What’s interesting in the news today?
Open Thread
Here’s a couple to start things off.
1. The Army and White House finally do the right thing. It’s about time.
From TheUnitedStatesArmy “Secretary of the Army John McHugh announced today that he has directed the United States Army to provide all possible benefits to victims of a 2009 attack at Fort Hood who were recently awarded the Purple Heart medal.
Last week, 36 soldiers and surviving family members of the attack were awarded the Purple Heart medal during a ceremony at Fort Hood, Texas. The ceremony came after Congress expanded eligibility criteria for the Purple Heart, allowing the medal to be awarded to Soldiers wounded or killed in incidents that were previously ineligible.
“In addition to the Purple Heart medal, there are certain other benefits for which Soldiers receiving the Purple Heart are traditionally eligible,” McHugh wrote in an April 14 memorandum. “I intend to ensure that the Soldiers receiving the Purple Heart under the expanded criteria also receive all other related benefits for which they are eligible.”
Among the benefits ordered by McHugh is payment of hostile fire pay for those Purple Heart recipients “killed, injured, or wounded” in the attack, as well as combat-related special compensation for retired soldiers whose disability is attributable to an injury for which they were awarded the Purple Heart.
“After making the determination that the victims of the Fort Hood attack are now eligible for the Purple Heart, it seems only right and fair that these Soldiers also receive the benefits it traditionally entails,” McHugh said. “That’s why I directed an expedited process to make certain that happens.””
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2. But the DoJ is still doing the wrong things.
From TheWashingtonTimes “The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee wants Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to explain why a Department of Justice gun ban list has a “mental defective” category consisting almost entirely of names belonging to military veterans and their dependents.
“It’s disturbing to think that the men and women who dedicated themselves to defending our freedom and values face undue threats to their fundamental Second Amendment rights from the very agency established to serve them,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa Republican, said in a statement Wednesday. “A veteran or dependent shouldn’t lose their constitutional rights because they need help with bookkeeping.”
Mr. Grassley outlined his concerns about the list to Mr. Holder in a letter dated this week. It included various failures by the Department of Justice — including the inconsistent application of standards and weak due process protections — that have led to the Department of Veterans Affairs adding “a disproportionate number of names” to the federal gun ban list.
All federal agencies are required to report names of individuals who are dangers to themselves or others to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System’s “mental defective” category — a status that prevents them from owning or possessing guns.”
““According to the Congressional Research Service, as of June 1, 2012, 99.3% of all names reported to the NICS list’s ‘mental defective’ category were provided by the Veterans Administration (VA) even though reporting requirements apply to all federal agencies,” Mr. Grassley’s letter said.”
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Wandering Views 
20 years ago you were not allowed to have a gun in quarters if you lived in Navy housing–and that included a BB gun. Maybe it’s still true, but I was asked at a well baby check up if I had a gun in the house.
Kid’s BB gun.
Long pause. Was it locked up?
You could own a firearm, it just had to be house with the shire patrol on base, a mile away.
Another time, a mother brought her son to the door to play for the first time when we lived in a small town in northern CA. She asked the same question.
We still had the BB gun. She wavered about leaving him until I agreed to find the gun and put it up during the child’s visit.
I thought those questions odd at the time. It’s got to be even harder now.
I’ve only touched a fun twice in my entire life.
Except the BB gun.
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Apple spell check doesn’t like GUN either!
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Stupid rules such as those are still in effect Michelle. That’s one of the reasons the Ft. Hood shooting was as bad as it was. No one had a weapon to defend themselves or protect anyone else because the Army doesn’t allow soldiers to carry on-post. They had to wait for an MP to show up.
The issue I have is if these folks are so “mentally defective” then why were they not discharged prior to this because of these supposed “defects”? The military gave them guns, sent them to a foreign land to serve and kill the enemy, which possibly caused many of the “defects”, yet when they return they’re suddenly not to be trusted, whether they have a “defect” or not? That’s a load of crap.
And this WH and DoJ, for political reasons, have targeted these soldiers. They fit their “white, former military, possibly Christian terrorists” meme. That’s the only reason this is happening. It disgusts me.
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It’s a shame our US media has no interest on border security (or lack of) stories. There’s some interesting ones out there.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3042805/Shocking-images-cameras-Texas-Mexico-border-capture-steady-stream-illegal-immigrants-sneaking-United-States-packages-drugs-guns.html
“Cameras placed along Texas’ 1,200-mile border with Mexico have captured the stream of illegal immigrants sneaking into the country on a daily basis.
The network of more than 1,000 motion detectors, similar to those used to film wildlife, have been placed strategically in areas that have not been secured – where Mexican citizens can cross and evade capture with ease.
They helped border guards apprehend nearly 30,000 suspects and led to 88,400 pounds of drugs being seized in 2014 as part of Operation Drawbridge.
The system has also had a significant impact on Mexican cartels and their ability to smuggle narcotics, people and stolen vehicles between the two countries.”
The WH continues to allow the flow of illegals into the US while expanding the amount of resources and benefits available to them. And border patrol is told to look the other way. It’s a failure of one of their most basic duties.
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Well………
Newton’s Third Law seems to apply here……
“To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
But it’s still pretty underhanded. Liberals are gonna go ballistic on this one.
http://www.businessinsider.com/wal-mart-suddenly-closes-stores-2015-4
“Wal-Mart suddenly closed five stores in four states on Monday for alleged plumbing problems.
The closures could last up to six months and affect roughly 2,200 workers in Texas, California, Oklahoma, and Florida, CNN Money reports.
Wal-Mart employees say they were completely blindsided by the news, having been notified only a couple hours before the stores closed at 7 p.m. Monday.”
“According to ABC News, “no plumbing permits have been pulled in any of the five cities where the stores were suddenly closed for at least six months.” The cities where locations were closed include: Brandon, Florida; Pico Rivera, California; Livingston, Texas; Midland, Texas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma.”
“Some employees believe that the stores were closed because of worker protests for higher pay. “This is the first store that went on strike,” an employee told CBS Los Angeles. “This is the first store in demanding changes for Walmart.””
Well folks, Walmart gave you some “change” alright…..
Don’t worry, we know how you feel. The last guy who demanded and promised change really hosed us too. We know how you feel.
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No matter how you twist them, the basic laws of economics work.
Someday, we will discover that there is no such thing a 18 TRILLION dollars.
The longer we wait, he harder the lesson will be.
I was talking to another federal retiree at lunch today. We mentioned the changes, insurance, qualifications, raise, etc. Some of this has to happen. But it irritates me to hear about IRS parties, Narcotic Division antics, Michelle’s boondoggles, etc. It all has to be cut.
I wish I were president. I might only last four years, but I would straighten this out.
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Michelle is going on boondoggles?
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Just watch me doggle down the road . . .
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AJ,
I have a nephew who worked at the Pico Rivera Walmart. He was one of those who found out he no longer has a job. His father called me earlier to let me know he no longer works there. They didn’t know why or what had happened. We hope that this will be impetus for Jon to get a new, different, better job. This job was good but now Jon can look for a better one.
I would be surprised if Jon was one of those who demonstrated for more pay.
Demanding a union from Walmart doesn’t look like a good idea. The Pico Rivera store was large and busy.
I will call my brother in law to see how things are going. I told them it was a union thing.
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It will be interesting to follow this. WalMart’s reasons seem suspect. 2 months of severance pay will help, but it’s still seems like underhanded retaliation on all workers for the actions of a few.
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