RESOLUTIONS IN SUPPORT OF A COLD WAR MEDAL

RESOLUTION NO. 22

AWARD A COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Korea Defense Veterans of America joins with other veteran service organizations and petitions The U.S. Department of Defense for award of a Cold War Victory Medal to all members of the U.S. Military that served between 2 September 1945 and 26 December 1991; and

WHEREAS, immediately after World War II we witnessed a polarization in relationship between the Soviet Union and the U.S. and its allies in that the Soviet Union, by physical force and other means, expanded its influence and control over Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Eastern Germany, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Manchuria, Outer Mongolia, North Korea, Romania, and Yugoslavia, annexed the Kurile Islands and the southern half of Sakhalin Island, and instigated problems in Cuba, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, and Turkey. The Soviet Union continued its expansionist movement and dominated Eastern Europe until 1991; and

WHEREAS, the Cold War initiated the largest arms race in history that included nuclear, chemical and biological weapons as well as fomenting low-intensity conflicts, proxy wars, assassinations and various forms of intimidation; and

WHEREAS, the Cold War Era time period was fraught with conflicts and wars stressing U.S. Armed Forces and their allies that included:

• Soviets blockade of Berlin - 1948, leading to the Berlin Airlift


• NATO created to deal with Soviet aggression and expansion - 1949



• Atomic Bomb in Soviet hands - 1949


• Korean War - 1950 to 1953 (UN intervention including U.S. Armed Services members)


• Iran military coup - 1953 (U.S. backed)


• Guatemala military coup - 1954 (U.S. backed)


• Warsaw Pact - 1955 established as counter weight to NATO


• Hungarian Revolution - 1956 (Soviet intervention 4 Nov 56)



• Cuban Bay of Pigs Invasion - 1961


• Cuban Missile Crisis - 1962


• Taiwan Straights and Quemoy and Matsu Islands


• Grenada - 1983


• Angola Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)


• El Salvador Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)



• Nicaragua Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)


• Afghanistan War; and

WHEREAS, the Cold War is officially considered ended; however, its fallout continues to surface and create tensions today in Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the Pacific Rim as a testament to its longevity and global impact; and

BE IT RESOLVED, by the Korea Defense Veterans of America, that we petition for award of a Cold War Victory Medal.

The VFW passed the following resolutions at the 108th National Convention, 2007:

#425 European Defense Service Medal

#428 Cold War Victory Medal (as amended)

#430 Expand the dates of Eligibility for the Vietnam Service Medal to May 15th, 1975

#434 Recognition for Veterans Killed or Wounded in the Early Days of the Cold War.

To Recieve the NY State Cold War Tax Exemption you must have a Cold War Certificate

Here is how you apply

Cold War Certificate Program



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

Podhoretz( A senior foreign policy adviser) Calls for bombing Iran and Frames the Cold War as WW3

We must Bomb Iran

Read whole interview article

http://patdollard.com/2007/10/27/we-must-bomb-iran/

Excerpt

Mr Podhoretz's thesis is that the war on terror is in fact World War Four and that the 42-year-long Cold War should be more properly described as World War Three.

Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest honour, by President George W. Bush in 2004, Mr Podhoretz later sought a rare one-on-on audience with the US commander-in-chief. They met in New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel in the spring.

The author of the recent World War IV: the Long Struggle Against Islamofacsism spent about 35 minutes outlining his case for air strikes against Iran as Mr Bush's then chief adviser Karl Rove took notes.

"Whether I had any effect on him I truly don't know but I sure tried my best to persuade him," he said.

Sean P. Eagan
ACWV Public Affairs Director


Cold War Vets Blog

HOUSE-SENATE CONFERENCE on National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Because the Cold War Victory Medal was passed by the House, it must be considered in the Conference on the NDAA for 2008.

Please contact your senators IMMEDIATELY and ask them to keep the Cold War Victory Medal in the final NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT.
Call, fax, and write your senators – those in the conference include:

Akaka (HI), Bayh (IN), Byrd (WV), Chambliss (GA), Clinton (NY), Collins (ME), Corker (TN), Cornyn (TX), Dole (NC), Graham (SC), Inhofe (OK), Levin (MI), Lieberman (CT), Kennedy (MA), Martinez (FL), McCain (AZ), McCaskill (MO), Nelson (FL), Nelson (NE), Pryor (AR), Reed (RI), Sessions (AL), Thune (SD), Warner (VA), and Webb (VA).

www.senate.gov

ACWV Letters From Sen. Corker and McCaskill

Dear Mr. ____,



Thank you for contacting my office to share your concerns about S.AMDT.2163 to H.R.1585, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.

