Westboro wants to collect from Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder's Dad to finance more protests?

What kind of a twisted outcome is this leading to? First, a family calling themselves Westboro Baptist Church decides to protest at funerals. Legally they believe they have a right to do this no matter what anyone else thinks and now the Supreme Court has backed them up on it. They didn't seem to explain how free speech should be allowed to force people to listen. That is exactly what Westboro has been doing to the families. They are a captive audience. Families have to be there but Westboro does not. They target and stalk the families but that's ok with the Supreme Court.

Top that off with the startling fact Westboro targets families when they decide which funeral to protest at. Consider this. According to Icasualties.org, there have been 4,439 US deaths in Iraq and 1,496 in Afghanistan. Westboro claims they are protesting the fact that the military has gays serving in it. The whole military. Yet they do not protest every funeral. In other words, they target certain ones. Since they are claiming to be protesting gays and holding signs up thanking God for the deaths of the soldiers, they are also making public statements against the fallen suggesting they were gay. After all, if they are supposed to be all about being against gays in the military and all homosexuals, show up and protest at certain funerals, then they are targeting these fallen along with their families.

The Supreme Court is fine with that? Isn't it illegal to stalk someone? Isn't it illegal to harass someone? Isn't terrorism illegal?

terrorism
n
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) systematic use of violence and intimidation to achieve some goal
2. the act of terrorizing
3. the state of being terrorized
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

That isn't bad enough. Westboro is now seeking to collect for legal fees from Snyder's Dad. But even that isn't bad enough. Margie Phelps is happy about all of this because she plans to use the money to finance more protests!

Westboro member and lead lawyer Margie Phelps said it was nobody's business whether the church used the money to finance more funeral protests.

"He intended to shut us down and he announced that far and wide," she said. "And the Pentagon backed him up on it. That was their plan. And now they're going to finance some of it, that's how they see it. It's a beautiful, poetic thing."

But this was fine with the Supreme Court? How can any of this be justice for anyone other than this group of haters to stalk, target and terrorize?

Marine's dad to defy Westboro on court costs

By ANDY MARSO, Capital News Service
Published 03/09/11

TOP: Albert Snyder, right, pauses during an interview in York, Pa. The funeral of Albert Snyder's son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, left, was picketed by members of the Westboro Baptist Church.
BOTTOM: Westboro Baptist church member Gabriel Phelps-Roper, 10, and his sister Grace Phelps-Roper, 13, both of Topeka, Kan., protest at the funeral of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder in Westminster, Md.

WASHINGTON - The father of a Marine killed in Iraq won't pay the nearly $100,000 in court costs charged by Westboro Baptist Church, which picketed his son's 2006 funeral, in the wake of his unsuccessful lawsuit against the group, his lawyer said.

"We're not just going to write them a check," Sean Summers, lawyer for Albert Snyder, said Friday. "We're going to make them work for it."

The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 last week that Westboro's anti-gay protests were speech protected under the First Amendment. The decision upheld the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to deny Snyder's suit against the anti-gay church's founder, Fred Phelps.

Snyder's son, Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, was not gay, but the church pickets military funerals nationwide because they say soldiers' deaths are God's vengeance for the country's tolerance of homosexuality.

A lower court awarded Albert Snyder $5 million in damages for emotional distress. However, at the Supreme Court, all the justices except Samuel Alito sided with Westboro, which means Snyder may be on the hook for the church's court costs.

Westboro member and lead lawyer Margie Phelps said it was nobody's business whether the church used the money to finance more funeral protests.

"He intended to shut us down and he announced that far and wide," she said. "And the Pentagon backed him up on it. That was their plan. And now they're going to finance some of it, that's how they see it. It's a beautiful, poetic thing."

The Fourth Circuit has already ordered Snyder to pay Westboro $16,510.80. Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly has offered to pick up that cost. Phelps said she would be willing to "barter" with O'Reilly for airtime on his show, "The O'Reilly Factor," instead.

Fox News responded by saying that O'Reilly's offer to Snyder still stands, but he won't trade airtime on his show.
read more here
Marine's dad to defy Westboro on court costs

Minnesota National Guard officials confront mental health stigma

Minnesota National Guard officials confront mental health stigma ahead of deployment
by Jessica Mador, Minnesota Public Radio
March 9, 2011

St. Paul, Minn. — It's been almost four years since Coon Rapids Army Reservist Molly Black returned from Iraq but she still thinks about her deployment at least a dozen times a day.

"We lost two people over there," she said. "A few more have lost limbs or are paralyzed now, so that stuff sticks with you. You have survivor's guilt."

For more than a year, the 30-year-old was based in northern Iraq where she helped train Iraqi police. She remembers the day insurgents attacked her unit with a car bomb.

"It was about 8 o'clock in the morning and a 1500-pound vehicle-borne IED [improvised explosive device] drove through the entrance and exploded," she said.

The explosion was followed by an avalanche of gunfire, mortar and rocket attacks from all directions that collapsed the building. The attack killed almost two dozen people.

Black has been in the military for more than eight years. She knows daily violence comes with the territory. But she still struggles with its effects.

When her unit returned home, Black says commanders talked only briefly about the potential for lingering mental health problems.

"You're back, this is awesome, good job, you're on your own," she said.

She feels lucky that her friends saw danger signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): She was depressed and irritable, she drank too much and stopped going out. Since then, she's gotten treatment and it's helping.

About 2,400 soldiers from the Minnesota Army National Guard will deploy to Kuwait this summer as part of Operation New Dawn, the final drawdown of U.S. forces from Iraq. Research has shown that combat can have a long-term effect on the mental health of soldiers.
read more here
Minnesota National Guard officials confront mental health stigma

If you know a Vietnam Veteran consider sending this link to them

I get a lot of links about things on Vietnam Veterans, since they are the reason I started doing this work, but this one, this is the one I want all Vietnam veterans to see. It is a beautiful and powerful documentary.

Vietnam VideoThis is one of the better Vietnam videos made by and for Michigan Vietnam Veterans, but I believe all of you will appreciate this. This story could and is retold by 49 other states and territories as well.

If you know a Vietnam Veteran consider sending this link to them.

Stop-loss pay deadline extended to March 18

Stop-loss pay deadline extended to March 18
By Pauline Jelinek - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Mar 8, 2011 17:01:48 EST
WASHINGTON — They’ve sent out letters and flyers and have tweeted and pleaded, but Pentagon officials are still struggling to give away a huge cache of money to troops and veterans.

The Defense Department said Tuesday that as of last week it had spent only $300 million of $534 million approved by Congress as special pay for service members forced after Sept. 11, 2001, to serve beyond their enlistment terms — a controversial practice called stop-loss.

The money was approved in 2009 and troops were supposed to claim it by October. But Congress has just extended the deadline for a fourth time — to March 18.

Extensive efforts by the Pentagon, White House, Congress and the Veterans Affairs Department to get people to file claims for the money have included letters to the last known mailing addresses of all 145,000 believed eligible and a public service announcement taped by President Barack Obama and broadcast last year.

Officials also have posted messages to Facebook pages of the Pentagon and individual services, spread the word through 130 veteran and military service organizations, typed reminders on the bottom of military and retiree pay stubs, and placed television, radio, newspapers and blog stories and announcements in areas of the country with sizable troop populations, said Eileen Lainez, a Defense Department spokeswoman.

The payment is $500 for each month or partial month a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine was forced to stay on active duty and is on top of the regular pay received at the time. Eligible to receive it are troops, veterans and their beneficiaries.
read more here
Stop-loss pay deadline extended to March 18

Bill would ease compensation for sexual trauma

Bill would ease compensation for sexual trauma
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Mar 8, 2011 17:18:35 EST
Veterans who are sexually assaulted, raped or harassed while in the service often find they are ineligible for post-service disability compensation and medical treatment if they have no evidence that they’re suffering from service-related traumatic stress.

A Maine congresswoman wants to change that.

Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, has introduced legislation that would require the Veterans Affairs Department to accept veterans’ statements about the origin of their sexual trauma in the absence of police, medical eyewitness reports or other documentation about the event or events that triggered the mental health problems.

“It’s very difficult to prove sexual assault within the current system, which makes it just as difficult for veterans who have been victims to qualify for the treatments and benefits they need to recover,” Pingree said in a statement. “It’s a classic case of adding insult to injury.”

Anuradha Bhagwati, a former Marine Corps officer who is now executive director of the Service Women’s Action Network, said military sexual trauma victims often lack military records because they never file formal complaints or their records were destroyed. They also often lack informal records, such as letters to friends and family, because they are reluctant to talk about their treatment, she said.

Some records that might help prove claims, such as rape kits and the medical records related to them, and sexual harassment complaints filed with military equal opportunity offices, are routinely destroyed under defense and service policies, Bhagwati said.

