USMC PC

In a ruling against Camp Lajeune, a 25 year retired career Marine won a freedom of speech ruling.  

Jesse Neito's automobile was cited for inflammatory anti-Islamic stickers and was ordered to remove them.

Mr. Neito's son was killed aboard the USS Cole.

The employee of Camp Lejeune said he will continue to drive his sticker adorned vehicle onto base, stating that the Marine Corps has allowed Political Correctness to run amok.

AVAST YE PIRATES!! AARRrrrr

USS Nicholas GMF
Please step out of the gene pool for eight would be Somali pirates..
A group of Somali men attempted to commandeer a US guided missile frigate sailing within the Horn of Africa area.
USS Nickolas sunk a pirate skiff, killing three men and taking their mother ship captive with five prisoners.
GO NAVY!

NM VA and SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

(SANTA FE, NM)—The New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services (NMDVS) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will sign a renewal of a Strategic Alliance Memorandum at a signing ceremony on Wednesday March 17^th at the NMDVS Main office in Santa Fe’s Bataan Memorial Building.

Signing the agreement at the 10:30am ceremony will be NMDVS Cabinet Secretary John Garcia, New Mexico SBA New Mexico District Director John C. Woosley and SBA Region Administrator Yolanda Garcia Olivarez.

“With this renewed partnership we will work together with the NMDVS to expand SBA services to the Veteran and small business community,” said SBA Director Woosley.  “We celebrate the continuing strong relationship that SBA has with the New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services with the joint signing of the agreement.”

The two agencies both strive to serve veterans who own a small business, or would like to start one. The SBA was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, and assist in all phases of business operations.

The NMDVS was elevated from a state commission to a full cabinet agency in 2003 to assist veterans in New Mexico and their dependents with their veteran benefits and services needs.

One such service by the department is helping current and prospective veteran-owned businesses through its Veteran Business Resource Center.  Created in 2008, it was the first center in the nation designed solely for assisting veterans. The center can get help them with business planning, marketing, and assistance with applying for low-interest veterans’ Patriot Express and other business loans through the SBA.

“Renewing this agreement ensures that our two agencies will continue to work together to serve New Mexico’s veteran-owned small businesses,” said NMDVS Cabinet Secretary Garcia, who is also a member of the nine-person national SBA Veterans’ Business Advisory Board.”This strong partnership continues to be viewed by other states as a model for how two agencies should work together to serve  our men and women who are looking to start or improve new careers after they’ve served our country.”

The NMDVS estimates that one out of every seven small businesses in New Mexico—or about 22,000-- is a veteran-owned business.

UNDER SECETARY OF VA BENIFITS

NMDVS Secretary Garcia Accepts Invitation by VA Secretary Shinseki

to Join Search Commission

(WASHINGTON, D.C.)—New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services Cabinet Secretary John M. Garcia has accepted an invitation by U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki to serve on a special Search Commission tasked with recommending candidates for the vacant post of VA Under Secretary for Benefits.

The Commission will be conducting its candidate interviews March 24-26 in Washington, D.C.

According to federal law, the Commission must recommend at least three candidates to the VA Secretary, who in turn forwards this final list along with his input to the President of the United States. The President then makes his choice, which must then be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

“I am extremely honored by Secretary Shinseki’s invitation to serve on this commission,” said NMDVS Secretary Garcia.  “The Commission has a very important task to perform because the position to be filled is one of the most critical within the structure of the VA system.”

The Under Secretary for Benefits reports directly to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary on non-medical Veterans’ benefits matters.  The Under Secretary oversees the management of a $45 billion budget and a staff of 15,000.  On the organization chart, the two largest portfolios are managed by the Under Secretary for Health, who runs all the VA hospitals and clinics, and the Under Secretary for Benefits, which oversees all major benefit programs outside the health arena, including pension and disability benefits, GI Bill benefits for college, home loan guarantees, life insurance and more.

