Veteran Issues Digest Number 1693

[admin]

1. canada, Atomic veterans launch suit From: Colonel Dan 2. Re: ** Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part Of Bonus Back ** From: Colonel Dan 3. VA has to stop withholding for some seperation pay From: Colonel Dan 4. Rep Tim Johnson, R-15th Dist voted for Veterans only 7 out of 15 vot From: Colonel Dan 5. Army is correcting this mistake... FW: Wounded being asked to retu From: Colonel Dan

Messages

1. canada, Atomic veterans launch suit

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:27 am (PST)


<http://www.canada. com/nationalpost /news/story. html?id=f2fc65ab -9673-45cf- a8
0d-38a702803a5d>
http://www.canada. com/nationalpost /news/story. html?id=f2fc65ab -9673-45cf- a80
d-38a702803a5d
Atomic veterans launch suit
1957 Nevada Test; 'We were sent there without knowing'

Jack Aubry
CanWest News Service, CANDA

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

OTTAWA - A group of veterans exposed to radiation during atomic weapons
tests in Nevada in 1957 will launch a class-action lawsuit against the
federal government after receiving word that they will be offered a
"pathetic" $24,000 each in compensation.

Jim Huntley, who is one of the surviving soldiers from the tests, told a
news conference on Parliament Hill yesterday that the group is being ignored
by Defence Minister Peter MacKay, with their phone calls no longer being
returned by officials in his office.

He said the widows of veterans who have died from radiation exposure should
be compensated $150,000 each.

"We were sent there without knowing," Mr. Huntley said.

"We can't be training aids or guinea pigs but that's what we were. They were
also trying to figure out how the soldier would react when that bomb went
off. Whether he'd go forward and fight or quit and go the other way.

"Now, I can't get a call from anybody for two or three weeks. I don't trust
them, I don't like them, they've lied to us and it just keeps going and
going. And I am tired of it, and frustrated, and I think lawyers will do a
better job than I have done."

He said the atomic veterans were told the government would announce the
package last month but that promise appears to have been scrapped after
Gordon O'Connor was shuffled out of the defence portfolio and replaced by
Mr. MacKay.

Mr. Huntley said the veterans, many of whom have had to deal with cancer and
other ailments since the tests, have been fighting for more than 20 years to
get the government to acknowledge that they were exposed to radiation during
atomic blasts.

He noted that the U.S. government decided in the 1980s to recognize the
plight of its veterans who took part in the tests, granting $75,000 payments
to veterans who have developed any of more than a dozen types of conditions,
mainly cancers.

"There are widows who have lost their husbands from these tests and it's not
right that they not only have received no compensation, but they haven't
even been recognized," said Mr. Huntley, 68, of Balzac, Alta.

A spokesman for the Canadian Atomic Veterans Association, he said he would
be contacting the group's lawyers as soon as he returned to Calgary.

A January, 2007, report, produced for Mr. O'Connor, found that the levels of
protection the men used were questionable during the tests and some
personnel were "exposed to radioactive contamination on the testing grounds
where they had to live, sometimes for months at a time."

Mr. Huntley said the government continues to ask the veterans to prove that
their illnesses are related to the atomic weapons tests they were exposed to
50 years ago.

C National Post 2007

2. Re: ** Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part Of Bonus Back **

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:14 pm (PST)

It appears so... am researching further
http://kdka. com/local/ military. signing.bonuses. 2.571660. html

_____

From: LRUSMC@aol.com [mailto:LRUSMC@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 9:23 AM
To: LRUSMC@aol.com
Subject: Re: ** Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part Of Bonus Back **

Can anyone confirm if this is true????? I haven't heard of this.

Leo

In a message dated 11/20/2007 11:31:49 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, writes:

Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part Of Bonus Back
Marty Griffin
PITTSBURGH (KDKA)

The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel
give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their
commitments.

To get people to sign up, the military gives enlistment bonuses up to
$30,000 in some cases.

Now men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, hearing and can no
longer serve are being ordered to pay some of that money back.

One of them is Jordan Fox, a young soldier from the South Hills.

He finds solace in the hundreds of boxes he loads onto a truck in Carnegie.
In each box is a care package that will be sent to a man or woman serving in
Iraq. It was in his name Operation Pittsburgh Pride was started.

