by James Glaser
July 13, 2005

Lonnie Moore lost his right leg in Iraq and says, "Most people don't understand or are numb to the fact that more soldiers have been hurt this year than last year."

With things like the Michael Jackson trail or Supreme Court vacancies filling up our media, the story of the thousands of wounded American Soldiers and Marines gets sort of lost. The Bush administration not only has made it unlawful to photograph the returning flag-draped coffins of those who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they also schedule return flights for the wounded, so that they come in the middle of the night.

The latest Pentagon figures put the total of combat wounded at 13,336 in Iraq, with more added to that figure every day. The number of wounded from Afghanistan must still be classified. The number of Soldiers or Marines wounded, is almost never mentioned in any article from the war zone. Just like they hide the wounded from our sight when they finally do make it home, Washington also keeps the number of wounded off the front page. "Out of sight means out of mind."

In Washington today, there are wounded Americans there to meet with the President, so he doesn't forget them. Some, like Heath Calhoun, rode to Washington on a cycle that is pedaled with the hands. Calhoun uses his hands, because he lost his legs in the war. He said, "A lot of people think that the war is over, but Iraqis are still shooting at us every day." "The wounded need their country's support."

Donna St. George, of the Washington Post reports about a fundraising effort called "Soldiers Ride 2005," which is raising funds for the non-profit Wounded Warrior Project that raises awareness about how many in the military are coming home wounded. "All money pledged for those wounded vets who are riding bicycles to DC, will be use for "Moral, financial, and therapeutic help for the military's injured.

Tuesday was day 51 of Calhoun's ride, which started in Marina del Rey, California. He and the other riders are averaging 70-90 miles a day. Calhoun is from Kentucky, he has two children and another on the way. He says, "Those of us injured will recover for the rest of our lives."

Last year $2 million was raised for the Wounded Warrior Project, with $400,000 raised so far this year. Here in George Bush's America, wounded American Veterans have to get out there and ride bicycles thousands of miles to get the support and financial help of the American people.

There are millions of "Support the Troops" banners on cars all over this country, but that is just a slogan. The Bush administration has been cutting VA hospital care ever since it got to Washington and with this "Veterans Ride," we have "Notice" that our support of the Veterans from the War on Terrorism has fallen short.