" So the issue for those of us interested in Staff Sergeant Nickel's treatment is this, can we get the prosecutor to be more flexible and can we push the VA to do more. I think the answer is yes.

The public needs to let the relevant decision makers, all of who work for you, the taxpayer, know how you feel. Citizens of Idaho, and in particular Ada County, can let the prosecutor know that while you appreciate the concern for your security, you also appreciate what Staff Sergeant Nickel and his fellow Idaho Army Reservists did in Iraq. People from out of the area (and I am looking at many of my fellow Springsteen fans up and down the coasts) can let the prosecutors know this case has national attention.

You can write, and I suggest snail mail letters to demonstrate your seriousness to

Greg Bower, Ada County Prosecutor
Shawna Dunn, Asst Prosecutor
Ada County Prosecutor's Office
200 West Front Street, Room 3191
Boise, ID 83702



I urge you to be polite and respectful to these people. This is not personal to them. Profanity and threats would be counter-productive. A friend who has already written them wrote -


I of course recognize that my own knowledge of this situation is, like that of anyone else interested in this matter, inherently incomplete. I also appreciate that the psychological issues presented in this situation are complex. Finally, I fully understand the seriousness of the acts of Mr. Nickel on July 28, 2009, and do not mean in any way to minimize or trivialize them. However, based on my understanding of all of the background facts concerning Mr. Nickel’s case, as well as my personal confidence in the judgment of Mr. Coulson, I write to express my opinion that Mr. Nickel should not be criminally prosecuted in this case, and certainly not with the goal of securing a 15-year sentence for him, as I am informed your office intends to pursue.



I think he puts this professionally and politely. That is what we need to be, polite and professional and urge compromise.

Conversely we need to write, again snail mail demonstrating seriousness, to the Veteran's Administration urging them to do more to present alternatives to incarceration for Staff Sergeant Nickel. You need to write two people -

The Honorable Eric Shinseki
Secretary of Veteran's Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420

and

Ms. Sue Hicks, OEF/OIF Coordinator
Boise VA Medical Center
500 West Fort Street
Boise ID 83702

What ever rules and regulations may be blocking some sort of resolution of this matter that benefit both the community and the American War Hero Staff Sergeant George Nickel can be waived or adjusted. They do not exist for the mere reason to exist; they should exist to help the Veteran. I urge you again to be polite and respectful in all correspondence.

Finally I would note the Boise Chief of Police, has written to the Idaho Congressional Delegation to urge help for Staff Sergeant Nickel and other vets suffering from the unseen wounds of PTSD and TBI. I urge you to add them to your letter writing. They are -

Senator Mike Crapo
239 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON DC 20510

Senator James E. Risch
483 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE
WASHINGTON DC 20510

Representative Mike Simpson
2312 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Representative Walt Minnick
1517 Longworth House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515


Additionally I would suggest writing to the Governor of Idaho. Staff Sergeant Nickel has many years of service to the State in the Department of Corrections.


Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter
Office of the Governor
PO Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720

We need to be motivated and tell our public servants what serves the people of Idaho and the United States the best; balancing the security of our communities with the needs of our veterans. It could be any of us in that apartment, and for those of us that have seen our friends killed and wounded it could have been any of us in Staff Sergeant Nickels boots. If we flood them with letters we can influence the outcome. Please write now and pass this on. "

The Veterans Affairs Department blamed a backlog of claims filed for GI Bill education benefits that has left veterans who counted on the money for tuition and books scrambling to make ends meet.
(clip)
Out of more than 277,000 veterans who have filed for the college tuition benefits this semester, more than 200,000 claims have been processed and approved, but fewer than 11 percent of the veterans have received the funding, according to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)