ISSUE 1: PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE TO
ISSUE BONDS TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION TO VETERANS
OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AFGHANISTAN, AND IRAQ CONFLICTS

(Proposed by Joint Resolution of the General Assembly of Ohio)

To adopt Section 2r of Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio
A YES vote means approval of the amendment.
A NO vote means disapproval of the amendment.
A majority YES vote is required for the amendment to be adopted.
If approved, this proposed amendment shall take effect immediately.
League Explanation of Issue 1: This ballot issue proposes a constitutional amendment that would provide
compensation to veterans serving during the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts. The
amendment is similar to the bond issues passed by the voters to compensate veterans of World War I,
World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam conflict. It will provide the state with the authority to
issue up to $200 million of bonds. The Ohio treasurer has estimated that only $106 million of the bond
proceeds might actually be needed. All bonds must be issued by December 31, 2013. Repayment of these
bonds would be a general obligation of the state backed by the taxing power of the state. Revenue from
these bonds would be used to provide additional compensation as follows:
· Payment may be made to Ohio residents who have served on active duty in the United States armed
forces between August 2, 1990 and March 3, 1991, which was the duration of the Persian Gulf
conflict; between October 7, 2001 and the end of the United States’ involvement in Afghanistan; and
between March 19, 2003 and the end of the United States’ involvement in Iraq.
· Veterans who served domestically or in foreign service in locations other than the Persian Gulf,
Afghanistan, or Iraq may receive $50 for each month served up to a maximum of $500.
· Veterans who served in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, or Iraq may receive $100 for each month
served up to a maximum of $1000, or may receive $1000 if medically discharged due to combatrelated
disabilities.
· If a person died as a result of injuries sustained in Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, or Iraq service, that
person’s family may receive $5000.
· If a person is missing in action or held in enemy captivity, that person’s family may receive $5000.
The Legislative Services Commission estimates that issuing $200 million of obligations could increase
the state’s annual debt service expense by up to $18 million. The voters must approve this bonding
authority because the Ohio constitution does not permit an appropriation being made for a period longer
than two years.
Proponents of the proposed amendment argue that:
1. Passing the amendment by vote of the people shows that Ohioans appreciate Ohio veterans.
2. The payments will ease veterans’ transition back into civilian life.
Opponents of the proposed amendment argue that:
1. Tax monies will be diverted to paying principle and interest, and this may limit the availability of
state revenue for other state programs during a period of financial crisis.
2. Future taxpayers will be responsible for the debt incurred for these payments. The payments
should be paid for by revenues available in the current biennium.

Websites: Websites not available for proponents and opponents

MY DAUGHTER'S DEATH CERTIFICATE SHOWS SHE DIED OF GULF WAR SYNDROME...CAN I FILE A CLAIM AS HER FAMILY MEMBER

If a person died as a result of injuries sustained in Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, or Iraq service, that person’s family may receive $5000.

JES WUNDERIN

The Senate is expected to vote on Senate Bill 1963, the Caregiver and Veterans Health Services Act before Veterans Day. This legislation helps our most severely wounded warriors and their families.

Senate Bill 1963 provides counseling and mental health services, technical assistance, respite care, health coverage and a modest monthly stipend to caregivers.

Please tell your senators to vote yes on Senate Bill 1963. Please visit the Wounded Warrior Project website/Advocacy section to send a personal message directly to your senators.

quote:

Originally posted by RONCO:
MY DAUGHTER'S DEATH CERTIFICATE SHOWS SHE DIED OF GULF WAR SYNDROME...CAN I FILE A CLAIM AS HER FAMILY MEMBER

If a person died as a result of injuries sustained in Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, or Iraq service, that person’s family may receive $5000.

JES WUNDERIN

Please do. It is the next of kin.

Pennsylvania closes Veterans' Childrens Home

CHAMBERSBURG, PA. — U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster is asking Pennsylvania’s governor to use federal stimulus money to reopen Scotland School for Veterans’ Children north of Chambersburg.

Shuster, R-Pa., wrote a letter to Gov. Ed Rendell asking him to use some of Pennsylvania’s latest $1.4 billion allocation for the boarding school, which did not open for 2009-10 because state funding for it was eliminated.

