I do have faith in my Senator, Akaka, as the new Chair for Veteran’s Affairs and Shinseki, being a wounded vet should make a world of difference over all those recent Repug Party elite appointments at VA…!

G’morning, Christy! Hope your day is going well so far.

Morning all — pardon me while I grab another cuppa coffee…

And of course, some people will blame the veterans even though the veterans are the victims.

Support the troops. Enlistments are down because of the Democrats.

Thanks for this post Christy. I am also saddened by a Marine friend who did 2 tours in Iraq, having nightmares and anger mgt problems, and won’t seek counseling due to the stigma he would face on base.

Christy!

Thanks to the Vietnam Vets, research on PTSD has produced remarkably effective treatment approaches that can be used to help get the Iraq War Vets back on their feet and smoothed-out emotionally.

We’ve got to be smarter about helping our Vets back into Our society this time!

As good as Effective Intervention by the VA can be, the most important thing, imvho, We can all do is Not Treat Our Vets Like Outcast Damaged Goods – they are still US. We should care for them like they are our brothers and sisters.

They shouldn’t be homeless for their sacrifice.

Christy, I was mentioning this yesterday and pointed out the auto bailout has to happen as a duty to our soldiers. Many in the National Guard are coming home to their jobs gone. With bankruptcy of the 2.5, more job loss will happen and more Iraq vets will come home to their families homeless…This is a disgrace. All unions need to come together and show solidarity and speak with a strong voice. SAG needs to put together an aid and awareness show on the economy and the import of a bailout, not a bankruptcy plan. Iraq vets, jobs and homeless concerns need to be central to any PR/awareness effort.

Just a thought…

I wonder if non citizen vets are eligible for VA benefits? Or if they can stay in the US after discharge?

This is one of my fave episodes of the West Wing, btw. Had to use this with the post. Incredibly poignant and well written…

At first glance, the reports of document shredding and consequent dismissal of the director and five top managers from the New York regional office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs might appear to be simply one more instance of misconduct in an ever-expanding web of agency misdeeds. The shake-up at the New York regional office, however, speaks volumes about some of the most intractable, systemic problems plaguing the VA benefits process.

Systemic? That’s f*cked.

btw, if folks could digg this, I’d really appreciate it.

I think a lot of people, including mental health professionals, underestimate the role of stigma.

Veterans are 1 in 4 of the homeless nationwide.

Homelessness is horrendous, but this is the worst of the worst. Okay, maybe the children….

Where are the braying asshats (I love your word) who are so keen on keeping our military folks doing indentured servitude on our behalf in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lose their health, their limbs, their minds and then end up homeless? *spit*

Ahem, folks – I just went to Digg and found one lonely little Digg there. Poor little mite was shivering there in the dark, so I gave it a little friend to keep it company. More Diggs — better Diggs!!

NPR did a whole series on PTSD issues and stigmatization from treatment last year. It was just heartbreaking, given the consequences of not treating it that play out over a lifetime for the person dealing with its aftermath…

When we talk about the destroyed records that was from the fire in St Louis in 1973. The morons in the local VA center here lost my forms in 3 days!

Done, thanks Christy.

Dial-up so can’t watch…..is that the one where one of the guys (Toby?) left a business card in the pocket of a donated coat which was worn by a homeless vet who died? He then gets involved with making sure the man got a proper burial? Or something to that effect???

Here’s what was lost in St Louis:

What Was Lost

It is hard to determine exactly what was lost in the fire, because there were no indices to the blocks of records involved. The records were merely filed in alphabetical order for the following groups:

World War I: Army September 7, 1939 to November 1, 1912

World War II: Army December 3l, 1946 to September 8, 1939

Post World War II: Army December 3l, 1959 to January 1, 1947; Air Force: December 31, 1963 to September 25, 1947
Millions of records, especially medical records, had been withdrawn from all three groups and loaned to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) prior to the fire. The fact that one’s records are not in NPRC files at a particular time does not mean the records were destroyed in the fire.

Reconstruction of Lost Records

Thank you for the accompanying clip from West Wing. Poignant to say the least.

