Vets, AL, VFW, IVAW & VFP

[unhappycamper]

Just to make it perfectly clear, the veteran's pages on these web sites are indicative of the organization's leanings.


American Legion:

Veteran Interest Sites
Many organizations have a close relationship with The American Legion, and here we list a few that will provide you with useful information and resources:

The National Archives
Request Military Service Records or Prove Military Service - obtain free copies of veterans' DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) and other military and medical records.

Veterans Network . ORG
Veteran Network.org is on-line television programming for veterans. From the Main Channel guide you can easily access shows on the Veterans News Channel, Eleven Bravo. Homeward Bound, Step To The Plate, and The National Veterans Foundation Channel.

American Academy of Opthalmology
American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the largest national membership association of Eye M.D.s. Eye M.D.s are ophthalmologists, medical doctors who provide comprehensive eye care, including medical, surgical and optical care. More than 90 percent of practicing U.S. Eye M.D.s are Academy members, and the Academy has more than 7,000 international members.

Blackmilitaryworld.com
The premier informational resource for African Americans in the U.S. military and veterans. Site includes U.S. news, information, history, recognition, statistics and relative to African Americans veterans, active, reserve members and civilians in the U.S. Armed Services.

little treasure
The company's mission is to publish books of integrity that speak to the hearts, minds, and souls of our readers; books that will put readers in touch with their inner core, offering them direction wherever they may be along their journey in life. By choosing to publish books of inspiration, the spirits of authors are renewed, and they too find both personal and professional hope and encouragement.

Their latest release, “Dear Daughters and Sons…A Tribute” reminds the reader of the strength of our Nation and thanks all those who serve and risk their lives protecting our precious gift of FREEDOM.

Fifty cents from each book will go directly to the American Legion’s Legacy Scholarship Fund. Orders can be placed at www.littletreasurebooks.com.

ARBA: Army Review Boards Agency
ARBA's mission statement: "We serve the soldier and the veteran in a courteous and timely manner; we decide their cases on behalf of the Secretary of the Army with justice, equity, and compassion, and in the public interest; and we present our decisions in clear and concise responses".

The Flag House and Star-Spangled Banner Museum
It is the birthplace of America’s Flag! Navigate through history and learn about Mary Pickersgill and the Star-Spangled Banner. Plan your trip, download our free flag pack, buy a flag, and Make a Difference.

The Desert Storm Memorial Drive, Inc
This web site is dedicated to the Gulf War Veterans who served in the Desert Shield/Desert Storm War. Their mission is to start a public campaign to raise the necessary interest and the necessary funds to build our Gulf War Veterans a National Memorial. While they recognize and honor those who are serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, for the purpose of this web site, a distinction is drawn between the war in 1991 and the ongoing war in Iraq today.

U.S. Census Bureau Public Information Office
Find links to a wealth of factual information about veterans, from the US Census and other official government sources.

Pentagon Channel LogoThe Pentagon Channel broadcasts military news and information for the 2.6 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces through programming including: Department of Defense news briefings, military news, interviews with top defense officials, short stories about the work of our military, among others.

Boy Scouts LogoBoy Scouts of America is one of the most diverse youth groups in the country, serving boys of every ethnicity, religion, and economic circumstance and having programs for older teens of both sexes
American Pain Foundation Logo

The American Pain Foundation is a a nonprofit organization that serves as a clearinghouse for issues related to pain management. The foundation reaches out to veterans who are in pain and provides them with educational information, and support to improve their pain care, decrease their sense of isolation, and encourage them in their pursuit of a better quality of life for themselves and their families.
American Pain Foundation Logo

Veterans History - An act of remembrance is an act of honor! Freedom is not free!



VFW

VFW National Veterans Service

Imagine spending years wading through the bureaucratic red tape offered up by VA only to find you’ve been denied a disability claim. Where would you turn? Maybe you’d just throw up your hands and walk way in defeat. VFW understands the frustration associated with claims and that’s why its National Veterans Service (NVS) program was formed.

Service Officers Lead the Way
Service officers are the key to the success of NVS. They advocate for veterans rights. Veterans need not be VFW members to take advantage of this assistance, which is provided free of charge.

With a nationwide network of service officers, both on the Department (state) level (full time, professional advocates) and Post level (volunteer advocates), NVS assists more then 120,000 veterans and their families each year. Annually, Department Service Officers (DSOs) garner over a billion dollars in compensation benefits.

The work of service officers involves important matters like helping a veteran get outpatient treatment or gain admission for inpatient care at a VA medical center. They assist veterans and their families in filing for VA disability compensation, rehabilitation and education programs, pension and death benefits, employment and training programs, and many other programs.

At times, the work is very complicated, requiring evidence to prepare oral arguments for formal hearings on VA disability or social security benefits. And there are those numerous occasions when VFW assistance helps lift a disabled veteran's family out of the grip of poverty.

VFW service officers are skilled professionals, trained experts in developing disabled veterans' cases by reviewing and applying current law, pertinent legislation, regulations and medical histories. VFW service officers function as attorneys-in-fact for the veterans and families they represent. Their counseling on the full range of veterans' benefits and programs provided under federal, state, and local law is indispensable.

Service officers also review rating board decisions, informing veterans and their families of the appeals process and of their appellate rights. When needed, they request hearings before the VA and the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) to present oral arguments.

As part of NVS’s continuing effort to ensure the service officers are properly trained, VFW provides basic and advance training to the VFW cadre of service officers, claims consultants and other VFW-accredited representatives.

Furthermore, field representatives operating out of the Washington, D.C. office evaluate VA operations and services – health-care facilities, regional office, cemeteries and vet centers.



