Friday, September 28, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
As the media, overall, debates which country will rise to challenge American hegemony in the world, most claim the true contenders will either be China or India, yet it seems that a huge part of the equation is being overlooked: Russia.
Placing the hype aside, evidence suggests that an informal Russia-China alliance will indeed become the next great superpower. Modern global military escalation began with the United States adopting a doctrine of “pre-emptive” warfare, forcing other countries to shore up their own defenses. China, for instance, doubled its military budget between 1997 and 2003 and continued to expand its budget by over 10 percent per year from 2003 to 2005. Numbers such as these put China’s military budget at approximately $43 billion, nearly equivalent to the U.K. and Japan.
In addition to its large military spending appropriations, China’s economy is the second largest in the world. Its GDP for 2006 was $10 trillion with an external debt of $305.6 billion. The Chinese economy is therefore only second to America, which has a GDP of $13.13 trillion, but an external debt of $10 trillion— placing America at the top of the external debt list and China at 19th.
So, given all these statistics, why is it that China could not achieve true superpower status on its own? The answer is that as China becomes wealthier and begins to enter the realm of first-world countries, its economic growth and economic sustainability come into question, and rightfully so. The reason for this is that as China nears first-world status, it will increasingly become subject to stricter rules and constraints. The most important of which is energy. China needs energy to sustain this level of growth and this is where Russia enters the picture.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian economy was a huge mess. The economy lost an approximate total of $135 billion in the aftermath of the collapse. In the 2000 elections, Vladimir Putin won the presidency and has since helped the Russian economy recover at an amazing rate.
The key to Russia’s economic recovery is its energy. Russia is home to the world’s largest natural gas reserves and is the world’s second largest oil producer. This immediately puts Russia in a position of great advantage in a world that is heavily dependent on oil. Another point to consider is that because Russia has access to oil on its native soil and does not have to concern itself with the global search for oil, nor does it have to entangle itself in contrived diplomacy or engage in aimless, confused wars on foreign soil. Currently, Russia provides a massive amount of energy to Europe and nearly all of its pipelines head west.
It is thanks to Russia’s oil and gas economy that it has been able to begin rebuilding its military. Along with renovations in basic military technology involving tanks, helicopters, submarines and research into a fifth-generation fighter jet — Russia is said to have proposed and developed renovations to their Topol-M missile.
Said missile would make it quite literally “un-hittable” by any conventional ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) defense system. The missile can also resist a nuclear blast within 500 meters and can resist a direct hit from lasers, rendering the United States’ ABM system obsolete.
Also, Russia has recently created the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the world, dubbed the FOAB (Father of All Bombs), which was built in response to the United States creating the MOAB (Massive Ordinance Air Blast Bomb, a.k.a. the Mother of All Bombs) for use in Iraq. It is important to note, however, that such developments in Russian military technology are again due to the United States’ perceived level of aggression by other countries.
Most recently, the quadrilateral initiative that involves the U.S., Taiwan, India and Australia engaged in naval wargames in the Bay of Bengal. These war games have been perceived by China as threatening due to the fact that all four countries have declared China a potential threat. This pushed China, earlier this month, to engage with Russia in military training in the Ural Mountains, where Mr. Putin hosted Chinese President Hu Jintao.
As long as China and Russia are viewed as threatening states, they will be locked together ideologically, militarily, and economically. China requires energy; Russia can provide that energy. Russia, although developing moderately, requires help from the Chinese economy. Both are members of the United Nations Security Council and both have veto powers. It would seem that the world is collectively realizing one thing: The Cold War was never really over, only now the stakes are not in political ideology and nuclear brinksmanship, but rather in economics and energy. Russia and China are leading the way.
Wasim Salman (salman@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in international studies.
Update on Gulf War Veteran Illness
NEWS FROM THE RANKING MEMBER OF THE U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
BURR CALLS FOR MORE TREATMENT OF THOSE WITH GULF WAR ILLNESS
September 25, 2007
Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093
(Washington, DC) U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, today said he will continue his efforts to ensure that veterans with illnesses associated with service in the Gulf War receive the best medical care available.
[Sen. Burr speaking during the hearing] "Nearly 16 years after the end of hostilities in the first Gulf War, questions about the health status of those who served in that conflict remain," Burr said. "Evidence shows that many of them suffer from fatigue, memory loss, joint pain, and skin rashes at higher rates than their fellow soldiers who were not deployed to the Gulf War. We still don't know why these people who shared a common experience of service in the Gulf War are suffering from these medical problems. Over the past fifteen years, the U.S. has spent well over $300 million on research and yet we still don't have the answers," Burr stated.
"While we may not know the cause of these diseases, we do know the symptoms our veterans face are real. Our research efforts should continue to focus on treatment for our Gulf War veterans. Our veterans deserve to know the cause of these illnesses and they deserve the best care available to manage symptoms," Burr added.
Dr. Meryl Nass, an internal medicine physician from Maine, testified that at the time of the 1991 war, American combat servicemembers could have been exposed to depleted uranium, pesticides, smoke from oil well fires, as well as nerve agents from the destruction of Iraqi weapons. The National Institute of Medicine reviewed 850 studies and found that there was no consistent pattern of symptoms among veterans of the first Gulf War.
Lea Steele, an associate professor at Kansas State University who studies veterans with medical complications from the Gulf War, told the committee that some of the symptoms can be debilitating. "Veterans with Gulf War Illness typically experience some combination of severe headaches, memory and concentration problems, persistent pain throughout the body, and profound fatigue," Steele said.
Active duty military personnel who have questions or concerns about their health or service in the Persian Gulf region are advised to contact their commanding officer or call the Department of Defense Gulf War Veterans Hotline (1-800-497-6261).
Veterans seeking disability compensation for illnesses incurred in or aggravated by military service should contact a Veterans Benefits Counselor at the nearest VA regional office or health care facility or call the VA Gulf War Information Helpline at 1-800-PGW-VETS (1-800-749-8387).
####
Additional information:
Department of Defense - Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illness - http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/vet_help/help.jsp
National Institute of Medicine - Gulf War and Health: http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3793/24597/36955.aspx
Veterans Benefits Administration: http://www.vba.va.gov/ro/west/phenx/gulf.htm
VA Federally Sponsored Research on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses - 2006 Annual Report to Congress http://www.research.va.gov/resources/pubs/GulfWarRpt06.cfm
Saturday, September 22, 2007
STILL MISSING
http://www.sunherald.com/201/story/147875.html
MIAs honored
Biloxi VA remembers the empty chair
By LEIGH COLEMAN
SUN HERALD
JOHN FITZHUGH/SUN HERALD
A POW/MIA flag is draped on a chair Friday during the POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony in the chapel at the Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System in Biloxi.
POW-MIA ceremony (Sept. 22)
BILOXI --The place cards and programs read, "The chair is empty for they are not here."
The Biloxi VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System on Friday hosted a POW/MIA ceremony and reception. They wanted the words to serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by American prisoners of war and those still missing in action.
The event was held for National POW/MIA Recognition Day, which is held annually on the third Friday of September.
Veterans, VA staff members and volunteers, and family members of those missing in action gathered.
The Biloxi VA traditionally holds a POW/MIA recognition day twice a year. The POWs are the focus during a spring recognition ceremony. The MIAs were the focus of Friday's service.
During the ceremony, Chaplain Gary Morris presented a solemn symbolic biographical sketch of several local MIAs from the Vietnam era titled, "Do You Remember Me?"
"For the last several years it has been my honor to share the stories of Vietnam veterans who are from our area but never returned home," said Morris.
