Thursday, August 31, 2006




DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
POST CHAPEL, BLDG 2485
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND 21005

October 13, 2005

IMNE-APG-RS

To Whom It May Concern:

I was stationed in Turkey from 1991-1992. I was assigned to the 528th USAG as the Group Chaplain. Our unit was awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze stars. Mr. Sean Eagan was a part of the unit I served in. He served from May 1990 to October 1991 in an outlying detachement. He was extended five months due to stop loss because of the Gulf War. Department of the Army authorized the SWABS on 12 March 1991 for participation in or support of military operations in Southwest Asia or in the surrounding areas between 2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995, including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Since he was a member of 528th USAG during the time of the award, his record should reflect a SWABS with 3 bronze stars: 1. Defense of Saudi Arabia (02 Aug 1990 - 16 Jan 1991); 2. Liberation and Defense of Kuwait (17 Jan 1991 - 11 Apr 1991); 3. Southwest Asia Ceasefire Campaign (12 Apr 1991 - 30 Nov 1995)

Please ensure his record is corrected.

Mr. Eagan has served honorably in the Army in a dependant restricted zone in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As a veteran of foreign wars every effort should be made to correct his record to show his outstanding service to our great nation. If you have any questions please call me at 410-278-2504.

JEFFREY D.WATTERS
Chaplain (Major) United States Army
Resource Manager
Historical Significance

Sixty-three years ago, Nazi Germany had overrun almost all of Europe and
hammered England to the verge of bankruptcy and defeat, and had sunk more
than four hundred British ships in their convoys between England and America
for food and war materials.

At that time the US was in an isolationist, pacifist mood, and most
Americans wanted nothing to do with the European or the Asian war.

Then along came Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and in outrage Congress
unanimously declared war on Japan , and the following day on Germany , which
had not yet attacked us. It was a dicey thing. We had few allies.

France was not an ally, as the Vichy g overnment of France quickly aligned
itself with its German occupiers. Germany was certainly not an ally, as
Hitler was intent on setting up a Thousand Year Reich in Europe . Japan was
not an ally, as it was well on its way to owning and controlling all of
Asia. Together, Japan and Germany had long-range plans of invading Canada
and Mexico , as launching pads to get into the United States over our
northern and southern borders, after they finished gaining control of Asia
and Europe . America's only allies then were England, Ireland, Scotland,
Canada, Australia , and Russia . That was about it. All of Europe , from
Norway to Italy, except Russia in the East, was already under the Nazi heel.

America was certainly not prepared for war. America had drastically
downgraded most of its military forces after W.W.I and throughout the
depression, so that at the outbreak of WW2, army units were training with
broomsticks because they didn't have guns, and cars with "tank" painted on
the doors because they didn't have real tanks. And a huge chunk of our navy
had just been sunk or damaged at Pearl Harbor .

Britain had already gone bankrupt, saved only by the donation of $600
million in gold bullion in the Bank of England , that was actually the
property of Belgium , given by Belgium to England to carry on the war when
Belgium was overrun by Hitler (a little known fact). Actually, Belgium
surrendered on one day, because it was unable to oppose the German invasion,
and the Germans bombed Brussels into rubble the next day just to prove they
could. Britain had already been holding out for two years in the face of
staggering shipping loses and the near-decimation of its air force in the
Battle of Britain , and was saved from being overrun by Germany only because
Hitler made the mistake of thinking the Brits were a relatively minor threat
that could be dealt with later, and first turning his attention to Russia ,
at a time when England was on the verge of collapse, in the late summer of
1940.

Ironically, Russia saved America 's butt by putting up a desperate fight for
two years, until the US got geared up to begin hammering away at Germany

Russia lost something like 24 million people in the sieges of Stalingrad and
Moscow alone... 90% of them from cold and starvation, mostly civilians, but
also more than a MILLION soldiers.

Had Russia surrendered, Hitler would have been able to focus his entire war
effort against the Brits, then America . And the Nazis could possibly have
won the war.

All of this is to illustrate that turning points in history are often dicey
things. And now, we find ourselves at another one of those key moments in
history.

There is a v ery dangerous minority in Islam that either has, or wants and
may soon have, the ability to deliver small nuclear, biological, or chemical
weapons, almost anywhere in the world.

The Jihadis, the militant Muslims, are basically Nazis in Kaffiyahs -- they
believe that Islam, a radically conservative form of Wahhabi Islam, should
own and control the Middle East first, then Europe , then the world. And th at
all who do not bow to their will of thinking should be killed, enslaved, or
subjugated. They want to finish the Holocaust, destroy Israel , and purge
the world of Jews. This is their mantra.

There is also a civil war raging in the Middle East -- for the most part not
a hot war, but a war of ideas. Islam is having its Inquisition and its
Reformation, but it is not known yet which will win -- the Inquisitors, or
the Reformationists.

