Veterans Service Organizations:

STAND UP OR MOVE OUT

For decades, the VFW and American Legion have influenced VA policy toward veterans and defined how veterans issues are seen by government and the "non veteran" public. Their power over Congress, their ability to produce conservative votes, even when conservative candidates are on the wrong side of issues and their unwillingness to deal with the reality of veterans needs has defined these groups as much of the problem and little of the solution.....Rest found here

Their long time use of political ideology, of the leaders of, should have stopped long ago! We take an Oath to serve and defend the Constitution and Country not a political nor religious ideology, those are individual goals, Not The Goals Of A Veterans Service Organization Setup To Help ALL Veterans!!

DeJa-Vu: Vets Looking To Slash Veterans Program Funding Already {UpDate 3}

Not even waiting for the debacles to end and all the soldiers to come home, where have I seen this All before!

I get a newsletter, many 'Nam Vets and now OIF and OEF Active and Vets are on his list, from a brother 'Nam Vet that started in the drum roll of War and has continued these last 7plus years. It's called the "Military Project" and is based on the Underground GI Newspapers during the Vietnam War, sans online technology, that were started on Military Bases around the World and In-Country Vietnam as the Military troops started organizing against our countries failed policies and devastating Conflict and Occupation.

This was in the recent news letter: Veterans groups want cap on tuition aid under new G.I. bill

Just a few months after securing a historic, multibillion-dollar increase in veterans educational benefits, some veterans groups may ask Congress to wipe out part of what they gained.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and the American Legion are among groups considering asking lawmakers to place a cap - $13,000 per year has been suggested by the IAVA - on tuition aid for veterans. That's far less than would be available in many states under a new GI bill for post-9/11 troops but is enough to cover virtually all public college costs, advocates of the limit say.

The cap would make the new benefit program easier for veterans to understand and simpler for the Department of Veterans Affairs to run, said Patrick Campbell, the IAVA's legislative counsel.

One of the reasons I became active in Veterans issues, outside of being one and especially one who served in-country 'Nam my last year of a four year Navy hitch, was in watching the political game playing and an apathetic society, that doesn't serve, not raising their voices against what goes on. I was seeing benefit monies not increased, because of our failed political foreign policies that created another generation of combat vets, but transfered from one group, Korean Vets, to us returning 'Nam Vets, than quietly cut each year or walls put up to make it tougher to receive what was due for our service to country.

Why this new generation of Vets, especially in a highly respected group like IAVA-Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America would be looking to start rolling back what they fought so hard to get passed, the New GI Bill and teaming up with the American Legion, one of the long standing Veterans Groups, virtually silent on what happens to those returning, along with other long standing vet groups, until well after the investigative reports have hit the mainstream, is beyond me, but I've watched it all before. And the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars-VFW have been part and partial to the political will of backing these types of cuts to their brothers and sisters, one of the reasons many of us 'Nam Vets belong to neither!

I'll say this, IAVA you're being played and played for the benefit of these long entrenched Veterans Groups with political agenda's, not agenda's strickly for us who've served!

a cap - $13,000 per year has been suggested by the IAVA - on tuition aid for veterans.

This is what Thomas, of the "Military Project" has in footnotes to the article:

Translation: veterans are unfit to go to more expensive private colleges so we sell-out, backstabbing worthless s**t-eating fake “Veterans Organizations” don’t want them to have the money to go; those are for the children of the rich, after all.

We can’t have a bunch of grotty veterans around campus reminding Muffie and Bruce Jr. about the unpleasant realities of American life. As the super rich of Greenwich, Connecticut like to say, “They just wouldn’t fit in.” And by the way, did you catch the weasel words, “virtually all” public college costs? That means it won’t cover all public college costs. Duh.

Thomas can get extremely colorful in his language { you can read the recent news letter here in PDF }, like myself, when he's Extremely Pissed, as we watch, and have been witness to, the DeJa-Vu concerning our Wars and Occupations and the Returning Troops, we've been fighting this crap for many years now, and continue to do so, living up to our Oath to our Service taken when we joined and lived!

The cap would make the new benefit program easier for veterans to understand and simpler for the Department of Veterans Affairs to run, said Patrick Campbell, the IAVA’s legislative counsel.

The news letter adds this, along with a few more colorful rants, as to that little tidbit and others in the report:

Well yes. Every veteran can certainly understand if a pack of scum rat traitors f**k them over by getting Congress to cut the amount of money they get to go to school. And yes, it will be simple for the VA to give out less money to the veterans. Oh, sorry, misunderstanding: the purpose of the program isn’t to benefit veterans first, they come after making things “simpler” for the VA, yeah, that’s what the priority should be, right, f**k the veterans. What a pack of lame, stupid sleazy bulls**t.

This is a list of Maximum In-State Tuition & Fees Payable, and I have a much simpler way of handling the wide ranging fluctuations in the tuition's and fee's of the many colleges and universities across the country and give back to this new generation of Combat Veterans, those serving the many multiple tours in both theaters and those serving during these times.

