picture by © emad555

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Are We Really Supporting The Troops?

How Do We Get Out Of Iraq?

Are We Safer Than We Were On 9/11?

Will We Eventually Need A Draft?

Deadliest Day For U.S. Forces In Two Years

picture by © astridlynn

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ARE WE SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS? — What does it mean to support the troops?

by © msmac9

What does it mean to support our troops? Are we talking the talk, and not walking the walk? I’ll admit, I am one of the people that believes the best way to support the troops is to bring them home. But that aside, the troops need much more support than just some empty words. Words can make for excellent “sound bites” in a news program, but words don’t save lives, words don’t fund programs, and ultimately words do not support our troops. If they (the troops), are lucky enough to come home alive, then as veterans they will receive even less support. Shouldn’t the people supporting this war, be doing more to make sure that when these troops get back, they will still be supported? Or, will just supporting them with words be o.k. then too?

It’s the dirty little secret of the U.S. Military, and the whole of the United States — As the richest and most powerful country in the world, we don’t want to help the poor, the hungry, or the homeless, and in many cases that is exactly where our veterans end up. Although veterans comprise only about 34% of the general adult male population, 40% of the homeless population is comprised of adult male veterans. It is estimated that on any given night in America, about 300,000 veterans are homeless. That doesn’t seem like support to me. Could we be doing anything to support them?

ALSO SEE: Article titled — Iraq War Veterans Already Joining Homeless Population from the new standard news
If all this isn’t bad enough, most of us think that the people going into the military will at least get a solid education when they get out, since this is one of the very publicised benefits to joining the military. The fact is, that less 15% will receive a college degree, and most could have gotten more money for college without enlisting from a Pell Grant or Stafford Loan. The percent that will get a degree does not include the 25% of enlistees dishonorably discharged or the 33% who leave the military early, all of which will receive no money at all. This means that if you include all people that actually enlisted, less than 8% will get a college education. Wow, I figured all or most wouldn’t get an education, but even I didn’t think the numbers were that low.

Another little tid-bit I found disturbing, especially as the mother of a high school student, is that part of the “No Child Left Behind Act” requires that all schools must give recruiters total access to their students. Of course the school can “opt-out”, but in doing so they also “opt-out” of federal funding. So, wealthy schools with wealthy students can say they will not allow recruiters any access to their students, but poor schools have no choice but to give total access to their students, or they will lose their funding. Shocking! Not really. Below are a few of the many articles related to this subject.

[There’s no Promise Like a Government Promise…The fine print on the back of the enlistment contract makes it clear that no promise made by the government has to be kept.……..You’re Not Out Until They Say You’re Out….Despite the stated length of enlistment, usually 4 years, recruits can be kept in the military indefinitely, or called back from the reserves many years later as we’re seeing now with the current back door draft (a.k.a. “Stop loss.”) Even those who’ve been severely physically and mentally injured are being called back] –see full article TRUTH VERSUS FICTION — What Recruits Are Not Told When The Enlist

[The military has always drawn heavily from the poor, who, in many cases, have few other options for career development than to pick up a gun and hope for the best. We’ve all seen the ads: “Do more before nine a.m. than most people do all day, see the world, become a doctor, learn to be a pilot”…the promises of the military go on and on. And the commercials are effective—a recent survey found that “money for college” was the main explanation given for enlisting in the military. Given the role of the GI Bill in building the middle class after World War II, these ads have history, in addition to sleek production, behind them. The tragedy—or crime, depending on how you look at the situation—is that the military can no longer deliver on its promises……..Some veterans may end their education with a two-year degree or certificate, and others may decide to raise a family—but clearly, the college degree at the end of the rainbow is not all that easy to achieve. In making this point, some veterans point to the byzantine bureaucracy they’re forced to navigate to attain benefits, while others simply say that there is not enough money provided to pay for college.……The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that the GI Bill currently only covers 60 percent of the costs at a public four-year school, while the GI Bill originally covered all education costs. Similarly, the GI Bill hasn’t provided subsidies for veterans with spouses and children since 1977. ]– see full article DYING FOR AN EDUCATION

by © cordump2001

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ALSO SEE: A SOLDIER’S HEART — BY FRONTLINE/PBS

SUPPORT THE TROOPS: BRING THEM HOME (A TIME/CNN ARTICLE)

Military Families Speak Out

George Bush Not Supporting Troops

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If you are reading this and you are a veteran that needs assistance, or you are someone who would like to help make a difference in the lives of veterans — his link was just made available to me….and looks very helpful. Rebuilding Together and Countrywide Volunteers Provide Home Improvements for Injured Soldier

IF ANYONE ELSE HAS LINKS ON HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED AND HELP OUR VETERANS…..I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO POST THEM.