Cut waste, not benefits, Webb says
Senator says he will ‘not walk back on’ well-compensated military
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 27, 2010 12:01:06 EDT
The chairman of the Senate panel responsible for military personnel said Wednesday he is all for cutting waste out of the defense budget — but that does not include reductions in pay or benefits.
Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., said he is willing to cut the size of the force, particularly Army and Marine Corps ground forces.
read more here
Cut waste not benefits
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Senator Webb says "Cut waste from DOD and not benefits from troops!
It would be wonderful to find out who even thought of cutting benefits from the troops in the first place.
Florida State University and Military join forces for suicide prevention
FSU, military study suicide prevention
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Oct 27, 2010 5:41:21 EDT
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State University is preparing to announce a new research effort into military suicides.
Florida State professor Thomas Joiner, who has studied suicide issues for many years, will join researchers from the Army and the Denver VA Medical Center to discuss an initiative they think can help reduce military suicides.
More than 1,100 members of the armed forces killed themselves from 2005 to 2009, and suicides have been rising again this year.
Just last month, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius launched the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a public and private coalition dedicated to reducing suicides across the U.S. population.
FSU, military study suicide prevention/
From FSU
Florida State to help military wage war on suicide
American soldiers are taking their own lives in the largest numbers since the military began keeping records, and the Department of Defense has enlisted the help of The Florida State University in waging the war against suicide.
Thomas JoinerA $17 million federal grant has been awarded to FSU and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center to establish the Military Suicide Research Consortium. The consortium is the first of its kind to integrate DOD and civilian efforts in implementing a multidisciplinary research approach to suicide prevention.
Florida State's Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor Thomas Joiner, an internationally known suicide researcher, and Peter Gutierrez, a leading suicide expert and clinical/research psychologist with the VA's Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center at the Denver VA Medical Center, will lead the consortium. Each institution will receive $8.5 million in initial funding over the next three years.
The new consortium comes as the military struggles with a surging suicide rate that now exceeds the rate of suicide in the general population. More than 1,100 members of the armed forces died by suicide from 2005 to 2009 — that's more than the total number of servicemen and women killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 — and suicides are rising again this year, according to a new task force report ordered by Congress.
"These suicides have deeply affected the military leadership, and they are desperate to do something about it," Joiner said. "For many in the military, they never knew the misery of suicide, and now they do. They are agonizing over this. They say it hurts every bit as much as losing someone in combat, maybe more."
Despite the new trend of suicide in the military, very little medical research has actually been done on the subject, said Joiner, who is also the Bright-Burton Professor of Psychology and a Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at FSU. There's no doubt that the trauma of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq plays a role, but that doesn't explain why some soldiers take their own lives and others who share the same experience don't.
go here for more of this
Florida State to help military wage war on suicide
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Oct 27, 2010 5:41:21 EDT
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State University is preparing to announce a new research effort into military suicides.
Florida State professor Thomas Joiner, who has studied suicide issues for many years, will join researchers from the Army and the Denver VA Medical Center to discuss an initiative they think can help reduce military suicides.
More than 1,100 members of the armed forces killed themselves from 2005 to 2009, and suicides have been rising again this year.
Just last month, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius launched the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a public and private coalition dedicated to reducing suicides across the U.S. population.
FSU, military study suicide prevention/
From FSU
"Soldiers see a lot of violence, they see death, they see the people who are closest to them in the world get killed, and they themselves are often seriously injured."
Thomas Joiner
Florida State University Department of Psychology
Florida State to help military wage war on suicide
American soldiers are taking their own lives in the largest numbers since the military began keeping records, and the Department of Defense has enlisted the help of The Florida State University in waging the war against suicide.
Thomas JoinerA $17 million federal grant has been awarded to FSU and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center to establish the Military Suicide Research Consortium. The consortium is the first of its kind to integrate DOD and civilian efforts in implementing a multidisciplinary research approach to suicide prevention.
Florida State's Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor Thomas Joiner, an internationally known suicide researcher, and Peter Gutierrez, a leading suicide expert and clinical/research psychologist with the VA's Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center at the Denver VA Medical Center, will lead the consortium. Each institution will receive $8.5 million in initial funding over the next three years.
The new consortium comes as the military struggles with a surging suicide rate that now exceeds the rate of suicide in the general population. More than 1,100 members of the armed forces died by suicide from 2005 to 2009 — that's more than the total number of servicemen and women killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 — and suicides are rising again this year, according to a new task force report ordered by Congress.
"These suicides have deeply affected the military leadership, and they are desperate to do something about it," Joiner said. "For many in the military, they never knew the misery of suicide, and now they do. They are agonizing over this. They say it hurts every bit as much as losing someone in combat, maybe more."
Despite the new trend of suicide in the military, very little medical research has actually been done on the subject, said Joiner, who is also the Bright-Burton Professor of Psychology and a Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology at FSU. There's no doubt that the trauma of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq plays a role, but that doesn't explain why some soldiers take their own lives and others who share the same experience don't.
go here for more of this
Florida State to help military wage war on suicide
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Who voted against veterans again?
Veterans Benefits Act 2010 Signed
Week of October 25, 2010
President Obama recently signed H.R. 3219, the Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010, into law. The new law addresses the needs of veterans by enhancing employment opportunities, preventing and caring for homeless veterans, ensuring the welfare of veterans and their families by increasing insurance limits, protecting servicemembers called to combat, honoring fallen servicemembers and their families, strengthening education benefits, addressing housing needs of disabled veterans, and investing in research for Gulf War veterans.
Visit the Military Advantage Blog to learn more about this new law.
read more here
Veterans Benefits Act 2010 Signed
There were 111 votes against this bill but we may never know who voted against it.
