RealNews network interviews Assange’s Attorney, Michael Ratner who was in the courtroom during Manning’s trial.
More: http://soulsecretservice.wordpress.com/2013/03/01/update-on-bradley-manning-case/
Delayed Entry Program
You don’t have to go! Getting out of the Delayed Entry Program is easy.
What is the Delayed Entry Program?
Most people who enlist are signed up into the Delayed Entry Program (DEP), which is also called the Delayed Enlistment Program, for up to a year before they report for active duty training. The Delayed Entry Program is particularly attractive to high school seniors who are unsure about what to do after graduation. A lot can happen in a year (especially for teenagers!), and many young people change their minds about what they want to do with their lives.
How does someone get out of the Delayed Entry Program?
While Delayed Entry Program recruits have incurred a legal obligation to the military, getting out of the Delayed Entry Program is simple: write a letter addressed to “Commander” at the recruiting station where the recruit signed up requesting separation that fully explains why the recruit is unable or unwilling to serve. If there is more than one reason, explain them all.
What kinds of reasons are acceptable?
While the military defines specific separation categories, as long as the recruit states clearly that he or she is no longer interested in serving in the military almost any reason is acceptable. Despite occasional threats of involuntary activation from recruiters the military currently releases all Delayed Entry Program recruits who request a separation.
The military’s list of discharge categories includes: conscientious objection (a belief that it is wrong to take part in war); pursuit of higher education or vocational training; civilian job opportunity; erroneous enlistment or recruiting error; failure to graduate high school; family issues (marriage, children, hardship or dependency); homosexual conduct; medical or psychological disqualifications; personal problems; failure to report for active duty; and, a catch-all “other”.
Further Inquiries Can be Made at:
Veterans for Peace
P. O. Box 508
Oxnard, CA 93032-0508
Los Angeles has largest homeless vet population it the country
Los Angeles has an estimated 20,000 veterans that are homeless. 388 acres were deeded explictly to homeless veterans in 1888. The land is not being used for veterans. Veterans have been completely let down. The VA made a deal with the Veterans Park Conservancy and gave them a 10 year lease of 16 acres for the purpose of establishing a park, but that was not the purpose that the land deeded for. The park is locked to Veterans. This is a land grab of a very desirable piece of land.. The property belongs to the Vets and all benefits of the land must go to help the vets. There is enough land there to house all the homeless vets.
Recent Articles
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/02/14/struggling-to-care-for-our-broken-la-veterans/
http://www.laweekly.com/2013-01-24/news/homeless-veterans-tough-winter-los-angeles/
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/28/opinion/la-ed-va-homeless-veterans-20121228
http://www.npr.org/2012/09/10/160736598/los-angeles-va-has-made-millions-on-rental-deals
Veterans Relief: http://www.veteranstoday.com/downloads/humanitarian.relief.project.pdf
Some Video
Support the film: http://www.homelessvetmovie.com/
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Make Waves …
Congressman Henry Waxman — http://waxman.house.gov/
http://waxman.house.gov/contact-me
Los Angeles Office: http://waxman.house.gov/office/los-angeles
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.va.gov/
Los Angeles City Council: http://www.lacity.org/government/ElectedOfficialOffices/index.htm?laCategory=1940
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Historical data:
http://waxman.house.gov/issue/west-los-angeles-va
http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/015.html
Poetry about War
Brian Turner, an award-winning poet and Iraq War veteran, and Elijah Imlay (http://youtu.be/ua3u5PHTa4k), a Vietnam veteran who wrote a poetry collection based on his experience as an Army bandsman, presented “The Poetry of War” Feb. 20 at Oxnard College.
More information at: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/feb/08/war-poetry-to-take-center-stage-at-free-oxnard/
How to Kill a Drone
Scroll down on this page for the article and more information including video.
Download specs: http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb907234/pics/specs.pdf
Interview with Michael Cervantes
VFP’s Michael Cervantes on Arlington West, Counter-Recruitment, and His Work for Peace
Alt Link: http://vimeo.com/40336282
Interview with Anthony Whitaker
PART 1
How is the war economy working for you? – part 1 of interview with Anthony Whitaker of Veterans for Peace.
Alt Link: http://vimeo.com/18734655
PART 2
Alt Link: http://vimeo.com/19047428
Dennis Kucinich to Deliver 12th Annual Frank Kelly Lecture
February 8, 2013
7:30 p.m.
Dennis Kucinich, an eight-term congressman from Ohio, will deliver the 12th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s future on February 8 in Santa Barbara. Rep. Kucinich, who is currently finishing his final term in the House of Representatives, has also served for many years as the United Nations Representative for the group Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.
The Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future was established by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation in 2001. Frank K. Kelly was a founder and senior vice president of the Foundation. He was a visionary advocate for humanity and inspired many people through his writing and example to take action on behalf of humanity.
Dennis Kucinich’s lecture will take place on Friday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, California.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
http://www.lobero.com
33 East Canon Perdido Street • Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Box Office Fax: 805-963-8752
Reflections on the Vietnam War: Ron Kovic
Ron Kovic Bio: http://www.biography.com/people/ron-kovic-21058843
More about Ron Kovic: http://myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=Kovic
ALT Video Link: http://youtu.be/Cqs6U2tk7kI
ALT Video Link: http://youtu.be/RaY6uK0vtGs
Peace Has No Borders
Howard Zinn (Vets For Peace) referred to our ‘topsy-turvy world’ where the powerful lead us into destruction and death while those who follow their conscience are punished. Deb Ellis and I had the opportunity to honor the life of Howard when we made the Academy Award Nominated film, Howard Zinn: You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train. This success has led to our current film project Peace Has No Borders.
Since that moment we have been following the lives of several resisters as they strive to maintain a
life of normalcy for themselves and their families in their newly adopted northern home while battling the forces of an ever right leaning Canadian government seeking to deport them. The fate that waits them back in the USA is one of humiliation, incarceration, and injustice, made only more painful by the fact that the war has fallen off the radar screen of most Americans.
We are asking for your help and solidarity as we strive to bring this untold story to the public.
PREVIEW: http://youtu.be/vpQUSN_l_2g
Study Investigating the Biological Basis of PTSD
The Neuroimaging Research Lab at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, MA is investigating the biological basis of PTSD. They are trying to recruit new participants (military veterans) for the study.
“ARE YOU AN IDENTICAL TWIN?
If so, have you or your twin served in a war zone?
Lisa Shin, PhD and colleagues in the Department of Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) are conducting a study to examine brain activity in individuals with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They seek participants who are identical twins in which one co-twin experienced combat and the other did not. You do not have to have PTSD to participate.
The study takes place in Boston. Travel expenses are covered by the study and participants are paid $500 for their time. Participation is completely voluntary and confidential.
For more information about this important research opportunity, please visit http://www.martinos.org/shinlab or email TwinStudy@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu.”
Drone Strike Information
Everything We Know So Far About Drone Strikes
For reporting and commentary on the drone war on Twitter:
@drones collects op-eds and news on well, drones. (Run by members of the Electronic Frontiers Foundation, which has been outspoken about privacy concerns in the use of domestic drones, but it also covers national security.)
@natlsecuritycnn has breaking news.
@Dangerroom from Wired covers national security and technology, including a lot on drones.
@lawfareblog covers the drone war’s legal dimensions.
@gregorydjohnsen is an expert on Yemen, who is closely following the war there.
@AfPakChannel from the New America Foundation and Foreign Policy tweets news and commentary on Afghanistan and Pakistan.