Carissa Picard's Blog
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The ruminations of an Army spouse.
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On the 60th Anniversary of Israel's independence, President Bush spoke before the Israeli Knesset about Iran:
"Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is--the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history." Read More »
"Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is--the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history." Read More »
On January 3, 2008, military blogger Major Andrew Olmsted was killed in Iraq. Andrew wrote a blog to be published in the event of his death. While Americans were losing interest in Iraq, Andrew was trying to find the right words to express the peace he had made with the possibility of his death there.
Like many who have written about Andrew Olmsted’s remarkable final words, I did not have the honor of knowing Andrew personally but wish now that I had. Andrew’s blog is replete with self-deprecating humor, which I immediately find endearing. Andrew is also very clear about his reason for being in Iraq--which transcends the politics of war:
Read More »
"Hope the members of Congress enjoy their holiday break. I intend to enjoy mine."
So said the President during his "year-end" press conference on the 20th of December (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/20/AR2007122001102.html).
Well, that is what I read he said. I was not able to actually watch the press conference, so I read the transcript.
And then I read it again.
President Bush spoke of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan briefly, saying that "[t]hese brave men and women are risking their lives to protect us and they deserve the full support of the U.S. government."
He followed that with two other statements expressing that he was grateful and/or "glad" that Congress funded OIF/OEF (without artificial timetables for withdrawals). Apparently, everything the President had to say about our troops at the end of 2007 could be said in 3 very short and--technically--redundant sentences.
Then the President proceeded to go into his priorities for 2008: "not raising taxes." In fact, he talked about not raising taxes nine times, using the word "tax" (or some variation thereof) 29 times. Read More »
So said the President during his "year-end" press conference on the 20th of December (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/20/AR2007122001102.html).
Well, that is what I read he said. I was not able to actually watch the press conference, so I read the transcript.
And then I read it again.
President Bush spoke of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan briefly, saying that "[t]hese brave men and women are risking their lives to protect us and they deserve the full support of the U.S. government."
He followed that with two other statements expressing that he was grateful and/or "glad" that Congress funded OIF/OEF (without artificial timetables for withdrawals). Apparently, everything the President had to say about our troops at the end of 2007 could be said in 3 very short and--technically--redundant sentences.
Then the President proceeded to go into his priorities for 2008: "not raising taxes." In fact, he talked about not raising taxes nine times, using the word "tax" (or some variation thereof) 29 times. Read More »
If you are a veteran, chances are good that you may already be registered to vote. Eighty percent of veterans eligible to vote in 2004 were registered and 74 percent of all eligible veterans exercised that right by actually voting (www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/p20-556.pdf).
Meanwhile, only 64 percent of the 197 million Americans eligible to vote in the 2004 Presidential election actually did (although 72 percent were registered to vote). That means our current Commander in Chief was elected by a majority of 126 million voters.
Now consider the following facts:
Thirteen percent of American adults (26.4 million) are veterans (www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-ff17.pdf). If we assume that at least half are married, then there are approximately 40 million voters intimately aware of the issues affecting veterans and their families. Read More »
Meanwhile, only 64 percent of the 197 million Americans eligible to vote in the 2004 Presidential election actually did (although 72 percent were registered to vote). That means our current Commander in Chief was elected by a majority of 126 million voters.
Now consider the following facts:
Thirteen percent of American adults (26.4 million) are veterans (www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-ff17.pdf). If we assume that at least half are married, then there are approximately 40 million voters intimately aware of the issues affecting veterans and their families. Read More »
Military Spouses for Change is talking to some networks about covering the Presidential Forum on Veterans, Wounded Warriors, and Military Families that it is trying to put together:
News Clip About The Forum
The point of this forum is to use this election as a platform to remind the American public that wars do not end when service members come home. (Were it only that simple.) We need people to contact the networks NOW urging them to sponsor and air the forum:
The networks say that the American public is not interested.
PLEASE HELP US BY:
1) Contacting NBC at NBC in NYC. (There is a pulldown menu above the CONTACT US form: chose "OTHER")
2) Emailing evenings@cbs.com with "story idea" in the subject line
3) Contacting CNN at Link
4) Reposting this on your other boards and blog.
5) Asking your friends to do the same.
We need your help. Read More »
News Clip About The Forum
The point of this forum is to use this election as a platform to remind the American public that wars do not end when service members come home. (Were it only that simple.) We need people to contact the networks NOW urging them to sponsor and air the forum:
The networks say that the American public is not interested.
PLEASE HELP US BY:
1) Contacting NBC at NBC in NYC. (There is a pulldown menu above the CONTACT US form: chose "OTHER")
2) Emailing evenings@cbs.com with "story idea" in the subject line
3) Contacting CNN at Link
4) Reposting this on your other boards and blog.
5) Asking your friends to do the same.
