Army Suicides Soar Past 2008's Pace

The day after the shooting at a combat stress clinic in Iraq, new data released to Salon shows soldiers committing suicide at a record-setting pace. Is combat stress the reason?

The Army is on a pace this year to shatter the record suicide rate set among soldiers in 2008, according to data released by the Army to Salon. And the numbers, obtained a day after a patient at a combat stress clinic in Iraq killed five, suggest that combat stress may be contributing to the spike in suicides.

Who Is Really To Blame

WHEN TROOPS "GO POSTAL?"

Exhaused and stressed troops are our responsibility. Trying to cheat them out of benefits or push them out into homelessness and unemployment after we have "used them up" is immoral, unpatriotic and wrong. It has to be stopped.

'This Is Mental Health, Military-Style'

But long-time observers of the U.S. military say the shooting shows all the signs of a soldier pushed to the brink of insanity by repeated and consistent exposure to war. The 44-year-old Russell had spent many years of his life at war when he allegedly opened fire and killed five of his fellow soldiers. Russell was drawing to the end of his third tour in Iraq and had also served deployments in Bosnia and Kosovo.

"It was tragic, but unfortunately it doesn't surprise me given the way we're recycling them in and out of war zones," said Shad Meshad, head of the National Veterans Foundation, which runs a toll free hotline for soldiers having difficulty adjusting to civilian life.

"We are not doing a good job of treating these people as they serve two, three, or four tours in a combat zone," he added.

When PTSD Comes Marching Home

There is disconnection between everything human and what has to be done in combat. Imagine being in an unimaginable situation and having to do the unthinkable. How can this be done? A detachment between everything human and having to do the inconceivable resounds in combat.

- PTSD: A Soldier's Perspective

Some may find these books very helpful, others should find to be useful in the educational quality of understanding and research, and not only for combat veterans but civilian suffers of:

I Can Still Hear Their Cries, Even In My Sleep: A Journey Into PTSD

Veterans's PTSD Handbook: How to File and Collect on Claims for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The War Comes Home: Washington's Battle against America's Veterans

Vets Under Siege: How America Deceives and Dishonors Those Who Fight Our Battles

After the War Zone: A Practical Guide for Returning Troops and Their Families

Life After Deployment: Military families share reunion stories and advice

Moving A Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and America's Returning Troops

CALL TO ACTION: Veterans vs Country They Serve

Veterans vs Veterans Administration Case UpDate 6-25-08

Yesterday, the 25th, a ruling came down from the judge hearing the case, in San Francisco, 82 pages long, and not a surprise to this Vet. In the ruling the judge sided with the Veterans but had to push it to where it belongs, In Congress. Only Congress and the Excutive Branch, of the Peoples Government, can bring about the way to long overhall of the Veterans Administration. Everything that is being reported about the care to the returning Veterans, of the Wars and Occupations of Choice, is actually Old News, just ask the thousands of my brother, and sister, Veterans of Korea and Vietnam, and it's happening once again while these conflicts rage as it did back than. We call the present Military the Professional Military yet we continue the foulups that take place within the Government Agencies, Veterans Administration and DoD Health, that are charged with it's care, especially the Mental Trauma War brings on in the Soldiers and the Civilians in these Theaters of Occupation.

This Government, thus by extension it's agencies, are the People of this Country. We 'Hire' those in charge who in turn hire those that do the work. We pay the salaries and the bills, those who work in the federal system work for us, from the President right on down the whole Government.

The Veterans, and those personal still on Active duty, of this Countries Military, Serve the Country in Defense of. For that service they are owed by the Country the Best Care Available and the Best VA Care Agency in the World, they always have been, but Especially as this Country supports the Wars of Choice it's leaders sell to it. Over 70% were in Support, many were silent but in support many others were very vocal and calling and labeling those of us who saw what was coming every dispicable name they could come up with. Those of us opposed wear our guilt of not being able to stop what was to come and the continuing destruction, we were sadly right about what we saying and it's even been worse.

It is up to the People to give back what is owed to those who serve, Contact your Representatives, in Congress, both houses, and Demand the Overhall of the VA, long overdue! The support from the majority of this countries people has never been there, some speak it but few act on it. The ones who could be depended on to help us Veterans from past conflicts, after WWII, were many of the activists opposed to the conflicts, some of the family members of the veterans who understood, some professionals in physical and mental health fields and law, and caring civilians who were driven by what they saw and heard, and the veterans, but those numbers have always been a small percentage of this countries population.

We have a young generation now seemily getting more involved, they came out in opposition to the invasion, they have come out in greater numbers on the political scene, they are coming out on a whole host of issues as they see this country heading in a direction opposite of that they were taught and led to believe. The Active Duty and Veterans need that energy and dedication to come to their aid in fights with the government and country that shouldn't even be needed, but exist. And the older generations that haven't been there, you know who you are, need to step it up more than just a notch.

SF Federal Judge Refuses To Order Overhaul Of VA

A federal judge in San Francisco refused Wednesday to order an overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs' health care system, saying veterans groups who had sued for the changes should take their case elsewhere.

