MOVING A NATION TO CARE
Ilona Meagher http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com/
About the Book
Once called shell shock or combat fatigue, post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, in our returning combat forces is
among the most catastrophic of issues confronting our nation today. Yet, despite the fact that nearly 20-30 percent of the
over half million troops that have left the military since 2003 have been diagnosed with conditions such as PTSD, and that
many who suffer symptoms are unlikely to seek help because of the stigma -- even reprisals -- attached to coming forward,
our government's silence and sluggish response has been deafening and deadly.
Moving A Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and America’s Returning Troops is a grassroots call to action
designed to break the shameful silence and stigma and put the issue of supporting the successful reintegration of our
returning troops front and center before the American public. In addition to presenting interviews with Iraq and Afghanistan
veterans and military family members directly feeling the effects of post-deployment stressors (through hypervigilance,
anxiety, anger, avoidance and even suicide), this book will be the most comprehensive resource to date for concerned
citizens who wish to understand the complex political, social and health-related issues of PTSD, with an eye toward “moving
our nation to care” to do what is necessary to help our fighting men and women achieve a successful transition to civilian
life.
Penny Coleman is author of Flashback: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Suicide, and the Lessons of War and contributes
the book's foreword.
Robert Roerich, MD, is one of the world experts in trauma therapy and PTSD and a board member of the National Gulf
War Resource Center and contributes the book's introduction.
RAVEN DRUM FOUNDATION  http://ravendrumfoundation.org/video.html

Walter Reed Army Medical Center -
The Walter Reed Health Care System provides comprehensive health care for more than 150,000 soldiers, other service members, family
members and retirees in the Washington, DC area. Its hub is Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), the clinical center of gravity of
American military medicine.
Raven Drum began an introductory program with outpatient soldiers from WRAMC.
We are continuing our partnership with WRAMC to provide support to soldiers and veterans.
The Soldiers Project  http://www.thesoldiersproject.org/

Judith Broder MD is helping Iraq War veterans cope with post-traumatic stress disorder

By MATTHEW SINGER
As a psychiatrist, Dr. Judith Broder hears many stories similar to this one: A soldier, having just returned from Iraq, is at a restaurant, celebrating his homecoming with
his family. Unexpectedly, a balloon pops. The soldier dives underneath the table, sobbing inconsolably. Eventually, he is put at ease, but it is clear that while he is back
in a relatively safe environment, the war is still with him.

This is not an unusual scenario for veterans, says Broder. It’s normal for soldiers just returning from the field to experience some lag time between detaching
themselves from the horrors of battle and readjusting to civilian life.

But “If this was now six months later and a year later and he had the same reaction,” she says, “that would be diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder.”

In addition to a heightened state of readiness, those afflicted with PTSD exhibit signs of paranoia, sleeplessness, guilt and agoraphobia, Broder says. (About 35
percent of soldiers coming back from Iraq contacted mental health services, not only for PTSD, but for a variety of problems, Broder says.) Soldiers with PTSD will
often become addicts, not just to substances but, in many cases, to video games. The activity keeps them isolated from the outside world, away from people who
they feel cannot comprehend what they have been through. This is especially common in reservists and national guards, she says, because there is no military
community set up to absorb them. “Interestingly, they often sign up to go back to Iraq, because that’s where they can be with their buddies,” Broder adds.

While Veterans Affairs uses several techniques in treating the disorder, including new experimental drugs, Broder has found it critical to first foster a sense of empathy
and understanding in the patient. “It’s become clear to us over time that the most important aspect of treatment is to establish a connection with the soldier, helping him
feel like he is in a safe environment with someone who is not going to be horrified by what he’s talking about, that we’ll be with him for as long as it takes. If it takes
month and months, or even years, we’ve a commitment to be with that person for as long as it takes. There’s something incredibly reassuring about that.”

Connecting with soldiers who need help, however, has not been easy. Many are reluctant to seek treatment, either because they do not recognize the problem or
have been taught to simply “suck it up” and fight through it alone. Others, Broder says, are worried the Army will hold it against them if they want to stay in the
service. “If they want to go up in rank, they think it will be taken as a sign of weakness,” she says.
Camp Vet ... it's not a place, it's a state of mind
Introduction
Camp Vet is a grass roots veterans advocacy program that was established in 2007 by a small group of young veterans from Southern California who realized that the
many unmet needs of the current generation of veterans demanded positive action.

Since the U.S. military's launch of sustained combat operations around the globe following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, more than 2 million men and women have
volunteered and served in uniform. Many of them have returned from duty without the support and services they were promised.
The Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense have been seriously overwhelmed in their attempts to meet the many needs of today's veterans.
Counseling, readjustment, and re integration services are difficult or impossible to access for many veterans.

Camp Vet is not a physical place. It is a concept and an idea that provides a means for veterans network with and support each other while at the same time recovering
from the many new life challenges brought about by their military experiences.
Camp Vet provides a pathway to help them transition back into their civilian lives with new skills, knowledge and a positive outlook to help ensure they succeed in their
years ahead. Camp Vet was created to help the current generation of veterans network with peers who have had similar experiences, learn about various social and
veterans support services in the civilian world, and help them find ways to explore their feelings alongside their peers in a casual non-threatening environment. It also
provides them a basic set of emotional, social and life skills that are vital to their journey as they re-integrate from military culture back into civilian society.

