First female nominated to become four-star
Staff report
Posted : Monday Jun 23, 2008 16:55:05 EDT
Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, deputy commander and chief of staff of U.S. Army Material Command, is poised to become the first female four-star general in the U.S. military, according to an Army press release.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Monday that the White House has nominated Dunwoody for appointment to the grade of general and assignment as commanding general of AMC at Fort Belvoir, Va.
“This is an important day for the Dunwoody family, the military and the Nation,” Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey said in the release. “Lt. Gen. Dunwoody’s nomination not only underscores her significant contributions and success throughout 33 years of service, but also shows the level of possible opportunity in our Army’s diverse, quality all-volunteer force.”
Approximately five percent of general officers in the Army are women, which includes mobilized Army Reserve and Army National Guard general officers, the Army release said.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/army_dunwoody_062308w/
Monday, June 23, 2008
LA needs to find a place for homeless to park
L.A. seeing more people living out of their cars
By CHRISTINA HOAG, Associated Press Writer
Monday, June 23, 2008
(06-23) 12:24 PDT LOS ANGELES, (AP) --
Having lost her job and her three-bedroom house, Darlene Knoll has joined the legions of downwardly mobile who are four wheels away from homelessness.
She is living out of her shabby 1978 RV, and every night she has to look for a place to park where she won't get hassled by the cops or insulted by residents.
"I'm not a piece of trash," the former home health care aide said as she stroked one of five dogs in her cramped quarters parked in the waterfront community of Marina del Rey.
Amid the foreclosure crisis and the shaky economy, some California cities are seeing an increase in the number of people living out of their cars, vans or RVs.
Acting on complaints from homeowners, the Los Angeles City Council got tough earlier this year by forbidding nearly all overnight parking in residential neighborhoods such as South Brentwood.
But some people are just crowding into other parts of the city, including the seaside community of Venice, where dozens of rusty, dilapidated campers can be seen lined up outside neat single-family homes. The stench of urine emanates from a few of the vehicles, and some residents say they have seen human waste left behind.
click post title for more
They can complain all they want but it won't solve the problem as long as people keep losing their homes and have no place else to go. The residents have a right to be upset but if they were unlucky enough to lose their house, it's very doubtful they would have the same opinion on the homeless.
There has to be some empty parking lots these people can go to at night with some facilities to take care of their personal needs. What's so hard about doing something like that? It would cost the city a lot less time and money having them park on a lot than in front of someone's house who is likely to complain. How about a little human kindness and a whole lot of common sense on this one?
Summer camps for veterans' kids help ease strains
Summer camps for veterans' kids help ease strains
By MARY HUDETZ
The Associated Press
Monday, June 23, 2008; 4:19 AM
LARKSPUR, Colo. -- At a dining hall filled with the chatter of summer campers eating lunch, the photos on one wall bear witness that this is no ordinary camp.
Pictures of mothers and fathers in uniform are adorned with notes in the bubbly penmanship of youngsters whose parents have or will serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"My dad," reads a note taped to the photo of a man in Air Force uniform. Another, written in thick, red marker: "So me and my brother all have to be strong and make sacrifices for my dad because we all want him to come back."
About 100 youths are attending this free, weeklong camp in the tiny Rocky Mountain town of Larkspur organized by the National Military Family Association. The association is hosting 10,000 campers in 37 states this summer _ up from 1,000 youths at 12 camps when the program began in 2004.
click post title for more
By MARY HUDETZ
The Associated Press
Monday, June 23, 2008; 4:19 AM
LARKSPUR, Colo. -- At a dining hall filled with the chatter of summer campers eating lunch, the photos on one wall bear witness that this is no ordinary camp.
Pictures of mothers and fathers in uniform are adorned with notes in the bubbly penmanship of youngsters whose parents have or will serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"My dad," reads a note taped to the photo of a man in Air Force uniform. Another, written in thick, red marker: "So me and my brother all have to be strong and make sacrifices for my dad because we all want him to come back."
About 100 youths are attending this free, weeklong camp in the tiny Rocky Mountain town of Larkspur organized by the National Military Family Association. The association is hosting 10,000 campers in 37 states this summer _ up from 1,000 youths at 12 camps when the program began in 2004.
click post title for more
PTSD Drugs: Better Living through Chemistry
My friend Lily over at Healing Combat Trauma just did a great piece on medications you really should read.
PTSD Drugs: Better Living through Chemistry, or Purely Popping Pills for PTSD's Psychological Ills?
There was a story in the news recently about four young combat veterans in West Virginia, all seemingly in decent physical condition beforehand, who nevertheless all died in their sleep recently. Besides combat PTSD, one thing the vets all had in common was the cocktail of drugs they were taking: Paxil, Klonopin and Seroquel. (The Charleston, West Virginia Gazette-Mail reported this story on May 24, 2008 - it's linked here.) An investigation is pending, but the story obviously raises the question: what are vets with PTSD being prescribed, and is it really working, or what's best? (Continue reading, and you'll learn more about those specific medications as well.)
---
Where to go for information about PTSD medications? Here are a few, carefully-chosen selections, and their pros and cons - as appropriate:
go here for more
http://www.healingcombattrauma.com/2008/06/ptsd-drugs-better-living-through-chemistry.html
Karl D. Chapin Vietnam Vet, guardian angel and donor
War hero with kidney to spare finds donor recipient on Web
By Eva Wolchover
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Arlington restaurant owner Ricardo Mermet saw more than a hero in Vietnam vet and war amputee Karl D. Chapin of Grafton. He saw his guardian angel.
Until Tuesday, Mermet, a native of Argentina who co-owns Tango restaurant with his wife, Nancy, was in desperate need of a new kidney. Years of diabetes and hypertension had taken their toll, and Mermet had spent the last 18 months undergoing thrice-weekly sessions of dialysis while his name sat unmoved on the national organ donation list (UNOS).
Chapin, 59 is a decorated amputee who lost his right hand at Hamburger Hill in Vietnam. He came across Mermet’s plea for a kidney on matchingdonors.com, a Canton-based Web site that matches donors with patients in need of transplants.
click post title for more
By Eva Wolchover
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Arlington restaurant owner Ricardo Mermet saw more than a hero in Vietnam vet and war amputee Karl D. Chapin of Grafton. He saw his guardian angel.
Until Tuesday, Mermet, a native of Argentina who co-owns Tango restaurant with his wife, Nancy, was in desperate need of a new kidney. Years of diabetes and hypertension had taken their toll, and Mermet had spent the last 18 months undergoing thrice-weekly sessions of dialysis while his name sat unmoved on the national organ donation list (UNOS).
Chapin, 59 is a decorated amputee who lost his right hand at Hamburger Hill in Vietnam. He came across Mermet’s plea for a kidney on matchingdonors.com, a Canton-based Web site that matches donors with patients in need of transplants.
