Category Archives: Veterans for Common Sense News

Weight of Combat Gear is Taking Toll on Our Iraq and Afghanistan War Service Members

February 1, 2009 – Carrying heavy combat loads is taking a quiet but serious toll on troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, contributing to injuries that are sidelining them in growing numbers, according to senior military and defense officials. Rising … Continue reading

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Iraq’s Shocking Human Toll: About 1 Million Killed, 4.5 Million Displaced, 1-2 Million Widows, 5 Million Orphans

February 2, 2009 – We are now able to estimate the number of Iraqis who have died in the war instigated by the Bush administration. Looking at the empirical evidence of Bush’s war legacy will put his claims of victory … Continue reading

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DoD Confirms Role Combat Plays in Suicide Epidemic

January 29, 2009, Washington, DC – The Army is committed to finding out why more soldiers committed suicide in 2008 than ever recorded, Army officials told reporters during a media roundtable today at the Pentagon. “[Suicide] is not just an … Continue reading

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NATO Figures Show Surge in Afghanistan Violence

January 31, 2009 – Violence in Afghanistan soared by nearly a third last year, the highest rise since coalition operations in the troubled country began more than seven years ago. According to new Nato statistics obtained by the Observer, violence … Continue reading

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Soldier in Fort Carson Warrior Transition Unit Complete Suicide at Colorado Home

Nearly 70 coldiers died in WTU’s first 16 months. February 1, 2009 – The last person Spc. Larry Applegate is known to have spoken to before killing himself was a sergeant with the El Paso County Sheriff’s office in Colorado … Continue reading

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Homelessness Surges as Funding Falters

January 30, 2009, Seattle, WA – As snowstorms blew into this Northwest city and the economy iced over in December, the occupants of a shelter nestled among industrial buildings on the north side prayed for divine intervention. “We were hoping … Continue reading

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After Campaign Push, Obama Cultivates Military

January 30, 2009 – The outreach began more than a year ago when Barack Obama, the antiwar candidate who had never served in the military, turned to a group of young officers just out of active duty for a fresh … Continue reading

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When War’s Violence Comes Home

January 29, 2009 –  The Army reported Thursday that at least 128 soldiers took their lives last year – the most since they started keeping records, three decades ago. But sometimes soldiers direct their anger at others – cases of … Continue reading

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Study: Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans Feel Disconnected Upon Returning Home

January 31, 2009, New Britain, CT – Some of the veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are feeling disconnected from their loved ones, having trouble readjusting to work or school and failing to seek medical care for fear of being … Continue reading

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Jan 29, VCS FOIA Campaign News: Iraq, Afghanistan VA Patients Exceed 400,000

January 29, 2009 – As the number of veterans seeking health care continues to rise, the VA is straining to meet demands. Amid talk of a drawdown of troops in Iraq, new statistics from the Department of Defense (DoD) and … Continue reading

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