“The reality is, the majority of sexual trauma victims do not report their crimes because they don’t feel safe to do so,” she said. “If they do report it, the records often are not available because they are destroyed.”
read more here
Bill would ease compensation for sexual trauma/

Talk Doesn’t Pay, So Psychiatry Turns Instead to Drug Therapy

During a time when I worked as a temp, I worked for a group of 6 psychiatrists. This was back in the early 90's. Even back then they were limiting their appointments to 15 minute drug based quickies. Most of these people were trying to cope with their entire lives being destroyed. They were sent to therapists for talk sessions. The problem with this was that there were not enough therapists to go around and it is even worse now.

For PTSD, the best results come from talk therapy. Either one on one or in group, depending on the veteran. What we're seeing now is that there are less therapists to listen and more psychiatrists focusing on writing prescriptions. In other words, a lot more drugging and a lot less healing.

Talk Doesn’t Pay, So Psychiatry Turns Instead to Drug Therapy
Written by Gardiner Harris
Monday, 07 March 2011 11:36

March 5, 2011 (New York Times) - Alone with his psychiatrist, the patient confided that his newborn had serious health problems, his distraught wife was screaming at him and he had started drinking again. With his life and second marriage falling apart, the man said he needed help.

But the psychiatrist, Dr. Donald Levin, stopped him and said: "Hold it. I’m not your therapist. I could adjust your medications, but I don’t think that’s appropriate."

Like many of the nation’s 48,000 psychiatrists, Dr. Levin, in large part because of changes in how much insurance will pay, no longer provides talk therapy, the form of psychiatry popularized by Sigmund Freud that dominated the profession for decades. Instead, he prescribes medication, usually after a brief consultation with each patient. So Dr. Levin sent the man away with a referral to a less costly therapist and a personal crisis unexplored and unresolved.

Medicine is rapidly changing in the United States from a cottage industry to one dominated by large hospital groups and corporations, but the new efficiencies can be accompanied by a telling loss of intimacy between doctors and patients. And no specialty has suffered this loss more profoundly than psychiatry.

Trained as a traditional psychiatrist at Michael Reese Hospital, a sprawling Chicago medical center that has since closed, Dr. Levin, 68, first established a private practice in 1972, when talk therapy was in its heyday.

Then, like many psychiatrists, he treated 50 to 60 patients in once- or twice-weekly talk-therapy sessions of 45 minutes each. Now, like many of his peers, he treats 1,200 people in mostly 15-minute visits for prescription adjustments that are sometimes months apart. Then, he knew his patients’ inner lives better than he knew his wife’s; now, he often cannot remember their names. Then, his goal was to help his patients become happy and fulfilled; now, it is just to keep them functional.

Dr. Levin has found the transition difficult. He now resists helping patients to manage their lives better. "I had to train myself not to get too interested in their problems," he said, "and not to get sidetracked trying to be a semi-therapist."
read more here
Talk Doesn’t Pay

America Is NOT Broke

Whenever you hear an elected official talk about how broke this nation is, you should be asking yourself a very important question. Why are they talking about this all of a sudden? It isn't that our debt just happened overnight. They turn this into a crisis and we should all be asking what their motive is.

They are going after veterans on top of everyone else.

These same people keep saying the tax breaks for the richest in this nation are a top priority because they create jobs but they have no answers as to where those jobs were when we were losing them after they got tax cut after tax cut. Why believe any of them now?

Veterans hate to think that their service has been forgotten when they become veterans but for too many, that is exactly what happens. In a nation with this kind of wealth we should not have one homeless veteran but we have hundreds of thousands of them.

Think about this

American billionaires
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
US citizens who have a net worth equal to or greater than one billion United States dollars, or had that net worth at the time of their deaths; see also List of Americans by net worth

But that is not the worst. While we kept losing jobs and saw veterans coming home with no jobs to go into, millionaires scored.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010, 10:36 AM ET
Millionaire Population Soars — Again
Text
By Robert Frank

Earlier this summer, I reported on two surveys (here and here) that showed a bounce back in the population of millionaires.


Associated Press
Mr. Monopoly, played by Merwin Goldsmith, throws out Monopoly money during a promotion for the game at Washington’s Union Station in 2003.
Since then, the stock market has floundered, the economy has slumped and overseas markets have drifted sideways. And yet….America’s millionaire-manufacturing sector continues to outperform the rest of the economy.

According to a new survey from Phoenix Marketing International’s Affluent Market Practice, the number of American households with investible assets of $1 million or more rose 8% in the 12 months ended in June. The survey says there now are 5.55 million U.S. households with investible assets of $1 million or more.

That follows two years of declines and brings the millionaire count back to 2006 levels. Of course, that is still below the peak of 5.97 million in 2007 and the current growth rate is well below pre-financial crisis levels, when the millionaire population increased as much as 35% a year.

Still, the numbers offer further evidence that the wealthy may have decoupled from the rest of the economy. The study’s authors say high salary growth, rather than investments, are the main drivers of the millionaire expansion.

The very wealthy seem to have had a better year than the mere millionaires. The population of American households with $5 million or more in investible assets surged 16%. The population of those with $10 million to invest increased 17%.
read more here
Millionaire Population Soars — Again/

Yet we are supposed to believe these same politicians care about the troops and our veterans? How many of their families had to use food stamps to feed their families while one of their own was risking his/her life in Iraq or Afghanistan?

They tell us that we have to pay down the debt for the sake of our children but they don't say it is important today to feed them, shelter them and provide for them. They don't address families living on the streets because the parents lost their jobs and ran out of unemployment. They don't say anything about the 60 minutes report about homeless kids in the Orlando area right down the street from Disney. They don't talk about rent along with everything else going up but not compensation for veterans or social security for the elderly, just as much as they don't want to talk about the fact congress did in fact get cost of living raises for themselves.

Now they want to go after teachers, firefighters, police officers, all other public employees, the elderly and veterans. They want the rest of us to think these people are suddenly a drain on the country instead of the backbone of it. They don't want us to think about how much we are all suffering today as long as they put up that smoke screen about the debt we pass on when we wonder how to put food on the table or fill our gas tank to get to work if we are lucky enough to have a job.

The GOP politicians are the ones who got us into this mess and now they want to be able to continue to destroy all of it for the sake of the wealthy! They are praying the poor in this country are too busy listening to their empty stomachs than they are listening to their words.

Say what you want about Michael Moore but he is right on this and it is about time someone said it!

Michael Moore:
America Is NOT Broke
Saturday 05 March 2011
by: Michael Moore | MichaelMoore.com | Speech


Michael Moore spoke to protesters in Madison, Wisconsin, on March 5, 2011.
Edited: Jared Rodriguez / t r u t h o u t)
America is not broke.

Contrary to what those in power would like you to believe so that you'll give up your pension, cut your wages, and settle for the life your great-grandparents had, America is not broke. Not by a long shot. The country is awash in wealth and cash. It's just that it's not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks and the portfolios of the uber-rich.

Today just 400 Americans have the same wealth as half of all Americans combined.

Let me say that again. 400 obscenely rich people, most of whom benefited in some way from the multi-trillion dollar taxpayer "bailout" of 2008, now have as much loot, stock and property as the assets of 155 million Americans combined. If you can't bring yourself to call that a financial coup d'état, then you are simply not being honest about what you know in your heart to be true. click link for more

Psychologist: Threatened volunteers should be evaluated for PTSD

If you want to get a better idea of what PTSD is all about, this will help you understand it. Remember PTSD comes after trauma. It is not caused by you. It invades you.

Psychologist: Threatened volunteers should be evaluated for PTSD
Monday, March 07 2011 @ 12:05 AM MST
Contributed by: Admin
Views: 246
by John Q. Murray

Two volunteers who said their lives were threatened by Frenchtown Fire personnel may now be experiencing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The Chronicle asked a clinical psychologist familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD to review interviews with Jenny Ross and Christian Boots to assess whether they would benefit from treatment.

Dr. Steven R. Farmilant said that their statements are consistent with a diagnosis of PTSD, and they should be evaluated to determine whether they have the condition and require treatment.

Jenny Ross was threatened by former Frenchtown Fire Chief John Bibler, who claimed to be a decorated military hero and sniper. He said he would shoot Jenny Ross after first killing her dog and then her family.

Christian Boots, a resident firefighter, said he was beaten and threatened by another resident who reportedly had substance abuse and anger management problems. The resident allegedly said he would throw Christian into an icy river to drown, so that his body would be eaten by animals and never recovered.

With the consent of both Jenny and Christian, the Chronicle shared notes and stories about the violence and threats with the psychologist.

Dr. Farmilant concluded that some of their statements and alleged experiences are consistent with a stress-related injury "requiring further evaluation and possible medical and cognitive therapy intervention."

