Recapturing Our Sense of National Unity

This is a cross-post from http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,249768,00.html.

Last year was the ten year anniversary of the September 11th attacks that killed thousands of us and left a permanent scar on our collective national psyche. It was a wake-up call, and one that unified America in ways that were seemingly impossible. At that point nearly every American felt connected to the struggle and to the cause of freedom.

So what can we do on the 11th Anniversary of 9-11 to recapture that sense of unity?

Although Al Qaeda has been severely degraded, and yes, Osama Bin Laden is dead, this Nation is still combating the extremist elements that plotted and executed this attack, and our men and women are still dying in the hills of Afghanistan. In addition, although only 1 percent of Americans have borne this burden, the long tail costs of their care will be borne by all American tax-payers for decades to come.

But does the average American still feel the sense of connectedness to a national cause? Are the war wounds of our men and women in combat and their families – both visible and hidden – felt in any way by the rest of America?

According to a 2011 Pew Research study, the answer to that question is no.

“The nation’s post-9/11 wars have been fought by an all-volunteer active-duty military made up at any given time of just one half of one percent of the U.S. population. More than eight-in-ten (84 percent) of these modern-era veterans say the American public has little or no understanding of the problems that those in the military face. Most of the public (71 percent) agrees.”

Although I sometimes agree with Mark Twain who frequently quoted that there were three kinds of lies — “lies, dammed lies, and statistics” — in this case, I think the numbers are right, but that’s not the whole story.

You can’t measure collective patriotism with a study, and you cannot measure the tensile strength of the thread of compassion that runs through the fabric of America with quantitative research.

Americans are better than that, and I think we know it. Many of us are just looking for the right way to make the connection and to show a fundamental truth about being an American – we take care of our own.

So here the good news: there are many ways that Americans can both reflect and also reach back out to the community that responded in defense to the atrocity of the 9/11 attacks, and to honor the victims and heroic actions of everyday Americans. One way that every American can reach back and re-connect is by taking time to volunteer during the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance.

When President Obama declared 9-11 National Day of Service and Remembrance in 2009, he created a way for all Americans to pay homage to those who lost their lives on September 11th, to thank those who fought and bled to vindicate America’s way of life on foreign soil, and gave every American a way to personify our resoluteness to unity in times of tragedy. It’s honor through service — service to our communities and to our fellow Americans in need.

The National Day of Service is the culmination of an effort originally launched in 2002 by 9/11 family members and support groups, who worked to establish the service day as a forward-looking way to honor 9/11 victims, survivors, and others who rose up in service in response to the attacks.

Congress charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with supporting this effort across the country and the Corporation on National and Community Service is working with numerous organizations to implement one of the largest days of charitable service in U.S. history.

If last year is a bench mark of the high tide of public interest in serving on the ten-year Anniversary of 9-11, this year, hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals empowered by CNCS’ two signature programs, AmeriCorps and Senior Corps will give tens of thousands of hours of their time in service to and remembrance of the victims of 9-11, the first responders, members of the military, veterans, and their families in honor of the day.

One of the grantees from CNCS’ National Day of Service Award project, The Mission Continues is with MyGoodDeed is taking this opportunity to a new level – serving by and with military veterans who have come home from serving their country in uniform and then serve again on the home front . These military Veterans come home and then dedicate hundreds of hours to serve their communities and in the process they motivate hundreds of thousands of every-day citizens to join with them.

There are hundreds of Mission Continues fellows doing this work, and they join the national service fight with another 27,000 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members who are also Veterans and who dedicate a year or more of their lives to serving in their communities.

According to CNCS’ service day partner MyGoodDeed, last year more than 33 million individuals around the country engaged in acts of “charitable service” and good deeds in honor of this day. This year, there are opportunities to serve on 9-11 in nearly every corner of our great nation.

When we look back at the unity of effort that once was, and see the possible, we can embrace today a vision of unity of effort and patriotism that does not need to diminish.

If even for just one day.

The opportunity to serve with and remember the sacrifices of our patriots is here, it is now, and every American is called to serve, and you simply cannot measure that. What we can measure is the dedication of the 99 percent who never wore a uniform to serve with their fellow man and woman on 9-11 and by doing so, honor the 1 percent who did.

Good deeds can unite us.

Learn more at http://www.serve.gov/sept11.asp.

An 8th Grade Lesson to Combat Veteran Revisited

It was Veterans Day 2009, and a quiet young lady sitting in the back row in an 8th Grade classroom in Northern Virginia raised her hand and asked me meekly — “Do you have any funny stories from Iraq?

I was accompanied that day with Great Americans from WWII, Vietnam, The First Gulf War, Bosnia, and Iraq. Some folks from the History Channel and the President’s Veteran and Wounded Warrior Policy Office had arranged for us to meet with President Barack Obama and the First Lady in the White House. We had a wonderful breakfast with the President and other Veterans and then were asked to share our stories to 7th and 8th Graders as a part of the History Channel’s “Take a Vet to School Day. It was a unique way to spend Veterans Day, and I was motivated by seeing the Commander in Chief, and excited to share my experiences in uniform with this next generation of leaders. The question from Natasha “…funny stories from Iraq, however, could not have come as more of a surprise to me.

