Donate to Veterans

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The U.S. government does not go the extra mile to support veterans who have made sacrifices for this country, that's why we should donate to veterans. Why should veterans not receive the benefits they were promised when they took vows to fight for American freedom? Many disabled veterans have been waiting to receive benefits years after they were injured, and that seems very unfair and almost criminal. America can afford to spend billions of dollars on the war in Iraq but cannot support the ones who have been injured in previous wars?

George Bush does not care about anyone but himself, and he has proven this fact repeatedly. The very least he can do is make sure every veteran is taken care of when they come home. Since this will never be a reality, we as Americans should willingly do our part to help those who protect us. The same people who complain about their budget being tight are the same ones who buy meaningless items on a daily basis. They can afford to go out and buy a fifty thousand dollar car to make themselves feel good, but don't realize that without our veterans they wouldn't be able to buy a stick of gum!

We need to start thinking about what is important. 20 or 25 bucks a month is not too much too ask of anyone for an important cause. If you have a home, car and a phone you can afford to donate to veterans! The only question we need to ask ourselves is how much we can afford.

To make a donation to disabled veterans please visit http://www.disabledvetsinc.org

All Costs of the War in Iraq for the USA

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So far the war in Iraq cost America more than 2 trln. dollars and that sum keeps growing every day. Separate discussion is needed in order to comprehend just how big that amount is. In this article, however, we'll try to break down those costs by their nature and origin:

Human costs.

The reason to start from these costs is pretty straight forward. Human losses are unrecoverable and they can never be monetized. To the date the article was written, Iraq war cost the lives of 4,323 U.S. troops. Number of those wounded in action or injured in combat-zone accidents reached 31,368. Given the frequency of battles that US troops are currently exposed this figure is obviously not the final. Furthermore the toll data have been taken from official statistics provided by Pentagon which is widely criticized by public for understatement real casualties. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs - a government department autonomous from the Pentagon - the number of wounded has exceeded 50,000.

Combat operations costs.

To the date, $686 billion dollars have been allocated to the war in Iraq since its start in March 2003 to cover daily cash costs of running the combat operations, feeding, housing, transporting and equipping U.S. troops, paying for reconstruction costs, repairs and replacement parts and training Iraqi forces. The amount keeps growing by 200,000,000$! every day, so by the time you will finish reading this article it will increase by about half million of dollars! Such trend won't be affected by major changes at least till the end of 2009 as the whole spending have been approved in 2009 budget. Considering that Obama has already announced the withdrawal and eventual pullout of troops from Iraq, we can estimate around 130 bln. more to be spend provided that all troops will be withdrawn in a 1.5-2 years. That gives us in total 816 bln. dollars of direct costs spent on Iraq war. This also includes the payment of $500,000 in "death gratuity payment" and life insurance to the families of the fatalities in Iraq.

Health care costs.

These include all costs for the treatment of health problems of troops, such as blast injuries to arms and legs from improvised explosive devices, the historically high instances of traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder. A group of noted physicians predicted that healthcare for Iraq veterans could top $650 billion. We may also rely on available figures for veterans' disability payments. For example, a veteran without a spouse or dependents who is 100 percent disabled receives about $2,400 per month from the government. Over 50 years, that could total more than $1.4 million. Multiplying that by the number of totally disabled veterans would add up 10-15 billion dollars more. Furthermore an increasing number of soldiers are not seeking the care that they need, which affects their ability to get and maintain jobs what eventually leads to greater unseen costs.

Military replenishment costs.

War in Iraq has stretched the US military dangerously thin. The high level of casualties over half of decade has undermined the "human capital" of armed forces. Dealing with current difficulties in recruitment America will have to invest heavily in troops to restore their prewar levels of strength, fitness and readiness. Furthermore it may take more than decade to fully replenish and refurbish the military whose equipment and materiel have been greatly depleted by the war. Estimations show that over the period of fifteen years the military will require 250$-375$ bln to rebuild entire armed services.

Economic costs.

