Stand Up For Veteran's Caregivers

This video provides insights into the real-life challenges that family caregivers face when caring for a loved one with severe wounds or disabilities from their military service

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

Michelle Obama - Military Spouses

In her campaign travels Michelle has been meeting with the Spouses of our Military Personal, holding round table discussions on what their experiances are and giving a window into one of her causes if Barack is Elected and she becomes the First Lady.


CBS has a couple of video's of a recent interview done with Michelle, touching on a number of issues of who she is and what she does, there's also a report that accompanies.

Every few weeks, Obama meets with military spouses in swing states, where she presents herself as a kindred spirit and Barack Obama as the best choice for their families. She attended the two debates with military family members. And at the Democratic National Convention, she led a day of service on behalf of Blue Star Families for Obama, a two-month old group with the tagline: “Pro-Military, Pro-Obama.”

The spouses of service members captured her attention during a roundtable with working mothers, and she later hosted her first military-focused event in Fayetteville in May, a day before the North Carolina primary.

She will hold her seventh military spouses meeting Tuesday in Pensacola, Fla., following similar events in recent months in states heavily impacted by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, including Virginia, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

At each roundtable, she sits on stage with several spouses, delivers prepared remarks and opens a discussion. The roundtables draws local media coverage, and she answers questions about her involvement when asked by national reporters, as she did during an interview with CNN at the Democratic convention.

“Mostly I am here to listen and to do a lot of learning and then to transfer that information into the heart and mind of my husband as he moves forth,” Michelle Obama said in Norfolk, Va., in August. “The commander in chief doesn’t just need to know how to lead the military, he needs to understand what war does to military families.”

Her work in this area offers a hint at what could dominate her time in the White House.

“If she becomes first lady, this will be her cause,” said Amanda McBreen, 47, a Marine wife who participated in the Norfolk roundtable and helps coordinate 24 state chapters of Blue Star Families for Obama.

In recents stop in Charlotte and Greensboro NC she held a couple of those round tables discussions, Michelle Obama makes stops in N.C., a video news report of the one in Charlotte and the one in Greensboro NC


The CBS report mentions an interview she also recently did with U.S. News & World Report.


I Would Work to Help Working Families and Military Families

"Mom," Malia, our 10-year-old, said. "We have something important to tell you. We need to have a sleepover!"

That snapped me out of speech mode, with the bright lights and applause, and back into the role I love: Mom. The next night, 15 giggling girls—my daughters, the Biden granddaughters, and friends—took over our hotel room.

If Barack is elected president, I would be honored to be first lady. I would work daily on the issues closest to my heart: helping working women and families, particularly military families. But as my girls reminded me in Denver, even as first lady, my No. 1 job would still be Mom. At 7 and 10, our daughters are young. If we move to Washington, my first priority will be to ensure they stay grounded and healthy, with normal childhoods—including homework, chores, dance, and soccer.

We've talked to mothers whose salaries can't cover the cost of groceries—but if they take a second job, they can't afford the additional cost of child care. More than 22 million working women don't have paid sick days. Millions of women are doing the same jobs as men—but they're earning less.

It's even harder for military spouses. Their husbands and wives are away serving our nation for months at a time. So they have to be Mom and Dad. They're working, checking in on their in-laws, helping with homework, and doling out discipline—and every night, they're praying with all their hearts for their loved ones' safe return. These families aren't asking the government to fix their problems. They're asking for it to understand what's happening to their families and to find real ways to help.

Here's the CBS News interview video's.


Part 1



Part 2

And occasionally, when our daughters insist, we'll host sleepovers, too.

The Extremely Important Presidential Candidate Forum That Wasn't

We have two theaters of occupations of others in destroyed countries, destroyed by us, one in continuing destruction from others before to us now and our broken promises of helping to rebuild as that theater grows more dangerous, the other totally destroyed on the trumped up lies of a twisted ideology of a few, tens of thousands dead and maimed, millions living as refugee's, billions of dollars wasted, stolen, lost in the machine of war profitteering, soldiers serving mutiple tours in both, families of same scraficing as a nation that is not moves along, most not caring what is happening In Their Names.

