blown out of the water on Nov. 2.

But it’s not because of the Tea Party, or because of a resurgent Republican majority.

The Democrats deserved to lose because they have long since abandoned whatever principles they had, and more important, they’ve pissed on their most important supporters--the left, real liberals, African Americans, women, unionized workers, and workers in general. So I say hooray, all those groups have struck back!

Barack Obama set this disaster for the party and his presidency in motion before he was even sworn in as president, by choosing Wall Street hacks as his economic advisers in the midst of the worst economic crisis in 75 years, and by choosing as his key political adviser Rahm Emanuel, who famously called progressive critics “fucking retarded,” and who, when warned that the GM bailout plan would hurt the United Autoworkers members who worked there, also famously said “Fuck the UAW!”

To Our Reality!

All you younger Vets to another, of many, DeJa-Vu moments, this time the Country can't afford what's comin!!

With the house take over and actually now, not in numbers except just enough, they also control the senate, no need to filibuster just vote in lockstep as they did the previous decade they controlled, and especially under the bush, as well as the total obstruction the last four years.

Got Veterans needs, there are still plenty, forget about even Hearings let alone Congressional Investigations into, as to any tweaking of the GI Bill more likely rollback on that and much that has been happening in the VA and from the Administration as to Military their Families and Veterans. These so called 'teabaggers' Don't Want To Pay, Even The Vets Within!

I refer you to two recent articles:

Military families feel disconnect on Memorial Day

This comment by Angle, caught it last night on CBS and my head nearly exploded, shows Exactly what she thinks? about the Soldiers we're sending into these occupations and their families at home waiting, which in turn shows what she, and (R)'s, especially this phony TEA party, think? about us Veterans, All Veterans, as well as National Security!!!!!

Only ‘fixing’ the VA needs. and has always needed since Korea, is for the Country to Actually Pony Up for the Results of their Wars of Choice, and a strong dose of reality, thus causing the Agency to actually become the Best in the World in Care, Research, Training and more and saving money by doing so!!!!

The Way We Treat Our Troops

October 22, 2010 - You can only hope that the very preliminary peace efforts in Afghanistan bear fruit before long. But for evidence that the United States is letting its claim to greatness, and even common decency, slip through its fingers, all you need to do is look at the way we treat our own troops.

The idea that the United States is at war and hardly any of its citizens are paying attention to the terrible burden being shouldered by its men and women in uniform is beyond appalling.

Oct. 22, 2010 - Three young Orange County veterans of the Iraqi War who suffer from combat trauma are featured in a new documentary that captures their attempt to reintegrate into society and stay out of trouble with the law.

Available for viewing online for free, "Other Than Honorable" chronicles the men's experience with Veterans Court, a program offered at the Community Court building in Santa Ana that gives offenders a chance at recovery instead of going to prison.

Many veterans suffering from combat trauma lash out criminally, and the three men featured in the documentary, known only by their first names Adam, Zach and Thomas, run afoul of the law. {read rest}

Director of Ford Foundation's Special Initiative on Agent Orange/Dioxin to deliver message

Oct. 19, 2010 - The 2010 celebration called Make Agent Orange History is a two-part program including a keynote address with Charles Bailey, film screening, and a special educational session presented by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, William S. Richardson School of Law (Environmental Law and Health Policy Center) and San Francisco-based strategic communications non-profit Active Voice.

VA Taking Life-Saving Campaign to Streets

October 19, 2010 - WASHINGTON – This week, nearly 1,200 life-saving advertisements will go up on city buses, bus shelters, rail and subway stations across the Nation displaying a message of hope for those who have served their country and may be facing an emotional crisis. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is advertising its Suicide Prevention Hotline through Jan. 9, 2011.

By Missy Comley Beattie

I call one of my sons and say, “Listen, I have something to tell you."

He says, “As long as it isn’t about bedbugs.”

Expertly, with parental precision, I slickly shift from the bedbug scene in my head to one of the many issues among a plethora of plagues (POP). I talk about the “Emergency Call to Action” email I received about stopping hate, hatred of gays, hatred of Muslims, hatred of anything that is not sliced, white-bread, Bible-thumping, heterosexual America—this climate of shameful rhetoric, leading to violence, even in New York City, the location I love, and the place I see when I think of tolerance.

By Dave Lindorff

Candidate Barack Obama, running for president, vowed to end the ludicrous Pentagon policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which, since it was established in 1993 by President Clinton has required gay and lesbian members of the uniformed services to hide their sexual orientation or be drummed out of the service.