I was expecting a question about service, or about my personal motivations for signing a military service contract at the ripe old age of seventeen. But here was this young lady who had just watched a History Channel Veterans Day video about gallant young men and women in uniform fighting for their lives on foreign soil … yet her question found the essence of Veterans Day. It is a celebration of our comrades in arms, a time to reminisce and thank them for keeping our backs, slapping our backs, and, if necessary, carrying us on their backs.

“Yes, as a matter of fact I do have a funny story. I said. My driver when I was in Iraq was Sergeant Sean Scarborough. Sean was a tall; thin wiry kid from Texas. He was so thin, in fact that we nick-named him “Stick. Stick was the typical young 20 year old trooper in every way — dedicated to the mission, sharp and skilled under stressful situations, and always keeping an eye out for his buddies. What made Sean unique, however, was his ability to keep his wits and humor, no matter what. I relayed the story of how Sean had taught me an important lesson about “minding my Ps and Qs in a combat zone in his own style. There were many stories to share, and I told them one or two humorous musings, but I balked at telling them the funniest one – it was too difficult to tell at the time. I told Natasha afterwards that I would tell her the funniest story I had as soon as I got up the courage to do it … so here it is Natasha.

Sean “Stick” Scarborough and good friend Juan “RV” Arevello pre-deployment prep in early 2003, 82d Airborne Division.

I was escorting an official from the Office of Reconstruction to our forward operating base (FOB) from the confines of the Green-Zone. A gentleman by the name of Noah Feldman, a 30 something smart-guy from Harvard Business School, who was working on the Iraqi Constitutional and Judicial Reconstruction Team. On this particular day, “Stick and I would give him a great story indeed.

Noah had been cooped up in meetings all day in the Palace in Baghdad, and asked to accompany Sean and me as we made our way back to our base. I agreed, and on the way he asked to stop at a local market to buy falafels for him and his friends back at the palace. As I hesitantly agreed, Sean cautioned me — “Hey Sir, I am not sure that is a good idea … We were in another unit’s area of operations and we had not cleared the stop with my headquarters. We were also in the smallest authorized convoy at the time, so I called it in. “OK brother, note taken, we will only be a second. This good man has traveled all the way from Washington DC to have an Iraqi falafel — we can’t disappoint him, now can we? Noah laughed and added “Hey, I missed lunch to ride with you guys — I am hungry and not interested in eating MREs with you when you get back! We slowed to a snail’s pace on the outer edge of a block long open market.

Noah was, unbeknownst to Sean or I, fluent in Arabic and he jumped out of the vehicle and quickly began negotiating with an eager young Iraqi kid to head into the market and fetch him the largest stack of falafels that his hands could carry. We were not going to stop in the market, with just three vehicles in the convoy and light assault weapons. I was not particularly interested in making us more of a target then we already were. This was 2003 and the tenor of the war was very different than it was at the height of violence in 2006. There were still sectors of Baghdad that welcomed the American presence, and attacks against American troops in this particular area were almost unheard of. We were safe, and one of our Airborne Infantry companies was patrolling nearby, but I was not pressing my luck.

After five minutes of waiting, a crowd had gathered around Noah and Sean and me. The questions were coming at a blistering pace, and I asked Noah to interpret before he answered — “Who is the next President of Iraq? “Why don’t we have electricity? “Are YOU the new President? “Can YOU get the electricity turned on?

As the crowd began to grow, my comfort level waned, and I was relieved when I saw the bright teeth emanating from down the block bouncing up from behind the largest stack of flatbread I had ever seen. It was held tightly between two small hands from his waist to his chin. “Here, Here Airborne! Airborne! Airborne! Clearly, the soldiers on patrol were dutifully teaching the kids in the neighborhood the most important motivating greeting of the day for a Paratrooper.

Noah handed the child a stack of dinars, and took possession of the valuable flatbreads that were scarce behind the walls of the Green-zone at that time. “Thank you! Noah said. It was almost at that instant that the automatic fire of an AK-47 rang out. I grabbed Noah, and flung him to the ground behind me — falafels flying. Was this simple celebratory fire? Someone firing warning shots in the air? Scanning the streets, windows and roof tops for the source of the fire, I saw nothing; then again, the shots rang out. This time the cracks clearly indicated they were shooting at us. Sean scurried around to the front of the HUMVEE, providing cover, and yelled at us to get in as I pushed Noah into the back of the HUMVEE. Before I knew it, Sean was behind the wheel and we were moving out — dust flying I looked into the back seat and saw Noah — disheveled, and seemingly in shock. He was still faithfully holding onto his flatbread (at least one or two small heavily soiled pieces no larger than flap-jack pancakes were crumbling in his white knuckled hands clutched to his chest). As Sean down shifted and pushed the needle to the hilt, the engines roared – Sean turned slightly and guffawed over the gunned engine — “Hey sir, you still going to eat those??!, cause if not, I’ll take em’ over MREs any day! The laughter continued all the way back to our FOB.

I carry that memory with me to this day, the full display of leadership under fire, accompanied with the style and humor of a quick witted young soldier. Stick was at the same time chastising us for our foolhardiness, while maintaining the levity necessary to stay sane in an environment that was borne and bred to instill fear and anxiety in even the most “Steely-eyed Paratrooper. It is memories like this that give meaning to me on Veterans Day. It is a day to celebrate the men and women on our left and on our right that embody the greatest attributes of humanity. Sean was one of those soldiers, and I will always remember him and celebrate his service to our country with a smile.