H.R. 3219:
Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010
111th Congress
2009-2010
An act to amend title 38, United States Code, and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Overview
Sponsor:
Rep. Bob Filner [D-CA51]show cosponsors (29)
Text:
Summary | Full Text
Cost:
less than $2 per American in 2010.
Status:
Introduced Jul 15, 2009
Referred to Committee View Committee Assignments
Reported by Committee Jul 15, 2009
Amendments (2 proposed) View Amendments
Passed House Jul 27, 2009
Passed Senate Sep 28, 2010
Signed by President Oct 13, 2010
This bill has become law. It was signed by Barack Obama. [Last Updated: Oct 16, 2010 6:11AM]
Last Action:
Oct 13, 2010: Became Public Law No: 111-275.
Other Titles:
-- Corey Shea Act
-- Veterans Small Business Verification Act
Related:
See the Related Legislation page for other bills related to this one and a list of subject terms that have been applied to this bill. Sometimes the text of one bill or resolution is incorporated into another, and in those cases the original bill or resolution, as it would appear here, would seem to be abandoned.
Votes:
Jul 27, 2009: This bill passed in the House of Representatives by voice vote. A record of each representative’s position was not kept.
Sep 28, 2010: This bill passed in the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent. A record of each senator’s position was not kept.
Sep 29, 2010: A vote in the House of Representatives to agree with the other chamber's changes passed by voice vote. A record of each representative’s position was not kept.
read more here
Veterans Benefits Act of 2010
But knowing that the GOP have blocked over 100 bills from even being voted on, it does not shock me.
This is part of a game they love to play. There is a list on this site with more bills they blocked but notice when the bill was written, who it was for and who blocked it. It took since July of last year just to be able to vote on this. Yet veterans are not part of their plan. They don't care who pays as long as they defeat Obama even if it means blocking bills to take care of YOU! Still think they earned your support?
GOP blocked these from being voted on. Some of them finally passed with Republican support and they should be proud of that but ashamed these bills were part of a political game some of them could hide behind.
Supporting our Nation's Veterans
H.R. 403, Homes for Heroes Act
Provides special assistant to veteran affairs to ensure that housing and homeless assistance programs benefit veterans.
H.R. 466, Wounded Veteran Job Security Act
Protects the rights of wounded veterans to receive medical treatment for service-connected disabilities.
H.R. 1168, Veterans Retraining Act
Provides assistance for veterans who are in an employment training program that teaches a skill in the demand of the employer. (150 Republicans voted yes.)
H.R. 1211, Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act
Expands and improves health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. (This bill passed 408-0.)
H.R. 1293, Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act
Increases payments to veterans with service connected of disabilities for improvements and structural alterations to their home.
H.R. 1803, Veterans Business Center Act
These centers would provide veterans and their surviving spouses with entrepreneurial training and counseling.
H.R. 2990, Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act
Provides special pays and allowances to certain members of the Armed Forces and disabled military retirees. (165 Republicans voted for this bill.)
H.R. 3219, Veterans' Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act
Would make improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to insurance and health care for veterans.
H.R. 3949, Veterans' Small Business Assistance and Service Members Protection Act
Provides a full range of small business ownership counseling, training, financing and procurement programs available to veterans and Reservists. (This vote passed 382-2.)
read more here
Supporting our Nations Veterans
Fort Campbell Soldier to receive Medal for Heroism
Fort Campbell Soldier to receive Medal for Heroism
Fort Campbell, KY – The Soldier’s Medal, the highest award a Soldier can receive for an act of valor in a non-combat situation, will be awarded to a Fort Campbell Soldier, October 29th. Specialist Jose A. Ortiz-Fernandez, 63rd Chemical Company, will receive the medal at Fort Campbell for his heroic actions on June 19th, 2010, when he rescued a woman from a submerged vehicle in the Cumberland River near Clarksville, Tennessee.
According to the award citation, Ortiz-Fernandez was at a park, adjacent to the river, when he witnessed a female drive her vehicle onto a boat ramp and into the water. With complete disregard for his own safety, he dove into the water and battled stiff currents to reach the vehicle.
read more here
Fort Campbell Soldier to receive Medal for Heroism
Fort Campbell, KY – The Soldier’s Medal, the highest award a Soldier can receive for an act of valor in a non-combat situation, will be awarded to a Fort Campbell Soldier, October 29th. Specialist Jose A. Ortiz-Fernandez, 63rd Chemical Company, will receive the medal at Fort Campbell for his heroic actions on June 19th, 2010, when he rescued a woman from a submerged vehicle in the Cumberland River near Clarksville, Tennessee.
According to the award citation, Ortiz-Fernandez was at a park, adjacent to the river, when he witnessed a female drive her vehicle onto a boat ramp and into the water. With complete disregard for his own safety, he dove into the water and battled stiff currents to reach the vehicle.
read more here
Fort Campbell Soldier to receive Medal for Heroism
Will Florida Veterans vote against themselves?
On the issues there is one that stands out for me and that is veterans. Coming from a family full of veterans and spending my days with their lives in mind, that's my biggest issue. During conversations with veterans down here in Florida, they usually say they will vote for Rubbio until I fill them in on some facts the media has yet to inform them of. First on the list is the GOP agenda is to turn the VA over to private hands. Imagine that! They used to be ashamed of taking this position but now, now they seem almost proud of their willingness to betray the men and women who served this country with their lives. They want to turn Social Security over to the stock market and get rid of Medicare. Most of the lies down here on the TV are about how Pelosi lead the way on cutting Medicare along with Kosmos and Grayson but the truth is, they should have been patted on the back because they cut if from waste, fraud and abuse. The GOP want people to believe they did it by cutting benefits instead of taking care of the tax payers and insuring that the Medicare system works for all of us.
Rubio's claims about what he's done and the history of his family have little to do with what he will end up doing to veterans. The people working for veterans and putting their lives ahead of political power are not members of the GOP. I love Republicans as people but their politicians don't feel the same way or they would stop lying to them and then betraying them.