Fox was seriously injured when a roadside bomb blew up his vehicle. He was
knocked unconscious. His back was injured and lost all vision in his right
eye.

A few months later Fox was sent home. His injuries prohibited him from
fulfilling three months of his commitment. A few days ago, he received a
letter from the military demanding nearly $3,000 of his signing bonus back.

"I tried to do my best and serve my country. I was unfortunately hurt in the
process. Now they're telling me they want their money back," he explained.

It's a slap for Fox's mother, Susan Wardezak, who met with President Bush in
Pittsburgh last May. He thanked her for starting Operation Pittsburgh Pride
which has sent approximately 4,000 care packages.

He then sent her a letter expressing his concern over her son's injuries, so
she cannot understand the U.S. Government's apparent lack of concern over
injuries to countless U.S. Soldiers and demands that they return their
bonuses.

While he's unsure of his future, Fox says he's unwavering in his commitment
to his country.

"I'd do it all over again... because I'm proud of the discipline that I
learned. I'm proud to have done something for my country," he said.

But Fox feels like he's already given enough. He'll never be able to pursue
his dream of being a police officer because of his wounds and he can't
believe he's being asked to return part of his $10,000 signing bonus.

KDKA contacted Congressman Jason Altmire on his behalf. He says he has
proposed a bill that would guarantee soldiers receive full benefit of
bonuses.

_____

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3. VA has to stop withholding for some seperation pay

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:37 pm (PST)

Way to go QL Richardson.. . like I always say, never give up... keepon'
keepin' on

The Winston-Salem VA acknowledged last week that it had erred in withholding
Richardson's disability benefit.

The VA had relied on a provision of federal law that requires veterans who
receive disability benefits to return previously received separation pay.
The agency overlooked a separate provision that stipulates that separation
pay should not be deducted from disability benefits if the separation pay
stems from a discharge for an earlier period of service and the disability
"is incurred or aggravated during a later period of active duty."

http://www.yesweekl y.com/main. asp?SectionID= 1
<http://www.yesweekl y.com/main. asp?SectionID= 1&SubSectionID= 1&ArticleID= 3049
> &SubSectionID= 1&ArticleID= 3049

_____

From: QL Richardson [mailto:qlrich@yahoo. com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 2:52 PM
To: colonel-dan@ sbcglobal. net; jim912@gmail. com; Jere Beery; Gene Simes
Subject: Fwd: Good Job Jordan...Thanks

For those of you that do not know me, I'm not one to quit. Secondly, as a
Disabled veteran "No" from the VA is unexecptable. I've battled for nearly
two years to deal with the Separations Pay issue. It's Done!!! I've got my
benefits, Not by listening to what couldn't be done but by doing what needed
to be done.

I found a group of people that explained to these clowns that if you
received a Separation Pay for an earlier persiod of service and DID NOT
apply for the benefits in that time frame - YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REPAY THE
VA!!! I have this in writting from the VA now. From this point on let's let
Vets know their rights. There were many that told me "that is the way it
is". NO IT AIN'T!!!

Thanks Jim Strickland for the information that helped me really stick the
Shock and Awe to the Cummy *#2&%**!!! Let's stay on these guys to do their
job - SERVE VETERANS!!!



_____

From: Richardson Entertainment [mailto:richardsonentertain ment@nycmail. com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 2:40 PM
To: director@gcap1. org
Subject: Good Job Jordan...Thanks

11/20/2007 10:22:00 AM
Disability payments held up for some Iraq vets

<mailto:jordan@yesweekly. com> Jordan Green
News editor




"The VA told me: 'Hey, you're screwed up because of the war,'" retired Army
Sgt. Quentin Richardson says. "I didn't come up with that. It should be
automatic. I don't think there should be any debate about whether or not you
should receive the benefits. I didn't debate serving." (photo by Daniel
Bayer)
Quentin Richardson saved the US government $750,000 when he implemented a
tracking system to eliminate inefficiencies in the distribution of supplies
to detainees at Camp Bucca in southern Iraq. While there, he sacrificed a
piece of his sanity when he helped quell a riot of detainees recently
relocated from Abu Ghraib, and afterwards carried some of their bodies to
the morgue.

