Top 10 Veterans News from Around the Country 7-14-09
July 14, 2009 by John Allen · 3 Comments
What’s Inside Today’s Local News for Veterans
1. Spokane Welcomes Wheelchair Athletes.
2. Many Schools Participating In Yellow Ribbon Program.
3. Shinseki Helps Highlight Administration’s Clean Energy Efforts.
4. Shinseki To Participate In Conference Examining Future Of Hawaii.
5. VA Researchers Link PTSD To Higher Risk Of Dementia In Old Age.
6. Iraq Vet Suffering From TBI Denied Purple Heart.
7. VA Expanding In-State Care For New Hampshire Vets.
8. Scientist At Palo Alto VA Wins Presidential Award.
9. Teenager Uses Music To Connect With VA Patients.
10. El Paso, Texas, Working On Establishing Veterans Court Program.
1. Spokane Welcomes Wheelchair Athletes. In continuing coverage, the Spokane (WA) Spokesman-Review (7/14, Boggs) says the city of Spokane has taken a number of steps, including measuring the aisles of local shops "to make sure they" are "wide enough for customers in wheelchairs," to "welcome 620 athletes, arriving with their families and coaches, from most states, Puerto Rico and Great Britain for the 29th National Veterans Wheelchair Games," the "world’s largest annual wheelchair sporting event," which began Monday "at the Spokane Convention Center." The Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center "has been preparing" for the games, which are "presented by the Paralyzed Veterans of America" and the US VA, for two years, and has "recruited 2,700 volunteers to help with 17 different events ranging over five days." The Spokesman-Review adds, "Spokane is on track to shatter athlete attendance records with more than 620 registered, said Matthew Allen, a spokesman" for the hospital. The Seattle Times (7/14, 197K) publishes a similar story.
At Kickoff Ceremony, Shinseki Says Games Are "All About Heart." Meanwhile, in a separate story, the Spokane Spokesman-Review (7/14, Camden, 92K) reports, "The National Veterans Wheelchair Games are not about athletes with disabilities, the head" of the US VA "said Monday. ‘The games are all about heart,’ VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said at the games’ kickoff ceremony," adding, "There are no disabilities in these games. It’s about living life differently." KXLY-TV Spokane, WA (7/13, 11:00 p.m. PT), KAYU-TV Spokane, WA (7/13, 10:08 p.m. PT), KING-TV Seattle, WA (7/13, 6:39 p.m. PT), KREM-TV Spokane, WA (7/13, 6:23 p.m. PT), KHQ-TV Spokane, WA (7/13, 6:02 p.m. PT), and NWT-TV Seattle, WA (7/13, 2:23 p.m. PT) aired similar reports.
Participants Echo Shinseki’s Comments. On its blog, after noting that 52-year-old "Batavia resident Mark Blanch is competing" in the games, New York’s The Batavian (7/13, Owens) quoted Blanch, who said he and other games competitors are "like competing and every one of us feel that we’re not disabled."
The Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle (7/13, Ramirez), which offered the same quotes from Blanch, noted that the veteran "is in his first year of competing," but 45-year-old "Terence Travers of Webster will make his second appearance in the wheelchair games this week," after competing "in the 2006 games in Alaska," where he captured "three medals. ‘I was once an athlete and that’s why I do these things,’ Travers said. ‘I refuse to be an ex-athlete.’" But, the Democrat & Chronicle added, "there’s also a deeper reason for Travers, who has multiple sclerosis, to compete – his 9-year-old son, Jon. ‘There is nothing better than competing in front of your son and showing this illness is not going to get the best of me,’ Travers said."
The Erie (PA) Times-News (7/13) said 57-year-old "Gary Orlando of Erie will be among hundreds of military veteran wheelchair athletes taking part" in the games, the 10th time one for Orlando, who said, "I have met some of my best friends at the Wheelchair Games." He added, "I want to show the public what my abilities are, even though I am in a wheelchair. I also hope to inspire first-timers by showing them what is possible. The medals are great, but watching a newly injured hero win brings me more joy. The camaraderie and friendships are my gold medals."
2. Many Schools Participating In Yellow Ribbon Program. On its website, KARK-TV Little Rock, AR (7/13) reported, "Thirteen colleges, universities and schools across Arkansas have entered into Yellow Ribbon Program agreements with the Department of Veterans Affairs…to improve financial aid for veterans participating in the Post-9/11 GI Bill program," which according to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, is "an important part of fulfilling our promise to the men and women who have served our country so honorably. Implementing this landmark legislation and providing even more veterans with a quality education is a top priority for the VA, and we are grateful so many schools are joining us as partners in this unprecedented effort." KARK added, "Over 3,400 agreements were received from the 1,100 schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program. ‘This is a strong response to a new benefit,’ said Keith Wilson, Director of VA’s Education Service."
