December 11, 2009
Contact: DHS Press Office, (202) 282-8010
WASHINGTON—Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced the launch of a virtual job fair at www.dhs.gov/cyberjobfair to recruit cybersecurity experts—capitalizing on DHS’ recently acquired authority to recruit and hire up to 1,000 cybersecurity professionals across the Department over the next three years.
“Effective cybersecurity is a shared responsibility between individuals, communities, government and the private sector to protect our cyber networks from terrorism and intrusion,” said Secretary Napolitano. “The virtual job fair will help us recruit top cyber analysts, developers and engineers to serve their country by leading the nation’s defenses against cyber threats.”
Through the virtual job fair, DHS is looking for applicants with experience in cyber risk and strategic analysis; malware/vulnerability analysis; incident response; exercise facilitation and management; vulnerability detection and assessment; intelligence analysis; and cyber-related infrastructure interdependency analysis.
The new hiring authority, which results from a collaborative effort between DHS, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget, streamlines the hiring process to allow the Department to hire up to 1,000 positions over three years across DHS to fulfill critical cybersecurity roles. Although DHS does not anticipate the need to fill all 1,000 positions, this cap reflects the Obama administration’s commitment to building a world-class cyber organization and competing for the nation’s top cybersecurity talent.
Secretary Napolitano announced the new hiring authority in October as part of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month—a campaign to highlight the steps being taken by the federal government to secure the nation’s cyber infrastructure, systems and networks and educate citizens about guarding against cyber threats at home, work and school.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/cyberjobfair.
WHO WE ARE:
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
65th Anniversary of The Battle of The Bulge: A Proclamation by the President
In December 1944, in a dense forest in Belgium, a brave
band of American soldiers, who were surrounded, poorly supplied
and surviving in brutally cold conditions, took the brunt of
a furious German assault. Their valor defined not just the
beginning of the end of a World War, but also one of the
greatest generations of Americans. Like patriots before them,
they stood resolute, confident in their training, and determined
to preserve those enduring American ideals of freedom and
justice. On the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, a
grateful Nation remembers the fallen who gave their lives in
that critical battle, and we pay tribute to the heroes whose
indomitable strength led to victory in World War II.
When asked about the Battle of the Bulge, British Prime
Minister Sir Winston Churchill remarked, "This is undoubtedly
the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be
regarded as an ever-famous American victory." Confronting not
just the advancing German Army, but the elements, American
service members withstood the assault and eventually repelled
the Nazi forces, but at tremendous cost in lives and wounded
soldiers.
On this anniversary, we reflect on the enduring commitment
of our Armed Forces in defending our liberty, as inspiring today
as it was in 1944. The discipline and courage displayed in the
Battle of the Bulge continues in Iraq, Afghanistan, and wherever
our men and women in uniform are serving. They represent the
best of our Nation and we are eternally grateful for their
service and sacrifice.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested
in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States,
do hereby proclaim Wednesday, December 16, 2009, as the
65th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. I encourage
all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States
of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
band of American soldiers, who were surrounded, poorly supplied
and surviving in brutally cold conditions, took the brunt of
a furious German assault. Their valor defined not just the
beginning of the end of a World War, but also one of the
greatest generations of Americans. Like patriots before them,
they stood resolute, confident in their training, and determined
to preserve those enduring American ideals of freedom and
justice. On the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, a
grateful Nation remembers the fallen who gave their lives in
that critical battle, and we pay tribute to the heroes whose
indomitable strength led to victory in World War II.
When asked about the Battle of the Bulge, British Prime
Minister Sir Winston Churchill remarked, "This is undoubtedly
the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be
regarded as an ever-famous American victory." Confronting not
just the advancing German Army, but the elements, American
service members withstood the assault and eventually repelled
the Nazi forces, but at tremendous cost in lives and wounded
soldiers.
