This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Veterans Issues

  • Doing The Right Thing

    Via The Sniper:

    VA trauma center treats most grievously wounded troops

    The centers have become a key element in caring for the wounded as the war in Afghanistan enters its second decade and the injured from Iraq continue to need care. They are the result of important medical insights gleaned from the long wars in the Middle East — that modern battlefield injuries, particularly those from bomb blasts, require a team approach from physicians and therapists.

    Sometimes The System works, this appears to be one of those times.

  • Mullen tosses servicemembers under the bus

    Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen just tossed us all under the bus. In a link from Adirondack Patriot, Mullens warned that “everything is on the table” including pay and health benefits for active duty and retired servicemembers;

    Mullen went further, saying savings should be found in pay and benefits costs before cuts to programs and personnel.

    “We need to avoid just making the relatively easy decision [to] just cash in force structure,” Mullen said. “We have to go through everything else — and ‘force structure’ are platforms and people — before we get to that point, because that’s why we’re here.”

    The military has been tasked with finding a $half-trillion in savings over the next 12 years – not like the EPA or the Commerce Department or Health and Human Services…or any other federal agency which have only cut back minimally on increases in spending. Certainly not in cutting back on their current or retired employees’ benefits.

    I always thought I could count on the military leadership to stand up for the troops they command. I guess that’s not an option in this climate – Mullen seems almost eager to toss us all aside to please his political masters.

    Are there reasonable cuts that can be made? Sure. My favorite example is the pharmacy at Walter Reed. A year ago, you walked up to a machine and took a number to get in line for service.

    Now they employ a series of three women that you have to stand in line to see and the last woman tears your ticket from that machine for you. Do they ask you questions about your prescriptions? Nope. You show them your ID and they tap away at a computer – they each have one, and you have to show each of them your ID and they each tap at their computer.

    I figure each computer costs about $3000 and they probably pay each of those women more than $30k/year to do what we used to do without them. How many jobs are there like those in the military? That’s where I’d start if I was at all serious about saving money.

  • As useless as a shrimp on a treadmill

    Senator Tommy Colburn, the guy who brought to light the baby-man on Social Security, sets his sights on the National Science Foundation, who is involved in such important research as jello-wrestling at the South Pole, checking the recovery rates of sick shrimp when they work out on a treadmill (how does that even work?). From The Washington Times;

    At a time when the federal government is struggling with record deficits and bumping up against its borrowing limit, Mr. Coburn said the agency is a prime example of the kinds of spending taxpayers should no longer tolerate.

    “There is little, if any, obvious scientific benefit to some NSF projects, such as a YouTube rap video, a review of event ticket prices on stubhub.com, a ‘robot hoedown and rodeo,’ or a virtual recreation of the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair,” Mr. Coburn said in a letter to taxpayers he wrote introducing the 73-page report, documented by more than 350 footnotes.

    What’s worse is that NSF isn’t even apologetic about the abuse of their funding;

    said Dana Topousis, the spokeswoman. “We believe that no other funding agency in the world comes close to NSF for giving taxpayers the best return on their investment.”

    Yes, shrimp on a treadmill are absolutely essential to the rest of my life – and it creates jobs and lowers the cost of gasoline to consumers.

    So this is to all of you who keep telling me that veterans have to sacrifice along with everyone else and take our loss of COLA increases and hikes in health care costs for the good of the economy. While this shit is going on? Is “baby man” going to get his SSI payments cut? Is NSF going to take a cut in their ridiculous “studies” of shit that doesn’t matter?

    Bite me.

  • Job Opportunity for the summer

    The folks at POW Network sent us this in the event a couple of you have a hankering to train motivated teenagers in the ways of a soldier;

    SUPPORT STAFF:

    Opportunities exist for 6-8 individuals, for up to nine weeks during the summer (mid-June through mid-August), with the following qualifications:

    a. An active duty, reserve/National guard or retired Soldier of any rank, or ROTC Cadet (not JROTC), with a solid understanding of the Army culture, traditions and training methodologies. The applicant must possess, and be authorized to wear, a uniform based on current military status (Active, Reserve, National Guard, Retired, ROTC Cadet or Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)), or must submit an application for membership in USAC. Active, Army Reserve or Army National Guard Army personnel will be temporarily appointed to their current Army military rank within USAC, wearing USAC modifying insignia. Individuals with experience in another service may be considered on a case-by-case basis. CAP and NSCC personnel are not authorized to wear their programs’ uniform in support of this mission.

    b. Able to be available on-site for the entire period of training between 18 Jun – 10 Aug 11. We maintain a very high OP-TEMPO. There is no flexibility on the dates.

    c. Physically capable of keeping up with the demands of a very strenuous program.

    d. Age 21 or over with a Valid driver’s license. Extraordinary applicants who are under 21 may be considered.

    e. Able to pass a background check.

    f. Ability to pass an on-site Cadet Protection Policy Training course.

    g. Ability to support the training of Cadets, based on past experience in the U.S. Army and, preferably, a solid understanding of the importance of Cadetting.

