Band of brothers

[GS78]

The popular series from HBO about Easy Company during the European campaign is on spike Tv 241 on direct tv... if you've never seen it watch it, If you have seen it , its on again........

[Username]

Been watching it all day... even though I own it...

[GS78]

It kind of freaks me out, but I can't help but think about the endless suffering these vets endured......and then I think about how this nation treats them.

[Username]

It kind of freaks me out, but I can't help but think about the endless suffering these vets endured......and then I think about how this nation treats them.

Isn't it sick how America idolizes movies like Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers but can't stomach supporting our troops outside the movie theater?

[VBshooter]

It is disgusting the way this country has ignored it's combat veterans, these are the same people that would love to take your guns, give the country to illegals and allow radical Islam to flourish in the name of progress and PC.We need to remain strong in support of what built this country and the things that it needs to survive.Our voice needs to out shout the liberal left and MSM media in bed with them in support of General Electric. It's been a long time coming but an awakening has begun , it;s up to us make it rise and overcome the diseases that have that have festered and finally surfaced after festering under the skin for years.

[Reverenddel]

Dick Winters, Carlo Hathcock, and Teddy Roosevelt. Three heroes. No better men could be found to do the jobs they did in the events they were placed.

People who idolize movie stars, and entertainers (including writers/musicians/etc) are missing out on the opportunity to uphold people who understand TRUE sacrifice, and were willing to do so.

Such a sad state of affairs these days.

[zephyp]

Such a sad state of affairs these days.

Indeed it is Reverend, but we been workin up to this for some time now. It didnt happen overnight.

[06bolton5pt3]

yeah i watched it the other day. Even though its about the 5th or 6th time i've watched the whole series

[Eagle4second]

I watched a couple of the dvds today. Awesome, awesome show.

[SgtBill]

Sorry Reverend but I must correct you on Gunny's name it was Carlo's not carlo.
Semper Fi!
Bill

[Paliden]

Sorry Reverend but I must correct you on Gunny's name it was Carlo's not carlo.
Semper Fi!
Bill

Happy New Year My Friend!!

[SgtBill]

Back at ya Paliden. Hold them and squeeze them.
Semper Fi!
Bill

[zephyp]

Back at ya Paliden. Hold them and squeeze them.
Semper Fi!
Bill

Triggers or tomatoes???

[SgtBill]

Hell why not both.
Bill

[gatlingun6]

It is disgusting the way this country has ignored it's combat veterans, these are the same people that would love to take your guns, give the country to illegals and allow radical Islam to flourish in the name of progress and PC.We need to remain strong in support of what built this country and the things that it needs to survive.Our voice needs to out shout the liberal left and MSM media in bed with them in support of General Electric. It's been a long time coming but an awakening has begun , it;s up to us make it rise and overcome the diseases that have that have festered and finally surfaced after festering under the skin for years.

VBshooter maybe in your haste and your passion about supporting combat veterans, you should have slowed down and carefully read what you wrote. Hopefully, you caught your mistake without this post, i.e. you went right on to do the same thing you so passionately accused others of doing, i.e. not supporting some combat soldiers. What do I mean? Easy, do you really believe no combat veterans are liberal? None of their families are liberal or anti-war? Do you really think every member of the armed forces supported the decision to invade Iraq, or leave the job in Afghanistan unfinished? Or even the recent decision to send more forces to Afghanistan. Aren't you confusing supporting combat veterans with supporting any administration's ideology and strategy? And it does not matter if only 1 in a thousand are liberal, either you support combat veterans or you don't. Otherwise be honest and say it's too bad people don't support combat veterans who adhere to my political ideology.

The Wall contains over 55,000 names and I have not seen evidence of any political ideology next to any name. The only thing I know they have in common, is they fell around the same time and are locked together in their place on the Wall forever. Similarly I visit Arlington National Cemetery frequently, I have yet to see a headstone that begins or ends with here lies a conservative, liberal, independent, Republican, Democrat, Socialist, anti-war, leftist, etc. etc. When you find one please send me a post I want to see it too. I know you did not intend to do what you did, I only ask that we all pause and consider our words when we rightfully complain about the terrible treatment of some of our combat veterans

Did you ask before you went on a mission whether those around you shared your political ideology? If they didn't, then what? And here I thought the test was competence and courage under fire. Ok I get it, it was just a little slip, and you didn't mean it the way it read.

