I have read TeacherKens McCain willing to ration Veterans' health care and Brandon Friedmans Veterans Respond to McCain's "Obama Wants to Lose" Remark great diary.

Then there is karateexplosions Our Gov't to Wounded Soldiers: Go Piss Up a Rope diary on the way the current administration is handling disabled soldiers disability claims. (shitty) So this diary is my rant of how I feel about Senator McCain and his disgusting use and abuse of the troops, and his disdain for "disabled veterans". He uses his military service and POW status as a corner stone of his "patriotism" and his love of country, and I like many other veterans honor his service but despise his "I stand for the troops and veterans of this nation" when he has one of the worst voting records by any elected official concerning votes for veterans issues.

We'd like to introduce the Vets for Freedom NewsLadder. Like all the NewsLadders that are up and running, this is a great place to find out all about an issue on one site with articles, blog posts, and videos linked up and voted up or down by readers like you.

I've always been amazed that the very people forced to live in the worst parts of town, go to the worst schools, and who have it the hardest are always the first to step up, to defend us. They serve so that we don't have to. They offer to give up their lives so that we can be free. It is remarkably their gift to us. And all they ask for in return is that we never send them into harm's way unless it is absolutely necessary. Will they ever trust us again?

Michael Moore
Fahrenheit 9/11

This won't be the standard-issue karateexplosions diary, and I do apologize for that.  There's just not a whole lot of funny in this story.  But that doesn't mean we have to forgo the kitty picture:

Seeing Gavin Newsom at Netroots Nation has inspired me to write this diary that I never thought I would write.

I had to thank Mayor Newsom on Sunday because my father is no longer here to thank him personally.  

Gavin Newsom showed courage when he agreed to allow the installation of the Veterans of American Lincoln Brigade monument to be installed this spring in Embarcadero Plaza.

More beyond the fold.

This is really good to see.

Alaska’s U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Stevens and Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich has been a toss-up for several months now, but the Democratic challenger is now ahead 50% to 41%. When “leaners” are included, Begich leads 52% to 44%.

Begich began running his first television ads of the campaign on July 8 and the survey was conducted nine days later.

At Purple Dog Tag, our mission is simple. We are looking to help lend financial and emotional support to our returning wounded as they continue their personal battle to return to normal life.

My friend Stu Steinberg has dedicated his whole life in helping veterans. He uses his skills as a an attorney to help Disabled Veterans acquire the much needed benefits they have earned. He works tirelessly with Central Oregon Veterans Outreach a Non-Profit organization with a mission of providing a one-stop venue to identify veterans in need and provide resources directed to supporting and improving the living conditions of the veteran population of Central and Eastern Oregon. Veterans helping veterans. It's amazing what this group is able accomplish - currently they have purchased a home - the Home of the Brave - which provides food, shelter and counseling for homeless veterans while they put their live back together. Below the the fold I have pasted ( Stu said it better than I could so why reinvent the wheel) an Op-Ed that Stu was able to have published in our local newspaper the Bend Bulletin. If you feel so moved please go over to Central Oregon Veterans Outreach and send them some much needed money. Thank You

In a hardly surprising report to veterans who have ever had to deal with the Veterans Affairs Department, on Thursday July 17, 2008 the VA's own IG's office released this Audit of Veterans Benefits Administration Transition Assistance for  the VA Watchdog.org sums it up this way

VAOIG REPORT: VA FALLS SHORT WHEN PROCESSING

CLAIMS OF SERIOUSLY DISABLED OEF / OIF VETS --

Agency has 30-day goal but 76% of claims take longer

with 22% taking more than 180 days to process.

Most Americans and even many veterans are not aware that more than one year ago the government pushed all new "veterans" the ones from Iraq and Afghanistan to the head of the line for processing, so if they are failing the "new veterans" think how they are failing us older veterans from the First Gulf War, Vietnam, Panama, Korea, and even WW2 veterans filing claims.

Boy was I Surprised to find my re-posted, slightly updated, diary, from yesterday, on the rescue list, I'll get to that in a minute.

There is reportedly some 43 million voters who are Veterans of our Military, active duty Members of our Military, as well as direct Family Members of both of those groups. Anyone who wants to keep cruntching numbers could keep a fairly close number of all three groups, births, deaths, enlistments etc., a huge task but a rough estimate could be had. The PLUS comes from the fact of not only the Extended Families of but also includes the Friends, Neighbors, Communities and how much they take into consideration Military Service especially when in occupation of two countries, or any dedicated service, to Country. The figures for that can't be put into a raw number, a close figure, or a percentage, they are Unknown.

reposted with a few changes and add ons.

Fort Hood Town Hall Presidential Forum

The country's wartime status has riddled this Presidential election year with added questions.

That's why several non-profit military groups have come together to try to hold a Presidential town hall meeting at Fort Hood.

Sen. Barack Obama is the missing ingredient for a town hall meeting at Fort Hood.

If Obama accepted, the two would be on stage together taking questions from an audience of military families and veterans.

