Veterans Administration into the 21st Century

Veteran Support Group Huge Need and More Homeless Veterans

2012-02-14T18:23:00.001-05:00

New Veterans support group numbers quadruple

February 8, 2012 - A first of its kind veteran support group in Hickory has quadrupled in size over the last few months.
Organizers say it's due to a huge need and more homeless veterans literally coming out of the woods to seek help.
Army veteran George Christian's home is a tent in the woods in Hickory. After serving his country, Christian spent a year in prison on a weapons charge.
"I've been homeless off and on for four years,” he said.

Marine Eugene Carmack was discharged in 2009, then went to prison for multiple DUI charges. He struggles to find a job making more than minimum wage.
"I will be of course much happier with $15 an hour, but I'll take the $7.25,” Carmack said.
Veteran Don McCorkle says the violence he saw affects his civilian life.
"When I got home I started drinking a lot and started experimenting with drugs,” McCorkle said. read more>>>

Employment Rights of U.S. Army Reservist Settled

2012-02-14T15:20:00.000-05:00

Justice Department Settles with City of Highland Park, Michigan, to Enforce Employment Rights of U.S. Army Reservist

February 13, 2012 - The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement with the city of Highland Park, Mich., to resolve allegations that the city willfully violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by failing to properly reemploy firefighter and U.S. Army reservist Paul A. Baetz in July 2009 when he returned from military service in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The Justice Department’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, alleges that while Mr. Baetz was overseas in military service, the city of Highland Park promoted three auxiliary firefighters with less seniority than Mr. Baetz to full-time firefighter and refused to properly re-employ Mr. Baetz as a full-time firefighter upon his return. Subject to certain conditions, USERRA requires employers to promptly re-employ returning service members in the positions they would have held had their employment not been interrupted by military service, or in a position of like seniority, status and pay.
Under the terms of the settlement, embodied in a consent decree that was approved by the district court, the city of Highland Park must pay Baetz approximately $25,000 in compensation for lost wages, back pension contributions and other damages. Although the city promoted Mr. Baetz after the Justice Department opened its investigation, the consent decree also requires that the city retroactively adjust the date of Mr. Baetz’s promotion back to the time he should have received it in 2009. read more>>>

Supporting Our Military Families: Spouse Employment Report

2012-02-14T08:06:00.002-05:00

First Lady, Panetta to Unveil Spouse Employment Report

Feb. 13, 2012 – Alongside some of the nation’s top officials, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will unveil an employment report this week intended to ease military spouses’ ongoing issues with occupational licenses, White House officials announced today.
Joined by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the first lady and Biden will release the report, titled “Supporting Our Military Families: Best Practices for Streamlining Occupational Licensing Across State Lines,” at the Pentagon on Feb. 15.
The report outlines opportunities and best practices for states to better support military spouses serving in professions with state licensure requirements, according to a White House news release.
The report notes that military spouses move from state to state far more often than the general population as they accompany their service member to assignments across the nation and world, the release said.
These frequent moves can create difficulties for military spouses seeking to maintain their careers. Spouses serving in professions that require state licenses or certification bear disproportionately high financial and administrative burdens since credentials from one state don’t always transfer to another state, the report explains.
This burden negatively affects employment for more than 100,000 military spouses, the report notes. read more>>>

"we're not going to increase taxes to fund (veterans programs)"

2012-02-14T06:47:00.001-05:00

That is the long standing mentality, for decades now but especially this past one and counting still, found in the countries federal congressional representative bodies as well as state capitals and legislatures, especially when controlled by a certain political party, when not in control obstruction on budget requests occurs (note: since returning from my four years of service and last served in Vietnam when I hear 'tax cuts' the first thought that comes into my mind are my brothers and sisters and the long underfunded Veterans issues and agencies, but especially this last decade plus! Which then costs much more catching up when trying to take care of those who've served.). Thus it's the will of the great majority who do not serve and especially at the time of wars that are fully supported by that greater majority, as in full view the past decade and two more long invasions and occupations. We who serve, and are serving now, don't serve for groups within, like lottery ticket buyers, casino patrons, smokers or drinkers or any other group thought up that get hit with taxes to pay for what everybody else uses daily or is unseen but done for all or is there when needed. We Served or Serve The Whole Country, Period! There shouldn't be any "entered into talks with ___________ on ways to increase funding", everyone should share in the Sacrifice and Demand to! It also shouldn't be left to the other many groups of actual caring citizens or of veterans who have to fight for funding even if they have a proven successful program that covers just a single issue of the many issues especially related to our veterans or our wars!

