Veterans: WRONG Direction for Funding {once again}

<------- Remember these? They were a big joke and joy for a group still calling themselves republicans and happened as the Country were sending Military Troops into war once again, wars that still continue, and never a real apology for their joke. I'll bet some of them still have some handy to be used and laughed about when their need arises to do so as they wave the flag and condemn others who don't agree with them. Oh and while they seem to get joy about Soldiers being wounded in our wars and awarded the "Purple Heart" these were pointed directly at a brother In-Country Vietnam Navy Veteran, my tour there, as a Navy GunnersMate 3rd, was my last year of my four '70-'71.

Or how about the many forms of these ------->
Till they quickly blew off the SUV's and other vehicles never to be replaced, only ones you'll see now are the very rare bumper stickers that only weather will remove after they fade out to much effort needed to remove by the owners.

Or who can forget these --------><--------, that any who wore suits, especially representatives hired by the people, if they didn't wear were called unpatriotic, unsupportive of our soldiers and veterans, even enemy sympathizers and much more, why the FOX couldn't stop supposedly reporting on these traders of the U.S. and {non}Americans.

In the previous election did anyone hear any mention by the so called great movement of royally pissed off americans, corporate sponsored and corporate media hyped, still, TEA Party and their many talking heads as to any Demands for Finally 'Sacrificing' as Soldiers are still sent into two conflicts, their families waiting for their return, and those who survive come back as Veterans of their Military Service to the Country. I didn't, all I heard once again were 'tax cuts' which every time I've heard these last some forty years, as a Veterans Advocate and Activist, says the Country doesn't want to pony up for the results of it's Wars and our brother and sister veterans will continue facing an underfunded Veterans Administration and be in constant catch up mode which in the long run constantly costs more to give what is owed and promised. One of the results of that around the country, contributing to as well is the collapsed economy from failed economic and business practices the past thirty years, has been the cutting back or shutting down of local Veterans offices that help the millions of Veterans coop with the system and the paperwork etc. needed to get that promised help as it took the past four years to finally start not only catching up with what wasn't done but bring the VA into the 21st century.

With the directly below article keep in mind this is decades long, under funding of the Veterans Administration, and in the recent times and two wars the 108th and 109th Congresses sought cuts or did relatively nothing, not only for veterans but even military care and more, as they rubber stamped everything else related to these two long running destruction and occupations of others, their Wars of Choice, costs off the books and on borrowed monies. Afghanistan stopped being about anything related to 9/11 with the first drum beat pointed at Iraq!

The WRONG Direction for Funding the Needs of America's Veterans

Feb. 17, 2011 -- On Monday, February 14, House Republicans introduced a Continuing Resolution (H.R. 1) to fund the federal government for the last seven months of the fiscal year while cutting $61 billion in current year spending. The bill proposes to cut $2.6 billion in funding provided to care for America's veterans. Leaders of VA's largest union, the American Federation of Government Employees, stated that the reductions threaten the health care and benefits delivery services provided by VA employees.

"This Nation is engaged in military operations and conflicts across the globe," said AFGE Secretary Treasurer J. David Cox. " The strength of our fighting force and the safety of our Nation depend on our ability to care for America's veterans. Proposals to decrease spending for veterans during a time of war are dangerous, short-sighted, and just plain wrong."

And as pointed out above, in short because there's much more, it's pointed out with this:

This is not the first time that a Republican-led House of Representatives has irresponsibly cut funding for America's veterans. From 2003 to 2006, VA health care funding did not increase, co-pay increases were proposed, and investment in much-needed research to provide the best care for veterans suffering from unknown injuries languished. Since 2007, the Democratic Congress increased health care funding to begin to address the uphill battle of providing appropriate care and access to all generations of veterans. These resources allowed VA to better immediately address needs of returning veterans, expand access, increase support for veteran caregivers, address the urgent mental health care needs of veterans, expand veteran homelessness prevention and care, and invest in research for maladies attributed to military service. {continued}

Now when the 110th Congress came in they had an awful lot to catch up on as to Veterans and Military Personal and their families, I posted about some of that here at my site and elsewhere. That carried over to the 111th Congress, not only as to catching up but finally Congressional investigations and many hearings in both Houses of Congress. They not only started to finally try and help the veterans and families of the current conflicts and military service but also took on decades long ignored problems of us older veterans.

