Marathon Thanks
Dear Editor: Last Saturday marked the third annual Sitka Cross Trail Classic Marathon and Half. A heartfelt thank you goes to the following people who gave up their Saturday morning (and more) to help make this a successful event:
Todd White, Val Ozawa, Murray Lawson, Carolyn Heuer, Cindy Westergaard, Penny Brown, Christine Davenport of xtinepix.com, Dave and Al at Sitka Fire Department, Sitka Mountain Rescue and Fire Department members Karen Royce, Pat and family, Ron, Noah, Esther, Vienna, Parker, Travis, Robert, Denise and Matt, Sara Peterson, Kim and Samantha Sparks, Paige and Riley Bernhardt, Katie Rumery, Esther Diaz, Krista Perala, Lt. Lance and SPD officers, Christy and Abby Murdock, Helen Raschick, Corrie Bosman, Alaina Brown, Kristen Green, Julie Beall, Pam Petro, Pam Samuelson, Michalene Smith, Angela Spitzer, Melissa Dinsmore, Julie Platson, Fr. Andy Sensenig, Karen Johnson and Mrs. Johnson, McGraw Constructors, Daily Sitka Sentinel, Raven Radio, Parks and Recreation, and Sitka National Historical Park.
It wouldn’t have been possible to pull this off without the help of all of you. Thank you all.
Julie White, Race Director,
Sitka Cross Trail Classic
VA Problems Redux
Dear Editor: After waiting for close to four weeks for some local veteran (or somebody who cares about – or at least presumes to speak for – local veterans) to respond to your 17 July AP article, “VA Problems Mount as Missteps Continue,” I would just like to say that…, sometimes… being able to say “I Told you so” feels really, really good. And that sometimes, as in this case, it really, really… let’s leave it at hurts.
A little over a year ago, the June 17, 2014, Daily Sitka Sentinel graciously posted a Veterans Against War, Sitka Platoon letter about the so-called VA Bailout Health Care Bill, and the stern, almost biblical pronunciations and promises coming from all of the relevant and requisite politicians, political appointees, and bureaucrats concerned and involved (whether they wanted to be or not), that “This Problem With, Of, By, and For Our Veterans WILL NOT STAND.”
Noting at the time that, while perhaps it was just one of our past units’ motto’s ghost’s coming back to haunt us (i.e.: “Hope is not a Method”), we nonetheless thereby expressed “a very hard time regarding anything that Bernie Sanders and John McCain agree on with anything but the deepest, most gut-felt, totally naked skepticism and suspicion, and an almost primeval urge to bend over and get ready.”
And further that, “amidst all the thunder, wind, and smoke – particularly as regards the problems of Veterans seeking Care, Hope, and Something to Live For – there is neither lightning nor fire, but only more and more noise. And ever more accompanying hot and cold air.”
Again: sometimes being able to say “I Told You so” is really cool. And sometimes, it’s just not. Not at all.
Because, one year later, as painfully portrayed in your article: nothing has changed. Or, if it has changed, it has only gotten worse. And primarily only because the real truth about the obscene state of veterans care in this country is slowly, somehow, inexorably, and quite very obstinately being, in some way, exposed to the painfully full spectrum of that full-metal jacket daylight that defies denial as an option, and demands real and true explanations. And not just justifications.
If Donald Trump is serious about being the next president of the United States, he could start by detailing exactly how he would bring his executive, entrepreneurial, mogulianistic, and reality-TV star knowledge, expertise, experience, skills, savvy, wisdom, wealth, and, above all, his contacts; how he would bring all that to bear upon FIXING – actually, really fixing – the goat rope (for lack of a less obscene term) that is the current state of Veterans Affairs in this nation.
He might start by promising, upon ascension, an executive declaration of suspension of and on any and all action or activity any place in the world by the government of the United States (at all levels and in all zones), that could even potentially result in the creation of more veterans with more disabilities to be dealt with. And, that this suspension (he could further promise) would be in effect until each, every, and all CURRENT veterans’ and/or their survivors’ crises, problems, and issues are satisfactorily confronted, encompassed, dealt with, and resolved.
But, of course, then again, he might not. He might not be able to, even if he wanted to (even by executive order); given the realities of the realm that he would have chosen (in our fantasy) to confront. But, on the other hand, that’s where “We, the People” come in: isn’t it? Or so we are told. Or, isn’t it? And so Mr. Trump might note. Thereby leaving it, ultimately, up to “them people,” who and whatever they, we, it are and/or is. Or were. And/or ever was. Or actually, really ever was.
Anybody else among the currently annunciated combatants on both (all three, four, ?) sides for the presidency in 2016 cold do essentially the same thing: make the plight of veterans a core, focal, and critical issue. But only Mr. Trump could announce, with almost perfectly deliciously ironical effect, such an offensive with … heh … say, John McCain (and, in a real stretch, Bernie Sanders) at his side as his principal (and principle) designated (co-)advisor(s) on “veterans’ affairs.”
Just inviting those two (or even just McCain) to join his campaign (at least for caring about veterans) might be enough to accomplish the same objective. Which, it is acknowledged, has not yet been established. At least not for Trump. Or has it?)
The perfectly delightful fact is that Mr. Trump, apparently and if he really wanted to, could probably literally buy the White House. After all, he made his fortune in real estate; one wonders, then, how complicated can the federal property market in the District of Columbia actually, really be? It remains to be seen if he can figuratively and thus actually buy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And then sell it at a profit.
In any event, and at the last noted available count in 2011, there were some 23 million (that’s 23,000,000) veterans – including over 2 million female veterans – alive in this country. And that’s not counting survivors. Or supporters. Or those who, even without a great deal of intelligible and intelligent effort, would and could become supporters. Not a bad block to figure out how to reach out and tap into, eh?
JG Moebus, Veterans Against War,
Sitka Platoon
