Nice way to treat our returning veterans

[Guest]

If you have not read this article you should.
"a father-mad-as-hell-over-filthy-barracks"

April 29) -- The U.S. military is promising action to address conditions in a barracks at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, after a soldier's father posted images on YouTube showing a building that he said "should be condemned."

"This is embarrassing. It's disgusting. It makes me mad as hell," Ed Frawley said of the building where his son, Sgt. Jeff Frawley, had to live upon his return this month from a 15-month deployment to Afghanistan.

Frawley said Monday that Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Dick Cody called him to say he shares Frawley's anger and that "there's no excuse." Cody said he would not want his own sons or any troops to return to such conditions, Frawley said.

Frawley's 10-minute video shows still photos from throughout the building, which appears to be falling apart and filled with mold and rust.

Paint -- which Frawley said is lead-based -- is chipping. Ceiling tiles are missing. A broken drain pipe allows sewer gas into the building, while another one has tissues stuffed into it in an apparent effort to stop the gas from coming in.

Photos from the communal bathroom show some of the most disgusting images. In one, a soldier stands in a sink to avoid what Frawley describes as 3 inches of sewage water that filled the floor when toilets overflowed.

At times, "sewage water backs up into the sinks in the lower floors of these barracks," Frawley said in his narration. "The soldiers have to tell one another who's taking a shower when they turn the sinks on, or the person taking the shower gets scalded with hot water."

Frawley said the Army promised to have new barracks ready when his son's unit, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, returned.

"The conditions depicted in Mr. Frawley's video are appalling and unacceptable, and we are addressing the concerns he expressed," said Maj. Tom Earnhardt, spokesman for the 82nd Airborne, in a written statement.

"Our paratroopers are our most valuable resource, and our commitment is to their well-being. Our actions now must represent the best we can do for our soldiers."

"Fundamentally, we acknowledge these conditions are not adequate by today's standards," he added. "The images in Mr. Frawley's video are alarming, and our soldiers deserve the best conditions we can provide as an institution."

Officials at the base invited the media into the barracks and acknowledged that there are serious problems.

Earnhardt said the building had been mostly unused during the 15 months Frawley and his unit were away. Fort Bragg has a massive construction project under way to create housing, but it is behind schedule, Earnhardt said.

The buildings used by the 82nd Airborne are about 50 years old, he said.

Earnhardt said the incident with the overflowing toilet took place the first day after the unit's return and has been addressed.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole is among government officials who have responded to the video. In a written statement, she called living conditions in the barracks "unacceptable" and said the situation "must be immediately corrected."

Ed Frawley said he is "hoping no one gets fired. I just want to see it get fixed."

"They have the slowest contractors in the world," he said, adding that people in jail live "in better conditions."

This is posted on the internet and U tube.
I am sure this is not an isolated incident.
Called Our senators offices and all staff are away at a retreat.I bet it is not at Fort Brag.

[Guest]

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/father-mad-as-hell-over-filthy-barracks/20080429092409990002 for those who want to see the video.

I used to volunteer at the Dublin Federal Women's Prison Camp in California. The women there are housed in old WWII barracks. While I haven't been in the actual living quarters, I have been in communal buildings (which are supposedly the best buildings of the bunch). I felt these buildings were not fit for a human to live in and they weren't half as bad as these barracks -- at least the plumbing worked and things were properly repaired there.

To think that our troops are housed in such conditions sickens me. I wished it surprised me.

[Guest]

And my dears, they also lie to our troops. Our dear friend Matt (a Marine) was asked to serve a third tour in Iraq with the promise that he would then be given a post at an embassy with his own driver and cook. Against my pleadings, he believed these promises.
He served his third tour and happily for us and all that love him, he returned alive. But those promises were not kept. Another thing that doesn't surprise me.

