| Home | Bookmark | Tell | Active petitions in over 75 countries | Follow GoPetition |
Petition Tag - military
1. Help Make Asheville, NC A Tricare Prime Service Area Again 
In April of 2011, The North Region of Tricare, which is the US Military Medical Insurance, redid their contract with Healthnet Federal Services, the contractor for the North Region.
With this contract revision came some very disturbing changes that need to be adjusted such as ripping the Tricare Prime Service Option out of the Asheville, NC Area.
Please sign this petition to fight to bring it back to this area asap as there is an extensive ammout of military retirees, and guard & reserve members in this area that are being affected by this unfair change.
The change that was brought forward by the April 2011 contract was that they were wiping away all NC Tricare Prime areas accept for a 50 mile radius of the NC Military Instalitations. This is totally unfair. Please sign this petition.
Egyptian activist, blogger, and software developer Alaa Abd El Fattah who played a major part in the Egyptian revolution, has been unlawfully detained, after voluntarily responding to a summoning by a military prosecutor, since 30 October 2011.
Refusing to recognise the validity of the interrogation, or the military prosecutor questioning him, Alaa was faced with charges including inciting violence and theft of weapons, despite unquestionable evidence to contradict. Alaa's silence also stemmed from his belief in the huge part the military played in the killing of peaceful protesters in that particular incident.
Following an international campaign against military trials for civilians, Field Marshal Tantawi, Egypt's interim leader, ordered the case to be transferred from a military prosecutor to the State Security Court.
Expected to have been released this week, Alaa's case was rejected by an Appeals Court and The High State Security Court has added the charge of premeditated murder with the intention of committing an act of terrorism to the list of the charges he is facing.
Many believe Alaa's detention is a tactful mind game played by the military council to scare off other Egyptian activists for whom Alaa seemed embody the true spirit of the great Egyptian revolution.
His wife, Manal Hassan, is expected to give birth to their first son, Khaled, this week.
3. Let Richard Wentz fly his flag
A retired member of the New York City Police Department who helped victims out of the World Trade Center on 9-11 is now at war with his Coral Springs homeowners' association over a commemorative flag.
Richard Wentz has been given 10 days to take down his flag down or face fines and possibly legal action.
"That flag means the world to me. Other than my children, that flag means the world to me," said Wentz.
Wentz lives in the Fairways at Heron Bay. The commemorative flag lists the names of everyone who died on Sept. 11, 2001, and is a replica of the ones placed in Battery Park during the 10th anniversary of the attacks.
"When I received the letter, I actually stood out in front of the house yelling in anger about it," Wentz said.
Wentz, a retired New York City police officer, said he ran into the Tower 1 and started pulling out people before the building collapsed. Wentz said he lost 43 friends and colleagues that day. The inside of his home is a shrine to the friends he lost.
Wentz now has cancer, he said, from breathing in all the particles during the cleanup of Ground Zero.
The letter from the Fairways at Heron Bay association said the flag detracts from the aesthetic harmony of the surrounding properties.He said he was confronted by Patricia Favata, president of the Board of Directors.
"She pushed the issue and said, 'Do we really need to get lawyers involved?' Her demeanor got very nasty," Wentz said.
No one was at Favata's home when Local 10 tried to talk to her.
Several neighbors said they are disgusted.
"He was involved in 9-11, and what he went through, he deserves to have the flag up there. I think it's an honor in our neighborhood to have the flag up," said resident Irene Skulsky.
"That flag doesn't bother me at all and shouldn't be taken down," added another neighbor.
Bill Sugarman, the president of Benchmark Property Management, which represents the association, said he received complaints.
The rules say there can only be one flag per home.
"The only flag that is allowed is an American flag. The problem is he is flying two flags, and until someone changes that there is a problem," Sugarman said.
Wentz refuses to take it down. "I will not take that flag down. That flag will remain up. I don't care how many fines they want to give me, how many notices they want to give me, I refuse to take that down," Wentz said.
The American Civil Liberties Union weighed in, saying that although homeowners associations are constitution-free zones, it has asked the state to limit what associations can do.