When asked which kidney he’d like to donate, he said, “Doc, you gotta take the left, because that’s the one I’ve been teaching Spanish to.’ ” he joked.
click post title for more
UK:More than 10,000 troops unfit for frontline: report
More than 10,000 troops unfit for frontline: report
Mon Jun 23, 3:24 AM ET
LONDON (AFP) - More than 10,000 British soldiers are unfit for frontline duty as the pressure of supplying troops for years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan takes its toll on the army, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
The newspaper said the Ministry of Defence admits that 8,500 soldiers from the 59,000-strong "Field Army" -- units such as tank, artillery and infantry regiments --- are classified as unfit to serve at the front.
When other soldiers classified as unfit from the overall 101,800-strong army are taken into account, the total figure is likely to exceed 10,000, said the newspaper, which is traditionally close to the armed forces.
The figure of one in 10 soldiers classified as unfit for operations is the highest since the start of the Iraq war in 2003. Britain has been Washington's staunchest ally in Iraq and about 4,000 British troops are currently based there.
go here for more
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080623/wl_uk_afp/britainmilitaryafghanistaniraq
Mon Jun 23, 3:24 AM ET
LONDON (AFP) - More than 10,000 British soldiers are unfit for frontline duty as the pressure of supplying troops for years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan takes its toll on the army, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
The newspaper said the Ministry of Defence admits that 8,500 soldiers from the 59,000-strong "Field Army" -- units such as tank, artillery and infantry regiments --- are classified as unfit to serve at the front.
When other soldiers classified as unfit from the overall 101,800-strong army are taken into account, the total figure is likely to exceed 10,000, said the newspaper, which is traditionally close to the armed forces.
The figure of one in 10 soldiers classified as unfit for operations is the highest since the start of the Iraq war in 2003. Britain has been Washington's staunchest ally in Iraq and about 4,000 British troops are currently based there.
go here for more
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080623/wl_uk_afp/britainmilitaryafghanistaniraq
Iraqi official kills one US soldier, wounds 5 others
Iraqi official opens fire on visiting U.S. troops, killing one
By Hannah Allam McClatchy Newspapers
BAGHDAD, Iraq — One U.S. soldier was killed and five others were wounded today in a bizarre shooting incident near the town of Salman Pak, south of Baghdad, according to U.S. and Iraqi authorities.
Iraqi authorities said a member of the town council, which is part of the U.S.-allied Iraqi government, carried out the shootings,
An Iraqi police captain, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the incident, said local council member Raed Hmood Ajil opened fire on the U.S. troops for unknown reasons and was killed at the scene by American forces. The account could not immediately be verified.
The U.S. military could confirm only that "initial reports indicate one Coalition forces (soldier) killed in action, five Coalition forces soldiers wounded in action and one enemy killed in action" at 1 p.m. today in the Salman Pak area.
U.S. and Iraqi authorities are investigating.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/41895.html
Linked from ICasualties.org
By Hannah Allam McClatchy Newspapers
BAGHDAD, Iraq — One U.S. soldier was killed and five others were wounded today in a bizarre shooting incident near the town of Salman Pak, south of Baghdad, according to U.S. and Iraqi authorities.
Iraqi authorities said a member of the town council, which is part of the U.S.-allied Iraqi government, carried out the shootings,
An Iraqi police captain, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the incident, said local council member Raed Hmood Ajil opened fire on the U.S. troops for unknown reasons and was killed at the scene by American forces. The account could not immediately be verified.
The U.S. military could confirm only that "initial reports indicate one Coalition forces (soldier) killed in action, five Coalition forces soldiers wounded in action and one enemy killed in action" at 1 p.m. today in the Salman Pak area.
U.S. and Iraqi authorities are investigating.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/41895.html
Linked from ICasualties.org
PTSD: Private battle of Capt. Nate Self made public
A private battle made public
Veteran hopes account of war, PTSD struggle helps other troops
By Sean D. Naylor - Staff writerPosted : Monday Jun 23, 2008 6:31:13 EDT
After surviving one of the most vicious firefights in the war in Afghanistan, Capt. Nate Self knew he had to write about it.
Self led a Ranger platoon in a daylong battle on Takur Ghar mountain that claimed the lives of seven U.S. servicemen on March 4, 2002.
Self said that “as soon as we came off the mountain,” he felt there was a message he had to spread. “There was kind of a personal side of the story and what the Rangers had experienced leading up to it that needed to be told,” he said in an interview with Army Times.
What he could not have guessed was that by the time he finished writing his story, it would have expanded to encompass the tale of another tough battle — his own with post-traumatic stress disorder, which continues to plague him.
Now 32, Self, who left the Army in 2004, gives his account of both battles in “Two Wars,” a book published this month by Tyndale House Publishers Inc.
Although others, including this writer, have written detailed accounts of the Takur Ghar battle, Self is the first combatant to publish his version of events. His tale of the battle is searing, but for many military readers, Self’s description of how PTSD almost destroyed his life and his family will make an even deeper impression.
As Self recounts in the book, the PTSD sneaked up on him over the months and years following the hellish battle on Takur Ghar’s frozen mountaintop.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/army_nate_self_062308w/
Six months of TV news and only 181 minutes of war news
June 23, 2008
Reporters Say Networks Put Wars on Back Burner
By BRIAN STELTER
Getting a story on the evening news isn’t easy for any correspondent. And for reporters in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is especially hard, according to Lara Logan, the chief foreign correspondent for CBS News. So she has devised a solution when she is talking to the network.
“Generally what I say is, ‘I’m holding the armor-piercing R.P.G.,’ ” she said last week in an appearance on “The Daily Show,” referring to the initials for rocket-propelled grenade. “ ‘It’s aimed at the bureau chief, and if you don’t put my story on the air, I’m going to pull the trigger.’ ”
Ms. Logan let a sly just-kidding smile sneak through as she spoke, but her point was serious. Five years into the war in Iraq and nearly seven years into the war in Afghanistan, getting news of the conflicts onto television is harder than ever.
“If I were to watch the news that you hear here in the United States, I would just blow my brains out because it would drive me nuts,” Ms. Logan said.
According to data compiled by Andrew Tyndall, a television consultant who monitors the three network evening newscasts, coverage of Iraq has been “massively scaled back this year.” Almost halfway into 2008, the three newscasts have shown 181 weekday minutes of Iraq coverage, compared with 1,157 minutes for all of 2007. The “CBS Evening News” has devoted the fewest minutes to Iraq, 51, versus 55 minutes on ABC’s “World News” and 74 minutes on “NBC Nightly News.” (The average evening newscast is 22 minutes long.)
go here for more
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/business/media/23logan.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1214202979-IKPzwPHPth4O%20XkM/q3e8w&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin
Reporters Say Networks Put Wars on Back Burner
By BRIAN STELTER
Getting a story on the evening news isn’t easy for any correspondent. And for reporters in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is especially hard, according to Lara Logan, the chief foreign correspondent for CBS News. So she has devised a solution when she is talking to the network.
