VA & HUD Issue First-Ever Report on Homeless Veterans

Assessment Key to Preventing and Ending Homelessness

WASHINGTON – February 11, 2011 - For the first time, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development today published the most authoritative analysis of the extent and nature of homelessness among Veterans. According to HUD and VA’s assessment, nearly 76,000 Veterans were homeless on a given night in 2009 while roughly 136,000 Veterans spent at least one night in a shelter during that year.

This unprecedented assessment is based on an annual report HUD provides to Congress and explores in greater depth the demographics of Veterans who are homeless, how the number of Veterans compare to others who are homeless, and how Veterans access and use the nation’s homeless response system. HUD’s report, Veteran Homelessness: A Supplement to the 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, examines the data in the department’s annual report to Congress in-depth.

“With our federal, state and community partners working together, more Veterans are moving into safe housing,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “But we’re not done yet. Providing assistance in mental health, substance abuse treatment, education and employment goes hand-in-hand with preventive steps and permanent supportive housing. We continue to work towards our goal of finding every Veteran safe housing and access to needed services.”

Last June, President Obama announced the nation’s first comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness, including a focus on homeless Veterans. The report, Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, puts the country on a path to end Veterans and chronic homelessness by 2015; and to ending homelessness among children, family, and youth by 2020. Read more about the Administration’s strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness in America.

Key Findings of

Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness {continued}

First-Ever Report on Homeless Veterans -

Gen. Eric Shinseki: Short and Open Discussion

If history judges correctly, one of the Best of the Military Leaders of these past, failed policies of civilian and military leaders, to present times one name will stand out above all the others as a true Understanding Leader and that will be one General Eric Shinseki. Those of us in the present already know much about what this military leader was put through and by whom, but he has been brought back to lead again, lead in the way he seems to have also done, with compassion and understanding for those he has been placed in command of, throughout his military careerer and his life.

To fight for and try and rebuild an agency to long ignored by this Country, since after WWII, through their representatives. Especially this past decade as we allowed not one but two long running invasions and bloody occupations of two countries and No One Mentioned {those that forcefully supported}, or they blocked, any enhancement of what would be needed for those coming back from. Causing many of those that should be receiving the help they deserve for their service to country many problems and even denial of service, as well as the peoples representatives obstructing, doing the peoples will, the obvious results of the Wars and Occupations we send our military personal into. As well as causing those that work in, or even the volunteers, to do so under the restrictions placed on them by the government and especially the lack of funding, costing more in personal problems and funding as the agency continues to try and play catchup or do what is right under the pressures of limited resources, especially when sending new generations of soldiers into wars and occupations creating another huge influx of military and veterans seeking what was promised them and what they deserve.

This agency, as are most government agencies, has been forced to work with the technologies of the past decades and not quickly stay abreast of advancing technologies, this costs much more to operate, thus more funding needed to even function. Ret. General Shinseki is trying to help it join the 21st century.

This is a True Military and now Civilian Leader!

The following is a short discussion with the General on the Morning Edition on NPR radio on November 13, 2009:

Shinseki Measures Scope Of Veterans' Mental Issues

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and President Obama mark Veterans Day on Wednesday during a ceremony at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

In his first nine months as head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, retired Gen. Eric Shinseki has spent hours just listening to veterans talk. Shinseki tells NPR's Steve Inskeep that he feels a strong obligation to "give back" to the men and women he once served with.

Last week, Shinseki spoke to a group of young veterans attending college. A former Army chief of staff who was wounded during his service in Vietnam, Shinseki asked the veterans if any of them suffered from post-traumatic stress.

He got only silence — so Shinseki asked about symptoms...>>>>Rest Here

Army Sgt. Richard Yarosh: Portrait in Smithsonian

Justified Honor and Remembrance for not only Sgt. Yarosh but all who served and are serving in these two theaters, burned soldier portrait to show at Smithsonian!

This is and will be for a long time a great tribute to this soldier, and all the Fallen and Maimed of these two continuing occupations. And like "The Wall", until we can build a Memorial for the Fallen of both these conflicts, it should be a Reminder to this Nation of what We Allowed "In Our Names!"!!

Army Sgt. Richard Yarosh

SAN ANTONIO — Retired Army Sgt. Richard Yarosh has gotten used to the stares. His face is blanketed in knotty scar tissue. His nose tip is missing. His ears are gone, as is part of his right leg. His fingers are permanently bent and rigid.

All is the result of an explosion in Iraq that doused him in fuel and fire three years ago.

“I know people are curious,” he said. “They’ll stop in their tracks and look. I guess I can understand. I probably would have stared, too.”

Snip

The gallery received more than 3,300 entries. Many are less conventional portraits, including video and photos, but others, like that of Yarosh, draw strength from the traditional head-and-shoulders composition, said curator Brandon Fortune.

