COLD WAR HERO RUNS FOR CONGRESS IN VIRGINIA!

http://bertmizusawa.com/

Bert K. Mizusawa

Was Awarded the Silver Star for Action on the Korean DMZ in 1984

"For exceptional valor and gallantry in action while serving as Commander of the Joint Security Force Company, United Nations Command Security Force at Panmunjom, Korea on 23 November 1984. In reaction to thirty attacking North Korean soldiers in pursuit of a Soviet defector, Captain Mizusawa’s outstanding leadership and aggressive actions in leading his company while under fire were instrumental in defeating the enemy. Additionally, he personally led the defector to safety while under fire and deliberately, at great risk to himself, exposed himself to the enemy in front of his own troops to ensure the success of his company’s combat action. Throughout the intense firefight, Captain Mizusawa displayed a complete disregard for his own personal safety while accomplishing his mission. Captain Mizusawa’s bravery and outstanding leadership under extremely hazardous circumstances are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect great credit upon him, the United Nations Command and the United States Army."

Navy to Commission Guided Missile Destroyer Dewey

                The Navy will commission the newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, Dewey, Saturday, March 6, 2010, during an 11 a.m. PST ceremony at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif.
 
                Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. His wife, Deborah Mullen, will serve as the ship's sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when she gives the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
 
                Designated DDG 105, the new destroyer honors Adm. George Dewey (1837-1917) who commanded the Asiatic Station from the cruiser Olympia. Shortly after the onset of the Spanish-American War, Dewey led his squadron of warships into Manila Bay on April 30, 1898. The next morning, his squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet in only two hours without a single American loss. A widely popular hero of his day, Dewey was commissioned Admiral of the Navy, a rank created for him, in March 1903. Two previous ships have proudly carried his name. The first was a destroyer (DD 349) that survived the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to receive 13 battle stars for World War II service. The second was a destroyer commissioned as a guided-missile frigate (DLG 14) before being reclassified as a guided missile destroyer (DDG 45).
 
                Dewey is the 55th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The ship will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management, to sea control and power projection. Dewey will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare in keeping with "A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower," which postures the sea services to apply maritime power to protect U.S. vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world.  
 
                Cmdr. Warren Buller, of Concord, Mass., will become the first commanding officer of the ship and lead the crew of 276 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-ton Dewey was built by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. The ship is 509 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots. 
 
                Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342. More information on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers can be found at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4.

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic Brain Injuries in the Military 

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is becoming a common wound of modern warfare. It has even been coined the "signature wound" of the War on Terror. While TBI is becoming more prevalent in wartime activity, many service men and women continue to go undiagnosed. Institutions, like the US Department of Veterans Affairs, are working to make quick and accurate diagnoses in order to prescribe appropriate and effective treatment. 

TBI is caused by forced trauma to the head, either by being shaken or hit. The severity of a TBI varies from case to case, but symptoms range from mild concussions to a debilitating state. The majority of TBI's acquired by military personnel are classified as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI). Initial symptoms of MTBI consist of loss of consciousness, disorientation, loss of memory, headache, and temporary loss of hearing and vision. They are often partnered with anxiety, irritability, difficulties processing information, limited concentration amongst other problems experienced down the road. While MTBI is most common amongst the men and women of the armed forces, more severe cases of TBI are happening much more frequently and often require the victim to attended specialty rehabilitative nursing centers, like CareMeridian.  

The most common cause of a TBI in the military is due to blasts. There are three degrees of blast injuries where a TBI is common; Primary (due to blast itself), Secondary (due to objects being propelled by a blast) and Tertiary (due to a collision with a third party object). According to the Veterans Health Initiative, active male members of the military from the ages 18-24 are hospitalized with a TBI at a rate of 231 per 100,000 and females 150 per 100,000. Based on military force projections this would mean that 4,141 military personnel are hospitalized on average each year with a TBI, and these numbers often rise during wartimes.  

The best prevention for veterans to avert the long-term effects of a brain injury is to recognize the symptoms of a TBI. Once the symptoms are identified an individual should take basic precautionary measures in order to begin the healing and recovery process until a more specific diagnosis can be made.  

Service men and women give so much to protect this country and they deserve to come home to a happy and healthy life. Creating awareness about TBI will help ensure their long term health. By helping our veterans, their friends and their families recognize the early warning signs of a TBI, treatment can be sought as early as possible.

ACWV-Military Order of Foreign Wars meeting

Dr. Robert Kamansky was admitted as a member of MOFW. The luncheon was well attended by retired officers, several generals and admirals among the group.

The MOFWUS is very much in favor of the Cold War Service Medal, and will join us in
our quest. Their backing could be a very large help in convincing Congress to make
this the year.

Four star General Stultz, commander of all reserve forces in Iraq and Afghanistan was also honored with membership,
and gave a very nice speech thanking the members for what they have done in the past and for their support of the
ongoing conflicts.

Keynote speaker Sprios Manolas, Ph.D. author of "American Arms, Greek Blood" The Greek guerrilla war 1946-1950.
He spoke of the battle against Communism and how the Communist forces were finally defeated; with the help of American advisers and General Van Fleet.

Tuesday afternoon Jerry Terwilliger and Sean Eagan hit Capitol Hill with a vengeance. We stopped in the offices of
several Senators and spoke with staff members. Everyone seemed to be aware of S.2743 and American Cold War
Veterans. All those we spoke to were very much in favor of the bill and promised to bring it up again with their Senator.

