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The human cost of war comes home

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Even walking in a dark valley, the psalmist fears no evil with the Lord at his side. Growing numbers of U.S. military veterans, however, report being plagued by fears, nightmares, angry outbursts, and other psychological problems. Their disability claims have created a huge backlog of cases for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The number of unprocessed claims for those disabilities is now more than 400,000, up from 253,000 six years ago. The department said its average time for processing those claims, 162 days, is better than it has been in at least eight years. But it did not deny that it has a major problem, with some claims languishing for many months in the department's overtaxed bureaucracy. "There are some positive signs in terms of what we're doing," said Michael Walcoff, deputy undersecretary for benefits in the Veterans Benefits Administration. "But we know that veterans deserve better." Walcoff said the vast majority of the 82,000 claims the department received each month were not from veterans returning from the current wars. "We're still getting a lot of Vietnam vets," he said. Post-traumatic stress disorder has emerged as one of the most prevalent disability claims, after ailments like back pain and knee injuries. Not only are many new veterans receiving a diagnosis of the disorder, but an increasing number of Vietnam veterans are also reporting symptoms for the first time, officials and advocates said. One group, Veterans for Common Sense, has obtained records showing that some veterans are calling suicide hotlines to talk about their delayed disability claims. The group has called on the department to replace processors who take exceedingly long to handle claims. "We're not saying vets are threatening to commit suicide over the claims issues," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of the group. "We're saying V.A.'s claim situation is so bad that it is exacerbating veterans' already difficult situations." Source: An article by James Dao for the New York Times

suicide veterans for common sense vietnam war veterans benefits administration michael walcoff claims disabilities department of veterans affairs veterans post-traumatic stress disorder paul sullivan

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The human cost of war comes home

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Even walking in a dark valley, the psalmist fears no evil with the Lord at his side. Growing numbers of U.S. military veterans, however, report being plagued by fears, nightmares, angry outbursts, and other psychological problems. Their disability claims have created a huge backlog of cases for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The number of unprocessed claims for those disabilities is now more than 400,000, up from 253,000 six years ago. The department said its average time for processing those claims, 162 days, is better than it has been in at least eight years. But it did not deny that it has a major problem, with some claims languishing for many months in the department's overtaxed bureaucracy. "There are some positive signs in terms of what we're doing," said Michael Walcoff, deputy undersecretary for benefits in the Veterans Benefits Administration. "But we know that veterans deserve better." Walcoff said the vast majority of the 82,000 claims the department received each month were not from veterans returning from the current wars. "We're still getting a lot of Vietnam vets," he said. Post-traumatic stress disorder has emerged as one of the most prevalent disability claims, after ailments like back pain and knee injuries. Not only are many new veterans receiving a diagnosis of the disorder, but an increasing number of Vietnam veterans are also reporting symptoms for the first time, officials and advocates said. One group, Veterans for Common Sense, has obtained records showing that some veterans are calling suicide hotlines to talk about their delayed disability claims. The group has called on the department to replace processors who take exceedingly long to handle claims. "We're not saying vets are threatening to commit suicide over the claims issues," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of the group. "We're saying V.A.'s claim situation is so bad that it is exacerbating veterans' already difficult situations." Source: An article by James Dao for the New York Times

suicide veterans for common sense vietnam war veterans benefits administration michael walcoff claims disabilities department of veterans affairs veterans post-traumatic stress disorder paul sullivan

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The human cost of war comes home

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Even walking in a dark valley, the psalmist fears no evil with the Lord at his side. Growing numbers of U.S. military veterans, however, report being plagued by fears, nightmares, angry outbursts, and other psychological problems. Their disability claims have created a huge backlog of cases for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The number of unprocessed claims for those disabilities is now more than 400,000, up from 253,000 six years ago. The department said its average time for processing those claims, 162 days, is better than it has been in at least eight years. But it did not deny that it has a major problem, with some claims languishing for many months in the department's overtaxed bureaucracy. "There are some positive signs in terms of what we're doing," said Michael Walcoff, deputy undersecretary for benefits in the Veterans Benefits Administration. "But we know that veterans deserve better." Walcoff said the vast majority of the 82,000 claims the department received each month were not from veterans returning from the current wars. "We're still getting a lot of Vietnam vets," he said. Post-traumatic stress disorder has emerged as one of the most prevalent disability claims, after ailments like back pain and knee injuries. Not only are many new veterans receiving a diagnosis of the disorder, but an increasing number of Vietnam veterans are also reporting symptoms for the first time, officials and advocates said. One group, Veterans for Common Sense, has obtained records showing that some veterans are calling suicide hotlines to talk about their delayed disability claims. The group has called on the department to replace processors who take exceedingly long to handle claims. "We're not saying vets are threatening to commit suicide over the claims issues," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of the group. "We're saying V.A.'s claim situation is so bad that it is exacerbating veterans' already difficult situations." Source: An article by James Dao for the New York Times

