Fred: "Taking Care of our Veterans and Military Personnel"

During my inactive period, I signed on at a website called Vets4Fred, and I find it appropriate to point to it here and now, as I note Fred Thompson's 'white paper' on the troops, veterans, and national security issues. South Carolina has a significant population of military members, and likely a considerable number of retirees and veterans as well, and that state holds its primary vote today.

One thing I believe is overlooked by some folks when it comes to electoral politics is the dynamic of troops support-especially in garrison (as opposed to the field)-in that the armed forces have become increasingly dependent upon Civil Service employees. By design. (And contract firms, to a lesser degree, but that's probably much more prevalent overseas-certainly in theaters of combat). My point is that civilian employees-regardless of their philosophical bent in the political sense-face something of a dilemma, both today and in November, because their livelihoods may hang in the balance. Do they vote for a Democrat, any of whom is almost certain to gut the military? Do they vote for a GOP candidate whose campaign rhetoric suggests little or nothing about their priorities, and who may in four years deserve an accusation of benign neglect?

Or...do they instead vote for the candidate who's committed to this:

As President, I would take the following actions to revitalize our Armed Forces and care for our veterans.

• Devote as much as 4.5 percent of our nation's GDP to revitalize and modernize our military after the neglect of the 1990s. Increased defense spending will also ensure our military personnel, their families, and our veterans receive the best pay, benefits, healthcare and support possible.
  
  
• Build a 'million-member' ground force by increasing the Army and the Marine Corps end strength by nearly 250,000. This increase will help our military meet future contingencies, and give our military personnel more time at home between training exercises and overseas tours.
  
  
• Provide concurrent receipt for all of our disabled military retirees so that they can receive the military retired pay they earned and the VA disability compensation they deserve.
  
  
• Ensure that all veterans have the best healthcare available in a timely manner, that their families are fully supported, that bureaucratic red-tape is eliminated, and that Defense Department and Veterans Affairs Department systems and procedures are fully streamlined and integrated
  
  
• Increase the pay and benefits (especially healthcare, education and housing) of our military personnel and their families to enhance recruitment, retention and quality of life.
  
  
• Improve education assistance and financial reimbursement times for service personnel and veterans by modernizing the GI Bill.
  
  
• Reduce the VA claim backlog of our veterans and realign the DOD-VA process for rating disabilities to today's health care requirements.
  
  
• Improve the care of veterans by implementing many of the recommendations of the Dole-Shalala Commission and the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission.

That's the policy meat of it, but the intro and conclusion are well worth following the above link to read-and not overly lengthy at all.

I must say, if I were a young troop contemplating a career in the service-or a Civil Service or NAF employee-I would find Fred to be a helluva lot more attractive as a candidate than the rest on either side of the aisle. With all of the rest, uncertainty at best. Hopefully the South Carolinians I'm referring to will come to that realization as well-along with many others.

I will highlight Fred's other 'white papers' in the days to come...it's heatin' up, folks!