I would want to see that, wouldn't you?

Obama believes in the power of you... well so do they!

We need your help!

Call Obama's campaign at 1.866.675.2008 and urge him to attend the Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall on veterans and military families!

I have always believed that our veterans are the only ones who can speak cogently about war.  We have many in our community, and I rarely hesitate to recommend one of their diaries or comments.  I beg your indulgence to allow me to offer some reflections as a grand daughter, daughter, niece and aunt of war veterans.

"Just" and "war" are two terms used in the same sentence that ranckle my peacenick sensibilities, and yet, I comprehend the meaning.  My Dad and uncles believed that WWII was a "just war."  They are dead now, and I am saved from unpleasant arguments about the current Iraq occupation.

Last week, I posted an interviewI did with former KBR worker, Ben Carter, and the reaction I got was huge. Many, many people congratulated Ben on having the courage to face public scrutiny in order to bring the abuses of KBR to the public, and hundreds of you sent an email to DoD Chief Financial Officer, Tina Jonas (or signed the petitionto her after she blocked her email address), asking her to cut off funding to KBR until a full public investigation is made into each of their alleged abuses.

I had ended my post with a heads up that the following week (meaning, today) I would be posting a breaking new story from Ben about a lawsuit against the contracting company that has been kept hidden by the Department of Justice. Well, bad news: Ben's story is so hot, it hasn't gotten the legal clearance to go public yet. I have been told to hold out for a few more days on that, so keep your fingers crossed!

One of the reasons I felt so buoyed by all the support shown for Ben is that I had long felt disturbed by both the magnitude of corruption among war contractors and the lack of coverage on the issue in the press.

Allow me to vent regarding the following:

John McCain cashes his monthly Social Security checks despite calling the federal program "a disgrace," the Associated Press reports.

"I'm receiving benefits," McCain told campaign reporters, but added, "the system is broken."

In 2007, he received benefits of $23,157 from Social Security, approximately $1,930 a month. The maximum monthly benefit under Social Security is $2,185. Social Security benefits are determined by age at retirement.

McCain, who is 71, has received benefits since he was 65.

Last week, McCain told observers at a town-hall meeting in Portsmouth, Ohio, "Americans have got to understand that we are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers ... and that's a disgrace."

B.J. Jarrett from the Social Security Administration said that individuals can refuse retirement benefits.

In 2006, McCain's wife Cindy earned $6 million, and has a net worth of approximately $100 million.

(San Francisco Business Times)

The country's wartime status has riddled this Presidential election year with added questions.

That's why several non-profit military groups have come together to try to hold a Presidential town hall meeting at Fort Hood.

Sen. Barack Obama is the missing ingredient for a town hall meeting at Fort Hood.

This is a nobrainer for the Obama Campaign, especially as to recent remarks by Senator McCain, and he isn't as great as he and others think as to Town Halls or other formats. The Obama camp have many like Wesley Clark and other knowledgable Veterans of our Military who have more than just his back, as well as the many running on the same ticket for federal offices.

For a long time now, I have been following the KBR corruption storyline: the dirty water, the electrocutions, the rape cover ups and the tax dodging.

KBR was turned loose on our troops because the Bush administration's blind adherence to right-wing dogma — "government bad, private industry good" — drove it to outsource the management of the war to dozens of private contractors. And, no surprise, the abuses don't end with KBR

Now don't get me wrong, I honor John McCain's service.  Apparently that is something the party faithful and lap dog press require everyone to say as an honorific declaration of fealty whenever the topic of military service is broached around John McCain, whose service I honor.  

This fetish for phrasing puzzles me because last time I checked John Kerry served in the same war.  So did Al Gore and Max Cleland and Wesley Clark and Bob Kerry, to name a few.  However, I don't recall anyone - especially Republicans ever using that particular phrase when referring to any of those men.   However, I do recall a lot of disparaging comments about them and their tours of duty.  

Something else is different about the people who vouched for those guys as opposed to the people vouching for McCain, whose service I honor.  Gore, Cleland, John and Bob Kerry all had comrades who actively endorsed them.  Guys who served with them and vouched for them.   This of course raises a question... where are all of John McCain's wartime buddies?

Why is it that all the people heralding his service are chickenhawks?  I'm being serious here.  Look at the list....

It is ironic that a new battle is taking place here in San Antonio at the Alamo, that legendary battlefront where so many gave their lives for freedom.  This time the battle is for the First Amendment and the freedom of speech.

On July 1, the Bush administration imposed a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors who care for millions of older Americans.  The cuts are not a budget issue, instead, Republicans are protecting powerful insurance companies at the expense of Medicare patients’ access to doctors.

Congress passed a bipartisan over ride bill [HR 3661] that Bush vetoed today.  Congress promptly over rode the veto a few hours later.

There is a subtle aspect to this drama you may not recognize at first blush that proves "Support the Troops" on the lips of the Republicans is hollow campaign rhetoric.