VFW Magazine articles from January 2004

VFW Magazine archives from January 2004

VFW fills a critical need now: amidst the current war, rights of veterans need protecting now more than in three decades. As advocates, each of us has a role to play.(command post)
January 1, 2004... Perhaps for the first time since the end of the Vietnam War more than 30 years ago, those serving in the armed forces and recently discharged veterans can use VFW's help. To be sure, we as an organization have been there to assist veterans...

Remembering Afghanistan.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Thanks for "Afghanistan: The 'Forgotten War'" (November). My Special Forces team served at Firebase Lwara and during our 51 days there received 59 rocket attacks. Our engagement in the "1st Annual Baghran Valley 3K Fun Run" lasted 43 hours....

Illustrating helicopter heroism.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... You did helicopter crews wrong by not including a photo of them with "Winged Warriors: A Tribute to Military Aviators" (November). The photogenic opportunities were endless--hot LZs, suppression fire, Medevac, rescue from the open sea or off a...

Never too late to pay a debt.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... "Repaying the Debt" (November) by Kenneth Lee offered excellent insight into the reluctance of many young Americans to place public service above self-interest. Unfortunately, the pursuit of self-interest is not limited to Generation X; it...

Ia Drang Valley: the whole story.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... "1st Cav and NVA Tangle in the Ia Drang Valley" (November) by Al Hemingway omitted a few facts. As a replacement in 2nd Plt., B Co., 1st Bn., 7th Cav, I was at LZ X-Ray in November 1965. Lt. Rick Rescorla's company of the 2nd Battalion departed...

Doughboys a dying breed.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... "WWI Vets: Last Living Links to a Bygone Era" (November) missed some of that era's veterans of note. Andrew Small, a member of VFW Post 8733 in Mosinee, Wis., was the last known living vet of Gen. Pershing's Punitive Expedition to Mexico in...

Well done on behalf of Beirut veterans.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... "Marines Remember Beirut 20 Years Later" by Al Hemingway and "Memorializing the Noble Act of Marines in Lebanon" by Carole Moore constituted a very moving November issue. For those of us who personally knew some of the 241 men killed that Oct....

Grenada deaths were not in vain.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Re: "Grenada Remembered With Pride" (October) by Al Hemingway. Our son, Marine Cobra pilot Lt. Jeffrey R. Scharver, was among the 19 Americans killed on Grenada in October 1983. These men did not die in vain and should not be forgotten. Thank...

Somalia action replete with courage.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... "Memories of Somalia Remain Vivid" (October) by Janie Blankenship underscores the fact that East Africa in 1993 was in reality an initial battlefront in the war on terrorism. Special Forces detachments from the 5th SFG were in Somalia as early...

Chu Lai's missing story.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... "Battle of Chu Lai" (October) by Al Hemingway was enjoyable reading. But I must point out that the USS Galveston was a light cruiser (guided missile). During the battle, No. 2 turret fired some 300 six-inch rounds in two hours. Albert...

The French--you gotta love 'em.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... "With France Like This, who Needs Enemies?" (October) by Gary Turbak was an outrage and a disgrace. As a 1991 Persian Gulf War veteran, I witnessed French support firsthand. France provided the only armored support for the 82nd Airborne...

Vietnam battle series: send us your accounts.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.)
January 1, 2004... As part of our ongoing series, we would like written details of these battles provided to the best of your recollection. If you do not type, please print legibly. Newspaper clippings are always helpful, too. Also, photos are most welcome, but...

Veterans history project kits.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.)
January 1, 2004... If you want to record your war experiences for posterity, the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project now has new story-gathering kits to make it easier. The Memoir Kit provides guidance to veterans to document personal stories in...

Vietnam Memorial center coming.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.)
January 1, 2004... Legislation authorizing construction of an underground visitors center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a reality as of Nov. 18. According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the center "will provide a thought-provoking educational...

PBS series focuses on military.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.)
January 1, 2004... Innovation includes three parts--Spy Catchers (Feb. 24), Future Combat (March 2) and Air Safety (April 6)--that deal with military topics.

