Military Matters for Georgians

Healing 4 Heroes Assists Veterans with Service Dogs

2013-09-09T11:12:00.000-04:00

Healing 4 Heroes is a nonprofit group based in Peachtree City whose mission is to train and place psychiatric service dogs to veterans with PTSD. What makes this group so special is they train shelter dogs to become companions to the vets. The dogs are trained to assist the veterans with up to seven tasks. This year alone, Wounded Warrior has referred 12 veterans for a service dog and there are currently 8 veterans waiting for their "battle buddy".

Seeing the veterans with their "battle buddy" in action is awe inspiring. These once unwanted dogs are now the best friends of our veterans in need. Veterans return home in body, but sometimes, the effects of war remain with them. Whether it is a loud noise, or loss of hearing from their service, the veterans can have difficulty in returning to life as they knew it before their service to our country.

At a recent fundraiser for Healing 4 Heroes, we ran across the combination of veterans helping other veterans, volunteers helping with dog adoptions and the spirit of America.

Mike Quinn, a local Newnan Vietnam Vet who was at the fundraiser, urges others to get involved with Healing 4 Heroes as the veterans with PTSD need our help and support.

Shanon Clay of Williamson, GA, commented she is proud to support Healing 4 Heroes in their mission to help wounded veterans through training and supplying of service dogs for all their individual needs. In addition, she encourages others to support our troops, support their families as our heroes are important to us.

What can we say? Saving two lives just touches our heart.

To learn more how you can help, follow Healing 4 Heroes on Facebook or send an email to healing4heroes@aol.com . Or better yet, pick up the phone. Call 678-364-9993 and ask Piper how you can become involved.

Celebrate Armed Forces Day (Gwinnett)

2012-05-16T16:43:00.000-04:00

Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation is pleased to host Armed Forces Day Remembrance on Sat., May 19 to pay tribute to men and women who have served or presently are a part of the United States’ armed forces.

The event will be held on the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse grounds in downtown Lawrenceville from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Displays will feature mock military campsites, uniform clad military reenactors, and military vehicles. There will be food concessions, music, and entertainment in the gazebo for all to enjoy. This free family event is made possible by the generous sponsorships of Tom Wages Funeral Service and Conder Flags of Atlanta.

A Breakfast with the Veterans will be held at 8:30 a.m. that same day for those pre-registered. The cost for the breakfast is $9 per person and will allow participants the opportunity to meet with veterans, hear presentations by active duty and retired U.S. military, and take a guided tour of the Gwinnett Veterans Memorial Museum. Registration for the breakfast must be made in advance by calling the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse at 770-822-5450.

National Infantry Museum, Columbus, GA, To Host Gulf War 20th Anniversary National Tribute 9AM May 26 To Honor Service Members, Unveil Stones To Those Who Lost Lives in Decisive Military Action

2011-05-12T11:42:00.000-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Infantry Museum, located adjacent to Fort Benning in Columbus, GA, will host a Gulf War Twentieth Anniversary National Tribute to the men and women killed in service during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm on Thursday, May 26, from 9-10:30AM, leading off Memorial Day Weekend. The event will include participation by the top service commanders from the conflict and will feature laying commemorative granite paved stones for each of the men and women who died. Families and unit members will attend and thousands are expected.

"We won rapidly in the Gulf War; 382 men and women gave their lives," says Col. Greg Camp (Ret), Executive Vice President of the National Infantry Foundation. Infantry Foundation Chairman Lieutenant General Carmen Cavezza added, "This event is a long overdue national tribute to the sacrifices our military heroes made to enable a clear victory by the United States and coalition forces. This will be the first official recognition of all Gulf War men and women who died in service."

The event's emcee will be retired Four-Star General Barry R. McCaffrey, a division commander in the Gulf War. The top Air Force and Navy commanders in the Gulf War have already indicated participation, Gen. Charles Horner (Ret), and Admiral Stanley Arthur (Ret), as well as LtGen. William M. Keys, USMC (Ret.), who commanded the 2nd Marine Division in the Gulf War. Other leaders from all branches are expected. In addition to the stone pavers and speeches, a military honor guard will march. Taps will be played following the unveiling of the stones and the raising of a new, special, dedicated flag for the Gulf War.

McCaffrey stated, "The Gulf War was a decisive military action. Anyone who comes to the Infantry Museum and sees the powerful exhibits from all of America's wars will understand how appropriate it is that the Gulf War commemoration be hosted here. As a participant in the Gulf War, I am proud that America is giving recognition to those who served and died for their country."

The National Infantry Museum and Foundation continues to seek information from families and unit members of the service members killed in the Gulf War to include at the event. All are invited to come. Persons with information or photos of the 382 are asked to send them to Cyndy Cerbin at ccerbin@nationalinfantryfoundation.org or contact her. "We want families and friends to feel that this is home for recognition of their heroes," said Ben Williams, Executive Director of National Infantry Foundation.

In partnership with the Army and the Maneuver Center of Excellence, the Gulf War ceremony will be a special event included at the conclusion of the graduation of a company of new Infantry School soldiers, a powerful message of continuity for the graduates. Four-Star General BB Bell (Ret), who was General Norman Schwarzkopf's executive officer in the Gulf War as a colonel, will deliver the graduation address. The class then march the short distance to the granite pavers for the unveiling.

