Pairing dogs and troops with PTSD

McClatchy Washington Bureau continues their extremely stellar reporting on the effects of Wars and Occupations of others on those that serve in these theaters of operations, especially as to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder {PTSD} with the following report printed in their Kansas City Star:

Defense Dept. funding study pairing dogs and troops with PTSD

Persian Gulf War veteran Chris Kornkven (left) greeted Rainbow, a female Rhodesian ridgeback, as fellow Gulf War veteran Anthony Hardie met Kenji, another ridgeback, and his handler, Joan Esnayra. The dogs demonstrated how they could help troops with post-traumatic stress disorder during a military health research conference this week in Kansas City. Kornkven has PTSD.

Can a canine companion soothe the volatile emotions of a soldier haunted by post-traumatic stress disorder?

It may sound far-fetched, but the Department of Defense wants to find out.

It is spending millions of dollars on medical research projects like this that may yield groundbreaking results but are too speculative for other government agencies to consider.

While PTSD, especially from the trauma of combat of military operations, has always been a result of Wars, and not only for the combat troops, it didn't start getting recognized for what it was until we started returning from Vietnam and it not only recognized but given the name. Studies followed but way to few and not funded properly. Much of that early work was done by us 'Nam Vets and a few in the civilian population, who also recognized that this occurs with many suffering traumatic experiences in their lives. But when you have huge numbers of individuals you send into combat invasions and occupations, huge numbers of them return with varying degree's of the stresses and trauma's of what took place, everyone is changed, no matter how or what the training, some more severely with the reliving and recurring memories of.

Kenji (left) and Rainbow are specially trained by the Psychiatric Service Dog Society to assist people with severe mental disability. Their handlers were Joan Esnayra, the society’s founder, and Craig Love, a psychologist.

These psychiatric service dogs have been assisting people with a variety of mental illnesses since the late 1990s. About 10,000 such dogs are now in use.

New but preliminary research suggests that the dogs may be particularly helpful for people with PTSD.

And that has the military interested.

Snip

“Where there’s a good idea but not much data, we’re willing to take a risk.”

The Defense Department has measures in place to make sure that innovative ideas get a fair hearing, Kaime said.

When the department sends applications for research grants to its review panels, it deliberately leaves out the names of the scientists and their institutions, so decisions are based on the merits of their proposals and not their reputations.

Finally, after some four decades of strong advocacy by many of us, there are many programs and studies taking place all over the country to help those suffering from the results of their service in combat occupations of others countries. Some of these will wither away depending on the results of, but others will flourish and give the help and better understanding needed, and more will come from further studies.

It's really great to see the DoD getting more involved and finally recognizing the existence of especially as they are finally recognizing the actions of some who suffer from in their taking of their own lives or the lives of others, which in most cases can be the causes of their trauma and lack of help and counseling for, plus the stigma within the ranks of even reporting one is having problems.

An online Veterans news group, Veterans Today, made up of mostly free lance Veterans doing reporting on the many issues of the Veterans community, do an almost daily Top 10 called Top 10 Veterans News from Around the Country, this current one is for 9-03-09. And in this issue page it carries this:

5. Tracking Suicides By New Vets Said To Be A Problem. The Indianapolis Star (9/3, Marshall, 241K) asks, "How many veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have come back, haunted by memories of war and struggling to cope with life at home, and taken their own lives? Nobody knows," and therein "lies one of the most serious obstacles to preventing suicides by returning veterans. A 2008 Congressional Research Service Report on the issue put it
bluntly" when it said, "There is no nationwide system for surveillance" of veteran suicides. The Star adds, "Recognizing the crucial gap in data, the Army and the National Institute of Mental Health have partnered for a five-year, $50 million study on military suicides." The Department of Veterans Affairs, meanwhile, "has launched" a "10-year health study examining 60,000 'new' veterans, mostly those involved" in Iraq and Afghanistan operations.

The bolding above I placed in as to highlight the fact that this is also not new as to Wars and Occupations of others, Post Traumatic Stress developing from, and especially coming out of Wars of Choice! Add on these Multiple Tours in not only one but two military operations and Guess What! There is also five related topics and links following the one, from the Indianapolis Star, above, at the link above.

Much has finally been coming out of the DoD and especially the Veterans Administration, much of it coming from a Congress finally doing their jobs with investigations and hearings as well as over-site, these past two plus years, which wasn't done by the previous congresses as they walked in lockstep towards sending, and then doing so, our military into two long running occupations, and rarely mentioned nor hearings held for the first five and six years of, respectively, these still running occupations!

Lets hope the forward actions continue, they're all now taking place in a Catch Up mode, but that will only happen if and when the American Public stop their representatives from Obstructing what already should have long ago been, proper funding and over-site, which would be cheaper now if it had been done before, especially as to keeping these agencies up to date with the advanced technology, placing it in or advanced of the 21st century, not the 20th century!

This is also at The Veterans Today link above:

HAVE YOU HEARD?
They call it Warriors Walk, a ten-bed unit where a dedicated team of doctors and nurses to care for terminally ill veterans during the last days of their journey. The new hospice care facility is opening at the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia; SC. Warriors Walk will be dedicated to assisting veterans during the final months of their life, with a talented medical staff specially trained in end of life issues. The focus is on relieving pain, managing symptoms, and offering emotional and spiritual support to comfort terminally ill veterans. In addition to the nursing staff, Warriors Walk includes support areas where families and friends of the veterans can come and visit and spend time with their loved ones. They are encouraged to bring memorabilia and mementos to personalize the veterans’ space and make them feel at home. In addition to VA staff, Warriors Walk is supported by many special volunteers who give their time and energy to support the terminally ill. For the grand opening, the Daughters of the American Revolution stitched blankets for every room to make it more like home for the veterans. The VA always strives to give the best care and support to our veterans’ that is possible. This is the last care they will receive and Warriors Walk staff is working hard to ensure it is of the highest quality and comfort.

Pentagon lost control of billions

In Merc Contracts in the name of GWOT

As members of Congress gather this week to investigate the growing corruption and greed withing corporate mercenary firms and the Pentagon, initial reports going to Congress are that the Defense Department has failed to provide adequate oversight over tens of billions of dollars in contracts to support military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, says a new report by an independent commission investigating waste and fraud in wartime spending.......Rest Here

War Profiteering {Blood Wealth} & GitMo

Women: Defense Budget

Women legislators call for cuts to military budget

Women's Take - Georgia State Senator Nan Orrock: We are on a dangerous path to a militarized society

Def. Sec. Robert Gates: Radical Overhaul of the Pentagon's Arsenal

Pentagon Chief: Why I Tore Up the Army's 'Future'

Of all the hard choices Defense Secretary Robert Gates had to make in his radical overhaul of the Pentagon's arsenal, the toughest, he tells Danger Room, was the decision to gut Future Combat Systems, the Army's $200 billion effort to design a fleet of next-generation tanks and troop carriers.

"Most difficult of all of these for me was the FCS program," Gates says in a Pentagon conference call. "I actually didn't make up my mind once and for all on it until this weekend."

This link brings up Windows Media Player for conference call.

At the end of this phone conference, which last about thirty five minutes, the Defense Secretary talks about the Military and Veterans, as well as their families, care monies that have been off budget, or not even thought of or included, and in the supplementals these years of these two occupations, which now will be included in the Defense Budget, nothing hidden, we hope!

**********

And the mindset should Always Be: "War as a very last resort!!"! No Wars Of Choice Which Damages Our Nations Security And Moral Standing!!

Policy and Female Soldiers

Does Policy Endanger Female Soldiers?
Female Troops Face Threat Of Sexual Abuse By Comrades As "Moral Waivers" Increase

For Wendy - an idealistic 17-year-old - the military seemed like the answer to her prayers.

“I was mostly going in for school,” Wendy said. “But I was also going in to see the world and travel.”

Deployed as a combat medic, Wendy was thrust into a chaotic and increasingly violent situation. Not long after, she experienced another kind of trauma, when she was assaulted by a fellow soldier in her barracks while she was sleeping.

“He started pushing himself on me,” she said. “And I wasn’t having it. So I started punching him and I actually kicked him in the groin.”

