The Bunker Bulletin
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American Veterans George R. Zenz Post # 11 1807 N. Irwin Ave. Green Bay, WI. 54302-1621 WEB PAGE: www.amvetsgb.org Who to call for information: Adjutant/Finance Officer - General Post Operations Phone 920 - 676 - 1260 Fax: 920 - 288 - 0046 Email: boom1954@att.net Commander - Request Post Participation Phone 920 - 433 - 9818 1st Vice Commander - Membership Information Phone 920 - 866 - 1161 2008 - 2009 Officers Commander John Akey 1st Vice Commander Vacant 2nd Vice Commander Michael McNamara 3rd Vice Commander Robert Moore Adjutant Matt Stevenson Finance Officer Matt Stevenson Judge Advocate William Hathaway Provost Marshall Brian Willis Quartermaster Bill Willis Chaplain Bernie Demerath Service Officer Holly Hoppe Legislative Matt Stevenson Trustee 3 Year Ken Peterson Trustee 2 Year Harvey Jaeger Trustee 1 Year Art Walters
Veterans Never Forget Veterans Team Work Then - Team Work Now God Bless America!
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April 8, 2009 MEETING - 7:00 pm
NEXT MEETING – May 13, 2009 - 7:00 PM ALL VETERANS WELCOME FOOD AFTER THE MEETING - MEETING 50/50 RAFFLE - POT OF GOLD
90+ 80+ Marshall Collette, Lewis Konop 70+ 60+ John Akey, Walter Ellison, David Junion, Michael Kinney 50+ Marc St. Peter, James Sollberger 40+ Mark Hinch 30+ 20+ Christopher Gadzinski Sorry we missed you last month – Happy Birthday – Ace Steier – 80+
Meeting 50/50 Cash Raffle
One has to come to the meeting to participate in this raffle it is a $1.00 a ticket and half of the sales goes to the Winning Number and the rest to the post general fund. Repeat Winner!! It pays to come to a meeting
No Raffle In March
Thanks to all that participated! Thanks for donating your winnings to VAVS Iron Mt VAMC Bingo and other events.
Monthly Meeting Pot of Gold Winner
Single meeting attendance $5.00 Two meetings in a row $10.00 Two Months in a row!
No Drawing In March
Thanks for donating winnings to VAVS Iron Mt VAMC Bingo and other events. 3
FRIDAYS RED OR BLUE
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
It does not matter if you are wearing red or blue. It does matter if you are part of the fight for Freedom even if all you can do is show support of the troops. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
American Red Cross - One A Week Program
1- 800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543 www.redcrossblood.com Please call for an appointment 1-800-626-4017 ext. 357 Green Bay Blood Donor Centers Pilgrim Congregational Church - 991 Pilgrim Way 2131 Deckner Ave Mon 2pm - 6 pm Tues 2pm - 6 pm Wed 2pm - 6 pm Thurs 2pm - 6 pm Fri 9am - 1 pm Sat 8 am - noon FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
http://www.arclakeland.org/contact_blood.php 2009 is starting off on the right foot with 7 blood donations in January. Great job and keep up the great work. As always I remind all post members that this is a very important program and can make the difference between life and death.
