"Supporting The Troops" means that if this Country Cheers on, and Pays for, Wars of Choice, of which as information comes out about same have nothing to do with National Security and are thus Not Conflicts of Last Resort and thus Illegal because of the Lies they are based on, than this Country Must Honor Completely The Contracts These Soldiers Took Their Oaths On To Defend The Constitution of This Country!
"Supporting The Troops" also means that everyone signing up for and wearing a Military Uniform give their Service to Country and Country owes them Everything Promised at Recruitment, in Contract and Oath, during their Service, for their Sacrifice to Country of Service duly honored and done with Pride.
"Supporting The Troops" means that for having a Strong National Defense, Strong National Security and Sacrifice By All, those that wear, or have worn, a Military Uniform come First and Foremost!!
Not the armaments developed, nor the profits {and corruption} of the military industrial complex nor their stock holders, certainly not bloated defense budgets with no questions asked by us who are footing the bills, that and much more come secondary and further down!
No one political party has any hold on false claims of being Strong On, for this Country puts it's toys of Destruction first, and says To Hell With Those That Serve, unless they can be used as propaganda tools!
The greater majority Don't give service to Country, that Majority must Also Sacrifice, no matter the Cost!
Vets' shelter gas shut off
Keyspan and shelter officials dispute payment
Keyspan turned off the gas at the Veterans Arms shelter in Dorchester Thursday, charging the account was $12,000 in arrears.
"It makes me confused, wondering what's going on," said resident Michael McDowell, 23, ex-Air Force.
Shelter spokesperson Mariellen Burns said the shelter owed $10,000 and paid $2,000 last month as part of a "good faith" payment plan.
Carmen Fields of Keyspan confirmed the shutoff and said the shelter last paid in August 2006.
"We're hoping that they will be in touch with us - we're confident we can work out some kind of arrangement," Fields said.
Managing agency Veteran's Clearinghouse, which runs several other shelters in the area, has struggled since losing a federal grant two years ago, Burns said.
"This is a step-up program and in many ways the government needs to step up," said shelter executive assistant Walter Randolph.
Shelter occupancy
Only three of the Veterans Arms' 10 bedrooms are currently occupied.
"We're having a hard time getting people in because of CORI issues," said executive assistant Walter Randolph.
Published on Sun, Jun 10, 2007
On the verge of dishonor
Mass. Marine investigated for protesting Iraq War
Clad in a black T-shirt emblazoned with "Iraq Veterans Against the War," an Iraq war veteran could lose his honorable discharge status for speaking his mind.
Sgt. Liam Madden, 22, stood on the steps of the Statehouse Thursday afternoon and claimed the Marine Corps was trying to "silence the free speech and assault the First Amendment rights" of veterans.
The North End resident said he was being charged by the Marine Corps with wearing a part of his uniform at a Washington D.C. war protest in March. Madden said is also charged with making disloyal statements at a protest in New York City in February.
Madden said that because he is listed as "inactive," he is free to speak his opinions.
A June 1 Marine Corps letter reads, "Sgt. Liam Madden is facing administrative action for unauthorized wear of the military uniform and disloyal statement."
Those statements, Madden said, were that "{President Bush} has betrayed U.S. service members by committing them to a war crime." Madden said that if he is found guilty of the charges, his "honorable" discharge status will be changed to "other than honorable" resulting in the loss of all military benefits including pay and healthcare.
The Marine Corps said the letter sent to Madden was only a notification that his actions were being investigated and that no charges have officially been filed. The change in status to "other than honorable discharge" for Madden, as repercussion of a decision against him, were not confirmed by the Marine Corps. Such a punishment was one possible outcome, the spokesman said.
"I think they're trying to intimidate others from speaking out," said Vietnam veteran Nate Goldshlag. "I think it is outrageous that the military is trying to suppress the guys who are over there and saw what the war is."
Military terms
Discharge status benefits
Honorably discharged: Soldiers receive a full range of benefits from retirement pay to access to the Montgomery G.I. Bill.
General under honorable conditions: Soldiers may not access Veterans Administration educational assistance, any additional opportunity to use the G.I. Bill, or civil service credit.
Other than honorable discharge: Soldiers lose all benefits, including the right to wear their military uniform, the right to be buried in a national cemetery and civil service credits. They still have access to the Montgomery G.I. Bill.
Dishonorable discharge or bad conduct discharge: Both are punitive decisions by court martial, sometime resulting in jail time.
Veterans
Dissent
The Marine Corps has filed charges against one other Iraq War veteran.
Adam Kokesh was recommended by the Corps's Administrative Separation Board to be charged with wearing a uniform during the same Washington D.C. war protest as Sgt. Liam Madden and was recommended to receive a change in status from an "honorable" to a "general" discharge in Kansas on June 4. General Darrell Moore, who oversees all Individual Ready soldiers Reserve {i.e., inactive soldiers only recalled for emergencies} will make the final decision on the Board's recommendation.
An online petition in support of Sgt. Liam Madden can be found here.
Madden is no stranger to petitions. He is the co-founder of Appeal for Redress, a statement calling for the end of the Iraq war that was signed by nearly 2,000 active-duty troops.
