What to Send in Military Care Package

Meeting & Duty Schedule for CY 2010

---DINNER----------- DUTY WEEK
---Meeting
07 JAN 10------- 11-15 JAN 10
25 FEB 10------- 01-05 MAR 10
15 APR 10------- 19-23 APR 10
03 JUN 10------- 07-11 JUN 10
22 JUL 10------- 26-30 JUL 10
09 SEP 10------- 13-17 SEP 10
28 OCT 10------- 01-05 NOV 10
16 DEC 10------- 20-24 DEN 10

Thank You All !

Tragic Loss in Triple Nickel Family

.LAKEVILLE: SPC Damon G. Winkleman, 23, a US Army Combat Medic, of Lakeville died Sunday, September 20, in Zabul Province, Afghanistan from injuries received in a vehicle rollover accident while responding to a call for support for a unit pinned down by enemy fire. As the Bible says: He laid down his life for others.

Damon was born February 25, 1986 in Wooster, the son of Richard W. "Wink" and Patricia G. (Murphy) Winkleman. He was a lifetime resident of the Lakeville area and member of St. John Lutheran Church, McZena where he was a member of the Luther League and Church Choir as a youth. Damon was a 2004 graduate of Loudonville High School, where he was a member of the football and baseball teams, as well as both the Jazz and Marching Bands. Additionally while in High School, he was a member of the Academic Challenge Team and enjoyed playing in a local "garage band". He was voted by his Loudonville High School Senior Class as "Most Likely to Become President of the United States". Following high school, Damon attended Marion Military Institute of Marion, AL, where he received his Associates Degree in Military Science. He enlisted in the US Army in September of 2007 and was a member of operation "Enduring Freedom" assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based in Ft. Bragg, NC. Some of his passions were music, woodworking, fishing, and all things out-of-doors. His two favorite places were the lake by his house, and Carolina Beach. There wasn't a tree, animal, or piece of anatomy he couldn't identify. He has been described by his friends and family as a delightful young man who enjoyed giving and receiving hugs.

In addition to his parents, Damon is survived by two brothers and sisters-in-law, Jason and Crystal Winkleman of Wooster, SGT Nathan and Kelly Winkleman, Presently deployed to Iraq through Ft. Campbell, KY; two nephews, Tyler and Trevor Winkleman; aunts and uncles, Jo Ellen and Thomas Zilko, and Terry and Bea Murphy, all of Wooster, Harrison and Deb Murphy of Lakeville; and his godparents, Kim and LuAnn McCullough of Shreve.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 27, 2009 in St. John's Lutheran Church, McZena with Rev. John Furno officiating. Burial with full military honors conducted by the 82nd Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, NC, will be in Fairview Cemetery, Wayne County. Friends may call after 12:00 Noon Saturday, September 26, where the family will be present from 12-4 and 6-8 p.m. in Byerly-Lindsey Funeral Home, Loudonville. The family requests memorial contributions be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, 46 Ashland County Road 2575, Lakeville, OH 44638. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.Byerly-Lindsey.com

TIGER WOODS SPEAKS AT 2009 INAUGURATION

Tiger Woods received a special invitation to speak at the inauguration. His inviters were stunned, shocked when he did not deliver the message they expected. A brief read and you will understand why the media swept Woods' remarks under the rug with no further ado and why the liberal left of our American society was again displeased with Tiger.



His speech was entitled:

"You'll Never Walk Alone"
[text is word-for-word as posted on Tiger's web site]

"I grew up in a military family - and my role models in life were my Mom and Dad, Lt. Colonel Earl Woods. My dad was a Special Forces operator and many nights friends would visit our home. They represented every branch of the service, and every rank.
In my Dad, and in those guests, I saw first hand the dedication and commitment of those who serve. They come from every walk of life; from every part of our country. Time and again, across generations, they have defended our safety in the dark of night and far from home.
Each day -- and particularly on this historic day -- we honor the men and women in uniform who serve our country and protect our freedom. They travel to the dangerous corners of the world, and we must remember that for every person wh o is in uniform, there are families who wait for them to come home safely.

I am honored that the military is such an oimportant part, not just of my personal life, but of my professional one as well. The golf tournament we do each year here in Washington is a testament to those unsung heroes.

I am the son of a man who dedicated his life to his country, family and the military, and I am a better person for it.

In the summer of 1864, Abraham Lincoln, the man at whose memorial we stand, spoke to the 164th Ohio Regiment and said: 'I am greatly obliged to you, and to all who have come forward at the call of their country.'
Just as they have stood tall for our country - we must always stand by and support the men and women in uniform and their families.

Thank you, and it is now my pleasure to introduce the US Naval Glee Club."

