“Playing politics with veterans pay and benefits it not an option”
Julie Wilson
Infowars.com
Oct. 15, 2013
A group of military veterans representing more than 5.5 million members organized and rallied at the National WWII Memorial in Washington D.C. this morning demanding an end to the government shutdown.
The protest drew dozens of veterans whom, once again, peacefully removed barricades that were reinforced by the National Park Police yesterday, however, this time no reports surfaced of arrests or any confrontations with police.
Tuesday’s protest, organized by The Military Coalition (TMC), represented more than 33 organizations including: the Marine Corps League, Assoc. of the US Army, Assoc. of the US Navy, AMVETS, Reserve Officers Assoc. and many others.
“These military orgs have my back, unlike this Administration, which does not.” -Chairman of The Military Coalition pic.twitter.com/AQwmWZOzPk
— Shannon (@thenshelostit) October 15, 2013
Today’s rally aimed at voicing the financial crisis many vets face in the wake of the government shutdown. Congress must come to an agreement by Oct. 17 to avoid a default on top of the government shutdown, which would cancel out legislation crafted to protect vets from funding cuts.
If an agreement is not reached, veterans could face losing death benefits, incentive pays, re-enlistment bonuses, disability benefits and survivor benefits.
Today vets have received their paychecks, but it’s the next check they’re worried about.
“Playing politics with veterans pay and benefits it not an option,” said Ray Kelley of Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said, “Right now, veterans are hurting. They don’t know if their disability checks are coming. They don’t know if their GI Bill checks are coming.”
A Stimson Center analyst and professor at American University weighed in on the crisis and said, “[Under default], the first crunch will come when the Nov. 1 payroll is due.”
“The impact for anybody drawing pay [in the military] will grow increasingly severe. “People are probably not going to get paid for a while,” said Adams.
Over the weekend the government was anything but hesitant when it came to deploying expensive resources to confront, monitor and even arrest vets who were visiting their memorials in the National Mall.
Sunday protestors described seeing the park police buzzing around the National Mall in helicopters, which reportedly cost $15,000/hour to stay airborne.
Meanwhile, a crucial Life Flight helicopter for St. John Medical Center in Longview, WA has been grounded due to the government shutdown.
In another example of frivolous, unnecessary spending, last week the National Park Police were ordered to conduct around-the-clock surveillance of the Grand Canyon National Park.
The government’s discretion as to how and where to expend financial resources clearly makes no sense, other than to punish undeserving Americans, including military veterans who have risked their lives in wars which they thought were meant to preserve America’s sovereignty.
Unfortunately, government corruption embedded with and fueled by globalist agendas and political dog and pony shows have steadily stripped those freedoms from Americans, creating a tyrannical government whose interests only serve themselves.
Follow Julie Wilson @ https://twitter.com/JulieJay2904
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