Alcohol treatment programs used by more veterans than civilians

Veterans More Likely to Access Alcohol Treatment Programs Than Non-Veterans
Research presented at the 2012 APHA meeting indicates that help is available to both groups, but civilians less likely to seek it out.
By The Healthline Editorial Team
Published Oct 28, 2012
by Jenara Nerenberg
The Gist

Veterans who are heavy alcohol users are more likely to access a wide range of alcohol treatment programs as compared to their civilian counterparts, according to research presented today at the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting.

While veterans are using formal and informal programs such as self-help groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, and employee assistance programs, "less than 10 percent of the younger, persistently-heavy [civilian] drinkers were accessing the services that the veterans used," lead researcher Katherine Karriker-Jaffe, PhD told Healthline.

The findings suggest that the social support found among formal, organized groups such as veterans groups, may encourage heavy alcohol drinkers to seek out help as compared to those who are more isolated.
read more here

Romney can't make up his mind state to state on anything

A long time ago, in a land far away from Florida, I lived in Massachusetts and there was a Governor with a very bad speech problem. He never seemed to understand, when he talked, people were listening. Not just listening, but recording what he said.

It used to be funny at times if you happened to be channel surfing as Governor Romney said one thing on one channel and then something else the next day on another. At least he understood that different news stations were watch by different audiences but he never understood the rest of what it takes to be committed to a core set of values.

Here are just a few of the changes in what he said showed up depending on who he knew was listening.

This is the video that what he said was clearly meant for his rich friends but someone had a camera rolling.

Against the 47% speech he gave when he thought only like minded folks were listening. Keep in mind that it was pointed out who the 47% are. Deployed troops, veterans, the elderly, poor, handicap citizens, just to name a few.

This is what he said when he thought the people of Massachusetts would want to hear these words.

Mitt Romney Addresses National Right to Life Convention
At 1:21 he talks about abortion "treating human embryos as research material." He said he couldn't support that but it turns out he not only supported just that same thing, but made money on it.


0:27to have the endorsement of national right to life
0:30if you ever question whether your advocacy changes hearts and minds
0:35let me show you
0:36that it does
0:38i'm just one of many americans
0:40from every walk of life
0:41who found themselves asking an important question
0:44an afterthought salute deliberation
0:47came to a heartfelt conclusion
0:49innocent life
0:51must be respected and protected
0:53from its beginning to its natural and
0:56when i first ran for office i said that i would retain the laws relating to
1:00abortion the were already in place despite my personal belief that abortion
1:04is wrong
1:06but after being elected governor of massachusetts i was confronted with
1:09legislation
1:11they're called on me to expand the legal taking up onboard life
1:15treating human embryos
1:16as mere research material to be experimented upon
1:20and then destroy it
1:21i could not support that
1:23government's action of abortion
1:25devalues human life
1:27as a governor then
1:29whatever the question of life came before me by answered that we must
1:32protect it
1:34i thought the benyamin cloning
1:35i thought the ban embryo farming
1:38i thought to define life is beginning to conception
1:41i fought for abstinence education in our schools
1:44and i vetoed a bill that would have given young girls abortion inducing
1:48pills
1:49without prescription
1:50or parental consent
1:52i thought those fights because of the quiet of conscience
1:56and it was the right thing to do
1:58and i will always be grateful for advocates like you
2:00who stand to protect
2:04the damn running for a different and higher office
2:06it comes with an even greater set of responsibilities
2:09and even tougher challenges i face is governor
2:12more than twenty three million americans are unemployed
2:16underemployed
2:17or left the workforce altogether
2:20new business start-ups
2:21artist thirty-year low
2:23our nation is running trillion dollar deficits every year
2:27food and energy costs have soared
2:29while home values it incomes have plummeted
2:32president bombers economic policies
2:35have failed
2:36he said his chance
2:38now it's time for change in leadership
2:40if i'm fortunate to be elected this november
2:43putting america back to the right track
2:45and getting americans back to work
2:47will be my priority from day one
2:50but i will not forget that a strong country needs more than a strong economy
2:55it needs strong families
2:56and strong values as well
2:59present obama once said the decisions about abortion are
3:02above his pay grade
3:04i'll never be so cavalier about life
3:06i will be a pro-life president
3:08a read state the mexico city policy
3:11a cut off funding for the united nations population fund
3:14which supports china's aboard
3:16one-child policy
3:18alin sure that abortion advocates like planned parenthood get no taxpayer
3:22dollars
3:23and i'll reversal bomber regulations
3:26that attack our religious freedom
3:28and threaten innocent life
3:30nominate judges who respect the constitution
3:34opponents of judicial restraint
3:36and know the difference between personal opinion
3:38and the law
3:40if elected president
3:41i will work with you to foster respect for innocent human life
3:45with understanding that a culture that fails to do so
3:49altar boy becomes a culture
3:50in which respect for all fell a demon beings
3:53is diminished
3:55i'm heartened by the advances made by the pro-life movement over the last
3:58several years
4:00the ranks of our pro life partners
4:02are growing everyday
4:04that progress would not be possible without your passion
4:07and your dedication
4:08god bless you for it
4:10and god bless united states of america
4:12thank you so much

