Missed opportunities at the chemical weapons treaty meeting
By Malcolm Dando | 12 May 2008
Prior to the Chemical Weapons Convention's (CWC) Second Review Conference
last month, several attempts were made to raise the issue of the potential
for incapacitating chemical agents to skirt the convention's rules. Despite
these efforts, when the convention adjourned in mid-April, little had been
done to address the issue.
The CWC, which came into force in 1995, bans all chemical weapons. However,
among the peaceful uses exempt from the ban is "law enforcement, including
domestic riot control purposes." Observers have argued that this exemption
creates a potential loophole within the convention, as states might use it
to develop novel chemical agents. Under the exemption, standard domestic
riot control agents such as tear gas could be seen as a subcategory of law
enforcement agents. Because other law enforcement agents are not defined or
required to be reported under the convention, the development of novel
agents could take place in secret. The lack of state-level objections to the
Russian use of a new "nonlethal" chemical agent to break the Moscow Theater
siege in 2002 lends weight to this argument. The danger in reading the
convention in this way is that allowing the development of new chemical
agents by means of this potential loophole could lead to the erosion of the
whole prohibition--particularly as rapid developments in the life sciences
reveal new means of incapacitation.
At the First Review Conference in 2003, states attempted to raise this
issue, but they were unsuccessful. At the International Union of Pure and
Applied Chemistry meeting in Zagreb in preparation for the Second Review
Conference, the problem was discussed in some detail, and the report
concluded, "The risks associated with advances in science and technology
would increase significantly, should dedicated [chemical weapon] programs be
able to take advantage of them. There is, therefore, good reason . . . to
carefully assess the CWC compatibility of the development of devices that
use toxic chemicals for law-enforcement purposes (including so called
'nonlethal weapons')."
The report also suggested that parties at the Second Review Conference
needed to come to "agreement on the need for the declaration of toxic
chemicals for law enforcement purposes (types, qualities and delivery
systems)." Such an agreement would increase transparency about what types of
agents states are developing and increase trust, but while the report fed
into the deliberations of the conference, and a paper by Switzerland raised
a series of critical questions about so-called nonlethal chemical agents,
the issue did not feature in the final outcome of the meeting. (See Ralf
Trapp's further assessment of the Second Review Conference, "When States
Fail to Address Incapacitants."
It would appear, however, that the Swiss concerns were not removed from the
final consensus agreement until late on in the two-week review proceedings
and that a number of others states shared the Swiss's concerns. Taking an
optimistic view, by the time of the next review conference in 2013, States
Parties will have thoroughly examined this problem and agreed on an
effective solution. Yet, in order for that to happen, independent scientists
and nongovernmental organizations will have to ensure that states do not
lose sight of the problem.
The CWC has accomplished a great deal in a short period of time, but the
issues it addresses remain far from the public's attention. As the head of
the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Media and
Public Affairs Branch remarked in the run up to the Review Conference: "The
successful negotiation and implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention
is among the most significant multilateral achievements of the past 15
years--and one of the least known or appreciated by the public at large."
This facet of the CWC will pose particular challenges. The spokesman
continued: "Outside of a few specialized journals, scant attention has been
paid by media to the steady destruction of chemical weapons and their
production facilities, or to the development of OPCW's exemplary inspections
regime. Few policy institutes or think tanks have examined the relevance of
chemical disarmament for multilateralism and global security and only a
handful of nongovernmental organizations are engaged with the issue. Even
many in the chemical industry remain unaware of its own key role in
concluding the convention and monitoring the production and trade of
scheduled chemicals." Thus, the necessary nongovernmental attention is by no
means assured.
Considering the scope and pace of change in our understanding of the central
nervous system, and the possibilities for misuse of that knowledge in the
development of new forms of incapacitants, I take the pessimistic view that
the Second Review Conference of the CWC made a major mistake in failing to
deal with this issue. Waiting until 2013--or beyond--to deal with this
problem may be far too late.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Kicking the can down the road usually leads to more problems ala Iraq and it's supposed WMD's it would be far better to deal with issues now rather than later.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Missed opportunities at the chemical weapons treaty meeting
SUBJECT: Revised Disability Examination Worksheets
Does anyone have link to the actual recent VA directive or fast letter on AO & hypertension
I just saw this.. from April 2007
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Benefits Administration
Washington, D.C. 20420
April 24, 2007 In Reply Refer To: 211D
Fast Letter 07-10
Director (00/21)
All VA Regional Offices and Centers
SUBJECT: Revised Disability Examination Worksheets
Revised disability examination worksheets for Audio; Ear Disease; Hand, Thumb and Fingers; Feet; Mental Disorders; Eating Disorders; Esophagus and Hiatal Hernia; Intestines; and Stomach, Duodenum, and Peritoneal Adhesions have been released nationally to VA Medical Centers for C&P examiner use.
