'Swift Boat' Vets Want to Reclaim Name

The term "Swift Boat" has become synonymous with nasty campaign smears. Today's New York Times has an article that basically states these Vietnam Veterans, who served on the type of boat pictured above (know as Patrol Craft Fast or Swift boats), want their good name back.

A little background from Wikipedia:

Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, formerly known as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT), is a political group (527 group) of American Swift boat veterans and former prisoners of war of the Vietnam War, formed during the 2004 presidential election campaign for the purpose of opposing John Kerry's candidacy for the presidency.

Even some of the Vets who associated with the anti-Kerry group do not like what "Swift boat" has become (to mean.)

Swiftboats.org has a disclaimer on their site claiming no “express or implied” political ties.

Source: New York Times

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Political Reps Editorial Note

If you haven't been paying attention, haven't visited in a while or are new to the site, maybe you missed the new direction PoliticalReps.com is headed.

The blog is moving away from covering little noticed and overlooked political news items and towards exploring veteran and military related issues of a political nature, particularly those in the news.

Topics like the VA, the Pentagon and how congress interacts with two appear now regularly here.

Not much rhyme or reason to it other than, currently, this significant arena of American politics deserves added attention.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Army's Request for more Brass Rejected by White House

The AP reports today that Bush's administrative arm, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has rejected a plan to add five generals to oversee monitor and purchasing contractor performance.

A blue-ribbon panel, chaired by former Pentagon acquisition chief Jacques Gansler, criticized the Army for contracting blunders and recommended the generals.

From the article:

The war in Iraq exposed major flaws in the Army's contracting abilities, particularly when the buying was done outside the United States. An overworked, under-experienced, and short-handed Army contracting staff was unable to meet the fast-paced demands for supplies and services. Bad deals were made and procurement fraud cases mounted in an environment prone to abuse.

Defense contractors, frequently criticized for war profiteering, complained of being pushed to accept flat-fee arrangements in high-risk combat zones where expenses could soar and confusion existed over what U.S. laws and regulations applied.

Putting generals in contracting jobs is believed to bring experience, give the profession clout, and build up talent by showing junior troops that contracting is viable career choice.

The Army learned its proposal for the generals was rejected on May 12. A week later, the Army repealed the decision. On Thursday, an Army spokesman said communications between the OMB and the Army are "pre-decisional and not releasable to the public at this time."

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Health Care for Women Vets to Improve says VA Secretary

VA Secretary James Peake told women vets Friday that the VA is working hard to get better outpatient care for them, reports the Associated Press.

The AP has learned of an apparent disparity between the health care male and female veterans receive in about one third of the VA facilities offering outpatient care.

An internal VA report acknowledges the need for more doctors trained in women's care and more health equipment to fit the needs of women.

Peake said the VA recognizes that 86 percent of women veterans from the recent conflicts are under age 40, and have health needs related to having children. He said the agency is spending about $32 million for equipment specific to women's health needs.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Hope for Iraqi Interpreters to go to U.S.

The Christian Science Monitor profiles the Shiite, Iraqi couple "Sarah" and "Chris" today, telling their troubles and turmoil of being interpreters for the U.S. forces in Iraqi and their plan to enter the U.S. under the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program to raise a family.

Because of security concerns the nicknames Sarah and Chris are used instead of their real names in the article. Sarah is on a militant hit list. Her mother's life has been threatened. Chris's folks house has been bombed twice and he's lost 11 interpreter colleagues and friends since 2006. There is also a $20,000 bounty on interpreters offered by militants and one double that amount for female interpreters.

Chris and Sarah feel their current environment is too hostile to bring up kids. They would like instead to raise a family in the states. They said they are willing to come back after they spend some time in America.

Their dream could be within reach.

President Bush recently extended a law, through 2012, that will continue to allow Afghan and Iraqi interpreters working for the State Department and military possible entrance into the United States under the SIV program.

Right now, the US has already met its quota of 500 SIVs for 2008. According to the State Department it will grant 50 more in 2009.

The article goes on describing the long and arduous process of applying for an SIV. It also mentions the interesting mix of culture and politics surrounding interpreters.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

A Few Vet/Military Related Headlines

• Officials Warned Against Using Snarling Dogs, Forced Nudity During Interrogations, Senate Investigation Finds [HuffPo], [USA Today version], [WashPo version]
  

• 'Disposable Heroes': Veterans Used To Test Suicide-Linked Drugs [ABC News], [Washington Times version]
  

• Official says Iraq contract dispute cost him job [AP], [New York Times version]

Vets to Testify on 1960s Chemical Tests

The Associated Press comes today with the story of Jack Alderson (pictured above), a retired Navy Reserve lieutenant commander who claims his allergies, skin cancers and chronic fatigue -- as well as the sicknesses of his comrades -- are directly linked to the secret weapons tests he helped conduct in the Pacific during the 1960s.

Alderson was ordered to keep mum about his involvement in project SHAD -- Shipboard Hazard and Defense -- where the military tested germs and test participants were given experimental vaccines. But low turn out at a 1993 reunion motivated him to speak out. Alderson found out that more than half of the approximately 500 crew members who participated in the tests were either dead, inflicted with cancer, breathing problems or other ailments.

Alderson and other witnesses are to testify before a House Veterans Affairs panel today considering a bill requiring more Pentagon disclosure of Cold War era chemical and germ weapons testing along with extending benefits to vets who took part in them. Similar legislation is scheduled to be voted on by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee later this month.

Officials at the Pentagon haven't ruled out a health link but say such a link is hard to prove.

"We cannot say that this exposure 40 years ago had absolutely no health effect," said Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, deputy director for force health protection and readiness at the Pentagon. "I don't think any physician would risk saying that. Because how do you prove that that's the case?"

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

Retired Army Officer Admits to Helping Fix Iraq Contract

Levonda J. Selph, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, pleaded guilty Tuesday to steering a Pentagon contract for warehouses in Iraq to a Kuwait-based firm in return for a $5000 trip to Thailand and $4000 cash.

Selph pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery in U.S. District Court as part of a plea bargain to cooperate with the government in an investigation. The Virginia resident was secretly indicted on those charges in October -- the charges weren't revealed until her day in court Tuesday. She also agreed to serve a prison sentence --up to 33 months -- and pay the government $9000 restitution.

Prosecutors said Selph headed a selection board in 2005 that awarded a $12 million contract to build and operate Defense Department warehouses in Iraq. The contrat winner was not named in court documents.

The Justice Department said she will remain free until her sentencing October 14. She is not allowed to leave the country.

Source: Ex-colonel pleads to helping fix Iraq contract [AP]

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

VA Staffer to Testify to Senate Committee about PTSD email

Norma J. Perez, former coordinator of the PTSD program at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Temple, Texas, will go before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs Wednesday morning to answer questions on whether an internal email she sent was an attempt by the VA to circumvent paying benefits to soldiers with PTSD, or just misguided advice from an individual, reports CBS News.

In an email, sent on March 20, she wrote the following to the social workers and psychologists
under her supervision: "Given that we are having more and more compensation seeking veterans, I'd like to suggest you refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight out."

Instead she said for clinicians to "consider a diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder."

The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, a watchdog group based in Washington, obtained and distributed the email, along with VoteVets.org, a veterans lobbying group.

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are pushing for an investigation. They want to make sure PTSD is being properly diagnosed at VA facilities.

Perez was recently reassigned to a VA hospital in Austin, TX. She works there as "Mental Health Integration Specialist."

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation