WASHINGTON — The Army is ripping space-age Velcro from its uniforms and replacing it with the humble button, which turns out to be tailor-made for the rigors of Afghanistan.
Hook-and-pile tape — the generic term for Velcro— strains to keep jam-packed cargo pants pockets closed. And when the Taliban attacks, the last thing soldiers need to worry about is spilling their gear.
MILITARY: Fails on brain-test follow-ups
DEATH TOLL: A statistical, personal look at U.S. lives lost
Soldiers told superiors that Velcro didn't suit their needs, and the Army began testing alternatives last year, said Debi Dawson, an Army spokeswoman. In August, the Army will begin issuing new pants to soldiers heading to Afghanistan.
"When concerns surfaced in surveys that the hook-and-pile tape was not holding under the weight of full pocket loads, the Army evaluated several solutions," Dawson said. Velcro has been part of the latest Army combat uniform since it was introduced in 2004.
Dirt and rocks also clog the pile portion of the fastener. That requires soldiers to clean it regularly. An Army website offersthis helpful hint: a soldier's small weapons cleaning brush has been "working very well" in removing dirt and sand.
"This is the latest proof that dust and debris are the biggest enemy for the U.S. military," said Loren Thompson, a military analyst at the Lexington Institute and a consultant to defense contractors. "Taliban attacks come and go, but dust is constant in Afghanistan. Dust will impede the function of anything."
Sgt. Kenny Hatten cut to the heart of the matter in this posting on an Army website, urging the military to go back to the future:
"Get rid of the pocket flap Velcro and give us back our buttons," Hatten wrote. "Buttons are silent, easy to replace in the field, work just fine in the mud, do not clog up with dirt and do not fray and disintegrate with repeated laundering."
Somebody, apparently, was listening.
Snaps and buttons were identified as possible fixes for failing Velcro. The Army surveyed 2,700 soldiers who tested prototypes, and 60% said they preferred buttons and 29% liked snaps. Just 11% wanted to keep Velcro, according to the Army. In the end, the Army decided to substitute three buttons for Velcro on the cargo pockets of its pants.
It's cheaper, too. The Army will save 96 cents per uniform when it swaps buttons for Velcro, Dawson said.
The new-and-improved uniforms will still have plenty of Velcro, the sticky fabric popularized during spaceflights. (Astronauts used it to keep pens and other items from floating in the weightless environment.) Velcro remains on the cuffs of sleeves. It's also used for nameplates and patches.
Hatten's ideal uniform might save the Army a few more pennies.
"I don't mind the insignia Velcro on the sleeve pockets, but why would I need Velcro for my name tape and U.S. Army tapes?" he asked. "Am I going to change my name and join a different army? Why not let us sew these items on the uniform, along with the patrol cap? That's cheaper, more durable and reduces the possibility of having your uniform items stolen or tampered with."
The Army, Dawson said, hears soldiers like Hatten. It's aware of continuing complaints about Velcro and will take them into account when redesigning uniforms in the future.
USAToday
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Military fails on brain-test follow-ups
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has failed to comply with a congressional directive to give all troops tests before and after they serve in combat to measure their thinking abilities and uncover possible brain injuries, military records show.
More than 562,000 tests of troops taken before they deployed have not been readministered on their return by military health officials, the records show. That means the Pentagon could be missing thousands of cases of brain injury, says Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., who helped write the 2008 order.
"This is a total failure," says Pascrell, co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. "We're failing to find TBI (traumatic brain injury) and post-traumatic stress disorder in an era when the military is trying to find and assist folks who need it."
Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the Army surgeon general, and other Army officials say the test is flawed and no better than a "coin flip."
The test, called the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM), produces too many false positive results, said Lt. Col. Michael Russell, head of the Army's ANAM program.
The test "was promised ... as a sort of 'pregnancy test' for (mild) TBI. It has failed to deliver," says Russell, adding that false results could be triggered by medication, such as Benadryl.
BRAIN DAMAGE: Two wars produce unique and puzzling injuries
MILITARY: Mental health stays rising
FAITH: Ministries pave a spiritual path to help veterans with PTSD
This misrepresents the test, which is designed only to alert doctors that a soldier's thinking process has declined and further evaluation is necessary, says Tresa Roebuck-Spencer, a neuropsychologist with the University of Oklahoma, which develops and distributes the testing program for the Army. She says research shows that false positives drop significantly when the post-deployment test is compared with the original exam.
