{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."



Homeless Veterans/Stand Downs

Are You Concerned About a Veteran? The Veterans Crisis Line Can Help>>>

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

Friday, July 15, 2011

Veterans Unemployment: 1mil.

No New Taxes or Tax Loopholes Closed!!!

Those who brung us these two wars of choice and rubber stamped the cost for including no bid contracts, that's their message!

Those who cheered on these wars of choice, teabaggers and more, that's their message! As they still claim almighty patriotism with their flags, dress up history costumes, magnetic ribbons, flag lapel pins and the great time and laughter with their purple heart bandages as we were sending soldiers into two occupation theaters!

Their wealthy funders, who reaped huge wealth over the decade from these wars either directly or indirectly as well as from huge tax cuts, and the FOX no news 24/7 war drum pounding and cheer leaders of these wars of choice, that's their message!

Their once #1 grifter riding during a solemn motorcycle procession, just the roar of the bikes, sitting on the back of one waving and smiling, like Memorial Day in Washington was a parade for her highness, that's her message!

I want a War Tax, and call it that, now over a decade and counting of No Sacrifice by the people of this country!!!

Mom Honors Soldier Son With Stand Down Work


Jill Millard Helps Coordinate Clothing For Homeless Veterans

{click on photo to visit the video}

July 14, 2011 - Jill Millard looks at the mountain of clothes and wonders how it will ever get sorted in time.

Millard is the clothes coordinator for the annual Stand Down event in Balboa Park for homeless veterans. It's a task she took on three years ago -- a year after her youngest son, Gregory, was killed in Iraq.

"You know, you see all these guys and I still get emotional; I can see what Gregory might have gone through had he come home from combat," said Millard.

Before the three-day event is over, more than 900 veterans will come through the clothing tent and come away with a set of clothes and jackets and shoes.

"We have courts that run here, so they will be able to come in and pick out a suit or clean shirt and slacks so they can appear before the judge," she said.

"I love working with veterans, and I guess I'm selfish because this is partly for me because it does make me feel good," said Millard. read more>>>
Video Link for Above

Video Link: Stand Down To Provide Help For Homeless Veterans

Thousands of volunteers will provide medical care, counseling, food, clothing and other help to San Diego's homeless veterans during the annual Stand Down.


The one above is the 'Stand Down' revisited by 60min. that started taking place today, the second video above, they didn't have capture or embed links, gives you a chopper view of part of the long line of the homeless entering the 'Stand Down'.

Which leads to this that I just caught, and the subject title:

Veteran Unemployment Hits 1 Million

07/15/11 - More than 60,000 veterans hit the unemployment rolls in June, which puts the total number of unemployed veterans at more than 1 million, according to Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Miller, in a hearing Friday, pitched the 2011 Veteran Opportunity to Work Act backed with $3 billion budget as one solution to this problem. This bill emphasizes education and training, and includes language that mandates active duty personnel attend Transition Assistance Program classes that teach civilian job market skills such as resume writing.

Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif, the ranking member on the committee, sharply criticized the Miller bill, arguing: "This bill does very little to create jobs for veterans, regardless of how my Republican colleagues may portray it. This bill is about completely contracting out the Transition Assistance Program." Filner also blasted the Miller bill funding formula as a tax on vets who have Veterans Administration-backed mortgages, by using high loan fees to pay for the jobs bill. read more>>>

This next I posted earlier on my site and relates to the above.

Soldiers, from the lowest to the highest, don't need pieces of paper to serve nor serve in combat theaters, but many will enhance their skills and minds before employment with extended educational needs depending on profession sought, from our failed higher education industry, that's what it has become, to make great employee's in the private sector. Two of the greatest needs for any company come in with their hire, common sense and critical thought as they are trained to hone these which also has been lacking in our education system especially now with teaching to test scores and not allowing teachers to actually teach and develop what each of us have within!
Why military veterans make great employees

July 15, 2011 - Last Sunday, on the final stop of their final day in North America, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge popped in to a Los Angeles job fair for military veterans and spouses. William and Catherine spent their time with vets and enlightened business leaders looking to pair talent with opportunity.

The unemployment rate among young American veterans is higher than the national average, and the same may be true in the UK, though the UK Office of National Statistics does not post data on veteran employment levels. Yet military service equips most men and women with skills that translate well into private, public and nonprofit sector careers. So why does high unemployment among veterans persist?

Most people associate military service with discipline, hierarchy and command and control. This reputation is well deserved, but it is not complete, and what I found during my five years as a Marine was that the military is a tremendously empowering place for many servicemen and women. It often instills confidence, teamwork and integrity: qualifications crucial for any growing organization. read more>>>

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
*Unemployment rate among young American veterans is unusually high, says Rye Barcott
*Military service instills integrity, confidence, and teamwork -- ideal for workplace, he says
*There is an ever-widening gulf between the military and civilian society, says Barcott
*Veterans make up 20% of Congress today, compared with 70% in 1975, he says

Rye Barcott, the author of "It Happened on the Way to War", is a former marine and a co-founder of Carolina for Kibera, a nongovernmental organization devoted to alleviating poverty in the Kibera slum of Nairobi.

And this sad note also comes to the attention it should for the family of this brother Vietnam Vet:

Memory of Medal of Honor recipient could soon fade away at Walter Reed

07/14/2011 - For 20 years, Walter Reed Army Medical Center has celebrated the memory of Deborah Joel's father, the first African American combat medic to receive the Medal of Honor. But the honor, it seems, is about to come to an end.

Her father, Lawrence Joel, who served in the Army in the Vietnam War, was presented with the distinction in 1967. And for the past two decades, the Joel Auditorium at Walter Reed has been a testament to his service.

But the hospital is moving in the fall. And when the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center opens in Bethesda, there will be no more auditorium named in her father's honor. The Joel head bust and bronze wall plaque kept at the old hospital will be returned to his family.

Deborah Joel said it was shocking for her and her mother to learn that Walter Reed would not re-designate a new space in Bethesda in the name of her father. He received the Medal of Honor for crawling, while wounded, through a hail of machine-gun fire to treat his comrades in Vietnam.

My father's name has been there for 20 years 20 years, Deborah Joel said. I thought it would have been very courteous to give an explanation.

All Joel has received is an e-mailed letter from the Department of the Army's Northern Regional Medical Command, which stated that there are no plans to re-designate the Joel Auditorium at the new hospital but that there was some discussion of that possibility at the new hospital at Ft. Belvoir, where other personnel from Walter Reed will be moving. read more>>>

I Want A War Tax and I want it called that! I would like to see everyone get this but will be really satisfied for a good percentage number on just the wealthy and the war machine corporations, the people have been batter these past couple of years while they have still reaped. I want the Veterans Administration to Finally be funded and built into what it always should have been with the top of the line technology which in the long run will save money, now we pay huge amounts just to constantly catch up! I want the peoples representatives, just listen in on the hearings from the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee's, and the people to Stop laying all the blame on the VA, look into the mirror, the VA and Veterans have been underfunded since Korea adding to we Vietnam Vets were ignored, from PTS to Agent Orange and more, as were the first Gulf War Vets involving Gulf War Syndrome.

The rest of the cash, that added to the peoples treasury, invested into the economy for job growth, infrastructure, green and loans to small businesses especially veterans businesses which the VA is already starting to do. The wealthy hoarders aren't going to invest in growth the only other source is the government and using some of that wealth garnered especially off these wars of choice!!

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