VFP: “Congress Must Face Escalating Military Suicides"

Press Release

Veterans For Peace

February 12, 2009 CONTACT: Mike Ferner 419-729-7273

Michael T. McPhearson 314-303-8874

Veteran Organization: “Congress Must Face Escalating Military
Suicides. Bring the troops home now!” PDF

The United States military is scrambling to head off what has turned into an epidemic of suicides. As reported
on CNN, 24 service members killed themselves in January of this year, six times as many as in January of last
year. 2008 was the fourth consecutive year of increases in soldier suicides.

Veterans For Peace Executive Director Michael McPhearson said this is not a surprise to him. “It is tragic. It is
the culmination of years of continuous deployments and general stress the Armed Services have been put
under because of an invasion and subsequent occupation that should have never happened.”

The Army Times reports that Army Secretary Pete Geren has ordered a February 13, 2009, one day halt to
recruitment activities also known as stand-down of the Army’s entire recruiting force and a review of almost
every aspect of the job in the wake of a wide-ranging investigation of four suicides in a Houston Recruiting
Battalion.

Mike Ferner, Veterans For Peace’s National President stated, "I don't want to see anybody in Washington shed
one tear for the families surviving these suicides as long as Congress continues to fund these wars and the
President continues to deploy more troops. You put people through combat; you get suicides and PTSD related
violence back home. That's the simple equation Congress and the President cannot ignore."

One vivid example of this equation comes from the Houston Chronicle, which reported in a May 18, 2008 that
an Army investigation attributed the 4 recruiter suicides to a combination of work environment, stress and
personal issues. The latest was the March 6, 2007 death of Sergeant Nils Aron Andersson who shot himself in
the temple less than 24 hours after his wedding to Cassy Walton. Cassy killed herself the next day.

McPhearson went on to add; “Nils Anderson’s death was nearly two years ago and the Army is just reacting to
the 4 deaths in one Battalion. They should have seen these 24 deaths in January coming. Veterans For Peace
is asking our members to visit with their Congressional Representatives and Senators next week to discuss
these suicides, that the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan contribute to the deaths and how our economy
must transition from a reliance on war spending to human needs spending. We look to Congress to take these
suicides seriously and stop spending our taxes on war. Bring all our troops home now.”

# # #

Founded in 1985, Veterans For Peace is a national organization of men and women veterans of all eras and duty stations
spanning the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), World War II, the Korean, Vietnam, Gulf and current Iraq wars as well as other
conflicts cold or hot. It has chapters in nearly every state in the union and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO. Our
collective experience tells us wars are easy to start and hard to stop and that those hurt are often the innocent. Thus,
other means of problem solving are necessary. Veterans For Peace is an official Non- Governmental Organization (NGO)
represented at the U.N.

Veterans For Peace

PTSD: Hoping Their Stories Help!

Pentagon hopes stories help troops with PTSD

During the wars of 5 B.C., the ancient Greeks would perform plays about conflict for audiences of soldiers.

Some dealt with the psychological toll of combat on warriors, long before the coining of the phrase "post-traumatic stress disorder."

This closes the report:

Servicemembers interested in telling their stories as part of the campaign can send an e-mail to:
DCoE Real Warriors

PTSD Combat: Rising Tide

2008 OEF/OIF Veteran Suicides 28% of Army, Marine Casualties; Jan '09 Army Suicides May Surpass Month's KIA Count

The continued rise of OEF/OIF veteran suicides reported by the military over the past weeks isn't very surprising news for longtime followers of this issue; but, it's no less alarming.

Read the Rest at: Ilona Meagher's; PTSD Commbat: Winning the War Within

Army: 24 Suspected Suicides in January '09

This is just being reported,

Army reports alarming rise in suicides last month

There has been a small sprinkling of reports about the Military Suicides in the last couple of months, most of those found only if one is hitting a number of news outlets but not making National News, even as those who serve do so for the Country not a Community located near a base or where their from.

The Army is investigating a stunning number of suicides in January — a count that could surpass all combat deaths on America's two warfronts last month.

According to figures obtained by The Associated Press, there were 24 suspected suicides in January, compared to only four in January of 2008, six in January of 2007 and 10 in January of 2006.

Questions, once again, and I say that as a 'Nam Veteran, we who've watched this all before, have been rising as to why the numbers are going up and the causes. As it says above we have Two Theaters of occupations ongoing, with multiple tours by many in both theaters, add now the collapsing economy, the still lacking help for trauma brought back from service in these theaters and stress of being away from family and home on extended tours over and over, the strains on marriages and the family as a whole, misuse of addictive substances to deal, and other factors I'm sure.

"The trend and trajectory seen in January further heightens the seriousness and urgency that all of us must have in preventing suicides," Gen. Peter Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, said of the new monthly number Thursday.

The 24 suspected January suicides include seven confirmed and 17 still being investigated. Usually the vast majority of suspected suicides are eventually confirmed, and if that holds true it would mean that self-inflicted deaths surpassed the 16 combat deaths reported in all branches of the armed forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and other nations considered part of the global war on terror last month.

Most of the reports one might catch rarely give a reason or cause, just that a soldier, or veteran, especially a young recent vet, has been found dead, rarely giving a followup or unless local to the original the followup is not seen.

The Military is Broken, that's not to say those serving are not doing so Honorably, but once again, because of Wars and Occupations of Choice, the systems surrounding those serving are stretched past the breaking point and only little relief is forth coming quickly!

These problems were forecast by many of us that they would occur, no one listened, no one took the lead in even bringing them up as the beating of the war drums grew and grew and we're now six and seven years still occupying.

Army official: Suicides in January 'terrifying'

Army Releases January Suicide Data; Re-emphasizes Efforts

Army sees significant rise in January suicides

Soldier suicides up for 4th consecutive year

Army suicide prevention

A Few Earlier Reports on Shinseki from today

Shinseki pledges top-down review, change

"I intend to ... demand the highest levels of integrity, transparency and performance in leading the department through the fundamental and comprehensive change it must quickly undergo," Shinseki said. "There's a long tradition of VA providing leadership in medicine, of setting standards in many fields. Where we lead, we must continue. Where we do not, we must regain that leadership."

Paperwork among VA chief's priorities

The newly appointed head of the Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday the department needs a fundamental change in how it handles its paperwork.

Eric Shinseki described a Sisyphean task for caseworkers trying to plow through the backlog of files to make decisions on veterans' claims.

Members of the committee peppered Shinseki with questions about the VA's handling of mental health issues. The secretary said that much progress has been made in understanding traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) since he served in Vietnam, but there is plenty more to do.

"I am now watching all of our efforts to understand PTSD, TBI, substance abuse amongst our veterans and have a better appreciation of what we put my comrades through when we came back" from Vietnam, he said. "None of these programs were available, in fact. None of these terms were in vogue then. We still don't understand enough. We are still learning."

The chairman of the committee, Rep. Bob Filner, D-California, expressed frustration that screenings for the disorders were done through a self-evaluation, rather than through medical examination, and he implored Shinseki to change that.

ABC News End of Last Month Report

Military Suicides at a 30-Year High


Suicide Rate Reflects Toll of Army Life

With Suicides at a 30-Year High, Army Vows to Address Problem

In 2008 alone, the Army reports there were at least 128 confirmed cases of suicide, more than a dozen of which are still under review.

U.S. Army Suicides Highest In 3 Decades

 

And this is just reports on the Army, nothing yet on any possible Marine numbers.

Bring Them Home, And Take Care Of Them When They Return, Full Care!!

Soldiers Get Shafted, Again and........................!!

I was trying to write something more about this report I just read, but after these last eight previous years my rage keeps me from thinking straight in trying to add words to the total apathy, arrogance, and incompetence found in this country and it's elected representatives.

But I want you to meet Melissa Sterry, a Gulf War I National Guard Veteran, from New Haven Connecticut, and read the cuts I placed below also visiting the Hartford Advocate and read the rest, not only about Ms. Sterry but as to the rest of the Veterans of Connecticut, and what the state reps have to say.

Cut and Run
The Rell administration quietly kills a program to track the health of sick war veterans

Melissa Sterry's job was to clean them and ready them for storage. She'd climb inside the tanks and with a simple dust pan and broom, sweep out the Iraqi sand and the rubbish left behind by the tank operators.

Sterry was sweeping up something else too, something too small to see: dust from depleted uranium, a radioactive substance the military uses to make ammunition armor-piercing and bunker-busting. For months, Sterry cleaned these tanks without protective gear, kicking depleted uranium airborne and into her lungs.

Today, Sterry is a medical train wreck. The 46-year-old Gulf War veteran takes 11 kinds of medication — some daily and others as needed for pain — and suffers from chronic headaches, upper respiratory disease, bronchitis and a host of other ailments.

