DHS Fears Military Veterans?

Posted on 04/15/2009 by Roger Young

American Legion to DHS: We’re not terrorists – WorldNetDaily – Posted 15 Apr 09

Read the DHS Report – PDF – Courtesy of FreedomAlliance.org

Related articles:

Republicans criticize report on right-wing groups – Yahoo! News – 15 Apr 09

  Statement by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on the Threat of Right-Wing Extremism – DHS – 15 Apr 09

  Napolitano defends right-wing risk report: Homeland security chief: Extremist veterans concern taken out of context – MSNBC – 16 Apr 09

  DHS Report Plays on the Worst Veteran Stereotypes by Christian Lowe – Military.com – 16 Apr 09

  The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced that yesterday evening it filed a federal lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano – Thomas More Law Center – Posted 17 Apr 09

  Just a Few of the Disgruntled and Disillusioned by Thomas D. Segel – Posted 18 Apr 09

  Napolitano: Veterans are Targets of Right-Wing Extremist Recruiters – FoxNews – 19 Apr 09

  I Am an Extremist by Col. Oliver North – Posted 19 Apr 09

  Napolitano Draws Resignation Calls After Gaffes on Veterans, Canada – FoxNews – 23 Apr 09 

  Napolitano Apologizes to Veterans Group for ‘Rightwing Extremism’ Report – FoxNews – 24 Apr 09

  

Newsletter comment:  Nothing surprises me these days.  But I resent answering our country’s call to go to war and years later being branded as a potential ‘terrorist’ because I served my country in the Armed forces and dare to speak out when I disagree with policy, especially when I feel it is not in compliance with our Constitution.

Sounds to me like there are those in our own government that suffer from paranoia? This is a sad day in America…

Roger Young – co-editor 

Posted in ALERT!, Obama Cares About Military Vets? | 11 Comments

Dems Going After Guns?

Posted on 04/14/2009 by Roger Young

‘We want them registered’ Democrats are going after guns – Washington Times Editorial – Posted 14 Apr 08

Democrats hold fire on gun control by Jen DiMascio – 19 May 09

Posted in Guns Laws | 1 Comment

Defense Budget Refocused

Posted on 04/08/2009 by Roger Young

Pentagon proposes more spending on tech, troops and intelligence, less for traditional arms – Seattle Times – 7 Apr 09

Boeing "hit harder" than rivals by defense budget cuts – Seattle Times – 7 Apr 09
Potential job losses threaten Gates plan – ArmyTimes – 8 Apr 09
Posted in Defense Budget Under Attack? | Comments Off on Defense Budget Refocused

Agent Orange/Dioxin Report – V.V.A.

Posted on 04/07/2009 by Roger Young

PDF file: Agent Orange Dioxin Report – Courtesy of Vietnam Veterans of America – March/April 2009 – Posted 7 Apr 09

Newsletter comment:  There is some very interesting information in this committee report concerning the manufacturing process which may have made this dioxin so toxic. 

Posted in Health News | Tagged , | Comments Off on Agent Orange/Dioxin Report – V.V.A.

Geithner Asks Congress for Broad Power to Seize Firms

Posted on 03/24/2009 by Roger Young

Geithner Asks Congress for Broad Power to Seize Firms – The Washington Post – 24 Mar 09

“…The Treasury secretary could act only after consulting with the president and getting a recommendation from two-thirds of the Federal Reserve Board, according to the plan.

” ‘As we have seen with AIG, distress at large, interconnected, non-depository financial institutions can pose systemic risks just as distress at banks can,’ Geithner said in prepared testimony submitted to the committee. ‘The administration proposes legislation to give the U.S. government the same basic set of tools for addressing financial distress at non-banks as it has in the bank context’…”

Newsletter comment: WHOA! Where does this end? Could the Feds, under this proposal, take over any corporation they deem a threat to our economy? Such as oil, food, natural gas, airlines, automobile production, the list is endless!

We encourage all to contact their representatives (I have faxed my Senators) and urge them to move VERY slowly and cautiously on such broad legislation!