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Published on Sun, Jun 10, 2007
Comments
JUNE 08, 2007
SGT Madden not only has done nothing disloyal, he has upheld his oath of enlistment, "to support and defend the Constitution against ALL enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC" with dignity and courage that one rarely finds in or out of the armed services. He eximplifies that "Semper Fidelis" refers to being faithful to the Consitution, the Nation, and the People of this country, not to a particular president, administration, or military leaders. Unfortunately, there are many with stars, birds or brass on their collars who don't believe that, and this very dangerous mindset is what leads to attacks on servicemen/women and veterans who continue to bear true faith and allegiance by opposing this administration and its assault on the Constitution and human rights.
Make no mistake about it, this issue is larger than SGTs Madden and Kokesh. This is part of an organized attempt to silence legitimate dissent. On the one hand, it means that those in power are worried; on the other, it means that they will be getting more and more vicious. We should all be very concerned.
— teachervet
JUNE 08, 2007
This is ridicules, we need to help people that will like to exercise their opinions, when governments try to shut up everyone be very scare.. unfortunately I am very scare with the US now a days.. is not just this, but many things like this happening in the US that are in silent taking place...
— rek2
JUNE 08, 2007
The cost of war is not free. Those that pay the highest price, risk thier lives and limbs are now being told that they no longer have the right of free speech. Does anyone else see a problem with this? Impeach the President. While you still have that right.
— neworleansvoicesforpeace
JUNE 08, 2007
The current political environment give this kind of kangaroo court justice creedence. We are in a military conflict with conflicting reasons for being there and no real strategy for getting the U.S. out. It smells too much like a morass worse than Vietnam ever was.
— journeyled
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Sergeant Kokesh Goes to Washington
While conducting a memorial for the next soldier to fall in Iraq with Reverend Lennox Yearwood, I was arrested for "Unlawful Assembly - Loud and Boisterous," and I didn't open my mouth once.
Sweet! I knew I had common sense on my side: letter from Florida Veterans for Common Sense
Saturday, June 9, 2007
FLVCS LETTER to Senators and Representatives
June 3, 2007
Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Chairman Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
Senator Carl Levin, Chairman Senate Armed Forces Committee
Representative Ike Skelton, Chairman House Armed Forces Committee
Representative Bob Filner, Chairman House Veterans' Affairs Committee
Dear Senators and Representatives:
Florida Veterans for Common Sense wishes to make you aware of an un-American,
unpatriotic attack by the U.S. Marine Corps against decorated marines who
have served in Iraq and were honorably discharged. When the Marine Corps found
out that discharged marines still in the Inactive Ready Reserve were speaking
out and protesting against the occupation of Iraq, the Corps re-activated them
for a hearing to revoke their honorable discharges as punishment. FLVCS knows
of several honorably discharged marines facing this harassment.
The Corps claims that the Uniform Code of Military Justice was violated by
the marines because they spoke out against the war and while wearing a marine
uniform at a demonstration. The action of the Corps is nothing less than an
attack on the free speech of all American citizens, and particularly veterans.
The marines in question do not deny they have spoken out against the war and
that on occasion wore parts of their military clothing at demonstrations.
Neither marine wore a full uniform. They wore camouflage fatigues without the
marine insignia, a right they have earned in blood. There is no law, or regulation
against wearing camo. A camo shirt, pants, and hat is not a uniform. You can
see people wearing camo everyday all around America.
The corps claims that is against regulations to wear a uniform, or apparently
a part of a uniform, at political events. If that is correct, the regulation
is selectively enforced by the Department of Defense. President Bush, Vice
President Cheney, and other politicians often have soldiers in full dress uniform
standing behind them for the cameras at political events.
In short, the Marine Corps is attempting to stifle legitimate pro-American
speech, which should not be tolerated. Are we fighting in Iraq to lose our
freedoms at home? The Marine Corps has a war to fight against Al Qaeda and shouldn't be wasting its time harassing veterans who exercise their democratic right
to free speech. The Commandant of the Marine Corps should be summoned to
Congress to explain the Corps' actions and to explain why those responsible should
not be held accountable.
Sincerely,
Gene Jones
For: Executive Committee Florida Veterans for Common Sense.
Letter of Support From The Military Project
Saturday, June 9, 2007
After multiple tours in Iraq, Adam Kokesh, Liam Madden and Cloy Richards
received honorable discharges from active duty. These Marines continued to
honor their oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies, foreign and domestic by joining Iraq Veterans Against
the War and speaking out against a war they saw as illegal and immoral.
As a result of exercising their right to freedom of speech, {a right they
were told they were fighting for in Iraq} the Marine Corps, while admitting
that The Uniform Code of Military Justice {UCMJ} does not apply to
Individual Ready Reserve {IRR} service members, is trying to refuse them IRR
honorable discharges for alleged violations of the UCMJ! This bold attempt
by the government to suppress the views of our service men and women must
not go unchallenged.
The Military Project sees Adam Kokesh, Liam Madden, Cloy Richards, The IVAW,
and all active duty and reserve troops who have the courage to speak out
against this illegal war as true patriots and heroes. We urge all people of
conscience to "Support The Troops!" by sending letters of support and
financial donations to IVAW and by contacting elected officials to tell
them, "Let Our Troops Speak! Stop Harassing Heroes!"
IVAW- Legal Defense Fund
PO Box 8296
Philadelphia, PA 19101
Sincerely,
The Military Project
Contact Military Project to respond or sign up for News Letter
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