Like most Gulf War vets, the federal Veterans Administration refuses to test Sterry for exposure to depleted uranium or other chemical toxins she was exposed to in the Middle East.

So Sterry turned to the state government, and in 2005 helped Connecticut become the first state in the nation to craft a law to test returning combat troops for exposure to battlefield health hazards, including depleted uranium.

But the state has turned its back on Sterry and the more than 30,000 Connecticut troops who have deployed to combat zones in the Middle East and the Balkans since 1990. The Advocate has learned that Gov. Jodi Rell, through her budget office, quietly killed funding for the veterans health registry without telling the lawmakers who sponsored the program, nor the veterans whom it would serve.

If the registry isn't restored, hundreds of Connecticut-based troops could go undiagnosed and uncatalogued. The state has sent 16,000 troops to war since Sept. 11, 2001 and another 75 National Guardsmen and women shipped off to the southwest Asia last week, their second deployment to the war zone.

"People really don't care about veterans," Sterry says. "They really don't give a shit about us. People want to trot out veterans on photo-ops. They want to go put wreaths on gravestones. But real human beings with real life problems? No, we don't care."

Who is Gov. Jodi Rell, According to Wikipedia.

Mary Jodi Rell (born June 16, 1946) is a Republican politician who became the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut on July 1, 2004. She had been the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut until Governor John G. Rowland resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor, after Ella T. Grasso.

To Sterry, cutting help for vets to balance the books is just plain heartless.

"We understand care and maintenance of our military vehicles, but we don't understand we need to do the same for our troops," Sterry says. "Do you want to change the oil in the engine or do you want to replace the engine when it seizes up? These actions are just a reflection of, We'll just change the engine when it seizes up."

Rell's press office was asked to explain why they cut funds for the registry and to respond to reactions like those of Sterry that denying health screening to combat troops is cold-hearted. Despite four calls and one e-mail to the governor's press shop over three days, we received no response to our questions. The governor's chief spokesman, Christopher Cooper, referred us the Jeffrey Beckham, undersecretary for legislative affairs at OPM, who responded with this statement:

"That program was new and had not gotten started. The agency required some cooperation from the federal government to get it going and I understand that cooperation was somewhat lacking. Given that we were struggling to protect existing programs, we thought that not going forward with that new program was a reasonable call."

We asked Beckham in a follow-up e-mail to elaborate about the lack of federal cooperation and respond to the questions unanswered by the governor's staff, but did not receive a response by press time.

Now I'm assuming, and probably right, about the lack of federal cooperation, that they are talking about the previous administrations control, as the present has been on the job only since January 20th '09.

Another in an ever growing list of the Incompetence and Corrupt leadership we've been a party to for these last eight years in the federal government, including the years of control prior to in the congress, and coming also out of the state governments!

Now a certain political party can't be blamed for everything concerning Military and Veterans Care, but this political party are the ones Thumbing their Chests as to being True 'Americans', More 'Patriotic', Stronger on 'National Defense', and the only True 'Supporters of the Troops' and thus us Veterans, and are the ones who championed the Two Occupations and the creation of huge numbers of enemies towards our country and it's citizens!!

The Invisible Injuries of the Invisible Ranks: A Military Spouse

Earlier today I received an e-mail from an on line friend, she is the wife of a military serviceman now serving in Iraq, she is also very active in support of her fellow spouses and the families as well as returning OIF and OEF military personal seeking needed help but finding the going sometimes extremely troubling, confusing or denied.

Many of us Veterans have found her and she us and have gotten to know her through our own advocacy of our brothers and sisters. Some are working directly with her and she with them.

She has written a very personal letter, part of the title I used above is the one from her letter to us, of her experiences and feelings, as a military spouse, and while posting it on a few sites it has now found it's way to a number of other sites.

This is what I received earlier, I've added the links.

Military spouses are often called the silent ranks, but sometimes it seems as though we are invisible too. On top of that, when our service members go to war and we hold down the home front, many of us carry our own burdens, make our own sacrifices, and sometimes, have own invisible wounds.

Michelle Obama has said that she is going to focus on the needs of military families. Given that focus, I thought my latest blog was particularly timely: Military Spouse Press

This blog was also posted on Military.com, but I wanted to draw your attention to our blogging site, Military Spouse Press. Anyone can register and post their own thoughts and experiences and comment on the blogs of others. In 2009, let us continue to encourage and inspire one another to be strong for the service members we love, the families we love, and the country we love.

Carissa Picard, Esq.
President
Military Spouses for Change
P.O. Box 216
Copperas Cove, TX 76522
Military Spouses for Change

Those of you reading who might be spouses of or even family members might want to bookmark not only Carissa's group site but also their interactive blog Military Spouse Press, you can also join that site and interact with posts and comments with the other spouses using it now. It's not an extremely active site but there are some great posts and information to be found there, and the more joining in the more support that will generate for everyone.

I won't add much to what Carissa wrote, just give you some cuts from, and encourage you to visit the link above or this Truthout Link where it is also now posted to read what she wrote in it's entirety.

Carissa S. Picard stands at the entrance to Fort Hood, Texas. Picard is the founder and president of Military Spouses for Change. (Photo: Erich Schlegel / Dallas Morning News)

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
~Margaret Mead

"A 2008 RAND study reports that at least one in five soldiers are returning from war with PTSD. When are they going to do a study on the spouses and children left behind in these wars? The ones who self-medicate or are prescribed anti-depressants {parent and child alike}, who can never look at the world or the Army or themselves the same way again? What have we lost in service to this country?

We are only a third of the way through my husband's deployment and I can already identify our wounded. Am I the only one paying attention?"

Expectations

I don't know what military life was like before 9/11, but I can tell you what it is like now: and it isn't quirky and wacky and "just like civilian life but different." There is a reason Sarah Smiley {a female Dave Barry} is a Navy wife and Jenny {the cartoon} is an airman's wife: Army and Marine wives have less to laugh about.

In March 2008, The Associated Press reported that 72 percent of Iraq deaths were Army, 24 percent were Marine, two percent were Navy and one percent was Air Force. These percentages obviously reflect who is being deployed the most; i.e., who is being exposed to combat and who isn't.

Casualties of War

My ex-husband called me the other day and asked me what a "Blue Star wife" was. I explained that it was a wife whose husband was serving in combat.

Then I asked him if he knew what a Gold Star wife was. Of course he didn't.

"That's a wife whose husband has died in combat."

"Wow," he replied, "that's, uh, kind of sick, isn't it?"

I laughed. I knew what he meant. The "Gold Star" comes across as a quasi-cultural "WAY TO GO!" for the surviving family member (as the term technically applies to the entire family). And let us not forget the "Silver Star" for the family of a service member wounded in a war!

A Call to Arms

Nothing prepares you for war. There is no training center for spouses. You are either going to make it or you won't.

They're Not Waving, They're Drowning

In June, the parade of terribles begins. News from the front: soldiers being electrocuted in the showers, self-inflicted gunshot wounds, 10-year-old suicide bombers, sexual assaults on female soldiers.

I am learning not to worry about that which I cannot control {i.e., the life or death of the father of my children}, although much of your time will be spent listening and validating the feelings and experiences of others: your soldier-spouse, your warrior-children.

For example, when a soldier deploys to combat, those of us at home eventually get "the call."

The call comes when his {or her} veneer of strength has cracked. When something really bad has happened; when he {or she} has witnessed {or done} something that he/she was not prepared for or expecting to be upset by; when the surreal becomes real and that reality comes crashing down upon them with crushing force.

Nothing prepares you for this call, and you will usually hang up hurting and feeling totally useless.

Like I said you should read this whole Letter to Us from One who is Sacrificing. And if you can visit the Military Spouses for Change site and offer any help you might be able to, as they are not only spouses of and family of they also Sacrifice their time and energy for those others who are serving!

As Carissa signs off her e-mails:

"Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country's virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, 'the greatest,' but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is."
Sydney J. Harris

Once Again America, You Failed and Are Failing!!!

Not to long ago and most certainly not a 'once upon a time', though the response by the country would leave one to think some were telling fairy tales because the rest paid little attention, a group of soldiers were returning from an occupation of a destroyed small country a half a world away.

As we returned many started developing a wide variety of ailments, physical and mental, well maybe a few of the rest were listening about the mental issues for they were telling my brothers it was all in their heads.

