Comments on: Let us truly honor our fallen heroes this Memorial Day

By: StockBoySF

StockBoySF — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:02:01 +0000

My definition of pork is a limited project that only benefits a local audience. An example of legislative pork is that nearly $400MM bridge to nowhere in Alaska that did not benefit many people. GIs and our support of them, is clearly not pork. Next they'll be saying that education is pork and spending on education should be reduced to zero.

By: D. E.Rodriguez

D. E.Rodriguez — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:13:56 +0000

Thank you, “Stockboy.” While the vast majority of comments on my piece supporting the more “generous” GI Bill have been very positive, there have been some (private) comments–and some of them from dear friends– comparing the bill to legislative “pork,” and using this rationale to justify the anti-pork, anti-ear marks McCain opposition to the bill.

By: gi bill wwii

gi bill wwii — Mon, 26 May 2008 06:15:10 +0000

[...] being debated on Capitol Hill. I am referring to an improved version of the GI bill that would …http://themoderatevoice.com/general/19898/let-us-truly-honor-our-fallen-heroes-this-memorial-day/Modernized GI Bill passes, despite opposition from McCain, Bush Once in a while, it??s hard to keep [...]

By: D. E.Rodriguez

D. E.Rodriguez — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:03:17 +0000

Thank you GreenDreams for your words of welcome and support,

Dorian

By: D. E.Rodriguez

D. E.Rodriguez — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:01:07 +0000

Thank you dr e. for your kind comments, and please thank your husband for his service

Dorian

By: StockBoySF

StockBoySF — Sun, 25 May 2008 23:50:06 +0000

Thanks, Dorian! I don't understand why the government which expects American soldiers to be willing to give up their lives to protect us, is so cold hearted when it comes to helping those same soldiers build a better life.

By: mccain veteran benefits

mccain veteran benefits — Sun, 25 May 2008 21:45:37 +0000

[...] [...]

By: GreenDreams

GreenDreams — Sun, 25 May 2008 19:43:06 +0000

Yes, thank you, and welcome to the team at TMV. There is so much to remember this Memorial Day, and I'm thinking of my father, a World War II veteran who died six years ago. The GI Bill helped my dad earn a doctorate in agronomy and having already served his country, he went on to serve again in the US Department of Agriculture and then a brilliant and distinguished career as a research geologist. The GI Bill helped my mom, a Navy nurse, get her master's in psychiatric nursing. Veterans benefits helped them buy a modest home and from humble beginnings (my mom was literally a coal miner's daughter) build a successful life. Our grateful country made and kept a serious commitment to our military then.

Now, our politicians hand out billions to bail out investment banks and airlines, forgive billions unaccounted for; "lost" by federal contractors, and pass on trillions in debt to our children, yet they can't open their hearts to those who have put their lives on the line for us. Oh no, that would be too expensive.

I'm also reminded that now, in 2008, we have lost more Americans, 50% more, in this misguided war against Iraq than were killed on September 11, 2001. Osama bin Laden cost us 3,000 American lives. George W. Bush cost us 4,500 (so far). Both are walking around free today.

May we all remember next time the warmongers come whipping up our national pride, what a serious, horrible and devastating thing war is. May we be absolutely vigilant against being misled into war, a war that costs us thousands of young American men and women and wastes our children's future on the desert sands.

And let's renew our commitment to the young defenders of our freedoms and reject those--yeah, you, McCain--who accept the sacrifice of our children but are too stingy and miserly to give back to them a shot at the American dream.

By: archangel

archangel — Sun, 25 May 2008 18:07:55 +0000

Amen, De Wind, Amen.
When I went to college as a young welfare mother, there were huge numbers of vets in all my classes; they were on the GI bill and were getting an education that would serve them well...as they served their country well. Our vets were in wheelchairs, on gurneys , on crutches, walking without aid... every conceivable situation... mostly Nam Vets and Korea.

Ive watched over the years as the benefits for health and education have dwindled and dwindled for vets, not to mention how pay grade remains stuck in the 1950s.

Every time I'm with a group of older vets (in their 50s and 60s) who still work for Uncle Sugar in one way or another, or are ret., I hear the hours and hours it takes re any G.I. benefit, from the most humble upward, to bring it into place actively. As though dealing with a thousand tar-pits at every turn.

The issue is not only the benefits, although that's the over-riding one. There are at least two others.
1. Effective flow of activating benefits quickly without months and years of paperwork, repetition.
2. An end to three tier discrimination where elisted/ nco's are treated differently re medical and others matters, than COs, and than VIP vet Congressmen.

I am reminded daily about how hard the hearts of people at the VA hospitials, for instance, work for the vets. The issue has not been the hearts of those who serve.

It's the big heart at the top. Or lack of it.

Good article, gently and poignantly laid out, with a smart 'attack' on the subject.

dr.e
military wife (husband 21 years USAF (ret.) now in employ of VA processing prostheses for vets, he himself partially disabled)

By: six

six — Sun, 25 May 2008 16:45:24 +0000

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