Get Involved
February 25th, 2008 by Admin
Ladies and gentlemen, IVAW is working hard to revive the Winter Soldiers from the Vietnam era. The Vietnam Veterans Against War have started a new movement and recruited disaffected and sad excuses for veterans (I say that as a result of the number of "veterans" the organization claims that have been outed as fakes) to relive the glory days of spitting on the image of the honorable Soldier.
Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) has advertised widely that it will hold a public event it has entitled "Winter Soldier Investigation (WSI) – Iraq and Afghanistan" near Washington D.C. next month (Mar. 13-16). The event is self-consciously patterned after the 1971 Winter Soldier Investigation held in Detroit by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War(VVAW). During that event, over one hundred purported Vietnam veterans "testified" to widespread and horrific atrocities committed routinely by American forces in Vietnam. Now, they're trying to do it again. But, what can we do?
There is no doubt that we have troops in the military that should not be here. There is no way to prevent unstable youth from signing up to cause trouble. Thankfully, the number of such troops is small. They make up a small portion of our military and shouldn't rate more than a mention. The sad fact is that this small number of individuals gets the most press. Sensationalism sells and the media and American public are clamoring for stories that are outrageous. As a result, the hundreds of stories of good that Soldiers are doing get overshadowed by the one or two or ten stories of Soldiers dishonoring our profession. It's a fact of life and we try to live with it and counter the image while ensuring that Soldiers know what is legal and what is not.
But again, what can we do? The anti-war, anti-military crowd in this country is loud and obnoxious. They know how to organize through their Secret Society of Shower Avoidance. They have the media to assist them in spreading their message to the uneducated – the truly uneducated. In other words, they are the vocal minority! We are the silent majority!! We need to toss off the "silent" part and start shouting loud and proud!!
We do this in a number of ways that don't require you to leave work, like the left-over hippies of the 60's and their apprentices in IVAW. Write, write, write! Write your congressional people until they know you by heart. Call them until they recognize your voice. It doesn't matter if they are Republican or Democrat – let your voice be heard and words be read!! If you don't get a response – a real response – to something you've written, write another angry letter as an ignored constituent. Make an angry phone call as a voter!! If your congressperson is going the wrong way on a bill, tell everyone on your email list about it. Spread the word!!
The other thing you can do requires you to get off your duff and stop reading this blog!! When the anti-war in this country decide to organize against a recruiting station or march on the capital, BE THERE!! Show them that their voice is not the only one in the land. Even if you are the only one there, BE THERE!! Counter the idiots. Bring your friends. Bring your co-workers. And if the media in your town ignores your side of the story, write to the station manager!!
If you don't know what's going on your area because you're like most pro-troop people and you have a job, I highly encourage you to join the Gathering of Eagles. The motto of GOE is "Never Again". It's on their flag. It's in their blood. The Vietnam veterans in this country don't want a repeat of how they were treated when they returned. They want to put an end to the whitewash the media has bestowed on troop supporters' activities. You can read about my experience with the first ever Gathering of Eagles here, here, here, and here (preferably in that order).
You don't have to be at EVERY rally. You just have to do what you can. Just remember though, that it's always easier just to sleep in. It takes a real Patriot to make an effort to do something if possible. If you're unable to stand around and wave flags, posters or banners due to health or other issue, support them with money or by helping spread the word.
The anti-military left is persistent and we need to match that with all the zeal we can muster! Copy this post and email it to all your friends. Print it out and hand it out to coworkers. Spread the word that you care deeply about national security and the military commissioned to ensure it. The GOE has chapters in virtually every state. Contact them and find out how you can help.
I know that most of the readers of this site care deeply about us troops. I don't intend to insinuate that you don't. Far from it. I KNOW the sacrifices you make to send care packages, letters, and cards to troops overseas. I've gotten the most amazing gifts from some very special people whom I've come to call friends. My family has benefitted immensely from your kindness and sacrifices. Not temporally, but emotionally and psychologically. Those people know who they are. And I thank you for your friendship.
We cannot relent. We cannot give up. We MUST not fail.
