Cold War Veterans Blog

Unemployed? Vets 35-60 sign up for VRAP!!! 34,000 Slots left this year $1400 month for School

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:49:10 PDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held an oversight hearing entitled "Reviewing the Implementation of Major Provisions of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011." The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 is the signature veterans' legislation of the 112th Congress. Officials from the departments of Labor (DoL) and Veterans Affairs (VA) testified on the implementation of the law to date.

The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) was the main focus of the hearing. The cornerstone of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, VRAP will provide up to one-year of Montgomery GI Bill benefits to unemployed veterans, ages 35-60, for in-demand jobs and careers. The Committee applauded efforts by the departments at the program staff-level, but cautioned that more needed to be done to promote VRAP.

"I am pleased to see that over 11,000 applications have been received so far, meaning that we are well on our way to filling all of the 45,000 slots paid for in the VOW Act for the remainder of this fiscal year," stated Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "But I am concerned that not enough is being done by either department, or the President himself, to promote this benefit. Getting the message out about this opportunity is critically important to putting unemployed veterans on a path to a job in a high-demand field."

In addition, Committee Members also expressed concern that DoL and VA were not taking the appropriate steps to ensure that veterans were aware VRAP existed. Allison Hickey, Under Secretary for Benefits at VA, noted some of the challenges facing the two departments to effectively reach out to veterans about VRAP were that "a centralized system to identify eligible veterans does not exist."

Few Members had seen any outreach in their local communities, leading the Committee to ask if a plan was in place to reach unemployed veterans in non-metropolitan areas, specifically through TV advertising.

"Despite having had ample time to come forth with one, VA has failed to deliver an advertising budget," Miller said. "Advertising is a quick, effective way to control the message in order to reach a large number of veterans in a very short period of time. That is the level of promotion for VRAP that our unemployed veterans deserve. We cannot afford to let even one training slot go unfilled. I encourage all eligible veterans to sign up for this opportunity at their local one stop career center or online."

The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs will host a live chat on VRAP with Military.com, tomorrow, June 1, 2012, at 1 p.m.

I am surprised there are this many spots left. The word has been slow to get out in veteran grapevine on VRAP the VA needs to do better job getting the word out. It is a great program that nobody knows about . on the other hand with only 45,00 slots this year we could quickly have the opposite problem of more applicants than slots. Tell your friends when word does get out this program will be in demand.
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Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

CWSM Act and H.R. 4114 Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2012 Discussed.

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 30 May 2012 23:27:05 PDT

Report to Members and Guests May 01 2012

http://americancoldwarvets.org/

CWSM Act and H.R. 4114 Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2012 Discussed.

The American Cold War Veterans annual meeting was held in Washington, D.C. on May 1, 2012, from 1-3 PM. in Room SVC 200, Capitol Visitors Center (Senate side). Frank Tims chaired the meeting, with general discussion of Cold War, legislative, and future meeting topics, and William Boyle made an excellent presentation on possible sites for a Cold War Memorial. Mr. Javier Correoso, Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman David Rivera was present, and offered constructive feedback on the legislative process.

We gained some legislative support for the Cold War Service Medal, which was not included in the 2012 Defense Authorization, but is still possible for the 2013 Authorization. We are past the mark-up of that bill (House version is H. R. 431, which does not include the CWSM), so a floor amendment would be needed. We do not yet have the Senate version of NDAA. The legislative route does not seem promising, especially in the face of the budget sequestration. Support for the legislation is still important, even in the face of chronic Pentagon opposition.

The question was raised regarding alternatives to a Cold War Service Medal. Sean Eagan suggested that the eligibility dates for the Armed Forces Service Medal could be changed to cover the Cold War Period, or at least the intervals between recognized "periods of war." This was presented as a recommendation to the Board of Directors of ACWV. Another alternative suggested was asking President Obama to issue an executive order to reopen dates for eligible operations and expeditions since the beginning of the Cold War (September 1945) for which a campaign medal is not already authorized, for award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM), using same criteria as are currently in regulations. This might include the deployment of the Sixth Fleet in the 1956 crisis, MAAG mission to Greece 1947-50, and various "imminent hostilities" alerts of the Armed Forces during the Cold War.

Member Frank DeBenedictis suggested that we engage educators, particularly history teachers, via the website to increase awareness of the Cold War, especially significant events, operations, and political-military aspects of that global conflict. We will follow up on this excellent suggestion, and begin to expand content as a resource page for teachers.

We adjourned at 3 PM to travel to Arlington National Cemetery to hold a memorial service at 4PM at Section 34, where numerous Cold War Heroes are buried, including USS Liberty crewmen, CAPT McGonagle (MOH - skipper of USS Liberty), and aircrews shot down during Cold War operations. Afterwards, we placed roses on graves of Francis Gary Powers, CAPT McGonagle, several of the aircrews including those shot down over Soviet Armenia 1958), USS Liberty casualties, General Van Fleet (who led US Military Mission to Greece 1947-50), LTC Nicholson (killed in East Germany 1985), COL Nick Rowe (killed in Philippines 1989), MAJ Willard Palm (shot down over Barents Sea 1960), CAPT Edward Nordeen (killed in Greece 1988), and SP4 Phillip Michael Kern (killed on Korean DMZ 1969), AND COL James Webb (who flew in Berlin Airlift).

In a separate meeting, Glen Talon, Sean Eagan and James Allen with Ryan Kaldahl from Senator Collins office about the CWSM Act. Ryan discussed that after this session we will have many new faces in the Senate and some of our usual supporters are leaving Congress. In an honest assessment he recommended we might try to tweak our approach to develop new and stronger support in the next Congress.

At 4:45 the same group met with the House of Veteran's Affairs Committee Staff Director of The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Mike Brinck CDR USN Ret. about H.R. 4114 Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2012. This bill would assure if the the general population got a COLA increase for SSI-D benefits that Veteran's Compensation would increase the same amount automatically as of today that is not the case. The proposed bill would make it more difficult for Veterans Pension and Compensation benefits being caught up in and used as leverage or held hostage in political budget fights.

Important Veterans Legislation Heads to Senate

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 30 May 2012 22:34:18 PDT

IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 30, 2012 CONTACT: Amy Mitchell (202) 225-3527

Veterans Legislation Heads to Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the House of Representatives reaffirmed its commitment to America's veterans by passing H.R. 3670, a bill to require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), a law designed to help deployed National Guard and Reserve members return to their civilian jobs after a separation from military service. The House also passed the Servicemember Family Protection Act (H.R. 4201).

H.R. 3670, introduced by Rep. Tim Walz, ensures that TSA hiring practices comply with USERRA. Although TSA currently employs thousands of veterans, including members of the National Guard and Reserves, they are not protected by USERRA. National Guard and Reserve members face greater unemployment rates than their civilian counterparts. Enforcement of USERRA within TSA will conform to the standards applied throughout the rest of the federal government.

"The unemployment rate among our servicemembers is already far too high. Protecting the jobs they already have should be a top priority and I'm pleased the House took action on this common sense bill today," said Rep. Walz, a 24-year veteran of the National Guard. "We have USERRA protections in place for a reason and this bill simply ensures that the thousands of veterans, Reservists, and members of the National Guard working for TSA are protected as they would be in any other position."

The Servicemember Family Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Mike Turner, amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), and would ensure a servicemember's deployment, or possible deployment, cannot be used as a factor in child custody determinations. SCRA is intended to relieve servicemembers of certain civil and financial obligations if military service prevents their obligation from being discharged.

"With every deployment, our men and women in uniform live with the constant fear that their custody rights as parents could be in jeopardy due to their service," said Rep. Turner. "This legislation would ensure that being deployed, or the possibility of deployment is not used against them when child custody decisions are made by the courts."

Both pieces of legislation now head to the Senate for consideration. They join the ten previously House-passed bills that are pending in the Senate from the first session of the 112th Congress.

"Over the past year and a half, America's veterans, their families, and survivors, has been where Republicans and Democrats have found common ground to pass meaningful legislation, which has included putting America's veterans back to work through the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011," stated Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "With only six months left this Congress, I hope we can continue to work together and clear the backlog of legislation pending in the Senate before the end of this session. Our veterans deserve nothing less."

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Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans

Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars716 720-4000

VA Partnership Aims to House 10,000 Homeless Veterans

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:42:38 PDT

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON, May 30, 2012 - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that it will collaborate with the "100,000 Homes" campaign and its 117 participating communities to help find permanent housing for 10,000 vulnerable and chronically homeless veterans this year.

"President [Barack] Obama and I are personally committed to ending homelessness among veterans," Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said in a VA news release. "Those who have served this nation as veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope."

According to the 2011 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress, homelessness among veterans has declined 12 percent since January 2010.

