Dodd: Bush Administration’s Caring Words 'Ring Hollow' with Veterans

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Chris Dodd, D.-Conn., could care less about what a politician has to say, but, he cares about what a politician has done. These words ring especially true when it comes to supporting the troops and taking care of veterans and their families. “I get really upset when I hear the Bush administration talk about how much they care about American veterans and soldiers,” Dodd told a group of veterans Monday at the Iowa Democratic Party Veteran’s Caucus Presidential Extravaganza in Des Moines.


“I’ve spent four different occasions on the Senate floor just to get body armor for those serving in Iraq, only to be defeated every single time by the Republicans, who could not come up with the votes to support the body armor or compensate the families and communities who purchased body armor for their loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Dodd said. “The Don Rumsfeld line, ‘You don’t get the Army you deserve, you get the Army you got’ reflects this administration’s attitude toward our young people, which they placed in difficult situations without even the most basic protection. This is deeply disturbing to me, and when I hear comments about how much they care and compare this with the actions of this administration, these words ring hollow.”

After fulfilling his two-year obligation in the Peace Corps (1966-1968), Dodd served in the U.S. Army Reserves and Army National Guard for the next six years. Dodd, however, confided to the combat veterans at the event that he was by no means claiming any acts of heroism. “I didn’t rise to any great ranks; I was an E-5, but in politics there are a lot more of those than generals,” Dodd joked.

Jokes aside, Dodd took the Bush administration to task regarding its record on funding veterans’ health care. “This uncaring attitude has been reflected toward the Veterans Administration as well, Dodd said. “A couple of years ago, we had to come up with supplemental funds to make sure the Veterans Administration had an adequate budget to provide for the servicemen returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

“We want to be sure that those who served in harm’s way aren’t left behind on the battlefield,” Dodd added. “The old line in basic training is that you don’t leave a buddy on the battlefield. The battlefield doesn’t end when you return from the theater of conflict. The battlefield for our 24 million veterans is going on here today.”

One big push Dodd helped make on behalf of the veterans in the Senate recently was authoring an amendment to his signature legislation, the Family and Medical Leave Act. The legislation would provide family members and caregivers of wounded veterans six months paid leave to care for wounded family members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. “37 percent of these individuals had to relocate in order to provide help and support for a loved one coming out of a VA hospital, and one of four of these caregivers lost their jobs doing what they did,” Dodd said. Dodd introduced the bill, S. 1894, based on a recommendation from former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., who recently co-chaired President Bush’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors. The bill passed the Senate unanimously and awaits action by the House of Representatives.

Furthermore, Dodd proposed legislation that would take $19 billion out of capital gains taxes and put these funds back into funding for VA hospitals and clinics, but the amendment was rejected by the Bush administration. “We have people willing to support a massive cut in dividend taxes, but wouldn’t come up with a dollar amount needed to put the VA hospitals and clinics on solid footing to accommodate our injured troops returning from the theaters of war,” Dodd said. “These are the kind of choices our leaders are making today.”

Dodd, a longtime champion of legislation supporting families, has also focused on helping support the families of troops. “We recruits soldiers, but we retain families in the military,” Dodd said. “We need to make sure the family is well taken care of, especially during a time of conflict. Child care in the military used to be the worst in the nation, and we stood up for an investigation, and now they have one of the best child-care systems in the country.”

Dodd also supports reforming the GI Bill by extending it to four years, dropping the first year’s $100 monthly co-payments, and providing an option that would allow veterans, if they don’t use all of the benefits, to defer the rest of payments to a spouse or child to use to help deflect their costs of higher education. “The family pays a lot to have someone on active duty in the military, and they deserve some of these benefits as well,” Dodd said. “Military leaders know that if you can keep a family together, through good education and child support, when it comes to recruiting or extending service tours, we’ll do a far better job if that family is feeling secure and supported by the military. If the support is not there, I don’t care how good the recruiter is, because we’ll lose those soldiers.”

