WashPo G.I. Bill Article

Not much hard G.I. Bill news in an article by the Washington Post, but plenty of moving personal stories. It starts off:

Two years after a rocket-propelled grenade hit Nathan Toews during an ambush in southern Afghanistan, sending shrapnel shooting into his skull and spiderwebbing through his brain, he has recovered enough to ask: What now?

Like so many leaving the military, after years of taking orders, he's facing an almost infinite number of choices about his future.

The political G.I. Bill news it does touch on include the dozens of veteran related bills currently in congress and a recently revised bill -- now with 58 co-sponsors -- that would "expand benefits for veterans, including active-duty National Guard troops and reservists, to cover the cost of the most expensive public universities and to match contributions from private schools with higher tuition, for four academic years."

A decent portion of the article reveals the limitations of the current G.I. Bill and the struggles by Vets with a myriad of educational choices.

Source: Some War Veterans Find GI Bill Falls Short [Washington Post]

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Voting Problems for Troops

The AP, by way of USA Today, ran an article yesterday about the voting struggles of many military members.

Although communities in 13 states will send ballots by email and at least seven states allow the return of those ballots electronically, thousands of troops in remote bases still rely on regular mail to cast their vote -- often at the last minute due to ballot preparations.

Allowing at least part of the voting process for the military to be carried out electronically would help ease these problems but raise concern of privacy and security.

Pentagon officials are urging more states to take the electronic route before November in order to alleviate the problem of thousands of troops asking for ballots who either ended up not voting or having their ballots rejected because of flaws.

I don't see too much of a problem of at least delivering a blank ballot via email. Potential issues arise when sending a completed ballot back through the internet. The postal service and FedEx are offering discounted or free postage to military members, so it would appear the voting process could wrap up in half the time -- while still maintaining privacy and security -- if one were emailed a ballot then returned it via post. Faxing is also worth exploring.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Senate Passes Bill for Filipino Veteran Benefits

The Senate approved legislation Thursday that would provide increased veteran's benefits and set up pensions for Filipino vets who served beside American troops in WWII.

The bill passed 96-1 and now moves onto the House where it is expected to get a vote before the end of the year. While Bush has not threatened a veto, the White House and some Republicans want to strip out the provision for Filipino veterans because they believe the money would be better spent on U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Jaywalker of the blog Pedestrian Observer sides with the Filipino vets:

There is a long road ahead for the FilVets and their supporters and it will help if every Filipino American will do their share of lobbying but all these will be for naught if Gloria Arroyo is allowed to sabotage the gains of the lobbying effort. That is if we allow Gloria Arroyo in her illegal abuse of her executive powers in including VMMC in her development plans that will serve as an excuse to sell a property that belongs to the Filipino Veterans not the government to dispose off as they please. Leave it to the president with questionable mandate to spoil everything what could have been the most important legislative victory for the FilVets. Like a typical destructive and vindictive person afflicted with crab mentality will pull down the FilVets because they are $300 a month richer. Denying them hospital care at the twilight of their years is just plain cruel and as sick as it can get.

Genghis of 8Asians says the bill is too little too late:

The bill’s passing is honorable, and it’s welcomed. But for most it’s a bit too late. But even if it came many years after, I’m sure if my grandfather was here today, he would still stand and salute and would have been ever so proud to have served.

Opponents point out such a pension would be in addition to the one already received by their own government.

The bill also makes some veteran benefits retroactive for more people, gives new kinds of housing benefits to severe burn victims and increases the amount of mortgage life insurance some disabled veterans can buy.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

The M4 Situation

The AP ran an article yesterday questioning the reliability and cost of the military's primary rifle, the Colt M4. While the piece delves into the intricate mechanics and operation of the M4 -- and how the weapon is prone to jamming and requires more maintenance than similar models -- there is also an interesting judical and political side:

In 1996, a Navy office improperly released Colt's M4 blueprints, giving nearly two dozen contractors a look at the carbine's inner workings. Colt was ready to sue the U.S. government for the breach. The company wanted between $50 million and $70 million in damages.

Cooler heads prevailed. The Defense Department didn't want to lose its only source for the M4, and Colt didn't want to stop selling to its best customer.

The result was an agreement that made Colt the sole player in the U.S. military carbine market. FNMI challenged the deal in federal court but lost.

