Tag: veterans

Veterans Groups Urge Congress To Expand Psychedelics And Marijuana Access To Mitigate Suicide Crisis

Multiple veterans groups advised congressional lawmakers about the need to continue exploring psychedelics and marijuana as alternative treatment options for the military veteran population at recent hearings on Capitol Hill. And one veterans advocate cited his experience attending President Donald Trump’s Oval Office signing event for a cannabis rescheduling order as an example of progress in the fight for such alternatives.

At a series of joint hearings before the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees last month and this week, representatives of veterans service organizations (VSOs) testified about the need to promote innovative approaches in mental health treatment, in part to help mitigate the suicide crisis that’s disproportionately impacted those who’ve served.

Dan Wiley, national commander of the American Legion, said on Wednesday that the organization’s “number one priority” is “ending veteran suicide,” which involves finding alternatives to conventional therapies because “pills and therapy have objectively not worked.”

“We need stronger transition programs, innovative therapies and improved safeguards to medication management,” he said, while going out of his way to add that, after a decade with the American Legion, “I was proud to be in the Oval Office as the president signed an executive order that reclassified cannabis as a Schedule III drug.”

“This allows for federal research on how it can reduce drivers of suicide,” he said. “Now the American Legion does not support use of illegal drugs, but we strongly support research that could result in new, effective treatments.”

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Appallingly shoddy Vietnam War memorial to be torn down after $1million was spent on building it

A $1million memorial dedicated to Vietnam War veterans is set to be torn down just a year after a fraud scandal plagued the community behind the project.

California officials announced the memorial in 2023 as a way to honor Vietnamese soldiers allied with the US during the war. 

The construction began in the upscale Orange County neighborhood, which is also home to the largest Vietnamese population in the US. 

Former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do spearheaded the project, allocating $1 million in taxpayer funds to the Viet America Society nonprofit. 

It was later revealed that Do was funneling money through the organization for his personal gain, and the disgraced politician was sentenced to five years in prison on conspiracy charges as a result.

Do’s fall from grace left the Vietnam War memorial in shambles, with new leadership appalled by the shoddy construction. 

A county report obtained by the Los Angeles Times found that repairing the unfinished monument would cost between $168,000 and $420,000, with an additional $40,000 to finish engraving the names of fallen soldiers. 

Since demolition would only cost a fraction of that estimate, county officials opted to start the project from scratch. 

Crews arrived at Mile Square Regional Park this week to tear down what remained of Do’s tarnished legacy. 

His successor and former political rival, Janet Nguyen, called the monument a ‘disgrace’ in a statement to the Daily Mail. 

‘The county decided to tear down the wall because we can do better. This memorial is a disgrace to veterans and not the respect they deserve. We have been looking for alternative options, including a space at the new veteran’s cemetery,’ she added. 

Nguyen told California news outlet, KTLA, in November that it was ‘heartbreaking’ to see how veterans were honored.  

The new county supervisor added that the monument was not even accessible to those with disabilities. 

Veterans from Vietnam are now elderly, but the monument was designed in a part of the park without a wheelchair-accessible path. 

‘What was the point?’ Nguyen questioned at a press conference in November. 

‘They … put up these cheap materials that are getting worn down already within not even a year, just so they could launder the rest of the money themselves.’ 

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Vietnam War veterans sue to block Trump’s proposed ‘Triumphal Arch’ monument in DC

A group of Vietnam War veterans has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block President Donald Trump’s proposed “Independence Arch,” a massive monument planned for Memorial Circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, argues the 250-foot structure would obstruct the historic line of sight between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery.

The plaintiffs say that the view was intentionally designed to symbolize national unity following the Civil War and has remained unobstructed for nearly a century.

According to the complaint, the proposed arch would be “as tall as 250 feet,” more than double the height of the Lincoln Memorial, and would be positioned directly on the ceremonial axis connecting the two memorials.