The audience listened to the stories about MIAs Timothy Samuel Owen of Mobile, last seen during a night ambush in South Vietnam in 1968; Curtis Richard Smoot of Bogalusa, La., last seen flying a reconnaissance mission over Colombia in 1971; and Thomas W. Bennet Jr. of Natchez, who disappeared during a bombing mission over Hanoi, North Vietnam, then was captured as a POW but never released and is classified as missing in action.
"We have come to these recognition ceremonies for a number of years and it is good that we are all appreciated as soldiers," said WWII POW Sidney Hecker.
"I fought in the Battle of the Bulge and the not-so-well-known and controversial Battle of Huertgen Forest. That battle was controversial because so many units were wiped out and there was not many prospects for victory," he said.
According the the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, one American is still missing from the Gulf War, more than 1,750 from the Vietnam War, 120, from the Cold War, more than 8,100 from the Korean War and more than 78,000 from WWII.
Gulf War 1
Vietnam War 1,750+
Cold War 120
Korean War 8,100+
World War II 78,000+
- POW/MIA ACCOUNTING COMMAND
Friday, September 21, 2007
Jesse Macbeth: I admit it, I’m a filthy liar
If you are not familiar with this case check it out I am glad he has been finally exposed as a fruad
posted at 3:47 pm on September 21, 2007 by Allahpundit
He smeared American soldiers on video, accusing them of massacring Iraqis inside a mosque and executing them at close range — "they would actually feel the hot muzzle of my rifle on their forehead" — but it's now almost forgotten that he also apparently doctored his discharge form to cover his tracks after milbloggers started sniffing around. Thankfully he was too stupid to do a good job of it so they caught him in the act there, too.
A Washington man, whose claims to have slaughtered civilians as a U.S. Army Ranger in Iraq were seen by millions on YouTube, admitted in federal court in Seattle today that he was a fake and a liar.
Jesse Adam Macbeth, 23, pleaded guilty to charges he faked his war record. "He was in the Army for 40 days before he was kicked out of boot camp for being unfit," said U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Sullivan. "He was never in Iraq."…
Macbeth's story of killing men and women as they left a Baghdad mosque included claims that he was a U.S. Army Ranger and had received the Purple Heart for injuries suffered in combat in Iraq.
ABC is framing this as another example of the "phony war hero" phenomenon, which it isn't. While scummy and pathetic, civilians who impersonate troops to steal the glory of the uniform at least aren't besmirching the service. This turd faked his record so that he could sell the image of the tainted uniform to the left. Throw the book at him.
Some of his crazy testimony
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Cop Faces Charges In Iraq Vet Shooting
Cop Faces Charges In Iraq Vet Shooting
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., March 7, 2006
(CBS/AP) A sheriff's deputy who was videotaped shooting an unarmed Iraq War veteran after a car chase will be charged with attempted voluntary manslaughter, authorities said Tuesday.
The decision to charge Deputy Ivory J. Webb, 45, was announced by San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos.
Sheriff Gary Penrod said Webb will remain on paid administrative leave during the investigation into the shooting of Air Force Senior Airman Elio Carrion, 21.
"I respect the decision of the district attorney's office," Penrod said.
It is the first time the county's prosecutors have filed charges against a lawman for an on-duty shooting.
Webb's arraignment was set for Wednesday. If convicted, he could face up to 18½ years in prison.
The charge includes the special allegations of infliction of great bodily injury and use of a firearm, Ramos said at a news conference. In California, such enhancements can result in extra prison time.
Carrion, an Air Force security officer just back from Iraq, was a passenger in a Corvette that police chased at high speed on the night of Jan. 29 until the Corvette crashed into a wall in Chino, about 45 miles east of Los Angeles.
A grainy videotape shot by a bystander showed Carrion on the ground next to the car with Webb standing and pointing at gun at him.
A voice appears to order Carrion to rise, but when the airman appears to begin complying, the deputy shoots him three times. Carrion was shot in the chest, shoulder and thigh and was hospitalized for several days.
Authorities found no weapons on Carrion or the driver, Luis Escobedo.
Prosecutors announced they were charging Escobedo with a felony of attempting to evade a peace officer while driving recklessly and misdemeanor driving under the influence. He was expected to surrender Wednesday. The maximum penalty if convicted would be 3½ years in prison.
The FBI is investigating possible civil rights violations. The sheriff's department conducted its own probe and gave the results to the district attorney's office.
At the time, the sheriff said the videotape "arouses a lot of suspicion," but he pointed out that it is fuzzy and contains gaps.
"In any type of investigation, it is the responsibility of the Sheriff's Department to put together all the facts," Penrod said Tuesday. "The district attorney's role is to take those facts and determine whether there is sufficient evidence to issue a criminal complaint. Obviously that was their choice in this investigation."
Ramos assigned two top attorneys to review the shooting and requested an FBI enhancement of the videotape.
Last month, Carrion's wife insisted he did nothing wrong and demanded that the police officer be arrested.
"I can't sleep at night no more … knowing that we could have lost him. There's just no words for it," Mariela Carrion told CBS News correspondent Sandra Hughes.
She's still a teenager and has been married to Elio for two years.
Mariela finds it hard to understand why her husband, who survived six months as a senior airman in Iraq, was shot three times on the streets of Chino.
"I went to the crime scene, and I saw the car and I saw his clothes there. And at that point, I just felt, 'Oh, my god. What happened?"
If a passerby hadn't happened to take the video, asserts Mariela, "They would have let my husband bleed to death, and they would have switched that whole story around.
"I just want that man to be placed in jail," she insists. "I want justice. And I'm not giving up."
GI Photo Museum
Veteran's Day is rapidly approaching. Most Americans remember and search
for veterans during the Memorial and Veterans Day seasons. To help those
seeking you, a relative, or someone you know who is serving or has served,
you are encouraged to install a military-era photo in The Photograph
Museum. Photo installation is FREE to all.
Photograph installation may be of active servicepersonnel, Reservists,
Guardpersonnel, veterans, deceased veterans, POW/MIAs of all service
branches and ranks from all eras from the Revolutionary War to the present,
and of any Nation. You may also post photos of active or former military
personnel you are seeking. Photos, drawings or images may be of personnel,
unit locations, groups, vessels or incidents.
For more information on photo/image submission please travel to URL:
http://members. aol.com/amerwar/ photo.htm
http://members.aol.com/amerwar/photo.htm
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Happy 60th Birthday U.S. Air Force
Air, Space & Cyberspace
Originally part of the U.S. Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on Sept. 18, 1947 as a result of the Security Act of 1947.
After many years of planning, an independent air arm was formed, an equal to the Army and Navy. Based on achievements in air superiority, the Air Force became the "first line of defense" in a post-war world. W. Stuart Symington was sworn in as the first secretary of the Air Force, this day 1947.
Since that time, many of our Veteran brothers and sisters have proudly worn the USAF uniform, fighting to protect the many freedoms that our great nation guarantees, carrying out the -USAF Mission:
"To Deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests - to fly and fight in Air, Space, and Cyberspace"
Global Vigilance, Reach and Power
Today, the USAF is the largest and most technologically advanced modern air force in the world, with roughly 6,013 manned aircraft in service and over 350,000 active duty men and women.
Throughout history, some of you and millions of other heroic U.S. Armed Forces personnel have fought in many wars, from WWI-II through to the Korean War & Vietnam, to the Gulf War and the current War on Terrorism, proudly serving our nation.
