Friday, November 30, 2012

Military Docs Use Cutting-edge Device to Save Patient


By Elaine Sanchez
Brooke Army Medical Center

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, Nov. 29, 2012 - Doctors from San Antonio Military Medical Center here saved a young mother's life last month using cutting-edge technology historically reserved for infants and young children.

Click photo for screen-resolution image
Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Jeremy Cannon, right, and Dr. Jeremy Pamplin place a patient on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, in September 2012 at San Antonio Military Medical Center in Texas. ECMO is a heart-lung bypass system that circulates blood through an external artificial lung and sends it back into the patient's bloodstream. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research
 

(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
The case marked the first time the medical center has treated an adult with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, a heart-lung bypass system that circulates blood through an external artificial lung and sends it back into the patient's bloodstream.

"This is a true success story," said Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Jeremy Cannon, the hospital's trauma chief and a key player in the case. "I firmly believe this patient would not be here if it wasn't for ECMO and a tremendous team effort."

Cannon first heard of the case a few months ago, while he was in the midst of a surgery. He had asked to be paged whenever patients in the hospital developed severe lung injury so he could assess them for ECMO treatment.

The patient -- referred to as "Jane" in this article to protect her privacy -- woke up several days earlier with itchy, irritated eyes, but she and her doctor chalked it up to an infection or a virus. It wasn't until her symptoms spread and worsened that she decided an emergency room visit was in order.

A few hours later, Jane was diagnosed with severe toxic epidermal necrolysis, or TENS, an autoimmune reaction to medication. She was flown by helicopter from her south Texas hometown to the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research's Burn Center, the Defense Department's only burn center, which is located in the medical center here.

The TENS progressed quickly, and by the time she reached the hospital, Jane's skin was sloughing off, her lungs were filling with fluid and tissue, and her vital organs were failing. She was admitted to the Burn Center on Sept. 15 and initially was stabilized. However, when her condition worsened, Cannon was alerted.

Cannon and his ECMO team members had one thought after assessing Jane: "She's going to die if we don't use ECMO."

Cannon and a select team of specialists had been training for this moment for more than a year, thanks to a Defense Department grant that provided ECMO supplies, training funds and equipment to explore the use of ECMO on adults.

ECMO is commonly used in neonatal intensive care units around the world on newborns with lung issues such as meconium aspiration, a medical condition that occurs when infants ingest their first stool before or during delivery. However, adult applications are much less common, mainly due to a lack of recent patient data.

Cannon, however, had been observing ECMO successes since his residency and strongly believed in its outcomes for adults, particularly for patients on the brink of death. He had transferred to SAMMC from the Air Force's Wilford Hall Medical Center, which had the military's only infant and child ECMO center, so he had ongoing exposure to the technology. Along with its experts, the neonatal ECMO center transferred to SAMMC last year.

Cannon said he brought his strong convictions about the lifesaving potential of the technology to his leadership and requested for Jane to be SAMMC's first adult ECMO patient. "I've been involved in ECMO cases for 15 years," he said. "I saw the benefit and felt confident we had the team structure and protocols in place."

The same day she checked in, Jane was put on ECMO, and stayed on it for 23 days.

It was touch-and-go at first, Cannon noted. "It was agonizing for 22 of those 23 days," he recalled.

Finally, on Day 21, Jane's lungs started to clear, and two days later, staff transitioned her from ECMO to a standard ventilator. "Within a day and a half, she went from profoundly ill to greatly improved," Cannon said, noting the team effort of experts across the hospital.

"It was exhilarating to see her get better, thanks to a concerted effort," he added.

Maria Serio-Melvin, ISR nurse research consultant, also credited the procedure's success to an "intense, collaborative, cooperative effort" between the ISR and ECMO teams.

A few weeks later, Jane is now an outpatient, staying with her mother in town until she gains enough strength to return home. "It's been tough, but I'm not going to give up," Jane said in a recent interview at the hospital. "I can't say enough about the care I've received here."

Jane's lungs and skin are still healing, but Cannon said he has high hopes for his patient, as well as for other SAMMC patients who can be helped through ECMO.

Cannon also said he hopes to see an increased use of adult ECMO in the war zone, where it's already proved lifesaving for several troops. In 2010, an ECMO-trained team picked up a soldier in Kandahar, Afghanistan, who had been shot in the chest. His right lung had to be removed, a procedure that typically carries a 100 percent mortality rate. However, the lung team placed him on ECMO and he quickly recovered in a hospital in Germany.