There are plenty of economic costs surrounding the war in Iraq. First it's a cost of deployment in Iraq of 40% of National Guard and Reserve forces. Quantifiable economic costs of it comprises of the difference between the civilian wages that these individuals would earn in their regular occupations and the lower wages they are usually paid in the Reserves. Another economic cost is the cost of military fatalities. It equals to the individual's earnings and contributions to the economy foregone due to their death. Here also comes the economic costs of those seriously injured, that comprises of additional healthcare expenditures that parties spend themselves apart from what government pays and the loss of economic services. Taking Stiglitz's calculations made by him in 2006 and extrapolating his figures to present day we'll get around 200 bln dollars of economic costs that US incurred due to the war in Iraq.

Uncounted costs.

Now let's try to list those costs that are obvious but not quantifiable. Consider the issue of security. War in Iraq and incidentally the overall instability in Middle East had aggravated the hatred of the United States throughout the world. That in its turn exacerbated the domestic threat of terror and made Americans obviously less safe and confident. There are of course many negative consequences of the war all of which cannot be comprehended. Below is just a shortlist of the costs omitted from above estimations:

* All costs borne by other countries, including Iraq.

* Costs of planning war.

* Costs of oil price volatility.

* Consequences of loss of credibility

* Reduced demands as a result of anti-American sentiment (e.g. loss of tourists)

Read Dawood Mamedoff's blog here: http://www.myhowtoos.com

Security And Privacy Requirements To Support Exchange of Health Information

. OK, A WHOLE BUNCH OF HANDS WENT DOWN, RIGHT? WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TOLERANCES FOR RISKS, AND WE MANAGE THE RISKS IN HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS EVERY DAY. PROBABLY MOST OF YOU HAVE HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE, I WOULD IMAGINE, IF YOU OWN A HOME, RIGHT? AND YOU HAVE AUTO INSURANCE, BUT YOU PROBABLY HAVE DIFFERENT DEDUCTIBLES, RIGHT? WE ALL MAKE THESE DECISIONS EVERY DAY. AS A CIO OF A FEDERAL AGENCY, I HAVE SOME LENIENCY IN THE DECISIONS THAT I MAKE, BUT OTHER PLACES, OMB AND NIST TELL ME I DON'T ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7KuVnD646E&hl=en

A Soldier's Final Farewell

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Josh spent Christmas Eve with his mother at the local mall looking at Christmas decorations and drinking hot chocolate.

After a long day, Josh was worn out from the day's activities. Before going to bed, he prayed for the health and safety of his beloved parents, David and Gail.

Josh eventually dozed off to the peaceful sounds of "O Christmas Tree."

After falling into a peaceful night of slumber, Josh felt the presence of someone in his bedroom. He opened his sleepy eyes to see his father sitting on his bed dressed in his military uniform.

David took Josh's tiny hand and held it tightly.

"Dad, what are you doing home? I thought you were in Iraq."

"I am still in Iraq, but I was granted a leave to see my little soldier for Christmas."

David told Josh how much he missed him and his mother. He also told Josh about his responsibilities as a captain in the U.S. Army Rangers. He commanded a group of loyal men and it was his job to keep them safe from harm and lead them into combat.

"Josh, I have an important message. I want you to tell your mother how much I love her and that I will always be in her heart."

Josh agreed to tell his mother.

David gave Josh a kiss on the forehead and told him to go back to sleep.

David stood up, took one last look at his son and gave him a military salute, then left.

Josh woke up looking for his father...he was nowhere to be found.

He then rushed to the stairway to deliver his father's message.

At the top of the stairway, Josh could hear his mother crying.

He saw two uniformed soldiers talking to his mother next to the Christmas tree. He couldn't hear what the soldiers were saying.

After the soldiers left, Josh went down the stairs to be greeted with a big hug from his mother. She told Josh that David had been killed a week ago in a firefight. He died while trying to save the lives of his men during an ambush.

Josh was stunned. His dad couldn't be dead. They had just spoken a few hours ago.

He didn't tell his mother about his father's visit. After all, his dad couldn't have visited last night if he died a week ago. Josh decided that his father's visit must have been a dream.

Friends and family came over to console him and his mother. Gail encouraged Josh to open his gifts but he was too sad to think about opening gifts.

Josh went back upstairs to think about his dream...it seemed so real.

