VFW Magazine articles from March 2003

VFW Magazine archives from March 2003

Fighting fire on two fronts: firefighters and soldiers have a lot in common. This issue shows why VFW supports them. (command post).
March 1, 2003... There are two kinds of firefights, and both are common to wartime. VFW has long recognized heroism in either kind. Fighting fire takes place in war as well as peace, at home and abroad, in civilian and military life. Even the terminology of the...

Heroism still respected among young. (mail call).
March 1, 2003... I read VFW every time it comes to my house. I love it--it's one of my favorite magazines. When I read "Military Heroism Denied" (January) by Peter Gibbon a frown came to my face. Though I am only 14, I want to be in the armed forces. You...

Kudos for the January issue. (mail call).
March 1, 2003... The January issue is undoubtedly the most informative I have read. I read every issue, but usually not in one sitting, as I did with this masterpiece. Phil Kerlee Las Vegas, Nev. VFW is the best magazine I receive. The content from...

Command post insightful. (mail call).
March 1, 2003... "Battlefield Valor Unrecognized" (Command Post, January) is most commendable. It is about time this subject was broached. Thank you for your. insight into an issue affecting the well being of many war veterans. Billie N. McDonald,...

Civil air patrol serves the nation. (mail call).
March 1, 2003... "Flying Minutemen Stand Ready to Defend Homeland" (January) by Max Macauley was most welcome. Support from organizations such as yours makes the CAP cadet program particularly appealing to young people. We appreciate your sharing our story; we...

VA provides quality care. (mail call).
March 1, 2003... Re: "Ten Ways to Avoid Red Tape in VA Claims Processing" (January) by Raymond Toczek. Despite complaints concerning VA health care, my experience as well as that of my three brothers and my son has been positive. The quality of service, in our...

Corpsmen--heroes of the day. (mail call).
March 1, 2003... "First Aid Under Fire" (January) by Gary Turbak was on the mark. This was the first time I have read anything about the fight for Vegas. I served with E Co., 2nd Bn., 7th Marines that March 1953. And I can still smell the smoke, see the dead,...

The draft and historical amnesia. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(public remarks about the ineffectiveness of draftees are unwarranted)
March 1, 2003... New York Rep. Charles Rangel's suggestion that the draft should be revived elicited a number of key and insulting responses. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld set the tone by saying draftees were of "no value, no advantage" in Vietnam. But at...

Bill Mauldin: WWII icon. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(Brief Article)(Obituary)(Biography)
March 1, 2003... One of the 20th century's greatest cartoonists, Bill Mauldin, died Jan. 22 in Newport Beach, Calif., at 81, from complications of Alzheimer's disease. Originally a rifleman with the 180th Regt., 45th Inf. Div., Mauldin gained fame as the...

Joe Foss' legacy preserved. (Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.).(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 1, 2003... Famed WWII hero and well-known. public figure Joe Foss died Jan. 1 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Marine Medal of Honor recipient went on to become governor of South Dakota (1955-59), first commissioner of the American Football League (1958-66), host...

Category 8 enrollment suspended. (Service).(veterans' health care system )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... VA announced in January that it will not enroll Category 8 veterans into its health care system for the rest of the year. Category 8 veterans are those with no service-connected disabilities and with incomes higher than a geographically...

Leukemia linked to agent orange. (Service).(chronic lymphocytic leukemia; chemical defoliant Agent Orange, used during the Vietnam War)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... VA announced in January that it will provide benefits to certain Vietnam veterans afflicted with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The ruling was based on an Institute of Medicine study that found "sufficient evidence of an association"...

Chemicals blamed for Persian Gulf War IIIs. (Service).(various illnesses and disabilities thought to be caused by chemicals given to soldiers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A combination of chemicals given to Gulf War soldiers in 1991 to protect them from diseases or nerve gas may be the cause of infertility, sexual dysfunction and other genitourinary symptoms, according to a scientific study completed in January....

Veterans benefits online. (Service).(Web site: www.govbenefits.gov)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A new government Web site can help veterans determine if they are entitled to certain benefits. The site, www.govbenefits.gov, bills itself as "a one-stop resource for Americans" seeking information about government benefits. It is divided into...

Bills address VFW priority goals. (Legislation).(Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act; Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2003)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Two bills introduced in Congress in January would; if approved, fulfill VFW legislative priority goals. S. 50--The Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act--would tie VA funding levels to medical inflation and the number of veterans using...

Black hawk crash kills four in Afghanistan. (Security).(US military helicopter crash)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A U.S. helicopter crashed during a training exercise Jan. 30 in Afghanistan killing four soldiers. The incident occurred about six miles east of Bagram Air Base in an area known as the East Training Range. A spokesman for U.S. Central Command...

Military tax-exempt zones announced. (Security).(Philippines, Djibouti)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Defense Department has added the Philippines and Djibouti to its list of tax-exempt areas. Service members who qualify won't have to pay taxes for the time they served in those areas. The exclusion for the Philippines is retroactive to...

Special ops to command missions. (Security).(proposed increased financing for the Special Operations Command)
March 1, 2003... Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld proposed in January that U.S. special operations units get a larger piece of the defense budget, more personnel and greater autonomy to plan its own missions. He says it would allow them to respond more quickly...