Cannon recalled meeting this patient a few weeks after he arrived at SAMMC. "He's married now and enjoying life," he said. Since then, there have been five ECMO transports from the battlefield to Germany, he added.

Cannon said his long-term vision is to see ECMO patients transported directly from the battlefield to a stateside location, such as the medical center here, for their recovery.

"We've proven we can very safely take care of even most critically ill patients, and I'm very optimistic we'll be able to offer these services to wounded warriors throughout their continuum of care," he said.

Based on recent successes around the nation, Cannon said, he expects to see a resurgence in ECMO research around the world, which will help to build confidence in the technology for adults. A trial with strict research protocols based in France is now under way and promises to answer some of the unknowns that remain about the use of ECMO in adults, he noted.

Whatever the future holds, Cannon said, he'll never forget the lifesaving impact of ECMO for Jane. "All of this came together beautifully, and it worked," he said. "She's alive because of an amazing team effort."

The day she improved, he added, "was the pinnacle day in my medical career."
 

Related Sites:
San Antonio Military Medical Center


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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








China Lands First Jet on Aircraft Carrier


Beijing: The Chinese military has successfully landed a new fighter jet on the Liaoning Aircraft Carrier, according to a report by Xinhua, the state news agency. China Central Television showed a video of the J-15 jet landing on the deck of the carrier, which was put into service in September. The video also showed the yellow jet successfully taking off from the carrier. The carrier and jet are a symbol of China's modernization and its desire to extend its combat capacity.

China's military abilities and budget still lag far behind those of the United States.

China bought the carrier years ago called the Varyag from Ukraine and has completed more than 100 training and test programs. The report said the J-15 jet was designed and made in China and is the nation's "first generation multipurpose carrier-borne fighter jet." The jet is comparable to Russia's Su-33 and the United States' F-18, according to Xinhua.

A J-15 fighter jet shown on China's first aircraft carrier .Phot AP

http://www.smh.com.au/world/happy-landing-for-chinas-fighter-jet-20121126-2a2or.html#ixzz2DMuTrNgO

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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








Thursday, November 29, 2012

Panetta Honors Vets at 'Wall' Education Center Groundbreaking


By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2012 - The education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial "Wall" will be a place to join the past to the future, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said at the center's groundbreaking ceremony today.

Click photo for screen-resolution image
Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, and retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for the education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial "Wall" in Washington, D.C., Nov. 28, 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
By telling the stories of service members whose names are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country will not be forgotten, he said.

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, joined Panetta at the ceremony, held near the memorial on the National Mall here. The groundbreaking included a large delegation of congressional and military leaders and members of Gold Star Families -- an organization for families that have lost loved ones in military service.

"It will be a site for future generations of Americans to learn, think and reflect on our nation's wars and those who fought them," Panetta said of the education center. "This is a very poignant moment, for a very special place in my heart for [Vietnam veterans]."

The center, which will honor veterans from several U.S. wars, will bring to life the stories of the more than 58,000 U.S. service members who were lost during the Vietnam War. Stories and photos of the fallen from Iraq and Afghanistan also will be featured until those veterans have their own national place of honor, event officials said.

"As I travel across the country and the world, I am always inspired by the strength and the resilience of our military families," Biden, also a military mom, told the audience.

"But there are many Americans who don't know anyone in the military," she added. "As a life-long educator, that's why the education center is so important. It will help ensure our veterans will always be remembered -- not just in name, by but by their actions. Those actions will become part of the lessons that educate and inspire us for years to come."

This year begins the 50th anniversary commemoration of the United States' participation in the Vietnam War, Panetta told the audience.

"We remember their bravery and heroism and we will never forget their sacrifices during that conflict," he said of U.S. service members who fought in Vietnam.

Panetta spoke of his recent travels to Vietnam, noting that Defense Department officials were working diligently in Hanoi to find and identify remains of U.S. service members who are missing in action there and throughout the region.

"It is our sacred duty to leave no one behind," Panetta said. "We will not rest until every MIA is brought home. I assure you that your government is committed to the fullest possible accounting of our missing service members from the Vietnam War."

