WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Peace at any cost is a prelude to war!
(3) Are there any alternatives that are more cost-effective? Strictly
speaking, there are no alternatives to the V-22 that meet all of the users'
stated requirements. If the users were to relax the range and speed
requirements, the Agusta-Westland EH101, Eurocopter NH-90 and Sikorsky S-92
could be considered as alternatives to the V-22. But none of these machines
are simple or inexpensive either. Furthermore, the NH-90 and S-92 are still
experimental. If any of them were equipped to the standard of the V-22 in
the areas of survivability, night/adverse weather capability and NBC
protection, their price would probably approach that of the V-22.
Another option would be to rebuild yet again the USMC's and AFSOC's worn-out
Vietnam-era helos. This also wouldn't be cheap, and after the money was
spent, the military would be still have an unreliable and obsolete helo
fleet.
In summary, the V-22 Osprey is the best solution for our warfighters.
==============================================================
ARTICLE 9
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
America, Home of the Fee? - Military / Veterans Health Care Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: This article begins a series of recurring updates dedicated to
military/veterans health care issues. We hope they will keep active, retiree
and veteran communities apprised of ongoing national debates. This article
also introduces our new contributing editor for health care issues -- R.M."
Pete" Peterson, Jr., AUS, retired.
************************************************************************
By Pete Peterson, Contributing Editor
For those of you who think the fight for our EARNED health care is not
noticed by others, here are some interesting observations from outside our
country.
A WWII RAF Pilot observes that in Great Britain, military retirees and
veterans are shown considerably more respect than in our country. Their
pensions are sound and their medical care is paid-up. Their fellow
countrymen and Members of Parliament are behind them.
A WWII Wehrmacht soldier notes that a military retiree or veteran in today's
Germany still commands respect, despite the darkness of that period of
history, for they DID serve their country at great personal risk. Their
retirements are secure and their medical needs are met without fee.
In today's climate of we are all citizens of the world, it is ironic that
those abroad are generally appalled by the treatment of military retirees
and veterans in this country. As the RAF pilot puts it: America is the Home
of the Fee. Yesterday's heroes seem to have turned into today's burden.
When corresponding with both of these Veterans, one an ally and one a former
foe, I received more genuine respect for service to my country than I get
from my Government. But, that doesn't pay the medical bills.
You know there is a breakdown in military health care when our Medal of
Honor recipients are denied prescriptions at a Military Treatment Facility
(MTF). It happened to Colonel George E. "Bud" Day, USAF, Retired, MOH, and
former POW of the Hanoi Hilton at the Eglin AFB Pharmacy. Although he had
regularly used Elgin in the past, this time he was told the medication is no
longer on the authorized DOD formulary.
Those of us of lower rank and status always expect a hassle over our health
care with TRICARE, but this incident speaks volumes about the decline of the
military health care system. We, active and retired alike, can no longer
tolerate such disrespect for one of our own at a time that congressmen and
senators are free to use the MTFs at their personal convenience, while
retirees are denied access to these same facilities
We also know that installation commanders are now allowed to designate some
of the higher cost medications still on the DOD formulary to be filled for
"active duty only." Meanwhile, our 'youngsters' on active duty continue to
run up other medical bills on their family's care and some face indebtedness
they may never overcome.
Active Duty troops, and their families, should not have to pay a penny for
their medical care, but they do.
With Colonel Day, they picked the wrong warrior to say no to this time. He'
s also a lawyer and heads up the class action lawsuit for over-65 military
retirees currently under appeal in Federal Court, Washington, D.C.
For those of you looking for a way to express your thoughts on healthcare,
be in the Washington, D.C. on 11 May and show up for the "Muster." Military
retirees from all over the country will gather in the Reflecting Pool Area,
directly in front of the lower west side of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Festivities and dissent over their health care starts at 0800 and should
last until 1100. Following, there will be "sidewalk demonstrations" for the
media. It won't be Earth Day, but it should be fun.
Ask your congressman or senator to drop by and meet the voters. Find out
how hard their support is of HR 2966, HR 3573 and S. 2003. Put them on the
record in time for the elections this fall.
Military retiree health care issues do not only affect today's retirees.
Future retirees will not inherit "broken promises" over their lifetime
health care benefits if today's retirees are successful in this fight.
