With Holy Truth VetsTown Variety Store set to have our Grand Opening, it makes sense we provide a special opportunity to Share the Vision with fellow veterans and veteran-friendly individuals and organizations. People just like you! Because, it is for you all of this is being done. Still, it dwarfs in comparison to the incomparable sacrifices made daily by our fighting men and women abroad.
Each one of you have events and projects that desperately need the visibility and recognition in order to be successful. Right now is a prime example with the holidays literally upon us. So that we may develop funding for our Holy Truth Veterans Housing Program and Holy Truth Veterans Back to Work Program, Christian Prosperity institute, Inc. (A major ministry within the entire Veterans Program) is working with Unchained Grace Ministries, LLC which is also veteran owned and operated.
They have a Christmas Present available right now set aside only for fellow Veterans' Organizations and Groups just like yours. For this reason, notification of this blogpost will only go out to Veterans Groups throughout Organizing for America. How to get it? Just simply click on the words Christmas Present.
On 19 NOV 2009, members of the Holy Truth Veterans Housing Program attended an extremely important meeting held at the brand new Vets Center located in Washington, DC. The meeting consisted of panelists from key Veteran's organizations and others who were able to provide tremendous insight into the release of funds to organizations as well as veterans seeking entrepreneurial opportunities.
This may represent a key turnaround in the attitudes towards assisting veterans through training, education and opportunities to obtain funding for their own businesses.
To this end, we made serious inroads and developed positive contacts which we are already working with a view towards getting funds released for our Holy Truth Veterans Back to Work Program. With the Grand Opening of the Holy Truth VetsTown Variety Store only scant weeks away, we are already making plans to open up to five more within Baltimore City and beyond. The initial store will employ 10-15 veterans who were previously homeless. The subsequent five more stores shall employ up to 75 veterans! Those who needed a second chance. All VetsTown operations are veteran owned and operated. For more information, contact me directly at jpeterson@holytruthveteranshousingprogram.com
With Holy Truth VetsTown Carpet Cleaning and VetsTown Home Improvement on the way, the possibilities for entrepreneurial objectives are now realistic for many who know they really do deserve that second chance. Our American Military veterans.
James Peterson-Holy Truth Veterans Housing Program
Holy Truth Veterans Housing Program is focused specifically on providing homes and outstanding opportunities for our veterans. It is quite clear that while each and every veteran was provided the tools to be successful in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other locations they were not and have not been provided those opportunities or tools to be successful once stateside.
To this end, Holy Truth Veterans Housing Program has been THE pioneer in providing a multitude of services to veterans in addition to a new program which is where we need you to share the vision of complete restoration of the entire veteran's feeling of positive self image and self worth in addition to becoming once again a positive part of their family and community. Those who sent them did not follow through. As stated by President Obama, our work is NOT finished until there are no more homeless veterans sleeping on the streets of our nation.
Between 01-15 DEC 2009, Holy Truth VetsTown Variety Store will be open. In an unprecedented move, this is veteran owned and operated! Following that will be VetsTown Carpet Cleaning and Upholstery and VetsTown Home Improvement.
By now, it is clear Holy Truth Veterans Housing Program has in fact done and is doing what this government and the VA should have done. However, conscience indicates it is the right thing to do.
It is now time for all of those who have a stated interest in Veterans Rights to get behind what we are doing as we will need support to ensure a solid success for our veterans. We can discuss the issues and problems all day, but unless somebody is actually doing something positive, it is all moot.
Holy Truth Veterans Housing Program is asking you, therefore, to do two things:
Holy Truth Temple of Deliverance
3701 E. Lombard St.
Baltimore, MD 21224
443-759-4631
1.8 million individuals have fought within Iraq and Afghanistan and with the current status, many wil come home to loving families while others will not. Substance Abuse, domestic issues, suicide, unemployment and physical impairments are among many of the issues many others will face. We need your help. Right now, we have three homes open and fully operational for our veterans and it is quite clear we will need more. We need to count on our own.