The new initiative is intended to help accomplish Shinseki's goal of ending veteran homelessness in 2015. It will also support the ongoing work of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and a host of state and local organizations working to implement "Opening Doors," the federal plan to end chronic and veteran homelessness.

The 100,000 Homes campaign is a national movement of over 100 communities working together to find permanent homes for 100,000 vulnerable and chronically homeless individuals and families by July 2014.

The new partnership will better integrate the efforts of VA case managers and their local partners by leveraging VA resources and those of participants in the "100,000 Homes" campaign. The campaign's national support staff, provided by New York-based non-profit Community Solutions, will also work with VA to provide technical assistance to help communities reduce the amount of time necessary to house a single homeless veteran.

As a result, community organizations will be better able to utilize the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program. The program is a coordinated effort by HUD, VA, and local housing agencies to provide permanent housing with case management and other support services for homeless veterans.

The collaboration will also help VA increase the proportion of HUD-VASH vouchers that help house chronic and vulnerable homeless individuals. Research indicates that this approach can successfully end homelessness for vulnerable and chronically homeless veterans while also achieving significant public cost savings. From fiscal years 2008 to 2012, HUD has allocated funding to local public housing authorities to provide over 47,000 housing choice vouchers to homeless veterans.

Volunteers in participating "100,000 Homes" communities will help the VA identify homeless veterans through their registry week process. Registry weeks are community-wide efforts in which volunteers canvass their neighborhoods to survey homeless individuals and gather key information to help VA case managers expedite the housing process.

Support staff will also offer quality improvement training designed to help reduce the amount of time necessary to house a homeless veteran to 90 days or less. Pilot training in Los Angeles and New York City has already helped shave an average of 64 days from the veteran housing process in these communities.

In 2009, Obama and Shinseki announced the federal government's goal to end veteran homelessness by 2015. Through the homeless veterans' initiative, VA committed $800 million in fiscal year 2011 to strengthen programs that prevent and end homelessness among veterans. VA provides a range of services to homeless veterans, including health care, housing, job training, and education.

Biographies:
Eric K. Shinseki

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Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Wounded Warrior Projects denounces General's Statement

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Tue, 29 May 2012 22:05:00 PDT

Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) calls on the Department of Defense and the Administration to publicly address the disturbing and highly inappropriate comments made by Major General Dana Pittard that suicide is "an absolutely selfish act" further adding that those soldiers thinking about suicide should "be an adult, act like an adult, and deal with your real-life problems like the rest of us." These comments further compound the already glaring stigma our service members face when dealing with mental health issues. This is exactly this type of attitude that keeps many of our wounded warriors from seeking the help they need and deserve.

Though the statement was later retracted, the silence from the DoD and the Administration speak volumes and discount the great courage it takes for a service member to come forward and admit they are dealing with combat stress or PTSD. We urge the DoD and the Administration to respond with actions.

In fact, our experience has shown us that wounded service men and woman can be even further damaged by sentiments like these expressed from within the DOD system. These brave warriors served our country honorably and many have returned home different people. The invisible wounds of war – traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD – have surpassed the visible as the signature injury in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. WWP has made this a focal point in its mission to honor and empower wounded warriors, and we challenge the DOD and the Administration to immediately reinforce proper attitudes and education on these critical issues. The increase in awareness of this issue will hopefully decrease the stigma attached – stigmas that were only built up by General Pittard's irresponsible words.

The mental health of this generation of injured veterans is Wounded Warrior Project's number one priority. Wounded Warrior Project will continue to address those needs through our combat stress recovery program and pursue the necessary steps to encourage a shift in how we think and deal with mental health.

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Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans

Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars716 720-4000

AP IMPACT: Almost half of new vets seek disability

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Tue, 29 May 2012 21:50:25 PDT

AP Photo/Lisa Krant

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE
AP Chief Medical Writer

America's newest veterans are filing for disability benefits at a historic rate, claiming to be the most medically and mentally troubled generation of former troops the nation has ever seen.

A staggering 45 percent of the 1.6 million veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now seeking compensation for injuries they say are service-related. That is more than double the estimate of 21 percent who filed such claims after the Gulf War in the early 1990s, top government officials told The Associated Press.

What's more, these new veterans are claiming eight to nine ailments on average, and the most recent ones over the last year are claiming 11 to 14. By comparison, Vietnam veterans are currently receiving compensation for fewer than four, on average, and those from World War II and Korea, just two.

It's unclear how much worse off these new veterans are than their predecessors. Many factors are driving the dramatic increase in claims - the weak economy, more troops surviving wounds, and more awareness of problems such as concussions and PTSD. Almost one-third have been granted disability so far.

Government officials and some veterans' advocates say that veterans who might have been able to work with certain disabilities may be more inclined to seek benefits now because they lost jobs or can't find any. Aggressive outreach and advocacy efforts also have brought more veterans into the system, which must evaluate each claim to see if it is war-related. Payments range from $127 a month for a 10 percent disability to $2,769 for a full one.

As the nation commemorates the more than 6,400 troops who died in post-9/11 wars, the problems of those who survived also draw attention. These new veterans are seeking a level of help the government did not anticipate, and for which there is no special fund set aside to pay.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is mired in backlogged claims, but "our mission is to take care of whatever the population is," said Allison Hickey, the VA's undersecretary for benefits. "We want them to have what their entitlement is."

The 21 percent who filed claims in previous wars is Hickey's estimate of an average for Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield. The VA has details only on the current disability claims being paid to veterans of each war.

The AP spent three months reviewing records and talking with doctors, government officials and former troops to take stock of the new veterans. They are different in many ways from those who fought before them.

More are from the Reserves and National Guard - 28 percent of those filing disability claims - rather than career military. Reserves and National Guard made up a greater percentage of troops in these wars than they did in previous ones. About 31 percent of Guard/Reserve new veterans have filed claims compared to 56 percent of career military ones.

More of the new veterans are women, accounting for 12 percent of those who have sought care through the VA. Women also served in greater numbers in these wars than in the past. Some female veterans are claiming PTSD due to military sexual trauma - a new challenge from a disability rating standpoint, Hickey said.

The new veterans have different types of injuries than previous veterans did. That's partly because improvised bombs have been the main weapon and because body armor and improved battlefield care allowed many of them to survive wounds that in past wars proved fatal.

"They're being kept alive at unprecedented rates," said Dr. David Cifu, the VA's medical rehabilitation chief. More than 95 percent of troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan have survived.

Larry Bailey II is an example. After tripping a rooftop bomb in Afghanistan last June, the 26-year-old Marine remembers flying into the air, then fellow troops attending to him.

"I pretty much knew that my legs were gone. My left hand, from what I remember I still had three fingers on it," although they didn't seem right, Bailey said. "I looked a few times but then they told me to stop looking." Bailey, who is from Zion, Ill., north of Chicago, ended up a triple amputee and expects to get a hand transplant this summer.

He is still transitioning from active duty and is not yet a veteran. Just over half of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans eligible for VA care have used it so far.

Of those who have sought VA care:

-More than 1,600 of them lost a limb; many others lost fingers or toes.

-At least 156 are blind, and thousands of others have impaired vision.

-More than 177,000 have hearing loss, and more than 350,000 report tinnitus - noise or ringing in the ears.

-Thousands are disfigured, as many as 200 of them so badly that they may need face transplants. One-quarter of battlefield injuries requiring evacuation included wounds to the face or jaw, one study found.

"The numbers are pretty staggering," said Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, a surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston who has done four face transplants on non-military patients and expects to start doing them soon on veterans.

Others have invisible wounds. More than 400,000 of these new veterans have been treated by the VA for a mental health problem, most commonly, PTSD.

Tens of thousands of veterans suffered traumatic brain injury, or TBI - mostly mild concussions from bomb blasts - and doctors don't know what's in store for them long-term. Cifu, of the VA, said that roughly 20 percent of active duty troops suffered concussions, but only one-third of them have symptoms lasting beyond a few months.

That's still a big number, and "it's very rare that someone has just a single concussion," said David Hovda, director of the UCLA Brain Injury Research Center. Suffering multiple concussions, or one soon after another, raises the risk of long-term problems. A brain injury also makes the brain more susceptible to PTSD, he said.

On a more mundane level, many new veterans have back, shoulder and knee problems, aggravated by carrying heavy packs and wearing the body armor that helped keep them alive. One recent study found that 19 percent required orthopedic surgery consultations and 4 percent needed surgery after returning from combat.

All of this adds up to more disability claims, which for years have been coming in faster than the government can handle them. The average wait to get a new one processed grows longer each month and is now about eight months - time that a frustrated, injured veteran might spend with no income.

More than 560,000 veterans from all wars currently have claims that are backlogged - older than 125 days.