One of the groups who have been tirelessly, and extremely dedicated, working on this lawsuit has been the Disability Rights Advocates and their legal branch. Yesterday, after the ruling came down they posted this on their wensite:

June 25, 2008: Senior Federal District Court Judge Samuel Conti has issued his decision in the landmark case brought on behalf of veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury in July of 2007. The trial was conducted from April 21 30, 2008, and included a week of testimony in early March. The trial focused on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and adjudication systems for disabled veterans. The trial included testimony from the heads of national veterans’ organizations, top VA officials and some of the leading experts in the country on the widespread failings of the VA system.
Read the Press Release.
Read more about the Case

This is the press release, which is a downloadable file, linked above:

MEDIA ADVISORY


JUDGE RULES that VETS IN ptsd case should seek relief from congress — VETS RESOLVE TO APPEAL


WHAT:Decision After Trial—VCS, et al. v. Peake, et al.

JUDGE Senior Judge Samuel Conti, United States District Court, Northern District of California.

PRESS CONFERENCE: 2:30 p.m. PST, June 25, 2008, Morrison & Foerster LLP, 425 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, 11th Floor, check in with building security first and go to the 11th Floor; or dial in to listen to the conference: 1-800-755-6634

Senior Federal District Court Judge Samuel Conti has issued his decision in the landmark case brought on behalf of veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury in July of 2007. The trial was conducted from April 21‑30, 2008, and included a week of testimony in early March. The trial focused on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and adjudication systems for disabled veterans. The trial included testimony from the heads of national veterans’ organizations, top VA officials and some of the leading experts in the country on the widespread failings of the VA system.

In his decision, Judge Conti held that it is “clear to the Court” that “the VA may not be meeting all of the needs of the nation’s veterans.” He agreed with, and explicitly adopted, many of the factual assertions made by the veterans. Those include the following:

1“The suicide rate among veterans is significantly higher than that of the general population,” and there is “a strong connection between PTSD and suicide.”

2“One out of every three soldiers returning from Iraq was seen in the VA for a mental health visit within a year of their return” with PTSD being a “leading diagnosis.”

3“The high rates of PTSD among Iraq veterans are the result of various factors, including multiple deployments, the inability to identify the enemy, the lack of real safe zones, and the inadvertent killing of innocent civilians, ” as top VA officials admitted.

4“Initiatives such as screening veterans at risk, a suicide prevention database, emerging best practices for treatment, and education programs were all still at the ‘Pilot Stage’ three years” after VA’s Mental Health Strategic Plan was adopted.

5“It is beyond doubt that disability benefits are critical to many veterans and any delay in receiving these benefits can result in substantial and severe adverse consequences.”

6The VA’s track record with respect to delays in processing veterans’ appeals “is troubling.” It is taking veterans on average 4.4 years to adjudicate a benefits claim at the first two levels in the VA benefits system.

Nonetheless, Judge Conti concluded that the power to remedy this crisis lies with the other branches of government, including Congress and the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, holding VA’s failures to meet veterans’ needs are “beyond the power of this Court” and would “call for a complete overhaul of the VA system.” Judge Conti’s opinion states that Congress, and not the courts, needs to resolve the crisis facing our nation’s veterans. This underscores the importance of the ongoing congressional hearings that seek to find the truth, and to address the problems faced by our veterans. Now, more than ever, it is critical that Congress act. Plaintiffs very much appreciate Judge Conti's consideration, but disagree with his legal conclusions. Accordingly, Plaintiffs plan to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit so that these important legal questions can be addressed by a higher court. The full text of the decision can be found at Veterans PTSD Class Action.

Paul Sullivan, Director of Veterans for Common Sense, commented that “This ruling will only cause us to redouble our efforts and our pursuit of justice for our nation’s veterans. We will not rest until our job is finished.” Bob Handy, the Director for Veterans United for Truth, added: “Every time we feel discouraged or need to find our way, we always return to the VA’s motto, ‘To Care for Him Who Hath Borne the Battle, and His Widow and His Orphan,’ and that tells us what we need do.”

“The decision, if upheld on appeal, would suggest that veterans have no enforceable rights in America, and the Constitution does not apply to veterans. For all Americans, the implications of this decision are profoundly disturbing,” remarked the lead counsel for Plaintiffs, Gordon Erspamer. “Our fight on behalf of our veterans will continue.” Sid Wolinsky added, “I know that we will not rest until victory has been achieved and the suffering of our veterans ceases.”

Tragically, the VA has been neglecting wounded veterans returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan who are in desperate need of ongoing care and support, including medical treatment and disability payments for living expenses. Among those suffering the most are returning veterans with mental disabilities such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veteran suicides have reached an epidemic level, with over 120 veterans taking their own lives every week, and 1,000 suicide attempts per month amongst veterans under VA care. This lawsuit was unprecedented in directly challenging the VA’s 600,000 case backlog in handling claims, appellate delays of five to ten years, the waiting lists that veterans face before receiving health care, and the inadequacy of VA care for PTSD.