We need your help. Read More »
In 2006, Congress ordered the Secretary of Defense to assess the mental health needs of the Armed Forces and the ability of the DoD to meet those needs. As a result, the DoD created a Mental Health Task Force that found:
"The system of care for the psychological health that has evolved over recent decades is insufficient to meet the needs of today's armed forces and their beneficiaries, and will not be sufficient to meet their needs in the future." Link
The unmet mental healthcare needs of the men and women we send to wage war in other countries are causing them to wage their own wars, within themselves and with others, in this one.
1st Lt. Whiteside faces criminal prosecution for trying to kill herself while serving in Iraq. Granted, when she had her psychotic break, she waved a gun around at her fellow soldiers to keep them away so she could successfully shoot HERSELF (TWICE) in the stomach. She did not, however, actually harm anyone else. Link
Research by CBS News revealed at least 120 vets per week in 2005 committed suicide. SEVENTEEN VETERANS COMMITTED SUICIDE EVERY DAY THAT YEAR. Link I wonder how many service members and veterans attempted to kill themselves the day that Lt. Whiteside tried to kill herself? I wonder how many succeeded? Read More »
"The system of care for the psychological health that has evolved over recent decades is insufficient to meet the needs of today's armed forces and their beneficiaries, and will not be sufficient to meet their needs in the future." Link
The unmet mental healthcare needs of the men and women we send to wage war in other countries are causing them to wage their own wars, within themselves and with others, in this one.
1st Lt. Whiteside faces criminal prosecution for trying to kill herself while serving in Iraq. Granted, when she had her psychotic break, she waved a gun around at her fellow soldiers to keep them away so she could successfully shoot HERSELF (TWICE) in the stomach. She did not, however, actually harm anyone else. Link
Research by CBS News revealed at least 120 vets per week in 2005 committed suicide. SEVENTEEN VETERANS COMMITTED SUICIDE EVERY DAY THAT YEAR. Link I wonder how many service members and veterans attempted to kill themselves the day that Lt. Whiteside tried to kill herself? I wonder how many succeeded? Read More »
killing 5 people (including the pilots).
My husband, Caynan, is a Blackhawk pilot.
We are using some of his leave to visit his family and travel because he is deploying to Iraq in early 2008.
Anyway, on this particular morning, we were at Vandenberg Air Force Base near Santa Barbara, California, and I had to go to the main lodging lobby to use the internet.
As I was checking my email, I hear CNN report, "helicopter crash in Italy" and I look up instinctively.
When my eyes met that television screen and my brain registered the now familiar Blackhawk form with its missing tail rotor and crumpled nose, I was instantaneously transported to a place that I religiously avoid: a place where his call to tell me he landed safely never comes, where my worst fear for him and us and our children is confirmed by strangers at the door that our 4 year old will probably answer before I do... Read More »
My husband, Caynan, is a Blackhawk pilot.
We are using some of his leave to visit his family and travel because he is deploying to Iraq in early 2008.
Anyway, on this particular morning, we were at Vandenberg Air Force Base near Santa Barbara, California, and I had to go to the main lodging lobby to use the internet.
As I was checking my email, I hear CNN report, "helicopter crash in Italy" and I look up instinctively.
When my eyes met that television screen and my brain registered the now familiar Blackhawk form with its missing tail rotor and crumpled nose, I was instantaneously transported to a place that I religiously avoid: a place where his call to tell me he landed safely never comes, where my worst fear for him and us and our children is confirmed by strangers at the door that our 4 year old will probably answer before I do... Read More »
As much as individual presidential candidates want to talk about their health care plans or "outstanding" personal values, the fact remains that we are electing a WAR PRESIDENT. In 2008, we will be selecting a person who will probably spend the bulk of his or her first term managing military conflicts and performing extensive foreign policy damage control. In fact, the next President will inherit at least two wars and the costs of those wars, internally as well as internationally, will continue to grow long after the last service member comes home.
Consequently, Military Spouses for Change (www.militaryspousesforchange.com) is inviting ALL the candidates to Fort Hood, Texas (Killeen), on February 1st, to talk EXCLUSIVELY about the U.S. military, veterans affairs, foreign policy, and America's wounded warriors (from ALL conflicts, including Vietnam).
Fort Hood is the largest military installation in the United States. There are almost 46,000 soldiers assigned to Fort Hood and more than 24,000 spouses. On any given day, almost a third of these soldiers are deployed to Iraq and every week at least two soldiers from Fort Hood (on average) are killed in Iraq. (I am 34 and I know more widows than my mother.) Read More »
Consequently, Military Spouses for Change (www.militaryspousesforchange.com) is inviting ALL the candidates to Fort Hood, Texas (Killeen), on February 1st, to talk EXCLUSIVELY about the U.S. military, veterans affairs, foreign policy, and America's wounded warriors (from ALL conflicts, including Vietnam).