This is just one of the very vocal recent, of many especially mentioning lotteries, articles of that mentality, with the oh so patriotic speak used again and starting out with, as even the federal house of representatives sought to cut Veterans Administration, as have states out of theirs, funding out of the previous budget while two wars continue, one just officially over in December 2011 but still paying hundreds if not a couple of thousand merc forces of the private army and intelligence corporations created with these two wars, the other still ongoing but slowly winding down with the slow withdrawal of combat troops and that high priced private corporate army embedded within.

MO House Speaker Refuses to Raise Taxes to Fix Veterans' Homes Funding Crisis

February 13, 2012 - Saying that taking care of Missouri veterans is his top priority, Speaker of the House Steve Tilley said he has entered into talks with Gov. Jay Nixon on ways to increase funding for veterans.
"There's nothing more important than taking care of our veterans and our veterans' homes," Tilley told reporters on Monday.
But the Speaker said he would not support an increase in casino entrance fees, and idea that's been bandied about and is the subject of a bill under consideration in the House's Veterans Committee.
"That's a tax...we're not going to increase taxes to fund (veterans programs)," Tilley said.
Other ideas include a special lottery, and the capping of casino admission proceeds at current levels, with any increase in admissions going to veterans programs. read more>>>

No Revenues = No Sacrifice = No Support = DeJa-Vu all over again!. Now a decade and counting, tax cuts came with the wars of choice, added to the previous decades of under funding the VA, while the peoples reps Still try and lay blame on the Agency, after rubber stamping wars and costs of and those represented cheer on these wars!

While the wealthy and other investors, think rubber stamping congresses and insider trading as well, garner their booty, still, from both and many have the chutz·pa to call themselves more patriotic{?} then others wrapped in those false flags, using false slogans and various cheap symbols of!

Veterans Groups on VA Budget Request for 2013

2012-02-14T05:50:00.001-05:00

No Revenues = No Sacrifice = No Support = DeJa-Vu all over again!. Now a decade and counting added to the previous decades of under funding the VA, while the peoples reps Still try and lay blame on the Agency, after rubber stamping wars and costs of and those represented cheer on these wars! With wanted ever increasing Defense Budgets!

Veterans Groups Pleased with President's Budget But Note Deficiencies

Feb. 13, 2012 - Groups Urge $68 Billion for Veterans Health Care and Benefits in 2013 Independent Budget Report
Four of the nation's leading veterans service organizations are urging the Administration and Congress to invest $68 billion to sufficiently meet veterans health-care and benefits needs. As stated in President Obama's budget proposal released yesterday, the Administration has proposed $64 billion in discretionary spending for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2013. The budget proposal now goes to Congress for consideration.
The recommendation to invest $68 billion in veterans health-care and benefits is contained in The Independent Budget (IB) (report available on February 14)--an annual comprehensive budget and policy document, by veterans for veterans. In its 26th year, the IB is coauthored by AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans), and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
The organizations were pleased to see that the Administration has proposed increased funding for the operations of the Veterans Benefits Administration. They were also pleased to see funding addressing the areas of veterans' unemployment, homeless veterans, mental health and women veterans. However, the groups have concerns about the continued revision of medical care collections, and the significant reduction in the area of major construction necessary to maintain the infrastructure for a quality VA healthcare system.
The Independent Budget recommends $57.2 billion for health care, $611 million for medical and prosthetic research, $2.1 billion for benefits processing and $3.8 billion for major and minor construction. read more>>>

USN '67-'71 All Shore GMG3 Vietnam In Country '70-'71

Enlisting returning soldiers for a new Call of Duty: Psychologist.

2012-02-13T19:55:00.000-05:00

With the country very very slow, some just now started, to come to understanding and funding the need to, still not, outside of a few civilians that did and do listen and seek out further knowledge, some of the brothers and sisters who returned with us from Vietnam went into the fields that would, and did, help in what they clearly understood, combat theater PTS, those of Vietnam and earlier vets and those to come. From Counselors to Psychologist along with veterans talking to veterans, it works, while we still wait for the private sectors to catchup, finally that may be happening, some forty years later and two more devastating long occupation theaters this time with multiple tours for many, in one or both.

Military aims to keep psych care with veterans

Photo by Matthew Healey SALUTE: Sgt. Greg Matos works to convince former military members to switch their major to psychology.
February 12, 2012 - Recruiters have launched a campaign to enlist returning soldiers for a new call of duty: psychologist.
Student veterans at the Hub-based Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology received a $125,000 state grant this year to pitch a career in mental health as a way for veterans to help their fellow wounded warriors.
“What I tell them is, ‘You can serve again by serving your fellow veterans.’ And they get really excited about it,” said Sgt. Greg Matos, who travels to area colleges with other psychology doctoral students to convince former military members to switch their major to psychology.
The new “Train Vets to Treat Vets” program aims to raise awareness among psychologists about veterans’ issues, including brain injuries, anxiety, and drug and marital problems, and help civilian therapists better understand military families dealing with loved ones who serve in combat. Students also provide clinical services, including individual and group counseling, at local veterans’ centers.
“The best people to work with veterans are fellow veterans. I think there’s a higher level of trust,” said Chris King, MSPP’s faculty veteran liaison, who spent a decade in the U.S. Navy and worked for the federal government in Iraq from 2004 to 2006. read more>>>