The trial brought to light many critical facts that the VA had tried to conceal or downplay. An internal e-mail from the VA’s head of mental health, Dr. Ira Katz, surfaced during the trial. At a time when the VA was reporting only 790 veteran suicide attempts in all of 2007, Katz wrote, “Shh!...Our suicide prevention coordinators are identifying about 1,000 suicide attempts per month…Is this something we should (carefully) address...before someone stumbles on it?” At trial it was also disclosed that the suicide rate of veterans is at least three times the national suicide rate and in 2005, the suicide rate for veterans 18-24 years old was three to four times higher than non-veterans.

We are grateful to Judge Conti for hearing our case and for allowing a public display of VA’s enormous systemic failures.


Client Contacts:

Paul Sullivan, Veterans for Common Sense
(202) 491-6953

Robert M. Handy, Veterans United for Truth
(805) 455-5259

Counsel:

Gordon P. Erspamer, Arturo J. González, Heather A. Moser
Morrison & Foerster LLP, Lead Counsel
(415) 268-7000

Sid M. Wolinsky, Ron Elsberry, Kasey Corbit,
Disability Rights Advocates
(510) 665-8644

This is The Courts Decision in PDF File and is 82 Pages long, if you would like to download and read.

Swords to Plowshares also put out a press release, after the ruling, in PDF that you can download here

Here are a few more articles you can read to find out more.

Judge rules court won't step in to aid vets

The federal government is subjecting veterans to long delays in obtaining mental health care and medical benefits, but the power to change the system rests with officials and Congress, not the courts, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled Wednesday in dismissing a lawsuit by veterans' advocates.

The VA is understaffed and takes an average of nearly 4 1/2 years to hear veterans' appeals of benefit denials, and a long-range improvement plan the agency adopted four years ago is still mostly in the pilot stages, the judge said.
But Conti said, "The remedies sought by plaintiffs are beyond the power of this court and would call for a complete overhaul of the VA system.

And what does the VA Administration think.

VA spokesman Phil Budahn said the agency was pleased with the ruling.

What would one expect, for it isn't the hard working Veterans Administration employees that create the failures of the agency, nor any government agency, though I don't blame some who get so frustrated they just go along and stop trying to correct the systems, it's the Political Appointee's to the leadership positions and those hired in the Administrations of these agencies. I wonder how long this Phil Budahn has been working in the Veterans Administration.

Veterans get mixed decision about mental health care from SF judge

Conti found that individual members would have standing to sue. “Given the dire consequences many of these veterans face without timely receipt of benefits or prompt treatment for medical conditions, especially depression and PTSD, these injuries are anything but conjectural or hypothetical,” he wrote.

Do you want to help erase the Vietnam Syndrom, at least a part of that, do you really 'Support The Troops' in more than words, cheap symbols, and maybe an occasional care package, than Contact Your Representatives Today and continue these contacts, as often as deemed necessary, keep the preasure on them, show the Soldiers and Veterans you really care for and support them for their service to the country you live in, Sacrifice your time and anything else needed to give them the help that shouldn't need to be asked for, but should already exist!

Press Conferance
by Gordon Erspamer of Morrison & Foerster LLP

A Big HatTip to Ernie1812 over at Vet Voice for this video!

Not Good News-Vets-PTSD

We need the Civilian population Now to come to the Aid of this Countries Veterans and start a Hard Lobby, to their Representatives, in Support of it's Veterans!

Especially for these Veterans of todays Conflicts, Support from the Country that was Overwelming, over 70%, in Favor of Invasion and Occupation and now Pays Little Heed to!

MEDIA ADVISORY
June 25, 2008

Contact: Amy Fairweather, Iraq Veteran Project (415) 252-4787 ext 356, (415)505-6558
Elinor Roberts, Legal Director (415) 252-4787 ext 317

JUDGE RULES AGAINST VETS IN PTSD CASE

WHAT: Decision After Trial—VCS, et al. v. Peake, et al.

JUDGE: Senior Judge Samuel Conti, United States District Court, Northern District of California.

Senior Federal District Court Judge Samuel Conti has ruled against veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other disabilities. The case, VCS et al. V. Peake et al. was brought on behalf of veterans to remedy the Department of Veterans Affairs failure to provide timely and adequate mental health care to veterans and to address the VA’s failure to provide fair and timely adjudication of veterans’ disability claims.

Judge Conti acknowledged the VA’s failings but ruled that it is not within the court’s power to remedy the situation.

Michael Blecker, Director of Swords to Plowshares, comments that, “Everyday that goes by without action, another 18 veterans commit suicide and hundreds of thousands of veterans are denied mental health care and the compensation they need to survive. At Swords to Plowshares, we deal everyday with homeless and mentally ill veterans. These veterans need medical care and disability compensation in the near term to prevent the outcomes we still see among our homeless Vietnam era clients. Veterans are giving up, committing suicide, it is a tragedy.”

Elinor Roberts, Swords to Plowshares Legal Director added, “The Court’s ruling is very disappointing, the decision lays out in great detail the failures of the VA, and yet the court will not act. If the Administration and Congress were exercising proper oversight of the VA, then these veterans would not have had to resort to the courts. The VA benefits system should have out a welcome mat, not a locked gate for desperate veterans to pound on to get in — or die waiting for it to open.”