but this is where some of his money came from, hundreds of millions of dollars,


Oh well but as with any grim fairy tale, it seems as if Halloween presented this country with a trick or treat question. Depending on what you wanted to hear, he said it all. So here's what he said when he thought pro-life people were not listening.

Romney: Abortion Not On My Agenda
Comment to Iowa paper's editorial board sparks criticism from Obama campaign.
By Sarah Huisenga
Updated: October 10, 2012 | 4:01 p.m.
October 9, 2012

Mitt Romney said on Tuesday that he has no plans for abortion legislation if elected president, a statement that is more moderate than ones he's made on the issue in the past.

“There’s no legislation with regards to abortion that I’m familiar with that would become part of my agenda," Romney told the Des Moines Register editorial board.

In an interview with an Ohio TV station during the heat of the Republican primary in February, Romney said he was “in favor of a pro-life policy.” He noted that “the legislation that relates to abortion is something which is going to have to be approved by the Supreme Court,” a body to which he would appoint nominees to fill any vacancies if he is elected.

Asked to clarify the Republican nominee’s position, Romney spokesman Andrea Saul sent an email saying that Romney "is proudly pro-life, and he will be a pro-life president." She also said that Romney "would of course support legislation aimed at providing greater protections for life."
read more here from National Journal

I have no problem with people believing what they want as long as they believe in something. It seems Romney only believes in what people want to hear and that is very sad.

Military women take birth control to regulate their cycle along with preventing pregnancy until they want to have a baby or not at all. They are also raped but they have to hear some members of congress talk about the "right to life" when it was even something as evil as rape, topped off that they want to end birth control altogether. It seems it is time for these folks to answer some real questions and actually repeat them because they believe in them and not just saying what they want select groups to hear.

Can you imagine being in Afghanistan right now and hearing all this going on by the people wanting to be in control of this country? Can you imagine being there and knowing the media doesn't have a clue? They know what Congress is responsible for and they also know what they have been doing over the last two years. None of it has been good.

We owe them at least an honest reporting on the facts. Hell knows they didn't get that when they were being sent into Iraq. Reporters failed them then and are still failing them.

Operation Homefront real help for veterans and families

Operation Homefront real help for veterans and families
by Chaplain Kathie
Wounded Times Blog
October 28, 2012

On Friday as I was getting ready to meet a Mom struggling with trying to get her Iraq veteran son help with PTSD, my cell phone rang. An elderly woman called from Naples. She wanted to know where she could donate money to and didn't "want to donate to some frivolous charity" but wanted to make sure her money did some good for these men and women. I told her that Point Man Ministries of Florida doesn't need much money to do what we do but we do need some money to keep going. We need help with traveling and buying books/bibles, buying a meal for a veteran in need of spiritual comfort, paying ever rising phone bills and computer expenses, but not much else. We don't advertise, so no expense there. This work takes more time than anything else. Well, Christ did say, "Freely it was given to you, freely give" so considering words of comfort, understanding and compassion have no dollar sign, it doesn't cost me much.

There are a lot of people out there wanting to help but not sure where the money is going. I'd like you to take a look at a group here in Florida and take a look at what they do for what they claim the money goes to. They are actually making a real difference in veterans' lives!