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As Government Threatens to Shut Down, The American Legion Reaches Out to Military Families

2011-04-08T16:54:00.000-04:00

PRNewswire - As the threat of a shutdown by the federal government looms, the nation's largest veterans service organization is offering support to military families who may suffer stress due to its effects.

If families of military personnel – especially those deployed overseas – are affected adversely by a government shutdown, they are encouraged to seek assistance from The American Legion's Family Support Network (FSN). FSN's function is explained on the program's web page at www.legion.org/familysupport. Electronic applications for help can be submitted immediately and 24/7 via a link on the page. The Family Support Network's phone center will be manned as of 8:00 a.m. Monday. "We are ready to help in any way we can," said Jimmie L. Foster, National Commander of The American Legion.

"Our Family Support Network cannot take the place of a paycheck," said Foster, "but we can help those families – especially those with deployed loved ones – take care of needs such as the provision of groceries, car repair, help with fix-it-up projects, advice and counsel, and perhaps, intercession with local businesses to extend payment terms and such. We are not the government," he continued, "but we are a good neighbor who can help some families get through this situation if it does happen."

To members of the armed forces, a government shutdown would mean that they would be issued promissory notes rather than paychecks while the work stoppage continues. "The problem is, an I.O.U. doesn't satisfy a mortgage company, or a utility company, a bank officer or even a grocery clerk," said Foster. "That's why we have strongly encouraged the Department of Defense to continue troops' pay uninterrupted. As I have said, 'The troops are either engaged in combat or supporting those who are. They don't need to deal with this uncertainty. We don't think our elected leaders should allow it to go that far.'"

As for military veterans and their families, the benefits and services offered to by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will remain, for the most part, unaffected by a government shutdown. However, some impact will be felt. The American Legion has posted a presentation by the VA on the subject at: www.legion.org/veteransbenefits/99722/va-provides-answers-shutdown-concerns.

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Georgia Loses Another Soldier: Pvt. Jeremy P. Faulkner, Griffin, GA

2011-03-31T17:39:00.002-04:00

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pvt. Jeremy P. Faulkner, 23, of Griffin, Ga., died March 29 of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Konar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Airman Missing in Action from Korean War is Identified

2011-01-21T22:22:00.000-05:00

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, has been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Air Force 1st Lt. Robert F. Dees, 23, of Moultrie, Ga., will be buried Jan. 22 at the Longstreet Historical Cemetery in Ozark, Ala. On Oct. 9, 1952, he was flying an F-84 Thunderjet, attacking several targets in North Korea. After he and three aircraft from the 430th Fighter-Bomber Squadron completed their attack on their primary target, they began their bombing run against enemy boxcars on the railroad near Sinyang. Other members of his flight reported seeing an explosion near the target they were attacking. They believed it to be the crash of Dees' aircraft and could not raise any radio contact with him. Airborne searches over the battlefield failed to locate him or his aircraft.

Following the armistice in 1953, the North Koreans repatriated 4,219 remains of U.S. and allied soldiers during Operation Glory. In November 1954, they turned over remains which they reported were recovered from Sinyang. Accompanying the remains were portions of a pilot's flight suit and a pneumatic life preserver. But after two attempts, the Army's mortuary at Kokura, Japan, was unable to identify the remains. They were buried in 1956 as "unknown" at the Punch Bowl Cemetery in Hawaii.

Beginning in the late 1990s, analysts from DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) undertook a concentrated review of Korean War air losses, as well as a review of the Kokura mortuary files. They made a tentative association to Dees, based on U.S. wartime records as well as the information provided by the North Koreans. These remains were disinterred from the Punch Bowl Cemetery in June 2010.

Dees' remains were identified by making extensive dental comparisons with his medical records.
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Veterans Sue Obama Administration Over 76 Year Old War Memorial: VFW Wants Obama to Restore Mojave Desert Cross

2011-01-11T14:44:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Liberty Institute, representing the VFW Department of California and VFW Post 385, just filed a lawsuit against the Obama Administration because it refuses to transfer ownership of the land on which stood the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial to the VFW, as directed by a 2003 Act of Congress. The Obama Administration also refused to allow the VFW to rebuild the memorial after vandals destroyed it in May 2010, and it opposed the VFW's intervention into the lawsuit brought by the ACLU. The ACLU is attempting to permanently remove the VFW's Memorial as the case returns to the district court at the U.S. Supreme Court's direction.

"The way our government has treated the veterans in this case is a disgrace to their service and dedication," said Kelly Shackelford, president/CEO of Liberty Institute. "Members of the VFW and those this Memorial represents paid for this land with their own blood, sweat, and tears."

The U.S. Supreme Court's opinion in April 2010 reversed the rulings of the district court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals which had demanded the removal of the Mojave Desert Memorial, and sent the case back to the district court for further consideration.

As Justice Kennedy observed in the U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the Memorial, the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial "evokes thousands of small crosses in foreign fields marking the graves of Americans who fell in battles, battles whose tragedies are compounded if the fallen are forgotten."