Posted in Military Perspective
I think you have hit the nail right on the head. We need to be in IVAW's face at every turn – from fund raisers, to their theatrics in Maryland next month, to the halls of Congress, should folks there once again try to make these aberrations part of the Congressional Record unchallenged like they did in 1971.
Never Again is right. We cannot stand by and let another generation of soldiers be labeled and stereotyped based upon their claims.
We should tell these "vets" that giving up victory is NOT part of being a serviceman.
I wish I could be there but if anyone can, tell them that if not for the Vietnam War, my country would be under communist rule. (get them to check their damn maps.)
hi cj
glad to see that you and your group are activated against the ivaw.
i am the nj coordinator for the gathering of eagles – nj eagles will be in dc in march to stand for our troops and to oppase the ivaw. we have also done anumber of protests at ivaw fundraisers in massachusetts, nyc and nj. i hope to meet you at some point and stand with you on the rally line!!
carolyn
Isaac, you just did. People like them visit blogs like this all the time. You don't need anyone else to be your voice. Take care, man!
sealpatriot,
Ok, thanks mate. It is just that people like Critical Facts say I drink Rep Cool Aid just because I say this without checking his map and looking at my history.
Thank you, CJ, for that call to action!
With your permission I have excerpted portions of your post and copied them to the New York State GOE website.
If any of readers are in the Northeast you can contact me at:
goe.ny@earthlink.net
I will put you in touch with your state coordinator.
If you are in the New York Metro Area join us in the most active region in the country, a target rich environment!
Dan Maloney
NY State Coordinator
Gathering of Eagles
newyork.gathe...ofeagles.org
CJ,
THANK YOU for your service to this great nation!
As a member of the GOE and a Veteran, I would be honored to stand with you in support of our Troops. I will be in DC in March as the IVAW attempt to spew out their lies to Congress. It would be interesting to know how many of these fake-never served in Iraq or in a War Zone-members of IVAW agree to testify UNDER OATH about the so called atrocities they "witnessed".
Thank You for getting involved!
Beth
Thank you C.J. for your call to arms. As a former SFC & retired CW-3. I feel each of us Vietnam Vets must stand beside you while you now fight for Americas freedom. I have stood in the face of the I.V.A.W ..and I will continue to do so..The stain of shame will forever be on them for the lies they now wish to become fact. Please meet them face to face and show America what true American fighting troops have to say about the Winter Soldiers attempt to paint you all as baby killers.
Winter Soldier # 2 will not be allowed to sneek into history by default..The Gathering of Eagles will welcome you to join with us on March 14 at the gates of Walter Reed Hospital to honor our Wounded Warriors, we will visit with them before & after the rally.
We will gather on March 15 in Wash. DC. with other fine troop support groups. to stand against the I.V.A.W..and their trainers..the V.V.A.W..who lied about the troops who served in Vietnam, then, as now..without proof.
The motto of the G.O.E. is.".Never Again". We say this for all of you new vets of the war on terror. Never again will American military members be spit on for their service in combat..Never.
Our personal battle cry within in the G.O.E. is..Troops..Troops. Nothing but the Troops. 24/7… 365.
I wish to say thank you to all of you who stood up to fight for our country. as a two tour Vietnam Vet I will stand with you
Any Time..Any Place..Any Weather.
See you on the rally line.
Thanks for posting this, CJ. I'm going to be there. This is one GOE Army Mom that is not happy with these IVAW people. As a Mom of a soldier, I don't take too kindly to my military family being painted as rapists and murderers and committing atrocities, esp by some who are not even who they say they are.
Nope, not on my watch. Been through it once – not again!
Hey I am pretty concerned by this. Can you let me know the links to the IVAW vets who have been outed as fakes?
I have heard of MacBeth but I thought IVAW started requiring DD214's after that?
Also before I commit to GoE I want to know how IVAW is anti-military. Can anyone explain? I want to have solid proof when I go out to stand against them.