With the present Administration also came a change in leadership at the Veterans Administration. With that change, and the support of this Administration and Congress, came one of the few appointee's to run the agency that isn't doing so in any political terms, there have been a couple over the decades but much of what they wanted to bring about was blocked by the congresses of those times, with I might add the Countries support. A leader who is pro-active and not re-active to the veterans needs and concerns. He in turn brought in a like minded group to help him administer the agency and in these past two years plus have accomplished the needed issues of now and the long needed of the past decades, with still much more to do to bring the agency into a smoother running operation and beyond the already technology of the 21st century. And this new leader, retired General Shinseki, was re-leaved of duty by the previous administration and their supportive congress and citizen supporters.

The Veterans Administration, over the past couple of years, was greatly helped in reaching some much needed goals with extra funding, the Country didn't even realize they finally were actually 'sacrificing' a tiny bit, with the funds of the Recovery Act in trying to stem the collapsing economy, these needed investments and projects will have long term effects on the communities, around the Country, that they can be found as well as much needed help for the veterans in and around these communities and their families. Here's just one report from the VA on just those recovery funds from 2010.

Yesterday the VA released another short report on just those needed investments from the Recovery Act.

VA Observes Recovery Act Anniversary With More Progress Nationwide

18 February 2011 - On the second anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that Recovery Act funds are playing a major role this year in advancing much-needed infrastructure and other construction nationwide to benefit our Nation’s Veterans.

“This will be a banner year for VA in serving more Veterans more efficiently in more places,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We are pleased to be able to improve buildings and expand the capacity of VA’s health care network and national cemeteries to serve Veterans.” {continued}

They are even going Green, upgrading older facilities and adding those to the newer projects which will save money, i.e. tax monies oh teabagger friends, which can be used for better care and needs of these new brothers and sisters as well as us old vets.

The 'tepublicans' are back in the House, expect more false arguments about tax cutting, their supporters parrot as they fear demanding more for their labors of their stagnated or falling wages and benefits and now are joining their corporate sponsors in trying to bust all the unions of the hard working American people, which will bring about cuts in more then just the Veterans Administration budgets, again, and the growth of talk of 'privatizing', that still coming after the collapsed economy, the deadly and destructive oil drilling explosion in the Gulf, all the recalls covering many products and on and on, to continue.

This is not related to above but is related to what happened as to these two wars and those serving and the beneficiaries of those killed in them, Time Is Running Out, and with the new congress I really don't foresee another extension so pass this on:

March 4 is Final Day to Claim ‘Stop Loss’ Pay

Feb. 18, 2011 – People whose military service was involuntarily extended or whose retirement was suspended between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009, have until March 4 to file for retroactive payments of $500 for each month of their extended service under the “Stop Loss” policy.

The deadline ends the second extension for eligible people to apply to receive the retroactive pay.

“This is a timely payment for services already rendered,” said Lernes "Bear" Hebert, the Defense Department’s director of officer and enlisted personnel management. “It’s a no-strings-attached program -- one where they fill out a simple form and attach a few documents [to show] their service.” {continued}

If you know someone or think someone that deserves this hasn't filed for please ask them, asking don't hurt, not only for the soldiers stopped lossed but the beneficiaries of the fallen stop lossed soldiers!

Angry 'Stop-Loss' Hip Hop Song=Jail

Marc Hall jailed for angry 'Stop-Loss' Hip Hop song

By Courage to Resist. Updated 16, 2009

Stop-lossed Army Specialist Marc Hall (aka Hip Hop artist Marc Watercus) was placed in the Liberty County Jail Friday, December 11 for speaking out against the continuing policy that has barred him from exiting the military, including recording an angry and explicit song. He was shipped off to jail after talking to to his Ft Stewart, Georgia commander Captain Cross about not wanting to redeploy...Who To Contact to Help Marc Out

Hell No, I Won't Go

Stop Loss: Soldier mom plans to report for duty with kids {UpDate #4} To Be Discharged!!

N.C. woman settles on alternative to leaving family behind, refusing orders
Lisa Pagan with her husband, Travis, and her children Elizabeth, 4, and Eric, 3, at their home in Davidson, N.C., on Friday. The mom has spent more than a year fighting her recall to active duty.

Video Report Link from a local channel

DAVIDSON, N.C. - When Lisa Pagan reports for duty Sunday, four long years after she was honorably discharged from the Army, she will arrive with more than her old uniform. She is bringing her kids, too.

"I have to bring them with me," she said. "I don't have a choice."

Pagan is among thousands of former service members who have left active duty since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, only to later receive orders to return to service. They are not in training, they are not getting a Defense Department salary, but as long as they have time left on their original enlistment contracts, they are on "individual ready reserve" status — eligible to be recalled at any time.