The VA's benefits chief, Hickey, gave these reasons:

-Sheer volume. Disability claims from all veterans soared from 888,000 in 2008 to 1.3 million in 2011. Last year's included more than 230,000 new claims from Vietnam veterans and their survivors because of a change in what conditions can be considered related to Agent Orange exposure. Those complex, 50-year-old cases took more than a third of available staff, she said.

-High number of ailments per claim. When a veteran claims 11 to 14 problems, each one requires "due diligence" - a medical evaluation and proof that it is service-related, Hickey said.

-A new mandate to handle the oldest cases first. Because these tend to be the most complex, they have monopolized staff and pushed up average processing time on new claims, she said.

-Outmoded systems. The VA is streamlining and going to electronic records, but for now, "We have 4.4 million case files sitting around 56 regional offices that we have to work with; that slows us down significantly," Hickey said.

Barry Jesinoski, executive director of Disabled American Veterans, called Hickey's efforts "commendable," but said: "The VA has a long way to go" to meet veterans' needs. Even before the surge in Agent Orange cases, VA officials "were already at a place that was unacceptable" on backlogged claims, he said.

He and VA officials agree that the economy is motivating some claims. His group helps veterans file them, and he said that sometimes when veterans come in, "We'll say, `Is your back worse?' and they'll say, `No, I just lost my job.'"

Jesinoski does believe these veterans have more mental problems, especially from multiple deployments.

"You just can't keep sending people into war five, six or seven times and expect that they're going to come home just fine," he said.

For taxpayers, the ordeal is just beginning. With any war, the cost of caring for veterans rises for several decades and peaks 30 to 40 years later, when diseases of aging are more common, said Harvard economist Linda Bilmes. She estimates the health care and disability costs of the recent wars at $600 billion to $900 billion.

"This is a huge number and there's no money set aside," she said. "Unless we take steps now into some kind of fund that will grow over time, it's very plausible many people will feel we can't afford these benefits we overpromised."

How would that play to these veterans, who all volunteered and now expect the government to keep its end of the bargain?

"The deal was, if you get wounded, we're going to supply this level of support," Bilmes said. Right now, "there's a lot of sympathy and a lot of people want to help. But memories are short and times change."

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Online:

VA's Home Page http://www.va.gov/

VA budget, performance: http://www.va.gov/budget/report/

IOM Coming Home report: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record-id12812

Costs of war: http://bit.ly/y5cLsH

Veterans quick facts: http://www.va.gov/vetdata/Quick-Facts.asp

War casualty reports: http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf

Brain Injury Center: http://www.dvbic.org/

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

We know the claims backlog is the biggest issue many Veterans have with VA, and we acknowledge there is much room for improvement. However, the issue is not as simple as it appears. In the piece below, a reporter from the Associated Press takes a look at the root causes for the problem, and VA's work to break the backlog. –Alex Horton

This was from the VA FB feed. High rates to me are not surprising when you consider the nature of the GWOT and the multiple tours and vets returning to such a poor economy all must factor in skewing the percentages higher than ever before.
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Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Obama: All Americans Must Help Shoulder the Burden of War

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Mon, 28 May 2012 21:33:36 PDT

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va., May 28, 2012 - Binding the wounds of war is the priority for our nation, President Barack Obama said during the Memorial Day observance here today.

Representing all Americans, the president placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and then spoke at the Memorial Amphitheatre.

"Today we come together as Americans to pray, to reflect and to remember these heroes," he said. "But tomorrow this hallowed place will once again belong to a smaller group of visitors ... following a well-worn path to a certain spot and kneeling in front of a familiar headstone. You are the family and friends of the fallen."

Those who have lost a loved one "leave a piece of yourselves beneath these trees," the president said. "You, too, call this sanctuary home."

The president noted that for the first time in nine years Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq. The war in Afghanistan is winding down, he said, and U.S. troops deployed there will come home. "After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon," he said.

With the war in Iraq over, the president put the scale of the sacrifice in perspective. He spoke of the four Marines who died in a helicopter crash on the first day of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. Maj. Jay Thomas Aubin, Capt. Ryan Anthony Beaupre, Cpl. Brian Matthew Kennedy and Staff Sgt. Kendall Damon Watersbey were the first casualties of the war. He then spoke of the last of the nearly 4,500 casualties: Army Spc. David Hickman who was killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad a month before the last Americans left Iraq in December.

The president spoke about meeting the Hickman family at Fort Bragg, N.C. "Right now, the Hickman's are beginning a very difficult journey that so many of your families have traveled before them – a journey that more families will take in the months and years ahead," he said.

Obama spoke directly to the families of the fallen and shared what he told the Hickmans: that there is no more wrenching decision as president than sending service members into harm's way.

"I can promise you that I will never do so unless it is absolutely necessary," he said. "Then when we do, we must give our troops a clear mission and the full support of a grateful nation."

Americans need to help the families facing such tragedy, the president said. "As a country, all of us can and should ask ourselves how we can help you shoulder a burden that no one should have to bear alone.

"As we honor your mothers and fathers, your sons and daughters who have given their last full measure of devotion to this country, we have to ask ourselves how we can support you and your families, and give you some strength."

The best way to help is to remember the sacrifices and to remember the dead as not just a line in the newspaper, but as individuals, Obama said. The country can honor them by meeting its obligations to those who did come home, he added.

"To all our men and women in uniform who are here today, know this: The patriots who rest beneath these hills were fighting for many things – for their families, for their flag – but above all, they were fighting for you," Obama said. "As long as I am president, we will make sure you and your loved ones will receive the benefits you've earned and the respect you deserve. America will be there for you."

Related Articles:
Obama: Remember Veterans Past, Present on Memorial Day

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Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

For military buglers, taps is always emotional

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Sun, 27 May 2012 22:16:26 PDT

Taps article JS online
Video
http://www.jsonline.com/multimedia/video/?bcpid=13960334001&bctid=1653738151001

Rifle shots punctuated the silence, followed by the quick ping of ejected brass cartridges landing on pavement.

Three volleys.

Then Doug Gruehn stepped forward. Holding his golden-colored bugle to his lips he blew the plaintive call- its notes more familiar than its words - honoring America's dead.

Day is done, gone the sun.

Taps.

Inside the funeral home, the body of a 94-year-old man who earned six Bronze Stars in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II lay in a flag-covered casket, his family and friends nearby.

From the hills, from the lake, from the sky.

Gruehn, a member of the Army funeral honors guard in Wisconsin, plays taps several days every week. He estimates he's played it close to 2,000 times in the last nine years - for men and women who served their country in combat and peace time, in the jungles of Vietnam, the beaches of Normandy, the sands of Iraq and Afghanistan.

All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

It's a simple song, really. Just four notes - G, C, E and then G above the staff, an octave higher than the first G.

For the buglers who play the call, which turns 150 years old in July, it's more than just a tune.

"It's a final honor. No matter how many times you do it, it's the last chance to pay respects," said Gruehn, 66, who played trumpet in the 84th Division band for 24 years. "You won't find many soldiers waxing eloquent about their feelings for their job. But the trumpet players I know see it as a sacred honor."
'Lights out'

In July 1862, taps was first played by a bugler with Union troops stationed at Harrison's Landing, Va., after a battle during the Peninsular Campaign of the Civil War. It wasn't originally played at funerals. It was simply one of many calls played to signal to troops to do something, in this case to put out their campfires and go to sleep. It's the opposite of reveille, which is the wake-up call.

Union Gen. Dan Butterfield is credited with the song, which most accounts say he revised from a French bugle call to signify "lights out." A short time later, taps was first used at the funeral of a soldier killed in action in Virginia because his commander worried that firing the traditional three volleys over his grave so close to the enemy would renew fighting.

By the late 1800s, taps became standard at military funerals.

"It's the hardest 24 notes to play," said Bill Seaman, 54, of Oak Creek, who is Wisconsin state director of Bugles Across America, an organization of volunteer buglers who play taps at the funerals of veterans. "Any person can play taps, but to do so with that much honor and pride, it's difficult."

About 250 of the 7,000 members of the group are based in Wisconsin. Seaman played taps at Arlington National Cemetery earlier this month as part of a mass performance of the call to commemorate the sesquicentennial of taps.

Every active-duty military member or honorably discharged veteran is entitled to two uniformed honor guard members at his or her funeral under federal law. If the family requests it, a firing squad will be sent, often from a local veterans group. But the number of buglers hasn't kept pace with the large numbers of funerals of World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans. Until a few years ago, a recording of taps was often played on a boom box when a live bugler wasn't available.

Now electronic bugles are often used - an MP3 player inside a ceremonial bugle that plays a recording of taps. Many veterans groups own one and use it when a live bugler is unavailable.

Understandably, some buglers are dismissive of the faux bugle.

