Stand Down

[TheStripey1]

One of the projects my group is involved with is this one. I've already volunteered to help and am encouraging many of my friends to volunteer as well. The site in the quote says that Stand Downs have taken place in over 200 cities nationwide, so has there been any of them near any of you?
If one was to be held near you in the future, would you volunteer to help?




East Bay Stand Down (http://www.eastbaystanddown.org/)

Serving those who have served our Nation is the primary goal of the East Bay Stand Down. We treat the veteran participants with respect and dignity. Their former service to our nation is evidence of their ability to succeed and is also reason enough for our community to support them in regaining success.

Stand Down is a term used during war to describe the practice of removing combat troops from the field and taking care of their basic needs in a safe area.

Nationally, it is estimated that there are over 250,000 needy and homeless veterans on the streets on any given night. Within the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates that there are over 7,000 needy or homeless veterans. In the Northern California area, estimates are as high as 15,000 or more. A significant number of these veterans have had little or no contact with the VA for either monetary or medical benefits. Nor have they had much contact with any other agency offering assistance. Aiding or helping to improve their situations, especially for combat veterans, is a difficult process, but one, which cannot be ignored.

Since the first Stand Down was held in San Diego, in 1988, Stand Downs have taken place in over 200 cities nationwide. Over 100,000 veterans and their families have benefited from Stand Downs. These events have proved to be very effective in breaking the cycle of homelessness among veterans and their families.

Since the first East Bay Stand Down in 1999, our goals have been to provide a respite from the streets so that needy and homeless veterans can examine avenues of assistance. We help to place the participants into residential programs, offer employment, and to provide follow-up programs of various types. During recent East Bay Stand Downs, we have "bumped it up a notch" by providing more services and higher quality services. We offer all new clothing, boots and other basic needs. Through the support of local dentists we offer quality oral health care, as well as follow up care after the event.

...snip



I'll keep you apprised on this as the date approaches...

[rppearso]

One of the projects my group is involved with is this one. I've already volunteered to help and am encouraging many of my friends to volunteer as well. The site in the quote says that Stand Downs have taken place in over 200 cities nationwide, so has there been any of them near any of you?
If one was to be held near you in the future, would you volunteer to help?




I'll keep you apprised on this as the date approaches...

That sounds like a really good idea, it has not happened in our city as far as im aware. The federal government neglects past service members so its good to help out your fellow human being. They have veterans that post flags and such at busy intersections raising money for warm clothing for veterans and our church give free food and clothes to anyone in need. I may help volunteer where I could or give money etc. When the rubber meets the road even if you were my drill sgt, if you are down and out im going to help you.

[TheStripey1]

One of the projects my group is involved with is this one. I've already volunteered to help and am encouraging many of my friends to volunteer as well. The site in the quote says that Stand Downs have taken place in over 200 cities nationwide, so has there been any of them near any of you?
If one was to be held near you in the future, would you volunteer to help?




I'll keep you apprised on this as the date approaches...

I went to my first public meeting last week and I learned that we are creating a record of the entire event from inception to completion so we can pproduce a DVD and booklet to share with other municipalities around the country... Do you think there is anyone in your area that would like to get this information?

[TheStripey1]

Another thing I've learned is that ours is the only Stand Down in the country that offers legal multi-jurisdictional representation (other cities have courts, ours is the only one that spans multiple counties) to help adjudicate any misdemeanors, warrants or tickets the veterans may have accrued with what is called Stand Down Court, real judges, real DAs,real PDs and the judgements are real.

It's a real chance to put the darkness behind them and step back into the Light.

There's only four months until the event... I imagine things are going to get hectic here real quick...

[rppearso]

Another thing I've learned is that ours is the only Stand Down in the country that offers legal multi-jurisdictional representation (other cities have courts, ours is the only one that spans multiple counties) to help adjudicate any misdemeanors, warrants or tickets the veterans may have accrued with what is called Stand Down Court, real judges, real DAs,real PDs and the judgements are real.

It's a real chance to put the darkness behind them and step back into the Light.

There's only four months until the event... I imagine things are going to get hectic here real quick...

Definatly post a link to something I know my church would be interested and I know someone who would possibly be interested in championing it with me.

[Gadget (fmr Marine)]

Sounds good, man! Keep up the good work!

