{This blog is not affiliated with the VA. Though a Veteran, four yrs. all shore in Navy last year In-Country Vietnam, I don't work for the VA}
**USN All Shore '67-'71 GMG3 Vietnam In Country '70-'71 - Independent**


In 2003 some 72% of Americans fully supported the Abandoning of the Missions and those Sent to Accomplish so extremely Quickly after 9/11!!
At least some 95%, if not more as less then 1% serve them, not only still support the, just below, total lack of Sacrifice, they ran from any and all Accountability and left everything still on the table to be continually used if the political/military want was still in play in future executive/legislative wants!!
DeJa-Vu: “With no shared sacrifices being asked of civilians after Sept. 11", Decades and War From, All Over Again!!
Especially for the Corporate and Wealthy Community, investors in Defense Industries, and for these, Afghanistan and Iraq, came Two Huge Tax Cuts, with more sweetheart deals to same from states and the fed!!


Thousands of people across America don’t just talk about honoring Veterans; they walk the walk. Dedicated Volunteers Serve Veterans for Decades

On this Executive Administration, it's Cabinet and those directly around same, "Best - Ever": "We haven't had this kind of visibility from the White House—ever." Joyce Raezer National Military Family Association - Dec. 30, 2011, and plenty more of similar since Joyce, others, spoke and continues!

Ask yourself: If the Veterans Administration is so corrupt and mismanaged, as the conservative ideology, under which the seeds of are planted when they control, wants everyone to buy into as they obstruct the budgets and do extremely little after they charge same, then why does the Private sector, many problems within rarely heard about, adopt so many practices and advanced technologies developed within the VA, for free?! The VA, DoD, and in partnership with Universities and Colleges, not just Health Care are constantly in R&D and that developed that works is quickly moved into the private, for profit, sector, even as the VA is long under funded, decades, and especially during and after our wars that the few are sent into!

* * * * *
President Obama 26 August 2014

Fact: "This is not just a job of government. It’s not just a job of the veterans’ organizations. Every American needs to join us in taking care of those who've taken care of us. Because only 1 percent of Americans may be fighting our wars, but 100 percent of Americans benefit from that 1 percent. A hundred percent need to be supporting our troops. A hundred percent need to be supporting our veterans. A hundred percent need to be supporting our military families."

Fact:
"We’ve been able to accomplish historic increases to veterans funding. We’ve protected veterans health care from Washington politics with advanced appropriations. We’ve been able to make VA benefits available to more than 2 million veterans who didn't have them before, including more Vietnam vets who were exposed to Agent Orange. We’ve dedicated major new resources for mental health care. We’ve helped more than 1 million veterans and their families pursue their education under the Post-9/11 GI Bill."

August 26, 2014 - Secretary Robert A. McDonald's Remarks for the American Legion's 96th Annual Convention, Charlotte, NC
Fact: "Unlike, P&G, VA may not be concerned about quarterly profit and loss statements or shareholder value, but it does have a bottom line—Veterans. "
{which is why No Government agency should be turned into a private corporate entity feeding for profit off the Countries duty and responsibility, especially the VA}
* * * * *

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

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

Fact: "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

Fact: "12 years also is a long time. We now have a lifetime responsibility to a generation of service members, veterans and their families." Dr. Jonathan Woodson 11 Sep. 2013: With 9/11 Came Lifetime Responsibility
{two tax cuts, especially for the wealthy, came with these two recent unpaid for wars, nor the results of, DeJa-Vu all over again from the previous decades and wars from! Ignore the many issues, by those served, no need to fund!}

Fact: Sen. Bernie Sanders told Republicans: “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

Fact: 25 June 2014 U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller: Veterans' Affairs issue an 'all too similar' scene

Fact: How We Could Do More For Our Vets: "We need to go into debt to pay our debt to U.S. veterans to make sure they get the care and services we owe them."

Fact: “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

WHY? GOOD QUESTION THOSE SERVED SHOULD ANSWER!