He sat on his bed and began to cry as he thought about his father's memory. Josh always idolized his father for his courage and strength as a soldier.

Suddenly, Josh suddenly felt a cold breeze move throughout his room.

He got up to retrieve his robe.

After putting on his robe, he felt something in the right pocket.

It was a six inch Action figure in Army Ranger gear. The uniform matched the one worn by his father. It even had a rifle and a captain's insignia, just like his father's.

There was also a tag on the back of the action figure. It said "Merry Christmas to my little soldier, Love dad."

At that moment, Josh realized his father's visit was real.

Josh looked out the window to watch the falling snow. He remembered how much his dad loved the snow and their snowball fights.

Josh looked out the window and said "Merry Christmas, dad."

William Greene has a B.S. degree from I.W.U. and has made a career of working with the public. He has over 10 years experience in social services, including casework. William works with people of different nationalities and education levels. He operates a social dating website titled http://www.socialhearts.com He also posts his thoughts on dating, relationships and social issues on his blog at http://www.socialhearts.blogspot.com

WE ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE: CESAR CHAVEZ 1971/2008

Public reenactment of a speech given by Chicano labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez at a Vietnam veterans memorial rally at Exposition Park in Los Angeles on May 2, 1971. Chavez speaks about organizing migrant farm workers, the importance of sacrifice for justice, and offering youth an alternative to violence and war. Ricardo Dominguez, artist and co-founder of The Electronic Disturbance Theater, delivered the speech on location on July 19, 2008. This five-minute video is ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4FP4JVoKMo&hl=en

Military Uniforms Then and Now

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Around the world, organized military forces of governments have many different types of military uniforms that they wear. Clearly being one of the founding fathers of the uniform, the militaries of countries have contributed greatly towards what constitutes a good uniform today.

In addition to offering protective features from the elements or even enemy fire military uniforms are also worn to signify a specific job role within the military. After the early 1900's, uniforms stopped being supplied in bright colors and instead, were supplied in more drab colors. Partially to aid in combat, these colors would often blend in with the surrounding areas on the battlefields. The dress uniforms, however, would continue to remain colorful and elaborate.

Uniforms have been designed to serve many purposes. Among these purposes are distinction, camouflage, logistics and psychological warfare. A brief description of each purpose follows:

Distinction:

One main reason for having uniforms is so that combatants can distinguish individuals protected by the laws of war and those who are allowed to carry weapons. Some individuals in war who carry weapons and fight back are often not protected by these laws. One other reason was to prevent army deserters from being able to modify their clothing to reflect more ordinary civilian clothing. The uniforms themselves were so distinct in design and style that these deserters could be easily identified.

Visibility & Camouflage:

The evolution of military uniforms from bright colors (to help in identification on a battle field) to more camouflaged ones (where they become virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape) is a clear indication of the purpose of a uniform. While previously important to find units in battle, the evolution of warfare has necessitated the more stealthier aspects of armies and hence more attention to camouflage.

Logistics:

During large wars, it is significantly easier to produce and equip armies with standard sized uniforms. This becomes a more economical way to outfit thousands of soldiers quickly and efficiently during a war.

Psychological Warfare:

In the past, uniforms were also used as a sort of psychological warfare. Form enhancing gear that make the soldiers appear larger and more formidable often strike fear into the opposing sides. Large caps, capes, specific colors all add to the psychological warfare of the military uniforms.

Modern day military uniforms are much more simpler. The US Army soldiers wear standard camouflage utilities for practically all purposes unless there is a dress parade or formal occasion where they will wear their full dress uniforms. Today, the tradition and reasons for wearing military uniforms still remain. It is unlikely that this tradition will change drastically in the future.

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A Tour of the Navy SEAL Museum

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Located at the northern part of the Hutchinson Island in Florida, the U.S. Navy SEAL Museum is nestled at the original place where the Frogmen underwent their training back in the early 1940s. The Navy SEAL Museum is dedicated to the elite group of the Naval Special Warfare, the only one in the whole world.

How It Started

The U.S. Navy Frogmen, the original name given to the Navy SEALs, were born and came to existence at Fort Pierce, Florida, where the National Navy SEAL Museum now stands. The U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Teams and the U.S. Naval Combat Demolition Units were composed primarily of brave volunteers for the Second World War.

