Government screws over the military again

[regulator 0]

My neice is married to a army ranger currently deployed in Afghanistan. Several of the mass cas were his friends and one of them died. Then after the 'workplace violence' bullshit obama threw out after fort hood, he and his bretheren follow up by this piece of work.
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Sunday night was not a good night for troops on the ground. A Marine was killed during a combat patrol. A platoon from 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment helicopter assaulted onto target. In the end, four died—two Rangers, two attachments. There were so many wounded by the command detonated IEDs and suicide bombers that the platoon was rendered combat ineffective. For those of you that have served, it was the nightmare you hope you’d never have to face: it was a mas-cas.

But because of what I can only describe as one of the grossest failings of our government during the current shut down (and that’s saying something, I know), the tragedy of Sunday night’s actions are just beginning.

According to sources inside of Special Operations Command, this morning at roughly 0930 there was a video teleconference. In the conference, liaison personnel who were already tasked with the almost impossible job of telling these families their son or daughter has been killed in action, now have to tell them something else: that their government has failed them and they will not be getting any governmental assistance until the government shutdown is over.

It is standard DOD policy to send families of our KIA $100,000 within 36 hours of the incident. This money is used to cover emergency flights to Dover AFB to meet the casket and start making funeral arrangements, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars when it’s all said and done. It’s to pay to fly non-immediate family to the funeral, to help with the cost of the takeout food that these families are about to live off of for the next week. It’s for hotels, rental cars, all the things that you need when you take an emergency trip.

These brave American’s caskets haven’t even made it back to the United States, and the government’s idea of “help” is to send these newly grieving families an IOU.

The government voted, overwhelmingly, to continue to pay and fund our armed forces as they gripe and moan and take pot shots at each other over Obamacare. Yet, they are refusing to do the most important thing when things go horribly wrong: take care of the families of those we lose.
Inside the past 24hours a mother had a man knock on her door and told her son died half way around the world. Half a day later the same guy is about to knock on her door and tell her that she’s going to need to cash in her savings account until Washington “re-opens for business” as the political pundits have been saying all the past week.

Stop. Think about that for a second.

Five people just made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, to defend our way of life, dozens more are currently wounded—many fighting for their lives right now—and all Uncle Sam is doing is tell them “we’ll help you when we are done arguing about how much we’ve already failed, thanks.”

This is personal to me. I’m not going to try and pretend otherwise. I served overseas, like many of you. I deployed twice. I wrote the letters to my family in case I died. I had my will and my requests for how my funeral should have been run. But one of the things that I took comfort in was that as bad as all that would be—as much as I knew my Mom would cry and as much as I knew my family would grieve—I knew that my death wouldn’t be a financial hit. That my brothers in arms would be able to take government funds and make sure my family had what they needed.

For these five families, that is now a lie.

Those families have all become casualties of this war. Instead of our government making it easier, they are only making it harder on the families they swore to help. Instead of living up to their promises to care for its grieving citizens, they are turning their backs on the people who need help the most.
Our government was founded on the principle “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” I’m asking for all of your help to make a little bit of that happen today.

Please, find yours. Take five minutes to send them a scathing email. It doesn’t have to be pretty, and in my opinion it doesn’t need to be polite. Use the five minutes to give them a piece of your mind.

http://rhinoden.rangerup.com/governmental-fails-our-newly-rendered-gold-star-familes/

[rickjump1 0]

I can feel their pain. As a 14 year old boy, I watched my mother quit living after the death of my father, an Air Force pilot. It wasn't until I grew up and served myself that she started living a new life.

This lack of compassion by Obama will do nothing but reinforce the belief that he genuinely distrusts and hates the military. He is more concerned about illegal imimmigrants having a protest rally in Washington than the welfare of military families. No podium speech of regret will undo this terrible wrong.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[oldwomanc6 60]

I'm of mixed mind here.

Being a military spouse, of twenty + years. I can understand the angst, but when did that kind of money start getting thrown around?

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[SkyDekker 1,465]

rickjump1

I can feel their pain. As a 14 year old boy, I watched my mother quit living after the death of my father, an Air Force pilot. It wasn't until I grew up and served myself that she started living a new life.

This lack of compassion by Obama will do nothing but reinforce the belief that he genuinely distrusts and hates the military. He is more concerned about illegal imimmigrants having a protest rally in Washington than the welfare of military families. No podium speech of regret will undo this terrible wrong.

