VFW Magazine articles from September 2004

VFW Magazine archives from September 2004

GI Bill needs 21st Century upgrade: VFW wants a new GI Bill that pays the full costs of a veteran's education. Here's a report on how this legislative objective is progressing.(issues up front)(Montgomery GI Bill, Veterans of Foreign Wars)
September 1, 2004... A long-standing VFW priority goal is garnering more attention in Congress. Upgrading the Montgomery GI Bill--or as VFW would prefer, a complete overhaul of the program--is on the minds of more and more lawmakers as greater numbers of their...

Readers ask why no eligibility for overseas Cold War veterans?(mail call)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... Editor's Note: As a result of VFW magazine's article on Cold War memorials in May, numerous readers raised the question of eligibility for selected Cold War vets. (This issue will be further explored in an upcoming Sound Off). Here are some of...

Nation at war, but not Americans.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veteran's and their families)(Theda Skocpol)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Despite its high profile, America's war against terrorism has engaged few Americans in the fight. "A tiny proportion of the population is bearing all the burden of military participation," Harvard University sociology professor Theda Skocpol...

'Deserter' surfaces in Japan.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veteran's and their families)(Charles R. Jenkins)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Former U.S. Army Sgt. Charles R. Jenkins appeared in Japan in July for medical treatment 39 years after he allegedly deserted in South Korea. Based on letters left to his family, the Army classified Jenkins as a deserter. Reportedly, he...

Preparedness month.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veteran's and their families)(National Preparedness Month)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Department of Homeland Security has designated September 2004 National Preparedness Month. Suggested activities are listed on the department's Web site www.ready.gov. Posts can obtain some valuable tips on assisting their communities in the...

Vietnam battle accounts.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veteran's and their families)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... We are still seeking personal first-hand accounts of the following battles. Also, copies of newspaper clippings and photocopies of photos would be most helpful: "Nine Days in May," May 18-28, 1967 Vinh Huy, May 30-June 2, 1967 ...

Medallions for next-of-Kin permitted.(Now hear this: brief news items of interest to veteran's and their families)(Fallen Friend)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... In a scene that could only occur in today's politically correct society, the U.S. Army in June told Bob Parker that it would no longer help him distribute his complimentary medallions to the families of those killed in war. Parker's non-profit...

Books of interest to veterans.(Book Corner)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Controvich, James T. United States Army Unit and Organization Histories, A Bibliography. Vol. I: Pre-World War I and Vol. II: World War I to Present. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2003. A superb compilation of everything you ever wanted to know...

1 in 6 Iraq vets have PTSD.(Service)(Post-traumatic stress disorder)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The results of a Pentagon study released in July show that one in six combat veterans of the Iraq War shows signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Interviews with those most at risk revealed that only 23% to 40% sought professional...

Veterans sought for ALS registry.(Service)(amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Department of Veterans Affairs)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... VA is attempting to identify and register all veterans who have been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. VA created the National Registry of Veterans with ALS in April 2003 and has compiled a...

House boosts VA health care budget.(Legislation)(VA-Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill)(Veteran Health Administration)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A House committee in July proposed shifting billions earmarked for space, science and environmental programs to VA's health care budget. The VA-Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill, H.R. 2861, provides $30.3 billion, or $1.94...

House OKs cost-of-living increase.(Legislation)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The House unanimously approved a bill July 22 that would increase the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for disabled veterans and surviving spouses and dependents receiving VA compensation. H.R. 4175, the Veterans Compensation Cost-of-Living...

Senate panel Ups VA home loans.(Legislation)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Senate VA Committee approved a bill July 20 that increases the mortgage amount veterans can qualify for through the VA home loan program. S. 2486, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004, raises the maximum mortgage to $333,700. The...

Vets preference working, says OPM.(Employment)(Office of Personnel Management, veterans)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A report released by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in July noted that veterans receive "appropriate consideration" when applying for federal jobs. OPM stated it found only four cases at three agencies of hiring managers not adhering...

Two Afghanistan war soldiers die.(Security)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Two soldiers serving in Afghanistan died of non-combat related causes in July. Spc. Julie R. Hickey of the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, died in Landstuhl, Germany, July 4. The Galloway, Ohio, native had been evacuated from...

U.S. troops moving out of Seoul.(Security)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Some 8,000 U.S. troops based in the Seoul, South Korea, metropolitan area will be relocated about 50 miles south of the city, according to an agreement reached in July. Though the timing of the move of 2nd Infantry Division troops from Seoul to...

Six Yemenis charged in Cole bombing.(Security)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A Yemeni court charged six Yemenis in July with planning the terrorist bombing of the USS Cole. The court, in the first hearing to be held in a trial of Cole suspects, accused the defendants of having ties to the al Qaeda terrorist network. ...