In that role, this kind of test would be a useful tool for screening all returning troops as Congress intended, say two military neurologists, Air Force Col. Michael Jaffee, director of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, and Cmdr. Jack Tsao, director of TBI programs for the Navy and Marines.
"Anything that would help us to better diagnose ... servicemembers who may need further care or follow-up is welcome," Tsao says.
ANAM is a roughly 20-minute computerized test that scores areas such as reaction time, learning speed, short-term memory and mathematical processing. It also gauges a servicemember's mood, fatigue and history of any head injury.
Congress passed the test order in January 2008. Ward Casscells, then the military's top medical officer, ordered in May 2008 that the ANAM test be given pre-deployment while military experts studied it and other tests for both pre- and post-deployment use. That study is not expected to be completed until 2013.
In November 2008, Schoomaker barred post-deployment screening with ANAM.
About 575,000 pre-deployment tests have been gathered at a cost of about $30 each. Only 12,000 to 13,000 tests have been used for follow-up comparisons, most for a study at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The military relies largely on self-reporting symptoms in diagnosing mild TBI suffered in combat. About 5% to 15% suffer persistent problems.
Reposted from USAToday
More than 562,000 tests of troops taken before they deployed have not been readministered on their return by military health officials, the records show. That means the Pentagon could be missing thousands of cases of brain injury, says Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., who helped write the 2008 order.
"This is a total failure," says Pascrell, co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. "We're failing to find TBI (traumatic brain injury) and post-traumatic stress disorder in an era when the military is trying to find and assist folks who need it."
Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the Army surgeon general, and other Army officials say the test is flawed and no better than a "coin flip."
The test, called the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM), produces too many false positive results, said Lt. Col. Michael Russell, head of the Army's ANAM program.
The test "was promised ... as a sort of 'pregnancy test' for (mild) TBI. It has failed to deliver," says Russell, adding that false results could be triggered by medication, such as Benadryl.
BRAIN DAMAGE: Two wars produce unique and puzzling injuries
MILITARY: Mental health stays rising
FAITH: Ministries pave a spiritual path to help veterans with PTSD
This misrepresents the test, which is designed only to alert doctors that a soldier's thinking process has declined and further evaluation is necessary, says Tresa Roebuck-Spencer, a neuropsychologist with the University of Oklahoma, which develops and distributes the testing program for the Army. She says research shows that false positives drop significantly when the post-deployment test is compared with the original exam.
In that role, this kind of test would be a useful tool for screening all returning troops as Congress intended, say two military neurologists, Air Force Col. Michael Jaffee, director of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, and Cmdr. Jack Tsao, director of TBI programs for the Navy and Marines.
"Anything that would help us to better diagnose ... servicemembers who may need further care or follow-up is welcome," Tsao says.
ANAM is a roughly 20-minute computerized test that scores areas such as reaction time, learning speed, short-term memory and mathematical processing. It also gauges a servicemember's mood, fatigue and history of any head injury.
Congress passed the test order in January 2008. Ward Casscells, then the military's top medical officer, ordered in May 2008 that the ANAM test be given pre-deployment while military experts studied it and other tests for both pre- and post-deployment use. That study is not expected to be completed until 2013.
In November 2008, Schoomaker barred post-deployment screening with ANAM.
About 575,000 pre-deployment tests have been gathered at a cost of about $30 each. Only 12,000 to 13,000 tests have been used for follow-up comparisons, most for a study at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The military relies largely on self-reporting symptoms in diagnosing mild TBI suffered in combat. About 5% to 15% suffer persistent problems.
Reposted from USAToday
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Mental care stays are up in military
WASHINGTON — Mental health disorders caused more hospitalizations among U.S. troops in 2009 than any other reason, according to medical data released recently by the Pentagon. This historic high reflects the growing toll of nearly nine years of war.
Last year was the first in which hospitalizations for mental disorders outpaced those for injuries or pregnancies in the 15 years of tracking by the Pentagon's Medical Surveillance Monthly report.
Hospitalizations for mental disorders have increased significantly among troops since 2005, said Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, surgeon general for the Army. "War is difficult. It takes a toll," he said.