"This is an absurd, excessively literal interpretation of the rule. Why anybody would want to enforce that is beyond me," said Howard Simon with the ACLU.
As a result of the news of more casualties in Afghanistan I want Julia Gillard to bring our troops home asap!! I think that our position and our presence there is no longer sustainable and that the ramifications for not only our soldiers, but there families, is totally underestimated, and that it is now a moral issue.
How can Julia Gillard continue our commitment there when the other coalition countries are withdrawing theirs? What is underlying this decision? Who is going to win in this situation? Certainly not the children whose lives will be effected by the PTSD that they will live with, for the rest of their lives.
These soldiers presently in Afghanistan are unwittingly participating in a game of Russian roulette and this is not fair on them, or their families. You are a mother ... put yourself in this position please and imagine for a minute how this must feel ... you are also a daughter ....again put yourself in this position and imagine how it must feel to have your father or mother on a mission in a country where they are, on a daily basis, wondering if they will become the next target!!!
PLEASE PLEASE do what it takes to return our troops home before more are killed in a war that is no longer
our concern and our presence can no longer be justified.
PLEASE HELP ME AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!
Go to: STOP Veteran Benefit CUTS and like the page please!!! Everyone atleast knows 1 Veteran, some way or some how. They are your Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Cousins, Best Friends, Neighbors, Classmates, or Co-Workers!
PLEASE SUPPORT US IN OUR FIGHT FOR WHAT WE HAVE EARNED BY DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE!
PLEASE HELP US FIGHT THIS BATTLE!!!
THANK YOU
SEMPER FI
AFRICOM is a military entity that is encircling Africa. It is the cutting edge of the imperialist war machine that brings drones and other military hardware that kills african and destabilises the region.
AFRICOM threatens the peace and stability in Africa and drives a colonial agenda that is destructive and exploitative. Africa, in order to develop itself in peace, needs all war machines off its soil so as it has a sovereign integrity and political independence.
There will never be peace in Africa as long as AFRICOM is on its soil.
7. Speed bumps on Martlet Place
I am writing to express my profound concern for the safety of the children in my neighbourhood. In the last month have since seen 2 children have close encounters with vehilces.
There is a playground at the bottom of Martlet Place on the turn, therefore children are always present in this area. The amount of vehicles that speed through this area are ridiculous.
We currently have "children at play" signs posted in the area which do no justice. I have spoke to residents in the area who have expressed the same concern as myself. Myself and the residents in this area are hoping to be able to get speed bumps put in place on Martlet Place.
I would also like to add that the playground on Martlet is the pick-up and drop-off area for the school buses. I feel it is only a matter of time before a child is seriously injured.
8. They broke it. Make them pay to fix it!
 |
- There is an employment crisis because of a lack of decent stable jobs.
- There is a moral crisis because the rich and well connected want the rest of us to pay for their irresponsible speculation, fraud and greed.
- There is a crisis of democracybecause our political system is dominated by people with money rather than people with good ideas.
- We've made our sacrifices. . . . We sacrificed our jobs, standard of living, health care, children's education, retirement security, the environment and the precious lives of our loved ones in wars.
Let those who caused the crisis now make their sacrifices!
9. Change The Winnipeg Jets Logo For The 2012/2013 Season
Since the NHL returned to Winnipeg for the 2011-2012 season, the topic for what the team's name should be called has become a hot topic for discussion. There has been a lot of history with the Winnipeg Jets from 1972 to 1996, so calling them anything else would have been a mistake. We are grateful that the True North Sports & Entertainment have decided to rename the team the Winnipeg Jets on June 24, 2011, but once we have learnt that they didn’t want to use the 1996 logo and update it, we believe that the current military logo was not right and a mistake. There is no disrespect for the military but it is not meant for a NHL logo. Many fans feel that this logo is too military for hockey and that there should only be one Canadian city that has a maple leaf on its logo. The logo does not have a modern look to it and many would describe it as unattractive.