During this holiday season, the vets in whatever area you live could use a donation of time or treasure. Nearby VA Hospitals and other VA facilities can be located via google. Give US vets the care and support that the current fed administration is too self absorbed and negligent to care about.

It isn’t just active military either — there have been problems with destruction of records going back years with folks who work in the nuclear industry as well and have government claims pending on radiation exposure.

Yes, that’s the one.

Raven — more are missing than that. As early as ‘74, I was told that specific records of my service (3Apr67-2Apr69) were gone in the fire. Needed them to prove some military coursework for credit on a state license exam.

(By the way, left you a note downstairs at 62.)

I listened to that series as well.
Do you think it raised any awareness with the VA or with the military in general?
Thanks for keeping the issue on the table.

Good Morning Christy and Firedogs,

from one of the links:

The Veteran’s Administration estimates it costs about $3,000 to hold a one-day stand down.

works out to $40/veteran

God Bless these communities like Martinsburg for stepping up – anecdotal observation says this is where so many of these kids come from.

and the idea that someone who was willing to defend me and mine and our way of life needs a sleeping bag is beyond maddening

All other record destructions will look like the amateur hour compared to what W is doing before he leaves office.

The community is going to be the front line on this issue. VA is a ponderous bureaucracy and it will take a couple of years just to get a program up and running and then it will be hit and miss because of the lack of expertise at the upper level. It’s been the physicians, nurses, counselors and volunteers that have run local programs and done so out of their own pockets in many cases.

Off to the great capitalist cesspool.

Be good to yourselves, and all other living things.

Namaste

I think the series, combined with the Walter Reed reporting that Dana Priest has done and other local reporting that a lot of local newspapers have done — in Connecticut and Ohio especially — has been invaluable in raising awareness. And putting some heat on members of Congress to push for better treatment. The problem is that getting the Bushies to do better has been a lot of window dressing in some instances without real results — am hoping for much better from Shinsecki when he takes the VA helm if he’s approved. Much, much better.

CHS – (OT – I never got that package. Even talked to the Postal Carrier. Just thought you’d want to know. Don’t want anyone ripped off.)

Should be on its way — I got a shipping notice from them.

I’m glad to hear that. One of the worst parts was the failure to understand the problem by those in command. It would be nice if they were naturally compassionate, but if not, then have them given an order from on high to do so.

cnn has story about mistreatment of vets – lawsuit filed against the army

Thank you, thank you. I’ll keep my nose peeled.

FedEx says they left it on December 11th, btw.

Yea, this particular one was a fire.

Rut roh. I don’t know what to say, but damn.

I was reading something the other day about a set of records that a researcher in Colorado had gotten on an FOIA request that the government was denying existed for a fella exposed to high levels of radiation while work at Los Alamos (I think). Made for quite the awkward moment when he found out the researcher had copies of the very records he was told were non-existent.

Guess you save a whole lot of money by not paying claims, eh?

I just sent you all the tracking info — I’d call FedEx and make them fix it.

Absolutely — there are a host of providers who give services for free to vets across the country who desperately need them and aren’t getting them. And they are saints for doing so, too.

btw, if FedEx won’t fix it let me know and I’ll see what I can do on my end.

Economic disaster – all by design. The banksters are positioned to make money all the way down…

Goldman and JP Morgan Chase are effectively the same enterprise from the perspective of their lord and master, David Rockefeller. Geithner was a co-conspirator with them on behalf of yet a third Rockefeller-controlled enterprise, The Federal Reserve Bank Of New York.

Of course they shorted the Real Estate crash. They knew exactly what day it would commence, since they’re the ones who caused the run-up, held it there at unsustainable levels through their rank manipulation of media and markets (see ppt orchestrating short squeezes in concert with pre-planed media announcements and purportedly surprising world events).

The FED, The Treasury, Goldman, JP Morgan Chase, the CFR, The Trilateral Commission GE/NBC and Exxon Mobil (to name a few) are all effectively the same enterprise – running a scheme specifically designed to result in a one world government through the boom and bust cycle we have just experienced.

