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Photo by James V. Carroll |
Last summer, American Legion National Commander Paul A. Morin gave me an opportunity that will guide not only my own year as national commander but the rest of my life. He gave me the opportunity to visit our troops at war in Iraq. There, I gained invaluable firsthand insight into the biggest issue facing the world today, and I discovered firsthand how The American Legion is impacting it.
When I walked up to a group of soldiers, I simply introduced myself with a handshake. "I'm Marty Conatser," I said. "I'm with The American Legion."
Without exception, someone in the group would say, "Thanks for your Auxiliary, your Sons and Legionnaires staying in touch with word from back home, sending us care packages and taking care of us." They were fully aware and deeply appreciative of our support. Sometimes we might think what we're doing is not noticed. I'm here to tell you that the young soldiers in Iraq do notice, and our support matters deeply to them. That was heartening.
When I was there, Gen. David Petraeus gave me one of his challenge pins. I take it as a challenge for myself and every Legionnaire and Legion family member to continue to support our U.S. military mission in Iraq. These are simple, logical orders if you think about it. If we put soldiers in boots, and we put those boots in harm's way, it is our responsibility as a Legion family to support, in every way, the man or woman inside them.
That is how we demonstrate the value of membership in The American Legion. It's a value that needs to be understood by those card-carrying members who never set foot in our posts, our units or our squadrons. It's a value that we know reaches those who volunteer every day. It's the value of Boys State and Boys Nation. It's the value of high-school oratorical competition, American Legion Baseball, shooting sports and Boy Scouts. It's the value of hurricane recovery, hospital volunteerism, scholarship fund-raising and grassroots advocacy on behalf of our fellow veterans. It's a value we must continue to embody for all veterans who want to continue serving their communities and country.
The young soldiers I met in Iraq understand that The American Legion is an organization built on values they share. As young veterans, they see positive support activities by posts, units and squadrons and understandably want to join and become part of our success, our quality and our commitment. These values are time-honored, and our young soldiers and veterans understand that, too. The American Legion has stayed true to the four pillars of its founding - national security, care for veterans, patriotism and youth - since that first group of war-weary World War I troops gathered in Paris to start the organization in 1919.
It is a rare and wonderful phenomenon that today, 89 years later, the founding vision still connects deeply with young U.S. servicemembers risking their lives on foreign soil. We know we must never let them down. They are reflections of ourselves, our experiences and our values. They are our past, present and future. They are us.
Comments (5)
If Legion membership is so good and the Legion claims it will help all of us wounded, ill, injured combat veterans how come my own and others repeated requests for help in getting to our VA medical appointments and help in getting prompt and effective medical care, and help in getting compliance with U.S. Army Regulation 700-48, U.S. Army PAM 700-48, U.S. Army Technical Bulletin 9-130-278, DU CTT, and issued orders, and getting a return telephone call from Commander Conaster meet with complete failure. Then of course several weeks ago Legion Adjutant Robert Spanogle sent out a letter telling myself and thousands of others that are veterans benefits had lapsed. We forced an apology. I bet this commentary gets deleted from this web site real fast.
And what about the Legion posting and forcing DOD officials to tell the truth about actual casualties?
Posted by Major Doug Rokke | 10/24/07 4:29 PM |
Reality is:
Analysis of VA Health Care Utilization Among US Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Veterans Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom VHA Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards October 2007
Among all 751,273 separated OEF/OIF Veterans
35% (263,909) of total separated OEF/OIF veterans have obtained VA health care since
FY 2002 (cumulative total)
96% (253,730) of 263,909 evaluated OEF/OIF patients have been seen as outpatients only by VA and not hospitalized
4% (10,179) of 263,909 evaluated OEF/OIF patients have been hospitalized at least once in a VA health care facility
% OEF/OIF Veterans
(n = 263,909)
Sex
Male 88 %
Female 12
Age Group
<20 5
20-29 52
30-39 23
=40 20
Branch
Air Force 12
Army 65
Marine 12
Navy 11
Unit Type
Active 50
Reserve/Guard 50
Rank
Enlisted 92
Officer 8
Diagnosis (n = 263,909)
(Broad ICD-9 Categories) Frequency * %
Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (001-139) 28,665 10.9
Malignant Neoplasms (140-208) 2,193 0.8
Benign Neoplasms (210-239) 9,129 3.5
Diseases of Endocrine/Nutritional/ Metabolic Systems (240-279) 50,968 19.3
Diseases of Blood and Blood Forming Organs (280-289) 5,086 1.9
Mental Disorders (290-319) 100,580 38.1
Diseases of Nervous System/ Sense Organs (320-389) 83,273 31.6
Diseases of Circulatory System (390-459) 39,633 15.0
Disease of Respiratory System (460-519) 49,464 18.7
Disease of Digestive System (520-579) 81,427 30.9
Diseases of Genitourinary System (580-629) 25,561 9.7
Diseases of Skin (680-709) 38,791 14.7
Diseases of Musculoskeletal System/Connective System (710-739) 117,424 44.5
Symptoms, Signs and Ill Defined Conditions (780-799) 93,093 35.3
Injury/Poisonings (800-999) 48,736 18.5
*These are cumulative data since FY 2002, with data on hospitalizations and outpatient visits as of June 30, 2007; veterans can have multiple diagnoses with each healthcare encounter. A veteran is counted only once in any single diagnostic category but can be counted in multiple categories, so the above numbers add up to greater than 263,909.