Book corner.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.)
January 1, 2004... Books of interest to veterans: Applebaum, Anne. Gulag: A History. N.Y.: Doubleday, 2003. Berry, F. Clifton. United States Army at War: 9/11 Through Iraq. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 2003. Collier, Peter. Medal of Honor:...

Concurrent receipt approved for 50%+ disabled vets.(Legislation)
January 1, 2004... Congress and the White House agreed in October to provide certain service-connected disabled military retirees their full VA disability compensation without offsetting their retired pay, known as "concurrent receipt." The new policy applies to...

Major benefits' bills approved.(Legislation)
January 1, 2004... The House cleared a large veterans benefits bill that will expand eligibility for veterans benefits and increase other programs under the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 (H.R. 2297)--combines the text of...

Remains returned from North Korea, policy explained.(Service)
January 1, 2004... The remains of what are believed to be eight U.S. soldiers killed during the Korean War were repatriated in November. A 28-man U.S. team recovered the remains during a two-month-long operation near the Chosin Reservoir and Unsan County in North...

Nine Americans killed in Afghanistan.(Security)
January 1, 2004... Four airmen and a soldier were killed when their helicopter accidentally crashed Nov. 23 near Bagram: Maj. Steven Plumhoff, 58th Operations Sqdn.; Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup Jr., 20th Special Operations Squadron (SOS); Tech. Sgt. Howard A....

VFW leaders distribute phone cards overseas.(Security)
January 1, 2004... On a recent trip to Europe, VFW Commander-in-Chief Ed Banas visited Camp Ederle, home of the U.S. Army's Southern European Task Force (SETAF), in Vicenza, Italy. In addition to touring the post and receiving a briefing from SETAF commanders,...

Crisis in high drug costs affects veterans: here is a rundown on the prescription drug dilemma currently facing America, and where VA drug costs fit in.
January 1, 2004... Last October, it was reported that VA systems in three states were allegedly ordering their prescription drugs from Canada, then dispensing them to VA patients. The discovery, reportedly made by a patient who noticed a Canadian label underneath...

VA activates Crisis Response Team for homeland security: in the event of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, VA is preparing itself so service to veterans won't be disrupted.(Department of Veterans Affairs)
January 1, 2004... As U.S. forces continue to fight the war on terrorism in Afghanistan as well as the Iraq War, the Department of Veterans Affairs is making strides in its homeland security efforts. Established in 2001, VA's Crisis Response Team (CRT) aims...

Finding missing military records at state archives: if you can't locate your records in St. Louis, look no further than your state capital. Valuable documents are often housed close to home.
January 1, 2004... Old soldiers might never die, but their records can be destroyed. The 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis burned between 16 and 18 million records. This included about 80% of Army service records...

Preserving your life story.
January 1, 2004... Scott Slaughter Smith remembers. The California native remembers those sweltering 76 hours in November 1943 when he and his fellow Marines fought one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific Campaign, taking the tiny atoll of Tarawa. He was...

Pharmacists brace for rush to get 'human joint oil': new FLUIDjoint[TM] has 60% greater effect than Glucosamine for improving overall joint function *.(Special Universal Media Syndicate)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2004... Pharmacists around the country are bracing for the rush of people expecting to get one of the newest breakthroughs in medical science called FLUIDjoint. What calcium is to your bones FLUIDjoint is to your joints. It's being compared to...

Purple Hearts, Vietnam and a hunt to remember: three Vietnam veteran amputees--courtesy of VFW and Doonan Gulch Outfitter in Broadus, Mont.--experienced the camaraderie of a pronghorn antelope hunt while sharing the common denominators that allowed them to overcome crippling wounds.(Biography)
January 1, 2004... In ancient civilizations, one's clothing often signified more than the personal tastes of the individual. Garments of particular colors denoted one's status in society, with clothing of certain hues being reserved for people of royal lineage or...