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April 2009
Sun
5 12 19 26
Mon
6 13 20 27
Tue
7 14 21 28
Wed
1 8 15 22 29
Thu
2 9 16 23 30
Fri
3 10 17 24
Sat
4 11 18 25
1st – April Fool’s Day 3rd – AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry – 5 – 7:30 pm 4th – Dave Zien’s Million Mile Landing Party 4th – Musical Memories – AMVETS Ladies Auxi. – www.amvets-wi.org 7th – Iron Mt VAMC AMVETS Bingo 8th – AMVETS Post # 11 Meeting – Nominations Night 10th – Good Friday 10th – AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry 5 – 7:30 pm 12th – Easter 15th - Post Serves Dinner @ NEW Community Shelter 17th – AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry 5 – 7:30 pm 17th – State Commander and President Tour of Middleton VAMC 22nd – 5th District Meeting – Pulaski 24th – AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry 5 – 7:30 pm 25th – AMVETS State Bowling Tournament – New London 26th – AMVETS State Bowling Tournament – New London 26th – AMVETS Post # 11 - G I Breakfast 8 – 11 am
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May 2009
Sun
3 10 17 24 31
Mon
4 11 18 25
Tue
5 12 19 26
Wed
6 13 20 27
Thu
7 14 21 28
Fri
1 8 15 22 29
Sat
2 9 16 23 30
1st – AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry 5 – 7:30 pm 5th – AMVETS Bingo – Iron Mt VAMC 1330 8th – AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry 5 – 7:30 pm 10th – Mothers Day 11th – Iron Mt VAMC Directors Briefing 13th – AMVETS Post #11 – General Meeting w/ elections of officer 15th - State Commander & President Tour Tomah VAMC 15th – AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry 5 – 7:30 pm 16th – Armed Forces Day – Armed Forces Breakfast – Corpus Christe Center – Sturgeon Bay – Served 7 – 11 – Tickets available $7 supports veterans. 20th - Post Serves Dinner @ NEW Community Shelter 22nd - AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry 5 – 7:30 pm 24th - AMVETS Post # 11 - G I Breakfast 8 – 11 am 25th – Memorial Day Observed – Check local paper for services time & place 29th - AMVETS Post # 11 - Fish Fry 5 – 7:30 pm 30th – Traditional Memorial Day
AMVETS Post # 11 Members – Help is always needed at our events Just call Matt @ 920-676-1260 to get scheduled in
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AMVETS Post # 11 Friday Fish Fry Serving 5 -7:30 pm
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AMVETS Post # 11 G I Breakfast 4th Sunday – April 26, 2009 Serving 8 – 11 am
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Membership
AMVETS Post # 11 Special Clubhouse Projects
Simple report here NEED HELP financially and physically and waiting on spring.
Project # 1 Just talked with Ron O’Dill and sometime in May work will start on getting the front lawn sodded. Project # 2 We have been doing a little research and there is a real good possibility that the siding project will be an in house project. This only means that labor costs will be saved. There is still a great need of financial support from the membership to cover material costs for this project to be accomplished. Project # 3 This project has been handled at a cost of $3,000.00. Please consider a donation to help cover the expense of roof repairs for the post.
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BVNEW Division
Alright, bicycling buddies! It is time to start thinking warm weather and riding. Because the tour is for the most part all set up again. The first new registration was received by mail last week and that means there is less then 50 slots left. More accurately there are now only 42 slots left.
SO ACT NOW AND HELP PLANNING CAUSES!
There are already some changes in the works most I believe will be for the better. Now, I may have to look at the route and find a bunch more hills just to make sure everyone gets plenty of exercise. (Matt)
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Come!
All New Management and Staff
Sunday thru Thursday – Happy Hour Prices All Day
(Except during entertainment)
Breakfast 6 am Weekdays Wednesday $1 - Hamburgers NEED SPEED NASCAR SUNDAYS
NEED A Hall ?
Check Out our Hall Space, Dates and Services Ask the Bartender or call 920-676-1260
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WDVA UPDATE - April 2009
Veterans’ Stakeholder Conference. A Veterans’ Stakeholder Conference was held at the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) on March 31, 2009. The conference preceded the Wisconsin Veterans in the Capitol Day, which was coordinated by veterans’ service organizations. During the Stakeholder Conference veterans discussed legislative and budget issues affecting veterans. 2009-2011 Biennial Budget. The Wisconsin State Legislature is considering the overall state budget, with its final version due to the Governor by June 30, 2009. Updated information about the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs biennial budget request is posted to the WDVA website at www.WisVets.com/Budget as it becomes available. Recent Outreach. WDVA participated in the Wisconsin National Guard (WING) State Family Program Conference in Madison on March 20-22, with a staffed information booth. Over 200 participants took part in the important annual event to learn about resources and support available for family members of service members, as over 3,200 WING service members have recently been deployed to Iraq. On April 10, 2009, the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital partnered with WDVA in hosting a ceremony to honor National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day (Prisoners of War Remembrance Day in Wisconsin), officially observed on April 9, 2009. Volunteer Recognition Banquets. Hundreds of volunteers who give their time and