The VFW then filed a motion to intervene in the district court case, which was denied after the Obama administration and the ACLU together opposed the veterans' attempt to defend their own Memorial on land transferred to them by an Act of Congress. The Memorial remains in a vandalized state since criminals tore it down on May 9, weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling protecting the Memorial.

"This land belongs to the VFW, and the court should honor the congressional act that conveys the land and the memorial to the veterans," said Ted Cruz, a Partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and co-counsel with Liberty Institute. "The veterans have an acute interest in restoring and preserving this 76-year-old memorial to those brave American soldiers who gave their lives in World War I."

"This is our land, our memorial and we want it back," said James Rowoldt, State Adjutant/Quartermaster of the VFW Department of California. "To deny the veterans a chance to defend our own is to continue to dishonor those for whom the Memorial stands."

In a disturbing trend, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the same court that originally ruled against the Mojave Desert Memorial, recently ruled that the Mount Soledad Memorial, a 43-foot-tall veterans memorial in San Diego, is also unconstitutional. Liberty Institute represents The American Legion as an amicus in the case, and launched a petition at www.DontTearMeDown.com asking President Obama to appeal the disgraceful ruling.

Liberty Institute works to uphold Constitutional and First Amendment religious freedoms and free speech in the courts. Liberty Institute represented all the major veterans groups as amici in the Supreme Court case of Salazar v. Buono involving this 76-year-old war memorial.

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Defense Official Outlines Pay Freeze Details

2011-01-11T07:53:00.002-05:00

Defense Department civilian employees affected by the federal pay freeze for 2011 and 2012 will still have the opportunity to receive performance awards, promotions and normal longevity increases, a senior defense official said.

Pasquale "Pat" M. Tamburrino Jr., deputy undersecretary of defense for civilian personnel policy, told American Forces Press Service in a recent interview that senior leaders are working to ensure that employees are treated fairly during the freeze.

"We value the contributions of our career federal employees, and we value their service to the nation. Nothing has changed there," he said. From the time the pay freeze was announced, Tamburrino added, the emphasis has been on ensuring all federal employees receive equal treatment.

"Whether you're the most junior civil servant on the first day of the job or you're a member of the executive leadership team, it applies to you," he said. Defense leaders, he noted, have been "very clear" in directing that the freeze should affect all employees equally.

"Not everything is covered by statute," he said, noting that heads of agencies have some administrative discretion in some dimensions of pay. But guidance on the pay freeze instructs agency heads to manage administrative privileges the same way the president treated general pay increases in the executive order, he added.

"You should not use that privilege to grant a pay raise," he said.

Tamburrino said he encourages managers to use the tools that always have been available to them -– and still are -– to reward employees.

"When it's appropriate, you give somebody a performance award," he said. "If you tell them the organization has five or six goals, and they do a lot of heavy lifting to help you get to those goals, then I think you should sit down as a leader and say, 'We have to recognize that.'"

Most employees, he said, want three things: clear guidance on the management team's priorities, the tools and resources necessary to complete their work, and coaching and feedback.

"Financial compensation is important because it is; we all have financial obligations that have to be satisfied," he said. "But what's really important as well is [that] you want to tell your employees, 'You're doing a really fine job.'"

President Barack Obama announced his intent for a two-year pay freeze for federal civilian workers Nov. 29. Congress approved the proposal, and Obama signed it into law Dec. 22.

The Office of Personnel Management issued a memorandum Dec. 30 to heads of executive departments and agencies, detailing how the freeze applies to the federal work force in accordance with existing law and presidential guidance. The Defense Department issued guidance in line with OPM's the same day.

"It's a response to the difficulties the country is facing, and I think what's really good about it is [that] it's universal," Tamburrino said. "You have to have a very clear understanding of what's in and what's out, because that's what affects employees."

The freeze covers what have traditionally been known as general pay increases, he said, which normally take effect each January and consist of a combination of base pay and locality pay increases for most civilian employees. Federal civilian pay increased an average of 3.5 percent in 2008, 3.9 percent in 2009, and 2 percent in 2010, according to government figures.

"The president determined, based on the state of the economy, that those pay raises that are statutory in nature should not be granted [during the two-year freeze]," Tamburrino said.

According to the OPM guidance, the freeze, which extends though Dec. 31, 2012, affects some 2 million federal civilian employees in most pay systems: general schedule, executive schedule, senior executive service, senior foreign service, senior-level and scientific, and professional. Postal employees and military service members are not affected by the freeze.

However, OPM officials said, the pay freeze policy may not apply to any increase that is required by a collective bargaining agreement that has already been executed.

Except for minor instances in Alaska, Hawaii and other nonforeign areas, locality pay also is frozen, Tamburrino said. "I think everybody recognizes [the pay freeze] was a really difficult decision," he said. "I think we did a tremendous job in issuing some very clear guidance, and I think the leadership of the Department of Defense did a really good job in making it very level and even across the department."

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

President Signs Defense Authorization Act

2011-01-11T07:52:00.002-05:00

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2011 - Noting his objection to two of its provisions, President Barack Obama signed the fiscal 2011 defense authorization act into law Jan. 7.

The Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 is named for former U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, longtime chairman the House Armed Services Committee, who lost his House seat in November's election.

"The act authorizes funding for the defense of the United States and its interests abroad, for military construction, and for national security-related energy programs," the president wrote in a statement accompanying the signing's announcement.

Obama registered "strong objections" to two of the act's provisions related to transfer of detainees from the U.S. facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. One prohibits the use of funds appropriated by the act to transfer Guantanamo detainees into the United States, and the other bars the use of certain funds to transfer detainees to the custody or effective control of foreign countries unless specified conditions are met.

But despite his objections to the two sections, the president said in his statement, "I have signed this act because of the importance of authorizing appropriations for, among other things, our military activities in 2011." The act governs a wide range of Defense Department activities, including procurement; research, development, testing and evaluation; equipment operation and maintenance; military personnel authorizations and policy; and reserve-component management.

Georgia loses another brave soldier...

2011-01-09T21:10:00.002-05:00

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lance Cpl. Joseph R. Giese, 24, of Winder, Ga., died Jan. 7 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Detainee Transfer Announced

2011-01-06T16:58:00.002-05:00

The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Saiid Farhi from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Algeria. Farhi was ordered released by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Nov. 19, 2009.

As directed by the President's Jan. 22, 2009, executive order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of this case. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, Farhi was approved for transfer by unanimous consent among all six agencies on the task force. In accordance with Congressionally-mandated reporting requirements, the administration informed Congress of its intent to transfer this individual.

The United States is grateful to the Government of Algeria for its willingness to support U.S. efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The United States coordinated with the Government of Algeria to ensure the transfer took place under appropriate security and humane treatment measures.

Today, 173 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.

Statement by the Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos on Efficiencies

2011-01-06T16:05:00.000-05:00

"Today the Secretary of Defense announced the termination of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program. I support his decision. After a thorough review of the program within the context of a broader Marine Corps force structure review, I personally recommended to both the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy that the EFV be cancelled and that the Marine Corps pursue a more affordable amphibious tracked fighting vehicle.

"Despite the critical amphibious and warfighting capability the EFV represents, the program is simply not affordable given likely Marine Corps procurement budgets. The procurement and operations/maintenance costs of this vehicle are onerous. After examining multiple options to preserve the EFV, I concluded that none of the options meets what we consider reasonable affordability criteria. As a result, I decided to pursue a more affordable vehicle.

"Our nation's amphibious capability remains the Corps' priority. In the complex security environment we face, the execution of amphibious operations requires the use of the sea as maneuver space. A modern amphibious tracked vehicleis the means towards this end. It enables the seamless projection of ready-to-fight Marine rifle squads from sea to land. It is thus the key to allowing ship-to-shore operations in permissive, uncertain, and hostile environments; assuring access where infrastructure is destroyed or nonexistent; and creating joint access in defended areas. It is also central to the entire Marine tactical vehicle strategy for operations ashore. Once on land, an amphibious armored fighting vehicle provides the Marine rifle squad with the protected mobility and firepowerto maneuver to a position of advantage to rapidly close with, engage, and defeat the enemy.

"The Marine Corps remains committed to develop and field an effective, survivable and affordable amphibious tracked vehicle. To bring this capability to the force sooner rather than later, we intend to capitalize on the Office of the Secretary of Defense's recent efforts to streamline procurement and to rapidly accelerate the acquisition and contracting processes in developing our new amphibious tracked vehicle requirement.

"Shortly, we will issue a special notice to industry requesting information relative to supporting our required amphibious capabilities. We look forward to working with industry in meeting this challenge to field a modern and affordable amphibious tracked vehicle that will support our nation's needs."

Mullen: Leadership Key to Nation's, Military's Future

2011-01-04T11:37:00.000-05:00

Because leaders at all levels are key to U.S. success, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a CNN interview broadcast yesterday, his main concern is ensuring the military continues to develop and encourage great leaders for the country.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told Fareed Zakaria on the "GPS" program that America's toughest problems are solved by great leaders. The chairman gave the interview in November, but the network didn't broadcast this portion of the interview until yesterday.

"As I become more senior, ... one of the things I worry about the most is how do I stay in touch with those that I affect the most," Mullen said.

The chairman noted that he meets wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. In addition, he said, he and his wife, Deborah, go to Dover Air Force Base, where the remains of fallen warriors return to the United States, "to meet those families and to face the most difficult part of it."

"We attend the funerals at Arlington [National Cemetery]," he added. "We meet with the ... families of the fallen. I certainly intend to be there for them."

The chairman also meets service members in the field. His most-recent trip to Afghanistan took him to Marja in Helmand province and to Forward Operating Base Wilson in Kandahar province.

"Local commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq don't necessarily want me out in the middle of the fight, and I can understand that," he said. "But when I visit, I try to get as far into that as I can, because one of the things that's been a leadership principle for me forever is ... I want to understand as much as I can about what I'm asking a young man or a young woman to do, including to die for our country."

That impetus, he said, is "just in my soul. I need to do that." The need, he added, comes from feeling accountable for their lives.

Mullen also spoke about leadership at the senior level, which he said requires a different set of capabilities.