Both Christian and Jenny made statements consistent with the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). The manual, which provides detailed criteria for identifying psychological conditions, including PTSD, is updated periodically to reflect current research on mental disorders.
click link above for more

Texas Fund for Veterans’ Assistance lottery ticket funds great idea

Over Four Million Dollars Available to Organizations Helping Veterans and Their Families

March 7, 2011
AUSTIN – Today the Texas Veterans Commission announced the availability of over four million dollars in grants to be awarded to organizations that provide services to veterans and their families.

A wide variety of services are eligible for funding including housing and employment assistance for homeless veterans, emergency financial assistance, counseling for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and family and child services.

Over nine million dollars in grants have been awarded to 38 organizations over the past year.

“We look for organizations of all sizes that provide high quality services to Veterans,” says Bill Wilson, Director of the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. “Recent changes to the grant process expanded both the types of organizations that will be considered and the possible services to be funded.”

Grant funds will be awarded to qualified charitable organizations, Veterans Service Organizations and local government agencies of all sizes, from local organizations with only a few employees to organizations with thousands of employees.

“A high priority of the is to attract those organizations that meet the needs of Veterans and their families,” adds Wilson.

The Texas lottery scratch-off game, Veterans Cash, is the primary source of funds for the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. The new, camouflage, instant ticket was released earlier this year.

Information outlining the grant application and other grant details can be found at Fund for Veterans. Applications must be received by the Texas Veterans Commission no later than 5:00 PM Central Time on March 28, 2011.

Texas Veterans Commission

The mission of the Texas Veterans Commission’s is to advocate for and provide superior service to Veterans and their families in the areas of disability claims assistance, employment services, education benefits and grant funding. Over 200 skilled counselors in 75 cities provide one-on-one guidance to Veterans and their families to ensure they receive all the benefits to which they are entitled.
For more information about the Texas Veterans Commission visit Texas Veterans Commission.

Fund for Veterans’ Assistance

Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance

The Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance is a program that makes reimbursement grants to eligible charitable organizations, local government agencies, and Veterans Service Organizations that provide direct services to Texas veterans and their families. Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance reimbursement grants address a broad range of needs, including:
Limited emergency financial assistance;
Transportation services;
Counseling for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury;
Employment, training, education, and job placement assistance;
Housing assistance for homeless veterans;
Family and child services;
Legal services, excluding criminal defense;
Development of professional services networks; and
Enhancement of veterans’ assistance programs, including veterans’ representation and counseling.


Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance Funding

The Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance is supported by proceeds from the sale of $2 Veterans Cash scratch-off tickets. Each time you buy a Veterans scratch-off lottery ticket, you help Texas veterans and their families. To locate retailers that sell Veterans Cash lottery tickets, go to www.txlottery.org and click on the Scratch-Off and Store Locator link.
The fund is also supported by generous donations made to the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance, which are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please make checks payable to TVC Fund for Veterans’ Assistance.
Contributions can be sent to:
Texas Veterans Commission
Fund for Veterans’ Assistance
Post Office Box 12277
Austin, Texas 78711-2277

Conspiracy Test Gulf War Illness

The Military Channel had a program on Gulf War Syndrome tonight.

Depleted Uranium and the lack of connection made between the military and the veterans was the first part of the program. Just when I thought they were going to admit what was done to our veterans of the Gulf War, they dragged in someone saying the media was behind it. If someone said the veterans are sick because of Gulf War Syndrome, then they would all say they were.

Mar 07, 9:00 pm

(60 minutes) Conspiracy Test
Gulf War Illness
TV-PG, CC

Conspiracy Test will run its own independent experiment on DU testing with blood samples obtained from up to five veterans of the first Gulf War and some more recent Iraq War vets.

Five veterans were tested for depleted uranium and sarin gas. Blood test checked the DNA of these veterans. 22 matched pairs of chromosome along with the sex codes were checked. Chromosomes were damaged and had breakage. Three of the veterans allowed their cases to be talked about. Pieces of their chromosomes attached to other ones. Like cancer patients and children with birth defects, this damage is out of the ordinary. Radiation exposure is one of the factors with the breakage. Two of the veterans that did not want their cases relased had more damage done. Alpha radiation is usually the cause of this kind of damage.

How can they fake chromosome damage? They ruled out sarin gas in these cases, so what else will they use to explain it away. Their health problems will not go away and they have not been able to cure it, but they have been able to make it better. They were twice as likely to be sick than others that did not deploy.

The program pointed out they needed to do wide spread testing in more veterans. The role the government plays in all of this is they need to release everything they know so that this is not repeated ever again.

The fact remains that after all these years, Gulf War veterans will probably be dying to find out what is wrong with them before they end up being treated or compensated for it. Much like the Vietnam Veterans waited 40 years for answers, they will die off before they see real justice or answers.

You can also check out what PBS has on this here http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/syndrome/

VA Celebrates Women's History Month

VA Celebrates Women's History Month

WASHINGTON (March 7, 2011) - The Department of Veterans Affairs joins
with the nation to observe Women's History Month in March by recognizing
and honoring women Veterans.

"Duty. Honor. Pride. These words reflect the spirit of generations of
American women who have sought to defend the rights and freedom of
others," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "The
history of women in the armed forces began more than 220 years ago with
women who served during the American Revolution and continues through
the present day. VA is honored to serve these women who have
contributed so much to our Nation."

Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the Veteran
population. Of the 22.7 million living Veterans, more than 1.8 million
are women. They comprise nearly 8 percent of the total Veteran
population and 6 percent of all Veterans who use VA health care
services.

VA estimates women Veterans will constitute 10 percent of the Veteran
population by 2020 and 9.5 percent of VA patients.

In recent years, VA has undertaken a number of initiatives to create or
enhance services for women Veterans, including the implementation of
comprehensive primary care throughout the nation; staffing every VA
medical center with a women veterans program manager and regional
offices with a designated woman Veterans coordinator; supporting a
multifaceted research program on women's health; improving communication
and outreach to women Veterans; and continuing the operation of offices
like the Center for Women Veterans and the Women Veterans Health
Strategic Healthcare Care Group.

"During this observance of Women's History Month, let's remember the
special contributions of the ever-increasing number of women serving in
the armed forces," said Tammy Duckworth, assistant secretary for public
and intergovernmental affairs. She noted that women currently make up
more than 14 percent of the active-duty military and 18 percent of the
Guard and Reserves.

VA has 43 women's memorials and monuments at its National Cemeteries
across the country. Additionally, several notable women are buried in VA
National Cemeteries, including Chief Specialist Evelyn B. (Ulrich)
Einfeldt, a Navy World War II Veteran who was one of the 67 Navy "WAVES"
involved in Operation Magic. She assisted with the assembly of BOMBE
(Enigma), a machine to decode German and Japanese transmissions. She was
laid to rest at the Fort Sill National Cemetery on April 6, 2006.

Lillian Kinkela Keil, an Air Force flight nurse pioneer, is buried at
the Riverside National Cemetery. She flew 425 combat missions and took
part in 11 major campaigns, including the D-Day invasion and the Battle
of the Bulge in World War II and the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in
Korea. One of the most decorated women in American military history, she
was awarded 19 medals.

For more information about VA programs and services for women Veterans,
please visit: http://www1.va.gov/womenvet and
http://www.publichealth.va.gov/womenshealth.

Here's one of my videos to help you know how rich the history of women is serving in the military.

Army's burgeoning suicide rate and in fatal accidents

PTSD death sends family on search for answers

By: CHARLES D. BRUNT 03/07/11 3:01 AM
Albuquerque Journal
Senior Airman Anthony "Tony" Mena managed to dodge bullets, rocket-propelled grenades and roadside bombs during two tours in Iraq.

But he couldn't survive the onslaught of medications that military, Veterans Affairs and civilian doctors prescribed to treat his resulting post-traumatic stress disorder and back pain.

Five months after being medically discharged, the former member of Kirtland Air Force Base's 377th Security Forces Squadron died in his sleep — the result of a lethal mix of nine prescribed medications, including antidepressants, pain killers, tranquilizers and muscle relaxers.

The medical examiner ruled the 23-year-old's death an accident: Mena had not taken more medicine than prescribed.

His July 21, 2009, death set his family on a quest to force changes in PTSD treatment.

"I trusted the doctors," his mother, Pat Mena, said from her El Paso, Texas, home. "I really thought they had a list of everything my son was taking."

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that produces psychological symptoms that can occur after a traumatic event. It can cause flashbacks, nightmares, depression, anxiety, edginess, substance abuse and other symptoms, and can surface years after the event.

Some studies indicate 20 percent of returning Iraq and Afghanistan troops have PTSD.

Cases like Mena's have prompted the military to revise its policies on polypharmacy, the use of combinations of multiple medications. Military studies have cited polypharmacy as a factor in the Army's burgeoning suicide rate and in fatal accidents.