“Generally what I say is, ‘I’m holding the armor-piercing R.P.G.,’ ” she said last week in an appearance on “The Daily Show,” referring to the initials for rocket-propelled grenade. “ ‘It’s aimed at the bureau chief, and if you don’t put my story on the air, I’m going to pull the trigger.’ ”
Ms. Logan let a sly just-kidding smile sneak through as she spoke, but her point was serious. Five years into the war in Iraq and nearly seven years into the war in Afghanistan, getting news of the conflicts onto television is harder than ever.
“If I were to watch the news that you hear here in the United States, I would just blow my brains out because it would drive me nuts,” Ms. Logan said.
According to data compiled by Andrew Tyndall, a television consultant who monitors the three network evening newscasts, coverage of Iraq has been “massively scaled back this year.” Almost halfway into 2008, the three newscasts have shown 181 weekday minutes of Iraq coverage, compared with 1,157 minutes for all of 2007. The “CBS Evening News” has devoted the fewest minutes to Iraq, 51, versus 55 minutes on ABC’s “World News” and 74 minutes on “NBC Nightly News.” (The average evening newscast is 22 minutes long.)
go here for more
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/business/media/23logan.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1214202979-IKPzwPHPth4O%20XkM/q3e8w&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin
When will military brass stop malingering on PTSD?
When I see videos done by the military interviewing commanders who get it, there is so much hope that this wound will finally be treated for what it is. Yet while the vast majority of the military leaders are educated, care about their soldiers and use intelligence, some report comes out about another uneducated, closed minded leader that find no shame in being out of the loop.
Maj. Douglas Wesner apparently remains unable to understand what has been known since the time of King David in the Bible. While every organization in the military, serving the military and every veterans organization is stepping up, he remains sitting in the back of the room with his fingers in his ears. Over and over again we see leaders taking time to understand the men and women they command, yet others like Wesner cannot even understand their lack of knowledge is not a badge of honor but something to be ashamed of.
Ignorance is nothing to be proud of in the military or any walk of life. Malingering? What would he do if one of his soldiers had lost his legs and could not rise to do a proper salute? Just because he is unable to use his mind to understand this wound is a wound, why should he be allowed to make the wounded suffer under his command? The evidence is in. The facts are in. This wound has a long, long history but so have leaders like Wesner with the mentality that caused PTSD soldiers to be shot as cowards instead of treated with the dignity they deserved. Every leader needs to stop malingering when it comes to getting their act in gear and catching up to the rest of their counterparts who do get it! PTSD is nothing to be ashamed of but ignorance of what PTSD is a thing to be ashamed of. Had Goldsmith been in someone else's unit, he would have received better care and treatment because he deserved it. Too many have been forced out of the military when they were willling to stay in even after being wounded by PTSD. All they needed was the help to do it.
For Heaven's sake, we deal with PTSD in police departments across the country, fire departments across the country and all other walks of life. It's as if those who still want to treat PTSD like some "thing" of shame is insulting every other person in the country who has been wounded by trauma. Would Wesner have insulted Audie Murphy too? Maybe Wesner is a fine military man otherwise but until someone explains what PTSD is to him, he will never be all he can be and his troops will suffer for it. Time for some lessons to the others like Wesner. It's like leaving a commander still using a flint lock rifle while everyone else moved on to machine guns.
Army's battle: Mental illness
Military tries to balance caring for true PTSD patients, keeping eye out for malingering soldiers
By Aamer Madhani Tribune correspondent
2:30 AM CDT, June 23, 2008
BELLMORE, N.Y. — Kristofer Goldsmith was so distressed about the prospect of returning to Iraq that he decided he was willing to kill himself to avoid serving a second tour.
Just as Goldsmith's three-year Army contract was to expire, it was extended under the military's "stop loss" program, and his unit was set to deploy to Baghdad to take part in the troop surge. On the day before he was to ship out in May 2007, he took a dozen Percocet painkillers, washed down with more than a liter of vodka.
Soon after Goldsmith was admitted to Winn Army Community Hospital at Ft. Stewart, Ga., a senior non-commissioned officer from his brigade visited the young sergeant, along with an Army psychologist, to discuss discharging him from the military."We all agreed that it was for the best that my Army career come to an end then," said Goldsmith, 22, who added that he'd scrawled the words "stop loss killed me" in marker on his body before his suicide attempt. "It was a few days later when they told me that they were going to come at me for faking a mental lapse."
Malingeringgo here for more
The rear detachment commander of Goldsmith's unit, Maj. Douglas Wesner of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, quickly initiated an administrative punishment known as an Article 15 against Goldsmith for malingering—that is, feigning a mental lapse or derangement or purposely injuring oneself—to avoid being deployed to Iraq.
Eventually his commanders dropped the Article 15, but not before removing Goldsmith from the service on a general discharge. Because he did not receive an honorable discharge, Goldsmith was stripped of his Montgomery GI Bill benefits, which he'd been counting on to help pay for college.
Goldsmith's tough treatment is not unheard of.
Twenty-one soldiers in Iraq have been punitively discharged since 2003 after being convicted of malingering, according to the Army.
Goldsmith remains adamant that he did not fake a mental illness. After Goldsmith's discharge, a psychologist with the Department of Veterans Affairs diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-gi_suicidejun23,0,5414569.story
Maj. Douglas Wesner apparently remains unable to understand what has been known since the time of King David in the Bible. While every organization in the military, serving the military and every veterans organization is stepping up, he remains sitting in the back of the room with his fingers in his ears. Over and over again we see leaders taking time to understand the men and women they command, yet others like Wesner cannot even understand their lack of knowledge is not a badge of honor but something to be ashamed of.
Ignorance is nothing to be proud of in the military or any walk of life. Malingering? What would he do if one of his soldiers had lost his legs and could not rise to do a proper salute? Just because he is unable to use his mind to understand this wound is a wound, why should he be allowed to make the wounded suffer under his command? The evidence is in. The facts are in. This wound has a long, long history but so have leaders like Wesner with the mentality that caused PTSD soldiers to be shot as cowards instead of treated with the dignity they deserved. Every leader needs to stop malingering when it comes to getting their act in gear and catching up to the rest of their counterparts who do get it! PTSD is nothing to be ashamed of but ignorance of what PTSD is a thing to be ashamed of. Had Goldsmith been in someone else's unit, he would have received better care and treatment because he deserved it. Too many have been forced out of the military when they were willling to stay in even after being wounded by PTSD. All they needed was the help to do it.
For Heaven's sake, we deal with PTSD in police departments across the country, fire departments across the country and all other walks of life. It's as if those who still want to treat PTSD like some "thing" of shame is insulting every other person in the country who has been wounded by trauma. Would Wesner have insulted Audie Murphy too? Maybe Wesner is a fine military man otherwise but until someone explains what PTSD is to him, he will never be all he can be and his troops will suffer for it. Time for some lessons to the others like Wesner. It's like leaving a commander still using a flint lock rifle while everyone else moved on to machine guns.