====

Tiger Woods' 2-minute, 5-second tribute to the our nation's military was delivered January 18th at the Inaugural Celebration in Washington , He had been subjected to intense pressure to attend and offer remarks,
especially so by liberals who have demeaned and criticized him for a decade for not joining their ranks. Yet, at the Lincoln Memorial, instead of paying homage to Barack Obama, Tiger paid tribute to our soldiers.
Not once did Tiger mention Obama, the inauguration or the new administration. He had to understand expressing his love for America and appreciation for our military men and women would disappoint the national news media and the liberal left. But Tiger is his own man; his father taught him to be his own man.

Somewhere over that cold, gray Washington sky, Colonel Earl Woods was smiling down on his beloved son. And there will be one more crying hug waiting for Tiger when the time comes he passes through heavan's gates into God's arms.


GOD BLESSED AMERICA

'Easy Company' Suffers Another Loss

The following article, written by Bob Schramm was sent to me today by Hal Fulton. As I read it I too teared up and experienced that special feeling of country and fellowship, I too, feel the loss of this soldier, this neighbor, this hero, this American. I join all of you in silent tribute to one who has represented so many...

Pete
**************************************************

One of the "Band of Brothers" soldiers died on June 17, 2009.

We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.

I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.

Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company
of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne
Infantry.

If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know
Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is
interviewed in several of them.

I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know
who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble
reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right
gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne,
on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne, or if
his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I
thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many
jumps he made.

Quietly and humbly, he said, "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and
was in until sometime in 1945 . . . " at which point my heart skipped.

At that point, again, very humbly, he said, "I made the 5 training jumps
at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know where Normandy
is?"

At this point my heart stopped.

I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was and I know what D-Day
was.

At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into
Arnhem."

I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it
was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day.

I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said; "Yes.
And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those
that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I
didn't know hat to say.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach,
while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and
said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out
of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in
coach.

He said, "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still
some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man
very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming
up now as I write this.

Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade.

No big event in Staples Center.

No wall-to-wall, back-to-back, 24x7 news coverage.

No weeping fans on television.

And that's not right.

Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way.

Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially, to the
veterans.

Rest in peace, Shifty.

--
Bob Schramm

FITTING SEND-OFF FOR HERO

PO2 (EOD2) (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
Mike Monsoor, a Navy EOD Technician, was
awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor
posthumously for jumping on a grenade in Iraq,
giving his life to save his fellow Seals.
(Notice: Mike was not a Navy SEAL, he was EOD.
He gave his life to save a group of Navy SEALS.)

During Mike Monsoor's funeral in San Diego ,
as his coffin was being moved from the hearse
to the grave site at Ft. Rosecrans National
Cemetery , SEAL's were lined up on both sides
of the pallbearers route forming a column of two's,
with the coffin moving up the center. As Mike's
coffin passed, each SEAL, having removed his
gold Trident from his uniform, slapped it down
embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin

The slaps were audible from across the cemetery; by the time the coffin arrived grave side,
it looked as though it had a gold inlay from all the Tridents pinned to it.

This was a fitting send-off for a warrior hero..


As President George W. Bush said of the event during the April 2008 Medal of Honor ceremony, “The procession went on nearly half an hour, and when it was all over, the simple wooden coffin had become a gold-plated memorial to a hero who will never be forgotten