President’s 2013 budget request for VA

2012-02-13T16:22:00.000-05:00

VA Budget Request Tops $140 Billion for Veterans Programs

WASHINGTON – February 13, 2012 - With more than 1 million active-duty personnel scheduled to join the ranks of America’s 22 million Veterans during the next five years, the President has proposed a $140.3 billion budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
“As our newest Veterans return home, we must give them the care, the benefits, the job opportunities and the respect they have earned, while honoring our commitments to Veterans of previous eras,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
Shinseki said the budget proposal, which must be approved by Congress, would fund services for newly discharged Veterans, continue the drive to end homelessness among Veterans, improve access to benefits and services, reduce the disability claims backlog, improve the Department’s collaboration with the Defense Department and strengthen its information-technology program that is vital for delivering services to Veterans.
“As we turn the page on a decade of war, we are poised at an historic moment for our Nation’s armed forces,” Shinseki said. “The President has charged VA to keep faith with those who served when they rejoin civilian life.”
The budget request includes $64 billion in discretionary funds, mostly for medical care, and $76 billion for mandatory funds, mostly for disability compensation and pensions.
If approved by Congress, the new spending levels would support a health care system with 8.8 million enrollees and growing benefits programs serving nearly 12 million Servicemembers, Veterans, family members and survivors, including the eighth largest life insurance program in the nation; education benefits for more than 1 million Americans; home loan guarantees for more than 1.5 million Veterans and survivors; plus the largest national cemetery system in the country.
Here are highlights from the President’s 2013 budget request for VA. read more>>>

SCAADL: Special Compensation for Caregiver Support

2012-02-13T15:55:00.000-05:00

Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy

Caregivers have given up part, and sometimes all, of a salary or wage to care for their loved one. Therefore, the Department of Defense (DoD) is providing all eligible catastrophically wounded, ill or injured Service members with line-of-duty injury or illness with a special compensation to assist in the economic burden borne by their caregivers who provide nonmedical care, support and assistance for the member.
DoD is committed to ensuring that Service members do not suffer financial hardship when caregivers forego outside employment to take responsibility for the care of catastrophically wounded, ill or injured Service members at home in lieu of the government providing residential institutional care.

snip
Service members who have a discharge date may be eligible to apply for the Veterans Affairs Department’s family caregiver program, which provides a caregiver stipend and other assistance to eligible veterans and caregivers. Transitioning Service members who believe they are eligible, such as those in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System, for the VA Family Caregiver Program should apply as soon possible at VA Caregiver Support.* * * * * read more>>>

Women Veterans Month: Grace After Fire to Hold Summit

2012-02-13T07:26:00.001-05:00

Launch Outreach Program During Inaugural Texas Women Veterans Month in March

Grace After Fire has announced that the Texas-based non-profit organization is hosting its first ever Women Veterans’ Summit on Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Dallas to kick off Women Veterans Month, so designated by the 82nd Texas Legislature to name each March from 2011 to 2020 in honor of women Veterans from all service branches. The March 3 Summit focuses on topics to help women Veterans transition from battlefield to community.
February 10, 2012 - Kimberly Olson, Colonel, USAF (ret) and President/CEO of Grace After Fire, has announced that the Texas-based non-profit organization is hosting its first ever Women Veterans’ Summit on Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Dallas to kick off Women Veterans Month, so designated by the 82nd Texas Legislature to name each March from 2011 to 2020 in honor of women Veterans from all service branches.
“The Summit, Discover Your Grace: The Power of Women Veterans, is an opportunity for women Veterans from all over the state to come together and receive valuable support,” said Col. Olson. “We invite them to register now as space is limited. The Summit is also a stellar launch for both Table Talk®, our new peer-to-peer program, and Texas Women Veterans Month.”
Grace After Fire developed the full-day Summit to be a dynamic, energetic conference for 150 Texas women Veterans from all branches of the United States military. Discover Your Grace: The Power of Women Veterans will feature experts leading focused sessions on issues of importance to Texas women Veterans. Grace After Fire designed all aspects to help women Veterans help themselves and to facilitate successful transition from deployment to individual self-empowerment and self-renewal and as a part of their families, the workforce, and their communities. read more>>>

RT for Female Veterans and Military Spouses

2012-02-12T13:05:00.000-05:00

Female veterans and military spouses get the royal treatment

February 10, 2012 - There were lots of curls, gloss, massages and even a zumba demonstration. "It's been great. I feel pampered," said Elizabeth Victory. Her husband Andrew is in the Army National Guard and has been deployed three times.
This royal treatment was for female military spouses and veterans. Women who can often fall into the background. It was their time to relax, and it's certainly well deserved.