"I tell them would you like a recording of the 21-gun salute?" Seaman said. "Oh, no? Well then, why would you want a recording of taps?"

Added Gruehn: "I can see why they're doing it. They used to use a boom box, which caused them a lot of trouble and glances. But if the (electronic) bugle quits because the batteries are dead, then there are other circumstances you have to explain."
Buglers log miles

Gary Hans, military funeral honors state coordinator, sends half a dozen buglers to as many funerals as he can throughout the state. Among them are buglers in Oshkosh and Green Bay who play in the 132nd Army Band.

With 50 to 60 funerals each week in the state, some of the trumpet players work full-time as funeral honors buglers, said Hans, a retired sergeant major.

Tyler Terrell, 37, a staff sergeant and trumpet player in the Wisconsin National Guard 132nd Army Band, has played taps at funerals full-time for seven or eight years and handles about 250 annually. Once he learns the name, he searches for an online obituary to find out when and where the veteran served. He's based in Green Bay and handles many funerals in the Fox Valley, but travels as far west as Eau Claire and north to Superior, averaging 1,000 miles a week on the road.

Terrell has played at funerals of active soldiers, including those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, which have large turnouts. And he plays at funerals of veterans who have no family or friends. All are accorded the same respect.

"It doesn't happen very often, but I've worked at King (Veterans Home) in Waupaca quite a few times. There have been a few times where there's nobody or one or two people. Those are really sad," said Terrell, who plays a Bach Stradivarius trumpet.

Buglers play taps at military funerals in all kinds of weather. They play in driving rain. They play in snowstorms. They play in 100-degree heat. They play in frigid temperatures.

Terrell uses a plastic mouthpiece; Gruehn tucks his metal mouthpiece in his white glove to keep it warm until he needs to play his Getzen American Heritage model field trumpet. Sometimes horns freeze up in bad weather. Terrell was embarrassed when his trumpet malfunctioned in subzero weather and he couldn't play a note. He apologized to the veteran's family.

Occasionally a family requests taps not be played. But that's rare, said Gary Dierks, program supervisor at the Union Grove veterans cemetery.

"More often what we have is the family doesn't want the rifle volleys. I've had one or two families in the last 10 years out of thousands of funerals who didn't want taps," Dierks said. "They said it was too emotional."

If the rifle volleys and taps are performed at a cemetery - sometimes they're outside a funeral home - the bugler normally stands a moderate distance from the bottom right corner of the flag that's folded from the veteran's casket. But that can change depending on the setup of the cemetery, said Gruehn, who likes to stand within view of families so they know a live bugler is playing.

Gruehn, Seaman and Terrell often see mourners brought to tears by their music. They said they try to concentrate on playing as perfectly as they can.

But sometimes it's hard not to notice the tears.

"There are a couple I wish I could get out of my mind," Gruehn said. "I was presenting the flag after playing taps when a young man started sobbing. I could tell he must have loved his father or grandfather very much.

"Another time was for an active-duty service member who had been killed. I was at Wood (Cemetery in Milwaukee), and it was November. It was pouring rain and I was so cold the muscles in my legs stopped working. The father was very, very overcome by emotion. That was hard to see."

More about taps

For more information about the sesquicentennial of taps: www.taps150.org

McHugh: Language Skills Critical to Mission Success

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Sat, 26 May 2012 19:00:14 PDT

By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2012 - Language skills and cultural understanding are critical tools for accomplishing missions in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, Secretary of the Army John McHugh said during a May 21 visit to the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center in Monterey, Calif.

The facility provides resident instruction in 23 languages and two dialects. Students include active duty and reserve component service members from all branches of the armed forces, members of foreign militaries and civilian law enforcement personnel.

McHugh toured the Persian-Farsi school and viewed demonstrations of the educational technologies used in developing and sustaining language skills.

As the Army downsizes, McHugh said, soldiers with language skills will become even more critical to the force's mission success.

"The relevancy of this program -- this entire mission -- I think has never been greater," he added. "As our number and our footprint gets smaller, I think we would expect those who remain behind to be more culturally aware, to be more adept at language."

Biographies:
John McHugh

Related Articles:
Secretary of the Army Visits DLIFLC
Foreign Language Capabilities Remain a Priority

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Memorial Day Message

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Sat, 26 May 2012 18:47:18 PDT

As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, Washington D.C., Monday, May 28, 2012

For many Americans, Memorial Day is a welcome break from work, a time for outdoor barbeques or a day at the beach. But today is above all an opportunity for Americans to come together and pay tribute to all those who have fought and died in defense of our freedom. It is a day to reflect on the service and sacrifice of these heroes, and to honor those American families for whom Memorial Day is another day of longing for their loved ones. This Memorial Day, the American people pay particular tribute to the generation who stepped forward after the attacks of September 11^th, and volunteered to put their lives on the line in far-off lands to protect our nation. Today, we remember the more than 6,400 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who have paid the ultimate price for us to live in safety over the last ten years of war. They and their families have paid a heavy price so that we could be more secure, but because of their sacrifice the torch of freedom burns bright. Since taking this position, I have written hundreds of letters of condolence to the families of the fallen. It is the hardest part of my job. There are no words that can heal, no sentences that can lessen that loss. I keep the fallen and their families in my heart and in my prayers, and I tell those families that their loved one died to give their fellow Americans a better life. That is the price they paid for us. Let us never forget them and what they have done for this country. As we emerge from a decade of war, we must renew our pledge on this Memorial Day to do all we can to ensure that the sacrifices of our service members and their families are honored, and that those who fell in battle are remembered. They fought for us. Our duty is to fight to make sure they are never forgotten. As Americans, that must be our charge and our sacred mission not just on Memorial Day, but every day.

Never Forget...........Your Freedom has been paid for in blood. Almost 6,500 Servicemen have made the ultimate sacrifice since 9/11/01.
--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Real Warriors Campaign

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:36:10 PDT

Thursday, May 24, 2012

www.realwarriors.net

May is Mental Health Month

May is a special month for our nation's military: it is Military Appreciation Month, and includes Armed Forces Day on May 19th and Memorial Day on May 28th. The Real Warriors Campaign is grateful to America's service members and veterans, and appreciates the sacrifices they make every day. To express our appreciation, and in keeping with our mission to encourage service members with invisible wounds to seek help and support, we are offering resources especially for the military for Mental Health Month, which is also observed in May.

Encourage the warriors in your life to reach out for support. Send them one of our service-specific e-cards and let them know you care.

Read the psychological health-related articles on our website, including "Psychological Fitness — Keeping Your Mind Fit," which discusses how to develop a healthier mental state. You can also learn about the signs and symptoms of depression and how to treat it, or find out about the warning signs of suicide, as well as what tools and resources service members can use to seek treatment and support.

For information or help locating resources for psychological health, contact the DCoE Outreach Center at 866-966-1020 or log onto Real Warriors Live Chat . If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Veterans Crisis Line for service members, veterans and families at 800-273-TALK and press 1.

Free Mini Brochures

The Real Warriors Campaign offers two mini brochures developed to encourage help-seeking behavior among service members and veterans with invisible wounds. Five Tools That Reinforce Psychological Strength highlights free, confidential resources that are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Seven Tools That Reinforce Psychological Strength offers two additional resources geared toward members of the National Guard and reserve.

In support of Mental Health Month, anyone can use the brochures to encourage service members, veterans, National Guardsmen, reservists and military families to access available resources for psychological health concerns. These brochures and other campaign materials can be viewed, downloaded and ordered free-of-charge through our online shopping cart.

New Articles

Stay Connected With Deployed Parents

It can be difficult for families to stay in touch or feel connected when a parent is deployed. With the use of online programs, families can maintain regular, private communication. Deployed parents can use online private chats and networks to interact with their children and assist their children with the adjustments associated with having a deployed parent. These sites can reinforce a parent's bond while away through creative, collaborative activities such as online scrapbooking, artwork and composing music.

Coping With Separation

Deployment or mobilization can be particularly challenging for children of National Guardsmen and reservists because they may not have the same community support system and resources that are available to active-duty families that live near or on a military installation. This article discusses ways that members of the National Guard and reserve and their families can help children cope with separation before and during deployment.

Now Trending on Facebook: How would you help a friend adjusting after deployment?

Do you have advice on how to help a friend adjusting to post-deployment life? Post your tip now on the Real Warriors Campaign Facebook wall. Throughout May, we'll be welcoming home service members on Facebook and asking you to share tips to help these warriors reintegrate. Check out this advice from fans on helping friends adjust home after combat:

Partner Spotlight

The Give an Hour is a nonprofit organization providing free mental health services to U.S. military personnel and their families affected by the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The organization consists of a network of volunteer mental health providers who donate an hour of their time each week to provide these free services. Recently, Give an Hour was one of five winners honored at the one-year anniversary of the White House's Joining Forces Community Challenge to support and honor America's service members and their families. Visit Give an Hour's website to learn more about the organization's latest achievement.

