I keep getting this idea from the right that the military doesn't like Obama. I can't figure out why they wouldn't. I mean look at what he has done for our military.

1. Increased Support for Veterans: With so many soldiers coming home from Iraq and Iran with serious physical and mental health problems, yet facing long waits for services, increased 2010 Department of Veterans Affairs budget by 16 percent and 2011 budget by 10 percent. Also signed new GI bill offering $78 billion in tuition assistance over a decade, and provided multiple tax credits to encourage businesses to hire veterans.

2. Achieved New START Treaty: Signed with Russia (2010) and won ratification in Congress (2011) of treaty that limits each country to 1,550 strategic warheads (down from 2,200) and 700 launchers (down from more than 1,400), and reestablished and strengthened a monitoring and transparency program that had lapsed in 2009, through which each country can monitor the other.

3. Expanded National Service: Signed Serve America Act in 2009, which authorized a tripling of the size of AmeriCorps. Program grew 13 percent to 85,000 members across the country by 2012, when new House GOP majority refused to appropriate more funds for further expansion.

4. Trimmed and Reoriented Missile Defense: Cut the Reagan-era “Star Wars” missile defense budget, saving $1.4 billion in 2010, and canceled plans to station antiballistic missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic in favor of sea-based defense plan focused on Iran and North Korea.

5. Began Post-Post-9/11 Military Builddown: After winning agreement from congressional Republicans and Democrats in summer 2011 budget deal to reduce projected defense spending by $450 billion, proposed new DoD budget this year with cuts of that size and a new national defense strategy that would shrink ground forces from 570,000 to 490,000 over the next ten years while increasing programs in intelligence gathering and cyberwarfare.

6. Ended the War in Iraq: Ordered all U.S. military forces out of the country. Last troops left on December 18, 2011.

7. Began Drawdown of War in Afghanistan: From a peak of 101,000 troops in June 2011, U.S. forces are now down to 91,000, with 23,000 slated to leave by the end of summer 2012. According to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, the combat mission there will be over by next year.

8. Eliminated Osama bin laden: In 2011, ordered special forces raid of secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in which the terrorist leader was killed and a trove of al-Qaeda documents was discovered.

9. Toppled Moammar Gaddafi: In March 2011, joined a coalition of European and Arab governments in military action, including air power and naval blockade, against Gaddafi regime to defend Libyan civilians and support rebel troops. Gaddafi’s forty-two-year rule ended when the dictator was overthrown and killed by rebels on October 20, 2011. No American lives were lost.

10. . Told Mubarak to Go: On February 1, 2011, publicly called on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to accept reform or step down, thus weakening the dictator’s position and putting America on the right side of the Arab Spring. Mubarak ended thirty-year rule when overthrown on February 11.

11. Reversed Bush Torture Policies: Two days after taking office, nullified Bush-era rulings that had allowed detainees in U.S. custody to undergo certain “enhanced” interrogation techniques considered inhumane under the Geneva Conventions. Also released the secret Bush legal rulings supporting the use of these techniques.

12. . Improved America’s Image Abroad: With new policies, diplomacy, and rhetoric, reversed a sharp decline in world opinion toward the U.S. (and the corresponding loss of “soft power”) during the Bush years. From 2008 to 2011, favorable opinion toward the United States rose in ten of fifteen countries surveyed by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, with an average increase of 26 percent.

13. Began Asia “Pivot”: In 2011, reoriented American military and diplomatic priorities and focus from the Middle East and Europe to the Asian-Pacific region. Executed multipronged strategy of positively engaging China while reasserting U.S. leadership in the region by increasing American military presence and crafting new commercial, diplomatic, and military alliances with neighboring countries made uncomfortable by recent Chinese behavior.

14. Tightened Sanctions on Iran: In effort to deter Iran’s nuclear program, signed Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act (2010) to punish firms and individuals who aid Iran’s petroleum sector. In late 2011 and early 2012, coordinated with other major Western powers to impose sanctions aimed at Iran’s banks and with Japan, South Korea, and China to shift their oil purchases away from Iran.

15. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover A.F.B.

16. Ended media "blackout" on war casualties; reporting full information

17. Ended media "blackout" on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover A.F.B.; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier's family.