[Guest]

Nothing ever changes, but our politicians. We fight illegal, immoral wars. Allow our young men and women get killed and maimed. When they no longer can give anymore for their country, we finally bring them home either in a black plastic bag, or on a stretcher. Those that come home alive, but maimed, are left to rot in hospitals not fit for our pets much less our sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters. The rest of our returning troops lucky enough not to be killed or maimed are left to their own devises to make ends meet while they try to recover their lives. Oh, and yes when they go and try to get back their old job back, they often find their job has been out sourced to India, China, South American, Mexico, etc. Being a Vietnam veteran, I was hoping things would be different this time around. Actually it's worse now than it was for us Vietnam Vets. Wake up America, its just not enough to sit back and say "I'm American, God Bless Our Troops, We Support You". Yes support them, and yes, God Bless this wonderful country, but do it right this time around. Write to your representatives and tell them just how d..m mad you are about the way we are treeting our returning vets. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky vets returning from Vietnam. I was able to make a life for myself and my family. Others were not as lucky, but the rest of us turned a blind eye to their plight. Not this time America. I apologize for ranting on. Thankyou

[Guest]

Nothing ever changes, but our politicians. We fight illegal, immoral wars. Allow our young men and women get killed and maimed. When they no longer can give anymore for their country, we finally bring them home either in a black plastic bag, or on a stretcher. Those that come home alive, but maimed, are left to rot in hospitals not fit for our pets much less our sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters. The rest of our returning troops lucky enough not to be killed or maimed are left to their own devises to make ends meet while they try to recover their lives. Oh, and yes when they go and try to get back their old job back, they often find their job has been out sourced to India, China, South American, Mexico, etc. Being a Vietnam veteran, I was hoping things would be different this time around. Actually it's worse now than it was for us Vietnam Vets. Wake up America, its just not enough to sit back and say "I'm American, God Bless Our Troops, We Support You". Yes support them, and yes, God Bless this wonderful country, but do it right this time around. Write to your representatives and tell them just how d..m mad you are about the way we are treeting our returning vets. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky vets returning from Vietnam. I was able to make a life for myself and my family. Others were not as lucky, but the rest of us turned a blind eye to their plight. Not this time America. I apologize for ranting on. Thankyou


Welcome home, bro! (4th ID, Highlands)

[Guest]

Hear! Hear! Fullrob and Steve! It may be 40 years too late but for what it's worth Welcome Home and Thank You for protecting and serving us. And I totally agree with Fullrob, that should be our motto . . .

Not this time America!

[Guest]

Fullrob said it best!
Treatment of our soldiers is the issue closest to my heart because of many personal connections and losses. It is so wrong.!!!
Why is our tax money paying private contractors twice as much as our soldiers ???
Why are we not allowed to honor those who have given their young lives and there remains are shipped home in cargo planes with no diginity--Forgotten--????
Why have soldiers been sent back with mental and physical injuries and promises not been kept???
Largest number of the homeless are vets. Recruiters lie to get enough young people to sign up.
Please call your senators and congressmen and insist that we keep our promises to our soldiers.

[Guest]

This almost ranks right up there with the situation that was exposed a few months back about the deplorable living conditions at Walter Reed Hospital.

What has happened to the pledges made during the campaigns about honoring and caring for our Vets. What a shame, while we are completing construction at an incredible cost for the new US Embassy Building in Iraq, that will probably be destroyed within days after the troops depart.

Today being a the anniversary of "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED", it is time to reread The Greatest Story Ever Sold by Frank Rich and be reminded how we got into the mess we are still immersed in.

[Guest]

Fullrob said it best!
Treatment of our soldiers is the issue closest to my heart because of many personal connections and losses. It is so wrong.!!!
Why is our tax money paying private contractors twice as much as our soldiers ???
Why are we not allowed to honor those who have given their young lives and there remains are shipped home in cargo planes with no diginity--Forgotten--????
Why have soldiers been sent back with mental and physical injuries and promises not been kept???
Largest number of the homeless are vets. Recruiters lie to get enough young people to sign up.
Please call your senators and congressmen and insist that we keep our promises to our soldiers.


For as long as I can remember, it has been Congress which has screwed veterans. Year after year, administration after administration, Republican and Democrat, budget submissions have gone to Congress, only to be whittled down there. Congresspersons give a lot of lip service to "supporting the troops," but the memories get short as soon as other 'competing interests" arise. That goes for funds for housing today and healthcare tomorrow.