Posted by Major Doug Rokke | 10/24/07 5:36 PM |
Maybe each and every Legion member can help me-us ensure these recomendations are fulfilled thus helping each us who have served our nation.
Depleted Uranium Situation Worsens Requiring Immediate Action
By President Bush, Prime Minister Blair, and Prime Minister Olmert
Dr. Doug Rokke, PhD.
Major, retired, U.S. Army
former Director, U.S. Army Depleted Uranium project
July 23, 2007
I have served our nation in the military since 1967 during Vietnam, during Desert Storm, during planning for OEF / OIF, and during many other operations. As an Army officer I was tasked by name by General Schwartzkopf to clean up the friendly fire mess caused by uranium munitions during Desert Storm. Consequently, based on my-our team reports I was recalled to active duty as the U.S. Army Depleted Uranium Project director to develop congressionally and Pentagon mandated but currently ignored Depleted uranium munitions operations training, currently ignored U.S. Army Regulation 700-48 specifying environmental remediation procedures, and currently ignored soldier common task training - Task number: 031-503-1017 “RESPOND TO DEPLETED URANIUM/LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS (DULLRAM) HAZARDS”, STP 21-1-SMCT: Soldiers Manual of Common Tasks, Headquarters Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.. Consequently I became exposed, ill, and now fight along with over 400,000 other ill, wounded, and injured veterans (http://www1.va.gov/rac-gwvi/docs/GWVIS_May2007.pdf) to obtain prompt and effective medical care from the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, and Department of Veterans Affairs. Therefore I must provide this call for action “my story” to ensure that all military personnel and their families know of the adverse health risks, environmental problems, and mandatory but ignored actions associated with the use of uranium weapons. What I have learned, observed, and recommend to be completed follows:
The delivery of at least 100 GBU 28 bunker busters bombs containing depleted uranium warheads by the United States t and their use by Israel against Lebanese targets has resulted in additional radioactive and chemical toxic contamination with consequent adverse health and environmental effects throughout the middle east. Israeli tank gunners are also using depleted uranium tank rounds as photographs verify.
Today, U.S., British, and now Israeli military personnel are using illegal uranium munitions- America's and England's own "dirty bombs" while U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, and British Ministry of Defence officials deny that there are any adverse health and environmental effects as a consequence of the manufacture, testing, and/or use of uranium munitions to avoid liability for the willful and illegal dispersal of a radioactive toxic material - depleted uranium.
The use of uranium weapons is absolutely unacceptable, and a crime against humanity. Consequently the citizens of the world and all governments must force cessation of uranium weapons use. I must demand that Israel now provide medical care to all DU casualties in Lebanon and clean up all DU contamination.
U.S. and British officials have arrogantly refused to comply with their own regulations, orders, and directives that require United States Department of Defense officials to provide prompt and effective medical care to "all" exposed individuals. Reference: Medical Management of Unusual Depleted Uranium Casualties, DOD, Pentagon, 10/14/93, Medical Management of Army personnel Exposed to Depleted Uranium (DU) Headquarters, U.S. Army Medical Command 29 April 2004, and section 2-5 of U.S. Army Regulation 700-48. Israeli officials must not do so now.
They also refuse to clean up dispersed radioactive Contamination as required by Army Regulation- AR 700-48: "Management of Equipment Contaminated With Depleted Uranium or Radioactive Commodities" (Headquarters, Department Of The Army, Washington, D.C., September 2002) and U.S. Army Technical Bulletin- TB 9-1300-278: "Guidelines For Safe Response To Handling, Storage, And Transportation Accidents Involving Army Tank Munitions Or Armor Which Contain Depleted Uranium" (Headquarters, Department Of The Army, Washington, D.C., JULY 1996). Specifically section 2-4 of United States Army Regulation-AR 700-48 dated September 16, 2002 requires that:
(1) "Military personnel "identify, segregate, isolate, secure, and label all RCE" (radiologically contaminated equipment).
(2) "Procedures to minimize the spread of radioactivity will be implemented as soon as possible."