Operation Homefront

Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to our troops, to the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home. Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide. Since its inception, Operation Homefront has provided critical assistance to more than 105,000 military families in need. Some of our most outstanding accomplishments are: more than 5 million dollars provided to military families in crises; goods and services valued at more than 6.5 million dollars to assist military families; and an excess of 20,000 care packages delivered to soldiers abroad with an additional 2,500 packages delivered to military families at home.

Charity Navigator Operation Homefront
Score (out of 70) Rating
Overall 66.06
Financial 64.43
Accountability and Transparency 70.00

Income Statement
(FYE 12/2011)
REVENUE
Total Contributions $24,462,035
Program Service Revenue $0
Total Primary Revenue $24,462,035
Other Revenue $110,814
TOTAL REVENUE $24,572,849

EXPENSES
Program Expenses $23,280,889
Administrative Expenses $568,731
Fundraising Expenses $828,370
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $24,677,990

Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $-105,141

Net Assets $9,696,674

Operation Homefront Florida

I sure wouldn't turn down a donation from anyone. (As a matter of fact right now I'm in dire need of it just to cover what I've already spent.) Point Man International Ministries needs donations, that's for sure but we don't need a lot. Operation Homefront needs more donations because what they do costs more. Considering they are helping families financially what they do is not free but it is priceless.

We've all heard about other groups out there interested more in making money by advertising everywhere and getting corporations to sponsor everything they end up doing, but here's a place that gives out of heart and that's an organization I can support. As a matter of fact, I have since 2008.

PTSD support for spouses

Disabled veterans suffer when the check is not in the mail

Wounded soldiers become homeless waiting for benefits

Operation Homefront moving in wounded and families

There are more but you get the idea.

4 Army Rangers honored for valor

4 Army Rangers honored for valor
Stars and Stripes
By MEGAN MCCLOSKEY
Published: October 27, 2012

HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga. — On a day when the Army’s top general was on hand to recognize an entire battalion for gallantry in Afghanistan, four soldiers stood out.

Sgt. Craig Warfle was pinned with the Distinguished Service Cross, marking him as the first Army Ranger in the post-9/11 era to earn the nation’s second highest honor for valor in combat.

Three Silver Stars were awarded to Sgt. Michael Ross, Staff Sgt. Dominic Annecchini and Sgt. Christopher Coray.
read more here

With Allen West, less means zero

If comments left on this are an indication of how people really feel about Allen West, he won't have to go back to Washington.

Allen West: We used bayonets in Iraq and horses in Afghanistan
Washington Post
Posted by Ed O'Keefe
October 23, 2012

STUART, Fla. — Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) knows a thing or two about how the U.S. military uses bayonets, because he sent soldiers into battle with them in Iraq.

Speaking to about 100 senior citizens Tuesday afternoon in this golfing and retirement community, West joined legions of conservatives and Republicans criticizing President Obama’s performance during Monday night’s presidential debate on foreign policy and seized especially on the exchange between Obama and Republican Mitt Romney over the declining strength of the U.S. Navy.

“I can tell you that when I was a battalion commander, we did still issue bayonets to our troops when we deployed to Iraq in 2003. The second thing I will tell you is that in 2001, Special Forces soldiers were on horseback riding with the Northern Alliance to fight against the Taliban,” West said. “So obviously we have a president who does not understand the full capabilities and capacities and what we do in the United States military.”

During the debate, Obama responded to Romney’s concerns about U.S. naval power by noting that “we also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military’s changed.”
read more here and be sure to read the comments left

West does understand a thing or two, but not more than that. Does he actually not get that Obama is the Commander-in-Chief?

You don't notice them as veterans everyday

In 2006 I created a video saying that veterans were veterans everyday as a reminder to the rest of us.

We honor them on November 11th every year but we should honor them everyday.

They carry the wars they fought inside of them for the rest of their lives. Some have memories. Some are haunted by them. Some civilians hear PTSD and think it is a new illness but the truth is, every generation of veterans faced what war did to them and every generation will. Just because you didn't know about it, they were coming home much like today. They had PTSD. They committed suicides more than they committed crimes but reporters didn't notice. They tried to build families as much as they suffered when the families fell apart. They ended up living on the street almost as much as they ended up serving those streets in law enforcement and in fire departments.

