After 9/11 and the Talibans refusal to turn over the al Qaeda leaders and others we invaded Afghanistan ridding that country of their leadership and Supposedly to go after the guilty of that huge criminal terrorist act against our Nation and People, Then We pretty much Left, taking our military personal and promised rebuilding money with us. The War Drums beat instead for invasion of an innocent country and it’s people, Iraq, which became the overwhelming focus while smaller numbers of troops stayed in Afghanistan starting a long stagnated occupation.
Tag: OIF
Aug 02 2009
HONORING THE FALLEN: US Military KIA, Iraq & Afghanistan/Pakistan – July 2009
Dover ‘Old Guard’ team shoulders heavy burden
Jul 28 2009
Casualties of War
Last week the Colorado Springs ‘The Gazette’ had another very disturbing report, in two parts, following up previous reports of soldiers of OIF and OEF who committed murders. These, from all I can find out, were just regular teens, no trouble out of the ordinary prior to their military service. But once sent to these occupations, sometimes more then once, they returned like many of our brother ‘Nam Vets, very troubled and not getting the help needed or not seeking because of the nature of military service, added to their situations of multiple tours, longer tours then we served and little down time between, their nightmares caught up to them by abusing drugs and alcohol, by acting out in rage, by loosing control.
Jul 09 2009
Valley Forge Village
This comes from Nadia McCaffery who’s son Patrick was killed in Iraq. Her campaign to Honor her son, and all that serve:
Sgt Patrick Ryan McCaffrey
May 26 1970 * June 22 2004
Jul 05 2009
Johnny & Jane Marchin Home to……..
Johnny comes marching home – to no job
Out of Iraq’s frying pan, into an economic fire
Why do we still continue to ignore the fact that women serve, Johnny comes marching home and similar, in greater numbers and are a big part of our military operations? They have always been a Big part of the Military Family and an Important part!
Jul 04 2009
HONORING THE FALLEN: US Military KIA, Iraq & Afghanistan/Pakistan – June 2009
Dover ‘Old Guard’ team shoulders heavy burden
Jun 05 2009
In Their Boots: Vets For Hire, Episode 3
After serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, three veterans discover the value of their service as they search for employment in the midst of a troubled economy.
In Their Boots Website for the two previous of this year and links to last years online productions, as well as the other important site links.
One of those being Their Resources Page for Military/Veterans and Their Families.
May 22 2009
More than a Long Weekend
With Memorial Day right around the corner, check out this wonderfully moving article printed in USA TODAY entitled “More Than A Long Weekend” by Kathy Roth-Douquet, Blue Star Families’ Co-Founder and co-author with Frank Schaeffer “AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America’s Upper Classes from Military Service — and How It Hurts Our Country”.
Apr 11 2009
What motive does the Army have to misdiagnose PTSD?
So asks the two Salon writers, Mark Benjamin and Michael de Yoanna, following their recent series starting with the incriminating evidence, an audio recording by a Veteran suffering from PTS. Recording his visit because his wife couldn’t be there so he needed a way to remember what took place in his session with his army psychologist.
A reluctance to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder could be about the money, and about the need for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Apr 08 2009
On: TBI – PTSD – No Bids & War Profiteering – Obstructionism and the VA
Let me start out with some Good News, but that still have many of us puzzled as to why it took so long to get to the ‘Good’ and much needed, no answers.
On ‘Obstructionism’ and the VA, Plus:
I’m saving this cut of the Rachel Maddow show, on the evening of 4.07.09, to show how those we hire to represent us don’t.
Mar 05 2009
VA: A Bureaucratic Mess
We’ve seen this before, especially us “Nam Vets as we returned, tens of thousands, and those needing and seeking the care from their service in a war became backlogged, or just plain denied. Many of us veterans were trying to be heard, over the rising drum beat of war, of what was coming especially if invading a country that did absolutely nothing to deserve that invasion and occupation. We were one of those groups politically labeled, by our hired administration, as a ‘focus group’ that they didn’t listen to. But it wasn’t only the administration not listening it was the greater majority of this country, they don’t mind spending billions upon billions upon billions……….. on the war machine and waging war with same, but when the soldiers start returning and the system gets overwhelmed the country doesn’t want to hear anything about that, or if they hear they most certainly don’t want to pay..