I want to share my current situation as far as being treated properly for having been deployed twice in five years and what congress has done to show it cares for those that have provided the security we've had. But first, on the last comments: As was my experience home on leave from Iraq the vast majority of people from the age of 18-30yrs hardly ever even think of what's happening in Iraq and darn sure don't ever want to sacrafice for others, remember this is the "Me' generation. And I am not putting them down for it, it's not their fault, it's our so called leaders. How can any person running for the office of President honestly say that by boycotting the largest news station in the U.S.A. they are people of integrity, they clearly fear honest questions and show little personal integrity by doing so.

As far as the second amendment right to keep and bear arms, out here in California it's almost impossible to get a firearm and all that is rquired in the state of California to lose that "right' is an accusation of domestic or workplace violence and it's gone, this is a fact. I know of many people that recieve notices to that effect. The liberal left screams about wire tapping international suspects without warrents, but not a word about losing the second amendment right through the mail based on an accusastion and nothing more, where's the ACLU or Move on.org? I brought up the Iraqis having machine guns in their homes to drive home the point, there is not a civil war in Iraq. If sectional violence means civil war then we ourselves are at civil war, gang violence does more killing in Los Angeles then we experienced in my province in Iraq.

As for the VA. I was told prior to leaving Iraq that thr VA would provide educational assistance to all 911 vets based on the amount of time they were deployed. In my case 2 1/2 years out of five. this amount would determine the amount of the assistance, I qualified for the maximume allowed. I decided to not risk my life anymore and 24yrs of service was enough, I felt that I and many like me had done has J.F.K. asked " Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country". I got out of the resrves and enrolled in school that I might someday teach history and tell the truth about what happend in my little part of the war.

For the last year I recieved aid but that has now been terminated by the VA. The reason the VA ( Veterans Administration) did this was because they they recntly learned I really was a Veteran and could no longer be sent overseas to die. I asked for my pathetic Congresswoman, Louis Capps, to intervine but all they did was agree with the VA. Now this begs the question, Why is the Veterans Administration doing active Army reserve retention? I am not the most educated man on the planet, but are Veterans retired?

The sad thing is this is happening to tens of thousands of Veterans of the War and congress will do nothing. It seems the tiny minority that serve their country first get used the most. At my current school the VA education counsler isn't even a Vet, it would be nice to have someone that understands Vets. Furthermore the person that is supposed to help Vets here seems to have a very nasty attitude towards vets.

Congress is talking about "Universal Health Care" but can't even take care of it's veterans. Vets in my town have to get bussed forty miles to the nearest clinic for medicine. And when one of us has an issue with the VA eduacation department we have to contact Oklahoma. I asked for a summary of my military 401k (thrift savings plan) and they will not respond. I sent an inquiry regarding the end of my education benefits and the VA told Congresswoman Capps office I missed a signature so they will not respond. Let's forget they could call me, send fax info, or mail self addressed envelopes they just won't respond and neither will congress.

Still, I love this country and all that it represents. It is the people that call the shots that are flawed and those of us that allow them to stay in office. I will pay for my own education since Congress doesn't seem to understand that if one is deployed overseas it is not possible to attend school at home, but that is the criteria agreed upon by Congresswoman Capps. The message is typically political "We will make a multitude of promises to get in office or get what we want, just don't expect us to keep them'.