Mitchell’s use of the style — historically reserved for nobility, a high-ranking military officer or a president, not a disfigured soldier in an Army T-shirt — democratizes such paintings, Fortune said.

“The portrait is clearly meant to honor him. I think that contributes to the gravity of the presentation,” she said.

Snip

Yarosh was astonished when he saw the completed portrait.

“It was perfect. I couldn’t believe that he captured me,” he said. “It captures my pride. I’m proud of the way I look. I’m proud of the reason for the way I look.”..>>>Rest Found Here

Speaking of a Memorial, I've had a picture in my head all these past years of another "Wall", facing ours but built up on the top of steps for each year we stay in these theaters, to tower above ours but making a Corridor for the public to walk through.

Towering above ours because we 'Nam Vets and this Nation didn't Keep Our Promise: To Learn The Lessons Of 'Nam And To Never To Allow Another 'War/Occupation of Choice!

The Steps to be the Sacrifice this Nation finally makes for what it allowed, All Visitors would need to walk up each step to reach the Names Engraved in Honor from this Country for their Service and Sacrifice!!

Michelle: "It Hurts!!", "It Hurts!!"

I went over to ABC News to see if they had posted a video report that I caught last night, never got to that as this is what I found, and will be airing this morning on GMA.

Exclusive: 'It Hurts,' Says First Lady of Military Families on Food Stamps

First lady Michelle Obama wants military families to know they have a friend in the White House, she told "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts in an exclusive interview today at Fort Bragg, N.C. -- her first network television interview since her husband took office.

"It hurts. It hurts," the first lady said of hearing about military families on food stamps. "These are people who are willing to send their loved ones off to, perhaps, give their lives -- the ultimate sacrifice. But yet, they're living back at home on food stamps. It's not right, and it's not where we should be as a nation."

It is so refreshing to actually watch as those in this new administration, especially the First Family members, speak the words of the real needs that should have come from those in the previous administration, especially as to anything connected to our Military and their Families as we sent them into two, now long running, occupations! All they gave us, and our soldiers as well as their families, were "Go Shopping!" and 'Magnetic Ribbons'!

And when they do you can read the dedication to those words and thoughts in the faces of those speaking, and the want to Really make a difference by doing what already should have been but wasn't even thought of.

Mrs. Obama's comments to ABC News followed an emotional private meeting with military families at Fort Bragg. The first lady traveled to North Carolina to hear their stories about the support services that are available to them and what can be done to better serve those who serve their country.

"I think that's one of my jobs, is to try and shed some light on some of these issues," she said, "to not just be in that conversation with military spouses and hear those stories, but to take that information back to the administration to share it with the nation, so that we can think again about how we can better support these families."

Working with and for military families is at the top of the first lady's agenda as she settles into her new role in the White House -- so for her first trip outside of Washington, she chose to highlight the struggles of the nation's servicemen and servicewomen.

The Military and their Families can really believe they have more than just a Friend in the White House, and that what wasn't before will be fought for to be now!

Lets hope the Country follows their Lead, especially as to this generations New Veterans, it hasn't since after World War II, and the Veterans Administration administrative offices have been nothing but political appointee's, from the very top down, and especially these last eight years as they vigorously sent our troops into two Wars, Incompetence and Corruption Reigned!

Michelle Obama begins advocacy as first lady

First lady Michelle Obama reads to children at the Prager Child Development Center at Fort Bragg, N.C., where she met with relatives of service members.
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — The nation owes not only gratitude but tangible assistance to the nation's military and their families, and she'll make that a focus of her time in the White House, first lady Michelle Obama says.

Underscoring her commitment to the plight of America's military families, Mrs. Obama used a trip to Fort Bragg as a stage for her first television interviews since the inauguration. One with ABC's "Good Morning America" was to air Friday.

In the interview she said she wanted military families to know they have a friend in the White House.

On the local news here they showed a short clip of Michelle reading to the children. See the cute young lady standing next to her in the above pic, this is one youngster that will never forget this meeting, in the clip she seemed to be constantly talking to Michelle, touching her, and striving to savor the moment. Michelle kept smiling as she gave her answers to her questions and wrapped her arm around her. All the kids were enjoying this moment and Michelle's reading to them.

A footnote:

Here's Really Hoping

The obstructionist 'rushlicans' will Not Stop the Real Need to move forward in Giving Our Veterans that which should have always been, What They Are Owed For Our Service To Country especially after their Wars of Choice!!

This is, and always has been, a Non Issue

Those who Serve the Country Serve the Whole Country and Thus Should Be Given the 'Honor' and 'Respect' Due Them when Returned to this soil after Dying during that Service!!

There are some groups of people who welcome home the returning soldiers in airports and other transportation points.

We organize rallies for the families and communities on the return of locally based Units of the Reserves, National Guard, and on Army and Marine bases.

We have returning men and women soldiers surprising their young children, and school classmates, and we readily show these surprise homecomings while we watch them with the same tears of joy as the kids.