talents to help members of the Wisconsin Veterans Homes in King and Union Grove will be recognized in thanks of their contributions. Volunteers may help push wheelchairs, play card games, or sit and chat with members. King Home volunteers will be honored on April 22 at the Best Western Grand Seasons Hotel in Waupaca, and Union Grove volunteers will be feted on April 29 at the Eagle Inn on the Lake in Eagle, Wis. Museum News. The Wisconsin Veterans Museum (WVM) presented a Memorial Celebration of the life of Dr. Richard Zeitlin, on March 21, 2009, attended by a few hundred who came to remember Dr. Zeitlin, his life, and his legacy of establishing a renowned veterans museum for the citizens of Wisconsin. Those honoring him included family, friends, and WDVA Secretary John A. Scocos via recorded video sent from Iraq. A section within the WVM’s webpage at www.museum.dva.state.wi.us has been dedicated to him. The WVM webpage also now features a Calendar of Events at www.museum.dva.state.wi.us/MNews_calendarofevents.asp. April 2009 presents a lecture series under the heading of “Why Vietnam Matters.” Another item of note included on the calendar is the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation’s annual gala on April 16 entitled “2009 A Tribute to Freedom,” featuring ABC News Anchor Bob Woodruff, who was injured by a roadside bomb while reporting from Iraq in January 2006 and who continues to cover traumatic brain injuries. WDVA Outreach continues. In 2009, the department will conduct outreach activities to take place throughout the state, to include Supermarkets of Veterans Benefits, Veterans Benefits Open Houses on college campuses, ceremonies and special events. For details on these and other upcoming events, go to www.WisVets.com/Events. Forward VETERANS. The Winter-Spring 2009 edition of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs quarterly newsletter is available online at www.WisVets.com/Publications (and see Newsletters).
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Why Vietnam Matters: Spring Program Series at Wisconsin Veterans Museum (MADISON) ― The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is examining the Vietnam War, as part of the educational lecture series for the month of April. All programs are free, and open to the public. They are hosted in the Wisconsin Veterans Museum’s 2nd Floor Education Center. Friday, April 3, 2009 – Noon A New Deal for Vietnam Robert Brigham, Professor of History and International Relations, Vassar College Lecture and book signing For Lyndon Johnson, fighting communism in Vietnam was part and parcel of his vision for global reform through modernization. He believed that modernization would shore up the shaky government in Saigon and help consolidate its power, ultimately allowing the government to assume responsibility for the public welfare. Join Dr. Brigham as he recounts Johnson’s intended modernization projects in South Vietnam and their projected impact on a populace whose admiration he desperately sought.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 – 7:00 p.m. Why Vietnam Matters: An Eyewitness Account of Lessons Not Learned Rufus Phillips, author Lecture and book signing First serving in Vietnam as a member of the CIA in 1954, Rufus Phillips is one of the few remaining advisors who watched the Vietnam War grow from its infant stages to a full-scale conflict. From working with the legendary Edward Lansdale in the 1950s to overseeing USAID’s Strategic Hamlet program, Mr. Phillips will share his own experiences, discuss our many false assumptions about Vietnam, and how lessons learned in SE Asia can assist in our approach to events in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009 – 7:00 p.m. Lessons in Disaster: McGeorge Bundy and the Path to War in Vietnam Gordon Goldstein, author Lecture and book signing As national security adviser for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, McGeorge Bundy was one of the principal architects of the Vietnam War, pushing for escalation while others called for restraint. Several decades later, Bundy began to reexamine his decisions, collaborating with Gordon Goldstein on a book shelved following Bundy’s death in 1996. Now, over a decade later, Goldstein has revisited the enduring historical debate over Vietnam, using Bundy’s own insights to analyze America’s entanglement in the war and how events might have transpired differently.
Thursday, April 30, 2009 – 7:00 p.m. From “Hearts and Minds” to “Shock and Awe:” What are the Lessons of the Vietnam War for the 21st Century? Jeremi Suri, Professor of History, University of Wisconsin-Madison Lecture and Discussion During the Vietnam War, winning the “hearts and minds” of the Vietnamese people was a key part of American military and pacification efforts. Ultimately, this strategy failed, but what lessons did American military and civilian leaders learn from this experience? How have these lessons been applied to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to what effect? Join Dr. Suri as he answers these questions and looks to the future and addresses how, moving forward, American leaders can improve upon past experiences. To schedule interviews with speakers or museum staff, contact Jeff Kollath, Curator of Programs, at (608) 261-0541. Where book signings are mentioned, books will be available for purchase both before and after the events specified. The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is a free public educational activity of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs and is located at 30 W. Mifflin St., across the street from the State Capitol. For more information go to www.museum.dva.state.wi.us.
