J. P. Morgan

60% gets you a lot. The magic percentage for a lot of VA benefits is 50%. Your best source of information about VA benefits, disability ratings, etc is the VA itself. They keep making findings about Agent Orange all the time. By all means go to the screening and get on the rolls. Then, if you should later develop any of the AO connected diseases, you would be eligible for VA treatment.

Some years ago, I received 30% from the VA following 2x bypass surgery two years after my retirement date. They deemed it "service connected" retroactively. Seeing this thread, I re-applied but the response I got was that the previous 30% award would stand unless I could show that the disease has worsened. Since it hasn't, I just dropped the whole thing. But, a couple years ago I put in for that combat related pay, and they turned it down for the heart disease but did give me an award for the 10% VA Tinitus. Go figure. Said heart disease didn't fit into the combat related disability. Now I am thinking, with the VA declaring heart disease connected to Agent Orange, if I should re-apply to the AF for the CRSP. Almost ashamed to do it since I am healthy as a fat hog. Anybody have any inputs? By the way, for the past 12 years my sole medical provider has been the VA and they have been simply outstanding. Since I am here, anybody want to look at my blog go to http://flyoverfeedback.blogspot.com Pretty conservative.

Served at Lai Kai, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division as ALO for three months in 1967. Was issued, and carried a M-16 with 4 clips at Naha. Burned through hundreds of rounds at Lai Kai, the Army encouraged people to go to a makeshift shooting range. Also fired several rounds out of an O-1 at "suspected" VC. While in Blindbat, we all carried S & W 38 Model 15 Combat Masterpieces. I have been trying to find one in good condition for a long time. Really liked the heft and feel of that piece.

Linda Johnson, the wife of General H.T. Johnson, the former CG of MAC and an former member of the 41st TAS, passed away recently. Plans are under way for a service and burial at the Air Force Academy. JP

I'm gonna make an 8 by 12 inch sign out of paper, glue a string onto it so it will hang from my neck, and the next time I get patted down (I always refuse the body scanner just to piss em off) I am going to display that sign. In big black letters, I am going to write: CRIMINAL VETERAN or words to that effect. Anybody have any other ideas for my sign? I'll post them on my new blog, "Stop TSA" you can see the site at http://stoptsa.blogspot.com

I have started a new website blog designed to protest and take action against the un-Constitutional actions of the TSA, namely their violation of our 4th Amendment rights. I have made it an open forum in that I would like to invite up to 100 people to be authors and posters on this blog. If you are interested in adding your input to this website, please email me at [email protected] and I'll sign you up if you request. I see a ton of people all over the web who call themselves Patriots, but I don't see a whole hell of a lot of action in actually doing something to return this great country to where it belongs. What say you, are you content to be a Paper Patriot or are you mad as hell and not going to take it anymore? website at http://stoptsa.blogspot.com JP

It never ceases to amaze me how vile the left can be when you don't agree with them. Today is a very special day for me, on December 7th, 1963 I graduated from USAF pilot training at Williams AFB, AZ. Two of my classmates were Kenji Kawamoto and Art Kono. Is this a great country or what? My latest post "Elections Matter. We Won, You Lost." http://tinyurl.com/24au4ln

Jeez what a horror story. Is there no end to this insanity? JP

I feel every current and ex-military member's opinion concerning the current move to abolish Don't Ask, Don't Tell should be heard. From what I have seen in the MSM lately, ninety percent of the current military say its fine by them to revoke DADT. However, a retired Navy Chaplin took a closer look at the survey and came up with a different take on the survey. I have posted it on my blog, should you care to view. http://flyoverfeedback.blogspot.com By the way, jut to be clear, I believe DADT should remain in place. JP

OK, we have pretty well beat that horse to death. I now turn to South of the Border, Down Mexico Way. What is the true danger presented by the warring drug cartels? My take at http://flyoverfeedback.blogspot.com. Check it out and leave comments here or there. JP

Nope, not that guy. But on a serious note, more and more news is coming out that TSA has really backed off on the use of the full body scanners, and the pat downs have returned to a kinder, more gentler invasion of our privacy. Many blog sites are giving Matt Drudge the honor of causing the TSA to back off, but I personally feel it was the collective anger of the flying public saying, "Enough already!" My personal experience with the TSA gropers seems to support the fact that they have indeed, backed off.

O.K. So I am flying to Phoenix the other day, and I get to the scan area and sent to the full body booth. I decline. For what happened then, see my blog at http://flyoverfeedback.blogspot.com Crusty old fart meets TSA.

You hear a lot about Israeli security. I call it the gold standard. But look at some numbers. At Ben Gurion airport they screen about 9 million passengers a year. At Las Vegas alone, 46 million passengers. About 756 million a year in the U.S. So although they have a great system, I doubt we can replicate it, but we sure can learn. I have a new blog up TSA--Time For Some Facts. In it, more of the numbers I just quoted plus some other non PC facts. If you visit, please leave a comment, especially about my last paragraph. http://flyoverfeedback.blogspot.com Pretty good cartoon there too. JP

I think I'm going to insist that if I am to be groped, that a female TSA worker be assigned. Long as I am getting felt up, might as well enjoy it. I agree, that all flight crew members be exempt. Period. The next group to be exempt will be anyone over 70, which I conveniently am. JP http://flyoverfeedback.blogspot.com

Lots of news for the past week about this. I personally believe that the invasive pat downs are a violation of the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The time has come to quit pussy footing around and do some intelligent profiling, both positive and negative. Positive example? Pilots. What say you? I have a lot to say about this on my blog--I'd be honored if you would visit and subscribe to the posts. Cheers JP Blog website: http://flyoverfeedback.blogspot.com