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Though often overlooked by many, Armed Forces Day is another important holiday honoring our military heroes. Armed Forces Day was first designated by President Harry Truman in 1949, and later designated an official holiday by President John F. Kennedy in 1962. This year, Armed Forces Day falls on Saturday, May 18.
While serving in Iraq a few years ago, I saw firsthand the toll that war can have on a man’s psyche. A friend – I’ll call him “Rich” – began showing symptoms of severe post-traumatic stress disorder after close exposure to rocket and mortar blasts in combat. While on active duty…
As a deficit hawk, I look at that news and my initial response is to think it’s a positive indicator. And in many ways it is—after years of mounting deficits that have led to a national debt of $16.7 trillion, there’s relief in at last seeing the deficit contract, if only slightly. But let’s not declare victory yet. Here’s a few thoughts on why…
If you’ve taken a taxicab in Boston, New York, or another metropolitan area in the past few years, you probably didn’t think twice when, after you paid, the driver handed you a computerized receipt displaying the exact amount you paid. In the real world, this type of exact accounting – and accountability – is standard stuff. But, if you’ve taken a taxi in Washington, DC …
One of the best books on the realities of the defense budget in the post-Iraq and Afghanistan-era is Michael O’Hanlon’s 2011 “The Wounded Giant: America’s Armed Forces in the Age of Austerity.” A must-read for those who care about America’s future as a global leader.
This week, Flatten has been all over the issue of executive bonuses at the VA, detailing how the department has paid out millions of dollars’ worth of performances bonuses to top-tier leaders—all while the VA’s performance in providing service to veterans has been deteriorating steadily.
Americans are generous in paying respect and gratitude to the men and women who serve in uniform. But too frequently, the sacrifice and contributions of military spouses and families are overlooked.
The Clippers and the Lakers have been eliminated from 2012-13 NBA playoff contention, but Los Angeles took the trophy in the VA backlog. That badge of shame means…