The question must be asked! Why has a Cold War Service Medal been authorized and issued?
In 1999 Congress expressed appreciation to Cold War Veterans and decided that a certificate
was in order to honor those who served between Sept. 1945 and Dec. 1991, the era known as
"The Cold War."
This certificate makes no mention of military service and is available to anyone who worked for
the U.S. government during this long struggle to contain Communism. Most veterans did not feel
that this was a just recognition of their service. In fact as of late 2010 only about 2.5 million
certificates were issued. That is out of approximately 25 million veterans, and untold millions of
government employees.
Yet the Department of Defense, and some members of Congress continue to flaunt this in our face
as a thing to be proud of; something all Cold Warriors should want.
The NDAA for 2002 contained a provision for the Cold War Victory Medal, both the Senate
and House approved the bill, and it was signed into law. DoD declared they would not issue
a Cold War Medal.
Then in the NDAA for 2006, 2011 and 2012 provisions were once again written; either by the
House or the Senate in their separate versions of that years NDAA. Sadly these provisions were
removed during the Senate/House conference meetings. When members were asked for reasons
the medal was taken out, no concrete answer was given. Nobody would admit where the blame
lay, and/or why that action was taken.
Over the years there have been a minimum of 20 bills introduced in the Senate and House
(including some that were amendments to the NDAA) that would have authorized a Cold War
Victory/Service Medal. None of them were passed, many had been sent to the Armed Services
Committees of the House and Senate; where these bills sat and gathered dust and allowed to
die. These bills never saw a vote, were not passed out of committee.
Now this year neither the House nor the Senate version of the NDAA contain a mention of a
Cold War Medal.
Our questions are why? How long will these brave men and women be denied? Do people no
longer remember the Cold War and why it was waged? Is there some deep dark secret that
prevents authorizing this medal? Will Cold War Veterans always be shunted aside and swept
into the dust bin?
America stand up now for these forgotten heroes! Do not let them vanish into the dark, dismal
pages of history. And yes, the revisionists continue to attempt to re-write history as if there
never was a Cold War.
Tell your Senators and Representatives to finally recognize and honor those who defended
your freedom. Authorize a Cold War Service Medal. Use the POPVOX links on the
right to contact your elected officials now.
----
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
Their we're alot of soldiers ,marines,navy ,and airmen who lost their lives during this war,it time to be officially regonized ,also alot of us trained.many hours to. Be ready for the fight ,I am proud of my service , us army gulf war vet, 1980-1999
ReplyDeleteIt is long over due to those of us that served honorably and faithfully to the greatest nation. I would serve again and again to defend our freedoms. Those that have never traveled outside the United States do not know what is at risk and what is not. I have seen places that are ruled by dictators and rulers that rule with Iron Fists. Just look to Port -Au- Prince, Haiti one city that has never fully recovered from a dictatorship. Still has the scars of the revolt. I was deployed on the USS Vreeland FF-1068 searching the Atlantic, Med both north and south for Soviet Submarines. In 1986 during our Med cruise with the USS America CV-66 battle group we headed straight for the Gulf of Sidra and was involved with the Libyian Expedition. We crossed the Line of Death proclaimed by Gaddify and his military leadership. He had Russian Migs and Russian made weapons. We participated in Operation EL-Dorado Canyon and the Freedom of Navigation Exercises. Our battlegroup plus three others crossed the Line of Death those days back in April of 1986 due to a dictatorship sponsered by Libya and Russia with terrorist supported money. I am not saying that we are right because we had sold Libya our old diesel submarines which are the most efficient to track. Libya never did deploy those subs. The fact is the Cold War was real and you can ask me the day I was standing on our flight deck at morning muster with three Libya Mig 29s doing a low ariel fly over only 500 feet above the water with our CIWS weapon system locking on to them with us going to general quarters and the America launching her F-14s to engauge them. I believe it is time to honor all Cold War Veterans who worked every day for a real threat.
ReplyDeleteWell, my father would certainly be eligible for this medal if approved. I would also be authorized. I am a disabled vet because of the Cold War training. Training was extremely difficult and dangerous. I saw a man in basic training crack his scull wide open with a drill instructor desperately trying to keep the soldier's head together. He died. While in Graf in 1986 I nearly rolled off a cliff in the middle of the night, pitch black. The same year a Captain and First Sergeant were killed by an Abrams Tank that I had just past. And shortly after I was crushed by an M577 and M109 Shop Van on a night move, pitch black. The lack of respect for training left me feeling guilty about filing for disability until recent. The nerve damage, connective tissue damage, should injury and head injury clearly make me unable to function properly now. PTSD sucks. It would be nice to feel more proud with such a medal. It would be nice to have an award for incurring injuries while training provided it wasn't your fault. I did nothing wrong but try to save the driver from smashing into the other vehicle and then my web gear got caught leaving me helpless hanging uncontrollably like a Christmas ornament. I still have nightmares and flashbacks. I've lost jobs because of protective reactions. I constantly guard my injuries from idiots that don't realize I'm a grown man with injuries. Shaking hands hurts. And I worked in a professional position since graduation. It all caught up with me and I finally had to pay the piper by resigning from my last job to seek help and retool. Nearly ripped the head off of a new manager that insulted my children, not to mention me over something he wouldn't understand that forced my absence to the point of never being able to take a vacation. That's at least 6 weeks out of the year wigging out and sick as a dog from migraines and head aches caused from severe trauma. Tried to do without, but now I have to deal with it. Should have taken the advice from everyone in my past. I'm a walking miracle.
ReplyDeleteWith black beans, or you're getting ready for business your first company phone bill and your checking account information to open this account. There are a lot easier. Equipment list w/ market value any leased equipment?
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