Read more at the Washington Examiner:
PTSD death sends family on search for answers

Montana lets National Guards know they are really welcomed home

National Guard soldiers honored in Missoula
Posted: Mar 6, 2011 5:55 PM by Allyson Weller (KPAX News)

MISSOULA- The Montana National Guard honored more than 30 soldiers from the 230th Vertical Engineer Company based out of Hamilton at the Freedom Salute Ceremony.

The event took place at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula and welcomed back Montana soldiers who returned from combat in Afghanistan in January. The purpose of the ceremony was not only to honor them, but to help with the transition from soldier to civilian.

"This event is actually the capstone for the last two years that we have trained, were deployed, were re-deployed, and we've started to integrate back into the community and with our families," said Captain Candice Griffith.

"This is pretty important because they've had a lot of problems in the past where they have had suicide and they've had divorcees and problems within families," said Specialist Farrah Warner.

The Montana National Guard holds events 30 days, 60 days and 90 days after soldiers return home to help them integrate back into civilian life.
read more here
National Guard soldiers honored in Missoula

Soldier with second-degree murder of another soldier

Murder charged after Eagle River shooting
RUSSIAN ROULETTE: Friend charged with murder.
By ROSEMARY SHINOHARA
rshinohara@adn.com
Published: March 6th, 2011

Police have charged a soldier with second-degree murder in the shooting death of another soldier at an Eagle River home early Sunday. The two men were playing Russian roulette with a loaded revolver, police said.

A 26-year-old soldier from an Army brigade at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was shot in the abdomen about 2 a.m. Sunday and was pronounced dead at Providence Alaska Medical Center about an hour later, police and military officials said.

The soldier who was shot has not yet been identified pending notification of his family.


Read more:
Murder charged after Eagle River shooting

Schofield soldier shoots self, Army says

Schofield soldier shoots self, Army says
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Mar 6, 2011 9:16:55 EST
HONOLULU — A soldier who was brandishing a weapon at Schofield Barracks has died after suffering what an Army spokesman described as a “self-inflicted” gunshot wound.

Spokesman Dennis Drake said the soldier, whose name has not been released, died in a hospital about 7:45 p.m. Friday.
read more here
Schofield soldier shoots self, Army says

Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is blocking plans to honor WWI veteran Frank Buckles

I was shocked by the email alert sent from Veterans For Change but not shocked Boehner was behind it. After all, why would the Speaker of the House want to honor the last WWI veteran when he does not honor any veteran?

All Hands on Deck

World War I veteran, Frank Buckles to lie in honor inside the Capitol Rotunda is being blocked!

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is blocking plans to allow the last American World War I veterans body to lay in honor inside the Capitol Rotunda.

We need all our readers to please call toll free 866-272-6622 on Monday, ask for Congressman Boehner’s office and let him know his actions are not acceptable! That this Veteran has earned the honor of “Laying in State” in the Capitol Rotunda!

Please help us to help us to help the Buckles Family and Americans Nationwide the privilege and honor of paying their last respects to the last WWI Veteran!

Friends, this call doesn’t cost you one thin dime, all it costs is a few minutes of your time!

“U.S. Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin III, both D-W.Va., had expected that Rockefeller's resolution to allow Buckles to be honored at the Capitol would be met with unanimous support in Congress. U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., had introduced similar legislation in the House.”

We can flood their switchboard with calls and we can make this happen!

This is where you can read the rest of the story.

Buckles’ family upset that veteran might not be honored at Capitol
March 4, 2011 - By Beth Henry, Journal City Editor

MARTINSBURG - Family and friends of the late Frank Woodruff Buckles reacted with shock and disappointment Thursday to news that House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is blocking plans to allow the last American World War I veteran to lie in honor inside the Capitol Rotunda.

U.S. Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin III, both D-W.Va., had expected that Rockefeller's resolution to allow Buckles to be honored at the Capitol would be met with unanimous support in Congress. U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., had introduced similar legislation in the House.

Instead, Boehner spokesman Mike Steel told the Associated Press that the speaker and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., would seek Defense Department permission for a ceremony for Buckles at Arlington National Cemetery.


Buckles family spokesperson David DeJonge said the veteran's funeral is scheduled for March 15 at Arlington, but he pointed out that the cemetery cannot handle the volume of visitors who want to honor Buckles' memory.

"Boehner is going against the will of the people," DeJonge said, adding that various groups from across the country want to pay their respects to Buckles at the Capitol. He said everyone from motorcycle clubs to representatives of 2,000 war re-enactors already contacted him about participating in a ceremony to honor the nation's last link to WWI, and Arlington National Cemetery won't be able to handle such a huge crowd.
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Buckles’ family upset that veteran might not be honored at Capitol

Dentist worth millions arrested for theft and forgery using veteran's credit card

Dentist in town for son's baseball tournament arrested for theft, forgery

He told deputies his net worth was between $3 million and $4 million.

By Sandra Pedicini, Orlando Sentinel
5:52 p.m. EST, March 6, 2011

A Michigan dentist in town for his son's baseball game was arrested late Saturday on credit-card theft and forgery charges after Polk County deputy sheriffs said he stole a college student's credit card and used it to buy pizza.

Richard Lewis Ludwig, 54, of Okemos, Mich., also faces charges of impersonating and attempting to use the ID of another person without consent.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office gave this account:

The victim, Harrun Majeed of Davenport, dropped his credit card in the parking lot of a Publix at 2424 Sand Mine Road in Davenport on Saturday evening. Majeed, a military veteran studying at a community college, realized the card was gone when he got home and called to cancel it.

While on the phone with the credit-card company, a representative told Majeed someone had used the card to make a purchase at Mia Pizza Pasta Kitchen, in the same plaza as the Publix where Majeed lost his card. Majeed immediately called the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
read more here
Dentist in town for son's baseball tournament arrested
This all boils down to a couple of sentences. He's worth millions and the veteran is going to community college.

Dr. Jonathan Shay gets award for work with vets, PTSD

Doctor gets award for work with vets, PTSD
By Tom Dalton
Staff writer

SALEM — A Boston-area doctor who received a MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" for his groundbreaking work on the combat trauma suffered by Vietnam veterans has won the 2011 Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice.

Dr. Jonathan Shay, a former staff psychiatrist for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Boston, will be presented the award on Saturday, May 7.

He will be honored at a dinner and award ceremony at Salem High School.

Shay is the author or two books on post-traumatic stress disorder, "Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character" and "Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming."

The committee for this year's award was researching post-traumatic stress disorder as it related to the thousands of combat veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Shay's name kept popping up.
read more here
Doctor gets award for work with vets, PTSD

'60 Minutes' spotlights homeless Central Florida kids

'60 Minutes' spotlights homeless Central Florida kids
By Hal Boedeker Orlando Sentinel television critic
11:15 p.m. EST, March 5, 2011
CBS' "60 Minutes" offers a wrenching segment Sunday on homeless children in Central Florida. Correspondent Scott Pelley said the report continues his look at people hurting in the wake of the Great Recession.

He wanted to focus on children after seeing a Congressional Budget Office projection that the child-poverty rate would soon hit 25 percent. Most of the CBS report concentrates on Seminole County. Pelley talks to Casselberry children, who speak of going to bed hungry and feeling embarrassed.

Two children stand out in the segment: 11-year-old Destiny Corfee, whose family lives in a motel, and Jacob Braverman, 14, whose family moved in with neighbors after losing their home to foreclosure. The report airs at 7 p.m. on WKMG-Channel 6.
read more here
'60 Minutes' spotlights homeless Central Florida kids

Schofield Soldier Dead After Self-Inflicted Gun Shot After Standoff

Schofield Soldier Dead After Self-Inflicted Gun Shot

Unidentified Soldier Shot Themself After Standoff With Authorities

POSTED: 12:33 pm HST March 5, 2011


According to military officials, an unidentified soldier died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound at Schofield Barracks Friday evening.
read more here
http://www.kitv.com/news/27092777/detail.html

VFW post commander resigns amidst allegations of fabricated war record

VFW post commander resigns amidst allegations of fabricated war record
Written by Elizabeth Larson
Saturday, 05 March 2011
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A local man has resigned his post as commander of the Lakeport Veterans of Foreign War post in the midst of allegations that he falsely claimed to have served in Vietnam.

Robert Lawrence Deppe, 57, of Upper Lake submitted a letter of resignation in mid-February after members of the VFW Post 2015 confronted him about the allegations, according to Post Adjutant Kirk Macdonald.

Lake County News reached Deppe via e-mail but he refused to comment for this story.

Earlier in February Macdonald said it was brought to the attention of post members that Deppe was “possibly not eligible to be a member of the VFW because his military record was not valid.”

Macdonald said post members also learned at that time about Deppe's arrest on Feb. 9 for felony passing a fictitious check and misdemeanor petty theft.

Capt. James Bauman said Deppe turned himself in at the Lake County Jail shortly after midnight on Feb. 9 following an investigation into allegations that he took money from his brother-in-law, who lives with him.

