Tag: Veterans Affairs

From Afghanistan with sorrowful results – Ep 29

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It’s been WAY too long since we’ve done headlines, so we do our best to catch you up.  I break down the current situation in Yemen and discuss some updates, including the American contractors working as mercenaries there while Danny takes us back to the seventeen year old war in Afghanistan, showing the headlines missed during the week while the media was focused on a photo of the senior commander in Afghanistan carrying his rifle.

America Is Headed For Military Defeat in Afghanistan – Danny Sjursen – The American Conservative

Tank plant in Ohio that Trump “saved” – nothing in piece suggested he actually “saved” it.

1.3 million Iraqi children displaced by war with Islamic State

Al Qaeda commander gets numerous emergency surgeries while held at GITMO.

US exempts Iran’s Chabahar Port from sanctions – helpful to Afghanistan’s economy.

Iraq asks US to consider how sanctions will affect Iraq’s economy / etc.

Marine veteran protests Leupold at Blazers game

Think Progress on Leupold protest

Second Saudi journalist tortured and murdered by Saudi authorities

The Ministry of Defense in the UK is being petitioned to stop recruiting 16 and 17 year olds.

Low IQ draftees were chosen after Vietnam leaders couldn’t make numbers.

Rust costs 21 billion per year

Statistical connections between veterans and mass shooters

Army secretary says NCOs should visit barracks on weekends to prevent suicide

Hypertension linked to Agent Orange exposure

VA moving hundreds of docs from union admin spots back to providing care for veterans

1 in 5 generals couldn’t deploy for medical reasons in 2016

There’s a strong possibility that several of the northern Marianas Islands will become bombing ranges for the US Navy – ep from Chapo Traphouse

The Trump administration is demanding the Supreme Court immediately rule on the ban on transgender people serving in the military.

VA isn’t providing benefits correctly to veterans with ALS

85k children under believed to have died in the war in Yemen – CNN

Trump may declare the Houthis a terrorist organization

Finland and Denmark have joined Germany in ceasing all weapons sales to Saudi Arabia over their war crimes in Yemen, along with the continuing fallout from the assassination of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi

Yemenis killed in assassination by American contractors

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A special thanks to our honorary producers Matthew Hoh, Will Ahrens, Gage Counts, and Fahim Shirazee!!  Without you guys, we couldn’t continue our work.  Thank you so much!!!

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FOH is hosted, written, and produced by Chris ‘Henri’ Henrikson and Danny Sjursen

Intro / outro music “Fortress on a hill” written and performed by Clifton Hicks.  Clifton’s Bandcamp page; Clifton’s Patreon page

Thanks to Nate Bethea from What A Hell of a Way to Die for editing and mixing this episode

Cover and website art designed by Brian K. Wyatt Jr. of B-EZ Graphix Multimedia Marketing Agency in Tallehassee, FL

Note: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts alone, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

To the victor in Syria goes the spoils of war…and mass murder – Ep 14.5

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We’ve got one exceptionally LONG episodes of headlines for you.  Danny and I discuss a bunch of new developments in Syria, Google’s choice to not renew their contract to Project Maven, and discussion about Reality Winner and the Intercept.  Enjoy!!!

15:51 – The US / Turkey reach agreement over Syrian town

26:52 – New interim VA director Peter O’Rourke – updates on VA Mission Act

35:37 – The US is pushing NATO to get more troops / weapons ready in order to deter Russia

43:41 – US bombing in Raqqa, Syria may have violated international law

52:32 – Partisan battle for tactical nuclear weapons begins in the Senate

1:01:56 – Google chooses not to renew contract for Project Maven

1:05:36 – No more foreign bases

1:12:56 – Reality Winner and the Intercept  

Association of Veterans Affairs Psychological Leaders – Breakdown of VA Mission Act

U.S. AIRSTRIKES VIOLATED INTERNATIONAL LAW IN “WAR OF ANNIHILATION” IN RAQQA, SYRIA, SAYS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL – Murtaza Hussain – The Intercept

SYRIA: “WAR OF ANNIHILATION”: DEVASTATING TOLL ON CIVILIANS, RAQQA – SYRIA – Amnesty International

THE U.S. SHOULD NOT BUILD MORE FOREIGN BASES – Akhilesh (Akhi) Pillalamarri – Defense Priorities

GOOGLE WON’T RENEW ITS DRONE AI CONTRACT, BUT IT MAY STILL SIGN FUTURE MILITARY AI CONTRACTS – Lee Fang – The Intercept

US senators grapple with new sub-launched nuke – Joe Gould – Marine Corps Times

U.S. pushes NATO to ready more forces to deter Russian threat – Robin Emmott and Idrees Ali – Reuters

Enjoy the show?!  Please leave us a review right here.

Got news to share about our military or veterans?! Or just need to cuss at us for a bit?! Contact us direct by email at fortressonahill@gmail.com

Leave us a voicemail at 860-598-0570.  We might even play it on the podcast!!!

