DAV Virtual March on Washington

The March Has Begun



Welcome to the Virtual March on Washington for Veterans

“Million Claims March.”

The YouTube player here is showing the videos in a certain order, but feel free to jump around by clicking on the video if you want to pick and choose. But every message here contains important information. Also, there are links in several of the video descriptions that you might find informative.

Thank you for marching with us and for standing up for veterans!

Before you proceed, please register for the march. It is free and only asks for your name, e-mail address and ZIP code.

Visit the Virtual March Site for much more information.

This Country needs to finally stand up for those who serve, by helping to bring the Veterans Administration into the 21st Century in the Technology needed, we've been playing catchup for far to long causing higher costs and extreme delays. This isn't only in the Veterans Administration but across the spectrum of the Government Agencies.

The blame doesn't just rest in any Executive Administration nor Congress, though there are some who voice support for us Veterans but Obstruct when the needs are placed into legislation. The blame lies with the Country, the majority that don't serve and don't want to sacrifice anything, that causes more costs and hardships over the years from our Wars of Choice, it's long past time to remedy the countries self created problems.

Lets make sure we keep our representatives to their words "In Our Names", but they are only hired to represent, It's Up To The Country To Really Support!

We have a President and Congress, that Congress has been playing catchup the last couple of years correcting what wasn't done nor even thought about as to the military and veterans, Now that are not only trying to fix what wasn't done in the leadup to and continued occupations of two countries over these past eight years but trying to push the Veterans Agency into the twenty first century and bring not only the care and need for quicker resolution to benefits owed but by doing so bringing the cost of operating the agency down.

Press Release Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/

The following resolution was adopted by the Democratic National Committee on Friday, September 11th, 2009 in Austin, Texas.

Resolution Commending Democrats for Delivering a New Direction for America's Servicemembers, Veterans and Military Families

Submitted by: Christine Pelosi, California; Don Fowler, At-Large/South Carolina; Alice Germond, DNC Secretary/West Virginia; Steven K. Alari, California; Belkis Leong-Hong, At-Large/Maryland; Barbara Easterling, At-Large/Virginia; Ben Jeffers, Louisiana; and James Zogby, At-Large, District of Columbia

WHEREAS, Democrats promised a new direction for America's servicemembers, veterans and military families, who have demonstrated great patriotism and sacrifice in their commitment to keeping us safe and free; and,

WHEREAS, in the first 200 days of the 111th Congress and the Obama administration, Democrats have kept this promise, beginning with the FY 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill that provides our troops with planning, equipment, and leadership to wind down the Iraq war, changes strategy in Afghanistan; and, makes retroactive payments to over 185,000 service members whose enlistments were involuntarily extended since the 9/11 terrorist attacks; and,

WHEREAS, Democrats directed specific aid to servicemembers, veterans and military families in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: the stimulus package provided veterans direct and indirect aid, adding up to $15.8 billion. Disabled veterans received direct benefits in the form of one-time payments of $250 and all businesses can now claim a tax credit for 40 percent of the first $6,000 of wages paid to unemployed veterans. In addition, the stimulus included renovation to national cemeteries and veterans medical facilities, grants to build new veterans care

facilities and money to improve VA benefits administration; and,

WHEREAS, Democrats have led the charge to successfully pass and implement the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and recently expanded the Post-9/11 GI bill benefits to cover the full cost of a college education for all children of fallen U.S. servicemembers; and,

WHEREAS, Democrats have passed, and President Obama has signed legislation that provides mental health screenings and more veterans healthcare resources than at any other time in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration; and,

WHEREAS, House Democrats have passed legislation to strengthen national security by bolstering State Department resources to prevent conflict and failed states around the world; authorizing a 3.4% pay raise for our troops; expanding support for military families such as health care and housing; investing 15% more than 2009 for medical care, benefits claims processors, and facility improvements; and permitting veterans medically retired from active service to receive both military retirement and Veterans Disability Compensation.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the DNC commends the successful leadership by President Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress to provide a new direction for servicemembers, veterans and military families, and to deliver bipartisan results that make a real difference in their lives, and pledges that Democrats will never waver in our support for our servicemembers, veterans and military families.

SOURCE Democratic National Committee

"Torturing" the Moral Soul of America!

This week on Al Jazeera's Fault Lines, Josh Rushing joins a panel of experts in front of a live studio audience for a town hall debate on torture. We will ask what it will take to dismantle the Bush administration's legacy of torture and if those responsible will be held to account.

June 1, 2009
Bush's torture legacy Pt.1

Fault Lines: Panel of experts in front of a live studio audience for a town hall debate on torture


June 1, 2009
Bush's torture legacy Pt.2

Fault Lines: Panel of experts in front of a live studio audience for a town hall debate on torture

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

VA Hospitals Investigation

Disability Rights Advocates has been conducting an investigation into VA hospital access.


While their investigation is being targeted on the Veterans Care issue with the below recent report we can see that the Military Care issue, i.e. Walter Reed and More, is still having the same problems that finally came forward through great investigative reporting and shouldn't have existed nor still exist as to care for the returning active duty Military Personal especially from these theaters of occupations.


