If you read my previous post you saw this insert and hopefully signed the pledge to stand with the Iraq vets. After I signed the pledge I received this email...
So far, 1,650 supporters like you have signed Iraq Veterans Against the War's Pledge to support Operation Recovery, our campaign to defend GIs' and veterans' right to heal. We need just 350 more signatures to meet our goal of 2,000 by October 7.
Sign the Pledge today.
Just six days from now, we will travel to Washington, DC to publicly announce Operation Recovery: Stop the Deployment of Traumatized Troops campaign. On that day, October 7, this nation will enter its tenth year of war in Afghanistan -- marking ten years of untold suffering for the Afghan people and silent pain for our troops.
With our Operation Recovery Campaign, IVAW will bring to light the private stories of trauma that an overwhelming number of veterans and GIs are coping with as they are sent again and again to continue these wars. And we will hold those responsible for deploying traumatized troops accountable.
Mental Health problems among our military are overwhelming
Published medical studies in 2008 and 2010 estimate that 20-50% of all service members deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan have likely suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In real numbers this means 350,000 to 900,000 are dealing with PTSD.
And a recent Army Times article states, "At least one in six service members is on some form of psychiatric drug. And many troops are taking more than one kind, mixing several pills in daily "cocktails" - for example, an antidepressant with an anti psychotic to prevent nightmares, plus an anti-epileptic to reduce headaches..." It further cites that the Department of Defense spending on psychiatric drugs used by the active duty military has risen by 75% since 2001.
These numbers provide an outline of the picture of today's American military and what it must do to continue the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan indefinitely. But next week in Washington, real veterans will be present to tell their personal stories and put a human face on the trauma they and thousands of others endure.
350,000 to 900,000 of our military suffer from post traumatic stress disorder??? This is astounding to me! Does this country need a wake-up call or what? Whatever will we do when we run out of recruits to fight these endless wars? Please visit this website, there is so much to read and so many different ways you can help these veterans.
This was written by veteran Victor Agosto
Never Forget
Victors story,
Personal Information
- Biography
- I enlisted in the Army in August 2005. I deployed to Iraq in October
2006 as 25F (Network Switching Systems Operator/Maintainer) and returned
in November 2007. While deployed, I turned against the occupations in
Iraq and Afghanistan. In May 2009, I publicly refused deployment to
Afghanistan and began refusing orders connected to his unit’s
deployment. I was court-martialed in August 2009. I was sentenced to 30
days in jail and was demoted to the rank of Private. I was discharged
from the Army on October 20, 2009 and was barred from re-entering the
Fort Hood Military Reservation. I serve on the boards of directors of
Iraq Veterans Against the War and Fort Hood Support Network, the
governing body of Under the Hood Cafe.
When are we gonna start paying attention to these wars and our suffering veterans? And what about our suffering troops who are asked to sacrifice so much, for what?? Something terribly secretive and scary is happening in our country and nobody is paying attention!
The One Nation rally tomorrow will not only be about jobs and our future, but about protesting these endless wars. Please get involved, let your voices be heard!
11 comments:
Sue- Thanks for posting this, and the previous post as well.....and by all means, do sign the pledge if you haven't already done so.
Once again, we've asked too much of too few for too long in the Middle East. There is no precedent for what we're doing to active duty personnel, National Guard, and reservists due to the length of the wars. And one of my biggest fears with a possible Republican takeover of Congress would be a slashing of funds for the medical treatment of returning vets.
To the usual suspects who say that this won't happen, just ask Chris Smith (R-NJ 4th District), the former chairman of the House Veterans Committee who was stripped of his chairmanship by Tom DeLay (an SOB who deserves an orange jumpsuit instead of DANCING WITH THE STARS). Smith was punished because he dared demand more benefits and better medical treatment for returning vets. DeLay and company were in line with Rumsfeld and Cheney, fight the wars on the cheap.
If the GOP wins in November, even more American vets will lose.
For the record....I'm an Air Force vet, served four years and eight months of active duty.
Thanks for your service Hugh. My dad was an Air Force vet too.
yes indeed the thugs will cut benefits and aid to veterans if they should get power. they are warmongers but hate our veterans. I guess they want them dead not wounded because that costs money. UGH! They are hideous America haters!
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Editorial-Board-Blog/2010/0929/Admiral-Mike-Mullen-Cost-of-military-health-care-is-not-sustainable
It was reported that 4 soldiers committed suicide at Fort Hood.
The suicide rate caused by these current wars is insane.
These problems are not being addressed.
Tour after tour after tour.
All for the march of empire.
More soldiers have died in Afghanistan under the Big O than under W.
With more to come.
They are holding the soldiers back now for 3-4 weeks as an adjustment period before they are allowed to see their families.
I am sick and tired of hearing the public tell the soldiers "thank you for your service".
Yet we keep funding these wars, and sending them back time after time.
Talk about hypocritical.
Blogger is not posting my comments today. What a surprise.
I'm not seeing your comments Leslie, keep trying!
RZ, we still have to thank our friends like Hugh for their service. It's not their fault our government is fucked up. I really don't know what it's gonna take for Obama to make some drastic moves on these wars. Hopefully this October 7th descent on Washington will be a start.
Well, if we have to keep sending our young people to war, which I abhor, the draft should be reinstated. Then the children of these fat cats would have to fight alongside the ones who "volunteer." Maybe then the fatcats would be more reluctant to start the wars and more supportive of thanking the troops with adequate medical and mental health care when their own sons and daughters return missing limbs and minds.
I signed.
Sue (and everyone else)- no need to thank me. I did the job I signed on for, and then I went back to civilian life.
I don't think Republicans hate veterans; they just hate paying for their needs after they are separated from service. We have whack jobs like Sharon "She's No" Angle who want to privatize the VA. Makes sense...something that works for the majority of our vets, so let's turn it over to medical profiteers.
And of course, there is the case of DeLay and Chris Smith that I mentioned before. I disagree with Smith on 90% of his beliefs, but I'll give him credit for sticking up for veterans when he was chairman of the House Veteran's Committee and calling out the Republican leadership for underfunding veteran's services. Tom Delay stripped him of his chairmanship.
You can read more about that sad story here.
And the American people seem like they're willing to put the same people in power who stabbed this country's veterans in the back less than 5 years ago.
The lack of shame and the hypocrisy of those responsible is utterly sickening.
Speaking of not supporting troops and vets, here's Insane McCain's real record. Speaking of hypocrisy.
http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1973
absolutely reinstate the draft!!
We need to end both of bush's wars. We simply can't afford them. In terms of money and the lives of our soldiers. Obama is deluding himself if he thinks the war in Afghanistan can be won.
We may muddle though for 5-10 additional years before a peace is negotiated with the Taliban (which will involve huge payoffs). Afghanistan will be left with an incredibly corrupt government ruled by a wealthy oligarchy while it's people suffer in poverty.
No level of sacrifice on our part will change that. The sooner we get out the better.
It's so true w, I hope Obama comes to that conclusion soon. How can he not??
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