Roger Young – co-editor

Geithner says new ‘rules of the game’ required – MSNBC – 26 Mar 09

U.S. plans key role in naming GM board – MSNBC – 1 Apr 09

“…Some critics characterize the White House’s removal of Wagoner as a move toward European socialism. In addition to forcing leadership changes at GM, President Obama on Monday said that Chrysler must strike a partnership with Italian automaker Fiat, and that GM must further cut its already shrunken workforce and product lines…”

Automakers Get Behind Obama Efficiency Plan, Brace for Tough Trade-Offs – FoxNews – May 19, 2009

Posted in ALERT! | 3 Comments

Private Insurance to pay for service-related health care?

Posted on 03/20/2009 by Roger Young

The Burden of Battle by Oliver North – 20 Mar 09  

“…Had the administration’s despicable design succeeded, the burden on those wounded in the current war would have been unthinkable. The O-Team rescinded their shameful plot to make veterans pay for combat-related medical treatment only because Americans were repulsed by the idea…” 

=================== 

Obama Drops Controversial Health Care Plan for Wounded Veterans – FoxNews – 18 Mar 09 

Background articles: 

Veterans Groups Blast Obama Plan for Private Insurance to Pay for Service-Related Health Care – FoxNews – 17 Mar 09 

President Obama’s plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs for the treatment of troops injured in service has angered veterans groups who say the government has a moral obligation to pay for service-related medical care. 

The American Legion Strongly Opposed to President’s Plan to Charge Wounded Heroes for Treatment – Yahoo! – 16 Mar 09 

Update Vets condemn insurance plan – Seattle Times – 18 Mar 09 

“…Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a senior member of both the Veterans Affairs and Budget committees, warned Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki last week that the idea would be ‘dead on arrival,’ and she vowed Tuesday that any budget containing the VA provision ‘is not going to pass.’ ”  

” ‘The VA has an obligation to pay for service-related care, and they should not be nickel-and-diming vets in the process,’ she said in an interview.” 

The DoD Spin: 

Caring for Veterans Is Matter of American Honor, Obama Says – DefenseLink – 16 Mar 09 

Contact: Congressional Email Directory – courtesy of webslingerz.com 

============= 

[Name, address, phone] 

18 March 2009  

VIA FACSIMILE 

Open Letter to Sen. Patty Murray
 

Subject: Veterans Groups Blast Obama Plan for Private Insurance to Pay for Service-Related Health Care
 

 
 
Sen. Murray:
 
We certainly appreciate that you, as our Senator, have contacted Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gen. Eric Shinseki last week that this idea would be “dead on arrival.”

However, why is it that we must constantly defend veteran benefits and the VA budget, especially when the democrat-controlled Congress and President Obama freely, and often without even reading the entire bills, approve trillions of dollars of taxpayer money to bailout failing corporations, banking and insurance institutions?  And some of that TARP money is reportedly flowing to foreign banks and entities via AIG specifically.
 
This is an outrage in my opinion!  And to make matters worse, on 16 March, DefenseLink put out a news release entitled “Caring for Veterans Is Matter of American Honor, Obama Says” and Secretary Shinseki published an open letter entitled “Shinseki issues open letter to veterans” on 15 March by the Army Times.
 
Clearly the DoD and Secretary Shinseki were aware of this trial balloon about to hit the press, and I believe these releases were a preemptive move by the DoD and the Secretary to provide President Obama cover for his proposed VA private insurance plan.
 
 
Do you believe those of us that have served our country, honorably, are really that stupid?  That we cannot see the obvious?  And why is it that for the most part Democrats are the ones that are scrutinizing the VA and Defense budgets while they continue to give trillions of dollars to failing institutions that were often responsible for our present economic mess?
 
 
I await your response answering these specific questions in detail, and please, not another bulk mailing response.
 
 
Respectfully,
 
 
Roger Young – Vietnam veteran
Northwest Veterans Newsletter co-editor – http://northwestvets.com 

 

  

Posted in Obama Cares About Military Vets? | 6 Comments

TRICARE for Life letter from Sen. Lieberman

Posted on 03/10/2009 by Roger Young

February 19, 2009
 
Dear Mr. xxxxxx:

Thank you for contacting me regarding rumored cuts in benefit programs for military retirees, including TRICARE for Life. Currently, a wealth of false and misleading information is being distributed on this matter; and I welcome the opportunity to explain the source of the confusion.

