A Band Against Brothers?

Army unit with questionable financial connections charged with attacking protesting vets.

(LOS ANGELES) - A week ago, uniformed troops from the 311th COSCOM, a reserve non combat logistical command in Los Angeles assaulted protesting disabled veterans.

This command, whose leaders may have financial ties to the local land seizure group, is claiming "official" US Army backing for Rep. Waxman's actions now being protested by veterans groups.

Henry Waxman, chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce committee heads the "land grab" movement. Chief of Staff for Major General Bruce Casella, is Colonel Steven D. Patrick, attorney representing California's power utilities. This land seizure partnership between an Army officer working for power utilities and Waxman, whose committee oversees the same utilities is a frightening coincidence. Add violence to the mix and coincidence becomes something much worse.

The idea of an Army unit that has joined with the controversial VP Conservancy group to steal veterans land is an abomination. That this units members, uniformed and on duty, would leave their post and assault disabled veterans to aid this same club of millionaire profiteers is worse. Even further, we are told the 311th COSCOM is aiding in the illegal surveillance activities "outed" weeks ago by letting unsanctioned DVA spy operatives use military facilities and equipment.

Investigative personnel working for the protesting veterans, including senior retired Army and FBI personnel cite need for an official inquiry into possible crimes involving elected officials, Army personnel and DVA actions.

When Sue Young, the executive director of Veterans Park Conservancy was asked by the "Brentwood News" in the November 2007 issue, how she was essentially able to acquire the 16 acres of Veterans land for a public park rent free, she responded:

"Because this arrangement was unprecedented, it required lengthy discussions and compromises with Veterans Administration in Los Angeles and Washington. The agreement also called for approvals at the highest levels, i.e., Secretary Nicholson, and the involvement of the Congressional delegation."

Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's office have traced the assaults to the 311th COSCOM Logistics Command, the only military unit in the United States to join with business groups to advocate the seizure of veterans land.

Major General Bruce Casella, commander and, himself, a full time defense contractor working for Agile Communications, an army logistics and electronics vendor, is not known to have ordered the assaults on the aging veterans or to have direct involvement. His command, when contacted by veterans groups about their activities supporting Waxman and his cabal, were dismissive and arrogant.

Thus, the assaults were not much of a surprise to veterans. The strong ties between members of the Command and Rep. Waxman are clear.

Other prominent politicos involved in the land grab are Governer Arnold Schwartzenegger whose children attend school at the exclusive private academy that was also awarded part of the veterans land. Senator Feinstein is actively involved as were VA Secretaries Nicholson, forced to resign in disgrace, who authorized the land giveaway without "due process" or appeal.

Veterans, after the Civil War, were awarded land for parks, housing and medical facilities by private groups across America. That land is now worth billions of dollars, with the Los Angeles Veterans Park now one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in the United States, valued in the billions of dollars.

Across the country, political insiders tied to developers and businesses looking to profit from misuse of veteran facilities, are being given hundreds of millions of dollars of land, not owned by the federal government, but held in trust for veterans, all without legal precident, due process or any clear authority.

In Los Angeles, protesting veterans have been subjected to illegal surveillance, wire tapping, tresspassing citations, detention without arrest and assault by uniformed Army Reserve personnel.

Protesting veterans are cited for tresspassing, even on days when thousands of Iranian protestors hang anti-American signs on nearby monuments with total impunity. What does this tell you?

Protesting groups, led by the Military Order of Purple heart and including members of the American Legion, VFW, AMVETs, and others, several wheelchair bound World War 2 veterans, have been protesting for 2 years.

The group involved with Waxman and Feinstein claims the support of Presidents Reagan, Clinton and Bush. However, examining their evidenciary letters, it is clear that this is utterly untrue.

No president would ever be involved in stealing veterans land on behalf of wealthy Brentwood home owners in their move to isolate their mansions from poor or homeless veterans.

This is the list of their supporters, a "who's who" of LA fatcats business groups and Hollywood elite:
Bel Air Association
Bel Air Garden Club

Brentwood Community Council
Brentwood Residential Neighbors
Brentwood Homeowners Association
Brentwood Park Property Association
Brentwood-San Vicente Design Review Board
Brentwood School Board of Trustees
Holmby Westwood Property Association
Los Angeles Business Council
Los Angeles Conservancy
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
Brentwood Area Chamber of Commerce
San Vicente Area Improvement Association
Upper Mandeville Canyon Association
West Los Angeles/Brentwood Rotary Club
Westwood Hills Property Owners Association
Westwood Home Owners Association, Inc.
Westwood Rotary
Westwood Village Business Improvement District
Brentwood Glenn Association
Brentwood Hills Homeowners Association
Brentwood Historical Society
South Brentwood Home Owners Association
Los Angeles Men’s Garden Club
Los Angeles Conservancy
Natural History Museum (of?)
Los Angeles Conservancy Corps (?)
National Park Service (Participation not proven and illegal)

Former WW2 veteran, General Gwynn Robinson, "Hollywood glamour boy" nominally heads the land grab groups. His version of seizing veterans land for private use and has now even prohibited veterans from using much of their own land at all is the following:

"The signing of this long-term agreement represents the culmination of a relationship between Veterans Park Conservancy and the Department of Veterans Affairs which commenced in 1987. We are now able to create a lasting and dignified tribute to the men and women who have courageously served our country. The park will create a recuperative environment for veterans, as well as a respite for the community within a tranquil oasis amidst the urban bustle of densely developed West Los Angeles," said Major General Gwynn H. Robinson, U.S. Air Force, Ret., chairman and president of Veterans Park Conservancy.

