Military Families Speak Out National Coordinator, Pat Alviso, was interviewed by David Swanson on Talk Nation Radio.

Pat is the mother of an active duty Marine and has helped lead three delegations to the White House. She has counseled thousands of military families, Gold Star families and active-duty military, providing support services, and creating forums and opportunities for them to speak out against the unjust wars in the Middle East. Her 40 years of experience in the classroom have allowed her to serve on the steering committee for the National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth, NNOMY.

Listen to the full radio program:
http://davidswanson.org/node/5252

Pat Alviso will also be speaking at the No War 2016 Conference:
http://worldbeyondwar.org/nowar2016

The Department of Defense recently approved another $1.5 Billion weapons sale to Saudi Arabia. U.S. weapons are being used by the Saudis to indiscriminately kill civilians in Yemen and to destroy the country. The Saudis are notorious human rights violators, in their own country as well as in Yemen. We must not stand by and allow this sale to proceed. If we are silent, the world will continue to see the United States as being involved in another unjust war.

TAKE ACTION: Please sign a letter to Congress demanding a halt to this Saudi Weapons deal. The letter is already written for you but the form allows you to add your own words, if you prefer.

Dear President Barack Obama,

Recently when a candidate for President of the United States disrespected Gold Star Parents, Military Families Speak Out sent this statement to the press.

“Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) members are outraged by the recent attack by Presidential candidate Donald Trump on Gold Star parents Ghazala and Khizr Khan whose son, Captain Humayun Khan, was killed in Iraq. MFSO is an organization of family members whose loved ones have served or are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Some of our members have loved ones who were killed in Iraq or Afghanistan or have died by suicide.  While MFSO members oppose military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, we love and support our troops. We honor our soldiers and Marines. Mr. Khan bravely talked about the need for the Commander in Chief to have respect, understanding and empathy for the sacrifices and suffering of our troops and their families.  Donald Trump has clearly shown by his disrespectful and despicable attack on a Gold Star family that he does not possess the key qualities we believe are necessary to be this country’s Commander in Chief of our armed forces.”

 MFSO members find ourselves in a position similar to that of the Khan family. We are being disrespected by the Department of Defense policy regarding loved ones in the military who have died by suicide. On August 27, 2015, members of MFSO, Veterans For Peace, and Iraq Veterans Against the War met with the Office of Public Engagement and Joining Forces regarding our opposition to military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, our call for diplomacy, and our concerns about care for our veterans and military families. Two members of our delegation, Joyce and Kevin Lucey, spoke at the meeting about their son, CPL Jeffrey Lucey, who died by suicide after he was denied care by the VA. We spoke at the meeting about our recommendations for changes to prevent suicide.

This was the third meeting of Military Families Speak Out with the Office of Public Engagement. Each time we had requested to meet directly with you. In 2009, we were told that you really should meet with us because you and White House staff are “in a bubble,” but that you were too busy. We understand that you are very busy, but such a meeting is long overdue.

On August 28, Marcia Westbrook, a member of the Steering Committee of MFSO, called in distress to tell us that her son, SFC Tyler Westbrook died by suicide. When we called to tell people from the White House meeting the day before, they were very sympathetic. We were asked to get the address of the Westbrook family so that you, Mr. President, could send a letter of condolence. We did provide that information.

As one of our MFSO members left to go to Williamstown, West Virginia for the funeral several days later, she received a call from the Office of Public Engagement that Department of Defense policy would not allow a letter of condolence to be sent because SFC Westbrook died by suicide while stationed in the United States. If he had died by suicide while deployed abroad, a letter could be sent. We were outraged. How could we tell that to the family?

It is a despicable policy which shows absolutely NO empathy, and NO understanding for our troops, veterans, or military families. It only reinforces the stigma already rampant in the military, the stigma attached to our troops and veterans reaching out for and receiving help for the moral injuries and/or traumas from their military service. We know that alcohol abuse and steroid use was rampant at Ft. Carson where SFC Westbrook was based. We know that SFC Westbrook was a victim of alcohol abuse, and we know there were numerous other red flags which were overlooked by the military. SFC Westbrook was an highly accomplished soldier, and was a member of the Special Forces when he died. SFC Westbrook left behind a wife and a 2-year-old son. His two brothers are also members of the military. Both of his grandparents were WW II veterans.

For nearly one year we have waited patiently for the DOD policy to be reversed.  We expected that the Department of Defense policy would have been be reversed by now since August 28th is the first anniversary of SFC Tyler Westbrook’s death. We expect the Westbrook family will receive the letter of condolence from you soon.

Sincerely,

Pat Alviso, Military Families Speak Out National Coordinator 
Paula Rogovin, Military Families Speak Out, coordinator of White House delegation of August 27, 2015
Marcia Westbrook, mother of SFC Tyler Westbrook, Steering Committee, Military Families Speak Out

Watch the video

Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) members are outraged by the recent attack by Presidential candidate Donald Trump on Gold Star parents Ghazala and Khizr Khan whose son, Captain Humayun Khan, was killed in Iraq. MFSO is an organization of family members whose loved ones have served or are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Some of our members have loved ones who were killed in Iraq or Afghanistan or have died by suicide.

