Trump’s plan for homeless vets continues to put Americans ahead of illegal aliens

Trump’s plan for homeless vets continues to put Americans ahead of illegal aliens: The Democrats have been making clear that their most important constituents aren’t actual American voters; they are, instead, future voters who are currently illegal aliens. That’s why their rhetorical hysteria about deporting violent criminals here illegally has been ratcheted up to include physical attacks on ICE agents and facilities.

From homelessness to hope: Trump’s unmatched veteran support

From homelessness to hope: Trump’s unmatched veteran support: In the upcoming November election, the choice before American voters is clear: a critical decision between continuing the malaise of Biden-Harris or a return to the transformative policies of former President Donald Trump.

As we weigh these choices, it is crucial to reflect on the tangible benefits that Trump’s administration brought to our veterans, working-class citizens, and the broader American workforce. The results of Trump’s policies in these areas present a compelling argument for why he deserves another term, particularly in contrast to the lackluster performance of President Joe Biden and the looming continuation of his policies under Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump Stands for America’s Veterans and Economy

Trump Stands for America’s Veterans and Economy: As November approaches, the choice facing American voters could not be more consequential. On one side stands Donald Trump, a figure whose administration has made substantial strides in reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and revitalizing the economy. On the other side is Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, whose administration has been marred by economic stagnation and faltering support systems for those who have served our country.

With Harris as the presumptive Democrat nominee, continuity of this underwhelming leadership seems inevitable. For the working man, the businessman, and indeed every American concerned with the future of our veterans and economic health, supporting Donald Trump emerges as a decisive, pragmatic choice.

Honor, Respect, Remember

See related editorial - Remember Pearl Harbor!: 70 years on - at Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website.

Rep. Warren Kampf to host Veterans Expo

State Rep. Warren Kampf, R-157th Dist., will host a Veterans Expo on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, 1601 Valley Forge Road (Route 23) in Valley Forge.

"I've organized this event for all veterans and their families to educate them, particularly those returning from service in Iraq or Afghanistan, on the benefits available to them through government agencies," Kampf said in a press release. "These include education grants, disability, compensation, and other applicable veterans programs."

Representatives from county, state, and federal veterans' affairs departments will be on hand to discuss their agencies' roles in the benefit process and describe the various services they provide veterans and their families. Refreshments will be served.

RSVP by contacting Kampf's district office at 610-251-2876.

More information about the expo is also available on Kampf's website, www.RepKampf.com

Sen. Rafferty to host veterans breakfast on Oct. 29

Sen. John Rafferty is planning a salute to area veterans in Pennsylvania's 44th Senate District with a veterans appreciation breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the SunnyBrook Ballroom in Pottstown.

Due to the capacity of the building, only those veterans who have pre-registered with Sen. Rafferty's office will be admitted as seating is limited. To register, call 610-831-8830

Pennsylvania's 44th Senatorial District includes parts of Berks, Chester, and Montgomery counties. In Berks County: Amity Township, Douglass Township and Robeson Township. In Chester County: Caln Township, Coatesville, East Brandywine Township, East Nantmeal Township, North Coventry Township, South Coatesville, South Coventry Township, Upper Uwchlan Township, Valley Township, Wallace Township, Warwick Township, West Brandywine Township, West Caln Township, West Nantmeal Township. In Montgomery County: Collegeville, Douglass Township, Limerick Township, Lower Pottsgrove Township, Lower Providence Township, Perkiomen Township, Pottstown, Royersford, Schwenksville, Skippack Township, Upper Pottsgrove Township, West Norriton Township, West Pottsgrove Township, Whitpain Township and Worcester Township.

We Can Never Say Thank You Enough

Gary Sinise: Help build memorial for disabled veterans

Veterans Day 2010

Gary Sinise: Help Build the National Memorial For Permanently Disabled Veterans

Gary Sinise: Help Build the National Memorial For Permanently Disabled Veterans

Sen. Rafferty to salute veterans

State Sen. John C. Rafferty, Jr., R-44th, will salute veterans who live in the 44th Senatorial District (parts of Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties) during the third annual Veterans Appreciation Breakfast at Sunnybook Ballroom, 50 Sunnybrook Road, Pottstown.

The patriotic celebration, scheduled Oct. 30 from 8 to 10 a.m., will feature a keynote speaker and breakfast, and will honor the men and women who served and continue to serve in the armed forces.