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (7/14, Cronin, 154K) reports, "Qualifying veterans will be able to attend 89 Pennsylvania colleges, universities and education centers tuition-free beginning in 2009-10, White House officials announced Monday." The Federal Yellow Ribbon Program "augments a GI Bill that Congress passed last year by covering for any veteran the additional cost of a private or graduate school. It expands free tuition at public schools to out-of-state veterans." The Tribune-Review notes that in a statement, Shinseki said, "Implementing this landmark legislation and providing even more veterans with a quality education is a top priority for the VA."
The WAVY-TV Norfolk, VA (7/13) website, which said 56 "colleges, universities and schools across Virginia have entered into Yellow Ribbon Program agreements" with the VA, said the program "funds tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. Institutions can contribute up to 50 percent of those expenses, and VA will match this additional funding for eligible students." The Richmond Times-Dispatch (7/14, Kapsidelis, 167K) publishes a similar story, as did the WHSV-TV Harrisonburg, VA (7/13) website, which said 32 schools "in West Virginia have" also "entered into Yellow Ribbon Program agreements" with the VA. The agreements with West Virginia schools were also noted in a report aired by WVVA-TV Bluefield, WV (7/13, 11:04 p.m. ET).
The Fort Myers (FL) News-Press (7/14) reports, "Sixty-two colleges, universities and schools across Florida have entered into Yellow Ribbon Program agreements" with the VA, "the White House Media Affairs Office announced" Monday. The WJHG-TV Panama City, FL (7/13) website published a similar story, as does the Bradenton (FL) Herald (7/14, Kennedy) and the Lehigh Acres (FL) Citizen (7/14), which notes, "In Southwest Florida, only three colleges are listed among the 62. They include Rasmussen College, Ave Maria University at Ave Maria near Naples, and the Heritage Institute in Fort Myers."
The Tampa Tribune (7/14, Jackovics, 189K) reports, "Veterans eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill can attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at little or no cost under a program scheduled to begin in the 2009-10 academic year, school officials said. A tuition package scheduled to take effect" on August 1st "at the private, nonprofit university includes a combination of benefits under the new GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon scholarships. The university will provide 50 percent of any tuition and fee charges not
covered by the GI Bill," while the VA "will pay the other half."
The AP (7/14) reports, "Nearly 50 colleges and universities in Georgia have signed" on to a VA "program to improve financial aid for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The 45 campuses include Georgia Tech and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Mercer University in Macon and Savannah College of Art and Design." The schools "have agreed to pay up to half of the tuition, housing and textbook expenses for veterans who sign up under the Yellow Ribbon Program. The program is part of the new GI Bill passed last year, offering veterans the most significant expansion of educational benefits since the original GI Bill in 1944." The AP adds that the VA "expects nearly half a million veterans to participate in the coming year."
The KLTV-TV Tyler, TX (7/13) website, meanwhile, said "48 colleges, universities and schools across Texas have entered into Yellow Ribbon Program agreements" with the VA. The program "is reserved for those Veterans eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill at the 100 percent benefit level. This includes those who served at least 36 months on active duty or served at least 30 continuous days and were discharged due to a service-related injury."
The AP (7/14) reports the VA "has announced that 63" colleges, "universities and other schools across Illinois will offer improved financial aid for veterans." In a "news release Monday," the VA "said…that the learning institutions would" participate "in its Yellow Ribbon Program, benefiting veterans who participate in the Post-9/11 GI Bill program."
The Ogden (UT) Standard-Examiner (7/14) reports, "Sixteen colleges, universities and schools across Utah have entered into Yellow Ribbon Program agreements" with VA, while the KALB-TV Alexandria, VA (7/13) noted that 11 "colleges, universities and schools across Louisiana have entered into" such agreements, and the Honolulu Advertiser (7/14, 135K) says 8 "colleges, universities and schools across Hawaii have" done so.
KTSP-TV Minneapolis, MN (7/13, 6:46 p.m. CT) broadcast, "More than 40 Minnesota colleges and universities are teaming up to help veterans earn their degrees; 46 schools are now enrolled in the Yellow Ribbon Program," while KNDO-TV Yakima, WA (7/13, 6:07 p.m. PT) broadcast that "31 schools are partnering" with the VA on the program.