Volunteer social workers, mental health counselors, substance abuse educators, financial advisors, legal experts and employment specialists all attend Camp Vet
programs and provide counseling, guidance and instruction free of charge to veterans at Camp Vet. Daily workshop sessions with these experts allow veterans to
explore and learn about themselves and the many challenges they will face during the transition from the military back to their families, friends in their home town.

In addition to the classroom education provided at Camp Vet, the program is also designed to provide veterans with some much needed rest and relaxation. Camp Vet
is organized for peaceful and healing recreational activities that are designed to complement the educational programs. Recreation activities at Camp Vet may include:
volleyball, hiking, fishing, therapeutic art classes, horse shoes, snorkeling, swimming, therapeutic music sessions, creative writing, jet skis, kayaking and other sports
and activities enjoyed by today's younger veterans.

Camp Vet is a strictly drug and alcohol free experience. Many veterans turn to drugs and alcohol as a way to cope with the physical and emotional difficulties they
have suffered as a result of their military service. One of the most important lessons at Camp Vet is to provide veterans alternatives to drugs and alcohol and show that
there are better ways -- most importantly, ways that work -- to deal with these difficulties. Camp Vet is not a drug rehabilitation program and cannot accept those who are
currently experiencing serious addictions to drugs or alcohol.
Although Camp Vet volunteer counselors intensely focus on opportunities for veterans to learn about, explore personal experiences with, and improve their outlook on
mental health issues, Camp Vet is not an inpatient mental health treatment program. Veterans currently experiencing serious mental health issues may be referred to a
more appropriate program for treatment.

Camp Vet is much like an extended workshop that equips veterans for the many transitional challenges ahead while providing a safe and healthy social environment
that allows them to relax among their peers and get emotionally reset for their future outside the military.
It is an opportunity for veterans to relax while they focus on self empowerment and self understanding in a safe and secure environment.
If you would like to apply to attend Camp Vet, provide financial support, sponsor a veteran, or volunteer to serve as a counselor/educator at a future Camp Vet
location, please send an email to campvetinfo@yahoo.com
Future Camp Vet locations:
Puertecitos, Baja California.
First group of veterans currently being schedule at this location for September First 2007
Not This Time Vets www.notthistimevets.org
is a non-profit corporation (501c3) staffed by volunteers made up of veterans, family and supporters of our returning service members.
Vietnam and the Gulf War saw our veterans treated poorly or simply ignored upon their return home. Formed in January, 2005, our organization seeks to ensure that this is not the case THIS
TIME. Hence our name, Not This Time Vets.
We offer support for returning service personnel and their families as well as for families of those currently serving in the Middle East.
Our mission is to provide programs for veterans which will assist them in a successful reintegration to civilian life.
Not This Time Vets offers help with housing, job placement and career development, referral for post traumatic stress disorder counseling and workshops for vets and their families.
We also offer general support and referral to vets and their families and plan to offer financial support for educational and vocational needs.
Volunteers are always needed. Please help us help our vets.
Claude AnShin Thomas  www.zaltho.org

The Zaltho Foundation

Claude AnShin Thomas was born in rural, Northwestern Pennsylvania in November of 1947. He began the practice of Zen
through his study of Martial Arts (Hop Ki Do) in 1961. He graduated from High School in 1965. Upon graduation he enlisted in
the United States Army, completed his training and volunteered for duty in Vietnam where he served as a helicopter Crew
Chief from September of 1966 to November of 1967.

During his service in Vietnam he was shot down on 5 separate occasions and wounded. He was honorably discharged
from the US Army in August of 1968.

During the next several years he was to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in English Education and complete the
majority of course work towards a Master of Fine Arts in English (concentrating on creative writing). All of this education was
at Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.

He then wandered about Europe, Asia, and the Far East before returning back to the United States to pursue a musical
career that spanned 11 years, yielding 4 independent albums of what has been defined as Socially Conscious Rock and
Roll.

Throughout this period of his life he was also very politically and socially active working to end the war in Vietnam, for student
rights and later to address the plight of many of his fellow veterans who were being socially ostracized suffering
homelessness, drug addiction, unemployability, social isolation, and abnormally high rates of suicide, divorce, and
imprisonment. All conditions with which he was intimately aware and personally familiar.

He also began the study of another Martial Art, Shaolin Kung Fu. He became a Master in this tradition as well as Hop Ki Do,
teaching (at one point) as many as 500 students. During this time Claude also attended and graduated from Lesley College
in Cambridge, MA with a Masters Degree in Management (MSM).

Walking Meditation
In 1991 he came in contact with the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. In this process Claude became a member of the
Vietnamese monastery and retreat center, Plum Village in southern France founded and guided by the Venerable Thich
Nhat Hanh becoming awake to the devastating and lasting effects of war and how to make peace with this
unpeacefulness (healing).

Claude speaks and leads retreats internationally on mindfulness practice, transformation, and reconciliation. He has worked
for Peace in the Balkans and participated in a Pilgrimage for Peace with the Venerable Brother Sasamori Shonin of the
Nippozan Myohoji lineage of the Japanese Nichiren Order. This pilgrimage began in Auschwitz, Poland in December 1994
and ended in Japan(Hiroshima/Nagasaki) in August of 1995.