Some will give a "Welcome Home" and a Handshake when meeting soldiers wherever.

Yet we seem to think that there is supposed to be some sort of Debate about 'Honoring with Due Respect' those who return to this country in Flag Drapped Coffins when they are killed Serving The Whole Country, as their Coffins are brought in Quietly and In The Dark of our Media and Citizens. Than the Country, far in the future, Debates wether Memorials should be built and what they should look like.

We should Honor our Fallen as to their Total Sacrifice of their Service, however right or wrong the policies causing their deaths!

Coffins’ Arrival From War Becomes an Issue Again

Those two aspects of the review may well yield opposing perspectives. Britain and Canada, two important allies in the war in Afghanistan, allow far more news media access to the repatriation process — the return of a fallen soldier to his or her country — than does the United States.

The new review has revived an old debate. Supporters of the ban say it protects families’ privacy and keeps the deaths from becoming politicized; critics say the government is trying to sanitize the wars and reduce public awareness of their human cost.

As Of February 22nd, 2009, There Are 91 Pages w/5 'Silent Honor Rolls' Each, Number Of KIA's Varies With Each 'Silent Honor Roll';
Many now have numbers in the teens and twenties
In Honor - In Memory


This Is Not nor Should Be Debatable, it Should Be Policy!!

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

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!

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

Bearing the Wounds of War

The youngest victims of the Wars we adults wage, especially our Wars of Choice!

Bob Woodruff, of ABC News, did another of his outstanding reports on the 'Wounds of War', this one about the youngest victims, the children of those who serve.

As a Country cheers on the 'Shock and Awe' of Waging War on others, those others having done nothing to warrent our Invasion and Occupations, that same Country does little in Sacrifice!

We wear our shame with our Apathy and Arrogance!

This, Camp for Kids Coping With Parents at War

Community Helps Kids Deal With Parents Fighting, Wounded or Killed in Service, is the Woodruff report.

But first I would like you to view the Video that Bob Woodruff narrates, this will tug at your heart, you'll cry with the child, you'll cry with the father, and if you have any humanity at all you'll think about the children of Iraq and Afganistan and cry for them, thousands of the youngest victims!

More than 1.5 million troops have deployed in the last five years, meaning that as many as 700,000 children in this country have at least one parent deployed. And, according to the Department of Defense, there are at least 12,000 children with an injured parent. While their parents have been recognized for their service, these children are also veterans -- they each bear the wounds of war.

Visit the story link above to read more and here's a link to some photo's

What he wrote brought his father to tears. "Dear Journal," wrote Hunter. "My bad days are with Daddy."

Ask yourselves, "What are we doing? Especially to the children!"!

Long Past Time: Where Do The DoD Budget Monies Go?

Every year our Department of Defense budget grows to ever Huge Proportions and we're givin the simpleminded reason that we're getting our National Security Protection, and we simply except, no questions asked, don't even get upset when corruption within is brought out, or outrageous costs for items we could purchase offshelf cheaper in a handware store.

Many have seen this YouTube Video of the barracks conditions for returning soldiers at Fort Bragg, or at least heard about it, which has brought about this,

The Army identified eight installations Friday that will get priority attention: Fort Lewis; Fort Polk, La.; Fort Gordon, Ga.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Stewart, Ga.; the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York; Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland; and Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii.

One of those,

Fort Polk will receive $166 million for repairs to its barracks, which Sen. Mary Landreiu, a Louisiana Democrat, has called “80 percent unlivable.”
“Similar to the situation at Fort Bragg, the barracks are decades old,” said Stephanie Allen, a spokeswoman for Landreiu. “They’re rampant with mold and unfit for anyone to live in, much less our soldiers who are giving up their lives to serve their country.”

The living conditions, and apparently extreme ignoring of upfits to existing buildings, that soldiers are expected to live in and do, aren't a part of these bloated DoD budget requests that seem to alway pass, they also aren't important to the Country, who don't question where exactly the bloated budget monies go.

We also hear nothing of upset from the Military Contractors on the end of the bloated budgets, nor their Wall Street Investors, as their profit margins and returns grow. The investors seem quite happy with the No-Bid Contracts of the Haliburtan's as those bottom lines grow with each contract just given to them, and they seem to love our very own, now very wealthy, Mercenary Private Army, as they bank our hard working money with tax breaks on theirs.

Than one reads this,

At Martin Army, one of the nation's oldest Army hospitals, at least once a month corroding and antiquated pipes force the facility to shut down the entire plumbing system. If the water is out for longer than a day, patients are forced to bathe in portable showers.
The roof needs replacing. The electrical system is at capacity, making it difficult to add additional circuits, hospital officials said. The heating and cooling systems are so old that temperatures cannot be adjusted in individual rooms.
"With the influx of BRAC, we really need a new hospital," said Terry Beckwith, a hospital spokeswoman.

