Chapter 49
Newsletter, September, 2008
To get on our mailing list contact the Chapter at 914-682-4949
Click to see ways to reach
out to troops
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S
REPORT:
Our condolences go out to the family of our long time Chapter member,
Ted Buderman, who recently passed away.
On July 26th we were at the White Plains Stop&Shop collecting food
for the FDR food pantry. We did very well, we collected 25 grocery carts
full and $171.00 in cash. Thank you to Jim LaManna, AI Zawiski, and Bob
Miller for their help in this food drive. Still many people don't know
that the food pantry exists at Montrose.
Enclosed in this newsletter is a petition to the VA Secretary urging
him to adopt the veteran's village plan for the VA Hospital. Please sign
it and get as many signatures as you can. Also I wrote a petition on the
internet; type petitions.com/petition/saveourvahospital please sign this
one and send it to everyone in your address book.
Take care of yourselves and each other.
Dan Griffin
What is a veteran?
A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank
check
made payable to "the United States of America," for an amount of "up
to
and including my life." This is Honor, and there are way too many people
in
this Country who no longer understand it.
Author unknown
Hooray for Dennis Miller! He said recently on his show, regarding
the Judges who declared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional: "So,
your Honor, the Pledge is unconstitutional because it says under God. Guess
that means when you were sworn in with your hand on a Bible, and at the
end of your oath repeated, So help me God that makes your job unconstitutional,
therefore you have no job, which means your ruling doesn't mean s?
Special "Letter to the
Editor"
Letter to the Editor
I can not believe that
our military court martialed six reservists recently for collecting equipment
that they needed to complete their mission. They were charged with theft,
destruction of Army property and conspiracy to cover up the crimes. What
crimes! In the military you get the equipment you need no matter what-steal
it from the military or the Country you are fighting in. This is the way
it has always been. In fact in the past you were awarded for showing initiative
and courage. When I was in combat, after a fellow soldier was killed you
took his weapon and his ammo. Is that stealing? This is what happened,
they were ordered to march from Kuwait to Iraq. They did not have enough
vehicles to do the job. They had the good sense to take two tractors, and
two trailers left in Kuwait. A few weeks later they commandeered an abandoned
cargo truck and stripped it for parts. Their Commander looked the other
way, which in my opinion was the right thing to do. Well the Commander
Major Cathy Kaus, CWO Darrell Birt and four other members of their unit
were court?martialed. They got dishonorable discharges, lost their pensions,
lost all veterans benefits and can not vote! CWO Birt had 26 years in the
Army! They did not take anything for their own benefit. Please everyone,
call your Congressmen and Senators right now to reverse this outrages ness!
Dan Griffin
16 Quinby Ave
White Plains,
NY 10606
914?682?4949
ALL VETERANS CALL YOUR
CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS NOW
TELL THEM THAT YOU WANT
THE COURT?MARTIALS OF MAJ KAUS, CWO BIRT AND THE FOUR OTHER MEMBERS OF
THEIR UNIT REVERSED NOW!
SENATOR CLINTON
914?725?9294
SENATOR SCHUMER
212?486?4430
CONGRESSWOMAN LOWEY
914?428?1707
CONGRESSWOMAN KELLY
845?897?5200
THEIR CRIMES WERE STEALING!
What THEY DID WAS COLLECT EQUIPMENT THEY NEEDED FOR THEIR MISSION! They
got dishonorable discharges, lost their pensions, all veterans' benefits
and cannot vote!
CWO Birt had 26 years
in the Army.
Note from the Webmaster:
My dad was a Captain in the 504 Supply Bn, WWII. North Africa, Sicily,
Anzio and over the Rhine. Most of the time trying to keep up with Patton's
tanks! He told us many times of how difficult it was near the end to tell
what the hell a truck was originally, there was so much commandeered material
on it. From where? The side of the road wrecks (both US and German or Italian),
from civilian sources and cannibalized units of their own. This was not
an order he needed to issue, this was basic military common sense! Accomplish
the mission! Everything else comes second. Find a soldier worth his or
her salt and they probably have "re-appropriated" something during their
time.
Chuck.
VVA,ORG Sign up at megavote link for legislative emails
Rep John Hall
Rep Nita Lowey: nita-lowey@mail.house.gov
Sen Hillary Clinton: http://clinton.senate.gov 202-224-4451
Sen Charles Schumer: http://schumer.senate.gov 202-224-6542
Getting
help
For
information about PTSD or other veterans, issues:
Rockland
Veterans Service Agency, 845-638-5244
Westchester
Veterans Service Agency, 914-995-2146
VA
Outreach Center, White Plains, 914-682-6250
Trudy
O'Dell, Iraqi Freedom administrative coordinator, VA Hudson Valley Health
Care System, 845-831-2000, Ext. 5413
Veterans
Affairs Office, Spring Valley, 845-356-6070
Veterans
Affairs Office, Mount Vernon, 914-665-2319
Veterans
Affairs Office, Yonkers, 914-285-2149
Veterans
Affairs Office, Carmel, 845-225-2260
VA
Hospital, Montrose, 914-7374400
The Westchester County Veterans Service Agency has produced a
newsletter. They would like to send it out to all Veterans in the County.
If you want me to give them your address, call me or send an E-mail. I
think you would like this newsletter, it is very professional looking.
Also the first edition was about the "Trail of Honor". And the next one
is going to feature the Museum.
Dan
Internet sites list ways
to reach out to troops
Want to show your support for U.S. soldiers and their families as the war
in Iraq continues? The Bush administration has compiled an Internet-based
list to help you do so. The resources and suggestions, collectively called
"On the Homefront." include information on how to send e-mail, electronic
thank-you cards and care packages to deployed troops and how to contact
charity groups that offer assistance to military families.
Through "Operation Dear Abby" (http://anyservicemember.navy.mil) e-mail
can be sent to deployed troops of any service.
"Defend America" (http://www.defendamerica.mil/mnam.html) contains
a thank-you card to troops. The U.S. military set up both services.
Through "Operation USA Care Package" (http://www.usocares.org/home.htm),
donations are accepted for purchasing items requested by troops, such as
sunscreen, disposable cameras, prepaid calling cards and toiletries. That
is a project sponsored by the United Services Organization, a non-profit
group that supports the U.S. military, and America Online Inc.
Several civic organizations offer ways for volunteers to help local
military families with such things as household repairs, spring cleaning,
tutoring and child care. The groups include the American Legion, American
Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Benevolent & Protective
Order of Elks of the USA, National 4-H Council, The Salvation Army, the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the YMCA.
The Bush administration outline also suggests volunteering locally
to help by mentoring children, teaching someone to read or working in a
food shelter.
Find the "On the Homefront" options on the USA Freedom Corps Web site
(http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov). Or call 877 USA CORPS.