Deppe allegedly took eight $100 bills and five $20 bills and replaced them with fake bills. Bauman said Deppe also is alleged to have taken to two $100 bills from his wife's purse, also putting fake bills in their place.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said Deppe has been charged with forgery and felony petty theft.

Post members asked Deppe to respond to the allegations regarding his arrest and military record at the Feb. 14 meeting, Macdonald said.

They also asked him to sign a Form 180 so his military record could be accessed and verified, according to Macdonald.

“Mr. Deppe chose to write a letter of resignation as commander of the post and also to be removed from the roles of the VFW membership,” Macdonald said. The resignation reportedly went into effect on Feb. 16.

Macdonald said Deppe wouldn't respond directly to the questions about his record, and made no admissions one way or the other.

While the allegations were new to the local post members, questions of Deppe's military record have been arising for several years, according to Mary Schantag, who along with her husband Chuck, a Vietnam veteran, founded the nonprofit POW Network, www.pownetwork.org.

“He has been doing this for years and has been exposed, and had been exposed in the past,” Schantag said of Deppe in an interview with Lake County News.

Schantag said Deppe had been under investigation since 2005, after he posted a story on the VFW 2015 Web site, which came to the attention of POW Network members.

Deppe had claimed on the VFW Web site – which he helped administer – to have been a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army form 1971 to 1974, receiving the Purple Heart, as well as the Silver and Bronze Stars. He also said he was a Ranger on Company H, 75th Infantry, Third Brigade, First Cavalry Division.
read more here
VFW post commander resigns amidst allegations of fabricated war record

Marines in deadly Afghan Sangin valley face combat stress

This is a good article. It addresses how mental health professionals have them tell their stories over and over again. Good idea and works for most after traumatic events. It addresses the redeployments, the stress of being away from home on top of the stress of combat. What it does not address is one well kept secret. PTSD does not show up when they are still in a "threat" situation most of the time. Sure, there are nightmares, sadness setting in and a lot of other symptoms they will attribute to just being where they are. It is not until they are out of danger where they are supposed to be safe, like back home, and they still feel it all, they know they have a problem. For so many facing PTSD while deployed, it is a great predictor of how many more will not be able to "just get over it" when they come back home.

The Army released a study a couple of years back stating clearly the risk of PTSD is raised by 50% for each redeployment. With them going back 4, 5, 6 times or more, it would not be a surprise to discover 80% of the troops deployed will face PTSD.

Marines in deadly Afghan valley face combat stress

By SEBASTIAN ABBOT
The Associated Press
Saturday, March 5, 2011

SANGIN, Afghanistan -- When U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Derek Goins deployed to the most dangerous place in Afghanistan five months ago, he mentally prepared for the risk of getting shot by the Taliban or stepping on bombs buried throughout this southern river valley.

But he wasn't ready for what happened to his two best friends, who were shot to death inside a patrol base by an Afghan army soldier who escaped into the arms of the Taliban.

"I grew up with those guys in the Marine Corps and shared a lot of laughs and tears with them," said Goins, 23, from Trumbull, Texas. "We expected to come here and fight and not just get murdered, and that's what it was."

The Marines who arrived in Sangin district of Helmand province in October have seen the kind of tragedy and combat stress that few can imagine - more than 30 deaths and 175 wounded, with scores losing arms and legs when they stepped on bombs.
read more here
Marines in deadly Afghan valley face combat stress

Catholic Diocese Plans for Homeless Veterans Project

Diocese Plans Two Housing Projects

By Sofia Ojeda
March 4, 2011




Plans to build two new housing centers in Lackawanna County are now underway.

A new building in Scranton for veterans and a senior citizen housing project in Jessup are proposed by Catholic Social Services.

An empty lot right next door to the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen is where the three-story, 30-unit housing center would be built.

The Diocese of Scranton said it will only house our country's veterans.

Nearby business owners said they support the project.

It will be called St. Francis of Assisi Commons and it will be connected to the St. Francis of Assisi Soup Kitchen.

"It's an extraordinary need. There are so many veterans that simply cannot afford housing," said Monsignor Joseph Kelly of Catholic Social Services.

He added the new building will house 30 veterans, both men and women, all screened and approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
read more here
Diocese Plans Two Housing Projects

Army can't track mental health records of deployed soldiers

Army can't track mental health records of deployed soldiers
BY BOB BREWIN 03/03/2011

This is the sixth story in an ongoing series.
Between 20 percent and 30 percent of troops who have served combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq suffer from mental health problems, but a Nextgov investigation shows the Army currently has no way to consistently track the mental health status of soldiers deployed to the two countries and the service finds itself overwhelmed by paper records.

An internal message sent Jan. 11 from the Army Office of the Surgeon General obtained by Nextgov said Army units in the U.S. Central Command Area of Operations, which includes Iraq and Afghanistan, have become "saturated" with paper behavioral health records because mental health providers who treat these soldiers are not entering data into the theater electronic health record known as AHLTA-T.

What's more, the Army does not have a system to scan and code these paper records to support search and retrieval from the Defense Department electronic heath record, Nextgov discovered.

This has serious implications for troops who seek follow-up mental health care when they return from deployment. The message noted, "As a result, soldiers returning from deployment are experiencing delays with continued health care and/or filing medical claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs."

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said he was "deeply concerned" the Army does not use the AHLTA-T electronic health record to track mental health encounters. In a statement to Nextgov, Cardin said:

"As a nation, we ask so much of our men and women in uniform without knowing the full extent of the mental trauma inflicted by combat, so it is discouraging to hear that within the Army [there] exists such an unmanageable backup of paper-based behavioral health records."

Cardin added, "News that the military mental health providers are failing to use the operational electronic health records, as required, only serves to exacerbate both administrative and continuity-of-care problems. I am deeply concerned that the required electronic health record is not fully utilized, and am concerned about the impact of this on our servicemen and -women's mental health."
read more here
Army can't track mental health records of deployed soldiers

also
Military Family Mental Health Visits have Grown 15% a Year Since 2001
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Repeated deployments of American soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan have taken their toll not only on the troops themselves but also their families, according to the Department of Defense.

Information disclosed by the Pentagon to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee revealed that visits by family members of active-duty military personnel to therapists have increased at a compound annual growth rate of 15% over the past 10 years.
read more of this here
Military Family Mental Health Visits

Parent of Fallen Soldier Pleads for Homeless Vet Donations

Parent of Fallen Soldier Pleads for Homeless Vet Donations
J.J. Kremm, who is also a veteran, has received the town board's permission to put a donation box at town hall.
By Taylor K. Vecsey

Kremm's son Marine Lance Cpl. Jared J. Kremm of Hauppauge was killed in Saqlawiyah, Iraq on Oct. 27, 2005. He was 24. Posthumously, he was awarded the Purple Heart.

J.J. Kremm, a town sanitation worker and veteran whose son was killed in Iraq five years ago, issued an impassioned plea for donations for homeless veterans on Thursday night.

Over 100 veterans between East Hampton and Northport are sleeping in their cars or on the streets and going without food, he said. He asked the East Hampton Town Board for permission to place a donation box for an non-profit organization he is starting called U 4 Vets.

“To turnaround and to know people are living in cars and starving, I just can’t fathom that,” he told the board.

“I don’t want any money or anything. I just want somebody to do a simple thing,” he said before the board. “If you go to the store and there are 10 cans for $10, then buy the 10, take eight home, put two in a box.”

“It’s not going to cost a lot. I know times are really hard,” he said. “I just want you to think how hard life would be if you were standing in a concentration camp because the reason we’re not is veterans.”
read more here
Parent of Fallen Soldier Pleads for Homeless Vet Donations

2 awarded Silver Stars for bravery in Afghanistan

Marine Lt. Col. Fridrik Fridriksson, assisted by Sgt. Maj. Scott Samuels, pins the Silver Star on Petty Officer 3rd Class Peter A. Gould during ceremonies at Camp Pendleton.


Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

2 awarded Silver Stars for bravery in Afghanistan
Tony Perry at Camp Pendleton
March 4, 2011

On two successive mornings in July, Joseph Gould woke up at 3 a.m. with an overwhelming need to pray for his son, a Navy corpsman deployed in Afghanistan. "I awoke and I felt like Peter was in trouble," he said.

On the third morning, also at 3 a.m., Joseph and Malissa Gould got a telephone call from their son, Petty Officer 3rd Class Peter A. Gould. The Marine Corps squad to which he was assigned had been ambushed by the Taliban in the Garmsir district of Helmand province.

Gould, 24, downplayed his injuries. "He said he only had a few cuts and scratches," his father remembers. He made no mention of his actions during the morning-long firefight in which the Marines were attacked from three directions by 35 to 40 Taliban fighters armed with machine guns, improvised explosive devices and other weapons.

