Nice post. My brother went to one of their events in NYC last year.

WRT Vietnam, I think we have to be careful and seperate fact from fiction. As many have noted, a significant "stabbed in the back" mythology developed after Vietnam where many vets now believe they were treated more harshly than they may actually have been.

The "spitting" thing is an obvious example. Lemke's book covers this ad nauseam so I won't elaborate.

More tellingly, the VA's own studies from the early '70s show that the vast majority of Vietnam Vets seeking care/treatment reported "positive" homecomings. Was this uniform? Certainly not. But, "happy" homecomings were far more common than coventional wisdom today suggests.

I think there is a very fine line here between genuine appreciation for service and a kind of obsequious militarism. I worry that as OIF slogs on, this line is being blurred.

While "Wounded Warrior" is the name of the organization, using this term in regular text to replace the more fitting "disabled veteran" when describing the wounded is a concern. With all the recent attention to the media analyst spin, it's worth noting that the common usage of "wounded warrior" came from the political appointee PR shop that gave us Tori Clarke, Larry DiRita and Allison Barber. Any idea these folks ever had from a "messaging" standpoint should be challenged.

In all, keep up the good work and I'm glad you attended the event.

Dan Nevins shot a 39 for nine holes last week on a very difficult golf course, he rode a bike 65 miles in two days the week before. I don't think Dan thinks he's "disabled."

Words are important!Injured and Wounded are accurate. Disabled is an assumption.

Thanks for your post and your

support of WWP!

JM,

Disability is an assumption? Really? Do we not compensate these individuals with Disabilty Pensions and VA Disability Ratings? Having a "can do" attitude should not be confused with the very real limitations that come with being a bilateral amputee. Being a double amputee from combat trauma is not a glamorous life of skiing, paragliding and competitive running that the DoD spinmeisters would have a gullible public believe.

Words are powerful and we should be very careful when certain ones are selected for a political purpose ... That's all I'm saying.

IRR -

Your comments here and at the old IntelDump have always been on point and have had me nodding my head in agreement. You have my respect.

But Lemke's book is an apologist rant for that portion of the radical whackos that actively sought out Vietnam veterans and savaged them by throwing dogsh!t and garbage at them, and yes, spitting on them. Certainly not all and not a majority by any means, but enough to make it a national disgrace. This was not one or two isolated incidents. Those disgraceful events were a factor in creating the Reagan Democrat phenomena and the rise of the wingnuts on the right. Lemke's work should have no place in an intelligent discussion on this blog or anywhere else.

I agree with JM, I think it's a little oversensitive to be worrying about the name "Wounded Warriors." I mean it is a charitable organization, and I think having a catchy and distinctive name probably serves a purpose by sticking in people's minds and maybe helping get donations.

DHobgood and Mike,

Thanks for the comments. I' apologize for any confusion if I didn't clearly spell out my points.

I have NO PROBLEM with the WWP or its name. It is a great organization whose work predates much of the current nonsense I find disturbing.

My "beef" was the increased substitituition of the word "warrior" for soldier, veteran or servicemember in the media, DoD press conferences and yes, even the Democratic Presidential Debates.

Thanks IRRSoldier, but no apologies were necessary.

Yes I join you in saluting WWP and these men.

LIVE FROM JERUSALEM's upper west side;IT'S after SATURDAY'S MID-NIGHT!

Seat Right Up;Intel's All;Coming right below,in front of your eyes;

My Aug.27,07 yahoo.com composition;First instantly pasted over to my Down Under fastmail.fm compose,to head off any yahoo.com hanky panky.Then slightly brushed up,minutes ago here.

Voila':

On 2nd thought,being that I mean to post this after my potent testimonial following;

I'll just recap the end of my 'messianic'resume Element 3 of 4 to-date,as introduced hereabouts earlier this week:

I Charge our United States of America with Conspiracy to Insure my Murder,for my act of Humanity Preservation public campaigning in early 1990.

I Demand an Americans;Circa08 incl.Humanity
Court of Opinion Hearing!

The Beehive Assist.

It was a couple of years after my 1990, 'Living On for Life:AGAINST ALL
ODDS' Life saga.I was still only holding an American passport.

Flying into UK London Gatwick airport from Antwerp Belgium I was
arrested at initial UK customs inspection after a consumer amount of
marijuana was found in my luggage.

I was escorted to Gatwick airport police lock up & my messianic
aspirations were dashed. Deportation back to the US would be automatic.
I was a significant income tax evader.And so I began wondering of the
quality of libraries in US prisons.

While under initial questioning by Gatwick airport police,I requested to
use the men's room.I was led to a compartment with a monstrous looking
chemical analysis contraption.So I demurred.

Then someone came to lead me right out of the Gatwick airport police
lock up.He deposited me in the rejected arrivals waiting room.

There was an irate young American yuppie executive fuming about his
imposed unexpected waiting. "I'm American & I can go wherever I like,"
he told me. He & I being the only rejected UK visitors in that room's
attendance,at that moment.

I told him that he was on Britain's doorstep,"& they are deciding
whether to let you in."

"Just be polite & everything should be OK." I think he got my message as
he quieted down.

Testing the waters,I then again requested The men's room. I was now led
to a conventional airport men's room.

Eventually I was fetched to the Immigration services desk. "You'll be
spending tonight with us." "George,Go & take him to his night's
accommodation."

So I set off with George,me wheeling my bicycle & George wielding his
nightstick,into the darkness outside,onto the Gatwick Airport runways.

Outside I immediatly slowed my pace considerably concerned about his
heart.Because obese middle-aged,out of shape George was sweating &
wheezing @every step. I actually thought of offering him to sit on my
bicycle,but I waylaid that thought being concerned that he might fall
off.

By & By we reached 'The Beehive', Gatwick Airport's original terminal
now smack in middle of the runways.

"Why George,we haven't seen you out here in such a long while,Who have
you brought for us today," a Beehive SAS type attendant greeted us as
we finally approached.

George,embarrassed quickly handed me over & withdrew.

"Take a shower tonight," Beehive attendant admonished me,"You'll be
speaking with the chief in the morning."

The next morning after breakfast for our dozen odd temporary Beehive
residents a social worker showed up to council detainees among us.

I approached her asking if she could help me but she rejected my
approach saying,"Your' some sort of a special case."

There was this Argentinian fellow there about to be deported back to
Argentina.His London relative visit to him at the Beehive had just ended
and now all he had was unstructured waiting until his deportation
flight. I saw that he was getting antsy.

Unstructured waiting can be a big problem,I remember well from my late
father's problem with it. So I asked him if he'd like to play a game of
chess.

He agreed & noticeably calmed down into the chess game,which I happened
to win.

Shortly after our chess game an officer came to escort him to his
flight's departure gate.He calmly went with him.

A short while afterward I was summoned to collect my things to be
escorted to my interview with 'the chief.'

As I was being led out of The Beehive,whelling again by bicycle;Beehive
attendants from their cubicle congratulated me on my fine game of chess.

Statements 1 & 4 following are exactly as stated.

Statements 2 & 3 following are about as stated.

Only statement 2 was spoken by me.

Statements 1,3 & 4 were stated to me by the Head of Immigration Services
@UK Gatwick.

1.) Cannabis seems out of character.

2.) Yes,Oh Yes,Your so right.I couldn't agree with you m/

3.) We see you've always had uneventful visits to our UK in the past.

4.) WE WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO!

He then handed me back my Visitors Visa stamped passport.

All my luggage was waiting outside his office cubicle.

About 4 minutes later I emerged with all arriving passengers City Side
@UK Gatwick Airport. Free composition complete on yahoo.com compose @6PM
ET +7 Monday August 27,2007.