Controversial Iraq war spending bill includes funds to update Fort Benning hospital

Someone needs to explain the Why is this Included in the Supplemental Iraq/Afganistan War Funding Bill, why hasn't it already been takin care of, Long Ago, that will be partly answered in a moment.

"The quality of patient care remains high, but we want to make sure we don't have a Walter Reed situation," said U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga

We should never have had a Walter Reed Situation!

When the Republican controlled Washington were beating the drums of War and Occupations louder and louder, they should have seen this all coming, we've been through it before, and we supposedly have a professional military now, which means Everything should be under a Professional Atmosphere, the Best, Top Notch, not Second Place!

Those who "Your either with us or against us!" in the against, were considered unpatriotic, unamerican, enemy sympathizers {forget the fact of creating huge numbers of new 'enemies' by our actions}, yet many of us saw all of this coming.

Though the Army has long identified Martin Army as a high priority, the Iraq war has forced funding to be redirected, Bishop said.

Got that Redirected, mostly to corruption within the puppet governments we once again setup in our occupations, to the no-bid contractors, and to our very own private mercenary army!

"In recent years, the services have identified billions of dollars in recapitalization requirements for which current budgetary allotments are insufficient, but which desperately need funding due to the condition of the facilities," said Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, chairman of the appropriations subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs. "The funding problems will be exacerbated in the immediate future as installations like Fort Benning add thousands of personnel, dependent families, and departments due to BRAC, and as more wounded soldiers return from service in Iraq and Afghanistan."

In 'recent years'?, these should have been on going expected expenses, and the American People should be expected to pay, not bury their collective heads in the sand and cheer on Destructive Wars/Occupations of Choice, with their cheap yellow magnetic ribbons and their lapel flag pins which are symbols with no meaning behind them!

Occasionally we get representation, at least from the start, that looks promising in a Nation where only a tiny segment of it's society sacrifices, those serving and their families, Local rookie goes to bat for veterans, that rookie is Arizona Rep. Harry Mitchell, a grandfather in his 60s.

"I feel blessed to have been given the job that I landed in Congress," he told me last week.

And what is that job,

As a first-term member, Mitchell was named chairman of House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. It's a long title for doing exactly what?

"Trying to take care of our vets," he said.

This at a time when we are finding out, once again, just what wasn't done by the previous republican controlled congress and it's members and their staffs, as they continuely blocked the minority from holding the nessessary hearings and oversite, and now that they are in the minority play obstructionist.

The first-term congressman also has been among those who have worked to improve military hospitals since news broke of the awful conditions in some of them.

"The war doesn't end for a lot of these folks once they get home," he said. "Some concerns go on for years and years."

Maybe at age 60 he remembers,

"Solving these problems isn't easy," Mitchell said. "But we can't wait. That's one lesson we learned from Vietnam. At least I hope we've learned it."

We didn't learn that lesson nor the many other lessons of 'Nam, we're repeating them all and making new extreme failed policies that will haught this Nation for decades to come!

Mr Mitchell, as a rookie, is also a primary sponsor of what he calls a "21st-century GI Bill.".

Another of what shouldn't be needed but the Country should have been upgrading right along, for those who give service to it, the G.I. Bill, the benefits of a 'Thank You' for your Service!

Why hasn't it been, I'll give you a hint from the article,

The bill passed in the House but it included a surtax on individual incomes exceeding $500,000 to pay for the cost. Mitchell and others want that removed in order to improve the chances of approval.

A country and it's citizens that want everything but don't want to pay, nor give their time or lives for, especially those who gain Wealth from the hard work of the rest!

Oh and on the recent VA E-Mail and the seeming want to play Political Putdowns, it has brought about, because a certain Senator, running for President, saw the wrong in it and called for Senate Committee Investigations:

May 16, 2008, Washington, DC - Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake today, in response to a recently disclosed email from a VA mental health professional which suggested that time and money could be saved if VA stopped diagnosing veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Akaka also made a statement on this matter earlier today, calling the email “disturbing and disappointing.”

You can add Mr. Akaka's name to your political putdowns, though he isn't running for president. Never mind asking the one Question that should have been asked: "Why didn't Senator, and 'Nam Veteran, John McCain come out right after this hit the wires and question it's meaning and do the requesting for a further in-depth Senate Investigation?"!

"Stop Loss" Military and Military Family Perspective

The reviews you should be reading and listening to, from Military Personal and Family members Of. The ones, small numbers they are, who are actually sacrificing and understand the meanings some of these movies are trying to bring out, that the greater majority, the civilian population, really need to be explained to. Especially in these conflicts they do little to nothing as a sacrifice, most important not wanting to pony up the cost of these Wars of Choice and the Huge longterm Costs of!