Harkin, Boswell Call Upon Presidential Candidates to Honor Contract with Veterans

Iowa’s Sen. Tom Harkin and Rep. Leonard Boswell encouraged a room full of fellow veterans Monday to get politically involved in the presidential campaign and hold the candidates accountable for their views on veterans’ issues. “Every veteran has an obligation, just as we had an obligation to carry out our duties as soldiers, to be intimately involved in politics,” said Harkin, a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War.

“I know all the Democratic candidates running for president know we need to fulfill our obligations to our veterans, and this is something we need to take out on the campaign trail,” said Harkin. “This administration has cut back on veterans’ benefits, health care, and they have short-changed our veterans just about every term. We’ve had to fight tooth and nail for veterans just to get the money they need through appropriations.”

Boswell, a decorated Army veteran who served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War as an assault helicopter pilot, echoed Harkin’s sentiments. “Our returning National Guardsmen have been serving one, two and three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but when they return, they don’t receive the same treatment as our active duty members, and that’s not right,” said Boswell. “They should receive the same benefits and our presidential candidates should be hearing this from you.”

Boswell warns Iowa veterans that we do not have one combat-ready brigade stationed in the continental United States

While speaking at the Iowa Democratic Veterans’ Caucus Presidential Extravaganza at the Four Mile Community Center in Des Moines, Harkin and Boswell reiterated that veterans’ issues should be non-partisan and the government has a sacred contract with its veterans that must be upheld. “When it comes to serving our veterans, it’s up to our leaders to fulfill its end of the contract,” said Boswell. “A deal’s a deal.”

Quoting our first commander-in-chief, George Washington, Harkin helped illustrate the same point. “George Washington believed in a militia, a non-standing army. In order for America to be able to defend itself from future adversaries, we would need to be able to call upon the militia to take up arms and defend our country,” said Harkin. “Their willingness to do so will rest in large measure upon how the country treated those who took up arms before them.”

All of the Democratic presidential candidates had been invited to speak at the forum, but only Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., confirmed and spoke at the event. All of the other candidates, except Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, sent high-level surrogates to speak on their behalf.

The goals of the presidential extravaganza was to raise money for soldiers wounded in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and to raise awareness of veterans issues on the campaign trail. The event grossed $450, which will be donated to soldiers and families at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and Clinics throughout Iowa. “We did something important yesterday -- far beyond measuring the numbers that were in attendance. Simply put, we elevated veterans’ issues in both Iowa and the nation,” said Bob Krause, chair of the IDP Veterans’ Caucus. “You may not have noticed, but several of the candidates issued national position papers on veterans’ issues yesterday. That was an actual consequence of our Presidential Extravaganza.”

Hoping to capture the non-partisanship nature of veterans’ issues, the event was open to all veterans regardless of their political affiliation. "From the day you put on the uniform, you learn to take care of your fellow soldier. This is no different. Black, white, Hispanic, Republican, Democrat, Independent; we are all in this together. You may or may not like our politics, but you cannot deny that we are comrades in arms," Krause said.

“When I appear before veterans groups, I try to the best of my ability to make veterans’ issues non-partisan,” said Harkin. “We’ve made a sacred contract with veterans, and this contract should be honored by both parties.”

Early on, however, the tone of the event did shift when Harkin broke the partisan ice with a one-line quip. “Dick Cheney just had his sixth grandchild; that’s one more grandchild than deferments he had during the Vietnam War,” said Harkin, before setting his sights on GOP candidate, Mitt Romney. “Then there’s what Romney said the other day when equating the fact that running a father’s campaign is the same as serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. I see today he said he misspoke, which in real plain English folks is saying I really screwed up.”

Harkin expressed his concerns about the current administration’s ideology and how foreign policy decisions not only affect Americans, but the soldiers who are defending these policies.
“When power is used indiscriminately -- without conscience and without thinking about the consequences of that power and what that power is going to be ultimately used for, that’s what gets us into trouble,” Harkin said. “We ill serve our present troops who are in the field by continually putting them into harms way for purposes that are ill-defined.”

