Each month, Emmet County VA Director Jim Alton writes a column about issues important to veterans and their families. It is published here and also in the Petoskey News-Review.
His November column appears below. To read past columns, click here
Wreaths across America reminder
Just a reminder that Petoskey’s Greenwood Cemetery is participating with the Wreaths Across America campaign, and they are is still in need of 200 hundred wreaths at this time. The support has been great and if you have not purchased yours yet, please consider doing so. Give Greenwood superintendent Karl Crawford a call so he can continue to purchase the last of the 1,300 wreaths he would like to place on all veterans’ graves in the local cemetery; (231) 347-6531.\
More government waste
The “world’s most expensive gas station” might still be operating, or maybe not. The Department of Defense says it has no current information about the taxpayer-funded project, or any of the others that were part of its $766 million program to stimulate economic development in Afghanistan.
According to letters between a top government watchdog in Afghanistan and a DoD official, the Pentagon has had no oversight of outcomes for its Task Force for Business and Stability Operations programs since the task force was ended in March. The correspondence is included in a scathing report released recently from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction about a gas station in northern Afghanistan that investigators say cost 140 times what it should have.
“DoD charged the American taxpayer $43 million for what is likely the world’s most expensive gas station,” Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko said in an email response to Stars and Stripes. “DoD spent nearly $800 million … but now they claim no one knows anything about it.”
The compressed natural gas station, built in the city of Sheberghan, was part of a plan to persuade Afghan drivers to switch from gasoline and to encourage international companies to invest in Afghanistan’s nascent natural gas industry. The original contract to build the station was for $3 million. SIGAR’s report says similar gas stations in Pakistan cost about $300,000.
“The Sheberghan facility is yet another example of this Administration’s reckless spending. DoD has no explanation or documentation as to why it cost a massive $43 million to construct a compressed natural gas station in Afghanistan,” the report notes.
Now, tell me again why our troops , seniors and others will not get COLA again?
PTSD and TBI Linked to Dementia?
An Arizona physician is researching the link between dementia among veterans and conditions including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The program is designed for aging veterans with PTSD and TBI and aims to prevent dementia from setting in or getting worse.
The research revolves around workbooks, which are given to the veterans who enroll as patients. Veterans complete the workbooks over the course of several weeks alongside volunteers.
For more information, call America’s Mighty Warriors at (623) 537-5322 or visit the America’s Mighty Warriors website: www.americasmightywarriors.org
With the holidays approaching …
Don’t forget that we are always looking for care package items for our troops stationed around the globe, at the holidays and all times of the year. Visit the Emmet County web site, Veterans Affairs pages, for lists of what is appreciated and how to get it to our troops: www.emmetcounty.org/VA/
I would also like to wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving and to our Marine Corps, a Happy 240th birthday. Semper Fi
Jim Alton is the Director of the Veterans Affairs Department within Emmet County. Alton served in the United States Marine Corps (1955-62) and is retired from the Michigan State Police. Reach him or his assistant, Rick Wiertalla, at (231) 348-1780 or jalton@emmetcounty.org
