Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Live : DAV's 91st National Convention


If you can't be among the nearly 4,000 veterans and others attending DAV's 91st National Convention, Aug. 4-7, at Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas, you can still be in on the action. The Opening Session, all Business Sessions, and an informative seminar on veteran's benefits and legislation will be streamed live on the DAV website (www.dav.org).

 

The Joint Opening Session on Saturday, Aug. 4, from 8:30 a.m. – noon (Las Vegas time) will feature Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki who will address attendees. Actor and Dancing with the Stars champion J.R. Martinez will be presented with DAV's Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year award.

 

During the 1st Business Session our "Year-In-Review" video will be highlighted and a very important announcement regarding DAV's rebranding efforts will be at the top of the agenda.

 

The 2nd business session will highlight actor Gary Sinise who will be honored with a special award for his contributions to the veteran community.

 

The 3rd Business Session will include reports from the Charitable Service Trust and National Service Foundation, along with the most important business of DAV where next year's agenda will be set.

 

During the Service and Legislative Seminar officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs and members of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees will provide valuable information and answer questions regarding all aspects of veteran's benefits and services.

 

The election of DAV's new National Commander and other National Officers will take place at the final Business Session Tuesday, Aug. 7.

 

Be sure to tune in for all the important activities.

 

DAV National Convention Live Stream Schedule:

  • Opening Session Saturday, Aug. 4 – 8:30 a.m. (PDT/11:30 p.m. EDT)
  • 1st Business Session Saturday, Aug. 4 – 1:00 p.m. (PDT /4:00 p.m. EDT)
  • 2nd Business Session Sunday, Aug. 5 – 8:30 a.m. (PDT /11:30 p.m. EDT)
  • Service and Legislative Seminar, Aug. 6 – 10:00 a.m. (PDT/1:00 p.m. EDT)
  • 3rd Business Session Tuesday, Aug. 7 – 8:30 a.m. (PDT /11:30 p.m. EDT)
  • Final Business Session Tuesday, Aug. 7 – 1:00 p.m. (PDT /4:00 p.m. EDT)


--
Sean P Eagan

American Cold War Veterans  Inc  Image



               

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000




Attention Camp Lejeune Veterans

Congress Sends Comprehensive Veterans Bill to President

WASHINGTON, D.C—Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 (H.R. 1627). The bill, now headed to the President for signature into law, will bring immediate VA healthcare to Camp Lejeune veterans and their families who have been diagnosed with a disease related to the water contamination that occurred at the base between 1957 and 1987. In addition, H.R. 1627 increases VA accountability to veterans by streamlining the disability claims process, ensuring transparency in VA funding, protecting veterans from sexual assault, and transforming how VA does business in the 21st century.


"This legislation is a culmination of more than a year's worth of work on behalf of America's veterans, and an example of what lawmakers can accomplish working together in a bipartisan manner," stated Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "The Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 will make an immediate impact in the lives of veterans, their families, and survivors by providing the care and support they have earned through their service to our nation."

"I am pleased that the House of Representatives came together in a bipartisan manner to support H.R. 1627, which included legislation I authored to help streamline the claims process for our veterans," stated Rep. Jon Runyan, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. "Our veterans have sacrificed so much and it is an outrage that many have to wait months for benefits claims to be processed. The backlog at VA must be addressed and fixed, and I believe the passage of this bill is an important first step. I look forward to continuing my work to ensure the backlog is eliminated."

"Every year, VA spends millions of dollars on conferences and, while there is a need for such meetings, Congress must be able to provide proper oversight of this spending. I'm proud that this legislation will require VA to report on conferences costing $20,000 or more," stated Rep. Marlin Stutzman, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. "Transparency and accountability are essential as VA conducts its mission to serve our veterans." 

"Caring for our nation's veterans and their families is one of our most crucial duties as legislators. I am especially pleased that the Veterans Sexual Assault Prevention and Health Care Enhancement Act is part of this legislation and will be sent to the President for consideration," stated Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Health. "Negligence related to sexual assault within the VA cannot be tolerated. This legislation will correct a fundamental weakness in VA's system by setting in place the procedures and accountability measures necessary to ensure the protection of veterans and staff."
"America's veterans deserve the very best of the benefits and care they have earned, and VA consistently falls short when it comes to addressing the needs of our heroes. More than half of disability claims have been pending for more than 125 days and the backlog has surged to more than 900,000 claims," stated Rep. Bill Johnson, Chairman of Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations. "This is completely unacceptable. The Modernizing Notice to Claimants Act, included in H.R. 1627, which I introduced, will modernize how VA communicates with claimants while holding VA's feet to the fire in making sure America's veterans are being properly served by VA."