VetFriends.com salutes and supports all of you, our Veterans, active & reserve military, of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force,Marines & Coast Guard - All heroes of our nation.
USAF Key Historical Dates:
- -Aug. 1, 1907 - U.S. Army Signal Corps established a small Aeronautical Division to take charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning & air machines.
-May 20, 1918 - WWI, President Woodrow Wilson issued an executive order transferring aviation from the Signal Corps to two agencies under the Secretary of War: the Bureau of Aircraft Production, headed by Mr. John D. Ryan, and the Division of Military Aeronautics, directed by Maj. Gen. William L. Kenly.
-1926 - Air Corps Act of 1926 changed the name of the Air Service to the Army Air Corps. During WWII, the U.S. Army Air Forces was then established in 1941.
-1964 - USAF was heavily deployed during the Vietnam War following the Gulf of Tonkin incident.
-1991 - The USAF provided the bulk of the Allied air power during the first Gulf War. The F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter was utilized.
-2003 - In the invasion of Iraq, following the defeat of Saddam Hussein's regime, the USAF took over Baghdad International Airport as a base.
Happy Birthday USAF! And thank you to all of our USAF, Army, Navy, Marines & Coast Guard Veterans, active and reserve military.
For more authentic military photos please visit our collection by clicking on Military Photos. Submit some of your own as well!
Please Click here to sign up & receive free VetFriends.com updates, military pictures, specials, jokes & more!
Best Regards,
The Veterans at VetFriends.com
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard
Connecting People, Reuniting Thousands...
Monday, September 17, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Commentary: A new Cold War in Asia?
SEOUL, Sep. 11
ZHANG QUANYI
Column: Global Survey
The Cold War is not yet over in Asia, as evidenced by the tensions that persist on the still divided Korean peninsula. Yet before the old one is over, the curtain of a new Cold War appears to be descending in the region. While the leaders who attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Sydney this past weekend seemed to be united in their call for action on challenging issues such as global warming and economic development, in fact a cauldron of unpredictable discord was simmering just below the surface of smiles and handshakes.
The United States and Japan seem intent on creating a new military block in Asia. They have enlisted Australia, India and Singapore as their allies, and the five nations were concluding their first joint military exercises in the Bay of Bengal just as the APEC conference was winding down. In Sydney, the United States, Japan and Australia held separate security talks at which the main topic was how to engage with India.
The leading members of this alliance have described their cooperation as focused on their "common interests," and have stressed that it is not aimed against China. Yet there is little evidence to prove this argument. No one knows what scenarios will arise in the future.
The Cold War should serve as a mirror in this present situation. The confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union in the early years of the Cold War resembles in some respects the situation that is emerging today.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was based on the Brussels Treaty powers -- Britain, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands -- who set up a military alliance in 1948. The group needed U.S. participation to counter the strength of the Soviet Union, however, and a year later these five countries were joined by the United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, who signed a treaty in Washington, D.C. to create NATO as a collective security system.
The chief purpose of the alliance was specified in Article 5, which stated that an armed attack against one or more of the members in Europe or North America would be considered an attack against them all. The group expanded several times -- there are now 26 NATO members.
The Cold War later extended to Asia. From 1951, the United States completed an alliance system linking the 1954 Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, or SEATO -- which reached from Australia to Pakistan -- to the 1955 Baghdad Pact Organization (later the Central Treaty Organization, or CENTO).
The U.S. action resulted in the establishment of another military block, the Warsaw Pact, headed by the Soviet Union. It was established in 1955 in Warsaw, Poland, to counter the potential threat from the NATO alliance and in response to the inclusion of a "remilitarized" West Germany in NATO the same year. The Warsaw Pact, or Warsaw Treaty Organization, was first an organization of Central and Eastern European communist states. The Pact lasted throughout the Cold War until the collapse of the Soviet Union.
What is the situation now in Asia? The recent military moves among the five allied nations are creating a similar effect. With some policymakers warning of an emerging "China threat," particularly within the United States, Japan and India, this military cooperation could generate unpredictable instability. The five nations represent great potential power, both economically and militarily. Their alliance is setting up a model. Other countries or regional powers from both Asia and Europe may seek to join, or be invited into the new alliance.
This will create a military dilemma. When one side takes an action, regardless of its purpose, a tit-for-tat action may follow. The actions taken by these five countries have actually caused great concern within the Chinese government and among the Chinese people. If military cooperation expands among the United States, Japan and India, China will not remain idle. It may seek an alliance with Russia, South Korea, North Korea, Vietnam and even Cuba and Venezuela.
What's more, domestic politics may complicate existing conflicts, and nationalism may very likely push the Chinese government into confrontation with the alliance. When such a scenario occurs, conflict will be unavoidable, and a new Cold War will be underway. It will then be too late to cry over spilled milk.
History has taught us a lesson. It is necessary to have an umbrella handy in preparation for a rainy day. In this time of globalization, powerful states should bear real responsibility for the global interest rather than their own national interests.
SEOUL, Sep. 11
ZHANG QUANYI
Column: Global Survey
The Cold War is not yet over in Asia, as evidenced by the tensions that persist on the still divided Korean peninsula. Yet before the old one is over, the curtain of a new Cold War appears to be descending in the region. While the leaders who attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Sydney this past weekend seemed to be united in their call for action on challenging issues such as global warming and economic development, in fact a cauldron of unpredictable discord was simmering just below the surface of smiles and handshakes.
The United States and Japan seem intent on creating a new military block in Asia. They have enlisted Australia, India and Singapore as their allies, and the five nations were concluding their first joint military exercises in the Bay of Bengal just as the APEC conference was winding down. In Sydney, the United States, Japan and Australia held separate security talks at which the main topic was how to engage with India.
The leading members of this alliance have described their cooperation as focused on their "common interests," and have stressed that it is not aimed against China. Yet there is little evidence to prove this argument. No one knows what scenarios will arise in the future.
The Cold War should serve as a mirror in this present situation. The confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union in the early years of the Cold War resembles in some respects the situation that is emerging today.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was based on the Brussels Treaty powers -- Britain, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands -- who set up a military alliance in 1948. The group needed U.S. participation to counter the strength of the Soviet Union, however, and a year later these five countries were joined by the United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, who signed a treaty in Washington, D.C. to create NATO as a collective security system.
The chief purpose of the alliance was specified in Article 5, which stated that an armed attack against one or more of the members in Europe or North America would be considered an attack against them all. The group expanded several times -- there are now 26 NATO members.
The Cold War later extended to Asia. From 1951, the United States completed an alliance system linking the 1954 Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, or SEATO -- which reached from Australia to Pakistan -- to the 1955 Baghdad Pact Organization (later the Central Treaty Organization, or CENTO).
The U.S. action resulted in the establishment of another military block, the Warsaw Pact, headed by the Soviet Union. It was established in 1955 in Warsaw, Poland, to counter the potential threat from the NATO alliance and in response to the inclusion of a "remilitarized" West Germany in NATO the same year. The Warsaw Pact, or Warsaw Treaty Organization, was first an organization of Central and Eastern European communist states. The Pact lasted throughout the Cold War until the collapse of the Soviet Union.
What is the situation now in Asia? The recent military moves among the five allied nations are creating a similar effect. With some policymakers warning of an emerging "China threat," particularly within the United States, Japan and India, this military cooperation could generate unpredictable instability. The five nations represent great potential power, both economically and militarily. Their alliance is setting up a model. Other countries or regional powers from both Asia and Europe may seek to join, or be invited into the new alliance.
