My Letter To Senator Webb (D-Va) Concerning The Proposed Cuts To Military And Veterans' Benefits.

I ask that you contact your elected officials concerning these proposed cuts.  Our service members and veterans deserve only the very best!

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

____________________________________________________________________________________

FROM THE DESK OF AARON D. YEARGAN

aaron.yeargan@gmail.com

November 25, 2010

The Hon. James Webb
United States Senate
144 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510.

Subject: The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform's Proposed Cuts to Military and Veterans' Benefits.

Dear Mr. Senator:

Good afternoon Sir. I hope this letter finds you doing well and having a happy Thanksgiving. I wanted to take some time and write to you concerning your recent statements on the military and defense budget and the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform's proposed cuts to military and veterans' benefits.  I am a fellow Democrat and a 28 year old husband, father and college student.  I am pursuing my degree in Nursing with the goal of eventually becoming a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner so that I can better help our service members and veterans.  I am also a former Marine and four-tour Iraq War veteran.  Currently, I am serving as a medic in the Army Reserve.  With all of that being said, as a libertarian minded Democrat, I applaud the President for forming this commission in order to get rid of wasteful spending and unnecessary programs.  I also applaud your honest assessment of possible hard choices facing the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration concerning their budget and benefit programs.  I truly believe there are numerous wastful, unecesary programs that can and should be cut in order to reduce the deficit and ease the burden placed on taxpayers.  However, a cut in military personell strength and benefits is not the answer.  

As you know, some of the proposed cuts include a basic pay and housing allowance freeze, a reduction in the Cost of Living Allowance, elimination of the 20 year military retirement and/or postponement until the age of 60 for actual retirement pension payments, as well as an increase in TRICARE premiums and co-pays.  As a husband and father of a 20 month old son, my wife and I benefit greatly from our access to TRICARE health insurance.  

While trying to fight two wars, as well as defend against and remain vigilant of numerous other threats around the world, proposing cuts to troop strength and military and veteran benefits is incomprehensible to me.  Not only is a high personnel level necessary for an adequate defense, allowing people to join and stay in the military helps combat unemployment.  Cutting benefits would leave many service members without an incentive to remain in the military, and frankly, it angers me and feels like a slap in the face.  It sends the message that the very people that rely on and expect our service think us undeserving of a rightly earned salary and benefits.  To lump us in with and think of the services that we provide in the same way that one may view those of civilian government agencies and employees is disrespectful.

Mr. Senator, I believe that you are an American hero, and I am very thankful for your service to our country.  If anyone knows the sacrifices made daily by our military and their families, it's you.  Just as you have done for so many years, I ask that you keep fighting for our men and women in uniform.  We can never fully repay the debt of gratitude we owe to the brave men and women who serve our country, but we must always try. We must respect and honor that service by providing them with the best possible pay, benefits, and health care.

In closing, I ask that, as a fellow veteran, a United States Senator and member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs Committees, that you never support or vote to approve any cuts to troop strength levels or military and veterans benefits.  Thank you for your time, and please feel free to contact me regarding this letter.  I hope to hear from you soon.  Semper Fidelis.

Respectfully,

Aaron D. Yeargan      

CC:  The Office of the President

        The Office of the Vice President

        The Office of the Senate Majority Leader

        The Office of the Senate Minority Leader

        The Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives

        The Office of the House Minority Leader

        The Senate Armed Services Committee

        The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee

        The Senate Appropriations Committee

        The House Armed Services Committee

        The House Veterans' Affairs Committee

        The House Appropriations Committee

        The Office of the Secretary of Defense

        The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)

        The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness

        The Office of the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs

        The Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

        The Office of the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

        The Office of the Commandant of the Marine Corps

        The Office of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

        The Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army

        The Office of the Command Sergeant Major of the Army

        The Office of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force

        The Office of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

        The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations

        The Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

        The Office of the Commandant of the Coast Guard

        The Office of the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard

        The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

        Mr. Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

        The Hon. Kay Hagan (D-NC)

        The Hon. Richard Burr (R-NC)

TAKE ACTION! - Military Pay and TRICARE Under Fire!

THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!!! It's not just the pay increase that's under fire! Read this and PLEASE TAKE ACTION! Call, E-mail, or Write your Senators and Congressman!!! There's plenty of other wasteful programs that can and need to be cut instead!!!

Military Pay and TRICARE Under Fire | Military Advantage Blog | Military.com

-ADY

Mullen: Vets' problems 'the first drops of a rainstorm' - Stripes Central - Stripes

Some REAL good food for thought! The needs for our service members, veterans, and their families must be a # 1 priority!
-ADY

Mullen: Vets' problems 'the first drops of a rainstorm' - Stripes Central - Stripes

Veterans Need Care, NOT Apathy!

The Obama Administration and the majority of Congress, against the wishes of the majority of Americans, spend their time ramming their social agenda down our throats while our service members, veterans, and their families suffer. It's time for them to get their priorities straight. If not, American votes will do it for them this November and in November 2012! FYI...

*Via the IAVA(Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) News Room and the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/31/us/31iht-letter.html

-Aaron

Charities for the Troops!!!

Hello All!

The below link will take you to IAVA's (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) website listing of numerous charities and other ways to help veterans, servicemembers, and their families. Please take a minute to check it out, and feel free to pass it on to your friends and family.

IAVA
http://iava.org/content/troops-charities

Help Troops and Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury
http://remind.org/

Thanks,
Aaron

Cal Cunningham on Veterans and Military Families.