Soldiers can appeal, and some have won permission to remain in civilian life. Pagan filed several appeals, arguing that because her husband travels for business, no one else can take care of her kids. All were rejected, leaving Pagan with what she says is a choice between deploying to Iraq and abandoning her family, or refusing her orders and potentially facing charges.

Then she hit on the idea of showing up Sunday at Fort Benning, Georgia, with her children in tow.

StopLossed, the BackDoor Draft, when the services are reporting record enlistments in these real tough economic times!
What's wrong with this Picture besides the 'any warm body will do'!!!!

Where was there any help from her two Senate Representatives during the past year, Senator Dole(R) and the now 'Support The Troops' Senator Burr(R)?

Senator Burr is still in the Congress, as the Jr Senator before none heard a peep out of him, especially concerning the Soldiers and Veterans, as he was rubber stamping everything the previous administration wanted and did! Now that he's the senior Senator, from North Carolina, he's been talking up a storm which you can read some of the recent Here, Here, and Here, in this short time period of the 111th Congress.

It's real good he's finally come out of the closet, especially on these subjects, but the way he is shows he's just using the military and veterans as Political Tools for re-election, as he rubber stamped their use and lack of support for the previous administration!!

UpDate 7pm 3.01.09

NC military mom heads for Fort Benning with kids

DAVIDSON, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina woman who was recalled to the Army four years after being honorably discharged was driving nearly 400 miles and braving a Southeastern winter storm to report for duty Sunday, with her children by her side.

Lisa Pagan was en route to Fort Benning, despite the snow, and said in a phone interview she hoped to reach the Georgia post by early evening.

"I know I'm on my way doing what I need to do," Pagan said. "But I'm a little nervous."

Pagan said she wasn't expected at Fort Benning at a specific time, other than to get there by the end of the day. She said road conditions weren't too bad, but the weather had slowed her down.

Pagan is among thousands of former service members who have left active duty since the Sept. 11 attacks, only to be recalled to service. She filed several appeals, arguing that because her husband travels for business, no one else can take care of her kids. All were rejected, leaving Pagan to choose between deploying to Iraq and abandoning her family, or refusing her orders and potentially facing charges.

Master Sgt. Keith O'Donnell, an Army spokesman in St. Louis, said earlier that the commander at Fort Benning will decide how to handle the situation.

UpDate #2 3.02.09

Military mom arrives at Fort Benning with kids

A woman called back to the Army has braved a winter storm to report for duty - with her children in tow.

Lisa Pagan drove from North Carolina to Georgia's Fort Benning and arrived Sunday night. She says bad weather made the drive "a little scary." For now, she and her kids are staying in a motel.

Pagan was honorably discharged four years ago

WIVB TV 4


She and Most

Of these 'Backdoor Draft' call ups has already served In-Theater, she's been Honorably Discharged and out, not doing a thing as to the Military, for a couple of years. Her job, even if sensitive, is already being done by someone else. She hasn't been a part of a Military Unit these past years nor in any training.

Now hers isn't the only story like this, all who are called back up from IRR are in the same situation just as to the Military, than there's the family situations, jobs in a down collapsing economy, health, physical fitness.............., and more.

They should not be getting these call ups at all, having already served in occupation zones! They Really should not be getting them to be sent back into a Theater of Occupation.

But if there's an Extreme Emergency and need for Expertise on a Base to replace someone who is Active and their unit is being called into action, than the possibility for recall exists, but Only In An Extreme Emergency and Need. Especially in a time that the services are saying they are getting the recruiting, in these jobless times, they need to fill the billets.

UpDate #3 3.02.09

Army mom who reported with kids meets base leaders

"She's just passing through on her way to be deployed," Purtiman said. "She's here and she's going to process in. The command's looking at a range of options available to have resolution of her situation."

Purtiman said he didn't yet know what range of options commanders were considering. He said Fort Benning has day care services available for Pagan's children while she's there.

"There will be some resolution over the next couple of days about some temporary arrangements to help care for the kids while this affair is ironed out," Waple said.

UpDate #4 3.02.09PM

NC Mom recalled to Army duty will be Discharged

RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina mother who reported for Army duty with her two young children will be discharged from the military, her attorney said Monday. Attorney Mark Waple of Fayetteville said it wasn't yet clear if Lisa Pagan would receive an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions. It also wasn't certain when she would be discharged.

The reason for the discharge will be that she doesn't have, and cannot have, an adequate family care for her two young children, he said.

"There is definitely some feeling of relief, especially since she has been led to believe that the command at Fort Benning is going to do everything to expedite this so she can return to Charlotte, North Carolina, with her children," Waple said of Pagan's reaction to the decision.

