Veterans
Birmingham VA Offers Vaccines To Eligible Veterans of All Ages
The agency announced the change on Wednesday.
Legal Services Alabama Serves Thousands In State. Program, a Partisan Battleground, on President Trump’s Budget-Cut List
Army veteran Ronald Whitson gives credit to Legal Services Alabama for keeping his family home in Birmingham. However, the program that Whitson praises has been controversial, the frequent target of partisan political battles since its start in the mid-1970s, with roots in the nation’s War on Poverty. Now the Alabama program’s federal parent, Legal Services Corporation, once again faces defunding, this time in President Donald Trump’s 2019 budget proposal.
New Report finds Black Veterans Targeted for Lynching in the South
The Montgomery-based Equal Justice Initiative is building a memorial to lynching victims. The group estimates more than 4,000 African-Americans were lynched in the South between 1877-1950. Among those targeted were black veterans. These men returned from war abroad having experienced something unfamiliar to them, being treated with dignity and respect; something they didn't receive at home in the U.S. Many black veterans challenged the racial hierarchy of the South and were seen as threats to white supremacy.
A Conversation with “Mr. Fred,” 86-Year-Old Learning to Read
Fred Oliver of Birmingham is 86 and a world traveler. He served in the Korean War, spent time in Japan, and has held more jobs than he can count. He loves to visit far-off places, but as we reported yesterday, his latest odyssey is close to home, at the Literacy Council of Central Alabama: he’s learning to read and write.
Noah Galloway: Living with No Excuses
Noah Galloway discusses the story behind his new book, Living with No Excuses: The Remarkable Rebirth of an America Soldier, with our Greg Bass.
Questions Surround Tuscaloosa Police Video
Police in Tuscaloosa are under scrutiny after video of them using a stun gun and baton in an incident involving University of Alabama students went viral. It happened early Sunday. It shows police arguing with students in an apartment. When the occupants refuse to leave, police storm in and drag out two men and woman. A police officer can be seen using the stun gun on one man. Another officer hits the man repeatedly with the baton. We talk about the situation and police response with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Exhibit Showcasing Art By Veterans Opens Friday
Returning soldiers often suffer from the lingering psychological trauma of war. Studies show one way to help veterans cope is through making art. This Friday, the visual arts organization Space One Eleven debuts Reflections of Generosity, a veteran-focused art exhibition that expresses the complicated feelings of life after war.
Birmingham Officials Move To Relocate Confederate Monument
A Confederate monument that’s stood in Birmingham’s Linn Park for 110 years may be coming down. The Birmingham Park and Recreation Board voted unanimously today to have city attorneys see if there’s any impediment to moving the monument.
New Website Informs Ft. McClellan Veterans of Possible Toxic Exposure
For decades Anniston’s now closed Ft. McClellan was home to the Army Chemical School and housed substances including sarin gas and nerve agent. The company Monsanto also released toxic chemicals into the environment around the area. Some veterans say exposure to these substances while at Ft. McClellan caused them an array of health problems and have called for compensation from the federal government. Those activists can now claim a small victory.
“Coming Back With Wes Moore” Explores the Struggles of Returning Combat Veterans
The transition from soldier to civilian can be difficult and lonely. Friends and family members often just don't know how to help returning soldiers. But Army veteran and author Wes Moore wants to change that. He's the executive producer and host of "Coming Back With Wes Moore," a new documentary series on PBS. The show follows combat veterans on their journeys back into society. Moore hopes the program will encourage broader awareness of the issues veterans face. Moore spoke with WBHM's Rachel Osier Lindley about the three-part series, his experience returning from combat and the tragic event that inspired the series.
Vets say Ft. McClellan Made them Sick
Life in the military can mean being in harm's way, but not necessarily from bullets and explosions. For instance, some soldiers in Vietnam cleared trees and vegetation with the herbicide Agent Orange. The substance has been linked to cancers and other diseases, which the military didn't acknowledge until years later. A similar situation may be brewing in Alabama. Some veterans of Ft. McClellan near Anniston say they're suffering from debilitating health problems and they're blaming their time spent at the base.
A Vietnam Rescue and Reunion
Monday is Veterans Day and we mark the occasion with a special conversation between two Veterans. It involves a nighttime firefight, a rescue by helicopter and an unlikely reunion 44 years later.