Mold infests Okla. barracks for wounded

LAWTON, Okla. — Mold infests the barracks that were set up here a year ago for wounded soldiers after poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center triggered a system wide overhaul, soldiers say.

Military and Veterans Care were a major issue for us returning Vietnam Veterans, a Major Issue!


While things improved, through the fights for change that the veterans brought to the Veterans Administration they've never changed enough for those who sacrifice their years and lives for service to the country. And far to often those changes have slipped back into the problems that existed before and the need to fight for the improvements is once again waged, over and over and over................., as we Veterans are finding we are Re-Fighting the battles once again for another generation of Military Personal and Military Veteran, with the help of caring civilians, caring civilians who's numbers are way to small in a society that owes much more to those who serve it for it's National Security.


When this country supposedly switched to a Professional Military many thought every facet would be Professional, especially as to care, we're once again finding a failed system, a failed system lacking the funding and administration that still stays a political tool of party politics and apathy of the civilian population.


In these present times All of this should have been set into place, starting to upgrade the Military and Veterans hospitals and clinics, well before Any Invasion of anothers country, and we have two long running occupations, was started, by the Previous Congresses who were beating the Drums Of War, and the Civilian Population should have Sacrificed and Supported these upgrades as they were Supporting the coming Invasions and occupations.


The problems Finally coming to light in the present Congress, that are Finally conducting the Investigations and Over site, we hire our representatives to do, are once again being shown as they were before, Failed Civilian and Military Leadership playing the same Political Games with those who serve this country and the country not willing to support the military personal and demand these problems are correctly fixed. They are coming about due to the Privatizing of the 'Preventive Maintenance', once taken care of with the ranks of the military, but now farmed out to private firms for profit, many publicly owned. They are happening because of the Political Appointed leadership and hiring of political personal in the administrations under them, not being hired due to knowledge of how to administer the government programs but on political ideology.


If still active duty and under the military physical and mental care, especially from either theater of occupation, and find problems with or difficulties in yours and others care, and your chain of command doesn't seem to be taking care of these problems, you should also contact DRA to help in their investigation, the above report shows the need!


This Country Owes It's Military and Veterans of!


Now to the battle, Again, and the DRA information:

As background, DRA is one of the two law firms that challenged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA’s) practices in failing to adequately treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and we also have a longstanding interest hospital access for individuals with disabilities. We have brought and successfully settled several lawsuits addressing hospital access, including an action against Kaiser and one against Sutter Health, which runs a large hospital chain in Northern California. We are also working on hospital access issues in other parts of the country. Now, Disability Rights Advocates is conducting an investigation of whether or not VA hospitals and clinics are accessible to patients with physical disabilities, specifically those who use a wheelchair or have other mobility limitations, and those who are blind or deaf. We would like to hear from disabled veterans who use VA hospitals and clinics about their experiences at these facilities.


We have come up with a list of the features that are part of this investigation. This list will provide veterans with more information about us and what we are looking for. We are asking for your help by posting this flier on your website and distributing it to your membership.


Please post and email as you see fit, and feel free to encourage others to forward the notice as they think appropriate.


I'm happy to discuss the investigation in greater detail with you or anyone else, both to clarify any questions and to discuss potential additional involvement. You can reach either me or Melissa at the number below. We really appreciate your help.


Thank you in advance for your assistance with our outreach.


Best,

Stephanie A. Biedermann

Arthur Liman Fellowship Attorney

Disability Rights Advocates
2001 Center Street, Third Floor
Berkeley, California 94704-1204
510.665.8644
510.665.8716 (TTY)
510.665.8511 (Fax)
Stephanie A. Biedermann

The following is the most recent file that I recieved from DRA and Stephanie and Melissa.

ATTENTION VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES


What: Disability Rights Advocates is conducting an investigation into the accessibility of VA hospitals and clinics around the country.

Who: If you have a mobility disability, a vision disability, a hearing disability, and/or a Traumatic Brain Injury, we would like to hear about your experiences.

Why: You are entitled to full access to VA hospitals and clinics and reasonable accommodations, whether or not your disability is service connected. We want to make sure that you are able to access VA medical facilities and services.


Architectural Barriers: Can you access VA hospitals and clinics? This includes all physical access to buildings, including entrances, parking lots, elevators, restrooms, waiting rooms, exam or treatment rooms, laboratories and pharmacies.

Access to Medical Equipment: Can you independently access medical equipment? This includes exam tables, exam chairs, scales, diagnostic testing equipment (such as x-ray machines, MRI machines, CT scans or Pet Scans), rehabilitation equipment, and other diagnostic treatment devices.

Experiences with the Staff: Have the people staffing VA hospitals and clinics been able to respond to your needs as a person with a disability? This includes information about whether the staff was knowledgeable and helpful in responding to any obstacles you may have faced due to your disability, whether architectural, communication related, or otherwise.

To set up at time to talk about your experiences at VA hospitals and/or clinics, please email VA Access, or call toll-free at 800/332-6177 (or TTY at 510/665-8716). None of the information you provide us will be disclosed without your permission.

