VFW Magazine articles from December 2001

VFW Magazine archives from December 2001

VFW rally showcases recruits: VFW took the lead in troop support with its Liberty State Park event, but this is only the first step in the long war ahead. (Reminding The Nation).
December 1, 2001... Oct. 27, VFW's "United for Liberty" rally in Liberty State Park, N.J., showed the organization was serious about backing the troops. Knowing that mere rhetoric will only go so far, we joined with the Ladies Auxiliary to remind the public that...

Remembering the Cole. (mail call).
December 1, 2001... Congratulations on the meaningful and timely article ("Crew of Cole Memorialized," October) about the memorial to the USS Cole. It was a very fine tribute to 17 young sailors lost due to a dastardly act. The U.S. Navy is to be highly praised...

'Firefighters rarely die alone'. (mail call).
December 1, 2001... Re: 'Last Alarm: Firefighters Killed in the Line of Duty' (October). Many fire fighters are veterans who bring with them a commitment to duty, sacrifice and honor. They share many common traits with military personnel. Your article...

B-29s played vital role over Korea. (mail call).
December 1, 2001... Thanks for publishing "'Black Tuesday' Over Namsi" (October) by Earl J. McGill. It's the first article I have read that acknowledges the B-29 played an important role in the Korean War. I can personally relate to the story because I flew on...

Meaningful knowledge of history. (mail call).
December 1, 2001... As a three-war vet with a family tradition of service dating back to the Civil War, I have found the articles in VFW magazine to be of utmost meaning and interest. After I finish reading each issue, I share it with my three sons who have...

Correction.
December 1, 2001... Correction: VFW Surgeon General Walter Dybeck is a member of Post 10047 in North Las Vegas, Nev. (Correction to October story.)

Planner of Cole attack in Afghanistan. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).
December 1, 2001... The terrorist fingered for planning the Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the USS Cole in Yemen is reportedly hiding in Afghanistan. (See related story in the October 2001 issue.) This Yemini also played a role in the 1998 East Africa U.S. Embassy...

Homegrown radicals glamorized. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).
December 1, 2001... Meanwhile, ex-members of the so-called Weather Underground from the early 1970s still rate prominence in U.S. society. William Ayers, an unrepentant planner of bombings, was featured for his new book in the Sept. 11 issue of the New York...

Allegiance pledge making a comeback. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).
December 1, 2001... New York City's school board voted unanimously in mid-October to mandate public schools to lead students in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every day. And the Madison, Wis., school board reversed a ban on the Pledge. Some parents disliked...

Saudis: questionable "Ally". (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).
December 1, 2001... According to Saudi ruler Crown Prince Abdullah: "A time comes when peoples and nations part. We are at a crossroads. It is time for the United States and Saudi Arabia to look at their separate interests." Indeed. Reported the Wall Street...

Post commander killed at Pentagon. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).
December 1, 2001... William Ruth, commander of Post 10076 in Mount Airy, Md., was killed in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon where he had worked as a civilian for the Army since 1997. The Marine Vietnam veteran and Persian Gulf War Army Reserve vet had...

Is Europe stepping up to the plate? (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).
December 1, 2001... This month, the European Union reportedly will declare its 60,000-troop Rapid Reaction Force operational. Whether the financial resources and political will necessary to make the force a viable combat instrument exist remains to be seen. ...

Military service and social class. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).
December 1, 2001... University of North Carolina journalism professor Philip Meyer, in addressing the divide between society and the military, recently made some revealing comments. He wrote in the Oct. 17 USA Today: "Today, there are few veterans of...

Bush signs anti-terrorism law. (Legislation).
December 1, 2001... President Bush signed a law on Oct. 26 that gives federal prosecutors and FBI agents broader powers in preventing future domestic terrorist attacks. Public Law 107-56--the U.S.A. Patriot Act of 2001--gives the FBI greater authority--with less...

VFW supports Alaska oil drilling. (Legislation).
December 1, 2001... The Senate is considering a VFW-supported bill that would allow oil drilling in a section of Alaska previously off limits. H.R. 4--the Securing America's Future Energy Act of 2001--would allow drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife...

Group fights for lifetime healthcare. (Service).
December 1, 2001... Over the last year, many VFW members have inquired about court cases aimed at restoring lifelong medical benefits for military retirees. Interested veterans can learn more from a nonprofit group in South Carolina created specifically for that...

VFW backs troops through attack on America Trust Fund. (Service).
December 1, 2001... VFW is raising funds to help those fighting America's war on terrorism. The Attack on America Trust Fund will accumulate funds for future use to benefit current active-duty and reserve military forces and their families. The money will be...

Book details state veterans benefits. (Service).
December 1, 2001... A book published this year provides a guide to veterans benefits in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It also gives a brief summary of federal benefits available to veterans and their families. The 344-page Veterans Benefits: A...

Gerald Solomon dies at 71. (Service).
December 1, 2001... Former U.S. Rep. Gerald Solomon, a long-time friend of VFW and veterans, died of congestive heart failure on Oct. 26. He was 71. Solomon, who represented upstate New York during his congressional career, was known for his support of the...

Homeland Defense commands named. (Security).
December 1, 2001... Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced Oct. 26 the military components responsible for defending U.S. states, territories, trusts and commonwealths. Secretary of the Army Thomas White is the Pentagon's director for Homeland...