I did not tell this story that day to Natasha and her classmates, because I had just told it two weeks earlier under very different circumstances and could not bear to tell it again. You see, Veterans Day is a celebration of the service of those still with us. That is what distinguishes it from memorial Day – a day of reflection on those that we have lost.

When Sean came home he struggled with his own demons, after a second deployment to Iraq, He came home changed, as do many of us. Sean fought gallantly to face down his challenges with the same fight and tenacity that we had all grown to know and love him for. Sean was taking medication at that time that made his struggle with alcohol very dangerous. Sean and I talked frequently during the hardest parts of his recovery, a few friends helped to get him into a unique program away from the daily reminders of his friends who he lost in Iraq and I was certain that he would pull through, but three weeks prior to my day of service, I got a call from another combat buddy Patrick Murphy, as well as his unit commander. Sean had passed out in his room, and suffered a serious head injury… he was dying.

As I stood at Sean’s bedside the day he died, I was reminded of all of the great times that we had together, and I reminded him of the day in Iraq that he likely saved me and others from having a very bad day.

In my mind, I could hear Sean’s characteristic laughter, distinguishable from a mile away for those that knew him, and his raspy chuckle from one too many cigarettes.

I told Sean that day that I would always remember him as he was to me, and to so many others who he worked in uniform – a friend, a brother, and Paratrooper who never quit.

I did not tell that story that day, because I did not have the courage to do so. But I am telling it again today, because even though Veterans Day is a day of celebration, it is also a day of reflection on the best men and women that we had an honor to serve with, and a hope that we can live our lives carrying a small part of their inspiration with us.

Sean is no longer here, we did two combat tours together –  he was, and will always be one of the best men in uniform I ever served with.  I carry his service with me, in my heart, on Veterans Day, and every day — for that I celebrate .

Sergeant Sean “Stick” Scarborough, US Army, 82d Airborne Division Paratrooper

AmeriCorps Members and Iraq Veterans – Their Service Continues

How AmeriCorps works for Veterans  is a cross post from – http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,243603,00.html

Nine years ago last week, Task Force Falcon Brigade Combat Team marched through Southern Iraq on the way to the Battle of Samawah.   On Monday, March 19th, 2012, President Obama issued the first Presidential Proclamation of a “National Day of Honor” for Iraq Veterans marking the nine year anniversary of our military presence in Iraq.

For me, the date marked the beginning of the war, and would be the last of two deployments to combat zones before I left the military. I consider myself lucky.  Since that time, two, three, or even four or five tours is not unheard of… what is  a unique and untold, are stories of those that come back from repeated deployments, leave the military and then decide to serve again – as community volunteers, and as National Service leaders in programs like AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA, and AmeriCorps NCCC .

Many are faced with challenges, but National Service and volunteerism is one place where they can find a renewed sense of mission and esprit de corps.  Paul Rieckhoff, the founder and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America remarked that he would like to see people talking about Veterans as the Calvary – a part of the solution, not the problem.  He needs look no further than these men and women … patriots among patriots:

What many people don’t realize is that according to the 2012 Military Lifestyle Survey by Blue Star Families, Military Spouses volunteer at three times the national average.   One military spouse has done that, and much more.

MILITARY SPOUSE OF IRAQ VETERAN  – EMPOWERED BY AMERICORPS VISTA

Six years ago, Roberta “Bobbie” Davis answered the door to the scene that every military wife fears.  A Chaplain stood at her doorstep to announce that her husband, Sgt. David Davis, had been killed in Iraq. Bobbie was also a Veteran, spending six years as a combat medic.

Bobbie moved home and in 2009, was sworn in as an AmeriCorps VISTA member and is an American Legion Auxiliary Call to Service Corps Alumni, helping veterans receive the benefits they have earned though their service and sacrifice.  She still works today as a dedicated National Service advocate.

IRAQ VETERAN VOLUNTEER  – EMPOWERED BY CNCS

Shortly after the disaster in Katrina, Iraq War Veteran, Alan Petz saw the devastation in Katrina, and marched to the epicenter.

Alan served alongside hundreds of AmeriCorps members, FEMA, and thousands of volunteers as a member of the CNCS empowered  Hands On Network, now a part of Points of Light Institute.

For his dedication and many months on the ground volunteering and organizing response and recovery efforts, Alan was awarded a service medal in person by former President George W. Bush at Keesler Air Force Base.  Alan went on to marry an AmeriCorps NCCC member, has a successful career, and continues to encourage other veterans to engage in national service and volunteer opportunities like AmeriCorps.

IRAQ VETERAN LEADS AMERICORPS VETCORPS – EMPOWERING STUDENT VETERANS

Timm Lovitt is a U.S. Army Veteran, who served two combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.   Timm returned to the Seattle area after his deployment and committed himself to helping his brothers and sisters fight the ‘invisible wounds of war’ once they return home.

In 2010, Timm volunteered to help lead the Washington State Veterans Corps project that helps Veterans make the transition from military service to the college environment, and educates Veterans and their family members about these injuries and the benefits.  In just one year, the program reported that more than 3,000 veterans were empowered to utilize earned benefits.

 Today, the Washington State Veterans Corps testified before Senator Patty Murray, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.  The hearing was titled:  “Washington Veterans: Helping the Newest Generation Transition Home.”  The Director of the Washington State Veterans Corps testified about National Service as a unique solution for many transitioning service members and veterans.