Intervention takes on PTSD and Iraq
Intervention®
“Brad”
Rated: TV14 L Running Time: 60 Minutes Genre: Real Life Series Closed Captions: Yes
Upcoming Airings: Monday, June 23 @ 8pm/7C Tuesday, June 24 @ 12am/11C
Search for other upcoming episodesThe chaos and bloodshed that Brad witnessed as a young soldier in Iraq, including the death of a close friend, left him emotionally damaged. He now suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and uses alcohol and marijuana to quell the endless nightmares and flashbacks that haunt him. Brad's temper also flares and he's had several incidents of blackout drinking which have led to two car accidents. His parents and sisters are terrified that Brad will kill himself or someone else in a drunken stupor. An intervention is their final attempt to save his life.
http://www.aetv.com/listings/episode_details.do?episodeid=324352
Army Wives and Forgotten Families
'Army Wives': I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV
Zap2it.com - USA
Roland Burton is an excellent doctor. We know this because they told us so throughout the entire first season of Army Wives. This is a man who has received national acclaim for his work counseling patients through post-traumatic stress disorder. He's a man who, as soon as he decided at the end of the first season to look for a job elsewhere, was instantly offered a new job at Northwestern and presumably could have had his pick of places to go. In short, this is a guy who knows what he's doing.
So what exactly does it say when one of Roland's best friends is suddenly dealing with some post-traumatic stress, but abjectly refuses to seek counsel from him? Strange, right? But that's exactly the case we've got on our hands. Claudia Joy is hurting, badly, but rather than seek help from a respected and trained professional who also happens to be a great friend, Claudia Joy would apparently rather seek support from a mysterious stranger.
As it happens, Roland isn't even the only medical professional here whose professional expertise is falling by the wayside as somebody else assumes that role instead. Denise is a registered nurse, but you wouldn't know it from her behavior in this episode, in which flirting rather than nursing seems to be her priority. In the meantime, Roxy ends up acting like more of a nurse than Denise does. Roxy takes care of Betty, dishes out medical advice on Betty's fight with cancer, and ends up bedside looking after Betty as she prepares for chemotherapy. So to recap, in this series there's both a doctor and a nurse, but others are taking over the roles of doctor and nurse instead.
The case of Claudia Joy refusing to turn to Roland for support is especially interesting. Is she operating under the presumption that everybody on post is sure to gossip about her, and so even though she should theoretically trust Roland she still worries that if she talks to him, people will undoubtedly in turn begin to talk about her? Or is it simply a matter of pride, in that Claudia Joy still believes that she should present an invincible face to the rest of the post community, that she should be strong because that's what everybody else needs?
click above for more
This is a great piece on a show I really like. If you missed Army Wives last summer, turn on Lifetime next Sunday night and watch a good show. You can catch a repeat of yesterday's show on Saturday.
The point of posting this is that TV is being played out all across the nation on a daily basis. The suicide bomber is not on a base here, but is in Iraq and Afghanistan. The family torn apart is not just on TV but right here in our own neighborhood. They do not all live on bases with other military families to turn to for understanding. They are surrounded by people without the slightest clue what they're going through. These families are National Guards and Reservists families living right in our own communities. As bad as it is for regular military families, it's worse for the "part timers" who are expected to just be like the rest of us, act like the rest of us and deal with the same problems the rest of us do. But they are not like us.
Think of what the families of National Guards and Reservists go through. They face the same problems the regular military does, except they did not expect their husbands and wives to be sent to Iraq and Afghanistan over and over again. They did not expect to have to do without the kind of income they based their budgets on. They may have expect their spouse to have to respond to national security problems here on US soil, respond to natural disasters, but to be sent over and over again away from home is not what they planned on.
When members of the "part time" weekend warriors come home, they are expected to just go back to work, if they can, picking up where they left off. Their families are expected to just go on with life between deployment and homecoming. We expect much of them but no one is really talking about what they expect from us.
When they sacrifice their incomes to live on military pay, who makes up the difference? They do. When they have to leave their own businesses, who pays their bills? They are expected to. When they come home wounded and need to be taken care of, they are on their own until their claim is finally approved to deal with the injury as well as the loss of income. But there is a catch to that too. When they have a job making a certain income, that is what they base their budget on paying for mortgages, car payments and other issues in the lifestyle they planned on. The money in compensation, is not determined on what they make in their private lives. Most of them make a lot more money working than they can ever hope to receive as a disabled veteran. Who pays the difference?
We ask a lot of our military and their families but we expect even more sacrifice out of the National Guardsmen and Reservists. We've all heard "they knew they could be sent" when they signed up, comments along that line, but when you really understand what these families expected, being totally disregarded in the process was not part of the deal.
As great as Army Wives is, there should be a program on the National Guards and Reservist families because these people are our neighbors and we've let them all down expecting them to just deal with it all. The local communities do not understand what they are going through and have been reluctant to step up to help them. Local pastors are ambivalent when it comes to the stresses and strains on families and hardly none of them want to even hear the term PTSD, yet they are supposed to be their for their congregations. They need help to heal that wound and their families need help to cope with the changes. The spiritual needs are not being filled either.
When it comes to these citizen soldiers, we have a lot to catch up on and make up for but we won't unless the media sticks their stories in our face on a daily basis and humiliates us into paying attention. They have the same problems the regular military familes do but they also have the same problems the rest of us do. The military has bases and gain support from other families but who do the citizen soldiers have? Us and we are not there for them.
Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington
Ecstasy for PTSD in Australia battle for minds
Pro drug trial
The really interesting part of this, is that two different Australian papers reported the same story with two totally different headlines but basically the same reporting done. A clear indication there is bias in both papers. So what's behind this? Is it what's in the best interest of the PTSD wounded Australian solders or what's in the best interest of the reporter's views?
Con drug trial
Ecstasy to relieve war stress
THE drug ecstasy could be used by war veterans to alleviate stress, says an Australian Democrats MP.
South Australian Democrat Sandra Kanck says the drug's key ingredient, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), could be used to alleviate post-traumatic stress disorders.
"This is not a new idea, it is being trialled in the United States and Israel for war veterans and in Spain for rape victims," she said in a statement.
"It's not a frivolous idea.
"Studies by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2003 and 2007 have shown that post-traumatic stress is a real issue for veterans of the Gulf and Vietnam wars.
"Veterans, like other Australians, are already being prescribed powerful drugs like highly addictive morphine for pain relief and benzodiazepines for post traumatic stress disorder - both are potentially addictive and dangerous drugs.
"Most drugs can be dangerous but if they are used in a controlled way they can be medically beneficial."
go here for more of this
http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,23907284-921,00.html
The really interesting part of this, is that two different Australian papers reported the same story with two totally different headlines but basically the same reporting done. A clear indication there is bias in both papers. So what's behind this? Is it what's in the best interest of the PTSD wounded Australian solders or what's in the best interest of the reporter's views?
