War Widows Lobby for Better Benefits

[AnOhioan]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Marie Jordan Speer and Jessica Byrd each sent a husband to war. Each became a widow in her early 20s. Speer had a 1-year-old son. Byrd was pregnant with her son. Suddenly on their own, both women were again dependent on their families. The biggest difference between their plights is 60 years - Speer's husband died in World War II, Byrd's in Iraq.

Because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the graying membership of the Gold Star Wives, which Speer founded in 1945, is relevant all over again, advocating on behalf of an estimated 1,600 new widows and widowers.

"It was somebody to lean on, because my family could only take so much," said Byrd, 25, who got involved the Gold Star Wives through its Internet chat room after her husband, Marine Lance Cpl. John Byrd, died in 2004.

Most of the chatting, Byrd said, took place during "the famous widow hours" - the middle of the night, when she couldn't sleep. "I could go on it and cry without waking my family up, and I'd have other women crying with me and telling me they'd been through it and everything was going to be OK," she said.


Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LOBBYING_WAR_WIDOWS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

[williesgirl]

1. k&r

[Tellurian]

2. Sen Clinton has increased survivor benefits :

Sen Clinton passed legislation to increase the military survivor benefit from $12,000 to $100,000.

*Clinton successfully worked to address veterans' mental health needs. In part as a result of her efforts, the Veterans Administration will be directed to take into consideration the needs and concerns of Veterans as it proceeds with the CARES process.

scroll to bottom:

http://www.senate.gov/~clinton/news/statements/details.cfm?id=272149

sent the Gold Star Mothers her site for them to contact her-