Under two previous Executive administrations and wars from, father and son. With son and conservative congresses leading the extremely quick abandoning of the missions and those sent to accomplish after 9/11:
PENTAGON - February 11, 2013 - President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha on Monday.
In 2009, with U.S. forces in eastern Afghanistan under Taliban attack, a wounded Romesha ducked enemy fire to rescue other wounded soldiers and recover bodies of the fallen.
Army staff sergeant receives Medal of Honor for actions during Afghanistan war battle
You have to see Combat Outpost Keating to realize just how indefensible it was to an attack from Taliban fighters. Just 52 American soldiers were down there, as well as Staff Sgt. Romesha.
"We were taking everything from, you know, very precise sniper fire, automatic weapon fire from machine gun positions. We were taking mortar and indirect fire, RPG fire," Romesha said. read more>>>
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 1, 2013 - Chuck Hagel took the oath of office to serve as the 24th defense secretary at the Pentagon, Feb. 27, 2013, becoming the first enlisted combat veteran to lead the Defense Department. Hagel served in the U.S. Senate, representing Nebraska from 1996 to 2009. Following his Senate career, Hagel served as co-chairman of President Obama's Intelligence Advisory Board and as a member of the department's Defense Policy Board.
View a recap of the secretary's activities on his first day in office in the American Forces Press Service special report: DOD Welcomes Chuck Hagel, Secretary of Defense at Secretary Hagel Welcome>>>
03/01/2013 - Funeral services were held at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for GEN Norman Schwarzkopf, who led U.S. forces in the Gulf War in the early 1990s.
There had been 4,804 coalition deaths 4,488 Americans
2 Australians, 1 Azerbaijani, 179 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, 1 Czech, 7 Danes, 2 Dutch, 2 Estonians, 1 Fijian, 5 Georgians, 1 Hungarian, 33 Italians, 1 Kazakh, 1 South Korean, 3 Latvian, 22 Poles, 3 Romanians, 5 Salvadoran, 4 Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, 2 Thai and 18 Ukrainians -- in the war in Iraq as of January 2, 2012, according to a CNN and iCasulties count.
Graphical breakdown of casualties. At least 32,230 U.S. troops had been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon.
POW/MIA: Afghanistan & Iraq
One U.S. soldier is currently listed as captured or Duty Status -- Whereabouts Unknown as of March 3 2012. The information below reflects the name as Prisoner of War or Duty Status -- Whereabouts Unknown by the Pentagon.
Sgt Bowe R. Bergdahl 23 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Ketchum, Idaho Captured in Paktika province in Afghanistan, on June 30, 2009. The Pentagon declared him Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown on July 1 and his status was changed to Missing-Captured on July 3.
Memorial at the New JPED facility at Dover Air Force Base, Del..OEF: Afghanistan - Pakistan!!
There have been 3,258 coalition deaths -- 2,178 Americans, 39 Australians, 440 Britons, 1 Belgian, 158 Canadians, 5 Czech, 43 Denmark, 25 Netherlands, 9 Estonians, 2 Finn, 86 French, 53 Germans, 7 Hungarian, 47 Italians, 2 Jordan, 3 Latvian, 1 Lithuanian, 10 Norwegians, 36 Poles, 2 Portuguese, 19 Romanians, 1 South Korean, 34 Spaniards, 5 Swedes, 14 Turks, 11 New Zealand, 17 Georgian and 14 NATO/ISAF -- in the war on terror as of March 2, 2013, according to a CNN and iCasulties count. Below are the names of the soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors whose deaths have been reported by their country's governments. The troops died in support of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom or were part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. At least 18,299 {18,215 up to February 1, 2013} U.S. personnel have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon. In addition to the military deaths, 11 U.S. intelligence operatives have died in Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Jonathan D. Davis 34 Kayenta, Arizona, USA Headquarters Battalion, 32nd Georgian Liaison Team, Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force Camp Pendleton, Calif. Died while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on February 22, 2013
March 1, 2013 - KABUL, Afghanistan — On the eve of the final "fighting season" before the major pullout of American troops from Afghanistan begins, U.S. deaths here have fallen to their lowest levels in five years.The decline is ever steeper for international forces: The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force suffered its fewest number of troops killed in December, January and February in seven years.
U.S. deaths in those months this winter totaled 17, down from 57 the previous winter.
As of Friday, a Marine who died in Helmand province on Feb. 22 was the only U.S. service member to be killed in 43 days, the longest such stretch since the winter of 2006-07, according to records kept by iCasualties.org, which tracks deaths in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. read more>>>
Ron White hopes people will remember those killed overseas and help those coming home.
Feb 28, 2013 - A moving tribute took shape on Thursday in downtown Fort Worth, one name at a time.
Local Navy veteran Ron White spent the day writing the name of every service member, CIA agent and civilian contractor killed during the war in Afghanistan. That's more than 2,200 names and 7,000 words, when rank is included, spanning the 50-foot-long wall that is seven-feet tall.