suicide veterans for common sense vietnam war veterans benefits administration michael walcoff claims disabilities department of veterans affairs veterans post-traumatic stress disorder paul sullivan

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The human cost of war comes home

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Even walking in a dark valley, the psalmist fears no evil with the Lord at his side. Growing numbers of U.S. military veterans, however, report being plagued by fears, nightmares, angry outbursts, and other psychological problems. Their disability claims have created a huge backlog of cases for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The number of unprocessed claims for those disabilities is now more than 400,000, up from 253,000 six years ago. The department said its average time for processing those claims, 162 days, is better than it has been in at least eight years. But it did not deny that it has a major problem, with some claims languishing for many months in the department's overtaxed bureaucracy. "There are some positive signs in terms of what we're doing," said Michael Walcoff, deputy undersecretary for benefits in the Veterans Benefits Administration. "But we know that veterans deserve better." Walcoff said the vast majority of the 82,000 claims the department received each month were not from veterans returning from the current wars. "We're still getting a lot of Vietnam vets," he said. Post-traumatic stress disorder has emerged as one of the most prevalent disability claims, after ailments like back pain and knee injuries. Not only are many new veterans receiving a diagnosis of the disorder, but an increasing number of Vietnam veterans are also reporting symptoms for the first time, officials and advocates said. One group, Veterans for Common Sense, has obtained records showing that some veterans are calling suicide hotlines to talk about their delayed disability claims. The group has called on the department to replace processors who take exceedingly long to handle claims. "We're not saying vets are threatening to commit suicide over the claims issues," said Paul Sullivan, executive director of the group. "We're saying V.A.'s claim situation is so bad that it is exacerbating veterans' already difficult situations." Source: An article by James Dao for the New York Times

suicide veterans for common sense vietnam war veterans benefits administration michael walcoff claims disabilities department of veterans affairs veterans post-traumatic stress disorder paul sullivan

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Desert cross at center of court fight is stolen

16 May 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In this Sunday's second reading, John hears the voice of one who is coming soon with "the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds." Rewards totaling $35,000 have been offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for stealing a war memorial shaped like a cross that was at the center of a recent Supreme Court judgment. The cross was torn from its moorings in a remote California desert last weekend and carried off by vandals. The Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Liberty Institute, the legal organization that represented the veterans groups in the Supreme Court case, offered the reward. "This is an outrage, akin to desecrating people's graves," said Kelly Shackelford, president and CEO of Liberty Institute. "It's a disgraceful attack on the selfless sacrifice of our veterans. We will not rest until this memorial is re-installed." The cross was first erected in 1934 by a local VFW unit to honor war dead. It has been rebuilt several times over the years and Easter services are held annually at the remote desert site. The site is on national park land. The high court on April 28 ruled the cross did not violate the constitutional separation of church and state. "It is reasonable to interpret the congressional designation as giving recognition to the historical meaning that the cross had attained," wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy. "The Constitution does not oblige government to avoid any public acknowledgment of religion's role in society." Source: An article by Bill Mears for CNN

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Iraq ten years on: Not a happy anniversary