Thanks,
A Concerned Army Vet
Watching Their Backs…
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Get Involved
February 25th, 2008 by CJ
Ladies and gentlemen, IVAW is working hard to revive the Winter Soldiers from the Vietnam era. The Vietnam Veterans Against War have started a new movement and recruited disaffected and sad excuses for veterans…
CJ – We've been waiting for a U.S. freedom fighter just like you to arrive. Thank you! I too am a member of the GOE, and a veteran of the US Navy, and it pains me to see this lying misfitic section-8 brigade crawl from the shadows of far better men and woman than them to make false accusation to utterly discredit today's military in harm's way. All this, for their own twisted Stalinist agenda. Uh uh! No sir, my unfine rich elitetist bumbling revolutionaries!
Their actions are competely unnaceptable, treasoness and deadly to the brave American warriors who've voluntarily answered the call for our safety and freedoms. I thank you for your service, my family thanks you!
We will help you oppose them. I've too have opposed them before and likely will again.
See ya soon!
God bless the U.S.!
CJ – we've been waiting for you. I'm also a part of the GOE, served honorably in the US Navy, and I have your back to oppose the IVAW, section-8 misfit brigade's lies and stalinist agenda. Uh uh! No way! Not again!
I thank you for your service, my family thanks you.
See you in DC in March.
CJ,
Very well said. I think you nailed it. Most of these guys are indeed poor excuses for veterans. Heck you'd think they were draftees, not volunteers. Never again.
Vet, let me help you understand a little better. IVAW's plan is to go to Washington and tell our politicians that the military is an inherently lawless groups of thugs hellbent on killing innocent, unarmed civilians. They will bring the few individuals and situations in which the military failed to enforce standards. What they won't tell our politicians – and the American people – is that the military does a great job of policing itself.
Those Soldiers responsible for the tragedies and found guilty have been dealt with and dealt with harshly. IVAW will bring up the same flawed anecdotes that Obama gaffed on a few days ago of Soldiers being forced to shoot at "innocent" Iraqis.
Let me tell you something, and this is very personal to me. I really want you and everyone else on both sides of this war argument to hear what I'm about to say loud and clear because I deal with it on a daily basis: I've killed innocent Iraqis. I didn't want to do it and I didn't mean to do it. But, to protect my troops and myself from perceived danger, it had to be done. Finding out that the "threat" we perceived wasn't a threat is a very bitter pill to swallow.
WE, the Soldiers, are not the bad people for this. Yes, we pulled the trigger, but we didn't create this situation. The terrorists using civilians, women, children, handicapped individuals, and invisible IEDs created this situation. If IVAW wants to go to the Capitol and "Winter Soldier" anyone, it needs to be the soldiers of jihad!! All it takes is one of these "innocent Iraqis" to make through a checkpoint unchallenged and blow himself up amidst my brothers and sisters. Then IVAW has the troop death count to parade through the halls of Congress.
Where the hell was IVAW during the 90's and early 2000's when Al Qaeda was declaring war on this country practically on a daily basis? Where was their angst against war then?!
Now you ask how is IVAW anti-military. I can guarantee you right here and now that IVAW is not about to go before Congress and testify to any good our troops are doing over there. They won't talk about the extreme methods we use to avoid loss of life, sometimes at the cost of our own personal safety. What does it mean to be anti anything? It means one hates everything about that entity. One refuses to accept or acknowledge their positive attributes. Instead, one does everything possible to highlight its shortcomings and mistakes.
IVAW likes to tout the higher number of "morality waivers" issued by the military without presenting the prevailing truths in today's society that the number of students graduating to beging with has dropped, but graduating without a record is increasingly more rare. Naturally, the military's recruitment statistics are going to reflect this fundamental change in American society. Why fault the military for giving these kids a chance to redeem themselves? The military also pays to get these kids high school degrees that they may not have otherwise gotten. IVAW won't tell Americans this. Hence, they are anti-military. They do nothing to SUPPORT the military. They only seek to tear it down. Just look at their "More Truth" link on their website to understand what I'm talking about here.
IVAW has created a one page flier that talks about the "truths" of recruiting promises without giving any of their "truths" context. I've countered these flawed arguments many times on this site. IVAW seeks to remove responsibility from individual Soldiers and turn the military into an adult day care program where the only thing Soldiers are responsible for is relieving themselves (something I'm sure they'd also like the military to assist with).
