The Veterans of Foreign Wars is calling on airlines to allow servicemembers traveling on orders to check a third piece of luggage without paying a $100 fee. Servicemembers traveling for official business, including deployments, currently receive full reimbursement for reasonable, authorized excess baggage fees. But as pointed out in an article in the El Paso Times, not all Servicemembers are aware of their travel benefits. Without filing receipt and travel voucher this money comes out of their own pockets, which they feel is is unacceptable.
How do you feel about the current travel policy? Let your public officials know how you feel!
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August 21, 2008 - Orlando Sentinel
President Bush stopped briefly in Orlando on Aug. 20 to praise veterans, defend his decisions about the war in Iraq and argue that the nation is in the midst of a worldwide battle against terrorists that will affect America for years to come.
Speaking at the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention -- a group that earlier this week heard from John McCain and Barack Obama -- Bush said the U.S. and its allies were engaged in a struggle between "the forces of freedom and the forces of tyranny."
He said the invasion of Iraq was justified, in part, because it advanced the cause of democracy in the Middle East.
Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz will host an Internal Revenue Service representative on site to assist retirees and disabled veterans who qualify, but have not yet filed, for the economic stimilus rebate.
The Internal Revenue Service estimates that there are 5.2 million qualified retirees and disabled veterans nationwide who have not yet filed.
Be sure to have all your questions answered in order to file by the October 15, 2008 deadline.
The Internal Revenue representative will be at the following locations:
Philadelphia District Office
7219 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19135
215-335-3355
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Tuesday, August 26
Tuesday, September 30
Montgomery County District Office
706 West Ave.
Jenkintown, PA 19046
215-517-6572
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Wednesday, August 27
Wednesday, October 1
http://schwartz.house.gov
August 15, 2008 - Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Iraqi Shiite assassination teams are being trained in at least four locations in Iran by Tehran's elite Quds force and Lebanese Hezbollah and are planning to return to Iraq in the next few months to kill specific Iraqi officials as well as U.S. and Iraqi troops, according to a senior U.S. military intelligence official.
The official, in Baghdad, described the information Aug. 14 in an interview with The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence.
The officer on Aug. 13 provided Iraq's national security adviser with several lists of the assassination teams' expected targets. He said the targets include many judges but would not otherwise identify them. Iraq's intelligence service is preparing operations to determine where and when the special group fighters will enter the country and is to provide an assessment to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
August 15, 2008 - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
On the morning of Aug. 16 a restored U.S. Army UH-1 "Huey" helicopter will become a permanent fixture, greeting those driving into Mineral Wells, Texas, from the east.
That's when The National Vietnam War Museum will "Hoist the Huey" and celebrate this symbol of the Vietnam War with a program of activities culminating in lifting and mounting the helicopter by crane onto a support platform. The museum is located east of Mineral Wells on U.S. Highway 180, next to the Mineral Wells railway bridge.
Festivities will begin with the grand entrance of the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of motorcycle-riding veterans. The riders will assemble in the large parking area behind McDonalds' restaurant for their ride to the museum site at 10:15 a.m.
For historians and poets to tell the world of its story
A symbol of American heroes who fought with courage, valor and dedication
For those brave soldiers who lost their lives in battles of war for our nation
The ''CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE'' holding vigil for all the world to see;
What it means to have the right to pursue ...LIFE....HAPPINESS and ''Liberty''
by John Edmund Amato, Boston, MA
To read more poetry by John visit:
http://stairwaytosecrets.com/johnedmundamato.php
John's Website:
Tumbling Dice Entertainment
August 14, 2008 - Dallas Morning News
There's been a change of heart at American Airlines Inc. The Fort Worth-based carrier said Aug. 13 that, effective immediately, it will waive its longstanding fees for a third checked bag for military personnel on active duty.
The decision comes after several days of negative attention following news reports about a Soldier who was charged $100 for his extra bag by American and a call by the Veterans of Foreign Wars for carriers to waive such fees.
August 14, 2008 - Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Famed chef Julia Child shared a secret with Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg and Chicago White Sox catcher Moe Berg at a time when the Nazis threatened the world.
They served in an international spy ring managed by the Office of Strategic Services, an early version of the CIA created in World War II by President Franklin Roosevelt.
The full secret comes out today, all of the names and previously classified files identifying nearly 24,000 spies who formed the first centralized intelligence effort by the United States. The National Archives, which this week released a list of the names found in the records, will make available for the first time all 750,000 pages identifying the vast spy network of military and civilian operatives.
We would like to thank everyone who attended the 3rd Annual Philadelphia Doo Wop Festival! We hope that you enjoyed the great day of entertainment and we are very thankful for your support of The Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center, Inc.
We would also like to thank all of the sponsors and vendors of the Festival as well as Tierney Communications for all of their hard work promoting and making this event a huge success!
Please visit www.phillydoowopfestival.org/gallery/ and take a look at some photos from Doo Wop Festival.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Yours in Veteran Services,
Lincoln Strehle
Director of Development
The Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center, Inc.
PVMSEC Case Manager, Bill Diamond (3rd from left) and Cornerstone featuring "Golden Voice Harry" will be performing at the Philadelphia DooWop Festival on Saturday August 9, 2008. Admission is free so come out and enjoy the entertainment and help support area veterans.
For more information visit www.phillydoowopfestival.org
Purchase this DVD WITH YOUR PAY PAL ACCOUNT AT www.goldenvoiceharry.com - Cornerstone featuring "GOLDEN VOICE" HARRY SCHMITT on lead with AL LOUGHEAD (Bass/Baritone), BILL DIAMOND (tenor) with PAT YOCOLANO (tenor) rounding out the groups "unique" sound ... Filmed in Paramus, NJ.