Respectfully
Jim
Reasoned debate should never be personal
No lie lasts forever

[gfost1]

VBshooter maybe in your haste and your passion about supporting combat veterans, you should have slowed down and carefully read what you wrote.

[argument redacted]

Respectfully
Jim
Reasoned debate should never be personal
No lie lasts forever

Jeepers, Jim,

Mebbe you should have read Spence's post before you criticized him. He didn't mention the political beliefs of America's combat veterans, it was you that drew that distinction.

You appear to be arguing that, since many members of the armed forces came from the political left, the left is therefore immune from criticism regarding their treatment of veterans.

Are you willing to extend the same courtesy to the political right?

Regards,

George

[VBshooter]

[gatlingun6]

It is disgusting the way this country has ignored it's combat veterans, these are the same people that would love to take your guns, give the country to illegals and allow radical Islam to flourish in the name of progress and PC.We need to remain strong in support of what built this country and the things that it needs to survive.Our voice needs to out shout the liberal left and MSM media in bed with them in support of General Electric. It's been a long time coming but an awakening has begun , it;s up to us make it rise and overcome the diseases that have that have festered and finally surfaced after festering under the skin for years.

Sorry folks, but here's another long post...Some comments just frost my you know what. We all have our hot buttons! I know it's overkill but sometimes ... .

VBshooter you paint with an extraordinary broad brush. Are you convinced that, how do you say it, no one on the "liberal left" volunteers for the USO, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, Community Services, VA facilities, or the many charities that assist veterans and their families? Are you convinced, or do you know for a fact that those volunteers who work with homeless vets, those afflicted with PTSD, those suffering from alcohol and drug abuse, are not liberal lefties, or independents, or moderates? Are you sure that no volunteer at Walter Reed, Bethesda Naval hospital, or at any other military treatment facilities are not liberal lefties? How about the Ladies of Arlington, you know, or do you, the ladies who attend funeral services in the chapel at Ft Myer to pay their respects to deceased veterans. If not for them the chapel would sometimes be empty, excepting the military burial detail. Are you sure none of those ladies are "liberal lefties"?

What about the spouses of active duty military who are also involved with veteran’s causes, you mean no “liberal lefties” grace their ranks? What about VSOs, vets helping other vets, no “liberal lefties” there either? Are you positive that in all the communities across the land where welcome home ceremonies are arranged no “liberal lefty” assisted in those events? Habitat for Humanity has often built or modified homes for veterans. Again, none of the volunteers are”liberal lefties”? The same goes for Extreme Home Make Over. You mean to say none of the firms’ owners or workers, nor volunteer workers are “liberal lefties”? The newspapers and TV news are filled with stories of spontaneous outpourings of support for veterans from neighbors, and families, to friends and strangers. These groups and individuals have rendered financial and material aid, as well as the sweat of their labor. Yet you know that none of these people are “liberal lefties”?

You singled out GE, Why? So GE and NBC as corporate entities have done nothing to support veterans? Better yet, you know that no “liberal lefty” employee of either corporation has done or said anything to support veterans? Even MoveOn.Org an organization with plenty of liberal leftists, and I might add military family members, etc. they too have supported veterans by deeds and stated goals. I could go on for page after page of organizations, businesses large and small, non-profits, church groups, and individuals where “liberal lefties” are well represented and do support veteran causes. Even the Punk Rock community, a bastion of anti-war and anti-military sentiment, has come to support vets. They call themselves “pro-troop punk”! For example Henry Rollins and the Vandals performed in Iraq and Afghanistan. As Tim Barry of Rancid said: “To betray soldiers is betraying my family”.

Conversely I imagine you assert that anyone who is not a liberal lefty support veterans and their causes? I don’t get it. I don’t understand why anyone would write something so patently false and devoid of anything even resembling a fact. Commonsense screams out that what you wrote is a naked lie, and that’s being kind. Why all this paranoia.
Here are a few other facts about supporting vets that you either ignored or didn’t want to list. The new GI Bill was proposed by our very own Senator James Webb, and co-sponsored by Senators Hagel (Republican) and Lautenburg (Republican) all 3 are veterans and political moderates. The Bush Administration opposed the bill and threaten a veto. They called the bill too generous and a disincentive to reenlistment. The bill passed the Senate by a veto proof 75 to 22. 52 Democrats, 2 Independents and 19 Republicans voted yes. 21 Republicans voted no. No Democrat voted no. Here’s some of the Republican no votes: McCain, Chambliss, Cornyn, Sessions, McConnell, Shelby, Vitter, Graham, Inhofe, Ensign. With few exceptions some of the most conservative Republican Senators voted no on a bill that had the support of every veteran’s group! Every Republican Moderate voted yes.