Under current law, when you turn 65, you lose your military health care and
fall under MEDICARE. The rest of our Federal employees, including
congressmen and senators, stay on their Federal Employees Health Benefit
Plans, reputed to be one of the finest packages in the world. We are the
only federal employees that lose their health care coverage when we hit
retirement age.
===============================================================
ARTICLE 10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Recommended Readings for Peacekeepers - The Canadian Perspective
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: Here are some excellent recommendations for the libraries of potential
peacekeepers and those already committed. The books are from the Canadian
perspective, a country traditionally involved in these complex operations.
The reviews are by Benjamin C. Works, a trustee of SFTT and Executive
Director of the Strategic Issues Research Institute in New York. You can
find the complete reviews on our website.
************************************************************************
By Benjamin C. Works
Last week I wrote a review of several important Canadian military books,
which we have posted at the SFTT website. These books form an important
core reading list for American military who are, or will become involved
with peacekeeping duties in Bosnia or Kosovo. These books, available via
Amazon.com, are eye-openers for those who seek to follow Sun-Tzu's
abjuration "Know thy enemy[ies]."
The books are by Scott Taylor, editor of the Canadian military magazine
"Esprit de Corps" and others. Taylor has written or co-written three works,
one on the deterioration and corruption within the Canadian military
("Tarnished Brass"), one on the Canadians in Croatia and Bosnia ("Tested
Mettle") and one on his experience inside Yugoslavia during the final 25
days of the NATO air war ("INAT: Images of Serbia and the Kosovo Conflict).
Of the three, I strongly recommend that SFTT's readers acquire or bully
their local library into purchasing INAT ($13.99 in trade paper) and
"Tested Mettle" ($24.95 in hardcover). Tested Mettle is important in that
it discloses Croat war crimes witnessed by the Canadians both in 1993 during
the Battle of the Medak Pocket, and in 1995, during the Croat "Operation
Storm." Those crimes were documented to the Hague Tribunal, which buried
them for political reasons. The crimes were perpetrated by troops under the
direct command of the Albanian-Croat Brigadier General, Agim Ceku, who then
joined the KLA, and, rather than sitting in a jail cell at the Hague, now
commands the "Kosovo Protection Corps," which Kfor troops have to contend
with.
Two recommended readings by other Canadians are Major General Lewis
Mackenzie "The Road to Sarajevo" ($20.27 at Amazon) and Canadian infantry
sergeant, James R. Davis, who recounts his experiences in Bosnia and Rwanda
in "The Sharp End," ($20.99 at Amazon).
Check out the reviews, and then get your hands on the books.
===============================================================
ARTICLE 11
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GI HUMOR - The Barber Shop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: And you thought our "Zoomers" weren't calculating?
***********************************************************************
In a small town near Washington, DC, a barber opened his shop for business.
A young enlisted Marine comes in to get a "high and tight". The barber asked
the young Marine about his service, and a lot of small talk takes place.
After the haircut is complete, the Marine opens his wallet and the barber
said, "It's on the house Marine. Thanks for your service to this great
nation." The next morning as the barber goes to open his shop, there is a
box on his doorstep. In the box was a note of thanks and a "SEMPER FI"
bright red T-shirt.
That same morning a young sailor comes in for a haircut. The same sort of
story happens. They talk about Navy and other small talk. After the haircut
is complete, the sailor stands and reaches for his wallet. The barber says,
"No thanks, son. It's on the house. Thank you for your service to our
country." The next morning as the man is opening his barbershop, on the
doorstep is a box with a Navy ball cap and a thank you note.
That same day, an Air Force Colonel comes in for a haircut. He is decked out
in his full dress blues. The barber is impressed and again, the same things
happen...small talk about the service. When the Colonel goes to pay, again
the barber says, "Not required, Sir, it's on the house. Thanks for your
service to this great nation."
You guessed it, the next morning, as the barber went to open his shop, there
on his doorstep ... were three more Air Force Colonels!
