The “Grand Bargain”: Thanks But No Thanks!

The “Grand Bargain”: Thanks But No Thanks!

WHAT:            Press Conference

WHEN:           Thursday, November 29, 11:30 am

WHERE:        Old Federal Building, 1500 Main St.

WHO:              20 people including Union and Peace activists, green energy small business people, social service and medical providers, National Priorities Project, and religious leaders

President Obama and congressional Republicans are negotiating a “Grand Bargain”.  The danger is that such a bargain will undermine the economy and slash vital social programs instead of growing the economy and improving the quality of life for Americans.

“Reports indicate that a “Grand Bargain” may increase the Medicare eligibility age, switch to a ‘chained CPI’ to reduce future benefits for Social Security recipients, allow extended unemployment insurance to expire, or make similar cuts," said Susan Theberge of Fund Our Communities Not War.  “Any 'Grand Bargain' with further cuts beyond the $1.5 trillion already adopted by Congress should be rejected out of hand. In the spirit of this holiday season, ‘thanks but no thanks.’”

Adds Jon Weissman of Western Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, "We’re not broke! We need our Senators to heed the will of Massachusetts voters who overwhelmingly passed the Budget for All question, to oppose any 'deal' that would cut programs that benefit us all, and to invest in jobs instead.”

The "Budget for All" referendum question passed in all 91 cities and towns in which it was on the ballot by an average 3 to 1 margin. The referendum called on Congress and the President to prevent cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits and other vital safety net programs; stimulate the economy by creating and protecting jobs; raising revenues by closing corporate tax loopholes and raising taxes from the top 2% income earners; and redirecting military spending to domestic needs and ending the Afghanistan war now. 

The “Deal for All” resolution, H. Res. 733, makes similar proposals as the “Budget for All”. It is cosponsored by 41 members of Congress, including Massachusetts Reps. Capuano, Frank, Markey, McGovern, and Olver.

Join us for a press conference calling on the President and Congress to heed the will of Massachusetts voters, fiscal responsibility and the social conscience in the imminent budget deal.

Life in Gaza

1 in 5 U,S. combat deaths in Afghanistan caused by Afghan security forces

 it's the war that keeps on taking...U.S. lives, Afghan lives...and that we barely notice anymore.  Come on, do something.  From United for Peace and Justice.

One in five U.S. combat deaths in Afghanistan this year were caused by Afghan security forces who turned their American-provided weapons on their U.S. “allies”.  The recently publicized horrors in Afghanistan committed by U.S. soldiers are not exceptions but sadly reflect the cumulative effect of war and occupation.   

The situation is so bad that we now fear that the Afghan security forces, our supposed partners, will kill U.S. soldiers while they sleep. In order to protect the troops from their Afghan colleagues who live and work on their bases, Gen. John Allen has assigned U.S. soldiers, called “guardian angels,” to guard sleeping troops.  What more needs to be said?  This insanity must end now.  

Americans are overwhelmingly against the war in Afghanistan – a recent CBS poll shows a record 69% of Americans think the U.S. should not be involved in Afghanistan.   Click Here to tell President Obama, your Senators and House Representative to listen to the American people - we want our troops home now.  

In good conscience, how can anyone ask the troops, who we are told are fighting for us, to continue to risk their lives, limbs and emotional well being for this endless, futile war?  The troops don’t get to choose the wars they fight.  We must not expect them to sacrifice for no good reason.  It is our responsibility and duty to demand our politicians end this war.  Silence is an affirmation for continued war.  

Click Here to tell President Obama, your Senators and House Representative that we want our troops home now!  Ask them to co-sponsor HR 780 in the House, and introduce parallel legislation in the Senate.  HR. 780, the Responsible End to the War in Afghanistan Act, would end combat operations in Afghanistan and limit funding to the safe and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. troops and military contractors.  Or call your member of Congress toll-free at 877-429-0678.