In return, the US Department of Veterans Affairs at first insisted that the
former National Guard Army sergeant return $17,000 in separation pay
received from earlier military service in the Marine Corps before he
received disability benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder.

"My life is a nightmare," said the 45-year-old Greensboro veteran, who has
not been able to find employment since he returned from Iraq in October
2005. "I was treated better in Iraq than here. I start my day by going to
the cabinet to get medication, and I've never been on antidepressants
before."

Richardson reenlisted with the National Guard in November 2001, almost a
decade after receiving an honorable discharge following the fulfillment of
his commitment to the Marine Corps. He deployed as a detainee supply
sergeant with the 105th Military Police Battalion in October 2004 to Camp
Bucca at Umm Qasr, a port city near the border of Kuwait.

"I decided after 9-11 that I should serve," Richardson said. "I honestly
would not have done that if I knew I would have to repay that separation
pay, if I knew the battle that I would have to fight with the VA. I left one
battleground to return to another."

National advocates say they are seeing a rising number of cases involving
Iraq war veterans who incur PTSD and other disabilities after reenlisting,
only to find they are unable to receive immediate benefits until they return
separation pay.

"This is becoming a widespread problem and the American Legion is concerned
because we want to make sure these veterans and service members receive the
benefits to which they're entitled," said Peter Gaytan, director of the
American Legion's veterans affairs and rehabilitation division. "It's often
an extreme hardship for these service members to have to repay prior
benefits."

Gaytan said the emergence of complaints by disabled veterans who find their
benefits held up because of prior separation pay is so recent that his
organization is still struggling to get a handle on how widespread the
problem might be.

Coinciding with the increased attention focused on bureaucratic frustration
experienced by disabled veterans who have recently returned from combat
zones, a new study finds that National Guard members and Army reservists
report higher rates of mental health problems than their active-duty
counterparts. The study by Army researchers, which was published by the
Journal of the American Medical Association three days after Veterans Day,
found that difficulties with interpersonal conflict, depression and PTSD
increased sharply for all soldiers between the time of their immediate
redeployment and later screenings several months into their return to
civilian life, with Guard members and reservists reporting consistently
higher rates of post-combat difficulties.

"Although rates of PTSD and depression increased substantially between the
two assessments, the fourfold increase in concerns about interpersonal
conflict highlights the potential impact of this war on family relationships
and mirrors findings from prior wars," the study found. The authors wrote
that "lack of day-to-day support from war comrades and the added stress of
transitioning back to civilian employment" is a unique factor that
potentially explains the Guard member and reservists' higher rates of mental
health challenges.

Compounding the problem for returning soldiers is a backlog of disability
claims at the VA.

"It is an inordinate amount of time that the VA takes to process claims,"
said William Bradshaw, national service director for Veterans of Foreign
Wars. "We are saying that they have a backlog of 800,000 claims. The VA says
they have 600,000 claims backlogged. We count appeals and education claims.
That's a huge amount of claims that are backlogged."

In Richardson's case, the VA's Winston-Salem regional office informed him in
August that he rated as 50 percent disabled as a result of PTSD stemming
from the Camp Bucca detainee riot. He was told he would not receive his
first disability payment until December 2008 because of the government's
recoupment of his separation pay. As explanation for the VA's decision to
withhold benefits, the letter stated, "If you are in receipt of separation
pay received before October 1, 1996, VA will withhold all the amount the
military paid you. After this amount is paid back, you'll start receiving
your full VA compensation. "

The Winston-Salem VA acknowledged last week that it had erred in withholding
Richardson's disability benefit.

The VA had relied on a provision of federal law that requires veterans who
receive disability benefits to return previously received separation pay.
The agency overlooked a separate provision that stipulates that separation
pay should not be deducted from disability benefits if the separation pay
stems from a discharge for an earlier period of service and the disability
"is incurred or aggravated during a later period of active duty."

Spokesman Vince Hancock said the VA was redoing Richardson's award and he
would likely receive a retroactive payment within 10 days. Hancock said the
Winston-Salem VA has a 94 percent accuracy rate, adding that his office
would hold a training to remind employees of the provision allowing veterans
to receive both separation pay and disability benefits when the payments
stem from separate periods of military service.

