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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	562
Proposal	PLATFORM: Veterans' Services
Presenter	GPUS Platform Committee, Green Party of Georgia, sponsor
Floor Manager	David Strand
Phase	Closed
Discussion	08/26/2010 - 09/05/2010
Voting	09/06/2010 - 09/12/2010
Result	Adopted
Presens Quorum	31 0.6666
Consens Quorum	44 0.6666 of Yes and No Votes

Background

This is an amendment to the Green Party Platform section on Veterans; Rights.

Proposal

The 2004 Platform of the Green Party of the United States in Article II., related to "Social Justice"; Section A., related to "Civil Rights and Equal Rights", item 9., related to "Veterans' Rights" is amended by striking the existing item 9, by inserting at the end of the prefatory paragraph, the following:

"Our first priority in foreign policy considerations is to creating a future without war. We are committed that future generations not face the separations and sacrifices of war."

Further amend item 9, related to 'Veteran's Rights' by striking paragraph c. which reads:

c. Establish a panel of independent medical doctors to examine and oversee the policies of the military regarding forced vaccinations and shots, often with experimental drugs.

and insert in its place, the following:

c. Establish a panel of independent medical doctors to examine and oversee the policies of the military regarding vaccinations and shots. We insist that the military halt the practice of testing experimental medicines and innoculations on service members without their consent.

Renumber paragraphs h., i. and j. as paragraphs j., k. and l. respectively, and insert new paragraphs h. and i., to read:

h. Many of those U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen who served during U.S. Wars in the past two decades have been exposed to nuclear, chemical and possibly biological warfare agents. We insist that the Veterans Administration not ignore the suffering they have experienced since coming home from the war. The Congress should fund and the VA should implement a comprehensive program to survey Vets and the impacts of Gulf War Syndrome on them and their families and to provide the best possible medical treatment available to minimize the suffering of these men and women and their families.

i. Veterans of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are being unfairly discharged from the service with PTSD and other injuries caused by stress, trauma and head injuries, under trumped-up behavioral charges, as a means of military budget cost-cutting. As Greens we insist that all U.S. combatants are entitled to medical and psychiatric health care by the VA, after serving any time in a combat zones. Servicemembers serving in combat zones are subjected to assorted variations of permanent physical and mental damage and are entitled to treatment by the Veterans Administration. This nation has a moral obligation to provide health care services and disability entitlements to its veterans. We support funding for additional clinics to provide services which now are too often delayed or denied because of over-crowding and budget constraints throughout the VA system.

Resources

none

References

CONTACTS
Bruce Hinkforth bhinkforth@milwpc.com
Marnie Glickman marnie@greenchange.org
Adam Shapiro adam.shapiro@georgiagreenparty.org
Hugh Esco hesco@greens.org

TEXT of the 2004 PLATFORM BEING AMENDED:

II. SOCIAL JUSTICE, A. Civil Rights and Equal Rights, 9. Veterans' Rights
Support for men and women in the armed forces must go far beyond the rhetoric used to discredit the peace movement in the U.S. today. We believe that the ill-advised and illegal actions of the U.S. administration have unnecessarily put our troops in harm's way. We further believe that the dangerous burden of fighting the unnecessary war in Iraq, and the wars that may follow, due to the administration's overly narrow and militaristic response to terrorism is disproportionately borne by families of lesser means. Those who are required to carry out militaristic policies, often with great hardship to themselves, their families, and even the risk of their lives, deserve our respect and our commitment to adequate compensation and benefits.

We recommend the following actions:

a. Increase the current pay levels, monthly imminent danger pay, and family separation allowances for those risking their lives in combat zones.

b. Ensure that all pre-deployment physicals are completed and carried out within the standard allotted time period and that medical follow-ups are routinely done on all soldiers.

c. Establish a panel of independent medical doctors to examine and oversee the policies of the military regarding forced vaccinations and shots, often with experimental drugs.

d. Honor all laws concerning time limits on deployments.

e. Provide better care for the wounded, sick, and injured soldiers returning home. The Pentagon must take all steps necessary to fully diagnose and treat both physical and mental health conditions resulting from service in all combat zones.
f. Ensure a smooth transition from active military service to civilian life by providing counseling, housing, emergency management, job protection, and other support systems.

g. Restore full funding for veterans' health programs.

h. Request Congress to enact a new GI Bill, similar to the one that began after World War II and ended in 1981, to provide the following benefits:

Tuition grants for four years of college or other educational opportunities.

Low interest loans for housing or business start-ups.

Free medical care for military personnel and their families for ten years following separation from the armed forces - until universal health care becomes a reality.

i. Support and respect Conscientious Objector status during all phases of the process. We fully support the right of individuals in the military service to modify or completely separate from military involvement because of conscientious objection. We call upon all military entities and officers to support a transparent and democratic conscientious objection process free of harassment, imprisonment, or deployment to war zones for those pursuing the conscientious objection process.

j. Recognized, independent veteran organizations must have access to military personnel to ensure they are being informed of their rights. This is especially true for those who are hospitalized due to service related injuries or illnesses.

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