Claude was ordained a Zen Priest, AnShin AnGyo, in August of 1995 by Roshi Bernie Glassman, founder of the Greyston
Foundation, NYC. Claude is active in creating and working for socially engaged projects serving the disenfranchised, speaks
publicly on the subjects of peace, non-violence, and the waking up to and healing of suffering, both personal and collective,
and leads Mindfulness Retreats throughout the world.

On March 1, 1998, Claude began a New York to California cross-country journey, which was completed July 29, 1998. This
Pilgrimage is known as the American Zen Pilgrimage (see "The Practice"). The pilgrims practiced the ancient Buddhist
tradition of takahatsu, or alms-begging, with the main focus of the journey being the Three Core Tenets of the Zen
Peacemaker Order: penetrating the unknown, bearing witness, and healing.

He is also founder of the ZALTHO FOUNDATION, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote peace and
nonviolence in and among individuals, families, societies, and countries supporting all efforts to attain this goal through
whatever peaceful and nonviolent means available.

Claude AnShin is the author of a book with the title 'At Hell's Gate, Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Vets Helping Vets Since 1974
www.stp-sf.org
After nearly losing his life in Vietnam, Willie returned at the age of 19 to the US. He spent the next 25 years homeless, drunk and isolated. At Swords to
Plowshares, he got the help he needed to turn his life around. Today, he still copes with fear and anxiety, but Willie is sober and employed, and serves as a
deacon at his church. He is married with a young daughter and says that he has finally learned how to trust and enjoy life.

The Frontline . . . Swords to Plowshares' drop-in center provides emergency shelter, mental health services and referrals to homeless veterans.

Ending the Cycle of Homelessness . . . Swords to Plowshares' residential programs provide housing, rehabilitation and counseling to veterans in need.

Steady Work and Independence . . . Through direct training and job referrals, Swords to Plowshares helps veterans re-enter the workforce.

From Military Base to Veterans Academy . . . At Swords to Plowshares’ Veterans Academy, formerly homeless veterans can live in a supportive community.

Cutting Through the Red Tape . . . Swords to Plowshares' legal department provides free attorney representation and advocacy to veterans seeking benefits.

1060 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 252-4788
fax (415) 552-6267

Amy Fairweather, Director for the "IRAQ VETERAN PROJECT"
Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh with
Claude Anshin Thomas
(Picture above)
Meeting on May 6 2007  Swanton Berry Farm, Davenport, CA
Michael O'Gorman, Jim Cochran,
Linda Speel, Donna Jacobs...
Behind the banner (from left to right):
Gold Star Mothers Nadia McCaffrey ,
Mary Tillman &
Dolores Kisterson. www. farmsnotarms.org
From left
to right:
May 6
meeting:
Jim
Cochran
Swanton
Berry
Farm,
Nadia
McCaffrey
, Michael
O'Gorman
Jacobs
Farm
http://www.bpf.org/html/current_projects/peace_pages/wc_directory.html

Directory of Welcoming Communities

A Network of Dharma Centers and Sanghas thatoffer a welcoming and compassionate space

to Veterans coming home from war

WHAT IS A WELCOMING COMMUNITY?
A Welcoming Community is a dharma center, sangha, or other Buddhist group that is committed to providing a compassionate welcome back for veterans, particularly
those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The intention of the Welcoming Community Project is to support vets and their families in finding practices and a loving community that will help them heal from the
physical and emotional traumas of war. The project is jointly organized and sponsored by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship and Deep Streams Zen Institute. To learn more
about the project or to apply to have your group listed in this directory, please visit http://www.bpf.org/html/current_projects/peace_pages/wc_info.html

Directory of Welcoming Communities
updated March 30, 2007

If you are a veteran, the following groups invite you to contact them to find out more about schedules for dharma practice and meditation instruction. In some
cases, these communities offer special services for vets, including retreats, events, referrals to community resources, etc. This is noted in the "Comments"
section. These groups are open to all -- there is no requirement to be a "Buddhist" to participate in any of these activities.
COMING HOME PROJECT
Helping veterans and their Families
The meeting in Santa Cruz will be televised for the