In 2009, just installed in the White House, President Obama reiterated that the policy “doesn’t contribute to our national security.”

But now that a federal judge has ruled the policy to be unconstitutional, and has more recently issued an injunction barring the Pentagon from enforcing it, the president has responded not by deciding to let the court order stand, thus ending this particular form of discrimination against gays and lesbians, but rather by appealing the decision in an attempt to reverse it.

This is a case of the President/Commander-in-Chief following his own pathetic political policy of “Don’t Act, Don’t Lead.”

As soon as Janet stepped through the kitchen door, she could hear the sound of crying--deep, gasping, soul-wrenching sobs. “Oh no,” she sighed to herself. “Not again.”

She put the tea kettle on and then walked over to put her arm around her friend’s shoulders. “Brenda, honey, what is it? What’s wrong?”

Brenda kept her head bent, tears pouring down her cheeks, as she stared at the kitchen table. “It’s Barry,” she finally managed to choke out. “He and his friends are saying the meanest things about me.”

“What kind of things, Brenda?”

Brenda had temporarily brought her crying under control. “He accused me of being unfaithful. He said I didn’t really love him, that I didn’t understand all the things he has to struggle with. He acted as if I was stupid and ungrateful!” And she burst into a new round of tears.

Angry on her friend’s behalf, Janet said, “What’s the matter with him? Why is he saying those things?”

Crimes manufactured in laboratories

Oct 8, 2010 - IT was the lot of the United States (US) Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton last week to render a similar soul-wrenching apology as her husband, Bill Clinton did 13 years ago on behalf of ‘God’s Own Country’. In 1997, the humanist Clinton stood before the world and profusely apologised for White America’s use of Black Americans as guinea pigs during experiments on syphilis.

Snip

Speaking of 'teabagger' types {wingnuts} Not Demanding Sacrifice, this is printed in the UK Guardian, Not The U.S. Press!

Veteran affairs: now we must serve them

Uncle Sam is glad to wave the flag when sending soldiers to war, but patriotism means doing right by our veterans, too

Jesus Bocanegra, of McAllen, Texas, in front a painting of himself done while he was serving in Iraq in 2006. Bocanegra has been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, a result of his service in Iraq in 2003-04; an attempt to attend college was thwarted by his nervousness with crowds, a common symptom of PTSD. Photograph: Chris Hondros/Getty Images

An important report on a Europeans review of Veterans, U.S. Veterans Courts, PTSD and Justice and Help for!

This is the type of lead the rest of the World used to look to the U.S. for, we were never perfected but working that way, and many here were once so good at it. Sadly this issue is another that comes out of our recent failed policies of destruction and terror waged on others, DeJa-Vu all over again. But shows that those who deplored our actions recently, and have been turning their backs to us in many area's including economic, are finding some of the old America and it's once Leadership Role in the World Community as we try to rebuild what we've lost and move back in the right direction!!

North Wales MP's experiences of treatment of ex-servicemen and women in USA

The above, without the 'wow', was the title of a Congressional Hearing in the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs: 30 September 2010.

In this hearing, opening statements to the give and take talk back and forth from the Representatives to the Participants, it lays out Very Clearly how this Country has Failed it's Veterans not only as to these two present occupations but the long term as we older vets already know, from Korea and Vietnam forward. There was a Support the Veterans since after WWII and all the positives that brought us, even then they got caught up in the lack of funding and obstruction to veterans issues as to care and much more.

I got sick and tired of hearing stuff like this years ago, real sick and tired, looking for funds or cash strapped!

This is soooooooo simple, now you folks Pay Attention!!

Give the Damn Bill To The American Public, Finally, for Everything Owed, and Start Collecting for What's Owed going Back to the Korean Conflict, even for our passed on brothers and sisters, at least those that left families, Got That!!!

And Quite Your Freakin Whining, 'chickenhawks'!!

Lawmakers seek ways to pay for GI Bill upgrades

Sep 18, 2010 - Improvements in the Post-9/11 GI Bill may have to be put off until next year if lawmakers cannot find a way to pay for changes, a key House lawmaker has warned.

As Iraq winds down, U.S. Army confronts a broken force

To View larger Image-Click Here

September 17, 2010 - When Lt. Col. Dave Wilson took command of a battalion of the 4th Brigade of the 1st Armored Division, the unit had just returned to Texas from 14 months traveling some of Iraq's most dangerous roads as part of a logistics mission.

What he found, he said, was a unit far more damaged than the single death it had suffered in its two deployments to Iraq.

And without a full Health Care Bill in place!