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A dream-like psychedelic might help traumatized veterans reset their brains

A new study suggests that the intensity of spiritual or “mystical” moments felt during psychedelic treatment may predict how well veterans recover from trauma symptoms. Researchers found that soldiers who reported profound feelings of unity and sacredness while taking ibogaine experienced lasting relief from post-traumatic stress disorder. These findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

For decades, medical professionals have sought better ways to assist military personnel returning from combat. Many veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, as well as traumatic brain injuries caused by repeated exposure to blasts. These conditions often occur together and can be resistant to standard pharmaceutical treatments. The lack of effective options has led some researchers to investigate alternative therapies derived from natural sources.

One such substance is ibogaine. This psychoactive compound comes from the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub, which is native to Central Africa. Cultures in that region have used the plant for centuries in healing and spiritual ceremonies. In recent years, it has gained attention in the West for its potential to treat addiction and psychiatric distress. Unlike some other psychedelics, ibogaine often induces a dream-like state where users review their memories.

Despite anecdotal reports of success, the scientific community still has a limited understanding of how ibogaine works in the human brain. Most prior research focused on classic psychedelics like psilocybin or MDMA. The specific psychological mechanisms that might allow ibogaine to alleviate trauma symptoms remain largely unexplored.

Randi E. Brown, a researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, led a team to investigate this question. They worked in collaboration with the late Nolan R. Williams and other specialists in psychiatry and behavioral sciences. The team sought to determine if the subjective quality of the drug experience mattered for recovery. They hypothesized that a “mystical experience” might be a key driver of therapeutic change.

The concept of a mystical experience in psychology is specific and measurable. It refers to a sensation of unity with the universe, a transcendence of time and space, and deeply felt peace or joy. It also includes a quality known as ineffability, meaning the experience is too profound to be described in words. The researchers wanted to know if veterans who felt these sensations more strongly would see better clinical results.

The study analyzed data from thirty male Special Operations Veterans. All participants had a history of traumatic brain injury and combat exposure. Because ibogaine is not approved for medical use in the United States, the veterans traveled to a clinic in Mexico for the treatment. This setup allowed the researchers to observe the effects of the drug in a clinical setting outside the U.S.

The treatment protocol involved a single administration of the drug. The medical staff combined ibogaine with magnesium sulfate. This addition is intended to protect the heart, as ibogaine can sometimes disrupt cardiac rhythms. The veterans received the medication orally after a period of fasting. They spent the session lying down with eyeshades, generally experiencing the effects internally rather than interacting with others.

To measure the psychological impact of the session, the researchers administered the Mystical Experiences Questionnaire. This survey asks participants to rate the intensity of various feelings, such as awe or a sense of sacredness. The researchers collected these scores immediately after the treatment concluded.

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Two veterans shaped the UFO phenomenon from a joke into real federal policy

For more than three quarters of a century, reports of strange objects in the sky have unsettled pilots, challenged scientists, and tested the credibility of governments.

What began in the late 1940s as scattered sightings of so-called flying saucers has evolved into a modern national security issue discussed openly in Congress under the term Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, or UAP. Two men, separated by generations but united by military service and a refusal to accept official dismissals, played defining roles in that transformation. Maj. Donald E. Keyhoe and Luis Elizondo each forced the United States to confront uncomfortable questions about what is operating in its airspace and how much the government should tell the public.

Their work reflects not only changing technologies but also changing attitudes toward secrecy, transparency, and the responsibilities of democratic institutions. Together, they form a continuous historical thread linking the earliest UFO debates of the Cold War to today’s formal federal reporting systems.

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The Balance Between Incentivizing Death and Saving the Lives of Veterans, as Hundreds of Millions Are Paid Out to Families for Their Loss

When veterans take their own lives, their families may receive financial support if the veteran was covered by Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI).

The real question isn’t whether families should receive these payments, but rather if more could be done to prevent such tragic losses without encouraging financial motives.

It’s a delicate balance to strike, and it’s an issue that deserves careful, thoughtful consideration.

