I got this from a PAO at DOD.

"Writers Needed for Washington Times coverage of Military: Base News

The Washington Times will soon launch a community journalism Web site devoted to reporting all the news about the military and their families, from the perspective of those who are most familiar with the issues. We need volunteers to write both for our weekly coverage that will appear in the print edition of TWT and for the daily coverage on our Web site, BaseNews.com. Writers need simply to follow the guidelines and accept to write without monetary compensation. Our mission is to transform the way the American media portrays the military community. We need to hear from as many different sources within the community, in bases all across America and around the world. If you want to be a community journalist, contact Grace Vuoto: 2026363165 or gvuoto@washingtontimes.com."

I like the idea of educating the public/media about what/who we REALLY are! and for those who are overseas it would be a good fit... unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any $$$$$$$$ involved, but then most of us write for nada anyway!

LAW

And the nutjobs keep on rollin'

Michelle Bachman - the one who wanted members of Congress investigated for unamerican activities, and when confronted with the evidence of her saying it twice claimed it was an "urban myth" has done it again.

bachmann-bill-would-prohibit-global-currency/

Now, the President said he would NOT sign on to a global currency... But hey, Michelle Bachmann - twinkie extraordinaire who hung on to GWBush at the State of the Union address like he was her long lost boytoy... knows better!

Then we have the poster child for whiny pain in the butt - garsh, golly gee, wink wink...

palins-prayer-remark-angers-former-staffers/ Supposedly, she couldn't find anyone who wanted to hold hands and pray. Well, dear Governor P, I think praying by yourself is perfectly satisfactory if you believe - however if you are trying to proclaim oooh ooooh look at me, I'm praying I guess that's not good enough, huh?

Hey - I have the best ticket I can hope for - Palin/Bachmann.... wheeee.

ugh. this cold is kicking my butt

3 days I've been home, and I feel worse every day. but I have to go to the office today, conference calls, meetings, etc. I'm not infectious anymore (I am not one of those people who go to work and spread whatever it is that they have) I'm going stir crazy in this apartment. I should have done all sorts of projects, but ended up either in bed or on the couch.

And tomorrow - I'm so happy I'm going to help a friend do a vegetable garden bed - raised even! The weather will be a bit damp, but that's better than too hot. Another friend has broken her ankle, falling over a dog toy - get better soon AHH6, and we are all hoping that SisB improves more every day.

I lost a friend this week. but I guess if you won't listen to an explanation and insist on thinking something was said that wasn't... was that really a friend?

dragging off to the office...

LAW

It's Spring! yeah!

I went to a wonderful nursery in Maryland on Sunday - and after I stopped drooling and wishing I had more than a postage stamp balcony - I was sensible (dammit) got a few herbs, some morning glory seeds, and then I saw it. An Earth Box - and I have a question. Have any of you used this system? Is it sturdy enough? Is it something USEFUL or just another gimmick.

Hopefully, a friend is going to be starting a vegetable raised bed on Saturday - I get to go and dig in the dirt with her. Nothing like doing that to make everything feel better.

I also have the usual spring cold - that's not a cold. It's not allergies, it's just this little "I-have-the-feeling-I'm-getting-sick" Had this last year. sucked.

time for soup. Later!

LAW

Pandering! I've been accused of Pandering!

Well... slap me silly, y'all, I'm a Panderer! I guess because I say what I think? or I talk about whatever the hell I want on my own blog?

wow . Does the phrase "pot - kettle" ring any bells? But hey, I'm just a milspouse, not an all knowing person, like the kettle.

*** I have to make something really really clear - the wonderful lady who blogs as Potandkettle - she's NOT the person I am talking about. No way. no how. ****

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A New Place

Ok, y'all - there is a place for those of us, military spouses of the liberal persuasion... A bunch of us started a new Spouse Site - it's called Left Face . C'mon over and visit - tell us what you want to see - comment, talk to us!

It's exciting!