    This position will provide room and board and a small stipend, based on experience. This is an ideal opportunity for a young ROTC Cadet or ARNG/USAR Soldier who wishes to gain additional experience.

    The above position will NOT be “pushing recruits” in a Drill Sergeant role. These positions are support personnel to assist with administration, operations, transportation, supply, etc.

    DRILL SERGEANTS:

    Opportunities may exist for 4-6 Soldiers, for up to eight weeks during the summer (mid-June through mid-August), with the following qualifications:

    a. A qualified Drill Sergeant of any rank, or other NCO who can provide Drill Sergeant style leadership. Active, Army Reserve, Army National Guard Army or retired personnel will be temporarily appointed to their current Army military rank within USAC, wearing USAC modifying insignia.

    b. Preferably available to be on-site for the entire period of training between 18 Jun – 30 Jul 11; however, availability of increments of not less than three weeks will be considered.

    c. Physically capable of keeping up with the demands of a very strenuous program.

    d. Able to pass a background check.

    e. Ability to pass an on-site Cadet Protection Policy Training course.

    f. A strong desire to support the training of Cadets, based on past experience in the U.S. Army and, preferably, a solid understanding of the importance of Cadetting.

    This position will provide room and board and a stipend. This is an ideal opportunity for a USAR Drill Sergeant or Drill Sergeant Trainee to gain additional experience during the summer or for a retired soldier to pass their experience on to a future generation.

    To apply for any of the above positions, visit our website to become familiar with the U.S. Army Cadet Corps. After review, submit a detailed resume, and cover letter with salary requirements, to COL Joseph M. Land, Sr., Chief of Staff, at joseph.m.landsr(at)armycadets(dot)org . No phone calls please. EOE.

    Here’s their website, if you’re interested.

  • All’s Well That Ends Well

    Sorta…

    Forty years later.
    Vietnam hero cures an old Rutgers wound

    Forty years ago, he attempted to pursue a law degree upon his return from Vietnam and rehabilitation in veterans’ hospitals. He’d been through hell, and the last place he expected to face more of it was in academia. But the climate in the late 1960s and early ’70s was often inhospitable to those who had served in Vietnam, even the most highly decorated.

    Academia – Then and now?

    Because of opposition to the Vietnam War and an antipathy toward those who served, Christian said, the faculty made a circus of his attempt to earn a law degree. “If I got a grade that was marginal, they would release it to the newspapers and news media,” he said.

    Christian said certain of the deans had disputed the existence and severity of his war injuries, many of which are not obvious. “I was asked by the administration to disrobe in front of the student body because they didn’t think I was a disabled veteran,” Christian said.

    “At the time there was no Americans With Disabilities Act and there was no Privacy Act,” he said. “They couldn’t touch the politicians, but they could touch a war hero.”

    He said some faculty members would post lists of purported Vietnam heroes – lists that would include North Vietnamese names.

    I haven’t vetted this story, Jonn or someone else with more ready resources can do so. I can personally vouch for the atmosphere in many colleges back then and that’s why I decided to post this.  Consider this a history lesson if nothing else.

    Update:  Thanks to those who filled in the blanks, so to speak. Even I remembered the name, but this IS TAH.  So I added the caveat.

  • Your “free health care” will get more expensive

    Well, those douche bags in Congress fell for the Obama Administration’s plan to raise TriCare fees on retired veterans who were promised free health care for life when they enlisted and reenlisted. By the way, they called it “sensible rate hikes” so because you expect the military to keep the promises they made, you’re senseless;

    The committee voted early Thursday to allow the first bump in TRICARE Prime enrollment fees in more than 15 years. Retirees not yet eligible for Medicare would see a $30-a-year fee increase, to $260, for individual coverage and a $60 hike, to $520, for family coverage.

    The committee’s bill also would allow these fees for retirees to be adjusted each year to keep pace with inflation. But while the Department of Defense wanted the fees indexed to medical inflation nationwide, the committee language would cap any increase to the percentage rise in retired pay made through by the annual COLA or cost-of-living adjustment.

    Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.), the new committee chairman, called it a “sensible” approach to TRICARE fees. The committee’s final version of the defense authorization bill for fiscal 2012 also would allow co-pays to rise, by $2 or $3, on prescriptions filled in the TRICARE network of retail pharmacies, a move to encourage greater use of TRICARE mail order.

    Yeah, go ahead and argue that it’s a pittance…but, tell me what part of “promise of free health care for life” you don’t understand and I’ll try to draw you a crayon picture that you’ll understand. I fulfilled my promise to the country and I can’t get that back.

    Let’s wait and see what everyone else is giving up to balance the budget.

  • My Thoughts On The Marine Killed By Pima County SWAT

    Jonn and many of our readers have already discussed this but I am going to add my two cents.

