I'm bringing an update to that post hopefully as a way to place preasure on the Pentagon and Congress to carry through with Spec. Bryan Currie, 21, of Charleston, S.C. request, through the Army legal channels, for the Court of Inquiry to investigate top generals at Fort Carson; Fort Drum, N.Y.; and Fort Hood, Texas.
Also hoping that others, reading this, don't let this, or any of the many reports on Military/Veterans care that have finally surfaced and continue to do so, slip away. Pass any or all information to others, contact your Representatives, they work for you, and have them contact the Pentagon. In this primary season Contact first the Presidential Candidates, especially John McCain - Veteran, and tell them you want these reports addressed. Second contact your reps, especially if you have a republican? that was in Congress in the leadup to the Afganistan and Iraq Invasions, Demand answers as to Why Military/Veterans care wasn't Front and Center, Top of the List, in their Desire to send Troops into Harms Way. Forget about contacting the White House, we know how they would reply.
It wasn't that long ago, and most of them are old enough to remember, what Veterans from another Failed U.S. Foreign Policy went through on their return and many still are fighting the systems this Country has set in place through it's lawmakers, Systems and Agencies that should be the Tops, Bar None, in the World, what with our wealth and thirst for Wars of Choice!
More of the Lessons not learned from those Failed Destructive Policies of that time!
Currie, who was injured in Afghanistan by a blast from a roadside bomb, recovered from his physical injuries but suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder severe enough that an Army doctor wrote "cannot deploy" in his physical profile. But he was ordered back to combat anyway.
He went AWOL, the only option left to him, but he's coming out to Help himself and his Fellow Military Brothers and Sisters go up against a Military and Country that show they care Little about those they send to War! For that's what the answer to a question asked, by a 'Gold Star Mother', to the president, of his statement as to the 'Noble Cause'. In Conflicts/Wars of choice it isn't for Country and most certainly not for defending the National Security, on that point it just gives credence to those who've already come to hate us for our policies and increases their numbers for the truths we are showing, what we really are, not what we say we are!
The 'Noble Cause' is protecting ones self in any battle, but more importantly Protecting those you are serving with, be it on the battle fields of conflicts or battling the agencies you are supposed to be fighting for when one Serves their Country!
I quickly gave a few other examples of this Army Policy, here's a few more, if you didn't read yesterdays nor visited the link:
An unnamed Fort Carson soldier who was deployed from Cedar Springs psychiatric hospital in Colorado Springs before he could finish a 28-day treatment program for alcoholism. An Army e-mail, dated Dec. 14, 2007, shows the soldier was taking psychiatric medications, pending a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, "but that information was not passed on" before he was discharged.
Staff Sgt. Chad Barrett, 35, a Fort Carson soldier from Saltville, Va., who died in Iraq on Feb. 2. The Army is investigating the cause of his death.
"He allegedly was found not deployable by military medical personnel, but he was deployed anyway and reportedly committed suicide in Iraq in February 2008," the request says.
Barrett's wife, Shelby, who lives in Fountain, said Thursday that she does not believe her husband killed himself. She said she believes he died of a heart-related ailment, a condition that runs in his family.
As I posted yesterday, the News Conferance scheduled was probably going to be at the Differant Drummer Cafe in Watertown NY, it was.
Here's a short report on that News Conferance"There was no care everywhere I looked. There was a lot of hazing from higher-ups. People that should be there to help platoon sergeants and stuff were just not there or didn't care," said Spec Bryan Currie, 10th Mountain Division.
There's also a Video Report from the Press Converance
Watching the Video, at the end, the camera shoots to Bryans hand, which is holding his wifes, or girlfriends, hand. Their hands are Shaking, and why, because this Country is putting this Man into the uncharted waters of More Trauma, after already living with the Trauma's of War, he never thought he needed to go, to Fight the Battle for the Support that should be a given, and she has joined him in these New Battles with her Love and Support, Where's The Country!!
For those wanting to post up the Video, I have downloaded it already and placed it Here - Blip TV and Here - Google Video as well as Here - Live Video
Recently I put up a couple of posts about "Supporting The Troops", { the links will lead to my site } here and here. In the second one, before even writing about what that means, I visited a few sites of those groups, Veterans sites, that Loudly Voice their Support and are the Only True Patriots That Do.
