“I don’t want to sound like an ad, a public service ad on TV, but the fact is if you can read, you can walk into a job later on. If you don’t, then you’ve got, the Army, Iraq, I don’t know, something like that. It’s, it’s not as bright. So, that’s my little commercial for that.”
Why do I get the feeling that Stephen King drives around the back roads of Maine in a late model Volvo with a Kerry for President bumper sticker still on it.
His next book is an autobiography titled Ignoramus Maximus.
Tonight we discussed veterans healthcare with a specific focus on traumatic brain injuries. We spent an hour with Bruce McQuain from QandO.net and Annette, a dedicated wife and care giver for Eric, who was severely wounded in Iraq. Bruce spent 28 years in the Army and provided some perspective on the challenges the VA is facing, while Annette told us about the consequences. The unfortunate thing is that her story is not unusual. It tracks perfectly with this editorial from Lawrence Downes of the New York Times,
For Wounded Veterans and Their Families, a Journey Without Maps
At a recent hearing in Washington before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the men’s families told anguished tales of trips through bureaucratic hell in the transition between the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs. That terrain is notorious for its paperwork mountains and tripwires of red tape, but especially treacherous for those with traumatic brain injuries, the signature affliction of this five-year-old war.
Mr. Bunce lost an eye in a roadside bomb blast that also thrust shrapnel into his frontal lobe. His father, Peter, said his care was so “stovepiped,” with nobody knowing what anyone else was doing, that doctors working on his head ignored his broken leg. Technicians nearly did an M.R.I. on his brain, not realizing — because scans had not been done — the danger from the metal in his skull. Nobody tried to coordinate his many medications.
Time and again his parents had to cross the country looking for the right therapies and treatment. Whatever expertise they found they stumbled on; there was no one but them to manage his case. The V.A. relied on the brain-damaged young corporal to evaluate his own mental state, and once sent him a letter threatening to cut off benefits because he could not manage his affairs.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has been tremendous IMHO, gets it and is making changes,
FORT BLISS, Texas - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday said the military had made mistakes in treating returning combat troops including in their physical and mental health care and by providing some sub-standard housing.
In a visit to Fort Bliss, Texas, Gates announced a change in government procedures to encourage troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) without fear of losing their security clearances and harming their careers.
The announcement came just a day after closing arguments in a San Francisco federal court case in which veterans allege the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is unable to deal with the growing number of PTSD cases emerging from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
As Bruce mentioned, PTSD and brain injuries are very different things. That said, neither situation is being adequately addressed by the VA, for a variety of reasons.
Annette was a very compelling guest, helping us understand the frustrations and consequences of dealing with an overwhelmed VA system. She is a relentless advocate for her husband Eric. We admire her tenacity to get the best possible care for him. After listening to her describe the challenges, everyone, liberal and conservative, should be saying WE HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THIS.
All of our interviews are also available for download at iTunes and Podcast Alley via the Pundit Review Radio Podcast.
What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.
Purported tape from al-Zawahri calls country ‘most important battlefield’
“Iraq nowadays is the most important battlefield on which our mujahedeen are waging a war against the forces of the Zionist-Christian Crusade,” al-Zawahri said. “Therefore, supporting the mujahedeen in Iraq and especially the Islamic State of Iraq is a most important duty.”
Obama: Shift fight to Afghanistan, Pakistan
WASHINGTON (CNN) –Sen. Barack Obama says he would shift the war on terror to Afghanistan and Pakistan…
In his speech, Obama, D-Illinois, said things would look different in an Obama administration: “When I am president, we will wage the war that has to be won, with a comprehensive strategy with five elements: getting out of Iraq and on the right battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan…
Our friend from Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops, 15-year old Dylan DeSilva, was recently profiled on NECN as his great organization prepared to send their 3,000 care package to the troops. What an incredible young man.
You can learn more about Dylan here, here and here.
Dylan is hard at work getting ready for his annual Memorial Day rally on Cape Cod. I had the pleasure of attending last year, and what this young man pulled off was truly incredible. I hear he is planning an even bigger event this year.
Congratulations and thank you Dylan for all you do.
Charges dropped against Marine in Haditha case
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Charges against a US Marine involved in the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha were dropped on Friday, just moments before the start of the soldier’s court martial.
Lance Corporal Stephen Tatum had been due to face a military trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault over his role in the killings in November 2005.