Taxpayers to Get Rude Surprise

May 04, 2009
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Millions of Americans enjoying their small windfall from President Barack Obama's "Making Work Pay" tax credit are in for an unpleasant surprise next spring.
The government is going to want some of that money back.
The tax credit is supposed to provide up to $400 to individuals and $800 to married couples as part of the massive economic recovery package enacted in February. Most workers started receiving the credit through small increases in their paychecks in the past month.
But new tax withholding tables issued by the IRS could cause millions of taxpayers to get hundreds of dollars more than they are entitled to under the credit, money that will have to be repaid at tax time.
At-risk taxpayers include a broad swath of the public: married couples in which both spouses work; workers with more than one job; retirees who have federal income taxes withheld from their pension payments and Social Security recipients with jobs that provide taxable income.
The Internal Revenue Service acknowledges problems with the withholding tables but has done little to warn average taxpayers.
"They need to get the Goodyear blimp out there on this," said Tom Ochsenschlager, vice president of taxation for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
For many, the new tax tables will simply mean smaller-than-expected tax refunds next year, IRS spokesman Terry Lemons said. The average refund was nearly $2,700 this year.
But taxpayers who calculate their withholding so they get only small refunds could face an unwelcome tax bill next April, said Jackie Perlman, an analyst with the Tax Institute at H&R Block.
"They are going to get a surprise," she said.
Perlman's advice: check your federal withholding to make sure sufficient taxes are being taken out of your pay. If you are married and both spouses work, you might consider having taxes withheld at the higher rate for single filers. If you have multiple jobs, you might consider having extra taxes withheld by one of your employers. You can make that request with a Form W-4.
The IRS has a calculator on its Web site to help taxpayers figure withholding. So do many private tax preparers.
Obama has touted the tax credit as one of the big achievements of his first 100 days in office, boasting that 95 percent of working families will qualify in 2009 and 2010.
The credit pays workers 6.2 percent of their earned income, up to a maximum of $400 for individuals and $800 for married couples who file jointly. Individuals making more $95,000 and couples making more than $190,000 are ineligible.
The tax credit was designed to help boost the economy by getting more money to consumers in their regular paychecks. Employers were required to start using the new withholding tables by April 1.
The tables, however, don't take into account several common categories of taxpayers, experts said.
For example:
-A single worker with two jobs making $20,000 a year at each job will get a $400 boost in take-home pay at each of them, for a total of $800. That worker, however, is eligible for a maximum credit of $400, so the remaining $400 will have to be paid back at tax time - either through a smaller refund or a payment to the IRS.
The IRS recognized there could be a similar problem for married couples if both spouses work, so it adjusted the withholding tables. The fix, however, was imperfect.
- A married couple with a combined income of $50,000 is eligible for an $800 credit. However, if both spouses work and make more than $13,000, the new withholding tables give them each a $600 boost - for a total of $1,200.
There were 33 million married couples in 2008 in which both spouses worked. That's 55 percent of all married couples, according to the Census Bureau.
- A single college student with a part-time job making $10,000 would get a $400 boost in pay. However, if that student is claimed as a dependent on a parent's tax return, she doesn't qualify for the credit and would have to repay it when she files next year.
Some retirees face even bigger headaches.
The Social Security Administration is sending out $250 payments to more than 50 million retirees in May as part of the economic stimulus package. The payments will go to people who receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, railroad retirement benefits or veteran's disability benefits.
The payments are meant to provide a boost for people who don't qualify for the tax credit. However, they will go to retirees even if they have earned income and receive the credit. Those retirees will have the $250 payment deducted from their tax credit - but not until they file their tax returns next year, long after the money may have been spent.
Retirees who have federal income taxes withheld from pension benefits also are getting an income boost as a result of the new withholding tables. However, pension benefits are not earned income, so they don't qualify for the tax credit. That money will have to paid back next year when tax returns are filed.
More than 20 million retirees and survivors receive payments from defined benefit pension plans, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. However, it is unclear how many have federal taxes withheld from their payments.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union raised concerns about the effect of the tax credit on pension payments in a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in March.
Geithner responded that Treasury and IRS understood the concerns and were "exploring ways to mitigate that effect."
Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, the top Republican on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said Geithner has yet to respond to concerns raised by committee members.
"So far we've got the, 'If we don't address this maybe it will go away' approach," Camp said.

Important Note for 7 MAY 09 Meeting

IMPORTANT Please remember to wear your class A service dress uniform like the ones in the picture (not army dress blue or equivalent) to the May 7 meeting. Pictures will be taken for the official 555th historical records. Information on these records will be presented at the meeting!!!

Thousands honor Doolittle Raiders at 67th reunion

By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (AFRNS) -- Thousands of people, young and old, gathered to honor five of the nine surviving Doolittle Raiders at the 67th Reunion in Columbia, S.C., April 16 to 18.

On April 18, 1942, the Doolittle Raiders, led by then-Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, became the first to bombard Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

"Early on, everybody thought leaving the flight deck of the carrier was the biggest challenge of the trip," said retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, the late General Doolittle's co-pilot. "As it turned out, it was the easiest thing, and I had a special advantage because I was sitting next to the best pilot in the world. I admire all of the guys; I especially admire the man I was sitting next to, a fine man and a great pilot."

Colonel Cole said he grew up idolizing General Doolittle. As a teenager, he added, he watched General Doolittle conduct flight testing, and was amazed at his luck to fly with him.

"I was amazed, dumbfounded and proud," Colonel Cole said. "I was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, where they had the first test base. I used to watch Colonel Doolittle."

Colonel Cole said he does not consider himself a hero, but rather was "just doing my job" when he participated in the raid on Japan.

Of the thousands who gathered during the three-day reunion, many came to pay their respects for the Raiders' symbolic act only a few months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Some of the attendees commented that this would probably be the last time the raiders would participate in a reunion in Columbia. Previous reunions of the Doolittle Raiders in Columbia were organized by the Celebrate Freedom Foundation.

"We consider Columbia the home of the Doolittle Raiders," said Ken Breivik, public affairs director for the Celebrate Freedom Foundation, who coordinated both the Doolittle Raiders' 67th "Where Victory Began" reunion, as well as the group's 60th reunion.

To pay tribute to the raiders, a visible reminder of the length of the USS Hornet's flight deck was displayed from the mouth of Columbia's Aeronautics Commission Hangar doors adjacent to a U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber, which displayed the official Doolittle Raider crest and the inscription, "Toujours au Danger" -- "Always into Danger."

As hundreds of spectators gathered at the hangar, four Doolittle Raiders – Colonel Cole, retired Maj. Thomas C. Griffin, retired Lt. Col. Robert L. Hite, retired Lt. Col. Edward Saylor and retired Staff Sgt. David J. Thatcher -- passed the official Doolittle Raider crest to the 34th Bomb Squadron's flagship B-1 bomber's crew April 17 at the hangar.