This will create a military dilemma. When one side takes an action, regardless of its purpose, a tit-for-tat action may follow. The actions taken by these five countries have actually caused great concern within the Chinese government and among the Chinese people. If military cooperation expands among the United States, Japan and India, China will not remain idle. It may seek an alliance with Russia, South Korea, North Korea, Vietnam and even Cuba and Venezuela.
What's more, domestic politics may complicate existing conflicts, and nationalism may very likely push the Chinese government into confrontation with the alliance. When such a scenario occurs, conflict will be unavoidable, and a new Cold War will be underway. It will then be too late to cry over spilled milk.
History has taught us a lesson. It is necessary to have an umbrella handy in preparation for a rainy day. In this time of globalization, powerful states should bear real responsibility for the global interest rather than their own national interests.
How to Re-create a Discontinued Military Shoulder Patch
Many veterans are unable to locate a discontinued unit, vessel or operation patch for display in a shadow box or frame because the patch is no longer manufactured. The website belows provides information on how to re-create a cloth or fabric-appearing military shoulder patch from a color photocopy, drawing or jpg image of the patch.
how to guide
http://members. aol.com/warlibra ry/makepach. htm
Two Soldiers Who Wrote NYT Op-Ed Die in Iraq
A bulletin from Paul Rieckhoff
Last month, seven 82nd Airborne soldiers in Iraq wrote a harsh and powerful assessment of the war. The historic piece ran as an op-ed in The New York Times, stating in part:
To believe that Americans, with an occupying force that long ago outlived its reluctant welcome, can win over a recalcitrant local population and win this counterinsurgency is far-fetched.
Today, it was announced that two of those soldiers have died in a vehicle accident in Baghdad.
I was gutted when I heard the news this morning. Like so many other Iraq veterans, I read the paper every day and go directly to names of the dead -- fearfully looking for names I know. Our staff reviews and posts the names of those killed in action every day on the "Honor the Fallen" section of IAVA's homepage, and not one of them is easy. But this news was especially tough for me to swallow. I really looked forward to one day meeting these brave, articulate and thoughtful soldier-statesmen -- or seeing them run for office.
Please keep these soldiers and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Like every troop that dies in Iraq, these men are more than just numbers. They each have a name, a story and a family that must be remembered. Amidst all the politics and partisanship that dominate our televisions and radios, we must always keep in mind that there are real people behind the policy.
Sgt. Omar Mora, 28, of Texas City, TX, the son of Olga and Robert Capetillo, and the sister of Erica Capetillo, was on his second tour of duty and had just become a U.S. citizen. He is survived by a wife and 5-year-old daughter.
Staff Sgt. Yance T. Gray, 26, of Ismay, MT, the son of Richard and Karen Gray, leaves behind a wife and baby daughter.
Please consider making a donation in their memory to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. As soldiers and as citizens, these young men are heroes. Their devotion to our country is an inspiration, and their deaths represent an unspeakable loss.
Friday, September 14, 2007
I served in the same unit with Tony Teolis for 13 months from 1990-91 in Southwest Asia during the Gulf War and he gives a poignant interview in this article about his feelings on the current war in Iraq. Tony was a great soldier and is a great American speaking up for what he believes is a unmoral and unjust war. Men like Tony and Adam Kokesh I respect deeply for the courage they have shown in publicly denouncing the war in Iraq. No matter what your feelings are on the war one would do well to at least listen to their point of view.
By Amber Healy
September 13, 2007
(This is the first in series of articles about local sentiment to the
war in Iraq.)
Being a good soldier means following the orders given by higher
ranking officers, out of a sense of duty and loyalty to protect his
country.
But what happens when a soldier feels his commanding officers, even
the Commander in Chief, has betrayed and abandoned the Constitution?
Tony Teolis of Fairfax wrestled with that question for years before
joining Veterans for Peace, one of many organizations that help
veterans find the courage and the voice to speak out against the
current occupation of Iraq.
"As veterans, we believe in the Constitution as the law of the land,
and we took an oath to preserve, protect and defend it," Teolis said.
It is the same oath congressmen, senators and the president also take
when they step into office, and Teolis and other like-minded veterans
believe those elected officials have abandoned the Constitution by
going into Iraq under false pretenses.
"A declaration of war without a direct order from Congress, combined
with the abuse of human rights, the abuse and threat of invasion to
other nations are all signs that Congress and the president are not
fulfilling their duties," Teolis said.
A VETERAN of the first Gulf War in the early 1990s, Teolis spent
several years in Japan following his combat duty. With a long family
history of military service, he was proud to serve his country and for
the work he had done in helping to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi control.
"The Army let me travel and gave me training because they thought I
had a skill with languages," he said.
with the abuse of human rights, the abuse and threat of invasion to
other nations are all signs that Congress and the president are not
fulfilling their duties," Teolis said.
A VETERAN of the first Gulf War in the early 1990s, Teolis spent
several years in Japan following his combat duty. With a long family
history of military service, he was proud to serve his country and for
the work he had done in helping to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi control.
"The Army let me travel and gave me training because they thought I
had a skill with languages," he said.
That sense of pride changed for him shortly after Sept. 11, 2001.
"When I heard Bush essentially say you're either with us or you're
against us, that didn't sit well with me," Teolis said. "The world is
too complex to speak in absolutisms."
Steve Hayes of Herndon has a similar story. A soldier in the Army from
1978 to 1982, Hayes was stationed in Germany during peacetime,
continuing a family tradition.
"What is going on in the military, especially what might be waiting
for the younger generation, is important to my family and for people
of my generation to pay attention," he said. "We need to make sure
these soldiers get treated well so the military remains honorable and
we don't have to go back to a draft system."
For Hayes, concerns about the current military began in 2003 and 2004,
early in the Iraq occupation, when news started trickling out that the
reasons for the U.S. invasion were not factually correct.
Hayes, joined by other members of Veterans for Peace and the Prince
William County Peacemakers, began visiting Walter Reed and another
military hospital in Bethesda to talk with veterans returning from
Iraq to be treated for injuries.
The two hospitals had different methods in place to help veterans
recover. Walter Reed provided homes for veterans' families to stay in
while visiting their loved one; the hospital in Bethesda provided a
Marine Corps officer to make sure injured vets had whatever resources
needed for a full recovery.
AS THE VETERANS Hayes worked with began to speak out about the
conditions of Walter Reed, another group began to stage
counter-protests each Friday, accusing the group of betraying their
country.
"We just wanted to make sure these guys got a fair shake from their
government," Hayes said.
government," Hayes said.
Tina Richards fought with the Department of Defense for nine months to
prevent her son, who had already served two tours in Iraq, from
returning to battle after the Veterans Administration determined he
was 80 percent disabled from post-traumatic stress disorder.
"We were in the middle of getting the VA paperwork filed with the
Marines when they tried calling him back for a third tour," said
Richards, now an activist on behalf of veterans who return home from
Iraq with mental health issues that directly result from their duty
overseas.
prevent her son, who had already served two tours in Iraq, from
returning to battle after the Veterans Administration determined he
was 80 percent disabled from post-traumatic stress disorder.
"We were in the middle of getting the VA paperwork filed with the
Marines when they tried calling him back for a third tour," said
Richards, now an activist on behalf of veterans who return home from
Iraq with mental health issues that directly result from their duty
overseas.
"When my son first came home, he was telling me about how the
occupation was destroying people's lives and I knew I had to do what I
could to stop it," she said.
occupation was destroying people's lives and I knew I had to do what I
could to stop it," she said.