We call this "The War On Terror" and in the seven years these conflict theaters have been raging all we've created are the hatreds that will feed the ranks of the criminal terrorists leading to damaged National Securities around the globe and more theaters of death, destruction and occupations.

The sub title of this 'War On Terrorism' has been sold to all as a clash of twisted religious ideologies, a 'Religious War', on all sides. Those war hawks supporting and pushing these ideologies, few of them fighting, define everything about these clashes with political and religious labels, those opposed are left to define in same manner.

Tonight, as we approach the 2008 elections, we will have the first face to face forum of the Presidential Candidates, and where will that forum take place, in of all places a mega church presided over, and moderated by a best-selling pastor, Rick Warren.

This in a Country that labels itself as a Christian Nation, comfortably attempting to push all other religious ideologies of it's citizens out of site and mind. A nation where those that individually preach their christian faiths in the teachings of rarely follow those teachings, picking and choosing the teachings each feels comfortable with in their lives while living with intolerance of others and placing political ideologies front and center as the religion they follow.

There was a Presidential Candidate Forum of much more meaning that was to be and should have been the first. It would have brought forth what this Nation and it's Presidential Candidates should be focussed on for in what direction this nation is heading, what are it's moral standards, how it should lead by the examples it says it has but continuingly fails to follow, how it takes care of those who serve it's National Defense and the families of those who serve and much more, but it didn't happen.

Let me introduce the young lady that was spear heading this attempted Presidential Forum:


"Military Spouses Working to Improve Lives of Soldiers"


Carissa is, Carissa Picard, A Blue Star Wife and President/Founder of Military Spouses for Change at P.O. Box 216, Copperas Cove, TX 76522

And these are just some of the Advocacy Groups working with her:

The Town Hall Consortium is made up of:

American Veterans

Brain Injury Association of America

Disabled Veterans of America

Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States

Fleet Reserve Association

Military Officers Association of America

Military Order of the Purple Heart

Military Spouse Corporate Career Network

National Spinal Cord INjury Association

The Sanctuary International

Veterans for Common Sense

Veterans United for Truth

Vietnam Veterans of America

Veterans Village

WELLsville Veterans Project


Carissa tried, along with others, to also get a Candidate Forum for the primary runs of both political parties and all the candidates, that to didn't happen.

This is an article from back than:

War uneasiness could loosen GOP's hold on military votes

This is a Video report from back than:

"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.

The one that should have been was the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall to take place on Monday August 11, 2008, 9:00 pm (EST) at the Bell County Expo Center, Belton, Texas and carried live on the CBS Television Network.

Neither of these important forums failed because of a lack of extremely hard work or poor planning, they did so because the Presidential Candidates, in the primary runs, and now approaching the elections didn't want them, nor did the greater majority of this countries voter population. The latter was proven out by posting about these on the political interactive web forums and the replys given and not given.

Breaking the cycle of war making: our country will not find peace until we take responsibility for our wars. from Heal the Warrior, Heal the Country

The forum that was to be this past monday was accepted by one presidential candidates camp, in word only, the other said that previous committments interfeared, with the Town Hall Consortium saying they would work with both to find a suitable date.

As the date was closing in the Consortium suspended the forum. The candidate camp that had accepted, instead of using that suspension as a political point, instead ignored and came out with a series of other attack ads and no mention in the stump speaches, the other camp also hasn't mentioned the forum, meanwhile our soldiers and their families still carry the countries burden of sacrifice. The voting population seems also to have brushed it aside as it wasn't, to them, important enough to stand behind and fight for!