Participating in the official passing of the crest was Brig. Gen. James Kowowski, commander of the provisional Air Force Global Strike Command.

"President [John F.] Kennedy was quoted as saying that you can tell the character of the nation not only by the men that it produces, but by the men that it honors," General Kowowski said.

For their raid 67 years ago, the Doolittle Raiders were drawn from the World War II versions of the 95th, 34th, 37th and the 89th reconnaissance squadrons of the 17th Bomb Group. Col. Carl "Buck" Shawhan, 28th Operations Group commander at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., oversees the present-day 37th and the 34th bomb squadrons.

"As airmen, we understand the significance of the original acts the Doolittle Raiders performed in World War II, and the original Doolittle Raiders were the first Airmen to strike against Japan in World War II, flying their B-25 in a surprise attack against the Japanese mainland," Colonel Shawhan said. While it was a different time and era, the colonel said, he is awed by their ability to carry out such a bold raid 67 years ago.

"When they took off, they had no idea they would ever see their families again," he said. "They had no idea what kind of impact they would have." The attack had a substantial impact strategically on Japan's defenses, Colonel Shawhan said, and was an uplifting moment in U.S. history.

"Zoom forward to the future: 2001, after 9/11, when the United States was attacked, people were ... wondering about our ability to defend ourselves," Colonel Shawhan said.

He added that the modern day Doolittle Raiders were one of the first to attack against the Taliban in Afghanistan a month after the Sept. 11 attacks.

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Helen "Meg" Wildner, granddaughter of Doolittle Raider Lt. Carl Wildner, navigator of the raid's second B-25, will graduate from the academy in 2010, and reflected on the importance of the raid.

"Personally, the Doolitte Raid is definitely important to our history" she said. "It was a huge morale boost. Even after Pearl Harbor, it was an encouraging fact that we could stand up for ourselves and persevere. When you talk to the Doolittle Raiders, they don't necessarily consider themselves these huge heroes. They were just doing their jobs." (Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg serves in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)

Historical Factoid - George Nixon

George Nixion, (Born 1821- Died 10 JUL 1863)Civil War Union Army Soldier. He served during the Civil War as a Private in Company B, 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. During the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 2, 1863), he was wounded in the right hip and side during skimishing with the Confederates, and lay in the no-man's land between the Union position on Cemetery Hill and the Rebel's hold on the town. At night his cries of pain were such that it inspired Musician Richard Enderlin to crawl out during the constant firing between the two forces, drag Private Nixon back most of the way, then stand up with the wounded man in tow and dash the final distance to safty. This act won Richard Enderlin a instant promotion to Sergeant, and a Medal of Honor 34 years later. Despite his rescue, Private Nixon's wounds proved to be mortal, and he died in the XI Corps Hospital seven days later. His great-grandson, Richard Millhouse Nixon, would become the 37th President of the United States

LINCOLN HWY CONVOY TO STOP IN WOOSTER

In 1919, the US Army’s Military Transportation Corps (MTC) undertook a transcontinental Convoy to demonstrate the need for a mechanized Army and was a grueling trip perhaps best known for including young Dwight Eisenhower.

. The “hooves to wheels” plan to modernize America’s fighting force needed an attention-getting event to energize Congress and the citizenry, and parading the Army’s military might from coast-to-coast along the new Lincoln Highway was a great way to get demonstrate new vehicles. As part of its mission to honor our country’s military vehicle history, the MVPA has decided to recreate the famous 1919 convoy in 2009 as a 90th Anniversary celebration of the achievement and in conjunction with the nation’s President Lincoln Bicentennial celebration.

More than 60 participants hope to drive some of the route, many of them all the way coast-to-coast Departure from Washington DC is Saturday, June 13, with arrival in San Francisco on Saturday, July 4. Here’s a description from the site
The Military Vehicle Preservation Association will recreate the 1919 Transcontinental Motor Convoy.

The Lincoln Highway Association is working with the group, and one of the stops will be the in Wooster at the Fair Grounds. There will be 100 + vehicles and 350 people. It is planned for them to setup two full field kitchens to feed one meal to all in the convoy. A maintenance tent will be setup and service all convoy vehicles. The convoy will arrive in Wooster in the evening of June 15 and will be in Wooster all day June 16 leaving the morning of June 17. Wooster was a stop in 1919

More Gun Control Introduced in Congress

The liberals are at it again. In a new bill introduced the first day of present session of Congress, and with zero coverage from the MSM, H.R. 45 (Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009) targets all gun owners in the U.S.A.

This nefarious bill seeks to strip us all of our Constitutional Rights to possess and bear firearms of any distinction. It requires, within the first two years, that all new guns be registered. The bill goes retroactive after two years. Meaning that two years after the passage of the bill, ALL FIREARMS in a citizen’s possession must be registered, not just those purchased after the bill passes, and this apparently applies to antique firearms as well.

