Military Families Speak Out Washington State Chapter
Military Families Speak Out Washington State Chapter
One of the features of military families in this war that differs from previous wars is that there are more young married soldiers.
Here are some statistics:
-- in Iraq war, soldiers often married, with children
-- 55% of military personnel are married. 56% of those married are between 22 and 29.
-- One million military children are under 11.
-- 40% are 5 or younger.
-- 63% of spouses work, including 87% of junior-enlisted spouses.
Source: Department of Defense and National Military Family Association.
There are a number of paragraphs that are just grand, but here's the best one, which is worth quoting in full:
As a matter of general principle, I believe there can be no doubt that criticism in time of war is essential to the maintenance of any kind of democratic government
... too many people desire to suppress criticism simply because they think that it will give some comfort to the enemy to know that there is such criticism.
If that comfort makes the enemy feel better for a few moments, they are welcome to it as far as I am concerned, because
the maintenance of the right of criticism in the long run will do the country maintaining it a great deal more good than it will do the enemy,
and will prevent mistakes which might otherwise occur.
Drink in those words.
That's not William Fulbright two years into the Vietnam War.
It's not Ted Kennedy last week.
It's Mr. Republican, speaking -- when? Not mid-1943, or even March 1942
Taft delivered this speech ... on December 19, 1941!
That's right: Twelve days after the worst attack on American soil in the country's history,
perhaps with bodies still floating in the harbor,
the leader of the congressional opposition said to the president, 'we will question, we will probe, we will debate.'
By Michael Tomasky,
The AMERICAN Prospect online
Order and send postcards to Congress - Fund our Troops, Defund the
2007
2006
(photo Lietta Ruger, MFSO- WA, in support Lt. Ehren Watada, June 2006, Tacoma, WA)(photo - Jenny Keesey, Judy Linehan, Lietta Ruger - from MFSO-WA in support of Lt. Ehren Watada June 2006, Tacoma, WA)
(photo - Lietta Ruger, Judy Linehan, Jenny Keesey - from MFSO - WA chapter, June 2006, Tacoma, WA)
(photo - Judy Linehan, MFSO - WA at support rally for Lt. Watada, June 2006, Tacoma, WA)
(photo - right is Stacy Bannerman, MFSO -WA; organizing team) Representative Brian Baird, Washington state 3rd Congressional District, in blue shirt comes out to talk with MFSO members at 'Operation House Call')
2005
2004
Online video, audio and article still available at Newshour website.
photo - Sue Niederer, MFSO. Her son U.S. Army 2nd Lt.Seth Dvorin, 24 yrs old was killed in Iraq Feb 3, 2004.
photo - Nancy Lessin, MFSO Co-Founder
photo - Lietta Ruger, MFSO - WA
photo - Stacy Bannerman, MFSO - WA
This is one of WA state casualties; Army Spc. Jonathan J. Santos, Whatcom County, Washington died Oct 15, 2004
Contact us
click here - MFSO Membership Form – to join Military Families Speak Out or
MFSO - Become a Member
Membership in MFSO is open to anyone who has a family member or loved one serving, since August 2002, in any branch of our Armed Forces
* The Reserves
* The National Guard
* Returned from serving but still eligible for redeployment under stop loss.
There is no membership fee. Donations are welcome.
People who are not eligible for MFSO membership may join our Supporter Group. You are welcome to attend meetings that are open to the public, volunteer to help with event preparation and participate in our community actions and events. Supporters may purchase MFSO t-shirts and wear them with the "Proud Supporter of MFSO" button. Buttons may also be worn without the t-shirt.
Our Supporters provide emotional encouragement and physical help to our MFSO military families who are under extreme stress, especially if their loved one is in Iraq or Afghanistan We welcome your involvement, please contact us.
click to see the list MFSO chapters other than Washington state forming around the country.
"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly as necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile.
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else.
But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."
Theodore Roosevelt, 1918, Lincoln and Free Speech
(photo - on the Panel - Elizabeth Falzone - GSFSO/ MFSO - WA chapter and Rich Moniak - MFSO - Alaska chapter listen to two days of testimony)
(photo - Stacy Bannerma, wife of returning Iraq veteran - WA Natl Guard, gives testimony)