A recent article from The Gateway Pundit highlighted a question posed by the Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) program, which has raised concerns for Sonny Fleeman, a combat veteran and federal whistleblower. That is, “Is there a suicide exclusion?”

The response is, “No—claims related to suicide are not excluded.” For this reason, Fleeman contended that this might incentivize veterans to take their own lives in order to secure financial benefits for their families.

The combat veteran is not suggesting that the families of service members should be denied this financial benefit. What he previously expressed is that “the current design quietly weaponizes despair in a population already on the edge.”

His primary desire is for veterans to prioritize seeking help for their conditions rather than focusing on financial rewards for their families.

On October 28, 2025, Fleeman submitted a Freedom of Information Act request concerning VGLI death claims, suicides, and payout data. Once considered “not public interest,” the results are now in.

“Based on VA’s own totals from 1999 to 2023, 2,602 suicide-classified death claims out of 66,593 total claims—about 4%, or roughly one out of every 25—show that suicide is a meaningful and recurring share of VGLI payouts,” Fleeman told The Gateway Pundit.

“From 2004 to 2023,” he said, “those suicide-related claims accounted for more than $370 million, averaging tens of millions of dollars each year.”

The federal whistleblower emphasized that the dataset alone cannot determine whether VGLI’s experience is typical or uniquely elevated compared to private sector group life insurance.

“That requires apples-to-apples actuarial benchmarks—age and risk adjustments and comparable cause-of-death definitions—that aren’t publicly available to my knowledge,” he explained.

“Given that VGLI serves a known high-risk population and has no suicide exclusion,” Fleeman argued, “it’s reasonable to suspect the suicide share may be elevated, but confirming that is beyond me and requires independent benchmarking against private sector.”

Ultimately, he stated, it is “essential to find a solution” that prevents veterans from feeling as though the message conveyed by the policy is: “The only way to support your family is through your death.”

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Lawsuit Filed After Minnesota Officials Allegedly Weaponized Zoning Laws Against Free Camping Program for Disabled Veterans

A bombshell federal civil rights lawsuit filed in Minnesota accuses St. Louis County officials of waging a years-long, politically motivated campaign to shut down a nonprofit that provides free primitive camping and outdoor therapy to disabled veterans.

The 121-page complaint, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges systemic corruption, disability discrimination, abuse of power, and constitutional violations by county commissioners, planning officials, attorneys, and township leaders who, according to the lawsuit, colluded to block a veteran-focused nonprofit because they simply did not want those veterans on the land.

At the center of the case is Rough-N-It Inc., a nonprofit founded to provide free, non-commercial camping for disabled veterans, many of whom cannot afford resort fees and rely on outdoor therapy as part of their recovery.

According to the lawsuit, county staff repeatedly claimed the project offered “no public benefit,” even after being explicitly informed multiple times that the sole purpose of the land use was to serve disabled veterans.

The complaint alleges officials never conducted the legally required Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) analysis, instead relying on stereotypes and hostility toward veterans with disabilities.

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VA’s Veterans’ Group Life Insurance Pays Out on Suicide, Incentivizing Death Then Calling the Data ‘Not Public Interest’

A troubling discovery has surfaced for veterans, one that says their life insurance can read like a financial plan for their own death. As for the VA’s reaction, one veteran claims it has been nothing but “silence and stonewalling.”

The Gateway Pundit spoke to Fleeman, who explained that he is referring to Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI), the program the government sells as financial security for former service members. He spoke solely in his personal capacity, emphasizing that his views are his own and do not represent the views or official positions of the U.S. Government, the United States military, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any other organization with which he is or has been affiliated.

Using the VA’s comparison worksheet for VGLI, Fleeman pointed out his specific concern. VGLI asks, “Is there a suicide exclusion?”  And according to what the insurance program offers, “No – suicide claims are not excluded.”