Kuwait, Iraq hold MIA talks. (Security).(missing in action)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... In January, Kuwaiti and Iraqi officials discussed for the first time in four years the fate of more than 600 people missing from Kuwait after the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91. VFW Res. 403, which calls for a complete accounting of all...

A `long way home' for the truth about Vietnam veterans: for two Vietnam veteran film producers, the quest to convey the facts about vets of that war has become their personal crusade. But those in the "mainstream" media are determined to perpetuate the negative stereotypes.(award-winning documentary television series deals with the Vietnam War)
March 1, 2003... Shortly after receiving a prestigious international award last year for producing a documentary television series, three Colorado-based filmmakers thought that our nation was finally ready to hear their message about the Vietnam War and its...

War's toll on marriage: study proves war veterans have higher divorce rate, but Vietnam vets have lower rate than public perception.
March 1, 2003... Note: Though "combat" is used in the study, it is not clear whether the individual merely served in the war zone. It's no secret that Vietnam veterans are more likely to get divorced than their non-veteran counterparts. And it's also no...

VFW-VetJobs partnership expedites employment search: as part owner of VetJobs.com, VFW offers a tangible, essential benefit for its members. Touted as the "largest military-related job board on the Internet," VetJobs has helped more than 2,000 veterans find jobs in the last three years.(VetJobs: service of VFW)
March 1, 2003... Investing in an Internet firm might have seemed like a good idea three years ago. The highflying darlings of Wall Street appeared to be a sure path to easy money, and their potential in the 21st century looked unlimited. Of course, that was...

Man's best-kept secret: sexual dysfunction: Once a taboo subject, sex-related difficulties are now discussed openly. Yet many men are reluctant to reveal such intimate problems, even though 30 million suffer from impotence. Keep in mind that pills alone can't treat dysfunction when your sex drive flags or disappears.
March 1, 2003... When a man tells his doctor that he has lost either the will or ability to have sex, he's likely to get a complete physical and a promise that solutions--from Viagra to testosterone patches--can be found to fix the problem. A detailed...

`Soldiers on point for the nation': much different than its World War II namesake, the 10th Mountain Division is trained to fight any type of battle anywhere in the world. From the Persian Gulf to Afghanistan, this workhorse of the Army has found itself engaged globally in the past decade.
March 1, 2003... Once, they were specialists at fighting in the mountains. Now, they'll fight wherever America sends them. They are members of the Army's 10th Mountain Division, known as the premier "quick reaction force" among light infantry. They've...

`Highest damn beachhead in Korea': at Reno, Carson and Vegas--dubbed The Nevada Cities--Marines once again defeated the Chinese in March 1953. (Korean War).
March 1, 2003... "I'm sort of expecting all hell to break loose within the next two nights," wrote Lt. Col. John I. Williamson, commanding officer of the 1st Tank Battalion. "Sort of a hunch." That "hunch" proved correct. The Chinese were massing for an...

Fighting fire in war and peace: though seldom recognized, military firefighters have always played an indispensable role in saving lives. On numerous occasions both overseas in war and stateside in peace, these firefighters have sacrificed their own lives in doing so. A national military firefighter memorial is planned in their honor.
March 1, 2003... Fighting fire is often compared to war. And the analogy is valid, particularly in the case of wildfires that devastate the American West. Combating a forest fire "is not unlike a chronic guerrilla war fought in rural or wild-land surroundings...

Veterans, firefighters share common concerns: VFW forms a partnership with the `protector of the protectors' as part of a national outreach effort with five community-service organizations. VFW magazine will profile each--all of which have objectives in common with VFW.(International Association of Fire Fighters )
March 1, 2003... Since 1918, one organization has been a guardian for firefighters' rights. Furthermore, following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, devoted members raised more than $150 million to be distributed to the families of fallen firefighters. ...

Nation's firefighters. (VFW Posts Support).
March 1, 2003... We've all seen the images: New York City firefighters running up the stairs of the blazing World Trade Center towers as people scrambled to get out. Afterward, we heard about daily funerals for the firefighters who lost their lives on...

VFW receives Craftmanship Award at Tournament of Roses Parade. (VFW in action).
March 1, 2003... VFW's community outreach spans many avenues throughout the country. From vets interacting with children to participating in the 114th Rose Bowl Parade, VFW members are in the forefront of civic service. Here's a look at what Posts have...

Philippines post hits 1,100 mark with latest life member: VFW's largest overseas Post just got larger in December. (membership).(VFW post in Angeles City, Philippines)
March 1, 2003... Recruiting members at Post 2485 in Angeles City, Philippines, seemed an almost impossible task in 1993. The Air Force had pulled out of neighboring Clark Air Base and the Navy had left nearby Subic Bay. Despite losing two huge sources of...

Save money on your internet service provider. (member benefits).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... VFW offers ISP as low as $11.95 per month. Computers start at $965. For info, contact the VFW Member Benefits Department at 1-800-821-2606, option 4, or visit the Web site at www.vfw.org (go to membership, then perks).

Jest a minute.
March 1, 2003... * A woman went to a Florida lemon grove to apply for a job, but the foreman thought she seemed way too qualified for the position. "Do you have any actual experience picking lemons?" he asked. "Well, I think I do" she replied. "I've been...

Reunions & claims.
March 1, 2003... 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 byre VFW's website: http://www.vfw.org/magazine/51.shtml. Send to VFW magazine, 406 W. 34th St., Suite...