MilitaryConnection.com Archives

Military Connection: Website for Discharge Upgrades: By Debbie Gregory

December 27, 2014/in Archived Blogs

When the news first broke in September, we informed our readers about the memorandum sent by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel regarding discharge upgrade requests by Veterans claiming post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The memorandum to the Military Department Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records (BCM/NR) directed each review board to carefully consider each and every petition. Since that directive has been given, actions have been taken to assist Veterans who wish upgrade their discharge status. The latest action comes in the form of a web page, launched to assist Veterans who are seeking to upgrade punitive discharges related to behavior problems caused by PTSD.

The Army Review Boards Agency (ARBA) is the Army’s highest level of administrative review for personnel actions taken by lower level organizations. ARBA is comprised of several boards, and hears the claims of soldiers and former soldiers who are appealing unfavorable information in their personnel records. ARBA has established a web page that describes the change in policy, offers Army Veterans guidance with how to apply for discharge upgrades, and answers frequently asked questions about the policy change and the procedures involved with the review process.

The policy change and the website are the direct result of the revelation that 250,000 Vietnam era Veterans may have been given punitive discharges because of behaviors associated with PTSD, long before it was recognized as a debilitating medical condition.

Today, PTSD is universally recognized throughout the medical field, and is commonly associated with the military. Several estimates gauge that around 20% of combat Veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD. It is likely that PTSD ratios from earlier wars are at least that high. But without any policy acknowledging or recognizing PTSD or its symptoms, many Vietnam Veterans were instead punished. In many cases, these Veterans were kicked out of the military with other than honorable discharges because of their behavior, which we now know are symptoms of the service-related disorder.

Discharge upgrades are extremely important to these affected Veterans, because many benefits offered through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can be denied due to the character of discharge. Upgrading the character of their discharge could mean that these Veterans will be granted access to several VA benefits that they were previously not eligible for, including care for their medical and psychological health.

Secretary Hagel’s memorandum does not guarantee status upgrades, but merely directs the review boards to factor in what we now know about PTSD when making their decisions. The memo and the ARBA site clearly state that review boards are not courts of law or investigative institutions. All appeals for discharge status updates need to come with evidence provided by the applicant. The memorandum also clearly states that, “PTSD is not a likely cause of premeditated misconduct.”

If you, or a Veteran that you know could benefit from a discharge upgrade, please refer them to http://arba.army.pentagon.mil/abcmr-overview.cfm for applications and more information.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: Website for Discharge Upgrades: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: New Missile Defense System: By Debbie Gregory

December 26, 2014/in Archived Blogs

On December 17^th, the Army unveiled its newest defensive tool for thwarting attacks on American soil from cruise missiles.

The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) is comprised of two 80 yard long blimp-like aerostats. The helium filled aerostats won’t be fitted with weaponry. Instead, they will be fitted with radar and communications systems. JLENS is designed to detect and track incoming missiles for air, ground or ship based systems to shoot down.

The two airships will be tethered to large concrete pads, four miles apart, and fitted with radar equipment. Each will float to an altitude of 10,000 feet. One aerostat will scan for targets, while the other will track targets for military weaponry in order to shoot it down.

JLENS will be implemented at Aberdeen Proving Ground, near Baltimore, MD. From this location, the two aerostats that comprise JLENS will establish a defense radar and tracking system capable of scanning the skies in a radius that covers as far north as upstate New York, as far south as North Carolina, a portion of the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and as far west as central Ohio. If you happen to look at a map of the U.S. and draw a circle that spans the circumference of these locations, you should see Washington D.C. near the center of that circle. This is not accidental, as one of the primary functions of JLENS is to help protect our nation’s capital.

Current military defense systems are capable of shooting down incoming cruise missiles. But there is limited ability to detect them over expanses as large as the radius of JLENS. JLENS offers the U.S. military the ability to detect and defeat incoming cruise missiles, without having non-stop manned craft in the air.

JLENS was developed by Raytheon and has cost the federal government $2.8 billion and counting. Earlier in December, Congress approved a $43.3 million addition to help fund the first year of a planned three year test of JLENS scanning the eastern seaboard. Many military and government officials believe that JLENS will save the U.S. government money in the long run, due to the relatively inexpensive upkeep costs, and eliminating the need to fly additional aircraft for the same purpose.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: New Missile Defense System: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: In-state Rates for Vets in N.J. By Debbie Gregory

December 26, 2014/in Archived Blogs

The New Jersey State Assembly passed legislation that benefits Veterans who are going back to college.

On December 18, 2014, Bill A-3967, titled the “New Jersey Tuition Equality for America’s Military (NJTEAM) Act” was passed by New Jersey’s State Assembly. The new legislation will require all public colleges and universities in the state to charge Veterans and their dependent children or spouse the in-state tuition rate, no matter where they are from.

To show exactly what a measure like this can mean for Veteran families, the basic tuition rates for undergrads attending Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, is $10,954 for in-state students and $25,732 for students who are not residents of New Jersey.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits will pay 100% of all in-state public school tuition, up to $20,235.02 per eligible year of their benefit at private or out of state schools. If the school does not offer, or the Veteran does not qualify for any other programs, a Veteran from another state would have to pay $5,496.98 per year out of their own pocket to attend Rutgers. This legislation rectifies that situation.

Some states already have similar measures in place. The Student Veterans of America (SVA) website shows all the states that have similar legislation in place. But there are also specific university systems across the country that run their own programs. For instance, all Veterans and dependents in California can apply for in-state tuition fee waivers at all University of California and California State University campuses. So be sure to check with your desired school to see what programs they offer, even if it isn’t legislated in your state.

MilitaryConnection.com would like to commend the state of New Jersey for implementing such necessary and valuable legislation that benefits Veterans and military families. One of the reasons that many Americans enlist in the U.S. military is to earn a college education. Measures like the NJTEAM Act afford Veterans the opportunity to use their hard-earned education benefits at more schools, and to achieve more of their post-military goals. There is no easier way for an entire nation to say “Thank you” to Veterans than by opening the doors of opportunity for them, allowing them to apply to the school of their choice, anywhere in the nation.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: In-state Rates for Vets in N.J. By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Taliban Increases Activity: By Debbie Gregory

December 25, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Americans would have been hard pressed not to have seen the December 16 news stories of the Taliban attack on school in the city of Peshawar in Pakistan. The terrorist attack left 145 people dead, 132 of which were children, and dozens more injured and/or traumatized.

A lesser known story is that on December 12^th and 13^th, two American soldiers and 19 Afghan security force soldiers were killed in Afghanistan during a series of attacks carried out by the Taliban.

The onslaught began last Friday when a bomb explosion hit a convoy of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops near Bagram. That blast killed the two American soldiers. The fallen soldiers’ identities have not yet been released.

The very next morning, the Taliban attacked twelve Afghan civilians in the southern Helmand province as they were clearing and defusing Taliban-planted mines in their neighborhood, in an attempt to target military vehicles. Afghan security forces arrived at the scene of the attack and managed to kill three of the militants and arrest four others.

Also on Saturday morning, Taliban gunmen in Kabul killed the head of the Afghan Supreme Court secretariat, Atiquallah Raufi.

On Saturday afternoon, a Taliban suicide bomber in Kabul targeted a bus carrying Afghan National Army personnel. In that attack, six Afghan army personnel were killed and 18 other people were injured, including two female bystanders. The Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the suicide bomb attack in an e-mail that also declared that the Taliban was increasing its attacks against foreign and Afghan forces.The Taliban also delivered a separate warning Saturday via Facebook.

The surge of violence comes just as Afghan forces are preparing to take on the brunt of responsibility for defending the country’s security, as ISAF forces transition to supporting roles. As the year draws to a close, U.S. forces will end their active combat role in Afghanistan and instead focus on training, advising and assisting Afghan troops, carrying out counter terrorism missions.

Around 11,000 American military personnel will remain in Afghanistan in the beginning of 2015. American forces numbers are scheduled to drop down to approximately 5,500 in 2016. With all of the increased Taliban activity in Afghanistan, many in the military community are comparing the situation to the current circumstances with the Islamic State in Iraq. Is it wise to continue our drawdown and ultimate withdrawal of forces while there is still a strong possibility that insurgents may overtake the local forces and unravel all that our service members have fought and sacrificed for over the last thirteen years?