I will be participating in the yearly protest ride, Rolling Thunder, again, this year, and I have been asked again to be a Gold Star escort for a mother, father, wife or child of a man or woman who has been killed in the line of duty for the US.

I kindly encourage everyone to do something tangible for those who have "been there and done that" for all of us.

I would be interested in seeing some more info, Stripey.

[actsnoblemartin]

im frankly sick and tired of anyone who believes in ending the war, being verbally smeared/character assasinated.

I myself am torn, but find it dispicable for anti war, or pro war, or whatever the name, to judge the other by their believes, instead of actions, and to try and strip them of the right to hold their opinions without slandering them


One of the projects my group is involved with is this one. I've already volunteered to help and am encouraging many of my friends to volunteer as well. The site in the quote says that Stand Downs have taken place in over 200 cities nationwide, so has there been any of them near any of you?
If one was to be held near you in the future, would you volunteer to help?




I'll keep you apprised on this as the date approaches...

[TheStripey1]

Definatly post a link to something I know my church would be interested and I know someone who would possibly be interested in championing it with me.


The link is under the title in my thread opener... but for easier access, I'll repost it here...

East Bay Stand Down (http://www.eastbaystanddown.org)

Just click on the above, rrpearso and you will be taken there.

[TheStripey1]

Sounds good, man! Keep up the good work!

I will be participating in the yearly protest ride, Rolling Thunder, again, this year, and I have been asked again to be a Gold Star escort for a mother, father, wife or child of a man or woman who has been killed in the line of duty for the US.

I kindly encourage everyone to do something tangible for those who have "been there and done that" for all of us.

I would be interested in seeing some more info, Stripey.



Good Work, Gadget! Vets helping vets... I'm glad someone does... and frankly I wish more people would do something more tangible than putting magnetic ribbons on their cars... or typing their support in forums like this one and thousands of others... real works...

I'll keep you, and everyone else who's interested, apprised of this event as the date approaches...

[TheStripey1]

im frankly sick and tired of anyone who believes in ending the war, being verbally smeared/character assasinated.

I myself am torn, but find it dispicable for anti war, or pro war, or whatever the name, to judge the other by their believes, instead of actions, and to try and strip them of the right to hold their opinions without slandering them


Thanks, martin... I think you'll find that most of those that slander us veterans for wanting to end the war, never served themselves... and there are, unfortunately, many of them here... I could name them but why bother... you know as well as I who they are...

But frankly, I got tired of just typing and decided to DO something instead. I encourage everyone to do the same.

[TheStripey1]

I found a nifty site that lists all the Stand Downs to be held this year across America. Please check it so that you can help out should there be one near you.

Stand Downs Across America 2008 (http://www.nchv.org/standdownevents.cfm)

[Gaffer]

Narrow viewed people really annoy me. iraq is part of a global war. The Long War. It's one front of many. It started out to take down hussein. It expanded to taking on AQI and now we are fighting the proxy army of iran. If we withdraw from iraq tomorrow we will still be fighting the war. We will just have given our enemies a base of operations and oil to fund themselves. But you just keep focused on iraq and don't worry about the rest of the war. It will be at your door step soon enough.

[Pale Rider]

And if we continue the current policy of occupying and nation building, our economy will be in the toilet, as it's headed now, and our military will have nothing but run down, busted equipment and troops too tired to drag their own feet, no more volunteers, and we won't be capable of fighting our way out of a wet paper sack.

If you people think occupying and nation building is what America needs to be involved in, then you also had better be demanding the draft and a tripling of the military budget.

We can't keep up what we've been doing much longer. Top military officials have been trying to tell people that for a few YEARS now. Something has to change, or we are doomed, and it won't be at the hand of terrorists. It will be our own stupidity.

[Gaffer]

By all means stand down. It cost too much, everyones tired of it, we shouldn't be doing it. we should have never started. It's the wrong war. We took our eye off the real war. Too many have been lost. The money would be better spent else where.

There is action in iraq, afgan, pakistan, somolia, philipines, chechnya, india, burma and thailand. And many others. Each has battles and skirmishes being fought are all part of the Long War. It's not a war like WW2 or Vietnam. It's a completely different war. Fought in many different ways. And its going to bleed us. Like all wars do. It's going to be tiring, confusing and expensive. And it can seriously alter your way of life.

