VFW Magazine articles from March 2001

VFW Magazine archives from March 2001

Pursuing priorities: as the 107th Congress starts work, VFW continues to push four major issues during the year on Capitol Hill. (Issues 2001).
March 1, 2001... VFW's annual "march" on Capitol Hill during the Legislative Conference took place at the end of February. VFW leaders from across the country assembled during the joint session of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees to present the...

Debating the war's outcome. (mail call).
March 1, 2001... Re: "Who Really Won the War?" (January 2001). The answer is obvious. The U.S. and its allies may have won the battles, but Saddam Hussein won the war! He remains an international war criminal who has yet to be brought to justice. William...

Honoring the engineers. (mail call).
March 1, 2001... Re: "Persian Gulf War: An Accounting" (January). Thank you for remembering Company A, 27th Engineers. I was leader of 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon when six members of that platoon were killed at As Salman airfield in Iraq on Feb. 26, 1991. Among...

Adding to the chronology. (mail call).
March 1, 2001... "A GI's Combat Chronology" (January) omitted the 1st Aviation Bn., 101st Air Assault Div. from the entry on Jan. 17. Apache helicopters destroyed the first two radar stations inside Iraq; the Air Force took out the third. Also, a ship probably...

Accounting for Michael Speicher. (mail call).
March 1, 2001... "KIA or MIA: Gulf War Pilot's Fate Still a Mystery" (January)brought back memories. When Lt. Cmdr. Speicher failed to return from his mission, our base was in shock and anguish. One of our own would not be coming home. I felt guilt at not being...

Gulf illnesses: DU & ALS. (mail call).
March 1, 2001... In an otherwise excellent story--"Syndrome of Suffering" (January) by Gary Turbak--the author left out some pertinent facts. Depleted uranium (DU) is actually less radioactive than natural uranium, and is a byproduct of uranium enrichment prior...

Verdict in on No Gun Ri. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... In January, the U.S. Army released a 323-page report on its investigation into the July 1950 killings at No Gun Ri during the Korean War. After investigators interviewed 170 veterans and analyzed 1 million pages of documents, they concluded:...

Past VFW Chief part of China visit. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Former VFW Commander-in-Chief Jack Carney was one of six U.S. Korean War vets who visited China as part of an exchange program. The group hoped to convince the Chinese to reveal more information on the fate of American MIAs thought once held by...

Teddy Roosevelt awarded Medal of Honor. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families,).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... On Jan. 16, 2001, 103 years after he led the charge up Kettle Hill on Cuba in 1898, former President Theodore Roosevelt was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony. T.R. joined the VFW in 1917, becoming the first...

Army's new slogan defies common sense. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... The U.S. Army's new recruiting slogan--"An Army of One"--was unveiled in January as part of a $150 million advertising campaign. It has been less-than-enthusiastically received. Defying logic, it makes no appeal to the foundations of service:...

Political correctness vs. armed forces. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... A recent article in the Washington Times found that many in the service have high expectations of the Bush Administration. To restore honor and integrity, revealed the story, many GIs want an end to social engineering such as "sensitivity"...

Inauguration honors MOH recipients. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Some 100 Medal of Honor recipients attended the Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20. As is customary, VFW hosted a reception and the VFW Honor Guard (from Maryland) escorted the heroes while they were in Washington, D.C. "This has always...

Pick the nation's National Tree. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Here's your opportunity to determine which tree will become the national timber. The National Arbor Day Foundation is conducting a survey to choose the tree. Cast your vote on its Web site: arborday.org or mail your vote on a 3 x 5 card. ...

Public to get FREE U.S. coins: the first State Quarters with the Mint Year of 2001 are now being given away FREE to insure equal nationwide distribution. (Special Media Services Advertising Feature).
March 1, 2001... When was the last time you got FREE money? Well, it already happened once last year and now it's happening again, so hurry because we'll tell you how to get yours FREE. The U.S. Mint has announced the release of the North Carolina State...

VFW opposed to lump sum VA payments. (Service).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... VFW has raised objection to a controversial proposal offering lump-sum payments to veterans receiving monthly VA disability compensation. VFW officials say the measure is designed to save money, not serve veterans. "It would take a lot of...

Blacks fare well at VA hospitals. (Service).(San Francisco Veterans Medical Center study results published in Journal of the American Medical Association)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Blacks survive at higher rates than whites at VA medical centers, according to research results released in January. The study, conducted by Ashish Jha of the San Francisco VA Medical Center and published in the Journal of the American Medical...

Smith to lead House VA Committee. (Legislation).(Rep. Chris Smith )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... House Republicans selected Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) in January to be chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. He will succeed Rep. Bob Stump (R-Ariz.), who will now chair the House Armed Services Committee. Smith, who has...

NATO allies question depleted uranium use. (Security).
March 1, 2001... Shells containing depleted uranium (DU) and fired by U.S. aircraft against Serb targets in 1999 could be the cause of illnesses suffered by NATO troops serving in Kosovo, claims at least one NATO member. Italy, which has recorded six cancer...

VFW denounces world court treaty. (Security).
March 1, 2001... In one of his last official acts, former President Clinton signed the 1998 Rome Treaty on Dec. 31, 2000, which establishes the International Criminal Court (ICC). If ratified, the court, to be based at The Hague, Netherlands, and affiliated...

Book offers vets preference information. (Employment).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... A new book written by a Vietnam veteran can help honorably discharged vets understand state and federal laws guaranteeing them employment preference. It also explains how these laws extend to veterans families. Veteran Preference...