Real Warriors, Real Advice Podcast Series

Profile: Real Warriors and Psychological Health

Share Your Story

The Real Warriors Campaign is looking for new profilees for our video profiles, which spotlight stories of real service members who have reached out for support or sought treatment and are continuing to maintain successful military or civilian careers. If this sounds like you, share your story with the Real Warriors Campaign.

Connect With Us

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

IAVA : Go Silent on Memorial Day in Remembrance

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 23 May 2012 06:16:53 PDT

Sean,

This Memorial Day, go silent for the fallen.

On Monday, IAVA will head to hallowed ground. We'll unite from Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery to The Presidio overlooking the Pacific to remember all 6,442 Americans who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. We'll rededicate ourselves to support the families they have left behind. And we'll pause in silence to honor their last full measure of devotion for our country.

Will you go silent for them? Sign the pledge to join IAVA in a national moment of silence at 12:01pm this Memorial Day.

Memorial Day should be a powerful, unified day of remembrance. In our community, our fallen brothers and sisters stand apart for their bravery and sacrifice. They were our battle buddies, our friends and our family—and we will carry their loss for a lifetime.

Pledge to go silent in their memory this Memorial Day. Text "SILENT" to 69866 for a reminder before the moment of silence, and then spread the word to your friends on Twitter and Facebook.

There is power in silence. No matter where you are this Memorial Day gather your friends and family to pause and reflect in honor of all Americans who have given their lives in defense of our country.

Thank you for standing with us.

Paul

Paul Rieckhoff
Founder and Executive Director
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

PS – Want to join us on the ground this Memorial Day? Bring your friends and family out for local ceremonies from Washington, D.C. to Chicago to San Francisco. Find one near you.

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Armed Forces Day Message

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:18:42 PDT

As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, The Pentagon, Saturday, May 19, 2012

Let me take this opportunity to wish all of our troops and their families the very best on this Armed Forces Day. I hope you know that all Americans join me in gratitude for everything you do to keep us safe. Wherever and however you serve, you are an inspiration to me and to millions of your fellow Americans. President Truman was right to recognize this day, and even more right when he said that it is 'not enough to yearn for peace. We must work, and if necessary, fight for it. You fight for peace so that others don't need to. You work for peace, at home and abroad, so that others may know a better life. Your families share in that labor and in that sacrifice, so that other families need not endure the pains of separation and of strife. There is perhaps no more admirable calling. In keeping with that same spirit of service and leadership, heads of state from across the world are joining together at the NATO Summit in Chicago to affirm our shared commitment to work and to fight to achieve our objectives in Afghanistan. Our goal is clear: to ensure that Afghanistan will never again serve as a launching pad for terrorist attacks against our homeland. To do that, we have to build an Afghanistan that can secure and govern itself. Thanks to your service and that of your international and Afghan partners, we are closer to achieving these goals than we ever have been before. Al Qaeda's leadership has been decimated, the Taliban's momentum has been thrust back, and the Afghan National Security Forces are increasingly in the lead. In the past year, I have had the opportunity to meet thousands of you at installations across the globe. As the war in Afghanistan draws towards its conclusion, you still face difficult tasks ahead. But every day I serve as Secretary of Defense, I have been amazed and impressed by your grit and determination, and your resilience. It's the same grit that won the day at Gettysburg, that scaled the cliffs at Pointe Du Hoc, that sunk four enemy carriers at Midway, that broke the enemy's back at Inchon and broke through the Berlin blockade. You stand on broad shoulders -- a legacy of courage going back to this nation's founding. Yet you have set a new standard while carrying a heavy burden over the last decade of war. As Americans take this Armed Forces Day to reflect on your service and that of your loved ones, I hope they also find new ways to show you the admiration and the respect you have so rightly earned. You have made our nation stronger and safer over the past decade of war, and whether in uniform or out, I know that you will continue to lead this country and never stop working to fulfill the dream of giving our children a better life.

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

DOD, VA to Launch Joint Electronic Health Record System

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:03:41 PDT

By Cheryl Pellerin and Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., May 21, 2012 - The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have joined in a unique effort to combine their health records in what will become the world's largest electronic system by 2017, the secretaries of both departments announced here today.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki briefed reporters after a tour of the Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, the nation's first fully integrated DOD-VA medical facility treating service members, veterans, military retirees and dependents.

"Over the past two days, as many of you know, world leaders have gathered in Chicago to affirm our commitment to finishing the job right in Afghanistan," Panetta said. "This afternoon, Secretary Shinseki and I are coming together to affirm what in many ways is an equally important commitment: to care for and honor those who have protected our nation by serving it in uniform."

The center -- named for retired Navy captain and former NASA astronaut Jim Lovell, who was in the audience today -- amounts to a proving ground for the DOD-VA joint operating concept. It incorporates facilities, services and resources from the North Chicago VA Medical Center and the Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes.

"In response to a challenge issued by [President Barack Obama] three years ago, DOD and VA have been working steadily to increase the amount of health information that's shared between our two departments," Panetta said.

What Obama envisioned in 2009 was an initiative called the virtual lifetime electronic record, or VLER, for the future of electronic health data sharing. Since that time, Panetta said, the centerpiece of the DOD-VA effort has been an effort to build an integrated electronic health record for service members and veterans that can be accessed at any DOD and VA medical facility.

Such an integrated electronic health record, or iEHR, is "one that is open in architecture and nonproprietary in design to expand information sharing, eliminate gaps between our two robust health care systems," Shinseki said.

"This is key to seamlessness, critical to enhancing quality of health care, and essential to controlling costs," he added.

"Today," Panetta said, "I want to affirm that we are fully committed to putting this system, which will be the world's largest electronic health record system, in place across the nation in 2017."

The project's first milestone will come in 2014, the defense secretary said. At that time, the departments will field initial operating capabilities of the integrated electronic health record at test sites in San Antonio and in Hampton Roads, Va., where DOD and the VA provide medical care to thousands of service members and veterans.

The iEHR will unify the departments' now-separate legacy electronic health records systems into a common, secure system that makes service members' and veterans' health information available to them throughout their lifetimes.

During a media roundtable held today, experts from DOD and VA explained what a difference the new joint electronic health records could mean in someone's daily life.

"If a service member is seen in a DOD hospital and the next week has an appointment in a VA hospital, you'd like all of that information to be available to the VA doctor, just like they're being seen in the same hospital," Roger Baker, VA assistant secretary for information and technology, told reporters.

"That really is our concept here," he said, adding that something interesting happened during the first pilot test of a nationwide health information network.

As the first health record was shared between a VA facility and a private-sector facility, he said, the private-sector doctor said, "I didn't know the patient had that allergy."

"It was an allergy the VA knew about, but that the patient hadn't told his private-sector doctor about, and clearly those kinds of allergies can have a tremendous impact on quality of care," Baker said. "That ability to have a more comprehensive record can do life-saving things, frankly."

In 2014, when the systems are rolled out in San Antonio and Hampton Roads, Baker explained, records for patients in the VA before then will be as they were.

"If you've recently moved from active service into veteran status," he added, "the most important thing you will notice is that your VA doctor has a lot more access to information about your previous medical care in DOD than he or she may have had in the past."

Probably more importantly, he said, doctors will see that information side by side with other treatment the patient may have had in the VA system, so they'll have a more complete view of the patient's entire medical history.

Beth McGrath, a DOD deputy chief management officer, said that in Hampton Roads and San Antonio in the 2014 time frame, "the clinical capabilities we're deploying first are focused on laboratory and immunizations."

Both experts said the Defense Department has sufficient funding in its budget for the effort.

At the news conference, Panetta said implementing and testing the new system over a period of years "will help us make sure that we are doing it right and that we have time to adjust based on experience in the field."

Biographies:
Leon E. Panetta
Eric K. Shinseki
Related Sites:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center
News Conference Transcript
--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Washington Weekly

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:01:43 PDT

May 18, 2012

Posthumous Medal of Honor Presented
President Obama awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor to a 101st Airborne Division soldier who was killed 42 years ago in eastern Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Army Spc. Leslie H. Sabo Jr., is credited with saving the lives of several of his comrades in Company B, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry, when his platoon was ambushed on May 10, 1970. Sabo shielded a comrade from an enemy grenade and silenced a machine-gun bunker before he was killed. Accepting the medal Wednesday was his widow, Rose Mary Sabo-Brown. Read more.

VFW Testifies on Student Veteran Policy
On Wednesday, the VFW presented testimony before the House VA Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity regarding a recent Executive Order (#13607) that would better protect students using educational benefits. The executive order, entitled "Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses and Other Family Members," comes after the VFW asked Congress and the White House to improve consumer protections for veterans using their earned GI Bill benefits. The committee asked panelists their thoughts on the impact to the higher education community and ways to encourage reforms and responsible decision-making to protect veterans. For our complete testimony or to view the recorded webcast, visit our blog.

VFW Discusses Vets' Issues with House Dems
VFW Legislative Director Ray Kelley joined leaders from many of the nation's top veterans' organizations at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday for a roundtable discussion on military and veterans' issues with House Democratic leadership. In his remarks, Kelley called attention to a recent report on VA's failure to deliver timely mental healthcare to veterans suffering from invisible wounds like PTSD. To learn more about the roundtable and to see photos, visit our blog.

House VA Committee Discusses Prosthetics
This week, the House VA Subcommittee on Health held a hearing to examine VA's current prosthetic program and its procurement process. Witnesses included VA, several VSO's, the VA Inspector General Office and veterans discussing their personal experiences with VA's ability to provide state-of-the-art care to veterans with amputations. The Committee heard testimony concerning VA's proposal to change procurement processes for prostheses, which could result in prosthetics funding being at the disposal of hospital directors to be used for other purposes. The VFW opposes any such change and will continue to monitor the procurement process for prosthetics. Click here for the testimony or to view the recorded webcast.

NDAA Update
Today, the House cleared its version of the FY 2013 Defense bill (NDAA). As expected, the bill does not include any of the Administration's proposed TRICARE healthcare fees, but does make modest increases to the pharmacy program. Overall, the bill authorizes $554 billion (a $3.6 billion dollar increase over the Administration's request) in funding for DOD programs and $88.5 billion for the war in Afghanistan.

VFW-supported provisions include:

A 1.7% pay increase for military personnel and extensions of certain special pay and bonuses for active-duty and reserve personnel
Increased oversight and new regulations and procedures for combating Military Sexual Trauma
$10.8 billion dollars for military construction and family housing
No funding for any Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activities

The Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled to take up their bill next week. We urge you to contact your Senators today; let them know that shifting the cost of healthcare breaks faith with those who served and that you expect them to vote NO on any proposal that would harm our service members, retirees and their families. Contact your members today.

New Program to Retrain Unemployed Veterans
Unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 can now apply for new benefits to cover education costs for up to one year through a joint Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor program that focuses on retraining 99,000 veterans for high-demand jobs. As part of a provision of the VFW-supported Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) allows qualifying veterans to receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the full-time Montgomery GI Bill active duty rate, which is currently $1,473 per month. Veterans can apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for VRAP for programs that begin on or after July 1. For more information or to apply, click here or call the VA toll free at 1-800-827-1000 . Veterans can also access the VRAP application through eBenefits.

Google Student Veterans Summit
Internet powerhouse Google will select up to 20 student-veterans to attend an all-expense-paid Student Veterans Summit at their Mountain View, Calif., headquarters on July 16-17. The Summit will include a professional development curriculum geared towards your transition into the workplace, and possibly into the Google workforce. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. PST, May 31. Click here for more information or to apply.

NY Times Wants to Share Your Memorial Day Traditions
The New York Times "At War" blog is asking for veterans and veterans' advocates to share their Memorial Day traditions, honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation, leading up to the holiday. Share your stories in 200 words or less via email with atwar@nytimes.com or click here.

Free National Park Passes for Military
The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands annual pass ordinarily costs $80, but beginning tomorrow, Armed Forces Day, military personnel and their dependents can now get the pass for free, thanks to a new Department of Interior troop support program. Military personnel can get the passes at any national park or wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee by showing their military Common Access card, and family members can get their own passes by showing their dependent IDs (or DD Form 1173). Read more.

Five MIA's Identified
The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced the identification of four soldiers and one Marine who had been missing-in-action since World War II and the Korean War. Returned home are:

Army Pfc. Gerald W. Kight, 23, of White Salmon, Wash. In September 1944, Kight and the 82nd Division's 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment were dropped in the vicinity of Nijmegen, Netherlands, as part of the allied invasion codenamed "Market Garden." Kight was manning a machine gun near the town of Groesbeek, when his position was overrun by German forces.
Marine Corps Cpl. Wayne R. Erickson, 19, of Minneapolis. Erickson was a crewmember aboard a PBJ-1 aircraft that failed to return from a night training mission over the island of Espiritu Santo, in what is known today as Vanuatu. None of the crew was recovered and in 1945 they were officially presumed deceased.
Army Cpl. Clyde E. Anderson, 24, of Hamilton, Ohio. On Nov. 28, 1950, Anderson and elements of the 31st Regimental Combat Team, known as "Task Force Faith," were advancing along the eastern banks of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea when they came under attack. Anderson was reportedly last seen driving a jeep in a convoy that was ambushed by Communist forces.
Army Master Sgt. Elwood Green, 33, of Norman, Ark. In late November 1950, Green was a member of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, fighting Chinese forces near Samso-ri in North Korea. On Nov. 28, he was listed as missing-in-action. After the war, it was learned Green had been captured, but died of malnutrition in a Chinese POW Camp in North Korea in early 1951.
Army Cpl. David L. Catlin, 19, of Lockney, Texas. In late November 1950, Catlin and elements of the 31st Regimental Combat Team, known as "Task Force Faith," were advancing along the eastern banks of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea when they came under attack. On Dec. 2, Catlin was listed as missing-in-action. After the war, it was learned he had been captured, but died several months later as a result of malnutrition while being held as a POW near the northern end of the Chosin Reservoir in an area known as "Death Valley."

Read more about their individual stories

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Summit View: What is the Future of NATO?

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:41:40 PDT

Pictures sometimes say more than words. Looking around the table maybe NATO has gotten to large and encumbered with politics. Lack of cohesion and effectiveness seems to be a danger if you have too many Countries as members in NATO. Is it in our best interest to continue with this alliance as it is now? Big questions for State Dept and POTUS to mull over. Oh did I mention they must decide who picks up the bills for Operations in Afghanistan. We shall see.
--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Cold War Veterans to be Honored in a Memorial Day Parade in Dearborn Mi. Former Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter Grand Marshall

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Sat, 19 May 2012 23:31:35 PDT

Former Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter to lead Dearborn's Memorial Day Parade

Published: Saturday, May 19, 2012

http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2012/05/19/life/doc4fb6b2108c3ab665455156.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Dr. Donald C. Winter

View and purchase photos

DEARBORN — The grand marshal for Dearborn's 2012 Memorial Day Parade onMay 28 is the honorable Dr. Donald C. Winter, Secretary of the Navy from 2006-09.

The parade, which will especially honor Cold War veterans, begins at 10 a.m. and will travel along Michigan Avenue from Greenfield to Schaefer, ending at Dearborn City Hall.

Winter's years of distinguished service to his profession and to the safety and security of Americans, and his commitment to recognize the contributions of Cold War veterans, make him an excellent choice to be the Grand Marshal and keynote speaker, said Tom Wilson, Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council Commander (DAWVC).

Dearborn's parade also will include 13 Special Marshals, who are all Cold War veterans and former commanders of the DAWVC, which produces the parade with the city of Dearborn's support.

The special marshals are Leo Barrett, David Dumas, Richard Fleek, Ted Gagacki, George Harvey, Thomas Houle, Audrey Myers, Frank Pelaccio, Richard Przebienda, John Ruselowski, Patrick Tajack, Gary Tanner and Craig Tillman.

A noon remembrance ceremony will take place at Dearborn's War Memorial on the grounds of City Hall. This year, it will also include a funeral service for four veterans who died without resources and whose cremains have been stored in a funeral home since the 1980s.

Wilson says he is "honored to have Dr. Winter come to Dearborn as our special guest. His Cold War experiences and his contributions to bringing the Cold War to a conclusion are admired and solidify the message I wanted to deliver.

"As a recent Secretary of the Navy, Winter brings tremendous credibility and pride to the veterans that continue to serve the community of Dearborn," the DAWVC commander said.

"During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact threatened the very existence of the free world," Winter said.

"The responsibility for countering that threat fell on the shoulders of those who served during that time period; from those that developed and maintained our strategic deterrent, to those 'silent warriors' who risked and often lost their lives, collecting intelligence," Winter said.

Throughout his long career, Winter has been involved in projects of significance that better positioned the American military for the challenges of the United States two longest conflicts, the Cold War and the Afghanistan/Iraq battles. His background includes satellite research, laser physics and space acquisition programs.

In 2006, Winter was appointed by President Bush and then retained by President Obama to be the Secretary of the Navy.

In that position he was responsible for the U.S. Navy and the U. S. Marine Corps.

During his tenure he focused on prosecuting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; taking care of wounded sailors, Marines and their families; while planning and building the U.S. Navy's future fleet.