Just one of the issues brought out by the returning soldiers was about the use of Chemical Spraying - Defoliants to clear jungle areas and areas on either side of the rivers, killing all the tree's and foliage leaving bare land. Many of the soldiers/sailors living in or near or carrying out patrols through these ares started developing ailments they didn't have before, while still In Country or once returned home. Over the years they started developing different and sometimes fatal ailments. All this time they were crying out for the Public to pay Attention after they tried fighting the VA and Government, seeking Help from the Country they Served, to little avail. A few heard and came forward to help in the new battles, fought on these soils, but they were to few. All the time the DoD and Government were saying that the Defoliants Weren't Poison or Gave Harm to the Human Body. Many of my brothers are now Dead from 'Agent Orange' and other Defoliants Sprayed in that conflict. And today The Vietnamese Are Still Suffering the Effects from the still contaminated land of their country and trying to get compensation from those that contaminated it, Us!

Many are still fighting to get the recognition of what we did while in an occupation, to our own and to those occupied!

Some seventeen years ago we sent another huge military force into another war a half a world away, this conflict didn't last long, the buildup and withdrawal to it did, and the worries about many things, like chemical and biological warfare being used against this force led to decisions that may have once again caused great harm to our soldiers, as well as new style ordinance developed since that last occupation, serving a country that this time was going to give it's soldiers a 'Patriotic Recognition', forget the fact that the country still hadn't come to terms with the last, this time, in words at least, it would praise it's Military Soldiers and not Scorn or Ignore Them.

Well that lasted about as long as it took for many of these soldiers to start asking why they were developing a wide range of physical ailments, a name was given 'Gulf War Syndrome' and once again the VA and Government started the campaign of denial, without much investigation or research, that nothing was really wrong with these soldiers, numbers growing, and it was all in their heads. That gave the green light to the society to just stop paying attention. Many of us older vets, from WWII to that present, along with long time activists and some others, started trying to help in the fight being waged by our newer brothers and sisters and their families, to little avail.

But No Longer, America, The Proof Is Now Public, And The Cries For Help Are Angry Voices, Anger For Those Who Have Already Perished, Anger For Those Suffering And Their Families, Anger For Those who Managed To Get Medical Help, On Their Own, That Helped Them But Not Their Brothers and Sisters! It's Way Past Time America That You Stood Up And Helped Those That Serve You! Don't Let Another Generation Of Those Who Serve and Sacrifice For You Be Hidden Out Of Site and Your Minds!

Gulf War Syndrom/Illness Is Real

New Federal Report Says

An extensive federal report released Monday concludes that roughly one in four of the 697,000 U.S. veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War suffer from Gulf War illness.

CNN Video Report

The Gulf War Syndrom Report

RAC Report This link takes you to the site page with the two below.

RAC-GWVI media release, Nov. 17, 2008 DOC

Full report of RAC-GWVI -- Nov. 17, 2008 PDF {The PDF is abit over 6MB download}

The PBS News Hour, on tuesday the 18th of November 08, held a discussion on the recently released report.

PBS News Hour: Gulf War Syndrome

Report Concludes Gulf War Syndrome Is Legitimate Illness - Transcript

Download MP3 to just Listen

A report released Monday revealed that the mysterious illness affecting veterans exposed to toxins during the 1991 Gulf War is real, making it easier for military personnel to seek federal aid. Research advisory committee chairman James Binns details the findings.

It has been 17 years since the first Gulf War ended. A new report now finds that at least one in four veterans of that conflict have been suffering ever since.

Congress started paying attention some 10 to 11 years after the conflict.

In 2002, a congressionally mandated panel set out to get to the bottom of conflicting reports about the veterans' health complaints. Its 450-page report concludes that Gulf War illness, memory loss, digestive and neurological problems, fatigue and pain is a real disease.

More than 175,000 veterans of the war were affected, but not effectively treated.

The two most likely causes: drugs administered to guard against nerve agents and pesticides used in the battlefield.

For a closer look at what these findings mean, we turn to James Binns, the chairman of the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses.

JAMES BINNS: Well, the Gulf War had its own set of unique exposures. As Vietnam veterans were exposed to Agent Orange, so Gulf War veterans were exposed to a number of toxic exposures that were unique to that war.

JAMES BINNS: Now, that's what's -- I heard one of the veterans yesterday call this a bittersweet moment for them, because in large measure all of this work simply confirms what they know, that they are ill and have been for 17 years.

And it's true what you say that actually very little of the research that has been done up to date has been oriented toward treatments, and none of it has found effective treatments.

Here are a few opinion pieces that followed the release of the report.

Our view: Gulf War illness

Government finally admits vets suffer from a real condition

The official U.S. government response to claims of Gulf War illness has run from skepticism to outright denial.

With one in four of the 697,000 Gulf War vets reporting some level of the same symptoms, the lights should have gone on a long time ago in the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

So now veterans have rigorous support for what they have contended all along -- it's not just in our heads, we're not making it up. We're sick.

Thousands of our Gulf War vets are sick. Let's help them.

BOTTOM LINE: Gulf War illness is real, and few vets who suffer the disease are getting better. It's past time for serious work on a cure.

VCS Urges Research into Gulf War Exposures and Gulf War Illness Treatments

November 17, 2008, Washington, DC

Veterans for Common Sense released the following statement:

Veterans for Common Sense is pleased with the thorough report prepared by the RAC. We commend the veterans and scientists who have worked for the last six years reviewing the work on Gulf War illnesses conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD). The RAC report repudiates years of delays and denials caused by a group of VA and DoD staff who ignored the eyewitness accounts of veterans and scientific research.

VCS believes action is needed today to make sure the RAC’s recommendations are implemented soon.

VCS urges Congress to fund new research recommended by the RAC into why up to 210,000 Gulf War veterans are ill as well as fund research into desperately needed medical treatments for our veterans.

VCS also urges top VA officials to review the conduct of VA Central Office staff who blocked scientific research into toxic exposures, especially VA's contracts with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that improperly excluded animal studies from scientific review. The VA Central Office staff who needlessly delayed research, treatment, and disability benefits for hundreds of thousands of Gulf War veterans should be held accountable for their actions.

The facts presented by the RAC reveal how a handful of key VA and DoD officials failed to assist Gulf War veterans by clinging to the discredited myth that Gulf War illnesses were only related to stress for nearly 17 years. The DoD neglected to consider the many toxic exposures as potential causes of Gulf War illnesses, even after Gulf War veterans and scientists raised these as serious possibilities.

We look forward to working with Chairman Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) as they conduct oversight into VA’s failure to enter into proper contracts with IOM that may have blocked access to healthcare and disability benefits for hundreds of thousands of ill and disabled Gulf War veterans.

VCS thanks Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Representative Chris Shays (R-CT), and former Representative Lane Evans (D-IL) for their diligent leadership in passing the landmark “Persian Gulf Veterans Act of 1998” that created the RAC.

Panel: Gulf War vet health research lacking

Even as possibly hundreds of thousands of veterans suffer from a collection of symptoms commonly called Gulf War illness, the government has done too little to find treatments for their health problems nearly two decades after the war ended, a panel commissioned by Congress said.

The advisory panel of medical experts and veterans wants at least $60 million spent annually for research, calling it a “national obligation,” according to its report, obtained by The Associated Press.

Gulf War troops poisoned, neglected

A new government study backs up veterans of the 1991 Gulf War who said they were literally, and physically, sickened during their service there. The American people have an obligation to help them

One of the most dangerous threats to the health of American troops in combat might be the United States government. That conclusion can reasonably be drawn after a government panel reported that one in four U.S. veterans of the 1991 Gulf War — about 172,000 troops — is ill from exposure to toxic chemicals, most of them administered by the U.S. government.

The two bibliographies below were compiled by FRONTLINE to aid those who want to dig deeper into Gulf War Syndrome. The first shows many of the most informative and compelling websites on the subject. The second contains citations to books, journal articles and other printed materials.

Visit the above link, there's a host of links leading to further information, study, and research!

What will the government do to make veterans with Gulf War syndrome whole?

The question has new urgency in the aftermath of a report, released Monday, concluding that nearly 200,000 soldiers suffer from the syndrome.

The 452-page report is the first to affirm that Gulf War illness is valid and widespread, affecting as many as one-quarter of veterans from the 1990-1991 conflict.

"The extensive body of scientific research now available consistently indicates that Gulf War illness is real...and that few veterans have recovered of substantially improved with time," says the comprehensive overview, prepared by the government's Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses.