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Free Access to Wisconsin State Parks and Trails
For certain Disabled Veterans and former Prisoners of War (MADISON) – Beginning in October 2008, certain disabled veterans and former Prisoners of War (POWs) have been eligible to receive waivers of vehicle admission and trail pass fees for admittance to state parks, according to the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Eligible veterans include disabled veterans with a 70 percent or greater permanent or temporary disability rating by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA). Also eligible are disabled veterans determined by the federal VA to be totally disabled due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU). A third group of veterans eligible to receive free admission to state parks and use of trails includes former Prisoners of War (POWs). “With Spring here, this benefit will allow many disabled veterans and those POWs who served our nation through the most difficult of circumstances the opportunity to get outdoors, visit our state parks and use the trails,” said WDVA Acting Secretary Ken Black. “Working together with the DNR we can provide this wonderful benefit.” “The DNR is proud to be part of this project that rightfully honors the service of disabled veterans and former Prisoners of War,” DNR Secretary Matt Frank said. “These brave men and women sacrificed so much for our freedom and we are happy to help provide greater opportunities for them to enjoy Wisconsin’s beautiful outdoors.” After six months, 343 veterans have applied for and received waivers from the DNR. Veterans may apply for the fee waiver by downloading and completing a Disabled Veteran Free State Park/Forest/Trail Pass Application (found at www.dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/fees/waivers.html#veteran) and taking it to a County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) to certify it. The application must be signed and stamped by a CVSO and mailed to: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Parks and Recreation, 101 S. Webster St., P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Veterans should not send medical records to the DNR. The Bureau of Parks and Recreation will mail out an identification card for a veteran to present each time he or she visits a state park, forest, or recreation area, which will then issue the veteran a courtesy pass for the day. Veterans are required to carry their identification cards with them when using state trails that require a trail pass. Eligible Wisconsin veterans may contact a local County Veterans Service Officer (see list on the Wis. Dept. of Veterans Affairs website at www.WisVets.com/CVSO). For more information, see WDVA’s webpage at www.WisVets.com/parks or DNR’s website at www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/fees/waivers.html. Or call WDVA toll-free at 1-800-WIS-VETS (1-800-947-8387).
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New Web Site Offers Vietnam War Records
By HOPE YEN WASHINGTON — The National Archives is joining with a Web site to make historical records of tens of thousands of deceased Vietnam War veterans available electronically for the first time. The interactive site — http://www.footnote.com — is a Web re-creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall. The site allows access to thousands of pages of casualty records and agency photos. People can search by name, hometown, birthdate, tour date, or dozens of other categories. Such information now is typically found only at National Archives locations, including the headquarters in College Park, Md., and by poring through files organized by topic. That makes searches a hit-or-miss proposition with long odds of finding relevant information, the agency said. Hundreds of veterans visit the central research room each year "to examine the documents that may enable them to establish their rights, and, just as with the wall, to honor, remember and appreciate," said Allen Weinstein, archivist of the United States. "And historians increasingly turn to these essential records to explain the significance of the Vietnam conflict in American history." The site will help "provide ever-greater access to our critical holdings on this subject," he said. The interactive wall allows people to post photographs they may have of a deceased veteran and to make comments. The service is currently free for Vietnam War information; the company is deciding whether to charge fees for some of the 50,000 National Archives photos now digitized. The goal is to tell the stories behind the more than 58,000-plus names on the wall' polished black granite, with information such as specialty, rank, posthumous decorations, regiment, cause of death and whether the body was recovered, the company said. "We know that there are many untold experiences represented on that wall and we hope that this interactive version of the memorial helps those affected by the war by sharing their stories," said Russell Wilding, chief executive officer of footnote.com. Veterans advocacy groups praised the move as a good way to promote public awareness of the contributions of those who served in Vietnam. But some said they would like to see the effort expanded to provide electronic access of records for living Vietnam veterans. Many of them must go through a lengthy process of searching for records at the Archives and elsewhere to establish a disability claim with the government. "It's a wonderful thing they're doing. We certainly have to do much to honor our dead," said Rick Weidman, executive director for policy and government affairs at the Vietnam Veterans of America. "But we continue to press for access for living veterans. The whole rest of the world is digitized, so why not military action reports?" On the Net: · Video of online Vietnam wall: http://tinyurl.com/yqs4t7 · National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/
