THE THINGS THEY CARRIED

They carried P-38 can openers and heat tabs, watches and dog tags, insect repellent, gum, cigarettes, Zippo lighters, salt tablets, compress bandages, ponchos, Kool-Aid, two or three canteens of water, iodine tablets, sterno, LRRP-rations, and C-rations stuffed in socks.

They carried standard fatigues, jungle boots, bush hats, flak jackets, and steel pots. They carried the M-16 assault rifle. They carried trip flares and Claymore mines, M-60 machine guns, the M-70 grenade launcher, M-14's, CR-15s, Stoners, Swedish K's, 66 mm Laws, shotguns, 45 caliber pistols, silencers, the sound of bullets, rockets, and choppers, and sometimes the sound of silence.They carried C-4 plastic explosives, an assortment of hand grenades, PRC-25 radios, knives and machetes.

VETERANS SERVICE CENTER

The Coalition of Southeast North Carolina (CSENC) is a diverse group of veterans and/or concerned citizens with one goal, establishing a veterans service center in Southeast North Carolina.

We are currently soliciting the city council of Wilmington for a physical location, either a building or portion thereof to set up a veterans service center. The veterans service center would function to assist current returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The center would provide services and referrals to veterans of all other combat arenas as well as assistance to significant others of such veterans as well.

Death on the Home Front: Women in the Crosshairs - another example of why we need a Vet Center

by: Ann Jones | Visit article original @ TomDispatch.com

Wake up, America. The boys are coming home, and they're not the boys who went away.

On New Year's Day, the New York Times welcomed the advent of 2009 by reporting that, since returning from Iraq, nine members of the Fort Carson, Colorado, Fourth Brigade Combat team had been charged with homicide. Five of the murders they were responsible for took place in 2008 when, in addition, "charges of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault" at the base rose sharply. Some of the murder victims were chosen at random; four were fellow soldiers - all men. Three were wives or girlfriends.

Marine Corps hopes to reach ex-Lejeune residents about tainted water

The Marine Corps is trying to reach some 500,000 people who lived and worked on the base November 1957 through February 1987, years in which experts believed well water was contaminated. To date, nearly 130,000 are in the Notification Registry.

The Department of the Navy has spent $17.3 million on health studies and nearly $10 million on outreach campaigns.

There are roughly 1,400 pending legal claims seeking a total of $33 billion by people who lived on the Marine base, both military personnel and civilians.  Read more...

AGENT ORANGE LINKED TO SERIOUS HEART DISEASE

Study shows stronger evidence of health risks to Vietnam veterans

The Associated Press

updated 4:39 p.m. ET, Fri., July 24, 2009

WASHINGTON - Medical researchers say there may be a link between exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War and an increased chance of developing serious heart problems and Parkinson’s disease.

A study from the Institute of Medicine released Friday contains several caveats, but suggests there is a stronger connection than previously thought about the health risks to Vietnam veterans.

The research was sponsored by the Veterans Affairs Department, which will decide what to do with the findings. A VA spokeswoman said the department is reviewing the study to determine the full extent of the toxic effects of Agent Orange so exposed Vietnam veterans get the disability benefits they are entitled to.