Video: Gilad Shalit reunited with his dad

For the record:

idfnadesk on Oct 18, 2011

http://idfspokesperson.com/ Gilad Shalit landed at an IDF base, where he was greeted by the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and the IDF Chief of the General Staff.

After meeting the officials he was finally reunited with his family, for the first time after more than five years in captivity.

Even Eagles Need a PUSH

I have been privileged to witness the innate wisdom of eagles - and yes, have seen young eagles take their first flight. Their prelude to soaring the heavens. A truly awesome sight to behold....


[Bratnote: As I hit 'publish,' I realised that I had shared this one before - back in April 2010. However, no apologies for reposting, since the message IS timeless, and bears repeating]

BOATLIFT: Boats of 9/11 (I Believe in America Part 2)

I am calling this post "I Believe in America - part 2" (Part 1 is here)





This video is probably one of the most important you will ever watch. It shows America - and her sons and daughters - at her best.


In his telling of the events of 9/11 a couple of months back, Jack Delaney told of how he found some of his injured staff:

'[...] they were all at the water's edge. I went there and found them, and about 10 of them were hurt. I shuttled several of them on a boat to the New Jersey side of the harbor, then returned back to the rubble, ..." (here)

Now he has forwarded this video to me, and it tells the story of amazing Americans:

"..the thing that was the best was, everybody was helping everybody..."

On 9/11, for the first time in over a century, boats - usually an afterthought - were the only way out of Manhatten.

"[...]A radio call went out: 'All available boats,' and within 15 to 20 minutes, there were boats all across the horizon: ferries, party boats, private boats, came together just that fast...hundreds of boats converged..."

"[...]...Out of nowhere, people were coming: Please don't leave us here. We need help..."

"[...]It was not a question for any of us of 'how many are you allowed to take on your boat? It became 'how many can you get on?' We went back and forth all day long..."

"[...]Average people all stepped up....

"[...]I never want to say: 'I should have'..."

As my long time readers know, I resist the label "average" when talking about Americans. No such person in the Americans I know and love.


As one boat owner says: It was morally the right thing to do.."


That, right there, is why I believe - I will ALWAYS believe - in America.


"RoadToResilience"

Occupy...what?

Yes, that's the logic!

Our Troops: For the kids

10/19/2011 - U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Rider, an musician with the U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific’s Alaska Brass, interacts with students at Ursa Major Elementary School on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, during Red Ribbon week Oct. 19, 2011. Red Ribbon week raised awareness in youth to make the right decisions to stay away from drugs. Rider is assigned to the U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Sheila deVera, U.S. Air Force/Released)

DOD cuts to active and Vets

From VFW:

10 FOR 10: VFW WON'T STAND FOR BROKEN PROMISES

Update: VFW mobilizes to protect military benefits as Congress looks to slash spending

August 09, 2011

Recently, when Congress voted to raise the nation's debt ceiling, they specifically targeted national security spending to absorb many of the cuts, indicating that Department of Defense personnel programs and VA benefits would not be spared.

Leaders in Congress have already discussed cutting or eliminating 10 benefits affecting military members, veterans and their families in recent months, and the VFW believes that these toxic proposals will once again gain momentum as Congress looks for ways to tighten its belt. An in-depth explanation of each proposed cut is included below.

America' s all-volunteer military has shouldered a multi-theater war all by themselves for almost 10 years. They did so without question, and often with tremendous sacrifice to themselves and their families.

Americans understand the scope of the national debt crisis; a crisis that could have serious repercussions on a military at war and a veterans' population that has already sacrificed much for the nation. However, instead of debating and enacting meaningful fiscal reforms, some in Congress have proposed plans that would leave America's military and her veterans to shoulder more of the national debt.

This 10 for 10 plan to cut 10 specific benefits to pay for 10 years of war is a breach of faith with Americ's military and veteran families, and the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and its Auxiliaries is calling upon his 2 million members to fight it.

