Military Families Speak Out are deeply appalled by President Trump’s recent remarks regarding the severe injuries suffered by US Service members as a result of Iran’s retaliatory strike that took place on January 8, 2020 at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. During a press conference, President Trump downplayed the seriousness of the over 109 diagnosed cases of traumatic brain injuries suffered by our troops. Below is a letter from members of Military Families Speak Out demanding an apology from President Trump and Defense Secretary Mike Pompeo for their callous and offensive remarks: 

Open Letter to President Trump,  

Initially, you and the Pentagon reported that no US service members were injured or killed in the January 8th Iranian missile attack, which was in retaliation for the Jan 2 US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general. At an address after the attack you said: 

“No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties. All of our soldiers are safe and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases”. Later during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, after the public learned that US service members had been diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injuries, you were asked, “So you don’t consider potential traumatic brain injury serious?. You replied,” No, I do not consider that to be bad injuries, no” and referred to such injuries as “headaches”. 

Such callous remarks are deeply offensive and are evidence of your serious lack of education on this matter. As of today, we have not heard any admission from you, the Pentagon or Secretary of Defense, Mike Pompeo, that traumatic brain injuries are one of the signature wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and often considered by medical professionals as a grave injury. As Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces your statements have left our troops, their families and loved ones feeling deeply hurt and betrayed. Our loved ones have been the victims of these unjust wars for almost 20 years. It also dealt a major setback to much of the efforts that many of us, including the VA Administration, have spent educating the public about the seriousness of Traumatic Brain Injury and other invisible wounds of war, such as PTSD, moral injury, death by suicide and military sexual trauma. 

As many military families know firsthand, Traumatic Brain Injury is serious and often causes permanent neurological damage. The effects of TBI on our returning troops may not be obvious to many, but we know how debilitating this injury can be and that it has destroyed many US Service member’s health to the degree that it has caused many of them to be unable to lead physically and emotionally functional lives. Military Families Speak Out and our troops expect better of you and the Department of Defense and want and deserve an apology. Such recognition of the injuries caused by these unjust wars will go a long way in helping our loved ones begin to heal from lifelong injuries sustained by our current wars of aggression and remind the public that it is long past the time for us to end these wars and bring all of our troops home. 

Marine combat veteran who served in Iraq facing deportation to El Salvador (NBC News)

“… His sister said that during his time in detention, Segovia Benitez has helped other detainees and is “really loved.”

“He’s very helpful and obviously cares about people,” she said.

Jeff Merrick, a retired master sergeant with the Air Force, said deporting veterans like Segovia Benitez after they served time was a “total disgrace.”

“They got into trouble, yes, they had issues, but they served their time, and instead of like other citizens, where they’re released back into the community, where they can have a life again, they’re committed to a life term of exile,” said Merrick, who is a board member with the group Military Families Speak Out.”

Military Families Speak Out participated in the 23rd annual Long Beach Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 9, 2019 on Atlantic Avenue in North Long Beach. Photo by Geronimo Quitoriano

Military Families Speak Out supports the action of governors of 11 states in denouncing President Trump’s immigration policy of separating children from their parents at the southern border by pulling their National Guard troops from the border and announcing that they won’t be deploying any more of the state’s military or will recall troops already sent. The states include Colorado, Delaware,
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. MFSO does not want our loved ones in the military to be part of enforcing this inhumane policy.

Military Families Speak Out is a national organization of families whose loved ones have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces. We urge the governors of the remaining states to take a similar action and withdraw or recall their state’s National Guard.

 by Robert Vivar, Unified US Deported Veterans Resource Center ​and MFSO Steering Committee

August 1, the Unified US Deported Veterans Resource Center welcomed USMC Cpl.Robert Cano, another deported combat hero. The US DVR Center says that it is an injustice to discard those that should instead be honored for their service.. Our call is to LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND. Please help us support these forgotten veterans by leaving messages of support for Cpl. Cano at:Unified US Deported Veterans on Facebook or supporting their families here in the US. 

The US DVA Center in Tijuana, Mexico provides the following help for deported veterans in California:

*Assistance with citizenship applications

*Assistance for deported veterans to have their cases reviewed

*Colef, (Colegio de la Frontera Norte) in Tijuana sponsors focus groups for deported persons that are interested in obtaining information on re-validating their US education and furthering their education in Mexico. There are plans for at least two focus groups – one for US military deported Veterans and another for those working in Call Centers, since without a higher education, your progress in the workplace is very limited.

*Emergency housing and employment assistance

MFSO Members, Immigrant Rights Groups, and Friends:

YOU can help the families of deported veterans still living in the U.S.:

*Help with housing or legal aid

*Ask members of Congress to introduce legislation to keep the promise to veterans that they will not be deported.

*We can put you in contact with families of deported veterans in these cities even if you don’t live there: Modesto, CA Los Angeles, CA Riverside CA San Diego, CA Phoenix, AZ Chicago, IL Las Vegas, NV Brownsville, TX Houston, TX Ontario, Canada You can help the families in many ways (depending on their needs), such as sending or bringing food, school supplies, and clothing, helping with housing, and providing legal aid. Your support and friendship will be welcomed.

If you are interested in helping the families of deported veterans, please email Robert Vivar: dvsh.rob at gmail.com.

By Mary Hladky, Military Families Speak Out

October 5, 2017 — Watching the PBS series on Vietnam is a graphic reminder of the horrors of war.  Unfortunately, one of the few things the U.S. government learned from Vietnam was how to hide the horrors of the Afghanistan war from public view as much as possible, to prevent the backlash experienced during the Vietnam war.  No body counts, no reporters roaming free, only embedded journalists, minimal media coverage with little footage of the actual war, and no pictures of coffins returning home.

The Trump Administration has decided to continue to support the war in Afghanistan, only with more troops and no stated end game.  As this war completes its 16^th year, on October 7, more troops are on their way to Afghanistan.  The suffering of our troops, their families and the Afghan people will continue.

Afghanistan is the forgotten war, even though it is currently the United States’ largest military foreign engagement, with 16,000+ troops and tens of thousands of defense and agency contractors.
The only people who benefit from this war are the military contractors and the corrupt Afghan government, made up of many drug and war lords guilty of human rights abuses and war crimes.  The Afghan government and Taliban controls, protects, and benefits from the enormous poppy crop that supplies over 90% of the world’s heroin.  SIGAR (Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction) reports that reconstruction in Afghanistan is nearly nonexistent after spending $100 billion.

The Afghan government, which the U.S. has propped up with billions of dollars and thousands of American livesremains overwhelmingly corrupt, a government the Afghan people will never accept.
In the meantime, the Taliban has grown in numbers and holds more territory than ever before, 40-50% of the country.

The human costs of war for our troops, the Afghan forces and civilians has been enormous.  Death, injuries and nearly a trillion dollars have been wasted for no redeemable benefit.  Yet instead of pursuing peace, our government continues to opt for more war.
Americans need to take a stand against the Afghanistan war.  We need to reflect on what it is that we believe – ask yourself two basic questions:

How, as Americans, do we continually accept sending young men and women to risk their lives for a futile, never ending war?
What would you say to a mother who loses her son or daughter in Afghanistan?  Can you explain what her child actually died for?  What was the noble cause?

It’s up to everyone one of us who are uncomfortable with the answers to these questions, to demand an end to the Afghanistan War.      

The Teaneck demonstration was one of a half dozen protests that Military Families Speak Out, a national anti-war group of military families, held across the country this week in New York, Texas, West Virginia and California. (Click for video & story via NorthNewJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network) 

Military parents speak out against Trump Afghanistan plan.