MGx - Musings, Essays & Ballads

Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) consists of families with loved ones who have or are currently serving in Iraq. MFSO is often mistakenly believed to be an anti-war organization yet many members are third and fourth generation military with a proud tradition in the ideals of serving their country and are deeply entrenched in […]

[Read more →]

The nature of the war in Iraq has changed the roll of women in the military and, in particular, combat. The consequence is that women are facing combat related amputation for the first time.
On the Fourth of July, most people see patriotism and the sacrifices of war as masculine values. A vast majority […]

[Read more →]

Due to the nature of the wars in Iraq and Aghanistan more military personnel are likely to see or experience combat trauma, sufffer from mental illness and become homeless. Read more from CNN
Officials say many more Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer post-traumatic stress disorder than veterans of previous wars. The government says PTSD is […]

[Read more →]

Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and Linda J Bilmes have done an exhaustive study on the real cost of the Iraq war. The book goes into great detail the costs to other nations and the impact on the global economy as well.
More importantly, it assesses the human cost in more […]

[Read more →]

We need more journalists like this but mostly we need to retake our airwaves so that we all get the information we need to know

Logan mentions that we lost more soldiers last month in Afghanistan than we did in Iraq, seven years after ‘defeating’ the Taliban.

[Read more →]

[Read more →]

A table of contents with links to each of the 35 articles of impeachment. Read them here
Resolved, that President George W. Bush be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate:
Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United […]

[Read more →]

Thankfully, the mainstream media do seem to be giving this growing problem some coverage. This report from Editor & Publisher discusses it in more detail.
Many newspapers this weekend ran overall assessments of the problem, published editorials calling for the military and the V.A. to take stronger measures to fight post- traumatic stress disorder, or […]

[Read more →]

From the NY Times, a scathing indictment of our commander in chief and his policies toward our military and people at home.
…the commander in chief now resists giving the troops a chance at better futures out of uniform. He does this on the ground that the bill is too generous and may discourage re-enlistment, further […]

[Read more →]

Joe Biden explains his position in a WSJ OpEd. More at Rawstory

As I have pointed out several times, our standing in the global community is taking a huge beating. Banging the war drums and our dependence on foreign resources is what has brought us to our knees. We are not the country […]

[Read more →]

Despite a report from the Congressional Budget Office showing that the increase would amount to only $234M in 2009, Bush vetoes the defense bill just passed by the House as unnecessary. Read more here. Then Bush tells the troops at Fr Drum that Congress failed to pass a responsible defense bill.

[Read more →]

Watch these ads promoting passage of the new GI Bill as proposed by veterans, Sen Jim Webb and Sen Chuck Hagel

[Read more →]

The Washington Post reports that an official urged staff to cut back on PTSD diagnoses.
A psychologist who helps lead the post-traumatic stress disorder program at a medical facility for veterans in Texas told staff members to refrain from diagnosing PTSD because so many veterans were seeking government disability payments for the condition.
“Given that we are […]

[Read more →]

Well, VFP has been holding a weekly vigil every Wednesday at 4:30PM for a few weeks now. Last week, one of the stalwarts from the Bandon vigil, a counter protester showed up and stood catty corner from us on Adams and Hwy 42. Ed Pool, one of the founders of the local VFP […]

[Read more →]

Photojournalist, Jim Lommasson took this shot of my son recently as part of a series he is doing on returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. I am sharing it here because it is so nice and well, because my son is so handsome!

[Read more →]