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

Presidential Proclamation -- Veterans Day, 2013: "As we pay tribute to our veterans, we are mindful that no ceremony or parade can fully repay that debt." read more>>>


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:

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

3/27/15 - U.S. Nerve Gas Hit Our Own Troops in Iraq
"During and immediately after the first Gulf War, more than 200,000 of 700,000 U.S. troops sent to Iraq and Kuwait in January 1991 were exposed to nerve gas and other chemical agents. Though aware of this, the Department of Defense and CIA launched a campaign of lies and concocted a cover-up that continues today."
"When Brown and others tried to obtain their medical records to prove their illnesses were service-related, they learned that the records had disappeared."


Add in the issues of finally recognizing in War Theater and more Veterans, by the Shinseki Veterans Administration and the Executive Administrations Cabinet, what the Country choose to ignore from our previous decades and wars of: The devastating effects on Test Vets and from PTS, Agent Orange, Homelessness, more recent the Desert Storm troops Gulf War Illnesses, Gulf War Exposures with the very recent affects from In-Theater Burn Pits and oh so so much more! Tens of Thousands of Veterans' that have been long ignored and maligned by previous VA's and the whole Country and through their representatives!

How does a Country HONOR It's Fallen, by Their Own 'Sacrifice' in Taking Care of the Brothers and Sisters They Served With!!


"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." - Abraham Lincoln

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan" - President Lincoln

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."







For our sisters: National Women Veterans Hotline, call 1-855-VA-WOMEN1-855-VA-WOMEN (1-855-829-66361-855-829-6636) New Hotline now up and running







They are a coalition of leading Veterans, mostly of OEF and OIF, and national security organizations who recognize that climate change is a major threat, and support fast, bold action. It is time for Americans to rise to the challenge, and we’re taking on the fight.





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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

HONORING THE FALLEN: After OEF/OIF - June & July 2015

DeJa-Vu: “With no shared sacrifices being asked of civilians after Sept. 11", Decades and War From, All Over Again!!

“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

Theodore Roosevelt, “A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.” 1903

“The strength of the armed forces of the United States is as much about its families as it is about its combat capability.” – General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." - Abraham Lincoln

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan" - President Lincoln

Chris Hayes : "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, long ago lost as the party of Lincoln and not just as to us Veterans, opposition to expanding Veterans' benefits on fiscal grounds

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

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>>>

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

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 20,067 U.S. troops had 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

CNN-Iraq/Afghanistan War Casualties

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.

Operation Freedom's Sentinel - U.S. Wounded In Action: 34

Spc. John M. Dawson, 22, of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was attacked by small arms fire while he was on an escort mission. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 33 Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. April 09, 2015

Petty Officer 3rd Class Devon J. Doyle, 21, of Alamosa, Colorado, died May 16, in Manama, Bahrain, of a non-combat related incident while on liberty. The incident is under investigation. May 18, 2015

Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan D. Burris, 24, of Lisle, Illinois, died May 21, in Abu Dhabi, UAE, of a non-combat related incident at Zayed Military City. The incident is under investigation. He was temporarily assigned to the Crisis Response Element of Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula, Special Operations Command Central, U.S. Central Command. May 22, 2015

Sgt. 1st Class Pablo A. Ruiz, 37, of Melbourne, Florida, died May 24, in Bagram, Afghanistan, from a non-combat related incident. May 25, 2015

Krissie K. Davis, 54, of Talladega, Alabama, a member of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) at Anniston, Alabama, and deployed to DLA Disposition Services Bagram as part of the civilian expeditionary workforce, was killed June 8, during an indirect fire attack on Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan. June 09, 2015

'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

CNN-Iraq/Afghanistan War 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

Operation Inherent Resolve - U.S. Wounded In Action: 1

Cpl. Jordan L. Spears, 21, of Memphis, Indiana, was lost at sea Oct. 1 while conducting flight operations in the North Arabian Gulf. He was initially classified as a non-global war on terrorism casualty. Spears was assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-163, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. October 1 2014

