HONORING THE FALLEN: US Military KIA, Iraq & Afghanistan/Pakistan - January 2015

‘Children of the Fallen’

Introduction: The making of The Washington Post’s ‘Children of the Fallen’

Avery and Alaya Alexander, 9: Fatherless from the start.

January 20 2015 - Over the weekend, several of my colleagues and I published a very ambitious project called Children of the Fallen: 14 portraits of children whose parents died during the conflict in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history.

But our original idea was far simpler. We wanted to profile just one child, the son of Johnny “Mike” Spann, a CIA paramilitary officer killed in a prison uprising in Afghanistan — and the very first American to die in the conflict. His son was just a baby when he died. My editor, Lynda Robinson, who helms The Post’s local enterprise team, wanted to profile the way his father’s absence had shaped this boy’s life as a way of offering a different perspective on the impact of the war.

Calvin Davis, 6, is shown at his Menifee, Calif., home on Nov. 19. His father, Marine Staff Sgt. Jonathan D. Davis, died in Afghanistan in 2013. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

I had just interviewed Spann’s widow, Shannon, that spring for a story about the CIA’s Memorial Wall. But when I called Shannon and pitched her on letting us profile her son, she was reluctant. She lives in a new state, works in a different job and enjoys her newfound privacy.

So Lynda came up with a different idea: Instead of focusing on a single child, we’d write short narratives about 14 kids, one for each year since 9/11. In the end, “Children of the Fallen” contains 14 vignettes about 17 kids, whose ages range from 6 to 34 and who live all across the country. (For some years, we chose to focus on a set of siblings.) read more>>>

Children of the Fallen: Portraits of Loss

The knock at the door. The shock and grief that followed. An absence that lasts a lifetime.

Much of the country grew weary of the longest war in U.S. history years ago. But for the hundreds of children who lost parents in Afghanistan, the conflict that began 26 days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will never really end. They continue to pay the cost of war with the cheers they won’t hear from the soccer sidelines, the hugs they won’t get at their high school graduations, the arms they won’t clasp down the aisle at their weddings. read more w/links to each>>>

Portraits: One for each year of the Afghanistan war

NATO holds ceremony closing Afghan mission Event carried out in secret due to threat of Taliban strikes in Afghan capital, which has been hit by repeated bombings

28 Dec 2014 - NATO has held a ceremony in Kabul formally ending its war in Afghanistan, officials said, after 13 years of conflict and gradual troop withdrawals that have left the country in the grip of worsening conflicts with armed groups. read more>>>

NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan "Resolute Support will serve as the bedrock of an enduring partnership" between NATO and Afghanistan, Campbell told an audience of Afghan and international military officers and officials, as well as diplomats and journalists.

Operation Resolute Support

The post-2014 mission in Afghanistan will be known as Operation Resolute Support. Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Afghanistan will come to an end. The detailed operation plan for Resolute Support was approved by NATO Foreign Ministers at the end of June 2014. The U.S. military component of RSM will be Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

US-led coalition marks end of 'longest war' in Afghanistan

Memorial at the New JPED facility at Dover Air Force Base, Del..OEF: Afghanistan - Pakistan!! There have been 3,485 coalition deaths -- 2,356 Americans, 41 Australians, 453 Britons, 1 Belgian, 158 Canadians, 10 Czech, 43 Denmark, 25 Netherlands, 9 Estonians, 2 Finn, 86 French, 54 Germans, 7 Hungarian, 48 Italians, 2 Jordan, 3 Latvian, 1 Lithuanian, 10 Norwegians, 40 Poland, 2 Portuguese, 21 Romanians, 1 South Korean, 34 Spaniards, 5 Swedes, 14 Turks, 11 New Zealand, 27 Georgian and 14 NATO/ISAF -- in the war on terror as of November 3 2014, 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 20,065 up to Dec. 30, 2014 {20,048 up to December 1, 2014} 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.

icasualties.org OEF - Operation Enduring Freedom

CNN Map U.S./Canada and Coalition Afghanistan Casualties

Obama, Hagel Mark End of Operation Enduring Freedom

December 28, 2014 - Obama marks end of combat in Afghanistan

Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom's Sentinel

Ending America's longest war

Jan 04, 2015 - Lara Logan reports from Afghanistan on the future of the country as the U.S.-led coalition draws down its forces read more>>>