We also spent some time talking with Jeff Burdette, Legislative Assistant to the House of Representatives
Subcommittee Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health. We discussed equal treatment for ALL veterans, regardless
of time or place of service. He stated that the committee is very much aware of the inequity and unfair treatment
of many veterans. He also said "it is something that is being worked on now."


One very touching moment occurred as Sean and I were standing on the sidewalk. We were approached by an Army Major and an Air force Colonel who thanked us for our service. The Major was very interested and much in favor of
the Cold War Service Medal. When I have him my card he said that he had been to the website many times.

On Wednesday I continued the attack hitting several Representative's offices. Again most seemed to be aware
of the H.R. 4051, many of the Representatives were on the fence and almost ready to cosponsor the bill. I also
mentioned H.RES.900 and asked for cosponsor ship. All thought it was a good idea, although one said that "even
as a no cost item" it could still face some opposition.

The offices contacted were Senator Collins, Senator Schumer, Senator Bayh, Senator Lincoln, Senator Gregg, Senator Graham, Senator McCain, Senator Webb, Congresswoman Pingree, Congressman Michaud, Congressman Sestak, Congresswoman Laura Richardson, Congressman John Carter, Congressman Sam Johnson and others.

The MOFW also stated interest in Sean Eagain, myself, Scott L'Ecuyer and Frank Tims becoming members of
their organization. They are 100 per cent in favor of the Cold War Service Medal. In fact they have adopted the Foxfall Cold War Medal as one on their own, and all members are authorized to wear the medal.

Dr. Bob, Sean and I also applied for membership in the Army-Navy Union another very old VSO, which has
also adopted the Foxfall Cold War Medal. Under title 10 members are entitled to wear the medal on their uniforms
and as civilian clothes.

So in all it seemed like we found a lot of support and also that Congressional awareness of American Cold War Veterans is spreading.

Thank you to all of you who have been sending the post cards to your Congressmen/Congresswoman and Senators.
It is helping, keep up the pressure and this could be our year.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans, Inc
"We Remember"

Remembering a war: Son of spy plane pilot seeks to preserve history of Cold War era

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/print.php?ID=74179


By Rex Barber
Press Staff Writer
rbarber@johnsoncitypress.com


MILLIGAN COLLEGE – The spy at the center of what was considered one of the most significant events of the Cold War graduated from Milligan College.

Francis Gary Powers Sr. was flying a reconnaissance mission over the former Soviet Union in a U2 spy plane March 1, 1960, when he was shot down and held captive for two years. His son, Francis Gary Powers Jr., told Milligan students of the school's unique connection to the Cold War Tuesday as part of a speaking tour for the upcoming 50th anniversary of the international incident, considered to be one of the most significant events of the Cold War, which lasted from 1945 until 1991.

"The Cold War was a world war," Powers told the audience. "It impacted every country in one way or another."


It certainly impacted Powers, who founded the Cold War Museum in 1996 to preserve the history and veterans of that era.

Powers Sr. was a native of Southwest Virginia. He graduated from Milligan in 1950 and enlisted in the Air Force. The CIA recruited him in 1956. After he was shot down, he spent 21 months as a Soviet prisoner, including a three-day show trial where he was convicted of espionage, before being exchanged for a Soviet spy Col. Rudolf Abel. He died in 1977 in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles.

The younger Powers told the audience in Milligan's Seeger Memorial Chapel Tuesday he was 12 when his father died. He said it was hard on him because his father had achieved international recognition.

"I thought everybody's dad had gone through something like this," Powers jokingly told the Milligan students.

In college Powers got interested in his father and the events surrounding the U2 crash, which meant he had to know about the Cold War. So he began researching that subject.

He found out about his father's ordeal in Moscow.

"He's going through interrogation, 16-hour days, bright spotlights, threats of death," Powers told the audience.

After about a week of brutal questioning, President Dwight D. Eisenhower admitted to the U2 reconnaissance missions and that appeared in national newspapers. This was awkward for Powers because he had been insisting he was simply lost. The Soviets told him to tell the truth because the American media would eventually print it anyway.

So, Powers told what he knew would be discovered, lied about things he knew the Soviets could not learn from the media and gave half-truths on other matters. For instance, he lied about the maximum altitude capability of the U2.

He learned about all of this and had a better understanding of who his father was.

"So for me, my father is my dad," Powers said during an interview following his lecture. "He's a hero to me because he's my father, not because he was shot down. Being a U2 pilot makes one a hero, not being shot down over the Soviet Union. All of the original U2 pilots, and even those flying today, put themselves in the face of danger and on very dangerous missions. So just flying the airplane on these missions makes them, in my eyes, a hero of our country."

Powers also began lecturing at high schools to inform others about the Cold War. Most of the students thought he was going to be speaking about the rock band U2, not the spy plane incident. That's when he realized he needed to preserve the history of the era. The Cold War Museum (www.coldwar.org) should expand later this year to a 4,000-square-foot facility in Vint Hill in Virginia.

"So we find that it's very important to preserve this Cold War history, honor the Cold War veterans and teach future generations about this time period," Powers said. "In order to understand what's happening today in the world, we have to understand what was happening during the Cold War. There are direct correlations between the Cold War and today's events."

DC AAR

Met with Chuck Schumers office Susan Collins and House Veterans Affairs Committee lunch at Army Navy Club what a day networked with VSO's ALG and VFW post Commanders from Ohio, NY, Tenn and MOFW tomorrow US Air at Reagan and Home. Jerry put in another day today starting at Hart office Bldg at 11 am today. We had productive trip.