Some of us were lucky enough to have watch Bobby Hull (the Golden Jet) play live in the Winnipeg Arena in the 1970’s. Some believe that the owners from the 1972 team decided to use the Jets name in honour of the Golden Jet who inspired us. In 1972, it had nothing to do with the Royal Canadian Air Forces in regards to the Jets name. The airplane in the left hand corner of the old logo represented the flowering of exploration and internationalism in the burgeoning age of affordable air travel, and the players that wore its jersey were part of an exciting fast skating, multi-national team that played a beautiful, tough, and creative brand of hockey. Some of the Jets alumni like Joe Daley and Ab McDonald have also been disappointed with the logo.
The Winnipeg Jets have a wonderful and meaningful history which should not be overlooked. We were the first North American team to beat the powerful Soviet National team, the first North American team to use Europeans, and the first North American team to play tournaments in Europe and Japan. For those of us that have been around to see these great players play in person at the Winnipeg Arena, it is no wonder why we honour the blue, red and white.
This team has meant so much to us and to our city. The Winnipeg Jets name represents a unique history with lots of great players who represented us and is recognized all over the world. An updated logo, jerseys, etc, would also provide plenty of new merchandising opportunities while still preserving our cherished heritage.
In closing, the Winnipeg Jets logo represents a lot of pride that we had with those early teams that carried our city’s name on their chests. The retro jerseys from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s have great meaning to us. This is largely because of our previous history. We would be missing a tremendous opportunity to re-establish a link to our storied past by not reviving the Winnipeg Jets logo and updating it. If the Winnipeg Jets never would have left Winnipeg, it would have probably had an updated logo today. It would only be fitting to continue the history of a franchise that was like no other.
10. Protect Military Personnel's Parental Rights
There has been a great travesty done to our Armed Forces Members, Veterans and their Children of this Great State of Texas which I am sure you are unaware of.
The laws of the State of Texas do not protect single or divorced Military Personnel, Veterans and the bond they have with their Children should they be separated during their time of military service and/or during their time of rehabilitation. There is no time allotment for reintegration into civilian life and re-acquaintance between parent and child during which their parental rights would not be jeopardized.
At this time Texas State Laws are written, if a Military Personnel designates a non parent as conservator/guardian while they are on active duty, rehabilitating, reintegrating into civilian life or allowing their child/children and themselves to become reacquainted and the child lives with the non-parent conservator/guardian for 6 months the non-parent conservator/guardian has full custody rights to the child during or after the Military Personnel's term of duty is completed. This has been upheld in over 30 cases which we know of in the State of Texas where the Military Personnel/Veteran has lost custody of their Child/Children.
This is a great disservice to OUR Military Personnel, Veterans and their Children. If it was not for their military service these men and women would not have had to defend their parental rights or lost custody of their children. We ask that you support us and our Military Personnel, Veterans and their Children by establishing Family Laws within the State of Texas to protect the Military Personnel, Veterans and their Children from dissolution of the parent/child relationship. Also we ask that the law be written protecting Military Personnel and Veterans who may have lost custody of their Child/Children due to their military service up the time the new law comes into effect.
Please support our Military Personnel, Veterans and their Children from the lack of laws which protect them in our Great State of Texas.
11. طلب معاقبة من ساهم في انتهاكات ٩ مارس ٢٠١١
نشرت منظمة العفو الدولية بيانا بتاريخ ٢٣ مارس ٢٠١١ يكشف عن الانتهاكات المشينة التي تعرضت لها عددا من المتظاهرات في ٩ مارس ٢٠١١ على أيدي عناصر تابعة للجيش و هو ما يتنافى مع مكتسبات الثورة و رغبة شعب مصر الطيب في العيش حياة كريمة أمنة
12. Please don't revolke the business license for Westley Military Surplus Ltd.
On April 4th, 2011 the City Council of New Westminster, B.C. will be holding a hearing at 3pm in Committee 2, at City Hall to consider cancelling the business license for Westley Military Surplus Ltd. after 32 years of Business.