DAN RATHER REPORTS

"Heroes at Home"
One Mother Story
A Wife Story

Newsman Dan Rather will be in Tracy today talking to the mother of a
soldier killed in Iraq for a piece on recovering veterans.
By Jennifer Wadsworth
The interviews will be for an upcoming “Dan Rather Reports” show called “A Mother’s Story,”
focused on McCaffrey, whose son Sgt. Patrick McCaffrey died in Iraq three years ago, and her
vision to create agrarian havens for veterans to peacefully recover from the stress of combat.
Rather will interview several Tracy locals besides McCaffrey, including John Treantos, the
president of the Tracy War Memorial.
McCaffrey said she could think of no one better than Rather to investigate the plight of veterans in
what she describes as an age of perpetual warfare, where there’s a constant influx of young,
traumatized veterans.
One in six Iraq veterans suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a study by the
New England Journal of Medicine. The same study reported that less than 40 percent sought
professional help under the assumption that it would compromise their military careers.
McCaffrey’s goal is to give veterans like these a place to live and stay active until they readjust to
civilian life.
“One thing that many people don’t know is that Dan Rather was a Marine,” she said. “That’s why
this topic is very dear to him, and very close to his heart.”
The interviews will center on an informal coalition of professionals and farmers, dubbed Swords
to Plowshares, looking for ways to pool their resources to help veterans.
“This effort is politically neutral,” emphasized McCaffrey. “I don’t want people to mix up the
political part of the issue with this.”
Farms Not Arms, one of the nonpartisan farm groups joining the cause, offers paid jobs and
sometimes room and board to U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq.
“It gives them a chance to get back on their feet,” McCaffrey said. “The big news there is that the
farmers are opening up their farms to help out the veterans. And not just here — there are farms
in Mexico and across the country participating in this.”
Since the inception of Swords to Plowshares, people from all professions have found ways to
contribute. Doctors offer medical assistance, homeowners provide shelter and various
businesses give paid job training.
Rather will interview several sources in McCaffrey’s home, and the show will
follow them to the coalition’s international meeting at the Santa Cruz
Veteran’s Memorial Building this Sunday.
From left to right:
Steve Edwards, Iraq Veteran, Nadia McCaffrey. Gold Star Mother,
World Famous Reporter Dan Rather
Ilona Meagher writes:
June22 2006
"There's a movement underfoot these days. Can you feel it?

Families who've lost loved ones in the new century's wars are beginning to find creative solutions to problems that the underfunded VA (as professionally-manned as it
may be) isn't able to solve for our returning troops. I reported on Sarah Farmer's Lehner Foundation earlier in the month; now there's news of another woman, Nadia
McCaffrey, using her personal pain to find a way of giving returning troops a sanctuary from the din."
in Growing Military Family Movement Helps Returning Troops
"As painful as this time must be for McCaffrey, she's determined to do what she can to help other returning troops who are experiencing difficult readjustments to
civilian life. Judging by the editorial board of the Tracy Press, she's on to something. McCaffrey's been inspired to act by one of her late son's Iraq battle buddies."
"Edward had PTSD, and his buddy's mother helped to set up a visit for him to the Zaltho Foundation in Oregon which offers a unique 4-day retreat for returning
veterans (the next one scheduled to take place in June email or call 503-636-8635 for more details)."
"I'll look into Nadia McCaffrey's plans for that farm retreat program, and see what more I can dig up. But, I want to commend people like her and Sarah Farmer for
using their pain to ease that of those returning home and in need of our help."
THANKS Ilona for continuing to advocate for veterans and their families!
Roerich Growing Military Family Movement Helps Returning Troops
There's a movement underfoot these days. Can you feel it? Families who've lost loved ones in the new century's wars are beginning to find creative solutions to
problems that the underfunded VA (as professionally-manned as it may be) isn't able to solve for our returning troops. I reported on Sarah Farmer's Lehner
Foundation earlier in the month; now there's news of another woman, Nadia McCaffrey, using her personal pain to find a way of giving returning troops a
sanctuary from the din.

First an editorial appearing in today's Tracy [CA] Press:
Sanctuary idea good for troops
Although it may have a fancy sounding name and acronym as post-traumatic stress disorder and PTSD, our troops are returning from war still shell-shocked.

It was that way during Vietnam, Korea and World War I and World War II. Even today, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are flaring up the PTSD in aging Vietnam
veterans. The Department of Veteran Affairs says PTSD disability-compensation cases have nearly doubled since 2003 to more than 260,000. What may be happening
is that many Vietnam veterans are reliving their own war trauma while watching or reading about the combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What we do know is that these flashbacks are striking America’s most recent war heroes, where the estimated risk of PTSD is 18 percent from Iraq and 11 percent
from Afghanistan. Thirty percent of the 260,000 PTSD cases are Iraqi war veterans.

Our troops are reliving the nightmare of a war where there are no borders or uniforms worn by the enemy. The person standing next to you, whether a friend or a foe,
might kill you, and sometimes himself or herself, too. No wonder our returning troops are edgy and many times unable to trust their families, friends and neighbors.

The mother of one of Tracy’s fallen soldiers, Nadia McCaffrey, wants to have sanctuaries for the returning members of our military. Her idea of civilian-run retreats
across the country has merit. Our soldiers must have some vehicle to readjust so the symptoms of post-war stress can be controlled before becoming a psychological
illness that further burdens VA medical care. We agree with McCaffrey that our war heroes need a place to heal their war wounds.
Nadia McCaffrey is back in the news two years after her son, National Guard Army Sergeant Patrick McCaffrey, was killed while serving in Iraq. Only now, 9 months
following the close of their investigation, is the DoD reporting to her (with no further explanation) that her son was actually killed by two of the Iraqi soldiers he was
training. Senator Barbara Boxer today released papers to prove the charge, saying:
"The family was not told the truth," Boxer, D-Calif., told reporters during a conference call. "It's troubling that the Pentagon would withhold this information from the
family. It's troubling that Specialist McCaffrey told his family that he had been attacked twice before by Iraqi soldiers. It's troubling that it took the involvement of a Senate
office to get the autopsy and a written report about his death."