"Childcare, financial care, all of that stuff that usually you've got two people to take care of, it's just not there when your spouse is away," said Hannah Anderson, another military wife.
"Sometimes as a military spouse, it feels like it's always on your husband or your wife or whoever is serving. You're supporting them. The community is supporting them," Victory explained.
These women are certainly proud of their other halves, but this was their thank you. read more>>>

Questioning Vets Faith Based 'PTSD Foundation of America'

2012-02-12T12:41:00.001-05:00

Veteran's fake military record prompts questions about charity

February 11, 2012 - Paul Schroeder's tale was so vivid it verged on cinematic: In March 2009, the decorated Army Special Forces veteran sat on his sofa in The Woodlands, with a drink in one hand and a gun in the other, not sure which shot he was going to take next.
In front of him floated the spectral face of a machete-wielding child he'd killed in self-defense during a secret mission in Rwanda, he said.
"I could literally feel the blood sticking to me all over again," Schroeder told the Houston Chronicle last year. "I could see his eyes. I still sit there and see him right now. It's not something that ever goes away."
He told a version of the same story to TV news crews, to fellow veterans in group therapy, and in a training video for the Houston Police Department as part of a post-traumatic stress disorder awareness program.
But Army records show Schroeder never served in Special Operations, never deployed anywhere, and never earned a Silver Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman's Badge or other decorations he claimed. In reality, he served 10 years as a military policeman in New York, Texas and Panama before leaving the military in 2001.
Schroeder confessed last week to a Houston Chronicle reporter that he had embellished his record. His admission raises concerns about vetting procedures at PTSD Foundation of America, the faith-based nonprofit for veterans in Houston where Schroeder worked as director of counseling since 2010. It also prompts larger questions about an organization that is supposed to help veterans cope with stress, but appears to be financially unstable.
Tax records show PTSD Foundation has been in the hole for at least three years and is carrying more than $200,000 in debt. read more>>>

VA Division Saves $742,000 With Telehealth

2012-02-11T15:30:00.000-05:00

Northwestern Veterans Affairs network deploys videoconferencing, remote monitors to care for far-flung wounded warriors, extend reach of specialists

February 08, 2012 - A single veterans hospital in rural Oregon saved more than $88,000 in travel expenses during fiscal year 2011 by shifting 3,224 patient encounters from in-person visits to telehealth services, according to a nursing executive there. The entire U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Northwest Health Network, also known as Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20, was able to trim upwards of $742,000 from its budget during the same period by facilitating 23,580 remote consultations.
"In the VA, we actually pay for miles," Tracy Weistreich, associate director for patient care services at the VA Roseburg Healthcare System, noted at the annual Telehealth Alliance of Oregon meeting in Portland last week. Roseburg is a small town off Interstate Highway 5 in southwestern Oregon, about halfway between Medford and Eugene, and the medical center there, like so many VA installations, has been dealing with an influx of wounded warriors from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. read more>>>

For Veterans, Programs & Care Cost Tax-Payer Money

2012-02-11T14:35:00.001-05:00

No Revenues = Still No Sacrifice = That's Called 'Support' For The Troops = DeJa-Vu all over again!! Now a decade and counting added to the previous decades of under funding the VA, while the peoples reps Still try and lay blame on the Agency, after rubber stamping wars and costs of and those represented cheer on these wars! While the wealthy and other investors garner their booty, still from both, and many have the chutz·pa to call themselves more patriotic{?} then others wrapped in those false flags, using false slogans and various cheap symbols of!

The Troops Are Mostly Home, But It's Uncertain How Military Veterans Will Fare In This Economy

February 09, 2012 - The average soldier's military career tends to span less than 15 years, but that number varies depending upon branch of service, whether the solider is in active duty or in reserve forces. Since this length of military service doesn't come close to making up the average adult's working life, almost all military personnel will at some time have to rejoin civilian life. What does life after military service look like, especially in tougher economic times?
Increased Post-Secondary Enrollments
In the times after the World Wars, post-secondary schools tended to have increased enrollment. The result was that being accepted at many educational institutions became much more competitive. However, returning to school is definitely a viable option for many soldiers who want to retrain for a new career.
Many governments offer retraining programs to military personnel who wish to apply their transferable skills to a new career. The Canadian government has created a program called "From Helmets to Hard Hats," which helps soldiers to pursue careers in the construction field after leaving the services. There are also resources available in the U.S. to assist soldiers in making the transition to civilian life, helping them to find jobs and locate resources for retraining. Of course, government-funded programs cost tax-payer money; however, if they help to get these military personnel back to work as soon as possible, it can certainly be deemed a valuable investment in our veterans.
Changes in the Workforce
During World Wars I and II, women entered the work force en masse. Women contributed to the war effort by working in factories and almost every other sector that needed people. During World War II, female students who studied math in university were called upon to help calculate data for ballistics tables that were used by air force pilots in the field. When the soldiers returned home, many women went back into the homes, allowing the men to return to their regular jobs. However, not all women left the workforce. The evolving population allowed many women to stay in the workplace, enabling their families to have larger incomes.
Baby Boom read more>>>

