The war was and still is controversial. The United States has engaged in many questionable wars and this was one. A memorial to the participants in that war recognizes the unique nature of their service:
“Not for fame or reward
Not for place or rank
Not lured by Ambition
Or goaded by Necessity
But in
I am an Iraq veteran. I served in Iraq from 2005 to 2006. Some 140,000 other brothers and sisters served in Iraq with me. I am told there were some 1.5 million total who served in Iraq. Wherever I go, I find a bond with fellow Iraq and Afghanistan vets. We share the bond of
In a column last April. Josh Brodesky suggests the Confederate memorial which formerly resided in downtown San Antonio should be placed in a museum. In his April 20, 2019 piece, he questions the motivations of supporters of the memorial. Yet, even though his piece is ostensibly about the memorial, he never discusses the motivations
War memorials are close to the heart of every veteran, especially those of us who have served in a time of conflict. You do not really appreciate war memorials until you have lost a buddy or two and then come home. In American Legion v. American Humanist Assoc., No. 17-1717 (6/20/2019), the U.S. Supreme
According to a May 28, 2017 article in the Austin American-Statesman, members of Congress, including Lloyd Doggett, asked the Department of Labor to change rules that shield frequent violators of USERRA. USERRA is the law that protects Guardsmen, Reservists and other service members from discrimination in their civilian jobs. Some employers just do not
Well, the Texas Legislature pulled back from the edge of the precipice. The state legislature came very close to reducing Hazlewood Act benefits for Texas veterans and their children. I previously wrote about that effort to reduce benefits here and here. The Hazlewood Act allows veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to attend
Just a few years ago, most Texans were anxious to help veterans. The Texas legislature passed an amendment to the Hazelwood Act which would allow free tuition at state schools for veterans. The veteran could pass that benefit to his/her children. The Texas act did not require service after the amendment was passed. While, the
I just do not get it. I keep seeing and hearing stories about veterans who are not being hired. One woman spent a year in Iraq guarding high profile prisoners. She joined the National Guard at the age of 36 years old. Soon, she went on her first tour in Iraq. She was laid off
On this Veteran’s Day, we stop for a minute to honor those who have served in our nation’s armed forces. During the two wars, the day assumes greater significance. I have written in this space about my friend, 1SGT Carlos Saenz who was killed in Iraq when I was serving there. I know to some
Iowa passed a law recently requiring employers to give veterans Veterans Day off. The leave can be unpaid. See post. The new law has some exceptions for public safety workers and major disruptions to employers. But, the idea seems pertinent to today.
I myself worked for an employer where Veterans Day was not