Mental health treatment expenses are helping drive up the overall cost of military health care, USA TODAY reported last month. Last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a speech that "health care costs are eating the Defense Department alive." Schoomaker said the Army's increased attention to mental health issues is another reason for the rise in hospital admittances.
In 2009, there were 17,538 hospitalizations for mental health issues throughout the military, the study shows. That compares with 17,354 for pregnancy and childbirth reasons, and 11,156 for injuries and battle wounds.
MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH: How to celebrate
PTSD: One-man army fights war's stresses
CAREGIVING: Families of severely injured veterans feel strain
FAITH: Ministries try to help veterans with PTSD
ART: Stressed troops take cues from ancient plays
In 2007, there were 18,201 pregnancy and childbirth hospitalizations, 13,703 for mental health and 12,531 for injury and battle wounds, statistics show. In 2005, mental health was the third leading cause with 11,335.
Mental health care accounted for almost 40% of all days spent in hospitals by servicemembers last year, the report said. Of those hospitalizations, 5% lasted longer than 33 days. For most other conditions, fewer than 5% of hospitalizations exceeded 12 days, the report said.
Psychological issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder exact a toll in lost manpower, the study said. Four mental health issues — depression, substance abuse, anxiety and adjustment problems such as PTSD — cost the Pentagon 488 years of lost duty in 2009.
That's "the equivalent of 488 soldiers spending an entire year in the hospital for mental disorders," said Army Col. Robert DeFraites, director of the office which produced the study.
The Pentagon is learning that mental health issues can take months or years to develop, he said. "Mental disorders are a trailing indicator of health issues to a prolonged period of war fighting, and these figures reflect that," DeFraites said.
"Our troops are facing multiple deployments and experiencing psychological stress due to prolonged exposure to combat," said Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
The Army, which has 138,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, had 10,222 mental health hospitalizations last year. They accounted for almost 19% of all Army hospitalizations.
Ten percent of Marine hospitalizations were for mental health reasons, while they were about 8% for the Navy and 7% for the Air Force.
The costs of treating mental disorders will only grow, said Christine Eibner, an economist with the RAND Corp. A night in a military hospital cost $3,000 in 2009, said Austin Camacho, a spokesman for the military health care program. When the Pentagon pays for private hospital care, the average daily cost is about $1,300, he said.
Reprinted from USAToday
Last year was the first in which hospitalizations for mental disorders outpaced those for injuries or pregnancies in the 15 years of tracking by the Pentagon's Medical Surveillance Monthly report.
Hospitalizations for mental disorders have increased significantly among troops since 2005, said Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, surgeon general for the Army. "War is difficult. It takes a toll," he said.
Mental health treatment expenses are helping drive up the overall cost of military health care, USA TODAY reported last month. Last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a speech that "health care costs are eating the Defense Department alive." Schoomaker said the Army's increased attention to mental health issues is another reason for the rise in hospital admittances.
In 2009, there were 17,538 hospitalizations for mental health issues throughout the military, the study shows. That compares with 17,354 for pregnancy and childbirth reasons, and 11,156 for injuries and battle wounds.
MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH: How to celebrate
PTSD: One-man army fights war's stresses
CAREGIVING: Families of severely injured veterans feel strain
FAITH: Ministries try to help veterans with PTSD
ART: Stressed troops take cues from ancient plays
In 2007, there were 18,201 pregnancy and childbirth hospitalizations, 13,703 for mental health and 12,531 for injury and battle wounds, statistics show. In 2005, mental health was the third leading cause with 11,335.
Mental health care accounted for almost 40% of all days spent in hospitals by servicemembers last year, the report said. Of those hospitalizations, 5% lasted longer than 33 days. For most other conditions, fewer than 5% of hospitalizations exceeded 12 days, the report said.
Psychological issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder exact a toll in lost manpower, the study said. Four mental health issues — depression, substance abuse, anxiety and adjustment problems such as PTSD — cost the Pentagon 488 years of lost duty in 2009.
That's "the equivalent of 488 soldiers spending an entire year in the hospital for mental disorders," said Army Col. Robert DeFraites, director of the office which produced the study.
The Pentagon is learning that mental health issues can take months or years to develop, he said. "Mental disorders are a trailing indicator of health issues to a prolonged period of war fighting, and these figures reflect that," DeFraites said.
"Our troops are facing multiple deployments and experiencing psychological stress due to prolonged exposure to combat," said Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
The Army, which has 138,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, had 10,222 mental health hospitalizations last year. They accounted for almost 19% of all Army hospitalizations.
Ten percent of Marine hospitalizations were for mental health reasons, while they were about 8% for the Navy and 7% for the Air Force.
The costs of treating mental disorders will only grow, said Christine Eibner, an economist with the RAND Corp. A night in a military hospital cost $3,000 in 2009, said Austin Camacho, a spokesman for the military health care program. When the Pentagon pays for private hospital care, the average daily cost is about $1,300, he said.
Reprinted from USAToday
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Battlefield stress and the overall stress of war
Whether you wear a medal on your chest or just courage in your heart, the effects of war are real. Service members should never be ashamed to seek mental health counseling. There is no shame in recognizing that you are having problems dealing with the effects of your combat deployment. In fact, it is honorable and shows a great deal of courage for you to seek out and get the treatment you need, deserve and have earned to succeed. In the past seeking mental health counselling may have affected your ability to obtain or keep a security clearance or even certain jobs in the military. Recently there have been changes on security clearance application procedures. You are now allowed to check the "no" block when asked if you have any mental health issues as long as you are seeking and undergoing treatment with a mental health provider.
As l look back over the two years I spent deployed to the Iraq war theater of operations, I am amazed at the many experiences I have had. I have held positions that helped service members return home for much needed Rest and Recuperation (R&R) as the Deputy Chief of USARCENT's R&R Program. The R&R program, with nearly a billion dollar per year budget, did just that. I also on a more relevant note to this book held the position of S1/Adjutant. However for me by the end of my deployment I learned that the truly most important thing in life was the connection you have with family and friends. Remember when you serve, your entire family serves with you. When you are under stress so is your family. It took a combat deployment for some to realize this fact.
If you are suffer from stress associated to your deployment contact your base mental health provider or the Veterans Administration. They are well equipped to assist you as you navigate on your road to recovery and mental health bliss.
As l look back over the two years I spent deployed to the Iraq war theater of operations, I am amazed at the many experiences I have had. I have held positions that helped service members return home for much needed Rest and Recuperation (R&R) as the Deputy Chief of USARCENT's R&R Program. The R&R program, with nearly a billion dollar per year budget, did just that. I also on a more relevant note to this book held the position of S1/Adjutant. However for me by the end of my deployment I learned that the truly most important thing in life was the connection you have with family and friends. Remember when you serve, your entire family serves with you. When you are under stress so is your family. It took a combat deployment for some to realize this fact.
If you are suffer from stress associated to your deployment contact your base mental health provider or the Veterans Administration. They are well equipped to assist you as you navigate on your road to recovery and mental health bliss.
Monday, May 3, 2010
What happens IF you die while serving in a combat zone...
Once the word got out that I was a licensed attorney in the state of Michigan it seemed that I was appointed to any assignment that remotely dealt with law, investigations or legal matters. One such appointment dealt with being selected and appointed as a Casualty Officer. That required attendance to a week long training seminar located at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait were I learned the ends and outs of notification of the death of service members to families as well as the death benefits that are provided to the surviving family. During my deployment, I was was assigned to investigate the death of a soldier and make "a line of duty" or LOD determination as to cause of death. My investigation could have resulted in a recommendation that the deceased service member did not die "in the line of duty" and as such was not entitled to the benefits afforded to service members who are killed or die while serving. My findings could have resulted in the non-payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the surviving families. However, as a result of my investigation, I recommended and my recommendation was accepted that death benefits should be paid to the beneficiary.
So what happens if you die while serving in a combat zone? Well if that happens, all I can say is it sucks to be you! However, if you prepared adequately, your loved ones will be better prepared to move on with their lives. One of the first things you should be aware of is that within 72 hours of your death in a combat zone your family will receive check sent via electronic funds transfer to the their bank account in the amount of $100,000. That money should be used to take care of the survivors affairs until the Service Member's Group Life Insurance or SGLI is paid usually that take place within 30 days. Unless otherwise selected, the policy will pay $400,000. (This amount is in addition to the $100,000 already received in the first 24 hours) In addition to those money paid to the beneficiary or beneficiaries, there are more entitlements that would be paid upon your death. In my book, I go into detail about those other death benefits.
Upon your death, your next of kin must be notified within within 24 hours of your death. The notification is made by someone of the same or higher rank and usually that person is accompanied with a Chaplin. The sole purpose of the notification is to inform the next of kin and let them know that a family military advisor will be appointed to assist with the rest of the process in addition to the explanation of other benefits to assist the family.
As it relates to the cause of death, there will be no speculation given. The lessons learned from the death of famed football player turned soldier Pat Tillman are many. Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire. However, much of the information was put out early on was wrong and some have even claimed intentionally distorted to make the military "look good".
With regard to property, you should know that all of your property will inventoried and shipped to the next of kin. A little known fact, if you have a computer, that computer will be shipped to a location were it will be scanned for anything that may be offensive to the next of kin, such as a spouse. The rational for this is simple. If something like a love letter to anyone other then the spouse is discovered that letter will be deleted from the system. This is said to be done to protect the entrust of all concerned. For more information surrounding the events that take place upon your death in a combat zone refer to my new book. "The Service Member's Guide to Deployment."
So what happens if you die while serving in a combat zone? Well if that happens, all I can say is it sucks to be you! However, if you prepared adequately, your loved ones will be better prepared to move on with their lives. One of the first things you should be aware of is that within 72 hours of your death in a combat zone your family will receive check sent via electronic funds transfer to the their bank account in the amount of $100,000. That money should be used to take care of the survivors affairs until the Service Member's Group Life Insurance or SGLI is paid usually that take place within 30 days. Unless otherwise selected, the policy will pay $400,000. (This amount is in addition to the $100,000 already received in the first 24 hours) In addition to those money paid to the beneficiary or beneficiaries, there are more entitlements that would be paid upon your death. In my book, I go into detail about those other death benefits.
Upon your death, your next of kin must be notified within within 24 hours of your death. The notification is made by someone of the same or higher rank and usually that person is accompanied with a Chaplin. The sole purpose of the notification is to inform the next of kin and let them know that a family military advisor will be appointed to assist with the rest of the process in addition to the explanation of other benefits to assist the family.
As it relates to the cause of death, there will be no speculation given. The lessons learned from the death of famed football player turned soldier Pat Tillman are many. Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire. However, much of the information was put out early on was wrong and some have even claimed intentionally distorted to make the military "look good".
With regard to property, you should know that all of your property will inventoried and shipped to the next of kin. A little known fact, if you have a computer, that computer will be shipped to a location were it will be scanned for anything that may be offensive to the next of kin, such as a spouse. The rational for this is simple. If something like a love letter to anyone other then the spouse is discovered that letter will be deleted from the system. This is said to be done to protect the entrust of all concerned. For more information surrounding the events that take place upon your death in a combat zone refer to my new book. "The Service Member's Guide to Deployment."
Friday, April 16, 2010
Extra SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT for those with active duty between January 1957 to December 31, 2001
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT Please share this with anyone who had
active duty service between January 1957 to December 31, 2001 and planning
for retirement. In a nutshell it boils down to this:
You qualify for a higher social security payment because of your Military
service, for active duty any time from 1957 through 2001 (the program was
done away with 1 January 2002). Up to $1200 per year of earnings credit
credited at time of application - which can make a substantial difference in
social security monthly payments upon your retirement. You must bring your
DD-214 to the Social Security Office and you must ask for this benefit to
receive it!
How You Get Credit For Special Extra Earnings
The information that follows applies only to active duty military service earnings from 1957 through 2001. Here's how the special extra earnings are credited on your record:
Service in 1957 Through 1977
You are credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which you received active duty basic pay.
Service in 1978 through 2001
For every $300 in active duty basic pay, you are credited with an additional $100 in earnings up to a maximum of $1,200 a year. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, and didn't complete at least 24 months of active duty or your full tour, you may not be able to receive the additional earnings. Check with Social Security for details.
Soc Sec website: http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm
This is something to put in your files for when you apply for Social
Security down the road.. It is NOT just for retirees, BUT anyone who has
served on active duty between January 1957 to December 31, 2001.
FYI - this benefit is not automatic, you must ask for it! We've all been on
active duty between 1957 and 2001 or know someone who has.
Passing on good information for all you military folks when you apply for
social security. I know this may be too early for some of you to think about
social security but, keep living and you will get there...
active duty service between January 1957 to December 31, 2001 and planning
for retirement. In a nutshell it boils down to this:
You qualify for a higher social security payment because of your Military
service, for active duty any time from 1957 through 2001 (the program was
done away with 1 January 2002). Up to $1200 per year of earnings credit
credited at time of application - which can make a substantial difference in
social security monthly payments upon your retirement. You must bring your
DD-214 to the Social Security Office and you must ask for this benefit to
receive it!
How You Get Credit For Special Extra Earnings
The information that follows applies only to active duty military service earnings from 1957 through 2001. Here's how the special extra earnings are credited on your record:
Service in 1957 Through 1977
You are credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which you received active duty basic pay.
Service in 1978 through 2001
For every $300 in active duty basic pay, you are credited with an additional $100 in earnings up to a maximum of $1,200 a year. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, and didn't complete at least 24 months of active duty or your full tour, you may not be able to receive the additional earnings. Check with Social Security for details.
Soc Sec website: http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm
This is something to put in your files for when you apply for Social
Security down the road.. It is NOT just for retirees, BUT anyone who has
served on active duty between January 1957 to December 31, 2001.
FYI - this benefit is not automatic, you must ask for it! We've all been on
active duty between 1957 and 2001 or know someone who has.
Passing on good information for all you military folks when you apply for
social security. I know this may be too early for some of you to think about
social security but, keep living and you will get there...
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Financial Benefits of Deploying to a War Zone…
There seems to be a great debate among the service members that are deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The debate centers around the belief by those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan that service members serving in Kuwait are less deserving of Rest and Recuperation Leave and that their service is less dangerous and thus not worthy of receiving all the benefits of those serving in a combat zone. (Despite the fact that service in Kuwait is considered service in a combat zone!)
The fact of the matter is those serving in Kuwait, Qatar and other locations in the region but outside of Iraq and Afghanistan are just as vulnerable to being attacked and killed as those service members serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those serving in Kuwait may get a false sense of security, as they are not being shot at daily. But all must rest assure that even in Kuwait, that boarders Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as those serving in Qatar home to the media conglomerate Al Jazeera that has been viewed by some as very pro Islamic extreme, have forces living within their borders that would love to do serious harm to the American way of life as well as kill service members.
The bottom line is, never let anyone tell you that you are less of a combat soldier and not deserving to wear the combat patch nor receive the benefits of being in a war zone. The truth of the matter is we are all in this war on terrorism together and the war in Iraq and Afghanistan could not succeed without the support and service of those serving in Kuwait as well as others around the world.
Moreover, we are all away from family, friends and love ones and regardless of where you serve you feel the separation.
There are many financial and other benefits that service members have as a result of their deployment in the combat zone. As discussed earlier, they will receive certain tax benefits as well as additional money as a result of their service in a combat zone. There are also various savings and investment programs that should be considered. Here are a couple for you to think about. In my book, “The Service Member’s Guide to Deployment; What every Soldier, Sailor, Airmen and Marine should know prior to being deployed." I go into great detail outline and discussing the major programs.
The fact of the matter is those serving in Kuwait, Qatar and other locations in the region but outside of Iraq and Afghanistan are just as vulnerable to being attacked and killed as those service members serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those serving in Kuwait may get a false sense of security, as they are not being shot at daily. But all must rest assure that even in Kuwait, that boarders Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as those serving in Qatar home to the media conglomerate Al Jazeera that has been viewed by some as very pro Islamic extreme, have forces living within their borders that would love to do serious harm to the American way of life as well as kill service members.
The bottom line is, never let anyone tell you that you are less of a combat soldier and not deserving to wear the combat patch nor receive the benefits of being in a war zone. The truth of the matter is we are all in this war on terrorism together and the war in Iraq and Afghanistan could not succeed without the support and service of those serving in Kuwait as well as others around the world.
Moreover, we are all away from family, friends and love ones and regardless of where you serve you feel the separation.
There are many financial and other benefits that service members have as a result of their deployment in the combat zone. As discussed earlier, they will receive certain tax benefits as well as additional money as a result of their service in a combat zone. There are also various savings and investment programs that should be considered. Here are a couple for you to think about. In my book, “The Service Member’s Guide to Deployment; What every Soldier, Sailor, Airmen and Marine should know prior to being deployed." I go into great detail outline and discussing the major programs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)