Blog post

IAVA Daily Brief 07.21.09
Posted by Michelle McCarthy on July 21

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings at IAVA.  Prefer to receive real-time updates about major news and legislation that IAVA is tracking?  Follow us on Twitter @iavapressroom.

MUST READS

(1) Arlington's buried secrets: Cemetery admits it can't identify grave-site remains

In the third installment of an investigative series, Salon's Mark Benjamin explores today evidence that Arlington National Cemetery lost track of the identity of remains recently buried in a grave in plot Sect. 68 and covered up the disturbing discovery for six years.  According to Benjamin, in 2003 Arlington workers dug into the ground at Grave 449 in Section 68 -- the cemetery had paperwork that said the grave was empty -- to bury somebody who had recently died. They came across remains already interred in that grave, and as result filled out a grave card (obtained by Salon) urging colleagues: "do not DO NOT USE!!! CASKET IN GRAVE REMAINS UNKNOWN."  In a statement, Arlington spokeswoman Kaitlin Horst admitted the error. "The identity of the remains in Grave 449 in Section 68 is unknown at this time," Horst said. "Arlington National Cemetery officials have known about this situation since 2003... a search for corresponding records in the paper files was conducted and again, proved inconclusive."  In an interview, IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff expressed shock about Arlington's chaos, including allegations that personal mementos -- letters, photographs and artifacts -- placed on graves in Section 60, the final resting place of 600 troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, have ended up in the trash. "We expect the Armed Services Committee to look into this and that hearings would be appropriate," Rieckhoff said. "Our members are outraged. People are very, very concerned. We expect a response from the Army on this."

(2) Obama, Gates condemns missing GI video, search goes on

In a Pentagon press conference on Monday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that they were disgusted at the Taliban video released over the weekend of captured Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl who disappeared June 30th in eastern Afghanistan. "My personal reaction was one of disgust at the exploitation of this young soldier," Gates said.  "Our commanders are sparing no effort to find this young soldier."  On NBC's Today Show Tuesday, President Obama condemned the video calling it humiliating.  In the 28-minute video, Bergdahl becomes emotional when he speaks of his family -- his parents, siblings, nieces and nephew -- and the girlfriend he hopes to marry.  In a separate statement read on an Idaho CNN affiliate, the Bergdahls said through a family friend:  "Bowe, if you see this, know that we love you and we are praying fervently for you and prayers are going up for you from all over the world.  [And] to all of our valiant men and women, know that the American people believe in you, support you and are 100 percent behind you, and we thank God every day that you have our back."

(3) Gates Says U.S. Army’s Size Will Grow by 22,000

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Monday announced a temporary increase in the size of the Army of up to 22,000 troops to meet what he called the “persistent pace” of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  “The Army faces a period where its ability to continue to deploy combat units at acceptable fill rates is at risk,” Mr. Gates said, expressing concerned that Army units sent to Iraq and Afghanistan in the future might not have enough soldiers.  The increase, to occur over the next three years, will raise the size of the Army to 569,000 active-duty soldiers. An expansion to 547,000 soldiers, announced by Mr. Gates in 2007, was completed in May.  Mr. Gates did not say what the increase would cost over all, but indicated he would ask Congress for money to pay for it in 2011 and 2012. He estimated the cost in the fiscal year that ends in October at “less than a hundred million dollars” and in fiscal 2010 at $1 billion. He said he would absorb the costs in 2009 and 2010 into the existing Pentagon budget.

(4) Iraq vets' caregivers seek training, compensation

A group of military caregivers organized by the Wounded Warrior Project are heading to Capitol Hill this week to lobby for passage of legislation that would require the Department of Veterans Affairs Department to offer more training to primary caregivers of severely injured veterans from the recent wars. Those certified would be eligible for benefits such as health care and a stipend of a few hundred dollars a week.  Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, who authored legislation in the Senate to address the issue with Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said there are more than just an isolated few families asking for help.  "This has been growing, growing to the point now where we can not ignore it," Akaka said.  Akaka said he's waiting for a final analysis about how much the legislation would cost, although he's confident keeping a veteran in the home is cheaper than a nursing home.  The VA has expressed concerns about the cost of the legislation. It has also said it would divert from the agency's mission of providing care to veterans and training clinicians, and said some of the same services are provided in other programs.  Phil Budahn, a VA spokesman, said in a statement the agency would continue to look for ways to "appropriately support these compassionate providers."  According to WWP, under the legislation about 750 caregivers would be eligible long-term, whereas several thousand would participate for about one to three years.

AFGHANISTAN

Four U.S. troops were killed Monday when a roadside bomb exploded in eastern Afghanistan, NATO officials said.  At least 30 U.S. troops have died this month making it the deadliest for U.S. troops since the war in Afghanistan started in 2001.

While traveling in the region on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called the surge in U.S. and allied deaths in Afghanistan in July "regrettable and tragic” while reaffirming that the Obama administration believes it has no choice but to continue the fight.  "It is deeply regrettable and tragic that we have had the loss of life by our Marines and soldiers in the last weeks as they have aggressively pursued the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, and we are very concerned about the kidnapping of our American soldier," Clinton said while traveling through India. Clinton said the U.S. government is doing all it can to obtain his safe release. "But I think it's unfair to link the tragic loss of Americans in the battle against the Taliban and their associated terrorist allies with a failure by our allies," she said, noting that Britain has suffered a large number of casualties in recent weeks in Afghanistan.

In eastern Afghanistan, at least eight people were killed Tuesday when Taliban guerrillas, including waves of 15 suicide bombers, attacked government buildings in Gardez, the capital of Patika province.  According to local officials, some of the suicide bombers were dressed in traditional head-to-toe burqas worn by many Afghan women.

