FW: 3 Important Pictures

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To: tklarich@msn.com
Subject: Fwd: 3 Important Pictures
From: klarichins@aol.com
Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2013 18:10:37 -0500

-----Original Message-----
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To: undisclosed-recipients
Sent: Thu, Dec 5, 2013 9:12 am
Subject: Fw: 3 Important Pictures

------- Another reminder that freedom is not free for all, a price has been paid. -----  International Picture of the Year. Here are three very touching photos honored this year.  First Place :  First Place  Todd Heisler, The Rocky Mountain News  When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport , Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac. During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport , Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful: 'See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home,' he said. 'They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should.'  Second Place  Second Place Todd Heisler, The Rocky Mountain News  The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. 'I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,' she said. 'I think that's what he would have wanted'.  And the one that really tightens MY throat:  3rd Place - "Son, a grateful Nation...." PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING! Blue Fridays.  Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing blue every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority.' We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing. Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something blue. By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of blue much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in BLUE and it will let our troops know the once 'silent' majority is on their side more than ever. The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is: 'We need your support and your prayers.' Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something blue every Friday.  IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.  IF YOU COULDN'T CARE LESS -- THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON.  Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you: 1. Jesus Christ 2. The American G. I.  One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.  YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM.                  -- MOM OR ROSE "Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong."  Ann M. Allen   =

FW: VFW WASHINGTON WEEKLY, December 6, 2013

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember

Subject: VFW WASHINGTON WEEKLY, December 6, 2013
To: rserge@live.com
From: tmorris@vfw.org
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2013 15:56:32 -0500

WASHINGTON WEEKLY December 6, 2013 In This Issue: 1. Attack on Pearl Harbor Remembrance 2. House VA Committee Discusses Complex Disability Claims 3. VFW Discusses Jobs With Iowa Governor 4. Busy End of Year Agenda for House/Senate 5. Military Commissary Survey 1. Attack on Pearl Harbor Remembrance: VFW Posts nationwide will be commemorating the 72nd Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor tomorrow. VFW National Commander Bill Thien and Ladies Auxiliary National President Sissy Borel will be at the Pearl Harbor ceremony along with survivors, family members and fellow comrades, and will present a VFW wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial. In Washington, D.C., another ceremony will be held at the National World War II Memorial at 1:53 p.m. According to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, an estimated 84,000 servicemen and women survived the attack, of which less than 3,000 are still alive. The association disbanded in January 2012, but its website continues to be a treasure trove of first-hand survivor stories. Visit http://www.pearlharborsurvivorsonline.org/. 2. House VA Committee Discusses Complex Disability Claims: Earlier this week, the House VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a hearing to discuss complex VA disability claims. The three panels of witnesses included a veteran and a survivor both affected by a lengthy claims process; as well as VSO and VA representatives. Subcommittee Chairman Jon Runyan (R-NJ) said that the hearing was just one of many the committee has held on VA's disability claims process since various initiatives have been instituted by VA to reach the secretary's goal on claims for 2015. The VSO representatives spoke about process, accountability and the continued need for VA employees to receive proper training. VA reported that they continue to experience an increase in the number and complexity of medical issues, with the average number of issues identified per original claim increasing by 31 percent, from 5.5 to 7.2 issues per claim. For more about the hearing to include the recorded webcast and all testimony, click here: http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/%E2%80%9Cadjudicating-va%E2%80%99s most-complex-disability-claims-ensuring-quality-accuracy-and-consistency 3. VFW Discusses Jobs With Iowa Governor: On Thursday VFW met with Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to discuss the state's new initiative to recruit veterans into the Iowa workforce. The program, called Homebase Iowa, was announced by Branstad in November alongside leaders from the Iowa veterans' community, including the VFW, and the governor took his message to policymakers in Washington this week. Currently, Iowa is a state rich with opportunities for skilled workers, and Branstad, who served as a military policeman in the Army, wants to encourage industries in his state to look to the veterans' community for those skilled workers. To learn more about the program and VFW's meeting with the governor, click here: http://thevfw.blogspot.com/2013/12/iowa-governor-discusses-veterans.html 4. Busy End of Year Agenda for House/Senate: The Senate returns next week to join the House in what is shaping up to be a very hectic end of year schedule. The Senate will continue its debate on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with the likelihood that a slimmed-down version that contains no controversial amendments could pass. The Senate could also decide to use  the House-passed bill with amendments agreed to by both chambers, thus avoiding conference negotiations, which often prove timely. The VFW supported many of the provisions in the House-passed bill to include no increases in enrollment fees for Tricare healthcare or copayments for prescriptions; a 1.8 percent military pay raise; an amendment preventing service chiefs from ending Military Tuition Assistance programs; requiring DOD and VA to create a comprehensive plan regarding the care and treatment of service members with urotrauma; as well as several changes that would protect victims and enforce accountability with regard to sexual assaults in the military. VFW will be monitoring the bill next week. Check back here for updates on final action as it moves through Congress. For more on the House-passed version of NDAA click here: http://armedservices.house.gov/ 5. Military Commissary Survey: The Defense Department is now examining the potential closure of its 178 stateside commissaries in an ongoing effort to further reduce overall operating expenses. In an effort to measure customer feedback, the independent Military Times news organization is asking service members, retirees and their families to participate in a brief survey about this potential change to a significant military quality of life benefit. Share your views at the Military Times Commissary Survey 2013 by clicking here: http://www.keysurvey.com/f/572176/102cb3a2dea5ed65/ . If you have trouble accessing the link, reply to survey@militarytimes.com and a new link with login password will be sent (which is necessary for some DOD users). Participation is voluntary and all responses will be kept completely confidential. Military Times was the recipient of the 2010 VFW News Media Award. As always, we want to share your advocacy stories on the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To share your stories either fill out our online form by clicking here, http://www.vfw.org/Forms/Capitol-Hill-Blog-Submissions/, or simply email photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org. To sign up new veterans' advocates to receive the Washington Weekly every Friday, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/mlm/signup.htm.