The VA is under equipped to handle their existing caseload and take on an unprecedented wave of new veterans with traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Over 1.7 million service members have been deployed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of them repeatedly. The conditions in these wars are a recipe for PTSD, the urban combat, repeated deployments, 24/7 and 360 degree exposure to extreme combat trauma. Approximately one third of those returning from combat have PTSD or some mental health need.

These disabled veterans have to wait at least 6 months for an initial determination of their disability claims, and appeals can last years. In the meantime they are without resources, they are falling into poverty, unable to work and stuck in a bureaucratic battle for their earned disability compensation. The number of veteran suicides is overwhelming, with over 120 veterans taking their own lives every week, and 1000 suicide attempts per month amongst veterans under VA care. The suicide rate of veterans is at least three times the national suicide rate and in 2005, the suicide rate for veterans 18-24 years old was three to four times higher than non-veterans.

Amy Fairweather, Director of Swords to Plowshares Iraq Veteran Project adds, “There are good people on the ground in VA offices and vet centers, providing care, but the leadership made no provision to meet the wave of new combat veterans. There is no consistency of care, we get a steady stream of calls from Iraq veterans and their families struggling without care and benefits. The homelessness, joblessness, broken families and suicide, are heartbreaking.”

“We had hoped that the Judge would call for some independent oversight of the VA’s mental health services, to bring some consistency and accountability to the treatment of our veterans. We hope for a different outcome in the plaintiffs appeal. In the meantime, veterans and their families wait, suffer and die needlessly.”

******************

Additional news reports.

San Francisco Chronicle: Judge dismisses suit charging VA with shoddy mental health care

AP: Federal judge refuses to order overhaul of VA

******************

The Oppinion - PDF, it's 82 pages long, so decide if you want to download.

Army Asked to Probe Duty Standards

Yesterday, 3-07-08, I quickly posted this about a Breaking story on Redeployment of injured, physically and mentally, Iraq and Afgan Vets.

I'm bringing an update to that post hopefully as a way to place preasure on the Pentagon and Congress to carry through with Spec. Bryan Currie, 21, of Charleston, S.C. request, through the Army legal channels, for the Court of Inquiry to investigate top generals at Fort Carson; Fort Drum, N.Y.; and Fort Hood, Texas.

Also hoping that others, reading this, don't let this, or any of the many reports on Military/Veterans care that have finally surfaced and continue to do so, slip away. Pass any or all information to others, contact your Representatives, they work for you, and have them contact the Pentagon. In this primary season Contact first the Presidential Candidates, especially John McCain - Veteran, and tell them you want these reports addressed. Second contact your reps, especially if you have a republican? that was in Congress in the leadup to the Afganistan and Iraq Invasions, Demand answers as to Why Military/Veterans care wasn't Front and Center, Top of the List, in their Desire to send Troops into Harms Way. Forget about contacting the White House, we know how they would reply.

It wasn't that long ago, and most of them are old enough to remember, what Veterans from another Failed U.S. Foreign Policy went through on their return and many still are fighting the systems this Country has set in place through it's lawmakers, Systems and Agencies that should be the Tops, Bar None, in the World, what with our wealth and thirst for Wars of Choice!

More of the Lessons not learned from those Failed Destructive Policies of that time!

Currie, who was injured in Afghanistan by a blast from a roadside bomb, recovered from his physical injuries but suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder severe enough that an Army doctor wrote "cannot deploy" in his physical profile. But he was ordered back to combat anyway.

He went AWOL, the only option left to him, but he's coming out to Help himself and his Fellow Military Brothers and Sisters go up against a Military and Country that show they care Little about those they send to War! For that's what the answer to a question asked, by a 'Gold Star Mother', to the president, of his statement as to the 'Noble Cause'. In Conflicts/Wars of choice it isn't for Country and most certainly not for defending the National Security, on that point it just gives credence to those who've already come to hate us for our policies and increases their numbers for the truths we are showing, what we really are, not what we say we are!

The 'Noble Cause' is protecting ones self in any battle, but more importantly Protecting those you are serving with, be it on the battle fields of conflicts or battling the agencies you are supposed to be fighting for when one Serves their Country!

I quickly gave a few other examples of this Army Policy, here's a few more, if you didn't read yesterdays nor visited the link:

An unnamed Fort Carson soldier who was deployed from Cedar Springs psychiatric hospital in Colorado Springs before he could finish a 28-day treatment program for alcoholism. An Army e-mail, dated Dec. 14, 2007, shows the soldier was taking psychiatric medications, pending a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, "but that information was not passed on" before he was discharged.

Staff Sgt. Chad Barrett, 35, a Fort Carson soldier from Saltville, Va., who died in Iraq on Feb. 2. The Army is investigating the cause of his death.
"He allegedly was found not deployable by military medical personnel, but he was deployed anyway and reportedly committed suicide in Iraq in February 2008," the request says.
Barrett's wife, Shelby, who lives in Fountain, said Thursday that she does not believe her husband killed himself. She said she believes he died of a heart-related ailment, a condition that runs in his family.

As I posted yesterday, the News Conferance scheduled was probably going to be at the Differant Drummer Cafe in Watertown NY, it was.