Mitch McConnell said
The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.
The way they wanted to make sure small businesses didn't get tax cuts to hire workers and buy equipment. The way they wanted to stop the bill that would increase the pay of the troops, the same troops they claim to support. They way they didn't want Obama to take care of the veterans suffering under the GOP leadership all the years they had the chance to prove where their hearts were.
The choice is simple. If you vote for Rubio, you will be voting to turn the VA over to private companies and very well could lose your benefits including Social Security because they want to turn that over to private companies and end Medicare. Is that what you want? If they take control of the Senate and the House, that is exactly what will happen. Frankly I've seen enough of how they closed their eyes and blocked their ears when veterans were crying out in agony for help. I heard the suffering when the Cost of Living raise didn't come but not once did I hear any of the veterans mention the fact the bill was written and the GOP blocked it just as they are going right now. Never once did I hear veterans say the GOP were allowing them to suffer any more than I heard how much the Democrats were fighting for them.
All of this was because no one told them until I did. Considering they know how hard I work for them, care about them, their best interests has been issue number one for me. I adore them and want them to be aware. When they are told what has been happening behind their backs, they are shocked because no one told them before. They wonder why the media hasn't told them the truth and so do I.
Look up the record of Kosmos and Grayson and what you'll find are two great friends of veterans along with almost every other Democratic politician including the President they love to hate. He's done so much for veterans even though the GOP has tried to stop everything he has tried to do because they wanted him to fail no matter who got hurt in the process. They had the chance to prove they loved veterans but they proved they loved the rich and thought the veterans were in a "welfare program" when they went to the VA instead of receiving a debt owed to them. Politicians serve their own best interest but for some that includes our veterans and for others, they want to use veterans for power to take care of the rich. How many rich people do you know willing to put on a uniform and risk their lives for this country they love?
I pray they open their eyes before they vote because if the GOP take over the Senate and the House after all the damage they've already done, things will only get worse for veterans and I'd hate to think they just did it to themselves because they didn't pay attention. Does your political ideas matter more than what is right? Do you really think they will repay you with anything other than they have done before? The last time they were in charge, you were betrayed when you thought they were your friends.
Think of this when you think about Rubio
Marco RubioGetting back to the GOP platform, it is no surprise to the aware voter that the GOP politicians have been voting against them every chance they have. They didn't want the GI Bill. They blocked the cost of living raise last year for Veterans and seniors. They voted against the pay raise for the troops. What is the most deplorable action taken by them was up until 2007 when the Democrats took control of the House and Senate, they were refusing to increase funding for the VA to take care of the wounded flooding into the system from Iraq, Afghanistan and our older veterans. They were coming back home to suffer instead of being taken care of but the GOP politicians didn't give a damn. They just kept talking about tax cuts for the rich. You can look up their actual votes and the bills they blocked so you can weigh their actions agains their claims.
Address: 2030 South Douglas Road, Suite 105, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Website: http://www.marcorubio.com/
Occupation: Lawyer
Education:
Experience:
(Editor\\\'s Note, From Rubio\\\'s website) From 2000-2008, Rubio served in the Florida House of Representatives. During this period, he served as Majority Whip, Majority Leader and Speaker of the House, effectively promoting an agenda of lower taxes, better schools, a leaner and more efficient government and free market empowerment. Rubio also helped spearhead Florida’s congressional and legislative redistricting effort. He chaired the House Select Committee on Property Rights, which crafted national model legislation to protect private property rights following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Kelo v. City of New London decision that opened the door for eminent domain abuse.
Endorsements:
Platform:
The candidate has declined repeated inquiries to fill out biographical information and campaign stances in this race. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Rubio's claims about what he's done and the history of his family have little to do with what he will end up doing to veterans. The people working for veterans and putting their lives ahead of political power are not members of the GOP. I love Republicans as people but their politicians don't feel the same way or they would stop lying to them and then betraying them.
Mitch McConnell said
The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.
The way they wanted to make sure small businesses didn't get tax cuts to hire workers and buy equipment. The way they wanted to stop the bill that would increase the pay of the troops, the same troops they claim to support. They way they didn't want Obama to take care of the veterans suffering under the GOP leadership all the years they had the chance to prove where their hearts were.
The choice is simple. If you vote for Rubio, you will be voting to turn the VA over to private companies and very well could lose your benefits including Social Security because they want to turn that over to private companies and end Medicare. Is that what you want? If they take control of the Senate and the House, that is exactly what will happen. Frankly I've seen enough of how they closed their eyes and blocked their ears when veterans were crying out in agony for help. I heard the suffering when the Cost of Living raise didn't come but not once did I hear any of the veterans mention the fact the bill was written and the GOP blocked it just as they are going right now. Never once did I hear veterans say the GOP were allowing them to suffer any more than I heard how much the Democrats were fighting for them.
All of this was because no one told them until I did. Considering they know how hard I work for them, care about them, their best interests has been issue number one for me. I adore them and want them to be aware. When they are told what has been happening behind their backs, they are shocked because no one told them before. They wonder why the media hasn't told them the truth and so do I.
Look up the record of Kosmos and Grayson and what you'll find are two great friends of veterans along with almost every other Democratic politician including the President they love to hate. He's done so much for veterans even though the GOP has tried to stop everything he has tried to do because they wanted him to fail no matter who got hurt in the process. They had the chance to prove they loved veterans but they proved they loved the rich and thought the veterans were in a "welfare program" when they went to the VA instead of receiving a debt owed to them. Politicians serve their own best interest but for some that includes our veterans and for others, they want to use veterans for power to take care of the rich. How many rich people do you know willing to put on a uniform and risk their lives for this country they love?
