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Author: TriSec    Date: 07/11/2017 12:13:16

Good Morning.

We'll dive right in this morning, but we've gone through an anomaly - I'm starting nearly a quarter-century ago now, after the first Gulf War. I have some friends that served during that era. One was aboard a US Navy submarine, so despite his service, that isn't quite the same (He's said as much himself - "Are we even in the same war???"). Another was the first over the berm in Iraq, but he is now long deceased.


In any case, if either of my friends had filed claims for the still mysterious Gulf War Syndrome, there's about an 80% chance they would have been denied.


WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs denies more than 80 percent of veterans’ claims for benefits for Gulf War-associated illnesses -- an approval rating three times lower than all other types of claims, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Monday.

From 2010 to 2015, the VA approved 17 percent of claims – or 18,000 of 102,000 -- for health care and disability compensation for veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness, which is an umbrella term for certain medical conditions common in some of the 1 million servicemembers who deployed to Southwest Asia in the past 27 years. Besides claims getting denied more often, veterans seeking benefits for Gulf War illness are having to wait four months longer on average to hear back from the VA, the GAO found.

There’s confusion among VA staff about how to handle the claims, the report states. The Government Accountability Office also found VA medical examiners, who are key in providing information for veterans’ claims, lacked training on Gulf War illness. As of February, 90 percent of medical examiners had not been trained on how to conduct exams for Gulf War illness. The VA made the training optional.

...

Ron Brown, president of the National Gulf War Resource Center, has been helping Gulf War veterans with their denied claims for the past three years. He communicates between veterans and VA leadership, and is often successful at getting a veteran’s denial reversed.

Brown had a direct line of communication with former VA Secretary Bob McDonald and he has advocated for better training for VA staff. He has also criticized the VA for being too vague in denial letters to veterans, contending more specific information about why a claim was denied would help veterans know their next step.

The Government Accountability Office discovered the same problem. Emrey-Arras described the denial letters as technical, legalistic and “difficult to understand.”

“I’m extremely disappointed,” Brown said. “These are the same issues the National Gulf War Resource Center has been trying to bring to the VA’s attention for three years now. I’m left scratching my head on what we’ve accomplished. We’ve had 26 years to get this right, and we’re not even close. These vets are struggling.”


I'll change gears abrubtly, as we often do here at AAV, as I am just learning of a crash of a KC-130 tanker as I write this. The KC-130 is the backbone of our aerial refueling fleet. It's based on the venerable Boeing 707 airframe, and many of these aircraft are over 50 years old. (That's no handicap - with proper maintenance, any aircraft can fly indefinitely.) Sixteen Marines have perished in the crash, and the wreckage is still on fire, so no investigation has yet begun.


ITTA BENA, Miss. — A U.S. military plane used for refueling crashed into a field in rural Mississippi, killing at least 16 people aboard and spreading debris for miles and creating a fiery wreckage, officials said.

Leflore County Emergency Management Agency Director Frank Randle told reporters at a late Monday briefing that 16 bodies had been recovered after the KC-130 spiraled into the ground about 85 miles (135 kilometers) north of Jackson in the Mississippi Delta.

Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns said in a statement that a KC-130 "experienced a mishap" Monday evening but provided no details. The KC-130 is used as a refueling tanker.

Andy Jones said he was working on his family's catfish farm just before 4 p.m. when he heard a boom and looked up to see the plane corkscrewing downward with one engine smoking.

"You looked up and you saw the plane twirling around," he said. "It was spinning down."

Jones said the plane hit the ground behind some trees in a soybean field, and by the time he and others reached the crash site, fires were burning too intensely to approach the wreckage. The force of the crash nearly flattened the plane, Jones said.

"Beans are about waist-high, and there wasn't much sticking out above the beans," he said.

Jones said a man borrowed his cellphone to report to authorities that there were bodies across U.S. Highway 82, more than a mile from the crash site.

Greenwood Fire Chief Marcus Banks told the Greenwood Commonwealth that debris from the plane was scattered in a radius of about 5 miles (8 kilometers).


Long ago, KC-130s were based here in New England at Pease Air Force Base. I visited these aircraft with Troop 61, and even had a chance to get aboard and operate the refueling boom. (on the ground). It was my father that asked the crew how they bailed out if anything happened. The nice Air Force man smiled tightly and told us they didn't even carry parachutes. The plane is a flying gas can and only one thing would happen if anything went wrong.

I'll leave us with a longer story today. It's going to be worth your time to read it from the original source.


Geena Kaur serves as a Second Class Petty Officer in the United States Navy.

