We just recieved this information from Applebee's Resaurants.

In an OP ED that was written by attorney Gordon Erspamer, who is leading the fight to attempt to get a little bit of justice for veterans that have been used in classified chemical weapons experiments, LSD and other illicit drugs, and biological weapons at bases spread across the nation, Fort Detrick MD, Edgewood Arsenal MD, Deseret Utah, off Hawaii, the Pacific Ocean open air tests. This government used tens of thousands of American soldiers as little more than "human guinea pigs" and then never gave them follow up medical care.

Why should it matter, we prosecuted both German and Japanese scientists and doctors after WW2 for doing the exact same thing to humans, yet in 1943 the Army started doing it also at Edgewood Arsenal and it continued thru 1975, and the release of the 1975 Department of the Army Inspector Generals Report on Human Experimentation, led to public outrage and Congress demanding that it end.

By Donna Teresa The Monterey Herald

Many of the e-mails I receive are from troops and other military personnel stationed all over the world.

Some drop a line just to say hi, others just to say thanks for not forgetting them. I can't help but be especially touched by the notes I receive from our troops who call the Central Coast home.

Officials credit GI Bill for enrollment growth

By Elvia Aguilar Caller.Com

Nationally, 300,000 veterans applied for expanded benefits for college education under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill.

At Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, an estimated 100 veterans were added to the enrollment of more than 400 already attending the university and receiving benefits.

Del Mar College’s enrollment of veterans increased from 380 in fall 2008 to 481 this fall semester.

From WLWT.Com

CINCINNATI - Nov. 3., Ohio voters will decide whether certain veterans should receive a stipend from the state.

Issue one is a proposal for Ohio to take on $2 billion in debt in order to be able to provide a one-time stipend of up to $1,000 for veterans of any war after 1990.

Alicia Peace fought in the Gulf War and works at the Clermont County Veterans' Service Commission. She wants her comrades to get the benefits that she believes they deserve.

"World War II, Korea, Vietnam … They all received war time bonuses and I think that should continue," said Peace.

Jim Hake's Spirit of America nonprofit is bridging the gap between troops and Iraqis and Afghans with wish-list items, giving 'a reason for interaction outside of a hostile encounter.'

By Sandy Banks The Los Angeles Times

Left: Marine Sgt. David Wilson hands a radio to an Afghan boy. The nonprofit Spirit of America has raised more than $12 million in the last five years and has sent tons of supplies to troops. Photo by (Sgt. William Greeson)

When I first met him six years ago, Jim Hake had yet to reconcile his peacenik credentials with his fervent support for our country's newly declared war on Iraq.

Legislation that would extend the first-time homebuyers’ tax credit by one year for military and key civilian personnel deployed abroad this year sailed through the House on Thursday.  The bill, passed by 416-0, would give members of the armed forces, Foreign Service and intelligence agencies who were posted abroad for at least 90 days another year to use an $8,000 first-time homebuyer’s tax credit that is currently set to expire Nov. 30.

The Bank of America in Spartanburg, South Carolina, has lost the money from the Cherokee County Council that it had in accounts. The reason that the Bank of America lost the money was that it refused to allow flags to be flown in front of its bank. The flags were for a fallen Marine killed in Afghanistan, Lance Cpl. Chris Fowlkes. The flags that were being flown were in front of the Bank of America on the sidewalk.

Brenda Earls put some flags on the drive where the fallen soldier's grandparents lived. She also put some downtown ands some were placed in front of the Bank of America. These flags were not on the bank's property but on public property.

Sesame Street stars Elmo, Cookie Monster, and friends are embarking on a four-month USO Tour to 20 U.S. military installations worldwide

“The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families” tour — to the U.K., Europe, Hawaii, and Alaska — provides support and offers resources for military families with young children. This global installment follows last year’s highly successful tour in the U.S., which visited 42 military installations in 23 states from July to November 2008. The program helps children and families of deployed service men and women cope with the effects of deployment, separation, and reunification.

Sunday Oct 4, 2009, A Night of Honour

Hosted by Dr. Phil McGraw, Honoring Gary Sinise, featuring Dennis Miller 

The Iraq Star 2009 Fundraiser will be held on October 4th, 2009 at the Hilton Universal Hotel, Universal City (L.A.) CA. 

The event benefits the Iraq Star Foundation, a non for profit VSO that provides Free Reconstructive Surgery for Wounded and Disfigured American Warriors of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.  The mission of the Iraq Star Foundation is preventing wounds of war from permanently disfiguring young lives.