To learn more about the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012, click here.

For more news from the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, please visit:

Find us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/HouseVetsAffairs or follow us on Twitter at:
 

--
Sean P Eagan

American Cold War Veterans  Inc  Image



               

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars716 720-4000




Monday, July 30, 2012

Alert: Health Subcommittee Seeks Update from VA on Prosthetics


 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Tuesday, July 31, 2012, at 4:30 p.m., in Room 334 of the Cannon House Office Building, the Subcommittee on Health will hold an oversight hearing entitled, "Optimizing Care for Veterans with Prosthetics: An Update."

 

WHO:             Subcommittee on Health

WHAT:          Optimizing Care for Veterans with Prosthetics: An Update

WHEN:          4:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 31, 2012, Room 334, Cannon House Office Building

 

WITNESS LIST

Panel 1

The Honorable Dr. Robert A. Petzel, M.D., Under Secretary for Health
Veterans Health Administration
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Accompanied by:

Mr. Philip Matovsky, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health

Administrative Operations

Veterans Health Administration

U.S. Department of Veterans Health

 

Dr. Lucille Beck, Ph.D., Chief Consultant, Rehabilitation Services

Director, Audiology and Speech Pathology

Acting Chief Consultant, Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service

Veterans Health Administration

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Mr. Ford Heard, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary

Office of Acquisition and Logistics

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

 

 

For more news from the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, please visit:

 

Veterans.House.Gov 

Find us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/HouseVetsAffairs or follow us on Twitter at:

@HouseVetAffairs

 

###

 

 

--
Sean P Eagan

American Cold War Veterans  Inc  Image



               

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000




Sunday, July 29, 2012

Without Firing A Shot: Occupation Duty As VFW Qualifier


Robert Widener

Occupation duty has a long and storied history as qualifying service for VFW eligibility. Here is a glimpse of the places that conferred membership on veterans who wore these little-known medals.

American military personnel who served on occupation duty in foreign lands have always been eligible for VFW membership. For 92 years, between 1898 and 1990, recipients of seven Army, Navy and Marine Corps occupation service medals were entitled to claim the Cross of Malta. And they did so by never seeing combat.

BEGINNING WITH CUBA

Soon after the Spanish-American War ended, U.S. forces began a new function on Cuba. The U.S. flag was hoisted over the island on Jan. 1, 1899, signifying the nation's first official overseas military occupation.

Troop strength on Cuba peaked at 45,000 that March. Soldiers disarmed insurgent forces and maintained law and order. Pacification was completed by the summer, and thereafter U.S. troops were gradually withdrawn until May 20, 1902, when the last men departed.

But American soldiers were back four years later. In the fall of 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt dispatched an expeditionary force to Havana. This Army of Cuban Pacification, consisting of 5,000 soldiers and 1,000 Marines, was restricted to garrison duty. At no time did U.S. servicemen engage in fighting.

With the revolt quelled, the last personnel left in the spring of 1909. They received the Cuban Pacification Medal.Perhaps the best-known recipient was "Colonel" Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame.

The Army of Puerto Rico Occupation Medal went to troops stationed there between Aug. 14-Dec. 10, 1898. Some 16,253 regulars and volunteers (including poet-author Carl Sandberg, an active VFW member) served on that island.

WWI-ERA GERMANY

In the wake of World War I, 240,000 Doughboys mounted a "watch on the Rhine." The newly created Third Army, made up of three corps comprising nine infantry divisions—1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 32nd, 42nd, 89th and 90th—was stationed in a dozen different cities.The 4th Marine Brigade—5th and 6th Marines—also was part of the American Army of Occupation.

By mid-1919, however, the Third Army was reduced to a mere 6,800 men and redesignated American Forces in Germany. The U.S. watch formally ended on Jan. 24, 1923, when the Stars and Stripes was lowered at Fort Ehrenbreitstein in Coblenz.

Three VFW commanders-in-chief— Eugene P. Carver (1928-29), Otis N. Brown (1939-40) and Joseph N. Stack (1945-46)—took part in the occupation of Germany after fighting in France in 1918.