As you know, S.AMDT.2163 would have issued a Cold War Victory Medal to former service members who served our country between 1945 and 1991. S.AMDT.2163 was not considered by the Senate, or included in the Senate version of H.R.1585. However, the House of Representatives did include this provision as part of their final bill. When the House and Senate meet to rectify differences in their respective bills, I will certainly take into consideration your concerns.

I believe General Petraeus had it exactly right when he called our military men and women in uniform "America's new Greatest Generation." It is our responsibility to provide our service members with the best possible resources, equipment, and care. They are patriots, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude for their work to protect and provide security for our country. As I continue to serve in the United States Senate and through my work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will work to see that our service members and veterans receive every benefit that America has promised them, and to ensure that their legacy is honored and protected.


Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me over the course of my term.




Sincerely,

Bob Corker
United States Senator





Dear Mr. ---------:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Cold War Victory Medal. I appreciate hearing from you.

As you may know, the version of the 2008 Defense Authorization bill passed by the House of Representatives included language that would create the Cold War Victory Medal. This medal would be awarded to members of the military who served between September 2, 1945, and December 26, 1991, and left the service under honorable conditions. While similar language was not included in the Senate's version of this legislation, establishment of the Cold War Victory Medal might be included in the final version that comes out of the conference committee.

The Cold War had a dramatic impact on our nation. It was a time during which the world held its breath in anticipation of all-out nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Our military made great strides in tactics and technology. But it was the men and women who served honorably during this period, whether or not they saw combat, who helped guarantee our freedom and our way of life.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your views. As the Defense Authorization bill moves through conference I will keep your thoughts in mind.

All best,
Senator Claire McCaskill

VFW Official Charged With Defrauding Members

(AP) BEL AIR, Md. Harford County State's Attorney Joe Cassilly says a Maryland Veterans of Foreign Wars official scammed more than 50 of his fellow members out of half-a-million dollars, promising a veteran's center that never materialized.

Read article

Putin warns of new Cuban missile crisis

Mark Tran and agencies
Friday October 26, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

An activist stands in front of a banner during a protest in Breznice against the proposed US anti-missile radar base in the Czech Republic
An activist stands in front of a banner during a protest in Breznice against the proposed US anti-missile radar base in the Czech Republic. Photograph: Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty

Vladimir Putin today compared the proposed US defence shield to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis that pushed the US and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war.

"Analogous actions by the Soviet Union when it deployed rockets on Cuba provoked the Cuban missile crisis," the Russian president said after an EU-Russia summit in Portugal.

"For us, technologically, the situation is very similar. On our borders such threats to our country are being created."

Article continues
Earlier, the commander of Russia's rocket forces said his country was capable of quickly turning out short and medium-range nuclear missiles.

"If there is a political decision to make such a class of missile, then it is obvious that they will be made in Russia in the near future because we have everything we need," General Nikolai Solovtsov was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying.

"Today we are in [arms control] agreements so we act strictly within those agreements."

Mr Putin this month told the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, that Russia would find it difficult to stay in the intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty (INF), signed by Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan in December 1987.

That milestone treaty obliged the US and Russia to destroy all ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of between 300 to 3,300 miles. The two scrapped 2,692 missiles as a result of the treaty.

Russian military officials and politicians now describe the INF treaty as a relic of the cold war because it began as a bilateral treaty limiting only the US and Russia, plus most of the successor states of the Soviet Union.

Other countries such as North Korea, Iran, Israel, India, and Pakistan have since started building arsenals of intermediate-range missiles. None are constrained by the INF treaty.

American plans to build elements of a missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland have particularly angered Russia.

Mr Putin, who has significantly boosted Russian defence spending, said the west has taken advantage of Russia's willingness to strike arms deals in the 1990s to strengthen its defences in subsequent years at Moscow's expense. In retaliation, Mr Putin announced plans to withdraw from the conventional forces in Europe treaty.

In the 1962 crisis, the Soviet Union stationed nuclear missiles in Cuba, 78 miles from Florida, to the consternation of the US.

President John F Kennedy ordered a naval blockade, ignoring advice from some of his military advisers to launch an air strike against targets in Cuba. The confrontation only ended after the then Russian leader, Nikita Khrushchev, agreed to withdraw the missiles.