Con drug trial
RSL rejects calls to use ecstasy on stressed war veterans
Steve Larkin
June 23, 2008 03:25pm
PROPOSALS to use the drug ecstasy on war veterans to alleviate stress have drawn a lukewarm response from the Returned Services League.
RSL national president Bill Crews said he was reluctant to support a call from an Australian Democrats MP to investigate using the drug on war veterans.
Major General Crews said the proposal was problematic.
"When you are talking about ingredients of illegal drugs in the process of mental health treatment, you are starting to raise quite some issues. Even if it was proven to be beneficial in some areas, how do you actually control it?" he said.
"It's a matter that would be best examined by those qualified to make a decision about its validity or otherwise.
"And until I heard the advice of those specialists and the reasons for that advice, certainly I would be somewhat reluctant to support it.
"We would not agree with a proposal until such time as it was thoroughly investigated scientifically and the specialists in this field, particularly psychiatrists, were confident that there was a case."
go here for more of this
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23908072-953,00.html
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Military vets and families need to know your rights with PTSD
STATEMENT OF
STEPHEN T. MOLNAR, MSW, MA
TEAM LEADER,
HONOLULU VET CENTER
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
BEFORE THE
UNITED STATES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
AT THE OAHU, HAWAII FIELD HEARING
January 10, 2006
Aloha Senator Akaka and other members of Congress. It is an honor to have this opportunity today to testify at these important congressional hearings on "The State of VA Care in Hawaii." I still vividly recall when I had testified before you at the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearings in Washington, DC in 1993 to address concerns about "VA Mental Health Programs."
As a result of those hearings, Public Law 104-262 was passed in 1996, thereby expanding eligibility for Vet Centers and authorizing the extension of readjustment counseling to all combat veterans and their families. This landmark legislation made it possible for combat veterans, and their families, to receive free counseling in convenient locations at 207 Vet Centers nationwide. More importantly though, it helped to eliminate the stigma often associated with mental health care. Public Law 104-262 was a critical step towards the development of seamless and comprehensive care for our returned war veterans.
At Vet Centers, veterans receive counseling for war-related issues, including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in a comfortable community-based setting that is confidential, private, and without stigma or embarrassment.
The law authorized the Vet Centers to provide family therapy as a core component of readjustment counseling. As provided at Vet Centers, family counseling is available as necessary in connection with any psychological, social, or other military-related readjustment problem, whether service-connected or not.
As a special authority in the law, veterans' eligibility for readjustment counseling is determined by military service in a combat theater and does not require the veteran to go through the enrollment procedure. Additionally, providing family services at Vet Centers is not time limited, but rather available as necessary for the veteran's readjustment throughout the life of the veteran. Veterans' family members are included in the counseling process as necessary to address the whole range of family adjustment issues stemming from the veterans' military experience and post-military readjustment.
Early intervention via outreach and preventive family counseling services help returning veterans stabilize their post-military family and work lives, thereby reducing the risk of subsequently developing more chronic forms of PTSD and associated family problems.
As you know Senator, I am one of the original hires in the Vet Center program. For over 25 years, I have had the opportunity and unique privilege of serving Hawaii's combat veterans, and their families, in the sometime difficult readjustment process. The Honolulu Vet Center has served over 10,000 veterans and their families since opening in 1980. Our clients range in ages from 19 to 90 and reflect the diversity that distinguishes Hawaii from any other place in the world. For example, 47% of our caseload is composed of Asian Pacific Islander veterans and a full two-thirds of our caseload lists their ethnicity as "other than Caucasian."
In addition to readjustment counseling for combat-related issues, the Honolulu Vet Center provides assessment and counseling for PTSD, sexual trauma, family counseling and employment. The Vet Center provides services and referral to homeless veterans and does extensive outreach, education and networking to ensure that veterans have access to comprehensive care and assistance within their community.
In 2003, the Secretary directed that Vet Centers be the focal point for delivery of bereavement counseling to families who lost a service member while on active duty. To date, we have provided 11 families with bereavement counseling and support. As you can imagine, these have been amongst our most difficult cases. The pain of these families runs deep. However, I know that our efforts have made a difference.
Our most recent annual workload data reflects that we have served 628 unique veterans, recorded 5500 visits and opened 250 new cases. At present, the approximate breakdown of new clients who have served in a combat theater are 40% for Vietnam, 30% for WWII, 15% for OIF/OEF and 15% for Other Combat Ops. With the anticipated return of soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the recent hiring of our OIF/OEF outreach worker, we expect our proportion of OIF/OEF clients to rise accordingly.
While all clients are offered individual counseling, we also provide group counseling. Group counseling is an extremely effective therapeutic modality as well as an efficient one. At present, the Honolulu Vet Center offers 10 different groups. These include groups focusing on combat, sexual trauma, bereavement, family members, life skills, meditation, and POWs. Many of these groups are held in the evenings to better accommodate our veterans and their families.
As you know Senator, Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers with a small core staff of 3 or 4 employees. At the Honolulu Vet Center, we have four full-time staff: a team leader, two counselors (a social worker and psychologist) and an office manager. In addition, we have a part-time sexual trauma social worker. In November we hired a recently returned Iraqi veteran to serve as our outreach worker. His role is to be the bridge for our returned OIF-OEF veterans and their access to Vet Centers, the VA and other community resources. In addition, we have augmented our Vet Center with a comprehensive employment program through the State of Hawaii Department of Labor Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP). A full-time DVOP counselor out stationed on site provides veterans with immediate access to a full-range of computerized job listings and placement services geared to the needs of veterans.
I am deeply proud of our dedicated and committed staff, Senator. Through their efforts in serving Hawaii's veterans, the Honolulu Vet Center has received both local and national recognition. Two of our counselors have been awarded the VA Secretary's prestigious "Hands and Heart Award" that is presented annually to an employee involved in direct patient care who does the most to exercise professional expertise, to provide emotional support, help and guidance to patients. I have no doubt that the staff will continue to provide the same level of dedication and commitment to ensuring that our returning OIF-OEF veterans receive the best possible care and support.
As you know, the 1996 legislation (Public Law 104-262) expanded eligibility from a single group of war veterans (Vietnam) to all war zone veterans. This resulted in a significant increase in eligible veterans without increasing staffing, and, recently, VHA authorized 100 additional outreach specialists, themselves veterans of OEF/OIF, to enhance the Vet Center program's ability to extend timely services to this new era of war veterans. The dedication and can do attitude of the Vet Center staff ensured that combat veterans of all wars received complete and comprehensive care and services. Similarly, the recent addition of bereavement services required a deep commitment of the staff to ensure that families were provided with immediate and sensitive assistance as well as a full-range of comprehensive services and care which the staff undertook willingly in a professional and compassionate manner. As already noted, with the increased success of our OIF-OEF outreach worker, we anticipate added demands will be placed upon our current counseling staff.