Imminent Danger Pay expanded. (Security).
December 1, 2001... The Pentagon has officially designated areas around the world as Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) locations in the war on terrorism. GIs in those areas will receive an extra $150 a month. In Central and Southwest Asia, the countries qualifying...

Russia closes spy center on Cuba. (Security).
December 1, 2001... Russia announced in October it will close a major eavesdropping center on Cuba. The Lourdes facility, built by the Soviet Union in 1964, was a major electronic intelligence-gathering station for the Soviets and Cuba. More recently, Russia...

Report calls for a better VETS. (Employment).
December 1, 2001... A General Accounting Office (GAO) report released Oct. 30 recommended changes to improve veterans employment services at the Departments of Labor and VA. It suggested more accountability at Labor's Veterans Employment Training Service (VETS)....

VFW rally aims to preserve unity: prominent performers turned out to 'Unite For Liberty' and to promote patriotism in America in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty in late October.
December 1, 2001... Beneath the backdrop of the crippled Manhattan skyline, the VFW/Ladies Auxiliary-sponsored United for Liberty rally provided a means of demonstrating support for the troops fighting those responsible for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the...

Ranger raid launches ground operations: Taliban command compound in Kandahar is target of first action. (War On Terrorism).
December 1, 2001... "The important thing for me to tell the American people is these soldiers will not have died in vain," said President Bush in announcing the deaths of the first Americans in the Afghanistan War. "The soldiers died in a cause that is just and...

"Pearl Harbor": fact vs. fiction: Hollywood's latest take on Dec. 7, 1941, proves to be rooted in drama, rather than reality. The 2,403 Americans killed there deserve to be remembered as the events truly unfolded.
December 1, 2001... The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor has been on many minds of late, as the Sept. 11 attacks have been compared to it, and its 60th anniversary is on the 7th. Additionally, on this past Memorial Day Disney released its cinematic version of the...

Celebrating Christmas traditions: days of walks in a winter wonderland, silent nights and caroling are upon us. Here's your chance to find out what they all mean. (Cover Story).
December 1, 2001... The Christmas season seems to arrive before the Thanksgiving dishes are cleared. Yet it blows through with such a flurry of excitement, it's likely many miss it. Most Americans scurry about frantically decking their halls with more than just...

Victory denied: America won the Cold War: America should be marking a monumental milestone on Dec. 25--the 10th anniversary of the extinction of Communist tyranny in East Europe. But if the past is an accurate guide, America's Cold War veterans best not expect congratulations for a job well done. The following guest editorial laments this lack of recognition.
December 1, 2001... On June 3, 1999, Texas Sen. Phil Gramm did something exemplary. He introduced to the Defense Department authorization bill an amendment calling for a 10th anniversary celebration of democracy's victory in the Cold War--the epic struggle...

Commonwealth combats communism in Korea: as it is today, Britain was a staunch U.S. ally during the Korean War. Along with Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the United Kingdom contributed to a united West on the battlefields of that Northeast Asian peninsula. (Korean on War).
December 1, 2001... "The fire in Korea many burn our house down," said Labor Minister Clement Attlee in 1950 at the outset of the Korean War. But uniting with 23 other countries, Great Britain was quick to supply air, sea and land forces to help stem the brutal...

An agenda for action. (Key National Issues).
December 1, 2001... Listed below are VFW's official positions on national veterans issues. They are based on national convention resolutions and rated as priorities by the respective committees. LEGISLATIVE VA SERVICES * Ensure funding is...

Serving veterans. (VFW 2001-2002 Committees).
December 1, 2001... Members of VFW's 11 national committees develop goals and complete plans for the upcoming year. These committees implement the policies made by delegates at the national convention. BUDDY POPPY Chairman: David G. Havely Vice...

Michigan honors the chief: VFW members in the Wolverine State pulled out all stops in welcoming home a native son.
December 1, 2001... Hundreds of friends and supporters gathered in Michigan to welcome home VFW Commander-in-Chief Jim Goldsmith of Lapeer. Boyne Highlands, one of the nation's premier golf resorts, hosted guests and dignitaries during the weekend event in...

VFW spreads Christmas cheer to young and old alike. (VFW in action: VFW members and Posts demonstrating community service.).
December 1, 2001... Most VFW Posts look forwared to the Christmas season each year. For members, it's another opportunity to do good in the community and to help those in need. One such Post is 5394 in Compton, Calif. Annually, it hosts a "Toys for the Kids...

Navy and Marine Corps awards updated. (membership).
December 1, 2001... Campaign medal eligibility has changed to keep pace with international events, large and small. Here is the latest news that will allow you to assist and recruit new members based on the most recent changes. Combat Action Ribbon...

Jest A Minute.
December 1, 2001... * A teacher asked a little five-year-old boy if he knew the name of the first man put on Earth. The little boy said, "Hoss." The teacher asked, "What did you say?" The little boy replied, "I said Hoss." Teacher said, "No, it...

Reunions & claims.
December 1, 2001... REUNION COORDINATORS: To publicize your unit's reunion, fill out the form on page 51 of the January 2001 VFW magazine or print out a form from VFW's website: http://www.org/magazine/51.shtml. Send to VFW magazine, 406 W. 34th St., Suite 523,...

Recoup your rates. (member benefits).
December 1, 2001... In view of the uncertainty of the economy right now, and despite being urged to "return to our normal spending habits," we all have concerns about spending. The upside of dwindling stock market prices is that loan interest rates are...