If the Inquisition wins, then the Wahhabis, the Jihadis, will control the
Middle East, the OPEC oil, and the US, European, and Asian economies. The
techno-industrial economies will be at the mercy of OPEC -- not an OPEC
dominated by the educated, rational Saudis of today, but an OPEC dominated
by the Jihadis.

You want gas in your car? You want heating oil next winter? You want the
dollar to be worth anything? You better hope the Jihad, the Muslim
Inquisition, loses, and the Islamic Reformation wins.

If the Reformation movement wins, that is, the moderate Muslims who believe
that Islam can respect and tolerate other religions, and live in peace with
the rest of the world, and move out of the 10th century into the 21st, then
the troubles in the Middle East will eventually fade away, and a moderate
and prosperous Middle East will emerge.

We have to help the Reformation win, and to do that we have to fight the
Inquisition, i.e., the Wahhabi movement, the Jihad, Al Qaeda and the Islamic
terrorist movements. We have to do it somewhere. And we can't do it
everywhere at once. We have created a focal point for the battle at a time
and place of our choosing........in Iraq

Not in New York , not in London , or Paris or Berlin , but in Iraq , where we
are doing two important things.

(1) We deposed Saddam Hussein. Whether Saddam Hussein was directly
involved in 9/11 or not, it is undisputed that Saddam has been actively
supporting the terrorist movement for decades. Saddam is a terrorist.

Saddam is, or was, a weapon of mass destruction, who is responsible for the
deaths of probably more than a million Iraqis and two million Iranians.

(2) We created a battle, a confrontation, a flash point, with Islamic
terrorism in Iraq . We have focused the battle. We are killing bad people,
and the ones we get there we won't have to get here. We also have a good
shot at creating a democratic, peaceful Iraq , which will be a catalyst for
democratic change in the rest of the Middle East , and an outpost for a
stabilizing American military presence in the Middle East for as long as it
is needed.

World War II, the war with the German and Japanese Nazis, really began with
a "whimper" in 1928. It did not begin with Pearl Harbor . It began with the
Japanese invasion of China It was a war for fourteen years before America
joined it. It officially ended in 1945 -- a 17 year war -- and was followed
by another decade of US occupation in Germany and Japan to get those
countries reconstructed and running on their own again ... a 27 year war.

World War II cost the United States an amount equal to approximately a full
year's GDP -- adjusted for inflation, equal to about $12 trillion dollars.
W.W.II cost America more than 400,000 killed in action, and nearly 100,000
still missing in action.

The Iraq war has, so far, cost the US about $160 billion, which is roughly
what 9/11 cost New York . It has also cost about 2,200 American lives, which
is roughly 2/3 of the 3,000 liv es that the Jihad snuffed on
9/11. But the cost of not fighting and winning W.W.II would have been
unimaginably greater -- a world dominated by German and Japanese Nazism.

Americans have a short attention span, conditioned by 30 second sound bites,
60 minute TV shows, and 2 hour movies in which everything comes out okay.

The real world is not like that. It is messy, uncertain, and sometimes<>bloody and ugly. Always has been, and probably always will be.

The bottom line is that we will have to deal with Islamic terrorism until we
defeat it, whenever that is. It will not go away if we ignore it.

If the US can create a reasonably democratic and stable Iraq , then we have
an " En gland " in the Middle East , a platform, from which we can work to help
modernize and moderate the Middle East The history of the world is the
clash between the forces of relative civility and civilization, and the
barbarians clamoring at the gates. The Iraq war is merely another battle in
this ancient and never-ending war. And now, for the first time ever, th e
barbarians are about to get nuclear weapons. Unless somebody prevents them.

We have four options:

1. We can defeat the Jihad now, before it gets nuclear weapons.

2. We can fight the Jihad later, after it gets nuclear weapons (which may
be as early as next year, if Iran 's progress on nuclear weapons is what Iran
claims it is).

3. We can surrender to the Jihad and accept its dominance in the Middle
East, now, in Europe in the next few years or decades, and ultimately in
America.

4. Or, we can stand down now, and pick up the fight later when the Jihad is
more widespread and better armed, perhaps after the Jihad has dominated
France and Germany and maybe most of the rest of Europe . It will, of
course, be more dangerous, more expensive, and much bloodier.

If you oppose this war, I hope you like the idea that your children, or
grandchildren, may live in an Islamic America under the Mullahs and the
Sharia, an America that resembles Iran today.

The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural
clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and
civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.

Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists
always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.

Remember, perspective is everything, and America 's schools teach too little
history for perspective to be clear, especially in the young American mind.

The Cold war lasted from about 1947 at least until the Berlin Wall came down
in 1989. Forty-two years. Europe spent the first half of the 19th century
fighting Napoleon, and from 1870 to 1945 fighting Germany

World War II began in 1928, lasted 17 years, plus a ten year occupation, and
the US still has troops in Germany and Japan . World War II resulted in
the death of more than 50 million people, maybe more than 100 million
people, depending on which estimates you accept.