    I am admittedly very upset and disturbed by this story for a number of reasons. I understand that all the facts in the case have not been forthcoming but that is mostly because the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, which as Strike FO pointed out is run by the illustrious Sheriff Dupnik, is trying to cover their ass. Additionally, they are repeatedly changing their story, which should tell everyone following this  hat Pima County SWAT knows they have screwed up.

    With the facts that are available, I want to make the following the points:

    First and foremost this RAID SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. PERIOD. Less than an hour of basic police intelligence work would have shown that Jose Guerena works at a mine that is in an area that is not as densely populated as a residential area.  Additionally, that would have shown that Guerena had no prior criminal record, was an honorably discharged Marine, and had a family that lived with him.  By choosing to raid the house, not only did Pima SWAT put civilians in danger by hitting Guerena’s house in the manner that they did, but they also put themselves in danger by choosing to conduct the raid at Guerena’s home. Lets assume for a second that Guerena was a bad guy who was involved in the drug trade. Despite the fact that he was an air winger, he probably had at least some combat-related training, especially if he deployed to Iraq twice. I know that he was stationed in Yuma and they have Marines there that train air wingers before they deploy in basic combat tactics, including basic CQB and MOUT tactics. He would have had at least a very basic understanding about how to setup a defensive position inside a building. So, with that possibility in mind, Pima SWAT still chose to hit the house (in daylight too), even though there were clearly other options available to them, mainly the option to detain him at work or when he was driving to and from work. This was extremely poor mission planning on the part of the Pima County SWAT team.

    Secondly, based on the information that has been released by Pima County, this is without a doubt a seriously dicked up SWAT Team. I’ve already laid out how I think they did a piss poor job of planning this mission, so now lets look at how the raid actually played out. First off, Pima County SWAT says they banged on the door for fifteen seconds and had the sirens and lights on their vehicles on. The wife of Jose Guerena claims they didn’t. I am inclined to believe the wife right now since she seems to be the only one who has kept her story straight, but this point is debatable so I am not going to focus too much on this. According to the SWAT team, as soon as they entered the house they see Guerena crouched with an AR-15 pointed at them. At that moment the SWAT team opens fire, with five shooters firing 71 shots in seven seconds. Thats two rounds every second per shooter. I don’t know what kind of weapons they were using but a standard M4 or MP5 can spit out rounds faster on full auto so I think they were just slapping the trigger on semi or maybe one shooter had a weapon on burst. Either way, that is a complete lack of fire discipline. Lets assume again that Guerena was a bad guy and his wife was involved with the drug trade with him (again there is NO EVIDENCE OF THIS THUS FAR, but I am just using  hypotheticals here). With all five shooters focused on Guerena, nobody else was covering the other sectors of the room or moving to clear the rest of the house (which they probably shouldn’t have done if they only went in with five shooters anyways). That would have left an opportunity for someone to come out and start shooting at the SWAT team, potentially wounding or killing some or all of the SWAT team during the raid. Then there is this little tidbit from an AZ Daily Star Article:

    A deputy’s bullet struck the side of the doorway, causing chips of wood to fall on his shield. That prompted some members of the team to think the deputy had been shot, O’Connor said.

    One of two things happened there. Either the deputies went in the door spraying and praying and a round struck the door or one of the deputies had a negligent discharge upon entry through the doorway and the round hit the door frame. Either way, it didn’t justify the SWAT team losing their cool and forgetting all tactical sense. Whatever happened it leads to the question of what the fuck kind of training these keystone cops went through before they went on this raid. They clearly were not prepared or properly trained to execute this mission.

    Uncle Jimbo did a series last year on how SWAT raids like this shouldn’t be happening. I encourage you to read it.

    Also one finally thing. Cpl. Guerena was a Latino killed by the police under questionable circumstances in the “mecca of hate”, Arizona. Riots have erupted over less than this. But what has been the reaction from all the lefty blogs in Arizona, and particularly Tucson? Crickets, Crickets, Crickets, and Crickets. This prominent left-wing blog’s top post actually celebrates the fact that the Dupnik recall failed. Does it surprise anyone? A gun-owning, combat veteran with no criminal record killed by members of a left-wing Sheriff’s office? Oh, but it doesn’t fit the narrative! Fuck them. Fuck them all. I wish it was one of them in the house instead of Cpl Guerena. Semper Fi Brother.

    Jonn added; An hour and twelve minutes the ambulance sat outside the home waiting for clearance from the police. An hour and 12 minutes until word came that Cpl Guerena was dead.

    You’d think the neighbor would have mentioned the sirens;

  • McQ tears NYT to shreds

    If you haven’t yet, you need to read the latest post by my friend McQ at Blackfive as he tears Luke Mogelson of the New York Times a brand spanking new shiny asshole after Mogelson tries to revive the “veteran as a whack job” stereotype. I’d add something, but there’s no room and nothing more to be said.