"Another thing that I try to subscribe to, particularly as I've gotten more senior is listening, learning and leading," he said. "The more senior I've become, the more I try to listen to others and to see challenges and problems through other people's eyes, whether they are service chiefs, combatant commanders or ... military leaders throughout the world."

Still, Mullen said, he is not shy about making decisions and pushing the team forward.

The chairman said he is concerned about the military retaining the right kind of officer and noncommissioned officer leadership in the future. The military's young, mid-grade officers and NCOs have deployed repeatedly, he noted, and are the most combat-tested force in U.S. history. "They are exceptional in what they've done," he said. "And if we retain them in our military in the right proportion, the right numbers, then our military is going to be fine for the future, and it's going to be fine because they will lead us."

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Comedy Hypnotist to Entertain Returning US Soldiers

2010-12-14T21:13:00.000-05:00

Glenn Miller, The Master of Comedy Hypnosis, will entertain troops returning from a two-year tour in Iraq and Afghanistan at Ft. Stewart, Georgia early next year. Proceeds from the show will be donated to the soldiers and their families.

Captain Shane McKinley, after reviewing many comedy hypnotists, contacted Ft. Lauderdale, FL based “Dinney” Dinofer, personal Manager of Miller, inquiring as to the cost of having Miller perform. It was an immediate decision by Dinofer and Miller that Miller would perform for the troops gratis on Friday, January 28, 2011.

Miller, who was the #1 comedy hypnotist on Carnival Cruise Lines for 4 years, now appears on Royal Caribbean Cruise lines as well as conventions, corporate dates, universities, colleges and social events.

Ft. Stewart is an Army post primarily in Liberty County and Bryan County in South Georgia. The population at the 2000 census was 11, 205. Fort Stewart was built in January of 1941. Main residents are members of the 3rd Infantry Division. The Fort Stewart Military Reservation includes approximately 280,000 acres making it the largest military installation in the Eastern United States.

The show that Glenn Miller is presenting is audience participation and is one that will entertain the troops, but the main purpose is to raise money. Hopefully residents in the nearby communities will support the fundraiser.

Year-long G.I. Bill 'fix-it' Campaign by Legion Pays Off with Senate Vote

2010-12-14T14:19:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- A concentrated lobbying effort by The American Legion and fellow VSOs (veterans service organizations) has culminated in U.S. Senate passage of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Improvements Act of 2010. The legislation expands and improves educational assistance for veterans who served in the armed forces after September 11, 2001.

"This is great news," said Jimmie L. Foster, National Commander of The American Legion. "This bill rectifies the inequities and shortcomings of the well-intentioned but incomplete Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and makes it whole."

Among other things, the new measure expands Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits to include financial assistance to veterans pursuing training in vocational schools and through distance learning programs. Presently, assistance under that legislation is available only to those veterans attending degree-granting colleges and universities. The act also expands benefits to certain members of the National Guard and Reserve forces and provides students with an annual allowance for the purchase of textbooks while streamlining the application and benefits award processes.

Passage of the bill is the product of an intensive lobbying campaign by The American Legion that began immediately after implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill last year. Bob Madden, assistant director of the Legion's economic division, testified before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in July and strongly urged support of many of the provisions that were ultimately included in the new measure. Commander Foster emphasized the importance of the "fix-it" bill during his testimony before a joint session of Congress shortly after he took office in September. At the time he said, "The American Legion urges enhancement to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill that would give veterans a more robust educational benefit." His championship continued the legacy of The American Legion in seeking educational benefits for veterans. The Legion drafted the original World War II-era G.I. Bill -- the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 -- and was integral in the writing of the Post-9/11 bill as well as its latest enhancements.

The Senate measure, sponsored by Senator Daniel Akaka, a World War II veteran and beneficiary of the 1944 G.I. Bill, now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. A vote in that chamber may come as early as Thursday of this week. The bill is supported by many House members, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee Bob Filner.

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Georgia loses another brave soldier: Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, from Senoia

2010-12-01T22:29:00.000-05:00

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of six soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire.

Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.

Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.
Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio.
Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.
Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.
Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.

They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Mullen Cites North Korea's Unpredictability

2010-11-26T11:09:00.000-05:00

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

North Korea's artillery assault on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island is an issue of concern in a region that wants stability, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said recently on ABC's "The View" television show.

Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife, Deborah, appeared on the daytime talk show to discuss a range of issues, including the situation on the Korean peninsula.

"There is worrisome leadership in North Korea," Mullen said. "[North Korean President Kim Jong Il is] a very unpredictable guy, a very dangerous guy. This [attack] is also tied, we think, to the succession of his young, 27-year-old [son] who's going to take over at some point in the future, and he continues to generate these kinds of events."

Mullen said Americans should be concerned about North Korea's volatile posture, but he noted that the United States has 28,000 troops in South Korea, where "we are very much aligned with in supporting them."

"They are a strong ally. We need the region to stay very stable," Mullen said. "[Kim Jong Il] is a guy who creates instability routinely. I think it's very important, certainly with the Japanese and the South Koreans, but I also think it's important for China, to lead. The one country that has influence in Pyongyang is China, so their leadership is absolutely critical."