The US has taken more than 2,000 KIA in Iraq . The US took more than
4,000 killed in action on the morning of June 6, 1944, the first day of the
Normandy Invasion to rid Europe of Nazi Imperialism. In W.W.II the US
averaged 2,000 KIA a week -- for four years. Most of the individual battles
of W.W.II lost more Americans than the entire Iraq war has done so far.

But the stakes are at least as high ... A world dominated by representative
governments with civil rights, human rights, and personal freedoms ... or a
world dominated by a radical Islamic Wahhabi movement, by the Jihad, under
the Mullahs and the Sharia (Islamic law).

It's difficult to understand why the American left does not grasp this. They
favor human rights, civil rights, liberty and freedom, but evidently not for
Iraqis.

"Peace Activists" always seem to demonstrate here in America , where it's
safe.

Why don't we see Peace Activist demonstrating in Iran , Syria , Iraq , Sudan ,
North Korea, in the places that really need peace activism the most?

The liberal mentality is supposed to favor human rights, civil rights,
democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, etc., but if the Jihad wins,
wherever the Jihad wins, it is the end of civil rights, human rights,
democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, etc. Americans who oppose the
liberation of Iraq are coming down on the side of their own worst enemy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raymond S. Kraft is a writer living in Northern California . Please consider
passing along copies of this article to students in high school, college and
university as it contains information about the American past that is very
meaningful today -- history about America< /st1:country-region> that very likely is completely
unknown by them (and their instructors, too). By being denied the facts of
our history, they are at a decided disadvantage when it comes to reasoning
and thinking through the issues of today. They are prime targets for
misinformation campaigns beamed at enlisting them in causes and beliefs that
are special interest agenda driven.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Europe/EDVA/medals issue


Canadian radio show on Cold War in Europe & recognition


CKNW 980 AM Vancouver in BC CANADA http://www.cknw.com/


Thu Aug. 24 8:00 p.m


Guest Joe Martin - EDVA National Commander (Europe Defense Veterans of America )


23 minutes first 7 mins is local news


Listen Here

Sunday, August 27, 2006

The following article is from the Press Republican in N.Eastern NY.
I want to thank Joe Martin of EDVA and Dan Heath staff writer of
Press Republican for making the public aware of inadequate
recognition for Cod War Vets. I hopefully have some good news soon
to report from Rep. McHugh in regard to his support of CWVM .

Sincerely,


Sean P. Eagan


New York State Director
Cold War Veterans Association
14 Valley St.
Jamestown NY 14701
sean.eagan@gmail.com

http://www.coldwarveterans.com
http://cold-war-veterans-blog.blogspot.com/






Joe Martin displays (from left) an Occupation Service medal; a Good Conduct medal; the commemorative medal available from the Department of Defense, which Martin said cant legally be worn on a uniform; and a prototype of the Cold War European Service medal he hopes to get approved by Congress
Staff Photo/Michael Betts

Group calls for recognition of Cold War veterans


Recognition sought for veterans of '40s through '90s era




LAKE PLACID An organization based in this area is working to give Cold War veterans recognition for their efforts at maintaining peace, freedom and stability on the European continent.

Joe Martin of Saranac Lake is the national director of the Europe Defense Veterans of America, based in Lake Placid. The group is advocating congressional approval of a Europe Defense Service Medal for people who took part in the Cold War's European Theater between Sept. 2, 1945, and Dec. 26, 1991, when the Soviet Union disbanded.

Europe Defense Veterans of America National Director Joe Martin points to the group’s patch on the Cold Warriors Honor blanket he created. It is adorned with patches from 39 groups that have expressed support for some form of Cold War service recognition
Staff Photo/Michael Betts
A DIFFERENT WAR
Martin said the Cold War is a story many may not want to broach because it is viewed as a time of peace.

"It was a war. There are still about 126 (people) missing in action," he said.

Martin said there are 382 known U.S. casualties from hostile fire during the Cold War, not including those killed in recognized conflicts, such as the Korean and Vietnamese wars.

It is estimated more than 5,000 American military personnel died, went missing in action or were wounded while performing training maneuvers, operations or support missions during the Cold War, he said.

"That these lives are not recognized is not fair, and it's not right."

The group wants to see a full and accurate accounting of those who became missing in action during the Cold War, as well as equal recognition with other veterans for their efforts in defense of the United States.

NEW APPROACH
Martin said bills have been introduced for several years seeking creation of a Cold War Victory Medal and a Cold War Service Medal. He said the House of Representatives usually supports the measure, but it fails in the Senate.

Those medals would be available for about 18 million veterans who served between 1941 and 1991.

