VFW Magazine articles from May 2003

VFW Magazine archives from May 2003

Rallying behind the troops: U.S. forces in Iraq are counting on VFW members on the home front to protect their hard-earned rights. (command post).(Veterans of Foreign Wars)
May 1, 2003... As I write these words, America's armed services are once again engaged in combat in Iraq. President Bush has declared this "a broad and concerted campaign" not "of half measures" in which "we will accept no outcome but victory." All Americans...

Truth about Vietnam vets long overdue. (mail call).
May 1, 2003... "A Long Way Home for the Truth About Vietnam Veterans" (March) by Susan Katz Keating hit the nail on the head. Ninety percent of the guys in my company in Vietnam came home to lead successful and productive lives (I know this from reunions)....

Draftees noble soldiers. (mail call).
May 1, 2003... "The Draft and Historical Amnesia" (Now Hear This, March) was outstanding. I was not a draftee, but felt they were as noble as any soldier I ever served with in combat as a member of an infantry rifle company. I don't suffer fools who demean...

Don't forget volunteer firefighters. (mail call).
May 1, 2003... Re: "Veterans, Firefighters Share Common Goals" (March). Keep in mind that 20% of the population is protected by approximately 804,000 volunteer firefighters, many of whom are veterans. And these volunteers all too frequently perform their...

Counting military firefighter casualties. (mail call).
May 1, 2003... "Fighting Fire. in War and Peace" (March) by Michael Kuk called for additional names for the proposed memorial. On Nov. 1, 1983, while operating in the north Arabian Sea, the No. 4 Main Machinery Room of the USS Ranger caught fire. Six men lost...

Commending the Korean War series. (mail call).
May 1, 2003... I would like to thank and commend VFW magazine for each month publishing a story regarding battles and other aspects of the "forgotten war." It makes me look forward to receiving the magazine every month. Don P. Raymond Pacific...

Korea's 50th Commemoration July 25-27. (now hear this).(commemoration of the Korean War)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "It's so important to awaken the memory of the American public to that war," declared VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi. To that end, the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee is sponsoring several major events from July...

Remembering all military dead. (now hear this).( Pyramid of Remembrance project will hornor all uniformed Americans who died in noncombat situations )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... VFW member Armando R. Gama recently wondered, "After each war, some type of memorial has been erected to honor the memory of its casualties. But nowhere is there any mention of troops who gave their lives in small operations and training...

VFW satellite training July 26. (now hear this).(Veterans of Foreign Wars)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... VFW's annual satellite training session will take place at more than 100 sites on Saturday, July 26, from noon until 3 p.m. (CDT). VFW staff members will cover conducting Post meetings, promoting and implementing VFW programs and membership...

TV highlights Memorial Day. (now hear this).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... National Memorial Day Concert: May 25 (Sunday) on PBS, 8-9:30 p.m. EDT (check local listings). Includes a special segment commemorating the 50th anniversary of the armistice ending the Korean War. American Icons: Arlington National Cemetery...

Book corner: books of interest to veterans. (now hear this).(Brief Article)(Bibliography)
May 1, 2003... A Day ill the Life of the United States Armed Forces. N.Y.: HarperCollins, 2003. Pictorial overview of today's military services. Mayo, James M. War Memorials As Political Landscape: The American Experience and Beyond. Westport, Conn.:...

Vietnam vet commands Iraq War. (Security).(General Tommy Franks )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Known as a "muddy-boots soldier," four-star Army Gen. Tommy Franks is the supreme military commander of U.S. and British troops in the Iraq War. Franks first saw combat during the Vietnam War, where he earned three Purple Hearts as an...

Pentagon memorial design selected. (Security).(memorial honoring those who died in the 9-11-01 attack)
May 1, 2003... A 12-member selection committee chose a park-like memorial design in March to commemorate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Called "Light Benches," the two-acre site on the west side of the Pentagon will feature 184...

WWII memorial unveiling May 2004. (Security).(World War II Memorial )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The long-anticipated completion of the nation's World War II Memorial is one year away. On May 29, 2004, the $170.6 million structure on the National Mall will be dedicated. The site is between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial,...