3. Shinseki Helps Highlight Administration’s Clean Energy Efforts. In a Las Vegas Sun (7/13, 41K) op-ed, Van Jones, "the special adviser for green jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality," wrote, "Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Obama administration is investing $80 billion to support clean energy solutions. This is the largest single investment in clean energy in American history," and recently, "top administration officials highlighted some of the incredible work their agencies are doing to retrofit America." For example, after "noting the large amounts of energy used by hospitals, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki announced that his department will direct hundreds of millions of dollars to investments in clean energy generation and energy conservation. That money will go to renewable sources," as "well as to retrofitting existing buildings to use energy and water more efficiently."
4. Shinseki To Participate In Conference Examining Future Of Hawaii. The Honolulu Advertiser (7/13, Tsai, 135K) said, "While some have called for fireworks and parades and others for solemn marches or fiery protests, the official end of the state’s yearlong commemoration of the 50th anniversary of statehood will instead be marked with in-depth discussions on where" Hawaii is "headed over the next half-century," during a "one-day conference scheduled for Aug. 21" at the Hawaii Convention Center. The Advertiser noted that during the conference, discussions "will…take place in breakout workshops, including ‘Military Partnerships: Part of Our ‘Ohana,’ which will include" US Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, a "former Army chief of staff."
5. VA Researchers Link PTSD To Higher Risk Of Dementia In Old Age. In continuing coverage, the Oregonian (7/13, Dworkin, 291K) said US military veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) "are much more likely to grow demented in old age than vets who did not have that psychiatric diagnosis," US scientists recently "announced…at an international Alzheimer’s conference." Scientists at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center "used electronic medical records from the VA’s National Patient Care Database to track more than 53,000 vets with PTSD from 2001 through 2007. They compared that group with nearly 128,000 veterans not diagnosed with PTSD," and found "10.6 percent of the vets with PTSD had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, compared to just 6.6 percent of the vets without PTSD. What causes the link between PTSD and dementia isn’t clear now, but it is a pressing question" because veterans "of Korea and Vietnam are reaching ages where dementia develops" and "some studies suggest 20 percent of today’s military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan may develop PTSD." The Los Angeles Times‘ (7/13, Chong) "Booster Shots" blog also took note of this research.
6. Iraq Vet Suffering From TBI Denied Purple Heart. The St. Petersburg (FL) Times (7/13, Levesque) noted that the US Army "refuses to award…a Purple Heart" to Iraq veteran Ernie Rivera "for harm to his brain and other less serious injuries he suffered when he was blasted by a roadside bomb and then by a second explosion in a fight with insurgents." One "problem the Army cites to Rivera: Like many soldiers" with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), "he exhibited the most severe symptoms weeks after the blast and wasn’t treated for any of his injuries immediately." Rivera however, "said he tried to ignore headaches and his increasing malaise for weeks after the explosion, typical behavior in the Army’s macho culture. ‘I’m being punished for toughing it out,’ said Rivera, 39, a father of two who was treated" at the James A. Haley Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s "polytrauma unit in Tampa." The Times adds, "The Army also told Rivera it rejected the Purple Heart because brain scans months after his deployment revealed no hint of TBI. But Dr. Steven Scott, director of Haley’s polytrauma unit, told the Times that TBI often eludes brain scans."
7. VA Expanding In-State Care For New Hampshire Vets. The New Hampshire Union Leader (7/14, Grossmith) reports, "New Hampshire’s veterans will receive acute inpatient hospital care without having to travel to Vermont or Massachusetts, the Department of Veterans Affairs…announced" Monday. The VA "has entered into a contract with Concord Hospital to provide acute care for more than 100,000 veterans living in the state." In a press release, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said the agreement "significantly improves access to acute care for the Veterans residing in New Hampshire." The Union Leader notes that US Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) "was meeting with a group of veterans in her Manchester office when she received a call from the VA informing her of the expanded medical care. ‘We just broke into applause,’ she said. ‘This really is monumental.’" However, the lawmaker also "said more needs to be done, especially for veterans living in the North Country who still have a long way to travel to receive medical treatment." NECN-TV Boston, MA (7/13, 10:18 p.m. ET) and WMUR-TV Boston, MA (7/13, 5:32 p.m. ET) aired similar reports.
