The War Nobody Wants To Remember..The Cold War

I posted an article on POPVOX if you use this link to the article you will be able to contact your
elected officials, direct to their desk. The War Nobody Wants to Remember..The Cold War

It is so way past time to remember, recognize and honor the Cold War Veterans

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

The 65th Legislative District of Pennsylvania is planning to honor Cold War Veterans.
Rep. Kathy Rapp wants all Cold War Veterans to call her office at 866-854-5294 to register
for the ceremony to be held this November
PA to honor Cold War Veterans



---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Cold War Service Medal and DOD

The two bills S.402 and H.R. 1968 both authorize a Cold War Service Medal,
there is also a provision SEC. 581 that authorizes the Cold War Service
Medal.
 
The Department of Defense has objected to the medal. They claim 
"duplication of awards" this fallacy begs the question of why millions of 
men and women completed the enlistments without receiving any type of 
medal or award.
 
DOD also claims that the cost factor would be $440 million based on
35 million veterans. It would in fact take several years for everyone
that would be eligible would actually apply.
 
DOD also once again brags about the Cold War Certificate, which makes
no mention of military service. In fact anyone who worked for the 
government is eligible for this certificate, and yet as of late 2009 only 
a little of 2 million had applied in the 7 years of its existence.
 
President Obama at least twice during his campaign stated that he thought
that the Cold War Medal should be issued . 
 
Please try to persuade DOD to change their stand on this issue. It is
time to recognize, remember and honor these brave men and women.
 
President Obama would you please use an executive order to create this
medal should the legislation fail to be passed.
 
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing any thoughts and comments
you might have on this important issue.
 
Jerald Terwilliger 

National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Asbestos, Mesothelioma risks and the US Navy

I feel it is necessary to repeat this post. This information applies not only to US Navy

veterans, but to all veterans; and to anyone who worked with or around Asbestos.

It can take up to 30 years or more for symptoms to appear, so if you were exposed to

asbestos please get checked for related diseases.

 

Please see the link on the left for more information on Asbestos exposure.

This is a very important piece of information for anyone who

served in the U.S. Navy.

Please keep this, copy and take to your doctor to discuss your

possible exposure to asbestos, possible health problems, and

ask to be checked for Mesothelioma. 

Asbestos and the United States Navy

The recent post on this site discussing Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the development of Chinese military capacity has a couple of telling remarks in it that apply to military spending habits. He mentions the “cyclical view” of American military decline that has occurred among foreign nations many times, notably in the late 1970s. It is fair to say that the view of American military readiness is related to American military spending not only on new weapons systems, but on the maintenance of existing equipment and the numbers of men and women on active duty.

After each of the two World Wars U.S. military spending was reduced dramatically and U.S. interest in maintaining a large combat-ready military dropped to peacetime expectations. Korea and Vietnam changed that pattern in the military for the length of those conflicts, but military spending during non-combat years has always been focused on new systems and not upkeep. The result over the decades has been the accumulation of outmoded bases, facilities and in the case of the Navy, outmoded ships.

Asbestos and the World War II Navy

It is well known by now that asbestos exposure can cause cancer and the development of asbestosis, a progressive and destructive respiratory disease. It is also known that thirty percent of all asbestos related mesothelioma cancer victims have been veterans. And the majority of the veterans who were at risk for asbestos cancer are Navy veterans. Sailors and shipyard workers who served on and worked on World War II Navy vessels were exposed to asbestos in engine rooms, alongside boilers, from the miles of pipe on the ships, and from the insulation and fire protection materials used in ship construction.

Every ship commissioned by the Navy from 1930 to about 1970 was fitted with tons of asbestos insulation, the perfect material for Navy use because of its insulation and fire resistant properties. Sailors inhaled asbestos fibers from the insulation that covered boilers and pipes and that was used for gaskets and packing in pumps and valves. Thousands of them got sick.

Asbestos and the Cold War Navy

After it became clear that asbestos is a carcinogen the Navy was fairly proactive in cleaning up its ships and eliminating asbestos products from newly built craft as well as in existing Navy bases and shipyards. But cleaning up all that asbestos in all those ships and locations took years and for many Cold War veterans asbestos exposure was a common occurrence. The USS Enterprise still has an asbestos abatement team on board, an example of the health risks associated with vessels of that era.

Asbestos exposure doesn’t take its toll for decades after it occurs. The latency period for mesothelioma is forty years or more. For asbestosis it can be twenty to thirty years. So Cold War vets who were unknowingly exposed to asbestos during active duty may just now be getting sick. After decades of denial the VA has finally recognized asbestos related disease as possibly related to active duty. It’s not easy to prove: the military insists that you be able to demonstrate that asbestos exposure occurred during active duty.

That’s not easy after a lifetime of post-service jobs and careers. But if you are a Navy veteran suffering from an asbestos related disease, don’t think that because your service came after 1945 the asbestos threat in active Navy duty is unlikely. Asbestos use was so common and so pervasive that exposure in all military branches continued through the twentieth century.

Source:

Bob Hartzell is a freelance writer for AsbestosNews.com, a resource on health risks and hazards commonly linked to dangerous levels of asbestos exposure, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

 

Jerald Terwilliger

National Chairman

American Cold War Veterans

"We Remember" 

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

DOD has once again raised opposition to the S.402 Cold War Service Medal in a reply to Senator
Carl Levin.
Here is a link to the letter from DOD
DOD Response

We must contact DOD to refute these claims. Many of our members of Congress have said that the
Cold War was a "WAR", even though at the time it was never a declared war.

Many more than the 380 Americans claimed by DOD died from hostile events. The true figures
will probably never be know, as many operations were top secret and details are still classified.

If it was not a war, then why were so many of our military spread around the world, many armed
with nuclear weapons; ready at all times should it happen that someone fired the first salvo.

The cost factor quoted would only be valid if all veterans and/or next of kin filed applications
immediately. This would not happen in the first year, it would probably be spread over 9 or 10
years. It would take time for the word of the medal being authorized to spread down to every
veteran.

It is a know fact that for the "certificate" only about 2.5 million applied during the first
10 years of its existence.

The duplication of awards does not hold water either. Consider the GWOT, GWOTE, NDSM
are or were awarded at the same time.

There are probably millions of veterans who served their tours without receiving an award of any
type. Those who were affected by the many "reduction in forces" did not even qualify for a
Good Conduct Medal.

The Cold War actually saved millions of lives around the world and provided at least a trillion
dollar peace dividend.

Act now, contact DOD, your elected officials and tell them that this medal is indeed one that
should be issued. It would not "cheapen" other awards. Yes there were some awards issued
during the Cold War, which did include Korea and Vietnam and other hot spots; but not
everyone was eligible.

And this year 2011 is the 20th anniversary of the end of the Cold War and there would be no
more perfect time to finally recognize all those "Cold Warriors" who served and kept the
world free.

The Netherlands has bestowed a medal on their Cold War Veterans, the UK is considering a medal,
Canada is working on authorizing a medal. Louisiana and Alaska have seen fit to honor their Cold
War Veterans, and other states are also considering a medal.

It is time for our country to finally acknowledge, honor and thank all those who served in the
military during what is truly America's Longest War. 

Please use the links to the right to contact your elected officials using the POPVOX, which
goes directly to your officials desk. All you have to do is fill in the blanks, it is quick easy
and free.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"



---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996