Bringing Supplies to Deported Veterans in Tijuana
Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) members Linda Valdez, Ed Garza, Jeff Merrick and Pat Alviso loading down Ed’s truck with donations for our deported veteran visit in Tijuana.
Adelante companeros!
Afghanistan: The Forgotten War
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 16th 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.
In Remembrance of Horace Coleman
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear Veterans for Peace and Vietnam Veterans Against the War brother, Horace Coleman.
Horace was a longtime key member of Veterans for Peace Chapter 110 in Southern California, serving as Chapter Treasurer until a severe stroke drastically limited his participation three years ago. Horace was also actively involved for years in Military Families Speak Out, and participated in many peace events as a veteran and as the father of a veteran.
A Captain in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, Horace deployed to Vietnam. There he developed his keen sense of war’s folly and murderous injustice. A grass roots intellectual and activist ever since his return in the 60’s, Horace found his voice as the host and producer of the first black student-run radio show, at Ohio University. He and his colleagues were the first to educate college students about the My Lai massacre also. Horace Coleman was one of our reliable “regulars” as an Arlington West Memorial Chapter 110 supporter and participant, and he often spoke to youth at schools and community events about the true cost of war.
As a talented writer, Horace was also a regular contributor of articles for Vietnam Veterans Against the War. His 1995 book of poetry, In the Grass, earned praise from such figures as Howard University’s E. Ethelbert Miller, who hailed the work as “a book of darkness and revelation.” It is available from Amazon. Among his other accomplishments, Horace’s photography graced the pages of numerous publications, including the national VFP Newsletter.
Horace was a pillar of the southern California peace community, an articulate and outspoken peace activist. We miss him dearly. Messages of condolences can be sent to his son, Drake Coleman at drakecoleman at hotmail.com.
In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be mailed to Veterans For Peace Chapter 110 at 775 Havana Ave., Long Beach, CA. 90804-4450.
Activists in Teaneck protest Trump’s Afghanistan war strategy
Peace Contingent at Teaneck, NJ’s Fourth of July Parade
Join Veterans, Military Families, and other area residents in the
Peace Contingent
Teaneck, NJ’s
4th of July Parade
Meet at 9 am
Queen Anne Road and Van Buren, just South of Cedar Lane
Rides are available during the parade.
We will have signs and banners.
Feel free to make your own with these themes:
Bring the troops and contractors home from Afghanistan NOW!
Take care of our troops and veterans when they get home!
Don’t send the NJ National Guard to Afghanistan. Keep them here in NJ for NJ!
Bring the War Dollars Home for Our Communities. Money for health care (education, jobs, housing) – not for war!
The Peace Contingent is sponsored by the Teaneck Peace Vigil, Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County, and Veterans For Peace, Chapter 21 NJ
For final details check the local newspaper.
Weird Math: 1 Percent versus 1 Percent
MFSO Member Paula Rogovin reflects on Occupy Wall St.
On Saturday, October 8, 2011, members of Military Families Speak Out stood alongside members of Veterans For Peace and thousands of other people at Occupy Wall Street. We were so happy to see so many people from so many walks of life. Here was a place where the messages like the ones we carried: Support our troops, bring them home NOW! were part of the outcry from the many thousands at OWS. Our presence as veterans and military families was very well received. Yes, we are part of that 99%.
Being part of that 99% has been a life-long experience for me. I’ve been a New York City public school teacher for 38 years. We, members of the United Federation of Teachers, have marched and demanded over the years that the City stop the cuts and offer fair wages – only to see mayor after mayor do everything possible to keep our wages down while the Chancellor makes over $250,000 and non-union employees get huge raises. Testing companies, the book publishers, and the tech industry profits are going up.
Two weeks ago, we saw the layoff of over 700 workers – workers who are desperately needed at our schools.
Strangely, however, members of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) are part of the 99%, but we are also part of the 1%. How could that be? MFSO is a national organization with over 4000 members whose loved ones are active duty in the military.