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He Listened

I am so happy about this, I could just - just --- I don't know what! The President and the Administration realized that no matter if the budget would be improved, it just wasn't right, it wasn't fair. From CNN

As the mother and mother in law of a vet, as the wife of a future vet, and the daughter of a vet, I'm thankful that the common sense and fairness prevailed. Pressure from some vet's organizations didn't hurt either!!!

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Talk about DUMB Ideas

I am still wondering who thought this one up. Some idiot bean counter in OMB or the VA thinks it would save money and just be so wonderful if we had Veterans get their healthcare paid for by their private insurance. Notwithstanding the following: that EVERY health insurance that I have ever seen has a very clear clause that says illness or injury resulting from military service is not covered; Or that it is just a slap in the face to every veteran; that this will add yet another level of bureaucracy, paperwork, adjuster/investigator to veterans and families already going through all sorts of hell. Who the hell has decided we need Blue Cross or Aetna or United Healthcare to add yet another layer of crap onto what the VA already shells out? I have a son and daughter in law who have been trying to get through to the VA and after sitting for hours on the phone... get nothing, no answers... So HIRE some more adjusters (I did see that they are hiring, but getting new hires through the disaster of a hiring system for the federal government will take months!) get some temps in - there are plenty of people looking for work. Get a few good paralegals in, some insurance adjusters, and get through the backlog. Think outside the box, but this plan to try to shift it onto the private insurers, who will simply throw it back after a few months.... Dumb Dumb Dumb.

DUMB! Stupid! I know that General Shinseki has served honourably, even though his edict that everyone in the Army wear a beret was a singularly boneheaded move. But THIS, General Shinseki, really really sucks. Re-think this one, please!

LAW

Well well well. The House of Representatives has decided that 2009 should be the Year of the Military Family. The actual Resolution talks about the sacrifices, the hardships of being in a military family, the deployments, the PCSs, THIS part really surprised me - that someone has figured this part out, who isn't military (but there IS a milspouse in the House, Rep. Giffords - would be interesting to know if she had a part in writing this!)

Whereas thousands of military family members have taken on
volunteer responsibilities to assist units and members of
the Armed Forces who have been deployed by supporting
family readiness groups, helping military spouses meet
the demands of a single parent during a deployment, or
providing a shoulder to cry on or the comfort of understanding;

OK, great - now they have recognized us. Now lets get to work DOING something. What do you think? What do you want to see?

LAW

ER - sigh...

Dr. Ross... he's still the Dr. I want. yeah. It's been great seeing the old cast back...

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Spring!

Not just the clock, either! (oh I forgot those... so it's late now) but the weather! in the 70's... It's marvelous. I ended up taking a walk yesterday.

And I miss Chief. I took the walk we take, and looked at the gardens at the townhomes. The crocuses are up, the daffodils are starting to bud, the tulips are beginning to force the tips of their leaves out, some trees are tentatively budding.. The townhouse with the fantastic rose garden is up for sale - about 12 of the units in that group are. We usually talk about which one we'd want, that we have to have a garage (one or two of those are for sale too!) that we want an end unit - one of those is available - they are military I think.

so I missed that, missed the chats, the "what if" and the gardening discussions, what we'd do with the little back area... I missed it.


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Time is getting away from me

I haven't posted in a while, and it's really not because nothing is going on! just too much going on. except at work, there, I'm bored! But it give me more time for blogging, and other things. I was on a call that was very sobering yesterday, and I'm trying to write about it - but I'm not doing really well on it.

A member of our family was given a diagnosis yesterday, that's scary. really scary. But I'm not saying anything else, it's private, but I will ask those of you that do pray- pray. For those who don't - keep a good thought.

Chief is fine - working way too many hours, but he has a new way to call that so far is working out cheaper. After I get the next bill, and make SURE it's cheaper, I'll give y'all the low down.

Our mutual friend SisB is sick too - and needs all those thoughts and prayers too. Wow, y'all are going to be busy!

Time to get to work. Take care everyone!