It was in November 1985 when the Navy SEAL Museum was formally dedicated to the elite group of the U.S. Special Operations Forces. Thereafter, an endless number of artifacts have continuously been sent to Fort Pierce.

What You Will Find

The Navy SEAL Museum provides a good venue for people to learn more about the history of the Naval Special Warfare. Inside the Navy SEAL Museum, one will be able to discover the beginnings of the Underwater Demolition Team, learn about their exploits in the Second World War, and understand more about the Navy SEALs by way of the artifacts and the many photographs displayed in the museum.

Outside, one will feel nostalgic seeing various modes of transportations that have been used by the Navy SEALs. A helicopter, two-man submarines, and patrol boats are artfully displayed outside the museum. The vehicle's story can be read on a statue that stands on each of them.

Inside, one will be greeted by a volunteer, who could be a retired SEAL, a retired Frogman, or a spouse of a Frogman or a SEAL. The volunteer will serve as your guide in your tour of the museum and will explain every memorabilia on display.

The Museum Store

Like the usual museum, the Navy SEAL Museum also has a shop for us navy seals visitors where they can purchase their choice of SEAL souvenirs such as a pin, a cap, or a book. Tactical gear like backpacks, gloves, bags, and holsters can likewise be bought at the Navy SEAL Museum store.

U.S. Navy SEAL shirts, polos, cammies, and other tactical apparel (ideally for souvenir purposes) are available at the museum shop. Items are moderately priced, and the museum also accepts donations for it maintenance. Also, for a $100 donation, one can make his name part of the great Navy SEAL history with his own memorial brick being used nowhere else but within the grounds of the museum.

About the Author:

This Article is written by James Kara Murat from USNavySealStore, the contributor of Navy Seal Store. More information on the subject is at A Tour of the Navy SEAL Museum, and related resources can be found at navy seal workout.

Cameron interviews McCain: CNN 10/16/08

about that and says its a real smear . . . JOHN MCCAIN: Thats the most you know, probably of all the things thatve been said, thats really one of the really low blows. Look, thousands and thousands of people come, theyre veterans, I was thrilled the other day to see a group of young women there with a sign that said military wives for McCain. I see the guys with their hats on from every war. I see young people there. Theres a, theres always a few people that are going to show up at a ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-s1yRj0q-s&hl=en

Brain-Injured Newsman Speaks Out For Returning Iraq War Veterans

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Bob Woodruff’s report on ABC called “To Iraq and Back” brought to the public eye the problem of Traumatic Brain Injury (referred to as “TBI”) suffered by many of our veterans returning from the Iraq War. Through his own experience and miraculous recovery, he is now exposing this tragedy to the general public, and also providing a voice to our veterans, many of whom have served their country and are now left with a life-changing disability. Mr Woodruff’s 13-month recovery is not only amazing, but it is a purpose-driven event that will make changes in how the Veterans Administration provides long-term care for our returning veterans with TBI.

Last year, Woodruff, a co-anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight, went to Iraq to cover the war for ABC News. On January 29, 2006, he and his cameraman Bob Vogt were injured in a bomb blast that hit their vehicle. Mr. Woodruff came back to ABC on February 27, 2007 to tell his story. A special broadcast “To Iraq and Back” aired on ABC the same night. But Woodruff didn’t only tell his own story. He spoke for the many veterans who have returned from the Middle East war zone with traumatic injuries to their brains.

The story of Mr. Woodruff’s recovery is nothing short of a miracle. He considers himself lucky to have received incredible care. Not only did he have to go through surgery and grafts to repair the physical damage to his face and head, but needed rehabilitation for the unseen damage to his memory, thought processes and speech. In addition to his initial treatment upon return from Iraq, he needed constant follow-up therapy to recuperate his cognitive abilities. Coming out of a coma after more than a month, he looked at his wife who was sitting by his bed the whole time and said “Where have you been?” At first, he recognized his two older children but not his younger set of twins. Therapists and his family showed him flashcards of normal everyday objects, many of which he could not name. Thirteen months after the bombing, he has made an amazing comeback. But he still has work to do. He received first-class treatment, having been injured on the job as a reporter and being treated in major metropolitan rehabilitation facilities.

