Parent's with children in the military who do you cast your vote for?

[Otto's Doll]

DH and I are both voting for Bush. He has been in the military for 20+ years, and fears what would happen if Kerry gets in.

 

[Junebugwv]

DH is retired naval officer. Son-in-law is Air Force jet fighter pilot. Please do not dismiss my upcoming comment as partisan as it is not intended to be. We lived through the military during Carter and Clinton administrations and would not want my daughter and son-in-law to endure anything similar. Our nation's security is at stake. My vote will go to President Bush.

 

[CLynnJones]

Kerry is the vote for my entire military family. We are appalled at the job Bush has done these past 4 years. The lies, the bullying-non-diplomatic stance/air he has about him. Not to mention I want a president that I feel has a bit of intelligence. We are all scared of what the future holds if Bush would get 4 more years.
Time for a change!!

 

[GeorgeG]

My grandson is a United States Marine and I'm a Vietnam veteran (1966). Bush is the only choice.

 

[Island_Lauri]

OMG - what would it mean for the military if Kerry was in the White House?

Military Family Bill Of Rights
John Kerry and John Edwards believe that military families must be treated with the respect they deserve. As president, John Kerry will propose a Military Family Bill of Rights that will provide our military families with competitive pay, good housing, decent health care, quality education for their children, first rate training, and the best possible weaponry, armor, and state-of-the-art equipment. And in the event the worst happens, John Kerry's plan will ensure that military families will have help and care they deserve.


Responsible Leadership and Stewardship of the American Military
Increase The Size Of The Military. The American military was designed to fight with coalition partners. Today we lack those partners and our Army is stretched to the breaking point. John Kerry will increase the size of the active-duty Army by 40,000 troops so that we have the force structure for the challenges we face.

Reinvigorate American Diplomacy To Better Meet The Needs Of America's Security. Our military has a right to expect that when they go into conflict on a mission of international security they will have maximum support from troops of other nations affected. But today, our troops make up almost 90 percent of the military forces dealing with the insurgency operation in Iraq, and have suffered up to 90 percent of the fatalities.

Competitive Pay
Assure Sufficient Imminent Danger Pay and Family Separation Allowances. Military families, especially those of a service member deployed to a combat zone, are entitled to our full support and full respect. John Kerry will never attempt to reduce special compensations, such as family separation allowance and hazardous duty pay.

Quality Housing
Raise Standards For All Family Housing Units. Military families should be guaranteed housing that meets their needs and meets American standards. Unfortunately, military housing has been grossly inadequate for several decades. As president, John Kerry will accelerate the construction of new military housing by providing incentives for private developers to build new housing on or near military bases and lease it to military families at a rate consistent with their housing allowances.

Quality Health and Dental Care
Ensure Service Members And Families Receive Adequate Health Care. Military families should have full access to quality health and dental care, whether they're stationed at home or abroad. As president, John Kerry will fight to permanently extend TRICARE eligibility to members of the National Guard and Reserve.

Quality Education
Defend Impact Aid. Military children, along with their parents, sacrifice many educational and other opportunities by frequently moving to new schools in new areas. Children of service members deserve the best educational opportunities America can offer, whether they're at home or abroad. As president, John Kerry will ensure they get the quality education they deserve by protecting funding for the Impact Aid program, which funds our nation's Department of Defense schools.

First-Rate Training, Arms and Equipment
Reimburse Families Forced To Purchase Body Armor. No military family should ever have to bake cakes or wash cars in order to buy their deployed soldier adequate personal equipment like body armor - yet troops have been deployed to Iraq without the latest body armor. As president, John Kerry will reimburse families that were forced to provide for themselves and ensure that such lapses do not occur again.

First-Rate Training and Equipment. Our service members and families deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing that everything possible has been done to ensure that their loved one returns from a combat zone quickly and safely. As president, John Kerry will ensure that families have that peace of mind. He will ensure that no soldier, sailor, airman or Marine ever goes into harm's way untrained when the best training is available. And he will ensure that no soldier is ever poorly or incompletely equipped when the best equipment is available.