'Our military and veterans have earned each of the 10 benefits Congress is proposing to cut,' said VFW National Commander Richard L. Eubank, a retired Marine and Vietnam combat veteran from Eugene, Ore.

'Our nation broke a similar promise to her World War I veterans,' he said. 'It took the VFW to lead thousands of them in a march on Washington until Congress made the responsible choice to support them. The VFW wouldn't stand for broken promises then and we won't stand for it now.'

The 10 ways Congress is targeting military and veterans’ benefits during today's difficult fiscal times are to:

• Increase healthcare premiums for military retirees on TRICARE
• Increase pharmaceutical fees for troops, families and retirees
• Eliminate presumptive service-connected conditions for disabled and ill veterans
• Lock out or increase fees for Department of Veterans Affairs Priority Groups 7 and 8 veterans
• Reduce cost-of-living allowances
• Freeze military pay
• End government subsidies to military commissaries
• Eliminate Department of Defense elementary schools stateside
• Eliminate the 20-year military retirement plan
• Eliminate DOD tuition reimbursement programs for service members
  
• 
  

While Congress publicly debated raising the nation's debt ceiling, the VFW was concerned that many of the proposed cuts were being discussed behind closed doors. The VFW has the same concerns over the new bipartisan 'Gang of 12' Super Congress tasked to develop the nation's debt reduction plan. Eubank said the VFW recognizes that the nation must make difficult fiscal decisions, but the programs and benefits provided to veterans and military families were prepaid in full through their honorable service and sacrifice.

'Unlike other government-funded entitlement programs, veterans earned their benefits by making a national commitment that 99 percent of other Americans are simply unwilling to make,' said Eubank. 'To ask these same men and women to sacrifice more is simply unconscionable.'

The VFW also believes that cutting the 10 benefits could have tremendous impact on military recruiting and readiness, and threaten the future viability of the all-volunteer force. Healthcare, education, a retirement system and family programs are critical factors in retaining talented personnel in a low-paying and extremely dangerous profession.

Eubank said as the debate over fiscal responsibility continues to unfold in Washington, the VFW will work to ensure that military and veterans’ benefits remain intact.

In the coming weeks, the VFW will continue to put pressure on Congress to ensure proposed fiscal reforms do not negatively affect troops, veterans or their families.

Join the effort and make your voice heard by calling, writing, or e-mailing your members of Congress. To learn how, visit VFW's Capwiz page at http://capwiz.com/vfw/dbq/officials/, and to follow the story as it develops, visit the VFW's new Capitol Hill blog at www.vfwonthehill.org.

Sent to me by my friend Mike, who also adds this:

I have this hair-brained idea that all of the veterans' organizations should join forces and put aside their organizational egos to do something real for the vets in this country. I read that there are 25 million of us and that is one heck of a voting block. Together in a real alliance we would matter. Each group wants to be "the one" with bragging rights. We are passed that point. It is time to make a stand. Our politicians will take from us and our military yet do not blink at incessant handouts to illegal aliens who absorbing untold billions at both the state and federal level. It is time to wake ALL politicians up in BOTH parties. Before we can get the politicians' attention we must get the organizations' leaders to listen.

The VFW blurb is right on the money. All vet groups should stand shoulder to shoulder.

The politicians should LEAD the way if they want examples for making sacrifices, not the military and not us.

VA Releases Draft Report on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses: Imput invited

October 21, 2011

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has published a notice of the final draft of the Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses Task Force 2011 report in the Federal Register. The report details VA’s actions to transform care and services for Veterans affected by Gulf War' illnesses in the areas of Department of Defense partnerships, benefits, medical care, research and outreach. You can download the complete report in PDF format.

Written comments on this report must be received on or before November 21, 2011.You can also submit ideas on improving VA services to Gulf War Veterans at http://vagulfwartaskforce.uservoice.com.

[Editor: emphasis mine!]

Visit the National Resource Directory for more information on Gulf War illnesses.

(c) VA