11 killed in Fort Drum crash. (Security).(helicopter crash under investigation)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a March 11 training mission at Fort Drum, N.Y., killing 11 soldiers and injuring two. At press time, the Army was still investigating the cause. Killed in the crash were: Capt. Christopher Britton of...

Afghanistan crash kills six. (Security).(helicopter crash)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... An Air Force Pave Hawk helicopter crashed March 23 in Afghanistan killing all six on board, The crew was conducting a medical evacuation mission when it crashed some 18 miles north of Ghazni. U.S. Central Command stated the helicopter was not...

Two GIs killed in Afghanistan ambush. (Security).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Staff Sgt. Orlando Morales, 7th Special Forces Group, and Staff Sgt. Jacob Frazier, 169th Air Support Operations Squadron, 182nd Airlift Wing, Illinois Air National Guard, were killed March 29 when their four-vehicle convoy was ambushed in...

Iraq War vets will receive benefits. (Service).(Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 1994 )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... U.S. troops who come home from the Iraq War with unexplained ailments can receive the same compensation and services as veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War. They would be covered under the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 1994 (RL....

Military tax benefit approved. (Service).(Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The House unanimously approved a bill, H.R. 1307--the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act of 2003, in March that would lighten the tax burden for U.S. troops and their families. The Senate approved a similar bill, 97-0, on March 29. In addition...

Largest VA health care hike approved. (Legislation).(veterans health care)
May 1, 2003... House and Senate negotiators approved a 12.9% increase for VA health care benefits--the largest ever--on March 20. The House/Senate budget calls for $29.3 billion--some $1.8 billion more than the Administration's proposal--in 2004. The...

Frequent Wind AFEM can be converted. (Legislation).(Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A provision in the 2003 Defense Authorization Act allows veterans of Operation Frequent Wind to swap their Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for a Vietnam Service Medal. U.S. active-duty troops who participated in the April 29-30,...

Private prescriptions could be filled at VA. (Legislation).(Department of Veterans Affairs)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A VFW-supported bill introduced in February would allow VA-enrolled veterans to obtain drugs prescribed by their private physicians at VA facilities. The bill, H.R. 709--the Veterans Prescription Access Improvement Act--would streamline the...

Reserve GI bill benefits hike proposed. (Legislation).(Montgomery GI Bill)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A bill introduced in March would increase the Montgomery GI Bill benefit for Reservists. H.R. 1374--the Selected Reserve Educational Assistance Improvements Act--would "restore the program's purchasing power to its original and congressionally...

Remembering our fallen: in tribute to the Americans killed as of April 15, VFW magazine presents this memorial listing. We can never afford to lose sight of the fact that each and every individual sacrifice demands recognition. (War in Iraq).(Illustration)
May 1, 2003... HOSTILE DEATHS Air Force Staff Sgt. Scott Sather, 24th Special Tactics Sqdn., Clio, Mich. Army Spc. Jamaal Addison, 507th Ordnance Maint. Co., Roswell, Ga. Capt. Tristan Aitken, 1st Bn., 41st Field Artillery, 3rd...

Battles and accidents claim deadly toll: U.S. suffered casualties in the Iraq War from a variety of causes. (War in Iraq).
May 1, 2003... In its battle to put an end to Saddam Hussein's reign, our nation sacrificed the lives of its finest. At press time, more than 115 U.S. deaths were confirmed. These occurred in both hostile and non-hostile incidents. To honor those killed...

Nasiriyah: the 'wild west' of Iraq: Marines wrest control of key bridges across the Euphrates in heavy fighting with Iraqi militants. (War in Iraq).
May 1, 2003... Some 100 miles north of Kuwait, Nasiriyah was not a priority when U.S. troops began advancing toward Baghdad. The Army's 3rd Infantry Division bypassed the city of 500,000 people, leaving it for U.S. Marines to secure. But Marines encountered...

'Just happy to be alive': all eight GIs taken prisoner in the Iraq War gained their freedom. Though constantly fearful for their lives during the three-week ordeal, they were treated relatively humanely. (War in Iraq).(Veterans of Foreign Wars)
May 1, 2003... After three weeks of captivity, even U.S. POWs from the Iraq War were released April 13. Marines from the 3rd Armored Recon Battalion, tipped off by Iraqi soldiers who were abandoned by their fleeing officers, recovered them in Samarra, some...