Life is always full of surprises. Two months ago I was informed my husband has Stage 4 Cancer. His life expectancy is between one and six months. My husband worked delivering newspapers at the Ground Zero Area before and after the disaster. Three years ago he had skin cancer removed from his face. Due to No Insurance this went undiagnosed for a long time. The skin cancer appeared almost as soon as he become disabled and stopped working in 2003. My Husband began his career delivering newspapers to the offices in the World Trade Center in 1973, he is also a Veteran.
I have been married to him half of my life. We have raised our three children together. I am so angry over his impending death. I feel so ashamed at myself for believing our Government that the Ground Zero Area was safe for workers to return. I am furious over the lack of Special Services available to former area workers for Ground Zero. He told me the dust was so thick it effected his vision and slowed down. I washed his clothes everyday to get rid of the smell. I encouraged him to return to work and forge a living for us. Now I am helping him to prepare to die. Here is a letter I have emailed to Senator Bob Casey. Whether or not I receive any help is a mystery.
Carolyn Waugh-Tandy
8552 Bumble Bee Way
Tobyhanna, PA 18466
October 23, 2009
Dear Senator Casey:
Three years ago my husband had skin cancer removed from his face. My husband was a worker from the Ground Zero area in New York City. He had always delivered the New York Daily News to the Twin Towers and continued to service the area after the disaster. My husband became disabled in 2003 and stopped working. He was collecting a Veterans Pension for a couple of years before Social Security declared him disabled and awarded him full Social Security Disability Payments. I had contacted you when this Pension was terminated because the Veterans Administration wanted reimbursement of six months of benefits- We paid the $6700 from money awarded through Social Security. My husband was stationed in Germany during 1970-1972 and has an honorable discharge. He is from a family of Veterans: 2 brothers & a Father who served in WWII.
Currently my husband is in Stage 4 preparing to die from cancer. There is no Chemo that will help him. There is no cure since he was diagnosed with this in August 2009. His body is riddled with tumors including giant tumors in his lungs. I still do not know how I will pay his medical bills and afford to give him the Funeral he wants. I am asking for help from your office- 4 yrs ago I attempted to sign up for the Medical watch group in New York for 9-11 workers. I missed the sign up date by one day.
It seems so unfair we were told the air was safe & the workers should return. The dust was so thick my husband couldn’t see thus slowing his delivers. His clothes reeked of foul odor - I washed them every day! I sent off to work - I encouraged him to move forward and provide a living for us. I now must have the courage of my decisions and ask for financial help during this most difficult time.
My husband is Thomas Tandy
Thank You-
Respectfully;
This Memorial Day please keep the family of Bobby Enloe in your thoughts & prayers. This family has been searching for answers about their loved one for too many years.
“Bobby's family is searching for information to put things to rest. In 1951 A plane went down off the coast of Alaska, in a chain of Islands. My brother was supose to be on that plane. It took almost two weeks to find the plane and it's passengers. At that time the Navy personel informed us that my brother was the Radio Man on that plane. That they had all deceased. At the same time the Alaskan Times News Paper Published a report that Two flares were seen, on two different occations, From that crash sight. Proving somebody was alive. The Navy denied that this was true. They sent the sealed casket with an honor guard, Inssisting that his body was in there. My father managed to pull strings to open this casket. Finding only a uniform layed out, and his cap: Absolutly no physical body to be seen. This has left us wondering if he had been the one too had sent the flares up, at the sight of the crash. Three months before this all had happened. He had been on leave. Visiting with the family. My father was in question of what was going on, due to his behavior. The morning he left, to return to duty. He told my mother he would not be back. Raising more concern about what was going on. At that time my father asked him about UFO'S , and what he knew. His responce was; I can't tell you, But if I could. It would curl your hair! If anyone has any information on these events or can lead me to the truth. It would change a great deal for my family. I have filed a Freedom of Information Act. And Was led to a dead end. His files no longer existed. As if he never were to exist.”
http://www.myspace.com/472680008
I am the wife of a Veteran who watched as her husband loose his VA Disability Pension & was forced to repay six months of benefits. I wrote too many unanswered letters to authorities. I found the story above heart wrenching and I have taken up their cause. They can be contacted through the website mentioned.