He started the Europe Defense Veterans to try to get recognition for about 5 million veterans who served in Europe during that period, hoping the smaller number might ease passage through the two houses of Congress.

The group is pushing for the Europe Defense Service Medal based on the authorization of the Korea Defense Service Medal three years ago.

"The Korean War never ended. They are still there on a day-to-day basis," Martin said. "If they are worth a medal, why aren't we?"

SERVICE MEDALS
Among his years of military service were four years and 19 days as a Marine infantryman on two tours in Europe, including service in the Mediterranean on a U.S. Navy vessel with the 6th Fleet.

Martin said that while he was not on the West Germany-East Germany border or the West Germany-Czechoslovakia border, other members of the organization were, staring down Soviet soldiers every day.

Martin said the Department of Defense awarded Occupation Medals for forces serving in Germany and Europe from 1945 to 1955, after which they were available only to those serving in West Berlin from 1945 to 1990. He said the ratio of American and NATO forces to Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces was 1 to 2.1.

"Maybe we did our job too well," Martin said. "There was no nuclear war, so people think nothing happened. That's far from the truth."

Martin said the Department of Defense offers a commemorative medal for service in the Cold War, but it can't legally be worn with a uniform.

"There is code about wearing a medal not authorized by Congress. You could face jail time or fines."

For many Cold War veterans, the only medal recognizing their service is a Good Conduct medal, he said.

CERTIFICATE
He said Congress and the Department of Defense agreed in 1998 to provide recognition through a Cold War Certificate, with about 1 million awarded so far. It is available to those who served honorably on active duty, or in the National Guard, the Reserves or as Department of Defense federal employees during the Cold War.

"It is worded so gently you wouldn't believe it. It doesn't even list rank or years of service," Martin said. "It is a civilian certificate, not a military certificate. It is unsatisfactory to use this as a military award."

He has created a Cold Warriors Honor Blanket, which is adorned with patches from 39 veterans organizations that have publicly stated they support some form of Cold War service recognition. Those groups include the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

"I put this together as a symbol of trying to get all those people working together," he said.

BENEFITS
Recognition would help many Cold War veterans receive more services at Veterans Administration centers, he said. Because 26 years of the Cold War are not considered war periods by the Department of Defense, veterans who served only during those periods are denied access to certain services, such as for post-traumatic-stress disorder.

Martin said he has attended Memorial Day and Veterans Day services but felt almost embarrassed by a lack of recognition.

"Part of the military system is to recognize service by (awarding) medals. They are making a point of not recognizing us," Martin said. "That's not what I signed up for.




TO LEARN MORE

The European Defense Veterans of America's office is at 1936 Saranac Ave., Suite 2-149, Lake Placid, 12946.

The group's Web site is www.edva.us

Founder and National Director Joe Martin can be contacted by e-mail at mongousmc@adelphia.net or by phone at 327-5201.

A petition to ask the government to create a Europe Defense Service Medal can be viewed and signed at www.petitiononline.com/edsm/petition.html

Friday, August 25, 2006

Cold War Certificate Program

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

In accordance with section 1084 of the Fiscal Year 1998 National Defense Authorization Act, the Secretary of Defense approved awarding Cold War Recognition Certificates to all members of the armed forces and qualified federal government civilian personnel who faithfully and honorably served the United States anytime during the Cold War era, which is defined as Sept. 2, 1945 to Dec. 26, 1991.

This is the only official site on which to request Cold War Recognition Certificates. This site is operated by the United States Army, the executive agency for the Cold War Recognition Program. Cold War Recognition Certificates are available to qualified individuals at no cost. Any other site offering these certificates or replicas for sale or purchase are not official sites and are not approved or endorsed by the US Army.

Due to the remarkable success of this program, turn-around time for mailing certificates will be a minimum of 2 months. The CWRS Operations Team is working as fast as possible to clear the backlog. Please do not request feedback prior to 2 months from the request date. Thank you for your patience and interest in the Cold War Recognition program.

Who is eligible?



All members of the armed forces and federal government civilian

personnel who faithfully served the United States during the Cold

War era, Sept. 2, 1945 to Dec. 26, 1991. Individuals requesting

a certificate will certify that their character of service was

honorable. Acceptable supporting document for proof of service

is any official government or military document with recipient's

name, Social Security Number or Military Service Number or

Foreign Service Number, and date of service.



Apply for the Certificate

Frequently Asked Questions

Preview Certificate




Phone Line: (703) 325-5864

Fax: 1-800-723-9262

Email: cwrs1@hoffman.army.mil

Address:

U.S. Army Human Resources Command
Cold War Recognition Program, Hoffman II, Room 3N45
ATTN: AHRC-CWRS
200 Stovall Street
Alexandria, VA 22332-0473

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT


AUTHORITY: 10 U.S.C. 3013, Secretary of the Army; Public Law 105-85, Fiscal Year 98, National Defense Authorization Act; and Executive Order 9397.
PRINCIPAL PURPOSE: To secure sufficient information from the individual so to determine eligibility and to process the individuals' requests for the Cold War Recognition Certificate.