For more information, or to register for the event, contact Sen. Rafferty's office at 610-831-8830.

Due to the capacity of the building seating is limited and only those veterans who have pre-registered will be admitted. (More than 350 attended last year's event.)

Deadline for registration is Oct. 26.

Rendell delivers a lump of coal to PA veterans

A guest post today by Jeff Johnson Erie, who believes Gov. Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Legislature should not have cut off funding for Governor's Veterans Outreach and Assistance Centers, which provide vital services to Pennsylvania veterans living in rural areas.

Pennsylvania turns its back on veterans

By Jeff Johnson

Government often commits its most unconscionable acts when no one is looking.

This could not have been more evident than shortly before Veterans Day when the Rendell administration quietly canceled a program that has helped countless veterans for decades. The timing couldn't have been worse, either. Two wars are raging; veterans lead the nation in homelessness and suicide; many veterans are struggling.
It just doesn't make sense.

The Governor's Veterans Outreach and Assistance Centers received notice from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry that they must close by year's end. Sandi Vito, a Rendell appointee, leads the department ordering the closings. The veterans outreach program, in operation since 1980, has five regional offices around the state. The program helps veterans obtain all kinds of veterans benefits while providing personalized, one-on-one help through each step of the process. In addition, each office sends employees into adjoining counties to meet with vets and provide them with the same help. As a result, every county in Pennsylvania benefits from the program’s regional presence and statewide reach.

The cost is another issue making the planned closings even more nonsensical: the program doesn't cost Pennsylvania taxpayers a dime.

Yes, you read it right. The veterans outreach program operates at no cost to Pennsylvania taxpayers. Its funding comes entirely from a federal Department of Labor grant. Having long preceded the Rendell administration, the program was supposed to outlast it. Sadly, unless the termination is somehow overturned, the program will be shut down for good on Dec. 31.

The money for the program is now being rerouted to other state programs, filling holes created by the state budget mess in the wake of the economic downturn. The shortsightedness of this decision is stunning. By next year, when the federal money that sustained this program comes — as it has been coming for 30 years — there will be no program to sustain. And while the veterans centers aren't the only places where veterans can turn for help, other options aren't without their shortcomings. County veterans offices, where many veterans will undoubtedly be forced to turn, are historically understaffed and will likely see their workloads doubled or tripled.
And what of the veterans outreach employees?

During the budget crisis, while the state held the veterans centers' money hostage, its employees kept coming to work, kept helping vets, and kept working without pay. They're a dedicated bunch, many with decades of experience and expertise in the field. As of this writing, these workers haven't been paid for five months. For a state that claims to honor its veterans, what a dismal way to treat those who are serving them.

The lack of response by state lawmakers has been puzzling, but mostly in a political sense. 2010 is an election year; Republicans sense opportunity. While both parties blame each other for the budget fiasco, the public blames them both. A fight on behalf of veterans to save the veterans centers may be just what lawmakers need to regain favor with a cynical public. Politically speaking, fighting for vets is always a winning strategy. Moreover, many of Pennsylvania's veterans are senior citizens, tying in two key voting blocs in one issue. One can clearly imagine how the cancellation of this program would energize opportunistic lawmakers from Philadelphia to Erie. But it just hasn't happened, yet.

More than a generation ago, the post-Vietnam War period saw America turn its back on many of the problems facing veterans, deciding instead to focus on other "important" issues, such as the economy. Sound familiar? It should. America has been down this road before. Will Pennsylvania make the same mistake? Remember, we're already shutting down a successful program that doesn't cost state taxpayers anything. It's troubling to ponder what may come next as large numbers of new vets return to Pennsylvania from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Are we going to turn our backs on veterans again?

The veterans outreach centers are scheduled to close Dec. 31.

Merry Christmas, veterans.

New license plates honor PA veterans

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is offering special vehicle license plates honoring veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, according to state Sen. Bob Mensch (R-24th Dist).

"The new plates feature the applicable branch of service emblem or logo on the left side of the plate," said Mensch, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. "The plate also bears the word 'Pennsylvania' across the top and the name of the applicable branch of service at the bottom."

Honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to obtain one of the plates by completing Form MV-150, the U.S. Military Veteran Registration Plate Application.