The additional number of veterans who we anticipate may reside in Hawaii after discharge from their OIF-OEF service will add to the Vet Center's demand. As a result, the role of the Vet Center will likely continue to be significant in providing for their readjustment needs.
In closing, I would like to thank you for this opportunity, Senator Akaka, to be able to address those issues facing Hawaii's veterans; particularly those who have served in combat, as well as those still deployed in combat areas. Your willingness to identify the problems facing our veterans, and your commitment to finding appropriate solutions is deeply appreciated.
Senator Akaka, this concludes my statement. I will be glad to answer any questions that you or other members of the Committee may have.
http://www.va.gov/OCA/testimony/svac/060111SM.asp
If they tell you that they do not have to take care of the whole family as well as all veterans, copy and print the above and hand it to them. See what excuse you get after that. If there are not enough mental health providers, get it in writing and pass it onto Senator Akaka.
STEPHEN T. MOLNAR, MSW, MA
TEAM LEADER,
HONOLULU VET CENTER
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
BEFORE THE
UNITED STATES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
AT THE OAHU, HAWAII FIELD HEARING
January 10, 2006
Aloha Senator Akaka and other members of Congress. It is an honor to have this opportunity today to testify at these important congressional hearings on "The State of VA Care in Hawaii." I still vividly recall when I had testified before you at the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearings in Washington, DC in 1993 to address concerns about "VA Mental Health Programs."
As a result of those hearings, Public Law 104-262 was passed in 1996, thereby expanding eligibility for Vet Centers and authorizing the extension of readjustment counseling to all combat veterans and their families. This landmark legislation made it possible for combat veterans, and their families, to receive free counseling in convenient locations at 207 Vet Centers nationwide. More importantly though, it helped to eliminate the stigma often associated with mental health care. Public Law 104-262 was a critical step towards the development of seamless and comprehensive care for our returned war veterans.
At Vet Centers, veterans receive counseling for war-related issues, including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in a comfortable community-based setting that is confidential, private, and without stigma or embarrassment.
The law authorized the Vet Centers to provide family therapy as a core component of readjustment counseling. As provided at Vet Centers, family counseling is available as necessary in connection with any psychological, social, or other military-related readjustment problem, whether service-connected or not.
As a special authority in the law, veterans' eligibility for readjustment counseling is determined by military service in a combat theater and does not require the veteran to go through the enrollment procedure. Additionally, providing family services at Vet Centers is not time limited, but rather available as necessary for the veteran's readjustment throughout the life of the veteran. Veterans' family members are included in the counseling process as necessary to address the whole range of family adjustment issues stemming from the veterans' military experience and post-military readjustment.
Early intervention via outreach and preventive family counseling services help returning veterans stabilize their post-military family and work lives, thereby reducing the risk of subsequently developing more chronic forms of PTSD and associated family problems.
As you know Senator, I am one of the original hires in the Vet Center program. For over 25 years, I have had the opportunity and unique privilege of serving Hawaii's combat veterans, and their families, in the sometime difficult readjustment process. The Honolulu Vet Center has served over 10,000 veterans and their families since opening in 1980. Our clients range in ages from 19 to 90 and reflect the diversity that distinguishes Hawaii from any other place in the world. For example, 47% of our caseload is composed of Asian Pacific Islander veterans and a full two-thirds of our caseload lists their ethnicity as "other than Caucasian."
In addition to readjustment counseling for combat-related issues, the Honolulu Vet Center provides assessment and counseling for PTSD, sexual trauma, family counseling and employment. The Vet Center provides services and referral to homeless veterans and does extensive outreach, education and networking to ensure that veterans have access to comprehensive care and assistance within their community.
In 2003, the Secretary directed that Vet Centers be the focal point for delivery of bereavement counseling to families who lost a service member while on active duty. To date, we have provided 11 families with bereavement counseling and support. As you can imagine, these have been amongst our most difficult cases. The pain of these families runs deep. However, I know that our efforts have made a difference.
Our most recent annual workload data reflects that we have served 628 unique veterans, recorded 5500 visits and opened 250 new cases. At present, the approximate breakdown of new clients who have served in a combat theater are 40% for Vietnam, 30% for WWII, 15% for OIF/OEF and 15% for Other Combat Ops. With the anticipated return of soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the recent hiring of our OIF/OEF outreach worker, we expect our proportion of OIF/OEF clients to rise accordingly.
While all clients are offered individual counseling, we also provide group counseling. Group counseling is an extremely effective therapeutic modality as well as an efficient one. At present, the Honolulu Vet Center offers 10 different groups. These include groups focusing on combat, sexual trauma, bereavement, family members, life skills, meditation, and POWs. Many of these groups are held in the evenings to better accommodate our veterans and their families.
As you know Senator, Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers with a small core staff of 3 or 4 employees. At the Honolulu Vet Center, we have four full-time staff: a team leader, two counselors (a social worker and psychologist) and an office manager. In addition, we have a part-time sexual trauma social worker. In November we hired a recently returned Iraqi veteran to serve as our outreach worker. His role is to be the bridge for our returned OIF-OEF veterans and their access to Vet Centers, the VA and other community resources. In addition, we have augmented our Vet Center with a comprehensive employment program through the State of Hawaii Department of Labor Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP). A full-time DVOP counselor out stationed on site provides veterans with immediate access to a full-range of computerized job listings and placement services geared to the needs of veterans.
I am deeply proud of our dedicated and committed staff, Senator. Through their efforts in serving Hawaii's veterans, the Honolulu Vet Center has received both local and national recognition. Two of our counselors have been awarded the VA Secretary's prestigious "Hands and Heart Award" that is presented annually to an employee involved in direct patient care who does the most to exercise professional expertise, to provide emotional support, help and guidance to patients. I have no doubt that the staff will continue to provide the same level of dedication and commitment to ensuring that our returning OIF-OEF veterans receive the best possible care and support.
As you know, the 1996 legislation (Public Law 104-262) expanded eligibility from a single group of war veterans (Vietnam) to all war zone veterans. This resulted in a significant increase in eligible veterans without increasing staffing, and, recently, VHA authorized 100 additional outreach specialists, themselves veterans of OEF/OIF, to enhance the Vet Center program's ability to extend timely services to this new era of war veterans. The dedication and can do attitude of the Vet Center staff ensured that combat veterans of all wars received complete and comprehensive care and services. Similarly, the recent addition of bereavement services required a deep commitment of the staff to ensure that families were provided with immediate and sensitive assistance as well as a full-range of comprehensive services and care which the staff undertook willingly in a professional and compassionate manner. As already noted, with the increased success of our OIF-OEF outreach worker, we anticipate added demands will be placed upon our current counseling staff.
The additional number of veterans who we anticipate may reside in Hawaii after discharge from their OIF-OEF service will add to the Vet Center's demand. As a result, the role of the Vet Center will likely continue to be significant in providing for their readjustment needs.