Fort Hood is the largest military installation in the United States. There are almost 46,000 soldiers assigned to Fort Hood and more than 24,000 spouses. On any given day, almost a third of these soldiers are deployed to Iraq and every week at least two soldiers from Fort Hood (on average) are killed in Iraq. (I am 34 and I know more widows than my mother.) Read More »
Spouse group: Action needed for wounded vets
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 16, 2007 13:49:39 EDT
On the eve of a major Senate hearing to review the recommendations of two commissions aimed at helping wounded combat veterans, a politically active Army wife is looking for less talk and more action.
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will hear Wednesday about proposals from the President Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, which completed its work in July, and the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission, which issued its final report Oct. 3.
There is some overlap between the two commissions; for example, both recommend that the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs use the same disability ratings system to eliminate confusing differences that often leave injured service members and their families feeling they have been treated unfairly.
It remains unclear when or if Congress will act on the recommendations, partly because some of the proposals could be costly.
Carissa Picard, whose husband is a Black Hawk pilot at Fort Hood, Texas, with orders to deploy to Iraq in the spring, is president of Military Spouses for Change. Picard said wounded combat veterans and their families are becoming weary of waiting. Read More »
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 16, 2007 13:49:39 EDT
On the eve of a major Senate hearing to review the recommendations of two commissions aimed at helping wounded combat veterans, a politically active Army wife is looking for less talk and more action.
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will hear Wednesday about proposals from the President Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, which completed its work in July, and the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission, which issued its final report Oct. 3.
There is some overlap between the two commissions; for example, both recommend that the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs use the same disability ratings system to eliminate confusing differences that often leave injured service members and their families feeling they have been treated unfairly.
It remains unclear when or if Congress will act on the recommendations, partly because some of the proposals could be costly.
Carissa Picard, whose husband is a Black Hawk pilot at Fort Hood, Texas, with orders to deploy to Iraq in the spring, is president of Military Spouses for Change. Picard said wounded combat veterans and their families are becoming weary of waiting. Read More »
As many of my friends on here know, I was in DC from Sept. 26th to Oct. 2 for the VMFP (Veterans and Military Families for Progress) (www.vmfp.org) biennial Conference.
The Conference was poignant, powerful, inspiring, sometimes traumatic and occassionally overwhelming. There is a price tag that comes with working with Wounded Warriors and veteran activists when you are currently a member of the military community and your husband is on
orders for Iraq.
There IS bliss in not knowing the reality of what our government does or doesn't do to take care of us as citizens, as service members, as veterans, as human beings... There IS bliss in ignorance. Life IS simpler when you don't know about, or you choose not to immerse yourself in, the complexities and ugliness of this reality.
At least until the complexities and ugliness of that reality comes crashing down around you with the ring of a phone or the shot of a gun. Read More »
The Conference was poignant, powerful, inspiring, sometimes traumatic and occassionally overwhelming. There is a price tag that comes with working with Wounded Warriors and veteran activists when you are currently a member of the military community and your husband is on
orders for Iraq.
There IS bliss in not knowing the reality of what our government does or doesn't do to take care of us as citizens, as service members, as veterans, as human beings... There IS bliss in ignorance. Life IS simpler when you don't know about, or you choose not to immerse yourself in, the complexities and ugliness of this reality.
At least until the complexities and ugliness of that reality comes crashing down around you with the ring of a phone or the shot of a gun. Read More »
come to DC!
Veterans and Military Families for Progress (www.vmfp.org) is a 501(c)(4) headquartered in Washington, DC. VMFP seeks to promote and protect the interests of veterans and military families through public awareness and political action. I am currently a member of their Government Affairs Committee and they are helping Military Spouses for Change (www.militaryspousesforchange.com) lobby for the improved dental and vision benefits for military families.
VMFP is having its biennial conference September 28th to September 30th at the Sheraton in Arlington (northern VA). The theme of the Conference is honoring our wounded warriors. There will be several panel discussions, one of which I will be participating in. REad on for more... Read More »
Veterans and Military Families for Progress (www.vmfp.org) is a 501(c)(4) headquartered in Washington, DC. VMFP seeks to promote and protect the interests of veterans and military families through public awareness and political action. I am currently a member of their Government Affairs Committee and they are helping Military Spouses for Change (www.militaryspousesforchange.com) lobby for the improved dental and vision benefits for military families.
VMFP is having its biennial conference September 28th to September 30th at the Sheraton in Arlington (northern VA). The theme of the Conference is honoring our wounded warriors. There will be several panel discussions, one of which I will be participating in. REad on for more... Read More »
You all may not have known this, but military families do not have free dental and vision care. We pay into a cost-share program with limited benefits and a $1,200 yearly cap. One of MSC's (Military Spouses for Change) goals is to get a bill introduced in Congress giving active duty families free non-cosmetic dental and vision care. Many military families end up taking out emergency loans to cover their dental expenses (NON-COSMETIC dental expenses).