AMERICORPS MEMBER AND IRAQ VETERAN ON THE FIRE TRAIL – EMPOWERED GREEN VETERAN INITATIVE

This year, Iraq War Veteran, Mike Bremer told his story in his own words to hundreds of national service advocates In Washington DC after being honored as a Corps Network Corps member of the year for volunteering with fellow veterans.

Mike’s sentiment about being on an all Veteran AmeriCorps fire team:  “We were veterans who served in combat and shared a common experience that bonded us.  I had their six, and they had mine.  That fact did not change when we came home.”

 Mike told me that when he  returned from Iraq with the Army Infantry, he “felt like I lost all meaning and purpose in life and I had trouble finding meaningful work … my Corps experience gave me new purpose and a valuable new skill set. I received incredible training and experience alongside other veterans who had similar experiences – we were all looking for a new life after war.” 

Mike, and every single member of his all Veteran AmeriCorps fire team from Colorado found that new life, are now gainfully employed with the skills they learned from the Southwest Conservation Corps.

I have had the honor of meeting and speaking with each of these fellow Iraq Veterans and military spouses, and am proud to call them brothers and sisters in continuing service.  They are not alone.

 • Since 2009, and the passage of the Serve America Act, the Corporation on National and Community Service (CNCS) has expanded investments in serving veterans and military families of all eras to unprecedented numbers.

 • More than 16,000 veterans have served in AmeriCorps since its inception, helping other veterans and military families access benefits and services; obtain job training and conduct job searching; provide safe and affordable housing; and mentor and tutor children of service members.

 • Today, there are nearly 5000 National Service members and volunteers providing services to wounded warriors, veterans and military families.

 The Corporation is now Joining Forces to engage veterans and military families by partnering with over 200 State and Non-Profit entities in all fifty states.

 AmeriCorps members, including AmeriCorps NCCC and  AmeriCorps VISTA; Senior Corps volunteers; non-profits; and State Service Commissions are also joining community forces by enhancing  local solutions to the challenges faced by our veteran and military family members.  In 2012, we will work  in well over 100 cities, and the efforts in AmeriCorps alone will directly impact over 100,000 lives.

 We are expanding our partnerships with the National Guard Bureau with initiatives like the 27 State CADCA VetCorps, and leveraging their national foot print to empower communities from coast to coast with community capacity building expertise.

 Last week, Robert Velasco, the Acting CEO for CNCS announced a historic new partnership with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to strengthen national disaster service network, and I would not be surprised to see Iraq Veterans swell the leadership ranks with peerless commitment and vision.

There are many stories of Iraq Veterans, military spouses and survivors who have been empowered by AmeriCorps, and have also left AmeriCorps better for their continued service.  As our President marked an end to war abroad, it is fitting that a month later, he also declared April 10-16 as National Volunteer Week.

So for all of our Iraq Veterans on this new day of honor announced by the President, and as we look forward to the upcoming National Volunteer Week, I want you to know that there is a life for you after war, it can be mission oriented and meaningful, and it can begin with National Service and volunteer leadership opportunities.  On this day of honor, on this week of volunteerism, and on every day here at home, your service can continue.  Learn more by visiting http://www.nationalservice.gov/.

Veteran Unemployment – A Crisis of Corporate Citizenship

The short-term monetary costs of the past ten years of War are a rounding error when one considers the likely legacy costs to our wounded warriors, combat Veterans, and their families. When 1 in 4 younger Iraq or Afghanistan Veterans cash unemployment checks instead of paychecks, it is not a crisis of conscious, it is a crisis of citizenship. Corporate Citizens don’t get pass.

There is no doubt that all of America is on hard times, yet some have given more than others, while a handful have given nearly everything. We cannot fail them. As the President recently remarked in Colorado – “Think about it — these men and women, they leave their careers, they leave their families. They are protecting us and our freedom. And the last thing they should have to do is fight for a job when they come home.”

The “long tail” costs of unprecedented stressors over the past ten years on our military and their families, after the homecoming and welcoming home signs have fallen to the floor, are as staggering as they are humbling – over three Trillion Dollars by some estimates.

Above my desk, I keep a poster as one of my favorite reminders of exactly what we have asked our men and women in uniform and their families to do, and in turn, what we owe — the main text reads “Ninety-nine percent of American have seen combat on TV. One percent of Americans have seen combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

It should create some serious discomfort in our citizenry that the freedoms of so many is carried upon the backs of so few — some may argue that honoring this kind of service requires more than the commitment of comfortable citizenship and Barcalounger liberty. But what is owed is not charity, it is opportunity.

Veterans need that opportunity sooner rather than later. The unemployment rate for younger Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans peaked at 30 percent three months ago. The monthly report from the Department of Labor annotated that for our Post 9-11 Veterans, the jobless rate for September stood at 11.7 percent, a nearly 20 percent jump from 9.8 percent in August.

Earlier this year, the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans stood at 10.9 percent at the end of April versus 8.5 percent for the non-veterans, according to a report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee.

In some States, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran (Post 9-11 veteran unemployment) statistics compared to the State averages are troubling, according to statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and highlighted in a recent blog article by CBS Money Watch on Veteran unemployment.