ROUTINE USES: Information is used for official purposes within the Department of Defense; specifically, to process requests for Cold War Certificates. This information may be used in accordance with established Routine Uses for all Department of Defense and Department of the Army system notices.
DISCLOSURE: Disclosure of the Social Security Number and other personal information is voluntary. However, failure to provide complete information may hinder proper identification of the requester, and may prevent the agency from determining eligibility of the requester for the certificate.


Apply for the Certificate


Frequently Asked Questions


Preview Certificate









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Sunday, August 20, 2006

House OK’s Saxton Bill Honoring Troops Lost in Failed Hostage Rescue



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE:
{June 21, 2005}
PR-68-05
CONTACT: JEFF SAGNIP HOLLENDONNER (609) 261-5801 www.house.gov/saxton

House OK’s Saxton Bill Honoring Troops Lost in Failed Hostage Rescue in Iran
Marks 25th Anniversary of ‘Operation Eagle Claw,’ U.S. Special Forces

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Jim Saxton today took his resolution honoring American servicemen killed 25 years ago in the failed hostage rescue attempt to the floor of the House of Representatives.
"From the ashes in the Iranian desert rose the well-equipped, highly-trained elite special forces that exist today and are fully engaged in the war on terrorism," Saxton said. "That tragedy led us to recognize the need to join together all of the various special operations forces under a strong, unified command."
Saxton’s bill, House Resolution 256, recognizes the bravery, sacrifice, and patriotism of the soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines who participated in Operation Eagle Claw and commends all of the Special Operation Forces currently in service.
"Brave troops died 25 years ago, but their lives weren’t lost for nothing," Saxton said. "They were the seeds of a new breed of special operators that have performed well in the first Gulf War, the Balkans and today in Afghanistan and Iraq."
The House passed H.R. 256 at 10:55 a.m. this morning in a voice vote.
"In the 1980s Congress recognized that our Special Operations Forces were operating with poor and outdated equipment and a lack of funding," Saxton said. "We realized that national defense required more than debate and diplomacy. A series of crucial reforms took the first steps toward rebuilding the Special Operations force. The new U.S. Special Operations Command (U.S. SOCOM) was born to ensure that the problems encountered with Operation Eagle Claw would not be repeated."
As chairman of the House Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, Mr. Saxton oversees all U.S. Special Forces, including Army Rangers, Navy SEALS, Green Berets and other special operators. Saxton helped create the Subcommittee after 9/11, and is its first chairman.
On Nov. 4, 1979, Islamic extremists stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 66 American hostages, 13 of whom were released between November 19-20, 1979. After months of diplomatic negotiations, planning, and intergovernmental debate, a complex rescue mission dubbed "Operation Eagle Claw" was approved by President Carter. On April 24, 1980, a Task Force comprised of U.S. Army Special Operations Forces, Army Rangers, Air Force Special Operations Wing personnel, and Navy, Marine, and Air Force pilots moved undetected over thousands of miles to a remote location in the Iranian desert known by the code name "Desert One." Due to mechanical failures and weather problems only six of eight helicopters successfully arrived at Desert One. At Desert One, a combination of helicopters and MC-130/EC-130 gunships rendezvoused with the intention of rescuing the hostages 200 miles away in Tehran the following evening. Six helicopters was the minimum number that could successfully complete Operation Eagle Claw.
Mechanical, weather and security problems plagued the mission. Within minutes of the arrival of the MC-130 Combat Talon at Desert One, the ground security force stopped a bus with 44 Iranians aboard. Shortly thereafter a gasoline truck was blown up when it got too close to Desert One. The mission was dealt its final blow when one of the remaining helicopters lost its primary hydraulic system, and the rescue attempt was aborted. At that point one of the helicopters collided with a C-130 aircraft on the ground resulting in the death of five airmen and three Marines. The remaining troops managed to evacuate the wounded men and salvageable equipment back to friendly territory.
Today SOCOM is better armed and better trained than ever before.

###

Monday, August 14, 2006

While the Association does not get involved in or take positions on elections, we do want to encourage our members and supporters to contact their senators and representatives on our issues. While the Connecticut US senate race has taken an interesting turn, Senator Joseph Lieberman had a comment in Waterbury yesterday (August 10) that our members need to note:

"...the enemy that faces us is as evil as Nazism and more dangerous than the Soviet communists we fought during the long Cold War."