These worksheets are changed in the following significant ways:
Audio and Ear Disease
· The Audio examination worksheet no longer requires frequency and duration for tinnitus. The examiner only needs to state whether tinnitus is persistent or recurrent.
· On the Audio examination worksheet, the request for an opinion about the etiology of tinnitus has been removed. If an opinion about etiology is required for a specific veteran, the regional office must request it.
· On the Ear Disease examination worksheet, questions have been added about history of hospitalizations, surgery, noise exposure and ear trauma.
· On both examination worksheets, examiners are asked to describe effects on occupational functioning and daily activities.
Hand, Thumb and Fingers
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery, trauma and neoplasm have been added.
· Examiners are asked to describe current symptoms and effects on occupational functioning and daily activities.
· On physical examination, the requirement for passive range of motion has been removed.
Feet
· Under history, questions about neoplasm have been added.
· On physical examination, all requirements for range of motion of the toes; active, passive and after repetition have been removed.
· On physical examination, assessment of posture in various positions has been removed.
Mental Disorders and Eating Disorders
· The credentials of examiners who VBA and VHA recently agreed can perform these types of examinations are listed.
· On a Mental Disorders examination, the examiner is expected to select the appropriate assessment of the veteran from the list provided and support the assessment with examples.
Esophagus and Hiatal Hernia
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery, trauma and neoplasm have been added as well as the effects of the condition on occupational functioning and daily activities.
· Under diagnostic tests, if there is a history of bleeding (past 12 months) or signs of anemia, a hemoglobin/hematocrit is required.
Intestines
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery, trauma and neoplasm have been added as well as effects of the condition on occupational functioning and daily activities.
· Under history, for ulcerative colitis, the number of attacks per year has been added as a requirement.
· Under diagnostic tests, if there are signs of anemia, a hemoglobin/ hematocrit is required.
Scars
· Under history, the treatment used and response to treatment has been removed.
Stomach, Duodenum, and Peritoneal Adhesions
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery, trauma and neoplasm have been added as well as effects of the condition on occupational functioning and daily activities.
· Under diagnostic tests, if there is a recent history (past 12 months) of hematemesis, melena or signs of anemia, a hemoglobin/hematocrit is required.
The following worksheets will be released in approximately 8 weeks: Bones; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Cranial Nerves; Cushing’s Syndrome; Eye; Fibromyalgia; HIV-Related Illness; Liver, Gall Bladder, and Pancreas; Lymphatic Disorders; Nose, Sinus, Larynx, and Pharynx; and Rectum and Anus.
These worksheets have been changed in the following significant ways:
Bones
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery and neoplasm have been added.
· If a joint is involved, the examiner is referred to the Joint worksheet.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
· Under history, a question about hospitalizations has been added.
· Under history, questions about debilitating fatigue, incapacitating episodes and cognitive impairment have been added.
· A cursory physical examination has been added.
Cranial Nerves
· Under history, the question about flare-ups has been deleted.
· Under history, the examiner is asked to comment on onset, course since onset and current symptoms.
· Under history, questions about hospitalization, surgery, neoplasm and trauma have been added.
· Under history, a question about effects on occupational functioning and daily activities has been added.
Cushing’s syndrome
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery, and neoplasm have been added.
· Under history, a question about effects on occupational functioning and daily activities has been added.
· Diagnostic and Clinical tests are only to be performed if not of record or to confirm a diagnosis.
Eye
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery, and trauma have been added.
· Under history, a specific question for congestive or inflammatory glaucoma has been added.
· Under physical examination, a specific question about the ability to wear a prosthesis after enucleation has been added.
Fibromyalgia
· Under history, a question about hospitalizations has been added.
HIV-Related Illness
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery and neoplasm have been added.
Liver, Gall Bladder, and Pancreas
· Under history, a question about effects on occupational functioning and daily activities has been added.
Lymphatic Disorders
· Under history, a question about hospitalizations and surgery has been added.
· Under history, a question about effects on occupational functioning and daily activities has been added.
· A focused physical examination has been added.