The Concord (NH) Monitor (7/14, Hanna) reports US Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Shea-Porter, "who had introduced legislation in the Senate and House requiring the VA provide veterans in 48 states access to a full-service VA hospital or comparable care, both released statements applauding" the VA’s announcement. The Monitor adds, "Veterans who receive care from Concord Hospital will be referred back to local VA medical centers after their treatment is completed, and the VA will coordinate those transitions through staff in Concord." The AP (7/14) also covers this story.
8. Scientist At Palo Alto VA Wins Presidential Award. The San Jose (CA) Mercury News (7/14, Oremus) reports Alex Sox-Harris, a "Palo Alto resident and scientist at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System," has "earned the country’s highest honor for early-career researchers, President Obama announced Monday. Along with researchers from nine other" Federal agencies, Sox-Harris "will appear at the White House this fall to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers." Sox-Harris, "one of 100 researchers across the country to win the 2008 award," is "being recognized for his work on how to measure the success of mental health and substance abuse treatment programs."
9. Teenager Uses Music To Connect With VA Patients. The Los Angeles Times (7/14, Kelly, 797K) reports, "Since he began playing violin" at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Affairs Medical Center "in Loma Linda last February," 17-year-old Alexander Knecht "has grown used to the strokes, dementia and crippling disease afflicting so many" at the facility, as he "wanders the halls, dipping in and out of rooms, regaling veterans with solo selections from Mozart, Bach and, occasionally, the Charlie Daniels Band. With those who can’t speak, he’s learned to read the small signs of awareness: a faint smile, a finger tapping." But signs "or no signs," Knecht is "convinced that his music can free them, if briefly, from the prisons of their own bodies and minds." The Times adds, "Knecht isn’t the VA’s only volunteer — there are escorts, greeters and therapy dogs — but he is the sole violinist," and he "plans to continue playing at the hospital" after he begins attending college.
10. El Paso, Texas, Working On Establishing Veterans Court Program. On its website, KFOX-TV El Paso, TX (7/13, Marshall) reported, "A program that could help veterans accused of crimes stay out of jail may be heading to El Paso. El Paso Veterans Affairs spokeswoman Susan Fleming said Veterans Affairs is working with El Paso Judge Robert Anchondo of County Criminal Court 2" on such a program, which "will provide support and rehabilitation to veterans accused of nonviolent crimes and in some cases help the veterans avoid jail time. The details of the plan are still being discussed, but Fleming said the plan has been under way for about a year now." KFOX added, "Veterans court programs are becoming more common around the country. So far, there are several veterans court programs in California, Alaska, New York and Illinois." The VA, meanwhile, "said there are 30 other communities around the country trying to get these programs."
Sheneki should put all his energy, into all the wasted energy The Veterans Administration has , and get these claims cleaned up. He is no better than all the previous secretary’s.
I still agree with McCain when he wanted to issue medical cards instead of going to a bunch of immigrants and, American personal who doesn’t give a shit about our veterans.
I agree with John Locke assessment of Sheneki. Get the claims cleaned up and award the deserving Veterans who are in Limbo waiting. We are living in “Perilous Times” with unemployment running rapid! Many Veterans who’s claim has been in the VA’s “Red Tape” system for a year are more have fallen into dire straights, financially, mentally and medically and are at the mercy of the very organization established to serve them. Get the priorities straight for all Veterans.
UNYIELDING HONOR WORLD WAR III
Washington
March 16, 2007
Ms. Lillian Cauldwell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Passionate Internet Voices Radio
Ann Arbor Michigan
Dear Lillian:
Number 41 passed on the CDs from Tom Zart. Thank you for thinking of me. I am thankful for your efforts to honor our brave military personnel and their families. America owes these courageous men and women a debt of gratitude, and I am honored to be the commander in chief of the greatest force for freedom in the history of the world.
Best Wishes.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
WHERE ARE THE SOLDIERS
Where are the soldiers who march in line?
Where are the soldiers every color and kind?
Where are the soldiers who made their moms cry?
Where are the pilots who face death in the sky?
Where are the soldiers born brave of heart?
Where are the girls and boys that part?
Serving our country with their future on the line
Battling the enemies of freedom of mind.
All of us are soldiers with missions of our own
We do what we do as history is sown.
Support our troops who we love and adore
Support our troops with prayers, letters and more.
Where are the soldiers so far, far away?
How many will perish no one can say.
Where are the soldiers we love night and day?
Deployed world over to keep evil at bay.
