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Accenting again the campaign focus she has placed on veterans' affairs, Sen. Barbara Boxer on Sunday formally opened a veterans' center at Pasadena City College and was later brought to tears by a forceful defense of her record by Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, a highly decorated member of Congress. Inouye joined Boxer for her formal endorsement by the political action committee of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, whose California chairman also praised Boxer's work on behalf of veterans.

You might think that a prominent veterans organization like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) would actually reserve its political endorsements for, you know, veterans, or at least those politicians that actually demonstrate some level of respect for the military. But you would be wrong. And the problem is not just the VFW; rather, the VFW’s current lobbyist-driven fiasco simply serves to illustrate how out-of-touch the Washington in-crowd is with the feelings of us benighted souls dwelling outside the beltway. In the Florida 22nd Congressional District race, incumbent Democrat Ron Klien is running against Republican challenger Allen West. Actually, he’s...

Above the line UPDATE: First off, thank you to all who have written and commented on this topic. A nerve has been struck here, and it's important we understand exactly what is going on, and what has transpired in the last 24 hours. Keep up the pressure- it's working and getting noticed! I've corresponded with several people on this, and yesterday, I received in my in-box a copy of a letter from the Florida Commander of the VFW to the National PAC Commander stating: On behalf of the Department of Florida, I am writing to object to the manner in...

The political arms of the National Rifle Association and Veterans of Foreign Wars have weighed in on the hotly-contested congressional race in northern Virginia’s 11th District, splitting their support between Republican Keith Fimian and Democratic incumbent Gerald Connolly. The VFW Political Action Committee, which represents roughly 2.2 million VFW members, auxiliaries and military families, recently endorsed Connolly, while the NRA’s Political Victory Fund has thrown its support behind Fimian.

Some of the best reporting to come out of Normandy in the aftermath of the D-day landings. Even across the gap of years, his words are incredibly powerful. Column 1 A Pure Miracle NORMANDY BEACHHEAD, June 12, 1944 - Due to a last-minute alteration in the arrangements, I didn’t arrive on the beachhead until the morning after D-day, after our first wave of assault troops had hit the shore. By the time we got here the beaches had been taken and the fighting had moved a couple of miles inland. All that remained on the beach was some sniping and...

The commander of Connecticut’s Veterans of Foreign Wars organization blasted Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal Tuesday, referring to his prior statements of service in Vietnam as “outrageous.” “Mr. Blumenthal was considered one of the best friends a veteran could have in Connecticut. It is a true shame that he let a false claim of Vietnam service change that,” said Richard DiFederico, in a statement. “Those who served in uniform during the Vietnam era also deserve our gratitude, which makes Mr. Blumenthal's claim to be something he is not so outrageous.” DiFederico’s statement came after Blumenthal’s dramatic and defiant press conference Tuesday...

VFW’s Response to Blumenthal’s Press Conference KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 18, 2010 - Mr. Blumenthal is not a member of the VFW and VFW National By-Laws do not allow any level of the organization to endorse political candidates. VFW national did not sanction and was not, in fact, aware that the press conference was going to be held at a VFW Post. This decision was made at the Post level and the VFW Department of Connecticut issued the following: The following statement is by Richard DiFederico, Department Commander Connecticut VFW: “Those who served in Vietnam or offshore or in neighboring...

The following statement is by Richard DiFederico, Department Commander of Connecticut’s largest war veterans’ organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States: “Those who served in Vietnam or offshore or in neighboring countries rightfully earned all the belated thanks and appreciation our nation can muster. Those who served in uniform during the Vietnam era also deserve our gratitude, which makes Mr. Blumenthal's claim to be something he is not so outrageous. It diminishes the service of all who served and sacrificed, most especially those whose names are inscribed on the Vietnam Wall. Mr. Blumenthal was considered one of...

With his lie about serving in Vietnam exposed, Connecticut Attorney General and Democratic Senate Candidate Richard Blumenthal went into major damage control mode today trying to explain why he has claimed he "served in Vietnam" when he did not. In a press conference not-so-coincidentally held at a Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, Mr. Blumenthal surrounded himself with men who actually served in Vietnam, invoked his own son who is currently serving in the Marines and then tried to minimize his lie by stating, "Now on a few occasions, I have misspoken about my service and I regret that and I...