Stop Loss:

Retention policy of keeping solders in the military past their contractual obligation

We have a local movie critic, I caught his review of this movie the other day. Usually he isn't to bad on his critiques. But this movie critic, looking still young enough to join, showed in this one he has never served, doesn't understand the military, knows nothing about 'Stop Loss' nor the messages the movie is trying to convey about PTSD, personal , and reality within the communities of Military Personal and Veterans of Wars of Choice.

I've heard other critiques, before the movie opened last night, 3-29-08, some pretty good showing they got it, others to simplistic showing they didn't or didn't care to. Reason the ones that will matter are from those I pointed out above.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but the trailers I've caught tell me there are a number of messages trying to be conveyed.

One who has, last night, has written a critique over at Vet Voice the interactive blog site of Vote Vets.

ThisDudesArmy, a front page poster there, wrote Stop Loss: A Review

He starts off with this:

The movie Stop Loss premiered nationwide yesterday, and in its wake I was asked how I thought soldiers were portrayed in war movies. Two days before I saw the movie, I offered my view and what I predicted would be the same with Stop Loss:

The link within the block takes you to and article in the Killeen Daily Herald, Killeen Texas.

Read the article in the block than visit the review 'This Dudes Army' wrote, on the front page of Vet Voice.

At the review you will find a number of comments already from military personel, military family members and veterans.

You get one from Combat Infantry Bunny

Putting that aside though, I thought it was well-acted (country hick and all) and made some really valid points . . . showing the emotion and anger so many soldiers feel at being abused by the government. The emotions were raw enough that I left feeling a little nauseous, not because it was a bad movie, but it put me through a range of feelings.

Just a snip of

As well as IraqWarVeteran

Before the movie began I looked around and the overwhelming vast majority of the audience was active duty servicemembers. Probably close to 70%.

My favorite part of the movie was when SSG King said to his Battalion Commander "Fuck President Bush". The audience here at our theater errupted with applause and hooting and also repeating what SSG King said (they must be phony soldiers!!!). It was freakin amazing!!!

A few snips

And CarissaPicard of Military Spouses For Change and has started writing for Military.com

Part of a draft of what I have written for military.com:

Carissa starts her draft with this:

The majority of the 30 or so soldiers I spoke with this evening actually liked the movie. The general consensus was that the movie was not what they expected it to be from the previews. Most said they thought the movie was relatively realistic and none felt it was anti-American or anti-military. Lower enlisted and junior NCOs were more sympathetic to Sgt. King's struggle than senior NCOs were. In fact, two senior NCOs were quick to point out that technically soldiers join the Army for 8 years--three to four years of active duty service plus 4 or 5 years in the IRR (Inactive Ready Reserves).

Now, from personal experiance, IRR was to be used Only In Extreme Military Emergencies as in the contracts signed by all who serve, reason you no longer put on the uniforms, nor attend any military drills etc., if Country Calls, in Extreme Military Defined Emergencies, than you are required to report for duty.

Reason 'Stop Loss', in the present day, is actually a Backdoor Draft, there isn't an Emergency to Country, just a shortage of Troop Strenght, these Soldiers have finished their Contracted Duty and been Discharged if not caught first in 'Stop Loss', they are not Compensated with any Bonus, like those who Re-Up, and following the numbers of recruitment, from the DoD, one gets the feeling they are being counted into the figures of those who actually do Re-Up, in the monthly totals.

This is the Draft the supporters said would never happen, because they don't want to serve nor have family members forced into service, No Sacrifice, just War Support, Wars of Choice not Need, and have Others Sacrifice with Multiple Tours and a Huge part of their lives away from their Children, Wives or Husbands, Families and Friends, in Combat Zones!

These movies and docs, coming out, are extremely important, they are coming out in Real Time as the Theaters of Operations are still happening! They touch on many issues and give descriptions of those issues, like PTSD, real time feelings, the reality that Wars are as they are happening.

In way to many of the movies and dramas, of our day 'Nam, they came out after, Well After. Way to many portrayed us 'Nam Vets as Drug Addicts and Criminals, lumping us all together, and while we had finally given a name to what Wars do to the Human Mind, Post Tramatic Stress, it isn't a disorder, it's a reality, they didn't explain it enough, thus it was pushed aside and the research on it was only taken up by a handful of caring people serching for knowledge and a better understanding for what happens, not only in wars, but in the Societies we live.

Messages within movies like 'Born on the Forth of July', 'Coming Home', 'The Deer Hunter' and especially 'Apocolypse Now' went Way Over The Heads of the greater populations, came to late, weren't explained strongly enough, and the people had already crawled back into their apathy and denial. Even movies like 'Rambo' should have rang bells, it didn't, all they wanted was movie blood and guts, not reality of War!

Pay much more attention to what Real Soldiers, Real Military Family Members, Real Conflict Veterans have to say!