Veterans Health sent this bulletin

2012-02-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

VA National Sports Programs & Special Events Office is now on Twitter

02/10/2012 - Hey Everyone,
The VA National Sports Programs & Special Events Office is now on Twitter @VAdaptiveSports! Adaptive Sports
Follow them for important news and updates about your favorite programs. You can also have questions answered about VA’s six national events or find a local adaptive sports club to help with training:

National Veterans Wheelchair Games #NVWG
National Veterans Golden Age Games #NVGAG
National Veterans Creative Arts Festival #NVCAF
National Veterans TEE Tournament #NVTT
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic #NDVWSC
National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic #NVSSC

Salute to Vets — Valentine Day Concerts

2012-02-10T10:56:00.001-05:00

Get Involved with National Salute Week!

Martha Reeves and The Vandellas opened with their chart-topping classic “Heat Wave” at the 2011 Valentine concert in Baltimore.
February 12 through 18 is a special time at Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers all across America.
Established as an official VA program in 1978, this week is known as “National Salute to Veteran Patients” and is an annual event designed to increase public awareness of Veterans and the sacrifices they have made for our nation.
It is an opportunity for the public to visit their local VA Medical Center and its outpatient clinics, meet America’s Veterans, and explore the various aspects of the facility’s volunteer program.
The National Salute to Veteran Patients gives everyone a chance to let those who have given so much to our nation know that they are not forgotten. We want people of all ages to bring Valentine’s Day cheer to our patients. Highlights of the special salute week are concerts for Veterans around Valentine’s Day that say, “Thank you!” read more>>>

Assessment and Diagnosis of PTSD

2012-02-10T10:48:00.001-05:00

An Overview of Measures

July 1, 2011 - Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic and debilitating mental condition that develops in response to catastrophic life events, such as military combat, sexual assault, and natural disasters. The symptoms of PTSD are divided into 3 symptom clusters: reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal. In addition, trauma survivors often experience guilt, dissociation, alterations in personality, difficulty with affect regulation, and marked impairment in ability for intimacy and attachment.1,2 Disorders comorbid with PTSD include depression, substance abuse, other anxiety disorders, and a range of physical complaints.3,4
Over the past several decades, considerable progress has been made in the development and empirical evaluation of assessment instruments for measuring trauma exposure and PTSD as well as related syndromes, such as acute stress disorder. The measures that have been developed, including questionnaires, structured interviews, and psychophysiological procedures, have been extensively validated and many have been widely adopted internationally. PTSD assessments were developed to be psychometrically sound; to collect information from multiple sources across response channels; and to use across different trauma populations, settings, genders, ethnic groups, and cultures.5-8
This article, based on a comprehensive review by Weathers and associates,9 provides a selective and brief summary of trauma and PTSD assessments in adults.
Diagnosing PTSD read more>>>

Compensating Servicemembers for Wrongful Foreclosures

2012-02-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

Department of Justice Reaches Agreement to Compensate Servicemembers for Wrongful Foreclosures

February 9, 2012 - Agreement Reached as Part of the $25 Billion Federal-State Mortgage Servicing Agreement
The settlement agreement with the nation’s five largest servicers announced today by Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice’s federal and state partners includes substantial financial compensation to homeowners who are servicemembers and establishes significant new protections for servicemembers in the future. The financial compensation to servicemembers is in addition to the $25 billion settlement.
JPMorgan Chase & Co., Wells Fargo & Company, Citigroup Inc. and Ally Financial Inc. (formerly GMAC) have agreed to conduct a full review, overseen by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, to determine whether any servicemembers were foreclosed on in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) since Jan.1, 2006. Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally will be required to provide any servicemember who was a victim of a wrongful foreclosure a minimum payment of $116,785 plus the servicemember’s lost equity and interest for violating the SCRA. The servicemember’s payment could be higher as a result of the review conducted by the banking regulators. To ensure consistency with an earlier private settlement, JP Morgan Chase will provide any servicemember who was a victim of a wrongful foreclosure either his or her home free and clear of any debt or the cash equivalent of the full value of the home at the time of sale. In addition, servicemebers will receive compensation for any additional harm suffered. All compensation for servicemembers wrongfully foreclosed on is in addition to the $25 billion settlement amount. read more>>>

Parades for Returned Vets While Same Soldiers Still Sent

2012-02-10T09:37:00.000-05:00

I like parades, though over the years they've seemed to become over marketed towards commercialization in our failed economic growth based on consumption by the masses of products now produced elsewhere, and for the reasons many are held.