Before surrendering the microphone, Boswell and Harkin hoped to plant seeds in the veterans’ minds as they hit the campaign trail. They seized the opportunity to express some of their concerns. “Something else you should bring up to these candidates is that in the continental United States we do not have one combat-ready brigade. We have Code 1s deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, but we don’t have any here,” warned Boswell. “One of the reasons for not having any C1s is that we’ve lost the backbone of the Army. Having already served one to three tours, many of our E-5 and E-6 sergeants are leaving the military, and it’s going to take years to fix this problem. They’re walking out because of the strain it’s putting on their families.”

“I’m concerned because the Army is falling back on recruiting, so what are they doing?” Harkin asked. “They’re scaling back requirements while seducing potential recruits with more money and other monetary inducements. I’m concerned that we will have a military that is made up of only the lower economic parts of our country, and I don’t think that’s good for our country. I think the sons of people like Mitt Romney, Harkin, Biden, and everybody else ought to be serving too.”

The Iowa Front: Military & Veterans’ Weekly Roundup

Political/Veterans’ Front

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney may have won the Ames Straw Poll fundraiser Saturday, but his “surge for support” in the veterans’ community had trouble gaining traction in the days leading up to the event.

“Iraq Vet Confronts Mitt”: While stumping at the Iowa Sate Fair on Thursday, Romney was confronted by wounded Iraq War veteran Ron Devoll Jr., a 26-year old from Cedar Falls. Cut off by Romney’s traveling secretary Eric Fehrnstrom, Devoll never got an opportunity to finish his line of questioning. "I think that Romney was disrespectful," Devoll told reporters after the candidate had left. "I tried to ask him questions. You know I am an Iraq vet who served my country and he can't give me a few minutes of his time, and he wants to walk off. I think that's really disrespectful," he said. The online journal, “Salon,” captured the complete transcript of the conversation. (“War Room”)

“Romney’s Sons Surge to Support Him, Not Troops”: At an “Ask Mitt Anything” campaign stop Wednesday, Rachel Griffiths, a member of the Quad City Progressive Action for the Common Good and sister of an Army major who had served in Iraq, asked Romney, in light of his support of the troop surge, why none of his five sons were serving in Iraq. Romney responded, "One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president.” (Political Fallout)

“Iowa Veterans Put Politics Aside to Raise Funds for Wounded Comrades”: The spirit of bipartisanship has broken out on the presidential campaign trail in Iowa. The Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus is hosting a fund-raiser Monday (Aug. 13) in Des Moines to assist wounded soldiers and veterans. The event, "Iowa Veterans' Presidential Extravaganza," is open to all veterans, regardless of their political affiliation. "From the day you put on the uniform, you learn to take care of your fellow soldier. This is no different. Black, white, Hispanic, Republican, Democrat, Independent; we are all in this together. You may or may not like our politics, but you cannot deny that we are comrades in arms," said Bob Krause, chair of the IDP Veterans' Caucus.

All of the Democratic presidential candidates have been invited, but only Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Con., has confirmed he will attend, while John Edwards, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, Sen. Barack Obama, D.-Ill., and New Mexico Gov Bill Richardson have confirmed they are sending high-level aides on their behalf. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, is also scheduled to speak at the event. The event will run from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. to accommodate veterans and their families who will be attending the State Fair. (Iowa Independent)

Iowa Veterans Put Politics Aside to Raise Funds for Wounded Comrades

The spirit of bi-partisanship has broken out on the presidential campaign trail in Iowa. The Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus is hosting a fund raiser in Des Moines Monday, Aug. 13 to assist wounded soldiers and veterans. The event, “Iowa Veterans’ Presidential Extravaganza," is open to all veterans, regardless of their political affiliation. “From the day you put on the uniform, you learn to take care of your fellow soldier. This is no different. Black, white, Hispanic, Republican, Democrat, Independent; we are all in this together. You may or may not like our politics, but you cannot deny that we are comrades in arms,” said Bob Krause, chair of the IDP Veterans’ Caucus.