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ATOMIC VETS
An estimated group of more than 200,000 former soldiers were witnesses to above-ground and undersea atomic tests conducted between 1945 and 1963. Nicknamed “atomic veterans,” the soldiers were part of the testing because various governments wanted to see if troops could operate on battlefields contaminated by radiation from nuclear bombs. In 1990, Congress passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, offering veterans who took part in the tests a payment of $75,000 each. Payments of $100,000 were offered to miners employed in above-ground or underground uranium mines scattered across the western U.S. Those working downwind of the Nevada test site were offered payments of $50,000. “They’re called atomic veterans, but they should be called atomic guinea pigs,” Canadian lawyer Tony Merchant said recently. Merchant represents a group of Canadian veterans who filed a class-action lawsuit in FEB 09 seeking compensation from Canada’s government for their radiation exposure and resulting ailments. Many of the U.S. atomic veterans have a taxing list of infirmities ranging from degenerative arthritis to a coronary artery bypass, diabetes and lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes). Lymphoma is one of 16 cancers the government presumes to be military service-connected if a veteran participated in a radiation-risk activity. One such activity was Operation Upshot-Knothole in Nevada. It used two infantry battalions of volunteers to participate in one of 11 blasts. Soldiers were required to have security clearances, and no cameras were allowed. For the test, troops were dressed in routine basic-issue uniforms and leather gloves. They were positioned in a trench 1½ miles from the blast site as part of the tests. The soldiers were told to stand with their shoulders against the trench wall, to cover their eyes with their arms and hands and not to look up and that there would be two explosions for comparison, the first with 2,700 pounds of dynamite. The second would be the nuclear device. Salinan James Trepoy, a veteran of the test and one of the recipients of a $75,000 payment, recounted on the second blast he heard the countdown, and then the bomb went off. “To this day I never heard the noise (of the explosion),” he said. But he felt the heat of the blast, and looking down at his hands he could see his bones. The blast at 4:30 a.m. produced a bright light and the ground shook. Sand blasted over the troops’ heads and the desert suddenly got hot, as if someone had opened an oven.
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The soldiers were allowed to leave the trench after the detonation to watch the mushroom cloud forming. The cloud formed two separate caps, reaching as high as eight miles into the atmosphere, Trepoy said. The soldiers were told to advance toward ground zero. Along the way they came across a pit where six live sheep had been positioned. The wool on the sides of the sheep facing the blast was charred. “We were told the sheep would be all right, but I swear we had mutton about two days later,” Trepoy said. He said the troops were stopped about a half-mile from ground zero and told to turn back because the radiation was too high. “When we got back to the base camp, we all took showers and threw our clothes in the trash. Then we went back to town,” Trepoy said. The bomb, equal to a 43-kiloton explosion, shattered windows of vehicles eight miles away and cracked windows in Las Vegas 60 miles away. Fifty kilotons is roughly equivalent to 50,000 tons of TNT. In his memory, the sand that Trepoy saw coming out the trench after the atomic blast is still melted. The glass from the shattered vehicle windows still scrunches under his feet. The sheep with the charred wool bleat with fear. Today, the largest group of atomic veteran survivors is the National Association of Atomic Veterans (NAAV), and Gary Thornton is a member and former commander of the state chapter. The 225,000 military personnel involved with testing between 1945 and 1963 weren’t even authorized to speak about their experiences, as the information about their service remained classified until 1996, he said. The NAAV Web site states there are now as many as 195,000 atomic veterans left across America who either don’t know that their oath of secrecy about their service has been rescinded, or are not aware of the potential monetary benefits due them for their radiation-induced illnesses. Most of the surviving atomic veterans have long ago given up on seeing any medical or financial compensation for their service-related injuries, Thornton said. [Source: ArmyTimes David Clouston (Salina Journal) article 27 Mar 09 ++]
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MEDAL of HONOR