• Michigan 29.4 percent Post 9-11 veteran unemployment / State average – 10.3 • Indiana 23.6 percent Post 9-11 veteran unemployment / State average – 8.2 • Minnesota 22.9 percent Post 9-11 veteran unemployment / State average – 6.6 • Montana 20.1 percent Post 9-11 veteran unemployment / State average – 7.3 • Tennessee 20 percent Post 9-11 veteran unemployment / State average – 9.7 • Kansas 17.2 percent Post 9-11 veteran unemployment / State average – 6.6 • Vermont 16.8 percent 9-11 veteran unemployment /State average – 5.4 • Connecticut 15.5 percent 9-11 veteran unemployment / State average – 9.1 • Nevada 15.2 percent 9-11 veteran unemployment /State average – 12.1 • New York 15.2 percent 9-11 veteran unemployment /State average – 7.9

How do we, as a Nation, solve this problem?

How do we, as a community, accept the unintended consequences of ten years of War, repeated deployments into harm’s way, and the maladies that accompany the unprecedented stressors on the few for the benefit of the many?

How do we ensure that we are setting our young men and women up for success in transitioning from their lives as our heroes in combat to becoming heroic citizens?

Most importantly, how do we ensure that corporate America does not miss the opportunity to hire the next greatest generation of Veterans? The Post 9-11 GI Bill was renovated, after the World War II GI Bill, according to Secretary Eric Shinseki of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Veterans of the Greatest Generation who used it “sustained economic growth for the nation, catapulting the nation into the world’s largest economy [and into a position of] leadership in the free world.”

I fear that America is losing out on its greatest asset to lead us to a new era of prosperity. In 1980, 59 percent of chief executives of large, publicly traded U.S. companies had military experience: by 2006, that figure was 8 percent.

Success is staring the human resources manager square in the eye across from the interview conference room table and telling them that hiring Veterans is a priority for your company and then holding their feet to fire every month in the board room.  The CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America recently told me that “I would love to see every CEO of the largest Fortune 500 companies stand up once a month in their board room and say – “Our Mission this year is to hire More Veterans.” The Chief People Person in the Federal government did just that last year.

There are success stories out there, you can read a few of them here. And there are some companies that have been recognized as being “military friendly.”

And there are think tanks in over drive trying to help. The Clinton Global Initiative – Operation Employment wrapped up another meeting two weeks ago, and now they need all of America to help. The “Sea of Goodwill” has failed to stem Tsunami that is young Veteran unemployment. This will be problem that cannot be solved by pencil pushers at the Pentagon, or by think tanks in the beltway. It will be solved by the 99 percent of Americans greeting our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and neighbors back from ten years of War and into their communities, their schools, their small businesses, and their board rooms.

The Chamber of Commerce has kick started this community based outreach by hosting over 100 Job Fairs for Veterans in collaboration with federal, state, and non-profit entities — it won’t be enough.

Every American needs to view this issue as their own personal commitment to the men and women in uniform they sent off to fight our Wars, while few of us felt their pain, or realized their sacrifices.

Last month, there were over 3M job vacancies in America.

The President has announced his call to action to help.  Our Corporate Citizens need to respond. 

Armed Forces Day, Mission Accomplished, and the New Dawn

The greatest military victories of my generation were achieved though the empowerment of freedom loving people. On this, Armed Forces Day we have our leadership and our military to thank for this and for the real mission accomplishment and New Dawn in Iraq.

CPT Koby J. Langley on road to Fallujah, one month before declaration of "Mission Accomplished"

It was also eight years ago this month that the former Commander-In-Chief made a victorious proclamation.  I was sleeping in a make shift tent from a poncho in the middle of Iraq, and I knew that he was wrong. It would not be us to declare victory, but the Iraqi people.  Victory would not come that day, or that year — we would be lucky if it occurred that decade.

Most importantly, it was not up to us alone to declare victory inIraq– in situations like the ones we found ourselves in May of 2003, it rarely ever is.  Often times the best we can do is sow the seeds of victory, and then dodge the flying shoes while freedom takes root.

As a brief example, in 2008, the World listened as a nation at war within fought for free and fair elections inIran.  The Iranian people laid the foundation for leveraging the power of free speech and the internet in ways that the world had not seen before.  An enemy who vowed the destruction of another free nation was brought to its knees from within by the unchained power of youth in revolt, armed only with cell phones, computers and a Facebook page – empowered from within.

Fast forward three years, and Lybia is harvesting those lithium seeds of freedom, andSyriais looking across the Gulf to her sister inAfrica and asking what about me? Democracy by the people cannot be denied.

And as Syria looks across the Gulf at her sister inAfrica, we  are reminded that this is  a continent to continue it’s fight for new energy victory and natural resource independence.  We saw Nigera reap the rewards of their own investments in natural resources, leveraging the entire continent to do so with the Organization of African Unity that was supported and championed by President Carter so many years ago.   He sowed those seeds over thirty years ago.

I imagine that no one can dictate the future of Iran, nor the future of Egypt or of Lybia orSyria… butAmericahas always supported the struggles for freedom loving people … whether the chains echo in long and dark hallways of oppression, or in the dimly lit streets of dictatorship.

