More Body Armor? Nah, we don't need it. VA Benefits? Cut 'em

[Sheik Yerbouti]

How in the hell does someone, who is supposedly intelligent, up to date with the current situation with the military suggest this??

The chairman of the House Armed Services committee is reviving a controversial proposal to allow members of the military to hunt deer and elk on a national park island off California. Opponents fear the plan could limit public access to Channel Islands National Park and threaten native species.

Ok, instead of focusing on supplying the troops better, or talking about the cuts to VA benefits, let's focus on hunting, better yet, hunting in a national park, where, they don't actually allow hunting

the National Park Service, which purchased Santa Rosa Island for $30 million from a local ranch family in 1986, says hunting restricts public access and makes it harder to promote native species like the endangered island fox.

Feelin' blue about having your limb blown off in a war that was perpetuated by lies and deception? I know what would make ya smile bucko.. how's about bringin' down a big old elk?:disgust:

Elks and Deer!

 

[dainthomas]

I know if I had PTSD from watching my friends get their faces blown off, the healthiest thing I could do would be to grab a gun and start shooting sh!t. It would sure be a lot more fun than sitting in a smelly VA hospital for hours waiting for some doctor. Win-win.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Originally posted by: dainthomas
I know if I had PTSD from watching my friends get their faces blown off, the healthiest thing I could do would be to grab a gun and start shooting sh!t. It would sure be a lot more fun than sitting in a smelly VA hospital for hours waiting for some doctor. Win-win.

I guess you just kinda missed the point that this is a huge waste of money and would have a bad ecological impact.
The money needs to go where it would do the best good, to the frontlines. This neo-con mentality is baffling, saddening, and definitely sickening.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Duncan Hunter is a tool. Congress is filled with them.

 

[Harvey]

If we authorize Dick Cheney to lead the hunting parties, we could cut the cost continuing care for those vets, too. It's a simple matter of attrition. :roll:

 

[Fern]

Hunter's proposal would allow the hunting of nonnative elk and deer on Santa Rosa Island, 40 miles off Santa Barbara, to continue indefinitely even though a court-ordered settlement calls for it to end in 2011.

See above bolded section. This sounds like the hunting is currently underway, and scheduled to be stopped in 2011.

Other parts of the article seem to say that such hunting is not currently allowed.

Is this just a poorly (and confusingly) written article? Does anyone know what is actually going on?

Fern

 

[Zebo]

So wait it's a national park and only federal employees get to enjoy it? I say aution it off or reenact the homestead act and give it back to americans who actual pay for it.

 

[BoomerD]

Since I don't see anything that specifiies "disabled vets", I'm inclined to think the only "service members" who would actually be able to take advantage of this, would be the elite, the high ranking officers and such...I doubt you'd get to see any front-line grunts get to utilize this...

 

[trenchfoot]

Since I don't see anything that specifiies "disabled vets", I'm inclined to think the only "service members" who would actually be able to take advantage of this, would be the elite, the high ranking officers and such...I doubt you'd get to see any front-line grunts get to utilize this...

yep, gotta agree with ya, the remoteness, the ability to easily secure a "reserved compound", the climate, the availability of nearby support infrastructure, it all smells like the start of another exclusive country club where the heavy hitters of the military industrial complex and special guests get to stretch their legs and gleefully "hunt" for the many different ways to dig ever deeper into my wallet.

it's not a stretch to think that the only enlisted sloggers from the bottom of the food chain you'll see there is the neglected medically and honorably discharged vets sneaking in at night, poaching to keep their families fed.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Since I don't see anything that specifiies "disabled vets", I'm inclined to think the only "service members" who would actually be able to take advantage of this, would be the elite, the high ranking officers and such...I doubt you'd get to see any front-line grunts get to utilize this...

See bolded parts below:

Hunter's provision requires the secretaries of Interior and Defense to "permit disabled veterans, persons assisting disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces to hunt and participate in other recreational activities" on Santa Rosa Island. It also says that the number of deer and elk on the island should remain stable.

Still the last part of the sentance leaves "wiggle room" to get the high ranking officers in.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: dainthomas
I know if I had PTSD from watching my friends get their faces blown off, the healthiest thing I could do would be to grab a gun and start shooting sh!t. It would sure be a lot more fun than sitting in a smelly VA hospital for hours waiting for some doctor. Win-win.

Have you ever been to a VA hospital? The one here in St. Louis is about 40 years out of date (not the facilities - just the decor), but the only part of it that is 'smelly' is the animal research building. Unfortunately, that's where I get to work a good portion of the time. I can't speak for all VA facilities, but patients here can just about walk in and see a specialist in a matter of minutes.

 

[Looney]

Well, just because they're doing this, doesn't mean they're taking anything away from soldier's needs or VA benefits.

But WTF is the purpose of the military hunting deer?

 

[maluckey]

i for one do not hunt, but I know many that do. it is (to them) a spiritual and imensely fulfilling sport.

I can't say that it appeals to me personally in the least. Would I kill an animal? Sure! I would happlily shoot my own cow (in a pen of course) dress it and freeze it for later BBQ. I can dispense with the long silent hours in the woods waiting for something that may not happen.

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: Fern

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Since I don't see anything that specifiies "disabled vets", I'm inclined to think the only "service members" who would actually be able to take advantage of this, would be the elite, the high ranking officers and such...I doubt you'd get to see any front-line grunts get to utilize this...

See bolded parts below:

Hunter's provision requires the secretaries of Interior and Defense to "permit disabled veterans, persons assisting disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces to hunt and participate in other recreational activities" on Santa Rosa Island. It also says that the number of deer and elk on the island should remain stable.

Still the last part of the sentance leaves "wiggle room" to get the high ranking officers in.

Somehow I think this would just end up being a nice place for the upper crust of the military and the occasional disabled vet would get to hunt there.

We have a state park here where they have an exclusive in park elk hunt and for some reason all the big shots I know that have applied to hunt there have been lucky enough to draw a tag, but not me and I've been applying to hunt there for 20 years now.