In U.S., 13% More Have Gov't Healthcare Since Recession Began

September 15, 2010 - More than one-quarter of American adults reported having government health insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, or military/veterans' benefits) in August. This number is up 13% since Gallup and Healthways started tracking the measure in January 2008, a month after the recession began. At the same time, 9% fewer Americans are covered through their employer.

There's another Very Important House Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing taking place Today. As important as all that have in both the House and the Senate since the 110th Congress, covering issues that weren't even mentioned nor as the many complaints rose, over a number of issues, were meaningful Congressional Investigations nor Hearings held, as two invasions and still ongoing occupations were started and only grew over these last close to a decade now!

09- 9-10 - A small group of military veterans are using the training and logistics skills they learned at war to conduct humanitarian missions in remote areas of the world. {read more}

 

September 8, 2010 - Many service members who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange while in Vietnam still live with its after-effects. That's why Veterans Affairs decided to streamline and speed up the process of settling claims of illness related to Agent Orange.

Brad Mayes, former Director of VA's Compensation and Pension Service, told Federal News Radio through the Federal Register, VA is "adding three new diseases to the list of conditions that are presumed to be service-connected as a result to exposure to the herbicide that we commonly refer to as Agent Orange."

Add another in the growing list of extremely tragic, luckily no one was hurt in this potential deadly incident, and potentially leading to more that the Hate Rhetoric and Actions are bringing forth!

Ex-soldier arrrested at Fort Stewart threated to kill Obama

We may be getting older, way too many have passed on needlessly, and have fought a long time for those that seek and support Wars of Choice to do their part 'Sacrifice' as to what is owed those who serve, but be aware we'll not let the Country treat this new generation of Veterans the way we were treated and ignored!! We don't do 'magnetic ribbons', 'lapel flag pins' nor especially 'purple heart bandages' with laughter, we do reality!!!

When ever you hear Anyone speaking about Tax Cuts, especially that they create jobs but that's another issue, what they are saying is that they had no problem Rubber Stamping Everything for Their Wars of Choice and Now They Once Again Don't Want To Pony Up In Keeping The Promises Made To Those They Sent and Are Still Sending, DeJa-Vu all over again!!

The true cost of the Iraq war: $3 trillion and beyond

September 5, 2010 - Writing in these pages in early 2008, we put the total cost to the United States of the Iraq war at $3 trillion. This price tag dwarfed previous estimates, including the Bush administration's 2003 projections of a $50 billion to $60 billion war.

The Pentagon Channel "Restoring Hope": an in-depth look at servicemember suicide and the families left behind. Plus, military leaders discuss what they are doing to stop the upward trend. {you can find this series "Restoring Hope" in the list on the left side of the page at the Pentagon Channel along with the rest of the programing.}

With the construction industry in the toilet across all aspects and across the country believe me I know what this country has been ignoring, we have a big problem with doing that on a whole host of issues {like sending military into invading then long occupations and not listening to them thus not caring for many when they return}, for decades should have been at least more than just started to be taken care of {some states and communities did use stimulus monies for just that but once no money preventive maintenance, or replacement, once again stops} as the collapsed economy started and those with the wealth {that's how most of theirs is made with breaks given on taxes enhanced development packages just to attract companies and much much more} should be main contributors to upgrading our Deteriorating Infrastructure, and it ain't just bridges and roads!!

3 September 2010 - The Department of Veterans Affairs published its final regulation Aug. 31 for compensating Vietnam veterans with ischemic heart disease, Parkinson’s disease or B-cell leukemia, or their surviving spouses.

Veterans diagnosed with these diseases only will have to show they stepped foot in Vietnam sometime from Jan. 9, 1962 through May 7, 1975, to qualify for service-connected disability ratings and compensation.

FREDERICK, Md., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Angie Pieper, President of The Kristen Renee Foundation will be holding a second press conference to release remarkable information that has transpired over the last four weeks, including the foundation's future plans in its fight against Fort Detrick on behalf of many residents in Frederick County who have been affected by what is believed to be a cancer cluster.

Aug 30, 2010 - Andrew White returned from a nine-month tour in Iraq beset with signs of post-traumatic stress disorder: insomnia, nightmares, constant restlessness. Doctors tried to ease his symptoms using three psychiatric drugs, including a potent anti-pyschotic called Seroquel.

Thousands of soldiers suffering from PTSD have received the same medication over the last nine years, helping to make Seroquel one of the Department of Veteran Affair's top drug expenditures and the No. 5 best-selling drug in the nation.