The U.S. Secretary of Education announced the $1.4 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) on Nov. 2.

“I was disappointed to see the school, which has been important for so many years in the lives of both the students who attended and the community members who worked there, cut out of the state budget,” Shuster wrote in his letter, according to information from the congressman’s press office.

However, Rendell spokesman Gary Tuma said Wednesday night the $1.4 billion was anticipated and already included in the 2009-10 budget.

“There really are no stimulus funds that we would be permitted to use for this purpose, with the exception of a small pool of discretionary funds that we’ve already committed to meet expenses during the current budget year,” Tuma said.

Reopening Scotland School could save about 134 full-time jobs, which was the intent of the ARRA, Shuster said.

“There is really no unrestricted stimulus money left that could be used for Scotland School,” Tuma said.

Govenor Rendell, identified Scotland School as a potential cut during his February budget address. The fate of the 114-year-old school, which enrolled children whose relatives served in the military, changed several times as legislators negotiated the budget, but the final version that passed in October did not include funding.

Governor Rendell previously said Scotland School’s operating budget was $13.5 million a year, with the lion’s share of funding coming from the state.

When in doubt politicians cut veterans.

quote:

Posted Wed 04 November 2009 11:43 PM Hide Post
Pennsylvania closes Veterans' Childrens Home

CHAMBERSBURG, PA. — U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster is asking Pennsylvania’s governor to use federal stimulus money to reopen Scotland School for Veterans’ Children north of Chambersburg.

Shuster, R-Pa., wrote a letter to Gov. Ed Rendell asking him to use some of Pennsylvania’s latest $1.4 billion allocation for the boarding school, which did not open for 2009-10 because state funding for it was eliminated.

The U.S. Secretary of Education announced the $1.4 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) on Nov. 2.

“I was disappointed to see the school, which has been important for so many years in the lives of both the students who attended and the community members who worked there, cut out of the state budget,” Shuster wrote in his letter, according to information from the congressman’s press office.

However, Rendell spokesman Gary Tuma said Wednesday night the $1.4 billion was anticipated and already included in the 2009-10 budget.

“There really are no stimulus funds that we would be permitted to use for this purpose, with the exception of a small pool of discretionary funds that we’ve already committed to meet expenses during the current budget year,” Tuma said.

Reopening Scotland School could save about 134 full-time jobs, which was the intent of the ARRA, Shuster said.

“There is really no unrestricted stimulus money left that could be used for Scotland School,” Tuma said.

Govenor Rendell, identified Scotland School as a potential cut during his February budget address. The fate of the 114-year-old school, which enrolled children whose relatives served in the military, changed several times as legislators negotiated the budget, but the final version that passed in October did not include funding.

Governor Rendell previously said Scotland School’s operating budget was $13.5 million a year, with the lion’s share of funding coming from the state.

When in doubt politicians cut veterans.

I MEANT TO COPY/PASTE THE LAST PARAGRAPH...and for whatever reason, every time the whole post would show..In any case, my impression of Gov Rendell was that he was very pro veteran..this comes as a surprise to me. My hope is that this information is disseminated throughout PA so that the school would be funded.

Your last sentence of politicians cutting vet programs sadly rings very loud and clear and that in itself is a sad commentary of the hero status for a short time and once time passes..the lower we go on the totem pole of recognition for unselfish sacrafice.

Eres Tu!

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/11/military_scra_veteransbill_110309w/

HOUSE PASSES BILL TO EXPAND SCRA RIGHTS

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Nov 3, 2009 16:06:08 EST

Bottom of Form
An omnibus veterans bill, which includes an expansion of Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act protections and allows parents to be buried in veterans cemeteries if their military sons or daughters had no dependents, has passed the House of Representatives and joins a growing pile of legislation awaiting Senate action.

The Veterans’ Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009 passed the House on Tuesday by a 382-2 vote. It expands service members’ ability to cancel service contracts without penalty if they move to a new duty station or deploy overseas for 180 days or more.

Under the bill, HR 3949, contracts for cell phones, including family plans; retail and vehicle leases; and utilities, Internet and cable services could be cancelled without penalty or early termination fees if a service member provides a copy of orders and a written cancellation note.

The bill would close loopholes in current law that sometimes do not allow cancellation when a family member’s name is also on the contract, or that still allow termination fees in some cases.

