Today's New York Times took a look at how some veterans (particularly wounded veterans) are faring in these troubled economic times.  The life of a service member is somewhat prone to upheaval: there is the prospect of deployment; extended absences; transfers among bases; and, in some cases, living with injury.  As the Times finds, such factors when combined with the economy, are making it difficult for veterans and active duty members to pay mortgages--or pay any bills at all:

But the short-term measures do little to address the underlying economic difficulties that new veterans face, beginning with the job hunt. Veterans, particularly those in their 20s, have faced higher unemployment rates in recent years than those who never served in the military, though the gap has shrunk as the economy has worsened. (Veterans traditionally have lower unemployment rates than nonveterans.)

Recently discharged veterans, though, fared worst of all. A 2007 survey for the Veterans Affairs Department of 1,941 combat veterans who left the military mostly in 2005 showed nearly 18 percent were unemployed as of last year. The average national jobless rate in October was 6.5 percent.

A quarter of those who found jobs failed to make a living wage, earning less than $21,840 a year.

“You fill out a job application and you can’t write ‘long-range reconnaissance and sniper skills,’ ” said Mr. Spurlock, who searched a year for a better-paying job than delivering pizza, finally finding one as a construction supervisor.

For those still serving in the military, the article found, some are finding themselves having to sell homes at a loss when they receive orders to transfer to another stateside base.

The Associated Press reported this morning that more than 100 former high-ranking U.S. military commanders have called for a repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gay service members.  A statement from this group read in part:

"As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality."

Larson, who has a gay daughter he says has broadened his thinking on the subject, believes a generational shift in attitudes toward homosexuality has created a climate where a repeal is not only workable, but also an important step for keeping talented personnel in the military.

"I know a lot of young people now — even people in the area of having commands of ships and squadrons — and they are much more tolerant, and they believe, as I do, that we have enough regulations on the books to enforce proper standards of human behavior," Larson said.

 
In the wake of president-elect Obama's campaign victory, the UK's Guardian newspaper profiled U.S. Army veteran Tammy Duckworth who lost her legs in Iraq and is now active in American politics.  She also stood next to Obama last week as he laid a memorial wreath on Veterans Day.  The paper charted her rise in political involvement:

Changing things is now Duckworth's focus. She ran for Congress in Illinois, eventually losing a nail-bitingly close race in a previously solid Republican seat. Then she became director of Illinois's Department of Veterans' Affairs, where she has raised the profile of veterans' needs, especially the problems they face getting jobs when they return from duty. She has testified before Congress regarding medical care and employment for returning veterans and spoke at this August's Democratic party convention.

In 2006 she delivered an official Democratic response to one of President Bush's weekly radio addresses to the nation. In it she lambasted his policies on Iraq and the path the White House took in going to war. 'Instead of a plan or a strategy, we get shallow slogans like "mission accomplished" and "stay the course",' she said in the broadcast. Now political office in Washington may be beckoning her.

Duckworth said she was flattered that her name was being bandied about, but insisted that she has had no talks with anyone about either a Senate seat or cabinet post. However, she does say she is willing to serve if asked.

Finally, the Military Times provides a lengthy look at how likely Obama's campaign promises to better the military will be enacted as he assumes the presidency.  A list of these promises includes:

-Obama promised “pay parity” for service members without really defining what that means.

-Obama promised to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office, if conditions allow. That would make it possible to keep a second promise to “establish regularity” in deployments for active-duty members and limit deployments for National Guard and reserve members to no longer than two years, with no more than one deployment every six years.

-Rebuilding the armed forces with a view toward the future is another Obama pledge. In some ways, he’s talking about following trends already underway: Moving toward a military that has more special operations forces, civil affairs, foreign area officers and linguists. Obama has talked of creating a specialized military adviser corps of experts who can help address mutual threats.

-While Obama can have any advisers he wants, he proposed creating a military family advisory panel, which would require legislation if it were to be a formal group with the same kind of support as other advisory committees. The idea, Obama said, is to have a formal process in which military families provide input to senior military leaders about issues involving health care, education, relocation and spouse employment.