On this anniversary, we reflect on the enduring commitment
of our Armed Forces in defending our liberty, as inspiring today
as it was in 1944. The discipline and courage displayed in the
Battle of the Bulge continues in Iraq, Afghanistan, and wherever
our men and women in uniform are serving. They represent the
best of our Nation and we are eternally grateful for their
service and sacrifice.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested
in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States,
do hereby proclaim Wednesday, December 16, 2009, as the
65th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. I encourage
all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States
of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Young Iraq, Afghanistan veterans become face of VFW
By Tomas Dinges/The Star-Ledger
December 15, 2009, 8:00AM
NUTLEY -- Nearing 9 o’clock on a recent Thursday night, three veterans drank $1.50 draft beers at a neighborhood bar in Nutley.
Amid real war stories, Kenny Hall called to the bartender.
Jennifer Brown/The Star-LedgerAt the Randolph VFW post 7333, the veterans have a welcome home ceremony for an Army soldier, Brian Reynolds, who is on leave from a tour in Afghanistan. "Hey Jack," he asked, "do you have my VFW card yet?"
Hall — who served nine months in southern Iraq with the New Jersey National Guard — may represent the future of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the 110-year-old advocacy organization whose membership has been dwindling steadily as World War II veterans die off.
Veterans of the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan like Hall, 21, slowly are beginning to fill the ranks of many VFW posts throughout the state.
"It’s not like you are going to run into another veteran at another bar," explained David Gisonno, 28, president of the Montclair State University student veterans organization and an Iraq veteran.
Scott Montanio, 28, who served with the Marines, joined Post 7333 in Randolph four months after returning home in 2004 — the first veteran of the Afghanistan war to join the post. Welcomed by Vietnam veterans old enough to be his father, Montanio is now two years away from leading the organization and has been joined by at least three or four other recent veterans.
He said he is there because it is an incredible networking opportunity. It is also a way to talk with former soldiers who, despite their age, know exactly what he went through and how he feels now.
"Though there is a very large age difference, time seems to stand still when it comes to going off to war," he said.
The generational difference didn’t matter one recent Thursday night when Brian Reynolds, 25, who was on a two-week leave from Afghanistan, was welcomed home at a party at the Randolph VFW.
The party, held in the wood-paneled and slightly musty basement, was attended by Montanio and a dozen other veterans.
Reynolds said he was happy to come home to a place where he could share his battlefield experiences openly. Post members gave him a dark blue VFW hat, which Reynolds said he planned to take back to Afghanistan to persuade other soldiers to join their local chapters.
Veterans of all ages share a common bond: "The military is the military," he said.
The VFW has its roots in a group of soldiers who advocated for medical care and pensions upon their return from fighting in the Spanish-American War of 1899. Now, the organization has officers who help veterans access government entitlements and guide them to medical treatment with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Memorial Day celebrations and ceremonies remain core activities. But the VFW, which at its peak in 1993 had more than 2 million members, also played an active role in the passage of an improved education bill for veterans and lobbied heavily for a recently passed bill to provide rights and government support to the family members and caregivers of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
Nationally, the VFW says it is trying to recruit new members. It has brought into its ranks nearly 15 percent of the 1.8 million soldiers who served in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001, said Jerry Newberry, the group’s communications director. He said the VFW signed up 11.4 percent of the 11 million soldiers who served in World War II.
Despite the optimism, there is concern as membership continues to drop, not only because World War II veterans are dying, but also because Iraq and Afghanistan veterans enroll and then don’t always become active.
"We are looking to the Iraq and Afghanistan vets and they’re coming aboard for a short while and then they drop out," said Robert Pinto, the adjutant for the New Jersey VFW.
He said some posts are resistant to change.
"With the World War II veterans, they are set in their ways and they don’t want to give up what they have," Pinto said. "The younger guys say, ‘You don’t want to change? I’ll just go somewhere else.’ "
The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, founded in 2004, offers virtual connections, with a social-networking site accessible to veterans only and a dynamic website encouraging veteran political activism.
Officials say the VFW posts that have seen increases in enrollment are generally led by Vietnam War veterans.
Still, Gisonno, who recently purchased a home in Hoboken with his wife, is confident the VFW will thrive once veterans settle back into their lives at home, get some mental distance from the intensity of their war experiences and decide to seek out others who understand.