Thank You & God Bless You All For Fighting For Our Freedom!
Being a Disabled American Veteran is depressing. You sit there and watch people healthier and less observant doing things that you yourself cannot do anymore. Watching these people work jobs, run, buy things that are not nessecary to living with money that they don't ever think of where it comes from how much they have versus what they need it for. They don't live on budgets that make it impossible to have fun and a life. Some mornings I don't even feel like getting out of bed anymore. It's that depressing. I get up anyway. My husband needs me to be strong. He's given up, but promised me that as long as I fight he'll be there for me. So I have to get up and "fight". I don't know who I'm fighting against anymore. Maybe it's the depression. Maybe it's the slow process (Veterans Affairs where they don't listen to what the Doctors say, And these people are not doctors or even medical personel) that will in the end say I am not as disabled as the Doctors (people who know what they are talking about, and have doctorates in the medical fields that deal with my disabilities.) say I am. I will still be barely living off of the 10% I was grudgingly given by the government still homeless in a broken down RV in a Wal-Mart Parkinglot in the middle of a Country that couldn't be bothered the next day about the atrocities they allow to go on in their own country. Sometimes I feel like the little kids they have on the TV when they were going on about feeding the kids in another country.
I would like to be able to go out and enjoy my day and not feel like a leper sitting outside looking in. I would like to have a life. Not this, Can't even call it a half life since in order to have half life you'd have to have a life of some kind. I'm stuck in the limbo between being able to live my life and be happy or being dead. I'd rather the happy and living over being dead. Though I don't see my chances improving on that aspect.
I have a daily routine. Get up. See that I still live in a broken down RV in a Wal-mart parking lot. I get dressed with my Husband. Go down to the Local Internet cafe and bookstore where we happened to be able to afford to get a year's subscription to their internet with their discount card. I get online. I post on my blog when I feel like it the rest of the time I'm looking for some way out of my situation. In the loast few months I haven't even been doing that as it is always solutions for people with homes, cars and money. My budget revolves around less then $150 a month personally. My Husband also a disabled Veteran gets the exact same ammount as I do. Total might come out to $240 a month between us. I had to nearly kill myself to get foodstamps in the last month. 5 hour walk where I ended up having seizures along the way.
Hell I don't even feel like finishing this blog. It's not like writing in it will change my life. I'll be crippled and live out my life in the RV until they take that away from me. I don't even know why I bother to get up in the morning anymore.
From: John.Campbell@address-verify.com
Subject: April 27, 2009: From Congressman John Campbell's Laptop to Yours
Dear All APF members,
FDA Briefing on Unapproved Opioids was held on April 9, 2009.
An emergency stakeholder briefing was convened via conference call by the FDA to address concerns that have been raised by the pain and palliative care communities regarding warnings to nine companies to stop manufacturing and distributing 14 opioid analgesics within 60 days. APF participated in this briefing. A replay of the briefing will be available until April 15, 2009 at 11:59 PM EDT. To hear the replay, callers can dial 1-866-419-2678.
Douglas Throckmorton, M.D., Deputy Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research stated that the FDA understands that patients dealing with terminal illness have unique needs that should have been taken into consideration. The FDA reported that they are taking immediate corrective action regarding the availability of the 20mg/ml morphine sulfate solution. They regretted that they failed to include representatives from hospice and palliative care organizations in deliberations over this particular issue and will improve their consultation process with key stakeholders in the future. The FDA commented that they were not aware of the extent of disruption in patient care because of their ruling or that a critical shortage of some of these medications already exists. We would like to acknowledge them for their swift action in this case as they became aware of the impact this disruption was having on the community. In order to help remedy this; they would like to hear from providers if there are critical shortages in medications to help manage patients optimally.
Action:The FDA has asked to be notified of drug shortages in your area as they arise. Contact FDA by emailing this information to drugshortages@fda.hhs.gov. All correspondence should include your professional information, name of the drug, your location, name of wholesaler (if available) and identify yourself as an APF member.