'A new chapter': United States shuts down Iraq war Nine years of conflict saw 4,488 Americans killed, 32,230 U.S. wounded and more than $800 billion spent

By the Numbers: 1.5 Million

Iraq Veterans: ‘National Day of Honor’ 19 March

OIF: Iraq, from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn on Sept 1, 2010

December 20 2011 - Ceremony to Retire Iraq Mission Colors on U.S. Soil

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.

icasualties.org Operation Iraqi Freedom

Iraq war ends with a $4 trillion IOU: 15 December 2011 - Veterans’ health care costs to rise sharply over the next 40 years

CNN Map U.S. and Coalition Iraq Casualties

Brown University - Iraq: 10 Years After Costs of War - Research Papers

Costs of War Project

The British Iraq War Inquiry

Click on banner to visit the DoD Special Report page on In-Theater Operations

Back Into Iraq - Lured Back in the Continuing Blowback From the Previous Failed Policies of Quickly Abandoning the Missions and Those Sent to Accomplish After 9/11! That Created the Growth and Spread, and Now This ISIL or Islamic State, the Criminal Terror in That Region and Beyond of Many Groups Following the al Qaeda Terror Mold and even More Extreme:

‘Operation Inherent Resolve’ Pentagon chose the name to "reflect the unwavering resolve and deep commitment of the U.S."

Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria

* * * CIA Torture: Read the Senate Intelligence Committee report * * *

In a Democracy: 'Citizens must know what is done in their name'

Pres. Bush: “Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated”

Human rights groups call for special prosecutor to investigate CIA torture

22 December 2014 - The ACLU and Human Rights Watch say the offences amount to ‘a vast criminal conspiracy’ and are ‘shocking and corrosive’ to US democracy and credibility read more>>>

* * * Seeds of ISIL Planted By Bush/Cheney and Conservative Congresses * * *

* * * The British Iraq War Inquiry * * * Released will carry private communications between GWBush and TBlair, like this already released: TB said there was a danger the Tories would see this as their chance to get rid of him … Bush said they would make it clear to the Tories that if they moved to get rid of TB "we will get rid of them".

* * * Iraq War Promoted Terrorism Rather Than Reducing It * * * 24 April 2014 - Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War promoted terrorism rather than reducing it and was a “strategic failure”, according to a major new report which estimated the cost of all UK conflicts since the end of the Cold War.
The Royal United Services Institute said the UK could face a bill of nearly £65bn, once the cost of long-term care for injured veterans was factored in, with most of the money was spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The study, called Wars in Peace, said both conflicts were largely “strategic failures” for the UK, The Guardian reported."

Facts: Matthew Hoh {former Marine and foreign service officer in Afghanistan}: "We spend a trillion dollars a year on national security in this country."
"And when you add up to the Department of Defense, Department of State, CIA, Veterans Affairs, interest on debt, the number that strikes me the most about how much we're committed financially to these wars and to our current policies is we have spent $250 billion already just on interest payments on the debt we've incurred for the Iraq and Afghan wars." 26 September 2014

Bob Herbert "Losing Our Way" : "And then the staggering costs of these wars, which are borne by the taxpayers. I mean, one of the things that was insane was that, as we're at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush administration cut taxes. This has never been done in American history. The idea of cutting taxes while you're going to war is just crazy. I mean, it's madness." Bill 'Moyers and Company': Restoring an America That Has Lost its Way 10 Oct. 2014

$14 Million An Hour: War Costs Top $1.6 Trillion Since 9/11, Say Congressional Researchers

December 22 2014 - American taxpayers have shelled out roughly $1.6 trillion on war spending since 9/11, according to a new report from Congress’ nonpartisan research arm. That’s roughly $337 million a day -- or nearly a quarter million dollars a minute -- every single day for 13 years. read more>>>

“With no shared sacrifices being asked of civilians after Sept. 11"

Chris Hayes MSNBC: "If you can run a deficit to go to war, you can run a deficit to take care of the people who fought it" In response to Republican opposition to expanding Veterans' benefits on fiscal grounds

Neither of these recent wars have yet been paid for, let alone the results from, including the long ignored or outright denied existence of, till this Administrations Cabinet and Gen Shinseki, only Government branch consistent for the past six years, issues! As well as under deficits most of the, grossly under funded, VA budget is still borrowed thus added, problem creating, costs that shouldn't exist!