Up-To-Date and Accurate Information About Deployments
Ensure Families Know When Their Loved Ones Are Leaving and Coming Home. By their very nature, emergency deployments are unpredictable. But routine rotations to sustain on-going operations are reasonably predictable. Our families deserve the best, most current information about the timing and duration of deployments. As president, John Kerry will make every effort to ensure they know that and much more.

Help For Family Members Affected By Extended Deployment
Penalty-Free Withdrawals From Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Expenses Associated With Deployments. Our service members and families deserve more consideration and assistance when on operational deployments. As president, John Kerry will ensure they get that consideration and assistance, including penalty-free withdrawals from IRA for expenses associated with deployments.

Make Family Separation Allowance Permanent. The Bush administration tried to cut the family separation allowance. As president, John Kerry will make it permanent and index it to inflation.

Assistance When A Service Member Has Been Killed
Increase The Death Gratuity. When a service member is injured or killed in the line of duty, military families deserve full, complete, and timely notification. No other moment in life will ever carry such pain, and the nation owes surviving families its highest respect and best efforts. As president, John Kerry will work to have a $250,000 gratuity added to the Service Members Group Life Insurance if a service member is killed in a combat zone.

One Year Of Military Housing For Families Of Deceased Service Members. Our service members and families deserve full assistance that matches their sacrifice. As president, John Kerry will extend from 180 days to one year the amount of time that a family of a service member killed in action can live in military housing so that children can finish the school year and families can plan for the future.

Responsive Government Support After Leaving The Military
Keeping Faith With Those Who Served. After military service ends, a new commitment from the nation begins to assist and recognize those who have served, and who often bear the wounds of battle. All agencies of government that can help our veterans must help our veterans with service that is complete and compassionate. As president, John Kerry will fight for quality access to healthcare for all military retirees, provide for full concurrent receipt; and mandatory funding of veterans healthcare.

"In an unprecedented display of support from the military establishment, twelve retired generals and admirals endorsed John Kerry for president of the United States on Wednesday. These distinguished flag officers join the ranks of tens of thousands of veterans -- including over 500 veteran delegates in Boston -- who want a stronger, more secure America and their fellow veteran John Kerry to be the next Commander-in-Chief."

Lieutenant General Edward D. Baca (United States Army, Retired)
Lieutenant General Daniel W. Christman (United States Army, Retired)
General Wesley K. Clark (United States Army, Retired)
Admiral William J. Crowe (United States Navy, Retired)
Vice Admiral Lee F. Gunn (United States Navy, Retired)
General Joseph Hoar (United States Marine Corps, Retired)
Lieutenant General Claudia J. Kennedy (United States Army, Retired)
Lieutenant General Donald Kerrick (United States Army, Retired)
General Merrill "Tony" A. McPeak (United States Air Force, Retired)
General John M. Shalikashvili (United States Army, Retired)
Admiral Stansfield Turner (United States Navy, Retired)
General Johnnie E. Wilson (United States Army, Retired)

 

[DIZNYFAN]

If I were from the US I would be voting for Kerry.

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

My best friend's son and daughter are in the military. She always told me when voting you always go with a republican. The welfare of her children depended on it. She even felt with the Iraq war,her kids were making a difference,and would support any decision that Bush made. Her kids joined the military always knowing that their lives could be in harms way. She accepts their choice and always believes we stand by our country in good and bad times and support the missions of our troops. Both her children were deployed to Iraq and were stationed in Bagdad. I hear one of the more dangerous areas. I will always support my friend for her continues belief in the peace that can happen one day in Iraq. For if not for that,it will all be in vain. Her children are now in the U.S.She died of breast cancer before they made it back. Funny thing is I can still hear her saying you better vote for Bush. Thanks and God bless our military men ,women,and families!!!