To stay informed of drug shortages, visit the FDA website at: http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/shortages/
Our voices can make a difference.
If you are receiving this e-mail for the first time as a forward from a friend, please register here to continue to receive news and action items regarding pain management.
Sincerely,American Pain Foundation
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This story is taken from Sacbee / Latest News / E-mail Alerts -- Breaking News
Bryan Edward Hall of Elk Grove, a U.S. Army staff sergeant, was among five American soldiers killed Friday in Iraq when a suicide bomber in a dump truck attacked a Mosul police station, military officials disclosed Sunday.
Hall, 32, had served in the military for 14 years and had been deployed in Iraq since September.
Hall and four other soldiers from Fort Carson in Colorado were in their military vehicle when the blast occurred, Army officials said.
The other soldiers were Staff Sgt. Gary L. Woods Jr., 24, of Kentucky, Sgt. Edward W. Forrest Jr., 25, of Missouri; Cpl. Jason G. Pautsch, 20, of Iowa and Pvt. Bryce E. Gautier, 22, of Cypress, California.
All were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
Hall had received three Army Commendation Medals, according to military records, as well as several Army Achievement, Good Conduct, and War on Terrorism medals.
The Friday attack caused the most American military deaths in any single incident in more than a year, the Washington Post reported.
Hi everyone,
The standoff in the Indian Ocean continues for a second day - with armed Somali pirates holding the captain of an American cargo ship on a lifeboat. A U.S. Navy Destroyer is now keeping close watch, and the FBI is sending in a hostage negotiating team to win the captain's release. Meanwhile, the cargo ship is on the move, toward Kenya, to carry out its original mission to deliver relief supplies. David Martin will have the latest.
David will be back later in the broadcast with an in depth report about the shocking increase of suicide among U.S. troops. He has an exclusive interview with a top general who admits the military needs to do more to address this problem.
Barry Petersen reports from the world's number one car market - China. Sales are booming there, and you might be surprised to learn that Ford and GM are selling lots of cars there. In fact, the Chinese market is providing a much-needed boost to Detroit.
When most people hear about spring break, they think of sandy beaches and late-night parities. But Dean Reynolds has a story about students from Howard University taking a different type of spring break, in order to inspire high school students.
See you tonight!
Katie Couric
Today, President Obama announced his comprehensive strategy for dealing with the deteriorating situation in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region. For those of us who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was extremely important that the new President get this situation right. With today’s announcement, he’s shown that he “gets it.”CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA ON AFGHANISTANhttp://ga3.org/campaign/afghanistanThe President sees Afghanistan as a war that must be fought on a number of levels. Yes, militarily, but also with heavy diplomacy and political negotiation, as well as humanitarian assistance. Each of those were lacking during the last administration, and the result was a situation that devolved largely into chaos. Most importantly, this President has given up the pipe dream of setting up a European-style democracy in Afghanistan, and instead has refocused our goals on a more urgent mission – protecting America and the world from terrorism.President Obama has got it right. He knows that the war against terrorists requires much more than just throwing troops at the problem. We need to stand up to show our support for his renewed focus on getting Afghanistan right.CLICK HERE TO SIGN OUR PETITION, SUPPORTING PRESIDENT OBAMA ON AFGHANISTANhttp://ga3.org/campaign/afghanistanThis is just one quick and easy thing you can do, to show your public support for the President. The more people who sign, the more attention this petition will get. And, the more attention it gets, the more lawmakers in Washington know that the people are behind the President.So please, take a moment to sign on to our petition, and get five of your friends and family to do the same. Together, we can show that we support a strong but rational policy towards Afghanistan, that will keep America truly safe.Thanks for all you do, and your support,Brian McGoughAfghanistan War VeteranAnd the entire VoteVets.org team.
Catch 22
This term is used by many who in many cases do not even know the meaning of it.