As painful as this time must be for McCaffrey, she's determined to do what she can to help other returning troops who are experiencing difficult readjustments to civilian
life. Judging by the editorial board of the Tracy Press, she's on to something. McCaffrey's been inspired to act by one of her late son's Iraq battle buddies.
"From the San Francisco Chronicle:"
OIF*OEF National Coalition  
We care for our Veterans
Mote Sanchez Iraq Veteran
Tonia Sargeant wife of a wounded soldier
Nadia and Stephen Edwards Iraq Veteran
FROM SISTER PAULINE QUINN:
Dear Nadia,
I am interested in finding out if there is a wounded Veteran that would like a service dog to assist them...  I am bringing a dog out from the prison in New Hampshire and
bringing Joey to a prison in Los Angeles where he would be placed with a disabled Vet... Was wondering if you know of a disabled vet that would be interested?  I don't
know how to contact them.  The California Institution for Women have a big program and they are working to train dogs to assist the wounded Vets operated by Canine
Support Teams.  Do you know of a wounded vet from Iraq that might benefit by using a service dog?  It is given free of charge.

Peace and Blessings,
Sr Pauline Quinn op
http://www.picturetrail.com/srpauline;
http://pathwaystohope.blogspot.com;
http://srpaulina.blogspot.com ;

Article From
MilitaryTimes

Dogs Trained to Aid Wounded
Sgt. Shaft | June 25, 2007

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
If you or your readers know of any wounded soldier who could benefit by having a dog — trained by prisoners at the California Institution for Women in Southern California
as well as other "prison-dog programs" across the country — to assist them, please let me know.

There are prison-dog programs in all parts of the country. After the start of the first school and others after, the idea caught on. The dogs are given to the wounded veteran
free of charge. They will be taught how to handle the dog, care for him or her and find new independence partnered with their canine friends, who can go in all public
places.

One of the programs is known as Dog Bless America . This program is expanding the vision to include America 's current veteran heroes. By combining their efforts with
Pathways to Hope, the prison-dog program and many of the Veterans Affairs organizations across the country have created a win/win/win situation.

In 1981, Sister Pauline Quinn started the prison-dog program in Washington state, rescuing shelter dogs and bringing them into the prison, where inmates trained them
to assist the handicapped. The inmates learned responsibility through the care and training of these special dogs.

Sister Pauline has started Pathways to Hope, a nonprofit organization that helps other prisons and service-dog groups start prison-dog programs.

Pathways to Hope identifies the programs and dogs to be matched with the veterans. Pathways receives funds from Dog Bless America , money that is then given to a
particular prison program that can match and place a service dog to help a wounded soldier.

I am asking you and your readers to help us communicate this program to the people in need of these services.
We will attempt to match them with a special service dog.

Sister Pauline and Pathways will handle the initial contact, and each prison program has its own screening process.





http://honor-a-veteran.org/;

Dear Veteran,

We honor your service to all of us. We acknowledge the sacrifices you and your family have made on our behalf. You may have endured combat in Iraq or Afghanistan
in which you were placed in harms way - the terror of which can only be understood by those who have endured it.
As a former airman and then soldier who was lucky enough to escape injury during the Viet Nam and then Kuwait conflicts, I can appreciate your position and how
deeply harmed you might be - not by bullets as much as sheer terror in the face of inescapable and ever-present life-threatening danger.
You are not weak if you are experiencing "symptoms" after service in a combat zone. Rather, it is evidence that you are robustly and healthily HUMAN.
Fortunately, you can do something to improve your situation and the lives of those you hold most dear. You and they can find the services of a mind/body worker who is
willing to donate some of their time and expertise to you - our way of saying "Thank You!"
This is not charity! We expect that you will donate some of your time and expertise to further good causes in your own neighborhood - in exchange for the services you
will receive from our practitioners.
In this way, the wave of goodwill can extend across the nation and turn the tide of war into an ocean of peace.
Thank you, veterans and families of veterans. We honor you and support you.

Joseph Bennette, SFC, USA (ret)
http://www.vets4vets.us/

Mission of Vets4Vets  
Vets4Vets is a non-partisan veterans' peer support organization dedicated to helping Iraq and Afghanistan veterans feel good about themselves
and heal from any negative aspects of service and war.

In weekend workshops, one-on-one, and local groups, Vets4Vets allows veterans to take equal and uninterupted turns sharing their experiences
and expressing their feelings in a truly confidential setting.

To further promote healing Vets4Vets encourages current and former service men and women to take part in positive community action of their
choosing that empowers them to reach out to other veterans.

Staffed exclusively by veterans of today's conflicts from different services and military specialties.  Founded in 2005 by a Marine Corps combat
veteran of Vietnam, Vets4Vets is a place for veterans of today's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to use peer support to help each other through
speaking and listening. Many of today's new veterans are coming home with an overwhelming amount of emotional obsticals in reajusting to life
after the hardships or horrors of war. We believe that these veterans have fought for and deserve the right to any and all support that can be
afforded to them.

On this site you can find infomation on what Vets4Vets is about and who it is here to help. You can also find:

Upcoming weekend workshops and the applications
Local meeting groups and information on starting a group
News articles.  
And coming soon, the Vets4Vets promotional video  
http://www.saluteheroes.org/

Mission Statement
The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes was created to provide a way for individuals, corporations and others to help our severely
wounded and disabled Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and their families rebuild their lives.

