Free Republic

Incredibly moving ad That I just saw today and wished to share.

Wow! Vets for Freedom is out with this fantastic ad called, "I am the Surge." It features American heroes saying, "I am the Surge," and they call on viewers to call Sen. Barack Obama and ask him to support a Senate Resolution 636 introduced to recognize the success of the Surge Strategy in Iraq. The resolution was introduced by Sen. Joe Lieberman and Sen. Lindsey Graham. Very powerful! . . . (see video)

Democrat Barack Obama used his appearance Tuesday at a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention to attack Republican John McCain's critique of him to the group a day earlier - but got a cooler reception than did the Vietnam veteran running against him for president. Obama denied McCain's assertions that he was for failure in Iraq, or shifting his anti-war stance out of expediency, or in any way basing his foreign policy on a strategy to win the presidency. "Let's have a serious debate, and let's debate our disagreements on the merits of policy - not personal attacks," Obama said. Obama...

IVC: IRAQ VETERANS FOR CONGRESS KIERAN LALOR FOR CONGRESS 19TH CD NY The IVC, Iraq Veterans for Congress, http://iraqvetsforcongress.com/, is an organization formed in 2008 for the express purpose of giving a voice to those who served their country on the battlefield and who now wish to serve it in our government. This “squad sized” detail is not composed of the usual egocentric politician-types. Rather, it is peopled by seasoned patriots who have not only served but who have seen the enemy and, contrary to Pogo, who know the enemy isn’t us. According to IVC founder, Kieran Lalor, “IVC is...

OMAHA, Neb., July 30, 2008 – As disabled veterans tested their limits during the National Disabled Veterans Wheelchair Games, which wrapped up here yesterday, nearly 400 military volunteers provided the behind-the-scenes support that officials said made the games a success. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Phil Stacey, better known as an “American Idol” finalist during season six, sings the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the opening of the slalom obstacle course competition at the 28th National Disabled Veterans Wheelchair Games. Defense Dept. photo by Donna Miles   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Nebraska Army and Air National Guardsmen, as well...

Health and safety killjoys tell war veterans they are too old to hoist the Union Flag over town hall Last updated at 02:38am on 26.07.08      Up in arms: Veterans John Ireland (right) and Keith Hutchins in front of the town hall In their younger days, they risked death and injury to fight for their country against the Nazis and other enemies.  But, now, war veterans who want to fly the Union Flag proudly above their town hall are being defeated by a barrage of health and safety rules.  Royal British Legion members had scented victory after fighting...

Five months ago, I returned to Iraq as an embedded journalist, some 18 months after I had completed a combat tour there. It was a worthwhile trip. I returned to Iraq to cover the progress the U.S. military had been making on the ground since the surge had begun. Mainstream-media coverage of the war had largely ignored the counterinsurgency’s success, rehearsing outdated notions of the conditions there. You could say I made the long trip to the front to cover an exposed domestic flank of American public opinion.

Vets Tribute to Tony Snow [Pete Hegseth] I never had the good fortune of meeting Tony Snow. Our organization—Vets for Freedom—however, was fortunate enough to cross paths with Mr. Snow during our early days. In December of 2005, while hosting his daily Fox News Radio program, Mr. Snow read an op-ed live on the air that was written from a returning soldier. The soldier, David Bellavia—now the VFF Vice Chairman—felt that his leadership in Washington was failing our efforts to win the war in Iraq. Mr. Snow would later write a follow up piece on this topic. Wade Zirkle, the...

As a die-hard Padres fan, I have to say that I have a newfound love for Tommy Lasorda. Go see what he says, and you'll understand how a Dodger could bring a Padres fan to tears off the field. They are still adding videos to the site, and now anybody can upload non-political/non-partisan videos, pictures and words of gratitude and support for America's wonderful military men and women. To help get the word about Moment of Thanks out to those men and women, Soldiers' Angels (who has been giving guidance and providing contacts on this project) has been given thousands...

I really have a great amount of pity for those millions of poor souls who have such undying faith in the promises made by any politician, particularly those who hold nationaloffices. Those who swallow this “Alice in Wonderland” rhetoric will suffer the deepest cuts of all when they step back through the looking glass and view reality for the first time. Perhaps the best available example of the “Promises Made-Promises Kept” lie can be found when viewing the health care provided for career military retirees. Those who enlisted in the armed forces from World War II through the Korean War...