18. Ended the previous "stop-loss" policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date

19. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren't even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan

20. The "secret detention" facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed

21. Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards

22. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops

23. Restarted the nuclear non-proliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols

24. Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job. US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast

25. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel

26. Improved housing for military personnel

27. Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses

28. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals

29. Established a new cyber security office

30. Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force... this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.

31. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts

32. Improved benefits for veterans

33. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan

34. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan

35. Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans

36. Has pushed for tax credits for companies who hire vets.

President Obama Has Kept His Promises to Veterans

Beau Biden: President Obama Has Kept His Promises to Veterans

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Truth, Justice and the American way

I believe Most Military Personnel , active or Veteran , would agree that President Obama has done a stellar job as Commander in chief. He's proposed funding far above what previous administrations have done, and rightly so considering the size and scope of the two wars we were involved in when he took office. I support him, and will continue to do so, but I do have one small problem with the OP from Beau Biden. He's only telling the good part of the story rather than elaborating on some of the things that are relly going on where Veterans are concerned. I think it's a disservice to all who served to sugarcoat the truth for the sake of political gain. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing that President Obama has done that I have the problem with , it's the rest of Washington and their endless games of partisanship that concern me most.


For starters... Obama did in fact Add in his Budget request to provide $140 billion for the Department of Veterans affairs for the Fiscal year 2013. $64 billion in discretionary spending and another $76 billion for mandatory expenditures. However we never got the increase. We're still running the budget off of Continuing Resolutions going back to the last Bush budget, which didn't account for the massive increase in spending for all the veterans coming home.

As a disabled Vet I can tell you first hand the benefits, although decent, are not so great as the Government is trying to sell. Wait times to see a Doctor are as long as two months out, unless you want to sit in an Emergency room for 8 hours. Funding is so shabby that many programs ( at least here), are being contracted out, closed down, and trying to get benefits is a 10 year wait or longer.

Our Problem is Congress. The President can propose all the spending he wants but unless Congress appropriates the amount needed many Veterans are suffering. This year the VA budget Committee asked for 55.7 billion for Veterans Medical Care. That was to cover the costs of Veterans that are already enrolled in the System. Congress Appropriated 4.1% less than what they needed, Basically taking medical care away from Veterans. Discretionary spending was also cut 4 billion dollars.

The biggest problem we have now is the Shortfall in Staff to maintain the system at maximum efficiency. Currently the number of claims for benefits has reached over a million with more expected as our troops are rotated back home. The Board of Veterans Appeals was only Appropriated enough money to pay 532 support staff. This is by far not enough to keep up with the growing number of Veterans who are coming home. I myself filed a claim for increase in benefits over 3 years ago... and I was recently told it will be at least another 4 to 6 years before I hear anything . I'm a Veteran from a different Era, so all the young men and women who fought in the most recent Wars have rightly been moved ahead of us older guys. Congress needs to stop the partisan bickering and make sure all Veterans are taken care of. It doesn't matter if they get anything else done or not, but they should never ask any Vet to suffer while they play games with lives.

As far as President Obama goes, Like I said He is doing a great job as commander in chief and deserves a lot of credit, a lot more than most are willing to give. He at least tries to put Veterans first, but his hands are tied by Bureaucracy and until something is done to change the way things work we'll never see the light of day.

It's only partisanship that would draw anyone to the conclusion that Obama was anything less then a friend to our soldiers before and after their service. It's like it's supposed to be a given that if you are on the left you couldn't possibly have been a good military POTUS

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Truth, Justice and the American way

Ron paul and Obama receive most donations from military so maybe the military people are getting the message.Why Ron paul, who knows why except on his anti war stance but he's stingy otherwise and would probably vote no any funds for military health care or education. Sorry to hear about military personell not getting taken care of enough after serving corporate america so well. If romney gets in, it will get worse. Even more money will get diverted to tax breaks for the rich. Spread the word. Get printouts of paul ryan and romney vision for america especially voucher plan for medicare. Give to everybody and let voters know what these reptilian dog repubs are planning for ordinary Americans future.

The only problem is that Republicans don't like Romney any more than Democrats do. They are going to vote AGAINST Obama, no matter who is running against him. The Party doesn't like Romney, but they have nothing better to offer for this cycle.

Ron Paul would at least take care of the Military. He's a Veteran too and a Doctor, so he would be good for Veterans. He might destroy the rest of the country with his economic policy, but Veterans would be taken care of...