I am aware of several chain emails, online discussion boards, blogs, and even articles in well-intentioned veteran publications that imply that President Obama and Congress plan on eliminating TRICARE for Life. The insinuations put forth by these sources are false. The source of these stories is a report issued by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), entitled Budget Options Volume 1: Heath Care, released in December 2008. Before jumping to conclusions about the report itself, however, it is important to know exactly what the CBO is. CBO is a nonpartisan federal agency, tasked with providing Congress with cost estimates for the many legislative proposals considered each year. It also periodically offers Congress suggestions for adjusting federal spending. CBO is an information gathering body for Members of Congress. Its recommendations about the budget are completely non binding; and its officers do not draft actual policy,legislation, or law.

The Budget Options report in question offers a total of 115 options for reducing (or, in some cases, increasing) federal spending on health care, only three of which relate to TRICARE.

These options are merely suggestions, not policy statements or actual legislation. Reports such as this one are routine, and very few options or recommendations made by CBO are typically acted upon. President Obama has not indicated support for the three recommendations in this report related to TRICARE, nor has any Member of Congress, to the best of my knowledge. Any suggestion that the Administration is affiliated with this report ignores the fact that it was drafted by the CBO – which, again, is an advisory body of the legislative branch, not the executive branch.

You may also be interested to know that both the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) have issued statements condemning the aforementioned rumors that are being perpetuated through these chain emails.I hope that you have found this letter informative, and I encourage you to share this information with members of your community who are concerned about issues relating to military retirees. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, please be assured of my continued commitment to protecting the various interests of all those who have fought tirelessly to protect our cherished freedoms.

Thank you again for sharing your views and concerns with me. I hope you will continue to visit my website at

http://lieberman.senate.gov for updated news about my work on behalf of Connecticut and the nation. Please contact me if you have any additional questions or comments about our work in Congress.

Sincerely,

Joseph I. Lieberman
UNITED STATES SENATOR

Tagged | Comments Off on TRICARE for Life letter from Sen. Lieberman

Obama Sets End Date for Combat in Iraq

Posted on 03/10/2009 by Roger Young

Today President Obama announced an end date for combat missions in Iraq.  See: Obama sets date to end Iraq combat mission – MSNBC – 27 Feb 09

“Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end,” he said in a speech at the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune, N.C. “As we carry out this drawdown, my highest priority will be the safety and security of our troops and civilians in Iraq.”

I have grave reservations about setting an end date for such missions. In my opinion any withdrawal or draw down must be predicated on events on the ground. After all, the war in Vietnam was basically won when the Democrat-controlled Congress set a end date for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in South Vietnam. And we know the end result, the North invaded the South and many perished throughout Southeast Asia after over 58,200 U.S. forces had paid the ultimate sacrifice.

I pray we are not making the same mistake again!

Roger Young 

Related articles: [Updated 1 Jul 09]

 Obama sees difficulty in Iraq after pull-out – ArmyTimes – 1 Jul 09

 Obama Hails Iraqi City Withdrawal as ‘Important Step’ – DefenseLink – 30 Jun 09

 Iraqi Troops Ready for Added Responsibility, Pentagon Spokesman Says – DefenseLink – 29 Jun 09

 U.S. confident ahead of leaving Iraqi cities – ArmyTimes – 29 Jun 09

 Angry Iraqis demand protection from bombings – MSNBC – 25 Jun 09

 Some leverage lost as Army pulls out of cities – ArmyTimes – 12 Jun 09

 Marines to be out of Iraq in spring 2010 – ArmyTimes – 11 Jun 09

 U.S. Combat Troops on Pace to Leave Iraqi Cities by June 30 – DefenseLink – 1 Jun 09

 Dozens killed in attack on Iraq tribal leaders Violence rises as the U.S. military begins drawing down its forces – MSNBC – 10 Mar 09