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FW: Your December 6 Washington Weekly

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

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Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2013 17:10:01 -0600
From: friendsoffreedom@vfw.org
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Your December 6 Washington Weekly

December 6, 2013 Post on Facebook Attack on Pearl Harbor Remembrance VFW Posts nationwide will be commemorating the 72nd Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor tomorrow. VFW National Commander Bill Thien and Ladies Auxiliary National President Sissy Borel will be at the Pearl Harbor ceremony, along with survivors, family members, and fellow comrades, and will present a VFW wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial. In Washington, D.C., another ceremony will be held at the National World War II Memorial at 1:53 p.m. According to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, an estimated 84,000 servicemen and women survived the attack, of which less than 3,000 are still alive. The association disbanded in January 2012, but its website continues to be a treasure trove of first-hand survivor stories. House VA Committee Discusses Complex Disability ClaimsEarlier this week, the House VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a hearing to discuss complex VA disability claims. The three panels of witnesses included a veteran and a survivor, both affected by a lengthy claims process; as well as VSO and VA representatives. Subcommittee Chairman Jon Runyan (R-NJ) said that the hearing was just one of many the committee has held on VA's disability claims process since various initiatives have been instituted by VA to reach the secretary's goal on claims for 2015. The VSO representatives spoke about process, accountability and the continued need for VA employees to receive proper training. VA reported that they continue to experience an increase in the number and complexity of medical issues, with the average number of issues identified per original claim increasing by 31 percent, from 5.5 to 7.2 issues per claim. For more information about the hearingm including the recorded webcast and all testimony, click here. The VFW Discusses Jobs With Iowa GovernorOn Thursday, the VFW met with Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to discuss the state's new initiative to recruit veterans into the Iowa workforce. The program, called Homebase Iowa, was announced by Branstad in November alongside leaders from the Iowa veterans' community, including the VFW, and the governor took his message to policymakers in Washington this week. Currently, Iowa is a state rich with opportunities for skilled workers, and Branstad, who served as a military policeman in the Army, wants to encourage industries in his state to look to the veterans' community for those skilled workers. Learn more about the program and the VFW's meeting with the governor. Busy End-of-Year Agenda for House/SenateThe Senate returns next week to join the House in what is shaping up to be a very hectic end-of-year schedule. The Senate will continue its debate on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with the likelihood that a slimmed-down version that contains no controversial amendments could pass. The Senate could also decide to use the House-passed bill with amendments agreed to by both chambers, thus avoiding conference negotiations that often prove timely. The VFW supported many of the provisions in the House-passed bill, including no increases in enrollment fees for Tricare healthcare or copayments for prescriptions; a 1.8 percent military pay raise; an amendment preventing service chiefs from ending Military Tuition Assistance programs; requiring DOD and VA to create a comprehensive plan regarding the care and treatment of service members with urotrauma; as well as several changes that would protect victims and enforce accountability with regard to sexual assaults in the military. The VFW will be monitoring the bill next week. Check back here for updates on final action as it moves through Congress. For more on the House-passed version of NDAA, click here. Military Commissary SurveyThe Defense Department is now examining the potential closure of its 178 stateside commissaries in an ongoing effort to further reduce overall operating expenses. In an effort to measure customer feedback, the independent Military Times news organization is asking service members, retirees and their families to participate in a brief survey about this potential change to a significant military quality of life benefit. To receive a unique link with login and password to conduct the survey, contact survey@militarytimes.com. Participation is voluntary, and all responses will be kept completely confidential. Military Times was the recipient of the 2010 VFW News Media Award. As always, we want to share your advocacy stories on the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To share your stories, fill out our online form or simply email photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org. Was this Washington Weekly forwarded to you by a friend? Sign up to get your own free issue each week. — Find a Post | Contribute | About Us | Contact Us Unsubscribe | Tell A Friend © 2001 - 2013. All rights reserved. Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111 Having difficulty seeing the images in this message? View it online.