He reflected as Jack Kane, 61, who served in Korea from 1968 to 1969 and serves as a VFW recruiter, tended a bar where an Iraqi flag taken as a souvenir hung on a wall.
"Give the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans another 10 years," Gisonno said, "and this place will be packed."
Monday, December 14, 2009
Back from combat, women struggle for acceptance
By KIMBERLY HEFLING
The Associated Press
December 14, 2009
WASHINGTON -- Nobody wants to buy them a beer.
Even near military bases, female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan aren't often offered a drink on the house as a welcome home.
More than 230,000 American women have fought in those recent wars and at least 120 have died doing so, yet the public still doesn't completely understand their contributions on the modern battlefield.
For some, it's a lonely transition as they struggle to find their place.
Aimee Sherrod, an Air Force veteran who did three war tours, said years went by when she didn't tell people she was a veteran. After facing sexual harassment during two tours and mortar attacks in Iraq, the 29-year-old mother of two from Bells, Tenn., was medically discharged in 2005 with post-traumatic stress disorder.
She's haunted by nightmares and wakes up some nights thinking she's under attack. She's moody as a result of PTSD and can't function enough to work or attend college. Like some other veterans, she felt she improperly received a low disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs that left her with a token monthly payment. She was frustrated that her paperwork mentioned she was pregnant, a factor she thought was irrelevant.
"I just gave up on it and I didn't tell anyone about ever being in the military because I was so ashamed over everything," Sherrod said.
Then Jo Eason, a Nashville, Tenn., lawyer working pro bono through the Lawyers Serving Warriors program, stepped in a few years later and Sherrod began taking home a heftier monthly disability payment.
"I've never regretted my military service, I'm glad I did it," Sherrod said. "I'm not ashamed of my service. I'm ashamed to try and tell people about it because it's like, well, why'd you get out? All the questions that come with it."
The Defense Department bars women from serving in assignments where the primary mission is to engage in direct ground combat. But the nature of the recent conflicts, with no clear front lines, puts women in the middle of the action, in roles such as military police officers, pilots, drivers and gunners on convoys. In addition to the 120-plus deaths, more than 650 women have been wounded.
Back home, women face many of the same issues as the men, but the personal stakes may be greater.
Female service members have much higher rates of divorce and are more likely to be a single parent. When they do seek help at VA medical centers, they are screening positive at a higher rate for military sexual trauma, meaning they indicated experiencing sexual harassment, assault or rape. Some studies have shown that female veterans are at greater risk for homelessness.
Former Army Sgt. Kayla Williams, an Iraq veteran who has written about her experience, said she was surprised by the response she and other women from the 101st Airborne Division received from people in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, Ky.
She said residents just assumed they were girlfriends or wives of military men.
"People didn't come up to us and thank us for our service in the same way. They didn't give us free beers in bars in the same way when we first got back," said Williams, 34, of Ashburn, Va. "Even if you're vaguely aware of it, it still colors how you see yourself in some ways."
Genevieve Chase, 32, of Alexandria, Va., a staff sergeant in the Army Reserves, said the same guys who were her buddies in Afghanistan didn't invite her for drinks later on because their wives or girlfriends wouldn't approve.
"One of the hardest things that I had to deal with was, being a woman, was losing my best friends or my comrades to their families," Chase said.
It was that sense of loss, she said, that led her to get together with some other female veterans for brunch in New York last year. The group has evolved into the American Women Veterans, which now has about 2,000 online supporters, some of whom go on camping trips and advocate for veterans' issues. About a dozen marched in this year's Veteran's Day parade in New York.
"We just want to know that when we come home, America has our back," Chase said. "That's the biggest thing. Women are over there. You want to feel like you're coming home to open arms, rather than to a public that doesn't acknowledge you for what you've just done and what you just sacrificed."
Rachel McNeill, a gunner during hostile convoys in Iraq, said she was so affected by the way people treated her when they learned she fought overseas that she even started to question whether she was a veteran.
