Cold War Veterans Blog

Government fails Cold War vets
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Dr. Thomas Dimitry has it so right in this April column from the Daily Messenger.



Daily Messenger
Posted Apr 01, 2008 @ 07:44 AM

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Brighton, N.Y. — One of the reasons we are not speaking Russian is because of the service of the Cold War veterans. For over 46 years, there was the constant threat of nuclear war and annihilation of the human race.


President Kennedy, in his inaugural address said, “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Veterans have done their part and more at great personal expense and sacrifice.


Over 20 million men and women served on active duty during that time, but a Victory or Campaign Medal has never been authorized to recognize their service. This excludes the Korean and Vietnam conflicts as campaign or service medals are authorized for those conflicts.


“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan” were words spoken by President Lincoln. There is much to be done.


If a veteran has a non-service connected disability, 65 years of age or older and has a limited income they may be eligible for a veterans’ pension if they served 90 days or more on active duty with one day during wartime.


Sadly, America’s longest war, the Cold War, does not have a medal authorized specifically for that service and thus precludes an otherwise eligible veteran from obtaining a veterans’ pension.


Many of the homeless are veterans who served during the Cold War and could be eligible for a pension, and a more comfortable life, except for a Cold War Victory Medal.
Efforts to obtain that recognition are continuously rejected. Most recently, the Cold War Victory Medal was taken out of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2008. Again, our government has failed the veteran.


Our first president remarked, “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war … directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”


Our military will not expand when potential recruits need only see how the Cold War veterans are ignored and the fact they will have to play catch-up against those that do not serve.


Congress could write, and pass a veto-proof bill authorizing a Cold War Victory Medal and free health care, but it prefers hollow words and unfulfilled promises. Use and discard are the operative words for veterans.


Dr. Thomas Dimitry
Brighton