Panetta said Americans failed to acknowledge the sacrifices of the nation's service members when they returned home after the war.

"America's recognition came too late," he said. "The Vietnam generation is graying now. Preserving stories requires more than a place of remembrance. It needs a place of education. [These veterans] must never be forgotten."

The center will focus on a divisive time in the nation's history from which it learned meaningful lessons, the secretary said.

"That war is always a last resort, that we must have a clear mission [to fight], that people can oppose a war and still support the troops, and that we should always cherish the legacy of valor and self-sacrifice our veterans represent and make America strong," he said.

Panetta said the center will honor the nation's military heroes "by telling the stories of brave American warriors, past and present, we help ensure we'll never forget the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate price for their country."

"The torch of freedom these heroes carried into battle must be passed from generation to generation, so we never stop fighting for a better future for our children," the secretary said.
 

Biographies:
Leon E. Panetta
Dr. Jill Biden
Related Sites:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








VA Leadership Needs to Step Up and Fix Spending Problems to Better Serve Veterans


 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Despite repeated bipartisan requests made by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs regarding conference spending, foreign travel, and other information pertaining to VA healthcare and operations, senior VA officials admitted today that requests made by Congress are delayed internally, but that even when information is provided, it is frequently wrong.

 

Stemming from an earlier investigation that found nearly $1 million of taxpayer dollars, monies taken from VA healthcare accounts, was wasted during two VA HR Conferences in Orlando, Florida, last year, the hearing this morning focused on receiving answers to the 75 outstanding requests made to VA.

 

"Lengthy delays or not responding to requests at all has become the norm," stated Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "First we were told $20 million was spent in FY2011 on conferences; then we were told it was a little over $100 million; finally we were told that no accurate, reliable figure on conference expenditures exists. Because of these discrepancies, Ranking Member Filner and I asked for clarification of VA's total conference spending for that year and prior years, as well as a breakdown of all individual conferences, and still have yet to receive any information."

 

The hearing also focused on the subject of VA foreign travel. The Committee has made several requests since August for all information regarding any foreign travel made by VA employees over the past three years. To date, the Committee has yet to receive an answer to basic questions. Pictures, posted on VA's official Facebook and Twitter pages however, of a trip through Italy were shown at the hearing to senior VA leadership.

 

"We are trying to determine if these photos of a European field trip represent evidence of a boondoggle or not," Miller said. "At best, these are pictures of a privately funded vacation posted on a government website. At worst, this was a taxpayer financed trip with no known legitimate purpose. We will get to the bottom of this, but without the Administration providing timely and accurate information, it risks perception becoming reality in the eyes of this Committee and veterans."

 

In an effort to staunch the excess spending, the House passed a bill last year, which VA opposed, to increase accountability and oversight of VA conference spending. H.R. 2302 ensures that all VA conferences costing more than $20,000 be reported to Congress. The bill became law earlier this year as part of the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012.

 

"We clearly have a problem here and I intend to get to the bottom of it, both with respect to conference spending and VA's relationship with this oversight Committee," said Miller.

 

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile








Wednesday, November 28, 2012

House Passes Bill to Name VA Georgia Facility After Local Leader



 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6374 to designate the facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 180 Martin Drive in Carrollton, Georgia, as the "Trinka Davis Veterans Village."

 

The bill would name the VA community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) in Carrollton, Georgia, after Trinka Davis, a local leader who left part of her estate to be used to provide support for veterans and their families.

 

The CBOC will serve the more than 3,000 rural veterans who call northwest Georgia home. The bill, introduced by Rep. Phil Gingrey of Georgia, received support from the entire Georgia Congressional Delegation, as well as all of the major Veterans Service Organizations in the state of Georgia.

 

"Trinka selflessly served our country's heroes and upon her death left her entire estate to ensure their wellbeing," said Gingrey. "It was my honor to recognize Trinka Davis, her foundation, and our veterans today."

 

"The generosity to America's veterans shown by Mrs. Davis is truly remarkable. Private citizens who use their own resources to care for those in their communities is what makes this country so unique," stated Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "Not naming the facility after Mrs. Davis would be a mistake, and I am happy that we were able to move forward with this legislation."