It was, ultimately this approach that allowed over 100,000 troops to return from the belly of Babel in Iraq and into the arms of their waiting loved ones here at home.  It was the relentless dedication to the mission of empowering the Iraqi people that allowed the Iraqi people to hold free and fair elections.  When all seemed lost, it was General Petraeus who reminded us all that we needed only meet the Iraqi people at their doorsteps, and they would take their own countrymen across the threshold.

So on Armed Force Day, and seven years from a fateful speech on victory,  we must say thank you to the securers of the real victory – the one that has brought us this far. Thank you to Secretary Gates — he was, by many measures, the greatest Secretary of Defense of our generation.  Thank you to General Petraeus, we are lucky to have him.  Thank you to our Commander in Chief, President Obama and Mrs. Obama, who have brought renewed focus to those whom have given the most – our military families.  Above all, thank you to the men and women who brought Iraqto her New Dawn – mission accomplished.

Wounded Warriors Get 14,000 Resources Direct to Smartphones

This week Wounded Warriors, Veterans, and their Family members now have nealry 14,000 resources at their fingertips and on their iPhones — and by coincidence (or maybe not) Craig Newmark is connecting the world for the common good.

Do you believe in Karma?

About two years ago, I met up with Craig Newmark in a small café across from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and a little frazzled at the idea of meeting the man, and forgot my wallet.

Luckily, Craig understood, and we just sat and sipped coffee while discussing the two different sides of the planet we were from. I was a combat Veteran of Iraq, and Special Assistant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric K. Shinseki. Craig was, well … Craig. A bonefide genius. During our chat, Craig mentioned that he was interested in helping our Wounded Warriors and Veterans and was inspired by the way that the President and Secretary Shinseki were putting their money where their mouth was in supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs.

He said that it had occurred to him that there many resources out there that could help the Wounded Warrior community, but that there just did not seem to be a way to do it, or do it well. Fast forward about two years, and Craig has lent his genius to several advisory groups on Veterans issues, and then launches a website called www.Craigconnects.org.

This is man who fights for what he believes in. That I can relate to. More importantly, he is fighting on the side of angels. The mission of his new site — “Connecting the World for the Common Good” says it all.

That I can not only relate to, but find inspiration in. Today, I have the honor of working on a project to connect wounded warriors, veterans and their families to resources for free and brought to you by the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Labor.

This week, over 14,000 connections to resources for benefits and services became available for recovering service members, their families and Veterans – on their smartphones via a national resource directory for Wounded Warriors, Veterans and family members at www.nrd.gov.

The connections run deep – from National, or State, to local resources. You can find any number of benefits to help – from benefits and compensation, to family and caregiver support, homelessness assistance, to job resources, to local counseling services to help with the re-adjustment coming home after combat. 

All free connections, and all navigable by your zipcode.

In addition, the information and services on the website are screened by the Department of Defense in collaboration with the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Labor who built the site. Since October, use of the site has grown from around 40,000 each month to 90,000.

Craig Newmark is making a run at connecting people to resources himself, and it is great that these two ventures are highlighting Veterans.  Now I am not saying that Craig invented the idea, he didn‘t. What I am saying is that when smart people from different corners of the world get together and connect in ways that seem unlikely … good things can happen.

So, if you are a Wounded Warrior, Veteran, or Military Family Member and want to connect, fire up the ipod or droid and navigate to www.nrd.gov.   While you are on, make sure to tweet up @craignewmark in between clicks – tell him I said thanks for coffee.

The Casualty Uncounted, Immeasurable and Peerless

Over the past weeks, I followed the conversations on Clay Hunt – fearless advocate for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, and a particularly important voice for those Service members who struggle with the hidden wounds of war – depression, and post-traumatic stress.  He took his own life two weeks ago.

Clay took his own life, and left many wondering why. His contributions to our community were immeasurable and peerless. Yet still, he joined many others who have taken this most violent of paths to find their own quiet space amongst the noise, after the guns draw silent. The casualty uncounted. I did not know Clay very well personally, but I did know him.  He likely held within himself, as each Warrior holds within themselves, this duality of man – our humanity and our inhumanity. 

Every one who has their senses inextricably bound to the smell of burning trash in the streets of a third-world ghetto, or the sound of the shuffling sandals of thin wrinkled Arab man who has his stride shortened as much by his distraction of keeping his thin cigarette lit, as by the undersized off-white burqa.   

Every Warrior has likely felt the tug against this stoic, solid and seeming unmovable force that we call our anchor to humanity.  Yet every one of us has also sat in a quiet moment while all about us was raging as you squinted and clenched against the bellows of the Siren of Wars.  Squinted, and clenched as she drug your anchor across the coarse and cold sands of your soul.  Unforgiving, Unrelentless. Yet you squared your shoulders, leaned forward with your back to the winds and shouted – HOOAH.  In part to embrace your destiny, and in part to scare away the chains that bind us from doing what we know that we must.

How to find tools that will help you thrive as a returning combat Veteran is what I want to share with each of you today.  Your anchor is still there. It is still there, I assure you.

If you are a Combat Veteran in need of a place to go to talk in confidence, you can visit a VetCenter and receive free and confidential counseling services for you and your family.  If you are a family member or friend of a Warrior struggling with depression, and you just want some ideas on how to communicate to them, please visit the Defense Centers of Excellence, www.realwarriors.net, or the MilitaryOneSource confidential counseling services , and schedule free and confidential one-on-one counseling services.   The suicide prevention hotline is also available 24/7 -Dial 1-800-273-8255 (TALK), Veterans Press 1 to talk to someone NOW. Dont want anything to do with the military anymore? There are still those who can help – www.giveanour.org.