North Korea has worked hard to develop nuclear weapons, Mullen said, calling last week's revelation of the uranium enrichment facility there "a big deal." He said the facility has been described as sophisticated and modern.

"So, [If Kim Jong Il] continues on that path with nuclear weapons, or his son does, it could be a very dangerous outcome in the long term and it will at least destabilize an important part if the world," the chairman said.

On the eve of Thanksgiving, Mullen backed the idea of high-level screenings and pat downs at airports.

"The recent events of the two cargo planes that had bombs on them, and certainly the bomb in Times Square, the Detroit bomber [Christmas Day 2009], were all very real and indicative of the threat that's out there," he said. "[Terrorists] are still trying to kill as many Americans as they can, so it's not going to go away."

Turning to the possible repeal of the military's so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, Mullen said it is difficult to know what the outcome will be.

"For me," Mullen said, "it's been my personal view it is very difficult for an institution that values integrity like the military does to have people show up at work every day and lie about who they are."

Deborah Mullen said she works with families of returning veterans. She's also concerned about military's suicide rate, noting that it is the "most devastating loss to a family."

"Suicide is taboo in the civilian world. Nobody likes to talk about suicide," she said. "There really have been no studies done on suicide, and the military is going to lead the way on this because they began a study on suicide about a year ago on a five-year study." What the military learns about suicide will be shared with the rest of nation and the world, she said.

Wyatt Asks Air Guard Leaders to Look Ahead

2010-11-26T10:53:00.000-05:00

Times are tough for the Air National Guard, but Air Force Lt. Gen. Harry "Bud" Wyatt III sees many "great" opportunities for his 106,700-member force to excel in the future.

"We know there is a mismatch right now of demands on the force and resources," said Wyatt, the director of the Air Guard. "I think it will get worse before it gets better, but I don't bring you a message of despair today.

"I bring you a message of hope and courage because I see great opportunity, because we are the most efficient force, the most capable force that we have ever been. The country can afford us before it can afford some other things that [it] is looking at."

Wyatt's question for senior Air Guard leaders from around the country is: "ANG 2025: Are We Ready?"

"Are we willing to make the tough choices that will posture us for the future?" he asked.

The Air Force announced that Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York is the preferred base for eight C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.

"Through the next several months and years, there will many of these announcements," Wyatt said. "The questions will be: Are they the type of announcements that we as an organization can embrace and take forward and excel the way we have excelled in our missions in the past?"

Wyatt said the Air Guard should prepare for future demands now.

"We have got to start shaping that force today, to be ready to provide the force that this country needs in 2025," he said.
Wyatt said the Air Guard has seen "significant change" over the last decade.

Airmen who have been in the Air Guard for 20 years or less, he said, have been focused on the Air Expeditionary Force construct.

"They know nothing else," Wyatt said. "They are used to it."

Wyatt said that when he joined the Air Guard, the force was not built for such deployments.

"We have evolved into an air expeditionary force -- an extremely capable air expeditionary force. But what will be the demands of tomorrow?"

Wyatt said he also is proud of the Air Guard's domestic response capability, but there are challenges ahead for that mission too.

"We have 30 percent less airlift now than we did when we responded to Hurricane Katrina," Wyatt said, adding that in fiscal year 2010 more than 100 emergencies across the country generated over 2,250 airlift sorties.

"We are on call 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. If that's not value for America, I don't know what is," he said.

The Air Guard is slated to undergo many mission changes next year, Wyatt said, as a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

"We have undergone a lot of change and it has been undertaken in a short time period," he said. "The rate of change is not slowing at all. We need to reflect on the implications of what we have done in the past as we look to the future of the Air National Guard."

The Air Guard has been through trying times before, Wyatt said, noting that when Air Force Maj. Gen. Winston P. "Wimpy" Wilson was the director of the Air National Guard, he lost 50 percent of his aircraft due to resource constrictions. Wilson converted into more modern aircraft and diversified the force into non-flying missions, Wyatt said.

On the other hand, when Air Force Lt. Gen. John B. Conaway was director of the Air National Guard during the Reagan years, he was faced with a flood of resources.

"He took advantage of the landscape and he moved us forward," Wyatt said of Conaway's achievements.

Wyatt said he needs his senior leaders to help him decide how to go forward. He plans to conduct an internal review this year to get an "honest assessment" of the Air Guard.

"We will not lose momentum," he said. "We owe our airmen that effort."

Wyatt said the key to the Air Guard's future is to: "Figure out what we do best, what we do most efficiently, most cost-effectively and grab it!"

By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
National Guard Bureau
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'Veterans Paid the Price, Cut Debt Elsewhere,' Says The American Legion

2010-11-18T13:35:00.000-05:00

/PRNewswire/ -- "There they go again," said The American Legion's National Commander Jimmie Foster about the recommendations of two debt reduction commissions which would decrease military retirement benefits. "Every time Washington wakes up with a deficit hangover after decades of spending binges, those who study the serious problems of our national debt can't resist the easy but unfair route of trying to balance the budget on the backs of veterans. It is unfair and if these ridiculous proposals are passed into law, it will hurt America's ability to defend itself from our enemies."