The number of Medal of Honor recipients from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan can be counted on one hand. Each of the five acted spontaneously and heroically to save the lives of comrades. Each exemplified the medal’s criteria of “gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of one’s own life above and beyond the call of duty.” And each was killed in action or died from wounds received in action. Now, 146 years after the first Medals of Honor were awarded to living soldiers, it remains to be seen whether anyone will ever again earn a Medal of Honor and survive to accept it. With the exception of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, no other major conflict in modern military history has failed to produce a living recipient of the nation’s highest award for valor. And no war has ever produced so few Medal of Honor or service cross recipients. There are several possible reasons: the proliferation of other valor awards; the changing nature of warfare; and a review process that has become so rigorous — and, some say, meddlesome — that no living person can be good enough to pass all the tests. A Military Times analysis of Medal of Honor and service cross awards dating back to 1861, when the MoH was first authorized, shows a sharp decline, rekindling debate on whether the military is properly recognizing today’s heroes. Although numbers don’t tell the whole story, America’s 20th-century wars produced highly consistent rates of Medal of Honor heroism. From World War I through Vietnam, the rate of Medal of Honor recipients per 100,000 service members stayed between 2.3 (Korea) and 2.9 (World War II). But since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 only five Medals of Honor have been awarded, a rate of 0.1 per 100,000 — one in a million. A similar disparity occurs on the second tier of valor awards: Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross and Air Force Cross. Throughout the 20th century, the rate of service cross recipients per 100,000 troops ranged from a low of 19 in Korea to a high of 167 in World War I. But for the post-9/11 wars, it’s only one per 100,000. “All of us are a little concerned about the fact that people aren’t being recognized,” said Army Reserve Col. Jay Duquette, who recently retired as deputy director of operations at Headquarters, 9th Regional Support Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. “There’s a perception that somehow the political process has at the Defense Department or wherever created some sort of limitation on higher-level decorations,” Duquette said. “I don’t know if that is true. But that is a perception that exists among the lower-level officer corps.” Former Marine Joseph Kinney, a Vietnam veteran who has advocated for greater recognition of heroism in combat, is convinced that’s true. The military awards system, he said, is “broken.”Kinney testified before the House Armed Services Committee in 2006, urging the Pentagon to be more consistent in applying award criteria and to speed the review process for Medal of Honor nominees. In an interview, Kinney noted how much longer award reviews took in the George W. Bush years versus the Clinton administration. It took just 6½ months for the Clinton administration to posthumously award Medals of Honor to Army Master Sgt. Gary Gordon and Army Sgt. 1st Class Randall Shughart for heroic action in Somalia on 3 OCT 93. By contrast, during the Bush years, the speediest Medal of Honor approval took 18 months. One took as long as three years. “The system has failed because of this inordinate fear that somebody is going to get the Medal of Honor [and] be an embarrassment,” Kinney said. “They decided that the Medal of Honor should go not only to people who are brave, but pure.”
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Defense and service officials deny that the process has become politicized. The approach used to recognize acts of valor remains unchanged, Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said. “Each recommendation is carefully considered based on the merits of the individual’s actions, eyewitness accounts and other supporting evidence,” she said. “The standard for the Medal of Honor is high, as one would expect.” Commandant Gen. James Conway also said the standards haven’t changed. But he was at a loss to explain why no living service member has been awarded the Medal of Honor in these past 7½ years of war. “The nature of the award isn’t such that you have to be dead to receive it. That’s never been the standard for awards. It’s not the standard today,” Conway said. “It’s arguably happenstance that the first five out of Iraq or Afghanistan have been posthumous. But that’s not the standard and that’s not the way commanders are looking at it in the field.” Comparing medal statistics and heroes throughout the ages is difficult. It’s like comparing athletes from one generation to another: Which was better, the 1960s Celtics of Bill Russell or the 1990s Bulls of Michael Jordan? Who was a better boxer, Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson? In sports, many factors muddy the waters of comparison: rules changes, more specialized physical training and increasingly bigger, faster and stronger athletes. Similarly, a variety of factors complicate valor comparisons: the evolution of the awards system, the proliferation of valor awards, variants of asymmetric warfare. Fred Borch, a retired Army officer and regimental historian for the Judge Advocate General’s Corps who writes history columns for Military Times, noted that the vast majority of attacks on U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq result from improvised explosive devices.“It’s pretty hard to be a hero against an IED,” he said. Charles Mugno, director of the Institute of Heraldry at Fort Belvoir, Va., said the Medal of Honor essentially was the military’s sole valor award until 1917. Today, there are two dozen valor decorations. “A lot of Medals of Honor were given out because there was no substitute,” Mugno said. “If you look at the citations for [different campaigns], you’ll see a significant difference in acts of valor and degree of valor.” The Hall of Valor database contains 3,467 Medal of Honor citations. To see how many have been awarded to the various services refer to http://www.militarytimes.com/citationsmedals-awards/list.php?category=MilitaryBranches. For a breakdown of awards by conflict refer to http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medalsawards/list.php?category=ConflictPeriods. For additional info refer to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society websites http://www.cmohs.org. & http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/history/society.html . [Source: NavyTimes Brendan McGarry article 28 Mar 09 ++]