They're great especially for families, especially those with youngsters and even community joining together, rare indeed.

But certain ones being argued for now have a couple of 'Huge Buts' attached to them!

On one side we have this:

DOD Supports Parades When All Combat Troops Return

Feb. 8, 2012 – Pentagon officials say they’re all for a “New York-style tickertape parade” honoring combat troops who served in Iraq, but bowing to the military leadership’s wishes, agree that the best time to do so is after all combat troops have returned home from Afghanistan as well.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Douglas B. Wilson told Lynn Neary of NPR’s “Talk of the Town” program the Defense Department fully supports homecoming celebrations for Iraq War veterans. read more>>>

The other side brings us this, and from, righteously so, many in the veterans community especially, but far more from the greater population that doesn't serve nor do their young:

History shows regrets for waiting too long to celebrate vets

Charlie Dooley, St. Louis County Executive, Vietnam veteran and supporter of the first Iraq Veterans Parade in the U.S., talks with Rachel Maddow about why he was in favor of a parade for returning Iraq war veterans in St. Louis and why a national parade in New York City is a good idea.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The country 'regretted' waiting so long to 'welcome home' us Vietnam Vets, quaint for those of us who actually served in.

But they don't 'regret' ignoring us on the oh so many long term issues as to our wars of choice and the veterans of!

Back then, except for the always real caring citizens where still many are starting up and succeeding with organizations and programs that continually have to fight for funding needed to operate and possibly grow, tiny handfuls of among the greater population, they ignored us on PTSD which has always been, they still ignore on Agent Orange defoliants, but finally though this present VA and Executive Branch has managed to stop some of that as only a few tried previously and failed, but the citizens of Vietnam are still lied to and are only helped, recently again with millions towards cleanup, not enough for the couple of generations later who've lived with the results of our choices of wmd's.

The country always ignores the homeless vets and reasons for why, again till recently, and so much more.

Then it pushed for a war with Iraq after the leaders gave a wink and nod to Saddam about invading Kuwait, soldiers returned and country had parades but once again ignore the veterans of, most prominently related to Gulf War Syndrome, again only starting to get help in the last few years. I could go on and on but it all boils down to citizens wanting to spout how patriotic they are only to ignore, again and again, their own responsibility and the guilt of, though it seems many no longer feel guilt about anything, in not fully funding the Government Agency who's purpose is for the Veterans of the Country who Serve It. It was bad enough in the previous decades after our wars but blatantly so in the previous decade that's still ongoing.

With these two wars of choice, leaving the main mission and reasons for one invasion to only grow and expand in years to invade and occupy another country finally, after some eight years, officially ending, the country was told to go shopping with the masses tiny tax cuts, as gas prices started growing rapidly, but oh the wealthy with their huge tax cuts and expanding write offs invested either directly or indirectly in the defense machinery and no bid private contractors of the ever profitable defense industrial complex especially in war times, big or small, and are still reaping those profits.

Have parades, while not thinking about what this past decade of have wrought, wave those flags and cheer for the veterans of the wars you cheered on and sent them into, many over and over again, and many being sent into what was the main mission long ago abandoned, 'But' if you aren't, and especially any politician using them for political gain, Demanding Your Own Sacrifice for the results of, fully funding the VA finally, which will save the Government, us, money, then these parades are no more then the magnetic ribbons no longer around, or the U.S. flag lapel pins, still there but hollow decoration, and especially the hollow meanings of the oh so patriotic words and phrases used by everyone, they are not fulfilling the responsibility the country has towards those who serve and some die in supposedly defending this country and it's greater masses who don't serve!

No Revenues = No Sacrifice = No Support = DeJa-Vu all over again!. Now a decade and counting added to the previous decades of under funding the VA, while the peoples reps Still try and lay blame on the Agency, after rubber stamping wars and costs of and those represented cheer on these wars!

While the wealthy and other investors garner their booty, still, from both and many have the chutz·pa to call themselves more patriotic{?} then others wrapped in those false flags, using false slogans and various cheap symbols of!

Consistent PTSD Diagnosis's

2012-02-10T07:08:00.000-05:00

Why are issues like this still occurring, why are now so many looking for the quick cure, drugs and more, why the misunderstanding and thus still stigma attached to what has always been and not only related to the 24/7 stress in combat theaters nor only to soldiers of but exists as well in all civilian populations for those who lived through their own individual traumatic experiences in their lives, from the little ones to the adults within.