They own and control all of the politicians, who have no power of the purse – despite their contentions. Senators and Congressman have been relegated to interference running and excuse making for their bankster overlords.

The “agenda” is simply to kick the can down the road, let the clock run out, and await the end of America as we knew it. They have caused the Greatest Depression, globally, on purpose.

If those in the military became fully informed as to the usurpation of the US Constitution by Mr. Rockefeller and his co-conspirators, they just might use that military against the very domestic enemies they swore an oath to protect “we the people” from.

Again, thanks. I’ll call them. (??)

Thanks for all the diggs, gang. It’s much appreciated. Seems like this is one of those issues we ought to be talking more about, doesn’t it?

My students have just finished a research project which requires them to interview a family member about a pivotal national event and then integrate the personal memories with the public record of the event. It’s an assignment that I have used for years.

More than once, the students come back saying, “Things make a lot more sense now.” I’ll never forget the look on a young fraternity boy’s face when he realized that his grandfather had been younger than he was now when the now grandfather was one of two surviving members of his unit in the Battle of the Bulge. Others said they understood their uncle’s “spells,” their grandfather’s abrupt silences, outflow from Anzio or Korea or the Tet offensive.

The outflow of combat is myriad. We don’t suffer from it in our household, but we are affected. My husband was the young idealist who went into the Naval Academy when he was a young 17. Rather than Judaism, his family worshipped at the altar of science (MIT family) and the patriotism of the 1950’s. Three years of Vietnam, the grand sense of betrayal, and now a restlessness pervades his life.

I should quit making my “handles” related to place – I’ve been NZExpat, and now AdAstra (KS state motto, to the Stars through Difficulties). In Montana this year. Where next year? He’s worth it and I’ve had a rich life, even though not much settled. The nightmares lessen each year.

I think that we are near the end of an eight year stint of a deliberate attempt to destroy everything government. This includes the VA. The failures of this administration should provide for a growing momentum for the pendulum swing in the opposite direction however we have way to many who have dug their heals in. Times are going to get much worse and it is imperative that the ownership of this remains with the rethugs.

Have to start putting together a dollhouse for Santa today. Am trying to gird myself with extra caffeine this morning and am preparing for crappy directions and many thumb injuries…

Thanks for the West Wing Episode. I had a number of years without tv. This was incredibly moving. Do you recommend watching the whole series, if one hasn’t seen it?

Okay. Maybe there was a typo on the label or something. I’m a pretty good trouble shooter and will do my best. I’ve had things delivered to me by accident, but found out where it should have gone and took it to the intended recipient. Not everyone around here does that, tho.
Demi the Detective.

Absolutely — one of the best written shows of the last few years, in my book. The first season, especially, was very, very well done.

Absolutely! I can’t digg it yet, I’m on a work computer, will do so when I get home later…! ;-)

Could be — I cut and pasted everyone’s addresses from the e-mails I received. But if there was a data entry error on their end? As I said, let me know if you get nowhere and I’ll see what I can do. Everyone else seems to have gotten their package fine — so sorry yours has gone awry.

At least it doesn’t take batteries tho…!

Guess you save a whole lot of money by not paying claims, eh?

Yes, and how the Republikans loved to talk about supporting the troops. What they really meant was: support our efforts to send more troops to Iraq. Never mind about healthcare, proper equipment, and all that nitty gritty stuff.

When Rummy & the crew sent them to Iraq w/out armor, I guess we shouldn’t have expected them to treat our troops any better when they returned. All they gave is lip service & bumper stickers about supporting the troops.

True. I decided this year I’d start early on the construction, rather than wait until Christmas Eve and then have to stay up until god knows when trying to get it finished. We did that a couple of years ago with a kitchen play set and I swore never again on the panicked construction rush. *g*

Rummy’s “war on the cheap” planning sucks rocks.

Thanks, Christy. I remember remember the fine episode of West Wing.

Aside from compassion and fairness, it seems to me that it’s in the interest of our continued experiment in democracy to try to ensure that there are strong links and common understanding between the military, and those with a military background, and the rest of the population. When the draft was abolished, it concerned me that, over time, the military would become increasingly divorced from, and hostile toward, the civilian government and population. Historically, that has been the story behind the downfall of many civilian governments and the institution of military dictatorships.