===============================================================
ARTICLE 12 - MEDAL OF HONOR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: As we observe the 25th year since the end of the Vietnam War, it is
only fitting to remember a heroic airman who gave his life to save the lives
of his fellow troops on the ground. If you would like more info on MOH
recipients and their stories, please email James H at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
*********************************************************************
*WILBANKS, HILLIARD A.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Air Force, 21st. Tactical Air Support
Squadron, Nha Trang AFB, RVN. Place and date: Near Dalat, Republic of
Vietnam, 24 February 1967. Entered service at: Atlanta, Ga. Born: 26 July
1933, Cornelia, Ga.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of
his life above and beyond the call of duty. As a forward air controller
Capt. Wilbanks was pilot of an unarmed, light aircraft flying visual
reconnaissance ahead of a South Vietnam Army Ranger Battalion. His intensive
search revealed a well-concealed and numerically superior hostile force
poised to ambush the advancing rangers. The Viet Cong, realizing that Capt.
Wilbanks' discovery had compromised their position and ability to launch a
surprise attack, immediately fired on the small aircraft with all available
firepower. The enemy then began advancing against the exposed forward
elements of the ranger force which were pinned down by devastating fire.
Capt. Wilbanks recognized that close support aircraft could not arrive in
time to enable the rangers to withstand the advancing enemy, onslaught. With
full knowledge of the limitations of his unarmed, unarmored, light
reconnaissance aircraft, and the great danger imposed by the enemy's vast
firepower, he unhesitatingly assumed a covering, close support role. Flying
through a hail of withering fire at treetop level, Capt. Wilbanks passed
directly over the advancing enemy and inflicted many casualties by firing
his rifle out of the side window of his aircraft.
Despite increasingly intense antiaircraft fire, Capt. Wilbanks continued to
completely disregard his own safety and made repeated low passes over the
enemy to divert their fire away from the rangers. His daring tactics
successfully interrupted the enemy advance, allowing the rangers to withdraw
to safety from their perilous position. During his final courageous attack
to protect the withdrawing forces, Capt. Wilbanks was mortally wounded and
his bullet-riddled aircraft crashed between the
opposing forces. Capt. Wilbanks' magnificent action saved numerous friendly
personnel from certain injury or death.
His unparalleled concern for his fellow man and his extraordinary heroism
were in the highest traditions of the military service, and have reflected
great credit upon himself and the U.S. Air Force.
==============================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITOR'S NOTE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For Article Submissions: as a rule of thumb, please try to keep article for
possible publication to 750 words or less. We do make exceptions and will
not turn away an 800 to 900 word piece (or even longer if you're directly to
Hack!). Please make every editing effort not to exceed these guidelines and
SUBMIT IN WORD FORMAT, if possible!
Watch your flanks - the bad guys are still out there!!!
ZIMM
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
=============================================
HACK'S DEFENDING AMERICA COLUMN:
Many readers have asked for guidance/help/ideas for getting Hack's column in
their local newspapers. See http://www.hackworth.com --- NEWSPAPERS for a
few suggestions.
Much appreciate your effort. What we're into is getting the word to as many
citizens as possible about what is causing our military machine to fly like
a B17 with 3 engines on fire (and that plane still flew!).
Thanks,
R.W. Zimmermann
=============================================
GLOSSARY OF MILITARY ACRONYMS:
We've had numerous requests from troops in different branches of the
military to establish this link so that we will all know how "all you
others" talk that talk. Please see below:
http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/acronym_index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***** BOOK SALES *****
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hack's books About Face*, Hazardous Duty*, The Price of Honor* and The
Vietnam Primer can be found at www.hackworth.com. They make a great addition
to any library. We are offering them at special SFTT price.
====================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Defending America Newsletter: Administrative Volunteers:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
R.W. Zimmermann, Chief Editor, President of SFTT, Mine Detector and "Gunner"
David H. Hackworth, Spirit Guide, and undisputed Y2K Expert
Bill Rogers, Senior Assistant Editor and SFTT Vice President
Kate Aspy, Contributing Editor and Oracle
Barry "Woody" Groton, Chief TECH DROID and Medicine Man
Ed "Edgar" Schneider, Copy Editor, Man of Letters and gentleman:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Kyle Elliott, Book List Editor and Most Over-worked
James H., MOH Editor and NCOIC
===================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Defending America
VOLUNTEER EDITORS/SPECIALISTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL Letters and Articles for considered publication should be submitted to
one of these brave, resolute and caring volunteers.
****************************************
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AirCrew issues
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**********************************************
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