-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! ARTICLE 11 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More Voices from the Frontlines ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed.: No way to treat our frontline troops. *********************************************************** A Missileer is calling it Quits ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am a missileer and I love the USAF and most of all my country. However, like many of my peers I am disgruntled but I am committed to make the AF a better place for those that will follow me. It seems that there are so many motivated young intelligent officers I know who are putting in their paperwork to get out. They do not feel appreciated or believe they have no opportunity to make decisions as officers. Basically, they are treated as children. As for me, I am leaning on getting out to serve my country as a teacher. I don't care if it's a pay cut-I am dedicated to public service-not careerism. ----------------------------------------------------------- I hope the next President leads ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An Army Captain: When I thought about how the next President will affect my life as an officer, I thought back to when I decided I wanted to be an officer. In the early 80's I was inspired to join the military by Ronald Reagan. Now I know a lot of critics say he didn't serve, but he did return some respect to the military. When I was in high school, it was considered "cool" to want to join the military. Today's high school students say, "what are you stupid, you don't have to do something like join the Army." I believe this all starts at the top. We have had a President who has told this country for the last 8 years, that we as a country don't require anything of you, matter of fact, you are entitled to things since you are an American. Because of his past, he was not taken seriously as CINC, and then he didn't bother to try, instead performing acts that would have gotten an average Army Captain fired. We need leadership, not another know-it-all. We need a President who will expect high standards from its citizens, not just offer goodies for votes. I don't know if that is Bush, but I know that certainly is not Gore. ----------------------------------------------------------- USS Abe Lincoln - Poor Security pre-1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Sailor: Back when I was aboard the Lincoln during its second WestPac tour, we were in Jabali (Dubai, UAE) moored pier side. There was no concrete barrier or trench against suicide car bombers. When I brought this to the attention of the ship's "sheriff" (the CWO MAA), he looked me up 'n down checking out my smurf outfit, and told me not to worry about it. I mentioned the Marines in Beirut and he told me to get lost. The lack of concern then and now regarding security on the part of commissioned officers is unfathomable. ----------------------------------------------------------- Miami VA ~~~~~~~~ By a Doc Let me tell you about the Miami VA hospital. I was an enlisted for 7 years prior to going to medical school. The last three years I was a flight surgeon. Last month I was in the Miami VA. It is a very disturbing place! What I witnessed was medical malpractice, poor nursing care, and young medical residents that could care less about military veterans. It made me sick to see the attitudes of my fellow resident physicians towards the veterans. There is substandard care and malpractice that could certainly warrant an investigation. Then on the other hand, the VA is also full of dirt bags, trying to get over on the system. I felt proud to serve at the VA and enjoyed talking to the vets. I think they were more than surprised, that one of their own was working there. =================================================== ARTICLE 12 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Battle of the Beret Continues ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed.: These guys are really hurting morale-wise. Rumor has it that the Ranger Association is considering a "protest march" on Washington D.C. if General Shinseki doesn't drop this idea. My take: let’s solve the issue quickly before our Army defeats itself from the inside. *********************************************************** By an Army Ranger: Here's a perspective about the Black Beret issue that Army Chief of Staff, General Shinseki probably doesn't want aired. Gen. Eric K. Shinseki is a Ranger School graduate but obviously only for the sole purpose of checking a block for promotion. "Creed" is a Greek word that means "this I set upon my heart". Shinseki obviously doesn't hold the Ranger Creed in any high esteem or he wouldn't have come up with this idiotic policy of allowing everyone in the Army to wear the status symbol of such a proud, dedicated organization. I have taken the liberty to underline and clarify how this new decision that blatantly flouts the Ranger Creed. CSMA Tilley should have performed his function to advise the General from publicly making a fool of himself. Is he another Sergeant Major that is trying to make E-10 and is willing to trade his spine in for it or is he just another member of the Tab Envious support pukes who undermine the standards to feel better about themselves? The Ranger Creed Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of the Rangers. This should require no explanation. You don't meet the requirements of this stanza by giving out their "earned" headgear to every slug that barely makes it through basic training. Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster, and fight harder than any other soldier. True acknowledgement is not blending them in with all the low GT scoring, non- PT’ing, non-swimming, pregnant, cooks and clerks. Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight and I will always shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some. Obviously his Ranger school classmates were/are not his comrades. How mentally alert and morally straight can you be to cover the gaping, hemorrhaging wounds that are the Army's problems with black, felt bandages? Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow. Rangers are specially selected but being an example does not mean giving up your heritage. Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country. Shinseki is letting the Rangers fall into the hands of the enemy and decisions like this definitely embarrass the country. Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete my mission, though I be the lone survivor. Will all the new, no, scratch that...will most of, no....will some of the new Black Beret wearers display any intestinal fortitude? =========================================================== ARTICLE 13 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quality of Life Update: Finally! Lots more to do in 2001 AND it’s up to you! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed: Hats off to Pete and all the “grass-rooters” who fought for TRICARE and achieved remarkable advances. Now it’s time to stay on the enemy while he has acknowledged the issue. Veterans and retirees - stand together and make yourselves heard! *********************************************************** By Pete Peterson, Quality of Life Editor Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://medical.militarybenefits.org/ http://medical.militarybenefits.org/ Thanks to Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service, for writing my lead this week (I’ve done some “snipping”): “WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2000 -- A 3.7 percent military pay raise, TRICARE changes, military modernization and lifetime medical benefits are just some of the aspects of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 that (the) President signed into law Oct. 30. The act gives DoD permission to spend an authorized overall budget of $309.9 billion. The fiscal 2001 appropriations act signed in August actually provided the money. Service members did particularly well in quality of life expenditures. In addition to the 3.7 percent across-the-board pay raise that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2001, service members in pay grades E-5 to E-7 will receive a targeted, one-time monthly raise of $32 to $59 starting July 1, 2001. Congress has added funds to the Basic Allowance for Housing to reduce out-of-pocket expenses service members must pay if they live off base. Currently, service members living off base pay an average of 19 percent of their housing costs out-of-pocket. The money will bring that average to 15 percent in fiscal 2001. The legislation authorizes the defense secretary to raise BAH rates to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses by fiscal 2005. The act extends the military housing privatization program. The program allows commercial firms to build and run military family housing areas. Another pay action calls for active and reserve military personnel to be able to use the Thrift Savings Plan. The plan, long a part of the Federal Employees Retirement System, would allow military personnel to invest a percentage of their pre-tax pay toward retirement. Taxes on participants' investments and earnings are deferred while in the plan. Details remain to be worked out, but the act calls for the system to be up and running 360 days after the president signs the legislation. The budget changes the TRICARE military medical system in several ways. For active duty personnel, TRICARE Prime Remote now covers family members as well as active duty personnel. The act also eliminates co-payments for active duty family members enrolled in TRICARE Prime. It also allows travel reimbursements to those who must go more than 100 miles to see a TRICARE health-care provider. The biggest TRICARE change, however, covers Medicare-eligible retirees. The act restructures TRICARE to allow Medicare-eligible military retirees and their family members to continue their coverage beginning in fiscal 2002. Under the plan, Medicare-eligible beneficiaries would pay no co-pays, deductibles or TRICARE enrollment fees or premiums. Retirees can receive care under Medicare; also, any medical expense not covered by Medicare will be paid by TRICARE. The act also expands the mail-order pharmacy service to cover all beneficiaries, including Medicare-eligible retirees.” Now why is this such a big deal? As an activist/advocate for active duty and retiree families, it’s a wonderful pronouncement on the power of the internet and what can be changed when like-minded folks get off their biscuit-butts and work toward a common goal. The sometimes unholy alliance of a few military associations and thousands of grassrooters kept the pressure on Congress until something popped. The congressional leadership buckled in the end, and made strides toward fixing part of our health care problems. Only the “under-65s” were left out this year - a fact that we WILL REMEDY in 2001 when the 107th Congress checks in. Could we have done it better? You bet! How? Don’t be a “rockhugger.” Grassroots activists were relatively few. Mostly retired, we probably made up less than 1% of the total military retiree population. In short, 99% or more sat and watched the rest of us to deliver the goods - and we did! What can we accomplish in 2001? It depends on how many we are and how focused we are. My group of renegades will “keep on keepin’ on” TRICARE, either fixing it or getting it scrapped and replaced with something that works for ALL of us - regardless of age. Others will work on improving SBP and dumping Concurrent Receipt laws plaguing our disabled guys. Still others will work with the general Veterans’ population on Agent Orange, Gulf War Illness, etc. The important thing to remember for 2001: If you’re not involved, you’re part of the problem. Get off your duffle bags and fight! If you need to connect with an advocate group in the fight, contact me and I’ll try to place you with a pee-bringer in your area. The rest of you? Just don’t sit there - do nothing! Congress / DOD: FIX TRICARE NOW! =========================================================== *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! 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