Veterans For America

Our military is our bulwark against a dangerous world — and our military is in real need of help. “Troops and equipment are so overtaxed by President Bush’s disastrous Iraq war that the Pentagon does not have enough of either for the fight in Afghanistan, the war on terror’s front line, let alone to confront the next threats.” Troops aren’t being rested properly, are serving too many deployments in a row and are suffering a plummeting morale. Some 300,000 of those that have been deployed report symptoms of post-traumatic stress. These are concerns VFA has been documenting with alarming regularity. As president, Barack Obama has his work cut out for him. Meanwhile, more of our Guard Soldiers are deployed to Iraq nearly constantly to maintain current deployment policies.

The Defense Department is moving to impose a more rigorous screening process for determining who in the ranks has a potentially problematic “personality disorder.” There is concern among veterans and advocates that the Pentagon is using the pretext of pre-existing conditions to deny injured troops a service-related disability rating. Because so many of today’s war wounds are invisible, it’s important that the Pentagon pay attention and properly care for our troops. Sometimes, the military’s screenings don’t work - just ask Sgt. Maggie McCoy, whose husband Spc. Carl McCoy committed suicide in July. We must also remember the children of our warriors, who are suffering as well.

The Iraqi Cabinet approved a security pact granting U.S. troops permission to remain in the country through 2011. The deal must still be approved by Iraq’s parliament. For President-elect Barack Obama, there are questions about how he will move forward in regards to Iraq and the U.S. military. The casualty figures in Iraq are subject to considerable dispute, highlighting differences between U.S. and Iraqi positions as well as between Shiite and Sunni; as in Vietnam, civilian casualties are a combustible and deadly serious issue. Violence isn’t ebbing and Sticky bombs are becoming the weapon of choice for militants bent on carnage in Iraq.

Meanwhile, a new report concludes that private contractors providing security in Iraq need to be managed by military police and the State Department — to make sure they are controlled and properly accountable. Six Blackwater Worldwide security guards linked to the deadly shootings of 17 Iraqi civilians last year are likely to see an indictment soon from the U.S. Justice Department. 

Defense officials will host an online townhall, or “webhall” meeting, to discuss medical programs and wounded care for troops. The event is slated for Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. The event can be accessed HERE and questions can be submitted in advance to MHSWebContent@tma.osd.mil. For some good news on the health front, doctors can now detect mild and traumatic brain injuries more easily. Philadelphia-area veterans have an online mental health care tool they can use.

Threats of mobilization from a military career counselor “will not be tolerated.” This comes after many in the Individual Ready Reserve reported receiving harassing emails that implied failure to join a unit would mean involuntary mobilization and deployment back overseas.

“Faith and the Uniform…should the military be more open to nonbelievers?“