Despite a serious medical problem, Richards said her son was in danger
of losing his honorable discharge for refusing to return for duty,
which could have cost him the medical benefits he needed.
"When he first came back, he tried to speak out, but now the Marine
Corps has taken that away from him too," she said.
of losing his honorable discharge for refusing to return for duty,
which could have cost him the medical benefits he needed.
"When he first came back, he tried to speak out, but now the Marine
Corps has taken that away from him too," she said.
"For every person we kill, we're making 10 more people angry,"
Richards said of the tension in Iraq. "Who knows how many of those
people will become extremists in the future?"
Richards said of the tension in Iraq. "Who knows how many of those
people will become extremists in the future?"
Like Hayes and Teolis, Richards said many men on both sides of her
family have proudly served in the military. Like so many other mothers
and family members, she felt guilty every time her son called her
after soldiers had died, knowing some other mother would be getting
the call that her son or daughter wouldn't be coming home.
"By the end of his second tour, he knew it wasn't right," Richards
said. "In the beginning, with all the rhetoric going around, he was
already a Marine and was going to do what his commander said."
Adam Kokesh joined the Marines when he was 17 in 1999, fresh out of
high school and eager to serve.
Kokesh and his division were among the first on the ground in Iraq,
eyewitness to the raids on Fallujah in 2004.
"It was a very interesting time," he said. "We were there for the
battle in April, we were there when Saddam [Hussein] was taken out of
power and we held our position through the alleged transfer of power
to the Iraqi parliament."
FROM THAT VANTAGE point, Kokesh said he saw the rise in the number of
insurgent attacks against American soldiers who were stationed in the
city to protect Iraqi homes and streets. Early on, he said, he
believed the mission in Fallujah was "a failure."
"We waited until August to disband and until November to try to get
into the city from the outer perimeter because [President] Bush
couldn't get elected with 20 Marines dead in Fallujah," he said. "We
saw two or three guys die each day patrolling the city."
Kokesh gained a measure of national notoriety earlier this year when
he was stripped of his honorable discharge from the Marines for
wearing parts of his uniform during protests in Washington in March.
He's also become a leader of Iraq Veterans Against the War, a national
organization of veterans and currently enlisted members of the
military who want troops to begin coming home soon.
All these groups and other will be converging on Washington on
Saturday, Sept. 15 and staying for nearly a week, with marches,
rallies and days set aside for lobbying members of Congress to demand
a withdrawal of troops and the restoration of Constitutional law.
"The first casualty of war is the truth," Teolis said. The American
people were told what they needed to hear to support the invasion of
Iraq, he believes.
"When we took the oath to join the military, we made a promise to
defend the law of our land," Teolis said. That promise has been
forgotten or betrayed by leaders who continue to support the war, he
said.
"
The way I see it, we have two options for going forward," he said.
"We can either throw out the Constitution as our laws and start all
over again, or we have to act like we mean what we say, and that goes
for the president, for Congress, for soldiers and veterans and
citizens."
"We can either throw out the Constitution as our laws and start all
over again, or we have to act like we mean what we say, and that goes
for the president, for Congress, for soldiers and veterans and
citizens."
Which brings up the question of what it means to support the troops
still serving overseas.
"It's a vague statement," Hayes said. "I'm concerned about people from
the Navy being used in combat when they weren't necessarily trained
for that. There's the stop-loss program which allows a soldier's tour
of duty to be extended after he's been deployed. I'm not one to say
that recruiting is bad, but people need to read and understand what it
really means to join the military before they enlist."
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=87184&paper=63&cat=104
the Navy being used in combat when they weren't necessarily trained
for that. There's the stop-loss program which allows a soldier's tour
of duty to be extended after he's been deployed. I'm not one to say
that recruiting is bad, but people need to read and understand what it
really means to join the military before they enlist."
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=87184&paper=63&cat=104
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Vietnam Wall Defaced
The Wall: $ 1,000 CASH For Information
Gathering of Eagles
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Combat Helicopter Pilots Association
Date: Sep 11, 2007 9:47 AM
Smitty is a friend of ours in Washington D.C. ...
Please Repost!
It is absolutely disgusting that someone would do this!!!
And whoever did this -- for the rest of their miserable lives it is hoped that they live with the shame of knowing they tarnished a memorial to 58,256 heroes.
Thank You --
-Your Friends at CHPA.
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: LoriDarlin'
Date: Sep 11, 2007 7:17 AM
This is from my buddy Smitty. As you can see he is offering a $1000 reward.
Please Repost. Thank you.
And whoever did this ... God have mercy on your sorry ass, because the rest of us won't!
-Lori.
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: SMITTY
Date: Sep 11, 2007 12:52 AM
During the night time hours of September 7th, 2006 some unknown person or persons damaged the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. by splashing some type of petroleum based liquid on the panels and marble at the base of the Wall causing permanent damage.
This unknown liquid etched the polished portion of the marble and made it hard to read some of the names. On Sept. 10th National Park Service had someone come in with a pressure washer and attempt to remove this unknown liquid. That may have been cleaned off but the damage is there permanently. Approximately 20 panels were damaged.
I will personally pay a cash reward of $ 1,000 for information that confirms the identity of the person or persons responsible for this vandalism.
I can not prove it but I believe this to have been done by the same anti-war crowd that spray painted anti-war graffiti on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building and spit on a wounded soldier who was on crutches due to loosing a leg in Iraq to an IED.
These are the same people that have a big protest and march planned for this Saturday in Washington (check out Gathering of Eagles for more information). www.gatheringofeagles.org
There were some among this crowd that attempted to deface the Memorial last March but were caught with cans of spray paint and arrested by Park Police. Please repost this.
My space reaches millions of people and there is someone out there who knows the jerk who did this. I want to know who that was !
I posted pictures of some of the damage done to the Wall and you can see that by clicking on "my pics". SMITTY'S MYSPACE -- Click Here
I don't care what your politics are. I don't care what you think about the war ... NO ONE has the right to damage Memorials to the men and women that have fought and died for the freedoms these assholes take advantage of, and NO ONE has the right to spit on a defenseless wounded soldier on crutches !
If this message were to reach the coward or cowards that did this, then this message is for you "COME SPIT ON ME ... I'M NOT ON CRUTCHES AND WILL HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!"
Thanks for getting the word out!
-Smitty.
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm15c3BhY2UuY29tL2hhcmxleXNlZHVjZQ==
Comments
From: Steve
Date: Sep 11, 2007 10:08 PM
The people responsible for this should be placed in a room with Veteran's for at least five minutes. They can fall down a lot in five minutes.
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Cold War Service Medal
Date: Sep 11, 2007 11:51 AM
I say beat them then deport them to Gitmo!!!!!!!!!
From: Stacey Nicole
Date: Sep 11, 2007 7:56 AM
*** side note. I told my husband about this last night, and he hopes no mercy is shown to the a-- who did this. I completely agree. - stacey ***
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Well guys here it is it should be online by end of the week or by monday . This is pretty much how it will look maybe a couple more tweaks.
http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Monday, September 10, 2007
Iran -Pentagon Plans Blitz of Iran
NUCLEAR WAR-FEAR
Pentagon plan: Annihilate Tehran’s military in 3 days
No ’pinprick strikes’ – 1,200 targets ID’d for massive attack on nuke sites
Posted: September 2, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
Wife sent me email with this interesting excerpt from WorldNetDaily.com
The Pentagon has formulated a "three-day blitz" plan to annihilate Iran’s military that targets 1,200 sites, including Tehran’s nuclear facilities, in order to render its military incapable of conducting offensive, defensive or retaliatory missions.