THEY SERVE TO PRESERVE
They serve to preserve our forefathers dreams,
Prayers, visions and determination.
Risking all in pursuit of fulfillment of duty
To God, freedom, faith, honor and nation.
Despite dismemberment, death and loneliness
Patriots enlist to safeguard our flag.
With honor, faith, purpose and courage
They battle the sadistic that brag.
Throughout man’s past as a creature of earth
War has always plagued his expectance.
Greed, hate, fear, envy and rage
Have overruled rapture and repentance.
David was a soldier who lived by his faith
Which gave him the will to become brave.
He stood up to terror and toppled the giant
Leaving Goliath headless and alone in his grave.
David’s call thrives in hearts of soldiers today
Shielding liberty from the warmongers of hell.
Facing down evil refusing to summit
Ensuring freedom and justice are alive and well.
THE STONING OF WOMEN
There are those who still stone women
And we all know who they are.
They live in a world cursed by God
Where they murder mislead and scar.
They need no proof to denounce their wives
Of adultery, betrayal and worthlessness.
They hate all religions except their own
As they promote fear, death and hopelessness.
Never turn a blind eye toward wickedness
Instead support its defeat and demise.
Hearts consumed by the shadows of malice
Are terrified of the righteous and the wise.
The stoning of women is a performance from hell
And any country that allows it, will fail.
All men heed to the whispers of their soul
May goodness, and compassion take heed and prevail.
UNYIELDING HONOR WORLD WAR III
Weakness invites moral plight, war and aggression
Encouraged by mistrust, misjudgment and delay.
All we love can be destroyed and transformed
By the powers of darkness maneuvering our way.
When something wicked stares us in the face
To corrupt our morals, faith and resolve.
God gives us courage to defend what’s right
No matter the sacrifice or danger involved.
Evil seeks to destroy the good in man
And silence the memory of God’s law.
It’s up to the faithful to stay unyielding
Defending the liberty and justice of all.
Our men and woman who serve in harm’s way
Are the armor of what the free world depends on.
Without their sacrifice of body and soul
All that we stand for is gone.
GOD LOVES HIS SOLDIERS
Sometimes it’s hard to protect what is right
Sometimes we’re scorned as for others we fight.
Some of us are willing regardless of loss
To commit our soul to save the cross.
Evil prospers on greed and human hate
Always eager to destroy and defecate.
God’s grace descends on the souls of man
Cleansing the impure wherever He can.
As long as man has struggled on earth
Life has had its troubles from birth.
God’s seed of goodness has delayed man’s demise
Thank Heaven for His heroes the strong and the wise.
The Lord adores His heroes of yesterday
Just how numerous, only He could say.
God loves His soldiers who line up to serve
By standing against evil His grace they deserve.
NEVER BE AFRAID TO BE PROUD of AMERICA
America, the abundant, the place I was born
I’ll cherish till the day I die.
Where the bones of past heroes lie buried in the ground
Who loved her the same as I.
Her mountains are so tall they reach for the sky
With prairies where the green grasses grow.
There’s billions of trees where wild birds nest
With creatures that flourish below.
That blue gold called water with which we are blessed
As raindrops or crystallized snow;
Changes to rivers and fresh water lakes
While the winds of our seasons blow.
There’s the haunt of a whistle from a lonely freight train
Racing on ribbons of steel
With the harvest of farms and from the factories
Balanced in a box on a wheel.
Some cities have buildings a hundred stories tall
Structures of concrete, glass and steel.
A statue in a harbor, a present from France
Describes how, inside, we feel.
That flag on the moon with red and white stripes
Proves America’s dreams come true.
A country of heroes who line up to protect
The past, the present and the few.
We’ll defeat terrorism as it should be fought
Never letting Satan’s horde chase us to our door.
Safeguarding our borders and system of life
As our forefathers sacrificed before.
Never be afraid to be proud of America
And march with the brave, faithful and just.
Refusing to submit to the will of our enemies
Standing firm to preserve what we trust.
INTO THE TEETH of THE DOG
All through history man was born to struggle
Surviving nature, disease, greed, and war.
Since his conception he has remained the same
Choosing to serve evil or good as before.
Our boys and girls face the teeth of the dog
In hot spots all over our earth.
They leave their families and all they love
To protect and preserve what liberty is worth.
The foes they face are the mad dogs of man
With a desire to kill, disfigure and enslave.
They sing and dance to the death of others
Teaching principles of hate till the grave.
Support our troops who battle the horde
While we live the good life back home.