"I asked, 'Was anybody asleep at the switch?'" Hancock said. "It's not that.
We haven't seen a lot of this before. Now, with the global war on terrorism,
we are seeing this more often.... It's not unusual that someone would
complete a term of service and join the Guard, but prior to the war on
terrorism we would often see them perform their reserve duty without being
redeployed. Now we're seeing more veterans like Mr. Richardson who reenlist
and actually serve in combat."

Danny McDonald, a veteran employment consultant at the NC Employment
Security Commission's Greensboro office, said he sees five to 20 veterans a
day, about half of whom complain about their benefits being delayed by the
VA.

"I really think that it's not fair that you have to wait for your monies
after you've put your time in," said McDonald, who is himself a disabled
veteran. "When you're in the military, they say, 'Let's get it done, hurry
up.' When it comes to us, when we get out they're not hurrying up to give us
our benefits.

"I see a lot of stress, whole lot of stress, loneliness, no one to talk to,
quick to answer, shy away from a lot of people," McDonald added, "because
they're afraid they wouldn't understand."

Richardson said it's hard for him to imagine being employed now; his VA
examiner in Winston-Salem noted in July that his PTSD diagnosis indicated
that his reliability and productivity were likely reduced and his social
functioning moderately impaired. What frightens Richardson the most is his
mood swings.

"My wife has tried to understand," he said. "She's gone to counseling
sessions. Since the PTSD started she's gone to the vet center. She doesn't
like the change in attitude. Sometimes I can catch it. Sometimes I'm just
angry. I've changed. I don't sleep anymore. I sleep three or four hours a
day [to compensate]. My wife has asked that we resume counseling."

Richardson's service record in Iraq gives the impression of a hard-working
and conscientious solider respected by his troops. Today, the soft-voiced
veteran presents an image of a meeker version of that. Richardson pursues
photography as a hobby, volunteers as a classic-rock DJ at the Guilford
College campus radio station, and keeps busy with various projects at the
apartment he shares with his wife, who supports the couple on her salary as
executive director of the Guilford Community AIDS Partnership.

A narrative for a recommendation for the Bronze Star award describes how
Sgt. Richardson coordinated supply operations of consumable and durable
goods for a detainee population that expanded from 2,400 to 6,400 in an
operation that figured $5.5 million at Camp Bucca. He worked with US
contractor Kellogg, Brown and Root and Iraqi vendors.

Richardson's team discovered a circus tent containing more than 2,000
unsecured mattresses at the camp. In addition to stationing a security
detail around the mattresses, Richardson assigned his team to unpack them
and catalog them. Later, he established an accounting system to track
supplies issued to detainees, eliminating the need to rely on the say-so of
detainee leaders to gauge the volume of reorders. The Army determined that
Richardson's action saved the government $750,000 per year.

The colonel in Baghdad responsible for approving the Bronze Star turned
Richardson down for the award, instead issuing him an Army commendation
medal.

"Sergeant Richardson is a fine leader respected by his soldiers; he set the
example by working hard for long hours with his troops," the narrative
states. "He knows his operation and is by far the most knowledgeable person
at Camp Bucca in regards to the specific details in managing a Theater
Internment Facility supply operation. His actions are in keeping with the
finest traditions of military service and reflect distinct credit upon
himself, this command and the United States Army."

Following their transfer from Abu Ghraib, detainees - many of them
insurgents - revolted at Camp Bucca in January 2005. They set fires, hurled
Molotov cocktails and shielded themselves behind mattresses as the US
military tried to quell the riot using non-lethal force. When that failed,
the soldiers opened fire on the detainees.

"Some detainees lost their lives that day," Richardson said, "I was involved
in quelling the riot and I was the person responsible for taking their
bodies to the morgue."

Richardson's letter from the Winston-Salem VA confirms Richardson's
involvement in putting down the Camp Bucca riot as the combat stressor that
likely triggered his PTSD.

"You reported to the examiner that you have been unemployed since leaving
the military as you have been unable to obtain a job," the letter states.
"You reported panicking during the interview for unknown reasons. You
indicated that you have decreased outside social activities, interacting
mostly with your wife and child and on occasion outside family or friends."