 

For more news from the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, please visit:

 

Veterans.House.Gov

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile








Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Act signed into law today

Officially signed into law today, the Veterans' Compensation
Cost-of-Living Act is set to provide an increase of $500 in benefits
on average for the 3.9 million recipients of VA disability benefits,
dependency and indemnity compensation and pensions.

The COLA bill, which had been stalled in the Senate since late
September, was freed up Nov. 13 and unanimously approved in time for
the increase to be included in the checks received in January.
Additional delay could have stalled payments until February or later.

"Compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs is a major
source of income for many veterans and their families, so adjusting
those payments for inflation is absolutely necessary," said DAV
National Commander Larry A. Polzin.

By law, the increase will match the benefit increase to the COLA
provided to Social Security recipients, which will be 1.7 percent for
2013.

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone: 716 720-4000
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile

DOD Aids Sandy Recovery, Urges Authorization Bill Passage

By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2012 - The Defense Department continues its
assistance with Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, Pentagon Press
Secretary George E. Little said here today.

About 1,000 National Guardsmen and more than 300 Army Corps of
Engineers personnel remain in New York and New Jersey, he said.

"Our personnel have made a significant contribution to the recovery
effort," Little said.

"Since the storm struck, the Army Corps of Engineers has installed 198
power generators in critical locations, and removed over 475 million
gallons of water at 14 strategic sites -- the equivalent of 720
Olympic-sized swimming pools. They've also removed more than 340,000
cubic yards of debris," he said.

In addition, more than 9 million gallons of fuel and more than 6
million meals have been delivered to affected areas by the Defense
Logistics Agency, Little said.

The fact that DOD can carry out such large-scale operations while
simultaneously conducting operations in Afghanistan and around the
world is a testament to the department's high level of readiness and
its ability to plan for a wide range of potential contingencies, he
said.

"I point this out because if Congress does not enact defense
authorization legislation for fiscal year 2013 in a timely fashion, it
could seriously hamper our ability to plan and to operate," Little
said.

A number of adverse situations will arise if Congress fails to pass
the 2013 Defense Authorization Act, he said.

"For example, important new military construction projects --
including critical infrastructure upgrades -- could not be initiated,"
he said.

"Authorities to provide counterterrorism support to law enforcement
agencies and several important counter-narcotics authorities --
including support to the government of Colombia -- would expire,"
Little said.

For service members, bonuses and special incentive pay would end,
Little said, hurting troop morale and potentially impacting recruiting
and retention.

These examples explain why -- beyond preventing sequestration -- one
of Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta's highest priorities for the
current Congressional session is for lawmakers to pass the defense
authorization bill, he said.

"In the coming days, it is his hope that Congress comes together to
help this department accomplish this mission by acting on this
critical legislation," Little said.





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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone: 716 720-4000
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile

Imagine not being able to remember your daughter’s name.


.
VFW Home VFW
 
  UFV_banner2.jpg  
Sean,

Imagine not being able to remember your daughter's name.

According to his wife Amy, that's exactly what happened to Sergeant Alexis Perez.

Alexis incurred numerous injuries during his final, two-year deployment to Iraq—including five slipped discs, a broken ankle, fractured foot, permanent hearing loss and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

It wasn't until a bullet grazed his head and sent him tumbling down a cement tower that the military took notice and medically retired Alexis. He was given only three weeks to leave military housing and find somewhere for his family of seven to live.

  Perez

"We did okay the first three months," said Amy, "but by then our savings was used up, and my husband's benefits never came. Each month, we prayed the money would come through, but we just got further and further behind."

Finally, their prayers were answered when, several months later and on the brink of homelessness, Amy and Alexis turned to the VFW. Thanks to the help of supporters like YOU, the VFW was able to award the family funds to cover their rent and utilities.

"Because of the grant, we kept our home and made it through to when Alexis' benefits were finally granted," said Amy.

Thousands of veterans face situations just like Alexis and his family every day. BUT YOU CAN HELP.

Ask your friends to donate NOW to your personal fundraising page and help veterans like Alexis get the help they desperately need. VFW programs help America's defenders with emergency assistance, getting the VA benefits they have earned and making their voices heard on Capitol Hill.

Hurry! These veterans can't wait.



