Cold War Veterans Blog

Cold War veterans want equal treatment

Frank McDonald says his Cold War experiences should merit full benefits

The unofficial Cold War medal, not recognized by the Defense Department

The Cold War certificate, available to all veterans who served between 1945 and 1991

Moline, QUAD CITIES -- This may sound surprising to you on a Memorial Day but not every veteran is equal. Budget concerns have sliced millions of U.S. military veterans from getting the same benefits that their comrades are getting.

And other veterans, those who served during the tense peace time period known as the Cold War, say they're not even recognized for serving during America's longest war.

Frank McDonald of Moline is like a lot of veterans: he has plenty of stories to share.

"We boarded helicopters and helicopters took off and we'd come back and we never knew where we were going," said McDonald.

But Frank isn't like other veterans. He's part of a generation of soldiers who fought to keep the peace that avoided war.

The "Greatest Generation", from World War II, got one set of benefits as did the veterans from wars in Korea and Vietnam. An estimated 22-million military men and women served in the Cold War from 1945 through 1991 did not.

Veterans like Frank McDonald, called to duty, not knowing if their mission was on the verge of war or peace.

"Because I'm a peace time veteran, the Department of Veterans Affairs won't give me that type of compensation right away."

Frank was 22 years old when he joined the Marines in 1976. He stayed in the military for 22 months before being honorably discharged.

Now, at age 54, he walks a bit slower and suffers from blocked arteries requiring blood thinning medicines and says he's still trying to get disability benefits.

"If I was a war veteran I'd have no problem getting this awarded to me right now."

For the past ten years, Cold War veterans have been eligible to get a paper certificate of service. But what some veterans really want is a Cold War medal, already designed but not allowed officially by the U.S. Military. You can buy it on-line for under 25-dollars but the Pentagon forbids it to be used on uniforms.

Cold war veterans says their service is slighted.

"They do feel they're second class citizens among the Veterans Administration because that's the way the V.A. treats them," said Illinois Quad City Democratic Congressman Phil Hare.

Hare, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, says America should treat every veteran the same.

"Service to your country is service to your country," he said.

Hare says he's been pushing for all veterans to get equal access to veterans benefits.

"It's the price of war. It's the price of keeping this nation safe," said Rep. Hare.

"What price tag are you putting on that?"

For Frank McDonald the price has been too high.

"Excuse me, I'm a citizen of the United States and I don't get into trouble and you're still telling me I'm not a war veteran."

Cold War veterans point out there were 325 combat deaths attributed to their years of service. Plus, cold war veterans say other service members were either shot down in spy planes or faced death while facing communists. They were heroes, too.

Senator Hillary Clinton has re-introduced a bill to award a Cold War veterans medal. It hasn't ever gotten out of the Armed Services committee. The Pentagon opposes it saying the medal would lessen the significance of other decorations awarded during the Cold War years.