The military strategy has failed.  The illusion that there can be a military victory in Afghanistan has prevented the vital diplomacy necessary to bring about a regional solution in Afghanistan while decimating our economy.  Everybody is losing.      

We need to keep the pressure on our president & elected officials – they need to listen to the American people.   The vast majority of Americans want:   

· a safe and swift troop withdrawal

· a diplomatic surge bringing stability to Afghanistan and the region

· take warlords, drug lords and the Taliban off US payrolls

The Right to Exist: Stand in solidarity with the most dispossessed on April 2

 Arise has been working with Fund Our Communities, Not War, and through them, all their connections with the Occupy Movement.  Yesterday, FOCNW sent out the following solidarity message, for which we are so grateful.  As we at Arise get more and more absorbed in the details of our rally, FOCNW took the time to step back and look at the big picture.  Thank you!

We have been inspired by the dramatic rise of the Occupy Wall Street
movement, and we are building this movement right here in Western
Massachusetts with the intention of overturning the grip of corporate
power on our lives.

The current economic crisis is affecting our region unevenly with the
city of Springfield one of the hardest hit. Among the most affected in
Springfield are people who either rent homes or who have been made
homeless. Springfield has been known as the "City of Homes" but
increasingly it is becoming the "City of the homeless" with the ongoing
economic crisis compounded by the loss of homes during the June 1, 2011
tornado.

 The housing crisis in Springfield is not only a local issue. Under the
present economic system there is a perverse incentive to push people
living in poverty out of cities by replacing their homes with housing
that they cannot afford. We see this happening in cities across the
country such as New York City, Washington D.C. and Chicago.

 One solution to the housing crisis is to transform vacant buildings
into homes, apartments and single room residences, but this is not what
is happening. Instead, we see priority given to attracting people from
the professional class and wealthy people to spur "economic development"
- a common code word for the drive to build expensive townhouses,
boutique shops, and office parks designed for short-term profit. This
approach ignores the immediate needs of current residents and long term
community needs.

 This inhumane economic system results in the uprooting of people,
overflowing shelters, and countless children, families and individuals
with no place to call home. Those in power make decisions based on what
will increase profits, ignoring people living in poverty because they
can't help further increase "the bottom line".

 Solving this housing crisis requires a movement to fight for decent
housing as a basic human right. Although some of us are affected much,
much more than others, the most strategic way to change this system,
which threatens all of us, is to stand alongside those hurt the most by
it. These dire times contain within them the possibility of having a
much greater positive impact than most people imagine, as more and more
of us are awakened to the need to change an economic and political
structure that only benefits the tiny few.



We think it is important to stand in solidarity with the people who have
been most dispossessed by this economic system in Springfield, and with
the organizations that are providing leadership in connecting struggles
over housing with broader demands for fundamental social change.

 Most prominent among these organizations are Arise for Social Justice,
which is calling for a mass rally and march in Springfield on April 2,
and Springfield No One Leaves, which has endorsed this action and which
fights for the rights of people who face losing their homes to the
unjust foreclosure practices of greedy banks.

We need each other in order to challenge the priorities and policies of
increasing corporate and military control and to create the world we
want to live in. We ask people to heed the call of our friends and
neighbors in Springfield to gather on April 2 at noon in Court Square in
Springfield to show solidarity with those leading the fight for housing
rights. Together we will take the next step toward the transformation we
need.

-       Ben Grosscup and Susan Theberge

DEMANDS ISSUED BY ARISE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE:

*       City: Replace the housing lost in the tornado!
*       State: Make shelters available to all in need!
*       Feds: Fund housing, not wars!

For more info, contact: Arise for Social Justice (413)734-4948

CARPOOLS BEING ORGANIZED FROM AMHERST AND FROM NORTHAMPTON TO
SPRINGFIELD. BRING YOUR CAR AND IF YOU CAN OFFER TO DRIVE, PLEASE DO.