Not a contributor on Patreon? You’re missing out on amazing bonus content! Sign up to be one of our contributors today! – www.patreon.com/fortressonahill

A special thanks to our honorary producers Matthew Hoh and Will Ahrens!!  Without you guys, we couldn’t continue our work.  Thank you both so much!!!

Facebook – Fortress On A Hill

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FOH is hosted, written, and produced by Chris ‘Henri’ Henrikson and Danny Sjursen

Cover and website art designed by Brian K. Wyatt Jr. of B-EZ Graphix Multimedia Marketing Agency in Tallehassee, FL

Music provided royalty free by Bensound.com

Note: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts alone, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

New episode on blast pressure caused by crew served weapons! Upcoming – Tom Engelhardt and our second live stream!!

Our new episode covers a new report which connects use of crew served weapons (50 Cal’s, mortars, and the like) to blast pressure damage to troops’ brains, much in the same way NFL players do from routine hits.  For a generation at perpetual war and already to the gills with traumatic brain injuries, how do we deal with everyday damage caused by our own equipment?!

Brand new from Danny at Anti-war.com – “Unwarranted Hysteria: The Iranian Threat Is Inflated and Regional War Would Be a Disaster”  I think the title speaks for itself.

Next Friday, I jump head first into recent turmoil at the VA, still without a secretary after seven weeks while Danny discusses recent developments in North Korea and Iraq, where Muqtada Al Sadr has returned with a political vengeance.

I will probably make a live video in the next 48 on Robert Wilkie’s choice to sign a new $10b contract with Cerner for VA’s new computer system.  More contractors get taxpayer money and veterans get the short end of the deal again!!

Tom Engelhardt, founder and editor of TomDispatch will be joining us to discuss his new book, “A Nation Unmade By War.”

And last, but certainly not least, we’re hosting our second live stream on Facebook!!  Here is a link to the event.  Please join us, ask questions, call in and chat with us, and share your thoughts about the podcast and our nation’s addiction to war.

For $5+ Patreon contributors, both new episodes will be available in the next 24 hours!  No waiting!! $5+ Patreon contributors get all this and more for helping us keep podcasting.  Please consider becoming a contributor and help us keep making the content you love!!! FOH on Patreon

Oh, and the quote ‘Only the dead have seen the end of war’ wasn’t Plato, as I was told.  It was George Santayana. Not so flashy now.

Have a great week guys!!

Henri

Enjoy the show?!  Please leave us a review right here.

Got news to share about our military or veterans?! Or just need to cuss at us for a bit?! Contact us direct by email at fortressonahill@gmail.com

Leave us a voicemail at 860-598-0570.  We might even play it on the podcast!!!

Not a contributor on Patreon? You’re missing out on amazing bonus content! Sign up to be one of our contributors today! – www.patreon.com/fortressonahill

A special thanks to our honorary producers Matthew Hoh, Will Ahrens, and Gage Counts!!  Without you guys, we couldn’t continue our work.  Thank you all so much!!!

Facebook – Fortress On A Hill

Twitter – Fortress On A Hill

Soundcloud – Fortress On A Hill

FOH is hosted, written, and produced by Chris ‘Henri’ Henrikson and Danny Sjursen

Cover and website art designed by Brian K. Wyatt Jr. of B-EZ Graphix Multimedia Marketing Agency in Tallehassee, FL
Music provided royalty free by Bensound.com

Note: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts alone, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

Iranian protests and the hatred of Tom Cotton – Ep 7.0

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This week, we take a look at a new report on Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health care from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, then discuss a story about Senator Tom Cotton and his war mongering policies along with a breakdown of President Trump’s recent comments on the Iranian protests.

01:00 – National Academies’ report on evaluation of VA mental health care

07:15 – People Danny (and Henri) hate – Sen. Tom Cotton

16:55 – Army pays $4m to families of victims killed by extremist soldiers at Fort Lewis

20:55 – The recent Iranian protests

Enjoy the show?!  Please leave us a review right here.

Got news to share about our military or veterans?! Or just need to cuss at us for a bit?! Contact us direct by email at fortressonahill@gmail.com

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Facebook – Fortress On A Hill

Twitter – Fortress On A Hill

Soundcloud – Fortress On A Hill

FOH is hosted, written, and produced by Chris ‘Henri’ Henrikson and Danny Sjursen
The show was mixed and edited by Chris Henrikson
Cover and website art designed by Brian K. Wyatt Jr. of B-EZ Graphix Multimedia Marketing Agency in Tallehassee, FL
Music provided royalty free by Bensound.com

VA Provides Mental Health Care to Veterans of Recent Iraq and Afghanistan Wars of Comparable or Superior Quality to Other Providers, Yet Substantial Unmet Need Remains

National Interest – The Cotton Doctrine: More wars, less security – Christopher A. Preble

Seattle Times – Army pays 4 million to families of victims killed by extremist soldiers – Mike Carter

National Interest – Epistemology, Rhetoric, and the Iranian Protests – Paul Pillar

