MIA/POW SecDef Chuck Hagel Wants Them Found Quicker

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has ordered the Pentagon to reorganize its efforts to account for
U.S. troops missing in action from wars fought on foreign lands. He has ordered that a single agency
be formed in order to improve the accountability and speed the recovery and identity of remains.

Congress has been pressuring DoD to increase it's efforts to account for the more than 83,000 missing
US service personnel. There are 126 from the Cold War, 73,000 from WWII, more than 7,5000 from Korea, more than 1,600 from Vietnam, and the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Military Personnel
lists 5 from Iraq and the Persian Gulf.

The Pentagon spends about $100 million a year to find and identify the remains of about 70 people
a year, but there is a congressional mandate to increase its capacity to 200 annually by fiscal year
2015 beginning in October.

In a Pentagon news conference Sec. Hagel said, "There's not a more poignant, emotional, important
issue in our society today..than you take care of the people who gave their lives to this country,
and that you take care of their families."


"We will continue to do everything we can to account for and bring as many of our missing
and fallen service personnel as possible home here to the United States," he said.

In a report last year the Government Accounting Office said the effort to recover and identify
missing military personnel was "undermined by longstanding leadership weakness and a
fragmented organizational structure."

Hagel has ordered that the Pentagon is to consolidate two different offices, as well as part of an
Air Force laboratory into a single agency to be headed by a civilian appointee.

The new organization will be responsible for all communications with family members of
troops missing from past conflicts, giving them a single point of contact for information.

The agency will create a centralized database and case management system to track information
about missing troops. There will be a single medical examiner named as the authority responsible
for identification.

The American Cold War Veterans have long fought for, and petitioned congress to mandate
a complete accountability from foreign countries where our missing might be located.

Of the more than 83,000 U.S. military personnel still missing some 43,000 are considered
unrecoverable without additional information or the discovery of new technologies.

The need is there, why cannot a means be found to locate and identify the remains. There
should be a consolidated effort between the Pentagon and other outside groups, universities,
people doing research work on genealogy, or those searching for lost planes.

If you the mother of a missing loved on and you have not yet done so, it is important that you
supply a sample of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to your case worker or contact the
Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC)


It is so very important to the families and loved ones of those who are missing that every
available avenue, and every effort made to bring home our missing and bring closure to
those who wait and wonder: Where is my loved one? Is it possible they are still alive?

For those who are still among the missing You Are Not Forgotten, we will always remember.


---- Jerald Terwilliger 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

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Sequestration Has Arrived

Tonight at midnight, time has run out, Congress has run out of town, and the nation is facing Sequestration.

As promised the "do nothing" 112th Congress, with a carry over to the new 113th Congress allowed
the hard and bitter cuts to the budget take place.

These cuts will be felt far and wide, and if nothing is done quickly, for a very long time.

The drastic cuts of $85 billion to the budget with a very large amount $48 billion to the Department
of Defense, will cause serious and frightening consequences.

All of the service chiefs of staff and outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta warned many times
of the effects and creating a "hollow" military.

Already the Navy has cut back on planned maintenance of several major ships of the line, delayed
deployment of some ships, will cut back on training.

The Air Force has said they will cut back on training, delay purchases of equipment. The Army, Coast Guard and Marines Corps have all announced less training, less purchases of major equipment.

Plus all services have mentioned possible drastic cut backs in personnel.

Civilian jobs are also at risk, some employees being told they will be forced to take off one day
a week without pay; some through September. That means less time building our nations military
equipment.

How can this not effect our nation and our military. Our brave men and women of the Armed
Forces of the United States will be forced to do more with less and spend more time doing it.

If Congress does not correct this wrong very soon (and it is not yet too late) to fix the problem
how will we as a nation be properly armed and ready to defend our country.

It is well know that both Russia and China are rapidly building their armed forces, most notably
their naval and air forces.

We also have to consider North Korea, Iran, countries in Africa, the Middle East,  and
South America all looking to rattle their sabers and march their armies, anything to increase
their standing on the worlds stage.

Who will be brave and foolish enough to say, look America is getting weaker and their forces
are being stretched too thin. Now would be a good time to strike a little fear into what was once
the greatest and strongest nation in the world.

The new Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said that it will not be as bad as others have prophesied
that our military will remain the best and strongest. He suggests that after talking to all the service
chiefs that we will not lose a step, will not stumble.

Time will tell just how hard these budget cuts will affect America and every man woman and child
in our great nation. How long will we have to suffer what has been forced upon us, how deep
will we fall and how quickly?

Our country was just beginning to see the light at the end of the fiscal tunnel, there was a small
turn-around starting and the economy was on the mend.

 It was slight and slowly growing, now will the entire house of cards come crashing down? Will
it throw us back into recession? Can it be another great depression? We can only hope not.


---- Jerald Terwilliger Former 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

Cold War Service Medal: Read The Articles and Take Action

I see almost daily that people are reading this blog, searching for information on the Cold War Service
Medal. We have been trying for more than ten years to achieve this medal. We even changed the
name from "Victory Medal"(which we would rather see) to "Service Medal" in thoughts of
making the idea more acceptable to some members of Congress. But, after all this time, and
many bills being written we are still short of the goal line. Will it ever come to fruition?
YOU can HELP.

Once you read the articles I ask that you take some action: Use the links on the right to POPVOX to
contact you elected officials asking them to become cosponsors to S.402 and H.R. 1968. These get
delivered to your officials at no cost to you.