Here's a short report on that News Conferance

"There was no care everywhere I looked. There was a lot of hazing from higher-ups. People that should be there to help platoon sergeants and stuff were just not there or didn't care," said Spec Bryan Currie, 10th Mountain Division.

There's also a Video Report from the Press Converance

Watching the Video, at the end, the camera shoots to Bryans hand, which is holding his wifes, or girlfriends, hand. Their hands are Shaking, and why, because this Country is putting this Man into the uncharted waters of More Trauma, after already living with the Trauma's of War, he never thought he needed to go, to Fight the Battle for the Support that should be a given, and she has joined him in these New Battles with her Love and Support, Where's The Country!!

For those wanting to post up the Video, I have downloaded it already and placed it Here - Blip TV and Here - Google Video as well as Here - Live Video

Recently I put up a couple of posts about "Supporting The Troops", { the links will lead to my site } here and here. In the second one, before even writing about what that means, I visited a few sites of those groups, Veterans sites, that Loudly Voice their Support and are the Only True Patriots That Do.

This is what one finds in their visits of first the Premeir Veterans Organizations:

The American Legion

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, war-time veterans organization, devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is a not-for-profit community-service organization which now numbers nearly 3 million members, men and women, in nearly 15,000 American Legion posts worldwide.

A quick search of their site finds extremely little, to none, of the Outrage this Huge Premier Veterans Group should be expressing about the reports that have finally been reaching the main stream, Us and Military Veterans about the preparation, in the leadup, and still unresolved, Care of this Generations Combat Veterans of Multitude Tours in Two Combat Theaters!

Not only that but the Almost Complete Silence as these reports come forward, nary, to absolutely none, a word from their Media Reps to the Public!

Their most recent post covers their support of American Legion Commander to Congress: Pass Surveillance Law Now.

How quickly many forget, if they ever spoke or read their Oath:

I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. (So help me God.)

They have a new video on their front page, but in the previous visit the video was about the want for pasage of a new Immigration Law. I would suggest to the 'Legion' they visit the memorial lists, of the present combat KIA's, and read the names. And with a little searching they can find out how many were Non-Citizens, of this Country, when they were Killed, with promises of becoming a Citizen of the Country They Are Serving! Than start thinking More Clearly about the Spin on Immigration and Service from those Born Into Citizenship!

The other Premier Veterans Group the Veterans of Foreign Wars is much better on their concern and voices as to the returning Combat Veterans, at least on their site as well as in their magazine. But Where Is The Leadership and their Media Voices in showing their Outrage and Disgust, once again, as each of these reports are serfacing into the main stream! I don't Hear it nor See It, I'm left, like the rest of us Veterans and Citizens of this Country, in Conflicts, to Search It Out, that's a Disgrace!!

If one reads their thoughts, and you read between the lines, you come away feeling there really isn't any Outrage just the use of words to satisfy what they are supposed to stand for but really don't!

No wonder many of us 'Nam Vets never joined their ranks.

That was one reason for me.

Here's another group, with a very noble cause under their banner POW's, Rolling Thunder, which many, like myself, thought they were really concerned with, untill they took 'The Wall' and their Rethoric in front of Political and that's how they approach the subject of the POW/MIA's and other Military/Veterans Issues, as they do with the present Military/Veterans Care issues and reports as well as the legislation, which is the reason many Veterans don't Participate with this group nor, what was once, a Very Noble Action, the Memorial Day Ceremonies in Washington, now tinged with Political Rethoric. Those that Serve don't do their Service for Political Ideology they do so for Country and All who inhabit same!

Many who ride with Rolling Thunder aren't Veterans, that's not a problem for those who aren't but Truely Support Non-Partison Non-Political Rethoric on issues important to the Military and Veterans. The ones who wear the Military Insignia's and try and act as Veterans but Never Served are the ones I have a Huge Problem With!

Another, we will be hearing mentioned in the coming weeks, leading up to the 5th anniversary of the start of the Iraq Invasion/Occupation Quagmire will be a new group, started well after the Invasion of Iraq, and made up of mostly Non-Military/Veterans but with a very Military/Patriotic sounding name Gathering of Eagles which on their front page they have a new post for a call to action, on the recent bombing of the recruiters station in New York with this statement:

We at GOE are therefore, calling all Eagles and supporters in the Northeast to join us as we stand in support of the troops stationed there. We will gather at 1230hrs until 1600hrs, this Saturday, 8 March in Times Square to serve notice that our troops do not cut and run, and neither do we.

Now I won't bore you with their posts on 'moonbats' and their imagined victories against 'code pink' or 'Gold Star Fathers' {not mentioned in my travels around their sites}, or Real Veterans Groups as they protect the Memorials of this Countries Wars, from the Rumours of Damage to be done to, guess where those Rumours originate {ahhhhh Folks we know how they start and by whom}, you can visit and read for yourselves.

But I will point out, there is Extremely Little to None, mention of Outrage on how our Returning Combat Veterans, of Multiple Tours in Two Theaters, are being treated, what with All The Reports, seems they're more concerned with keeping the Troops in these Theaters so they don't Cut and Run just like themselves, though their not even Close to their fears and enemies!