According to the London Sunday Times, citing Alexis Debat, director of terrorism and national security at the Nixon Center, the Pentagon has rejected a strategy of "pinprick strikes" against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
"They’re about taking out the entire Iranian military," Debat said.
Despite a report last week by the International Atomic Energy Agency of "significant" cooperation by Iran over its nuclear program, Washington sees only continued stalling by the Islamic regime, reports the Times.
President Bush increased his rhetoric against Iran’s nuclear program last week, saying Tehran had put the Mideast "under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust" and indicated action would be taken against the program "before it is too late."
According to a Times source close to the Bush administration, the president’s recent statements were meant as "a message to a number of audiences" – Iran and the U.N. Security Council.
"A number of nuclear sites have not even been visited by the IAEA," said Alireza Jafarzadeh, a spokesman for the National Council of Resistance of Iran. "They’re giving a clean bill of health to a regime that is known to have practiced deception."
Revelation of a plan for a three-day blitz to destroy Iran’s fighting ability indicates the administration leans toward the use of rapid, overwhelming force if the military option is used.
"Whether you go for pinprick strikes or all-out military action, the reaction from the Iranians will be the same," Debat said. Massive use of force was, he said, a "very legitimate strategic calculus."
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Judge has ordered Iran to pay $2.65bn to families of 241 soldiers killed in the 1983 Beirut Bombing
A US federal judge has ordered Iran to pay $2.65bn to families of 241 soldiers killed in the 1983 bombing of a military barracks in Beirut.
A 2003 ruling by another court in found that Iran provided financial and logistical help for the bomb which it said was carried out by the Hezbollah group.
Hezbollah has denied involvement in the attack.
Judge Royce Lamberth, who handed down the ruling on Friday, said it was a warning that attacks on US citizens will not be tolerated.
He said the award "may be the largest ever entered by a court of the United States against a foreign nation".
The Iranian government dismissed that ruling, saying the decision was "provoked by the Zionists".
US troops were deployed in Lebanon in 1983 as part of a UN-sponsored multinational peacekeeping force during the Lebanon's civil war.
Wave of attacks
On October 23 of that year, an explosives-laden truck rammed through barricades and detonated in front of the US barracks in Beirut, demolishing the building.
The attack was the "most deadly state-sponsored terrorist attack made against American citizens" until the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre in 2001, the judge said.
As part of the same wave of attacks, a French barracks was also bombed, killing 58 French soldiers.
In his ruling from a federal court in Washington DC, Lamberth wrote that he hoped his judgment "will serve to aid in the healing process for these plaintiffs, and simultaneously sound an alarm to the defendants".
But the families will find it hard to collect the money, which they hope to secure through the seizure of Iranian assets around the world.
A spokesman for the families said they were lobbying the US Congress for legislation that would make it easier to chase down and seize Iranian assets.
Iran denies responsibility for the bombing, although it was instrumental in the founding of Hezbollah in the 1980s.
Lamberth issued his decision after considering claims by 1,000 family members and a small number of survivors.
Friday, September 07, 2007
New mindset in Moscow
Is The World Moving Towards Cold War Mark II?
Excerpt
By Sumer Kaul
By all accounts, Putin’s Russia has broken out of its post-USSR down-and-out mould and raised its fists again. It has signaled, in more ways than one, that it has had enough of Bush America’s sole superpower swagger and invasive globe-stomping. It is particularly inflamed by the induction of new weaponry in Europe and the planned extension of the anti-missile shield on its periphery.
Russians see this as a direct threat to their security. Naturally enough, they don’t like it and have decided not to take it lying down any longer. This is clear from the frontal criticism of the United States by the Russian President in recent months. The following extracts from Putin’s pronouncements, at home and abroad, amply illustrate the new mindset in Moscow.
Illegitimate action
~ “The United States has overstepped. its borders in all spheres … and has imposed itself on other states. One-sided illegitimate action has not solved a single problem and has generated more conflicts and many human tragedies.”
~ “The missile shield has turned Europe into a powder keg…. It creates an illusion of protection but the possibility that a nuclear conflict is unleashed is actually greater.”
~ “Enlargement of Nato is in no way connected to today’s global threat ~ terrorism. Why is it necessary to put military infrastructure on our border?”
~ “Our American partners have left ABM (the landmark 1972 treaty limiting the missile defences of the old superpowers). They are stuffing eastern Europe with new weapons; a new base in Bulgaria, another in Romania, a site in Poland, radar in the Czech Republic… What are we supposed to do? We cannot just observe this … We have warned them that we will come out with a response to protect ourselves and maintain the strategic balance in the world.”
Read Editorial
Is The World Moving Towards Cold War Mark II?
Excerpt
By Sumer Kaul
By all accounts, Putin’s Russia has broken out of its post-USSR down-and-out mould and raised its fists again. It has signaled, in more ways than one, that it has had enough of Bush America’s sole superpower swagger and invasive globe-stomping. It is particularly inflamed by the induction of new weaponry in Europe and the planned extension of the anti-missile shield on its periphery.
Russians see this as a direct threat to their security. Naturally enough, they don’t like it and have decided not to take it lying down any longer. This is clear from the frontal criticism of the United States by the Russian President in recent months. The following extracts from Putin’s pronouncements, at home and abroad, amply illustrate the new mindset in Moscow.
Illegitimate action
~ “The United States has overstepped. its borders in all spheres … and has imposed itself on other states. One-sided illegitimate action has not solved a single problem and has generated more conflicts and many human tragedies.”
~ “The missile shield has turned Europe into a powder keg…. It creates an illusion of protection but the possibility that a nuclear conflict is unleashed is actually greater.”
~ “Enlargement of Nato is in no way connected to today’s global threat ~ terrorism. Why is it necessary to put military infrastructure on our border?”
~ “Our American partners have left ABM (the landmark 1972 treaty limiting the missile defences of the old superpowers). They are stuffing eastern Europe with new weapons; a new base in Bulgaria, another in Romania, a site in Poland, radar in the Czech Republic… What are we supposed to do? We cannot just observe this … We have warned them that we will come out with a response to protect ourselves and maintain the strategic balance in the world.”
Read Editorial
American Cold War Veterans Mission Statement
We are The American Cold War Veterans. A Veterans Organization incorporated in the State of Florida and founded on August 18, 2007 at The Truman Library in Independence, MO. As a group we are dedicated to all of our Brother and Sister Veterans, with special dedication to those who served during the Cold War era September 1945 to December 1991. Our Mission is to bring respect, recognition and awareness to Veterans of the Cold War era no matter what branch of service, whether active duty, reserve or National Guard. We are committed to honoring the sacrifices made by millions of American men and women during the Cold War, especially those who paid the ultimate price of life or liberty. We intend to see that the Cold War's history is completely and accurately understood by people everywhere. We are united in these goals and speak with one voice.
Sean P. Eagan
ACWV Public Affairs Director
Thursday, September 06, 2007
American Cold War Veterans Support House H.Res. 111
This Resolution would establish in the House of Representatives a select committee to be known as the Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.
This Resolution would establish in the House of Representatives a select committee to be known as the Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.
For more info visit:
The ACWV supports the formation of a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs a long overdue measure that will be dedicated to conducting a full investigation of all unresolved matters relating to any United States personnel unaccounted for from the Vietnam era, the Korean conflict, World War II, Cold War Missions, or Gulf War, including MIA's and POW's."
A committee dedicated solely to to this issue is necessary to act on any new information that has come to light since the last congressional hearings in 1996. The timely annual review of such information is critical to facilitate a effective response and this requires congressional attention.