While MFSO members oppose military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, we love and support our troops. We honor our soldiers and Marines. Mr. Khan bravely talked about the need for the Commander in Chief to have respect, understanding and empathy for the sacrifices and suffering of our troops and their families.  Donald Trump has clearly shown by his disrespectful and despicable attack on a Gold Star family that he does not possess the key qualities we believe are necessary to be this country’s Commander in Chief of our armed forces.   

For more information, contact Pat Alviso, (National and west coast) 562-833-8035, Mary Hladky (mid-west) 937-926-0589, Paula Rogovin (east coast) 201-248-3169  

(Open Letter to Mr. Trump)

Mr. Trump:

In the past few days, you have disrespected the father of a soldier who died in combat in Iraq. You not only disrespected him but you disrespected his wife, a woman so filled with grief that she could not speak. You know absolutely nothing about the pain of losing a child to war. You disrespect thousands of parents who. like Mr. Khan and I, have paid the ultimate sacrifice–our child’s life in the name of American freedom and democracy.

You have said that Mexico sends criminals, rapists, and drug dealers. You either have bad information or your handlers are lying to you about immigration. Thousands of us who are of Mexican origin have paid the high cost of giving our children’s blood for all of the wars prosecuted by the United States around the world. Are you aware of how many ethnic Mexican soldiers and Marines have received the highest honor this nation bestows on its fallen heroes? I can give you all the names but you would not understand their courage and sacrifice; their love of family and country.

I am but one more immigrant who came from Mexico to work–not to rob or rape–but to work and provide for my family. What did I give in return? The life of my son Jesús A. Suarez del Solar who died in Iraq “defending our freedom” including your right to insult us. My son died a U.S. Marine in the illegal invasion of Iraq and you mock and disrespect that fact when you say that you have “sacrificed a lot” by creating jobs with your shady businesses. Clearly, you do not understand the word “sacrifice.”

Millions of immigrants from all over the world chose to come to the United States and adopt this country as our own. Many of us have given our children’s blood in return. You never served and have never known war. Your sons have not served and only use weapons against defenseless animals. And yet you insult us by claiming to be the only one who can fix America’s problems.

Stop being cynical. You have no moral authority to speak on democracy, sacrifice or heroism. We thousands who are Gold Star parents do. If you were a man of integrity, you would apologize to us now and give up your insane scheme to become President of this great nation.

Fernando Suarez del Solar
Father of Lcpl Jesus Suarez del Solar, KIA Iraq
Founder & Director, Guerrero Azteca Peace Project

So much happening over the next couple weeks! We encourage all of our members to participate in convention activities in Cleveland, OH and Philadelphia, PA. Please take a  look into the actions listed below,  and consider joining them to remind people that we are still enduring endless war, the (human) costs of these wars, and the only  solution, which of course, is to bring all of our troops home now.  As candidates talk about security, we must be ready to challenge our next president to do the right thing and stop these endless wars.

MFSO is working on coordinating activities at the conventions and will have Missouri member Casey Stinemetz as a coordinator for all MFSO activities at the DNC. If you are able to go, please let us know so we can connect you or you can reach her directly at the number below. She leaves Friday morning for the DNC and will be part of a caravan that is stopping in Columbia, OH and Pittsburgh, PA .

Here is a list of many actions, events, and gatherings that are happening in Philly during the DNC. FDR Park in Philly will have “wash up” facilities, and 1501 Cherry St (AFSC), 101 North Broad St (Methodist Church), and the S.E. Corner of 4th & Arch Streets all will have very limited Washroom/restroom facilities. If you plan to come to the DNC please e-mail casey@veteransforpeace.org.  Casey will be there with free MFSO t-shirts for the first part of the DNC, on Sunday and Monday (July 23rd and 24th) .

Whether you are attending the RNC or DNC events, if you are willing  to talk to the media, please let us know by e-mailing mfso-oc@earthlink.net.

Other Events Happening at the RNC & DNC:
The World Can’t Wait
Counter RNC 2016
Code Pink Schedule

On July 6, 2016 President Obama announced his intention to maintain 8,400 troops on the ground and in harms way in Afghanistan.

That announcement was followed by news that the President had authorized an additional 500 troops for Iraq, bringing the total authorized US force in Iraq to over 4,600. There are reportedly hundreds, if not thousands, of further US troops in Iraq in Syria on ‘rotational’ deployments and non-disclosed missions.

Miiltary Families Speak Out [MFSO] opposes this continuation of ENDLESS WAR that has neither reduced incidences of terrorism throughout the world, nor made life safer for the people of Afghanistan or here at home. After nearly 15 years, it is time to end, not prolong, the war in Afghanistan. This has to stop.

Bring Home Our Troops, Take Care of Them When They Get Here!

Take Action:

• Sign The Petition
• Contact President Obama! E-mail, Call (202)-456-1111, or Fax (202)-456-246
• White a letter to the editor or op-ed
• Share, post, tweet this alert!
• Donate to MFSO