Veterans for Weed have changed their name a little. Originally their name Veterans for Weed and using the acronym "VFW" they are now called Veterans for Weed United and VFWU.
Of course VFW is a copyright owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. A cease-and-desist order to the Milwaukee based organization, which did alter their name slightly.
What is most outrageous about this group and their website: They have taken the POW/MIA logo
and changed it to suit their thoughts on "weed".
This logo shows "Pot Pow" and includes a soldier smoking a joint, with the words "stoner soldier"
underneath.
It is true that the POW/MIA logo is not covered under copyright laws, which the originators
failed to do, thus it is in the public domain.
But this misuse is an insult to those who are still missing, and most offensive to their families.
This is an outrage and a direct disrespect to anyone who ever wore the uniform of our country.
They should be ashamed of the blatant disregard of the feelings of our heroes who have not yet
returned home.
Is this a way to show respect and honor for our missing? Those we have promised "we will
never forget." Most assuredly not.
VFWU should be forced to change this abomination and they way to do that is to inundate them
with letter and emails telling them to cease-and-desist. You can find their deplorable site
here http://theveteransforweed.com/index.shtml to place you complaints.
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
Showing posts with label VFW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VFW. Show all posts
Friday, February 3, 2012
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars should admit Cold War Veterans
I just read an article which stated that in Quincy, MA an American Legion post and a VFW
post are both closing their doors. This should be a wake up call to both organizations at a national level.
Both of these posts cited declining membership as a large part of the decision to close the posts.
Fewer members means less money coming into the post, and of course the expense of running a
post does not diminish simply because you have fewer members.
As the members grow older fewer of them attend meetings, and of course the Grim
Reaper has claimed more every year. This phenomenon is not limited to these two posts, but it is happening across the nation.
There is a possible solution that would help, a way to bring in more new members; something that has been mentioned many times in the past. Something that much of the general membership does
not, or so it would appear, believe worthy of consideration.
It would be a bold move. It is one that would require some hard work by the National leadership.
What is the solution? Petition Congress to change their charters to permit the admittance of Cold War Veterans. Those who served in the military from Sept. 1945 through 1991, and brought about
the end of the Soviet Union.
While it is true that many of us are also considered a part of the older generation, we are still
younger than the WWII and/or Korean War veterans that are the majority of your members.
Cold Warriors have long expressed interest in joining either or both of these fine VSO's for many years. Countless numbers of Cold War Veterans have been told they are not eligible
to become members of either one of these outstanding organizations.
We have been told that their charters as mandated by Congress are limited: the Legion to
specified"periods of war", the VFW by the requirement of serving overseas; thus
the "Foreign Wars" nomenclature.
Attempting to attract new members from the younger generation is not very successful.
Today's young men and women as they return home appear to be more concerned, as well
they should be, with trying to get their lives back on track. Families to raise, schooling to
begin or finish and many of the large myriad of challenges facing them.
How many come back to find no work available to them? Or those who have become homeless,
or lost their families. Some get lost in the cracks and never find their way out. Drugs and
alcohol lead more off the beaten path and into self destruction.
Others have not yet gotten to the point of "I want to give back", some may never reach that point.
But there are millions of Cold War Veterans who are now at that stage of their lives. Their
children have been raised and sent off on their own, other problems faced and conquered.
Their lives are settled and they feel the urge to once again become a part of the larger
community. A feeling of wanting to belong, to do something worthwhile; possibly just
to have another veteran to reminisce with. Someone who understands.
There are things that a non-veteran would never understand the close ties and camaraderie
that we shared, brother to brother, sister to sister. A time never to be forgotten, even though
the memories might grow a little dim.
So I say it is time to change the rules. Cold War Veterans want to become members. Admit the
veterans who, just as you, placed their lives on hold to serve our nation. Or sit back and watch
as we find other VSO's that will say yes, we will gladly admit you, and stand by as your
ranks grow smaller each year.
The choice is yours.
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
post are both closing their doors. This should be a wake up call to both organizations at a national level.
Both of these posts cited declining membership as a large part of the decision to close the posts.
Fewer members means less money coming into the post, and of course the expense of running a
post does not diminish simply because you have fewer members.
As the members grow older fewer of them attend meetings, and of course the Grim
Reaper has claimed more every year. This phenomenon is not limited to these two posts, but it is happening across the nation.
There is a possible solution that would help, a way to bring in more new members; something that has been mentioned many times in the past. Something that much of the general membership does
not, or so it would appear, believe worthy of consideration.
It would be a bold move. It is one that would require some hard work by the National leadership.
What is the solution? Petition Congress to change their charters to permit the admittance of Cold War Veterans. Those who served in the military from Sept. 1945 through 1991, and brought about
the end of the Soviet Union.
While it is true that many of us are also considered a part of the older generation, we are still
younger than the WWII and/or Korean War veterans that are the majority of your members.
Cold Warriors have long expressed interest in joining either or both of these fine VSO's for many years. Countless numbers of Cold War Veterans have been told they are not eligible
to become members of either one of these outstanding organizations.
We have been told that their charters as mandated by Congress are limited: the Legion to
specified"periods of war", the VFW by the requirement of serving overseas; thus
the "Foreign Wars" nomenclature.
Attempting to attract new members from the younger generation is not very successful.
Today's young men and women as they return home appear to be more concerned, as well
they should be, with trying to get their lives back on track. Families to raise, schooling to
begin or finish and many of the large myriad of challenges facing them.
How many come back to find no work available to them? Or those who have become homeless,
or lost their families. Some get lost in the cracks and never find their way out. Drugs and
alcohol lead more off the beaten path and into self destruction.