BE IT RESOLVED, by American Cold War Veterans, that we call upon the United States Congress to establish a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs to repatriate American Serviceman and or thier remains in a timely and dignified manner wherever such possiblities exist.
Text of H.Res 111
Contact List for Congressional Representatives
Sample Letter
Seven Reasons We Need H.Res 111
Documents Supporting the Case for H.Res 111
Sean P. Eagan
ACWV Public Affairs Director
Monday, September 03, 2007
About The Cold War Medal
There are several commemoratives out there, but the Foxfall Medal is the highest quality and is also excepted as a N.G. Medal in the State of Louisiana.
The Cold War Medal proudly commemorates your service during the Cold War. Please note that it is privately struck and may not be worn on the uniform of active duty military personnel. However, it is the perfect companion to the Cold War Recognition Certificate offered by the United States government to military and civilian veterans who served the United States at any time between 1946 and 1991.
The total price of the Foxfall package is about $30.00, which includes the full-sized medal, ribbon bar, miniature-sized medal, lapel pin, and shipping & handling. In addition, all of this comes in a simulated-leather, hinged display box. Given the quality of the items, the cost is an outstanding bargain.
The detail and craftsmanship of the this two-sided medal is exquisite. It was designed by Nadine Russell, who, in literature that comes with the box, is described as "... one of America's leading medalists ... She has designed numerous military and civilian medals for the U.S. Government ... Her work on this medal was based on a great deal of research ... the design that resulted from her efforts is both beautiful in appearance and rich in symbolism."
Congress did not specifically authorize a medal for Federal service during the cold war, but limited its official recognition to the Cold War Recognition Certificate. This medal is intended for use by State Guard organizations, military and patriotic societies, and by private citizens who served during the Cold War. It has been adopted as an official medal of the Military Order of Foreign Wars. It offers a unique form of recognition specifically for citizen-soldiers and Federal civilian employees who served during the cold war. Interest in this medal has been strong, and many former service members have obtained it to place in a shadow box with their Federal and State military awards.
Period of Service
The medal recognizes honorable service between the inclusive dates of September 2, 1945 and December 26, 1991.
Designer
The Cold War Medal was designed by Nadine Russell, the Chief of Creative Heraldry at the Army's Institute of Heraldry and the designer of many campaign and service medals, including the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, and the Outstanding Military Volunteer Service Medal.
Symbolism
Obverse
The allegorical figure of Freedom sits upon a vantage point over-looking a landscape suggestive of the Fulda Gap, the anticipated point of attack by Communist forces in Europe during the Cold War. The Fulda Gap thus represents all territory subject to the threat of invasion or war. The sitting figure also alludes to a long-term and watchful military presence. She holds a sheathed Roman sword in her hand, point down. The sword represents military strength, and its being sheathed is symbolic of defensive military action. Her foot rests on a book, representing both history and law. To her right is an American bald eagle grasping a bundle of arrows and an olive branch. The eagle, symbolic of the United States, represents the principles of freedom. The arrows stand for the willingness to use force in support of freedom, and the olive branch alludes to the goal of peace. Behind the figure of Freedom, and on the horizon of the landscape in front of her, a sun rising in the east symbolizes the birth of a new era of peace and stability arising from the end of the Cold War. Superimposed over the geographic scene, and below the rising sun, is the inscription, Promoting Peace and Stability, which is taken from the wording on the Congressional certificate and which identifies the efforts recognized by the medal.
Reverse
In the center of the medal, the inscription, IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR SERVICE, is enclosed within a stylized wreath of laurel, which represents honor. The wreath is tied at its base by a ribbon, the ends of which rise above a shield taken from the coat of arms of the United States. The dates 2 September 1945 - 26 December 1991, which are taken from the Congressional certificate, appear beneath the inscription.
Ribbon
In the center of the ribbon there is a narrow stripe of red, repre-senting courage and the willingness to sacrifice life for freedom. This red stripe is bordered by a narrow stripe of gold, which alludes to honor and achievement. The gold is bordered by black, which stands for the threat of war, and the black is bordered by green, which represents growth, hope, and life. The green is edged in gold, which is bordered by white, the predominant color of the ribbon and which represents integrity and purity of purpose. The ribbon is edged in gold.
Criteria
This medal may be worn by any individual for service in a component of the Armed Forces (including National Guard, State Guard, and Reserve Forces) and by civilian employees of the Government who contributed to the historic victory in the Cold War for any period between the inclusive dates of September 2, 1945 and December 26, 1991.
When will a medal be officially sanctioned by the Department of Defense?
Currently there are 2 pieces of legislation pending 1)SEC. 556. COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL.
(a) Authority- Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
`Sec. 1135. Cold War Victory Medal
`(a) Medal Authorized- The Secretary concerned shall issue a service medal, to be known as the `Cold War Victory Medal', to persons eligible to receive the medal under subsection (b). The Cold War Victory Medal shall be of an appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense , with ribbons, lapel pins, and other appurtenances.
`(b) Eligible Persons- The following persons are eligible to receive the Cold War Victory Medal:
`(1) A person who--
`(A) performed active duty or inactive duty training as an enlisted member during the Cold War;
`(B) completed the person's initial term of enlistment or, if discharged before completion of such initial term of enlistment, was honorably discharged after completion of not less than 180 days of service on active duty; and
`(C) has not received a discharge less favorable than an honorable discharge or a release from active duty with a characterization of service less favorable than honorable.
`(2) A person who--
`(A) performed active duty or inactive duty training as a commissioned officer or warrant officer during the Cold War;
`(B) completed the person's initial service obligation as an officer or, if discharged or separated before completion of such initial service obligation, was honorably discharged after completion of not less than 180 days of service on active duty; and
`(C) has not been released from active duty with a characterization of service less favorable than honorable and has not received a discharge or separation less favorable than an honorable discharge.
`(c) One Award Authorized- Not more than one Cold War Victory Medal may be issued to any person.
`(d) Issuance to Representative of Deceased- If a person described in subsection (b) dies before being issued the Cold War Victory Medal, the medal shall be issued to the person's representative, as designated by the Secretary concerned.
`(e) Replacement- Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a Cold War Victory Medal that is lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was issued may be replaced without charge.
`(f) Application for Medal- The Cold War Victory Medal shall be issued upon receipt by the Secretary concerned of an application for such medal, submitted in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary prescribes.
`(g) Uniform Regulations- The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of the military departments under this section are uniform so far as is practicable.
`(h) Definition- In this section, the term `Cold War' means the period beginning on September 2, 1945, and ending at the end of December 26, 1991.'.
(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
`1135. Cold War Victory Medal.'.
2) A similar Bill has been introduced by Senator Clinton [NY] and Collins [ME] in the U.S. Senate in S 1097 The Cold War Medal Act of 2007 .
1 . Cold War Medal Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)[S.1763.IS]
2 . Cold War Medal Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)[S.1097.IS]
Cold War Certificate
Approved in 1998, the Cold War Recognition Certificate was created as a substitute for an actual medal. This decision was and remains controversial among many veterans.
The U.S. Army Personnel Command is responsible for coordinating issuance of the certificates for all military services. Located in Alexandria, Va., that command is alongside the Army's Military Awards Branch. The Personnel Service Support Division handles requests.
Applications are available on the Internet at https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/active/tagd/coldwar/default.htm .
This Web site provides details on procedures for applying and the required documentation.
* Applications must be faxed or mailed with documentation.
* Do not send your original documents (DD-214, etc.)--they will not be returned.
