My name is Allen Dutton and I’m the Veteran Liaison for the Mesothelioma Cancer Center (Asbestos.com); an organization devoted to assisting veterans through their application processes for VA benefits, and helping them obtain the maximum benefits for which they are entitled. I’m also a Veterans Benefit Counselor for the Veterans Assistance Network, and a retired Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy. I came across your site while searching for bloggers who post about veterans' issues.
Countless veterans are currently suffering from life-threatening illnesses that are a result of exposure to asbestos, a material that was commonly used in hundreds of military applications, products, and ships primarily because of its resistance to fire. Unfortunately, asbestos-related diseases are not always recognized by the VA, which is why I’m reaching out to veterans -- in hopes of helping them win the rights to their benefits.
The Mesothelioma Cancer Center provides a complete list of occupations, ships, and shipyards that could have put our Veterans at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases. In addition, they have thousands of articles regarding asbestos and mesothelioma and they’ve even created a veterans-specific section on their website in order to help inform them about the dangers of asbestos exposure. The main reason I’m contacting you is to see if you’d be interested in posting an article about military asbestos exposure on your blog.
Thank you for all your help,
Allen Dutton
Mesothelioma Cancer Center
Asbestos.com
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Vets, Soldiers, Peaceniks Find Common Ground
Members of Veterans for Peace Chapter 21, Military Families Speak Out and other peace groups were featured in a Jan. 25 New York Times article titiled “Soldiers and Protesters, Seeking Common Ground”: <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/nyregion/long-island/25Rparenting.html?_r=1&ref=new-jersey>
The lead article in the Sunday section for regional news profiled some of the core members of the weekly peace vigil outside the National Guard Armory in Teaneck, with comments by National Guard members and local veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“On the face of it, you’d think the protesters and the National Guard members are divided and separate, antiwar outside the armory, pro-war inside. But that is not so. There is much common ground between the two groups,” the insightful investigative piece by reporter Michael Winerip notes.
For instance, he writes: “Joseph Nygard, 27, who served 16 months in Afghanistan with the Army, said he likes that his parents, Nancy and Walt Nygard [a Vietnam vet], are regulars at the vigil. ‘We have pretty much the same feelings about the war,’ he said. At one point during his tour, he flew home to Newark, on leave from Afghanistan. ‘When we landed, the pilot made an announcement: ‘Please stay seated and let the soldiers leave first.’ We got up and everyone on the plane clapped for us. It was a great feeling.’ Asked how he would describe the American public’s attitude, he answered, ‘I’d say, ‘End the war, support the troops.’ ”
The lead article in the Sunday section for regional news profiled some of the core members of the weekly peace vigil outside the National Guard Armory in Teaneck, with comments by National Guard members and local veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“On the face of it, you’d think the protesters and the National Guard members are divided and separate, antiwar outside the armory, pro-war inside. But that is not so. There is much common ground between the two groups,” the insightful investigative piece by reporter Michael Winerip notes.
For instance, he writes: “Joseph Nygard, 27, who served 16 months in Afghanistan with the Army, said he likes that his parents, Nancy and Walt Nygard [a Vietnam vet], are regulars at the vigil. ‘We have pretty much the same feelings about the war,’ he said. At one point during his tour, he flew home to Newark, on leave from Afghanistan. ‘When we landed, the pilot made an announcement: ‘Please stay seated and let the soldiers leave first.’ We got up and everyone on the plane clapped for us. It was a great feeling.’ Asked how he would describe the American public’s attitude, he answered, ‘I’d say, ‘End the war, support the troops.’ ”
Monday, January 12, 2009
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Rally
Monday, Jan. 19, 1 pm in Teaneck
Rally and press conference to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
and to call on President-Elect Obama and the new Congress to:
· end the war in Iraq
· bring all of the troops home NOW
· keep the New Jersey National Guard in New Jersey for New Jersey
· take care of the troops when they get here
· bring the more than $12/billion home to use for our communities –
· for health care, housing, jobs, and education
Where: 713 Teaneck Road (across from Holy Name Hospital)
at the site of the newest Bring them Home billboard.
Please bring food and baby supplies for National Guard families.
Sponsored by:
Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County Chapter http://www.mfsobergencounty.org/
Bergen Peace and Justice Coalition http://www.bergenjustice.net/
NJ Peace Action http://www.peaceaction.org/
Teaneck Peace and Justice Coalition http://www.teaneckpeace.org/
NJ Coalition to Bring the Troops Home NOW
Speakers include:
Teaneck Town Council member Barbara Toffler and other elected officials
Hallie Emma Brevetti, Teaneck High School student
Veterans, Military Family members, community activists
Rally and press conference to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
and to call on President-Elect Obama and the new Congress to:
· end the war in Iraq
· bring all of the troops home NOW
· keep the New Jersey National Guard in New Jersey for New Jersey
· take care of the troops when they get here
· bring the more than $12/billion home to use for our communities –
· for health care, housing, jobs, and education
Where: 713 Teaneck Road (across from Holy Name Hospital)
at the site of the newest Bring them Home billboard.
Please bring food and baby supplies for National Guard families.
Sponsored by:
Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County Chapter http://www.mfsobergencounty.org/
Bergen Peace and Justice Coalition http://www.bergenjustice.net/
NJ Peace Action http://www.peaceaction.org/
Teaneck Peace and Justice Coalition http://www.teaneckpeace.org/
NJ Coalition to Bring the Troops Home NOW
Speakers include:
Teaneck Town Council member Barbara Toffler and other elected officials
Hallie Emma Brevetti, Teaneck High School student
Veterans, Military Family members, community activists
Monday, January 5, 2009
Call for Cease-fire in Gaza and Israel
Our chapter, in keeping with our charter, calls for an end to all violence against innocents in Gaza and Israel. We also call for an immediate United Nations monitored cease-fire and provision of food and medical supplies to all Palestinians and Israelis in the war zone.
Investigate Iraq War Crimes
We, the members of the Alan Reilly-Gene Glazer Chapter 21 of Veterans for Peace, New Jersey, at our January 3, 2009 meeting, voted to endorse a resolution that the Iraq War was an illegal and immoral invasion and occupation, whereas, all those responsible should and must be held accountable as per the Nuremberg Principles and International Law.
Therefore, we strongly urge that the national leadership of Veterans for Peace and all chapters take up this matter and make it an immediate priority. Furthermore, we call upon the leadership of Veterans for Peace to petition the President of the United States to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the war crimes of the Bush administration.
Therefore, we strongly urge that the national leadership of Veterans for Peace and all chapters take up this matter and make it an immediate priority. Furthermore, we call upon the leadership of Veterans for Peace to petition the President of the United States to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the war crimes of the Bush administration.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Michael Kramer and Ken Dalton accepting peace award from Lisa Marie Palmieri in Jersey City on December 27. Chapter 21 received the award from the Jersey City Peace Movement in recognition of our activism for peace and justice. Kramer, chapter secretary, is an I.D.F. veteran of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war; Dalton, chapter president, is a U.S.N. veteran of the Vietnam war.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Sign Up to Bring NJ National Guard Home
PETITION: Bring New Jersey's National Guard Home From Iraq
SPONSOR: New Jersey Peace Action, endorsed by Veterans for Peace Chapter 21
DESCRIPTION: In June 2008, President Bush ordered the deployment of nearly half the NJ National Guard to Iraq. With the deployment, many local families have been disrupted and are suffering financial and emotional hardships and our State’s ability to respond to emergencies has been greatly impaired. The war in Iraq has resulted in the deaths of over 4,118 American service men and women, with costs exceeding $1.5 trillion, $16,500 for each American family of four—already too great a cost.We, the undersigned, call on our elected officials in the NJ State Senate and Assembly to pass the resolution currently before the Legislature to order the return of NJ National Guard members, limit the service of the Guard within NJ and to withhold consent from further deployment of the NJ Guard to Iraq unless lawfully called into service under a valid and subsisting authorization from Congress.
To participate, please visit http://njpon.org/petitions/sign.php?pid=72.
Please share this with your lists.
SPONSOR: New Jersey Peace Action, endorsed by Veterans for Peace Chapter 21
DESCRIPTION: In June 2008, President Bush ordered the deployment of nearly half the NJ National Guard to Iraq. With the deployment, many local families have been disrupted and are suffering financial and emotional hardships and our State’s ability to respond to emergencies has been greatly impaired. The war in Iraq has resulted in the deaths of over 4,118 American service men and women, with costs exceeding $1.5 trillion, $16,500 for each American family of four—already too great a cost.We, the undersigned, call on our elected officials in the NJ State Senate and Assembly to pass the resolution currently before the Legislature to order the return of NJ National Guard members, limit the service of the Guard within NJ and to withhold consent from further deployment of the NJ Guard to Iraq unless lawfully called into service under a valid and subsisting authorization from Congress.
To participate, please visit http://njpon.org/petitions/sign.php?pid=72.
Please share this with your lists.
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