This is what one finds in their visits of first the Premeir Veterans Organizations:
The American Legion
The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, war-time veterans organization, devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is a not-for-profit community-service organization which now numbers nearly 3 million members, men and women, in nearly 15,000 American Legion posts worldwide.
A quick search of their site finds extremely little, to none, of the Outrage this Huge Premier Veterans Group should be expressing about the reports that have finally been reaching the main stream, Us and Military Veterans about the preparation, in the leadup, and still unresolved, Care of this Generations Combat Veterans of Multitude Tours in Two Combat Theaters!
Not only that but the Almost Complete Silence as these reports come forward, nary, to absolutely none, a word from their Media Reps to the Public!
Their most recent post covers their support of American Legion Commander to Congress: Pass Surveillance Law Now.
How quickly many forget, if they ever spoke or read their Oath:
I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. (So help me God.)
They have a new video on their front page, but in the previous visit the video was about the want for pasage of a new Immigration Law. I would suggest to the 'Legion' they visit the memorial lists, of the present combat KIA's, and read the names. And with a little searching they can find out how many were Non-Citizens, of this Country, when they were Killed, with promises of becoming a Citizen of the Country They Are Serving! Than start thinking More Clearly about the Spin on Immigration and Service from those Born Into Citizenship!
The other Premier Veterans Group the Veterans of Foreign Wars is much better on their concern and voices as to the returning Combat Veterans, at least on their site as well as in their magazine. But Where Is The Leadership and their Media Voices in showing their Outrage and Disgust, once again, as each of these reports are serfacing into the main stream! I don't Hear it nor See It, I'm left, like the rest of us Veterans and Citizens of this Country, in Conflicts, to Search It Out, that's a Disgrace!!
If one reads their thoughts, and you read between the lines, you come away feeling there really isn't any Outrage just the use of words to satisfy what they are supposed to stand for but really don't!
No wonder many of us 'Nam Vets never joined their ranks.
That was one reason for me.
Here's another group, with a very noble cause under their banner POW's, Rolling Thunder, which many, like myself, thought they were really concerned with, untill they took 'The Wall' and their Rethoric in front of Political and that's how they approach the subject of the POW/MIA's and other Military/Veterans Issues, as they do with the present Military/Veterans Care issues and reports as well as the legislation, which is the reason many Veterans don't Participate with this group nor, what was once, a Very Noble Action, the Memorial Day Ceremonies in Washington, now tinged with Political Rethoric. Those that Serve don't do their Service for Political Ideology they do so for Country and All who inhabit same!
Many who ride with Rolling Thunder aren't Veterans, that's not a problem for those who aren't but Truely Support Non-Partison Non-Political Rethoric on issues important to the Military and Veterans. The ones who wear the Military Insignia's and try and act as Veterans but Never Served are the ones I have a Huge Problem With!
Another, we will be hearing mentioned in the coming weeks, leading up to the 5th anniversary of the start of the Iraq Invasion/Occupation Quagmire will be a new group, started well after the Invasion of Iraq, and made up of mostly Non-Military/Veterans but with a very Military/Patriotic sounding name Gathering of Eagles which on their front page they have a new post for a call to action, on the recent bombing of the recruiters station in New York with this statement:
We at GOE are therefore, calling all Eagles and supporters in the Northeast to join us as we stand in support of the troops stationed there. We will gather at 1230hrs until 1600hrs, this Saturday, 8 March in Times Square to serve notice that our troops do not cut and run, and neither do we.
Now I won't bore you with their posts on 'moonbats' and their imagined victories against 'code pink' or 'Gold Star Fathers' {not mentioned in my travels around their sites}, or Real Veterans Groups as they protect the Memorials of this Countries Wars, from the Rumours of Damage to be done to, guess where those Rumours originate {ahhhhh Folks we know how they start and by whom}, you can visit and read for yourselves.
But I will point out, there is Extremely Little to None, mention of Outrage on how our Returning Combat Veterans, of Multiple Tours in Two Theaters, are being treated, what with All The Reports, seems they're more concerned with keeping the Troops in these Theaters so they don't Cut and Run just like themselves, though their not even Close to their fears and enemies!
Why do I say we'll be hearing more from them, well their in planning for Winter Soldier II, you see like Winter Soldier I this is one of those fringe groups, none have been In-Theater, or at least I haven't seen any Iraq/Afgan Vets with those I've observed, who Actually Know who is Really a Combat Vet and Exactly what they saw or experinced, they have the Real Answers, not those testifying!