Nose, Sinus, Larynx, and Pharynx
· Under history, for chronic sinusitis, a question about incapacitating and non-incapacitating episodes per year has been added.
· Under history, a question about effects on occupational functioning and daily activities has been added.
· Under history, questions about neoplasm have been added.
· Under physical examination, the examination for larynx and pharynx has been added.
Rectum and Anus
· Under history, questions about hospitalizations, surgery, trauma, and neoplasm have been added.
· Under history, a question about effects on occupational functioning and daily activities has been added.
· Under Diagnostic and Clinical tests, the examiner is asked to obtain a CBC if there is a history of bleeding, signs of anemia or chronic infection.
If you have any questions about this letter, please contact Vicki Milton, M.D., at (202) 273-9646 or by e-mail.
/S/
Bradley G. Mayes
Director
Compensation & Pension Service
Army sets campaign star rules
By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday May 13, 2008 9:43:38 EDT
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/army_campaignstars_051108w/
Soldiers and Army veterans who believe they are eligible for the newly authorized Afghanistan and Iraq campaign stars must verify eligibility with unit personnel officials or the Human Resources Command.
The verification requirement applies to Regular Army, National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers and former soldiers who have served, or are serving, deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Defense Department data indicate nearly 805,000 soldiers have served qualifying deployments.
Campaign stars were approved by the Defense Department on April 16 for wear on the Afghanistan and Iraq campaign medals.
Implementing instructions were issued April 30 by the Army’s Military Awards Branch as MilPer Message 08-123.
The instructions mandate that “no Afghanistan Campaign Medal or Iraq Campaign Medal will be awarded to Army soldiers without at least one service star.”
A second implementing instruction will be issued later this year for the award of Afghanistan and Iraq campaign streamers, which are displayed on unit colors, flags and guidons.
“Soldiers who are, or have, qualified for either of these awards (Afghanistan or Iraq Campaign Medals) can report to their unit S-1, unit administrator or supporting military personnel division and have their campaign entitlements updated to their records,” according to the Army instructions.
Eligibility can be verified with supporting documentation, such as orders for the campaign medal, DD Form 1610 travel orders, evaluation reports (DA Form 67-9 for officers or DA Form 2166-8 for NCOs), a memorandum signed by the soldier’s former battalion commander, deployment and redeployment orders (must include soldier’s full name), and other documents such as certificates of appreciation.
Veterans can request campaign star approval by sending a written request, a copy of their DD Form 214 or DD Form 215 and supporting documentation (same type of documents as for serving soldiers) to the Commander, Human Resources Command, Attn: AHRC-PDP-A, 200 Stovall St., Alexandria, VA 22332-0400.
Designated campaign phases
The campaign stars recognize soldiers for participating in designated campaign phases — not multiple deployments — within the areas of eligibility for 30 consecutive days, or 60 nonconsecutive days.
Soldiers also are eligible if they engage in combat, or are wounded or injured and require medical evacuation, regardless of the time in a designated area.
Eligibility is retroactive to Sept. 11, 2001, for service in Afghanistan, and March 19, 2003, for Iraq.
Soldiers who qualify for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal by reason of having served in Afghanistan during Sept. 11, 2001-April 30, 2005, or Iraq during March 19, 2003-April 30, 2005, remain qualified for that medal, but can have it replaced by the ACM or ICM.
Campaign stars are not authorized for wear on the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, according to Army policy.
In the April 19 directive authorizing campaign stars, the Defense Department established three qualifying phases, or time periods, for Afghanistan, and four for Iraq.
In authorizing the award of campaign medals and stars, the Defense Department stipulated that soldiers cannot receive separate medals for the same action, time period and service.
However, if a soldier’s period of deployment overlaps one or more of the approved campaign phases, the soldier qualifies for each phase, and is entitled to the appropriate number of service stars.
For example, if a soldier deployed to Afghanistan for 180 days during Oct. 24, 2001, to April 13, 2002, he is entitled to two service stars on the ACM for participation in both the liberation of Afghanistan and Consolidation I campaign phases of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Campaign stars are bronze or silver five-pointed stars. A silver star is worn in lieu of five bronze campaign stars.