In closing, I would like to thank you for this opportunity, Senator Akaka, to be able to address those issues facing Hawaii's veterans; particularly those who have served in combat, as well as those still deployed in combat areas. Your willingness to identify the problems facing our veterans, and your commitment to finding appropriate solutions is deeply appreciated.
Senator Akaka, this concludes my statement. I will be glad to answer any questions that you or other members of the Committee may have.
http://www.va.gov/OCA/testimony/svac/060111SM.asp
If they tell you that they do not have to take care of the whole family as well as all veterans, copy and print the above and hand it to them. See what excuse you get after that. If there are not enough mental health providers, get it in writing and pass it onto Senator Akaka.
Give An Hour making news again
DoD: America Supports You: Group Offers Free Mental Health Counseling
By AmericasNewsToday.Org staff
Mental Health practitioners nationwide are donating their time and services to provide free, confidential counseling to military people and their families.
"Combat affects everyone in one way or another," explained Dr. Barbara Romberg in an "ASY Live" interview on BlogTalkRadio. "Most people react when exposed to a situation where there are extreme or horrific events; it is a human reaction to abnormal situations."
ASY Live is part of the Defense Department’s America Supports You program, which connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Romberg, founder and president of "Give an Hour," said she started her nonprofit organization to educate servicemembers and their families about the seriousness of post-traumatic stress disorder and the importance of taking steps to combat it.
"When we set up the organization a few years ago, the concept was very simple, she said. "We asked mental health professionals across the country to give an hour of their time."
When one of the program’s providers was asked why she joined, Romberg said, her answer was equally simple. "How could I not? It’s so little that they are asking of me to give," the practitioner said.
Romberg said a broad spectrum of mental health practitioners participated in Give an Hour. "We have mental health professionals of all kinds -- psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, licensed marriage and family counselors, substance abuse counselors and pastors," she explained. "One size doesn’t fit all; people need different things."
Raising awareness about PTSD is as important to the group as providing help to people who need it, she said.
"We are really launching a public education campaign to make sure our entire country understands post-traumatic stress -- what it is and why it’s so important to address," she said. "Post-traumatic stress is a condition that will affect most people."
Romberg said there are important signs that a family member can identify that may be an indication that professional help may be a necessary part of the recovery process.
click post title for more
By AmericasNewsToday.Org staff
Mental Health practitioners nationwide are donating their time and services to provide free, confidential counseling to military people and their families.
"Combat affects everyone in one way or another," explained Dr. Barbara Romberg in an "ASY Live" interview on BlogTalkRadio. "Most people react when exposed to a situation where there are extreme or horrific events; it is a human reaction to abnormal situations."
ASY Live is part of the Defense Department’s America Supports You program, which connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Romberg, founder and president of "Give an Hour," said she started her nonprofit organization to educate servicemembers and their families about the seriousness of post-traumatic stress disorder and the importance of taking steps to combat it.
"When we set up the organization a few years ago, the concept was very simple, she said. "We asked mental health professionals across the country to give an hour of their time."
When one of the program’s providers was asked why she joined, Romberg said, her answer was equally simple. "How could I not? It’s so little that they are asking of me to give," the practitioner said.
Romberg said a broad spectrum of mental health practitioners participated in Give an Hour. "We have mental health professionals of all kinds -- psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, licensed marriage and family counselors, substance abuse counselors and pastors," she explained. "One size doesn’t fit all; people need different things."
Raising awareness about PTSD is as important to the group as providing help to people who need it, she said.
"We are really launching a public education campaign to make sure our entire country understands post-traumatic stress -- what it is and why it’s so important to address," she said. "Post-traumatic stress is a condition that will affect most people."
Romberg said there are important signs that a family member can identify that may be an indication that professional help may be a necessary part of the recovery process.
click post title for more
Orlando Mayor to take stand in homeless feeding trial
Orlando's mayor expected to take stand in homeless-feeding trial
Mark Schlueb Sentinel Staff Writer
June 22, 2008
When Orlando's controversial rules on feeding the homeless go on trial in federal court this week, Mayor Buddy Dyer likely will have to answer some tough questions.
The advocates for the homeless who sued for the right to feed the hungry plan to call Dyer to the witness stand.
"He was the guy in charge when this ordinance was proposed and written and enacted," said Jacqueline Dowd, one of the attorneys for the feeding groups. "He's been somewhat vocal about the issue of homelessness in Orlando, and I think some of his public statements are going to be at issue."
Dyer is the most high-profile person on a list of possible witnesses that includes Orlando's police chief, city clerk and economic-development director, homeless advocates, police officers, Lake Eola-area business owners and even a homeless man.
click above for more
Mark Schlueb Sentinel Staff Writer
June 22, 2008
When Orlando's controversial rules on feeding the homeless go on trial in federal court this week, Mayor Buddy Dyer likely will have to answer some tough questions.
The advocates for the homeless who sued for the right to feed the hungry plan to call Dyer to the witness stand.
"He was the guy in charge when this ordinance was proposed and written and enacted," said Jacqueline Dowd, one of the attorneys for the feeding groups. "He's been somewhat vocal about the issue of homelessness in Orlando, and I think some of his public statements are going to be at issue."
Dyer is the most high-profile person on a list of possible witnesses that includes Orlando's police chief, city clerk and economic-development director, homeless advocates, police officers, Lake Eola-area business owners and even a homeless man.
click above for more
Subject: Wanted: church staff proof readers
I don't know who started this email but I'm glad they did. We all need a good laugh!
Subject: Wanted: church staff proof readers
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:18:52 -0500
Thank God for church staff with typewriters. These sentences actually
appeared in church bulletins or
were announced in church services:
1. Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at
Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
2. Announcement in a church bulletin for a national PRAYER & FASTING
Conference: The cost for attending the Fasting and Prayer conference includes meals.
3. The sermon this morning: Jesus Walks on the Water. The sermon tonight:
Searching for Jesus.
4. Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the
recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
5. Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of
those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands.
6. The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a
conflict.
7. Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.
8. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say hell to someone who doesn't
care much about you.
9. Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
10. Miss Charlene Mason sang I will not pass this way again, giving
obvious pleasure to the congregation.
11. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a
nursery downstairs.
12. Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the
help they can get.
13. Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more
transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack's sermons.
14. During the absence of our Pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of
hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.
15. The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will
sing Break Forth into Joy.
16. Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the
church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
17. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall.
Music will follow.
18. At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is
Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
19. Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of
several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
20. Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be
recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
21. The Lutheran men's group will meet at 6 P.M.. Steak, mashed potatoes,
green beans, bread and dessert will be served for a nominal feel.
22. Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased
person you want remembered.
23. Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy
lunch.
24. The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment,
and gracious hostility.
25. Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 P.M. - prayer and medication to follow.
26. The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind.
They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
27. This evening at 7 P.M. there will be a hymn sing in the park across
from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
28. Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are
invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
29. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use
the back door.
30. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the
Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The Congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
31. Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.
Please use large double door at the side entrance.