* Your letter must contain the phrase, "I certify that my service was honorable and faithful."
* Customer service: (703) 325-5864.
* Fax number: 1-800-723-9262.
* Mailing address: CDR, AHRC, Cold War Recognition, Hoffman II, Attn: AHRC-CWRS, Room 3N45, 200 Stovall St., Alexandria, VA 22332-0473.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S4697
AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to authorizing a
real property tax exemption for Cold War veterans
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The real property tax law is amended by adding a new
2 section 458-b to read as follows:
3 § 458-b. Exemption for Cold War veterans. 1. As used in this section:
4 (a) "Cold War veteran" means a person, male or female, who served on
5 active duty for a period of more than three hundred sixty-five days in
6 the United States armed forces, during the time period from September
7 second, nineteen hundred forty-five to December twenty-sixth, nineteen
8 hundred ninety-one, was discharged or released therefrom under honorable
9 conditions and has been awarded the Cold War recognition certificate as
10 authorized under Public Law 105-85, the 1998 National Defense Authori-
11 zation Act.
12 (b) "Armed forces" means the United States army, navy, marine corps,
13 air force, and coast guard.
14 (c) "Active duty" means full-time duty in the United States armed
15 forces, other than active duty for training.
16 (d) "Service connected" means, with respect to disability or death,
17 that such disability was incurred or aggravated, or that the death
18 resulted from a disability incurred or aggravated, in line of duty on
19 active military, naval or air service.
20 (e) "Qualified owner" means a Cold War veteran, the spouse of a Cold
21 War veteran, or the unremarried surviving spouse of a deceased Cold War
22 veteran. Where property is owned by more than one qualified owner, the
23 exemption to which each is entitled may be combined. Where a veteran is
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02934-03-7
S. 4697 2
1 also the unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran, such person may also
2 receive any exemption to which the deceased spouse was entitled.
3 (f) "Qualified residential real property" means property owned by a
4 qualified owner which is used exclusively for residential purposes;
5 provided, however, that in the event that any portion of such property
6 is not used exclusively for residential purposes, but is used for other
7 purposes, such portion shall be subject to taxation and only the remain-
8 ing portion used exclusively for residential purposes shall be subject
9 to the exemption provided by this section. Such property shall be the
10 primary residence of the Cold War veteran or the unremarried surviving
11 spouse of a Cold War veteran; unless the Cold War veteran or unremarried
12 surviving spouse is absent from the property due to medical reasons or
13 institutionalization for up to five years.
14 (g) "Latest state equalization rate" means the latest final equaliza-
15 tion rate established by the state board pursuant to article twelve of
16 this chapter.
17 (h) "Latest class ratio" means the latest final class ratio estab-
18 lished by the state board pursuant to title one of article twelve of
19 this chapter for use in a special assessing unit as defined in section
20 eighteen hundred one of this chapter.
21 2. (a) Each county, city, town or village may adopt a local law to
22 provide that qualifying residential real property shall be exempt from
23 taxation to the extent of either: (i) ten percent of the assessed value
24 of such property; provided however, that such exemption shall not exceed
25 eight thousand dollars or the product of eight thousand dollars multi-
26 plied by the latest state equalization rate of the assessing unit, or,
27 in the case of a special assessing unit, the latest class ratio, which-
28 ever is less or; (ii) fifteen percent of the assessed value of such
29 property; provided however, that such exemption shall not exceed twelve
30 thousand dollars or the product of twelve thousand dollars multiplied by
31 the latest state equalization rate of the assessing unit, or, in the
32 case of a special assessing unit, the latest class ratio, whichever is
33 less.
34 (b) In addition to the exemption provided by paragraph (a) of this
35 subdivision, where the Cold War veteran received a compensation rating
36 from the United States veterans affairs or from the United States
37 department of defense because of a service connected disability, quali-
38 fying residential real property shall be exempt from taxation to the
39 extent of the product of the assessed value of such property, multiplied
40 by fifty percent of the Cold War veteran disability rating; provided,
41 however, that such exemption shall not exceed forty thousand dollars, or
42 the product of forty thousand dollars multiplied by the latest state
43 equalization rate for the assessing unit, or, in the case of a special
44 assessing unit, the latest class ratio, whichever is less.
45 (c) Limitations. (i) The exemption from taxation provided by this
46 subdivision shall be applicable to county, city, town, and village taxa-
47 tion, but shall not be applicable to taxes levied for school purposes.
48 (ii) If a Cold War veteran receives the exemption under section four
49 hundred fifty-eight or four hundred fifty-eight-a of this title, the
50 Cold War veteran shall not be eligible to receive the exemption under
51 this section.
52 (iii) Each county, city, town, or village may adopt a local law to
53 reduce the maximum exemption allowable in subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of
54 paragraph (a) of this subdivision and the exemption allowable in para-
55 graph (b) of this subdivision to six thousand dollars, nine thousand
S. 4697 3
1 dollars and thirty thousand dollars, respectively or four thousand
2 dollars, six thousand dollars and twenty thousand dollars, respectively.
3 (iv) The exemption provided by paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall
4 be granted for a period of ten years. The commencement of such ten year
5 period shall be governed pursuant to this subparagraph. Where a quali-
6 fied owner owns qualifying residential real property on the effective
7 date of this section such ten year period shall be measured from the
8 assessment roll prepared pursuant to the first taxable status date
9 occurring on or after the effective date of this section. Where a quali-
10 fied owner does not own qualifying residential real property on the
11 effective date of this section, such ten year period shall be measured
12 from the assessment roll prepared pursuant to the first taxable status
13 date occurring at least sixty days after the date of purchase of quali-
14 fying residential real property; provided, however, that should the
15 veteran apply for and be granted an exemption on the assessment roll
16 prepared pursuant to a taxable status date occurring within sixty days
17 after the date of purchase of residential real property, such ten year
18 period shall be measured from the first assessment roll in which the
19 exemption occurs. If, before the expiration of such ten year period,
20 such exempt property is sold and replaced with other residential real
21 property, such exemption may be granted pursuant to this subdivision for
22 the unexpired portion of the ten year exemption period.
23 3. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no later
24 than ninety days before the taxable status date next occurring on or
25 after the thirty-first of December, two thousand seven, after a public
26 hearing, the governing body of any county, city, town, or village may
27 adopt a local law to provide that the exemption shall be granted pursu-
28 ant to this section for the purposes of taxes levied for such county,
29 city, town, or village. For the purposes of a county which is not an
30 assessing unit, the taxable status date occurring on or after December
31 thirty-first, two thousand seven shall mean the first such tax roll for
32 which the county taxes are levied.
33 4. Application for exemption shall be made by the owner, or all of the
34 owners, of the property on a form prescribed by the state board. The
35 owner or owners shall file the completed form in the assessor's office
36 on or before the first appropriate taxable status date. The owner or
37 owners of the property shall be required to refile each year. Applicants
38 shall refile on or before the appropriate taxable status date. Any
39 applicant convicted of willfully making any false statement in the
40 application for such exemption shall be subject to the penalties
41 prescribed in the penal law.
42 5. A local law adopted pursuant to this section may be repealed by the
43 governing body of the applicable county, city, town, or village. Such
44 repeal shall occur at least ninety days prior to the taxable status date
45 of such county, city, town, or village.
46 § 2. This act shall take effect January 3, 2008 and shall apply to
47 assessment rolls prepared on the basis of taxable status dates occurring
48 on or after such date.
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Sean P. Eagan
ACWV Public Affairs Director
Cold War Vets Blog
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