Lance Cpl. Sean P. Neal, 19, of Riverside, California, in Baghdad, Iraq, from a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, whose headquarters element deploys from Camp Pendleton, California. October 23 2014

Capt. William H. DuBois, 30, of New Castle, Colorado, died when his F-16 aircraft crashed near a coalition air base in the Middle East. He was assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. December 1 2014

Tech. Sgt. Anthony E. Salazar, 40, of Hermosa Beach, California, at an air base in southwest Asia in a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to the 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force Squadron, 1st Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group, U.S. Air Forces Central Command. April 13, 2015

Pfc. Monterrious T. Daniel, 19, of Griffin, Georgia, died June 12 in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. June 14, 2015

* * * 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!

"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

Veterans Administration into the 21st Century

“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

Gov. Reps of Country Served Still Denying Veterans Chance to Fulfill Family Dream, DeJa-Vu
There's a law that prohibits the VA from paying for in vitro fertilization because of concerns unused embryos might be discarded.

snip

With efforts to change the law stymied by the politics of abortion, Kevin and Lauren got married this weekend and made no secret of their dream.

Disabled veteran denied chance to fulfill family dream
August 5, 2015 - Many veterans depend on the VA for medical care. But some say that they are being denied a chance to fulfill their dreams because there is one battle wound for which the VA does not offer a solution.

After two and a half years in the hospital and 30 surgeries, Kevin Jaye is out of the army but still dealing with the VA.

"Another survey from the Department of Veterans Affairs of my mental health," he says, reading his mail to his fiance. "That will be fun."

He's classified as 100 percent disabled because a roadside bomb in Afghanistan cost him his right leg and severely damaged his left. He's learned to live with that, but there's another disability -- one he's not sure he can talk about on television.

"And then I lost...had injuries to," he stammers before being assured frankness was allowed.

"I lost my left testicle," Jaye said. "The right one was damaged."

The unmentionable wound young men dread the most.

"There goes essentially your manhood," he said. "Now what?"

But he had to tell Lauren Belliotti because he wanted to marry her.

"I was sad for him and then I was nervous for the future," said Belliotti.

Would they be able to have children of their own? read more>>>

DeJa-Vu: “With no shared sacrifices being asked of civilians after Sept. 11", Decades and War From, All Over Again!!

VA’s Gulf War Registry Health Exam alerts Veterans to possible long-term health problems that may be related to environmental exposures during their military service. The registry data helps VA understand and respond to these health problems more effectively.

About the Gulf War Registry health exam

This comprehensive health exam includes an exposure and medical history, laboratory tests, and a physical exam. A VA health professional will discuss the results face-to-face with the Veteran and in a follow-up letter.

Important points about registry health exams read more>>>

The Addressing of, Ignored, Veterans Issues, Started Under Sec. Shinseki & Obama Executive Branch, Continues

This is but one of so many the Country served totally ignored, some states never had a National Cemetery to Honor those from who Served the Country and Residents of, especially in our Wars, after they passed on, many from the results of those long ignored issues, where residents of could visit and reflect as well as the families of!! Or they just plain denied the issues existed, as told by hired 'experts?' and used in Congressional hearings to justify the conservative obstruction of the Responsibility of Those Served the Budgets of the Veterans Administration to the few who served them!! Taken on by Sec. Shinseki, continued with Sec. McDonald, conservatives thought they were getting a conservative corporate tool to use in rushing the VA to private corporate control for profit, they didn't, and with much needed help by the Obama Executive Administration and it's Cabinet!! They've been upgrading many that were already established as well as expanding same while establishing new, Hallowed Ground, National Cemeteries, that continues!!

VA oversees largest expansion of national cemeteries since the Civil War
4 August 2015 - More than 500 Veterans, family members and patriotic citizens witnessed the ceremonial breaking of ground and dedication of the Tallahassee National Cemetery earlier this summer. The event, fittingly held on Memorial Day weekend, attracted a stellar cast of local, state and national dignitaries, community and military bands, color and honor guard units, Veterans and supporters.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald provided the keynote address. He was joined onstage by Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs Jeff Miller, Ranking Member Corrine Brown, U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, interim Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Ronald Walters and other state and local officials.