Mr Putin added: "Thank God, we do not have any Cuban missile crisis now and this is above all because of the fundamental way relations between Russia and the United States and Europe have changed."

United States Army Garrison Ansbach

Bulletin

NEW TOTAL:
PROPERTY DAMAGE: $1,000,000,000 estimated -
(JUST FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY)

200,000 ACRES ABLAZE CURRENTLY
WITH MINIMUM CONTAINMENT.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.(Oct. 24, 2007) -- As multiple fires ravage Southern California, Camp Pendleton is working to battle the same situation here.

Earlier today, two fires erupted on base, sending 60 percent of the base’s fire-fighters rushing to prevent as much damage as possible.

The other 40 percent of the base’s fire fighters, including nine trucks and their crews, are assisting in putting out fires in San Diego County.

As President George W. Bush declared a federal emergency for seven Southern California counties, about 350,000 homes had to be evacuated.

Last night, Marines coordinated the evacuation of more than 20,000 vehicles containing civilian families from Fallbrook, a city neighboring the base.

Almost 600 square miles of Southern California are ablaze.

Camp Pendleton’s fire hotline can be reached at (866) 430-2764.

For help, contact the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society at (760) 725-5337 or the American Red Cross at (760) 725-6877.

Turks Continue to shell Kurds in Iraq

The shelling has continued and has been heard at FOB's near Mosul. as recent as yesterday.


PKK threatens bitter fight as Turks shell northern Iraq

Compiled by Daily Star staff
Monday, October 15, 2007

Turkish troops Sunday sent shells crashing across the Iraqi border into several villages in the autonomous Kurdish region, officials said, as a Kurdish fighter vowed that Turkey would find itself fighting a "Vietnam war" if strikes continued. Residents of a village near the northern Iraq border town of Zakhu fled after shells slammed.

Letter To Members of the House-Senate Conference on the National Defense Authorization Act for 2008

Please keep the Cold War Victory Medal, as passed by the House in SEC 556, H.R.1585, in the final language of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2008.

Fifteen years after Allied victory in the 46-year struggle that was the Cold War, it is time to recognize the contributions of the American Armed Forces to victory in that conflict, and the unitary nature of the global conflict. The Cold War victory was made possible by doctrines of containment, deterrence, and defense, all of which depended on steadfastness and dedication of the U.S. Armed Forces.

During the Cold War, our Armed Forces stood up to Communist threats in Greece, Berlin, Korea, Western Europe, Cuba, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Central America, the Taiwan Straits, and the high seas. The confrontations included missions and periods that were notrecognized with service or campaign medals, as well as providing defense in depth through nuclear deterrence and naval patrols. Defense of the free world included a network of alliances and military advisory and assistance missions, such as that deployed to Greece in 1948, and massive deployments such as the four U.S. Army divisions sent to reinforce NATO in 1951. As President Kennedy declared in 1961, deterrence can only be credible when backed by sufficient conventional forces.

While DoD has opposed the Cold War Victory Medal for reasons we believe are contrary to DoD’s position statement, the Cold War certificate does not explicitly recognize military service, and can be given for a single day of civilian employment in the post office – thus it is not a military award.

Regarding the medal, DoD used an exaggerated cost estimate of $240 million in support of that opposition. This is ten times the CBO estimate, and makes extreme assumptions. Legislatively mandated awards of medals have not historically resulted in high levels of demand based on past service. Over a three year period (2004-2006), the Korea Defense Service Medal was awarded to no more than 192,000 individuals (out of an estimated 2 million eligible) at a procurement cost of $1.41 per medal. Because at least 92,000 of these medals were awarded in theater, the three-year legacy cost (even given DoD’s flawed $10 per medal assumption) would come to no more than $1 million

Contrary to DoD’s assertion of “duplicate recognition,” much of the Cold War service occurred during periods for which no medals such as the NDSM were available, and a “victory medal” by definition does not duplicate other medals.

There is more than ample precedent for Congress legislating medals over DoD’s opposition. The Korea Defense Service Medal (FY 2003 NDAA), separate campaign medals for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (H.R.3104 – passed January 20, 2004), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals for service in El Salvador (FY 1996 NDAA) and IFOR/SFOR service in Bosnia (FY 1998 NDAA).

We ask each of you to join in support of keeping the Cold War Victory Medal in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2008 emerging from Conference, so that it may be voted on and signed into law. It is time those who served in our Armed Forces during the Cold War got the respect and recognition they deserve.