Why do I say we'll be hearing more from them, well their in planning for Winter Soldier II, you see like Winter Soldier I this is one of those fringe groups, none have been In-Theater, or at least I haven't seen any Iraq/Afgan Vets with those I've observed, who Actually Know who is Really a Combat Vet and Exactly what they saw or experinced, they have the Real Answers, not those testifying!

On March 15, 2008, Gathering of Eagles, in coordination with Move America Forward, Freedom’s Watch, The Band of Mothers, Vets for Freedom, DC Protest Warrior, Eagles Up, Free Republic, New England Warrior and rank and file patriotic Americans, will come together to Support Our Troops and their in-theater commander, General David Petraeus.
Under the banner AMERICANS STANDING UP, we will gather to face down the associated groups who are against everything we hold dear. We will stand united, wave Old Glory, and remind them that they speak neither for us nor for most Americans. We encourage you all to join us in Washington, DC . It is time to once again take back the streets and remind all those people
in their living rooms that there are people who think like them. It is time to once again remind the nation that our brave volunteers in uniform have earned our support. The Surge is working. The tide has turned. I promised some time ago to do everything in my power to BUY THE TROOPS SOME TIME TO WIN. I will stand and support them, come what may, and I look forward to seeing you, my brothers and sisters, again.

They had a post up, recently, about someone having Proof that those Testifying at 'Winter Soldier II' weren't Iraq/Afgan Vets, ought to be interesting to see this Proof, certainly didn't come from the DoD, like the 'Proof' from 'Winter Soldier I' not so long ago!

Again, ZIP about the Care Returning Military and Veterans are Receiving, to them they buy the propaganda the 'surge' is working, as Troops are Killed and Maimed, as well as the Iraq People, and they Really want them to Stay so More can get Killed and Maimed1 These are the same types who bitch about the Taxes they pay, not wanting to Really Sacrifice anything Themselves and Especially UpHold the Contracts made to those who join and serve!!

Oh and what about our old friends, who not only disgraced their service, but All us 'Nam Vets Service in Vietnam and Especially us Navy Personal, Swift Vets for Truth now calling themselves 'Swift Vets and POWs for Truth'.
Well it seems They Really Don't Care About The Returning Combat Veterans, on care, or frankly much else. Their lastest news posting comes from Dec 16, 2006, and their front page is still on John Kerry, go figure!!

Why is it the above, few groups, there are others, as well as civilian groups and parties, show so Little Outrage over the reports of how those who Serve are Treated, yet wrap themselves in a Flag, most never Served under or for, and Claim they are the Only Ones Who 'Support The Troops'!!

Why is it Newer Veterans Groups like Iraq and Afganistan Veterans of America, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Vote Vets, Veterans For Common Sense, Veterans For America, and there are others, especially smaller groups of recent veterans, on campuses and elsewhere, have to Visit the Halls of Congress, or Search Out Media Outlets that'll allow them to speak of what should already be a given, a Country Honoring the Contracts of those who Served it!

They follow groups like VVAW - Vietnam Veterans Against the War who not only waged the battle against the failed policies of that Conflict but fought for the Benefits they Deserved and were Promised!

Joining with them, but not so much against the failed policies, was Vietnam Veterans of America, pretty much a-political and non-partison, but a strong fighter for veterans rights, All Veterans!

Later, in the early 80's, Veterans For Peace was born

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
We, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. To this end we will work, with others
(a) Toward increasing public awareness of the costs of war.
(b) To restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations
(c) To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons
(d) To seek justice for veterans and victims of war
(e) To abolish war as an instrument of national policy.
To achieve these goals, members of Veterans For Peace pledge to use non-violent means and to maintain an organization that is both democratic and open with the understanding that all members are trusted to act in the best interests of the group for the larger purpose of world peace.

And are extremely strong advocates on Veterans Affairs and All that concerns Veterans!

There, once again, are some other groups out there, who are Strong Veterans Advocates, as well as Individuals, and they Don't Use Politics as their Crutch, they Stand and Fight Freely!

But why does this Country Force it's Veterans to Fight At All, only You can answer that!!

Speaking of Veterans and Military/Veterans Care:

From the VFP Newsletter:

VETERANS MARCH FOR PEACE - ESTABLISH FIELD HOSPITAL IN D.C.
March 19, 2008 - 9 a.m. - at 7th Street NW on the Mall

As many of you may be aware on March 19th, the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, VFP will be marching throughout Washington, DC. But what you may not realize is that we are also setting up a Field Hospital in McPherson Square. The purpose of this action is twofold. First all of the purpose is to bring attention to the problems of Veterans returning home and the lack of care from the VA. Secondly we hope to alert passersby to the reality of the horrors of war. Everyone is encouraged to join us!

Donate

Join Us

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Soldiers Want Answers, NOW!! {UpDated w/Video}

Has the Army not only lowered it's enlistment qualifications but also ignored the Health and Welfare, because of Physical and Mental health problems of already, once twice three time...., deployed Army Personal?

"Army policies and practices which permit the deployment of medically unfit soldiers."

A day after this: Screening for redeployment passes

A month-long investigation by Fort Carson's inspector general has found that screening processes for soldiers returning to war are sound, according to Maj. Gen. Mark Graham, commanding general at Fort Carson.
The investigation found that a lag in paperwork prompted Fort Carson in January to report that 79 soldiers who were deemed medical "no-gos" at a screening site were deployed, though the actual number was much lower.

Lets just say there should be None, Zero, redeployed into any Theater of Conflict!

The Soldiers come back with this: Soldiers seek deployment probe

Secretary of the Army Pete Geren will be asked today to convene a panel of officers to investigate "Army policies and practices which permit the deployment of medically unfit soldiers."
Spec. Bryan Currie, 21, of Charleston, S.C., will ask Geren to convene a Court of Inquiry — a rarely used administrative fact-finding process — to investigate top generals at Fort Carson; Fort Drum, N.Y.; and Fort Hood, Texas.

A few of the listed Incidents:

• Lotero, a soldier diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder "who was subjected to ridicule and threats for seeking medical attention."

• Master Sgt. Denny Nelson, who had a severe foot injury and was deployed to Kuwait. A physician in Kuwait urged in an e-mail to the brigade surgeon that Nelson be sent back to the United States: "This soldier should NOT have even left CONUS (the U.S.). . . . In his current state, he is not full-mission capable, and in his current condition is a risk to further injury to himself, others and his unit."

There are more at article link

Font and Citizen Soldier, a veterans advocacy group, plan a news conference today in Watertown, N.Y. Copies of the request will be provided to the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, Font said.

The news Conferance will probably be held at The Differant Drummer Cafe in Watertown, home to Fort Drum.

Press Conferance Report

Soldier Files Deployment Probe

You can find this report here

"There was no care everywhere I looked. There was a lot of hazing from higher-ups. People that should be there to help platoon sergeants and stuff were just not there or didn't care," said Spec Bryan Currie, 10th Mountain Division.

While serving in Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division Currie was hit by a roadside bomb.

"Sustained a broken jaw, broken cheek bone, lost four teeth, burned my hands. I've got shrapnel wounds, PTSD, lacerated my lip I had to get stitches, my knees were swollen, I couldn't walk the dashboard crushed my legs," said Currie.

Arrested AWOL Soldier Needs Your Support

And he's not the only one, nor is he going to be the last!

First I'll give you the jist of the Why Sgt. Brad Gaskins made the news, AWOL and Arrested, the reason for why he was AWOL in the first place.


AWOL soldier seeking treatment arrested

The article title says it all.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — A soldier who served two combat tours in Iraq was arrested Wednesday for leaving the Army without permission more than a year ago to seek treatment for post traumatic stress disorder.

Snip

Tod Ensign, an attorney with Citizen Soldier, a GI rights group that is representing Gaskins, said the case is part of a "coming tsunami" of mental health problems involving Iraq and Afghanistan vets.

The "tsunami" is already here and growing, explained further after initial article on the sarge.

Last month, the Veterans Administration said more than 100,000 soldiers were being treated for mental health problems, and half of those specifically for PTSD.

That's only part of the story, those are the numbers, as stated, being treated.

An eight-year Army veteran, Gaskins served two tours in Iraq and a peacekeeping tour in Kosovo. He said his mental health began deteriorating during his second tour in Iraq, which began in June 2005, when his job was to conduct road searches and locate improvised explosive devices.

He said after returning to Fort Drum in February 2006, he began suffering flashbacks and nightmares, headaches, sleeplessness, weight loss and mood swings that took him from depression to irrational rages. Military doctors sent him to the Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, where he spent two weeks and was diagnosed with PTSD. When he later asked his commanders about returning to Samaritan, they told him it would delay any chance he had at obtaining a medical release, Gaskins said.

At the time, the Fort Drum mental health facility had a staff of a dozen caring for approximately 17,000 troops, Ensign said.

A dozen in staff caring for 17,000, again only part of the story.

PTSD a growing problem for the military

Just as his press conference about his mental illness was coming to an end Sergeant Brad Gaskins was arrested. When Gaskins asked what he did wrong an officer responded "you're a deserter".

Watch Video about Sgt. Brad Gaskins arrest {Windows Media Player}

Now lets get to even more about what is going on here and the Why? Sgt Gaskins took it on himself to go AWOL searching for care not given by the Military, with their Huge Defense Budgets, nor the Society, with their magnetic "Support" ribbons and their Representatives, especially the R's, who didn't forsee this "tsunami" coming. Giving everything wanted to the administration rushing to invasion but giving little to those sent to invade!

Those that follow the reports, on PTSD, aired on NPR Radio, know well those reported by Daniel Zwerdling, well he's got another updated report today, 11-15-07.


Army Dismissals for Mental Health, Misconduct Rise

You can listen to Zwerdlings report at above link.

Here's a few snippets from the site writeup.


All Things Considered, November 15, 2007 ·

New Pentagon figures released to NPR show that since the United States invaded Iraq, officers have kicked out far more troops for having behavior issues that are potentially linked to post-traumatic stress disorder than they did before the war.