“Less than 1 percent of the U.S. population has been on active military duty at any given time during the past decade.” (Washington Post. 10/5/11)
Military families have seen our loved ones serve multiple deployments, often with little dwell time between the deployments. We have seen over 6282 of our loved ones killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thousands of us have seen our loved ones wounded. We have seen our loves ones suffer amputations, traumatic brain injury, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and poisoning from Depleted Uranium and other toxins from US weapons. We have seen families torn apart by the traumas of these wars.
Our 1% is suffering directly from the wars imposed by the other 1% – the military industrial complex, the oil companies, big business – in collusion with many members of Congress who take multi-millions from industry lobbyists in exchange for keeping these wars going and going.
Our 1% wants to tell that other 1%, including many members of Congress: End the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bring the troops and contractors home NOW. Take care of the troops when they get here. Bring the war dollars home for our communities – for jobs, education, health care, housing, and other services we need so badly. Meet the demands of the 99%.
— Paula Rogovin, of Teaneck, is with Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County chapter
Afghanistan Veterans Against the War Speaking Tour
In July 2011, U.S. Army veterans Brock McIntosh and Jacob George returned to Afghanistan with a U.S. delegation for nonviolence, eager to meet with local Afghan peace and social justice organizations. Their mission was twofold: to gain a greater understanding of ordinary Afghans’ needs, fears, and desires for their country, and to discover ways U.S. activists can support indigenous nonviolent efforts to reach those goals.
Now back in the U.S., Brock and Jacob are prepared to report back to the American public on this landmark first dialogue between occupied and former occupiers. Embarking on a nation-wide speaking tour, Brock, Jacob, and other veterans will address the problematic nature of the U.S. occupation in Afghanistan using firsthand anecdotes as both soldier and observer. Brock and Jacob will draw on their recent experience in Afghanistan to facilitate a discussion on meaningful actions we as Americans can take to support Afghan civilians and their right to self-determination.
Click here to find an event near you.
Join us at the VFP & IVAW Convention Aug 3-7
update: VFP has set up a special registration page for MFSO members and is offering a special discount for any spouses interested in attending! Click here to register
Join us in Portland, Oregon August 3rd through 7th for the 2011 National Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War Convention. The staff of MFSO will be attending along with our many members who are also members of Veterans for Peace. If you are in the region, we encourage you to attend this weekend to connect with MFSO and our sister organizations, attend workshops, and participate in discussions about what our movement should be doing to bring these wars to an end and take care of returning service members.
We will be hosting a Military Family Meet-Up from 11:30am-1:30pm on Saturday, August 6th at PSU, Lincoln Hall, Room 121
Questions? Email samantha@mfso.org
MFSO Schedule @ the VFP Convention
Wednesday August 3rd
5-7pm Opening Reception – Poolside @ University Place Hotel
8pm Poetry Reading/Open Mic – University Place Hotel
Thursday August 4th
10:30am-12:30pm Opening Ceremony & Plenary – Lincoln Hall Auditorium
12:30-1:45pm Lunch on Your Own
1:45-3:15pm Workshop Block 1
3:45-5:15pm Workshop Block 2
5:15-7:30pm Dinner on Your Own
7:30-10pm The Moral Revolution (public event) – First Congregational Church
Friday August 5th
9-10:15am Plenary on PTSD, MST, TBI and other Veterans’ Health Issues with featured guests: Ed Tick, David Philipps, Darcela Craven, Barry Jones and Jessica Goodell
10:30am-12pm Workshop Block 3
12-1pm Pick up boxed lunch
12:15-2pm Lunch Caucus Meetings
2:15-3:45pm Workshop Block 4
4-6pm Plenary: “Resilience & Resistance” and Discussion: “Future of the Veterans Peace Movement, or, How DO we end war?”
7-10pm Buffet Dinner & Speak Out – open mic starts at 8pm
Saturday August 6th
11:30am-1:30pm Military Family Meet-Up hosted by MFSO – Lincoln Hall Room 121
1:30-2:45pm Lunch at Iranian Summer Festival on Park Blocks, PSU
3-5pm Plenary: “The Silent Truth”
6:30-10pm Banquet
Sunday August 7th
12:30pm Hiroshima Nagasaki Anniversary – No More Nukes Rally and March with VFP – Peace Memorial Park