Memorial Day is Just Another Day for Vets and Military Families not Welcomed

P.O. Box 300549, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

www.mfso.org • [email protected] • 617-983-0710

When our local neo-con community holds its (not ours’ but its) Memorial Day observances the theme will be World War Two despite our city (well really a town) erecting one of the nation’s first War on Terror Memorials years before the Global War on Terror EVER ends if it ever does. This Memorial Day will be just as World War Two-ish as the old soldier (well old enought to be my great-grandfather, since they are living longer) who will just not fade away who’s running the show.

The main speaker is a Veteran of the Cold War and business manager for a charity that provides free flights to the WWII memorial for that quickly fading breed. We can only assume they could not find an Iraq or Afghanistan War Veteran willing to embarrass him or herself at a Memorial Day service that focuses on a war long over and yes they won.

Before I get my stuff jumped into for being a bit down on WWII Vets that is far from the case. They are the Greatest generation, but those who still look down upon my Vietnam Vet generation of warriors for not winning our big one, I have little room for.. Besides that…

Suffice it to say that one group of military families will not be invited or welcome if they came even if they have love one’s die or currently serving in Afghanistan or Iraq. Memorial Day is just another day when our military families are not invited or welcome to participate because we have been taught how to THINK not what to THINK.

The only question I’m left pondering is just how many WWII Vets are still running the Veterans Service Organizations since they are living longer. Just kidding.

Bobby Hanafin
The Mustang Major

PS: Since our community erected that political statement some want to call the War on Terror Memorial I’ve yet to see one, nope not one Iraq or Afghanistan Veteran sitting near it to ponder those the memorial is really suppose to represent. The Bush administration.
     

Military Families Speak Out began in 2002 to prevent a U.S. invasion of Iraq. When our loved ones were sent to fight in an illegal war in Iraq, we spoke out and helped build a movement to bring the war to an end. Our military family joined MFSO in 2005 nearly three years after its founding. Our organization is now going on seven years old and counting plus and expansion in membership from 2000 in 2005 to over 5000 today. Those are only military families who are willing and have the courage to go public. Our numbers underground go into the thousands. As each deployment increases the membership of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO), our Gold Star Families for Peace, and our Blue Star Families alternative to the ultra conservative Blue Star and Gold Star Mothers increases with each deployment.

In November 2008 our country elected a President who promised to end that war and bring our troops home. But President Obama is not only continuing the war in Iraq, he is sending even more of our troops to take part in a disastrous military occupation in Afghanistan. Ironically the vast majority of US or U.S. citizens if you prefer voted for Barrack Obama based on those promises. He needs to hear from Congress and the American people that continuing to budget, pay for, and wage war in Iraq and Afghanistan with plans in the wings for further expansion and escalation of American military might we no longer have that is not what he was elected to do!

We have been speaking out for over six years, and our message is still the same now under Commander-In-Chief Obama as is was under President Bush – that alone makes us among the most nonpartisan activists groups on Earth. We want our troops home now!

Why? Because our loved ones took an oath to defend our country and our Constitution, not to be deployed and re-deployed to wars of occupation WARS that most American youngsters of military service age refuse to endure or serve. Some kids have ethical and moral reasons for not being exploited in this way, but the vast majority regardless of political views or apathy have better things to do with their lives (ala Dick Cheney) than fight and die for someone else’s noble cause or profit. They dream of being the next corporate CEO or neo-con President or Vice-President of the United States something most of our troops cannot aspire to be regardless our ethnic backgrounds.

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are denying the Iraq and Afghan people the ability to determine their own future. The best way for Congress and the President to uphold our country’s values and honor our troops’ commitment and sacrifice is to bring the troops home now and let the Iraqi and the Afghan people decide their own course.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have wrought a tremendous economic and immoral toll on our troops, our military, our country, and the Iraqi and Afghan people. In order to begin healing the damage that has been done, and continues being done under the Obama Presidency for these wars are now his, we have to end the occupations by bringing our troops home now. There is no right way to fight a wrong war. The Obama administration’s lame excuse that they can do it better with Bush’s Pentagon is just that an excuse and cop for lying to those who voted for him. At this rate he is destined for a one term Presidency though no one we know would support a neo-conservative.

Our troops are fighting in wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan where the lines between combatants and civilians are often dangerously blurred and threats can come suddenly and from any direction. Our troops are witnessing and doing things no human being should ever have to experience.

We’ve been down this road before a little over 30 years ago and the closing scenes are an American experience and tragedy we failed to learn. The only difference today is NO DRAFT, an over dependence on our All Volunteer Force plus use and abuse of our state militias that would have never been possible during Vietnam AND of course the reality of apathy of the American people.

Some of our troops are on their third, fourth, fifth, and sixth deployments as America continues going shopping and Memorial Day is just another day off or sales day to most Americans, except of course those who most passionately love war or those of us not welcomed to observe Memorial Day unless we are willing to make political statements in favor of War.

It should come as no surprise that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is reaching epidemic proportions among Veterans and active duty troops. We need to bring all our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan before more damage is done, and provide them with the care they need and deserve!

As the war in Afghanistan intensifies, it has claimed the lives of many thousands of Afghans — many of them civilians killed in air strikes that now this President no different from his predecessor feels obligated to apologize for as he demands more from those governments he is trying to shape in our image. As the deployments continue, and President Obama apologizes for more of our government’s mistakes, the difference between him and George W. Bush is only one of political views not integrity or moral courage. The grief and rage caused by the rising civilian death toll is driving many to turn against foreign troops including U.S. service members. Our troops on the ground all too often become the targets of that anger and pain; some are paying with their lives.

There is no military solution to the social, political, and economic crises in Iraq and Afghanistan. At least the Obama administration has admitted this much over and over. Continuing the occupations is only creating more resentment, more suffering, and more death. Outside the lingering embarrassment for the Obama administration and whoever will inherit Bush’s mess from him. What has it contributed to our domestic economy?

Any domestic economic stimulus package is made worthless by the War Economy paid for on and in debt that will only compound and aggravate the economic decline of the American Empire. Don’t take my word for it just ask your friendly neighborhood auto workers.

It is long past time to bring our troops home!

Continuing to occupy Iraq and Afghanistan is stretching our military past the breaking point. In addition to the toll that this is taking on our troops and their families, stretching our military so thin diminishes the country’s ability to defend ourselves should we face any conventional threat that is unless there is Selective Service and massive conscription with no regards to socio-economic status or who your mommy and daddy is.

The Senate has the power and the responsibility to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by rejecting President Obama’s request for another $75.8 billion in “emergency” war funding. Funding the wars is killing our troops – and the people of Iraq and Afghanistan! Funding occupations of other nations is WRONG regardless if the barrower is red, blue, Democrat, Republican or dictator. The only money we should be spending in these wars is the money to bring our troops home quickly and safely!

Robert L. Hanafin

Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.

My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.

Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.

I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.

I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.