Not spin from talking heads who give their knee jerk reactions coming from their own thoughts, not experiance, their own ideologies, pure partison, and most certainly don't pay attrention to anyone who won't bother seeing these movies or docs but will tell you what they are all about, those are easy to recognize.

4,000 Souls

Sen. Robert Byrd has a request posted over at Huffington Post, the title is his.

He hasn't Waivered as apparently many in this Country have!

Each brave soul leaves behind devastated loved ones -- sons, daughters, wives, husbands, moms, and dads. Each tragic loss leaves a void -- a missing smile and loving embrace, an empty chair at the family dinner table -- that can never be filled.

It's not a long read, won't interupt the clinton/obama mass postings, you can spare a minute or two!
{This line is for the KOS crowd, as I posted there as well}

At this somber moment, let us resolve to take steps to finally bring this tragic war to an end. In 2008, the American people must not stand passively mute, as far too many of their leaders did five years ago. Let your voices be heard.

Not just their leaders, but Far Too Many Americans, Period!

I didn't than, and I'm Still Not Mute, as tens of thousands of us haven't waivered neither, how about you!!

And what do the pResident cheney, and his little puppet say:



**********

PBS Nightline

Tonight and Tomorrow Night:

Bush’s War–And Our Own

Why are Wives or Husbands, Mothers or Fathers Sacrificing...

So much, while the Country isn't asked to Sacrifice a Damn Thing?

Today the puppeteers pulled the puppets strings and the puppet says it will veto the Defense Department bill passed by the House and Senate containing

The bill is important to members of the military and their families, since it provides for a 3.5 percent pay raise for the troops and contains measures intended to improve the much-criticized health-care system for veterans.

And what do the puppeteers have the puppet say as to reason why the pending veto:

because of concerns by the Iraqi government that Iraqi assets in American banks could be vulnerable to claims from victims of Saddam Hussein, the White House said Friday in Texas.

“The new democratic government of Iraq, during this crucial period of reconstruction, cannot afford to have its funds entangled in such lawsuits in the United States,” Scott Stanzel, a White House spokesman, said in a statement.

My one question to above is, "How much of those billions, in Iraq assets sitting in U.S. banks, is actually our money to begin with?"!

You know some of the missing billions thrown into the quagmire, or reconstruction monies not doing any reconstruction, or payoffs to their puppet government we set up in the aftermath of "Mission Accomplished"!

But this isn't about the above, except as it relates to this:

Mothers Sacrifice to Help Wounded GIs

This is only one story about one mother and son, repeated almost silently over and over and over, but with wives and wounded husbands, husbands with wounded wives, other mothers and fathers with wounded daughters or sons...........................!

She would exchange her two-story house in Atlanta for a hotel room on an Army post, watch her nest egg shrink and spend her days helping a 30-year-old son change bandages and wriggle into garments meant to reduce scarring.

The sacrifices of injured soldiers, airmen and Marines are recognized with medals and commendations. But the mothers and wives who arrive here wide-eyed and afraid make their own sacrifices - abandoning jobs and homes and delaying retirement to help their wounded children reclaim their lives.

Why are they being asked to Sacrifice Anything? Why Isn't this Country Picking up the Whole Tab?

Markelz said it's especially hard on the wives of guardsmen and reservists and on the middle-aged mothers of soldiers - women who had well-established civilian lives away from the typically nomadic life of active military families.

"They didn't sign up for that," she said.

We, as a Nation, apparently could only afford those little magnetic ribbons to pop onto our vehicles, untill they got boring, or whatever, and started disappearing!

Or like a number of supporters of the puppets policies and the War, they won't bloody their own hands with, say "gimmee money" when they read something about Military/Veterans care or PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injuries!

There are a number of these programs, like the one in the article, Returning Heroes Home, that are privately funded and staffed with volunteers.

Another just getting off the ground through the efforts of a 'Goldstar Mom', Veterans Village

Where are the Federal Funds when some of these become Successful Programs?

Where's the Full Support for not only the Troops but their Immediate Family Members as well?

Where's Our Sacrifice?

Military Overmedicating Troops

Military Overmedicating Troops, Counselors Charge
Counselors and Therapists Charge the Military Tries to Medicate Its Veterans' Pain Away



Instead of providing proper counseling and care for Iraq war veterans suffering from physical and psychological pain, too often the U.S. military is trying to medicate the problem away, according to drug counselors and therapists.

'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs' - In Their Own Words

Watch Brian Ross' exclusive investigation, "Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs," Friday, 11-30-07, on "20/20" at 10 p.m. EDT! If you miss the airing the 5 Report Links are below, read the reports, view the photo's, Get Educated As To What War Does!

This Country has been in DENIAL for over 30 Years, on what War does to many who serve In - Theater, and are once again running to that Denial!!

Why the DENIAL, we think We Are So Supreme and Powerful, We Cheer on the Shock and Awe of Total Destruction of others Countries and Populations in Wars Of Choice, not Justified and Based on Lies of the few!