LAW

one more time

If you say NO to the media being at Dover for the return of your loved one - there will be no media - that's what the SecDef said. Yes - he should have waited to announce his new policy (actually, its the OLD policy, which had been changed) until the how's wheres' why's had been sorted out. But hey, folks, remember, this is the military that "goes to war with the army they have". See - statements by SecDef Rumsfeld I'm sure there will be some sort of form - there always is. So if you have an idea of what you want this form to look like - send it in to the powers that be. If I were a betting person, I'd say this is a form that will end up having a box for the soldier to check off, saying yes or no. Yes, there are snafus with notifications and all the rest of it. And there are pictures out there taken by telephoto lenses at funeral - and the families didn't want them taken. BUT - if these photos were taken in a public place - there is NOTHING you or I can do about it! There haven't been any photographers in the bushes at Dover before, have there? and why the hell do you think they are just going to waltz on post now? if out of 20 families ONE says no - then according to the Secretary - THERE ARE NO media PHOTOGRAPHERS ALLOWED. As to the military photographers, there are probably already those out there... ever think of that?

Right now the media can only get on post - IF INVITED. I'm sure there are photographers attached to the military already there. Before we do all this screaming and wailing, can we please see what the actual terms of their involvement will be??

Those out there who hate the media - you aren't alone. I'm not keen on many of them either. And to think that just because I'm a liberal democrat, I'm keen to see photographs like that published - you obviously didn't read my previous posts. WE didn't make this political. The Secretary had looked at this issue last year, he never believed it was a good policy. He's not, last time I looked, a liberal democrat.

Enough already. BASTA! We will have to live with what the SecDef says. If you are against photographers at Dover, taking pictures of anonymous coffins being brought home - make sure your wishes are known to your family, make sure they are on whatever notification forms you have. Families - do the same. and talk to the inlaws/relatives whoever may be the NOK and make sure you are all on the same page. Family disfunction or not - this is a family decision, NOT a government one.

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I GIVE UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All day, the Rightwing has been spewing forth - deciding that SecDef (who is A REPUBLICAN, APPOINTED BY BUSH! and was held over because in a time of war, you don't switch horses)has "lost his cojones" and is betraying the soldiers because of his decision.

DAMMIT can you people fucking READ??? the transcript very clearly says - if one of the families objects, there WILL BE NO MEDIA. How much simpler does it have to get? Did you miss English comprehension in school? So you say NO when asked. If you have the brains of a fleas ass, you have made all these decisions before your soldier deployed. Write it down, cause you might forget it. and then MAKE YOUR OWN FUCKING DECISION!

For the last umpteen years, we have been hearing Less Government Control over us.. So now we are given choice - Less Guvmint... and now you don't like it. What the fucking hell DO you want?

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Decision Made.

Secretary Gates has made his decision. Today he announced that the decision as to whether to allow the media to be at Dover AFB and take pictures when a fallen service member is returned home, is to be decided by the family. And since then, some of the comments I have read are both ridiculous, insulting and "Just plain ignorant". I need to know this - if this is MY husband or son, why am I going to leave something like this to the government? This is MY family, not theirs, not yours, it's MINE. Less Government - hmmm. who does THAT sound like???

Secretary Gates (and may we gently point out that he was appointed by the last Republican Administration) wanted to overturn this last year, before the election, but was dissuaded. Why, we don't really know. Me, what do I think SecDef was thinking ? I think he realized that hiding the true cost of the wars, was not the right way to treat our fallen. That if you are going to show the farewells with all the flags flying and the bands playing and the tears of the families as they say goodbye, you damned well should give those families the option to show the final farewells. You cannot just use us when you want to do the heartstrings stirring, flag waving, patriotic speech. You better be there when we are paying that last sacrifice.

When you show the homecomings with the joy and bands and yellow ribbons, you don't show what happens later, the tears and the getting to know our marriage again. THERE'S the scandal, THERE'S the insult to our troops. Show it ALL or show NONE.

This decision is one small private bit of our lives. And yes, I'm sure it's going to end up with a form, and there will be battles between the family members, and this might even make some people (ahem... yeah, you know who you are) make a decision, or at least have some input into this horrible part of planning for the future that we have to do every time our soldier deploys (YES, I know, I said soldier... I'm Army... you know I mean service member, but I'm sick of using that!)