Iraq and afgan are two of the few places that the war is being fought by the military. Most of it is being done by law enforcement and clandestine operations. There are just as many battles fought in afgan as in iraq. The equipment gets the same wear and tear due to extreme temperatures and terrain. But I don't hear calls to bring the soldiers home from there. We are nation building there too. Billions are poured into that country as well. where is the complaining about that?

At present we are trying to change the face of islam. Planting seeds of democracy in the region and hoping they will catch on and grow. The other option is the eradication of islam. That's the one I prefer, but I'm not in charge.

Try looking at the big picture once in a while instead of the little political game playing over one area. If the dems and media hadn't made iraq a political football the fighting there would be over now.

It's going to be a long war, and if we don't win you will either be dead or praying to allah five times a day under your arab masters. War demands sacrifice. If your not willing to sacrifice then you don't deserve the freedoms you have.

[bullypulpit]

By all means stand down. It cost too much, everyones tired of it, we shouldn't be doing it. we should have never started. It's the wrong war. We took our eye off the real war. Too many have been lost. The money would be better spent else where.

There is action in iraq, afgan, pakistan, somolia, philipines, chechnya, india, burma and thailand. And many others. Each has battles and skirmishes being fought are all part of the Long War. It's not a war like WW2 or Vietnam. It's a completely different war. Fought in many different ways. And its going to bleed us. Like all wars do. It's going to be tiring, confusing and expensive. And it can seriously alter your way of life.

Iraq and afgan are two of the few places that the war is being fought by the military. Most of it is being done by law enforcement and clandestine operations. There are just as many battles fought in afgan as in iraq. The equipment gets the same wear and tear due to extreme temperatures and terrain. But I don't hear calls to bring the soldiers home from there. We are nation building there too. Billions are poured into that country as well. where is the complaining about that?

At present we are trying to change the face of islam. Planting seeds of democracy in the region and hoping they will catch on and grow. The other option is the eradication of islam. That's the one I prefer, but I'm not in charge.

Try looking at the big picture once in a while instead of the little political game playing over one area. If the dems and media hadn't made iraq a political football the fighting there would be over now.

It's going to be a long war, and if we don't win you will either be dead or praying to allah five times a day under your arab masters. War demands sacrifice. If your not willing to sacrifice then you don't deserve the freedoms you have.

After following the Bush "strategery" for the last six or seven years, what, exactly do we have to show for it? I mean beyond US ground forces stretched to the breaking point...A resurgent Al Qaeda and Taliban...a quagmire in Iraq...And, BTW, why hasn't Osama been captured?

As for the Stand-Down program...Good job. Between a White House that won't admit its mistakes and obstructionist Republicans in Congress our veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are falling through the cracks.

[Gaffer]

After following the Bush "strategery" for the last six or seven years, what, exactly do we have to show for it? I mean beyond US ground forces stretched to the breaking point...A resurgent Al Qaeda and Taliban...a quagmire in Iraq...And, BTW, why hasn't Osama been captured?

As for the Stand-Down program...Good job. Between a White House that won't admit its mistakes and obstructionist Republicans in Congress our veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are falling through the cracks.

What part of Long War didn't you understand? In fact you seem to have not understood anything I said. Not surprising with you though.

Where is bin laden? Most reports have him in pakistan. A semi-ally of ours in the war. We can't just go in after him as that would be invading a sovereign country and would create more terrorists. We have to wait for the pakis to do something, but wait they are signing agreements with AQ and the taliban. Something tells me they won't be doing anything soon.

Then there is my theory, that bin laden is sitting in a nice cushy house in iran watching from a distance doing his dialysis and making tapes.

Nobody is falling through any cracks that just more bully rhetoric with no substance. The obstructionists of congress are congress as a whole. A democrat led do nothing congress.

[TheStripey1]

Narrow viewed people really annoy me. iraq is part of a global war. The Long War. It's one front of many. It started out to take down hussein. It expanded to taking on AQI and now we are fighting the proxy army of iran. If we withdraw from iraq tomorrow we will still be fighting the war. We will just have given our enemies a base of operations and oil to fund themselves. But you just keep focused on iraq and don't worry about the rest of the war. It will be at your door step soon enough.

are you lost?

this thread is about HOMELESS VETERANS and how some people are doing more to support the troops than just putting magnetic ribbons on their automobiles...

do try to pay attention...