The Marines from Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment who were with Gould during the fight later praised his heroism to the brass. On Friday, at a ceremony at Camp Pendleton, Gould was awarded a Silver Star for bravery as the squad medic on that brutal morning.

Within moments of the patrol being attacked, Gould ran through enemy fire to rescue a wounded Marine. As the battle continued, Gould was severely wounded by a shrapnel blast to his face and neck from a roadside bomb but he continued to administer aid to "my" Marines.
"His inspirational actions and mental toughness under intense enemy fire led directly to saving at least one Marine’s life that day," according to the Silver Star citation read to a gathering of Marines, family members and friends at a parade deck.

A second Silver Star also was awarded Friday to the family of Marine Cpl. Larry Harris Jr.

During the same attack, Harris was attempting to carry a Marine to safety when he stepped on a roadside bomb. Harris, a fire team leader, died instantly but the Marine that he was carrying survived.
read more here
2 awarded Silver Stars for bravery in Afghanistan

Tell congress to cut their own benefits before they go after veterans

by one angry chaplain right now
Chaplain Kathie

Americans have always made it part of national voice to honor the men and women serving this country. Talk is cheap when it comes to politicians even thinking about cutting funds to veterans after they have served. When they risk their lives for this country, that is a debt we owe them. If the wars they are sent to fight are important enough to ask them to go, then we owe them for whatever happens to them afterwards. If they get hurt/wounded on the job, they would expect nothing less from a civilian employer and Workman's Comp. Since when did any elected official decide that what we owe them is fair game in a budget battle?

We've been behind for decades on fully funding the VA to take care of all the wounded veterans. A lot has been done in the last few years and now these people are talking about cutting funding for them. The reason is clear. Serving in the military does not matter as much to these politicians as their own lives.

Do they ever say they should do without healthcare funded by tax payers when we have too much debt? Do they even talk about the fact US tax payers cover their medical insurance? Do they ever say that their paychecks should be cut?

Salaries and Benefits of US Congress Members

A cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless Congress votes to not accept it.

Senate Leadership
Majority Party Leader - $193,400
Minority Party Leader - $193,400

House Leadership
Speaker of the House - $223,500
Majority Leader - $193,400
Minority Leader - $193,400
The current salary (2011) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year.

Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.

Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS.

As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.

Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.

The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.
read more here

Salaries and Benefits of US Congress Members

Do they feel like their own budgets should be cut or they should go after retired members because there is a budget mess they had a hand in creating in the first place? No, they feel their service was valuable and they were promised their packages when they decided to give lip service instead of risking their lives. Veterans on the other hand are fair game. The debt congress owes them is subject to debate but their own benefits are sacred.

Take a look at what servicemen and women make.

Military Factory.com

1) Basic pay for an O-7 to O-10 is limited by Level II of the Executive Schedule which is $14,975.10. Basic pay for O-6 and below is limited by Level V of the Executive Schedule which is $12,141.60.

2) While serving as Chairman, Joint Chief/Vice Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff, Chief of Navy Operations, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Army/Air Force Chief of Staff, Commander of a unified or specified combatant command, basic pay is $20,263.50. (See note 1 above).

3) Applicable to O-1 to O-3 with at least 4 years and 1 day of active duty or more than 1460 points as a warrant and/or enlisted member. See Department of Defense Financial Management Regulations for more detailed explanation on who is eligible for this special basic pay rate.

4) For the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sergeant Major of the Army or Marine Corps or Senior Enlisted Advisor of the JCS, basic pay is $7,489.80. Combat Zone Tax Exclusion for O-1 and above is based on this basic pay rate plus Hostile Fire Pay/Imminent Danger Pay which is $225.00.

5) Applicable to E-1 with 4 months or more active duty. Basic pay for an E-1 with less than 4 months of active duty is $1,357.20.

6) Basic pay rate for Academy Cadets/Midshipmen and ROTC members/applicants is $974.40.

As you can see they make a lot less than members of congress but they put their bodies on the line instead of their next campaign to keep their "important" jobs for the country.

According to the VA the compensation rate for disabled veterans, the ones they want to cut, the ones injured serving the country, is

For a veteran alone
10% $123.00
20% $243.00
30% $376.00
40% $541.00
50% $770.00
60% $974.00
70% $1,228.00
80% $1,427.00
90% $1,604.00
100% $2,673.00

Considering that when a veteran reaches the point of 70%, they are usually unable to work, so this is what they have to live off of. Food, rent or mortgages, clothing, utilities, transportation and every other bill we all have to pay are paid by disabled veterans.

But with all of this there are members of congress saying veterans should never be fair game and they are willing to put up a fight.

Pryor tells vets all will be hit by U.S. budget cuts

By the Voice Staff
Thursday, March 3, 2011 10:12 AM CST

The federal budget needs to be balanced and the deficit reduced, but not at the expense of the nation’s active-duty soldiers and veterans, U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor said Friday. He made the remarks at a meeting of the Arkansas Veterans Coalition at the Sherwood VFW Hall.

“The national debt is beyond politics,” he said. “We need to work together to work through this.”

The problem is so severe, he said, that it won’t be possible to balance the budget for a decade, providing Congress acts now. And, he said, that’s just to balance the budget. Paying off the national debt will be another story.

To accomplish a balanced budget, he said, “everything is going to get a cut.”

However, he said, he planned to fight to maintain funding for military and veterans programs. “I’ll be fighting for you all,” he said.
read more here
Pryor tells vets all will be hit by U.S. budget cuts

We've read over and over again that the country is in trouble financially but we have been before and we didn't get here overnight. Most of the people suddenly whining about the debt were responsible for creating it. Most of them were sticking their fingers in their ears when wiser voices were saying invading Iraq was the wrong thing to do. They held their hands over their eyes when the wounded were coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan so they wouldn't have to look at them waiting in long lines at the VA without incomes because no one planed for them. At the same time they cupped their hands around their mouths to shout the words "support the troops" they whispered they were not worth the price when they came home. Now we have proof they are not as valuable as members of congress think their own service is.

Would they like it if they arrived in congress and discovered they would not be paid the way they were promised? Would they like it if they were told they would have to pay their own insurance? What about finding out that after years of service their retirement package was gone? Do they ever consider what it would be like for them to risk their lives on a daily basis, get wounded on the job and then be left to take care of themselves without what they were promised? Would they be willing to wait months or years to have a claim honored and have their wounds taken care of? Would they be willing to wait months for an appointment at the VA?

Where is your congressman/woman in this fight? Are they saying their own service to the people in their area is worth more than a soldier serving the entire nation risking his/her life on a daily basis? Are they saying that the debt we owe veterans is less worthy of honoring than the debt they feel they owe retired politicians? Is their healthcare coverage worth more than taking care of veterans wounded fighting the wars they sent them to fight?

War's heavy toll: A widow's anniversary

War's heavy toll: A widow's anniversary


By John Ramsey Staff writer

Army Spc. Josiah Crumpler's shirts are rolled neatly in the drawers of his widow's bedroom, just the way he left them. The dress green suit he wore at their wedding hangs in the coat closet near the front door.

Monday night, Shana Crumpler unrolled one of his black Ed Hardy T-shirts and wore it to bed. It smelled like her fallen husband.

She tossed and turned, hardly able to sleep.

Tuesday was a dreadful anniversary. A year earlier, officers knocked on her door to give her the news. Josiah Dennis Crumpler, the man she married before he shipped off to Afghanistan, was dead.

On Tuesday, Shana Crumpler's in-laws - Josiah's parents - drove from Hillsborough to pick her up at her Hope Mills home to visit Josiah's grave in Princeton. They worried that her sorrow might impair her driving.

"I just felt like (Tuesday) was like another funeral I was about to attend, just this year there was less of a crowd," Shana said.
read more here
War's heavy toll

Army does not want to release transcript of trial to soldier's widow

Army seeks lawsuit dismissal


By Drew Brooks
Staff writer

The Army has asked a federal judge to dismiss a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed earlier this year by a widow of a soldier killed in Iraq in 2005.

Siobhan Esposito, wife of Capt. Phillip Esposito, filed the lawsuit in January in U.S. District Court in Washington, seeking a complete transcript of the 2008 court-martial of a soldier who was acquitted of her husband's murder.

In it's response, filed Friday, the Army admits to releasing only a partial trial record that was redacted to exclude information that had been stated in open court, such as the names of lawyers, witnesses and bases in Iraq.

But the Army denies doing anything wrong, and it's response argues that Esposito does not state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Esposito has said she wants the record of Staff Sgt. Alberto B. Martinez's two-month court-martial so that she can prevent "future tragedies such as (her husband's)."