That Richardson has witnessed death in the combat zone and subsequently
received a diagnosis for PTSD hardly makes him unique. The Journal of the
American Medical Association study found that more than half of all soldiers
who have served in Iraq have witnessed someone being wounded and killed and
have themselves felt in danger of being killed. The study found that 40.7
percent of National Guard and Reserve soldiers - twice the rate of their
active-duty counterparts - who had been back from Iraq for three to six
months had received referrals for mental health concerns or were already
under care.

Richardson's VA letter notes that he has experienced ongoing nightmares,
flashbacks, exaggerated responses to trauma stimuli, difficulty sleeping at
night and concentrating during the daytime, hyper-vigilance and
irritability.

"I don't know what went wrong with this war," Richardson said. "I talked to
World War II vets yesterday, and they said, 'We had education benefits, we
started businesses.' I don't understand it. We don't take care of our
veterans anymore."

Richardson is studying political science at Guilford College, and he intends
to apply his education to advocacy for returning soldiers who, like him,
have run up against hurdles in trying to obtain benefits from the
government.

"I'm going to galvanize other veterans," he said. "We're not going to vote
for anybody that is not in our interest. I tell young soldiers: 'Vote in '08
because that vote could be a matter of life or death. If we're going to
spend upwards of a trillion dollars on this war, then let's spare no cost in
taking care of the soldiers."

To comment on this story, e-mail Jordan Green at jordan@yesweekly. com.


4. Rep Tim Johnson, R-15th Dist voted for Veterans only 7 out of 15 vot

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:21 pm (PST)

I got a flyer last week from our congressman telling me how much he has done
to help
veterans.

According to the DAV web site, our congressman, Rep Tim Johnson, IL R-15th
Dist
has voted to support various veteran bills only 7 out of 15 votes.. less
than 50%, in recorded votes.
My IL Senator's Durbin & Obama, showed just below 100% support of veteran
bills

go to this web site and plug in your zip code to find out how your congress
voted
http://capwiz. com/dav/keyvotes .xc/?lvl= C


http://capwiz. com/dav/official s/congress/ ?lvl=C
<http://capwiz. com/dav/official s/congress/ ?lvl=C&only_ votes=1&azip= 61821&x=1
7&y=10> &only_votes= 1&azip=61821& x=17&y=10

House Votes <http://capwiz. com/dav/bio/ ?id=3216& lvl=C> Johnson (R)

voted score
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 520&chamber= H&congress= 1092>
Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program Extension
11/14/2006 Y <http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingcheck_ sm.gif>

Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 321&chamber= H&congress= 1092>
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2006 06/28/2006 Y
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingcheck_ sm.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 177&chamber= H&congress= 1092>
Veterans Benefits Improvement Act 05/22/2006 Y
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingcheck_ sm.gif>
Failed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 144&chamber= H&congress= 1092>
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 On Motion to
Recommit with Instructions 05/11/2006 N
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingx_ sm.gif>
Failed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 224&chamber= H&congress= 1091>
Melancon of Louisiana Amendment; Military Quality of Life and VA
Appropriations, FY2006 05/26/2005 N
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingx_ sm.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 88&chamber= H&congress= 1091>
Congressional Budget for FY 2006 03/17/2005 N
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingcheck_ sm.gif>
Failed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 87&chamber= H&congress= 1091>
Spratt of South Carolina Substitute Amendment; Congressional Budget for FY
2006 03/17/2005 N <http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingx_ sm.gif>