And if we continue the current policy of occupying and nation building, our economy will be in the toilet, as it's headed now, and our military will have nothing but run down, busted equipment and troops too tired to drag their own feet, no more volunteers, and we won't be capable of fighting our way out of a wet paper sack.

If you people think occupying and nation building is what America needs to be involved in, then you also had better be demanding the draft and a tripling of the military budget.

We can't keep up what we've been doing much longer. Top military officials have been trying to tell people that for a few YEARS now. Something has to change, or we are doomed, and it won't be at the hand of terrorists. It will be our own stupidity.

are you lost?

this thread is about HOMELESS VETERANS and how some people are doing more to support the troops than just putting magnetic ribbons on their automobiles...

do try to pay attention...



By all means stand down. It cost too much, everyones tired of it, we shouldn't be doing it. we should have never started. It's the wrong war. We took our eye off the real war. Too many have been lost. The money would be better spent else where.

There is action in iraq, afgan, pakistan, somolia, philipines, chechnya, india, burma and thailand. And many others. Each has battles and skirmishes being fought are all part of the Long War. It's not a war like WW2 or Vietnam. It's a completely different war. Fought in many different ways. And its going to bleed us. Like all wars do. It's going to be tiring, confusing and expensive. And it can seriously alter your way of life.

Iraq and afgan are two of the few places that the war is being fought by the military. Most of it is being done by law enforcement and clandestine operations. There are just as many battles fought in afgan as in iraq. The equipment gets the same wear and tear due to extreme temperatures and terrain. But I don't hear calls to bring the soldiers home from there. We are nation building there too. Billions are poured into that country as well. where is the complaining about that?

At present we are trying to change the face of islam. Planting seeds of democracy in the region and hoping they will catch on and grow. The other option is the eradication of islam. That's the one I prefer, but I'm not in charge.

Try looking at the big picture once in a while instead of the little political game playing over one area. If the dems and media hadn't made iraq a political football the fighting there would be over now.

It's going to be a long war, and if we don't win you will either be dead or praying to allah five times a day under your arab masters. War demands sacrifice. If your not willing to sacrifice then you don't deserve the freedoms you have.

are you lost?

this thread is about HOMELESS VETERANS and how some people are doing more to support the troops than just putting magnetic ribbons on their automobiles...

do try to pay attention...

[TheStripey1]

As for the Stand-Down program...Good job. Between a White House that won't admit its mistakes and obstructionist Republicans in Congress our veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are falling through the cracks.

true words, Bully, true words... too bad the righties don't understand the meaning of that word... true.


What part of Long War didn't you understand? In fact you seem to have not understood anything I said. Not surprising with you though.

Where is bin laden? Most reports have him in pakistan. A semi-ally of ours in the war. We can't just go in after him as that would be invading a sovereign country and would create more terrorists. We have to wait for the pakis to do something, but wait they are signing agreements with AQ and the taliban. Something tells me they won't be doing anything soon.

Then there is my theory, that bin laden is sitting in a nice cushy house in iran watching from a distance doing his dialysis and making tapes.

Nobody is falling through any cracks that just more bully rhetoric with no substance. The obstructionists of congress are congress as a whole. A democrat led do nothing congress.

are you lost?

this thread is about HOMELESS VETERANS and how some people are doing more to support the troops than just putting magnetic ribbons on their automobiles...

do try to pay attention...

peddle your propaganda elsewhere... you have plenty of places to stick it...

[actsnoblemartin]

I will never get sick of that picture, is it arguably the best avatar on the board.

Now, back on topic...

I think we must do all we can for our troops, we must be pro-active, not re-active when dealing with their physical, mental, and emotional injuries.

we must not sit around waiting and hoping they reach out, when we can reach out, and say, Im here for you

sometimes, people are afraid, or for some reason unable to ask for help, and just being a part of peoples lives, can make all the difference


true words, Bully, true words... too bad the righties don't understand the meaning of that word... true.



are you lost?

this thread is about HOMELESS VETERANS and how some people are doing more to support the troops than just putting magnetic ribbons on their automobiles...

do try to pay attention...

peddle your propaganda elsewhere... you have plenty of places to stick it...