Security--national, domestic personal--dominates conferences: defense was at the forefront of the 2003 VFW and Ladies Auxiliary Community Service and Legislative conferences in Washington, D.C. For the first time ever, the two were held jointly, and, while volunteerism and service were celebrated, attention was riveted on the crisis with Iraq. (Community Service/Legislative Conference 2003).(Veterans of Foreign Wars)
May 1, 2003... The VFW's and Ladies Auxiliary's collective experience of more than 100 years of community service is a boon in times of war, according to guests who attended the two organizations' joint Community Service and Legislative conferences in the...

A respectful resting place & ceremony: here is the latest news on VA cemeteries, burial benefits and honoring deceased veterans.(Department of Veterans Affairs)
May 1, 2003... Nearly all veterans have the right to be buried in one of VA's 120 national cemeteries. And now, with 1,849 vets dying every day (1,100 are from WWII), those cemeteries are feeling the crunch. A record 84,800 vets were interred in national...

A century of laughs courtesy of an 'honorary veteran': Bob Hope, one of the most honored and beloved entertainers, turns 100 years old.(Biography)
May 1, 2003... One hundred years ago this month, one of America's favorite performers made his entrance into a world that would forever be changed by his presence. Legendary comedian Bob Hope turns 100 years old on May 30. Known for his stand-up routines,...

Siege of Outpost Harry: in a series of nightly attacks over eight days in June 1953, the Chinese tried and failed to wrest this strategic spot from GIs.(Korean War)
May 1, 2003... The Americans knew an attack on Outpost Harry was coming. As U.N. and Communist negotiators haggled during the first week of June 1953 in Panmunjom, U.S. troops fortified defenses around the outpost--a hill that sat some 425 yards in front of...

Patriotic baseball a hit in South Dakota: VFW'S Department of South Dakota will hold its 44th annual baseball tournament for players age 13 through 16 this summer. Passion for America's pastime and deep respect for the nation's ideals will be on full display.(Veterans of Foreign Wars)
May 1, 2003... Patriotic fans at South Dakota's annual VFW Baseball Tournament this year won't be disappointed. As is customary at most sporting events, the national anthem is played before each game. But in South Dakota, VFW goes one step further: It may be...

VFW post embraces challenger baseball league: post 9060 in Prescott, Wis., with its QM in the lead, provides funds and manpower so disabled children can play baseball.(Veterans of Foreign Wars)
May 1, 2003... When William Bowen moved his family to Prescott, Wis., in 1996, one thing was lacking that his kids had really enjoyed at their former home in Washington state: a Little League baseball team for disabled children. So he simply formed one. ...

VFW to discover the spirit of Texas: San Antonio welcomes VFW's 104th National Convention in August.(Veterans of Foreign Wars)
May 1, 2003... History buffs will be thrilled when they get to San Antonio for VFW's 104th National Convention, Aug. 23-29. With a history stretching back to its initial settlement in 1691 and founding in 1718, the country's ninth-largest city is a crossroads...

VFW remembers veterans sacrifices through observances and tree plantings. (VFW in action).(Veterans of Foreign Wars)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... For VFW members, May is an especially busy time. From Memorial Day observances to Buddy Poppy distribution, VFW is a visible presence in communities nationwide. Here's a look at how a few Posts were involved last May. Members of Post 5951...

War on terrorism produces qualifying VFW medal. (membership).(Veterans of Foreign Wars)
May 1, 2003... Stabilization Factor Program Cancelled On page 42 of the April issue, the article "Stabilizing Membership This Year's Top Goal" indicated this initiative would be implemented in 2003-04. A change in policy has since reversed this decision....

VFW credit union incentive benefits troops. (member benefits).(Veterans of Foreign Wars)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The VFW Credit Union wholeheartedly supports our troops and all they do to keep our country free. So from now through June 15, for every new secured loan with the VFW Credit Union, a donation of $50 will be made in the member's name to the...

Reunions & claims.(Veterans of Foreign Wars)
May 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 from WFW's website: http://www.vfw.org/magazine/51.shtml. Send to VFW magazine, 406 W. 34th St., Suite...