Secretary Gates on Death of Congressman Charlie Wilson

"I had the unforgettable experience of knowing Congressman Wilson when I was at CIA and he was working tirelessly on behalf of the Afghan resistance fighting the Soviets.  As the world now knows, his efforts and exploits helped repel an invader, liberate a people, and bring the Cold War to a close.  After the Soviets left, Charlie kept fighting for the Afghan people and warned against abandoning that traumatized country to its fate -- a warning we should have heeded then, and should remember today.   "America has lost an extraordinary patriot whose life showed, once more, that one brave and determined person can alter the course of history.  My condolences to Barbara and the rest of the Wilson family."

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

Secretary Shinseki Mourns Loss of Rep. Murth

Congressman Gave Veterans a "Strong Voice on Capitol Hill"



WASHINGTON (Feb. 10, 2009) - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki mourned the loss of Rep. John P. Murtha, Chairman of the House
Appropriations' subcommittee on defense and a champion of the Nation's
Veterans.  Murtha died Feb. 8 at age 77.



"As the first Vietnam War combat Veteran elected to Congress and a
career Reservist, Congressman Murtha understood the challenges that our
Nation's servicemembers face every day," said Shinseki. "He dedicated
his life to serving his country and helped give Veterans a stronger
voice on Capitol Hill. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Murtha
family."



A former Marine, Murtha was elected to the Congress in 1974.  Upon his
retirement from the Marine Corps Reserve in 1990, he was awarded the
Navy Distinguished Service Medal by the Marine Corps commandant.



Murtha joined the Marines in 1952 when he left Washington and Jefferson
College.  He earned the American Spirit Honor Medal, awarded to fewer
than one in 10,000 recruits.  He rose through the ranks to become a
drill instructor at Parris Island and was selected for Officer Candidate
School at Quantico, Va.  He then was assigned to the Second Marine
Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C.  In 1959, Capt. Murtha took command of the
34th Special Infantry Company, Marine Corps Reserves, in Johnstown,
Penn.



Murtha remained in the Reserves after his discharge from active duty
until he volunteered for Vietnam in 1966, where he served as the
intelligence officer for the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st
Marine Division.  Murtha received the Bronze Star with Combat "V", two
Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.



In his 2004 book, From Vietnam to 9/11, Murtha wrote, "Ever since I was
a young boy, I had two goals in life - I wanted to be a colonel in the
Marine Corps and a member of Congress."



On Feb. 6, 2010, Murtha became Pennsylvania's longest serving member of
Congress.

Charlie Wilson dies aged 76

Former Texas congressman Charlie Wilson, the architect of the US support for anti-Soviet forces in Afghanistan and subject of the Hollywood movie Charlie Wilson's War, died today. He was 76.

In the 1980s Wilson, a Democrat, used his position on a military appropriations subcommittee to secure covert US backing for the mujahideen forces instrumental in driving the Soviets out of Afghanistan. Pakistani president Zia ul-Haq, who had allowed the CIA to ship arms through his country, credited Wilson with the defeat.

During his more than two decades in Washington, Wilson was known as 'Good Time Charlie', the scotch-sodden womaniser portrayed by Tom Hanks in the 2007 movie.

Charlie Wilson's War was based on a 2003 book by former 60 Minutes producer George Crile. According to Crile, Wilson once brought a belly dancer from Texas to Cairo to perform for the Egyptian defence minister, who was supplying ammunition to the Afghans.

The CIA officers Wilson worked with joked that his reputation as a party animal gave him the perfect cover for his work in arming the insurgents, using conservative Muslim countries in supporting roles. The operation eventually grew to about $750m a year – at the time the largest covert operation in the spy agency's history.

To the public, Wilson appeared a political backbencher, rarely speaking on the floor of the House and staying out of the major policy battles of the day. But behind closed conference room doors on Capitol Hill, Wilson worked in secret to secure his colleagues' support for the mujahideen by supporting military contracts in their constituencies, according to Crile.

While Wilson's efforts helped win one of the deadliest proxy battles of the Cold War, the victory left a power vacuum later filled by the Taliban, many of whom were heavily armed with weapons procured by Wilson and provided by the CIA.

A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Wilson served as a lieutenant before entering the timber business. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1973 and retired in 1996.

Wilson died at Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin after he started having difficulty breathing while attending a meeting in the eastern Texas town where he lived, said Yana Ogletree, a hospital spokeswoman. Wilson was pronounced dead on arrival, and the preliminary cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest, she said.

