VETERANS
Bill Keating’s commitment to our veterans started at an early age, helping his father–a local veteran service officer–assisting vets get their VA services. More than six years ago, Bill Keating was one of the first law enforcement officials in the country to recognize that some returning combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan will experience readjustment issues–such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Bill Keating understood that PTSD often goes untreated until the symptoms–self medication, depression and aggressive behavior–manifest themselves into public safety issues. Reflecting on the tragedies of some Vietnam veterans who faced the revolving door of the criminal justice system without addressing the underlying issue of PTSD, in 2004 Bill Keating took action. He marshaled community first responders–police, fire, EMTs, Probation and local leaders–training them on the unique needs of combat veterans and educating them on the local PTSD counseling resources available to combat veterans. The goal was to create a community safety-net for veterans in need, and honor their service to our country.
This unique effort inspired scores of law enforcement agencies and other organizations around the country to adopt similar programs. Recently the Boston Bar Association recognized these efforts by awarding a Public Service Award to the District Attorney’s Office. He was also recently given “The Patriot Award” from a Department of Defense volunteer organization, “for contributing to National Security and Protecting Liberty and Freedom.”
This video is an example of the work Bill has done with Veterans:
And for the record Bill’s position on Afghanistan is that no President should get a blank check for any war. That when a President asks for funding that it is
Congress’s responsibility to ask if as a country we are fighting Terror or Nation Building. And this should not be news to Perry-as Bill sat inches away from Perry and explained this to him at the OTR debate:
Perry has spent his whole political career banking on the fact that voters will not call him out about his lies. We cannot allow this the Republican Party and their candidates to continue to get away with these types of lies. As democrats we must fight with everything we have to make sure State Rep Perry does not become the 10th districts next Congressman.
…Perry made that same charge and Keating calmly pointed out that his grand mother was a Gold Star Mother. Bill Keating lost his uncle in WWII, so it is no surprise he has an accomplished record of helping veterans–BEFORE he even has a chance to go to Congress.
<
p>What the hell has Jeff Perry done to help veterans? I’m sure he’s made a couple of votes, but I’d like one of the Perry lurkers to tell us what Jeff has done.