13. Support Disabled Veterans and Gold Star Families Privileges
Disabled Veterans & Gold Star Families Commissary and Exchange Store Benefits Act - Permits a veteran with any compensable service-connected disability (and the veteran's dependants) to include Gold Star Families to use commissary and exchange stores on the same basis as a member of the Armed Forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.
We can not afford to have this Bill once again die after is it placed into the Subcommittee for Military Pers. Each time it goes there it's forgotten. I urge all Disabled Vets to write your Congressman, Senators, leaders of the FRA, VFW, and American Legion etc. Many voices will be heard. Google House of representatives if unsure where to get the information.
See H.R 1178, There are 60 members on the House Committee on Armed Services. Make it a point to contact one of them and urge the importance of this Bill. GovTrack.us is another good site for locating current status & info.
This bill costs the public $0.00 and increases MWR funds due to increased participation. and will eventually lower prices due to increased buying power.
During these hard times it would be beneficial to our many Disabled Veterans, especially those who are unemployed or in retraining programs.
14. Support Veteran Educational Benefits (Post 9/11)
There are many veterans who are having issues with their Educational Benefits & it has become so overwhelming, especially during a time where unemployment rates are high & that alone clearly creates an unstable economy.
Myself & others have been responding on FaceBook about issues with our educational benefits & the hardships we face. The main issue has been communication between Veterans & VA representatives. There really is no excuse why VA has not kept an open dialog with Veterans. Veterans coming home from war has been treated unfairly, & till this day, they still haven't gotten it right.
Veterans should not overwhelmed about how they are going to support the very families who have also sacrificed. They should not be left waiting on the phones, standing in long lines at the VA offices, given 20 pages of different websites to find a job & then when you get on the site, It takes an hour to search what you're looking for, & then find out all the red tape you have to go through just to see if you qualify.
Honestly, I say its time to speak out. Please read the facebook stories from Veterans. Contact the VA representatives who have also heard from other Veterans about their concerns. Let them tell you how overwhelmed they have been.
15. Investigate USA-Pakistan Relations
For ten years now there have been acts of war being waged on the citizens of Pakistan and Afghanistan. These acts are being carried out by the their own military and also the military of the United States. Their own government along with the United States and other UN allies are agreeing to continue military operations. Operations which are violating the liberties of those native people living in what has been deemed a war zone.
Now it's time they rethink their strategies. Human rights, liberty and justice need to be upheld. The conditions are becoming exceedingly desperate for these people. The area is destabilizing more and more the longer we wait. This will continue to put the youth at further risk and those who are vulnerable will become exploited or radicalized. Even though both governments claim they are doing what they can to combat this, little has been seen in the way of progress.
16. Sign the Peace Vow for 2011
Be the Change while fostering foster peace so that it radiates throughout the entirety of the Middle East.
The commitment to Dream Big for Peace was adopted by many of the friends and readers of Maria Khalife’s newsletters last year. Many readers of this newspaper and fans of the local media were among those who took the vow, lived a year of peace, and offered many suggestions for creating lasting peace.
You can also join our facebook group -The Price of Freedom Petition- to stay updated on important news
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/11/military-debt-commission-recommendations-111010w/
Panel calls for 3-year freeze on military pay
By Chuck Vinch - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Nov 11, 2010 12:48:54 EST
A three-year freeze on basic pay and military housing and food allowances is among 58 recommendations contained in the draft report of President Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform that was released Wednesday.
The Debt Commission, as it is informally known, said Regular Military Compensation - basic pay, basic allowance for housing, and basic allowance for subsistence, as well as the tax advantage of those two tax-free allowances - is expected to grow by $9.2 billion from 2011 to 2015.
"A three-year freeze at 2011 levels for these compensation categories would save the federal government $7.6 billion in compensation and tax expenditures," as well as another $1.6 billion in future retirement pay, for a total of $9.2 billion in savings in 2015.
Combined, the 58 recommendations would save $3.8 trillion through 2020, mainly by making cuts to Social Security and Medicare, reducing income-tax rates and eliminating tax breaks, including the mortgage-interest deduction.
But the commission's co-chairs, Erskine Bowles, former White House chief of staff under President Clinton, and Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, had plenty of other recommendations for savings within the Defense Department budget.