More importantly, Bob Woodruff is now giving a voice to many of our returning war veterans who are coming home with traumatic brain injuries and not receiving the level of care available to him. During “To Iraq and Back”, Mr. Woodruff introduced us to Sgt. Michael Boothby, who was injured by an IED blast in Iraq last September. Boothby got wonderful care when he first returned from Iraq. But when he transferred to his home in Texas, the VA did not have available the level of care he needed to fully recover. There seems to be a large disparity between VA services in large cities and those in smaller towns. And, surprisingly, there are veterans returning from the war with undiagnosed TBI. Not all explosions cause visible injury. There are service people coming back with impaired cognitive ability and no visible damage to their bodies. These veterans need extensive care for months and years after their injuries, some for the rest of their lives. And many of them will never be able to live normal lives again, nor support themselves and their families.

The tragedy of Bob Woodruff’s experience in Iraq has become an opportunity to call attention to the lack of VA services for many veterans returning from war with traumatic brain injuries. Returning vets need services not only when they return to the United States, but constant follow-up when they re-join their families in their hometowns. Furthermore, Bob Woodruff’s account has called attention to unseen injuries. We can see the amputees, blind, and otherwise obviously injured service people. But what about the veterans who come back and realize that their brains aren’t functioning as they should, despite no apparent bodily damage? Not all traumatic brain injuries are overt. Bob Woodruff has committed to advocating for better care for returning war veterans with traumatic brain injury. Now that he has gone through his own personal struggle, and can relate to the challenges, he can use his valuable clout as a journalist to make changes that are so desperately needed for the men and women who have served our country.

Fern Cohen is a freelance writer living in New York City. Diagnosed with ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease in January, 2004, she was forced to retire early from her career of teaching foreign language and ESL in the inner-city. Fern also enjoyed a 20-year career in the travel and tourism industry and holds an MS in Tourism and Travel Management from New York University. She also has a BA in French and Spanish from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and has studied collage and mixed media at the Parsons School of Design in NYC. She is active in rabbit rescue, and shares an apartment with Chelsea, a gray chinchilla bunny, who is also her muse. She has a blog at http://www.ferncohen.blogspot.com

I Am a War Dog That is Faithfully Serving My Country in Iraq

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Getting strapped onto your back is a heavy protective military vest. You're flown or shipped across endless skies and seas. Feeling anxious and restless not sure where you're going or if you will return, you miss your family, your loved ones already but you must do your duty to your country and serve them to the best of your tail wagging ability can!

What are you? You're a service dog deployed to Iraq and to serve one of the most important missions of your life. To provide comfort and love to those in service. Relieving stress and anxiety with your abundant loving, joyful kisses and playful attitude. You give comfort, soothing tranquility, and solace to so many where without you there is no comfort but fear, constant stress and anxiety.

But your life is no walk in the park either, you live the same often traumatic life these brave men and women do in war, you're in the same danger zones as they're and risk your life everyday!

Service dogs in Iraq are one of the most important animals used and benefited from, some are used as therapy, while others are trained hard in doggy militaristic boot camp, going through the same drills your human counterparts go through. But you're trained different on four legs not two, to sniff out enemies, underground bombs or mines and are used as security and task force deployment. Your easy life back home is no longer yours, your life is no longer your own, you live your life to serve your country and your companions, and you can die any day in the line of duty.

More dogs are being trained and sent to Iraq for therapy of the troops, post traumatic stress disorder is a serious mental disease, where one can be haunted day and night with the images and horrible things they've seen and experienced. It can cause insanity, paranoia, delusions, nightmares, fear and anxiety attacks with physical symptoms so fierce you feel as if you're dying. To combat this disorder and prevent the affects therapy dogs are flown in to Iraq and are given to the men and woman as playful distractions, to heal and give comfort and most important love and affection. A therapy dog has been known to relieve 90% of the stress at that moment for servicemen or women based in Iraq.