 Time running out for U.S. troops in Mosul – ArmyTimes – 9 Mar 09

“…If you don’t have the Americans, this is not going to be good,” said an Iraqi army captain who gave his name only as Ahmed to protect his family from insurgents. “I cannot take care of it…”

U.S.: 12,000 troops to leave Iraq by September – ArmyTimes – 8 Mar 09

Military Officials in Iraq Announce Force Reduction – DefenseLink – 8 Mar 09

Mullen Voices Support for Iraq Decision – DefenseLink – 1 Mar 09

Iraq Drawdown Decision Process Included Commanders, Gates Says – DefenseLink – 27 Feb 09

Posted in Obama Sets End Date for Combat in Iraq | Comments Off on Obama Sets End Date for Combat in Iraq

We Want Your Feedback!

Posted on 03/06/2009 by Roger Young

We Want to Hear from YOU!

We’ll be posting categories for discussion and we want to hear from you and your thoughts on these important issues!

The purpose of this blog is to get YOU involved! 

How/Where Do I post my comments? 

It’s simple, click on “continue reading” at the bottom of the page in the category you desire.

You’ll see the posted comments with a box for submitting your thoughts! Your email address will remain confidential. If you want viewers to be able to contact you, please also include your email address in the comment text box.

This blog is a supplement to our Northwest Veterans Newsletter website to allow our viewers, both military & civilian concerned citizens, a voice.

Please enter our main website at: http://northwestvets.com

Roger Young, co-editor. bear317@aol.com

 ================ 

The Northwest Veterans Blog is provided by Roger & Pam Young, editors of The Northwest Veterans Newsletter. The opinions expressed on this forum, except where otherwise noted, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Northwest Veterans Newsletter. This forum was created on 8 Feb 09.

Posted in We Want YOUR Feedback!, Welcome! | 2 Comments

Defense Budget Under Attack?

Posted on 03/05/2009 by Roger Young

Obama Pledges to Ensure Security While Reforming Defense Contracting – DefenseLink – 4 Mar 09

Newsletter comment: Strange how our President can support a stimulus bill laden with pork, but within days now targets the Defense budget!

Following Vietnam, Pres. Carter made major cutbacks in our defense spending. This trend was only reversed by Pres. Reagan when he rebuilt our military which had a significant impact on the former Soviet Union, the demise of the Warsaw Pact, and the reunification of Germany.

Pres. Clinton entered office and again targeted defense spending and downsized our military while terrorism increased worldwide culminating in the tragic events that unfolded on 9/11. Pres. Bush increased defense spending following that terrible day but our military is still too small for the operational tempo they face today.

Now, apparently, more defense cuts by another Democrat President even during a time of war. Yet he has no problem signing pork-barrel domestic spending bills. Apparently spending to win elections is not a problem while defense spending demands scrutiny. Or are the Democrats just more concerned about social reform then national security?

Roger Young – co-editor

Posted in Defense Budget Under Attack? | Comments Off on Defense Budget Under Attack?

Truth and Prose by Oliver North

Posted on 03/03/2009 by Roger Young

Truth and prose

by Oliver North – The Washington Times – Posted 4 Mar 09

“…Mr. Obama says in his budget ‘we’re not paying for Cold-War era weapons systems we don’t use.’ But if we don’t buy Ballistic-Missile Defense, upgraded nuclear weapons, submarines, the F-22, the F-35, the V-22, aircraft carriers and replace equipment worn out in eight years of war, how do we deter our adversaries – or even fight back when we’re attacked?”

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Truth and Prose by Oliver North

Guest Op-Eds

Posted on 02/11/2009 by Roger Young

 The Northwest Veterans Blog is provided by Roger & Pam Young, editors of The Northwest Veterans Newsletter.

The opinions expressed on this forum, except where otherwise noted, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Northwest Veterans Newsletter. This forum was created on 10 Feb 09.

If you would like to submit a Guest Op-Ed, please contact Roger Young at: bear317@aol.com

We will also provide hyperlinks to outside commentary which we consider of interest to our viewers.

Thanks!

Posted in Guest Op-Eds | 1 Comment