She described the attitudes as "Oh, you didn't do anything or you were just on base," said McNeill, who suffers from postconcussive headaches, ringing in her ears, and other health problems related to roadside bomb blasts. The 25-year-old from Hollandale, Wis., was a sergeant in the Army Reserves.
She said she seemingly even got that response when she told the VA staff in Madison, Wis., of her work. She said she was frustrated to see in her VA paperwork how what she told them had been interpreted.
"It would say like, 'the patient rode along on convoys,' like I was just a passenger in the back seat," McNeill said.
Other women have had similar complaints. The VA leadership has said it recognizes it needs to do more to improve care for these veterans, and as part of changes in the works, female coordinators are in place at each medical center to give women an advocate. The agency is also reviewing comments on a proposal to make it easier for those who served in noninfantry roles -- including women -- to qualify for disability benefits for PTSD.
Sen. Patty Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs committee, recently asked VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ensure that service members' combat experience is included on their military discharge papers, so later they can get benefits they are entitled to.
Research has shown that a lack of validation of a soldier's service can make their homecoming more difficult.
"What worries me is that women themselves still don't see themselves as veterans, so they don't get the care they need for post-traumatic stress syndrome or traumatic brain injury or even sexual assault, which obviously is more unique to women, so we still have a long ways to go," said Murray, D-Wash.
Chase said one challenge is getting female veterans to ask for changes.
"Most of us, because we were women service members, are so used to not complaining and not voicing our issues, because in the military that's considered weak. Nobody wants to hear the girl whine," Chase said.
McNeill said that when she's been out at restaurants and bars with the guys in her unit, they make sure she gets some recognition when the free beers go around.
"They'll make a point ... usually to say, 'She was over there with us, she was right next to us,'" McNeill said.
The Associated Press
December 14, 2009
WASHINGTON -- Nobody wants to buy them a beer.
Even near military bases, female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan aren't often offered a drink on the house as a welcome home.
More than 230,000 American women have fought in those recent wars and at least 120 have died doing so, yet the public still doesn't completely understand their contributions on the modern battlefield.
For some, it's a lonely transition as they struggle to find their place.
Aimee Sherrod, an Air Force veteran who did three war tours, said years went by when she didn't tell people she was a veteran. After facing sexual harassment during two tours and mortar attacks in Iraq, the 29-year-old mother of two from Bells, Tenn., was medically discharged in 2005 with post-traumatic stress disorder.
She's haunted by nightmares and wakes up some nights thinking she's under attack. She's moody as a result of PTSD and can't function enough to work or attend college. Like some other veterans, she felt she improperly received a low disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs that left her with a token monthly payment. She was frustrated that her paperwork mentioned she was pregnant, a factor she thought was irrelevant.
"I just gave up on it and I didn't tell anyone about ever being in the military because I was so ashamed over everything," Sherrod said.
Then Jo Eason, a Nashville, Tenn., lawyer working pro bono through the Lawyers Serving Warriors program, stepped in a few years later and Sherrod began taking home a heftier monthly disability payment.
"I've never regretted my military service, I'm glad I did it," Sherrod said. "I'm not ashamed of my service. I'm ashamed to try and tell people about it because it's like, well, why'd you get out? All the questions that come with it."
The Defense Department bars women from serving in assignments where the primary mission is to engage in direct ground combat. But the nature of the recent conflicts, with no clear front lines, puts women in the middle of the action, in roles such as military police officers, pilots, drivers and gunners on convoys. In addition to the 120-plus deaths, more than 650 women have been wounded.
Back home, women face many of the same issues as the men, but the personal stakes may be greater.
Female service members have much higher rates of divorce and are more likely to be a single parent. When they do seek help at VA medical centers, they are screening positive at a higher rate for military sexual trauma, meaning they indicated experiencing sexual harassment, assault or rape. Some studies have shown that female veterans are at greater risk for homelessness.
Former Army Sgt. Kayla Williams, an Iraq veteran who has written about her experience, said she was surprised by the response she and other women from the 101st Airborne Division received from people in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, Ky.
She said residents just assumed they were girlfriends or wives of military men.