For those who haven't heard the news today........ Washington D.C., Apr 28, 2010 / 01:31 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that a federal court overstepped its boundaries in ordering the removal of a long-standing memorial cross in California's Mojave Desert. A white, seven-foot cross, which was erected as a memorial by the Veterans of Foreign Wars over 75 years ago in the Mojave National Preserve, will be allowed to stay.

"TO KEEP OUR HONOR CLEAN!" Why We Must Oppose the Homosexual Agenda for the Military Written by The American TFP    Monday, 15 February 2010 20:29 “To Keep Our Honor Clean!” Why We Must Oppose the Homosexual Agenda for the Military     As America faces a two-front war and economic fragility, another peril looms on the horizon that threatens the honor and integrity of one of our nation’s most important institutions: our Armed Forces.   President Obama promised in his January 27, 2010 State of the Union Address that he would work with Congress and the military to...

Friday February 5, 2010 Veterans, Former Army Legal Chief Defend “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” By Peter J. Smith WASHINGTON, D.C., February 5, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Congressional ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military has been targeted by top US military officials this week, but military veterans as well as a former chief of the Army's criminal law division are striking back in defense of a policy they call both sound and essential to the health of the armed services. The Washington Times reports that the United States' two major veterans organizations have come out fighting against attempts by President Barack...

Vietnam veteran robbed, killed on his way to deposit VFW money William Burtner had helped raise money for WWII vets' trip to Washington Army veteran William Burtner survived Vietnam and dedicated his life to helping other veterans. On Monday, Burtner was about to enter a bank in Midlothian to deposit money that the south suburb's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2580 had raised during a benefit. He never made it inside. Burtner, 65, was assaulted and robbed outside the bank. He died Wednesday night in Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. An autopsy Thursday concluded Burtner died of hypertensive...

<p>Contact your Senators and let them know what you think!</p> <p>U.S. veterans or subsidies for United Nations (U.N.) bureaucracy.</p>

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009 – Deployed and hospitalized servicemembers are expected to make about 120,000 calls home this Veterans Day, and it won’t cost them one thin dime. The Veterans of Foreign Wars organization is once again offering “Free Call Day” through its Operation Uplink program. USAA, which offers financial services to servicemembers, is sponsoring the day of free phoning, which is expected to total some 1 million minutes. “We are very pleased to join forces with USAA, an association recognized as a devoted friend and advocate of the military community, to offer a special Veterans Day Free Call Day,”...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. veterans criticized President Barack Obama's lengthy review of Afghan war strategy, saying on Thursday the drawn-out debate in Washington was a direct threat to troops and the nation's defense. The head of Veterans of Foreign Wars, a group representing 1.5 million former soldiers, issued a tersely worded statement urging Obama to follow the advice of his military commanders, who want more troops for the eight-year war. "The extremists are sensing weakness and indecision within the U.S. government, which plays into their hands," said Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., a Vietnam veteran and head of VFW. This was...

Deep in the heart of the Mojave National Preserve in California stands a five foot cross carefully disguised in a plywood box. The U.S. Park Service was forced to cover the cross until the Supreme Court decides whether the cross can remain in its place as a monument to fallen soldiers during World War I, or whether it must come down because its presence violates the Constitution. The case is the latest in a recent flurry of challenges to religious symbols placed on public property. The cross was constructed more than 70 years ago by the Veterans of Foreign Wars....

Expressions on the Vets faces are priceless.

Here is a video report about a "Flag Burner" who was duct taped to a VFW Flagpole as punishment for his having burned an American Flag that flew over the post in Valley Falls, New York. The man had gotten angry because the bartender at the post would not serve the man because he was drunk. In anger, he went outside, took the flag down and burned it. The flag had flown over a fox hole in Iraq where several Americans died. The post commander hunted the man down and "gave him some options." The option the man chose was...

VETERANS RIGHTS ADVOCATES UNDER ATTACK BY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND MEMBERS [Snip]Article... What vets don't know is how the American Legion, VFW and other groups have advised the DVA and Congress, led us, every step of the way, to the total failure and utter disaster we have now. These groups "played" at helping vets but became a home for political extremists or dimwits addicted more [sic] grandstanding than the hard work required by informed veterans advocacy.