POST-WWII: JAPAN AND KOREA

After World War II, Gis saw service on two continents. In Asia, soldiers were posted to defeated Japan (including the RyuKyu Islands and Bonin-Volcano Islands), as well as its former colony, Korea. The Army's 6th, 7th and 40th Infantry divisions as part of the 24th Corps were stationed on the peninsula.

Troop strength there peaked at 72,360.One GI, Pvt. Charles Labita of E Co., 32nd IR, 7th ID, was KIA at an outpost near Kaesong on the Ongjin Peninsula On July 14, 1948.

The divisions were sent home, but the newly formed 5th Regimental Combat Team maintained a symbolic presence.The last Gis left on June 29, 1949 (the 5th went to Hawaii)—one year before the Korean War erupted. Only a 472- man Korean Military Advisory Group remained behind.

Japan was occupied by Gis beginning Aug. 30, 1945. Ultimately, 15 Army divisions, as well as the V Amphibious Corps (2nd and 5th Marine divisions), served on occupation duty there. U.S. Army troop strength in Japan peaked at 385,649 in December 1945.

By the time of South Korea's invasion in 1950, only the 1st Cavalry, 7th, 24th and 25th Infantry divisions were stationed in Japan. Also present was the 5th Air Force along with Naval Forces Far East.

When the occupation ended on April 27, 1952, with the restoration of Japanese sovereignty, Army forces there totaled 106,108. By then, of course, many of the troops were directly involved in the Korean War build-up.

Also, the Navy patrolled around many of the islands of Japan and off Korea, rating the Navy Occupation Service Medal.Some sailors served on shore in Asia.

POST-WWII: EUROPE

Europe hosted by far the largest number of U.S. troops. They included the uniqueU. S. Constabulary. A million or more Gis rotated through Germany during the 10-year occupation period (1945-55).Among them were past VFW commanders- in-chief John Stang, Howard Vander Clute and Norman Staab.

Contrary to unsubstantiated claims circulated in 2003, only three American soldiers may have died from hostile causes in occupied Germany. On Dec. 23, 1945, two Gis of the 78th Infantry Division were killed near Templehof Airport by unidentified assailants. And on March 3, 1946, Lt. James Wilson of the 778th Ordnance Co., 78th Inf. Div., was shot to death by a Soviet sentry in Berlin while driving his car.

Austria, like Germany, was occupied for an entire decade. U.S. troops controlled one of four Allied zones there. The backbone of the Army's combat complement in Austria was the 350th Infantry Regiment, which was relieved from the 88th Infantry Division in May 1948. Also part of the early occupying force was the 4th Constabulary Regiment.

In mid-1952, Gis peaked at 17,490. The occupation closed with Austria's independence on July 27, 1955. During the occupation, on May 3, 1951, one GI, Cpl.Paul Gresens of the 796th MP Battalion, was shot and killed by two Soviet soldiers in Vienna.

Military government lasted in Italy proper until Sept. 15, 1947, date of the ratification of the Italian Peace Treaty. The 10th Mountain Division, and 34th, 85th, 88th and 91st Infantry divisions were there early on. The 5th Army's II Corps was gone by the end of September 1945, leaving behind one division. Eligibility for the Army of Occupation Medal (AOM) encompassed service within the compartment of Venezia Giulia E. Zara or province of Udine, or with a unit specifically designated.

One area of occupation in post-WWII Europe was unique because it witnessed actual firefights. Disputed Trieste, in the Province bordering Italy and Communist Yugoslavia, caused hostile action along the Morgan Line between members of the 88th Division and Tito's partisans during 1945-46.

On the ground, two 88th soldiers were KIA. And on July 12, 1946, a squad of L Co., 351st Inf., was ambushed by "Jugs" near Ursina. No Americans died in the firefight, but two Yugoslavian soldiers did. In the air over Bled, Yugoslavia, the communists shot down a plane of theU. S. European Air Transport Service, killing five Americans.

October 1946 saw the "Blue Devils" at 11,352 men—the only division in the entire U.S. Army then at full operational strength.

Cities in Crisis

Though Italy itself was not occupied after 1947, the 88th's 351st Regiment remained on duty in Trieste until Oct. 26, 1954, when the city was restored to Italy. Approximately 5,000 U.S. soldiers formed TRUST (Trieste U.S. Troops).

Soldiers who served on the Yugoslav border through mid-September 1947 earned the AOM, but those stationed in Trieste after that date were excluded.Tens of thousands of Gis rotated through Europe's "trigger city" over nearly 10 years.