She has received no time line "except they are trying to process it as quickly as possible," he said.........

Another Reason for Presidential Military Townhall

Witnesses to War



When the separation ends! CNN Video

CNN's Rick Sanchez talks with Dr. Paul Ragan about the effects of war on soldiers and the high price they pay for it.

After the centuries and than finally after 'Nam and still way too many just don't get it, as to combat soldiers and those living in combat theaters!

Over At 'Vet Voice'

Author Colby Buzzell Being Sent Back to Iraq

Colby Buzzell, author of My War: Killing Time in Iraq one of the best Iraq memoirs out there--has been called up from the IRR and will be returning to Iraq. For reasons that I've specified in the past, this is utter horseshit. Our country is in sad shape when cowards like Matthew Continetti and Jason Mattera are allowed to refuse to serve--instead choosing to cheer from the bench--while people like Colby Buzzell are forced to go involuntarily again and again.

This is nothing less than a backdoor draft. And it's wrong. We need to either have a draft or not have a draft. But one way or the other, these IRR mobilizations need to stop.

Here's part of Buzzell's take on his own situation (though you should go read the whole thing in the San Francisco Chronicle:

SNIP

A War of Choices

As far back as I could remember, I wanted to be in the Army. I don't know where it came from (my dad was a Navy veteran, after all), but I was enthralled by military history. I couldn't get enough of it. But it wasn't enough to simply read about the military. I wanted to be a part of it as soon as I could.

...I really was looking forward to applying my GI Bill to photography classes so I could learn how to take pictures. But now, thanks to not enough Americans volunteering for military service, I now have to worry about my picture appearing on the second or third page of my hometown paper with the words, "it was his second deployment" in my obituary.

That's at the very end of the article that deserves to be read in full by every single breathing American citizen. Buzzell expresses a sentiment felt by nearly every veteran I know: Americans have not only failed to pick up the slack of a two front war, but they've dumped all the hardship, responsibility, guilt, heartbreak and exhaustion onto less than %1 of the population - service members and their families. There's a word for that: serfdom.

SNIP

Fallen Soldiers Treated Like Dogs, To Save A Dollar

Defense Secretary Robert Gates calls it "insensitive," I call it something else:

The Pentagon is recommending changes in the handling of troops' remains, after it was revealed that a crematorium contracted by the military handles both human and animal cremations.

SNIP

Residents Fleeing Sadr City

For weeks, the US Army had a blockade around Sadr City to keep vehicles from entering or leaving the dangerous area. Residents of the besieged district complained of skyrocketing food prices, trash piling up in the streets, and claustrophobia from being trapped indoors. Several lawmakers staged sit-ins to protest the blockade. That blockade has been lifted, and residents are now being asked to leave.

SNIP

Now back to some of my own thoughts:

I Still Want To Know
Why neither one of these youngsters is Serving, and any of their young guests for this weekends ceremony??

Daughters do look for the 'daddy feature', come from a 'chickenhawk' marry a 'chickenhawk'!!

Manufacturing Obedience

The greatest lie in American history was the Vietnam War.

The Iraq War is rapidly gaining ground.

Once you see the truth, you are reborn.

I did not serve in Vietnam with the U.S. Army,

I served in Vietnam with the R.C. Army,

The Ruling Class Army.

Thank God, I don’t live in a gingerbread house anymore.

Lying Is The Most Powerful Weapon In War.

Mike Hastie
R.C. Army
Vietnam 1970-71
May 5,

A Military Mom Writes to a Chicken Hawk
A 'Gold Star Mom', for 'Mothers Day'

Dear Speaker Pelosi,

I write to you this Mother's Day as the mother of Lt. Ken Ballard, who was killed in Najaf, Iraq four years ago, fighting in a war that you have criticized but continue to fund.

I hope that this Mother's Day you are lucky enough to be surrounded by your children and grandchildren, to share thanks and hugs. But I also hope that you will think about the thousands of mothers of U.S. troops who will never see their children again -- and the tens of thousands of mothers of troops now serving in Iraq who live in fear every day of the phone call or the knock on the door telling them their child has been injured or killed.

Brother Bobby Tellin It Like It Is, Muller That Is

Shorter Iraq Deployments Aim to Ease Strain on U.S. Forces

Assessing the burden on soldiers

Brother Bobby Tellin It Like It Is, Muller That Is

BOBBY MULLER, Veterans for America: Very little, if at all. Understand the qualifiers in the statement. There will be nothing provided in the form of relief for all of the troops that are currently deployed. He's talking about only those that deploy after August 1st.