So please don't just salute and praise our brave men and women that risk their lives everyday so that we can live in freedom, hope and peace, but give a salute also to our brave and ever faithful service dogs whom also risk their lives so that our beloved soldiers can find some peace and love in the hell which is war. Bookmark and Share.

http://www.yeepet.com/blogs/I-am-a-war-dog-that-is-faithfully-serving-my-country-in-Iraq-581

11Nov09-Happy Veterans Day, quotes, DAP and fundraising for Safe Access...

Today we have a warm Veterans Day greeting, the quotes from George S. Patton, the DAP about the Oaksterdam University final exam, and then some dosage about fundraising and SAFE ACCESS NOW!!! ALSO, stay tuned for Thursday for an explanation of Fridays' MCCNV Med Fest where licensed patients will have the opportunity to try different methods of medicating.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IXLbjFgwys&hl=en

Decline of Patriotism - A 1964 Editorial

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Is America losing its sense of patriotism?

It seems so.

Veterans Day parades were scarce and skimpy, but more disturbing was the almost universal indifference of spectators to our national flag.

As a new national holiday, Veterans Day conflicts with the more established national anniversaries.

Memorial Day honors our war dead, and Independence Day recognizes our dramatic beginning.

November 11 originally marked the armistice of what was supposed to be "the war to end wars." It will be sometime -- undoubtedly before Veterans Day achieves much meaning.

There is no excuse, though, for the monumental discourtesies accorded our flag these days whenever shown or paraded - Fourth of July or National Pickle Week.

In the Veterans Day parade I attended, only myself and two others within sight took off our hats and placed our hands over our hearts. Not only that, but the people standing nearby looked at me as if I were some kind of show off.

I have never been able to warm up to Astronaut John Glenn since he made a point of telling Congress how patriotic he was. Then, hero worshippers gushed at how wonderful it was that a celebrity would declare -- right out in public -- how proud he was of our country.

What a left-handed admission of the decline in patriotism by the public at large! In my opinion, a political or military leader's patriotism should be taken for granted. If patriotism is so unusual that we should have to take special note of it when discovered, then the nation at large suffers from a serious lack of noble emotion.

* * *

Patriotism ebbs and flows in response to the influence of national emergencies. Obviously, we tend to feel a stirring in our breasts when our homeland is threatened. However, the decline in patriotism appears to be a long-term trend.

The New York Daily News recently made a study of American history books and found a definite diminution of patriotic information in texts written after 1920.

For example, Nathan Hale's historic words-"I regret that I have but one life to give my country"-were found in 11 of the 14 pre-1920 books reviewed and in only two of the 45 new ones.

I can appreciate that our American history has been purged of myths - such as that of George Washington cutting down the cherry tree - but why have the true and famous words of our heroes been censored?

No wonder our youngsters find American history dull and uninteresting. No wonder some of our educators are suspected of being incompetent - if not communist oriented.

Our rich heritage of inspiration is not being passed on to our children. They are not receiving either the knowledge or motivation to understand and appreciate our nation.

* * *

One of the reasons I still salute the flag in the citizens' manner, I am sure, is that I remember so well my history lessons. The chronology of all American events is fixed in my mind by the great words our patriots have uttered in times of crisis.

Patrick Henry's challenge to the Virginia Assembly debating revolution was, "Give me liberty or give me death." It gave me goose pimples when I declaimed it at a high school speech contest, and it still does.

"We must hang together, or assuredly we will all hang separately," warned Benjamin Franklin to the men who hesitated to break with England. And then he concluded, "God helps them that help themselves."

James Otis of Massachusetts wrapped up the sentiment of the colonies when he declared, "Taxation without representation is tyranny."

When British troops marched out of Boston in 1775, to seize the weapons stored at Concord, they were met on the road at Lexington by Captain John Parker's "minute men." His famous instructions were, "Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon; but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here."

"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes," Col. William Prescott told his outnumbered American soldiers at Bunker and Breed Hills.

Naval Commander John Paul Jones proudly rejected the British demand that he surrender his damaged ship with a curt message, "I have not yet begun to fight."

"We hold these truths to be self-evident," wrote Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute," shouted Congressman Robert Harper of South Carolina when the French demanded bribes before receiving our new minister.

The War of 1812 is remembered for Capt. James Lawrence's dying words to his crew after a fight with a British man of war - "Don't give up the ship."