Young vets voice their views on VFW'S future: to maintain an influential membership, VFW must look to younger veterans for advice.(Veterans of Foreign Wars)(Panel Discussion)
September 1, 2004... We've all heard the numbers: 1, 100 WWII vets die every day according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and more than half of VFW's 1.8 million members come from this generation of war veterans. Although it sounds like VFW's numbers are...

Iraq--a final salute: VFW magazine presents this memorial listing in tribute to the 69 Americans killed between May 22 and July 1, 2004, in Iraq.
September 1, 2004... Deaths to Enemy Action Army 1st Lt. Kenneth Michael Ballard, 2nd Bn., 37th Armor, 1st Armored Div., Mountain View, Calif. Spc. Alan N. Bean, Jr., 1st Bn., 86th FA, ARNG (Vermont), Bridport, Vt. Spc. Beau R. Beaulieu, 27th...

Can they connect on campus? Today's generation of college students remains out of touch with veterans and their values.(Students & Veterans)
September 1, 2004... "I tend to find most military figures very frightening [emphasis added]," admitted Jessica Grant, a senior majoring in English and history at Kansas State University. "I think that my generation simply pities most veterans. Maybe there is a...

Campus Veterans Clubs boosts camaraderie and careers: clubs of veterans are beginning to sprout up on campuses across the country. They fill a void by providing vital practical and emotional services. VFW magazine is the first to report on this growing movement.
September 1, 2004... "Imagine--scholarship recipients, athletes and other special interest groups have a tailored orientation program to welcome them to a university, hut veterans--many who have fought for their own country--aren't given the same courtesy," said...

Taking the lead: Vietnam vets bring their leadership skills and vision to VFW.(veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars)(Keith Harman)
September 1, 2004... It was a persistent brother-in-law who finally convinced Keith Harman to join his local VFW Post back in 1983. Harman had come home from Vietnam in 1969, but didn't have a desire to join a veterans organization and "quite honestly no one...

States memorialize their Vietnam War dead.
September 1, 2004... This is the fourth installment in the continuing series on state Vietnam War memorials. These states honor their residents killed in the war with public memorials that contain names. If your state is among those without a distinct Vietnam...

Deadly struggle in the hills: the first battle of Khe Sanh: in the spring of 1967, elements of the 3rd and 9th Marines clashed with the North Vietnamese Army in the "Hill Fights.".(Deadliest Vietnam Battles)
September 1, 2004... Khe Sanh, tucked away in the northwest section of South Vietnam, overlooked a major infiltration route during the war. In 1966, the Marines constructed a combat base in its vicinity to patrol Hills 861,881S and 881N. With no initial hostile...

Delving into the deep south.(tourism)
September 1, 2004... Trip 7: Heart of the South Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi Though this region of the country is best-known for its Civil War heritage, it also hosted battles of the War of 1812 and the deadly Creek War (1813-14 Several military bases...

Black listed cancer treatment could save your life.(Agora Health Books)(Advertisement)
September 1, 2004... Baltimore, MD -- As unbelievable as it seems the key to stopping many cancers has been around for over 30 years. Yet it has been banned. Blocked. And kept out of your medicine cabinet by the very agency designed to protect your health--the FDA....

'There is life after war': Somalia veteran uses disabilities to offer hope to wounded returning from war.(young vets in focus)(Christopher Reid)
September 1, 2004... To the war-wounded, he's an inspiration. To his fellow veterans, he s the epitome of bravery. At 35, Christopher Reid is a role model to all. A veterans service representative and counselor with the Washington, D.C.--based VA Central...

Time to head to the classrooms.(VFW in action)(Nickolas Moran)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The school year may have only just begun, but it's not too early to make contact with teachers and schedule classroom visits. War veterans add spice to the often-bland classroom curriculum. Here's a look at how some vets interact with school...

Can we learn from the experiences of other organizations? Recently, a fascinating article entitled "Elusive Reforms" was brought to my attention. Written by an experienced leader within Masonry, it offered a wealth of wisdom applicable to our own organization.(membership)
September 1, 2004... Here are some of the observations on his organization that Wayne T. Adams imparted to his fellow Masons in the June 2004 issue of The Philalethes: * "We reward incompetence and excellence in the same way." * "We have a misdirected...

Jest a minute.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A sailor and a pirate are telling their adventures. The seaman notices the pirate's peg leg, hook and an eye patch. Curious, the sailor asks, "How did you end up with a peg leg?" The pirate replies, "I was swept overboard into a school...

Reunions & claims.
September 1, 2004... REUNION COORDINATORS: To publicize your unit's reunion, fill out the form on page 50 of the February 2004 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...

August's question: should VA be responsible for providing care for age-related medical conditions if they are not service-connected?(Sound off: views of VFW members on topics of interest to veterans)
September 1, 2004... Traditionally, VA care has been viewed as primarily designed to cover the needs of veterans disabled on duty or whose health was permanently damaged while serving their country. Veterans with non-service-connected medical problems have been...