The U.S. Navy, however, did recognize its personnel offshore in the Adriatic Sea up until October 1954, with the Navy Occupation Service Medal.

One remnant of the Army of Occupation remained on duty for another 36 years. Members of the Berlin Brigade and various Air Force units continued to qualify for the AOM, and thus VFW, until Oct. 2, 1990, when the Allied occupation formally ended. By the time the brigade was deactivated four years later, 100,000 Gis had served in the city.

As history shows, with only a handful of minor exceptions, hundreds of thousands of uniformed Americans qualified for VFW membership solely by virtue of overseas service recognized by the Army or Navy Occupation Medal. They have been welcome in the ranks for well over a century.


This article highlights the VFW's inclusion of Occupation Service as a qualifier to claim the Cross of Malta but it fails to explain why similar service in Europe and parts of Asia post 1955 is neglected. It seems to me to highlight the arbitrary nature of qualifying service especially in Europe.
My personal eligibility comes from service in S.W. Asia but I totally see why many Veteran's who served in Cold War Europe still feel out in the Cold. The VFW needs to adopt as inclusive as possible attitude on membership but maintain it's core values on what kind of service qualifies for membership. It is a fine line to walk. This article raises more questions then it answers on membership but it was informative
--
Sean P Eagan

American Cold War Veterans  Inc  Image



               

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000




Saturday, July 28, 2012

USO2GO Shipment Deadline

USO Supporter,
Less than 48 hours ago, we asked USO supporters to step forward and help make a special USO2GO shipment to Afghanistan possible.
The plan: Deliver a shipment filled with everything from chicken noodle soup to the latest Nintendo® Wii™ game, from volleyballs to guitars. And make it especially meaningful by adding a "thank you" banner with the names of thousands of USO supporters.
We've received a tremendous response with people answering the call from all over the country. And while all of our troops need as much support as we can provide, I'm sure it will mean something extra special to the troops from New York to know that you've stepped up.
Dear Troops, Thank you for all you do! Add your name here!
The USO2GO shipment gives our troops the comforts of home that they've requested -- everything from coffee to books to bean bag chairs.
But your name on our banner lets them know that there are thousands of people from New York and beyond who are deeply appreciative of their service and sacrifice.
The deadline to support this USO2GO shipment and have your name on the banner is July 31, so I hope you will act quickly.
For our troops,
Rear Admiral Frank Thorp, USN (Ret.)
Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, USO
Support the Troops

USO2GO Shipment Deadline

USO Supporter,

Less than 48 hours ago, we asked USO supporters to step forward and help make a special USO2GO shipment to Afghanistan possible.

The plan: Deliver a shipment filled with everything from chicken noodle soup to the latest Nintendo® Wii™ game, from volleyballs to guitars. And make it especially meaningful by adding a "thank you" banner with the names of thousands of USO supporters.

We've received a tremendous response with people answering the call from all over the country. And while all of our troops need as much support as we can provide, I'm sure it will mean something extra special to the troops from New York to know that you've stepped up.

Help send a much-needed USO2GO shipment to our troops in Afghanistan and we'll add your name to a banner that will be included with the shipment.

Dear Troops, Thank you for all you do! Add your name here!

The USO2GO shipment gives our troops the comforts of home that they've requested -- everything from coffee to books to bean bag chairs.

But your name on our banner lets them know that there are thousands of people from New York and beyond who are deeply appreciative of their service and sacrifice.

Support this special USO2GO shipment for our troops and we'll add your name to a banner letting our troops know who made this all possible.

The deadline to support this USO2GO shipment and have your name on the banner is July 31, so I hope you will act quickly.

For our troops,

Rear Admiral Frank Thorp, USN (Ret.)
Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, USO

Support the Troops



--
Sean P Eagan

American Cold War Veterans  Inc  Image



               