Respectfully submitted:



Frank M. Tims, Ph.D. Charles Pepin,

Chairman Chief of Staff

American Cold War Veterans


Ph.D. Charles Pepin,

Chairman Chief of Staff

Korea Defense Veterans of America




Proper recognition for Cold War veterans is long overdue. Thanks.

Sean P. Eagan
ACWV Public Affairs Director


Cold War Vets Blog
716 708-6416


Support Cold War Medal Act 2007


Text of Legislation

Vietnam Memorial

Attention N.Y. Veterans Cold War Veteran Tax Exemtipn Meeting Nov. 1st

From The Sullivan County Veterans Service Agency

There will be a special veterans meeting on November 1, 2007 at 12 Noon to discuss the pending Cold War Veterans Exemption. It is advisable to bring as many veterans to this meeting as possible. Meeting will take place at the Sullivan county Government Center, Legislative chamber.

Paul Hnatiw
Commander DAV Chap 198

Bush Calls for Simplifying Military Disability System

From this week's New York Times (IAVA quoted):

By GINGER THOMPSON
Published: October 17, 2007

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 — President Bush on Tuesday proposed a series of changes intended to streamline a military disability system that he said had fallen behind the times and had left too many disabled soldiers falling through the cracks.

The proposals, outlined in a document that Mr. Bush sent to Congress, would pull apart a convoluted system that gave both the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs authority over determining the level of benefits and care provided to injured soldiers, often pitting the two bureaucracies against each other and holding up services.

In an announcement from the Rose Garden, Mr. Bush said that, under his proposal, the agencies’ authorities would be separated. The Pentagon would have the authority to determine whether injured soldiers were fit to return to duty and would provide a pension to those who were considered unfit, based on their rank and years of service.

Soldiers determined to be permanently disabled would move into the V.A. system, and receive care and compensation based on their loss of earnings and the impact of their injuries on their quality of life.

“Medical advances have enabled battlefield medics and hospitals to provide our wounded warriors with care that would have been unimaginable just a decade ago,” Mr. Bush said. “Yet our system for managing this care has fallen behind. It’s an outdated system that needs to be changed.”

In an effort remove the stigma from soldiers who might be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the president’s plan would allow all soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to seek evaluations for the disorder, without having to first prove they have cause for feeling stress.

The plan would also allow the relatives of injured soldiers to take six months of unpaid leave from their jobs within the first two years after the injury occurs.

Karl Zinsmeister, an assistant to the president for domestic policy, said the current disability system covered three million people and cost about $30 billion a year. He said there was no way to calculate the exact cost of the proposed system until it was approved. He said, however, that it was likely to cost “a little more.”

Mr. Bush said, “The need to enact these reforms into law is urgent. I call on both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to come together and pass a good bill that I can sign into law.”

The outlines of Mr. Bush’s proposals came from recommendations made to the administration two months ago by a bipartisan commission led by the former Senator Bob Dole and the former secretary of health and human services, Donna E. Shalala.

The commission, which also included disabled veterans and the wife of a disabled veteran, was appointed after articles in The Washington Post exposed veterans living in shoddy conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Administration officials said the president’s disability plan would apply only to veterans who entered the military after October 2001. In addition to the proposals announced by Mr. Bush on Tuesday, the commission recommended the development of “comprehensive recovery plans” for every seriously injured service member and for the rapid transfer of patient information between the Pentagon and the V.A.

In recent weeks, Republicans and Democrats have expressed concern that the Bush administration was not moving fast enough to address the problems identified by the commission. A report by the Government Accountability Office said that more than half the units set up to oversee the care of injured service members remained understaffed and undertrained.

Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California and chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said the administration’s efforts were “intolerably slow.”

In a briefing after Mr. Bush’s announcement on Tuesday, Mr. Zinsmeister rejected that view, saying the administration had moved in a timely way to enact the Dole-Shalala recommendations. He said some of the most critical reforms required approval from Congress.

“We were frustrated that it took so long,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “But it’s good to see the president stand up and address it publicly and start to drive the train forward.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/washington/17vets.html?ref=washington

Honor Denied American Troops?

