By Robert L. Rosebrock, Staff Writer
MIA, “Missing In Action,” is a status assigned to United States military personnel who are reported missing during active duty service. The U.S. Department of Defense also classifies military personnel who have been MIA for ten days or less as “DUSTWUN” (Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown)
While it’s a frightening thought that any of our men and women in the military would become POW’s (Prisoners of War) or remain missing while faithfully serving our country, there’s another classification of MIA’s that continues to be unacknowledged and unaccounted for by the Department of Veterans Affairs and “We the People.”
RIGHT: VICTOR IS ONE LETTER AWAY FROM VICTORY.
Victor, a homeless Marine Veteran sleeps outside the National Veterans Home. Victor is a bright, articulate and thoughtful American who knows he can succeed in life if he can only find a place to call home so that he can get organized and have an address for his resume. The Congressional Act of 1888 specifically provides Veterans like Victor with such a "Home" to rehabilitate until they can become self-sufficient. Victor belongs on the other side of this audacious, pretentious and padlocked gate. It’s his rightful "Home."
This unofficial MIA classification is for former military personnel and it’s respectfully called Veteran-MIA’s, i.e., “Veterans Missing In Action,” because there are nearly 200,000 whose whereabouts are unknown as they are tragically missing in the USA and have become inactive as productive citizens within our society.
Even though the respectful code at the bottom of the POW / MIA flag declares “You Are Not Forgotten,” Veteran-MIA’s have sadly become lost and forgotten.
The Battlefield’s “Code of Honor”
In Los Angeles alone, homeless Veterans represent more than 20,000 of America’s best and brightest that once pledged their lives to protect the safety of our own. For a multitude of reasons, they are now homeless and fending for their own safety on the streets of one of the most prosperous cities in the most prosperous nation in the world.
There’s an unwritten “code of honor” amongst America’s military and it is faithfully and reverently adhered to by all who bear the brunt of the battle: “No comrade left behind.” Accordingly, combat soldiers will never abandon their wounded or dead on the battlefield. In fact, all combat soldiers are willing to put their own life in harm’s way just to rescue one wounded comrade or recover the body of a fallen fellow warrior.
The above notwithstanding, homeless Veterans across America are engaged in a major war against the demons of war, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
But why are our fellow Americans shamelessly abandoning these fallen warriors and leaving them behind to fend for their own safety even though they once selflessly protected us from harm’s way?
The Lonely “Battlefield of Homelessness”
Think about it, why would any grateful American who truly loves and respects their individual freedom and independence abandon those who risked their lives for our unparalleled way of life?
Why is the military’s “code of honor” forgotten on American soil and why do Veterans leave fellow Veteran alone on the “battlefield of homelessness?”
More importantly, why has our own government that sent them to war in the first place, abandoning them after they return from active duty and leaving them “Missing In Action” from our society?
We Need a Fellow-Citizens’ “Code of Honor”
Unlike their active duty days when they had military “buddies” and camaraderie they could depend upon, homeless Veterans are left alone to fight a battle they never volunteered for and a domestic war they do not understand.
Unfortunately, their chances of survival and victory are slim to none, as too many surrender to the powerful enemy of drugs and alcohol and many will end this ravaging battle by taking their own lives out of frustration and desperation.
It is incomprehensible that in a country as great as America, there’s no fellow-citizen’s “code of honor” to protect these once proud and brave warriors who defended the safety of our lives and our liberty.
Instead, we’re selfishly leaving them behind while we move forward in the pursuit of our own happiness.
Shame on America!
Needed: An Act of Congress
In America where virtually anything is possible, why hasn’t our Congress collectively agreed to enact legislation that would immediately bring our Veterans who are Missing In Action … Home?
Well, there’s already a Congressional Act more than a century old that responsibly resolves this matter by requiring our nation to respectfully provide for homeless Veterans. Unfortunately, the Act has been seriously breached and violated by today’s VA bureaucrats, corrupt politicians and their self-serving constituents.
Thanks to Honest Abe
It’s important to remember that one of the last acts of legislation signed by President Abraham Lincoln before his assassination in 1865 was to incorporate the National Asylum for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and Sailors of the Civil War into branches of National Homes for America’s Veterans across America.
Subsequently, on March 2, 1887, an Act of Congress was passed to locate, establish, construct, and permanently maintain a branch of said National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers west of the Rocky Mountains.
“Shall Be Entitled to Be Admitted to Said Home … “
Sec. 2, of this 1887 Congressional Act specifically stipulates: “That all honorably discharged soldiers and sailors who served in the regular and volunteer forces of the United States, and who are disabled by disease, wounds, or otherwise, and who have no adequate means of support, and by reason of such disability are incapable of earning their living, shall be entitled to be admitted to said home for disabled volunteer soldiers, subject to like regulations as they are now admitted to existing branches of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.”
