Reports continue to crop up around the net, that are erroneous. They claim that the Cold War Medal
was approved. These false reports bring false hope and hurt feelings. Veterans see that and
think YES it finally happened, we have recognition, the world knows who we are.
Then reality hits and they find out the truth, we were let down again. We never know who
it was that objected, but we do know for a fact that the Department of Defense has been
opposed to the medal; perhaps some pressure being brought to bear from the DOD.
As reported here earlier, it in fact did not happen. The medal was removed from the NDAA
during the House/Senate conference meetings.
So many veterans had hoped that this year would in fact be the year to have our medal approved.
These mistaken posts just create more hurt and misunderstanding. Those who have fought for
this medal for over ten years were shot down again at the last minute.
Congress gives us hope and then dashes us to the ground to be trampled on over and over again.
When will the find to courage to step and and do the proper thing for the millions who served
during the Cold War?
We do not ask for much, just a simple medal and ribbon, with hopes for the future to have
a Cold War Memorial erected in our nation's capitol to honor all those who helped defeat
Communism. We did our best to keep the world free, many gave their lives in order to do so.
We are reminded of the old Brooklyn Dodgers..."wait till next year", and like the Broadway
Bums we will not go away. We will continue our quest until the last "Cold Warrior" is gone.
The fight continues, there are still the two stand alone bills S.402 and H.R. 1968. Ask your Senators
and Representatives to cosponsor these bills and ask that they be brought to the full floor for
a vote; and then vote in favor of passage.
Do it now, do it often, do not let the Cold War Veterans continue to be pushed aside and
shunted to the shadows of history.
It was a war and WE WON.
Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"
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"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
Several years ago, I received a certificate in the mail stating it was for service during the Cold War. It was made by the Army, which ticked me off to start with. I was in the Navy, as were several aunts and uncles who had died before this certificate was issued. Why couldn't our DoD at least make up certificates in the name of the five separate Branches of the Armed Forces? I didn't serve in the Army. I am sure I am not the only Veteran to feel this way. Whenever anyone visits my home, they comment on my certificate being granted by the Army and ask why it does not carry the seal of the Navy Department. I do get tired of explaining that all the certificates were made the same way. Now we fight to get a medal authorized. I have no problem with a medal and ribbon issued or even just authorized so we could purchase one and wear it with our others for parades or other Patriotic functions. The one that is sold by a major supplier of military medals, ribbons and replacement insignias and other militaria is a dignified looking medal suitable for use by Veterans of all branches. I purchased one of these medals and have it displayed in a shadow box with my other medals but can't wear it officialy. I agree that it would be a big expense to issue one to every person that is eligable but they could at least authorize it and let us decide whether or not to purchase one. A quote in the original post above says, "We had won the Cold War but there would be no parades" This is only common sense. We came home as individuals from 1945 until 1991. The only thing I came home to was the protesters that jeered and spit on us during the sixties and seventies. Those protests made many of us feel like our country had abandoned us. The one good thing about the war on terror is that the public has, for the most part has developed into Patriotism such as this country hasn't seen since the end of WWII. I belong to a group of motorcycle enthusiasts, many of whom are Vietnam Veterans. We go to Military Funerals of any Veteran and form flag lines to honor the Veteran and in many cases, we give motorcycle escorts to the cemeteries with flags mounted on the bikes and the cars and trucks that some of us drive. We do this with full co operation of Law Enforcement and in many cases, they escort the procession with their lights flashing to clear the way. Our country and our outlook is changing daily but hopefully, we will soon be changing for the better.
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