“Here, we establish another glade of America’s most hallowed ground,” said McDonald, “to pay homage to men and women who so valued America that they placed their lives at risk in the defense of generations yet to come.”

When Tallahassee National Cemetery opens for first burials in a few short weeks, it will be part of the largest expansion of national cemeteries since the Civil War. In the next few years, VA will open 17 new cemeteries throughout the country. Later in 2015, VA will dedicate Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, also in Florida. This entire expansion effort will increase or enhance burial access for over two million Veterans and their families. Once these planned projects are complete, more than 96 percent of Veterans will have access to a burial option within a 75-mile radius of their homes. read more>>>

DeJa-Vu: “With no shared sacrifices being asked of civilians after Sept. 11", Decades and War From, All Over Again!!

* * * 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

First Lady's Joining Forces Initiative Aid to Military Women Continues

Joining Forces Celebrates Its 4th Anniversary

Michele and Jill: Joining Forces Four Yrs. Later

As Congress continues obstructing, conservative ideology, especially as to Military personal and Veterans, the only Government Branch consistent, six plus years, on the issues, the Executive and it's Cabinet, continues actually doing what the Country Served should be! Wars, and the continuing blowback from the policies, still unpaid for as well as VA obstructed budgets still mostly borrowed, which bring about the conservative wanted, and country served, FOX speak media hyped 'scandals'!!

Utility Jobs Training to Open for Troops, Veterans, Spouses
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2015 – The Defense Department today announced a partnership to launch employment training for transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses in highly skilled utility industry jobs.

The Utility Industry Workforce Initiative is a public-private partnership comprising DoD, the departments of Energy, Veterans Affairs and Labor, and private-sector companies Edison Electric Institute, Center for Energy Workforce Development, Nuclear Energy Institute, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and American Gas Association, defense officials said.

The initiative’s goal is to promote and design training and credentialing opportunities for applicants to enter the utility industry, officials noted.

Program Builds on White House Efforts

The announcement builds on the White House effort that began in April to help America’s veterans find high-quality jobs, with a goal to train 75,000 workers for the renewable energy industry by 2020. About 200,000 service members leave the military annually. read more>>>

Apr 3, 2015 - From the Battlefield to the Workforce

VA Launches New No-Cost Training Programs
Programs Designed to Help Transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans Develop New Skills and Credentials

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today launched two new no-cost training programs, Accelerated Learning Programs (ALPs) and VA Learning Hubs, to help transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans from all eras learn skills, earn credentials, and advance in civilian careers following separation from service.

ALPs and Learning Hubs are part of VA’s Veterans Economic Communities Initiative (VECI), promoting education and employment opportunities for Veterans through integrated networks of support in 50 cities. VA launched the VECI program in response to President Obama’s August 2014 challenge to help Veterans and families integrate with their communities and find meaningful jobs that can lead to economic success. Under VA Secretary Robert McDonald’s MyVA transformation, VECI is now in place in cities across the United States.

“My message to transitioning Servicemembers is simple: Plan early and stay engaged, because transition is the mission,” said McDonald. “These two new resources provide no-cost opportunities for our transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans to learn new skills and earn credentials, which can increase their competitiveness during their transition.” read more>>>

Proposed: One-of-a-Kind Medical School to Care for Military Veterans
Syracuse University has briefed federal and state officials on a proposal to create a one-of-a-kind medical school on campus to train doctors to care for military veterans at understaffed VA hospitals nationwide.>>>

Surprise, Surprise, NOT! Here we are in 2015 and the 21st century!
Survey finds civilian physicians feel underprepared to treat veterans

* * * * *

VA Helping Private Sector Understand Veterans Care Needs

Veterans Being Forced To Seek Costly Private Care

VA Helping Vets Who Served as Medics Capitalize on Their Experience

Veterans' Administration Continues Move Into 21st Century

Online Tools, Standardized Forms, and More

Effective March 24th, 2015, VA is implementing improvements to make it easier for you to apply for benefits.

