VFW Magazine articles from November 2003

VFW Magazine archives from November 2003

Appreciating veterans of all eras: VFW's foundations are built upon respect for sacrifices made in past wars as well as those occurring today against terrorism.(command post)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... Veterans Day is the time to pay homage to Americans who have worn the uniform of their country. Most citizens realize this is especially important now that we are actively engaged in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet we cannot afford to...

Thanks for covering recent war vets.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... I just put down the September issue--well done. Thanks for focusing on the hundreds of thousands of vets who served in foreign campaigns beginning in the early 1980s. This, without losing the scope of what you are doing to support those who...

Sr. Vice C-in-C Furgess correction.(mail call)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2003... Re: "Leading the Organization" (October). Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief John Furgess served as assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs from 1983 to October 2002. Prior to his retirement, he supervised 11 field...

Answering those POW questions.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... "POW Network Helps Find Answers" (September) by Amy Houts generated an unbelievable number of wonderful responses, both by phone and e-mail. Our Web site hits were up 42,000 in one week. We have resolved numerous questions. It makes it all...

Noting sacrifices of National Guard.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... "A Final Salute" (September) listed Spec. Jeffrey Wershow as assigned to the 1st Armored Division in Iraq. While that is true, he was actually a member of the Florida Army National Guard's 124th Inf. Regt., 53rd Inf. Bde. Sgt. 1st Class...

Commending the students.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... "Student Project Honors War Dead" (September) by Gail Braccidiferro clearly shows why these students should be commended for their efforts. What a great educational project for our children. Not only do they gain skills in research, writing,...

Korea POWs endured hell.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... "Courage Under Communist Captivity" (September) by Susan Keating was great. As a Marine, I was assigned to Operation Little Switch so I was there when the first ambulances arrived from North Korea. Much to my surprise, a man from my hometown...

Korean/Cold Wars equally important.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... VFW magazine has probably the best and most informative material on military matters of any publication. The recent highlighting of the Korean War is commendable. The piece (August) on the cultural portrayal of Korean War vets in American...

More sites in the Southwest.(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... "Sharing the Martial Heritage of the Southwest" (September) omitted several sites in Arizona. Prime among them is the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson. Its expansive outdoor and indoor displays make it one of the largest private aviation...

December 2003 issue of magazine cut.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... VFW's leadership has decided not to publish this year's December issue because of a budget shortfall. To make up for the loss of some 30 editorial pages in December, the November 2003 and January 2004 issues have each been expanded by four...

Things to look for.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families)(television programs on Veterans Day)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... TV has two offerings of note this Veterans Day: Be Good, Smile Pretty is about a daughter who lost her father in Vietnam and traces his life more than 32 years later. Some 20,000 American children had fathers killed in the Vietnam War. Airs...

Army reveals why troops fight.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families)(Why They Fight: Combat Motivation in Iraq)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... "Why They Fight: Combat Motivation in Iraq"--prepared by the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute--confirmed the value of unit loyalty. But it also found something else. "Surprisingly, many soldiers in Iraq were motivated by...

Instilling the 'warrior ethos'.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families)(US Army has new credo)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... In an attempt to emulate the Marine motto "Every Marine a Rifleman," the Army is instituting a new program to instill a combat mindset in support troops. Inculcating the fighting spirit will be based on a new credo: "Put the mission first,...

Patriotic education lacking.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... If the armed forces are waiting for the educational establishment to motivate young Americans to defend their country, they will be disappointed. According to reports by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, professional teacher associations...

Vietnam education center on track.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families)(Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visitor Center Act)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... With the September passage of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visitor Center Act (H.R. 1442) in the House Resources Committee, the museum is one step closer to reality. Currently, the bill is Co-sponsored by 85 representatives. The Senate version...

Some French still care.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veterans and their families)(Les Fleurs de la Memoire)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Despite the ongoing feud between France and America, there are still people in that country who remember American sacrifices in WWII on their behalf. The "Les Fleurs de la Memoire," an association of 1,500 French citizens based in Normandy,...