Veterans and Military Families



Honoring our men and women in uniform
The military says, “Leave No One Behind,” and it is Washington’s duty to heed that same call when it comes to caring for veterans and military families. Cal would be the first OIF/OEF veteran elected to serve in the United States Senate – and knows he bears a special responsibility to stand up for the needs of a new generation of veterans.

To fulfill our commitment, we must:

1. Honor the sacrifices of those who have served in uniform with a Veterans Administration of the 21st Century, which fulfills its purpose of caring “for those who have borne the battle.” It is simply not enough to attempt to catch those who fall through the cracks – we must fix the cracks, not only within the Veterans Administration but also for those in transition from the Uniformed Services to the V.A.

2. Meet the health needs of the thousands of veterans who suffer not only physical but psychological wounds. Many service members suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, Traumatic Brain Injury. Due to advances in battlefield medicine and body armor, more service members survive serious injuries. Our nation’s obligations to them continue in perpetuity.

3. Fully implement the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, which would provide every service member with a chance to advance his or her education, identify and extend support for housing to over 100,000 homeless veterans, and support military-to-work transition programs so that a new generation of veterans finds its place in the job market.

http://www.CalForNC.com

BURR DISHONORS SERVICE MEMBERS – SHOULD RETURN CONTRIBUTIONS!!!

BURR DISHONORS SERVICE MEMBERS – SHOULD RETURN CONTRIBUTIONS

Crosses the line when he offers his financial supporters the opportunity to "enlist"
and buy a military rank in exchange for a campaign contribution.
A fundraising letter from Richard Burr sent to contributors and obtained by the Cal Cunningham for Senate Campaign shows a blatant disregard for the sacrifice of members of the military, veterans and their families by purporting to sell military rank in exchange for campaign contributions.

“Richard Burr’s offensive letter dishonors our men and women in uniform by offering anyone the military ranks of "Private," "Sergeant," or even "Colonel" in exchange for a campaign contribution,” said Major General (Ret.) Hubert Leonard, former Adjutant General of the North Carolina National Guard and co-chairman of Veterans for Cunningham.

“Unlike Cal Cunningham, Richard Burr hasn't served a day in the military. Maybe that's why he doesn't understand that you don't buy a military rank -- you earn it. Richard Burr should immediately return all contributions received from this dishonorable solicitation and apologize to the thousands of military men and women, veterans and their families whose sacrifice he has demeaned.”

Richard Burr’s record has previously shown disregard for our men and women in uniform:

Burr Voted against Pay Raises and Body Armor for Our troops. Burr voted against funding for body armor, armored vehicles and equipment needed to keep our troops safe. Burr also voted against providing our military men and women a well-deserved pay increase. [Vote 384, 12/19/09]

Burr Voted against the GI Bill. Burr was part of a small group that worked to oppose the new GI Bill that would make college affordable to veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Burr argued that the new GI Bill was "too generous and would draw troops away from re-enlisting." This argument and Senator Burr's alternative bill was defeated in a bipartisan vote with veteran's organizations arguing that "patriotic troops would continue to serve their county, and that a new benefit would encourage thousands of college-bound young people to join the military." [Vote 161, 6/26/08; Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American, 2008 Congressional Report Card]

Burr Voted Against Supplying our Troops. After voting to send additional troops to Iraq, Burr voted against funding to support them. The bill provided necessary vehicles, equipment and training for our military men and women serving overseas. [Vote 181, 5/27/07]

Burr Voted Twice Against Protecting Soldiers’ Salaries When Forced to Take Leave From Work For Iraq Deployment. In 2005, Burr tried to kill a proposal to require that federal employees who take leave without pay to serve as a member of the military or National Guard be reimbursed for the difference between their salary and the pay and allowances they receive while on duty. [Vote 91, 4/13/05]

Burr Twice Voted Against Funding for Armored Vehicles. In October 2005, Burr voted against a bi-partisan amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill for $360.8 million to provide armored vehicles to Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. In April of the same year, Burr voted against another bi-partisan amendment which would provide an addition $213 million to ensure that Humvee production remained at its maximum level through the fiscal year. The amendment passed 61-39 [Vote 248, 10/5/05; Vote 108, 4/21/05]

Burr Voted Against $50 Million to Repair Military Equipment. In February 2006, Burr voted to place tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of military equipment repair by voting against a conference instruction. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), who sponsored the motion and who served in the Army at Fort Bragg in the 1970s, urged that $50 million immediately be spent to repair military equipment, arguing, “Because they depend upon this equipment for their lives, we can’t tolerate equipment that won’t operate properly.” [Vote 18, 2/14/06; Congressional Record, 2/13/06]

Burr Voted Against Funding for Military Equipment Repairs. In February 2006, Burr voted to defeat a proposal to provide $44 billion to improve and repair military equipment. According to sponsor Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), “$47 billion worth of equipment which they have used in Iraq and Afghanistan needs to be repaired and reconditioned.” The funding would have been offset by repealing capital gains and dividends tax cuts, while extending protections for middle-class taxpayers. [Vote 8, 2/2/06; Congressional Record, 2/2/06]

For more information and to view the letter, please visit www.CalForNC.com/burrletter.

Phone Call From President Carter.

I received a call from and spoke to President Jimmy Carter this morning, but I can't ever seem to get through to anyone at the VA!...something's very wrong with that picture!


-Aaron