Now we have once again sent our military into occupation, not one but two, halfway around the world. And with the reports finally coming out these last couple of years, with over site and investigation once again being done by our congress, information coming extensively from, once again, great Investigative Journalism, we are seeing, especially us Vietnam Vets, a repeat of what was experienced years ago. Many of these recent reports read like that from 30 to 40 years back, a not to distant past.

This next link starts on the Gulf War Syndrome in the Press Release and moves into the present conflicts.

American Gulf War Veterans Association

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 8, 2003

The American Gulf War Veterans Association (AGWVA), an independent Gulf War Veterans’ support organization, has long searched for answers to explain why nearly half of the 697,000 Gulf War I Veterans are now ill and why over 200,000 of those servicemen/women have requested disability, but have received no adequate diagnosis or treatment, from either the Department of Defense (DOD), or Veteran’s Affairs. Though there have been over 125 studies done by the government at the cost of over $300,000,000 to the taxpayer, we still have no answers as to what caused so many of our soldiers to become ill. Meanwhile, the suffering veterans are receiving little, if any, medical treatment for this illness. It seems that whenever veterans become ill, the term “mystery illness” seems to be the first and often the only diagnosis that is ever made. Veterans are then left to fend for themselves, sick and unable to work, with little hope of a normal life again.

The AGWVA is now again asking questions, this time, about the newest “mystery illness” to hit the military. After being pressured by a few independent news reporters who have not permitted this “mystery” to continue unabated, The DOD recently has been forced to announce the “mystery” deaths of Gulf War II soldiers and that at least 100 other men and women have become ill. Again, however, there were no adequate answers, but, only that the “mystery illness” diagnosis had reared its ugly head again. According to a family member of one of the military victims, the DOD recently, has changed its label of the illness and is now calling it “pneumonia” in sharp contrast to what a physician on the scene reported. Due to continuing pressure for sound answers, the DOD was again forced to send an investigative team to Iraq, however the convenient, repeated lack of diagnosis, unfortunately translates into lack of treatment, and lack of compensation for the veteran. The jury is still out, however, if the DOD will be forthcoming with the truth this time.

SNIP Please Read The Rest

The following doesn't look like the 'mystery illness' described in the press release above, but apparently this is another growing problem for the present OIF and OEF soldiers in Theater:

Senior Airman Frances Gavalis tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq.

The Army Times Site Video

Burn pit at Balad raises health concerns
Tue, Oct 28, 2008
An open-air at the largest U.S. base in Iraq may have exposed tens of thousands of troops, contractors and Iraqis to cancer-causing dioxins, poisons such as arsenic

Senator wants answers on dangers of burn pits
Sun, Nov 9, 2008
Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., has written to Gen. David Petraeus, the new chief of U.S. Central Command, demanding to be informed about any pending investigations into health problems for troops exp.

Burn pit fallout
Sat, Nov 15, 2008
Disabled American Veterans has issued a call to all service members and veterans who think they may have illnesses related to burn pits in Afghanistan and Iraq: Contact DAV so they can collect data

Army report shows chemicals at burn pit site
Thursday Nov 20, 2008
A soldier concerned about his tour at Forward Operating Base Hammer near Balad, Iraq, this year sent Military Times a report showing high levels of particulate matter and low levels of manganese, possibly due to materials destroyed in a burn pit.

“The high risk estimate is due to the average (particulate matter) level being at a concentration the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers ‘hazardous,’ and is likely to affect the health of all troops,” wrote Jeffrey Kirkpatrick, director of health risk assessment for the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine. “Manganese was also detected above its one-year military exposure guidelines.”

It was sent to the command surgeon general’s office for U.S. Central Command.

And just like what 'Agent Orange' not only did to our soldiers in 'Nam it did to the Citizens of Vietnam, continuing to today, it is and Will Continue to do to the Citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan near where these contaminated garbage pits not only were burned but that contaminated garbage is buried!

We Veterans, who still serve this Country according to our Military Oath and Real Patriotism, and fight against sending our Military into Wars Of Choice by the civilian and military leadership, lost the Battle against the Propaganda of Fixed Intelligence, especially as to invading Iraq, an innocent country and people, but We Won't Lose The Battle As To Care For Our Returning Soldiers, though it's a long battle that shouldn't be!

You may want to visit Mikes webblog {known online as 'testvet'} Military & Veterans: Politics for the deserving, a disabled Veteran, and his personal experiences as to being a 'testvet' and his fighting for not only himself but his brothers and sisters.

And one site to visit often is Larry Scott's VA Watchdog he to has a recent post about the Gulf War I Syndrome Report

For desperate vets, victory, anger over Gulf War Syndrome. Army veteran Randy Saubert takes grandsons Kalev, right, and Ethin to a Colorado Springs park Tuesday. Saubert logged 38,000 miles hauling supplies across the Iraq desert in 1991. Today, he isn't sure what he came into contact with that caused him to develop Lou Gehrig's disease. (photo: Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

"Why did it take so long to listen to the vets and their families? Why have they denied benefits and hurt people and let families fall apart and have soldiers go bankrupt seeking help?"

Once again the Report:

The Gulf War Syndrom Report

RAC Report This link takes you to the site page with the two below.

RAC-GWVI media release, Nov. 17, 2008 DOC

Full report of RAC-GWVI -- Nov. 17, 2008 PDF {The PDF is abit over 6MB download}

Fellow Americans You Failed Too Many Times Before and The Present Occupations Were Supported By The Greater Majority Of You, This Time Make It Right For Those Who Served You and Their Families!!!

Coming Home - 60minutes Sunday 11-02-08

Reservists' Rocky Return To Job Market
60 Minutes Report Also Examines Costs Borne By Employers Of Deployed Citizen Soldiers

Coming Home

Citizen soldiers returning from active military duty are entitled by law to get back their old jobs or at least the same salaries, but many are still having trouble. Leslie Stahl reports.

With the Pentagon relying so heavily on the National Guard and Reserve to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan - 650,000 have been called for active duty since 9/11 - the least you'd expect is that after they serve, they get their old civilian jobs back.

There's a law, called USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act), that says their employers have to take them back at the same pay.

But what 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl found is that despite the law, thousands of guards and reservists come home to find themselves demoted or penalized, or out of a job completely.

Digg It Here

POWs' Plea

Last night the Rachel Maddow MSNBC show had a couple of clips about a very important legislative bill that passed in the House of Representatives on monday Sept 15 '08.


The bill is H. R. 5167 which had 38 co-sponsors with only 3 being Republican.


The bill's name is: Justice for Victims of Torture and Terrorism Act


But watch a video, of which I combined two of her reports together, that will explain further.





She had another segment, with the highest ranking officer held prisoner at that time, and mentioned in the above clips, Colonel (ret) David William Eberly, which they didn't have that clip up at their site so I couldn't add it, though it was only a short interview prior to talking to the congressman.


Some past history of what has been going on with the POW's situation and the GOP Administrations blocking of:


This is a December 30, 2007 LA Times article: Defense bill’s demise stymies ex-POWs’ suit

President Bush surprised Congress by refusing to sign a Defense Department authorization bill, in part because the legislation could revive a lawsuit brought by American prisoners of war during the 1991 Persian Gulf War who say they were tortured by the Iraqis.

Their suit sought to establish the principle that war prisoners who were tortured in violation of the Geneva Convention were entitled to sue the country that tortured them.

By keeping the bill from becoming law, the president delayed pay raises for the troops and improvements in the care of wounded veterans. On Thursday, he pointed to a little-noted provision in the huge bill and said it could trigger a wave of lawsuits that might “imperil billions of dollars of Iraqi assets.”

Now an update tied to the Maddow report House gives go-ahead to sue Iraq over torture

Former POWs' and civilians who were tortured or held hostage during the 1991 Gulf War could pursue lawsuits against Iraq under legislation the House has approved.

The White House, saying the bill would threaten economic and political progress in Iraq, threatened to veto the measure if it reaches the president's desk. It still has to clear the Senate.

What could be behind the GOP Administrations actions? Let your imagination run wild, it doesn't need to run to far, believe me!

The bill limits total recovery for those held hostage to $900,000. Those tortured would be eligible to receive up to $2.5 million plus $6,000 for every day held.

Now this brings up the Very Interesting Future for this Bill, or one similar, as it goes to the Senate, and if chopped up to get the signature, how chopped up, and if there is even a way the former POWs' can get their due justice with a presidential signature or congressional votes to overcome any veto.