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000




Friday, July 27, 2012

Panetta Salutes Korean War Vets at 59th Armistice Observance

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 27, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta observed the 59th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice today by reminding a gathering of Korean War veterans that America will not permit cuts to the military to again "allow us to lose our edge", as he says happened on the eve of that conflict more than 60 years ago.
Panetta was the keynote speaker at an observance of the armistice that ended the 1950-1953 conflict, held at Arlington National Cemetery, just across the river from Washington. It was an opportunity to remember the more than 50,000 U.S. service members who lost their lives in the Korean War, and to celebrate the "sheer grit, determination, and bravery" of those who fought for a noble cause in a distant land to make the world a safer place, he said. "For three long, bloody years, American troops fought and died in Korea, in difficult conditions, where the country's mountainous terrain and the unrelenting cold of winter were bitter enemies in themselves," Panetta said.
"It was an uncompromising war, where capture by a vicious enemy often meant summary execution. In Korea, American troops and their allies were always outnumbered by the enemy, awaiting the chilling sound of bugles and horns that would signal another human wave attack."
Panetta said the troops that fought during that Cold War conflict will never forget the battles waged in the country's mountains and at Massacre Valle, Bloody Ridge, Chosin Reservoir and Pork Chop Hill. Those fights, he said, "became synonymous in our lexicon with the heroic sacrifice and the grim determination of the American fighting man."
The Korean War caught America unprepared, Panetta said, and the mighty military machine that liberated Europe and conquered the Japanese empire had been rapidly demobilized. Only a few years of under-investment had left the United States with a hollow force, he added.
"The American soldiers and Marines initially sent to Korea were poorly equipped, without winter clothing and sleeping bags, with insufficient ammunition and inadequate weapons, including bazookas that weren't strong enough to stop North Korean tanks."
But those green troops sent to stem the tide of communism soon turned into savvy combat veterans, he said, and what they weren't taught before their baptism by fire, they quickly learned on the unforgiving battlefield. They soon became a battle-hardened force, Panetta said, that fought from one end of Korea to the other, halting repeated drives to capture the peninsula, and in the process inflicting massive casualties on the enemy.
"As we honor our Korean War veterans we must also remember the more than 7,900 Americans missing in action," he said. "The Department of Defense is dedicated to resuming the search [to find] the remains of fallen service members missing in action in Korea. We will leave no one behind ... until all of our troops come home."
South Korea has grown strong and has become independent, and the Korean War's moniker as "The Forgotten War" no longer holds true, he added.
"Thanks to the service and sacrifice of our veterans six decades ago ... South Korea is a trusted ally, an economic power, a democracy and a provider of security in the Asia-Pacific region, and in other parts of the world."
Panetta contrasted the South's progress with "the bleakness" of the North, which he said remains a dangerous and destabilizing country bent on provocation, "and is pursuing an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction while its people are left to starve."
Two crucial lessons were learned from the Korean War, Panetta said.
"Too many American troops paid a heavy price in Korea because they were not provided the necessary training and the right weapons. They were sent into a tough fight with little preparation ...Only a few short years after World War II, dramatic cuts to the force made us lose our edge -- even though the world remained a dangerous place. We will not make that mistake again. That's why today, coming out of a decade of war, we have put forward a strategy-driven defense budget to meet the challenges of the future. The world remains a dangerous place, and America must maintain its decisive military edge."
America "must remain the strongest military power in the world, and ... make no mistake: We will be ready to defeat aggression – anytime, anyplace."
Panetta said the second lesson taught by the Korean War is the service and sacrifice made by a generation that bravely fought on its battlefields.
"Some 60 years ago, a generation of Americans stepped forward to defend those in need of protection and to safeguard this great country. America is indebted to them -- to you, for your service and your sacrifice. Sixty years ago, the bugles sounded and you helped strengthen this country for 60 years. America will never forget you."
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, another generation stepped forward to lead, and its strength will be America's strength for decades to come, Panetta said.
"Over the past decade of war this new generation has done all this country has asked of them and more," he said. "They take their place alongside all of you -- another greatest generation of heroes that exemplifies the best that America has to offer. Our nation is great because generation after generation after generation, when the bugle sounded, our [military] responded."
In commemoration of the Korean War, Panetta said America should always remember "the sacred call to duty," and to "renew our commitment to honoring those who have fought, who have bled, and who have died to protect our freedoms and our way of life."
Biographies:
Leon E. Panetta
Related Sites:
Korean War Special
Presidential Proclamation: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2012
Panetta Speech

veteransnewsblog

Panetta Salutes Korean War Vets at 59th Armistice Observance

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta observed the 59th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice today by reminding a gathering of Korean War veterans that America will not permit cuts to the military to again "allow us to lose our edge", as he says happened on the eve of that conflict more than 60 years ago.