President Obama’s budget increased VA funding from $98 bil to $113 bil. The largest one year increase ever by any President! The Recovery Act added another $1.4 bil to vet causes. The President’s guidance was to remake the VA into an exemplary 21st Century organization. General Shinseki is decreasing the time for disability ratings and modernizing the WWII developed Veterans Administration System for Rating Disabilities (VASRD). Almost 800K vets were to be added to the rolls, over 200K were WWII Cat 8 vets dropped by the Bush administration. When Veteran’s Service Organizations (VSO) objected to a private insurance payment proviso, the President listened and eliminated the change. The Labor Department is setting aside $43 mil of $150 mil to help unemployed vets find work in “green” jobs. The VA is now processing 7,000 GI bill benefit claims per day instead of the inadequate capability of 1,800 per day last fall. Still not perfect, but the trend is right.

Contrast this with the Bush administration’s numerous attempts to implement costs in TRICARE for life for military retirees. The Congress stopped the addition each time. I could go on, but don’t you see the folly in trying to pin some ideological tail on the donkey over vet issues?
This President has done everything he can, and more than any other President to support vet causes. The vets in this forum should be singing his praises for his efforts and actions in this arena. Vets have no better friend in government than the President! If I’m not mistaken you are a veteran and so are many other posters. Consequently, it’s a stunning display of hypocrisy to be all over this President about vet support. No matter what you may think of the President personally or his other policies it’s flat out dishonest to do anything but congratulate for his support to vets.
I keep asking, why smart guys keep writing stuff they absolutely know, or should know is false. What’s the point? If lies are written about something as easy to disprove as this, why believe anything you write? Maybe you think no one will read your post and take it seriously. Well, I do.

I just don't get constantly demonizing your fellow Americans. The saddest thing about this, is you wind up doing what you accuse others of doing, i.e. disrespecting veterans. How is that possible, you might ask? Simple, “liberal lefties” are well represented in the armed forces, plus many are from families of” liberal lefties”. What would a liberal lefty Gold Star Mother, or the liberal lefty mothers and fathers of some of the 16,000 egregiously wounded veterans think of your words? Would any of them read your post and believe you actually support their son or daughter? Apparently your support of vets comes with conditions.

I can deal with your lack of support for all vets, but what’s exceptionally troubling is you wore the uniform. Did you characterize liberals as worthless when you were active? Did you make it known that you didn’t want to be around them? If you were in combat did you make sure you were not fighting next to a liberal? If you were a leader did you make sure liberals didn’t get promoted? This I don’t get, in fact from those wearing the uniform these sentiments are exceptionally troubling.

If I could be granted one wish for the general forum, it would be leave the fallen and Arlington National Cemetery out of attempts to make a purely partisan political point, or to elevate the worth of one political persuasion over another. Since none of us know the circumstances of all those interred in Arlington why try and use their deaths for narrow selfish purposes. The beauty and majesty of Arlington National Cemetery, which is truly hallowed ground, is precisely because those interred there are beyond the ugliness of this world, and our uncivil expressions towards each other. Such attempts disrespect the interred and their families. It’s cheap demagoguery of the worse kind.

Respectfully
Jim

[zephyp]

Jim - broadly speaking the country does indeed treat combat veterans like crap. I can give several examples but will refrain. I'm sure many here can speak from direct and personal experience. It doesnt matter how much money is pumped into VA care -- it sucks plain and simple. And I know for a fact that VA care is generally last on the list. I know cause I sometimes sit on the budget panel that figures out where to allocate money across DOD and VA always pops up - last. Regarding the MSM, most of it (about 90%) does indeed have a left leaning bias. I wont say liberal since some of them (MSNBC, CBS) IMO have moved farther left than mere liberalism. The MSM doesnt do anyone any favors except their own interests and right now that is the obama administration - AS LONG AS IT LEANS FAR LEFT LIKE THEM.

[GS78]

Lautenburg is a republican?.....