In 2007, Wilson had a heart transplant at a Houston hospital. Doctors had told Wilson, who suffered from cardiomyopathy, a disease that causes an enlarged and weakened heart, that he would likely die without a transplant.

The Sonoran weekly calls McCain out on his repeated opposition to the Cold War Service Medal

sonoranweeklyreview.com nails it dead on McCain is no doubt one of the major reasons the CWSM and CWVm have been stonewalled in committee for 10 plus years. Arizona don't you think its time for a change.


John McCain Cactus Prick of the Week!

Say Hello To Cactus Prick of The Week John "forget the Veterans" McCain

McCAIN REPEATEDLY VOTED AGAINST VETERANS' HEALTH BENEFITS

The list of veteran's bills that McCain has voted against is staggering. He has one of the worst anti-veteran voting records in Congress going back to 1994.   "No Surrender!"  Unless you're the one surrendering them right Johnny?

McCain Voted Against Increased Funding for Veterans' Health Care.
Opposed an Assured Funding Stream for Veterans' Health Care.
McCain Voted Against Adding More Than $400 Million for Veterans' Care.
Voted Against Establishing a $1 Billion Trust Fund for Military Health Facilities.
McCain Opposed $500 Million for Counseling Services for Veterans with Mental Disorders.
McCain Voted in Support of Disabled Veterans Only 25 Percent of the Time from 2004-2005.
McCain Voted Against Providing Automatic Cost-of-Living Adjustments to Veterans.
McCain Opposed Increasing Spending on TRICARE and Giving Greater Access to National Guard and Reservists.
McCain Supported Outsourcing VA Jobs
He Also Supported Outsourcing at Walter Reed.
2003: McCain Voted Against $122.7 Billion for Department of Veterans Affairs.
2001: McCain Voted Against $51 Billion in Veterans Funding.
2000: McCain Voted Against $47 Billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
1999: McCain Voted Against $44.3 Billion for Veterans Programs.
1996: McCain Voted Against a $13 Billion Increase in Funding for Veterans Programs.
1995: McCain Voted to Underfund Department of Veterans Affairs.
1995: McCain Voted Against Closing Tax Loopholes to Increase Veterans Funding by $74 Million.
1994: McCain Voted Against Funding the Department of Veterans Affairs.

. . . Every Time He Has The Chance

Worst of all McCain has REPEATEDLY helped stop the Cold War Victory Medal in the US Senate.

What?  This "soldier of the Reagan Revolution" refuses to honor those that sacrificed in service to freedom in this country?  No . . . he actually REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER.

From September, 1945, until the fall of the Soviet Union on December 26, 1991, which is commonly referred to as the Cold War era, millions of Americans served in the armed services of this country.  Millions of American's also served in various civilian roles.

The United States during that period of time led a long and costly struggle for freedom between the forces of democratic nations and tyrannical brutal Communist ideology and military action under constant threat from the Soviet Union, which was pledged to destroy the Western way of life, and was the largest and most foreboding enemy the United States ever faced.

Currently if  a serviceman served during the Korean, Vietnam or Persian Gulf War eras, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal by the congress of the United States in an effort to show the country's gratitude for the sacrifices endured during those armed conflicts.

However if military service was performed during the periods between those armed conflicts, which occurred for a majority of veterans and civilians of the Cold War era, they have nothing to show for their service, even though they comprised a force that suffered casualties, disrupted families and careers often ready even though often out manned and outgunned and stood guard over the threat of world domination in Europe and Asia by the Communist ideology and military action and that this unique war was marked by periodic confrontations between the West and the East.

You often hear politicians spout off at the moth with the remark "We won the Cold War without a shot being fired"

The truth is that statement could not be more UNTRUE.  But, John McCain doesn't care.

The  Cold War had all the essential ingredients of an all-out war, requiring servicemen to train for and maintain a constant state of readiness, expecting total war to break out at any time.    Those veterans who served in America's armed services from 1945 through 1991 upheld the country's freedom in the face of a large and menacing enemy, and all citizens of this country owe them a debt of gratitude for they and their families contributions and personal sacrifices which allowed the United States to persevere and prosper throughout that entire period.

For nearly two decades now there has been a huge effort to pass the Cold War Victory Medal. For nearly two decades now John McCain has stood in the way, ABSOLUTELY REFUSING literally HUNDREDS of attempts to speak with American Cold War Veterans.  John McCain will not support the Cold War Victory Medal, He also has repeatedly NOT supported declaring May 1st as Cold War Victory Day and refused to even give an explanation let alone support.

The Cold War Medal would and could change the game.   By passing the Cold War Victory Medal it would begin a process of giving true equality to all.

The Cold War Medal could eliminate the "periods of war" that is used to exclude many and marginalize the rest. "periods of war" is what needs to be expunged as a criteria for many things.

It's complete hypocrisy. That thought process would mean and does mean that since 1990 it has been a period of war and it is open ended until further declaration by congress says its not. That means every vet that serves 1 day since 1990 and today and forward regardless of contribution or injury in service is a war veteran and entitled to pensions on top of other benefits.

At 65 they get stipends and "aid and attendance" and a parachute that Colld War vets do not get having served over many years, many of whom sacrificed greatly along with their families.

Huge entitlement packages are not something we are in favor of, however if entitlements exist they should be available to all on an equal basis.

Passing the Cold War Victory Medal is simply giving acknowledgment to generations of courageous men and women that supported and protected freedom better than any generations that came before.  That is it, acknowledgment and honor.  John McCain REFUSES to give either.

John McCain has been personally contacted in regards to the Cold War Victory Medal many many times.  Every one of his aides has been contacted at one point or another.  His friends have been contacted.  His family members have been contacted.  While many of these folks offer kind words of support or outright support the issuing of the Medal, still John McCain does not.  Still John McCain refuses to even respond to America's Cold War Veterans.  We have been to his offices in AZ and DC, his meetings, his town-halls, we have had members ride on bus tours with McCain . . . and still we are forgotten and ignored.  He only parades about the Veterans when it is politically expedient.

Having a different perspective is one thing.  Acting like a gutless disrespectful coward in the face of millions of courageous men and women, the REAL heroes of America,  is disgraceful and disgusting and well Prickish.

WE STRONGLY URGE EVERYONE TO CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN TO SUPPORT S.2743 and H.R.4051 and H.R. 900

In October of 2001, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act ("NDAA")[2] for fiscal year 2002, which is signed into law on December 28, 2001 by President George W. Bush. In the NDAA approved by both houses and signed into law by the president, was a Sense of the Congress resolution that the Secretary of Defense should consider authorizing the issuance of a Campaign medal, to be known as the Cold War Service Medal, to each person who while a member of the Armed Forces served satisfactorily on active duty during the Cold War. The then-Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, did not create such a medal.

The Cold War Victory Medal has passed the House yet again, with a huge margin.  Each time it is held up and killed in subversive Senate sub-committees and McCain helps make this happen.

Help America's Veterans make the Cold War Victory Medal PASS and declare May1st as Cold War Victory Day.  Then help America's Veterans permanently retire John McCain and replace him with someone of true integrity that will NEVER EVER EVER fail America's Veterans again.

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN MORE BY VISITING

http://www.coldwarveterans.com

http://www.americancoldwarvets.org/

http://cold-war-veterans-blog.blogspot.com/

Then take the time to learn about John McCain's opponents for his Senate race.  Ask them about their support for America's Cold War Veterans and be sure to tell them that a massive movement is under way to have America's forgotten match McCain oh so important "war-chest" of $5million and beat him over the head with it.

American Legion endorses Cold War Victory Medal

EIGHTY-SIXTH NATIONAL CONVENTION of
THE AMERICAN LEGION
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

August 31—September 2, 2004

RESOLUTION No. 10: Awarding The Cold War Victory Medal
ORIGIN: District of Columbia
SUBMITTED BY: Convention Committee on National Security

WHEREAS, The United States Armed Forces engaged the forces of international Communism continuously from the end of World War II until the disintegration of the former Soviet Union; and

WHEREAS, The United States, during this extended period, relied for its manpower source on a national service Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps made up of citizens performing their obligated duty to serve and defend the United States; and

WHEREAS, The defeat of the former Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies constituted the greatest success of American Armed Forces since the end of World War II; and

WHEREAS, Many American citizens served the nation in assigned duties without receiving tangible recognition for that service; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, By The American Legion in National Convention assembled in Nashville, Tennessee, August 31, September 1, 2, 2004, That The American Legion urge the Congress to authorize and provide funding for the award of a Cold War Victory Medal to all Armed Forces members who served on extended active duty during the period 2 September 1945 through 26 December 1991, thereby commemorating service in the Cold War to eliminate the threat of a determined enemy to overpower the freely elected democracies of the world.

AMVETS endorses Cold War Victory Medal

AUGUST 12, 2004—Spokane, Washington

RESOLUTION 05-70: CREATION OF A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL

SOURCE:       COLD WAR COMMITTEE

WHEREAS, the United States Congress has authorized the Cold War Certificate for those Americans who served in the Armed Forces, or in other government agencies, during the period Sept. 2, 1945 through Dec. 26, 1991, and whose duties contributed directly to this nation's Cold War efforts; and

WHEREAS, the 1990 Census indicates that at least 18 million Cold War veterans were alive at that time, and further estimates indicate that as many as 22 million Americans served honorably during the Cold War; and

WHEREAS, the Cold War was of such magnitude and scope that there is no comparable event in history, and therefore must be treated as singularly unique; and

WHEREAS, the American victory in the Cold War changed the world forever, and those Americans who served honorably in the Armed Forces should be recognized in the form of a medal: Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That AMVETS — [a] veterans organization which represents every Cold War veteran — proposes that Congress direct the Department of Defense to design, authorize, and supervise distribution of a Cold War Victory Medal; and be it further

RESOLVED, That all congressionally chartered and/or recognized veterans organizations, pending their individual requests, may be authorized to act as witnesses to the honorable services through visual inspection of the appropriate documents — and will at the local post level issue affidavits attesting to the eligibility of each applicant; and be it further

RESOLVED, That any requirement for posting of the award to individual military personnel records be waived, and a separate record of issuance of Cold War Victory medals be maintained.


VFW endorses Cold War Medal

104th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
San Antonio, Texas — August 2003

RESOLUTION No. 471: Cold War Foreign Service Medal
Submitted by Department of New York
To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The intent of this resolution is:

To petition Congress to authorize a Cold War Foreign Service Medal only for all military personnel who served anywhere overseas duty during the period 2 September 1954 to 26 December 1991.

WHEREAS, Executive Order 12985, signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton, on 11 January 1996, authorized the Armed Forces Service Medal for members, who as a unit, participate in a military operation of the United States of America deemed to be significant and no armed foreign opposition is encountered or no imminent hostile action; and

WHEREAS, the Armed Forces Service Medal is a non-combat parallel of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and

WHEREAS, foreign service during America's longest war, the Cold War between September 2, 1945 to December 26, 1991, has yet to be recognized with a foreign service medal; and

WHEREAS, imminent hostile action with an armed foreign power was always a possibility during the Cold War and was a reason American troops were stationed in foreign countries that were members of NATO and SEATO or other world organizations; and

WHEREAS, American troops were killed and wounded overseas during the Cold War, yet their service has never been recognized by a campaign and/or foreign service medal; and

WHEREAS, during the Cold War, millions of United States service personnel served in foreign countries and could become significant population of male and female eligibles for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars; now, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition the Congress to authorize a Cold War Foreign Service Medal to recognize foreign service personnel who served in foreign countries that currently are not recognized during America's longest war, the Cold War.

APPROVED AS AMENDED by the 104th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.


ROA endorses Cold War Medal

Resolution No. 04-14: Cold War Service Medal

WHEREAS, the Fiscal Year 2002 Defense Authorization Act encouraged the Secretary of Defense to consider authorizing the Cold War Service Medal, for the period 2 September 1945 through 26 December 1991; and

WHEREAS, the veterans of the Cold War faithfully served our country during a campaign of Soviet Block aggression, Eastern Europe occupation, and the constant threat of nuclear attack; and

WHEREAS, the Secretary of Defense has not yet authorized the wearing of the Cold War Service Medal on the military uniform;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Reserve Officers Association of the United States, chartered by Congress, urge the Congress to direct the Secretary of Defense to authorize and issue the Cold War Service Medal.