Gulf War, Lou Gehrig's disease linked.(Service)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... A VA study has confirmed that vets who served in the Persian Gulf War are nearly twice as likely to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) than veterans who did not deploy. It validates a 22-month VA policy that recognizes ALS as a...

VA restudies health of Gulf War vets.(Service)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... VA launched a follow-up study on the long-term health of Gulf War veterans in September. It mailed 16-page questionnaires to the same 30,000 vets it surveyed in the mid-1990s. Half deployed to the Gulf region, half did not. The first study...

SHAD vets could get VA care.(Legislation)(Health Care for Veterans of Project 112/Project SHAD Act of 2003)(Shipboard Hazard and Defense biological experimentation on military subjects)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The House approved legislation Sept. 10 that would provide VA health care for veterans who were subjected to potentially deadly toxins in Cold War biological and chemical tests. The bill, H.R. 2433--the Health Care for Veterans of Project...

Last U.S. unit leaves Saudi Arabia.(Security)(363rd Air Expeditionary Wing )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The only remaining U.S. Air Force unit departed Saudi Arabia Aug. 26, ending more than a decade of military operations there. The 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing was deactivated at Prince Sultan Air Base, but dozens of U.S. military advisers will...

Korean War remains returned.(Security)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The remains of what are believed to be four U.S. troops who were killed fighting during the Korean War were returned to the United States in October. Two of the bodies were found near the Chosin Reservoir and could be those of soldiers...

Malaria strikes Marines in Liberia.(Security)(26th Marine Expeditionary Unit )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... After six weeks offshore Liberia, and only 10 days on the ground, the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit returned home Oct. 1. They had been serving as a quick reaction force supporting a Nigerian peacekeeping operation. Though they sustained...

Where Veterans Day began: the holiday to honor all veterans began with and idea from a shoe store owner and some help from fellow Kansans.(Emporia Kansas)
November 1, 2003... Fifty years ago, a city in Kansas started a tradition that still holds strong today. On April 4, 2003, the Kansas Legislature passed a resolution officially naming Emporia, Kan., the birthplace of Veterans Day. In 1953, Al King had the...

WWI vets: last living links to a bygone era: with less than 400 of them left, these century-old warriors still have stories to tell, about the Great War.
November 1, 2003... In 1917, men of all ages, races and economic backgrounds answered America's call to war in Europe. From that First World War emerged veterans who became everything from business leaders to U.S. presidents. Today, there's only a handful of...

Hallmark salutes veterans with cards: the greeting card company will continue its Veterans Day cards and has expanded the line to accommodate veterans of every service.
November 1, 2003... Hallmark Cards Inc., has taken notice of what Americans believe is important. For the second year, the company will offer a line of Veterans Day cards to those who want to show their appreciation and patriotism. The idea isn't a new...

Repaying the debt: a sense of guilt pervades many males of "Generation X" for putting self-interest above public service.
November 1, 2003... The war in Iraq has brought countless stories of courage and compassion: Two young American soldiers, left behind in the desert due to the fog of war, are found days later thirsty and hungry because they gave much of their food and water to...

Winged warriors: a tribute to military aviators.(aviation casualties in US Armed Forces since 1917)
November 1, 2003... America's air services--Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard--have played an instrumental role in the nation's defense starting with World War I. But far too often, the focus has been on the machine instead of the man. So while...

Afghanistan: the 'forgotten war': U.S. troops pounded Taliban rebels in southeastern Afghanistan as their numbers swelled and their attacks grew bolder. Here's a wrap-up of the year's combat.(War On Terrorism)
November 1, 2003... Fighting intensified in Afghanistan in August and September as Taliban fighters flooded into the southeastern part of the country. In response, U.S. commanders launched Operation Mountain Viper on Aug. 26 to combat an estimated 1,300 enemy...

Iraq--a final salute: VFW magazine presents this memorial listing in tribute to the Americans killed from Aug. 2 to Oct. 9 in Iraq.
November 1, 2003... Deaths to Enemy Action Army Spc. Richard Arriaga, HQ.Btry., 4th Bn., 42nd FA Regt., 4th Inf. Div., Ganado, Texas Sgt. Gregory A. Belanger, HQ Service Co., 325th MI Bn., USAR, Narragansett, R.I. Sgt. 1st Class William M....