Veterans of Modern Warfare. (VMW) WWW.VMWPHILLY.4T.COM
After years of serving veterans returning from Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Global War on Terror, in addition to Persian Gulf War veterans, we felt it was time to create a voice
of, by, and for veterans of the current wartime era. This era began in 1990 and continues.
The Veterans of Modern Warfare. Is a national veteran’s service organization. All veteran or current active duty, Guard, or Reserve member of the Armed Forces of the
United States is eligible to join. As long as they have had one or more days of active duty after August 2, 1990.We needed a direct voice for veterans of the current
generation, an organization accountable only to us.
The VMW members will elect their own leadership, and the organization helps veterans assess their own situation with regard to medical or trauma-related conditions;
obtain assistance for treatment, disability, and education benefits; navigate the federal bureaucracy; and advocate to their elected representatives in Government.
The VMW will provide current active duty and recent veterans a more direct voice in such matters.
We are promoting better access to VA health care, prescriptions, and disability claims assistance for veterans affected by their distance from VA facilities or by mail delays,
such as rural veterans and veterans who work for contractors in places like Kuwait and Iraq.
We are further working to make sure that current active duty military personnel can get care for conditions like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder without fear of stigma or
reprisal. Pauric Devine Phone # 215-627-3730
Nadia McCaffrey
Gold Star mother and advocate for veterans with
PTSD
Mother of Sgt. Patrick McCaffrey, who was killed in
Iraq,
and an advocate for Iraq veterans with Post
Traumatic Stress Syndrome,
she founded Veterans Village.org

NPR RADIO-NATIONAL ON PTSD
Healing After the War; Film Documentary
IADC therapy incorporates eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), a widely used and proven method of treating PTSD.
Eli is now creating and working with women
vets from Iraq-Afghanistan






http://vethospice.com/facilities/victoryfarm.html;  Since 1993; Mission Statement
To provide medical, psychological and spiritual care to veterans that are diagnosed with a terminal illness, are elderly and/or disabled or otherwise in need.   We
provide these services without regard to race, religion or sexual orientation.   All of our programs are drug and alcohol free and every effort is made to help those
seeking abstinence.
mindful.referrals@sbcglobal.net ;
MindFul Referral Services, a placement service started by Mary Jalufka, daughter of a World War II Veteran.  Who has followed in her fathers footsteps by volunteering
her time to help the veterans. Through her placement service she has contracted with Residential Care Homes who will accept veterans with Social Security Insurance
(SSI) benefits who are seeking home care facilities. There is no placement charge for the veteran or spouse of a deceased veteran.
For more information call Mary Jalufka at (925) 360-6328
Foundation Vision and Mission General Information Retreat Dates To Be Announced Fall 2007
Contact email: info@uswelcomehome.org Telephone: 520-296-4686











Phoenix Project America Supports You  Walter Reed Society  Veterans Village
The United States Welcome Home Foundation (USWHF) has filed as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides services and resources beyond the budgetary
and mission capabilities of the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other National, State and Local veterans’ agencies.
The treatment will address the family system, not just the returning Veteran.  Special attention
to the returning women veterans who will need to address problems in reentering civilian life
with their children.  Children will be welcome both in family sessions and individual sessions
if needed.  Couple sessions will be made available to those as needed.
No veteran or family member will terminate treatment because of lack of funding.  The Pilot
Program will be funded at $50,000.00 for up to 10 families.  The locations will be the Nuvo
Life Center at 22 Lawrence Avenue, Smithtown, New York 11787 (631) 360-2223.
It has been said, and demonstrated time and again since the beginning of civilizations, that “the first casualty of war is truth.”
Our Mission
The mission of Soldier's Heart is to heal the wounds of war, educate our communities about the trauma of war, and help veterans re-
integrate with their families and communities.

Contact Us
Sanctuary/Soldier’s Heart
PO Box 8564
Albany, NY 12208

For more information about Soldier’s Heart, or to contact Dr. Ed Tick, please email us at info@soldiersheart.net ;
Marin United in Support of our Veterans:
Below from far-left David Dionisi Author of American Hiroshima and former
Intelligence Officer, Michael O'Gorman, Stephen Edwards, Gold Star Mom Karen
Meredith, Gold Star Mom Nadia McCaffrey, Dr Dwayne Hunn
Warwick Hotel Manhatan NY

National Conference From left:
Donna Jacobs, Tonia
Sargeant; Nadia McCaffrey
The Guerneville Center
was dedicated to the memory of Lt
Ken Ballard KIA in Iraq, son of Gold
Star Mother Karen Meredith
Click on the
links to see the
videos

Fallen Guard's Mom, A woman of courage and love13 Oct 2007 by Kathie Costos  
McCaffrey's mother Nadia McCaffrey was dissatisfied with the findings by the United States Army of her son's death and asked Senator Barbara Boxer for assistance
to pressure the Pentagon for answers about the case. ...
Wounded Times -http://woundedtimes.blogspot.com/2007/10/fallen-guards-mom-woman-of-courage-and.html
[ More results from Wounded Times ]