Rides leaving from Amherst:

Meet at 10:45 AM; Depart at 11:00AM

LOCATION: Parking lot of First Congregational Church of Amherst on the
corner of Spring and Churchill Streets in Amherst
<http://maps.yahoo.com/#q=165+Main+St%2C+Amherst%2C+MA++01002-2333&conf=
1&start=1&lat=42.37521626833279&lon=-72.51652747392654&zoom=19&mvt=h&trf
=0> .

Contact: Susan at stheberg@keene.edu stheberg@keene.edu>

Rides leaving from Northampton:

Meet at 11:15 AM; Depart at 11:30AM

LOCATION: Parking lot of Daily Hampshire Gazette at 115 Conz Street,
Northampton
<http://maps.yahoo.com/#q=115+Conz+St%2C+Northampton%2C+MA++01060-4402&c
onf=1&start=1&lat=42.312294786750904&lon=-72.62720882892609&zoom=18&mvt=
h&trf=0>

Contact: Paki at pakiwieland@gmail.com pakiwieland@gmail.com>

This bloody, bloody war

We're on a countdown to the end of the Iraq war, but almost  no one seems to notice.

Nine years of war: what has it cost us?  What have we gained?

In lives: As of today, 4801 coalition forces have been killed, 4483 of them U.S. military members.  Official estimates say 32,200 have been injured, but some estimates put that number closer to 100,000.  Many of those injuries are brain injuries and amputations that will affect those injured for the rest of their lives.


On the Iraqi side, more than 100,000 civilian deaths have been documented, but Just Foreign Policy, Lancet and other place the number at more than a million.  The number of injured is undocumented.

In money: The official tally stands at $800 billion-- that's $3000 a second—for the duration of the war.  These are direct costs, however, and don't include the cost of replacing equipment, vehicles and weapons, and the cost of providing health care and other benefits for veterans.  That could push the cost to about $4 trillion.

I won't put all the blame for the recession on the war, but, in these times, can you imagine the number of jobs that could have been created with that money? 

What have we gained?   Only the most cynical would say that the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein justifies what we have lost.  A few might claim that Iraq paved the way for the Arab Spring, but I'd be more inclined to say that the people would have overthrown Hussein  themselves by now.  

Can anyone think of even one other benefit from this bloody, bloody war?

Anti-war activists called this war before it happened.  We saw the handwriting on the wall on 9/11, we tried to stop it and when we couldn't, we tried to bring it to an early end, and we couldn't do that, either.  the last few years the energy of the anti-war movement has been sapped by a misguided faith in Barack Obama.   Maybe we're just tired.  Or maybe we're coming to believe that everything must change before there can be no more wars.   


For more than nine years, Arise has vigiled every Monday at noon in front of the Federal Building in Springfield. We've had a half dozen major demonstrations there, joined by anti-war activists from around the Valley.  On snowy or rainy days, maybe the numbers get as low as four, but usually there's a dozen or more people.   We'll mark the end of this war in some way before the end of the year.  But we will continue to vigil.


There's still Afghanistan.

We haven't forgotten about war

Yesterday I was quite giddy about this news of the Merkley amendment passing the Senate on a voice vote. The very day before the Senate -- to their great discredit -- had added dangerous new powers to the Military in the ever-escalating war on terrorism.

Where did my giddiness come from? I have found these last couple of days to be very upsetting ones in terms of U.S. war policy. Monday morning began with our local paper's front page announcement of a local National Guard contingent of engineers being sent off to Afghanistan for the next year. Their assignment? To clear roads of explosive devices. Will they come back to us? Will their bodies and their minds be whole?

Adding to my upset was knowing that every day the U.S. Senate was on the verge of passing on an obscene War Budget of nearly $ 700,000,000,000 for just one fiscal year. All dedicated to Killing -- or the Threat of killing -- to keep our top-dog position throughout the planet.