This is a Bill that should be watched Very Closely, Very Closely!


Will the GOP Candidate, and Vietnam POW, even attend the sessions of congress to debate and vote on it, he's missed a number of votes this year already?


If he does, how will he vote?


Will he be the 'Maverick', that everyone seems to have labeled him with, and royally blast the present administration about their stance on this, didn't hear anything before?


But lets go back abit. This 'Maverick' GOP Senator was in the Majority when 9/11 occurred. That same Majority, and the country, sided with the administration in sending our military troops to invade Afghanistan and Capture or Kill the supposed ringleaders of al Qaeda who admittedly carried out the attacks of 9/11.


That same Majority, and this 'Maverick', than joined forces with the administration in turning the attention from Afghanistan, bin Laden {still not captured or killed as are the other leaders of}, al Qaeda, to an invasion of Iraq, pulling military forces and resources for that invasion, still in Afghanistan as the past couple of months has grown more dangerous, and still in Iraq an Iraq of instability.


The same Majority, and this 'Maverick', who seemed, in their joy and rush to send our Military to Wars and Occupations rubber stamping everything the administration wanted, didn't seem to even Think about those troops and how they were to be taken care of when physically and mentally maimed, nor as to their living conditions at the military care facilities nor the bases they live on, and also, once again {we 'Nam Vets saw it all during, after, and since that debacle} being veterans of from their service to country!


I don't remember to many 'Maverick' Strong Voice Oppositions against any of this, any said were just blowing words out of mouth into air caught maybe in the archives of the places said.


Now this 'Maverick' seems to be saying everything is just 'ducky' in Iraq, after 6yrs. of occupation, even though the purpose of the 'surge' he totes as successful was to bring to Iraq a Government For All The People Of, that hasn't happened yet and things seem to be moving rapidly towards more sectarian violence not a United Iraq!


Once again, lets see what this 'Maverick' does as to this Bill, not only does but What He'll Say, that is if he even bothers taking his Senate Seat to Debate and Vote on this for the POW's Plea!!!

The Pentagonization of US life

Nick Turse and Tom Engelhardt of Tomdispatch.com, in the second part of their interview to Pepe Escobar, talk about the ramifications of militarism in American life - how over 100 contractors are now in the Pentagon's payroll. This is closely connected to the way the Bush administration expanded militarization abroad through the worldwide US "empire of bases." The backlash was inevitable. Engelhardt says the Bush administration "may have single-handedly given birth to a multipolar world."

The Complex: How the Military Invades Our Everyday Lives

"I’M HERE FOR THE PHOTO OP - I'M THE CiC -THE DECIDER"

Once again the old say "A picture speaks a thousand words" can pop into ones mind.

Thomas, over at G.I. Special - Military Project starts out his latest News Letter with the following recent photo of 'The War pResident'.

He captions the above with the following:

The disgusting, dishonorable rat traitor piece of shit Bush ignores the salute from soldiers at a review of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, May 22, 2008, at Fort Bragg, N.C. {AP Photo/Charles Dharapak}

While that's a tad, just a tiny tad, bit harsh for me I do have to agree with his description!

The CiC not paying attention to the troops, many having multiple tours in his Occupations of Choice, with Bragg having to redo their Base Memorial for the fallen as they had no more room to add to the names, seems to just like giving silly snickers to those snapping his photo's, or waves to no one in particular. Even the CiC Nixon showed at least a tad bit more respect for those serving under his command as wrong as he was, unless of course you were military personal and veterans totally against his war mongering policies, he used the government agencies to spy on you than.

But you see the bushy is one tough hombre, or so he would like everyone to think, the ones that don't use that gift. As to his soldiering Tough doesn't come to mind. For most of us 'Nam Vets, untill we see the purged documents of his missing service records from the Champagne Guard Unit his connections got him into, He's Still AWOL! And any wingers, don't give me the simplified "But he got an Honorable Discharge," crap, they all did, wether they attended training or not, unlike many in regular guard units!

And how are things going in his Occupation of Choice in Iraq:

I received the latest MoJo {Mother Jones} newsletter last night. Always interesting commentary can certainly be found at MoJo.

The following was their question in the newsletter:

Has anyone seen $15 billion in reconstruction funds? If so, the Pentagon's Inspector General is looking for them.

And it refers to this: Billions of Dollars Unaccounted For in Iraq, Pentagon IG Reports

They start the commentary out with the following:

Want to see a signature worth $320 million? Click here (PDF). It belongs to Jack Gardner, an official with the now-defunct Coalition Provisional Authority, who in July 2003 authorized that amount to be transferred to the Iraqi Ministry of Finance for the payment of Iraqi salaries. There are no other records of the transfer, just Mr. Gardner's John Hancock. Now that's power.

I added the {PDF} just so's you wouldn't think that by clicking the link all you see is someones John Hancock, it's more than that.

There's abit more with some backlinks of interest.

And it closes with this:

To date, Pentagon auditors have referred 28 cases to criminal investigators.

So to change the subject, as this corrupt administration finds extremely easy to do for the short term memory of most of the populace, lets bury it and instead blame those being occupied:

"In our estimation, the theft, conversion or other misappropriation of U.S.-provided funds and supplies by Iraqi government officials severely undermines our troops' mission in Iraq," Dorgan and Whitehouse wrote. "It is even more outrageous when these resources are diverted to our enemies and help finance, arm and equip attacks against American soldiers."

"Hello" is there anyone home in that bubble we call our capital Washington? It's your Puppet Government in Iraq! We Occupy their country! We're not only Morgaging the next couple of our generations treasury, we're creating the conditions for threats on the National Security of the Country and it's Citizens, no matter where they may be! why do you think your puppet government are going along with your extreme failed policies, their going to make sure we stay for as long as possible, your corrupt buddies there are reaping wealth from your dangerous stupidity! They're going to funnel some of the monies to their supporters and militias to keep the danger level high and to hell with the innocents, their own country children, women and men, the ones who haven't already fled the carnage!

Now who might just be one who puts an end to your Debacle/Quagmire and your puppet government in Iraq:

According to an AP dispatch, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani is inclined to issue a series of fatwas declaring what amounts to a defensive jihad against the occupying US troops. The Ayatollah's spokesman Abdul Mahdi Karbala'i, recently said that Sistani was against the Maliki government offensive on the Mahdi Army in Basra and Sadr city.

Sistani, and the other religious leaders, all sects, can not only quickly enhance the carnage and battles towards the occupiers, they can also issue decree's that would greatly deminish a sect on sect civil war, that's been a fact right from the beginning, same can go towards Afganistan.

And as this is Memorial Day Weekend what are the, mostly chickenhawk, magnetic ribbon, goldstar bandaid, rush and fox news cheerleaders doin on the Homefront, well some are going out for an American Staple, McDonalds is so passe:

$175 Hamburger on Menu at Wall Street Burger Shoppe

If you thought dropping $81 on a hamburger at The Old Homestead was enough to prove you’ve arrived, think again, hayseed – New York’s newest culinary status symbol, the “Richard Nouveau” burger at Wall Street Burger Shoppe, is going to cost you over twice that. They’re charging $175 for the experience, but money’s no object when it comes to showing the other hedge-funders you’ve completely lost touch with reality, right?

Now one report about the above pretty much covers the state of this society we've created:

21/05/2008 By Annika Burgess, Macquarie Radio Network
A hamburger with the lot and then some, on sale in New York, will cost you a whopping $180.
The New York restaurant is tempting wealthy customers with a burger made of Kobe beef, topped with gold flakes, black truffles, a thick slab of seared foie gras and aged Gruyere cheese.
Wall Street Burger Shoppe co-owner Kevin O’Connell told CNN, the pricey item has been a hit with customers.
“What I heard honestly is a man who said he was giggling while he ate it, and this is not the type of guy who looks like he would giggle much.”
Described as a ‘work of art,’ the burger flecked with gold is said to be popular with Wall Street Gordon Gekko-types.

Now I'm not a picky eater, I just like need food and have it taste good to the buds, there isn't much I find offensive to eat and I don't care how it's arranged on a plate. But I'd like you to get a picture of eating a $180 hamburger flecked with gold, and the rest from above. Now as nature would have it our food goes in one hole, the mouth, and the body uses some for living and energy, the rest comes out another bodily hole, got the picture.