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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








Johanns Files Amendment to Help Veterans Find Jobs


Posted: Nov 27, 2012 10:07 AM PST Updated: Nov 27, 2012 10:07 AM PST

U.S. Sens. Mike Johanns and Mark Pryor filed an amendment Tuesday for the Defense Authorization which is designed to make it easier for returning veterans to find civilian jobs.

The amendment, Helping Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Return to Employment at Home Act, encourages states to consider the training service members receive during active duty when determining eligibility for state licenses and certifications.

Johanns is a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and believes many service men and women have the necessary skills for civilian jobs.

He said, "Many of our servicemen and women perform technical jobs like operating heavy machinery or serving as a paramedic, and do so with great skill in a demanding environment. Yet when their tour of duty is complete, they often find they don't meet the certification requirements outlined by state licensing agencies to do the same job at home.

"Our amendment seeks to do away with this common yet unnecessary hurdle that often stands between veterans and civilian employment. Helping our returning veterans find good jobs here at home is a small gesture of thanks compared to what they have done to protect our freedoms."

Pryor added, "Many veterans have already demonstrated proficiency through military training and experience, and they have done so while performing in a war zone. Our bipartisan bill would encourage states to consider service members' experience so we can eliminate the expensive and time-consuming hurdles service members often face as they re-enter the workforce."

The unemployment rate among veterans is well above the national average with post-9/11 veterans at 10 percent unemployment. That number is even higher for female veterans, whose number hits 15 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Johanns-Pryor measure is supposed to help provide tailored job searching tools for returning veterans.

The Department of Defense has released a report identifying several education and training issues it hopes to resolve, including having military training pre-approved within state credentialing options.

HIRE at Home would use existing federal funds available through the Disabled Veterans' Outreach and Local Veterans' Employment Representative programs to coordinate this process between DoD and state agencies.

From Nebraska TV http://www.nebraska.tv/story/20196562/johanns-files-amendment-to-help-veterans-find-jobs?clienttype=printable

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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








Committee to Examine VA Spending



 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Wednesday, November 28, 2012, at 10:15 a.m., in Room 334 of the Cannon House Office Building, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs will hold a hearing entitled, "VA Conference Spending and Accountability." The Committee will specifically examine the lack of answers and information received from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) concerning conference spending over the past four years. VA has estimated that is spends anywhere from $20-$100 million a year on conferences, one of which was recently under investigation by VA's Office of the Inspector General. The investigation uncovered exorbitant waste, lack of accountability, and resulted in at least one senior VA official resignation.

 

WHO:             House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

WHAT:          VA Conference Spending and Accountability

WHEN:          10:15 a.m., Wednesday, November 28, 2012, Room 334, Cannon House Office Building

 

 

WITNESS LIST

The Honorable W. Scott Gould, Deputy Secretary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Accompanied by:

Mr. W. Todd Grams, Executive in Charge, Office of Management, Chief Financial Officer

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Ms. Phillipa Anderson, Assistant General Counsel

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

 

 

For more news from the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, please visit:

 

Veterans.House.Gov

Find us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/HouseVetsAffairs or follow us on Twitter at:

@HouseVetAffairs

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile








Sunday, November 25, 2012

Letters from Captain K and Team Rosebrock Re LA TIMES== A JOBLESS CRISIS FOR NATIONAL GUARD

This is a perfect reason why we need to reinstate the Draft.
 
Let the National Guard take care of our borders and Draftees fight the foreign wars.  Watch how quickly the foreign wars cease to exist and our borders will be safe from illegal immigration ... the way it was intended. 
 
The country that we pledged our lives to defend is completely upside. 
 
No longer are Veterans elected President / Vice President, serve in Congress or on the Supreme Court.
 
Even worse, we have the likes of Donna Beiter, not a Veteran, running the largest VA in the nation and running roughshod over Veterans' Constitutional Rights to Free Speech. 
 
We have wealthy and powerful homeowner groups operating under the ruse of being a Veterans organization stealing Veterans property for public use ... "in honor of our Veterans."
 
We have a President's Secretary of the VA and U.S. Attorneys fighting against America's disabled homeless Veterans instead of defending them and their property.   
 
We've seen the last of the greatest nation in the history of mankind as personal lives (freedom and independence) and personal property (wealth) are in extreme danger.
 
If ever there was a time for our Citizenry to fly the American Flag in distress, this is it!
 
God Bless America and the Veterans Revolution!
 
by Ron Rosebrock


Another interesting email I thought I would  share from Dr K.at VVA 47 Riverside Ca.