While everyone hangs on to every word of tonights religious? Presidential Candidate Forum, listening to every word and many waiting to write about how each candidate faired, the Occupations go on, the destruction continues, the body counts go up, the billions are spent, the hatreds are increased, and this country continues it's downward spiral away from it's stated beliefs!

This is a pretty good description of what is to come tonight, as shown on MSNBC Countdown last night:



And this is a tiny window on how lives have been changed:

A Thank You to Those Who Care for Our Nation's Wounded




"Military Spouses for Change" is working to improve the lives of soldiers and their families. They want to convince government to improve health care, treatment for PTSD and other issues that soldiers face when they return home.

That 'Government' is You!!

"We want this dialogue, we want this conversation to occur, we want the American public to be watching it as it happens," Military Spouses for Change President Carissa Picard said.

Again I'll say, neither Presidential Candidate Camp wanted this forum, but more Importantly neither did the American Voters, either party!

Military Spouses - A Thank You

Thanks to Ilona Meagher over at PTSD Combat: Winning the War Within, with a hattip to VA Watchdog, for posting the following.

Though bowed,
You are not broken.
Though stretched,
You're strong, my friend.
You are resilient like a willow --
You'll find your spring again.
Though your branches
Now weigh heavy,
Your roots go deep and true.
This is just a change of season --
God has better plans for you.

-- Sharon Hudnell

A Thank You to Those Who Care for Our Nation's Wounded



Visit the link directly above for the rest of what Ilona posted on this, and visit hers and the VA Watchdog links for a host of important information.

Fort Hood Town Hall Presidential Forum

The country's wartime status has riddled this Presidential election year with added questions.

That's why several non-profit military groups have come together to try to hold a Presidential town hall meeting at Fort Hood.

Sen. Barack Obama is the missing ingredient for a town hall meeting at Fort Hood.

This is a nobrainer for the Obama Campaign, especially as to recent remarks by Senator McCain, and he isn't as great as he and others think as to Town Halls or other formats. The Obama camp have many like Wesley Clark and other knowledgable Veterans of our Military who have more than just his back, as well as the many running on the same ticket for federal offices.

Senator Obama can hold more than his own, and this Country needs this Forum to take Place, more than the ones linked below and any others!

The other day I posted up this on a few sites and sent it out. On two of the sites the post was attacked by a few simple minded bots. I'm using the KOS post as one person replying there really got under not only mine but others skin, no matter what was posted to the many replys used following almost the same line. I would have just blown this person off, as I used above as a political party bot or even troll, except for finding another slam reply in another post about a small, they say their large, purely partison political group of Veterans of the current occupations, refering back to the Consortium trying to get an Up or Down from the Obama Camp. The person replying accused this Consortium of this being a purely political Setup and Poorly Planned refering to how it had setup a couple of political meetings recently sucfcessfully, only in it's mind I'll bet. It showed me how lacking not not only in understanding how to organize but how little there was of Common Sense and Critical Thought within as well as being totally lazy and not following the links before replying.

I'm posting this recent one to further a call for those interested, Especially the Great Majority who have not nor will be Sacrificing Anything, to Help make this Extremely Important Town Hall Forum take place to please get involved! The rest can just move on and continue chatting.

Those interested follow the links etc below. Thank You from a 'Nam Vet!


The Town Hall Consortium is made up of:

American Veterans

Brain Injury Association of America

Disabled Veterans of America

Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States

Fleet Reserve Association

Military Officers Association of America

Military Order of the Purple Heart

Military Spouse Corporate Career Network

National Spinal Cord INjury Association

The Sanctuary International

Veterans for Common Sense

Veterans United for Truth

Vietnam Veterans of America

Veterans Village

WELLsville Veterans Project

"We want this dialogue, we want this conversation to occur, we want the American public to be watching it as it happens," Military Spouses for Change President Carissa Picard said.

John McCain has agreed to come, and CBS is on board to air it live. And, the Bell County Expo Center has been reserved.