LEFT: THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY – NOW STAY OUT!
A homeless Veteran carries his personal belongings outside of the National Home and alongside the multi-million dollar community fence. Note the twisted American flags that he is walking beneath. The VA Greater West Los Angeles Healthcare System donated $1 million of Veterans seriously needed healthcare money to help Veterans Park Conservancy, not a Veterans organization but a wealthy neighboring homeowner group, to build this "majestic wrought iron fence" to beautify the entryway into their community of Brentwood.
“To Be Permanently Maintained as a National Home …
On March 3, 1888, in compliance with the Congressional Act of 1887, John P. Jones and Arcadia B. de Baker, deeded and entrusted 300 acres of some of the most desirable and advantageous land in Los Angeles to the United States government with the restated promise that the land was “to be permanently maintained as a National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers."
It’s Time For a Change!
For over a century, politicians and America’s citizenry honored both the Congressional Act of 1887 and the Deed of 1888 by providing a National Home of reverence and quietude for America’s Veterans to heal from war.
However, over the past two decades this sacred land and Veterans healthcare facilities have been shamelessly prostituted, raped, pillaged and plundered by greed and corruption with numerous “enhanced use and sharing agreements” brokered by the VA bureaucrats to benefit commercial entities and non-profit organizations, rather than serving the best interests of our Veterans.
It’s time for change! The VA needs to focus 100% on its sole responsibility of providing “enhanced healthcare services” for America’s Veterans instead of facilitating these so-called “enhanced use leases and sharing agreements” with businesses and special-interest community organizations that take away Veterans sacred land and healthcare facilities, which then hampers and impedes their convalescence, rehabilitation and healing.
Let Us Count the Ways …
Make no mistake; any second-grader would clearly understand the full meaning, intent and purpose of both the Act of 1887 and the Deed of 1888. So why is there even one homeless Veteran in Los Angeles today?
Quite simply, it’s because greed and corruption overrule integrity and responsibility. Consequently, there have been unprecedented compromises and egregious violations perpetrated against this sacred trust, all under the shameless guise of “honoring our veterans.“
Unfortunately, there are so many transgressions against both the Act and Deed that there are simply too many to name herein, but here are a few:
The VA leased 21 acres of Veterans land in a sweetheart deal with Brentwood School, one of the wealthiest private schools in the nation, for an athletic field that is off limits to Veterans.
The VA leased the Veterans only two theaters to Richmark Entertainment Group for a "community cultural center" with high-priced theater, opera, symphony and premier movie showings for the local high mucky-muck, while the everyday Veterans have no form of entertainment.
The VA leased approximately 10 acres of Veterans land for a vehicle storage lot to Enterprise Rent-A-Car, one of the largest car-rental agencies in the nation, even though parking facilities at the nearby Wadsworth Veterans hospital are shamefully scarce and inadequate.
The VA entered into a no-bid “enhanced sharing agreement” with Veterans Park Conservancy, which is not a Veterans organization but a non-profit community organization in one of the wealthiest Zip Codes in the nation, to build a public community park “rent-free” on 16 acres of Veterans land that is valued at more than one billion dollars, while Veterans healthcare services go under-funded.
Follow the Money …
While the VA bureaucrats continue to act as real estate brokers leasing out Veterans sacred land to either the highest bidder or giving it away rent free, there are 20,000 homeless Veterans in Los Angeles. Yet, this is their rightful "Home," so stipulated in the covenants and promises of the Congressional Act of 1887 and the Deed of 1888.
The bottom line is always about the bottom line … money. Follow it and you will see how corrupt and ungrateful America has become toward those who have protected our citizenry and ensured that this would become the most prosperous nation in the world. Quite simply, enough is never enough to the ungrateful, even if it means taking from America’s Veterans to satisfy their own greed.
Keeping a Presidential Pledge
At the recent 20th Anniversary of the Department of Veterans Affairs celebrating its elevation to a Cabinet-level agency, President Obama made a pledge to uphold America’s "sacred trust" with those who have served in harm’s way in our behalf. He proudly confirmed: "They are our best and brightest, and our bravest, enlisting in a time of war."
Mr. President, at your recent press conference, you further pledged: “The budget that we’ve put forward reflects the largest increase in veterans funding in 30 years. So there are a whole host of veterans issues that I think every American wants to see properly funded, and that’s what’s reflected in our budget.”