"People didn't come up to us and thank us for our service in the same way. They didn't give us free beers in bars in the same way when we first got back," said Williams, 34, of Ashburn, Va. "Even if you're vaguely aware of it, it still colors how you see yourself in some ways."
Genevieve Chase, 32, of Alexandria, Va., a staff sergeant in the Army Reserves, said the same guys who were her buddies in Afghanistan didn't invite her for drinks later on because their wives or girlfriends wouldn't approve.
"One of the hardest things that I had to deal with was, being a woman, was losing my best friends or my comrades to their families," Chase said.
It was that sense of loss, she said, that led her to get together with some other female veterans for brunch in New York last year. The group has evolved into the American Women Veterans, which now has about 2,000 online supporters, some of whom go on camping trips and advocate for veterans' issues. About a dozen marched in this year's Veteran's Day parade in New York.
"We just want to know that when we come home, America has our back," Chase said. "That's the biggest thing. Women are over there. You want to feel like you're coming home to open arms, rather than to a public that doesn't acknowledge you for what you've just done and what you just sacrificed."
Rachel McNeill, a gunner during hostile convoys in Iraq, said she was so affected by the way people treated her when they learned she fought overseas that she even started to question whether she was a veteran.
She described the attitudes as "Oh, you didn't do anything or you were just on base," said McNeill, who suffers from postconcussive headaches, ringing in her ears, and other health problems related to roadside bomb blasts. The 25-year-old from Hollandale, Wis., was a sergeant in the Army Reserves.
She said she seemingly even got that response when she told the VA staff in Madison, Wis., of her work. She said she was frustrated to see in her VA paperwork how what she told them had been interpreted.
"It would say like, 'the patient rode along on convoys,' like I was just a passenger in the back seat," McNeill said.
Other women have had similar complaints. The VA leadership has said it recognizes it needs to do more to improve care for these veterans, and as part of changes in the works, female coordinators are in place at each medical center to give women an advocate. The agency is also reviewing comments on a proposal to make it easier for those who served in noninfantry roles -- including women -- to qualify for disability benefits for PTSD.
Sen. Patty Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs committee, recently asked VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ensure that service members' combat experience is included on their military discharge papers, so later they can get benefits they are entitled to.
Research has shown that a lack of validation of a soldier's service can make their homecoming more difficult.
"What worries me is that women themselves still don't see themselves as veterans, so they don't get the care they need for post-traumatic stress syndrome or traumatic brain injury or even sexual assault, which obviously is more unique to women, so we still have a long ways to go," said Murray, D-Wash.
Chase said one challenge is getting female veterans to ask for changes.
"Most of us, because we were women service members, are so used to not complaining and not voicing our issues, because in the military that's considered weak. Nobody wants to hear the girl whine," Chase said.
McNeill said that when she's been out at restaurants and bars with the guys in her unit, they make sure she gets some recognition when the free beers go around.
"They'll make a point ... usually to say, 'She was over there with us, she was right next to us,'" McNeill said.
National Guard Birthday Message 2009
On the Thirteenth of December each year, we celebrate the creation of one of America’s most enduring institutions – our National Guard. The Guard has a proud history of serving and protecting the American people at home and defending our allies abroad. Now, more than any time in our history, our National Guard keeps our military, our Nation strong. We would not have been able to maintain over eight years of sustained combat operations without this incredible service and the sacrifices of Guard families and employers who also contribute.
During World War II, National Guard units were among the first in the fight. America’s Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen performed valiantly during the Cold War in far away places from Korea to Europe. Over 20,000 Guardsmen served on active duty in the Vietnam War, and over 75,000 answered the Nation’s call in support of Operation Desert Storm.
Today over 70,000 of you are currently supporting expeditionary operations in locations around the world while still maintaining vigilance and crisis response stateside. Your efforts are making a remarkable difference at a critical time in our country’s history. We could not do it without you.
On behalf of your fellow service members of the Armed Forces, the Joint Chiefs and I thank you and your families and employers for 373 years of courageous sacrifice and service to our Nation. Because of you, the National Guard is Always Ready, and Always There.