Both of these Candidates owe answers to candid questions from more than these groups and this country, at a time we are still in two very dangerous theaters of occupation. They owe those who have died for their service, under the orders of this present administration, the 4122 in Iraq and 556 in Afganistan as of 7-18-08 as well as those tens of thousands injured and maimed physically and mentally. They owe their answers to the tens of thousands of family members of those serving mutiple tours and stop lossed, the very small percentage of this countries citizens actually sacrificing as the country goes about unraveled and seemingly uncaring.

Both candidates are also considering two other proposed joint appearances: one at the LBJ Library at the University of Texas and another at the Reagan Library in California.

If the Fort Hood event happens, it is tentatively scheduled for 8 p.m., Monday, August 11, at the Bell County Expo Center in Belton.

This is not a new idea nor one done on the quick. Military Spouses for Change, along with others, were trying to get those running for the Presidential Office, from both parties, long before it was down to two Candidates, with very puzzeling results, puzzeling results for myself, a 'Nam Veteran, and many others, those serving in OIF and OEF, the families of, those returned with mental and physical injuries, and more, some of the many candidates OK'd the forum others didn't and it never went on because of a Disinterested Country!

This is an article from back than:

War uneasiness could loosen GOP's hold on military votes

Look anywhere in Killeen, home to the sprawling Fort Hood army base, and there are patriotic signs like the giant banner that greets shoppers entering the local Wal-Mart: "Fort Hood Texas, Home of America's Hammer!"

But beneath the bravado and bluster you find a more volatile mix of emotions – frustration, anxiety and anger – among military families after five years of war in Iraq.

We all know of the extremely poor planning, and lies, that went in to both these theaters of occupation by the administration and the congress that was in office at the time and what little that congress did in their jobs of oversite and investigation as well as funding for the care of the returning Veterans and much more, and under which political ideology that power existed. Leading to investigation, oversite, and much condemnations of what little was done, keeping the present congress more than busy trying to correct the failed policies, failed policies across the board!

This is a Video report from back than:

"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.

Military Spouses for Change are trying to lure Democratic and Republican candidates to address the largest military community in the country face-to-face. "These candidates are asking to be the next commander in chief. I feel like our families and service members, if nothing else, deserve an audience," organizer Carissa Picard said.

Soldiers' wives trying to lure presidential candidates to Fort Hood

Spouse group: Action needed for wounded vets

Let a few Veterans speak to the Senator and Country:

WE NEED OBAMA TO COMMIT TO EVENT AT MILITARY BASE

DEAR SENATOR,
MY NAME IS ASHLEY MILLER AND I AM A VETERAN OF THE IRAQ WAR. I LEFT THE U.S. ARMY IN 2006, AND I AM A SUPPORTER OF THE BARACK OBAMA CAMPAIGN. I FEEL THAT YOU ARE A GREAT CANDIDATE, FOR MANY REASONS. I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE A NEW VOICE THAT WE AS AMERICANS NEED IN ORDER TO HELP OUR COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE IN THE YEARS TO COME. I FULLY SUPPORT YOU, SENATOR OBAMA, AND I WANT YOU TO WIN. HOWEVER, AFTER READING THE PRESS RELEASES ON THE EVENT THAT IS SET TO TAKE PLACE ON AUGUST 11TH, AT THE TOWN HALL IN BELTON, TX, I AM DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET COMMITTED TO COMING TO THIS EVENT. THE EVENT WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SEAT 6,000 SOLDIERS, SPOUSES AND VETERANS CURRENTLY ONLY HAS A COMMITMENT FROM SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SENATOR OBAMA TO ATTEND. IT IS TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BOTH PARTIES, MCCAIN AND OBAMA HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REALIZE THAT BY NOT ATTENDING THE EVENT HERE AT FORT HOOD YOU ARE RISKING VOTES OF 44 MILLION PEOPLE. ALL OF WHICH ARE SOLDIERS AND VETERANS AS WELL AS THEIR SPOUSES. ALTHOUGH I AM AN OBAMA SUPPORTER, I CAN'T STRESS TO YOU ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR BOTH PARTIES TO ATTEND, SO THAT THE ISSUES OUR MILITARY HAS BEEN FACING CAN BE DISCUSSED. WE AS OBAMA SUPPORTERS NEED YOU TO BE HERE AS A VOICE FOR OUR SOLDIERS AND VETERANS. WE NEED THAT COMMITMENT, AND I THINK IT IS OWED TO ALL OF OUR SOLDIERS AND OUR FAMILIES FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT TO COMMIT TO DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES AND MAKING LIVES BETTER FOR THE MILITARY. WE NEED BOTH CANDIDATES TO HEAR OUR SOLDIERS, THEIR SPOUSES AND OUR VETERANS. AS WE ARE THE LARGEST PART OF AN ELECTION PROCESS.

PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK... THERE IS A PETITION THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET TOGETHER TO SEND TO SENATOR OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN... THIS PETITION IS FOR EVERYONE WHO AGREES THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SENATOR OBAMA TO COMMIT TO SPEAKING WITH THE SOLDIERS HERE IN THE FT. HOOD AREA. IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH PARTIES, AS THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH MEMBERS BOTH OLD AND NEW OF THE MILITARY TO DISCUSS ISSUES, AND TO HELP FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE BETTER BENEFITS AND LIFE FOR OUR HEROES. IF SENATOR OBAMA DOESN'T COMMIT TO COMING TO THIS EVENT IN AUGUST, NEITHER CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THIS CONVENTION. THUS, RESULTING IN OUR SOLDIERS NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK WITH OUR FUTURE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ON THE ISSUES THEY ARE FACING. IF ANYONE BELIEVES THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR BOTH PARTIES TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, AND FOR SENATOR OBAMA TO COMMIT TO THIS EVENT SO OUR MILITARY CAN SPEAK ON THE CURRENT ISSUES THEIR FAMILIES AND THEMSELVES FACE, PLEASE SIGN AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/senatorobama/index.html
REGARDS,

ASHLEY N. MILLER
OIF VETERAN
KILLEEN, TX 76549

And this:

Open Letter To Barack Obama: Veterans Want To Hear From You

On August 11 of this year the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium is planning to host a non-partisan town hall event and while John McCain has agreed to participate in this televised event, you have not committed to participate.
BigFella :: Open Letter To Barack Obama: Veterans Want To Hear From You
As a committed Barack Obama supporter, and a Viet Nam era veteran, I implore you and your campaign staff and advisers to reconsider your decision to decline to participate in the non-partisan, town hall forum, to be presented by the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium on August 11. I don't know the reasons why you are declining to participate in this event, but I can assure you, that despite the fact that this event would occur in a military community with a majority in-house military audience, politically speaking, the audience will encompass a broad spectrum of political ideologies, however, my understanding is that the primary "mission" of the town hall forum is not political debate, but discussion that would lead to greater awareness of the health and welfare issues facing those who serve in our military forces, and an opportunity for each candidate to outline his strategic plans in this regard.

I know that you, Senator Obama were a sponsor of S.1817 and are concerned about the care and support our country is providing to those who have volunteered to serve our nation, and by participating in this forum you can further demonstrate your commitment to be a future commander-in-chief that will exercise compassion and good judgment in your management of our military forces, and your support of those who have served in the past.

From your speech on July 15, it is apparent that if you are elected president, you will move to end the folly of our engagement in Iraq, but will also reinforce our military presence in Afghanistan, for obvious, and logical reasons. It is only logical then, that Senator Obama, in the short time leading up to the national elections and the sitting of a new administration in 2009, you would be open and amendable to hearing directly from those Americans who will be serving at under your command, on critical, dangerous missions.