Now if these greedy souls stay to form they'll crap in little porta potties, search through their waste and grab those gold flecks. Get enough, after way too many status burgers, they could melt the flecks down to form little gold coin size trinkets and get a few bucks back.

And are these souls concerned about our misadventures of death and destruction, not the least!!

Happy Thoughtful Memorial Day

And as we close in on the political party conventions, especially the Republican one, lets not forget how the 'Strong on National Defense" group, at least that's what they'd like everyone to think as they create more Hatreds and Enemies of our Country so they act strong?, "Support Our Troops", especially us 'Nam Vets:

The Iraq Billions Easter Egg Hunt

I just received the latest MoJo {Mother Jones} newsletter. Always interesting commentary can certainly be found at MoJo.

The subject title, above, was used as their leadin to the commentary linked below.

The following was their question in the newsletter:

Has anyone seen $15 billion in reconstruction funds? If so, the Pentagon's Inspector General is looking for them.

And it refers to this: Billions of Dollars Unaccounted For in Iraq, Pentagon IG Reports

They start the commentary out with the following:

Want to see a signature worth $320 million? Click here (PDF). It belongs to Jack Gardner, an official with the now-defunct Coalition Provisional Authority, who in July 2003 authorized that amount to be transferred to the Iraqi Ministry of Finance for the payment of Iraqi salaries. There are no other records of the transfer, just Mr. Gardner's John Hancock. Now that's power.

I added the {PDF} just so's you wouldn't think that by clicking the link all you see is someones John Hancock, it's more than that.

There's abit more with some backlinks of interest.

And it closes with this:

To date, Pentagon auditors have referred 28 cases to criminal investigators.

This is the face of the war in Iraq

The mind behind it will never be the same.

The Troubled Homecoming Of The Marlboro Marine

Only one face, of the tens of thousands, radically changed by their experiance in a War Of Choice, Choice by those who don't fight them, not Absolutely The Last Resort! In Wars Of Choice most start questioning the Why? of their being ordered there, Survival becomes the 'Nobel Cause', theirs and those around them, and Survival comes with Deep Costs! Once having normal trained minds, absorbing more knowledge and experiances, the Nightmares of Death and Destruction take over, haughting many for the rest of their lives!

This happens in All wars, to Military Personal sent into anothers Country and to the Citizens of that Country either fighting the invaders or innocents trying to exist in the carnage growing daily, especially to the children! But Wars Of Choice brings on the True Trauma much faster and deeper!

Blake Miller can't stand cats. He didn't always hate them, but that was before Iraq; before he fought in the battle of Fallujah; before the first enemy soldier Miller killed lay rotting in the street for three days, his remains picked over by a hungry cat that had crawled inside the dead Iraqi's hollowed-out chest. Miller's life divides like that, into then and now. Before November 9th, 2004.

You can use another face, not as traveled around the World as the early photo of Blake and seen by millions, but of a recent Tragedy of a Marine haunted by the Nightmares of his War experiances.

This is Eric Hall who apparently, while visiting a relative, had an Extreme Flashback, a flashback similar to others he's had since returning from his service in Iraq, only this one ended Tragically as his body was finally discovered some fifty feet in a drain pipe, not far from where he left his running motorcycle in the middle of a street, by a Tunnel Rat of our 'Nam War Of Choice. Veterans joined Erics family members, friends, and others, searching for him for a couple of weeks before finally finding his body.

Eric's tragedy wasn't a National Story, at first, and has only received scant coverage since it broke and finalized with his burial, than like almost all stories disappears from the countries conscious, a country that sent him, and thousands of others over and over and Still Do, into a War Of Choice and Occupations.

I only found it visiting a site that covers an area where I have a sister, and her family, living in Florida. Than I followed the story till it's tragic end and the burial of this Marine, Eric Hall. You can find more of the reports I posted Here, Here, Here, Here and finally Here.

Two more reports have surfaced since Erics death, Eric Hall death ruled "undetermined" and Motorcycle club helps with inappropriate bill for diseased veteran

News of an unpaid bill for a towed motorcycle at a memorial service in Florida for a former marine was enough for the Vietnam Brotherhood to step in and help out.

The captain of the honor guard for the Vietnam Brotherhood, Donald Pedriali was at the memorial service for a former Marine when he learned the young man's family faced a $232 bill for towing the deceased's motorcycle from the intersection near where he died.

Rolling Stone magazine has an indepth report, link above, for it's April '08 issue now up on it's site, about what Blake, and other Veterans, of the past Conflicts to the present Conflicts are going through as they have been completely changed from what they once were and now exist trying to Survive, as they did in the Conflicts, fighting the battles, that were the reality they experianced, in their minds. As the Nation that sent them into Invasion and Occupation almost totally Ignores what it has done to them and the Countries Invaded and Occupied!

Miller's nightmares, insomnia, heightened alertness, self-imposed isolation and persistent recollections of his seven months in Iraq are all classic symptoms of PTSD, an anxiety disorder that results from exposure to an event so psychically frightening that the aftershocks continue for months or even years. Studies estimate that as many as 500,000 troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan will suffer from some form of psychological injury, with PTSD being the most common. Miller hasn't been to a doctor in over a year, and, like so many vets, he seems to have fallen off the government's radar. He tried the abundance of medications — antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds, mostly — that the Veterans Administration has sent him, but they only exacerbated his nightmares, jitters and apathy. And therapy is hard to get in places like Jonancy: For a while, he tried living in West Virginia to be near a PTSD specialist, but he missed his familiar surroundings and moved back home. Besides, the VA bureaucracy is hell for anyone to navigate, let alone a guy who feels like he could snap at any moment.

"The military makes it hard for these guys to get help," says Rep. Bob Filner, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "We're letting ticking time bombs out into society. Suicides are increasing among vets, and many of those with PTSD have felony convictions. The VA and the Department of Defense won't acknowledge the incredible size of the problem, and it's yet another indictment of the war we're fighting and how we deal with these fighters."

Like many disabled vets, Miller feels betrayed by the military, neglected by the VA and misunderstood by pretty much everyone else. "People hear 'PTSD' and they think that means you're crazy," he says. "My aunt tells her kids, 'Don't go around Blake. He might flip out and shoot you.'"

The Blame doesn't only lie with the Military nor any other Government Agency, it Lies Straight In The Laps Of This Entire Nation!

A Nation of Apathy and Denial, placing same into leadership positions that Readily Back using others to show how tough it thinks it is!

Boss, whose speech has grown progressively more slurred, demands his turn, and he takes us through a country breakup song called "Left Side of the Bed." Miller makes an exaggerated sobbing sound as Boss gets to the end, and then busts up laughing. For an instant, he seems genuinely happy. He even hints that, over the past several months, things have felt a little less bleak. "I used to believe that I was gonna be just like Boss — the old vet that everyone is afraid of, who just wants to crawl in a hole and disappear," he tells me. "That's the way I felt when I first came back. But Bodean and Lita really keep me out of it."

Sitting next to each other, Miller and Lita talk about their struggles, often completing each other's sentences. "I just want people to understand what PTSD is," Miller says. "It's not that you're a wack job who needs a straitjacket. It's just that you have thoughts not exactly on the level . . ."

"And you can't stop them," Lita adds.

"Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam," Boss mutters, almost entranced.

Even more than wanting to be understood, Miller wants vets suffering from mental injuries to receive the same honor awarded to those with physical wounds: the Purple Heart. Currently, veterans receive the medal only if they have endured bodily harm during battle. "What's the difference between going into a combat zone and being injured physically versus being injured mentally?" Miller says. "One gives you a visible scar and the other doesn't. Imagine how you would feel to be completely whole and not have the mind to function — just locked inside a hell you can't escape."

Educate Yourselves, for many that surround you suffer the ravages of PTSD, not Combat PTSD but their own nightmares from tragic events in their own lives, happening in their childhoods or adult lives, Trauma's that change them forever and haught their conscious, they do so mostly In Silence!

When a Nation, especially with a powerful military machine, spending obscene amounts of it's wealth on, never questioning exactly where that money goes, looks at the option of War, right next to it being An Option Of Absolute Last Resort the four letters PTSD should not follow but be placed Right Next To or Spoken in the Same Sentence!

This is The Face

Of those who Cheer On Wars Of Choice and how they feel about those they send, Spitting not only on the Decorated Brother of my Service In but Any and All after they Return:

Don't Forget This Face, It Represents This Nation!!!