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: Taliban Increases Activity: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Medal of Honor Push for Hero: By Debbie Gregory

December 25, 2014/in Archived Blogs

In times of war, there are many stories of remarkable heroism from our service members that define courage and valor. Army Sergeant 1st Class Alwyn “Al” Cashe was a hero, in every sense of the word. Everyone knew that. Cashe, a Sanford, Florida native was awarded the Silver Star, the military’s third highest honor for individual valor. Normally, such an honor would be humbling for anyone who served. But in this instance, the awarding of a Silver Star does not do justice to the actions of heroism performed by Cashe. Those who know his story believe that Cashe deserves the Medal of Honor. That’s why Cashe’s story needs to be told… and retold.

On October 14, 2005, outside the city of Samarra, SFC Cashe was assigned to 1^st Platoon, Alpha Company, which was part of the 15^thInfantry Regiment at Operating Base MacKenzie, Iraq. An improvised explosive device (IED) blew up under the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) that Cashe was riding in as senior man. The blast ruptured the BFV’s gas tank, and it went up in flames. As the vehicle exploded, insurgents began attacking the convoy with small arms fire.

Confirmed reports of the incident state that Cashe was able to escape the inferno of the BFV, braving the small arms fire and the blazing vehicle, rescuing six soldiers who were trapped inside. At one point, the leaking fuel got all over Cashe, engulfing him in flames. Even though burns covered 90% of his body, Cashe risked being shot by the terrorists and continued to pull his soldiers from the wreckage.

Determined to leave no soldier behind, Cashe pulled all six of his brothers from the BFV, and made sure that they were all medevaced before he was. Despite this great act of heroism, only two of the soldiers survived. But they did survive, solely due to the efforts and sacrifice of SFC Cashe.

On November 8^th, Cashe made the ultimate sacrifice, as he died from his wounds at a military hospital in Texas.

Before he perished, Cashe was visited by his sister, Kasinal Cashe White. She was informed of the IED explosion, but had no idea what actions led to her brother’s condition until a nurse at the hospital told her.

White told news reporters that Cashe’s first words to her were, “How are my boys?” The wounded enlisted leader was referring to the soldiers he had tried to save.

“I couldn’t get to them fast enough,” Cashe told his sister.

Months after the incident, and after SFC Cashe passed away, Brigadier General Gary Brito, Cashe’s commanding officer, was made aware of all the details of the incident, and the extent of SFC Cashe’s valor. Even though it was Brito who originally nominated Cashe for the Silver Star, he was the one who also began the campaign to award the fallen hero the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award.

Because General Brito is actively pushing for the award, an act of Congress is not needed at this time to award the MOH to Cashe. But we hope you will pass along SFC Cashe’ story, and his heroic acts, to others. His is a story needs to be told to honor Cashe’s memory and garner support for him to posthumously receive the Medal of Honor.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: Medal of Honor Push for Hero: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Update on Bergdahl Story: By Debbie Gregory

December 24, 2014/in Archived Blogs

On Monday, December 22, 2014, the Pentagon announced that Gen. Mark Milley has been tapped to decide the fate of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl.

For years, Bergdahl’s story has captivated the military community and civilians alike. In June, 2009, then Private First Class Bergdahl, disappeared from Combat Outpost Mest-Lalak in Afghanistan. Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban and held by the Haqqani insurgent network until May 31, 2014. Bergdahl was released to U.S. officials as part of a prisoner swap, in exchange for five Taliban leaders being held at the naval base in Guantanamo Bay.

Several of Bergdahl’s former comrades have made claims that he deserted, or at the very least, abandoned his post. Some members of the military blame Bergdahl for the deaths of other U.S. service members that occurred while they were searching for the missing soldier. And some Americans are displeased that we released senior Taliban leaders who were in U.S. custody. And there are those who contend that Bergdahl is innocent. Even the Army has commented that although the circumstances of his disappearance are under investigation, Bergdahl did nothing wrong during his captivity. The whole saga is fraught with differing opinions.

Sgt. Bergdahl is still on active duty, and since undergoing treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center, has been assigned to administrative duty at Fort Sam Houston, pending resolution of highly publicized case.

If the Army finds that Bergdahl did willfully desert or abandon his post, the sergeant will be subjected to disciplinary measures, up to Court Martial. It now falls on Gen. Milley to determine Bergdahl’s fate.

The four-star general is the former commander of Fort Hood, and is currently the commander of the Army Forces Command (FORSCOM). A number of resources will factor in to Gen. Milley’s decision, among them Major General Kenneth Dahl’s investigative report which reviewed Bergdahl’s actions before his disappearance. Gen. Milley has no deadline for resolving the case and is free to accept or reject Dahl’s recommendations.