Sincerely,
M.G. MULLEN
Admiral, U.S. Navy
www.jcs.mil
During World War II, National Guard units were among the first in the fight. America’s Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen performed valiantly during the Cold War in far away places from Korea to Europe. Over 20,000 Guardsmen served on active duty in the Vietnam War, and over 75,000 answered the Nation’s call in support of Operation Desert Storm.
Today over 70,000 of you are currently supporting expeditionary operations in locations around the world while still maintaining vigilance and crisis response stateside. Your efforts are making a remarkable difference at a critical time in our country’s history. We could not do it without you.
On behalf of your fellow service members of the Armed Forces, the Joint Chiefs and I thank you and your families and employers for 373 years of courageous sacrifice and service to our Nation. Because of you, the National Guard is Always Ready, and Always There.
Sincerely,
M.G. MULLEN
Admiral, U.S. Navy
www.jcs.mil
Monday, December 7, 2009
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Presidential Proclamation
December 7, 2009- President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared December 7, 1941, a "date which will live in infamy." With over 3,500 Americans killed or wounded, the surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese on Pearl Harbor was an attempt to break the American will and destroy our Pacific Fleet. They succeeded in doing neither. On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we pay tribute to the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and we honor all those who selflessly served our Nation at home and abroad during World War II.
On a tranquil Sunday morning, as war raged around the globe, the attack on Pearl Harbor effectively ended American isolation -- thrusting our Nation into action. Japanese airplanes had launched an unprovoked assault on our military with immense firepower, and our service members valiantly answered the call. They defended their positions, fought back against the attackers, and cared for the wounded. In that darkest hour, men and women who had considered themselves ordinary found within themselves the ability to do something extraordinary. And in the months and years that followed, Americans all across the country would respond to Pearl Harbor with firm resolve, many joining our Armed Forces to defend our shores and our freedom.
This courage is not uncommon in the story of America -- a story of heroes whose sacrifice and valor speak to their love of comrades and country; and whose goodness guides our quest for lasting peace. Today, and every day, we draw strength from the moment when the best among us defended an island and a Nation from the onslaught of tyranny, and forever altered the course of our history.
The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has designated December 7 of each year as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, December 7, 2009, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
December 7, 2009- President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared December 7, 1941, a "date which will live in infamy." With over 3,500 Americans killed or wounded, the surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese on Pearl Harbor was an attempt to break the American will and destroy our Pacific Fleet. They succeeded in doing neither. On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we pay tribute to the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and we honor all those who selflessly served our Nation at home and abroad during World War II.
On a tranquil Sunday morning, as war raged around the globe, the attack on Pearl Harbor effectively ended American isolation -- thrusting our Nation into action. Japanese airplanes had launched an unprovoked assault on our military with immense firepower, and our service members valiantly answered the call. They defended their positions, fought back against the attackers, and cared for the wounded. In that darkest hour, men and women who had considered themselves ordinary found within themselves the ability to do something extraordinary. And in the months and years that followed, Americans all across the country would respond to Pearl Harbor with firm resolve, many joining our Armed Forces to defend our shores and our freedom.
This courage is not uncommon in the story of America -- a story of heroes whose sacrifice and valor speak to their love of comrades and country; and whose goodness guides our quest for lasting peace. Today, and every day, we draw strength from the moment when the best among us defended an island and a Nation from the onslaught of tyranny, and forever altered the course of our history.
The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has designated December 7 of each year as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, December 7, 2009, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
VFW Washington Weekly
In This Issue:
1. VFW Strongly Supports New Afghan Strategy
2. VA Medical Care Funding Hearing
3. GI Bill Education Roundtable
1. VFW Strongly Supports New Afghan Strategy: President Obama announced Tuesday evening that he will send 30,000 additional troops into Afghanistan as part of a new strategy that includes a civilian surge and a partnership with neighboring Pakistan, where bolder and more frequent attacks are occurring. The president is giving U.S. forces "what they need to succeed in Afghanistan — more boots on the ground and a clearer mission focus," said VFW national commander Thomas J. Tradewell Sr. "What we now need is for Congress and the American people to get behind him and destroy this global threat to world peace once and for all." To read the VFW press release, go to http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.newsDtl&did=5314.