And then there is the cost:

More than $300 million has been spent on 221,000 of the carbines over the past two years alone. And the Defense Department is asking Congress to provide another $230 million for 136,000 more.

And now, as Congress considers whether to approve this request, critics are saying Colt's exclusive deal is bad for soldiers and tax payers.

TheRazor.org offers a solution:

Given the situation, why not have them all? Just standardize on the caliber so that ammo can be used by all the guns and let “the market” (soldiers in the field) decide which they want. I’d rather see them decide than an Oklahoma senator anyway.

"Fits" writes on the blog Shooting the Messenger:

Not wishing to get into a platform war, hey, who the hell has time to answer hate mail, $1500 is ridiculous for a mass produced jam-a-matic poodle shooter. The article does provide some interesting history of the battle to keep the M4 in service, however, and worth a look.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Military Blogger Michael Yon Interviewed

The Glen and Helen Show recently interviewed military blogger and author Michael Yon. They discuss his new book, Moment of Truth in Iraq: How a New 'Greatest Generation' of American Soldiers is Turning Defeat and Disaster into Victory and Hope. Michael also gives some interesting advice to the presidential candidates about what to say and do concerning the situation in Iraq.

You can download the podcast here. More information and a streamable player is available on this page.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

VA Disability Disparity

According to the AP and Cleveland.com there is significant disparity between states in average annual disability payments to veterans.

For example, veterans in Ohio receiving disability payments rank second to last in the amount of money they get, $4,800 less than those in New Mexico.

Federal lawmakers are looking into the matter, questioning why certain states collect thousands of dollars more. Rep. Zack Space of Ohio, introduced the Veterans Disability Fairness Act last week, which calls for increased scrutiny of the VA's compensation program.

One of the reasons for the disparity is each state's veterans' system has its own standards for disability. A veteran in one state may be deemed only be partially disabled and eligible for a small payment while in a different state that same vet could be considered a more serious case resulting in a larger payment.

Terri from A Soldier's Mind feels this issue needs a remedy:

This is a problem that definitely need to be fixed. Our veterans, regardless of the state they reside in, should be compensated the same for their injuries. Each state should have the same rating system in place and follow the exact same guidelines. Training is a must, for those who are making those decisions. I look at it this way … our veterans have given a portion of their lives to serve our country and they should, each and every one of them, be shown the respect, by compensating them in the same manner. That’s the least they deserve.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

VA Roadblocks Voter Registration for Injured Vets

Alternet and Raw Story reported Thursday that VA Secretary James B. Peake told two Senators that his department will not help injured vets register to vote before the 2008 election.

In a letter to Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and John Kerry, D-Mass, on April 8th Peake said, "VA remains opposed to becoming a voter registration agency pursuant to the National Voter Registration Act, as this designation would divert substantial resources from our primary mission." Peake is referring here to a 1993 law allowing government agencies to host voter registration efforts.

Raw Story explains:

What this means is that many injured veterans still in VA hospitals who can't find means to register outside of their facilities will effectively lose their right to vote. Wounded veterans who have moved must re-register at their "new addresses" or file for absentee ballots in order to participate in the presidential and other elections.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Bush Announces Shorter Combat Deployments

President Bush announced Thursday a plan to cut troop combat tours from 15 months to one year in an effort to ease current strain on the military and help boost morale.

This move comes in response from service commanders concerned about the toll long deployments are having on their soldiers and about the ability of the U.S. military to deal with unanticipated threats.

Bush also embraces the plan put forth by Gen. David Petaeus to halt troop reductions after 20,000 soldiers are withdrawn in July.

Bobby Muller of Veterans for America claims Bush's too little, too late announcement does not cover currently deployed troops:

In short this is a hollow political announcement.

This announcement will do nothing to help the troops currently deployed for 15 months right now, some of whom will not return to the United States until summer 2009. Almost half of the active-duty Army’s frontline units are currently deployed for 15 months, HALF, and of those units, three are on their fourth tour and almost all have been deployed at least twice. We need to reduce everyone’s current tours to 12 months, right now.

From now to the end of this president’s term in office, the overwhelming majority of frontline troops scheduled to deploy are Army National Guard, and their scheduled tours are already 12 months, so again, the President’s announcement does nothing to help them even though many of these troops are scheduled for their second deployment, leaving jobs and families behind again, for a full year.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Gen. Petraeus Wants to Suspend Troop Withdraws in July

The U.S. general in charge of the Iraq War told the senate he would continue a troop withdraw until July then pause for 45 days to consider whether to continue bringing troops home.