* * * Operation United Assistance * * *

* * * DoD Helps Fight EBOLA in West Africa * * *

"If military action is worth our troops’ blood, it should be worth our treasure, too — not just in the abstract, but in the form of a specific ante by every American." -Andrew Rosenthal 10 Feb. 2013

"We got a huge round of tax cuts in this country a few weeks before9/11. Once 9/11 happened and we invaded Afghanistan, we kept the tax cuts anyway. How did we think we were going to pay for that war? Did we think it was free?"

"Then, when we started a second simultaneous war in another country, we gave ourselves a second huge round of tax cuts. After that second war started. The wars, I guess, we thought would be free, don`t worry about it, civilians. Go about your business." Rachel Maddow - 23 May 2013

Soldiers - Veterans - Families Of

“Why in 2009 were we still using paper?” VA Assistant Secretary Tommy Sowers “When we came in, there was no plan to change that; we’ve been operating on a six month wait for over a decade.” 27 March 2013

Chris Hayes MSNBC: "If you can run a deficit to go to war, you can run a deficit to take care of the people who fought it" In response to Republican opposition to expanding Veterans' benefits on fiscal grounds

Michelle Obama - 'American Sniper' and What Eastwood Hasn't Said

What Eastwood should have said instead of staying completely silent! As the FOX speak intolerant, mostly 'chickenhawks', many calling themselves christians, so comfortable and oh so brave sitting at their keyboards and Not In Combat Theaters, though many saying their ready to go, NOT, who have yet to pay for these wars and, DeJa-Vu, the long term results from them, the grossly underfunded VA for decades and wars from, including the growth in the blowback from the policies they fully supported 'In All Our Names', started ramping up their continued hate of all others:

"While I know there have been critics, I felt that, more often than not, this film touches on many of the emotions and experiences that I've heard firsthand from military families over these past few years," she said. "This movie reflects those wrenching stories that I've heard -- the complex journeys that our men and women in uniform endure. The complicated moral decisions they are tasked with every day. The stresses of balancing love of family with a love of country. And the challenges of transitioning back home to their next mission in life."

Eastwood has yet to speak, reaping even greater extremely low taxed, starting with both wars and added to throughout, wealth from as they flock to the theaters, as he's one of them, talking to chairs and with the FOX, pointed hate, speak so popular among them all!!! My take from the marketing teaser clips for the movie is that was a main theme the movie was supposed to be focused on, the inner battles of many sent into war theaters and their return from, not any hero bravado only seen by many waving their, poser, patriotic flags!!

Michelle Obama weighs in on "American Sniper"

January 30, 2015 - First Lady Michelle Obama on Friday praised the recently-released movie "American Sniper," a film about a soldier in the Iraq War that's become a flashpoint between liberals and conservatives.

At an event with film industry leaders focused on expanding the public's understanding of veterans' issues, Mrs. Obama said she had a chance to watch "American Sniper" on Air Force One.

Mrs. Obama said her perspective on veterans' issues has been changed after meeting with veterans and military families personally. "But for all those folks in America who don't have these kinds of opportunities, films and TV are often the best way we have to share those stories," she said. read more>>>

Chris Kyle took it on himself to bury his own nightmares by using the dangerous weapons he became extremely comfortable with, that shouldn't be so easy to obtain in a civil society, and thought it was a great idea to try and help ease the effects of PTS, long ignored with many other issues and outright denied, his own, and of others on the firing range with fully loaded semi's that are one of many triggers for many especially without proper care to bring on their nightmares. Now the veteran, Eddie Ray Routh who had been diagnosed with PTSD who killed him is awaiting trial, next month, because of those choices!!

As one, female Veteran, who assembled bombs for F16s in the Persian Gulf and Iraq, said in a CBS report the other night:

January 29, 2015 - She wrote that she's proud of her service but added this: "That doesn't change the fact that I contributed - however indirectly - to human beings vanishing from the earth in a moment of sheer agony." Portraits of War - Understanding the True Cost of War - 100 Faces

A biography of PTSD. A new study finds that veterans suffering from PTSD goes back nearly as far as warfare itself. Author David Morris joins Patrick Murphy to talk about his new book

The American Sniper You Didn't Hear About

27 January 15 - One American sniper called Iraqi natives “savages,” compared them to American welfare recipients, and bragged about looting their homes after killing them. Another American sniper became so disgusted by what he had done that he started the first-ever antiwar blog, and is actively encouraging his fellow soldiers to use their First Amendment rights to speak out against what he calls an “illegal occupation” in Iraq. Guess which one had a blockbuster movie made about him, and which one got ignored? read more>>>

Feb 1, 2015 - I was an American sniper, and Chris Kyle’s war was not my war

Feb 4, 2015 - “The truth is unspeakable”: A real American sniper unloads on “American Sniper”

As to Chris Kyle's war record claims, not to say he isn't truthful, but:

ProPublica and The Seattle Times Nov. 9, 2012 - Lost to History: Missing War Records Complicate Benefit Claims by Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans

And as to two previous Presidents {CiC's}, Father and Son, and three War Theaters, this from the just above link:

"DeLara's case is part of a much larger problem that has plagued the U.S. military since the 1990 Gulf War: a failure to create and maintain the types of field records that have documented American conflicts since the Revolutionary War."

Part Two: A Son Lost in Iraq, but Where Is the Casualty Report?

Army Says War Records Gap Is Real, Launches Recovery Effort

* * * Got Your 6 * * *

‘Section 60,’ at Arlington

New webpage allows vets with PTSD to apply for discharge upgrade

December 17, 2014 - Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder who were discharged under “other than honorable” conditions can apply on a new webpage to have their discharge upgraded if it was due to PTSD.

Veterans can go to the site to get information about applying for a change in status through the Army Review Boards Agency.

The Army says it is committed to making sure the veterans receive fair consideration of their service and the conditions that may have mitigated the misconduct that led to their discharge, he said. The Army launched the site in accordance with a Department of Defense memorandum from September. According to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, PTSD was not recognized as a diagnosis at the time of service in past conflicts such as the Vietnam War. read more>>>

* * * Joining Forces * * *

“We are dealing with veterans, not procedures—with their problems, not ours.” —General Omar Bradley, First Administrator of the Veterans Administration

Jobless Veterans to Employers: We're a very smart and innovative investment!

Today’s military: A well-educated force

So Many Wars, So Many War Debts Unpaid

Sen. Bernie Sanders told Conservatives: “If you can’t afford to take care of your veterans, than don’t go war. These people are bearing the brunt of what war is about, We have a moral obligation to support them.” February, 26th, 2014

Pat Hynes: A Vietnam War debt that remains unpaid

February 4, 2015 - The Paris Peace Accords were signed Jan. 27, 1973, making possible a re-united Vietnam. The peace accords ended eight years of the American War (as it is known to the Vietnamese) and two prior decades of covert warfare against this small, agrarian Asian country. For much of the American public, the war was a bitterly divisive issue to put behind them.

With no good ending, why dwell on or learn from or lose sleep over Vietnam, unless you had lost a loved one or were a veteran haunted by its violence?

In the Paris peace negotiations President Nixon agreed to pay Vietnam $3.25 billion for reconstruction aid; however, he was impeached before this agreement was honored. The following two post-war presidents — Ford and Carter — refused to enforce it and Congress then annulled the agreement.

Our government then set out to punish Vietnam, working to hinder its entry into the United Nation, initiating an economic and trade embargo and blocking aid from international agencies, until 2000. Some have labeled this period of penalizing the country that defeated us, the second American War in Vietnam.

Last March, I traveled through Vietnam from Hanoi to Da Nang in central Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). The purpose of my journey was to investigate the plight of third and fourth generation Agent Orange-dioxin victims, the fate of contaminated sites from the war and what is being done to overcome the legacy of the 12 million gallons of Agent Orange our military sprayed on upland forests, coastal mangroves and villages from 1961-1971. read more>>>

Neither of these recent wars have yet been paid for, nor the continued blowback from the spread and growth from the policies implemented!

Neither the long term results from, including the long ignored or outright denied existence of, till this Administrations Cabinet and Gen Shinseki, only Government branch consistent for the past six years, Veterans issues from!

As well as under deficits most of the, grossly under funded for decades and the wars from now, VA budget is still borrowed, with interest, thus added problem creating costs, with representative who control the purse strings blaming the mostly dedicated VA personal within, that shouldn't exist!

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Veteran Information

U.S. Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS)

U.S. Department of Justice Strengthening Our Military Families & Veteran Recruitment

Homeless Veterans': ‘stain on the soul of the nation’ - AMEN!