Then came the whopper. Embedded in the War Budget was a more frightening commitment to an already out-of-control escalated Anti-Terrorism policy (and what is that stipulation doing in a $$$ appropriation bill anyhow? Is there no Rules Committee in the Senate?) But it came to the floor and passed with 61 votes! The U.S. Senate moved a little closer to facism where THE U.S. MILITARY can summarily pick up a suspected terrorist & be her/his police, prosecutor, judge, and jury, putting a person away secretly and pretty much forever. The MILITARY in charge in this country. How is this different from the situation in Egypt? -- is the question I've been flinging about all week.
A lot of us were despondent.
So when I looked at the computer after dinner and saw that the Merkley Amendment had passed by a voice vote, I was astonished and delighted.
By the time I went to bed still trying to process all this, I was left with two explanations. The Senate needs a cover-up, a sop to what they will be about today (thursday) when the entire $ 600+ Blllion comes up for a vote. We citizens may well see them do what they've done before -- admonish the Pentagon and the President about the Wars one day, and then turn around the next day and vote all the money requested to execute the same wars.
I was still restless before I fell asleep. Where was this next thought coming from? Is it possible to look deeper, back into the younger days of some of these hapless Senators? Did they once glimpse what world peace, what the public good, etc. could look like? Was there an element of altruism in the voice vote yesterday afternoon?
These men and women, these Senators, so caught up in corruption on a scale never before possible in a governing body in all of history, may occasionally have a moment of collective recognition about the loss of youthful idealism. I suppose I'm thinking of the confused senior senator from my state, John Kerry, whom I often give up on, while still having a need to explain his thought processes to myself.
Is there a way to appeal to the traces of altruism in some of these Senators, instead of just denouncing them ? Still retaining the piercing insight we in the anti-war movement bring to the scene, I was wondering if I could add just a pinch of forgiveness for the human frailty of people with too much power which derives from too much money from too many unbearably ugly corporate connections in our society and the lies necessary to cover them.
What will happen today? Same old same old, most likely. How do we influence that? Drawing on the new energy of the Occupy movement and on our own inner resources and on the community we create as a movement, we can infuse our own overstressed bodies and brains and the organizations we work within to figure it out together and keep on struggling and doing what we do.
-- Sally Weiss, PDA End War and Occupations

Veteran's Perks for Veteran's Day

Photo from http://tearsofawarrior.com

No matter how you feel about the war, the government or military service in general we all know that the men and women who have served and are serving this country do/did so at risk of their lives and deserve so much more than they ever get.
This list of V's. Day meals and discounts comes from a friend. Nia:wen GhostDancer.

2011 Veteran’s Day Free Meals and Discounts

Two notes before jumping in:

• Proof of Military Service. First, most companies require some form of military ID – including a U.S. Uniform Services ID Card (active/reserve/retired), Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), Photograph in uniform, be wearing uniform (if your service permits), Veterans Organization Card (e.g., American Legion and VFW), DD214, discharge paperwork, or other form of identification. Other restaurants and companies may only require a photo of you in uniform, or go by the honor system.
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• Participation. Second, always call ahead to verify locations, times, and participation. Many of the listed companies are franchises and may have different policies. We will do our best to keep this page updated as we find new info.

2011 Free Veterans Day Meals

Applebee’s – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11: Last year, Applebee’s served 1,024,000 million free meals to military veterans and active service members. Applebee’s is again offering a free meal to military veterans and active-duty service members on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. There will be 7 entrées to choose from. Military ID or proof of service required. Find locations at http://applebees.com/.

Chili’s – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Chili’s is offering all military veterans past and present their choice of one of 6 meals. This offer is available during business hours on November 11, 2011 at participating Chili’s in the U.S. only. Dine-in from limited menu only; beverages and gratuity not included. Veterans and active duty military simply show proof of military service. Visit their website to find locations.

Golden Corral – Free meal, Monday Nov. 14: The 10th annual Golden Corral Military Appreciation dinner will be held on Monday, November 14, 2011 from 5 pm to 9 pm in all Golden Corral Restaurants nationwide. The free “thank you” dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner. For more information visit http://www.goldencorral.com/military/.