The loss of Clay is a loss to all of  the Wounded Warrior and Veterans advocacy community.  Please vist his memorial site. 

Landing a Job After Service – Tune In and Get Paid

This article is for my fellow Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans who are looking for a job, or friends and family who want to help them out and have three minutes to tune in.

By the end of this article, I am going to help each one of you land a job — the only thing you have to do is to accept the challenge of being who you already are. 

I recently watched a film Amelia Earhart, it was called “Amelia.” I am not certain of it’s historical accuracy, but the only thing that really mattered was the beginning, and the end. I’m pretty sure those were accurate. In the beginning, Ameila states that she intends to fly around the world – the precise term is “circumnavigate the globe.” In the end, she dies trying.

That’s not what I am here to tell you – “keep going, or die trying” or some other unusable dribble.

What I am here to tell you is that Amelia was in the very last leg of her trek around the globe before she disappeared across  the Pacific.

The very last leg. She was at the finish line, and then … nothing. Vanished.   You made it this far, you have visited the devil’s sandy doorstep, and either came home with a picture of a gold-plated AK or a shrapnel riddled HMMWV (Humvee).  You made it back, you are now in the last leg — don’t disappear.

 

 

See, for Amelia, it really can’t be said that she did not know how to fly — she was 90% of the way there — she checked that block. You also really can’t say that she didn’t know how to circumnavigate the globe; in essence, she did just that as it was a straight shot home from a small island in the Pacific to the coast of California – she checked that one as well.

What Amelia failed at, if you are to believe the film, was not tuning to the right frequency — not being able to hear the calls from control tower on that small island in the Pacific telling her to land, to get refueled, and then to fly home victorious.

You, just like Amelia, already have all the tools you need to succeed — you have had a military career that has made you an ideal candidate for a leadership position. You have certifications and training from here to Howland Island. You checked the box.

The only thing you need to do is to realize that this offer has already been made, you just couldn’t hear it.  The only thing you need to do is to tune in, and get paid. Let me help you get tuned in.

Step One. Get your mind right – read a recent article by Dan Gomez on the ten lessons learned for every transitioning combat veteran.

Step Two. Get your information straight – visit www.turbotap.org , and use their new online career decision toolkit.  Yeah, it takes a little while to get through, but it is time well spent.

Lastly, go to the Department of Labor, and visit their www.fedshirevets.gov  site to find job positions, or call out JP Morgan Chase out on their assertion that they are hiring 1000 Veterans – why not you?

One special note for our combat wounded — if you are a disabled Veteran that is rated at over 30% from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or  you suffer from PTSD or TBI, there may be a special hiring authority that qualifies you for a direct hire — no muss, no fuss.

Call any federal agency, and ask them if they have a hiring manager that focuses on hiring Veterans.   Here is the DoD board – http://www.dodvets.com/job.asp

Last year, President Obama issued an executive order that required every major federal agency in America to have  an office that helps Veterans get employed. 

Did you know that? 

Looking for a job after a tour (or four) in Iraq and Afghanistan can feel like you are trying to circumnavigate the globe — an endless flight across barren landscapes and oceans waiting to swallow you alive.

Help is out there my friends — remember how far you have gone and who you are.  You are on the last leg.  Tune in, don’t disappear.

Stop Lossed? Don’t Get KeyserSözed! Get paid!

One of my favorite films is “The Usual Suspects”.  The film is about a group of criminals who are led by a mysterious puppeteer that no one has ever actually met by the name of Keyser Söze.  Because no one actually ever sees him, people start believing that he is not real, and he conducts his criminal schemes under an impregnable veil of secrecy.

One problem — he was real, and in their hesitation and debate about whether he existed or not, the good guys let him get away — right under their noses.

 One of the best lines in the film was delivered by a “witness” during an interview.  They believed that their “witness” had information about the mysterious figure.  At one point, the witness starts telling them about the great feats of Keyser Soze and the Cops get irate.  The cops shout down the witness – these are myths, they say, criminal fairy tales!    Keyser Söze does not exist.

The “witness” chastises them along by saying that “the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist… and like that, he’s gone.”  Unconvinced, eventually, the cops fall victim to the myth that he does not really exist and Keyser Söze walks free and disappears with his ill-gotten gains, never to be seen again.

Before the end of the year, one of the greatest benefits  offered to Service members who served after 9-11 will vanish.  Some still beleive it is a myth, and some have still not applied.  This is a benefit that may pay up to $500 a month for every month that the Service member’s contract was extended, also known as “stop-lossed”.

 The application deadline is now October 21st, 2011, and there is still money on the table. Some suspect that folks are not applying because they don’t believe it’s real, or that it is a trick to get them to re-enlist or somehow extend their service.  That is a myth.  

 Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay compensates members, who, at any time during the period beginning on September 11, 2001 and ending on September 30, 2009, served on active duty while the member’s enlistment or period of obligated service was involuntarily extended due to the provision of law commonly referred to as “Stop Loss Authority”, or similarly, whose eligibility for retirement/transfer to the Fleet Reserve was suspended due to application of “Stop Loss  Authority.”