Every five years the firearm owner must go through a complete renewal process for each weapon owned. Failure to comply carries stiff penalties including confiscation of the firearms and jail time (penalties as high as ten years imprisonment in some cases). The bill also authorizes government searches without warrant, the creation of a federal bureaucracy to monitor firearm possession, etc.

The following is a summary of the bill as provided by the Congressional Research Service. If you read the whole bill, you'll find it will effectively preclude the ownership of any firearms by law-abiding people unless directly licensed by the Attorney General :

1/6/2009--Introduced. Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit a person from possessing a firearm unless that person has been issued a firearm license under this Act or a state system certified under this Act and such license has not been invalidated or revoked. Prescribes license application, issuance, and renewal requirements.

Prohibits transferring or receiving a qualifying firearm unless the recipient presents a valid firearms license, the license is verified, and the dealer records a tracking authorization number. Prescribes firearms transfer reporting and record keeping requirements. Directs the Attorney General to establish and maintain a federal record of sale system.

Prohibits: (1) transferring a firearm to any person other than a licensee, unless the transfer is processed through a licensed dealer in accordance with national instant criminal background check system requirements, with exceptions; (2) licensed manufacturer or dealer from failing to comply with reporting and record keeping requirements of this Act;
(3) failing to report the loss or theft of the firearm to the Attorney General within 72 hours; (4) failing to report to the Attorney General an address change within 60 days; (5)
keeping a loaded firearm, or an unloaded firearm and ammunition for the firearm, knowingly or recklessly disregarding the risk that a child is capable of gaining access, if a child uses the firearm and causes death or serious bodily injury.

Prescribes criminal penalties for violations of firearms provisions covered by this Act. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) establish and maintain a firearm injury information clearinghouse; (2) conduct continuing studies and investigations of firearm-related deaths and injuries; and (3) collect and maintain current production and sales figures of each licensed manufacturer. Authorizes the Attorney General to certify state firearm licensing or record of sale systems.

Like all other threats against our freedoms, we must rise and defeat this bill, slap it down hard.

Remembering a Memorial Forgotten

Remembering a Memorial Forgotten
2009 January 26by thurdl01 in History, United States of America

The District of Columbia War Memorial

It sits on one side of the massive reflecting pool that separates the Lincoln Memorial from the Washington Monument. As you’re walking from the sixteenth to first presidents, it’s on the right hand side, beyond the ghostly images of the Korean Memorial and the small Park Police outpost where they stable their horses. It’s set back into the trees that line the Reflecting Pool, just a little rotunda on the less traveled side of the Mall, easy for even someone who’s looking for it to overlook it entirely. Officially it’s the District of Columbia World War Memorial. Unofficially, it’s the closest thing the Mall has to a World War I memorial.

In 1917, the United States went to war in a way it never had before. For the first time, the United States went to war to defend nations other than itself. Previously, the wars that the United States fought were all for its own direct interest. We were fighting for independence, we were fighting intervention, we were fighting to hold together the nation, or we were fighting to let the Western Hemisphere govern itself. World War I marked a turning point, fighting wars abroad in the name of preserve and expanding freedom. One can argue the individual merits of each war, but United States men and women fought them, and died in them. The three wars that followed World War I all have a prominent place on the Mall. World War II got the last major place of honor on the Mall, down at the feet of the Washington Monument. Vietnam has its black gash of a wall listing the names of the dead. Korea has its wall of ghostly faces and platoon of statues.


From up close, it becomes more apparent that the Memorial is in need of a good cleaning.World War I has only an unofficial memorial, dedicated only to commemorate those citizens of the District of Columbia who fought and died in the trenches of Europe.

The Memorial itself was authorized in 1924 and dedicated in 1931, hence why it refers to The World War, as it was constructed in a period when it was not yet known what new horrors were in store. The design is a simple one, a marble rotunda supported by twelve columns. Stairs on either side let the visitor climb inside the memorial, which could comfortably house no more than a dozen people. Around the base are inscribed the names of those District residents who died in the War, and within the corner stone is held the names of those who fought and came home. 26,000 fought. 499 died. This is but a mere fraction of the American toll of the war which claimed nearly 118,000 lives. I know this is an international blog, and that the American toll is a mere fraction of the nearly 10 million Allied dead and 16.5 million lives that the war would ultimately claim, but these 118,000 dead also represent a greater loss of life than Korea and Vietnam combined, and more lives claimed by any conflict America was involved with, save for the Civil War and World War II.

A pair of paths lead to the Memorial, slate flagstones. Many are chipped, a few are broken, and one or two are missing entirely. The marble is stained, and needs a good cleaning. Around the Memorial, remembrances have been left by those who know where to find it, white roses and poppies. The interpretive signs on either side are cracked and showing their age. It is a site that, in spite of its prominent location, is slowly slipping into complete obscurity.


