From Vets for Freedom PAC

Vets For Freedom Senator Obama: When will you finally visit Iraq   Dear Vets for Freedom members: On Friday, Vets for Freedom PAC released an advertisement featuring Iraq war veteran Sergeant Garrett Anderson. The ad points out that Senator Obama was unwilling to meet with Illinois veterans, has never met with General Petraeus, and hasn’t visited Iraq in over two years. The facts are the facts, and the ad speaks for itself. Predictably, the ad sparked fierce opposition from anti-war elements (here, here & here) who accused us of being a “right-wing 527 attack organization.” Except, they forgot to do their research. Vets for Freedom is not a 527, nor an attack organization. Our 24,000 members and 50 state chapters comprise a cross-section of America’s veterans—Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, and liberals—all of which are interested in one thing: victory in Iraq, Afghanistan, and overall the War on Terrorism. Today, we are releasing a second ad, featuring Iraq war veteran and Vets for Freedom member, Specialist Kate Norley. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE AD. Kate, who served 16 months on the front lines as a combat medic, asks Senator Obama two simple, but powerful, questions:  Senator Obama, when will you finally decide to go back to Iraq, to see the progress first hand? And when will you finally decide to meet one-on-one, unconditionally, with General Petraeus? The ad also talks about the incredible progress that has been made since Senator Obama last visited Iraq in January 2006: violence down 70%, civil war over, Al Qaeda decimated, political progress occurring, and the Iraqi Army taking the lead. The fact is—the surge has worked, and has moved America closer to overall success in Iraq. It’s important that veterans ask the tough questions of our prospective leaders. Vets for Freedom PAC has no interest in attacking Senator Obama; we just want to know why he seems so uninterested about what is actually happening on the ground. CLICK HERE to donate to VFFPAC to run this ad across the country

Cyber Pastor Comments on Evansville Event

Last week, Mrs CP and I took a week of vacation to get some much needed R&R, to visit with some of my favorite family members, and to be available in the area as the final plans for the National Heroes Tour stop in Evansville were being put in place.

I want to report that the event was a huge success!

Press reports say there was 75 people in attendance, I had estimated 100 -125 but I've been wrong once or twice so we'll go with their number. Factor in a strong steady rain for several hours prior to the event, and as I discussed the turn out with Pete Hegseth, he was very happy.

Media coverage of the event was pretty good as well. At least three local TV stations had pieces on the event, and I know the Evansville Courier-Press had articles prior to the event, and also a nice story that I posted earlier.

Of course, I was very happy with the way that the Do The Right Thing Radio broadcast of the event went. Special thanks to Mrs CP and Snooper for their help with the show.

The folks at the LST 325 Memorial were fantastic hosts and they have some good pictures and a story of the event. All those who participated from the LST in the 21-gun salute were: Gun Salute Squad Commander Larry Hahn ,Marvin Oeth, Sam Richey, Jim Roach, Chris Donahue, Fred Kerstein, Dallas Fickas, and Vernon Barnett, and the ship's bugler, Millard Wilke.

I also need to mention Mike Whicker, LST Memorial Executive Director and Bob Lenn, Chief of Protocol, both of whom I workly closely with in the time leading up to and the day of the event.

Arne Pederson, the Indiana State Captain for Vets for Freedom did a very nice job of opening the program, and giving honor to those who have given their lives in the service to our country. That's Arne in the picture above.

I enjoyed being able to share some biblical thoughts on soldiers, and even more so praying for our troops.

Finally, and the most important, the Heroes from Vets for Freedom that appeared on this leg of the tour: Pete Hegseth, Tom Parks, Steve Russell and Kate Norley. Each one was great in their own way, and they all made me proud to be a member of the Vets for Freedom organization.

I'm still working on getting my personal pictures downloaded and I will share them, and other media stories with you as I get them.

Thanks for your support of this blog, and for supporting Vets for Freedom.

Media Coverage of VFF in Evansville

Tri-State welcomes Vets for Freedom
By Gavin Lesnick (Contact)

Monday, March 31, 2008

Listening to a group of Iraq war veterans share stories and urge support for the troops during a rally Sunday afternoon, Gary Kissinger heard a message that hit close to home.

Kissinger, an Evansville native whose 25-year-old son recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, agreed with the speakers that pulling out from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan too early would be a costly mistake.

"We need to support the whole effort," said Kissinger, 62 and a member of the local group Tri-State Marine Families. "We can't stop in the middle of it. If we do, some time down the road, we'll be right back again. We need to make sure we get the job done now."

He was one of about 75 people who stopped by the LST 325 on Sunday to see the Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour, a coast-to-coast bus tour featuring a cast of decorated war veterans talking about the war. Evansville was the 14th of 20 stops as the tour inched closer to Washington, D.C., where the speakers and several hundred veterans plan to meet with members of Congress about the war.

Among those on the tour is Vets for Freedom Executive Director Pete Hegseth, an Army captain who served a yearlong deployment in Iraq from 2005 to 2006.

Let the troops win

Hegseth told the crowd the purpose of the tour is simple.

"The message is let our troops and our Marines win," he said.

"Let them win and let's highlight the incredible progress that's been made by Gen. David Petraeus and the new counter-insurgency strategy."

Troops have made considerable gains in Iraq in the last year, Hegseth said, adding that the progress is too often ignored. Also, American casualties are declining, down more than 70 percent since June, he said.

He said since June of 2007, attacks throughout Iraq are down more than 70 percent, sectarian violence throughout the country is down 90 percent and sectarian violence in Baghdad alone is down more than 95 percent.

"If they haven't gotten the memo, the civil war in Iraq is over," he said. "There are different complications and there are different problems, but that's not what we're facing today."

"The good news stories that are happening in Iraq and Afghanistan are not reaching the ears of the American people," he said.

Julieann Najar, founder of the group A Soldier's Wish List, drove to Evansville from St. Louis with two friends to see the National Heroes Tour for the second time in three days.

Najar, whose son was wounded while serving in the Army in Iraq, said the speeches from the veterans on the tour resonated with her views.

"We believe in what the troops are doing," she said. "I could listen to (the veterans on the tour) over and over and over again. They have to keep saying it until other people get the message we're getting. The rest of America has to pay attention."

Not everyone at the event agreed with its message.

Gary May, co-chairman of Veterans for Peace, said he questioned the speakers afterward about the lack of public support for the war and if it had translated into any bill, funding shortfall or public policy decision that jeopardized the troops.

"He couldn't think of any," May said. "... I think (this) is much more about the political needle being moved than it is about the true merit or the true contents of what's being said."

Hegseth, though, said the Vets for Freedom group is non-partisan and that there is division even within its own ranks about the war. While none of its members support an immediate pullout, he said some do think it was a bad decision to invade Iraq in the first place.

All of them now support completing the mission, he said.

"We want to bring the troops home," Hegseth said. "But not until there is a stable Iraq."

Pete Hegseth video

Steve Russell video

Kate Norley video