Excuse my ignorance on this, but who decided which services were essential and which were non-essential when the government "shut down"?

[regulator 0]

Obama showed everyone his true colors when he closed the World War II memorial for WWII vets but let illegals march at the national mall. Obama is a fucking piece of shit. He doesn't care anything about the people he sends to do his dirty work and when they come back dead from honoring their country he spits in their families faces.

[aphid 0]

SkyDekker

Excuse my ignorance on this, but who decided which services were essential and which were non-essential when the government "shut down"?

Good question. Deserving of a lucid answer.

[rickjump1 0]

SkyDekker

***I can feel their pain. As a 14 year old boy, I watched my mother quit living after the death of my father, an Air Force pilot. It wasn't until I grew up and served myself that she started living a new life.

This lack of compassion by Obama will do nothing but reinforce the belief that he genuinely distrusts and hates the military. He is more concerned about illegal imimmigrants having a protest rally in Washington than the welfare of military families. No podium speech of regret will undo this terrible wrong.

Excuse my ignorance on this, but who decided which services were essential and which were non-essential when the government "shut down"? Have you ever heard of the phrase, "the buck stops here"? Ultimately, Obama "decided what was essential and not" Ever quick to use the military to pump up his image, this President of the United States feels that the return of our dead to their families is non-essential. He may not of even been briefed on this incident. His staff has learned what is important to him like keeping his favorite golf course on Andrews Air Force Base open, but keeping the base commissary closed.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[normiss 905]

When you sit on that throne, you take all the heat.
Except when you can blame the previous occupant of said seat.

[rickjump1 0]

normiss

When you sit on that throne, you take all the heat.
Except when you can blame the previous occupant of said seat.

"Taking all the heat" won't float. Nothing funny here, and there is a real difference between Obama and the "previous occupant of the White House". No matter his policies, there is no question that the previous occupant of the White House loved his country and loved and honored the men and women who served in the military. He is still showing his love and respect for them long after leaving the White House.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[wmw999 2,600]

He may have, but he showed it in a damn stupid way, by sending the military men and women overseas in a trumped-up war that discredited the country he is supposed to have loved.

Mouthing a lot of patriotic verbiage doesn't make one a patriot.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[normiss 905]

Which "one" are you referring to?

[wmw999 2,600]

Down boy

Obama didn't start it, but he's in the doghouse right now .

One of my brothers' biggest criticism of him was that he lacked experience in bigtime politics and negotiations; that brother was an anyone-but-Obama voter in 2008, until McCain picked Palin. And that's the honest truth.

Said brother lives just outside Chicago, btw. He said Obama is smart and honest and hardworking, just was not ready for the job. Right now it's looking like he called it.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[rickjump1 0]

wmw999

He may have, but he showed it in a damn stupid way, by sending the military men and women overseas in a trumped-up war that discredited the country he is supposed to have loved.

Mouthing a lot of patriotic verbiage doesn't make one a patriot.

Wendy P.

You seem to have forgotten the "democrat war" of my generation +58,000 dead Americans. ....and running the war from the White House? Maybe you're not "old" enough to remember or have selective memory.

"Mouthing a lot of patriotic verbiage doesn't make one a patriot." No it doesn't, but my purple heart says different.

Old hippies. Got to love 'em.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[normiss 905]

I don't mean to bash anyone of them in particular.
I don't see much how the drone war is any different than previous idiotic acts of war created by our own government though.

I shared the same opinion as your second sentence. IMO, that choice doomed them.

[jgoose71 0]

oldwomanc6

I'm of mixed mind here.

Being a military spouse, of twenty + years. I can understand the angst, but when did that kind of money start getting thrown around?

I think the man might be a little off...

When a service member dies, the sequence of events goes something like this:

1st thing to happen, his pay stops (He's dead, he's not earning it anymore)

2nd thing, the military chaplain, usually accompanied by the commanding officer, comes to the next of kins house to express condolences. Once the next of kin is notified, then the names can be released to the public.

3rd thing, after about a 24 hour cooling off period, someone will come by again with a $15,000 check, and sit down and explain the survivors benefits. The check is to help take care of bills until the SGLI (Service Group Life Insurance Policy) gets paid out. The processing can take up to 3 months.

It goes on from there, but you get the idea. I'm not sure what the $100,000 number is for.

I feel fortunate in my chosen career to only have had to see this process happen twice.

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[oldwomanc6 60]

Thank you for clearing that up.