A lone white rose left as a remembrance

So what makes this an actual news story, rather than just ramblings bemoaning a forgotten memorial? In the initial splurge of bills introduced to the new Congress is one by Rep Ted Poe, a Republican representing the 2nd District of Texas. The bill (HR 482, full text) calls for the Memorial to be renovated, expanded, and rededicated as a National and District of Columbia World War I Memorial. Obviously there are many more important issues that face the Congress right now, but I for one am cheering for this little bill to make its way through, to help fix up a sadly overlooked spot on the Mall and providing fitting tribute to those who fought and those who died in a war that really reshaped what it was to be the United States of America.

Frank Woodruff Buckles Last US WWI Veteran

Thank-you for your interest in my story as America's last World War One Survivor. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers and am humbled to be the representative of nearly 5 million Americans who served with me. I receive many requests for interviews and correspondence and at 108 I do my best to respond as quickly as I can.


92 years ago I was stationed in France to serve the United States of America when I heard the news that the war had ended. 92 years have passed and there is still not a memorial to our service in our Nations capitol- Washington, DC.


116,561 Americans died during WWI. It is my last hope and my desire that there will be a monument so that our sacrifice will not be forgotten. If you wish to thank me please write your congressmen and ask them to support HR 482 by Congressmen Ted Poe. For more information please visit www.WWIMEMORIAL.ORG.


Patriotically yours,


Frank Woodruff Buckles

Presidential Memorial Certificates

Important Notice Concerning Presidential Signatures



A Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) is an engraved paper certificate, signed by the current President, to honor the memory of honorably discharged deceased veterans.
History
This program was initiated in March 1962 by President John F. Kennedy and has been continued by all subsequent Presidents. Statutory authority for the program is Section 112, Title 38, of the United States Code.

Administration
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the PMC program by preparing the certificates which bear the current President’s signature expressing the country’s grateful recognition of the veteran’s service in the United States Armed Forces.

Eligibility
Eligible recipients include the next of kin and loved ones of honorably discharged deceased veterans. More than one certificate may be provided.

Application
Eligible recipients, or someone acting on their behalf, may apply for a PMC in person at any VA regional office or by U.S. mail or toll-free fax. Requests cannot be sent via email. Please be sure to enclose a copy of the veteran's discharge and death certificate to verify eligibility, as we cannot process any request without proof of honorable military service. Please submit copies only, as we will not return original documents.


If you would like to apply for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, or if you requested one more than eight (8) weeks ago and have not received it yet, we ask that you complete the application and submit it to us.


VA Form 40-0247 Application for Presidential Memorial Certificate




Instructions for Ordering a PMC Using Our Toll Free Fax Line


If you have any questions about a certificate you have received, a request you have already sent in, or about the program in general, please use the "Contact the VA" link below.


Veteran Service Officers and Funeral Homes - If you have questions or would like an application form sent to you by e-mail, please contact us at pmc@va.gov.
We do not administer other VA programs or have access to other VA records. For assistance with other VA benefits or records please use the “Contact the VA” link below. Or call your Regional office at:
1-800-827-1000

Vets can now salute the flag!

For years, Veterans have wanted to salute the U.S. flag during the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem instead of just placing their hand over their heart. Now they can. A Congressional Amendment sponsored by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 specifically states that “members of the Armed Forces and Veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute.” Veterans can salute the flag during the National Anthem as well as during “the hoisting, lowering and passing of the flag.” “The salute is a form of honor and respect, representing pride in one’s military service,” said Inhofe. “Veterans and service members continue representing the military services even when not in uniform. The U.S. Code is now consistent for Veterans and all service members in regards to the symbolic gesture of the military salute.”
The lawThe exact wording of the law is as follows:
PUBLIC LAW 110–181—JAN. 28, 2008
122 STAT. 139 SEC. 594.
CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS OUT OF UNIFORM DURING HOISTING, LOWERING, OR PASSING OF UNITED STATES FLAG.
Section 9 of title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking “all persons present” and all that follows through the end of the section and inserting the following: “all persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries present should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.”
“Veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute.”This law was amended to address other parts of the United States Code that were inadvertently not amended by the above legislation; the amendment reads:
122 STAT. 4476 PUBLIC LAW 110–417—OCT. 14, 2008 SEC. 595.
MILITARY SALUTE FOR THE FLAG DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES NOT IN UNIFORM AND BY VETERANS.
Section 301(b)(1) of title 36, United States Code, is amended by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C) and inserting the following new subparagraphs:
“(A) individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note;
“(B) members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute in the manner provided for individuals in uniform; and
“(C) all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and”.
A discussion of this law and its amendments can be found on The Daily Flag website.
years, Veterans have wanted to salute the U.S. flag during the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem instead of just placing their hand over their heart. Now they can. A Congressional Amendment sponsored by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 specifically states that “members of the Armed Forces and Veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute.” Veterans can salute the flag during the National Anthem as well as during “the hoisting, lowering and passing of the flag.” “The salute is a form of honor and respect, representing pride in one’s military service,” said Inhofe. “Veterans and service members continue representing the military services even when not in uniform. The U.S. Code is now consistent for Veterans and all service members in regards to the symbolic gesture of the military salute.”