Gearing up for the WWII Memorial dedication: thousands are expected to attend the dedication of this long-overdue memorial.
January 1, 2004... For World War II veterans, the wait is over. Nearly 60 years have passed since the end of that war, and a memorial to those who served is finally nearing completion. A four-day event beginning May 27 will mark the dedication of the...

Iraq--a final salute: VFW magazine presents this memorial listing in tribute to the 72 Americans killed from Oct. 10 to Nov. 13 in Iraq.
January 1, 2004... Deaths to Enemy Action Army Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Bader, Air Defense Artillery Btry., 1st Sqdn., 3rd Armored Cav Regt., Colorado Springs, Colo. Sgt. Michael Paul Barrera, 3rd Bn., 67th Armor Regt., 4th Inf. Div., Von Ormy, Texas...

Kansas town named birthplace of Veterans Day: Congress makes it official--Emporia has the title.
January 1, 2004... The city of Emporia, Kan., had more to celebrate on Veterans Day this year. The U.S. Senate unanimously voted to name Emporia the official founding city of Veterans Day and Alvin King the holiday's founder. "It took some doing, and the...

'Graveyard' at LZ 4: Battle of Cu Nghi: on the Bong Son Plain between Jan. 28-31, 1966, battalions of the 7th and 12th Cavalry, 1st Cav Division, won a hard-fought round with the NVA and VC.(Deadliest Vietnam Battles)
January 1, 2004... As a misty rain fell on the morning of Jan. 28, 1966, the drone of a hundred helicopters, carrying soldiers from the 7th Cavalry into the southern end of the Bong Son Plain, pierced the silent gray skies. This movement was the opening for...

Korea DMZ vets & Agent Orange: selected ground combat units of the 2nd and 7th Infantry divisions during 1968-69 are OK'd for presumptive compensation.
January 1, 2004... Significant information regarding Agent Orange use along Korea s DMZ is now available. The Pentagon has confirmed that Agent Orange was used from April 1968 through July 1969 to defoliate the fields of fire between the front line defensive...

Far West hosts sites from frontier warfare.(Military History Trail)(Directory)
January 1, 2004... TRIP 3: Rocky Mountains/Western Plains Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming Mention these six states and military history means one thing: the Western Indian campaigns immortalized by Hollywood. But in real life, the...

Serving veterans.(VFW 2003-2004 Committees)
January 1, 2004... Members of VFW's 12 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: Arthur J. Roy Vice...

Document your military service.(member benefits)
January 1, 2004... COMPLIMENTARY FOR ALL VFW MEMBERS--the VFW MeMber Honor Roll[TM] recognizes our members for their military service. Complete and submit an honor roll form along with a photo (if no photo, your branch of service logo will be used) to national...

Past Commander-in-Chief Eric Sandstrom dies.(taps)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 1, 2004... VFW National Headquarters was saddened by the death of past Commander-in-Chief (1978-79) Eric G. Sandstrom, 83, on Nov. 3, 2003, in Tacoma, Wash. Services were held Nov. 15 at Aspen Chapel in Lakewood, Wash. Burial followed at Tahoma...

Never set your clock again, ever! Self setting Atomic Travel Clock keeps 100% accurate time in any U.S. time zone. Now just $19.
January 1, 2004... NORTH CANTON. OH -- Want to get the latest precision time keeping technology that automatically adjusts itself for Daylight Saving Time. Thanks to an exclusive home trial you can get this clock at a special introductory price. You...

Jest a minute.(jokes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... * Bob and Chuck rented a bass boat and went fishing. At dusk, Bob mentioned they should head in since they were a long way from their cabin. Because of the luck they had, they agreed that it would be nice if they could return to the same spot....

Reunions & claims.
January 1, 2004... REUNION COORDINATORS: To publicize your unit's reunion, fill out the form on page 47 of the February 2003 VFW magazine or print out a form from VFW's Web site: http://www.vfw.org/magazine/51.shtml. Send to VFW magazine, 406 W. 34th St., Suite...