Cancel Memorial Day Recess and Support The Troops

Now an NBC investigative report and other analysts believe our military is not using the best body armor protection for our troops in Iraq.

The current system, Interceptor, is being used, while an alternative system, Dragon Skin, has tested better in independent tests. The original creator of Interceptor publicly states that the Dragon Skin system would be safer and more mobile for the troops and should be used.

From here, we cannot conclusively decide which system is better, but emergency tests are possible and the issue should be resolved ASAP.

Meanwhile, while Congress heads towards the all-important recess, there remain major abuses and shortcomings in the treatment of wounded troops. 

While patriotic speeches will flow on Memorial Day, many thousands of disabled troops and vets will be punished by disability-program shortcomings.

While the political fundraisers proceed during the holiday, there are $500-$700 billion of long-term program needs for the lifetime of Iraq and Afghanistan vets that are unplanned, unmet and unfinanced.

While tens of millions of dollars of special bonuses are paid to managers at the Veterans Administration, proposed pay raises for troops are pathetically inadequate, and many veterans’ centers are overwhelmed and undersupported.

Congress will not do it, because it is far easier to make patriotic speeches during long recess holidays proclaiming support for the troops than actually to give the support for the troops and ask our country to get behind it.

Congress should cancel the recess.

Members should cancel the patriotic speeches.

The House and Senate should stay in session all day, every day, throughout Memorial Day week with hearings, lengthy debate and legislation that would, for the first time in the history of this war, truly put the troops first.

They won’t do it, which is a sign of the times, a sad statement about our politics today, and a reason that future generations will look back on us with sadness, shaking their heads, as we fail to do our duty, again.

The politicians ofter say that “we” are a nation at war. The hard truth is, “they” are the troops at war, while “we” stay at home while the Dow Jones reaches record highs, and the politicians reach for another recess where they will again proclaim their love for the troops who are still not supported with the armor, Humvees, healthcare, pay and disability benefits that every one of them deserves.