The lawThe exact wording of the law is as follows:
PUBLIC LAW 110–181—JAN. 28, 2008
122 STAT. 139 SEC. 594.

CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS OUT OF UNIFORM DURING HOISTING, LOWERING, OR PASSING OF UNITED STATES FLAG.

Section 9 of title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking “all persons present” and all that follows through the end of the section and inserting the following: “all persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries present should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.”
“Veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute.”This law was amended to address other parts of the United States Code that were inadvertently not amended by the above legislation; the amendment reads:
122 STAT. 4476 PUBLIC LAW 110–417—OCT. 14, 2008 SEC. 595.
MILITARY SALUTE FOR THE FLAG DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES NOT IN UNIFORM AND BY VETERANS.
Section 301(b)(1) of title 36, United States Code, is amended by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C) and inserting the following new subparagraphs:
“(A) individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note;
“(B) members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute in the manner provided for individuals in uniform; and
“(C) all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and”.
A discussion of this law and its amendments can be found on The Daily Flag website.

National Cemetery Facts JAN 09

Facts About the
National Cemetery Administration
MISSION
The National Cemetery Administration honors veterans with final resting places in national shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service to our Nation.
NCA STATISTICS
• NCA currently maintains more than 2.9 million gravesites at 128 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico, as well as in 33 soldiers’ lots and monument sites.
• Approximately 295,600 full-casket gravesites, 90,200 in-ground gravesites for cremated remains, and 75,200 columbarium niches are available in already developed acreage in our 128 national cemeteries.
• There are approximately 17,300 acres within established installations in NCA. Nearly half are undeveloped and—with available gravesites in developed acreage—have the potential to provide approximately 4.7 million gravesites.
• Of the 128 national cemeteries, 68 are open to all interments; 20 can accommodate
cremated remains and the remains of family members for interment in the same gravesite as a previously deceased family member; and 40 will perform only interments of family members in the same gravesite as a previously deceased family member.
• Since 1973, annual interments in VA national cemeteries have increased by more than 184 percent, from 36,400 to nearly 103,300 in fiscal year 2008. Interments are expected to increase annually until the year 2013.
• Of the 103,300 interments conducted in fiscal year 2008, 68.9 percent were in the 20 busiest national cemeteries: Riverside, Calif.; Florida; Calverton, N.Y.; Fort Snelling, Minn.; Jefferson Barracks, Mo; Willamette, Ore.; Fort Logan, Col.; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Dallas - Fort Worth, Texas; National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona; Houston, Texas; Tahoma, Wash.; Fort Rosecrans, Calif.; Abraham Lincoln, Ill.; Massachusetts; Great Lakes, Mich.; Ohio Western Reserve; Long Island, N.Y.; Indiantown Gap, Pa.; and Sacramento Valley, Calif.
• As of Sept. 30, 2008, 7 national cemeteries each contained more than 100,000 occupied gravesites, collectively accounting for 37 percent of all NCA gravesites maintained: Long Island, N.Y.; Calverton, N.Y.; Riverside, Calif.; Fort Snelling, Minn.; Jefferson Barracks, Mo; Golden Gate, Calif.; Willamette, Ore.
• Largest National Cemetery: Calverton, N.Y. 1,045 acres.
• Smallest National Cemetery: Hampton VAMC, Va. 0.03 acres.
• Oldest National Cemetery: 14 established in 1862 (12 are currently maintained by VA).
• Newest National Cemetery: Sarasota National Cemetery on January 9, 2009.
• Since 1973, NCA has furnished more than 10.3 million headstones and markers. In fiscal year 2008, NCA furnished more than 361,200 headstones and markers.
• NCA provided more than 511,300 Presidential Memorial Certificates to the loved ones of deceased veterans in fiscal year 2008.
• Since 1980, NCA’s State Cemetery Grants Program has obligated more than $344 million to 38 states, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas for the establishment, expansion, or improvement of 72 state veterans cemeteries. In fiscal year 2008, NCAsupported state cemeteries provided more than 25,000 interments.
• Volunteers donated approximately 482,000 hours at national cemeteries during fiscal year 2008.
• Approximately 7.7 million people visited VA national cemeteries in fiscal year 2008.
• In 1999 and 2003, Congress passed two laws directing VA to establish 12 new national cemeteries. One has been opened in Oklahoma, one in Pennsylvania, one in Michigan, one in Georgia, one in South Carolina, one in California and three in Florida. The rest—one in Alabama, one in California and one in Pennsylvania—will be located near large populations of veterans who currently do not have access to a burial option.
VETERAN STATISTICS
• VA estimates that 654,000 veterans in the U.S. and Puerto Rico died in 2008. Approximately 13 percent of U.S. veterans choose to be buried in a national or state veterans cemetery in FY 2008. As new national and state veterans cemeteries open, this percentage is expected to increase.

January 2009

BE ADVISED...Retired Military Health Care Cuts???