This acknowledgement of the Cold War is important.Now, Senator Lieberman is a member of the House-Senate Conference on the National Defense Authorization Act for 2007. Section 552 of the House Version authorizes a Cold War Victory Medal. We need to ask him to pledge his support for keeping the Cold War Victory Medal in the final version of the NDAA for 2007. Whatever your feelings about the campaign, if you live in Connecticut, please contact Senator Leiberman with this simple request -- keep the Cold War Victory Medal in the NDAA for 2007.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Xerox launches www.LetsSayThanks.com for troops Category: News and Politics
News from Xerox

Public Relations Office: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Xerox Square 004 100 S. Clinton Ave. Rochester, NY 14644 585-423-5733

SEND FREE POSTCARDS OF SUPPORT TO U.S. TROOPS OVERSEAS VIA XEROX WEB SITE

http://www.letssaythanks.com/ forwards customized postcards designed by kids
ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 26, 2006 Specialist Tommy Brooks from the 2-130 Illinois Infantry Battalion served a 12-month tour in Iraq Ã? and says there's nothing like getting mail from home. A letter has a sense of warmth and is more personal than e-mail. With regular mail, its all yours to keep and take with you when youÃ?re on the move, said Brooks.
You can send your appreciation to U.S. soldiers like Specialist Brooks through a new Web site sponsored by Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) at
http://www.letssaythanks.com/. Launching today, the site allows you to write a personalized message on postcards drawn by kids across the country which will be printed and sent to deployed forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.


Following the success of local community card drives in Atlanta and Phoenix, which delivered thousands of postcards overseas, Xerox created http://www.letssaythanks.com/ to give people a way to show their support no matter where they live. Visitors simply click on their favorite design, drawn by children ages 6-14, and write a personal message to a soldier. The colorful postcards are then printed on a Xerox iGen3 Digital Production Press and mailed in care packages by the military support organization Give2theTroops.

Xerox launches http://www.letssaythanks.com/

We started this effort so specific communities could get even more involved with supporting their local servicemen and women, said Mike Brannigan, president of Xeroxs United States Solutions Group. But when we saw the reaction not only from the public but also from the troops overseas, we moved to an online effort that will allow people from across the U.S. and around the world to send postcards to the men and women of the armed forces.


To submit a card, visit http://www.letssaythanks.com/, click on your favorite postcard design and personalize it with your message, and then hit submit. If you live in the U.S., you can request a copy of the postcard and message to be delivered to you as well. In addition, postcard designs will continue to rotate with new artwork, so visit the site for details on how to submit new drawings for consideration.


-XXX-
Media Contacts:
Carl Langsenkamp, Xerox Corporation, 585-423-5782,
carl.langsenkamp@xerox.com Melissa Zandman, Text 100 for Xerox, 617-399-4914, melissaz@text100.com

Subscribe Here
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.confirmsubscribe&friendID=83755351&Mytoken=6CD229DB-92D1-4C74-985EEEB354363761174138781

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Support Our Troops

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Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.He stays up for days on end._________________________You take a warm shower to help you wake up.He goes days or weeks without running water.__________________________You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.__________________________You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.__________________________You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.__________________________You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.__________________________You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.__________________________You complain about how hot it is.He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.__________________________You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.He doesn't get to eat today.__________________________Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.__________________________You go to the mall and get your hair redone.He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.__________________________You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.__________________________You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.__________________________You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.__________________________You roll your eyes as a baby cries.He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet__________________________You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.__________________________You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.__________________________You see only what the media wants you to see.He sees the broken bodies lying around him.__________________________You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.He does exactly what he is told.__________________________You stay at home and watch TV.He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.__________________________You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gunfire.__________________________You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him.If only there were more men like him!If you support your troops, repost this!If it gets to another veteran who hasn't received it yet, it will bring back memories

Wednesday, August 09, 2006


AMVETS Endorses Cold War Victory Medal! Category: News and Politics



AMVETS endorses Cold War Victory Medal AUGUST 12, 2004 Spokane, Washington RESOLUTION 05-70 SUBJECT: CREATION OF A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL SOURCE: COLD WAR COMMITTEE WHEREAS, the United States Congress has authorized the Cold War Certificate for those Americans who served in the Armed Forces, or in other government agencies, during the period Sept. 2, 1945 through Dec. 26, 1991, and whose duties contributed directly to this nation's Cold War efforts; and WHEREAS, the 1990 Census indicates that at least 18 million Cold War veterans were alive at that time, and further estimates indicate that as many as 22 million Americans served honorably during the Cold War; and WHEREAS, the Cold War was of such magnitude and scope that there is no comparable event in history, and therefore must be treated as singularly unique; and WHEREAS, the American victory in the Cold War changed the world forever, and those Americans who served honorably in the Armed Forces should be recognized in the form of a medal: Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That AMVETS , the [largest] veterans organization which represents every Cold War veteran , proposes that Congress direct the Department of Defense to design, authorize, and supervise distribution of a Cold War Victory Medal; and be it further RESOLVED, That all congressionally chartered and/or recognized veterans organizations, pending their individual requests, may be authorized to act as witnesses to the honorable services through visual inspection of the appropriate documents - and will at the local post level issue affidavits attesting to the eligibility of each applicant; and be it further RESOLVED, That any requirement for posting of the award to individual military personnel records be waived, and a separate record of issuance of Cold War Victory medals be maintained.