DRA is one of the two law firms that is challenging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA’s) practices in failing to adequately treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and we also have a longstanding interest in ensuring disabled individuals’ equal access to medical care. For more information about DRA, please visit DRA Legal.

I have uploaded the files I've received from DRA to an online file sharing site, you will find the links to each below. You can download these files to your computers and use them yourself or to pass along to others who might aid in DRA's research and investigation.



This link will give you the most recent file, posted above in the quote box.


This link gives you a PDFile previously received and passed along


This link gives you a RTFile also previously received and passed along


Please use the files above to help in the DRA research and investigation, not only meant for Veterans and Military personal, and their families, but also in seeking the help of the civilian population who may observe problems that Disabled Veterans and Military personal might be experiencing in their care that the country owes them.


Improving Military and Veterans care, as it should have always been, will help in the Improvements needed in the countries population as a whole and care of!

Democratic 'Keynote' Convention Speaker

Who else would be better to be chosen as the 'Keynote' speaker at the Democratic Convention than one of those this country sent into a failed Foreign Policy Conflict and Occupation.

There are many to choose from, way too many, who have Sacrificed way too much for this country, but now that Senator Obama has made History and will Lead the Convention they need look no further than his own State for one who can speak of the incompetence within the Veterans Administration leadership, and the Administration, and the Failure of the Republican Controlled Federal Government, while beating the Drums of War Louder and Louder, failed to even Think about those returning from their War Of Choice, the results of which we've been finding out about as Congress finally got back to it's job of Oversite and Investigation, as well as the MSM!

Welcome to the Web site for the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, the state agency dedicated and committed to assist veterans and their family members get the services they have rightfully earned.


"Our veterans put their lives on the line to fight for our freedoms. Now, it is our time to fight for them. We owe it to them."

L. Tammy Duckworth
Director, DVA

Committed to Serving Country and Community
Director L. Tammy Duckworth was appointed Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs by Governor Blagojevich on November 21, 2006.

Director Duckworth brings considerable managerial experience to the department. She was the Manager for the Club and District Administration Department for Rotary Internationals Asia-Pacific Region from 2002 to 2004, with direct supervision over employees in five regional offices in Japan, New Delhi, Sydney, Seoul and Chicago, providing administrative services to the organizations tens of thousands of members.

From 1999 to 2001, Director Duckworth coordinated the Center for Nursing Research at Northern Illinois University. She is a published author with textbook chapters and articles on the effects of Environmental Radon and Lung Cancer.

As a member of the military, Director Duckworth is currently a Major with the Illinois National Guard. Previously she was the 106th Aviation Battalion Logistics Officer in Peoria, and later the Commander of B/1-106th Aviation, a 15-ship, UH-60A Blackhawk Helicopter Company located at the Chicago Midway Airport. She served in Iraq as a Battle Captain and Assistant Operations Officer for a 500-soldier aviation taskforce. She also flew combat missions as a Blackhawk pilot. It was during a mission in November 2004 that a rocket-propelled grenade struck the cockpit of the helicopter she was co-piloting and exploded. Director Duckworth suffered grave injuries, losing both legs and partial use of one arm.

Since coming home from Iraq, Director Duckworth has remained active in the public arena, regularly speaking to Veterans groups, testifying before Congress on issues of medical care for returning veterans and running for a U.S. Congressional seat.

As a Soldier, Director Duckworth received the Purple Heart and the Air Medal, along with other decorations, citations and badges.

Director Duckworth, who speaks four languages, has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Hawaii and an M.A. from the George Washington Universitys Elliott School of International Affairs. Her PhD studies on the topic: Public-Private Partnerships in Public Health programs was interrupted by her mobilization to serve in Iraq and subsequent injury.

Director Duckworth was born in Thailand and grew up in several countries in Southeast Asia. Her father Franklin Duckworth fought as a U.S. Marine in World War II and Vietnam.

Director Duckworth and her husband MAJ Bryan Bowlsbey, currently reside in Hoffman Estates, IL.

Than 'President Obama' can place Tammy at the Head of the Veterans Administration! Illinois Vets would be sad to loose her but happy for the Veterans and Countries gain!!

{Word is she is being considered to run for Barracks Senate Seat, she would be well placed in either position, but being the fighter she is she would be a powerful voice and Advocate for Veterans around the Country!}

Tammy Duckworth: IAVA's 2007 Veterans Leadership Award


If not Tammy for the 'Keynote' than Anyone of the few, Who Have Actually Sacrificed for Country, another OIF or OEF Veteran, Goldstar Mother or Father, Goldstar Wife or Husband of a Fallen Soldier, Goldstar Child of a Fallen Soldier, would be the right way to Start the Turn of this Ship of State towards it's New and Correct Direction!

Though it may not mean much, but within the speach, a Huge Apology to the Innocent Victims, those killed, those maimed, those ethnically cleansed and made into refugees, of our Failed Policy of Wars of Choice and Devestating Occupations would start the needed Healing, Hopefully!!

For as long as We are in these Theaters of Occupation 'We Are Responsible', and that Responsibility continues in Helping Rebuild that which we Destroyed for the wants of the few!