The fundraiser will coincide with the Iowa State Fair’s “Veterans Day,” and net proceeds will be donated to soldiers and families at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and Clinics throughout Iowa. Landstuhl is the location that seriously injured American soldiers are Medivaced to after initial stabilization in theaters of war. Soldiers come in with no clothes and no gear because of the circumstances of the injuries. Immediate family members are authorized travel, but some extended family members are not. Money provided to Veterans Centers and Clinics in Iowa will be given to the chaplain's office to be distributed where there are special needs.

All of the Democratic presidential candidates have been invited, but only Sen. Chris Dodd, D.-Con., has confirmed to attend, while John Edwards and Sen. Joe Biden, D., Del., have confirmed sending high-level surrogates on their behalf. In order to accommodate veterans and their families, who will be attending the State Fair, the event will run from 3pm to 7pm.

The Extravaganza will be held at Four Mile Community Center, 3711 Easton Boulevard in Des Moines, which is only about 3 or 4 minutes from the main gate of the State Fair. From the gate, just go north on 33rd to Easton and then turn right to 37th. The cost of the event is $10 per individual, $15 per couple, and children with their parents are free. For more information about the event and/or the IDP Veterans’ Caucus, go to the group’s website.

Hooverfest Pays Tribute to 57 Iowa Sons and Daughters Killed in Iraq

More than 200 family members of the 57 Iowa soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Iraq gathered Saturday at the gravesite of Herbert Hoover (see pic) for a ceremony honoring their service.

“This is a long overdue salute to our fallen Iowa heroes and to you the families, who have given so much in this war as it continues at this moment,” said Ron Steele, veteran KWWL news anchor and emcee of the event.

The ceremony culminated this year’s annual Hooverfest in West Branch, which played host to a day filled with Hooverball, rain, live music, more rain, food and sunshine. Hooverfest grew from residents of Herbert Hoover’s birthplace to celebrate the 31st president of the United States by keeping the flame of Hoover’s humanitarian spirit alive.

This motif manifested throughout the evening’s ceremony as political dignitaries including Culver, former Iowa Gov. Bob Ray and Belgian Ambassador Dominique Struye de Swieland made the connection between the humanitarian and military call to service. “No group better exemplifies the Hoover spirit of service than those Iowans in the armed forces and the Iowa National Guard,” said Culver while addressing the families of the fallen.

Accompanied by bagpipe music, the ceremony that drew the fallen soldiers’ families and honored guests began at the Herbert Hoover Museum and Presidential Library and made its way toward Hoover’s gravesite atop the hill (see pic above). Onlookers stood along the procession and paid tribute to the families by clapping, while some veterans executed a military salute.

The ceremony showcased the Tipton boys’ choir singing the national anthem, a flyover by a CH7 Chinook (see pic left) from Davenport Company B 2nd Battalion 211 General Support Aviation and speeches by Ron Steele, Belgian Ambassador Dominique Struye de Swieland, and Iowa’s Commander-in-Chief Chet Culver. A tribute film honoring the fallen soldiers and fireworks accompanied by contemporary patriotic music followed the speeches.

With the graves of former President Herbert Hoover and his wife, Lou Henri, as the backdrop, Culver delivered the keynote address to the families. “Here in front of Hoover’s final resting place, we remember and celebrate the lives of 57 other great Iowans, those who have died since the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.”

Tapping into Hoover’s legacy, Culver connected his service to those of Iowans. “Being an Iowan means many things to many people,” Culver said. “However, I believe there is one common bond that unites everyone who has lived in our state, and that’s a never-ending commitment to serving our fellow Iowans. The idea of giving something back to our community still matters in Iowa.” At the apex of his speech, Culver, on behalf of the soldiers killed in Iraq, specifically addressed those left behind in their wake. “As their commander in chief, I would like to say a few words to their families,” Culver said. “Words cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices that your sons or daughters or niece or nephew or aunt, uncle or husband or wife or mother or father have made on behalf of our state.”