The proposed three-year freeze on military compensation is the most eye-opening military-related recommendation in the report, and it could prove politically untenable. But other defense-related recommendations pick up on ideas that have been discussed before at length, some for years.
For example, one recommendation calls for adjusting Tricare enrollment fees, co-pays and deductibles, an idea that the Pentagon has proposed - unsuccessfully - for three years running as a way to address its soaring medical budget.
The most recent Pentagon proposal called for allowing those beneficiary costs, which have not changed since Tricare was launched in the mid-1990s, to rise with inflation. The new Debt Commission recommendation would raise premiums and co-pays by smaller, unspecified amounts and would squeeze most of its cost savings from a new requirement that private-sector employers reimburse the government for the employer share of health care costs for working-age retirees who use Tricare instead of their employer-provided health plan.
"This would eliminate a subsidy by the government for what is a normal business expense, and provide the government with about $3 billion," the commission report said.
A related recommendation would require all beneficiaries to pay a "modest" enrolment fee for each of the three Tricare plans, and designate whether they are using Tricare as their primary insurer or as a supplemental policy.
"To reduce higher-than-average usage of health care by families of service members, the option would also raise co-pays for office visits from their current low levels closer to national averages," the report said.
Another recommendation would increase out-of-pocket costs for veterans in Priority Group 5 who are enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Department health care system. That category is for veterans who do not have service-connected disabilities and whose income is below a VA-defined threshold.
Those patients now pay no fees for inpatient or outpatient medical care. The commission calls for establishing co-pays for medical care provided by VA to those veterans.
The commission also suggests major changes to the Defense Department's dependents education system, and morale, welfare and recreation activities.
The report calls for consolidating the Defense Department's commissary and exchange systems, an idea that has been floating around Washington for years. The commission says consolidating the stores into one network over five years eventually would result in savings of $1.7 billion a year - if the new facilities "raised prices 5 percent on average."
"It has been suggested that some of this savings could be returned to military families in the form of a $600 [monthly] grocery allowance, which would more than offset the 5 percent increase in prices. This would leave over $800 million in savings annually," the report said. "One argument against the grocery allowance is that the exchanges would still be able to offer below-market prices for goods."
The commission also recommends shutting down the military's stateside school system, which operates mostly in the South as a legacy of the Jim Crow era, when the military was desegregated but civilian communities were not. Noting that most service members now live off base and send their children to private-sector schools, the report said it is "no longer clear why the system is still necessary, or why the Defense Department plans to spend $1.2 billion ... to rebuild these schools" from 2011 through 2015.
The report suggests increasing federal funding to public school districts that would take in additional military children if the DoD schools closed.
Other military-related recommendations in the report:
• Reduce military personnel stationed at overseas bases in Europe and Asia by one-third.
• Cut spending on facilities maintenance.
• Apply the $100 billion in overhead savings that Defense Secretary Robert Gates wants to squeeze out of the defense budget to deficit reduction, rather than reinvesting it in force structure and weapons modernization, as Gates would like to do.
• Freeze federal salaries, bonuses, and other compensation for the DoD civilian workforce for three years.
• Double the number of defense contractor positions scheduled for elimination from 10 percent of current staff augmentees to 20 percent.
• Reduce procurement by 15 percent, or $20 billion.
• Eliminate the V-22 Osprey program, the Marine Corps' Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program, the Navy's Future Maritime Prepositioning Force, new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, the Ground Combat Vehicle, and the Joint Tactical Radio.
• Cut the planned number of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters in favor of more F-16s and F/A-18Es.
• Cancel the Marine Corps' F-35 program.
Under Obama's executive order last February that created the commission of 12 members of Congress and six private citizens, 14 of the 18 commissioners must agree in order to send any package to Congress for a vote in December.
The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who will remain the House speaker until January, have promised in writing that the Senate would vote first and, if it approves a plan, the House would vote as well.
If such a package falls short of the necessary 14 votes among commissioners, some of the recommendations could be developed piecemeal to reduce the federal deficit once the economy fully recovers.