Celebrity Supporters including Tom Selleck, Jon Voight, Kristy Swanson, Kevin Sorbo, Kelsey Grammer, Stephen Baldwin, Angie Everhart, Marla Maples, Katherine McPhee, Angie Harmon, Scott Baio, Tom Dreeson, John Ratzenberger and more will be in attendance.

by Paul Sullivan and Lauren Hohle

VCS Releases Dozens of New VA Reports Obtained Using FOIA

Washington, DC – According to government reports obtained exclusively by Veterans for Common Sense (VCS), more than 250 new, first-time Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran patients flood into Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics every day. In the eight years after 9/11, VA has treated and diagnosed more than 425,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans at VA facilities, an average of 258 new, first-time patients every day.

by Capt Bill Kibble USAF (Ret.), Vietnam Veteran

I strongly encourage readers to lobby President Barack Obama and their Congressmen to implement Tactical Combat Causality Care (TCCC) now which could reduce combat deaths by up to 20 percent; its saved an estimated 1,000 lives!!

The TCCC advanced first aid skills - developed by military trauma specialists - have saved an estimated 1,000 lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. The training stresses aggressive control of blood loss with tourniquets.

Preventable combat deaths — primarily cases where troops bleed to death — have been eliminated in an Army Special Forces unit and the 75th Ranger Regiment, both trained in TCCC skills.

Lessons for life from the wise has been written for the benefit of you younger Veterans.  Originally written by Regina Brett, a wise experienced 90 year old reporter from The Plain Dealer in Cleveland Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."  said Brett. "My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

Chicago, IL  (FFH Blog) August 6, 2009  -- This past Saturday Flowers for Heroes gathered for another great event, this time at TopGolf in Wood Dale, Illinois. This state-of-the-art facility allowed both golfers and non-golfers to enjoy an afternoon of competing in arcade-like golf games, all while eating, drinking, and socializing with good company.

This event took place to raise funding for the group’s trip to Maryland in September. In remembrance of the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, Flowers for Heroes along with volunteers will be placing flowers on all of the headstones of the fallen soldiers who rest at Antietam National cemetery. There are currently over 4,600 soldiers buried at this national cemetery. To finance this memorial event,  Flowers for Heroes was looking to raise over $10,000 from supporters at the TopGolf Chicago event.

Patrick Nettesheim (left) writes out chords in guitar tablature for Steve Ringerson, an instructor at Guitars 4 Vets. Guitars 4 Vets is a volunteer group that works with veterans at the VA Medical Center to teach them to play guitar and to put their experiences into words and music. Nettesheim co-founded the group with Vietnam veteran Dan Van Buskirk when Van Buskirk noticed significant improvement with stress after taking guitar lessons from Nettesheim.

By DENICE RYAN MARTIN

It's Tuesday afternoon in a meeting room at the Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center's domiciliary in Building 123. A small group of veterans and civilians sits in folding chairs clutching and strumming guitars. Chords from a Clapton tune, soft conversation and bursts of laughter float in the air.

The weekly drop-in guitar class hosted by Guitars 4 Vets is in session.

"This program is about expressing emotions," says co-founder Patrick Nettesheim, a Milwaukee-area guitar teacher and musician. "We've set up a relaxed learning atmosphere where the guitar becomes the catalyst for human interaction."

Have you ever wanted to say "thank you", but didn't? Next time, say it...  

by Scott Truitt

For the past several years as I've been traveling around the country, I've been approaching Soldiers in airports and thanking them for serving for us. On several occasions I have noticed that it felt a little awkward for both of us. There are several reasons, some of which I am even just now learning as I produce this film and talk to more Service Men & Women and Veterans. But they have always appreciated being thanked, and I have always felt better having expressed my gratitude.

I started to think that it would be nice if civilians had a gesture or sign that they could use to say "thank you" quickly and easily without even having to approach. I did some research and found the sign that we are now using.

Is this limited to the military? Not at all. If you look around you I'm sure that you'll find lots of people who are serving their communities, from local to global. If you appreciate their service, give them a sign. Say "thank you from the bottom of my heart."

-Scott Truitt, FOUNDER, The Gratitude Campaign:  www.gratitudecampaign.org

The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill will become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. The amount of support that an individual may qualify for depends on where they live and what type of degree they are pursuing. For a summary of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, see the benefit comparison chart.

Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, and vocational/technical training. All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill benefits. Additionally, tutorial assistance, and licensing and certification test reimbursement are approved under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill.

We consider this statement made by Lieutenant Colonel, Margaret D. Stock Attorney & Lieutenant Colonel, US Army Reserve, Military Police Corps before the Congressional Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, & International Law to be but one part of the many legal challenges of Immigrants serving in our Armed Forces today. She gave this testimony on May 20, 2008 almost a year after the mass citizenship ceremonies held for troops in Iraq who had been granted U.S. citizenship as they reenlisted.