Monday, August 07, 2006






It is with great pleasure that the Cold War Veterans Association (CWVA) announces the first known official medal to be authorized by a governing entity of the United States of America specifically for military service during the Cold War.

http://www.cwva-ca.com/CWVA-PCZ%20LSCWSM2.pdf
(download .pdf file)



Saturday, August 05, 2006





The American Legion Endorses Cold War Victory Medal!

EIGHTY-SIXTH NATIONAL CONVENTION of THE AMERICAN LEGION NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE August 31—September 2, 2004 RESOLUTION No. 10: Awarding The Cold War Victory Medal ORIGIN: District of Columbia SUBMITTED BY: Convention Committee on National Security WHEREAS, The United States Armed Forces engaged the forces of international Communism continuously from the end of World War II until the disintegration of the former Soviet Union; and WHEREAS, The United States, during this extended period, relied for its manpower source on a national service Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps made up of citizens performing their obligated duty to serve and defend the United States; and WHEREAS, The defeat of the former Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies constituted the greatest success of American Armed Forces since the end of World War II; and WHEREAS, Many American citizens served the nation in assigned duties without receiving tangible recognition for that service; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, By The American Legion in National Convention assembled in Nashville, Tennessee, August 31, September 1, 2, 2004, That The American Legion urge the Congress to authorize and provide funding for the award of a Cold War Victory Medal to all Armed Forces members who served on extended active duty during the period 2 September 1945 through 26 December 1991, thereby commemorating service in the Cold War to eliminate the threat of a determined enemy to overpower the freely elected democracies of the world.

Contact HASC Conferees!!! ASAP
Category: News and Politics


BASED ON THE BEST INFORMATION WE HAVE, THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING CONFEREES: CONTACT THOSE FROM YOUR STATE AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT KEEPING SEC 552, THE COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL IN THE NDAA FOR 2007.

REPUBLICANS (16)fficeffice" />
DEMOCRATS (12)




Mr. Hunter (CA), Chairman Mr. Skelton (MO), Ranking

Mr. Weldon (PA)
Mr. Spratt (SC)

Mr. Hefley (CO)
Mr. Ortiz (TX)

Mr. Saxton (NJ)
Mr. Taylor (MS)

Mr. McHugh (NY)
Mr. Abercrombie (HI)

Mr. Everett (ffice:smarttags" />AL)
Mr. Meehan (MA)

Mr. Bartlett (MD)
Mr. Reyes (TX)

Mr. Thornberry (TX)
Dr. Snyder (AR)

Mr. Hostettler (IN)
Mr. Smith (WA)

Mr. Jones (NC)
Ms. Sanchez (CA)

Mr. Ryun (KS)
Ms. Tauscher (CA)

Mr. Gibbons (NV)
Mr. Andrews (NJ) - Author of SEC 552, Cold War Victory Medal

Mr. Hayes (NC)


Mr. Calvert (CA)


Mr. Simmons (CT)


Ms. Drake (VA)




Below are Congressmen who have Co-Sponsored a past Cold War Medal Bill (Bill# and year listed)

Green = Current Sponsor of HR2568

Alphabetized by State
REPUBLICANS (16) Past Cold War Co-Sponsorship
[AL-2] Everett, Terry
[CA-44] Calvert, Ken
[CA-52] Hunter, Duncan - Chairman
[CO-5] Hefley, Joel
[CT-2] Simmons, Rob HR2165 (2001-2002)
[IN-8] Hostettler, John
[KS-2] Ryun, Jim HR2165 (2001-2002)
HR3388 (2003-2004)
[MD-16] Bartlett, Roscoe HR2165 (2001-2002)
[NC-3] Jones, Walter
[NC-8] Hayes, Robin
[NJ-3] Saxton, Jim HR2165 (2001-2002)
[NV-2] Gibbons, Jim HR2165 (2001-2002)
[NY-23] McHugh, John
[PA-7] Weldon, Curt
[TX-13] Thornberry, Mac
[VA-2] Drake, Thelma HR2165 (2001-2002)




Below are Congressmen who have Co-Sponsored a past Cold War Medal Bill (Bill# and year listed)

DEMOCRATS (12) Past Cold War Co-Sponsorship
[AR-2] Snyder, Vic
[CA-10] Tauscher, Ellen
[CA-47] Sanchez, Loretta
[HI-1] Abercrombie, Neil
[MA-5] Meehan, Marty
[MO-4] Skelton, Ike - Ranking
[MS-4] Taylor, Gene
[NJ-1] Andrews, Robert - Author: Sec 552, Cold War Medal
[SC-5] Spratt, John HR2165 (2001-2002)
[TX-16] Reyes, Silvestre
[TX-27] Ortiz, Solomon
[WA-9] Smith, Adam


HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE - BY STATE

Find members by your state, and please e-mail each your message. If their e-mail format includes a subject line, make it "Please keep Cold War Victory Medal in NDAA for 2007"



Multiply your effectiveness by getting friends and relatives to send the same message. We need to get this done now, before the House-Senate conference takes up the Cold War Victory Medal, which could be anytime in the next few days. Let's reinforce our support, and make our case to all. You can use the message I presented earlier, or a simple "Please support the Cold War Victory Medal. Remember us and our veterans will remember you and thank you."



Also, go to their website at www.house.gov and get their office phone number -- follow up with a telephone call. Make it polite and top the point -- "Please kep SEC 552, Cold War Victory Medal in the National Defense Authorization Act.".



Alabama - Mike Rogers, Alabama

Terry Everett, Alabama



Arkansas - Vic Snyder, Arkansas



Arizona - Trent Franks, Arizona



California - Duncan Hunter, California, Chairman

Ken Calvert, California

Loretta Sanchez, California

Susan A. Davis, California

Ellen O. Tauscher, California

Brian Bilbray, ffice:smarttags" />California



Colorado - Mark Udall, Colorado

Joel Hefley, Colorado



Connecticut - Rob Simmons, Connecticut



Florida -



Jeff Miller, Florida

Kendrick B. Meek, Florida



Georgia - Jim Marshall, Georgia



Cynthia McKinney, Georgia



Guam- Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam



Hawaii - Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii



Illinois - Lane Evans, Illinois



Indiana -

John N. Hostettler, Indiana



Kansas - Jim Ryun, Kansas



Kentucky -

Geoff Davis, Kentucky



Maryland -

Roscoe G. Bartlett, Maryland



Massachusetts - Marty Meehan, Massachusetts



Michigan - Candice S. Miller, Michigan

Joe Schwarz, Michigan



Missouri -

Ike Skelton, Missouri, Ranking Member

W. Todd Akin, Missouri



Minnesota - John Kline, Minnesota



Mississippi -

Gene Taylor, Mississippi



New Hampshire - Jeb Bradley, New Hampshire



Nevada - Jim Gibbons, Nevada



New Jersey - Jim Saxton, New Jersey

Frank A. LoBiondo, New Jersey



NY -

John M. McHugh, New York

Steve Israel, New York



North Carolina

- Walter B. Jones, North Carolina


Mike McIntyre, North Carolina

Robin Hayes, North Carolina


G. K. Butterfield, North Carolina



Ohio -

Michael Turner, Ohio

Tim Ryan, Ohio



Oklahoma - Dan Boren, Oklahoma



Pennsylvania -

Curt Weldon, Pennsylvania

Robert A. Brady, Pennsylvania

Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania



Rhode Island -

James R. Langevin, Rhode Island



South Carolina - John Spratt, South Carolina

Joe Wilson, South Carolina



Tennessee - Jim Cooper, Tennessee



Texas - 1:29 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove



Sunday, August 06, 2006

AMVETS Endorses Cold War Victory Medal!
Category: News and Politics




AMVETS endorses Cold War Victory Medal AUGUST 12, 2004 Spokane, Washington RESOLUTION 05-70 SUBJECT: CREATION OF A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL SOURCE: COLD WAR COMMITTEE WHEREAS, the United States Congress has authorized the Cold War Certificate for those Americans who served in the Armed Forces, or in other government agencies, during the period Sept. 2, 1945 through Dec. 26, 1991, and whose duties contributed directly to this nation's Cold War efforts; and WHEREAS, the 1990 Census indicates that at least 18 million Cold War veterans were alive at that time, and further estimates indicate that as many as 22 million Americans served honorably during the Cold War; and WHEREAS, the Cold War was of such magnitude and scope that there is no comparable event in history, and therefore must be treated as singularly unique; and WHEREAS, the American victory in the Cold War changed the world forever, and those Americans who served honorably in the Armed Forces should be recognized in the form of a medal: Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That AMVETS , the [largest] veterans organization which represents every Cold War veteran , proposes that Congress direct the Department of Defense to design, authorize, and supervise distribution of a Cold War Victory Medal; and be it further RESOLVED, That all congressionally chartered and/or recognized veterans organizations, pending their individual requests, may be authorized to act as witnesses to the honorable services through visual inspection of the appropriate documents - and will at the local post level issue affidavits attesting to the eligibility of each applicant; and be it further RESOLVED, That any requirement for posting of the award to individual military personnel records be waived, and a separate record of issuance of Cold War Victory medals be maintained.