Friday, October 08, 2010

Burial, survivor benefits and deployment

September 24th, US soldiers Gebrah Noonan and John Carrillo Jr. were killed while serving in Iraq, US soldier Netfaly Platero is accused of killing them and wounding a third soldier. Joe Goldeen (McClatchy Newspapers) reports on the funeral Tuesday:

A flock of Canada geese flew in formation overhead as a passing train's whistle blew.
Carrillo's wife of two years, Reylene Carrillo, told the mourners: "Junior really loved his kids."
The Rev. Eugene Kraft, former pastor at Carrillo's childhood church, Lakeview Assembly of God in Stockton, described pastoring to Carrillo for 17 years as an "awesome privilege."

Meanwhile WRAL reports that yesterday came the news Fort Bragg would be deploying troops to Iraq. John Ramsey (Fayetteville Observer) reports over 750 members of the 18th Airborne Corps will deploy in January. News 14 Carolina (link has text and video) adds that this will be the third eployment for the XVIII Airbone Corps. WTVD (link has text and video) notes of the new phase christened "Operation Iraq Freedom," "The new name reflects a change in mission but the danger remains the same."

We noted an important release from Senator Daniel Akaka's office in yesterday's snapshot. Space permitting, we'll note it again today in the snapshot and here it is now:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) is urging widows and widowers of deceased veterans to check to be sure that they received VA compensation for the month of their spouse's death. According to new figures from the Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately 196,030 widows and widowers have received a total of $124,348,136 in month-of-death back payments since Senator Akaka uncovered a VA accounting error in December 2008.
"Nearly 200,000 widows and widowers have finally received their benefits, but I want to be sure that all surviving spouses receive the compensation they are eligible for. I urge the survivors of disabled veterans to contact VA if they did not receive compensation during the month of their loved one's death," said Akaka.
For almost 12 years, surviving spouses of veterans were wrongly denied benefits. In 1996, a law was enacted instructing that when a veteran receiving VA benefits died, the spouse would be entitled to a payment for the month of death. However, due to an error, VA wrongly demanded the money back from many surviving spouses. Senator Akaka learned of the problem when a Maui widow contacted him for assistance after a paymetn for the month of her husband's death was taken from her bank account by the Treasury Department.
Looking into the case, Akaka discovered that VA had failed to adjust its computer programs and notification letters to surviving spouses after the law was changed. As a result, surviving spouses were still being told that the check they received was an overpayment which needed to be returned to VA. In cases where the money had been spent, such as for funeral expenses, the Treasury would withdraw the money from the widow or widower's bank account.
VA has implemented new notification letters and changed its practices. However, surviving spouses should ensure that their month-of-death benefit was paid as promised. In some cases, VA may not be aware that the veteran had a surviving spouse, as marital data is not always collected if the veteran's benefit does not take a spousal amount into account. (This occurs when a veteran's monthly compensation check is based on a disability rating of less than 30 percent, or when a veteran does not tell VA that he or she has married after VA benefits are commenced.)
For more information from the Department of Veterans Affairs, click here. LINK.
Kawika Riley
Communications Director and Legislative Assistant
U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii), Chairman

The following community sites-- plus Antiwar.com and wowOwow -- updated last night:


We'll close with this from World Can't Wait's Debra Sweet:


We are in the streets, and in the "newspaper of record" today protesting the illegitimate, unjust, immoral occupation of Afghanistan, and the drone bombings of Pakistan.

The Crimes Are Crimes - No Matter Who Does Them statement declares:

On the ninth anniversary of America's longest war, the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq remain bloody, employing more contractors, while drones rain death upon Pakistan.

In the months since this statement was written, US courts have ruled that innocents who have been tortured may not sue, while the Obama administration defends those who directed that torture be used.

When leaking evidence of war crimes is criminalized, remaining silent is a crime.


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thomas friedman is a great man






oh boy it never ends
















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