In today's politically charged and increasingly globalized world, it's more important than ever to be open to the beliefs and cultures of those around you. This country was built on the strong foundation of religious freedom, and it's one of the rights we hold dearest. As a United States citizen and a proud Sikh American, one of the greatest joys of my life thus far has been having the opportunity to serve the country I love. In my time serving as an Enlisted Sailor in the United States Navy, I've had the chance to not only defend my country but to fulfill a promise I made to honor the legacy of my father.

Spending my earliest years growing up in India, I was exposed to prejudice and injustice at an extraordinarily young age. My father was arrested and brutally tortured during the Sikh Genocide of 1984, forcing my mother to flee to the United States with me, her three-year-old daughter, in tow. This must have been a harrowing experience, but I am eternally grateful for her swift actions in getting us safely to America, the land of the free. Upon arrival to the United States, we were not only reunited with my father but we were given a tremendous opportunity to live a life of safety and countless blessings to excel far past we ever could have in our homeland.

I have always felt indebted to this country for sheltering my family in our time of need, and what better way to repay that debt than by serving in our military? My father always stated that he would give his life for those he loved and for the well-being and protection of his people. I hold these words close to my heart as they resonate very deeply with my passion to serve. This country is my home, it's the land that I love, and I am honored to be given the opportunity to wear the cloth of this great nation.

My family's decision to bring me to the United States made my dream of upholding my father's legacy by serving in the military a much more plausible reality. Whereas Reuters reports that women make up only 2.5% of the Indian Armed Forces, women comprise 15.5% of active-duty personnel in the U.S. military according to the Department of Defense's 2015 Demographics Profile Of The Military Community and I'm proud to be one of them.

This speaks to another core tenet of my faith, Sikhism, that aligns beautifully with the American values I hold so dear – gender equality. Pioneering Sikh leaders worked tirelessly to reform and redefine the status of women in society. Today, Sikh women engage in the same religious, cultural, political and secular activities as men – including serving in the armed forces.


When the military is writing stories about duty, honor, and service, focusing on the "lesser" folks that are targeted by the Commander-In-Chief....something is drastically wrong.


 
 

43 comments (Latest Comment: 07/11/2017 21:33:44 by BobR)
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Comment by Will in Chicago on 07/11/2017 13:27:57
Good morning, bloggers!!!

TriSec, thanks for a great blog!! I read the original article by Second Class Petty Officer Geena Kaur, and was impressed. I am far more impressed with her than an unqualified commander-in-chief whose child went to a meeting promising intelligence information from a foreign power.



Comment by Will in Chicago on 07/11/2017 13:30:27
In some good news, I have an interview this morning.

This is the school where in November, I showed up for an interview and the interviewer had left due to a family emergency. I rescheduled the interview and on the day before the rescheduled interview, I called to confirm. I got a call back from the interviewer apologizing that they had filled the position. (I will try to have some faith in this outfit but I am fighting my skepticism.)


Comment by Mondobubba on 07/11/2017 13:41:12
Hey, I wonder if the provision for free wellness visits is something that is included in Trumpcare like it is in Obamacare. My physical yesterday had no copay.

Comment by wickedpam on 07/11/2017 13:55:11
Morning

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 14:42:41
Good Morning!

Ms.MargeretMurphy has been delivered to the open arms of National Airport.

Comment by TriSec on 07/11/2017 14:45:54
Quote by Mondobubba:
Hey, I wonder if the provision for free wellness visits is something that is included in Trumpcare like it is in Obamacare. My physical yesterday had no copay.


Oh, no. Heavy copays a'comin!!

https://i.imgflip.com/6bwri.jpg


Comment by wickedpam on 07/11/2017 14:55:53
Quote by Raine:
Good Morning!

Ms.MargeretMurphy has been delivered to the open arms of National Airport.



Safe travels Margeret!

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 15:06:04
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Good Morning!

Ms.MargeretMurphy has been delivered to the open arms of National Airport.



Safe travels Margeret!
Went to the zoo on Sunday and Both National Galleries yesterday. I am pooped!


Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 15:06:36
So anything happen over the weekend??

Comment by wickedpam on 07/11/2017 15:09:45
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Good Morning!

Ms.MargeretMurphy has been delivered to the open arms of National Airport.



Safe travels Margeret!
Went to the zoo on Sunday and Both National Galleries yesterday. I am pooped!



That is a LOT of walking!

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 15:15:22



Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 15:17:15
Quote by Raine:


Remember that Russian video I posted a while back?

That was the same Emin that they are talking about in the email chain.

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 15:29:57
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Raine:


Remember that Russian video I posted a while back?

That was the same Emin that they are talking about in the email chain.



Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 15:52:51
I am totallyt gobsmacked today.

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 16:01:28
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/11/2017 16:08:21
Quote by Raine:
Good Morning!

Ms.MargeretMurphy has been delivered to the open arms of National Airport.


Props for calling that airport by its real name.