Esposito has said she still believes Martinez is responsible for her husband's death.
read more here
Army seeks lawsuit dismissal

Tallahassee Soldier Lives With PTSD, Divorce and Death of a Child

I could tell you about the numbers of veterans with PTSD, like the post from Veterans for Common Sense, VA Report Obtained by VCS Using FOIA Reveals 182,147 OEF/OIF Veterans Treated for PTSD, but you don't read their stories in those numbers. They live in different parts of the country, served with different units, in different years, but the aftermath of combat PTSD was a lot of suffering. Some had wives, others had parents, most had friends. Some committed crimes and their stories are told along with the victims and accounts from police officers. Some committed suicide and their stories are told from family and friends left behind.

These are not numbers but lives. With each story comes a family and friends affected by the changes combat caused in someone they love. This is why their stories are told, to the best of my ability to track them, and remind you that no one is ever alone with PTSD.

Tallahassee Soldier Lives With PTSD, Divorce, and Death of a Child
It's been a tough road for Rob Springer since returning from the war.
Posted: 3:34 PM Mar 2, 2011
Reporter: Lee Gordon
Rob Springer and his best friend Puma are enjoying a little sunshine and a a rare outing away from home.

Rob and Puma have been together for about three years, a bond that became necessary after Rob returned from overseas…


"I don't want to get out, I don't want to be bothered. The only one that gives me comfort is my dog Puma."

Rob Springer spent over nine months in the Middle East, four months in Iraq, a month in Afghanistan, and the rest of the time in Qatar. He was a medic nurse-his job was to heal his fellow soldiers and he took great pride in serving his country. It was the best and worst experience of his life.

"My first night in Iraq…incoming rockets and missiles were coming in and I jumped out of bed and went under the bed and had the Kevlar over me. It took awhile to get used to it."

Springer returned stateside in 2007 and moved back into civilian life with his wife and his two kids, son James and daughter Kaitlyn.

"Man that was awesome to be home with my family."

It was awesome, until it wasn't anymore. Rob said he knew right away something just wasn't right. He wasn't sleeping well, and he just felt lost-like he didn't belong in his own skin.

It was then that Springer discovered that he had PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a very common condition for soldiers who return from the war.

"You don't have control over being able to do that, to get up when the alarm rings or etc. It's a frustrating feeling that you can't perform like you did before."

Rob struggled through a job at the VA and had a hard time dealing with life----it was also around that time that his wife decided that she too had enough.
read more here
Tallahassee Soldier Lives With PTSD, Divorce, and Death of a Child

Tulsa Iraq War Veteran: PTSD Treatment Saved My Life

Tulsa Iraq War Veteran: PTSD Treatment Saved My Life

Tara Vreeland, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- Oklahoma military veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder could soon get treatment if they're convicted of a crime. On Tuesday, legislation that could help passed out of House committee.

One local veteran says the treatment he's received saved his life.

The horrors of war still haunt two-time Iraq war veteran Tony Clum.

"We go out there, and we are trained depending on your job, to kill, to be aggressive," said Iraq war veteran Tony Clum. "Your feelings get shut out because you can't think about that stuff over there."

After his final tour in 2008, Clum struggled to adjust to life back home.

"Your mindset gets to be a certain way, and then you come here and you can't be that way anymore," he said.

After his tours, the death of a close friend, and a divorce Clum turned to alcohol. That led to two DUIs and two stints in jail.

"I tried to hang myself. I didn't do that right. Which I'm glad; I just wasn't in my right mind at all. Having a hard time adjusting," he said.

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Tulsa Iraq War Veteran: PTSD Treatment Saved My Life

New Member Appointed to VA Committee on Women Veterans from Florida

New Members Appointed to VA Committee on Women Veterans

WASHINGTON (March 4, 2011)- Four new members have been appointed to the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Advisory Committee on Women
Veterans, an expert panel that advises VA on issues and programs
affecting women Veterans.

"The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans' work is very important in
guiding VA's efforts to address the ever changing needs of women
Veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "VA
welcomes the newest members."

Established in 1983, the advisory committee makes recommendations to the
Secretary for administrative and legislative changes. The committee
members are appointed to two-year terms. The new committee members are:
Jack Phillip Carter, Jr., Bradenton, Fla.; Nancy A. Glowacki, Silver
Spring, Md.; Nancy Kaczor, Franklin, Wis.; and Terry F. Moore, Stetson,
Maine.

"Throughout history women have played essential roles in the military,"
Shinseki added. "It is VA's responsibility to anticipate and prepare for
the evolving needs of women Veterans, their families and survivors."

Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the Veterans
population. There are 23.4 million Veterans; approximately 1.8 million
are women Veterans. They comprise nearly 8 percent of the total
Veterans population and nearly 5 percent of all Veterans who use VA
health care services.

VA estimates that by 2020 women Veterans will comprise 10 percent of the
Veteran population. VA has women Veterans program managers at VA medical
centers and women Veterans coordinators at VA regional offices to assist
women Veterans with health and benefits issues.



New Members

VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans

* Jack Phillip Carter, Jr., Bradenton, Fla. A retired Marine
Corps lieutenant colonel, decorated for valor during the Persian Gulf
War; currently serves as lead detective of the economic crimes section
for the Sarasota police department.

* Nancy A. Glowacki, Silver Spring, Md. A former Army Reserves
officer; currently owns a consulting firm, where she serves as a subject
matter expert on Veterans' transition issues, specializing in employment
and special challenges of disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Global
War on Terrorism.

* Nancy Kaczor, Franklin, Wis. A retired Air Force colonel, with
service in Kosovo, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan; currently serves as an
active volunteer for a number of Veterans and community service
organizations.

* Terry F. Moore, Stetson, Maine. A retired Air Force lieutenant
colonel; currently serves as chair of the Maine Advisory Commission on
Women Veterans, and serves on several professional and Veterans service
organizations.

Homeless veteran raises money to house others

$55K needed for new homeless vets hotel
Affordable housing for homeless veterans

Updated: Wednesday, 02 Mar 2011

Sharia Davis
FOX Toledo News reporter
TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - A Toledo man says he's one step closer to turning a former hotel into a home for homeless veterans. Peter Hatas, who's homeless himself, says he now has the $75,000 to make that happen.

Hatas presented his idea to investors and politicians Feb. 26 to turn the former St. James hotel in North Toledo into a home for veterans. So far he's raised more than $20,000 from the community. Now he's just waiting for more checks to come in.

Peter Hatas says his dream is starting to become a reality. With the $20,000 he's already raised for the housing project, other businesses in the area are now showing some interest too.

"It's going to be a great thing for getting a lot of people off the street," said Hatas.

So far he says he's gotten positive emails from the CSX railroad system, Veterans of the UAW, and Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant just to name a few. Now he's just waiting for the money to come in.
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Affordable housing for homeless veterans

American Legion Riders and Dignity Memorial bury 2 more veterans with honor

Program provides 2 homeless vets with military funeral
WICHITA, Kansas – Two Wichita veterans were laid to rest Thursday with full military honors. The men were both homeless with no money and no next of kin who could make funeral arrangements. But a program is taking charge in making sure homeless vets receive proper burial.

"These men stepped up, served our country honorably and they deserve the respect and the love,” said Ron Herndon with the American Legion Riders.

Navy veteran Franklin Myers and Marine veteran Kenneth Calhoun were honored for their service to the country flanked by American Legion Riders and active servicemen and women paying their final respects.

"We honor them for everything that they did and they deserve the total respect of what we do,” said Herndon.

Calhoun and Myers had both fallen on hard times. Both were homeless with nothing to pay for a burial and no legal next of kin to make funeral arrangements. But Thursday, they were given full military funeral services through the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program.
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Program provides 2 homeless vets with military funeral

National Guardsman, foreclosed on during active duty, fights back

Iraq veteran, who was foreclosed on during active duty, fights back
March 03, 2011
VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A soldier from Van Buren County, a man who has served more than 25 years in the Michigan National Guard is now in the midst of a different battle here at home.

Sergeant James Hurley is suing the bank that foreclosed on his home while he was on active duty.

Hurley was deployed to Iraq in 2004 and 2005. While he was over there, he fell behind on his mortgage payments and Deutsche Bank and Saxon Mortgage foreclosed on his home near Hartford.

Hurley and his lawyers say that was in violation of the service members Civil Relief Act.

The trial began Thursday.

Inside the Grand Rapids Federal Courthouse, the battle is underway between Sgt. Hurley and the banks.

Outside, people were on hand, showing their support for Hurley through flags and signs.

Barb Mitchell is one of about ten people who lined up on the sidewalk Thursday.

“This is a soldier who answered his nation's call,” said Mitchell. “That this case should even reach this point is a sad commentary. We believe this man needs our support.”
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Iraq veteran, foreclosed on during active duty, fights back

Families of severely wounded veterans still waiting for help

Families of severely wounded veterans still waiting for help

By ROB HOTAKAINEN

McClatchy Newspapers

Fabienne Uran quit her job after her son, Matthew, broke his neck and fractured his skull and pelvis in a helicopter crash in the Kuwaiti desert in 2005.