I pray they open their eyes before they vote because if the GOP take over the Senate and the House after all the damage they've already done, things will only get worse for veterans and I'd hate to think they just did it to themselves because they didn't pay attention. Does your political ideas matter more than what is right? Do you really think they will repay you with anything other than they have done before? The last time they were in charge, you were betrayed when you thought they were your friends.
Think of this when you think about Rubio
Nevada Republican Wants to Privatize VA
Sharron Angle wants to screw veterans
Of all the confusing statements the Nevada Republican Senate hopeful Sharron Angle has made, one is very clear. Sharron Angle wants to privatize the Veterans Administration. At first glance, privatization of some government agencies might be worth a second look. However, we should look closely at why the ultra-conservative Republican might be looking at this idea.
Former President George Bush who pretty much single handedly engineered the economic mess we are now in, decided to privatize Walter Reed Army hospital in 2007 because of the poor condition the hospital was in. A 200 million dollar contract was awarded to an outfit run by former Halliburton Executives. Former Halliburton Executives? Where have we heard that before? Oh, that's right-Vice President Dick Cheney is a former Halliburton man! Unfortunately, the new company cared more about making money than wounded soldiers.
read more of this here
Nevada Republican Wants to Privatize VA
Rocket launcher recovered in alleged plot to attack Dayton VA
Rocket launcher recovered in alleged plot to attack Dayton VA
By Kristin McAllister and Tom Beyerlein
Staff Writer
Updated 11:41 PM Monday, October 25, 2010
MIAMI TWP., Montgomery County — Two men were being questioned after federal agents and local officers learned the men planned “to show up at the VA Center and basically shoot a bunch of people up,” police said Monday.
Federal agents found a rocket launcher and other weapons at the Miami Bluffs apartment Monday, according to Miami Twp. Deputy Police Chief John DiPietro.
The two men were not immediately identified. A Veterans Affairs spokeswoman refused to comment, citing privacy regulations and the ongoing investigation.
FBI Special Agent Michael Brooks confirmed that the agency is investigating a threat made to the Dayton VA Medical Center either late Sunday night or early Monday morning, but he would not say how the threat was made.
Deputy Police Chief Maj. John DiPietro said the men had received services from the Dayton VA Medical Center.
“I understand them to be American citizens who were also veterans of one of the wars,” he said.
read more here
Rocket launcher recovered in alleged plot
By Kristin McAllister and Tom Beyerlein
Staff Writer
Updated 11:41 PM Monday, October 25, 2010
MIAMI TWP., Montgomery County — Two men were being questioned after federal agents and local officers learned the men planned “to show up at the VA Center and basically shoot a bunch of people up,” police said Monday.
Federal agents found a rocket launcher and other weapons at the Miami Bluffs apartment Monday, according to Miami Twp. Deputy Police Chief John DiPietro.
The two men were not immediately identified. A Veterans Affairs spokeswoman refused to comment, citing privacy regulations and the ongoing investigation.
FBI Special Agent Michael Brooks confirmed that the agency is investigating a threat made to the Dayton VA Medical Center either late Sunday night or early Monday morning, but he would not say how the threat was made.
Deputy Police Chief Maj. John DiPietro said the men had received services from the Dayton VA Medical Center.
“I understand them to be American citizens who were also veterans of one of the wars,” he said.
read more here
Rocket launcher recovered in alleged plot
Family of soldier found dead in Iraq wants answers
UPDATE: Family of soldier found dead in Iraq wants answers
Reported by: Julie Tremmel
Email: julietremmel@fox23news.com
The air in the Bennett-Jones house in St. Johnsville is heavy with pain and sadness. On Sunday night, two uniformed military men showed up at their front door with the news that U.S. Army Private David Jones was found dead in his room on base in Baghdad, Iraq.
His mother Theresa Bennett of St. Johnsville said, "They said that they found him in his room at 2 o'clock yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, and there was one gunshot wound to his head. That was it. They didn't say anything about anything else."
The family says Jones had so much to live for, suicide simply isn't possible.
Family of soldier found dead in Iraq wants answers
Reported by: Julie Tremmel
Email: julietremmel@fox23news.com
The air in the Bennett-Jones house in St. Johnsville is heavy with pain and sadness. On Sunday night, two uniformed military men showed up at their front door with the news that U.S. Army Private David Jones was found dead in his room on base in Baghdad, Iraq.
His mother Theresa Bennett of St. Johnsville said, "They said that they found him in his room at 2 o'clock yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, and there was one gunshot wound to his head. That was it. They didn't say anything about anything else."
The family says Jones had so much to live for, suicide simply isn't possible.
Family of soldier found dead in Iraq wants answers
Veteran of Vietnam and Gulf war shot by police
Delta man killed by police a war vet, says TV station
The Denver Post
Delta man killed by police a war vet
DELTA — The Delta County Coroner's Office identified a man killed in a shootout with police early Saturday as Larry A. Brown, 59, of Delta.
He was shot by two Delta police officers after he allegedly pulled a gun and fired it at them, authorities said.
The officers were not hit and returned fire. Brown died from multiple gunshot wounds, the coroner said.
KKCO-Channel 11 in Grand Junction reported that Brown was a Vietnam and Desert Storm veteran who was a Marine sniper and medic and had received the Bronze Star for bravery.
His family told the TV station he was being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and sometimes walked the streets in camouflage, but they did not think he fired first at police.
Read more: Delta man killed by police a war vet, says TV station - The Denver Post
Delta man killed by police a war vet
The Denver Post
Delta man killed by police a war vet
DELTA — The Delta County Coroner's Office identified a man killed in a shootout with police early Saturday as Larry A. Brown, 59, of Delta.
He was shot by two Delta police officers after he allegedly pulled a gun and fired it at them, authorities said.
The officers were not hit and returned fire. Brown died from multiple gunshot wounds, the coroner said.