You can also go to Congress.org at http://www.congress.org/news/communicating-with-congress/
Where you can send an email or letter to the President, Vice President and Senators and Representatives, which will be delivered. This is a free service also.

Ask President Obama to use an Executive Order to create the Cold War Service Medal. Remind him
that he at least twice said that such a medal was deserved.

You can also visit your Senators and Representatives websites and send them an email there which
will get read.

Phone your officials offices and make your feelings know, ask to speak to who ever is in charge
of veterans affairs or military and defense. You can also send a fax to the office.

Or you can go to signor.org http://signon.org/sign/authorize-and-create and sign a petition to
authorize the Cold War Service Medal Act.

I just ask that you act now, there is not much time left in this session of Congress, and the two bills
will die a slow and painful death, sitting in the Armed Services Committees and we will again
be without recognition.

The Wall Street Journal published and excellent article on Veterans Day about Cold War Veterans.
Several other articles were written such as the one on Breibart.com which called the President to task
Disgrace-Barack-Obama-Broke-Promise-to-Honor-Cold-War-Veterans and many others.

We do understand the current fiscal problems facing our nation, and we know that the Department
of Defense (DoD) has objected to the medal. The DoD cost of $440 million is completely out
of line, the Congressional Budget Office costed the medal at about $30 million over a six year
span; with the start up costs being in the $1 million range.

The cost could become a non-factor as many veterans would be willing to purchase their own medal
from a private vendor, we would suggest Foxfall Medals since their version was designed by
Nadine Russell, the Chief of Creative Heraldry at the Army's Institute of Heraldry.

Do no let the Cold War Veterans be forgotten any longer, we are a vanishing breed; and soon it
will be too late to recognize and honor those of waged "America's Longest War", even though
it was not an officially declared war. Many died defending our country in missions that even
today are still classified Top Secret.

Their stories will probably never be told, as we carry our secrets to our graves. Ignored, dismissed,
disregarded and forgotten, pushed into the dustbin of history.

It did happen, it was a war, as several presidents declared; and we won!



---- Jerald Terwilliger Former 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

USS Intrepid Sailors Remain May Soon Come Home-NDAA 2012

As a followup to a previous post concerning the USS Intrepid sailors buried in Tripoli.

The recently passed National Defense Authorization Act FY 2012, while dismissing and forgetting Cold War Veterans once again. By removing SEC. 581 of the Senate version of the NDAA. It seems that the continued refusal to honor these veterans is akin to saying that there was no Cold War.

There was one very important provision in the bill that should be applauded. Thanks to the hard
effort and pressure by two Congressmen some of our heroes may be returning home.

Congressmen Frank Lobiondo (R-NJ-02) and Mike Rogers (R-MI-08) insisted that we never forget
those left behind in foreign lands.

Their provision orders the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy to at last begin the
process of returning the remains of 13 brave and dedicated sailors home where they belong.

The NDAA 2012 as passed requires that in no more than 270 days the Department of Defense (DOD)
and the Department of the Navy report back to Congress regarding the feasibility of recovering
the lost commandos.

It will not be an easy task, things that must be taken in consideration include the costs of the
operation, the facts about the incident, historical information and precedent for retrieval. The
report must also include any diplomatic and political issues that will have to be discussed
between the United States and Libya before the bodies can be exhumed. DOD will also be
required to identify Commander Richard Somers, the Commanding Officer and his 12
crew members within two years.

The Navy has resisted efforts in the past to have these heroes repatriated, saying that Tripoli
is the final resting place of the men of the Intrepid and the graves are honored and maintained.

The group that has been leading the charge to have the remains returned claims that the
graves are in danger of falling into the sea.

The Intrepid was in Tripoli harbor attempting to sink some of the pirate ships that were creating
havoc by attacking American shipping. An explosion took place aboard the ship killing all
13 commando aboard, and sinking the ship.

The bodies washed ashore and according to reports were buried in two mass graves, one with
the bodies of three officers and the other contained the crew. Markers placed on the graves were
removed as being an affront to the people of Libya.

Much more information on the long and difficult struggle to have these brave men repatriated
can be found on the website for Remember the Intrepid, and its founder William Kelly, which
can be found at Remember the Intrepid

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

A Reminder, Please Sign the Petition for Cold War Service Medal

I started a petition on the White House petition site We The People. Please sign it here Cold War Medal Petition
 
We need to have 5000 signatures by Oct 22. Please share this with everyone you know and ask them to
sign this petition. Remember to have your spouse/partner and children sign it.

You will have to start an account and log in but it is  quick and easy. Please help us in our quest. We have waited too long.

2011 is the 20th anniversary of the end of the Cold War. Let this be the year to remember, recognize and
honor our veterans.

I am sure someone will mention the Cold War Certificate. You must know that the certificate makes no mention of military service, anyone who worked for the government in any manner is eligible. In the 13 years the certificate has been in existence only about 3.5 million have applied for it.
And, you can not pin a certificate to your chest.

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

New Secretary of Defense

It appears that President Obama has chosen CIA Director Leon Panetta as the new Secretary of Defense,
according to a release just issued by Reuters.

If congress confirms Panetta, he will take office on July 1st, as Robert Gates steps down on June 30th.

Panetta who will be 73 in June has been CIA Director since 2009. He is well respected and liked
in Washington. Some feel he will tackle the budget problems quickly and make rather large changes.

I do not know how much experience Mr. Penetta has in the field of defense, and military operations.

How he will treat the military and our nation's veterans is a very large question.

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