2. VA Medical Care Funding Hearing: The House VA Committee held a hearing this week to discuss how resources are allocated throughout VA's 21 VISNs. VA’s current model for medical care, the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (or VERA), allocates funding based on patient workload, costs and severity of illness/injury. It also accounts for historical workload as well as future projections of workload. The committee members asked hard questions about how money is spent throughout the medical centers, and how veterans are receiving care. According to Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA), the appropriations for VA medical care have increased some 40% in the last few years, but access and quality of care remain a problem throughout the system. For complete hearing coverage, visit the House VA website at http://veterans.house.gov/.
3. GI Bill Education Roundtable: VFW participated in an education roundtable held by the House VA Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. Representatives from several VSOs, MSOs and universities and colleges were on hand to discuss GI Bill implementation issues. Keith Wilson, the VA director of education service, was on hand to answer questions about progress on the benefit. With the end of the fall semester nearing, there are still some 23,000 veterans who have not yet received GI Bill housing allowances. The discussion concentrated mostly on prospective changes to more quickly and efficiently provide GI Bill benefits to students. The VA is slated to launch a new IT solution in May 2010.
1. VFW Strongly Supports New Afghan Strategy
2. VA Medical Care Funding Hearing
3. GI Bill Education Roundtable
1. VFW Strongly Supports New Afghan Strategy: President Obama announced Tuesday evening that he will send 30,000 additional troops into Afghanistan as part of a new strategy that includes a civilian surge and a partnership with neighboring Pakistan, where bolder and more frequent attacks are occurring. The president is giving U.S. forces "what they need to succeed in Afghanistan — more boots on the ground and a clearer mission focus," said VFW national commander Thomas J. Tradewell Sr. "What we now need is for Congress and the American people to get behind him and destroy this global threat to world peace once and for all." To read the VFW press release, go to http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.newsDtl&did=5314.
2. VA Medical Care Funding Hearing: The House VA Committee held a hearing this week to discuss how resources are allocated throughout VA's 21 VISNs. VA’s current model for medical care, the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (or VERA), allocates funding based on patient workload, costs and severity of illness/injury. It also accounts for historical workload as well as future projections of workload. The committee members asked hard questions about how money is spent throughout the medical centers, and how veterans are receiving care. According to Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA), the appropriations for VA medical care have increased some 40% in the last few years, but access and quality of care remain a problem throughout the system. For complete hearing coverage, visit the House VA website at http://veterans.house.gov/.
3. GI Bill Education Roundtable: VFW participated in an education roundtable held by the House VA Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. Representatives from several VSOs, MSOs and universities and colleges were on hand to discuss GI Bill implementation issues. Keith Wilson, the VA director of education service, was on hand to answer questions about progress on the benefit. With the end of the fall semester nearing, there are still some 23,000 veterans who have not yet received GI Bill housing allowances. The discussion concentrated mostly on prospective changes to more quickly and efficiently provide GI Bill benefits to students. The VA is slated to launch a new IT solution in May 2010.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
VFW Strongly Supports New Afghan Strategy
WASHINGTON (December 2, 2009) — The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is strongly supporting the president's new strategy to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and its extremist allies.
"President Obama set the conditions for success in Afghanistan, and he did it without lowering any bars" said Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., a combat wounded Vietnam veteran from Sussex, Wis. "What we now need is for Congress and the American people to get behind him and destroy this global threat to world peace once and for all."
President Obama announced yesterday he will deploy 30,000 additional troops into Afghanistan, which will bring the U.S. contingent to almost 100,000. NATO allies have also been asked to provide 10,000 more troops, which will up their total to more than 50,000. Collectively, the additional 40,000 troops matches what ground commander Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal said he needed to better target the insurgency, secure population centers, and properly train more Afghan Security Forces so that they can begin securing their own country.