When you see a soldier show them your smile
Say “hello we love you and you’re not alone.”
THE MAD DOGS OF MAN
Wherever dwell the mad dogs of man
There is corruption, plunder and hate.
In every city, town, or village
Those who promote distrust deserve their fate.
All are born as an innocent child
Till mislead by others along the way.
God has always loved His children
Though it breaks His heart when they stray.
The mad dogs of man never repent
For they have no sense of shame or sorrow.
Worshiping dominance and the dark side of life
Abusing victims as if there were no tomorrow.
God gives the will to sin no more
And to overcome evil unwilling to cease.
The mad dogs of man must be stopped
Who murder, rape and destroy world peace.
Samson, Solomon, and David
Were chosen by God to stand tall.
They faced great odds and the fear of death
Refusing to ignore their call.
The time has come for the good men of earth
To band together to restrain the horde.
Standing firm against tyranny where it exists
Putting the mad dogs of man to the sword.
WHERE WARS ARE WON OR LOST
Wars are waged by older men
In battle rooms in countries apart.
Who call for greater firepower
And troops for the combat chart.
While out among the shattered flesh
The dreams of all have turned gray.
So young and determined their faces were
Till on the battlefield they lay.
Unable to overcome their pride
The politicians cast their vote.
For this or that or something else
As the rage of war sounds its note.
Wherever wars are won or lost
The soldiers fall like toys.
Down through history it remains the same
Most who die are hardly more than boys.
Like monkeys in a revolving cage
Man squabbles for the peanuts of power.
When will we rise above our greed
And become as a beautiful flower?
Death to death, dust to dust
The wrath of war is a horrible crime.
It’s the beast within that still prevails
As it has through the torments of time.
WAR IS THE GREATEST PLAGUE OF MAN
As war is fought it takes charge
And events spin out of control.
The madness of men can alter the soil
Which nourishes the roots of their soul.
Many things will forever change
Far more then wished to be.
As the wrath of war starts to destroy
Those things we fight to keep free.
War is the greatest plague of man
Religion, state, and sanity.
Any scourge is more preferred
Than the one which disables humanity.
When war breaks out, boundaries change
And all who die are a token
Of the rage that must run it’s course
Before words of peace are spoken.
War I hate, though not men, flags nor race
But war itself with its ugly face.
When we lose faith in the brave, which die
Then we’re not fit to greet those who cry.
What distinguishes war isn’t death
But that man is slain by fellow man.
Crushed by cruelty and injustice
With his enemy’s murderous hand.
War tends to punish the punishers
So the losers won’t suffer alone.
The essence of war is but violence
Till the survivors come marching home.
Sometimes it’s hard to defend what’s right
Sometimes we’re forced to rise up and fight.
Sometimes we survive, while others must die
Sometimes never knowing the reason why.
The rush of combat is a natural buzz
Caused by fear, leaving nothing as it was.
Hunting one another like wild game
Without a shortage of those to blame.
Sometimes victory comes too slow or quick
Sometimes the cost on both sides is sick.
Sometimes God is asked to intervene
To help stop the savage from being so mean.
War is a hell we visit before death
Fueled by the whisper of the devil’s breath.
There must be a reason man destroys man
But why it is so, I can’t understand.
SEPTEMBER 11th
After suffering the wrath of a sneak attack
America now mourns to her very core.
Though soon her enemies shall all but flee
From the sound of America waging full war.
Let there be no doubt, no doubt at all
That the devil has decided to give us a call.
We shall defeat hell’s soldiers and cast them out
And if we die; that’s what freedom is about.
We shall seek them out wherever they may hide
Street by street, house-by-house, cave by cave.
They will be eradicated from the face of the earth
By the righteous, the loyal and the brave.
SATAN’S HORDE SHALL BE REMOVED
Overrun with war and uncontrolled leaders
Our world becomes more dangerous each day.
Dishonest politicians, criminals and the media
Survive by their falsehoods at play.
Bible believers preach, that the end is near
Our world as a whole is beyond reform.
God will eradicate all which is wicked
By His fire of eruption and storm.
To evil’s victory, I will never concede
May its supporters anguish in hell.
By the grace of God and the power of faith
The goodness of man will prevail.
What we accomplish is Heaven’s measure
As patriots respond to the threats of man.
Protect and defend what we love till death
As the soldiers of Satan arise from the sand.
SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF WORLD WAR III
Our sons and daughters serve in harms way
To defend our way of life.