“Though you will never to be able to fill the hole in your heart, I want you to know that every Iowan is ready to assist today and in the future in any way possible,” Culver said. “You are a part of the Iowa community, and when we lose somebody too young and so full of life, everyone grieves, too.”

After a moment of silence, Culver made a vow and oral contract with the families that he will do anything in his power to help them through suffering and struggles brought on by their losses. Culver said how proud he was that his first executive order as governor was to lower flags half-staff to honor Iowa’s fallen soldiers. “This simple act makes visible the sacrifice made by these soldiers.”

At the end of his speech, he reiterated Iowans' call to service by quoting another former president, John F. Kennedy, who once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by those words.”

“These 57 eternal patriots that we honor here tonight are the ultimate embodiment of Iowa’s spirit of service and we must honor our own lives in honor of their sacrifice. We must dedicate our lives to the same spirit of service they did. We owe it to them,” Culver said. “Let us work together in our communities and to give our children every opportunity of success, so they may pass this spirit of service down to future generations of Iowans. By doing so, we will make our state better by making the lives around us better, thus paying a lasting tribute to these soldiers on behalf of all of us.”

The Iowa Front: Military & Veterans’ Weekly Roundup

Last night I attended the ceremony at West Branch’s annual Hooverfest honoring Iowa’s 57 soldiers killed in the Iraq War. The event was also intended to pay tribute to the soldiers’ families who have been left behind. Iowa’s commander-in-chief, Gov. Chet Culver, spoke at the ceremony, and the event culminated with a firework show accompanied by contemporary patriotic music. Be sure to read tomorrow’s Iowa Independent for a more detailed write up.

Political/Veterans’ Front

“Legislation Clears Senate to Name Marshalltown Post Office after Fallen Soldier”: One of the fallen soldier honored at the ceremony was Major Scott Nisely, whose public service was recognized by companion bills passed by both chambers of Congress. Legislation to name the Marshalltown Post Office after Nisley cleared the Senate last week. The bill, first introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Bruce Braley, D.-1st Dist., had already passed in the House. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law.

“This is a fitting tribute to Major Nisely and the welcoming home of his National Guard unit. He was the epitome of a great American and served his country valiantly for nearly 30 years in the military, but his public service didn’t stop there. He also worked for 12 years with the United States Postal Service,” Grassley said in a press release. “I know he is missed by his family, friends, co-workers and fellow Guard members. I hope this will serve as positive reminder of a man who gave so much to his country.”

Nisely’s military service included nearly 25 years with the United States Marine Corps and Marines Corps Reserve during which he achieved the rank of Major. Most recently, he took a significant decrease in rank to serve in the Iowa Army National Guard for close to four years. His public service also includes 12 years with the United States Postal Service.

“Lifelong Republican and Marine Veteran Breaks Ground with "Support the Troops, End the War" Yard Sign”: Americans Against Escalation in Iraq “Iraq Summer” Campaign officially kicked off its "Support the Troops, End the War" yard sign drive in Iowa Monday as part of an ongoing effort to convince Senator Chuck Grassley and U.S. Representative Tom Latham to change course and vote for the safe and responsible redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq. The first yard sign of the 6,000 sign statewide campaign drive was planted in the yard of Dr. Larry Koenig, a lifelong Republican who served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Both his daughter and son joined the United States Army, and his son is still on active duty.

“The current culture of divisiveness is making it hard to end the war,” said Dr. Larry Koenig. “It’s not about being a Republican or a Democrat – it’s about doing the right thing. These signs bring awareness that our troops are in a situation that is not in their best interest or our country’s.”

“It’s wonderful to have someone like Dr. Koenig whose family has given so much for this country standing with us in this effort to bring a safe and responsible end to the war in Iraq,” said Sue Dinsdale, mother of an Iraq war veteran and the Field Director for Iowa’s ‘Iraq Summer’ Campaign.