Special thanks to Golden Corral: To date, Golden Corral restaurants have provided over 2.5 million free meals and contributed over $4.3 million to the Disabled American Veterans organization.

Hooters – Free Meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Hooter’s is serving up a free meal to military veterans all day on Veterans Day. Offer good for all veterans and active duty military personnel. Choose one of the new specialty items on the Hooter’s menu. Offer valid at participating Hooters only; open to all active duty and military veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service. Drink purchase required. For more information, visit, www.HootersVeteransDay.com.

Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut. Available only at participating Krispy Kreme stores. Offer available to all active-duty, retirees & veterans on Friday November 11th. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is participating.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants – free lunch or dinner, Sunday Nov 13, 2011: McCormick & Schmick’s is celebrating their 13th annual Veteran’s Appreciation Event on Sunday, November 13th. Veterans will be able to choose a complimentary lunch or dinner entrée. Veterans must provide proof of military service. Be sure to contact your local McCormick & Schmick’s as this is valid at participating restaurants only. Also, Space is limited and reservations are highly recommended. For more information visit: M&S Veterans Appreciation Event.

Outback Steakhouse – A week of Free Bloomin’ Onions and Cokes Monday Nov. 7 – Friday Nov. 11. Outback Steakhouse is honoring America’s military veterans by offering active duty military and veterans a free Bloomin’ Onion and a Coca-Cola product during the week leading up to Veteran’s Day. This offer is available to Military Personnel who have one of the following forms of identifications: U.S Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), DD form 214 Veterans Organization Card (i.e., American Legion and VFW), Photograph in Uniform, Wearing Uniform. For more information, visit,http://outback.com/companyinfo/veteransday.aspx.

The Outback understands commitment. For the past two years, The Outback, with the help of their patrons, has donated $2 Million to Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization providing everyday and emergency support for active troops, wounded warriors and their families.

Subway – Free Six Inch Sub. Select Subway locations offer a FREE six inch sub to military veterans on Veteran’s Day. However, Subway restaurants are franchises, so this offer may not be available everywhere. Please call ahead.

Texas Roadhouse – free meal, Friday, Nov. 11. Offer varies by location; our local Texas Roadhouse is offering a free meal from opening until 4pm. Other locations may vary in offer, hours, or availability. Call ahead to your local restaurant for more information.

T.G.I. Friday’s – Buy one get one free Nov 11-14. At participating locations for anyone with an old or current military ID. November 11-14.

Uno Chicago Grill, Friday, Nov. 11. Uno’s is offering a free entree or individual pizza with a purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value. Offer good for all military for veterans and active duty military. ID or proof of service required: Show up in uniform (if your service permits), provide military ID, show a picture of yourself in uniform, or have other ID showing proof of service. More info here.

Home Depot and Lowes Coupon Updates

Update: Home Depot and Lowes 10% Military Discount Available Everyday.

Home Depot: The Home Depot(R) is offering all active duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans and their families a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Veteran’s Day. The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 and is available at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Design Center locations, Yardbirds and EXPO Design Center(R) locations. The 10% discount is available everyday for active duty and retirees, but not all veterans. Home Depot makes this offer available to all veterans on most military holidays. You can also find Home Depot discounts online.

Lowes: Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will offer all active, reserve, honorably discharged, retired military personnel and their immediate family members a 10 percent discount on in-store U.S. purchases made during the Veterans Day holiday. The discount is available Nov. 7 – Nov. 11. The discount is available on in-stock and special order purchases up to $5,000. To qualify, individuals must present a valid military ID or other proof of service. Excluded from the discount are sales via Lowes.com, previous sales, and purchases of services or gift cards. Like Home Depot, Lowes offers this discount daily to active duty military members, but not to veterans. However, they extend the offer to military veterans on military holidays. You can also find exclusive discounts at Lowe’s.com.