Reacting to the report, a long time expert on military pay and benefits said the recommendations will be the start of a prolonged battle.
"I take this as a serious threat, although not necessarily an imminent threat," said Steve Strobridge of the Military Officers Association of America. "We face an era of national belt-tightening that is going to last a number of years. If they don't cut military retired pay this year, or next year, that doesn't mean they won't do it the year after. Nothing is safe."
Additional websites:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/nov/12/tom-philpott-debt-panel-eyes-tricare-fee-federal/
http://www.stripes.com/panel-eyes-tricare-hikes-federal-pay-freeze-1.125236
18. Remembrance Day as a National Holiday
Just three provinces in Canada do not currently recognize Remembrance Day as a holiday. All soldiers, past and present, deserve to be recognized with a day of national significance.
Our Federal Government should make Nov. 11 a National Holiday in support of our Military.
19. Support a fair hearing for Australian soldiers - stop the un-Australian behaviour
Currently, there is a lot of angst among military and ex-military circles regarding the upcoming court case of several soldiers and their actions in Afghanistan.
They have been charged with several offences regarding a raid on a village in Afghanistan.
I believe the calls for the charges to be dropped, personal attacks on military law personnel and the procedures being followed should be stopped.
It is un-Australian to not allow the soldiers a fair-go, a chance for a fair hearing and also the knowledge for all Australians and the countries in which our soldiers operate that our soldiers adhere and obey strict orders for the treatment of civilians and the rules for when they can and cannot open fire.
20. Free Postage for Care Packages to Soldiers Serving in War Zones
With the poor economy in the United States, high cost of postage, and the necessity to provide common comforts for our men and women serving in War Zones.
With over 10 million people on unemployment and many many more having taken pay cuts.
With the families and loved ones of the men and women fighting for this great country, having to supply the most basic of everyday needs (deodorant, razors, shampoo).
21. Give women the same military career options as men
In the military, there are certain career choices that are limited to only men. For example, pararescue, special forces communication sergeant, special forces engineer sergeant, etc. What ever happened to womens rights?
22. Free Funerals for Soldiers
I feel our soldiers who risk their lives everyday when in war should be entilted to a free funeral, if they are willing to fight for our country, our government should be willing to pay for it.
23. Return the Pool to our Deceased Honored Combat Vetrans
Over 40 years ago the Schiller Park Memorial Pool was dedicated to the residents who honorably lost their lives in the defense of their country.
Anna Montana through the recreation board she controls renamed the pool for herself, insulting the memory of our combat dead!
We want that pool back for our veterans!!
24. David Cameron - GIVE US C.C.S NOW!! (NATIONAL SERVICE)
I have got together with a group of people, from facebook, wishing to express the idea of a national service program in some kind of form. Whether it be Community based program, military or both.
It would be aimed at people who leave school, and do not take up further education, or do not seek gainful employment.
There is also a link on above, on this petition page. Which will take you to the groups facebook page. All input would be greatly appreciated, on the discussion boards.
25. Support a Brand New Military Hospital
We petition the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime
Minister to construct a brand new military hospital, with
1,000 bed capacity, state of the art medical treatment
and facilities, with rehab unit, swimming pools, running
tracks etc using NHS Funds and that this hospital be
operated and used solely by the MoD.
Our brave men and women of the British Armed Forces
deserve our support and gratitude.
Thank you for signing. Please forward on to friends and
colleagues.
26. Make it a crime to protest at a Military Funeral
Help us organize support for any law, amendment, or court decision that makes it illegal to protest at funerals.
One cult in particular has been protesting numerous funerals, including the funerals of fallen soldiers, for the past 20 years. This cult is called the Westboro Baptist Church.
Recently, attention has been magnified on this issue due to a certain event. The WBC, doing what they usually do, was picketing at Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder's funeral, holding signs saying despicable things, like Thank God for Dead Soldiers. LCpl. Snyder's family and friends, already grieving from the loss of someone close to them, were forced to listen to protesters screaming profanities as they tried to conduct a wake.