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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








Saturday, November 24, 2012

New tools to help vets find jobs

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/11/marine-chamber-commerce-hiring-jobs-112312/


By Bethany Crudele - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Nov 23, 2012 10:33:43 EST

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will roll out new employment tools for veterans as part of the Hiring Our Heroes initiative over the next several months. In addition to an online personal branding tool kit, expected to launch in February, the chamber, in partnership with Google, is also developing an enhanced online mapping tool, "Fast Track," to help service members and veterans identify the 100 fastest-growing job markets in the U.S. and the key industries driving growth in local communities.

By the end of November, the map will be populated with veteran-friendly career opportunities in Fortune 500 companies.

Retired Marine Lt. Col. Kevin Schmiegel, executive director of Hiring our Heroes and vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber also plans to populate the map with information on how to use the GI Bill at community colleges, vocational schools, apprenticeships and credentialing programs to earn specific qualifications and help veterans find job opportunities in manufacturing and other industries.

Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer, a partner in the initiative, said "Fast Track" will help veterans identify credible employers and training programs.

"The online map tool is going to be a huge hit because it's going to be a one-stop shop for veterans. It's definitely frustrating trying to determine all the different areas you can go to. You don't know which ones are credible and which ones aren't," Meyer said Nov. 15 during a Washington conference that brought in employers from the public and private sectors to discuss their veteran hiring goals.

The Chamber of Commerce hopes to find employment for half a million veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014. To date, more than 800 businesses have pledged to hire 182,000 veterans through the campaign. Since March, more than 14,000 veterans have found employment through Hiring Our Heroes job fairs. The chamber also plans to incorporate more transition workshops into those job fairs.

Meyer, who encouraged employers to think of four years in the military as being as valuable as four years at a university, said businesses need to continue to provide viable employment opportunities that allow veterans to use the skills they learned in theater.

"Companies need to stop looking at it as charity," he said. "It's not charity. It's just doing what's right."



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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








Wednesday, November 21, 2012

IAVA Update On Super Storm Sandy Aftermath


Sean,

The past two weeks have been amazing. See for yourself:

Coming off the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, our members overwhelmingly wanted to do one thing – serve our country. Just as we did overseas, we answered the call to support a new mission at home.

We stepped up at service projects around the country to revitalize local schools, libraries and parks. We marched down main streets where kids gave us cards and WWII vets waved flags.

I've been trying to find the right word for what I felt watching our members run the IAVA flag up the parade route. Pride is the right word. Last week, our community seized a critical moment to show the country who new vets are and what we're made of. And I was nothing but proud to be a part of it.

Let's keep building this community together. Share the video and tell a friend to sign up. As I've said before, we're stronger together.

Thanks for all your support.

Paul

Paul Rieckhoff
Founder, CEO and Member
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)

P.S. Love the new IAVA gear in the video? Head to the IAVA Store and get yours now! We're also adding more gear in the next few weeks, so check back early and often!


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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
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U.S., NATO Consider Turkey Request for Missile Support


By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2012 - The U.S. will work closely with its NATO allies to determine the best way to respond to a recent request from Turkey for Patriot missile support, a defense official said today.

Turkey is seeking to deploy the Patriot missiles along its southeastern border in an effort to de-escalate crisis conditions due to the civil war in neighboring Syria, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement.

"The deployment would be defensive only," Rasmussen said. "It will in no way support a no-fly zone or any offensive operation."

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said in a Nov. 15 Voice of America interview that the U.S. was talking with Turkey about the threats to its security. "Turkey is obviously facing a difficult situation as refugees pour into their country and they're threatened by the instability in Syria," he said.

"They have asked that we work with them to try to see what we can do to give them some missile defense capability," he continued. "And we are working with them. And our hope is that we can help provide that kind of assistance."

"If approved, the deployment would be undertaken in accordance with NATO's standing air defense plan," Rasmussen said. "It is up to the individual NATO countries that have available Patriots -- Germany, the Netherlands and the United States -- to decide if they can provide them for deployment in Turkey and for how long."

"We will remain in close dialogue with our NATO allies as we work through this request for support. We take Turkey's concerns very seriously," the defense official said.