One panel, chaired by former Sen. Pete Domenici and Clinton administration Budget Director Alice Rivlin, calls for changing the formula to calculate military retirement pay and delaying payments until the eligible veterans reach age 57. Another panel, chaired by former Sen. Alan Simpson and retired Clinton White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles, recommends that military retirement checks be delayed until age 60.

"Tell it to the Marines!" was Foster response to the proposals. "I want these commissions to look a 22-year-old Marine in the eye and say that if you retire at age 40, after 20 years of service and three, four or even more tours of being shot at in Afghanistan, that you still have not done enough to receive your retirement. I want these commissions to tell the soldiers in Iraq that the benefits they are receiving are too much. America has a huge debt all right. And it is owed to these men and women who protect our freedoms every day. It is a debt that must be repaid."

The panels have also recommended cuts to military weapons systems that could hurt American efforts to fight the Global War on Terrorism.

The Simpson/Bowles Commission suggested slashing $100 billion from the defense budget in 2015, closing one-third of the U.S. bases overseas and freezing noncombat military pay. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warned that cutting even 10 percent or $55 billion from his budget would be "catastrophic" for the military.

"Cutting the military's budget while it is engaged in two wars is unconscionable," said Foster. "When you send American troops to war, you must pay the cost of those wars. Freezing pay and cutting benefits, whether in combat or in garrison, will also make young people think twice before volunteering to serve their country. The United States would not exist if not for the sacrifices of the men and women who have served in our military throughout our history. It is only because of their sacrifice, that beancounters have the freedom to argue about how to balance the budget to begin with."

With a current membership of 2.4-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

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VA Pilots Expedite Payments to Disabled Veterans

2010-11-17T06:59:00.000-05:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--VA has launched two pilot programs to test new procedures that will speed the payment of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation benefits to Veterans with disabilities connected to their military service. These new programs are part of Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki’s effort to “break the back” of the disability claims backlog.

“A fundamental goal in the transformation of VA’s claims processing is to make sure that Veterans receive in a timely manner the benefits they earned through their service to our Nation,” Shinseki said. “VA’s ambitious tests of numerous innovations reflect our commitment to constantly improving how we meet our mission of responsiveness to Veterans, their families and survivors.”

The “Quick Pay” Disability Program at the St. Petersburg, Fla., Regional Office and the “Express Lane” Pilot, based at the Seattle, Wash., Regional Office, are among a number of new initiatives using reengineered and streamlined claims processes to provide Veterans with faster claims decisions and benefit payments.

Secretary Shinseki established as one of VA’s highest priority goals the elimination of the disability claims backlog by 2015, so that all Veterans receive a quality decision on their claim in no more than 125 days.

The “Quick Pay” Disability initiative is designed to speed disability compensation to Veterans who provide sufficient evidence at the time of claim submission to decide all or part of their claim. Since program launch, “Quick Pay” has paid more than $2 million in benefits to 1,656 Florida Veterans. These payments averaged $1,236 monthly and were made three months faster than the department’s 125-day goal.

Under the “Express Lane” Pilot program based in the Seattle Regional Office, staff members are realigned to address disability claims based on claim complexity.

Like a supermarket check-out “express lane,” small employee teams focus on rapidly processing numerous less complex claims that typically involve only one disability, thus freeing their co-workers to process the more complex and multiple-disability claims that demand the greatest level of unilateral effort.

The “Express Lane” Pilot, while managed from Seattle, is also being tested at three additional VA regional offices: Nashville, Tenn.; St. Paul, Minn.; and Muskogee, Okla.

The St. Petersburg and Seattle pilots are among more than three dozen VA initiatives exploring optimal ways to organize and deliver benefits and improve service to Veterans.

For additional information on VA’s claims transformation activities, visit http://www.vba.va.gov/transformation. Questions about benefits for Veterans may be directed to VA’s toll free benefits number at 1-800-827-1000.

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Death of Georgia Soldier: Spc. Shannon Chihuahua

2010-11-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

Spc. Shannon Chihuahua, 25, of Thomasville, Ga., died Nov. 12 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

On Veterans Day, VA Secretary Shinseki Recognizes, Thanks Veterans

2010-11-11T10:05:00.000-05:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--This Veterans Day, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki calls on America to honor its 23 million Veterans by reaching out to them and their families with heartfelt thanks and to encourage them to seek the benefits and services they have earned from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“As we observe Veterans Day, I look to everyone – families, friends and acquaintances in communities, large and small – to turn out and thank all our Veterans, from earlier eras and those who are just returning home”

“As we observe Veterans Day, I look to everyone – families, friends and acquaintances in communities, large and small – to turn out and thank all our Veterans, from earlier eras and those who are just returning home,” said VA Secretary Shinseki.

Shinseki noted that America has made significant investments in Veterans benefits and services over the past 19 months: a 16 percent VA budget increase last year and a 10 percent increase in the 2011 budget request. He said this is making it possible to increase Veterans’ access to benefits and health care services, help end the disability claims backlog, and eliminate Veterans’ homelessness by 2015. The Post 9/11 GI Bill has already sent more than 400,000 Veterans to college, and care and benefits will be extended to more Veterans who have illnesses related to exposure to Agent Orange and service during the first Persian Gulf War.