Campaign phases
A directive issued by the Department of Defense April 16 designates three phases of Operation Enduring Freedom as qualifying for a campaign star:
• Liberation of Afghanistan (Sept. 11, 2001–Nov. 30, 2001)
• Consolidation I (Dec. 1, 2001-Sept. 30, 2006)
• Consolidation II (Oct. 1, 2006-TBD)
The four qualifying phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom are:
• Liberation of Iraq (March 19, 2003-May 1, 2003)
• Transition of Iraq (May 2, 2003-June 28, 2004)
• Iraqi Governance (June 29, 2004-Dec. 15, 2005)
• National Resolution (Dec. 16, 2005-TBD)
VA Names Members of Gulf War Veterans Advisory Committee Secretary Peake to Hear Their Concerns, Issues
VA Names Members of Gulf War Veterans Advisory Committee Secretary Peake to Hear Their Concerns, Issues
WASHINGTON (May 13, 2008) -- Veterans who served in the Southwest Asia
theater of operations during 1990-1991 will have their own special
advocates before Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake,
thanks to a new advisory committee Peake established to respond to
issues unique to them.
The 14-member, independent panel will advise the Secretary and the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the full range of health care and
benefits needs of those who served in the conflict.
"Gulf War veterans made an invaluable contribution to national security
and peace in a volatile region," Peake said. "This new panel will ensure
that VA benefits and programs adapt to the needs of these veterans, just
as our services have adapted for veterans of other conflicts."
Serving on the committee are Gulf War and other veterans, veterans
service organizations' representatives, medical experts, and the
survivors of Gulf War veterans. Members were selected to provide a
variety of perspectives, experiences and expertise.
The committee will be chaired by Charles Cragin, a retired Navy captain,
who has had several senior level positions within the federal
government, including Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel
and Readiness and Chairman of VA's Board of Veterans Appeals.
In January 2002, the Department created an advisory committee to assist
VA's secretary on research into the medical problems of Gulf War
veterans. That older committee will retain responsibility for research
involving veterans of the 1990-1991 conflict in the Middle East.
This committee's first meeting will be held in mid-June in Washington,
D.C. It is expected to complete its work within 18 months. Committee
meetings will be open to the public.
A list of the members of VA's Gulf War Advisory Committee is attached.
Membership
VA Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans
* Charles Cragin, (Chair) of Raymond, Maine. Currently serves a
senior counselor for Maine Street Solutions, LLC.
* Martha Douthit of Ashburn, Va. Surviving spouse of Gulf War
Army veteran, member of the Gold Star Wives of America, currently an
international trade analyst with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
* Dr. Henry Falk of Atlanta. Retired rear admiral and former
Assistant U.S. Surgeon General. Currently director for the Coordinating
Center for Environmental Health and Injury Prevention with the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
* Mark Garner of Lorton, Va. A retired Marine Corps chief warrant
officer-three and Gulf War veteran who served as a Nuclear, Biological,
and Chemical Defense Officer.
* Dr. Lynn Goldman of Chevy Chase, Md. Vice chair of the
Institute of Medicine Gulf War and Health Study; currently professor of
environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins University.
* Dr. John Hart of Plano, Texas. Past president of the Society
for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology, currently professor of neurology
and psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
* William (Rusty) Jones of South Riding, Va. Retired Marine Corps
colonel, and veteran of Gulf War and Vietnam War.
* Kirt Love of Crawford, Texas. An Army veteran of the Gulf War,
currently serving as director of the Desert Storm Battle Registry.
* Daniel Ortiz of Whittier, Calif. An Army veteran of the Gulf
War, currently serving as department service director with the Veterans
of Foreign Wars.
* Daniel Pinedo of Oceanside, Calif. Marine Corps colonel
currently serving as the comptroller for First Marine Expeditionary
Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
* Thomas Plewes of Annandale, Va. A retired Army lieutenant
general and former chief of the Army Reserve. Currently a senior
program officer with National Academy of Sciences.
* Valerie Randall of Savage, Md. A retired Army sergeant first
class; currently with the Department of Homeland Security.
* Edward (Randy) Reese of Washington, D.C. An Army veteran of the
Gulf War; currently national service director for the Disabled American
Veterans.
* Steve Robertson of Fredericksburg, Va. A Gulf War veteran who
served both in the Air Force and Army National Guard. Currently
director of the national legislative commission for The American Legion.
AFGE LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE AD CAMPAIGN FOR FULL AND
AFGE LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE AD CAMPAIGN FOR FULL AND MANDATORY VA FUNDING
Union representing VA workers
is urging elected officials not to privatize VA healthcare.
Ads target Sen. McCain's "VA Card" promise.