In mid-career, Winter was appointed by President Reagan to the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Project Agency to serve as Program Manager for space acquisition, tracking and pointing programs, including the design of the "Star Wars" technology to protect America from aerial attack (1980 to 1982).

Winter was also vice president and president, Northup Grumman's Mission Systems (2002 to 2005); and president and CEO of TRW Systems Inc. (1982 to 2002).

He now teaches at the University of Michigan, where he serves as the first Professor of Engineering Practice in the Departments of Aerospace Engineering and Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.

He is leading those departments as they develop a national discussion on the modernization of ship manufacturing operations within the United States, applying best practices of the aerospace industry.

Winter received his bachelor's degree with highest distinction in physics from the University of Rochester, and both a master's degree and doctorate in physics from the University of Michigan.

He is also a graduate of the USC Management Policy Institute, UCLA Executive Program and Harvard University Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security.

Winter was honored with the Secretary of Defense's Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service, is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering and chairs the National Research Council Committee on the Analysis of the Causes of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion.

Winter resides in Virginia with his wife, Linda, who will also attend Dearborn's Memorial Day activities.

For more information on the parade, visit www.cityofdearborn.org

The City of Dearborn Michigan Bravo! Honoring Cold War Vets at public Veterans Day and Memorial Day Parades is long overdue. Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter is great choice for Grand Marshall. What do you think America? Isn't it Time?
--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

IAVA Update

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:25:17 PDT

"What does IAVA mean to you?"

Last May, IAVA asked thousands of members and supporters across the country that exact question. You told us loud and clear: Honor. Service. Community. And together, your voices helped us define the values and identity of our movement.

One year later, I'm proud to carry it forward—literally. Watch this short video about what IAVA means to me, and how I'm making my mark to spread our mission every day.

I proudly served 15 months in Afghanistan as a medic with the 82nd Airborne. But my journey home from war hasn't been an easy road. I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury during my deployment, I lost my best friend in Iraq and I came home to an unemployment check and stigmas about invisible wounds.

In IAVA I've found a strong community that knows exactly where I'm coming from. From my first event in Wisconsin to joining the team full-time this year, IAVA is helping me rediscover the leader I was in the Army—and the leader I want to be here at home.

Take a minute to hear my story about the impact the IAVA community has had on my life in the past year.

I'm just one Afghanistan veteran. But my success is possible because of each of you are making your mark on our mission. Across the country, you're raising critical awareness about veterans' issues in your hometowns. You're advocating for and helping IAVA win decisive battles on Capitol Hill. And you're building the foundation for a lasting community of support for this new generation of veterans and their families.

That's no small feat. So to mark this anniversary, our entire team at IAVA wants to say 'thank you' for building our movement. We're 200,000 members and supporters strong because of you. And, with your continued support, we'll impact the lives of countless more returning veterans for years to come.

Thank you for defining IAVA, for being a part of this community, and for changing my life.

Keep making your mark.

Nick

Nick Colgin
Membership Coordinator
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

PS – Missed it? IAVA Member Moses Maddox showed tremendous courage and leadership for our community making an appearance on The Late Show this week. Watch his interview with David Letterman, and get the new IAVA lapel pin that he rocked!

IAVA Update. Love the effectiveness of IAVA that have been a VSO model for 21st century.
--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Honoring A Hero

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:12:58 PDT

President Barack Obama awards the Medal of Honor posthumously to Army Spc. Leslie H. Sabo Jr. and presents it to Sabo's widow, Rose Mary Sabo-Brown, during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C., May 16, 2012. Sabo was killed in action in Cambodia in 1970 while saving the lives of fellow soldiers during the Vietnam War.

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Commander Seeks Better Military-to-Military Relations With China

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:22:52 PDT

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2012 - Chinese and American officials recognize the importance of good, uninterrupted military-to-military relations, and the commander of U.S. Pacific Command will do what he can to further that goal.

Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III spoke about his new command and the importance he places in building the U.S. military relationship with China during a recent interview.

"The last thing you want to have is miscalculation between large militaries," the admiral said. "You want diplomacy to work. Militaries should only come into play when diplomacy fails, and then they should work hard to get you back into a diplomatic dialogue where real peace lies."

The U.S.-China military relationship has been rocky. China broke off military-to-military relations with the United States in January 2010, when the United States announced it would sell arms to Taiwan. For months, military relations were frozen, then they slowly warmed. In 2011, the military-to-military relationship resumed. Then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates stressed that it was particularly in times of stress between the nations that such ties were important.

Gates visited China in January 2011, and his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Liang Guanglie, just finished a visit to the United States. The visit went forward even as arms sales to Taiwan again hit the news.

Chinese government officials face many decisions as the country moves forward. The nation has had stupendous growth over the past 30 years, and year-to-year growth in gross domestic product remains high. The Chinese army is benefiting from the booming economy, and Chinese officials are modernizing the military.

"They are an emerging power, and we are a mature power," Locklear said. "How they emerge, and how we encourage them will be an important key to both China and the United States."

The Chinese have many choices to make, and better military-to-military communications will allow both nations to understand why officials are making these choices. All this is "for the good of the global security environment," Locklear said.

The on-again, off-again nature of communications between the militaries doesn't help. "I think we may be reaching a turning point in that," he said. "Both nations realize that it's not in the best interests of anyone in the world for the U.S. and China to not have a favorable relationship with each other, and that good military-to-military relations [are] critical to that."

Military-to-military contacts are one way to build trust between the nations, the admiral said. "You learn to operate together, you learn to cooperate, you learn about each other's families -- you get a personal view of each other." So when things happen, he added, commanders can reach out to one another.

Sometimes it's impossible for capitals to talk to each other, the admiral said, and military commanders, with these types of contacts, sometimes can calm things down a bit.

Locklear had just returned from a visit to Beijing, and said he came away encouraged by the progress. "I'm hopeful that we can continue to have a dialogue and just talk together," he said. "It doesn't mean we have to agree on everything."

The United States and its closest allies don't agree on everything, he noted. "But I do believe we should not allow those disagreements prevent us from understanding each other in the places that we can, and allow us to control our appetite for disagreement," he said.

The South China Sea is an area of contention, with China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and Cambodia asserting jurisdiction in various parts of the waterway, which covers an area from Singapore to Taiwan.

"The United States doesn't take sides on competing territorial claims," Locklear said. "But we have an opinion on how we want those disputes to be resolved. First, we want them resolved by peaceful means and in accordance with customary law and by the things like the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. There are ways to deal with this."

Additionally, the United States calls upon all claimants to clarify their claims.

The South China Sea is crucial to trade in the region and with the United States. Half of the trade for the United States flows through the region. Almost all of the oil for China and Japan flow through the waterway.

There are competing claims to islands and seamounts in the sea, and how this plays out is of concern to the United States. "The way to deal with this is to settle in a forum where there can be as much win-win as possible," the admiral said. "But we want it done in a peaceful environment and we don't want a heavy hand from any side to enforce the process."

While not taking sides, the United States has a national interest in the freedom of the seas -- including the South China Sea -- and has consistently opposed excessive maritime claims. U.S. forces will continue to preserve the rights, freedoms and uses of the sea guaranteed to all nations by conducting freedom of navigation missions in the area.

While China is important to the U.S. strategy in the region, Locklear said, Korea is one area that keeps him awake at night. North Korea has a new leader, and more than half the population survives on fewer than 800 calories a day. The regime spent an inordinate amount of money to try to launch an ICBM, and there are rumblings that North Korea may continue to develop nuclear weapons. With the money that North Korea spent on its failed missile, "you could have fed 20 million people for one year," the admiral said.

Transnational threats also are a growing concern. Locklear said the cyber threat is the greatest transnational threat in the region, followed by terrorism. U.S. Pacific Command has an office dedicated to protecting its own networks and working with allies to combat cyber attacks. Locklear said he wants regional and international organizations to work together to define the rules of the Internet road.

"In the area of violent terror organizations, we are seeing ... a transition," the admiral said. "In the terror world, as you squeeze on one side of the balloon, it pops out somewhere else. Terrorists look for areas to exploit."

Terror groups are drawn to areas where people are disenfranchised and poor. "We're seeing more of that in some areas of Asia and we are going to have to adapt our forces to deal with that," Locklear said. "But in the long run, I think the solution is prosperity, and a general sense of security that makes it so these terror networks can't survive."

But the bottom line, the admiral said, is that the American people have to understand that the United States is a Pacific nation, with national interests that must be secured.

"For six decades, the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific has provided the security infrastructure that basically underpins the prosperity in the region," he added. "This will continue."

Biographies:
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III

Related Sites:
U.S. Pacific Command

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Army Leaders Order System-wide Review of Behavioral Health Care

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:13:28 PDT

Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Chief of Staff Raymond T. Odierno announced today the start of a comprehensive, Army-wide review of soldier behavioral health diagnoses and evaluations.