KKCO-Channel 11 in Grand Junction reported that Brown was a Vietnam and Desert Storm veteran who was a Marine sniper and medic and had received the Bronze Star for bravery.
His family told the TV station he was being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and sometimes walked the streets in camouflage, but they did not think he fired first at police.
Read more: Delta man killed by police a war vet, says TV station - The Denver Post
Delta man killed by police a war vet
Monday, October 25, 2010
Will you love them enough to learn?
by
Chaplain Kathie
My husband was married before we met. He was married soon after he came back from Vietnam. During their six years together, she didn't want to know about Vietnam, had no tolerance for his nightmares, flashbacks or short term memory loss. She didn't want to hear anything about Vietnam and they separated so many times he lost count. She just couldn't take it and this, this was when his PTSD was mild.
His Dad, a WWII veteran with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, didn't want to talk to him about war at all other than a few stories about some of his friends. His Mom didn't want to talk to him about anything other than what she wanted him to do for her.
Friends didn't want to listen and he never felt he could talk to any of them even if they were willing to listen. A few of them were also Vietnam veterans but they didn't talk about much either. There was no communication and no support. They had nothing to really connect. No emails with buddies back home in the states. No news reports from around the country. No books on PTSD with personal stories were written. There were only clinical books for me to read when we met and I wanted to find out why this veteran was so much different than everyone else in my family.
My Dad was a disabled Korean Vet and my uncles served in WWII. My husband was totally different.
Today there is the Internet, books, videos, media attention, sites like this one putting together news reports from around the country and more programs than I can remember, yet today there are still high numbers of divorce, suicides and attempted suicides with more and more veterans ending up homeless from Iraq and Afghanistan. Their families and friends are not perfect. Most of them have the same attitude my husband's inner circle did when they could have been trying to be supportive instead of telling him to "get over it" and stop.
Today wives like me are no longer left in the abyss trying to claw their way out alone because they have a lifeline to reach for, but too many never take hold of it. Their families, spouse and kids, suffer just as much as they do but they have the power to end the suffering and begin the healing. They have the power within their reach but they just won't take it.
Do they love their veteran enough to learn? Do they care enough to find out what they can do to help instead of judge and blame?
My husband's ex-wife didn't care enough to find out what she was facing and their marriage ended after six years. We've been married for 26 years and with all the heartache and struggles, I wouldn't have missed a day of it because in the process of learning what I could do for him, I discovered a more marvelous man under all the pain he carried.
All of us can discover the people they really are under all the pain when we care enough to learn and help them heal. In the process, we heal ourselves, forgive what caused us pain because we understand what is behind it and know how to respond to help them see the person they are under all of it.
Chaplain Kathie
My husband was married before we met. He was married soon after he came back from Vietnam. During their six years together, she didn't want to know about Vietnam, had no tolerance for his nightmares, flashbacks or short term memory loss. She didn't want to hear anything about Vietnam and they separated so many times he lost count. She just couldn't take it and this, this was when his PTSD was mild.
His Dad, a WWII veteran with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, didn't want to talk to him about war at all other than a few stories about some of his friends. His Mom didn't want to talk to him about anything other than what she wanted him to do for her.
Friends didn't want to listen and he never felt he could talk to any of them even if they were willing to listen. A few of them were also Vietnam veterans but they didn't talk about much either. There was no communication and no support. They had nothing to really connect. No emails with buddies back home in the states. No news reports from around the country. No books on PTSD with personal stories were written. There were only clinical books for me to read when we met and I wanted to find out why this veteran was so much different than everyone else in my family.
My Dad was a disabled Korean Vet and my uncles served in WWII. My husband was totally different.
Today there is the Internet, books, videos, media attention, sites like this one putting together news reports from around the country and more programs than I can remember, yet today there are still high numbers of divorce, suicides and attempted suicides with more and more veterans ending up homeless from Iraq and Afghanistan. Their families and friends are not perfect. Most of them have the same attitude my husband's inner circle did when they could have been trying to be supportive instead of telling him to "get over it" and stop.
Today wives like me are no longer left in the abyss trying to claw their way out alone because they have a lifeline to reach for, but too many never take hold of it. Their families, spouse and kids, suffer just as much as they do but they have the power to end the suffering and begin the healing. They have the power within their reach but they just won't take it.
Do they love their veteran enough to learn? Do they care enough to find out what they can do to help instead of judge and blame?
My husband's ex-wife didn't care enough to find out what she was facing and their marriage ended after six years. We've been married for 26 years and with all the heartache and struggles, I wouldn't have missed a day of it because in the process of learning what I could do for him, I discovered a more marvelous man under all the pain he carried.
All of us can discover the people they really are under all the pain when we care enough to learn and help them heal. In the process, we heal ourselves, forgive what caused us pain because we understand what is behind it and know how to respond to help them see the person they are under all of it.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
College Hosts PTSD Seminar
College Hosts PTSD Seminar
One Of Five Soldiers Return With Disorder
By: Fred Halstied
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A recent study shows that one out of five soldiers returns from Iraq or Afghanistan with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
On Saturday, the University of Phoenix held a workshop teaching counseling professionals how to diagnose and treat local soldiers who have this condition.
"Military personnel are returning to Colorado Springs with their families, and they're abusing drugs," said Jody Tomberlin, licensed clinical social worker. "When soldiers return from the Middle East, they often have angry outburst, resulting in bar fights, domestic violence, and difficulty holding jobs."
read more here
College Hosts PTSD Seminar
One Of Five Soldiers Return With Disorder
By: Fred Halstied
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A recent study shows that one out of five soldiers returns from Iraq or Afghanistan with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
On Saturday, the University of Phoenix held a workshop teaching counseling professionals how to diagnose and treat local soldiers who have this condition.