Anonymous millionaire donation will help create retreat for ...11 Oct 2007 by admin  
Wonderful news regarding our friend and colleague, Nadia McCaffrey. The generosity of this anonymous donor will deliver support and services to countless Iraq
veterans in the years to come. Nadia is a champion for struggling veterans ...
Swords to Plowshares - http://swords-to-plowshares.org/anonymous-millionaire-donation-will-help-create-retreat-for-troubled-returning-iraq-vets/


Sanctuary for Iraq vets6 Oct 2007
Nestled in the Redwoods, overlooking a vineyard on one side and the Russian River on the other, the four-story veterans retreat looks exactly like the restful getaway
Tracy activist Nadia McCaffrey envisioned. ...
Clipmarks | Live Clips


http://bluenc.com/veterans-village,-guerneville-calif.


At War With the Army5 Jun 2007 by GSMSO  
Patrick Ryan McCaffrey, assigned to train Iraqi soldiers allied with American troops, became worried about his safety. A manager of a Palo Alto automotive shop,
McCaffrey had told his mother, Nadia McCaffrey of Tracy, that he feared the ...
Gold Star Mom Speaks Out - http://gsmso.blogspot.com/


Helping veterans heal, grow after war25 Aug 2007
Nadia McCaffrey knows the sorrow of war firsthand. Her son, Army Sgt. Patrick McCaffrey of Tracy, was killed in Iraq in June 2004, and a year later the Pentagon
admitted he and another California National Guardsman, 1st Lt. ...
Michael Moore - This Just In -http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=10369
[ More results from Michael Moore - This Just In ]
VeteransVillage in
Guerneville, Ca
14 Oct 2007 by vfa@vi.org ()  
Its founding member and President, Nadia
McCaffrey, mother of Sergeant Patrick
McCaffrey, wants to carry on the work her son
would have pursued had his life not been
curtailed so prematurely. Patrick, who did not
expect to be deployed ...
The Dream Now Has
Growing Roots

By Kathie Costos  
McCaffrey's mother Nadia McCaffrey was dissatisfied with the findings by the United States Army of her son's
death and asked Senator Barbara Boxer for assistance to pressure the Pentagon for answers about the
case. ...
Wounded Times - http://woundedtimes.blogspot.com/
Veterans Village, Guerneville Calif.
Care for Veterans and PTSD

Boston, Posted October 21st, 2007 by jimstaro

Back on Oct 14th I posted this here, and a few other sites as well as mine, about a Dream and Need by a Gold Star Mom Nadia McCaffrey
in Honor to her son Sgt.Patrick McCaffrey, who was killed in Iraq by Iraqi soldiers.

Well now we can view a little of the grounds, and a brand new four story building, donated by an anonymous WWII Veteran. In this report
New Veterans Program Helps Heal War Wounds from abc7news.com - San Francisco,CA..

Video below and can also be viewed at station site of report.

YouTube Video

http://www.bostonnow.com/blogs/jimstaro/2007/10/21/veterans-village-guerneville-calif

Before the deployment to Iraq: Patrick McCaffrey with wife and daughter

A few snippits from the abc7news report:
One In Seven Veterans Seeks Treatment

But a group of parents and veterans supporters say they can no longer wait for the government to provide the help the soldiers need.
And wait no longer is an understatement! Understanding and treating the mental effects of War, not only on the militaries who wage them,
but also on the civilian populations they are waged upon, is not just decades in the waiting but centuries. Because these trauma's have
always been brought about by man's brutal actions to his fellow man, women and especially the children! They not only bring about the
life changing nightmares an individual will now live through but are also the seeds planted in many of those individuals for a life of their
own destructive behavior and for some who join those nightmares and lash out at others, causing extreme destructive behavior and
further Wars!
The long term goal is to raise $120 million dollars to build a national Veterans Village center 1,000 acres outside of Charlotte, North
Carolina; A true welcome zone.
You can visit my previous recent post about The Veterans Village above or better yet visit the site, where you'll find this:
Veterans are the light at the tip of the candle, illuminating the way for the whole nation. If veterans can achieve awareness,
transformation, understanding, and peace, they can share with the rest of society the realities of war. And they can teach us how to make
peace with ourselves and each other, so we never have to use violence to resolve conflicts again". Thich Nhat Hanh

And much more about Nadia's tireless efforts and her Dream of helping returning Veterans of, once again, a Major Debacle of Invasion
and Occupation created by the few with the Support of Many. That have now, once again, created the hatreds and the seeds of further
destructive behavior of Criminal Terror and Wars of the near, and far, future!


You can also help Nadia obtain her goals, if you have a few duckets to spare by giving a donation at the site, or finding other means to
bring about Real 'Support of our Troops', and not only, once again, the military personal creating and being sent into these senseless
War Theaters, but a better understanding so help can be given to the Civilian Populations.

Societies need to come to the realities of Combat Trauma because of the nature and 24/7 reality of existing in those extremely stressful
environments. Trauma, that trigger mental change, do not only occur in War Theaters, they can and do happen to individuals Daily,
around this planet, in their once semi peaceful lives. And do change the lives of those that live through their trauma.