Why? Because the country ignored us, the many DeJa-Vu's of our wars and lessons not learned from, returning Vietnam Vets, veterans who preceded us, those since and the handful of citizens within the country that recognized what always was and finally managed to give the condition developed a name, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, with the Disorder carrying it probably abit to far, as they ignore returning veterans on oh so many issues because the results of our wars are very long term and extremely costly, while they find nothing wrong with huge and ever growing defense spending

Army Looks to Ensure Consistent PTSD Diagnosis

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2012 – The Army is investigating how post-traumatic stress disorder is diagnosed to ensure consistency at all hospitals, the service’s surgeon general told Congress yesterday.
Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho and the surgeons general from the Air Force and Navy testified at a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee.
Honcho addressed concerns over closure of the intensive outpatient center at Madigan Army Medical Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., reportedly because the staff concluded too often that patents suffered from PTSD. She said she has launched an investigation to look into the variance of behavioral health diagnoses at Madigan, and to investigate why the intensive outpatient center was closed, whether undo command influence contributed to the closure, and whether patients were negatively affected.
A forensic psychiatrist there who screened patients for PTSD and allegedly made inappropriate remarks was removed administratively from clinical duties until the investigation is finished, Horoho said.
The center’s capabilities have not gone away, Horoho said, explaining that they have been merged into other behavioral health programs at Madigan.
“Having said that, we are going to investigate to make sure that’s actually true and that we’re providing the best care to our service members,” she said. She denied that the Army is pressing medical personnel to ensure soldiers return to duty. read more>>>

Veterans Health Benefits Handbook

2012-02-09T18:05:00.001-05:00

Understanding Your VA Health Benefits

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to informing the Veteran community about VA health benefits and services. Currently, VA is producing personalized Veteran Health Benefits Handbooks for Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care. The new handbooks are tailored specific for each Veteran and provides detailed information about the VA health services the Veteran may be eligible to receive.
The Veteran Health Benefit Handbook provides answers to common questions such as contact information for the Veteran's local facility, instructions on how to schedule appointments, guidelines for communicating treatment needs and an explanation of the Veteran's responsibilities, such as co-pays, if applicable. read more>>>

Parades When All Combat Troops Return

2012-02-09T09:51:00.004-05:00

Afghanistan was the Main Mission and that was abandoned to invade and occupy Iraq using the aftermath of 9/11 to justify! Soldiers of many countries are still trying to get back to that Main Mission and the promises made to the Afghans. Parades for the masses to wave their flags of patriotism, and yet no sacrifice nor demand for themselves, should be after the now ongoing draw down in Afghanistan is complete and those soldiers are home!

DOD Supports Parades When All Combat Troops Return

Feb. 8, 2012 – Pentagon officials say they’re all for a “New York-style tickertape parade” honoring combat troops who served in Iraq, but bowing to the military leadership’s wishes, agree that the best time to do so is after all combat troops have returned home from Afghanistan as well.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Douglas B. Wilson told Lynn Neary of NPR’s “Talk of the Town” program the Defense Department fully supports homecoming celebrations for Iraq War veterans.
St. Louis hosted a parade last month that drew an estimated 20,000 participants and 100,000 spectators. Some 15 more cities are considering similar parades.
“The event in St. Louis was terrific, and it was something that we applaud and we know that there will be more of,” Wilson said.
Wilson said there’s always been interest in a national-level celebration to honor troops returned from Iraq. “The question was not whether to have a parade, but when to do so,” he said.
Based on input from the military, Wilson said, the sentiment is that now is too soon, particularly because many Iraq War veterans now are deployed to Afghanistan. The consensus, he said, was that “that kind of event should wait and that it would be more appropriately held when combat troops were coming home.” read more>>>

No Revenues = Still No Sacrifice = That's Called 'Support' For The Troops = DeJa-Vu all over again!!

House Veterans Affairs Committee: 9 February 2012

2012-02-09T09:07:00.001-05:00

Reforming VA’s Flawed Fiduciary System Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (O&I) | 334 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC | Feb 9, 2012 10:00am

Opening Statements
Honorable Joe Donnelly, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
Witnesses
Panel 1 Dave McLenachen, Director of Pension and Fiduciary Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Accompanied by:
Diana Rubens, Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Panel 2
Doug Rosinski, Attorney, Law Office of Douglas J. Rosinski, Esq.
Katrina Eagle, Attorney, The Veterans Law Office of Michael Wildhaber, LLP
Pam Estes, Veteran Fiduciary
Rick Weidman, Executive Director for Policy & Government Affairs, Vietnam Veterans of America

Visit site link for transcripts of testimony and possible live streaming or archived video.