FW: Iraq War Veteran Works to Break Stigma

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember

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Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2013 10:15:45 -0600
From: friendsoffreedom@vfw.org
To: rserge@live.com
Subject: Iraq War Veteran Works to Break Stigma

DECEMBER 2013 The VFW Launches Year-End Campaign VFW and Partners Receive Google Global Impact Award to Expand Student Veteran Support Iraq War Veteran Finds Passion in Helping Veterans Put the Love Back in Your Holiday Giving Other ways to help THE VFW LAUNCHES YEAR-END CAMPAIGN You can show our veterans you care this holiday season by making a gift to the VFW. Your generosity will provide a lifeline for military families in crisis ... strengthen veterans' advocates on Capitol Hill ... and help veterans receive the VA benefits they're entitled to. Make a Year-End Donation >> VFW AND PARTNERS RECEIVE GOOGLE GLOBAL IMPACT AWARD TO EXPAND STUDENT VETERAN SUPPORT The VFW was recently granted a $100,000 Google Global Impact Award for its work on behalf of student-veterans.The funds will be put to good use conducting the first nationwide analysis of U.S. veterans' higher education. Read More >> IRAQ WAR VETERAN FINDS PASSION IN HELPING VETERANS After serving four years in Iraq, Vera Moore became a VFW Service Officer. What she thought was just a job turned out to be her true calling. Now she's determined to break the stigma that prevents some veterans from asking for the help they deserve. Read More >> PUT THE LOVE BACK IN YOUR HOLIDAY GIVING This time of year, we all hope to surprise our loved ones with special gifts that would mean a lot to them, but it's not always easy. Check out this gift idea that is sure to please everyone. Read More >> Find a Post | Contribute | About Us | Contact Us Unsubscribe | Tell A Friend © 2001 - 2013. All rights reserved. Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111

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FW: Iraq War Veteran Works to Break Stigma

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

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Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2013 10:15:45 -0600
From: friendsoffreedom@vfw.org
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Iraq War Veteran Works to Break Stigma

DECEMBER 2013 The VFW Launches Year-End Campaign VFW and Partners Receive Google Global Impact Award to Expand Student Veteran Support Iraq War Veteran Finds Passion in Helping Veterans Put the Love Back in Your Holiday Giving Other ways to help THE VFW LAUNCHES YEAR-END CAMPAIGN You can show our veterans you care this holiday season by making a gift to the VFW. Your generosity will provide a lifeline for military families in crisis ... strengthen veterans' advocates on Capitol Hill ... and help veterans receive the VA benefits they're entitled to. Make a Year-End Donation >> VFW AND PARTNERS RECEIVE GOOGLE GLOBAL IMPACT AWARD TO EXPAND STUDENT VETERAN SUPPORT The VFW was recently granted a $100,000 Google Global Impact Award for its work on behalf of student-veterans.The funds will be put to good use conducting the first nationwide analysis of U.S. veterans' higher education. Read More >> IRAQ WAR VETERAN FINDS PASSION IN HELPING VETERANS After serving four years in Iraq, Vera Moore became a VFW Service Officer. What she thought was just a job turned out to be her true calling. Now she's determined to break the stigma that prevents some veterans from asking for the help they deserve. Read More >> PUT THE LOVE BACK IN YOUR HOLIDAY GIVING This time of year, we all hope to surprise our loved ones with special gifts that would mean a lot to them, but it's not always easy. Check out this gift idea that is sure to please everyone. Read More >> Find a Post | Contribute | About Us | Contact Us Unsubscribe | Tell A Friend © 2001 - 2013. All rights reserved. Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111

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FW: LAUNCHING TODAY: 2013 Year-End Campaign

Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 14:50:55 -0600

From: friendsoffreedom@vfw.org
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: LAUNCHING TODAY: 2013 Year-End Campaign

Dear Robert, It's been a tough year for America's heroes. A staggering VA claims workload ... the devastating impact of the government shutdown ... and the looming threat of budget cuts have all taken their toll. But the VFW will never let down a veteran in need! Thanks to caring patriots like you, we're always there with a hand up for the men and women who defend us. Today is the official start of the VFW 2013 Year-End Campaign. Can we count on you to join in? Your year-end support of the VFW and our nation's veterans works hard and works smart. Your generosity at this pivotal time will help veterans: Fight for their hard-earned VA benefits. Make it through tough times with emergency financial assistance. Get justice on Capitol Hill. Please help us keep our promise to protect and respect our nation's defenders with your gift today. Thank you. Find a Post | Contribute | About Us | Contact Us Unsubscribe | Tell A Friend © 2001 - 2013. All rights reserved. Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111 Having difficulty seeing the images in this message? View it online.