Watch every episode!

Sara had a post this year for Veteran’s Day that hit that issue spot on. Well worth a read if you missed it…

Yeh, verily

My mom and I always watched West Wing together 600 miles apart by phone. Since she passed away, whenever I return home to PA I watch all the West Wings she recorded over the years.

OT; Per MSNBC two trains collide in MN. Some cars in river & early reports indicate leaking chemicals.

Damn — that sounds horrible.

And where was Caroline Kennedy while all this happened, huh?!? She should’ve done something!

It’s a Christmas tradition isn’t it?
I remember the year I was still gluing the edging onto a doll house we had made for our girl in the middle of the night.
I’ve got a great old snapshot of my dad sitting in front of the Tree, with wheels and hardware on the floor in front of him. And, he had The Look. It’s a precious memory.

Here’s AP’s take on it…!

If Bush has his way, no one will be able to sue for damages incurred from this type of accident.

Juxtapose that breaking story with this story…

Coincidence…?

good on ya.

Been there . . . Assembled That

I found a bottle of Baileys to be helpful

That is a fine article. Thanks.

OT – Are people tracking this one (she says, lifting her head from grading finals)?
“A controversial midnight regulation expanding health workers’ right to take a moral stance against abortion (or any other procedure that rankles their conscience) sailed through final Office of Management and Budget approval this week and, barring an act of Congress, will soon become law.
It’s one of many midnight regulations we’ve been tracking.

The ‘provider conscience’ rule applies to any procedure performed in a federally funded medical setting that “violate(s) an individual’s conscience,” but it most pointedly singles out abortion. It goes beyond existing laws that bar religious discrimination against workers and protect medical professionals who refuse to perform tasks they find morally repugnant.”

So essentially, if you want to stop birth control, you infilitrate jobs and then refuse, on the grounds of conscience, to actually do the job.

We are not surprised by this. Right?

Digg is apparently out for a coffee break at the moment. I’ll come back & try again.

Christy, have you e-mailed this to the VoteVets and IAVA folks? I’d also suggest an e-mail to Rachel Maddow. She or her minions DO read her mail. [Rachel@msnbc.com] She’s REALLY good on this stuff, and could probably get Jon Stulz or one of the other guys on to talk about it.

Thnaks for this.

I have experienced the misery of homelessness at several points in my life and, although there is a certain sense of freedom to it, it is a dangerous and miserable lifestyle that is hard to rise out of. Contrary to popular belief, most homeless did not become so out of choice and not because they are lazy, stupid, or immoral. Many homeless people are victims of abuse in the form of neglect and abandonment by their parents or other caregivers. Like many victims of abuse, a lot of them have chemical dependency problems. Their pain is so deep that they use alcohol or other drugs as an escape. Some of them are simply victims of life’s tragedies, such as hurricanes, fires, or other catastrophes from which they simply don’t have the resources to recover. Also, there is a snowball effect that occurs with homelessness. After all, who is going to hire someone with no address? Most homeless people don’t have the resources to even do their laundry; who is going to hire someone in filthy clothes? Also once a person has fallen to the level of living on the streets it is very difficult for them to get a job even if they are capable of working, because the condition of homelessness creates a low sense of self-esteem which makes it difficult to relate to other people. It is difficult to find, much less keep a job once a person’s self-esteem is so badly damaged. I invite you to my website: http://www.FreetheGods.com. There you will find an article and pictures I have taken of homeless people. I always give them a dollar or two for the privilege of photographing them. I am often surprised by their cheerfulness and sense of pride. Often, they will show themselves to have some kind of talent. There is a fine line between genius and insanity.

Universal health care by passing HR 676 Medicare for all would go a long way toward helping vets get care. If they could go into ANY hospital, doctor’s office, or other health care provider’s place of business, they would be much better served. If they have to go to the VA, which may be miles from where they live or stay, they may not do it.

Making it easy to find help, that’s a biggie.