And consider this personal experience: Read More »
And consider this personal experience: Read More »
Is a media star! (I don't know if he was arrested or not though...) Read on for more... Read More »
In the blog about Hillary, Ham, my fellow Biden supporter, asked what Hillary has accomplished. In a way, it is hard to compare the two b/c Hillary, compared to Biden, is a young Senator. But it got me thinking about what they have done lately as Senators... And this is NOT a blog stating one is better than the other. All it does is look at/present what they have introduced in the Senate so far this year. Read More »
If you can, there is going to be a new documentary on HBO about our wounded warriors. I would also like to share these facts from Veterans for Common Sense:
"As of September 1, 2007, DoD reports 68,000 total casualties: more than 4,000 killed, and nearly 64,000 surviving wounded, injured and ill. The press is wrong when they claim only 25,000 casualties. As of July 25, 2007, VA already treated 250,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran patients, including 95,000 veterans for mental health conditions. Finally, in January 2007, a Harvard University report estimated a total of 700,000 veteran patients and disability claims costing up to $700 billion over 40 years among the 1.5 million deployed to the wars so far."
www.VeteransForCommonSense.org Read More »
"As of September 1, 2007, DoD reports 68,000 total casualties: more than 4,000 killed, and nearly 64,000 surviving wounded, injured and ill. The press is wrong when they claim only 25,000 casualties. As of July 25, 2007, VA already treated 250,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran patients, including 95,000 veterans for mental health conditions. Finally, in January 2007, a Harvard University report estimated a total of 700,000 veteran patients and disability claims costing up to $700 billion over 40 years among the 1.5 million deployed to the wars so far."
www.VeteransForCommonSense.org Read More »
I don't think this is about censorship, I think it is more about exclusion. Censorship would be deleting objectionable CONTENT, not removing objectionable PEOPLE. IT IS THIS DIFFERENCE that some of our members (myself included) find troubling.
Ours is the party of inclusion and DIVERSITY--both of which require tolerance. I am not going to bash our party or our site, but I think it is reasonable to look at our actions and question whether they are promoting those values. Read More »
Ours is the party of inclusion and DIVERSITY--both of which require tolerance. I am not going to bash our party or our site, but I think it is reasonable to look at our actions and question whether they are promoting those values. Read More »
I originally wrote this because I want to remember, thank, and honor the wonderful people I met in Iowa but since Biden keeps getting written off as a viable NOMINEE (which I think is a mistake, of course, lol), I thought I would share my experience with his campaign on here.
Although I am an attorney, I have been at home with my two young sons for the past five years. My husband is an active duty service member in the United States Army. He just finished a year-long tour in Central America and is going to Iraq in early 2008. We have less than a year together before he has to redeploy.
Nonetheless, in June, I drove from Fort Hood, Texas, to Des Moines, Iowa, to help promote Senator Joe Biden's candidacy (at my own expense and with my husband's full support). This is my blog about my experience with the campaign and the people of Iowa. Read More »
Although I am an attorney, I have been at home with my two young sons for the past five years. My husband is an active duty service member in the United States Army. He just finished a year-long tour in Central America and is going to Iraq in early 2008. We have less than a year together before he has to redeploy.
Nonetheless, in June, I drove from Fort Hood, Texas, to Des Moines, Iowa, to help promote Senator Joe Biden's candidacy (at my own expense and with my husband's full support). This is my blog about my experience with the campaign and the people of Iowa. Read More »
Biden's statement on Gonzalez's resignation:
"When I voted against Attorney General Gonzales' confirmation, I voiced concern about his ability to go from being the President's lawyer to the people's lawyer. I expressed doubts then about his judgment in light of his track record, and role as an architect of policies attempting to place the President above the law.
"My skepticism was confirmed by his conduct, and his failure to put protecting the American people over protecting the President. The next Attorney General should not make the same mistake."
And you guys call him wordy! He is getting a lot better! LOL.
"When I voted against Attorney General Gonzales' confirmation, I voiced concern about his ability to go from being the President's lawyer to the people's lawyer. I expressed doubts then about his judgment in light of his track record, and role as an architect of policies attempting to place the President above the law.
"My skepticism was confirmed by his conduct, and his failure to put protecting the American people over protecting the President. The next Attorney General should not make the same mistake."
And you guys call him wordy! He is getting a lot better! LOL.
In June, the Congressional Budget Office issued a report, "Evaluating Military COmpensation." It concluded that if you calculated all of our "benefits", then the pay gap between the civilian and militaty job sector is smaller than previously expected. This was important b/c the WHite House is fighting the 3.5% raise in military pay. Read More »
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