"Military personnel are returning to Colorado Springs with their families, and they're abusing drugs," said Jody Tomberlin, licensed clinical social worker. "When soldiers return from the Middle East, they often have angry outburst, resulting in bar fights, domestic violence, and difficulty holding jobs."
read more here
College Hosts PTSD Seminar
Resilience training won't work tomorrow if yesterday is an example
It doesn't have to be as bad as it has been but as long as they take this kind of approach, it is unlikely to get better any time soon. "Resilience training" has not worked up until now and that is reflected by the ever increasing suicides along with attempted suicides. Drug and alcohol abuse are up, arrests are up so much so many states have rightly set up Veterans Courts, mental health claims are up, divorces are up and the list goes on.
I've been married 26 years but other couples have lasted 30 to 40 years while sharing a home with PTSD. We raised our kids to understand why their Dad acts the way he does and they didn't end up blaming themselves. We got our emotions out of the way and reacted with our intelligence using the view of a wounded combat veteran standing in front of us instead of some kind of jerk out to cause a fight. We helped them see all the good within them because we were able to forgive and we were able to forgive because we understood there was a reason behind what they did.
Above all, we helped them forgive themselves.
PTSD comes after trauma. From an outside force attacking them. It hits the emotional part of their brain. Under 25, this part is not fully developed. In other words, their character is not carved in stone yet. Exposure to traumatic events in combat weighs heavily on them and the number of times they are exposed to it, crushes them. Our job is to take the weight off their souls brick by brick. It was that way for wives of Vietnam Vets and will be that way for today's veterans.
It doesn't matter if the people in their lives are a spouse, sibling or parent or even a friend. We are the ones on the front lines of this. While they fight the battles in combat, we must fight the battles for their lives but we must do so fully armed with understanding, love, forgiveness and patience with them. "Resilience training" should not be geared toward them but should be geared toward us so that we have the ability to help them heal. From what I've seen, this attempt falls flat because the people running this type of program have little understanding what it is like to be in their boots 24-7 or live with them.
None of what we see has to happen but much we have done should happen. It won't as long as the powers that be will not listen to what has worked because they are too busy asking what has failed. If the people in their lives get emotionally hurt, then they turn away from them. Most of this comes from lack of understanding and looking at them as if they were the way they used to be. Homeless veterans, for the most part, can be tracked back to coming back with PTSD and families that were destroyed by it because no one understood why any of the damage done was happening to them. Want to really make a difference, then start what what already has. The track record of aware Vietnam veterans' families proves nothing is impossible.
None of what we're seeing has to happen as long as they start to look at what has worked instead of what has failed.
Comprehensive Soldier Fitness
Resilience training and post traumatic stress disorder
Resilience training reflects a strength-based, positive psychology approach to Warrior behavioral health. It is designed for Warriors, Leaders, Spouses, Families and behavioral health providers. Training and information is targeted to all phases of the Warrior deployment cycle, Warrior life cycle and Warrior support system.
Do you believe this training will prepare you to cope with deployment and the effects of deployment, to include post traumatic stress disorder?
For more information on Resilience Training, visit https://www.resilience.army.mil/.
I've been married 26 years but other couples have lasted 30 to 40 years while sharing a home with PTSD. We raised our kids to understand why their Dad acts the way he does and they didn't end up blaming themselves. We got our emotions out of the way and reacted with our intelligence using the view of a wounded combat veteran standing in front of us instead of some kind of jerk out to cause a fight. We helped them see all the good within them because we were able to forgive and we were able to forgive because we understood there was a reason behind what they did.
Above all, we helped them forgive themselves.
PTSD comes after trauma. From an outside force attacking them. It hits the emotional part of their brain. Under 25, this part is not fully developed. In other words, their character is not carved in stone yet. Exposure to traumatic events in combat weighs heavily on them and the number of times they are exposed to it, crushes them. Our job is to take the weight off their souls brick by brick. It was that way for wives of Vietnam Vets and will be that way for today's veterans.
It doesn't matter if the people in their lives are a spouse, sibling or parent or even a friend. We are the ones on the front lines of this. While they fight the battles in combat, we must fight the battles for their lives but we must do so fully armed with understanding, love, forgiveness and patience with them. "Resilience training" should not be geared toward them but should be geared toward us so that we have the ability to help them heal. From what I've seen, this attempt falls flat because the people running this type of program have little understanding what it is like to be in their boots 24-7 or live with them.
None of what we see has to happen but much we have done should happen. It won't as long as the powers that be will not listen to what has worked because they are too busy asking what has failed. If the people in their lives get emotionally hurt, then they turn away from them. Most of this comes from lack of understanding and looking at them as if they were the way they used to be. Homeless veterans, for the most part, can be tracked back to coming back with PTSD and families that were destroyed by it because no one understood why any of the damage done was happening to them. Want to really make a difference, then start what what already has. The track record of aware Vietnam veterans' families proves nothing is impossible.
Free Meals for Veterans
News from Military Connection
Free Meals for Military and Veterans
McCormick & Schmick's. For the 11th year in a row, the 87 locations in 25 states are offering free entrees to veterans on Sunday, Nov. 7th. The chain also requests military ID and highly recommends reservations. The promotion is on Sunday instead of Veterans Day, "because it allows vets to bring their families who might not be available during the week," CEO Bill Freeman says.
Golden Corral is offering free buffet meals - including beverage and dessert - to current military and veterans on Monday, Nov. 16, from 5 to 9 p.m. No military ID is required for its ninth annual Military Appreciation Monday, according to Dolly Mercer, national events manager. The event is held on this date, she says, "so we don't interfere with Veterans Day activities."
Applebee's is offering a free entree on Wednesday to veterans and all active-duty military from 11 a.m. to midnight at all 1,900 locations. Although Applebee's requests some kind of military ID, "We're not going to argue with folks who might forget to bring it," says Sam Rothschild, senior vice president of operations.