Before a Senate hearing today Gen. David Petraeus recommended a "period of consolidation and evaluation" once the troops President Bush ordered to Iraq last year have completed their pullout in July. He did not commit to a timetable for troop withdraws after the 45 day pause. Nor did he commit to any further withdraws beyond July.

Both Gen. Petraeus and Iraqi ambassador Ryan Crocker described an Iraq that is becoming more secure but say that progress is fragile.

Let's take a gander at a couple of reactions from bloggers on both sides of the political spectrum.

Joel Johannesen of Proud to be Canadian:

The Democrats in the Senate Armed Services Committee are using this latest opportunity provided by the presence of General Petraeus with his official update report, to display something one wouldn’t necessarily expect: their utter contempt for General Petraeus and the war he—and ostensibly his country—is engaged in to win, in Iraq.

The liberals refuse to accept a general set of standards: the surge has proven to bear much success, and this thing has a shot at succeeding in the end, whenever that is.

James Joiner of An Average American Patriot:

If you realize the real role of the surge or of attacking iraq and staying the course it is all success as is the allowed degradation of our America. Observing China's persecution of Tibetan's and being ignored by Bush it increasingly is looking like a case of you ignore my indiscretions and I'll ignore yours as the ignored world unrest will climax in a total world breakdown! Anyway you look at it once again I am going to update and reiterate the total failure Bush guaranteed the day he ignored all advice to the contrary and attacked Iraq so he could set us up to go after Iran and implement what he thinks will be his and Israel's idea of a new middle east order.

Link to C-Span video of the hearing [Real Media]

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Who are you voting for?

This photo cuts to the very essence of our three fine Presidential hopefuls.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Bush Pledges More Troops for Afghanistan in 2009

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that the Bush administration is pledging to send more combat forces to Afghanistan in 2009 regardless of the troop levels in Iraq.

President Bush made the pledge at the NATO summit in Bucharest on Thursday, Gates told reporters.

Bush did not give specifics concerning the increases. The U.S. currently has about 31,000 troops there -- the most since the war began in 2001 -- and has been pressing allies to contribute more.

One of the questions raised by this statement is where these additional troop will come from. Another is raised by Frank James of The Swamp:

. . .the Bush Administration ends on Jan. 20, 2009. It won't exactly be in a position to send any servicemember anywhere after that date.

Maybe the plan is to send them in the roughly three weeks before Inauguration Day? Or perhaps he's counting on whoever is elected the next president will keep a Bush Administration commitment to send additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan since there has been concern for some time about there not being enough troops there, especially in the south where Taliban forces have been resurgent.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

News Brief: Mostly Military Issues

• The Army now allows husband-and-wife soldiers to live and sleep together in the war zone in order to preserve marriages and up morale. [CNN]
• The Brits halt a planned 1,500 troop withdraw this spring. [HuffPo]
• The Vietnam Vets Wall goes virtual. [CNN]
• U.S. military base in Ecuador may be shut down. Lawmakers there approved a constitutional provision banning foreign military bases on their soil. [BBC]
• Government officials and terrorism experts are expected to tell the Senate today to act on a threat of nuclear terrorism in a major U.S. city. [USA Today]

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

US Military Report Explored Secretly Hiring Bloggers

Slashdot links to an article yesterday on the Wired blog Danger Room about a study by the U.S. Special Operations Command suggesting "clandestinely recruiting or hiring prominent bloggers."

Since the start of the Iraq war there's been debate over how to handle milblogs. One side feels they are security risks and a waste of time while the other side believes they can share pertinent information with family and friends and shape opinions favorable to the military.

A third approach -- included in a 2006 report for the Joint Special Operations University -- involves the consideration of "hiring a block of bloggers to verbally attack a specific person or promote a specific message. . ."

A U.S. Special Operations Command spokesman says the report was merely an academic exercise. And a co-author of the report, Dororthy Denning, adds, "I got some positive feedback from people who read the article, but I don't know if it led to anything."

Check Wired's Danger Room post for details on how the military might use blogs to their advantage.

Source: Military Report: Secretly 'Recruit or Hire Bloggers' [Danger Room]

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation