Posted on 08/12/2005 4:50:32 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
One valley businessman is leading efforts to get donations into the hands of American war widows. NewsChannel 3 has his story and how you can help.
How much is a soldier's life worth? Right after 9/11, it was worth $6,000. That's what the federal government paid the spouses of soldiers killed in the early days of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Palm Springs businessman William Bryne recalls what an army friend told him in 2003.
“’I've just talked to some of my boy's widows. They're hurting really bad. They're getting 6,000 dollars, a flag to bury their husbands with and an eviction notice from military quarters.’”
That called spurred Bryne into action. With the help of local business donations, he began the Enduring Freedom KIA fund. In getting cash to war widows as quickly as possible, he found out some soldiers had made financial mistakes before heading out to combat.
“He had forgotten to sign the papers over that made her the beneficiary so she got zilch, nothing and she was desperate. We gave her our top amount of money, a little over $15,000 to roll with the punches until things smoothed out.”
More than a million dollars raised nationwide. Nearly $100,000 raised for the Enduring Freedom Fund right here in the valley.
William uses an office at Atlantic Aviation to coordinate efforts to lobby Congress to get even more money to war widows. Now when a soldier dies, the government promises a $100,000 payment. It was the lobbying of Bryne and others that forced the change.
“Thank God things have changed. We've had a little impact. I think we embarrassed them a little in Washington.”
But Bryne’s work doesn't end. Tennessee war widow Theresa Morehead tells NewsChannel 3 that she's still waiting for her full government payment after her husband was killed in Iraq in 2003. It was only the efforts of the Bryne’s fund that let Theresa keep her house. The war in Iraq goes on and so does the struggle for those left behind.
To help American war widows, make a check payable to the Enduring Freedom KIA Fund and send it to:
Canyon National Bank
1711 East Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92264.
... and we're still letting companies get no-bid contracts for billions? Where is the justice here? Time to go back to WW2 thinking ... NO WAR PROFITEERING.. and it wouldn't help to temporarily triple the troop strength and just WIN this war either..
" and we're still letting companies get no-bid contracts for billions?"
Besides Haliburton who is getting no bid contracts?
hes a little behind the times
Higher Death Benefits Implemented
Associated Press
July 2, 2005
WASHINGTON - The military announced Friday that it will begin providing vastly increased death benefits to the next-of-kin of military personnel killed in combat zones or combat-related training.
Last month, President Bush signed into law the increase in the death benefit from $12,000 to $100,000. The military announced Friday it was implementing the law.
The increase was part of an $82 billion emergency appropriations bill to fund the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, which also included a provision increasing military life insurance payments from $250,000 to $400,000.
The new benefits are available to the relatives of those killed since Oct. 7, 2001, the day the United States began overt combat operations in Afghanistan. It will take several months to find everyone who is eligible for the retroactive benefit, the Pentagon said in a statement.
More than 1,700 U.S. military personnel have died in Iraq, according to the Defense Department. About 150 have died in Afghanistan and neighboring countries.
http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_benefits_070205,00.html
Bechtel, and Kellogg, Brown and Root (subsid. of Hal.)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1010/p02s01-usfp.html
a sampling of the problem.
The widows should be getting a lifetime pension, and all of their kids should be getting their education paid for. Or are war profits more important?
The usual big boys. They have the infrastructure and tooling to move on the problems. Some jobs are a little bigger than loading the dice in the cup for a fair guesstitmate
What other companies are capable of competing in the same league the ones you mentioned?
Helping Familes PING!
Iraqi companies! The rebuilding of Iraq was done almost exclusively by the Iraqis themselves after the first Gulf War. They should be doing it now - and if they need material assistance, we should give it to them. There is no reason for the Iraqis not to be 110% employed.
Unfortunately, too late. The system of graft and patronage and theft is already firmly in place. An idle male population that is destitute but educated is a recipe for disaster - and endless insurgency.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.