(3) "Radioactive material and waste will not be locally disposed of through burial, submersion, incineration, destruction in place, or abandonment" and
(4) "All equipment, to include captured or combat RCE, will be surveyed, packaged, retrograded, decontaminated and released IAW Technical Bulletin 9-1300-278, DA PAM 700-48" (Note: Maximum exposure limits are specified in Appendix F).
DOD leaders are not showing the DU training tapes to military personnel. These three video tapes: (1) "Depleted Uranium Hazard Awareness", (2) "Contaminated and Damaged Equipment Management", and (3) "Operation of the AN/PDR 77 Radiac Set" are essential to understanding the hazards from the use of uranium weapons and management of uranium weapons contamination. DOD leaders must show these tapes to all military personnel involved in the use of uranium weapons and the consequent management of uranium contamination.
The previous and current use of uranium weapons, the release of radioactive components in destroyed U.S. and foreign military equipment, and releases of industrial, medical, research facility radioactive materials have resulted in unacceptable exposures. Therefore, decontamination must be completed as required by U.S. Army Regulation 700-48 and should include releases of all radioactive materials resulting from military operations.
The extent of adverse health and environmental effects of uranium weapons contamination is not limited to combat zones in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan but includes facilities and sites where uranium weapons were manufactured or tested including Vieques; Puerto Rico; Colonie, New York; Concord, MA; Jefferson Proving Grounds, Indiana; and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Therefore medical care must be provided by the United States Department of Defense officials to all individuals affected by the manufacturing, testing, and/or use of uranium munitions. Thorough environmental remediation also must be completed without further delay.
I am amazed that fifteen years after was I asked to clean up the initial DU mess from Gulf War 1 and over ten years since I finished the depleted uranium project that United States Department of Defense officials and others still attempt to justify uranium munitions use while ignoring mandatory requirements. I am dismayed that Department of Defense and Department of Energy officials and representatives continue personal attacks aimed to silence or discredit those of us who are demanding that medical care be provided to all DU casualties and that environmental remediation is completed in compliance with U.S. Army Regulation 700-48. But beyond the ignored mandatory actions the willful dispersal of tons of solid radioactive and chemically toxic waste in the form of uranium munitions is illegal (http://www.traprockpeace.org/karen_parker_du_illegality.pdf) and just does not even pass the common sense test and according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, DHS, is a dirty bomb. DHS issued "dirty bomb" response guidelines, http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html
, on January 3, 2006 for incidents within the United States but ignore DOD use of uranium weapons and existing DOD regulations. These guidelines specifically state that: "Characteristics of RDD and IND Incidents: A radiological incident is defined as an event or series of events, deliberate or accidental, leading to the release, or potential release, into the environment of radioactive material in sufficient quantity to warrant consideration of protective actions. Use of an RDD or IND is an act of terror that produces a radiological incident." Thus the use of uranium munitions is "an act or terror" as defined by DHS. Finally continued compliance with the infamous March 1991 Los Alamos Memorandum that was issued to ensure continued use of uranium munitions can not be justified.
In conclusion: the President of the United States- George W. Bush, the Prime Minister of Great Britain-Tony Blair, and the Prime Minister of Israel Olmert must acknowledge and accept responsibility for willful use of illegal uranium munitions- their own "dirty bombs"- resulting in adverse health and environmental effects.
President Bush, Prime Minister Blair, and Prime Minister Olmert should order:
1. medical care for all casualties,
2. thorough environmental remediation,
3. immediate cessation of retaliation against all of us who demand compliance with medical care and environmental remediation requirements,
4. and stop the already illegal the use (UN finding) of depleted uranium munitions.
References- these references are copies the actual regulations and orders and other pertinent official documents:
http://www.traprockpeace.org/twomemos.html
http://www.traprockpeace.org/rokke_du_3_ques.html
http://www.traprockpeace.org/du_dtic_wakayama_Aug2002.html
http://www.traprockpeace.org/karen_parker_du_illegality.pdf
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html
http://cryptome.org/dhs010306.txt
Photo by David Silverman (Getty Images ) Image 71440735 http://editorial.gettyimages.com
Posted by Major Doug Rokke | 10/24/07 5:44 PM |
Major, Don't you understand? The majority of LEGION members think that those born after 1945
aren't real SOLDIERS, VETERANS, AMERICANS, or HUMANS!
Posted by Spin Baldek | 11/09/07 3:03 PM |
Good point Spin. The Legion should be open for membership to all veterans from WWI to present with no gaps. This gap crap is confusing to recruitment of new members and disheartening to veterans who want to be part of the legion but served in the cold war or peace time years.
Posted by Doubting Thomas | 11/15/07 3:24 PM |