What would I do? I don't know. I really don't . I find the photograph that was used by Military.com, which is above, to be a quietly moving photograph. I don't know these fallen, I do know that they are loved and honored. The Guard of Honor around them are taking them home, and they are not alone.

LAW

Views of another Milspouse

I couldn't say this as well... She's a damned good writer and says what so many of us are thinking. . Go here.

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Valentines Day - a cat story

Spending Valentines Day at Petsmart doing a cat adoption fair was a way to not miss Chief (I'm gonna call him that, instead of DH) too much. It was a nice enough fair, some sweet new cats rescued from a high kill shelter who snuggled up together and tried to avoid seeing all the people looking at them.

An older couple asked me for some assistance, could they meet one or both of the calico cats we had in the permanent cages. Molly aka Jabba the Hut, didn't want to say hi, it was 3 hours into the fair and she was pooped. Then - I saw love just happen. I opened Daisy's cage, she was curled up taking a nap. She looked up, then got up and stretched. The lady began to pet her, found that little spot behind the ear... right..... there... Then Daisy did what I hadn't seen her do before. she reached out, and walked into the lady's arms, laid her head on her shoulder, and that was it. Daisy adopted her. The gentleman with her put his hand on Daisy's head and she did that little push - and purred. We talked for a moment, while Daisy cuddled. Then I put her back in, and the lady filled out forms, the gentleman went to get the carrier they used to have for the cat they had had for over 15 years, that they lost a few months ago. And they went home - as she said to me, what a perfect Valentine's present - unconditional love.

So even though I didn't get to see Chief, or even talk to him other than email - I got to see the real thing, not the cheesy "you have to buy THIS to show him you love him".. the real thing. It was a great Valentines Day!

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Pictures, Coffins and Families

As you may have read, the Secretary of Defense is reviewing the policy of taking photographs of coffins of the recently fallen soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan arriving at Dover AFB. This is one of those subjects that makes those of us who have family members serving - think, twitch and wonder what would we do.

As Andi on SpouseBuzz said - we plan funerals, in our heads. Yes, I've planned DH's, (with no help from him, other than a request for Dixie played by bagpipes). And I haven't thought about the media, other than to hope they will show some respect. That, unfortunately, isn't what has happened at many funerals. I went to nine funerals last deployment, and the media held back - it could have been that Midwestern reticence, but I'll figure it was the Patriot Guard!

So how do I feel about it? I don't honestly know. I've read other blogs about it, I've always thought that maybe the other 99% of the US population should see the true cost of the war; not just the money, but the lives - the lives lost, the lives shattered, the lives of the children losing a parent, the lives of the friends who mourn. But those same families and friends have the right to mourn in private, to survive the pain without cameras in their faces.

How do I feel? Confused. I know that I understand the families' point of view that don't want the pictures taken, I know I understand those that say these coffins, when they arrive, don't have names on them that can be seen by photographers, that no-one is saying that they want to take pictures of widows and parents receiving the coffins, but is this the slippery slope we hear so much about? If we allow a photograph of a coffin on a plane floor, does that mean we will allow a picture of a woman kissing the coffin, of a child hugging the coffin holding her daddy?

And I want Secretary Gates to ask us. Not the Generals, not the under secretary of whatever, ask us. We are the ones who this will affect, we are the ones who live with this possibility. Please, tell me what you think.

LAW

Let's hear it for the old dawgs

a 10 year old Sussex spaniel won Westminster... that's a 70 year old winning the biggest, baddest, dog beauty pageant on this side of the pond. Whoot!

LAW

Suicide from Salon.com

A very thoughtful series - and what is very chilling to me - I remember Fort Carson being singled out a few years ago- for exactly this. I have a friend there - I keep her in my thoughts, that her husband's unit isn't full of morons who don't understand what PTSD really is.

Our son has PTSD, and so does our daughter in law. They have been dealing with the VA for years, his appeal went through but they are STILL waiting on hers.... and the way the VA deals with the veterans is truly horrendous in it's complexity! In this day and age, to have the DOD and VA unable to coordinate their computer systems... it's a disgrace.

LAW