If your staff has lost your invitation to this important discussion, you can make contact here for the details: Military Spouses for Change

And this also:

An Open Letter to Senator Barack Obama

Dear Senator Obama,

My name is Ronn Cantu and I'm a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army. I'm assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division and stationed at Fort Hood, TX.

I would like to begin this letter by thanking you for your recent vote in favor of updating the GI Bill. Education benefits such as this will ensure that today's members of the Armed Forces become tomorrow's professional and productive members of society.

I would also like to thank you for voting to increase the funding for health-care-related issues, and for ensuring that said funding takes into account the veteran population and current level of inflation. Despite these bills being rejected, it's good to see some of our elected officials fighting to get our nation's wounded the care that they deserve.

I read an article in the July 12 edition of the New York Times titled "Obama Won't Commit to Event at Military Base." The article confused me, because in a recent Army Times article titled "If Obama Wins," you were quoted as saying "Precisely because I have not served in uniform, I am somebody who strongly believes I have to earn the trust of men and women in uniform."

The NY Times article mentioned, and it bears repeating, that Fort Hood is the largest active-duty military installation in the country. Our post is so large and our commitment to Iraq so great that the Killeen Daily Herald published an article on July 13, 2008 about our sister division titled "4th ID Association Looking to Expand Soldier Memorial."

Since speaking out against the war, I've had to take great precautions to ensure that I'm never perceived to be speaking on behalf of the United States Army nor the Armed Services as a whole, so I hope this letter isn't perceived as such. But I have to say that I think it would be a huge step toward earning the trust of men and women in uniform if you and your campaign work with Carissa Picard and the Presidential Town Hall Consortium, and commit to appearing at this meeting the way Senator McCain has.

In this particular election season, and with the Global War on Terror arguably the most polarizing issue facing our country, it would mean a lot to the veterans of our country if you give us the respect that we deserve and fought dearly to earn.

Thank you for your time.

Ronn Cantu
Iraq Veterans Against The War - IVAW

The first two letters above are linked back to VetVoice Posts, visit them and read some of the comments, for there's more from Spouses and Veterans of these current occupations!

Contact the Obama Campaign, This Is extremely Important, not only for those holding the forum but for this Country and it's direction after such an Incompitent Administration and Previous Congress that led us into a growth of Perpetual Criminal Terrorism that will haunt us and the world for years forward!

Washington:
Phone: (202) 224-2854
Fax: (202) 228-4260

Chicago:
Phone: (312) 886-3506
Fax: (312) 886-3514

Or use any contact information you might have.

From A Member of the Consortium

The Brain Injury Association of America

Alert
Urge Presidential Candidates to Participate In the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall!
Town Hall Would Facilitate Discussion of Issues Facing America’s Military and Veteran Community, Including Traumatic Brain Injury

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) recently joined a consortium of non-profit organizations dedicated to serving active military, veterans, their families and their survivors, in inviting the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates to Fort Hood, Texas, for an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America's military and veteran community. The CBS television network has agreed to produce and broadcast the very important Town Hall meeting in prime time on Monday, August 11, 2008.

As of July 17, 2008, the Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has agreed to participate in the Town Hall, but the Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) has not agreed to attend the event.

BIAA is a non-partisan organization dedicated to improving the lives of all individuals with brain injuries and their families. During this presidential campaign, BIAA strongly advocates for an open, transparent discussion of public policy issues related to traumatic brain injury (TBI) among both returning service members and civilians. BIAA believes the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall represents a tremendous opportunity to facilitate this discussion in regards to returning service members.

Fort Hood is the largest U.S. military installation in the world. As a result, it has deployed, and continues to deploy, the most soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan as part of our continuing global war on terror. Consequently, BIAA cannot imagine a more appropriate audience—or a more compelling location—for such a discussion concerning the health care needs of returning service members, including TBI.

To send a message urging Sen. Obama to participate in 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall, please use the form below - with personal edits to the message if you wish - to make your voice heard.


Take Action

McCain Uses POW Status as Sword & Shield

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.