Some are students, some grandparents
Many a husband or wife.
They face great odds without complaint
Gambling life and limb for little pay.
So far away from all they love
Fight our soldiers for whom we pray.
The plotters and planners of America’s doom
Pledge to murder and maim all they can.
From early childhood they are taught
To kill is to become a man.
They exploit their young as weapons of choice
Teaching in heaven, virgins will await.
Destroying lives along with their own
To learn of their falsehoods too late.
The fearful cry we must submit
And find a way to soothe them.
Where defenders worry if we stand down
The future for America is grim.
Now’s not the time to fight one another
Or kiss our enemy’s cheek.
All through history it remains the same
The strong enslave the weak.
May God continue to bless America
Refusing evil, the upper hand.
It’s up to us to stay resolute
Defending the liberty of Man.
SO DEAR TO MY HEART
So dear to my heart are my loved ones at home
As I toss and I turn in my bunk all alone.
Everyday I see death, hate, and corruption
Combat is God’s proof of man’s malfunction
For family, comrades, and myself I pray
To my love with this poem I wish to convey.
I knew I loved you though never how much
Till by war, I’m forced beyond your touch.
Where violence thrives, there’s the stench of death
With the taste of fear on every breath.
Who shall prevail, who shall die
As the sadistic kill beneath God’s sky.
Baghdad has become man’s highway to hell
Where the hearts of darkness are alive and well.
I count each day till it’s time to come home
And be with my love and never alone.
Love You
Your Marine
FREEDOM
In their new uniforms
The young march off
Not knowing who shall return.
With a proud devotion
They brandish their flag
Leaving loved ones to wonder and yearn.
May we all be buried
By all of our children
Is an ancient tribal prayer.
They’re so easy to lose
But so hard to forget
Such a burden for a parent to bear.
The taste of victory
Shall soon be forgotten
But, never that which was lost.
For those rows of white headstones
In peaceful green fields
Make it easy to tally the cost.
America has survived all attempts to destroy
Knowing the cruelty of war
And, we who remain
Must help keep her free
For those who can march no more!
OUR FLAG
Our flag is fabric wove of thread
Carried by heroes live and dead.
She stands for justice and courage too
With her colors; red, white and blue.
For all who serve her, there’ll be cheers
For any who die, there’ll be tears.
For all who love her, life is swell
For those who harm her, war is hell.
How many moms have cried before
As they sent their children to war.
How many dads have not returned
Because our freedom must be earned.
Wars were waged where brave men died
As patriots fought side by side.
Our flag is still the pearl of earth
Because of those who prove her worth.
LOVE OF COUNTRY
I dedicate this poem from inside my tent
As the desert winds keep it’s silhouette bent.
My love of country is at full boil now
I’d like to describe it but it’s hard to know how.
Tomorrow I’ll hunt those who enjoy our death
Cursed by their hatred and foulness of breath.
I don’t care if it’s another God they serve
For their crime’s retribution is what they deserve.
Their horde survives by a different set of rules,
Though soon they’ll learn the fate of murderous fools.
Proudly I serve my homeland and president
Who I’ve sworn to defend one hundred percent.
While haunted by visions of what I must do
I fight for justice, and the red, white, and blue.
VETERAN’S DAY
The cost of freedom is sometimes high
Extremely more when our loved one’s die.
Men and women pledged to fight and serve
And it’s our support that they deserve.
Mankind itself is the one to blame
That all through history, the story’s the same.
Peace, like love, can be hard to acquire
Subject always to enemy fire.
Some how the righteous tend to prevail
Over the miss-guided, prone to fail.
No wonder we fear the tongues that lie
As mankind squabbles beneath God’s sky.
The danger our solders face is real
So lets let them know just how we feel.
Put forth your flag and show them your heart
As those we love from us depart.
THE BATTLE FOR BAGHDAD
Determined though scared, I walk my beat
On the deadly streets of Baghdad.
Searching for any who plot our harm
Or by our death are joyous and glad.
Standing in shadows caused by the moon
I’m reminded of my nights back home.
I wonder if the woman I love
Is growing tired of sleeping alone?
I feel remorse for all who live here
For this place is a madman’s hell.
And those who wish to keep it that way
Must be killed or locked away in jail.
My greatest fear is not my death
But that I’ll end up in a wheelchair.
Disabled for the rest of my life,
Depending on others for my care.
My wife, she prays for my safe return
As night and day more GI’s are killed.
She knows quite well, whatever it takes
The oath I’ve given will be fulfilled.