Free Park Admissions for Veterans Day

Here's to the Heroes

Anheuser-Busch Parks. Anheuser-Busch Parks offers Active Duty Service Members free admission for them and up to 3 dependents to any of their parks once a year. Throughout 2011, members of the military and as many as three direct dependents may enter SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or Sesame Place parks with a single-day complimentary admission. The Here’s to the Heroes program is only available to ANY active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman. Eligible parks include: Adventure Island, Busch Gardens (Tampa Bay or Williamsburg), SeaWorld (Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio), Sesame Place, and Water Country USA. Not valid at Discovery Cove and Aquatica. Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. is not included as part of this program. For more information and to register, visit: Free admission summary, and ticket application.

Colonial Williamsburg Free Admission. Colonial Williamsburg offers free weekend-long admission tickets to active-duty military, reservists, retirees, veterans, and their immediate dependents from Friday, Nov. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 13th. The complimentary ticket includes admission to Colonial Williamsburg exhibition sites, art museums, and most daytime programs, as well as free parking and use of the shuttle bus system. Tickets are only available at on-site ticket sales locations. Tickets are also available to families of deployed service members. Tickets available on the following dates: Nov. 11-13.

Historic Jamestowne – Free Admission. The National Park Service commemorates Veterans Day with Fee Free days at Historic Jamestowne November 11-13. Free admission for everyone. See events calendar.

Knotts Berry Farm Military Tribute Days – Free Admission. Knott’s Berry Farm has an annual Military Tribute event in which they offer military members past and present by offering free park admission. This year the Military Tribute Days run from November 1 – 24 November (Thanksgiving Day). Veterans or current serving military personnel plus one guest get in FREE with proper ID presented at Knott’s turnstile (DD214, Veterans Administration Hospital ID or Active Military Service ID). Purchase up to six additional tickets for just $17 each.

More info.

Fee Free Day at National Parks. To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that areas managed by the National Park Service would not charge entrance fees for Veteran’s Day weekend – November 11-13, 2011. Over 100 national Parks will be participating in this event.

San Jacinto Monument and Museum (La Porte, TX). November 7-13: Free admission to the theatre, Observation Floor, and (on November 12-13) the special exhibit to all veterans and their families.

More info.

Bed and Breakfast for Vets:

In the third year of the program, B&Bs for Vets has organized over 485 (and counting) participating Bed and Breakfasts and Inns across the US and Canada which will be offering veterans a free night’s stay on November 10th, the night before Veterans Day. This offer is available to both active duty military members and veterans with ID, but space is limited. Each Inn and B&B has at least one room available for this promotion and reservations must be made directly through the participating Inns and B&Bs. For more information visit B&Bs for Vets.

Free Hugo® Canes for Veterans:

Sam’s Club® locations nationwide will distribute 36,000 Hugo® canes free of charge on November 9th, 10th, 11th, 2011 to U.S. military veterans in need of mobility assistance. Limited quantities available, while supplies last. Sam’s Club® Membership is not required, but proof of military service may be required. For more information, visit HugoSalutes.com.

Other Veteran’s Day Discounts:

Here are some additional Veteran’s Day Discounts. In all cases, be sure to provide proper ID or proof of service. In addition, some of these stores are franchises, so verify participation before assuming the discount is in place.

• Free Car wash. Thousands of car washes around the country are offering vets a free car wash on Veterans Day. Find a list at Grace for Veterans, which helped veterans receive 101,537 FREE Washes on Veterans Day in 2010.
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• Amazon.com – Discount “Veterans Day Honor” MP3 album download. This downloadable album includes 12 songs as performed by the military bands and ensembles of the U.S. Armed Forces. Visit Amazon on Veteran’s Day to download the album.
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• Netflix – One Month Free Trial.
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• Sport Clips – FREE haircut to active-duty military & veterans. Offer only available at select locations. Please call to verify local participation.
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• Tim Hortons – all US locations are offering a free donut to all veterans (check out the Star Spangled donut!).
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• $100 for opening new Chase Freedom VISA.