Panetta was the keynote speaker at an observance of the armistice that ended the 1950-1953 conflict, held at Arlington National Cemetery, just across the river from Washington. It was an opportunity to remember the more than 50,000 U.S. service members who lost their lives in the Korean War, and to celebrate the "sheer grit, determination, and bravery" of those who fought for a noble cause in a distant land to make the world a safer place, he said. "For three long, bloody years, American troops fought and died in Korea, in difficult conditions, where the country's mountainous terrain and the unrelenting cold of winter were bitter enemies in themselves," Panetta said.

"It was an uncompromising war, where capture by a vicious enemy often meant summary execution. In Korea, American troops and their allies were always outnumbered by the enemy, awaiting the chilling sound of bugles and horns that would signal another human wave attack."

Panetta said the troops that fought during that Cold War conflict will never forget the battles waged in the country's mountains and at Massacre Valle, Bloody Ridge, Chosin Reservoir and Pork Chop Hill. Those fights, he said, "became synonymous in our lexicon with the heroic sacrifice and the grim determination of the American fighting man."

The Korean War caught America unprepared, Panetta said, and the mighty military machine that liberated Europe and conquered the Japanese empire had been rapidly demobilized. Only a few years of under-investment had left the United States with a hollow force, he added.

"The American soldiers and Marines initially sent to Korea were poorly equipped, without winter clothing and sleeping bags, with insufficient ammunition and inadequate weapons, including bazookas that weren't strong enough to stop North Korean tanks."

But those green troops sent to stem the tide of communism soon turned into savvy combat veterans, he said, and what they weren't taught before their baptism by fire, they quickly learned on the unforgiving battlefield. They soon became a battle-hardened force, Panetta said, that fought from one end of Korea to the other, halting repeated drives to capture the peninsula, and in the process inflicting massive casualties on the enemy.

"As we honor our Korean War veterans we must also remember the more than 7,900 Americans missing in action," he said. "The Department of Defense is dedicated to resuming the search [to find] the remains of fallen service members missing in action in Korea. We will leave no one behind ... until all of our troops come home."

South Korea has grown strong and has become independent, and the Korean War's moniker as "The Forgotten War" no longer holds true, he added.

"Thanks to the service and sacrifice of our veterans six decades ago ... South Korea is a trusted ally, an economic power, a democracy and a provider of security in the Asia-Pacific region, and in other parts of the world."

Panetta contrasted the South's progress with "the bleakness" of the North, which he said remains a dangerous and destabilizing country bent on provocation, "and is pursuing an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction while its people are left to starve."

Two crucial lessons were learned from the Korean War, Panetta said.

"Too many American troops paid a heavy price in Korea because they were not provided the necessary training and the right weapons. They were sent into a tough fight with little preparation ...Only a few short years after World War II, dramatic cuts to the force made us lose our edge -- even though the world remained a dangerous place. We will not make that mistake again. That's why today, coming out of a decade of war, we have put forward a strategy-driven defense budget to meet the challenges of the future. The world remains a dangerous place, and America must maintain its decisive military edge."

America "must remain the strongest military power in the world, and ... make no mistake: We will be ready to defeat aggression – anytime, anyplace."

Panetta said the second lesson taught by the Korean War is the service and sacrifice made by a generation that bravely fought on its battlefields.

"Some 60 years ago, a generation of Americans stepped forward to defend those in need of protection and to safeguard this great country. America is indebted to them -- to you, for your service and your sacrifice. Sixty years ago, the bugles sounded and you helped strengthen this country for 60 years. America will never forget you."

Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, another generation stepped forward to lead, and its strength will be America's strength for decades to come, Panetta said.

"Over the past decade of war this new generation has done all this country has asked of them and more," he said. "They take their place alongside all of you -- another greatest generation of heroes that exemplifies the best that America has to offer. Our nation is great because generation after generation after generation, when the bugle sounded, our [military] responded."

In commemoration of the Korean War, Panetta said America should always remember "the sacred call to duty," and to "renew our commitment to honoring those who have fought, who have bled, and who have died to protect our freedoms and our way of life."

Biographies:
Leon E. Panetta
Related Sites:
Korean War Special
Presidential Proclamation: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2012
Panetta Speech

Related Articles:
Winnefeld Honors Korean War Veterans' Service, Sacrifice


veteransnewsblog

--
Sean P Eagan

American Cold War Veterans  Inc  Image



               

Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans
Life Member Veterans of Foreign Wars
716 720-4000