All too familiar with the gambles of war, Jimmy Kinsey, Kyle Riley and a few dozen fellow soldiers landed in the desert. But for these guys this Memorial Day, the most at stake is a few bucks. The soldiers-turned-high rollers took a private jet to Las Vegas over the weekend for an all-expenses-paid getaway with all the perks normally saved for casinos' richest regulars. They were greeted at the airport by Wayne Newton, chilled backstage with the guys from Blue Man Group and hobnobbed with Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino mogul who runs Las Vegas Sands Corp. and paid for...

[Editor's Note: We ran this last year for Memorial Day and received wonderful feedback from members who enjoyed showing soldiers that they are appreciated. We've decided to rerun it this year and ask you to let us know your experiences.] Memorial Day is the time to remember our war dead and the causes for which they "gave their last full measure of devotion." Because we are now at war, the wounds of the families are fresh and the national mood will be somber on Monday - even while people take advantage of furniture sales and good weather. We will remember...

Vets for Freedom has a new ad out that attacks Barack Obama for his policies on Iraq and Iran. The video features Sgt. Garrett Anderson, a wounded Iraq War veteran from the Illinois National Guard, speaking about his attempts to meet with Obama earlier this year. Anderson says that Obama couldn’t make time for a veteran from his home state, but apparently wants to make time for enemies of the US:

SITREP: What an incredible sight! Members of Run For The Wall XX (Southen Route) Several hundred motorcycles and their military veteran riders and passengers staged at the Salem, VA American Legion parking lot this morning ready to depart for Washington, D.C. where they will gather at the Vietnam War Memorial for the annual remembrance of POW's and MIA's. They had just finished a breakfast sponsored by local veterans groups including the American Legion Post and a military family support group. They sat waiting to depart at 0730 for the last leg of their 10 day cross country (southern route) trip...

Insights into war and life from the last U.S. veteran of World War I "I realize now I was very young." Frank Buckles was 16 and lied about his age to the Army so he could enlist and go to Europe. It was 1917 and the country was facing the "war to end all wars." Now, at 107, he is America’s last living World War I veteran. At his farmhouse in West Virginia, he looks back at it all — driving ambulances in WWI, working on ships all over the world and surviving WWII in a prison camp — and...

Video here

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2008 – Returning from combat in Iraq or Afghanistan with a disability certainly brings with it a number of challenges, but for one soldier, a great aid to his successful recovery was the easy transition he made into the civilian job market. Justin Callahan enlisted in the U.S Army as a combat engineer when he was 18. When he was 21, he deployed to Afghanistan, where he led a squad of 8 men squad leader. During a routine patrol, Justin was hit by an IED and suffered a left leg amputation below the knee. During his...

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2008 – A study released today shows that nearly 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, findings that military health officials called “very consistent” with their own. Army Col. Loree K. Sutton, director of the Defense Center of Excellence for Traumatic Brain Injury/Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, addresses the findings and recommendations of a new RAND study on brain injury and stress disorders in our troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, during a media roundtable in the Pentagon, April 17, 2008. Defense Dept. photo by R. D. Ward...

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2008 – Wounded veterans who once enjoyed sports and being outdoors have the opportunity once again, courtesy of a program in Alabama. “Lakeshore Foundation’s ‘Lima Foxtrot Programs for Injured Military’ help servicemen and women adapt sports and recreation activities so they may get back to living healthy, active, independent lives,” said Susan Katz, the foundation’s communications coordinator. “These programs are open to military personnel who have sustained severe service-related injuries in recent warfare in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations in the world.” For more than 20 years, the Lakeshore Foundation has worked to enable people with...

LANCASTER [California] - The sharp scent of gunpowder hung in the air with the smoke from a booming cannon shot as a lone trumpeter played the solemn notes of "Taps." This ceremony of remembrance played out twice Saturday afternoon at Lancaster Cemetery... The Civil War mourning ceremony, organized by Friends of the Lancaster Cemetery, honored all five veterans of that war - four Union soldiers and one Confederate - who are buried in the cemetery, but specifically two for whom new grave markers were dedicated. James Madison West was born in Ohio in 1843, and died in Lancaster on Oct....

Tuesday, April 8th brought an onslaught of tan shirts to Capitol Hill. The Vets for Freedom Heroes tour stopped in DC to allow hundreds of Vets of Iraq and Afghanistan to visit with representatives. These Vets no strangers to missions, came with a new mission; Spread the great news of the progress made by our military in the Middle East. My personal hero, my husband was among the throng of those who had served overseas. After inspiring speeches by the likes of McCain, and a host of congressional representatives and Vets, [barely covered by the press] the tan shirts spread...