"She Served Proudly" Role of Women in Military {UpDated}

2012-02-08T19:51:00.000-05:00

Photographer documenting role of women in military

Feb. 6, 2012 - I recently met Julie Dowd, a Nashville-based photographer and daughter of a former soldier. Julie has begun work on a project called “She Served Proudly,” which celebrates the role of women in the military over the last 60 years. After reading a magazine article about a female Afghanistan veteran suffering from PTSD, Julie felt compelled to use her talents to help bring more attention to the women who have served and sacrificed for our country.
Nearly 15 percent of our active duty military personnel are women — mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. They serve alongside men every day at home and around the world and have made sacrifices, suffered injury and lost lives. Today’s military women are there because of the women who came before them.
“She Served Proudly” is the story of the women who traveled courageously into the military, once populated almost exclusively by men, and who then changed the landscape forever. Through interviews, photographs and video, Julie plans to introduce us to women veterans from the last 60 years – women whose reasons for enlisting are as varied as the women themselves, but whose stories each resonate with the same sense of pride.
As a photographer, Julie’s initial idea was to simply produce a photographic piece highlighted by audio interviews. However, as she began the interview process, she felt there was a need to film these remarkable women in order to help tell their stories more fully. read more>>>

She Served Proudly from Julie Dowd Photography on Vimeo.

Combat rules don't keep women off battlefield

8 February 2012 - "Every time they would request a specific gunner and it was always a female to man the .50 cal," said Halfaker.
That gunner was Spc. Victoria Rivers.
"It was just kind of euphoric, working side by side with some special forces team. It was pretty cool," said Rivers.
"She was just top notch," said Halfaker. "Great soldier and it was just funny to see this tiny little female up there manning the .50 cal and just fitting in with the special ops guys." read more>>>

UpDate:

Sources: Pentagon rules shift on women in combat

9 February 2012 - Pentagon rules are catching up a bit with reality after a decade when women in the U.S. military have served, fought and died on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
On Thursday, the Pentagon is recommending to Congress that women be allowed to serve in more jobs closer to the front lines.
According to defense officials, the new rules are expected to continue the long-held prohibition that prevents women from serving as infantry, armor and special operations forces. But they will formally allow women to serve in other jobs at the battalion level, which until now had been considered too close to combat.
In reality, however, the necessities of war have already propelled women to the front lines — often as medics, military police or intelligence officers. So, while a woman couldn't be assigned as an infantryman in a battalion or in a company going out on patrol, she could fly the helicopter supporting the unit, or move in to provide medical aid if troops were injured. read more>>>

Our At-Risk Veterans

2012-02-08T18:38:00.001-05:00

After the war: Reaching our at-risk veterans

02/07/12 - President Obama opened his State of the Union address paying tribute to our military and invoking the miracle of post-World War II America. Indeed, in a perfect world, the example would apply after every war and now. But, dreams and hopes aren’t the reality of today’s veterans.
It doesn’t take much imagination to conjure the specter of a generation of homeless and injured men and women sleeping on park benches. Indeed, they are already appearing. The Army is accelerating “administrative discharges,” which is a bureaucratic way of saying that soldiers are dismissed for misconduct and drug abuse in growing numbers. Once heroes, many might not even be eligible for veterans benefits.
We have heard heartrending tales about post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, suicide and homicide. Then, there are the realities — the economics of trimming budgets, global dangers and stubborn unemployment.
DOD is a complicated web of budget, readiness, equipment and personnel, to say the least. “Administrative discharge” is one of many insidious consequences of downsizing and budget cuts. Follow the money, and a smaller defense budget leads to rationalizations about keeping a “quality force.” Those rationalizations morph into almost immoral mistreatment of those who have served and who are now suffering as a direct result of their past service. read more>>>

Herschel Walker to Wounded Warriors: "There is no shame in seeking help."

2012-02-08T18:06:00.001-05:00

NFL legend looks to help Army tackle behavioral health stigma

February 7, 2012 - NFL legend. Heisman Trophy winner. Named as the best running back in college football history by ESPN. These all describe Herschel Walker, best known as a running back for the Dallas Cowboys. However, many people may not know that there are other sides to Walker.
Walker was recently on Fort Bliss to visit Soldiers and their families, as well as to help spread a message. That message was plain and simple. There is no shame in seeking help.
Walker suffers from what is known as Dissociative Identity Disorder, or DID. It is more commonly known as multiple personality disorder.
"Sometimes we forget just how tough life really is," said Walker. "Sometimes we think that life is roses. I am here to tell you in a rosebush, there are a lot of thorns."
Walker was not diagnosed with DID until after his playing days were over. Once he received the diagnosis, he knew it was important to himself and his family to seek help. Now he is hoping to spread that message to more out there.
Walker began his visit by speaking with the Wounded Warriors of the Warrior Transition Battalion. After sharing the story of what he has had to overcome in his life, he posed for pictures and autographs.
"I love coming to places like this," Walker told the Wounded Warriors. "All I have done is play a little football game. I am really jealous of you guys." read more>>>