“Most Americans think suicide voids life insurance,” Fleeman noted. “But if you’re a veteran under VGLI, VA is telling you the opposite.” In fact, if a veteran dies by suicide while covered, the policy still pays. “Now imagine reading that when you’re behind on the mortgage and waking up every night in a cold sweat,” said Fleeman.

“This might look compassionate in a low-risk population, [but] veterans are not that population,” he pointed out. “These are people carrying blast injuries, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), moral injury, chronic pain, and shattered marriages.”

“VA publishes report after report acknowledging that veterans die by suicide at far higher rates than civilians. Everyone in the system knows this is one of the most vulnerable groups in the country.”

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Congress Abandons Effort To Let VA Doctors Recommend Medical Marijuana On Veterans Day

Advocates are sharply criticizing congressional leaders for advancing a spending bill ahead of Veterans Day on Tuesday that omits bipartisan provisions allowing U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors to recommend medical cannabis to patients in states where it’s legal—even though the policy was approved by the full Senate and House of Representatives earlier this year.

While there’s been significant focus on language in appropriations legislation that passed the Senate on Monday that would ban hemp products containing THC, another key setback for reform advocates is the lack of the medical marijuana provisions for veterans—different versions of which advanced through both chambers.

“The absence of this provision is incredibly disappointing, and makes no sense whatsoever,” Morgan Fox, political director of NORML, told Marijuana Moment. “It is uncontroversial, revenue-neutral, previously approved by both chambers, and long overdue in order to help veterans find relief.”

“The timing of the announcement—just days before a holiday to show our gratitude to service members—is quite insensitive,” he said, referring to the bill’s unveiling on Sunday, just two days before Veterans Day.

Here’s the text of the House-passed version: 

“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in this Act may be used to enforce Veterans Health Directive 1315 as it relates to—

(1) the policy stating that ‘VHA providers are prohibited from completing forms or registering Veterans for participation in a State-approved marijuana program’;

(2) the directive for the ‘Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management’ to ensure that ‘medical facility Directors are aware that it is VHA policy for providers to assess Veteran use of marijuana but providers are prohibited from recommending, making referrals to or completing paperwork for Veteran participation in State marijuana programs’; and

(3) the directive for the ‘VA Medical Facility Director’ to ensure that ‘VA facility staff are aware of the following’ ‘[t]he prohibition recommending, making referrals to or completing forms and registering Veterans for participation in State-approved marijuana programs’.”

The Senate-passed language reads:

“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in this Act may be used in a manner that would—

(1) interfere with the ability of a veteran to participate in a medicinal marijuana program approved by a State;

(2) deny any services from the Department to a veteran who is participating in such a program; or

(3) limit or interfere with the ability of a health care provider of the Department to make appropriate recommendations, fill out forms, or take steps to comply with such a program.”

The negotiated bill contains no language on the issue at all.

“Denying our veterans access to a medicine that so many use to ease physical pain, or the trauma of PTSD, is straight cruelty,” Adam Smith, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), told Marijuana Moment.

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Nothing says ‘Veterans Day’ than military families in a food line

According to reports at Military.com, which as a staple covers the daily lives and military families living on and off bases across the United States, thousands of military families are seeking food assistance due to the government shutdown, which is the longest in American history.

The shutdown reached a breakthrough on Monday night, as the Senate voted on a compromise bill to reopen the government. The measure must go now to the Republican controlled House and faces an uncertain future there.

In the meantime, it’s Veterans Day, which is typically marked by parades and school-based tributes throughout the country, but on military bases, apparently, it is passing amid consternation and stress, as servicemembers and their families face a month without pay.

The impact of the longest government shutdown in history, which as of Monday surpassed 40 days but potentially could reopen this week due to Senate Democrats reaching across the aisle, is hitting military families in every branch, state and pay grade.

Families that live paycheck to paycheck are asking for food, gas and diapers. National Guard and Reserve troops are struggling because canceled drills mean no pay. Nonprofits are shipping emergency groceries to keep cupboards from going empty. A previous Military.com report warned that troops may soon miss paychecks if the shutdown is not resolved.

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