As for blatant lies, they claim that only 5.6% use all the money available to them from the GI Bill without putting it into perspective. They lie about how to get that money. I did that for them. They throw out all these "statistics" without evidence or sources. They support the subversive activities of their members in encouraging them to go AWOL and refuse lawful orders. These actions are detrimental to unit cohesion and could lead to getting Soldiers killed needlessly. They are anti-military.
Sheesh, that's practically a whole other post.
Web Reconnaissance for 02/26/2008…
A short recon of whatÂ’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often….
CJ, as a Proud Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, thanks for doing your part in exposing these gutless, hate-filled, un-American, demon-posessed, anti-military extremists for the dirtbags that they are!
I for one will be in DC on Marh 15th, and I urge any and all OIF vets reading this blog to get your asses down to DC to stand up for our brothers and sisters currently in the war zone. I for one will NOT allow the traitors of the ivaw from trashing good men and women who are defending their right to trash and hate their guts! Our brothers and sisters don't deserve to be stabbed in the back by a "charlie foxtrot" of disgruntled FORMER troops; they deserve better than that!!!!
I expect to see AT LEAST a Battalion's worth of OIF Vets in DC between March and April!
CJ…thank you for this wonderful blog and for your support of Gathering of Eagles. Thank you as well for your service; I thank you, my family thanks you and your country thanks you.
I'm the Vermont state coordinator, so if any Vermonter's are reading and would like more info, please contact me at eaglesvt at gmail
CJ..God Bless and keep you, and see you in DC in March!
I have exposed three fake Iraq Vets at GOE Counter Rallys against the Anti-America Movement.
They are able to obtain blank DD-214 forms..discharge certificates..& other fake medals from the internet.
They can attempt to Walk The Walk,..But we in the military have our brand of talk, They don't know it.
I exposes one who was wearing BDU's with Major Rank..He said he was enlisted but was discharged a Major..I ask him,.Where did you attend OSC? & what was your class number,?…He answered..What's That ?.
I.V.A.W. also has attempted to convince active duty to desert before assignment to a combat Zone.both in Europe and here at home.
Most list their service discharge as Convience of the Government C.O.G.
many are deserter who fled to Canada.
I served 23 years of active duty from Pvt E-1 To Sfc
Retired CW-3..Served two tour in Vietnam
I wish to say this to you . after 40 yers I still feel the hurt the V.V.A.W..Winter Soldiers put on my generation of combat Vets.Lies without a scread of proof..placed into the Comgressional record to become the new "truth"
I pray you younger vet will stand your ground and call them out in public for their lies ,…about to be told on you.
The V.V.A.W have trained them..to do to you,..what they did to us. Please stand against them.if you must …stand alone ..but I tell you now, we have Gold Star & Blue Star Mothers,.& ..little old ladies who stand on the sidewalk to defend you..Why ?..Because you are well worth it.
Hope to see you on the GOE Rally Line.
God Bless Ever One Of You My Brothers
and Sisters
Thank you for your service
Welcome Home.
Just wanted you to know the anti-war can finally be put in their right-full place. To anyone who goes to this website, you will be able to download a book right now, only $6.95, that "once and for all" PROVES that first, America was right in Vietnam, and we did WIN the war. January 27th 1973 the Vietnam War ended in an American VICTORY! Only because of an anti-war Democrat led Congress, that abandoned South Vietnam, and among other violations, took away our countries ability to enforce the peace accords paid for in American blood. The news media sided with the anti-war, misled the American people and they elected that pro anti-war Congress. It can absolutely be PROVEN that these same people have the blood of millions of innocent people on their hands, and that's the key. You have to PROVE IT! Stabbed In The Back gets the job done. Written by a Vietnam Veteran who knows one thing. They are a domestic enemy, or they aid the domestic enemy, and they must be stopped for our country to survive. You won't be disappointed, I wrote this book to win this fight, to once and for all PROVE IT!!!!
Joel Vertichio
author/co-publisher
Stabbed In The Back