Wined and dined by the Hollywood elite, Robinson has been too busy and too important to respond to his "non millionaire" fellow vets whose wheel chairs adorn line his million dollar fence, a fence that is increasingly barring veterans.

Another military bigwig is Rear Admiral Frank Raab, one of America's wealthiest insurance executives, supporting the veterans land grab:

"Frank E. Raab, C.P.C.U. is the retired President / CEO of Insurance Company of North America. He is also the retired Chairman, C.E.O. of Allianz Insurance Company and the former President / C.E.O. of Pacific Employers Insurance Company. Mr. Raab is a past National President of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters and has served on the Board of Governors of the New York Insurance Exchange. He serves on several corporate boards and retired as a Rear Admiral, USNR."

Harve Bennet: Originator of "Mod Squad" "the Bionic Woman" and "the 6 Million Dollar Man"

Flora has always put the needs of residents above politics and self-interest, and her record reflects that. "As a nurse and a 20-year community advocate, Flora is committed to putting the needs of families above the demands of special interests and corporate interests. As a wife and mother of three sons, she shares residents' priorities in protecting our families and our neighborhoods from crime, pollution and overdevelopment. Flora will work hard to keep our families safe. " Flora must see vets as a special interest group in need of stopping.

The list goes on. These are veteran supporters, some veterans themselves, whose wealth, power and influence has insulated them from the reality of the suffering they are causing.

To read more stories from our brothers at Veterans Today, visit: veteranstoday.com

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pitbullstew November 29, 2009 8:36 am (Pacific time)

West LA VA land descendant of donor speaks out Descendant of VA land donor responds to park controversy By Carolina Winston Barrie I would like to respond to a letter in your December edition from Robert Rosebrock and Francisco Juarez which contained distortions and false charges about the Veterans Park Conservancy. I am a member of the Board of Directors of that organization, but more to the point, I have a family obligation to insure that the intentions of the original gift of land are faithfully carried out. My name is Carolina Winston Barrie. I am a descendant of Arcadia Bandini de Baker. In 1888, the United States government, by a special act of congress, accepted 300 acres of land for the benefit of veterans of foreign wars. This gift was from Arcadia and Senator John Percival Jones for the sole purpose of providing Veterans with a place to heal from war. Never has that desire to heal been more important than today as our sons and daughters return home with scars of battle in their bodies and minds.Three generations of my family have fought to maintain the healing mission of the original gift (which became the V.A Hospital and recreational facilities). The physical and mental facilities of the V.A. have always been overwhelmed and under-funded. The Government's neglect of our Veterans has been a national scandal long before Iraq. Yet over the years, the more valuable the acreage became, the more land developers plotted to steal it and convert it to profit. Our family has resisted schemes for shopping malls, condominiums, even an NFL Stadium. And we might not have prevailed had it not been for the formation of the Veterans Park Conservancy.Founded in 1986 to protect and enhance the land, the organization's director, Susan Young, and its Chairman, retired three-war hero Gwynn Robinson, have led the efforts along with other groups to save and re-vitalize the VA property. Buildings were rebuilt, rusty fencing was replaced, decayed monuments revived, and a Chapel, first used by veterans of the Civil War, was restored to it's original beauty with the help of the Bob Hope family.Had it not been for the dedication and hard work of Veterans Park Conservancy, Senators Alan Cranston, Pete Wilson, Dianne Feinstein, Congressman Henry Waxman, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and others for the last two decades, the deeded land, the VA facilities and the open parkland space would have been sold to the highest bidder by the Federal Government. Indeed the new State Veterans Home and the expansion of the National Cemetery would never have happened. These achievements are a clear example of how a caring, non-profit, private sector group can raise the large sums of money necessary to do work that the Bureaucratic Federal Government can never find the budget for. THE BRENTWOOD NEWS accurately chronicled the achievements in its November cover story, "Home of the Brave." In the light of that long overdue tribute, my family and I find it distressing that anyone who read it would attack the motivation and the achievements of Veteran's Park Conservancy under the guise of being a Veteran's spokesperson. To call VPC "a modern day Trojan Horse designed to subvert the deed" is to insult not only its membership (one third of whom are Veterans), but all the nationally recognized veterans organizations who have passed resolutions of support, as well as all the donors, large and small, whose contributions have saved the land and enforced my family's original intentions. Very truly yours, CAROLINA WINSTON BARRIE

Vic August 19, 2009 10:37 am (Pacific time)

This is further proof that there is a class war going on. Those who have are scrambling to get all they can before the feces hits the fan. And no peon, veteran or otherwise will slow them down. They dont care. And if soldiers will attack soldiers, what will they be willing to do to the rest of us?

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