Online application tools, standardized forms, and a new intent to file process will create faster and more accurate decisions on your claims and appeals.

What does it all mean?

As part of the VA’s full-scale transformation in 2015, these new changes will:

* Streamline the benefits process, making it faster and easier
* Use standardized forms to file disability claims and compensation appeals
* Establish a new intent to file a claim process

Learn more about these important changes:

A new edition of the WRIISC Advantage newsletter has arrived! Nearing the 25 Anniversary of the Gulf War, this edition highlights continued efforts to conduct meaningful research related to Gulf War Veteran’s health concerns. The newsletter includes information on Gulf War research at VA and the WRIISC’s role and understanding the pathophysiology of Gulf War Illness.

War Related Illness and Injury Study Center

The WRIISC Advantage newsletter features useful and timely information on deployment health concerns of Veterans and features specific areas of research underway at the WRIISC. The issues are provided here listed with the latest issue first. You may subscribe to receive a printed copy of this newsletter by contacting us by email. Read More w/Links to Newsletters>>>

Even though still grossly under funded and for decades not built nor maintained as the responsibility of those served promised and keep promising, were finally being addressed under Sec. Shinseki with much needed help from this Executive Branch and it's Cabinet and continuing same with Sec. McDonald after the conservative target on the Gen. was accomplished with his ouster!!

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

'Operation Ranch Hand (ORH)' AO Coverage is Official

Whether or not the people served, through their representatives, decide they finally should Sacrifice, decades and wars from, especially, of not!!

VA expands disability benefits for Air Force personnel exposed to contaminated C-123 aircraft
June 18, 2015 - VA today published a new regulation that expands eligibility for some benefits for a select group of Air Force Veterans and Air Force Reserve personnel who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange through regular and repeated contact with contaminated C-123 aircraft that had been used in Vietnam as part of Operation Ranch Hand(ORH).

VA published this regulation as an interim final rule so that it could immediately begin providing benefits to eligible Air Force veterans and Air Force Reserve personnel who submit a disability compensation claim for any of the 14 medical conditions that have been determined by VA to be related to exposure to Agent Orange.

VA Secretary Bob McDonald made the decision to expand benefits following receipt of a 2015 report by the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM) on Post-Vietnam Dioxin Exposure in Agent Orange-Contaminated C-123 Aircraft. This VA-requested report found evidence that as many as 1,500 to 2,100 Air Force and Air Force Reserve personnel who served as flight, medical and ground maintenance crew members on ORH C-123 aircraft previously used to spray Agent Orange in Vietnam were exposed to the herbicide.

“Opening up eligibility for this deserving group of Air Force veterans and reservists is the right thing to do,” said McDonald. “We thank the IOM for its thorough review that provided the supporting evidence needed to ensure we can now fully compensate any former crew member who develops an Agent Orange-related disability.” read more>>>

Presumption of Herbicide Exposure and Presumption of Disability During Service for Reservists Presumed Exposed to Herbicide

Will Country Served, by the Few, Actually Sacrifice {?}

Whether or not the people served, with their poser patriotic flags a flying, through their obstructionist representatives, decide they finally should Sacrifice, the VA is their duty, their responsibility and their promises to those few, decades and wars from, especially, of not!! They never built the VA as promised! Grossly under funded, especially during and after our wars, VA budgets are and have been mostly borrowed capital, deficits for decades, with interest payments, with legislative unfunded bills passed, all causing the needed media hyped conservative 'scandals', previous hearings on with nothing done after, in want to privatize for corporate profit with little to no regulation, just agency administration left, with little control over the corporate entities, to lay blame on in future congressional, media hyped 'scandal', hearings!