It was soon after the tragedy of 9-11 and I was working as an ORSA at beautiful Ft. Hood, Texas. The world was shocked at the brutality and savagery of the attack, but we at the mighty US Army Operational Test Command did not lose our sense of humor. The lady who cleaned the latrines in our building dutifully brought in a urinal cake holder with Osama’s smiling mug right in the center. You would have had to have been drunk to have missed. After a tough, hard day of nerd-wrestling test data, I could always imagine myself hosing the...

Concern for "student safety" was a primary reason that the Forest Lake School District canceled a visit by touring military veterans to its high school, says a newly issued statement today from Superintendent Lynn Steenblock. Police said today, however, that those concerns, weren't relayed to them. "At no time was student safety mentioned to the chief of police or to our assigned liaison officer at the high school," police Sgt. Greg Weiss said this afternoon. Steenblock this afternoon said that the safety concern was not passed on to police because it was alleviated when the event was scrubbed. He said...

The Vets for Freedom Heroes Tour will be in Columbia SC THIS Thursday, April 3rd at 11:30 am. There will be a rally at the Statehouse Capitol Steps located at 1200 Gervais Street. (Intersection of Gervais and Main St) Please come down and show your support for our troops and their just mission!!

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Democrat Barack Obama on Monday promised Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans help with their grievances - save one. "I know it drives you nuts. But I'm not going to lower the drinking age," the presidential candidate said. Army veteran Ernest Johnson, 23, of Connecticut, said one of the things that peeved him before he turned 21 was that he couldn't come home and drink a beer - even though he was old enough to serve in the armed services and die for his country. Obama told Johnson he sympathized, but that setting the legal drinking age at...

Vets for Freedom's National Heroes Tour ** Many of America’s most decorated war heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan have packed their bags and are hitting the road on a national bus tour to take their non-partisan message of progress and freedom from coast-to-coast. The Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour is about supporting our troops, honoring their commitment, and rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. At this critical juncture in our country, we need Americans, lawmakers and the media, to fully recognize—and appreciate—the sacrifice of our brave military and the dramatic success they have...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2008 – Wounded servicemembers have a helping hand available when it comes to transitioning back into their communities. The VetConnect program is designed to “provide wounded warriors with a critical link to resources … and to engage local community and business leaders in the reorientation of disabled veterans to their communities,” Scott Heintz, the program’s director, said. The program is run by “Enable America,” a non-profit group dedicated to increasing employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities. VetConnect also offers early intervention support by matching wounded warriors with casualty mentors and coordinating their participation in wellness activities,...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2008 – Veterans pursuing higher education through DeVry University may be eligible for scholarships up to $1,000, but the deadline to apply is quickly approaching. Applications for 2008 AMVETS/DeVry University scholarships are due Feb. 15. Veterans and their family members are encouraged to apply for one of 10 scholarships being offered for 2008 spring semester. The scholarships of up to $1,000 may be applied to undergraduate and graduate programs at both DeVry and its Keller Graduate School of Management for online and on-site programs, AMVETS officials said in a recent news release. Applicants are eligible for...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2008 – Hundreds of volunteers across the country will make sure troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan feel loved on Valentine’s Day. Project Prayer Flag, a California based troop-support group, will host four packing parties Feb. 9 to put together “Patriot Packs.” Two will take place in the group’s home state, a third will be in Hawaii, and the fourth in Wisconsin. Patriot Packs contain cloth American flags and now include handmade valentines. “We are excited to see volunteers from Hawaii, California and Wisconsin simultaneously working together for the first time to help our troops,” said...

Late one night in the summer of 2005, Matthew Sepi, a 20-year-old Iraq combat veteran, headed out to a 7-Eleven in the seedy Las Vegas neighborhood where he had settled after leaving the Army. This particular 7-Eleven sits in the shadow of the Stratosphere casino-hotel in a section of town called the Naked City. By day, the area, littered with malt liquor cans, looks depressed but not menacing. By night, it becomes, in the words of a local homicide detective, “like Falluja.” Mr. Sepi did not like to venture outside too late. But, plagued by nightmares about an Iraqi civilian...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2007 – Relying on her experience helping her Iraq-veteran son deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, an Oklahoma woman has created a foundation to help a wider military audience with readjustment issues. As Cynthia Collins-Clark, a licensed professional counselor, looked for help for her son, she noticed that information available on his condition was impersonal, complicated or minimized the severity of the problem, she said. “My fate has been to have a full understanding of mental illness from a professional level and to live ‘up-close and personal’ with it as a mother of an (Operation Iraqi Freedom)...