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This is NOT an "April Fool" message
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) and House Government Reform and Oversight Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) are teaming to bring a special bill to the House floor for a vote on Wednesday, April 1 that would be of significant benefit to thousands of military widows and more than a million currently serving military and federal civilians. H.R. 1804 would increase the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance payable to military widows currently affected by the deduction of VA survivor benefits from military Survivor Benefit Plan annuities. Under current law, this $50 monthly allowance will increase to $100 over the next five years. H.R. 1804 would raise that amount to $95 monthly for 2010, and by varying amounts in subsequent years, reaching $345 monthly by 2016. This is short of our ultimate goal of repealing the offset, but represents another important step toward that goal. And the prospect of immediate passage tomorrow represents a "bird in the hand" that we should make every effort to support. For currently serving military and federal civilian personnel, the bill would authorize a Roth option for the Federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The Roth option allows members to deposit after-tax dollars in a tax-deferred TSP and draw the proceeds tax-free in retirement. For many military and federal civilians, this is a much more advantageous option than the regular TSP, under which deposits are made with pre-tax money, but are fully taxable upon withdrawal in retirement. This bill represents a "win-win" proposition for military and federal civilian communities.
VET GUN CONTROL:
Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Jim Webb (D-VA) have joined forces to try to prevent veterans from losing the right to own a gun if a fiduciary is appointed to handle their finances. Burr and Webb, both members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, are trying to carve out a loophole for veterans in the Federal Gun Control Act that prohibits the sale of firearms to people who are, in the words of the law, “adjudicated as a mental defective.” According to Burr, the names of about 116,000 veterans have been turned over to the FBI since 1999 because the Veterans Affairs Department assigned a fiduciary to manage their benefits. That is not the same thing as being a danger to themselves or others, Burr said in a statement included in Monday’s Congressional Record when he introduced a bill, S.669, to prevent the VA from reporting the names of veteran to the FBI. “VA focuses on whether or not benefits paid by VA will
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be spent in the manner in which they were intended,” Burr said. “Nothing involved with VA’s appointment of a fiduciary even gets at the question of whether an individual is a danger to themselves or others, or whether the person should own a firearm.” The bill, the Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act, was referred to the veterans committee for consideration. Veterans are not the only ones affected, he said. A surviving spouse or child of a veteran might also have a fiduciary appointed if VA is concerned about their financial responsibility. In the case of a child, their name could be permanently on the list unless they petition for its removal, he said. “This makes no sense.” Burr said the law is unfair because while the names of veterans and people receiving veterans benefits are reported to the FBI for inclusion in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System used by gun shop owners to screen buyers, the Social Security Administration is not required to turn over the names of any Social Security recipients who have someone appointed to handle their finances. Burr said he isn’t trying to put guns in the hands of dangerous people but wants veterans treated fairly. Webb is the only Democratic cosponsor of the bill, which has 14 Republican cosponsors. The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and other major veterans groups support the bill. [Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze article 24 Mar 09 ++]
RESERVE RETIREMENT AGE
Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) has introduced the National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act 2009 (S.644). This is a bill to Amend Title 10, United States Code, to include service after 911, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay. The bill was referred to the Committee on Armed Services. Congress knows that since 911 members of the Reserve Components have been sent in harm's way and fought alongside members of the regular components of the Armed Forces. To date well over 600,000 members of the Reserve Components were mobilized for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other contingency operations. More than 142,000 members of reserve components were mobilized more than once during that period. Public Law 110-181 offered an earlier retirement than the mandatory retirement age of 60 by three months for every aggregate 90 days of active duty for members of the Reserve Components who were mobilized in support of contingency operations after 28 JAN 08. This bill and its companion H.R.208 would change the effective date to 11 SEP 01 and make the provision in any fiscal year after fiscal year 2001. During the Bush administration, the Defense Department opposed the change in retired pay, arguing it could end up hurting the services to allow any Guard and reserve member retire earlier. That opposition is the reason why the 2008 law applied only prospectively. Chambliss was