“We hope Senator Grassley and Congressman Latham get the message that Iowans all of walks of life, of both political parties, are united in calling for an end to this war. These signs are a great way to show neighbors our love and support for our US military - and a great way to show our representatives in Washington that the best way they can show their support for our troops is to vote to bring them home safe.”

“Iraq Summer” is a nationwide, 10-week long campaign with nearly 100 organizers in 15 states and 40 congressional districts to turn up the heat on Republican members of Congress who have opposed setting a timeline to bring a safe and responsible end to the war in Iraq. The effort will culminate with a national “Take a Stand” day on August 28th, when members will have the opportunity to explain their stance on the war to their constituents in a town hall setting.

In Cedar Rapids, Gulf War veteran Joe Stutler, was the first person in eastern Iowa to place a “Support the Troops, End the War” yard sign as part of the campaign. Be sure to read Lynda Waddington’s account of the event in the Iowa Independent.

West Branch’s Hooverfest to Honor Iowa’s 57 Fallen Soldiers

Gov. Chet Culver’s first executive order as Iowa’s commander-in-chief called for all flags on state grounds to be flown at half-staff to honor fallen soldiers. Since Culver signed the directive Jan. 27, eight Iowa soldiers have been killed in the line of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. On May 28, the Iowa Independent asked: “So what about the 49 fallen Iowa soldiers who were killed in the line of duty before Gov. Culver was sworn into office and issued his first executive order? Maybe one day in Iowa, flags will be flown half-staff in their honor.”

West Branch, the birthplace of Herbert Hoover, has responded by planning to honor all of Iowa’s fallen soldiers at the annual Hooverfest. A private reception will be held for the fallen service members’ families on Saturday, which will be followed by a 7:30 p.m. procession to the nearby Hoover grave site for the public ceremony.

Accompanied by bagpipe music, a procession that includes families representing 57 Iowans killed in Iraq will hear Culver and Belgian Ambassador Dominique Struye de Swieland each give an address. A wreath sent from the White House will be placed on the grave-site monument, and Iowa Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Jodi Tymeson will read a letter sent by President Bush. There will also be a tribute film honoring the fallen soldiers, music by the Tipton High School Boys’ Choir and a surprise by the Iowa National Guard. The evening will end with fireworks scored by patriotic music.

The occasion will mark the first time Culver will address the soldiers of the 133rd Infantry Battalion and their families since their return to Iowa. Although Culver greeted the soldiers upon their return to American soil at Volk Field in Wisconsin, he did not attend last week’s homecoming at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo. Culver’s absence did not go unnoticed by some of the attendees as John Carlson notes in the Des Moines Register:

There was some "where's the governor?" grumbling among relatives who gathered to celebrate and honor the battalion that spent nearly two years on active duty,
including 15-plus months in Iraq. The Iowans served longer continuously in Iraq
than any other military unit since the war started more than four years ago.

Some - Richard Elliott of Carson, for instance - wondered why Culver didn't show. "These are his boys," said Elliott, who was there to greet his son-in-law. "He should have been there…It's about respecting these soldiers…This is his state. He should have been there. Everybody sitting around me thought the
same thing."

Brad Anderson, communications director for the governor, responded to the Des Moines Register that:

"Culver went to Volk Field in Wisconsin to greet the soldiers when they arrivedthere a week before they came to the Waterloo event. He was there on the tarmacto greet them as they got off the plane," Anderson said. "It was a more intimatesetting and more meaningful than giving a speech when all the family members
wanted to do was greet their soldiers."

Anderson said Culver discussed all this with Maj. Gen. Ron Dardis, the top-ranking Guard officer in Iowa, and they agreed the governor should be in Wisconsin.

"The governor and General Dardis both thought that being the first to greet them was the best way for the governor to welcome them home," Anderson said. "The governor believes they are true heroes. He had a great visit with them and was able to talk with them on a one-on-one, intimate level."