IRAQ

Ten people were killed, including seven policemen and a soldier, in attacks in the Iraqi cities of Mosul and Ramadi on Monday.  On Tuesday, Ramadi declared a state of emergency and imposed a vehicle ban after two bomb attacks on Tuesday killed four and wounded more than 30 people.

The new spate of attacks come as tensions are reportedly rising between the U.S. and Iraqi governments over Baghdad's push to restrict American military operations in Iraq.  Accoridng to officers interviewed on the ground by the Wall Street Journal, Baghdad has sharply reduced the numbers of joint patrols with the U.S., making it harder for the American military to move troops and supplies around the country, and effectively banning the U.S. from conducting raids with time-sensitive intelligence.  The complaints comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki departed Baghdad on Tuesday for Washington, D.C. - his first U.S. visit since 2006- to meet with President Obama and seek U.S. investment in Iraq despite persistent security concerns.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

The wellness company Allostatix is reportedly hoping to make a deal with the U.S. military to show that a test it has forumlated can predict which soldiers will struggle most with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Allostatix has been working with the Department of Defense to get the go-ahead to try to predict PTSD, which would begin with a study of active-duty soldiers and units of the Kentucky Army National Guard. The company recently raised $200,000, in part to be ready if the military approves the project, according to company executives and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Separately, Pvt. Joshua D. Fry, 21, a Marine diagnosed with autism as a toddler, was sentenced to four years confinement on Monday by a court at Camp Pendleton where he was charged for possessing child pornography, unauthorized leave and fraudulent enlistment.  Fry has been confined at the Pendleton brig for nearly a year since he was apprehended last summer after twice failing to show up for duty.  His case is raising questions about Marine Corps recruitment standards. According to a pre-trial motion filed by Fry's attorney, Marine recruiters drove to a group home for the mentally disabled to pick up Fry and sign him up at 18 years old. The enlistment occurred despite a warning from Fry's legal guardian and grandmother that he was autistic, that he was not Marine material, and he could not sign a contract without her permission.

INSIDE WASHINGTON

Newly-minted Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), unveiled his first legislative goal Monday — providing funding to train dogs to work with wounded veterans. In a column in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Franken wrote: "Service dogs … can be of immense benefit to vets suffering from physical and emotional wounds... Yes, they provide companionship. But they can also detect changes in a person's breathing, perspiration or scent to anticipate and ward off an impending panic attack with some well-timed nuzzling. They are trained to let their masters know when it's time to take their medication and to wake them from terrifying nightmares." Franken said it costs about $25,000 to train and place a dog and noted his new bill would provide hundreds of them to veterans. The Minnesota Democrat also said there is evidence to show that this kind of program could help reduce the suicide rate among veterans.

In an interim report by a presidential task force reviewing U.S. detention policy, officials laid out for the first time the means by which Justice and Defense department lawyers will determine whether the 229 detainees remaining at Guantanamo get criminal or military trials underscoring that while it prefers detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, be tried in criminal courts, some suspected terrorists in less-prominent cases or in cases with weaker evidence could go before military tribunals.  Administration officials said Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland have stepped forward to accept some detainees, joining France, Britain, Palau and Bermuda.

CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE

THE SENATE 

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m.

Resume consideration of S.1390, DoD Authorization. There will then be 2 hours for debate on the Levin-McCain amendment (F22). Upon the use or yielding back of time (around 12 o’clock), the Senate will proceed to vote on the Levin-McCain amendment.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15 pm to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons.

Following the recess, the DoD Authorization bill will be open to further amendments. Therefore, additional roll call votes are possible in the afternoon.

FUTURE COMMITTEE HEARINGS  of  INTEREST

• July 29, 2009 - SVAC will hold a hearing entitled, "Review of Veterans' Disability Compensation: Forging a Path Forward."  9:30 a.m.; 418 Russell (Smith)
• August 2, 2009 - SVAC will conduct a field hearing on VA’s outreach to returning Guardsmen.  10:00 a.m.; Oahu Veterans Center (Vasquez)
• August 28, 2009 - SVAC will conduct a field hearing on the state of VA’s services on Maui, to include an OIG report of the same.  10:00 a.m.; Maui Cultural Center (Vasquez)

THE HOUSE of  REPRESENTATIVES       

The House will convene at 10:30 a.m.

*** Members are advised that the official photograph of the 111th Congress will be taken during the first series of votes.  The first series of votes is expected at approximately 2:00 p.m.

FUTURE  HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of  INTEREST

• July 22, 2009 - Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing: Enforcement of VA’s Brachytherapy Program Safety Standards  10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB
• July 23, 2009 - Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Hearing: Examining Quality of Life and Ancillary Benefits Issues  10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB
• July 29, 2009 - Full Committee Hearing:  Meeting the Needs of Injured Veterans in the Military Paralympic Program  10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB
• July 30, 2009 - Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing:  The Implications of VA’s Limited Scope of Gulf War Illness Research  10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB

IAVA IN THE NEWS

Outlet: Salon.com

Title: Arlington's buried secrets: Cemetery admits it can't identify grave-site remains

Date: Monday, July 20th

Representative: IAVA, Paul Rieckhoff

Outlet: MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show

Title: U.S. Military Continues Search for Missing G.I.

Date: Monday, July 20th

Representative: Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA

Outlet: TPM Cafe

Title: GAO: VA Failing to Serve Women Warriors

Date: Monday, July 20th

Representative: IAVA

WHAT THE BLOGS ARE SAYING

Blog: Women's Rights

Title: Is the VA Meeting Needs of Women Veterans? The answer is...no.

Date: Monday, July 20th
Representative: IAVA

A wide-range of views, positions, and publications are represented in these articles.  These views, positions and publications are not endorsed by nor do they necessarily represent the views of IAVA.

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