Exonerated Haditha Marine Justin Sharratt on Pundit Review Radio
Having been accused of “cold blooded murder” by his own congressman, John Murtha, Justin Sharratt joined us to describe what this ordeal has been like for him and his family,
Darryl Sharatt, Justin’s father, joined us to describe the pain this has caused his family. He also told us an incredible story about Murtha. Mr Sharratt made 53 phone calls over 18 months, before getting a return call from Murtha! Can you imagine? A congressman, YOUR congressman, accusing your son of “cold blooded murder of innocent women and children” and not having the dignity to return a phone call for eighteen months! Talk about outrageous.
The Haditha incident was a tragedy for all involved, Marines and Iraqi’s alike. There is no question about that. Finally, we are getting to a point of consensus around the incident itself, it was NOT as it was widely reported, a “massacre”.
Let’s never forget what John Murtha did to the Haditha Marines! Gary Gross at Let Freedom Ring has a timeline of Murtha’s travesty that is a must read.
Here is a visual reminder,
The fact that this guy, Murtha, is a member in good standing in the Democratic Party is a disgrace. The fact that he is in a leadership position in the House, after trying to become Speaker on the backs of these innocent Haditha marines, is inexcusable.
We had an exciting, up and coming candidate for Congress join us on Sunday evening. His name is Kieran Michael Lalor and he is running in the 19th district in NY to unseat the faded pop star John Hall (remember the band Orleans? Me neither!) . You can check out just how liberal Congressman Hall is here.
Kieran is a man of character and integrity with a great personal story that demonstrates a committment to family, community and country. Kieran is the founder of Iraq Veterans for Congress, a group of Republican Iraq war veterans running for Congress.
We’ve heard from several listeners already who wanted to learn more about Kieran and contribute to his campaign. His web site is here and you can make a contribution here.
All of our interviews are also available for download at iTunes and Podcast Alley via the Pundit Review Radio Podcast.
What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station
Full Disclosure: I didn’t get to watch the PBS Frontline report on the so-called Haditha incident. However, two people whose opinions on such matters I greatly respect say that PBS got it right.
Jules Crittenden, “Rules of Engagement” remains a worthwhile and balanced look at the situation.
Uncle Jimbo, aka James Hanson, Retired Special Operations Master Sergeant, “In a shocking turn of events the PBS documentary on Haditha was overwhelmingly even-handed and convinced me they should face no punishment. The show was fair and I have no complaints about bias or slant. This is what PBS ought to do all the time.”
For a detailed look at the Haditha incident, don’t miss Uncle Jimbo’s analysis at Pajamas Media.
Pundit Review has been on the front lines, so to speak, covering the Haditha incident through the eyes of the family of exonerated Haditha Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt. We had the first radio interview with Justin after he was cleared of all charges,
“With the dismissal of these charges LCpl Sharratt may fairly conclude that he did his best to live up to the standards, followed by U.S. Fighting men throughout our many wars, in the face of life or death decisions made in a matter of seconds in combat. And as he has always remained cloaked in the presumption of innocence, with this dismissal of charges, he remains in the eyes of the law - and in my eyes - innocent.”
Having been accused of “cold blooded murder” by his own congressman, John Murtha, Justin Sharratt joined us to describe what this ordeal has been like for him and his family,
Darryl Sharatt, Justin’s father, joined us to describe the pain this has caused his family. He also told us an incredible story about Murtha. Mr Sharrattmade 53 phone calls over 18 months, before getting a return call from Murtha! Can you imagine? A congressman, YOUR congressman, accusing your son of “cold blooded murder of innocent women and children” and not having the dignity to return a phone call for eighteen months! Talk about outrageous.
John Murtha should have been censured by Congress for his shameless exploitation of the Hadita Marines. Murtha disgraced himself and tarnished the reputations of dozens of young men who were half a world away fighting and dying for their country. The true travesty of the Haditha incident is how it was handeled by the media, and self-promoting political scum like John Murtha.
Darryl Sharratt got emotional talking about how his son’s desire to be a career Marine had been ruined. He wants Murtha to be held accountable but he’s realistic about the chances of an official reprimand from Congress (ed. note: that he so richly deserves). His frustration is understandable,
Bruce McQuain from QandO was also with us. Bruce, a Vietnam veteran, spent 28 years in the Army and added some great perspective and observations.
The Haditha incident was a tragedy for all involved, Marines and Iraqi’s alike. There is no question about that. Finally, we are getting to a point of consensus around the incident itself, it was NOT as it was widely reported, a “massacre”.
Bronze Star recipient Pete Hegseth, executive director and co-founder of Vets for Freedom returned to Pundit Review Radio this afternoon to discuss his organizations upcoming National Heroes Tour.
The National Heroes Tour is about supporting our troops, honoring their commitment, and rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At this critical juncture in our country, we need Americans, lawmakers and the media, to fully recognize—and appreciate—the sacrifice of our brave military and the dramatic success they have achieved, especially in Iraq with the new counterinsurgency strategy.
Joining Pete will be some of the incredible heroes of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those of you who are familiar with our Someone You Should Know series should recognize these names, David Bellavia, Marcus Lutrell and Marco Martinez.
In addition to talking about the National Heroes Tour, I had to ask about funding for veterans care and what his group is doing to pressure Congress to do more.
I also asked Pete about Sen. John McCain, who is getting an unbelieveable amount of flack from prominent conservative commentators. Back in January Pete wrote an article for National Review titled, Praise Him: McCain deserves accolades, not attacks
John McCain helped prod this country to change policy — making him, ironically, the most important “change” candidate in this election.
You can support Vets for Freedom by visiting their website and you can make a donation here.
All of our interviews are also available for download at iTunes and Podcast Alley via the Pundit Review Radio Podcast.
What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station
Matt Burden, aka Blackfive, has posted a thoughtful and fair overview of the New York Times “War Torn” series about vets who return home and later commit murder. He also raises an important point about veterans care that we should all take to heart,
I, for one, believe the New York Times reporters were concerned about the vets. But I am also inclined to believe that they were pushing a stereotype, one that began with Viet Nam vets, and their stories fit their own mental narratives. Obviously, I cannot prove that. But it does ring true for anyone who’s experienced that kind of bias before - “Soldiers and Dogs Keep Off the Grass”.
In the end, I think we can all agree that war sucks, it affects everyone, and that our vets deserve all of the support that we can afford to give. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are NOT being addressed at the level that they need to be addressed. I don’t know anyone who believes that our veterans are being effectively treated. No. One.
This is a very complicated and expensive issue that deserves front line attention, I think everyone would agree with that. Can you think of any specific proposals from the candidates? How about this being a topic during a debate? If it has been, I missed it. The public should be demanding that this be taken up as a domestic policy priority.
Town Hall editor Rich Tucker has a column with a couple of ideas that strike me as worthy of consideration,
One way to do that is to enroll vets in the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program, the same system that civilian employees enjoy. FEHBP offers dozens of plans, from fee-for-service and health savings accounts to preferred provider organizations and health maintenance organizations. Vets could choose a plan that worked for them and their families, and would gain control over their health care.
Failing that, Washington could agree to give each veteran a set amount of money to buy health insurance. This would create a market, motivating companies to put together attractive packages to win new customers. Meanwhile, vets would become engaged partners in their health care, instead of being forced to wait on bureaucrats to serve them.
Coverage of Walter Reed is one thing. The real story is happening soldier by soldier in communities clustered around the country. It’s no secret. It’s happening all around us.
The length and ferocity of the Iraq War has overwhelmed the system and those who have sacrificed most are paying the price. To quote Bob Dole, “Where’s the outrage?”.
I think part of the answer lies in the fact that it is so shameful we don’t want to acknowledge its existence. Another reason is that so few are carrying the load for so many. About 1% of American families are military families.
The bottom line: the VA system is broken, the men and women in the military deserve the best care and we are not giving it to them. It’s about time that the public demands action from the political class.
He may have left the Red Sox for the Evil Empire (and missed out on another World Series win:)), but it turns out Johnny Damon isn’t all bad. In fact, as a human being, he’s pretty great.
Johnny Damon honored for work with wounded soldiers
NEW YORK - Johnny Damon was trembling as he stepped to the podium. He tried to steady himself, take a deep breath, find some way to choke back the tears.
It was no use.
The Yankees outfielder was overwhelmed by his introduction Sunday night at the 85th annual New York baseball writers’ dinner, where he was honored for his work with soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Wow. I’m not that emotional of a person,” Damon said after a standing ovation. “But for the freedom that we have, we all should pay more attention to people who go out there and fight for it.”