Failed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 82&chamber= H&congress= 1091>
Obey of Wisconsin Amendment; Congressional Budget for FY 2006 03/17/2005
N <http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingx_ sm.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 71&chamber= H&congress= 1091>
Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2005, and for other purposes 03/15/2005 Y
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingx_ sm.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 92&chamber= H&congress= 1082>
Congressional Budget for the U.S. Government for FY 2005 03/25/2004 Y
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingx_ sm.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 456&chamber= H&congress= 1081>
VA/HUD Appropriations 07/25/2003 N
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingcheck_ sm.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 450&chamber= H&congress= 1081>
Providing for the Consideration of H.R. 2861, Departments of Veterans
Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Indepenent Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2004 07/25/2003 Y
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingx_ sm.gif>
Failed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 473&chamber= H&congress= 1072>
Motion to Recommit the Joint Resolution to the House Appropriations
Committee 11/13/2002 N
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingx_ sm.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 64&chamber= H&congress= 1071>
Veterans Hospital Emergency Repair Act 03/27/2001 Y
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingcheck_ sm.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 63&chamber= H&congress= 1071>
Veterans Opportunities Act 03/27/2001 Y
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/ratingcheck_ sm.gif>
Failed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 189&chamber= H&congress= 1062>
Comprehensive Budget Process Reform Act 05/16/2000
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/rating_ star_sm.gif>
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/rating_ not_scored_ I.gif>
Failed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 191&chamber= H&congress= 1052>
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century 05/22/1998
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/rating_ star_sm.gif>
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/rating_ not_scored_ I.gif>
Passed
<http://capwiz. com/dav/issues/ votes/?votenum= 174&chamber= H&congress= 1052>
BESTEA--Motion to Instruct Conferees 05/20/1998
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/rating_ star_sm.gif>
<http://images. capwiz.com/ img/rating_ not_scored_ I.gif>

Votes Legend <http://images. capwiz.com/ img/legend_ votescore. gif>

Understanding DAV's "Key Votes"
Very few veterans' bills come up for a roll call vote. Most votes on
veterans' issues are "voice" votes-that is, there is no record of how each
elected official voted.

The votes listed under the "Key Votes" section of the DAV web site are
recorded roll call votes. They are related to important issues, such as:

* Budget

* Appropriations

* Amendments to increase funding

* Emergency supplemental funding for VA

In most cases, with recorded votes, we have notified members of Congress of
what our position is, how we wanted them to vote, and why.

It is possible that elected officials supported other veteran-related issues
that have not been recorded on our site. Our site is not a comprehensive
voting record.

DAV is a non-partisan organization. It is not our intent to be political or
to endorse or oppose any candidate for public office by posting these votes;
simply to report the facts-how they voted on issues important to us and our
members, and that, in most cases, we have made our interest known.

Within the "Key Votes" section of the web site, there are two major
features, the actual votes, and the "Federal Vote Scorecard."

The first feature, the list of actual votes, can be accessed in the by
clicking on this link: <http://capwiz. com/dav/keyvotes .xc/?lvl= C>
http://capwiz. com/dav/keyvotes .xc/?lvl= C or by following these steps:

* Go to <http://www.dav. org/> Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Home Page

* Click on Legislative Action Center

* Click on "Issues"

* Click on "Key Votes"

* Enter your zip code

5. Army is correcting this mistake... FW: Wounded being asked to retu

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:37 pm (PST)

having any difficulty with their bonuses are asked to call: 1-800-984-8523.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ney, Gerald A CIV [mailto:gerald.ney@navy. mil]
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 2:50 PM

-----Original Message-----
From: LTCPJAyres@aol. com [mailto:LTCPJAyres@aol. com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 8:30
Subject: RE: Military Bonuses..... .......

It was reported on FOX News last night, that the Government was asking
soldiers that were hurt in Iraq who had received a bonus to enlist and had
not completed their time, must return the unused portion of their bonus.

It just shows the power of news agencies who have the guts or desire to help
our soldiers. This morning FOX was told that this request was a mistake and
that any one receiving similar requests, or having any difficulty with their
bonuses are asked to call: 1-800-984-8523.

So if you know of anyone in this position, please share this phone number
with them........ ......... ......... ......YFFL, Paul

also see:

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
----
From: Larry Scott [mailto:lscott7224@gmail. com] VA watchdog
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 2:02 PM
To: Colonel Dan
Subject: Re: FW: ** Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part Of Bonus Back **

Brigadier General Michael Tucker, deputy commanding general of Walter Reed,
appeared on Fox News to discuss the controversy. He acknowledged that this
has happened, but assured the audience that it was a mistake that wouldn't
happen again.

-----Original Message-----
From: VeteranIssues@ yahoogroups. com
[mailto:VeteranIssues@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Colonel Dan
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 14:49
Subject: RE: ** Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part Of Bonus Back **

It appears so... am researching further
<http://kdka. com/local/ military. signing.bonuses. 2.571660. html>


"Keep on, Keepin' on"
Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"
See my web site at:
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