The We are the Great Majority who Will Not Serve, Will Not Deploy, Will Cheer On Like It's Some Great Sporting Event!!

War is Not Sport, and those, the Great Majority, who act like it is, Refuse to Even Pay for what they have done to others, but More Than Willing to not Question what our Military Industrial Complex Skims off our Huge Defense Budgets!

'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs' - In Their Own Words

Click To Play

The video above is a cut of the lead in by Brian Ross with cuts of four, of the five soldiers, telling their stories, there's also another video at the last, Part Five, todays report. Visit the links, read the reports, view the photo's with further descriptions, Start Crawling Out Of Your Denial!

If you miss tonights airing, ABC's 20/20 11-30-2007, the links to the Five Part Series, of reports, are below.



High at the Mountain Post
Part One of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'


Tale of Three Medics
Part Two of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

PHOTO'S
There are more photo's at links.

Hidden Wounds Lead to Drugs
Part Three of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'




Stonewalled at Fort Bragg
Part Four of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'



Harsh Treatment for Marines Caught Using Illicit Drugs
Part Five of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

The following Video is the lead in video with Brian Ross and one of the student journalist discussing how the reports were investigated and put together.

The Primer

Click To Play

This Country Didn't Learn from Our Time, Vietnam, nor our many other misadventures of Bravado!!

DENIAL Time Is Over, Educate Yourselves To The Reality!!!!!

And watch for this Documentary:

BODY OF WAR


Powerful new film by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. Original songs by Eddie Vedder.

Coming to a Theater near you soon!

Part Four of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

Stonewalled at Fort Bragg
Part Four of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'



Part Three is just below this post, Part 1 & 2 are posted abit further down with the lead in video by Brian Ross or Click Here

Part Three of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

Hidden Wounds Lead to Drugs
Part Three of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

Part One and Two can be found just below along with a Brian Ross Lead In Video to this Investigative Journalism Report, or Click Here

'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs' - More Deja-Vu

THIS COUNTRY, that likes to think of itself as Numeral Uno on the World Stage, in Everything, Is Filled With A Society That's Concerned For The Individual Only, and while condemning others, Never Learns The Lessons It Experiances or Witnesses!!



We've gone through All This Before, a War of Choice {of the arrogant few, with the Country falling in lockstep behind them} and All that evolves from!

Watch Brian Ross' exclusive investigation, "Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs," Friday on "20/20" at 10 p.m. EDT

The Primer


What was it, 75% of this country were watching as the media were beating the War Drums and that 75% couldn't wait for the promised 'Shock and Awe'! A real live video game brought live into your living room, so One and All could Cheer it on like it was a Friday night High School Football Game, a Battle. Or a Saturday afternoon College Football Game, a Battle. Or a Sunday afternoon Professional Football Game, a Battle!!!

Tens of Thousands of us were hitting the Streets, the Internet, the LTE's, the Phones, warning what was to come, Everything that we said would happen, Happened, including the False Reasons for why we sent out Military into a Collosal Mistake!

What did we get, Few Listening, Many Verbally Spitting on us, and told the Hired Representative Leaders don't listen to 'Focus Groups', and we had Millions of others from around the World knowing Better than our own Countrymen and Women!

High at the Mountain Post
Part One of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

Above report is the first in a series of five reports.

Tale of Three Medics
Part Two of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

PHOTO's

There are short video clips at the above links with these Soldiers Speaking about their New Battles, I down loaded 4 other video's and planned on adding them to the one above, but visit the links, read these first two reports w/videos on right, than visit ABC Investigates tomorrow till friday for the other three, and Watch 20/20 on Friday for the Full Report!

This Country Didn't Learn from Our Time, Vietnam, not a F**KING THING, now we have Destroyed a Big Part of another Generation for our Total Stupidity!!

And a word to these present day brothers and sisters, Your Peers Don't Give Much Of A Shit About What You Experianced, You'll See!!!

Do Something Right For A Change People, Make This Happen!!

"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.

Visit their Site, Support their Everts, Demand the Candidates for the Presidency Answer their Call For An Honest Debate, Contact All the major News Outlets with their call for a Face to Face Debate, Contact All the Televised News Outlets to Carry the Debate, Live, so as many as possible can Listen to these Spouses and Family Members who, besides those Actually Serving, are the Only Ones Sacrificing!

Soldiers' wives trying to lure presidential candidates to Fort Hood


Spouse group: Action needed for wounded vets

A Diary Rescue, And A Needed Presidential Debate

Last night, 11-23-07, testvet6778 placed a Diary, New group wants a Presidential debate or debates on Iraq, Military and veterans issues, on supposedly the most Progressive Political Blog Site on the web, and it barely got a whimper, 35 comments and 15 recommends.

Now maybe it was because it was friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and better known as Black Friday, and folks were just tired from the all day holiday shopping, starting in the wee hours of that morning, the crush of packed stores and all those sucker deals can be overwelming.

