Members of MFSO were out for July 4th celebrations with the message “Peace Is Patriotic” in Huntington Beach, CA. Members held white umbrellas with this message as part of the Veterans For Peace float.

Being present at these events is one way to spread the MFSO message and talk to people about the need to bring home our troops.

Bring Home Our Troops. Take Care Of Them When They Get Here 

On Monday, June 6th, nine military family members, veterans and supporters were present at the Hilary Clinton Rally on Monday, June 6th in Long Beach CA. This was not a rally for us for or against any candidate. We are simply following all the candidates, as we have with Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, stop avoiding the important issue of these endless wars and to meet with us.

Will you stand with MFSO to ask for all the candidates, including Hillary Clinton, to discuss wars and to have a meeting with veterans and military families?

Please join military families at the 2016 Veterans For Peace convention in Berkley, CA! This year’s theme will be “Peace At Home, Peace Abroad. A Just and Sustainable Future for the World’s Children.”  You can register for the convention online.

Jeff Merrick, veteran and Military Families Speak Out leader, will present the latest information on Depleted Uranium- today’s Agent Orange. This PowerPoint presentation and round table discussion will cover the history and use of DU, how it is used in modern warfare, and its effect on civilians from areas that we have contaminated with DU.  Military families will be on hand to share how DU has impacted our loved ones and their children.

The extensive destruction by Depleted Uranium (DU) on the environment in the U.S., Iraq and other countries caused by the ever increasing desire for more powerful weaponry will be examined.  Strategies will be proposed on how to increase awareness about this on-going travesty and what we can do about it. Every person in attendance will be given an informational packet with testing resources.

Bernie Sander spoke in Carson, CA on Tuesday, May 18th. A few MFSO members attended the rally with this message: “Talk to military families and veterans, Bernie. We  want all troops out of the Middle East now”.

It was great getting our message out to thousands of Bernie fans. We were definitely seen and heard. We’re hoping to get a meeting with Bernie in the near future. A campaign spokesperson approached us and gave us his number to help us get an appointment set up.

Military Families Speak Out will host a panel at the upcoming Left Forum in New York City. Left Forum convenes the largest annual conference of a broad spectrum of left and progressive intellectuals, activists, academics, organizations and the interested public. 

Nancy Lessin, MFSO co-founder will be moderating this panel made up of  military families who will be speaking about their own experiences with military suicide. Sharing their very personal stories will be parents Tim Kahlor (CA), Joyce and Kevin Lucey ( MA), Marcia Westbrook ( WVA) and wife Tracy Eiswert (FLA). Please join us! 

Left Forum 2016
May 20th-22nd: 10:00am Room L 123
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The City University of New York
524 W. 59th Street, NYC

Compared to the U.S. population, both deployed and non-deployed veterans have a higher risk of suicide. According to studies, over 22 veterans and active duty military die by suicide every day. If you are concerned about a veteran, please get help.

By Rosemarie Slavenas
His boots are empty now, the hopeful one who wore them ground beneath the juggernaut of war.
Where we laid him, a stone will stay, flags flutter, and flowers sway, watered by tears and rain.
War is cruel, and love must suffer long. But can it suffer so in vain?
Do you hear their voices calling from out those empty boots? We went where we were sent, and there we faced the worst.
Upon our broken bodies, dare you take a stand? Or will our deaths, just like our lives be lost in desert sand.

MFSO member Marcia Westbrook is asking for support for this 5K event! This 5k and kids’ race will raise money toward THE MATTHEW RAIRDON SCHOLARSHIP FUND –
When preparing to go to college, Matt was extremely appreciative to receive a scholarship to attend St. Joseph’s College. The intent of this scholarship fund is to help other people who want to pursue a nursing education at St. Joseph’s College in the future.

Matthew Steven Rairdon’s life was tragically taken from us on November 30th, 2013. Matt was born on July 17, 1991 to his loving parents, Gary & Laurie (Wescott) Rairdon. Matthew was a devoted son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and cherished friend by so many. Matthew was a 2009 graduate of Westbrook High School and a recent graduate of St. Joseph’s College with a degree in the nursing program. Because of who he was and the legacy he has left us, Matt will always live among us, a bright star shining in our darkest moments. Find out more

Donations may be made directly to “The Matthew Rairdon Scholarship Fund” at: Evergreen Credit Union c/o Pauline Campbell, P.O. Box 1038, Portland ME, 04104-1038

Military Families Speak Out is joining with organizations throughout the country and the world in support of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS).  This year, April 5-18, have been designated as days to support moving the money from out-of-control military spending to life-affirming, sustainable human needs. 

Our special role as members of Military Families Speak Out is to point out the human costs of these wars, as we know them personally.  This campaign raises awareness about the insane amounts of money spent on wars and weapons demanding it be redirected to care for our veterans and the needs of our communities – jobs, education, health care, infrastructure improvements, climate change and other pressing human needs. 

There are many ways interested members can participate.   Here’s a fun one!!     

Between now and April 15^th  Post a Selfie – Telling Us What You Think!  We invite you to:

1)      Take a photo or video of yourself holding a “Taxes – What Are They Good For?” or “What They Are Not Good For” sign with your message in the blank space. Perhaps in front of what you want to fund. (Blank signs are available online or make your own.) Or just type your comments and post them on our TAXE$ Facebook event page at this link.

2)      Post your photo or comment on our “Taxes – What Are They Good For?” event page with notes you want to add. (http://bit.ly/TaxesWhat )

3)      Invite friends and others to post their messages on the Page. (http://bit.ly/TaxesWhat)

4)      Come back to the Page and see what others are posting. 

Members can also organize an event in your community or work in coalition with other organizations on an event such as a rally, meetings with elected officials, forums, etc. 

National Priorities Project (www.Nationalpriorities.org ) has excellent resources for information about our overwhelming military spending at the expense of Americans needs here at home.  For example, if you go to that website and go to data/tools, then click on trade-offs, you will see a chart. You can get information about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and its financial cost to taxpayers in the United States, your state, your county, and in your city. This information and other data on the website can be useful for a flyer, a fact-sheet, a class at a school, a poster, or elsewhere.

Please notify Pat Alviso (mfso-oc@earthlink.net )of any events you are planning so they can be posted on the MFSO Facebook page and website. Take pictures and write a short article for the next MFSO newsletter. Send those toPaularogovin3@gmail.com.