"Our country, right or wrong," was the oft-repeated toast of naval hero Stephen Decatur after a punitive expedition against the Barbary pirates in 1816.

"Remember the Alamo," "Remember the Maine," and "Remember Pearl Harbor" are similar admonitions but memorable each in its own right.

Admiral David Farragut will be remembered forever for his angry order at Mobile Bay during the Civil War, "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead."

Abraham Lincoln called for a new determination that "government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth."

In my day, we have had fewer rousing slogans, but some are worthy of history.

"There is nothing to fear but fear itself," said Franklin D. Roosevelt.

"Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition," was the practical advice given by Lt. Cdr. Howell Forgy on a cruiser at Pearl Harbor.

"I shall return," said General Douglas MacArthur as he retreated from the Philippines. And he did.

And what GI in World War II will ever forget General Anthony McAuliffe's terse reply to a German demand he surrender - "Nuts!"

* * *

I cannot help but wonder if the relegation of our old rallying cries to the ash heap of history might not explain why the latest selective service figures list 21,000 men as conscientious objectors. Even during the fighting years of World War II there were only 13,000 conscientious objectors.

www.lindseywilliams.org/Editorial_Archives/1964_11-_Patriotism.htm

Lindsey Williams is a retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist who can be contacted LinWms@lindseywilliams.org

Website: http://www.lindseywilliams.org with over 1,500 of Lin's Editorial & At Large articles written over 40 years.

Also featured in its entirety is Lin's groundbreaking book "Boldly Onward," that critically analyzes and develops theories about the original Spanish explorers of America. (fully indexed/searchable)

History of Veterans Day

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A veteran is a man or woman who worked in the American military. They are honored on Veterans Day each year on November 11th with national and local meetings, parades, and other programs to recognize their contributions.

World War I was known at the time as "The Great War."  The ending of World War I fighting between the Allied Nations and Germany was celebrated at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month).  November 11, 1918 is also generally known as "The End of the War to End All Wars."  The day originally became known as "Armistice Day."  Armistice Day was dedicated to the cause of world peace.  An armistice is an official agreement to stop fighting.  After World War II and the Korean War, Congress passed the bill that President Eisenhower signed in 1954 proclaiming November 11th as Veterans Day to honor veterans of all wars. 

In 1968, the holiday was moved to the last Monday in October, basically to allow 3 day weekends for federal employees.  Many people did not agree with this decision due to the historic and patriotic significance of the day and continued to celebrate the holiday on November 11th.    In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed a law returning the official celebration to its original date of November 11th beginning in 1978.

In August, 2001, US Senate Resolution 143 designated the week of November 11th-17th as "National Veterans Awareness Week".   The resolution is directed toward educating students about the sacrifices and contributions of our military men and women.

Many people still confuse Veterans Day and Memorial Day.  This special day honors all military men and women who served our country. The primary purpose of the holiday is mainly to thank them for their service to our country. Those killed in wars are honored specially on Memorial Day in May.

Governmental offices usually close on the holiday. State and local governments make the decision to close offices and schools, or not. Banks and other businesses may close. Retail stores are usually open. 

It often feels like a sad holiday, but there are many surviving veterans to salute. This is their very special day.  They should be honored and thanked for their love of country, the brave service they gave, and for being willing to put their lives on the line for the well being of all the citizens of the United States of America.

Please check here for more information:  http://veteransdaystory.blogspot.com/.

Judy Mercer, RN, BSN has been the host of SeniorLife Solutions, The Radio Show about Anything and Everything for over 5 years. SeniorLife Solutions is streaming live on WNDB, 1150am every Tuesday morning at 9:30am EST. WNDB is the talk/news/NASCAR station in Daytona Beach, FL. Judy discusses many fun and interesting topics with a diverse group of guests from the Daytona Beach area and from around the country.

Working in nursing administration for nearly 30 years, Judy specialized in acute care, home health care, wound care and quality assurance. She taught healthcare related classes at Daytona Beach Community College and is also a licensed insurance agent.

She currently works in the ever evolving field of internet marketing. She maintains many websites on educational topics and frequently publishes informational articles and e-books.

http://www.seniorlifesolutions.com.