Veterans For America (VFA) was originally founded by Vietnam War veteran Bobby Muller as the Vietnam Veterans of American Foundation (VVAF). VFA is described as the following:

"Veterans for America is an advocacy and humanitarian organization.  The primary mission of VFA is to ensure that our country meets the needs of servicemembers and veterans who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). VFA focuses specifically on the signature wounds these conflicts: psychological traumas and traumatic brain injuries. VFA concentrates much of its attention on the needs of those who are currently serving in the military since the majority of those who have seen combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are still in the military and under the care of the Department of Defense."

VFA has authored The American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide. But recently, it was a report VFA authored regarding Fort Drum which has garnered the most attention.

Last week, the VFA released its report on the mental health issues facing soldiers at Fort Drum. Following the report, Sen. Hillary Clinton issued a press release regarding the findings and Rep. Jack Murtha will be visiting Fort Drum today.

I reached out to VFA's Jason Forrester to discuss the report and what these findings mean, not only for Fort Drum, but the whole military. Forrester is the Director of Policy for VFA and is VFA's chief legislative liaison. Below the fold is the interview I conducted Thursday with Forrester.

(Cross posted at The Albany Project)

Earlier today, I wrote about the NRCC's auditing troubles involving former NRCC treasurer Christopher Ward. I speculated about the possible link between this scandal and Tom Reynolds. After all, Reynolds was the head of the NRCC from 2002 to 2006 and during that time Ward was the treasurer.

I've mentioned Ward's connection to the Swift Boat Vets organization, which smeared Sen. John Kerry during his 2004 presidential run. But there's more to Ward than just partisan hackery.

A portion of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's address to Congress:

Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

Today we remember those who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor 66 years ago.