In the Logic part of this term. It mainly deals with Pilots and mental fitness for duty. Though it can be applied to many situations needed by Current Veterans.
Well. It means "No win Situation". "Between a rock and a hard place" comes to mind for many. Either way this is what is happening now with many Veterans. Both Past and Present Military Service.
With the "bog down" in Washington, D.C. that means many Veterans are being pushed under the carpet yet again in many of these policies. Yes there are monies set asside for Veterans projects. The question is how much of that will trickle down to the Veterans who really need the Help? Disabled? Unemployable? Homeless?
How much longer will these Veterans (like myself) have to "survive" in a Catch 22 situation until the resources finally reach us?
Employment Catch 22:
In order to be employed, the person must have residence and a phone.In order to have Residence, the person must have employement and a phone.In order to have a phone, the person must have steady income(employment) and residence.
Thus Catch 22 for a person to own a home and have a job.The Phone is just for being able to contact the person in both cases.
Catch 22 (Logic)
Which this Catch 22 leads to other Situations:
No-win situation — real choices exist, but no choice leads to success.
Double bind — a forced choice between two logically conflicting demands.
Lesser of two evils principle — a choice between two undesirable outcomes.
Deadlock — in computing, when two processes reach a standstill or impasse; paradoxically waiting for the other to finish.
Cornelian dilemma — a choice between actions which will all have a detrimental effect on the chooser or on someone they care for.
So which of these does the Veterans Issues fall under? All of them. No solution for the long or short term has been reached, and no Disabled Homless Veteran is truely being helped.
Once we get out of this Catch 22 Real Progress will be made.
March 26, 2009 We saw the president answer a few questions that were posted by Americans in a forum like manner. These same Americans could then vote on various other Questions posted by others. Now like most forum like polls. The most popular would be most likely voted into the position by those who are able to and are most affected by the Question. I was saddened to see that in the Veteran's Polls that the top question was about just the currewnt war veterans.
"The unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is higher than the national unemployment rate. Our veterans are a national treasure. How can you, the VA and I ensure our veterans are successfully transitioning into civilian life?"
1,797 votes
The next Question would have been the better Question to ask. For it covered all Veterans, both past and present.
"Pro-military or not, our veterans deserve at least the basics: food, shelter, health care. How can we work together to ensure the basics for our veterans?"
1,406 votes
I thank JillF in Chicago, IL for thinking of all Veterans instead of just the current ones coming home. But, if this Question is not answered soon. Many of the past and present Veterans will still be wondering when will it be their turn to be helped. Many will feel that this administration is still working the same angles. That the Veterans have "served their purpose" Now they will be thrown away with the rest of the "trash". People are not toys, nor are they machines to be recycled or placed in a dump. Which is exactly what has been done for years. These Veterans, whether they saw Combat time or not, volunteered for duty. Ever since the legislature was passed that abolished the draft, every Military Veteran has made the descision to join the Military and put their lives on the line to keep America the place that they have been led to believe it is and should be. Yet looking around many Basic freedoms are denied to these brave people who tried to make a difference for the many.
The veterans need the answers to these Questions that involve many of them. Especially the Homelessness. Disability can be partially relieved if the stress of not having a home is relieved. Many of the Mentally handicapped Veterans (PTSD, Brain Trauma, Night Terrors, Flash backs, etc.) Can be relieved if the Veterans has a secure place for them. Where they feel safe and secure in familiar surroundings that don't change unless they want it to change. Instead they have to move from place to place in many places no one have the ability or training to help these Veterans. I have seen Veterans who have been banned from facilities for the Homeless because of their mental problems which are then exacerbated by the stresses of being out on the streets. Many cases end in tragedy.
An Article placed by Common Dreams Org: Traumatised Veterans 'Have Killed 120 in US'Which was posted in January 2008. Why was this not Noticed nor at least acknowledged? Because too many people were more worried about How much money they were not getting in the top 5% of the population who have more money then they know what to do with.
Another Article: 1 in 9 Veterans UnemployedThis one deals with Current War Veterans and their fears of coming home to no job after service. Which means no job and no home.