They lived in the Philippines, but they were members of the U.S. armed forces. More than 200,000 of them fought during World War II. Tens of thousands died before the final hard-won triumph over Japan. But in the decades following the war, the title of U.S. veteran -- and resulting compensation -- has eluded them.  Now, Filipino-American World War II veterans, aided by their adult children, have stepped up a decades-long fight to get Congress to recognize them as bona fide U.S. veterans – a move that would qualify them for VA benefits."Our community has been lobbying for this...

SIERRA VISTA — Wreaths to remember the fallen, honor those serving and teach the value of freedom were placed at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery Saturday. Those present joined more then 200 other locations across the United States, 24 veterans cemeteries in foreign countries and on U.S. ships in the seven seas for the Wreaths Across America ceremony. Civil Air Patrol Airman 1st Class Anthony Petonic, 14, right, stands with fellow patrolmen holding wreaths to be laid during Saturday’s ceremony at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The event is one of many done nationwide in an effort to...

Thirty-five years after she straddled an enemy cannon in defiance of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, Jane Fonda has vets in a frenzy about a visit to Palm Beach for a fund-raiser next week. Some of the 7,000-plus members of the American Legion in Palm Beach, Martin and Okeechobee counties were expecting to be called to picket Tuesday's luncheon of the YWCA at The Breakers. The silver-screen legend is scheduled to speak before 300-plus, who plunked down 300 bucks each for the Y's shelter for battered women, Harmony House. Cops and hotel honchos were preparing. But just...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2007 – Transitioning from military to civilian life can be daunting for some, but one group is helping to streamline the process. A veteran is hard at work after participating in the Homefront Readiness program in Columbia, S.C. Homefront Readiness is a Fast Forward Community Technology Center program geared toward helping veterans transition from military life into the civilian work force. Courtesy photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Fast Forward Community Technology Center, in Columbia, S.C., provides access to technology and technology education to people who might otherwise have access. Recently, however, the group...

Airmen, civilians lay wreaths at Arlington http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123013643 by Senior Airman J.G. Buzanowski Air Force Print News 12/19/2005 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Despite the cold, wind and snow, about 75 people gathered at Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 15 to lay more than 5,000 wreaths on gravesites, including four at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Since 1992, members of the armed forces, civil air patrol, veterans of foreign wars and several civilians have gathered to take part in the project, a brainchild of Maine resident Morrill Worcester. Mr. Worcester owns and operates a holiday decoration company. Thirteen years ago he...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2007 – Disabled veterans looking for employment opportunities have one more resource working for them. Hire Heroes USA, a program of the Georgia-based Health Careers Foundation, is working to link disabled veterans to employment opportunities nationwide. Hire Heroes USA creator John Bardis (left), Justin Callahan (center), the inspiration behind the program, and spokesman Dr. Jeff Poffenbarger participate in interviews with media from across the United States. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “Our mission is to be the bridge to a fulfilling career for our returning heroes with disabilities,” said Bayne E. Tippins, director...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2007 – A Texas-based group is working to give caregivers of war wounded and military spouses the support they need as they transition from the military community to the civilian sector. “Our goal is to empower achievement, independence, and the assurance of renewed hope,” said Tania Mercurio, an Air Force spouse who serves as executive director of Operation Life Transformed. In working to help every caregiver or military spouse achieve that goal, the group provides virtual or classroom training and education. The training programs allow better job marketability and retention, Mercurio said. The training focuses on...

On 15 December 2007, Wreaths Across America will be conducting its annual wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetary. This is a request for all DCFReepers and members of the DC Chapter of Protest Warrior to join me in lending a hand.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2007 – As the national Christmas tree, cut from Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest, makes its way to Washington, it’s going to spread some holiday spirit at veterans facilities along the way, thanks to the National Association of Realtors. Local realtors will make donations to veterans shelters or a veterans housing fund at each stop on behalf of the organization, Mary Trupo, an NAR spokeswoman, said. The Vermont Association of Realtors also is making donations. “As soon as we heard (about the stops at veterans facilities), we jumped on board to be a part of it,” she...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2007 – A Maryland group is using its favorite game to positively affect combat-wounded veterans who served in Afghanistan or Iraq. Members of the Salute Military Golf Association believe the rehabilitative benefits of golf can improve the mental and physical condition of wounded servicemembers returning from combat, Jim Estes, the group’s founder, said on the organization’s Web site. “The SMGA believes that every (servicemember) matters and should be given the opportunity to learn and improve his or her golf knowledge and skill,” he said. “The SMGA will provide a venue and mentoring to this end.” Earlier...