There is still money in the bank, and many of the eligible Service members, Veterans, and eligible beneficiaries are not taking up Uncle Sam on the offer for fear of somehow being pulled back into service, or some other urban legend.  It is like Söze has mounted a counter-information campaign, and Veterans are being snookered.  

 The myth may/may not be playing a role in folks not filling out the easy application to get paid for the time that they got extended, but myths have a way of becoming reality if enough people are willing to silently let the Devil whisper in their ear that he does not exist.

 President Obama himself has weighed in on the benefit he signed into law last year by issuing a Public Service Announcement stating that:  “As your commander in chief, I’m here to tell you that this is no gimmick or trick. You worked hard. You earned this money. It doesn’t matter whether you were Active or Reserve, whether you’re a veteran who experienced “stop loss” or the survivor of a Service member who did — if your service was extended, you’re eligible.”

 Although many Service members may not want to apply, or simply do not know about it, the real loss is to the survivors of those would have been eligible – these spouses or children may be eligible to receive the benefit directly themselves.

 Even if you are not sure about your eligibility, the average benefit is $3,700.  I know some families could really use that kind of money, and taking a few minutes to fill in the online application would be worth it. 

Don’t get KeyserSözed, get paid.

Army?  Apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay HERE.

Navy? Apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay HERE.

Airforce?  Apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay HERE

Marines?  Apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay HERE.

 #stoplossedgetcash

 – Movie Spoiler-

A Woman in History with Lessons for New Generation of Wounded Warrior Researchers

I would like to share a nice blog article by my fellow cause blogger, PPandMe.  She recently blogged about an icon of Americas equality movement– Dr. Dorothy Haight.  It is appropriate to mention Dr. Dorothy Haight not only because of her contributions to the fabric of the American ideals of equality under the law, but because of her willingness to address difficult and complex issues that touched on class, race, and educational status.   

Dr. Haight was first and last, a champion of moral and ethical treatment of those most in need of protection.  

PPandMe mentions Dr. Haight’s work on the Belmont Report in response to governmental research and withholding of treatment to impoverished farm workers who had contracted an easily curable disease.  The Belmont Report gained acclaim in the medical community as a benchmark in ethical standards for medical research.  The Report parsed down the Hippocratic Oath down to easy to apply rules of research — first, do no harm; second, protect those who need it the most.

The Belmont Report was co-written by Dr. Haight, and was response to a Health and Human Services study conducted from the 1930s until the early 1970s on poor, African-American farmers, who had contracted syphilis.  They were enrolled in a study on the effects of syphilis, and were given free general medical care, but were not counseled on treatment options for the disease and/or provided medication that would have cured their condition.  Many died from it, and other passed the easily curable condition onto their children via congenital syphilis.  Eventually, the United States settled a claim by the families, and compensated them for their failure to treat, and withholding of treatment. 

This was a watershed moment for ethical governmental research that led the way for modern-day “informed consent” and challenged researches to take a more active role in treatment and prevention.

Why do I find this story an interesting topic for a Wounded Warrior blog?  Because it is a bellwether moment for research.  What the Belmont Report means for me is embracing  research that is substantively more proactive and progressive in nature.  Not for the sake of research, but because it is the right thing to do.   

The Belmont Report moved research, and researchers to acknowledge that they must do more than observe and report, that they have an ethical obligation to do no harm, and to protect those most at need.  They could not simply observe and report — they must prevent and treat.

When I returned from Iraq, I began to hear stories from my buddies who had served with me about unexplained ailments and difficulty in getting diagnosis and treatment.  The returning Veterans of modern conflicts are reporting exposure to a plethora of unfriendly things from their time in combat, such as depleted uranium. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs, under the leadership of Secretary Eric Shinseki and Deputy Secretary Gould  have taken pro-active steps to expand compensation to Veterans for things like exposure to Agent Orange, and as of last year, for Veterans of the First Gulf War, the Department of Veterans Affairs now compensates for complex maladies associated with service in the Gulf War theater. 

Last year, they stood up a Task Force to develop the policy of compensation and issued a report for this era of Veterans.

The perceived modus operandi has been for the government to compensate for these issues after the science catches up with the complaints, rebuild the record, and back-pay the claimant — an expensive way to do business. Compound this poor business model with the ethical quandary this presents, and there is not a problem, but a new opportunity.  An opportunity to make another break-thru moment in government research. 

We see Service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with similar reports of exposures and complex medical issues.  Do we invest in the science now and push the researchers now to start the process in order to ensure that we are not creating another generation of Veterans who will, twenty years later, stand at the doorway of the VA with tattered medical record in hand and  a series of unexplained illnesses?

Is this an ethical imperative for the medical establishment to take a leap forward in their thinking in the same way that the Belmont Report did?  It is beginning to look that way. 

There has been historic progress that cannot be overlooked.  For the first time, VA worked with the DoD in researching potential battlefield exposures while combat operations were still underway.  

This new era of collaboration is timely given the increasing debate about toxic exposures from “burn pits” in Iraq, written extensively about by groups like IAVA in their 2011 Policy Agenda and DAV.

The moral leadership of today, much like the researchers who pushed for the Belmont Report,  are pushing the establishment from observe, report and eventually compensate, to prevent and treat.  Although history can repeat itself – if our leadership looks back to figures like Dr. Haight — it will not