I've seen the process on more than a couple instances, and mrowc6 has had the unfortunate duty to be the casualty assistance officer when he was still active duty. $15,000 is the figure they used then, so the $100k seemed way off to me.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[jgoose71 0]

$100K was the amount of the old SGLI. I wonder how long the author of this piece has been out of the military?

Hopefully these death benefits will get fixed soon. This most definitely is not the way to honor our fallen.

There were a couple of times when I was still in where the only place I found the courage to move forward was because I knew my family would be taken care of. You take that away from some of these soldiers and you may be in for some serious problems...

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[rickjump1 0]

oldwomanc6

Thank you for clearing that up.

I've seen the process on more than a couple instances, and mrowc6 has had the unfortunate duty to be the casualty assistance officer when he was still active duty. $15,000 is the figure they used then, so the $100k seemed way off to me.

When I was stationed at Fort Hood during the Vietnam War, I was the next of kin notification officer for 30 days. I had done two tours; seen some things, but I never forgot the day when they showed up at our house for my dad (I could never forget the Air Force Major talking to mom with tears in his eyes). I spent a lot of nights worrying and praying, and thankfully, I never got the call to go.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

[aphid 0]

SkyDekker

Excuse my ignorance on this, but who decided which services were essential and which were non-essential when the government "shut down"?

I didn't see a straight answer. Did you see one?

[billvon 3,132]

>This lack of compassion by Obama will do nothing but reinforce the belief that he
>genuinely distrusts and hates the military.

The difference in the parties:

======================
CNN:
The U.S. House voted unanimously Wednesday to resume paying survivor benefits to the families of slain troops. The benefits, which include a $100,000 payment, had been suspended because of the government shutdown.

Shortly before the House vote, President Barack Obama ordered administration officials to move quickly to find a way to resolve the situation, his spokesman said.

"The president was very disturbed to learn of this problem, and he directed the Department of Defense to work with the Office of Management and Budget and his lawyers to develop a possible solution, and he expects this to be fixed today," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
=====================
Mediaite:

Hannity expressed concerns that some Republicans are “buckling” under pressure to end the shutdown, but Bachmann’s assured that they’re holding together for now. She added, “This is about the happiest I’ve seen members in a long time because we’ve seen we’re starting to win this dialogue on a national level.”

As a government shutdown was coming down the pipeline over the weekend, Bachmann was quoted by The Washington Post as saying, “We’re very excited. It’s exactly what we wanted, and we got it.”
======================

[SkyDekker 1,465]

aphid

***Excuse my ignorance on this, but who decided which services were essential and which were non-essential when the government "shut down"?

I didn't see a straight answer. Did you see one?

No, unfortunately I didn't. Though if Bill's post is correct, I am happy to read the issue is resolved. The issue of dealing with next of kin of dead soldiers should not be political at all.

I am disgusted with the person who decided this was essential and could be cut, but also disgusted with those who just plainly used it to bash whichever political figure they despise.

[rushmc 23]

wmw999

Down boy

Obama didn't start it, but he's in the doghouse right now .

One of my brothers' biggest criticism of him was that he lacked experience in bigtime politics and negotiations; that brother was an anyone-but-Obama voter in 2008, until McCain picked Palin. And that's the honest truth.

Said brother lives just outside Chicago, btw. He said Obama is smart and honest and hardworking, just was not ready for the job. Right now it's looking like he called it.

Wendy P.

Cant argue smart and hard working

but honest is not a word to describe Obama today

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[normiss 905]

I'm reading they did vote to restore the payments...but then....

Pentagon makes deal with a charity???
How much added costs will this bring??

[regulator 0]

Another bullshit ploy to raise the debt ceiling.

[rickjump1 0]

aphid

***Excuse my ignorance on this, but who decided which services were essential and which were non-essential when the government "shut down"?

I didn't see a straight answer. Did you see one? I think we might have a language barrier and an "innocent" lack of American presidential history. The "buck stops here", originated from democrat President Harry Truman. He rightly felt he was responsible for everything. Quote: "U.S. president Harry S. Truman had a sign with this inscription on his desk. This was meant to indicate that he didn't 'pass the buck' to anyone else but accepted personal responsibility for the way the country was governed". Harry would have "decided which services were essential and which services were non-essential" had there been a shutdown on his watch. I really don't think the poor man ever had the time to play golf. He was serious about being President. So..... in answer to the original question. Barack Hussein Obama had the responsibility of deciding what services were essential and what services were non-essential.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.