 

[JVL1018]

I don't have any one in my family in the military, but I have one friend whose husband is in the Marines, due to come back from his second stint in Iraq the day after tomorrow, one friend whose husband is a Major in the AF, is in Qatar right now waiting for his flight to Iraq, one friend whose husband is a Lt. Colonel in the AF in Iraq right now, one friend whose husband is a Captain in the Marines in Iraq right now, and 1 friend whose husband is in the Nat'l Guard, just called up to go to Iraq next wekk..every last one of them support Bush all the way.

 

[Pin Wizard]

 

[accomp]

My sister has two sons in the Air Force and she fully supports President Bush.

 

[ToriLammy]

Originally posted by Island_Lauri
OMG - what would it mean for the military if Kerry was in the White House?

Military Family Bill Of Rights
John Kerry and John Edwards believe that military families must be treated with the respect they deserve. As president, John Kerry will propose a Military Family Bill of Rights that will provide our military families with competitive pay, good housing, decent health care, quality education for their children, first rate training, and the best possible weaponry, armor, and state-of-the-art equipment. And in the event the worst happens, John Kerry's plan will ensure that military families will have help and care they deserve.

Wow, 20 years in Congress and now he comes up with a Military Bill of Rights. What has he done in the last 20 years to fix all the problems in the military - why should we believe now that he feels differently than he has for the last 20 years? He has been in congress the whole time the Military has been going through drawdowns and cut backs - how is he now suddenly going to find the money to reestablish a lot of the progams he voted or allowed to be cut?

 

[mrsltg]

I think it comes down to whether or not you are affiliated with the military. If the military is part of your life, you usually vote Republican, if the military is a perimeter issue you usually vote democratic.

As the daughter, sister, grand-daughter, and daughter-in-law of military men, I'll be voting for President Bush.

Erin

 

[pammypooh]

As the daughter of a USMC Vietnam Vet and best friend of the wife of a Navy Chief, I will be voting for President Bush.

Pam

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

We don't have children in the military but parents !

DFIL is career Navy, a retired submarine commander. DMIL is still active Navy. They are VERY strong Bush supporters. DFIL has been active in working for the Republican Party and recently got to meet President Bush. Here's a bit of an email he wrote to us after his encounter with the President . . . " you feel the force of his commitment to protect the United States. It
was very reassuring to know that he is not going to stop until the
terrorists are defeated."

Thing is DH and I are like Arnold and Maria, he's a Republican, I'm a Democrat, from a family of Democrats. I don't let other people sway me. My vote will be for the man I think will make my family, our nation, and the world - the most secure. I'm seriously leaning toward Bush - I'm interested in seeing the two candidates debate. JMHO, not going to enter into a debate!

 

[MAC3]

Slightly OT here

My step dad is a honorably discharged Vietnam Vet, he's voting for Bush, as is my Mom.

I'm still on the fence but leaning more towards President Bush.

 

[orvilleair]

My FIL is a Vietnam Vet and career Air Force (Retired now). The Swift Boat ads have really energized him into voting for Bush. He is personally insulted by the testimony Kerry gave in the early 70s (attrocities etc....). He also feels Bush's National Guard duty was honorable.

 

[missyc]

Originally posted by CLynnJones
Kerry is the vote for my entire military family. We are appalled at the job Bush has done these past 4 years. The lies, the bullying-non-diplomatic stance/air he has about him. Not to mention I want a president that I feel has a bit of intelligence. We are all scared of what the future holds if Bush would get 4 more years.
Time for a change!!

Not to mention I want a president that I feel has a bit of intelligence.

And you're saying that this would be KERRY??

 

[Jynohn]

DH is at Ft. Drum right now waiting for deployment next month. According to him, all 56 of the guys in his unit say they will be voting for Bush this November. My husband is proud to be serving with George W. Bush as his commander-in-chief.

For the record, I will be voting for Bush again this year too. Wish I could say the same for my in-laws!