Calling all Veterans

Miami-Dade Democrats have a new sub-organization, the veterans committee. It had its organizational meeting a few weeks ago, and last night a core group met again to discuss next steps. The chair is Lettie J. Bien, a retired Army Reserve colonel and Iraq War veteran, and she’d like to hear from you, especially if you’re a veteran and member of the Democratic Executive Committee. Those who aren’t veterans but want to be active in veterans’ affairs are also welcome to join the committee. Send your contact info to her at ljbesq-at-aol.com.

We are meeting on second Mondays. Notice I said we there. I’m a veteran, too – 40 years ago I was a recently mustered-out veteran of a year in Vietnam as a rifle platoon leader’s radio operator.

Committee mission: to represent the Democratic Party to veterans, and to represent veterans to the Democratic Party.

While thinking veterans: In Tuesday’s Miami Herald the op-ed page has a reminder that Sen. McWar – I mean John McCain – hasn’t had time to decide whether to support the bipartisan new GI Bill. Authors Wesley K. Clark and Jon Solz of VoteVets.org point out that McCain, for all the power he gets from his military service, is far from a leader in taking care of veterans.

I’m guessing that he has drunk the White House Kool-Aid, which is summarized in this op-ed as follows:

The White House has voiced concern about the bill, arguing that if returning troops are offered a good education, they will choose college over extending their service. This is as offensive as it is absurd.

Well said.