IVAW

Resources for Active Duty Soldiers, National Guard, and Reserves

Iraq Veterans Against the War encourages Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve troops that have questions about the war to contact us and speak up about your experiences.

Know Your Rights
The chain of command doesn’t tell you about it but, you have rights. You can join and participate in IVAW. Click here to find out more.

Want to know more about joining? Click here.

GI Rights Hotline
A network of nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations who provide free and confidential information to service members about military discharges, grievance and complaint procedures, and other civil rights to include a toll free phone hotline. Every member of the military should know about this resource.

Conscientious Objector information
Conscientious objectors are people who refuse to participate in the military and war. Some become conscientious objectors after they have experienced being in the military firsthand, either during peacetime or wartime. Others are civilians who do things like oppose war taxes and work to reduce the role of the military in society. Click here for more info.

Appeal for Redress
The Appeal for Redress provides a way in which individual service members can appeal to their Congressional Representative and US Senators to urge an end to the U.S. military occupation. The first Appeal signatures were delivered to members of Congress on January 16, to coincide with at the time of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January 2007. Appeal for Redress will continue to collect signatures until all active duty, Guard, and active reserve soldiers are out of Iraq. Click here for more info and to sign the appeal.

War Resisters
Courage in the military does not always mean boldly facing the dangers of battle. The courage to stand up in the face of adversity to do the right thing and set the ethical example is a value every military member should have. Brave and courageous men and women have refused and challenged illegal and unlawful orders during numerous wars, even refusing unlawful orders to be part of illegal wars. Although widely ignored, hidden and dismissed by history, war resistors have been a huge part of military personnel challenging the unjust, unethical and illegal actions of the US government. Click here for more info.

What will happen if I go AWOL?
Being AWOL can be a serious offense, especially during a period of war. However, military personnel during the Vietnam war and the current war in Iraq have been going AWOL by the tens of thousands as a means of resisting and opposing illegal military actions/offenses and refusing to be forced by the state into violating ones conscience and legal duty to refuse and challenge unlawful orders. Click here for more info.

Health Issues Fact Sheets
The possibility of death or injury as a result of military service is often associated with combat hostilities. However, one of the leading causes of injuries amongst veterans is not a result of the hostile actions of enemy combatants. Government neglect and corruption has poisoned and abandoned military personnel, exploiting and using them for short term military corporate goals and medical trials. Thousands of military personnel since the Gulf War have been poisoned by depleted uranium used in US military armaments causing staggering amounts of cancer, illness and “Gulf War Syndrome” along with birth defects of their children conceived after the war. Personnel have also suffered the adverse affects of drugs and vaccines given to them as well developing PTSD and suffering from a lack of treatment. The US government’s response to these vital issues amongst veterans is to deny that they exist.

* Depleted Uranium
* PTSD
* Lariam


Support for Families

Military Families Speak Out (MFSO)
MFSO is an organization of people opposed to the war in Iraq who have relatives or loved ones in the military. Formed by two families in November of 2002, we have contacts with military families throughout the United States, and in other countries around the world. Our membership currently includes over 3,000 military families, with new families joining daily.

Gold Star Families For Peace (GSFP)
Families of soldiers who have died as a result of war are organizing to be a positive force in our world to bring our country’s sons and daughters home from Iraq, to minimize the “human cost” of this war, and to prevent other families from the pain we are feeling as the result of our losses.



VFP

Veteran Resources

GI Rights Hotline
http://girights.objector.org
We are a network of nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations who provide information to service-members about military discharges, grievance and complaint procedures, and other civil rights.

Vets4Vets
http://www.vets4vets.us/
Vets4Vets help Iraq Vets to:

* Feel Good: about themselves and the good parts of their military service.
Heal: from the negative aspects of their military service and the war.
Take Power: play powerful and increasingly rational roles in how the society deals with issues affecting veterans, the military and foreign policy.

National Veterans Foundation
http://www.nvf.org/
Call their national hotline for veterans seeking resource referral, benefits information, or emotional support: 1-888-777-4443.

Transition Assistance Online
www.taonline.com
Transition Assistance Online is the largest single source of transition assistance information and tools for today's separating military. Service-members, both prior and current, can find all the resources needed to smoothly transition from their appreciated military service to the perfect civilian career.

Iraq War Veterans Organization
http://www.iava.org
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the nation's first and largest group dedicated to the Troops and Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the civilian supporters of those Troops and Veterans.

Iraq War Veterans Organization
http://www.iraqwarveterans.org/
The Iraq War Veterans Organization website has links to information about Veterans Administration health care, readjustment after deployment, education, employment, military discounts, PTSD issues, support-chat forums, family support and deployment information

HireVeterans.com
www.HireVeterans.com
HireVeterans.com is a military veterans job board search site for U.S. Veterans where employers post jobs and hire U.S. military veterans returning to civilian employment. Employers who seek to hire veterans are equal opportunity employers and postig jobs on HireVeterans.com qualifies each employer as a diversity workforce American employer who support veteran career opportunities and U.S. military veterans.

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
www.nchv.org
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) is the resource and technical assistance center for a national network of community-based service providers and local, state and federal agencies that provide emergency and supportive housing, food, health services, job training and placement assistance, legal aid and case management support for hundreds of thousands of homeless veterans each year.

Veterans and Families Homecoming Support Network
www.veteransandfamilies.org
Veterans and Families is a national non-profit community service and support organization, founded and directed by Veterans, parents, grandparents, family members, employers, mental health professionals, academics and community leaders. They can help with PTSD, homecoming preparedness, support groups, and career tools.

[Ezlivin]

1. Interesting: None of them seem to mention DAV and PVA

Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans of America have been good organizations (by my lights).

In particular, the DAV has criticized the lack of action by this administration.