Now she takes care of the former pilot on a full-time basis. For her efforts, she figures she should get paid at least $600 a week by federal taxpayers.

"I'm modest about my expectations," said Uran, 60, of Bellevue, Wash.

Like thousands of others who are taking care of wounded veterans at home, Uran had hoped to be getting checks from the Department of Veterans Affairs by now.

In May, President Barack Obama signed a new law that promised - for the first time in history - to pay family members and others who care for severely wounded soldiers at home. To qualify, soldiers had to be injured after Sept. 11, 2001.

But the VA missed a Jan. 30 deadline to get the program up and running. That's angering many families of wounded veterans and many members of Congress, who are accusing the Obama administration of dragging its feet.

On Wednesday, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, gave a public scolding to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, telling him the VA isn't complying with the law.

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Families of severely wounded veterans still waiting for help

Only 8 percent of Connecticut veterans receive disability compensation

Connecticut lags in vets' disability compensation
By LISA CHEDEKEL C-HIT Senior Writer

Connecticut lags behind most of the country in the number of veterans receiving federal disability payments, leaving thousands of potential recipients relying on state resources instead, according to veterans advocates.

Advocates say that the state's failure to reach out to eligible veterans is the reason Connecticut has one of the lowest percentages of veterans getting compensation, although the rate is higher in New London County than anywhere else in the state.

More than 20,200 Connecticut veterans are receiving disability compensation for injuries and illnesses connected to their military duty, according to data obtained from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

"It's very vital, especially in these troubled economic times, that veterans know what benefits they're entitled to," said Linda Schwartz, the state's veterans affairs commissioner, who said she has been pushing for more outreach staffing to help veterans file disability claims. "People need help filling out the applications, and we need the people to help them. It's at the top of my list of priorities to get these outreach offices fully staffed."

Only about 8 percent of the estimated 253,000 veterans in Connecticut are receiving disability compensation, a tax-free benefit for disabilities that are a result of, or made worse by, injuries or diseases that happened while on active duty or during training. That percentage has put Connecticut in the bottom third of states, some of which have 12 to 14 percent of their veterans receiving compensation.
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Connecticut lags in vets' disability compensation

Country Stars Join Boot Campaign to Help Troops

Country Stars Join Boot Campaign to Help Troops
PIERCE GREENBERG | MARCH 2ND, 2011
There are more than 1.4 million American soldiers on active duty and more than 300,000 servicemen are stationed overseas. Army studies reveal that roughly 1 in 8 soldiers who return from battle suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

But five women from Tyler, Texas are working to combat PTSD while honoring America’s troops—and they’re using boots and country stars to do it.

“There’s a lot of worthy charity organizations out there. This is one of those underpublicized issues that we have in the country now,” country singer Joe Nichols said.

The “Boot Girls” were struck after reading The Lone Survivor by former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell. During his time in Afghanistan, Luttrell was chased by the Taliban for five days before emerging as the only survivor from Operation Redwing. His story sparked a simple idea: start a non-profit boot-selling business to help soldiers deal with life after service.

The grassroots campaign began locally in early 2010, but eventually started garnering national attention. Actors, athletes, and celebrities jumped on board, donning their boots in posed photographs. Nichols recently joined the cause.

“I think being a soldier—that’s the higher honor of any job there is,” Nichols said. “We should probably pay respect to those people more than any other.”
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Country Stars Join Boot Campaign to Help Troops

Patients with PTSD from Iraq and Afghanistan Wars Hits Record High

The numbers hit a record high, but as VCS points out, that number was hit seven months ago!

Count of Veteran Patients with PTSD from Iraq and Afghanistan Wars Hits Record High
Written by VA
Wednesday, 02 March 2011 11:08

VA Report Obtained by VCS Using FOIA Reveals 182,147 OEF/OIF Veterans Treated for PTSD
December 2010, Washington, DC - Veterans for Common Sense used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the following VA report counting the number of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans treated for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Please note the counts are seven months old.

Consequences of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Updated March 2, 2011
625,384: U.S. Veteran Patients Treated at VA 537,550: U.S. Veteran Disability Claims Filed Against VA
2,158,015 deployed into the war zone with 973,766 still in the military.
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Count of Veteran Patients with PTSD

Oklahoma City approves alternative sentencing for Veterans with PTSD

Committee approves alternative sentencing for Veterans with PTSD
OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation approved by a House committee would allow veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) to receive treatment when they are convicted of a crime

House Bill 1081, by state Rep. John Bennett, would allow a judge to send a military veteran convicted of a crime to the Department of Veterans Affairs for treatment if the defendant was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Bennett, a Marine who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, said the PTSD or TBI would have to be service-related and have contributed to the commission of the crime.

“Many veterans are struggling to cope with PTSD and TBI, and are not seeking the treatment they need,” Bennett, R-Sallisaw, said. “My legislation will help them to get treatment, which I believe they have earned through their service to our country. This is not an opportunity for someone to commit a crime and blame it on PTSD. You have to be diagnosed with the condition, it has to be service-related, and it has to have played a role in the commission of the crime.”

As a private citizen, Bennett worked with Matt Stiner and state Rep. Fred Jordan (R-Jenks), all Marine veterans, to help create the state’s first veteran’s court, an alternative sentencing venue for veterans struggling with addiction due, in part, to PTSD.
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Alternative sentencing for Veterans with PTSD

Military deaths often go unnoticed by the general public

“We are only one of 5,500 American families who have suffered the loss of a child in this war,” Kelly wrote in an email. “The death of my boy simply cannot be made to seem any more tragic than the others.”

Lt. General says marine son’s death went largely unnoticed to nation
By Laura Donovan - The Daily Caller


Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly’s Marine son, Robert M. Kelly died instantly when he stepped on a land mine in Afghanistan in November of last year. Though John Kelly didn’t once mention his son’s name while delivering a speech about military sacrifices later that month, he told ballroom attendees that military deaths often go unnoticed by the general public.

Kelly, the most senior U.S. military officer to lose a son or daughter in Iraq or Afghanistan, has taken great measures to dodge the press since his son’s passing. Before delivering that address, Kelly instructed the Marine Corps officer introducing him, “Please don’t mention my son.”



Read more: Lt. General says marine son’s death

We can no longer bury our dead in this country with dignity

Albert Snyder was right more than anyone wants to admit right now. Westboro is not just about protesting at military funerals but they have the "right" as they believe to protest at anyone's funeral. They'll show up wherever they think they'll get the most attention.

Westboro Wins Final Court Battle; Marine's Family Saddened

"My first thought was that eight justices don't have the common sense God gave a goat. We found out today that we can no longer bury our dead in this country with dignity."
- Albert Snyder

Slain Marine's Father: What Is This Country Becoming?

Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder
WASHINGTON -- A lawsuit filed against the Westboro Baptist Church that won judgment in Baltimore ultimately lost at the Supreme Court, and the family who filed the suit is now questioning where the country is headed.

The First Amendment protects fundamentalist church members who mount attention-getting, anti-gay protests outside military funerals, The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.


The court voted 8-1 in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan.
The decision upheld an appeals court ruling that threw out a $5 million judgment to the father of the late Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who died in Iraq in 2006. Albert Snyder sued church members after they picketed his son's funeral in Westminster.
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Westboro Wins Final Court Battle

Sweat lodge trial fuels Native American frustrations

Sweat lodge trial fuels Native American frustrations
By Jessica Ravitz, CNN

Growing up on a reservation in lower Saskatchewan, Alvin Manitopyes learned early to respect the sweat lodge. He was 10 when he attended his first sweat ceremony, and for more than 15 years tribe elders instructed him in his people's ways.

He understands the spiritual mandate he was given as a healer to serve as an intermediary between people and the spirit world. He carries with him the ancient ceremonial songs, passed on through generations.

He knows how the natural elements - earth, fire, water and air - work together to cleanse people, inside and out, and create balance. At 55, he has spent more than 20 years conducting ceremonies in sweat lodges, where water is poured over hot lava rocks as part of a purifying ritual.

"If you have the right to do it, then the environment you're creating is a safe place," says Manitopyes, a public health consultant in Calgary, Alberta, who is Plains Cree and Anishnawbe. "But today we have all kinds of people who observe what's going on and think they can do it themselves. … And that's not a safe place to be."

No example of what worries him is clearer than the case of James Arthur Ray, a self-help guru who led a crowded sweat lodge ceremony that left three people dead. Ray faces manslaughter charges for the deaths allegedly tied to his October 2009 "Spiritual Warrior" retreat outside Sedona, Arizona. His trial began Tuesday.

Ray pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been free on $525,000 bail. Prosecutors say the deaths resulted from Ray's recklessness, an overheated lodge and because he encouraged people to stay inside when they weren't feeling well. His defense team denies those allegations, and attorney Luis Li has called what transpired "a terrible accident, not a crime."
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Sweat lodge trial fuels Native American frustrations