The bill also would allow the government or individuals to sue businesses or people that violate a service member’s legal or financial protections under the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act. The government can seek penalties of up to $110,000, and a service member can seek monetary damages for violations.

Also included in the bill are burial rights for parents of service members with no dependents who die on active duty as a result of combat or training-related causes. In this case, biological or adoptive parents may be buried in the same plot as the service member, as long as space is available. The provision would apply to any service member who has died since the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The bill also would tighten Veterans Affairs Department policies on awarding contracts to veteran-owned businesses.

Business listed as veteran- or disabled-veteran-owned in VA’s database would have to have their ownership certified.

The House and Senate veterans’ affairs committees hope at some point to combine veterans-related bills into one or more packages that could pass by the end of the year.

For more information go to the above cold link.

From the VA

Shinseki Announces Veterans' Stories Posted on VA's Web Page


Countdown to Veterans Day with Library of Congress

WASHINGTON (Nov. 4, 2009) - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will join with the Library of Congress to host a "Veterans History Countdown" on the VA Web site - www.va.gov <http://www.va.gov/> - featuring the oral histories of Veterans from every state and U.S. territory.

"VA has partnered with the Library of Congress to honor our Veterans, preserve their histories and ensure that their service, sacrifice and heroism will never be forgotten," said Secretary Shinseki. "We want to encourage Americans to record the oral histories of Veterans for future generations."

Each day, beginning Nov.1, VA's Web feature will introduce new personal histories, culminating on Veterans Day when a Veteran's history from each state and U.S. territory will be available simply by clicking on the U.S. map in the display.

As Veterans Day approaches, the VA Web display will urge Americans to "Honor our Veterans. Record their Histories!" The display will link to the library's Veterans History Project Web site -- www.loc.gov/vets -- which provides background about the program, a guide for volunteers to follow in recording and submitting Veterans' oral histories and to access the project's extensive digital archive.

VA has collaborated with the Veterans History Project since its implementing legislation was signed into law on Oct. 27, 2000. VA Voluntary Service has made oral history recording part of its program.
VA offers Veterans the opportunity to record their histories at its facilities and special events. These collections of first-hand accounts are archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

"We hope the Veterans History Countdown will serve as a call to action for volunteers to record the first-hand stories of the Veterans they know-relatives, neighbors, friends," said Bob Patrick, director of the Veterans History Project.

The Veterans History Project collects and preserves the remembrances of American war Veterans and civilian workers who supported them.

The recordings make accessible the first-hand remembrances of American wartime Veterans from World War I through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Approximately 65,000 individual stories comprise the collection of the Veterans History Project.

The project relies on volunteers to record Veterans' remembrances using guidelines accessible at www.loc.gov/vets/ <http://www.loc.gov/vets> .
Volunteer interviewers may request information at vohp@loc.gov <mailto:%20vohp@loc.gov> or the toll-free message line at (888) 371-5848.

------------------------------

Craigslist Founder Joins VA Innovation Search Panel

Craig Newmark to Help Pick Winners of National Competition

WASHINGTON (November 4, 2009) -- Craig Newmark, the founder of "craigslist" and a well-known technology visionary, has agreed to serve on the blue-ribbon panel of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that will review and evaluate ideas to improve disability claims processing times and provide greater transparency to Veterans.

"Transforming VA into an organization that is Veteran-centric, results-oriented and forward-looking is my top priority," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "Leveraging the talent, innovation and creativity of stakeholders, like Craig Newmark, is just one of the many ways VA can think outside of the box to help deliver tangible results to our nation's Veterans."

The innovation competition solicited ideas from VA employees and members of Veterans Service Organizations who are on the front lines every day, working with Veterans to help deliver benefits they deserve and need.
VA officials from each of the 57 regional offices across the country have submitted promising ideas, which will be reviewed by Newmark and other panel members. The panel will be chaired by Patrick W. Dunne, the VA Under Secretary for Benefits.

"I look forward to working with VA's leadership team to bring tangible results to our Veterans," said Craig Newmark. "I am very encouraged by the fact that VA is embracing new ways to look at old problems."