24 Mar 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The psalmist this Sunday cries out to God in his suffering: “Why have you abandoned me?” a cry we recall this Sunday as we remember the Passion of Christ on the cross. Ten years after the U.S. invaded Iraq, many Iraqis who still suffer daily due the consequences of that invasion feel abandoned by the U.S. and by a local government many say is rife with corruption.The war has left more than 134,000 Iraqis and more than 4,800 U.S. and other coalition service members dead. It has cost hundreds of billions of dollars. “It remains entrenched and pervasive, with a clear beginning but no foreseeable end and very much a part of the present in Iraq,” said Iraq Body Count, a U.K.-based group that tracks war deaths. “In major regions of the country armed violence continues to exact a remorseless toll on human life, young and old, male and female, across society.”More than 1.1 million U.S. soldiers served in Iraq. The National Council on Disabilities says up to 40 percent of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.Iraq was freed from the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein, but to this day tribal factions continue their long-standing feuds. The premise of the war under then-President George W. Bush was to locate weapons of mass destruction the administration was convinced Iraq would use against other countries in a post-9/11 world, but it quickly became apparent there were few if any.As if to underscore the fragile state of affairs as the anniversary arrived Tuesday, at least 48 people died and scores were wounded when bombs exploded across Iraq. The attacks—17 car bombs, seven roadside bombs, and two shootings—rippled mostly through Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad. It’s the second time in less than a week Baghdad has endured major simultaneous attacks.Homily hint: In the prayers of the faithful this Sunday please remember the long-suffering people of Iraq, the thousands of wounded veterans, and families in the U.S. and around the world who have lost loved ones in this conflict. Sources: Articles by Mohammed Tawfeeq and Joe Sterlingfor CNN and Sara Flounders for GlobalResearch.ca

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Apologetic for private missteps, Petraeus returns to public life

31 Mar 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

As the church prepares to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord this Sunday, David H. Petraeus, who resigned last November as director of the Central Intelligence Agency after acknowledging an extramarital affair, appears to be hoping to resurrect his public life and reposition himself as a voice on veterans issues. He began a speaking tour Tuesday night at an event honoring veterans and the R.O.T.C. program at the University of Southern California.Though the speech was planned before Petraeus' resignation from the CIA, said one of his longtime friends, it suggests one way that the former general might contribute going forward. “This is something he may look towards in the future, as far as veterans issues go.”Veterans affairs is one of some urgency for the Pentagon as it ends two wars. It’s a job at which the military hasn’t excelled in the past, said Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Commanders tend to focus on preparing troops for battle rather than for becoming civilians again, but that approach needs to change, Battaglia said. “If we’re not doing that, shame on us.”It is a topic Petraeus picked up in his speech. “There is often a view that, because an individual was a great soldier, he or she will naturally do well in and transition effortlessly to the civilian world. In reality, the transition from military service to civilian pursuits often is quite challenging,” he added.Saint Peter speaks to Cornelius and his household of a gospel of forgiveness in Sunday’s first reading. Petraeus began his speech Tuesday by acknowledging his wrongdoing, hoping for a forgiving public. He reiterated “how deeply I regret—and apologize for—the circumstances that led me to resign from the CIA and caused such pain for my family, friends, and supporters.”Homily hint: Revelations about the private shortcomings of public figures have become commonplace. In this age of tabloid confessions, how do we practice forgiveness for the sinner without condoning the sin? Source: An article by Anna Mulrine for the Christian Science Monitor

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Foundation helps disabled veterans take heart

12 May 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

As his Ascension nears, Jesus offers a parting prayer in this Sunday’s gospel, praying to the Father “that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.” Soldiers sent off to war who return disabled often feel alone and unloved, their communities not equipped to welcome them and their homes not able to accommodate their new physical and emotional needs.Purple Heart Homes, a nonprofit agency started by two Iraq War, veterans aims to change that. Friends and veterans Dale Beatty and John Gallina nearly died together in 2004 when their Humvee was blown up by an IED in Iraq. Beatty lost both his legs and Gallina suffered severe head and back injuries.Beatty’s community rallied together to help build a home for him and his family. “After all the building was done, John and I sat back and kind of looked and said, ‘Is every veteran receiving this best-case scenario?’ ”Aside from modifying or providing homes for disabled veterans, Purple Heart Homes also helps link veterans with their community. “A major part of reintegration is not just simply from the veteran's perspective,” says Gallina. “It’s also from the community showing that they accept him back.”One veteran who had been helped by the organization said of the community support: “You’re bringing that little bit of faith back, giving that little bit of faith back to veterans—faith in people because you don’t have that when you first get out.”Homily hint: As the war in Iraq fades from the headlines, we may be tempted to forget that many thousands of wounded veterans will live with the ravages of war for the rest of their lives. Raising awareness is the first step in a faith community which looks for ways to reach out to local disabled vets. Source: An article by Meghan Moore for The Upbeat