"The sacrifice is huge, it's big and it's real," White said.
White spent the day in Burnett Plaza, just across from where he lives in downtown, writing the names so that people remember those who gave their lives for our country.
"I just wanted to acknowledge that each person who died was an individual person," White said. "You know, Gunnery Sgt. Benjamin Adam and LCPL. Leopold Damas, they were all moms and dads, brothers and sisters and they were each individual people."
White, who served a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy in Afghanistan himself, didn't know anyone on this wall. read more>>>
February 15, 2013 - In honor of Women’s History Month, we want to thank the women who have shaped our military and we need your help putting together a tribute honoring women Veterans. Throughout history, these service members took on a variety of roles and rose through the ranks. They served honorably in a variety of occupations and have witnessed history as the ban on women serving in combat has been lifted. Every woman who served has paved the way for her fellow female service members and we want to say, “Thank you.”
Here is how you can help: read more>>>
COOKSON, Okla. -- March 1, 2013 -- Inside a single-wide in Cookson, Okla., a tortured soul lives alone.
"It's a hard life, let me tell you," says 89-year-old Ed Bray. "You ain't never lived hard until you go through what I've been through."
Bray served in World War II. He was at Normandy on D-Day, has two Purple Hearts and more than a dozen other medals. But to this day, he still can't even read what they're for -- not because it's too painful, but because he simply can't read.
"The toughest thing that ever happened to me in my life was not being able to read," he says.
Illiteracy can be that damning. read more>>>
The American Veteran - March 2013 - Published on Feb 26, 2013A video news magazine designed to inform veterans, their families and their communities about the services and benefits they have earned through their service to America.
February 28, 2013 - Today, the Department of Defense announced the expansion of its valor website to include the names of individuals who were awarded Medals of Honor for actions prior to Sept. 11, 2001.
The decision to expand the website will give recognition to service members who were awarded the Medal of Honor during our nation’s previous wars, campaigns and conflicts.
“Recognizing our brave men and women for their heroic actions is one of the most important things we can do as a Department,” said Vee Penrod, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military personnel policy. “Our service members have shown great courage and sacrifice on the battlefield throughout our nation’s history and it is fitting that we honor their sacrifice and courage. Expanding this site is one small way to do that.” read more>>>
February 25, 2013 - Too often the talented men and women who have served our country face barriers that make it difficult to find jobs that capitalize on the skills they have gained through their military education and experience. Many service members and veterans are required to repeat education or training in order to receive industry certifications and state occupational licenses, even though much, and in some cases, all, of their military training and experience overlaps with credential requirements.
The members of our Armed Forces and their families make great sacrifices, and when their service is concluded, we owe it to our veterans and their families to help them accomplish a successful transition to the civilian labor force. That is why over the past year and a half, President Obama has taken significant action to create a “career-ready military” and streamline the transition process. read more>>>
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2013 – As the war in Afghanistan winds down and more than 1 million veterans return to civilian life, the nation’s responsibility to help them in that transition will ramp up, First Lady Michelle Obama told the National Governors Association at the White House today.Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, spoke to the nation’s governors to seek their help with the “Joining Forces” initiative to foster support for service members and their families.
The first lady noted that President Barack Obama created a task force to help service members obtain the national certification that they need to fill high-demand civilian jobs with the manufacturing industry. read more>>>
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2013 – Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, today urged the nation’s governors to get behind the effort to allow military spouses to transfer professional licenses from state to state.
Speaking to the National Governors Association at the White House as part of the “Joining Forces” initiative that she and First Lady Michelle Obama have championed, Biden noted that 28 states have passed laws to facilitate license portability for teachers, nurses, social workers and other professionals licensed in one state but who have to move to another when their military spouse gets a new assignment.
Military spouses move 10 times more often than their civilian counterparts, Biden said, and 35 percent of those spouses have jobs that require professional licenses. read more>>>
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2013 – Service members and veterans are more than prepared to transition into civilian employment, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
Following the release today of a report by the Executive Office of the President titled “The Fast Track to Civilian Employment: Streamlining Credentialing and Licensing for Service Members, Veterans and their Spouses,” Marine Corps Sgt. Major Bryan B. Battaglia told reporters in a conference call with White House officials that the skills, dedication and discipline conferred by military service makes veterans an asset to any civilian employer.
In February 2012, only 11 states had legislation intended to assist military spouses in transferring their licenses or certifications when they moved to a new state, said Tina Tchen, chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama. In part due to the efforts of the “Joining Forces” initiative championed by the first lady and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden -- along with the president’s military credentialing and licensing task force, 28 states now have such legislation, she said, and more are working toward that goal. read more>>>
Published on Feb 25, 2013 - Holly Petraeus, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Office of Servicemember Affairs, speaks with a military reporter about the importance of having money put away for an emergency, and where they can go for assistance if they have a consumer financial service complaint. For more about how to start a personal savings plan visit: Military SavesTo learn more about the CFPB's Office of Servicemember Affairs visit: Information for servicemembers
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2013 – Defense Department officials have designated this week as “Military Saves Week” to highlight the need for military families to reduce debt and save for the future, something Pentagon officials emphasize is key to force readiness.The event is part of the yearlong Military Saves campaign, an opportunity for leaders to stress the importance of good financial habits to all members of the force and their families to encourage saving, reducing debt and building wealth, officials said. read more>>>
Scores of recent Texas war veterans have died of overdoses, suicide and vehicle crashes, a six-month Statesman investigation finds.