I'm not posting this just to Rescue, what should have shown up in the Rescued Diary list today, though you should visit his Diary just to read the comments of those that Actually got the purpose of it.

I'm posting More for the site, that 'testvet' happened upon, and the Military Spouses who put their group together and are Military Spouses for Change (MSC)

testvet6778 placed this in his Diary:

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 and have children many of them have adult children, like myself I have 3 voting age children, and you all better believe I tell them my opinions. Does that mean they will vote that way, NO, but they will listen to me and I will have an influnce on their decisions, because what affects me affects them. That means there is a potential 100 million Americans directly affected by policies these candidates can possibly impact in their lives, veterans benefits, home loans, old age care, medical care, etc.

But it isn't just about those potential 100 Million Americans that testvet mentions, this is about Real Sacrifice this Country, when Civilian and Military leaders start the Drums or War beating, Who Will Actually Do The Sacrificing these Wars of Choice Bring!

After WWII this Country stopped Sacrificing, it's left to the Military Personal Serving and Their Families, while Country uses catch phrases, with No Real Meaning, to satisfy in their chosen lifestyles and political debates.

What are the Military Spouses for Change (MSC) calling for, watch this Video to find out:

Military Spouses for Change (MSC)


This is what I put in the Video description and what 'testvet' was calling for also with his last sentence, Please contact the campaigns of the people you support and ASK them to please commit to this group and see if we can enable a debate before Super Dooper Tuesday.:

"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.

Visit their Site,Sign Up and Join Them, Support their Everts, Demand the Candidates for the Presidency Answer their Call For An Honest Debate, Contact All the major News Outlets with their call for a Face to Face Debate, Contact All the Televised News Outlets to Carry the Debate, Live, so as many as possible can Listen to these Spouses and Family Members who, besides those Actually Serving, are the Only Ones Sacrificing!

Soldiers' wives trying to lure presidential candidates to Fort Hood



Spouse group: Action needed for wounded vets

'testvet' also put this up and I'll repeat their request from their site and news articles:

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 than 24,000 spouses. On any given day, at least a third of these soldiers are deployed to Iraq and every week at least two soldiers from Fort Hood (on average) are killed in Iraq. (I am 34 and I know more widows than 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 approximately 1.4 million active duty service members in America and 1.2 million in the National Guard/Reserves. If you include the spouses, that comes to a total of 4.1 million votes.

Meanwhile, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 8 adults were veterans (26.4 million) in 2003. If we assume that at least half of those adults were married, then we have approximately 39 million vet couples giving us a total of almost 43 million American adults who are currently serving in the military, have served in the military, or are married to someone serving or who had served. That is not an insignificant number.

As an organization and as military spouses, clearly U.S. foreign policy is important to us. But the American public has an interest in this as well, not only for fiscal reasons (e.g., we have spent 447 billion dollars on the war in Iraq alone), but for national security reasons.

Furthermore, what about the depletion of our states' National Guard and reserve units? How are we going to replenish those units so that individual 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 or Afghanistan. What are the candidates’ positions on the possibility of reinstating the draft if, for example, we become engaged with Iran before he or she enters office?

Since September 11, 2001, the Department of Defense has reported more than 64,000 wounded and 4,000 killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. The Department of Veterans Affairs, however, has reported treating 250,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, including 95,000 for mental health conditions.

Meanwhile, an estimated 700,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are expected to seek care from the VA within the next ten years, at a projected cost of 7 to 9 BILLION dollars. A recent DoD taskforce assessing the mental health capabilities of the military announced: "The system of care for psychological health that has evolved over recent decades is insufficient to meet the needs of today's forces and their beneficiaries, and will not be sufficient to meet their needs in the future." ( MHTF Report 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 ascertain which candidates are the most qualified (from both parties) to lead our nation and our military prior to Super Tuesday? 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

mydragonflies placed a graphic at testvet6778's diary that can be very useful



If you do what I did, sent it out to my E-List of individuals, a few political boards, and Veterans Groups boards, as well as posted the diary on my own site, as I will do with this.

Should 'testvets' Diary have made it to a recommend list on a very popular Progressive Board, I leave that up to you.

But one thing is Certain, this call for a Presidential Debate by this Group Military Spouses for Change (MSC) should be Hitting Every Front Page on the Web, of All Political Groups! E-Mails should be filling up the News Media's In-Boxes! Telephones should be ringing off the hook at All the Media Outlets especially the Corporate TV News Channels, which should be signing up in Masse to air this Live across the airways at the same time!

This Country needs to get off it's Collective Apathedic Ass and Finally Understand the Realities that face the Few Who Actually Serve and are Sent into it's Wars, as Well as what Their Families Face and Both wanting Answers to the Questions that have Always Existed by Veterans, Families of, and the Active Military!