Note: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts alone, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive – lessons of Vietnam revisited with Greg Daddis Part 2 – Ep 6.5
 
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We recently passed the 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive.  As such a pivotal point in time to understand, we continue our sit down with COL (ret) Greg Daddis and discuss the factors that led to America’s losses in Vietnam and how those lessons are still so important today.
4:50 – Nation building in Syria
14:37 – Veteran sizzle reel
19:05 – Trump admin’s new national security strategy
28:40 – Changing the rules about VA Individual Unemployability – Check out Ep 5.0 for recent news on the VA involving medical marijuana and using veterans as props.
38:00 – The use of special operations forces in the war on terror
52:52 – Part 2 of our sit down with COL (ret) Greg Daddis on the anniversary of the Tet Offensive and the lessons Vietnam can teach us about the War on Terror.
America in search of an un-Geneva on Syria – War on the rocks – Sam Heller
Military investigating shooting in newly leaked Afghan combat video – Politico – Wesley Morgan
Fact Check: Did Donald Trump’s 2018 Budget Proposal Cut Support for Disabled Veterans? – Snopes
Trump’s National Defense Strategy Has the Pentagon Popping Champagne – The American Conservative – Andrew Basevich
Tomgram: Nick Turse, The Coming Year in Special Ops
Enjoy the show?!  Please leave us a review right here.
Got news to share about our military or veterans?! Or just need to cuss at us for a bit?! Contact us direct by email at fortressonahill@gmail.com
Patreon – Fortress On A Hill
Facebook – Fortress On A Hill
Twitter – Fortress On A Hill
Soundcloud – Fortress On A Hill
FOH is hosted, written, and produced by Chris ‘Henri’ Henrikson and Danny Sjursen
 The show was mixed and edited by Chris Henrikson
 Cover and website art designed by Brian K. Wyatt Jr. of B-EZ Graphix Multimedia Marketing Agency in Tallehassee, FL
 Music provided royalty free by Bensound.com
Note: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts alone, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.
Gold star families be damned – using veterans and their families as props – Ep 5.0
 
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Memes are as prevalent today as tear-off apartment flyers and peg message boards once were before the Internet existed.  As veterans, we find that our community has a lot of memes created around it, many not even made by veterans in the first place.  Wounded veterans, families of grieving servicemembers, and even invoking the memory of a deceased veteran to score political points (Pat Tillman, Chief Owens’ widow at the State of the Union, and Mrs. Wilson receiving a fucked up POTUS condolence call are all prime examples) are not beneath many politicians in this country.  And the sad reality is that memes are free speech, but that doesn’t excuse the pain caused by meme creators wanting to appropriate the pain of both being in and surviving the military.
So for a community that’s constantly told that it actually protects our rights, including free speech, what is a veteran to do when his or her story / photo / video and so on are appropriated for what really amount to propaganda?  Here’s our take on it.
01:00 – Recent veteran medical marijuana news – VA’s change in marijuana policy and AZ doc left in the lurch with her medical marijuana study for veterans with PTSD
5:00 – The death of Mr. Vance Perry, disabled veteran who died of hypothermia after leaving a VA facility
11:35 – Trump admin national security posture changes toward China and Russia
35:15 – Marco Chavez finally comes home to the US after being deported for a crime he denied ever committing.
40:20 – Use of servicemembers, veterans, and their families as political props.  
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/01/09/576577596/va-clears-the-air-on-doctors-talking-to-veterans-about-marijuana-use
https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/health/2017/06/08/arizona-marijuana-doctor-johns-hopkins-university-veterans-administration/378212001/
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-marco-chavez-20171221-story.htmlhttp://www.nbc15.com/content/news/Family-shares-concerns-after-fathers-death-467971303.html
http://www.11alive.com/mobile/article/news/local/army-veteran-freezes-to-death-after-being-released-from-va-hospital/504901459
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2018/01/07/learn-his-name-first-trumps-tweet-politicizing-military-widows-touched-a-nerve/?utm_term=.78d8fe4b9a45
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trolls-scammers-and-verified-facebook-pages-made-this-combat-wounded-vet-an-anti-kneeling-meme-his-real-story-is-much-better?utm_content=tp-facebook&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social
Got news to share about our military or veterans?! Or just need to cuss at us for a bit?! Contact us direct by email at fortressonahill@gmail.com
Patreon – www.patreon.com/fortressonahill/
 Wounded veterans, families of grieving servicemembers, and even invoking the memory of a deceased veteran to score political points (Pat Tillman, Chief Owens’ widow at the State of the Union, and Mrs. Wilson receiving a fucked up… Click To Tweet
FOH is hosted, written, and produced by Chris ‘Henri’ Henrikson and Danny Sjursen
 The show was mixed and edited by Chris Henrikson
 Cover and website art designed by Brian K. Wyatt Jr. of B-EZ Graphix Multimedia Marketing Agency in Tallehassee, FL
 Music provided royalty free by Bensound.com
Note: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts alone, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.