You then went on to say: “The rate of homelessness among veterans is much, much higher than for non-veteran populations. And so we’ve got a number of the increases that we’re looking for in our budget on veterans funding directly addresses the issue of homeless veterans. That, I think, can provide some real help.”
Thank you Mr. President for making those pledges to America’s Veterans, as we all are looking forward to these changes you have promised, including, “I intend to start work by making good on my pledge to transform the Department of Veterans Affairs for the 21st century.”
The Past Represents Our Future
Mr. President, sometimes you have to go backward before you can actually go forward. Unlike your predecessors, Veterans are seriously depending upon you to fully honor the Congressional Act of 1887 and the Deed of 1888 by rescinding all of the toxic “enhanced use and sharing agreements” that violate and denigrate the covenants, promises and integrity of this sacred national trust.
Get Rid of Toxic Asset Management
Mr. President, this National Home is on sacred land that was paid for by the blood of Veterans of all wars since the Civil War. Accordingly, this national treasure was exclusively deeded in 1888 for the sole purpose of Veterans to heal from war. It is backed by the Congressional Act of 1887, which is also backed by two of the “Ten Commandments” handed down three thousand years ago: “Thou shalt not steal,” and “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house.”
Nonetheless, the bureaucrats at the VA Greater West Los Angeles Healthcare System have a long history of crossing swords with Veterans. And it always ends up with Veterans getting stabbed in the back as their sacred land is pillaged and plundered by shysters and neighboring communities who covet what rightfully belongs to Veterans, which is approximately 388 acres of sacred land at their National Home.
Mr. President, as America’s entrusted “watch commander” for nearly 25 million Veterans, it’s time for new leadership. You campaigned on “change” and the time is long overdue for an American President to not only get rid of the toxic leases and agreements that have poisoned the integrity of this sacred land, but to simultaneously get rid of the toxic asset management bureaucrats who have initiated, facilitated, negotiated and signed off on a multitude of these privileged arrangements that are secretly and irreverently made behind closed doors.
Put Away the VA’s Swords
Mr. President, it’s imperative that the VA bureaucrats within the toxic asset management department be terminated posthaste, as they have persistently acted in defiance toward Veterans. It is absolutely shameless how they have kowtowed and facilitated the neighboring communities and commercial businesses with sweetheart deals at the painful expense of Veterans and their healthcare services.
It’s time for the Department of Veterans Affairs to stop fighting against Veterans and put their vengeful swords in their sheaves and do the job that they were hired to do, which is to serve all Veterans with equal respect and dignity, and not to antagonize, berate, belittle, begrudge and insult them while giving away their sacred land.
The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword
Mr. President, this sacred land and the buildings upon it must be returned in compliance with the Deeded covenants and the promise to be permanently maintained for Veterans use only. This can only happen with the extermination of the toxic leases and agreements that have defrauded Veterans and defamed their noble and revered Veterans Home.
RIGHT: Luxury multi-million dollar mansions and homeless Veterans are an embarrassing dichotomy of life taking place in West LA’s fashionable Brentwood, one of the wealthiest Zip Codes in the nation. As these two homeless Veterans sleep beneath twisted American flags and next to the multi-million dollar fence that separates Brentwood and the Veterans Home, it sends a twisted message that is anything but "beautiful." These Veterans, as well as 20,000 other homeless Veterans in Los Angeles belong on the other side of this fence, which is their rightful Home and is stipulated as such in the Congressional Act of 1887 and the Deed of 1888.
While the pen was used to sign off on all these toxic leases and agreements, it is also the pen that can rescind them and restore the historic legacy of this once proud National Home.
On behalf of our fellow Americans, please take immediate and unprecedented action by signing a Presidential Executive Order to uphold and honor President Lincoln’s revered legacy of caring for America’s Military Veterans by liberating their National Home from all breaches and violations against this sacred trust.
No Public Park!
On behalf of fellow Veterans, this is to respectfully request that you ask General Shinseki, your honorable Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to proceed with the immediate cancellation of the “enhanced sharing agreement” for a public community park on this hallowed and virgin land where Veterans from the Civil War once walked and to permanently maintain these historic grounds as a place of privacy and quietude for Veterans to heal from war.
Honoring Lincoln’s “Code of Honor”
Veterans respectfully request that General Shinseki travel across America and revitalize and permanently maintain all National Veterans Homes and to strictly adhere to President Lincoln’s own “code of honor” as promised in his second inaugural speech that our nation must “care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.”