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation is offering free doughnuts to all Veterans and active military personnel. Just visit any participating Krispy Kreme to redeem your free doughnuts. No identification required but keep it available anyway.
Outback Steakhouse - Free Blooming Onion and beverage.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
GOP Trick or threat?
I don't know what has happened to the people of this country but if I get into one more conversation with a smart person spouting off nonsense, I think I may just stop trying to set them straight and let them go off believing whatever they want so they can look totally stupid to someone without any patience at all.
It has been my job to know what the truth is and I can tell you that this is true. I listened to them talk for far too long to understand the difference between talk and real action. They say they support the troops and the veterans but on their agenda, their actual plans, they want to hand over the VA to private corporations, along with Social Security and Medicare while getting rid of the Department of Education. This is how they plan to knock down the deficit plus making sure we go back to the days when people ended up without medical care because they didn't have insurance. That is exactly what all the fighting has been about but they twist and snare words from fact so suit themselves on a daily basis.
Take down here in Florida for example. Grayson and Kosmos have been accused of cutting Medicare along with Nancy Pelosi. This accusation was by GOP contributors. The same people always talking about the deficit and how government doesn't work. These three people did in fact cut Medicare but they did it from cutting waste, fraud and abuse, while the commercial wants people to think someone lost benefits. How dumb is that? The very people wanting to cut it are accusing watchdogs of doing it? Where were will these people be when our parents are elderly and need medical care along with a social security check to be able to live after working all their lives? It's bad enough these same people stopped an increase in Social Security and Veterans cost of living raises last year and plan to do the same this year.
I've heard enough and read enough to know that when it comes to really caring about the people this country was built by and sustained by, they couldn't care less.
I heard them say there wasn't enough money to take care of our veterans because, if you can believe their own words, "there are two wars to pay for" at the same time Iraq and Afghanistan were never included in the budgets until Obama, the man they love to hate, decided they were important enough to include in the budget and pay for. They complain about so many things needing to be paid for when it matters to us but when it comes to the rich people in this country, nothing is too good for them.
The simple truth is if you read and check their voting record, notice all the bills they stopped in the Senate including how they voted against the GI Bill, pay raises for the troops and cost of living raises for our disabled veterans, then you will know that if you still think they deserve your vote, you should be prepared to have people laugh because your fly is down or your dress is stuck in your underwear, because you'll not only look that dumb, you'll be to blame for us going back to the days when no one cared about anyone but themselves.
They just didn't care about us when they blocked so many bills because power trumped all else. They figured if Obama fails then we'll be suffering so much we'd want them back but they didn't count on how bright we all are and we figured out that in the end, none of us matter to them but we do matter to the people who have been fighting for us since 2007 when the Democrats took back control of the committees and things began to work for common folk like us. Don't let the GOP trick you into not knowing when you are being threatened with what they want to do to us so you forget who has been trying to do things for us!
Rant for the week concluded.
Support For Veterans Shows Sharp Partisan Divide
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on October 23rd, 2010 4:39 am by HL
Support For Veterans Shows Sharp Partisan Divide
According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America Action Fund, Republicans in Congress have dramatically failed to support our troops after they come home. IAVA’s 2010 Veteran Report Card, based on the key veterans’ legislation that came to a vote during the 111th Congress, exposed a sharp partisan divide on […]
According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America Action Fund, Republicans in Congress have dramatically failed to support our troops after they come home. IAVA’s 2010 Veteran Report Card, based on the key veterans’ legislation that came to a vote during the 111th Congress, exposed a sharp partisan divide on the level of support for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, as MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow tabulated yesterday. Of the 94 elected officials that earned an A or A+ rating from IAVA, 91 were Democrats. Of the 154 officials who received a D or F, 142 were Republicans:
read the rest here
Support For Veterans Shows Sharp Partisan Divide
It has been my job to know what the truth is and I can tell you that this is true. I listened to them talk for far too long to understand the difference between talk and real action. They say they support the troops and the veterans but on their agenda, their actual plans, they want to hand over the VA to private corporations, along with Social Security and Medicare while getting rid of the Department of Education. This is how they plan to knock down the deficit plus making sure we go back to the days when people ended up without medical care because they didn't have insurance. That is exactly what all the fighting has been about but they twist and snare words from fact so suit themselves on a daily basis.
Take down here in Florida for example. Grayson and Kosmos have been accused of cutting Medicare along with Nancy Pelosi. This accusation was by GOP contributors. The same people always talking about the deficit and how government doesn't work. These three people did in fact cut Medicare but they did it from cutting waste, fraud and abuse, while the commercial wants people to think someone lost benefits. How dumb is that? The very people wanting to cut it are accusing watchdogs of doing it? Where were will these people be when our parents are elderly and need medical care along with a social security check to be able to live after working all their lives? It's bad enough these same people stopped an increase in Social Security and Veterans cost of living raises last year and plan to do the same this year.
I've heard enough and read enough to know that when it comes to really caring about the people this country was built by and sustained by, they couldn't care less.
I heard them say there wasn't enough money to take care of our veterans because, if you can believe their own words, "there are two wars to pay for" at the same time Iraq and Afghanistan were never included in the budgets until Obama, the man they love to hate, decided they were important enough to include in the budget and pay for. They complain about so many things needing to be paid for when it matters to us but when it comes to the rich people in this country, nothing is too good for them.
The simple truth is if you read and check their voting record, notice all the bills they stopped in the Senate including how they voted against the GI Bill, pay raises for the troops and cost of living raises for our disabled veterans, then you will know that if you still think they deserve your vote, you should be prepared to have people laugh because your fly is down or your dress is stuck in your underwear, because you'll not only look that dumb, you'll be to blame for us going back to the days when no one cared about anyone but themselves.