This is an extract of her testimony.

Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
GS-14, U.S. Civil Service-Retired
Veterans Advocacy Editor
Veterans Today News Network &
Our Troops News Ladder

Few options for veterans who await deportation

As a 7-year-old, Fernando Cervantes emigrated legally from Mexico to Texas with his mother in 1961.   At 18, in the waning days of the Vietnam War, he enlisted in the Army. Cervantes donned the khaki uniform, raised his right hand and swore to defend the Constitution.  “I thought it was my patriotic duty,” he said.

Thirty-two years after his honorable discharge, Cervantes is wearing the bright-orange shirt of a detainee at the El Centro Service Processing Center, where he has been held since the end of a three-year prison term last year for possession of methamphetamine for sale.

by Bob Hanafin, Staff Writer

This will be a multi-part expose of the plight of anywhere from a low of 300 to a high of possibly 3,000 American Veterans are being held in U.S. Immigration & Customs Holding Cells awaiting deportation by Homeland Security.

About two years ago, we at Veterans Today did an expose on how the Bush Administration via his Homeland Security Chief now running the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) which has had a name change recently to ICE - new logo at left [more on that later]. At that time we contended that with each SURGE in wartime need there's been a corresponding SURGE in acceptance of both illegal and legal immigrants into the U.S. Armed Forces.

The carrot to lure immigrants into serving during Wartime is the promise of eventual U.S. Citizenship or depending on the desperate need for bodies to avoid implementing THE DRAFT offers of expedited U.S. citizenship. We believe on balance this is a good deal for immigrants, especially illegal immigrants who volunteered to do something that the vast majority of youngsters BORN IN THE USA refuse to do.

by Donna Teresa, Staff Writer

News is made every day, this summer is no different. Whether it is politics, entertainment, sports, local, world, national, etc. we all are consumed by it.

I do understand the attachments we place on our favorite singers, movie and sports stars etc. I have my favorites as well. We wouldn't be human if we didn't. I suppose the articles and stories that are not "war-related" get more views and clicks. War is depressing, right?

I have received many comments from friends and e-mails asking me how I handle writing about war, because it often involves writing about loss of life. I can best answer this in the only way I know how.

"That SOB is rolling over in his grave right now," he said of executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

AFP-US Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday celebrated Independence Day with American troops, including his soldier son Beau, at their base near Baghdad, giving a speech that mocked Saddam Hussein.

Biden addressed soldiers at Camp Victory shortly after saying the US role in Iraq was switching from deep military engagement to one of diplomatic support, ahead of a complete withdrawal from the country in 2011.

"As we celebrate our independence on the Fourth of July, we should remember the many brave patriots who have given us the priceless gift of freedom.   From the soldiers of the Revolutionary War to the troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world today, we have been blessed by generations of heroes who have always put their country first.  Alabama has a long tradition of honoring the servicemen and women who keep us free and the new Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo for our veterans is another sign of our gratitude.   As we enjoy the parades, picnics, and fireworks on the Fourth of July, I ask that we all take time in our way to show appreciation to the dedicated American soldiers, past and present, who are responsible for keeping this our Independence Day

Greenbaypressgazette.com-The Thibaudeau-Drossart American Legion Post 319 in Casco is dedicating a veterans memorial Saturday on Wisconsin 54, Casco, next to the community hall.

The dedication will start with a patriotic parade at noon starting at the Village Kitchen and ending at the community hall. The memorial is dedicated to all veterans of all wars.

A program with introductions by post commander, Vince LeGreve, is planned. John Maino is the master of ceremonies.

The program will include the Star-Spangled Banner, and the Luxemburg-Casco Community Band will also perform. State American Legion Commander Jim Reigel will attend.

The Carlton American Legion Post 538 will conduct the closing ceremony with the firing squad and taps. Food and refreshments will be available on the grounds after the ceremony.

For information, contact Don Pavlat at (920) 837-2286 or at don291@centurytel.net.

By Bill Bartel The Virginian-Pilot

Military veterans who are looking for work can get career counseling and possibly a lead on employment Thursday at a job fair organized by U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, D-Norfolk.

The event - from noon to 5 p.m. at VFW Post 4809, 5728 Bartee St. - is expected to draw 24 employers, including the cities of Virginia Beach and Hampton, Farm Fresh stores, Norfolk Naval Shipyard and BAE Systems.

Nye's staff also will present an episode of a documentary series, "In Their Boots," about veterans adjusting after returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Details: (757) 326-6201.