Adopted by the National Convention June 12, 2004


Combat Infantrymen's Association endorses Cold War Medal

Reunion of the Combat Infantrymen's Association, Inc.
6-9 October 2005, Tucson, Arizona

RESOLUTION No. 100805:
The Awarding of the Cold War Service Medal

WHEREAS, the Armed Forces of the United States of America (USA) confronted and engaged the forces of worldwide Communism continuously from the end of World War II until the dissolve of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), constituting the extended time period of 2 September 1945 to 26 December 1991; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America, throughout this prolonged time period, depended upon its citizen volunteers and draftees to perform national military service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to defend the USA and its allies from Communist aggression; and

WHEREAS the collapse of the USSR constituted the greatest military success for American arms and the US Armed Forces since the end of the Second World War; and

WHEREAS, those Americans who honorably served in the US Armed Forces during Cold War without explicit recognition, should now be recognized with a service medal;

Now, therefore, let it be by the Combat Infantrymen's Association, Inc. in assembly during the General Membership meeting of 8 October 2005, that the Combat Infantrymen's Association, Inc. beseeches the members of the United States Congress to authorize the awarding of a Cold War Service Medal to honorably recognize all Armed Forces military personnel who served on active duty during the period 2 September 1945 through 26 December 1991, and thereby recognize their military service during the Cold War, America's longest war.

Statement on the Death of Congressman John Murtha by Secretary of the Army John Mchugh

"I was greatly saddened to learn of the death of
Congressman John Murtha. His unwavering devotion to our men and
women in uniform strengthened our nation and will be his legacy.

"Although most will remember Congressman Murtha for
his public service first in the Marine Corps and then in Congress I
will remember him as someone who cared deeply for our men and women in
uniform.

"When I was a newly elected member of Congress, Jack
set aside partisan politics and joined me to visit Fort Drum and the
men and women of the 10th Mountain Division.

"During my nine terms in the U.S. House of
Representatives, I often worked with Jack to bring the necessary
resources to our troops. I'm grateful for the example he set, always
putting the interests of the military ahead of his own and never
losing sight of the individual service member for whom he felt a deep
sense of gratitude.

"The Army the entire military has lost one of its
most steadfast advocates in Congressman Murtha. His legacy of
devotion to the defense of our nation lives on in those he inspired
and in those for whom he dedicated his life. My thoughts and prayers
are with his family during this difficult time."

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

Veterans Affairs Employee Union Offers Solutions to Tackle Million-Plus Claims Backlog

http://veterans-affairs-news.newslib.com/story/396-3222571/


WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 –
AFGE Testifies Before House Committee on Veterans Affairs on Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- John McCray, a Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) at the Veterans Benefits Administration, (VBA) in the Los Angeles Regional Office, testified on behalf of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) at a hearing held before the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The hearing was aimed at updating Congress on the implementation on the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act, P.L. 110-389.

The VBA, which has been inundated with benefits claims from service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, is facing a monumental challenge to deliver services in a timely manner. To address these systemic challenges AFGE  has worked closely with congressional leaders to enact legislation, P.L. 110-389, to modernize the VBA's disability claims process by improving quality assurance, certification and training procedures, and overhauling the current work credit and work management system.

"The Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act (P.L. 110-389), provides many valuable tools that will significantly reduce an inventory of one million claims by getting each claim processed accurately the first time," said McCray. "The urgency of putting these tools into practice grows greater with each new claim in the queue."

"VBA is under intense pressure to tackle the mounting claims backlog and ensure that every veteran's claim is processed timely and accurately," said McCray. "VBA employees are committed to ensuring that veterans receive the benefits they deserve, but you can't get blood from a turnip." VBA has been hampered in its ability to effectively reduce the backlog because far too many employees lack the appropriate training necessary to master the complex skill of processing claims.

AFGE urges VBA to ensure that managers, as well as, frontline employees are provided the proper training to accurately process claims the first time. Unfortunately, as is common now, managers without sufficient expertise are unable to carry out quality assurance duties, leading to greater errors, which in turn lead to greater delays. Therefore, it is critical that managers pass the same certification tests required of senior claims processors. AFGE is troubled that VBA may be considering excluding senior levels of management -- the very officials who have significant fiduciary duties --  from the supervisor skills certification requirement.

AFGE also recommends that VBA develop an accurate work credit system that could lay the foundation for an effective work credit system. To date, VBA has not adjusted individual employee production standards to reflect the increasing complexity and difficulty of the claims process. These production standards should be a reasonable reflection of how much an employee can be expected to perform with an acceptable level of accuracy.

"As long as employees are subject to arbitrary and unreasonable production standards, the claims development process will remain flawed by inefficiencies and incomplete claims developments," said McCray. "The ultimate harm falls upon the veterans, who are deprived of a full, fair and timely consideration of their claims."

The American Federation of Government Employees is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia, including 180,000 employees in the VA.