"We owe it to every soldier to ensure that he or she receives the care they need and deserve," said McHugh. "Just as our behavioral health professionals are committed to providing the best possible care, we, too, must ensure that our processes and procedures are thorough, fair and conducted in accordance with appropriate, consistent medical standards."

The announcement comes following revelations that some soldiers diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) had that finding rejected during a subsequent evaluation at the Madigan Army Medical Center near Tacoma, Wash. The Army is currently reviewing those cases and, in some instances, determined that the original PTSD diagnoses were more accurate. The Army will now review diagnoses and evaluations made at its remaining medical facilities. Such diagnoses are the first step in a soldier's evaluation for disability benefits.

"In addition to reviewing behavioral health diagnoses, we will develop a detailed action plan to identify, analyze and, if needed, correct behavioral health policy, procedure or programmatic issues in the Army's implementation of these vital systems," said Odierno.

McHugh and Odierno said that the effort will be led by their respective deputies, Undersecretary of the Army Joseph Westphal and Vice Chief of Staff Lloyd Austin. "Secretary Westphal and General Austin have the experience, leadership and know-how to find any problems, and fix them quickly," they said. "Reviewing our processes and policies will ensure that we apply an appropriate standard at every installation -- one that is influenced only by the opinion and expertise of our medical professionals."

Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler will serve as special advisor to the effort. "If a soldier is wounded in the arm or the leg, we know what we need to do to treat their wound and get them the care and treatment they need," Chandler said. "PTSD isn't something you can see, often making it harder to detect."

"These challenges require us to strengthen our efforts," McHugh said. "And that starts with the correct evaluation and proper medical diagnoses."

All I have to say is it is about time. The system has been not working up to now with high suicide rates and young soldiers who get discharged suffering from PTSD and having no support system to help them manage and deal with Mental Health issues when they get home. Sending Soldiers on deployments who are not deploy-able then you wonder why you have a guy snap and shoot up a village . Better Late than never.
--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

528th USAAG

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:48:49 PDT

528th, a photo by Coldc War Veterans Blog on Flickr.

Nuke Masters

Whatever it Takes!!!

Whooa

VA Prosthetic Care at a Crossroads

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:42:27 PDT

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing to examine VA's current capabilities to provide state-of-the-art care to veterans with amputations. The Committee heard testimony concerning VA's proposal to change procurement processes for prostheses, potentially hindering a veteran's ability to acquire the latest prosthetic and corresponding care and support.

"VA has been struggling to keep pace with the rising demands of younger and more active veterans with amputations," stated Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Health. "VA must continue to provide multi-disciplinary care to maintain long-term and life-time quality of life. Placing prosthesis procurement into the hands of contracting officers is alarming. VA needs to match the determination and spirit demonstrated by our wounded warriors and recommit themselves to becoming a leader once again in prosthetic care."

Currently, VA provides care to approximately 42,000 veterans with limb loss. As of August of 2011, 1,506 servicemembers had experienced amputations on active duty from Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. An additional 2,248 veterans underwent major amputations at VA in 2011. VA prosthetic costs have more than doubled in the past five years, yet, VA's care has fallen behind that of the Department of Defense (DoD).

"Prosthetics are a truly individualized extension of one person's body and mobility, not your typical bulk supply purchase," stated Jim Mayer, a Vietnam veteran, double amputee, and wounded warrior advocate and mentor. "When today's warriors are referred to VA and seek the newer, cutting-edge, technologically superior prosthetics they have been accustomed to [through DoD], will VA be able to meet that demand? DoD centers of excellence provide state-of-the-art and often newly evaluative prosthetics that have allowed warriors to thrive, not just in walking, but also run competitively, compete in the Paralympics, rock climb, play myriad sports and other endeavors."

"Prosthetic technology and VA have come a long way from the Civil War era. Following World War II, veterans dissatisfied with the quality of VA prosthetics stormed the Capitol in protest. Congress responded by providing VA with increased flexibility for prosthetic options and federally funded research and development," said Buerkle. "As a result, VA has been a leader in helping veterans with amputations regain mobility and achieve maximum independence. This is why I am troubled by VA's proposed changes in procurement policies and procedures which shifts the emphasis from the doctors to contracting officers."

For more news from House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, please visit:

http://Veterans.House.Gov

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

U.S.-South Korea Alliance Provides Security in Northeast Asia

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:01:14 PDT

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2012 - The U.S.-South Korea alliance provides security and stability in Northeast Asia and that partnership will continue into the future, said Brig. Gen. Kang Yong-hee, chief of public affairs for the South Korean Army.

The United States and South Korea today stand together to face the threat posed by North Korea, Kang said in an interview with the Pentagon Channel. That partnership, he said, stems from the two nations' comradeship during the Korean War.

"We fought together to protect values we both share -- freedom and democracy," Kang said. "I think this experience is the founding stone of the ROK [South Korea]-U.S. alliance."

North Korea has a 6 million-man military out of a population of 23 million. An armistice, rather than a peace treaty, ended the Korean War, which was fought from 1950 to 1953. Technically, this means the North and South are still at war.

The United States has about 28,000 troops serving in South Korea who exercise and train with their South Korean counterparts. They are seasoned by 10 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan and are passing lessoned learned to their South Korean counterparts.

"I think the realistic, action oriented training system based on real combat experience has been very helpful," Kang said.

South Korea is scheduled to assume wartime command of allied forces on the peninsula in 2015.

"As we develop our level of cooperation beyond the realm of military and security to areas such as politics, economics, society and culture, we need to enhance our military partnership beyond operational level," Kang said. "I believe we can achieve that."

During his visit, Kang received briefings and met with officials at the Pentagon. He also visited Fort Meade, Md., where he toured the studios of the Defense Media Activity.

Related Sites:
State Department Background Note on South Korea

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Sign The Card

Sean.Eagan@gmail.com (Sean Eagan) — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:34:44 PDT

Dear Sean,

I hope you got my last email.

Let me get right to the point ...

VFW wants to get a signed card in the hands of as many hospitalized veterans as we can. Please help us and sign a Thank You card today. I need every member to take action.

I will personally make sure your card is printed and delivered to a hospitalized veteran who needs to feel remembered.

But I need to hear from you soon, comrade!

Sign your card by May 18 so we can make sure your card is delivered promptly. And please forward this email to your friends and family.

Thank you for your service, Sean, and for your concern for your fellow veterans.

FOR

VETERANS,

Allen "Gunner" Kent
Adjutant General

--
Sean P Eagan

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000

Cold War Veterans Blog: National Guard Marks its 375th Birthday [Digg]

Digg — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:25:32 PST

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 12, 2011 - The origin of the nation's state National Guard organizations sprang from the forming of militia in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 17th century.

Cold War Veterans Blog: More Remains Disposed in Landfill [Digg]

Digg — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:06:46 PST

Thursday, a front page Washington Post article revealed that the Air Force disposed of the incinerated partial remains of at least 274 American troops in a landfill in King George County, Va. According to the article, 976 fragments from 274 military personnel were incinerated and taken to the landfill between 2004 and 2008. An additional group of 1,762 unidentifiable remains were collected from the battlefield and disposed of in the same manner. Those fragments, according to the Air Force, were too badly burned or damaged from explosions to undergo DNA testing. VFW National Commander Richard DeNoyer said in a press statement last month that this "exceeds on many levels the nationwide anger that resulted from reports of mistreated wounded at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2007 and reports of lost or misplaced graves at Arlington National Cemetery in 2009. You only get one chance to return our fallen warriors to their families with all the dignity and

Cold War Veterans Blog: VFW Washington Weekly NDAA Update [Digg]

Digg — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:47:34 PST

NDAA Update

Cold War Veterans Blog: Should a War-Wounded Hero Face Hungry Holidays? [Digg]

Digg — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:37:37 PST

Should a War-Wounded Hero Face Hungry Holidays?

Cold War Veterans Blog: 20 Ways Civilians Can Give Back to Veterans [Digg]

Digg — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:31:35 PDT

Veterans Advocate Laura Reed Goodson compiled this guide and I thought it was fitting to pass it along with Veterans Day right around the corner. Pick one or pick them all they are all great ideas for expressing your thanks to our nations veterans.

veterans legislation passes house VOW ACT [Digg]

Digg — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:30:36 PDT

The U.S. House of Representatives passed six pieces of veteran legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support this week (H.R. 2433, as amended; H.R. 2074, as amended; H.R. 2302, as amended; H.R. 2349, as amended; H.R. 1263, as amended; and H.R. 1025). "The House of Representatives sent a clear message that not only is support for our veterans strong, but that we stand together to end veteran unemployment,"