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prevented last year from trying to retroactively apply the mobilization credit when the Senate got bogged down in procedural problems and cut off almost all amendments to the 2009 defense policy bill. As of 24 MAR only senators Byron L. Dorgan (ND), Johnny Isakson (GA), Edward M. Kennedy, (MA), Blanche L. Lincoln (AR), Pat Roberts (KS), James M. Inhofe (OK), Tim Johnson (SD), John F. Kerry (MA), Mark L. Pryor (AZ) and Charles E. Schumer (NY) have signed on as cosponsors to this bill. Additional cosponsors are needed for this bill to reach the floor of the Senate and stand a chance of passage into law. Veterans are encouraged to contact those senators that have not yet signed on and let them know that you, as a constitute, are concerned about the bill's passage. An easy way to do this is to utilize the NCOA action alert email system at http://capwiz.com/ncoausa/issues/alert/?alertid=12995086&queueid=[cap wiz:queue_id] . All it takes is to enter your zip code to direct the message to your senators and fill in your contact data to allow your senators to respond. [Source: NCOA Action alert 24 Mar 09 ++]
VETERANS CORPS:
The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act or the "GIVE Act passed by the House was read twice and placed on the Senate calendar 19 MAR 09. It is an Act to amend the national service laws which were enacted by the National And Community Service Act (NSCA) of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (DVSA) and reauthorize appropriations through FY2014. If enacted it would establish a Veterans' Corps that identifies unmet needs of veterans through the following activities: • • • Promote community-based efforts to meet the unique needs of military families while a family member is deployed and upon that family member's return home; Recruit veterans, particularly returning veterans, into service opportunities, including such opportunities that reflect their military experience; Work to assist veterans in developing their educational opportunities, including opportunities for professional certification, licensure, and credentials. This would include coordinating with and assisting State and local agencies administering veterans education benefits and programs for internships and fellowships that could lead to employment in the private and public sector; Promote efforts within the community to serve the needs of veterans and members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, including such efforts to help veterans file benefits claims and assist Federal agencies in providing services to veterans; Assist veterans in developing mentoring relationships with economically disadvantaged students;
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Develop projects to assist disabled, rural, unemployed, and older veterans, including such projects that assist such veterans with transportation; and • Support other activities addressing unmet veterans' needs as may be designated. [Source: GQ.com 21 Mar 09 ++] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Final AMVETS Post # 11 – News
There are two major post issues which members really need to consider at this time. 1. April meeting is nomination of Officers. It is time for all members to consider if they could make a difference in AMVETS Post # 11. 2. Annual Membership Renewal: There are currently 16 members which still need to renew. The post will make one final plea before time runs out. Time runs out in July when National purges it membership list of delinquent annual members. A member then looses all longevity and starts as a new member if renewing after that. If you are an annual member and are not sure if your dues are due call Matt @ 920 -676-1260 Check your address label this news letter. 3. There is a lot of veteran legislation on the table right now. Every member should really consider attending the next few meetings to get educated to what is out there. Benefits are on the line and veterans are one of the main targets for chopping to save money. There is a lot of deceiving legislation so we need to look close as to what it really does not what sounds good.
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AMVETS George R. Zenz Post # 11 MEMBERSHIP Application I want to become a: Copy of DD214 - Appreciated ( ) New Annual Member @ ($26.00) ( ) Renewal My Annual Membership @ ($26.00) ( ) Life Membership @ ($150.00) (Life Membership Payment program available through post) Name: _________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________ City: _________________________________________________ State & Zip: _________________________________________________ Phone _________________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________ Branch of Service: _________________________________________________ Year Entered Service: _________________________________________________ Year Discharged from Service: _________________________________________________ Service Number: _________________________________________________ Type of Discharge: _________________________________________________ Date of Birth: _________________________________________________ Male ( ) Female ( ) Spouses Name: _________________________________________________ Signature & Date: _________________________________________________ Post Authorizing Officer Signature _________________________________________________ Sponsor: _________________________________________________ 23
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