Just to note: items within federal budgets often get referred as different "colors of money." So, money budgeted for a specific item, such as housing, cannot be reallocated to weapon systems or salaries unless there is Congressional approval for the reallocation. That's just the way it is, so even if the local base commander wants to renovate housing, unless there's money allocated specifically for that purpose in that base's budget, it ca't get done without that budget line item - and only up to that amount AND specifically for the type of renovation authorized.

Yet - compare the healthcare, pension criteria (and value) and other perks that Congresspersons vote themselves to any other category of federal employee - civilian or military. The number differential is astounding! Recruiters may lie, but nobody tells bigger whoppers than that Member of Congress!

[Guest]

Yet - compare the healthcare, pension criteria (and value) and other perks that Congresspersons vote themselves to any other category of federal employee - civilian or military. The number differential is astounding! Recruiters may lie, but nobody tells bigger whoppers than that Member of Congress!



Steve, I do share your disdain for Congress as a body and Congress people individually. And I believe there will be a special ring in hell for a lot of those congressional staffers who act as if it were they who'd been elected. However, Congress has the same retirement system (CSRS and FERS) as other civilian government employees and they have available the same Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan as other government employees. I'm not saying they do not have perks to which we have no access. If course they do. And a relatively short term senator will eventually get a higher retirement than an average Fed retiree, but the formula is consistant. It depends upon time served and last 3 or 5 year salary, can't remember which. And yes, more of them seem to have multiple retirements -- also which most military retirees evidently have.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/pensions.asp
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=233718

[Guest]

Sadly too many members of Congress have forgotten their oversight responsibilty and now only have hindsight if things like this come out in the media.

BTW, who are the Members of the Senate Veterans Affairs committee?

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/committee.xpd?id=SSVA

[Guest]

Steve, I do share your disdain for Congress as a body and Congress people individually. And I believe there will be a special ring in hell for a lot of those congressional staffers who act as if it were they who'd been elected. However, Congress has the same retirement system (CSRS and FERS) as other civilian government employees and they have available the same Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan as other government employees. I'm not saying they do not have perks to which we have no access. If course they do. And a relatively short term senator will eventually get a higher retirement than an average Fed retiree, but the formula is consistant. It depends upon time served and last 3 or 5 year salary, can't remember which. And yes, more of them seem to have multiple retirements -- also which most military retirees evidently have.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/pensions.asp
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=233718


My gripe is they get a pension at all!

The jobs Founding Fathers set up was for a 2-year representative and a 6 year senator - both roles being part-time positions with the incumbent going back to his "day job" during session breaks. It started out as public service and has now taken on the status of "career."

The joke is how the parties "take care of their own" when someone is not re-elected. That person usually finds him/herself receiving a "Plum Book appointment" which also ties into the Federal retirement system.

Career politicians are something we all complain as ruining the country, but they just keep chugging on as long as they can make a career out of it. That's why there's such a disconnect between our representatives and us - they don't live where we live or how we live - it's a society unto itself which only relates to the constituency at election time with all sorts of phoney promises.

We keep talking about "term limits" in this country. Well, the fastest way to get thim is to have a Congress without careerist benefits. Take away the careerist benefits and give them more money during their term if you want, just as you would any "independent contractor." That seems fair to me.

[Guest]

Just as the blind devotion to deregulation of the financial markets can be blamed for much of the current meltdown on Wall Street, the war profiteers have enjoyed a Baghdad Bubble as a result of the Bush administration’s refusal to hold them accountable.Not far from Wall Street is a little-known company called L-3. As a contractor L-3 is a kind of conglomerate that was created by Wall Street (Lehman Brothers) execs who saw the war and burgeoning military spending as a golden opportunity. So they went on an acquisition spree, gobbling up Titan (who Lockheed stopped courting when it was revealed that they had to pay the largest fine in history for corporate bribery), the company that provided translators at Abu Ghraib. L-3 is also the parent company of the mercenary firm MPRI, which was contracted to train the Iraqi Army.

According to the Center for Public Integrity, L-3 is the 6th largest Iraq war profiteer.

A lot of money is being made in this dirty business. You would think this greedy dogs would take care of our troops.

[Guest]

Junglejim,
Excellent post. :agree: