The Emerald Rose

The other day, Friday, on the way home I stopped at the mailbox and picked up our mail. Usually when I get in the house I sort it on the dining room table, into three piles, HER MAIL, (including all the women’s, and that kind of catalog, or flyers addressed to occupant), and anything specifically addressed to her). Next is the “OTHER” pile of catalogues, flyers and “other” stuff without her, or my specific name, and then third third pile MY MAIL.  I leave HER PILE for her to handle on the table, put MY PILE on top of the “OTHER” pile and put it on the side table, by my recliner in the living room.

Later in the evening, after supper, or a lame commercial, (which most of them are nowadays), I’ll open the MY stuff first and “further assess, rip up, or save for additional review, and then use the “OTHER” pile as a holder for the remaining “Junk mail” after a QUICK review for importance. One of the four page flyers in MY PILE, caught my attention and after “review” I saw in it not only an article , but this political commentary, was,  a noble cause alert/fund raiser, that caught my attention in four pages. So today is when I pick up the “other stuff” again after a couple of nights of sleep, to see if it still strikes me worthy of keeping. This particular one most definitely did, and was even stronger than the first time I saw it!

The cover page showed a herd of cattle meandering in a large pasture, and a line of 20 mounted “cowboys” looking ready to “head ’em up, and move ’em out”! It was sent by the “SEMPER FI Fund”, and had “bullets” highlighting ” Neurofitness, Hero Stories, and Programs” So I turned to page 2, listing the Founder’s Bio, and comments, the Chairman’s Bio and comments, and a thank you blurb about a couple who matched their “Double Down for Veterans matching challenge. This couple agreed to match EVERY DOLLAR UP TO $10,000,000.00 !!! They have supported, and it has brought the total campaign since 2012 to $31,000,000.00! That is a significant amount of money, considering the economic conditions from 2012, -2016 during our country’s wimpy growth percentages over the period, (Thank you Barry O”, Harry “the huckster”, and Nancy “the third grader”). But I’m getting ahead of myself here.

What they accomplished was; $19,500,000 in “Assistance Provided in 2016, to 22,300 Grants, and 5,400 Service Members and Families Touched! OK you caught my attention! How’ed you do it, and to what extent? The next line and,  it’s purpose was really interesting “902 Grants Issued  to Care Giver Retreats” (a most significant and most CRITICAL cause to be sure, If no one takes care of those needing it by  “taking up the yoke” at their own cost and giving freely of themselves, it’s like the good book says, No one else will!),  Critical illness support 741 Grants Issued, Canine Companions, 737 Grants, 1,169 Grants issued for PTSD/TBI devices, 141 Grants Issued Adaptive Home Modifications and Repairs, 338 Grants Issued for Specialized Computers/Software, and more,….totaling the $19,500,000.00. That’s over 22,349 GRANTS in total. GRANTS mean no return required, that is huge to guys who could never make it based on just “disability”,……let alone continue to have a family and modified life,….like the rest of us!

My point is two fold, HELP these folks if you can, most of my extended family were fortunate and at least five of us served our country and came home “whole” mentally as well as physically!

And Secondly to President Trump, and Vice President Pence, the Secretary of Defense, Sectretary of The Veterans Affairs, and anyone else involved: How much would it take the Government Printing Office to send out a four color, report with pictures and facts like these to every United States Taxpayer and SHOW US YOUR THOSE RESPECTED  GOVERNEANCES  ACCOMPLISHED FROM 2012 -2016, and  WHAT THE GOALS ARE FOR 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019? (PLEASE, Consider the total cost of the printing of all draft, and copies of the “Affordable Care Act” as the guideline for the decision, as well as all the other waste and abuse we know of that has yet to be fixed! That is a fair “comparative yardstick” to a VALUABLE use of public funds.

Not a huge request, but if you really want to “”Drain the SWAMP”, help us understand why basic things, like those who gave limbs, mobility, and mental health for EVERY CITIZEN of this COUNTRY, rely more of average Americans to support their REAL needs than the “GOVERNMENT”.

I close with a reminder, of truth,  from the lips of former PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN, ” “The scariest nine words in the world are,’ ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help!’ ”

While we AMERICANS, are a noble and giving people, and will , by our very nature and history  continue to be, IT IS THE GOVERNMENT’S SACRED COMMITTMENT TO CARE FOR THOSE WHO HAD TO ENDORSE THE CHECK FOR “UP TO AND INCLUDING MY LIFE”, in the service of OUR COUNTRY! And that includes the lose of limbs, capacity, and life of a “regular American who can learn, get educated, gain meaningful employment, raise a good family, and even become PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

Because that’s the guarantee of our Constitution, and Bill of Rights, by the blood of our Declaration of Independance, (all of which we don’t seem to value enough to teach in our schools anymore!)

DRAIN, AND CLEAN OUT THE SWAMP!!  NOW, PLEASE SIR!

signed,

Tom Corcoran, US NAVY VETERAN, AND PROUD AMERICAN

(I LOST FRIENDS in  VIET NAM, I WAS RIDICULED WEARING MY NAVY UNIFORM IN PUBLIC, IN MY OWN COUNTRY, BUT  HAVE TRIED TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN IN SPITE OF IT FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS. I DON”T WANT ANYTHING BUT PROMISES FULFILLED FOR MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ALSO BELIEVED WHEN THEY SIGN UP, …..even if they did not come back to MY country, of which we were all proud to know. Since WE WERE ALL AMERICANS)

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July 16, 2017