Related Sites:
Statement by the NATO Secretary General on Patriot Missile



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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
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UNITED FOR VETERANS


Dear VFW Fundraiser,

With Thanksgiving upon us, we are thankful for you and your support of America's veterans.

Will you, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, help us make a difference in the lives of so many veterans in need?

Please consider taking the following steps:

1 – TODAY - Visit the fundraising page you set up and make a donation to show people you believe in the cause.

2 – Send a message to your friends and family, and ask them to visit your fundraising page to make a donation as part of their Thanksgiving festivities.

3 – Be sure to follow up with a simple 'thank you' to recognize their generosity.

Let's keep the momentum going — we're making a difference!

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise/team?ftid=5926

— The VFW Team

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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Military-to-Civilian Skills Credentialing Pilot Underway


By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2012 - After completing an analysis of industry and employment trends, the Defense Department has embarked on a pilot program to help service members obtain civilian professional credentials, the department's director of training readiness and strategy told reporters today.

Frank C. DiGiovanni said five occupational areas were selected for the pilot program -- aircraft mechanic, automotive mechanic, health care, supply and logistics, and truck driver. A total of 17 military specialties are covered under these five areas, which align with Department of Labor's standard occupational classifications, he noted.

To select the occupations, he said, the department looked at the private sector for areas where there would be average or better growth coinciding with high numbers of projected job openings.

"What we've asked the services to do ... is to look at those five areas, look at their specific military occupational codes, marry them up and get some people into the pilot program," DiGiovanni said.

The program began in October, he said, and as it progresses, officials will examine whether existing military training is sufficient to qualify service members for civilian credentials. Where the current training is found to be insufficient, DiGiovanni added, the department will determine if the program can be adjusted or if training from external sources is necessary.

Training is just part of career development, however. "Some of these licenses and credentials require a certain level of experience to qualify," he said. So, the program will eventually assess service members at various stages in their military careers, he said.

Military officials will also assess the program's success from the perspective of the three key participant groups, DiGiovanni said. "The first is the individual," he said. "Did they feel they got what they needed to go out and compete?"

The second group, technical schools and supervisors, will be surveyed to determine whether meeting the requirements of a civilian certification program helped them or if it created additional challenges, DiGiovanni said.

As the service members involved in the pilot program transition from military service, a third group, employers, will be surveyed, he said.

"We'd have to go to some of the industry folks and say, 'The fact that [service members] were able to get some of these licenses or credentials while on military service, did that help in your decision to hire an individual? What kind of employee are they?'" he said.

"For us, the objective really is honoring the service of our service members and helping them ... while they're in the service to professionalize and expand their knowledge in these occupational areas," DiGiovanni said.

The program's second aim is to determine whether conducting this type of training through the services is cost-effective, he said. Other options could include vocational training through the Department of Labor or Veterans Affairs, he added.

The pilot is one of several DOD Credentialing and Licensing Task Force initiatives, said Eileen Lainez, a spokesperson for the Defense Department.

"We're looking at how we can better document and translate military training and experience so that civilian credentialing agencies and states can better understand the nature of military training and award appropriate credit," she said.

"Industry has told us ... that military members bring several advantages to the table," DiGiovanni said. Employers consider service members and veterans to be diligent, efficient and reliable, he said.

Service members and veterans report that their military experience provided them with leadership and problem-solving skills, adaptability and the ability to work in teams, he added. "In many industries ... the training and experience they have in the military gives them a jump start," he said.

"However, civilian employers also report that translating military skills to civilian job experience is one of the biggest challenges of hiring employees with military experience," Lainez said. "Civilian credentials provide a means of doing this translation."


 

Biographies:
Frank C. DiGiovanni

Related Articles:
Obama Announces Military-to-Civilian Skills Certification
DOD News Release
DOD Works to Ease Troop Transition to Credentialed Jobs
Employing Our Veterans: Expediting Transition Through Concurrent Credentialing




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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn








Monday, November 19, 2012

Oh Hail Oh Hail Artillery King of Battle Follow Me





11/19/2012 04:59 PM CST

U.S. Marines fire an M777A2 155mm howitzer during an artillery training program in the North Fuji Maneuver Area, Japan, Nov. 10, 2012. The Marines are assigned to the 3rd Marine Division's 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force.

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Sean Eagan

American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000 
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile
LinkedIn