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By Charlene Rubush, April 14, 2010 1:40 pm

In an article by Kurt Schauppner, he writes of the bill that was signed in California. “In front of Vietnam veterans and active-duty Marines, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law an assembly bill calling for March 30 of every year to be known as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” in California.

One of the Vietnam veterans in attendance was Andy Grow, who served in the Navy from 1961 to 1970 and served in Vietnam in 1963 and 1965. “We didn’t get a very nice welcome when we came home and we were pretty angry about it. All we were doing was trying to liberate those people from the communists and we were the bad guys.”

Creation of “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day”, Grow says, acknowledges that they were not the bad guys. “If they have parades, I will go to the parades and celebrate that we made it.” Continue reading '“Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” is Now a Reality'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 18, 2010 10:13 pm

From Brian McLaren’s blog, we learn that this weekend, a group of combat vets, scholars, and clergy will testify at the “Truth Commission On Conscience in War.”

McLaren notes that but for a previous comitment, he would be there in person, but he will be following what happens, as it could truly be a historic moment.

The gathering will be at The Riverside Church, where The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic “Beyond Vietnam” speech. Five veterans-including two who just returned from visiting the countries where they fought, will reveal what they felt, witnessed, and came to understand about fighting in war.

They will be joined by a group of experts, including nationally recognized scholars and clergy. Testifiers include:

Tyler Boudreau, former US Marine Captain, Iraq War veteran, and author of Packing Inferno: The Unmaking of a Marine.

Joshua Casteel, former US Army Interrogator at Abu Ghraib, attended West Point, featured in the documentary, Soldiers of Conscience.

Jacob C. Diliberto, OEF and OIF US Marine veteran, Founder of  “Veterans for Rethinking Afghanistan,” M.Div. Fuller Theological Seminary. Recently returned from trip to Afghanistan as a civilian. Continue reading 'Truth Commission On Conscience in War Meets This Weekend In New York'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 14, 2010 10:41 pm

In an article from The Times Free Press, it’s stated that the Veterans Administration reports that about 1,000 veterans a month try to commit suicide and that acts of rage and violence are common in the group. Many victimized by that rage and violence are the wives, children and friends of those veterans.

The rising and frightening number of suicides and suicide attempts by U.S. combat veterans is a shameful legacy of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. For too long, the military has been reluctant to admit the existence of the problem, but recent events have finally forced the Pentagon to confront it. To its credit, the military seems to have done an about face on the issue.

While the newfound understanding is welcome, it’s painfully overdue, and much more needs to be done to provide mental health assistance to veterans and active-duty troops. Many veterans and active-duty personnel refuse to seek assistance when confronted by mental health issues. That unfortunate attitude is a legacy of past military practices.

For decades , the military encouraged an independence and self-sufficiency among its members that suggested that an injury to the body was a sacrifice for one’s country, but that an injury to the mind is somehow cowardly or a figment of an over-active imagination. The latter caused many members of  the armed forces to avoid treatment. Continue reading 'The Ongoing Battle to End Military Stigma of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder'»

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By Charlene Rubush, February 23, 2010 10:06 pm

In a article by Jeff Rowe, in the Stars and Stripes, he notes that for decades, officers clubs were revered, exclusive institutions of the military services. Dues and drinks were cheap. It was a great place to unwind after a tough day or combat mission. The clubs were thought to be good for morale and bonding, conducive to an effective fighting force.

Today, due to many factors such as economics, demographics, health and social engineering, officers and enlisted clubs have been closing. Many of the buildings are being transformed into all-ranks cafes, sports bars, restaurants and meeting places. These changes are birthing a new social order in the military, where comradeship is now based more on a top-to-bottom unit allegiance.

According to the Pentagon, the Air Force is the farthest ahead in converting officers clubs. One of the officers clubs at Camp Pendelton has been converted into a family-readiness center, and is often used for classes, meetings, and events such as retirement parties. Continue reading 'Military Culture is Slowly Changing- Social Segregation by Ranks is Disappearing'»