Vets Eyed For Health Cost Cuts
Tom Philpott | December 31, 2008
CBO Eyes Military Retirees, Vets for Health Cost Cuts

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office shows why some military retirees and veterans could face higher out-of-pocket costs if the Obama administration and Congress take bold moves to reform the U.S. health system and to make federal health programs more efficient.

Among 115 "options" presented, though not endorsed, in the CBO report, several focus on raising TRICARE out-of-pocket costs for retirees and one for families. Others would tighten access to VA hospitals and clinics, or raise VA health fees, for veterans with no service-connected conditions.

Working-age military retirees will find here some of those familiar cost-saving ideas endorsed by the Bush administration to raise TRICARE fees, co-payments and deductibles for retirees under age 62 and their spouses.

How do you feel about these recommendations? Let your public officials know how you feel!

But other options are new and, if enacted into law, would raise health costs for Medicare-eligible military retirees and for active duty families. One option suggests having the VA health system disenroll millions of current users who have no service-related injuries or ailments.

Every two years CBO presents daring options for Congress and the executive branch to weigh in trying to control federal spending. The new report, "Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care," is unusual in that it focuses entirely health care, an Obama policy priority, and its arrival is unscheduled.

It's also significant that the CBO director who led this work was Peter R. Orszag, President-elect Obama's nominee to be his director of the Office of Management and Budget. OMB is responsible for assembling the president's annual budget request to Congress. How bold will his economic team be?

"We are going to go through our federal budget, as I promised during the campaign, page by page, line by line, eliminating those programs we don't need and insisting that those that we do need operate in a sensible, cost-effective way," Obama said in November as he announced Orszag's nomination to join his cabinet .

"We're also going to focus on one of the biggest, long-run challenges that our budget faces, namely the rising cost of health care in both the public and private sectors," Obama continued. "This is not just a challenge but also an opportunity to improve the health care that Americans rely on, and to bring down the costs that taxpayers, businesses and families have to pay. That is what [OMB] will do in my administration."

Obama added, "Peter doesn't need a map to tell him where the bodies are buried in the federal budget. He knows what works and what doesn't, what's worth our precious tax dollars and what is not."

Indeed, in the CBO report's preface, Orszag gets "special thanks" for having "conceived" the report and being "instrumental in its development."

Many of its options deal with adjustments to Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance rules and the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan for federal civilians. Most ideas are aimed at cutting costs but some would enhance benefits. The 226-page report can be read online.

Here are some options that would touch military people and veterans:

TRICARE for Working-Age Retirees – Fees, co-payments and deductibles would be raised for retirees under 62 to restore the relative costs paid when TRICARE began in 1995. TRICARE Prime enrollment would be raised to $550 a year for individuals from $230. Retiree families would pay $1100 versus $460 today. Co-pays for doctor visits would climb to $28 from $12 and users of TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra would pay an annual deductible of $350 for an individual and $700 for families. Congress has declined to support such increases for the past three years.

Fees for Active Duty Families – Dependents of active duty members enrolled in TRICARE Prime, the managed care network, would pay new fees equal to 10 percent of the cost of health services obtained either in military treatment facilities or through civilian network providers. Total out of pocket costs would be capped, however.

To help offset these costs, dependents would receive a $500 non-taxable allowance annually. Those who elect to use alternative health insurance, rather than TRICARE, could apply the $500 toward their health insurance premiums, co-payments or deductibles.

CBO estimates these fees would save $7 billion over 10 years and encourage Prime enrollees to "use medical services prudently." It also would entice more spouses to enroll in employer-provided health plans instead of TRICARE. The downside, CBO said, would be financial difficulties for some Prime enrollees despite the cap on out-of-pocket costs. Also, CBO said, spouses induced to rely on employer health plans could see health coverage interrupted during military assignment relocations.

TRICARE-For-Life Fees – The military's health insurance supplement to Medicare could see higher user costs. Under this option, beneficiaries would pay the first $525 of yearly medical costs plus one half of the next $4725 of costs charged to Medicare. So the extra out-of-pocket cost for TFL users would be up to $2887.50 a year. This amount would be indexed to rise with Medicare costs. The change would save $40 billion over 10 years. But CBO said it also could discourage some patients from seeking preventive care or proper management of chronic conditions. So it could negatively affect some patients' health.

Tighten VA Enrollment – The VA healthcare system would be directed to disenroll 2.3 million Priority Groups 7 and 8 -- individuals who are not poor and have no service-related medical needs. Estimated savings would be $53 billion over 10 years but Medicare spending would rise by $26 billion in the same period as elderly among these vets shifted to Medicare.

CBO said 90 percent of these vets have other health care coverage. But this change could leave up to 10 percent unable to find affordable care.

To comment, e-mail milupdate@aol.com, write to Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, 20120-1111 or visit: militaryupdate.com.

How do you feel about this issue?
Let your public officials know how you feel.

Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion.


Copyright 2009 Tom Philpott. All opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Military.com.