Snip


NPR has reported that servicemen and women who come home with serious mental-health problems, such as PTSD, often can't get the medical treatment they need.

And some commanders, in fact, have kicked troubled troops out of the military instead of trying to help them.


Snip

We've heard the reports now Zwerdling has the Army Report, once again Army report, the Marines never got back to him on his request.

Rise in Personality Disorder and Misconduct Dismissals

an Army chart, which NPR recently received, shows that since the United States invaded Iraq:

— Commanders have discharged almost 20 percent more soldiers for "misconduct" than they did in the same period before the war;

— Commanders have discharged more than twice as many soldiers for "drug abuse" (a subset of the "misconduct" category);

— Commanders have discharged almost 40 percent more soldiers for "personality disorder."

In all, the Army has kicked out more than 28,000 soldiers since the war in Iraq began on the grounds of personality disorder and misconduct.

Those statistics "trouble me," says Stephen Xenakis, a psychiatrist and retired brigadier general who used to help run the Army medical system.

"It raises questions," he says. "Are we doing the right thing by the soldiers?"

Behaviors Linked to PTSD

"That's exactly how those problems would show up," Xenakis says. "Drinking, drugs … (the soldiers) medicate themselves. They say 'Why should I keep my uniform all starched and neat when I just buried two of my buddies?'"

Yet, the troops NPR has interviewed had trouble getting intensive medical treatment. Instead, their commanders discharged them for "misconduct," which means the soldiers lost some or all of their military benefits.

Booted out of sight out of mind and back into the society unawares of how troubled some of these military personal are nor how self destructive they may become!

Personality Disorder: 'Deeply Stigmatizing Diagnosis'

Shay says that when the military diagnoses soldiers with personality disorder, it is saying, in effect, that fighting in the war didn't cause their mental health problems.

"It's saying, in essence, you're rotten and have been rotten since childhood," he says.

And those who Support what is going on, and a Congress Unwilling to Stop it nor hold those Responsible for creating, once again, a National Tragedy, are telling these troops the exact same thing!


Avoiding Paying Disability Benefits?

"It troubles me that it appears that sometimes, mental-health professionals are ready to be the willing servants of the command," Shay says.

He worries that military doctors are telling commanders, in effect, "'If you want me to get this kid out quickly, I'll do it. It doesn't matter how much I have to bend my own conscience or bend the facts to do it.'"

It isn't only the mental health professionals, what this Shays says above falls More on the Civilian and Military leadership, and This Whole Damn Country, who Are Totally Responsible for their Apathy and Self Centered Ideologies!!

Blog Crawl 1-24-07

PTSD Combat : Winning the War Within

DoD Mental Health Task Force Update
Posted: 24 Jan 2007 01:07 AM CST

Today's News-Tribune devotes 20 full column inches of real estate to the just-concluded two day DoD Mental Health Task Force meeting held in Tacoma, Wash. I'll update with a link to the full article when it's available. In the meantime, columnist Mike Gilbert's blog offers a few.............

The Search is On for Objective, Biological Test for PTSD
Posted: 23 Jan 2007 11:01 PM CST

From Marine Times: Rather than argue over whether a 15-minute survey can determine if service members suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers are trying to find biological ways to make the diagnosis. “We’re looking for an objective, independent, biological...............

Reporting on Today's Changing Journalism
Posted: 23 Jan 2007 05:49 PM CST

Some quick links to share my coverage of the Journalism That Matters and National Conference for Media Reform gatherings in Memphis earlier this month. Most recent report at the top, filed just a few hours ago with ePluribus Media: War on Press -- Press on War Looking Back on.............

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Jan Barry
Children of War

For Americans to break our addiction to war, it will take families working together to live year-round the peace and joy to the world that we sing in Christmas and New Year’s greetings.

One of the tragedies of the war in Iraq is that our soldiers, many of whom are sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans, marched off to a war that bore all the warning signs of the disaster in Vietnam. Like their parents, they eagerly went off to fight in a foreign land they knew nothing about, for a cause that collapsed in the light of the actual facts. What does it take to break such a cycle of excitement and disaster?

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Mojo Blog:
Mother Jones
Our take on the news of the moment, updated hourly.

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An Arab Woman Blues
A Picture is worth a 1000 words.

My dear Friend K. sent me a photo of her country. A beautiful scenic view of a sunset, wishing that one day I will be able to visit this beauty spot where she lives.
I wanted to return in kind. So I checked not less than 100 pages on the Web.
I googled "Pictures of Iraq " "Photos from Iraq" and all that I could find were the following Pictures :

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NAM GUARDIAN ANGEL
Blair rejects call for Iraq withdrawal

Tony Blair has rejected a call for an October pull-out of UK troops from Iraq - but ducked discussing the issue with MPs at a Commons debate on the conflict.
In a deliberate breach of parliamentary etiquette, the leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties appeared in the chamber - despite Mr Blair's decision to attend a CBI conference of business leaders in London instead.

Kathie also has some great Video Productions she has put together on her Long Activism on PTSD, at the top of the site

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Mike Ferner

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Eric Blumrich - BushFlash