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/11/2017 16:14:35
Have I mentioned this before? I'm not sure. Maybe it was one of you fine people.
Have you ever noticed that when Cheetolini sits he manspreads and leans forwards. He looks like he is taking a dump. Google "Donald Trump sitting." See what I mean?


Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 16:21:52
Quote by Mondobubba:
Have I mentioned this before? I'm not sure. Maybe it was one of you fine people.
Have you ever noticed that when Cheetolini sits he manspreads and leans forwards. He looks like he is taking a dump. Google "Donald Trump sitting." See what I mean?

I have noticed it for months. It bothers the hell out of me.

Comment by BobR on 07/11/2017 16:21:55
So more details to go with the emails

“To everyone, in order to be totally transparent, I am releasing the entire email chain of my emails” about the June 9 meeting, he wrote. “I first wanted to just have a phone call but when that didn’t work out, they said the woman would be in New York and asked if I would meet.”

He added that nothing came of it.


That's like saying "yeah, I smoked weed, but I didn't inhale..."

Comment by TriSec on 07/11/2017 16:26:17
Quote by Raine:
Went to the zoo on Sunday and Both National Galleries yesterday. I am pooped!



psst...wanna be a tour guide for a group of Bostonians? (Months away yet, but looking around at some dates and Amtraks.)

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 16:27:58
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Raine:
Went to the zoo on Sunday and Both National Galleries yesterday. I am pooped!



psst...wanna be a tour guide for a group of Bostonians? (Months away yet, but looking around at some dates and Amtraks.)
Sure!

We are out of town around labor day weekend, but hells YES!


Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 16:28:36
Quote by BobR:
So more details to go with the emails

“To everyone, in order to be totally transparent, I am releasing the entire email chain of my emails” about the June 9 meeting, he wrote. “I first wanted to just have a phone call but when that didn’t work out, they said the woman would be in New York and asked if I would meet.”

He added that nothing came of it.


That's like saying "yeah, I smoked weed, but I didn't inhale..."
he cc'd Kush and MAnafort in those emails!




Comment by Mondobubba on 07/11/2017 16:30:45
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Have I mentioned this before? I'm not sure. Maybe it was one of you fine people.
Have you ever noticed that when Cheetolini sits he manspreads and leans forwards. He looks like he is taking a dump. Google "Donald Trump sitting." See what I mean?

I have noticed it for months. It bothers the hell out of me.


The baggy suits, whos jackets he doesn't button, the ties hanging down by his dangly bits and this. He doesn't know how to adult at all.

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 16:39:28
Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 16:40:41
oopsie Daisy!






Comment by wickedpam on 07/11/2017 16:51:04
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Have I mentioned this before? I'm not sure. Maybe it was one of you fine people.
Have you ever noticed that when Cheetolini sits he manspreads and leans forwards. He looks like he is taking a dump. Google "Donald Trump sitting." See what I mean?

I have noticed it for months. It bothers the hell out of me.


The baggy suits, whos jackets he doesn't button, the ties hanging down by his dangly bits and this. He doesn't know how to adult at all.



oh he knows, he's just crass. As Steph said earlier, he's a poor, uneducated man's idea of what its like to be rich

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 16:56:24
Such fucking bullshit:






Comment by velveeta jones on 07/11/2017 17:37:18
Afternoon.....

Wow, Little Donny Two Scoops................ just..... wow.

At this point I want to see some Trump in handcuffs. Any of them, even Tiffany will suffice.

Comment by velveeta jones on 07/11/2017 17:40:38
http://i.imgur.com/QKB7JRpm.jpg


Comment by livingonli on 07/11/2017 18:15:14
Good day, folks. The blog always gets quiet when Mommy and Daddy go away. Battery has been getting testy lately, and I needed to jump it on Friday and ended up missing work. AAA jumped the car, and did notice the ugly corrosion on the battery at the one cable point. I do have to bring the car in for maintenance since it is more than 3 months but less than 3000 miles since most of my driving has been local. The only long distance travel I have used it for has been the DC road trips. Probably have them look at the battery. Hopefully, if it has been less than 3 years, maybe the warranty still applies and I can get a new one.

I probably will need to get a new car once I get a full-time job again.

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 18:18:58
Quote by livingonli:
Good day, folks. The blog always gets quiet when Mommy and Daddy go away. Battery has been getting testy lately, and I needed to jump it on Friday and ended up missing work. AAA jumped the car, and did notice the ugly corrosion on the battery at the one cable point. I do have to bring the car in for maintenance since it is more than 3 months but less than 3000 miles since most of my driving has been local. The only long distance travel I have used it for has been the DC road trips. Probably have them look at the battery. Hopefully, if it has been less than 3 years, maybe the warranty still applies and I can get a new one.