In 1995, Newmark launched the first community site on the Internet for people to share information about housing, jobs and other needs. By April 2009, craigslist received more than 22 billion page-views per month, with more than 50 million members worldwide.

Newmark is a vocal proponent of using the Internet and technology to support government innovation and maximize the utilization of human capital. Additionally, Newmark is a passionate supporter of Veterans causes.

VA has received and reviewed over 3,000 suggestions since Sept. 8th. The panel will review the top 17 submissions and chose 5 projects that will receive full funding for project development and execution at the Regional Office that submitted the idea.

AS USUAL, DAVE THIS WAS CHOCK-FULL-A-NUTS

quote:

"VA has partnered with the Library of Congress to honor our Veterans, preserve their histories and ensure that their service, sacrifice and heroism will never be forgotten," said Secretary Shinseki. "We want to encourage Americans to record the oral histories of Veterans for future generations."

I'm not sure what RONCO was posting his thoughts on...But in reference to the Veterans History Project. It is in my opinion a extremely well constructed project. Jim Strickland of VA Watchdog.Org does much work for it, and his reputation as a veterans advocate is widely known. Most interviews are conducted in Washington D.C and the recording and filming are the highest quality. The Library of Congress maintains it and lastly, the stories recounted by the veteran and his/her wartime experiences are verified through a intertwined series of questions against known records to insure accuracy of the veterans experience.

I have played a small part in the project some time back and contributed to the archive. Although I rarely, if ever, speak of my Vietnam experience in cold facts..My decision to participate was prompted by the fact that to this day, nearly all of MACV SOG candlestine operations and missions are still classified. I was fortunate in a way to obtain by pure accident a recording between a U.S Warship and our PBR as our team popped up on the warship's radar as we slithered along the coastline of North Vietnam in the dead of night, and the subsequent conversations between the PBR, the Communications Officer (Navy)..It's ship's Captain, the U.S Embassy on what actions the Navy should take on that "unknown, unidentified convoy of 4 PBR's"

The last sentence to the Naval vessel from Siagon was "You didn't see a thing"

It was the only time radio silence was broken. The intent of that mission as some may recall was to locate, rescue POW's that Wash D.C believed to have been active. There are many otherwise unknown experiences that...when not shared by those soldiers, may never be known and worse perhaps, lost with time and generations. So IMHO, the VHP is of great value.
But, hey...it's just my 2 cents worth.

Eres Tu!

LEST THERE BE ANY DOUBT, I WILL TRANSLATE...

THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION , DAVE...IT WAS FULL OF GREAT INFORMATION THAT I FOUND INTERESTING AND HELPFUL

HOPE ALL THOSE IN RIO LINDA NOW UNDERSTAND

quote:

Originally posted by RONCO:
LEST THERE BE ANY DOUBT, I WILL TRANSLATE...

THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION , DAVE...IT WAS FULL OF GREAT INFORMATION THAT I FOUND INTERESTING AND HELPFUL

HOPE ALL THOSE IN RIO LINDA NOW UNDERSTAND

RONCO...If nothing else, I have certainly respected your insight, thoughts, vocal outburst and sarcasm, because if for nothing else..your intelligence and apparent education. Further, your veteran advocacy stands on merit as it does in passion.

However, the opening line, I assume was for the benefit of me, the uninformed, misguided and illiterate one...so let me clue you in on another version of your opening line, as follows:

"LEST THERE BE NO DOUBT, SPEAK ENGLISH CLEARLY AND POINTED"

Just 2 cents...

Eres Tu!

10-4, NUMBERS...HERE'S YER CHANGE...$0.01

I SPEAK IT AS I SEE IT...TOO LATE TO CHANGE ME

Back in 2002 a VA social worker at Chilliocthe VAMC interviewed me for either this project or one similar. I never saw a report posted anywhere. But when facts are understood (which I clearly do) people are not intersted in things that happened, but not government admitted.

PS: I see that every day, when veterans stressors are reviewed in the VA Regional Office.

DAVE

I agree, naturally. This project was designed for educational purposes only, and for historic archive research and for those families looking for answers concerning lost loved ones that may otherwise never be found.

Side Note: RONCO..live in Rio Linda, do ya?

I sense that life there would likely suck, but hey, a thought.

Eres Tu!