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Foundation helps disabled veterans take heart

12 May 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

As his Ascension nears, Jesus offers a parting prayer in this Sunday’s gospel, praying to the Father “that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.” Soldiers sent off to war who return disabled often feel alone and unloved, their communities not equipped to welcome them and their homes not able to accommodate their new physical and emotional needs.Purple Heart Homes, a nonprofit agency started by two Iraq War, veterans aims to change that. Friends and veterans Dale Beatty and John Gallina nearly died together in 2004 when their Humvee was blown up by an IED in Iraq. Beatty lost both his legs and Gallina suffered severe head and back injuries.Beatty’s community rallied together to help build a home for him and his family. “After all the building was done, John and I sat back and kind of looked and said, ‘Is every veteran receiving this best-case scenario?’ ”Aside from modifying or providing homes for disabled veterans, Purple Heart Homes also helps link veterans with their community. “A major part of reintegration is not just simply from the veteran's perspective,” says Gallina. “It’s also from the community showing that they accept him back.”One veteran who had been helped by the organization said of the community support: “You’re bringing that little bit of faith back, giving that little bit of faith back to veterans—faith in people because you don’t have that when you first get out.”Homily hint: As the war in Iraq fades from the headlines, we may be tempted to forget that many thousands of wounded veterans will live with the ravages of war for the rest of their lives. Raising awareness is the first step in a faith community which looks for ways to reach out to local disabled vets. Source: An article by Meghan Moore for The Upbeat

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Veterans charities don’t all make grade

16 Nov 2014 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The reading from the Book of Proverbs extols the virtues of the woman who “reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy.” Charities are established with similar goals, but the rating agency CharityWatch says not all deliver as promised. Many popular charities that purport to help veterans received less than sterling grades in the agency’s recent review.The Wounded Warrior Project collected $235 million last year, helping some 59,000 injured veterans with depression, physical rehabilitation, employment, and other needs. The best the Florida-based charity could do was a C+ from CharityWatch.Disabled American Veterans, a Kentucky nonprofit group founded in 1920, helped 330,000 veterans access federal benefits last year. The group employs 650 people, most of them disabled veterans. In San Diego alone, the nonprofit helped veterans access $118 million in benefits earned during military service. Yet the group got a D from the rating service.The rating systems tend to mark charities down for spending on overhead costs—money for administrative salaries, fundraising expenses, and investments in the future.The Wounded Warrior Project granted $17.7 million to help needy veterans last year, tax records show, less than 10 percent of its revenue. That lopsided ratio has brought criticism of the organization—which its leaders say is unfair, as their primary mission is not grant-giving. The project offers hands-on services to veterans, funded in part by the $28.9 million reported in salary costs and $15.8 million for meetings and events.Fundraising costs come in for criticism at other nonprofits, which hire for-profit telemarketers and other firms that keep as much as 80 percent of every dollar they raise. Some charities say the fundraisers make the work they do possible.“A small percentage of something is better than 100 percent of nothing,” said Phillip Kraft, president of the National Veterans Services Fund in Darien, Conn. “We do not have the resources, staff, or expertise to conduct fundraising on our own.” His group spent $7.6 million of the $9.1 million it received in 2012 on fundraising, receiving an F from CharityWatch. CharityWatch awarded F grades to 26 of the 53 veterans and military nonprofits examined, including some of the best-known groups in the country. That preponderance of F grades makes the C+ for Wounded Warrior more impressive than it might seem. In addition to the Connecticut group, F-rated charities included AMVETS, Healing Heroes Network, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, and the Vietnam Veterans of America.Veterans groups are especially appealing causes because donors want to support the men and women of the armed services even if they oppose a particular policy, experts say. Homily hint: Charitable giving is part of our call to good stewardship. Due diligence in how our donations are used is also part of that stewardship. Be a generous giver—but an informed one as well. Source: An article by Jeff McDonald for San Diego Union-Tribune

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