Highlighting Veteran Homelessness… “Wrong Side of Heaven”

Or this:

Veterans Administration: 'Facts' Are For Media To 'Report'

It is important that we openly and willingly discuss our mistakes and how we intend to improve. As we acknowledge areas where more work is needed, we also need to set the record straight when our work is unfairly mischaracterized.

HUD-VA PROGRAM THAT SERVES HOMELESS VETERANS TO EXPAND INTO NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR THE FIRST TIME

February 2, 2015 - Today the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that the HUD and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program that helps homeless veterans find permanent supportive housing will, for the first time, expand directly into Native American communities. This support for veterans is provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA.

The HUD-VASH program will now be opened to tribes so they may directly serve Native American veterans living on or near tribal lands. To expand the HUD-VASH program, $4 million will be invested specifically to support Native American veterans experiencing homelessness by providing them with secure housing and connecting them with clinical services and case management. This groundbreaking new effort will expand opportunity for approximately 650 veterans who are currently homeless or at risk of homelessness.

“Ensuring that our men and women who served in uniform receive the care and support they’ve earned is a national responsibility,” said HUD SecretaryJulián Castro. “But for too long, fulfilling that responsibility to many Native American veterans has been borne by Indian Country alone. We’re changing that this year.” read more>>>

The Department of Housing and Urban Development – VA Supportive Housing {HUD-VASH}

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

Homeless Veterans - Conferences - Stand Downs

Not just American Veterans are being left, not only homeless but in lack of sacrifice by those served, behind once service to Country is done:

Homeless Veterans: The hidden homeless who live at Heathrow Airport, and much more on 'The Independent' Homeless Veterans appeal!

Tories leave Canada’s battle-scarred veterans in the lurch: Editorial

Homelessness, it isn't only the many problems facing Veterans here in America, and elsewhere, often just ignored or out right denied they exist, think also Agent Orange, Gulf War Syndrome to name but a few of the oh so many issues. But see if you're homeless, veteran or not, you're a lazy bum according to conservative, see just above 'tory', ideology and speak, if a Veteran you're obviously a free loader on the society as a whole, so they shouldn't be forced into funding that, Sacrifice!

February 3 2015 - Clay Hunt veterans suicide prevention act passes in Senate, will head to White House

Getting much political press the past couple of days is this: FEB. 3, 2015 - Preventing Suicides Among Veterans Is at Center of Bill Passed by Senate. Will it help in stemming the tide of the numbers of suicides among Veterans, more talked about the present from two long wars and occupations, having abandoned the missions and those sent to accomplish so very quickly after 9/11, then the legions of from past decades and wars from. They sell it as being funded yet no one has demanded it's long past time for those served to Sacrifice themselves, especially the wealthy among us who added to that growing wealth through investments in the defense industry, i.e. the wars. But it adds to the long needed infusion of more Veterans Administration funding recently passed that had been defeated previously and thus watered down with the final passage. Back when first defeated Sen. Bernie Sanders told Congressional Conservatives this: “If you can’t afford to take care of your veterans, than don’t go war. These people are bearing the brunt of what war is about, We have a moral obligation to support them.” February, 26th, 2014.

By the way, neither of these recent wars have yet been paid for, nor the continued blowback from the spread and growth from the policies implemented! Without 'Sacrifice' by those served the funding is mostly borrowed with interest payments and added costly problems caused.

But once again the issues that lead many towards possibly taking their own lives were quite frankly ignored or just plain outright denied, through the representatives of, so the people served didn't see the need to 'sacrifice' themselves.

My take on this legislation, after all the praise for dies down, even from fellow veterans, is that it'll join much of the rest collecting dust and forgotten, Until the time arises, and it does extremely often, when the peoples representatives hold, not helpful, hearings to rather attack the VA personal hearings for not completely implementing no matter how they tried with the, results of wars enhancing, grossly under funded budgets, those served responsibility through those who control the countries purse strings their representatives in both houses!

Suicide among our Veterans population is not new, but has been much of what leads to largely ignored for decades and especially related to war theaters, like so much more!