Lance Cpl. Snyder's father, Al Snyder, proceeded to sue the WBC for emotional distress. At first, Snyder won $5,000,000 when a Jury declared he was justified in his suit, but the WBC appealed.
The WBC won its appeal, and the court ordered Al Snyder to pay $16,000 in legal fees to the cult which dishonored the memory of his fallen son.
Any true American would realize that this is a complete outrage. All the members of this group stand together in our belief that new laws should be provided federally prohibiting any group from protesting at a funeral.
The case is pending an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the WBC on the grounds of protected First Amendment speech, we will press for a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Depending on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in this upcoming case, expect a demonstration in a City near you.
27. Verizon Needs Military Discounts for Spouses
I am a Military wife, my husband and I recently got new phones and internet through Verizon Wireless. In the Store we were told I could get the Military discount on my phones and the internet, we were told that my bill would be $180.00 a month for all three services. The next day they had added a feature to my phones and I called to see why.
I was told it was not optional and my bill would go up by $20.00 per month, but that the discount had been applied. When I got my bill the discount had not been applied, I called again and they said it could take 1-2 billing cycles. The next bill came and there was no discount, my bill was $236.00! I checked my email and found a message from Verizon stating that I had been denied because I am a spouse, that the account holder must be Military to receive the discount!
Every other organization I have been to offers the same respect and discount to Spouses as they do for Soldiers, I have military ID and I am allowed on military bases. I may not have a rank but that does not make me any less MILITARY!
28. Australian Veterans Matter - The Fair Go Campaign
2002 was the year of the Independent Inquiry into Veteran's Entitlements, and the Independent Review Committee.
The Veteran's Entitlement Act was considered to be outdated.
Wars end and and when Wars do End, left behind are the trauma formed by battle stresses often resulting in broken lives related to stress illnesses and injuries of some War veterans. What never seems to change is the courage and commitment of young Australians who volunteer to join the Australian Defence forces.
As result of serving their country, an injured War veteran is entitled to basic standards of living which include an assurance to rehabilitate and re-engage War veterans back into the workforce, but if this is not possible, there is a total responsibility by Government to enable war veterans to raise their children, to educate each child, to feed and clothe their family.
Many injured war veterans have been deprived (by injury) of that right to work to provide for themselves and their families due to their injuries, including the most unknown injury of PTSD. However it is fair to state that new treatments and new DVA managements programs have been developing since 2002.
War Veterans do receive a special rate compensation payment through becoming Totally and Permanently Incapacitated and it is called the "TPI Special Payment".
War veterans and their families also state they have been deprived of a decent lifestyle because of their commitment to this country, and they state that their injury compensation has eroded to a mere 43 per cent of the average total male weekly earnings, and this is just one example of the current shortfall in veteran compensation.
The 'Campaign for a Fair Go' commenced FIRST in 2002 with a TV commercial airing near Anzac Day.
The ‘Campaign for a Fair Go' was intended to be a continuing reminder to all Australians of the commitment of Australian fighting men and women, and the plight in which they often find themselves because of their injuries.
Currently the major issue has become the CPI Indexing of military superannuation pensions, and this GO PETITION is asking you to sign our petition to show your support.
We are sending our elite fighting men to Afghanistan to fight in the War Against Terrorism... our peacekeeping forces are in many other countries in the world... our defence forces are training to maintain ‘battle readiness' on a daily basis.
"When Australia's military service people train for war or peace-keeping, when they go into battle, or participate in dangerous exercises, they represent all Australians and the risks they take are on our behalf.
But when they are injured - their life changes forever - often it has been a burden they and their families have managed alone.
If their commitment never ends - neither should ours.
Remember their service and give them a fair go."
Help our veteran's receive just compensation from a grateful government. Sign the petition and then, email all your friends and ask them to do the same.
“we who have served will serve those who now serve our nation”
This is our ANZAC Legacy of Kokoda
---------------- UPDATE 26JUN2010 --------------------------
SOURCE: Another GOPETITION by Anonymous at
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/australian-defence-force-pension.html
Return the Pension to the Australian Defence Force (ADF)
HIS-UPDATE (some edits) by me (following First Female Australian Prime Minister elected)
Background (Preamble):
In October 1991 the Australian Federal Government axed the pension to persons serving the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force who have served 20 years or more. This was to bring Australian military Super into line with the rest of the country.
