[Sca-cooks] Homecomings Present and Past, a Personal View

[Elaine Koogler]

Anne wrote:

>On Sat, 5 Mar 2005 14:55:51 -0500, Daniel  Phelps <phelpsd at gate.net> wrote:
>  
>
>>Was written:
>>
>>If you really want to thank our veterans take a long close look at what the
>>congress and this admistration is doing to thier benifits.  Hold the
>>politician's and bureaucrat's feet to the fire at the very least regards our
>>veteran's continuing medical care needs... and that means all of our
>>veterans be they regular service, reserve or national guard.    It is
>>literally a crying shame.
>>    
>>
>
>Of course -- that is all too obvious, from hearing the kids and their
>friends talk, and medical is one area that seriously needs revamping,
>especially where professionalism is concerned -- *practicing* medicine
>is alive and well!
>
>My son-in-law said that the PX in Iraq does a nice job of ripping off
>the soldiers -- things like sunglasses, which are a necessity there,
>cost about three times what they do in the States.  Maybe they figure
>the guys aren't spending their hard-earned pay anywhere else and it's
>ok to take advantage???
>
>Another lousy thing done to the guys:  they were given several lists
>of items to bring to Iraq, but had to ship all but two duffles and a
>carry-on back home on their own dime ... pay for boxes, tape,
>shipping, again at greatly inflated prices -- even army-issued gear
>that wouldn't fit in the duffles.
>
>So, how DO we hold feet to the fire effectively?
>
>Anne
>
>
>
>  
>
>>Daniel
>>mka
>>Daniel C. Phelps formerly, some years back, a Combat Engineer 1Lt. with the
>>3rd ACR.
>>
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
You write to your Congressional representatives...both members of the 
House and Senate.  You get all of your family to write.  You ask folks 
that you know outside your family to write.  I'll be happy to contact 
Maryland's reps...though I suspect that ours are just as horrified about 
this as you are.  However, individual stories like this give them 
ammunition.  You also contact groups like MoveOn with your story, not to 
mention the DNCC.  You make as much noise in as many places as you 
can...Letters to the Editor of your local paper, etc.  If you can send 
me the name, rank and service of your son-in-law, that will help me make 
it even more personal when I write our folk.

I know it feels like this sort of thing doesn't accomplish anything...I 
often do.  However, my very wise husband pointed out that if we give up, 
we've let them win!

Kiri