As the Obama Administration came in they were tasked to deal with the already dangerous two long wars and occupations, along with so much more like the collapsed economy. One area not ignored were the returning Soldiers and their Families along with those discharging and joining our Veterans Community ranks. Bringing in Gen Shinseki, target on him already for speaking Military truth to the previous CiC and peoples Representatives. Like many before him he came in to oversee an Agency that was grossly under funded especially in relation to the war policies engaged in by others and not fully funded nor properly overseen by previous Veterans Administration Secretaries, under Clinton Cleland tried but was often blocked in moving the agency forward, and an Agency, the People Served Responsibility, not built on their Promises, thus constantly causing extremely costly problems, called 'scandals' by the Peoples, conservative, Representatives who control the Nations purse strings, usually the same over and over from previous Congresses.

Being a Vietnam Veteran himself he knew the pitfalls and battles Veterans have fought for years, those served and their reps not blaming themselves but the VA agency mostly dedicated employee's in every area tasked under the VA administration, thankfully there have always been plenty of volunteers giving aid to staffs and the tasks charged to perform and the veterans within. He took on the decades long ignored issues that Congress saw fit not to fund. They might throw a few million every now and then for studies, mostly to private firms, they knew the results wanted would be reported in, thus no actual Sacrifice by those served, i.e. taxes and especially for the wealthy who added to with defense and war investments. They also used writing and speeches by, mostly following political lines, so called experts as their talking points to deny issues even existed, it was all in the heads or previous conditions of each individual veteran. So much needed proper care wasn't available and Veterans were left to wage battles on the homefront many often dying from what was ignored or denied.

Those below are just some that the General {retired} and his staff started addressing, still grossly under funded and wasting needed funds on problems created by that under funding, these issues with help from the Obama Executive Administration and Cabinet agencies when they could partner up on similar issues along with those around the Executive branch. After that target finally succeeded in his ouster it was feared much of that advancing forward, as promised but never fulfilled by the country served, might come to an end. But with the pick by the President {CiC} of Secretary Robert A. McDonald that's so far looks like he's proceeding where Gen Shinseki left off and with the infusion, still mostly borrowed, of more funds continuing to improve the agency. Left so far behind, and constantly under attack, for so long.

“Why in 2009 were we still using paper?” VA Assistant Secretary Tommy Sowers “When we came in, there was no plan to change that; we’ve been operating on a six month wait for over a decade.” 27 March 2013

Promoting and Protecting the Health of Veterans and VA staff

Agent Orange

Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses

Burn Pits

Radiation

Camp Lejeune

More on Other Exposures >>>

Agent Orange-Related Diseases

Viral Hepatitis

HIV/AIDS

Seasonal Flu

Ebola Virus Disease

More on Other Diseases >>>

You can find much more information on the Veterans Administration Public Health Site Page >>>

Mental Health Service Utilization by OIF and OEF Veterans Commentary: War costs last forever

March 29, 2013 - The past is never dead, as William Faulkner might have written if he were analyzing the federal budget, it’s not even paid for. Did you realize that World War II still costs U.S. taxpayers $5 billion a year? Or that we haven’t closed the financial books on the Civil War yet? read more>>>

Defense Department Releases Crisis Support Guide for Families

Supporting Military Families in Crisis

A Great Resource for Family Caregivers

'The Country You Destroyed': A Letter to George W. Bush

Afghanistan & Iraq Civilian Casualties - War Refugee's

Recording Casualties: Victims of Armed Conflict Worldwide

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

Film Highlights Perils Faced By Iraqis Who Helped U.S.

THE LIST: Project to Resettle Iraqi Allies

A decade after US-led forces toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, IRIN examines the impact of the occupation on basic living standards.

Consistent coverage of the health consequences of Iraq’s conflict by the Lancet medical journal here

The Lancet: lraq's health system yet to heal from ravages of war

Afghanistan: World Report 2013

USCIRF Annual Report 2013 - Tier 2: Afghanistan

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!

All the Deaths, Maimings and Destruction are the Blood on All Our Hands, No One can Escape that Guilt!

Strasbourg judge: “Those who export war ought to see to the parallel export of guarantees against the atrocities of war”

The Rand Corporation Terrorism Report the press release here, you can get the full document here or a summary of the research brief here

America’s Future will Help Define How the Nation Looks at its Veterans

Chairman Makes Case for Support to Veterans

Still Coming Home, Our Brothers of WWII, Korea and Vietnam - Rest in Peace, You're Finally Home

Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command - Until They Are Home

HONORING THE FALLEN: US Military and Coalition Forces Killed in Action, Iraq & Afghanistan/Pakistan from 2001 to ................. - 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

American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial - Dedicated on Oct 5th 2014