I received this email (below) from a representative of Details Magazine.  I had never heard of this publication and I doubt seriously that I will ever be concerned with it again.

Good morning-

DETAILS magazine is releasing our DETAILS Power List- the 40 Most Influential Men in the World.  Who’s #1?  Obama’s Secret Service Agent claims the #1 spot on the DETAILS Power List, who, according to DETAILS, is “the only thing standing between the free world and a catastrophe.”  The issue hits stands December 2nd.

The Broken Soldier makes the list at #16.  Physical wounds are only the beginning, according to DETAILS. The number of Iraq veterans returning with psychological or physical problems—or both—will make the cost of war higher than ever imagined.  With psychological problems still widely unaddressed and under diagnosed, are our vets being cared for properly?  And the $700 billion it’s expected to cost to care for our returning vets?  Just remember that’s nothing compared to what it costs our service members. 

Also on the list, cover star Tom Cruise, Bailout Czar Neel Kashkari, the Palin Boys, the Bipolar Broker, John Mayer, Pakistani Taliban Commander Baitullah Mehsud and more.  

http://men.style.com/details/blogs/details/2008/11/the-power-40.html

Would you be interested in linking to our feature?  Sincerest thanks for your consideration and I’d love to get your feedback.  And if you are not the appropriate contact, please let me know so I can update our lists. 

Best,
Meredith
–
Meredith Goldblatt
Director of Public Relations
DETAILS

Go to the link and read the blurb on “The Broken Soldier”.

This is my reply:

Meredith,
 
Being the mother and mother-in-law of Soldiers, I cannot bring myself to link to your article.
 
For one thing, the title “Broken Soldier” is an insult to the outstanding men and women you are targeting here.  They are not “broken”.  They may have lost a part of their bodies but they are from from “broken”.
I visit our wounded warriors at Walter Reed quite often and have seen them have some hard days dealing with their new reality, but I’ll tell you their spirit is whole, if not stronger. 
 
Secondly, the fact that you quote the New York Times tells me that you are not necessarily interested in the truth.
The NYT is notorious among Military families for reporting what they want to report - not necessarily what is actually going on and mostly to make our Military look deranged, murderous and out of control or just plain mindless victims.
Nothing could be further from the truth.  Yes, some have problems but they are few and far between, just like in any other society.
 
Thirdly, that our Warriors are 16th on your list that includes the likes of Tom Cruise and other bits of fluff shows me that you have no idea what makes up our military service members in what they do and why they do it.
 
I will not be a part of the continuing, and often untrue, negativity that pervades our media (in all forms) toward our Military.
 
Sincerely,
 
Deb *******

I’m afraid this is just more BS from those who don’t really give a damn about our Military but just want to use them to sell magazines. 

(If you’d like Meredith’s email, let me know.)

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I was also sent an email from a representative of the AD Council in conjunction with IAVA about the Community Forum they are putting up on the internet:

Hi Deb-

I know that you are a great supporter of military causes (like the wonderful Operation Valour-IT), so I’m proud to tell you about a new PSA campaign that the IAVA, in partnership with the Ad Council, launched recently for the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The campaign aims to encourage veterans to join an online community (the first and only of its kind) that’s exclusive to veterans of these wars. Like with military blogs, the social networking site connects these veterans with one another and provides a place to talk about an experience that is so unique.

As you know, readjustment challenges of combat stress compound the many other challenges servicemen and women face when they return to civilian life. Many times, the only other person who understands that experience and can help with readjustment and, if necessary, recommend mental health services, is another veteran.

Veterans can go to www.CommunityofVeterans.org to join.

You can check out (embeddable) video of the TV advertisements here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcvmoGjGNc

If you have a moment, I’d very much like to hear what you think or if there’s any more information about this campaign that you’d like to share with your readers.

This was my reply:

Hi Matt,
I have to say that is a well done ad.  Right on the mark!  I know how important it is
for Vets to talk to Vets; their having “seen the elephant” themselves.  Something that a
“civilian” can never understand in totality.  We do need much more of this outreach, especially on the internet.  I know getting in touch with other Military Moms really helped me keep sane as my daughter started her Army adventure!  Whooo!

I don’t always agree with IAVA’s positions, and I’m a little concerned about the
“victimization” going on regarding our Vets.  I have a strong aversion to the politicizing of our troops by anyone!  (I have, in person, confronted many Congress members about this.)  My only concern is what’s best for our guys and gals.  I don’t care about anyone’s agenda and will confront them if I see that coming before my Vets.  I have seen this at the local VA Hospital where I am my Rolling Thunder chapter’s Liaison and I went straight to the Director about it.

If your campaign keeps to the basic concept of a safe neutral place for connecting to other Vets, I’ll be happy to post about this on my blog and direct the Vets I work with to go there.  You will find me to be a strong ally, as I’m fiercely protective of my Family and try to keep up on the resources that will give them support.

Thanks for contacting me!  Appreciate it!

Deb aka yankeemom

He very graciously offered to find an IAVA member to talk to me.  I haven’t heard from one yet.

(I have to say that I’m not the biggest fan of the AD Council either - IMO, they have gone from being a fine public resource to a “Nanny of the Stupid”.  I find most of their ads these days to be rather insulting in their manipulative use of guilt and their condescending attitude.)

If any of you know more about this forum or have had experience with it, please let me know.  If it’s a good safe place for our Vets, I’m all for it.  I just will not participate in anything that will use our troops to further anyone’s politcal agenda.

Let me know what you think!

**************************************************

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 29th, 2008 at 11:20 am and is filed under Supporting the troops, Veterans, media bias, wounded warriors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.