SADDAM
The king of Baghdad has fallen
Never to dictate again.
Man shall sentence him for this crimes
And heaven shun him for his sin.
For his tyranny, he was famous
In every capital on earth.
Till apprehended in his spider hole
Completely stripped of his worth.
He is guilty of rape and genocide
While he ruled without remorse.
His power and prestige were toppled
Once George Bush set his course.
Though it may seem that the wicked triumph
And have conquered by their brutality of hand,
Through the power of faith they are defeated
By the seed of goodness in man.
FORMIDABLE FOE
America is the birthday cake of earth
As the ants march from every direction.
Thank God for all who have sworn to defend her
Serving with love, honor, pride, and affection.
Since the first day George Washington marched off to war
There have been those who have wished our demise.
Their hatred, fueled by jealousy and greed
Was defeated by our brave and the wise.
Once again, we must face a formidable foe
Who have pledged by their God to destroy us all
Misusing their faith as an excuse to kill
As for a worldwide jihad, their leaders call.
Some say we should try to appease them
For if we resist, they’ll hate us even more.
But the David’s among us shall cast our stones
Defeating them, as it was done before.
SHOULD TOMORROW START WITHOUT ME
Should tomorrow start without me
Remember I love you.
Looking down from up above
Seeing everything you do.
If I become a casualty
I pray you will love again
Whom ever makes you happy
I’ll consider my friend.
Should tomorrow start without me
Remind our boys, God loves all who care.
And when life seems too harsh and cruel
With “Him” they must share their prayer.
I have proven I’m not a coward
Who breaks and runs to survive.
Always fearing death will kiss me
As the streets of Baghdad I drive.
Should tomorrow start without me
Be proud I choose to serve.
Our faith and our patriotism
Earn the freedom we deserve.
I miss home more than ever
It breaks my heart to stay away
I can’t help but want to hold you
And whisper what I say.
AMERICAN SOLDIER
Our soldiers line up to be remembered
As the best of the best at their job.
They wish to be needed and depended on
To save all we love from the mob.
They risk their life and limb for liberty
Standing firm against evil unwilling to break.
To be part of something greater than themselves
They are willing to sacrifice whatever it will take.
THANK HEAVEN FOR HEROES
Thank heaven for the heroes of life
Who lead us to overcome those who are not.
The wise are grateful for all God’s blessings
Where fools never realize what they’ve got.
America is the grain train of earth
Whose people exercise rule by their vote.
All have a chance to partake and prosper
As they arrive by foot, plane or boat.
Our freedom relies on the law of the land
Our future depends on our grit.
Our past has known both good and bad
And our mistakes we are willing to admit.
The grim of heart hate America
And choose to put her wonders to shame
The devotion of most who love and live here
Rise up to defeat the soldiers of blame.
THE LONELINESS OF WAR
I know I’m still here so far, far away
As I fight for what I believe is right.
I wonder about you and your mom
Every moment of every day and night.
The loneliness of war can drive you insane
If you don’t get letters of concern from home.
Left, right, behind and ahead,
Death awaits leaving love ones alone.
We pray to God that we will be saved
To return home or live the here after.
Bloody, dirt-covered men, we see everyday
As we yearn for those times of laughter.
The far off stare of a fallen comrade
As you stay by his side till his end.
No mother ever carried her infant child
More carefully, than we do a friend.
Many have their own personal diaries
To help keep their faculties together.
Watching hot steel crash into human flesh
Always makes home seem far away and better.
I’ve become an expert at dodging, weaving and diving
So try not to worry too much about me.
Just help your mom and stand up from the ground
And while I’m gone be all you can be.
SACRIFICE, TRANSFORMATION, AND UNRESTRICTED WARFARE
The Japanese hadn’t lost a war since 1598
Each man carried 400 rounds of ammunition
(twice as many as an American infantryman)
With five days rations and fearless determination.
The men in the badly wrapped brown uniforms
Since their early childhood had been taught
That to die for the emperor and one’s country
Was the greatest of all glories to be sought.
Moreover, the hardware backing them was awesome
As sharpshooters they were accurate up to a thousand yards and more.
Their ships were faster, their guns bigger, Their torpedoes better
And their planes matchless in quality, aerobatics and score.
Only by sacrifice, transformation, and unrestricted warfare
Was America able to overcome and prevail.
Again America must stand firm to survive
As we face a new monster from Hell.
By Conservative Poet
Tom Zart
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