Chris Hayes : "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, long ago lost as the party of Lincoln and not just as to us Veterans, opposition to expanding Veterans' benefits on fiscal grounds

US to pay millions for Agent Orange claims
June 18, 2015 - The Department of Veterans Affairs said Thursday it has decided to extend benefits for Agent Orange exposure to Air Force reservists who flew C-123 aircraft contaminated with the herbicide.

The change in benefits will go into effect immediately for up to 2,100 personnel who flew and trained on the cargo aircraft, which were put into service in the United States in the early 1970s to the 1980s after being used to spray herbicide in the Vietnam War.

The VA denied the benefits but began re-examining the issue after lobbying by veterans and a recent study confirming the possibility of health risks.

“Opening up eligibility for this deserving group of Air Force veterans and reservists is the right thing to do,” VA Secretary Bob McDonald said in a release.

The benefits will cover 14 medical conditions associated with exposure to Agent Orange. The VA urged veterans who served in three units based in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts from 1969 to 1986 to file claims. Others stationed with units in Florida, Arizona, Virginia, the Philippines, South Korea, Panama and Taiwan might also have been exposed. read more>>>

Think Pink About Women in the Military
Get your pink on to support female veterans
June 26, 2015 - A special organization in West Michigan is helping women who have been injured in combat. WINC (Women Injured iN Combat), is asking you to think pink about women in the military for the 2 Million Strong and Rising campaign on June 27. Wear pink clothing or purchase a pink shirt from WINC to spread the word about women in the military.

The idea was started by Zaneta Adams, who served eight years in the military before she was injured in a fall. She severely injured her back, and was told she may never walk again. Her experience inspired her to do something to help raise awareness of women in the military and women who were injured in combat. read more>>>

Homeless Vets Are The 'Conscience Of America,' Retired General Says In Fort Worth

All In On Ending Veteran Homelessness: We stand together
June 4, 2015 - Five years ago, the Obama Administration set an ambitious goal: to end homelessness among veterans by the end of 2015. Many scoffed; many continue to scoff. In the face of such skepticism, we remain optimistic and focused, and know this is an historic opportunity we must seize. Veteran homelessness is not a reality we have to accept.

On Monday, the four of us took this message on the road in a three-city swing to connect with communities committed to ending veteran homelessness. In Houston, we joined Mayor Annise Parker at a rally celebrating the creation of a system in her community which ensures that all veterans who need assistance will be quickly linked to the supportive services and permanent housing. The progress made in places like Houston, New Orleans, and Salt Lake City inspires us and provides models and strategies – like “Housing First” – for every community in the nation.

What we have been able to achieve in partnership with each other— joining forces with state and local governments, the business community and non-profits—is nothing short of amazing. In fact, between the 2010 rollout of Opening Doors – the first-ever federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness – and the January 2014 point-in-time homeless count, homelessness among veterans nationwide has been slashed by one-third. This progress is a testament to what our nation can do when we set the bar high, invest resources and effort, and refuse to scale back our vision. It’s unacceptable that men and women who wore the uniform are returning without a safe, stable place to call home.

Now, it’s important to understand this doesn’t mean that no veteran will ever face a housing crisis in the future. But it does mean that communities like Houston, New Orleans and Salt Lake City are leading the way in building systems that will prevent and address homelessness whenever possible. read more>>>

Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program
The purpose of the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) is to provide services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans.

HVRP was initially authorized under Section 738 of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act in July 1987. It is currently authorized under Title 38 U.S.C. Section 2021, as added by Section 5 of Public Law 107-95, the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis to eligible applicants such as: State and local Workforce Investment Boards, public agencies, for-profit/commercial entities, and non-profit organizations, including faith based and community based organizations. read more>>>

Obama Executive Administration and Cabinet continue doing what country served and their reps continue failing to do, for decades and wars from, not only as to Homelessness but the long list of the ignored or outright denied issues being addressed, finally started under Sec. Shinseki and continuing under Sec. McDonald, obstructed still by the peoples, conservative, representation!!