Jos. A. Bank Veteran’s Day coupons:

• All Executive suits $177, 2nd $57 – Lowest prices this year for suits! You save $866 when you buy 2!
• All Traveler and Signature Suits $377, 2nd $97
• All Joseph & Signature Gold Suits $577, 2nd $197
• ALL SPORTCOATS, BLAZERS AND DRESS PANTS 50% OFF
• JOS A BANK VETERANS DAY SALE ORDERS $175+ SHIP FREE Valid: NOVEMBER 11, 2010.
• Valid: November 11, 2010

Regional Veteran’s Day Discounts:

There have been multiple request to include local and regional Veteran’s Day discounts. We are happy to include these in our list. Please use our Contact Page to send us the information. Please be sure to include a link to the website so we can verify it and share it with our readers. If a website is not available, then please use the company e-mail address so we can verify the offer.

• America’s Incredible Pizza Company (St. Louis and St. Peters, MO). Free meal Nov. 11th. Call ahead to verify hours and locations.
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• Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach, CA). Free admission for veterans, military personnel, police officers, and firefighters who show valid service ID on November 11, 2011. More info.
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• Brevard Zoo (Melbourne, FL), Nov. 11-13. Free Admission to military veterans with proof of service. More info.
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• Des Moines Botanical Center. Free admission November 11, 2011 for Veterans and their families. More info.
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• San Antonio Symphony and the United States Air Force Band of the West. Free Veterans Day Concert November 13, 2011. More info.

2010 Veterans Day Deals:

The following is a sampling of some deals from last year. We are working to confirm any discounts or freebies for 2011. At this time please use the following entries only as reference until current deals can be confirmed.

• Abuelo’s Mexican Food. Offers vary by location. Be sure to verify in advance.
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• Barmuda (Iowa) – free meal. Barmuda is offering a free meal to all active duty members and veterans in all restaurants. More information.
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• Big Lots – 10% off your entire purchase with valid military ID. more info.
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• Boston’s Gourmet Pizza (Denver area) – Free individual pizza. All military veterans and active duty military personnel can enjoy an FREE individual one topping pizza this Veteran’s Day 5-7 PM! There are two Boston’s Gourmet Pizza & Sports Bar locations in the Denver area. The Highlands Ranch location is just off of C-470 and Broadway, at 53 W. Centennial Blvd. The newly re-opened Parker location is just off of C-470 and Parker Road at 19340 E Cottonwood Dr.
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• Cabela’s. Cabela’s is giving their standard employee discount to all US military veterans, active duty military, Guard/Reserves, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel on Nov. 11-12. Discount varies from 5% to 50%, depending on the item. (I received this information from an active duty military member who forwarded an e-mail that was distributed base wide, however, I have not been able to confirm this; please contact Cabela’s before assuming this offer is in place).
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• Dollar General. 10% discount on entire purchase on Veteran’s Day. Offer good for all active-duty military, retirees, veterans, Guard/Reserve, & immediate family members. The coupon can be found in the store circular, or by asking an employee. More info.
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• Meineke in (Salem, MA). Free Oil Change – Friday Nov 11. U.S. Military Veterans and active duty personnel will receive a Free Oil Change that includes standard oil and filter and a complete courtesy check at one of the two participating locations: 462 Highland Avenue, Salem, Massachusetts (978) 741-0335 ; 4 11 Broad Street – Route 1A, Lynn, Massachusetts (781) 592-0001 .
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• Sears 10% discount Thursday and Friday, Nov. 11-12. Sears is offering a “Salute to Local Heroes” discount to all military, veterans, police, firefighters, teachers, and hospital staff. Offer is good for 10% of regular, sale, and clearance prices. See this store flyer for more information.
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• Sleep Number Stores. Free travel pillow to all active duty military & retirees now through Nov. 14. Find your “sleep number” setting, and get a free pillow – easy!
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Gail E. Cheatham
Kickapoo Tribe in KS
2314 SW Burnett Rd
Topeka, KS 66614-1204