Now I see lots of "Veterans Homes" , but they are mainly for the elderly (both disabled and non-disabled). Not for the younger Veterans and their Families that need homes to get off the streets.
This article points out how Veterans who have been Mentally Traumatisedare being treated like they should be able to just go back to a normal life after being subjected to stresses that no civilian will ever have to face. (unless this country goes through another Civil War which is unlikely since not many would take up arms to try to fix the problems themselves instead of complaining about the problems then going back to doing the same old same old "Not my problem" attitudes.)
Major concerns are:
I've been seeing all this help for those who are able to get "gainful employment" to get homes. Where is the help for those of us who are unemployable by medical reasons? I see that people are getting help that they need slowly, but the speed of the help seems like it'll finally reach the disabled and homeless by the time the President is leaving office. I know that he has a very hard road ahead of him because the rich Diplomats that he has to fight with are unwilling to allow the lower class and disabled homeless to reach positions where they finally feel secure and human again.
"Obama also announced fresh aid to struggling homeowners in California.
He said California was receiving $145 million to help communities hardest hit by the home foreclosure crisis. He said the money would be used to buy up and rehabilitate vacant homes, and provide loans to poorer and middle-income families to help with home assistance.
By CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press Writer, March 19, 2009"
This Quote makes a fine example of what I am hoping will be the case. I underlined the part that needs to be pushed forward by the people who can get these messages out there.
If you've been reading my blog, you can understand why it is my hope that help like what was Quoted above will be pushed through. Many Homeless Disabled Veterans and Homeless Disabled Civilians Would benefit from help with Loans and Grants for those who have little to no income due to disabilities. It would give many who need residences for pos-operation recovery a chance to fully recover from operations that in most cases without residence the operations are more detrimental then helpful. Case in point, the requirement for my surgery was that I have a residence for recovery. Promises made of not losing residence were made before surgery. After Surgery no one made any effort to help find resources to keep the residence. The problem was that I had not lived in the State for over a year. I came to the state because they had the medical resources for the surgery I needed and was recommended. The housing was affordable (rental) while I could still work before the problems I had got so bad that I had to leave work.
Now I am stuggling with just the most basic of needs that most people take for granted. My home is a small RV that has no brakes and is parked in a Wal-Mart parking lot. I have had to walk over 16 miles to get food stamps for the next 6 months. The walk is one that I will not be able to repeat again. My injuries will not allow me to repeat that again. I barely made it this time.
I ask how many others are out there with similar stories? What happens to those of us who are alone. Without Friends or Family who care enough to ask the right questions? Make the Statements we need louder so that those who take for granted the basic things that allow us to be human and not animals (pets get better treatment, then people, if they are made homeless in many cases. Domestic Animals have the better survival instincts that would allow them to survive better then even the most basic homeless person. People don't have the senses that animals have to survive in the "wild". Not counting the Indigineous Peoples who still live in feral/wild conditions). How can homeless disabled Americans get into homes and get the care they need to be considered human again? Granted you will hear many people say that help is there if you know where to look. They will also say that the homeless have put themselves there through debt, mismanagement of resources, or any number of problems that would keep them from having better credit. Though many did not know what their credit looked like or like myself never got credit cards or loans when younger to up credit. I didn't know that my credit could be lowered by stuff my own mother had done. It was like I inheritted her debt. Now my credit is so bad that I could only get a small loan to better the credit. I lost that chance when I lost my job and residence. As I could not afford to make the payments and survive at the same time. Funny thing is the loan was only $200. Something that others would look at and say you could pay that off in no time. Yes, I agree. If I made enough to pay for food and necessity items, as well as the low monthly payments. But Food stamps barely pay for food and the money I get for my disability barely pays for items I need for basic hygeine purposes.
So how many people know about the neglect to help those who are unable to get a foot hold to get out of their situations? Not many. How many of those people care enough to help those people to get that first foot hold? Even less then the ones who know.
Common saying among those who know, but will do nothing to help:
"It's not my problem. It isn't happening to me."