Greg Schisler of Humble, Texas has commissioned a Purple Heart Trike built to honor wounded war Veterans through his Dream Trike project. Mr. Schisler will take the bike on a tour to visit 40 U.S. military bases and make appearances for Veteran’s groups. At the end of the tour, in September 2008, a Purple Heart recipient will be chosen to receive this special trike.The Purple Heart Trike will then be customized to accommodate the special needs of the soldier it is awarded to.The Dream Trike project is accepting nominations of Purple Heart recipients from the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy,...

I vaguely remember that when I was young, Veterans Day was a day of respect, a day when men wore poppies in their lapels, when 11 minutes after the 11th hour on November 11, bells tolled, sirens blared and people stopped what they were doing and remembered the valiant soldiers who gave their all for our freedom. How distant and quaint that all seems now: it is a way of measuring how American has changed. Now I am a military mom. I choose to ignore the popular culture’s perception of the military. I rely on what and who I know....

 The Golden Corral buffet chain is once again giving Vets a free buffet:http://www.goldencorral.com/military/ Military Appreciation MondayNovember 12, 2007 For the past 6 years, Golden Corral has been honoring the US Military with a free “thank you” dinner and beverage at any Golden Corral restaurant on Military Appreciation Monday (first Monday after Veteran’s Day). This year, Golden Corral has designated Monday, November 12, 2007, from 5 to 9 pm, to honor any person who has ever served in the United States Military. From the first Military Appreciation Monday in 2001 to the present, Golden Corral has donated 1.5 million free “thank...

War veterans' fury after Remembrance Day services scrapped by health and safety killjoysLast updated at 15:49pm on 9th November 2007  A Minister called for war veterans to be honoured with dignity after a string of incidents tarnished the build-up to this year's Remembrance Day. Armed forces minister Bob Ainsworth spoke out after hearing of various incidents, including one where a mayor wanted a Rifles regiment to march without rifles. They include: Sutton, Surrey - A cannon salute in the park has been cancelled on health and safety grounds. The sound, known as a maroon, was used to signal the...

Fraud busters on rise against fake veterans Web, federal law help to expose military charlatans By Russell Working, Tribune staff reporter Freelancer Matt Baron contributed to this report October 8, 2007 When Douglas E. Robinson showed up in Yorkville saying he was a homeless Vietnam veteran who had lost everything in Hurricane Katrina, the American Legion post took pity on a former comrade in arms, giving him nearly $400 and paying for a few nights' lodging. But Robinson and his wife's aggressive demands for money and slip-ups in his story led Kendall County sheriff's deputies to investigate. It turned out...

Molest suspect not a SEAL GORDON DILLOW Register columnist GLDillow@aol.com It took just one two-minute phone call for me to determine that fugitive accused child molester Chester Stiles was never a Navy SEAL. So why did so many news organizations give the impression that he was? The answer, in my opinion, is simple: It's because some people are only too happy to portray American military men not as honorable warriors but as losers and thugs and criminals. As you may know, Stiles is the creep who's suspected of videotaping his rape of a three-year-old Las Vegas girl. The appalling crime...

Hundreds of thousands of veterans -- from Vietnam through Operation Iraqi Freedom -- are at risk of being banned from buying firearms if legislation that is pending in Congress gets enacted. How? The Veterans Disarmament Act -- which has already passed the House -- would place any veteran who has ever been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on the federal gun ban list. This is exactly what President Bill Clinton did over seven years ago when his administration illegitimately added some 83,000 veterans into the National Criminal Information System (NICS system) -- prohibiting them from purchasing firearms, simply...

Images from the Dark Side of War By Marc Pitzke in New York A moving photo exhibition in New York shows what the media doesn't -- shocking photos of seriously wounded Iraq veterans. The images and the soldiers' quotes which accompany them say more about the war than you might want to know.

August 15, 2007 In the debate over U.S. policy in Iraq, some argue that an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces is necessary to preserve American security and prestige. The opposite is more likely. Withdrawing from Iraq prematurely will have detrimental consequences for Americans and Iraqis alike, and will benefit al-Qaeda and other dangerous groups. The Threat of an al-Qaeda Safe Haven Note: Al-Qaeda leaders and U.S. military officials alike believe that a quick U.S. withdrawal would result in a political vacuum that the al-Qaeda network would quickly fill, thus establishing a major safe haven from which to expand its jihad...