For more about Sen. John McCain's "VA Card" promise that would dismantle the VA, click here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfFEB08/nf021108-1.htm
For more about privatizing the VA, use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.php?q=privatize+privatizing&op=or
For more about the AFGE, use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.php?q=afge&op=and
Story here... http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories
.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-12-2008/0004811441&EDATE=
Story below:
-------------------------
AFGE Launches Nationwide Ad Campaign Aimed at Funding the VA
Union Representing VA Workers Urge Elected Officials Not to Privatize Veterans' Health Care
WASHINGTON, /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees today launched a nationwide radio ad campaign urging Congress to provide full, mandatory funding for the Department of Veterans' Affairs. In the ad, AFGE urges presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to support full funding for the VA.
"As the nation's highest profile veteran and a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator McCain now is in a position to do something that will have long range impact on the health care of his fellow veterans," said AFGE President John Gage. "AFGE strongly feels that recent proposals by Senator McCain are misguided," he added.
In February, Sen. McCain told press in New Hampshire that he plans to offer veterans vouchers to receive care at private for-profit healthcare facilities. That move, according to AFGE, would be tantamount to dismantling the current Veteran's Health Administration (VHA), which is widely regarded as the nation's foremost medical health care system.
The ad features veteran and AFGE member Phil Glover who expresses concerns about the McCain voucher plan calling it a means of privatizing veterans' health care and undermining the solvency of the VA. Referring the McCain's voucher plan, Glover says, "That would be the end of the VA -- the end of the promise and the start of a huge boondoggle for big corporations."
"While it has been argued that the VA has not been responsive to the growing needs of burgeoning veterans' population, many of the short falls can be directly attributed to a lack of funding," said J. David Cox, AFGE national secretary-treasurer who is also a former VA nurse. "Vouchers could cripple the system by diverting much needed funds away from veterans' health care. We urge all members of Congress to support full, mandatory funding for the VA. But, because of his political stature we are especially targeting Sen. McCain."
The radio ads start airing this week in North Carolina, New Mexico, Florida, Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia and Pennsylvania. For more information, go to http://www.fundtheva.com or http://www.afge.org.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.
-------------------------
posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
Monday, May 12, 2008
Ex-State officials allege corruption in Iraq
Ex-State officials allege corruption in Iraq
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The Bush administration repeatedly ignored corruption at the highest levels within the Iraqi government and kept secret potentially embarrassing information so as not to undermine its relationship with Baghdad, according to two former State Department employees.
Arthur Brennan, who briefly served in Baghdad as head of the department's Office of Accountability and Transparency last year, and James Mattil, who worked as the chief of staff, told Senate Democrats on Monday that their office was understaffed and its warnings and recommendations ignored.
Brennan also alleges the State Department prevented a congressional aide visiting Baghdad from talking with staffers by insisting they were too busy. In reality, Brennan said, office members were watching movies at the embassy and on their computers. The staffers' workload had been cut dramatically because of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's "evisceration" of Iraq's top anti-corruption office, he said.
The State Department's policies "not only contradicted the anti-corruption mission but indirectly contributed to and has allowed corruption to fester at the highest levels of the Iraqi government," Brennan told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.
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AP IMPACT: Number of disabled veterans rising The U.S. embassy "effort against corruption - including its new centerpiece, the now-defunct Office of Accountability and Transparency - was little more than 'window dressing,'" he added.
Deputy State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the administration takes the issue of corruption seriously and pointed to its recent appointment of Lawrence Benedict as coordinator for anti-corruption initiatives at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
Benedict's appointment "is another demonstration that we are working at very senior levels to help the Iraqis deal with this issue," Casey said. "Any assertion that we have not taken this issue seriously or given it the attention it deserves is simply untrue."
The Office of Accountability and Transparency, or "OAT" team, was intended to provide assistance and training to Iraq's anti-corruption agencies. It was dismantled last December, after it alleged in a draft report leaked to the media that al-Maliki's office had derailed or prevented investigations into Shiite-controlled agencies.
The draft report sparked hearings in Congress and prompted a showdown between Democrats and senior State Department officials on whether the public has a right to know the extent to which al-Maliki was involved in corruption cases.
Brennan charges the State Department never responded to his team's report, which was retroactively classified because agency officials said it could hurt bilateral relations with Iraq. Other recommendations by the group also were kept secret, including a negative assessment of Iraq's Joint Anti-Corruption Committee, Brennan said.