A Hat Tip to Ilona Meagher, a tireless civilian advocate, never experiancing Combat Trauma, who had the link at her site. I might have caught it at some point but a visit there gave me the headsup and trip over to read, As You Should.

And so from the spectre of the summer soldier who shrinks from the hard truths and his country's crises, comes the Winter Soldier who will not look away.

97 percent of U.S. deaths in Iraq have occurred after George W. Bush declared an end to "major combat."
Mission Accomplished

VCS Releases New VA and DoD Fact Sheets

This week Veterans for Common Sense releases updated versions of our popular VA and DoD Fact Sheets. The statistics are very disturbing.

The Pentagon officially reported 72,043 battlefield casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan through Jan. 5, 2008 - PDF.

VA hospitals and clinics have already treated 263,909 unplanned patients from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars - PDF. On top of that, VA reported 245,034 unanticipated disability claims from veterans of the two wars.

VCS issued warnings about this growing problem. On Veterans Day in 2007, VCS posted an editorial about how we believe VA and DoD mask the true costs of the two wars.

To assist you with making sense of the new Fact Sheets, a VCS analysis shows that between June 2007 and November 2007:

* The number of PTSD claims approved rose 80 percent (from 19,015 to 34,138), while the veteran population rose only 16 percent. The incidence of PTSD is dramatically rising, or VA is finally starting to take this problem more seriously, or both.

* 100 PTSD claims were approved every day. VA can expect tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands more PTSD claims from our new war veterans as more service members deploy to the war zone and then begin to return home.

* Veterans who served in the National Guard or Reserves were nearly three times as likely to have their VA disability compensation claim rejected (14% compared to 5%). VCS remains concerned about the apparent unequal treatment faced by our veterans who were ordered to active duty in the war zone from the National Guard and Reserves.

While the PTSD claims situation may be improving slightly due to intense pressure brought about by the VCS and Veterans United for Truth lawsuit against VA, there are still nearly 18,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans diagnosed by VA with PTSD who are not yet receiving VA disability payments.

VCS believes that VA is still not properly reviewing and approving PTSD claims for veterans already diagnosed with PTSD by VA doctors. This means VA continues to deny and delay essential disability payments for our veterans that could be the difference between paying the rent or becoming homeless.

Wounded Warrior Update: Last week, the House voted to include the "Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act" (formerly S 1606 and then HR 1585), in the new Defense Bill, HR 4986. Now we are waiting on the Senate to approve the bill. Sadly, the provision allowing our Gulf War veterans tortured by Iraq to sue the new Iraqi government was watered down.

Please share the critical information in your VCS Update with your friends, reporters, and elected officials so that they know the facts about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Please donate generously to VCS so we can keep reporting the accurate and complete facts about the human consequences of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. We appreciate your support so we can provide the policy advocacy that all our veterans need.

Thank you,

Paul Sullivan
Executive Director
Veterans for Common Sense

New group wants a Presidential debate - Military Spouses for Change

Lets give these military spouses a Big Hand and Pass this to your E-Lists as well as posting on your sites!

Take 'testvets' request, last sentence of posting, and make some contacts, Make It Happen!!

Or debates on Iraq, Military and Veterans Issues

by testvet6778
Fri Nov 23, 2007 at 04:33:00 PM EST

I ran across this website today, Military Spouses for Change and I agree that a debate on these issues should be held. Both partiesshould agree since they are going to keep utilizing the five militaryforces of this nation occupied in Iraq or Afghanisatn or both and maybenew ones during the next term of office.
Some numbers to think about active duty 1,380,082 number of living veterans 26,403,703 and the number drawing veterans benefits are 2,735,559 these are voting age people, that usually DO vote. Most are married andhave children many of them have adult children, like myself I have 3voting age children, and you all better believe I tell them myopinions. Does that mean they will vote that way, NO, but they willlisten to me and I will have an influnce on their decisions, becausewhat affects me affects them. That means there is a potential 100million Americans directly affected by policies these candidates canpossibly impact in their lives, veterans benefits, home loans, old agecare, medical care, etc.

This is their message about the desired debate and the purpose behind it,because it DOES affect them, personally and up close, they are the ones either going into harms way or waiting at home for their loved ones,the candidates should be able to face them, their questions and debate the future about the military, with them in the audience, and all of us as Americans might learn more about the people that was to be the'Commander in Chief' of the Armed Services in addition to their duties as President of the United States.

As much as individual presidential candidates talk about health care plans or personal values, the fact remains that we are electing a war president. We are electing a president who will probably spend the bulk of his or her first term managing military conflicts and performing extensive foreign policy damage control. In 2008, the next President will inherit at least two wars and the costs of those wars,internally as well as internationally, will continue to grow long after the last service member comes home.
Consequently, Military Spouses for Change[1] is inviting the presidential candidates from both parties to Fort Hood, Texas(Killeen), on February 1st, to talk about foreign policy, our military,our veterans, our wounded warriors, and our military families.
Fort Hood is the largest military installation in the United States.There are almost 46,000 soldiers assigned to Fort Hood and more than24,000 spouses. On any given day, at least a third of these soldiersare deployed to Iraq and every week at least two soldiers from FortHood (on average) are killed in Iraq. (I am 34 and I know more widowsthan my mother knows.)
This kind of event has never been done before and it needs to be done now. Not only because Americans on both side of the aisle need to be reminded (before Super Tuesday) that we are electing the next Commander-in-Chief, but also because our service members and their families deserve to be addressed and heard by the people who wish to be elected in that position.
We also think this country’s large veteran community should know which candidates truly value the military and veteran vote (if not for moral reasons, then for practical reasons). There are approximately1.4 million active duty service members in America and 1.2 million inthe National Guard/Reserves. If you include the spouses, that comes toa total of 4.1 million votes.
Meanwhile, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 8 adults wereveterans (26.4 million) in 2003. If we assume that at least half ofthose adults were married, then we have approximately 39 million vetcouples giving us a total of almost 43 million American adults who arecurrently serving in the military, have served in the military, or aremarried to someone serving or who had served. That is not aninsignificant number.
As an organization and as military spouses, clearly U.S. foreignpolicy is important to us. But the American public has an interest inthis as well, not only for fiscal reasons (e.g., we have spent 447billion dollars on the war in Iraq alone), but for national securityreasons.
Furthermore, what about the depletion of our states' National Guardand reserve units? How are we going to replenish those units so thatindividual states can respond to a natural disaster or, heaven forbid,another 9/11?
So far 1.5 million service members have been deployed to Iraq orAfghanistan. What are the candidates’ positions on the possibility ofreinstating the draft if, for example, we become engaged with Iranbefore he or she enters office?
Since September 11, 2001, the Department of Defense has reportedmore than 64,000 wounded and 4,000 killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. TheDepartment of Veterans Affairs, however, has reported treating 250,000Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, including 95,000 for mental healthconditions.
Meanwhile, an estimated 700,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans areexpected to seek care from the VA within the next ten years, at aprojected cost of 7 to 9 BILLION dollars. A recent DoD taskforceassessing the mental health capabilities of the military announced: 'The system of care for psychological health that has evolved overrecent decades is insufficient to meet the needs of today's forces andtheir beneficiaries, and will not be sufficient to meet their needs in the future.' ( MHTF Report Final in PDF )
What do the candidates propose to do for our returning wounded warriors and their families? How do we effectively identify their mental, physical, social, and financial needs and how do we effectively meet those needs?
The suicide rate is the highest in almost 30 years and the propensity to serve is at a 20 year low. Consequently, the Army and Marine Corps are relying on reenlistment and recruiting bonuses that will cost nearly 2.5 billion dollars next year.
Iraq is the defining electoral issue of 2008. Nothing can be done domestically until we have settled our foreign affairs in such a way that does not require a large military presence in hostile countries. Yet because Texas is not an early primary state, it does not warrant the attention of the Presidential candidates. Nonetheless, we cannot imagine an event more powerful than these candidates answering questions posed to them by the very people whose service and sacrifice allow forums such as these to exist.
Shouldn't we as certain which candidates are the most qualified (from both parties) to lead our nation and our military prior to SuperTuesday? And shouldn't this be done in front of an audience of service members, veterans, wounded warriors, advocates, and their families?
If you have any questions or are interested in being involved, please contact:
Carissa S. Picard
President
Military Spouses for Change

Please contact the campaigns of the people you support and ASK themto please commit to this group and see if we can enable a debatebefore Super Dooper Tuesday.