And of the majority of those that are targeted for deployment through the year, the overwhelming majority are National Guard units, not regular Army units. They already are limited to 12-month tours.

So the president's statement is, to be kind, misleading, but, to be more honest, basically a political ploy to deflect the pressure that you heard from Colin Powell, General Cody, General Casey, across the board.

The senior military leadership, particularly in the Army, has been confronting the president, saying, "We cannot sustain the levels of deployments." The price that's being paid by the troops is unconscionable.

Mental impact of multiple tours

BOBBY MULLER: You have to understand, one of the defining criteria of this war that people have got to pay attention to is multiple deployments. All of the regular Army units that are scheduled for deployment after the president's deadline of August 1st have already been there. We're talking about people serving multiple tours.

Same thing with National Guard units. Even with the National Guard that historically have never been deployed like this, multiple deployments.

And what we're finding, if you look at the Department of Defense's own reports that, every time you redeploy a soldier, there's a 60 percent increase in the likelihood of psychological damage, those kinds of wounds. It's a devastating toll.

We have frontline troops that are basically severely damaged. And if you can willingly, consciously redeploy them, as the mental health task force at the Department of Defense itself said last year, we are knowingly compounding injuries to those who've already served because of these redeployment practices.

Debating stop-loss policy

BOBBY MULLER: I wound up being a very militant activist against the war in Vietnam. I was a Marine infantry officer. The week before I got shot, they asked me, "Would I extend my tour?" And I said, "Yes."

It's about the troops; it's about the people you serve with. It's about a sense of obligation and commitment, particularly if you have experience, to try and protect them.

We go to military bases. We are talking to these troops. They are being stop-lossed. They're being denied the ability to leave.

You can read the trasnscript, listen to the show and watch with their player at their site.

There was also a Debate on the issue on PRI:

Warren Olney's "To The Point" regarding the August 2008 reduction in tour lengths from 15 months to 12 months with:

Guests:
Mark Silva: White House Correspondent, Chicago Tribune

Carissa Picard: President, Military Spouses for Change

Sig Christenson: Military Reporter, San Antonio Express-News

Pete Hegseth: Executive Director, Vets for Freedom

Brandon Friedman: Editor, VetVoice.com

You can Listen Here or at the site link above.


And this from Truth Dig

Failing the Troops

WASHINGTON—No lights at the end of the tunnel. No corners turned. Give Gen. David Petraeus points for using well-understood clichés to express the obvious: We are bogged down in Iraq, the general in charge there has now testified on Capitol Hill.

Stop Loss

As the war continues, many U.S. soldiers face a third or even fourth tour of duty in Iraq. Katie Couric says that soldiers should be allowed to complete their service with dignity and return home.

"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.

Support Our Troops -- End Stop-Loss

See the movie. Stop the backdoor draft.

See the movie and take action
Find out where "Stop-Loss" is playing near you.



Sign the Stop-Loss petition
Tell Defense Secretary Robert Gates to end the stop-loss backdoor draft.



Download the flyer to pass out at the movie
You can also click here to download and print a flyer that we can distribute at theaters.



Once in awhile a film comes along that makes you want to tell everyone you know. Starring Ryan Phillippe as a soldier ordered to leave home and go back to Iraq, "Stop-Loss" is a new film dramatizing the practice of stop-loss -- the forced extension of service members' enlistment contracts.

Spread the word.

We've created a flyer that you can print and hand out to other movie-goers to help them understand the stop-loss policy and its effects on our men & women in the military, their families, and their communities. Please see this movie and help spread the word and increase awareness about the stop-loss policy and its tragic effects.

Click here to download the flyer.

Sign the petition.

In the words of Iraq veteran and chairman of veterans' organization VoteVets.org Jon Soltz,

"Stop Loss has been one of the most painful Pentagon policies for those who have served in Iraq. While the film examines how the policy might affect one soldier, this issue affects thousands and thousands of those who serve our nation, in a very similar way. Longer and more frequent deployments have been linked to depression and even suicide among our troops and veterans. We must rally behind our troops, and end this destructive policy."

STOP LOSS

In Theaters March 28th



Decorated Iraq war hero Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) makes a celebrated return to his small Texas hometown following his tour of duty. He tries to resume the life he left behind with the help and support of his family and his best friend, Steve Shriver (Channing Tatum), who served with him in Iraq. Along with their other war buddies, Brandon and Steve try to make peace with civilian life. Then, against Brandon's will, the Army orders him back to duty in Iraq, which upends his world. The conflict tests everything he believes in: the bond of family, the loyalty of friendship, the limits of love and the value of honor.

STOP LOSS - The Movie