In July 2007, the OAT team concluded that the committee's only purpose was to provide a forum for complaints against Judge Radhi Hamza al-Radhi, a top anti-corruption official in Baghdad whom many U.S. officials have hailed as the most effective in exposing fraud and abuse.
But information later released by the embassy ignored the team's assessment and ultimately "failed to even mention what a disaster" the committee "really was," Brennan said.
Brennan said he approved the embassy report against his better judgment but later regretted it.
Mattil, who worked with Brennan, made similar allegations. Specifically, he said the U.S. "remained silent in the face of an unrelenting campaign" by senior Iraqi officials to subvert Baghdad's Commission on Public Integrity, which had been led by al-Radhi. Then, the U.S. turned its back on Iraqis who fled to the United States after being threatened for pursuing anti-corruption cases, he said.
"Since we have done so little (to undercut corruption), it's easy to see why the government of Iraq has not done more," said Mattil, who left the accountability office last October after having served for a year as its chief of staff. "We have demanded no better."
Brennan was appointed as OAT director last summer and arrived in Baghdad in July. He left only a few weeks later after his wife was diagnosed with cancer. He stepped down from his position in August.
Iraqi government officials could not be reached for comment.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, head of the Democratic Policy Committee, said the testimony was critical in light of upcoming legislation that would appropriate more than $170 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Dorgan is a member, is expected to approve the legislation Thursday.
"It is a cruel irony if we are appropriating money next Thursday or did appropriate money last month or last year and that money ends up actually providing the resources for an insurgency in Iraq which ends up killing Americans," said Dorgan, D-N.D.
Pentagon presents biggest obstacle to Democrats' plan to boost college aid for veterans
Pentagon presents biggest obstacle to Democrats' plan to boost college aid for veterans
WASHINGTON: Veterans groups say it is time to expand college aid for former service members, and Democrats want to use an election year to do it. Their biggest obstacle? The Pentagon.
The Defense Department is lobbying against legislation proposed by Sen. Jim Webb, a Virginia Democrat, that would guarantee a full scholarship for service members to any in-state public university. According to defense officials, the plan would hurt its ability to retain service members because the new GI education bill would require only three years before the full benefit kicks in. The Defense Department wants the commitment to be extended to at least six years.
"We have no issue with the fact that Sen. Webb wishes to provide a more generous education benefit to troops," said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell. "But we are certainly concerned that this would be eligible to them" so soon.
The Pentagon's opposition to Webb's bill underscores the difficulty the military has had in recruiting and retaining an all-volunteer force at a time when it is engaged in a war that is deeply unpopular with the American public.
Adding to the military's dilemma is the larger number of soldiers and Marines needed to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year, the Pentagon recommended that the Army be increased by about 65,000 soldiers to a total of 547,000, and the Marines be increased by 27,000 to 202,000.
Today in Americas
McCain differs with Bush on climate changeConfronting questions, Obama assures Jews of his supportU.S. justices' conflicts halt apartheid appealThe difficulty in finding young people also can be attributed in part to low unemployment numbers in recent years. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, unemployment dropped from 6 percent in 2003 to 4.6 percent in 2007.
In recent months, the military has had to take creative steps to reach its desired troop numbers. A year ago, when Army recruiters did not meet their goal, the service announced new $20,000 (€13,000) bonuses for recruits and up to $40,000 (€26,000) if an enlistee signed up for at least four years.
The Army also has granted special exceptions to recruits with prior criminal records, medical problems or low-aptitude scores that would have otherwise disqualified them from service. Senior military officials defended the change in policy as justified because they say current restrictions were so stringent that many members in Congress would have been denied entrance to the ranks because of indiscretions from their youth.
Retention rates have been less troublesome in the military, with the Army and Marine Corps exceeding their goals by large margins in 2006 and staying strong in 2007. Studies have found that combat deployments can prompt service members to re-enlist, usually because of a sense of accomplishment.
Still, the Defense Department is worried that its retention numbers could fall as service members are asked to return repeatedly to Iraq and Afghanistan and they are given too much of an incentive to leave. One particular problem facing the military is its ability to hang on to seasoned combat veterans, including those in the elite forces, who are being lured to higher-paying jobs in the private sector.
Webb, a Vietnam veteran and critic of the Iraq war, counters that his legislation would be more effective in attracting new recruits and would offset any drop in the military's ranks.
"I can't think of a better way to broaden (the) propensity to serve than to offer a truly meaningful educational benefit, rather than simply taking that smaller demographic" of those already enlisted "and pound on it" with repeated combat tours, he said.