Bush Honors Red Army at Victory Parade

The President Who Will Not Authorize a Cold War Victory Medal for Americaʼs Armed Forces in the Cold War Reviews Troops at Red Square
-Frank M. Tims, Ph.D.
Chairman, American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

The following article was published in the Prague Post and other newspapers:

By Peter Baker and Peter Finn
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, May 10, 2005; Page A01


MOSCOW , May 9 -- The goose-stepping troops hoisted hammer-and-sickle banners bearing the visages of the Soviet icon Vladimir Lenin. Gray-haired veterans waved red flowers from truckbeds, their chests brimming with medals and ribbons, their faces etched with the wear and tear of hard lives. The boom of artillery fire thundered across the air and jets roared overhead.
What Russians had never seen at a Victory Day celebration on Red Square until now, however, was an American president. In the shadow of the Kremlin walls near Lenin's tomb, George W. Bush joined Russian President Vladimir Putin and their counterparts from France, Germany , Japan , China , Italy and dozens of other nations for a Soviet-style display of military might to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi empire. On the same stand where Joseph Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev reviewed troops trained to fight American GIs, Bush paid tribute to the unparalleled sacrifice of the Russian people during World War II.

All Veterans, Families, and Supporters please contact your Senators and urge them not to strip out SEC. 556 1135 COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL of H.R.1585 . Right now it is critical to make our voices heard as they work on NDAA in conference. Proper recognition for Cold War veterans is long overdue. Thanks.

Sean P. Eagan
ACWV Public Affairs Director


Cold War Vets Blog
716 708-6416




Support Cold War Medal Act 2007



Text of Legislation

Turkish Hacker Decries U.S., Israel On Vietnam Memorial Site

Turkish-American Relations seem to be at near all time low or at least since WW1. Turks recalled their ambassador this week over non binding 1915 genocide resolution in congress (why now when our standing in region is so poor do these knuckleheads in Washington want to piss off long time allies with a senseless resolution about the nearly century old atrocities. Where has our outrage been for 93 years lol senseless .) Why the State Dept and the President for that matter did not make some phone calls to the leaders of this resolution and explain the ramifications is beyond me.

Now check out the below story.

Turkish Hacker Decries U.S., Israel On Vietnam Memorial Site

By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 20, 2007; Page A03

A computer hacker promoting Turkish nationalism posted a video and
message on a U.S. Vietnam memorial Web site in recent days, blocking one of the site’s search functions while defacing the site with a statement
against the United States and Israel.

Users of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site -- at
http://www.thewall-usa.com/-- who searched for U.S. casualties by date
were sent to an all-red Web page adorned with a symbol from the Turkish
flag, a short video, and messages in Turkish and English. The English
messages attacked Kurds, the United States, Israel and Armenia.

According to translations, the Turkish message read: "Is there any
equal or likeness to our martyrs at Gallipoli?" It is an apparent reference
to the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915 during World War I, during which
soldiers from the Ottoman Empire repelled an Allied operation to capture
Istanbul, suffering heavy casualties of more than 250,000. The video
called it a "story written in blood."

A "Turk Defacer" took credit for the hack, which users reported
yesterday to the FBI, the National Park Service and the 4/9 Infantry Manchu
(Vietnam) Association, which maintains the site. The message was removed
and the search function restored by last night.

Jim Olberding of Ames, Iowa, said he found the message yesterday while
researching Vietnam casualties. Olberding -- a Vietnam War veteran
whose son is an Army captain with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan -- said the
message offended him. "They’re attacking American veterans," he said.

The site -- a memorial to veterans and a historical repository that
gets heavy traffic around Memorial Day and Veterans Day -- was attacked
days after the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington was defaced with
an oily substance. Officials with the 4/9 Infantry Association said they
received 200 e-mails from users alerting them to the hack. The group’s
leaders were in Memphis over the weekend to celebrate the
association’s 10th anniversary and did not know when the hack took place. The
nonprofit bought the Web site about eight years ago to ensure that it would
endure.

"These kinds of groups are opportunistic and are going to do whatever
they think they have to do to get their message out," said Cheryl
Criteser, the association’s secretary-treasurer. "I’ve gotten death threats,
I’ve gotten all kinds of negative stuff from other countries. I just
figure they’re wackos."

A spokesman for the Turkish Embassy in Washington said yesterday that
the hack did not seem to be part of an organized group.

Staff writer Jill F. Bartscht and staff researcher Julie Tate
contributed to this report.

Gates on the Cold War

And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades.

"Robert M. Gates, 1996"

New Ad from IAVA

The ad, titled 'Demand Action,' calls on both Congress and the President to get the overdue budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs approved. 'Demand Action' directs people to IAVAAction.org, where they can add their name to a growing list of Americans who are demanding immediate action.




Click here to watch the ad and put your name on the statement