Why not get the Schools to Sacrifice and bring in line, across the country, their tuition and fee's!!

This country hasn't been asked to sacrifice a damn thing, except the Off Federal and Department of Defense Budget's Supplemental Costs, Billions upon Billions no questions asked, during these conflicts and occupations.

Time has long passed for those serving be served by the greater majority, and especially in these times of economic collapse.

These soldiers are well trained and disciplined, as those before them, and would become the leading forces to be once again, serving this country, if given what is due those that want, the Best Education our Colleges and Universities can offer.

Take the tuitions and fee's of all the schools, come up with an average between all of them, fund that average and tell the schools that's what they get. The least expensive, would benefit by getting more than what they receive now, which than could be used to help them expand their programs etc. not only for these veterans but all their students. The most expensive, now, if they feel they are getting shafted could look at their real needs and see if the funding would fit, if not than raise the non-veteran students contribution a few bucks to make up the differance, or take it out of the sports programs of the bigger schools reaping millions from those.

I'm sure that these establishments of Higher Learning have Intelligent Administrations that can make it work, sacrificing a few dollars and helping those who already sacrificed in service to country become a force in the professions they choose to serve once again, helping this country go forward in leadership by example!

UpDate:

Paul Rieckhoff, of IAVA, clears up their stance on the above report, with a press release from IAVA:

IAVA Statement Regarding GI Bill Benefits

NEW YORK - The recent article, “Veterans groups want cap on tuition aid under new G.I. bill,” printed in the Virginian-Pilot, grossly misstated the position of IAVA regarding the new GI Bill benefit by implying we are seeking a reduction in the value of that benefit. There is already a cap on the benefits available under the new GI Bill – it is a cap that varies wildly and unfairly by state. IAVA supports a fairer, national ceiling which would increase the benefit for many veterans who wish to attend private colleges or universities, and would have no effect on anyone attending a public school. Ideally, there would be no cap. But if there is a cap, it should be fair and generous.

The new GI Bill is intended to give every veteran access to an affordable college education, but the VA’s recently-issued regulations have made the benefits system both confusing and unfair. Right now, a veteran attending a private school in Arkansas might end up tens of thousands of dollars in debt, while a veteran across the border in Texas, with identical tuition costs, gets their school paid for. Besides being inequitable, the system is confusing. Under the VA’s patchwork system of tuition and fee benefits, veterans will not be able to make educated decisions about the costs of attending school. IAVA has recommended a simpler system that would increase benefits for thousands of students attending private school, leave the benefits to public school veteran-students unchanged, and would dramatically improve the benefit’s fairness. A complete breakdown of our recommendations is available at http://iava.org/iava-in-washington/legislative-agenda.

Since 2004, IAVA’s mission has been to improve the lives of troops, veterans and their families. IAVA was at the forefront of the fight for a new GI Bill, and we will continue to work closely with the VA and with Congress to resolve these and other oversights within the new GI Bill regulations, so every Iraq and Afghanistan veteran gets the benefits he or she has earned.

Any veteran seeking more information on the new GI Bill and their benefits, or to give us feedback, should visit us at www.GIBill2008.org.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 125,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide. Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.

My Thanks to Paul for sending out this Press Release!!

2nd UpDate

The following was in an e-mail I received from another 'Nam Vet from New York City, and surrounding area, VetPax:

Thanks for your note. I don't want to get into a back-and-forth debate online, so I don't think I'll respond directly to Mr. Reickhoff here. Suffice it to say that IAVA has taken exception to the way I presented their position. I'm listening to them and expect to develop a follow up story in the next day or two.

Dale
-----------
Dale Eisman
Washington correspondent
The Virginian-Pilot

Stayed Tuned!!

UpDate 3

Dale Eisman's Rebuttal UpDate to the previous about the New G.I. Bill and IAVA

Posted today 2.27.09:

Revamped GI Bill is on track, VA director says

American Legion Scamming Veterans?

They want you Vets to believe they're not, it's All a Mistake!

Or so they , quickly? backtracked, only after one Retired Air Force Major, Robert Hanafin, sent the letter to ABC News, you'll find that link, in PDF, below as well as they're apology in PDF.

Bobby, is not one you want to piss off.

Oh and it seems the Veterans Charities, those given extremely low grades on actually helping Veterans, while doing more to help themselves, are still playing their game, more about that below.

Could this be why, the right leaning American Legion, has been virtually Quiet, along with the VFW, on all the reports coming to light about treatment, and shortchanging Again, of the returning Iraq and Afgan Veterans, to busy figuring ways, Illegally, to enhance their dwindling membership and coffers!

American Legion Trying to Scam Vets?

U.S. postal inspectors have been asked to investigate whether the American Legion tried to trick veterans into signing up for membership in the Legion.
In a mailing last year to 800,000 former members, the American Legion said their "benefits as a veteran of the United States Armed Forces have lapsed" and that the only way to "reinstate these important benefits" was to pay $20 to reinstate their American Legion membership.