Others have not yet gotten to the point of "I want to give back", some may never reach that point.
But there are millions of Cold War Veterans who are now at that stage of their lives. Their
children have been raised and sent off on their own, other problems faced and conquered.
Their lives are settled and they feel the urge to once again become a part of the larger
community. A feeling of wanting to belong, to do something worthwhile; possibly just
to have another veteran to reminisce with. Someone who understands.
There are things that a non-veteran would never understand the close ties and camaraderie
that we shared, brother to brother, sister to sister. A time never to be forgotten, even though
the memories might grow a little dim.
So I say it is time to change the rules. Cold War Veterans want to become members. Admit the
veterans who, just as you, placed their lives on hold to serve our nation. Or sit back and watch
as we find other VSO's that will say yes, we will gladly admit you, and stand by as your
ranks grow smaller each year.
The choice is yours.
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
Thursday, October 14, 2010
VFW Backs Cold War Medal
At their recent national convention the VFW approved resolution 307 for a Cold War Medal
WHEREAS, millions of unrecognized American troops served overseas around the globe in waging and winning a clear-cut victory in the Cold War (1945-1991); and
WHEREAS, the VFW was in the forefront of the worldwide struggle to defeat international communism since its inception and actively promoted anti-communism as a tenet of membership; and
WHEREAS, membership eligibility already includes service in six separate areas that were Cold War flashpoints recognized by the Army of Occupation Medal, China and offshore waters under the China Service Medal (1945-1957), as well as 17 distinct military actions (1958-1983) covered by the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and
WHEREAS, 382 Americans lost their lives in hostile incidents with Soviets and their surrogates, Chinese, North Koreans and Cuban-supported insurgents along the Iron, Bamboo and Cactus Curtains (over and above the full-fledged wars in Korea and Vietnam) and other combat endeavors as evidenced by the Cold War VFW magazine series (1996-98 and book in 2004); and
WHEREAS, uncounted numbers of the United States military enforced the containment policy in inhospitable environments ranging from the shores of Greenland, the barren Aleutian islands, North Pacific skies, depths of the Arctic Ocean, Latin American jungles to remote outposts stretching from Ethiopia to Pakistan, without official or public recognition; and
WHEREAS, an all-encompassing precedent (Public Law 104-3) as has been set with the universal opening of membership to all veterans of Korea war service regardless of direct exposure to enemy attack; and
WHEREAS, as a matter of fairness and a means of rectifying a continuing injustice to Americans who performed arduous duty during the Cold War in most cases equal to that of combat, closing this gap in Cold War recognition, is the right thing to do for our veterans; and,
WHEREAS, Congress has currently proposed legislation (S.2743 and H.R.4051) that provides for the award of a military service medal to members of the armed forces who served honorably during the Cold War and assisted in its final successful outcome; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, that we support the federal legislation to award a Cold War Service Medal to veterans who were involved in that historical endeavor.
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
WHEREAS, millions of unrecognized American troops served overseas around the globe in waging and winning a clear-cut victory in the Cold War (1945-1991); and
WHEREAS, the VFW was in the forefront of the worldwide struggle to defeat international communism since its inception and actively promoted anti-communism as a tenet of membership; and
WHEREAS, membership eligibility already includes service in six separate areas that were Cold War flashpoints recognized by the Army of Occupation Medal, China and offshore waters under the China Service Medal (1945-1957), as well as 17 distinct military actions (1958-1983) covered by the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and
WHEREAS, 382 Americans lost their lives in hostile incidents with Soviets and their surrogates, Chinese, North Koreans and Cuban-supported insurgents along the Iron, Bamboo and Cactus Curtains (over and above the full-fledged wars in Korea and Vietnam) and other combat endeavors as evidenced by the Cold War VFW magazine series (1996-98 and book in 2004); and
WHEREAS, uncounted numbers of the United States military enforced the containment policy in inhospitable environments ranging from the shores of Greenland, the barren Aleutian islands, North Pacific skies, depths of the Arctic Ocean, Latin American jungles to remote outposts stretching from Ethiopia to Pakistan, without official or public recognition; and
WHEREAS, an all-encompassing precedent (Public Law 104-3) as has been set with the universal opening of membership to all veterans of Korea war service regardless of direct exposure to enemy attack; and
WHEREAS, as a matter of fairness and a means of rectifying a continuing injustice to Americans who performed arduous duty during the Cold War in most cases equal to that of combat, closing this gap in Cold War recognition, is the right thing to do for our veterans; and,
WHEREAS, Congress has currently proposed legislation (S.2743 and H.R.4051) that provides for the award of a military service medal to members of the armed forces who served honorably during the Cold War and assisted in its final successful outcome; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, that we support the federal legislation to award a Cold War Service Medal to veterans who were involved in that historical endeavor.
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
Thursday, November 5, 2009
VFW Magazine Says We Won The Cold War
The VFW Magazine Nov/Dec issue has three outstanding articles about the Cold War.
Thanks to the VFW for standing up for America and all Cold War Veterans
Fall of Berlin Wall Frees East Europe
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.magDtl&dtl=1&mid=5268
Combat Casualties
http://www.vfw.org/PR/Publications/CWCasualties.pdf
You Won the Cold War
http://americancoldwarvets.org/docs/VFW_Cold_War_map_1.pdf
Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans, Inc
Thanks to the VFW for standing up for America and all Cold War Veterans
Fall of Berlin Wall Frees East Europe
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.magDtl&dtl=1&mid=5268
Combat Casualties
http://www.vfw.org/PR/Publications/CWCasualties.pdf
You Won the Cold War
http://americancoldwarvets.org/docs/VFW_Cold_War_map_1.pdf
Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans, Inc
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