If the country hadn't ignored us Vietnam vets and thus those previous to, and supporters of most of the anti-war movement then, all these years we and the world would have had a much better understanding of PTS and Trauma's relationship, especially in the 24/stresses of a war theater. And if they had they certainly would have realized that drugs, all types, only enhance the individual problems not suppress them especially in the long term, self induced or by medical professional diagnoses.
February 28th, 2013 - Weaning off Zoloft, or any other SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or SNRI (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) is no walk in the park. What has been termed “SSRI Withdrawal/Discontinuation Syndrome” includes unpleasant symptoms that include confusion, tremors, realistic nightmares, and sensations of electrical shocks traveling from one’s head to one’s toes. These symptoms can be lessened by weaning off Zoloft or any antidepressant of these classes very slowly, under the supervision of a psychiatrist that is familiar with such symptoms, as opposed to a family doctor. However, can weaning off Zoloft be not only unpleasant, but deadly? read more>>>
February 21, 2013 - Did you serve on active duty at the U.S. Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, from January 1, 1957 through December 31, 1987? You may have been exposed to drinking water contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals.
The Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 provided VA authority to treat Veterans who served at Camp Lejeune for not less than 30 days during the covered period. These Veterans are eligible for enrollment in Priority Group 6 or higher and cost-free care VA health care for any of the following illnesses or conditions: read more>>>
Recording Casualties: Victims of Armed Conflict Worldwide
This programme draws on the principles of human security to develop and enhance the technical and institutional capacity, identify and consolidate the legal requirements, and build the political will to record details of every single victim of armed conflict worldwide. The programme incorporates research into emerging good practice and existing legal frameworks, the development and promotion of clearer legal and more effective regulatory instruments, and the creation and support of advocacy networks. visit site for updated reports
Every Casualty.org: New Org Website Launched On Casualty Recording The one-stop source for information on conflict's casualties worldwide and the organisations that record them
Exact Count of Civilian Casualties may never be known, as is the case in every conflict, especially an Invasion by another Country. For it is the Innocent Civilians and those Defending their Countries,of which All would be counted if this country, the U.S., were ever invaded, who suffer the most, during and long after!
The Rand Corporation Terrorism Report the press release here, you can get the full document here or a summary of the research brief here
March 7, 2013 - America is about to pay final respects to two of its fallen heroes more than a century after they lost their lives. But we can't tell you who they were and we may never know.
It is a solemn fact that the remains of Americans killed in conflicts dating back to World War II keep coming home from distant battlefields.
But Thursday was different, as flag draped caskets held unidentified sailors from the Civil War.
"Two human beings buried under there for 140 years or so," explained Joe Hoyt. He was one of the divers who discovered the remains in 240 feet of water off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, where they had gone down with one of the Navy's most famous ships -- the USS Monitor.
"Arguably more significant than almost any shipwreck certainly in U.S. history," said Hoyt, "and to get down there and actually see it -- there's really nothing else like it." read more>>>
Two Navy Honor Guard teams load two caskets of remains during services to honor two sailors from the Civil War ship, the USS Monitor, as they depart Fort Meyer Memorial Chapel, Friday, March 8, 2013 in Arlington, Va. A century and a half after the Civil War ship the USS Monitor sank, two unknown crewmen found in the ironclad's turret were buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Friday's burial may be the last time Civil War soldiers are buried at the cemetery.
May 1, 2003 - "Mission Accomplished!" After Abandoning, with cheers from supporters, the Main Missions of Afghanistan, 9/11 why we even sent our military into that region, to invade and occupy Iraq, creating the rise in the regional insurgents, and spreading the al Qaeda type criminal terrorism ideology far and wide, fighting in Afghanistan since!
"How anyone can say that torture keeps Americans safe is beyond me -- unless you don't count American soldiers as Americans." How to Break a Terrorist: The U.S. Interrogators Who Used Brains, Not Brutality, to Take Down the Deadliest Man in Iraq Matthew Alexander who is writing under a pseudonym for security reasons
"Torture is the tool of the lazy, the stupid, and the pseudo-tough. It's also perhaps the greatest recruiting tool that the terrorists have." Major General Paul Eaton
HONORING THE FALLEN: US Military and Coalition Forces Killed in Action, Iraq & Afghanistan/Pakistan from 2001 to February 2013 - My Honor Rolls, and more, to Share
National World War II Memorial
National Korean War Memorial
National Vietnam Veterans Memorial - "The Wall"
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial
Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries
Arlington National Cemetery
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