Cold War Veterans Blog

Sean Eagan
508 E 7th street
Jamestown, NY 14701‑3602

January 15, 2010
The Honorable Eric Shinseki
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20420


Re: Veterans Benefit Equality

Secretary Shinseki:


I am writing you today because I have a dream one day all veterans will be
treated as equal. Today, to many peoples surprise they are not. Cold War
era veterans are currently treated unfairly by a arbitrary system of dates
that are used for determining VA health care and pension eligibility. This
system leads to a staggering number of inequities in determining who is
and who is not eligible for certain VA benefits.

In 1961 President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order 10925, which
created the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and mandated that
projects financed with federal funds "take affirmative action" to ensure
that hiring and employment practices free of racial bias. This ground
breaking affirmative action program called for a first step that allowed
minority students and workers have the same opportunities to receive a
employment or education as everyone else. What I am asking today is that
you reform the VA system so that veterans of all era's receive the same
treatment by the VA when it comes to benefits free of bias of any kind .

Mr. Secretary your agency can change and can reform this inherently unfair
system. We all took the same oath and no veteran is more or less worthy
than any other. We all are veterans no matter when we served our country.

I will come to Washington with representatives from American Cold War
Veterans anytime to discuss this matter and current Cold War Veteran
legislation ( H Res 900 Cold War Veteran Recognition Day May 1st) and
present some ideas for improving the VA benefits system. Please contact us
we can help make this happen.

I have a dream Mr. Secretary can you help make it come true?

Thank You.

Respectfully,

Sean P. Eagan
Public Affairs Director and Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
508 E. 7th Street
Jamestown , NY 14701