Other benefits managed by the office include the monthly payments for disabled veterans, pensions for low-income veterans who served in wartime, educational programs, VA home loans (allowing many veterans to take out mortgages without a down payment), group life insurance at low cost, and vocational rehabilitation.

VETERANS' HEALTH CARE

Greetings to all!

Now that the health -care reform bill has been pushed through congress, it awaits the Senate to fix the bill prior to being sent for the Executive Office for Presidential signature.

Secretary of Defense, Bill Gates and others from the House of Representatives along with the Senate are promising a fix to the bill to protect the VA Health-Care system, which includes TRICARE and civilian health-care for family survivors.

Personally, when I see a government employee smiling while they state they are going to do something positive, I am very leery. 

I would strongly suggest that you contact the folks you elected to represent you and insist that our hard fought for VA health system is protected, DO NOT take their political double-talk as the truth...keep after them!

HEADS UP FOLKS!

Well folks, the House of Representatives has pushed through a health-care bill which does not protect TRICARE, the VA health-care system nor the civilian health system run by the VA for surviving family members.  

Congress and Secretary of Defense Gates are promising fixes to this flawed bill.  

As a veteran I have as much confidence in the veracity of Congressional double- talk as I do in a six year old child's ability to follow through with a promise. 

I heartily recommend that you e-mail, write letters and make phone calls to the folks you elected to represent you; and do not take their double-speak as the truth.

HONORS

 State Legislators to be Honored at Capitol Ceremony

Albuquerque Woman who Raised $350K for Injured Soldiers, Injured Iraq War Veteran, and Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Also to be Honored

Date/Time:  February 3, 2010 (12noon)

Location: State Capitol Rotunda, Santa Fe

(SANTA FE, NM)-New Mexico’s state legislators will be honored at Military and Veterans’ Day at the State Legislature on February 3^rd during the Legislative Session at the State Capitol in Santa Fe.

At a special noon ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, the New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services (NMDVS) will thank all 112 legislators for their work in legislative sessions on behalf of the state’s 180,000 veterans. NMDVS Cabinet Secretary John Garcia will also acknowledge the 24 legislators (6 in the Senate, 18 in the House of Representatives) who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Military and Veterans’ Day at the State Legislature is an annual day during the New Mexico Legislative Session to give veterans an opportunity to meet with their state legislators and discuss veterans’ issues. All veterans are strongly encouraged to stop by during the day and voice their concerns.

Albuquerque Mom Who Raised $350K for Wounded Soldiers to Also be Honored

The New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services will also honor Terrie Krueger of Albuquerque. The mother of two active-duty Naval Officers raised $350,000 in a grass-roots effort--mostly in the Albuquerque Metro area—for the Wounded Warrior Project. The national organization assists severely wounded soldiers after they return home from the combat field.

 Krueger presented a check for that amount at a special halftime ceremony of the nationally-televised Army-Navy college football game last December 12^th.  The money was a result of a grass-roots effort organized by Krueger in the Albuquerque Metro area.  She had vowed to top a $25,000 donation from a multi-national company at the previous year’s (2008) Army-Navy football game.

Erik Schei & Parents to be Honored

25-year old former Army Staff Sgt. Erik Schei (“Shy”) and his parents will also be honored at the ceremony. Schei suffered a brain injury from a sniper’s bullet while on patrol in Mosul, Iraq in October of 2005.

He was given zero chance of survival, and doctors suggested they cease life-support. But his parents, Christine & Gordon, refused to do this and instead took him home—vowing to nurse him back to full-strength. Though still confined to a wheelchair, Erik has begun to speak a few words and can communicate with people.

Alejandro Ruiz to also be Honored

The NMDVS will also honor former Army Master Sergeant and Carlsbad native Alejandro Ruiz.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor for—as an Army Private--defeating an entire enemy squadron after everyone in his own unit was either killed or badly injured in an attack from a fortified bunker on Okinawa in World War II.

Ruiz recently passed away at a California Veterans’ home. He was 86 years old.

Ruiz is one of twelve Medal of Honor recipients from New Mexico. The award is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States^.