The form is available online at: www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/mv_forms/mv-150.pdf

Veterans should send the completed form along with a certified copy of their DD-214 and a $20 fee to PENNDOT, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, 1101 South Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104.

Residents of the 24th District may also obtain the form and assistance in submitting it by contacting any of Sen. Mensch's District Offices listed on his Web site, www.senatormensch.com

Veterans Day Salute

Veterans Day 2009

American Legion Celebrates New Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

The American Legion Celebrates the Inauguration of New Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits

American Legion: Veterans want no part of Obamacare

The national commander of the nation's largest veterans service organization says military and veterans health care should not be part of any national health care bill.

Reacting Barack Obama's urgent call for immediate Congressional approval of a government-run health care system, American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein issued the following statement:

"While The American Legion appreciates the complexity of the health care reform challenge facing the President and Congress, on behalf of our nation's 26 million veterans and the nearly 2 million personnel now on active duty in more than 130 countries, we urge Congress to ensure that veterans' and military health care not be part of any national health care bill. They should be exempt in the legislation."

Rehbein added, "Our nation must maintain its long standing tradition that veterans' and military health care systems will remain independent and focused on our most deserving citizens.

"The American Legion has a proud tradition of securing and preserving the earned benefits of America's veterans," continued Rehbein. "Ensuring timely access to quality health care for today's military and veterans is of paramount concern. These are the citizens who have borne our battles in previous wars as they still are in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have earned our care the hard way. We, as a nation, have an obligation to ensure that their health care is not compromised," he concluded.
With a current membership of 2.6 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

For more information about the American Legion visit its Web site, www.legion.org

'You Are Forgotten,' Claims a Veteran of the 79,200 MIAs of WWII

'You Are Forgotten,' Claims a Veteran of the 79,200 MIAs of WWII

Help carry a wounded soldier

Pennsylvania's 2nd Annual Walk For The Wounded will be held Sunday, June 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Rose Tree Park in Media, Delaware County.

Operation First Response is a national organization that cares for wounded soldiers and their families. The group invites all veterans and residents in Southeastern Pennsylvania to support the fundraiser with their "heart and dollars."

In addition to the walk, there will be free concerts, a visit by the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders, the Sixers Dancers and St. Joe's basketball coach Phil Martelli.

Operation First Response says 90 percent of funds raised will go directly to soldiers in need.

You can register for the walk or make a donation online at www.operationfirstresponse.org

Honoring Those Who Have Fallen

A guest column originally posted at GetLiberty.org :

As Americans celebrate Memorial Day, and honor those who have served their nation, Americans for Limited Government would like to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of liberty over this nation's history.

We thank all of our service men and women, for the work that they do, and for sacrifices they have made to keep us all safe. And as we support them, we are also ever mindful of those who are still in harm's way today.

The great work that our military does often requires Americans to be far away from home, liberating captive peoples, and facing grave dangers. Many of them never return home to see their loved ones again. Today, our nation honors their sacrifice, and we are humbled by our servicemen and women's resolve in completing their mission.

Theirs is the greatest work that can be done in a world where tyranny still exists. Such service has made it possible for freedom and independence to spread into regions where once it had been suppressed. For fighting not just in the defense of Americans' liberty, but of all peoples, speaks of the nobility, honor, and courage of our fighting men and women. They do not have to risk life and limb, but they volunteer for the cause of freedom.

We are also reminded that it is the soldiers — Marines, airmen, sailors and others — who risk their lives to protect our way of life here at home, and the principles upon which this nation founded. Ours is a philosophy of liberty and limited government. And the exercise of natural rights is defended every day by the nation's military. We honor them because our way of life would be in great peril without their vigilant watchfulness.

The debt that is owed to those who serve can never truly be repaid. But as Americans, we must never turn its back on her veterans, their families, and the families of those who have fallen. It is up to each of us to do all in its power to honor them. And it is incumbent upon our elected leaders to ensure they have the best care possible when injured, and to make sure those families are looked after when they lose a father, a mother, a son, or a daughter.

Regardless of one's political stripes that should be a sacred trust all can agree upon.

To defend liberty in its hour of danger is the greatest call any American can ever answer. And the depths of our gratitude can never be adequately tapped.

From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go:
Thus ever let there rise to Thee,
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.