I've mentioned before on this very blog that Veterans For America will not take sides in the Presidential Race. But right now, in Pennsylvania, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain are asking voters to do just that. I hope as everyone in that great state goes about making their decision, they take a moment to look at what Veterans For America has just learned through our research there: like so many other states, the continued multiple deployments of National Guard members to Iraq and Afghanistan has had a devastating effect on the Guard members, their families and their communities - it is a situation that must be addressed and addressed now.

VFA has been on the ground in the Keystone State for most of this month, and has found that the citizen Soldiers of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard have borne a disproportionate share of the burden of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Between now and November 4th, it is essential that every presidential and congressional candidate and their surrogates campaigning in Pennsylvania address how they will relieve the great strain place on the Pennsylvania National Guard.

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Veterans For America has long been focused on issues surrounding our National Guard soldiers and assessing the problems that they face when returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Through VFA's nonpartisan National Guard efforts, the group has conducted reports and examined National Guard units on a state-by-state basis to determine their needs and analyze the issues they face.

On Wednesday, VFA released its most recent report that takes a look at the Alaska Army National Guard. The report has garnered plenty of media attention and The Minnesota Independent provided its own look at the report:

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National Guard units struggle nationwide, but the post-deployment challenges facing the Alaska National Guard are more daunting and widespread than any other I've seen as a Director of Veterans for America's National Guard Program.

As we have done in more than 12 other states, members of Veterans for America's National Guard Program recently completed an assessment of the needs of the Alaska National Guard, culminating with a week-long trip to Alaska, visiting a cross-section of the state to assess the needs of the Alaska National Guard.  Despite the dedicated and relentless work many in Alaska, VFA's findings indicate that the post-deployment needs of Alaska National Guard members and their families remain largely unmet.

The greatest challenge facing Alaska National Guard members is access to care. Guard members living in urban centers like Anchorage and Juneau have limited access to Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare and Tricare (i.e., Department of Defense-sponsored military health care). When Guard members are deployed, their families are forced to switch to a very limited Tricare network, and often lose their health care.

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Much has been made in the past of President Bush's past 'service' in the National Guard and specifically the fact that when he joined the National Guard, he pointedly checked the box:

Do Not Volunteer For Overseas.

As his term in office is coming to end, it is becoming increasingly clear that another tragic legacy of his time in office will be the demoralization and destruction of our National Guard. Never before in our country's history or in its own 370 year history has the National Guard been a front line force in a foreign war.

Consider these facts:

- Over 267,000 men and women of the National Guard have been deployed since September 11, 2001.

- 35 states have deployed more troops to Iraq and Afghanistan than to any war since World War II

- From now to the end of Bush's term in office, almost half of the troops deploying will be from the National Guard and of those, nearly half will be from units on their second tour.

Of all the statistics and stories I have read on this issue, many from the work I do with Veterans For America, one sticks out.

This fall, half of New Jersey's National Guard will be in Iraq, half.

What happens if there is another attack this fall at the end of the election cycle and half of New Jersey's National Guard is gone?

What happens if a hurricane strikes the Jersey Shore?

What happens if the National Guard is needed and they simply aren't there?

Other issues with Iraq get more attention, but the silent destruction of our National Guard and the impact of this administration's policies on the future of the guard are often over-looked. As this administration breaks with long-standing Guard policy, like the fact that the Guard used to give five times as much time at home as deployed, morale and enrollment in the Guard will surely decline.

It could get worse. John McCain's plan for Iraq means continued deployment of our National Guard overseas. The fact that rates of PTSD are higher among National Guard members or the fact that so many National Guard families have to rely on food stamps to survive, none of that matters to John McCain.

Thanks to a man who wouldn't go overseas when he was a member of the National Guard, we now have torn apart our nation's oldest military force and will be paying for it for years to come.

Here is the document George Bush checked and signed when he joined the National Guard.

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A few weeks ago, I wrote about our launch of the Purple Dog Tag and how the money raised will go to help returning wounded veterans get the care and help they so very much deserve. In fact, the first two beneficiaries are two great groups I encourage you to learn more about, Veterans For America and Fisher House.

Since we launched, we have seen more and more articles and stories about the crisis that is here, tens of thousands, in some estimates hundreds of thousands of returning veterans are in need of care and help and sometimes the need seems overwhelming and we all ask ourselves, what can I do? That's why we created Purple Dog Tag, anyone can buy one for just $5 or $10 and when you wear it, you're telling our wounded warriors - you are not alone and we, as a people and a country, are standing with you and will do so in the future.

We have been very grateful for all the help and support we have received, so many people have pitched in and while we appreciate all of the help, we wanted to especially thank our friends at The Gloucester Street Cigar Company on Gloucester Street near Newbury Street in Back Bay. They took 150 of the dog tags and they sold every one. While in the future we will be using some of the proceeds to cover our hard costs, we thought that this first check should reflect the spirit of help and generosity our friends at The Gloucester Street Cigar Company showed so here is the check I just sent down to Bobby Muller and everyone at Veterans For America. It's not much considering the need but it's a start. If you would like to help, please visit our site - we would love and need your assistance.

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