A military counterinsurgency effort aimed at protecting the Afghan people is one of three parts of the president's new strategy. A second is a civilian surge that involves working with allies, international agencies and the Afghan people so that the Afghan government can take advantage of the improved security, and the third is a partnership with neighboring Pakistan, where bolder and more frequent attacks are occurring.
"Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interests, mutual respect and mutual trust," said Obama. "We will strengthen Pakistan's capacity to target those groups that threaten our countries, and have made it clear that we cannot tolerate a safe haven for terrorists whose location is known and whose intentions are clear."
The president is hopeful that the initiatives, partnerships and eventual transfer of responsibilities will permit a reduction in U.S. combat troops to begin by the summer of 2011. "Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground," he said.
"President Obama's message was on target," said the VFW national commander, who hopes that an arbitrary date 18 months away is not interpreted as a firm troop withdrawal deadline by America's enemies or by politicians and pundits in Washington.
"The president said the way forward in Afghanistan is to destroy an enemy who attacked us on 9/11 and who continues to carry out attacks around the globe, and he said any eventual troop withdrawal will be based on conditions on the ground," explained Tradewell.
"Our brave men and women in uniform and their families have singularly shouldered the war on terrorism for more than eight years. Now the president is giving them what they need to succeed in Afghanistan — more boots on the ground and a clearer mission focus," said Tradewell, who said it was most appropriate for the president to make his announcement at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., where many graduating officers will soon be implementing the new strategy.
"The VFW strongly supports this decision, as should America."
"President Obama set the conditions for success in Afghanistan, and he did it without lowering any bars" said Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., a combat wounded Vietnam veteran from Sussex, Wis. "What we now need is for Congress and the American people to get behind him and destroy this global threat to world peace once and for all."
President Obama announced yesterday he will deploy 30,000 additional troops into Afghanistan, which will bring the U.S. contingent to almost 100,000. NATO allies have also been asked to provide 10,000 more troops, which will up their total to more than 50,000. Collectively, the additional 40,000 troops matches what ground commander Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal said he needed to better target the insurgency, secure population centers, and properly train more Afghan Security Forces so that they can begin securing their own country.
A military counterinsurgency effort aimed at protecting the Afghan people is one of three parts of the president's new strategy. A second is a civilian surge that involves working with allies, international agencies and the Afghan people so that the Afghan government can take advantage of the improved security, and the third is a partnership with neighboring Pakistan, where bolder and more frequent attacks are occurring.
"Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interests, mutual respect and mutual trust," said Obama. "We will strengthen Pakistan's capacity to target those groups that threaten our countries, and have made it clear that we cannot tolerate a safe haven for terrorists whose location is known and whose intentions are clear."
The president is hopeful that the initiatives, partnerships and eventual transfer of responsibilities will permit a reduction in U.S. combat troops to begin by the summer of 2011. "Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground," he said.
"President Obama's message was on target," said the VFW national commander, who hopes that an arbitrary date 18 months away is not interpreted as a firm troop withdrawal deadline by America's enemies or by politicians and pundits in Washington.
"The president said the way forward in Afghanistan is to destroy an enemy who attacked us on 9/11 and who continues to carry out attacks around the globe, and he said any eventual troop withdrawal will be based on conditions on the ground," explained Tradewell.
"Our brave men and women in uniform and their families have singularly shouldered the war on terrorism for more than eight years. Now the president is giving them what they need to succeed in Afghanistan — more boots on the ground and a clearer mission focus," said Tradewell, who said it was most appropriate for the president to make his announcement at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., where many graduating officers will soon be implementing the new strategy.
"The VFW strongly supports this decision, as should America."
Countdown for our Heroes
Please join in the "Countdown for our Heroes."
VFW needs you to join the Countdown for our Heroes.The holidays are almost here. The year is drawing to a close. We’re on a mission to reach out to more veterans, service members and military families than ever by December 31st. Help us reach our goal of raising $50,000 by the end of the year.
VFW needs you to join the Countdown for our Heroes.The holidays are almost here. The year is drawing to a close. We’re on a mission to reach out to more veterans, service members and military families than ever by December 31st. Help us reach our goal of raising $50,000 by the end of the year.
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