Fighting prostate cancer together: VFW is working with a national program to support partners of prostate cancer patients.
March 1, 2001... When Hank Lohmann got the call from his doctor, he was the prognosis wasn't good. The results from his (prostate-specific antigen) test were in, and the doctor needed to see him right away. The diagnosis: prostate cancer. With friends in from...

Author seeks to help complete Vietnam puzzle: emerging at the early age of 19, Keith William Nolan is today the leading battle chronicler of the Vietnam War, with 10 books to his credit. He writes to honor those Americans who fought in the war.
March 1, 2001... "WHEN I WROTE the Battle for Hue in the early 1980s, I was really naive," confesses author Keith William Nolan. "I was politically oriented to the right and my bias really showed in that book." Naive or not, Nolan has written an astounding...

Perils of peacekeeping: during the 1990s, GIs became mired in four major interventions beyond the traditional concept and scope of vital U.S. national interests. But there are ways to bring America's military commitments back in line with its own security concerns.
March 1, 2001... "There may be some moments when we use our troops as peacekeepers, but not often," said then-presidential candidate George W. Bush in the debates. Echoing the sentiments of many Americans, he declared: "I am worried about an Administration that...

Gurkhas: perfect peacekeepers: for two centuries, the Gurkhas served the British empire. Today, these Nepalese warriors remain on active duty, stationed in Britain and Brunei. Though greatly reduced in numbers, they are still willing and ready to serve around the globe under all conditions.
March 1, 2001... They always serve at the "sharp end" of the mission. The first force into East Timor in September 1999 was partly spear-headed by them, and they were among the last to leave. We are talking about members of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha...

Will America accept casualties in peacekeeping operations?
March 1, 2001... With the prevalence of peacekeeping missions during the past decade, policymakers have pondered the American public's capacity to absorb lethal casualties. But most pundits have missed the mark. Virtually ignoring the character of the...

Ripping enemy ranks: in March 1951, six U.S. divisions along with South Korean units recaptured Seoul and drove the Communists back to the 38th Parallel. (Korean War).
March 1, 2001... As the harsh thaw of spring 1951 approached, the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) and North Korean Peoples' Army (NKPA) lay entrenched across the Korean Peninsula below the 38th Parallel. They occupied Seoul, South Korea's capital city, and the...

Civil War vets profoundly affected post-war society. (Famous War Veterans).(Illustration)
March 1, 2001... The 3,295,452 Americans who wore a blue or gray uniform during the Civil War (1861-65) impacted America like no other generation of war veterans before. Their sheer numbers assured that they would play a decisive role in the nation's...

Daring capture in the Philippines: a turning point in the War: the War Department called it the "most important single military event of the year." President Theodore Roosevelt wrote: "I take pride in this crowning exploit of a career filled with cool courage, iron endurance and gallant daring." It was the capture of Filipino leader Emilio Aguinaldo 100 years ago in March 1901. (Philippines War 1899-1902).
March 1, 2001... By the spring of 1901, the Philippines War (1899-1902) had dragged on for two years. The American public was becoming increasingly critical of the Army's inability to shut down this nasty, little guerrilla war, which involved 70;000 U.S....

Exorbitant, cost of defending oil. (mail call).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Washington Wire ("20,000 GIs m Persian Gulf Region") in the January issue brings home the exorbitant price in men, materiel and financial resources the U.S. is spending to protect its supply of Persian Gulf oil. Yet the Middle East provides...

Unit citation at Twin Tunnels. (mail call).
March 1, 2001... Editor's Correction: The 3rd Battalion of the 23rd Infantry also won a Presidential Unit Citation at the Battle of Twin Tunnels near Sinchon, Korea, on Feb. 1, 1951. (See "Twin Tunnels Turns the Tide" in the January 2001 issue.)

Mexican War produced many generals. (mail call).(Letter to the Editor)(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2001... I thoroughly enjoyed "Mexican War Fought by Few" (January). This is a part of American history of which I was not aware. Articles of this type are greatly appreciated. Thank you for these features. Robert R. Baum Jacksonville, N.C. ...

A gold star mother on Clinton's visit. (mail call).
March 1, 2001... Re: "Clinton an Icon in Vietnam" (Now Hear This, January). When I read this item, I thought surely there are other people who reacted the way this Gold Star Mother did. This was especially so after seeing Clinton on TV strutting around Vietnam...

Marine unit in Kosovo firefight. (mail call).(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2001... Editor's Note: In the December Membership article, the Combat Action Ribbon for some Marine units previously in Kosovo was discussed. It was the 3rd Battalion of the 8th Marines that engaged in the firefights there in June 1999. Thanks for the...

Volunteering to make a difference: where you find VFW members, you'll find fulfilled volunteers. (VFW in action: VFW members and Posts demonstrating community service.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Having served their country in uniform, VFW members are certainly no strangers to volunteerism. When there is a need in the community that involves selfless volunteer hours, you can bet VFW or Ladies Auxiliary members step in to answer the...

`Throw out the phone' for effective recruiting: a former Post commander in Illinois says face-to-face contact is the best method for boosting membership. (membership).
March 1, 2001... What's the best piece of advice for recruiters hoping to make a measurable impact on their Post's membership rolls? According to a two-time VFW All-American Post commander, recruiters should always talk with potential members face-to-face. ...

Jest a minute.
March 1, 2001... * The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the main computers. He dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whispered "Hello?" Feeling put out at the...

Reunions & claims.(Illustration)
March 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.vfw.org/magazine/51.shtml. Send to VFW magazine, 406 W. 34th St., Suite...