It was signed by Legion National Adjutant Robert Spanogle, which he now says it was "a serious mistake."

Oh I'd say so Mr. Spanogle, and as a Veteran you know Full Well how big a Mistake it is!

A retired Air Force major, Robert Hanafin, has filed a complaint of mail fraud with postal inspectors after becoming outraged by what he viewed as a deceptive letter designed to scare people into rejoining the American Legion. According to Hanafin, "Any veterans organization that uses any such low-down scams to increase membership deserves to stay in the 19th century."

Veteran Spanogle, after blaming the 'private contractor', who does their mailings, had this to say:

"we acted promptly and immediately sent out a correction letter."

And the Major, Bobby Hanafin, comes back to Spanogles with the obvious:

Maj. Hanafin, however, said he doesn't buy the American Legion's explanation that the first letter was a mistake. He points to specific language in the letter that states the benefits were given "in accordance with a special act of Congress." According to Hanafin, "The disservice they are doing to America's veterans...goes far beyond shameful."

You go, as ussual, Bobby, putting the Truth to the Fiction!

I'm frankly amazed that these right leaning groups and ideology followers, not just veterans groups, still seem to think that this countries citizens are as Stupid as they seem to be, over and over and over the corruption and scams they think they can get away with, as they make them so easy to not only Debunk but get caught! Want to improve the economy, start building more prisons and put these idiots behind those bars, we'd be filling them up as quick as we build them, and we'd be building them for a long time!

And as said, in the beginning, here's some more on the caring,compassionate {compasionate- the bush mantra?}? Veterans Charities.

But first, to refresh your short term memory, watch this Video about the initial investigative reports from ABC News:



And this one as well from the Hearings:



And you certainly don't want to miss this great commentary, by Bob Schieffer, on Gen. Tommy Franks participation, and selling of his name and stature, in these Veterans Charitable Organizations:



An now on to a report published in the New York Times on Febuary 8th, 2008:

‘An Intolerable Fraud’

An envelope arrived in our office the other day. It had the bulky, tawdry look of junk mail: pink and lavender Easter eggs, a plastic address window and a photo of a young man in fatigue shorts using crutches to stand on his only leg. “Thousands of severely wounded troops are suffering,” it read. “Will you help them this Easter?”

It was a plea for money from the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, one of the worst private charities — but hardly the only — that have been shamefully milking easy cash from the suffering and heartache caused by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The coalition and its sister organization, Help Hospitalized Veterans, were among a dozen military-related charities given a grade of F in a study last December by the American Institute of Philanthropy, a nonprofit watchdog group. These and other charities have collected hundreds of millions of dollars from kind-hearted Americans and squandered an unconscionable amount of it on overhead and expenses — 70 percent or 80 percent, or more.

The report goes on to explain where Most Of The Money Collected Actually Goes, than gives us this bit of Truth:

And what did the soldiers get? Try almost $18.8 million in “charitable” phone cards sent to troops overseas in 2006 — not to let them call their families, but rather to call up a stateside business that sells sports scores.

You can find abit more, after reading the report, at the link within this:

Additional commentary and images of the mailing from the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, visit The Board: From Sympathy to Outrage

And the Quote, from the hearings by the Arrogant Uncaring Shithead Roger Chapin, that should embed in everyones mind:

“If we disclose, which I’m more than happy to do,” he said, “we’d all be out of business. Nobody would donate. It would dry up.”

Be Aware, Very Aware, of Who You Give Any and All Donations To, and Demand They Go To The Intended Recipients of These Charitable Organizations!!

And those In Sue Myricks NC District, as well as others, Might be interested in this, if you missed it.

After $15M, promised jobs still unfilled

Gaston County company gets $15M from feds, but WCNC finds hundreds still un-hired

RANLO, N.C. -- The military promises the company millions in defense contracts.

The company gets help from a key member of Congress, who receives thousands in campaign donations from company execs.

WCNC: “You don't have anybody working here yet.”

Torbett: “We're not making anything yet.”

WCNC: “And I guess the people who live in Gaston County are saying you're not hiring anybody either. When will that happen?”

Torbett: “Gosh, I wish I could just put an absolute date on it. I can't say that today. There’s no way I can say that today.”

And what does Sue Myrick have to say:

Myrick now admits “we made a mistake in saying 200 jobs.”

“Quite frankly,” continued Myrick, “if I went over there and found a bunch of Mercedes and Lexuses parked out front, I'd be a little disturbed. But I think they're being frugal with their money.”

Here's The Video Link

After 5 years and $15M, promised jobs unfilled
The military promises the company millions in defense contracts. The company gets help from a key member of Congress, who receives thousands in campaign donations from company execs. But now, after five years and $15 million of your tax dollars, what about the company's promise to hire hundreds of new workers in Gaston County?