American Veterans: Missing in America Project
Missing in America Project inters unclaimed remains of military veterans
June 30, 2015 - The cremated remains of 10 military veterans left Downtown this morning on a journey to Dayton National Cemetery, where they will be buried with full military honors.

The Missing in America Project coordinated the effort working with the Schoedinger family of funeral homes and Green Lawn Cemetery. The volunteer group was founded in 2006 to find and identify unclaimed cremated remains of U.S. veterans and have them properly buried in a national cemetery. With today’s ceremony, it will bring the number to 71 veterans and three spouses whose remains have been identified and given a proper service since the Ohio chapter of the project began its own work.

The men whose remains are being buried served in World War I, World War II and during peace time. The only thing known about them are their ranks, branch of service, years of service, dates of birth and of death and that they died in central Ohio.

The oldest of the cremated remains has been unclaimed for 46 years, said Steve Ebersole, the Ohio coordinator of the Missing in America Project. There also is a father and son in the group and one veteran among those being buried received an Air Medal for valor with five oak leaf clusters for his actions in World War II. read more>>>

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.

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

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

Homeless Veterans - Conferences - Stand Downs

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

Remains of 36 Marines are back on American soil
The flag-draped caskets containing the remains of Marines killed at the Battle of Tarawa nearly 72 years ago came home

July 27, 2015 - Thirty-six Marines received a somber, near-silent reception Sunday when their remains were returned from a World War II battlefield.

The flag-draped caskets containing the remains of U.S. Marines killed at the Battle of Tarawa nearly 72 years ago arrived at 4 p.m. aboard three Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

"When you heard the bugler blow taps, it felt like the temperature in here went down 10 degrees," said Brig. Gen. Christopher Mahoney, deputy commander of Marine Corps Pacific Forces, inside Hickam's Hangar 35. "For a Marine to see the heroes finally returned to the United States with the promise of returning them to their families, to complete that journey, to complete that circle, means a tremendous amount."

Air Force Lt. Col. Melinda Morgan, spokeswoman for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, said, "I do believe this would be an unprecedented number of service members being repatriated, especially of all one service, they all being Marines." read more>>>

Soldier Missing From WWII Accounted For

June 16, 2015 - The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. John W. Herb of Cleveland, Ohio, will be buried June 18, in Arlington National Cemetery. On April 13, 1945, Herb was assigned to the 368th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group, 1st Air Division, as the pilot of an P-51D Mustang. His aircraft sustained damage while strafing German aircraft on the ground. During Herb’s attempted landing in an open field southeast of Hamburg, Germany, his aircraft crashed. Herb’s wingman reported seeing the wreckage burning in the field. Herb was reported killed in action. His remains were not recovered during the war. read more>>>

Soldier Missing From Vietnam War Accounted For

June 11, 2015 - The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be buried with full military honors.

Army Chief Warrant Officers 3 James L. Phipps of Mattoon, Illinios, and Rainer S. Ramos of Wiesbaden, Germany, were the pilots of a UH-1C Iroquois (Huey) helicopter gunship that was shot down in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. Also aboard the aircraft were door gunners Staff Sgt. Warren Newton of Eugene, Oregon, and Spc. Fred J. Secrist of Eugene, Oregon. The crew was assigned to Troop C, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 14th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. The crew will be buried, as a group, on June 17 at Arlington National Cemetery. read more>>>

Soldier Missing From Korean War Accounted For

July 01, 2015 - The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Sgt. Joseph M. Snock Jr. of Apollo, Pennsylvania, will be buried July 6, in Arlington National Cemetery. In late November 1950, Snock was assigned to the Heavy Mortar Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), while fighting enemy forces east of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. On Nov. 29, 1950, Snock and elements of the 31st RCT, historically known as Task Force Faith, withdrew from their positions to consolidate with the rest of the 31st RCT south of the P’ungnyuri Inlet at the reservoir. During heavy fighting the day after consolidation, Snock was reported missing in action. read more>>>


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


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