We talk about the homeless veterans now but didn't notice when 300,000 of them had no place to call home. We talk about the claims backlog now in the VA but no one noticed how many of them had fought for years to have their own claims approved and processed in greater numbers.

You don't notice them as veterans everyday because they ask for little for themselves. They fight harder for others.


Veterans Everyday from Kathleen "Costos" DiCesare on Vimeo.

Khe Sanh Vietnam Veteran sheriff recalls experiences

Worcester sheriff recalls Vietnam experiences
Delmarvanow.com
Oct 24, 2012
Written by
Brian Shane
Staff Writer

SNOW HILL — Facing death was a way of life for Marines in Vietnam, but for 77 days, Cpl. Reggie Mason had a front-row seat.

The Pocomoke City, Md., native joined the Marines in 1966 at age 18. He spent most of 1967 in DaNang, as a bodyguard and driver for a colonel. He had been putting in transfer requests to be in a combat unit.

In January 1968, he had re-enlisted and joined the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, an infantry unit nicknamed “The Walking Dead” for having so many men killed in action.

“I’ll never forget when I checked in,” said Mason, 66. “The staff sergeant said, ‘You’re that crazy-ass bastard from division that wants to go in the field. Get your gear — you’re going to see all you want to see.’ At 1300 hours, I was on a chopper bound for the DMZ.”

When they landed at Khe Sanh, Mason was given a new detail: Casualties.

His job was to shadow medics working with the wounded and dead, and bring them out of the Demilitarized Zone. He would radio in dog tags about who was wounded and how badly. For Marines killed in action, he would collect their personal effects from the body.
read more here

101st Airborne Division Celebrates 70 Years of Valor

101st Airborne Division Celebrates 70 Years of Valor
Oct 18, 2012
by usapatriotism
Soldiers of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division (AASLT) gather during the "2012 Week of the Eagles" to celebrate the 70th anniversary of their great division with a truly storied past with active members carrying on this noble proud legacy and adding to its historic heritage of valor.
U.S. Army video by Maj. Robin Ochoa, August 15, 2012

Government and personal property stolen at Fort Campbell

Stopping thieves: Police advise Soldiers to secure gear
October 25, 2012
by Michele Vowell
Courier assistant editor

A Fort Campbell Soldier walks down the hall from his barracks room to visit with his buddy, leaving his door unlocked. A mere five minutes later, when the Soldier returns, his cell phone and laptop are missing.

Although this scenario is fictional, incidents of theft on post happen too often, according to installation law enforcement officials.

In September alone, 57 incidents of larceny (nonviolent theft of personal property) were reported to the installation’s Military Police. Of those incidents, 24 were reports of stolen government property. Thirty-three of the incidents were reports of stolen private property.

“Theft is a crime of opportunity,” said Fort Campbell Police Chief Keith Shumate. The reported thefts occurred at several different locations across post, including 20 at administrative buildings, 16 in parking lots, nine in on-post quarters, eight at barracks, two in motor pools and two in miscellaneous areas.
read more here

Fallen soldier Brittany Gordon as 'uncommonly brave and uncommonly kind'

Mourners recall soldier Brittany Gordon as 'uncommonly brave and uncommonly kind'
Tampa Bay Times
By Kameel Stanley
Times Staff Writer
October 28, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Cedric Gordon spent many days alone in his living room, hoping he would never see a stranger in uniform walking to his door.

As the father of a deployed soldier, it could only mean something bad.

But Gordon, St. Petersburg's assistant police chief, tried to put it out of his mind. He learned to comfort himself.

His baby served in an elite unit. People were praying for her. What were the chances she wouldn't make it home in December from her first overseas assignment?

On Oct. 13, Army Spc. Brittany Bria Gordon, an Army intelligence analyst, was killed when a suicide bomber attacked her unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan, becoming the first female soldier from Tampa Bay to die in the recent wars.

The 2006 St. Petersburg High graduate, the only daughter of Cedric Frank Gordon and Brenda Thompson Gordon of St. Petersburg, was 24.

"I kept asking God: Why Brittany? Why my daughter? Why my baby girl?" Gordon told a standing-room only crowd gathered for his daughter's funeral Saturday at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church. "But I know that knowing God is better than knowing why."
read more here

Spc. Brittany B. Gordon "Her Dream was to serve"