I probably will need to get a new car once I get a full-time job again.
. That sounds like a good plan, Liv.





Comment by wickedpam on 07/11/2017 18:21:58
Hey Raine - remember that whole thing about coal burning trucks.... Rolling Coal

Comment by Mondobubba on 07/11/2017 18:34:47
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Have I mentioned this before? I'm not sure. Maybe it was one of you fine people.
Have you ever noticed that when Cheetolini sits he manspreads and leans forwards. He looks like he is taking a dump. Google "Donald Trump sitting." See what I mean?

I have noticed it for months. It bothers the hell out of me.


The baggy suits, whos jackets he doesn't button, the ties hanging down by his dangly bits and this. He doesn't know how to adult at all.



oh he knows, he's just crass. As Steph said earlier, he's a poor, uneducated man's idea of what its like to be rich





Comment by Mondobubba on 07/11/2017 18:36:33
Comment by Mondobubba on 07/11/2017 18:43:40


Once again the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree. Don Sr's mentor/lawyer: Roy Cohn.

Comment by BobR on 07/11/2017 19:10:33
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Have I mentioned this before? I'm not sure. Maybe it was one of you fine people.
Have you ever noticed that when Cheetolini sits he manspreads and leans forwards. He looks like he is taking a dump. Google "Donald Trump sitting." See what I mean?

I have noticed it for months. It bothers the hell out of me.


The baggy suits, whos jackets he doesn't button, the ties hanging down by his dangly bits and this. He doesn't know how to adult at all.

you'd think fashion maven Ivanka would straighten him out

Comment by BobR on 07/11/2017 19:11:06
Quote by Raine:
Quote by TriSec:
Quote by Raine:
Went to the zoo on Sunday and Both National Galleries yesterday. I am pooped!



psst...wanna be a tour guide for a group of Bostonians? (Months away yet, but looking around at some dates and Amtraks.)
Sure!

We are out of town around labor day weekend, but hells YES!

More specifically - Aug 26 - Sept 2

Comment by BobR on 07/11/2017 19:15:05
Quote by livingonli:
Good day, folks. The blog always gets quiet when Mommy and Daddy go away...

yer creepin' me out, man...


Comment by BobR on 07/11/2017 19:17:12
Quote by livingonli:
AAA jumped the car, and did notice the ugly corrosion on the battery at the one cable point. I do have to bring the car in for maintenance since it is more than 3 months but less than 3000 miles since most of my driving has been local. The only long distance travel I have used it for has been the DC road trips. Probably have them look at the battery. Hopefully, if it has been less than 3 years, maybe the warranty still applies and I can get a new one.

Corrosion on the terminal connections does not mean you need a new battery. Don't let them scam you. If it works fine after cleaning the connectors and terminals, then your battery is fine.

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 19:39:08
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Raine - remember that whole thing about coal burning trucks.... Rolling Coal

Ahhh, Thanks for that.

Jebus.

Comment by Raine on 07/11/2017 19:49:40
Holy shite:






Comment by livingonli on 07/11/2017 19:49:57
Quote by BobR:
Quote by livingonli:
AAA jumped the car, and did notice the ugly corrosion on the battery at the one cable point. I do have to bring the car in for maintenance since it is more than 3 months but less than 3000 miles since most of my driving has been local. The only long distance travel I have used it for has been the DC road trips. Probably have them look at the battery. Hopefully, if it has been less than 3 years, maybe the warranty still applies and I can get a new one.

Corrosion on the terminal connections does not mean you need a new battery. Don't let them scam you. If it works fine after cleaning the connectors and terminals, then your battery is fine.

Well, it was the AAA guy. He did say the battery hopefully should be fine, and that it might have been the corrosion. I will have to wait and see. It seems like the battery usually acts up when I have to also use the A/C or Vent, as well as the wipers and headlights. So, for me rainy days are usually the worse for these things.

Comment by BobR on 07/11/2017 21:33:44
Quote by livingonli:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by livingonli:
AAA jumped the car, and did notice the ugly corrosion on the battery at the one cable point. I do have to bring the car in for maintenance since it is more than 3 months but less than 3000 miles since most of my driving has been local. The only long distance travel I have used it for has been the DC road trips. Probably have them look at the battery. Hopefully, if it has been less than 3 years, maybe the warranty still applies and I can get a new one.

Corrosion on the terminal connections does not mean you need a new battery. Don't let them scam you. If it works fine after cleaning the connectors and terminals, then your battery is fine.

Well, it was the AAA guy. He did say the battery hopefully should be fine, and that it might have been the corrosion. I will have to wait and see. It seems like the battery usually acts up when I have to also use the A/C or Vent, as well as the wipers and headlights. So, for me rainy days are usually the worse for these things.

The removal of the corrosion should alleviate that.