By this author

williamgast@wesupportthevets.com

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just how many of us are there? August 8,2003

meet me in St Louis Mr. President July 24,2003                                 

The pressure is on July 18,2003

This week's progress May27,2003

Define Hypocrisy June 12,2003

where are they now? June 15,2003

Promises made, promises kept? June 2,2003

a press release or a script for the comedy club?

A Press Release or a script for the Comedy Club?? 

Who will take credit for this” compromise” that gives disabled veterans absolutely nothing? Two weeks ago the Senate held hearings on the compromise and listened to the legislative reps from the Major VSO’S-VFW, American Legion and a few from the nebulas “military coalition.” We published some of the testimony from that session for our viewers to review. As we all can now read and hear on the news, the final outcome of that is a plan that will; continue to take the offset, take ten years to reach the majority of retired disabled vets and require yet another “filing” and application process with the Veterans Administration because they are attaching the “compromise” to the recent CRSC boondoggle of bureaucratic administration.

When we read the press release from VFW Commander in Chief Edward S. Banas,Sr yesterday, our blood boiled. Here is a  part of that release.

 (1)“The VFW has been in the forefront of efforts to change a century-old ban on (2)“current receipt” of both military retired pay and VA disability compensation in which military retirees forfeit a dollar of retired pay for each dollar they draw in VA disability compensation. Despite this breakthrough, ful(2)l concurrent receipt remains a priority goal for the VFW,” VFW Commander in Chief Edward S. Banas, Sr., said.

(3)“The VFW recognizes that this legislation addresses only the most seriously disabled retirees. While this breakthrough falls short of what the VFW had hoped for(4) it goes a long way toward achieving the VFW’s legislative goal of authorizing all disabled military retirees to receive their fully earned military retired pay without offset in the disability payments they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs,” Banas added

(1)   Evidently the “forefront” is at the local post bar because nobody, absolutely no one has seen a VFW representative at any demonstration or  in a noe-to-nose meeting with Congressmen where the  objection voiced was strong enough to gain media attention.

(1a) If anyone has a copy of ANY letter from the VFW directly and singularly addressing the issue of HR303 that was sent to members, please  send us a copy and we will amend this statement.

(2)   The House Bill HR303 is entitled  RETIRED PAY RESTORATION ACT OF 2003—not “concurrent receipt” This has been a misnomer and a constant problem perpetuated by attempts to confuse the subject. This term is used only by members of the press that have not completed adequate research to do the articles and people that just plain refuse to stay tuned to the events that direct the outcome of the issue.

(3)    It certainly does “only address only the most seriously disabled” commander—actually about 8 per cent of the total 700,000 plus.

(4)    “It goes a long way  ( insert here and takes a long time-ten years to be exact) toward achieving the VFW’s goal…”  This is the hard part to swallow—exactly WHAT is the VFW’s  legislative  goal of authorizing …”?????  We have not seen any productive results for disabled veterans on the subject of HR303.

To stand up and attempt to take credit for this fiasco that both the administration and service organizations will call a “breakthrough” is not a surprise to  grass roots activists. It reminds this writer of the article we did back a few months ago comparing Neville chamberlain’s negotiations with Adolph Hitler. 

What the good Commander  Banas and other leaders of these service organizations that  assembled with the Senate conferees should have said is;

(1)   Disabled veterans of America have waited over eighteen years to receive removal of this offset from our retired pay and we do not intend to stand idle while this administration uses American tax money to rebuild foreign countries.

(2)   Every veteran of service in the armed forces of these United States  has placed his/her life on the line and in many cases, given same. It is the obligation and duty of elected officials to show the gratitude that all of America expresses toward veterans by removing this offset of pay.

(3)   In a Democracy it is the will of the people that will prevail-always. The will is expressed as a consensus of opinion-an Election- In 2004 veterans of America will ensure by all means possible that citizens will know of the injustice of this Congress  and what they have done to veterans and their families         

Bill Gast                                30

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