Gen. Milley’s decision could determine whether Bergdahl is a hero, a villain, or a victim in the story. Those who have watched the entire Bergdahl saga now await the final chapter and subsequent conclusion.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: Update on Bergdahl Story: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Congress Passes Spending Bill: By Debbie Gregory

December 24, 2014/in Archived Blogs

In the late hours of December 9^th, a 1,603 page bill that detailed government spending and funding through next September was unveiled in Congress. As government funding was set to expire on December 11^th, a continuing resolution was swiftly passed that bought them two more days. The House passed the spending bill on December 12^th, giving the Senate just one day to pass the very large and very important legislation. As the time was expiring on the evening of December 13^th, the $1.1 trillion spending bill passed in the Senate by a vote of 56-40, and headed to the Oval Office for final approval.

The passing of the bill assures funding for nearly all government agencies, at spending levels negotiated by both parties in both houses. The legislation includes a number of provisions that reflect the priorities of both Democrats and Republicans, from the environment to the American banking system to pensions.

One area of government that did not get its funding approved in the bill was the Department of Homeland Security, which is set to run out of money on February 27, 2015. The omission of the department’s funding was a strategic move on the part of Republicans, who intend to use the Department of Homeland Security’s budget to challenge the president’s immigration policy.

No matter what side of the political aisle your views fall on, the passing of the budget needed to happen. The avoidance of another government shutdown is imperative to the country’s stability and morale. Lawmakers from both parties have made statements that they are both happy with some inclusions of the bill, and unhappy with others. That is called compromise, and it needed to happen in order to get this bill approved.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: Congress Passes Spending Bill: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Why Would Senator Kill Suicide Bill? By Joe Silva

December 24, 2014/in Archived Blogs

The failing of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act in the U.S. Senate, and the fact that it seems as though one senator single handedly foiled the bill, has the Veteran community in an uproar.

The bill, originally introduced in the House as H.R. 5059 by Congressman Tim Walz, was named for Clay Hunt, a Marine Corps combat Veteran who committed suicide. If it had passed, the bill would have implemented several measures aimed at lowering the number of suicides by American Veterans. At times, that number has been as high as 22 suicides per day.

The $22 million legislation, championed by the Veterans Service Organization, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) along with Hunt’s parents, would have called for an annual review of suicide prevention programs in the VA and DOD, in order to streamline the most effective practices. Additionally, the bill would have facilitated the VA’s partnering with mental health nonprofits, created a website to consolidate the VA’s newly combined mental health resources, and expanded peer support networks. It would also have allowed the VA to recruit and retain psychiatrists by offering student loan repayment incentives, up to $120,000, for mental health specialists to work for the VA.

Earlier this month, the bill passed unanimously in the House. When it reached the Senate floor, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal proposed passing the bill by unanimous consent. But Oklahoma Senator, Dr. Tom Coburn, objected, blocking the bill. With the time remaining in this last session of Congress dwindling, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act seems to have failed.

The internet is swarming with articles rebuking Senator Coburn, who is retiring after this session for health reasons, often referring to him as “Dr. No.” Some of the articles are really nasty, and it’s possible that Coburn may be the most disliked person by the Veteran community.

But why would a senator reject a bill that was promoted as being the possible final solution for ending suicide among Veterans? What patriotic person would do such a thing? Why indeed. In the interest of fairness, a thorough look into all aspects of the bill should be taken.

For example, here is one quote from Senator Coburn that many pro-Veteran news stories aren’t citing, but should be:

“I’m going to be objecting to this bill because it throws money and doesn’t solve the real problem,” Senator Coburn said on the floor of the Senate. He continued, “I object, not because I don’t want to save suicides, but because I don’t think this bill will do the first thing to change what’s happening.” Coburn also argued that “almost everything that’s in this bill has already been authorized and approved with the $10 billion [Veterans Choice Act] that we sent to the VA.”

It appears that the senator does not wish to give more money to the VA for a program that he feels should already be in-place with the funding already provided. This may be not the answer that many were looking for, and it might not be the correct answer, but it is a response to a question that many articles aren’t trying to answer.

Many Veteran advocates, including the IAVA and Senator Blumenthal, have vowed to revisit the bill, or hopefully an improved version of it, next session. Veterans deserve every available resource to prevent suicides and address other service-related mental health concerns. Let us hope that the failing of this bill will only pave the way for a better, more comprehensive and more effective measure to be passed next year.