They just didn't care about us when they blocked so many bills because power trumped all else. They figured if Obama fails then we'll be suffering so much we'd want them back but they didn't count on how bright we all are and we figured out that in the end, none of us matter to them but we do matter to the people who have been fighting for us since 2007 when the Democrats took back control of the committees and things began to work for common folk like us. Don't let the GOP trick you into not knowing when you are being threatened with what they want to do to us so you forget who has been trying to do things for us!
Rant for the week concluded.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Senator Doran says "Pentagon dropped the ball on chemical exposure of US Troops in Iraq"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Friday CONTACT: Barry E. Piatt
October 22, 2010 PHONE: 202-224-0577
Follow up report is delayed:
DORGAN: DOD IG REPORT CONFIRMS PENTAGON DROPPED THE BALL ON CHEMICAL EXPOSURE OF U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said Friday a preliminary report of an investigation by the Department of Defense Inspector General confirms that the Pentagon dropped the ball in responding to the exposure of hundreds of U.S. troops to a deadly chemical in Iraq. Those failures left some exposed soldiers unaware that they had been exposed to the deadly chemical and without follow up health monitoring and treatment. Monitoring tests performed on other soldiers who were informed of their exposure were so inadequate that the agency that performed them now admits they have a “low level of confidence” in those tests.
A second and more detailed Inspector General’s report, originally scheduled to be released this month, has now been moved back to the end of the year, a development Dorgan said he finds “disappointing.”
The Senate Armed Services Committee and Dorgan requested IG investigations after he chaired hearings by the Senate Democratic Policy Committee (DPC), in June 2008 and August 2009. The hearings revealed that troops from Indiana, Oregon, South Carolina, and West Virginia were exposed to sodium dichromate, a known and highly potent carcinogen at the Qarmat Ali water treatment facility in Iraq. The DPC hearings revealed multiple failures by the contractor, KBR, and the Army’s failure to adequately monitor, test, and notify soldiers who may have been exposed of the health risks they may now face.
The IG is releasing two reports on its investigation, The first report was released in September. The second, expected to be a more detailed response to specific DPC concerns, was originally slated for release by late October. But the Department of Defense Inspector General now states a draft of that report won’t be available until the end of the year.
The first report provides no indication -- seven years after the exposure – that the Army ever notified seven soldiers from the Army’s Third Infantry Division who secured the Qarmat Ali facility during hostilities that they had been exposed. It also confirms that the Army’s assessment of the health risks associated with exposure to sodium dichromate for soldiers at Qarmat Ali are not very reliable. In fact, the organization that performed these assessments, the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine (CHPPM), now says it has a “low level of confidence” in its test results for the overwhelming majority of those exposed.
Equally troubling, Dorgan said, is the report’s finding that the Department of Defense is refusing to provide information to Congress about the incident, because of a lawsuit to which it is not a party.
“I am very concerned about the findings we now have, and I am disappointed in the delayed release of Part II of this report. The IG’s investigation and its findings are very important to the lives of U.S. soldiers and workers who were at the site. Details and definitive findings will help us ensure accountability for this exposure and flawed follow up, but even more importantly, they will help ensure that all exposed soldiers receive appropriate notice and medical attention,” Dorgan said.
Friday CONTACT: Barry E. Piatt
October 22, 2010 PHONE: 202-224-0577
Follow up report is delayed:
DORGAN: DOD IG REPORT CONFIRMS PENTAGON DROPPED THE BALL ON CHEMICAL EXPOSURE OF U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said Friday a preliminary report of an investigation by the Department of Defense Inspector General confirms that the Pentagon dropped the ball in responding to the exposure of hundreds of U.S. troops to a deadly chemical in Iraq. Those failures left some exposed soldiers unaware that they had been exposed to the deadly chemical and without follow up health monitoring and treatment. Monitoring tests performed on other soldiers who were informed of their exposure were so inadequate that the agency that performed them now admits they have a “low level of confidence” in those tests.
A second and more detailed Inspector General’s report, originally scheduled to be released this month, has now been moved back to the end of the year, a development Dorgan said he finds “disappointing.”
The Senate Armed Services Committee and Dorgan requested IG investigations after he chaired hearings by the Senate Democratic Policy Committee (DPC), in June 2008 and August 2009. The hearings revealed that troops from Indiana, Oregon, South Carolina, and West Virginia were exposed to sodium dichromate, a known and highly potent carcinogen at the Qarmat Ali water treatment facility in Iraq. The DPC hearings revealed multiple failures by the contractor, KBR, and the Army’s failure to adequately monitor, test, and notify soldiers who may have been exposed of the health risks they may now face.
The IG is releasing two reports on its investigation, The first report was released in September. The second, expected to be a more detailed response to specific DPC concerns, was originally slated for release by late October. But the Department of Defense Inspector General now states a draft of that report won’t be available until the end of the year.
The first report provides no indication -- seven years after the exposure – that the Army ever notified seven soldiers from the Army’s Third Infantry Division who secured the Qarmat Ali facility during hostilities that they had been exposed. It also confirms that the Army’s assessment of the health risks associated with exposure to sodium dichromate for soldiers at Qarmat Ali are not very reliable. In fact, the organization that performed these assessments, the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine (CHPPM), now says it has a “low level of confidence” in its test results for the overwhelming majority of those exposed.
Equally troubling, Dorgan said, is the report’s finding that the Department of Defense is refusing to provide information to Congress about the incident, because of a lawsuit to which it is not a party.
“I am very concerned about the findings we now have, and I am disappointed in the delayed release of Part II of this report. The IG’s investigation and its findings are very important to the lives of U.S. soldiers and workers who were at the site. Details and definitive findings will help us ensure accountability for this exposure and flawed follow up, but even more importantly, they will help ensure that all exposed soldiers receive appropriate notice and medical attention,” Dorgan said.
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