On March 15, 2008, Gathering of Eagles, in coordination with Move America Forward, Freedom’s Watch, The Band of Mothers, Vets for Freedom, DC Protest Warrior, Eagles Up, Free Republic, New England Warrior and rank and file patriotic Americans, will come together to Support Our Troops and their in-theater commander, General David Petraeus.
Under the banner AMERICANS STANDING UP, we will gather to face down the associated groups who are against everything we hold dear. We will stand united, wave Old Glory, and remind them that they speak neither for us nor for most Americans. We encourage you all to join us in Washington, DC . It is time to once again take back the streets and remind all those people
in their living rooms that there are people who think like them. It is time to once again remind the nation that our brave volunteers in uniform have earned our support. The Surge is working. The tide has turned. I promised some time ago to do everything in my power to BUY THE TROOPS SOME TIME TO WIN. I will stand and support them, come what may, and I look forward to seeing you, my brothers and sisters, again.
They had a post up, recently, about someone having Proof that those Testifying at 'Winter Soldier II' weren't Iraq/Afgan Vets, ought to be interesting to see this Proof, certainly didn't come from the DoD, like the 'Proof' from 'Winter Soldier I' not so long ago!
Again, ZIP about the Care Returning Military and Veterans are Receiving, to them they buy the propaganda the 'surge' is working, as Troops are Killed and Maimed, as well as the Iraq People, and they Really want them to Stay so More can get Killed and Maimed1 These are the same types who bitch about the Taxes they pay, not wanting to Really Sacrifice anything Themselves and Especially UpHold the Contracts made to those who join and serve!!
Oh and what about our old friends, who not only disgraced their service, but All us 'Nam Vets Service in Vietnam and Especially us Navy Personal, Swift Vets for Truth now calling themselves 'Swift Vets and POWs for Truth'.
Well it seems They Really Don't Care About The Returning Combat Veterans, on care, or frankly much else. Their lastest news posting comes from Dec 16, 2006, and their front page is still on John Kerry, go figure!!
Why is it the above, few groups, there are others, as well as civilian groups and parties, show so Little Outrage over the reports of how those who Serve are Treated, yet wrap themselves in a Flag, most never Served under or for, and Claim they are the Only Ones Who 'Support The Troops'!!
Why is it Newer Veterans Groups like Iraq and Afganistan Veterans of America, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Vote Vets, Veterans For Common Sense, Veterans For America, and there are others, especially smaller groups of recent veterans, on campuses and elsewhere, have to Visit the Halls of Congress, or Search Out Media Outlets that'll allow them to speak of what should already be a given, a Country Honoring the Contracts of those who Served it!
They follow groups like VVAW - Vietnam Veterans Against the War who not only waged the battle against the failed policies of that Conflict but fought for the Benefits they Deserved and were Promised!
Joining with them, but not so much against the failed policies, was Vietnam Veterans of America, pretty much a-political and non-partison, but a strong fighter for veterans rights, All Veterans!
Later, in the early 80's, Veterans For Peace was born
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
We, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. To this end we will work, with others
(a) Toward increasing public awareness of the costs of war.
(b) To restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations
(c) To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons
(d) To seek justice for veterans and victims of war
(e) To abolish war as an instrument of national policy.
To achieve these goals, members of Veterans For Peace pledge to use non-violent means and to maintain an organization that is both democratic and open with the understanding that all members are trusted to act in the best interests of the group for the larger purpose of world peace.
And are extremely strong advocates on Veterans Affairs and All that concerns Veterans!
There, once again, are some other groups out there, who are Strong Veterans Advocates, as well as Individuals, and they Don't Use Politics as their Crutch, they Stand and Fight Freely!
But why does this Country Force it's Veterans to Fight At All, only You can answer that!!
Speaking of Veterans and Military/Veterans Care:
From the VFP Newsletter:
VETERANS MARCH FOR PEACE - ESTABLISH FIELD HOSPITAL IN D.C.March 19, 2008 - 9 a.m. - at 7th Street NW on the Mall
As many of you may be aware on March 19th, the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, VFP will be marching throughout Washington, DC. But what you may not realize is that we are also setting up a Field Hospital in McPherson Square. The purpose of this action is twofold. First all of the purpose is to bring attention to the problems of Veterans returning home and the lack of care from the VA. Secondly we hope to alert passersby to the reality of the horrors of war. Everyone is encouraged to join us!
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Eric Hall