Iraq war debated in 'Alamo City': VFW's national convention served as a forum for Administration officials and lawmakers to debate troop deployments, VA health care and concurrent receipt.(VFW National Convention 2003)
November 1, 2003... Key Bush Administration officials, as well as members of Congress, addressed several issues of concern to VFW during the 104th National Convention in San Antonio. Heading the agenda was the use of troops in Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald...

Convention competition winners: posts, districts and departments gave their all during competitions and contests in San Antonio.(Veterans of Foreign Wars competitions)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... PATRIOTIC RALLY Best Appearing Senior Men's VFW Color Guard Department of Pennsylvania Best Appearing Senior Ladies VFW Auxiliary Color Guard Department of Minnesota RITUALISTIC COMPETITION First Place District...

All-American Commanders: the following All-American Commanders have distinguished themselves during the 2002-03 year.
November 1, 2003... DEPARTMENT Alaska Robert S. Watchus Arizona Dennis E. Kane California Gerald D. Anderson Colorado Kenny R. Vegoren Delaware George M. Ritchie Europe Todd H. Ota Patrick J. Love Georgia Dick D. Dickens Hawaii Nicholas S.T....

Liberty Memorial Museum: a 'world class' museum in the making: designers of this new WWI museum draw parallels between that war and those of today.
November 1, 2003... It's been 77 years since the Liberty Memorial and Museum opened its doors in Kansas City, Mo. To date, it remains the only public museum in the United States dedicated solely to the history of WWI. With the tides of change and the rapid...

1st Cav and NVA: tangle in La Drang Valley: both sides are bloodied in November 1965 in the first major bout between the U.S. Army and the North Vietnamese army.(Deadliest Vietnam Battles)
November 1, 2003... In late October 1965, North Vietnamese army (NVA) regulars struck the Special Forces camp at Plei Me, located in the Central Highlands. Gen. William C. Westmoreland, the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) commander, chose the newly...

'Delivering the goods in peace and war': perhaps the best-kept secret at the Pentagon, this 50-year-old mover of national security materials is continuously at work behind the scenes.(The Defense Courier Service)
November 1, 2003... Commander Greg DeWeerd no sooner arrived in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, when he received an urgent request. One of his "couriers in the sand" must deliver an envelope to New York by tomorrow. The envelope contained a check for $750 million, partial...

VFW chief welcomed home to Connecticut; promotes First Book.(VFW in action)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Edward Banas, Sr., was honored in Mystic, Conn., by members and longtime supporters of veterans. Before beginning his year as commander-in-chief, Edward Banas, Sr., returned to his home state of Connecticut for a special welcome home....

We've lowered our loan rates.(member benefits)( VFW Credit Union )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The VFW Credit Union is offering a special loan rate reduction on new and used cars and RVs. If you are paying a higher rate on your current auto loan through another lender, it's worth taking a look at refinancing through the VFW Credit Union,...

Clarifying membership goals.(Veterans of Foreign Wars membership)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... A policy to grant Posts credit for deceased life members was rescinded in September. Here's why. Immediately after the national convention concluded, Commander-in-Chief Ed Banas reversed a one-year policy that credited Posts for deceased...

Projecting a positive image.(promoting membership in Veterans of Foreign Wars)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Here are some tips to attract potential members. We also would like to hear your ideas. VFW recruiters have heard for years that they must establish "face-to-face" contact and "knock on doors" to sign up new members. But what can Posts do...

Jest a minute.(jokes )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... * Old Mrs. Watkins awoke one morning to find that the river had flooded the entire first floor of her home. Looking out of her window, she saw that the water was still rising. Two men passing by on a rowboat shouted up an invitation to row...

Reunions & claims.(veterans looking for fellow veterans for reunions and injury claims)
November 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 VFW's website: http://www.vfw.org/magazine/51.shtml. Send to VFW magazine, 406 W. 34th St., Suite...