Let us know your thoughts on the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. Should it have passed? Would it have done enough? What should be in the next attempt to pass a bill geared to end suicide among Veterans?

Email your comments to info@MilitaryConnection.com

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: Why Would Senator Kill Suicide Bill? By Joe Silva

Military Connection: New Film on American POW/MIA: By Debbie Gregory

December 23, 2014/in Archived Blogs

In war, no one is promised that they’ll survive. But every American service member, from every branch of the military and every generation, are promised one thing: they will not be left behind. Of the millions of service members our country sent to fight in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, there are still over 83,000 listed as Missing in Action (MIA).

Storyteller Original Films has created a ten-minute trailer for “A Solemn Promise, America’s Missing in Action.” The poignant documentary tells the story of the incredible lengths our country goes to in order to find and identify our warriors’ remains, and bring them home. The film also aims to raise awareness of the plight military families experience, often having no knowledge of how or where their loved ones were lost. The trailer can be viewed at www.storytellerfilms.tv.

At Storyteller Original Films, Writer/Producer Richard Jellerson is in the process of expanding the trailer into a 60-90 minute documentary that honors the missing, their families and the searches being performed by the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC).

The filmmakers join the JPAC searches, which are often hazardous due to the remote and dangerous locations. Once remains or evidence of them are found, they are taken to a lab for analysis. When the remains are identified, the MIAs are repatriated to be interred with honor and tribute on American soil. JPAC notifies any remaining family members so that they can be present at those services. All recovered remains are buried with a full Military Honor Guard ceremony, even if there is no family left.

The documentary will also feature educational information regarding the battles of the wars, including reenactments. There will also be interviews of family members, describing from their point of you what it was like not knowing the fate of their loved one, even all these years later.

The makers of the documentary are seeking Veteran non-profit organizations to partner with in order to complete their film and accomplish their mission.

For more information about the film or to ally with the makers of the documentary please visit www.storytellerfilms.tv or email Richard@storytellerfilms.tv

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: New Film on American POW/MIA: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Bilal: A Different Face of War: By Joe Silva

December 23, 2014/in Archived Blogs

The faces of war aren’t always found under helmets or above camouflaged uniforms. They don’t necessarily participate in the war that affects them, their families, and their existence. But they are there, present in every war, the local residents of war-torn countries. They shouldn’t be forgotten– for they are the reason that our service members continue to fight.

Bilal Sharif is a first-grader at Clarks Summit Elementary School in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In his few short years, Bilal has already led an extraordinary and inspirational life.

Bilal was born in a refugee camp, in either Pakistan or Afghanistan, to parents who were displaced after their village was taken over by the Taliban. The boy was born with clubbed feet and his bladder on the outside of his body. Bilal’s bladder exstrophy caused the young boy a lot of pain and suffering, as some side effects of the condition include bladder and urinary tract infections, abnormalities to genitalia, and incontinence.

For over a year, Bilal has lived with a host family in Pennsylvania as he has undergone surgeries for his bladder and to correct his feet. In-between surgeries and recuperation, Bilal goes to school and experiences childhood. Because Bilal’s real birthday is unknown, his host family said that they intend to celebrate his tenth birthday on January 1, 2015.

Earlier in December, Bilal was visited by the person he calls his best friend– Major Glenn Battschinger.

In 2012, Major Battschinger, a civil affairs for the U.S. Army, found the boy helping his father make bricks in their impoverished village in Afghanistan. Battschinger convinced Bilal’s family to agree to a mission that would save the boy’s life, and after snipping through the red tape, was able to bring Bilal to the U.S. for surgery. As young as Bilal is, you might think that moving away from his home and family might be traumatic. But with wisdom far beyond his age, the boy sees that Major Battschinger was helping to provide Bilal with a future– one filled with opportunities that wouldn’t have been available to the boy in war-torn Afghanistan.

Bilal wants to get well and continue to go to school. He has already decided that he wants to become a doctor and help children in Afghanistan. Before that can happen, this inspirational child will have to endure more surgeries, recoveries, rehabilitation, and a lot of schooling.

After hearing Bilal’s remarkable story, there is no question that he will be on the receiving end of everyone’s well-wishes. But if you are able to help financially, there is a fundraising web page set up to benefit Bilal at: https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/qdg6/walkforward

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.