Mr. President, come back to Los Angeles with General Shinseki and open the front gates to this beloved National Veterans Home and bring 20,000 of our fellow Veterans who are Missing In Action … “Home.” There’s a 122-year old Act of Congress that mandates it.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this most important priority of “Veterans Affairs.” Following is a Resolution that respectfully requests your Administration "To Honor the Congressional Act of 1887 and the Legal Deed of 1888."
Rosebrock is a U.S. Army Veteran, Vietnam War-era, HQ USARHAW, Schofield Barracks. He is Director of The Veterans Revolution and Co-Director of We the Veterans, and a Member of the American Legion Press Association
RESOLUTION
To Honor the Congressional Act of 1887 and the Legal Deed of 1888
Whereas, on March 2, 1887, the Forty-Ninth Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, assembled and approved an Act of Congress: ”That the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers are hereby authorized, empowered, and directed to locate, establish, construct, and permanently maintain a branch of said National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers to be by such Board located at such place in the States west of the Rocky Mountains as to said Board shall appear most desirable and advantageous”; and
Whereas, Sec. 2, of the Congressional Act of 1887 stipulates: “That all honorably discharged soldiers and sailors who served in the regular and volunteer forces of the United States, and who are disabled by disease, wounds, or otherwise, and who have no adequate means of support, and by reason of such disability are incapable of earning their living, shall be entitled to be admitted to said home for disabled volunteer soldiers, subject to like regulations as they are now admitted to existing branches of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers”; and
Whereas, Sec. 3, of the Congressional Act of 1887 stipulates: “That as soon thereafter as practicable from the approval of this act, the said Board of Managers shall secure the necessary lands and commence the erection of suitable buildings for the use of said branch”; and
Whereas on March 3, 1888, in compliance with the Congressional Act of 1887, John P. Jones and Arcadia B. de Baker, deeded and entrusted 300 acres of some of the most desirable and advantageous land in Los Angeles to the United States Government with the restated promise that the land was “to be permanently maintained as a National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers”;
Whereas, the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) is the U.S. Government’s entrusted steward and the fiduciary administrator for the Los Angeles National Veterans Home (Home), which currently operates as the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VA GLAHS); and
Whereas, Congressman Henry Waxman, the U.S. Representative of the 30th District and the elected steward of the Home, confirmed in a letter to the “Wall Street Journal” on September 11, 2007: “After the Civil War, the federal government began to construct national soldiers’ homes for disabled and homeless war veterans. Soon after Congress enacted legislation in 1887 to authorize construction of the first soldiers’ home in the west, a patriotic Californian family donated 388 acres in Los Angeles for this purpose. But there was a catch – the legal deed requires that the federal government maintain the property permanently for veterans. Today the 388-acre campus houses the largest VA health care center in the nation and serves more than 300,000 veterans.”
Whereas, on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama proclaimed “Let us rededicate ourselves to keep a sacred trust with all who have worn the uniform of the United States of America: that America will serve you as well as you have served your country.”
Whereas, in spite of the magnitude and responsibility of the Home for Veterans healthcare and welfare, the DVA and VA GLAHS have nonetheless entered into numerous “enhanced use leases” and “enhanced sharing agreements” with various commercial entities and non-profit organizations over recent years to use Veterans sacred land and facilities for purposes other than serving or benefiting Veterans; and
Whereas, these special leases and agreements breach and violate the covenants and promises of the Congressional Act of 1887 and the legal Deed 1888 that requires the federal government to maintain the property permanently for Veterans; and
Whereas, the DVA and VA GLAHS recently entered into a no-bid “enhanced sharing agreement” with Veterans Park Conservancy, which is not a Veterans organization but a non-profit community organization, to build a public park “rent-free” on 16 acres of Veterans land that is valued at more than one billion dollars; now
Therefore, Be It Resolved, that “The Veterans Revolution” is proudly unified with the California American Legion, the American GI Forum of California, the National Veterans Coalition, Veterans United For Truth, Inc., the Veterans Caucus of the California Democratic Party, We the Veterans, among others, who are opposed to a public park or any other use of Veterans land, and that is not in strict compliance with the Congressional Act of 1887 and the legal Deed of 1888.
Be it further resolved, that The Veterans Revolution convey this Resolution to President Barack Obama to take prompt and necessary action by issuing an Executive Order rescinding all leases and agreements that breach and violate the Congressional Act of 1887 and the legal Deed of 1888, including the same for all other National Veterans Homes across America.
Approved this Twenty-Third Day of March, 2009
Robert L Rosebrock
Director, The Veterans Revolution
U.S. Army, 1965-67, Schofield Barracks, Hqs., U.S Army, Hawaii. Director, The Veterans Revolution, Captain, the Old Veterans Guard, and Director, We the Veterans.
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