32. Mrs. Johnson will be entering the hospital this week for testes.
33. The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would
lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
34. The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign
slogan last Sunday: I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.
35. Our next song is Angels We Have Heard Get High.
Now That We’ve ‘Won,’ Let’s Come Home
Now That We’ve ‘Won,’ Let’s Come Home
By FRANK RICH
Published: June 22, 2008
THE Iraq war’s defenders like to bash the press for pushing the bad news and ignoring the good. Maybe they’ll be happy to hear that the bad news doesn’t rate anymore. When a bomb killed at least 51 Iraqis at a Baghdad market on Tuesday, ending an extended run of relative calm, only one of the three network newscasts (NBC’s) even bothered to mention it.
The only problem is that no news from Iraq isn’t good news — it’s no news. The night of the Baghdad bombing the CBS war correspondent Lara Logan appeared as Jon Stewart’s guest on “The Daily Show” to lament the vanishing television coverage and the even steeper falloff in viewer interest. “Tell me the last time you saw the body of a dead American soldier,” she said. After pointing out that more soldiers died in Afghanistan than Iraq last month, she asked, “Who’s paying attention to that?”
Her question was rhetorical, but there is an answer: Virtually no one. If you follow the nation’s op-ed pages and the presidential campaign, Iraq seems as contentious an issue as Vietnam was in 1968. But in the country itself, Cindy vs. Michelle, not Shiites vs. Sunnis, is the hotter battle. This isn’t the press’s fault, and it isn’t the public’s fault. It’s merely the way things are.
click post title for more
Nothing really gets covered about Iraq on the TV and even less than nothing on Afghanistan. No one noticed the death count in Afghanistan has gone up and we lost more there than we did in Iraq. No one notice the five killed just the other day or the other deaths there this year.
It's easy for the backers of the Iraq fiasco to claim victory when they don't know what's happening behind hearing there are less attacks now and less deaths of American forces, when every other indication leads to even more violence around the corner. It's easy for them to ignore the rise and fall in deaths over the years and even easier to ignore that the Iraqi people are pretty much fed up with all of it. None of the backers noticed the fact that troops have been treated to contaminated water by KBR. The billions of funds missing and unaccounted for. The other pieces of news coming out pointing fingers all at this are easy to ignore when they have their fingers in their ears.
Everyone agrees that the occupation of Iraq will not end unless Obama becomes the President. We know where McCain will take this and it is not to the end as soon as possible but more of the same "whenever" it happens and screw over those sent to finish it out. There is nothing we can do now about any of this until the election is over. It's obvious that Bush has managed to trap the Democrats leaving them no room to end this because the fact is their slim majority is not enough to end it no matter how badly they want to.
What the American people right now can do is put the pressure on Congress to take care of the wounded right now and those who will come until this is finally over. Take care of the families who have been living on food stamps while their husband or wife has been deployed yet again on the meager pay they receive at the same time the cost of living is leaving them out. Yes, the troops worry about their families with the price of food going up along with everything else and gas at over $4.00 a gallon. If you don't think the thought of their families suffering while they are deployed is hurting their morale, you better think again.
Over 800,000 claims backlogged is also damaging their morale when they know the next one added to the pile of claims could be their own claim if they get wounded.
It's not bad enough the people in this country pay so little attention to Iraq and even less to Afghanistan, it's the fact we don't pay attention to the troops either.
Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Distant family to give veteran a proper burial
Distant family to give veteran a proper burial
John Koopman, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, June 22, 2008
He might have been forgotten.
Milton Dinerboiler grew up in Elkhart, Ind., during the Depression. He lived alone with his father, who was killed in a car accident when the young man was just 16. Dinerboiler joined the Army shortly thereafter and went to fight in the Korean War. He was captured by the Chinese and died a couple of months later, only to be buried in an unmarked grave and listed as missing in action.
Now, almost 60 years later, a family he barely knew is making plans for his funeral and shedding tears over his loss.
"I'm mourning for a man I didn't know," said Diane Dimperio, a 49-year-old piano teacher from Walnut Creek. "It's a horrific, horrendous thing that he had to go through."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/21/MNPP11C2J5.DTL
John Koopman, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, June 22, 2008
He might have been forgotten.
Milton Dinerboiler grew up in Elkhart, Ind., during the Depression. He lived alone with his father, who was killed in a car accident when the young man was just 16. Dinerboiler joined the Army shortly thereafter and went to fight in the Korean War. He was captured by the Chinese and died a couple of months later, only to be buried in an unmarked grave and listed as missing in action.
Now, almost 60 years later, a family he barely knew is making plans for his funeral and shedding tears over his loss.
"I'm mourning for a man I didn't know," said Diane Dimperio, a 49-year-old piano teacher from Walnut Creek. "It's a horrific, horrendous thing that he had to go through."
In late November 1950, Dinerboiler was assigned to a mortar company with the 32nd Infantry Regiment. That unit was attached to the 1st Marine Division, which at that time engaged Chinese forces at the Chosin Reservoir. The American forces were surrounded and outnumbered. It was winter, and both the fighting and cold took a heavy toll. Out of a force of 30,000 men, more than 2,500 died and 5,000 were wounded. The battle is famous among Marines, who refer to it as the "Frozen Chosin," and those who survived call themselves the "Chosin Few."go here for more
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/21/MNPP11C2J5.DTL
Bill would help improve barracks, hospitals
Bill would help improve barracks, hospitals
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jun 22, 2008 9:29:57 EDT
A $72.8 billion bill that would provide better barracks for some Marine and soldier trainees, fix antiquated military medical facilities, hire more veterans claims processors and increase access to care for veterans has cleared its first hurdle in the House of Representatives.
“There are not many lobbyists running around Capitol Hill fighting for better housing for 18- and 19-year-old young men and women who made the decision to serve and sacrifice for our country,” noted Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas.
Lawmakers have added $200 million for extra troop housing for soldier and Marine trainees to the Pentagon’s fiscal 2009 military construction request.
“We want to send the message to soldiers and Marines that we value and respect their decision to serve by improving the barracks they live in when they train,” said Edwards, chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs.
The subcommittee passed the bill unanimously by voice vote.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/army_milcon_062208w/
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jun 22, 2008 9:29:57 EDT
A $72.8 billion bill that would provide better barracks for some Marine and soldier trainees, fix antiquated military medical facilities, hire more veterans claims processors and increase access to care for veterans has cleared its first hurdle in the House of Representatives.
“There are not many lobbyists running around Capitol Hill fighting for better housing for 18- and 19-year-old young men and women who made the decision to serve and sacrifice for our country,” noted Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas.
Lawmakers have added $200 million for extra troop housing for soldier and Marine trainees to the Pentagon’s fiscal 2009 military construction request.
“We want to send the message to soldiers and Marines that we value and respect their decision to serve by improving the barracks they live in when they train,” said Edwards, chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs.
The subcommittee passed the bill unanimously by voice vote.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/army_milcon_062208w/
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