Since 1999, the ADF has endured an operational temp not seen since the Vietnam. Government Foreign policy has seen the ADF involved in worldwide conflict and peacekeeping missions on a ever increasing scale. They are working harder then ever before, with less equipment and even less people in uniform to get the job done.
The military wants their pension returned despite internal surveys stating otherwise. I call on the Australian Government to re-introduce the pension to the ADF who put their lives on the line for their country. Service people can spend 9 months or more away from families year in, year out. Doing one of the hardest jobs possible for 20 years deserves a modest pension.
Give service people an incentive to complete 20 years service, otherwise people will continue to leave early and the shortage of service personnel will continue.
If it's good enough for Politicians to get a pension after 12 years in the trenches of parliament, it's good enough for a digger in the trenches of Afghanistan. The military pension is a fraction of what the pension Australian Politicians receive.
I Propose that the military have the option to return to the DRFDB system as the MSBS system has changed significantly since its inception. We had no financial advice at the time, other than being told that it was a better system, which turned out to be false. Military superannuation is currently being reviewed, yet a pension is not on the cards. WHY?
-----------------------------------
UPDATE: The link to the petition have be sent to the Defence and shadow ministers. Lets see if there is a response. Also a letter has been written to be sent to major newspapers. We wait and see Ladies and Gentlemen.
UPDATE 2: Emailed link and a letter to the Governor General, the PM, both Defence Ministers, Daily Telegraph, SMH, Courier Mail, Herald, The Australian, TT, ACA and 4 Corners. Sincere thank you to those who have signed. Keep those sigs coming people, the more exposure the better.
UPDATE 3: So far only 4 Corners have bothered to reply, Thank you ABC.
UPDATE 4: Well it took long enough, but Defence has now blocked access to this petition from any defence PC. This co-incides with the slow down of signatures. Thanks for the emails people, but there is zero I can do.
I'll finish with a quote from our defence minister.
"JOHN FAULKNER, DEFENCE MINISTER: Our commitment to supporting the men and women of the ADF is unwavering.
Oh really?
LAST UPDATE.
I received a letter from the minister stating that there is no chance of a pension for the ADF . Basically he states that you signed on the dotted line and deal with it. They state that we were given the choice to stay with DFRDB. My reply letter included the fact that what choice? considering you changed the goal posts after people changed to MSBS. I also stated my disgust at defence banning access to the petition. If it's not an issue then why ban it?
The press isn't interested, the government isn't interested, so it's case of keep begging for a pay increase of 4% over a couple of years of course. To all the defence personnel out there, best wishes and best of luck in getting the job done as more people leave.
To you pollies out there, enjoy your pension, you've earned it with your hard work, time away from family, in the firing zone from the press gallery, low salary etc etc.
Update 12 Feb 2010: I have decided to print out all signatures and if possible comments and mail a very large documents to all previously emailed members and institutions. I have decided not to let this rest and ramp up the fight for a pension in 2010. Anybody viewing or signing this petition, I urge you to pass on the link to others and contact your local member.
We, must ALSO TRY TO call upon the Australian Government to return the 20 year pension to ADF. The military pension commenced in 1948 and was killed off in 1991.
In light of the world we live in today, the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen deserve to have their pension returned as a thank you for 20 years service in the defence of Australia.
Please sign the petition.
Every year men are killed in action for no reason. And worse still is that the government once upon a time stated that they would pull our troops out and yet we are sending more in. Why? When there are men being killed and severely wounded.
This year already 94 men have died and for no reason other that the fact that they are there and driving around in unsafe trucks and don't have the proper protection. Just pull them out like the government said they would and stop the death.
Support Our Troops
30. Allow Women in Direct Combat roles in the U.S. Military
Females are just as physically and mentally fit to prepare or be commanded in a direct combat/frontline jobs in the U.S. Military.