We can become what we like to think of ourselves as, a Peaceful Nation and a Real World Leader, by making War Obsolete, and helping
others obtain that goal. Which would eleminate an overwelming amount of the results of, Mentally and Physically, man's destructive
behavior on others.


Do I think we can obtain that, Nope, but leading a whole nation in that direction will Really bring others to follow the same pattern. What
has happened now, in our recent past to today, will not bring about the Freedom for others, it has caused a bleak and dangerous future
for many that will be extremely hard to bring about a corrective direction that will save lives, Mentally and Physically!
Also on the care of Veterans, on the mental trauma and PTSD as well as the Physical damage done, there was a followup report on the
NPR Diane Rehm show last week, that if you didn't catch you might want to:


Medical Care for Soldiers and Veterans
An update on the ongoing care and benefit challenges faced by wounded soldiers,veterans, and their families.


Guests
*Anne Hull, reporter, "The Washington Post"
*Dana Priest, intelligence correspondent for "The Washington Post" and author of "The Mission: Waging War and Keeping Peace with
America's Military"
Listen In:
Real Player


Windows Media Player

jimstaro's blog Login or register to post comments Related Items
A Tribute To A True American Veteran, Passionate Peace Advocate, and Friend
Our Soldiers, PTSD, Multiple Tours, Prozac, Death!
Support The 'Woodruff Fund'
Iraq War Q & A
War has increased drug production
Arnold Schwazenegger & Nadia McCaffrey in
Sacramento December 4 2007
Dedication Wall of Heroes
Greenhorn Ranch Vision
lisa@greehornranch.com

Provide Services to Veterans:
"Supporting Soldiers and Families: Healing and Reintegration."   

Soldiers and their families are invited to spend quality time on a western-lifestyle horse ranch.  
At Greenhorn Ranch in Plumas County California, veterans will enjoy western activities and participate in Equine Assisted Learning to help
reconnect with family and loved ones, build communication, discover individual and family strengths and overcome the challenges of returning
home.
While at Greenhorn Ranch, services provided to soldiers and families can include individual counseling, family and group therapy,
workshops and seminars and equine assisted learning (aka equine assisted psychotherapy).  
While still in planning stages, the focus in on healing and reconnection.
© 2007, Nadia McCaffrey, the Patrick McCaffrey Foundation &  the Veteran's Village, all rights reserved ©
Formed in 2006, the organization is a peace based organization for
members of the military who have served in the war, we are focusing on the Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts, however, this foundation is to help all war veterans . We
believe the best way to support our troops is to bring them home now and take care of them when they get here.
Lisa Kelly
Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch
2116 Greenhorn Ranch Road
Quincy, California  95971
1-800-334-6939
Support The Troops With More Than Lip Service
Click On The Link>>>>
www.vietvets.org

We are actively serving many veterans from Operation Enduring
Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). The return to
civilian life for these veterans is challenging due to the impact of
prolonged tours of duty, service-connected disability, and the
trauma of combat (PTSD).
Established in 1980 VVC offers community based activities for
veterans and their families. With Eight Service Centers in
Northern California, we are focused on the complex realities of
veterans' issues and work diligently to design innovative
programs, which respond to the diverse needs of veterans and the
community.
Turtlewomenrising.org
Turtle Women Rising are needed in Washington D.C. on October 10-13 2008.
Bring your drums, prayers, and your songs.
SFC Eli PaintedCrow
is a 22 yr. retired Army Veteran who served in Iraq in 2004. A Native American from the Yaqui Nation grandmother of 8, a mother of 2 sons who both served in the military, she
has been called upon by her conscious and her spirit to play and pray for peace.
Eli PaintedCrow Iraq Veteran
Memorial Honors 6 Fallen Soldiers

POSTED: 6:29 pm PDT March 17, 2008 NEW

TRACY, Calif. -- With six servicemen from Tracy killed in the conflicts in Iraq and
Afghanistan, the city of 80,000 has one of the highest rates per capita of casualties in
California and in the county.
More than a year has passed since the last name was inscribed on the Tracy War
Memorial, and World War II veteran Don Ridolfi said he hopes the city will not have to
add any more names.
Ridolfi helped build the war memorial. He's seen his and his fellow veterans' view of
the war change.
"Most ex-servicemen are strictly behind the troops, but I believe the majority of
ex-servicemen that I have talked to are not happy about the war," Ridolfi said.
Pvt. Jesse Martinez joined the Army for job training and died in Iraq in 2004.
Jan Martinez, Jesse's mother, has her son's name on her car license plate.
"I think they have to stay there and finish what they are doing, does it change my
mind? I don't like war no matter what, but it's something my son wanted to do,"
Martinez said.
Nadia McCaffrey's son Patrick was killed in Iraq.
McCaffrey became a critic of the war and helps returning soldiers with jobs, housing
and medical aid.
"I cannot stop this war by myself. I do not agree with it, but why waste my time? There
is so much to be done helping all soldiers," McCaffrey said.
Stockton has suffered seven war casualties. There are 16 total war deaths in San
Joaquin County.
TRACY, CA
New York Conference,
Warwick Hotel, Manhatan
Michel O'Gorman
Nadia McCaffrey Gold Star Mom
Tonia Sargeant Military Wife
Donna Jacobs
Matt McCue Peace Corps
Stephen Ledwell