Monday, December 30, 2013

I Am A Vet

We were young and brave, and sometimes foolish
Our leaders, somewhat older and wiser
Showed us how to become our best
Young boys and girls, became women and men

We placed our lives on hold
Put our life on the line,
To protect and serve the nation we love
Often far away from family and friends


We stood our watch where ever it might be
Waiting and hoping we were not called for real
Through heat, dust, cold, snow and ice
Brothers and sisters, I have your back

Friendships were made, and bonds quickly formed
To last a forever, time and distance matter not
When we meet again it is like we never parted

Ready at all times to face the enemy
On land, in the air, on the sea or below
We performed our tasks, never quite sure
Was this really it, or just another drill

Those who paid the ultimate price
They gave their all, the last sacrifice
Our tears were shed as we silently stood
To honor and remember them forever

Some will look down on a veteran
Disregarding and disrespecting
Showing not honor, but venom and hate
Forgetting that we gave them the freedom

Our days are numbered, and quickly passing
The old guard passes the torch to the new
We watch with pride as they take their turn
Will our country ever learn

War is evil, war is hell and yet
Would we do it all over if we had the chance
Yes, we are proud, we stood the test
And now I can say I am a Vet


---- 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

Friday, December 27, 2013

Cold War Service Medal, Let Us Try Again in 2014


As we all know the year 2013 was a do nothing year. There was no concerted effort or push to have the Cold War Service Medal authorized.
Our request to President Obama to issue an Executive Order to create the medal went unanswered and ignored.

All elected officials are now home and will return to Washington on Jan. 2, 2014. Please let us all try to contact them in their local offices before
they return to Washington.

Ask them to please introduce legislation that will authorize a Cold War Service Medal. One good idea would be to use the same wording used by
then Senator Clinton in the bill she introduced.

    The Secretary concerned shall issue a service medal, to be known as the `Cold War service medal', to persons eligible to receive the medal under subsection (b). The Cold War service medal shall be of an appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense, with ribbons, lapel pins, and other appurtenances.
    `(b) Eligible Persons- The following persons are eligible to receive the Cold War service medal:
      `(1) A person who--
        `(A) performed active duty or inactive duty training as an enlisted member during the Cold War;
        `(B) completed the person's initial term of enlistment or, if discharged before completion of such initial term of enlistment, was honorably discharged after completion of not less than 180 days of service on active duty; and
        `(C) has not received a discharge less favorable than an honorable discharge or a release from active duty with a characterization of service less favorable than honorable.
      `(2) A person who--
        `(A) performed active duty or inactive duty training as a commissioned officer or warrant officer during the Cold War;
        `(B) completed the person's initial service obligation as an officer or, if discharged or separated before completion of such initial service obligation, was honorably discharged after completion of not less than 180 days of service on active duty; and
        `(C) has not been released from active duty with a characterization of service less favorable than honorable and has not received a discharge or separation less favorable than an honorable discharge.
    `(c) One Award Authorized- Not more than one Cold War service medal may be issued to any person.
    `(d) Issuance to Representative of Deceased- If a person described in subsection (b) dies before being issued the Cold War service medal, the medal shall be issued to the person's representative, as designated by the Secretary concerned.
    `(e) Replacement- Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a Cold War service medal that is lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was issued may be replaced without charge.
    `(f) Application for Medal- The Cold War service medal shall be issued upon receipt by the Secretary concerned of an application for such medal, submitted in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary prescribes.
    `(g) Uniform Regulations- The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that regulations prescribed by the Secretaries of the military departments under this section are uniform so far as is practicable.
    `(h) Cold War Defined- In this section, the term `Cold War' means the period beginning on September 2, 1945, and ending at the end of December 26, 1991.'.
Should your official object to this version you can ask them to use wording similar to H.R. 1968 The Cold War Service Medal Act
of 2011
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes.
    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the `Cold War Service Medal Act of 2011'.

SEC. 2. COLD WAR SERVICE MEDAL.

    (a) Medal Authorized-
      (1) IN GENERAL- Chapter 57 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

`Sec. 1136. Cold War Service Medal

    `(a) Medal Authorized- The Secretary concerned may issue a service medal, to be known as the `Cold War Service Medal', to persons eligible to receive the medal under subsection (c).
    `(b) Design- The Cold War Service Medal shall be of an appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense, with ribbons, lapel pins, and other appurtenances.
    `(c) Eligible Persons- A person eligible to be issued the Cold War Service Medal is any person--
      `(1) who--
        `(A) served on active duty in the Armed Forces for not less than 24 consecutive months during the Cold War;
        `(B) was deployed as a member of the Armed Forces outside the continental United States for a period of at least 30 days during the Cold War; or
        `(C) performed such other service in the Armed Forces during the Cold War as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe for purposes of this section; and
      `(2) who, if discharged or released from the Armed Forces, was so discharged or released under honorable conditions after service in the armed forces characterized as honorable.
    `(d) One Medal Authorized- Not more than one Cold War Service Medal may be issued to any person.
    `(e) Issuance to Representative of Deceased- If a person described in subsection (c) dies before being issued the Cold War Service Medal, the medal may be issued to the person's representative, as designated by the Secretary concerned.
    `(f) Replacement- Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a Cold War Service Medal that is lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was issued may be replaced without charge.
    `(g) Regulations- The issuance of a Cold War Service Medal shall be subject to such regulations as the Secretaries concerned shall prescribe for purposes of this section. The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any regulations prescribed under this subsection are uniform to the extent practicable.
    `(h) Cold War Defined- In this section, the term `Cold War' means the period beginning on September 2, 1945, and ending on December 26, 1991.'.
      (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 57 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
      `1136. Cold War Service Medal.'.
    (b) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate actions to expedite--
      (1) the design of the Cold War Service Medal provided for by section 1136 of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)); and
      (2) the establishment and implementation of mechanisms to facilitate the issuance of the Cold War Service Medal to persons eligible for the issuance of the medal under such section.
I am sure you will hear about the "Cold War Certificate", remind whoever you are talking to that this is just a piece of 
paper that anyone who worked for the government in any function is eligible to the certificate; it makes no mention of 
military service and most veterans have not bothered to apply for it.

Also mention that in 2011 the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that in the first year or two of the medal it
would cost about $2 million dollars, with a cost of $30 million over a 7 year period. That is much less that the cost
estimate given by the Department of Defense.

Make note of the fact that DoD authorized both the Armed Forces Service Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 
for operations in Bosnia. So the excuse by DoD of "duplication of awards" does not make sense. plus we all know veterans
who served their tour of duty and received no award of medal of any type.

We must make the push hard and often. Contact your elected officials by phone, email, fax, in person or by mail. Do it now
and continue doing it.

Congress will begin working on the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 in just a matter of days. Let this be the
year that the Medal is at long last authorized and issued.


Jerald Terwilliger
Former Chairman
American Cold War Veterans


---- 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

Thursday, December 12, 2013

A Youtube argument for the Cold War Victory/Service Medal

A member of The American Cold War Veterans Facebook group has created a very good youtube
video for creating and issuing a Cold War Victory/Service Medal. Please watch and then share it
in every place you can. We are still fighting for recognition and respect for those who served
during the Cold War Public Service Announcement for the Cold War Victory Medal

We need the help and support of every citizen of the United States, it does not matter if you are
a veteran or not. Contact your Senators and Representatives urge them to introduce a bill that
will authorize and direct the Department of Defense to issue this medal.

Since the end of the Cold War in 1991 we have argued and pleaded to have this medal issued, but
have not yet reached our goal. Twenty two years is too long to wait.

---- 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