Under Shinseki, VA is taking unprecedented steps to reach out to Veterans and their families with a television ad campaign, a new VA blog, and other social media initiatives, and outreach teams traveling throughout rural communities. The goal is to let Veterans and their families know what services they are eligible for and how to access them. The emphasis is on meeting emergent transitional needs such as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which affects many Veterans, including those returning from the Middle East, as well as those who served in Vietnam four decades ago.

VA recently launched its first official blog, “VAntage Point,” at http://www.blogs.va.gov to improve the way VA and Veterans engage online. The blog expands VA’s social media presence, adding to its Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/VeteransAffairs), Twitter (http://twitter.com/DeptVetAffairs/), Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/VeteransAffairs/), and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/DeptVetAffairs) postings. With more than 70,000 subscribers, VA has the largest Facebook subscriber base among cabinet-level agencies.

On Veterans Day, Shinseki will join White House and military officials, and leaders of major Veterans organizations, at the traditional Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery at 11 a.m. Following the ceremony, VA will host an observance program in Arlington’s Memorial Amphitheater.

Across the country, from the rousing notes of the “Star Spangled Banner” to the poignant bugle solo of “Taps,” Americans will celebrate U.S. Veterans with music, ceremonies and speeches. Nearly 100 VA-sponsored activities are scheduled, highlighted by Birmingham’s 63rd annual Veterans Day parade and parades in Lexington and Denver; recognition ceremonies in Anchorage, Alaska, Chillicothe, Ohio, and Tomah, Wis.; concerts in Durham, N.C., Bath, N.Y., and Tucson, Ariz.; and the third annual Veterans Run/Walk in West Haven, Conn. The oath of citizenship will be administered to 25 Veterans at the Fort Sam Houston Cemetery in Texas as they become official citizens of the nation they served.

The Veterans Day National Committee has designated regional observance site status to Veterans Day programs at 54 sites in 29 states. Sites were selected on the basis of community involvement, regional impact and continuity. They are also eligible for support from the Department of Defense.

A guide to these sites and other information about Veterans Day is available on VA's Veterans Day Web page at http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/ under "Regional Observances." The page includes a variety of resources, including a teacher’s guide, a poster gallery and links to information about the Arlington National Cemetery ceremony.

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Outback Gives Free Bloomin' Onion and Beverage to Vets on Veterans Day

2010-11-08T12:10:00.000-05:00

At Outback, we appreciate our Veterans service to our country and we are proud to serve them. This Veterans Day all Veterans and Active Military will receive a Free Bloomin' Onion® and a beverage with valid military ID.

We are honoring your heroes on our Facebook Page. Join the conversation and share your hero with us.

To learn more visit www.outback.com/troops

Lowe’s Offers Veterans Day Discount

2010-11-05T10:22:00.000-04:00

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lowe’s Companies, Inc. announced today it will offer all active, reserve, honorably discharged, and retired military personnel and their immediate family members a 10 percent discount on in-store U.S. purchases made during the Veterans Day holiday. The discount is available November 11 – November 15.

The discount is available on in-stock and Special Order purchases up to $5,000. To qualify, individuals must present a valid military ID or other proof of service. Excluded from the discount are sales via Lowes.com, previous sales, and purchases of services or gift cards.

To further honor our armed forces, Lowe’s will be providing customers with complimentary bumper stickers that offer a simple “Thank You” to our troops. A limited quantity of “Thank You” stickers, with an image of the American flag, will be available in-store during the Veterans Day weekend.

In addition to offering military discounts at specific times during the year, Lowe’s has extended benefits for its employees serving in the military and offers employment opportunities to military personnel after their military service has ended. Currently, more than 14,000 Lowe’s employees are military veterans or reservists.

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Operation Homefront: Military Family Food, Fun & Falcons

2010-10-26T17:01:00.000-04:00

On behalf of Operation Homefront Georgia, Feed the Children and the Atlanta Falcons we'd like to invite 400 military families E-1 through E-6 who reside near Atlanta and would benefit from receiving one box of non-perishable food, one box of cleaning/hygiene supplies and one box of Avon products to join us for our Food, Fun and Falcons event on November 2, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Brook Run Park in NE Atlanta.

We only have 400 slots available and everyone must be registered via the internet to receive items. We will call and confirm the first 400 registrants and give you a code you will bring with you and use to pick up your food and other items.

Bring the kids, it's election day and the kids are out of school - come meet the Atlanta Falcons Players, Cheerleaders and special mascot Freddie!

You must be present to pick up your items (one box of food will feed a family of four for approximately one week) and you must have pre-registered and received a code.

Unfortunately walk ups and non registered participants will not be served. If you know of someone who could benefit from receiving this special gift, forward this invite to them. If you have any questions you may call our office at 770-973-0014 and ask for Jennifer.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing our 400 families next Tuesday!

Register Now!

Sincerely,

Jennifer
Operation Homefront Georgia
georgia@operationhomefront.net
770-973-0014

Note: We rec'd the above via email and thought it was worth passing along to you. I would bet that the response on this will be overwhelming! - jmd